bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Utility of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ishido Shun , Tsuchiya Kaoru , Kano Yoshihito , Yasui Yutaka , Takaura Kenta , Uchihara Naoki , Suzuki Keito , Tanaka Yuki , Miyamoto Haruka , Yamada Michiko , Matsumoto Hiroaki , Nobusawa Tsubasa , Keitoku Taisei , Tanaka Shohei , Maeyashiki Chiaki , Tamaki Nobuharu , Takahashi Yuka , Nakanishi Hiroyuki , Sakurai Urara , Asahina Yasuhiro , Okamoto Ryuichi , Kurosaki Masayuki , Izumi Namiki
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who received multiple systemic therapies in real-world practice. In this study, all nine patients had gene alterations, and seven were candidates eligible for clinical trials based on the results of CGP. The median number of alterations per patient was four, and the blood sample was used in five patients with extrahepatic metastasis. We revealed the genomic information of the patients who received multiple systemic therapies and reported the utility of blood samples in patients with extrahepatic metastasis. Furthermore, the genomic status in patients treated with multiple molecular-targeted agents, including checkpoint inhibitors, would contribute to developing newer systemic agents. The molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is partially demonstrated. Moreover, in the patients receiving multiple molecular-targeted therapies, the gene alternations are still unknown. Six molecular-targeted therapies of unresectable HCC (uHCC) and comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) have been approved in clinical practice. Hence, the utility of CGP in patients with uHCC treated with multiple molecular-targeted agents is investigated. The data of the patients with uHCC who received CGP tests were collected, retrospectively, between February 2021 and May 2022. Gene alterations detected by foundation testing, excluding variants of unknown significance, were reported in all nine patients. The samples for CGP were derived from liver tumor biopsy (n = 2), surgical specimens of bone metastases (n = 2), and blood (n = 5). The median number of systemic therapies was four. Seven patients were candidates eligible for clinical trials. One patient with a high tumor mutation burden (TMB) could receive pembrolizumab after CGP. This study presented genomic alternations after receiving multiple molecular-targeted therapies. However, further investigation needs to be conducted to develop personalized therapies and invent newer agents for treating HCC.
Molecular Mechanisms in Murine Syngeneic Leukemia Stem Cells
Authors: Chamo Michael , Koren Omri , Goldstein Oron , Bujanover Nir , Keinan Nurit , Scharff Ye’ela , Gazit Roi
Published: January 2023

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a severe disease with a very high relapse rate. AML relapse may be attributable to leukemic stem cells (LSC). Notably, the “cancer stem cell” theory, which relates to LSCs, is controversial and criticized due to the technical peculiarities of the xenotransplant of human cells into mice. In this study, we searched for possible LSCs in an immunocompetent synergetic mice model. First, we found phenotypic heterogeneity in the ML23 leukemia line. We prospectively isolated a sub-population using the surface markers cKit+CD9−CD48+Mac1−/low, which have the potency to relapse the disease. Importantly, this sub-population can pass in syngeneic hosts and retrieve the heterogeneity of the parental ML23 leukemia line. The LSC sub-population resides in various organs. We present a unique gene expression signature of the LSC in the ML23 model compared to the other sub-populations. Interestingly, the ML23 LSC sub-population expresses therapeutic targeted genes such as CD47 and CD93. Taken together, we present the identification and molecular characterization of LSCs in a syngeneic murine model.
A Point-of-Care Faecal Test Combining Four Biomarkers Allows Avoidance of Normal Colonoscopies and Prioritizes Symptomatic Patients with a High Risk of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Hijos-Mallada Gonzalo , Saura Nuria , Lué Alberto , Velamazan Raúl , Nieto Rocío , Navarro Mercedes , Arechavaleta Samantha , Chueca Eduardo , Gomollon Fernando , Lanas Angel , Sostres Carlos
Published: January 2023

Most colonoscopies performed to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms detect only non-relevant pathologies. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a qualitative point-of-care (POC) test combining four biomarkers (haemoglobin, transferrin, calprotectin, and lactoferrin), a quantitative faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for haemoglobin, and a quantitative faecal calprotectin (FC) test in symptomatic patients prospectively recruited. Colorectal cancer (CRC), adenoma requiring surveillance, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), microscopic colitis, and angiodysplasia were considered significant pathologies. A total of 571 patients were included. Significant pathology was diagnosed in 118 (20.7%), including 30 CRC cases (5.3%). The POC test yielded the highest negative predictive values: 94.8% for a significant pathology and 100% for CRC or IBD if the four markers turned negative (36.8% of the patients). Negative predictive values of FIT, FC, and its combination for diagnosis of a significant pathology were 88.4%, 87.6%, and 90.8%, respectively. Moreover, the positive predictive value using the POC test was 82.3% for significant pathology when all biomarkers tested positive (6% of the patients), with 70.6% of these patients diagnosed with CRC or IBD. The AUC of the POC test was 0.801 (95%CI 0.754-0.848) for the diagnosis of a significant pathology. Therefore, this POC faecal test allows the avoidance of unnecessary colonoscopies and prioritizes high risk symptomatic patients.
Cancer-Associated Adipocytes and Breast Cancer: Intertwining in the Tumor Microenvironment and Challenges for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Wu Chenghui , Dong Shuwen , Huang Renhong , Chen Xiaosong
Published: January 2023

Adipocytes are the main components in breast tissue, and cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) are one of the most important components in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer (BC). Bidirectional regulation was found between CAAs and BC cells. BC facilitates the dedifferentiation of adjacent adipocytes to form CAAs with morphological and biological changes. CAAs increase the secretion of multiple cytokines and adipokines to promote the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of BC by remodeling the extracellular matrix, changing aromatase expression, and metabolic reprogramming, and shaping the tumor immune microenvironment. CAAs are also associated with the therapeutic response of BC and provide potential targets in BC therapy. The present review provides a comprehensive description of the crosstalk between CAAs and BC and discusses the potential strategies to target CAAs to overcome BC treatment resistance.
Targeting the Hedgehog Pathway in Rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Zarzosa Patricia , Garcia-Gilabert Lia , Hladun Raquel , Guillén Gabriela , Gallo-Oller Gabriel , Pons Guillem , Sansa-Girona Julia , Segura Miguel F. , Sánchez de Toledo Josep , Moreno Lucas , Gallego Soledad , Roma Josep
Published: January 2023

Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway is known to play an oncogenic role in a wide range of cancers; in the particular case of rhabdomyosarcoma, this pathway has been demonstrated to be an important player for both oncogenesis and cancer progression. In this review, after a brief description of the pathway and the characteristics of its molecular components, we describe, in detail, the main activation mechanisms that have been found in cancer, including ligand-dependent, ligand-independent and non-canonical activation. In this context, the most studied inhibitors, i.e., SMO inhibitors, have shown encouraging results for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma, both tumour types often associated with mutations that lead to the activation of the pathway. Conversely, SMO inhibitors have not fulfilled expectations in tumours—among them sarcomas—mostly associated with ligand-dependent Hh pathway activation. Despite the controversy existing regarding the results obtained with SMO inhibitors in these types of tumours, several compounds have been (or are currently being) evaluated in sarcoma patients. Finally, we discuss some of the reasons that could explain why, in some cases, encouraging preclinical data turned into disappointing results in the clinical setting.
Nysfungin Production Improvement by UV Mutagenesis in Streptomyces noursei D-3-14
Authors: Song Ming , He Wubing , Cai Sulan , Wang Fuju , Xu Weizhuo , Xu Wei
Published: January 2023

Streptomyces noursei D-3-14 was taken as a starting strain and treated with UV (15 W, 30 cm) mutagenesis for 40 s for three consecutive rounds. High yielding strains were screened using chemical and biological potency determination, and the components of the fermentation products were detected using HPLC. Finally, the mutant strain Streptomyces noursei 72-22-1 with a chemical potency of 8912 (U/mL) and a biological potency of 5557 (U/mL) was obtained after the genetic stability evaluation. After optimization of the fermentation conditions, the chemical potency and biological potency of Streptomyces noursei 72-22-1 reached 14,082 U/mL and 10579 U/mL, respectively, which is 1.58 and 1.91 times those before optimization. HPLC analysis indicated that the mutant strain 72-22-1 displayed a higher content of polyfungin B. When equimolar nystatin A1, A3, and polyfungin B were tested for their fungicidal activities towards Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 2061, polyfungin B exhibited a better efficacy than nystatin A1 and A3.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Psychiatric Pharmaceuticals in Hospital WWTP Secondary Effluents Using g-C3N4 and g-C3N4/MoS2 Catalysts in Laboratory-Scale Pilot
Authors: Rapti Ilaeira , Boti Vasiliki , Albanis Triantafyllos , Konstantinou Ioannis
Published: January 2023

Today, the pollution caused by a multitude of pharmaceuticals used by humans has been recognized as a major environmental problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the photocatalytic degradation of ten target psychiatric drugs in hospital wastewater effluents using g-C3N4 and 1%MoS2/g-C3N4 (1MSCN) as photocatalytic materials. The experiments were performed using real wastewater samples collected from hospital wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) secondary effluent in spiked and inherent pharmaceutical concentration levels. The photocatalytic experiments were performed in a laboratory-scale pilot plant composed of a stainless-steel lamp reactor (46 L) equipped with ten UVA lamps and quartz filters connected in series with a polypropylene recirculation tank (55–100 L). In addition, experiments were carried out in a solar simulator apparatus Atlas Suntest XLS+ at a 500 Wm−2 irradiation intensity. The analysis of the samples was accomplished by solid-phase extraction, followed by liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results showed that the photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical compounds followed first-order kinetics. In all cases, 1MSCN presented higher photocatalytic performance than g-C3N4. The removal rates of the pharmaceutical compounds were determined above 30% and 54% using g-C3N4 and 1MSCN, respectively. Parallel to kinetic studies, the transformation products (TPs) generated during the treatment were investigated.
Softening–Melting Properties and Slag Evolution of Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Sinter in Hydrogen-Rich Gases
Authors: Xin Ran , Zhao Jianbo , Gao Xudong , You Zhixiong , Yu Wenzhou , Zhang Shengfu , Dang Jie , Bai Chenguang
Published: January 2023

Blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF–BOF) process is the predominant method for smelting vanadium titano-magnetite (VTM) in China. Hydrogen-rich (H2-rich) gas injection in BF is considered as an important way to reduce CO2 emission under the background of low carbon metallurgy. In this paper, the softening–melting behaviors of VTM sinter in H2–rich gases were investigated by the method of determination of its reduction softening drippinger performance under load. The experimental results indicated that the permeability of VTM sinter during the softening–melting process was improved by increasing the H2 content of the reducing gases. The maximum pressure drop of the burden decreased gradually from 29.76 kPa to 19.97 kPa, and the total characteristic value (representing the comprehensive softening–melting property) also decreased obviously from 2357.52 kPa·°C to 630.94 kPa·°C with the increase in H2 content. The softening interval of the samples was widened, while the melting–dripping interval increased firstly and then decreased. In that case, the position of the melting–dripping zone in BF would move downwards, which was beneficial to smelting smoothly. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that Ti- and Fe-bearing phases were more difficult to be reduced than iron oxides, and H2-rich gas is beneficial to the reduction of that kind of oxides. Titano-magnetite will be reduced stepwise to form Fe2TiO4, and then in the order of FeTiO3→TiO2→Ti(C,N). Wustite (FeO) was an important component during the slag-forming process, whose content increased firstly and then decreased. Perovskite and silicate were the main phases in the dripping slag samples.
Adsorption of Orange G Dye on Hydrophobic Activated Bentonite from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Taibi Zohra , Bentaleb Kahina , Bouberka Zohra , Pierlot Christel , Vandewalle Maxence , Volkringer Christophe , Supiot Philippe , Maschke Ulrich
Published: January 2023

This report focusses on the modification of physical structure and chemical properties of a bentonite clay from the Hammam Boughrara region of the Maghnia district in western Algeria to maximize its adsorption capacity. The purified bentonite clay (called B) was modified, either by acid activation with 1M sulfuric acid (B-Act), or by intercalation with the cationic surfactant cetytrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), applying a cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 100% (called B-CTAB). Modification of B was also introduced by combining these two steps consecutively, i.e., at first acid activation of B, followed by intercalation with CTAB (B-Act-CTAB). The B-Act-CTAB was obtained by H2SO4 (1M) acid activation, followed by co-adsorption of CTAB with 100% and 300% of the CEC of B-Act as precursor. In particular, a strong increase of surface area and pore volume of the modified bentonites was observed for B-Act (469.83 m²/g and 0.401 cm3g−1), B-Act-CTAB100 (267.72 m²/g and 0.316 cm3 g−1) and B-Act-CTAB300 (111.15 m²/g and 0.171 cm3g−1), compared to B (31.79 m²/g and 0.074 cm3 g−1) and B-CTAB (3.79 m²/g and 0.034 cm3 g−1), respectively. The bentonite-based adsorbents were then used to evaluate the removal efficiency of an organic molecule, the azo dye Orange G (OG), as a model for a Persistent Organic Pollutant. Freundlich, Langmuir and Sips (Langmuir–Freundlich) models were applied to analyze equilibrium isotherms, showing a good correlation between experimental data and the Freundlich model. A good agreement was obtained between experimentally obtained kinetic adsorption data and the pseudo-second-order model, allowing to evaluate rate constants. B-Act-CTAB300 can be applied as a low-cost material for removal of azo dyes, since its adsorption capacity towards OG (102.80 mg/g) exceeds largely that of B-CTAB (31.49 mg/g) and B-Act-CTAB100 (12.77 mg/g).
Serial X-ray Crystallography II
Authors: Nam Ki Hyun
Published: January 2023

Traditional macromolecular crystallography (MX) and recently spotlighted cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) techniques have contributed greatly to the development of macromolecule structures and the related fields [...]
Personalized Prehabilitation Improves Tolerance to Chemotherapy in Patients with Oesophageal Cancer
Authors: Christodoulidis Grigorios , Halliday Laura J. , Samara Athina , Bhuva Neel , Park Won-Ho Edward , Moorthy Krishna
Published: January 2023

Background: Prehabilitation programmes aim to optimise patients before and after cancer treatment including surgery. Previous studies in surgical patients demonstrate that prehabilitation improves pre-operative fitness and overcomes the negative impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on fitness. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of prehabilitation on the tolerance of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with oesophageal cancer. Methods: Patients with oesophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GOJ) cancer from two oncology centres were retrospectively included in the present comparative cohort study; one provided a multimodal prehabilitation programme and one did not offer any prehabilitation. Tolerance of chemotherapy, defined as completion of the full chemotherapy regime as per protocol, was compared between the two groups. Results: In terms of participants, 92 patients were included in this study, 47 patients in the prehabilitation cohort and 45 in the control cohort. Compared with the control group, the prehabilitation group demonstrated an improved rate of chemotherapy completion (p = 0.029). In multivariate analysis, participation in prehabilitation was significantly associated with an improved rate of chemotherapy completion. Conclusion: The findings of this exploratory study suggest that prehabilitation is associated with better tolerance for chemotherapy. Further research is needed to establish the long-term impact of prehabilitation on oncological outcomes.
Mitigating Breast-Cancer-Related Lymphedema—A Calgary Program for Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction (ILR)
Authors: Deban Melina , McKinnon J. Gregory , Temple-Oberle Claire
Published: January 2023

With increasing breast cancer survival rates, one of our contemporary challenges is to improve the quality of life of survivors. Lymphedema affects quality of life on physical, psychological, social and economic levels; however, prevention of lymphedema lags behind the progress seen in other areas of survivorship such as breast reconstruction and fertility preservation. Immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) is a proactive approach to try to prevent lymphedema. We describe in this article essential aspects of the elaboration of an ILR program. The Calgary experience is reviewed with specific focus on team building, technique, operating room logistics and patient follow-up, all viewed through research and education lenses.
Fatty Acid Spectra in Mesopelagic Fishes of the Myctophidae and Stomiidae Families Collected in the North East Atlantic
Authors: Voronin Viktor P. , Artemenkov Dmitrii V. , Orlov Alexei M. , Murzina Svetlana A.
Published: January 2023

New data on the fatty acid compositions of the muscle tissues of the two most widespread families of the mesopelagic zone—the Myctophidae (Notoscopelus kroyeri and Symbolophorus veranyi) and Stomiidae (Chauliodus sloani, Stomias boa, Borostomias antarcticus, and Malacosteus niger) families—were obtained from the Irminger Sea (North East Atlantic). The fatty acids (FAs) in the total lipids (TLs), phospholipids (PLs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), and cholesterol esters and waxes were analyzed using gas–liquid chromatography with a mass-selective detector and flame-ionized detector (GC-MS and GC-FID, respectively). Species-specific differences in the FA/alcohol profiles of the studied fishes were revealed. A directed deep-vise trend in the changes in the content and performance of certain FAs for the studied species was found. Along with this, a general character of dominance for monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which were discussed as food tracers, was revealed. MUFAs in the muscle tissues included dietary markers of zooplankton (copepods)—20:1(n-9) and 22:1(n-11), the content of which varied in association with the species—such that the biomarker Calanus glacialis predominated in muscles of B. antarcticus and C. hyperboreus prevailed in other studied species. Different strategies of compensatory adaptation to depth gradient in lipid metabolism among the studied species were discussed.
A Novel Modality Enables New Evidence-Based Individual Risk Stratification That Can Potentially Lead to Decisive Management and Treatment Decisions in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Weksler Meir , Simon Avi , Lenkinski Robert E. , Landsman Hagar , Matzkin Haim , Mabjeesh Nicola , Leibovitch Ilan
Published: January 2023

A key step in providing management/treatment options to men with suspected prostate cancer (PCa) is categorizing the risk in terms of the presence of benign, low-risk, intermediate-risk, or high-risk disease. Our novel modality brings new evidence, based on the long-known hallmark characteristic of PCa—decreased zinc (Zn), which is the most direct metabolic sign of malignancy and its aggressiveness. To date, this approach has not been adopted for clinical use for a number of reasons that are described in this article, and which have been addressed by our approach. Zn has to be measured on fresh samples, prior to fixating in formalin; therefore, samples have to be scanned during the biopsy session. As Zn depletion occurs in the glands where the tumors develop, estimation of the glands’ levels in the scanned tissue, along with their compactness, are essential for accurate diagnosis. Combined with the Zn depletion, this facilitates a reliable assessment of disease aggressiveness. Data gathered in the clinical study described here indicate that, in addition to improving the biopsy quality by real-time interactive guidance, a malignancy score can now be established for the entire prostate, allowing higher granularity personalized risk stratification and more decisive treatment decisions for all PCa patients.
On the Security of Offloading Post-Processing for Quantum Key Distribution
Authors: Lorünser Thomas , Krenn Stephan , Pacher Christoph , Schrenk Bernhard
Published: January 2023

Quantum key distribution (QKD) has been researched for almost four decades and is currently making its way to commercial applications. However, deployment of the technology at scale is challenging because of the very particular nature of QKD and its physical limitations. Among other issues, QKD is computationally intensive in the post-processing phase, and devices are therefore complex and power hungry, which leads to problems in certain application scenarios. In this work, we study the possibility to offload computationally intensive parts in the QKD post-processing stack in a secure way to untrusted hardware. We show how error correction can be securely offloaded for discrete-variable QKD to a single untrusted server and that the same method cannot be used for long-distance continuous-variable QKD. Furthermore, we analyze possibilities for multi-server protocols to be used for error correction and privacy amplification. Even in cases where it is not possible to offload to an external server, being able to delegate computation to untrusted hardware components on the device itself could improve the cost and certification effort for device manufacturers.
Visualization Technology and Deep-Learning for Multilingual Spam Message Detection
Authors: Lee Hwabin , Jeong Sua , Cho Seogyeong , Choi Eunjung
Published: January 2023

Spam detection is an essential and unavoidable problem in today’s society. Most of the existing studies have used string-based detection methods with models and have been conducted on a single language, especially with English datasets. However, in the current global society, research on languages other than English is needed. String-based spam detection methods perform different preprocessing steps depending on language type due to differences in grammatical characteristics. Therefore, our study proposes a text-processing method and a string-imaging method. The CNN 2D visualization technology used in this paper can be applied to datasets of various languages by processing the data as images, so they can be equally applied to languages other than English. In this study, English and Korean spam data were used. As a result of this study, the string-based detection models of RNN, LSTM, and CNN 1D showed average accuracies of 0.9871, 0.9906, and 0.9912, respectively. On the other hand, the CNN 2D image-based detection model was confirmed to have an average accuracy of 0.9957. Through this study, we present a solution that shows that image-based processing is more effective than string-based processing for string data and that multilingual processing is possible based on the CNN 2D model.
A Buck-Boost Converter with Extended Duty-Cycle Range in the Buck Voltage Region for Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Monteiro Joaquim , Pires V. Fernão , Foito Daniel , Cordeiro Armando , Silva J. Fernando , Pinto Sónia
Published: January 2023

Buck-boost DC–DC converters are useful as DC grid interfaces for renewable energy resources. In the classical buck-boost converter, output voltages smaller than the input voltage (the buck region) are observed for duty cycles between 0 and 0.5. Several recent buck-boost converters have been designed to present higher voltage gains. Nevertheless, those topologies show a reduced duty-cycle range, leading to output voltages in the buck region, and thus require the use of very low duty cycles to achieve the lower range of buck output voltages. In this work, we propose a new buck-boost DC-DC converter that privileges the buck region through the extension of the duty-cycle range, enabling buck operation. In fact, the converter proposed here allows output voltages below the input voltage even with duty cycles higher than 0.6. We present the analysis, design, and testing of the extended buck-boost DC-DC converter. Several tests were conducted to illustrate the characteristics of the extended buck-boost DC-DC converter. Test results were obtained using both simulation software and a laboratory prototype.
Improving Performance of Hardware Accelerators by Optimizing Data Movement: A Bioinformatics Case Study
Authors: Knoben Peter , Alachiotis Nikolaos
Published: January 2023

Modern hardware accelerator cards create an accessible platform for developers to reduce execution times for computationally expensive algorithms. The most widely used systems, however, have dedicated memory spaces, resulting in the processor having to transfer data to the accelerator-card memory space before the computation can be executed. Currently, the performance increase from using an accelerator card for data-intensive algorithms is limited by the data movement. To this end, this work aims to reduce the effect of data movement and improve overall performance by systematically caching data on the accelerator card. We designed a software-controlled split cache where data are cached on the accelerator and assessed its efficacy using a data-intensive Bioinformatics application that infers the evolutionary history of a set of organisms by constructing phylogenetic trees. Our results revealed that software-controlled data caching on a datacenter-grade FPGA accelerator card reduced the overhead of data movement by 90%. This resulted in a reduction of the total execution time between 32% and 40% for the entire application when phylogenetic trees of various sizes were constructed.
Innovation-Superposed Simultaneous Localization and Mapping of Mobile Robots Based on Limited Augmentation
Authors: Yang Liu , Li Chunhui , Song Wenlong , Li Zhan
Published: January 2023

In this paper, Aaiming at the problem of simultaneous localization mapping (SLAM) for mobile robots, a limited-augmentation innovation superposition (LAIS) is proposed to solve the problems occurring in SLAM. By extending the single-time innovation superposition to multi-time innovation, the error accumulation during the movement of mobile robots is reduced and the accuracy of the algorithm is improved. At the same time, when the number of feature points observed by the sensor exceeds the threshold, the sensor range is restricted. Therefore, only the qualified feature points are added to the system state vector, which reduces the calculation amount of the algorithm and improves the running speed. Simulation results show that compared with other algorithms, LAIS has higher accuracy and higher running speed in environmental maps with a different number of landmark points.
Using the Uniform Theory of Diffraction to Analyze Radio Wave Propagation along Urban Street Canyons for Device-to-Device Communication
Authors: Brugarolas-Ortiz Elena , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Ignacio , Rodríguez José-Víctor , Juan-Llácer Leandro , Pardo-Quiles Domingo
Published: January 2023

This paper examines the propagation of radio waves in so-called urban street canyons through formulations based on Geometrical Optics (GO) and the Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD). As this type of environment comprises a street flanked by tall buildings more or less equally spaced on both sides (creating a canyon-like morphology), estimating the attenuation that radio signals may experience in these scenarios is crucial to the planning of urban device-to-device (D2D) wireless communication. In this sense, the results obtained through the analysis based on GO/UTD (in the horizontal plane containing the transmitter and receiver) are validated by a comparison with experimental measurements, showing good agreement. This work demonstrates how the use of GO/UTD-based formulations can contribute to a simpler and computationally more efficient planning of D2D mobile communication systems in which the considered propagation environment can be modeled as an urban street canyon comprising rectangular and equispaced buildings.
Optimizing Energy Consumption in Smart Cities’ Mobility: Electric Vehicles, Algorithms, and Collaborative Economy
Authors: Ghorbani Elnaz , Fluechter Tristan , Calvet Laura , Ammouriova Majsa , Panadero Javier , Juan Angel A.
Published: January 2023

Mobility and transportation activities in smart cities require an increasing amount of energy. With the frequent energy crises arising worldwide and the need for a more sustainable and environmental friendly economy, optimizing energy consumption in these growing activities becomes a must. This work reviews the latest works in this matter and discusses several challenges that emerge from the aforementioned social and industrial demands. The paper analyzes how collaborative concepts and the increasing use of electric vehicles can contribute to reduce energy consumption practices, as well as intelligent x-heuristic algorithms that can be employed to achieve this fundamental goal. In addition, the paper analyzes computational results from previous works on mobility and transportation in smart cities applying x-heuristics algorithms. Finally, a novel computational experiment, involving a ridesharing example, is carried out to illustrate the benefits that can be obtained by employing these algorithms.
Development of a Novel Control Scheme for Grid-Following Converter under Asymmetrical Faults
Authors: Abubakar Muhammad , Renner Herwig , Schürhuber Robert
Published: January 2023

With the increasing penetration of converter-based power sources into the power system, the performance of the converter has become a key factor for enhancing grid reliability, especially during asymmetrical faults. To meet the low voltage ride-through requirements, the converter should feed the reactive power to the grid for voltage support while ensuring the maximum current limitation for the converter’s safety. For such injections, the grid codes are defined. This paper presents a novel and simplified reference current generation scheme to fulfill the requirement of recent grid codes, ensure the current limit of the converter and confirm better utilization of the converter’s current capacity during asymmetrical faults. Moreover, it also discusses the new sequence extraction scheme based on the delay sample method in the stationary reference frame and the control modifications for the negative sequence current injection. The proposed scheme was tested for different priority injection schemes. Its performance was also compared with other control schemes. Detailed simulation studies, in MATLAB/Simulink, were presented to confirm the performance of the proposed scheme under different faulty conditions. The results confirmed the supremacy of the proposed scheme over the available schemes for better utilization of the converter’s current capacity during asymmetrical faults. It also ensured the peak current limitation of the converter while fulfilling the recent grid code requirements. Moreover, the results showed that the new scheme has 10% more current capacity compared to the other schemes due to better incorporation of the angle between the positive and negative phase sequences of the voltage.
Identification and Characterization of Foliar Fungi Associated with Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia L.)
Authors: Park Sung-Won , Paul Narayan Chandra , Lee Kye-Han , Han Gui Hwan , Kim Hyun-Jun , Sang Hyunkyu
Published: January 2023

The beach vitex (Vitex rotundifolia L.), a member of the Lamiaceae family, is a salt-tolerant, woody perennial common in coastal areas worldwide. Plant–fungal association was monitored in the shoreline forest area of Wando Island in Korea in 2020, and leaf samples showing leaf spot disease were collected. Eight fungal isolates were recovered from the samples on PDA and identified based on the morphological characteristics and multilocus molecular phylogeny. Among the eight isolates, four were identified as Alternaria alternata, two as Fusarium humuli, one as Colletotrichum aenigma, and one as Stagonosporopsis caricae. Pathogenicity tests of the fungal isolates on the detached leaves of beach vitex revealed that S. caricae CMML20–2 and A. alternata (CMML20–7, CMML20–8, CMML20–9, and CMML20–10) caused disease lesions while the other species did not. The fungal species S. caricae, C. aenigma, and F. humuli are the first reported in the host worldwide, and S. caricae and F. humuli are first reported in Korea. In vitro fungicide sensitivity assays were carried out based on a measurement of diametrical mycelial growth on media amended with different doses of the fungicides fludioxonil, metconazole, and fluxapyroxad. Fungicide sensitivity varied significantly among the species, and the A. alternata and S. caricae isolates were more sensitive to fluxapyroxad than the other isolates. Our study contributes to the understanding of fungal diversity in forest mycology and demonstrates that pathogenic fungi including A. alternata and S. caricae might accelerate decline in leaf health.
Coupling Relationship between Soil Organic Carbon Storage and Soil Water Storage in Abandoned Economic Forests in the Loess Hilly Areas
Authors: Xiang Ting , Gao Rui , Qiang Fangfang , Yang Ni , Liu Guangquan , Liu Changhai , Ai Ning
Published: January 2023

The spatial distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon storage (SOCS) and soil water storage (SWS) and the factors that influence these parameters were compared and analyzed for different economic forests under varying land use practices in the study area with the same abandonment years. The widely distributed abandoned mountain jujube and apple forests at the Qijiashan jujube experimental demonstration base in Yanchuan County were the research field, and grassland was the control. The results show that (1) SOCS and SWS accumulated abundantly in the deep layer (below 100 cm) compared to the highest layer, accounting for 60.63% and 64.63%. (2) After abandonment, the SOCS and SWS were different across vegetation types and under different land preparation methods. In the study area, the SWS showed a comparative advantage compared to the SOCS. The trade-off for different vegetation types suggests that it was the highest for grassland (0.39), while the lowest for jujube (0.16). Under different land preparation methods, the RMSE values of the level terrace grassland and undisturbed slope with apple trees were the highest, while those of jujube trees were the lowest. (3) Environmental factors exerted a certain influence on different vegetation types and varying land preparation methods after abandonment. Apart from the interaction between SOCS and SWS, chemical indicators showed the greatest impact on the abandoned grassland and the SOCS of level terraces.
Investigating the Relationship between Fire Severity and Post-Fire Vegetation Regeneration and Subsequent Fire Vulnerability
Authors: Ross Thalia , Srivastava Sanjeev K. , Shapcott Alison
Published: January 2023

The Australian 2019–2020 wildfires impacted the subtropical rainforest with a variety of burn severities, making them vulnerable to another burn. Rainforest post-fire regenerated vegetation could be highly flammable, containing fire-promoting species such as Lantana camara and fire-suppressing species such as Phytolacca octandra. This study investigated whether early post-fire regeneration may make rainforests more flammable and if this varies with fire severity. This study sampled three national parks where rainforest burnt in 2019–2020 across different fire severities to test if there were consistent patterns in post-fire regeneration flammability. We found that flammable species increased in the regions where fire severity was higher.
GIS-Based Geopedological Approach for Assessing Land Suitability for Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Groves for Fruit Production
Authors: Rossi Marco , De Feudis Mauro , Trenti William , Gherardi Massimo , Vianello Gilmo , Vittori Antisari Livia
Published: January 2023

The identification of mountainous areas suitable for chestnut stands for fruit production (CSFP) is raising increasing interest among researchers. This work aimed to (i) identify the areas suitable for CSFP shown in a land suitability map easy to read by land planners, and (ii) propose a remote-sensing-based methodology able to identify the lands currently under cultivation for CSFP. This study was conducted using the QGIS software for the Municipality of Castel del Rio, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. To obtain the land suitability map, topographic, lithological, and pedological data were acquired, and the areas located between 200 and 1000 m of altitude, with north exposition, a slope < 20°, sandstone-based lithology, and soils with dystric features were selected. The currently cultivated areas for CSFP were identified through remote-sensing images of the early spring period, which were delineated and georeferenced. The findings showed that only 10% of the whole study site area can be considered suitable for CSFP. Further, most of the currently cultivated CSFP (59%) are in non-suitable areas characterised by high slope gradients. The methodology applied in this study can easily provide detailed information about the suitable areas for CSFP and the areas currently cultivated with chestnut, thus allowing accurate land-use planning and land conservation.
Molecular Analysis and Reclassification of NSD1 Gene Variants in a Cohort of Patients with Clinical Suspicion of Sotos Syndrome
Authors: Testa Barbara , Conteduca Giuseppina , Grasso Marina , Cecconi Massimiliano , Lantieri Francesca , Baldo Chiara , Arado Alessia , Andraghetti Laura , Malacarne Michela , Milani Donatella , Coviello Domenico ,   Sotos Collaborative Group
Published: January 2023

Sotos syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of the NSD1 (nuclear receptor binding SET domain containing protein 1) gene. No clinical diagnostic consensus criteria are published yet, and molecular analysis reduces the clinical diagnostic uncertainty. We screened 1530 unrelated patients enrolled from 2003 to 2021 at Galliera Hospital and Gaslini Institute in Genoa. NSD1 variants were identified in 292 patients including nine partial gene deletions, 13 microdeletions of the entire NSD1 gene, and 115 novel intragenic variants never previously described. Thirty-two variants of uncertain significance (VUS) out of 115 identified were re-classified. Twenty-five missense NSD1 VUS (25/32, 78.1%) changed class to likely pathogenic or likely benign, showing a highly significant shift in class (p < 0.01). Apart from NSD1, we identified variants in additional genes (NFIX, PTEN, EZH2, TCF20, BRWD3, PPP2R5D) in nine patients analyzed by the NGS custom panel. We describe the evolution of diagnostic techniques in our laboratory to ascertain molecular diagnosis, the identification of 115 new variants, and the re-classification of 25 VUS in NSD1. We underline the utility of sharing variant classification and the need to improve communication between the laboratory staff and the referring physician.
ABCB1 Amplicon Contains Cyclic AMP Response Element-Driven TRIP6 Gene in Taxane-Resistant MCF-7 Breast Cancer Sublines
Authors: Daniel Petr , Balušíková Kamila , Václavíková Radka , Šeborová Karolína , Ransdorfová Šárka , Valeriánová Marie , Wei Longfei , Jelínek Michael , Tlapáková Tereza , Fleischer Thomas , Kristensen Vessela N. , Souček Pavel , Ojima Iwao , Kovář Jan
Published: January 2023

A limited number of studies are devoted to regulating TRIP6 expression in cancer. Hence, we aimed to unveil the regulation of TRIP6 expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells (with high TRIP6 expression) and taxane-resistant MCF-7 sublines (manifesting even higher TRIP6 expression). We found that TRIP6 transcription is regulated primarily by the cyclic AMP response element (CRE) in hypomethylated proximal promoters in both taxane-sensitive and taxane-resistant MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, in taxane-resistant MCF-7 sublines, TRIP6 co-amplification with the neighboring ABCB1 gene, as witnessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), led to TRIP6 overexpression. Ultimately, we found high TRIP6 mRNA levels in progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer and samples resected from premenopausal women.
Using Cluster Analysis to Overcome the Limits of Traditional Phenotype–Genotype Correlations: The Example of RYR1-Related Myopathies
Authors: Dosi Claudia , Rubegni Anna , Baldacci Jacopo , Galatolo Daniele , Doccini Stefano , Astrea Guja , Berardinelli Angela , Bruno Claudio , Bruno Giorgia , Comi Giacomo Pietro , Donati Maria Alice , Dotti Maria Teresa , Filosto Massimiliano , Fiorillo Chiara , Giannini Fabio , Gigli Gian Luigi , Grandis Marina , Lopergolo Diego , Magri Francesca , Maioli Maria Antonietta , Malandrini Alessandro , Massa Roberto , Matà Sabrina , Melani Federico , Messina Sonia , Mignarri Andrea , Moggio Maurizio , Pennisi Elena Maria , Pegoraro Elena , Ricci Giulia , Sacchini Michele , Schenone Angelo , Sampaolo Simone , Sciacco Monica , Siciliano Gabriele , Tasca Giorgio , Tonin Paola , Tupler Rossella , Valente Mariarosaria , Volpi Nila , Cassandrini Denise , Santorelli Filippo Maria
Published: January 2023

Thanks to advances in gene sequencing, RYR1-related myopathy (RYR1-RM) is now known to manifest itself in vastly heterogeneous forms, whose clinical interpretation is, therefore, highly challenging. We set out to develop a novel unsupervised cluster analysis method in a large patient population. The objective was to analyze the main RYR1-related characteristics to identify distinctive features of RYR1-RM and, thus, offer more precise genotype–phenotype correlations in a group of potentially life-threatening disorders. We studied 600 patients presenting with a suspicion of inherited myopathy, who were investigated using next-generation sequencing. Among them, 73 index cases harbored variants in RYR1. In an attempt to group genetic variants and fully exploit information derived from genetic, morphological, and clinical datasets, we performed unsupervised cluster analysis in 64 probands carrying monoallelic variants. Most of the 73 patients with positive molecular diagnoses were clinically asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic. Multimodal integration of clinical and histological data, performed using a non-metric multi-dimensional scaling analysis with k-means clustering, grouped the 64 patients into 4 clusters with distinctive patterns of clinical and morphological findings. In addressing the need for more specific genotype–phenotype correlations, we found clustering to overcome the limits of the “single-dimension” paradigm traditionally used to describe genotype–phenotype relationships.
Collagen Network Formation in In Vitro Models of Musculocontractural Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Hashimoto Ayana , Hirose Takuya , Hashimoto Kohei , Mizumoto Shuji , Nitahara-Kasahara Yuko , Saka Shota , Yoshizawa Takahiro , Okada Takashi , Yamada Shuhei , Kosho Tomoki , Watanabe Takafumi , Miyata Shinji , Nomura Yoshihiro
Published: January 2023

Loss-of-function mutations in carbohydrate sulfotransferase 14 (CHST14) cause musculocontractural Ehlers–Danlos syndrome-CHST14 (mcEDS-CHST14), characterized by multiple congenital malformations and progressive connective tissue fragility-related manifestations in the cutaneous, skeletal, cardiovascular, visceral and ocular system. The replacement of dermatan sulfate chains on decorin proteoglycan with chondroitin sulfate chains is proposed to lead to the disorganization of collagen networks in the skin. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of mcEDS-CHST14 are not fully understood, partly due to the lack of in vitro models of this disease. In the present study, we established in vitro models of fibroblast-mediated collagen network formation that recapacitate mcEDS-CHST14 pathology. Electron microscopy analysis of mcEDS-CHST14-mimicking collagen gels revealed an impaired fibrillar organization that resulted in weaker mechanical strength of the gels. The addition of decorin isolated from patients with mcEDS-CHST14 and Chst14−/− mice disturbed the assembly of collagen fibrils in vitro compared to control decorin. Our study may provide useful in vitro models of mcEDS-CHST14 to elucidate the pathomechanism of this disease.
The Fate of Phosphorus in Experimental Burials: Chemical and Ultramicroscopic Characterization and Environmental Control of Its Persistency
Authors: Tagliabue Giulia , Masseroli Anna , Ern Stephania Irmgard Elena , Comolli Roberto , Tambone Fulvia , Cattaneo Cristina , Trombino Luca
Published: January 2023

The permanence of a buried body in soil always induces the formation of a decomposition island that can serve as a significant recording location to understand how the persistence of a clandestine grave affects soil. This study aims to analyze the elemental exchange from buried bodies to soil, with a focus on phosphorus content, and to determine the effects of environmental factors on its persistency. The experiment was carried out using eleven swine carcasses buried in an open site (northern Italy). The analyses were performed using the Olsen P method, which allowed for a recognition of the trend of the amount of phosphorus over time, due to the decomposition of phospholipids, followed by the transfer of the element from bone to soil. Additionally, microanalyses performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS) on two different soil sample specimens (i.e., “dust” and “plug”) allowed for the identification of numerous phosphatic features (i.e., coatings, infillings, impregnations, and organo-mineral associations), which are the result of the interaction between soil and body fluids and can thus be used as indicators of the former presence of decomposing body (even in its absence). The ultramicroscopic analysis also shows increasing and decreasing amounts of P2O5 over time in the soil, which could be related to environmental conditions (i.e., soil moisture), due to the leaching of phosphorus induced by the percolation of natural rainwater. The study underlines the potential use of these methods to evaluate the possibility of a cadaver–soil linkage and of assessing the burial in the soil for a variable period. Moreover, the study may aid in analyzing the dynamics of phosphorus migration from buried bodies to soil during and after the decomposition process.