bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cancer mortality in 2020 and its trend analysis in Inner Mongolia during four time periods from 1973 to 2020
Authors: Hou Ruili , Mu Zhiqi , Kang Weiwei , Liu Zhengran , Na Buqi , Niu Wenliang
Published: January 2023

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in China and is responsible for placing a major burden on its economic system. Inner Mongolia is located close to the northern border of China and spans more than 2,400 km from east to west. It has a total area of 1,183,000 km2, which accounts for about one-third of the total area of the country. Its ethnic demographics are complex and unique. We were interested in understanding whether these situations lead to a higher mortality rate for certain types of cancer, which was the motivation behind our research. This study aims to estimate cancer mortality in Inner Mongolia, its burden, and its trend over a 60-year time span. We compiled data pertaining to cancer in Inner Mongolia, obtained from the three national causes of death sample surveys. In addition, we obtained data pertaining to cancer mortality rates from the cause of death surveillance system in Inner Mongolia in the year 2020. The proportion of deaths from various cancers, crude mortality rates, and standardized mortality rates were calculated. The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to calculate mortality trends and the periodic percentage change (PPC) in these rates. We found that the mortality rate of cancer was 142.15/105; the age-standardized mortality rate using the Chinese standard population in 2000 (ASMRC) and Segi’s world population (ASMRW) were 86.49/105 and 85.73/105 in 2020, respectively. From 1973 to 2020, during the four time periods, the leading five cancer types contributing to the mortality rate among Inner Mongolia residents in 2020 were stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, cervix/uterine cancer, and lung cancer. The four periods of time PYLL ‰ were 9.05‰, 10.79‰, 12.1‰, and 10.38‰ from 1973 to 2020. The overall trend of the crude mortality rate of cancer in Inner Mongolia from 1973 to 2020 increased (PPC =1.77%, P<0.05). Also, the crude mortality rate and ASMRC were higher in men than in women (P<0.05). The mortality rates of cancer in Inner Mongolia increased with age ie first time period and in 2020 for ages 10 to 84. The same trend was observed for ages 0 and 74 in the second and the third time periods. Overall, in 2020, the CMR and the ASMRW in Inner Mongolia were lower than the national level and significantly lower than those in other domestic Chinese provinces. Lung cancer was the most reported cancer. Cancers from the first to seventh place ranking were consistent with the national ranking in 2020. The overall crude mortality rate of cancer in Inner Mongolia during the four periods revealed an increasing trend, and liver cancer-related mortality also showed an upward trend during the four periods. The findings may provide baseline data for cancer research.
Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals the metabolic changes and the prognostic value of malignant hepatocyte subpopulations and predict new therapeutic agents for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Han Cuifang , Chen Jiaru , Huang Jing , Zhu Riting , Zeng Jincheng , Yu Hongbing , He Zhiwei
Published: January 2023

Background

The development of HCC is often associated with extensive metabolic disturbances. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides a better understanding of cellular behavior in the context of complex tumor microenvironments by analyzing individual cell populations.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data was employed to investigate the metabolic pathways in HCC. Principal component analysis (PCA) and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) analysis were applied to identify six cell subpopulations, namely, T/NK cells, hepatocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and B cells. The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the existence of pathway heterogeneity across different cell subpopulations. Univariate Cox analysis was used to screen genes differentially related to The Overall Survival in TCGA-LIHC patients based on scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq datasets, and LASSO analysis was used to select significant predictors for incorporation into multivariate Cox regression. Connectivity Map (CMap) was applied to analysis drug sensitivity of risk models and targeting of potential compounds in high risk groups.

Results

Analysis of TCGA-LIHC survival data revealed the molecular markers associated with HCC prognosis, including MARCKSL1, SPP1, BSG, CCT3, LAGE3, KPNA2, SF3B4, GTPBP4, PON1, CFHR3, and CYP2C9. The RNA expression of 11 prognosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in normal human hepatocyte cell line MIHA and HCC cell lines HCC-LM3 and HepG2 were compared by qPCR. Higher KPNA2, LAGE3, SF3B4, CCT3 and GTPBP4 protein expression and lower CYP2C9 and PON1 protein expression in HCC tissues from Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases. The results of target compound screening of risk model showed that mercaptopurine is a potential anti-HCC drug.

Conclusion

The prognostic genes associated with glucose and lipid metabolic changes in a hepatocyte subpopulation and comparison of liver malignancy cells to normal liver cells may provide insight into the metabolic characteristics of HCC and the potential prognostic biomarkers of tumor-related genes and contribute to developing new treatment strategies for individuals.
A phylogenomic study of Iridaceae Juss. based on complete plastid genome sequences
Authors: Kamra Kashish , Jung Joonhyung , Kim Joo-Hwan
Published: January 2023

The plastid genome has proven to be an effective tool for examining deep correlations in plant phylogenetics, owing to its highly conserved structure, uniparental inheritance, and limited variation in evolutionary rates. Iridaceae, comprising more than 2,000 species, includes numerous economically significant taxa that are frequently utilized in food industries and medicines and for ornamental and horticulture purposes. Molecular studies on chloroplast DNA have confirmed the position of this family in the order Asparagales with non-asparagoids. The current subfamilial classification of Iridaceae recognizes seven subfamilies—Isophysioideae, Nivenioideae, Iridoideae, Crocoideae, Geosiridaceae, Aristeoideae, and Patersonioideae—which are supported by limited plastid DNA regions. To date, no comparative phylogenomic studies have been conducted on the family Iridaceae. We assembled and annotated (de novo) the plastid genomes of 24 taxa together with seven published species representing all the seven subfamilies of Iridaceae and performed comparative genomics using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The plastomes of the autotrophic Iridaceae represent 79 protein-coding, 30 tRNA, and four rRNA genes, with lengths ranging from 150,062 to 164,622 bp. The phylogenetic analysis of the plastome sequences based on maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference analyses suggested that Watsonia and Gladiolus were closely related, supported by strong support values, which differed considerably from recent phylogenetic studies. In addition, we identified genomic events, such as sequence inversions, deletions, mutations, and pseudogenization, in some species. Furthermore, the largest nucleotide variability was found in the seven plastome regions, which can be used in future phylogenetic studies. Notably, three subfamilies—Crocoideae, Nivenioideae, and Aristeoideae—shared a common ycf2 gene locus deletion. Our study is a preliminary report of a comparative study of the complete plastid genomes of 7/7 subfamilies and 9/10 tribes, elucidating the structural characteristics and shedding light on plastome evolution and phylogenetic relationships within Iridaceae. Additionally, further research is required to update the relative position of Watsonia within the tribal classification of the subfamily Crocoideae.
Emotional framing in online environmental activism: Pairing a Twitter study with an offline experiment
Authors: Sanford Mary , Witkowska Marta , Gifford Robert , Formanowicz Magda
Published: January 2023

As the consequences of anthropogenic climate change become more apparent, social media has become a central tool for environmental activists to raise awareness and to mobilize society. In two studies, we examine how the emotional framing of messages posted by environmental activists influences engagement and behavioral intentions toward environmental action. In the first study, tweets (N = 510k) of 50 environmental activists posted between November 2015 and December 2020 are examined to measure their emotional content and its relation to tweet diffusion. Environment-related tweets are found to be shared more the less they contain positive emotion and the more they contain negative emotion. This result supports the negativity bias on social media. In Study 2 (N = 200), we experimentally test whether negatively vs. positively framed environmental content leads to increased reported intent to engage with collective action, and whether mood mediates that link. We find both direct and indirect effects on reported climate action intentions when mood is used as a mediator. The negative mood resulting from seeing negative tweets makes participants more likely to report higher action intention (indirect effect)—congruent with Study 1. However, seeing negative tweets also makes participants less inclined to act (direct effect), indicating a suppression effect and the presence of other factors at work on the pathway between information and action intent formation. This work highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of this relation and motivates more experimental work to identify other relevant factors, as well as how they relate to one another.
The effect of students’ online learning experience on their satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of preference
Authors: Li Xinchao , Odhiambo Flavian Adhiambo , Ocansey Dickson Kofi Wiredu
Published: January 2023

Introduction

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all educational institutions globally had to eventually embrace the maneuver of transferring to nearly 100% online learning as a new routine for different curricula. Although many students in developing countries such as Kenya are only experiencing the exclusive online learning approach for the first time, research on students’ experience and satisfaction with COVID-19-imposed online learning is largely lacking. Thus, this study examined the effect of online-learning experiences on satisfaction in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya. The mediating role of students’ preference on the relationship between online-learning experience and satisfaction was also examined.

Methods

A web-based survey involving 501 respondents was analyzed using IBM® SPSS® and AMOS software platforms. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships.

Results and Discussion

Results showed that 80% of participants indicated their preference for in-person learning as against 20% for online learning. Students’ satisfaction-SS had a significant positive correlation with online classroom perceived quality-OCPQ, acquisition of self-confidence-ASC, teaching performance and engagement-TPE, and preference for online learning-POL but a negative correlation with internet access and cost-IAC. Moreover, while POL positively correlated with OCPQ, ASC, and TPE, it negatively correlated with IAC. Both the structural model for the main effect and the mediation model provided a good fit and confirmed these relationships. Student preference had a significant effect on satisfaction and played a significant mediating role in the relationship between online-learning experience and satisfaction. These findings shed light on the underlying factors that explain students’ online learning satisfaction and provide guidelines for universities and policymakers to make better decisions that enhance students’ online-learning experience and satisfaction.
Role of Non-Structural Sugar Metabolism in Regulating Tuber Dormancy in White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata)
Authors: Nwogha Jeremiah S. , Abtew Wosene G. , Raveendran Muthurajan , Oselebe Happiness O. , Obidiegwu Jude E. , Chilaka Cynthia A. , Amirtham Damodarasamy D.
Published: January 2023

Changes in sugar composition occur continuously in plant tissues at different developmental stages. Tuber dormancy induction, stability, and breaking are very critical developmental transitions in yam crop production. Prolonged tuber dormancy after physiological maturity has constituted a great challenge in yam genetic improvement and productivity. In the present study, biochemical profiling of non-structural sugar in yam tubers during dormancy was performed to determine the role of non-structural sugar in yam tuber dormancy regulation. Two genotypes of the white yam species, one local genotype (Obiaoturugo) and one improved genotype (TDr1100873), were used for this study. Tubers were sampled at 42, 56, 87, 101, 115, and 143 days after physiological maturity (DAPM). Obiaoturugo exhibited a short dormant phenotype and sprouted at 101-DAPM, whereas TDr1100873 exhibited a long dormant phenotype and sprouted at 143-DAPM. Significant metabolic changes were observed in non-structural sugar parameters, dry matter, and moisture content in Obiaoturugo from 56-DAPM, whereas in TDr1100873, significant metabolic changes were observed from 101-DAPM. It was observed that the onset of these metabolic changes occurred at a point when the tubers of both genotypes exhibited a dry matter content of 60%, indicating that a dry matter content of 60% might be a critical threshold for white yam tuber sprouting. Non-reducing sugars increased by 9–10-fold during sprouting in both genotypes, which indicates their key role in tuber dormancy regulation in white yam. This result implicates that some key sugar metabolites can be targeted for dormancy manipulation of the yam crop.
Lettuce Soil Microbiome Modulated by an L-α-Amino Acid-Based Biostimulant
Authors: Acin-Albiac Marta , García-Jiménez Beatriz , Marín Garrido Cándido , Borda Casas Elisabet , Velasco-Alvarez Javier , Serra Nuria Sierras , Acedo Alberto
Published: January 2023

Maintenance of soil health is of foremost importance to sustain and increase crop productivity, while meeting the demand of a rising global population. Soil microbiome is gaining increasing attention as a modulator of soil health. Microbial communities confer traits to the soil as a living organism, which functions holistically and conforms part of the plant holobiont, reassembling the human-gut axis. Novel strategies in biostimulant development advocate for modulation of the native soil microbiome and the reinforcement of microbial networking to outpace pathogen inclusion. Consequently, we hypothesize that Terramin® Pro may promotes beneficial microorganisms, depending on the native microbiota of soil, which would lead to an improvement of crop performance indicators. We proposed a soil microbiome-based approach to characterize the effect of an L-α-amino acid based biostimulant (Terramin® Pro) on resulting plant phenotypes in lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa L.) to address our hypothesis. First, product application promoted Actinobacteria group in assorted soils with different track of agronomic practices. Secondly, biostimulant application improved chlorophyll content in particular soils deviating from standard conditions, i.e., sick or uncultivated ones. Specially, we observed that product application at 30 L ha−1 improved lettuce phenotype, while potentially promoted entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria and Metarhizium spp.) and suppressed other lettuce disease-related fungi (Olpidium spp.) in nematode-infested soils. Further investigations could deepen into Terramin® Pro as a sustainable prebiotic strategy of soil indigenous microbiota, through in-house microbiome modulation, even in additional crops.
Advances in Modelling Cropping Systems to Improve Yield and Quality
Authors: Jing Qi
Published: January 2023

Additional food and bio-products are expected to be required to feed the growing world population under the changing climate [...]
Reproductive Microbiomes in Domestic Livestock: Insights Utilizing 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Community Sequencing
Authors: Poole Rebecca K. , Soffa Dallas R. , McAnally Brooke E. , Smith Molly S. , Hickman-Brown Kyle J. , Stockland Erin L.
Published: January 2023

Advancements in 16S rRNA gene amplicon community sequencing have vastly expanded our understanding of the reproductive microbiome and its role in fertility. In humans, Lactobacillus is the overwhelmingly dominant bacteria within reproductive tissues and is known to be commensal and an indicator of fertility in women and men. It is also known that Lactobacillus is not as largely abundant in the reproductive tissues of domestic livestock species. Thus, the objective of this review is to summarize the research to date on both female and male reproductive microbiomes in domestic livestock species (i.e., dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, small ruminants, and horses). Having a comprehensive understanding of reproductive microbiota and its role in modulating physiological functions will aid in the development of management and therapeutic strategies to improve reproductive efficiency.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems: A Latin American Review and Analysis from the Colombian Context
Authors: Sánchez-Zuluaga Gabriel J. , Isaza-Giraldo Luisa , Zapata-Madrigal Germán Darío , García-Sierra Rodolfo , Candelo-Becerra John E.
Published: January 2023

The usage of unmanned aircraft systems to complete routine, commercial, and industrial tasks has increased throughout the world, evidencing better profitability and reducing risks for operators. However, in some countries, there is a low implementation of unmanned aircraft systems, particularly in the electrical sector, due to a lack of appropriation or adaptation of technology to the local environment. Therefore, this paper presents an analysis of the uses of unmanned aircraft systems in the electrical industry worldwide and its possible application to a local context to identify how the expansion of unmanned aerial vehicles is helping various industries. The contribution of this paper is to show how the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles can help in any particular task in the electrical sector and the appropriation of these technologies in a country, showing a possible categorization of unmanned aerial vehicles based on future applications and current regulations. The analysis was carried out in the Colombian context, considering the current regulation and the impact of its use. This research considers safety, security, and privacy implications, including the reduction of personal harm with low operation costs. In addition, the importance of future implementations in Colombia is discussed as a topic of interest for any electrical company, researchers, and government entities.
Waste Cork in Metakaolin–Geopolymer Matrix: Physico-Mechanical Characterization
Authors: Dal Poggetto Giovanni , Marchetti Roberta , Lancellotti Isabella , Leonelli Cristina , Barbieri Luisa
Published: January 2023

Cork powdery waste (CW) from agglomerated cork caps manufacturing is commonly transported to waste-to-energy plants, although it could be locally exploited for lightweight building materials. The transformation of CW into a geopolymer formulation to obtain a novel composite formulation suitable for insulating panels is presented in this contribution. The geopolymer mix was based on metakaolin added to NaOH and Na silicate solutions, to which 2.4, 4.8 and 9.1 wt% (calculated upon dry metakaolin) of CW in the form of as-received powdery waste were added. No pre-treatments were performed on CW and no thermal curing was conducted for the alkali-activated product that was consolidated at room temperature to improve product sustainability. The insulating panel presented an apparent density of about 1.521 to 0.990 ± 0.001 g/cm3, combined with a total porosity in the range of 35.61 to 56.22 ± 0.003 % for 2.4 to 9.1 wt% of CW, respectively, and this was dependent upon ageing time. The values of its mechanical properties (compressive strength ranged from 2.5 to 1.5 MPa at 28 and 90 days of curing time, complying with UNI EN 998-2) and thermal insulating properties (thermal conductivity around 0.1146 W/mK) indicated that the highest percentage of CW in the formulations, i.e., 9.1 wt%, was suitable to obtain self-standing insulating panels.
Transient Cooling of Millisecond-Pulsed Heat Sources by a Jet Impingement Heat Sink with Metallic Phase Change Material
Authors: Chen Liang , Wang Qi , Si Yansong , Hou Yu
Published: January 2023

Thermal management has become a critical issue for the reliable operation of electronic devices, especially for pulsed heat sources with high heat flux. The intense temperature rise in a short period puts forward high requirements on thermal management. In this work, a heat sink combining the confined jet impingement with metallic phase change material (PCM) is proposed for the thermal management of millisecond-pulsed heat sources. A transient model is established to simulate the conjugated heat transfer. The heat transfer characteristics of a jet impingement heat sink and the temperature responses under millisecond heat pulses are obtained, and the effects of jet structure and metallic PCM thickness on the cooling performance are analyzed. Results show that the jet impingement with a jet diameter of 2 mm and an impingement height of 2 mm can achieve effective cooling on a 3 × 3.5 mm2 heat source, and the surface temperature is 62.2 °C for a constant power density (150 W/cm2). Under the millisecond heat pulses with a peak power density of 600 W/cm2 and a duty cycle of 0.25, the temperature on the heating surface fluctuates in the same period with the heat pulses, and the maximum temperature reaches 66.9 °C for a heat sink without metallic PCM. An appropriate PCM thickness should be smaller than 0.1 mm so that the phase change can be cycled within heat pulse intervals, and the maximum temperature can be maintained around the phase change temperature (61.5 °C).
Time-Resolved and Robust Lithium Plating Detection for Automotive Lithium-Ion Cells with the Potential for Vehicle Application
Authors: Schmidt Jan P. , Adam Alexander , Wandt Johannes
Published: January 2023

Fast charging is a key requirement for customer acceptance of battery electric vehicles. Fast charging of lithium-ion batteries is limited by lithium plating, an undesired side reaction that leads to rapid degradation and poses a potential safety hazard. In order to approach but not exceed the lithium plating current limit during fast charging, a variety of analytical tools have been developed to detect lithium plating. In this publication, we propose a new impedance-based method for the time-resolved detection of lithium plating. The proposed method was demonstrated with an integrated cell monitoring circuit capable of measuring the impedance during cell operation, bringing the feasibility of implementation in an automotive target application within reach. Importantly, the proposed method eliminates the temperature dependence which is an intrinsic problem for impedance-based lithium plating detection in automotive lithium-ion cells, thus making on-board plating detection feasible.
Specific Human Milk Oligosaccharides Differentially Promote Th1 and Regulatory Responses in a CpG-Activated Epithelial/Immune Cell Coculture
Authors: Zuurveld Marit , Ayechu-Muruzabal Veronica , Folkerts Gert , Garssen Johan , van‘t Land Belinda , Willemsen Linette E. M.
Published: January 2023

Proper early life immune development creates a basis for a healthy and resilient immune system, which balances immune tolerance and activation. Deviations in neonatal immune maturation can have life-long effects, such as development of allergic diseases. Evidence suggests that human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS) possess immunomodulatory properties essential for neonatal immune maturation. To understand the immunomodulatory properties of enzymatic or bacterial produced HMOS, the effects of five HMOS (2′FL, 3FL, 3′SL, 6′SL and LNnT), present in human milk have been studied. A PBMC immune model, the IEC barrier model and IEC/PBMC transwell coculture models were used, representing critical steps in mucosal immune development. HMOS were applied to IEC cocultured with activated PBMC. In the presence of CpG, 2′FL and 3FL enhanced IFNγ (p < 0.01), IL10 (p < 0.0001) and galectin-9 (p < 0.001) secretion when added to IEC; 2′FL and 3FL decreased Th2 cell development while 3FL enhanced Treg polarization (p < 0.05). IEC were required for this 3FL mediated Treg polarization, which was not explained by epithelial-derived galectin-9, TGFβ nor retinoic acid secretion. The most pronounced immunomodulatory effects, linking to enhanced type 1 and regulatory mediator secretion, were observed for 2′FL and 3FL. Future studies are needed to further understand the complex interplay between HMO and early life mucosal immune development.
Caregivers’ Perspective on the Psychological Burden of Living with Children Affected by Sickle Cell Disease in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Lelo Patricia V. M. , Kitetele Faustin Nd. , Akele Cathy E. , Sam David Lackland , Boivin Michael J. , Kashala-Abotnes Esperance
Published: January 2023

There is limited information on knowledge, perceptions, and management of sickle cell disease (SCD) in Africa in general and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in particular. This study explored knowledge, perceptions, and burden of 26 parents/caregivers of children with SCD in three selected hospitals in Kinshasa, DRC. We conducted a focus group with in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers of children affected with SCD. Four themes were discussed, including knowledge and perceptions, diagnosis and management, society’s perceptions, and the psychosocial burden and the quality of life of the family affected by SCD. The majority of participants/caregivers felt that society, in general, had negative perceptions of, attitudes toward, and knowledge about SCD. They reported that children with sickle cell are often marginalized, ignored, and excluded from society or school. They face a number of challenges related to care, management, financial difficulties, and a lack of psychological support. The results suggest the need to promote measures and strategies to improve knowledge and management of SCD in Kinshasa, DRC.
Evaluating the Difference in Neuropsychological Profiles of Individuals with FASD Based on the Number of Sentinel Facial Features: A Service Evaluation of the FASD UK National Clinic Database
Authors: Webster Bethany M. , Carlisle Alexandra C. S. , Livesey Alexandra C. , Deeprose Lucy R. , Cook Penny A. , Mukherjee Raja A. S.
Published: January 2023

(1) It might be implied that those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) with fewer sentinel facial features have a “milder” neuropsychological presentation, or present with fewer impairments than those with more sentinel facial features. The aim of this service evaluation was to compare the neuropsychological profile of people with FASD with varying numbers of sentinel facial features. (2) A clinical sample of 150 individuals with FASD, aged between 6 and 37 years, completed various standardised assessments as part of their diagnostic profiling. These included the documented level of risk of prenatal alcohol exposure (4-Digit Diagnostic Code), sensory needs (Short Sensory Profile), cognition (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—4th Edition; WISC-IV), and communication and socialisation adaptive behaviours (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale—2nd Edition; VABS-II). As FASD has high comorbidity rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), these were also reviewed. The profiles of the ‘FASD with 2 or 3 sentinel facial features’ group (n = 41; 28 male, 13 female) were compared with the ‘FASD with 0 or 1 sentinel facial features’ group (n = 109; 50 male, 59 female) using Chi² tests, independent sample t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U analyses (where appropriate). (3) There were no significant differences between the two comparison groups across any measure included in this service evaluation. (4) Whilst sentinel facial features remain an important aspect in recognising FASD, our service evaluation indicates that there is no significant relationship between the number of sentinel facial features and the neuropsychological profile of people with FASD in terms of severity of presentation.
Pathophysiology-Based Management of Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Falco Luigi , Martucci Maria Luigia , Valente Fabio , Verrengia Marina , Pacileo Giuseppe , Masarone Daniele
Published: January 2023

Even though acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most common admission diagnoses globally, its pathogenesis is poorly understood, and there are few effective treatments available. Despite an heterogenous onset, congestion is the leading contributor to hospitalization, making it a crucial therapeutic target. Complete decongestion, nevertheless, may be hard to achieve, especially in patients with reduced end organ perfusion. In order to promote a personalised pathophysiological-based therapy for patients with AHF, we will address in this review the pathophysiological principles that underlie the clinical symptoms of AHF as well as examine how to assess them in clinical practice, suggesting that gaining a deeper understanding of pathophysiology might result in significant improvements in HF therapy.
Diagnostic Methods in Forensic Pathology: A New Sign in Death from Hanging
Authors: Marrone Maricla , Cazzato Gerardo , Caricato Pierluigi , Angeletti Carlo , Ingravallo Giuseppe , Casatta Nadia , Lupo Carmelo , Vinci Francesco , Agazzino Gisella , Stellacci Alessandra , Oliva Antonio
Published: January 2023

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of studying vital injuries at the sternal head insertion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the medico-legal assessment of death by hanging. Materials and Methods: Study material was obtained from eight bodies of people who died from hanging. The control group included as many specimens collected from people who died from traumatic causes other than hanging (precipitation from medium to large heights and traffic accidents). The structures under study were examined histologically with a BX-51 light microscope (Olympus). An analysis of the extravasated erythrocytes was performed by counting the number per mm2 in the histologic section on 10 HPF (400×), and Student’s t-test for a comparison of the averages was applied for all parametric values. The authors noted that the key finding, indicative of the subject’s viability at the time of discontinuation, was the presence of recent hemorrhagic infiltrate (in the absence of hemosiderin) at the tendon insertion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the proximal part of the muscle itself. Results: All specimens tested were positive for the presence of hemorrhagic infiltrate at the portions tested in a statistically significant manner. In contrast, in the control cases there was no or, where present, no statistically significant (p < 0.05) presence of recent hemorrhagic infiltrate. The limitation of the study is the low number of samples examined. In any case, the results obtained are strongly indicative of the possibility of using this type of forensic pathological investigation in cases where there is a doubt in terms of a differential diagnosis between hanging (suicidal type) and suspension of a corpse in a simulation of hanging.
The Proper Diagnosis of Thrombophilic Status in Preventing Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Mihai Bianca-Margareta , Salmen Teodor , Cioca Ana-Maria , Bohîlțea Roxana-Elena
Published: January 2023

Fetal growth restriction is an important part of monitoring a pregnancy. Because guidelines or diagnostic criteria for either minor or major thrombophilia are scarce, this systematic review aims to summarize the present knowledge in the field. We performed the CRD42022376006 protocol in Prospero with a systematic literature search in PubMed and Web of Science databases and included original full-text articles (randomized control trials and clinical trials) from the last 10 years, published in English, and with the “thrombophilia AND (pregnancy OR diagnostic criteria) AND fetal growth restriction” criteria. After two researchers extracted the articles of interest, they were assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and eight articles were included. The elements from the thrombophilia diagnostic predict IUGR, factor V Leiden mutation, MTHFR C667T mutation, protein S deficiency, antithrombin deficiency, factor VII polymorphism, and antiphospholipid antibodies, while the association of protein C, PAI-1 and certain combinations of mutations are still under debate and require the collection of more data. The present systematic review provides an extensive picture of the actual knowledge about thrombophilia diagnosis and its links with pregnancy complications, such as intrauterine growth restriction, despite its limitation in the inclusion of other actually debated disorders such as PAI-1 mutation, protein C deficiency and other thrombophilia types.
Diagnostic Usefulness of Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Axillary Lymph Node Evaluation in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Cho Pyeonghwa , Park Chang Suk , Park Ga Eun , Kim Sung Hun , Kim Hyeon Sook , Oh Se-Jeong
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to determine whether apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and morphological features on diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) can discriminate metastatic axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) from benign in patients with breast cancer. Two radiologists measured ADC, long and short diameters, long-to-short diameter ratio, and cortical thickness and assessed eccentric cortical thickening, loss of fatty hilum, irregular margin, asymmetry in shape or number, and rim sign of ALNs on DW-MRI and categorized them into benign or suspicious ALNs. Pathologic reports were used as a reference standard. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test and chi-square test. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of DW-MRI were calculated. The ADC of metastatic ALNs was 0.905 × 10−3 mm2/s, and that of benign ALNs was 0.991 × 10−3 mm2/s (p = 0.243). All morphologic features showed significant difference between the two groups. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy of the final categorization on DW-MRI were 77.1%, 93.3%, 79.4%, 92.5%, and 86.2%, respectively. Our results suggest that morphologic evaluation of ALNs on DWI can discriminate metastatic ALNs from benign. The ADC value of metastatic ALNs was lower than that of benign nodes, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Diagnostic Value of Composite and Simplified FDG-PET/CT Scores in Polymyalgia Rheumatica and the Influence of Recent Glucocorticoid Treatment—A Retrospective Diagnostic Cohort Study
Authors: Brinth Louise Schouborg , Hansen Annette , Jensen Dorte Vendelbo , Madsen Ole Rintek , Broholm Rikke , Krakauer Martin
Published: January 2023

[18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is increasingly used to demonstrate inflammation in specific sites typical for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Scoring systems based on FDG uptake have been proposed to increase diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Retrospective inclusion of 198 consecutive patients ≥40 years of age referred for FDG-PET from the Department of Rheumatology. We assessed the degree of FDG uptake in predilection sites visually, as well as semiquantitatively, and through logistic regression analyses, we evaluated the performance of existing scoring systems as well as a new, simplified scoring system, against the final clinical diagnosis at 6 months after the FDG-PET scan. Results: We found high diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of PMR (range 0.74–0.91) using most of the existing scoring systems in glucocorticoid-naïve patients. A simplified scoring system including only periarticular FDG uptake in the shoulders and the ischiogluteal bursae retained high sensitivity and specificity (0.92 and 0.86, respectively). We found a detrimental effect on diagnostic accuracy in all scoring systems in patients treated with glucocorticoids within 4 weeks prior to FDG-PET. Conclusion: Most FDG-PET scoring systems perform well for the diagnosis of PMR, and there is no loss of either sensitivity or specificity in the simplest scoring systems evaluating FDG uptake in only a few selected anatomical regions. However, systemic glucocorticoid treatment up to 4 weeks prior to FDG-PET has a markedly detrimental effect on the diagnostic accuracy of all scoring systems.
Towards an Holistic Framework to Mitigate and Detect Contract Cheating within an Academic Institute—A Proposal
Authors: Guruge Deepani B. , Kadel Rajan
Published: January 2023

There has been a growing number of contract cheating incidents recorded in Australia’s higher education system. Such activities create a significant threat to the validity and integrity of qualifications obtained by students. This paper introduces a conceptual framework to combat contract cheating by compiling the findings on domain analysis, institute-wide policy analysis, and by applying self-efficacy theories. The literature review on domain analysis lays out two state-of-the-art strategies to combat contract cheating: detect and mitigate the opportunities. Policy document analysis sheds some light on existing operating mechanisms for handling contract cheating cases and the gaps need to be addressed. The proposed framework has three tiers: Awareness, Monitoring and Evaluation. At the awareness level, students’ awareness concerning contract cheating is enhanced by several activities, and staff skills are strengthened by professional activities. At the monitoring level, student activities associated with assessments are recorded using a Pre-Designed Template (PDT) and are monitored by analysing the data in three databases; Monitoring database, Academic Integrity breach database, software analysis data. At the evaluation level, the institutional policies, procedures and services related to contract cheating are evaluated and revised on a regular basis, using feedback mechanisms. This holistic approach may discourage contract cheating by increasing the awareness among students, developing professional skills of staff and organising continuous course-wide student monitoring using various databases. Finally, the proposed approach fills the gaps in the existing system by utilising a systematic process to evaluate an institute’s policies, procedures and services.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Dental Education: A Review and Guide for Curriculum Update
Authors: Thurzo Andrej , Strunga Martin , Urban Renáta , Surovková Jana , Afrashtehfar Kelvin I.
Published: January 2023

In this intellectual work, the clinical and educational aspects of dentistry were confronted with practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI). The aim was to provide an up-to-date overview of the upcoming changes and a brief analysis of the influential advancements in the use of AI in dental education since 2020. In addition, this review provides a guide for a dental curriculum update for undergraduate and postgraduate education in the context of advances in AI applications and their impact on dentistry. Unsurprisingly, most dental educators have limited knowledge and skills to assess AI applications, as they were not trained to do so. Also, AI technology has evolved exponentially in recent years. Factual reliability and opportunities with OpenAI Inc.’s ChatGPT are considered critical inflection points in the era of generative AI. Updating curricula at dental institutions is inevitable as advanced deep-learning approaches take over the clinical areas of dentistry and reshape diagnostics, treatment planning, management, and telemedicine screening. With recent advances in AI language models, communication with patients will change, and the foundations of dental education, including essay, thesis, or scientific paper writing, will need to adapt. However, there is a growing concern about its ethical and legal implications, and further consensus is needed for the safe and responsible implementation of AI in dental education.
Model-Based Coordinated Trajectory Tracking Control of Skid-Steer Mobile Robot with Timing-Belt Servo System
Authors: Liang Lunfei , Liu Houde , Li Xinliang , Zhu Xiaojun , Lan Bin , Liu Yu , Wang Xueqian
Published: January 2023

Four-wheel, independently driven skid-steer mobile robots have been widely used in some fields, such as indoor product shipping and outdoor inspection and exploration. Traditional skid-steer mobile robot controllers often use a kinematics controller to obtain the desired speed of each wheel, complete speed closed-loop control of each wheel and achieve the robot’s trajectory tracking control. However, the controller based on kinematics may lead to robot chattering and wheel spin from being directly driven by the motor on uneven grounds. To solve these problems, we developed a four-wheel, independently driven skid-steer mobile robot with a damping module for the timing-belt servo system and proposed a model-based coordinated trajectory tracking control method with the timing-belt servo system. First, the kinematics and dynamics of the mobile robot are established, including the chassis kinematics and dynamics, as well as the dynamics of the timing-belt servo system. Secondly, the hierarchical control law is designed, which has adaptive robust control of the upper-level robot chassis, middle-level control allocation approach, and adaptive robust control of the bottom-level timing-belt servo system. Finally, the proposed method is verified by the robot’s trajectory tracking control comparison simulation experiments and has a better control performance.
Real-Time Computer Vision for Tree Stem Detection and Tracking
Authors: Wells Lucas A. , Chung Woodam
Published: January 2023

Object detection and tracking are tasks that humans can perform effortlessly in most environments. Humans can readily recognize individual trees in forests and maintain unique identifiers during occlusion. For computers, on the other hand, this is a complex problem that decades of research have been dedicated to solving. This paper presents a computer vision approach to object detection and tracking tasks in forested environments. We use a state-of-the-art neural network-based detection algorithm to fit bounding boxes around individual tree stems and a simple, efficient, and deterministic multiple object tracking algorithm to maintain unique identities for stems through video frames. We trained the neural network object detector on approximately 3000 ground-truth bounding boxes of ponderosa pine trees. We show that tree stem detection can achieve an average precision of 87% using a Jaccard overlap index of 0.5. We also demonstrate the robustness of the tracking algorithm in occlusion and enter–exit–re-enter scenarios. The presented algorithms can perform object detection and tracking at 49 frames per second on a consumer-grade graphics processing unit.
A Novel Universal Primer Multiplex Real-Time PCR (UP-M-rtPCR) Approach for Specific Identification and Quantitation of Cat, Dog, Fox, and Mink Fractions Using Nuclear DNA Sequences
Authors: Wang Wenjun , Wei Tiean , Shi Manna , Han Yu , Shen Yang , Zhou Xiang , Liu Bang
Published: January 2023

Adulteration of meat with carnivorous animals (such as cats, dogs, foxes, and minks) can cause ethical problems and lead to disease transmission; however, DNA quantitative methods for four carnivorous species in one tube reaction are still rare. In this study, a carnivore-specific nuclear DNA sequence that is conserved in carnivorous animals but has base differences within the sequence was used to design universal primers for its conserved region and corresponding species-specific probes for the hypervariable region. A novel universal primer multiplex real-time PCR (UP-M-rtPCR) approach was developed for the specific identification and quantitation of cat, dog, fox, and mink fractions in a single reaction, with a 0.05 ng absolute limit of detection (LOD) and 0.05% relative LOD. This approach simplifies the PCR system and improves the efficiency of simultaneous identification of multiple animal-derived ingredients in meat. UP-M-rtPCR showed good accuracy (0.48–7.04% relative deviation) and precision (1.42–13.78% relative standard deviation) for quantitative analysis of cat, dog, fox, and mink DNA as well as excellent applicability for the evaluation of meat samples.
De Novo Variant in the KCNJ9 Gene as a Possible Cause of Neonatal Seizures
Authors: Kochetkova Taisiya O. , Maslennikov Dmitry N. , Tolmacheva Ekaterina R. , Shubina Jekaterina , Bolshakova Anna S. , Suvorova Dzhenneta I. , Degtyareva Anna V. , Orlovskaya Irina V. , Kuznetsova Maria V. , Rachkova Anastasia A. , Sukhikh Gennady T. , Rebrikov Denis V. , Trofimov Dmitriy Yu.
Published: January 2023

Background: The reduction in next-generation sequencing (NGS) costs allows for using this method for newborn screening for monogenic diseases (MDs). In this report, we describe a clinical case of a newborn participating in the EXAMEN project (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05325749). Methods: The child presented with convulsive syndrome on the third day of life. Generalized convulsive seizures were accompanied by electroencephalographic patterns corresponding to epileptiform activity. Proband WES expanded to trio sequencing was performed. Results: A differential diagnosis was made between symptomatic (dysmetabolic, structural, infectious) neonatal seizures and benign neonatal seizures. There were no data in favor of the dysmetabolic, structural, or infectious nature of seizures. Molecular karyotyping and whole exome sequencing were not informative. Trio WES revealed a de novo variant in the KCNJ9 gene (1:160087612T > C, p.Phe326Ser, NM_004983), for which, according to the OMIM database, no association with the disease has been described to date. Three-dimensional modeling was used to predict the structure of the KCNJ9 protein using the known structure of its homologs. According to the predictions, Phe326Ser change possibly disrupts the hydrophobic contacts with the valine side chain. Destabilization of the neighboring structures may undermine the formation of GIRK2/GIRK3 tetramers necessary for their proper functioning. Conclusions: We believe that the identified variant may be the cause of the disease in this patient but further studies, including the search for other patients with the KCNJ9 variants, are needed.