bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Physical Activity Reduce the Risk of Perceived Negative Health in the Smoking Population?
Authors: Denche-Zamorano Ángel , Mendoza-Muñoz David Manuel , Pereira-Payo Damián , Ruiz Manuel J. , Contreras-Barraza Nicolás , Iturra-González José A. , Urbano-Mairena Javier , Cornejo-Orellana Carolina , Mendoza-Muñoz María
Published: November 2022

Background: Smoking is associated with poor health status. Increased prevalence of multiple diseases has been found in populations of smokers and ex-smokers. Physical activity (PA) could reduce the negative effects of smoking. Aims: To analyze the relationships between smoking and self-perceived health and between PA level and self-perceived health, according to the relationship with smoking in the Spanish population. To calculate the risks of perceiving negative health in relation to smoking, according to the PA level of the population. Hypothesis: A higher level of PA reduces the risk of perceiving negative health in the Spanish smoking population. Design and Methodology: Cross-sectional study with data from 17,708 participants, 15–69 years old, interviewed in the Spanish National Health Survey 2017. Intergroup differences were studied. Odds ratios (OR) and relative risks (RR) and their confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for negative self-perceived health. A Spearman’s rho correlation study was performed between the variables of interest. Results: Dependency relationships were found between self-perceived health and PA levels, in both genders and in different relationships with smoking (x2 < 0.001). Inactivity was related to higher prevalences of negative health perception (p < 0.05) in all groups analyzed. Inactive smokers (OR: 6.02. 95% CI: 3.99–9.07. RR: 5.24. 95% CI: 3.56–7.73) presented increased risks of negative health perception compared to people with low/medium PA levels, similarly found in other relationships with tobacco. Conclusions: Increasing the PA level of the smoking population could reduce the negative effects on their perceived health. Medium and high PA levels reduce the risk of negative health perception in the Spanish population, both in smokers, ex-smokers, and non-smokers.
Undergraduate Vaccine Hesitancy and the Influence of “Home” Locales
Authors: Myroniuk Tyler W. , Schatz Enid , Teti Michelle , Hermsen Joan M.
Published: November 2022

Purpose: In the US, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed deeply rooted resistance to public health. This has important consequences for SARS-CoV-2 variant spread and for future uptake of influenza and other vaccines. We examine these phenomena in Missouri, where its low vaccination rates, high levels of uninsured residents, predominance of conservative values, and stark rural-urban divides are intricately connected to public health resistance. The Socio-Ecological model guides our approach. Methods: We use data from the Fall 2020 Midwestern University (MWU—a pseudonym) Study of Seropositivity and Risk for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 which are harmonized with the American Community Survey, Missouri County-Level Study, and the USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes to estimate multi-level regression models on the relationship between undergraduate students’ “home” locales and their own COVID-19 and influenza vaccine hesitancy. Findings: The availability of primary care physicians, the prevalence of influenza vaccinations, and location type at the county level, as well as the percentage of residents without health insurance at the zip code level differentially predict COVID-19 and influenza vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: There is a link between county-level health and geographic characteristics, and individuals’—who were influenced by those counties because that is where their parents live—hesitancy towards vaccines. Identifying feasible, precise, local solutions to reducing vaccine hesitancy could take place if community members and other stakeholders would be open to changes in local-level health policy or practice.
Evaluating the Performance and Stability of the Highway Subgrades in Seismic Events, a Case Study of the Changning Earthquake, Sichuan
Authors: Cui Zhen , Zhang Maochu , Wu Kai , Ma Hongsheng
Published: November 2022

On 17 June 2019, an M6.0 earthquake occurred in Changning County, Sichuan Province, China. Considerable highway subgrades were damaged in this earthquake. By investigating seismic damage of these subgrades, a systematical analysis of influence factors and failure mode of the damages on highway subgrade have been given. There is a close relationship between the damaged degree of subgrade and the distance of epicenter, fault distance, and structure type of subgrade. The seismic hazard investigation shows that the seismic damage of the cut-and-fill subgrade was more severe than that of the fill subgrade. Taking the Changning earthquake ground motion record as input, 3D dynamic finite element analyses were performed. The seismic damage mechanisms of cut-and-fill subgrade and fill subgrade were revealed. The numerical simulation confirmed that the cut-and-fill subgrade was more easily damaged by earthquakes compared with the fill subgrade. The fill-and-cut interface of the cut-and-fill subgrade had a notable plastic strain band after the earthquake, and the permanent displacement of the slope top was significant. In this manner, the numerical results are consistent with seismic investigation data. Considering the seismic investigation data for highway subgrades are rare, this paper may provide effective references for aseismic design and deformation control of highway subgrades.
Immunothrombotic Mechanisms Induced by Ingenol Mebutate Lead to Rapid Necrosis and Clearance of Anogenital Warts
Authors: Braun Stephan A. , Bauer Alexander T. , Németh Csongor , Rózsa Annamária , Rusch Louisa , Erpenbeck Luise , Schloer Sebastian , Silling Steffi , Metze Dieter , Gerber Peter A. , Schneider Stefan W. , Gyulai Rolland , Homey Bernhard
Published: November 2022

Ingenol mebutate (IM) is highly effective in the treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced anogenital warts (AGW) leading to fast ablation within hours. However, the exact mode of action is still largely unknown. We performed dermoscopy, in vivo confocal microscopy (CLM), histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence to gain insights in mechanisms of IM treatment in AGW. In addition, we used in vitro assays (ELISA, HPV-transfection models) to further investigate in vivo findings. IM treatment leads to a strong recruitment of neutrophils with thrombosis of small skin vessels within 8 h, in a sense of immunothrombosis. In vivo and in vitro analyses showed that IM supports a prothrombotic environment by endothelial cell activation and von Willebrand factor (VWF) secretion, in addition to induction of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETosis). IM superinduces CXCL8/IL-8 expression in HPV-E6/E7 transfected HaCaT cells when compared to non-infected keratinocytes. Rapid ablation of warts after IM treatment can be well explained by the observed immunothrombosis. This new mechanism has so far only been observed in HPV-induced lesions and is completely different from the mechanisms we see in the treatment of transformed keratinocytes in actinic keratosis. Our initial findings indicate an HPV-specific effect, which could be also of interest for the treatment of other HPV-induced lesions. Larger studies are now needed to further investigate the potential of IM in different HPV tumors.
Molecular Features and Diagnostic Challenges in Alpha/Beta T-Cell Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia
Authors: Gaudio Francesco , Masciopinto Pierluigi , Bellitti Emilio , Musto Pellegrino , Arcuti Elena , Battisti Olga , Cazzato Gerardo , Solombrino Alessandra , Laddaga Filomena Emanuela , Specchia Giorgina , Maiorano Eugenio , Ingravallo Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

Large granular lymphocyte leukemia is a rare chronic lymphoproliferative disease of cytotoxic lymphocytes. The diagnosis, according to the WHO, is based on a persistent (>6 months) increase in the number of LGL cells in the peripheral blood without an identifiable cause. A further distinction is made between T-LGL and NK-LGL leukemia. The molecular sign of LGL leukemia is the mutation of STAT3 and other genes associated with the JAK/STAT pathway. The most common clinical features are neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, and it is often associated with various autoimmune conditions. It usually has an indolent course. Due to the rarity of the disease, no specific treatment has yet been identified. Immunosuppressive therapy is used and may allow for disease control and long-term survival, but not eradication of the leukemic clone. Here, we discuss the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, pathophysiology, and different treatment options available for alpha/beta T-LGL leukemia, which is the most common disease (85%), in order to better understand and manage this often misunderstood disease.
The Novel Class IIa Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor YAK540 Is Synergistic with Bortezomib in Leukemia Cell Lines
Authors: Bollmann Lukas M. , Skerhut Alexander J. , Asfaha Yodita , Horstick Nadine , Hanenberg Helmut , Hamacher Alexandra , Kurz Thomas , Kassack Matthias U.
Published: November 2022

The treatment of leukemias, especially acute myeloid leukemia (AML), is still a challenge as can be seen by poor 5-year survival of AML. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are needed to increase the treatment success. Epigenetic aberrations play a role in pathogenesis and resistance of leukemia. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACIs) can normalize epigenetic disbalance by affecting gene expression. In order to decrease side effects of so far mainly used pan-HDACIs, this paper introduces the novel highly selective class IIa HDACI YAK540. A synergistic cytotoxic effect was observed between YAK540 and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ) as analyzed by the Chou-Talalay method. The combination of YAK540 and BTZ showed generally increased proapoptotic gene expression, increased p21 expression, and synergistic, caspase 3/7-mediated apoptosis. Notably, the cytotoxicity of YAK540 is much lower than that of pan-HDACIs. Further, combinations of YAK540 and BTZ are clearly less toxic in non-cancer HEK293 compared to HL-60 leukemia cells. Thus, the synergistic combination of class IIa selective HDACIs such as YAK540 and proteasome inhibitors represents a promising approach against leukemias to increase the anticancer effect and to reduce the general toxicity of HDACIs.
Generation of Functional Immortalized Human Corneal Stromal Stem Cells
Authors: Dos Santos Aurelie , Lyu Ning , Balayan Alis , Knight Rob , Zhuo Katherine Sun , Sun Yuzhao , Xu Jianjiang , Funderburgh Martha L. , Funderburgh James L. , Deng Sophie X.
Published: November 2022

In addition to their therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine, human corneal stromal stem cells (CSSCs) could serve as a powerful tool for drug discovery and development. Variations from different donors, their isolation method, and their limited life span in culture hinder the utility of primary human CSSCs. To address these limitations, this study aims to establish and characterize immortalized CSSC lines (imCSSC) generated from primary human CSSCs. Primary CSSCs (pCSSC), isolated from human adult corneoscleral tissue, were transduced with ectopic expression of hTERT, c-MYC, or the large T antigen of the Simian virus 40 (SV40T) to generate imCSSC. Cellular morphology, proliferation capacity, and expression of CSSCs specific surface markers were investigated in all cell lines, including TNFAIP6 gene expression levels in vitro, a known biomarker of in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy. SV40T-overexpressing imCSSC successfully extended the lifespan of pCSSC while retaining a similar morphology, proliferative capacity, multilineage differentiation potential, and anti-inflammatory properties. The current study serves as a proof-of-concept that immortalization of CSSCs could enable a large-scale source of CSSC for use in regenerative medicine.
Residual Interactions of LL-37 with POPC and POPE:POPG Bilayer Model Studied by All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Yusuf Muhammad , Destiarani Wanda , Firdaus Ade Rizqi Ridwan , Rohmatulloh Fauzian Giansyah , Novianti Mia Tria , Pradini Gita Widya , Dwiyana Reiva Farah
Published: November 2022

LL-37 is a membrane-active antimicrobial peptide (AMP) that could disrupt the integrity of bacterial membranes due to its inherent cationic and amphipathic nature. Developing a shorter derivative of a long peptide such as LL-37 is of great interest, as it can reduce production costs and cytotoxicity. However, more detailed information about the residual interaction between LL-37 and the membrane is required for further optimization. Previously, molecular dynamics simulation using mixed all-atom and united-atom force fields showed that LL-37 could penetrate the bilayer membrane. This study aimed to perform all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, highlighting the residual interaction of LL-37 with the simplest model of the bacterial membrane, POPE:POPG (2:1), and compare its interaction with the POPC, which represents the eukaryotic membrane. The result showed leucine–leucine as the leading residues of LL-37 that first contact the membrane surface. Then, the cationic peptide of LL-37 started to penetrate the membrane by developing salt bridges between positively charged amino acids, Lys–Arg, and the exposed phosphate group of POPE:POPG, which is shielded in POPC. Residues 18 to 29 are suggested as the core region of LL-37, as they actively interact with the POPE:POPG membrane, not POPC. These results could provide a basis for modifying the amino acid sequence of LL-37 and developing a more efficient design for LL-37 derivatives.
Inflammatory Mechanism of Brucella Infection in Placental Trophoblast Cells
Authors: Xiao Yu , Li Mengjuan , Guo Xiaoyi , Zeng Hui , Shuai Xuehong , Guo Jianhua , Huang Qingzhou , Chu Yuefeng , Zhou Bo , Wen Jake , Liu Jun , Jiao Hanwei
Published: November 2022

Brucellosis is a severe zoonotic infectious disease caused by the infection of the Brucella, which is widespread and causes considerable economic losses in underdeveloped areas. Brucella is a facultative intracellular bacteria whose main target cells for infection are macrophages, placental trophoblast cells and dendritic cells. The main clinical signs of Brucella infection in livestock are reproductive disorders and abortion. At present, the pathogenesis of placentitis or abortion caused by Brucella in livestock is not fully understood, and further research on the effect of Brucella on placental development is still necessary. This review will mainly introduce the research progress of Brucella infection of placental trophoblast cells as well as the inflammatory response caused by it, explaining the molecular regulation mechanism of Brucella leading to reproductive system disorders and abortion, and also to provide the scientific basis for revealing the pathogenesis and infection mechanism of Brucella.
Human Neural Stem Cell-Based Drug Product: Clinical and Nonclinical Characterization
Authors: Profico Daniela Celeste , Gelati Maurizio , Ferrari Daniela , Sgaravizzi Giada , Ricciolini Claudia , Projetti Pensi Massimo , Muzi Gianmarco , Cajola Laura , Copetti Massimiliano , Ciusani Emilio , Pugliese Raffaele , Gelain Fabrizio , Vescovi Angelo Luigi
Published: November 2022

Translation of cell therapies into clinical practice requires the adoption of robust production protocols in order to optimize and standardize the manufacture and cryopreservation of cells, in compliance with good manufacturing practice regulations. Between 2012 and 2020, we conducted two phase I clinical trials (EudraCT 2009-014484-39, EudraCT 2015-004855-37) on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients, respectively, treating them with human neural stem cells. Our production process of a hNSC-based medicinal product is the first to use brain tissue samples extracted from fetuses that died in spontaneous abortion or miscarriage. It consists of selection, isolation and expansion of hNSCs and ends with the final pharmaceutical formulation tailored to a specific patient, in compliance with the approved clinical protocol. The cells used in these clinical trials were analyzed in order to confirm their microbiological safety; each batch was also tested to assess identity, potency and safety through morphological and functional assays. Preclinical, clinical and in vitro nonclinical data have proved that our cells are safe and stable, and that the production process can provide a high level of reproducibility of the cultures. Here, we describe the quality control strategy for the characterization of the hNSCs used in the above-mentioned clinical trials.
Molecular Mechanisms of Inhibition of Protein Amyloid Fibril Formation: Evidence and Perspectives Based on Kinetic Models
Authors: Sedov Igor , Khaibrakhmanova Diliara
Published: November 2022

Inhibition of fibril formation is considered a possible treatment strategy for amyloid-related diseases. Understanding the molecular nature of inhibitor action is crucial for the design of drug candidates. In the present review, we describe the common kinetic models of fibril formation and classify known inhibitors by the mechanism of their interactions with the aggregating protein and its oligomers. This mechanism determines the step or steps of the aggregation process that become inhibited and the observed changes in kinetics and equilibrium of fibril formation. The results of numerous studies indicate that possible approaches to antiamyloid inhibitor discovery include the search for the strong binders of protein monomers, cappers blocking the ends of the growing fibril, or the species absorbing on the surface of oligomers preventing nucleation. Strongly binding inhibitors stabilizing the native state can be promising for the structured proteins while designing the drug candidates targeting disordered proteins is challenging.
Prediction of Long-Term Survival after Coronary Artery Bypass with Bilateral Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting: External Validation of A Contemporary Nomogram
Authors: Toumpoulis Ioannis K. , Kanistras Dimitrios A. , Pappa Christina K. , Zagoriti Zoi , Anagnostopoulos Constantine E. , Toumpoulis Stavros K.
Published: November 2022

Background: This study aimed to verify the external validation of a contemporary nomogram in predicting long-term survival after an isolated coronary artery bypass with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting (CABG-BITA). Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent CABG-BITA at a single center were included in the study. All the predictors of the original risk score (age, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, chronic renal failure, old myocardial infarction, ejection fraction, intra-aortic balloon pump and peripheral arterial disease) were available for analysis. Results: Among the 2846 consecutive patients, a total of 1176 (41.3%) deaths were recorded during the 31,383 patient years of follow-up. The median EuroSCORE II was 2.35, and the median follow-up was 11.1 years. The risk score showed 72.7% overall discriminatory ability as measured by Harrell’s concordance statistic. It showed satisfactory calibration at 10, 15 and 20 years of follow-up. The risk score showed a time-varying nonlinear effect, and accordingly, adjusted long-term survival predictions were calculated. There were subgroups (scores < 50 points) with favorable 20-year survival rates ranging from 77% to 60%. Higher risk subgroups (scores > 90 points) showed poor 20-year survival rates ranging from 22% to 4%. Conclusions: The validated risk score represents a useful algorithm for the detection of patients who could benefit after CABG-BITA with respect to long-term survival. Although further multi-center studies are required worldwide to reveal the usefulness of this score in the clinical setting, its wide adoption may act as a motivation for cardiac surgeons resulting in higher numbers of CABG-BITA procedures.
Cortical Reorganization of Early Somatosensory Processing in Hemiparetic Stroke
Authors: Williamson Jordan N. , Sikora William A. , James Shirley A. , Parmar Nishaal J. , Lepak Louis V. , Cheema Carolyn F. , Refai Hazem H. , Wu Dee H. , Sidorov Evgeny V. , Dewald Julius P. A. , Yang Yuan
Published: November 2022

The cortical motor system can be reorganized following a stroke, with increased recruitment of the contralesional hemisphere. However, it is unknown whether a similar hemispheric shift occurs in the somatosensory system to adapt to this motor change, and whether this is related to movement impairments. This proof-of-concept study assessed somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), P50 and N100, in hemiparetic stroke participants and age-matched controls using high-density electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings during tactile finger stimulation. The laterality index was calculated to determine the hemispheric dominance of the SEP and re-confirmed with source localization. The study found that latencies of P50 and N100 were significantly delayed in stroke brains when stimulating the paretic hand. The amplitude of P50 in the contralateral (to stimulated hand) hemisphere was negatively correlated with the Fügl–Meyer upper extremity motor score in stroke. Bilateral cortical responses were detected in stroke, while only contralateral cortical responses were shown in controls, resulting in a significant difference in the laterality index. These results suggested that somatosensory reorganization after stroke involves increased recruitment of ipsilateral cortical regions, especially for the N100 SEP component. This reorganization delays the latency of somatosensory processing after a stroke. This research provided new insights related to the somatosensory reorganization after stroke, which could enrich future hypothesis-driven therapeutic rehabilitation strategies from a sensory or sensory-motor perspective.
Deep Learning for Improving the Effectiveness of Routine Prenatal Screening for Major Congenital Heart Diseases
Authors: Nurmaini Siti , Partan Radiyati Umi , Bernolian Nuswil , Sapitri Ade Iriani , Tutuko Bambang , Rachmatullah Muhammad Naufal , Darmawahyuni Annisa , Firdaus Firdaus , Mose Johanes C.
Published: November 2022

Early prenatal screening with an ultrasound (US) can significantly lower newborn mortality caused by congenital heart diseases (CHDs). However, the need for expertise in fetal cardiologists and the high volume of screening cases limit the practically achievable detection rates. Hence, automated prenatal screening to support clinicians is desirable. This paper presents and analyses potential deep learning (DL) techniques to diagnose CHDs in fetal USs. Four convolutional neural network architectures were compared to select the best classifier with satisfactory results. Hence, dense convolutional network (DenseNet) 201 architecture was selected for the classification of seven CHDs, such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, atrioventricular septal defect, Ebstein’s anomaly, tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of great arteries, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and a normal control. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the DenseNet201 model were 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, for the intra-patient scenario and 99%, 97%, and 98%, respectively, for the inter-patient scenario. We used the intra-patient DL prediction model to validate our proposed model against the prediction results of three expert fetal cardiologists. The proposed model produces a satisfactory result, which means that our model can support expert fetal cardiologists to interpret the decision to improve CHD diagnostics. This work represents a step toward the goal of assisting front-line sonographers with CHD diagnoses at the population level.
Trends in Caesarean Section Rate According to Robson Group Classification among Pregnant Women with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Single-Center Large Cohort Study in Italy
Authors: Sirico Angelo , Carbone Luigi , Avino Luisa , Buonfantino Cira , De Angelis Maria Chiara , Cresce Marco Di , Fabozzi Annamaria , Improda Francesco Paolo , Legnante Antonietta , Riccardi Carla , Santoro Romina , Vallone Roberta , Zizolfi Brunella , Buonomo Antonio Riccardo , Gentile Ivan , Salomè Serena , Raimondi Francesco , Bifulco Giuseppe , Guida Maurizio
Published: November 2022

Background: Since there is no available data on temporal trends of caesarean section (CS) rates in pregnant women with COVID-19 through the pandemic, we aimed to analyze the trends in caesarean section rate in a large cohort of pregnant women with COVID-19, according to the Robson Ten Group Classification System of deliveries. Methods: We prospectively enrolled pregnant women with a diagnosis of COVID-19 who delivered in our center between March 2020 and November 2021. Deliveries were classified, according to the Robson group classification, and according to three time periods: (1) deliveries from March 2020 to December 2020; (2) deliveries from January 2021 to April 2021; (3) deliveries from May 2021 to November 2021. We compared pregnancy characteristics and incidence of caesarean section, according to the Robson category in the total population, and according to the three time periods. Results: We included 457 patients matching the inclusion criteria in our analysis. We found that overall CS rate significantly decreased over time from period 1 to period 3 (152/222, 68.5% vs. 81/134, 60.4% vs. 58/101, 57.4%, χ2 = 4.261, p = 0.039). CS rate significantly decreased over time in Robson category 1 (48/80, 60% vs. 27/47,57.4% vs. 8/24, 33.3%, χ2 = 4.097, p = 0.043) and Robson category 3 (13/42, 31% vs. 6/33, 18.2% vs. 2/22, 9.1%, χ2 = 4.335, p = 0.037). We also found that the incidence of induction of labor significantly increased over time (8/222, 3.6% vs. 12/134, 9% vs. 11/101, 10.9%, χ2 = 7.245, p = 0.027). Conclusion: Our data provide an overview of the temporal changes in the management and obstetric outcome of COVID-19 pregnant women through the pandemic, confirming that standards of obstetrical assistance for pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection improved over time.
Role of Neoplastic Markers in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Coppola Alessandro , Farolfi Tommaso , La Vaccara Vincenzo , Cammarata Roberto , Caputo Damiano
Published: November 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered one of the “Big Five” lethal cancers, which include lung, bowel, breast and prostate cancer [...]
Effects of Physical Activity on Daily Physical Function in Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study from CHARLS
Authors: Tian Yuge , Shi Zhenguo
Published: November 2022

Objective: Impaired daily physical function has become a common health problem among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of physical activity on daily physical function in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Methods: Data from 9056 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2018 were included in this study. Physical activity levels were expressed as metabolic equivalents, and the impairment of daily physical function was determined in a self-reported format by the Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. The association between different levels of physical activity and impaired daily physical function was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 6.73 years, 1379 middle-aged and older adults had impaired physical function. After adjusting for all covariates, participants with a physical activity volume (PAV) ≥ 600 MET-minutes/week had a 61% lower risk of impaired daily physical function than those who were physically inactive (HR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.35–0.44). Participants with a PAV of 1800–2999 MET-minutes/week had the lowest risk of impaired daily physical function (HR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.26–0.42). Subgroup analysis showed that participants with a PAV ≥ 600 MET-minutes/week had a greater reduction in the risk of impaired daily physical function among participants who were male, older than or equal to 65 years, and without respiratory disease compared to participants who were physically inactive. Conclusions: This study showed that a PAV ≥ 600 MET-minutes/week could reduce the risk of impaired daily physical function in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people. However, a higher PAV is not better; a PAV in the range of 1800–2999 MET-minutes/week can be more effective in preventing daily physical function impairment in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people.
Influence of Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Integrated Hemoadsorption on the Early Reversal of Multiorgan and Microcirculatory Dysfunction and Outcome of Refractory Cardiogenic Shock
Authors: Soltesz Adam , Molnar Zsofia Anna , Szakal-Toth Zsofia , Tamaska Eszter , Katona Hajna , Fabry Szabolcs , Csikos Gergely , Berzsenyi Viktor , Tamas Csilla , Edes Istvan Ferenc , Gal Janos , Merkely Bela , Nemeth Endre
Published: November 2022

Background: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA–ECMO) integrated hemoadsorption on the reversal of multiorgan and microcirculatory dysfunction, and early mortality of refractory cardiogenic shock patients. Methods: Propensity score–matched cohort study of 29 pairs of patients. Subjects received either VA–ECMO supplemented with hemoadsorption or standard VA–ECMO management. Results: There was a lower mean sequential organ failure assessment score (p = 0.04), lactate concentration (p = 0.015), P(v–a)CO2 gap (p < 0.001), vasoactive inotropic score (p = 0.007), and reduced delta C–reactive protein level (p = 0.005) in the hemoadsorption compared to control groups after 72 h. In–hospital mortality was similar to the predictions in the control group (62.1%) and was much lower than the predicted value in the hemoadsorption group (44.8%). There were less ECMO-associated bleeding complications in the hemoadsorption group compared to controls (p = 0.049). Overall, 90-day survival was better in the hemoadsorption group than in controls without statistical significance. Conclusion: VA–ECMO integrated hemoadsorption treatment was associated with accelerated recovery of multiorgan and microcirculatory dysfunction, mitigated inflammatory response, less bleeding complications, and lower risk for early mortality in comparison with controls.
Prognostic Value of Bone Marrow Uptake Using 18F-FDG PET/CT Scans in Solid Neoplasms
Authors: Tustumi Francisco , Albenda David Gutiérrez , Perrotta Fernando Simionato , Sallum Rubens Antonio Aissar , Ribeiro Junior Ulysses , Buchpiguel Carlos Alberto , Duarte Paulo Schiavom
Published: November 2022

Background: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) uptake is known to increase in infective and inflammatory conditions. Systemic inflammation plays a role in oncologic prognosis. Consequently, bone marrow increased uptake in oncology patients could potentially depict the systemic cancer burden. Methods: A single institute cohort analysis and a systematic review were performed, evaluating the prognostic role of 18F-FDG uptake in the bone marrow in solid neoplasms before treatment. The cohort included 113 esophageal cancer patients (adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma). The systematic review was based on 18 studies evaluating solid neoplasms, including gynecological, lung, pleura, breast, pancreas, head and neck, esophagus, stomach, colorectal, and anus. Results: Bone marrow 18F-FDG uptake in esophageal cancer was not correlated with staging, pathological response, and survival. High bone marrow uptake was related to advanced staging in colorectal, head and neck, and breast cancer, but not in lung cancer. Bone marrow 18F-FDG uptake was significantly associated with survival rates for lung, head and neck, breast, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and gynecological neoplasms but was not significantly associated with survival in pediatric neuroblastoma and esophageal cancer. Conclusion: 18F-FDG bone marrow uptake in PET/CT has prognostic value in several solid neoplasms, including lung, gastric, colorectal, head and neck, breast, pancreas, and gynecological cancers. However, future studies are still needed to define the role of bone marrow role in cancer prognostication.
Climate Change Threats to Two Breakwaters
Authors: Allsop William
Published: November 2022

This paper illustrates by practical examples how designers/owners can analyse the potential effects of climate change on coastal structures. It presents two example structures: at Brighton Marina (Sussex, England) and La Collette reclamation (St Helier, Jersey). In both instances the results of Joint Probability Analysis are used to define test conditions, noting that these will be different for different responses. Whilst the solutions for climate change challenges to each structure are different, the paper illustrates example solutions that may be relatively easily deployed.
SMURF: A Fully Autonomous Water Surface Cleaning Robot with A Novel Coverage Path Planning Method
Authors: Zhu Jiannan , Yang Yixin , Cheng Yuwei
Published: November 2022

In recent years, more attention has been paid to water surface environment protection. Current water surface waste cleaning mainly relies on manual operations, which are low-efficiency and dangerous. Therefore, in this paper, we design a fully autonomous water surface cleaning robot, SMURF, which achieves high-efficiency water surface cleaning without human operation and adapts to be used in various types of real-world water bodies. In addition, we propose a novel coverage path planning method on water surfaces and an improved nonlinear model predictive controller. The real-world experiment shows that SMURF works well in different kinds of water bodies and achieves much higher efficiency than traditional water surface cleaning methods.
Experimental Investigation of the Dynamic Behavior of Submerged Floating Tunnels under Regular Wave Conditions
Authors: Wang Fang , Li Ke , Huang Bo , Cheng Liang , Ding Hao
Published: November 2022

Submerged floating tunnels (SFTs) are an innovative traffic structure for transportation in deep and long-distance ocean environments. SFTs have the risk of being subjected to wave action in the complex ocean environment. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety and stability of SFTs during their service, the dynamic behavior of an SFT subjected to the action of waves is experimentally investigated in this study. Based on the wave–current flume, a physical scale-model experiment of an SFT for studying the dynamic behavior of an SFT subjected to regular waves interactions is deeply and thoroughly explored. The results show that the wave outputs from the wave-making system are verified to be reliable. The influence of major load parameters on the dynamic behavior of the SFT are deeply and thoroughly explored. The effects of wave height and wave period on acceleration, wave pressure, anchor cable force and displacement in an SFT are discussed. This experimental study has theoretical and practical significant for SFT design and safety.
Probability Prediction Approach of Fatigue Failure for the Subsea Wellhead Using Bayesian Regularization Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Li Jiayi , Chang Yuanjiang , Shi Jihao , Liu Xiuquan , Chen Guoming , Zhang Nan , Guan Qingtao , Dai Yongguo
Published: November 2022

The subsea wellhead (SW) system is a crucial connection between blowout preventors (BOPs) and subsea oil and gas wells. Excited by cyclical fatigue dynamic loadings, the SW is prone to fatigue failure, which would lead to the loss of well integrity and catastrophic accidents. Based on the Bayesian Regularization Artificial Neuron Network (BRANN), this paper proposes an efficient probability approach to predict the fatigue failure probability of SW during its entire life. In the proposed method, the BRANN fatigue damage (BRANN-FD) model reflecting the non-linear relationship between the input and output data was developed by the limited fatigue damage analysis data, which was utilized to generate thousands of non-numerical fatigue damage data of SW rapidly. Combining parametric and non-parametric estimation methods, the probability density function (PDF) of SW fatigue damage was determined to calculate the accumulation fatigue damage during service life. Using the logistic regression, the fatigue failure probability of SW was predicted. The application of the proposed approach was demonstrated by a case study. The results illustrated that the fatigue damage of SW would be viewed as obeying the Lognormal distribution, which could be used to obtain the accumulation fatigue damage in operation conveniently. Furthermore, the fatigue failure probability of SW nonlinearly increased with the increment in the accumulation fatigue damage of SW, which could be helpful to ensure the operation safety of SW in deepwater oil and gas development, especially for aged wellhead.
The Impact of Scour on Laterally Loaded Piles Bored and Socketed in Marine Clay
Authors: Li Chentao , Xiao Yang , Liu Jieqing , Lin Qingwei , Zhang Taotao , Liu Jiaming
Published: November 2022

The majority of long-span bridges and offshore construction in deep water are supported by bored pile foundations. Pile foundations under water will be susceptible to scour, which will pose a significant danger to their safe operation. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) numerical analysis was conducted to examine the influence of scour on the responses of laterally loaded drilled piles in marine clays. First, the FE numerical model was calibrated using field test data of a drilled pile that did not include scour in soft marine clay. The findings of numerical modeling reveal that scour decreases the ultimate lateral capacity of socketed drilled piles, with the percentage of reduction being strongly related to scour types and depth, but moderately related to scour hole width and slope angle. Finally, a semi-empirical formula for calculating the effects of scour on the lateral capacity of socketed drilled piles following scour is presented. This method may be utilized fast and effectively to calculate scour’s effects.
Trichocladium solani sp. nov.—A New Pathogen on Potato Tubers Causing Yellow Rot
Authors: Belosokhov Arseniy , Yarmeeva Maria , Kokaeva Lyudmila , Chudinova Elena , Mislavskiy Svyatoslav , Elansky Sergey
Published: November 2022

A new species, Trichocladium solani, was isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers from Russia. The species has no observed teleomorph and is characterized morphologically by non-specific Acremonium-like conidia on single phialides and chains of swollen chlamydospores. Phylogenetic analysis placed the new species in a monophyletic clade inside the Trichocladium lineage with a high level of support from a multi-locus analysis of three gene regions: ITS, tub2, and rpb2. ITS is found to be insufficient for species delimitation and is not recommended for identification purposes in screening studies. T. solani is pathogenic to potato tubers and causes lesions that look similar to symptoms of Fusarium dry rot infection but with yellowish or greenish tint in the necrotized area. The disease has been named “yellow rot of potato tubers”.
Polygenic Risk Score and Risk Factors for Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension
Authors: Perišić Marija Majda , Vladimir Klemo , Karpov Sarah , Štorga Mario , Mostashari Ali , Khanin  Raya
Published: November 2022

Preeclampsia and gestational hypertensive disorders (GHD) are common complications of pregnancy that adversely affect maternal and offspring health, often with long-term consequences. High BMI, advanced age, and pre-existing conditions are known risk factors for GHD. Yet, assessing a woman’s risk of GHD based on only these characteristics needs to be reevaluated in order to identify at-risk women, facilitate early diagnosis, and implement lifestyle recommendations. This study demonstrates that a risk score developed with machine learning from the case-control genetics dataset can be used as an early screening test for GHD. We further confirm BMI as a risk factor for GHD and investigate a relationship between GHD and genetically constructed anthropometric measures and biomarkers. Our results show that polygenic risk score can be used as an early screening tool that, together with other known risk factors and medical history, would assist in identifying women at higher risk of GHD before its onset to enable stratification of patients into low-risk and high-risk groups for monitoring and preventative programs to mitigate the risks.
Towards True Climate Neutrality for Global Aviation: A Negative Emissions Fund for Airlines
Authors: Nick Sascha , Thalmann Philippe
Published: November 2022

What would it take for aviation to become climate-neutral by 2050? We develop and model a trajectory for aviation to reduce its CO2 emissions by 90% by 2050, down to a level where all residual emissions can be removed from the atmosphere without crowding out other sectors that also need negative emissions. To make emitters pay for the carbon removal, we propose and model a negative emissions fund for airlines (NEFA). We show that it can pay for the removal of all CO2 emitted by aviation from 2030 onwards, for a contribution to the fund of USD 200–250 per ton CO2 emitted. In our baseline simulation, USD 3.3 trillion is invested by the fund over 40 years in high-quality carbon removal projects designed for biodiversity and societal co-benefits. While we do propose a number of governance principles and concrete solutions, our main goal is to start a societal dialogue to ensure aviation becomes both responsible and broadly beneficial.
Improved Performance on Wireless Sensors Network Using Multi-Channel Clustering Hierarchy
Authors: Rizky Robby , Mustafid  , Mantoro Teddy
Published: November 2022

Wireless sensor network is a network consisting of many sensor nodes that function to scan certain phenomena around it. WSN has quite a large problem in the form of delay and data loss which results in low WSN performance. This study aims to improve WSN performance by developing a cluster-based routing protocol. The cluster formation is carried out in several stages. The first is the formation of the cluster head which is the channel reference to be used by node members by means of probability calculations. The second determines the closest node using the Euclidean approach when looking for the closest member of the node to the cluster head. The third is determination of the node members by means of single linkage grouping by looking for proximity to CH. The performance of the proposed MCCH method is then tested and evaluated using QoS parameters. The results of this research evaluation use QoS parameters for testing the MCCH method, channel 1 throughput 508.165, channel 2 throughput 255.5661, channel 3 throughput 479.8289, channel 4 throughput 646.5618.
Spatial Accessibility of Multiple Facilities for Affordable Housing Neighborhoods in Harbin, China
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Zhang Xiaobin , Huang Huiling , Zhang Liang , Li Huan
Published: November 2022

The spatial mismatch between affordable housing neighborhoods and public services/facilities significantly reduces the well-being of low-income dwellers, which has risen to a typical issue of spatial injustice. Previous studies on accessibility evaluation most focus on a single type of service, lacking empirical studies exploring the integrated spatial accessibility of multiple services for low-income residents. Taking Harbin City in northeast China as an example, this study assessed the spatial accessibility of transit, education, healthcare, shopping, and recreation facilities for affordable housing neighborhoods, using the Gaussian-based 2SFCA method. The pattern of accessibility for each type of facility in Harbin showed obvious spatial differentiation between the urban core and the city periphery, for both affordable housing neighborhoods and other neighborhoods. The sample household survey indicated that low-income households who were generally characterized as elderly, less-educated, under-employed or unemployed had extremely restricted and passive residence choices. In comparison to non-low-income households, the spatial accessibility of higher-level facilities for low-income households was relatively poorer. Particularly, affordable housing neighborhoods had much lower accessibility of subway stations, though more than 97% of low-income respondents living in affordable housing neighborhoods chose to solve the daily trip demand by taking a bus or the subway. With respect to equity-oriented urban planning, more importance should be attached to the spatial accessibility of public services and facilities when planning affordable housing projects for low-income households.
Urbanscape, Land Use Change and Centralization in the Region of Uruk, Southern Mesopotamia from the 2nd to 1st Millennium BCE
Authors: Clark Shmuel , Altaweel Mark , Gordin Shai
Published: November 2022

We produce results that bridge the gap between physical and textual study of the ancient Mesopotamian landscape in the region south and west of the city of Uruk (Biblical Erech, Modern Warka). A brief survey of gazetteers of Mesopotamia, volumes listing place-names drawn from translated and published cuneiform texts from the 2nd and 1st Millennium BCE, are presented. The various gazetteers were reviewed for relevant place-names, and the results were recorded and analyzed. These are described in detail below, as are their implications. The resulting data are then compared to the results of a recently completed archaeological survey of the same region. The synthesis of textual and archaeological surveys indicates a more exacting methodology to add geographic objectivity to textual results, while connecting physical results to the qualitative detail available within the Uruk textual record. More broadly, we demonstrate how long-term historical records align with archaeological data, delineating state-level and local land use efforts around a major Mesopotamian city. In the 2nd millennium BCE, settlements were generally small but more numerous, but in the 1st Millennium BCE there was a shift towards fewer and larger settlements connected to the city of Uruk. These shifts reflect deliberate central, government policy and local responses.
Changes in Richness and Species Composition after Five Years of Grazing Exclusion in an Endemic Pasture of Northern Mexico
Authors: Arévalo José Ramón , González-Montelongo Cristina , Encina-Domínguez Juan A. , García Eduardo , Mellado Miguel
Published: November 2022

A well-managed grazing system improves the productivity and health, and it is important to promote sustainability. We analyzed the impact of grazing on the Sierra de Zapalinamé protected area in north Mexico. Our hypothesis was that grazing modifies species composition, richness, and nutrients after grazing exclusion for five years. In this area, eight plots were excluded from grazing, and species richness, evenness, and plant functional types for five years were monitored. This monitoring was also carried out on eight control plots adjacent to the excluded plots. Soil samples were collected from each plot in the fifth year of exclusion for nutrient content analysis. Grazing discriminated plant species composition after five years between excluded and control plots, but not species richness and evenness. In addition, exclusion increased grass cover and decreased forb cover. Indicator species for excluded and control sites were identified. It was concluded that part of the pastures can be excluded from grazing as a way to analyze changes in this protected area and promote greater plant diversity.