bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetics, Moderators and Reference Limits of Exercise-Induced Elevation of Cardiac Troponin T in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Feifei , Hopkins Will G. , Wang Xuejing , Baker Julien S. , Nie Jinlei , Qiu Junqiang , Quach Binh , Wang Kun , Yi Longyan
Published: March 2021

Background: Kinetics, moderators and reference limits for exercise-induced cardiac troponin T (cTnT) elevations are still unclear.

Methods: A systematic review of published literature was conducted adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies reporting high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) concentrations before and after a bout of exercise in athletes were included and analyzed. The final dataset consisted of 62 estimates from 16 bouts in 13 studies of 5–1,002 athletes (1,421 in total). Meta-analysis was performed using general linear mixed modeling and Bayesian inferences about effect magnitudes. Modifying fixed-effect moderators of gender, age, baseline level, exercise duration, intensity and modalities were investigated. Simulation was used to derive 99th percentile with 95% limits of upper reference ranges for hs-cTnT of athletic populations.

Results: The mean and upper reference limits of hs-cTnT before exercise were 4.4 and 19 ng.L−1. Clear increases in hs-cTnT ranging from large to very large (factor changes of 2.1–7.5, 90% compatibility limits, ×/÷1.3) were evident from 0.7 through 25 h, peaking at 2.9 h after the midpoint of a 2.5-h bout of running, when the mean and upper reference limit for hs-cTnT were 33 and 390 ng L−1. A four-fold increase in exercise duration produced a large clear increase (2.4, ×/÷1.7) in post-exercise hs-cTnT. Rowing exercise demonstrated an extremely large clear reduction (0.1 ×/÷2.4).

Conclusions: The kinetics of cTnT elevation following exercise, the positive effect of exercise duration, the impact of exercise modality and 99th upper reference limits for athletic populations were reasonably well defined by this meta-analysis.
Rethinking the Plant Economics Spectrum for Annuals: A Multi-Species Study
Authors: Kurze Susanne , Engelbrecht Bettina M. J. , Bilton Mark C. , Tielbörger Katja , Álvarez-Cansino Leonor
Published: March 2021

The plant economics spectrum hypothesizes a correlation among resource-use related traits along one single axis, which determines species’ growth rates and their ecological filtering along resource gradients. This concept has been mostly investigated and shown in perennial species, but has rarely been tested in annual species. Annuals evade unfavorable seasons as seeds and thus may underlie different constraints, with consequences for interspecific trait-trait, trait-growth, and trait-environment relations. To test the hypotheses of the plant economics spectrum in annual species, we measured twelve resource-use related leaf and root traits in 30 winter annuals from Israel under controlled conditions. Traits and their coordinations were related to species’ growth rates (for 19 species) and their distribution along a steep rainfall gradient. Contrary to the hypotheses of the plant economics spectrum, in the investigated annuals traits were correlated along two independent axes, one of structural traits and one of carbon gain traits. Consequently, species’ growth rates were related to carbon gain traits, but independent from structural traits. Species’ distribution along the rainfall gradient was unexpectedly neither associated with species’ scores along the axes of carbon gain or structural traits nor with growth rate. Nevertheless, root traits were related with species’ distribution, indicating that they are relevant for species’ filtering along rainfall gradients in winter annuals. Overall, our results showed that the functional constraints hypothesized by the plant economics spectrum do not apply to winter annuals, leading to unexpected trait-growth and trait-rainfall relations. Our study thus cautions to generalize trait-based concepts and findings between life-history strategies. To predict responses to global change, trait-based concepts should be explicitly tested for different species groups.
Predicting Students' Attitudes Toward Collaboration: Evidence From Structural Equation Model Trees and Forests
Authors: Li Jialing , Zhang Minqiang , Li Yixing , Huang Feifei , Shao Wei
Published: March 2021

Numerous studies have shed some light on the importance of associated factors of collaborative attitudes. However, most previous studies aimed to explore the influence of these factors in isolation. With the strategy of data-driven decision making, the current study applied two data mining methods to elucidate the most significant factors of students' attitudes toward collaboration and group students to draw a concise model, which is beneficial for educators to focus on key factors and make effective interventions at a lower cost. Structural equation model trees (SEM trees) and structural equation model forests (SEM forests) were applied to the Program for International Student Assessment 2015 dataset (a total of 9,769 15-year-old students from China). By establishing the most important predictors and the splitting rules, these methods constructed multigroup common factor models of collaborative attitudes. The SEM trees showed that home educational resources (split by “above-average or not”), home possessions (split by “disadvantaged or not”), mother's education (split by “below high school or not”), and gender (split by “male or female”) were the most important predictors among the demographic variables, drawing a 5-group model. Among all the predictors, achievement motivation (split by “above-average or not”) and sense of belonging at school (split by “above-average or not” and “disadvantaged or not”) were the most important, drawing a 6-group model. The SEM forest findings proved the relative importance of these variables. This paper discusses various interpretations of these results and their implications for educators to formulate corresponding interventions. Methodologically, this research provides a data mining approach to discover important information from large-scale educational data, which might be a complementary approach to enhance data-driven decision making in education.
Barriers to Behavior Change in Parents With Overweight or Obese Children: A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Ziser Katrin , Decker Stefanie , Stuber Felicitas , Herschbach Anne , Giel Katrin Elisabeth , Zipfel Stephan , Ehehalt Stefan , Junne Florian
Published: March 2021

Overweight and obesity among children and adolescents are global problems of our time. Due to their authority and role modeling, parents play an essential part in the efficacy of prevention and intervention programs. This study assessed the barriers that parents of overweight/obese children face in preventive and interventional health care utilization. Sixteen parents were qualitatively interviewed. A content analysis was performed, and barriers to change were allocated to their stage of change according to the transtheoretical model. Among the main barriers is the underestimation of health risks caused by overweight/obesity in association with diminished problem awareness. Parents seem not necessarily in need of theoretical knowledge for prevention and interventions. They do however need support in evaluating the weight status of their child and the knowledge of whom to turn to for help as well as specific and hands-on possibilities for change. The results extend past studies by adding specific barriers to change that parents commonly experience. Possibilities to address these barriers, e.g., through trainings at the pediatric practice or adoption of conversation techniques, are discussed. Future studies might identify subgroups experiencing specific barriers and thus be able to address these in an individualized way.
Impact of Teacher's Mental State Talk on Young Children's Theory of Mind: A Quasi-Experiment Study
Authors: Wu Jianfen , Liu Minmin , Lin Wenqi
Published: March 2021

This study investigated the relationship between teachers' mental state talk and young children's theory of mind with a quasi-experiment. In total, 56 young children were assigned to the experiment group (meanage = 41 months, SD = 2.47, 46% girls) and the control group (meanage = 40.68 months, SD = 2.23, 43% girls). The experiment group was engaged in a 12-week intervention program with mental state talk in storytelling, casual conversations, and role-playing games, whereas the control group received no interventions. All the children were tested with three theory of mind (ToM) tasks before and after the intervention. The results indicated that the experimental group had a significant improvement in the ToM scores, whereas the control group showed no significant change. The educational implications of these findings are discussed.
Abnormal Large-Scale Network Activation Present in Bipolar Mania and Bipolar Depression Under Resting State
Authors: Zeng Can , Ross Brendan , Xue Zhimin , Huang Xiaojun , Wu Guowei , Liu Zhening , Tao Haojuan , Pu Weidan
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Previous studies have primarily focused on the neuropathological mechanisms of the emotional circuit present in bipolar mania and bipolar depression. Recent studies applying resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have raise the possibility of examining brain-wide networks abnormality between the two oppositional emotion states, thus this study aimed to characterize the different functional architecture represented in mania and depression by employing group-independent component analysis (gICA).

Materials and Methods: Forty-one bipolar depressive patients, 20 bipolar manic patients, and 40 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and received resting-state fMRI scans. Group-independent component analysis was applied to the brain network functional connectivity analysis. Then, we calculated the correlation between the value of between-group differences and clinical variables.

Results: Group-independent component analysis identified 15 components in all subjects, and ANOVA showed that functional connectivity (FC) differed significantly in the default mode network, central executive network, and frontoparietal network across the three groups. Further post-hoc t-tests showed a gradient descent of activity—depression > HC > mania—in all three networks, with the differences between depression and HCs, as well as between depression and mania, surviving after family wise error (FWE) correction. Moreover, central executive network and frontoparietal network activities were positively correlated with Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) scores and negatively correlated with Young manic rating scale (YMRS) scores.

Conclusions: Three brain networks heighten activity in depression, but not mania; and the discrepancy regions mainly located in prefrontal, which may imply that the differences in cognition and emotion between the two states is associated with top–down regulation in task-independent networks.
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurodevelopmental Regression Present a Severe Pattern After a Follow-Up at 24 Months
Authors: Martin-Borreguero Pilar , Gómez-Fernández Antonio Rafael , De La Torre-Aguilar Maria Jose , Gil-Campos Mercedes , Flores-Rojas Katherine , Perez-Navero Juan Luis
Published: March 2021

This study examined the presence of neurodevelopmental regression and its effects on the clinical manifestations and the severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a group of children with autism compared with those without neurodevelopmental regression at the time of initial classification and subsequently.

Methods and Subjects: ASD patients were classified into two subgroups, neurodevelopmental regressive (AMR) and non-regressive (ANMR), using a questionnaire based on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised test. The severity of ASD and neurodevelopment were assessed with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale Test-2, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders Behavior Inventory Parent Ratings (PDDBI) and with the Battelle Developmental Inventory tests at the beginning of the study and after 24 months of follow-up. Fifty-two patients aged 2–6 years with ASD were included. Nineteen were classified with AMR, and 33 were classified with ANMR.

Results: The AMR subgroup presented greater severity of autistic symptoms and higher autism scores. Additionally, they showed lower overall neurodevelopment. The AMR subgroup at 24 months had poorer scores on the Battelle Developmental Inventory test in the following areas: Total personal/social (p < 0.03), Total Motor (p < 0.04), Expressive (p < 0.01), and Battelle Total (p < 0.04). On the PDDBI test, the AMR subgroup had scores indicating significantly more severe ASD symptoms in the variables: ritual score (p < 0.038), social approach behaviors (p < 0.048), expressive language (p < 0.002), and autism score (p < 0.003).

Conclusions: ASD patients exhibited a set of different neurological phenotypes. The AMR and ANMR subgroups presented different clinical manifestations and prognoses in terms of the severity of autistic symptoms and neurodevelopment.
Pilot Feasibility Study of Incorporating Whole Person Care Health Coaching Into an Employee Wellness Program
Authors: Nelson Anna , Moses Olivia , Rea Brenda , Morton Kelly , Shih Wendy , Alramadhan Fatimah , Singh Pramil N.
Published: March 2021

Prior research supports positive health coaching outcomes, but there is limited literature on the integration of employer-sponsored health coaching into employee wellness strategy. The aim of our mixed methods study was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of incorporating a whole-person care model of health coaching into an employee wellness program (i.e., weight loss, smoking cessation) that is made available by an employer-sponsored health plan. For the quantitative study, eligible employees and covered spouses (n = 39) from Loma Linda University Health were recruited into a novel, 12-week, whole person care intervention that combined health coaching and health education and examined outcomes from surveys detailing the participants' experience and biometric data from the intervention and maintenance periods. For the qualitative study, data were collected through key informant interviews from three health coaches and six intervention participants who were recruited via random sampling. Health coaching was well-received by the participants, and led to a slight albeit positive behavioral change for obesity. A significant decrease in body mass index occurred over 12 weeks of intervention (−0.36 kg/m2, p = 0.016), that did not continue during the maintenance phase (−0.17 kg/m2, p = 0.218). Qualitative findings indicated improved personal health awareness, accountability, motivation, and self-efficacy along with goal setting and barrier overcoming skills among the key themes. Our pilot study findings identify positive behavior change effects of an employee health intervention based on a whole person care model of health coaching with integrated health education, and also identify the need for methods to maintain behavior change (i.e., mHealth, peer-support) post-intervention. Further investigation in randomized controlled trials is the next step in this research.
Socioeconomic Status and Parental Lifestyle Are Associated With Vascular Phenotype in Children
Authors: Köchli Sabrina , Endes Katharina , Grenacher Julia , Streese Lukas , Lona Giulia , Hauser Christoph , Deiseroth Arne , Zahner Lukas , Hanssen Henner
Published: March 2021

Background/Aims: Socioeconomic barriers and lifestyle conditions affect development of cardiovascular disease in adults, but little is known about the association of parental lifestyle and education with childhood health. We aimed to investigate the association of socioeconomic status (SES), migration background, parental physical activity (PA) and smoking status with micro-and macrovascular health in children.

Methods: In 2016/2017, 833 school children (aged 7.2 ± 0.4 years) in Basel (Switzerland) were screened for retinal arteriolar-to-venular ratio (AVR), pulse wave velocity (PWV), SES, migration background and parental PA as well as smoking status.

Results: High parental PA levels were associated with a favorable higher AVR (p = 0.020) and lower PWV (p = 0.035), but not independent of parental smoking status. Children with parents who smoked had a higher PWV [4.39 (4.35–4.42) m/s] compared to children with non-smoking parents [4.32 (4.29–4.34) m/s, p = 0.001]. Children of parents with a low household income had a higher PWV [4.36 (4.32–4.41) m/s] compared to children of parents with a high household income [4.30 (4.26–4.34) m/s, p = 0.033]. Low parental educational level was associated with a lower AVR [0.86 (0.85–0.88)] compared to children with highly educated parents [AVR:0.88 (0.87–0.88), p = 0.007; PWV: 4.33 (4.30–4.35) m/s, p = 0.041]. Children with a European background showed a higher AVR [0.88 (0.87–0.88)] compared to non-European children [AVR: (0.86 (0.85–0.87), p = 0.034].

Conclusion: Parental PA is associated with better macro- and microvascular childhood health. However, the positive association is lost when parental smoking is considered in the analysis. Socioeconomic factors seem to associate with subclinical vascular alterations in children. Primary prevention programs should focus on including parental lifestyle interventions and educational programs to reduce the burden of lifestyle-associated barriers in order to improve cardiovascular health during lifespan.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Exercise and Arterial Modulation in Youth, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02853747, NCT02853747.
Research on the Allocation of 3D Printing Emergency Supplies in Public Health Emergencies
Authors: He Jianjia , Liu Gang , Mai Thi Hoai Thuong , Li Ting Ting
Published: March 2021

Significant public health emergencies greatly impact the global supply chain system of production and cause severe shortages in personal protective and medical emergency supplies. Thus, rapid manufacturing, scattered distribution, high design degrees of freedom, and the advantages of the low threshold of 3D printing can play important roles in the production of emergency supplies. In order to better realize the efficient distribution of 3D printing emergency supplies, this paper studies the relationship between supply and demand of 3D printing equipment and emergency supplies produced by 3D printing technology after public health emergencies. First, we fully consider the heterogeneity of user orders, 3D printing equipment resources, and the characteristics of diverse production objectives in the context of the emergent public health environment. The multi-objective optimization model for the production of 3D printing emergency supplies, which was evaluated by multiple manufacturers and in multiple disaster sites, can maximize time and cost benefits of the 3D printing of emergency supplies. Then, an improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to solve the multi-objective optimization model is developed and compared with the traditional NSGA-II algorithm analysis. It contains more than one solution in the Pareto optimal solution set. Finally, the effectiveness of 3D printing is verified by numerical simulation, and it is found that it can solve the matching problem of supply and demand of 3D printing emergency supplies in public health emergencies.
Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between Chinese Patients Receiving Hepatectomy With or Without Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Strategy
Authors: Kang Tieli , Jia Zhishuo , Xing Guoquan , Zhou Quanhe
Published: March 2021

Purposes: For the first time in China, the current study was designed to compare the clinical outcomes between Chinese patients receiving hepatectomy with or without the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) strategy.

Methods: The current study enrolled 250 patients who would receive hepatectomy. Patients were randomized into two groups: ERAS group (n = 125, ERAS strategy) and control (n = 125, conventional care). Mortality, length of hospital stay, readmission, and complications were assessed over 30 days after the operation.

Results: The average age of the whole cohort was 65 (63–68) years, with 152 males (60.8%). There was no difference between two groups in baseline features, such as age, sex, medical history, Child–Pugh hepatic function, American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status, operative type, hepatectomy type, and hepatic pathology (P > 0.05 for all). There was no occurrence of death in the two groups. Patients in the ERAS group had significantly less occurrence of post-operative complications and a shorter length of hospital stay (P < 0.05 for all). Deep vein thrombosis occurred in seven patients in the control group, but did not occur in the ERAS group (P < 0.05). Patients in the two groups had similar occurrence of readmission (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: ERAS strategy significantly decreased the occurrence of operative complications and shortened the length of hospital stay without any increase in mortality or readmission in Chinese patients receiving hepatectomy.
Diagnostic Imaging in Intervertebral Disc Disease
Authors: da Costa Ronaldo C. , De Decker Steven , Lewis Melissa J. , Volk Holger ,   The Canine Spinal Cord Injury Consortium (CANSORT-SCI)
Published: March 2021

Imaging is integral in the diagnosis of canine intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and in differentiating subtypes of intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). These include intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE), intervertebral disc protrusion (IVDP) and more recently recognized forms such as acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE), hydrated nucleus pulposus extrusion (HNPE), and intradural/intramedullary intervertebral disc extrusion (IIVDE). Many imaging techniques have been described in dogs with roles for survey radiographs, myelography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Given how common IVDH is in dogs, a thorough understanding of the indications and limitations for each imaging modality to aid in diagnosis, treatment planning and prognosis is essential to successful case management. While radiographs can provide useful information, especially for identifying intervertebral disc degeneration or calcification, there are notable limitations. Myelography addresses some of the constraints of survey radiographs but has largely been supplanted by cross-sectional imaging. Computed tomography with or without myelography and MRI is currently utilized most widely and have become the focus of most contemporary studies on this subject. Novel advanced imaging applications are being explored in dogs but are not yet routinely performed in clinical patients. The following review will provide a comprehensive overview on common imaging modalities reported to aid in the diagnosis of IVDH including IVDE, IVDP, ANNPE, HNPE, and IIVDE. The review focuses primarily on canine IVDH due to its frequency and vast literature as opposed to feline IVDH.
Meropenem Administered via Intravenous Regional Limb Perfusion for Orthopedic Sepsis in Horses: A Clinical Retrospective Study
Authors: Mosichuk Allison P. , Smith Joseph S. , Tatarniuk Dane M. , Troy Jarrod R. , Kreuder Amanda J.
Published: March 2021

Septic synovitis is a critical orthopedic condition in horses. Early intervention is key, with antibiotic therapy typically initiated prior to culture and susceptibility reports becoming available. The pharmacokinetics of several antibiotics have been studied in horses for use in intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) for septic synovitis, including the carbapenem antibiotic, meropenem. For a variety of factors, some veterinary clinicians may select IVRLP meropenem as therapy for these cases. Meropenem is a vital antibiotic in human medicine, making veterinary use divisive. However, verifying the efficacy of meropenem contrasted to other IVRLP antibiotics is essential for appropriate antimicrobial stewardship. To investigate this, equine patient medical records at a single veterinary teaching hospital were examined. Cases treated with meropenem or gentamicin via IVRLP for septic synovitis were retrospectively analyzed for demographics, diagnostics, treatments, outcomes, and adverse effects. Twenty-three meropenem and 37 gentamicin treated horses were analyzed; demographic information was similar between groups. In the meropenem group, nine horses received meropenem only; the remainder received another antibiotic initially then changed to meropenem. Structures infected included joints (meropenem = 13, gentamicin = 17), tendon sheaths (meropenem = 5, gentamicin = 8) and navicular bursae (meropenem = 2, gentamicin = 6). Overall survival to discharge was 86% (52/60), with meropenem 91% (21/23) and gentamicin 84% (31/37), with no statistically significant differences noted between meropenem or gentamicin groups for overall survival to discharge or outcome after discharge. Twenty-four of 26 bacterial isolates obtained from culture were reported as sensitive to imipenem, a carbapenem antibiotic similar to meropenem. Reported susceptibility to other antibiotics such as ceftiofur (n = 22/26), ampicillin (n = 18/26), amikacin (n = 15/26), or gentamicin (n = 12/26) was also frequently present. In the population of this study, antimicrobial activity augmented with IVRLP using either meropenem or gentamicin both appear to be an effective treatment for septic synovial structures, therefore, less critical antimicrobials may be a viable and more judicious treatment option.
Case Report: Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Arising From Congenital Ejaculatory Duct Cyst
Authors: Shen Hua , Liao Kai , Wu Weili , Li Gongyu , Chen Shijin , Nan Nan , Yu Hongbo , Wu Hongfei
Published: March 2021

Herein we present a previously unreported rare case of mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from a congenital ejaculatory duct cyst. Radiographic and endoscopic examinations revealed the tumor occurred in a cyst running through the prostate. Initially, the immunohistochemical pathology results showed that it was a metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, but no other primary lesions were clinically evidenced. Based on the embryonic development process of the male urogenital tract, the malformation of the patient's ejaculatory duct, and the pathological examination of the resected specimen, we considered the tumor to be a primary mucinous adenocarcinoma which originating from the hypoplastic ejaculatory duct. The tumor may have developed from the foci of intestinal metaplasia from cloacal remnants during embryonic development.
Bioinformatics Analysis of Candidate Genes and Pathways Related to Hepatocellular Carcinoma in China: A Study Based on Public Databases
Authors: Zhang Peng , Feng Jing , Wu Xue , Chu Weike , Zhang Yilian , Li Ping
Published: March 2021

Background and Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor of the digestive system worldwide. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and aflatoxin exposure are predominant causes of HCC in China, whereas hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and alcohol intake are likely the main risk factors in other countries. It is an unmet need to recognize the underlying molecular mechanisms of HCC in China.

Methods: In this study, microarray datasets (GSE84005, GSE84402, GSE101685, and GSE115018) derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed to obtain the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by R software. Moreover, the gene ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed by using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Furthermore, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and hub genes were identified by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Cytoscape, respectively. The hub genes were verified using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), UALCAN, and Kaplan-Meier Plotter online databases were performed on the TCGA HCC dataset. Moreover, the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database was used to verify candidate genes’ protein expression levels.

Results: A total of 293 common DEGs were screened, including 103 up-regulated genes and 190 down-regulated genes. Moreover, GO analysis implied that common DEGs were mainly involved in the oxidation-reduction process, cytosol, and protein binding. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis presented that common DEGs were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, complement and coagulation cascades, cell cycle, p53 signaling pathway, and tryptophan metabolism. In the PPI network, three subnetworks with high scores were detected using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) plugin. The top 10 hub genes identified were CDK1, CCNB1, AURKA, CCNA2, KIF11, BUB1B, TOP2A, TPX2, HMMR and CDC45. The other public databases confirmed that high expression of the aforementioned genes related to poor overall survival among patients with HCC.

Conclusion: This study primarily identified candidate genes and pathways involved in the underlying mechanisms of Chinese HCC, which is supposed to provide new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC in China.
An Archaeoacoustics Analysis of Cistercian Architecture: The Case of the Beaulieu Abbey
Authors: Duran Sebastian , Chambers Martyn , Kanellopoulos Ioannis
Published: March 2021

The Cistercian order is of acoustic interest because previous research has hypothesized that Cistercian architectural structures were designed for longer reverberation times in order to reinforce Gregorian chants. The presented study focused on an archaeoacacoustics analysis of the Cistercian Beaulieu Abbey (Hampshire, England, UK), using Geometrical Acoustics (GA) to recreate and investigate the acoustical properties of the original structure. To construct an acoustic model of the Abbey, the building’s dimensions and layout were retrieved from published archaeology research and comparison with equivalent structures. Absorption and scattering coefficients were assigned to emulate the original room surface materials’ acoustics properties. CATT-Acoustics was then used to perform the acoustics analysis of the simplified building structure. Shorter reverberation time (RTs) was generally observed at higher frequencies for all the simulated scenarios. Low speech intelligibility index (STI) and speech clarity (C50) values were observed across Abbey’s nave section. Despite limitations given by the impossibility to calibrate the model according to in situ measurements conducted in the original structure, the simulated acoustics performance suggested how the Abbey could have been designed to promote sacral music and chants, rather than preserve high speech intelligibility.
Effect of Sewage Sludge Compost Usage on Corn and Faba Bean Growth, Carbon and Nitrogen Forms in Plants and Soil
Authors: Elsalam Hassan E. Abd , El- Sharnouby Mohamed E. , Mohamed Abdallah E. , Raafat Bassem M. , El-Gamal Eman H.
Published: March 2021

Sewage sludge is an effective fertilizer in many soil types. When applied as an amendment, sludge introduces, in addition to organic matter, plant nutrients into the soil. When applied for cropland as a fertilizer, the mass loading of sewage sludge is customarily determined by inputs of N and/or P required to support optimal plant growth and a successful harvest. This study aims to examine the changes in organic matter contents and nitrogen forms in sludge-amended soils, as well as the growth of corn and faba bean plants. The main results indicated that there were higher responses to the corn and faba bean yields when sludge was added. Levels of organic carbon in soil were higher after maize harvest and decreased significantly after harvesting of beans, and were higher in sludge amended soils than unmodified soils, indicating the residual effect of sludge in soil. NO3−-N concentrations were generally higher in the soil after maize harvest than during the plant growth period, but this trend was not apparent in bean soil. The amounts of NH4+-N were close in the soil during the growth period or after the maize harvest, while they were higher in the soil after the bean harvest than they were during the growth period. Total nitrogen amounts were statistically higher in the soil during the growth period than those collected after the corn harvest, while they were approximately close in the bean soil. The total nitrogen amount in corn and bean leaves increased significantly in plants grown on modified sludge soil. There were no significant differences in the total nitrogen levels of the maize and beans planted on the treated soil.
Root Zone Management for Improving Seedling Quality of Organically Produced Horticultural Crops
Authors: Ronga Domenico , Vitti Antonella , Zaccardelli Massimo , Pane Catello , Caradonia Federica , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Colla Giuseppe , Rouphael Youssef
Published: March 2021

Currently, vegetable production systems have been changed to improve yield and quality, leading to an improvement in sustainability. In horticultural cultivation, one of the most important sectors is the seedling production in nurseries. In the past, horticultural seedlings were produced directly by farmers. Nowadays, industrialized nurseries provide seedlings characterized by a uniform growth and an early and contemporaneous development. In addition, consumer concern about the impact of food production on the environment is driving an increased demand for organic vegetables with a consequent increase of agricultural land cultivated by organic methods. Hence, there is a need to produce high-quality seedlings suitable to be cultivated in the organic farming system. Root zone management, for improving seedling quality of organic horticultural crops, remains largely unexploited, such that this review highlights some of the current research and future development priorities, providing useful information to nursery growers. In particular, we reviewed all the scientific and modern knowledge on the production of organic, healthy and vigorous seedlings including the use of: (1) compost and compost tea; (2) agroindustrial byproducts; (3) microbial and non-microbial plant biostimulants; (4) beneficial microorganisms.
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC): Effects on Light Quality, Microclimate, and Growth of Orthosiphon stamineus in Tropical Climatic Condition
Authors: Roslan N. , Ya’acob M. E. , Jamaludin D. , Hashimoto Y. , Othman M. H. , Iskandar A. Noor , Ariffin M. R. , Ibrahim M. H. , Mailan J. , Jamaluddin A. H. , Mail M. F. , Aliah B. S. N. , Lu L.
Published: March 2021

The main challenge facing greenhouse designers is to achieve environment-appropriate greenhouses, especially in tropical regions. The excess radiant energy transmitted into the greenhouse predisposes plants to photo-inhibition and consequently reduces crop production. Lately, photovoltaic (PV) modules are equipped as a greenhouse rooftop to minimize the level of irradiation and air temperature in the greenhouse, simultaneously improving its energy consumption. Nevertheless, due to the low level of irradiation, denser conventional PV internal shading would influence the cultivated crops’ growth. Thus, Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) possesses several attractive features such as transparent, sensitive to low light levels, and various color options that render DSSC a perfect choice able to serve substantially in energy buildings. This study assessed the microclimate conditions inside the greenhouse with semi-transparent DSSC mounted on top of it, describing the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) (µmol m−2 s−1), Vapor Pressure Deficit VPD (kPa), relative humidity (%), and also temperature (°C). The Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV), which indicates the average thermal energy transmission rate across the external layer of a structure envelope, is also presented. The effects of colored DSSC in altering the spectral of sunlight in reference to the Orthosiphon stamineus growth responses were determined. The information of the condition of DSSC greenhouse microclimate helps to identify the information for designing PV greenhouses and to produce income from both electric power and agronomic activity.
Importance of Daily Rhythms on Brassicaceae Phytochemicals
Authors: Francisco Marta , Rodríguez Víctor M.
Published: March 2021

The circadian clock serves to coordinate metabolism and physiology with the diurnal cycles derived from the daily rotation of the earth. In Brassicaceae, circadian rhythms contribute to the temporal daily variation in diverse phytochemicals and, hence, to both resistance to biotic stress and edible crop health value. Understanding the temporal variation in the specialized metabolites present in Brassica crops can improve selection and future breeding strategies. In this review, we focus on the importance of daily rhythms in the phytochemical biochemistry of the main bioactive compounds present in Brassicaceae plants. We provide a general overview of the mechanisms that can drive the daily variation in phytochemical levels and then provide specific examples of compounds that show daily variation. Finally, we discuss how these rhythmic patterns in plant phytochemicals may impact plant protection against biotic stress, the content of nutraceuticals, and the longevity of post-harvest crops.
The Impact of Harvesting Time on Fusarium Mycotoxins in Spring Wheat Grain and Their Interaction with Grain Quality
Authors: Kochiieru Yuliia , Mankevičienė Audronė , Cesevičienė Jurgita , Semaškienė Roma , Ramanauskienė Jūratė , Gorash Andrii , Janavičienė Sigita , Venslovas Eimantas
Published: March 2021

In this work, we studied the impact of harvesting time on Fusarium mycotoxin occurrence in spring wheat and the effect of mycotoxin contamination on the quality of these grains. The spring wheat grains (Triticum aestivum L.) were collected in 2016–2018 when the crop had reached full maturity, 10 ± 2 days and 17 ± 3 days after full maturity. The grain samples were analyzed for Fusarium infection and co-contamination with mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), and T-2 toxin (T-2), as well as the quality of the wheat grains (mass per hectolitre, contents of protein, starch, ash and fat, particle size index (PSI), falling number, sedimentation, wet gluten content, and gluten index). The occurrence of Fusarium spp. fungi and the mycotoxins produced by them in the grains was mostly influenced by the harvesting time and meteorological conditions. The correlations between Fusarium species and the mycotoxins produced by them in the grains of spring wheat showed F. graminearum to be a dominant species, and as a result, higher concentrations of DON and ZEA were determined. The co-occurrence of all the three mycotoxins analyzed (deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and T-2 toxin) was identified in wheat. In rainy years, a delay in harvesting resulted in diminished grain quality of spring wheat, as indicated by grain mass per hectolitre and falling number. Negative correlations were found in highly contaminated grains between mycotoxins (DON, ZEA, and T-2) and falling number and grain mass per hectolitre values.
Persistent High Leptospiral Shedding by Asymptomatic Dogs in Endemic Areas Triggers a Serious Public Health Concern
Authors: Sant’Anna da Costa Ricardo , N. Di Azevedo Maria Isabel , dos Santos Baptista Borges Ana Luiza , Carvalho-Costa Filipe Anibal , Martins Gabriel , Lilenbaum Walter
Published: March 2021

(1) Background: Dogs are known as hosts of Leptospira interrogans and can spread this bacterium to the environment. Although Canicola is responsible for determining chronic disease in dogs, when affected by incidental serogroups such as Icterohaemorrhagiae, acute disease may occur with a predominance of clinical signs with hepatic and renal changes. In endemic areas, it is a serious public health problem. Thus, this study aims to estimate the incidence and duration of elimination of leptospires in the urine of dogs, taking another step from a previous study of our group, by a longitudinal, long-term and molecular approach. (2) Methods: A total of 125 dogs without apparent symptoms of leptospirosis were included in the study. The dogs were all PCR-negative and seronegative at the beginning of the study. Blood samples were collected for hematological examinations and urine for amplification of the lipL32 gene by PCR at five different time points during one year. (3) Results: Out of the 125 dogs, 62 became lipL32 PCR-positive (48.8% (95% CI, 47.9–49.7%)) at some point during the study, distributed as follows: at day 0, all negative; day 90, 18/125 (14.4% (95% CI, 13.5–15.3%)); day 180, 18/125 (14.4% (95% CI, 13.5–15.3%)); day 270, 12/125 (9.6% (95% CI, 8.7–10.5%)); and day 365, 14/125 (11.2% (95% CI, 10.3–12.1%)). Out of the 62 amplicons, 22 were sequenced, targeting a short region of secY gene. Of these, 20 (90.9%) were identical to the L. interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, while two (9.1%) were Leptospira noguchii. (4) Conclusions: The fact that the leptospires of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup were characterized was unexpected, since the animals remained clinically asymptomatic during the study. The fact that asymptomatic dogs shed leptospires is not new, but the extent of this fact and the characterized strain is impressive, with an impact on public health that cannot be overlooked.
Gene Expression Profile in Peripheral Blood Nuclear Cells of Small Ruminant Lentivirus-Seropositive and Seronegative Dairy Goats in Their First Lactation
Authors: Pławińska-Czarnak Joanna , Majewska Alicja , Zarzyńska Joanna , Bogdan Janusz , Kaba Jarosław , Anusz Krzysztof , Bagnicka Emilia
Published: March 2021

The immune response to a viral antigen causes inflammatory cell infiltration to the tissue, which creates a suitable environment for the replication of the virus in macrophages, and the recruitment of more monocytes to the site of infection, or latently infected monocytes. The aim of the study was to analyze the transcriptomic profile of peripheral blood nuclear cells isolated from SRLV-seropositive and SRLV-negative goats at the peak of their first lactation. SRLV-seropositive goats were probably infected via colostrum. Custom transcriptomic microarrays for goats were designed and developed, namely the Capra hircus gene expression array, which features ~50,000 unique transcripts per microarray. Only four genes were differentially expressed, with up-regulated expression of the GIMAP2, SSC5D and SETX genes, and down-regulated expression of the GPR37 gene in SRLV-seropositive vs. SRLV-seronegative goats. However, in an RT-qPCR analysis, the result for the SETX gene was not confirmed. The differences in the expressions of the studied genes indicate an active inflammatory process in the SRLV-seropositive goats at the early stage of infection.
Introducing Mediterranean Lupins in Lambs’ Diets: Effects on Growth and Digestibility
Authors: Almeida Mariana , Garcia-Santos Sofia , Nunes Ana , Rito Sara , Azevedo Jorge , Guedes Cristina , Silva Severiano , Ferreira Luís
Published: March 2021

Lupins are suitable candidates to replace soybean meal in livestock feeding in the Mediterranean area, presenting a solution for the European Union’s dependence on soybean importations. This study aimed to assess the effect of incorporating Lupinus albus and Lupinus luteus into Churra da Terra Quente lambs’ diets on growth performance and digestibility. Two trials were conducted over two years. In trial 1, two experimental diets containing 50 g/kg Lupinus albus and 50 g/kg Lupinus luteus were tested. In trial 2, lambs were fed with diets containing higher incorporations of Lupinus luteus (100, 150, and 200 g/kg: LL10, LL15, and LL20, respectively). Total dry matter, hay dry matter, and crude protein intake were calculated, as well as average daily gains. At the end of the growth trials, dry matter, organic matter, and NDF digestibility was determined. Incorporating 50 g/kg of lupins did not affect (p > 0.05) the performance. Lambs fed on LL20 diets presented the lowest HDMI and CPI values (p < 0.05). The highest intakes (p < 0.05) were observed from LL15 lambs. No differences were found in apparent digestibility coefficients between diets (p > 0.05), except for NDF digestibility which was highest (p < 0.05) for LL20. The optimum level of lupin inclusion in lambs’ diets seems to be 150 g/kg.
Prognostic Value of Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein in 1608 Critically Ill Patients with Severe Influenza Pneumonia
Authors: Carbonell Raquel , Moreno Gerard , Martín-Loeches Ignacio , Gomez-Bertomeu Frederic , Sarvisé Carolina , Gómez Josep , Bodí María , Díaz Emili , Papiol Elisabeth , Trefler Sandra , Nieto Mercedes , Estella Angel , Jiménez Herrera María , Vidal Cortés Pablo , Guardiola Juan José , Solé-Violán Jordi , Rodríguez Alejandro
Published: March 2021

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-Reactive protein (CRP) are well-established sepsis biomarkers. The association of baseline PCT levels and mortality in pneumonia remains unclear, and we still do not know whether biomarkers levels could be related to the causative microorganism (GPC, GNB). The objective of this study is to address these issues. Methods: a retrospective observational cohort study was conducted in 184 Spanish ICUs (2009–2018). Results: 1608 patients with severe influenza pneumonia with PCT and CRP available levels on admission were included, 1186 with primary viral pneumonia (PVP) and 422 with bacterial Co-infection (BC). Those with BC presented higher PCT levels (4.25 [0.6–19.5] versus 0.6 [0.2–2.3]ng/mL) and CRP (36.7 [20.23–118] versus 28.05 [13.3–109]mg/dL) as compared to PVP (p < 0.001). Deceased patients had higher PCT (ng/mL) when compared with survivors, in PVP (0.82 [0.3–2.8]) versus 0.53 [0.19–2.1], p = 0.001) and BC (6.9 [0.93–28.5] versus 3.8 [0.5–17.37], p = 0.039). However, no significant association with mortality was observed in the multivariate analysis. The PCT levels (ng/mL) were significantly higher in polymicrobial infection (8.4) and GPC (6.9) when compared with GNB (1.2) and Aspergillus (1.7). The AUC-ROC of PCT for GPC was 0.67 and 0.32 for GNB. The AUROC of CRP was 0.56 for GPC and 0.39 for GNB. Conclusions: a single PCT/CRP value at ICU admission was not associated with mortality in severe influenza pneumonia. None of the biomarkers have enough discriminatory power to be used for predicting the causative microorganism of the co-infection.
Enzyme-Assisted Extraction to Obtain Phenolic-Enriched Wine Lees with Enhanced Bioactivity in Hypertensive Rats
Authors: López-Fernández-Sobrino Raúl , Margalef Maria , Torres-Fuentes Cristina , Ávila-Román Javier , Aragonès Gerard , Muguerza Begoña , Bravo Francisca Isabel
Published: March 2021

The antihypertensive effect of the soluble fraction of wine lees (WL) from Cabernet variety grapes was recently reported by our group. This blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect was attributed to the presence of flavanols and anthocyanins. In this context, phenolic-enriched wine lees (PWL) could potentially exhibit a stronger bioactivity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to obtain a soluble fraction of WL with increased phenolic content and evaluate its functionality. The PWL were obtained using an enzyme-assisted extraction based on the hydrolysis of WL proteins with Flavourzyme®. They contained 57.20% more total phenolic compounds than WL, with anthocyanins and flavanols being the largest families present. In addition, PWL also showed greater angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Finally, the antihypertensive activity of the PWL was evaluated in spontaneously hypertensive rats. A single dose of 5 mL/kg body weight of PWL showed a greater BP-lowering effect than the one shown by WL. Moreover, this antihypertensive effect was more prolonged than the one produced by the antihypertensive drug Captopril. These results demonstrate that enzymatic protein hydrolysis is a useful method to maximize the extraction of phenolic compounds from WL and to obtain extracts with enhanced functionalities.