bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) and King-Devick (K-D) Performance in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Gil-Casas Amparo , Piñero-Llorens David P. , Molina-Martín Ainhoa
Published: July 2022

Eye movement disorders have been reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) as saccadic disturbances. Several methods have been described for the assessment of saccades, including the K-D and DEM tests. The performance of these tests also involves attention, language, and other brain areas which have been reported to be altered in MS patients. The aim of the study was to determine how developmental eye movement (DEM) and King-Devick (K-D) tests are affected in MS-patients. It was also to analyze whether a resolved episode of optic neuritis (ON) has a negative influence. Subjects with MS showed worse outcomes (higher times) in DEM test (72 (26) s and a K-D test (56 (22) s compared to healthy subjects (64 (7) s and 55 (11) s, respectively). However, a previous ON episode did not worsen the MS-times of DEM (80 (33) s or of K-D (62 (33) s. Horizontal saccades with the DEM showed differences between subjects with MS (with and without ON) and healthy ones (p < 0.05), whereas no such differences were found in the vertical saccades. According to the DEM instructions, MS patients would present heterogeneous oculomotor and non-visual disturbances. Regarding the K-D test, only the third card (the most complex one) showed differences (p < 0.05) between groups. These tests can capture impairment of attention, language, and other areas that correlate with suboptimal brain function in addition to the oculomotor dysfunctions present in subjects with MS.
Gender Differences in the Psychopathology of Obesity: How Relevant Is the Role of Binge Eating Behaviors?
Authors: Di Natale Chiara , Lucidi Lorenza , Montemitro Chiara , Pettorruso Mauro , Collevecchio Rebecca , Di Caprio Lucia , Giampietro Luana , Aceto Liberato , Martinotti Giovanni , Giannantonio Massimo di
Published: July 2022

Background: Obesity is a condition that affects humans both physically and mentally. Moreover, many psychopathological conditions can be observed in obese patients that may threaten the positive outcomes of bariatric surgery. Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the main psychopathological correlates of obese candidates for bariatric surgery, with particular attention on the relationship between psychopathology and gender. Methods: In total, 273 candidates for bariatric surgery for obesity underwent a psychiatric evaluation using a compilation of psychometric scales: the Revised Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Binge Eating Scale (BES), the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT) and the Obesity-Related Well-Being (ORWELL 97). The sample was divided on the basis of gender and binge eating disorder (BED) severity. Comparisons between the groups were performed using an analysis of variance model (ANOVA) or a Pearson’s chi-squared test. Further, we also divided our sample into a severe binge eating group (score > 27), a mild to moderate group (18 < score < 26) and a low/no symptoms group (score < 17). Results: Male and female subjects showed different results for the BES, with higher scores reported among women (17.50 ± 9.59) compared to men (14.08 ± 8.64). Women also showed higher scores across most of the SCL-90-R domains and worse outcomes in terms of quality of life. Both women and men in the severe binge eating group reported higher scores for the SCL-90-R. Conclusion: The symptoms of BED, along with body image dissatisfaction (BID), are among the most important to investigate for candidates for bariatric surgery in order to improve the surgery outcomes. Level of evidence: Level III as the evidence came from a cohort analytic study.
Different Neural Activities for Actions and Language within the Shared Brain Regions: Evidence from Action and Verb Generation
Authors: Wang Zijian , Xi Qian , Zhang Hong , Song Yalin , Cao Shiqi
Published: July 2022

The Inferior Frontal Gyrus, Premotor Cortex and Inferior Parietal Lobe were suggested to be involved in action and language processing. However, the patterns of neural activities in the shared neural regions are still unclear. This study designed an fMRI experiment to analyze the neural activity associations between action and verb generation for object nouns. Using noun reading as a control task, we compared the differences and similarities of brain regions activated by action and verb generation. The results showed that the action generation task activated more in the dorsal Premotor Cortex (PMC), parts of the midline of PMC and the left Inferior Parietal Lobe (IPL) than the verb generation task. Subregions in the bilateral Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) and the left Inferior Frontal Gyrus (IFG) were found to be shared by action and verb generation. Then, mean activation level analysis and multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) were performed in the overlapping activation regions of two generation tasks in the shared regions. The bilateral SMA and the left IFG were found to have overlapping activations with action and verb generation. All the shared regions were found to have different activation patterns, and the mean activation levels of the shared regions in the bilateral of SMA were significantly higher in the action generation. Based on the function of these brain regions, it can be inferred that the shared regions in the bilateral SMA and the left IFG process action and language generation in a task-specific and intention-specific manner, respectively.
Route Planning for Fire Rescue Operations in Long-Term Care Facilities Using Ontology and Building Information Models
Authors: Wang Ru-Guan , Wu Pai-Yu , Liu Chang-Yuan , Tan Jia-Cheng , Chuang Mei-Ling , Chou Chien-Cheng
Published: July 2022

As our society ages, more and more elderly or disabled people live in long-term care (LTC) facilities, which are vulnerable to fires and may result in heavy casualties. Because of the low mobility of LTC residents, firefighters often need to enter the facility to save people. In addition, due to LTC facility management needs, many doors or windows on the passages for a fire rescue operation may be blocked. Thus, firefighters have to employ forcible entry tools such as disk cutters for passing through, which may lengthen the rescue time if an incorrect route or tool is utilized. As new information technologies such as ontology and building information modeling (BIM) have matured, this research aims at proposing a BIM-based ontology model to help firefighters determine better rescue routes instead of using rules of thumb. Factors such as the path length, building components and materials encountered, and forcible entry tools carried are considered in the model. Real LTC fire investigation reports are used for the comparisons between the original routes and the ones generated by the proposed model, and seven experts joined the evaluation workshop to provide further insights. The experts agreed that using the proposed approach can lead to better fire rescue route planning. The proposed BIM-based ontology model could be extended to accommodate additional needs for hospital fire scenes, in the hopes of enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of firefighters’ rescue operations in such important facilities.
Ssc-MiR-21-5p and Ssc-MiR-615 Regulates the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Leydig Cells by Targeting SOX5
Authors: Tang Qi , Zhang Yanghai , Yue Linxiu , Ren Hongying , Pan Chuanying
Published: July 2022

Leydig cells (LCs) are the predominant cells of androgen production, which plays key roles in spermatogenesis and maintaining male secondary sexual characteristics. Abnormal development of LCs affects androgen levels in vivo, affects fertility and may even lead to infertility. Little is known about the regulation mechanism on LCs’ development and maturation in domestic animals, especially the regulation of non-coding RNAs. In this study, we continued to dig deeper in the previous RNA-seq data of porcine LCs from our group, combined with detecting the expression profiles in different tissues and different types of cells in the testis, to screen out candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) that may affect the regulation of LCs. A total of two miRNAs, ssc-miR-21-5p and ssc-miR-615 (“ssc” is omitted below), were finally determined. After overexpression and interference of miRNAs in vitro, the effects of candidate miRNAs on the proliferation and apoptosis of TM3 (mouse Leydig cell line) were explored. The results showed that miR-21-5p led to a decrease in TM3 cell density and p53 (apoptosis related protein) expression. Meanwhile, miR-21-5p decreased EdU positive cell numbers, but increased TUNEL positive cell numbers, suggesting miR-21-5p could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis. Conversely, miR-615 could increase TM3 cell density. Western blot and TUNEL assay indicated miR-615 inhibited apoptosis, but had no effect on proliferation. In addition, Sox5 was identified a potential target gene of these two miRNAs by Dual-Luciferase reporter system assay. Our findings about functions of miRNAs in TM3 and the mapping of miRNAs-target gene regulatory network would provide an important basis for the further elucidation of miRNAs in regulating pig LCs.
Metal Oxide Semiconductor Nanostructure Gas Sensors with Different Morphologies
Authors: Mirzaei Ali , Ansari Hamid Reza , Shahbaz Mehrdad , Kim Jin-Young , Kim Hyoun Woo , Kim Sang Sub
Published: July 2022

There is an increasing need for the development of low-cost and highly sensitive gas sensors for environmental, commercial, and industrial applications in various areas, such as hazardous gas monitoring, safety, and emission control in combustion processes. Considering this, resistive-based gas sensors using metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) have gained special attention owing to their high sensing performance, high stability, and low cost of synthesis and fabrication. The relatively low final costs of these gas sensors allow their commercialization; consequently, they are widely used and available at low prices. This review focuses on the important MOSs with different morphologies, including quantum dots, nanowires, nanofibers, nanotubes, hierarchical nanostructures, and other structures for the fabrication of resistive gas sensors.
Structural Equation Modeling of Common Cognitive Abilities in Preschool-Aged Children Using WPPSI-IV and BRIEF-P
Authors: Fiedler Sören , Krüger Nina , Daseking Monika
Published: July 2022

Various studies have addressed the relationship between intelligence and executive functions (EF). There is widespread agreement that EF in preschool children is a unitary construct in which the subordinate factors of Updating, Inhibition, and Shifting are still undifferentiated and correlate moderately with a general factor of intelligence (g). The aim of this study is to investigate the common structural relationship between these two constructs using confirmatory factor analysis. Furthermore, we intend to close the gap of more daily life-associated executive functions and replicate findings in preschool-aged children. Data from a sample of N = 124 average developed children without severe impairments (aged 4 years 0 months–6 years 11 months) were analyzed using the data pool of the standardization and validation studies on the German Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence—Fourth Edition. Additionally, Executive functions were assessed using a standardized parent-completed questionnaire (BRIEF-P) on their children’s everyday behavior. A second-order factor solution revealed that a model with a loading of the common factor of general intelligence (g-factor) onto the EF factor fits the data best. To specify possible method effects due to different sources of measurements, a latent method factor was generated. The results indicate a heterogeneous method effect and a decreasing factor loading from g on to EF while controlling for the method factor.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Infants with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and Associations with Abusive Head Trauma
Authors: Ferguson Nikki , Rebsamen Susan , Field Aaron , Guerrero Jose , Rosario Bedda , Broman Aimee , Rathouz Paul , Bell Michael , Alexander Andrew , Ferrazzano Peter
Published: July 2022

Young children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have frequently been excluded from studies due to age and/or mechanism of injury. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now frequently being utilized to detect parenchymal injuries and early cerebral edema. We sought to assess MRI findings in infants with severe TBI, and to determine the association between specific MRI findings and mechanisms of injury, including abusive head trauma (AHT). MRI scans performed within the first 30 days after injury were collected and coded according to NIH/NINDS Common Data Elements (CDEs) for Neuroimaging in subjects age < 2 years old with severe TBI enrolled in the Approaches and Decisions in Acute Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Trial. Demographics and injury characteristics were analyzed. A total of 81 children were included from ADAPT sites with MRI scans. Median age was 0.77 years and 57% were male. Most common MRI finding was ischemia, present in 57/81 subjects (70%), in a median of 7 brain regions per subject. Contusion 46/81 (57%) and diffuse axonal injury (DAI) 36/81 (44.4%) subjects followed. Children were dichotomized based on likelihood of AHT with 43/81 subjects classified as AHT. Ischemia was found to be significantly associated with AHT (p = 0.001) and “inflicted” injury mechanism (p = 0.0003). In conclusion, the most common intracerebral injury seen on MRI of infants with severe TBI was ischemia, followed by contusion and DAI. Ischemia was associated with AHT, and ischemia affecting > 4 brain regions was predictive of AHT.
Current Antithrombotic Therapy Strategies in Children with a Focus on Off-Label Direct Oral Anticoagulants—A Narrative Review
Authors: Moisa Stefana Maria , Trandafir Laura Mihaela , Brinza Crischentian , Miron Ingrith Crenguta , Tarca Elena , Butnariu Lacramioara Ionela , Burlacu Alexandru
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: The incidence of thromboembolic events is relatively low in the general population, but it increases in hospitalized children and those who underwent thrombogenic procedures. Although the evidence regarding direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in children with venous thromboembolism (VTE) is growing, DOACs were excluded from existing guidelines due to the lack of reliable data at that moment. Therefore, current evidence on VTE management in children needs to be critically reviewed. (2) Methods: We have conducted a literature search in the Scopus, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases using prespecified keywords to retrieve studies published between 2010 and 2022. (3) Results: Clinical trials highlighted that rivaroxaban and dabigatran had predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles in children, similar to those observed in adults. Dabigatran and rivaroxaban had a similar safety profile to standard therapy but improved thrombotic burden and resolution during follow-up. Most studies involving apixaban and edoxaban are ongoing, and results are awaited. (4) Conclusions: Dabigatran and rivaroxaban could be valid therapeutic options for VTE management in children. In the case of apixaban and edoxaban, results from ongoing clinical studies are required before using them in pediatric VTE.
Can Infant Dyschezia Be a Suspect of Rectosigmoid Redundancy?
Authors: Noviello Carmine , Nobile Stefano , Romano Mercedes , Trotta Letizia , Papparella Alfonso
Published: July 2022

Infant dyschezia is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that occurs in children less than nine months of age. This disorder causes much anxiety among parents who consult different physicians when suspecting major intestinal problems. The aim of this study is to verify whether infant dyschezia involves an anatomic abnormality (redundancy) of the colon. In this retrospective study (48 months) we analyzed all the children younger than 9 months who came to our attention through the suspicion of gastrointestinal abnormality (Hirschsprung’s disease, anorectal malformations, colonic disorders or constipation). They all had a complete medical history, clinical examination and diagnostic tests, such as blood samples, suction rectal biopsy, a study of stool characteristics and, finally, a contrast enema. In cases with infant dyschezia, different colonic sizes and rectosigmoid length were measured, which created a ratio with the diameter of the second lumbar vertebra. These values were compared with those reported in the literature as normal for the age of one year. Of the 24 patients evaluated (mean age 4 months), 9 were excluded for different diagnoses (aganglionic megacolon, hypothyroidism, constipation). The comparison of the ratios obtained in the remaining 15 cases showed a significantly higher rectosigmoid length (redundancy) in children with dyschezia, 18.47 vs. 9.75 (p < 0.001). The rectosigmoid redundancy, a congenital anomaly already reported as a cause of refractory constipation, may be present in children with infant dyschezia.
Incident Analysis and Prediction of Safety Performance on Construction Sites
Authors: Awolusi Ibukun , Marks Eric , Hainen Alexander , Alzarrad Ammar
Published: July 2022

The hazardous nature of the construction environment and current incident statistics indicate a pressing need for safety performance improvement. One potential approach is the strategic analysis of leading indicators for measuring safety performance as opposed to using only lagging indicators, which has protractedly been the norm. This study presents a systematic safety performance measurement framework and statistical modeling processes for analyzing safety incident data for accident prediction and prevention on construction sites. Using safety incident data obtained from a construction corporation that implements proactive safety management programs, statistical modeling processes are utilized to identify variables with high correlations of events and incidents that pose dangers to the safety and health of workers on construction sites. The findings of the study generated insights into the different types and impacts of incident causal factors and precursors on injuries and accidents on construction sites. One of the key contributions of this study is the promotion of proactive methods for improving safety performance on construction sites. The framework and statistical models developed in this study can be used to collect and analyze safety data to provide trends in safety performance, set improvement targets, and provide continuous feedback to enhance safety performance on construction sites.
Perspectives of Gas Phase Ion Chemistry: Spectroscopy and Modeling
Authors: Satta Mauro , Castrovilli Mattea Carmen , Nicolanti Francesca , Casavola Anna Rita , Mancini Terracciano Carlo , Cartoni Antonella
Published: July 2022

The study of ions in the gas phase has a long history and has involved both chemists and physicists. The interplay of their competences with the use of very sophisticated commercial and/or homemade instrumentations and theoretical models has improved the knowledge of thermodynamics and kinetics of many chemical reactions, even if still many stages of these processes need to be fully understood. The new technologies and the novel free-electron laser facilities based on plasma acceleration open new opportunities to investigate the chemical reactions in some unrevealed fundamental aspects. The synchrotron light source can be put beside the FELs, and by mass spectrometric techniques and spectroscopies coupled with versatile ion sources it is possible to really change the state of the art of the ion chemistry in different areas such as atmospheric and astro chemistry, plasma chemistry, biophysics, and interstellar medium (ISM). In this manuscript we review the works performed by a joint combination of the experimental studies of ion–molecule reactions with synchrotron radiation and theoretical models adapted and developed to the experimental evidence. The review concludes with the perspectives of ion–molecule reactions by using FEL instrumentations as well as pump probe measurements and the initial attempt in the development of more realistic theoretical models for the prospective improvement of our predictive capability.
COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis: A Year-Long Retrospective Case Series
Authors: Salas Barbara , McCullagh Iain , Cranfield Katie , Fagan Christine , Geering Angela , Robb Ali
Published: July 2022

COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) refers to co-infection with Aspergillus spp. in patients with COVID-19. It has a higher mortality rate when compared with patients only infected with COVID-19, but we still know little about the epidemiology, diagnosis, and best treatment options for patients with CAPA. We report our findings from a year-long retrospective case series of patients with CAPA in two tertiary hospitals in the United Kingdom. We included all patients admitted to critical care with CAPA between March 2020–2021. We used the European Confederation for Medical Mycology and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology consensus criteria to categorise CAPA. Demographic data, patients’ co-morbidities, time to and method of diagnosis, COVID-19 and aspergillosis treatment, and outcomes were analysed. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with probable CAPA between October/2020–March/2021, and 54.8% also had hypertension. Diagnosis was established after a median of 18 days post-COVID-19 infection, and a median of 7 days post-intubation. All patients had received corticosteroids, as well as tocilizumab (7; 53.8%) and remdesivir (3; 23%). Eleven patients received antifungal treatment. Nine (69%) patients died by 30 days post-ICU admission, one patient died on day 32, and three (23%) patients survived. CAPA has a very high mortality rate. We also identified three areas that merit further investigation: lack of positive tests between March–October 2020; COVID-19 treatments and possible relationship with increased CAPA rates; and the rationale behind antifungal treatment in our hospitals compared to recommended treatment in the literature.
Effects of Pre-Annealing on the Radiation Resistance of ZnO Nanorods
Authors: Wu Tengfei , Wang Aiji , Wang Mingyu , Wang Yinshu , Liu Zilin , Hu Yiwen , Wu Zhenglong , Wang Guangfu
Published: July 2022

Ion implantation is usually used for semiconductor doping and isolation, which creates defects in semiconductors. ZnO is a promising semiconductor and has a variety of applications, such as for use in transparent electronics, optoelectronics, chemical and biological sensors, etc. In this work, ZnO nanorods were grown on Si (100) substrates by the process of chemical bath deposition and then annealed in an O2 atmosphere at 350 and 600 °C for 1 h to introduce different kinds of defects. The as-grown nanorods and the nanorods that annealed were irradiated simultaneously by 180 keV H+ ions at room temperature with a total dose of 8.0×1015 ions/cm2. The radiation effects of the H+ ions, effects of the pre-existed defects on the radiation resistance, and the related mechanisms under irradiation were investigated. The crystal and optical properties of the ZnO nanorods after H+ ion irradiation were found to depend upon the pre-existed defects in the nanorods. The existence of the appropriate concentration of oxygen interstitials in the ZnO nanorods caused them to have good radiation resistance. The thermal effects of irradiation played an important role in the property variation of nanorods. The temperature of the nanorods under 180 keV H+ ion bombardment was around 350 °C.
Community Governance, Financial Awareness, and Willingness to Participate in National Park Development: Evidence from the Giant Panda National Park
Authors: Feng Wenting , Wu Anxin , Yao Lan , Jin Bei , Huang Zhijun , Li Min , Zhang Han , Ji Hao
Published: July 2022

Taking the Giant Panda National Park as an example, this paper uses factor analysis to measure residents’ financial awareness and mediating effect models to investigate the influence paths of community governance, financial awareness, and residents’ willingness to participate in the construction and development of national parks. Finally, it suggests potential solutions for national park development and biodiversity conservation. The results indicated that financial awareness and community governance levels had a positive effect on residents’ willingness to participate, and satisfaction with community governance played a significant partially mediating role in their financial awareness, which in turn influenced their level of willingness.
Personalized Dosimetry in the Context of Radioiodine Therapy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Pacilio Massimiliano , Conte Miriam , Frantellizzi Viviana , De Feo Maria Silvia , Pisani Antonio Rosario , Marongiu Andrea , Nuvoli Susanna , Rubini Giuseppe , Spanu Angela , De Vincentis Giuseppe
Published: July 2022

The most frequent thyroid cancer is Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) representing more than 95% of cases. A suitable choice for the treatment of DTC is the systemic administration of 131-sodium or potassium iodide. It is an effective tool used for the irradiation of thyroid remnants, microscopic DTC, other nonresectable or incompletely resectable DTC, or all the cited purposes. Dosimetry represents a valid tool that permits a tailored therapy to be obtained, sparing healthy tissue and so minimizing potential damages to at-risk organs. Absorbed dose represents a reliable indicator of biological response due to its correlation to tissue irradiation effects. The present paper aims to focus attention on iodine therapy for DTC treatment and has developed due to the urgent need for standardization in procedures, since no unique approaches are available. This review aims to summarize new proposals for a dosimetry-based therapy and so explore new alternatives that could provide the possibility to achieve more tailored therapies, minimizing the possible side effects of radioiodine therapy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.
Episodic Memory in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia (ADD): Using the “Doors and People” Tool to Differentiate between Early aMCI—Late aMCI—Mild ADD Diagnostic Groups
Authors: Chatzikostopoulos Athanasios , Moraitou Despina , Tsolaki Magdalini , Masoura Elvira , Papantoniou Georgia , Sofologi Maria , Papaliagkas Vasileios , Kougioumtzis Georgios , Papatzikis Efthymios
Published: July 2022

Episodic memory is the type of memory that allows the recollection of personal experiences containing information on what has happened and, also, where and when it happened. Because of its sensitivity to neurodegenerative diseases and the aging of the brain, it is considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease dementia (ADD). The objective of the present study was to examine episodic memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and ADD. Patients with the diagnosis of early aMCI, late aMCI, and mild ADD were evaluated using the Doors and People tool which consists of four subtests examining different aspects of episodic memory. The statistical analysis with receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) showed the discriminant potential and the cutoffs of every subtest. Overall, the evaluation of episodic memory with the Doors and People tool can discriminate with great sensitivity between the different groups of people with AD and, especially, early aMCI, late aMCI, and mild ADD patients.
Three-Dimensional Angiographic Characteristics versus Functional Stenosis Severity in Fractional and Coronary Flow Reserve Discordance: A DEFINE FLOW Sub Study
Authors: Stegehuis Valerie , Westra Jelmer , Boerhout Coen , Sejr-Hansen Martin , Eftekhari Ashkan , Mejía-Renteria Hernan , Cambero-Madera Maribel , Van Royen Niels , Matsuo Hitoshi , Nakayama Masafumi , Siebes Maria , Christiansen Evald Høj , Van de Hoef Tim , Piek Jan
Published: July 2022

Background: Coronary angiography alone is insufficient to identify lesions associated with myocardial ischemia that may benefit from revascularization. Coronary physiology parameters may improve clinical decision making in addition to coronary angiography, but the association between 2D and 3D qualitative coronary angiography (QCA) and invasive pressure and flow measurements is yet to be elucidated. Methods: We associated invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary flow reserve (CFR) and coronary flow capacity (CFC) with 2D- and 3D-QCA in 430 intermediate lesions of 366 patients. Results: Overall, 2D-QCA analysis resulted in less severe stenosis severity compared with 3D-QCA analysis. FFR+/CFR− lesions had similar 3D-QCA characteristics as FFR+/CFR+ lesions. In contrast, vessels with FFR−/CFR+ discordance had 3D-QCA characteristics similar to those of vessels with concordant FFR−/CFR−. Contrarily, FFR+/CFR− lesions had CFC similar to that of as FFR-/CFR- lesions. Conclusions: Non-flow-limiting lesions (FFR+/CFR−) have 3D-QCA characteristics similar to those of FFR+/CFR+, but the majority are not associated with inducible myocardial ischemia as determined by invasive CFC. FFR−/CFR+ lesions have 3D-QCA characteristics similar to those of FFR−/CFR− lesions but are more frequently associated with a moderately to severely reduced CFC, illustrating the angiographic–functional mismatch in discordant lesions.
Education-Related COVID-19 Difficulties and Stressors during the COVID-19 Pandemic among a Community Sample of Older Adolescents and Young Adults in Canada
Authors: Afifi Tracie O. , Salmon Samantha , Taillieu Tamara , Pappas Katerina V. , McCarthy Julie-Anne , Stewart-Tufescu Ashley
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant disruptions to the provision of education, including restrictions to in-person and remote learning. Little is known about how older adolescents and young adults experienced these disruptions. To address this gap, data were drawn from the Well-Being and Experiences study (the WE Study), a longitudinal community-based sample collected in Manitoba, Canada, from 2017–2021 (n = 494). Prevalent difficulties or stressors during in-person learning were less interaction with friends or classmates, worrying about grades, less interaction with teachers, and too much screen time (range: 47.3% to 61.25%). Prevalent difficulties or stressors for remote learning were less interaction with friends or classmates and teachers, less physical activity, worrying about grades, and too much screen time (range: 62.8% to 79.6%). Differences related to sex, education level, financial burden, and mental health prior to the pandemic were noted. From a public health perspective, efforts to re-establish social connections with friends, classmates, and teachers; strategies to manage stress related to worrying about grades or resources to improve grades that have declined; and approaches to reduce screen time in school and at home may be important for recovery and for any ongoing or future pandemics or endemics that impact the delivery of education.
Feeding Habits and Diet Overlap between Brown Trout Lineages from the Danube Basin of Croatia
Authors: Piria Marina , Špelić Ivan , Velagić Luana , Lisica Ivana , Kanjuh Tamara , Marić Ana , Maguire Ivana , Radočaj Tena , Simonović Predrag
Published: July 2022

Brown trout of non-native lineages have been stocked into Croatian streams and rivers primarily to meet angler demand. The diet of brown trout in the Black Sea Basin of Croatia is poorly understood, and there are no studies examining feeding competition between the Atlantic (AT) and Danube (DA) lineages of brown trout and their hybrids (HY). The aim of this study was to examine the natural diet of brown trout of both lineages and their hybrids and to compare feeding overlap. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to investigate the relationships between feeding habits of fish from different streams and of different genetic origin. The differences in variation of the consumed prey items were analysed by canonical variate analysis, and diet overlap was assessed by the Schoener index. The results indicate that stocked brown trout (AT) adapt rapidly to new habitat and food, as revealed by the consumption of a wide range of available food items and competition for food and space by taking on the feeding behaviour of wild native conspecifics. Diet overlap was also detected between brown trout of the DA and AT lineages. This study highlights the need to implement control measures to preserve and protect the native diversity of this species.
Ultra-Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica Based on the CRISPR/Cas12a Nucleic Acid Identification Platform
Authors: Xiao Yiran , Ren Honglin , Hu Pan , Wang Yang , Wang Han , Li Yansong , Feng Kai , Wang Cong , Cao Qi , Guo Yuxi , Liu Zengshan , Lu Shiying
Published: July 2022

Yersinia enterocolitica is a dangerous foodborne human pathogen that mainly causes gastroenteritis. Ideal methods for the detection of pathogens in food should be rapid, sensitive, specific, and cost effective. To this end, novel in vitro nucleic acid identification methods based on clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) endonuclease have received increasing attention. In this study, a simple, visual, and ultrasensitive method, based on CRISPR/Cas12a with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), was developed for the detection of Y. enterocolitica. The results show that a specific attachment invasion locus gene (ail) can be rapidly detected using a CRISPR/Cas12a-RPA-based system. Application of the method to raw pork, which was artificially infected with Y. enterocolitica, achieved an estimated detection limit of 1.7 CFU/mL in less than 45 min, and this was 100 times lower compared with qPCR. The results indicated that the CRISPR/Cas12a-RPA system has good potential for monitoring pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in the chilled meat supply chain.
Chitosan Increases Lysine Content through Amino Acid Transporters in Flammulina filiformis
Authors: Tian Li , Ma Zhaodi , Qiu Hao , Liu Xiaotian , Wu Tao , Ge Feng , Liu Rui , Zhu Jing , Shi Liang , Jiang Ailiang , Yu Hanshou , Ren Ang
Published: July 2022

Lysine content is considered an important indicator of the quality of Flammulina filiformis. In this study, chitosan was used to improve lysine content of F. filiformis. Optimal design conditions were obtained using central combination design (CCD): treatment concentration was 14.61 μg/mL, treatment time was 52.90 h, and the theoretical value of lysine content was 30.95 mg/g. We used Basic Local Alignment Search Tool Protein (BLASTP) to search the F. filiformis genome database using known AATs in the NCBI database. There were 11 members of AAT in F. filiformis. The expression levels of AAT3 and AAT4 genes increased significantly with chitosan treatment. Subsequently, AAT3 and AAT4 silencing strains were constructed using RNAi technology. The lysine content of the wild-type (WT) strain treated with chitosan increased by 26.41%. Compared with the chitosan-induced WT strain, chitosan-induced lysine content decreased by approximately 24.87% in the AAT3 silencing strain, and chitosan-induced lysine content in the AAT4 silencing strain increased by approximately 13.55%. The results indicate that AAT3 and AAT4 are involved in the regulation of the biosynthesis of lysine induced by chitosan in F. filiformis. AAT3 may participate in the absorption of lysine, and AAT4 may be involved in the excretion of lysine with chitosan treatment.
The Effectiveness of Pre-Operative Screening Tests in Determining Viral Infections in Patients Undergoing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Authors: Sukegawa Shintaro , Sukegawa Yuka , Hasegawa Kazuaki , Ono Sawako , Nakamura Tomoya , Fujimura Ai , Fujisawa Ayaka , Nakano Keisuke , Takabatake Kiyofumi , Kawai Hotaka , Mukainaka Yumika , Nagatsuka Hitoshi , Furuki Yoshihiko
Published: July 2022

We analyzed the rate of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection diagnosed by pre-operative screening and estimated its cost. We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent elective surgery at our maxillofacial surgery department between April 2014 and March 2022. We compared the number of patients with each infection identified by pre-operative screening and a pre-operative questionnaire. We also compared the prevalence of infections with varying age, sex, and oral diseases, and calculated the cost of screening per positive result. The prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 0.39% (62/15,842), 0.76% (153/15,839), and 0.07% (10/12,745), respectively. The self-reported rates were as follows: HBV, 63.4% (26/41); HCV, 50.4% (62/123); HIV, 87.5% (7/8). Differences in sex were statistically significant for all infectious diseases; age significantly affected HBV and HCV rates. There was no association between the odds ratio of oral disease and viral infections. The cost per positive result was $1873.8, $905.8, and $11,895.3 for HBV, HCV, and HIV, respectively. Although self-assessment using questionnaires is partially effective, it has inadequate screening accuracy. Formulating an auxiliary diagnosis of infectious diseases with oral diseases was challenging. The cost determined was useful for hepatitis, but not HIV.
Factors Associated with Anxiety and Depression in Infertile Couples—Study Protocol
Authors: Yang Tong , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Wongpakaran Tinakon , Saeng-Anan Ubol , Singhapreecha Charuk , Jenraumjit Rewadee , Peisah Carmelle
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: Infertility refers to the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility is an important medical and social problem that causes individual distress, family conflict and emotional impact experienced by about 15% of couples worldwide. Anxiety and depression are the main psychological problems associated with infertility with many potential contributing factors which are yet to be fully elucidated. This study aims to investigate factors related to anxiety and depression among infertile couples. (2) Methods/Design: This study will employ an analytical cross-sectional survey. Sociodemographic information will be collected. Validated tools will be used to assess anxiety and depression (Outcome Inventory-21(OI-21), marital satisfaction (ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, sufficiency economy (Sufficiency Economy Scale (SES) and personality traits (Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ). The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model estimated by multilevel modeling will be used for dyadic analysis. (3) Discussion: This study will provide evidence about factors associated with anxiety and depression in infertile couples. Outcomes will raise awareness about mental health problems among infertile couples and guide future research for interventions.
New Method to Implement and Analysis of Medical System in Real Time
Authors: Abd Elgawad Yahia Zakria , Youssef Mohamed I. , Nasser Tarek Mahmoud , Almslmany Amir , S. I. Amar Ahmed , Mohamed Abdelrhman Adel , Parchin Naser Ojaroudi , Abd-Alhameed Raed A. , Mohamed Heba G. , Moussa Karim H.
Published: July 2022

The use of information technology and technological medical devices has contributed significantly to the transformation of healthcare. Despite that, many problems have arisen in diagnosing or predicting diseases, either as a result of human errors or lack of accuracy of measurements. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an integrated health monitoring system to measure vital parameters and diagnose or predict disease. Through this work, the percentage of various gases in the blood through breathing is determined, vital parameters are measured and their effect on feelings is analyzed. A supervised learning model is configured to predict and diagnose based on biometric measurements. All results were compared with the results of the Omron device as a reference device. The results proved that the proposed design overcame many problems as it contributed to expanding the database of vital parameters and providing analysis on the effect of emotions on vital indicators. The accuracy of the measurements also reached 98.8% and the accuracy of diagnosing COVID-19 was 64%. The work also presents a user interface model for clinicians as well as for smartphones using the Internet of things.
Multi-Band-Image Based Detection of Apple Surface Defect Using Machine Vision and Deep Learning
Authors: Tang Yan , Bai Hongyi , Sun Laijun , Wang Yu , Hou Jingli , Huo Yonglong , Min Rui
Published: July 2022

Accurate surface defect extraction of apples is critical for their quality inspection and marketing purposes. Using multi-band images, this study proposes a detection method for apple surface defects with a combination of machine vision and deep learning. Five single bands, 460, 522, 660, 762, and 842 nm, were selected within the visible and near-infrared. By using a near-infrared industrial camera with optical filters, five single-band images of an apple could be obtained. To achieve higher accuracy of defect extraction, an improved U-Net was designed based on the original U-Net network structure. More specially, the partial original convolutions were replaced by dilated convolutions with different dilated rates, and an attention mechanism was added. The loss function was also redesigned during the training process. Then the traditional algorithm, the trained U-Net and the trained improved U-Net were used to extract defects of apples in the test set. Following that, the performances of the three methods were compared with that of the manual extraction. The results show that the near-infrared band is better than the visible band for defects with insignificant features. Additionally, the improved U-Net is better than the U-Net and the traditional algorithm for small defects and defects with irregular edges. On the test set, for single-band images at 762 nm, the improved U-Net had the best defect extraction with an mIoU (mean intersection over union) and mF1-score of 91% and 95%, respectively.
Optimal Energy Management Scheme of Battery Supercapacitor-Based Bidirectional Converter for DC Microgrid Applications
Authors: Punna Srinivas , Banka Sujatha , Salkuti Surender Reddy
Published: July 2022

Because of the splendid front of sustainable energy reassets in a DC Microgrid, it is profoundly willing to variances in energy age. A hybrid energy storage system (HESS) which includes a battery and a supercapacitor (SC) is used to decrease in-built fluctuations. The two different characteristics of the battery and supercapacitor make it a great match for HESS applications. The HESS is connected to the DC Microgrid through a bidirectional converter, which allows energy to be exchanged between the battery and supercapacitor. This paper discusses a converter presenting an approach for a double-input bidirectional converter. Related to this, a regulator was designed for use as a voltage regulation in a DC Microgrid. The designed controllers accelerated PV generation and load disturbance DC link voltage restoration, in addition to effective power balancing among the battery and the SC. The conventional PI, proposed PI, and predictive PI control techniques are effectively validated using MATLAB Simulink. Experimental findings with low power have been used to validate the operation of the predictive PI control technique. The DC grid voltage profile showed substantial improvement while using the predictive PI control in comparison with the proposed and conventional PI control techniques in terms of setting time and maximum peak overshoot.
Self-Selection of Feeding Substrates by Tenebrio molitor Larvae of Different Ages to Determine Optimal Macronutrient Intake and the Influence on Larval Growth and Protein Content
Authors: Kröncke Nina , Benning Rainer
Published: July 2022

Nutrient self-selection was used to determine the optimal uptake of macronutrients by the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae. The selection study consisted of four combinations of eight pelleted substrates from a total choice of 25, available to the larvae in a multiple-choice arena. In order to be able to determine the nutrient requirements as a function of the larvae age, six, eight and tenweekold larvae were used for the experiment. The larvae were free to choose between the different feeds for a period of two weeks. Rearing took place at 27 °C, 75% relative humidity and under dark conditions. The optimal ratios of macronutrients were 67.3 to 71.5% for carbohydrates, 19.9 to 22.8% for proteins and 8.6 to 10.0% for lipids to ensure the best results. Biomass growth, food intake and conversion were positively influenced to a significant extent by carbohydrate intake. The protein content, too, varied according to the macronutrient intake and substrate composition; a higher protein consumption increased the larval protein content. Wheat bran and flour, oat bran and flakes, maize hulls, lupine flour and potato flakes, in particular, were considered suitable substrates for the feeding and rearing of Tenebrio molitor larvae and highlighted that these larvae preferred a grain-based diet.
Repeated Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Astigmatic Keratotomies in Post-Keratoplasty Eyes
Authors: Levinger Nadav , Levinger Shmuel , Erdinest Nir , Achiron Asaf , London Naomi , Trivizki Omer , Levinger Eliya , Barequet Irina S.
Published: July 2022

Visual rehabilitation after a keratoplasty is often compromised due to high amounts of residual astigmatism. Femtosecond laser-assisted astigmatic keratotomy (FLAK) is gaining popularity in decreasing this astigmatism. Though one set of two incisions suffices in most cases, sometimes the treatment proves insufficient and additional treatment is required. This case series evaluates the outcomes in patients who underwent two consecutive FLAK sets to correct post-keratoplasty residual astigmatism. All repeated FLAK cases performed on post-keratoplasty eyes were reviewed in a high-volume clinic as a non-comparative retrospective case series. The data extracted include the procedure parameters, time between procedures, refraction including sphere, astigmatism, spherical equivalent (SE), and uncorrected and best-spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA, BSDVA, respectively). Eleven eyes of eleven patients aged 25.5 ± 10 treated with more than one FLAK procedure were identified. The average follow-up time was 6 months after the first FLAK and 24 ± 10 months after the second. The second FLAK was performed six months after the first. The preoperative mean astigmatism was −9.59 ± 2.36 D. At the final follow-up, the mean astigmatism decreased to −5.38 ± 1.79 D (p = 0.001). Repeated FLAK procedures achieved a significant and stable reduction of astigmatism in post-keratoplasty eyes. This procedure shows safety and effectivity in these complex eyes and may prevent the need for a further keratoplasty.