bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PS-NPs Induced Neurotoxic Effects in SHSY-5Y Cells via Autophagy Activation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Tang Qisheng , Li Tianwen , Chen Kezhu , Deng Xiangyang , Zhang Quan , Tang Hailiang , Shi Zhifeng , Zhu Tongming , Zhu Jianhong
Published: July 2022

Polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) are organic pollutants that are widely detected in the environment and organisms, posing potential threats to both ecosystems and human health. PS-NPs have been proven to penetrate the blood–brain barrier and increase the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. However, information relating to the pathogenic molecular mechanism is still unclear. This study investigated the neurotoxicity and regulatory mechanisms of PS-NPs in human neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y cells. The results show that PS-NPs caused obvious mitochondrial damages, as evidenced by inhibited cell proliferation, increased lactate dehydrogenase release, stimulated oxidative stress responses, elevated Ca2+ level and apoptosis, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate levels. The increased release of cytochrome c and the overexpression of apoptosis-related proteins apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (caspase-3), and caspase-9 indicate the activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. In addition, the upregulation of autophagy markers light chain 3-II (LC3-II), Beclin-1, and autophagy-related protein (Atg) 5/12/16L suggests that PS-NPs could promote autophagy in SHSY-5Y cells. The RNA interference of Beclin-1 confirms the regulatory role of autophagy in PS-NP-induced neurotoxicity. The administration of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) significantly attenuated the cytotoxicity and autophagy activation induced by PS-NP exposure. Generally, PS-NPs could induce neurotoxicity in SHSY-5Y cells via autophagy activation and mitochondria dysfunction, which was modulated by mitochondrial oxidative stress. Mitochondrial damages caused by oxidative stress could potentially be involved in the pathological mechanisms for PS-NP-induced neurodegenerative diseases.
Perturbation-Induced Protective Arm Responses: Effect of Age, Perturbation-Intensity, and Relationship with Stepping Stability: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jeon Woohyoung , Wang Shuaijie , Bhatt Tanvi , Westlake Kelly P.
Published: July 2022

During balance recovery from slip perturbations, forward flexion (elevation) of the arms serves to counterbalance the posteriorly displaced center of mass (CoM). We aimed to investigate whether aging affects modulation of arm responses to various intensities of unpredictable slip perturbations and whether arm responses are related to compensatory stepping stability. Ten healthy young adults and ten healthy older adults participated. Participants were asked to react naturally to three randomly administered levels of slip-like surface perturbations (intensity 1 (7.75 m/s2), intensity 2 (12.00 m/s2) and intensity 3 (16.75 m/s2), which occurred by means of forward acceleration of the treadmill belt while standing. Kinematic data were collected using a motion capture system. Outcomes included arm elevation displacement, velocity, and margin of stability (MoS) of compensatory stepping. The results reveal no modulation of arm elevation velocity in older adults from perturbation intensity 1 to 2, whereas younger adults demonstrated progressive increases from intensity 1 to 2 to 3. At intensity 3, older adults demonstrated reduced maximal arm elevation velocity compared to younger adults (p = 0.02). The results in both groups combined reveal a positive correlation between maximal arm elevation velocity and first compensatory step MoS at intensity 3 (p = 0.01). Together, these findings indicate age-related decreases in arm response modulation and the association of arm elevation response with protective stepping stability, suggesting that fall prevention interventions may benefit from an emphasis on arm elevation velocity control in response to greater perturbation intensities.
Force Transfer Mechanism and Component-Based Model of Cast-Steel-Stiffened Circular-Tube-Column Frames for Progressive Collapse Analysis
Authors: Li Xinxia , Tao Lan , Liu Mingjie
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the system response, stress redistribution, failure mode, and catenary effect of steel frames with circular tube columns and cast steel stiffener (CSS) joints under a sudden column removal scenario were revealed. Based on this force transfer mechanism analysis, a practical and computationally efficient component-based model considering catenary effects and CSS joint details with a series of springs was established and validated by a detailed solid-element method. By using this component-based model, the proper dynamic response increase factor of the CSS joint frames was investigated. The results show that the great overall stiffness and strength of the CSS limit the deformation of the column front shell. Therefore, the CSS joint frames have superior performance for progressive collapse prevention than the frames using welded joints without stiffeners. In addition, the component-based model is validated to be effective and the dynamic response increase factor of the frames with circular tube columns and CSS joints is smaller than 2.0.
Bayesian Calibration for Office-Building Heating and Cooling Energy Prediction Model
Authors: Cui Yu , Zhu Zishang , Zhao Xudong , Li Zhaomeng , Qin Peng
Published: July 2022

Conventional building energy models (BEM) for heating and cooling energy-consumption prediction without calibration are not accurate, and the commonly used manual calibration method requires the high expertise of modelers. Bayesian calibration (BC) is a novel method with great potential in BEM, and there are many successful applications for unknown-parameters calibrating and retrofitting analysis. However, there is still a lack of study on prediction model calibration. There are two main challenges in developing a calibrated prediction model: (1) poor generalization ability; (2) lack of data availability. To tackle these challenges and create an energy prediction model for office buildings in Guangdong, China, this paper characterizes and validates the BC method to calibrate a quasi-dynamic BEM with a comprehensive database including geometry information for various office buildings. Then, a case study analyzes the effectiveness and performance of the calibrated prediction model. The results show that BC effectively and accurately calibrates quasi-dynamic BEM for prediction purposes. The calibrated model accuracy (monthly CV(RMSE) of 0.59% and hourly CV(RMSE) of 19.35%) meets the requirement of ASHRAE Guideline 14. With the calibrated prediction model, this paper provides a new way to improve the data quality and integrity of existing building energy databases and will further benefit usability.
The Presence of EGFR T790M in TKI-Naïve Lung Cancer Samples of Patients Who Developed a T790M-Positive Relapse on First or Second Generation TKI Is Rare
Authors: Li Weiting , Kok Klaas , Tan Geok Wee , Meng Pei , Mastik Mirjam , Rifaela Naomi , Scherpen Frank , Hiltermann T. Jeroen N. , Groen Harry J. M. , Wekken Anthonie J. van der , van den Berg Anke
Published: July 2022

EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients can be effectively treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) but frequently present with an EGFR T790M resistance mutation at relapse. We aimed to screen for T790M in pre-treatment formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples of patients with a confirmed T790M mutation at progression. We analyzed 33 pre-treatment DNA samples of NSCLC patients who progressed upon TKI between 2013 to 2019. To establish storage-time dependent formalin fixation-induced background levels for C>T mutations, we analyzed DNA isolated from archival (stored >1 year, n = 22) and recently generated (stored <1 month, n = 11) FFPE samples and included DNA isolated from white blood cells (WBC) (n = 24) as controls. DNA samples were analyzed by droplet digital (dd)PCR, and positivity was defined by outlier detection according to Grubb’s criterion. The T790M background allele frequency levels were 0.160% in DNA isolated from archival-FFPE, 0.100% in fresh FFPE, and 0.035% in WBC. Progression-free survival (PFS) time of the single T790M positive patient was 9 months, while T790M negative patients had a median PFS of 10 months (range 2–27). Proper storage time matched FFPE control samples are essential for reliable detection of T790M mutation at low VAF. The presence of EGFR T790M mutations in pre-TKI samples is rare, even in patients who progressed with EGFR T790M mutations.
Mutational Signature and Integrative Genomic Analysis of Human Papillomavirus-Associated Penile Squamous Cell Carcinomas from Latin American Patients
Authors: Canto Luisa Matos , da Silva Jenilson Mota , Castelo-Branco Patrícia Valèria , da Silva Ingrid Monteiro , Nogueira Leudivan , Fonseca-Alves Carlos Eduardo , Khayat André , Birbrair Alexander , Pereira Silma Regina
Published: July 2022

High-throughput DNA sequencing has allowed for the identification of genomic alterations and their impact on tumor development, progression, and therapeutic responses. In PSCC, for which the incidence has progressively increased worldwide, there are still limited data on the molecular mechanisms involved in the disease pathogenesis. In this study, we characterized the mutational signature of 30 human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated PSCC cases from Latin Americans, using whole-exome sequencing. Copy number variations (CNVs) were also identified and compared to previous array-generated data. Enrichment analyses were performed to reveal disrupted pathways and to identify alterations mapped to HPV integration sites (HPVis) and miRNA–mRNA hybridization regions. Among the most frequently mutated genes were NOTCH1, TERT, TTN, FAT1, TP53, CDKN2A, RYR2, CASP8, FBXW7, HMCN2, and ITGA8. Of note, 92% of these altered genes were localized at HPVis. We also found mutations in ten novel genes (KMT2C, SMARCA4, PTPRB, AJUBA, CR1, KMT2D, NBEA, FAM135B, GTF2I, and CIC), thus increasing our understanding of the potential HPV-disrupted pathways. Therefore, our study reveals innovative targets with potential therapeutic benefits for HPV-associated PSCCs. The CNV analysis by sequencing (CNV-seq) revealed five cancer-associated genes as the most frequent with gains (NOTCH1, MYC, NUMA1, PLAG1, and RAD21), while 30% of the tumors showed SMARCA4 with loss. Additionally, four cancer-associated genes (CARD11, CSMD3, KDR, and TLX3) carried untranslated regions (UTRs) variants, which may impact gene regulation by affecting the miRNAs hybridization regions. Altogether, these data contribute to the characterization of the mutational spectrum and its impact on cellular signaling pathways in PSCC, thus reinforcing the pivotal role of HPV infection in the molecular pathogenesis of these tumors.
Advances in the Preoperative Identification of Uterine Sarcoma
Authors: Liu Junxiu , Wang Zijie
Published: July 2022

Uterine sarcomas are rare malignant tumors of the uterus with a high degree of malignancy. Their clinical manifestations, imaging examination findings, and laboratory test results overlap with those of uterine fibroids. No reliable diagnostic criteria can distinguish uterine sarcomas from other uterine tumors, and the final diagnosis is usually only made after surgery based on histopathological evaluation. Conservative or minimally invasive treatment of patients with uterine sarcomas misdiagnosed preoperatively as uterine fibroids will shorten patient survival. Herein, we will summarize recent advances in the preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas, including epidemiology and clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, radiomics and machine learning-related methods, preoperative biopsy, integrated model and other relevant emerging technologies.
Autophagy: A Key Player in Pancreatic Cancer Progression and a Potential Drug Target
Authors: Gillson Josef , Abd El-Aziz Yomna S. , Leck Lionel Y. W. , Jansson Patric J. , Pavlakis Nick , Samra Jaswinder S. , Mittal Anubhav , Sahni Sumit
Published: July 2022

Pancreatic cancer is known to have the lowest survival outcomes among all major cancers, and unfortunately, this has only been marginally improved over last four decades. The innate characteristics of pancreatic cancer include an aggressive and fast-growing nature from powerful driver mutations, a highly defensive tumor microenvironment and the upregulation of advantageous survival pathways such as autophagy. Autophagy involves targeted degradation of proteins and organelles to provide a secondary source of cellular supplies to maintain cell growth. Elevated autophagic activity in pancreatic cancer is recognized as a major survival pathway as it provides a plethora of support for tumors by supplying vital resources, maintaining tumour survival under the stressful microenvironment and promoting other pathways involved in tumour progression and metastasis. The combination of these features is unique to pancreatic cancer and present significant resistance to chemotherapeutic strategies, thus, indicating a need for further investigation into therapies targeting this crucial pathway. This review will outline the autophagy pathway and its regulation, in addition to the genetic landscape and tumor microenvironment that contribute to pancreatic cancer severity. Moreover, this review will also discuss the mechanisms of novel therapeutic strategies that inhibit autophagy and how they could be used to suppress tumor progression.
Association of GSTT1, GSTM1 and GSTP1 (Ile105Val) mRNA Expression with Cardiometabolic Risk Parameters in Women with Breast Cancer and Comorbidities
Authors: Becerril Alarcón Yizel , Bastida González Fernando , Camacho Beiza Isidro Roberto , Dávila González Eduardo , Cruz Ramos José Alfonso , Benítez Arciniega Alejandra Donají , Valdés Ramos Roxana , Soto Piña Alexandra Estela
Published: July 2022

Breast cancer (BC) and cardiometabolic diseases share a multifactorial and modifiable etiology, modulated by complex molecular pathways. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) plays a critical role, providing protection against xenobiotics and regulating levels of enzymes and proteins in the cell. GST variants have a significant impact on susceptibility to diseases whose pathogenesis involves oxidative stress, as is the case in many inflammatory diseases such as BC and cardiometabolic pathologies. However, the expression of these polymorphic variants has not been studied in BC. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of GST mRNA isoforms and their association with clinical and cardiometabolic parameters in women with BC. This was a case-control study, and a total of 57 participants were recruited. Concentrations of glucose and lipids in blood were measured in all the participants. GST variants (GSTT1, GSTM1 and GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism) were evaluated in all the participants by real-time PCR analysis. There was a significant association (p < 0.05) between the frequency of GSTP1 and LDL-c in the BC group. However, the control group showed significant associations between blood pressure with GSTT1 and GSTP1 variants with total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c, VLDL-c and triacylglycerols (TG). Therefore, GSTT1 and GSTP1 variants could be emerging biomarkers to discriminate between BC cases related or not to cardiometabolic disease factors.
An Efficient Electrocatalyst (PtCo/C) for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Hou Bingxue , Luo Xinlei , Zheng Ziheng , Tang Rui , Zhang Qi , Gholizadeh Mortaza , Wang Chengcheng , Tan Zanxiong
Published: July 2022

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is paid much more attention because of the high overpotential required for driving the four-electron process in the field of storage and sustainable energy conversion, including fuel cell applications. In this paper, PtCo nanoparticles encapsulated on carbon supports were prepared by a simple modified polyol method with ethylene glycol. Structural as well as electrochemical characterizations illustrated that the PtCo/C electrocatalysts had a minimum particle size of 4.8 nm, which is close to the commercial 40 wt% Pt/JM. Moreover, the electrochemical measurements indicated that ORR activity was competitive with the commercial 40 wt% Pt/JM catalyst. The synthesis method is a critical way to produce PtCo/C catalysts for use in polymer electrolyte membranes in fuel cells (PEMFCs).
Ordered Mesoporous nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 Catalysts Used for Nitrate Reduction: Synthesis, Optimization and Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Ruimin , Liu Haixia , Jiang Weili , Liu Weijing
Published: July 2022

Excessive concentrations of nitrate (NO3-N) in water lead to the deterioration of water quality, reducing biodiversity and destroying ecosystems. Therefore, the present study investigated NO3-N removal from simulated wastewater by nanoscale zero-valent iron-supported ordered mesoporous Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites (nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15) assisted by response surface methodology (RSM), an artificial neural network combined with a genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) and a radial basis neural network (RBF). The successful support of nZVI on Zr-Ce-SBA-15 was confirmed using XRD, FTIR, TEM, SEM–EDS, N2 adsorption and XPS, which indicated ordered mesoporous materials. The results showed that ANN-GA was better than the RSM for optimizing the conditions of NO3-N removal and the RBF neural network further confirmed the reliability of the ANN-GA model. The removal rate of NO3-N by the composites reached 95.71% under the optimized experimental conditions (initial pH of 4.89, contact time = of 62.27 min, initial NO3-N concentration of 74.84 mg/L and temperature of 24.77 °C). The process of NO3-N adsorption onto Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites was followed by the Langmuir model (maximum adsorption capacity of 45.24 mg/g), pseudo-second-order kinetics, and was spontaneous, endothermic and entropy driven. The yield of N2 can be improved after nZVI was supported on Zr-Ce-SBA-15, and the composites exhibited a strong renewability in the short term within three cycles. The resolution of Fe2+ experiments confirmed that nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 was simultaneously undergoing adsorption and catalysis in the process of NO3-N removal. Our study suggests that the ordered mesoporous nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites are a promising material for simultaneously performing NO3-N removal and improving the selectivity of N2, which provides a theoretical reference for NO3-N remediation from wastewater.
Enhancement on PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5 Electrocatalyst Performance in the Application of Zn-Air Battery
Authors: Wang Chengcheng , Zheng Ziheng , Chen Zian , Luo Xinlei , Hou Bingxue , Gholizadeh Mortaza , Gao Xiang , Fan Xincan , Tan Zanxiong
Published: July 2022

Due to the insufficient stability and expensive price of commercial precious metal catalysts like Pt/C and IrO2, it is critical to study efficiently, stable oxygen reduction reaction as well as oxygen evolution reaction (ORR/OER) electrocatalysts of rechargeable Zn-air batteries. PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5 (PBSCF) double perovskite was adopted due to its flexible electronic structure as well as higher electro catalytic activity. In this study, PBSCF was prepared by the citrate-EDTA method and the optimized amount of PBSCF-Pt/C composite was used as a potential ORR/OER bifunctional electrocatalyst in 0.1 M KOH. The optimized composite exhibited excellent OER intrinsic activity with an onset potential of 1.6 V and Tafel slope of 76 mV/dec under O2-saturated 0.1 M KOH. It also exhibited relatively competitive ORR activity with an onset potential of 0.9 V and half-wave potential of 0.78 V. Additionally, Zn–air battery with PBSCF composite catalyst showed relatively good stability. All these results illustrate that PBSCF-Pt/C composite is a promising bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable Zn-air batteries.
IDO1, FAT10, IFI6, and GILT Are Involved in the Antiretroviral Activity of γ-Interferon and IDO1 Restricts Retrovirus Infection by Autophagy Enhancement
Authors: Kubo Yoshinao , Yasui Kiyoshi , Izumida Mai , Hayashi Hideki , Matsuyama Toshifumi
Published: July 2022

Gamma-interferon (γ-IFN) significantly inhibits infection by replication-defective viral vectors derived from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) or murine leukemia virus (MLV) but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Previously we reported that knockdown of γ-IFN-inducible lysosomal thiolreductase (GILT) abrogates the antiviral activity of γ-IFN in TE671 cells but not in HeLa cells, suggesting that other γ-IFN-inducible host factors are involved in its antiviral activity in HeLa cells. We identified cellular factors, the expression of which are induced by γ-IFN in HeLa cells, using a microarray, and analyzed the effects of 11 γ-IFN-induced factors on retroviral vector infection. Our results showed that the exogenous expression of FAT10, IFI6, or IDO1 significantly inhibits both HIV-1- and MLV-based vector infections. The antiviral activity of γ-IFN was decreased in HeLa cells, in which the function of IDO1, IFI6, FAT10, and GILT were simultaneously inhibited. IDO1 is an enzyme that metabolizes an essential amino acid, tryptophan. However, IDO1 did not restrict retroviral vector infection in Atg3-silencing HeLa cells, in which autophagy did not occur. This study found that IDO1, IFI6, FAT10, and GILT are involved in the antiviral activity of γ-IFN, and IDO1 inhibits retroviral infection by inducing autophagy.
Induced Endothelial Cell-Integrated Liver Assembloids Promote Hepatic Maturation and Therapeutic Effect on Cholestatic Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Nam Donggyu , Park Myung Rae , Lee Hyunah , Bae Sung Chul , Gerovska Daniela , Araúzo-Bravo Marcos J. , Zaehres Holm , Schöler Hans R. , Kim Jeong Beom
Published: July 2022

The transplantation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived liver organoids has been studied to solve the current donor shortage. However, the differentiation of unintended cell populations, difficulty in generating multi-lineage organoids, and tumorigenicity of PSC-derived organoids are challenges. However, direct conversion technology has allowed for the generation lineage-restricted induced stem cells from somatic cells bypassing the pluripotent state, thereby eliminating tumorigenic risks. Here, liver assembloids (iHEAs) were generated by integrating induced endothelial cells (iECs) into the liver organoids (iHLOs) generated with induced hepatic stem cells (iHepSCs). Liver assembloids showed enhanced functional maturity compared to iHLOs in vitro and improved therapeutic effects on cholestatic liver fibrosis animals in vivo. Mechanistically, FN1 expressed from iECs led to the upregulation of Itgα5/β1 and Hnf4α in iHEAs and were correlated to the decreased expression of genes related to hepatic stellate cell activation such as Lox and Spp1 in the cholestatic liver fibrosis animals. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the possibility of generating transplantable iHEAs with directly converted cells, and our results evidence that integrating iECs allows iHEAs to have enhanced hepatic maturation compared to iHLOs.
FIB and Wedge Polishing Sample Preparation for TEM Analysis of Sol-Gel Derived Perovskite Thin Films
Authors: Sanz-Mateo Jorge , Deluca Marco , Sartory Bernhard , Benes Federica , Kiener Daniel
Published: July 2022

In ceramic thin films, choosing an appropriate sample preparation method for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses is of paramount importance to avoid preparation-induced damage and retain nanoscale features that require investigation. Here we compare two methods of TEM thin film sample preparation, namely conventional wedge polishing and focused ion beam (FIB) based lift out preparation applied to ferroelectric barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) thin films made by chemical solution deposition (CSD). The aim of the work is to determine the pros and cons of each method considering not only the quality of the TEM specimen, but also aspects such as availability, ease of use, and affordability. Besides some limitations on the selection of visualized area due to thickness constraints on the FIB-made sample, both methods offer the capability to prepare samples with very comparable quality, as indicated by achieving the same thickness, a largely agreeing microstructure, no secondary phases on the diffraction pattern, and good atomic resolution. This last observation is especially important in the current context of material science, where more nanoscale phenomena are becoming the subject of study. The wedge polishing method, however, is deemed more affordable in terms of instrumentation, as it only requires a tripod polisher, a polishing wheel, and a precision ion polishing system, whereas the lift out method requires a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an FIB system. We believe that this work serves groups working on ferroelectric thin films in preparing TEM samples in a more effective and uncomplicated manner, facilitating progress in understanding this fascinating class of materials.
Acupuncture for Pain Management in Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Plonski Krystal S.
Published: July 2022

Pain management in an acute vaso-occlusive episode for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is challenging and often is focused on opioids, IV fluids, regional anesthesia, ketamine infusions, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Acupuncture has long been studied as an effective method of pain relief, although the use of acupuncture in pediatric patients with SCD during an acute vaso-occlusive pain episode is vastly understudied. This article provides a review of current research regarding the use of acupuncture as a pain treatment strategy for pediatric patients with SCD experiencing acute pain. A literature review of scientific papers published within the last ten years was conducted on the topic. Five primary literature articles on acupuncture for pain management in pediatric patients with SCD were reviewed. Acupuncture is feasible and acceptable, with statistically significant findings for effectiveness as an adjunct treatment for pain in this setting. It is concluded that acupuncture is a promising and understudied therapy for the treatment of pain during an acute pain episode in pediatric patients with SCD. Hopefully, this paper stimulates interest in this specific area of medicine and prompts future research studies to be conducted to reveal conclusive outcomes.
Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Children’s Eating Behaviours: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Umano Giuseppina Rosaria , Rondinelli Giulia , Rivetti Giulio , Klain Angela , Aiello Francesca , Miraglia del Giudice Michele , Decimo Fabio , Papparella Alfonso , Miraglia del Giudice Emanuele
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on children’s lifestyle and eating behaviour, resulting in an increase of obesity prevalence. The CEBQ (Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire) is a validate questionnaire that investigates children’s eating behaviour. Knowing the psychological consequences of daily routine disruption during lockdown, we evaluated the changes in eating behaviours in a paediatric cohort before and during the lockdown period through the evaluation of the Italian version of the CEBQ. We prospectively enrolled children attending the pediatric clinic of the University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’. All parents answered the parent-report version of the CEBQ before lockdown containment. During lockdown, the second survey was carried out by telephone call. The study sample included 69 children. Food responsiveness and emotional overeating subscales showed higher scores during lockdown compared to data before lockdown (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conversely, desire to drink and satiety responsiveness showed lower scores at follow-up (p = 0.04 and p = 0.0001, respectively). No differences were observed for slowness in eating and enjoyment of food. Delta changes were higher in normal-weight children compared to children with obesity (p = 0.02). Our results confirm that containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have acted as triggers on certain eating behaviors that mostly predispose to an obesogenic manner.
Differences between Creativity and Gender in Students with High Abilities Attending a School with Total Grouping
Authors: Betancourt Julián , Valadez María de los Dolores , Rodríguez-Naveiras Elena , Flores Juan Francisco , Borges África
Published: July 2022

Background: Creativity is one of the most relevant aspects in students’ training. One of the purposes of the present work is to show the lack of differences between boys and girls in creativity; the other is the possibility of improving creativity among high-ability students who received specific training as part of their intra-curricular content in a total grouping program for gifted students. Method: The sample consisted of 42 students from first to third grade (13 females and 29 males) and 58 students from fourth to sixth grade (21 females and 37 males). Creativity was measured with the CREA test for younger students and with the PIC-N for older students. Training was carried out through an Integral Innovation and Creativity Program (PIIC). Results: The results showed no differences between genders, except in one of the graphic creativity scales (Details). There were improvements due to the training in all measures of narrative creativity and in the scale of elaboration of graphic creativity. Conclusions: The main conclusions are the importance of increasing creativity with specific programs and the need to improve interventions in graphic creativity.
A Virtual Community of Practice: An International Educational Series in Pediatric Neurocritical Care
Authors: Erklauer Jennifer , Thomas Ajay , Hong Sue , Appavu Brian , Carpenter Jessica , Chiriboga-Salazar Nicolas , Ferrazzano Peter , Goldstein Zachary , Griffith Jennifer , Guilliams Kristin , Kirschen Matthew , Lidsky Karen , Lovett Marlina , McLaughlin Brandon , Munoz Pareja Jennifer , Murphy Sarah , O'Donnell Wendy , Riviello James , Schober Michelle , Topjian Alexis , Wainwright Mark , Simon Dennis ,   Pediatric Neurocritical Care Research Group
Published: July 2022

Pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) is a rapidly growing field. Challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on trainee exposure to educational opportunities involving direct patient care led to the creative solutions for virtual education supported by guiding organizations such as the Pediatric Neurocritical Care Research Group (PNCRG). Our objective is to describe the creation of an international, peer-reviewed, online PNCC educational series targeting medical trainees and faculty. More than 1600 members of departments such as pediatrics, pediatric critical care, and child neurology hailing from 75 countries across six continents have participated in this series over a 10-month period. We created an online educational channel in PNCC with over 2500 views to date and over 130 followers. This framework could serve as a roadmap for other institutions and specialties seeking to address the ongoing problems of textbook obsolescence relating to the rapid acceleration in knowledge acquisition, as well as those seeking to create new educational content that offers opportunities for an interactive, global audience. Through the creation of a virtual community of practice, we have created an international forum for pediatric healthcare providers to share and learn specialized expertise and best practices to advance global pediatric health.
The Effect of Stress Level on the Resilient Modulus of Non-Engineered Mudrock Backfill Materials
Authors: Kennedy Shaymaa , Clarke Sam , Shepley Paul
Published: July 2022

In the UK, High Speed Rail 2, (London to the ‘North’) is surrounded by a number of questions regarding construction technologies which can minimise the impact of the route. The rail industry in the UK has vast experience based with ballasted track, but this is not necessarily the most appropriate choice for new high speed rail construction when crossing problematic soils. This paper aims to investigate the use of different track types (ballasted and ballastless) and the influence they will have on the underlying soil in areas predominated by non-engineered mudrock backfills, relics of the UK’s mining heritage. Mudrocks are a class of fine-grained siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. Structural performance of the railway track strongly depends on the level of stress that is transmitted to the ground and this must be reduced to an acceptable level to minimise deterioration in the mudrock if they are to be utilised effectively. The main objective for this paper is to investigate the impact of the initial stress conditions and dynamic stress on the permanent deformation of mudrock under different physical conditions. Triaxial testing is used to estimate the stiffness characteristics of the mudrock. The results show that the resilient modulus increases with a decrease in the stress amplitude. In addition, ballasted track shows a higher suitability for use in design in terms of the stiffness generated within the mudrock.
Microstructures, Corrosion Resistance and Wear Resistance of High-Entropy Alloys Coatings with Various Compositions Prepared by Laser Cladding: A Review
Authors: Lu Kefeng , Zhu Jian , Guo Delin , Yang Minghui , Sun Huajian , Wang Zekun , Hui Xidong , Wu Yongling
Published: July 2022

Nowadays, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have become a hot research topic in the field of coating materials. However, HEAs have a large wide range of compositional systems, and the differences in their composition inevitably lead to the significant variations in the matching process parameters of laser cladding and post-treatment methods, which in turn give the coatings a broad range of microstructures and protective properties. Therefore, it is crucial to review and summarize the research progresses on laser cladding HEA coatings to provide a reference for obtaining high-performance HEA coatings and further expand the application of HEA coatings. This work describes the working mechanism of laser cladding and illustrates the advantages and drawbacks of laser cladding in detail. The effects of the addition of alloying elements, process parameters and post-treatment techniques on the microstructures and properties of the coatings are thoroughly reviewed and analyzed. In addition, the correlations between the chemical compositions of HEAs, process parameters of laser cladding, post-treatment techniques and the microstructure and protective properties of the coatings are investigated and summarized. On this basis, the future development direction of HEA coatings is outlined.
Progress in Sustainability and Durability of Concrete and Mortar Composites
Authors: Corbu Ofelia , Toma Ionut-Ovidiu
Published: July 2022

The origins of concrete as a construction material date back more than 2000 years ago, but the origins of the term itself are still under debate due to its many different interpretations throughout history [...]
Effect of Modified Tetraethyl Orthosilicate Surface Treatment Agents on the Permeability of Airport Pavement Concrete
Authors: Li Tianlun , Wu Yonggen
Published: July 2022

In this paper, three modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents were prepared by using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the preparation monomer, isobutyltriethoxysilane (IBTS) as the hybridizer, and acrylic acid, phosphoric acid, and hydrochloric acid as the catalysts. The effects of the three modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents on the permeability of airport pavement surface concrete were investigated by water absorption tests, water contact angle tests, water penetration resistance tests, chloride ion penetration resistance tests, and carbonation tests, and the mechanisms of action of the modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents were analyzed by microscopic tests. The results showed that all three tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents could significantly improve the impermeability of concrete, among which the modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agent with hydrochloric acid as the catalyst had the most obvious effect on the improvement of the impermeability of concrete. Acrylic acid was weaker than hydrochloric acid as the catalyst of a modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agent for the improvement of concrete impermeability; it was only slightly stronger than hydrochloric acid as the catalyst of modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agent in terms of the improvement of concrete’s resistance to water penetration, and the difference between the two was not significant. Phosphoric acid as a catalyst of the modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agent was the least effective for concrete impermeability; it was only stronger than the other two modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents in the improvement of concrete resistance to carbonation, and the carbonation depth of the concrete was only 1 mm in 28 days. SEM and MIP tests showed that the modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents improved the impermeability of concrete mainly by producing additional hydrated calcium silicate gel to plug microcracks and pores, reduce the total porosity of the concrete and the number of multi-harmful and harmful pores, and improve the compactness of the concrete. The test results can provide a reference for the development of modified tetraethyl orthosilicate surface treatment agents and their application in airport pavement surface engineering.
Corrosion Degradation Behaviors of Ti6Al4V Alloys in Simulated Marine Environments
Authors: Chen Wei , Zhang Dalu , Wang Enlei , Yan Feng , Xiang Lin , Xie Zhiwen
Published: July 2022

Detailed tests and characterizations were used to investigate the corrosion degradation behaviors of Ti6Al4V alloys in simulated marine environments. These alloys suffered from very slight pitting and a miniscule weight loss of 0.018 mg/cm2 during the 50 cycle salt spray exposure but experienced significant oxygen erosion in the high-temperature oxidation test, resulting in a high weight gain of 2.657 mg/cm2 at 400 h. The oxidation and degradation reactions simultaneously occurred during the high-temperature hot salt test. The chlorine (Cl2) induced by the eutectic reaction of the mixed salts accelerated the degradation of the substrate and led to a higher weight gain of 4.265 mg/cm2 at 400 h. In contrast, this alloy suffered from severe corrosion damage during the high-temperature hot salt–water vapor synergy test. The degradation of TiO2, Al2O3, and V2O5 was aggravated by the synergistic action of chlorine salt and water. The reaction forming hydrochloric acid (HCl) further degraded the matrix metal and consequently led to a high weight loss of 16.358 mg/cm2 at 400 h. These current findings provide a comprehensive understanding for the degradation mechanisms of Ti alloys in these specific marine environments.
Research on Micro-Mechanics Modelling of TPU-Modified Asphalt Mastic
Authors: Jin Xin , Wang Fengchi , Wang Zhichen , Yang Ye , Chu Zhaoyang , Guo Naisheng , Lv Xin
Published: July 2022

To explore the interactions and mechanisms of Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-modified asphalt with different kinds of mineral fillers, a micro-mechanical model for TPU-modified asphalt mastic was established, which considered the interaction between asphalt and mineral powder to effectively analyze the internal mechanisms affecting the rheological properties of TPU-modified asphalt mastic. In this study, according to the micro-mechanics of composites’ principles, the dynamic shear modulus (|G*|) of asphalt mastic with different mass ratios of filler/asphalt (F/A) was calculated by the homogenize morphologically representative pattern (H-MRP) model. The key ratio of F/A, which is close to the test result, can be determined, and a four-phase H-MRP model of the TPU modified asphalt mastic was established after considering the structure of asphalt layer thickness. The results were interpreted based on the known reactions of TPU with asphalt model compounds. The |G*| of TPU-modified asphalt mastic was predicted by using this model. Furthermore, the effects of the complex shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio of TPU-modified asphalt, Poisson’s ratio, particle size of mineral powder, and thickness of the structural asphalt layer in the |G*| of TPU-modified asphalt mastic were analyzed in the whole-model construction, as well as the internal mechanism of the |G*| of TPU modified asphalt mastic. In addition, can also be found the predicted value of |G*| calculated by the four-phase H-MRP model is close to the experimental value after choosing a structural asphalt layer of appropriate thickness.
Automated Detection of Improper Sitting Postures in Computer Users Based on Motion Capture Sensors
Authors: Feradov Firgan , Markova Valentina , Ganchev Todor
Published: July 2022

Prolonged computer-related work can be linked to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the upper limbs and improper posture. In this regard, we report on developing resources supporting improper posture studies based on motion capture sensors. These resources were used to create a baseline detector for the automated detection of improper sitting postures, which was next used to evaluate the applicability of Hjorth’s parameters—Activity, Mobility and Complexity—on the specific classification task. Specifically, based on accelerometer data, we computed Hjorth’s time-domain parameters, which we stacked as feature vectors and fed to a binary classifier (kNN, decision tree, linear SVM and Gaussian SVM). The experimental evaluation in a setup involving two different keyboard types (standard and ergonomic) validated the practical worth of the proposed sitting posture detection method, and we reported an average classification accuracy of up to 98.4%. We deem that this research contributes toward creating an automated system for improper posture monitoring for people working on a computer for prolonged periods.
Effective Elasticity Tensor of Fiber-Reinforced Orthorhombic Composite Materials with Fiber Distribution Parallel to Plane
Authors: Li Aimin , Zhao Tengfei , Lan Zhiwen , Huang Mojia
Published: July 2022

An orthogonal composite material Ω with fibers consists of a matrix and orthothombic distribution fibers. In addition to the matrix properties, the fiber properties and the fiber volume fraction, the effective (macroscopic) elastic stress–strain constitutive relation of Ω is related to the fiber direction distribution. Until now, there have been few papers that give an explicit formula of the macroscopic elastic stress–strain constitutive relation of Ω with the effect of the fiber direction distribution. Taking the expanded coefficients of the Fourier series as the fiber direction distribution coefficients, we give a formula of the fiber direction distribution parallel to a plane computed through the fiber directions. By the self-consistent estimates, we derive an explicit formula of the macroscopic elastic stress–strain constitutive relation of Ω with the fiber direction distribution coefficients. Since all tensors are represented in Kelvin notation, the macroscopic elastic stress–strain constitutive relation of Ω can be derived and computed only by matrix manipulations. To check the explicit formula, we use the FEM computation to obtain the macroscopic elastic stress–strain relation of Ω for three examples. The computational results of the explicit formula for the three examples are consistent with those of the FEM simulations.
Influence of Organic-Modified Inorganic Matrices on the Optical Properties of Palygorskite–Curcumin-Type Hybrid Materials
Authors: Raduly Florentina Monica , Rădițoiu Valentin , Fierăscu Radu Claudiu , Rădițoiu Alina , Nicolae Cristian Andi , Purcar Violeta
Published: July 2022

Clays are very important from an economic and application point of view, as they are suitable hosts for organic compounds. In order to diversify the fields of application, they are structurally modified by physical or chemical methods with cationic species, and/or different bifunctional compounds, such as organosilanes. In this study, palygorskite was modified with (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane, which was subsequently modified at the amino group by grafting an acetate residue. By using this strategy, two types of host hybrid materials were obtained on which curcumin derivatives were deposited. The composites obtained were structurally characterized and their photophysical properties were investigated in relation to the structure of the host matrices and interactions with curcumin-type visiting species. The hybrid composites have different colors (orange, yellow, pink), depending on the polarity of the inorganic matrices modulated by different organic groups grafted at the surface. Fluorescence emission in the visible range is characterized by the presence of two emission maxima, one belonging to the chromophore and the other influenced by the physical interactions between auxochromes and host matrices. These hybrid materials, compared to other composite structures, are obtained by a simple adsorption process. They are temperature stable in aggressive environments (acid/base) and render the fluorescent properties of dyes redundant, with improved luminescent performance compared to them.
Association of Long-Term Speech Therapy and Neuromodulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia: Lessons from a Case Report
Authors: Gaffuri Lucia , Clarke Louisa , Duerig Eva , Zheng Yifan , Boll Yin , Alexander Louis , Annoni Jean-Marie , Hausmann Alessa
Published: July 2022

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a progressive loss of language. Long-term support requires speech therapy but also individually set training programs. Here we propose an 8-month individualized speech-training program which alternates 3-week periods of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment with intensive daily language exercises and a 3-week period without tDCS treatment and a less intensive language exercise from home in a patient with non-fluent variant PPA (nfvPPA). The endpoints were the following: adherence to this program, language data after 8 months, questionnaires related to emotional valence, and brain volume changes. The results showed a persistent adherence after 8 months and a positive compliance reported by both the patient and the partner. The language evaluation showed a clinical stabilization. Moreover, a significant and positive influence of tDCS on mood was observed. This is, to our knowledge, the first ever published report of a combined neuromodulation and language training during the course of 8 months. Our finding suggests the feasibility of programs integrating hospital speech therapy, home training, and tDCS modulation in PPA. Further studies should be conducted in order to disentangle the contextual influences on language performance from the tDCS intervention effects and to address the observation of an initial improvement and a subsequent stabilization effect of language performances.