bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of dental implants among older adults of two southern Brazilian cities: A population‐based cross‐sectional study
Authors: Muniz Francisco Wilker Mustafa Gomes , Fernandez Matheus dos Santos , Pacheco Karen Eymael , Martins Marcella Wohlfahrt , Trevisan Thais Carleso , Zatt Fernanda Pretto , Colussi Paulo Roberto Graffiti
Published: June 2022

Aim

To assess the prevalence and associated factors with use of dental implants among older adults.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was performed with home dwelling older adults from the cities Cruz Alta and Veranópolis, Brazil. The main outcome was obtained by a clinical oral examination, considering those with at least one dental implant. Independent variables were collected by a structured questionnaire. Crude and adjusted analysis was performed by Poisson regression with robust variance estimation; results are presented in prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval.

Results

It was included 569 participants. The overall prevalence of using at least one dental implant was 16.7%. Higher PR for the use of dental implants was observed in white individuals (PR:5.147; 95% CI:2.033–3.034), in those with at least medium income (PR:3.202; 95% CI:1.196–5.572) and in those with access to dental care in the last 12 months (RP:1.595; 95% CI:1.087–2.340). Older adults with a medium level of education (RP:0.484; 95% CI:0.240–0.978) and those that did not use dental floss (RP:0.627; 95% CI:0.240–0.978) demonstrated a significantly lower PR for use of dental implants.

Conclusion

A substantial prevalence of use of dental implants was observed among older adults. In addition, white ones, those with a better financial situation and users of dental floss presented higher use of dental implants.
Malignant hyperthermia in maxillofacial surgery: Literature review supported by case presentation
Authors: Aires Carolina Chaves Gama , de Souza Rosa Rayanne Lins , Amorim Jane Auxiliadora , Santos Fabiano Gouveia , Diniz Demóstenes Alves , Carneiro Suzana Célia de Aguiar Soares , Vasconcellos Ricardo José de Holanda
Published: June 2022

Objective

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is characterized by a state of hypermetabolism after exposure to halogenated inhalational anesthetics or succinylcholine. The aims of this study were to carry out an updated review on the subject and report an illustrative case of MH in urgent maxillofacial surgery.

Material and Methods

A search of the PubMed/MEDLINE database using the keyword “malignant hyperthermia” was performed including articles published over the last 11 years in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Exclusion criteria were similar presentations but not associated with MH and cases not related to the use of anesthetic drugs as a trigger of the condition.

Case Report

A 45‐year‐old man (75 kg, ASA status IE) with a negative family history for neuromuscular diseases, victim of a car accident with a facial fracture, underwent surgery under balanced general anesthesia and developed signs of MH 4 h after anesthesia induction. In our patient, the causative agent was sevoflurane and the diagnosis of MH was confirmed, subsequently, by muscle biopsy.

Results/Discussion

Overall, 44 cases of MH were found. According to the recent literature, MH shows a male predilection (3:1) and the mean age of patients is 32.2 ± 22.2 years. The most frequently cited causative agents were sevoflurane (30.5%), isoflurane (22.2%), and sevoflurane + succinylcholine (13.8%). The most common clinical indicators included hypercarbia (88.8%), hyperthermia (86.1%), and tachycardia (63.8%). Dantrolene was administered in 24 cases. The outcome was favorable in 31 cases (86.1%). The in vitro muscle contracture test (IVCT) was performed in only 15 patients and all of them tested positive. In our patient, the causative agent was sevoflurane and the diagnosis of MH was confirmed by muscle biopsy.

Conclusion

The mortality from MH is still high and an early clinical diagnosis and specific treatment with dantrolene are necessary for a favorable outcome. A complete understanding will allow better management of patients with MH. At present, the best management is to identify susceptible patients and to avoid triggering agents, combined with vigilant monitoring.
Exercise‐induced histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 facilitates the adaptation of skeletal muscle to exercise in mice
Authors: Shimizu Junya , Kawano Fuminori
Published: June 2022

Histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) is known to act as a transcriptionally repressive histone modification via heterochromatin formation. In skeletal muscle, it was also reported that H3K27me3 was enriched at the sites transcriptionally activated by exercise, although the role of H3K27me3 in adaptation to exercise is unknown. In this study, using mouse tibialis anterior muscle, we initially determined the genome‐wide enrichment of RNA polymerase II and histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and H3K27me3 using chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by sequencing analysis. The loci that were transcriptionally upregulated by a single bout of running exercise were marked by both H3K27me3 and H3K4me3, which were also correlated with the distribution of RNA polymerase II. The genes that were not responsive to exercise exhibited high H3K4me3 occupancy, similar to the upregulated genes but with less H3K27me3. Next, we tested the effects of GSK343, a specific inhibitor of enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2). Unexpectedly, GSK343 administration enhanced the H3K27me3 occupancy at the target loci, leading to the upregulation of gene responses to acute exercise. Administration of GSK343 also facilitated the phenotypic transformation of type IIb to type IIa fibres and the upregulation of AMPK phosphorylation and levels of heat shock protein 70, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator‐1α and muscle RING finger 1. Furthermore, in contrast to the accelerated adaptation to exercise by GSK343, administration of the EZH1/2 dual inhibitor valemetostat prevented the changes in the aforementioned parameters after exercise training. These results indicate that exercise‐induced H3K27me3 plays a key role in inducing exercise‐related effects in the skeletal muscle.

image

Key points

Exercise mediates histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) at transcriptionally upregulated loci in skeletal muscle, but the role of H3K27me3 in the adaptation of skeletal muscle to exercise training is unclear.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing analysis demonstrated that H3K27me3, in addition to H3K4me3 modifications, is the hallmark of sites showing higher responses to acute exercise.

GSK343, a selective inhibitor of the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2), enhanced the gene responses to a single bout of exercise and accelerated the adaptive changes during exercise training in association with myonuclear H3K27me3 accumulation.

Administration of valemetostat, an EZH1/2 dual inhibitor, repressed myonuclear H3K27me3 accumulation during training and caused a failure of adaptive changes.

Exercise‐induced H3K27me3 might play a key role in inducing exercise‐related effects in skeletal muscle.
Still Entombed After All These Years: The continuing twists and turns of a maze game
Authors: Newell Paul Allen , Aycock John ,   University of Calgary, Biittner Katie M. ,   MacEwan University
Published: June 2022

The Atari 2600 video game Entombed (1982) left open questions in the design and implementation of its efficient maze-generation algorithm that, through serendipity, we are able to address at last. We have analysed almost 500 artefacts that capture the development process leading up to Entombed, artefacts that have not been seen for decades, including a distinct, unreleased Atari 2600 game. This work is interdisciplinary between the fields of archaeology and computer science in the area of archaeogaming; computer science has allowed informed technical analysis of the artefacts, with processes from archaeology used to manage and organise the large number of artefacts, as well as view game development in a human, archaeological context. The deliberate inclusion of a co-author who was a first-hand participant in the game development additionally raises interesting questions about autoethnography, authorship, and objectivity.
Ciencias jurídicas latinoamericanas: ecosistema editorial y de comunicación en Acceso Abierto Diamante
Authors: Aguado-López Eduardo , Becerril-García Arianna
Published: June 2022

Se analizan 100 revistas científicas latinoamericanas de ciencias jurídicas con 19 826 artículos publicados entre 2005 y 2019. El objetivo es ofrecer una perspectiva comprehensiva de la disciplina a partir de la producción científica que circula en canales de acceso abierto no comercial (AA Diamante), caracterizando sus dinámicas de publicación y de colaboración. La identificación de las revistas se realizó a partir de algunas de las principales plataformas globales en acceso abierto: DOAJ, Latindex, Redalyc y SciELO. La obtención de los metadatos se realizó con base en Redalyc, OJS y SciELO. El análisis se sustenta en una recuperación automática de información y en una estrategia complementaria de normalización. Se documenta una tendencia de publicación principalmente de alcance nacional y, en segundo término, de alcance institucional; poca presencia del Caribe y Centroamérica; y una tendencia creciente de colaboración científica principalmente impulsada por redes institucionales. Se plantea que en la actualidad la comunicación del conocimiento en las ciencias jurídicas latinoamericanas tiene lugar predominantemente a partir de un modelo de Acceso Abierto Diamante y en ello se identifican desafíos de interoperabilidad, recuperación y organización de la información bibliométrica, en articulación con una creciente legitimación de universos editoriales comerciales.
Global-Position Tracking Control for Three-Dimensional Bipedal Robots Via Virtual Constraint Design and Multiple Lyapunov Analysis
Authors: Gu Yan , Gao Yuan , Yao Bin , Lee C. S. George
Published: June 2022

A safety-critical measure of legged locomotion performance is a robot's ability to track its desired time-varying position trajectory in an environment, which is herein termed as “global-position tracking.” This paper introduces a nonlinear control approach that achieves asymptotic global-position tracking for three-dimensional (3D) bipedal robots. Designing a global-position tracking controller presents a challenging problem due to the complex hybrid robot model and the time-varying desired global-position trajectory. Toward tackling this problem, the first main contribution is the construction of impact invariance to ensure all desired trajectories respect the foot-landing impact dynamics, which is a necessary condition for realizing asymptotic tracking of hybrid walking systems. Thanks to their independence of the desired global position, these conditions can be exploited to decouple the higher-level planning of the global position and the lower-level planning of the remaining trajectories, thereby greatly alleviating the computational burden of motion planning. The second main contribution is the Lyapunov-based stability analysis of the hybrid closed-loop system, which produces sufficient conditions to guide the controller design for achieving asymptotic global-position tracking during fully actuated walking. Simulations and experiments on a 3D bipedal robot with twenty revolute joints confirm the validity of the proposed control approach in guaranteeing accurate tracking.
Escherichia coli ST1193: Following in the Footsteps of E. coli ST131
Authors: Pitout Johann D. D. , Peirano Gisele , Chen Liang , DeVinney Rebekah , Matsumura Yasufumi
Published: June 2022

Escherichia coli
ST1193 is an emerging global multidrug (MDR) high-risk clone and an important cause of community-onset urinary and bloodstream infections.
Sensitivity to Vaccines, Therapeutic Antibodies, and Viral Entry Inhibitors and Advances To Counter the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant
Authors: Zhou Hao , Møhlenberg Michelle , Thakor Jigarji C. , Tuli Hardeep Singh , Wang Pengfei , Assaraf Yehuda G. , Dhama Kuldeep , Jiang Shibo
Published: June 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) keeps evolving and mutating into newer variants over time, which gain higher transmissibility, disease severity, and spread in communities at a faster rate, resulting in multiple waves of surge in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. A highly mutated and transmissible SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has recently emerged, driving the extremely high peak of infections in almost all continents at an unprecedented speed and scale.
Complete Genome Sequences of Two Flavobacterium ammonificans Strains and a Flavobacterium ammoniigenes Strain of Ammonifying Bacterioplankton Isolated from Surface River Water
Authors: Suda Wataru , Ogata Yusuke , Shindo Chie , Watanabe Keiji
Published: June 2022

Flavobacterium ammonificans
and
Flavobacterium ammoniigenes
are ammonifying freshwater bacterioplankton. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of two
F. ammonificans
strains (SHINM13
T
and GENT11) and one
F. ammoniigenes
strain (GENT5
T
) that were isolated from surface river water in Japan.
Involvement of the
hemP-hemA-smlt0796-smlt0797
Operon in Hemin Acquisition by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Authors: Shih Yung-Luen , Wu Cheng-Mu , Lu Hsu-Feng , Li Li-Hua , Lin Yi-Tsung , Yang Tsuey-Ching
Published: June 2022

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
is an emerging multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen, increasing the difficulty of treatment of this infection. Iron is a critical element for bacterial viability.
Liverpool Epidemic Strain Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Display High Levels of Antimicrobial Resistance during Both Planktonic and Biofilm Growth
Authors: Goodyear Mara C. , Garnier Nicole E. , Levesque Roger C. , Khursigara Cezar M.
Published: June 2022

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is an opportunistic pathogen with high intrinsic antibiotic resistance. This resistance is typically increased in clinical isolates through adaptations to the host and production of small-colony variants (SCVs) and when
P. aeruginosa
forms biofilms, which are surface-attached communities that are protected by a self-produced matrix.
Detection of Ganciclovir-Resistant Cytomegalovirus in a Prospective Cohort of Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Subtherapeutic Valganciclovir Prophylaxis
Authors: Wong Diana D. , van Zuylen Wendy J. , Novos Talia , Stocker Sophie , Reuter Stephanie E. , Au Jane , Foster Charles S. P. , Day Richard O. , Horvath Andrea R. , Endre Zoltan , Rawlinson William D.
Published: June 2022

This study examined the pharmacokinetics and viral genomic data from a prospective cohort of kidney transplant recipients undergoing valganciclovir prophylaxis for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention. We showed for the first time using high-throughput sequencing the detection of ganciclovir resistance mutations in breakthrough CMV infection during subtherapeutic plasma ganciclovir as indicated by the pharmacokinetic parameter daily area under the curve (AUC
24
).
Prehospital ABC (Age, Bystander and Cardiogram) scoring system to predict neurological outcomes of cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival: post hoc analysis of a multicentre prospective observational study
Authors: Uehara Kazuyuki , Tagami Takashi , Hyodo Hideya , Ohara Toshihiko , Sakurai Atsushi , Kitamura Nobuya , Nakada Taka-aki , Takeda Munekazu , Yokota Hiroyuki , Yasutake Masahiro
Published: June 2022

Background

There is currently limited evidence to guide prehospital identification of patients with cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival (CPAOA) to hospital who have potentially favourable neurological function. This study aimed to develop a simple scoring system that can be determined at the contact point with emergency medical services to predict neurological outcomes.

Methods

We analysed data from patients with CPAOA using a regional Japanese database (SOS-KANTO), from January 2012 to March 2013. Patients were randomly assigned into derivation and validation cohorts. Favourable neurological outcomes were defined as cerebral performance category 1 or 2. We developed a new scoring system using logistic regression analysis with the following predictors: age, no-flow time, initial cardiac rhythm and arrest place. The model was internally validated by assessing discrimination and calibration.

Results

Among 4907 patients in the derivation cohort and 4908 patients in the validation cohort, the probabilities of favourable outcome were 0.9% and 0.8%, respectively. In the derivation cohort, age ≤70 years (OR 5.11; 95% CI 2.35 to 11.14), no-flow time ≤5 min (OR 4.06; 95% CI 2.06 to 8.01) and ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation as initial cardiac rhythm (OR 6.66; 95% CI 3.45 to 12.88) were identified as predictors of favourable outcome. The ABC score consisting of Age, information from Bystander and Cardiogram was created. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of this score were 0.863 in the derivation and 0.885 in the validation cohorts. Positive likelihood ratios were 6.15 and 6.39 in patients with scores >2 points and were 11.06 and 17.75 in those with 3 points.

Conclusion

The ABC score showed good accuracy for predicting favourable neurological outcomes in patients with CPAOA. This simple scoring system could potentially be used to select patients for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and minimise low-flow time.
Changes in patterns of youth multiple tobacco and/or e-cigarette product use in the US between 2014 and 2020: a multiple-group latent class analysis
Authors: Sun Tianze , Lim Carmen C W , Rutherford Brienna N , Johnson Benjamin , Connor Jason , Gartner Coral E , Hall Wayne D , Leung Janni , Chan Gary
Published: June 2022

Background

Multiple tobacco and e-cigarette product (MTEP) use, the concurrent use of two or more different types of tobacco and/or e-cigarettes products, is common among young people in the US. Changes in patterns of MTEP use among US youth between 2014 and 2020 were identified and the determinants of MTEP use were examined.

Methods

Four years of repeated cross-sectional data from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey of middle and high school students from grade 6 to 12 (Ntotal=77 402). Multigroup latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to the data series to allow for simultaneous identification of MTEP use patterns between 2014 and 2020. Logistic regression was used to predict class membership on demographic and tobacco-related variables.

Findings

Over the 7-year period, LCA identified three patterns: minimal/non-users (MNU: ~89.8%), mostly occasional e-cigarette and cigarette users (MOEC: ~9%) and polytobacco users (POLY: ~1.2%). From 2014 to 2020, MNU increased from 86.4% to 92% (p<0.05), while MOEC and POLY decreased from 11.2% to 7.9% and from 2.4% to 0.1%, respectively. The probability of regular e-cigarette use increased from 0 to 2.3% among MNU, 6% to 31.9% among MOEC and 29.6% to 67.6% among POLY (p<0.05). In binomial logistic regression, being male, in high school, non-heterosexual, living with someone who uses tobacco at home, having cognitive difficulties, having lower perceptions of tobacco’s danger and exposure to tobacco marketing were associated with greater odds of MOEC and POLY than MNU.

Conclusions

There was an increase in regular e-cigarette use in all three classes, but a corresponding decrease in the proportion of MTEP use. Public health interventions to discourage uptake of e-cigarettes, such as tighter restrictions on marketing to minors, are warranted and there is a need to consider disparities in the determinants of MTEP use.
Better recognition of limnic materials at the great group and subgroup levels of the Organic Order of the Canadian System of Soil Classification
Authors: Saurette Daniel D. , Deragon Raphaël
Published: June 2022

In the Canadian System of Soil Classification (CSSC), soils of the Organic order are classified at the great group level primarily based on the dominant organic material in the middle tier. The system recognizes four types of organic horizons: fibric (Of), mesic (Om), humic (Oh), and coprogenous earth (Oco), of which only the latter is not recognized at the great group level of the Organic order. Furthermore, at the subgroup level, Limnic subgroups cannot have terric or hydric layers. This is problematic in soils where the middle tier is dominated by limnic materials, and those which have dominantly limnic materials and have a terric layer. We describe 29 soil profiles in Ontario and Quebec, which are either poorly captured in the CSSC or that cannot be classified into the Organic order based on their diagnostic criteria. Based on an analysis of soil survey information in five provinces across Canada, we estimate 32 057 ha of organic soils which potentially contain limnic deposits. In key vegetable-producing areas of Quebec, large organic deposits in agricultural production are subject to peat subsidence and erosion, resulting in shallower depths to underlying coprogenous earth, which is not a suitable medium for crop production. This can potentially have negative effects on crops when mixed with humic materials in the plow layer. Due to these taxonomic and agronomic considerations, we propose the addition of a new great group, Limnisol, and suggest further integration of limnic materials at the subgroup level for the Humisol, Mesisol, and Fibrisol great groups.
Ultracold neutron storage and transport at the PSI UCN source
Authors: Bison G. , Daum M. , Kirch K. , Lauss B. , Ries D. , Schmidt-Wellenburg P. , Zsigmond G.
Published: June 2022

Efficient neutron transport is a key ingredient to the performance of ultracold neutron (UCN) sources, important to meeting the challenges placed by high precision fundamental physics experiments. At the Paul Scherrer Institute’s UCN source we have been continuously improving our understanding of the UCN source parameters by performing a series of studies to characterize neutron production and moderation, and UCN production, extraction, and transport efficiency to the beamport. The present study on the absolute UCN transport efficiency completes our previous publications. We report on complementary measurements, namely one on the height-dependent UCN density and a second on the transmission of a calibrated quantity of UCN over a$$\sim 16$$∼16 m long UCN guide section connecting one beamport via the source storage vessel to another beamport. These allow us quantifying and optimizing the performance of the guide system based on extensive Monte Carlo simulations.
Permafrost geomorphology
Authors: Burn Christopher R. , Lewkowicz Antoni G.
Published: June 2022

Permafrost geomorphology came of age in 1965–2000, evolving from a field-based subdiscipline largely based on qualitative observation to one of detailed process measurement, field experimentation, and analytical modelling. In this, the development of permafrost geomorphology exemplified the change in geomorphology as a whole. Fundamental advances were made in understanding the development of ice wedges and ice-wedge polygons and the genesis and growth of closed-system pingos, especially by J. Ross Mackay working in the continuous permafrost terrain of the western Canadian Arctic coastlands. Mackay also investigated moisture movement in relation to the ground thermal regime, which led to seminal insights regarding ground freezing, frost heave, near-surface ground ice development, and hummocky micro-relief. Others used these ideas to examine frost shattering of rocks and the development of sorted circles, as most well known from Svalbard. In the second half of the period, measurements of permafrost creep and deformation of hillslopes and rock glaciers were presented, complementing antecedent measurements of solifluction in the active layer. Significant investigations of thermokarst development foreshadowed the preoccupation with permafrost thaw that now gathers so much attention.
The most common queueing theory questions asked by computer systems practitioners
Authors: Harchol-Balter Mor , Scully Ziv
Published: June 2022

This document examines five performance questions which are repeatedly asked by practitioners in industry: (i) My system utilization is very low, so why are job delays so high? (ii) What should I do to lower job delays? (iii) How can I favor short jobs if I don't know which jobs are short? (iv) If some jobs are more important than others, how do I negotiate importance versus size? (v) How do answers change when dealing with a closed-loop system, rather than an open system? All these questions have simple answers through queueing theory. This short paper elaborates on the questions and their answers. To keep things readable, our tone is purposely informal throughout. For more formal statements of these questions and answers, please see [14].
rmf tool - A library to Compute (Refined) Mean Field Approximation(s)
Authors: Allmeier Sebastian , Gast Nicolas
Published: June 2022

Mean field approximation is a powerful technique to study the performance of large stochastic systems represented as systems of interacting objects. Applications include load balancing models, epidemic spreading, cache replacement policies, or large-scale data centers, for which mean field approximation gives very accurate estimates of the transient or steady-state behaviors. In a series of recent papers [9, 7], a new and more accurate approximation, called the refined mean field approximation is presented. Yet, computing this new approximation can be cumbersome. The purpose of this paper is to present a tool, called rmf tool, that takes the description of a mean field model, and can numerically compute its mean field approximations and refinement.
Cosmos
Authors: Ballarini Paolo , Barbot Benoît
Published: June 2022

Cosmos is a statistical model checker for Hybrid Automata Stochastic Logic (HASL).
Horizontal Gene Transfer in Archaea—From Mechanisms to Genome Evolution
Authors: Gophna Uri , Altman-Price Neta
Published: June 2022

Archaea remains the least-studied and least-characterized domain of life despite its significance not just to the ecology of our planet but also to the evolution of eukaryotes. It is therefore unsurprising that research into horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in archaea has lagged behind that of bacteria. Indeed, several archaeal lineages may owe their very existence to large-scale HGT events, and thus understanding both the molecular mechanisms and the evolutionary impact of HGT in archaea is highly important. Furthermore, some mechanisms of gene exchange, such as plasmids that transmit themselves via membrane vesicles and the formation of cytoplasmic bridges that allows transfer of both chromosomal and plasmid DNA, may be archaea-specific. This review summarizes what we know about HGT in archaea, and the barriers that restrict it, highlighting exciting recent discoveries and pointing out opportunities for future research.
Spike–Gamma Phase Relationship in the Visual Cortex
Authors: Ray Supratim
Published: June 2022

Gamma oscillations (30–70 Hz) have been hypothesized to play a role in cortical function. Most of the proposed mechanisms involve rhythmic modulation of neuronal excitability at gamma frequencies, leading to modulation of spike timing relative to the rhythm. I first show that the gamma band could be more privileged than other frequencies in observing spike–field interactions even in the absence of genuine gamma rhythmicity and discuss several biases in spike–gamma phase estimation. I then discuss the expected spike–gamma phase according to several hypotheses. Inconsistent with the phase-coding hypothesis (but not with others), the spike–gamma phase does not change with changes in stimulus intensity or attentional state, with spikes preferentially occurring 2–4 ms before the trough, but with substantial variability. However, this phase relationship is expected even when gamma is a byproduct of excitatory–inhibitory interactions. Given that gamma occurs in short bursts, I argue that the debate over the role of gamma is a matter of semantics.
Exploring the situational motivation of medical students through clinical medicine level test: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Feng Sha , Meng Xianjun , Yan Yu , Xu Xu , Xiao Dongmei , Brand-Saberi Beate , Cheng Xin , Yang XueSong
Published: June 2022

China’s Clinical Medicine Level Test (CMLT) was designed to evaluate the key factors that affect the learning outcome of medical students prior to entering clinical practice. In this study, we systemically analyzed the performance of a cohort of medical students at Jinan University School of Medicine participating in the recent CMLT. The analytical results of the medical students’ written and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scores showed that their academic performance was predominantly associated with students’ internship allocations, although other demographic characteristics such as sex, age, geographical origin of students, and grade point average (GPA) might be sporadically related to the students’ OSCE performance at different OSCE stations. To explore the inherent reasons behind this, a survey was implemented among the medical students who participated in the examination to further interpret the factors influencing the students’ learning outcome. The findings of this questionnaire manifested that intrinsic motivation and identified regulation acted as the major motivational profiles for the medical students from three different internship sites, whereas external regulation emerged as the crucial factor to make the students perform well academically in the CMLT. The result of this study suggested that strengthening the quality control of the clinical learning environment and improving medical administration may still be the most effective approaches to ensure the quality of clinical medical education.
Impact of the Oklahoma IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence research support and mentoring program for early-stage faculty
Authors: Chou Ann F. , Hammon Dawn , Akins Darrin R.
Published: June 2022

The Oklahoma IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (OK-INBRE) has been offering a formalized mentoring program and grant awards to new and early-stage faculty throughout Oklahoma for the past 15 yr. The program has been shown to play a significant role in launching participants on a path toward productive research careers, which will in turn be impactful on the biomedical research enterprise in Oklahoma.
Androgen signaling in adipose tissue, but less likely skeletal muscle, mediates development of metabolic traits in a PCOS mouse model
Authors: Xiong Ting , Rodriguez Paris Valentina , Edwards Melissa C. , Hu Ying , Cochran Blake J. , Rye Kerry-Anne , Ledger William L. , Padmanabhan Vasantha , Handelsman David J. , Gilchrist Robert B. , Walters Kirsty A.
Published: June 2022

Hyperandrogenism is a key feature in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, the tissue sites of androgen receptor (AR) signaling are unclear. In this study, AR signaling in white and brown adipose tissue, but less likely in skeletal muscle, was found to be involved in the development of metabolic PCOS traits, highlighting the importance of androgen actions in adipose tissue and obesity in the manifestation of metabolic disturbances.
Effect of Acupressure on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Nekooi Marzieh , Bazarganipour Fatemeh , Zoladl Mohammad , Heshmat Reza , Aramesh Shahintaj , Hosseini Nazafarin
Published: June 2022

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of acupressure on health-related quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. This study was a double-blind, randomized clinical trial with a control group. Ninety-six patients with polycystic ovary syndrome from Mofateh gynecological clinic in Yasuj in Iran were enrolled according to the inclusion criteria. Patients were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, pressure on the points, Ren3, Ren4, Liv3, Sp6, and Sp10 and in the control group, pressure on sham points were performed for 6 weeks (2 sessions per week). The primary outcome was health-related quality of life, measured by the modified polycystic ovary syndrome health-related quality of life questionnaire (MPCOSQ). The secondary outcomes were total testosterone levels and clinical symptoms in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. The outcome variables were measured before the intervention at week 0 (baseline) and after the intervention at week 18 (12 weeks after the end of intervention). The results indicated that at week 18, the score of clinical symptoms and the total testosterone level of the intervention group were lower than those of the control group. The health-related quality of life score in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group, which was statistically significant (P<0/05). Therefore, acupressure in these points is recommended as a practical and effective method of treating polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Influence of Nanomodified Waterproofing Agent on the Performance of Rigid Waterproof Concrete in Underground Engineering
Authors: Sun Jianxiang , Shi Chuqi , Li Pengping , Li An
Published: June 2022

Waterproof and impermeable problems seriously affect the safe use, normal structure, and working life of concrete projects. The waterproof performance of concrete can be improved by mixing with a proper amount of waterproofing agent; nevertheless, the early strength of concrete will be seriously affected. With the development of complex structures such as larg e spans in soil and water engineering and the increasingly complex engineering environment, people have put forward higher requirements for the working performance, strength, impermeability, durability, and intelligence of cement‐based materials required. This article compares the changes in compressive strength, fluidity, and water permeability of mixed concrete by controlling the two variables of waterproofing agent and nanosilica. Combining the results of XRD microstructure analysis, the influence of nanosilica and waterproofing agent on the performance of concrete is explored. Moreover, it is hoped that other excellent properties of concrete can be improved, and a waterproof material with good opacity can be found. The test results show that after adding waterproofing agent alone, the 3 d compressive strength of concrete is decreased by 14.81%, the water permeability is reduced by 71.6%, and the depth of carbonic acid molecules at 28 d is also decreased by 37.3%. On the other hand, compared with concrete using waterproof coating alone, after adding in nanosilica, the 3 d compressive strength is increased by about 30%, and the water immersion height is decreased. The results show that the addition of polymer has a great influence on the compressive strength and carbonic acid resistance of concrete.
Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Activity, and In Silico Analyses of Sterculia villosa and Vernonia patula
Authors: Lyzu Chadni , Mitra Saikat , Perveen Kahkashan , Khan Zidan , Tareq Abu Montakim , Bukhari Najat A. , Husain Fohad Mabood , Lipy Evena Parvin , Islam Dipa , Hakim Mahmuda , Emran Talha Bin , Dashti Marjan Ganjali
Published: June 2022

Our study aims to evaluate the chemical profiles and antioxidant activities of a methanolic extract of Sterculia villosa bark (MESV) and a methanolic extract of the Vernonia patula whole plant (MEVP). The chemical profiling of MESV and MEVP was performed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which identified 52 and 33 chemical compounds, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay indicated that both MESV and MEVP displayed concentration-dependent scavenging activities, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for MEVP, MESV, and ascorbic acid were 305.30, 555.44, and 36.32 μg/mL, respectively. The total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of MESV were 81.44 ± 2.70 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry extract and 62.58 ± 1.93 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry extract, whereas these values for MEVP were 291.31 ± 6.61 mg QE/g dry extract and 58.99 ± 3.16 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also evaluated, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) and toxicological properties were assessed. Therefore, these two plants, S. villosa and V. patula, showed potential options for further advanced studies into oxidative stress.
Oral Hygiene Practices and Awareness of Pregnant Women about the Effects of Periodontal Disease on Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Bushehab Noora Mohammed Eissa , Sreedharan Jayadevan , Reddy Sesha , D’souza Jovita , Abdelmagyd Hossam
Published: June 2022

Objectives. Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm low birth weight (PTLBW), is a severe public health issue that needs to be dealt with by educating the general female population, dental practitioners, and gynecologist. One of the major contributing factors is periodontal disease, which accounts for about 18.2% of all PTLBW cases worldwide, and prevention of the same could reduce the occurrence of PTLBW babies. This study aimed to assess the oral hygiene practices and awareness of pregnant women about the effect of periodontal disease on pregnancy outcomes. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted where 400 pregnant women after consent were requested to complete an anonymous, self-administered, structured questionnaire with twenty-one close-ended questions. Results. Only 5% of participants in this study reported that gum diseases during pregnancy lead to preterm labor or low birth weight babies. About 70.7% of pregnant women mentioned that they did not use any interdental cleaning aids, and 54.5% did not use mouthwashes. Conclusion. Tooth brushing practices among pregnant women were good; however, there was an overall lack in the use of adjunctive aids. The study highlighted a deficiency in the awareness of pregnant women regarding the association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Construction of Enterprise Human Resource Intelligent Scheduling Model Based on Fuzzy Relationship
Authors: Dong Fangfang
Published: June 2022

Human resource planning is to predict and analyze the quantity, quality, and structure of human resources in different historical periods, different social environments, and different development stages, so as to meet the needs of human resources enterprises to implement strategies. It ensures that the supply of human resources within the enterprise can not only meet the needs of the enterprise, but also reduce unnecessary business costs without redundancy. It enables the supply and demand of human resources in daily business operations to achieve and maintain the work balance after dynamic resource management. Human resource planning in an enterprise not only helps to improve the utilization of human resources within the enterprise. And it is an important standard for human resource management such as recruitment, promotion, and training. This paper establishes an intelligent scheduling model of enterprise human resources based on inverse relationship. The experimental results show that before the causal analysis, the business performance measurement items are tested and the sphere test is carried out. The value is 0.86, greater than 0.85, indicating that the group data are suitable for exploratory factor analysis. At the same time, the significance of the spherical test result is 0.00, which is lower than 0.01, and the null hypothesis that the correlation coefficient matrix is a unit matrix is rejected. It shows that the data are correlated and are suitable for analyzing exploratory reasons.
A Genetic Neural Net Model for the Relationship between Pre-School and Attention in Early Childhood
Authors: Wang Liping , Yao Na
Published: June 2022

This paper uses an algorithm of a genetic neural network to conduct an in-depth study and analysis of the attention relationship in pre-school education of young children. In face expression images, expression features are often concentrated and distributed in some local regions, while convolutional neural networks are homogeneous for feature extraction of facial expression images. To address the problem of the nonuniform distribution of expression features, a facial expression recognition method based on the spatial domain attention mechanism is proposed. A comparison of the differences between group and grade before the intervention using a two-way multivariate ANOVA revealed a nonsignificant interaction effect with a value of 0.90 for the group-grade interaction effect and an F-value of 0.36. The group’s main effect had a value of 0.90 and an F-value of 0.36, with the experimental and control groups being equal groups on multiple dependent variables. The salient features in face expression images that are more important for facial expression recognition can be selected adaptively, and relatively high weights are assigned to these salient features. Experimental results on the image library show that the introduction of a spatial domain attention mechanism can improve the average recognition accuracy of face expressions by about 1.1% and 1.0%, respectively. A hybrid domain attention mechanism-based face expression recognition method is proposed to extract important expression features from both the spatial domain and the channel domain. Experimental results on the image library show that combining the spatial domain attention mechanism and the channel domain attention mechanism can improve the average recognition accuracy by about 2.1% and 1.5%, respectively. The use of rule games was effective in developing children’s sustained and selective attention; the effect of rule games on the sustained and selective attention of older boys and girls did not show significant gender differences.
Assessment of the Status of Rooftop Garden, Its Diversity, and Determinants of Urban Green Roofs in Nepal
Authors: Rawal Sara , Thapa Sandesh
Published: June 2022

In recent days, the practice of adopting rooftop garden can be seen in urban areas of developing countries, but a successful adoption of well-equipped green roofs is still lacking and is limited to open farms. To fulfill the gaps in urban agriculture in determining diversity status and socioeconomic factors affecting the adoption of RTG, this study was conducted. The survey was conducted from February 3 to April 6, 2021, where a total of 116 respondents were selected randomly from Morang and Sunsari districts. The rooftop adopters had 30.5% and 33.2% of the roofs under farming in Morang and Sunsari, respectively, having the size of the roof of rooftop adopters significantly larger than nonadopters. A binary logit model was used to determine the factor affecting the adoption of RTG where age, gender, schooling year, training, and farming experience have a significant effect on the adoption of RTG. Locally available material was given preference under farming and nutritionally important 50 species were reported with tests of the daily food requirement of the respondents. The diversity indices suggest that ornamental plant diversity is more followed by vegetables. Though, adopters are continuing the garden but have reported that lack of proper policy and ineffective management makes it difficult to protect the life of roof. Concludingly, respondents and other willing people must be provided with training, financial support, and proper extension services as lack of training and extension services are the major problems reported in the study area. Proper policy of rooftop garden is lacking in study area though it is under study in Kathmandu; thus, policy makers and research institution should focus on promoting the rooftop in study area and provide more reliable package for roof protection and garden continuation.
Epigallocatechin Gallate Relieved PM2.5-Induced Lung Fibrosis by Inhibiting Oxidative Damage and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition through AKT/mTOR Pathway
Authors: Zhongyin Zhou , Wei Wang , Juan Xiong , Guohua Fan
Published: June 2022

Oxidative damage and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are main pathological processes leading to the development of PM2.5-induced lung fibrosis. Epigallocatechin gallate (EG), a natural polyphenol extracted from green tea, possesses the ability to combat oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the potential roles of EG in PM2.5-induced lung fibrosis have not been reported yet. In the present study, we investigated whether EG could relieve PM2.5-induced lung injury and fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. To mimic PM2.5-induced lung fibrosis, C57/BL6 mice were intranasally instilled with PM2.5 suspension, and MLE-12 lung epithelial cells were stimulated with PM2.5 (100 μg/mL) in vitro. The results showed that intragastric administration of EG (20 mg/kg/d or 80 mg/kg/d for 8 weeks) significantly prevented lung injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress in PM2.5-induced mice, apart from inhibiting collagen deposition. Additionally, EG treatment also suppressed the activation of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in lung tissues challenged with PM2.5. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that EG treatment could enhance cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner in PM2.5-treated MLE-12 lung epithelial cells. Also, the overexpression of constitutively active AKT could offset the inhibitory effects of EG on EMT and oxidative stress in PM2.5-treated MLE-12 lung epithelial cells. Finally, AKT overexpression also blocked the inhibitory effect of EG on the phosphorylation of mTOR in PM2.5-treated MLE-12 lung epithelial cells. In conclusion, EG could improve PM2.5-induced lung fibrosis by decreasing oxidative damage and EMT through AKT/mTOR pathway, which might be a potential candidate for the treatment of PM2.5-induced lung fibrosis.
A Copula Type-Model for Examining the Role of Microbiome as a Potential Tool in Diagnosis
Authors: Calderín–Ojeda Enrique , López–Campos Guillermo , Gómez–Déniz Emilio
Published: June 2022

Continuous advancements in biotechnology are generating new knowledge and data sources that might be of interest for the insurance industry. A paradigmatic example of these advancements is genetic information which can reliably notify about future appearance of certain diseases making it an element of great interest for insurers. However, this information is considered by regulators in the highest confidentiality level and protected from disclosure. Recent investigations have shown that the microbiome can be correlated with several health conditions. In this paper, we examine the potential use of microbiome information as a potential tool for cardiovascular diagnosis. By using a recent dataset, we analyze the relation of some variables associated to coronary illnesses and several components of the microbiome in the organism by using a new copula-based multivariate regression model for compositional data in the predictor. Our findings show that the coabundance group associated to Ruminococcaceae-Bifidobacteriaceae has a negative impact on the age for nonsedentary individuals. However, one should be cautious with this conclusion since environmental conditions also influence the baseline microbiome.