bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aging Activates the Immune System and Alters the Regenerative Capacity in the Zebrafish Heart
Authors: Reuter Hanna , Perner Birgit , Wahl Florian , Rohde Luise , Koch Philipp , Groth Marco , Buder Katrin , Englert Christoph
Published: January 2022

Age-associated organ failure and degenerative diseases have a major impact on human health. Cardiovascular dysfunction has an increasing prevalence with age and is one of the leading causes of death. In contrast to humans, zebrafish have extraordinary regeneration capacities of complex organs including the heart. In addition, zebrafish has recently become a model organism in research on aging. Here, we have compared the ventricular transcriptome as well as the regenerative capacity after cryoinjury of old and young zebrafish hearts. We identified the immune system as activated in old ventricles and found muscle organization to deteriorate upon aging. Our data show an accumulation of immune cells, mostly macrophages, in the old zebrafish ventricle. Those immune cells not only increased in numbers but also showed morphological and behavioral changes with age. Our data further suggest that the regenerative response to cardiac injury is generally impaired and much more variable in old fish. Collagen in the wound area was already significantly enriched in old fish at 7 days post injury. Taken together, these data indicate an ‘inflammaging’-like process in the zebrafish heart and suggest a change in regenerative response in the old.
Mast Cell–Tumor Interactions: Molecular Mechanisms of Recruitment, Intratumoral Communication and Potential Therapeutic Targets for Tumor Growth
Authors: Segura-Villalobos Deisy , Ramírez-Moreno Itzel G. , Martínez-Aguilar Magnolia , Ibarra-Sánchez Alfredo , Muñoz-Bello J. Omar , Anaya-Rubio Isabel , Padilla Alejandro , Macías-Silva Marina , Lizano Marcela , González-Espinosa Claudia
Published: January 2022

Mast cells (MCs) are tissue-resident immune cells that are important players in diseases associated with chronic inflammation such as cancer. Since MCs can infiltrate solid tumors and promote or limit tumor growth, a possible polarization of MCs to pro-tumoral or anti-tumoral phenotypes has been proposed and remains as a challenging research field. Here, we review the recent evidence regarding the complex relationship between MCs and tumor cells. In particular, we consider: (1) the multifaceted role of MCs on tumor growth suggested by histological analysis of tumor biopsies and studies performed in MC-deficient animal models; (2) the signaling pathways triggered by tumor-derived chemotactic mediators and bioactive lipids that promote MC migration and modulate their function inside tumors; (3) the possible phenotypic changes on MCs triggered by prevalent conditions in the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as hypoxia; (4) the signaling pathways that specifically lead to the production of angiogenic factors, mainly VEGF; and (5) the possible role of MCs on tumor fibrosis and metastasis. Finally, we discuss the novel literature on the molecular mechanisms potentially related to phenotypic changes that MCs undergo into the TME and some therapeutic strategies targeting MC activation to limit tumor growth.
Action and Interaction between Retinoic Acid Signaling and Blood–Testis Barrier Function in the Spermatogenesis Cycle
Authors: Zhou Yu , Wang Yunyan
Published: January 2022

Spermatogenesis is a complex process occurring in mammalian testes, and constant sperm production depends on the exact regulation of the microenvironment in the testes. Many studies have indicated the crucial role of blood–testis barrier (BTB) junctions and retinoic acid (RA) signaling in the spermatogenesis process. The BTB consists of junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells, comprised mainly of tight junctions and gap junctions. In vitamin A-deficient mice, halted spermatogenesis could be rebooted by RA or vitamin A administration, indicating that RA is absolutely required for spermatogenesis. Accordingly, this manuscript will review and discuss how RA and the BTB regulate spermatogenesis and the interaction between RA signaling and BTB function.
Advances in the Current Understanding of How Low-Dose Radiation Affects the Cell Cycle
Authors: Khan Md Gulam Musawwir , Wang Yi
Published: January 2022

Cells exposed to ionizing radiation undergo a series of complex responses, including DNA damage, reproductive cell death, and altered proliferation states, which are all linked to cell cycle dynamics. For many years, a great deal of research has been conducted on cell cycle checkpoints and their regulators in mammalian cells in response to high-dose exposures to ionizing radiation. However, it is unclear how low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) regulates the cell cycle progression. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that LDIR may have profound effects on cellular functions. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how LDIR (of up to 200 mGy) regulates the cell cycle and cell-cycle-associated proteins in various cellular settings. In light of current findings, we also illustrate the conceptual function and possible dichotomous role of p21Waf1, a transcriptional target of p53, in response to LDIR.
New Perspectives in the Medical Treatment of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Beyond
Authors: Audisio Alessandro , Buttigliero Consuelo , Delcuratolo Marco Donatello , Parlagreco Elena , Audisio Marco , Ungaro Antonio , Di Stefano Rosario Francesco , Di Prima Lavinia , Turco Fabio , Tucci Marcello
Published: January 2022

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is characterized by a high rate of cure, but also by a non-negligible probability of recurrence and risk progression to muscle-invasive disease. NMIBC management requires a proper local resection and staging, followed by a risk-based treatment with intravesical agents. For many years, the current gold standard treatment for patients with intermediate or high-risk disease is transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) followed by intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) instillations. Unfortunately, in about half of high-risk patients, intravesical BCG treatment fails and NMIBC persists or recurs early. While radical cystectomy remains the gold standard for these patients, new therapeutic targets are being individuated and studied. Radical cystectomy in fact can provide an excellent long-term disease control, but can deeply interfere with quality of life. In particular, the enhanced immune checkpoints expression shown in BCG-unresponsive patients and the activity of immune checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced bladder cancer provided the rationale for testing ICIs in NMIBC. Recently, pembrolizumab has shown promising activity in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC patients, obtaining FDA approval. Meanwhile multiple novel drugs with alternative mechanisms of action have proven to be safe and effective in NMIBC treatment and others are under investigation. The aim of this review is to analyse and describe the clinical activity of new emerging drugs in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC focusing on immunotherapy results.
Protein Arginine Methyltransferases in Neuromuscular Function and Diseases
Authors: Lee Jinwoo , An Subin , Lee Sang-Jin , Kang Jong-Sun
Published: January 2022

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that leads to impaired body movement. It not only severely diminishes the quality of life of the patients, but also subjects them to increased risk of secondary medical conditions such as fall-induced injuries and various chronic diseases. However, no effective treatment is currently available to prevent or reverse the disease progression. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are emerging as a potential therapeutic target for diverse diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Their expression levels are altered in the patients and molecular mechanisms underlying the association between PRMTs and the diseases are being investigated. PRMTs have been shown to regulate development, homeostasis, and regeneration of both muscle and neurons, and their association to NMDs are emerging as well. Through inhibition of PRMT activities, a few studies have reported suppression of cytotoxic phenotypes observed in NMDs. Here, we review our current understanding of PRMTs’ involvement in the pathophysiology of NMDs and potential therapeutic strategies targeting PRMTs to address the unmet medical need.
BMP9 Promotes an Epithelial Phenotype and a Hepatocyte-like Gene Expression Profile in Adult Hepatic Progenitor Cells
Authors: Addante Annalisa , González-Corralejo Carlos , Roncero Cesáreo , Lazcanoiturburu Nerea , García-Sáez Juan , Herrera Blanca , Sánchez Aránzazu
Published: January 2022

Bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, has emerged as a new player in chronic liver diseases (CLDs). Its levels increase in the fibrotic liver where it promotes fibrogenesis. It also regulates hepatic progenitor cells (oval cells in rodents), a cell population that contributes to repopulate the liver and recover functionality upon severe damage, but it can also be pro-fibrogenic, depending upon the hepatic microenvironment. Here we analyze the effect of chronic exposure to BMP9 in oval cells. We show that cells chronically treated with BMP9 (B9T-OC) display a more epithelial and hepatocyte-like phenotype while acquiring proliferative and survival advantages. Since our previous studies had revealed a functional crosstalk between BMP9 and the HGF/c-Met signaling pathways in oval cells, we analyzed a possible role for HGF/c-Met in BMP9-induced long-term effects. Data evidence that active c-Met signaling is necessary to obtain maximum effects in terms of BMP9-triggered hepatocytic differentiation potential, further supporting functionally relevant cooperation between these pathways. In conclusion, our work reveals a novel action of BMP9 in liver cells and helps elucidate the mechanisms that serve to increase oval cell regenerative potential, which could be therapeutically modulated in CLD.
Neonatal Resuscitation Skill-Training Using a New Neonatal Simulator, Facilitated by Local Motivators: Two-Year Prospective Observational Study of 9000 Trainings
Authors: Vadla May Sissel , Mdoe Paschal , Moshiro Robert , Haug Ingunn Anda , Gomo Øystein , Kvaløy Jan Terje , Oftedal Bjørg , Ersdal Hege
Published: January 2022

Globally, intrapartum-related complications account for approximately 2 million perinatal deaths annually. Adequate skills in neonatal resuscitation are required to reduce perinatal mortality. NeoNatalie Live is a newborn simulator providing immediate feedback, originally designed to accomplish Helping Babies Breathe training in low-resource settings. The objectives of this study were to describe changes in staff participation, skill-training frequency, and simulated ventilation quality before and after the introduction of “local motivators” in a rural Tanzanian hospital with 4000–5000 deliveries annually. Midwives (n = 15–27) were encouraged to perform in situ low-dose high-frequency simulation skill-training using NeoNatalie Live from September 2016 through to August 2018. Frequency and quality of trainings were automatically recorded in the simulator. The number of skill-trainings increased from 688 (12 months) to 8451 (11 months) after the introduction of local motivators in October 2017. Staff participation increased from 43% to 74% of the midwives. The quality of training performance, measured as “well done” feedback, increased from 75% to 91%. We conclude that training frequency, participation, and performance increased after introduction of dedicated motivators. In addition, the immediate constructive feedback features of the simulator may have influenced motivation and training quality performance.
Early High-Dose Methylprednisolone Therapy Is Associated with Better Outcomes in Children with Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy
Authors: Chang Han-Pi , Hsia Shao-Hsuan , Lin Jainn-Jim , Chan Oi-Wa , Chiu Chun-Che , Lee En-Pei
Published: January 2022

Background: The neurologic outcomes of acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) are very poor, with a mortality rate of up to 40% and fewer than 10% of patients surviving without neurologic deficits. Steroid and immunoglobulin treatments have been the most commonly used options for ANE, but their therapeutic efficacy is still controversial. Method: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 26 children diagnosed with ANE. We also divided these patients into two groups: 21 patients with brainstem involvement and 8 patients without brainstem involvement. Pulse steroid therapy (methylprednisolone at 30 mg/kg/day for 3 days) and intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg for 2–5 days) were administered to treat ANE. Results: The overall mortality rate was 42.3%, and patients who did not survive had significantly higher initial lactate and serum ferritin levels, as well as higher rates of inotropic agent use with brainstem involvement. There were no significant differences in the outcomes of pulse steroid therapy or pulse steroid plus immunoglobulin between survivors and non-survivors. When analyzing the time between symptom onset and usage of pulse steroid therapy, pulse steroid therapy used within 24 h after the onset of ANE resulted in significantly better outcomes (p = 0.039). In patients with brainstem involvement, the outcome was not correlated with pulse steroid therapy, early pulse steroid therapy, or pulse steroid therapy combined with immunoglobulin. All patients without brainstem involvement received “early pulse methylprednisolone” therapy, and 87.5% (7/8) of these patients had a good neurologic outcome. Conclusion: Pulse steroid therapy (methylprednisolone at 30 mg/kg/day for 3 days) administered within 24 h after the onset of ANE may be correlated with a good prognosis. Further studies are needed to establish a consensus guideline for this fulminant disease.
Is There a Need for a More Precise Description of Biomolecule Interactions to Understand Cell Function?
Authors: Bongrand Pierre
Published: January 2022

An important goal of biological research is to explain and hopefully predict cell behavior from the molecular properties of cellular components. Accordingly, much work was done to build extensive “omic” datasets and develop theoretical methods, including computer simulation and network analysis to process as quantitatively as possible the parameters contained in these resources. Furthermore, substantial effort was made to standardize data presentation and make experimental results accessible to data scientists. However, the power and complexity of current experimental and theoretical tools make it more and more difficult to assess the capacity of gathered parameters to support optimal progress in our understanding of cell function. The purpose of this review is to focus on biomolecule interactions, the interactome, as a specific and important example, and examine the limitations of the explanatory and predictive power of parameters that are considered as suitable descriptors of molecular interactions. Recent experimental studies on important cell functions, such as adhesion and processing of environmental cues for decision-making, support the suggestion that it should be rewarding to complement standard binding properties such as affinity and kinetic constants, or even force dependence, with less frequently used parameters such as conformational flexibility or size of binding molecules.
High-Temperature Corrosion of Nickel-Based Coatings for Biomass Boilers in Chlorine-Containing Atmosphere
Authors: Hruska Jan , Mlnarik Jakub , Cizner Josef
Published: January 2022

As there is a strong pressure in the EU to reduce CO2 emissions and overall fossil fuel consumption in the energy sector, many boilers are burning biomass instead of traditional fuels (coal, natural gas, oil, etc.). This is mainly due to the EU 2030 energy strategy, which commits Member States to reduce fossil fuel emissions by at least 40% (compared to the 1990 level) and to use at least 32% of renewable energy. The combustion of biomass containing aggressive elements such as chlorine or sulfur causes serious damage to various boiler components, with negative impacts such as reduced boiler lifetime, increased investments and maintenance costs, reduced availability, and others. These problems occur mainly in plants/boilers designed to burn coal and redesigned to burn biomass (straw, wood chips, wood pellets, etc.). In this paper, the corrosion resistance of heat coatings determined in long-term laboratory tests in an environment specifically corresponding to biomass flue gas is presented. These results can be used to design a suitable modification of existing coal boilers using conventional materials. The aim was to compare three completely different technologies currently available on local markets for the preparation of these coatings—thin wire arc spray (TWAS), high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), and water-stabilized plasma. These coatings were compared with the base material of the boiler tubes—low alloyed steel 16Mo3 and high alloyed austenitic stainless steel AISI 310 as a more expensive option for retrofit. After 5000 h of exposure in an environment containing HCl and SO2, no cracks or structural defects were observed in any of the coatings, and the substrate material showed no signs of oxidation. All the tested coatings had higher corrosion resistance than the 16Mo3 material, and some of them presented a corrosion behavior close to that of the high alloy AISI 310 steel. Structurally and corrosion-wise, the thermally sprayed coating prepared by HVOF technology was the best of all tested materials.
In Situ Deposition of Amorphous Al2O3-GAP Ceramic Coating with Excellent Microstructure Stability and Uniformity via Atmospheric Plasma Spraying
Authors: Qiang Linya , Zhang Xiaozhen , Ai Yizhaotong , Zhuang Yin , Sheng Jing , Ni Jinxing , Yang Kai
Published: January 2022

A novel Al2O3-GdAlO3 (GAP) amorphous ceramic coating was in situ prepared via atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The Al2O3/Gd2O3 sprayable powders possessed excellent sphericity and fluidity after heat treatment at 1173 K without solid-phase reaction, which indicated that the Al2O3-GAP coating deposition process was significantly simplified. The Al2O3-GAP amorphous coating showed high glass transition temperature (1155.1 K), initial crystallization temperature (1179.2 K), local activation energy (847.6 kJ/mol) and nucleation resistance (88.3). Compared with almost all amorphous materials, the Al2O3-GAP amorphous coating possessed greater crystallization activation energy, which was conducive to its high-temperature microstructure stability. Furthermore, the hardness and elastic modulus of Al2O3-GAP coating fluctuated with a tiny range when increasing the nanoindentation depth from 500 nm to 2000 nm, which exhibited excellent uniformity of microstructure and mechanical performance of the coating. Therefore, the results showed that the Al2O3-GAP amorphous coating had a better potential for large-scale engineering application under harsh service conditions.
A Numerical Approach for Developing a Bearing-Bypass Design Criterion for Sizing Bolted Joints
Authors: Stamatelos Dimitrios G.
Published: January 2022

Bolted joints are widely used in composite aircraft structures, for their assembly. The appropriate bolted joint configuration (hole/bolt diameter, pitch, etc.) is carefully selected during the detail design phase, where high fidelity numerical models are required with substantial computational cost and time. This work presents a design criterion, which allows the selection of the bolted joint configuration during the preliminary design phase with less computational time. The developed design criterion is based on a fully parametric finite element (FE) model, built in ANSYS V19 (Canonsburg, PA, USA), of a bolted joint with progressive damage modelling (PDM) capabilities, so that the failure of the joint can be predicted. From the numerical analyses, the bearing load and the load that bypasses the hole are calculated, up to failure, for a variety of joint configurations and loading conditions. The results of each analysis are used for plotting the failure envelope for the investigated bolted-joint configuration. Consequently, a design criterion is generated for the bolted joint. The availability of these failure envelopes, as design criterion, permit the appropriate selection of the bolted-joint configuration in an earlier design phase saving valuable time and computational cost.
Crystallographic Analysis of Plate and Lath Martensite in Fe-Ni Alloys
Authors: Thome Pascal , Schneider Mike , Yardley Victoria A. , Payton Eric J. , Eggeler Gunther
Published: January 2022

In the present work, we use an advanced EBSD method to analyze the two prominent types of martensite microstructures that are found in the binary Fe-Ni system, lath martensite (27.5 at.% Ni) and plate martensite (29.5 at.% Ni). We modify, document, and apply an analytical EBSD procedure, which was originally proposed by Yardley and Payton, 2014. It analyzes the distributions of the three KSI-angles (ξ1, ξ2, and ξ3, KSI after Kurdjumov and Sachs), which describe small angular deviations between crystal planes in the unit cells of martensite and austenite—which are related through specific orientation relationships. The analysis of the angular distributions can be exploited to obtain high-resolution, color-coded micrographs of martensitic microstructures, which, for example, visualize the difference between lath and plate martensite and appreciate the microstructural features, like midribs in large plate martensite crystals. The differences between the two types of martensite also manifest themselves in different distributions of the KSI-angles (wider for lath and narrower for plate martensite). Finally, our experimental results prove that local distortions result in scatter, which is larger than the differences between the orientation relationships of Kurdjumov/Sachs, Nishiyama/Wassermann, and Greninger/Troiano.
Present and Emerging Biomarkers in Immunotherapy for Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Review
Authors: Khwaja Raida M. , Chu Quincy S.-C.
Published: January 2022

Targeting the immune system, especially the PDL-1/PD-1 axis, has significantly improved the outcomes of metastatic lung cancer patients. However, only a portion of patients will benefit significantly from PD(L)1 therapeutics alone or in combination with either chemotherapy or anti-CTLA4 antibody. It is therefore important to study predictive biomarkers to help select the patients who will experience the most benefit from immunotherapy. In this paper, the current status of PDL-1 expression on tumour cells, the smoking status of patients, tumour mutational burden, gut microbiome and STK11 and KEAP1 mutations in the tumour as predictive biomarkers for PD(L)-1-based immunotherapy are summarized.
Study of Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structures of Asian Wild and Cultivated Rice Showed That Cultivated Rice Had Decreased and Enriched Some Functional Microorganisms in the Process of Domestication
Authors: Zhang Jianfeng , Yao Zongmu , Chen Yalin , Zhang Jiafan , Luo Shouyang , Tian Chunjie , Tian Lei
Published: January 2022

Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.), domesticated from Asian wild rice, is a staple food crop for populations around the world. Asian cultivated rice has undergone physiological changes in the process of its evolution from Asian wild rice, and the closely related rhizosphere microorganisms may have changed in the process of plant domestication. However, the rhizosphere microorganisms of different Asian wild rice species and their related indica and japonica cultivated rice have not yet been illustrated clearly. This study aimed to illustrate the microbial community structures in the rhizosphere of Asian wild rice (common wild rice, nivara wild rice, medicinal wild rice, and spotted wild rice) and Asian cultivated rice (indica and japonica accessions) through the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA, ITS amplifiers and metagenomic data. The results showed that there were significant differences between wild and cultivated rice in their rhizosphere microbial community structures. In view of the indica and japonica rice, the bacterial and fungal community structures of indica rice with the nivara wild rice and medicinal wild rice were more similar than the japonica rice species. The indica and japonica rice had the lowest proportion of Actinobacteria than the wild rice species, and indica rice has the highest relative abundance of Nitrospira. As for the microbial functions, methane metabolism and pyruvate metabolism were found to be the common pathway enriched in the rhizosphere of common and nivara wild rice in comparison with the indica and japonica rice; in addition, though it was found that the relative abundances of the pathogenic fungi in the rhizosphere soil of indica and japonica rice were significantly lower than that of the wild rice, the relative abundances of Magnaporthales and Ustilaginales were significantly higher in indica and japonica rice than that of the wild rice. This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of rhizosphere microbial resources for wild and cultivated rice.
Taxonomic Diversity of Decapod and Stomatopod Crustaceans Associated with Pocilloporid Corals in the Central Mexican Pacific
Authors: Alonso-Domínguez Arizbeth , Ayón-Parente Manuel , Hendrickx Michel E. , Ríos-Jara Eduardo , Vargas-Ponce Ofelia , Esqueda-González María del Carmen , Rodríguez-Zaragoza Fabián Alejandro
Published: January 2022

Many crustacean species are obligate associates of pocilloporid corals, where they feed, reproduce, and find shelter. However, these coral-associated crustaceans have been poorly studied in the eastern tropical Pacific. Determining the crustacean richness and taxonomic distinctness could help in comparing different coral reefs and the potential effects of degradation. This study evaluated the spatio–temporal variation of the taxonomic diversity and distinctness of coral-associated crustaceans in four ecosystems of the Central Mexican Pacific (CMP) with different conditions and coral cover. In all ecosystems, 48 quadrants were sampled during the summer and winter for two years. A total of 12,647 individuals belonging to 88 species, 43 genera, and 21 families were recorded. The sampling effort yielded 79.6% of the expected species richness in the study area. Species rarity had 19% singletons, 4% doubletons, 22% unique, and 9% duplicate species; two species represented new records for the Mexican Pacific, and six were new to the CMP. This study recorded most of the symbiotic crustacean species in pocilloporid corals previously reported in the CMP. The taxonomic diversity and distinctness differed significantly between coral ecosystems and seasons, which was also visualized by nMDS ordination, showing an evident spatio–temporal variation in the taxonomic beta diversity.
Defining Management Units for Wild Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus from Nine River Basins in Ghana
Authors: Anane-Taabeah Attu Gifty , Frimpong Emmanuel A. , Hallerman Eric M.
Published: January 2022

Despite the global importance of the Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, especially to aquaculture, knowledge of genetic variability within native populations is still limited. While several studies have assessed genetic differentiation across the major drainage basins of Africa, relatively little effort has focused on characterizing genetic differentiation at finer scales. We assessed genetic variation in O. niloticus within and among nine drainage basins in Ghana using nuclear microsatellite DNA markers as the basis for identifying potential units of conservation among wild populations. We screened 312 wild individuals using eight nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. We found moderate genetic diversity within and differentiation among all wild populations studied, with strong signals of recent demographic bottlenecks in several populations. Genetic structure among 11 populations suggested the presence of up to ten management units (MUs). In particular, the Black Volta and the Tano–Asuhyea populations, which were the most genetically distinct and geographically isolated and may be most at risk of loss of genetic diversity over time, may well represent evolutionary significant units. Therefore, at the minimum, the Black Volta and Tano–Asuhyea populations should be prioritized for conservation actions to sustain them over the long-term.
Choroidal and Choriocapillaris Morphology in Pan-FGFR Inhibitor-Associated Retinopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Fasolino Giuseppe , Moschetta Laura , De Grève Jacques , Nelis Pieter , Lefesvre Pierre , Ten Tusscher Marcel
Published: January 2022

Emerging anticancer agents such as the pan-FGFR Inhibitor have achieved remarkable improvements in the survival of patients with metastatic malignancies. Nevertheless they are still associated with specific ophthalmic toxicities. Understanding their pathophysiology can lead us to better clinical practice of life-threatening and vision-threatening circumstances. To investigate choroidal alterations as a potential pathophysiological mechanism of a serous detachment in bilateral pan-FGFR Inhibitor-Associated Retinopathy (FGFRAR), the morphology of the choroid and choriocapillaris were assessed. The choroidal thickness (ChT) and choriocapillaris flow void were measured by macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCT-A), respectively. Data were collected at the baseline, then at one-month and two-months follow-ups after starting erdafitinib, in a single case of pulmonary angiosarcoma. Choroidal and choriocapillaris morphology showed stable ChT and choriocapillaris flow void at FGFRAR onset and relapse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analyzed case reported with flow-void OCT-angiography. Considering these results, FGFRAR in this patient does not seem to match the pachychoroid spectrum disorder definition; rather, an intracellular mechanism based on intracellular transduction pathways may be at work.
Serum Growth Differentiation Factor-15/Albumin Ratio as a 2-Year Survival Marker of End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Initiating Maintenance Hemodialysis
Authors: Lee Eu-Jin , Hwang Haet-Bit , Han Soo-Hyun , Ham Young-Rok , Shin Jin-Ah , Lee Kang-Wook , Na Ki-Ryang , Choi Dae-Eun
Published: January 2022

It is important to identify risk factors related to mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients starting renal replacement therapy. Recently, several studies proposed that growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a possible biomarker for the prognosis of patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Here, we investigated the predictive value of serum GDF-15/Albumin ratio on two-year mortality in ESRD patients initiating maintenance hemodialysis. The study was a single center, retrospective study on ESRD patients starting maintenance hemodialysis with a follow-up of two years. All patients completed laboratory test and bioimpedance spectroscopy prior to the initiation of the first dialysis. The patients were stratified into quartiles according to the quartiles of serum GDF-15/Albumin ratio. Among the 159 patients, the mean age was 61.78 ± 12.52 years and median survival was 20.03 ± 7.73 months. The highest GDF-15/Albumin quartile was significantly more associated with the increased risk of all-cause mortality than other quartiles (unadjusted hazard ratio (HR): 8.468, 95% CI 2.981–24.054, p < 0.001). Older age and a higher overhydration state were associated with GDF-15/Albumin ratio. The ROC analysis confirmed that the ability of the GDF-15/Albumin ratio to predict mortality was superior to GDF-15 or albumin alone. In conclusion, the GDF-15/Albumin ratio measured at the initial maintenance hemodialysis is an independent prognostic marker of two-year mortality in ESRD patients.
Vessel Wall Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cerebrovascular Diseases
Authors: Mazzacane Federico , Mazzoleni Valentina , Scola Elisa , Mancini Sara , Lombardo Ivano , Busto Giorgio , Rognone Elisa , Pichiecchio Anna , Padovani Alessandro , Morotti Andrea , Fainardi Enrico
Published: January 2022

Cerebrovascular diseases are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. The definition of stroke etiology is mandatory to predict outcome and guide therapeutic decisions. The diagnosis of pathological processes involving intracranial arteries is especially challenging, and the visualization of intracranial arteries’ vessel walls is not possible with routine imaging techniques. Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI) uses high-resolution, multiparametric MRI sequences to directly visualize intracranial arteries walls and their pathological alterations, allowing a better characterization of their pathology. VW-MRI demonstrated a wide range of clinical applications in acute cerebrovascular disease. Above all, it can be of great utility in the differential diagnosis of atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic intracranial vasculopathies. Additionally, it can be useful in the risk stratification of intracranial atherosclerotic lesions and to assess the risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysms. Recent advances in MRI technology made it more available, but larger studies are still needed to maximize its use in daily clinical practice.
Comparison between Deep Learning and Conventional Machine Learning in Classifying Iliofemoral Deep Venous Thrombosis upon CT Venography
Authors: Hwang Jung , Seo Jae , Kim Jeong , Park Suyoung , Kim Young , Kim Kwang
Published: January 2022

In this study, we aimed to investigate quantitative differences in performance in terms of comparing the automated classification of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) using two categories of artificial intelligence algorithms: deep learning based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and conventional machine learning. We retrospectively enrolled 659 participants (DVT patients, 282; normal controls, 377) who were evaluated using contrast-enhanced lower extremity computed tomography (CT) venography. Conventional machine learning consists of logistic regression (LR), support vector machines (SVM), random forests (RF), and extreme gradient boosts (XGB). Deep learning based on CNN included the VGG16, VGG19, Resnet50, and Resnet152 models. According to the mean generated AUC values, we found that the CNN-based VGG16 model showed a 0.007 higher performance (0.982 ± 0.014) as compared with the XGB model (0.975 ± 0.010), which showed the highest performance among the conventional machine learning models. In the conventional machine learning-based classifications, we found that the radiomic features presenting a statistically significant effect were median values and skewness. We found that the VGG16 model within the deep learning algorithm distinguished deep vein thrombosis on CT images most accurately, with slightly higher AUC values as compared with the other AI algorithms used in this study. Our results guide research directions and medical practice.
Accuracy Assessment of a UAV Direct Georeferencing Method and Impact of the Configuration of Ground Control Points
Authors: Liu Xiaoyu , Lian Xugang , Yang Wenfu , Wang Fan , Han Yu , Zhang Yafei
Published: January 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can obtain high-resolution topography data flexibly and efficiently at low cost. However, the georeferencing process involves the use of ground control points (GCPs), which limits time and cost effectiveness. Direct georeferencing, using onboard positioning sensors, can significantly improve work efficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-assisted UAV direct georeferencing method and the influence of the number and distribution of GCPs. A FEIMA D2000 UAV was used to collect data, and several photogrammetric projects were established. Among them, the number and distribution of GCPs used in the bundle adjustment (BA) process were varied. Two parameters were considered when evaluating the different projects: the ground-measured checkpoints (CPs) root mean square error (RMSE) and the Multiscale Model to Model Cloud Comparison (M3C2) distance. The results show that the vertical and horizontal RMSE of the direct georeferencing were 0.087 and 0.041 m, respectively. As the number of GCPs increased, the RMSE gradually decreased until a specific GCP density was reached. GCPs should be uniformly distributed in the study area and contain at least one GCP near the center of the domain. Additionally, as the distance to the nearest GCP increased, the local accuracy of the DSM decreased. In general, UAV direct georeferencing has an acceptable positional accuracy level.
Examining New Zealand Unmanned Aircraft Users’ Measures for Mitigating Operational Risks
Authors: Henderson Isaac Levi
Published: January 2022

While the potential risks of unmanned aircraft have received significant attention, there is little in the academic literature that examines how operational risks are mitigated by users. This study examines the prevalence of key operational risk mitigations amongst a sample of 812 unmanned aircraft users in New Zealand, their confidence levels in identifying and complying with airspace requirements, and their ability to read visual navigation charts (VNCs) and use AirShare (a local tool that shows airspace requirements). Significant differences exist between the number and type of mitigations applied, users’ confidence levels in identifying and complying with airspace requirements, and users’ ability to read VNCs and use AirShare based upon user characteristics. Education, practical assessment, membership of a professional body, professional/semi-professional use, and operating for a certificated organisation all improve risk mitigation (greater number and variety of risk mitigations applied). The only risk mitigation employed by almost all users was conducting a pre-flight check of their aircraft, identifying the need for users to view risk mitigation more holistically. The findings support policy directions related to educational requirements, the ability for member-based organisations and professional bodies to self-regulate, and the fitness of the current regulatory system in New Zealand.
A New Estimator for Standard Errors with Few Unbalanced Clusters
Authors: Niccodemi Gianmaria , Wansbeek Tom
Published: January 2022

In linear regression analysis, the estimator of the variance of the estimator of the regression coefficients should take into account the clustered nature of the data, if present, since using the standard textbook formula will in that case lead to a severe downward bias in the standard errors. This idea of a cluster-robust variance estimator (CRVE) generalizes to clusters the classical heteroskedasticity-robust estimator. Its justification is asymptotic in the number of clusters. Although an improvement, a considerable bias could remain when the number of clusters is low, the more so when regressors are correlated within cluster. In order to address these issues, two improved methods were proposed; one method, which we call CR2VE, was based on biased reduced linearization, while the other, CR3VE, can be seen as a jackknife estimator. The latter is unbiased under very strict conditions, in particular equal cluster size. To relax this condition, we introduce in this paper CR3VE-λ, a generalization of CR3VE where the cluster size is allowed to vary freely between clusters. We illustrate the performance of CR3VE-λ through simulations and we show that, especially when cluster sizes vary widely, it can outperform the other commonly used estimators.
Socio-Spatial Conditions of Educational Participation: A Typology of Municipalities in the Canton of Zurich
Authors: Bayard Sybille , Imlig Flavian , Schmid Simona
Published: January 2022

The Canton of Zurich is characterized by strong socio-spatial polarization typical for large and dynamic metropolitan areas. A helpful way to depict spatial dimensions is spatial typologies. Existing spatial categorizations of the Canton of Zurich are limited for education because they focus primarily on economic factors, which are not the only predictors of educational behavior and success. In this paper, we develop a typology of municipalities in the Canton of Zurich that is useful for educational analyses and administrative activity. Theoretically, we consider socio-spatial structures as opportunities and constraints of the spatial and social contexts related to educational participation. We differentiate between two levels: socioeconomic composition and regional structures. The socioeconomic composition of a neighborhood is assumed to influence the way residents think and act through social interactions. Regional structures refer to the variation in the specificity and accessibility of institutional settings of the labor market, the education system, and extracurricular stimulation. The analyses are based on official statistics. We use factor analysis to identify the main components within the two levels. Their combination results in a spatial typology consisting of five types. They show significant differences in indicators of educational participation, which illustrates the relevance of the typology for the education sector.
Online Education in Early Primary Years: Teachers’ Practices and Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Nikolopoulou Kleopatra
Published: January 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions around the world were forced to close and the academic process continued online. Online teaching can support students’ learning, but little research exists in the foundational early primary years (children aged 4–8). The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ practices and experiences in implementing online teaching during the pandemic period. The participants were 14 Greek teachers of early primary years, and data were collected via interviews. The findings indicated that most of the teachers used a combination of teaching practices-approaches, while the learning activities implemented mainly regarded language, psychomotor activities, display of videos, mathematics and interdisciplinary activities. Teachers’ feelings were initially negative, while afterwards they experienced more positive feelings. Disadvantages of online education, as experienced by teachers, mainly regarded technical problems, followed by limited resources/support for children at home, and limited training in online methodology. Teachers’ positive experiences regarded children’s familiarization with the technology and maintenance of contact with the school environment, while the role of the parents was revealed as essential. Implications and suggestions for future online education in early primary years include maintenance of good high-standard teaching practices, enhancement of digital culture and parents’ involvement with children’s activities at home.
Accurate Photovoltaic Models Based on an Adaptive Opposition Artificial Hummingbird Algorithm
Authors: Ramadan Abdelhady , Kamel Salah , Hassan Mohamed H. , Ahmed Emad M. , Hasanien Hany M.
Published: January 2022

The greater the demand for energy, the more important it is to improve and develop permanent energy sources, because of their advantages over non-renewable energy sources. With the development of artificial intelligence algorithms and the presence of so many data, the evolution of simulation models has increased. In this research, an improvement to one recent optimization algorithm called the artificial hummingbird algorithm (AHA) is proposed. An adaptive opposition approach is suggested to select whether or not to use an opposition-based learning (OBL) method. This improvement is developed based on adding an adaptive updating mechanism to enable the original algorithm to obtain more accurate results with more complex problems, and is called the adaptive opposition artificial hummingbird algorithm (AOAHA). The proposed AOAHA was tested on 23 benchmark functions and compared with the original algorithm and other recent optimization algorithms such as supply–demand-based optimization (SDO), wild horse optimizer (WHO), and tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA). The proposed algorithm was applied to obtain accurate models for solar cell systems, which are the basis of solar power plants, in order to increase their efficiency, thus increasing the efficiency of the whole system. The experiments were carried out on two important models—the static and dynamic models—so that the proposed model would be more representative of real systems. Two applications for static models have been proposed: In the first application, the AOAHA satisfies the best root-mean-square values (0.0009825181). In the second application, the performance of the AOAHA is satisfied in all variable irradiance for the system. The results were evaluated in more than one way, taking into account the comparison with other modern and powerful optimization techniques. Improvement showed its potential through its satisfactory results in the tests that were applied to it.
Automated Identification of Application-Dependent Safe Faults in Automotive Systems-on-a-Chips
Authors: Bagbaba Ahmet Cagri , Augusto da Silva Felipe , Sonza Reorda Matteo , Hamdioui Said , Jenihhin Maksim , Sauer Christian
Published: January 2022

ISO 26262 requires classifying random hardware faults based on their effects (safe, detected, or undetected) within integrated circuits used in automobiles. In general, this classification is addressed using expert judgment and a combination of tools. However, the growth of integrated circuit complexity creates a huge fault space; hence, this form of fault classification is error prone and time consuming. Therefore, an automated and systematic approach is needed to target hardware fault classification in automotive systems on chips (SoCs), considering the application software. This work focuses on identifying safe faults: the proposed approach utilizes coverage analysis to identify candidate safe faults considering all the constraints coming from the application. Then, the behavior of the application software is modeled so that we can resort to a formal analysis tool. The proposed technique is evaluated on the AutoSoC benchmark running a cruise control application. Resorting to our approach, we could classify 20%, 11%, and 13% of all faults in the central processing unit (CPU), universal asynchronous receiver–transmitter (UART), and controller area network (CAN) as safe faults, respectively. We also show that this classification can increase the diagnostic coverage of software test libraries targeting the CPU and CAN modules by 4% to 6%, increasing the achieved testable fault coverage.
Compensation of Unbalanced Low-Voltage Grids Using a Photovoltaic Generation System with a Dual Four-Leg, Two-Level Inverter
Authors: Fernão Pires Vitor , Cordeiro Armando , Foito Daniel , José Pires Armando , Hao Chen , Francisco Martins João , Castro Rui
Published: January 2022

In this paper, a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) generation system is proposed with the purpose of providing support to low-voltage grids, namely through the elimination or attenuation of the grid imbalances. This compensation must consider the load types, which can be either linear or non-linear, and whether the reactive power and current harmonics generated by the non-linear loads need to be compensated in addition to the unbalanced active power. This must be well considered, since the compensation of all aspects requires oversized PV inverters. Thus, the different unbalanced compensation schemes are addressed. Several schemes for the generation of the inverter current references taking into consideration the compensation and load type are presented. For this PV generation system, a dual four-leg, two-level inverter is proposed. It provides full unbalanced compensation owing to the fourth leg of the inverter and also extends the AC voltage, which is important when this compensation is required. To control this inverter, a control scheme for the inverter that considers several compensation factors is proposed. A vector voltage modulator associated with the controller is another aspect that is addressed in the paper. This modulator considers the balance between the DC voltages of the inverters. Several compensation schemes are verified through computational tests. The results validate the effectiveness of the proposed PV generation system.