The 2023 MDPI Annual Report has
been released!
 
13 pages, 495 KiB  
Article
Germline Genetic Mutations in Adult Patients with Sarcoma: Insight into the Middle East Genetic Landscape
by Ramiz Abu-Hijlih, Baha Sharaf, Samer Salah, Hira Bani Hani, Mohammad Alqaisieh, Abdulla Alzibdeh, Layan Ababneh, Suleiman Mahafdah and Hikmat Abdel-Razeq
Cancers 2024, 16(9), 1668; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16091668 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Data on germline mutations in soft tissue and bone sarcomas are scarce. We sought to identify the prevalence of germline mutations in adult sarcoma patients treated at a tertiary cancer center. Newly diagnosed patients were offered germline genetic testing via an 84-gene panel. [...] Read more.
Data on germline mutations in soft tissue and bone sarcomas are scarce. We sought to identify the prevalence of germline mutations in adult sarcoma patients treated at a tertiary cancer center. Newly diagnosed patients were offered germline genetic testing via an 84-gene panel. The prevalence of pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) and their association with disease-, and patient- related factors are reported. A total of 87 patients were enrolled, the median age was 48 (19–78) years, and 47 (54%) were females. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (n = 12, 13.8%), liposarcoma (n = 10, 11.5%), and Ewing sarcoma (n = 10, 11.5%) were the main subtypes. A total of 20 PGVs were detected in 18 (20.7%) patients. Variants of uncertain significance, in the absence of PGVs, were detected in 40 (45.9%) patients. Young age (p = 0.031), presence of a second primary cancer (p = 0.019), and female gender (p = 0.042) were correlated with the presence of PGVs. All identified PGVs have potential clinical actionability and cascade testing, and eight (44.44%) suggested eligibility for a targeted therapy. Almost one in five adult patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas harbor pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. Many of these variants are potentially actionable, and almost all have implications on cancer screening and family counselling. In this cohort from the Middle East, younger age, presence of a second primary tumor, and female gender were significantly associated with higher PGVs rates. Larger studies able to correlate treatment outcomes with genetic variants are highly needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Rare Cancers: From Bench to Bedside and Back)
13 pages, 1008 KiB  
Article
Pure-Shift-Based Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for High-Resolution Studies of Biological Samples
by Haolin Zhan, Yulei Chen, Yinping Cui, Yunsong Zeng, Xiaozhen Feng, Chunhua Tan, Chengda Huang, Enping Lin, Yuqing Huang and Zhong Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4698; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094698 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) presents a powerful tool for revealing molecular-level metabolite information, complementary to the anatomical insight delivered by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thus playing a significant role in in vivo/in vitro biological studies. However, its further applications [...] Read more.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) presents a powerful tool for revealing molecular-level metabolite information, complementary to the anatomical insight delivered by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thus playing a significant role in in vivo/in vitro biological studies. However, its further applications are generally confined by spectral congestion caused by numerous biological metabolites contained within the limited proton frequency range. Herein, we propose a pure-shift-based 1H localized MRS method as a proof of concept for high-resolution studies of biological samples. Benefitting from the spectral simplification from multiplets to singlet peaks, this method addresses the challenge of spectral congestion encountered in conventional MRS experiments and facilitates metabolite analysis from crowded NMR resonances. The performance of the proposed pure-shift 1H MRS method is demonstrated on different kinds of samples, including brain metabolite phantom and in vitro biological samples of intact pig brain tissue and grape tissue, using a 7.0 T animal MRI scanner. This proposed MRS method is readily implemented in common commercial NMR/MRI instruments because of its generally adopted pulse-sequence modules. Therefore, this study takes a meaningful step for MRS studies toward potential applications in metabolite analysis and disease diagnosis. Full article
15 pages, 1976 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Optical Redox Imaging of Melanoma Xenografts with Different Metastatic Potentials
by April Peng, He N. Xu, Lily Moon, Paul Zhang and Lin Z. Li
Cancers 2024, 16(9), 1669; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16091669 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
To develop imaging biomarkers for tumors aggressiveness, our previous optical redox imaging (ORI) studies of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and oxidized flavoproteins (Fp, containing flavin adenine dinucleotide, i.e., FAD) in tumor xenografts of human melanoma associated the high optical redox ratio [...] Read more.
To develop imaging biomarkers for tumors aggressiveness, our previous optical redox imaging (ORI) studies of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and oxidized flavoproteins (Fp, containing flavin adenine dinucleotide, i.e., FAD) in tumor xenografts of human melanoma associated the high optical redox ratio (ORR = Fp/(Fp + NADH)) and its heterogeneity to the high invasive/metastatic potential, without having reported quantitative results for NADH and Fp. Here, we implemented a calibration procedure to facilitate imaging the nominal concentrations of tissue NADH and Fp in the mouse xenografts of two human melanoma lines, an indolent less metastatic A375P and a more metastatic C8161. Images of the redox indices (NADH, Fp, ORR) revealed the existence of more oxidized areas (OAs) and more reduced areas (RAs) within individual tumors. ORR was found to be higher and NADH lower in C8161 compared to that of A375P xenografts, both globally for the whole tumors and locally in OAs. The ORR in the OA can differentiate xenografts with a higher statistical significance than the global averaged ORR. H&E staining of the tumors indicated that the redox differences we identified were more likely due to intrinsically different cell metabolism, rather than variations in cell density. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Fluorescence Imaging in Cancer)
26 pages, 1173 KiB  
Article
Design and Synthesis of 1,3-Diarylpyrazoles and Investigation of Their Cytotoxicity and Antiparasitic Profile
by Murat Bozdag, Freke Mertens, An Matheeussen, Natascha Van Pelt, Kenn Foubert, Nina Hermans, Guido R. Y. De Meyer, Koen Augustyns, Wim Martinet, Guy Caljon and Pieter Van der Veken
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4693; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094693 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Herein, we report a series of 1,3-diarylpyrazoles that are analogues of compound 26/HIT 8. We previously identified this molecule as a ‘hit’ during a high-throughput screening campaign for autophagy inducers. A variety of synthetic strategies were utilized to modify the 1,3-diarylpyrazole core [...] Read more.
Herein, we report a series of 1,3-diarylpyrazoles that are analogues of compound 26/HIT 8. We previously identified this molecule as a ‘hit’ during a high-throughput screening campaign for autophagy inducers. A variety of synthetic strategies were utilized to modify the 1,3-diarylpyrazole core at its 1-, 3-, and 4-position. Compounds were assessed in vitro to identify their cytotoxicity properties. Of note, several compounds in the series displayed relevant cytotoxicity, which warrants scrutiny while interpreting biological activities that have been reported for structurally related molecules. In addition, antiparasitic activities were recorded against a range of human-infective protozoa, including Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei rhodesiense, and Leishmania infantum. The most interesting compounds displayed low micromolar whole-cell potencies against individual or several parasitic species, while lacking cytotoxicity against human cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmaceutically-Active Pyrazole Compounds)
18 pages, 439 KiB  
Article
The Relevance of Visibility in Cultivating Teacher Leaders’ Professional Identity
by Nurit Chamo
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050459 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
In the realm of education, discussions surrounding the concept of “visibility” typically concentrate on students and marginalized populations, often overlooking highly positioned individuals, such as leading teachers. This research delves into the fundamental importance of visibility in the transformative process of teacher professional [...] Read more.
In the realm of education, discussions surrounding the concept of “visibility” typically concentrate on students and marginalized populations, often overlooking highly positioned individuals, such as leading teachers. This research delves into the fundamental importance of visibility in the transformative process of teacher professional development as leaders. It investigates its character among teacher leaders and the experience of being seen and scrutinizes its central role in shaping a cohesive professional identity. Over a two-year period, data were gathered from 42 leading teachers in elementary and high schools using a phenomenological approach. The findings reveal a paradox: despite the visibility of teachers in their communities, expressions of a lack of professional visibility persist in their continuing professional development (CPD). However, visibility is crucial for research participants, serving as a catalyst for shaping their professional identity. This identity formation involves four key processes: recognizing one’s developmental journey, reflecting on professional experiences within a timeframe, fostering introspection, and reconstructing identity based on reflection outcomes. This iterative process signifies continuous evolution and analysis. Full article
17 pages, 6451 KiB  
Article
Single-Cell Transcriptional Profile Construction of Rat Pituitary Glands before and after Sexual Maturation and Identification of Novel Marker Spp1 in Gonadotropes
by Qing-Hua Huang, Guo-Kun Zhao, Hao-Qi Wang, Fan-Hao Wei, Jin-Yu Zhang, Jia-Bao Zhang, Fei Gao and Bao Yuan
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4694; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094694 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
The mammalian pituitary gland drives highly conserved physiological processes such as somatic cell growth, pubertal transformation, fertility, and metabolism by secreting a variety of hormones. Recently, single-cell transcriptomics techniques have been used in pituitary gland research. However, more studies have focused on adult [...] Read more.
The mammalian pituitary gland drives highly conserved physiological processes such as somatic cell growth, pubertal transformation, fertility, and metabolism by secreting a variety of hormones. Recently, single-cell transcriptomics techniques have been used in pituitary gland research. However, more studies have focused on adult pituitary gland tissues from different species or different sexes, and no research has yet resolved cellular differences in pituitary gland tissue before and after sexual maturation. Here, we identified a total of 15 cell clusters and constructed single-cell transcriptional profiles of rats before and after sexual maturation. Furthermore, focusing on the gonadotrope cluster, 106 genes were found to be differentially expressed before and after sexual maturation. It was verified that Spp1, which is specifically expressed in gonadotrope cells, could serve as a novel marker for this cell cluster and has a promotional effect on the synthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone. The results provide a new resource for further resolving the regulatory mechanism of pituitary gland development and pituitary hormone synthesis and secretion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies in Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology)
26 pages, 741 KiB  
Article
Impact of Urban Air Quality on Total Factor Productivity: Empirical Insights from Chinese Listed Companies
by Xiaowei Ding, Panfeng Wang, Xuyan Jiang, Wenyi Zhang, Boris I. Sokolov and Yali Liu
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3613; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093613 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Urban air quality is inextricably linked to the operations of micro-firms. This paper employs the “Qinling-Huaihe” River demarcation as an instrumental variable to construct a regression discontinuity design (RDD) coupled with the two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach. This methodological framework is utilized to [...] Read more.
Urban air quality is inextricably linked to the operations of micro-firms. This paper employs the “Qinling-Huaihe” River demarcation as an instrumental variable to construct a regression discontinuity design (RDD) coupled with the two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach. This methodological framework is utilized to investigate the influence of urban air quality on the corporate total factor productivity (CTFP) of publicly listed manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2020. Drawing on the broken windows theory of urban decay and the general equilibrium theory, this research elucidates a significant adverse effect of urban air pollution on CTFP. We rigorously confirm the validity of the RDD by conducting covariate continuity tests and manipulating distributional variables. Furthermore, the robustness of the baseline regression outcomes is substantiated through a series of sensitivity, robustness, and endogeneity checks, employing alternative instrumental variables. The analysis extends to examining the heterogeneity across environmental attributes, regional features, and green branding. The mechanistic investigation reveals that public environmental concerns, financing constraints, and investments in technological innovation serve as mediators in the nexus between urban air pollution and CTFP. Additionally, it is observed that environmental regulation exerts a positive moderating influence, whereas female leadership has a negative impact in this context. The imperative for timely environmental governance is underscored by these findings, which offer crucial insights for policymakers seeking to refine business environment strategies and for corporations aiming to pursue sustainable growth. Full article
12 pages, 647 KiB  
Article
Population Structure Using Mitochondrial DNA for the Conservation of Liobagrus geumgangensis (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae), an Endemic Freshwater Fish in Korea
by Kang-Rae Kim, Mu-Sung Sung and Keun-Sik Kim
Fishes 2024, 9(5), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9050153 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Liobagrus geumgangensis is a novel Korean fish species endemic to the Geumgang and Mangyeonggang River basins on the Korean Peninsula. During a survey of L. geumgangensis, the discovery of Liobagrus mediadiposalis as a potential threat prompted an investigation into L. geumgangensis genetic [...] Read more.
Liobagrus geumgangensis is a novel Korean fish species endemic to the Geumgang and Mangyeonggang River basins on the Korean Peninsula. During a survey of L. geumgangensis, the discovery of Liobagrus mediadiposalis as a potential threat prompted an investigation into L. geumgangensis genetic diversity and structure. Three populations of L. geumagangensis and one population of L. mediadiposalis were investigated using a 1024-bp sequence in the cytb region of mitochondrial DNA. The Mangyeonggang River of L. geumagangensis displayed the lowest haplotype diversity (Hd) within a range of 0.000–0.337, with one to two haplotypes (h). The Jecheon region of the Geumgang River for L. geumagangensis population had the highest nucleotide diversity (π) and was within the range of 0.00000–0.00066. The h of L. mediadiposalis population was 3, the range of Hd was 0.292, and π was 0.00231. Tajima’s D (D) and Fu’s Fs (F) were negative and non-significant in the LgGJ population. The genetic structure of L. geumgangensis had no shared haplotypes among the three populations. The discovery of L. mediadiposalis in the Geumgang River suggests the necessity of non-habitat conservation and population management of fish farms to conserve L. geumgangensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Genetics and Biotechnology)
18 pages, 3007 KiB  
Article
Distinct Driver Pathway Enrichments and a High Prevalence of TSC2 Mutations in Right Colon Cancer in Chile: A Preliminary Comparative Analysis
by Camilo Tapia-Valladares, Guillermo Valenzuela, Evelin González, Ignacio Maureira, Jessica Toro, Matías Freire, Gonzalo Sepúlveda-Hermosilla, Diego Ampuero, Alejandro Blanco, Iván Gallegos, Fernanda Morales, José I. Erices, Olga Barajas, Mónica Ahumada, Héctor R. Contreras, Jaime González, Ricardo Armisén and Katherine Marcelain
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4695; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094695 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths globally. While ethnic differences in driver gene mutations have been documented, the South American population remains understudied at the genomic level, despite facing a rising burden of CRC. We analyzed tumors of [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths globally. While ethnic differences in driver gene mutations have been documented, the South American population remains understudied at the genomic level, despite facing a rising burden of CRC. We analyzed tumors of 40 Chilean CRC patients (Chp) using next-generation sequencing and compared them to data from mainly Caucasian cohorts (TCGA and MSK-IMPACT). We identified 388 mutations in 96 out of 135 genes, with TP53 (45%), KRAS (30%), PIK3CA (22.5%), ATM (20%), and POLE (20%) being the most frequently mutated. TSC2 mutations were associated with right colon cancer (44.44% in RCRC vs. 6.45% in LCRC, p-value = 0.016), and overall frequency was higher compared to TCGA (p-value = 1.847 × 10−5) and MSK-IMPACT cohorts (p-value = 3.062 × 10−2). Limited sample size restricts definitive conclusions, but our data suggest potential differences in driver mutations for Chilean patients, being that the RTK-RAS oncogenic pathway is less affected and the PI3K pathway is more altered in Chp compared to TCGA (45% vs. 25.56%, respectively). The prevalence of actionable pathways and driver mutations can guide therapeutic choices, but can also impact treatment effectiveness. Thus, these findings warrant further investigation in larger Chilean cohorts to confirm these initial observations. Understanding population-specific driver mutations can guide the development of precision medicine programs for CRC patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology)
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20 pages, 2321 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review of Electroencephalography-Based Emotion Recognition of Confusion Using Artificial Intelligence
by Dasuni Ganepola, Madduma Wellalage Pasan Maduranga, Valmik Tilwari and Indika Karunaratne
Signals 2024, 5(2), 244-263; https://doi.org/10.3390/signals5020013 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Confusion emotion in a learning environment can motivate the learner, but prolonged confusion hinders the learning process. Recognizing confused learners is possible; nevertheless, finding them requires a lot of time and effort. Due to certain restrictions imposed by the settings of an online [...] Read more.
Confusion emotion in a learning environment can motivate the learner, but prolonged confusion hinders the learning process. Recognizing confused learners is possible; nevertheless, finding them requires a lot of time and effort. Due to certain restrictions imposed by the settings of an online learning environment, the recognition of confused students is a big challenge for educators. Therefore, novel technologies are necessary to handle such crucial difficulties. Lately, Electroencephalography (EEG)-based emotion recognition systems have been rising in popularity in the domain of Education Technology. Such systems have been utilized to recognize the confusion emotion of learners. Numerous studies have been conducted to recognize confusion emotion through this system since 2013, and because of this, a systematic review of the methodologies, feature sets, and utilized classifiers is a timely necessity. This article presents the findings of the review conducted to achieve this requirement. We summarized the published literature in terms of the utilized datasets, feature preprocessing, feature types for model training, and deployed classifiers in terms of shallow machine learning and deep learning-based algorithms. Moreover, the article presents a comparison of the prediction accuracies of the classifiers and illustrates the existing research gaps in confusion emotion recognition systems. Future study directions for potential research are also suggested to overcome existing gaps. Full article
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14 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Automated Generation of Clinical Reports Using Sensing Technologies with Deep Learning Techniques
by Celia Cabello-Collado, Javier Rodriguez-Juan, David Ortiz-Perez, Jose Garcia-Rodriguez, David Tomás and Maria Flores Vizcaya-Moreno
Sensors 2024, 24(9), 2751; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24092751 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
This study presents a pioneering approach that leverages advanced sensing technologies and data processing techniques to enhance the process of clinical documentation generation during medical consultations. By employing sophisticated sensors to capture and interpret various cues such as speech patterns, intonations, or pauses, [...] Read more.
This study presents a pioneering approach that leverages advanced sensing technologies and data processing techniques to enhance the process of clinical documentation generation during medical consultations. By employing sophisticated sensors to capture and interpret various cues such as speech patterns, intonations, or pauses, the system aims to accurately perceive and understand patient–doctor interactions in real time. This sensing capability allows for the automation of transcription and summarization tasks, facilitating the creation of concise and informative clinical documents. Through the integration of automatic speech recognition sensors, spoken dialogue is seamlessly converted into text, enabling efficient data capture. Additionally, deep models such as Transformer models are utilized to extract and analyze crucial information from the dialogue, ensuring that the generated summaries encapsulate the essence of the consultations accurately. Despite encountering challenges during development, experimentation with these sensing technologies has yielded promising results. The system achieved a maximum ROUGE-1 metric score of 0.57, demonstrating its effectiveness in summarizing complex medical discussions. This sensor-based approach aims to alleviate the administrative burden on healthcare professionals by automating documentation tasks and safeguarding important patient information. Ultimately, by enhancing the efficiency and reliability of clinical documentation, this innovative method contributes to improving overall healthcare outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Sensors for Healthcare and Patient Monitoring)
11 pages, 521 KiB  
Article
Differences in Cold and Hot Decision-Making between Gambling and Other Addictions
by Sara Meca, Francisco Molins, Maragda Puigcerver and Miguel Ángel Serrano
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14050365 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Behavioral and biological addictions can impair decision-making processes, mainly by means of a dysfunction in brain regions associated with reward and frontal areas that may lead to disadvantageous choices. Understanding these differences helps establish appropriate terminology and enhances our ability to recognize, prevent, [...] Read more.
Behavioral and biological addictions can impair decision-making processes, mainly by means of a dysfunction in brain regions associated with reward and frontal areas that may lead to disadvantageous choices. Understanding these differences helps establish appropriate terminology and enhances our ability to recognize, prevent, and treat these disorders effectively. Thus, while behavioral and biological addictions share some common elements, their underlying mechanisms and impact on decision-making vary significantly. Moreover, decision-making can be measured through questionnaires (stable or “cold” measures) or dynamic tasks (hot decisions) such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which can reflect different dimensions of this process. The aim of this study was to compare decision-making from different perspectives—stable and dynamic measures—in patients with gambling addiction (GA) (n = 42) and patients with biological addictions (BA) (n = 43). Decision-making was assessed using GDMS (Decisional Styles) and the LCT (Loss Aversion), as cold decision-making measures, as well as a hot or situational task called the IGT (Iowa Gambling Task). The results revealed that GA patients exhibited lower rational style scores compared to BA patients. Additionally, GA patients showed greater loss aversion according to the LCT questionnaire. On the other hand, when analyzing the IGT results, no differences were observed between groups in the overall IG index, learning curves, or the loss aversion parameter. However, GA patients showed higher sensitivity to feedback and less consistency in their decisions. These findings highlight the differences between different types of addictions and highlight the importance of considering the type of measure used to evaluate decision-making. Full article
21 pages, 1080 KiB  
Review
HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: A Look into Cellular and Molecular Pathology
by Landon John-Patrick Thompson, Jessica Genovese, Zhenzi Hong, Meera Vir Singh and Vir Bahadur Singh
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4697; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094697 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Despite combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) limiting HIV replication to undetectable levels in the blood, people living with HIV continue to experience HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND is associated with neurocognitive impairment, including motor impairment, and memory loss. HIV has been detected in the [...] Read more.
Despite combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) limiting HIV replication to undetectable levels in the blood, people living with HIV continue to experience HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND is associated with neurocognitive impairment, including motor impairment, and memory loss. HIV has been detected in the brain within 8 days of estimated exposure and the mechanisms for this early entry are being actively studied. Once having entered into the central nervous system (CNS), HIV degrades the blood–brain barrier through the production of its gp120 and Tat proteins. These proteins are directly toxic to endothelial cells and neurons, and propagate inflammatory cytokines by the activation of immune cells and dysregulation of tight junction proteins. The BBB breakdown is associated with the progression of neurocognitive disease. One of the main hurdles for treatment for HAND is the latent pool of cells, which are insensitive to cART and prolong inflammation by harboring the provirus in long-lived cells that can reactivate, causing damage. Multiple strategies are being studied to combat the latent pool and HAND; however, clinically, these approaches have been insufficient and require further revisions. The goal of this paper is to aggregate the known mechanisms and challenges associated with HAND. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms of Neurotoxicity)
13 pages, 693 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Resistance and Biofilm Formation of Bordetella bronchiseptica in Central China, with Evidence of a Rare Heteroresistance Strain to Gentamicin
by Li Yi, Haoran Fan, Shuo Yuan, Rishun Li, Haikun Wang, Yingying Quan, Hui Zhang, Yuxin Wang and Yang Wang
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091301 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a significant contributor to respiratory disease in pigs, leading to substantial economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. We isolated 52 B. bronchiseptica strains from 542 samples collected from pigs with atrophic rhinitis and bronchopneumonia in central China. Multi-locus sequence [...] Read more.
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a significant contributor to respiratory disease in pigs, leading to substantial economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. We isolated 52 B. bronchiseptica strains from 542 samples collected from pigs with atrophic rhinitis and bronchopneumonia in central China. Multi-locus sequence typing identified two prevalent sequence types: ST6 (69.23%) and ST7 (30.77%). PCR-based detection of seven virulence genes (fhaB, prn, cyaA, dnt, bteA, fla, and bfrZ) revealed that six of these genes were present in over 90% of the isolates, with bfrZ being the exception at 59.62%. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, performed using the K-B method, demonstrated high sensitivity to enrofloxacin, polymyxin, and doxycycline but a notable resistance to tylosin, trimethoprim, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin. Remarkably, 86.54% of the isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Notably, we successfully screened a strain of B. bronchiseptica with a heteroresistance phenotype to gentamicin using population analysis profiling, which is a rare case. Biofilm-formation assays indicated that 96.15% of the isolates possessed biofilm-forming capabilities. These findings provide crucial insights into the prevalence of B. bronchiseptica in central China, facilitating the development of effective preventive measures to safeguard both animal and human health. Full article
26 pages, 3928 KiB  
Article
Conservation and In Situ Enhancement of Earthen Architecture in Archaeological Sites: Social and Anthropic Risks in the Case Studies of the Iberian Peninsula
by Sergio Manzano-Fernández, Camilla Mileto, Fernando Vegas López-Manzanares and Valentina Cristini
Heritage 2024, 7(5), 2239-2264; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7050106 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Archaeological sites constitute one of the main tourist attractions in the heritage offerings of most populations. Their ability to convey the ways of life and construction techniques of past societies through physical remains positions them as a culturally significant alternative for visitors. However, [...] Read more.
Archaeological sites constitute one of the main tourist attractions in the heritage offerings of most populations. Their ability to convey the ways of life and construction techniques of past societies through physical remains positions them as a culturally significant alternative for visitors. However, their physical conservation, essential for efficiently ensuring information with precision, poses a serious challenge for the various professionals involved, as numerous social and anthropic risks threaten long-term preservation for the enjoyment of future generations. Of all traditional building materials, earth is undoubtedly one of the most fragile and sensitive to loss in the absence of the original protection systems, so that a precise assessment of its threats is essential to minimizing the destruction of these non-renewable assets. The objective of this study is to evaluate the most determining human risk factors within the territorial scope of the Iberian Peninsula, including aspects such as its musealization, suitable interpretation, visit planning, agricultural land use, vandalism and rural depopulation. This is achieved through a literature review and on-site data collection from 85 archaeological sites, as well as the development of an analysis tool to assess the degree of vulnerability, aiming to develop prevention measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heritage Tourism and Sustainable City Dynamics)
33 pages, 1122 KiB  
Review
Brain–Periphery Interactions in Huntington’s Disease: Mediators and Lifestyle Interventions
by Johannes Burtscher, Barbara Strasser, Giuseppe Pepe, Martin Burtscher, Martin Kopp, Alba Di Pardo, Vittorio Maglione and Andy V. Khamoui
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4696; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094696 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Prominent pathological features of Huntington’s disease (HD) are aggregations of mutated Huntingtin protein (mHtt) in the brain and neurodegeneration, which causes characteristic motor (such as chorea and dystonia) and non-motor symptoms. However, the numerous systemic and peripheral deficits in HD have gained increasing [...] Read more.
Prominent pathological features of Huntington’s disease (HD) are aggregations of mutated Huntingtin protein (mHtt) in the brain and neurodegeneration, which causes characteristic motor (such as chorea and dystonia) and non-motor symptoms. However, the numerous systemic and peripheral deficits in HD have gained increasing attention recently, since those factors likely modulate disease progression, including brain pathology. While whole-body metabolic abnormalities and organ-specific pathologies in HD have been relatively well described, the potential mediators of compromised inter-organ communication in HD have been insufficiently characterized. Therefore, we applied an exploratory literature search to identify such mediators. Unsurprisingly, dysregulation of inflammatory factors, circulating mHtt, and many other messenger molecules (hormones, lipids, RNAs) were found that suggest impaired inter-organ communication, including of the gut–brain and muscle–brain axis. Based on these findings, we aimed to assess the risks and potentials of lifestyle interventions that are thought to improve communication across these axes: dietary strategies and exercise. We conclude that appropriate lifestyle interventions have great potential to reduce symptoms and potentially modify disease progression (possibly via improving inter-organ signaling) in HD. However, impaired systemic metabolism and peripheral symptoms warrant particular care in the design of dietary and exercise programs for people with HD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Huntington’s Disease: Molecular Advances in Therapeutics)
20 pages, 897 KiB  
Article
Deep Learning-Driven Public Opinion Analysis on the Weibo Topic about AI Art
by Wentong Wan and Runcai Huang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3674; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093674 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
The emergence of AI Art has ignited extensive debates on social media platforms. Various online communities have expressed their opinions on different facets of AI Art and participated in discussions with other users, leading to the generation of a substantial volume of data. [...] Read more.
The emergence of AI Art has ignited extensive debates on social media platforms. Various online communities have expressed their opinions on different facets of AI Art and participated in discussions with other users, leading to the generation of a substantial volume of data. Analyzing these data can provide useful insights into the public’s opinions on AI Art, enable the investigation of the origins of conflicts in online debates, and contribute to the sustainable development of AI Art. This paper presents a deep learning-driven framework for analyzing the characteristics of public opinion on the Weibo topic of AI Art. To classify the sentiments users expressed in Weibo posts, the linguistic feature-enhanced pre-training model (LERT) was employed to improve text representation via the fusion of syntactic features, followed by a bidirectional Simple Recurrent Unit (SRU) embedded with a soft attention module (BiSRU++) for capturing the long-range dependencies in text features, thus improving the sentiment classification performance. Furthermore, a text clustering analysis was performed across sentiments to capture the nuanced opinions expressed by Weibo users, hence providing useful insights about different online communities. The results indicate that the proposed sentiment analysis model outperforms common baseline models in terms of classification metrics and time efficiency, and the clustering analysis has provided valuable insights for in-depth analyses of AI Art. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Computing and Artificial Intelligence)
15 pages, 526 KiB  
Systematic Review
Nurses’ Role in the Control and Treatment of Asthma in Adults: A Systematic Literature Review
by Pedro Alexandre-Sousa, Nuno Sousa, Joana Bento, Filipa Azevedo, Maíra Assis and José Mendes
Adv. Respir. Med. 2024, 92(3), 175-189; https://doi.org/10.3390/arm92030019 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Bronchial asthma is a chronic pathology and a global public health problem. However, asthma can be controlled and treated for the most part by patients, so the Portuguese General Directorate of Health recommends shared medical appointments in primary health care (PHC). The present [...] Read more.
Bronchial asthma is a chronic pathology and a global public health problem. However, asthma can be controlled and treated for the most part by patients, so the Portuguese General Directorate of Health recommends shared medical appointments in primary health care (PHC). The present study aims to identify the role of PHC nurses in the control and treatment of asthma in adults. Using the MeSH platform, the following descriptors were validated: asthma, nurses, adults. An individual search was carried out in the following databases: CINAHL (ESBSCO host), MEDLINE (Pubmed host), Web of Science, and Scopus. Out of a total of 280 publications, 79 of which were duplicates and 185 publications which did not meet the inclusion criteria, 16 publications remained readable. Of the eligible articles, there were 13 specialist reports, one mixed study, one quasi-experimental study, and one randomized trial. Education was the intervention most identified in the scientific evidence analyzed, and patient assessment, application of an asthma control questionnaire, verification and training of inhalation technique, empowerment for self-management of the disease, support, promotion of seasonal influenza vaccination, and use of written action plans were also identified. The results reveal that, although the scientific evidence on the intervention of these professionals is poorly developed, nurses play a crucial role in the control and treatment of asthma. The scientific evidence analyzed allowed the identification of interventions that can help the organization of a nursing health appointment, providing nurses with a crucial role in the control and treatment of asthma in adults in the context of PHC. Full article
18 pages, 1935 KiB  
Article
β-Catenin in Dendritic Cells Negatively Regulates CD8 T Cell Immune Responses through the Immune Checkpoint Molecule Tim-3
by Chunmei Fu, Jie Wang, Tianle Ma, Congcong Yin, Li Zhou, Björn E. Clausen, Qing-Sheng Mi and Aimin Jiang
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050460 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that β-catenin in dendritic cells (DCs) serves as a key mediator in promoting both CD4 and CD8 T cell tolerance, although the mechanisms underlying how β-catenin exerts its functions remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that activation of β-catenin [...] Read more.
Recent studies have demonstrated that β-catenin in dendritic cells (DCs) serves as a key mediator in promoting both CD4 and CD8 T cell tolerance, although the mechanisms underlying how β-catenin exerts its functions remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that activation of β-catenin leads to the up-regulation of inhibitory molecule T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) in type 1 conventional DCs (cDC1s). Using a cDC1-targeted vaccine model with anti-DEC-205 engineered to express the melanoma antigen human gp100 (anti-DEC-205-hgp100), we demonstrated that CD11c-β-cateninactive mice exhibited impaired cross-priming and memory responses of gp100-specific CD8 T (Pmel-1) cells upon immunization with anti-DEC-205-hgp100. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that β-catenin in DCs negatively regulated transcription programs for effector function and proliferation of primed Pmel-1 cells, correlating with suppressed CD8 T cell immunity in CD11c-β-cateninactive mice. Further experiments showed that treating CD11c-β-cateninactive mice with an anti-Tim-3 antibody upon anti-DEC-205-hgp100 vaccination led to restored cross-priming and memory responses of gp100-specific CD8 T cells, suggesting that anti-Tim-3 treatment likely synergizes with DC vaccines to improve their efficacy. Indeed, treating B16F10-bearing mice with DC vaccines using anti-DEC-205-hgp100 in combination with anti-Tim-3 treatment resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth compared with treatment with the DC vaccine alone. Taken together, we identified the β-catenin/Tim-3 axis as a potentially novel mechanism to inhibit anti-tumor CD8 T cell immunity and that combination immunotherapy of a DC-targeted vaccine with anti-Tim-3 treatment leads to improved anti-tumor efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy)
34 pages, 1435 KiB  
Article
Plant-Wide Models for Optimizing the Operation and Maintenance of BTEX-Contaminated Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
by Dániel Bencsik, Tanush Wadhawan, Ferenc Házi and Tamás Karches
Environments 2024, 11(5), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11050088 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, collectively known as BTEX compounds, are significant emerging contaminants in municipal wastewater. Stricter effluent quality regulations necessitate their removal, especially with concerns about organic micropollutant concentrations. Water scarcity further underscores the need for wastewater treatment to ensure safe [...] Read more.
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, collectively known as BTEX compounds, are significant emerging contaminants in municipal wastewater. Stricter effluent quality regulations necessitate their removal, especially with concerns about organic micropollutant concentrations. Water scarcity further underscores the need for wastewater treatment to ensure safe agricultural or drinking water supplies. Although biological treatment partially reduces BTEX levels through processes like biodegradation and sorption, additional purification using physico-chemical methods is crucial for substantial reduction. This paper aims to outline plant-wide simulation methods for treating BTEX-contaminated sewage and facilitating reuse, adhering to IWA Good Modelling Practice Guidelines. The model, built upon the MiniSumo process model, incorporates equations detailing BTEX metabolism and removal kinetics, informed by an extensive literature review. Using a variant of the Benchmark Simulation Model with granular activated carbon for water reuse, the study examines strategies for improving effluent quality and minimizing operational costs. These strategies include adjusting the sludge retention time and airflow to enhance BTEX degradation and stripping, respectively, and comparing maintenance approaches for the GAC tower. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies of Water and Wastewater Treatment)
18 pages, 898 KiB  
Article
High-Temperature Hydrothermal Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Brewer’s Spent Grain and Malt Dust Biomass Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents
by Dries Bleus, Heike Blockx, Emma Gesquiere, Peter Adriaensens, Pieter Samyn, Wouter Marchal and Dries Vandamme
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 1983; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29091983 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Aligned with the EU Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (EU SDG2030), extensive research is dedicated to enhancing the sustainable use of biomass waste for the extraction of pharmaceutical and nutritional compounds, such as (poly-)phenolic compounds (PC). This study proposes an innovative one-step hydrothermal extraction [...] Read more.
Aligned with the EU Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (EU SDG2030), extensive research is dedicated to enhancing the sustainable use of biomass waste for the extraction of pharmaceutical and nutritional compounds, such as (poly-)phenolic compounds (PC). This study proposes an innovative one-step hydrothermal extraction (HTE) at a high temperature (120 °C), utilizing environmentally friendly acidic natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) to replace conventional harmful pre-treatment chemicals and organic solvents. Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) and novel malt dust (MD) biomass sources, both obtained from beer production, were characterized and studied for their potential as PC sources. HTE, paired with mild acidic malic acid/choline chloride (MA) NADES, was compared against conventional (heated and stirred maceration) and modern (microwave-assisted extraction; MAE) state-of-the-art extraction methods. The quantification of key PC in BSG and MD using liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that the combination of elevated temperatures and acidic NADES could provide significant improvements in PC extraction yields ranging from 251% (MD-MAC-MA: 29.3 µg/g; MD-HTE-MA: 103 µg/g) to 381% (BSG-MAC-MA: 78 µg/g; BSG-HTE-MA: 375 µg/g). The superior extraction capacity of MA NADES over non-acidic NADES (glycerol/choline chloride) and a traditional organic solvent mixture (acetone/H2O) could be attributed to in situ acid-catalysed pre-treatment facilitating the release of bound PC from lignin–hemicellulose structures. Qualitative 13C-NMR and pyro-GC-MS analysis was used to verify lignin–hemicellulose breakdown during extraction and the impact of high-temperature MA NADES extraction on the lignin–hemicellulose structure. This in situ acid NADES-catalysed high-temperature pre-treatment during PC extraction offers a potential green pre-treatment for use in cascade valorisation strategies (e.g., lignin valorisation), enabling more intensive usage of available biomass waste stream resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Deep Eutectic Solvents)
12 pages, 463 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Satisfaction and Self-Confidence among Nursing Students in Clinical Simulation Learning
by Sara Moreno-Cámara, Henrique da-Silva-Domingues, Laura Parra-Anguita and Belén Gutiérrez-Sánchez
Nurs. Rep. 2024, 14(2), 1037-1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep14020078 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Background: Clinical simulation is effective in nursing student education, fostering autonomous learning and critical skill development in safe environments. This method is adaptable to dynamic educational approaches and integrates technology. Satisfaction and self-confidence are key elements in its evaluation. The general objective of [...] Read more.
Background: Clinical simulation is effective in nursing student education, fostering autonomous learning and critical skill development in safe environments. This method is adaptable to dynamic educational approaches and integrates technology. Satisfaction and self-confidence are key elements in its evaluation. The general objective of this research was to describe the levels of satisfaction and self-confidence among undergraduate nursing students regarding the use of clinical simulation in the field of family and community nursing. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the University of Jaén, Spain, during the 2023/2024 academic year. Data on sociodemographic aspects, satisfaction, and self-confidence were collected using a validated instrument. The statistical analysis included central measures, dispersion, and frequencies, with confidence intervals. Results: The study involved 96 students in scenario 1 (family assessment) and 97 in scenario 2 (family intervention), with the majority being women. In scenario 1, the mean satisfaction score was 4.38 out of 5, and self-confidence was scored 4.44 out of 5. Prior preparation time correlated significantly with higher levels of satisfaction and self-confidence. In scenario 2, the mean scores were slightly higher but not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated high levels of satisfaction and self-confidence among nursing students following clinical simulations. Prior preparation was associated with better outcomes, and the quality of the simulation positively impacted the results. Full article
20 pages, 728 KiB  
Article
Efficient Large-Scale IoT Botnet Detection through GraphSAINT-Based Subgraph Sampling and Graph Isomorphism Network
by Lihua Yin, Weizhe Chen, Xi Luo and Hongyu Yang
Mathematics 2024, 12(9), 1315; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12091315 (registering DOI) - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet of Things, large-scale botnet attacks have occurred frequently and have become an important challenge to network security. As artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve, intelligent detection solutions for botnets are constantly emerging. Although [...] Read more.
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet of Things, large-scale botnet attacks have occurred frequently and have become an important challenge to network security. As artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve, intelligent detection solutions for botnets are constantly emerging. Although graph neural networks are widely used for botnet detection, directly handling large-scale botnet data becomes inefficient and challenging as the number of infected hosts increases and the network scale expands. Especially in the process of node level learning and inference, a large number of nodes and edges need to be processed, leading to a significant increase in computational complexity and posing new challenges to network security. This paper presents a novel approach that can accurately identify diverse intricate botnet architectures in extensive IoT networks based on the aforementioned circumstance. By utilizing GraphSAINT to process large-scale IoT botnet graph data, efficient and unbiased subgraph sampling has been achieved. In addition, a solution with enhanced information representation capability has been developed based on the Graph Isomorphism Network (GIN) for botnet detection. Compared with the five currently popular graph neural network (GNN) models, our approach has been tested on C2, P2P, and Chord datasets, and higher accuracy has been achieved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Information System Security and Privacy)

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