bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bonding States of Hydrogen in Plasma-Deposited Hydrocarbon Films
Authors: Jacob Wolfgang , Dürbeck Thomas , Schwarz-Selinger Thomas , von Toussaint Udo
Published: January 2020

We applied temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) spectroscopy to study the bonding of hydrogen in amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a–C:H) films. Typical hard plasma-deposited a–C:H films with an initial hydrogen content (H/(H+C)) of about 30% were used as samples. About 85% of the initial hydrogen content is released in the form of H2, the rest in the form of hydrocarbons. Using a temperature ramp of 15 K/min, release of hydrogen starts at about 600 K with a first peak at about 875 K and a broad shoulder around 1050 K. The peak positions depend on the temperature ramp. This fact was exploited to determine the pre-exponential factor for an analytic analysis of the release spectra. This analysis revealed a pre-exponential factor of ν = 1 × 10 16 1/s, which deviates significantly from the frequently assumed prefactor 1 × 10 13 1/s. This higher prefactor leads to a shift in the determined binding energies by about +0.5 eV. Standard TPD measurements with linear temperature ramps up to 1275 K were complemented by so-called “ramp and hold” experiments with linear ramps up to certain intermediate temperatures and holding the samples for different times at these temperatures. Such experiments provide valuable additional data for investigation of the thermal behavior of the investigated films. Our experiments prove that the width of the hydrogen release spectrum is determined by a distribution of binding energies rather than release kinetics or diffusive effects. This binding energy distribution has a peak at about 3.1 eV and a shoulder at higher energies extending from about 3.6 to 3.9 eV.
Clinical Limitations of Photon, Proton and Carbon Ion Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Dell’Oro Mikaela , Short Michala , Wilson Puthenparampil , Bezak Eva
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Despite improvements in radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgical procedures over the last 30 years, pancreatic cancer 5-year survival rate remains at 9%. Reduced stroma permeability and heterogeneous blood supply to the tumour prevent chemoradiation from making a meaningful impact on overall survival. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs are the latest strategy to reintroduce oxygenation to radioresistant cells harbouring in pancreatic cancer. This paper reviews the current status of photon and particle radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer in combination with systemic therapies and hypoxia activators. Methods: The current effectiveness of management of pancreatic cancer was systematically evaluated from MEDLINE® database search in April 2019. Results: Limited published data suggest pancreatic cancer patients undergoing carbon ion therapy and proton therapy achieve a comparable median survival time (25.1 months and 25.6 months, respectively) and 1-year overall survival rate (84% and 77.8%). Inconsistencies in methodology, recording parameters and protocols have prevented the safety and technical aspects of particle therapy to be fully defined yet. Conclusion: There is an increasing requirement to tackle unmet clinical demands of pancreatic cancer, particularly the lack of synergistic therapies in the advancing space of radiation oncology.
Divergent Effects of Daidzein and Its Metabolites on Estrogen-Induced Survival of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Montalesi Emiliano , Cipolletti Manuela , Cracco Patrizio , Fiocchetti Marco , Marino Maria
Published: January 2020

Although soy consumption is associated with breast cancer prevention, the low bioavailability and the extensive metabolism of soy-active components limit their clinical application. Here, the impact of daidzein (D) and its metabolites on estrogen-dependent anti-apoptotic pathway has been evaluated in breast cancer cells. In estrogen receptor α-positive breast cancer cells treated with D and its metabolites, single or in mixture, ERα activation and Neuroglobin (NGB) levels, an anti-apoptotic estrogen/ERα-inducible protein, were evaluated. Moreover, the apoptotic cascade activation, as well as the cell number after stimulation was assessed in the absence/presence of paclitaxel to determine the compound effects on cell susceptibility to a chemotherapeutic agent. Among the metabolites, only D-4′-sulfate maintains the anti-estrogenic effect of D, reducing the NGB levels and rendering breast cancer cells more prone to the paclitaxel treatment, whereas other metabolites showed estrogen mimetic effects, or even estrogen independent effects. Intriguingly, the co-stimulation of D and gut metabolites strongly reduced D effects. The results highlight the important and complex influence of metabolic transformation on isoflavones physiological effects and demonstrate the need to take biotransformation into account when assessing the potential health benefits of consumption of soy isoflavones in cancer.
ESC, ALK, HOT and LOT: Three Letter Acronyms of Emerging Renal Entities Knocking on the Door of the WHO Classification
Authors: Siadat Farshid , Trpkov Kiril
Published: January 2020

Kidney neoplasms are among the most heterogeneous and diverse tumors. Continuous advancement of this field is reflected in the emergence of new tumour entities and an increased recognition of the expanding morphologic, immunohistochemical, molecular, epidemiologic and clinical spectrum of renal tumors. Most recent advances after the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of renal cell tumors have provided new evidence on some emerging entities, such as anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement-associated RCC (ALK-RCC), which has already been included in the WHO 2016 classification as a provisional entity. Additionally, several previously unrecognized entities, not currently included in the WHO classification, have also been introduced, such as eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC RCC), low-grade oncocytic renal tumor (LOT) and high-grade oncocytic renal tumor (HOT) of kidney. Although pathologists play a crucial role in the recognition and classification of these new tumor entities and are at the forefront of the efforts to characterize them, the awareness and the acceptance of these entities among clinicians will ultimately translate into more nuanced management and improved prognostication for individual patients. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge and the novel data on these emerging renal entities, with an aim to promote their increased diagnostic recognition and better characterization, and to facilitate further studies that will hopefully lead to their formal recognition and consideration in the future classifications of kidney tumors.
Candidate Causal Variants at the 8p12 Breast Cancer Risk Locus Regulate DUSP4
Authors: Glubb Dylan M. , Shi Wei , Beesley Jonathan , Fachal Laura , Pritchard Jayne-Louise , McCue Karen , Barnes Daniel R. , Antoniou Antonis C. , Dunning Alison M. , Easton Douglas F. , Chenevix-Trench Georgia
Published: January 2020

Genome-wide association studies have revealed a locus at 8p12 that is associated with breast cancer risk. Fine-mapping of this locus identified 16 candidate causal variants (CCVs). However, as these variants are intergenic, their function is unclear. To map chromatin looping from this risk locus to a previously identified candidate target gene, DUSP4, we performed chromatin conformation capture analyses in normal and tumoural breast cell lines. We identified putative regulatory elements, containing CCVs, which looped to the DUSP4 promoter region. Using reporter gene assays, we found that the risk allele of CCV rs7461885 reduced the activity of a DUSP4 enhancer element, consistent with the function of DUSP4 as a tumour suppressor gene. Furthermore, the risk allele of CCV rs12155535, located in another DUSP4 enhancer element, was negatively correlated with looping of this element to the DUSP4 promoter region, suggesting that this allele would be associated with reduced expression. These findings provide the first evidence that CCV risk alleles downregulate DUSP4 expression, suggesting that this gene is a regulatory target of the 8p12 breast cancer risk locus.
Extracellular Vesicles and Cancer: A Focus on Metabolism, Cytokines, and Immunity
Authors: Lucchetti Donatella , Ricciardi Tenore Claudio , Colella Filomena , Sgambato Alessandro
Published: January 2020

A better understanding of the mechanisms of cell communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment is crucial to develop personalized therapies. It has been known for a while that cancer cells are metabolically distinct from other non-transformed cells. This metabolic phenotype is not peculiar to cancer cells but reflects the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment. Recently, it has been shown that extracellular vesicles are involved in the metabolic switch occurring in cancer and tumor-stroma cells. Moreover, in an immune system, the metabolic programs of different cell subsets are distinctly associated with their immunological function, and extracellular vesicles could be a key factor in the shift of cell fate modulating cancer immunity. Indeed, during tumor progression, tumor-associated immune cells and fibroblasts acquire a tumor-supportive and anti-inflammatory phenotype due to their interaction with tumor cells and several findings suggest a role of extracellular vesicles in this phenomenon. This review aims to collect all the available evidence so far obtained on the role of extracellular vesicles in the modulation of cell metabolism and immunity. Moreover, we discuss the possibility for extracellular vesicles of being involved in drug resistance mechanisms, cancer progression and metastasis by inducing immune-metabolic effects on surrounding cells.
Triple-Negative Primary Breast Tumors Induce Supportive Premetastatic Changes in the Extracellular Matrix and Soluble Components of the Lung Microenvironment
Authors: Medeiros Braeden , Goodale David , Postenka Carl , Lowes Lori E. , Kiser Patti , Hearn Stephen , Salmond Nikki , Williams Karla C. , Allan Alison L.
Published: January 2020

The lung is one of the deadliest sites of breast cancer metastasis, particularly in patients with triple-negative (TN) disease. We hypothesized that the presence of a TN primary breast tumor induces changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and soluble components of the lung microenvironment that support metastatic behavior. SUM159 (TN) and MCF7 (luminal A) breast cancer cells were injected into mice, and primary breast tumors were established prior to assessing metastatic niche changes. We observed increased CD117+ hematopoietic progenitor cells in the bone marrow of SUM159 mice versus MCF7 or control mice (p < 0.05). Relative to mice bearing MCF7 tumors and non-tumor controls, mice bearing SUM159 tumors demonstrated enhanced expression of ECM proteins in the lung (fibronectin, tenascin-c and periostin), with similar changes observed in lung fibroblasts treated with extracellular vesicles (EVs) from TN breast cancer cells (p < 0.05). Exposure to lung-conditioned media (LCM) from SUM159 tumor-bearing mice resulted in increased migration/proliferation of both SUM159 and MCF7 cells relative to the control (p < 0.05). In contrast, LCM from MCF-7 tumor-bearing mice had no such effect. LCM from SUM159 tumor-bearing mice contained 16 unique proteins relative to other LCM conditions, including the metastasis-associated proteins CCL7, FGFR4, GM-CSF, MMP3, thrombospondin-1 and VEGF. These findings suggest for the first time that the TN breast cancer molecular subtype may be an important determinant of premetastatic changes to both the ECM and soluble components of the lung, potentially mediated via breast cancer-derived EVs.
HB-EGF–EGFR Signaling in Bone Marrow Endothelial Cells Mediates Angiogenesis Associated with Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Rao Luigia , Giannico Donato , Leone Patrizia , Solimando Antonio Giovanni , Maiorano Eugenio , Caporusso Concetta , Duda Loren , Tamma Roberto , Mallamaci Rosanna , Susca Nicola , Buonavoglia Alessio , Da Vià Matteo Claudio , Ribatti Domenico , De Re Vallì , Vacca Angelo , Racanelli Vito
Published: January 2020

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its ligand heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) sustain endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis in solid tumors, but little is known about the role of HB-EGF–EGFR signaling in bone marrow angiogenesis and multiple myeloma (MM) progression. We found that bone marrow endothelial cells from patients with MM express high levels of EGFR and HB-EGF, compared with cells from patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and that overexpressed HB-EGF stimulates EGFR expression in an autocrine loop. We also found that levels of EGFR and HB-EGF parallel MM plasma cell number, and that HB-EGF is a potent inducer of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, blockade of HB-EGF–EGFR signaling, by an anti-HB-EGF neutralizing antibody or the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib, limited the angiogenic potential of bone marrow endothelial cells and hampered tumor growth in an MM xenograft mouse model. These results identify HB-EGF–EGFR signaling as a potential target of anti-angiogenic therapy, and encourage the clinical investigation of EGFR inhibitors in combination with conventional cytotoxic drugs as a new therapeutic strategy for MM.
Polymeric Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Malignant Gliomas
Authors: Mahmoud Basant Salah , AlAmri Ali Hamod , McConville Christopher
Published: January 2020

Malignant gliomas are one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer and despite advancements in treatment, patient prognosis remains poor, with an average survival of 15 months. Treatment using conventional chemotherapy does not deliver the required drug dose to the tumour site, owing to insufficient blood brain barrier (BBB) penetration, especially by hydrophilic drugs. Additionally, low molecular weight drugs cannot achieve specific accumulation in cancerous tissues and are characterized by a short circulation half-life. Nanoparticles can be designed to cross the BBB and deliver their drugs within the brain, thus improving their effectiveness for treatment when compared to administration of the free drug. The efficacy of nanoparticles can be enhanced by surface PEGylation to allow more specificity towards tumour receptors. This review will provide an overview of the different therapeutic strategies for the treatment of malignant gliomas, risk factors entailing them as well as the latest developments for brain drug delivery. It will also address the potential of polymeric nanoparticles in the treatment of malignant gliomas, including the importance of their coating and functionalization on their ability to cross the BBB and the chemistry underlying that.
A Novel Prostate Cell Type-Specific Gene Signature to Interrogate Prostate Tumor Differentiation Status and Monitor Therapeutic Response
Authors: Mapelli Sarah , Albino Domenico , Mello-Grand Maurizia , Shinde Dheeraj , Scimeca Manuel , Bonfiglio Rita , Bonanno Elena , Chiorino Giovanna , Garcia-Escudero Ramon , Catapano Carlo , Carbone Giuseppina
Published: January 2020

In this study, we extracted prostate cell-specific gene sets (metagenes) to define the epithelial differentiation status of prostate cancers and, using a deconvolution-based strategy, interrogated thousands of primary and metastatic tumors in public gene profiling datasets. We identified a subgroup of primary prostate tumors with low luminal epithelial enrichment (LumElow). LumElow tumors were associated with higher Gleason score and mutational burden, reduced relapse-free and overall survival, and were more likely to progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Using discriminant function analysis, we generate a predictive 10-gene classifier for clinical implementation. This mini-classifier predicted with high accuracy the luminal status in both primary tumors and CRPCs. Immunohistochemistry for COL4A1, a low-luminal marker, sustained the association of attenuated luminal phenotype with metastatic disease. We found also an association of LumE score with tumor phenotype in genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of prostate cancer. Notably, the metagene approach led to the discovery of drugs that could revert the low luminal status in prostate cell lines and mouse models. This study describes a novel tool to dissect the intrinsic heterogeneity of prostate tumors and provide predictive information on clinical outcome and treatment response in experimental and clinical samples.
Rigorous Model-Based Design and Experimental Verification of Enzyme-Catalyzed Carboligation under Enzyme Inactivation
Authors: Hertweck Dominik , Emenike Victor N. , Spiess Antje C. , Schenkendorf René
Published: January 2020

Enzyme catalyzed reactions are complex reactions due to the interplay of the enzyme, the reactants, and the operating conditions. To handle this complexity systematically and make use of a design space without technical restrictions, we apply the model based approach of elementary process functions (EPF) for selecting the best process design for enzyme catalysis problems. As a representative case study, we consider the carboligation of propanal and benzaldehyde catalyzed by benzaldehyde lyase from Pseudomonas fluorescens (PfBAL) to produce (R)-2-hydroxy-1-phenylbutan-1-one, because of the substrate dependent reaction rates and the challenging substrate dependent PfBAL inactivation. The apparatus independent EPF concept optimizes the material fluxes influencing the enzyme catalyzed reaction for the given process intensification scenarios. The final product concentration is improved by 13% with the optimized feeding rates, and the optimization results are verified experimentally. In general, the rigorous model driven approach could lead to selecting the best existing reactor, designing novel reactors for enzyme catalysis, and combining protein engineering and process systems engineering concepts.
Structural Properties and Catalytic Activity of Binary Poly (vinyl alcohol)/Al2O3 Nanocomposite Film for Synthesis of Thiazoles
Authors: Riyadh Sayed M. , Khalil Khaled D. , Bashal Ali H.
Published: January 2020

A solution casting technique was applied to prepare a binary poly (vinyl alcohol)/Al2O3 nanocomposite. The structural properties of nanocomposite were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectra, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray analyses, and X-ray diffraction. The hybrid PVA/Al2O3 film exhibited a conspicuous catalytic performance for synthesis of thiazole derivatives under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the optimization of catalytic efficiency and reusability of this nanocomposite have been investigated.
Translation Efficiency and Degradation of ER-Associated mRNAs Modulated by ER-Anchored poly(A)-Specific Ribonuclease (PARN)
Authors: Duan Tian-Li , Jiao Han , He Guang-Jun , Yan Yong-Bin
Published: January 2020

Translation is spatiotemporally regulated and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated mRNAs are generally in efficient translation. It is unclear whether the ER-associated mRNAs are deadenylated or degraded on the ER surface in situ or in the cytosol. Here, we showed that ER possessed active deadenylases, particularly the poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN), in common cell lines and mouse tissues. Consistently, purified recombinant PARN exhibited a strong ability to insert into the Langmuir monolayer and liposome. ER-anchored PARN was found to be able to reshape the poly(A) length profile of the ER-associated RNAs by suppressing long poly(A) tails without significantly influencing the cytosolic RNAs. The shortening of long poly(A) tails did not affect global translation efficiency, which suggests that the non-specific action of PARN towards long poly(A) tails was beyond the scope of translation regulation on the ER surface. Transcriptome sequencing analysis indicated that the ER-anchored PARN trigged the degradation of a small subset of ER-enriched transcripts. The ER-anchored PARN modulated the translation of its targets by redistributing ribosomes to heavy polysomes, which suggests that PARN might play a role in dynamic ribosome reallocation. During DNA damage response, MK2 phosphorylated PARN-Ser557 to modulate PARN translocation from the ER to cytosol. The ER-anchored PARN modulated DNA damage response and thereby cell viability by promoting the decay of ER-associated MDM2 transcripts with low ribosome occupancy. These findings revealed that highly regulated communication between mRNA degradation rate and translation efficiency is present on the ER surface in situ and PARN might contribute to this communication by modulating the dynamic ribosome reallocation between transcripts with low and high ribosome occupancies.
VAPB ER-Aggregates, A Possible New Biomarker in ALS Pathology
Authors: Cadoni Maria Piera L , Biggio Maria Luigia , Arru Giannina , Secchi Giannina , Orrù Nicola , Clemente Maria Grazia , Sechi GianPietro , Yamoah Alfred , Tripathi Priyanka , Orrù Sandro , Manetti Roberto , Galleri Grazia
Published: January 2020

A point mutation (P56S) in the gene-encoding vesicle-associated membrane-protein-associated protein B (VAPB) leads to an autosomal-dominant form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), classified as ALS-8. The mutant VAPB is characterized by ER-associated aggregates that lead to a complete reorganization of ER structures. Growing evidences suggest VAPB involvement in ALS pathomechanisms. In fact, numerous studies demonstrated VAPB alteration also in sporadic ALS (sALS) and showed the presence of its aggregates when others ALS-related gene are mutant. Recently, the identification of new biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been proposed as a good noninvasive option for studying ALS. Here, we evaluated VAPB as a possible ALS pathologic marker analyzing PBMCs of sALS patients. Immunofluorescence analysis (IFA) showed a peculiar pattern of VAPB aggregates in sALS, not evident in healthy control (HC) subjects and in Parkinson’s disease (PD) PBMCs. This specific pattern led us to suppose that VAPB could be misfolded in sALS. The data indirectly confirmed by flow cytometry assay (FCA) showed a reduction of VAPB fluorescent signals in sALS. However, our observations were not associated with the presence of a genetic mutation or altered gene expression of VAPB. Our study brings further evidences of the VAPB role in ALS as a diagnostic biomarker.
Disruption of Beta-Cell Mitochondrial Networks by the Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nor1/Nr4a3
Authors: Close Anne-Françoise , Dadheech Nidheesh , Lemieux Hélène , Wang Qian , Buteau Jean
Published: January 2020

Nor1, the third member of the Nr4a subfamily of nuclear receptor, is garnering increased interest in view of its role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Our previous study highlighted a proapoptotic role of Nor1 in pancreatic beta cells and showed that Nor1 expression was increased in islets isolated from type 2 diabetic individuals, suggesting that Nor1 could mediate the deterioration of islet function in type 2 diabetes. However, the mechanism remains incompletely understood. We herein investigated the subcellular localization of Nor1 in INS832/13 cells and dispersed human beta cells. We also examined the consequences of Nor1 overexpression on mitochondrial function and morphology. Our results show that, surprisingly, Nor1 is mostly cytoplasmic in beta cells and undergoes mitochondrial translocation upon activation by proinflammatory cytokines. Mitochondrial localization of Nor1 reduced glucose oxidation, lowered ATP production rates, and inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Western blot and microscopy images revealed that Nor1 could provoke mitochondrial fragmentation via mitophagy. Our study unveils a new mode of action for Nor1, which affects beta-cell viability and function by disrupting mitochondrial networks.
Modulating Tumor-Associated Macrophage Polarization by Synthetic and Natural PPARγ Ligands as a Potential Target in Breast Cancer
Authors: Gionfriddo Giulia , Plastina Pierluigi , Augimeri Giuseppina , Catalano Stefania , Giordano Cinzia , Barone Ines , Morelli Catia , Giordano Francesca , Gelsomino Luca , Sisci Diego , Witkamp Renger , Andò Sebastiano , van Norren Klaske , Bonofiglio Daniela
Published: January 2020

Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) elicits anti-proliferative effects on different tumor cells, including those derived from breast cancer. PPARγ is also expressed in several cells of the breast tumor microenvironment, among which tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play a pivotal role in tumor progression and metastasis. We explored the ability of synthetic and natural PPARγ ligands to modulate TAM polarization. The ligands included rosiglitazone (BRL-49653), and two docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) conjugates, N-docosahexaenoyl ethanolamine (DHEA) and N-docosahexaenoyl serotonin (DHA-5-HT). Human THP-1 monocytic cells were differentiated into M0, M1 and M2 macrophages that were characterized by qRT-PCR, ELISA and western blotting. A TAM-like phenotypic state was generated by adding two different breast cancer cell conditioned media (BCC-CM) to the cultures. Macrophages exposed to BCC-CM concomitantly exhibited M1 and M2 phenotypes. Interestingly, rosiglitazone, DHEA and DHA-5-HT attenuated cytokine secretion by TAMs, and this effect was reversed by the PPARγ antagonist GW9662. Given the key role played by PPARγ in the crosstalk between cancer cells and TAMs in tumor progression, its activation via endogenous or synthetic ligands may lead to novel strategies that target both epithelial neoplastic cells and the tumor microenvironment.
Managing New Risks of and Opportunities for the Agricultural Development of West-African Floodplains: Hydroclimatic Conditions and Implications for Rice Production
Authors: Bossa Aymar Yaovi , Hounkpè Jean , Yira Yacouba , Serpantié Georges , Lidon Bruno , Fusillier Jean Louis , Sintondji Luc Olivier , Tondoh Jérôme Ebagnerin , Diekkrüger Bernd
Published: January 2020

High rainfall events and flash flooding are becoming more frequent, leading to severe damage to crop production and water infrastructure in Burkina Faso, Western Africa. Special attention must therefore be given to the design of water control structures to ensure their flexibility and sustainability in discharging floods, while avoiding overdrainage during dry spells. This study assesses the hydroclimatic risks and implications of floodplain climate-smart rice production in southwestern Burkina Faso in order to make informed decisions regarding floodplain development. Statistical methods (Mann-Kendall test, Sen’s slope estimator, and frequency analysis) combined with rainfall-–runoff modeling (HBV model) were used to analyze the hydroclimatic conditions of the study area. Moreover, the spatial and temporal water availability for crop growth was assessed for an innovative and participatory water management technique. From 1970 to 2013, an increasing delay in the onset of the rainy season (with a decreasing pre-humid season duration) occurred, causing difficulties in predicting the onset due to the high temporal variability of rainfall in the studied region. As a result, a warming trend was observed for the past 40 years, raising questions about its negative impact on very intensive rice cultivation packages. Farmers have both positive and negative consensual perceptions of climatic hazards. The analysis of the hydrological condition of the basin through the successfully calibrated and validated hydrological HBV model indicated no significant increase in water discharge. The sowing of rice from the 10th to 30th June has been identified as optimal in order to benefit from higher surface water flows, which can be used to irrigate and meet crop water requirements during the critical flowering and grain filling phases of rice growth. Furthermore, the installation of cofferdams to increase water levels would be potentially beneficial, subject to them not hindering channel drainage during peak flow.
Dextran-Thyme Magnesium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Composite Antimicrobial Coatings
Authors: Iconaru Simona Liliana , Predoi Mihai Valentin , Motelica-Heino Mikael , Predoi Daniela , Buton Nicolas , Megier Christelle , Stan George E.
Published: January 2020

The dextran-thyme magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite (10MgHAp-Dex-thyme) composite layers were prepared by a dip-coating procedure from stable suspensions and further analyzed for the first time. Different characterization techniques were employed to explore the physical-chemical features of the 10MgHAp-Dex-thyme suspensions and derived coatings. Information regarding the 10MgHAp-Dex-thyme suspensions was extracted on the basis of dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and ultrasound measurements. The crystalline quality of the biocomposite powders—resulting after the centrifugation of suspensions—and the layers deposited on glass was assessed by X-ray diffraction in symmetric and grazing incidence geometries, respectively. The chemical structure and presence of functional groups were evaluated for both powder and coating by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode. The extent of the antimicrobial effect range of the biocomposite suspensions and coatings was tested against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungus (Candida albicans) strains with promising results.
Non-Vital Tooth Bleaching Techniques: A Systematic Review
Authors: Coelho Ana Sofia , Garrido Lara , Mota Mariana , Marto Carlos Miguel , Amaro Inês , Carrilho Eunice , Paula Anabela
Published: January 2020

This systematic review aimed to describe and characterize internal tooth bleaching techniques, conventional (walking-bleach) and combined (inside–outside), referring to their efficacy. The research was conducted on the main databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Only randomized controlled trials and cohort studies were considered, on humans of 18 years old or older. A Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) question was designed to evaluate the scientific evidence. The quality of each randomized controlled trial and cohort study was evaluated using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (ROBINS-I), respectively. The walking-bleach and the combined techniques were both effective at the end of the treatment, obtaining similar aesthetic results. Regardless of the technique used, internal tooth bleaching is an effective procedure, with good aesthetic results, in the treatment of non-vital teeth. The cervical barrier is a standard of care in internal bleaching techniques and should be used. Considering the similarity in the esthetic results obtained in both techniques, the concentrations used for both, and since the biocompatibility of the bleaching agent is more important than its efficiency or speed in obtaining results, the combined technique should be considered the method of choice rather than the walking-bleach technique.
Improvement of the Turbine Blade Surface Phase Structure Recovered by Plasma Spraying
Authors: Savinkin Vitalii V. , Vizureanu Petrica , Sandu Andrei Victor , Ratushnaya Tatyana Yu. , Ivanischev Andrey A. , Surleva Andriana
Published: January 2020

This paper presents the results of research on the construction, technological parameters and criteria that control the process of formation of optimal phase structure of austenitic- and martensitic-class material for steam turbine blades. The hypothesis that the established correlation could increase the quality of blade recovery and its resistance against dynamic and vibrational loads was proved. The efficiency of the developed implantation method for the recovery of steam turbine blades was demonstrated. The optimal technological parameters of the process of laser plasma recovery were established empirically, allowing the development of the system for the fine tuning of the phase composition of austenitic- and martensitic-class steel.
Surfactants—In Solution, at Interfaces and in Colloidal Dispersions. By Bob Aveyard. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, 2019; 576p, ISBN: 9780198828600
Authors: Miller Reinhard
Published: January 2020

Surfactants are not a recent invention required for new technologies, but people have been using them from the early stages of civilisation, for example, in ancient Egypt and Greece [...]
The Electric and Dielectric Properties of SrF2:Tb3+ Nanocrystals Revealed by AC Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Cui Xiaoyan , Hu Tingjing , Wu Huangyu , Zhang Junkai , Yang Lihua , Zhong Xin , Wu Xiaoxin , Wang Jingshu , Li Xuefei , Yang Jinghai , Gao Chunxiao
Published: January 2020

The electric and dielectric properties of SrF2:Tb3+ nanocrystals were studied by AC impedance spectroscopy. The grain and grain boundary resistances and the complex permittivity with different Tb-doped concentrations were obtained. As the Tb-doping concentration increases, the grain and grain boundary resistances decrease until 6% and then increase. The Tb doping leads to the increase of interstitial F− quantity and the decrease of the activation enthalpy, and finally causes the decreases of grain and grain boundary resistances. When the Tb-doping is larger than 6%, the effect of the deformation potential scattering is dominant, which leads to the increases of grain and grain boundary resistances. The strong dispersion of the permittivity at the low frequencies indicates the carrier was hopping in the transport process. The ε′ and ε″ values at the low frequencies decrease as the sample resistance increases.
Snapshot of Macroalgae and Fish Assemblages in Temperate Reefs in the Southern European Atlantic Ecoregion
Authors: Franco João N. , Arenas Francisco , Sousa-Pinto Isabel , de los Santos Carmen B.
Published: January 2020

Most of the biodiversity studies in the South European Atlantic Shelf ecoregion are limited to shallow subtidal or intertidal habitats, while deeper reef habitats, also of relevant ecological importance, are particularly understudied. Macroalgal communities, associated fauna, and sea surface temperature were studied in deep reefs (25–30 m) at two locations in this ecoregion: Parcel, North of Portugal (41° N), and Tarifa, Southern Spain (35° N). Specifically, algal assemblages were assessed using biomass collection and associated ichthyofauna was assessed using visual census techniques using scuba. Seawater surface temperature was higher (>3 °C) in the southern region—Tarifa, compared to the northern region—Parcel. Our survey revealed 18 fish species and 23 algae species. The highest abundance of cold-water species (both macroalgae and fish species) was recorded in Parcel and warm-water species were dominant in Tarifa. In light of climate global trends, both regions might experience biodiversity shifts towards tropicalization. Current knowledge on their biodiversity is imperative to further evaluate potential shifts.
Percussion Entropy Analysis of Synchronized ECG and PPG Signals as a Prognostic Indicator for Future Peripheral Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects
Authors: Wei Hai-Cheng , Ta Na , Hu Wen-Rui , Wang Sheng-Ying , Xiao Ming-Xia , Tang Xiao-Jing , Chen Jian-Jung , Wu Hsien-Tsai
Published: January 2020

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes. It has become an essential public health crisis, especially for care in the home. Synchronized electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) signals were obtained from healthy non-diabetic (n = 37) and diabetic (n = 85) subjects without peripheral neuropathy, recruited from the diabetic outpatient clinic. The conventional parameters, including low-/high-frequency power ratio (LHR), small-scale multiscale entropy index (MEISS), large-scale multiscale entropy index (MEILS), electrocardiogram-based pulse wave velocity (PWVmean), and percussion entropy index (PEI), were computed as baseline and were then followed for six years after the initial PEI measurement. Three new diabetic subgroups with different PEI values were identified for the goodness-of-fit test and Cox proportional Hazards model for relative risks analysis. Finally, Cox regression analysis showed that the PEI value was significantly and independently associated with the risk of developing DPN after adjustment for some traditional risk factors for diabetes (relative risks = 4.77, 95% confidence interval = 1.87 to 6.31, p = 0.015). These findings suggest that the PEI is an important risk parameter for new-onset DPN as a result of a chronic complication of diabetes and, thus, a smaller PEI value can provide valid information that may help identify type 2 diabetic patients at a greater risk of future DPN.
First Glance of Molecular Profile of Atypical Cellular Angiofibroma/Cellular Angiofibroma with Sarcomatous Transformation by Next Generation Sequencing
Authors: Chang Chien Yi-Che , Mokánszki Attila , Huang Hsuan-Ying , Silva Raimundo Geronimo , Chen Chien-Chin , Beke Lívia , Mónus Anikó , Méhes Gábor
Published: January 2020

Cellular angiofibroma is a rare benign mesenchymal neoplasm most commonly occurring in the vulvovaginal region in women and the inguinoscrotal region in men with specific genetic deletion involved in the RB1 gene in chromosome 13q14 region. Atypical cellular angiofibroma and cellular angiofibroma with sarcomatous transformation are recently described variants showing worrisome morphological features and strong, diffuse p16 expression. Nevertheless, the molecular profile of these tumor entities is largely unknown. We carried out a next generation sequencing (NGS) study from six cases of atypical cellular angiofibroma and cellular angiofibroma with sarcomatous transformation. We were able to identify oncogenic TP53 gene mutations (33%) which may contribute to pathogenesis also resulting in p16 overexpression. In addition, RB1 gene alterations generally present were identified. Since it is a recently described and rare entity, the whole molecular signaling pathway is still largely obscured and the analysis of larger cohorts is needed to elucidate this issue.
Laryngeal, Tracheal, and Bronchial Disease in the Mucopolysaccharidoses: Endoscopic Study
Authors: Pires de Mello Paulo , Lopes Barth Anneliese , de Araujo Torres Danielle , Pires de Mello Valente Mariana , Dain Gandelman Horovitz Dafne
Published: January 2020

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are genetically determined diseases, leading to a deficiency of enzymes in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) degradation pathway. The accumulation of GAG occurs in connective tissue in various organs and systems of the body, including the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. Respiratory symptoms are common and severe in these patients, and respiratory disease is a frequent cause of death. A cross-sectional study with flexible bronchoscopy was conducted in 30 MPS patients (6 MPS I, 8 MPS II, 2 MPS III, 3 MPS IV-A, and 11 MPS VI). Only four patients (13.33%) had a normal airway; nine (30%) had mild to moderate disease, 12 (40%) moderate to severe, and five patients (16.67%) had severe disease. Of particular interest, neuronopathic MPS II had the largest proportion of tracheostomized patients who died due to respiratory complications; in MPS IV-A, all patients had significant tracheobronchial deformity with associated tracheomalacia, despite lacking laryngeal involvement. Laryngotracheobronchial disease (LTBD) was associated to longer disease history and was significantly more severe in older patients. Longer use of enzyme replacement therapy did not prevent the progression of LTBD, although the age of therapy introduction may be a crucial factor in lower airway involvement.
Genetic Analysis of Peroxisomal Genes Required for Longevity in a Yeast Model of Citrin Deficiency
Authors: Chalermwat Chalongchai , Thosapornvichai Thitipa , Jensen Laran T. , Wattanasirichaigoon Duangrurdee
Published: January 2020

Citrin is a liver-specific mitochondrial aspartate–glutamate carrier encoded by SLC25A13. Citrin deficiency caused by SLC25A13 mutation results in carbohydrate toxicity, citrullinemia type II, and fatty liver diseases, the mechanisms of some of which remain unknown. Citrin shows a functional homolog in yeast aspartate-glutamate carrier (Agc1p) and agc1Δ yeasts are used as a model organism of citrin deficiency. Here, we found that agc1Δ yeasts decreased fat utilization, impaired NADH balance in peroxisomes, and decreased chronological lifespan. The activation of GPD1-mediated NAD+ regeneration in peroxisomes by GPD1 over-expression or activation of the malate–oxaloacetate NADH peroxisomal shuttle, by increasing flux in this NADH shuttle and over-expression of MDH3, resulted in lifespan extension of agc1Δ yeasts. In addition, over-expression of PEX34 restored longevity of agc1Δ yeasts as well as wild-type cells. The effect of PEX34-mediated longevity required the presence of the GPD1-mediated NADH peroxisomal shuttle, which was independent of the presence of the peroxisomal malate–oxaloacetate NADH shuttle and PEX34-induced peroxisome proliferation. These data confirm that impaired NAD+ regeneration in peroxisomes is a key defect in the yeast model of citrin deficiency, and enhancing peroxisome function or inducing NAD+ regeneration in peroxisomes is suggested for further study in patients’ hepatocytes.
Novel Extensions to Enhance Scalability and Reliability of the IEEE 802.15.4-DSME Protocol
Authors: Battaglia Filippo , Collotta Mario , Leonardi Luca , Lo Bello Lucia , Patti Gaetano
Published: January 2020

The Deterministic and Synchronous Multichannel Extension (DSME) of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard was designed to fulfill the requirements of commercial and industrial applications. DSME overcomes the IEEE 802.15.4 limitation on the maximum number of Guaranteed Time Slots (GTS) in a superframe and it also exploits channel diversity to increase the communication reliability. However, DSME suffers from scalability problems, as its multi-superframe structure does not efficiently handle GTS in networks with a high number of nodes and periodic flows. This paper proposes the enhanceD DSME (D-DSME), which consists of two extensions that improve the DSME scalability and reliability exploiting a GTS within the multi-superframe to accommodate multiple flows or multiple retransmissions of the same flow. The paper describes the proposed extensions and the performance results of both OMNeT simulations and experiments with real devices implementing the D-DSME.
Performance Degradation of Nanofilament Switching Due to Joule Heat Dissipation
Authors: Al-Mamun Mohammad Shah , Orlowski Marius K.
Published: January 2020

When a memory cell of a Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) crossbar array is switched repeatedly, a considerable amount of Joule heat is dissipated in the cell, and the heat may spread to neighboring cells that share one of the electrode lines with the heat source device. The remote heating of a probed memory cell by another cell allows separating the influence of temperature effects from the impact of the electric field on the resistive switching kinetics. We find that the cell-to-cell heat transfer causes severe degradation of electrical performance of the unheated neighboring cells. A metric for the thermal degradation of the I–V characteristics is established by a specific conditioning of a so-called “marginal” device used as a temperature-sensitive probe of electrical performance degradation. We find that even neighboring cells with no common metal electrode lines with the heated cell suffer substantial electrical performance degradation provided that intermediate cells of the array are set into a conductive state establishing a continuous thermal path via nanofilaments between the heated and probed cells. The cell-to-cell thermal cross-talk poses a serious electro-thermal reliability problem for the operation of a memory crossbar array requiring modified write/erase algorithms to program the cells (a thermal sneak path effect). The thermal cross-talk appears to be more severe in nanometer-sized memory arrays even if operated with ultra-fast, nanosecond-wide voltage/current pulses.
A Semidefinite Relaxation Method for Elliptical Location
Authors: Wang Xin , Ding Ying , Yang Le
Published: January 2020

Wireless location is a supporting technology in many application scenarios of wireless communication systems. Recently, an increasing number of studies have been conducted on range-based elliptical location in a variety of backgrounds. Specifically, the design and implementation of position estimators are of great significance. The difficulties arising from implementing a maximum likelihood estimator for elliptical location come from the nonconvexity of the negative log-likelihood functions. The need for computational efficiency further enhances the difficulties. Traditional algorithms suffer from the problems of high computational cost and low initialization justifiability. On the other hand, existing closed-form solutions are sensitive to the measurement noise levels. We recognize that the root of these drawbacks lies in an oversimplified linear approximation of the nonconvex model, and accordingly design a maximum likelihood estimator through semidefinite relaxation for elliptical location. We relax the elliptical location problems to semidefinite programs, which can be solved efficiently with interior-point methods. Additionally, we theoretically analyze the complexity of the proposed algorithm. Finally, we design and carry out a series of simulation experiments, showing that the proposed algorithm outperforms several widely used closed-form solutions at a wide range of noise levels. Extensive results under extreme noise conditions verify the deployability of the algorithm.
Safety Risk Assessment of a Pb-Zn Mine Based on Fuzzy-Grey Correlation Analysis
Authors: Dong Guofang , Wei Wei , Xia Xu , Woźniak Marcin , Damaševičius Robertas
Published: January 2020

Improving safety management and risk evaluation methods is important for the global mining industry, which is the backbone of the industrial development of our society. To prevent any accidental loss or harm to human life and property, a safety risk assessment method is needed to perform the continuous risk assessment of mines. Based on the requirements of mine safety evaluation, this paper proposes the Pb-Zn mine safety risk evaluation model based on the fuzzy-grey correlation analysis method. The model is compared with the risk assessment model based on the fuzzy TOPSIS method. Through the experiments, our results demonstrate that the proposed fuzzy-grey correlation model is more sensitive to risk and has less effect on the evaluation results under different scoring attitudes (cautious, rational, and relaxed).
CENNA: Cost-Effective Neural Network Accelerator
Authors: Park Sang-Soo , Chung Ki-Seok
Published: January 2020

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely adopted in various applications. State-of-the-art CNN models deliver excellent classification performance, but they require a large amount of computation and data exchange because they typically employ many processing layers. Among these processing layers, convolution layers, which carry out many multiplications and additions, account for a major portion of computation and memory access. Therefore, reducing the amount of computation and memory access is the key for high-performance CNNs. In this study, we propose a cost-effective neural network accelerator, named CENNA, whose hardware cost is reduced by employing a cost-centric matrix multiplication that employs both Strassen’s multiplication and a naïve multiplication. Furthermore, the convolution method using the proposed matrix multiplication can minimize data movement by reusing both the feature map and the convolution kernel without any additional control logic. In terms of throughput, power consumption, and silicon area, the efficiency of CENNA is up to 88 times higher than that of conventional designs for the CNN inference.