bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Extreme Rainfall and River Discharge over the Senegal River Basin from 1982 to 2021
Authors: Ndiaye Assane , Mbaye Mamadou Lamine , Arnault Joël , Camara Moctar , Lawin Agnidé Emmanuel
Published: October 2023

Extreme hydroclimate events usually have harmful impacts of human activities and ecosystems. This study aims to assess trends and significant changes in rainfall and river flow over the Senegal River Basin (SRB) and its upper basin during the 1982–2021 period. Eight hydroclimate indices, namely maximum river discharge (QMAX), standardized flow index, mean daily rainfall intensity index (SDII), maximum 5-day consecutive rainfall (RX5DAY), annual rainfall exceeding the 95th percentile (R95P), annual rainfall exceeding the 99th percentile (R99P), annual flows exceeding the 95th percentile (Q95P), and annual flows exceeding the 99th percentile (Q95P), were considered. The modified Mann–Kendall test (MMK) and Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) were used to analyze trends, while standard normal homogeneity and Pettit’s tests were used to detect potential breakpoints in these trends. The results indicate an irregular precipitation pattern, with high values of extreme precipitation indices (R95p, R99p, SDII, and RX5DAY) reaching 25 mm, 50 mm, 20 mm/day, and 70 mm, respectively, in the southern part, whereas the northern part recorded low values varying around 5 mm, 10 mm, 5 mm/day, and 10 mm, respectively, for R95P, R99P, SDII, and RX5DAY. The interannual analysis revealed a significant increase (p-value < 5%) in the occurrences of heavy precipitation between 1982 and 2021, as manifested by a positive slope; a notable breakpoint emerged around the years 2006 and 2007, indicating a transition to a significantly wetter period starting from 2008. Concerning extreme flows, a significant increase was observed between 1982 and 2021 with Sen’s slopes for extreme flows (29.33 for Q95P, 37.49 for Q99P, and 38.55 for QMAX). This study provides a better understanding of and insights into past hydroclimate extremes and can serve as a foundation for future research in the field.
Synthesis, Cytotoxic Activity and In Silico Study of Novel Dihydropyridine Carboxylic Acids Derivatives
Authors: Ballinas-Indilí Ricardo , Nicolás-Vázquez María Inés , Martínez Joel , Ramírez-Apan María Teresa , Álvarez-Toledano Cecilio , Toscano Alfredo , Hernández-Rodríguez Maricarmen , Mera Jiménez Elvia , Miranda Ruvalcaba René
Published: October 2023

To aid the possible prevention of multidrug resistance in tumors and cause lower toxicity, a set of sixteen novel dihydropyridine carboxylic acids derivatives 3a–p were produced; thus, the activation of various ynones with triflic anhydride was performed, involving a nucleophilic addition of several bis(trimethylsilyl) ketene acetals, achieving good yields requiring easy workup. The target molecules were unequivocally characterized by common spectroscopic methods. In addition, two of the tested compounds (3a, and 3b) were selected to perform in silico studies due to the highest cytotoxic activity towards the HCT-15 cell line (7.94 ± 1.6 μM and 9.24 ± 0.9 μM, respectively). Employing theoretical calculations with density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) showed that the molecular parameters correlate adequately with the experimental results. In contrast, predictions employing Osiris Property Explorer showed that compounds 3a and 3b present physicochemical characteristics that would likely make it an orally active drug. Moreover, the performance of Docking studies with proteins related to the apoptosis pathway allowed a proposal of which compounds could interact with PARP-1 protein. Pondering the obtained results (synthesis, in silico, and cytotoxic activity) of the target compounds, they can be judged as suitable antineoplastic agent candidates.
Resistance to Plant Parasites in Tomato Is Induced by Soil Enrichment with Specific Bacterial and Fungal Rhizosphere Microbiome
Authors: Molinari Sergio , Leonetti Paola
Published: October 2023

Commercial formulations of beneficial microbes have been used to enrich the rhizosphere microbiome of tomato plants grown in pots located in a glasshouse. These plants have been subjected to attacks by soil-borne parasites, such as root-knot nematodes (RKNs), and herbivores, such as the miner insect Tuta absoluta. The development of both parasites and the symptoms of their parasitism were restricted in these plants with respect to plants left untreated. A mixture, named in the text as Myco, containing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), opportunistic biocontrol fungi (BCF), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was more effective in limiting pest damage than a formulation containing the sole AMF (Ozor). Therefore, Myco-treated plants inoculated with RKNs were taken as a model for further studies. The PGPR contained in Myco were not able to reduce nematode infection; rather, they worsened symptoms in plants compared with those observed in untreated plants. Therefore, it was argued that both BCF and AMF were the microorganisms that colonized roots and stimulated the plant immune system against RKNs. Beneficial fungi colonized the roots by lowering the activities of the defense supporting enzymes endochitinases and β-1,3-glucanase. However, as early as three days after nematode inoculation, these enzyme activities and the expression of the encoding pathogenesis-related genes (PR-2, PR-3) were found to be enhanced in roots with respect to non-inoculated plants, thus indicating that plants had been primed against RKNs. The addition of paclobutrazol, which reduces salicylic acid (SA) levels in cells, and diphenyliodonium chloride, which inhibits superoxide generation, completely abolished the repressive effect of Myco on nematode infection. Inhibitors of copper enzymes and the alternative cyanide-resistant respiration did not significantly alter resistance induction by Myco. When Myco-treated plants were subjected to moderate water stress and inoculated with nematodes, they retained numbers of developed individuals in the roots similar to those present in regularly watered plants, in contrast to what occurred in roots of untreated stressed plants that hosted very few individuals because of poor nutrient availability.
Comparison of the Molecular Motility of Tubulin Dimeric Isoforms: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Diffracted X-ray Tracking Study
Authors: Yamane Tsutomu , Nakayama Takahiro , Ekimoto Toru , Inoue Masao , Ikezaki Keigo , Sekiguchi Hiroshi , Kuramochi Masahiro , Terao Yasuo , Judai Ken , Saito Minoru , Ikeguchi Mitsunori , Sasaki Yuji C.
Published: October 2023

Tubulin has been recently reported to form a large family consisting of various gene isoforms; however, the differences in the molecular features of tubulin dimers composed of a combination of these isoforms remain unknown. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the physical differences in the molecular motility of these tubulin dimers using the method of measurable pico-meter-scale molecular motility, diffracted X-ray tracking (DXT) analysis, regarding characteristic tubulin dimers, including neuronal TUBB3 and ubiquitous TUBB5. We first conducted a DXT analysis of neuronal (TUBB3-TUBA1A) and ubiquitous (TUBB5-TUBA1B) tubulin dimers and found that the molecular motility around the vertical axis of the neuronal tubulin dimer was lower than that of the ubiquitous tubulin dimer. The results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation suggest that the difference in motility between the neuronal and ubiquitous tubulin dimers was probably caused by a change in the major contact of Gln245 in the T7 loop of TUBB from Glu11 in TUBA to Val353 in TUBB. The present study is the first report of a novel phenomenon in which the pico-meter-scale molecular motility between neuronal and ubiquitous tubulin dimers is different.
Photobiomodulation of Neurogenesis through the Enhancement of Stem Cell and Neural Progenitor Differentiation in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems
Authors: Chang So-Young , Lee Min Young
Published: October 2023

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is the regulation of biological processes using light energy from sources such as lasers or light-emitting diodes. Components of the nervous system, such as the brain and peripheral nerves, are important candidate PBM targets due to the lack of therapeutic modalities for the complete cure of neurological diseases. PBM can be applied either to regenerate damaged organs or to prevent or reduce damage caused by disease. Although recent findings have suggested that neural cells can be regenerated, which contradicts our previous understanding, neural structures are still thought to have weaker regenerative capacity than other systems. Therefore, enhancing the regenerative capacity of the nervous system would aid the future development of therapeutics for neural degeneration. PBM has been shown to enhance cell differentiation from stem or progenitor cells to near-target or target cells. In this review, we have reviewed research on the effects of PBM on neurogenesis in the central nervous system (e.g., animal brains) and the peripheral nervous system (e.g., peripheral sensory neural structures) and sought its potential as a therapeutic tool for intractable neural degenerative disorders.
Elevated Liver Fibrosis Progression in Isolated PSC Patients and Increased Malignancy Risk in a PSC-IBD Cohort: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Rennebaum Florian , Demmig Claudia , Schmidt Hartmut H. , Vollenberg Richard , Tepasse Phil-Robin , Trebicka Jonel , Gu Wenyi , Ullerich Hansjoerg , Kabar Iyad , Cordes Friederike
Published: October 2023

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease often associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly ulcerative colitis (CU), and rarely with Crohn’s disease (CD). Various long-term analyses show different rates of cancer and the need for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with isolated PSC and with concomitant IBD, respectively. However, data on the detailed course of PSC with or without IBD are limited. We aimed to analyze the clinical disease course of PSC patients without IBD compared to PSC patients with UC and CD, respectively. A retrospective data analysis of patients with isolated PSC (n = 41) and of patients with concomitant IBD (n = 115) was performed. In detail, PSC disease characteristics including occurrence of dominant stenoses, liver cirrhosis, OLT and malignancy, as well as the temporal course of PSC activity and disease progression, were analyzed. A multivariable Cox regression model and a Fine–Gray competing risk model were further used for the independent risk factor analysis of cirrhosis development and OLT. Patients with isolated PSC were significantly older at first diagnosis than patients with PSC-IBD (39 vs. 28 years, p = 0.02). A detailed analysis of the course of PSC revealed a faster PSC progression after initial diagnosis in isolated PSC patients compared to PSC-IBD including significantly earlier diagnosis of dominant stenoses (29 vs. 74 months, p = 0.021) and faster progression to liver cirrhosis (38 vs. 103 months, p = 0.027). Patients with isolated PSC have a higher risk of developing cirrhosis than patients with PSC-IBD (Gray’s test p = 0.03). OLT was more frequently performed in male patients with isolated PSC compared to males with coincident IBD (48% (n = 13) vs. 33% (n = 25), p = 0.003). Colorectal carcinoma was significantly more often diagnosed in patients with PSC-IBD than in isolated PSC (8.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.042). Patients with isolated PSC seem to have a different clinical course of disease than PSC patients with concomitant IBD characterized by a more pro-fibrotic disease course with earlier onset of liver cirrhosis and dominant stenosis but with less malignancy. These data may be interpreted as either a more progressive disease course of isolated PSC or a later diagnosis of the disease at an advanced disease stage. The different clinical courses of PSC and the underlying mechanisms of the gut–liver axis need further attention.
Impact of Heavy Metals on Glioma Tumorigenesis
Authors: Caruso Gerardo , Nanni Aristide , Curcio Antonello , Lombardi Giuseppe , Somma Teresa , Minutoli Letteria , Caffo Maria
Published: October 2023

Recently, an increase in the incidence of brain tumors has been observed in the most industrialized countries. This event triggered considerable interest in the study of heavy metals and their presence in the environment (air, water, soil, and food). It is probable that their accumulation in the body could lead to a high risk of the onset of numerous pathologies, including brain tumors, in humans. Heavy metals are capable of generating reactive oxygen, which plays a key role in various pathological mechanisms. Alteration of the homeostasis of heavy metals could cause the overproduction of reactive oxygen species and induce DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and the alteration of proteins. A large number of studies have shown that iron, cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, and mercury levels were significantly elevated in patients affected by gliomas. In this study, we try to highlight a possible correlation between the most frequently encountered heavy metals, their presence in the environment, their sources, and glioma tumorigenesis. We also report on the review of the relevant literature.
3′IsomiR Species Composition Affects Reliable Quantification of miRNA/isomiR Variants by Poly(A) RT-qPCR: Impact on Small RNA-Seq Profiling Validation
Authors: Ferre Adriana , Santiago Lucía , Sánchez-Herrero José Francisco , López-Rodrigo Olga , Sánchez-Curbelo Josvany , Sumoy Lauro , Bassas Lluís , Larriba Sara
Published: October 2023

Small RNA-sequencing (small RNA-seq) has revealed the presence of small RNA-naturally occurring variants such as microRNA (miRNA) isoforms or isomiRs. Due to their small size and the sequence similarity among miRNA isoforms, their validation by RT-qPCR is challenging. We previously identified two miR-31-5p isomiRs—the canonical and a 3′isomiR variant (3′ G addition)—which were differentially expressed between individuals with azoospermia of different origin. Here, we sought to determine the discriminatory capacity between these two closely-related miRNA isoforms of three alternative poly(A) based-RT-qPCR strategies in both synthetic and real biological context. We found that these poly(A) RT-qPCR strategies exhibit a significant cross-reactivity between these miR-31-5p isomiRs which differ by a single nucleotide, compromising the reliable quantification of individual miRNA isoforms. Fortunately, in the biological context, given that the two miRNA variants show changes in the same direction, RT-qPCR results were consistent with the findings of small RNA-seq study. We suggest that miRNA selection for RT-qPCR validation should be performed with care, prioritizing those canonical miRNAs that, in small RNA-seq, show parallel/homogeneous expression behavior with their most prevalent isomiRs, to avoid confounding RT-qPCR-based results. This is suggested as the current best strategy for robust biomarker selection to develop clinically useful tests.
Interoperability and Targeted Attacks on Terrorist Organizations Using Intelligent Tools from Network Science
Authors: Spyropoulos Alexandros Z. , Ioannidis Evangelos , Antoniou Ioannis
Published: October 2023

The early intervention of law enforcement authorities to prevent an impending terrorist attack is of utmost importance to ensuring economic, financial, and social stability. From our previously published research, the key individuals who play a vital role in terrorist organizations can be timely revealed. The problem now is to identify which attack strategy (node removal) is the most damaging to terrorist networks, making them fragmented and therefore, unable to operate under real-world conditions. We examine several attack strategies on 4 real terrorist networks. Each node removal strategy is based on: (i) randomness (random node removal), (ii) high strength centrality, (iii) high betweenness centrality, (iv) high clustering coefficient centrality, (v) high recalculated strength centrality, (vi) high recalculated betweenness centrality, (vii) high recalculated clustering coefficient centrality. The damage of each attack strategy is evaluated in terms of Interoperability, which is defined based on the size of the giant component. We also examine a greedy algorithm, which removes the node corresponding to the maximal decrease of Interoperability at each step. Our analysis revealed that removing nodes based on high recalculated betweenness centrality is the most harmful. In this way, the Interoperability of the communication network drops dramatically, even if only two nodes are removed. This valuable insight can help law enforcement authorities in developing more effective intervention strategies for the early prevention of impending terrorist attacks. Results were obtained based on real data on social ties between terrorists (physical face-to-face social interactions).
Safety and Diagnostic Yield of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy for Hypervascular Pancreatic Lesions
Authors: Hamamoto Wataru , Onoyama Takumi , Kawahara Shiho , Sakamoto Yuri , Koda Hiroki , Yamashita Taro , Takeda Yohei , Matsumoto Kazuya , Harada Kenichi , Yamaguchi Naoyuki , Isomoto Hajime
Published: October 2023

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is a common technique for diagnosing pancreatic lesions with high accuracy and a low incidence of procedural adverse events. However, occasional adverse events, particularly bleeding, may occur. Procedures for hypervascular lesions are considered important, but their risks are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the safety and diagnostic yield of EUS-FNB for hypervascular pancreatic solid lesions. This study included 301 patients with 308 solid pancreatic lesions who underwent EUS-FNB between May 2011 and December 2018. We performed propensity-score matching to balance clinical differences between hypervascular and hypovascular lesions and analyzed 52 lesions. We compared the safety and diagnostic performance of propensity score-matched cohorts. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy rates of EUS-FNB for hypervascular lesions were 94.7%, 100%, and 96.2%, and those for hypovascular lesions were 80.0%, 100%, and 84.6%, respectively. There was no difference in diagnostic performance between hypervascular and hypovascular lesions. Furthermore, adverse events occurred in only one patient (pancreatitis) in the hypovascular group. There were no significant differences in the occurrence of adverse events between hypervascular and hypovascular lesions (0% vs. 3.8%, p = 1.000). Therefore, EUS-FNB may be safe with a high diagnostic yield, even for hypervascular solid pancreatic lesions.
Molecular Tumour Board (MTB): From Standard Therapy to Precision Medicine
Authors: Ballatore Zelmira , Bozzi Francesco , Cardea Sara , Savino Francesco Domenico , Migliore Antonella , Tarantino Valentina , Chiodi Natalia , Ambrosini Elisa , Bianchi Francesca , Goteri Gaia , Filosa Alessandra , Barbisan Francesca , Bartoli Elisa , Papa Roberto , Berardi Rossana
Published: October 2023

Background: In the metastatic setting, cancer patients may not benefit from standard care regimes and their diseases undergo drug resistance due to tumour cell heterogeneity and genomic landscape complexity. In recent years, there have been several attempts to personalise the diagnostic-therapeutic path and to propose novel strategies based on not only histological test results but also on each patient’s clinical history and molecular biology. Profiling molecular tests allows physicians to investigate the single tumour genomic landscape and to promote targeted approaches. The Molecular Tumour Board (MTB) is a multidisciplinary committee dedicated to selecting individualised and targeted therapeutic strategies appropriate for patients suffering from diseases that present resistance to standard care. Materials and Methods: Our MTB settled in “Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria delle Marche”, Ancona (AN), Italy, and includes oncologists, molecular biologists, geneticists, and other specialists. Clinical cases are referred by physicians to the MTB, through the Cancer and Research Centre of the Marche Region (CORM), through a telemedicine platform. Four possible molecular profiles are available: FoundationOne® CDx e FoundationOne®Liquid CDx and two local Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) panels, with 16 DNA genes and 10 RNA genes respectively. The resulting genetic mutations and their analyses are evaluated by all the members of the Board and a report for each patient is provided with medical recommendations. Results: from June 2021 to May 2023, we collected data from 97 referral patients (M: 49, F: 48). The mean age was 60.6 years (range 22–83 years). 90 cases were approved for testing. Only seven patients were not eligible for genomic profiling. In two patients who were eligible, molecular profiling was not performed because a tissue sample was not available. Off-label therapy was recommended for three patients. 5% of cases (5/88) showed addressable driver mutations associated with an existing targeted therapy and were immediately enrolled. Conclusions: MTB presents a powerful tool for offering precise medical goals. Our Department of Clinical Oncology also takes advantage of the important role of multidisciplinary teams, through the establishment of CORM and MTB meetings, within which there is the chance to perform NGS-based analyses. It will be important in the future to implement the use of genomic profiling to improve personalised care and to guide the choice of suitable therapies and more appropriate management of patients.
Difficult-to-Treat Rejections in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Our Experience with Everolimus-Based Quadruple Maintenance Therapy
Authors: Larsson Pierre , Englund Bodil , Ekberg Jana , Felldin Marie , Broecker Verena , Mjörnstedt Lars , Baid-Agrawal Seema
Published: October 2023

All chronic and treatment-resistant acute rejections are “difficult-to-treat” and lead to progressive loss of graft function in kidney transplant recipients (KTR), as no effective treatment exists for such rejections to date. We review our experience with a novel strategy to treat such rejections by adding everolimus as a “rescue” to conventional triple maintenance therapy with prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil and calcineurin inhibitor. We retrospectively analysed data in 28 KTR who received everolimus-based quadruple therapy at our institution for biopsy-proven chronic active T cell-mediated or antibody-mediated rejection (n = 19) or treatment-resistant acute rejections (n = 9) between 2011–2017. The primary outcome was 5-year death-censored graft survival. Main secondary outcomes were response to treatment defined by stable or improved graft function, 5-year patient survival and discontinuation rate of treatment. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for 5-year death-censored graft survival was 79% in all patients, 90% for patients with chronic active T cell-mediated rejections, 78% for chronic active antibody-mediated rejection and 67% for acute rejections. Response to treatment was achieved in 43% and 5-year patient survival was 94%. Treatment was stopped in 12 (43%) patients due to adverse events. Everolimus-based maintenance quadruple therapy, despite high rate of everolimus discontinuation due to adverse events, may be a valid approach in a subset of kidney transplant recipients with such difficult-to-treat rejections, which otherwise would lead to a high rate of graft loss.
Functional Role of RING Ubiquitin E3 Ligase VdBre1 and VdHrd1 in the Pathogenicity and Penetration Structure Formation of Verticillium dahliae
Authors: Yang Xing , Hu Zhijuan , Yuan Jingjie , Zou Run , Wang Yilan , Peng Xuan , Xu Shan , Xie Chengjian
Published: October 2023

Verticillium dahliae, a virulent soil-borne fungus, elicits Verticillium wilt in numerous dicotyledonous plants through intricate pathogenic mechanisms. Ubiquitination, an evolutionarily conserved post-translational modification, marks and labels proteins for degradation, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis. Within the ubiquitination cascade, ubiquitin ligase E3 demonstrates a unique capability for target protein recognition, a function often implicated in phytopathogenic virulence. Our research indicates that two ubiquitin ligase E3s, VdBre1 and VdHrd1, are intrinsically associated with virulence. Our findings demonstrate that the deletion of these two genes significantly impairs the ability of V. dahliae to colonize the vascular bundles of plants and to form typical penetration pegs. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis suggests that VdBre1 governs the lipid metabolism pathway, while VdHrd1 participates in endoplasmic-reticulum-related processes. Western blot analyses reveal a significant decrease in histone ubiquitination and histone H3K4 trimethylation levels in the ΔVdBre1 mutant. This research illuminates the function of ubiquitin ligase E3 in V. dahliae and offers fresh theoretical perspectives. Our research identifies two novel virulence-related genes and partially explicates their roles in virulence-associated structures and gene regulatory pathways. These findings augment our understanding of the molecular mechanisms inherent to V. dahliae.
Predicting Problematic Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Medical History and Environmental Data
Authors: Ferina Jennifer , Kruger Melanie , Kruger Uwe , Ryan Daniel , Anderson Conor , Foster Jenny , Hamlin Theresa , Hahn Juergen
Published: October 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by social, communication, and behavioral abnormalities, affects 1 in 36 children according to the CDC. Several co-occurring conditions are often associated with ASD, including sleep and immune disorders and gastrointestinal (GI) problems. ASD is also associated with sensory sensitivities. Some individuals with ASD exhibit episodes of challenging behaviors that can endanger themselves or others, including aggression and self-injurious behavior (SIB). In this work, we explored the use of artificial intelligence models to predict behavior episodes based on past data of co-occurring conditions and environmental factors for 80 individuals in a residential setting. We found that our models predict occurrences of behavior and non-behavior with accuracies as high as 90% for some individuals, and that environmental, as well as gastrointestinal, factors are notable predictors across the population examined. While more work is needed to examine the underlying connections between the factors and the behaviors, having reasonably accurate predictions for behaviors has the potential to improve the quality of life of some individuals with ASD.
The Influence of Different Irradiation Regimens on Inflammation and Vascularization in a Random-Pattern Flap Model
Authors: Müller-Seubert Wibke , Ostermaier Patrick , Horch Raymund E. , Distel Luitpold , Frey Benjamin , Erber Ramona , Arkudas Andreas
Published: October 2023

Background: Irradiation plays an important role in the oncological treatment of various tumor entities. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of different irradiation regimens on random-pattern flaps at the molecular and histopathological levels. Methods: Twenty-five rats underwent harvesting of bilateral random-pattern fasciocutaneous flaps. The right flaps received irradiation, while the left flaps served as non-irradiated intraindividual controls. Five rats served as a non-irradiated control group. Four different irradiation regimens with give rats each were tested: 20 Gy postoperatively, 3 × 12 Gy postoperatively, 20 Gy preoperatively, and 3 × 12 Gy preoperatively. Two weeks after surgery, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining for CD68 and ERG, as well as PCR analysis to detect Interleukin 6, HIF-1α, and VEGF, were performed. Results: A postoperative cumulative higher dose of irradiation appeared to result in an increase in necrosis, especially in the superficial layers of the flap compared to preoperative or single-stage irradiation. In addition, we observed increased expression of VEGF and HIF-1α in all irradiation groups. Conclusion: Even though no statistically significant differences were found between the different groups, there was a tendency for fractional postoperative irradiation with a higher total dose to have a more harmful effect compared to preoperative or single-dose irradiation.
Enhancing Breast Cancer Detection and Classification Using Advanced Multi-Model Features and Ensemble Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Reshan Mana Saleh Al , Amin Samina , Zeb Muhammad Ali , Sulaiman Adel , Alshahrani Hani , Azar Ahmad Taher , Shaikh Asadullah
Published: October 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women, making it essential to have an accurate and dependable system for diagnosing benign or malignant tumors. It is essential to detect this cancer early in order to inform subsequent treatments. Currently, fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology and machine learning (ML) models can be used to detect and diagnose this cancer more accurately. Consequently, an effective and dependable approach needs to be developed to enhance the clinical capacity to diagnose this illness. This study aims to detect and divide BC into two categories using the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WDBC) benchmark feature set and to select the fewest features to attain the highest accuracy. To this end, this study explores automated BC prediction using multi-model features and ensemble machine learning (EML) techniques. To achieve this, we propose an advanced ensemble technique, which incorporates voting, bagging, stacking, and boosting as combination techniques for the classifier in the proposed EML methods to distinguish benign breast tumors from malignant cancers. In the feature extraction process, we suggest a recursive feature elimination technique to find the most important features of the WDBC that are pertinent to BC detection and classification. Furthermore, we conducted cross-validation experiments, and the comparative results demonstrated that our method can effectively enhance classification performance and attain the highest value in six evaluation metrics, including precision, sensitivity, area under the curve (AUC), specificity, accuracy, and F1-score. Overall, the stacking model achieved the best average accuracy, at 99.89%, and its sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, precision, and AUC/ROC were 1.00%, 0.999%, 1.00%, 1.00%, and 1.00%, respectively, thus generating excellent results. The findings of this study can be used to establish a reliable clinical detection system, enabling experts to make more precise and operative decisions in the future. Additionally, the proposed technology might be used to detect a variety of cancers.
Topographical Anatomy of the Adductor Muscle Group in the Albino Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: Pretterklieber Bettina , Pretterklieber Michael L. , Kerschan-Schindl Katharina
Published: October 2023

In comparative anatomy, the adductor muscles are said to be quite variable and to often cause difficulty in separation. The arrangement of these muscles and the possible occurrence of the adductor minimus and obturator intermedius muscles in the albino rat has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to accurately describe the adductor muscles in the albino rat (Rattus norvegicus). We hypothesized that all adductor muscles are constantly present and can be separated in a constant manner, and that the adductor minimus and obturator intermedius muscles are constant structures. Both pelvic limbs of 30 formalin-embalmed male albino rats were carefully dissected. The identification of the individual muscles was made based on their position in relation to the two branches of the obturator nerve and by comparing our results with previous findings in other species including humans. All examined rats had two gracilis muscles. The adductor longus muscle was the most superficial and smallest individual. The adductor brevis split into two parts of insertion—the femoral and genicular parts. The adductor magnus and minimus muscles could be separated constantly. The obturator intermedius muscle was a constant structure next to the obturator externus muscle. The adductor muscles of the albino rat were constantly separable and could be clearly assigned to their names. Further research is needed to investigate these muscles, especially the obturator intermedius muscle, in other species including humans.
From E-Waste to Hydrogen Evolution: Harnessing Recycled Precious Metals for Catalytic Efficiency in Hydrogen Evolution Reactions
Authors: Mitrović Stefan , Brković Snežana , Živković Sanja , Zdolšek Nikola , Seović Mina , Georgijević Jelena , Perović Ivana
Published: October 2023

Against the background of escalating global electronic waste (e-waste) and its rich reservoir of elements, this research addresses the exploitation of precious metals from discarded CPUs for potential applications in hydrogen production. The study systematically explores the influence of varied CPU sample preparation techniques on the formation of an electrode’s catalytic layer and the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media. Four distinct e-waste samples, each subjected to different preparation protocols, were employed as sources in electrodeposition baths. The electrocatalytic efficiency of the resulting electrodeposited cathodes was evaluated, with the AR-CPU-1.4M electrode demonstrating superior properties. Morphological insights from SEM, coupled with elemental data from EDS and ICP analyses, revealed the intricate relationship between sample preparation, electrode characteristics, and HER kinetics. Notably, gold deposits and a prominent copper concentration emerged as defining attributes of our findings. This research underscores the potential of e-waste-derived metals, particularly in hydrogen production, providing an avenue for sustainable metal recovery and utilization.
Tellurium Corrosion of Type 304/304L Stainless Steel, Iron, Chromium, and Nickel in High-Temperature Liquid Sodium
Authors: Xie Yi
Published: October 2023

Investigating tellurium (Te) corrosion on structural materials is crucial for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) due to radionuclide presence and knowledge gaps. In this study, Type 304/304L stainless steel (SS304), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) samples were immersed in low-oxygen environments with Te in liquid sodium at 773 K for 30 days. At 10 ppm oxygen, SS304 showed multiple oxide layers, including a compact NaCrO2 interlayer and porous Na-Fe-Ni-O outer layers. Tellurium penetrated through the porous layers but was hindered by the NaCrO2 interlayer. At 0.01 ppm oxygen, Cr had no oxide layer, while Fe and Ni had unstable ones. Tellurium-induced pitting was deeper in Fe and Ni compared to Cr. Oxygen levels and Cr composition are critical factors affecting stable oxide compound layer formation and mitigating Te-induced pitting.
A Study to Improve the Reliability of High-Strength Concrete Strength Evaluation Using an Ultrasonic Velocity Method
Authors: Kim Wonchang , Lee Taegyu
Published: October 2023

The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) technique, which is an efficient technique for concrete quality evaluation, can be affected by several factors. Many studies have proposed compressive-strength prediction models based on UPV in concrete; however, few studies have investigated the factors resulting in statistically different UPV results for different models. This study examined the difference between compressive strengths of various concrete specimens calculated by age-dependent and temperature-dependent UPV-based prediction models. Furthermore, a statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the influence of aggregates and water/cement ratio (design compressive strength), which are said to affect UPV, on the compressive-strength prediction models. The experimental results revealed that the residual compressive strength of concrete after high-temperature exposure was about 9.5 to 24.8% higher than the age-dependent compressive strength. By contrast, after high-temperature exposure, UPV tended to be about 34.5% lower. The compressive strengths and UPVs were significantly different with respect to high temperature, aggregate density, and design compressive strength. The compressive-strength prediction model derived from the regression analysis showed a high R2 (average 0.91) and mean error converged to zero compared to the compressive-strength prediction model without considering these factors. Finally, the differences between the age- and temperature-based compressive-strength prediction models were analyzed according to the corresponding microstructures.
Effect of Heat Treatment Processes on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Aluminum Alloy Deposited Layers Processed by Fused Arc Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Shen Zhigang , Wu Zhisheng , Wang Ting , Jia Tuosheng , Liu Cuirong
Published: October 2023

In this study, 7075 aluminum alloy welding wire with TiB2 nanoparticle reinforcement as an additive together with the variable polarity TIG welding arc as a heat source were applied to produce thin-walled deposited layer samples. Results indicated that the performance of the deposited structure of 7075 aluminum alloy with a TiB2 reinforcement phase was significantly improved compared to the deposited structure of ordinary 7075 aluminum alloy welding wire. Meanwhile, the precipitation of the TiB2 reinforcement phase was insufficient within the structure, and the enhancing effect could not be fully exerted. Moreover, the 7-series aluminum alloy contained a large amount of Zn and Mg elements inside. If the soluble crystalline phase was not fully dissolved, severe stress corrosion could be caused, which inevitably led to a decrease in the mechanical properties. To further improve the performance of the deposited layer, a T6 heat treatment process was performed at 470 °C for 2 h, followed by rapid cooling with distilled water and artificial aging at 120 °C for 24 h. After heat treatment, many second phases appeared in the microstructure of the deposited layer, and the tensile strength increased from (361.8 ± 4.8) MPa to (510.2 ± 5.4) MPa together with the elongation which increased from (9.5 ± 0.5) % to (10.2 ± 0.4) %. The fracture mode of the fracture was a ductile fracture along grain boundaries. The microhardness increased from (145 ± 5) HV to (190 ± 4) HV and exhibited good corrosion resistance in a 3.5% NaCl solution corrosion test.
An Adaptive Model-Based Approach to the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Rotor-Bearing Unbalance
Authors: Bera Banalata , Huang Shyh-Chin , Najibullah Mohammad , Lin Chun-Ling
Published: October 2023

Rotating machinery is the fundamental component of almost all industrial frameworks. Therefore, prognostics and health management (PHM) have emerged as crucial requirements for effectively managing and sustaining various systems in a timely manner. The unbalanced fault has been recognized as a significant contributing factor in the development of faults in rotor-bearing systems, eventually causing failure. Thus, it is essential to monitor the unbalance and maintain it within acceptable bounds in order to guarantee the system’s proper operation. Most approaches to the rotor’s unbalance monitoring are model-based instead of data-driven due to the shortage of faulted data. In a derived model-based approach, proper identification of the model’s parameters, e.g., bearing parameters, always plays a very crucial role. Nonetheless, the identified model’s parameters in their initial state would inevitably degenerate during a long-term operation because of aging or environmental changes, such that they are no longer well representative of the real system. In this context, this paper offers an adaptive model-based approach for the assessment of unbalance faults developing over days in a rotor-bearing model. The model is adaptive in the sense that it automatically adjusts its parameters so that they are more closely aligned with the real system. A particle swarm optimization (PSO) scheme is utilized in the parameter identification process. The residual serves as the index for initiating the adaptive process when it is greater than a preset percentage. Individual feature errors work as a gauge to determine which bearing parameters need to be reevaluated. A set of 16-month operational data from a local petrochemical company is used to validate the approach. The unbalanced deterioration trend is evaluated, and results from the adaptive methodology are assessed to show its superiority over the original one. It is also observed that the model’s capacity to anticipate unbalance is greatly enhanced by the adaptive strategy. Finally, future unbalances are explored to show its capacity for continuous monitoring-based maintenance solutions.
Stochastic Time Complexity Surfaces of Computing Node
Authors: Borisov Andrey , Ivanov Alexey
Published: October 2023

The paper is devoted to the formal description of the running time of the user task on some virtual nodes in the computing network. Based on the probability theory framework, this time represents a random value with a finite mean and variance. For any class of user task, these moments are the functions of the node resources, task numerical characteristics, and the parameters of the current node state. These functions of the vector arguments can be treated as some surfaces in the multidimensional Euclidean spaces, so the proposed models are called the stochastic time complexity surfaces. The paper also presents a class of functions suitable for the description of both the mean and variance. They contain unknown parameters which should be estimated. The article includes the statement of the parameter identification problem given the statistical results of the node stress testing, recommendations concerning the test planning, and preprocessing of the raw experiment data. To illustrate the performance of the proposed model, the authors design it for an actual database application—the prototype of the passengers’ personal data anonymization system. Its application functions are classified into two user task classes: the data anonymization procedures and fulfillment of the statistical queries. The authors identify the stochastic time complexity surfaces for both task types. The additional testing experiments confirm the high performance of the suggested model and its applicability to the solution of the practical providers’ problems.
Stability of Differential Systems with Impulsive Effects
Authors: Li Chunxiang , Hui Fangshu , Li Fangfei
Published: October 2023

In this paper, a brief survey on the stability of differential systems with impulsive effects is provided. A large number of research results on the stability of differential systems with impulsive effects are considered. These systems include impulsive differential systems, stochastic impulsive differential systems and differential systems with several specific impulses (non-instantaneous impulses, delayed impulses, impulses suffered by logic choice and impulse time windows). The stability issues as well as the applications in neural networks are discussed in detail.
Nonparametric Estimation of Multivariate Copula Using Empirical Bayes Methods
Authors: Lu Lu , Ghosh Sujit
Published: October 2023

In the fields of finance, insurance, system reliability, etc., it is often of interest to measure the dependence among variables by modeling a multivariate distribution using a copula. The copula models with parametric assumptions are easy to estimate but can be highly biased when such assumptions are false, while the empirical copulas are nonsmooth and often not genuine copulas, making the inference about dependence challenging in practice. As a compromise, the empirical Bernstein copula provides a smooth estimator, but the estimation of tuning parameters remains elusive. The proposed empirical checkerboard copula within a hierarchical empirical Bayes model alleviates the aforementioned issues and provides a smooth estimator based on multivariate Bernstein polynomials that itself is shown to be a genuine copula. Additionally, the proposed copula estimator is shown to provide a more accurate estimate of several multivariate dependence measures. Both theoretical asymptotic properties and finite-sample performances of the proposed estimator based on simulated data are presented and compared with some nonparametric estimators. An application to portfolio risk management is included based on stock prices data.
Prostatic Artery Embolization as a Treatment Option for Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Results from the Prospective Follow-Up Study in Lithuania
Authors: Jankauskas Tautvydas , Buržinskis Edgaras , Kaupas Rytis Stasys , Basevičius Algidas , Jievaltas Mindaugas
Published: October 2023

Background: The endovascular treatment of symptomatic benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) by prostatic artery embolization (PAE) is one of the new treatments proposed. PAE is a minimally invasive alternative that has been shown to successfully treat lower urinary tract symptoms in BPH patients by causing infarction and necrosis of hyperplastic adenomatous tissue, which decompresses urethral impingement and improves obstructive symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of PAE in relieving symptoms in patients with symptomatic BPH. Materials and Methods: The material for the study was collected from 2019 to 2022. A total of 70 men with BPH and PAE were studied. Patients underwent an urological examination to measure the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life score (QoL), International Index of Erectile Function short form (IIEF-5), uroflowmetry with Qmax, prostatic volume (PV), and post-void residual volume (PVR) measurements. Statistical analysis for dependent samples was applied. Measured parameters at 2 months and 6 months follow-up were compared to baseline. Results: At baseline, the age of the male (N = 70) subjects was 74 ± 9.6 years with a median of 73.8, but fluctuated from 53 to 90 years. The mean of PV was almost 111 mL and the Qmax was close to 7.7 mL/s. The average PVR was 107.6 mL. The IPSS score mean was 21.3 points and the QoL score was 4.53 points. The IIEF-5 questionnaire score was almost 1.8 points, which shows severe erectile dysfunction. The mean value of the PSA level was 5.8 ng/mL. After 2 and 6 months of PAE, all indicators and scores except erectile function significantly improved. Conclusions: The outcomes of our study show promising results for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia after PAE. The main prostate-related parameters (PV, Qmax, PVR, IPSS) improved significantly 6 months after embolization.