bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Diagnostics of Ciliopathies and Insights Into Novel Developments in Diagnosing Rare Diseases
Authors: Modarage K. , Malik S. A. , Goggolidou P.
Published: February 2022

The definition of a rare disease in the European Union describes genetic disorders that affect less than 1 in 2,000 people per individual disease; collectively these numbers amount to millions of individuals globally, who usually manifest a rare disease early on in life. At present, there are at least 8,000 known rare conditions, of which only some are clearly molecularly defined. Over the recent years, the use of genetic diagnosis is gaining ground into informing clinical practice, particularly in the field of rare diseases, where diagnosis is difficult. To demonstrate the complexity of genetic diagnosis for rare diseases, we focus on Ciliopathies as an example of a group of rare diseases where an accurate diagnosis has proven a challenge and novel practices driven by scientists are needed to help bridge the gap between clinical and molecular diagnosis. Current diagnostic difficulties lie with the vast multitude of genes associated with Ciliopathies and trouble in distinguishing between Ciliopathies presenting with similar phenotypes. Moreover, Ciliopathies such as Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) and Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS) present with early phenotypes and may require the analysis of samples from foetuses with a suspected Ciliopathy. Advancements in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have now enabled assessing a larger number of target genes, to ensure an accurate diagnosis. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of current diagnostic techniques relevant to Ciliopathies and discuss the applications and limitations associated with these techniques.
The Effector Function of Allergens
Authors: Hazebrouck Stéphane , Canon Nicole , Dreskin Stephen C.
Published: February 2022

Allergens are antigens that generate an IgE response (sensitization) in susceptible individuals. The allergenicity of an allergen can be thought of in terms of its ability to sensitize as well as its ability to cross-link IgE/IgE receptor complexes on mast cells and basophils leading to release of preformed and newly formed mediators (effector activity). The identity of the allergens responsible for sensitization may be different from those that elicit an allergic response. Effector activity is determined by (1) the amount of specific IgE (sIgE) and in some circumstances the ratio of sIgE to total IgE, (2) the number of high affinity receptors for IgE (FcεR1) on the cell surface, (3) the affinity of binding of sIgE for its epitope and, in a polyclonal response, the collective avidity, (4) the number and spatial relationships of IgE binding epitopes on the allergen and (5) the presence of IgG that can bind to allergen and either block binding of sIgE and/or activate low affinity IgG receptors that activate intracellular inhibitory pathways. This review will discuss these important immunologic and physical properties that contribute to the effector activity of allergens.
Proteomic Analysis of Silk Fibroin Reveals Diverse Biological Function of Different Degumming Processing From Different Origin
Authors: Wang Yaling , Liang Yunyun , Huang Jiacen , Gao Yisheng , Xu Zhixin , Ni Xuejun , Yang Yumin , Yang Xiaoming , Zhao Yahong
Published: February 2022

Silk, as a kind of natural fibrin, has been prepared into various biomaterials due to its excellent biocompatibility and mechanicalness. However, there are some controversies on the biocompatibility of silk fibroin (SF), especially when it coexists with sericin. In this study, two kinds of silk from Jiangsu and Zhejiang were degummed with two concentrations of Na2CO3 solution, respectively, to obtain four kinds of silk fibroin. The effects of different degumming treatments on silk fibroin properties were analyzed by means of color reaction, apparent viscosity measurement, and transmission electron microscope and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification analyses, and the effects of different silk fibroin membranes on the growth of Schwann cells were evaluated. The results showed that the natural silk from Zhejiang treated with 0.05% Na2CO3 solution had a fuller structure, higher apparent viscosity, and better protein composition. While SF obtained by degumming with 0.5% Na2CO3 solution was more beneficial to cell adhesion and proliferation due to the thorough removal of sericin. This study may provide important theoretical and experimental bases for the selection of biomaterials for fabricating artificial nerve grafts.
Recent Advances in Vertical Alveolar Bone Augmentation Using Additive Manufacturing Technologies
Authors: Vaquette Cedryck , Mitchell Joshua , Ivanovski Sašo
Published: February 2022

Vertical bone augmentation is aimed at regenerating bone extraskeletally (outside the skeletal envelope) in order to increase bone height. It is generally required in the case of moderate to severe atrophy of bone in the oral cavity due to tooth loss, trauma, or surgical resection. Currently utilized surgical techniques, such as autologous bone blocks, distraction osteogenesis, and Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR), have various limitations, including morbidity, compromised dimensional stability due to suboptimal resorption rates, poor structural integrity, challenging handling properties, and/or high failure rates. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) facilitates the creation of highly porous, interconnected 3-dimensional scaffolds that promote vascularization and subsequent osteogenesis, while providing excellent handling and space maintaining properties. This review describes and critically assesses the recent progress in additive manufacturing technologies for scaffold, membrane or mesh fabrication directed at vertical bone augmentation and Guided Bone Regeneration and their in vivo application.
Understanding Reactive Oxygen Species in Bone Regeneration: A Glance at Potential Therapeutics and Bioengineering Applications
Authors: Sheppard Aaron J. , Barfield Ann Marie , Barton Shane , Dong Yufeng
Published: February 2022

Although the complex mechanism by which skeletal tissue heals has been well described, the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skeletal tissue regeneration is less understood. It has been widely recognized that a high level of ROS is cytotoxic and inhibits normal cellular processes. However, with more recent discoveries, it is evident that ROS also play an important, positive role in skeletal tissue repair, specifically fracture healing. Thus, dampening ROS levels can potentially inhibit normal healing. On the same note, pathologically high levels of ROS cause a sharp decline in osteogenesis and promote nonunion in fracture repair. This delicate balance complicates the efforts of therapeutic and engineering approaches that aim to modulate ROS for improved tissue healing. The physiologic role of ROS is dependent on a multitude of factors, and it is important for future efforts to consider these complexities. This review first discusses how ROS influences vital signaling pathways involved in the fracture healing response, including how they affect angiogenesis and osteogenic differentiation. The latter half glances at the current approaches to control ROS for improved skeletal tissue healing, including medicinal approaches, cellular engineering, and enhanced tissue scaffolds. This review aims to provide a nuanced view of the effects of ROS on bone fracture healing which will inspire novel techniques to optimize the redox environment for skeletal tissue regeneration.
Highly Transparent, Self-Healing, and Self-Adhesive Double Network Hydrogel for Wearable Sensors
Authors: Chen Kai , Liu Mingxiang , Wang Feng , Hu Yunping , Liu Pei , Li Cong , Du Qianqian , Yu Yongsheng , Xiao Xiufeng , Feng Qian
Published: February 2022

Hydrogel-based flexible electronic devices are essential in future healthcare and biomedical applications, such as human motion monitoring, advanced diagnostics, physiotherapy, etc. As a satisfactory flexible electronic material, the hydrogel should be conductive, ductile, self-healing, and adhesive. Herein, we demonstrated a unique design of mechanically resilient and conductive hydrogel with double network structure. The Ca2+ crosslinked alginate as the first dense network and the ionic pair crosslinked polyzwitterion as the second loose network. With the synthetic effect of these two networks, this hydrogel showed excellent mechanical properties, such as superior stretchability (1,375%) and high toughness (0.57 MJ/m3). At the same time, the abundant ionic groups of the polyzwitterion network endowed our hydrogel with excellent conductivity (0.25 S/m). Moreover, due to the dynamic property of these two networks, our hydrogel also performed good self-healing performance. Besides, our experimental results indicated that this hydrogel also had high optical transmittance (92.2%) and adhesive characteristics. Based on these outstanding properties, we further explored the utilization of this hydrogel as a flexible wearable strain sensor. The data strongly proved its enduring accuracy and sensitivity to detect human motions, including large joint flexion (such as finger, elbow, and knee), foot planter pressure measurement, and local muscle movement (such as eyebrow and mouth). Therefore, we believed that this hydrogel had great potential applications in wearable health monitoring, intelligent robot, human-machine interface, and other related fields.
Developmental Transcriptome Profiling of the Tibial Reveals the Underlying Molecular Basis for Why Newly Hatched Quails Can Walk While Newly Hatched Pigeons Cannot
Authors: Wu Qifan , Liu Hehe , Yang Qinglan , Wei Bin , Wang Luyao , Tang Qian , Wang Jianmei , Xi Yang , Han Chunchun , Wang Jiwen , Li Liang
Published: February 2022

Birds can be classified into altricial and precocial species. The hatchlings of altricial birds cannot stand, whereas precocial birds can walk and run soon after hatching. It might be owing to the development of the hindlimb bones in the embryo stage, but the molecular regulatory basis underlying the divergence is unclear. To address this issue, we chose the altricial pigeon and the precocial Japanese quail as model animals. The data of tibia weight rate, embryonic skeletal staining, and tibia tissues paraffin section during the embryonic stage showed that the Japanese quail and pigeon have similar skeletal development patterns, but the former had a faster calcification rate. We utilized the comparative transcriptome approach to screen the genes and pathways related to this heterochronism. We separately analyzed the gene expression of tibia tissues of quail and pigeon at two consecutive time points from an inability to stand to be able to stand. There were 2910 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of quail, and 1635 DEGs of pigeon, respectively. A total of 409 DEGs in common in the quail and pigeon. On the other hand, we compared the gene expression profiles of pigeons and quails at four time points, and screened out eight pairs of expression profiles with similar expression trends but delayed expression in pigeons. By screening the common genes in each pair of expression profiles, we obtained a gene set consisting of 152 genes. A total of 79 genes were shared by the 409 DEGs and the 152 genes. Gene Ontology analysis of these common genes showed that 21 genes including theCOLgene family (COL11A1, COL9A3, COL9A1), IHH, MSX2, SFRP1, ATP6V1B1, SRGN, CTHRC1, NOG,andGDF5involved in the process of endochondral ossification. These genes were the candidate genes for the difference of tibial development between pigeon and quail. This is the first known study on the embryo skeletal staining in pigeon. It provides some new insights for studying skeletal development mechanisms and locomotor ability of altricial and precocial bird species.
Identification of Cardiac CircRNAs in Mice With CVB3-Induced Myocarditis
Authors: Nie Xiang , Fan Jiahui , Li Huihui , Wang Jin , Xie Rong , Chen Chen , Wang Dao Wen
Published: February 2022

Background:Viral myocarditis could initiate various immune response to the myocardium, resulting in myocyte damage and subsequent cardiac dysfunction. The expression profile and functions of circRNAs in this process are unknown.

Methods:Fulminant myocarditis (FM) and non-FM models were induced by coxsackie B3 virus (CVB3) infection in A/J mice and C57BL/6 mice, respectively. CircRNAs expression profile was identified by RNA-seq. Quantitative RT-PCR, Spearman rank correlation, KEGG pathway, GO analysis, Western blot and flow cytometry were performed for functional analysis.

Results:Severer inflammatory cell infiltration and cardiomyocyte necrosis were presented in CVB3-treated A/J mice than those in C57BL/6 mice. The dysregulated circRNAs in both of the mouse strains displayed strong correlation with the immune response, but dysregulated circRNAs in A/J mice were more prone to cardiac dysfunction. KEGG analysis indicated that the target genes of dysregulated circRNAs in A/J mice were mainly involved in viral infection, T cell and B cell receptor signaling pathways, while the target genes of dysregulated circRNAs in C57BL/6 mice were unrelated to immune pathways. Furthermore, knockdown of circArhgap32 that was downregulated in CVB3-treated A/J mice promoted cardiomyocyte apoptosisin vitro.

Conclusion:Our data showed that cardiac circRNAs dysregulation is an important characteristic of viral myocarditis.
Rapid Detection and Differentiation of Legionella pneumophila and Non-Legionella pneumophila Species by Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Combined With EuNPs-Based Lateral Flow Immunochromatography
Authors: Du Jungang , Ma Biao , Li Jiali , Wang Yaping , Dou Tianyu , Xu Shujuan , Zhang Mingzhou
Published: February 2022

Legionella, a waterborne pathogen, is the main cause of Legionnaires’ disease. Therefore, timely and accurate detection and differentiation of Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila species is crucial. In this study, we develop an easy and rapid recombinase polymerase amplification assay combined with EuNPs-based lateral flow immunochromatography (EuNPs-LFIC-RPA) to specifically distinguish Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila. We designed primers based on the mip gene of Legionella pneumophila and the 5S rRNA gene of non-Legionella pneumophila. The recombinase polymerase amplification reaction could go to completion in 10 min at 37°C, and the amplification products could be detected within 5 min with EuNPs-LFIC strips. Using a florescent test strip reader, the quantitative results were achieved by reading the colored signal intensities on the strips. The sensitivity was 1.6 × 101 CFU/ml, and a linear standard linear curve plotted from the test strip reader had a correlation coefficient for the determination of Legionella pneumophila (R2 = 0.9516). Completed concordance for the presence or absence of Legionella pneumophila by EuNPs-LFIC-RPA and qPCR was 97.32% (κ = 0.79, 95% CI), according to an analysis of practical water samples (n = 112). In short, this work shows the feasibility of EuNPs-LFIC-RPA for efficient and rapid monitoring of Legionella pneumophila and non-Legionella pneumophila in water samples.
Design Principles and Applications of Selective Lanthanide-Based Receptors for Inorganic Phosphate
Authors: Pierre Valérie C. , Wilharm Randall K.
Published: February 2022

Phosphate is an anion of both environmental and medical significance. The increase in phosphate levels in surface waters due primarily to run-offs from fertilized agricultural fields causes widespread eutrophication and increasingly large dead-zones. Hyperphosphatemia, a condition in which blood phosphate levels are elevated, is a primary cause of increased mortality and morbidity in chronic or advanced kidney disease. Resolving both of these issues require, in part, new technology that could selectively sequester phosphate in water at neutral pH. The high hydration energy of phosphate, which prevents organic receptors from functioning in water with sufficient affinity, can be overcome via coordination to a hard metal ion. The hardness, oxophilicity and lability of lanthanide ions make them excellent candidates for the design of high affinity phosphate receptors. In this perspective, we discuss how the principles of lanthanide coordination chemistry can be exploited to design sensitive and selective receptors for phosphate. Unlike many supramolecular systems, these hosts do not recognize their anionic guests via directed electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Instead, the selectivity of our fluxional receptors is governed entirely by acid-base chemistry and electrostatic forces. Parameters that affect the affinity and selectivity of the receptors include the basicities of the coordinating ligand and of the targeted anion, the acidity of the lanthanide ion, and the geometry of the ligand. Uniquely, their affinity for phosphate can be readily tuned by orders of magnitude either by peripheral interactions or by the lanthanide ion itself without affecting their exquisite selectivity over competing anions such as bicarbonate and chloride.
Functional Unit Construction for Heat Storage by Using Biomass-Based Composite
Authors: Su Jingtao , Weng Mengman , Lu Xiang , Xu Weihao , Lyu Sha , Liu Yidong , Min Yonggang
Published: February 2022

How to construct a functional unit for heat storage by using biomass materials is significant for the exploration of phase change materials (PCMs). In this work, we try to design and construct a functional unit for heat storage by employing a vacuum impregnation method to prepare sugarcane-based shape stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) for improving the thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs) and preventing the liquid state leakage of PCMs. The morphologies of the prepared materials are characterized by Scanning electron microscope (SEM) as containing a unique channel structure which is viewed as the key factor for heat storage. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterize the prepared materials. The results indicated that no chemical reaction occurred between PEG and sugarcane-based biomass during the preparation process and SSPCMs showed great thermal stability. Their thermal properties are measured by using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterization and show a high melting enthalpy of 140.04 J/g and 94.84% of the relative enthalpy efficiency, illustrating the excellent shape stabilized phase change behavior. Moreover, the highest thermal conductivity of SSPCMs is up to 0.297 W/(mK), which is 28.02% higher than that of the pristine PEG. The excellent capability for thermal energy storage is attributed to the directional thermal conduction skeletons and perfect open channels and the unique anisotropic three-dimensional structure of the SSPCMs. Hence, the unique structure with PEG is testified as the functional unit for heat storage. Comprehensively considering the excellent properties of sugarcane-based materials—providing cheap raw materials via green preparation—it is conceived that sugarcane-based materials could be applied in many energy-related devices with reasonable function unit design.
Revascularization vs. Conservative Medical Treatment in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Coronary Artery Disease: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liao Guang-zhi , Li Yi-ming , Bai Lin , Ye Yu-yang , Peng Yong
Published: February 2022

Background

As a strong risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic kidney disease (CKD) indicates higher mortality in patients with CAD. However, the optimal treatment for the patients with two coexisting diseases is still not well defined.

Methods

To conduct a meta-analysis, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane database were searched for studies comparing medical treatment (MT) and revascularization [percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)] in adults with CAD and CKD. Long-term all-cause mortality was evaluated, and subgroup analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 13 trials met our selection criteria. Long-term (with at least a 1-year follow-up) mortality was significantly lower in the revascularization arm [relative risk (RR) = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.60–0.72] by either PCI (RR = 0.61; 95% CI = 0.55–0.68) or CABG (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.46–0.84). The results were consistent in dialysis patients (RR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.59–0.79), patients with stable CAD (RR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.61–0.92), patients with acute coronary syndrome (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.58–0.66), and geriatric patients (RR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.54–0.61).

Conclusion

In patients with CKD and CAD, revascularization is more effective in reducing mortality than MT alone. This observed benefit is consistent in patients with stable CAD and elderly patients. However, future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are required to confirm these findings.
Usefulness of Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Off Test With Echocardiography for Decision Making in Secondary Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: A Case Report
Authors: Shiokawa Noriko , Izumo Masaki , Kuwata Shingo , Akashi Yoshihiro J.
Published: February 2022

Our patient was a 60-year-old male with myocardial infarction. Urgent percutaneous coronary intervention was performed with intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support. Despite successful revascularization, the patient suffered from cardiogenic shock and heart failure. Secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) was mild and seemed unlikely to be the cause of heart failure. However, when IABP was temporarily stopped (IABP-OFF), secondary MR was aggravated; therefore, we decided to perform transcatheter mitral valve repair. Thereafter, only mild residual MR was observed after IABP removal, and hemodynamic stability was achieved. This case presents IABP-OFF test with echocardiography as a useful method to assess secondary MR.
Cheyne-Stokes Breathing as a Predictive Indicator of Heart Failure in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea; A Retrospective Case Control Study Using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Remote Monitoring Data
Authors: Saito Kimimasa , Takamatsu Yoko
Published: February 2022

Objective

We conducted a retrospective case control study to examine whether remote monitoring of Cheyne-Stokes breathing (CSB) was useful for predicting the onset of heart failure (HF) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

Methods

Among patients with OSA treated at our hospital, 33 patients with HF that occurred between July 2014 and May 2021 [11 patients with acute HF (AHF); 22 patients with chronic HF (CHF) exacerbation] were included in the HF group. Of the 618 stable patients, 149 patients with a 30-days average CSB rate (CSB%) ≧1% were included in the non-HF control group. The chronologic change of CSB% were compared among the AHF, CHF and Control groups. Furthermore, of the 149 patients in the non-HF control group, 44 patients were matched for CSB%, body mass index, and sex in a ratio of 1:2 to 22 patients with CHF. The average cycle length (CL) of CSB was compared among three groups: CHF in stable period (CHF-stable group), CHF in exacerbation period (CHF-exacerbation group), and control group. In addition, according to the status of HF, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the optimal cut-off points for variation of CSB% and CL.

Results

Chronological change in CSB% among the three groups was significantly different. Standard deviation of CSB% (SD CSB%) before onset HF was significantly higher in both the AHF and CHF groups than in the control group. The CL of CSB was significantly longer in the CHF group than in the control group and was longer during the exacerbation period than during the stable period. The optimal cut-off value of CL that could differentiate patients with and without the onset of HF was 68.9 s.

Conclusion

The HF group demonstrated greater CSB variations and longer CL than the non-HF control group. Furthermore, the CL was longer during the exacerbation period of HF even in the same patient. These results suggest that remote monitoring of CPAP device data for CSB variations and CL might allow early prediction of the onset and exacerbation of HF.
New Insights in Early Detection of Anticancer Drug-Related Cardiotoxicity Using Perfusion and Metabolic Imaging
Authors: Cadour Farah , Thuny Franck , Sourdon Joevin
Published: February 2022

Cardio-oncology requires a good knowledge of the cardiotoxicity of anticancer drugs, their mechanisms, and their diagnosis for better management. Anthracyclines, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER), and receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKi) are therapeutics whose cardiotoxicity involves several mechanisms at the cellular and subcellular levels. Current guidelines for anticancer drugs cardiotoxicity are essentially based on monitoring left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF). However, knowledge of microvascular and metabolic dysfunction allows for better imaging assessment before overt LVEF impairment. Early detection of anticancer drug-related cardiotoxicity would therefore advance the prevention and patient care. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the cardiotoxic effects of anticancer drugs and describe myocardial perfusion, metabolic, and mitochondrial function imaging approaches to detect them before over LVEF impairment.
Childhood Emotional Neglect and Cardiovascular Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Salzmann Stefan , Salzmann-Djufri Miriam , Euteneuer Frank
Published: February 2022

Psychosocial factors predict the incidence and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is accumulating evidence for the importance of childhood maltreatment for the development and progression of both CVD-related risk factors and CVD. However, past research has predominantly focused on active forms of childhood maltreatment such as emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. At the same time, childhood neglect as a relatively silent form of childhood maltreatment received less attention. Childhood emotional neglect is the most common form of neglect. This narrative review summarizes findings on the association between childhood emotional neglect and CVD and potential underlying mechanisms. These mechanisms may involve biological factors (i.e., elevated inflammation, autonomic dysregulation, dysregulated HPA axis, and altered brain development), psychological variables and mental health (i.e., depression and anxiety), and health behaviors (i.e., eating behavior, smoking, drug use, physical activity) and interpersonal aspects. Evidence suggests that emotional neglect is associated with CVD and CVD risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, inflammation, a dysregulated stress system, altered brain development, depression and other psychological abnormalities (i.e., emotion-regulation difficulties), interpersonal difficulties, and lack of health behaviors. Specific subtypes of childhood maltreatment may be associated with CVD via different mechanisms. This review further encompasses clinical suggestions, identifies research gaps, and has implications for future studies. However, more research with better study designs is desperately needed to identify the exact underlying mechanisms and opportunities for mitigating the negative health consequences of emotional neglect to reduce the prevalence and progression of CVD.
Percutaneous Cementoplasty to Treat Sternal Instability After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Pittet Thaïs , Cook Stéphane , Khatchatourov Gregory , Theumann Nicolas
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Although rare, sternal pseudarthrosis is encountered after cardiac surgery and impacts the quality of life by triggering motion-dependent chest pain. We thought to describe its treatment by percutaneous cementoplasty and report the clinical follow-up of patients treated in our institution.

Methods

This case series is a retrospective study based on five patients who benefited from a sternal cementoplasty as a treatment for symptomatic pseudarthrosis after cardiac surgery. The progression of the symptoms was assessed during clinical follow-up using the Quebec back pain disability (QBPD) scale and Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Results

None of the patients presented evidence of local complications or neurological disorders. The intra- et post-operative images show no major leak of the cement, no embolism and no damage to the internal mammary artery or the heart. All patients described an improved quality of life due to reduced pain in all-day clinical activities. The QBPD scores improved from 54.8 ± 29.3 to 30.0 ± 17.4 (p = 0.02) and the VAS from 7.0 ± 2.8 to 1.6 ± 1.6 (p = 0.01). Furthermore, three out of five patients could completely stop taking analgesics.

Conclusion

Sternal pseudarthrosis is a debilitating affliction that may complicate sternotomy after cardiac surgery. This series demonstrates that a more conservative approach such as cementoplasty can be successful in terms of reducing pain, and constitutes a promising technique in selected cases.
Deep Machine Learning for Computer-Aided Drug Design
Authors: Bajorath Jürgen
Published: February 2022

In recent years, deep learning (DL) has led to new scientific developments with immediate implications for computer-aided drug design (CADD). These include advances in both small molecular and macromolecular modeling, as highlighted herein. Going forward, these developments also challenge CADD in different ways and require further progress to fully realize their potential for drug discovery. For CADD, these are exciting times and at the very least, the dynamics of the discipline will further increase.
Numerical Simulation on Shear Behavior of Double Rough Parallel Joints Under Constant Normal Stiffness Boundary Condition
Authors: Liu Jie , Wu Jiahong , Li Xiaoshuang , Zhang He , Song Yanbin
Published: February 2022

The shear characteristics of rock joints under constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary condition are critical to the stability of underground engineering rock mass. Five different rock joint profiles with random morphology were constructed using the independent segmentation method of the Hurst exponent. Based on the continuously yielding joint model, the discrete element calculation models of double rough parallel joints with different joint surface roughness and spacing of joints under CNS boundary condition were established using UDEC software to investigate the shear effect of joints under CNS boundary condition. The results show that under CNS boundary condition, the shear stress, normal displacement, normal stress, and surface resistance index (SRI) all increase with the increase of joint surface roughness coefficient (JRC) for both single- and double-joint specimens, and these of the single-joint are greater than these of the double-joint. With the increase of the joint spacing d, the peak shear stress τy, and the peak surface resistance index (SRIp) show a gradually increasing trend, and the influence of d on τy and SRIp is greater with the increase of JRC, and both τy and SRIp show a linear increasing trend with the increase of JRC. With the increase of d for the same JRC, both normal displacement and normal stress show a gradually increasing trend, and also, the increased amplitudes gradually increase; with the increase of JRC for the same d, the two parameters also show an increasing trend.
Assessing Debris Flow Risk at a Catchment Scale for an Economic Decision Based on the LiDAR DEM and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Tang Yaming , Guo Zizheng , Wu Li , Hong Bo , Feng Wei , Su Xiaohong , Li Zhengguo , Zhu Yuhang
Published: February 2022

Various risk management measures have been applied to reduce risks associated with the debris flow; however, only a few studies have adopted the economic benefit to evaluate measure effectiveness. The present study sought to explore debris flow risks at a catchment scale and establish the appropriate risk-reducing measures. The Chengbei Gully debris flow in Shanxi province (China) was selected for the case study. High-resolution topographic data of the drainage basin were obtained using the airborne LiDAR technology. FLO-2D software was used to simulate the debris flow process to perform hazard zonation. Vulnerability was estimated based on the location of elements at risk within the hazard zones and the field survey. Several structural and non-structural measures for controlling risks were proposed based on the risk assessment results, and the benefit–cost ratio was used to analyze their effectiveness. The findings indicated that the rainfall event triggering the Chengbei Gully debris flow had an 80-year return period. The total risk under this rainfall condition was 2.3 × 105 $, which was an unacceptable level according to the criteria of tolerance risk. The findings showed that the engineering measure was the best mitigation approach for the Chengbei Gully debris flow with a benefit of 1.35 million $ and a benefit–cost ratio of 6.43.
Individual and Contextual Influences on the Start-up Inclination of Women Academics
Authors: Schneider Kaethe , Saeed Vbronia
Published: February 2022

Although in recent years there has been an increasing interest in studies of academic entrepreneurship, only a few studies investigating the start-up inclination of women working in academia have been reported. This paper investigates intention formation, person input, and contextual factors as predictors for the start-up inclination of academic women at German universities based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). We employ multinomial logistic regression in a sequential analysis. Our data refers to the sample from the “Institut für Mittelstandsforschung” “IfM” Bonn, Germany. Thus, we conduct a secondary analysis. The sample size considered for academic women is 2,340. Person input shows mixed effects on the start-up inclination. Contextual factors; however, exert a positive impact on having a start-up idea among academic females in Germany. Intention formation has a positive influence on having a concrete and non-concrete start-up idea. Our paper intends to fill the research gap by adding to the available models explaining individual and contextual factors that influence having a start-up idea a SCCT-based model that explains the start-up inclination of women working in academia.
Adaptive Droop Control of the VSC-MTDC Distribution Network Considering Power–Voltage Deviation
Authors: Li Yang , Zhao Jianjun , Liu Huan , Kong Qiankun , Zhao Yanhui , Cheng Long , Wang Zhenhao
Published: February 2022

In order to realize the unbalanced power optimally allocated and the DC voltage stably controlled after disturbance, an adaptive droop control method considering power and voltage deviation is proposed based on the traditional voltage–power droop control of a voltage source converter-based multi-terminal direct current (VSC-MTDC) distribution network. The inherent constraint that the unbalanced power is proportionally distributed according to its capacity under the traditional droop control is broken in the proposed method to realize the reasonable transfer of unbalanced power and to reduce the overload risk of smaller capacity VSCs; the “dead zone” is appropriately set to relax the operating range of the VSC to a certain extent by a power deviation factor being introduced in the droop characteristic curve. The corresponding MATLAB/Simulink simulation model of the five-terminal DC power distribution network is established and compared with the electromagnetic transient model under the traditional droop control. Finally, the simulation results verify the effectiveness and control effects of the proposed control method.
Energy Efficiency in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Exploring the Determinants of Energy-Saving Intentions and Behaviors
Authors: Ahmad Bilal , Irfan Muhammad , Salem Sultan , Asif Mirza Huzaifa
Published: February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has a long-lasting influence on global economies. Households are expected to consume more electricity for their usual routine activities due to mandatory stay-at-home restrictions, resulting in greater energy utilization. The proposed study seeks to investigate the most relevant energy consumption factors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employs a structural equation modeling approach to evaluate the responses from 511 Pakistani residents. Empirical results report a positive and significant association among perceived behavioral control (PBC), perceived environmental concern (PEC), perceived monitory benefits (PMB), and intention to save energy (ISE). Positive anticipated emotions (PAE) is found to be a significant predictor of ISE and energy-saving behavior (ESB). As a step further, we extend the analysis to find the moderating effect of perceived COVID-19 disruptiveness (PCD) between the relationship of ISE and ESB. Results reveal that PCD positively moderates this relationship. Based on research findings, policy implications and future research directions are provided for practitioners, researchers, and academicians to fulfill the country’s energy needs on its way to a future of sustainable development.
To Plant or Not to Plant: When can Planting Facilitate Mangrove Restoration?
Authors: van Bijsterveldt Celine E. J. , Debrot Adolphe O. , Bouma Tjeerd J. , Maulana Moch B. , Pribadi Rudhi , Schop Jessica , Tonneijck Femke H. , van Wesenbeeck Bregje K.
Published: February 2022

Global change processes such as sea level rise and the increasing frequency of severe storms threaten many coastlines around the world and trigger the need for interventions to make these often densely-populated areas safer. Mangroves could be implemented in Nature-Based Flood Defense, provided that we know how to conserve and restore these ecosystems at those locations where they are most needed. In this study, we investigate how best to restore mangroves along an aquaculture coast that is subject to land-subsidence, comparing two common mangrove restoration methods: 1) mangrove restoration by planting and 2) Ecological Mangrove Restoration (EMR); the assistance of natural mangrove regeneration through mangrove habitat restoration. Satellite data revealed that historically, landward mangrove expansion into the active pond zone has mainly occurred through mangrove planting on pond bunds. However, there is potential to create greenbelts along waterways by means of EMR measures, as propagule trap data from the field revealed that propagules of pioneer species were up to 21 times more abundant in creeks of the pond zone than near their source in the coastal zone. This was especially true during the prevailing onshore winds of the wet-season, suggesting that smart seasonal sluice gate management could help to efficiently trap seeds in target ponds. In the coastal zone, field experiments showed that permeable brushwood dams, aimed at expanding mangrove habitat, could not sufficiently overcome subsidence rates to increase natural mangrove expansion in the seaward direction, but did significantly increase the survival of already established (planted) seedlings compared to more wave-exposed sites. The survival and growth rate of EMR-supported plantings greatly varied between species. Out of the four planted species, Rhizophora mucronata had the highest survival (67%) but the lowest growth rate. Whereas the pioneer species Avicennia alba and Avicennia marina had lower survival rates (resp. 35 and 21%), but significantly higher growth rates, even resulting in fruiting young trees within a 16-month timeframe. Overall, we conclude that 1) EMR has potential in the pond zone, given that propagules were observed to reach well into the backwaters; and 2) that mangrove recovery in the coastal zone may be facilitated even at very challenging coastal sites by combining EMR with the planting of pioneer species.
Microplastic Distribution and Influence Factor Analysis of Seawater and Surface Sediments in a Typical Bay With Diverse Functional Areas: A Case Study in Xincun Lagoon, China
Authors: Wei Yifan , Ma Wengang , Xu Qiang , Sun Chunyang , Wang Xinyuan , Gao Fei
Published: February 2022

Microplastics come directly or indirectly from human activities. The bay and coastal areas are constantly under pressure from human activities, including tourism, fishing, and aquaculture. Microplastic pollution is now recognized as a great threat to bay environments. In this study, we assessed microplastics in the Xincun Lagoon Bay, which had multiple human activities, to understand whether human activities could directly reflect the pollution level of microplastics. The results showed the dominant microplastics were small (100–500 μm, 45.2%) and transparent (57.0%), mainly consisting of fibers (95.7%), and cellophane (54.4%) was the dominant polymer. The color, type, and component indicated that wastes from aquaculture, laundry wastewater in the Tanka fishing raft area, and domestic wastes from tourism were the primary sources of microplastics in Xincun Bay. During the rainy season, microplastic abundances in surface water and surface sediment at the outer bay were found to be significantly higher (108.8 ± 37.1 item/L and 250.4 ± 92.0 item/kg, respectively) than those found at the inner bay (34.3 ± 12.9 item/L and 167.6 ± 71.7 item/kg, respectively), which presented a reverse trend in the dry season (p < .01). Although Xincun bay has a relatively closed environment and diverse human activities, concentrated rainfall and strong winds could cause microplastic abundance inside the bay during the rainy season to be lower than that outside the bay. Furthermore, the comparison of microplastic abundances in the areas with intensive human activities and non-human activity areas indicated that the intensity of human activities could not directly reflect the pollution of microplastics in the lagoon bay. It is also necessary to consider the geographical and seasonal characteristics in order to explain the pollution degree of microplastics in a bay.
A Tutorial on Moving Target Defense Approaches Within Automotive Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Potteiger Bradley , Zhang Zhenkai , Cheng Long , Koutsoukos Xenofon
Published: February 2022

Moving Target Defenses (MTD) have become a popular and emerging defense strategy for the protection of traditional information technology systems. By their very nature, MTD strategies are designed to protect against adversary reconnaissance efforts on static platforms, essentially sitting back and having unlimited time to identify, craft, execute, and scale an exploit. With the rapid adoption of distributed automotive Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) ranging from self driving cars, to connected transportation infrastructure, it is becoming more apparent that third party supply chains, increased remote communication interfaces, and legacy software stacks are making the traditionally designed standalone systems become more susceptible to safety-critical cyber-attacks. MTD strategies within the automotive CPS domain have to delicately balance the tradeoff between security and real time predictability, maintaining the safety constraints of the systems. In this paper, we explore the various MTD strategies presented within the literature while discussing potential applicability and strategies sufficient for the automotive CPS domain.
Identification of Potential Cytokinin Responsive Key Genes in Rice Treated With Trans-Zeatin Through Systems Biology Approach
Authors: Mishra Dwijesh Chandra , Arora Devender , Budhlakoti Neeraj , Solanke Amolkumar U. , Mithra S. V. Amitha CR , Kumar Anuj , Pandey P. S. , Srivastava Sudhir , Kumar Sanjeev , Farooqi M. S. , Lal S. B. , Rai Anil , Chaturvedi K. K.
Published: February 2022

Rice is an important staple food grain consumed by most of the population around the world. With climate and environmental changes, rice has undergone a tremendous stress state which has impacted crop production and productivity. Plant growth hormones are essential component that controls the overall outcome of the growth and development of the plant. Cytokinin is a hormone that plays an important role in plant immunity and defense systems. Trans-zeatin is an active form of cytokinin that can affect plant growth which is mediated by a multi-step two-component phosphorelay system that has different roles in various developmental stages. Systems biology is an approach for pathway analysis to trans-zeatin treated rice that could provide a deep understanding of different molecules associated with them. In this study, we have used a weighted gene co-expression network analysis method to identify the functional modules and hub genes involved in the cytokinin pathway. We have identified nine functional modules comprising of different hub genes which contribute to the cytokinin signaling route. The biological significance of these identified hub genes has been tested by applying well-proven statistical techniques to establish the association with the experimentally validated QTLs and annotated by the DAVID server. The establishment of key genes in different pathways has been confirmed. These results will be useful to design new stress-resistant cultivars which can provide sustainable yield in stress-specific conditions.
Exploration of Potential Integrated Models of N6-Methyladenosine Immunity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus by Bioinformatic Analyses
Authors: Zhao Xingwang , Ge Lan , Wang Juan , Song Zhiqiang , Ni Bing , He Xiaochong , Ruan Zhihua , You Yi
Published: February 2022

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypical systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. The epigenetic regulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in immunity is emerging. However, few studies have focused on SLE and m6A immune regulation. In this study, we aimed to explore a potential integrated model of m6A immunity in SLE. The models were constructed based on RNA-seq data of SLE. A consensus clustering algorithm was applied to reveal the m6A-immune signature using principal component analysis (PCA). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and Kaplan–Meier analysis were used to evaluate diagnostic differences between groups. The effects of m6A immune-related characteristics were investigated, including risk evaluation of m6A immune phenotype-related characteristics, immune cell infiltration profiles, diagnostic value, and enrichment pathways. CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE, and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) were used to evaluate the relative immune cell infiltrations (ICIs) of the samples. Conventional bioinformatics methods were used to identify key m6A regulators, pathways, gene modules, and the coexpression network of SLE. In summary, our study revealed that IGFBP3 (as a key m6A regulator) and two pivotal immune genes (CD14 and IDO1) may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of SLE. The potential integrated models of m6A immunity that we developed could guide clinical management and may contribute to the development of personalized immunotherapy strategies.