bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analyses of Complete Chloroplast Genomes and Karyotypes of Allotetraploid Iris koreana and Its Putative Diploid Parental Species (Iris Series Chinenses, Iridaceae)
Authors: Park Inkyu , Choi Bokyung , Weiss-Schneeweiss Hanna , So Soonku , Myeong Hyeon-Ho , Jang Tae-Soo
Published: September 2022

The Iris series Chinenses in Korea comprises four species (I. minutoaurea, I. odaesanensis, I. koreana, and I. rossii), and the group includes some endangered species, owing to their high ornamental, economic, and conservation values. Among them, the putative allotetraploid, Iris koreana (2n = 4x = 50), is hypothesized to have originated from the hybridization of the diploids I. minutoaurea (2n = 2x = 22) and I. odaesanensis (2n = 2x = 28) based on morphological characters, chromosome numbers, and genome size additivity. Despite extensive morphological and molecular phylogenetical studies on the genus Iris, little is known about Korean irises in terms of their complete chloroplast (cp) genomes and molecular cytogenetics that involve rDNA loci evolution based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). This study reports comparative analyses of the karyotypes of the three Iris species (I. koreana, I. odaesanensis, and I. minutoaurea), with an emphasis on the 5S and 35S rDNA loci number and localization using FISH together with the genome size and chromosome number. Moreover, the cp genomes of the same individuals were sequenced and assembled for comparative analysis. The rDNA loci numbers, which were localized consistently at the same position in all species, and the chromosome numbers and genome size values of tetraploid Iris koreana (four 5S and 35S loci; 2n = 50; 1C = 7.35 pg) were additively compared to its putative diploid progenitors, I. minutoaurea (two 5S and 35S loci; 2n = 22; 1C = 3.71 pg) and I. odaesanensis (two 5S and 35S loci; 2n = 28; 1C = 3.68 pg). The chloroplast genomes were 152,259–155,145 bp in length, and exhibited a conserved quadripartite structure. The Iris cp genomes were highly conserved and similar to other Iridaceae cp genomes. Nucleotide diversity analysis indicated that all three species had similar levels of genetic variation, but the cp genomes of I. koreana and I. minutoaurea were more similar to each other than to I. odaesanensis. Positive selection was inferred for psbK and ycf2 genes of the three Iris species. Phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered I. odaesanensis as a sister to a clade containing I. koreana and I. minutoaurea. Although the phylogenetic relationship, rDNA loci number, and localization, together with the genome size and chromosome number of the three species, allowed for the inference of I. minutoaurea as a putative maternal taxon and I. odaesanensis as a paternal taxon, further analyses involving species-specific molecular cytogenetic markers and genomic in situ hybridization are required to interpret the mechanisms involved in the origin of the chromosomal variation in Iris series Chinenses. This study contributes towards the genomic and chromosomal evolution of the genus Iris.
Pathogenesis of Tobacco-Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Is Closely Coupled with Changes in the Gut and Lung Microbiomes
Authors: Finnicum Casey , Rahal Zahraa , Hassane Maya , Treekitkarnmongkol Warapen , Sinjab Ansam , Morris Rhiannon , Liu Yuejiang , Tang Elizabeth , Viet Sarah , Petersen Jason , Lorenzi Philip , Tan Lin , Petrosino Joseph , Hoffman Kristi , Fujimoto Junya , Moghaddam Seyed , Kadara Humam
Published: September 2022

Microbial dysbiosis has emerged as a modulator of oncogenesis and response to therapy, particularly in lung cancer. Here, we investigate the evolution of the gut and lung microbiomes following exposure to a tobacco carcinogen. We performed 16S rRNA-Seq of fecal and lung samples collected prior to and at several timepoints following (nicotine-specific nitrosamine ketone/NNK) exposure in Gprc5a−/− mice that were previously shown to exhibit accelerated lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) development following NNK exposure. We found significant progressive changes in human-relevant gut and lung microbiome members (e.g., Odoribacter, Alistipes, Akkermansia, and Ruminococus) that are closely associated with the phenotypic development of LUAD and immunotherapeutic response in human lung cancer patients. These changes were associated with decreased short-chain fatty acids (propionic acid and butyric acid) following exposure to NNK. We next sought to study the impact of Lcn2 expression, a bacterial growth inhibitor, given our previous findings on its protective role in LUAD development. Indeed, we found that the loss of Lcn2 was associated with widespread gut and lung microbiome changes at all timepoints, distinct from those observed in our Gprc5a−/− mouse model, including a decrease in abundance and diversity. Our overall findings apprise novel cues implicating microbial phenotypes in the development of tobacco-associated LUAD.
Lysophosphatidylinositol Induced Morphological Changes and Stress Fiber Formation through the GPR55-RhoA-ROCK Pathway
Authors: Nakajima Keisuke , Oka Saori , Tanikawa Takashi , Nemoto-Sasaki Yoko , Matsumoto Naoki , Ishiguro Hiroki , Arata Yoichiro , Sugiura Takayuki , Yamashita Atsushi
Published: September 2022

We previously reported that lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) functions as an endogenous agonist of GPR55, a novel cannabinoid receptor. However, the physiological roles of LPI-GPR55 have not yet been elucidated in detail. In the present study, we found that LPI induced morphological changes in GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells. LPI induced the cell rounding of GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells but not of empty-vector-transfected cells. LPI also induced the activation of small GTP-binding protein RhoA and increased stress fiber formation in GPR55-expressing HEK293 cells. The inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase ROCK by the C3 exoenzyme and the ROCK inhibitor reduced LPI-induced cell rounding and stress fiber formation. These results clearly indicated that the LPI-induced morphological changes and the assembly of the cytoskeletons were mediated through the GPR55-RhoA-ROCK pathway.
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Patterns of the F-box Family in Poplar under Salt Stress
Authors: Fan Gaofeng , Xia Xinhui , Yao Wenjing , Cheng Zihan , Zhang Xuemei , Jiang Jiahui , Zhou Boru , Jiang Tingbo
Published: September 2022

The F-box family exists in a wide variety of plants and plays an extremely important role in plant growth, development and stress responses. However, systematic studies of F-box family have not been reported in populus trichocarpa. In the present study, 245 PtrFBX proteins in total were identified, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed on the basis of their C-terminal conserved domains, which was divided into 16 groups (A–P). F-box proteins were located in 19 chromosomes and six scaffolds, and segmental duplication was main force for the evolution of the F-box family in poplar. Collinearity analysis was conducted between poplar and other species including Arabidopsis thaliana, Glycine max, Anemone vitifolia Buch, Oryza sativa and Zea mays, which indicated that poplar has a relatively close relationship with G. max. The promoter regions of PtrFBX genes mainly contain two kinds of cis-elements, including hormone-responsive elements and stress-related elements. Transcriptome analysis indicated that there were 82 differentially expressed PtrFBX genes (DEGs), among which 64 DEGs were in the roots, 17 in the leaves and 26 in the stems. In addition, a co-expression network analysis of four representative PtrFBX genes indicated that their co-expression gene sets were mainly involved in abiotic stress responses and complex physiological processes. Using bioinformatic methods, we explored the structure, evolution and expression pattern of F-box genes in poplar, which provided clues to the molecular function of F-box family members and the screening of salt-tolerant PtrFBX genes.
Design Factors of Shared Situation Awareness Interface in Human–Machine Co-Driving
Authors: You Fang , Yan Xu , Zhang Jun , Cui Wei
Published: September 2022

Automated vehicles can perceive their environment and control themselves, but how to effectively transfer the information perceived by the vehicles to human drivers through interfaces, or share the awareness of the situation, is a problem to be solved in human–machine co-driving. The four elements of the shared situation awareness (SSA) interface, namely human–machine state, context, current task status, and plan, were analyzed and proposed through an abstraction hierarchy design method to guide the output of the corresponding interface design elements. The four elements were introduced to visualize the interface elements and design the interface prototype in the scenario of “a vehicle overtaking with a dangerous intention from the left rear”, and the design schemes were experimentally evaluated. The results showed that the design with the four elements of an SSA interface could effectively improve the usability of the human–machine interface, increase the levels of human drivers’ situational awareness and prediction of dangerous intentions, and boost trust in the automatic systems, thereby providing ideas for the design of human–machine collaborative interfaces that enhance shared situational awareness in similar scenarios.
High-Temperature Interactions of Silicon-Aluminum Oxynitrides (Sialons) with Sodium Fluoride
Authors: Akhmadullina Nailya S. , Sirotinkin Vladimir P. , Ovsyannikov Nikolay A. , Lysenkov Anton S. , Kargin Yury F.
Published: September 2022

The high-temperature interactions of β-SiAlONs with sodium fluoride NaF at 1650 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere are described in this paper. It was found that in case of Si5AlON7 the formation of phases enriched with aluminum occurred, including Si4Al2O2N6 at an NaF loading of 0.5 wt.% and Si4Al2O2N6 and Si3.1Al2.9O2.9N5.1 at an NaF loading of 2.0 wt.%, although Si5AlON7 still was a major phase. For Si4Al2O2N6, a kind of disproportionation was observed, and Si5AlON7 formed together with Si3Al3O3N5 and Si3.1Al2.9O2.9N5.1. Moreover, the initial phase Si4Al2O2N6 was not identified at all, while Si5AlON7 was found to be a major phase at an NaF loading of 0.5 wt.% and Si3.1Al2.9O2.9N5.1 prevailed at an NaF loading of 2.0 wt.%. All the samples showed a high degree of densification when studied with scanning electronic microscopy.
Diversity and Distribution of Whiteflies Colonizing Cassava in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Casinga Clérisse M. , Wosula Everlyne N. , Sikirou Mouritala , Shirima Rudolph R. , Munyerenkana Carine M. , Nabahungu Leon N. , Bashizi Benoit K. , Ugentho Henry , Monde Godefroid , Legg James P.
Published: September 2022

The present study characterizes Bemisia tabaci and Bemisia afer from cassava in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Mitochondrial COI sequencing revealed the occurrence of six cassava B. tabaci mitotypes, which were designated into four haplogroups (SSA-ECA, SSA-CA, SSA2, and SSA-ESA) using KASP SNP genotyping. SSA-ECA (72%) was the most prevalent and occurred in the northern part of the surveyed area, in the Ituri and Nord/Sud-Kivu provinces, whilst SSA-CA (21%) was present in the south, primarily in Haut-Katanga. SSA-ECA was predominant in the areas of north-eastern DRC most severely affected by cassava brown streak disease and was also reported in the new outbreak area in Pweto territory, Haut-Katanga, in the south. Bemisia afer comprised two major clusters with 85.5% of samples in cluster one, while the rest were in cluster two, which has no reference sequence in GenBank. This study provides important information on the genetic diversity of B. tabaci and B. afer in eastern DRC. This knowledge will be used as a basis for further studies to understand and to identify the role of whitefly haplogroups, their population densities and consequences for virus epidemics and spread as well as leading to improved vector and virus management strategies.
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Females: Clinical Features and Survival
Authors: Wu Yan , Hu Song , Yan Xin-Xin , Peng Fu-Hua , Tan Jiang-Shan , Guo Ting-Ting , Gao Xin , Hua Lu
Published: September 2022

Sparse data are available on the female-specific features of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). We prospectively enrolled 160 consecutive female patients who were firstly diagnosed with CTEPH between 2013 and 2019 to explore their clinical phenotypes, treatment patterns, and long-term survival. The patients’ mean age was 54.7 ± 13.8 years, 70.6% provided a confirmed history of venous thromboembolism, 46 (28.8%) patients underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), 65 (40.6%) received balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), and 49 (30.6%) were treated with medical therapy alone. The patients were followed for a median of 51 (34–70) months; three patients were lost to follow-up, and twenty-two patients died. The estimated survival rates at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years were 98.1% (95% CI 96.0–100), 96.9% (95% CI 94.2–99.6), 85.1% (95% CI 78.1–92.2), and 76.2% (95% CI 65.2–87.2), respectively. After adjusting for the confounders, the results of the multivariate Cox analysis showed that the presence of anemia (5.56, 95% CI 1.6–19.22) was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, and compared with medical treatment, receiving PEA and BPA decreased the risk of death by 74% (0.26, 95% CI 0.07–0.97) and 86% (0.14, 95% CI 0.04–0.57), respectively. In conclusion, in the modern era of CTEPH treatment, invasive revascularization combined with targeted therapy display good clinical outcomes for females; anemia should be actively modified, which may lead to clinical improvements. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05360992).
Pulmonary Vascular Sequelae of Palliated Single Ventricle Circulation: Arteriovenous Malformations and Aortopulmonary Collaterals
Authors: Spearman Andrew D. , Ginde Salil
Published: September 2022

Children and adults with single ventricle congenital heart disease (CHD) develop many sequelae during staged surgical palliation. Universal pulmonary vascular sequelae in this patient population include two inter-related but distinct complications: pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) and aortopulmonary collaterals (APCs). This review highlights what is known and unknown about these vascular sequelae focusing on diagnostic testing, pathophysiology, and areas in need of further research.
Pre-operative Machine Learning for Heart Transplant Patients Bridged with Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support
Authors: Shou Benjamin L. , Chatterjee Devina , Russel Joseph W. , Zhou Alice L. , Florissi Isabella S. , Lewis Tabatha , Verma Arjun , Benharash Peyman , Choi Chun Woo
Published: September 2022

Background: Existing prediction models for post-transplant mortality in patients bridged to heart transplantation with temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS) perform poorly. A more reliable model would allow clinicians to provide better pre-operative risk assessment and develop more targeted therapies for high-risk patients. Methods: We identified adult patients in the United Network for Organ Sharing database undergoing isolated heart transplantation between 01/2009 and 12/2017 who were supported with tMCS at the time of transplant. We constructed a machine learning model using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) with a 70:30 train:test split to predict 1-year post-operative mortality. All pre-transplant variables available in the UNOS database were included to train the model. Shapley Additive Explanations was used to identify and interpret the most important features for XGBoost predictions. Results: A total of 1584 patients were included, with a median age of 56 (interquartile range: 46–62) and 74% male. Actual 1-year mortality was 12.1%. Out of 498 available variables, 43 were selected for the final model. The area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUC) for the XGBoost model was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.62–0.78). The most important variables predictive of 1-year mortality included recipient functional status, age, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), cardiac output, ECMO usage, and serum creatinine. Conclusions: An interpretable machine learning model trained on a large clinical database demonstrated good performance in predicting 1-year mortality for patients bridged to heart transplantation with tMCS. Machine learning may be used to enhance clinician judgement in the care of markedly high-risk transplant recipients.
Assessment of the Refractive Error and Stabilisation of Refraction after Cataract Surgery in Relation to the Length of the Eyeball
Authors: Mrugacz Małgorzata , Olszewski Mateusz , Pony-Uram Magdalena , Brymerski Jacek , Bryl Anna
Published: September 2022

The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in refraction, depending on the length of the eyeball, in patients who had undergone cataract surgery using the phacoemulsification method and to assess the stability of refraction. A total of 90 patients (46 to 85 years of age) took part in the study and were divided into three groups: emmetropic, hypermetropic, and myopic. Two types of intraocular lenses were used: Bausch (Akreos AO) and Rayner (C-flex). In conclusion, stabilization of refraction was achieved in the third week in 91% of the emmetropic, 77% of the myopic, and 46% of the hypermetropic patients, respectively. The correct postoperative refraction was achieved using optical biometry and the Barrett Universal II formula to calculate the power of the lens implant.
Antithrombotic Treatment Patterns of Patients with Symptomatic Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in Germany: Evidence from Health Insurance Claims Data
Authors: Peters Frederik , Kuchenbecker Jenny , Acar Laura , Marschall Ursula , L’Hoest Helmut , Lareyre Fabien , Spanos Konstantinos , Behrendt Christian-Alexander
Published: September 2022

Objectives: Patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) are at risk of worsening limb symptoms, major adverse cardiovascular events and exhibit an impaired life expectancy. There is a lack of evidence on the extent of pharmacological secondary prevention in PAOD patients. This study assesses treatment patterns of antithrombotic agents in symptomatic PAOD patients. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the second largest insurance fund in Germany, BARMER. We included symptomatic PAOD patients undergoing in-hospital treatment with an index admission between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2017. Outcomes were proportions of single antiplatelets (SAPT), dual antiplatelets (DAPT), vitamin-K antagonists (VKA), or direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) in the 12 months prior and 6 months after the index hospitalization. Non-parametric cumulative incidence for competing risks was estimated to account for censoring and death after discharge from hospital stay. Patient flows were visualised by alluvial diagrams. All analyses were stratified by intermittent claudication (IC) and chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI). The protocol was registered to ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03909022). Results: A total of 80,426 unique patient encounters were identified. Mean age was 72.7 (46.3% female). Amongst all patients, 25.6% were on SAPT, 4.1% on DAPT, 9.1% on VKA, 3.9% on DOAC, 3.9% on both antiplatelets and oral anticoagulation, and 53.3% without any antithrombotic therapy during the 12 months before index stay. The estimated cumulative incidence was 37.9% SAPT, 14.8% DAPT, 7.5% VKA, 4.3% DOAC, 7.4% both, and 28.1% without any antithrombotic therapy during the 6 months after index stay. The considerable increases in antiplatelet therapy were mainly driven by the group of patients without antithrombotics before index stay. As compared with IC, patients who suffered from CLTI received less often antiplatelets but more often anticoagulants both before and after index stay. Conclusions: Utilisation rates of antithrombotic therapy increased considerably after in-hospital treatment for PAOD. Yet, remarkably high rates of symptomatic patients without any blood-thinning therapy constitute a major concern with respect to adequate secondary prevention of PAOD patients.
Peripheral Nerve Block for Pain Management after Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study with Propensity Score Matching
Authors: Park Heon Jung , Park Kwan Kyu , Park Jun Young , Lee Bora , Choi Yong Seon , Kwon Hyuck Min
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a peripheral nerve block (PNB) on immediate postoperative analgesia and the early functional outcomes for patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA). From January 2016 to August 2021, 353 patients who underwent THA were divided into two groups: the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) group (n = 217) who received only intravenous (IV) analgesia, and others who received IV PCA and PNB (PCA + PNB group) (n = 136). After propensity score matching for age and sex, 136 patients from each group were included in the study. Primary outcomes were the visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest, activity status at postoperative 6, 24, 48 h. Secondary outcomes were functional scores by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index, Harris Hip Score (HHS) and rescue medications used. The postoperative VAS at 6, 24, 48 h at rest and 6 h at activity were significantly lower in the PCA + PNB group (p = 0.000, 0.001, 0.000, 0.004 in order). There was no significant difference for postoperative 3-month HHS (p = 0.218), except for 3-month WOMAC index (p = 0.001). There were no significant differences for VAS between the PNB methods except femoral nerve block (FNB) and fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) at postoperative activity 48 h (p = 0.028). There was no significant difference in the total count and amount of rescue medication (p = 0.091, 0.069) and difference in the quadriceps weakness was not noted. Therefore, PNB is beneficial for patients who undergo THA as it provides sufficient postoperative analgesia, especially during immediate postoperative resting pain without quadriceps weakness.
Measures of Corticalization
Authors: Kozakiewicz Marcin
Published: September 2022

After the insertion of dental implants into living bone, the condition of the peri-implant bone changes with time. Implant-loading phenomena can induce bone remodeling in the form of the corticalization of the trabecular bone. The aim of this study was to see how bone index (BI) values behave in areas of bone loss (radiographically translucent non-trabecular areas) and to propose other indices specifically dedicated to detecting corticalization in living bone. Eight measures of corticalization in clinical standardized intraoral radiographs were studied: mean optical density, entropy, differential entropy, long-run emphasis moment, BI, corticalization index ver. 1 and ver. 2 (CI v.1, CI v.2) and corticalization factor (CF). The analysis was conducted on 40 cortical bone image samples, 40 cancellous bone samples and 40 soft tissue samples. It was found that each measure distinguishes corticalization significantly (p < 0.001), but only CI v.1 and CI v.2 do so selectively. CF or the inverse of BI can serve as a measure of peri-implant bone corticalization. However, better measures are CIs as they are dedicated to detecting this phenomenon and allowing clear clinical deduction.
Imaging in Hip Arthroplasty Management—Part 1: Templating: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Germain Edouard , Lombard Charles , Boubaker Fatma , Louis Mathias , Blum Alain , Gondim-Teixeira Pedro Augusto , Gillet Romain
Published: September 2022

Hip arthroplasty is a frequently used procedure with high success rates. Its main indications are primary or secondary advanced osteoarthritis, due to acute fracture, osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and hip dysplasia. The goals of HA are to reduce pain and restore normal hip biomechanics, allowing a return to the patient’s normal activities. To reach those goals, the size of implants must suit, and their positioning must meet, quality criteria, which can be determined by preoperative imaging. Moreover, mechanical complications can be influenced by implant size and position, and could be avoided by precise preoperative templating. Templating used to rely on standard radiographs, but recently the use of EOS® imaging and CT has been growing, given the 3D approach provided by these methods. However, there is no consensus on the optimal imaging work-up, which may have an impact on the outcomes of the procedure. This article reviews the current principles of templating, the various imaging techniques used for it, as well as their advantages and drawbacks, and their expected results.
Exploring the Risk Factors for Poor Survival in Lupus Pericarditis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chen Yen-Fu , Hsieh Meng-Ru , Chang Che-Tzu , Tsai Ping-Han , Fang Yao-Fan
Published: September 2022

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a higher risk of pericarditis, which could be fatal. The goal of this study was to identify the prognostic factors for mortality in patients with lupus pericarditis. Patients with lupus pericarditis treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were included in this observational cohort study. This study conducted univariate and multivariate COX regression, as well as Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis, to investigate mortality risk in SLE patients. The average age at admission was 40.78 ± 15.92 years. A total of 113 (16.4%) of the 689 patients had lupus pericarditis. Patients with lupus pericarditis exhibited older age, shorter follow-up, higher disease activities, and higher incidence rates of comorbidities than patients without pericarditis. Cox regression adjusted analysis indicated that lupus pericarditis (hazard ratio = 1.963, 95% CI = 1.315, 2.963, p = 0.001), old age at admission (HR = 1.053, 95% CI = 1.040, 1.065, p < 0.001), high SLEDAI score (HR = 1.079, 95% CI = 1.043, 1.116, p < 0.001), and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) (HR = 2.533, 95% CI = 1.620, 3.961, p < 0.001) were all linked to increased mortality. Moreover, the Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis revealed that patients with pericarditis compared to those without pericarditis had a higher mortality rate (log-rank test, p < 0.001). A high proportion of SLE patients have manifestations of lupus pericarditis. Moreover, patients with lupus pericarditis have a greater risk of mortality even if they have no pericardial tamponade. Therefore, these patients need prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Can Swallowing Cerebral Neurophysiology Be Evaluated during Ecological Food Intake Conditions? A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Gallois Yohan , Neveu Fabrice , Gabas Muriel , Cormary Xavier , Gaillard Pascal , Verin Eric , Speyer Renée , Woisard Virginie
Published: September 2022

Swallowing is a complex function that relies on both brainstem and cerebral control. Cerebral neurofunctional evaluations are mostly based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), performed with the individual laying down; which is a non-ecological/non-natural position for swallowing. According to the PRISMA guidelines, a review of the non-invasive non-radiating neurofunctional tools, other than fMRI and PET, was conducted to explore the cerebral activity in swallowing during natural food intake, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Using Embase and PubMed, we included human studies focusing on neurofunctional imaging during an ecologic swallowing task. From 5948 unique records, we retained 43 original articles, reporting on three different techniques: electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS). During swallowing, all three techniques showed activity of the pericentral cortex. Variations were associated with the modality of the swallowing process (volitional or non-volitional) and the substance used (mostly water and saliva). All techniques have been used in both healthy and pathological conditions to explore the precise time course, localization or network structure of the swallowing cerebral activity, sometimes even more precisely than fMRI. EEG and MEG are the most advanced and mastered techniques but fNIRS is the most ready-to-use and the most therapeutically promising. Ongoing development of these techniques will support and improve our future understanding of the cerebral control of swallowing.
Influence of the Chemical Activation of Aggregates on the Properties of Lightweight Vibro-Centrifuged Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Beskopylny Alexey N. , Stel’makh Sergey A. , Shcherban’ Evgenii M. , Mailyan Levon R. , Meskhi Besarion , Beskopylny Nikita , El’shaeva Diana
Published: September 2022

One of the most essential building materials for sustainable development is concrete. However, there is a problem with a lack of inexpensive, efficient ways to make it high-strength and ultra-dense. A promising direction is the additional processing or activation of the cheapest component of the concrete mixture—inert aggregate. The article is devoted to a promising method for the simultaneous activation of both large and small aggregates using vibro-centrifuge technology. It has been established that the activation of concrete aggregates with aqueous solutions of natural bischofite at a concentration of 6 g of dry matter per 1 L of water is the most rational and contributes the maximum increase in strength characteristics and the best values of strain characteristics. Strength characteristics increased up to 16% and ultimate strains increased to 31%, respectively, and the modulus of elasticity increased to 9%. A new improved lightweight fiber-reinforced concrete was created and an innovative technology is proposed that makes it possible to achieve savings in manufacturing due to a significant improvement in structural properties and reducing the working sections of reinforced concrete elements. Regularities between the fundamental chemical processes of the surface activation of aggregates and the physical processes of structure formation of compacted and hardened concrete were revealed. An improvement in the structure of concrete at the micro- and macro-levels was recorded due to a point decrease in crack formation at the interfaces of the “cement matrix-aggregate” and “cement matrix-fiber” phases, and a decrease in the number of micropore defects was also found. Economic efficiency reached 25–27%.
An Eco-Friendly, Simple, and Inexpensive Method for Metal-Coating Strontium onto Halloysite Nanotubes
Authors: Elumalai Anusha , Mills David K.
Published: September 2022

Osteoporosis increases the risk of bone fracture by reducing bone mass and thereby increasing bone fragility. The addition of strontium (Sr) nanoparticles in bone tissue results in a strengthening of the bone, induction bone formation by osteoblasts, and reduction of bone reabsorption by osteoclasts. The use of Sr for bone tissue regeneration has gained significant research interest in recent years due to its beneficial properties in treating osteoporotic-induced bone loss. We hypothesized that Sr-coated and antibiotic-doped HNTs could be used in antimicrobial coatings and as an antibacterial drug delivery vehicle. Accordingly, we coated HNTs with strontium carbonate (SrHNT) using a simple, novel, and effective electrodeposition method. We tested the antibacterial properties of SrHNT on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermis using the disc diffusion method. We assessed the potential cytotoxic and proliferative effects of SrHNTs on pre-osteoblasts using a Live/Dead cytotoxicity and cell proliferation assay. We successfully coated HNTs with strontium using a one-step benign coating method that does not produce any toxic waste, unlike most HNT metal-coating methods. Antibacterial tests showed that the SrHNTs had a pronounced growth inhibition effect, and cell culture studies using MC 3T3 cells concluded that SrHNTs are cytocompatible and enhance cell proliferation.
CLAIRE—Parallelized Diffeomorphic Image Registration for Large-Scale Biomedical Imaging Applications
Authors: Himthani Naveen , Brunn Malte , Kim Jae-Youn , Schulte Miriam , Mang Andreas , Biros George
Published: September 2022

We study the performance of CLAIRE—a diffeomorphic multi-node, multi-GPU image-registration algorithm and software—in large-scale biomedical imaging applications with billions of voxels. At such resolutions, most existing software packages for diffeomorphic image registration are prohibitively expensive. As a result, practitioners first significantly downsample the original images and then register them using existing tools. Our main contribution is an extensive analysis of the impact of downsampling on registration performance. We study this impact by comparing full-resolution registrations obtained with CLAIRE to lower resolution registrations for synthetic and real-world imaging datasets. Our results suggest that registration at full resolution can yield a superior registration quality—but not always. For example, downsampling a synthetic image from 10243 to 2563 decreases the Dice coefficient from 92% to 79%. However, the differences are less pronounced for noisy or low contrast high resolution images. CLAIRE allows us not only to register images of clinically relevant size in a few seconds but also to register images at unprecedented resolution in reasonable time. The highest resolution considered are CLARITY images of size 2816×3016×1162. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on image registration quality at such resolutions.
Metacognition, Mind Wandering, and Cognitive Flexibility: Understanding Creativity
Authors: Preiss David D.
Published: September 2022

The goal of this article is to review work on mind wandering, metacognition and creativity in order to consider their relationship with cognitive flexibility. I introduce a model of the role that mind wandering and metacognition have in the generation and exploration of novel ideas and products in the creative process. I argue that managing the interaction between metacognition and mind wandering is the main role of cognitive flexibility in creativity. Furthermore, I claim that balancing the influence of metacognition during the generation and exploration of pre-inventive structures is a quintessential part of creativity, probably in almost any domain. Thus, I advance a general framework that can be applied to understanding how creators monitor and think about their own cognition when they engage in the generation and exploration of ideas. Additionally, I discuss the evolution of controlled and spontaneous cognition and metacognitive judgements during the development of a creative person.
Laser Additive Manufacturing of Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened Copper–Chromium–Niobium Alloys
Authors: Wilms Markus B. , Rittinghaus Silja-Katharina
Published: September 2022

Copper is a key material for cooling of thermally stressed components in modern aerospace propulsion systems, due to its high thermal conductivity. The use of copper materials for such applications requires both high material strength and high stability at high temperatures, which can be achieved by the concept of oxide dispersion strengthening. In the present work, we demonstrate the oxide reinforcement of two highly conductive precipitation-strengthened Cu-Cr-Nb alloys using laser additive manufacturing. Gas-atomized Cu-3.3Cr-0.5Nb and Cu-3.3Cr-1.5Nb (wt.%) powder materials are decorated with Y2O3 nanoparticles by mechanical alloying in a planetary mill and followed by consolidation by the laser additive manufacturing process of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). While dense specimens (>99.5%) of reinforced and nonreinforced alloys can be manufactured, oxide dispersion-strengthened alloys additionally exhibit homogeneously distributed oxide nanoparticles enriched in yttrium and chromium next to Cr2Nb precipitates present in all alloys examined. Higher niobium contents result in moderate increase of the Vickers hardness of approx. 10 HV0.3, while the homogeneously dispersed nanometer-sized oxide particles lead to a pronounced increase of approx. 30 HV0.3 in material strength compared to their nonreinforced counterparts.
Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data Supported Ship Trajectory Prediction and Analysis via a Deep Learning Model
Authors: Chen Xinqiang , Wei Chenxin , Zhou Guiliang , Wu Huafeng , Wang Zhongyu , Biancardo Salvatore Antonio
Published: September 2022

Automatic Identification System (AIS) data-supported ship trajectory analysis consistently helps maritime regulations and practitioners make reasonable traffic controlling and management decisions. Significant attentions are paid to obtain an accurate ship trajectory by learning data feature patterns in a feedforward manner. A ship may change her moving status to avoid potential traffic accident in inland waterways, and thus, the ship trajectory variation pattern may differ from previous data samples. The study proposes a novel ship trajectory exploitation and prediction framework with the help of the bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) (Bi-LSTM) model, which extracts intrinsic ship trajectory features with feedforward and backward manners. We have evaluated the proposed ship trajectory performance with single and multiple ship scenarios. The indicators of mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean square error (MSE) suggest that the proposed Bi-LSTM model can obtained satisfied ship trajectory prediction performance.
A Frequency-Dependent Assimilation Algorithm: Ensemble Optimal Smoothing
Authors: He Zhongjie , Zhao Yueqi , Fu Xiachuan , Sheng Xin , Xu Siwen
Published: September 2022

Motivated by the need for a simple and effective assimilation scheme that could be used in a relocatable ocean model, a new assimilation algorithm called ensemble optimal smoothing (EnOS) was developed. This scheme was a straightforward extension of the ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) by involving time correlation information in the Kalman gain. The main advantage of this scheme was the ability to estimate the present state from the time history of observation. We first examined the new scheme in an ideal ocean model using simulated observations. Further applying these two assimilation schemes to the Chinese offshore and adjacent waters, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the EnOS scheme was reduced by 6.4% relative to EnOI. The results showed that the EnOS was more efficient and effective in eliminating model errors when compared to the EnOI scheme.
Trikafta—Extending Its Success to Less Common Mutations
Authors: Bentur Lea , Pollak Mordechai
Published: September 2022

Cystic Fibrosis (a genetic recessive disease) is caused by a mutant cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that causes an absence of, or impaired CFTR activity [...]
Feasibility of Neovessel Embolization in a Large Animal Model of Tendinopathy: Safety and Efficacy of Various Embolization Agents
Authors: Ghelfi Julien , Soulairol Ian , Stephanov Olivier , Bacle Marylène , de Forges Hélène , Sanchez-Ballester Noelia , Ferretti Gilbert , Beregi Jean-Paul , Frandon Julien
Published: September 2022

Targeting neovessels in chronic tendinopathies has emerged as a new therapeutic approach and several embolization agents have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of embolization with different agents in a porcine model of patellar tendinopathy and evaluate their safety and efficacy. Eight 3-month-old male piglets underwent percutaneous injection of collagenase type I to induce patellar tendinopathies (n = 16 tendons). They were divided into four groups (2 piglets, 4 tendons/group): the control group, 50–100 µm microspheres group, 100–300 µm microspheres group, and the Imipenem/Cilastatin (IMP/CS) group. Angiography and embolization were performed for each patellar tendon on day 7 (D7). The neovessels were evaluated visually with an angiography on day 14. The pathological analysis assessed the efficacy (Bonar score, number of neovessels/mm2) and safety (off-target persistent cutaneous ischemic modifications and presence of off-target embolization agents). The technical success was 92%, with a failed embolization for one tendon due to an arterial dissection. Neoangiogenesis was significantly less important in the embolized groups compared to the control group angiographies (p = 0.04) but not with respect to histology (Bonar score p = 0.15, neovessels p = 0.07). Off-target cutaneous embolization was more frequently depicted in the histology of the 50–100 µm microspheres group (p = 0.02). Embolization of this animal model with induced patellar tendinopathy was technically feasible with different agents and allowed assessing the safety and efficacy of neovessel destruction. Particles smaller than 100 µm seemed to be associated with more complications.
Homoglyph Attack Detection Model Using Machine Learning and Hash Function
Authors: Almuhaideb Abdullah M. , Aslam Nida , Alabdullatif Almaha , Altamimi Sarah , Alothman Shooq , Alhussain Amnah , Aldosari Waad , Alsunaidi Shikah J. , Alissa Khalid A.
Published: September 2022

Phishing is still a major security threat in cyberspace. In phishing, attackers steal critical information from victims by presenting a spoofing/fake site that appears to be a visual clone of a legitimate site. Several Unicode characters are visually identical to ASCII characters. This similarity in characters is generally known as homoglyphs. Malicious adversaries utilize homoglyphs in URLs and DNS domains to target organizations. To reduce the risks caused by phishing attacks, effective ways of detecting phishing websites are urgently required. This paper proposes a homoglyph attack detection model that combines a hash function and machine learning. There are two phases to the model approach. The machine was being trained during the development phase. The deployment phase involved deploying the model with a Java interface and testing the outcomes through actual user interaction. The results are more accurate when the URL is hashed, as any little changes to the URL can be recognized. The homoglyph detector can be developed as a stand-alone software that is used as the initial step in requesting a webpage as it enhances browser security and protects websites from phishing attempts. To verify the effectiveness, we compared the proposed model on several criteria to existing phishing detection methods. By using the hash function, the proposed security features increase the overall security of the homoglyph attack detection in terms of accuracy, integrity, and availability. The experiment results showed that the model can detect phishing sites with an accuracy of 99.8% using Random Forest, and the hash function improves the accuracy of homoglyph attack detection.
Attitudes and Views of Citizens Regarding the Contribution of the Trail Paths in Protection and Promotion of Natural Environment
Authors: Kantartzis Apostolos , Lemonakis Panagiotis , Malesios Chrysovalantis , Daoutis Christodoulos , Galatsidas Spyridon , Arabatzis Garyfallos
Published: September 2022

In recent decades, large sections of trail paths throughout Greece have been maintained, revived, and marked, creating a wide network with a total length of approximately 3500 km. The trail paths are one of the main levers of tourism development as they contribute to the preservation, protection, and promotion of the countryside, cultural heritage, and tradition, to the more effective protection and management of areas of exceptional natural beauty and sensitive ecosystems with wildlife. This paper investigates the view of the citizens of the regional unit of Evros, Greece, on the contribution of the trail paths to the protection and promotion of the cultural and natural environment. The research was conducted with the use of a structured questionnaire and through personal interviews. The data were collected and analyzed with the use of descriptive statistical methods as well as multivariate analysis techniques. The results of the research show that the attitudes of citizens to the contribution of paths in the protection and promotion of the cultural and natural environment are directly or indirectly influenced by various factors. In particular, age directly affects the view of citizens towards the trail paths, with the younger ones having more positive views. Other important predictors of citizens’ views were the type of activity in the trail path, with citizens using them for leisure activities or using the easy roots having more positive views towards them.
Impact of Urban Land Expansion Efficiency on Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Three Major Urban Agglomerations along the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Wang Kun , Ouyang Xiao , He Qingyun , Zhu Xiang
Published: September 2022

The negative impacts of urban land expansion on ecosystem services have been confirmed by many studies; however, there has been a lack of studies examining the impacts of urban expansion on ecosystems from an efficiency perspective. China is increasingly emphasising the efficiency of development systems by maximising economic, social, and environmental benefits from limited land resources, which is a vital issue for high-quality urban development. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the evolutionary characteristics of urban land expansion efficiency (ULEE) and its impact on ecosystem services (ESs) to improve the ecological functions of urban systems. We first analysed the influence mechanism, based on efficiency and land use theory. Then, we used the Super-SBM and the InVEST model to measure ULEE and ecosystem service value (ESV). Finally, through regression analysis we explored the actual characteristics of the influence of ULEE on ESs. The results show: (1) ULEE positively influences ESs, and the influence mediators include three main aspects, i.e., land use structure, land use pattern, and land use quality. (2) The ULEE of the urban agglomerations exhibited a fluctuating downward trend from 2006–2020, and noticeable spatial differences were observed. (3) The AESV of the three major urban agglomerations showed a decreasing trend during the study period, with the UA-MRYR being higher than UA-YRD and UA-CY. Meanwhile, a certain degree of coincidence between the changing trend of AESV and ULEE was apparent. (4) A positive correlation was found between ULEE and the ESV of the three urban agglomerations. That is, the enhancement of ULEE was found to catalyse the improvement of ESs. The impact of ULEE on ESs exhibited a general decreasing trend from east to west. These results complement the study of the territorial system of the human–land relationship and have essential reference value for sustainable urban development and ecological restoration.
Dynamics of Vegetation and Soil Cover of Pyrogenically Disturbed Areas of the Northern Taiga under Conditions of Thermokarst Development and Climate Warming
Authors: Desyatkin Roman , Okoneshnikova Matrena , Ivanova Alexandra , Nikolaeva Maya , Filippov Nikolay , Desyatkin Alexey
Published: September 2022

Vegetation and soils of the North Taiga zone were studied in natural and thermokarst-disturbed areas of Yana-Adycha interfluve (northeastern Yakutia). Soil research includes a description and physicochemical analysis of samples. The objects of study were selected taking into account the landscape diversity of the area experiencing permafrost melting due to pyrogenic factors under global climate change: young thermokarst and taiga untouched by fires and within the thermokarst basin of early Holocene. It was determined that the permafrost melting is accompanied by the transformation of homogeneous soil cover. After a forest fire, thawing depth increases and occurs redistribution of moisture and water-soluble matters. As a result, on the drier tops of byllars, the formation of albic material under the organogenic horizon is observed in the calcic cambic cryosol, which indicates a fairly fast transformation rate. In depressions, the forest is not recovered. In the mature alas, the vegetation and soil cover has a belt structure, represented by a combination of cryosols, stagnosols, and gleysols. In contrast to the soils of the Central Yakutia alases, there are almost no signs of lacustrine redeposition of soil, which indicates a difference in the processes of alas formation in different parts of the cryolitozone.