bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers on Clinical Outcomes of Acute Kidney Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Jui-Yi , Tsai I-Jung , Pan Heng-Chih , Liao Hung-Wei , Neyra Javier A. , Wu Vin-Cent , Chueh Jeff S.
Published: July 2021

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and mortality. However, the impact of exposure to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ACEi/ARB) in patients experiencing AKI/acute kidney disease (AKD) is still unclear.

Methods: In this systematic review, we searched all relevant studies from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Medline, Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, and ClinicalTrials.gov until July 21, 2020. We evaluated whether the exposure to ACEi/ARB after AKI onset alters recovery paths of AKD and impacts risks of all-cause mortality, recurrent AKI, or incident CKD. We rated the certainty of evidence according to Cochrane methods and the GRADE approach.

Results: A total of seven articles, involving 70,801 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. The overall patient mortality rate in this meta-analysis was 28.4%. Among AKI patients, all-cause mortality was lower in ACEi/ARB users than in ACEi/ARB nonusers (log odds ratio (OR) −0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.42–−0.32, p < 0.01). The risk of recurrent adverse kidney events after AKI was lower in ACEi/ARB users than in nonusers (logOR −0.25, 95% CI: −0.33–−0.18, p < 0.01). The risk of hyperkalemia was higher in ACEi/ARB users than in nonusers (logOR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27–0.59, p < 0.01). Patients with continued use of ACEi/ARB after AKI also had lower mortality risk than those prior ACEi/ARB users but who did not resume ACEi/ARB during AKD (logOR −0.36, 95% CI: −0.4–−0.31, p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Exposure to ACEi/ARB after AKI is associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality, recurrent AKI, and progression to incident CKD. Patients with AKI may have a survival benefit by continued use of ACEi/ARB; however, a higher incidence of hyperkalemia associated with ACEi/ARB usage among these patients deserves close clinical monitoring.
The Regenerative Potential of bFGF in Dental Pulp Repair and Regeneration
Authors: Liu Keyue , Yu Sijing , Ye Ling , Gao Bo
Published: July 2021

Regenerative endodontic therapy intends to induce the host’s natural wound-healing process, which can restore the vitality, immunity, and sensitivity of the inflammatory or necrotic pulp tissue destroyed by infection or trauma. Myriads of growth factors are critical in the processes of pulp repair and regeneration. Among the key regulatory factors are the fibroblast growth factors, which have turned out to be the master regulators of both organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Fibroblast growth factors, a family composed of 22 polypeptides, have been used in tissue repair and regeneration settings, in conditions as diverse as burns, ulcers, bone-related diseases, and spinal cord injuries. Meanwhile, in dentistry, the basic fibroblast growth factor is the most frequently investigated. Thereby, the aim of this review is 2-fold: 1) foremost, to explore the underlying mechanisms of the bFGF in dental pulp repair and regeneration and 2) in addition, to shed light on the potential therapeutic strategies of the bFGF in dental pulp–related clinical applications.
Edible Bird’s Nest, an Asian Health Food Supplement, Possesses Moisturizing Effect by Regulating Expression of Filaggrin in Skin Keratinocyte
Authors: Lai Queenie Wing Sze , Guo Maggie Sui Sui , Wu Kevin Qiyun , Liao Zhitao , Guan Dongshi , Dong Tina Tingxia , Tong Penger , Tsim Karl Wah Keung
Published: July 2021

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) has been consumed as a Chinese delicacy for hundreds of years; the functions of which have been proposed to prevent lung disease, strengthen immune response, and restore skin youthfulness. To support the skin function of EBN, the water extract and the enzymatic digest of EBN with enriched digested peptides were tested in cultured keratinocyte, HaCaT cell line. The effects of EBN extract and digest in inducing proteins crucial for skin moisturizing were determined in bothin vitroandex vivomodels. In cultured keratinocytes, the expressions of S100-fused type proteins contributing to skin barrier function in the stratum corneum, e.g. filaggrin and filaggrin-2, were determined in both mRNA and protein levels, which were markedly induced in the treatment of EBN extract or digest. The EBN-induced gene transcriptions of filaggrin and filaggrin-2 were mediated by activation of p38 MAPK pathway and various transcription factors, e.g. GATA3, PPARα, PPARβ, and PPARγ: these transcriptional factors were markedly activated by the digested products of EBN, as compared to the extract, in cultured keratinocytes. By using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the EBN-treated keratinocyte was shown to have more liquid-like morphology, as compared to a control cell. The EBN digest showed better induction on these moisturizing effects as compared to the extract. These lines of evidence therefore suggested the water moisturizing effect of EBN in skin function.
Involvement of Sirtuins and Klotho in Cardioprotective Effects of Exercise Training Against Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking-Induced Heart Dysfunction
Authors: Alavi Samaneh Sadat , Joukar Siyavash , Rostamzadeh Farzaneh , Najafipour Hamid , Darvishzadeh-mahani Fatemeh , Mortezaeizade Abbas
Published: July 2021

Despite its negative effect on the cardiovascular system, waterpipe smoking (WPS) is currently popular worldwide, especially among youth. This study investigated the effects of moderate endurance exercise on heart function of rats exposed to WPS and its possible mechanism. The animals were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CTL), the exercise group (Ex) which trained for 8 weeks, the waterpipe tobacco smoking group (S) exposed to smoke inhalation (30 min per day, 5 days each week, for 8 weeks), and the group that did exercise training and received waterpipe tobacco smoke inhalation together (Ex + S). One day after the last session of Ex and WPS, cardiac pressures and functional indices were recorded and calculated. The levels of SIRT1, SIRT3, Klotho, Bax, and Bcl-2 in the serum and heart, the expression of phosphorylated GSK3β of heart tissue, and cardiac histopathological changes were assessed. WPS reduced systolic pressure, +dP/dt max, -dP/dt max, and heart contractility indices (P < 0.001 vs. CTL) and increased cardiac tissue lesions (P < 0.05 vs. CTL) and end diastolic pressure and Tau index (P < 0.001 vs. CTL) of the left ventricle. Exercise training normalized the left ventricular end diastolic pressure, +dP/dt max, and contractility index. Also, exercise improved the levels of SIRT1, SIRT3, Klotho, and Bcl-2 and reduced Bax level in the heart. The findings showed that WPS causes left ventricular dysfunction. Moderate exercise prevented WPS-induced heart dysfunction partly through its anti-apoptotic features and activation of the sirtuins and Klotho pathways.
Molecular Breeding Strategy and Challenges Towards Improvement of Downy Mildew Resistance in Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)
Authors: Shaw Ranjan K. , Shen Yusen , Zhao Zhenqing , Sheng Xiaoguang , Wang Jiansheng , Yu Huifang , Gu Honghui
Published: July 2021

Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceavar.botrytisL.) is one of the important, nutritious and healthy vegetable crops grown and consumed worldwide. But its production is constrained by several destructive fungal diseases and most importantly, downy mildew leading to severe yield and quality losses. For sustainable cauliflower production, developing resistant varieties/hybrids with durable resistance against broad-spectrum of pathogens is the best strategy for a long term and reliable solution. Identification of novel resistant resources, knowledge of the genetics of resistance, mapping and cloning of resistance QTLs and identification of candidate genes would facilitate molecular breeding for disease resistance in cauliflower. Advent of next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS) and publishing of draft genome sequence of cauliflower has opened the flood gate for new possibilities to develop enormous amount of genomic resources leading to mapping and cloning of resistance QTLs. In cauliflower, several molecular breeding approaches such as QTL mapping, marker-assisted backcrossing, gene pyramiding have been carried out to develop new resistant cultivars. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) would be beneficial in improving the precision in the selection of improved cultivars against multiple pathogens. This comprehensive review emphasizes the fascinating recent advances made in the application of molecular breeding approach for resistance against an important pathogen; Downy Mildew (Hyaloperonospora parasitica) affecting cauliflower andBrassica oleraceacrops and highlights the QTLs identified imparting resistance against this pathogen. We have also emphasized the critical research areas as future perspectives to bridge the gap between availability of genomic resources and its utility in identifying resistance genes/QTLs to breed downy mildew resistant cultivars. Additionally, we have also discussed the challenges and the way forward to realize the full potential of molecular breeding for downy mildew resistance by integrating marker technology with conventional breeding in the post-genomics era. All this information will undoubtedly provide new insights to the researchers in formulating future breeding strategies in cauliflower to develop durable resistant cultivars against the major pathogens in general and downy mildew in particular.
The RGF/GLV/CLEL Family of Short Peptides Evolved Through Lineage-Specific Losses and Diversification and Yet Conserves Its Signaling Role Between Vascular Plants and Bryophytes
Authors: Furumizu Chihiro , Sawa Shinichiro
Published: July 2021

Short secreted plant peptides act as key signaling molecules and control a plethora of developmental and physiological processes. The ROOT GROWTH FACTOR (RGF)/GOLVEN (GLV)/CLE-Like (CLEL) family of peptides was discovered to be involved in root development in Arabidopsis thaliana. In contrast to active research efforts, which have been revealing receptors and downstream signaling components, little attention has been paid to evolutionary processes that shaped the RGF signaling system as we know it in angiosperms today. As a first step toward understanding how RGF signaling emerged and evolved, this study aimed to elucidate the phylogenetic distribution and functional conservation of RGF-like sequences. Using publicly available, genome and transcriptome data, RGF-like sequences were searched in 27 liverworts, 22 mosses, 8 hornworts, 23 lycophytes, 23 ferns, 38 gymnosperms, and 8 angiosperms. This led to the identification of more than four hundreds of RGF-like sequences in all major extant land plant lineages except for hornworts. Sequence comparisons within and between taxonomic groups identified lineage-specific characters. Notably, one of the two major RGF subgroups, represented by A. thaliana RGF6/GLV1/CLEL6, was found only in vascular plants. This subgroup, therefore, likely emerged in a common ancestor of vascular plants after its divergence from bryophytes. In bryophytes, our results infer independent losses of RGF-like sequences in mosses and hornworts. On the other hand, a single, highly similar RGF-like sequence is conserved in liverworts, including Marchantia polymorpha, a genetically tractable model species. When constitutively expressed, the M. polymorpha RGF-like sequence (MpRGF) affected plant development and growth both in A. thaliana and M. polymorpha. This suggests that MpRGF can exert known RGF-like effects and that MpRGF is under transcriptional control so that its potent activities are precisely controlled. These data suggest that RGFs are conserved as signaling molecules in both vascular plants and bryophytes and that lineage-specific diversification has increased sequence variations of RGFs. All together, our findings form a basis for further studies into RGF peptides and their receptors, which will contribute to our understandings of how peptide signaling pathways evolve.
The System Works Fine: The Positive Relationship Between Emphasis on Individual Explanations for Inequality and External Political Efficacy
Authors: Greenwood-Hau Joe
Published: July 2021

This article addresses the largely overlooked question of whether explanations for inequality are related to appraisals of the political system. It posits a positive relationship between individual explanations for inequality and three indicators of appraisals of the political system: satisfaction with democracy, political trust, and external political efficacy. Individual explanations for inequality are a form of system justifying belief and constitute part of a wider ideological view of the status quo social order as just and defensible. This positive view of the functioning of society may flow over into appraisals of the political system, imply a positive disposition towards high-status groups including politicians, and remove the motivation to blame the political system for ongoing inequality (which is instead seen in a positive, meritocratic light). The relationships between explanations for inequality and appraisals of the political system are tested for the first time in the United States, using 2002 ANES data, and in Great Britain, using data from a survey fielded in 2014. The results in the United States show few consistent or significant relationships between explanations for inequality and any of the appraisals of the political system. However, the results in Great Britain show consistent, robust, and statistically significant positive relationships between individual explanations for inequality and external political efficacy. The inconsistency in these results may stem from the differing temporal and national contexts of the surveys. It is also likely that the ranking measures of explanations for inequality in the GB data distinguished respondents for whom individual explanations are particularly important, who have a less negative appraisal of external political efficacy. However, more work is required to investigate the effects of question format, the impact of national and temporal context, and the causal direction of the relationship between explanations for inequality and appraisals of the political system.
Echoes of L1 Syllable Structure in L2 Phoneme Recognition
Authors: Yasufuku Kanako , Doyle Gabriel
Published: July 2021

Learning to move from auditory signals to phonemic categories is a crucial component of first, second, and multilingual language acquisition. In L1 and simultaneous multilingual acquisition, learners build up phonological knowledge to structure their perception within a language. For sequential multilinguals, this knowledge may support or interfere with acquiring language-specific representations for a new phonemic categorization system. Syllable structure is a part of this phonological knowledge, and language-specific syllabification preferences influence language acquisition, including early word segmentation. As a result, we expect to see language-specific syllable structure influencing speech perception as well. Initial evidence of an effect appears inAli et al. (2011), who argued that cross-linguistic differences in McGurk fusion within a syllable reflected listeners’ language-specific syllabification preferences. Building on a framework fromCho and McQueen (2006), we argue that this could reflect the Phonological-Superiority Hypothesis (differences in L1 syllabification preferences make some syllabic positions harder to classify than others) or the Phonetic-Superiority Hypothesis (the acoustic qualities of speech sounds in some positions make it difficult to perceive unfamiliar sounds). However, their design does not distinguish between these two hypotheses. The current research study extends the work ofAli et al. (2011)by testing Japanese, and adding audio-only and congruent audio-visual stimuli to test the effects of syllabification preferences beyond just McGurk fusion. Eighteen native English speakers and 18 native Japanese speakers were asked to transcribe nonsense words in an artificial language. English allows stop consonants in syllable codas while Japanese heavily restricts them, but both groups showed similar patterns of McGurk fusion in stop codas. This is inconsistent with the Phonological-Superiority Hypothesis. However, when visual information was added, the phonetic influences on transcription accuracy largely disappeared. This is inconsistent with the Phonetic-Superiority Hypothesis. We argue from these results that neither acoustic informativity nor interference of a listener’s phonological knowledge is superior, and sketch a cognitively inspired rational cue integration framework as a third hypothesis to explain how L1 phonological knowledge affects L2 perception.
International Comparative Study of Statistics Learning Trajectories Based on PISA Data on Cognitive Diagnostic Models
Authors: Jia Bing , Zhu Zhemin , Gao Hang
Published: July 2021

The cognitive diagnosis model is an emerging evaluation theory. The mastery of fine-grained knowledge points of students can be obtained via the cognitive diagnostic model (CDM), which can subsequently describe the learning trajectory. The latter is a description of the learning progress of students in a specific area, through which teaching and learning can be linked. This research is based on nine statistical items in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 and an analysis of the response data of 30,092 students from 14 countries from four attributes based on CDM. Then, it obtains the learning trajectory of students in statistical knowledge. The study found that Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, and Serbia have the same learning trajectories. The learning trajectories of almost 14 countries are as follows: (1) uncertainty, (2) data handling, (3) statistical chart, and (4) average.
Modulation of Negative Affect Predicts Acceptance of Music Streaming Services, While Personality Does Not
Authors: Hilsdorf Max , Bullerjahn Claudia
Published: July 2021

Music streaming services (MSS) offer their users numerous ways of choosing and implementing their individual approaches to music listening. Personality, uses of music, and the acceptance of MSS can be conceptualized as interdependent. This study investigates whether negative affect modulation strategies explain differences in the acceptance of MSS and integrates findings from previous research into a structural equation model. As for measurements, the Big Five Inventory 2, the Inventory for the Assessment of Activation and Arousal modulation through Music, and adapted scales from previous research on the Technology Acceptance Model were used. A convenience sample of 825 participants (24.3 years; 74% females and 89% students) successfully completed an online questionnaire. In total, 89 percent of the sample reported using MSS regularly. The results show that the tendency to modulate negative affect through music is positively influenced by openness and neuroticism. In turn, the tendency to modulate negative affect through music is shown to increase the perceived usefulness of MSS. However, this study failed to replicate the previous findings that openness increases the attitude toward using and that neuroticism decreases the perceived usefulness. This implies that uses of music are more effective than personality traits at predicting the individual acceptance of MSS. However, personality can be viewed as a predictor for uses of music. The interwovenness of stable and situational factors of music choices is supported. MSS seem to assist their users in coping with negative affect in everyday life, increasing wellbeing. MSS should expand their personalization features to optimize user experience with respect to individual uses of music.
An Association Between Phonetic Complexity of Infant Vocalizations and Parent Vowel Hyperarticulation
Authors: Marklund Ellen , Marklund Ulrika , Gustavsson Lisa
Published: July 2021

Extreme or exaggerated articulation of vowels, or vowel hyperarticulation, is a characteristic commonly found in infant-directed speech (IDS). High degrees of vowel hyperarticulation in parent IDS has been tied to better speech sound category development and bigger vocabulary size in infants. In the present study, the relationship between vowel hyperarticulation in Swedish IDS to 12-month-old and phonetic complexity of infant vocalizations is investigated. Articulatory adaptation toward hyperarticulation is quantified as difference in vowel space area between IDS and adult-directed speech (ADS). Phonetic complexity is estimated using the Word Complexity Measure for Swedish (WCM-SE). The results show that vowels in IDS was more hyperarticulated than vowels in ADS, and that parents’ articulatory adaptation in terms of hyperarticulation correlates with phonetic complexity of infant vocalizations. This can be explained either by the parents’ articulatory behavior impacting the infants’ vocalization behavior, the infants’ social and communicative cues eliciting hyperarticulation in the parents’ speech, or the two variables being impacted by a third, underlying variable such as parents’ general communicative adaptiveness.
Recent Advances in Smellscape Research for the Built Environment
Authors: Xiao Jieling , Aletta Francesco , Radicchi Antonella , McLean Kate , Shiner Larry E. , Verbeek Caro
Published: July 2021

The interrelationships between humans, smells and the built environment have been the focus of increasing numbers of research studies in the past ten years. This paper reviews these trends and identifies the challenges in smellscape research from three aspects: methodological approaches, artistic design interventions and museum practices, and odour policy making. In response to the gaps and challenges identified, three areas of future research have also been identified for this field: smell archives and databases, social justice within odour control and management, and research into advanced building materials.
Cognitive Capacity, Representation, and Instruction
Authors: Kleinsorge Thomas
Published: July 2021

The central argument of the present article is that Cognitive Psychology’s problems in dealing with the concept of “cognitive capacity” is intimately linked with Cognitive Psychology’s long-lasting failure of coming to terms with the concept of “representation” in general, and “task representation” in particular. From this perspective, the role of instructions in psychological experiments is emphasised. It is argued that both a careful conceptual analysis of instruction-induced task representations as well as an experimental variation of instructions promises to broaden our understanding of the role of task representations as a determinant of limited cognitive capacity.
Co-occurrence Strength and Transitivity Effects on Spanish Clitic Case Variation With Reverse-Psychological Predicates
Authors: Guajardo Gustavo
Published: July 2021

Although the most frequent psychological predicates in Spanish require the third-person clitic experiencer to appear in dative case, there is a well-known subclass of predicates for which the case of the clitic alternates between accusative and dative. This alternation has been previously accounted for by certain grammatical properties of the clause containing the clitic as well as elements of transitivity. However, since most studies on the subject have only looked at a subset of the elements comprising transitivity, it remains to be demonstrated whether the alternation in clitic case can reliably be reduced to a difference in transitivity. In this paper, I study the extent to which transitivity is the main predictor of clitic case alternation with reverse psychological predicates by comparing its effect with another potential predictor, namely the bidirectional association strength between the verb and the clitic. The results show that higher levels of association between the clitic and the verb favor the dative clitic, suggesting a higher degree of lexicalization of the dative clitic-verb pair. Furthermore, although it is found that higher levels of transitivity favor the accusative clitic, the effect is rather small compared to the rest of the predictors. All in all, the results support previous findings in the literature, but they also bring to the fore the importance of frequency of co-occurrence on Spanish clitic case alternation in particular, and language variation more generally.
Case Report in the Brazilian Context: Cognitive and Behavioral Changes Following an Electric Injury
Authors: Almondes Katie Moraes de , Azevedo Julianna Pinto de , Santos Marina Bruxel dos , Soares Walter Barbalho
Published: July 2021

Electrical injury (EI) is the sequel of an electrical shock. Physical sequelae are most common, but also other symptoms can happen, such as neurological symptoms, psychiatric alteration, and cognitive decline. The repercussion of EI can happen whether or not the head is a point of contact with the electrical current. There are no official diagnostic criteria for cognitive repercussions of EI, which may lead to incorrect diagnostics and confusion with other most frequent causes of dementia, such as frontotemporal dementia, pseudodementia, or dementias for reversible causes. In this case report, we described a right-handed man, aged 56 years old, referred to our service due to behavioral changes and cognitive alterations related to electric shock. The psychiatric team has monitored him, but cognitive deficits have raised doubts about the presence of dementia syndrome. The neuropsychological evaluation revealed severe deficits and loss of functionality, which filled the criteria for major neurocognitive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5). Adding these findings to the patient's history and after a detailed investigation of other causes of dementia, we concluded that this is a possible case of EI with strong neuropsychological symptoms. This case report should help clinicians to recognize this condition and its features. We aimed to share the importance of recognizing the neuropsychological and psychiatric features of EI, mainly in the Brazilian context.
Gender-Based Analysis of the Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers in Spain
Authors: López-Atanes Mayte , Pijoán-Zubizarreta José Ignacio , González-Briceño Juan Pablo , Leonés-Gil Elena María , Recio-Barbero María , González-Pinto Ana , Segarra Rafael , Sáenz-Herrero Margarita
Published: July 2021

Purpose: This study aims to analyze from a gender perspective the psychological distress experienced by the medical workforce during the peak of the pandemic in Spain.

Methods: This is a single-center, observational analytic study. The study population comprised all associated health workers of the Cruces University Hospital, invited by email to participate in the survey. It consisted of a form covering demographic data, the general health questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and the perceived stress scale (PSS-14). We used multivariant regression analysis to check the effect of gender on the scores. We used gender analysis in both design and interpretation of data following SAGER guidelines.

Results: Females made 74.6% of our sample, but their proportion was higher in lower-paid positions such as nursery (89.9%) than in higher-paid ones. The percentage of women categorized as cases with the GHQ-28 was 78.4%, a proportion significantly higher than in the male population (61.3%, p < 0.001). The multivariant regression analysis showed that being women, working as orderly hospital porters, and having a past psychiatric history were risk factors for higher scores in both the GHQ-28 and PSS-14.

Conclusion: Women and those with lower-paid positions were at risk of higher psychological distress and worse quality of life within the medical workforce during the first wave of the pandemic. Gender analysis must be incorporated to analyze this fact better.
AI-Assisted CT as a Clinical and Research Tool for COVID-19
Authors: Tse Zion Tsz Ho , Hovet Sierra , Ren Hongliang , Barrett Tristan , Xu Sheng , Turkbey Baris , Wood Bradford J.
Published: July 2021

There is compelling support for widening the role of computed tomography (CT) for COVID-19 in clinical and research scenarios. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis, has two potential weaknesses: the delay in obtaining results and the possibility of RT-PCR test kits running out when demand spikes or being unavailable altogether. This perspective article discusses the potential use of CT in conjunction with RT-PCR in hospitals lacking sufficient access to RT-PCR test kits. The precedent for this approach is discussed based on the use of CT for COVID-19 diagnosis and screening in the United Kingdom and China. The hurdles and challenges are presented, which need addressing prior to realization of the potential roles for CT artificial intelligence (AI). The potential roles include a more accurate clinical classification, characterization for research roles and mechanisms, and informing clinical trial response criteria as a surrogate for clinical outcomes.
Kernelized Heterogeneity-Aware Cross-View Face Recognition
Authors: Dhamecha Tejas I. , Ghosh Soumyadeep , Vatsa Mayank , Singh Richa
Published: July 2021

Cross-view or heterogeneous face matching involves comparing two different views of the face modality such as two different spectrums or resolutions. In this research, we present two heterogeneity-aware subspace techniques, heterogeneous discriminant analysis (HDA) and its kernel version (KHDA) that encode heterogeneity in the objective function and yield a suitable projection space for improved performance. They can be applied on any feature to make it heterogeneity invariant. We next propose a face recognition framework that uses existing facial features along with HDA/KHDA for matching. The effectiveness of HDA and KHDA is demonstrated using both handcrafted and learned representations on three challenging heterogeneous cross-view face recognition scenarios: (i) visible to near-infrared matching, (ii) cross-resolution matching, and (iii) digital photo to composite sketch matching. It is observed that, consistently in all the case studies, HDA and KHDA help to reduce the heterogeneity variance, clearly evidenced in the improved results. Comparison with recent heterogeneous matching algorithms shows that HDA- and KHDA-based matching yields state-of-the-art or comparable results on all three case studies. The proposed algorithms yield the best rank-1 accuracy of 99.4% on the CASIA NIR-VIS 2.0 database, up to 100% on the CMU Multi-PIE for different resolutions, and 95.2% rank-10 accuracies on the e-PRIP database for digital to composite sketch matching.
U.S. Paralympic Hopeful's Athletic Identity and How It Has Been Affected by the Sport Disruption of COVID-19
Authors: Hu Tiao , Mendoza Mathew , Cabador Joy Viray , Cottingham Michael
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore the status of Paralympic hopefuls' athletic identity and how this identity was impacted by the training and competition cessation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews that explored the experiences of 29 Paralympic hopefuls who compete in thirteen different Paralympic sports. A thematic analysis yielded two superordinate themes: a) Prominent athletic identity, multiplicity over exclusivity; b) Various Impact on AI: Mental adaptation helps overcome the lack of sport participation. Participants in this study possessed prominent strong athletic identities from the benefits of sport participation. Their prioritized athletic role still remains despite setbacks due to the pandemic. However, athletes identified with multiple roles rather than an exclusive athletic identity during COVID-19. As for the impacts on identity, the severity of challenges are determined by the mindset of the athletes. All of the athletes experienced a decreased amount of time and physical participation in their sport. Paralympians whose sole focus was on the loss of physical participation were impacted the most. Athletes who felt unchallenged did so because of their mental adaptation. Through a positive outlook and mentality, athletes were able to effectively cope and not dwell on the negative aspects brought on by the pandemic. In conclusion, having a strong AI did not necessarily coincide with a negative impact on identity from COVID-19, and those who do not possess a strong AI felt their AI was unchallenged by the pandemic. More importantly, Paralympians' mindset of how they view and interpret their AI is crucial to how the individual's AI is affected by the sport disruption of COVID-19.
Fruit Herbivory Alters Plant Electrome: Evidence for Fruit-Shoot Long-Distance Electrical Signaling in Tomato Plants
Authors: Reissig Gabriela Niemeyer , Oliveira Thiago Francisco de Carvalho , Oliveira Ricardo Padilha de , Posso Douglas Antônio , Parise André Geremia , Nava Dori Edson , Souza Gustavo Maia
Published: July 2021

The electrical activity of tomato plants subjected to fruit herbivory was investigated. The study aimed to test the hypothesis that tomato fruits transmit long-distance electrical signals to the shoot when subjected to herbivory. For such, time series classification by machine learning techniques and analyses related to the oxidative response were employed. Tomato plants (cv. “Micro-Tom”) were placed into a Faraday's cage and an electrode pair was inserted in the fruit's peduncle. Helicoverpa armigera caterpillars were placed on the fruit (either green and ripe) for 24 h. The time series were recorded before and after the fruit's exposure of the caterpillars. The plant material for chemical analyses was collected 24 and 48 h after the end of the acquisition of electrophysiological data. The time series were analyzed by the following techniques: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Wavelet Transform, Power Spectral Density (PSD), and Approximate Entropy. The following features from FFT, PSD, and Wavelet Transform were used for PCA (Principal Component Analysis): average, maximum and minimum value, variance, skewness, and kurtosis. Additionally, these features were used in Machine Learning (ML) analyses for looking for classifiable patterns between tomato plants before and after fruit herbivory. Also, we compared the electrome before and after herbivory in the green and ripe fruits. To evaluate an oxidative response in different organs, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activity were evaluated in fruit and leaves. The results show with 90% of accuracy that the electrome registered in the fruit's peduncle before herbivory is different from the electrome during predation on the fruits. Interestingly, there was also a sharp difference in the electrome of the green and ripe fruits' peduncles before, but not during, the herbivory, which demonstrates that the signals generated by the herbivory stand over the others. Biochemical analysis showed that herbivory in the fruit triggered an oxidative response in other parts of the plant. Here, we demonstrate that the fruit perceives biotic stimuli and transmits electrical signals to the shoot of tomato plants. This study raises new possibilities for studies involving electrical signals in signaling and systemic response, as well as for the applicability of ML to classify electrophysiological data and its use in early diagnosis.
Phenolic Characterization of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines From Different Geographical Indications of Mendoza, Argentina: Effects of Plant Material and Environment
Authors: Muñoz Flavio , Urvieta Roy , Buscema Fernando , Rasse Manuel , Fontana Ariel , Berli Federico
Published: July 2021

The chemical and sensory characteristics of the wines are related to the geographical origin of the grape, as a result of the interplay between the plant material (G), its acclimatization to the environment (E) and the human factor that influences both the vineyard and the winery. The range of phenotypes that a single genotype can express depending on its environment is known as phenotypic plasticity and is the result of G × E interaction. The present study evaluated the independent and interactive effects of Cabernet Sauvignon plant materials (G: Clone 7 and Mount Eden) implanted in different geographical indications of Mendoza, Argentina (E: Agrelo, Pampa El Cepillo, Altamira and Gualtallary) according to fruit yield and phenolic profiles of wines. The experiment was carried out during 2018 and 2019 vintages using a multifactorial design. When berries reached 24 °Brix, the clusters were harvested, analyzed and wines elaborated by a standardized procedure. Then, the anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolic profiles of wines were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detection (HPLC-DAD–FLD). The results revealed significant G × E interactions for yield traits, including the number of clusters per plant. Differential chemical composition and quality parameters of the resulting wines, markedly affected by E, were observed; that is the geographical location of the vineyards. There were similarities in the phenolic composition between Pampa El Cepillo and Altamira, while larger differences between Agrelo and Gualtallary were observed. Gualtallary presented the highest levels of anthocyanins, quercetin andtrans-resveratrol. The increased amount of these compounds in Gualtallary was associated with an increased UV-B exposure of plants at this high altitude environment. This is the first report that characterizes the effects of plant material and environment for Cabernet Sauvignon. These results are of oenological and viticulture interest for the wine industry demonstrating that the selection of the plant material and the vineyard location for Cabernet Sauvignon can considerably affect the quality attributes of wines.
Using the Five Core Components of Competency-Based Medical Education to Support Implementation of CBVE
Authors: Chaney Kristin P. , Hodgson Jennifer L.
Published: July 2021

In recent years, veterinary education has begun the transition to competency-based models, recognizing that, like medical education, our goals include improved patient and client outcomes and the importance of learner-centered methods in education. Given that implementation of competency-based veterinary education (CBVE) is still in its relative infancy across many veterinary programs, we stand to gain from a unified approach to its implementation. As a guideline, the five core components of competency-based medical education (CBME) should serve to ensure and maintain fidelity of the original design of outcomes-based education during implementation of CBVE. Identified the essential and indispensable elements of CBME which include 1) clearly articulated outcome competencies required for practice, 2) sequenced progression of competencies and their developmental markers, 3) tailored learning experiences that facilitate the acquisition of competencies, 4) competency-focused instruction that promotes the acquisition of competencies, and 5) programmatic assessment. This review advocates the adoption of the principles contained in the five core components of CBME, outlines the approach to implementation of CBVE based upon the five core components, and addresses the key differences between veterinary and medical education which may serve as challenges to ensuring fidelity of CBVE during implementation.
Focal Cortical Resection and Hippocampectomy in a Cat With Drug-Resistant Structural Epilepsy
Authors: Hasegawa Daisuke , Asada Rikako , Hamamoto Yuji , Yu Yoshihiko , Kuwabara Takayuki , Mizoguchi Shunta , Chambers James K. , Uchida Kazuyuki
Published: July 2021

Epilepsy surgery is a common therapeutic option in humans with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, there are few reports of intracranial epilepsy surgery for naturally occurring epilepsy in veterinary medicine. A 12-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat with presumed congenital cortical abnormalities (atrophy) in the right temporo-occipital cortex and hippocampus had been affected with epilepsy from 3 months of age. In addition to recurrent epileptic seizures, the cat exhibited cognitive dysfunction, bilateral blindness, and right forebrain signs. Seizures had been partially controlled (approximately 0.3–0.7 seizures per month) by phenobarbital, zonisamide, diazepam, and gabapentin until 10 years of age; however, they gradually became uncontrollable (approximately 2–3 seizures per month). In order to plan epilepsy surgery, presurgical evaluations including advanced structural magnetic resonance imaging and long-term intracranial video-electroencephalography monitoring were conducted to identify the epileptogenic zone. The epileptogenic zone was suspected in the right atrophied temporo-occipital cortex and hippocampus. Two-step surgery was planned, and a focal cortical resection of that area was performed initially. After the first surgery, seizures were not observed for 2 months, but they then recurred. The second surgery was performed to remove the right atrophic hippocampus and extended area of the right cortex, which showed spikes on intraoperative electrocorticography. After the second operation, although epileptogenic spikes remained in the contralateral occipital lobe, which was suspected as the second epileptogenic focus, seizure frequency decreased to <0.3 seizure per month under treatment with antiseizure drugs at 1.5 years after surgery. There were no apparent complications associated with either operation, although the original neurological signs were unchanged. This is the first exploratory study of intracranial epilepsy surgery for naturally occurring epilepsy, with modern electroclinical and imaging evidence, in veterinary medicine. Along with the spread of advanced diagnostic modalities and neurosurgical devices in veterinary medicine, epilepsy surgery may be an alternative treatment option for drug-resistant epilepsy in cats.
Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship—Introduction
Authors: Carvalho Luísa Cagica , Madeira Maria José
Published: July 2021

Entrepreneurship and innovation are positively related (Zhao 2005; Kyvik 2018; Sant et al [...]
Life Cycle of Edible Jellyfish Acromitus hardenbergi Stiasny, 1934 (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae) Inhabiting a Brackish-Water Environment
Authors: Miyake Hiroshi , Honda Shiho , Nishikawa Jun , Yusoff Fatimah Md.
Published: July 2021

The edible jellyfish Acromitus hardenbergi Stiasny, 1934 is harvested throughout the year at the mouth of the Perak River, Malaysia. Although this species is an important fishery resource in the local area, limited biological studies have been carried out on it. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the life cycle of this unique brackish-water jellyfish in order to conserve the species and develop sustainable jellyfish fisheries. Mature medusae were collected at the mouth of the Perak River. Embryonic and larval development after fertilization was completed within 24 h until the planula stage and within 48 h until the polyp stage. Primary polyps had a long stalk with a small stolon at the base of the calyx. Fully developed polyps were bowl-or goblet-shaped but became an elongated stalk under starved conditions. Asexual reproduction was accomplished only by means of budding, and no podocysts were produced. Strobilation was mono-disc type. These characteristics may be adaptations to the dynamic environmental conditions in the estuary of the Perak River, where salinity fluctuates widely due to strong inflows of highly turbid freshwater coupled with tidal changes. This study suggests that polyps of A. hardenbergi expand their population not by podocysts, but by budding as quickly as possible and forming one large ephyra by mono-disc strobilation without the residuum, because the polyp cannot remain for a long time at its settlement place in the sediment-rich environment with drastic salinity change.
Effects of Cold Exposure on Performance and Skeletal Muscle Fiber in Weaned Piglets
Authors: Yu Jie , Chen Shuai , Zeng Ziyou , Xing Shuaibing , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Huang Zhiqing , Luo Yuheng , Zheng Ping , Mao Xiangbing , Luo Junqiu , Yan Hui
Published: July 2021

Low-temperature is one of the most significant risks for the animal industry. In light of this, the present study aimed to explore the effects of low-temperature on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, myofiber types and mitochondrial function in weaned piglets. A total of sixteen 21-day-old male Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) piglets were randomly divided into a control group (CON, 26 ± 1 °C) and a low-temperature group (LT, 15 ± 1 °C), with eight duplicate piglets in each group. The trial period lasted for 21 days. We showed that LT not only increased the ADFI (p < 0.05), as well as increasing the diarrhea incidence and diarrhea index of weaned piglets in the early stage of the experiment (p < 0.01), but it also decreased the apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM) and dry matter (DM) (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, in the LT group, the mRNA expression of MyHC IIa (p < 0.05) in longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) and MyHC I (p < 0.01) in psoas muscle (PM) were increased, while the mRNA expression of MyHC IIx in PM was decreased (p < 0.05). In addition, LT increased the mRNA expression of mitochondrial function-related genes citrate synthase (CS) and succinate dehydrogenase-b (SDHB) in LM, as well as increased the mRNA expression of CS (p < 0.05) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1b (CPT-1b) (p < 0.01) in PM. Furthermore, LT increased the T-AOC activity in serum and LM (p < 0.01), as well as increased the T-SOD activity in PM (p < 0.05). Taken together, these findings showed that low-temperature could negatively affect the growth performance and nutrient digestibility, but resulted in a shift toward oxidative muscle fibers, which may occur through mitochondrial function regulation.
PM2.5-Bound Heavy Metals in Southwestern China: Characterization, Sources, and Health Risks
Authors: Han Yan , Wang Zhichao , Zhou Jiawei , Che Hanxiong , Tian Mi , Wang Huanbo , Shi Guangming , Yang Fumo , Zhang Shumin , Chen Yang
Published: July 2021

The health risks of PM2.5-bound heavy metals have attracted extensive attention recently. In order to evaluate those deleterious effects on human health more accurately, and to propose proper measures to reduce health risks of air pollution, the conduction of a source-specific health risk assessment is necessary. Based on daily collected PM2.5 samples at different functional sites during winter 2019 in a megacity Chongqing, China, combining source apportionment results from PMF and health risk assessment from the U.S. EPA, the source-specific health risks from PM2.5-bound heavy metals were given. Six types of PM2.5 sources have been identified, coal burning (25.5%), motor vehicles (22.8%), industrial emissions (20.5%), biomass burning (15.9%), dust (7.8%), and ship emissions (7.5%). Results showed that the total hazard quotient (HQ) was 0.32 and the total carcinogenic risks (CR) were 2.09 × 10−6 for children and 8.36 × 10−6 for adults, implying certain risks for local residents. Industrial emissions related with Cr posed both the highest carcinogenic risk and noncarcinogenic risk (contributing 25% CR and 36% HQ). Coal combustion (associated with Cr, As, and Mn) contributed 15.46% CR and 20.64% HQ, while biomass burning and motor vehicles shared 19.99% and 19.05% of the total CR, respectively. This work indicated that health risks of air pollution sources were the combined effects of the source contribution and chemical components. In order to control the health risks of PM2.5 to the local residents, the priority of targeted emission sources should be adopted for industrial emissions, biomass burning, vehicle emissions, and coal combustion sources.