bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Self-Adaptive Algorithm for the Common Solution of the Split Minimization Problem and the Fixed Point Problem
Authors: Kaewyong Nattakarn , Sitthithakerngkiet Kanokwan
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a new self-adaptive step size algorithm to approximate the solution of the split minimization problem and the fixed point problem of nonexpansive mappings was constructed, which combined the proximal algorithm and a modified Mann’s iterative method with the inertial extrapolation. The strong convergence theorem was provided in the framework of Hilbert spaces and then proven under some suitable conditions. Our result improved related results in the literature. Moreover, some numerical experiments were also provided to show our algorithm’s consistency, accuracy, and performance compared to the existing algorithms in the literature.
Immune Responses to SARS-CoV2 Mirror Societal Responses to COVID-19: Identifying Factors Underlying a Successful Viral Response
Authors: Lev-Ari Shahar , Rolnik Benjamin , Volovitz Ilan
Published: May 2021

The adaptive immune system was sculpted to protect individuals, societies, and species since its inception, developing effective strategies to cope with emerging pathogens. Here, we show that similar successful or failed dynamics govern personal and societal responses to a pathogen as SARS-CoV2. Understanding the self-similarity between the health-protective measures taken to protect the individual or the society, help identify critical factors underlying the effectiveness of societal response to a pathogenic challenge. These include (1) the quick employment of adaptive-like, pathogen-specific strategies to cope with the threat including the development of “memory-like responses”; (2) enabling productive coaction and interaction within the society by employing effective decision-making processes; and (3) the quick inhibition of positive feedback loops generated by hazardous or false information. Learning from adaptive anti-pathogen immune responses, policymakers and scientists could reduce the direct damages associated with COVID-19 and avert an avoidable “social cytokine storm” with its ensuing socioeconomic damage.
Autophagy Alters Bladder Angiogenesis and Improves Bladder Hyperactivity in the Pathogenesis of Ketamine-Induced Cystitis in a Rat Model
Authors: Lu Jian-He , Wu Yi-Hsuan , Juan Tai-Jui , Lin Hung-Yu , Lin Rong-Jyh , Chueh Kuang-Shun , Lee Yi-Chen , Chang Chao-Yuan , Juan Yung-Shun
Published: May 2021

The present study attempts to elucidate whether autophagy alters bladder angiogenesis, decreases inflammatory response, and ameliorates bladder hyperactivity—thereby influencing bladder function in ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC). In our methodology, female Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats were randomly divided into the control group, the ketamine group, the ketamine+rapamycin group, and the ketamine+wortmannin group. The bladder function, contractile activity of detrusor smooth muscle, distribution of autophagosome and autolysosome, total white blood cells (WBCs) and leukocyte differential counts, the expressions of autophagy-associated protein, angiogenesis markers, and signaling pathway molecules involved in KIC were tested, respectively. The data revealed that treatment with ketamine significantly results in bladder overactivity, enhanced interstitial fibrosis, impaired endothelium, induced eosinophil-mediated inflammation, swelling, and degraded mitochondria and organelles, inhibited angiogenesis, and elevated the phosphorylation of Akt. However, treatment with rapamycin caused an inhibitory effect on vascular formation, removed ketamine metabolites, decreased the eosinophil-mediated inflammation, and ameliorated bladder hyperactivity, leading to improve bladder function in KIC. Moreover, wortmannin treatment reduced basophil-mediated inflammatory response, improved bladder angiogenesis by increasing capillary density and VEGF expression, to reverse antiangiogenic effect to repair KIC. In conclusion, these findings suggested that autophagy could modulate inflammatory responses and angiogenesis, which improved bladder function in KIC.
Chemistry of Tropical Eucheumatoids: Potential for Food and Feed Applications
Authors: Ariano Andrea , Musco Nadia , Severino Lorella , De Maio Anna , Tramice Annabella , Tommonaro Giuseppina , Damiano Sara , Genovese Angelo , Olanrewaju Oladokun Sulaiman , Bovera Fulvia , Guerriero Giulia
Published: May 2021

The use of seaweeds as additives in animal nutrition may be a valid option to traditional feed as they represent a rich source of minerals, carbohydrates and antioxidants. The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant capacity of two tropical eucheumatoids, Kappaphycus alvarezii and Kappaphycus striatus, in Malaysian wild offshore waters. The chemical analysis was performed via inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy for evaluating the concentration of toxic (Cd, Pb, Hg, As) and essential elements (Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Zn, Se); NMR spectroscopy was used for carrageenans investigation. Furthermore, the soluble and fat-soluble antioxidant capacities were determined by FRAP, DPPH and ABTS assays. The chemical analysis revealed a higher content of trace elements in K. alvarezii as compared to K. striatus, and both exhibited a high mineral content. No significant differences in metal concentrations were found between the two species. Both samples showed a mixture of prevailing κ- and t-carrageenans. Finally, the levels of soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants in K. alvarezii were significantly higher than in K. striatus. Our findings suggest that K. alvarezii could be used as a potential feed additive because of its favorable chemical and nutritional features.
HA and HS Changes in Endothelial Inflammatory Activation
Authors: Caravà Elena , Moretto Paola , Caon Ilaria , Parnigoni Arianna , Passi Alberto , Karousou Evgenia , Vigetti Davide , Canino Jessica , Canobbio Ilaria , Viola Manuela
Published: May 2021

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of disorders caused by the presence of a combination of risk factors, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity, etc., which cause the modification of the composition of the vessel’s matrix and lead to the alteration of blood flow, matched with an inflammation condition. Nevertheless, it is not clear if the inflammation is a permissive condition or a consequent one. In order to investigate the effect of inflammation on the onset of vascular disease, we treated endothelial cells with the cytokine TNF-α that is increased in obese patients and is reported to induce cardiometabolic diseases. The inflammation induced a large change in the extracellular matrix, increasing the pericellular hyaluronan and altering the heparan sulfate Syndecans sets, which seems to be related to layer permeability but does not influence cell proliferation or migration nor induce blood cell recruitment or activation.
Somatic Functional Deletions of Upstream Open Reading Frame-Associated Initiation and Termination Codons in Human Cancer
Authors: Jürgens Lara , Manske Felix , Hubert Elvira , Kischka Tabea , Flötotto Lea , Klaas Oliver , Shabardina Victoria , Schliemann Christoph , Makalowski Wojciech , Wethmar Klaus
Published: May 2021

Upstream open reading frame (uORF)-mediated translational control has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism in human health and disease. However, a systematic search for cancer-associated somatic uORF mutations has not been performed. Here, we analyzed the genetic variability at canonical (uAUG) and alternative translational initiation sites (aTISs), as well as the associated upstream termination codons (uStops) in 3394 whole-exome-sequencing datasets from patient samples of breast, colon, lung, prostate, and skin cancer and of acute myeloid leukemia, provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas research network. We found that 66.5% of patient samples were affected by at least one of 5277 recurrent uORF-associated somatic single nucleotide variants altering 446 uAUG, 347 uStop, and 4733 aTIS codons. While twelve uORF variants were detected in all entities, 17 variants occurred in all five types of solid cancer analyzed here. Highest frequencies of individual somatic variants in the TLSs of NBPF20 and CHCHD2 reached 10.1% among LAML and 8.1% among skin cancer patients, respectively. Functional evaluation by dual luciferase reporter assays identified 19 uORF variants causing significant translational deregulation of the associated main coding sequence, ranging from 1.73-fold induction for an AUG.1 > UUG variant in SETD4 to 0.006-fold repression for a CUG.6 > GUG variant in HLA-DRB1. These data suggest that somatic uORF mutations are highly prevalent in human malignancies and that defective translational regulation of protein expression may contribute to the onset or progression of cancer.
Opposed Interplay between IDH1 Mutations and the WNT/β-Catenin Pathway: Added Information for Glioma Classification
Authors: Vallée Alexandre , Lecarpentier Yves , Vallée Jean-Noël
Published: May 2021

Gliomas are the main common primary intraparenchymal brain tumor in the central nervous system (CNS), with approximately 7% of the death caused by cancers. In the WHO 2016 classification, molecular dysregulations are part of the definition of particular brain tumor entities for the first time. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Several studies have shown that 75% to 80% of secondary glioblastoma (GBM) showed IDH1 mutations, whereas only 5% of primary GBM have IDH1 mutations. IDH1 mutations lead to better overall survival in gliomas patients. IDH1 mutations are associated with lower stimulation of the HIF-1α a, aerobic glycolysis and angiogenesis. The stimulation of HIF-1α and the process of angiogenesis appears to be activated only when hypoxia occurs in IDH1-mutated gliomas. In contrast, the observed upregulation of the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway in gliomas is associated with proliferation, invasion, aggressive-ness and angiogenesis.. Molecular pathways of the malignancy process are involved in early stages of WNT/β-catenin pathway-activated-gliomas, and this even under normoxic conditions. IDH1 mutations lead to decreased activity of the WNT/β-catenin pathway and its enzymatic targets. The opposed interplay between IDH1 mutations and the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway in gliomas could participate in better understanding of the observed evolution of different tumors and could reinforce the glioma classification.
Analysis of Pembrolizumab in Human Plasma by LC-MS/HRMS. Method Validation and Comparison with Elisa
Authors: Millet Aurélien , Khoudour Nihel , Guitton Jérôme , Lebert Dorothée , Goldwasser François , Blanchet Benoit , Machon Christelle
Published: May 2021

Pembrolizumab is a humanized immunoglobulin G4-kappa anti-PD1 antibody used in the treatment of different solid tumors or haematological malignancies. A liquid chromatography coupled with a high resolution mass spectrometry (orbitrap technology) method was fully developed, optimized, and validated for quantitative analysis of pembrolizumab in human plasma. A mass spectrometry assay was used for the first time a full-length stable isotope-labelled pembrolizumab-like (Arginine 13C6-15N4 and Lysine 13C6-15N2) as an internal standard; the sample preparation was based on albumin depletion and trypsin digestion and, finally, one surrogate peptide was quantified in positive mode. The assay showed good linearity over the range of 1–100 μg/mL, a limit of quantification at 1 μg/mL, excellent accuracy from 4.4% to 5.1%, and also a between-day precision below 20% at the limit of quantification. In parallel, an in-house ELISA was developed with a linearity range from 2.5 to 50 µg/mL. Then, results were obtained from 70 plasma samples of cancer patients that were treated with pembrolizumab and quantified with both methods were compared using the Passing-Bablok regression analysis and Bland-Altman plotting. The LC-MS/HRMS method is easy to implement in the laboratory for use in the context of PK/PD studies, clinical trials, or therapeutic drug monitoring.
Atomic Layer Deposition Coated Filters in Catalytic Filtration of Gasification Gas
Authors: Viertiö Tyko , Kivelä Viivi , Putkonen Matti , Kihlman Johanna , Simell Pekka
Published: May 2021

Steel filter discs were catalytically activated by ALD, using a coating of supporting Al2O3 layer and an active NiO layer for gas cleaning. Prepared discs were tested for model biomass gasification and gas catalytic filtration to reduce or eliminate the need for a separate reforming unit for gasification gas tars and lighter hydrocarbons. Two different coating methods were tested. The method utilizing the stop-flow setting was shown to be the most suitable for the preparation of active and durable catalytic filters, which significantly decreases the amount of tar compounds in gasification gas. A pressure of 5 bar and temperatures of over 850 °C are required for efficient tar reforming. In optimal conditions, applying catalytic coating to the filter resulted in a seven-fold naphthalene conversion increase from 7% to 49%.
Iridium(NHC)-Catalyzed Sustainable Transfer Hydrogenation of CO2 and Inorganic Carbonates
Authors: Cheong Yeon-Joo , Sung Kihyuk , Kim Jin-A , Kim Yu Kwon , Yoon Woojin , Yun Hoseop , Jang Hye-Young
Published: May 2021

Iridium(NHC)-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation (TH) of CO2 and inorganic carbonates with glycerol were conducted, demonstrating excellent turnover numbers (TONs) and turnover frequencies (TOFs) for the formation of formate and lactate. Regardless of carbon sources, excellent TOFs of formate were observed (CO2: 10,000 h−1 and K2CO3: 10,150 h−1). Iridium catalysts modified with the triscarbene ligand showed excellent catalytic activity at 200 °C and are a suitable choice for this transformation which requires a high temperature for high TONs of formate. On the basis of the control experiments, the transfer hydrogenation mechanism of CO2 was proposed.
THAP9 Transposase Cleaves DNA via Conserved Acidic Residues in an RNaseH-Like Domain
Authors: Sharma Vasudha , Thakore Prachi , Majumdar Sharmistha
Published: May 2021

The catalytic domain of most ‘cut and paste’ DNA transposases have the canonical RNase-H fold, which is also shared by other polynucleotidyl transferases such as the retroviral integrases and the RAG1 subunit of V(D)J recombinase. The RNase-H fold is a mixture of beta sheets and alpha helices with three acidic residues (Asp, Asp, Glu/Asp—DDE/D) that are involved in the metal-mediated cleavage and subsequent integration of DNA. Human THAP9 (hTHAP9), homologous to the well-studied Drosophila P-element transposase (DmTNP), is an active DNA transposase that, although domesticated, still retains the catalytic activity to mobilize transposons. In this study we have modeled the structure of hTHAP9 using the recently available cryo-EM structure of DmTNP as a template to identify an RNase-H like fold along with important acidic residues in its catalytic domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of the predicted catalytic residues followed by screening for DNA excision and integration activity has led to the identification of candidate Ds and Es in the RNaseH fold that may be a part of the catalytic triad in hTHAP9. This study has helped widen our knowledge about the catalytic activity of a functionally uncharacterized transposon-derived gene in the human genome.
In Vitro Fertilisation of Mouse Oocytes in L-Proline and L-Pipecolic Acid Improves Subsequent Development
Authors: Treleaven Tamara , Hardy Madeleine L.M. , Guttman-Jones Michelle , Morris Michael B. , Day Margot L.
Published: May 2021

Exposure of oocytes to specific amino acids during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) improves preimplantation embryo development. Embryos fertilised in medium with proline and its homologue pipecolic acid showed increased blastocyst formation and inner cell mass cell numbers compared to embryos fertilised in medium containing no amino acids, betaine, glycine, or histidine. The beneficial effect of proline was prevented by the addition of excess betaine, glycine, and histidine, indicating competitive inhibition of transport-mediated uptake. Expression of transporters of proline in oocytes was investigated by measuring the rate of uptake of radiolabelled proline in the presence of unlabelled amino acids. Three transporters were identified, one that was sodium-dependent, PROT (SLC6A7), and two others that were sodium-independent, PAT1 (SLC36A1) and PAT2 (SLC36A2). Immunofluorescent staining showed localisation of PROT in intracellular vesicles and limited expression in the plasma membrane, while PAT1 and PAT2 were both expressed in the plasma membrane. Proline and pipecolic acid reduced mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species in oocytes, and this may be responsible for their beneficial effect. Overall, our results indicate the importance of inclusion of specific amino acids in IVF medium and that consideration should be given to whether the addition of multiple amino acids prevents the action of beneficial amino acids.
Synthesis, Characterization and Gas Sensing Study of ZnO-SnO2 Nanocomposite Thin Films
Authors: Petrov Victor V. , Sysoev Victor V. , Starnikova Aleksandra P. , Volkova Maria G. , Kalazhokov Zamir Kh. , Storozhenko Viktoriya Yu. , Khubezhov Soslan A. , Bayan Ekaterina M.
Published: May 2021

Thin nanocomposite films composed of ZnO and SnO2 at 0.5–5 mol.% concentrations were synthesized by a new solid-phase low-temperature pyrolysis under the developed protocols. This hetero-oxide material was thoroughly studied by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) techniques to be compared with electrical and gas-sensing properties. We have found that the films have a poly-nanocrystal structure of ZnO and SnO2 crystals with characteristic grain sizes at 10–15 nm range. When comparing the chemiresistive response of the films with varied tin dioxide content, the sample of Sn:Zn optimum ratio taken as 1:99 yields 1.5-fold improvement upon to 5–50 ppm NO2 exposure at 200 °C. We argue that these remarkable changes have matured from both a reducing the intergrain potential barrier down to 0.58 eV and increasing the concentration of anionic vacancies at this rational composite. The results demonstrate that solid-phase low-temperature pyrolysis is a powerful technique for adjusting the functional gas-sensing properties of hetero-oxide film via modifying the ratio of the oxide components.
Kretschmann-Based Optical Sensor via Thermally Tunable Refractive Index
Authors: Shaban Hassanein , Shaaban Adel , Salem Marwa S. , Gomaa Lotfy Rabeh , Medhat Mohamed , Du Yi-Chun
Published: May 2021

This study discusses whether the prism used in a Kretschmann-based surface plasmon sensor can be fabricated from a thermotropic liquid crystal (TLC) material. The refractive index of the TLC prism can be thermally tuned to match the excitation requirements for the surface plasmon modes along the metal–TLC interface of the proposed sensing platform. The TLC material was chemically prepared in vitro and was thermally and optically characterized. The measurements reported a wide mesophase temperature range ΔT (~35 °C) and a relatively high clearing temperature TC (~84 °C) which constitutes a stable thermal control for the TLC optical parameters. The experimentally measured refractive indices of the TLC material reflect a linear change in line with the temperatures at several selected wavelengths in the visible region. A design of the surface plasmon sensor was proposed, which provided a linear response to the investigated analytes refractive index. This work highlights the importance of employing TLC material in designs compatible with detecting refractive index changes by thermal tuning and presents refractive index interrogation as an alternative method for exciting surface plasmon modes.
Electric-Potential-Assisted Crystallisation of L-Isoleucine: A Study of Nucleation Kinetics and Its Associated Parameters
Authors: Azmi Nik Salwani Md , Anuar Nornizar , Othman Muhamad Fitri , Bakar Noor Fitrah Abu , Naim Mohd Nazli
Published: May 2021

The potential of producing L-isoleucine crystals with the aid of electric potential and its effect on the nucleation kinetics of L-isoleucine were probed using polythermal and isothermal crystallisation techniques, assisted with 5 V, 9 V, and 20 V electric potentials. The polythermal experiments were conducted with cooling rates of 0.1 °C/min–0.7 °C/min, whilst isothermal crystallisation was conducted with a supersaturation of 1.30–1.70, and both were carried out in a 200 mL temperature-controlled jacketed reactor. Prediction of the nucleation rate and its associated parameters for isothermal crystallisation was carried out using a molecular dynamics simulation. In both crystallisation techniques, electric potentials increased the nucleation rate, but the intensity of the electric potential had less impact on the measured parameters. Nucleation rates for 5 V isothermal crystallisation were in the order of 1010 higher than for polythermal crystallisation. Electric potential doubled the nucleation rates for polythermal crystallisation and increased the nucleation rates 12-fold in isothermal crystallisation. The isothermal technique produced the form B polymorph, but mixtures of forms A and B were produced in polythermal crystallisation. The predicted critical number of molecules, N*, and the critical radius, r*, were in good agreement with the experimental data, with a higher predicted nucleation rate in the order of 102.
Usability Study through a Human-Robot Collaborative Workspace Experience
Authors: Chacón Alejandro , Ponsa Pere , Angulo Cecilio
Published: May 2021

The use of collaborative robots (cobots) in industrial and academic settings facilitates physical and cognitive interaction with operators. This framework is a challenge to determine how measures on concepts, such as usability, can be adapted to these new environments. Usability is a quality attribute prevalent in the field of human-computer interaction concerning the context of use and the measure of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of products and systems. In this work, the importance of the role of benchmarking usability with collaborative robots is discussed. The introduced approach is part of a general methodology for studying people and robots’ performance in collaboration. It is being designed and developed on a concrete experience into a human-robot collaborative workspace. Outcomes from the study include a list of steps, resources, recommendations, and some customized questionnaires to obtain cobot-oriented usability analysis and case study results.
Association between Serum Concentrations of Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) and Alzheimer’s Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zuin Marco , Cervellati Carlo , Trentini Alessandro , Passaro Angelina , Rosta Valentina , Zimetti Francesca , Zuliani Giovanni
Published: May 2021

Background: A wealth of experimental and epidemiological evidence suggest that Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), the main protein constituent of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), may protect against Alzheimer disease (AD). To investigate this potential role, we conducted a meta-analysis of the published studies on the relationship between serum ApoA-I and AD occurrence. Methods: We screened MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus, for cross-sectional studies published from inception to 1 March 2021, comparing the ApoA-I serum levels between patients with AD and cognitively normal controls. Results: From an initial screening of 245 articles, 5 studies, including 397 AD patients (mean age 75.0 years, 234 females) and 367 controls (mean age 69.2 years, 182 females), met the inclusion criteria. Compared to healthy controls, AD subjects had a lower ApoA-I serum level. The pooled weighted mean difference from a random-effects model was −0.31 g/L (p < 0.0001) (95% Confidence Interval: [−0.62–0.01], with high heterogeneity (I2 = 100%). The Egger’s test confirmed an absence of publication bias (t = 0.62, p = 0.576). Conclusions: Our study showed that AD patients present lower serum levels of ApoA-I compared to cognitively normal individuals. Further studies on large population samples are required to support this finding.
Deep into Laboratory: An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Recommend Laboratory Tests
Authors: Islam Md. Mohaimenul , Poly Tahmina Nasrin , Yang Hsuan-Chia , Li Yu-Chuan (Jack)
Published: May 2021

Laboratory tests are performed to make effective clinical decisions. However, inappropriate laboratory test ordering hampers patient care and increases financial burden for healthcare. An automated laboratory test recommendation system can provide rapid and appropriate test selection, potentially improving the workflow to help physicians spend more time treating patients. The main objective of this study was to develop a deep learning-based automated system to recommend appropriate laboratory tests. A retrospective data collection was performed at the National Health Insurance database between 1 January 2013, and 31 December 2013. We included all prescriptions that had at least one laboratory test. A total of 1,463,837 prescriptions from 530,050 unique patients was included in our study. Of these patients, 296,541 were women (55.95%), the range of age was between 1 and 107 years. The deep learning (DL) model achieved a higher area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC micro = 0.98, and AUROC macro = 0.94). The findings of this study show that the DL model can accurately and efficiently identify laboratory tests. This model can be integrated into existing workflows to reduce under- and over-utilization problems.
Large Bowel Ischemia/Infarction: How to Recognize It and Make Differential Diagnosis? A Review
Authors: Iacobellis Francesca , Narese Donatella , Berritto Daniela , Brillantino Antonio , Di Serafino Marco , Guerrini Susanna , Grassi Roberta , Scaglione Mariano , Mazzei Maria Antonietta , Romano Luigia
Published: May 2021

Ischemic colitis represents the most frequent form of intestinal ischemia occurring when there is an acute impairment or chronic reduction in the colonic blood supply, resulting in mucosal ulceration, inflammation, hemorrhage and ischemic necrosis of variable severity. The clinical presentation is variable and nonspecific, so it is often misdiagnosed. The most common etiology is hypoperfusion, almost always associated with generalized atherosclerotic disease. The severity ranges from localized and transient ischemia to transmural necrosis of the bowel wall, becoming a surgical emergency, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis is based on clinical, laboratory suspicion and radiological, endoscopic and histopathological findings. Among the radiological tests, enhanced-CT is the diagnostic investigation of choice. It allows us to make the diagnosis in an appropriate clinical setting, and to define the entity of the ischemia. MR may be adopted in the follow-up in patients with iodine allergy or renal dysfunctions, or younger patients who should avoid radiological exposure. In the majority of cases, supportive therapy is the only required treatment. In this article we review the pathophysiology and the imaging findings of ischemic colitis.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Circulating Cell-Free DNA for Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Wintachai Preawwalee , Lim Jing Quan , Techasen Anchalee , Lert-itthiporn Worachart , Kongpetch Sarinya , Loilome Watcharin , Chindaprasirt Jarin , Titapun Attapol , Namwat Nisana , Khuntikeo Narong , Jusakul Apinya
Published: May 2021

The analysis of cfDNA has been applied as a liquid biopsy in several malignancies. However, its value in the diagnosis and prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have not been well defined. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic values of cfDNA level and tumor-specific mutation in circulating DNA (ctDNA) in CCA. The plasma cfDNA levels from 62 CCA patients, 33 benign biliary disease (BBD) patients and 30 normal controls were quantified by fluorescent assay. Targeted probe-based sequencing of 60 genes was applied for mutation profiling in 10 ctDNA samples and their corresponding treatment-naïve tissues. cfDNA levels in CCA were significantly higher than those in BBD and normal controls. We found that cfDNA levels at 0.2175 and 0.3388 ng/µL significantly discriminated CCA from healthy controls and BBD with 88.7 and 82.3% sensitivity and 96.7 and 57.6% specificity, respectively. cfDNA levels showed superior diagnostic efficacy in detecting CCA compared to CEA and CA19-9. ARID1A (30%), PBRM1 (30%), MTOR (30%), and FGFR3 (30%) mutations were the most common. Using nine frequently mutated genes in the ctDNA samples, the diagnostic accuracy of cfDNA sequencing was 90.8%, with 96.7% average sensitivity and 72.4% specificity. This study supports the use of cfDNA as a diagnosis and prognostic biomarker for CCA.
Influence of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstructions on CT Radiomic Features in Oncologic Patients
Authors: Caruso Damiano , Zerunian Marta , Pucciarelli Francesco , Bracci Benedetta , Polici Michela , D’Arrigo Benedetta , Polidori Tiziano , Guido Gisella , Barbato Luca , Polverari Daniele , Benvenga Antonella , Iannicelli Elsa , Laghi Andrea
Published: May 2021

Iterative reconstructions (IR) might alter radiomic features extraction. We aim to evaluate the influence of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction-V (ASIR-V) on CT radiomic features. Patients who underwent unenhanced abdominal CT (Revolution Evo, GE Healthcare, USA) were retrospectively enrolled. Raw data of filtered-back projection (FBP) were reconstructed with 10 levels of ASIR-V (10–100%). CT texture analysis (CTTA) of liver, kidney, spleen and paravertebral muscle for all datasets was performed. Six radiomic features (mean intensity, standard deviation (SD), entropy, mean of positive pixel (MPP), skewness, kurtosis) were extracted and compared between FBP and all ASIR-V levels, with and without altering the spatial scale filter (SSF). CTTA of all organs revealed significant differences between FBP and all ASIR-V reconstructions for mean intensity, SD, entropy and MPP (all p < 0.0001), while no significant differences were observed for skewness and kurtosis between FBP and all ASIR-V reconstructions (all p > 0.05). A per-filter analysis was also performed comparing FBP with all ASIR-V reconstructions for all six SSF separately (SSF0-SSF6). Results showed significant differences between FBP and all ASIR-V reconstruction levels for mean intensity, SD, and MPP (all filters p < 0.0315). Skewness and kurtosis showed no differences for all comparisons performed (all p > 0.05). The application of incremental ASIR-V levels affects CTTA across various filters. Skewness and kurtosis are not affected by IR and may be reliable quantitative parameters for radiomic analysis.
Negative Fat Pad Biopsy in Systemic AL: A Case Report Analyzing the Preferred Amyloidosis Screening Test
Authors: Hummel Kelsey , Meawad Hany , Gunning William T. , Gohara Amira F.
Published: May 2021

Light chain amyloidosis (AL) causes irreversible multi-organ damage if not diagnosed early in the disease process. Fat pad biopsy is thought to be a highly sensitive screening test in systemic AL cases, especially if greater than three organs are involved. We present a case of a 64-year-old female who was admitted to the hospital with worsening heart and kidney failure, anasarca, increased free serum lambda light chains, and a negative fat pad biopsy for amyloidosis. Later, she developed asystole, bradycardia, severe hypotension, and respiratory distress. Because X-rays of her calvarium showed multiple osteolytic lesions, a bone marrow biopsy was planned to assess for multiple myeloma. Due to her non-reassuring vitals, the biopsy was not attempted, and she passed away several weeks later. Autopsy findings identified the cause of death as multiple system organ failure due to systemic AL. Through microscopic examination, pathologists found amyloid deposits in her heart, kidneys, rectum, thyroid, adrenals, bone marrow, liver, and spleen. Postmortem fat pad biopsy was negative; however, bone marrow biopsy demonstrated clusters of CD138-positive cells, confirming plasma cell dyscrasia. In cases with a negative fat pad biopsy, an additional superficial or involved organ biopsy should be pursued to establish a diagnosis of amyloidosis if strong clinical suspicion exists.
Organizational Change Management in Higher Education through the Lens of Executive Coaches
Authors: Vlachopoulos Dimitrios
Published: May 2021

This study investigated perceptions of organizational change management among executive coaches working with British higher-education leaders and factors that make leaders effective when managing change. This basic qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with eight executive coaches selected through purposeful sampling. As main challenges to efficient, inclusive change management, participants mentioned leaders’ lack of a strategic vision or plan, lack of leadership and future leader development programs, and lack of clarity in decision-making. They recognized that leaders’ academic and professional profiles are positively viewed and said that, with coaching and support in leadership and strategic planning, these people can inspire the academic community and promote positive change. Additional emphasis was given to the role of coaching in the development of key soft skills (honesty, responsibility, resiliency, creativity, proactivity, and empathy, among others), which are necessary for effective change management and leadership in higher education. The paper’s implications have two aspects. First, the lessons of the actual explicit content of the coaches’ observations (challenges to efficient change management and views of leaders); second, the implications of these observations (how coaching can help and what leaders need).
A Review on Small Power Rating PV Inverter Topologies and Smart PV Inverters
Authors: Vairavasundaram Indragandhi , Varadarajan Vijayakumar , Pavankumar Pitta Janakiram , Kanagavel Ramesh Kumar , Ravi Logesh , Vairavasundaram Subramaniyaswamy
Published: May 2021

The two most critical deciding factors for power consumption are energy efficiency and cost. Power electronic circuits are widely used and play an important role in achieving high efficiency in power distribution to customers and power transfer from source to load. Furthermore, solar energy is abundant, sustainable, and pollution-free in nature. Power electronic circuits are used in high-power applications with voltages ranging from a few millivolts to thousands of volts and wattages ranging from a few mW to megawatts. This paper examines a variety of inverter topologies and their modeling, as well as a comparison of single-stage and multi-stage/inverter topologies depending on the application. The main aim of control techniques is to keep Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) to a minimum and the switching frequency within the permissible range so that inverters for renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, and hybrid energy storage systems can work efficiently. Plug-and-play, adaptability, self-awareness, and other features should all be included in a smart inverter. Based on the findings of this comparative analysis, selection criteria are established. This comparative analysis can be used to develop selection criteria for choosing inverter circuits for the various applications described in this paper.
Improved Chaff-Based CMIX for Solving Location Privacy Issues in VANETs
Authors: Al-Marshoud Mishri Saleh , Al-Bayatti Ali H. , Kiraz Mehmet Sabir
Published: May 2021

Safety application systems in Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) require the dissemination of contextual information about the scale of neighbouring vehicles; therefore, ensuring security and privacy is of utmost importance. Vulnerabilities in the messages and the system’s infrastructure introduce the potential for attacks that lessen safety and weaken passengers’ privacy. The purpose of short-lived anonymous identities, called “pseudo-identities”, is to divide the trip into unlinkable short passages. Researchers have proposed changing pseudo-identities more frequently inside a pre-defined area, called a cryptographic mix-zone (CMIX) to ensure enhanced protection. According to ETSI ITS technical report recommendations, the researchers must consider the low-density scenarios to achieve unlinkability in CMIX. Recently, Christian et al. proposed a Chaff-based CMIX scheme that sends fake messages under the consideration of low-density conditions to enhance vehicles’ privacy and confuse attackers. To accomplish full unlinkability, in this paper, we first show the following security and privacy vulnerabilities in the Christian et al. scheme: Linkability attacks outside the CMIX may occur due to deterministic data sharing during the authentication phase (e.g., duplicate certificates for each communication). Adversaries may inject fake certificates, which breaks Cuckoo Filters’ (CFs) updates authenticity, and the injection may be deniable. CMIX symmetric key leakage outside the coverage may occur. We propose a VPKI-based protocol to mitigate these issues. First, we use a modified version of Wang et al.’s scheme to provide mutual authentication without revealing the real identity. To this end, the messages of a vehicle are signed with a different pseudo-identity “certificate”. Furthermore, the density is increased via the sending of fake messages in low traffic periods to provide unlinkability outside the mix-zone. Second, unlike Christian et al.’s scheme, we use the Adaptive Cuckoo Filter (ACF) instead of CF to overcome the false positives’ effect on the whole filter. Moreover, to prevent any alteration of the ACFs, only RUSs distribute the updates, and they sign the new fingerprints. Third, the mutual authentication prevents any leakage from the mix zones’ symmetric keys by generating a fresh one for each communication through a Diffie–Hellman key exchange.
Adaptive Method for Modeling of Temporal Dependencies between Fields of Vision in Multi-Camera Surveillance Systems
Authors: Lisowski Karol , Czyżewski Andrzej
Published: May 2021

A method of modeling the time of object transition between given pairs of cameras based on the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is proposed in this article. Temporal dependencies modeling is a part of object re-identification based on the multi-camera experimental framework. The previously utilized Expectation-Maximization (EM) approach, requiring setting the number of mixtures arbitrarily as an input parameter, was extended with the algorithm that automatically adapts the model to statistical data. The probabilistic model was obtained by matching to the histogram of transition times between a particular pair of cameras. The proposed matching procedure uses a modified particle swarm optimization (mPSO). A way of using models of transition time in object re-identification is also presented. Experiments with the proposed method of modeling the transition time were carried out, and a comparison between previous and novel approach results are also presented, revealing that added swarms approximate normalized histograms very effectively. Moreover, the proposed swarm-based algorithm allows for modelling the same statistical data with a lower number of summands in GMM.
On the Trade-Off between Energy Efficiency and Spectral Efficiency in RIS-Aided Multi-User MISO Downlink
Authors: Zhang Meng , Tan Le , Huang Kelin , You Li
Published: May 2021

As reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have been gradually brought to reality, a large amount of research has been conducted to investigate the immense benefits of RISs. That is because RISs enable us to artificially direct the radio wave propagating through the environment at a relatively low cost. This paper investigates the trade-off between spectral efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE) in the RIS-aided multi-user multiple-input single-output downlink. We develop an optimization framework for designing the transmitting precoding at the base station and the phase shift values at the RIS to balance the EE-SE trade-off. The proposed iterative optimization framework for the design includes quadratic transform, alternating optimization, and weighted minimization mean-square error conversion. Simulation results illustrate our optimization framework algorithm exhibits effectiveness and a fast convergence rate.
Design of a High-Power High-Efficiency Multi-Receiver Wireless Power Transfer System
Authors: Zhu Yuyu , Zhang Hanyu , Wang Zuming , Cao Xin , Zhang Renyin
Published: May 2021

This paper proposes a new control method to regulate the power flow into multiple receivers. This system consists of one transmitter controller and three receiver controllers. They work independently to decide the power distribution with their combined operation. The simulated and experimental models have been built, and the experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis results. The proposed method is robust, flexible, and generalizable, and can be employed under various wireless charging conditions.
Machine Learning-Based Data-Driven Fault Detection/Diagnosis of Lithium-Ion Battery: A Critical Review
Authors: Samanta Akash , Chowdhuri Sumana , Williamson Sheldon S.
Published: May 2021

Fault detection/diagnosis has become a crucial function of the battery management system (BMS) due to the increasing application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in highly sophisticated and high-power applications to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the system. The application of Machine Learning (ML) in the BMS of LIB has long been adopted for efficient, reliable, accurate prediction of several important states of LIB such as state of charge, state of health and remaining useful life. Inspired by some of the promising features of ML-based techniques over the conventional LIB fault detection/diagnosis methods such as model-based, knowledge-based and signal processing-based techniques, ML-based data-driven methods have been a prime research focus in the last few years. This paper provides a comprehensive review exclusively on the state-of-the-art ML-based data-driven fault detection/diagnosis techniques to provide a ready reference and direction to the research community aiming towards developing an accurate, reliable, adaptive and easy to implement fault diagnosis strategy for the LIB system. Current issues of existing strategies and future challenges of LIB fault diagnosis are also explained for better understanding and guidance.
A Novel S-Box Dynamic Design Based on Nonlinear-Transform of 1D Chaotic Maps
Authors: Yan Wenhao , Ding Qun
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a method to enhance the dynamic characteristics of one-dimension (1D) chaotic maps is first presented. Linear combinations and nonlinear transform based on existing chaotic systems (LNECS) are introduced. Then, a numerical chaotic map (LCLS), based on Logistic map and Sine map, is given. Through the analysis of a bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov exponent (LE), and Sample entropy (SE), we can see that CLS has overcome the shortcomings of a low-dimensional chaotic system and can be used in the field of cryptology. In addition, the construction of eight functions is designed to obtain an S-box. Finally, five security criteria of the S-box are shown, which indicate the S-box based on the proposed in this paper has strong encryption characteristics. The research of this paper is helpful for the development of cryptography study such as dynamic construction methods based on chaotic systems.
Imported COVID-19 Cases from Iran: A Rapid Review
Authors: Abdalla Tasnim , Aboujabal Khaled , Abdelnaby Menatella , Bashir Rim , Wanas Yara , Farag Elmoubasher
Published: May 2021

This review aims to map the spread of the virus from Iran to the Middle East and the rest of the world and to help better understand the key trends that occurred during COVID-19 from this epidemic center. We performed a literature review which was undertaken from 16 June to 22 November 2020. We reviewed the available evidence on imported cases from Iran, in the electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar, as well as gray literature. It is shown that 125 cases were imported from Iran, out of which most of the imported cases were asymptomatic, and PCR testing was the most common method of detection. It was also found that more than half of the imported cases were not quarantined or isolated at home. The review revealed that many countries, especially the Middle East had imported cases from Iran. The big gap between the date of arrival at the airport and the date of diagnosis emphasizes the importance of early detection and quarantine measures, to stop the spread of the virus.
Residual Brewing Yeast as Substrate for Co-Production of Cell Biomass and Biofilm Using Candida maltosa SM4
Authors: Flores-Copa Vidal , Romero-Soto Luis , Romero-Calle Danitza , Alvarez-Aliaga María Teresa , Orozco-Gutierrez Felipe , Vega-Baudrit José , Martín Carlos , Carrasco Cristhian
Published: May 2021

Candida maltosa was cultivated in the liquid phase of residual brewing yeast, a major brewery residue, to produce biomass and biofilm. Using response surface methodology, the effect of two variables at two different levels was investigated. The independent variables were agitation speed (at 100 and 200 rpm), and aeration (at 1 and 3 L min−1). Aeration was identified to be important for the production of both biomass and biofilm, while agitation was the only factor significantly affecting biofilm production. The maximal production of biofilm (2.33 g L−1) was achieved for agitation of 200 rpm and aeration of 1 L min−1, while the maximum for biomass (16.97 g L−1) was reached for 100 rpm agitation and 3 L min−1 air flow. A logistic model applied to predict the growth of C. maltosa in the exponential phase and the biofilm production, showed a high degree of agreement between the prediction and the actual biomass measured experimentally. The produced biofilms were further characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). FTIR allowed the identification of methyl, carbonyl ester and sulfate groups, and revealed the presence of uronic acid moieties and glycosidic bonds. Water-retention ability up to relatively high temperatures was revealed by TGA, and that makes the produced biofilm suitable for production of hydrogels. SEM also gave indications on the hydrogel-forming potential of the biofilm.
Identification of an Oxidosqualene Cyclase Gene Involved in Steroidal Triterpenoid Biosynthesis in Cordyceps farinosa
Authors: An Gi-Hong , Han Jae-Gu , Park Hye-Sung , Sung Gi-Ho , Kim Ok-Tae
Published: May 2021

Various fungi including Cordyceps farinosa, an entomopathogenic fungus, can produce steroidal triterpenoids. Protostadienol (protosta-17(20)Z,24-dien-3β-ol) is a precursor of steroidal triterpenoid compounds. To identify oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) gene candidates involved in triterpenoid biosynthesis, genome mining was performed using Illumina sequencing platform. In the sequence database, two OSC genes, CfaOSC1 and CfaOSC2, in the genome of C. farinosa were identified. Predicted amino-acid sequences of CfaOSC2 shared 66% similarities with protostadienol synthase (OSPC) of Aspergillus fumigatus. Phylogenetic analysis showed a clear grouping of CfaOSC2 in the OSPC clade. Function of CfaOSC2 was examined using a yeast INVSc1 heterologous expression system to endogenously synthesize 2,3-oxidosqualene. GC–MS analysis indicated that CfaOSC2 produced protosta-13(17),24-dien-3β-ol and protostadienol at a 5:95 ratio. Our results demonstrate that CfaOSC2 is a multifunctional triterpene synthase yielding a predominant protostadienol together with a minor triterpenoid. These results will facilitate a greater understanding of biosynthetic mechanisms underlying steroidal triterpenoid biosynthesis in C. farinosa and other fungi.