bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Deep Learning-Based Mitosis Recognition Approach and Dataset for Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Histopathology
Authors: Zehra Talat , Anjum Sharjeel , Mahmood Tahir , Shams Mahin , Sultan Binish Arif , Ahmad Zubair , Alsubaie Najah , Ahmed Shahzad
Published: August 2022

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) is the most common sarcoma of the uterus, It is aggressive and has poor prognosis. Its diagnosis is sometimes challenging owing to its resemblance by benign smooth muscle neoplasms of the uterus. Pathologists diagnose and grade leiomyosarcoma based on three standard criteria (i.e., mitosis count, necrosis, and nuclear atypia). Among these, mitosis count is the most important and challenging biomarker. In general, pathologists use the traditional manual counting method for the detection and counting of mitosis. This procedure is very time-consuming, tedious, and subjective. To overcome these challenges, artificial intelligence (AI) based methods have been developed that automatically detect mitosis. In this paper, we propose a new ULMS dataset and an AI-based approach for mitosis detection. We collected our dataset from a local medical facility in collaboration with highly trained pathologists. Preprocessing and annotations are performed using standard procedures, and a deep learning-based method is applied to provide baseline accuracies. The experimental results showed 0.7462 precision, 0.8981 recall, and 0.8151 F1-score. For research and development, the code and dataset have been made publicly available.
Concordance of p16INK4a and E6*I mRNA among HPV-DNA-Positive Oropharyngeal, Laryngeal, and Oral Cavity Carcinomas from the ICO International Study
Authors: Mena Marisa , Wang Xin , Tous Sara , Quiros Beatriz , Clavero Omar , Alejo Maria , Morey Francisca , Taberna Miren , Leon Vintro Xavier , Lloveras Rubio Belén , Alos Llúcia , Mehanna Hisham , Quint Wim , Pawlita Michael , Tommasino Massimo , Pavón Miguel Angel , Muñoz Nubia , De Sanjose Silvia , Bosch Francesc Xavier , Alemany Laia ,   on behalf of the ICO International HPV in Head and Neck Cancer Study Group
Published: August 2022

Background: Tests or test algorithms for diagnosing HPV-driven oral cavity and laryngeal head and neck carcinomas (HNC) have not been yet validated, and the differences among oral cavity and laryngeal sites have not been comprehensively evaluated. We aimed to assess the utility of a diagnostic algorithm for the detection of HPV-driven oral cavity (OCC), oropharyngeal (OPC) and laryngeal (LC) carcinomas using HPV-DNA testing followed by p16INK4a immunohistochemistry, taking E6*I mRNA detection as the reference standard. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded OCC, OPC, and LC carcinomas were collected from pathology archives in 29 countries. All samples were subjected to histopathological evaluation, DNA quality control, and HPV-DNA detection. All HPV-DNA-positive samples (including 78 OCC, 257 OPC, and 51 LC out of 3680 HNC with valid HPV-DNA results) were also tested for p16INK4a immunohistochemistry and E6*I mRNA. Three different cutoffs of nuclear and cytoplasmic staining were evaluated for p16INK4a: (a) >25%, (b) >50%, and (c) ≥70%. The concordance of p16INK4a and E6*I mRNA among HPV-DNA-positive OCC, OPC, and LC cases was assessed. Results: A total of 78 OCC, 257 OPC, and 51 LC were HPV-DNA-positive and further tested for p16INK4a and E6*I mRNA. The percentage of concordance between p16INK4a (cutoff ≥ 70%) and E6*I mRNA among HPV-DNA-positive OCC, OPC, and LC cases was 79.5% (95% CI 69.9–89.1%), 82.1% (95% CI 77.2–87.0%), and 56.9% (95% CI 42.3–71.4%), respectively. A p16INK4a cutoff of >50% improved the concordance although the improvement was not statistically significant. For most anatomical locations and p16INK4a cutoffs, the percentage of discordant cases was higher for HPV16- than HPV-non16-positive cases. Conclusions: The diagnostic algorithm of HPV-DNA testing followed by p16INK4a immunohistochemistry might be helpful in the diagnosis of HPV-driven OCC and OPC, but not LC. A different p16INK4a expression pattern was observed in those cases HPV-DNA-positive for types other than HPV16, as compared to HPV16-positive cases. Our study provides new insights into the use HPV-DNA, p16INK4a, and HPV-E6*I mRNA for diagnosing an HPV-driven HNC, including the optimal HPV test or p16INK4a cutoffs to be used. More studies are warranted to clarify the role of p16INK4a and HPV status in both OPC and non-OPC HNC.
No Health without Mental Health: Taking Action to Heal a World in Distress—With People, Places, and Planet ‘in Mind’
Authors: Prescott Susan , Greeson Jeffrey , El-Sherbini Mona ,   The Planetary Health Community Convened by the Nova Institute for Health
Published: August 2022

The unprecedented global rise in mental anguish is closely linked with the erosion of our social fabric, economic and political systems, and to our natural environments. We are facing multiple new large-scale threats to health, safety, and security, with a growing lack of trust in others and in authorities. Pervasive stress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty are of a nature and scale we have never seen before—manifesting in surging violence, community breakdown, domestic abuse, opioid and other drug overdoses, social isolation, and suicides—with alarming new mental health trends in children and young people. This has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and amplified by an exponential increase in the amount and immediacy of information propagated through electronic media—often negative with manipulative intent aimed at dividing opinions through anger and fear. At the same time, there has been progressive erosion of kindness, civility, compassion, and social supports. Here, in this report from a “campfire” meeting held by the Nova Institute for Health, we discuss the importance of understanding the complexity of these interrelated threats which impact individual and collective mental health. Our dialog highlighted the need for efforts that build both individual and community resilience with more empowering, positive, and inspiring shared narratives that increase purpose and belonging. This includes placing greater value on positive assets that promote awareness and resilience, including creativity, spirituality, mindfulness, and nature connection—recognizing that ‘inner’ transitions contribute to shifts in mindsets for ‘outward’ transformation in communities and the world at large. Ultimately, these strategies also encourage and normalize mutualistic values that are essential for collectively improving the health of people, places, and the planet, by overcoming the destructive, exploitative worldviews which created so many of our current challenges in the first place.
A Comparative Assessment of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway Dimensions among Different Anteroposterior Skeletal Patterns in 7–14-Year-Old Children: A Cephalometric Study
Authors: Chianchitlert Ann , Luppanapornlarp Suwannee , Saenghirunvattana Bhudsadee , Sirisoontorn Irin
Published: August 2022

Background: The pharyngeal airway is a crucial part of the respiratory system’s function. Assessing the pharyngeal airway dimensions in different skeletal types is important in the orthodontic treatment of growing patients. The aim of this study was to compare the upper pharyngeal airway dimensions of 7–14-year-old children with different skeletal types. Methods: Three-hundred-sixty-one lateral cephalometric radiographs were grouped based on their skeletal patterns determined by the ANB angle as skeletal type I (n = 123), type II (n = 121), and type III (n = 117). The radiographs were divided into 4 groups: 7/8 YO (7–8 years old), 9/10 YO, 11/12 YO, and 13/14 YO. The cephalometric measurements comprised SNA, SNB, ANB, Ad1-PNS, Ad2-PNS, McUP, and McLP. An ANOVA was used to compare the group results. Results: Significant differences in Ad1-PNS, Ad2-PNS, McUP, and McLP in skeletal types II and III were found between age groups. Most upper pharyngeal airway dimensions in skeletal types II and III children were significantly wider in the 13/14 YO group than in the other age groups. Conclusion: The upper pharyngeal airway dimensions increased age-dependently in 7–14-year-old children, especially in skeletal types II and III. The upper pharyngeal airway dimensions could serve as a guide in differentiating the different skeletal classes in clinical settings.
Development of Nano- and Micro-Coatings
Authors: Rokosz Krzysztof
Published: August 2022

Nanolayers and microcoatings are most often used in the food industry, mechanical engineering tools, aerospace technologies, and in biomaterials [...]
A Comparative Study on Denoising Algorithms for Footsteps Sounds as Biometric in Noisy Environments
Authors: Caravaca-Mora Ronald , Brenes-Jiménez Carlos , Coto-Jiménez Marvin
Published: August 2022

Biometrics is the automated identification of a person based on distinctive characteristics, such as fingerprints, face, voice, or the sound of footsteps. This last characteristic has significant challenges considering the background noise present in any real-life application, where microphones would record footsteps sounds and different types of noise. For this reason, it is crucial to consider not only the capacity of classification algorithms for recognizing a person using foostetps sounds, but also at least one stage of denoising algorithms that can reduce the background sounds before the classification. In this paper we study the possibilities of a two-stage approach for this problem: a denoising stage followed by a classification process. The work focuses on discovering the proper strategy for applying combinations of both stages for specific noise types and levels. Results vary according to the type and level of noise, e.g., for White noise at signal-to-noise ratio level, accuracy can increase from 0.96 to 1.00 by applying deep learning based-filters, but the same option does not benefit the cases of signals with low level natural noises, where Wiener filtering can increase accuracy from 0.6 to 0.77 at the highest level of noise. The results represent a baseline for developing real-life implementations of footstep biometrics.
Testing for Serial Correlation in Autoregressive Exogenous Models with Possible GARCH Errors
Authors: Li Hanqing , Liu Xiaohui , Chen Yuting , Fan Yawen
Published: August 2022

Autoregressive exogenous, hereafter ARX, models are widely adopted in time series-related domains as they can be regarded as the combination of an autoregressive process and a predictive regression. Within a more complex structure, extant diagnostic checking methods face difficulties in remaining validity in many conditions existing in real applications, such as heteroscedasticity and error correlations exhibited between the ARX model itself and its exogenous processes. For these reasons, we propose a new serial correlation test method based on the profile empirical likelihood. Simulation results, as well as two real data examples, show that our method has a good performance in all mentioned conditions.
Investigation of Different Water-Related Innovation Aspects within the Past Three Decades: A Case Study of Kazakhstan and Neighboring Countries
Authors: Kydyrbekova Aliya , Meiramkulova Kulyash , Tolysbayev Baurzhan , Kydyrbekova Assel
Published: August 2022

The advancement of water sustainability and reliance is highly dependent on the innovative ideas implemented in the sector. However, despite water being a vital resource, the water sector still faces many challenges in terms of innovations in comparison to other sectors. This study investigated different aspects of innovation activities in the water sector in the case of Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. The potential water-related issues calling for more innovation activities in the field are also expounded. Moreover, the potential effect of the COVID-19 global pandemic is also highlighted, based on a questionnaire survey conducted among different water-related firms. The innovation datasets were divided into three different decades to investigate the potential influence of a 10-year period on the characteristics of the innovation activities in the water sector; whereby, a p-value of approximately 0.014 was retrieved from the analysis of variance (less than the significance threshold of 0.05). As a result of our findings, it can be stated that there were statistically significant differences in terms of innovation during the three decades investigated in this study. Moreover, a relatively high correlation was observed between wastewater handling tariffs and the number of patented innovations, with a correlation coefficient of 0.868; however, there was a weak correlation between water supply tariffs and patented innovations, with a correlation coefficient of 0.333. Based on the questionnaire survey, it was observed that the innovation disruption caused by COVID-19 in terms of the motivation in water-related innovations has impacted more of the large-scale water firms than the small-scale firms. Therefore, the results derived in this study further reveal that there is a significant need to invest more towards innovation in the water sector, especially regarding large-scale firms.
Epistemic Uncertainties in the Assessment of Regional Soil Acidification
Authors: Benke Kurt , Robinson Nathan , Norng Sorn , Rees David , O'Leary Garry
Published: August 2022

The increasing acidification of soil due to pollution and agricultural management practices is a growing problem worldwide, where food production is already under threat by climate change, more frequent droughts, and soil nutrient depletion. Soil acidification is quantified by pH measurements and is a primary metric for soil health. High soil acidity is a constraint on the production of grains and other crops because it decreases the bioavailability of important plant nutrients while increasing soil toxicity arising from an imbalance of essential soil elements. Field pH can be estimated by colour test kits which are very cost-effective and particularly suitable for developing countries where laboratory services are not available or fail to provide timely results. Because the pH test kit is based on visual colour matching between a colour card scale and a soil sample in solution, there are epistemic uncertainties, such as variability in expert opinion, differences in colour vision, measurement error, instrumentation, and changes in daylight spectral content. In this study, expert human observers were compared in experiments conducted using a standard pH test kit under a range of environmental conditions. A significant difference in uncertainty in colour discrimination was evident between male and female experts, whereas changes in daylight conditions had lower impact on the variance of pH estimates. In a group of subject matter experts, the male standard error (0.35 pH) was 57% higher on average over the range of pH values (pH = 4 → 10) compared to females (0.22 pH). This error was largest (70%) in the low pH 4 to 6.5 range, which is a critical range for successful amelioration of soil acidification. The results suggest that historical database measurements may have hitherto unrecognised uncertainties that affect confidence intervals for experimental data that in turn will have an impact on predictive models and policy development.
Effects of Pressurized Superheated Steam Treatment on Dimensional Stability and Its Mechanisms in Surface-Compressed Wood
Authors: Gao Zhiqiang , Huang Rongfeng
Published: August 2022

Shape stability is one of the most important properties of surface-compressed wood used as a substitute for other energy-intensive adhesives, concrete, and metals. This study evaluated the dimensional stability, surface wettability, chemical structure, cellulose crystalline structure, and microstructure of surface-compressed wood. The surface-compressed wood was then treated with pressurized superheated steam. The equilibrium moisture content, thickness swelling ratio, and wettability of the wood decreased by 20.39%, 30.63% (moisture absorption), 40.51% (water absorption), and 86.95% after pressurized superheated steam treatment, respectively. In the pressurized steam environment, hemicelluloses were significantly degraded, significantly reducing the strong hygroscopic groups, particularly hydroxyl groups. The crystallinity and crystal width of cellulose in the compressed wood also increased by 8.02% and 37.61%, respectively, after pressurized superheated steam treatment, corresponding to dimensional stability. Dimensional stability, namely the shape fixation of the surface-compressed wood, is a complex mechanism, including the hydrophobization of cell walls, the formation of cross-linkages, the reformation of microfibril chains, microstructural changes, and the relaxation of inner stresses, which reduced or even eliminated the recovery. This study demonstrates that pressurized steam treatment can effectively enhance dimensional stability in surface-compressed wood, which contributes to the substantial use of surface-compressed wood in the building and construction industries. We will further explore the relationship and mechanism between superheated steam pressure, treatment time, and dimensional stability.
Territorial Marketing Based on Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) to Enhance Sustainable Tourism in Rural Areas: A Literature Review
Authors: Rovira Marta , Garay Lluís , Górriz-Mifsud Elena , Bonet José-Antonio
Published: August 2022

It is often seen how a distinctive feature of a territory is used as a brand to create an image that attracts tourists to the region. This is so-called “territorial marketing”, and together with this brand, connected products and services, usually related to recreation, gastronomy and well-being, are offered. Non-wood forest products (NWFPs), such as mushrooms, truffles, aromatic and medicinal plants, nuts and berries, are natural products connected to local traditions that contribute to rural economies, culture and society. This becomes particularly prominent when used as elements of identity to brand specific geographical areas such as the “Chestnut Route”, the “Cranberry Valley” or the “Truffle Way”. This review aims to delve into the understanding of this link between NWFPs and sustainable tourism through territorial marketing and to discuss the different perspectives that address this field, including the methodologies used for the studies, as well as to identify the main research topics tackled in the literature, territorial marketing models and the challenges for its development. The results show the multidisciplinary nature of this field of research, addressed primarily by economists through qualitative surveys and case studies. Most authors emphasize the growing interest in territorial marketing in rural areas as well as the importance of involving the local population in the implementation process. Several studies offer a territorial marketing process model, among which stakeholders’ participation, place identity and image, as well as their interaction, are main aspects to be considered when developing this strategy. A new territorial marketing model is proposed. While it is an emergent research field, studies focused on territorial marketing based on NWFPs to attract tourism remain a research niche.
Reconstruction of the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index for the Western Region of Durango State, Mexico
Authors: Cabral-Alemán Citlalli , Villanueva-Díaz José , Quiñonez-Barraza Gerónimo , Gómez-Guerrero Armando , Arreola-Ávila Jesús Guadalupe
Published: August 2022

In recent decades, droughts associated with climate change have increased in frequency and intensity. Given this trend, the understanding of climate variability over time has raised great interest. The main objective of this study was to reconstruct the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) from tree rings of Pinus durangensis Martinez at a representative site in the western region of the Durango State, Mexico. To this end, we used radii of 286 cross-sections, which were processed through conventional dendrochronological techniques. In addition, chronologies of total ring and early and latewood were generated, covering 296 years. In parallel, we analyzed the association between the chronologies obtained and the cumulative SPEI for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The earlywood residual chronology (EWres) showed the closest association with the six-month cumulative SPEI for February–May (SPEI6FM). Thus, the SPEI6FM for the past 296 years was reconstructed through a simple linear regression model. In this reconstruction, 18% of the years were wet, 16% dry, and 66% average. In addition, an increase in the frequency of droughts was observed from 1880 onwards, which might have been related to the rise in temperature due to climate warming. Therefore, the annual rings of P. durangensis are suitable for use as a proxy for the reconstruction of historical climatic events in this region of northern Mexico.
Biochemical Traits, 1H NMR Profile and Residual DNA Content of ‘Asprinio’, White Wine from Campania Region (Southern Italy)
Authors: Landi Nicola , Scognamiglio Monica , Woodrow Pasqualina , Ciarmiello Loredana F. , Ragucci Sara , Clemente Angela , Hussain Hafiza Z. F. , Fiorentino Antonio , Di Maro Antimo
Published: August 2022

‘Asprinio’ is a white dry wine characteristic for its acidity and aromatic flavour, known as emerging DOP wine in Southern Italy. Nevertheless, little information is available on the metabolomic profile of this wine. Thus, in this paper we evaluated the colourimetric parameters, 1H NMR profiles and free amino acids content of ‘Asprinio’ wines, bottled by two different wineries (hereafter ‘Asprinio_A’ and ‘Asprinio_B’) collected in 2019 and 2020, using ‘Greco di Tufo’ for comparison. The colourimetric parameters are similar for both ‘Asprinio’ wines and differ from ‘Greco di Tufo’ wines. On the other hand, both 1H NMR and free amino acid content profiles show different chemometric profiles among the three wines analysed, although the profiles are similar for both vintages. Moreover, the multivariate analyses carried out highlight differences between ‘Asprinio_A’ and ‘Asprinio_B’, which exbibit also different residual yeast and plant DNA. Overall, considering that the two-manufacturing wineries use 100% ‘Asprinio’ grape, the difference retrieved between the two ‘Asprinio’ wines could be explained by the different grapevine training systems: ‘vite maritata’ (training system inherited from Etruscans) for ‘Asprinio_A’ and ‘guyot’ for ‘Asprinio_B’.
Real-Time Monitoring the Effects of Storage Conditions on Volatile Compounds and Quality Indexes of Halal-Certified Kimchi during Distribution Using Electronic Nose
Authors: Laksana Andri Jaya , Choi Young-Min , Kim Jong-Hoon , Kim Byeong-Sam , Kim Ji-Young
Published: August 2022

The food logistics system is an essential sector for maintaining and monitoring the safety and quality of food products and becoming more crucial, especially during and after the pandemic of COVID-19. Kimchi is a popular traditional fermented food originally from Korea and easily changes because of the storage conditions. This study aims to evaluate the effects and the contributions of temperature to volatile compounds, quality indexes, and the shelf life of Halal-certified Kimchi, and to identify alcohol and find the correlation between the identified variables using an electronic nose and conventional method with the integration of multivariate analysis. Thirty-two volatile compounds (VOCs) were detected and correlated with pH, titratable acidity (TA), and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts during storage time. Ethanol was also found in the ripened Kimchi and possibly became the critical point of halal Kimchi products besides total acidity, pH, and LAB. Furthermore, the correlation between pH and benzaldehyde, titratable acidity and 3-methylbutanoic acid, and among lactic acid bacteria with ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and 3-methylbutanoic acid properly can be used as a given set of variables in the prediction of food quality during storage and distribution.
Media Trust: Official versus Commercial Outlets
Authors: Guo Xiaoli
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a simple formal theoretical model to explain why citizens in authoritarian regimes trust the illiberal official media more than the commercial media. Media trust is defined as changes in the citizen’s belief based on good or bad news from the media. Using this definition, the model evaluates the independent and interaction effect of media bias, censorship, media quality, the citizen’s prior belief of the situation, and the citizen’s ideology on media trust. The findings reconcile some controversies in the literature, and, more importantly, reveal new and subtle explanations the literature did not identify and probably needs to pay attention to.
All Pedicle Screw versus Hybrid Hook–Screw Instrumentation in the Treatment of Thoracic Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS): A Prospective Comparative Cohort Study
Authors: Tsirikos Athanasios I. , McMillan Tristan E.
Published: August 2022

Background: Posterior spinal correction and fusion remains the most common surgical treatment in AIS. Surgeons currently favour all pedicle screw (AS) correction techniques with alternative implants being less utilised. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a hybrid hook–screw (HS) construct could achieve similar outcomes. Methods: A single centre, prospective cohort study was conducted. Patients with moderate and severe thoracic AIS (Lenke 1) were included. Clinical and radiological results of a standardised hybrid HS technique were compared with those obtained with an AS construct. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Results: 160 patients were included in this series (80 patients/group). The HS group had significantly reduced surgical time, blood loss and implant density. Both techniques achieved ≥75% scoliosis correction. The HS group was superior in restoring thoracic kyphosis and global sagittal balance with an average 31% increase in kyphosis compared to 10% with the AS group (p < 0.001). There was significant improvement in SRS-22 scores at 2 years postoperative (p < 0.001) in both groups. There were no neurological or visceral complications related to instrumentation, no detected non-union and no reoperations. The HS implant cost was significantly lower than that of AS, with a mean instrumentation saving of almost £2000/patient. Conclusion: A standardised hybrid HS technique achieved excellent correction of thoracic scoliosis, high patient satisfaction and low complication rates in patients with thoracic AIS. These results were comparable to the AS group. The HS technique achieved better correction of thoracic kyphosis and sagittal balance than the AS technique, together with reduced surgical time, blood loss and implant cost.
The “Mask Effect” of the Emotional Factor in Nurses’ Adaptability to Change: Mental Health in a COVID-19 Setting
Authors: Gázquez Linares José Jesús , Molero Jurado María del Mar , Pérez-Fuentes María del Carmen , Herrera-Peco Ivan , Martos Martínez África , Barragán Martín Ana Belén
Published: August 2022

During healthcare catastrophes, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are exposed to highly stressful situations derived from their work and personal activity. Development of coping strategies for such situations can improve nurses’ physical and mental health. This study analyzed nurses’ adaptability to change, with attention to socio-demographic variables in a COVID-19 setting, and identified the repercussions on their health. This quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study had a sample of 351 nurses aged 22 to 64 with a mean age of 40.91 (SD = 10.98). The instruments used for the study were the ADAPTA-10 questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). It was observed that age, sex, and having a stable partner significantly influenced scores on the emotional, cognitive–behavioral, and adaptation to change factors. Finally, the emotional factor mediated between positive COVID-19 in someone close and the presence of health problems. Understanding the elements that help adapt better to change and adversity enable effective interventions to be developed for improving emotional health of nurses, especially for those in whom there are positive cases of COVID-19 in their personal or work environment.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Roots Resistance to Orobanche cumana at the Seedling Stage
Authors: Huang Qixiu , Lei Zhonghua , Xiang Lijun , Zhang Wangfeng , Zhang Li , Gao Yan
Published: August 2022

Orobanche cumana is a root alloparasitic plant that drastically reduces sunflower (Helianthus annuus) production. In this study, transcriptomic changes of O. cumana-resistant (HZ2399) and O. cumana-sensitive (SQ25) sunflower seedlings were investigated at six time points (0–72 h) following O. cumana infection. The process of resistance to O. cumana was similar in HZ2399 and SQ25 seedlings, however, significantly higher regulatory activity was observed in the resistant plants. In HZ2399, most of the 54 upregulated genes were involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant–pathogen interaction, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. These genes were mainly associated with antioxidant responses, responses to stress, stimulation responses, and metabolic processes. The expression level of the three most significantly upregulated genes in HZ2399 (4CL2, EDS1, and TGA3) was significantly higher than that of SQ25, suggesting that they may be the main causes of O. cumana immunity in HZ2399. It is hypothesized that sunflower resistance to O. cumana parasitism is dependent on salicylic acid (SA), a disease resistance protein (TIR-NBS-LRR class) family (RPS4), and EDS1. The results of this study contribute to elucidating the mechanism of O. cumana resistance in sunflower and for the molecular breeding of O. cumana resistance.
Multi-Criteria DEXi Analysis for the Selection of Crop Species for Saltwater Aquaponics
Authors: Puccinelli Martina , Fierro-Sañudo Juan Francisco , Bibbiani Carlo , Fronte Baldassare , Maibam Chingoileima , Dubois Theo , Pardossi Alberto , Incrocci Luca , Rossi Lorenzo
Published: August 2022

Saltwater aquaponics is a sustainable alternative system for food production. The success of this system largely depends on the selection of both fish and plant species, for which several features and criteria must be considered. This paper aims to identify the most suitable plant species for saltwater aquaponics by using a multi-criteria decision-making method also based on current literature. One simple model that contained one root criterion, four aggregated criteria, and four sub-criteria was created using DEXi software. The same model was evaluated considering two different salinity levels in the recirculating water: 10 (brackish water) and 35 (sea water) g L−1. The relevance of the model structure was evaluated by the sensitivity analysis, through the ‘plus/minus-1′ analysis. Our results suggest that Salicornia europaea L. and Portulaca oleracea L. were suitable species for saltwater aquaponics at 35 g L−1. Moreover, at 10 g L−1, the suitable candidates were: Salicornia bigelovii Torr, S. europaea L., Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima (L.) Arcang, Atriplex hortensis L., and P. oleracea L. The DEXi analysis resulted in being an easy and effective tool to select proper species in similar contexts. DEXi can help to identify the hotspots of production processes, according to our results. Since the selected species are wild edible species or minor crops, the availability of their seeds is one of the main constraints of their cultivation in saltwater aquaponics.
Molecular Epidemiology of Sporadic and Outbreak-Related Salmonella Typhi Isolates in the Brazilian North Region: A Retrospective Analysis from 1995 to 2013
Authors: Quaresma Ana Judith Pires Garcia , Rodrigues Yan Corrêa , Aboim Joseline Barbosa , Bezerra Mayza Miranda , Gouveia Maria Isabel Montoril , Da Costa Ana Roberta Fusco , de Oliveira Souza Cintya , Bastos Flávia Corrêa , Lima Luana Nepomuceno Gondim Costa , de Paula Ramos Francisco Lúzio , Valéria Batista Lima Karla
Published: August 2022

Typhoidal salmonellosis is a global public health problem occurring in developing endemic regions. In Brazil, cases are mostly registered in the North and Northeast regions. Molecular characterization of the strains is important to understand the epidemiology of disease infections and to design control strategies. The present study retrospectively evaluates the genotyping features of sporadic and outbreak-related Salmonella Typhi isolates from the Brazilian North region. Bacterial isolates were recovered from blood and a rectal swab of patients in the states of Acre and Pará, Brazilian North region, in the period of 1995 to 2013, and were submitted to genotyping by applying Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) reference methods. MLST genotyping revealed the presence of epidemic clones ST1 and ST2, and 20 pulsotypes were identified by PFGE, including four distinct clusters (A–D), and six subclusters (A1–D1) with indistinguishable strains in different periods and locations. To conclude, the obtained data demonstrates the temporal stability, adaptation, and transmission of outbreak-related and sporadic S. Typhi strains over time, contributing to the transmission chain in the region.
Efficacy and Safety of the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C with Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir in Children Aged 5 to 10 Years with Comorbidities—A Brief Report
Authors: Pokorska-Śpiewak Maria , Dobrzeniecka Anna , Ogrodnik Agnieszka
Published: August 2022

The efficacy and safety of 12 weeks of therapy with sofosbuvir/ledipasvir in three patients aged 5–10 years are presented. All three children suffered from comorbidities, including chronic kidney disease in two. All participants achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment. No adverse effects were reported during or after the treatment, and the compliance was good. Decisions on starting treatment in children below 6 years of age should be made individually, taking compliance into consideration. The adjustment of formulation and dosing of medication during treatment is necessary in young children. Further research with larger groups of patients is needed to confirm our findings.
The North Italian Longitudinal Study Assessing the Mental Health Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Health Care Workers—Part I: Study Design and Psychometric Structural Validity of the HSE Indicator Tool and Work Satisfaction Scale
Authors: Veronesi Giovanni , Giusti Emanuele Maria , D’Amato Alessia , Gianfagna Francesco , Borchini Rossana , Castelnuovo Gianluca , Iacoviello Licia , Ferrario Marco Mario
Published: August 2022

Literature on the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the mental health of Health Care Workers (HCWs) is mostly based on cross-sectional surveys. We designed a longitudinal study to assess work-related stress and mental health before and after the pandemic onset in a university-hospital in Lombardia region, Italy. We report on sample representativeness and structural validity of questionnaires assessing work stress (HSE Indicator Tool, HSE-IT) and work satisfaction (WS), which were not validated in the HCWs population. n = 1287 HCWs from 67 hospital wards/offices were invited to an online survey in summer 2019 (pre-COVID-19 wave) and again during winter 2020 (COVID-19 wave). Selected hospital wards/offices did not differ from the remaining wards for turn-over and down-sizing rates, overload, sick leaves, and night shifts (Wilcoxon rank tests p-values > 0.05). Participation rates were 70% (n = 805) and 60% (n = 431) in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 waves, respectively. Socio-demographic and work-related characteristics did not impact data completeness nor participation to the COVID-19 wave. While confirming a 7-component structure for HSE-IT, we identified a new factor related to participation in work organization. A one-factor model for WS had satisfactory fit. Our longitudinal study based on a representative sample and adopting validated questionnaires is well-suited to elucidate the role of work conditions on the development of mental health disorders in HCWs.
Factors Associated with the Quality and Transparency of National Guidelines: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Kovačević Tanja , Vrdoljak Davorka , Petričević Slavica Jurić , Buljan Ivan , Sambunjak Dario , Krznarić Željko , Marušić Ana , Jerončić Ana
Published: August 2022

We assessed the methodological quality and transparency of all the national clinical practice guidelines that were published in Croatia up until 2017 and explored the factors associated with their quality rating. An in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed using rigorous methodology. We evaluated the guidelines using a validated AGREE II instrument with four raters; we used multiple linear regressions to identify the predictors of quality; and two focus groups, including guideline developers, to further explore the guideline development process. The majority of the guidelines (N = 74) were developed by medical societies. The guidelines’ quality was rated low: the median standardized AGREE II score was low, 36% (IQR 28–42), and so were the overall-assessments. The aspects of the guidelines that were rated best were the “clarity of presentation” and the “scope and purpose” (median ≥ 59%); however, the other four domains received very low scores (15–33%). Overall, the guideline quality did not improve over time. The guidelines that were developed by medical societies scored significantly worse than those developed by governmental, or unofficial working groups (12–43% per domain). In focus group discussions, inadequate methodology, a lack of implementation systems in place, a lack of awareness about editorial independence, and broader expertise/perspectives in working groups were identified as factors behind the low scores. The factors identified as affecting the quality of the national guidelines may help stakeholders who are developing interventions and education programs aimed at improving guideline quality worldwide.
Effect of Intensity and Duration of Exercise on Gut Microbiota in Humans: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bonomini-Gnutzmann Romina , Plaza-Díaz Julio , Jorquera-Aguilera Carlos , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Andrés , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Fernando
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: The gut microbiota might play a part in affecting athletic performance and is of considerable importance to athletes. The aim of this study was to search the recent knowledge of the protagonist played by high-intensity and high-duration aerobic exercise on gut microbiota composition in athletes and how these effects could provide disadvantages in sports performance. (2) Methods: This systematic review follows the PRISMA guidelines. An exhaustive bibliographic search in Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus was conducted considering the articles published in the last 5 years. The selected articles were categorized according to the type of study. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical Appraisal Tool for Systematic Reviews. (3) Results: Thirteen studies had negative effects of aerobic exercise on intestinal microbiota such as an upsurge in I-FABP, intestinal distress, and changes in the gut microbiota, such as an increase in Prevotella, intestinal permeability and zonulin. In contrast, seven studies observed positive effects of endurance exercise, including an increase in the level of bacteria such as increased microbial diversity and increased intestinal metabolites. (4) Conclusions: A large part of the studies found reported adverse effects on the intestinal microbiota when performing endurance exercises. In studies carried out on athletes, more negative effects on the microbiota were found than in those carried out on non-athletic subjects.
Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste and Its Microbial Consortia: A Historical Review and Future Perspectives
Authors: Wang Shuijing , Xu Chenming , Song Liyan , Zhang Jin
Published: August 2022

Renewable energy source, such as food waste (FW), has drawn great attention globally due to the energy crisis and the environmental problem. Anaerobic digestion (AD) mediated by novel microbial consortia is widely used to convert FW to clean energy. Despite of the considerable progress on food waste and FWAD optimization condition in recent years, a comprehensive and predictive understanding of FWAD microbial consortia is absent and therefore represents a major research challenge in FWAD. The review begins with a global view on the FWAD status and is followed by an overview of the role of AD key conditions’ association with microbial community variation during the three main energy substances (hydrogen, organic acids, and methane) production by FWAD. The following topic is the historical understanding of the FWAD microorganism through the development of molecular biotechnology, from classic strain isolation to low-throughput sequencing technologies, to high-throughput sequencing technologies, and to the combination of high-throughput sequencing and isotope tracing. Finally, the integration of multi-omics for better understanding of the microbial community activity and the synthetic biology for the manipulation of the functioning microbial consortia during the FWAD process are proposed. Understanding microbial consortia in FWAD helps us to better manage the global renewable energy source.
The Impact of Signing Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders on the Use of Non-Beneficial Life-Sustaining Treatments for Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Shiu Shang-Sin , Lee Ting-Ting , Yeh Ming-Chen , Chen Yu-Chi , Huang Shu-He
Published: August 2022

Background: Intensive care medical technology increases the survival rate of critically ill patients. However, life-sustaining treatments also increase the probability of non-beneficial medical treatments given to patients at the end of life. Objective: This study aimed to analyse whether patients with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order were more likely to be subject to the withholding of cardiac resuscitation and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in the ICU. Methods: This retrospective study collected data regarding the demographics, illness conditions, and life-sustaining treatments of ICU patients who were last admitted to the ICU between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2017, as determined by the hospital’s electronic medical dataset. Results: We identified and collected data on 386 patients over the two years; 319 (82.6%) signed a DNR before the end. The study found that DNR patients were less likely to receive cardiac resuscitation before death than non-DNR patients. The cardiac resuscitation treatments included chest compressions, electric shock, and cardiotonic drug injections (p < 0.001). However, the life-sustaining treatments were withdrawn for only a few patients before death. The study highlights that an early-documented DNR order is essential. However, it needs to be considered that promoting discussions of time-limited trials might be the solution to helping ICU terminal patients withdraw from non-beneficial life-sustaining treatments.
Affective States and Virtual Reality to Improve Gait Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Rodriguez Jafet , Del-Valle-Soto Carolina , Gonzalez-Sanchez Javier
Published: August 2022

Over seven million people suffer from an impairment in Mexico; 64.1% are gait-related, and 36.2% are children aged 0 to 14 years. Furthermore, many suffer from neurological disorders, which limits their verbal skills to provide accurate feedback. Robot-assisted gait therapy has shown significant benefits, but the users must make an active effort to accomplish muscular memory, which usually is only around 30% of the time. Moreover, during therapy, the patients’ affective state is mostly unsatisfied, wide-awake, and powerless. This paper proposes a method for increasing the efficiency by combining affective data from an Emotiv Insight, an Oculus Go headset displaying an immersive interaction, and a feedback system. Our preliminary study had eight patients during therapy and eight students analyzing the footage using the self-assessment Manikin. It showed that it is possible to use an EEG headset and identify the affective state with a weighted average precision of 97.5%, recall of 87.9%, and F1-score of 92.3% in general. Furthermore, using a VR device could boost efficiency by 16% more. In conclusion, this method allows providing feedback to the therapist in real-time even if the patient is non-verbal and has a limited amount of facial and body expressions.
Women’s Empowerment, Income, and Nutrition in a Food Processing Value Chain Development Project in Touba, Senegal
Authors: O’Brien Cheryl , Leavens Laura , Ndiaye Cheikh , Traoré Djibril
Published: August 2022

To study the impacts of implementing a gender-sensitive value chain development (VCD) initiative in the agri-food sector, we conducted a mixed-methods study of a woman-owned food processing business and its associated value chain in Touba, Senegal. As a result of partnering with a USAID-funded project, the business began producing instant fortified flours, an innovative, higher-value product compared to traditional porridge, using extrusion and fortification techniques. Drawing on Senegalese women’s association networks, the business connected with local women who could work as processors and retailers. Our study’s goal was to explore how the project’s support of this food processing value chain has affected the lives of women processors and retailers, farmers, and medical personnel along the value chain. Particularly relevant to our study is the general lack of opportunities for women to earn their own incomes in the study region, especially outside of the home, and provide for their families. Through surveys, interviews, observations, and novel participatory focus group activities, our study provides qualitative and quantitative evidence of the perceived impacts of value chain development on women’s empowerment, income, and nutrition by key stakeholders in the value chain. We find an often cited barrier to women’s empowerment is the husband’s lack of understanding and limitations placed on women’s mobility, yet we also find perceptions of women’s empowerment in this conservative religious context. Our findings and discussion highlight the need for more research into VCD projects on the complex and, at times, contradictory processes of women’s empowerment. The women in our study expressed a desire for freedom to work outside of the home, and they expressed a need for childcare and contraception. Notably, the women discussed positive community changes, such as infrastructure and the creation of a childcare center, that implicate women’s collective empowerment. We also highlight a promising research opportunity in Senegal to explore the subnational variation in women’s empowerment through VCD.