bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Climate Therapy on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Children with Asthma
Authors: De Pieri Carlo , Arigliani Michele , Francescato Maria Pia , Droli Maurizio , Vidoni Michael , Liguoro Ilaria , Ferrari Maria Elena , Cogo Paola , Canciani Mario Canciano
Published: November 2021

We investigated whether a 1-week stay in the mountains may have a positive impact on Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB) and cardiorespiratory endurance in asthmatic children from an urban area. Spirometry was performed before and 10 min after a 20 m shuttle run test (20mSRT) on the first and seventh day of a summer asthma camp in the Italian Alps at 900 m of altitude. Spirometry z-scores were derived from the Global Lung Initiative 2012 prediction equations, and percentiles of the 20mSRT performance were assigned according to De Miguel-Etayo’s and Tomkinson’s predictive equations. A FEV1 decrease ≥10% after the exercise was defined as EIB. Particulate matter pollution was monitored during the camp and in the urban area of provenience. Twenty-four subjects (age range 7–16 years) were included. Frequency of EIB decreased from 58% (14/24) at day-1 to 33% (8/24) at the end of the camp (p = 0.08). Most subjects with a 20mSRT in the lowest quartile at day 1 had EIB (9/11). The proportion of children with a 20mSRT <25° percentile decreased from 45% (11/24) at day-1 to 16% (4/24) at day-7 (p = 0.02). Conclusion: One-week climate therapy in the mountains improved both bronchial hyperreactivity and cardiorespiratory endurance in our cohort of asthmatic children.
Genetic and Metabolic Determinants of Atrial Fibrillation in a General Population Sample: The CHRIS Study
Authors: Emmert David B. , Vukovic Vladimir , Dordevic Nikola , Weichenberger Christian X. , Losi Chiara , D’Elia Yuri , Volpato Claudia , Hernandes Vinicius V. , Gögele Martin , Foco Luisa , Pontali Giulia , Mascalzoni Deborah , Domingues Francisco S. , Paulmichl Rupert , Pramstaller Peter P. , Pattaro Cristian , Rossini Alessandra , Rainer Johannes , Fuchsberger Christian , De Bortoli Marzia
Published: November 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a supraventricular arrhythmia deriving from uncoordinated electrical activation with considerable associated morbidity and mortality. To expand the limited understanding of AF biological mechanisms, we performed two screenings, investigating the genetic and metabolic determinants of AF in the Cooperative Health Research in South Tyrol study. We found 110 AF cases out of 10,509 general population individuals. A genome-wide association scan (GWAS) identified two novel loci (p-value < 5 × 10−8) around SNPs rs745582874, next to gene PBX1, and rs768476991, within gene PCCA, with genotype calling confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Risk alleles at both SNPs were enriched in a family detected through familial aggregation analysis of the phenotype, and both rare alleles co-segregated with AF. The metabolic screening of 175 metabolites, in a subset of individuals, revealed a 41% lower concentration of lysophosphatidylcholine lysoPC a C20:3 in AF cases compared to controls (p-adj = 0.005). The genetic findings, combined with previous evidence, indicate that the two identified GWAS loci may be considered novel genetic rare determinants for AF. Considering additionally the association of lysoPC a C20:3 with AF by metabolic screening, our results demonstrate the valuable contribution of the combined genomic and metabolomic approach in studying AF in large-scale population studies.
The Genetic Profile and Serum Level of IL-8 Are Associated with Chronic Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection
Authors: Amoras Ednelza da Silva Graça , de Brito William Botelho , Queiroz Maria Alice Freitas , Conde Simone Regina Souza da Silva , Cayres Vallinoto Izaura Maria Vieira , Ishak Ricardo , Vallinoto Antonio Carlos Rosário
Published: November 2021

The present study evaluated the IL8-251 A/T polymorphism in samples from 74 patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV), 100 patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV), and 300 healthy donors (CG). The correlations of this polymorphism with plasma IL-8 and disease stage were calculated. Polymorphisms were identified by real-time PCR. IL-8 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The IL8-251 A/T genotype was not associated with susceptibility to infection by HBV or HCV. The wild-type allele (A) was associated with higher levels of inflammation (p = 0.0464) and fibrosis scores (p = 0.0016) in the HBV group, representing an increased risk for increased inflammatory activity (OR = 1.84; p = 0.0464) and for high fibrosis scores (OR = 2.63; p = 0.0016). Viral load was higher in HBV patients with polymorphic genotypes (TA and TT) at the IL8-251 A/T polymorphism than in those with the wild-type genotype (p = 0.0272 and p = 0.0464, respectively). Plasma IL-8 was higher among patients infected with HBV or HCV than in the control group (p = 0.0445 and p = 0.0001, respectively). The polymorphic genotype was associated with lower IL-8 than the wild-type genotype in the HBV group (p = 0.0239) and the HCV group (p = 0.0372). The wild-type genotype for IL8-251 A/T and high IL-8 were associated with a worse prognosis for infections; therefore, they may contribute to viral persistence and the development of more severe forms of chronic viral liver diseases.
Gossypol Acetic Acid Attenuates Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats via an Antiferroptotic Mechanism
Authors: Lin Jian-Hong , Yang Kun-Ta , Ting Pei-Ching , Luo Yu-Po , Lin Ding-Jyun , Wang Yi-Shun , Chang Jui-Chih
Published: November 2021

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has been associated with ferroptosis, which is characterized by an iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxide to lethal levels. Gossypol acetic acid (GAA), a natural product taken from the seeds of cotton plants, prevents oxidative stress. However, the effects of GAA on myocardial I/R-induced ferroptosis remain unclear. This study investigated the ability of GAA to attenuate I/R-induced ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes along with the underlying mechanisms in a well-established rat model of myocardial I/R and isolated neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. H9c2 cells and cardiomyocytes were treated with the ferroptosis inducers erastin, RSL3, and Fe-SP. GAA could protect H9c2 cells against ferroptotic cell death caused by these ferroptosis inducers by decreasing the production of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, chelating iron content, and downregulating mRNA levels of Ptgs2. GAA could prevent oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion-induced cell death and lipid peroxidation in the cardiomyocytes. Moreover, GAA significantly attenuated myocardial infarct size, reduced lipid peroxidation, decreased the mRNA levels of the ferroptosis markers Ptgs2 and Acsl4, decreased the protein levels of ACSL4 and NRF2, and increased the protein levels of GPX4 in I/R-induced ex vivo rat hearts. Thus, GAA may play a cytoprotectant role in ferroptosis-induced cardiomyocyte death and myocardial I/R-induced ferroptotic cell death.
The Emerging Roles of Autophagy in Human Diseases
Authors: Lei Yuchen , Klionsky Daniel J.
Published: November 2021

Autophagy, a process of cellular self-digestion, delivers intracellular components including superfluous and dysfunctional proteins and organelles to the lysosome for degradation and recycling and is important to maintain cellular homeostasis. In recent decades, autophagy has been found to help fight against a variety of human diseases, but, at the same time, autophagy can also promote the procession of certain pathologies, which makes the connection between autophagy and diseases complex but interesting. In this review, we summarize the advances in understanding the roles of autophagy in human diseases and the therapeutic methods targeting autophagy and discuss some of the remaining questions in this field, focusing on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, infectious diseases and metabolic disorders.
Patient-Specific Modeling of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Thobe Kirsten , Konrath Fabian , Chapuy Björn , Wolf Jana
Published: November 2021

Personalized medicine aims to tailor treatment to patients based on their individual genetic or molecular background. Especially in diseases with a large molecular heterogeneity, such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), personalized medicine has the potential to improve outcome and/or to reduce resistance towards treatment. However, integration of patient-specific information into a computational model is challenging and has not been achieved for DLBCL. Here, we developed a computational model describing signaling pathways and expression of critical germinal center markers. The model integrates the regulatory mechanism of the signaling and gene expression network and covers more than 50 components, many carrying genetic lesions common in DLBCL. Using clinical and genomic data of 164 primary DLBCL patients, we implemented mutations, structural variants and copy number alterations as perturbations in the model using the CoLoMoTo notebook. Leveraging patient-specific genotypes and simulation of the expression of marker genes in specific germinal center conditions allows us to predict the consequence of the modeled pathways for each patient. Finally, besides modeling how genetic perturbations alter physiological signaling, we also predicted for each patient model the effect of rational inhibitors, such as Ibrutinib, that are currently discussed as possible DLBCL treatments, showing patient-dependent variations in effectiveness and synergies.
Paper-Based Multiplexed Colorimetric Device for the Simultaneous Detection of Salivary Biomarkers
Authors: Pomili Tania , Donati Paolo , Pompa Pier Paolo
Published: November 2021

In this study, we describe a monolithic and fully integrated paper-based device for the simultaneous detection of three prognostic biomarkers in saliva. The pattern of the proposed multiplexed device is designed with a central sample deposition zone and three identical arms, each containing a pre-treatment and test zone. Its one-step fabrication is realized by CO2 laser cutting, providing remarkable parallelization and rapidity (ca. 5 s/device). The colorimetric detection is based on the sensitive and selective target-induced reshaping of plasmonic multibranched gold nanoparticles, which exhibit a clear spectral shift (and blue-to-pink color change) in case of non-physiological concentrations of the three salivary biomarkers. A rapid and multiplexed naked-eye or smartphone-based readout of the colorimetric response is achieved within 10 min. A prototype kit for POCT testing is also reported, providing robustness and easy handling of the device.
Epidermal Hyaluronan in Barrier Alteration-Related Disease
Authors: Evrard Céline , Lambert de Rouvroit Catherine , Poumay Yves
Published: November 2021

In skin, although the extracellular matrix (ECM) is highly developed in dermis and hypodermis, discrete intercellular spaces between cells of the living epidermal layers are also filled with ECM components. Herein, we review knowledge about structure, localization and role of epidermal hyaluronan (HA), a key ECM molecule. HA is a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan non-covalently bound to proteins or lipids. Components of the basal lamina maintain some segregation between the epidermis and the underlying dermis, and all epidermal HA is locally synthesized and degraded. Functions of HA in keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation are still controversial. However, through interactions with partners, such as the TSG-6 protein, HA is involved in the formation, organization and stabilization of the epidermal ECM. In addition, epidermal HA is involved in the formation of an efficient epidermal barrier made of cornified keratinocytes. In atopic dermatitis (AD) with profuse alterations of the epidermal barrier, HA is produced in larger amounts by keratinocytes than in normal skin. Epidermal HA inside AD lesional skin is located in enlarged intercellular spaces, likely as the result of disease-related modifications of HA metabolism.
Discrepancies between Parent and Teacher Reports of Motor Competence in 5–10-Year-Old Children with and without Suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Ke Li , Barnett Anna L. , Wang Yun , Duan Wen , Hua Jing , Du Wenchong
Published: November 2021

Parents and teachers have knowledge of children’s daily motor performance yet may make different judgments about the levels of competence observed at home and school. The current study aimed to examine the discrepancies between parent and teacher reports using the Movement ABC-2 Checklist and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) on children with and without suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Movement ABC-2 Test was administered to 1276 children aged 5–10 years in China. The Movement ABC-2 Checklist and DCDQ were completed by both parents and teachers of all children. A total of 172 children achieving a score below the 15th percentile on the Movement ABC-2 Test were identified as children with suspected DCD. Both parents and teachers showed suitable agreement in judging children’s motor competence but low sensitivity in identifying children with DCD. Parent scores of children’s motor competence were more closely associated with test performance scores compared to teacher scores. Teachers tended to over-rate children’s motor competence. The motor difficulties identified by parents were associated with low Movement ABC-2 Test scores on Manual Dexterity and Balance components, while motor difficulties identified by teachers were associated with the Balance component only. The results demonstrated discrepancies between parent and teacher reports, suggesting the importance of using a range of measures to identify and describe motor difficulties in children.
Metadata Schema for Managing Digital Data and Images of Thai Human Skulls
Authors: Yosakonkun Satapon , Tuamsuk Panya , Chansanam Wirapong , Tuamsuk Kulthida
Published: November 2021

This research was aimed at developing metadata that meets international standards for the purpose of managing digital data and images of Thai human skulls for medical studies. The research was conducted by applying the Metadata Lifecycle Model of the Metadata Architecture and Application Team. The model comprises four steps: requirement assessment and content analysis, identification of metadata requirements, metadata schema development, and metadata service and evaluation. The research outcome was a metadata schema composed of four modules, seven data element sets, and 29 pieces of data, each of which had six sets of property descriptions. Metadata evaluation conducted by three specialists in the field of anatomy and forensic medicine and three experts in the field of information science and metadata through free retrieval based on the Continuum of Metadata Quality in four aspects revealed that the experts were satisfied with the quality of metadata at a very high level: 100% for completeness, accuracy, and accessibility, and 94% for conformance to expectations. The developed metadata contain details that can be used to describe the characteristics of human skulls, with consideration taken in the development of the language used, retrieval, access, data exchange, and sharing. Thus, this novel metadata schema can be of use in management of digital data and images of human skulls for the purposes of medical studies, i.e., human anatomy and forensic anthropology.
Innovation Trajectories for a Society 5.0
Authors: De Felice Fabio , Travaglioni Marta , Petrillo Antonella
Published: November 2021

Big Data, the Internet of Things, and robotic and augmented realities are just some of the technologies that belong to Industry 4.0. These technologies improve working conditions and increase productivity and the quality of industry production. However, they can also improve life and society as a whole. A new perspective is oriented towards social well-being and it is called Society 5.0. Industry 4.0 supports the transition to the new society, but other drivers are also needed. To guide the transition, it is necessary to identify the enabling factors that integrate Industry 4.0. A conceptual framework was developed in which these factors were identified through a literature review and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methodology. Furthermore, the way in which they relate was evaluated with the help of the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology. The proposed framework fills a research gap, which has not yet consolidated a strategy that includes all aspects of Society 5.0. As a result, the main driver, in addition to technology, is international politics.
Deep Learning Models for Poorly Differentiated Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Classification in Whole Slide Images Using Transfer Learning
Authors: Tsuneki Masayuki , Kanavati Fahdi
Published: November 2021

Colorectal poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (ADC) is known to have a poor prognosis as compared with well to moderately differentiated ADC. The frequency of poorly differentiated ADC is relatively low (usually less than 5% among colorectal carcinomas). Histopathological diagnosis based on endoscopic biopsy specimens is currently the most cost effective method to perform as part of colonoscopic screening in average risk patients, and it is an area that could benefit from AI-based tools to aid pathologists in their clinical workflows. In this study, we trained deep learning models to classify poorly differentiated colorectal ADC from Whole Slide Images (WSIs) using a simple transfer learning method. We evaluated the models on a combination of test sets obtained from five distinct sources, achieving receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) area under the curves (AUCs) up to 0.95 on 1799 test cases.
Optimization of Case Definitions for Sensitivity as a Preventive Strategy—A Modelling Exemplified with Rapid Diagnostic Test-Based Prevention of Sexual HIV Transmission
Authors: Hahn Andreas , Frickmann Hagen , Loderstädt Ulrike
Published: November 2021

In clinical studies, case definitions are usually designed to optimally match the desired clinical state, because lacking specificity is associated with a risk of bias regarding the study outcome. In preventive medicine, however, high sensitivity is sometimes considered as more critical in order not to overlook infectious individuals, because the latter may be associated with ongoing spread of a transmittable disease. Accordingly, this work was focused on a theoretical model on how the sensitivity of case definitions can be optimized by adding clinical symptoms to diagnostic results for preventive purposes, if the associated reduction in specificity is considered as acceptable. The model was exemplified with an analysis on whether and in how far exposure risk can be reduced by the inclusion of observable symptoms during seroconversion syndrome in case of rapid diagnostic test-based prevention of sexual HIV transmission. The approach provided a high level of safety (negative predictive values close to 1) for the price of a considerably number of false positives (positive predictive values < 0.01 for some subpopulations). When applying such a sensitivity-optimized screening as a “diagnostics as prevention” strategy, the advantages of excellent negative predictive values need to be cautiously balanced against potential undesirable consequences of low positive predictive values.
Characterization and Pathogenic Speculation of Xerostomia Associated with COVID-19: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tsuchiya Hironori
Published: November 2021

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have become known to present with different oral symptoms. However, xerostomia remains poorly recognized compared with taste dysfunction. For better understanding of COVID-19 symptomatology, xerostomia associated withCOVID-19 was characterized and its possible pathogenesis was speculated by a narrative literature review. Scientific articles were retrieved by searching PubMed, LitCovid, ProQuest, Google Scholar, medRxiv and bioRxiv from 1 April 2020 with a cutoff date of 30 September 2021. Results of the literature search indicated that xerostomia is one of prevalent and persistent oral symptoms associated with COVID-19. In contrast to taste dysfunction, the prevalence and persistence of xerostomia do not necessarily depend on ethnicity, age, gender and disease severity of patients. COVID-19 xerostomia is pathogenically related to viral cellular entry-relevant protein expression, renin-angiotensin system disturbance, salivary gland inflammation, zinc deficiency, cranial neuropathy, intercurrent taste dysfunction, comorbidities and medications. Despite a close association with COVID-19, xerostomia, dry mouth and hyposalivation tend to be overlooked unlike ageusia, dysgeusia and hypogeusia. Although mouth dryness per se is not life-threating, it has an impact on the oral health-related quality of life. More attention should be paid to xerostomia in COVID-19 patients and survivors.
A Phase Generation Shifting Algorithm for Prosumer Surplus Management in Microgrids Using Inverter Automated Control
Authors: Ivanov Ovidiu , Neagu Bogdan-Constantin , Gavrilas Mihai , Grigoras Gheorghe
Published: November 2021

Four-wire low-voltage microgrids supply one-phase consumers with electricity, responding to a continuously changing demand. For addressing climate change concerns, national governments have implemented incentive schemes for residential consumers, encouraging the installation of home PV panels for covering self-consumption needs. In the absence of adequate storage capacities, the surplus is sold back by these entities, called prosumers, to the grid operator or, in local markets, to other consumers. While these initiatives encourage the proliferation of green energy resources, and ample research is dedicated to local market designs for prosumer–consumer trading, the main concern of distribution network operators is the influence of power flows generated by prosumers’ surplus injection on the operating states of microgrids. The change in power flow amount and direction can greatly influence the economic and technical operating conditions of radial grids. This paper proposes a metaheuristic algorithm for prosumer surplus management that optimizes the power surplus injections using the automated control of three-phase inverters, with the aim of reducing the active power losses over a typical day of operation. A case study was performed on two real distribution networks with distinct layouts and load profiles, and the algorithm resulted efficient in both scenarios. By optimally distributing the prosumer generation surplus on the three phases of the network, significant loss reductions were obtained, with the best results when the generated power was injected in an unbalanced, three-phase flow.
Correlations between the Chemical, Microbiological Characteristics and Sensory Profile of Fungal Fermented Food
Authors: Wikandari Rachma , Kinanti Dyah Ayu , Permatasari Regina Devi , Rahmaningtyas Nur Lisa , Chairunisa Nidya Rizkadianari , Sardjono  , Hellwig Coralie , Taherzadeh Mohammad J.
Published: November 2021

Fungal fermented foods are nutritious, environmentally friendly and sustainable protein sources. To develop fungal fermented food with acceptable sensory characteristics, it is important to assess factors that can affect the sensory characteristics of the product. The current study aimed to investigate the correlations between the chemical and microbiological characteristics and sensory characteristics of fungal fermented food. Soybeans were fermented using five local Indonesian strains of the genus Rhizopus sp. and one strain of industrial starter to mimic traditional Indonesian tempe. The chemical (amino acid and ammonia content), microbiological (lactic acid bacteria, proteolytic bacteria and yeast) and sensory characteristics of the fermented products were examined. The results showed that there is a correlation between the chemical properties, particularly glutamic acid and aspartic acid, and the overall liking of different types of tempe. In general, Rhizopus oligosporus-fermented products had better sensory characteristics than those fermented with Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus delemar. The sensory characteristics of the fermented products in this work made from isolates are comparable to those made with an industrial starter culture. In addition, taste and texture affect the overall liking of the product. The results of this study contribute to the development of acceptable sensory fungal fermented food and, in particular, the screening of potential starters.
Proposal of a Mask and Its Performance Analysis with CFD for an Enhanced Aerodynamic Geometry That Facilitates Filtering and Breathing against COVID-19
Authors: López-Rebollar Boris Miguel , Posadas-Bejarano Abad , García-Pulido Daury , Torres-Maya Adrián , Díaz-Delgado Carlos
Published: November 2021

As a result of the recent events associated with the SARS-CoV-2 around the world, there has been a need for research to strengthen health care. The use of masks or respirators has been an effective measure, reducing the risk of contagion caused by the spread of the virus in public places. Currently, there are masks that retain up to 99% of particles >0.3 microns; however, they lack an airtight seal with the face, leading to discomfort and poor protection in conditions without social distancing and areas without ventilation. The device proposed in this study includes a geometric design of static valves with convergent spirals and interior baffles that promotes enhanced aerodynamics with bidirectional flow. According to the analysis and CFD simulation of the proposed reusable, washable, and economic mask and valve system for breathing, coughing, and sneezing events, enhanced air exchange could be maintained, facilitating a higher inhalation flow through the side of the mask (62%) and a higher exhalation through the front of the mask (74%), thereby avoiding the recirculation of the flow to the interior of the mask. The inclusion of filters with KN95 characteristics in the inlets and outlets maintains velocities below 10 cm/s, reducing the probability of infection.
The Potential Use of Cold-Pressed Pumpkin Seed Oil By-Products in a Low-Fat Salad Dressing: The Effect on Rheological, Microstructural, Recoverable Properties, and Emulsion and Oxidative Stability
Authors: Tekin-Cakmak Zeynep Hazal , Atik Ilker , Karasu Salih
Published: November 2021

The cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil by-product (POB) was evaluated for its application as a natural fat substitute and stabilizer in the reduced-fat salad dressings. For this aim, the samples were prepared by combining the xanthan gum (0.2–0.4 g/100 g), POB (1.0–5.0 g/100 g), egg yolk powder (3 g/100 g), and sunflower oil (10–30 g/100 g) in 17 different formulations. The optimization was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM) and full factorial central composite design (CCD). Results showed that all samples presented the shear-thinning (or pseudoplastic) flow behavior with 3.75–16.11 Pa·sn and 0.18–0.30, K and n values, respectively. The flow behavior rheological data were fitted to a power-law model (R2 > 0.99). The samples with high POB and low oil content showed similar K and n values compared to high oil content samples. Additionally, the dynamic rheological properties and three interval thixotropic test (3-ITT) were determined. The G′ value was larger than G″ in all frequency ranges, indicating viscoelastic solid characteristics in all samples. The optimum formulation was determined as 0.384% XG, 10% oil, and 3.04% POB. The samples prepared with the optimum formulation (POBLF-SD) were compared to low-fat (LF-SD), and high-fat (HF-SD) control salad dressing samples based on the rheological properties, emulsion stability, oxidative stability, zeta potential, and particle size. The oxidation kinetic parameters namely, IP, Ea, ΔS++, and ΔG++ showed that the oxidative stability of salad dressing samples could be improved by enriched by POB. The results of the present study demonstrated that POB could be considerably utilized as a natural fat substitute and stabilizer in salad dressing type emulsions.
Quality Formation of Adzuki Bean Baked: From Acrylamide to Volatiles under Microwave Heating and Drum Roasting
Authors: Yao Xinmiao , Zheng Xianzhe , Zhao Rui , Li Zhebin , Shen Huifang , Li Tie , Gu Zhiyong , Zhou Ye , Xu Na , Shi Aimin , Wang Qiang , Lu Shuwen
Published: November 2021

Baked adzuki beans are rich in tantalizing odor and nutritional components, such as protein, dietary fiber, vitamin B, and minerals. To analyze the final quality of baked beans, the acrylamide and volatile formation of adzuki beans were investigated under the conditions of microwave baking and drum roasting. The results indicate that the acrylamide formation in baked adzuki beans obeys the exponential growth function during the baking process, where a rapid increase in acrylamide content occurs at a critical temperature and low moisture content. The critical temperature that leads to a sudden increase in acrylamide content is 116.5 °C for the moisture content of 5.6% (w.b.) in microwave baking and 91.6 °C for the moisture content of 6.1% (w.b.) in drum roasting. The microwave-baked adzuki beans had a higher formation of the kinetics of acrylamide than that of drum-roasted beans due to the microwave volumetric heating mode. The acrylamide content in baked adzuki beans had a significant correlation with their color due to the Maillard reaction. A color difference of 11.1 and 3.6 may be introduced to evaluate the starting point of the increase in acrylamide content under microwave baking and drum roasting, respectively. Heating processes, including microwave baking and drum roasting, for adzuki beans generate characteristic volatile compounds such as furan, pyrazine, ketone, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, pyrroles, sulfocompound, phenols, and pyridine. Regarding flavor formation, beans baked via drum roasting showed better flavor quality than microwave-baked beans.
Tribbles Gene Expression Profiles in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Fernandes Mónica T. , Yassuda Victor , Bragança José , Link Wolfgang , Ferreira Bibiana I. , De Sousa-Coelho Ana Luísa
Published: November 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the world. Therefore, the identification of novel druggable targets is urgently needed. Tribbles proteins belong to a pseudokinase family, previously recognized in CRC as oncogenes and potential therapeutic targets. Here, we analyzed the expression of TRIB1, TRIB2, and TRIB3 simultaneously in 33 data sets from CRC based on available GEO profiles. We show that all three Tribbles genes are overrepresented in CRC cell lines and primary tumors, though depending on specific features of the CRC samples. Higher expression of TRIB2 in the tumor microenvironment and TRIB3 overexpression in an early stage of CRC development, unveil a potential and unexplored role for these proteins in the context of CRC. Differential Tribbles expression was also explored in diverse cellular experimental conditions where either genetic or pharmacological approaches were used, providing novel hints for future research. This comprehensive bioinformatic analysis provides new insights into Tribbles gene expression and transcript regulation in CRC.
Functional Settings of Hospital Outdoor Spaces and the Perceptions from Public and Hospital Occupant during COVID-19
Authors: Ma Ming , Adeney Michael , Long Hao
Published: November 2021

Hospital outdoor spaces play an important role for the safety and well-being of users (patients, visitors, and staff), particularly during a pandemic. However, the actual needs of these spaces are often overlooked due to the design and management process. This study investigates the perceptions of the public and occupants on the functional settings of outdoor spaces, and provides evidence for building a safe and resilient hospital during (and after) COVID-19. A multi-method approach of web content analysis (WCA) and a web-based survey was employed. Reports were collected from three mainstream websites; keywords were extracted and then categorized, pertaining to the functional settings of outdoor spaces. Three groups of occupants from Southwest Hospital (staff n = 47, patients n = 64, visitors n = 73) participated in the survey to identify their perceptions of these functional settings. Based on the 657 reports and 33 keywords selected, 7 functional settings were identified: health check (HC), quarantine and observation (QO), food and delivery (FD), healing and restoration (HR), waiting and rest (WR), transportation and parking (TP), load and unload (LU). From all users, HC (4.13) was thought to be the most expected function setting while FD (2.61) was the least. Regarding the satisfaction level, most users were satisfied with HC (3.22) while WR (2.16) was the least satisfying. The users also showed significant differences regarding expectation and satisfaction pertaining to their groups. The results indicate that the current outdoor space could not fully meet the needs of users, regarding the emerging functional setting, due to the pandemic. Users showed significant different perceptions on the functional setting due to their roles. The mismatch between the outdoor space and the users’ needs on emerging functional settings resulted in low satisfaction and high expectation in the survey. Environmental interventions with adaptive and flexible strategies should be adapted for these functional settings. The differences of users should be fully recognized by administrators, decision-makers, and designers.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case Report Highlighting Diagnosing and Treatment Challenges and the Possibility of Jarisch–Herxheimer Reactions If High Infectious Loads Are Present
Authors: Straub Rachel K. , Powers Christopher M.
Published: November 2021

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex multi-system disease with no cure and no FDA-approved treatment. Approximately 25% of patients are house or bedbound, and some are so severe in function that they require tube-feeding and are unable to tolerate light, sound, and human touch. The overall goal of this case report was to (1) describe how past events (e.g., chronic sinusitis, amenorrhea, tick bites, congenital neutropenia, psychogenic polydipsia, food intolerances, and hypothyroidism) may have contributed to the development of severe ME/CFS in a single patient, and (2) the extensive medical interventions that the patient has pursued in an attempt to recover, which enabled her to return to graduate school after becoming bedridden with ME/CFS 4.5 years prior. This paper aims to increase awareness of the harsh reality of ME/CFS and the potential complications following initiation of any level of intervention, some of which may be necessary for long-term healing. Treatments may induce severe paradoxical reactions (Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction) if high infectious loads are present. It is our hope that sharing this case will improve research and treatment options for ME/CFS.
Effects of Temperature and Photoperiod on the Flower Potential in Everbearing Strawberry as Evaluated by Meristem Dissection
Authors: Samad Samia , Butare Denis , Marttila Salla , Sønsteby Anita , Khalil Sammar
Published: November 2021

The growing interest in using everbearing (EB) strawberry cultivars to extend the cultivation period has faced some challenges. These include poor runner production due to its perpetual flowering nature; irregular flowering behavior and extended periods of high temperature have caused floral inhibition and reduced yield. As flowering is an interplay between temperature and photoperiod, it is important to investigate the effects of this interaction on the cultivation. Therefore, this study used meristem dissection as a tool to study the effect of temperature and photoperiod on meristem development. Tray plants of two EB strawberry cultivars ‘Florentina’ and ‘Favori’ were grown at 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C under short day (SD) conditions, and subsequently at 20 °C under long day (LD) conditions. The meristem development was analysed every 6 weeks for a 15-week period in SD and for 14 weeks in LD conditions using meristem dissection. The plants showed similar flowering patterns to previously studied everbearing cultivars, which was qualitative LD plants at high temperatures and quantitative LD plants at lower temperatures. Our results show that meristem dissection can be used to determine the temperature and photoperiodic effect on meristem development, and for the occurrence of cropping peaks, and can therefore be used to decide the environmental input and to evaluate yield potential.
Semi-Automatic Extraction of Rural Roads under the Constraint of Combined Geometric and Texture Features
Authors: Tan Hai , Shen Zimo , Dai Jiguang
Published: November 2021

The extraction of road information from high-resolution remotely-sensed images has important application value in many fields. Rural roads have the characteristics of relatively narrow widths and diversified pavement materials; these characteristics can easily lead to problems involving the similarity of the road texture with the texture of surrounding objects and make it difficult to improve the automation of traditional high-precision road extraction methods. Based on this background, a semi-automatic rural road extraction method constrained by a combination of geometric and texture features is proposed in this paper. First, an adaptive road width extraction model is proposed to improve the accuracy of the initial road centre point. Then, aiming at the continuous change of curvature of rural roads, a tracking direction prediction model is proposed. Finally, a matching model under geometric texture constraints is proposed, which solves the problem of similarity between road and neighbourhood texture to a certain extent. The experimental results show that by selecting different types of experimental scenes or remotely sensed image data, compared with other methods, the proposed method can not only guarantee the road extraction accuracy but also improve the degree of automation to a certain extent.
RADAR: Resilient Application for Dependable Aided Reporting
Authors: Azzini Antonia , Cortesi Nicola , Psaila Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Many organizations must produce many reports for various reasons. Although this activity could appear simple to carry out, this fact is not at all true: indeed, generating reports requires the collection of possibly large and heterogeneous data sets. Furthermore, different professional figures are involved in the process, possibly with different skills (database technicians, domain experts, employees): the lack of common knowledge and of a unifying framework significantly obstructs the effective and efficient definition and continuous generation of reports. This paper presents a novel framework named RADAR, which is the acronym for “Resilient Application for Dependable Aided Reporting”: the framework has been devised to be a ”bridge” between data and employees in charge of generating reports. Specifically, it builds a common knowledge base in which database administrators and domain experts describe their knowledge about the application domain and the gathered data; this knowledge can be browsed by employees to find out the relevant data to aggregate and insert into reports, while designing report layouts; the framework assists the overall process from data definition to report generation. The paper presents the application scenario and the vision by means of a running example, defines the data model and presents the architecture of the framework.
Thoracic Spine Fractures with Blunt Aortic Injury: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Characteristics
Authors: Deng Hai , Tang Ting-Xuan , Tang Liang-Sheng , Chen Deng , Luo Jia-Liu , Dong Li-Ming , Gao Si-Hai , Tang Zhao-Hui
Published: November 2021

Background: The coexistence of thoracic fractures and blunt aortic injury (BAI) is potentially catastrophic and easy to be missed in acute trauma settings. Data regarding patients with thoracic fractures complicated with BAI are limited. Methods: The authors conducted a prospective, observational, single-center study including patients with thoracic burst fractures. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed to determine the risk factors of aortic injury. Results: In total, 124 patients with burst fractures of the thoracic spine were included. The incidence of BAI was 11.3% (14/124) in patients with thoracic burst fractures. Among these patients, 11 patients with BAI were missed diagnoses. The main risk factors of BAI were as follows: Injury severity score (OR 1.184; 95% CI, 1.072–1.308; p = 0.001), mechanism of injury, such as crush (OR 10.474; 95% CI, 1.905–57.579; p = 0.007), flail chest (OR = 4.917; 95% CI, 1.122–21.545; p = 0.035), and neurological deficit (OR = 8.299; 95% CI, 0.999–68.933; p = 0.05). Conclusions: BAI (incidence 11.3%) is common in patients with burst fractures of the thoracic spine and is an easily missed diagnosis. We must maintain a high suspicion of injury for BAI when patients with thoracic burst fractures present with these high-risk factors.
Molecular Cytology by One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) Assay of Peritoneal Washings during D2 Gastrectomy in Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients: Preliminary Results
Authors: Gęca Katarzyna , Rawicz-Pruszyński Karol , Mlak Radosław , Sędłak Katarzyna , Skórzewska Magdalena , Pelc Zuzanna , Małecka-Massalska Teresa , Polkowski Wojciech P.
Published: November 2021

The presence of peritoneal free cancer cells (FCC) in gastric cancer (GC) patients is a poor prognostic factor. D2 gastrectomy may induce exfoliated FCC spread from the primary tumour or involved lymph nodes (LN). Conventional cytology for FCC detection has several limitations, whereas prophylactic use of extensive intraoperative peritoneal lavage (IPL) does not improve survival. A prospective single-arm observational study was conducted to verify whether D2 gastrectomy causes an intraoperative increase of FCC in peritoneal fluid. Twenty-seven GC patients underwent D2 gastrectomy, followed by objective quantitative measurements of CK19 mRNA level reflecting FCC with One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) assay. The IPL with 3000 mL of saline was performed twice: (1) after gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and (2) after alimentary tract reconstruction. The IPL samples were analysed by initial cytology and four (1–4) consecutive OSNA assays. Initial OSNA measurement (1) revealed positive results (≥24.6 cCP/μL) in 7 (29.6%) patients. Subsequent OSNA measurements showed a significant decrease in the FCC level after D2 gastrectomy (1 vs. 2; p = 0.0012). The first IPL induced a non-significant increase in the FCCs (2 vs. 3, p = 0.3300), but the second IPL reversed it to normal levels (3 vs. 4, p = 0.0.0574). The OSNA assay indicates a temporal intraoperative increase in the peritoneal FCC in advanced GC patients undergoing D2 gastrectomy. Two consecutive IPLs are necessary to reverse the increase of CK19 mRNA level in peritoneal washings.
Automated Data Annotation for 6-DoF AI-Based Navigation Algorithm Development
Authors: Apud Baca Javier Gibran , Jantos Thomas , Theuermann Mario , Hamdad Mohamed Amin , Steinbrener Jan , Weiss Stephan , Almer Alexander , Perko Roland
Published: November 2021

Accurately estimating the six degree of freedom (6-DoF) pose of objects in images is essential for a variety of applications such as robotics, autonomous driving, and autonomous, AI, and vision-based navigation for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Developing such algorithms requires large datasets; however, generating those is tedious as it requires annotating the 6-DoF relative pose of each object of interest present in the image w.r.t. to the camera. Therefore, this work presents a novel approach that automates the data acquisition and annotation process and thus minimizes the annotation effort to the duration of the recording. To maximize the quality of the resulting annotations, we employ an optimization-based approach for determining the extrinsic calibration parameters of the camera. Our approach can handle multiple objects in the scene, automatically providing ground-truth labeling for each object and taking into account occlusion effects between different objects. Moreover, our approach can not only be used to generate data for 6-DoF pose estimation and corresponding 3D-models but can be also extended to automatic dataset generation for object detection, instance segmentation, or volume estimation for any kind of object.
Combining Diffusion, Convection and Absorption: A Pilot Study of Polymethylmethacrylate versus Polysulfone Membranes in the Removal of P-Cresyl Sulfate by Postdilution On-Line Hemodiafiltration
Authors: Molina Pablo , Peiró Julio , Martínez-Gómez María A. , Vizcaíno Belén , Esteller Cristina , González-Moya Mercedes , García-Valdelvira María , Molina Mariola D. , Maduell Francisco ,   on behalf of the Collaborators
Published: November 2021

Dialytic clearance of p-cresyl sulfate (pCS) and other protein-bound toxins is limited by diffusive and convective therapies, and only a few studies have examined how to improve their removal by adsorptive membranes. This study tested the hypothesis that high-flux polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dialysis membranes with adsorptive capacity increase pCS removal compared to polysulfone membranes, in a postdilution on-line hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) session. Thirty-five stable hemodialysis patients randomly completed a single study of 4 h OL-HDF with PMMA (BG2.1U, Toray®, Tokyo, Japan) and polysulfone (TS2.1, Toray®) membranes. The primary endpoint was serum pCS reduction ratios (RRs) obtained with each dialyzer. Secondary outcomes included RRs of other solutes such as β2-microglobulin, the convective volume obtained after each dialysis session, and the dialysis dose estimated by ionic dialysance (Kt) and urea kinetics (Kt/V). The RRs for pCS were higher with the PMMA membrane than those obtained with polysulfone membrane (88.9% vs. 58.9%; p < 0.001), whereas the β2-microglobulin RRs (67.5% vs. 81.0%; p < 0.001), Kt (60.2 ± 8.7 vs. 65.5 ± 9.4 L; p = 0.01), Kt/V (1.9 ± 0.4 vs. 2.0 ± 0.5; p = 0.03), and the convection volume (18.8 ± 2.8 vs. 30.3 ± 7.8 L/session; p < 0.001) were significantly higher with polysulfone membrane. In conclusion, pCS removal by OL-HDF was superior with high-flux PMMA membranes, appearing to be a good dialysis strategy for improving dialytic clearance of pCS, enabling an acceptable clearance of β2-microglobulin and small solutes.
Method for Environmental Flows Regulation and Early Warning with Remote Sensing and Land Cover Data
Authors: Lu Yuming , Wu Bingfang , Yan Nana , Zhu Weiwei , Zeng Hongwei , Wang Linjiang
Published: November 2021

Environmental flows play a vital role in ecosystem and water resource management. The regulation and management of environmental flows can improve the function and stability of river and lake ecosystems. However, current methods for assessing environmental flows mainly emphasize water management, and there is no complete set of regulations or early warning systems, especially in arid and semiarid basins. In this study, we proposed a method for environmental flows regulation and early warning with remote sensing and land cover data and carried out a case study in the Yongding River Basin, which is a basin typical of arid and semiarid areas. The results show that from 2001 to 2014 the mean precipitation was 17.90 × 109 m3, and the mean water consumption was 19.42 × 109 m3, indicating that the basin water budget was clearly unbalanced and that there was an overall deficiency. Notably, from 2005 to 2014 and in 2014, the available consumable water was less than the water consumption required for human activities, which both showed a trend of further reduction; therefore, long-term and annual early warnings should have been issued. The methods applied in this study and the study outcomes could help in the development of comprehensive management and ecological restoration plans, further improving the ecological environments of river basins.