bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vascularity and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Frankhouser David E. , Dietze Eric , Mahabal Ashish , Seewaldt Victoria L.
Published: December 2021

Angiogenesis is a key step in the initiation and progression of an invasive breast cancer. High microvessel density by morphological characterization predicts metastasis and poor survival in women with invasive breast cancers. However, morphologic characterization is subject to variability and only can evaluate a limited portion of an invasive breast cancer. Consequently, breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is currently being evaluated to assess vascularity. Recently, through the new field of radiomics, dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI is being used to evaluate vascular density, vascular morphology, and detection of aggressive breast cancer biology. While DCE-MRI is a highly sensitive tool, there are specific features that limit computational evaluation of blood vessels. These include (1) DCE-MRI evaluates gadolinium contrast and does not directly evaluate biology, (2) the resolution of DCE-MRI is insufficient for imaging small blood vessels, and (3) DCE-MRI images are very difficult to co-register. Here we review computational approaches for detection and analysis of blood vessels in DCE-MRI images and present some of the strategies we have developed for co-registry of DCE-MRI images and early detection of vascularization.
Who Gets to Adopt? Contested Values Constrain Just Transitions to Agroforestry
Authors: Hastings Zoe , Wong Maile , Ticktin Tamara
Published: December 2021

Agroforestry is often promoted as a multi-benefit solution to increasing the resilience of agricultural landscapes. Yet, there are many obstacles to transitioning agricultural production systems to agroforestry. Research on agroforestry transitions often focuses on why farmers and land managers chose to adopt this type of stewardship, with less focus on the political context of practitioner decisions. We use the case study of agroforestry in Hawai‘i to explore how agroforestry transitions occur with particular attention to politics and power dynamics. Specifically, we ask, what factors drive and/or restrain transitions to agroforestry and who is able to participate. We interviewed 38 agroforestry practitioners in Hawai‘i and analyzed the data using constructivist grounded theory. We then held a focus group discussion with interview participants to share results and discuss solutions. Practitioners primarily chose agroforestry intentionally for non-economic and values-based reasons, rather than as a means to production or economic goals. Agroforestry practitioners face a similar suite of structural obstacles as other agricultural producers, including access to land, labor, and capital and ecological obstacles like invasive species and climate change. However, the conflict in values between practitioners and dominant institutions manifests as four additional dimensions of obstacles constraining agroforestry transitions: systems for accessing land, capital, and markets favor short-term production and economic value; Indigenous and local knowledge is not adequately valued; regulatory, funding, and other support institutions are siloed; and not enough appropriate information is accessible. Who is able to practice despite these obstacles is tightly linked with people's ability to access off-site resources that are inequitably distributed. Our case study highlights three key points with important implications for realizing just agroforestry transitions: (1) practitioners transition to agroforestry to restore ecosystems and reclaim sovereignty, not just for the direct benefits; (2) a major constraint to agroforestry transitions is that the term agroforestry is both unifying and exclusionary; (3) structural change is needed for agroforestry transitions to be just. We discuss potential solutions in the context of Hawai‘i and provide transferrable principles and actionable strategies for achieving equity in agroforestry transitions. We also demonstrate a transferrable approach for action-oriented, interdisciplinary research in support of just agroforestry transitions.
Effects of Total Pancreatectomy on Survival of Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Shao Weiwei , Lu Zhenhua , Xu Jingyong , Shi Xiaolei , Tan Tianhua , Xing Cheng , Song Jinghai
Published: December 2021

Background: Total pancreatectomy (TP) seems to be experiencing a renaissance in recent years. In this study, we aimed to determine the long-term survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients who underwent TP by comparing with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), and formulate a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) for PDAC individuals following TP.

Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with PDAC and received PD (n = 5,619) or TP (n = 1,248) between 2004 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. OS and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the PD and TP groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Furthermore, Patients receiving TP were randomly divided into the training and validation cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were applied to identify the independent factors affecting OS to construct the nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was measured according to concordance index (C-index), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results: There were no significant differences in OS and CSS between TP and PD groups. Age, differentiation, AJCC T stage, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and lymph node ratio (LNR) were identified as independent prognostic indicators to construct the nomogram. The C-indexes were 0.67 and 0.69 in the training and validation cohorts, while 0.59 and 0.60 of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system. The calibration curves showed good uniformity between the nomogram prediction and actual observation. DCA curves indicated the nomogram was preferable to the AJCC staging system in terms of the clinical utility. A new risk stratification system was constructed which could distinguish patients with different survival risks.

Conclusions: For PDAC patients following TP, the OS and CSS are similar to those who following PD. We developed a practical nomogram to predict the prognosis of PDAC patients treated with TP, which showed superiority over the conventional AJCC staging system.
Gender Inequality and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Borrescio-Higa Florencia , Valenzuela Patricio
Published: December 2021

Objective: We explore gender differences in mental health deterioration and psychological well-being due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mechanisms through which these differences may operate.

Methods: Using data from the Life during Pandemic survey in Chile, which covers 2,545 adult respondents, we estimate econometric models to explore gender differences in psychological well-being and mental health as well as economic fragility and household workload during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: We find women are more likely to report overall bad mental health and deterioration of well-being. They are also more likely to have a new diagnosis of a mental health problem, to be pursuing treatment and taking prescription medication. Moreover, women report an increase in household chores and in childcare, and are more likely to have lost their employment or experienced a loss of income due to the pandemic.

Conclusion: Our results offer a general picture of gender differences in the psychological impact of COVID-19. We argue that policies that mitigate economic stress and address the needs of women specifically may ease mental health deterioration due to the pandemic.
Temporomandibuláris ízületi rendellenesség gyakoriságának vizsgálata Parkinson-kóros páciensek esetében
Authors: Baumann Petra , Marada Gyula , Maryam Jahani , Radnai Márta
Published: December 2021

Parkinson-kórban a remegés és az izmok merevsége orofaciális fájdalmat, állkapocsízületi panaszokat is okozhat. Kutatásunkcélja volt megvizsgálni, hogy Parkinson-kóros pácienseknél gyakrabban fordul-e elő állkapocsízületi rendellenesség.A vizsgálatban 13 Parkinson-kórral kezelt beteg vett részt, átlagéletkoruk 64,77 ± 5,81 év. A kontroll csoport tagjaia Pécsi Tudományegyetem Fogászati és Szájsebészeti Klinika Fogpótlástani Tanszékének páciensei közül kerültek ki,átlagéletkoruk 53,69 ± 4,38 év (n=13). A temporomandibuláris diszfunkció vizsgálatára a Helkimo-indexrendszert alkalmaztuk.Az anamnesztikus indexet vizsgálva megállapítható, hogy az Ai0 érték magasabb volt a kontrollcsoport esetén(kontroll: 76,92%, Parkinsonos csoport: 61,54%). A kontrollcsoport 30,77%-a, a Parkinsonos csoport 15,38%-a voltklinikailag tünetmentes. Enyhe diszfunkció mutatkozott a kontrollok 46,15% és a betegek 38,46%-ban. A Parkinsonoscsoport 46,15%-ában tapasztaltunk közepes mértékű diszfunkciót, míg a kontrollcsoport esetén ez 23,08%-ban fordultelő. Ugyan a vizsgálatban kevesen vettek részt, mégis alátámasztja azt a feltevést, hogy Parkinson-kórban szenvedőknélmagasabb lehet a temporomandibuláris diszfunkció gyakorisága.
Dentális implantátumok eltávolításának retrospektív értékelése
Authors: Iványi Dóra , Kivovics Péter
Published: December 2021

A dentális implantátumok túlélési aránya 95,0–100,0% közé tehető. Az implantációs kezelések elterjedtsége és nagyszámúalkalmazása miatt fontosnak tartjuk a reménytelen prognózisú implantátumok ellátásának és kialakulásának vizsgálatát.Vizsgálatunk célja a Fogászati és Szájsebészeti Oktató Intézet elmúlt négy évében történt implantátum-eltávolításokösszehasonlító értékelése. A vizsgálathoz szükséges adatokat a Fogászati és Szájsebészeti Oktató Intézetbenfellelhető röntgenképek, kórlapok, illetve a FOGÁSZ nevű betegkezelő program segítségével gyűjtöttük. Adatainkat Exceltáblázatban értékeltük. A vizsgált páciensek 36,7%-ánál fordult elő implantátumon és természetes fogazaton egyszerreelhorgonyzott fix fogpótlás. Az eltávolított implantátumok 77,6%-ánál fordult elő periimplantitis. A természetes fogazattalrendelkezők 50,0%-ánál volt jelen horizontális csontfelszívódás, míg 12,5%-uknál vertikális csontdefektus volt megfigyelhető.A nem megfelelő biomechanikai körülmények miatt lehetőleg kerüljük a fogon és implantátumon egyszerreelhorgonyzott fix fogpótlás tervezését. A periimplantalis gyulladás az egyik legfontosabb faktor az implantátumok elvesztésénél,ezért megelőzése kiemelt fontosságú. A sikeres implantáció érdekében parodontitisben szenvedő betegeinketaz implantáció előtt kezeljük ki a fogágygyulladásukból.
A fogágybetegség és a peri-implant betegségek új klasszifikációja 1. rész: Az egészséges parodontium és a gingiva betegségei
Authors: Gera István
Published: December 2021

Jelen közlemény célja, hogy a magyar fogorvosok számára magyar nyelven összefoglalja azt az új klasszifikációs rendszert,amelyet az American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) és a European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) általszervezett World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases and Conditions dolgozott kiközel kétéves előkészítő munkával. A 2017. november 9–11. között Chicagóban megrendezett záró konferencián a négymunkabizottság által összeállított, 19 elemző közlemény alapján megalkotott négy konszenzus riport foglalja össze a fogágybetegségeinek és az implantátum körüli parodontális szövetek állapotának és betegségeinek legújabb klasszifikációsrendszerét. A teljes anyag a Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 2018;45:45(Suppl 20) különszámában került közlésre.A fogágy és a peri-implantális szövetek állapota és betegségei legújabb klasszifikációjának alapja az elmúlt évtizedbenfelhalmozódott kutatási eredmények és klinikai megfigyelések rendszerbe foglalása. Ezek alapján értékelték át azAAP 1999-es parodontális klasszifikációt. A két legfontosabb változat az új klasszifikációs rendszerben, hogy pontosanleírja és definiálja az egészséges parodontium különböző stádiumainak kritériumait, valamint részletesen leírja és definiáljaa fogászati implantátum körüli kemény- és lágyszövet állapotokat és patológiás folyamataikat. Ezen belül számosmódosítást hajtottak végre. A magyar verzió első része az AAP–EFP közlemények alapján az egészséges parodontiumés a gingiva betegségeinek legújabb klasszifikációját foglalja össze. A második rész a rögzítő apparátus betegségeivelés az implantátum körüli parodontális állapotok rendszerezésével foglalkozik.
PerioChip® klórhexidin-glükonát felszabadulásának vizsgálata különböző pH-k esetén
Authors: Bakó József , Varga István , Bágyi Kinga , Lampé István , Hegedűs Viktória , Blum Igor R. , Hegedűs Csaba
Published: December 2021

A parodontális kezelések során a mechanikus terápia kiegészítésére alkalmazhatók olyan kémiai anyagok, melyekkela szájban fellelhető patogén baktériumok szaporodása visszaszorítható, a gyógyulási folyamat elősegíthető. Ennek egyikeszköze lehet a PerioChip® is, mint egy klórhexidin-glükonát (CHX) leadására képes rendszer. Jelen munkánk céljaezen rendszer hatóanyag-leadó tulajdonságának vizsgálata különböző pH-jú puffer oldatok alkalmazása során. Munkánkat4–12 pH tartományban végeztük el univerzális Britton-Robinson puffert, illetve 7,4-es pH-jú PBS puffer oldatotalkalmazva kioldódási közegként. A kioldódást 1 hét időintervallumon követtük figyelemmel, és a kioldódott CHX men�-nyiségét HPLC módszer segítségével határoztuk meg. A savas pH kedvező hatással volt a kioldódásra, gyors ütembenszabadult fel a hatóanyag 86,9%-a, de még pH 6 esetében is közel 80%-os volt a hatóanyag-leadás. Mindezek bázikuspH-n jelentősen kisebb értékeket mutattak, pH 8 esetében közel 40%, míg pH 10, és pH 12-nél már csak 30%-os nagyságrendbeestek. Eredményeink szerint a pH-változásnak jelentős hatása van a kioldódott CHX mennyiségére, és a kioldódásdinamikájára is.
Influence of Operating Parameters on Photocatalytic Oxidation of 2,4-Dichlorofenol in Aqueous Solution by TiO2/Stainless Steel Photocatalytic Membrane
Authors: Bobirică Liliana , Bobirică Constantin , Lupu Giovanina Iuliana , Orbeci Cristina
Published: December 2021

The influence of some operating parameters of an UV photocatalytic reactor with TiO2/stainless steel photocatalytic membrane on the photocatalytic oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol from aqueous solutions was studied in this paper. It was shown that the pH of the working solution substantially influences the photocatalytic degradation of the organic substrate, with the degradation efficiency increasing with decreasing the pH of the working solution by a maximum corresponding to pH 3. The rate constant of the photocatalytic oxidation process is about twice as high at pH 3 comparative with pH 7 for the same initial concentration of the organic substrate. The molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide/organic substrate also influences the photocatalytic oxidation process of the organic substrate. The results obtained in this paper highlight the fact that a stoichiometric molar ratio is favorable for the photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. It has also been shown that the initial concentration of the organic substrate influences the rate of photocatalytic degradation. It appears that the rate of photocatalytic degradation decreases with the increasing of initial concentration of 2,4-dichlorophenol.
Prevalence and Molecular Diversity of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of Yam (Dioscorea spp.) in China, with Focus on Merlinius spp.
Authors: Abdulsalam Sulaiman , Peng Huan , Yao Yingjuan , Fan Linjuan , Jiang Ru , Shao Hudie , Zhang Yingdong , Huang Wenkun , Kong Ling’an , Peng Deliang
Published: December 2021

There is little information about nematode pests associated with yam in China. Between 2020 and 2021, surveys of yam fields were conducted to investigate the abundance and prevalence of plant-parasitic nematodes in major yam growing areas. A total of 110 bulk soil samples from the yam rhizosphere and 48 yam tubers were collected from seven counties in Jiangxi and Shandong provinces. Standard protocols were used to extract nematodes from soil and tubers and identified at the genus level. In this study, 16 species and 13 nematode genera were recorded. The five most prominent species on the yam rhizosphere according to mean population densities were Pratylenchus coffeae (291/individuals), Meloidogyne (262/individuals), Rotylenchulus reniformis (225/individuals), Merlinius (224/individuals), and Helicotylenchus dihystera (171/individuals). In the tubers, the three most prominent species were Pratylenchus coffeae (415/individuals), Meloidogyne (331/individuals), and Rotylenchulus reniformis (115/individuals). These species were verified with appropriate molecular analysis. The high prevalence of the ectoparasite (Merlinius spp.) on the rhizosphere of yam also revealed that Merlinius spp. May be more important to yam than previously thought. Morphological and molecular analyses further confirmed the identity of the species as Merlinius brevidens and were characterized for the first time on yam in China. Minor morphometrical differences (slightly longer body and stylet) were observed in Chinese populations of M. brevidens compared to the original description. Additionally, this study reveals that M. brevidens isolated from China showed a higher nucleotide sequence in the ITS region compared to M. brevidens populations from India. This finding provides baseline information on the nematode pest occurrence on yam in China and calls for effective management.
Anti-Inflammatory Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Improve Pathology in Niemann–Pick Type C Disease
Authors: Van Hoecke Lien , Van Cauwenberghe Caroline , Börger Verena , Bruggeman Arnout , Castelein Jonas , Van Imschoot Griet , Van Wonterghem Elien , Dittrich Robin , Claeys Wouter , Xie Junhua , Giebel Bernd , Vandenbroucke Roosmarijn E.
Published: December 2021

Niemann–Pick type C (NPC) disease is a rare neurovisceral lipid storage disease with progressive neurodegeneration, leading to premature death. The disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations either in the NPC1 or NPC2 gene which results in lipid accumulation in the late endosomes and lysosomes. The involved disease mechanisms are still incompletely understood, making the design of a rational treatment very difficult. Since the disease is characterized by peripheral inflammation and neuroinflammation and it is shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs) obtained from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) provide immunomodulatory capacities, we tested the potential of MSC-EV preparations to alter NPC1 disease pathology. Here, we show that the administration of an MSC-EV preparation with in vitro and in vivo confirmed immune modulatory capabilities is able to reduce the inflammatory state of peripheral organs and different brain regions of NPC1-diseased mice almost to normal levels. Moreover, a reduction of foamy cells in different peripheral organs was observed upon MSC-EV treatment of NPC1−/− mice. Lastly, the treatment was able to decrease microgliosis and astrogliosis, typical features of NPC1 patients that lead to neurodegeneration. Altogether, our results reveal the therapeutic potential of MSC-EVs as treatment for the genetic neurovisceral lipid storage disease NPC, thereby counteracting both central and peripheral features.
Pharmacological Inhibition of NOX4 Improves Mitochondrial Function and Survival in Human Beta-Cells
Authors: Elksnis Andris , Cen Jing , Wikström Per , Carlsson Per-Ola , Welsh Nils
Published: December 2021

Previous studies have reported beneficial effects of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) inhibition on beta-cell survival in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms by which NOX4 inhibition protects insulin producing cells are, however, not known. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a pharmacological NOX4 inhibitor (GLX7013114) on human islet and EndoC-βH1 cell mitochondrial function, and to correlate such effects with survival in islets of different size, activity, and glucose-stimulated insulin release responsiveness. We found that maximal oxygen consumption rates, but not the rates of acidification and proton leak, were increased in islets after acute NOX4 inhibition. In EndoC-βH1 cells, NOX4 inhibition increased the mitochondrial membrane potential, as estimated by JC-1 fluorescence; mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as estimated by MitoSOX fluorescence; and the ATP/ADP ratio, as assessed by a bioluminescent assay. Moreover, the insulin release from EndoC-βH1 cells at a high glucose concentration increased with NOX4 inhibition. These findings were paralleled by NOX4 inhibition-induced protection against human islet cell death when challenged with high glucose and sodium palmitate. The NOX4 inhibitor protected equally well islets of different size, activity, and glucose responsiveness. We conclude that pharmacological alleviation of NOX4-induced inhibition of beta-cell mitochondria leads to increased, and not decreased, mitochondrial ROS, and this was associated with protection against cell death occurring in different types of heterogeneous islets. Thus, NOX4 inhibition or modulation may be a therapeutic strategy in type 2 diabetes that targets all types of islets.
Multisite Simultaneous Neural Recording of Motor Pathway in Free-Moving Rats
Authors: Lang Yiran , Tang Rongyu , Liu Yafei , Xi Pengcheng , Liu Honghao , Quan Zhenzhen , Song Da , Lv Xiaodong , Huang Qiang , He Jiping
Published: December 2021

Neural interfaces typically focus on one or two sites in the motoneuron system simultaneously due to the limitation of the recording technique, which restricts the scope of observation and discovery of this system. Herein, we built a system with various electrodes capable of recording a large spectrum of electrophysiological signals from the cortex, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and muscles of freely moving animals. The system integrates adjustable microarrays, floating microarrays, and microwires to a commercial connector and cuff electrode on a wireless transmitter. To illustrate the versatility of the system, we investigated its performance for the behavior of rodents during tethered treadmill walking, untethered wheel running, and open field exploration. The results indicate that the system is stable and applicable for multiple behavior conditions and can provide data to support previously inaccessible research of neural injury, rehabilitation, brain-inspired computing, and fundamental neuroscience.
Current Landscape of Sonodynamic Therapy for Treating Cancer
Authors: Yamaguchi Toshihiro , Kitahara Shuji , Kusuda Kaori , Okamoto Jun , Horise Yuki , Masamune Ken , Muragaki Yoshihiro
Published: December 2021

Recent advancements have tangibly changed the cancer treatment landscape. However, curative therapy for this dreadful disease remains an unmet need. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a minimally invasive anti-cancer therapy involving a chemical sonosensitizer and focused ultrasound. A high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) beam is used to destroy or denature targeted cancer tissues. Some SDTs are based on unfocused ultrasound (US). In some SDTs, HIFU is combined with a drug, known as a chemical sonosensitizer, to amplify the drug’s ability to damage cancer cells preferentially. The mechanism by which US interferes with cancer cell function is further amplified by applying acoustic sensitizers. Combining multiple chemical sonosensitizers with US creates a substantial synergistic effect that could effectively disrupt tumorigenic growth, induce cell death, and elicit an immune response. Therefore, the minimally invasive SDT treatment is currently attracting attention. It can be combined with targeted therapy (double-targeting cancer therapy) and immunotherapy in the future and is expected to be a boon for treating previously incurable cancers. In this paper, we will consider the current state of this therapy and discuss parts of our research.
Higher Radiation Dose to the Immune Cells Correlates with Worse Tumor Control and Overall Survival in Patients with Stage III NSCLC: A Secondary Analysis of RTOG0617
Authors: Jin Jian-Yue , Hu Chen , Xiao Ying , Zhang Hong , Paulus Rebecca , Ellsworth Susannah G. , Schild Steven E. , Bogart Jeffrey A. , Dobelbower Michael Chris , Kavadi Vivek S. , Narayan Samir , Iyengar Puneeth , Robinson Cliff , Greenberger Joel S. , Koprowski Christopher , Machtay Mitchell , Curran Walter , Choy Hak , Bradley Jeffrey D. , Kong Feng-Ming (Spring)
Published: December 2021

Background: We hypothesized that the Effective radiation Dose to the Immune Cells (EDIC) in circulating blood is a significant factor for the treatment outcome in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: This is a secondary study of a phase III trial, NRG/RTOG 0617, in patients with stage III NSCLC treated with radiation-based treatment. The EDIC was computed as equivalent uniform dose to the entire blood based on radiation doses to all blood-containing organs, with consideration of blood flow and fractionation effect. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and local progression-free survival (LPFS). The EDIC–survival relationship was analyzed with consideration of clinical significant factors. Results: A total of 456 patients were eligible. The median EDIC values were 5.6 Gy (range, 2.1–12.2 Gy) and 6.3 Gy (2.1–11.6 Gy) for the low- and high-dose groups, respectively. The EDIC was significantly associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.12, p = 0.005) and LPFS (HR = 1.09, p = 0.02) but PFS (HR = 1.05, p = 0.17) after adjustment for tumor dose, gross tumor volume and other factors. OS decreased with an increasing EDIC in a non-linear pattern: the two-year OS decreased first with a slope of 8%/Gy when the EDIC < 6 Gy, remained relatively unchanged when the EDIC was 6–8 Gy, and followed by a further reduction with a slope of 12%/Gy when the EDIC > 8 Gy. Conclusions: The EDIC is a significant independent risk factor for poor OS and LPFS in RTOG 0617 patients with stage III NSCLC, suggesting that radiation dose to circulating immune cells is critical for tumor control. Organ at risk for the immune system should be considered during RT plan.
Alternative Splicing of MAPKs in the Regulation of Signaling Specificity
Authors: Maik-Rachline Galia , Wortzel Inbal , Seger Rony
Published: December 2021

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades transmit signals from extracellular stimuli to a variety of distinct cellular processes. The MAPKKs in each cascade specifically phosphorylate and activate their cognate MAPKs, indicating that this step funnels various signals into a seemingly linear pathway. Still, the effects of these cascades vary significantly, depending on the identity of the extracellular signals, which gives rise to proper outcomes. Therefore, it is clear that the specificity of the signals transmitted through the cascades is tightly regulated in order to secure the desired cell fate. Indeed, many regulatory components or processes that extend the specificity of the cascades have been identified. Here, we focus on a less discussed mechanism, that is, the role of distinct components in each tier of the cascade in extending the signaling specificity. We cover the role of distinct genes, and the alternatively spliced isoforms of MAPKKs and MAPKs, in the signaling specificity. The alternatively spliced MEK1b and ERK1c, which form an independent signaling route, are used as the main example. Unlike MEK1/2 and ERK1/2, this route’s functions are limited, including mainly the regulation of mitotic Golgi fragmentation. The unique roles of the alternatively spliced isoforms indicate that these components play an essential role in determining the proper cell fate in response to distinct stimulations.
Analysis of the Impact of Oral Health on Adolescent Quality of Life Using Standard Statistical Methods and Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Gajic Milica , Vojinovic Jovan , Kalevski Katarina , Pavlovic Maja , Kolak Veljko , Vukovic Branislava , Mladenovic Rasa , Aleksic Ema
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of oral health on adolescent quality of life and to compare the results obtained using standard statistical methods and artificial intelligence algorithms. In order to measure the impact of oral health on adolescent quality of life, a validated Serbian version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) scale was used. The total sample comprised 374 respondents. The obtained results were processed using standard statistical methods and machine learning, i.e., artificial intelligence algorithms—singular value decomposition. OIDP score was dichotomized into two categories depending on whether the respondents had or did not have oral or teeth problems affecting their life quality. Human intuition and machine algorithms came to the same conclusion on how the respondents should be divided. As such, method quality and the need to perform analyses of this type in dentistry studies were demonstrated. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, the respondents can be clustered into characteristic groups that allow the discovery of details not possible with the intuitive division of respondents by gender.
Fabrication of Cobalt-Based Nano-Composite Film for Corrosion Mitigation of Copper in Flow Chloride Medium
Authors: Chukwuike Vitalis I. , Barik Rakesh C.
Published: December 2021

Corrosion of metals leads to high maintenance costs, as well as potential threats to structural health and safety. Here, we demonstrate the coating of cobalt tungstate (CoWO4) nanoparticles (NPS)/5-mercapto-1-phenyl-1 H-tetrazole derivative (MPT) used as a nano-composite film on Cu surface for the blocking of micropores to hinder the propagation of metastable pits in an aggressive NaCl medium. The mechanism of interaction between the nanoparticles and tetrazole derivative, in addition to the mode of anchoring to the metal surface and blocking the penetration of chloride ions (Cl−), are all investigated. In this investigation, CoWO4 is synthesized via a wet chemical route and thereafter, is combined with MPT at an optimized ratio thus formulating a nano-composite corrosion inhibitor which in solution gets coated on Cu surface. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopic images of the bare Cu reveal dip pits, which by the coating of the nano-composite are suppressed at the nucleation stage during exposure to the aggressive 3.5% NaCl electrolyte under flow conditions. Electrochemical analysis shows high protection of Cu up to 97% efficiency in the presence of the newly formulated nano-composite inhibitor film.
Physical Activity and Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Long-Term Care Insurance
Authors: Kitamura Masahiro , Izawa Kazuhiro P. , Ishihara Kodai , Matsuda Hiroaki , Okamura Soichiro , Fujioka Koji
Published: December 2021

The present study aimed to clarify the difference in physical activity (PA) due to sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults with long-term care insurance (LTCI). This was a cross-sectional study that investigated data of 97 consecutive community-dwelling older Japanese adults with LTCI who underwent rehabilitation at one day care center in Japan from November 2018 to May 2019. Sarcopenia was determined according to criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test and analysis of covariance were used to compare participant characteristics and clinical parameters between the older adults with and without sarcopenia. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to determine the cut-off value of PA for sarcopenia. The sarcopenia group (n = 20) had significantly lower body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass index, gait speed, and PA than those in the no sarcopenia group (n = 28) (p < 0.05). After adjustment for BMI and sex, the sarcopenia group showed significantly lower PA than the no sarcopenia group. Findings showed that the cut-off value of PA indicating sarcopenia by ROC curve analysis was 1494.4 steps/day (p < 0.05); this value may aid in identifying sarcopenia in older adults with LTCI.
Novel Data Compression Algorithm for Transmission Line Condition Monitoring
Authors: Liu Gang , Jia Lei , Hu Taishan , Deng Fangming , Chen Zheng , Sun Tong , Feng Yanchong
Published: December 2021

For the problem of data accumulation caused by massive sensor data in transmission line condition monitoring system, this paper analyzes the type and amount of data in the transmission line sensor network, compares the compression algorithms of wireless sensor network data at home and abroad, and proposes an efficient lossless compression algorithm suitable for sensor data in transmission line linear heterogeneous networks. The algorithm combines the wavelet compression algorithm and the neighborhood index sequence algorithm. It displays a fast operation speed and requires a small amount of calculation. It is suitable for battery powered wireless sensor network nodes. By combining wavelet correlation analysis and neighborhood index sequence coding, the compression algorithm proposed in this paper can achieve a high compression rate, has strong robustness to packet loss, has high compression performance, and can help to reduce network load and the packet loss rate. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves a high compression rate in the compression of the transmission line parameter dataset, is superior to the existing data compression algorithms, and is suitable for the compression and transmission of transmission line condition monitoring data.
Kinetics of In Vitro Gas Production and Fitting Mathematical Models of Corn Silage
Authors: da Silva Zornitta Camila , Ítavo Luis Carlos Vinhas , Ítavo Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira , dos Santos Geraldo Tadeu , Dias Alexandre Menezes , dos Santos Difante Gelson , Gurgel Antonio Leandro Chaves
Published: December 2021

This study aimed at examining the effects of rumen inoculum of steers receiving different combinations of ionophore and probiotics in their diets on in vitro gas production of corn silage. The fitting of gas production was performed with five mathematical models and its kinetics was evaluated. Four crossbred steers (403.0 ± 75.5 kg body weight) with ruminal cannula were assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The additives used were Monensin sodium (Rumensin® 100, 3 g/day), Bacillus toyonensis (Micro-Cell Platinum® 109, 1 g/day) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii (ProTernative®20, 0.5 g/day). Additives were arranged into the following treatments, supplied daily into total mixed diet: (1) Monensin; (2) Monensin + B. toyonensis; (3) Monensin + S. boulardii; and (4) B. toyonensis + S. boulardii. The gas production data were fitted into the models of Gompertz, Groot, Ørskov, Brody, Richards, and Dual-pool Logistic. A perfect agreement between observed and predicted values in curves of accumulated in vitro gas production was observed in the Groot and Richards models, with higher coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.770 and 0.771, respectively), concordance correlation coefficient (CCC = 0.871 and 0.870, respectively), and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP = 1.14 and 1.15, respectively). Evaluating the feed additives throughout the Groot model, the B. toyonensis + S. boulardii treatment presented higher VF (12.08 mL/100 mg of DM; p = 0.0022) than Monensin and Monensin + S. boulardii (9.16 and 9.22 mL/100 mg of DM, respectively). In addition, the fractional rate of gas production (k) was higher (p = 0.0193) in B. toyonensis + S. boulardii than in Monensin, not presenting a statistical difference (p > 0.05) from the other two treatments. Additionally, with the time of beginning to gas production, the lag time (λ), was greater (p < 0.001) with Monensin and Monensin + B. toyonensis than with Monensin + S. boulardii and B. toyonensis + S. boulardii. The combination of Monensin and probiotics (B. toyonensis + S. boulardii) resulted in better kinetics of degradation of corn silage, being that the Groot and Richards models had the best fit for estimates of the in vitro gas production data of corn silage tested with different feed additive combinations.
A Novel Approach to Develop Lager Yeast with Higher NADH Availability to Improve the Flavor Stability of Industrial Beer
Authors: Xu Xin , Niu Chengtuo , Liu Chunfeng , Wang Jinjing , Zheng Feiyun , Li Qi
Published: December 2021

Flavor stability is important for beer quality and extensive efforts have been undertaken to improve this. In our previous work, we proved a concept whereby metabolic engineering lager yeast with increased cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride (NADH) availability could enhance the flavor stability of beer. However, the method for breeding non-genetically modified strains with higher NADH levels remains unsolved. In the current study, we reported a novel approach to develop such strains based on atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis coupled with 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) selection. As a result, we obtained a serial of strains with higher NADH levels as well as improved flavor stability. For screening an optimal strain with industrial application potential, we examined the other fermentation characteristics of the mutants and ultimately obtained the optimal strain, YDR-63. The overall fermentation performance of the strain YDR-63 in pilot-scale fermentation was similar to that of the parental strain YJ-002, but the acetaldehyde production was decreased by 53.7% and the resistance staling value of beer was improved by 99.8%. The forced beer aging assay further demonstrated that the favor stability was indeed improved as the contents of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in YDR-63 was less than that in YJ-002 and the sensory notes of staling was weaker in YDR-63. We also employed this novel approach to another industrial strain, M14, and succeeded in improving its flavor stability. All the findings demonstrated the efficiency and versatility of this new approach in developing strains with improved flavor stability for the beer industry.
Model-Free Time-Aggregated Predictions for Econometric Datasets
Authors: Wu Kejin , Karmakar Sayar
Published: December 2021

Forecasting volatility from econometric datasets is a crucial task in finance. To acquire meaningful volatility predictions, various methods were built upon GARCH-type models, but these classical techniques suffer from instability of short and volatile data. Recently, a novel existing normalizing and variance-stabilizing (NoVaS) method for predicting squared log-returns of financial data was proposed. This model-free method has been shown to possess more accurate and stable prediction performance than GARCH-type methods. However, whether this method can sustain this high performance for long-term prediction is still in doubt. In this article, we firstly explore the robustness of the existing NoVaS method for long-term time-aggregated predictions. Then, we develop a more parsimonious variant of the existing method. With systematic justification and extensive data analysis, our new method shows better performance than current NoVaS and standard GARCH(1,1) methods on both short- and long-term time-aggregated predictions. The success of our new method is remarkable since efficient predictions with short and volatile data always carry great importance. Additionally, this article opens potential avenues where one can design a model-free prediction structure to meet specific needs.
Variability of External Intensity Comparisons between Official and Friendly Soccer Matches in Professional Male Players
Authors: Nobari Hadi , Brito João Paulo , Pérez-Gómez Jorge , Oliveira Rafael
Published: December 2021

The aims of this study were to compare the external intensity between official (OMs) and friendly matches (FMs), and between first and second halves in the Iranian Premier League. Twelve players participated in this study (age, 28.6 ± 2.7 years; height, 182.1 ± 8.6 cm; body mass, 75.3 ± 8.2 kg). External intensity was measured by total duration, total distance, average speed, high-speed running distance, sprint distance, maximal speed and body load. In general, there was higher intensity in OMs compared with FMs for all variables. The first half showed higher intensities than the second half, regardless of the type of the match. Specifically, OMs showed higher values for total sprint distance (p = 0.012, ES = 0.59) and maximal speed (p < 0.001, ES = 0.27) but lower value for body load (p = 0.038, ES = −0.42) compared to FMs. The first half of FMs only showed lower value for body load (p = 0.004, ES = −0.38) than FMs, while in the second half of OMs, only total distance showed a higher value than FMs (p = 0.013, ES = 0.96). OMs showed higher demands of high intensity, questioning the original assumption of FMs demands. Depending on the period of the season that FMs are applied, coaches may consider requesting higher demands from their teams.
Water–Energy–Food Nexus in the Agri-Food Sector: Research Trends and Innovating Practices
Authors: Correa-Porcel Víctor , Piedra-Muñoz Laura , Galdeano-Gómez Emilio
Published: December 2021

Natural resources are becoming scarcer and, together with the growth of the population, a widespread situation of overexploitation is inevitable that has become the biggest challenge for today’s world. In this context, the agri-food sector has a considerable environmental impact in terms of water and energy consumption. For about two decades, the Water–Energy–Food Nexus (WEF) Nexus has been trying to address this problem, focusing on efficient interrelationships among these dimensions. The objective of this work is to analyse the evolution of research on WEF Nexus in the agri-food sector and its development in scientific databases. For that purpose, a bibliometric study was carried out with publications obtained from the Scopus database, examining the main journals, authors, institutions, countries, subject areas, funding sponsors, and keywords. Moreover, a final section is specifically dedicated to the agri-food innovations in WEF Nexus in order to explore innovative aspects to effectively overcome technical barriers that hinder a real implementation of the Nexus approach. The results show that, over the past decade, Nexus research in the agri-food sector has been growing exponentially. The top country in this field is USA, the most studied area is environmental science, and the most relevant keywords are “energy use”, “water budget”, “food security”, “sustainable development”, and “water resources”.
Sublethal Effects of Arsenic on Oxygen Consumption, Hematological and Gill Histopathological Indices in Chanos chanos
Authors: Muthukumaravel Kannayiram , Pradhoshini Kumara Perumal , Vasanthi Natarajan , Kanagavalli Venkatachalam , Ahadu Shareef Mohamed , Musthafa Mohamed Saiyad , Rajagopal Rajakrishnan , Alfarhan Ahmed , Thirupathi Anand , Ravindran Balasubramani
Published: December 2021

Background: The current study was performed aiming to evaluate possible changes in the effect on oxygen consumption, hematology and gill histopathological parameters in fish (Chanos chanos) upon exposure to sublethal concentration of the metalloid arsenic. Methods: Bioassay tests were conducted for determining the LC50 values of arsenic for 96 h. Oxygen consumption in control and arsenic-exposed fish was estimated using Winkler’s method. Red blood corpuscular (RBC) count was examined with a Neubauer counting chamber under a phase contrast microscope. Hemoglobin (Hb) was estimated following the acid hematin method. Histopathological studies were carried by processing and staining the gill tissues with hematoxylin and eosin in accordance with standard histological techniques. They were then subjected to examination under a scanning electron microscope. Results: Chanos chanos exposed to 1/10th of LC50 (24.61%) for a period of 30 days exhibited a maximum decline in the rate of respiration, followed by a decline in RBC and Hb above 45.59% and 51.60%, respectively. Significant toxic lesions encompassing fused gill lamellae, detached gill epithelium, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of respiratory epithelium became heavy handed on the 30th day. Conclusion: Information synthesized from our study serves to be useful in monitoring and managing (As) contamination in the aquatic environment.
The Application of Manual Techniques in Masticatory Muscles Relaxation as Adjunctive Therapy in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Authors: Urbański Piotr , Trybulec Bartosz , Pihut Małgorzata
Published: December 2021

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are primarily characterized by pain as well as disorders concerning the proper functioning of individual elements of the stomatognathic system (SS). The aim of the study was to compare the degree of relaxation of the anterior part of the temporal muscles and the masseter muscles, achieved through the use of post-isometric relaxation and myofascial release methods in patients requiring prosthetic treatment due to temporomandibular joint disorders with a dominant muscular component. Sixty patients who met the inclusion criteria were alternately assigned to one of the two study groups, either group I—patients received post-isometric relaxation treatment (PIR), or group II—patients received myofascial release treatment (MR). The series of ten treatments were performed in both groups. The comparative assessment was based on physiotherapeutic examination, a surface electromyography (sEMG) of the anterior temporal and masseter muscles and the intensity of spontaneous masticatory muscle pain, assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). We observed a significant decrease in the electrical activity of examined muscles and a significant drop in the intensity of spontaneous pain in the masticatory muscles both in group I and II. There were no significant differences between groups. Both therapeutic methods may be used as successful forms of adjunctive therapy in the prosthetic treatment of TMD. The trial was registered with an international clinical trials register.
Host-Induced Gene Silencing of a G Protein α Subunit Gene CsGpa1 Involved in Pathogen Appressoria Formation and Virulence Improves Tobacco Resistance to Ciboria shiraiana
Authors: Zhu Panpan , Zhang Shuai , Li Ruolan , Liu Changying , Fan Wei , Hu Tingzhang , Zhao Aichun
Published: December 2021

Hypertrophy sorosis scleroteniosis caused by Ciboria shiraiana is the most devastating disease of mulberry fruit. However, few mulberry lines show any resistance to C. shiraiana. An increasing amount of research has shown that host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) is an effective strategy for enhancing plant tolerance to pathogens by silencing genes required for their pathogenicity. In this study, two G protein α subunit genes, CsGPA1 and CsGPA2, were identified from C. shiraiana. Silencing CsGPA1 and CsGPA2 had no effect on hyphal growth but reduced the number of sclerotia and increased the single sclerotium weight. Moreover, silencing CsGpa1 resulted in increased fungal resistance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Compared with wild-type and empty vector strains, the number of appressoria was clearly lower in CsGPA1-silenced strains. Importantly, infection assays revealed that the virulence of CsGPA1-silenced strains was significantly reduced, which was accompanied by formation of fewer appressoria and decreased expression of several cAMP/PKA- or mitogen-activated protein-kinase-related genes. Additionally, transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana expressing double-stranded RNA targeted to CsGpa1 through the HIGS method significantly improved resistance to C. shiraiana. Our results indicate that CsGpa1 is an important regulator in appressoria formation and the pathogenicity of C. shiraiana. CsGpa1 is an efficient target to improve tolerance to C. shiraiana using HIGS technology.