bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban “Three States” Human Settlements High-Quality Coordinated Development
Authors: Tian Shenzhen , Qi Ao , Li Zihang , Pan Xiaobai , Liu Yushi , Li Xueming
Published: February 2022

The high-quality interaction of urban reality human settlements (RHSs), pseudo-human settlements (PHSs) and image human settlements (IHSs) can better explain the constantly updated human settlements phenomena under the human–land-relationship regional system. At present, the basic connotation, empirical exploration and optimized path of high-quality and coordinated development of “three states” of human settlements are not clear. In this paper, we take 14 prefecture-level cities in Liaoning Province as case areas and empirically explore their spatial patterns, coupling and coordination spatial relationships, driving mechanisms and development paths by using a coupling and coordination model, the entropy weight method and the geographic detector method. The results indicate that: (1) The spatial pattern of high-quality development of “three states” of human settlements varies significantly in different regions, forming a “dual-core” and “hump” spatial structure. (2) RHSs, PHSs and IHSs are not completely coordinated, forming “high–high–high” and “low–low–low” types, represented by Shenyang and Fuxin. (3) The high-quality coordinated development of “three states” of human settlements is driven by economic conditions, population conditions, entertainment systems and other factors. The population system, the social communication system and the support system, respectively, lead the high-quality coordinated development of RHSs, PHSs and IHSs.
Numerical Analysis of Different Influencing Factors on the In-Plane Failure Mode of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Structures
Authors: Ma Pengfei , Yao Jitao , Hu Yukun
Published: February 2022

The research work herein presented is aimed at investigating the effects of different influencing factors on the in-plane failure mode of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures. Firstly, the in-plane stress failure criterion cited in this paper was introduced, and the corresponding judgment procedure was demonstrated. Then, various finite element models considering different influencing factors were established, which included the aspect ratio of pier (η), stiffness ratio of pier to spandrel (ρ) and vertical load (σ). Furthermore, the in-plane stress failure criterion that we introduced was used to evaluate the failure modes of each model. The main findings of the simulations were as follows: under the condition of (η ≤ 1.0), three failure modes emerged in all models, which included pier, mixed and spandrel failure modes, with the gradual increase in ρ. Once the value of η exceeded 1.0, all models exhibited the pier failure mode regardless of whether the value of ρ increased or decreased. Moreover, under the identical aspect ratio (η = 1.0), the failure modes of the models altered regularly with the increase in the value of σ (from 0.3 MPa to 0.6 MPa), which transferred from pier failure to mixed failure, and from mixed failure to spandrel failure. The research results not only provide theoretical reference for the design of new masonry buildings, but also provide technical guidance for the judgement and prediction of failure modes of existing masonry buildings.
A Practical Equation for the Elastic Modulus of Recycled Aggregate Concrete
Authors: Chen Jian , Zhou Yun , Yin Fangfang
Published: February 2022

For greater sustainability in construction, coarse recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is becoming popular as a replacement for natural aggregate concrete (NAC) in structures. The elastic modulus of concrete (E) is a fundamental parameter in structure design. However, the empirical equations for E of NAC cannot apply to RAC because E of RAC is lower than NAC of equal strength, which hinders the widespread use of RAC to a certain extent. This paper provides a practical equation for E of RAC based on a comprehensive statistical analysis of 1383 mixes from 154 publications, allowing designers to easily estimate E of RAC by known parameters at the design stage, such as compressive strength, replacement rate and quality of recycled aggregate. This equation is developed by introducing a reduction factor η into the empirical equation for NAC and verified by the additional experimental results. Compared with JGJ/T443-2018 (a Chinese standard), this paper provides a more reasonable and accurate estimate by analysing much more data and taking into account other factors, such as aggregate type and the volume ratio of aggregate to paste.
The Role of Decorin Proteoglycan in Mitophagy
Authors: Neill Thomas , Iozzo Renato V.
Published: February 2022

Proteoglycans are emerging as critical regulators of intracellular catabolism. This rise in prominence has transformed our basic understanding and alerted us to the existence of non-canonical pathways, independent of nutrient deprivation, that potently control the autophagy downstream of a cell surface receptor. As a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan gene family, decorin has single-handedly pioneered the connection between extracellular matrix signaling and autophagy regulation. Soluble decorin evokes protracted endothelial cell autophagy via Peg3 and breast carcinoma cell mitophagy via mitostatin by interacting with VEGFR2 or the MET receptor tyrosine kinase, respectively. In this paper, we give a mechanistic perspective of the vital factors underlying the nutrient-independent, SLRP-dependent programs utilized for autophagic and/or mitophagic progression in breast cancer. Future protein therapies based on decorin (or fellow proteoglycan members) will represent a quantum leap forward in transforming autophagic progression into a powerful tool to control intracellular cell catabolism from the outside.
A Brief Overview of Radiation-Induced Effects on Spermatogenesis and Oncofertility
Authors: Fukunaga Hisanori , Yokoya Akinari , Prise Kevin M.
Published: February 2022

The genotoxicity of radiation on germ cells may be passed on to the next generation, thus its elucidation is not only a scientific issue but also an ethical, legal, and social issue in modern society. In this article, we briefly overview the effects of radiation on spermatogenesis and its associated genotoxicity, including the latest findings in the field of radiobiology. The potential role of transgenerational effects is still poorly understood, and further research in this area is desirable. Furthermore, from the perspective of oncofertility, we discuss the historical background and clinical importance of preserving male fertility during radiation treatment and the potential of microbeam radiotherapy. We hope that this review will contribute to stimulating further discussions and investigations for therapies for pediatric and adolescent/young adult patients.
Telomerase in Cancer: Function, Regulation, and Clinical Translation
Authors: Robinson Nathaniel J. , Schiemann William P.
Published: February 2022

During the process of malignant transformation, cells undergo a series of genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic alterations, including the acquisition and propagation of genomic aberrations that impart survival and proliferative advantages. These changes are mediated in part by the induction of replicative immortality that is accompanied by active telomere elongation. Indeed, telomeres undergo dynamic changes to their lengths and higher-order structures throughout tumor formation and progression, processes overseen in most cancers by telomerase. Telomerase is a multimeric enzyme whose function is exquisitely regulated through diverse transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational mechanisms to facilitate telomere extension. In turn, telomerase function depends not only on its core components, but also on a suite of binding partners, transcription factors, and intra- and extracellular signaling effectors. Additionally, telomerase exhibits telomere-independent regulation of cancer cell growth by participating directly in cellular metabolism, signal transduction, and the regulation of gene expression in ways that are critical for tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize the complex mechanisms underlying telomere maintenance, with a particular focus on both the telomeric and extratelomeric functions of telomerase. We also explore the clinical utility of telomeres and telomerase in the diagnosis, prognosis, and development of targeted therapies for primary, metastatic, and recurrent cancers.
AKR1B1 as a Prognostic Biomarker of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Hojnik Marko , Šuster Nataša Kenda , Smrkolj Špela , Sisinger Damjan , Grazio Snježana Frković , Verdenik Ivan , Rižner Tea Lanišnik
Published: February 2022

Although aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) have been widely studied in cancer, no study to date has examined the roles of AKR family 1 members B1 (AKR1B1) and B10 (AKR1B10) in a large group of ovarian cancer patients. AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 play a significant role in inflammation and the metabolism of different chemotherapeutics as well as cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Due to these functions, we examined the potential of AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 as tissue biomarkers. We assessed the immunohistochemical levels of AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 in tissue paraffin sections from 99 patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) and compared these levels with clinicopathological characteristics, survival, and response to chemotherapy. A higher immunohistochemical AKR1B1 expression correlated with a better overall and disease-free survival of HGSC patients whereas AKR1B10 expression did not show any significant differences. A multivariant Cox analysis demonstrated that a high AKR1B1 expression was an important prognostic factor for both overall and disease-free survival. However, AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 were not associated with different responses to chemotherapy. Our data suggest that AKR1B1 is involved in the pathogenesis of HGSC and is a potential prognostic biomarker for this cancer.
Intraductal Carcinoma of the Prostate as a Cause of Prostate Cancer Metastasis: A Molecular Portrait
Authors: Pantazopoulos Helen , Diop Mame-Kany , Grosset Andrée-Anne , Rouleau-Gagné Frédérique , Al-Saleh Afnan , Boblea Teodora , Trudel Dominique
Published: February 2022

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) is one of the most aggressive types of prostate cancer (PCa). IDC-P is identified in approximately 20% of PCa patients and is associated with recurrence, metastasis, and PCa-specific death. The main feature of this histological variant is the colonization of benign glands by PCa cells. Although IDC-P is a well-recognized independent parameter for metastasis, mechanisms by which IDC-P cells can spread and colonize other tissues are not fully known. In this review, we discuss the molecular portraits of IDC-P determined by immunohistochemistry and genomic approaches and highlight the areas in which more research is needed.
Long-Term Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development and Predictive Ability of Non-Invasive Scoring Systems in Patients with HCV-Related Cirrhosis Treated with Direct-Acting Antivirals
Authors: Caviglia Gian Paolo , Troshina Giulia , Santaniello Umberto , Rosati Giulia , Bombaci Francesco , Birolo Giovanni , Nicolosi Aurora , Saracco Giorgio Maria , Ciancio Alessia
Published: February 2022

Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) are still at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the accuracy of non-invasive scoring systems (NSS) for the prediction of de novo HCC development in patients treated with DAA on long-term follow-up (FU). We analyzed data from 575 consecutive patients with cirrhosis and no history of HCC who achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR) to DAA therapy. NSS (i.e., Forns index, APRI, FIB-4, ALBI, and aMAP) were calculated at 3 months after the end of therapy. Performance for de novo HCC prediction was evaluated in terms of area under the curve (AUC) and Harrell’s C-index. During a median FU of 44.9 (27.8–58.6) months, 57 (9.9%) patients developed de novo HCC. All five NSS were associated with the risk of de novo HCC. At multivariate analysis, only the ALBI score resulted in being significantly and independently associated with de novo HCC development (adjusted hazard ratio = 4.91, 95% CI 2.91–8.28, p < 0.001). ALBI showed the highest diagnostic accuracy for the detection of de novo HCC at 1-, 3-, and 5-years of FU, with AUC values of 0.81 (95% CI 0.78–0.85), 0.71 (95% CI 0.66–0.75), and 0.68 (95% CI 0.59–0.76), respectively. Consistently, the best predictive performance assessed by Harrell’s C-statistic was observed for ALBI (C-index = 0.70, 95% CI 0.62–0.77). ALBI score may represent a valuable and inexpensive tool for risk stratification and the personalization of an HCC surveillance strategy for patients with cirrhosis and previous history of HCV infection treated with DAA.
Dissecting TET2 Regulatory Networks in Blood Differentiation and Cancer
Authors: Lazarenkov Aleksey , Sardina José Luis
Published: February 2022

Cytosine methylation (5mC) of CpG is the major epigenetic modification of mammalian DNA, playing essential roles during development and cancer. Although DNA methylation is generally associated with transcriptional repression, its role in gene regulation during cell fate decisions remains poorly understood. DNA demethylation can be either passive or active when initiated by TET dioxygenases. During active demethylation, transcription factors (TFs) recruit TET enzymes (TET1, 2, and 3) to specific gene regulatory regions to first catalyze the oxidation of 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and subsequently to higher oxidized cytosine derivatives. Only TET2 is frequently mutated in the hematopoietic system from the three TET family members. These mutations initially lead to the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) compartment expansion, eventually evolving to give rise to a wide range of blood malignancies. This review focuses on recent advances in characterizing the main TET2-mediated molecular mechanisms that activate aberrant transcriptional programs in blood cancer onset and development. In addition, we discuss some of the key outstanding questions in the field.
ATP8B1 Knockdown Activated the Choline Metabolism Pathway and Induced High-Level Intracellular REDOX Homeostasis in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Zhang Rui , Liu Pengpeng , Zhang Runjiao , Ning Junya , Ye Yingnan , Yu Wenwen , Yu Jinpu
Published: February 2022

The flippase ATPase class I type 8b member 1 (ATP8B1) is essential for maintaining the stability and polarity of the epithelial membrane and can translocate specific phospholipids from the outer membrane to the inner membrane of the cell. Although ATP8B1 plays important roles in cell functions, ATP8B1 has been poorly studied in tumors and its prognostic value in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remains unclear. By investigating the whole genomic expression profiles of LUSC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital (TJMUCH) cohort, we found that low expression of ATP8B1 was associated with poor prognosis of LUSC patients. The results from cellular experiments and a xenograft-bearing mice model indicated that ATP8B1 knockdown firstly induced mitochondrial dysfunction and promoted ROS production. Secondly, ATP8B1 knockdown promoted glutathione synthesis via upregulation of the CHKA-dependent choline metabolism pathway, therefore producing and maintaining high-level intracellular REDOX homeostasis to aggravate carcinogenesis and progression of LUSC. In summary, we proposed ATP8B1 as a novel predictive biomarker in LUSC and targeting ATP8B1-driven specific metabolic disorder might be a promising therapeutic strategy for LUSC.
Lactate Activates Germline and Cleavage Embryo Genes in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Tian Qing , Zhou Li-quan
Published: February 2022

Lactate was recently found to mediate histone lysine lactylation and facilitate polarization of M1 macrophages, indicating its role in metabolic regulation of gene expression. During somatic cell reprogramming, lactate promotes histone lactylation of pluripotency genes and improves reprogramming efficiency. However, the function of lactate in cell fate control in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that lactate supplementation activated germline genes in mouse ESCs. Lactate also induced global upregulation of cleavage embryo genes, such as members of the Zscan4 gene family. Further exploration demonstrated that lactate stimulated H3K18 lactylation accumulation on germline and cleavage embryo genes, which in turn promoted transcriptional elongation. Our findings indicated that lactate supplementation expanded the transcriptional network in mouse ESCs.
The Origins of NAFLD: The Potential Implication of Intrauterine Life and Early Postnatal Period
Authors: Valentini Francesco , Rocchi Giulia , Vespasiani-Gentilucci Umberto , Guarino Michele Pier Luca , Altomare Annamaria , Carotti Simone
Published: February 2022

Fetal life and the first few months after birth represent a plastic age, defined as a “window of opportunity”, as the organism is particularly susceptible to environmental pressures and has to adapt to environmental conditions. Several perturbations in pregnancy, such as excessive weight gain, obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus and an inadequate or high-fat diet, have been associated with long-term metabolic consequences in offspring, even without affecting birth weight. Moreover, great interest has also been focused on the relationship between the gut microbiome of early infants and health status in later life. Consistently, in various epidemiological studies, a condition of dysbiosis has been associated with an increased inflammatory response and metabolic alterations in the host, with important consequences on the intestinal and systemic health of the unborn child. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the origins of NAFLD, with particular attention to the potential implications of intrauterine life and the early postnatal period. Due to the well-known association between gut microbiota and the risk of NAFLD, a specific focus will be devoted to factors affecting early microbiota formation/composition.
Imatinib Mesylate for the Treatment of Canine Mast Cell Tumors: Assessment of the Response and Adverse Events in Comparison with the Conventional Therapy with Vinblastine and Prednisone
Authors: Macedo Thais Rodrigues , de Queiroz Genilson Fernandes , Casagrande Thaís Andrade Costa , Alexandre Pâmela Almeida , Brandão Paulo Eduardo , Fukumasu Heidge , Melo Samanta Rios , Dagli Maria Lucia Zaidan , Pinto Ana Carolina B. C. Fonseca , Matera Julia Maria
Published: February 2022

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are common neoplasms in dogs, and treatments for these diseases include surgery, polychemotherapy and targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This study aimed to evaluate the response and the adverse events of treatment with imatinib mesylate (IM) compared to conventional therapy using vinblastine and prednisolone (VP) in canine cutaneous MCTs. Twenty-four dogs were included in the study; 13 animals were treated with IM and 11 with VP. Tumor tissue samples were submitted for histological diagnosis, grading and KIT immunostaining. The response to treatment was assessed by tomographic measurements according to VCOG criteria. Adverse events were classified according to VCOG-CTCAE criteria. The IM and VP groups had dogs with similar breeds, gender, ages, MCT localization, WHO stages and lymph node metastasis profiles. Most MCTs were grade 2/low and had KIT- patterns 2 and 3. The objective response rate (ORR) was significantly higher (30.79%) in the IM group then in VP group (9.09%). Adverse events (AE) in IM group were all grade 1, significantly different from VP. In conclusion, IM presented better ORR and less severe adverse events when compared to VP, representing a suitable option for the treatment of low-grade canine MCTs.
The Effectiveness of Diamond-like Carbon a-C:H:Si Coatings in Increasing the Cutting Capability of Radius End Mills When Machining Heat-Resistant Nickel Alloys
Authors: Grigoriev Sergey N. , Volosova Marina A. , Fedorov Sergey V. , Migranov Mars S. , Mosyanov Mikhail , Gusev Andrey , Okunkova Anna A.
Published: February 2022

The main purpose of this paper was to study the efficiency of using diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings based on a-C:H:Si with a pre-formed CrAlSiN sublayer to increase the cutting ability of ball end mills made of KFM-39 cemented carbide at a speed of 150–250 m/min in milling aircraft-grade Inconel 718, and to assess the DLC coating effect on the quality of the machined surface. DLC coating performance was quantified against uncoated carbide ball end mills and the proven TiN–AlN–TiAlN gradient multilayer coating at elevated temperatures measured by the natural thermocouple method. The temperature near the cutting edge is the factor determining the wear intensity in the tool contact surfaces in milling hard-to-machine nickel alloys to the greatest extent. Thermo-EMF (electromotive force) was recorded and converted into temperatures by calibration charts. The behavior of CrAlSiN–DLC and TiN–AlN–TiAlN coatings was compared with the results of high-temperature tribological tests on a ball-on-disc friction machine. For the CrAlSiN–DLC coating at cutting speeds of 150 and 200 m/min (<650 °C), the milling time until critical flank face wear (0.4 mm) was more than 67 and 50 min, respectively (1.4–1.5 times longer than an uncoated tool and about 1.3 times longer than the TiN–AlN–TiAlN coating). The CrAlSiN–DLC coating was characterized by a minimum adhesion amount.
Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing of Ti6Al4V: Special Nozzle Design Using Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation
Authors: Cao Congcong , Li Wenya , Zhang Zhengmao , Yang Xiawei , Xu Yaxin
Published: February 2022

Cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) shows great potential in titanium-alloy production as it is a solid-state process. However, data published so far have demonstrated the difficulty of producing dense and high-strength Ti alloy parts. Our previous studies have shown that nozzle design together with high-cost helium propulsive gas plays a crucial role in particle acceleration. In this work, special nozzles for Ti alloy were designed and validated experimentally with commercially available Ti6Al4V powder. Simulation results show that particle impact temperature increases remarkably for a long convergent length, while particle kinetic energy slightly increases, which is validated by experiments. The relationship between the particle impact temperature and practice diameter shows the first increase and then decrease. The experimental results show that as the nozzle convergent section becomes longer, the edges of the single-pass deposits become smoother, and the width, density, deposition efficiency, and microhardness of the single-pass deposits increase.
Techniques for Skeletal-Based Animation in Massive Crowd Simulations
Authors: Paduraru Ciprian , Paduraru Miruna
Published: February 2022

Crowd systems play an important role in virtual environment applications, such as those used in entertainment, education, training, and different simulation systems. Performance and scalability are key factors, and it is desirable for crowds to be simulated with as few resources as possible while providing variety and realism for agents. This paper focuses on improving the performance, variety, and usability of crowd animation systems. Performing the blending operation on the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) side requires no additional memory other than the source and target animation streams and greatly increases the number of agents that can simultaneously transition from one state to another. A time dilation offset feature helps applications with a large number of animation assets and/or agents to achieve sufficient visual quality, variety, and good performance at the same time by moving animation streams between the running and paused states at runtime. Splitting agents into parts not only reduces asset creation costs by eliminating the need to create permutations of skeletons and assets but also allows users to attach parts dynamically to agents.
Hierarchical Control for DC Microgrids Using an Exact Feedback Controller with Integral Action
Authors: Montoya Oscar Danilo , Serra Federico Martin , Molina-Cabrera Alexander
Published: February 2022

This paper addresses the problem of the optimal stabilization of DC microgrids using a hierarchical control design. A recursive optimal power flow formulation is proposed in the tertiary stage that ensures the global optimum finding due to the convexity of the proposed quadratic optimization model in determining the equilibrium operative point of the DC microgrid as a function of the demand and generation inputs. An exact feedback controller with integral action is applied in the primary and secondary controller layers, which ensures asymptotic stability in the sense of Lyapunov for the voltage variables. The dynamical model of the network is obtained in a set of reduced nodes that only includes constant power terminals interfaced through power electronic converters. This reduced model is obtained by applying Kron’s reduction to the linear loads and step nodes in the DC grid. Numerical simulations in a DC microgrid with radial structure demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed hierarchical controller in maintaining the stability of all the voltage profiles in the DC microgrid, independent of the load and generation variations.
Cutaneous Reactions to Antidiabetic Agents: A Narrative Review
Authors: Boccardi Aleia , Shubrook Jay H.
Published: February 2022

Diabetes is a common and complex disease affecting multiple organ systems throughout the body. With a consensus in care guidelines emphasizing the importance of glycemic control in determining the disease progression, people with diabetes worldwide have been placed on medication regimens targeting glucose stability from a variety of pathophysiologic pathways. Each of these medications also possesses its own potential for adverse events. In recent years, there has been increased reports of skin reactions to diabetes medications, adding to the more widely known eruptions such as insulin-induced lipohypertrophy and contact dermatitis of subcutaneous injections. The authors searched PubMed, Google, and Embase for articles including adverse reactions to anti-hyperglycemic medications. Key words and titles searched included, “antidiabetic drugs”, “skin reactions”, “adverse drug reactions”, “allergic reactions”, “diabetes”, “metformin”, “insulin”, “DPP4 inhibitors”, “thiazolindineones”, “sulfonylureas”, “SGLT2 inhibitors”, “GLP-1 agonists”, “diabetic medication”, “injection site reactions”. As a result, a total of 59 papers are included in this review. The great majority were case reports ranging from benign fixed drug eruptions to severe cutaneous reactions that threaten patients’ lives. Increasing physician awareness of both the potential for, and presentation of, such reactions to diabetes medications can reduce hospitalizations and optimize care in an already vulnerable patient population.
A Cytological Review of Follicular Dendritic Cell-Derived Tumors with Emphasis on Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma and Unicentric Castleman Disease
Authors: Jiménez-Heffernan José A. , Díaz del Arco Cristina , Adrados Magdalena
Published: February 2022

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are antigen-presenting cells located in the germinal centers of the lymph nodes. Among the few tumors showing FDC differentiation are follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) and Castleman disease (CD), more precisely the unicentric hyaline vascular (HV) variant. Both are relatively rare tumors, and the diagnostic cytological experience is limited to descriptions of isolated cases or small series. The purpose of this review is to bring together all the available cytological published information, and our personal experience, in order to obtain a global idea of the cytological features of these peculiar FDC-derived tumors. The different descriptions of FDCS are very similar, reflecting a tumor that shows repetitive and characteristic cytological features. It shows a dimorphic population of mature lymphocytes and large tumoral cells with partial spindle morphology. Most cases of HV variant of CD can be recognized as benign upon cytology, however a precise diagnosis seems more difficult. It is characterized by reactive lymphocytes mixed with vessels and FDCs, either single or forming syncytial aggregates. Both, FDCS and CD are challenging for cytological diagnosis in which a high index of suspicion is necessary for a correct preoperative assessment. Cytology is very useful for follow-up of recurrences and metastases.
Prenatal Sonographic Features of Cri-du-Chat Syndrome: A Case Report and Analytical Literature Review
Authors: Traisrisilp Kuntharee , Yanase Yuri , Ake-sittipaisarn Srimeunwai , Tongsong Theera
Published: February 2022

Cri-du-Chat syndrome (CdCS) is a rare but serious genetic disorder. Most cases occur de novo, without specific risk factors as an indication of invasive prenatal diagnosis. Moreover, no specific ultrasound findings have been reported to facilitate early detection. This study presents a case of CdCS with fetal ultrasound findings of cerebellar hypoplasia and peri-membranous ventricular septal defect (VSD), which are consistent with previous reports, as well as coarctation of the aorta and hypercoiling cord, which have never been described in CdCS before. Additionally, we performed an analytical literature review to identify the sonographic pattern facilitating prenatal diagnosis. Based on the review of 47 reported cases, most CdCS fetuses (87.2%) had ultrasound characteristics: cerebellar hypoplasia (29.8%), followed by cardiac abnormalities (19.1%), hydrops fetalis/fluid collection (17.0%), ventriculomegaly (14.9%), choroid plexus cyst (12.8%) and nasal bone hypoplasia (12.8%). Increased nuchal translucency/nuchal fold thickness was also common. This is the first study providing a fetal sonographic pattern of CdCS that may facilitate early diagnosis.
Using Machine Learning Techniques to Predict MACE in Very Young Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients
Authors: Juan-Salvadores Pablo , Veiga Cesar , Jiménez Díaz Víctor Alfonso , Guitián González Alba , Iglesia Carreño Cristina , Martínez Reglero Cristina , Baz Alonso José Antonio , Caamaño Isorna Francisco , Romo Andrés Iñiguez
Published: February 2022

Coronary artery disease is a chronic disease with an increased expression in the elderly. However, different studies have shown an increased incidence in young subjects over the last decades. The prediction of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in very young patients has a significant impact on medical decision-making following coronary angiography and the selection of treatment. Different approaches have been developed to identify patients at a higher risk of adverse outcomes after their coronary anatomy is known. This is a prognostic study of combined data from patients ≤40 years old undergoing coronary angiography (n = 492). We evaluated whether different machine learning (ML) approaches could predict MACE more effectively than traditional statistical methods using logistic regression (LR). Our most effective model for long-term follow-up (60 ± 27 months) was random forest (RF), obtaining an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.79 (95%CI 0.69–0.88), in contrast with LR, obtaining AUC = 0.66 (95%CI 0.53–0.78, p = 0.021). At 1-year follow-up, the RF test found AUC 0.80 (95%CI 0.71–0.89) vs. LR 0.50 (95%CI 0.33–0.66, p < 0.001). The results of our study support the hypothesis that ML methods can improve both the identification of MACE risk patients and the prediction vs. traditional statistical techniques even in a small sample size. The application of ML techniques to focus the efforts on the detection of MACE in very young patients after coronary angiography could help tailor upfront follow-up strategies in such young patients according to their risk of MACE and to be used for proper assignment of health resources.
Prognostic Nutritional Index and Lung Immune Prognostic Index as Prognostic Predictors for Combination Therapies of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Cytotoxic Anticancer Chemotherapy for Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Tanaka Satomi , Uchino Junji , Yokoi Takashi , Kijima Takashi , Goto Yasuhiro , Suga Yoshifumi , Katayama Yuki , Nakamura Ryota , Morimoto Kenji , Nakao Akira , Hibino Makoto , Tani Nozomi , Takeda Takayuki , Yamaguchi Hiroyuki , Tachibana Yusuke , Takumi Chieko , Hiraoka Noriya , Takeshita Masafumi , Onoi Keisuke , Chihara Yusuke , Taniguchi Ryusuke , Yamada Takahiro , Matsui Yohei , Hiranuma Osamu , Morimoto Yoshie , Iwasaku Masahiro , Tokuda Shinsaku , Kaneko Yoshiko , Yamada Tadaaki , Takayama Koichi
Published: February 2022

Combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors and cytotoxic chemotherapies (chemoimmunotherapy) is associated with significantly better survival outcomes than cytotoxic chemotherapies alone in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there are no prognostic markers for chemoimmunotherapy. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) are prognostic biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy or cytotoxic chemotherapies. Thus, we aimed to examine whether these factors could also be prognostic markers for chemoimmunotherapy. We retrospectively examined 237 patients with advanced NSCLC treated with chemoimmunotherapy. In the total group, the median overall survival (OS) was not reached, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.6 months. Multivariate analysis of OS and PFS revealed significant differences based on PNI and LIPI. Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) was also significantly associated with OS and PFS. PNI and a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) of <50% and poor LIPI (regardless of PD-L1 TPS) were associated with poor prognosis. PNI and LIPI predicted survival outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with chemoimmunotherapy, especially in patients with PD-L1 TPS <50%. For patients in this poor category, chemoimmunotherapy may result in a worse prognosis than expected.
Quantification and Classification of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Breast Cancer Data: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ioannidis Georgios S. , Goumenakis Michalis , Stefanis Ioannis , Karantanas Apostolos , Marias Kostas
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to investigate which of the two frequently adopted perfusion models better describes the contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) perfusion signal in order to produce meaningful imaging markers with the goal of developing a machine-learning model that can classify perfusion curves as benign or malignant in breast cancer data. Twenty-five patients with high suspicion of breast cancer were analyzed with exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) and gamma variate functions (GVF). The adjusted R2 metric was the criterion for assessing model performance. Various classifiers were trained on the quantified perfusion curves in order to classify the curves as benign or malignant on a voxel basis. Sensitivity, specificity, geometric mean, and AUROC were the validation metrics. The best quantification model was EMG with an adjusted R2 of 0.60 ± 0.26 compared to 0.56 ± 0.25 for GVF. Logistic regression was the classifier with the highest performance (sensitivity, specificity, Gmean, and AUROC = 89.2 ± 10.7, 70.0 ± 18.5, 77.1 ± 8.6, and 91.0 ± 6.6, respectively). This classification method obtained similar results that are consistent with the current literature. Breast cancer patients can benefit from early detection and characterization prior to biopsy.
What Financial Conditions Affect Dynamic Equity Risk Factor Allocation?
Authors: Backhaus Achim , Isiksal Aliya Zhakanova , Bausch Matthias
Published: February 2022

The “technology bubble” in the late 1990s, the financial crisis in 2007/2008, and the Eurozone crisis generated significant losses across several asset classes. The objective of this paper is to investigate risk premia factors such as size, value, momentum, carry, quality, and low volatility and their time-variant behavior. The time-variant behavior of these risk premia baskets has been analyzed based on different financial conditions: The business cycle, the yield curve, equity market momentum, and different risk conditions. Factor calculations are based on the MSCI World universe. The monthly data set ranges from January 1995 to September 2017. The results underpin the prevalent observation that equity risk factors consistently outperform the broad market and therefore generate significant alpha. However, the paper shows that a dynamic allocation of risk factors can achieve an attractive return–risk relation. The study shows very clearly how different risk factors behave in different financial conditions and that an allocation to more offensive or more conservative risk factors can outperform a diversified, equally-weighted portfolio.
Predicting Students at Risk of Dropout in Technical Course Using LMS Logs
Authors: Tamada Mariela Mizota , Giusti Rafael , Netto José Francisco de Magalhães
Published: February 2022

Educational data mining is a process that aims at discovering patterns that provide insight into teaching and learning processes. This work uses Machine Learning techniques to create a student performance prediction model, using academic data and records from a Learning Management System, that correlates with success or failure in completing the course. Six algorithms were employed, with models trained at three different stages of their two-year course completion. We tested the models with records of 394 students from 3 courses. Random Forest provided the best results with 84.47% on the F1 score in our experiments, followed by Decision Tree obtaining similar results in the first subjects. We also employ clustering techniques and find different behavior groups with a strong correlation to performance. This work contributes to predicting students at risk of dropping out, offers insight into understanding student behavior, and provides a support mechanism for academic managers to take corrective and preventive actions on this problem.
An Analog Baseband Circuit for Wireless Local Area Networks Transceiver in 55 nm CMOS Technology
Authors: Wang Yingying , Wu Bin , Pu Yilin
Published: February 2022

The design of the analog baseband circuit is based on 55 nm CMOS technology and is integrated in an IEEE 802.11ax concurrent dual band four antenna transceiver. A low-pass filter (LPF) of the receiver was multiplexed with an LPF-transmitter such that the last three stages of the fifth order LPF-receiver were used by the LPF-transmitter, and the first programmable gain amplifier (PGA) of the receiver was partially multiplexed with the PGA-transmitter such that the PGA-receiver and the PGA-transmitter shared the same operational amplifier and input resistance, thereby reducing the power consumption, noise, linearity, and area of intermediate frequency (IF) of the transmitter designed separately. The typical bandwidth of the IF-receiver is 10/20/40 MHz; that of the IF-transmitter is 12/24/50 MHz. The gain range of the IF-receiver and the IF-transmitter is 0.1–65.5 dB and −10.1 to 3.98 dB, respectively. Under the voltage of 1.5 V, the current of the IF-receiver is 3.86 mA. As for the IF-transmitter, the current is 1.78 mA when supply voltage is 1.5 V. The input referred noise (IRN) of the IF-receiver at 10 MHz bandwidth (BW) and 62 dB gain is 14.52 nV/√ Hz, while the IRN of the IF-transmitter at 10 MHz BW and −6 dB gain is 95.16 nV/√ Hz. The suppression ability of the DC offset cancellation circuit is 35.08/80.9/110.1/113 dB. The area of the analog baseband circuit is 0.17 mm2.
Demystifying Non-Isolated DC–DC Topologies on Partial Power Processing Architectures
Authors: Anzola Jon , Aizpuru Iosu , Arruti Asier , Artal-Sevil Jesus Sergio , Bernal Carlos
Published: February 2022

This paper discusses the possibility of achieving partial power processing with non-isolated DC–DC topologies. To this end, partial power converter architectures are seen as an interesting solution for reducing the power processed by the converter. We observed via simulations that single-inductor non-isolated topologies cannot achieve partial power processing since the obtained current and voltage waveforms were the same as those found in a full-power converter. However, when using double inductor non-isolated topologies, reduced current and improved efficiencies were achieved. In order to confirm the results obtained from the simulations, single- and double-inductor topologies were tested experimentally. Finally, it was concluded that a double-inductor non-isolated topology can improve its performance by using partial power processing.
Energy Saving in Trigeneration Plant for Food Industries
Authors: Radchenko Andrii , Radchenko Mykola , Mikielewicz Dariusz , Pavlenko Anatoliy , Radchenko Roman , Forduy Serhiy
Published: February 2022

The trigeneration plants for combined cooling, heating, and electricity supply, or integrated energy systems (IES), are mostly based on gas reciprocating engines. The fuel efficiency of gas reciprocating engines depends essentially on air intake temperatures. The transformation of the heat removed from the combustion engines into refrigeration is generally conducted by absorption lithium-bromide chillers (ACh). The peculiarity of refrigeration generation in food technologies is the use of chilled water of about 12 °C instead of 7 °C as the most typical for ACh. This leads to a considerable cooling potential not realized by ACh that could be used for cooling the engine intake air. A refrigerant ejector chiller (ECh) is the simplest in design, cheap, and can be applied as the low-temperature stage of a two-stage absorption-ejector chiller (AECh) to provide engine intake air cooling and increase engine fuel efficiency as result. The monitoring data on gas engine fuel consumption and power were analyzed in order to evaluate the effect of gas engine cyclic air cooling.
A Critical Review on Decarbonizing Heating in China: Pathway Exploration for Technology with Multi-Sector Applications
Authors: Hou Xiaoyang , Zhong Shuai , Zhao Jian’an
Published: February 2022

Coal-fired heating is the main method of heating in China, causing serious air pollution and large amounts of CO2 emissions. Decarbonizing heating is important to reduce carbon emissions, and choosing a suitable heating technical scheme is conducive to the early realization of carbon neutrality in China. Coal to gas and coal to electricity transformation projects were carried out in 2017 and achieved remarkable effects. This study compares the current domestic and international clean heating modes, where gas heating, electric heating, heat hump heating, biomass heating, and solar heating coupling system are taken into account. The heating technology potential and heating support aspects, including the industrial sector, building sector, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, and publicity are explored as well. Regarding the actual situation in China, a comparative analysis is also conducted on the different types of heat pumps, and then an optimal heating scheme for urban and rural areas is proposed. It is suggested that the urban area with centralized heating can install ground source heat pumps, and the rural area with distributed heating can apply a coupling system of solar photovoltaics to ground source heat pumps (PV-GSHP). Based on current policies and standards support, this study calculates the carbon emissions of this scheme in 2030 and provides a detailed analysis of relevant parameters. The feasibility and superiority of the scheme are confirmed by comparison and discussion with other studies. Moreover, specific measures in planning, subsidy, construction, and electricity are proposed to implement the heating scheme. This study provides a reference for the mode selection and technical scheme of heating decarbonation in China, and that could be also considered in other regions or countries.
A Bidirectional Grid-Connected DC–AC Converter for Autonomous and Intelligent Electricity Storage in the Residential Sector
Authors: Aouichak Ismail , Jacques Sébastien , Bissey Sébastien , Reymond Cédric , Besson Téo , Le Bunetel Jean-Charles
Published: February 2022

Controlling the cost of electricity consumption remains a major concern, particularly in the residential sector. Smart home electricity management systems (HEMS) are becoming increasingly popular for providing uninterrupted power and improved power quality, as well as for reducing the cost of electricity consumption. When power transfer is required between a storage system and the AC grid, and vice versa, these HEMS require the use of a bidirectional DC–AC converter. This paper emphasizes the potential value of an almost unexplored topology, the design of which was based on the generation of sinusoidal signals from sinusoidal half waves. A DC–DC stage, which behaved as a configurable voltage source, was in series with a DC–AC stage, i.e., an H-bridge, to achieve an architecture that could operate in both grid and off-grid configurations. Wide bandgap power switches (silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors [MOSFETs]), combined with appropriate control strategies, were the keys to increasing compactness of the converter while ensuring good performance, especially in terms of efficiency. The converter was configured to automatically change the operating mode, i.e., inverter or rectifier in power factor correction mode, according to an instruction issued by the HEMS; the latter being integrated in the control circuit with automatic duty cycle management. Therefore, the HEMS set the amount of energy to be injected into the grid or to be stored. The experimental results validate the operating modes of the proposed converter and demonstrate the relevance of such a topology when combined with an HEMS, especially in the case of an AC grid connection. The efficiency measurements of the bidirectional DC–AC converter, performed in grid-connected inverter mode, show that we exceeded the efficiency target of 95% over the entire output power range studied, i.e., from 100 W to 1.5 kW.
Fault Diagnosis of Rotor Broken Bar in Induction Motor Based on Successive Variational Mode Decomposition
Authors: Liu Xinyue , Yan Yan , Hu Kaibo , Zhang Shan , Li Hongjie , Zhang Zhen , Shi Tingna
Published: February 2022

When an induction motor is running at stable speed and low slip, the fault signal of the induction motor’s broken bar faults are easily submerged by the power frequency (50 Hz) signal. Thus, it is difficult to extract fault characteristics. The left-side harmonic component representing the fault characteristics can be distinguished from power frequency owing to V-shaped trajectory of the fault component in time-frequency (t-f) domain during motor startup. This article proposed a scheme to detect broken bar faults and discriminate the severity of faults under starting conditions. In this scheme, successive variable mode decomposition (SVMD) is applied to analyze the stator starting current to extract the fault component, and the signal reconstruction is proposed to maximize the energy of the fault component. Then, the quadratic regression curve method of instantaneous frequency square value of the fault component is utilized to discriminate whether the fault occurs. In addition, according to the feature that the energy of the fault component increases with the fault severity, the energy of the right part of the fault component is proposed to detect the severity of the fault. In this paper, experiments are carried out based on a 5.5 kW three-pole induction motor. The results show that the scheme proposed in this paper can diagnose the broken bar faults and determine the severity of the fault.