bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression and Characterization of Intein-Cyclized Trimer of Staphylococcus aureus Protein A Domain Z
Authors: Nandy Suman , Maranholkar Vijay M. , Crum Mary , Wasden Katherine , Patil Ujwal , Goyal Atul , Vu Binh , Kourentzi Katerina , Mo William , Henrickson Amy , Demeler Borries , Sen Mehmet , Willson Richard C.
Published: January 2023

Staphylococcus aureus protein A (SpA) is an IgG Fc-binding virulence factor that is widely used in antibody purification and as a scaffold to develop affinity molecules. A cyclized SpA Z domain could offer exopeptidase resistance, reduced chromatographic ligand leaching after single-site endopeptidase cleavage, and enhanced IgG binding properties by preorganization, potentially reducing conformational entropy loss upon binding. In this work, a Z domain trimer (Z3) was cyclized using protein intein splicing. Interactions of cyclic and linear Z3 with human IgG1 were characterized by differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). DSF showed a 5 ℃ increase in IgG1 melting temperature when bound by each Z3 variant. SPR showed the dissociation constants of linear and cyclized Z3 with IgG1 to be 2.9 nM and 3.3 nM, respectively. ITC gave association enthalpies for linear and cyclic Z3 with IgG1 of −33.0 kcal/mol and −32.7 kcal/mol, and −T∆S of association 21.2 kcal/mol and 21.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The compact cyclic Z3 protein contains 2 functional binding sites and exhibits carboxypeptidase Y-resistance. The results suggest cyclization as a potential approach toward more stable SpA-based affinity ligands, and this analysis may advance our understanding of protein engineering for ligand and drug development.
CircRNA-PI4KB Induces Hepatic Lipid Deposition in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Transporting miRNA-122 to Extra-Hepatocytes
Authors: Liu Chang-Hai , Jiang Wei , Zeng Qingmin , Wu Dongbo , Li Hong , Zhou Lingyun , Bai Lang , Tang Hong
Published: January 2023

Ectopic fat deposition in the liver, known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), affects up to 30% of the worldwide population. miRNA-122, the most abundant liver-specific miRNA, protects hepatic steatosis and inhibits cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis in NAFLD. Previously, we have shown that compared with its expression in healthy controls, miRNA-122 decreased in the liver tissue but gradually increased in the serum of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, suggesting that miRNA-122 could have been transported to the serum. Here, we aimed to confirm and unravel the mechanism of transportation of miRNA-122 to extra-hepatocytes. Our findings showed a decrease in the intra-hepatocyte miRNA-122 and an increase in the extra-hepatocyte (medium level) miRNA-122, suggesting the miRNA-122 “escaped” from the intra-hepatocyte due to an increased extra-hepatocyte excretion. Using bioinformatics tools, we showed that miRNA-122 binds to circPI4KB, which was further validated by an RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay. The levels of circPI4KB in intra- and extra-hepatocytes corresponded to that of miRNA-122, and the overexpression of circPI4KB increased the miRNA-122 in extra-hepatocytes, consequently accomplishing a decreased protective role of miRNA-122 in inhibiting the lipid deposition. The present study provides a new explanation for the pathogenesis of the hepatic lipid deposition in NAFLD.
Case Study of Multichannel Interaction in Healthcare Services
Authors: Moreira Ailton , Duarte Júlio , Santos Manuel Filipe
Published: January 2023

A multichannel interaction service is a practice whereby organizations communicate and interact with their existing customers and potential new customers through different channels. This article presents a brief case study of multichannel interaction in healthcare services, which studies the viability of continuous multichannel interaction for personalized healthcare services to enable health professionals to follow up and monitor patients in home-based care. Furthermore, this study aims to explore the possibility of the continuity and complementarity of the interactions across different communication channels with the patients. The data used for this study was gathered during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study showed that despite this type of interaction being relatively new in healthcare services, it has considerable potential for improving the relationship between patients, health professionals, and care providers. Upon completion of the data analysis, several conclusions were drawn. One such conclusion was the ability to maintain continuity of interaction across multiple channels, as well as the synergy between the different channels of interaction available to patients and the impact this has on the way patients and health professionals interact. Additionally, it was determined that the complementarity of different interaction channels is crucial when implementing multichannel interaction services. Furthermore, the implementation of this solution resulted in improved communication between patients and health professionals. Also, it has decreased health professional’s workload and reduced care providers costs regarding remote patient follow-up.
Analysis of the Genetic Diversity of Two Rhopalosiphum Species from China and Europe Based on Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genes
Authors: Guo Jianqing , Li Jing , Massart Sebastien , He Kanglai , Francis Frédéric , Wang Zhenying
Published: January 2023

Population genetic studies can reveal clues about the evolution of adaptive strategies of aphid species in agroecosystems and demonstrate the influence of environmental factors on the genetic diversity and gene flow among aphid populations. To investigate the genetic diversity of two Rhopalosiphum aphid species from different geographical regions, 32 populations (n = 535) of the bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi Linnaeus) and 38 populations (n = 808) of the corn leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch) from China and Europe were analyzed using one nuclear (elongation factor-1 alpha) and two mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I and II) genes. Based on the COI-COII sequencing, two obvious clades between Chinese and European populations and a low level of gene flow (Nm = 0.15) were detected in R. padi, while no geographical-associated genetic variation was found for EF-1α in this species. All genes in R. maidis had low genetic variation, indicating a high level of gene flow (Nm = 5.31 of COI-COII and Nm = 2.89 of EF-1α). Based on the mitochondrial result of R. padi, we concluded that the long distance between China and Europe may be interrupting the gene flow. The discordant results of nuclear gene analyses in R. padi may be due to the slower evolution of nuclear genes compared to mitochondrial genes. The gene exchange may occur gradually with the potential for continuous migration of the aphid. This study facilitates the design of control strategies for these pests.
Behaviour of Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) under Controlled Environmental Conditions
Authors: de la Hera Omaira , Alonso María Luz , Alonso Rosa María
Published: January 2023

From its introduction in Europe, Vespa velutina nigrithorax has become an invasive species, since it is a predator of native fruits and insects, most of the latter being honeybees. Despite the knowledge on the life cycle of this hornet, Asian hornet behaviour is not well understood, since in vivo studies on this species are quite difficult to perform. In this work, an observational study of the behaviour of this invasive species in captivity has been carried out. Two secondary and one embryo nests were caught and kept under controlled environmental conditions, up to 13 weeks for the secondary nest and 6 weeks for the embryo nest. Captivity adaptation, defence against perturbations, evolution of the colony and overwintering were the different behaviours studied. The study has shown the importance of avoiding disturbances to the nest from the beginning of the experiments, since they tend to destroy the colony. The aggressive behaviour observed in the embryo nest was lower than in the secondary nests. Results of this research will allow obtaining additional information on this species, which is crucial to develop effective control methods.
Spatial Distribution Pattern and Sampling Plans for Two Sympatric Tomicus Species Infesting Pinus yunnanensis during the Shoot-Feeding Phase
Authors: Wu Chengxu , Chen Siyu , Yang Maofa , Zhang Zhen
Published: January 2023

Tomicus minor (Hartig) and Tomicus yunnanensis Kirkendall and Faccoli are two sympatric species that infest Pinus yunnanensis (Franchet) in southwest China, contributing to growth losses. Accurate sampling plans are needed to make informed control decisions for these species. We investigated three pine forests within experimental sites in Yuxi, Yunnan province, China from 2016 to 2018. The spatial distribution patterns of two pine shoot beetles during the shoot-feeding phase were determined using Taylor’s power law. The optimum sample sizes and stop lines for precision levels of 0.25 and 0.10 were calculated. The model was validated using an additional 15 and 17 independent field datasets ranging in density from 0.06 to 1.90 beetles per tree. T. minor and T. yunnanensis adults showed aggregated spatial distributions. For T. minor, sample sizes of 41 and 259 trees were adequate for a D of 0.25 and 0.10, respectively, while for T. yunnanensis, a mean density of one individual per tree required sample sizes of 33 plants (D = 0.25) and 208 plants (D = 0.10). The software simulations of this sampling plan showed precision levels close to the desired levels. At a fixed-precision level of 0.25, sampling is easily achievable. This sampling program is useful for the integrated pest management (IPM) of two sympatric Tomicus species.
Reply to Bareille et al. Are Viscoelastometric Assays of Old Generation Ready for Disposal? Comment on “Volod et al. Viscoelastic Hemostatic Assays: A Primer on Legacy and New Generation Devices. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 860”
Authors: Volod Oksana , Bunch Connor M. , Miller Joseph , Moore Ernest E. , Moore Hunter B. , Kwaan Hau C. , Patel Shivani S. , Wiarda Grant , Aboukhaled Michael , Thomas Scott G. , Fulkerson Daniel , Erdman Lee , Tincher Anna , Walsh Mark M.
Published: January 2023

We are pleased to see that Bareille et al. have written a Commentary: “Are viscoelastometric assays of old generation ready for disposal?” [...]
The Majority of Patients Who Undergo ERCP When Large Duct Obstruction Is Evident on Liver Biopsy Have Biliary Findings Amenable to Endoscopic Intervention
Authors: Martin Melissa , Lee Justin , Gugig Roberto , Ofosu Andrew , Charville Gregory , Barakat Monique
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Abnormal liver function tests are commonly encountered in clinical practice, often leading to additional workup to determine the underlying etiology of these abnormal laboratory studies. As part of this evaluation, if less invasive imaging studies are performed and are without evidence of biliary obstruction, liver biopsy may be performed, and the finding of large duct obstruction on liver biopsy is commonly encountered. The utility of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for evaluation and management of possible biliary obstruction in patients with large duct obstruction on liver biopsy has not been studied to date. (2) Methods: To assess the utility of ERCP in patients with large bile duct obstruction on liver biopsy, we retrospectively evaluated patients with large duct obstruction on liver biopsy from 2010–2019 at our tertiary care and transplant center. Demographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated for all patients, with sub-group analysis for patients who underwent ERCP and those who had intervenable findings at the time of ERCP. Descriptive statistics with proportions, means, and standard deviations were performed for demographics and clinical variables using absolute standardized difference. (3) Results: During the study period, 189 liver biopsies with evidence of large duct obstruction were performed. After exclusion criteria were applied, 166 unique patients were eligible for the study. Ninety-one patients with evidence of large duct obstruction on liver biopsy underwent ERCP and 75 did not. Of the 91 patients who underwent ERCP, 76 patients (84%) had an intervenable finding at ERCP. Patients who underwent ERCP were overall more likely to have had a liver transplant (65% ASD 0.63), have previously undergone cholecystectomy (80%, ASD 0.56), and be immunocompromised (80%, ASD 0.56). (4) Conclusions: ERCP is high yield when large duct obstruction is apparent on liver biopsy, with the majority of patients (84%) who undergo ERCP in this clinical context having a biliary finding necessitating therapeutic endoscopic intervention.
COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review on Cardiovascular Alterations, Immunity, and Therapeutics in Older Adults
Authors: Rivera-Torres José , Girón Natalia , San José Esther
Published: January 2023

Here, we present a review focusing on three relevant issues related to COVID-19 and its impact in older adults (60 years and older). SARS-CoV-2 infection starts in the respiratory system, but the development of systemic diseases accompanied by severe clinical manifestations has also been reported, with cardiovascular and immune system dysfunction being the major ones. Additionally, the presence of comorbidities and aging represent major risk factors for the severity and poor prognosis of the disease. Since aging-associated decline has been largely related to immune and cardiovascular alterations, we sought to investigate the consequences and the underlying mechanisms of these pathologies to understand the severity of the illness in this population. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on both systems should translate into comprehensive and improved medical care for elderly COVID-19 patients, preventing cardiovascular as well as immunological alterations in this population. Approved therapies that contribute to the improvement of symptoms and a reduction in mortality, as well as new therapies in development, constitute an approach to managing these disorders. Among them, we describe antivirals, cytokine antagonists, cytokine signaling pathway inhibitors, and vaccines.
Association of Maternal Anemia and Cesarean Delivery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Adam Ishag , Salih Yasir , Hamdan Hamdan Z.
Published: January 2023

Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of caesarean delivery (CD). This study was conducted to explore the association between CD and maternal anaemia. The PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Google, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect databases were searched for relevant studies on this topic. The assessment and review were conducted with the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. The studies were assessed using the modified Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale. Data were collected in an Excel sheet, and the ‘meta’ package of the R 4.0.3 software was used for statistical analysis. Fourteen studies that enrolled 336,128 pregnant women were included in the meta-analysis. Women with anaemia were found to be at a higher risk for CD (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.23–2.17). As heterogeneity was detected in the studies, the random-effects model was used for the pooled meta-analysis (Q = 96.7, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, anaemic women were found to be at higher risk for CD in studies from both low-middle-income (7) and high-income countries (7). In meta-regression analysis, none of the investigated covariates were associated with the pooled OR of CD. This evidence demonstrates with a moderate level of certainty that anaemic pregnant women are more likely to have CD than non-anaemic pregnant women.
Reference Values of the Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) from a General Population Sample in Italy
Authors: Krenz Ugne , Greving Sven , Zeldovich Marina , Haagsma Juanita , Polinder Suzanne , von Steinbüchel Nicole ,   on behalf of the CENTER-TBI Participants and Investigators
Published: January 2023

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may affect the lives of the individuals concerned and their relatives negatively in many dimensions. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a comprehensive and complex concept that can assess one’s satisfaction with a broad range of areas of life and health. The Quality of Life after Traumatic Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) questionnaire is a TBI-specific measure for HRQoL which is used in research and health services worldwide. When evaluating self-reported HRQoL after TBI, reference values from a general population are helpful to perform clinically relevant evaluations and decisions about the condition of an affected person by comparing the patient scores with reference values. Despite the widespread use of the QOLIBRI, reference values have until now only been available for the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to validate the QOLIBRI for the general population in Italy and to provide reference values. An adapted form of the QOLIBRI was administered to 3298 Italians from a healthy general population using an online survey. Their scores were compared with those of 298 individuals post-TBI recruited within the international longitudinal observational cohort CENTER-TBI study in Italian hospitals, who completed the original questionnaire. The psychometric characteristics and the measurement invariance of the QOLIBRI were assessed. A regression analysis was performed to identify predictors relevant for HRQoL in the general population. Reference values were provided using percentiles. Measurement invariance analysis showed that the QOLIBRI captures the same HRQoL constructs in an Italian general population and Italian TBI sample from the observational Center-TBI study. Higher age, higher education and the absence of a chronic health condition were associated with higher QOLIBRI scores, suggesting better HRQoL. Reference values were provided for a general Italian population adjusted for age, sex, education and presence of chronic health conditions. We recommend using these for a better interpretation of the QOLIBRI score in clinical practice and research in Italy.
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Awake Bruxism Frequency in Patients with Different Temporomandibular Disorders
Authors: Câmara-Souza Mariana , Bracci Alessandro , Colonna Anna , Ferrari Marco , Rodrigues Garcia Renata , Manfredini Daniele
Published: January 2023

Self-reported awake bruxism (AB) has been associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, the daily amount of AB behavior has not been quantified in pain patients. Therefore, this study aimed to assess AB frequency in patients with myofascial pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and compare it to a group of pain-free individuals. Eighty-four individuals belonging to either a TMD group (n = 54) or a healthy control group (n = 30) were selected. AB frequency was obtained by ecological momentary assessment with a dedicated smartphone application that sent sound alerts at random intervals during the day for one week. Upon receiving the alert, the volunteer reported the current muscular condition and/or the teeth position, i.e., relaxed jaw muscle, jaw bracing, teeth contact, teeth clenching, or teeth grinding. Data were evaluated by independent t-test (α = 0.05). During the seven days, AB frequency was 62.1% ± 26.8% for TMD patients and 36.2% ± 27.3% for pain-free subjects (p < 0.001). Mandible bracing was most common in the TMD group (p < 0.001), while teeth contact, clenching, and grinding did not differ between groups. Moreover, no differences were found in AB frequency between myofascial pain and TMJ pain patients. Therefore, TMD patients have higher AB frequency characterized by jaw bracing, irrespective of pain location.
Mesoscale Analysis of Rubber Particle Effect on Indirect Tensile and Flexural Tensile Strength of Crumb Rubber Mortar
Authors: Chen Huailiang , Li Danda , Ma Xing , Zhong Zheng , Abd-Elaal El-Sayed
Published: January 2023

This paper presents a mesoscale model to study the influence of rubber particles on the mechanical performance of crumb rubber mortar (CRM). The indirect tensile and flexural behaviors of CRM with different rubber replacement rates, shapes, and sizes were investigated. Rubber mortar is assumed to be a three-phase material composed of rubber aggregate, a mortar matrix, and an interface transition zone (ITZ). Numerical analysis showed that rubber content was the governing factor affecting the reduction rate of indirect tensile and flexural strength. The effect of the ITZ on the tensile strength of CRM was within one percent, which could be ignored. The influence of rubber particle size was investigated by analyzing CRM models containing five different rubber sizes from 0.86 mm to 7 mm. For each size, six different models with randomly distributed rubber particles were set up. CRM models presented a similar average strength even with different rubber particle sizes. However, the strength variation among the random models became higher when the rubber particle size increased. Numerical results also proved that treating rubber particles as pores in modeling led to negligible errors. Then, a prediction formula after considering the increase in air content is provided. Finally, the accuracy of numerical simulations was verified through a series of experimental studies.
Date Palm Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs)/Polyamide Composites: Tailoring Morphological, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties
Authors: Jose Cintil , Anju Thoppil , Tharayil Abhimanyu , Sobolciak Patrik , Krupa Igor , Al Maadeed Mariam , Kargarzadeh Hanieh , Thomas Sabu
Published: January 2023

In the present study, polyamide (PA) was successfully reinforced with cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) prepared from date palm leaves using two different techniques, electrospinning and the solution casting method, and a comparative study of these two systems was performed. The morphological, thermal, wetting, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were analyzed for CNC content between 0 and 5 wt%. Morphological analyses showed different roughness in the fractured surface of neat PA and its nanocomposites after the addition of CNC. The modified composite is found to have a smooth surface without cracks and showed increased roughness with greater hydrophilicity and thermal stability. The nano-indentation results showed that the highest hardness was obtained at 5% CNC loading for the solution cast composite samples, which could be related to the relatively good CNC dispersion with good filler matrix bonding as evidenced by the morphological characterization. We also observed that the electrospinning technique produced nanocomposites of better thermo-physical properties than the solution cast method. The results point to the prospect of the development of nanocomposite films using date-palm-leaf-derived CNC incorporated in PA for high-performance and advanced material applications such as membranes.
Influence of Cutting Speed during the Turning of Inconel 718 on Oxidation Wear Pattern on the Zr-ZrN-(Zr,Mo,Al)N Composite Nanostructured Coating
Authors: Vereschaka Alexey , Milovich Filipp , Andreev Nikolay , Migranov Mars , Alexandrov Islam , Muranov Alexander , Mikhailov Maxim , Tatarkanov Aslan
Published: January 2023

The properties and oxidation wear patterns in the composite nanostructured coating of Zr-ZrN-(Zr,Mo,Al)N were studied during the turning of Inconel 718 alloy at the cutting speeds of vc = 125 and 200 m/min. The hardness of the coating, its elastic modulus, and critical fracture load during the scratch testing were determined. The study focused on the tribological properties of the Zr-ZrN-(Zr,Mo,Al)N coating at temperatures of 400–900 °C paired with an insert made of Inconel 718, which exhibited a certain advantage over the reference coatings of Zr-ZrN and Ti-TiN-(Ti,Cr,Al)N of similar thickness. The coating of Zr-ZrN-(Zr,Mo,Al)N provided for the longest tool life at the cutting speed of vc = 125 m/min (the tool life was four times longer in comparison with that of the uncoated tool and 15% longer in comparison with that of the Ti-TiN-(Ti,Cr,Al)N-coated tool) and at the cutting speed of vc = 200 m/min (the tool life was 2.5 times longer in comparison with that of the uncoated tool and 75% longer in comparison with that of the Ti-TiN-(Ti,Cr,Al)N-coated tool). While at the cutting speed of vc = 125 m/min, the surface coating layers exhibit only partial oxidation of the external layers (to a depth not exceeding 250 nm), with mostly preserved cubic nitride phases, and then the cutting speed of vc = 200 m/min leads to almost complete oxidation (to the depth of at least 500 nm), however, with a partially preserved nanolayered structure of the coating.
Modification of Biomass-Derived Nanoporous Carbon with Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles for Supercapacitor Application
Authors: Lesbayev Bakhytzhan , Auyelkhankyzy Moldir , Ustayeva Gaukhar , Yeleuov Mukhtar , Rakhymzhan Nurgali , Maral Yerkebulan , Tolynbekov Aidos
Published: January 2023

Supercapacitors are one of the promising devices for the accumulation and storage of electrical energy. The purpose of this study is to develop a synthesis and modification method of carbon material to improve the electrochemical characteristics of a supercapacitor. In the proposed study, by varying the sequence and parameters of the processes of carbonization, mechanoactivation and thermochemical activation, the conditions for obtaining nanoporous carbon with a specific surface area of 2200 (±50) m2/g from walnut shells (WSs) are optimized. In addition, to increase the electrochemical efficiency of the electrode material, the resulting nanoporous carbon was modified with nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles by the thermochemical method. It is shown that the modification with nickel oxide nanoparticles makes it possible to increase the specific capacitance of the supercapacitor electrode by 16% compared to the original unmodified nanoporous carbon material.
Functional Two-Dimensional Materials for Bioelectronic Neural Interfacing
Authors: Karbalaei Akbari Mohammad , Siraj Lopa Nasrin , Shahriari Marina , Najafzadehkhoee Aliasghar , Galusek Dušan , Zhuiykov Serge
Published: January 2023

Realizing the neurological information processing by analyzing the complex data transferring behavior of populations and individual neurons is one of the fast-growing fields of neuroscience and bioelectronic technologies. This field is anticipated to cover a wide range of advanced applications, including neural dynamic monitoring, understanding the neurological disorders, human brain–machine communications and even ambitious mind-controlled prosthetic implant systems. To fulfill the requirements of high spatial and temporal resolution recording of neural activities, electrical, optical and biosensing technologies are combined to develop multifunctional bioelectronic and neuro-signal probes. Advanced two-dimensional (2D) layered materials such as graphene, graphene oxide, transition metal dichalcogenides and MXenes with their atomic-layer thickness and multifunctional capabilities show bio-stimulation and multiple sensing properties. These characteristics are beneficial factors for development of ultrathin-film electrodes for flexible neural interfacing with minimum invasive chronic interfaces to the brain cells and cortex. The combination of incredible properties of 2D nanostructure places them in a unique position, as the main materials of choice, for multifunctional reception of neural activities. The current review highlights the recent achievements in 2D-based bioelectronic systems for monitoring of biophysiological indicators and biosignals at neural interfaces.
Role of FGF-18 in Bone Regeneration
Authors: Murugaiyan Kavipriya , Amirthalingam Sivashanmugam , Hwang Nathaniel Suk-Yeon , Jayakumar Rangasamy
Published: January 2023

In tissue engineering, three key components are cells, biological/mechanical cues, and scaffolds. Biological cues are normally proteins such as growth factors and their derivatives, bioactive molecules, and the regulators of a gene. Numerous growth factors such as VEGF, FGF, and TGF-β are being studied and applied in different studies. The carriers used to release these growth factors also play an important role in their functioning. From the early part of the 1990s, more research has beenconductedon the role of fibroblast growth factors on the various physiological functions in our body. The fibroblast growth factor family contains 22 members. Fibroblast growth factors such as 2, 9, and 18 are mainly associated with the differentiation of osteoblasts and in bone regeneration. FGF-18 stimulates the PI3K/ERK pathway and smad1/5/8 pathway mediated via BMP-2 by blocking its antagonist, which is essential for bone formation. FGF-18 incorporated hydrogel and scaffolds had showed enhanced bone regeneration. This review highlights these functions and current trends using this growth factor and potential outcomes in the field of bone regeneration.
Social Media Devices’ Influence on User Neck Pain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Collaborating Vertebral-GLCM Extracted Features with a Decision Tree
Authors: Al-Naami Bassam , Badr Bashar E. A. , Rawash Yahia Z. , Owida Hamza Abu , De Fazio Roberto , Visconti Paolo
Published: January 2023

The prevalence of neck pain, a chronic musculoskeletal disease, has significantly increased due to the uncontrollable use of social media (SM) devices. The use of SM devices by younger generations increased enormously during the COVID-19 pandemic, being—in some cases—the only possibility for maintaining interpersonal, social, and friendship relationships. This study aimed to predict the occurrence of neck pain and its correlation with the intensive use of SM devices. It is based on nine quantitative parameters extracted from the retrospective X-ray images. The three parameters related to angle_1 (i.e., the angle between the global horizontal and the vector pointing from C7 vertebra to the occipito-cervical joint), angle_2 (i.e., the angle between the global horizontal and the vector pointing from C1 vertebra to the occipito-cervical joint), and the area between them were measured from the shape of the neck vertebrae, while the rest of the parameters were extracted from the images using the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). In addition, the users’ ages and the duration of the SM usage (H.mean) were also considered. The decision tree (DT) machine-learning algorithm was employed to predict the abnormal cases (painful subjects) against the normal ones (no pain). The results showed that angle_1, area, and the image contrast significantly increased statistically with the time of SM-device usage, precisely in the range of 2 to 9 h. The DT showed a promising result demonstrated by classification accuracy and F1-scores of 94% and 0.95, respectively. Our findings confirmed that the objectively detected parameters, which elucidate the negative impacts of SM-device usage on neck pain, can be predicted by DT machine learning.
Decreasing Vulnerability of Storm Surge Disasters in Coastal Cities of China over the Past 30 Years
Authors: Meng Dan , Liu Yueming , Wang Zhihua , Yang Xiaomei , Liu Xiaoliang , Zhang Junyao , Gao Ku
Published: January 2023

From 2000 to 2020, storm surges occurred 397 times in China, resulting in direct economic losses of up to CNY 220.64 billion. Storm surges not only threaten safety but also cause property damage; hence, it is necessary to assess the changes in vulnerability to storm surges in order to understand how to reduce said vulnerability. Fifteen coastal cities of four types were chosen, with different levels of urban development, rapid expansion of impervious surface, high extent of agricultural land, and high fishery output value. Viewing vulnerability through the dimensions of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability, a GIS and RS were used to evaluate and assess the vulnerability in 15 coastal cities in China over the past 30 years. The results indicated that the vulnerability of these 15 Chinese cities presented the characteristics of a continuous downward trend from 1990 to 2020, and the average rate of reduction in vulnerability over the 10 years from 2005 to 2015 was the highest, at 2.23%. The areas of high vulnerability shifted from the southern region to the northern region. The vulnerabilities in the southern region, with Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Dongguan, changed significantly, to 3.30%, 3.20%, and 3.45%, respectively. An important factor in determining vulnerability reductions is a city’s ability to adapt to storm surges. Coastal cities can improve their adaptability to storm surge disasters through general public budget expenditure, investment in fixed assets, GDP, and medical and health services, thereby alleviating their vulnerability. Due to China’s frequent storm surge disasters during the 2005–2015 period, government departments have strengthened the investment of relevant resources in adaptive indicators, ultimately causing the cities’ vulnerability to rapidly decrease during this period.
Trajectory Planning of USV: On-Line Computation of the Double S Trajectory Based on Multi-Scale A* Algorithm with Reeds–Shepp Curves
Authors: Han Xu , Zhang Xianku , Zhang Hugan
Published: January 2023

Trajectory planning aims to provide a time-related control target that contains the concerned states. For an underactuated surface vehicle (USV), planning challenges include limitations on curvature, speed, acceleration, and jerk. These challenges are relevant for the precise control of USVs. To solve these problems, an on-line double S method and multi-scale A* trajectory planning algorithm is proposed by integrating Reeds–Shepp curves (RSC), where a quad-tree-based graph is used for path planning and collision detection. Simulations illustrate that the proposed method has a better performance than the smooth rapid-exploration random tree (smooth-RRT) method and jump point search (JPS) method, and that path length and the state limitations are satisfied.
Managing Knowledge in Romanian KIBS during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Zbuchea Alexandra , Dinu Elena , Iliescu Andra-Nicoleta , Stăneiu Roxana-Maria , Salageanu (Șoldan) Bianca-Roxana
Published: January 2023

KIBS are increasingly important organizations for ensuring sustainable development. Their core asset is knowledge, manifested in many ways and managed in a complex manner, sometimes jointly with clients. Like other organizations, KIBS companies have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, they could provide support to their customers to better cope with the challenges associated with the pandemic. Therefore, the present paper investigates how Romanian KIBS coped with the pandemic by developing 16 interviews with key persons from four different organizations, covering a range of specializations (technical, professional, and creative). The purpose of the present study is to identify the challenges for knowledge management caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and how the pandemic influenced knowledge management performance within Romanian KIBS. The investigation reveals that the pandemic was an opportunity for organizational development and adopting more formal knowledge management practices, as well as for developing the digital profile of companies.
Environmental Forest Fire Danger Rating Systems and Indices around the Globe: A Review
Authors: Zacharakis Ioannis , Tsihrintzis Vassilios A.
Published: January 2023

The objective of the present review is to analyze and evaluate the most used and well-performing environmental forest fire danger rating systems and indices globally, aiming to the creation of an integrated forest fire danger system for Greece. The analysis emphasizes the core input parameters that have been associated with forest fire danger (i.e., weather, vegetation, topography, and hydrology) and the computational procedure of each system index as well as the categorization of the output values. Online search engines such as Scopus, Google Scholar, WorldWideScience, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate were used in the search for relevant literature published in scientific journals, manuals, and reports. The retrieved studies were classified and reviewed. Studies were selected for analytically describing the calculation process related to forest fire danger ignition and not being strictly geographically bound. A total of 210 studies were included in the current review, describing 63 forest fire danger systems and indices. These were analyzed and evaluated based on a scoring system. Overall, the top-rated indices were the: Nesterov’s index, Sharples’ index, Keetch and Byram’s drought index, Telicyn logarithmic, and vapor pressure deficit, and the 3rd and the 4th also proved to be the most accurate for fire-prone regions. Remote sensing indices also proved to be promising in forest fire danger estimation.
An Assessment of the Possibility of Restoration and Protection of Territories Disturbed by Thermokarst in Central Yakutia, Eastern Siberia
Authors: Zhirkov Aleksandr , Sivtsev Maksim , Lytkin Vasylii , Kirillin Anatolii , Séjourné Antoine , Wen Zhi
Published: January 2023

Rapid permafrost degradation is observed in northern regions as a result of climate change and expanding economic development. Associated increases in active layer depth lead to thermokarst development, resulting in irregular surface topography. In Central Yakutia, significant areas of the land surface have been deteriorated by thermokarst; however, no mitigation or land rehabilitation efforts are undertaken. This paper presents the results of numerical modeling of the thermal response of permafrost to changes in the active layer hydrothermal regime using field data from the village of Amga, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), and mathematical analysis. The results suggest that restoring a thick ice-enriched layer will require increasing the pre-winter soil moisture contents in order to increase the effective heat capacity of the active layer. Snow removal or compaction during the winter is recommended to maximize permafrost cooling. The thickness of the restored transition layer varies from 0.3 to 1.3 m depending on soil moisture contents in the active layer. The modeling results demonstrate that damaged lands can be restored through a set of measures to lower the subsurface temperatures. A combination of the insulating layer (forest vegetation) and the high heat capacity layer (transition layer) in the atmosphere–ground system would be more effective in providing stable geocryological conditions.
Climate Shocks and Local Urban Conflicts: An Evolutionary Perspective on Risk Governance in Bhubaneswar
Authors: Parida Debadutta , Van Assche Kristof , Agrawal Sandeep
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we explore the complex entanglements between ongoing land conflicts and climate shocks, and their implications for risk governance paths and evolution. We focus on ways in which concepts of shock and conflict can be incorporated into social–ecological systems thinking and applied to risk governance practice in a southern cities context. Through a qualitative inquiry of two slum redevelopment projects in Bhubaneswar city in India, we trace the origin and evolution of conflict around land tenure and eviction in informal settlements, as well as its interaction with local manifestations of climate shocks. Climate policies, as responses to climate shock and intended to mitigate climate risk, are observed as constructed, interpreted, framed, and used strategically by formal actors to further urban development objectives, while the local knowledge systems, risk perceptions, and adaptations are ignored in practice. This study helps to re-think the complexities of climate risk governance in southern urban spaces where multiple risks overlap and interact within the diverse realities of informality and vulnerability. A singular focus on one type of risk, on the formal order to manage that risk, is likely to overlook other risks and opportunities. Hence, shocks are likely to produce more unanticipated effects, conflicts function as the unobserved middle term, and the formal policies and plans to mitigate climate risk contribute to the creation of new risk.
A Three-Component Decomposition of the Change in Relative Poverty: An Application to China
Authors: Fan Zengzeng , Zou Wei
Published: January 2023

China has eliminated absolute poverty and begun to tackle relative poverty, yet the change in relative poverty in China has been less studied. In this paper, we develop a three-component decomposition of the change in relative poverty and apply it to analyze the relative poverty in China. The change in relative poverty is decomposed into identification, growth, and redistribution components. We compare the three-component decomposition with other decomposition methods in the existing literature and show the advantages of the former. Our study, using the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2010–2018 data, shows that relative poverty is rising. Examining the periods of 2012–2014, 2014–2016, and 2016–2018, we show that the three components differ in their contribution to relative poverty. The identification component rises with income growth and increases relative poverty by 8.42%, 12.19%, and 12.55%, respectively. The growth component reduces the incidence of relative poverty by 8.34%, 11.24%, and 12.18%, respectively. In comparison, the redistribution component increases the incidence of relative poverty by 2.88%, 1.12%, and 6.60%, respectively.
Evaluation and Prediction of Landscape Ecological Security Based on a CA-Markov Model in Overlapped Area of Crop and Coal Production
Authors: Zhang Hebing , Yan Qingqing , Xie Fangfang , Ma Shouchen
Published: January 2023

Overlapped areas of crop and coal production are responsible for national food security and mineral resource supply. However, long-term coal mining and urban and rural construction have continuously impacted the structure and functions of the original agricultural landscape ecosystem in the area and brought serious ecological security problems. On the basis of the results of remote sensing image classification of the Zhaogu mining area, this study explores the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of the landscape pattern and the evolution of ecological security and predicts the landscape ecological security status in 2029. Research results show that the evolution of the landscape pattern in the study area manifests obvious stage characteristics: from 2004 to 2014, the landscape pattern developed in the direction of fragmentation, irregularity, heterogeneity, and low connectivity; after 2014, the landscape pattern showed continuity, regularization, and high connectivity trends. By comparing the landscape ecological security of the study area from 2004 to 2019, a temporal change characteristic of first deteriorating and then gradually improving can be observed. By analyzing the changes in the distribution of the security status in the study area on a spatial scale, it can be found that the proportion of unsafe areas is significantly reduced in 2019 due to the influence of land remediation and reclamation. By constructing a CA-Markov prediction model with both spatial and quantitative advantages, the prediction results show that the degree of landscape fragmentation in the study area will be reduced, and the connectivity will be enhanced between 2019 and 2029. The shape of landscape patches tends to be regular, and the landscape heterogeneity will be enhanced. Overall, the landscape ecological security situation will continue to improve. The results could provide reference for ecological protection and related land reclamation planning of the mine area.
Post-Renewal Evaluation of an Urbanized Village with Cultural Resources Based on Multi Public Satisfaction: A Case Study of Nantou Ancient City in Shenzhen
Authors: Gu Siming , Li Jinqi , Wang Mohan , Ma Hang
Published: January 2023

The urban renewal of older districts usually has a significant impact on the sense of place and identity. However, a systematic post-renewal evaluation of older districts with cultural resources based on multi public satisfaction is still lacking. This study takes Nantou Ancient City in Shenzhen, an urbanized village with rich historical and cultural resources, as an example; this study introduces the multi public, including the residents, merchants and tourists, as the evaluation subject. By establishing an evaluation system suitable for the characteristics of Nantou Ancient City, this study explores the existing problems of renewal and transformation, summarizes experiences and lessons and provides a basis for the sustainable development of Nantou Ancient City and the organic renewal of urbanized villages in Shenzhen. First of all, on the basis of combing the existing community renewal evaluation system, especially the satisfaction evaluation and the research on the historical value of the urbanized villages, the historical and cultural value and the renewal and transformation process of Nantou Ancient City are introduced, and the multiple values of Nantou Ancient City are clarified. Secondly, the demand contradiction between the public group and the core stakeholders is analyzed, as well as the internal demand and difference of the public group. After that, combined with field research, literature analysis and network review data analysis, the post-renovation evaluation system of Nantou Ancient City is constructed in terms of six aspects: residential environment, supporting facilities, street space, history and culture, economy, commerce and social culture. Then, the questionnaire is designed for three different groups of residents, merchants and tourists, and the evaluation system is applied to Nantou Ancient City for empirical research. By means of mean analysis, variance analysis and IPA analysis, the similarities and differences of the evaluation of different public groups are compared, which is taken as the basis for summarizing the existing problems in the renovation of Nantou Ancient City, and optimization suggestions are put forward.
An Albanian Ethnolect of Modern Greek? Testing the Waters Perceptually
Authors: Ndoci Rexhina
Published: January 2023

Ethnolects have been defined as varieties linked to particular ethnic minorities by the minorities themselves or by other ethnic communities. The present paper investigates this association between ethnic groups and language varieties in the Greek context. I seek to answer whether there is an association made (by Albanians or Greeks) between Albanian migrants in Greece and a particular variety that is not their L1, i.e., Albanian, and if so, whether this is an Albanian ethnolect of Greek. I show experimentally that, in fact, there is a variety of Greek that is linked with listeners’ perceptions of Albanian migrants. However, that criterion is not enough in itself to designate the variety as an ethnolect as the acquisition of this variety by the second or subsequent generations of migrants is not evidenced. Rather, those generations are undergoing language shift from Albanian to Greek. Therefore, the classification of Albanian Greek as an Albanian ethnolect of Greek is not possible despite the association between the variety and the particular minority in Greece. Classification as an L2 Greek variety or a Mock Albanian Greek (MAG) variety is instead argued.