bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Satellite Excitations and Final State Interactions in Atomic Photoionization
Authors: Yarzhemsky Victor G. , Teterin Yury A.
Published: July 2022

Satellite excitations and final state configuration interactions appear due to the many-electron correlations and result in a photoelectron spectrum complex final state structure instead of single lines corresponding to one-hole states. In the present work, both processes are considered in a framework of the many-body perturbation theory, and two techniques, namely the spectral function and CI (configuration interaction) methods are considered. It is shown that for the calculation of satellite lineshapes and low-energy Auger decay, the spectral function method is more appropriate, but in the case of strong final state interactions, the methods of solution of Dyson equation or secular matrix are superior. The results obtained for satellites and low energy Auger decay in the Ne 1s, Ne 2p photoelectron spectra, the Co 3s, and the Th 5p photoelectron spectra are in agreement with the experimental data.
Do Bitcoin and Traditional Financial Assets Act as an Inflation Hedge during Stable and Turbulent Markets? Evidence from High Cryptocurrency Adoption Countries
Authors: Phochanachan Panisara , Pirabun Nootchanat , Leurcharusmee Supanika , Yamaka Woraphon
Published: July 2022

This study analyzes whether Bitcoin, gold, oil, and stock have the ability to hedge against inflation in high cryptocurrency adoption countries in the periods from January 2010 to March 2021. It is hypothesized that the assets behave differently and thereby respond differently to inflation in different market conditions. Therefore, we employ the Markov Switching Vector Autoregressive to examine these assets’ hedging ability against inflation in both stable and turbulent market regimes. Our main findings are threefold: We show that there exists a structural change and nonlinear relationship between the returns of hedging assets and inflation. Second, all assets can hedge against inflation more effectively in the short run than in the long run. We find that the inflation hedging ability of these assets are weak in the long run for both market regimes. We also find some evidence that the rigidity between the assets and inflation is relatively high in the stable regime. Third, according to the impulse response analysis, we also find that the responses of assets to inflation shock are heterogeneous across two market regimes.
Quantification of Intra-Muscular Adipose Infiltration in Calf/Thigh MRI Using Fully and Weakly Supervised Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Amer Rula , Nassar Jannette , Trabelsi Amira , Bendahan David , Greenspan Hayit , Ben-Eliezer Noam
Published: July 2022

Purpose: Infiltration of fat into lower limb muscles is one of the key markers for the severity of muscle pathologies. The level of fat infiltration varies in its severity across and within patients, and it is traditionally estimated using visual radiologic inspection. Precise quantification of the severity and spatial distribution of this pathological process requires accurate segmentation of lower limb anatomy into muscle and fat. Methods: Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) of the calf and thigh muscles is one of the most effective techniques for estimating pathological accumulation of intra-muscular adipose tissue (IMAT) in muscular dystrophies. In this work, we present a new deep learning (DL) network tool for automated and robust segmentation of lower limb anatomy that is based on the quantification of MRI’s transverse (T2) relaxation time. The network was used to segment calf and thigh anatomies into viable muscle areas and IMAT using a weakly supervised learning process. A new disease biomarker was calculated, reflecting the level of abnormal fat infiltration and disease state. A biomarker was then applied on two patient populations suffering from dysferlinopathy and Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) diseases. Results: Comparison of manual vs. automated segmentation of muscle anatomy, viable muscle areas, and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) produced high Dice similarity coefficients (DSCs) of 96.4%, 91.7%, and 93.3%, respectively. Linear regression between the biomarker value calculated based on the ground truth segmentation and based on automatic segmentation produced high correlation coefficients of 97.7% and 95.9% for the dysferlinopathy and CMT patients, respectively. Conclusions: Using a combination of qMRI and DL-based segmentation, we present a new quantitative biomarker of disease severity. This biomarker is automatically calculated and, most importantly, provides a spatially global indication for the state of the disease across the entire thigh or calf.
Effects of Temperature on Transparent Exopolymer Particle Production and Organic Carbon Allocation of Four Marine Phytoplankton Species
Authors: Guo Kangli , Chen Jie , Yuan Jian , Wang Xiaodong , Xu Shuaishuai , Hou Shengwei , Wang Yan
Published: July 2022

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are sticky polymeric substances that are commonly found in the periphery of microbial cells or colonies. They can naturally flocculate smaller suspended particles into larger aggregates and thus play a crucial role in the biological pump and the global carbon cycle. Phytoplankton are the major contributors to marine TEP production, whereas the way TEP production interacts with abiotic factors at the species level is generally unknown but critical for estimating carbon fluxes. In this study, the effects of temperature on TEP production and carbon allocation were studied in two representative diatom species (Nitzschia closterium and Chaetoceros affinis) and two model dinoflagellate species (Prorocentrum micans and Scrippisella trichoidea). The results showed that temperature had a significant impact on TEP production in all species. First, increased temperature promoted the TEP production of all four species. Second, elevated temperature affected the carbon pool allocation, with enhanced dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exudation in the form of TEP in all species. The TEP-C/DOC percentages of N. closterium and P. micans were 93.42 ± 5.88% and 82.03 ± 21.36% at the highest temperature (24 °C), respectively, which was approximately two to five times higher than those percentages at 16 °C. In contrast, TEP’s contribution to the POC pool is lower than that to the DOC pool, ranging from 6.74 ± 0.79% to 28.31 ± 1.79% for all species. Moreover, phytoplankton TEP production may be related to cellular size and physiology. The TEP content produced by the smallest N. closterium (218.96 ± 15.04 fg Xeq./μm3) was ~5 times higher compared to P. micans, S. trichoidea, or C. affinis. In conclusion, TEP production is temperature sensitive and species specific, which should be taken into consideration the regarding TEP-mediated oceanic carbon cycle, particularly in the context of global warming.
The Dual Role of Innate Immune Response in Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Yang Tao , Wang Han , Wang Xiao , Li Jun , Jiang Longfeng
Published: July 2022

Acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP), a commonly used antipyretic analgesic, is becoming increasingly toxic to the liver, resulting in a high rate of acute hepatic failure in Europe and the United States. Excessive APAP metabolism in the liver develops an APAP–protein adduct, which causes oxidative stress, MPTP opening, and hepatic necrosis. HMGB-1, HSP, nDNA, mtDNA, uric acid, and ATP are DMAPs released during hepatic necrosis. DMAPs attach to TLR4-expressing immune cells such KCs, macrophages, and NK cells, activating them and causing them to secrete cytokines. Immune cells and their secreted cytokines have been demonstrated to have a dual function in acetaminophen-induced liver injury (AILI), with a role in either proinflammation or pro-regeneration, resulting in contradicting findings and some research confusion. Neutrophils, KCs, MoMFs, NK/NKT cells, γδT cells, DCs, and inflammasomes have pivotal roles in AILI. In this review, we summarize the dual role of innate immune cells involved in AILI and illustrate how these cells initiate innate immune responses that lead to persistent inflammation and liver damage. We also discuss the contradictory findings in the literature and possible protocols for better understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms of AILI.
Alcohol and HIV-Derived Hepatocyte Apoptotic Bodies Induce Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Authors: New-Aaron Moses , Dagur Raghubendra Singh , Koganti Siva Sankar , Ganesan Murali , Wang Weimin , Makarov Edward , Ogunnaike Mojisola , Kharbanda Kusum K. , Poluektova Larisa Y. , Osna Natalia A.
Published: July 2022

Recently, we found that both HIV and acetaldehyde, an alcohol metabolite, induce hepatocyte apoptosis, resulting in the release of large extracellular vesicles called apoptotic bodies (ABs). The engulfment of these hepatocyte ABs by hepatic stellate cells (HSC) leads to their profibrotic activation. This study aims to establish the mechanisms of HSC activation after engulfment of ABs from acetaldehyde and HIV-exposed hepatocytes (ABAGS+HIV). In vitro experiments were performed on Huh7.5-CYP (RLW) cells to generate hepatocyte ABs and LX2 cells were used as HSC. To generate ABs, RLW cells were pretreated for 24 h with acetaldehyde, then exposed overnight to HIV1ADA and to acetaldehyde for 96 h. Thereafter, ABs were isolated from cell suspension by a differential centrifugation method and incubated with LX2 cells (3:1 ratio) for profibrotic genes and protein analyses. We found that HSC internalized ABs via the tyrosine kinase receptor, Axl. While the HIV gag RNA/HIV proteins accumulated in ABs elicited no productive infection in LX2 and immune cells, they triggered ROS and IL6 generation, which, in turn, activated profibrotic genes via the JNK-ERK1/2 and JAK-STAT3 pathways. Similarly, ongoing profibrotic activation was observed in immunodeficient NSG mice fed ethanol and injected with HIV-derived RLW ABs. We conclude that HSC activation by hepatocyte ABAGS+HIV engulfment is mediated by ROS-dependent JNK-ERK1/2 and IL6 triggering of JAK-STAT3 pathways. This can partially explain the mechanisms of liver fibrosis development frequently observed among alcohol abusing PLWH.
Integrative Taxonomy of Armeria arenaria (Plumbaginaceae), with a Special Focus on the Putative Subspecies Endemic to the Apennines
Authors: Tiburtini Manuel , Astuti Giovanni , Bartolucci Fabrizio , Casazza Gabriele , Varaldo Lucia , De Luca Daniele , Bottigliero Maria Vittoria , Bacchetta Gianluigi , Porceddu Marco , Domina Gianniantonio , Orsenigo Simone , Peruzzi Lorenzo
Published: July 2022

Three subspecies of Armeria arenaria are reported from Italy, two of which are considered endemic to the Apennines. The taxonomic value of these two taxa (A. arenaria subsp. marginata and A. arenaria subsp. apennina) is unclear. Moreover, the relationships between A. arenaria subsp. praecox and Northern Italian populations—currently ascribed to A. arenaria subsp. arenaria—have never been addressed. Accordingly, we used an integrated taxonomic approach, including morphometry, seed morpho–colorimetry, karyology, molecular systematics (psbA–trnH, trnQ–rps16, trnF–trnL, trnL–rpl32, and ITS region), and comparative niche analysis. According to our results, French–Northern Italian populations are clearly distinct from Apennine populations. In the first group, there is evidence which allows the recognition of A. arenaria s.str. (not occurring in Italy) and A. arenaria subsp. praecox. In the second group, the two putative taxa endemic to the Northern Apennines cannot be separated, so a single subspecies is here recognized: A. arenaria subsp. marginata.
P2 Receptors: Novel Disease Markers and Metabolic Checkpoints in Immune Cells
Authors: Vultaggio-Poma Valentina , Di Virgilio Francesco
Published: July 2022

Extracellular ATP (eATP) and P2 receptors are novel emerging regulators of T-lymphocyte responses. Cellular ATP is released via multiple pathways and accumulates at sites of tissue damage and inflammation. P2 receptor expression and function are affected by numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with diverse disease conditions. Stimulation by released nucleotides (purinergic signalling) modulates several T-lymphocyte functions, among which energy metabolism. Energy metabolism, whether oxidative or glycolytic, in turn deeply affects T-cell activation, differentiation and effector responses. Specific P2R subtypes, among which the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), are either up- or down-regulated during T-cell activation and differentiation; thus, they can be considered indexes of activation/quiescence, reporters of T-cell metabolic status and, in principle, markers of immune-mediated disease conditions.
Src Family Kinases: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Li Nannan , Lin Guoxin , Zhang Hao , Sun Jian , Gui Ming , Liu Yan , Li Wei , Liu Jishi , Tang Juan
Published: July 2022

Src family kinases (SFKs) are non-receptor tyrosine kinases and play a key role in regulating signal transduction. The mechanism of SFKs in various tumors has been widely studied, and there are more and more studies on its role in the kidney. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a disease with complex pathogenesis, including oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and apoptosis. In addition, fibrosis has a significant impact on the progression of AKI to developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). The mortality rate of this disease is very high, and there is no effective treatment drug at present. In recent years, some studies have found that SFKs, especially Src, Fyn, and Lyn, are involved in the pathogenesis of AKI. In this paper, the structure, function, and role of SFKs in AKI are discussed. SFKs play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of AKI, making them promising molecular targets for the treatment of AKI.
Ultrasensitive Diamond Microelectrode Application in the Detection of Ca2+ Transport by AnnexinA5-Containing Nanostructured Liposomes
Authors: Pasquarelli Alberto , Andrilli Luiz Henrique Silva , Bolean Maytê , Reis Ferreira Claudio , Cruz Marcos Antônio Eufrásio , de Oliveira Flavia Amadeu , Ramos Ana Paula , Millán José Luis , Bottini Massimo , Ciancaglini Pietro
Published: July 2022

This report describes the innovative application of high sensitivity Boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond microelectrodes for tracking small changes in Ca2+ concentration due to binding to Annexin-A5 inserted into the lipid bilayer of liposomes (proteoliposomes), which could not be assessed using common Ca2+ selective electrodes. Dispensing proteoliposomes to an electrolyte containing 1 mM Ca2+ resulted in a potential jump that decreased with time, reaching the baseline level after ~300 s, suggesting that Ca2+ ions were incorporated into the vesicle compartment and were no longer detected by the microelectrode. This behavior was not observed when liposomes (vesicles without AnxA5) were dispensed in the presence of Ca2+. The ion transport appears Ca2+-selective, since dispensing proteoliposomes in the presence of Mg2+ did not result in potential drop. The experimental conditions were adjusted to ensure an excess of Ca2+, thus confirming that the potential reduction was not only due to the binding of Ca2+ to AnxA5 but to the transfer of ions to the lumen of the proteoliposomes. Ca2+ uptake stopped immediately after the addition of EDTA. Therefore, our data provide evidence of selective Ca2+ transport into the proteoliposomes and support the possible function of AnxA5 as a hydrophilic pore once incorporated into lipid membrane, mediating the mineralization initiation process occurring in matrix vesicles.
Large Area Microfluidic Bioreactor for Production of Recombinant Protein
Authors: Bourguignon Natalia , Karp Paola , Attallah Carolina , Chamorro Daniel A. , Oggero Marcos , Booth Ross , Ferrero Sol , Bhansali Shekhar , Pérez Maximiliano S. , Lerner Betiana , Helguera Gustavo
Published: July 2022

To produce innovative biopharmaceuticals, highly flexible, adaptable, robust, and affordable bioprocess platforms for bioreactors are essential. In this article, we describe the development of a large-area microfluidic bioreactor (LM bioreactor) for mammalian cell culture that works at laminar flow and perfusion conditions. The 184 cm2 32 cisterns LM bioreactor is the largest polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device fabricated by photopolymer flexographic master mold methodology, reaching a final volume of 2.8 mL. The LM bioreactor was connected to a syringe pump system for culture media perfusion, and the cells’ culture was monitored by photomicrograph imaging. CHO-ahIFN-α2b adherent cell line expressing the anti-hIFN-a2b recombinant scFv-Fc monoclonal antibody (mAb) for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus were cultured on the LM bioreactor. Cell culture and mAb production in the LM bioreactor could be sustained for 18 days. Moreover, the anti-hIFN-a2b produced in the LM bioreactor showed higher affinity and neutralizing antiproliferative activity compared to those mAbs produced in the control condition. We demonstrate for the first-time, a large area microfluidic bioreactor for mammalian cell culture that enables a controlled microenvironment suitable for the development of high-quality biologics with potential for therapeutic use.
Interactive Self-Reporting as Behavioural Cue Elicitor for Online-Classroom Assessment
Authors: Xu Hao
Published: July 2022

How teachers should elicit and draw on behavioural cues for online-classroom assessment is of much interest to both researchers and practising teachers. Aiming to explore how to enhance interactive self-reporting as a behavioural cue elicitor for online-classroom assessment, this study adopted a large-scale questionnaire survey to investigate the effects of the intensity of interaction in interactive self-reporting and teachers’ professional experience on the quality of assessment data in online teaching. Results showed that only the intensity of teacher’s follow-up interaction regarding interactive self-reporting had a significant impact on the quality of the assessment data. Specifically, as a behavioural cue elicitor, interactive self-reporting may be best utilised when interaction of a moderate intensity is employed by the teacher following students’ self-report. The accuracy and efficiency of interactive self-reporting as a means to obtain assessment data in online teaching can only, thus, be best synergised. Otherwise, the accuracy and efficiency may be reduced to a wax-and-wane relationship, i.e., each one increases at the expense of the other.
The Canopy: A Lightweight Spatial Installation Informed by Graphic Statics
Authors: Wang Shuaizhong , Bertagna Federico , Ohlbrock Patrick Ole , Tanadini Davide
Published: July 2022

This paper illustrates the design and fabrication process of the temporary installation The Canopy, developed as part of the fib Symposium on Conceptual Design of Structures 2021. The geometry of the perforated hanging membrane that forms The Canopy is the result of seamless integration between the disciplines of architecture and structural design, which was one of the driving inputs for the entire process. Particularly, the use of geometry-based models and graphic statics allowed activating the interplay between these disciplines. This was the key to balancing the relationship between architectural spaces and structural requirements, and to informing the multifaceted design exploration of The Canopy from conceptual design to construction.
Study on a New Type of Ventilation System for Rural Houses in Winter in the Severe Cold Regions of China
Authors: Zhang Baogang , Cai Xianglu , Liu Ming
Published: July 2022

The weather in the high latitudes of China is cold in winter. The pollution caused by the burning of biomass fuels used in rural individual heating is a great threat to human health. This study finds that the amounts of CO2, CO, PM2.5, and PM10 in the bedroom exceed the standard and the temperature does not meet the standard based on indoor air measurements in rural residential buildings in Liaoning Province in winter. In this study, a mechanical ventilation method which uses flue gas to preheat fresh air is proposed, for the purpose of simultaneously improving the indoor air quality and the thermal environment of rural houses. The flue gas–fresh air heat exchange (FGFAHE) experiment shows that biomass combustion flue gas can increase the outdoor air temperature by 23.7 °C on average. The ventilation experiment shows that the method of mechanical ventilation combined with external window penetration can increase the dilution rate of indoor CO by more than 1 times. The simulation results of six different ventilation schemes show that the ventilation mode of the diagonal opposite side upper air supply and lower exhaust air (DOUSLE) has the best effect on indoor CO prevention and control, and the mode of median air supply is the most beneficial to the indoor thermal environment.
Research on Thermal Response Behavior of the Intumescent Coating at High Temperature: An Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Zhang Lingyun , Hu Yupeng , Li Minghai
Published: July 2022

Intumescent coating is able to provide effective fire protection with both practicality and aesthetics. In this study, expansion performance and thermal physical property experiments are firstly carried out to obtain the basic parameters at different temperatures. Then, the thermal response model of the concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) structure under the protection of intumescent coating in a fire is established. Finally, based on the experimental data and thermal response model, the effects of initial thickness, expansion rate, intra-pore emissivity and reaction heat on the structure temperature are discussed in detail. The results of this study can provide guidance on intumescent coating formulation design, as well as fire protection design.
Design and Thermal Environment Analysis of a Decentralized Cooling System with Surface-Mount Heat Pipe Exchangers on Servers in Data Centers
Authors: Yuan Xiaolei , Zhou Xuetao , Liang Yumin , Pan Yiqun , Kosonen Risto , Lin Zhongping
Published: July 2022

This paper proposes a decentralized cooling system combined with a traditional computer room air conditioning unit and server-level heat pipe exchangers for thermal environment optimization in a data center. Two cooling strategies, with heat exchangers installed above and below the servers respectively, are proposed and compared with the original CRACs system in terms of thermal environment. The simulation results of the original data center model are in good agreement with the on-site measurement results, and thus its reliability can be validated. The results show that a decentralized cooling system can effectively improve the thermal environment in data centers. To obtain the highest cooling efficiency, altogether 18 cases, where heat pipe exchangers were installed at different locations and heights, are analyzed and compared. The results show that the thermal environment is optimal when heat pipe exchangers are installed 0.01 m below each server. The local hotspot temperature is reduced by 6.8 °C, and the temperature distribution of the rack is the most uniform, which can effectively reduce the heat accumulation in data centers.
Evaluation Method on Energy-Efficient Retrofitting of Wooden Walls of Chinese Traditional Dwelling—A Case Study of Rendetang in Jinhua
Authors: Rao Xiaoxiao , Qi Feng , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Mao Zhuoxun
Published: July 2022

Traditional wooden dwellings, which are widely distributed with enormous stocks in China, are of great historical and have obvious cultural value. The walls of such buildings are generally subjected to poor thermal insulation performance, which not only reduces residential thermal comfort but also increases building cooling and heating energy consumption. In addition, buildings of this type have been subjected to all kinds of problems, such as the lack of measures for improving thermal comfort and the shortage of special funds. Consequently, it is very challenging to reutilize Chinese traditional dwellings, many of which are abandoned and even collapsed. All of the above have become major difficulties encountered in the traditional dwelling heritage protection. Hence, investigating the energy-efficient retrofitting strategies for traditional dwellings and giving economical evaluation methods are two keys to solving the reutilization problem of traditional dwellings. Against this background, a set of second-level evaluation methods for the energy-efficient retrofitting of Chinese traditional dwellings are proposed in this research, including the survey on retrofitted dwellings, the retrofitted dwelling modeling and energy consumption analysis, the definition of wall retrofitting scheme, the first-level evaluation of dwelling retrofitting, the second-level evaluation of dwelling retrofitting, and the screening of the wall retrofitting scheme. The first-level evaluation, which took energy efficiency as a reference index, could evaluate the energy conservation effect before and after dwelling retrofitting. With the payback period as the reference index, the second-level evaluation could assess the overall economic efficiency of dwelling wall retrofitting. An appropriate dwelling wall retrofitting scheme could be screened by integrating first-level and second-level evaluation indexes. Then, this scheme was applied to evaluate the wooden wall retrofitting scheme of a typical traditional dwelling in Yapan Village, Zhejiang Province, China. It was discovered through a comparative analysis that if used to reconstruct dwellings in Zhejiang and other places, the combined materials of XPS board and wood-bamboo could not only effectively improve the energy efficiency but also has good economic efficiency. Meanwhile, problems such as the condensation of wooden walls and their construction thickness could be solved by controlling the material thickness. The above research is of guiding significance for the energy-efficient retrofitting of traditional wooden dwellings in the hot-summer and cold-winter zone of China, and moreover, it can provide reference for the energy-efficient retrofitting of traditional wooden dwellings in other climate zones of China.
Behavior of Self-Tapping Screws Used in Hybrid Light Wood Frame Structures Connected to a CLT Core
Authors: Eini Ariya , Zhou Lina , Ni Chun
Published: July 2022

Light-frame wood structures are the most common type of construction for residential and low-rise buildings in North America. The 2015 edition of the National Building Code of Canada has increased the height limit for light-frame wood construction from 4 to 6 stories. With the increase in building height, it was noticed that light-frame wood structures may be governed by inter-story drift under wind and seismic loads. To reduce the inter-story drift, a hybrid system, consisting of CLT cores and light-frame structures, is proposed. The efficiency of this hybrid system is dependent on the performance of the connections between the two sub-systems. In this project, self-tapping screws (STSs) were used to connect the CLT core and light-frame wood structures on the floor level. Monotonic and reversed-cyclic tests were carried out on CLT-wood frame connections connected with STSs inserted at 45°, 90°, and mixed angles (45° and 90°). The connection performance was evaluated in terms of strength, stiffness, ultimate displacement, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity. Results show that a joint with STSs inserted at 45° had high stiffness and ductility but low energy dissipation, while connections with STSs installed at 90° had high ductility and energy dissipation but low stiffness. Connections with STSs inserted at mixed angles (45° and 90°) achieved the advantages of both configurations when the STSs were inserted at 45° or 90° individually, i.e., high stiffness, ductility, and energy dissipation. The ductility and energy dissipation were significantly improved compared with connections with STSs only inserted at 45° or 90°. This mixed angle connection can be an ideal design for connecting light-frame wood structures to a CLT core to resist wind and seismic load.
Individualization of Radionuclide Therapies: Challenges and Prospects
Authors: Piwowarska-Bilska Hanna , Kurkowska Sara , Birkenfeld Bozena
Published: July 2022

The article presents the problems of clinical implementation of personalized radioisotope therapy. The use of radioactive drugs in the treatment of malignant and benign diseases is rapidly expanding. Currently, in the majority of nuclear medicine departments worldwide, patients receive standard activities of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Intensively conducted clinical trials constantly provide more evidence of a close relationship between the dose of radiopharmaceutical absorbed in pathological tissues and the therapeutic effect of radioisotope therapy. Due to the lack of individual internal dosimetry (based on the quantitative analysis of a series of diagnostic images) before or during the treatment, only a small fraction of patients receives optimal radioactivity. The vast majority of patients receive too-low doses of ionizing radiation to the target tissues. This conservative approach provides “radiation safety” to healthy tissues, but also delivers lower radiopharmaceutical activity to the neoplastic tissue, resulting in a low level of response and a higher relapse rate. The article presents information on the currently used radionuclides in individual radioisotope therapies and on radionuclides newly introduced to the therapeutic market. It discusses the causes of difficulties with the implementation of individualized radioisotope therapies as well as possible changes in the current clinical situation.
Mitochondrial Elongation and OPA1 Play Crucial Roles during the Stemness Acquisition Process in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Carmona-Carmona Cristian Andres , Dalla Pozza Elisa , Ambrosini Giulia , Cisterna Barbara , Palmieri Marta , Decimo Ilaria , Cuezva José M. , Bottani Emanuela , Dando Ilaria
Published: July 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 9%. The high aggressiveness of PDAC is linked to the presence of a subpopulation of cancer cells with a greater tumorigenic capacity, generically called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs present a heterogeneous metabolic profile that might be supported by an adaptation of mitochondrial function; however, the role of this organelle in the development and maintenance of CSCs remains controversial. To determine the role of mitochondria in CSCs over longer periods, which may reflect more accurately their quiescent state, we studied the mitochondrial physiology in CSCs at short-, medium-, and long-term culture periods. We found that CSCs show a significant increase in mitochondrial mass, more mitochondrial fusion, and higher mRNA expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis than parental cells. These changes are accompanied by a regulation of the activities of OXPHOS complexes II and IV. Furthermore, the protein OPA1, which is involved in mitochondrial dynamics, is overexpressed in CSCs and modulates the tumorsphere formation. Our findings indicate that CSCs undergo mitochondrial remodeling during the stemness acquisition process, which could be exploited as a promising therapeutic target against pancreatic CSCs.
Radiomics for Discrimination between Early-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Benign Hyperplasia with Stable Feature Selection on MRI
Authors: Wong Lun M. , Ai Qi Yong H. , Zhang Rongli , Mo Frankie , King Ann D.
Published: July 2022

Discriminating early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from benign hyperplasia (BH) on MRI is a challenging but important task for the early detection of NPC in screening programs. Radiomics models have the potential to meet this challenge, but instability in the feature selection step may reduce their reliability. Therefore, in this study, we aim to discriminate between early-stage T1 NPC and BH on MRI using radiomics and propose a method to improve the stability of the feature selection step in the radiomics pipeline. A radiomics model was trained using data from 442 patients (221 early-stage T1 NPC and 221 with BH) scanned at 3T and tested on 213 patients (99 early-stage T1 NPC and 114 BH) scanned at 1.5T. To verify the improvement in feature selection stability, we compared our proposed ensemble technique, which uses a combination of bagging and boosting (BB-RENT), with the well-established elastic net. The proposed radiomics model achieved an area under the curve of 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82–0.89) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.74–0.86) in discriminating NPC and BH in the 3T training and 1.5T testing cohort, respectively, using 17 features selected from a pool of 422 features by the proposed feature selection technique. BB-RENT showed a better feature selection stability compared to the elastic net (Jaccard index = 0.39 ± 0.14 and 0.24 ± 0.06, respectively; p < 0.001).
Lignin-Derived Ternary Polymeric Carbon as a Green Catalyst for Ethyl Levulinate Upgrading from Fructose
Authors: Yu Dayong , Liu Xiaofang , Luo Hangyu , Huang Jinshu , Li Hu
Published: July 2022

Currently, the utilization of lignocellulose mainly focuses on the conversion of polysaccharide components to value-added chemicals, such as ethyl levulinate (EL). Lignin is an important component of lignocellulosic biomass that is often neglected. Herein, ternary polymeric carbon (TPC–S) was synthesized by polymerization of mixed monomers (4-methylphenol, 4-ethylphenol, and 4-propylphenol) derived from lignin and subsequent sulfonation, which was used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the transformation of fructose to EL. Through a series of characterization methods, it was illustrated that the prepared catalyst had a layered porous structure. The calculated carbon layer spacing is 0.413 nm, and the average pore size is 5.1 nm. This structure greatly increases the specific surface area (165.2 m2/g) of the catalyst, which makes it possible to introduce more –SO3H species in the process of sulfonation, thus furnishing EL with increased yield. The effects of reaction temperature, time, catalyst dosage, and fructose initial concentration on the production of EL were investigated. It was found that 70.3% EL yield was detected at 130 °C for 10 h. In addition, the catalyst had good stability and could obtain 65.6% yield of EL in the fourth cycle. The obtained catalyst has the advantages of low cost, easy preparation, and high catalytic efficiency, which is expected to achieve efficient utilization of lignin and provide a potential solution for the future production of EL.
Ag-MnxOy on Graphene Oxide Derivatives as Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalyst in Alkaline Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells
Authors: Wolf Sigrid , Roschger Michaela , Genorio Boštjan , Kolar Mitja , Garstenauer Daniel , Bitschnau Brigitte , Hacker Viktor
Published: July 2022

In this study, Ag-MnxOy/C composite catalysts deposited on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and, for the first time on N-doped graphene oxide (NGO), were prepared via a facile synthesis method. The influence of the carbon support material on the activity and stability of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and on the tolerance to ethanol in alkaline medium was focused and investigated. The physicochemical properties of the Ag-MnxOy/C catalysts were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and thermogravimetric gas analysis (TGA). Electrochemical characterization was performed by rotating disk electrode (RDE) experiments. The results show that the active manganese species MnO2 was assembled as nanorods and nanospheres on rGO and NGO, respectively. Ag was assumed to be present as very small or amorphous particles. Similar redox processes for Ag-MnxOy/rGO and Ag-MnxOy/NGO were examined via cyclic voltammetry. The Ag-MnxOy/rGO resulted in a more negative diffusion limiting current density of −3.01 mA cm−2 compared to Ag-MnxOy/NGO. The onset potential of approximately 0.9 V vs. RHE and the favored 4-electron transfer pathway were independent of the support material. Ag-MnxOy/NGO exhibited a higher ORR stability, whereas Ag-MnxOy/rGO showed a better ethanol tolerance.
A Novel NADP(H)-Dependent 7alpha-HSDH: Discovery and Construction of Substrate Selectivity Mutant by C-Terminal Truncation
Authors: Pan Yinping , Tang Shijin , Zhou Minghai , Ao Fanglin , Tang Zhuozhou , Zhu Liancai , Lou Deshuai , Tan Jun , Wang Bochu
Published: July 2022

7α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7α-HSDH) plays an important role in the biosynthesis of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) using complex substrate chicken bile powder as raw material. However, chicken bile powder contains 4.74% taurocholic acid (TCA), and a new by-product tauroursocholic acid (TUCA) will be produced, having the risk of causing colorectal cancer. Here, we obtained a novel NADP(H)-dependent 7α-HSDH with good thermostability from Ursus thibetanus gut microbiota (named St-2-2). St-2-2 could catalyze taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) and TCA with the catalytic activity of 128.13 and 269.39 U/mg, respectively. Interestingly, by a structure-based C-terminal truncation strategy, St-2-2△C10 only remained catalytic activity on TCDCA (14.19 U/mg) and had no activity on TCA. As a result, it can selectively catalyze TCDCA in waste chicken bile powder. MD simulation and structural analysis indicated that enhanced surface hydrophilicity and improved C-terminal rigidity affected the entry and exit of substrates. Hydrogen bond interactions between different subunits and interaction changes in Phe249 of the C-terminal loop inverted the substrate catalytic activity. This is the first report on substrate selectivity of 7α-HSDH by C-terminal truncation strategy and it can be extended to other 7α-HSDHs (J-1-1, S1-a-1).
The Impact of Infused Autograft Absolute Numbers of Immune Effector Cells on Survival Post-Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Porrata Luis F.
Published: July 2022

Autologous stem cell transplantation treatment has been viewed as a therapeutic modality to enable the infusion of higher doses of chemotherapy to eradicate tumor cells. Nevertheless, recent reports have shown that, in addition to stem cells, infusion of autograft immune effector cells produces an autologous graft-versus-tumor effect, similar to the graft-versus-tumor effect observed in allogeneic-stem cell transplantation, but without the clinical complications of graft-versus-host disease. In this review, I assess the impact on clinical outcomes following infusions of autograft-antigen presenting cells, autograft innate and adaptive immune effector cells, and autograft immunosuppressive cells during autologous stem cell transplantation. This article is intended to provide a platform to change the current paradigmatic view of autologous stem cell transplantation, from a high-dose chemotherapy-based treatment to an adoptive immunotherapeutic intervention.
Impact of Enhanced Phagocytosis of Glycated Erythrocytes on Human Endothelial Cell Functions
Authors: Turpin Chloé , Apalama Marie Laurine , Carnero Bastian , Otero-Cacho Alberto , Munuzuri Alberto P. , Flores-Arias Maria Teresa , Vélia Erick , Meilhac Olivier , Bourdon Emmanuel , Álvarez Ezequiel , Rondeau Philippe
Published: July 2022

Diabetes is associated with a high mortality rate due to vascular complications. Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes leads to enhanced oxidative stress and glycation. Here, we explored the impact of glycation on human erythrocyte characteristics and capacity to affect endothelial cell function following erythrophagocytosis. Native and glucose-mediated glycated erythrocytes were prepared and characterized in terms of structural and deformability modifications. Erythrocyte preparations were tested for their binding and phagocytosis capacity as well as the potential functional consequences on human endothelial cell lines and primary cultures. Oxidative modifications were found to be enhanced in glycated erythrocytes after determination of their deformability, advanced glycation end-product content and eryptosis. Erythrophagocytosis by endothelial cells was significantly increased when incubated in the presence of glycated erythrocytes. In addition, higher iron accumulation, oxidative stress and impaired endothelial cell permeability were evidenced in cells previously incubated with glycated erythrocytes. When cultured under flow conditions, cellular integrity was disrupted by glycated erythrocytes at microvessel bifurcations, areas particularly prone to vascular complications. This study provides important new data on the impact of glycation on the structure of erythrocytes and their ability to alter endothelial cell function. Increased erythrophagocytosis may have a deleterious impact on endothelial cell function with adverse consequences on diabetic vascular complications.
Chip-Based and Wearable Tools for Isothermal Amplification and Electrochemical Analysis of Nucleic Acids
Authors: Patiti Claudia , Sfragano Patrick Severin , Laschi Serena , Pillozzi Serena , Boddi Anna , Crociani Olivia , Bernini Andrea , Palchetti Ilaria
Published: July 2022

The determination of nucleic acids has become an analytical diagnostic method with many applications in fields such as biomedical sciences, environmental monitoring, forensic identification, and food safety. Among the different methods for nucleic acid analysis, those based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are nowadays considered the gold standards. Isothermal amplification methods are an interesting alternative, especially in the design of chip-based architectures. Biosensing platforms hold great promise for the simple and rapid detection of nucleic acids since they can be embedded in lab-on-a-chip tools to perform nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection steps. Electrochemical transduction schemes are particularly interesting in the design of small and portable devices due to miniaturization, low-energy consumption, and multianalyte detection capability. The aim of this review is to summarize the different applications of isothermal amplification methods combined with electrochemical biosensing techniques in the development of lab-on-a-chip tools and wearable sensors. Different isothermal amplification methods are revised, and examples of different applications are discussed. Finally, a discussion on patented devices is also included.
Quality in Clinical Consultations: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Graf Anneke , Koh Chan Hee , Caldwell Gordon , Grieve Joan , Tan Melissa , Hassan Jasmine , Bakaya Kaushiki , Marcus Hani J. , Baldeweg Stephanie E.
Published: July 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic may have affected the quality of clinical consultations. The objective was to use 10 proposed quality indicator questions to assess outpatient consultation quality; to assess whether the recent shift to telemedicine during the pandemic has affected consultation quality; and to determine whether consultation quality is associated with satisfaction and consultation outcome. A cross-sectional study was used to survey clinicians and patients after outpatient consultations (1 February to 31 March 2021). The consultation quality score (CQS) was the sum of ‘yes’ responses to the survey questions. In total, 78% (538/690) of consultations conducted were assessed by a patient, clinician, or both. Patient survey response rate was 60% (415/690) and clinician 42% (291/690). Face-to-face consultations had a greater CQS than telephone (patients and clinicians < 0.001). A greater CQS was associated with higher overall satisfaction (clinicians log-odds: 0.77 ± 0.52, p = 0.004; patients log-odds: 1.35 ± 0.57, p < 0.001) and with definitive consultation outcomes (clinician log-odds: 0.44 ± 0.36, p = 0.03). In conclusion, consultation quality is assessable; the shift to telemedicine has negatively impacted consultation quality; and high-quality consultations are associated with greater satisfaction and definitive consultation outcome decisions.
Kinetic Modeling of Grain Boundary Diffusion: Typical, Bi-Modal, and Semi-Lamellar Polycrystalline Coating Morphologies
Authors: Jaseliūnaitė Justina , Povilaitis Mantas , Galdikas Arvaidas
Published: July 2022

Polycrystalline coatings and materials are widely used in engineering applications. Therefore, it is important to know their kinetics and mass transport mechanisms. The effect of grain boundaries (GBs) on diffusion in thin films with different morphologies lacks understanding. Numerical studies are necessary to study GB kinetics but are limited to simplified cases. The present work addresses the lack of diffusion studies in more complex morphologies. Diffusion in two-dimensional polycrystalline coatings of typical, bi-modal, and semi-lamellar morphologies was modeled and the influence of the microstructure on the diffusion regimes and the overall rate was identified. Different morphologies with similar diffusion coefficients provided different regimes. The regime depends not only on the total diffusivity and grain/GB diffusivities, but also on the morphological features of the surface. While the fast diffusion pathways of GBs accelerated diffusion, the level of acceleration depends on the morphology since fast pathways and flux areas are limited to GBs. GB distribution is important to the mass transfer process, as GBs accelerate diffusion locally. The overall diffusion rate is generally dependent on the diffusion coefficients ratio. Nevertheless, the level of this dependence relies on the morphology.
Molecular Mechanism of Organic Crystal Nucleation: A Perspective of Solution Chemistry and Polymorphism
Authors: Zhou Jianmin , Zhou Yixin , Tang Weiwei
Published: July 2022

Crystal nucleation determining the formation and assembly pathway of first organic materials is the central science of various scientific disciplines such as chemical, geochemical, biological, and synthetic materials. However, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of nucleation remains limited. Over the past decades, the advancements of new experimental and computational techniques have renewed numerous interests in detailed molecular mechanisms of crystal nucleation, especially structure evolution and solution chemistry. These efforts bifurcate into two categories: (modified) classical nucleation theory (CNT) and non-classical nucleation mechanisms. In this review, we briefly introduce the two nucleation mechanisms and summarize current molecular understandings of crystal nucleation that are specifically applied in polymorphic crystallization systems of small organic molecules. Many important aspects of crystal nucleation including molecular association, solvation, aromatic interactions, and hierarchy in intermolecular interactions were examined and discussed for a series of organic molecular systems. The new understandings relating to molecular self-assembly in nucleating systems have suggested more complex multiple nucleation pathways that are associated with the formation and evolution of molecular aggregates in solution.