bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Two Triticum aestivum L.—Dasypyrum villosum Translocations Lines in the Same Wheat Genetic Background
Authors: Wang Baicui , Ma Xiaolan , Ye Xingguo , Zhou Yilin , Ma Youzhi , Lin Zhishan
Published: February 2021

A wheat 660K chip was used to genotype two wheat-Dasypyrum villosum 6V#4S.6DL and 6V#2S.6AL translocation lines (A303 and B303) and their common wheat recurrent parent Wan7107. The results showed that these three lines have similar characteristics of base composition except for the translocation chromosomes. The alien translocation chromosomes have fewer homozygous and more heterozygous genotypes with more invalid probes. Distributions of SNPs between the translocation lines and Wan7107 were mainly dense on the regions of 6AS or 6DS as expected, but unexpectedly also on near the telomere of 2BS, and some regions of other wheat chromosomes. Meanwhile, the translocation lines A303 and B303 have 99.44% and 98.81% identical genotypes to Wan7107, respectively. Under the same genetic background, A303 and B303 showed different reactions to Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) strains of powdery mildew. Both translocation lines have higher grain weight and plant height, and B303 has fewer spikelets compared to Wan7107. These results provide us a new insight into the genomic variation between the backcross generation plant and the recurrent parent, which is valuable information for understanding the relationship between wheat and the 6VS chromosome of D. villosum as well as the application potential of the alien chromosome arms.
Impact of Integrated Agronomic Practices on Soil Fertility and Respiration on the Indo-Gangetic Plain of North India
Authors: Dubey Rama Kant , Dubey Pradeep Kumar , Chaurasia Rajan , Rao Ch Srinivasa , Abhilash Purushothaman Chirakkuzhyil
Published: February 2021

Global agricultural production is accountable for the emission of ~30% of greenhouse gases. Therefore, the wide-scale adoptions of low-input, soil-friendly, and resource-conserving agronomic practices are imperative for the ‘planet healthy food production’ and also for reducing the carbon emissions from agricultural soil. In this context, the present study aimed to analyze the impacts of integrated agronomic interventions i.e., the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) + reduced tillage (RT), biochar + RT, and AMF + biochar + RT, on spatiotemporal variations in soil-quality and soil-sustainability indicators, including microbial and soil respiration, in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of North India. For this, field experiments on the above-mentioned agronomic interventions were employed using three different staple crops (Zea mays, Vigna mungo, and Brassica juncea) growing in three different agro-climatic zones of IGP (Varanasi, Sultanpur, and Gorakhpur) in a randomized block design. Periodic data collection was done to analyze the changes in physiochemical, biological, and biochemical properties of the soil, and statistical analyses were done accordingly. Irrespective of the sites, the experimental results proved that the integrated application of AMF + biochar + RT in V. mungo resulted in the highest soil organic carbon (i.e., 135% increment over the control) and microbial biomass carbon (24%), whereas the same application (i.e., AMF + biochar + RT) in Z. mays had the maximum reduction in microbial (32%) and soil (44%) respiration. On the other hand, enhanced occurrence of glomalin activity (98%) was noted in Z. mays cropping for all the sites. Significant negative correlation between soil respiration and glomalin activity under AMF + biochar + RT (−0.85), AMF + RT (−0.82), and biochar + RT (−0.62) was an indication of glomalin’s role in the reduced rate of soil respiration. The research results proved that the combined application of AMF + biochar + RT was the best practice for enhancing soil quality while reducing respiration. Therefore, the development of suitable packages of integrated agronomic practices is essential for agricultural sustainability.
Expeller-Pressed Canola (Brassica napus) Meal Modulates the Structure and Function of the Cecal Microbiota, and Alters the Metabolome of the Pancreas, Liver, and Breast Muscle of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Inglis G. Douglas , Wright Benjamin D. , Sheppard Stephanie A. , Abbott D. Wade , Oryschak Matt A. , Montina Tony
Published: February 2021

The inoculation of one-day-old broiler chicks with the cecal contents from a mature broiler breeder resulted in a highly diverse and uniform cecal bacterial community. CM did not affect feed consumption, weight gain, nor the richness, evenness, or diversity of the cecal bacterial community. However, the structure of the bacterial community was altered in birds fed the CM diet. Although the CM diet was formulated to contain equivalent metabolizable energy to the control diet, it contained more dietary fiber. The abundance of bacterial families, including those that are known to contain species able to metabolize fiber was altered (e.g., bacteria within the families, Methanobacteriaceae, Atopobiaceae, Prevotellaceae, Clostridiales Family XIII, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Succinivibrionaceae), and concentrations of SCFAs were higher in the ceca of birds fed the CM diet. Moreover, concentrations of isoleucine, isobutyrate, glutamate, and 2-oxoglutarate were higher, whereas concentrations of phenyllactic acid, indole, glucose, 3-phenylpropionate, and 2-oxobutyrate were lower in the digesta of chickens that were fed CM. The metabolic profiles of pancreas, liver, and breast muscle tissues of birds fed the CM diet differed from control birds. Metabolites that were associated with energy production, protection against oxidative stress, and pathways of amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism had altered concentrations in these tissues. Some of the observed changes in metabolite levels may indicate an increased disease risk in birds fed the CM diet (e.g., pancreatitis), and others suggested that birds mounted metabolic response to offset the adverse impacts of CM (e.g., oxidative stress in the liver).
The Sustainability of Keeping Birds as Pets: Should Any Be Kept?
Authors: Peng Shawn , Broom Donald M.
Published: February 2021

We describe a wide range of unethical and unsustainable practices inherent to the trading and keeping of pet birds. At present, biodiversity and wild bird populations are being greatly harmed and many individual birds have poor welfare. Wild-caught birds should not be sold to the public as pets, or to breeding establishments for several reasons, including because 75–90% of wild-caught birds die before the point of sale and taking birds from the wild has negative effects on biodiversity. The housing provided for pet birds should meet the needs of birds of that species and allow good welfare, for example there should be no small cages but aviaries with space for each bird to exercise adequately, and social birds should be kept in social groups. At present, inadequate housing of many pet birds results in stereotypies and other indicators of poor welfare in birds. Owners should have knowledge of how to provide good nutrition and minimize the risk of disease. Unless these changes are made, keeping birds as pets should not be permitted. New laws are needed to prohibit taking birds from the wild and ensure captive pet birds in conditions that do meet their needs.
LabConcept—A New Mobile Healthcare Platform for Standardizing Patient Results in Telemedicine
Authors: Niculescu Manole-Stefan , Florescu Adriana , Pasca Sever
Published: February 2021

The aim of this paper is to present a new original software platform, called LabConcept, that is designed for monitoring health activity in order to establish a more efficient treatment plan and provide a better lifestyle via telemedicine. It is fully designed by the authors and embeds all the patient’s healthcare information into a mobile software application, compatible with smartphones, laptops or other mobile devices. The novelty consists in standardizing the laboratory and the point-of-care results into a Quick Response (QR) code that is printed on every result bulletin issued and given to the patient after his routine blood assays are performed. Compared to the existing telemedicine software (VSee, Teladoc, TheraPlatform, Chiron Health), which have the basic videoconferencing role, LabConcept has a set of new important features that start from the concept of telemedicine, designed to load and create databases for all the assayed results in order to be sent to the doctor’s LabConcept application for professional interpretation. The software also analyzes the clinical evolution of an assay on a user-predefined period of time, automatically pre-diagnoses and alerts the user about a potential disorder from the stored results and records comments regarding the efficiency of the patient’s treatment plan. LabConcept is an easy and safe end-to-end real-time patient–doctor communication channel, conducive to improved monitoring and treatment procedures for the patient.
Induction of Stem Cell Like Cells from Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast by Short-Term Shear Stress and Vitamin C
Authors: Yeom Seungmin , Lee Myung Chul , Pandey Shambhavi , Lim Jaewoon , Park Sangbae , Kim Jae Eun , Jang Kyoung Je , Seonwoo Hoon , Garg Pankaj , Chung Jong Hoon
Published: February 2021

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a good medicine source because of their potential to differentiate into various tissues or cells. However, traditionally, iPSCs made by specific transgenes and virus vectors are not appropriate for clinical use because of safety concerns and risk of tumor development. The goal of this research was to develop an alternative method for reprogramming, using small molecules and external stimuli. Two groups were established: short-term shear stress (STSS) under suspension culture and a combination of short-term shear stress and vitamin C (SSVC) under suspension culture. For STSS, the pipetting was carried out for cells twice per day for 2 min for 14 days in the embryonic stem cell (ES) medium. In the case of SSVC, the procedure was the same as for STSS however, its ES medium included 10 µM of vitamin C. After 14 days, all spheroids were picked and checked for pluripotency by ALP (alkaline phosphatase) assay and immunocytochemistry. Both groups partially showed the characteristics of stem cells but data demonstrated that the spheroids under shear stress and vitamin C had improved stem cell-like properties. This research showed the possibility of external stimuli and small molecules to reprogram the somatic cells without the use of transgenes.
Source Enumeration Approaches Using Eigenvalue Gaps and Machine Learning Based Threshold for Direction-of-Arrival Estimation
Authors: Lee Yunseong , Park Chanhong , Kim Taeyoung , Choi Yeongyoon , Kim Kiseon , Kim Dongho , Lee Myung-Sik , Lee Dongkeun
Published: February 2021

Source enumeration is an important procedure for radio direction-of-arrival finding in the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm. The most widely used source enumeration approaches are based on the eigenvalues themselves of the covariance matrix obtained from the received signal. However, they have shortcomings such as the imperfect accuracy even at a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the poor performance at low SNR, and the limited detection number of sources. This paper proposestwo source enumeration approaches using the ratio of eigenvalue gaps and the threshold trained by a machine learning based clustering algorithm for gaps of normalized eigenvalues, respectively. In the first approach, a criterion formula derived with eigenvalue gaps is used to determine the number of sources, where the formula has maximum value. In the second approach, datasets of normalized eigenvalue gaps are generated for the machine learning based clustering algorithm and the optimal threshold for estimation of the number of sources are derived, which minimizes source enumeration error probability. Simulation results show that our proposed approaches are superior to the conventional approaches from both the estimation accuracy and numerical detectability extent points of view. The results demonstrate that the second proposed approach has the feasibility to improve source enumeration performance if appropriate learning datasets are sufficiently provided.
In Situ Measurement of Sound Attenuation by Fish Schools (Japanese Horse Mackerel, Trachurus japonicus) at Mid-Frequency Bands
Authors: Kim Hansoo , Paeng Dong-Guk
Published: February 2021

Acoustic waves are attenuated by fish schools as they propagate through the ocean. The attenuation by fish schools is not currently considered in fishery acoustics and sonar applications, especially at mid-frequency bands. In this study, fish school attenuation experiments were conducted with a number of individual fish in situ in a net cage at mid-frequency bands (3–7 kHz). The target fish species was the Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus), which typically forms fish schools in the coastal ocean of northeastern Asia. The attenuated acoustic waves were measured for the cases of non-net, only net (0), 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 individual horse mackerels in the net cage. Results showed that the acoustic signal attenuation increased with the number of horse mackerels. The mean and maximum attenuation coefficients were approximately 6.0–15.4 dB/m and 6.5–21.8 dB/m for all frequencies, respectively. The measured attenuation coefficients were compared with the ones from previous studies to propose new regression models with normalized extinction cross-sections of weight and length of fish. This study confirmed that the fish school attenuation could not be ignored and compensated at mid-frequencies in the ocean. These results would be useful for fishery acoustics, especially in the development of scientific echo-sounder, and naval applications of sonar operations and analysis.
Application of the Segmented Correlation Technology in Seismic Communication with Morse Code
Authors: Jiang Yuanjie , Chen Yuda , Tian Ruyun , Wang Longxu , Lv Shixue , Lin Jun , Xing Xuefeng
Published: February 2021

Seismic communication might promise to revolutionize the theory of seismic waves. However, one of the greatest challenges to its widespread adoption is the difficulty of signal extraction because the seismic waves in the vibration environments, such as seas, streets, city centers and subways, are very complex. Here, we employ segmented correlation technology with Morse code (SCTMC), which extracts the target signal by cutting the collected data into a series of segments and makes these segments cross-correlate with the decoded signal to process the collected data. To test the effectiveness of the technology, a seismic communication system composed of vibroseis sources and geophones was built in an environment full of other vibration signals. Most notably, it improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), extending the relay distance and suppressing other vibration signals by using technology to deal with seismic data generated by the system.
Online Intelligent Perception of Pantograph and Catenary System Status Based on Parameter Adaptation
Authors: Shen Yuan , Pan Xiao , Chang Luonan
Published: February 2021

Online autonomous perception of pantograph catenary system status is of great significance for railway autonomous operation and maintenance (RIOM). Image sensors combined with an image processing algorithm can realize the automatic acquisition of the pantograph catenary condition; however, it is difficult to meet the demand of long-term stable condition acquisition, which restricts the implementation of online contact state feedback and the realization of railway automation. This paper proposes an online intelligent perception of the pantograph and catenary system (PCS) status based on parameter adaptation to realize fast and stable state analysis when the train is in long-term operation outdoors. First, according to the feature of the contact point, we used histogram of gradient (HoG) features and one-dimensional signal combined with a KCF tracker as the baseline method. Then, a result discriminator located by L1 and hash similarity constraints was used to construct a closed-loop parameter adaptive localization framework, which retrieves and updates parameters when tracking failure occurs. After that, a pruned RefineDet method was used to detect pantograph horns and sparks, which, together with the contact points localization method, ensure the long-term stability of feature localization in PCS images. Then, based on the stereo cameras model, the three-dimensional trajectory of the whole pantograph body can be reconstructed by the image features, and we obtained pantograph catenary contact parameters including the pantograph slide posture, contact line offset, arc detection, separation detection, etc. Our method has been tested on more than 16,000 collected image pairs and the results show that the proposed method has a better positioning effect than the state-of-art method, and realizes the online acquisition of pantograph catenary contact state, representing a significant contribution to RIOM.
Application of Artificial Intelligence to Determined Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cement-Stabilized Soil in Vietnam
Authors: Ngo Huong Thi Thanh , Pham Tuan Anh , Vu Huong Lan Thi , Giap Loi Van
Published: February 2021

Cement stabilized soil is one of the commonly used as ground reinforcement solutions in geotechnical engineering. In this study, the main object was to apply three machine learning (ML) methods namely gradient boosting (GB), artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) to predict unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of cement stabilized soil. Soil samples were collected at Hai Duong city, Vietnam. A total of 216 soil–cement samples were mixed in the laboratory and compressed to determine the UCS. This data set is divided into two parts of the training data set (80%) and testing set (20%) to build and test the model, respectively. To verify the performance of ML model, various criteria named correlation coefficient (R), mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used. The results show that all three ML models were effective methods to predict the UCS of cement-stabilized soil. Amongst three model used in this study, optimized ANN model provided superior performance compare to two others models with performance indicator R = 0.925, RMSE = 419.82 and MAE = 292.2 for testing part. This study can provide an effective tool to quickly predict the UCS of cement stabilized soil with high accuracy.
Semantic 3D Mapping from Deep Image Segmentation
Authors: Martín Francisco , González Fernando , Guerrero José Miguel , Fernández Manuel , Ginés Jonatan
Published: February 2021

The perception and identification of visual stimuli from the environment is a fundamental capacity of autonomous mobile robots. Current deep learning techniques make it possible to identify and segment objects of interest in an image. This paper presents a novel algorithm to segment the object’s space from a deep segmentation of an image taken by a 3D camera. The proposed approach solves the boundary pixel problem that appears when a direct mapping from segmented pixels to their correspondence in the point cloud is used. We validate our approach by comparing baseline approaches using real images taken by a 3D camera, showing that our method outperforms their results in terms of accuracy and reliability. As an application of the proposed algorithm, we present a semantic mapping approach for a mobile robot’s indoor environments.
Optimal Design and Experimental Verification of Ultrasonic Cutting Horn for Ceramic Composite Material
Authors: Hahn Mibbeum , Cho Yeungjung , Jang Gunhee , Kim Bumcho
Published: February 2021

We developed and optimized a block-type ultrasonic horn that can be used for cutting hard materials. The proposed block-type sonotrode consists of an aluminum horn and a tungsten carbide blade to increase the cutting of hard materials. We designed an initial ultrasonic block horn that has double slots and an exponential stepped profile. We developed a finite element model of the initial model and analyzed the characteristics of natural frequency and displacement. We formulated a DOE table and response surface to perform sensitivity analysis and analyze the correlation between the design variables and characteristics of the proposed block horn. The optimal ultrasonic block horn was derived via a multi-objective optimal design problem to maximize the amplitude uniformity of the proposed horn and frequency separation. We fabricated the optimal block horn and verified it experimentally. An ultrasonic cutting experiment was conducted to find the ultrasonic cutting force with hard ceramic composite materials. A cutting test with a conventional cutting machine under the same condition was also conducted to compare the cutting force. The proposed optimal ultrasonic cutter requires 70% less cutting force than the conventional cutter to cut a ceramic composite material and the cutting surface with the application of the proposed optimal ultrasonic cutter is much cleaner with no crack and delamination than that with the application of the conventional cutter.
Outlier Detection for Multivariate Time Series Using Dynamic Bayesian Networks
Authors: Serras Jorge L. , Vinga Susana , Carvalho Alexandra M.
Published: February 2021

Outliers are observations suspected of not having been generated by the underlying process of the remaining data. Many applications require a way of identifying interesting or unusual patterns in multivariate time series (MTS), now ubiquitous in many applications; however, most outlier detection methods focus solely on univariate series. We propose a complete and automatic outlier detection system covering the pre-processing of MTS data that adopts a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) modeling algorithm. The latter encodes optimal inter and intra-time slice connectivity of transition networks capable of capturing conditional dependencies in MTS datasets. A sliding window mechanism is employed to score each MTS transition gradually, given the DBN model. Two score-analysis strategies are studied to assure an automatic classification of anomalous data. The proposed approach is first validated in simulated data, demonstrating the performance of the system. Further experiments are made on real data, by uncovering anomalies in distinct scenarios such as electrocardiogram series, mortality rate data, and written pen digits. The developed system proved beneficial in capturing unusual data resulting from temporal contexts, being suitable for any MTS scenario. A widely accessible web application employing the complete system is publicly available jointly with a tutorial.
Region-of-Interest-Based Cardiac Image Segmentation with Deep Learning
Authors: Galea Raul-Ronald , Diosan Laura , Andreica Anca , Popa Loredana , Manole Simona , Bálint Zoltán
Published: February 2021

Despite the promising results obtained by deep learning methods in the field of medical image segmentation, lack of sufficient data always hinders performance to a certain degree. In this work, we explore the feasibility of applying deep learning methods on a pilot dataset. We present a simple and practical approach to perform segmentation in a 2D, slice-by-slice manner, based on region of interest (ROI) localization, applying an optimized training regime to improve segmentation performance from regions of interest. We start from two popular segmentation networks, the preferred model for medical segmentation, U-Net, and a general-purpose model, DeepLabV3+. Furthermore, we show that ensembling of these two fundamentally different architectures brings constant benefits by testing our approach on two different datasets, the publicly available ACDC challenge, and the imATFIB dataset from our in-house conducted clinical study. Results on the imATFIB dataset show that the proposed approach performs well with the provided training volumes, achieving an average Dice Similarity Coefficient of the whole heart of 89.89% on the validation set. Moreover, our algorithm achieved a mean Dice value of 91.87% on the ACDC validation, being comparable to the second best-performing approach on the challenge. Our approach provides an opportunity to serve as a building block of a computer-aided diagnostic system in a clinical setting.
Sensitivity of an Idealized Tropical Cyclone to the Configuration of the Global Forecast System–Eddy Diffusivity Mass Flux Planetary Boundary Layer Scheme
Authors: Kalina Evan A. , Biswas Mrinal K. , Zhang Jun A. , Newman Kathryn M.
Published: February 2021

The intensity and structure of simulated tropical cyclones (TCs) are known to be sensitive to the planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization in numerical weather prediction models. In this paper, we use an idealized version of the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast system (HWRF) with constant sea-surface temperature (SST) to examine how the configuration of the PBL scheme used in the operational HWRF affects TC intensity change (including rapid intensification) and structure. The configuration changes explored in this study include disabling non-local vertical mixing, changing the coefficients in the stability functions for momentum and heat, and directly modifying the Prandtl number (Pr), which controls the ratio of momentum to heat and moisture exchange in the PBL. Relative to the control simulation, disabling non-local mixing produced a ~15% larger storm that intensified more gradually, while changing the coefficient values used in the stability functions had little effect. Varying Pr within the PBL had the greatest impact, with the largest Pr (~1.6 versus ~0.8) associated with more rapid intensification (~38 versus 29 m s−1 per day) but a 5–10 m s−1 weaker intensity after the initial period of strengthening. This seemingly paradoxical result is likely due to a decrease in the radius of maximum wind (~15 versus 20 km), but smaller enthalpy fluxes, in simulated storms with larger Pr. These results underscore the importance of measuring the vertical eddy diffusivities of momentum, heat, and moisture under high-wind, open-ocean conditions to reduce uncertainty in Pr in the TC PBL.
Investigations of Museum Indoor Microclimate and Air Quality. Case Study from Romania
Authors: Ilieș Dorina Camelia , Marcu Florin , Caciora Tudor , Indrie Liliana , Ilieș Alexandru , Albu Adina , Costea Monica , Burtă Ligia , Baias Ștefan , Ilieș Marin , Sandor Mircea , Herman Grigore Vasile , Hodor Nicolaie , Ilieș Gabriela , Berdenov Zharas , Huniadi Anca , Wendt Jan Andrzej
Published: February 2021

Poor air quality inside museums is one of the main causes influencing the state of conservation of exhibits. Even if they are mostly placed in a controlled environment because of their construction materials, the exhibits can be very vulnerable to the influence of the internal microclimate. As a consequence, museum exhibits must be protected from potential negative effects. In order to prevent and stop the process of damage of the exhibits, monitoring the main parameters of the microclimate (especially temperature, humidity, and brightness) and keeping them in strict values is extremely important. The present study refers to the investigations and analysis of air quality inside a museum, located in a heritage building, from Romania. The paper focuses on monitoring and analysing temperature of air and walls, relative humidity (RH), CO2, brightness and particulate matters (PM), formaldehyde (HCHO), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). The monitoring was carried out in the Summer–Autumn 2020 Campaign, in two different exhibition areas (first floor and basement) and the main warehouse where the exhibits are kept and restored. The analyses aimed both at highlighting the hazard induced by the poor air quality inside the museum that the exhibits face. The results show that this environment is potentially harmful to both exposed items and people. Therefore, the number of days in which the ideal conditions in terms of temperature and RH are met are quite few, the concentration of suspended particles, formaldehyde, and total volatile organic compounds often exceed the limit allowed by the international standards in force. The results represent the basis for the development and implementation of strategies for long-term conservation of exhibits and to ensure a clean environment for employees, restorers, and visitors.
Alexithymia in Patients with Ménière Disease: A Possible Role on Anxiety and Depression
Authors: Teggi Roberto , Finocchiaro Claudia Yvonne , Ruggieri Claudio , Gatti Omar , Rosolen Federica , Bussi Mario , Sarno Lucio
Published: February 2021

The aim of this paper was to investigate the role of the psychological variable of alexithymia both as a risk factor for the development of Ménière’s disease (MD) and as a component that influences the personal experience of MD and the individual quality of life. We collected data from 179 Italian patients who fulfilled criteria for definite MD. Patients filled out validated self-rating questionnaires to assess alexithymia (TAS-20), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), anxiety and depression (HADS), perception of stress (PSS) and coping strategies (COPE). Socio-demographic data and MD clinical features were collected using a specific rating form. Subjects affected by MD showed higher levels of alexithymia compared to general population. Among MD patients, those characterized by high levels of alexithymia revealed a significant increase in anxiety and depression, greater perceived stress, a lower quality of life in psychological health and social relationships domains and the use of less mature coping strategies in comparison with MD patients with low or absent alexithymia. Our preliminary data could help in hypothesizing a role of psychological functioning in MD development and in the adaptation to the disease. The presence of alexithymia in patients suffering from MD may constitute a risk factor for the development of anxiety and depression symptoms; greater perceived stress and for poorer psychological and relational quality of life. Therefore, our study design did not allow causal inferences and further studies are needed.
Fiber Optic Sensors for Vital Signs Monitoring. A Review of Its Practicality in the Health Field
Authors: Perezcampos Mayoral Christian , Gutiérrez Gutiérrez Jaime , Cano Pérez José Luis , Vargas Treviño Marciano , Gallegos Velasco Itandehui Belem , Hernández Cruz Pedro António , Torres Rosas Rafael , Tepech Carrillo Lorenzo , Arnaud Ríos Judith , Apreza Edmundo López , Rojas Laguna Roberto
Published: February 2021

Vital signs not only reflect essential functions of the human body but also symptoms of a more serious problem within the anatomy; they are well used for physical monitoring, caloric expenditure, and performance before a possible symptom of a massive failure—a great variety of possibilities that together form a first line of basic diagnosis and follow-up on the health and general condition of a person. This review includes a brief theory about fiber optic sensors’ operation and summarizes many research works carried out with them in which their operation and effectiveness are promoted to register some vital sign(s) as a possibility for their use in the medical, health care, and life support fields. The review presents methods and techniques to improve sensitivity in monitoring vital signs, such as the use of doping agents or coatings for optical fiber (OF) that provide stability and resistance to the external factors from which they must be protected in in vivo situations. It has been observed that most of these sensors work with single-mode optical fibers (SMF) in a spectral range of 1550 nm, while only some work in the visible spectrum (Vis); the vast majority, operate through fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), long-period fiber gratings (LPFG), and interferometers. These sensors have brought great advances to the measurement of vital signs, especially with regard to respiratory rate; however, many express the possibility of monitoring other vital signs through mathematical calculations, algorithms, or auxiliary devices. Their advantages due to miniaturization, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and the absence of a power source makes them truly desirable for everyday use at all times.
A Neurodevelopment Approach for a Transitional Model of Early Onset Schizophrenia
Authors: De Berardis Domenico , De Filippis Sergio , Masi Gabriele , Vicari Stefano , Zuddas Alessandro
Published: February 2021

In the last decades, the conceptualization of schizophrenia has dramatically changed, moving from a neurodegenerative process occurring in early adult life to a neurodevelopmental disorder starting be-fore birth, showing a variety of premorbid and prodromal symptoms and, in relatively few cases, evolving in the full-blown psychotic syndrome. High rates of co-occurring different neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, predating the onset of SCZ, and neurobio-logical underpinning with significant similarities, support the notion of a pan-developmental disturbance consisting of impairments in neuromotor, receptive language, social and cognitive development. Con-sidering that many SCZ risk factors may be similar to symptoms of other neurodevelopmental psychi-atric disorders, transition processes from child & adolescent to adult systems of care should include both high risk people as well as subject with other neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders with different levels of severity. This descriptive mini-review discuss the need of innovative clinical approaches, re-considering specific diagnostic categories, stimulating a careful analysis of risk factors and promoting the appropriate use of new and safer medications.
Binge-Watching: Development and Validation of the Binge-Watching Addiction Questionnaire
Authors: Forte Giuseppe , Favieri Francesca , Tedeschi Domenico , Casagrande Maria
Published: February 2021

The approach to the vision of TV series has deeply changed in the last years, and watching multiple episodes of TV content in a single session becomes a popular viewing pattern referred as binge-watching. Early studies defined binge-watching as a potentially addictive behavior showing characteristics similar to other behavioral addictions, such as loss of control and pleasure anticipation. This study aims to validate a short self-report questionnaire focused on assessing binge-watching behavior and determining whether it shows characteristics similar to addictive behavior, the Binge-Watching Addiction Questionnaire (BWAQ). An online survey was adopted to administer the questionnaire in the general population (N = 1277). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses assessed both the validity and the structure of the scale in two independent samples. The statistical analyses confirmed a four-factor model (i.e., “Craving”, “Dependency”, “Anticipation”, “Avoidance”) of the BWAQ with good psychometric properties. The BWAQ can differentiate between people who adopt maladaptive watching activities from those who use TV-series as leisure and entertainment activities. Therefore, this questionnaire may enable researchers to improve this emerging field of research significantly.
Challenges and Barriers for Net‐Zero/Positive Energy Buildings and Districts—Empirical Evidence from the Smart City Project SPARCS
Authors: Uspenskaia Daria , Specht Karl , Kondziella Hendrik , Bruckner Thomas
Published: February 2021

Without decarbonizing cities energy and climate objectives cannot be achieved as cities account for approximately two thirds of energy consumption and emissions. This goal of decarbonizing cities has to be facilitated by promoting net-zero/positive energy buildings and districts and replicating them, driving cities towards sustainability goals. Many projects in smart cities demonstrate novel and groundbreaking low-carbon solutions in demonstration and lighthouse projects. However, as the historical, geographic, political, social and economic context of urban areas vary greatly, it is not always easy to repeat the solution in another city or even district. It is therefore important to look for the opportunities to scale up or repeat successful pilots. The purpose of this paper is to explore common trends in technologies and replication strategies for positive energy buildings or districts in smart city projects, based on the practical experience from a case study in Leipzig—one of the lighthouse cities in the project SPARCS. One of the key findings the paper has proven is the necessity of a profound replication modelling to deepen the understanding of upscaling processes. Three models analyzed in this article are able to provide a multidimensional representation of the solution to be replicated.
Evolution of Angiogenic Factors in Pregnant Patients with Breast Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy
Authors: Saura Cristina , Sánchez Olga , Martínez Sandra , Domínguez Carmen , Dienstmann Rodrigo , Ruíz-Pace Fiorella , Céspedes Maria Concepció , Peñuelas Ángeles , Cortés Javier , Llurba Elisa , Córdoba Octavi
Published: February 2021

High prevalence of placental-derived complications, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, has been reported in women with breast cancer (BC) treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy (PBC-CHT). Aim: To ascertain whether PBC-CHT is associated with an imbalance of angiogenic factors, surrogate markers for placental insufficiency, that could explain perinatal outcomes. Methods: Prospective study between 2012 and 2016 in a single institution. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble endoglin (sEng) in maternal blood were assessed throughout pregnancy in 12 women with BC and 215 controls. Results: Cancer patients were treated with doxorubicin-based regimes and with taxanes. Ten PBC-CHT (83%) developed obstetrical complications. At the end of the third trimester, significantly higher levels of sFlt-1; sFlt-1/PGF ratio, and sEng levels were observed in BC women as compared to controls. Moreover; there was a significant correlation between plasma levels of sFlt-1 and the number of chemotherapy cycles administered. Besides, more chemotherapy cycles correlated with lower birthweight and head circumference at birth. Conclusions: Women with BC treated during pregnancy showed an antiangiogenic state compatible with placental insufficiency. Angiogenic factors could be useful in the clinical obstetric management of these patients; although further studies will be required to guide clinical decision-making.
Novel Small Molecule Hsp90/Cdc37 Interface Inhibitors Indirectly Target K-Ras-Signaling
Authors: Siddiqui Farid Ahmad , Parkkola Hanna , Vukic Vladimir , Oetken-Lindholm Christina , Jaiswal Alok , Kiriazis Alexandros , Pavic Karolina , Aittokallio Tero , Salminen Tiina A. , Abankwa Daniel
Published: February 2021

The ATP-competitive inhibitors of Hsp90 have been tested predominantly in kinase addicted cancers; however, they have had limited success. A mechanistic connection between Hsp90 and oncogenic K-Ras is not known. Here, we show that K-Ras selectivity is enabled by the loss of the K-Ras membrane nanocluster modulator galectin-3 downstream of the Hsp90 client HIF-1α. This mechanism suggests a higher drug sensitivity in the context of KRAS mutant, HIF-1α-high and/or Gal3-high cancer cells, such as those found, in particular, in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The low toxicity of conglobatin further indicates a beneficial on-target toxicity profile for Hsp90/Cdc37 interface inhibitors. We therefore computationally screened >7 M compounds, and identified four novel small molecules with activities of 4 μM–44 μM in vitro. All of the compounds were K-Ras selective, and potently decreased the Hsp90 client protein levels without inducing the heat shock response. Moreover, they all inhibited the 2D proliferation of breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer cell lines. The most active compounds from each scaffold, furthermore, significantly blocked 3D spheroids and the growth of K-Ras-dependent microtumors. We foresee new opportunities for improved Hsp90/Cdc37 interface inhibitors in cancer and other aging-associated diseases.
Solid-State Synthesis of Direct Z-Scheme Cu2O/WO3 Nanocomposites with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Ali Hassan , Guler Ali , Masar Milan , Urbanek Pavel , Urbanek Michal , Skoda David , Suly Pavol , Machovsky Michal , Galusek Dusan , Kuritka Ivo
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we report the preparation of visible-light active direct Z-scheme Cu2O/WO3 nanocomposite photocatalyst by a solid-state reaction avoiding the otherwise inevitable formation of CuWO4 phase in wet syntheses. Structure, morphology, and thermal and optical properties of prepared WO3 nanoplatelets decorated by Cu2O were investigated by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM/TEM, combined thermogravimetric (TG)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, and UV–VIS spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared samples under UV and visible light was studied through monitoring discoloration of methylene blue under illumination by selected wavelengths, allowing for the distinguishing between the contributions of the two semiconductive components. Experimental results showed that the decoration of WO3 nanoplates by Cu2O nanoparticles led to an improvement in photocatalytic performance, regardless of used LED (Light-Emitting Diode) wavelength, even at low concentrations. By using scavengers selectively blocking reactive species involved in the discoloration reaction, we determined that the Cu2O/WO3 nanocomposite exhibited the characteristics of direct Z-scheme-type photocatalyst.
Molecular and Cellular Basis of Autoimmune Diseases
Authors: Juarranz Yasmina
Published: February 2021

The defense organization of our organism is found in the immune system, which has two important components, the innate and the adaptive immunity, where different molecules, cells, and organs are involved and coordinated to protect us from external and internal damage [...]
Iron Deficiency in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Deep Dive into the Mechanisms
Authors: Quatredeniers Marceau , Mendes-Ferreira Pedro , Santos-Ribeiro Diana , Nakhleh Morad K. , Ghigna Maria-Rosa , Cohen-Kaminsky Sylvia , Perros Frédéric
Published: February 2021

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe cardiovascular disease that is caused by the progressive occlusion of the distal pulmonary arteries, eventually leading to right heart failure and death. Almost 40% of patients with PAH are iron deficient. Although widely studied, the mechanisms linking between PAH and iron deficiency remain unclear. Here we review the mechanisms regulating iron homeostasis and the preclinical and clinical data available on iron deficiency in PAH. Then we discuss the potential implications of iron deficiency on the development and management of PAH.
Unraveling Cell Death Pathways during Malaria Infection: What Do We Know So Far?
Authors: Sena-dos-Santos Camille , Braga-da-Silva Cíntia , Marques Diego , Azevedo dos Santos Pinheiro Jhully , Ribeiro-dos-Santos Ândrea , Cavalcante Giovanna C.
Published: February 2021

Malaria is a parasitic disease (caused by different Plasmodium species) that affects millions of people worldwide. The lack of effective malaria drugs and a vaccine contributes to this disease, continuing to cause major public health and socioeconomic problems, especially in low-income countries. Cell death is implicated in malaria immune responses by eliminating infected cells, but it can also provoke an intense inflammatory response and lead to severe malaria outcomes. The study of the pathophysiological role of cell death in malaria in mammalians is key to understanding the parasite–host interactions and design prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for malaria. In this work, we review malaria-triggered cell death pathways (apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis, pyroptosis, NETosis, and ferroptosis) and we discuss their potential role in the development of new approaches for human malaria therapies.
A LRRK2 GTP Binding Inhibitor, 68, Reduces LPS-Induced Signaling Events and TNF-α Release in Human Lymphoblasts
Authors: Li Tianxia , Ning Bo , Kong Lingbo , Dai Bingling , He Xiaofei , Thomas Joseph M. , Sawa Akira , Ross Christopher A. , Smith Wanli W.
Published: February 2021

Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase-2 (LRRK2) gene cause autosomal-dominant Parkinson’s disease (PD) and contribute to sporadic PD. Common genetic variation in LRRK2 modifies susceptibility to immunological disorders including Crohn’s disease and leprosy. Previous studies have reported that LRRK2 is expressed in B lymphocytes and macrophages, suggesting a role for LRRK2 in immunological functions. In this study, we characterized the LRRK2 protein expression and phosphorylation using human lymphoblasts. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a proinflammatory agent, induced the increase of LRRK2 expression and kinase activities in human lymphoblasts in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, LPS activated the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, increased TRAF6/LRRK2 interaction, and elevated the phosphorylation levels of MAPK (JNK1/2, p38, and ERK1/2) and IkBα. Treatment with LRRK2 inhibitor 68 reduced LPS-induced TRAF6/LRRK2 interaction and MAPK and IkBα phosphorylation, thereby reducing TNF-α secretion. These results indicate that LRRK2 is actively involved in proinflammatory responses in human lymphoblasts, and inhibition of GTP binding by 68 results in an anti-inflammation effect against proinflammatory stimuli. These findings not only provide novel insights into the mechanisms of LRRK2-linked immune and inflammatory responses in B-cell-like lymphoblasts, but also suggest that 68 may also have potential therapeutic value for LRRK2-linked immunological disorders.
Kinetics of the Boride Layers Obtained on AISI 1018 Steel by Considering the Amount of Matter Involved
Authors: Ruiz-Trabolsi Pablo A. , Velázquez Julio Cesar , Orozco-Álvarez Carlos , Carrera-Espinoza Rafael , Yescas-Hernández Jorge A. , González-Arévalo Noé Eliseo , Hernández-Sánchez Enrique
Published: February 2021

Boride layers are typically used to combat the wear and corrosion of metals. For this reason, to improve our knowledge of the boriding process, this research studied the effect of the size of the treated material on the kinetics of the growth of the boride layers obtained during a solid diffusion process. The purpose was to elucidate how the layers’ growth kinetics could be affected by the size of the samples since, as the amount of matter increases, the amount of energy necessary to make the process occur also increases. Furthermore, the level of activation energy seems to change as a function of the sample size, although it is considered an intrinsic parameter of each material. Six cylindrical samples with different diameters were exposed to the boriding process for three different exposure times (1.5, 3, and 5 h). The treatment temperatures used were 900, 950, and 1000 °C for each size and duration of treatment. The results show that the layer thickness increased not only as a function of the treatment conditions but also as a function of the sample diameter. The influence of the sample size on the growth kinetics of the boride layers is clear, because the growth rate increased even though the treatment conditions (time and temperature) remained constant.
The Significance of Progressionfree Survival as an Endpoint in Evaluating the Therapeutic Value of Antineoplastic Agents
Authors: Maroun J.A.
Published: February 2021

In the last decade, thanks to the development of new and effective cytotoxic and biologic agents, significant progress has been achieved in the treatment of various forms of cancer. [...]