bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Laplacian Flow of Locally Conformal Calibrated G2-Structures
Authors: Fernández Marisa , Manero Victor , Sánchez Jonatan
Published: January 2019

We consider the Laplacian flow of locally conformal calibrated G 2 -structures as a natural extension to these structures of the well-known Laplacian flow of calibrated G 2 -structures. We study the Laplacian flow for two explicit examples of locally conformal calibrated G 2 manifolds and, in both cases, we obtain a flow of locally conformal calibrated G 2 -structures, which are ancient solutions, that is they are defined on a time interval of the form ( − ∞ , T ) , where T > 0 is a real number. Moreover, for each of these examples, we prove that the underlying metrics g ( t ) of the solution converge smoothly, up to pull-back by time-dependent diffeomorphisms, to a flat metric as t goes to − ∞ , and they blow-up at a finite-time singularity.
Direct Determination of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in Wine by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry
Authors: Maciel Juliana V. , Souza Michele M. , Silva Lisiane O. , Dias Daiane
Published: January 2019

Metals in wine can originate from natural and anthropogenic sources and their concentrations have significant effects on wine proprieties as well in its conservation. In this work, direct and simultaneous determinations of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu in wine samples were carried out by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry without any steps of previous pretreatment. The samples analyzed presented concentration levels from 4.64 to 69.3 µg L−1 of Zn, from 1.74 to 5.25 µg L−1 of Cd, from 4.57 to 17.9 µg L−1 of Pb and from 1.0 to 10.3 µg L−1 of Cu. Accuracy was evaluated with the standard addition method and recoveries ranged from 82.5 and 130.8% for Zn, from 85.7 to 107.0% for Cd, from 89.7 to 101.0% for Pb and from 81.4 to 105.9% for Cu. With the application of this method, it was possible to quantify the metals in a simple and easy way not requiring sample preparation or other approaches for the destruction of organic substances.
MyomiRNAs Dysregulation in ALS Rehabilitation
Authors: Pegoraro Valentina , Merico Antonio , Angelini Corrado
Published: January 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder caused by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. The disease process leads, because of lower motor neuron involvement, to progressive muscle atrophy, weakness, and fasciculations and for the upper motor neuron involvement leads to spasticity. Muscle atrophy in ALS is caused by a neural dysregulation in the molecular network controlling fast and slow muscle fibers. Denervation and reinnervation processes in skeletal muscle occur in the course of ALS and are modulated by rehabilitation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are involved in different biological functions under various pathophysiological conditions. MiRNAs can be secreted by various cell types and they are markedly stable in body fluids. MiR-1, miR-133 a miR-133b, and miR-206 are called “myomiRs” and are considered markers of myogenesis during muscle regeneration and contribute to neuromuscular junction stabilization or sprouting. We observed a positive effect of a standard aerobic exercise rehabilitative protocol conducted for six weeks in 18 ALS patients during hospitalization in our center. This is a preliminary study, in which we correlated clinical scales with molecular data on myomiRs. After six weeks of moderate aerobic exercise, we found lower levels in serum of myomiRNAs. Our data suggest that circulating miRNAs changed during skeletal muscle recovery in response to physical rehabilitation in ALS. However, no firm conclusions can be made on the ALS-specific effect of exercise on miRNA levels.
Dyslexia: Still Not a Neurodevelopmental Disorder
Authors: Protopapas Athanassios , Parrila Rauno
Published: January 2019

We recently pointed out that there is no evidence to support the commonly held view that there is something wrong with the brains of children who have great difficulty learning to read. In response, it was argued that dyslexia should be considered to be a neurodevelopmental disorder because of its potential to adversely affect quality of life, and because there are differences between the brains of people with different levels of reading skill. We agree with these two points, but they are irrelevant to the issue in question, because neither establishes the critical notion of disrupted neurodevelopment; that is, a brain fault. Differences between groups do not imply that any individuals are abnormal, and calling a brain improperly developed on the basis of cultural issues has absurd implications. Even calling brains atypical is unfounded because reference to typicality hinges on knowledge of the relevant distributions, which is currently lacking. Moreover, there is at present no obvious role for neurology- or neuroscience-based input for the critical issue of the assessment and remediation of the reading difficulties themselves. We reiterate our conclusion that there is, at the moment, no credible foundation to support the claim that dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Sleep Disorders Following Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Al-Ameri Laith , Mohsin Talib , Abdul Wahid Ali
Published: January 2019

(1) Background: Sleeping disorders are frequently reported following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Different forms of sleeping disorders have been reported, such as sleepiness, insomnia, changes in sleeping latency, and others. (2) Methods: A case-control study with 62 patients who were victims of mild or moderate TBI with previous admissions to Iraqi tertiary neurosurgical centers were enrolled as the first group, and 158 patients with no history of trauma were considered as the control. All were 18 years of age or older, and the severity of the trauma and sleep disorders was assessed. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index was used to assess sleep disorders with average need for sleep per day and average sleep latency were assessed in both groups. Chi-square and t-test calculations were used to compare different variables. (3) Results: 39 patients (24.7%) of the controlled group experienced sleeping disorders compared to TBI group with 45 patients (72.6%), P-value < 0.00001. A total of 42 patients were diagnosed on admission as having a mild degree of TBI (mean GCS 13.22 ± 1.76) and 20 patients were diagnosed with moderate TBI (mean GCS11.05 ± 1.14. 27). A total of 27 (46.28%) patients with mild severity TBI and 18 patients (90%) of moderate severity were considered to experience sleeping disorders, P-value 0.0339. Each of the mild and moderate TBI subgroups show a P-value < 0.00001 compared to the control group. Average sleep hours needed per day for TBI and the control were 8.02 ± 1.04 h and 7.26 ± 0.58 h, respectively, P-value < 0.00001. Average sleep latency for the TBI and the control groups were 13.32 ± 3.16 min and 13.93 ± 3.07 min respectively, P-value 0.065. (4) Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are more common following mild and moderate TBI three months after the injury with more hours needed for sleep per day and no significant difference in sleep latency. Sleep disturbances increase in frequency with the increase in the severity of TBI.
Prediction of Posterior Paraglottic Space and Cricoarytenoid Unit Involvement in Endoscopically T3 Glottic Cancer with Arytenoid Fixation by Magnetic Resonance with Surface Coils
Authors: Ravanelli Marco , Paderno Alberto , Del Bon Francesca , Montalto Nausica , Pessina Carlotta , Battocchio Simonetta , Farina Davide , Nicolai Piero , Maroldi Roberto , Piazza Cesare
Published: January 2019

Discrimination of the etiology of arytenoid fixation in cT3 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is crucial for treatment planning. The aim of this retrospective study was to differentiate among possible causes of arytenoid fixation (edema, inflammation, mass effect, or tumor invasion) by analyzing related signal patterns of magnetic resonance (MR) in the posterior laryngeal compartment (PLC) and crico-arytenoid unit (CAU). Seventeen patients affected by cT3 glottic SCC with arytenoid fixation were preoperatively studied by state-of-the-art MR with surface coils. Different signal patterns were assessed in PLC subsites. Three MR signal patterns were identified: A, normal; B, T2 hyperintensity and absence of restriction on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); and C, intermediate T2 signal and restriction on DWI. Signal patterns were correlated with the presence or absence of CAU and PLC neoplastic invasion. Patients were submitted to open partial horizontal or total laryngectomy and surgical specimens were analyzed. Pattern A and B did not correlate with neoplastic invasion, while Pattern C strongly did (Spearman’s coefficient = 0.779, p < 0.0001; sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 78%). In conclusion, MR with surface coils is able to assess PLC/CAU involvement with satisfactory accuracy. In absence of Pattern C, arytenoid fixation is likely related to mass effect and/or inflammatory reaction and is not associated with neoplastic invasion.
The Circulating Transcriptome as a Source of Biomarkers for Melanoma
Authors: Solé Carla , Tramonti Daniela , Schramm Maike , Goicoechea Ibai , Armesto María , Hernandez Luiza I. , Manterola Lorea , Fernandez-Mercado Marta , Mujika Karmele , Tuneu Anna , Jaka Ane , Tellaetxe Maitena , Friedländer Marc R. , Estivill Xavier , Piazza Paolo , Ortiz-Romero Pablo L. , Middleton Mark R. , Lawrie Charles H.
Published: January 2019

The circulating transcriptome is a valuable source of cancer biomarkers, which, with the exception of microRNAs (miRNAs), remains relatively unexplored. To elucidate which RNAs are present in plasma from melanoma patients and which could be used to distinguish cancer patients from healthy individuals, we used next generation sequencing (NGS), and validation was carried out by qPCR and/or ddPCR. We identified 442 different microRNAs in samples, eleven of which were differentially expressed (p < 0.05). Levels of miR-134-5p and miR-320a-3p were significantly down-regulated (p < 0.001) in melanoma samples (n = 96) compared to healthy controls (n = 28). Differentially expressed protein-encoding mRNA 5′-fragments were enriched for the angiopoietin, p21-activated kinase (PAK), and EIF2 pathways. Levels of ATM1, AMFR, SOS1, and CD109 gene fragments were up-regulated (p < 0.001) in melanoma samples (n = 144) compared to healthy controls (n = 41) (AUC = 0.825). Over 40% of mapped reads were YRNAs, a class of non-coding RNAs that to date has been little explored. Expression levels of RNY3P1, RNY4P1, and RNY4P25 were significantly higher in patients with stage 0 disease than either healthy controls or more advanced stage disease (p < 0.001). In conclusion, we have identified a number of novel RNA biomarkers, which, most importantly, we validated in multi-center retrospective and prospective cohorts, suggesting potential diagnostic use of these RNA species.
Recent Advances in the Management of Cancer-Associated Thrombosis: New Hopes but New Challenges
Authors: Frere Corinne , Benzidia Ilham , Marjanovic Zora , Farge Dominique
Published: January 2019

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients and leads to a significant increase in health care costs. Cancer patients often suffer from multiple co-morbidities and have both a greater risk of VTE recurrence and bleeding compared to non-cancer patients. Anticoagulation is therefore challenging. For many years, long-term therapy with Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin (LMWH) was the standard of care for the management of cancer-associated VTE. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), which offer the convenience of an oral administration and have a rapid onset of action, have recently been proposed as a new option in this setting. Head-to-head comparisons between DOAC and LMWHs for the treatment of established VTE are now available, and data on the efficacy and safety of these drugs for primary prophylaxis of VTE in ambulatory cancer patients receiving systemic anticancer therapy are emerging. This narrative review aims to summarize the main recent advances in the prevention and treatment of cancer-associated VTE, including recent data on the use of individualized factors to stratify the risk of VTE in each individual patient, quality-of-life in patients treated with LMWH, and the place that DOACs will likely take in the cancer-associated VTE management landscape.
Regression Analysis of Protoporphyrin IX Measurements Obtained During Dermatological Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Tyrrell Jessica , Paterson Cheryl , Curnow Alison
Published: January 2019

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light activated drug therapy that can be used to treat a number of dermatological cancers and precancers. Improvement of efficacy is required to widen its application. Clinical protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence data were obtained using a pre-validated, non-invasive imaging system during routine methyl aminolevulinate (MAL)-PDT treatment of 172 patients with licensed dermatological indications (37.2% actinic keratosis, 27.3% superficial basal cell carcinoma and 35.5% Bowen’s disease). Linear and logistic regressions were employed to model any relationships between variables that may have affected PpIX accumulation and/or PpIX photobleaching during irradiation and thus clinical outcome at three months. Patient age was found to be associated with lower PpIX accumulation/photobleaching, however only a reduction in PpIX photobleaching appeared to consistently adversely affect treatment efficacy. Clinical clearance was reduced in lesions located on the limbs, hands and feet with lower PpIX accumulation and subsequent photobleaching adversely affecting the outcome achieved. If air cooling pain relief was employed during light irradiation, PpIX photobleaching was lower and this resulted in an approximate three-fold reduction in the likelihood of achieving clinical clearance. PpIX photobleaching during the first treatment was concluded to be an excellent predictor of clinical outcome across all lesion types.
The Capacity of Long-Term In Vitro Proliferation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells Supported Only by Exogenous Cytokines Is Associated with a Patient Subset with Adverse Outcome
Authors: Brenner Annette K. , Aasebø Elise , Hernandez-Valladares Maria , Selheim Frode , Berven Frode , Grønningsæter Ida-Sofie , Bartaula-Brevik Sushma , Bruserud Øystein
Published: January 2019

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy, which is highly heterogeneous with regard to chemosensitivity and biological features. The AML cell population is organized in a hierarchy that is reflected in the in vitro growth characteristics, with only a minority of cells being able to proliferate for more than two weeks. In this study, we investigated the ability of AML stem cells to survive and proliferate in suspension cultures in the presence of exogenous mediators but without supporting non-leukemic cells. We saw that a high number of maintained stem cells (i.e., a large number of clonogenic cells after five weeks of culture) was associated with decreased overall survival for patients receiving intensive chemotherapy; this prognostic impact was also detected in the multivariate/adjusted analysis. Furthermore, the patients with many clonogenic cells presented more frequently with mutations in transcription-related genes, and also showed a higher abundance of proteins involved in transcription at the time of diagnosis. In conclusion, the growth characteristics of the long-term proliferating leukemic stem cells seem to have an independent prognostic impact in human AML, and these characteristics appear to be reflected by the mutational landscape and the proteome of the patients at the time of diagnosis.
High Frequency of ERBB2 Activating Mutations in Invasive Lobular Breast Carcinoma with Pleomorphic Features
Authors: Rosa-Rosa Juan Manuel , Caniego-Casas Tamara , Leskela Susanna , Cristobal Eva , González-Martínez Silvia , Moreno-Moreno Esther , López-Miranda Elena , Holgado Esther , Pérez-Mies Belén , Garrido Pilar , Palacios José
Published: January 2019

Background: Characterisation of molecular alterations of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma (PLC), an aggressive subtype of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), have not been yet completely accomplished. Methods: To investigate the molecular alterations of invasive lobular carcinoma with pleomorphic features, a total of 39 tumour samples (in situ and invasive lesions and lymph node metastases) from 27 patients with nuclear grade 3 invasive lobular carcinomas were subjected to morphological, immunohistochemical and massive parallel sequencing analyses. Results: Our observations indicated that invasive lobular carcinomas with pleomorphic features were morphologically and molecularly heterogeneous. All cases showed absence or aberrant expression of E-cadherin and abnormal expression of β-catenin and p120. CDH1 (89%), PIK3CA (33%) and ERRB2 (26%) were the most common mutated genes. ERBB2 mutations preferentially affected the tyrosine-kinase activity domain, being the most frequent the targetable mutation p.L755S (57%). We also observed higher frequency of mutations in ARID1B, KMT2C, MAP3K1, TP53 and ARID1A in PLC than previously reported in classic ILC. Alterations related to progression from in situ to invasive carcinoma and/or to lymph node metastases included TP53 mutation, amplification of PIK3CA and CCND1 and loss of ARID1A expression. Conclusions: The high frequency of ERBB2 mutations observed suggests that ERBB2 mutation testing should be considered in all invasive lobular carcinomas with nuclear grade 3.
Novel Immunoregulatory Functions of IL-18, an Accomplice of TGF-β1
Authors: Casu Beatrice , Dondero Alessandra , Regis Stefano , Caliendo Fabio , Petretto Andrea , Bartolucci Martina , Bellora Francesca , Bottino Cristina , Castriconi Roberta
Published: January 2019

TGF-β1 is a pleiotropic factor exerting a strong regulatory role in several cell types, including immune cells. In NK cells it profoundly alters the surface expression of crucial activating and chemokine receptors. To understand which soluble signals might better contrast these effects, we cultured human NK cells in the presence of TGF-β1 and different innate and adaptive cytokines, generally referred as “immunostimulatory”. These included IL-2, IL-15, IL-21, IL-27, and IL-18. Unexpectedly, IL-18 strengthened rather than contrasting important TGF-β1-mediated functions. In particular, IL-18 further reduced the expression of CX3CR1 and NKp30, leading to the virtual abrogation of the triggering capability of this activating receptor. Moreover, IL-18 further increased the expression of CXCR4. The IL-18-mediated additive effect on NKp30 and CXCR4 expression involved transcriptional regulation and activation of MEK/ERK and/or p38MAPK. A proteomic approach quantified both surface and intracellular proteins significantly modified in cytokine-treated NK cells, thus giving global information on the biological processes involving TGF-β1 and IL-18. Our data support the concept that IL-18 may have a different behavior depending on the type of soluble factors characterizing the microenvironment. In a TGF-β1 rich milieu such as tumors, it may contribute to the impairment of both NK cells recruitment and killing capability.
Variation in Clinical Application of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: A Review
Authors: Helderman Roxan F. C. P. A. , Löke Daan R. , Kok H. Petra , Oei Arlene L. , Tanis Pieter J. , Franken Nicolaas A. P. Klaas , Crezee Johannes
Published: January 2019

Peritoneal metastasis (PM) originating from gastrointestinal and gynecological malignancies are associated with a poor prognosis and rapid disease progression. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is an effective treatment option with curative intent. Hyperthermia enhances the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs, thereby killing microscopic tumors and reducing the risk of tumor recurrence. Eight parameters potentially have an impact on the efficacy of HIPEC: the type of drug, drug concentrations, carrier solution, volume of the perfusate, temperature of the perfusate, duration of the treatment, the technique of delivery, and patient selection. In this review, a literature search was performed on PubMed, and a total of 564 articles were screened of which 168 articles were included. Although HIPEC is a successful treatment, there is no standardized method for delivering HIPEC: the choice of parameters is presently largely determined by institutional preferences. We discuss the current choice of the parameters and hypothesize about improvements toward uniform standardization. Quantifying the effect of each parameter separately is necessary to determine the optimal way to perform HIPEC procedures. In vivo, in vitro, in silico, and other experimental studies should shed light on the role of each of the eight parameters.
Targeting the mTOR Signaling Pathway Utilizing Nanoparticles: A Critical Overview
Authors: Lunova Mariia , Smolková Barbora , Lynnyk Anna , Uzhytchak Mariia , Jirsa Milan , Kubinová Šárka , Dejneka Alexandr , Lunov Oleg
Published: January 2019

Proteins of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis are overexpressed or mutated in cancers. However, clinical inhibition of mTOR signaling as a therapeutic strategy in oncology shows rather limited progress. Nanoparticle-based mTOR targeted therapy proposes an attractive therapeutic option for various types of cancers. Along with the progress in the biomedical applications of nanoparticles, we start to realize the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Here, we critically analyze the current literature on the modulation of mTOR activity by nanoparticles, demonstrate the complexity of cellular responses to functionalized nanoparticles, and underline challenges lying in the identification of the molecular mechanisms of mTOR signaling affected by nanoparticles. We propose the idea that subcytotoxic doses of nanoparticles could be relevant for the induction of subcellular structural changes with possible involvement of mTORC1 signaling. The evaluation of the mechanisms and therapeutic effects of nanoparticle-based mTOR modulation will provide fundamental knowledge which could help in developing safe and efficient nano-therapeutics.
Titanium Dioxide as a Catalyst in Biodiesel Production
Authors: Carlucci Claudia , Degennaro Leonardo , Luisi Renzo
Published: January 2019

The discovery of alternative fuels that can replace conventional fuels has become the goal of many scientific researches. Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils through a transesterification reaction that converts triglycerides into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), with the use of a low molecular weight alcohol, in different reaction conditions and with different types of catalysts. Titanium dioxide has shown a high potential as heterogeneous catalyst due to high surface area, strong metal support interaction, chemical stability, and acid–base property. This review focused on TiO2 as heterogeneous catalyst and its potential applications in the continuous flow production of biodiesel. Furthermore, the use of micro reactors, able to make possible chemical transformations not feasible with traditional techniques, will enable a reduction of production costs and a greater environmental protection.
RNA Interference: A Natural Immune System of Plants to Counteract Biotic Stressors
Authors: Muhammad Tayeb , Zhang Fei , Zhang Yan , Liang Yan
Published: January 2019

During plant-pathogen interactions, plants have to defend the living transposable elements from pathogens. In response to such elements, plants activate a variety of defense mechanisms to counteract the aggressiveness of biotic stressors. RNA interference (RNAi) is a key biological process in plants to inhibit gene expression both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally, using three different groups of proteins to resist the virulence of pathogens. However, pathogens trigger an anti-silencing mechanism through the expression of suppressors to block host RNAi. The disruption of the silencing mechanism is a virulence strategy of pathogens to promote infection in the invaded hosts. In this review, we summarize the RNA silencing pathway, anti-silencing suppressors, and counter-defenses of plants to viral, fungal, and bacterial pathogens.
A Human ABC Transporter ABCC4 Gene SNP (rs11568658, 559 G > T, G187W) Reduces ABCC4-Dependent Drug Resistance
Authors: Tsukamoto Megumi , Yamashita Miho , Nishi Tsuyoshi , Nakagawa Hiroshi
Published: January 2019

Broad-spectrum drug resistance is a major obstacle in cancer treatment, which is often caused by overexpression of ABC transporters the levels of which vary between individuals due to single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in their genes. In the present study, we focused on the human ABC transporter ABCC4 and one major non-synonymous SNP variant of the ABCC4 gene in the Japanese population (rs11568658, 559 G > T, G187W) whose allele frequency is 12.5%. Cells expressing ABCC4 (G187W) were established using the Flp-In™ system based on Flp recombinase-mediated transfection to quantitatively evaluate the impacts of this non-synonymous SNP on drug resistance profiles of the cells. Cells expressing ABCC4 (WT) or (G187W) showed comparable ABCC4 mRNA levels. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that the EC50 value of the anticancer drug, SN-38, against cells expressing ABCC4 (G187W) was 1.84-fold lower than that against cells expressing ABCC4 (WT). Both azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine showed comparable EC50 values against cells expressing ABCC4 (G187W) and those expressing ABCC4 (WT). These results indicate that the substitution of Gly at position 187 of ABCC4 to Trp resulted in reduced SN-38 resistance.
Altered VEGF Splicing Isoform Balance in Tumor Endothelium Involves Activation of Splicing Factors Srpk1 and Srsf1 by the Wilms’ Tumor Suppressor Wt1
Authors: Wagner Kay-Dietrich , El Maï Mounir , Ladomery Michael , Belali Tareg , Leccia Nathalie , Michiels Jean-François , Wagner Nicole
Published: January 2019

Angiogenesis is one hallmark of cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a known inducer of angiogenesis. Many patients benefit from antiangiogenic therapies, which however have limitations. Although VEGF is overexpressed in most tumors, different VEGF isoforms with distinct angiogenic properties are produced through alternative splicing. In podocytes, the Wilms’ tumor suppressor 1 (WT1) suppresses the Serine/arginine-rich protein-specific splicing factor kinase (SRPK1), and indirectly Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (Srsf1) activity, and alters VEGF splicing. We analyzed VEGF isoforms, Wt1, Srpk1, and Srsf1 in normal and tumor endothelium. Wt1, Srpk1, Srsf1, and the angiogenic VEGF164a isoform were highly expressed in tumor endothelium compared to normal lung endothelium. Nuclear expression of Srsf1 was detectable in the endothelium of various tumor types, but not in healthy tissues. Inducible conditional vessel-specific knockout of Wt1 reduced Wt1, Srpk1, and Srsf1 expression in endothelial cells and induced a shift towards the antiangiogenic VEGF120 isoform. Wt1(−KTS) directly binds and activates both the promoters of Srpk1 and Srsf1 in endothelial cells. In conclusion, Wt1 activates Srpk1 and Srsf1 and induces expression of angiogenic VEGF isoforms in tumor endothelium.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Chemosensors in 2018
Authors: Chemosensors Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Hydrogen Sorption Kinetics of SiC-Coated Zr-1Nb Alloy
Authors: Kashkarov Egor B. , Syrtanov Maxim S. , Murashkina Tatyana L. , Kurochkin Alexander V. , Shanenkova Yulia , Obrosov Aleksei
Published: January 2019

This paper describes the influence of silicon carbide (SiC) coating on hydrogen sorption kinetics of zirconium alloy E110 (Zr-1Nb). Amorphous SiC coating of 1.5-μm thickness was deposited on Zr-1Nb alloy substrate by direct current magnetron sputtering of composite cathode. Hydrogen absorption by SiC-coated Zr-1Nb alloy significantly decreased due to low hydrogen permeability of the coating. Hydrogenation tests show that SiC coating provides protective properties against hydrogen permeation in the investigated temperature range of 350–450 °C. It was shown that hydrogenation of uncoated Zr-1Nb leads to formation of δ hydrides at 350 °C and δ and γ hydrides at higher temperatures whereas in the SiC-coated Zr-1Nb alloy only δ hydrides formed. Gradient hydrogen distribution through the SiC coating and H trapping in the carbon-rich interface was observed. The adhesion strength of the coating was ~5 N. Hydrogenation up to 450 °C for 5 h does not degrade the adhesion properties during scratch testing.
Finding the Additives Incorporation Moment in Hybrid Natural Pigments Synthesis to Improve Bioresin Properties
Authors: Micó-Vicent Bàrbara , Jordán Jorge , Perales Esther , Martínez-Verdú Francisco Miguel , Cases Francisco
Published: January 2019

Interest in applications of natural dye applications has increased because of their antibacterial properties and the possibility of extracting them from nature and residues. Using nanoclays as hosts to reinforce natural dye properties has been successfully demonstrated. However, no one has attempted to optimize the polymer matrix and hybrid pigment properties at the same time to ensure the best final properties for bio-composite applications. Using a statistical design for experiments, we propose the best combination of modifiers with the best nanoclay as the host of three natural dyes: chlorophyll, β-carotene, and betanine. Using the L9 Taguchi designs, we learned both the influence of the nanoclay structure, and the addition moment of surfactant, mordant salt, and silane modifiers. FTIR, XRD, DTG, integration sphere spectrophotometer, and UV-aging tests were used to characterize the hybrid pigments and epoxy bioresin composites. The degradation temperatures of the three natural dyes rose and the reinforcement of the stability of three natural dyes to UV–Vis radiation exposure was demonstrated, which avoided the migration of these dyes from bioresin to wet ribbing. Optimal results were obtained with hydrotalcite clay (calcined or not) by using surfactant and mordant before the natural dye, and before or after silane.
Control of Polydimethylsiloxane Surface Hydrophobicity by Plasma Polymerized Hexamethyldisilazane Deposition
Authors: Jankauskaitė Virginija , Narmontas Pranas , Lazauskas Algirdas
Published: January 2019

The properties of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface were modified by a one-step deposition of plasma polymerized hexamethyldisilazane (pp-HMDS) by the arc discharge method. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analytical techniques were employed for morphological, structural, and chemical characterization of the pp-HMDS modified PDMS surface. The changes in PDMS substrate wetting properties were evaluated by means of contact angle measurements. The unmodified PDMS surface is hydrophobic with a contact angle of 122°, while, after pp-HMDS film deposition, a dual-scale roughness PDMS surface with contact angle values as high as 170° was obtained. It was found that the value of the contact angle depends on the plasma processing time. Chemically, the pp-HMDS presents methyl moieties, rendering it hydrophobic and making it an attractive material for creating a superhydrophobic surface, and eliminating the need for complex chemical routes. The presented approach may open up new avenues in design and fabrication of superhydrophobic and flexible organosilicon materials with a self-cleaning function.
DAFNE-Light DXR1 Soft X-Ray Synchrotron Radiation Beamline: Characteristics and XAFS Applications
Authors: Balerna Antonella
Published: January 2019

X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (XAFS) is a powerful technique to investigate the local atomic geometry and the chemical state of atoms in different types of materials, especially if lacking a long-range order, such as nanomaterials, liquids, amorphous and highly disordered systems, and polymers containing metallic atoms. The INFN-LNF DAΦNE-Light DXR1 beam line is mainly dedicated to soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy; it collects the radiation of a wiggler insertion device and covers the energy range from 0.9 to 3.0 keV or the range going from the K-edge of Na through to the K-edge of Cl. The characteristics of the beamline are reported here together with the XAFS spectra of reference compounds, in order to show some of the information achievable with this X-ray spectroscopy. Additionally, some examples of XAFS spectroscopy applications are also reported.
Cryptanalysis of Round-Reduced Fantomas, Robin and iSCREAM
Authors: Dwivedi Ashutosh Dhar , Dhar Shalini , Srivastava Gautam , Singh Rajani
Published: January 2019

In this work, we focus on LS-design ciphers Fantomas, Robin, and iSCREAM. LS-designs are a family of bitslice ciphers aimed at efficient masked implementations against side-channel analysis. We have analyzed Fantomas and Robin with a technique that previously has not been applied to both algorithms or linear cryptanalysis. The idea behind linear cryptanalysis is to build a linear characteristic that describes the relation between plaintext and ciphertext bits. Such a relationship should hold with probability 0.5 (bias is zero) for a secure cipher. Therefore, we try to find a linear characteristic between plaintext and ciphertext where bias is not equal to zero. This non-random behavior of cipher could be converted to some key-recovery attack. For Fantomas and Robin, we find 5 and 7-round linear characteristics. Using these characteristics, we attack both the ciphers with reduced rounds and recover the key for the same number of rounds. We also apply linear cryptanalysis to the famous CAESAR candidate iSCREAM and the closely related LS-design Robin. For iScream, we apply linear cryptanalysis to the round-reduced cipher and find a 7-round best linear characteristics. Based on those linear characteristics we extend the path in the related-key scenario for a higher number of rounds.
Synthesis of NiMoO4/3D-rGO Nanocomposite in Alkaline Environments for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Arshadi Rastabi Shahrzad , Sarraf Mamoory Rasoul , Dabir Fatemeh , Blomquist Nicklas , Phadatare Manisha , Olin Håkan
Published: January 2019

Although Graphene oxide (GO)-based materials is known as a favorable candidate for supercapacitors, its conductivity needs to be increased. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the performance of GO-based supercapicitor with new methods. In this work, an ammonia solution has been used to remove the oxygen functional groups of GO. In addition, a facile precipitation method was performed to synthesis a NiMoO4/3D-rGO electrode with purpose of using synergistic effects of rGO conductivity properties as well as NiMoO4 pseudocapacitive behavior. The phase structure, chemical bands and morphology of the synthesized powders were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and field emission secondary electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The electrochemical results showed that the NiMoO4/3D-rGO(II) electrode, where ammonia has been used during the synthesis, has a capacitive performance of 932 Fg−1. This is higher capacitance than NiMoO4/3D-rGO(I) without using ammonia. Furthermore, the NiMoO4/3D-rGO(II) electrode exhibited a power density of up to 17.5 kW kg−1 and an energy density of 32.36 Wh kg−1. These results showed that ammonia addition has increased the conductivity of rGO sheets, and thus it can be suggested as a new technique to improve the capacitance.
A Facile and Eco-Friendly Method for the Synthesis of Sulfonamide and Sulfonate Carboxylic Acid Derivatives—X-ray Structure, Hirshfeld Analysis and Spectroscopic Characterizations
Authors: Almarhoon Zainab , Soliman Saied M. , Ghabbour Hazem A. , El-Faham Ayman
Published: January 2019

The search for a simple and efficient method for the synthesis of sulfonamide and sulfonate derivatives under mild and eco-friendly conditions is of continuing interest. Sulfonyl chlorides are still the best choice as starting materials for the preparation of target products. Here, we report a simple, efficient and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of sulfonamide and sulfonate carboxylic acid derivatives under green conditions using water and sodium carbonate as HCl scavengers to produce the products with high yields and purities. Two derivatives, 4-(tosyloxy)benzoic acid (5a) and 4-((4-methylphenyl)sulfonamido)benzoic acid (5b), were reacted with 2-morpholinoethan-1-amine under green conditions, where OxymaPure/diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC) was used as a coupling reagent and 2-MeTHF as a solvent to give the target product with high yield and purity. nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and elemental analysis confirmed the structures of all obtained products. X-ray crystallography confirmed the structures of products 4b, 4c and 7a. The molecular packing of the three compounds (4b, 4c and 7a) was analyzed using Hirshfeld topology analysis. Mainly, H…O hydrogen bonding interactions dominated the packing. These methods of preparation and coupling merit further attention for the development of new derivatives that might have significant biological applications.
Individual Morphology and Habitat Structure Alter Social Interactions in a Range-Shifting Species
Authors: Cannizzo Zachary J. , Nix Sara K. , Whaling Isabel C. , Griffen Blaine D.
Published: January 2019

Ecosystem engineers that serve as foundation species shape the ecology and behavior of the species which depend on them. As species shift their geographic ranges into ecosystems they have not previously inhabited, it is important to understand how interactions with novel foundation species alter their behavior. By employing behavioral assays and morphological analyses, we examined how individual morphology and foundation species structure impact the ritualistic aggression behavior of the range shifting mangrove tree crab Aratus pisonii between its historic and colonized habitats. Structure of the foundation species of the colonized salt marsh ecosystem increases the incidence and risk of this behavior over the historic mangrove habitat, potentially negating benefits of ritualizing aggression. Further, docks within the salt marsh, which are structurally analogous to mangroves, mitigate some, but not all, of the increased costs of performing ritualized aggression. Crabs in the salt marsh also had relatively larger claws than conspecifics from the dock and mangrove habitats, which has implications for the risk and outcomes of ritualized interactions. These changes to morphology and behavior highlight the impacts that foundation species structure can have on the morphology, ecology, and behavior of organisms and the importance of studying these impacts in range shifting species.
UAV-Based 3D Point Clouds of Freshwater Fish Habitats, Xingu River Basin, Brazil
Authors: Kalacska Margaret , Lucanus Oliver , Sousa Leandro , Vieira Thiago , Arroyo-Mora Juan Pablo
Published: January 2019

Dense 3D point clouds were generated from Structure-from-Motion Multiview Stereo (SFM-MVS) photogrammetry for five representative freshwater fish habitats in the Xingu river basin, Brazil. The models were constructed from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photographs collected in 2016 and 2017. The Xingu River is one of the primary tributaries of the Amazon River. It is known for its exceptionally high aquatic biodiversity. The dense 3D point clouds were generated in the dry season when large areas of aquatic substrate are exposed due to the low water level. The point clouds were generated at ground sampling distances of 1.20–2.38 cm. These data are useful for studying the habitat characteristics and complexity of several fish species in a spatially explicit manner, such as calculation of metrics including rugosity and the Minkowski–Bouligand fractal dimension (3D complexity). From these dense 3D point clouds, substrate complexity can be determined more comprehensively than from conventional arbitrary cross sections.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Diagnostics in 2018
Authors: Diagnostics Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

igorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Neglected Zoonoses and the Missing Opportunities for One Health Education: The Case of Cystic Echinococcosis among Surgically Operated Patients in Basrah, Southern Iraq
Authors: Abdulhameed Mohanad F. , Robertson Ian D. , Al-Azizz Suzan A. , Habib Ihab
Published: January 2019

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is recognized as a neglected disease of public health significance throughout the world, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics, attitudes, knowledge, and practices of some Basrah province residents diagnosed with CE. Using a questionnaire survey, we interviewed 50 surgically operated cases of CE from Basrah, south Iraq. The cases comprised of 31 females and 19 males, of which 74% originated from rural areas. The questionnaire contained 30 questions and focused on gathering the demographic characteristics of the patients and capturing their overall knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward CE. Approximately half of the participants reported slaughtering livestock at home for their families’ consumption, 78% indicated the presence of a large number of stray dogs roaming freely about their village, 86% reported that they never boiled water before drinking it, and 26% reported not washing vegetables before eating them. Although a large proportion of the participants (72%) had heard of hydatid disease before becoming sick, over half (57%) were not aware of how the disease can be transmitted from animals to humans. This study highlights a gap in One Health education efforts regarding CE in southern Iraq, with a lack of counselling of patients on how to prevent reinfection. An intensive One Health education program should be implemented in Basrah to reduce CE at the human–animal interface. Lack of awareness on zoonoses among medical professionals, who are supposed to disseminate advice on preventative measures to their patients, is a challenge to the public health system.
Greenness Indices from a Low-Cost UAV Imagery as Tools for Monitoring Post-Fire Forest Recovery
Authors: Larrinaga Asier , Brotons Lluis
Published: January 2019

During recent years unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been increasingly used for research and application in both agriculture and forestry. Nevertheless, most of this work has been devoted to improving accuracy and explanatory power, often at the cost of usability and affordability. We tested a low-cost UAV and a simple workflow to apply four different greenness indices to the monitoring of pine (Pinus sylvestris and P. nigra) post-fire regeneration in a Mediterranean forest. We selected two sites and measured all pines within a pre-selected plot. Winter flights were carried out at each of the sites, at two flight heights (50 and 120 m). Automatically normalized images entered an structure from motion (SfM) based photogrammetric software for restitution, and the obtained point cloud and orthomosaic processed to get a canopy height model and four different greenness indices. The sum of pine diameter at breast height (DBH) was regressed on summary statistics of greenness indices and the canopy height model. Excess green index (ExGI) and green chromatic coordinate (GCC) index outperformed the visible atmospherically resistant index (VARI) and green red vegetation index (GRVI) in estimating pine DBH, while canopy height slightly improved the models. Flight height did not severely affect model performance. Our results show that low cost UAVs may improve forest monitoring after disturbance, even in those habitats and situations where resource limitation is an issue.
Deformation Behavior of Bulk Metallic Glasses and High Entropy Alloys under Complex Stress Fields: A Review
Authors: Chen Shunhua , Wang Jingyuan , Xia Lei , Wu Yucheng
Published: January 2019

The plastic deformation of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) depends significantly on applied stress states, and more importantly, in practical applications of BMGs as structural materials, they always deform under complex stress fields. The understanding of deformation behavior of BMGs under complex stress fields is important not only for uncovering the plastic deformation mechanisms of BMGs, but also for developing BMG components with excellent mechanical performance. In this article, we briefly summarize the recent research progress on the deformation behavior of BMGs under complex stress fields, including the formation and propagation of shear bands, tunable macroscopic plasticity, and serrated plastic flows. The effect of complex stress fields on the plastic deformation mechanisms of BMGs is discussed from simple stress gradient to tailored complex stress fields. The deformation behavior of high entropy alloys (HEAs) under complex stress states has also been discussed. Challenges, potential implications and some unresolved issues are proposed.
Cointegration and Adjustment in the CVAR(∞) Representation of Some Partially Observed CVAR(1) Models
Authors: Johansen Søren
Published: January 2019

A multivariate CVAR(1) model for some observed variables and some unobserved variables is analysed using its infinite order CVAR representation of the observations. Cointegration and adjustment coefficients in the infinite order CVAR are found as functions of the parameters in the CVAR(1) model. Conditions for weak exogeneity for the cointegrating vectors in the approximating finite order CVAR are derived. The results are illustrated by two simple examples of relevance for modelling causal graphs.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Econometrics in 2018
Authors:   Econometrics Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
A Uniform Architecture Design for Accelerating 2D and 3D CNNs on FPGAs
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Chow Paul , Xu Jinwei , Jiang Jingfei , Dou Yong , Zhou Jie
Published: January 2019

Three-dimensional convolutional neural networks (3D CNNs) have gained popularity in many complicated computer vision applications. Many customized accelerators based on FPGAs are proposed for 2D CNNs, while very few are for 3D CNNs. Three-D CNNs are far more computationally intensive and the design space for 3D CNN acceleration has been further expanded since one more dimension is introduced, making it a big challenge to accelerate 3D CNNs on FPGAs. Motivated by the finding that the computation patterns of 2D and 3D CNNs are very similar, we propose a uniform architecture design for accelerating both 2D and 3D CNNs in this paper. The uniform architecture is based on the idea of mapping convolutions to matrix multiplications. A customized mapping module is developed to generate the feature matrix tilings with no need to store the entire enlarged feature matrix on-chip or off-chip, a splitting strategy is adopted to reconstruct a convolutional layer to adapt to the on-chip memory capacity, and a 2D multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) array is adopted to compute matrix multiplications efficiently. For demonstration, we implement an accelerator prototype with a high-level synthesis (HLS) methodology on a Xilinx VC709 board and test the accelerator on three typical CNN models: AlexNet, VGG16, and C3D. Experimental results show that the accelerator achieves state-of-the-art throughput performance on both 2D and 3D CNNs, with much better energy efficiency than the CPU and GPU.