bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insights on Metabolic Reprogramming and Its Therapeutic Potential in Acute Leukemia
Authors: Di Martino Ludovica , Tosello Valeria , Peroni Edoardo , Piovan Erich
Published: August 2021

Acute leukemias, classified as acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, represent the most prevalent hematologic tumors in adolescent and young adults. In recent years, new challenges have emerged in order to improve the clinical effectiveness of therapies already in use and reduce their side effects. In particular, in this scenario, metabolic reprogramming plays a key role in tumorigenesis and prognosis, and it contributes to the treatment outcome of acute leukemia. This review summarizes the latest findings regarding the most relevant metabolic pathways contributing to the continuous growth, redox homeostasis, and drug resistance of leukemia cells. We describe the main metabolic deregulations in acute leukemia and evidence vulnerabilities that could be exploited for targeted therapy.
Role of SSD1 in Phenotypic Variation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains Lacking DEG1-Dependent Pseudouridylation
Authors: Khonsari Bahar , Klassen Roland , Schaffrath Raffael
Published: August 2021

Yeast phenotypes associated with the lack of wobble uridine (U34) modifications in tRNA were shown to be modulated by an allelic variation of SSD1, a gene encoding an mRNA-binding protein. We demonstrate that phenotypes caused by the loss of Deg1-dependent tRNA pseudouridylation are similarly affected by SSD1 allelic status. Temperature sensitivity and protein aggregation are elevated in deg1 mutants and further increased in the presence of the ssd1-d allele, which encodes a truncated form of Ssd1. In addition, chronological lifespan is reduced in a deg1 ssd1-d mutant, and the negative genetic interactions of the U34 modifier genes ELP3 and URM1 with DEG1 are aggravated by ssd1-d. A loss of function mutation in SSD1, ELP3, and DEG1 induces pleiotropic and overlapping phenotypes, including sensitivity against target of rapamycin (TOR) inhibitor drug and cell wall stress by calcofluor white. Additivity in ssd1 deg1 double mutant phenotypes suggests independent roles of Ssd1 and tRNA modifications in TOR signaling and cell wall integrity. However, other tRNA modification defects cause growth and drug sensitivity phenotypes, which are not further intensified in tandem with ssd1-d. Thus, we observed a modification-specific rather than general effect of SSD1 status on phenotypic variation in tRNA modification mutants. Our results highlight how the cellular consequences of tRNA modification loss can be influenced by protein targeting specific mRNAs.
Genome-Wide Identification, Expansion Mechanism and Expression Profiling Analysis of GLABROUS1 Enhancer-Binding Protein (GeBP) Gene Family in Gramineae Crops
Authors: Huang Jishuai , Zhang Qiannan , He Yurong , Liu Wei , Xu Yanghong , Liu Kejia , Xian Fengjun , Li Junde , Hu Jun
Published: August 2021

The GLABROUS1 enhancer-binding protein (GeBP) gene family encodes a typical transcription factor containing a noncanonical Leucine (Leu-)-zipper motif that plays an essential role in regulating plant growth and development, as well as responding to various stresses. However, limited information on the GeBP gene family is available in the case of the Gramineae crops. Here, 125 GeBP genes from nine Gramineae crops species were phylogenetically classified into four clades using bioinformatics analysis. Evolutionary analyses showed that whole genome duplication (WGD) and segmental duplication play important roles in the expansion of the GeBP gene family. The various gene structures and protein motifs revealed that the GeBP genes play diverse functions in plants. In addition, the expression profile analysis of the GeBP genes showed that 13 genes expressed in all tested organs and stages of development in rice, with especially high levels of expression in the leaf, palea, and lemma. Furthermore, the hormone- and metal-induced expression patterns showed that the expression levels of most genes were affected by various biotic stresses, implying that the GeBP genes had an important function in response to various biotic stresses. Furthermore, we confirmed that OsGeBP11 and OsGeBP12 were localized to the nucleus through transient expression in the rice protoplast, indicating that GeBPs function as transcription factors to regulate the expression of downstream genes. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the origin and evolutionary history of the GeBP genes family in Gramineae, and will be helpful in a further functional characterization of the GeBP genes.
A Disintegrin and Metalloproteases (ADAMs): Activation, Regulation and Mechanisms of Catalysis
Authors: Maretzky Thorsten
Published: August 2021

In the late 1980s, Paul Primakoff and colleagues showed that fertilization could be blocked in an in vitro sperm–egg fusion assay by inoculating them in the presence of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM)-specific antibody [...]
Management of Low-Risk Thyroid Cancers: Is Active Surveillance a Valid Option? A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Patrone Renato , Velotti Nunzio , Masone Stefania , Conzo Alessandra , Flagiello Luigi , Cacciatore Chiara , Filardo Marco , Granata Vincenza , Izzo Francesco , Testa Domenico , Avenia Stefano , Sanguinetti Alessandro , Polistena Andrea , Conzo Giovanni
Published: August 2021

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, representing 2.9% of all new cancers in the United States. It has an excellent prognosis, with a five-year relative survival rate of 98.3%.Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas (DTCs) are the most diagnosed thyroid tumors and are characterized by a slow growth rate and indolent course. For years, the only approach to treatment was thyroidectomy. Active surveillance (AS) has recently emerged as an alternative approach; it involves regular observation aimed at recognizing the minority of patients who will clinically progress and would likely benefit from rescue surgery. To better clarify the indications for active surveillance for low-risk thyroid cancers, we reviewed the current management of low-risk DTCs with a systematic search performed according to a PRISMA flowchart in electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE) for studies published before May 2021. Fourteen publications were included for final analysis, with a total number of 4830 patients under AS. A total of 451/4830 (9.4%) patients experienced an increase in maximum diameter by >3 mm; 609/4830 (12.6%) patients underwent delayed surgery after AS; metastatic spread to cervical lymph nodes was present in 88/4213 (2.1%) patients; 4/3589 (0.1%) patients had metastatic disease outside of cervical lymph nodes. Finally, no subject had a documented mortality due to thyroid cancer during AS. Currently, the American Thyroid Association guidelines do not support AS as the first-line treatment in patients with PMC; however, they consider AS to be an effective alternative, particularly in patients with high surgical risk or poor life expectancy due to comorbid conditions. Thus, AS could be an alternative to immediate surgery for patients with very-low-risk tumors showing no cytologic evidence of aggressive disease, for high-risk surgical candidates, for those with concurrent comorbidities requiring urgent intervention, and for patients with a relatively short life expectancy.
Assessing Prevalence and Factors Related to Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Multinomial Logistic Analysis
Authors: Blanco-Reina Encarnación , Aguilar-Cano Lorena , García-Merino María Rosa , Ocaña-Riola Ricardo , Valdellós Jenifer , Bellido-Estévez Inmaculada , Ariza-Zafra Gabriel
Published: August 2021

Frailty is an age-related clinical condition that typically involves a deterioration in the physiological capacity of various organ systems and heightens the patient’s susceptibility to stressors. For this reason, one of the main research goals currently being addressed is that of characterising the impact of frailty in different settings. The main aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Fried’s frailty phenotype among community-dwelling older people and to analyse the factors associated with frailty. In this research study, 582 persons aged 65 years or more participated in this cross-sectional study that was conducted at primary healthcare centres in Málaga, Spain. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional and comprehensive drug therapy data were compiled. The relationship between the independent variables and the different states of frailty was analysed by using a multinomial logistic regression model. Frailty was present in 24.1% of the study sample (95% CI = 20.7–27.6) of whom 54.3% were found to be pre-frail and 21.6% were non-frail. The study variable most strongly associated with frailty was the female gender (OR = 20.54, 95% CI = 9.10–46.3). Other factors found to be associated with the state of frailty included age, dependence for the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), polymedication, osteoarticular pathology and psychopathology. This study confirms the high prevalence of frailty among community-dwelling older people. Frailty may be associated with many factors. Some of these associated factors may be preventable or modifiable and, thus, provide clinically relevant targets for intervention. This is particularly the case for depressive symptoms, the clinical control of osteoarthritis and the use of polypharmacy.
Investigation of the Trend of Selecting Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents for the Initial Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy
Authors: Kim Jae-Hui , Kim Jong-Woo , Kim Chul-Gu
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the trend of selecting ranibizumab and aflibercept for the initial treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: This was a retrospective study that included 460 patients who were diagnosed with treatment-naïve neovascular AMD and PCV and were initially treated with either ranibizumab or aflibercept. The patients were divided into two groups: the ranibizumab group (n = 96) and the aflibercept group (n = 324). The patients’ characteristics and the proportion of the subtypes of macular neovascularization (MNV) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Patients in the ranibizumab group were significantly older (mean 74.3 ± 8.4 years) than those in the aflibercept group (mean 70.4 ± 8.8 years; p < 0.001). In the ranibizumab group, the proportions of type 1 or 2 MNV, type 3 MNV, and PCV were 50.0%, 27.1%, and 22.9%, respectively. In the aflibercept group, the proportions were 35.2%, 6.8%, and 58.0%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the proportion of MNV subtypes between the ranibizumab and aflibercept groups (p < 0.001). Ranibizumab was used in 54.2% of patients with type 3 MNVs. However, in patients with PCV, aflibercept was used in 89.5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ranibizumab was preferred as an initial treatment agent in older patients and those with type 3 MNV, whereas aflibercept was highly preferred in patients with PCV. The different characteristics and efficacy of the two agents may have partially contributed to this trend.
Automatic Segmentation of Pancreatic Tumors Using Deep Learning on a Video Image of Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasound
Authors: Iwasa Yuhei , Iwashita Takuji , Takeuchi Yuji , Ichikawa Hironao , Mita Naoki , Uemura Shinya , Shimizu Masahito , Kuo Yu-Ting , Wang Hsiu-Po , Hara Takeshi
Published: August 2021

Background: Contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (CE-EUS) is useful for the differentiation of pancreatic tumors. Using deep learning for the segmentation and classification of pancreatic tumors might further improve the diagnostic capability of CE-EUS. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of deep learning for the automatic segmentation of pancreatic tumors on CE-EUS video images and possible factors affecting the automatic segmentation. Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients who underwent CE-EUS for pancreatic tumors. The CE-EUS video images were converted from the originals to 90-s segments with six frames per second. Manual segmentation of pancreatic tumors from B-mode images was performed as ground truth. Automatic segmentation was performed using U-Net with 100 epochs and was evaluated with 4-fold cross-validation. The degree of respiratory movement (RM) and tumor boundary (TB) were divided into 3-degree intervals in each patient and evaluated as possible factors affecting the segmentation. The concordance rate was calculated using the intersection over union (IoU). Results: The median IoU of all cases was 0.77. The median IoUs in TB-1 (clear around), TB-2, and TB-3 (unclear more than half) were 0.80, 0.76, and 0.69, respectively. The IoU for TB-1 was significantly higher than that of TB-3 (p < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the degrees of RM. Conclusions: Automatic segmentation of pancreatic tumors using U-Net on CE-EUS video images showed a decent concordance rate. The concordance rate was lowered by an unclear TB but was not affected by RM.
Inter-Rater Reliability of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Comparison to Computed Tomography and Wrist Arthroscopy in SLAC and SNAC Wrist
Authors: Terzis Athanasios , Klinger Arlena , Seegmüller Jessica , Sauerbier Michael
Published: August 2021

The aim of the study was to assess the inter-rater reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in comparison to computed tomography (CT) and wrist arthroscopy in patients with scapholunate (SLAC) or scaphoid non-union advanced collapse (SNAC) as well as to evaluate a grading score of cartilage lesions. A total of 42 patients (36 male, 6 female) at a mean age of 45 years (range: 19–65 years) with a SLAC or SNAC wrist who had a preoperative MRI and CT scan as well as underwent arthroscopy of the wrist between 2013 and 2018 were included in this study. Cartilage lesions, as assessed by MRI, CT and wrist arthroscopy, were classified by two hand surgeons in three stages. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using the Kendall Tau-b test as well as the chi-square test to analyze for trend. The correlation between cartilage lesions, classified by arthroscopy and MRI, was low. A moderate correlation between CT and arthroscopy staging was shown. The highest inter-rater correlation was found between MRI and CT staging. An additionally performed logistic regression showed that progression of cartilage lesions as shown in MRI scans correlates with a restriction of range of motion (ROM). The level of cartilage lesion may be more severely classified in an MRI than during arthroscopy. Arthroscopy remains the gold standard in detecting cartilage lesions and thus in the decision-making process of the definitive treatment in carpal collapse.
Severe Lymphopenia as a Predictor of COVID-19 Mortality in Immunosuppressed Patients
Authors: Martínez-Urbistondo María , Gutiérrez-Rojas Ángela , Andrés Ane , Gutiérrez Isabel , Escudero Gabriela , García Sonia , Gutiérrez Andrea , Sánchez Enrique , Herráiz Jesús , De La Fuente Sara , Callejas Alejandro , De Mendoza Carmen , Moreno-Torres Víctor
Published: August 2021

Background. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a high mortality in certain group of patients. We analysed the impact of baseline immunosuppression in COVID-19 mortality and the role of severe lymphopenia in immunocompromised subjects. Methods. We analysed all patients admitted with COVID-19 in a tertiary hospital in Madrid between March 1st and April 30th 2020. Epidemiological and clinical data, including severe lymphopenia (<500 lymphocytes/mm3) during admission, were analysed and compared based on their baseline immunosuppression condition. Results. A total of 1594 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were hospitalised during the study period. 166 (10.4%) were immunosuppressed. Immunocompromised patients were younger (64 vs. 67 years, p = 0.02) but presented higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, heart, neurological, lung, kidney and liver disease (p < 0.05). They showed more severe lymphopenia (53% vs 24.1%, p < 0.001), lower SapO2/FiO2 ratios (251 vs 276, p = 0.02) during admission and higher mortality rates (27.1% vs 13.5%, p < 0.001). After adjustment, immunosuppression remained as an independent factor related to mortality (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.24, p < 0.001). In the immunosuppressed group, age (OR = 1.06, p = 0.01), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (OR = 12.27, p = 0.017) and severe lymphopenia (OR = 3.48, p = 0.04) were the factors related to high mortality rate. Conclusion. Immunosuppression is an independent mortality risk factor in COVID-19. Severe lymphopenia should be promptly identified in these patients.
Research on Spatial Patterns and Sustainable Development of Rural Tourism Destinations in the Yellow River Basin of China
Authors: Zhang Hao , Duan Ye , Han Zenglin
Published: August 2021

Rural tourism is a new point of growth for tourism and the economy in the context of the new normalization of the economy and is of great significance in achieving the complementary coordination and integration of urban and rural areas, promoting rural transformation, and increasing farmers’ incomes. The trends of rural tourism development mechanisms studied on a spatial scale can be used to interpret the sustainable development of rural tourism from different perspectives. Based on the data of key rural tourism villages in China’s Yellow River Basin (hereinafter referred to as the Yellow River Basin), kernel density estimation and spatial hot spot clustering methods were used in the present study to analyze the spatial distribution pattern and sustainable development mechanisms of these villages. The results showed that the spatial distribution of the key villages presents greater concentrations in the west and south than in the east and north, respectively. The spatial distribution of the key villages was found to be primarily affected by factors such as historical culture, transportation locations, economic level, and topography. Finally, the sustainable development mechanisms of rural tourism are proposed, and corresponding suggestions are provided from the perspectives of sustainable livelihoods, operation management, and marketing.
Urban Naturalization for Green Spaces Using Soil Tillage, Herbicide Application, Compost Amendment and Native Vegetation
Authors: Rojas Jaime , Dhar Amalesh , Naeth M.
Published: August 2021

Naturalization is a new and promising ecological approach to green space development for urban environments, although knowledge is sparse on techniques to implement it. We evaluated naturalization of eight native trees and shrubs, with site preparation (tillage, herbicide) and soil amendment (compost rates) treatment combinations at six sites in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Soil texture improved with all compost rates, and acidity, electrical conductivity and total carbon increased, especially with 100% compost. Soil nutrients generally increased with compost then declined within a year. Plant species with highest potential for use in urban green spaces were Picea glauca, Symphoricarpos albus and Rosa acicularis. Herbicide was the most influential site preparation treatment, positively increasing survival and growth of planted woody species, while negatively lowering non-native species cover and increasing noxious weed cover. Soil amendment with compost influenced cover not species richness, with high compost amendment reducing vegetation cover across sites, and increasing individual plant size. This study suggests amendment of soil with compost and appropriate site preparation can positively influence naturalization of these woody species for urban green spaces.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Long Noncoding RNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in the Amygdala of Rats with Bone Cancer Pain-Depression Comorbidity
Authors: Wu Shuyan , Chen Xiaohui , Huang Fengyi , Lin Mingxue , Chen Pinzhong , Wan Haiyang , Gao Fei , Zheng Ting , Zheng Xiaochun
Published: August 2021

Bone cancer pain (BCP)–depression comorbidity has become a complex clinical problem during cancer treatment; however, its underlying molecular mechanisms have not been clarified. Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be promising therapeutic targets in depression, but research on the role of lncRNAs in BCP–depression comorbidity has been limited. Therefore, high-throughput RNA sequencing was performed to detect differentially expressed profiles in the amygdala of a BCP–depression rat model in this study. We detected 330 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and 78 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in the BCP–depression comorbidity model and then verified the expression of six DEmRNAs and six DElncRNAs with the greatest degrees of difference by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes were strongly enriched in inflammatory and immunologic systemic responses. Then the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and the Th17 differentiation pathway showed significant differences, as determined by Western blot analysis. Finally, we constructed a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network to explore the potential regulatory mechanism of DEmRNAs. In conclusion, our study reveals a new resource for the understanding of dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs in BCP–depression comorbidity and provides novel potential therapeutic targets for further approaches.
Temperature Effect on Stability of Clamped–Clamped Composite Annular Plate with Damages
Authors: Pawlus Dorota
Published: August 2021

The paper presents the response of a three-layered annular plate with different damaged laminate facings to the action of the static or dynamic temperature field model. Various damages of laminate, composite facings change the plate structure reaction under the temperature fields. Obtained results indicate practical meaning of analyses in failure diagnostic process. The thermal sensitivity of two kinds of plate structures, undamaged and damaged, offers both new practical and scientific possibilities in evaluation of the plate behavior. The relations between macro-damage, i.e., the buckling of the plate structure and micro-damages of plate layers subjected to temperature gradient, are shown. The numerical solution is proposed as the most effective in examinations of the various transversally symmetrical and asymmetrical plate structures with a different rate of damages. The graphical distribution of changes in values of static and dynamic critical loads illustrate the process of structural damaging during its exploitation. They have practical importance in the evaluation of the structure capacity. The knowledge of the effect of laminate degradation process on plate buckling phenomenon located in thermal environment complements previous investigations and designates complex, multi-parameter problems as having scientifically new elements.
Utilizing the Intrinsic Thermal Instability of Swedenborgite Structured YBaCo4O7+δ as an Opportunity for Material Engineering in Lithium-Ion Batteries by Er and Ga Co-Doping Processes
Authors: Park Sanghyuk , Park Kwangho , Shin Ji-Seop , Ko Gyeongbin , Kim Wooseok , Park Jun-Young , Kwon Kyungjung
Published: August 2021

We firstly introduce Er and Ga co-doped swedenborgite-structured YBaCo4O7+δ (YBC) as a cathode-active material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), aiming at converting the phase instability of YBC at high temperatures into a strategic way of enhancing the structural stability of layered cathode-active materials. Our recent publication reported that Y0.8Er0.2BaCo3.2Ga0.8O7+δ (YEBCG) showed excellent phase stability compared to YBC in a fuel cell operating condition. By contrast, the feasibility of the LiCoO2 (LCO) phase, which is derived from swedenborgite-structured YBC-based materials, as a LIB cathode-active material is investigated and the effects of co-doping with the Er and Ga ions on the structural and electrochemical properties of Li-intercalated YBC are systemically studied. The intrinsic swedenborgite structure of YBC-based materials with tetrahedrally coordinated Co2+/Co3+ are partially transformed into octahedrally coordinated Co3+, resulting in the formation of an LCO layered structure with a space group of R-3m that can work as a Li-ion migration path. Li-intercalated YEBCG (Li[YEBCG]) shows effective suppression of structural phase transition during cycling, leading to the enhancement of LIB performance in Coulombic efficiency, capacity retention, and rate capability. The galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are performed to elucidate the enhanced phase stability of Li[YEBCG].
The Wear Behavior of the Laser Cladded Ti-Al-Si Composite Coatings on Ti-6Al-4V Alloy with Additional TiC
Authors: Liu Ran , Dang Xianting , Gao Yuan , Wu Tao , Zhu Yuanzhi
Published: August 2021

In this study, the Ti-Al-Si + xTiC (x = 0, 2, 6, 10 wt.%) composite coatings, each with a different content of TiC were fabricated on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy by laser surface cladding. The microstructure of the prepared coatings was analyzed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microhardness and the wear resistance of these coatings were also evaluated. The results show that α-Ti, Ti3Al, Ti5Si3, TiAl3, TiAl, Ti3AlC2 and TiC particles can be found in the composites. The microstructure can obviously be refined by increasing the content of TiC particles, while the microhardness increases and the coefficient of friction decreases. The Ti-Al-Si-6TiC composite shows the best wear resistance, owing to its relatively fine microstructure and high content of TiC particles. The microhardness of this coating is 5.3 times that of the substrate, while the wear rate is only 0.43 times. However, when the content of TiC was up to 10 wt.%, the original TiC could not be dissolved completely during the laser cladding process, leading to formation of cracks on the coatings.
Development of Custom Anatomic Healing Abutment Based on Cone-Beam Computer Tomography Measurement on Human Teeth Cross-Section
Authors: Teślak Monika , Ziemlewski Adam , Foltyn Igor , Ordyniec-Kwaśnica Iwona , Drogoszewska Barbara
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Nowadays, the final success of implantation is not only based on obtaining osseointegration of the implant but is also determined by achieving a satisfactory aesthetic effect of the soft tissues surrounding the implant, which can be defined as an aesthetic integration. The process of obtaining this aesthetic integration already begins at the stage of placing the healing abutment, which allows us to obtain the emergence profile necessary for our prosthetic reconstruction. Materials and Methods: The study used cone-beam computer tomography (CBCT) scans of 51 patients. The measurements of the maxillary teeth (central incisor, lateral incisor, canine, first premolar, and first molar) were performed from cross-sections of the individual teeth at the transition zone to design a custom anatomic healing abutment milled from zirconium and luted to the non-index Ti-base. Results: The obtained results allowed to design and create the shape of the anatomic healing abutment. Conclusions: The use of laboratory-produced anatomical healing abutments is possible and may allow to obtain the desired and planned emergence profiles of prosthetic restorations. In addition, it might be a method of reducing work time at the dental chair but further clinical trials are necessary.
MOC-Diatomite Composites Filled with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Pavlíková Milena , Záleská Martina , Pivák Adam , Jankovský Ondřej , Lauermannová Anna-Marie , Lojka Michal , Antončík Filip , Pavlík Zbyšek
Published: August 2021

The studies focusing on magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) composites have recently become fairly widespread because of MOC’s excellent mechanical properties and environmental sustainability. Numerous fillers, admixtures and nano-dopants were studied in order to improve the overall performance of MOC-based derivatives. Some of them exhibited specific flaws, such as a tendency to aggregate, increase in porosity, aeration of the composite matrix, depreciation in water resistance and mechanical strength, etc. In this manuscript, MOC-based composites doped by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are designed and tested. In order to modify the final properties of composites, diatomite was admixed as partial substitution of MgO, which was used in the composition of the researched material in excess, i.e., the majority of MgO constituted part of MOC and the rest served as fine filler. The composites were subjected to the broad experimental campaign that covered SEM (scanning electron microscopy), EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy), HR-TEM (high-resolution transmission electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), OM (optical microscopy) and STA-MS (simultaneous thermal analysis with mass spectroscopy). For 28 days hardened samples, macrostructural and microstructural parameters, mechanical properties, hygric and thermal characteristics were experimentally assessed. The incorporation of MWCNTs and diatomite resulted in the significant enhancement of composites’ compactness, mechanical strength and stiffness and reduction in water absorption and rate of water imbibition. The thermal properties of the enriched MOC composites yielded interesting values and provided information for future modification of thermal performance of MOC composites with respect to their specific use in practice, e.g., in passive moderation of indoor climate. The combination of MWCNTs and diatomite represents a valuable modification of the MOC matrix and can be further exploited in the design and development of advanced building materials and components.
Effect of Platelet Concentrates on Marginal Bone Loss of Immediate Implant Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: González-Serrano José , Vallina Carmen , González-Serrano Carlos , Sánchez-Monescillo Andrés , Torres Jesús , Hernández Gonzalo , López-Pintor Rosa María
Published: August 2021

Background: To evaluate marginal bone loss (MBL) in immediate implant procedures (IIP) placed in conjunction with platelet concentrates (PCs) compared to IIP without PCs. Methods: A search was performed in four databases. Clinical trials evaluating MBL of IIP placed with and without PCs were included. The random effects model was conducted for meta-analysis. Results: Eight clinical trials that evaluated MBL in millimeters were included. A total of 148 patients and 232 immediate implants were evaluated. The meta-analysis showed a statistically significant reduction on MBL of IIP placed with PCs when compared to the non-PCs group at 6 months (p < 0.00001) and 12 months (p < 0.00001) follow-ups. No statistically significant differences were observed on MBL of IIP when compared PCs + bone graft group vs. only bone grafting at 6 months (p = 0.51), and a significant higher MBL of IIP placed with PCs + bone graft when compared to only bone grafting at 12 months was found (p = 0.03). Conclusions: MBL of IIP at 6 and 12 months follow-ups is lower when PCs are applied in comparison to not placing PCs, which may lead to more predictable implant treatments in the medium term. However, MBL seems not to diminish when PCs + bone graft are applied when compared to only bone grafting.
Bioactivity Screening of Antarctic Sponges Reveals Anticancer Activity and Potential Cell Death via Ferroptosis by Mycalols
Authors: Riccio Gennaro , Nuzzo Genoveffa , Zazo Gianluca , Coppola Daniela , Senese Giuseppina , Romano Lucia , Costantini Maria , Ruocco Nadia , Bertolino Marco , Fontana Angelo , Ianora Adrianna , Verde Cinzia , Giordano Daniela , Lauritano Chiara
Published: August 2021

Sponges are known to produce a series of compounds with bioactivities useful for human health. This study was conducted on four sponges collected in the framework of the XXXIV Italian National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) in November-December 2018, i.e., Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata, Haliclona (Rhizoniera) dancoi, Hemimycale topsenti, and Hemigellius pilosus. Sponge extracts were fractioned and tested against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), lung carcinoma (A549), and melanoma cells (A2058), in order to screen for antiproliferative or cytotoxic activity. Two different chemical classes of compounds, belonging to mycalols and suberitenones, were identified in the active fractions. Mycalols were the most active compounds, and their mechanism of action was also investigated at the gene and protein levels in HepG2 cells. Of the differentially expressed genes, ULK1 and GALNT5 were the most down-regulated genes, while MAPK8 was one of the most up-regulated genes. These genes were previously associated with ferroptosis, a programmed cell death triggered by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, confirmed at the protein level by the down-regulation of GPX4, a key regulator of ferroptosis, and the up-regulation of NCOA4, involved in iron homeostasis. These data suggest, for the first time, that mycalols act by triggering ferroptosis in HepG2 cells.
A Novel Machine-Learning-Based Procedure to Determine the Surface Finish Quality of Titanium Alloy Parts Obtained by Heat Assisted Single Point Incremental Forming
Authors: Bautista-Monsalve Fernando , García-Sevilla Francisco , Miguel Valentín , Naranjo Jesús , Manjabacas María Carmen
Published: August 2021

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a cheap and flexible sheet metal forming process for rapid manufacturing of complex geometries. Additionally, it is important for engineers to measure the surface finish of work pieces to assess their quality and performance. In this paper, a predictive model based on machine learning and computer vision was developed to estimate arithmetic mean surface roughness (Ra) and maximum peak to valley height (Rz) of Ti6Al4V parts obtained by SPIF. An image database was prepared to train different classification algorithms in accordance with a supervised learning approach. A speeded up robust feature (SURF) detector was used to obtain visual vocabulary so that the classifiers are able to group the photographs into classes. The experimental results indicated that the proposed predictive method shows great potential to determine the surface quality, as classifiers based on a support vector machine with a polynomial kernel are suitable for this purpose.
Molecular Confirmation of Massive Taenia pisiformis Cysticercosis in One Rabbit in Poland
Authors: Samorek-Pieróg Małgorzata , Karamon Jacek , Brzana Adam , Bilska-Zając Ewa , Zdybel Jolanta , Cencek Tomasz
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to provide molecular characterization, together with phylogenetic analysis, of Taenia pisiformis cysts isolated from rabbit. On the basis of morphological features and molecular analysis, the cysticerci were identified as T.pisiformis metacestodes. PCR was performed with three different protocols to obtain partial sequences of 12S ribosomal RNA (12S rRNA), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1), and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) of Taenia spp. The products from the PCRs were sequenced. Interpretation of the sequencing results of the obtained amplicons, by comparing them with the GenBank database, proved that the causative agent, in this case, was T. pisiformis. The phylogenetic analysis of the received sequences identified a new haplotype. The received data can be used to supplement the species description. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular confirmation of T. pisiformis metacestodes infection in the rabbit, in Poland.
Rootstock-Dependent Response of Hass Avocado to Salt Stress
Authors: Lazare Silit , Cohen Yafit , Goldshtein Eitan , Yermiyahu Uri , Ben-Gal Alon , Dag Arnon
Published: August 2021

Salt stress is a major limiting factor in avocado (Persea americana) cultivation, exacerbated by global trends towards scarcity of high-quality water for irrigation. Israeli avocado orchards have been irrigated with relatively high-salinity recycled municipal wastewater for over three decades, over which time rootstocks were selected for salt-tolerance. This study’s objective was to evaluate the physiological salt response of avocado as a function of the rootstock. We irrigated fruit-bearing ‘Hass’ trees grafted on 20 different local and introduced rootstocks with water high in salts (electrical conductivity of 1.4–1.5 dS/m). The selected rootstocks represent a wide range of genetic backgrounds, propagation methods, and horticultural characteristics. We investigated tree physiology and development during two years of salt exposure by measuring Cl and Na leaf concentrations, leaf osmolality, visible damages, trunk circumference, LAI, CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, spectral reflectance, stem water potential, trichomes density, and yield. We found a significant effect of the rootstocks on stress indicators, vegetative and reproductive development, leaf morphogenesis and photosynthesis rates. The most salt-sensitive rootstocks were VC 840, Dusa, and VC 802, while the least sensitive were VC 159, VC 140, and VC 152. We conclude that the rootstock strongly influences avocado tree response to salinity exposure in terms of physiology, anatomy, and development.
Light Spectra and Root Stocks Affect Response of Greenhouse Tomatoes to Long Photoperiod of Supplemental Lighting
Authors: Lanoue Jason , Thibodeau Alyssa , Little Celeste , Zheng Jingming , Grodzinski Bernard , Hao Xiuming
Published: August 2021

Plant biomass and yield are largely dictated by the total amount of light intercepted by the plant (daily light integral (DLI)—intensity × photoperiod). It is more economical to supply the desired DLI with a long photoperiod of low-intensity light because it uses fewer light fixtures, reducing capital costs. Furthermore, heat released by the light fixtures under a long photoperiod extended well into the night helps to meet the heating requirement during the night. However, extending the photoperiod beyond a critical length (>17 h) may be detrimental to production and lead to leaf chlorosis and a reduction in leaf growth and plant vigor in greenhouse tomato production. It is known that red light can increase leaf growth and plant vigor, as can certain rootstocks, which could compensate for the loss in plant vigor and leaf growth from long photoperiods. Therefore, this study investigated the response of tomatoes grafted onto different rootstocks to a long photoperiod of lighting under red and other light spectra. Tomato plants ‘Trovanzo’ grafted onto ‘Emperator’ or ‘Kaiser’ were subjected to two spectral compositions—100% red or a mix of red (75%), blue (20%), and green (5%) light for 17 h or 23 h. The four treatments supplied similar DLI. Leaf chlorosis appeared in all plants under 23 h lighting regardless of spectral compositions between 20 and 54 days into the treatment. The yield for 23 h mixed lighting treatment was lower than both 17 h lighting treatments. However, the 23 h red lighting treatment resulted in less leaf chlorosis and the plants grafted onto ‘Emperator’ produced a similar yield as both 17 h lighting treatments. Therefore, both spectral compositions and rootstocks affected the response of greenhouse tomatoes to long photoperiods of lighting. With red light and proper rootstock, the negative yield impact from long photoperiod lighting can be eliminated.
To What Extent Are the Effects of UV Radiation on Grapes Conserved in the Resulting Wines?
Authors: Del-Castillo-Alonso María-Ángeles , Monforte Laura , Tomás-Las-Heras Rafael , Martínez-Abaigar Javier , Núñez-Olivera Encarnación
Published: August 2021

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation strongly influences grape composition, but only a few studies have focused on how this influence is conserved in the resulting wines. Here we analyzed to what extent the changes induced by exposing Tempranillo grapes to UV radiation from budbreak to harvest were conserved in wine. By using different cut-off filters and lamps, we differentiated the effects of ambient levels of UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, as well as the effects of a realistic UV-B enhancement associated with climate change. Among phenolic compounds, the most consistent responses to UV were those of flavonols (particularly quercetin-, kaempferol-, isorhamnetin- and myricetin-glycosides), which significantly increased in wines whose grapes had been exposed to a synergic combination of UV-A and UV-B radiation. This confirms that flavonols are the phenolic compounds most reliably conserved from UV-exposed grapes to wine, despite the possible influence of the winemaking process. Flavonols are important compounds because they contribute to wine co-pigmentation by stabilizing anthocyanins, and they are interesting antioxidants and nutraceuticals. Hydroxycinnamic acids also increased under the same UV combination or under UV-A alone. Wine VOCs were much less reactive to the UV received by grapes than phenolic compounds, and only esters showed significantly higher values under (mainly) UV-A alone. This was surprising because (1) UV-A has been considered to be less important than UV-B to induce metabolic changes in plants, and (2) esters are produced during winemaking. Esters are relevant due to their contribution to the fruity aroma in wines. In general, the remaining phenolic compounds (stilbenes, flavanols, hydroxybenzoic acids, and anthocyanins) and VOCs (alcohols, hydrocarbons, and fatty acids), together with wine color and antioxidant capacity, showed inconsistent or non-significant responses to UV radiation. These results were summarized by a multivariate analysis. Our study opens up new possibilities to artificially manipulate UV radiation in grapevine cultivation to improve both grape and wine quality.
Digital Stories as a Creative Assignment for Studying World Religions
Authors: Chesnavage Charles S.
Published: August 2021

The incorporation of creative assignments in the form of digital stories and artistic assignments in undergraduate and graduate World Religions courses has resulted in positive feedback from the students, and these courses were considered the favorite of the semester. They have given students, many of which identify as “spiritual but not religious”, or “non-practicing”, an opportunity to connect themes from various world religions to their own life stories, implicitly or explicitly. The purpose of this article is to encourage educators in both a secondary and a college/university/seminary setting to consider digital stories as a creative assignment that deepens their understanding of world religions within the context of a World Religions course, or other religion and religious education courses. This article will present the institutional support provided by Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, New York) and the context for the World Religions class in which the digital stories are assigned. It will be followed by the process of making a digital story, the directions given to the students, the different platforms that students can choose to make the digital stories, and examples of digital stories created by the students. The paper will conclude with a summary of comments made by the students about the assignment and connections with additional articles on the benefits of digital stories to increase empathy and replace the dominant stories that cause oppression and injustice, like racism and white supremacy, with stories that offer resistance and counter the status quo of oppression and injustice.
Re-Membering Catholicity: Higher Education, Racial Justice, and the Spirituality of the Posthuman University
Authors: Mayer Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2021

In the reinscribing of white supremacy in the United States, the contemporary university as a place of exclusion presents a problem of religion. Approaching religion as “the search for depth” and addressing the “techno-myths” of betterment, longevity, and the rituals of enacting these myths that capture today’s social imaginaries, this paper proposes an alternative to religious faith in “rising” and the rhetoric of the contemporary American technocratic-meritrocratic paradigm. Adopting the posthumanist methodologies of reflexivity and diffraction, the author argues for an embodied catholicity of the university as a community, an open system rather than a pre-formed locus to which racially minoritized students are “added” or “included”. In advancing the co-creativity of a Catholic-pluriversal university via an ethic of love and care, the author presents a Christian spirituality that is itself a technology that offers the hope of enacting a more life-giving congruence between the sacred and the secular than the myth of Manifest Destiny and the racialized violence that is the continued manifestation of that mythos. Embodied in the posthuman mystic’s practices of “re-memory,” the author presents Christianity as a performative-pluralistic religion of evolution, one of common action with the potential to draw into something new the energies of creativity in today’s university.
A Cyber-Physical Data Collection System Integrating Remote Sensing and Wireless Sensor Networks for Coffee Leaf Rust Diagnosis
Authors: Velásquez David , Sánchez Alejandro , Sarmiento Sebastián , Velásquez Camilo , Toro Mauricio , Montoya Edwin , Trefftz Helmuth , Maiza Mikel , Sierra Basilio
Published: August 2021

Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) is a fungal epidemic disease that has been affecting coffee trees around the world since the 1980s. The early diagnosis of CLR would contribute strategically to minimize the impact on the crops and, therefore, protect the farmers’ profitability. In this research, a cyber-physical data-collection system was developed, by integrating Remote Sensing and Wireless Sensor Networks, to gather data, during the development of the CLR, on a test bench coffee-crop. The system is capable of automatically collecting, structuring, and locally and remotely storing reliable multi-type data from different field sensors, Red-Green-Blue (RGB) and multi-spectral cameras (RE and RGN). In addition, a data-visualization dashboard was implemented to monitor the data-collection routines in real-time. The operation of the data collection system allowed to create a three-month size dataset that can be used to train CLR diagnosis machine learning models. This result validates that the designed system can collect, store, and transfer reliable data of a test bench coffee-crop towards CLR diagnosis.
SFA-MDEN: Semantic-Feature-Aided Monocular Depth Estimation Network Using Dual Branches
Authors: Wang Rui , Zou Jialing , Wen James Zhiqing
Published: August 2021

Monocular depth estimation based on unsupervised learning has attracted great attention due to the rising demand for lightweight monocular vision sensors. Inspired by multi-task learning, semantic information has been used to improve the monocular depth estimation models. However, multi-task learning is still limited by multi-type annotations. As far as we know, there are scarcely any large public datasets that provide all the necessary information. Therefore, we propose a novel network architecture Semantic-Feature-Aided Monocular Depth Estimation Network (SFA-MDEN) to extract multi-resolution depth features and semantic features, which are merged and fed into the decoder, with the goal of predicting depth with the support of semantics. Instead of using loss functions to relate the semantics and depth, the fusion of feature maps for semantics and depth is employed to predict the monocular depth. Therefore, two accessible datasets with similar topics for depth estimation and semantic segmentation can meet the requirements of SFA-MDEN for training sets. We explored the performance of the proposed SFA-MDEN with experiments on different datasets, including KITTI, Make3D, and our own dataset BHDE-v1. The experimental results demonstrate that SFA-MDEN achieves competitive accuracy and generalization capacity compared to state-of-the-art methods.