bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Merging the Multi-Target Effects of Phytochemicals in Neurodegeneration: From Oxidative Stress to Protein Aggregation and Inflammation
Authors: Limanaqi Fiona , Biagioni Francesca , Mastroiacovo Federica , Polzella Maico , Lazzeri Gloria , Fornai Francesco
Published: October 2020

Wide experimental evidence has been provided in the last decade concerning the neuroprotective effects of phytochemicals in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Generally, the neuroprotective effects of bioactive compounds belonging to different phytochemical classes are attributed to antioxidant, anti-aggregation, and anti-inflammatory activity along with the restoration of mitochondrial homeostasis and targeting alterations of cell-clearing systems. Far from being independent, these multi-target effects represent interconnected events that are commonly implicated in the pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative diseases, independently of etiology, nosography, and the specific misfolded proteins being involved. Nonetheless, the increasing amount of data applying to a variety of neurodegenerative disorders joined with the multiple effects exerted by the wide variety of plant-derived neuroprotective agents may rather confound the reader. The present review is an attempt to provide a general guideline about the most relevant mechanisms through which naturally occurring agents may counteract neurodegeneration. With such an aim, we focus on some popular phytochemical classes and bioactive compounds as representative examples to design a sort of main highway aimed at deciphering the most relevant protective mechanisms which make phytochemicals potentially useful in counteracting neurodegeneration. In this frame, we emphasize the potential role of the cell-clearing machinery as a kernel in the antioxidant, anti-aggregation, anti-inflammatory, and mitochondrial protecting effects of phytochemicals.
CDDO-Me Distinctly Regulates Regional Specific Astroglial Responses to Status Epilepticus via ERK1/2-Nrf2, PTEN-PI3K-AKT and NFκB Signaling Pathways
Authors: Kim Ji-Eun , Park Hana , Kang Tae-Cheon
Published: October 2020

2-Cyano-3,12-dioxo-oleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid methyl ester (CDDO-Me) is a triterpenoid analogue of oleanolic acid. CDDO-Me shows anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, CDDO-Me has antioxidant properties, since it activates nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is a key player of redox homeostasis. In the present study, we evaluated whether CDDO-Me affects astroglial responses to status epilepticus (SE, a prolonged seizure activity) in the rat hippocampus in order to understand the underlying mechanisms of reactive astrogliosis and astroglial apoptosis. Under physiological conditions, CDDO-Me increased Nrf2 expression in the hippocampus without altering activities (phosphorylations) of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), and AKT. CDDO-Me did not affect seizure activity in response to pilocarpine. However, CDDO-Me ameliorated reduced astroglial Nrf2 expression in the CA1 region and the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (ML), and attenuated reactive astrogliosis and ML astroglial apoptosis following SE. In CA1 astrocytes, CDDO-Me inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway by activating PTEN. In contrast, CDDO-ME resulted in extracellular signal-related kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2)-mediated Nrf2 upregulation in ML astrocytes. Furthermore, CDDO-Me decreased nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) phosphorylation in both CA1 and ML astrocytes. Therefore, our findings suggest that CDDO-Me may attenuate SE-induced reactive astrogliosis and astroglial apoptosis via regulation of ERK1/2-Nrf2, PTEN-PI3K-AKT, and NFκB signaling pathways.
Special Equipment Safety Supervision System Architecture Based on Blockchain Technology
Authors: Liang Zhipeng , Zhou Keping , Gao Rugao , Gao Kaixin
Published: October 2020

With the use of the traditional safety supervision system of special equipment, the job burnout of supervision participants and other supervision problems emerge endlessly, which leads to the supervision for the prevention of safety accidents being greatly weakened. In recent years, the significance of introducing new technology to improve the original supervision system for safety accident prevention has been constantly growing. In this paper, based on the current situation of China’s special equipment safety supervision, we summarize several specific requirements for improving the supervision system, namely efficient accident responsibility tracing, more transparent, more efficient data sharing, and integrating more functions. On this basis, we have designed a new system architecture, by introducing the permissioned blockchain technology, which can meet all the improvement requirements and adapt to the technical features of safety supervision work. The extensibility design of the system architecture can meet the new requirements in future work. The design idea of the system architecture can not only be used in the field of special equipment, but can also be used for reference by other fields with safety supervision requirements.
Inference of Drawing Elements and Space Usage on Architectural Drawings Using Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Seo Jihyo , Park Hyejin , Choo Seungyeon
Published: October 2020

Artificial intelligence presents an optimized alternative by performing problem-solving knowledge and problem-solving processes under specific conditions. This makes it possible to creatively examine various design alternatives under conditions that satisfy the functional requirements of the building. In this study, in order to develop architectural design automation technology using artificial intelligence, the characteristics of an architectural drawings, that is, the architectural elements and the composition of spaces expressed in the drawings, were learned, recognized, and inferred through deep learning. The biggest problem in applying deep learning in the field of architectural design is that the amount of publicly disclosed data is absolutely insufficient and that the publicly disclosed data also haves a wide variety of forms. Using the technology proposed in this study, it is possible to quickly and easily create labeling images of drawings, so it is expected that a large amount of data sets that can be used for deep learning for the automatic recommendation of architectural design or automatic 3D modeling can be obtained. This will be the basis for architectural design technology using artificial intelligence in the future, as it can propose an architectural plan that meets specific circumstances or requirements.
Challenging the Resin-Zirconia Interface by Thermal Cycling or Mechanical Load Cycling or Their Combinations
Authors: Kwon Sung-Min , Kim Young Kyung , Kwon Tae-Yub
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of mechanical load cycling (MLC), which simulated mastication, alone or combined with thermal cycling (TC), on the resin shear bond strength (SBS) to zirconia. Two resin cements (Panavia F2.0 and RelyX U200) were bonded (bonding area: 2.38 mm) to air-abraded zirconia (Everest ZS-Ronde). The specimens were subjected to SBS test before and after TC (5000 cycles), MLC (5000 cycles in 37 °C water), TC/MLC, or MLC/TC aging (n = 15). Before SBS test, the mechanical and physical properties of the two resin cements were studied (n = 5). For both resins, unlike TC (p > 0.05), the three MLC-containing aging conditions significantly decreased the SBS values when compared to the non-aged condition (p < 0.05). In the case of MLC-only aging, RelyX U200, with significantly higher hydrophobicity (p = 0.004), showed a significantly higher SBS value than Panavia F2.0 (p = 0.035). The MLC aging-containing groups showed increased occurrence of mixed failure. The application of MLC combined with TC may more closely simulate intraoral conditions.
New Aspects of Socioeconomic Assessment of the Railway Infrastructure Project Life Cycle
Authors: Hromádka Vít , Korytárová Jana , Vítková Eva , Seelmann Herbert , Funk Tomáš
Published: October 2020

The paper deals with the issue of evaluation of socioeconomic impacts of occurrences emerging from railway infrastructure. The presented research results form part of a broader research subject focusing on the evaluation of the socioeconomic benefits of projects for the implementation of measures aimed at increasing the safety and reliability of railway infrastructure. The research topic addresses a part of the evaluation of railway infrastructure project efficiency within its life cycle using the cost–benefit analysis method. The methodology is based on the description and definition of input variables that are essential for the process of evaluating socioeconomic impacts. It is followed by another important step, which is the analysis of the categories and the number of occurrences, separately, for regional and national lines, and, further, the data is sorted according to whether occurrences emerge at stations or on a wide line. The result of the presented research is an overview of the calculated values of the expected socioeconomic impacts of partial occurrences according to the categories related to the year of operation on the railway infrastructure and the unit of measure. The research team carried out an inquiry into the annual impacts of the subcategories of occurrences related to one railway station and one kilometer of wide line, e.g., for national lines, the impacts of €2922.72/station/year and €41.67/km of wide line/year were determined. The results of the presented research represent important and necessary inputs for the next phase of the research topic, i.e., the evaluation of the socioeconomic benefits of projects increasing the safety and reliability of railway infrastructure.
Selective Plasma Etching of Polymer-Metal Mesh Foil in Large-Area Hydrogen Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
Authors: Krumpolec Richard , Jurmanová Jana , Zemánek Miroslav , Kelar Jakub , Kováčik Dušan , Černák Mirko
Published: October 2020

We present a novel method of surface processing of complex polymer-metal composite substrates. Atmospheric-pressure plasma etching in pure H2, N2, H2/N2 and air plasmas was used to fabricate flexible transparent composite poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based polymer film/Ag-coated Cu metal wire mesh substrates with conductive connection sites by the selective removal of the thin (~10–100 nm) surface PMMA layer. To mimic large-area roll-to-roll processing, we used an advanced alumina-based concavely curved electrode generating a thin and high-power density cold plasma layer by the diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge. A short 1 s exposure to pure hydrogen plasma, led to successful highly-selective etching of the surface PMMA film without any destruction of the Ag-coated Cu metal wires embedded in the PMMA polymer. On the other hand, the use of ambient air, pure nitrogen and H2/N2 plasmas resulted in undesired degradation both of the polymer and the metal wires surfaces. Since it was found that the etching efficiency strongly depends on the process parameters, such as treatment time and the distance from the electrode surface, we studied the effect and performance of these parameters.
Economic Assessment of Solar-Powered Residential Battery Energy Storage Systems: The Case of Madeira Island, Portugal
Authors: Pereira Lucas , Cavaleiro Jonathan , Barros Luísa
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an economic assessment of introducing solar-powered residential battery energy storage in the Madeira Island electric grid, where only micro-production for self-consumption is currently allowed. The evaluation was conducted against six local micro-producers using one year of energy consumption and solar photovoltaic production measurements and two distinct storage control strategies. Several inverter sizes and storage capacities were considered based on the six micro-producers’ consumption and production profiles. The results were then analyzed concerning year-long simulations and a projection for the next ten years. To this end, several indicators were assessed, including self-consumption, profit per Euro invested, number of cycles and storage degradation. The results obtained show that, despite the benefits of storage to increase the self-consumption rates, considerable drops in the storage prices are still necessary to achieve profitability during these devices’ lifetime. Furthermore, our results also highlight a very interesting trade-off between self-consumption, pre-charge and profitability, in a sense that higher levels of pre-charge increase the chances of reaching profitability even though this will imply considerable drops in the levels of self-consumption.
The Modification Mechanism of Nano-Liquids on Streamer Morphology and Breakdown Strength under Microsecond Pulse
Authors: Li Diangeng , Zhang Zicheng , Liu Shifei , Li Song
Published: October 2020

In liquid mediums, whether the breakdown strength can be greatly improved after introducing the nano-particles has been widely investigated, however, there has been no scientific consensus on the modification mechanism of this anomalous phenomenon. In this paper, we first experimentally measured the streamer morphology and breakdown strength in pure transformer oil, TiO2 nano-liquids and Al2O3 nano-liquids under microsecond pulse. The results demonstrated that there are significant differences in streamer morphology between pure transformer oil and nano-liquids, as the streamers in pure transformer oil exhibit thick bush-like qualities, while in nano-liquids they exhibit tree-like qualities. Moreover, the breakdown voltage results show that the breakdown strength of transformer oil is improved after nano-modification, and the TiO2 nano-liquids and Al2O3 nano-liquids have nearly the same optimal volume fraction. The results of the analysis indicate that the modification mechanism of nano-particles is significantly linked to the trapped electrons process. Specifically, the addition of nano-particles can affect the electrons’ density and thus affect the breakdown process and streamer morphology.
Seismic Behavior of a Bridge with New Composite Tall Piers under Near-Fault Ground Motion Conditions
Authors: Cai Zhehan , Wang Zhijian , Lin Kaiqi , Sun Ying , Zhuo Weidong
Published: October 2020

Currently, the seismic designs of reinforced concrete (RC) bridges with tall piers are often accomplished following the ductility-based seismic design method. Though the collapses of the RC bridges with tall piers can be avoided, they are likely to experience major damage and loss of functionality when subjected to strong near-fault ground motions. The objectives of this study are to put forward an innovative design concept of a tall-pier system and its application in tall-pier bridges. The concept of the innovative tall-pier system is derived from the principle of earthquake-resilient structures, and is to improve the seismic performances of the tall-pier bridges under strong near-fault ground motions. The proposed tall-pier system has a box section and is composed of four concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns and energy dissipating mild steel plates (EDMSPs). Trial design of a bridge with the new composite tall-pier system is performed based on a typical continuous rigid frame highway bridge with conventional RC box section tall piers. Both static analysis and nonlinear time history analysis of both the bridges with the new composite tall piers and conventional RC tall piers under the near-fault velocity pulse-type ground motions were conducted in Midas Civil2019 and ABAQUS. The results show that: under the design-based earthquake (DBE), the CFST columns and connecting steel beams remain elastic in the bridge with the new composite tall piers, while the damage is found in the replaceable EDMSPs which help dissipate the seismic input energy. The displacement responses of the new bridge are significantly smaller than those of the conventional bridge under DBE. It is concluded that the bridge with the new composite tall piers is seismic resilient under near-fault ground motions.
Personalized Exergames Language: A Novel Approach to the Automatic Generation of Personalized Exergames for Stroke Patients
Authors: Vallejo David , Gmez-Portes Cristian , Albusac Javier , Glez-Morcillo Carlos , Castro-Schez José Jesús
Published: October 2020

Physical rehabilitation of stroke patients is based on the daily execution of exercises with face-to-face supervision by therapists. This model cannot be sustained in the long term, due to the involved economic costs, the growing number of patients, and the aging population. Remote rehabilitation tools have emerged to address this unmet clinical need, but they face the double challenge of motivating patients and ensuring an effective remote rehabilitation. In this context, exergames allow patients to play while performing repetitive therapeutic tasks in a safe and ecological environment. This work proposes the design of Personalized Exergames Language (PEL), a language whose sentences can be processed via software in order to automatically generate exergames. The definition of exergames through PEL, guided by an effective methodology of the design and generation of personalized exergames, will include both game mechanics and the necessary metrics to monitor, guide, and adapt the rehabilitation of each patient. The integration of authoring tools are considered to visually guide the therapist when designing exergames. A study has been carried out with stroke patients and therapists from a hospital and two community centers, in order to evaluate several exergames, automatically generated using PEL, in terms of usability, understanding, and suitability.
Neovascularization Effects of Carbon Monoxide Releasing Drugs Chemisorbed on Coscinodiscus Diatoms Carriers Characterized by Spectromicroscopy Imaging
Authors: Delasoie Joachim , Radakovic Natasa , Pavic Aleksandar , Zobi Fabio
Published: October 2020

Silica microparticles made of diatomaceous earth have become particularly attractive materials for designing drug delivery systems. In order to investigate the use of natural diatoms as drug scaffolds for carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs), we evaluated the chemisorption of the cis-[Re(CO)2Br4]2− complex (ReCORM-2) and its vitamin B12 derivative (B12-ReCORM-2) on Coscinodiscus frustules by 3D FT-IR spectroscopic imaging, and the drugs’ neovascularization effects in vivo in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. By mapping the symmetric Re-C≡O υ(CO) stretching vibration of the CORMs in the 2000 cm−1 region, we found that the drugs are mostly localized at the girdle band of the diatom frustule. Both ReCORM-2 and B12-ReCORM-2 retain their CO-releasing ability when chemisorbed on the diatoms. When applied in vivo at doses ≥25 µM, the molecules markedly reduced intersegmental and subintestinal vessels development in zebrafish, revealing high anti-angiogenic potential. In addition, diatom frustules did not provoke any toxic in vivo response in the zebrafish embryos, including inflammation. Overall, our results indicate that: (1) CORMs chemisorbed on diatom frustules retain their CO-releasing abilities; (2) both CO-releasing molecules show a concentration-dependent effect on the neovascularization in developing zebrafish; (3) silicate frustules are not toxic and could be used as CORMs drug carriers.
Appointed-Time Integral Barrier Lyapunov Function-Based Trajectory Tracking Control for a Hovercraft with Performance Constraints
Authors: Fu Mingyu , Zhang Tan , Ding Fuguang , Wang Duansong
Published: October 2020

This paper develops a totally new appointed-time integral barrier Lyapunov function-based trajectory tracking algorithm for a hovercraft in the presence of multiple performance constraints and model uncertainties. Firstly, an appointed-time performance constraint function is skillfully designed, which proposes to pre-specify the a priori transient and steady performances on the system tracking errors. Secondly, a new integral barrier Lyapunov function is constructed, which combines with the appointed-time performance constraint function to guarantee that the performance constraints on the system tracking errors are never violated. On this basis, an adaptive trajectory tracking controller is derived using the appointed-time integral barrier Lyapunov function technique in the combination of neural networks. According to Lyapunov’s stability theory, it can be shown that the proposed controller is capable of ensuring transient and steady performances on the output tracking errors. In particular, the position and speed tracking can be fulfilled in a user-appointed time without requiring complex control parameters selection. Finally, results from a comparative simulation study verify the efficacy and advantage of the proposed control approach.
Inverted Worlds, Nocturnal States and Flying Mammals: Bats and Their Symbolic Meaning in Moche Iconography
Authors: Alaica Aleksa K.
Published: October 2020

Bats are depicted in various types of media in Central and South America. The Moche of northern Peru portrayed bats in many figurative ceramic vessels in association with themes of sacrifice, elite status and agricultural fertility. Osseous remains of bats in Moche ceremonial and domestic contexts are rare yet their various representations in visual media highlight Moche fascination with their corporeal form, behaviour and symbolic meaning. By exploring bat imagery in Moche iconography, I argue that the bat formed an important part of Moche categorical schemes of the non-human world. The bat symbolized death and renewal not only for the human body but also for agriculture, society and the cosmos. I contrast folk taxonomies and symbolic classification to interpret the relational role of various species of chiropterans to argue that the nocturnal behaviour of the bat and its symbolic association with the moon and the darkness of the underworld was not a negative sphere to be feared or rejected. Instead, like the representative priestesses of the Late Moche period, bats formed part of a visual repertoire to depict the cycles of destruction and renewal that permitted the cosmological continuation of life within North Coast Moche society.
A Decade with VAMDC: Results and Ambitions
Authors: Albert Damien , Antony Bobby K. , Ba Yaye Awa , Babikov Yuri L. , Bollard Philippe , Boudon Vincent , Delahaye Franck , Del Zanna Giulio , Dimitrijević Milan S. , Drouin Brian J. , Dubernet Marie-Lise , Duensing Felix , Emoto Masahiko , Endres Christian P. , Fazliev Alexandr Z. , Glorian Jean-Michel , Gordon Iouli E. , Gratier Pierre , Hill Christian , Jevremović Darko , Joblin Christine , Kwon Duck-Hee , Kochanov Roman V. , Krishnakumar Erumathadathil , Leto Giuseppe , Loboda Petr A. , Lukashevskaya Anastasiya A. , Lyulin Oleg M. , Marinković Bratislav P. , Markwick Andrew , Marquart Thomas , Mason Nigel J. , Mendoza Claudio , Millar Tom J. , Moreau Nicolas , Morozov Serguei V. , Möller Thomas , Müller Holger S. P. , Mulas Giacomo , Murakami Izumi , Pakhomov Yury , Palmeri Patrick , Penguen Julien , Perevalov Valery I. , Piskunov Nikolai , Postler Johannes , Privezentsev Alexei I. , Quinet Pascal , Ralchenko Yuri , Rhee Yong-Joo , Richard Cyril , Rixon Guy , Rothman Laurence S. , Roueff Evelyne , Ryabchikova Tatiana , Sahal-Bréchot Sylvie , Scheier Paul , Schilke Peter , Schlemmer Stephan , Smith Ken W. , Schmitt Bernard , Skobelev Igor Yu. , Srecković Vladimir A. , Stempels Eric , Tashkun Serguey A. , Tennyson Jonathan , Tyuterev Vladimir G. , Vastel Charlotte , Vujčić Veljko , Wakelam Valentine , Walton Nicholas A. , Zeippen Claude , Zwölf Carlo Maria
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an overview of the current status of the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Centre (VAMDC) e-infrastructure, including the current status of the VAMDC-connected (or to be connected) databases, updates on the latest technological development within the infrastructure and a presentation of some application tools that make use of the VAMDC e-infrastructure. We analyse the past 10 years of VAMDC development and operation, and assess their impact both on the field of atomic and molecular (A&M) physics itself and on heterogeneous data management in international cooperation. The highly sophisticated VAMDC infrastructure and the related databases developed over this long term make them a perfect resource of sustainable data for future applications in many fields of research. However, we also discuss the current limitations that prevent VAMDC from becoming the main publishing platform and the main source of A&M data for user communities, and present possible solutions under investigation by the consortium. Several user application examples are presented, illustrating the benefits of VAMDC in current research applications, which often need the A&M data from more than one database. Finally, we present our vision for the future of VAMDC.
Combined Treatment with Polynucleotides and Hyaluronic Acid Improves Tissue Repair in Experimental Colitis
Authors: Pallio Giovanni , Bitto Alessandra , Ieni Antonio , Irrera Natasha , Mannino Federica , Pallio Socrate , Altavilla Domenica , Squadrito Francesco , Scarpignato Carmelo , Minutoli Letteria
Published: October 2020

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic conditions that can benefit from the combined treatment of adenosine receptor agonists and hyaluronic acid (HA), which, binding the CD44, has pro-survival effects. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of a mixture of polynucleotides and HA in an experimental model of dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis. A group of 40 rats received a single intra-colonic instillation of DNBS, and after 6 h, animals were randomized to receive daily: (i) saline solution; (ii) polynucleotides (Poly; 8 mg/kg); (iii) polynucleotides (8 mg/kg) plus hyaluronic acid (HA; 15 mg/kg); and (iv) hyaluronic acid (HA; 15 mg/kg). Rats in the control group (n = 10) received saline solution only. Seven days after induction, animals receiving Poly plus HA showed reduced clinical signs, weight loss and colon shortening, ameliorated macroscopic and histological damage, and apoptosis. Moreover, the combined treatment reduced the positivity in the colonic infiltrate of CD3 positive T cells, CD20 positive B cells and CD44. Furthermore, Poly plus HA reduced colonic myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde, indicating a dampening of the inflammatory infiltrate and oxidation products. Our research demonstrated that a combined treatment of polynucleotides with hyaluronic acid had a protective effect in a model of ulcerative colitis, suggesting that this association deserves further attention for the treatment of IBDs.
Serum Analysis of Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer Using a Mini-Array of Tumor-Associated Antigens
Authors: Oaxaca-Camacho Alma , Ochoa-Mojica Oscar , Aguilar-Lemarroy Adriana , Jave-Suárez Luis , Muñoz-Valle José , Padilla-Camberos Eduardo , Núñez-Hernández Juan , Herrera-Rodríguez Sara , Martínez-Velázquez Moisés , Carranza-Aranda Ahtziri , Cruz-Ramos José , Gutiérrez-Ortega Abel , Hernández-Gutiérrez Rodolfo
Published: October 2020

Background: Several studies have shown that patients with cancer have antibodies in serum that react with cellular autoantigens, known as Tumor-Associated Antigens (TAA). The present work aimed to determine whether a mini-array comprising four recombinant TAA increases the detection of specific serum antibodies for the diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer. Methods: The mini-array included Alpha 1-AntiTrypsin (A1AT), TriosePhosphate Isomerase 1 (TPI1), Peptidyl-Prolyl cis-trans Isomerase A (PPIA), and PeroxiReDoXin 2 (PRDX2) full-length recombinant proteins. The proteins were produced after gene cloning, expression, and purification, and were verified by Western blot assays. Then, Dot-Blot was performed to find antibodies against the four TAA in 12 sera from women with early-stage breast cancer (stage II) and 12 sera from healthy women. Results: Antibody detection against individual TAA in early-stage breast cancer sera ranged from 58.3% to 83.3%. However, evaluation of the four TAA showed that there was a positive antibody reaction reaching a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 85% in early-stage breast cancer, suggesting that this mini-array must be evaluated as a clinical diagnostic tool for early-stage breast cancer in a larger sample size. Conclusion: Our results suggest that TAA mini-arrays may provide a promising and powerful method for improving the detection of breast cancer in Mexican women.
A Review of “Green Building” Regulations, Laws, and Standards in Latin America
Authors: Zepeda-Gil Carlos , Natarajan Sukumar
Published: October 2020

Latin America covers 20% of the world’s surface but only produces 12% of global carbon emissions. However, countries such as Brazil and Argentina have seen some of the most aggressive increases in individual country CO2 emissions over the last two decades. Given that 80% of Latin America’s population lives in cities, where we can expect the greatest increases in demand for energy and predicted growth in built floor space, it is necessary to ensure that these do not result in an overall growth in carbon emissions. Hence, we present the first review of the various “green building” rules developed in this region to curtail energy or carbon. This covers nine countries representing 80% of the region’s population. We find that these countries in Latin America have developed 94 different green building rules, though to different extents. Many pertain to domestic buildings that are known to contribute 17% of the overall carbon emissions. Subsidies and tax incentives are most common, whereas innovative carbon market schemes have only been adopted in Mexico and Chile. In Argentina and Chile, regulations are similar to their European cold-climate counterparts but are poorly enforced. Overall, we find considerable progress in Latin America to create new standards and regulations, with enforcement being a major future challenge.
Cetuximab-Mediated Protection from Hypoxia- Induced Cell Death: Implications for Therapy Sequence in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Urban Hans , Maurer Gabriele D. , Luger Anna-Luisa , Lorenz Nadja I. , Sauer Benedikt , Stroh Christopher , Trojan Jörg , Mittelbronn Michel , Steinbach Joachim P. , Harter Patrick N. , Ronellenfitsch Michael W.
Published: October 2020

Monoclonal antibodies like cetuximab, targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and bevacizumab, targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), are an integral part of treatment regimens for metastasized colorectal cancer. However, inhibition of the EGFR has been shown to protect human glioma cells from cell death under hypoxic conditions. In colon carcinoma cells, the consequences of EGFR blockade in hypoxia (e.g., induced by bevacizumab) have not been evaluated yet. LIM1215 and SW948 colon carcinoma and LNT-229 glioblastoma cells were treated with cetuximab, PD153035, and erlotinib and analyzed for cell density and viability. The sequential administration of either cetuximab followed by bevacizumab (CET->BEV) or bevacizumab followed by cetuximab (BEV->CET) was investigated in a LIM1215 (KRAS wildtype) and SW948 (KRAS mutant) xenograft mouse model. In vitro, cetuximab protected from hypoxia. In the LIM1215 model, a survival benefit with cetuximab and bevacizumab monotherapy was observed, but only the sequence CET->BEV showed an additional benefit. This effect was confirmed in the SW948 model. Our observations support the hypothesis that bevacizumab modulates the tumor microenvironment (e.g., by inducing hypoxia) where cetuximab could trigger protective effects when administered later on. The sequence CET->BEV therefore seems to be superior as possible mutual adverse effects are bypassed.
Contribution of miRNAs, tRNAs and tRFs to Aberrant Signaling and Translation Deregulation in Lung Cancer
Authors: Skeparnias Ilias , Anastasakis Dimitrios , Grafanaki Katerina , Kyriakopoulos George , Alexopoulos Panagiotis , Dougenis Dimitrios , Scorilas Andreas , Kontos Christos K. , Stathopoulos Constantinos
Published: October 2020

Transcriptomics profiles of miRNAs, tRNAs or tRFs are used as biomarkers, after separate examination of several cancer cell lines, blood samples or biopsies. However, the possible contribution of all three profiles on oncogenic signaling and translation as a net regulatory effect, is under investigation. The present analysis of miRNAs and tRFs from lung cancer biopsies indicated putative targets, which belong to gene networks involved in cell proliferation, transcription and translation regulation. In addition, we observed differential expression of specific tRNAs along with several tRNA-related genes with possible involvement in carcinogenesis. Transfection of lung adenocarcinoma cells with two identified tRFs and subsequent NGS analysis indicated gene targets that mediate signaling and translation regulation. Broader analysis of all major signaling and translation factors in several biopsy specimens revealed a crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways and downstream activation of eIF4E and eEF2. Subsequent polysome profile analysis and 48S pre-initiation reconstitution experiments showed increased global translation rates and indicated that aberrant expression patterns of translation initiation factors could contribute to elevated protein synthesis. Overall, our results outline the modulatory effects that possibly correlate the expression of important regulatory non-coding RNAs with aberrant signaling and translation deregulation in lung cancer.
From Conventional Therapies to Immunotherapy: Melanoma Treatment in Review
Authors: Kuryk Lukasz , Bertinato Laura , Staniszewska Monika , Pancer Katarzyna , Wieczorek Magdalena , Salmaso Stefano , Caliceti Paolo , Garofalo Mariangela
Published: October 2020

In this review, we discuss the use of oncolytic viruses and checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy in melanoma, with a particular focus on combinatory therapies. Oncolytic viruses are promising and novel anti-cancer agents, currently under investigation in many clinical trials both as monotherapy and in combination with other therapeutics. They have shown the ability to exhibit synergistic anticancer activity with checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy, radiotherapy. A coupling between oncolytic viruses and checkpoint inhibitors is a well-accepted strategy for future cancer therapies. However, eradicating advanced cancers and tailoring the immune response for complete tumor clearance is an ongoing problem. Despite current advances in cancer research, monotherapy has shown limited efficacy against solid tumors. Therefore, current improvements in virus targeting, genetic modification, enhanced immunogenicity, improved oncolytic properties and combination strategies have a potential to widen the applications of immuno-oncology (IO) in cancer treatment. Here, we summarize the strategy of combinatory therapy with an oncolytic vector to combat melanoma and highlight the need to optimize current practices and improve clinical outcomes.
Consensus Definition and Prediction of Complexity in Transurethral Resection or Bladder Endoscopic Dissection of Bladder Tumours
Authors: Roumiguié Mathieu , Xylinas Evanguelos , Brisuda Antonin , Burger Maximillian , Mostafid Hugh , Colombel Marc , Babjuk Marek , Palou Redorta Joan , Witjes Fred , Malavaud Bernard
Published: October 2020

Ten senior urologists were interrogated to develop a predictive model based on factors from which they could anticipate complex transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT). Complexity was defined by consensus. Panel members then used a five-point Likert scale to grade those factors that, in their opinion, drove complexity. Consensual factors were highlighted through two Delphi rounds. Respective contributions to complexity were quantitated by the median values of their scores. Multivariate analysis with complexity as a dependent variable tested their independence in clinical scenarios obtained by random allocation of the factors. The consensus definition of complexity was “any TURBT/En-bloc dissection that results in incomplete resection and/or prolonged surgery (>1 h) and/or significant (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3) perioperative complications”. Logistic regression highlighted five domains as independent predictors: patient’s history, tumour number, location, and size and access to the bladder. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed good discrimination (AUC = 0.92). The sum of the scores of the five domains adjusted to their regression coefficients or Bladder Complexity Score yielded comparable performance (AUC = 0.91, C-statistics, p = 0.94) and good calibration. As a whole, preoperative factors identified by expert judgement were organized to quantitate the risk of a complex TURBT, a crucial requisite to personalise patient information, adapt human and technical resources to individual situations and address TURBT variability in clinical trials.
Comparison of the Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO/CeO2 and ZnO/Yb2O3 Mixed Systems in the Phenol Removal from Water: A Mechanicistic Approach
Authors: Cerrato Erik , Gonçalves Nuno Paulo Ferreira , Calza Paola , Paganini Maria Cristina
Published: October 2020

In this paper we compare the photocatalytic activity of two semiconductors based on ZnO: ZnO/CeO2 and ZnO/Yb2O3. The two samples were prepared via hydrothermal synthesis and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction technique, diffuse reflectance Ultra Violet- Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), high resolution transmission electron microscopy and finally with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The prepared materials were also tested in their photocatalytic performances both through Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) analyzing the formation of charge carriers and with the abatement of a probe molecule like phenol, in presence and in absence of scavengers.
High Levels of Stress Due to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic among Parents of Children with and without Chronic Conditions across the USA
Authors: A.L. van Tilburg Miranda , Edlynn Emily , Maddaloni Marina , van Kempen Klaas , Díaz-González de Ferris Maria , Thomas Jody
Published: October 2020

Background: The 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to community-wide measures affecting parents and children such as school/daycare closures, job losses, and interruptions in medical care for children with chronic diseases. This is the first study to describe the level of stress and mental health of parents of either healthy children or children with chronic conditions, during the 2020 pandemic. Methods: A representative sample of US parents was recruited from 10–17 April 2020. Parents completed online questionnaires about the past 7 days, including the Perceived Stress Scale, Resilient Coping Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale, Parental Stress Scale, PROMIS Anxiety and Depression scales and various other pandemic-related stress questions Results: Levels of stressors (e.g., job loss, school closures, etc.) were high during this time (e.g., 79% of children attended home/online school) and parents reported being moderately to highly stressed. Rates of clinical anxiety (44.6%) and depression (42.2%) were high. Parents of children with chronic conditions reported higher levels of stress and worse mental health, but did not differ from other parents in dealing with stress or interruptions in work, child schooling, and marital satisfaction. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented levels of stress for parents, especially those of children with chronic conditions. Mental health effects are expected to continue for months/years and preparation is needed to meet an increasing demand for mental health care.
InSight2: A Modular Visual Analysis Platform for Network Situational Awareness in Large-Scale Networks
Authors: Kodituwakku Hansaka Angel Dias Edirisinghe , Keller Alex , Gregor Jens
Published: October 2020

The complexity and throughput of computer networks are rapidly increasing as a result of the proliferation of interconnected devices, data-driven applications, and remote working. Providing situational awareness for computer networks requires monitoring and analysis of network data to understand normal activity and identify abnormal activity. A scalable platform to process and visualize data in real time for large-scale networks enables security analysts and researchers to not only monitor and study network flow data but also experiment and develop novel analytics. In this paper, we introduce InSight2, an open-source platform for manipulating both streaming and archived network flow data in real time that aims to address the issues of existing solutions such as scalability, extendability, and flexibility. Case-studies are provided that demonstrate applications in monitoring network activity, identifying network attacks and compromised hosts and anomaly detection.
A New Bi-Level Optimisation Framework for Optimising a Multi-Mode Wave Energy Converter Design: A Case Study for the Marettimo Island, Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Neshat Mehdi , Sergiienko Nataliia Y. , Amini Erfan , Majidi Nezhad Meysam , Astiaso Garcia Davide , Alexander Bradley , Wagner Markus
Published: October 2020

To advance commercialisation of ocean wave energy and for the technology to become competitive with other sources of renewable energy, the cost of wave energy harvesting should be significantly reduced. The Mediterranean Sea is a region with a relatively low wave energy potential, but due to the absence of extreme waves, can be considered at the initial stage of the prototype development as a proof of concept. In this study, we focus on the optimisation of a multi-mode wave energy converter inspired by the CETO system to be tested in the west of Sicily, Italy. We develop a computationally efficient spectral-domain model that fully captures the nonlinear dynamics of a wave energy converter (WEC). We consider two different objective functions for the purpose of optimising a WEC: (1) maximise the annual average power output (with no concern for WEC cost), and (2) minimise the levelised cost of energy (LCoE). We develop a new bi-level optimisation framework to simultaneously optimise the WEC geometry, tether angles and power take-off (PTO) parameters. In the upper-level of this bi-level process, all WEC parameters are optimised using a state-of-the-art self-adaptive differential evolution method as a global optimisation technique. At the lower-level, we apply a local downhill search method to optimise the geometry and tether angles settings in two independent steps. We evaluate and compare the performance of the new bi-level optimisation framework with seven well-known evolutionary and swarm optimisation methods using the same computational budget. The simulation results demonstrate that the bi-level method converges faster than other methods to a better configuration in terms of both absorbed power and the levelised cost of energy. The optimisation results confirm that if we focus on minimising the produced energy cost at the given location, the best-found WEC dimension is that of a small WEC with a radius of 5 m and height of 2 m.
Barriers and Solutions for Increasing the Integration of Solar Photovoltaic in Kenya’s Electricity Mix
Authors: Samoita Dominic , Nzila Charles , Østergaard Poul Alberg , Remmen Arne
Published: October 2020

Currently, Kenya depends mainly on oil, geothermal energy and hydro resources for electricity production, however all three have associated issues. Oil-based electricity generation is environmentally harmful, expensive and a burden to the national trade balance. The rivers for hydropower and their tributaries are found in arid and semi-arid areas with erratic rainfall leading to problems of supply security, and geothermal exploitation has cost and risk issues amongst others. Given these problems and the fact that Kenya has a significant yet underexploited potential for photo voltaic (PV)-based power generation, the limited—although growing—exploitation of solar PV in Kenya is explored in this paper as a means of diversifying and stabilising electricity supply. The potential for integration of PV into the Kenyan electricity generation mix is analysed together with the sociotechnical, economic, political, and institutional and policy barriers, which limit PV integration. We argue that these barriers can be overcome with improved and more robust policy regulations, additional investments in research and development, and improved coordination of the use of different renewable energy sources. Most noticeably, storage solutions and other elements of flexibility need to be incorporated to balance the intermittent character of electricity generation based on solar PV.
Indirect Methods for Validating Shallow Geothermal Potential Using Advanced Laboratory Measurements from a Regional to Local Scale—A Case Study from Poland
Authors: Hajto Marek , Przelaskowska Anna , Machowski Grzegorz , Drabik Katarzyna , Ząbek Gabriel
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a broad overview of laboratory methods for measuring thermal properties and petrophysical parameters of carbonate rocks, and analytical methods for interpreting the obtained data. The investigation was conducted on carbonate rock samples from the Kraków region of Poland in the context of shallow geothermal potential assessment. The measurement techniques used included standard macroscopic examinations; petrophysical investigations (porosity, density); analysis of mineral composition thermal conductivity (TC) and specific heat measurements; and advanced investigations with the use of computed tomography (CT). Various mathematical models, such as layer model, geometric mean, and spherical and non-spherical inclusion models, were applied to calculate thermal conductivity based on mineralogy and porosity. The aim of this paper was to indicate the optimal set of laboratory measurements of carbonate rock samples ensuring sufficient characterization of petrophysical and thermal rock properties. This concerns both the parameters directly characterizing the geothermal potential (thermal conductivity) and other petrophysical parameters, e.g., porosity and mineral composition. Determining the quantitative relationship between these parameters can be of key importance in the case of a shortage of archival thermal conductivity data, which, unlike other petrophysical measurements, are not commonly collected. The results clearly show that the best correlations between calculated and measured TC values exist for the subgroup of samples of porosity higher than 4%. TC evaluation based on porosity and mineral composition correlation models gives satisfactory results compared with direct TC measurements. The methods and results can be used to update the existing 3D parametric models and geothermal potential maps, and for the preliminary assessment of geothermal potential in the surrounding area.
Method for Building Information Modeling Supported Project Control of Nearly Zero-Energy Building Delivery
Authors: Gumbarević Sanjin , Burcar Dunović Ivana , Milovanović Bojan , Gaši Mergim
Published: October 2020

With the increasing number of nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) due to increase of global awareness on climate change, the new concepts of design and control must be developed because of great NZEB dependency on detailing and multidisciplinary approach. This paper proposes a three-level gateway control method for NZEB project delivery by using digital representation of the building in building information modeling (BIM) environment. These controls (C1, C2 and C3) are introduced before three main phases of any project delivery—design phase, construction phase and handover. The proposed project control procedure uses black-box building energy modeling within the BIM environment, so the paper explores the reliability of one tool for direct energy modeling within the BIM-authoring software. The paper shows two types of validation tests with satisfactory results. This leads to conclusion that analyzed tool for energy simulation within BIM environment can be used in a way that is described in a proposed project control procedure. For further research it is proposed to explore reliability of tools for energy simulation connected to other BIM-authoring software, so this project control procedure could be independent of BIM-authoring software used in the paper.