bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical instrument detection and tracking technologies: Automating dataset labeling for surgical skill assessment
Authors: Nema Shubhangi , Vachhani Leena
Published: November 2022

Surgical skills can be improved by continuous surgical training and feedback, thus reducing adverse outcomes while performing an intervention. With the advent of new technologies, researchers now have the tools to analyze surgical instrument motion to differentiate surgeons’ levels of technical skill. Surgical skills assessment is time-consuming and prone to subjective interpretation. The surgical instrument detection and tracking algorithm analyzes the image captured by the surgical robotic endoscope and extracts the movement and orientation information of a surgical instrument to provide surgical navigation. This information can be used to label raw surgical video datasets that are used to form an action space for surgical skill analysis. Instrument detection and tracking is a challenging problem in MIS, including robot-assisted surgeries, but vision-based approaches provide promising solutions with minimal hardware integration requirements. This study offers an overview of the developments of assessment systems for surgical intervention analysis. The purpose of this study is to identify the research gap and make a leap in developing technology to automate the incorporation of new surgical skills. A prime factor in automating the learning is to create datasets with minimal manual intervention from raw surgical videos. This review encapsulates the current trends in artificial intelligence (AI) based visual detection and tracking technologies for surgical instruments and their application for surgical skill assessment.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) do not increase blood loss or the incidence of postoperative epidural hematomas when using minimally invasive fusion techniques in the degenerative lumbar spine
Authors: Senker Wolfgang , Aspalter Stefan , Trutschnig Wolfgang , Franke Jörg , Gruber Andreas , Stefanits Harald
Published: November 2022

Objective

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are essential in surgeons' armamentarium for pain relief and antiphlogistic effects. However, spine surgeons are concerned about the drugs' impact on coagulation, fearing hemodynamic instability due to blood loss and neurological complications due to postoperative hematoma. Furthermore, there are no clear guidelines for the use of these drugs.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective subgroup analysis of a prospective observational study, we investigated 181 patients who underwent minimally invasive spinal fusions in degenerative lumbar spine pathologies. 83 patients were given NSAID perioperatively, 54 of which were female and 29 male. Of these patients who took NSAID, 39 were on NSAID until at least one day before surgery or perioperatively, whilst the others discontinued their NSAID medication at least three days before surgery. Differences in perioperative blood loss, as well as complication rates between patients with and without NSAID treatment, were investigated.

Results

A significantly higher amount of blood loss during surgery and the monitoring period was encountered in patients whose spine was fused in more than one level, regardless of whether NSAID medication was taken or not and up until what point. Furthermore, it was found that taking NSAID medication had no effect on the incidence of postoperative epidural hematomas.

Conclusion

Perioperatively taking NSAID medication does not increase blood loss or the incidence of postoperative hematoma in patients undergoing minimally invasive lumbar spinal fusion surgery.
Investigating Shared Genetic Bases between Psychiatric Disorders, Cardiometabolic and Sleep Traits Using K-Means Clustering and Local Genetic Correlation Analysis
Authors: Zammarchi Gianpaolo , Conversano Claudio , Pisanu Claudia
Published: November 2022

Psychiatric disorders are among the top leading causes of the global health-related burden. Comorbidity with cardiometabolic and sleep disorders contribute substantially to this burden. While both genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to underlie these comorbidities, the specific molecular underpinnings are not well understood. In this study, we leveraged large datasets from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on psychiatric disorders, cardiometabolic and sleep-related traits. We computed genetic correlations between pairs of traits using cross-trait linkage disequilibrium (LD) score regression and identified clusters of genetically correlated traits using k-means clustering. We further investigated the identified associations using two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) and tested the local genetic correlation at the identified loci. In the 7-cluster optimal solution, we identified a cluster including insomnia and the psychiatric disorders major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). MR analysis supported the existence of a bidirectional association between MDD and insomnia and the genetic variants driving this association were found to affect gene expression in different brain regions. Some of the identified loci were further supported by results of local genetic correlation analysis, with body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels suggested to explain part of the observed effects. We discuss how the investigation of the genetic relationships between psychiatric disorders and comorbid conditions might help us to improve our understanding of their pathogenesis and develop improved treatment strategies.
A Multifidelity Simulation Method for Internal and External Flow of a Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion System
Authors: Liu Jun , Yuan Huacheng , Zhang Jinsheng , Kuang Zheng
Published: November 2022

As hypersonic vehicles are highly integrated, a multifidelity simulation method based on a commercial solver is developed to reduce simulation time for such vehicles and their propulsion systems. This method is characterized by high-level fidelity numerical analysis of external flow and low-level fidelity numerical analysis of internal flow. The external flow of a propulsion system is solved by RANS equations. The internal flow is modeled by a quasi-one-dimensional equation. The interaction between external and internal flow is governed by a CFD solver through a user-defined function (UDF). The static pressure distribution acquired from the multifidelity simulation method is in agreement with the experimental data, indicating that this simulation method can be used to study the flow physics of hypersonic propulsion systems at a reasonable cost. From a design perspective, the results indicate that the horizontal force increases with the fuel equivalence ratio, and the thrust balance is realized at φ = 0.35. The positive net thrust is maintained throughout the flight regime from Ma 4 to Ma 7, whether the combustor operates in ramjet or scramjet mode.
Suitability of Goat Colostrum to Produce a Fermented Yogurt-Type Product
Authors: González-Navarro Emilio José , Beltrán María Carmen , Molina María Pilar , Pérez-Barbería Francisco Javier , Molina Ana , Berruga María Isabel
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of goat colostrum to produce a yogurt-type product as a novel functional dairy food. Four batches of fermented goat colostrum (GCY) were produced using fermented goat milk (GMY) as a reference. Physicochemical, mechanical, and microbial characteristics of cold storage fermented products were evaluated in a weekly basis for 28 days. Sensory analysis was applied to detect potential differences between products and to evaluate the acceptance of GCY by consumers. Results indicate that colostrum showed higher coagulation times than goat milk (480 vs. 350 min to reach pH 4.6). In general, GCY showed a higher protein and fat content and similar features than GMY for most quality parameters, which were highly stable along time. Sensory evaluation led to significant differences between products related to their color and taste. The consumer acceptance test, using a 5 point-Likert scale, showed an overall acceptance of 3.90 ± 0.79 for GCY, with aroma and consistency being the sensory attributes having highest ratings (4.30 ± 0.80 and 4.20 ± 0.96, respectively). Therefore, fermenting goat colostrum with yogurt specific starters could be an interesting alternative to make use of surplus colostrum on farms, allowing for the diversification of commercial goat milk products with potential health benefits for the consumer.
Optimal Configuration of Gas Solid Separation Equipment Using Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming
Authors: Failaka Muhamad Fariz , Madhuranthakam Chandra Mouli R. , Yetilmezsoy Kaan , Almansoori Ali , Elkamel Ali
Published: November 2022

The separation of solid particles from gas-solid process streams is an important unit operation in many chemical processes. Out of the many different types of separation equipment that are used for gas-solid separation, cyclone separators are widely used for their operational flexibility, efficiency and capital cost. This study focused on the design of an optimal configuration for several cyclones used in a fertilizer plant. The granulation step in the fertilizer plant leads to using different size cyclones and a different number of cyclones in series or parallel or a mix of both arrangements. A Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) model is formulated to find the best cyclone arrangement with the optimal number of cyclones and dimensions from several combinations of 1D3D and 2D2D cyclones arranged in parallel-series for a high volume and heavy loading of solid particles. The objective function was to minimize the total cost, including the operating cost and the capital cost. The results indicated that a maximum of 90% efficiency is achieved with a parallel-series arrangement of 1D3D and 2D2D cyclones to be an optimal configuration for the maximum reduction in pollution level.
BabyBoom: 3-Dimensional Structure-Based Ligand and Protein Interaction Prediction by Molecular Docking
Authors: Panchangam Sameera Sastry
Published: November 2022

Baby Boom (BBM) is a key transcription factor that triggers embryogenesis, enhances transformation and regeneration efficiencies, and regulates developmental pathways in plants. Triggering or activating BBM in non-model crops could overcome the bottlenecks in plant breeding. Understanding BBM’s structure is critical for functional characterization and determination of interacting partners and/or ligands. The current in silico study aimed to study BBM’s sequence and conservation across all plant proteomes, predict protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions, and perform molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to specifically determine the binding site amino acid residues. In addition, peptide sequences that interact with BBM have also been predicted, which provide avenues for altered functional interactions and the design of peptide mimetics that can be experimentally validated for their role in tissue culture or transformation media. This novel data could pave the way for the exploitation of BBM’s potential as the master regulator of specialized plant processes such as apomixes, haploid embryogenesis, and CRISPR/Cas9 transgenic development.
WP1234—A Novel Anticancer Agent with Bifunctional Activity in a Glioblastoma Model
Authors: Pająk Beata , Siwiak-Niedbalska Ewelina , Jaśkiewicz Anna , Sołtyka Maja , Domoradzki Tomasz
Published: November 2022

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults with a poor prognosis. Despite significant progress in drug development, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) continues to limit the use of novel chemotherapeutics. Thus, our attention has been focused on the design, synthesis, and testing of small-molecule anticancer agents that are able to penetrate the BBB. One such compound is the D-glucose analog, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), which inhibits glycolysis and induces GBM cell death. 2-DG has already been tested in clinical trials but was not approved as a drug, in part due to inadequate pharmacokinetics. To improve the pharmacokinetic properties of 2-DG, a series of novel derivatives was synthesized. Herein, we report the biological effects of WP1234, a 2-ethylbutyric acid 3,6-diester of 2-DG that can potentially release 2-ethylbutyrate and 2-DG inside the cells when metabolized. Using biochemical assays and examining cell viability, proliferation, protein synthesis, and apoptosis induction, we assessed the cytotoxic potential of WP1234. WP1234 significantly reduced the viability of GBM cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The lactate and ATP synthesis assays confirmed the inhibition of glycolysis elicited by released 2-DG. Furthermore, an evaluation of histone deacetylases (HDAC) activity revealed that the 2-ethylbutyrate action resulted in HDAC inhibition. Overall, these results demonstrated that WP1234 is a bifunctional molecule with promising anticancer potential. Further experiments in animal models and toxicology studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this new 2-DG derivative.
Role of Prosaposin and Extracellular Sulfatase Sulf-1 Detection in Pleural Effusions as Diagnostic Biomarkers of Malignant Mesothelioma
Authors: Zallocco Lorenzo , Silvestri Roberto , Ciregia Federica , Bonotti Alessandra , Marino Riccardo , Foddis Rudy , Lucacchini Antonio , Giusti Laura , Mazzoni Maria Rosa
Published: November 2022

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Unilateral pleural effusion is frequently the initial clinical sign requiring therapeutic thoracentesis, which also offers a diagnostic opportunity. Detection of soluble biomarkers can support diagnosis, but few show good diagnostic accuracy. Here, we studied the expression levels and discriminative power of two putative biomarkers, prosaposin and extracellular sulfatase SULF-1, identified by proteomic and transcriptomic analysis, respectively. Pleural effusions from a total of 44 patients (23 with mesothelioma, 8 with lung cancer, and 13 with non-malignant disease) were analyzed for prosaposin and SULF-1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pleural effusions from mesothelioma patients had significantly higher levels of prosaposin and SULF-1 than those from non-malignant disease patients. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that both biomarkers have good discriminating power as pointed out by an AUC value of 0.853 (p = 0.0005) and 0.898 (p < 0.0001) for prosaposin and SULF-1, respectively. Combining data ensued a model predicting improvement of the diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.916, p < 0.0001). In contrast, prosaposin couldn’t discriminate mesothelioma patients from lung cancer patients while ROC analysis of SULF-1 data produced an AUC value of 0.821 (p = 0.0077) but with low sensitivity. In conclusion, prosaposin and SULF-1 levels determined in pleural effusion may be promising biomarkers for differential diagnosis between mesothelioma and non-malignant pleural disease. Instead, more patients need to be enrolled before granting the possible usefulness of these soluble proteins in differentiating mesothelioma pleural effusions from those linked to lung cancer.
Higher Responsiveness for Women, High Transaminase Levels, and Fat Percentage to Pemafibrate Treatment for NAFLD
Authors: Iwadare Takanobu , Kimura Takefumi , Kunimoto Hideo , Tanaka Naoki , Wakabayashi Shun-ichi , Yamazaki Tomoo , Okumura Taiki , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Yamashita Yuki , Sugiura Ayumi , Joshita Satoru , Umemura Takeji
Published: November 2022

Aim: Pemafibrate (PEM) is a novel selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha modulator that is effective for hypertriglyceridemia accompanying non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (HTG-NAFLD). This study aimed to identify the predictors of PEM efficacy for HTG-NAFLD in clinical practice. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 88 HTG-NAFLD patients treated with PEM for 6 months for the analysis of routine blood and body composition testing. A PEM response was defined as a decrease in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of >30% compared with pre-treatment level. The clinical features related to PEM responsiveness were statistically tested between responders and non-responders. Results: All 88 patients completed the 6 month drug regimen without any adverse effects. PEM treatment significantly decreased liver enzymes, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels, without any detectable impact on body weight or body composition. Comparisons of baseline clinical features revealed female and greater aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT, and fat mass % levels to be significantly associated with a PEM response. The optimal cut-off values to predict responders as determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis were AST 45 U/L, ALT 60 U/L, and fat mass 37%. Conclusions: Female HTG-NAFLD patients with higher transaminase and fat mass % levels may be preferentially indicated for PEM treatment. Additional large-scale prospective studies are warranted to verify our results.
Rapid Convolutional Neural Networks for Gram-Stained Image Classification at Inference Time on Mobile Devices: Empirical Study from Transfer Learning to Optimization
Authors: Kim Hee E. , Maros Mate E. , Siegel Fabian , Ganslandt Thomas
Published: November 2022

Despite the emergence of mobile health and the success of deep learning (DL), deploying production-ready DL models to resource-limited devices remains challenging. Especially, during inference time, the speed of DL models becomes relevant. We aimed to accelerate inference time for Gram-stained analysis, which is a tedious and manual task involving microorganism detection on whole slide images. Three DL models were optimized in three steps: transfer learning, pruning and quantization and then evaluated on two Android smartphones. Most convolutional layers (≥80%) had to be retrained for adaptation to the Gram-stained classification task. The combination of pruning and quantization demonstrated its utility to reduce the model size and inference time without compromising model quality. Pruning mainly contributed to model size reduction by 15×, while quantization reduced inference time by 3× and decreased model size by 4×. The combination of two reduced the baseline model by an overall factor of 46×. Optimized models were smaller than 6 MB and were able to process one image in <0.6 s on a Galaxy S10. Our findings demonstrate that methods for model compression are highly relevant for the successful deployment of DL solutions to resource-limited devices.
Trends in Application of SERS Substrates beyond Ag and Au, and Their Role in Bioanalysis
Authors: Sultangaziyev Alisher , Ilyas Aisha , Dyussupova Aigerim , Bukasov Rostislav
Published: November 2022

This article compares the applications of traditional gold and silver-based SERS substrates and less conventional (Pd/Pt, Cu, Al, Si-based) SERS substrates, focusing on sensing, biosensing, and clinical analysis. In recent decades plethora of new biosensing and clinical SERS applications have fueled the search for more cost-effective, scalable, and stable substrates since traditional gold and silver-based substrates are quite expensive, prone to corrosion, contamination and non-specific binding, particularly by S-containing compounds. Following that, we briefly described our experimental experience with Si and Al-based SERS substrates and systematically analyzed the literature on SERS on substrate materials such as Pd/Pt, Cu, Al, and Si. We tabulated and discussed figures of merit such as enhancement factor (EF) and limit of detection (LOD) from analytical applications of these substrates. The results of the comparison showed that Pd/Pt substrates are not practical due to their high cost; Cu-based substrates are less stable and produce lower signal enhancement. Si and Al-based substrates showed promising results, particularly in combination with gold and silver nanostructures since they could produce comparable EFs and LODs as conventional substrates. In addition, their stability and relatively low cost make them viable alternatives for gold and silver-based substrates. Finally, this review highlighted and compared the clinical performance of non-traditional SERS substrates and traditional gold and silver SERS substrates. We discovered that if we take the average sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of clinical SERS assays reported in the literature, those parameters, particularly accuracy (93–94%), are similar for SERS bioassays on AgNP@Al, Si-based, Au-based, and Ag-based substrates. We hope that this review will encourage research into SERS biosensing on aluminum, silicon, and some other substrates. These Al and Si based substrates may respond efficiently to the major challenges to the SERS practical application. For instance, they may be not only less expensive, e.g., Al foil, but also in some cases more selective and sometimes more reproducible, when compared to gold-only or silver-only based SERS substrates. Overall, it may result in a greater diversity of applicable SERS substrates, allowing for better optimization and selection of the SERS substrate for a specific sensing/biosensing or clinical application.
Thin-Film-Based Multifunctional System for Optical Detection and Thermal Treatment of Biological Samples
Authors: Lovecchio Nicola , Costantini Francesca , Nascetti Augusto , de Cesare Giampiero , Caputo Domenico
Published: November 2022

In this work, we present a multifunctional Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platform based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon sensors suitable for a wide range of application in the fields of biochemical and food quality control analysis. The proposed system includes a LoC fabricated on a 5 cm × 5 cm glass substrate and a set of electronic boards for controlling the LoC functionalities. The presented Lab-on-Chip comprises light and temperature sensors, a thin film resistor acting as a heating source, and an optional thin film interferential filter suitable for fluorescence analysis. The developed electronics allows to control the thin film heater, a light source for fluorescence and absorption measurements, and the photosensors to acquire luminescent signals. All these modules are enclosed in a black metal box ensuring the portability of the whole platform. System performances have been evaluated in terms of sensor optical performances and thermal control achievements. For optical sensors, we have found a minimum number of detectable photons of 8 × 104 s−1·cm−2 at room temperature, 1.6 × 106 s−1·cm−2 in presence of fluorescence excitation source, and 2.4 × 106 s−1·cm−2 at 90 °C. From a thermal management point of view, we have obtained heating and cooling rates both equal to 2.2 °C/s, and a temperature sensor sensitivity of about 3 mV/°C even in presence of light. The achieved performances demonstrate the possibility to simultaneously use all integrated sensors and actuators, making promising the presented platform for a wide range of application fields.
Multidisciplinary Intersections on Artificial-Human Vividness: Phenomenology, Representation, and the Brain
Authors: Molokopoy Violetta , D’Angiulli Amedeo
Published: November 2022

This article will explore the expressivity and tractability of vividness, as viewed from the interdisciplinary perspective of the cognitive sciences, including the sub-disciplines of artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and phenomenology. Following the precursor work by Benussi in experimental phenomenology, seminal papers by David Marks in psychology and, later, Hector Levesque in computer science, a substantial part of the discussion has been around a symbolic approach to the concept of vividness. At the same time, a similar concept linked to semantic memory, imagery, and mental models has had a long history in cognitive psychology, with new emerging links to cognitive neuroscience. More recently, there is a push towards neural-symbolic representations which allows room for the integration of brain models of vividness to a symbolic concept of vividness. Such works lead to question the phenomenology of vividness in the context of consciousness, and the related ethical concerns. The purpose of this paper is to review the state of the art, advances, and further potential developments of artificial-human vividness while laying the ground for a shared conceptual platform for dialogue, communication, and debate across all the relevant sub-disciplines. Within such context, an important goal of the paper is to define the crucial role of vividness in grounding simulation and modeling within the psychology (and neuroscience) of human reasoning.
The First Neuropalliative Care Unit in Germany—Characteristics of Patients
Authors: Willert Anna-Christin , Meyerling Johanna , Ploner Christoph J. , Kowski Alexander B.
Published: November 2022

A unique structure of care for neurological inpatients with significant palliative care (PC) needs was established in the Department of Neurology at the Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin in 2021: a specialized neuropalliative care (NPC) unit. After one year, we provide an overview of the concept and the patients’ characteristics. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of patients treated in our NPC unit between February 2021–February 2022. Data were extracted from medical records and PC assessment including diagnosis, mode of admission and discharge, length of stay, and palliative symptoms. Data are presented as averages with a 95% confidence interval [lower limit; upper limit] or percentage (absolute number). Results: We included 143 patients (52% (75) female, 67.9 years [65.6; 70.2]). Patients were admitted from general wards (48%; 68), their homes (22%; 32), intensive care units (16%; 23) or emergency departments (14%; 20). The main diagnoses were tumors of the nervous system (39%; 56), neurodegenerative diseases (30%; 43), neurologic complications (13%; 19) and cerebrovascular diseases (12%; 17). Complaints most frequently rated as severely to overwhelmingly burdensome were motor- or fatigue-associated problems, problems communicating, dysphagia and pain. The average length of stay was 13.7 days [12.2; 15.2]. Forty-five percent (64) of patients were discharged without further PC, 17% (24) were referred to a hospice and 13% (18) were discharged with outpatient PC. Five percent (7) were referred to neurorehabilitation and 21% (30) of patients died. Conclusions: Our NPC unit is a new model of care for neurological patients with substantial PC needs especially within the structures of a highly specialized and individualized medicine.
The Potential of MicroRNAs as Non-Invasive Prostate Cancer Biomarkers: A Systematic Literature Review Based on a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Bevacqua Emilia , Ammirato Salvatore , Cione Erika , Curcio Rosita , Dolce Vincenza , Tucci Paola
Published: November 2022

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Although the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is used in clinical practice for screening and/or early detection of PCa, it is not specific, thus resulting in high false-positive rates. MicroRNAs (miRs) provide an opportunity as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and recurrence of PCa. Because the size of the literature on it is increasing and often controversial, this study aims to consolidate the state-of-art of relevant published research. Methods: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach was applied to analyze a set of 213 scientific publications through a text mining method that makes use of the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm. Results and Conclusions: The result of this activity, performed through the MySLR digital platform, allowed us to identify a set of three relevant topics characterizing the investigated research area. We analyzed and discussed all the papers clustered into them. We highlighted that several miRs are associated with PCa progression, and that their detection in patients’ urine seems to be the more reliable and promising non-invasive tool for PCa diagnosis. Finally, we proposed some future research directions to help future scientists advance the field further.
Clinical and Molecular Features in Medulloblastomas Subtypes in Children in a Cohort in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Kuo-Sheng , Sung Shian-Ying , Huang Man-Hsu , Lin Yu-Ling , Chang Che-Chang , Fang Chia-Lang , Wong Tai-Tong , Chen Hsin-Hung , Tsai Min-Lan
Published: November 2022

Medulloblastoma (MB) was classified into four molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, group 3, and group 4. In 2017, 12 subtypes within 4 subgroups and 8 subtypes within non-WNT/non-SHH subgroups according to the differences of clinical features and biology were announced. In this study, we aimed to identify the heterogeneity of molecular features for discovering subtype specific factors linked to diagnosis and prognosis. We retrieved 70 MBs in children to perform RNA sequencing and a DNA methylation array in Taiwan. Integrated with clinical annotations, we achieved classification of 12 subtypes of pediatric MBs in our cohort series with reference to the other reported series. We analyzed the correlation of cell type enrichment in SHH MBs and found that M2 macrophages were enriched in SHH β, which related to good outcomes of SHH MBs. The high infiltration of M2 macrophages may be an indicator of a favorable prognosis and therapeutic target for SHH MBs. Furthermore, C11orf95-RELA fusion was observed to be associated with recurrence and a poor prognosis. These results will contribute to the establishment of a molecular diagnosis linked to prognostic indicators of relevance and help to promote molecular-based risk stratified treatment for MBs in children.
Integrated Biomarker Analysis Reveals L1CAM as a Potential Stratification Marker for No Specific Molecular Profile High-Risk Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Ravaggi Antonella , Capoferri Davide , Ardighieri Laura , Ghini Iacopo , Ferrari Federico , Romani Chiara , Bugatti Mattia , Zanotti Laura , Vrede Stephanie , Tognon Germana , Pijnenborg Johanna M. A. , Sartori Enrico , Calza Stefano , Bignotti Eliana , Odicino Franco
Published: November 2022

Histopathologic assessment of high-risk endometrial cancer (EC) suffers from intersubject variability and poor reproducibility. The pragmatic classification in four molecular subgroups helps to overcome these limits, showing a significant prognostic value. The “no specific molecular profile” (NSMP) is the most heterogeneous EC subgroup, requiring further characterization to better guide its clinical management. DNA sequencing of POLE exonuclease domain and immunohistochemistry for PMS2, MSH6, and p53 were performed in order to stratify a cohort of 94 high-risk EC patients in the four molecular subgroups. Moreover, a panel of seven additional biomarkers was tested. Patients were found to be 16% POLE-mutated, 36% mismatch repair-deficient, 27% p53-abnormal, and 21% NSMP. In the multivariable model, molecular groups confirmed their significant association with disease-specific survival and progression-free survival, with p53-abnormal and NSMP endometrial cancer characterized by poor outcomes. Among the additional evaluated biomarkers, L1CAM was the only one with a significant prognostic value within the NSMP subgroup. NSMP/L1CAM-positive patients experienced the worst outcome and were “early-relapsing” after platinum-based chemotherapy, with a significantly shorter platinum-free interval compared to L1CAM-negative patients. L1CAM appears to be a promising candidate as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in the high-risk NSMP subgroup, which is actually known to lack specific molecular markers.
CDCA8/SNAI2 Complex Activates CD44 to Promote Proliferation and Invasion of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Gu Jichun , Guo Yujie , Du Jiali , Kong Lei , Deng Junyuan , Tao Baian , Li Hengchao , Jin Chen , Fu Deliang , Li Ji
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: Recently, cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) was found to be overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we aimed to explore the specific mechanism of action of CDCA8 in PDAC progression. (2) Methods: All human PDAC samples and clinical data were collected from Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. All experimental studies were carried out using many in vitro and in vivo assays, including lentiviral transfection, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), chromatin IP (ChIP)-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter, and in vivo imaging assays. (3) Results: Clinical data analysis of human PDAC samples revealed that CDCA8 overexpression were positively and negatively associated with tumor grade (p = 0.007) and overall survival (p = 0.045), respectively. CDCA8 knockdown inhibited PDAC proliferation and invasion in in vitro and in vivo assays. CD44 was also up-regulated by CDCA8 during PDAC progression. CDCA8 could be combined with SNAI2 to form a CDCA8/SNAI2 complex to integrate with the CD44 promoter as indicated through ChIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assays. (4) Conclusion: We showed that CDCA8-CD44 axis plays a key role in the proliferation and invasion of PDAC, which provides a potential target for treatment.
A Review of Synergistic Catalytic Removal of Nitrogen Oxides and Chlorobenzene from Waste Incinerators
Authors: Kang Dongrui , Bian Yao , Shi Qiqi , Wang Jianqiao , Yuan Peng , Shen Boxiong
Published: November 2022

Emission of harmful gases, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and dioxins pose a serious threat to the human environment; so, it is urgent to control NOx and dioxin emissions. The new regulations for municipal solid waste incineration emissions set new stringent requirements for NOx and dioxin emission standards. Most of the existing pollutant control technologies focus on single-unit NOx reduction or dioxin degradation. However, the installation of separate NOx and dioxins removal units is space-consuming and costs a lot. Nowadays, the simultaneous elimination of NOx and dioxins in the same facility has been regarded as a promising technology. Due to the extremely high toxicity of dioxins, the less toxic chlorobenzene, which has the basic structure of dioxins, has been commonly used as a model molecule for dioxins in the laboratory. In this review, the catalysts used for nitrogen oxides/chlorobenzene (NOx/CB) co-removal were classified into two types: firstly, non-loaded and loaded transition metal catalysts, and their catalytic properties were summarized and outlined. Then, the interaction of the NH3-SCR reaction and chlorobenzene catalytic oxidation (CBCO) on the catalyst surface was discussed in detail. Finally, the causes of catalyst deactivation were analyzed and summarized. Hopefully, this review may provide a reference for the design and commercial application of NOx/CB synergistic removal catalysts.
Repositioning Mifepristone as a Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor Antagonist for the Treatment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Di Giorgio Cristina , Lupia Antonio , Marchianò Silvia , Bordoni Martina , Bellini Rachele , Massa Carmen , Urbani Ginevra , Roselli Rosalinda , Moraca Federica , Sepe Valentina , Catalanotti Bruno , Morretta Elva , Monti Maria Chiara , Biagioli Michele , Distrutti Eleonora , Zampella Angela , Fiorucci Stefano
Published: November 2022

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality and is projected to become the second-most common cause of cancer mortality in the next decade. While gene-wide association studies and next generation sequencing analyses have identified molecular patterns and transcriptome profiles with prognostic relevance, therapeutic opportunities remain limited. Among the genes that are upregulated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC), the leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a cytokine belonging to IL-6 family, has emerged as potential therapeutic candidate. LIF is aberrantly secreted by tumour cells and promotes tumour progression in pancreatic and other solid tumours through aberrant activation of the LIF receptor (LIFR) and downstream signalling that involves the JAK1/STAT3 pathway. Since there are no LIFR antagonists available for clinical use, we developed an in silico strategy to identify potential LIFR antagonists and drug repositioning with regard to LIFR antagonists. The results of these studies allowed the identification of mifepristone, a progesterone/glucocorticoid antagonist, clinically used in medical abortion, as a potent LIFR antagonist. Computational studies revealed that mifepristone binding partially overlapped the LIFR binding site. LIF and LIFR are expressed by human PDAC tissues and PDAC cell lines, including MIA-PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells. Exposure of these cell lines to mifepristone reverses cell proliferation, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition induced by LIF in a concentration-dependent manner. Mifepristone inhibits LIFR signalling and reverses STAT3 phosphorylation induced by LIF. Together, these data support the repositioning of mifepristone as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of PDAC.
STING Targeting in Lung Diseases
Authors: de Moura Rodrigues Dorian , Lacerda-Queiroz Norinne , Couillin Isabelle , Riteau Nicolas
Published: November 2022

The cGAS–STING pathway displays important functions in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity following the detection of microbial and host-derived DNA. Here, we briefly summarize biological functions of STING and review recent literature highlighting its important contribution in the context of respiratory diseases. Over the last years, tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of STING activation, which has favored the development of STING agonists or antagonists with potential therapeutic benefits. Antagonists might alleviate STING-associated chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Furthermore, pharmacological activation of STING displays strong antiviral properties, as recently shown in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. STING agonists also elicit potent stimulatory activities when used as an adjuvant promoting antitumor responses and vaccines efficacy.
Influence of Long Non-Coding RNA in the Regulation of Cancer Stem Cell Signaling Pathways
Authors: Sonawala Kevina , Ramalingam Satish , Sellamuthu Iyappan
Published: November 2022

Over the past two decades, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have emerged as an immensely studied and experimental topic, however a wide range of questions concerning the topic still remain unanswered; in particular, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of tumor stem cells and their characteristics. Understanding the cancer stem-cell signaling pathways may pave the way towards a better comprehension of these mechanisms. Signaling pathways such as WNT, STAT, Hedgehog, NOTCH, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TGF-β, and NF-κB are responsible not only for modulating various features of CSCs but also their microenvironments. Recently, the prominent roles of various non-coding RNAs such as small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in developing and enhancing the tumor phenotypes have been unfolded. This review attempts to shed light on understanding the influence of long non- coding RNAs in the modulation of various CSC-signaling pathways and its impact on the CSCs and tumor properties; highlighting the protagonistic and antagonistic roles of lncRNAs.
POCUS Diagnosis of Sternal Fractures in Children without Direct Trauma—A Case Series
Authors: Troxler David , Mayr Johannes
Published: November 2022

Sternal fractures in children are rare and tend to be caused by high-energy injury. However, sternal fractures may also be caused by minor and indirect trauma and might therefore not be as rare as previously stated. Ultrasound examination is the method of choice for the diagnosis of sternal fractures. We present three cases of sternal fractures not caused by direct trauma that were presented to our A&E department within a period of only 62 days. All of them exhibited localized tenderness, but none had an associated injury. Children presenting to the A&E unit with musculoskeletal thorax pain should be screened by POCUS for sternal fractures, even if they do not report any direct trauma to the thorax.
Design and Fabrication of a Thermopile-Based Thin Film Heat Flux Sensor, Using a Lead—Substrate Integration Method
Authors: Cui Yunxian , Liu Hui , Wang Haoyu , Guo Shuning , E Mingfeng , Ding Wanyu , Yin Junwei
Published: November 2022

An accurate and continuous measurement of heat flux is needed in many long-term operation facilities in order to monitor and improve the life of its machinery. A thin film heat flux sensor is usually fabricated via sputtering, according to different spatial arrangements of thermocouple junctions. A novel thin film heat flux sensor was designed, fabricated, and calibrated, but the connection between the thin film and the leads could not be fixed quickly and steadily. For this purpose, in this paper a method to seamlessly integrate the leads and the thin film has been proposed to improve the sensor output signal. The sensor is capable of simultaneously measuring surface heat flux and temperature magnitude, to address the current situation of the single design of heat flux sensors. The novel thin film heat flux sensor is structured as follows: Thirty pairs of NiCr-NiSi thermocouple junctions are deposited in an annular pattern on a well-designed ceramic substrate. Over the annular thermopile, a 2000 nm-thick thermal insulator layer is deposited to create a temperature gradient across the layers. In addition, in this study a new calibration method was used to evaluate the static and dynamic properties of this novel thin film heat flux sensor. The analysis and experimental results show that the heat flux calculated from the sensor output was in good agreement with the value obtained from the pre-calibrated standard sensor. The sensitivity and response time of the novel sensor were measured at 0.06 mV/(kW/m2) and 475 ms, respectively. The heat flux measurements made with the sensor presented good repeatability. The heat-transfer coefficient of the Al2O3 thin film was 4.477 w/(m∙k) for the novel thin film heat flux sensor described in this paper.
Investigations into the Photocatalytic and Antibacterial Activity of the Nitrogen-Annealed Titanium Oxide/Silver Structure
Authors: Zhang Jun-Kai , You Kui-Shou , Huang Chen-Hao , Shih Pin-Jyun , Liu Day-Shan
Published: November 2022

In this study, a thin silver (Ag) layer was evaporated onto the anatase-titanium oxide (TiOx) film. This structure was then annealed at various temperatures under nitrogen ambient to realize the Ag nanoparticles formed on the TiOx surface. The photocatalytic activities of these TiOx/Ag structures to decompose pollutants were determined from the rate constant while they were applied to decolorize the methylene blue (MB) solution in the presence of the UV light irradiation. According to the investigations on their surface bond configurations, the Ag nanoparticles were favorable for the transformation of the Ti4+ into the Ti3+ state in the TiOx film, which functioned to prohibit the recombination of the photogenerated electron-hole-pairs on the TiOx surface. The exposed TiOx surface distributed over the 500 °C-annealed TiOx/Ag structure performed an increase of about 40% in the rate constant compared to the individual TiOx film. Moreover, this surface morphology composed of the anatase-TiOx structures and Ag nanoparticles which was abundant in the oxide-related radical and Ag+ chemical state also showed a perfect antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli.
Development and Study of an Encryption Algorithm
Authors: Kapalova Nursulu , Sakan Kairat , Algazy Kunbolat , Dyusenbayev Dilmukhanbet
Published: November 2022

A new symmetric block cipher algorithm called AL02 has been developed. The algorithm scheme provides five-round encryption of 128-bit blocks, while the data size at the input and output of the S-box is 8 bits. The main transformation is the F transformation. The difference between the proposed algorithm and the classical scheme is that the F transformation provides the maximum possible dependence of the output vector bits on the input bits and is based on “modulo 2 addition” and a substitution S-box. To assess the strength of the AL02 algorithm, it was programmatically implemented in the C programming language. During the analysis, the cryptographic properties of the developed encryption algorithm were tested. The algorithm was tested for statistical security. For an experimental assessment, in order to ensure that the ciphertext is not inferior to a random sequence in its properties, the well-known sets of statistical tests by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and Donald Knuth were used. The property of the avalanche effect was also checked. The strength was evaluated using the methods of differential and linear cryptanalysis.
Bibliometric Analysis of Heat Generation in Eddy Current Brakes
Authors: Putra Mufti Reza Aulia , Nizam Muhammad , Tjahjana Dominicus Danardono Dwi Prija , Arifin Zainal , Lenggana Bhre Wangsa , Inayati Inayati
Published: November 2022

The eddy current brake (ECB) is a braking technology that continues to be developed. The use of the ECB has excellent potential to be applied to vehicles. Various studies have proposed the design, characteristics, and advantages of each. However, further analysis is needed to assess the performance of the ECB and what factors affect the performance. However, no studies have been found that discuss eddy current brakes using bibliometric analysis. Bibliometric analysis is a method used for mapping and knowledge of existing gaps in a particular topic. This article aims to provide a complete discussion with bibliometric statistical methods that have never been presented before in the field of eddy current brakes, especially the phenomenon of heat generation. In addition, the prediction of research gaps in this field can be identified as the initial results of further research. The analysis was carried out using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny integrated through the RStudio tool. The data are obtained through the Scopus database, which is then exported in CSV form. Obtaining the data depends on the keywords used. In this case, the obtained document is filtered with the features provided by Scopus. From the analysis conducted, it was found that the topic related to heat in eddy current brakes is still a recent discussion. Discussions on the heat increase in the ECB are still limited and require mapping and analysis of what parts still need development. The phenomenon of heat generation is one novelty that allows it to be researched. One example from the scientific data obtained is that there are 207 documents in the form of articles and conference papers with a total of 533 authors.