bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Galactose-Clicked Curcumin-Mediated Reversal of Meropenem Resistance among Klebsiella pneumoniae by Targeting Its Carbapenemases and the AcrAB-TolC Efflux System
Authors: Yadav Shivangi , Singh Ashish Kumar , Agrahari Anand K. , Pandey Akhilesh Kumar , Gupta Munesh Kumar , Chakravortty Dipshikha , Tiwari Vinod Kumar , Prakash Pradyot
Published: April 2021

In over eighty years, despite successive antibiotics discoveries, the rapid advent of multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens has jolted our misapprehension of success over them. Resistance is spreading faster than the discovery of new antibiotics/antimicrobials. Therefore, the search for better antimicrobials/additives becomes prudent. A water-soluble curcumin derivative (Curaq) was synthesised, employing a Cu (I) catalysed 1, 3-cyclo addition reaction; it has been evaluated as a potential treatment for multidrug-resistant isolates and as an antibiotic adjuvant for meropenem against hypervirulent multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. We also investigated its solubility and effect over carbapenemase activity. Additionally, we investigated its impact on the AcrAB-TolC system. We found that Curaq inhibited bacterial growth at a minimal concentration of 16 µg/mL; at a 32 µg/mL concentration, it killed bacterial growth completely. Only nine (9.4%) Klebsiella isolates were sensitive to meropenem; however, after synergising with Curaq (8 µg/mL), 85 (88.54%) hvKP isolates became sensitive to the drug. The Curaq also inhibited the AcrAB-TolC efflux system at 1 µg/mL concentration by disrupting the membrane potential and causing depolarisation. The kinetic parameters obtained also indicated its promise as a carbapenemase inhibitor. These results suggest that Curaq can be an excellent drug candidate as a broad-spectrum antibacterial and anti-efflux agent.
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Animals in Greece
Authors: Athanasakopoulou Zoi , Reinicke Martin , Diezel Celia , Sofia Marina , Chatzopoulos Dimitris C. , Braun Sascha D. , Reissig Annett , Spyrou Vassiliki , Monecke Stefan , Ehricht Ralf , Tsilipounidaki Katerina , Giannakopoulos Alexios , Petinaki Efthymia , Billinis Charalambos
Published: April 2021

The prevalence of multidrug resistant, extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is increasing worldwide. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the multidrug resistance phenotype and genotype of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates of livestock and wild bird origin in Greece. Nineteen phenotypically confirmed ESBL-producing E. coli strains isolated from fecal samples of cattle (n = 7), pigs (n = 11) and a Eurasian magpie that presented resistance to at least one class of non β-lactam antibiotics, were selected and genotypically characterized. A DNA-microarray based assay was used, which allows the detection of various genes associated with antimicrobial resistance. All isolates harbored blaCTX-M-1/15, while blaTEM was co-detected in 13 of them. The AmpC gene blaMIR was additionally detected in one strain. Resistance genes were also reported for aminoglycosides in all 19 isolates, for quinolones in 6, for sulfonamides in 17, for trimethoprim in 14, and for macrolides in 8. The intI1 and/or tnpISEcp1 genes, associated with mobile genetic elements, were identified in all but two isolates. This report describes the first detection of multidrug resistance genes among ESBL-producing E. coli strains retrieved from feces of cattle, pigs, and a wild bird in Greece, underlining their dissemination in diverse ecosystems and emphasizing the need for a One-Health approach when addressing the issue of antimicrobial resistance.
Binding and Action of Triphenylphosphonium Analog of Chloramphenicol upon the Bacterial Ribosome
Authors: Chen Chih-Wei , Pavlova Julia A. , Lukianov Dmitrii A. , Tereshchenkov Andrey G. , Makarov Gennady I. , Khairullina Zimfira Z. , Tashlitsky Vadim N. , Paleskava Alena , Konevega Andrey L. , Bogdanov Alexey A. , Osterman Ilya A. , Sumbatyan Natalia V. , Polikanov Yury S.
Published: April 2021

Chloramphenicol (CHL) is a ribosome-targeting antibiotic that binds to the peptidyl transferase center (PTC) of the bacterial ribosome and inhibits peptide bond formation. As an approach for modifying and potentially improving the properties of this inhibitor, we explored ribosome binding and inhibitory properties of a semi-synthetic triphenylphosphonium analog of CHL—CAM-C4-TPP. Our data demonstrate that this compound exhibits a ~5-fold stronger affinity for the bacterial ribosome and higher potency as an in vitro protein synthesis inhibitor compared to CHL. The X-ray crystal structure of the Thermus thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with CAM-C4-TPP reveals that, while its amphenicol moiety binds at the PTC in a fashion identical to CHL, the C4-TPP tail adopts an extended propeller-like conformation within the ribosome exit tunnel where it establishes multiple hydrophobic Van der Waals interactions with the rRNA. The synthesized compound represents a promising chemical scaffold for further development by medicinal chemists because it simultaneously targets the two key functional centers of the bacterial ribosome—PTC and peptide exit tunnel.
A Concise Review of Silver Diamine Fluoride on Oral Biofilm
Authors: Zhang Jingyang , Got Sofiya-Roksolana , Yin Iris Xiaoxue , Lo Edward Chin-Man , Chu Chun-Hung
Published: April 2021

Studies have shown that silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an effective agent to arrest and prevent dental caries due to its mineralizing and antibacterial properties. While plenty of studies have investigated the mineralizing properties, there are few papers that have examined its antibacterial effect on oral biofilm. The objective of this study was to identify the effect of silver diamine fluoride on oral biofilm. Method: The keywords used were (silver diamine fluoride OR silver diammine fluoride OR SDF OR silver fluoride OR AgF AND biofilm OR plaque). Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts and then retrieved the full text of the potentially eligible publications. Publications of original research investigating the effect of SDF on oral biofilm were selected for this review. Results: This review included 15 laboratory studies and six clinical studies among the 540 papers identified. The laboratory studies found that SDF could prevent bacterial adhesion to the tooth surface. SDF also inhibited the growth of cariogenic bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Actinomyces naeslundii, and Enterococcus faecalis, thus contributing to its success in caries arrest. One clinical study reported a decrease in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus sp. in arrested caries after SDF treatment, and another clinical study found that SDF inhibited the growth of periodontitis microbiota, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens. However, three clinical studies reported no significant change in the microbial diversity of the plaque on the tooth after SDF treatment. Moreover, one laboratory study and one clinical research study reported that SDF inhibited the growth of Candida albicans. Conclusion: Not many research studies have investigated the effects of SDF on oral biofilm, although SDF has been used as a caries-arresting agent with antibacterial properties. However, a few publications have reported that SDF prevented bacterial adhesion to the teeth, inhibited the growth of cariogenic and periodontal bacteria, and possessed antifungal properties.
EPTlib: An Open-Source Extensible Collection of Electric Properties Tomography Techniques
Authors: Arduino Alessandro
Published: April 2021

Electric properties tomography (EPT) is a novel magnetic resonance imaging–based method to estimate non-invasively the distribution of the electric properties in the human body. In this paper, EPTlib, an open-source extensible C++ library collecting ready-to-use algorithms for electric properties tomography, is presented. Currently, EPTlib implements three techniques, named Helmholtz-EPT, convection-reaction-EPT and gradient-EPT, whose derivation and implementation is deeply discussed. Moreover, the configuration files needed by the terminal application included in EPTlib to apply the implemented techniques are outlined. The three techniques are applied to a couple of model problems in order to highlight their main features and the effects of the tunable parameters.
GraphMS: Drug Target Prediction Using Graph Representation Learning with Substructures
Authors: Cheng Shicheng , Zhang Liang , Jin Bo , Zhang Qiang , Lu Xinjiang , You Mao , Tian Xueqing
Published: April 2021

The prediction of drug–target interactions is always a key task in the field of drug redirection. However, traditional methods of predicting drug–target interactions are either mediocre or rely heavily on data stacking. In this work, we proposed our model named GraphMS. We merged heterogeneous graph information and obtained effective node information and substructure information based on mutual information in graph embeddings. We then learned high quality representations for downstream tasks, and proposed an end–to–end auto–encoder model to complete the task of link prediction. Experimental results show that our method outperforms several state–of–the–art models. The model can achieve the area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve of 0.959 and area under the precise recall curve (AUPR) of 0.847. We found that the mutual information between the substructure and graph–level representations contributes most to the mutual information index in a relatively sparse network. And the mutual information between the node–level and graph–level representations contributes most in a relatively dense network.
Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems
Authors: Gasparetto Alessandro , Seriani Stefano , Scalera Lorenzo
Published: April 2021

Nowadays, the modelling and control of mechatronic and robotic systems is an open and challenging field of investigation in both industry and academia [...]
Numerical and One-Dimensional Studies of Supersonic Ejectors for Refrigeration Application: The Significance of Wall Pressure Variation in the Converging Mixing Section
Authors: Djajadiwinata Eldwin , Sadek Shereef , Alaqel Shaker , Orfi Jamel , Al-Ansary Hany
Published: April 2021

This paper studies the pressure variation that exists on the converging mixing section wall of a supersonic ejector for refrigeration application. The objective is to show that the ejector one-dimensional model can be improved by considering this wall’s pressure variation which is typically assumed constant. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to obtain the pressure variation on the aforementioned wall. Four different ejectors were simulated. An ejector was obtained from a published experimental work and used to validate the CFD simulations. The other three ejectors were a modification of the first ejector and used for the parametric study. The secondary mass flow rate, m˙s, was the main parameter to compare. The CFD validation results indicate that the transition SST turbulence model is better than the k-omega SST model in predicting the m˙s. The results of the ejector one-dimensional model were compared before and after incorporating the wall pressure variation. The comparison shows that the effect of the pressure variation is significant at certain operating conditions. Even around 2% change in the average pressure can give around 32% difference in the prediction of m˙s. For the least sensitive case, around 2% change in the average pressure can give around 7% difference in the prediction.
Effects of Discharge Area and Atomizing Gas Type in Full Cone Twin-Fluid Atomizer on Extinguishing Performance of Heptane Pool Fire under Two Heat Release Rate Conditions in an Enclosed Chamber
Authors: Kim Dong Hwan , Lee Chi Young , Oh Chang Bo
Published: April 2021

In this study, the effects of discharge area and atomizing gas type in a twin-fluid atomizer on heptane pool fire-extinguishing performance were investigated under the heat release rate conditions of 1.17 and 5.23 kW in an enclosed chamber. Large and small full cone twin-fluid atomizers were prepared. Nitrogen and air were used as atomizing gases. With respect to the droplet size of water mist, as the water and air flow rates decreased and increased, respectively, the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the water mist decreased. The SMD of large and small atomizers were in the range of approximately 12–60 and 12–49 μm, respectively. With respect to the discharge area effect, the small atomizer exhibited a shorter extinguishing time, lower peak surface temperature, and higher minimum oxygen concentration than the large atomizer. Furthermore, it was observed that the effect of the discharge area on fire-extinguishing performance is dominant under certain flow rate conditions. With respect to the atomizing gas type effect, nitrogen and air appeared to exhibit nearly similar extinguishing times, peak surface temperatures, and minimum oxygen concentrations under most flow rate conditions. Based on the present and previous studies, it was revealed that the effect of atomizing gas type on fire-extinguishing performance is dependent on the relative positions of the discharged flow and fire source.
SPAER: Sparse Deep Convolutional Autoencoder Model to Extract Low Dimensional Imaging Biomarkers for Early Detection of Breast Cancer Using Dynamic Thermography
Authors: Yousefi Bardia , Akbari Hamed , Hershman Michelle , Kawakita Satoru , Fernandes Henrique C. , Ibarra-Castanedo Clemente , Ahadian Samad , Maldague Xavier P. V.
Published: April 2021

Early diagnosis of breast cancer unequivocally improves the survival rate of patients and is crucial for disease treatment. With the current developments in infrared imaging, breast screening using dynamic thermography seems to be a great complementary method for clinical breast examination (CBE) prior to mammography. In this study, we propose a sparse deep convolutional autoencoder model named SPAER to extract low-dimensional deep thermomics to aid breast cancer diagnosis. The model receives multichannel, low-rank, approximated thermal bases as input images. SPAER provides a solution for high-dimensional deep learning features and selects the predominant basis matrix using matrix factorization techniques. The model has been evaluated using five state-of-the-art matrix factorization methods and 208 thermal breast cancer screening cases. The best accuracy was for non-negative matrix factorization (NMF)-SPAER + Clinical and NMF-SPAER for maintaining thermal heterogeneity, leading to finding symptomatic cases with accuracies of 78.2% (74.3–82.5%) and 77.7% (70.9–82.1%), respectively. SPAER showed significant robustness when tested for additive Gaussian noise cases (3–20% noise), evaluated by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The results suggest high performance of SPAER for preserveing thermal heterogeneity, and it can be used as a noninvasive in vivo tool aiding CBE in the early detection of breast cancer.
Towards a Technological Ecosystem to Provide Information Dashboards as a Service: A Dynamic Proposal for Supplying Dashboards Adapted to Specific Scenarios
Authors: Vázquez-Ingelmo Andrea , García-Peñalvo Francisco José , Therón Roberto
Published: April 2021

Data are crucial to improve decision-making and obtain greater benefits in any type of activity. However, the large amount of information generated by new technologies has made data analysis and knowledge generation a complex task. Numerous tools have emerged to facilitate this generation of knowledge, such as dashboards. Although dashboards are useful tools, their effectiveness can be affected by poor design or by not taking into account the context in which they are placed. Therefore, it is necessary to design and create custom dashboards according to the audience and data domain. This paper presents an application of the software product line paradigm and the integration of this approach into a web service to allow users to request source code for customized information dashboards. The main goal is to introduce the idea of creating a holistic ecosystem of different services to craft and integrate information visualizations in a variety of contexts. One of the contexts that can be especially favored by this approach is the educational context, where learning analytics, data analysis of student performance, and didactic tools are becoming very relevant. Three different use cases of this approach are presented to illustrate the benefits of the developed generative service.
Using a Lossy Electrical Transmission Line Model for Optimizing Straw Phonation Configurations
Authors: Rosenthal Jonah , Haderlein Nicole , Silverman Matthew , Scholp Austin , Jiang Jack
Published: April 2021

Straw phonation has a long history of being a successful vocal therapy technique. However, not much is known about the mechanics of phonation with a straw, nor the best combination of phoneme and straw dimensions to be used. A significant limitation in research thus far is the complexity of existing models and computation techniques to determine acoustic and aerodynamic values such as impedance. In this study, a new electrical circuit-based model of the vocal tract as a transmission line is evaluated and compared to established impedance calculation methods. Results indicate that the model is not complete yet, so several adjustments are suggested and discussed. In addition, straw phonation configurations are examined using previously developed models to determine which maximize impedance and power.
Variations in Wave Energy and Amplitudes along the Ray Paths of Barotropic Rossby Waves in Horizontally Non-Uniform Basic Flows
Authors: Li Yaokun , Chao Jiping , Kang Yanyan
Published: April 2021

A non-divergent barotropic model on a sphere transformed to Mercator coordinates is used to examine the variations in wave energy and amplitude along the energy dispersion paths of barotropic Rossby waves in non-uniform basic flows. Wave energy can be easily solved by specifying the divergence of the group velocity along the corresponding rays. In an analytical non-uniform basic flow that represents the basic features of the observed one at middle latitudes, waves with different periods decay accompanying the decreases in wave energy and amplitude and the increase in the total wavenumber. This implies that the waves are trapped and the energy is eventually absorbed by the basic flow. For the observed non-uniform basic flow that can represent the basic features of the non-divergent wind field at 200 hPa, the situation is more complicated. The significant increase in wave energy can be caused by either the convergence of wave energy or the barotropic energy absorption from the basic flow or both of them. A significant increase in amplitude can also be observed if the total wavenumber varies moderately. This means waves can significantly develop. Waves may decay if both wave energy and amplitude decrease. Waves may propagate without significant developing or decaying to realize a long distance propagation. The propagating waves are mainly caused by oscillating wave energy as well as amplitude.
Solomon Marcus Contributions to Theoretical Computer Science and Applications
Authors: Calude Cristian , Păun Gheorghe
Published: April 2021

Solomon Marcus (1925–2016) was one of the founders of the Romanian theoretical computer science. His pioneering contributions to automata and formal language theories, mathematical linguistics and natural computing have been widely recognised internationally. In this paper we briefly present his publications in theoretical computer science and related areas, which consist in almost ninety papers. Finally we present a selection of ten Marcus books in these areas.
Biomechanically Tunable Nano-Silica/P-HEMA Structural Hydrogels for Bone Scaffolding
Authors: Aversa Raffaella , Petrescu Relly Victoria , Petrescu Florian Ion T. , Perrotta Valeria , Apicella Davide , Apicella Antonio
Published: April 2021

Innovative tissue engineering biomimetic hydrogels based on hydrophilic polymers have been investigated for their physical and mechanical properties. 5% to 25% by volume loading PHEMA-nanosilica glassy hybrid samples were equilibrated at 37 °C in aqueous physiological isotonic and hypotonic saline solutions (0.15 and 0.05 M NaCl) simulating two limiting possible compositions of physiological extracellular fluids. The glassy and hydrated hybrid materials were characterized by both dynamo-mechanical properties and equilibrium absorptions in the two physiological-like aqueous solutions. The mechanical and morphological modifications occurring in the samples have been described. The 5% volume nanosilica loading hybrid nanocomposite composition showed mechanical characteristics in the dry and hydrated states that were comparable to those of cortical bone and articular cartilage, respectively, and then chosen for further sorption kinetics characterization. Sorption and swelling kinetics were monitored up to equilibrium. Changes in water activities and osmotic pressures in the water-hybrid systems equilibrated at the two limiting solute molarities of the physiological solutions have been related to the observed anomalous sorption modes using the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter approach. The bulk modulus of the dry and glassy PHEMA-5% nanosilica hybrid at 37 °C has been observed to be comparable with the values of the osmotic pressures generated from the sorption of isotonic and hypotonic solutions. The anomalous sorption modes and swelling rates are coherent with the difference between osmotic swelling pressures and hybrid glassy nano-composite bulk modulus: the lower the differences the higher the swelling rate and equilibrium solution uptakes. Bone tissue engineering benefits of the use of tuneable biomimetic scaffold biomaterials that can be “designed” to act as biocompatible and biomechanically active hybrid interfaces are discussed.
Role of Neonatal Biomarkers of Exposure to Psychoactive Substances to Identify Maternal Socio-Demographic Determinants
Authors: Jarque Pilar , Roca Antonia , Gomila Isabel , Marchei Emilia , Tittarelli Roberta , Elorza Miguel Ángel , Sanchís Pilar , Barceló Bernardino
Published: April 2021

Background: The accurate assessment of fetal exposure to psychoactive substances provides the basis for appropriate clinical care of neonates. The objective of this study was to identify maternal socio-demographic profiles and risk factors for prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse by measuring biomarkers in neonatal matrices. Methods: A prospective, observational cohort study was completed. Biomarkers of fetal exposure were measured in meconium samples. The mothers were interviewed using a questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 372 mothers were included, 49 (13.2%) testing positive for psychoactive substances use: 24 (49.0%) for cannabis, 11 (22.5%) for ethyl glucuronide, six (12.2%) for cocaine, and in eight (16.3%) more than one psychoactive substance. Mothers who consumed any psychoactive substance (29.7 ± 6.6 years) or cannabis (27.0 ± 5.7 years) were younger than non-users (32.8 ± 6.2 years, p < 0.05). Cocaine (50.0% vs. 96.9%, p < 0.05) and polydrug users (37.5% vs. 96.9%, p < 0.05) showed a lower levels of pregnancy care. Previous abortions were associated with the use of two or more psychoactive substances (87.5% vs. 37.8%, p < 0.05). Single-mother families (14.3% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.05) and mothers with primary level education (75.5% vs. 55.1%, p < 0.05) presented a higher consumption of psychoactive substances. Independent risk factors that are associated with prenatal exposure include: maternal age < 24 years (odds ratio: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.12–5.87), lack of pregnancy care (odds ratio: 7.27; 95%CI: 2.51–21.02), single-mother families (odds ratio: 4.98; 95%CI: 1.37–8.13), and active tobacco smoking (odds ratio: 8.13; 95%CI: 4.03–16.43). Conclusions: These results will allow us to develop several risk-based drug screening approaches to improve the early detection of exposed neonates.
Assessment of Agreement between Two Difference Prostate-Specific Antigen Assay Modalities
Authors: Chung Jae Hoon , Park Minsu , Cho Hyun , Song Wan , Kang Minyong , Sung Hyun Hwan , Jeon Hwang Gyun , Jeong Byong Chang , Seo Seong IL , Lee Hyun Moo , Jeon Seong Soo
Published: April 2021

There is controversy over the usefulness of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a prostate cancer (PCa) biomarker. This controversy arises when there are differences in the results of PSA assay modalities. In this study, which aimed to evaluate a proper validation between the two PSA assay modalities, the agreement between the results of the two modalities was analyzed. PSA examinations were conducted using two PSA assay modalities in 4810 patients. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa analysis were used to evaluate the agreement between the two assay modalities. A linear regression was performed to evaluate the association between the two assay modalities. According to ICC values (ICC: 0.999, p < 0.001) and weighted kappa analysis values (kappa: 0.951, alpha’s standard error (ASE): 0.001, p < 0.0001), the agreement between the assay modalities was rated as excellent. However, the strength of agreement was poor in the following PSA sub-groups: 0.05–0.1 ng/mL (ICC: 0.281, p = 0.0860); 0.15–0.2 ng/mL (ICC: 0.288, p = 0.0036); 1.5–2.0 ng/mL (ICC: 0.360, p = 0.0860); and 2.0–2.5 ng/mL (ICC: 0.303, p = 0.0868). In linear regression analysis, when modality B PSA yielded a value of 0.2 ng/mL, the expected value for modality A was 0.258 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.255–0.260), and when modality B PSA yielded a value of 4 ng/mL, the expected value for modality A was 3.192 ng/mL (95% CI: 3.150–3.235). The difference in the PSA values between the two PSA assay modalities is confirmed, and this difference may be clinically meaningful.
Metabolomic Profiling of Lipids and Fatty Acids: 3 Years Postoperative Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
Authors: Sharma Charu , Platat Carine , Gariballa Salah , Muhairi Shamma Jauaan Al , Aidaros Anas Al , Mannaerts Guido Hein Huib , Al Afari Hamouda Salim , Yasin Javed , Y. Al-Dirbashi Osama , Alkaabi Juma
Published: April 2021

Visceral obesity is common in the United Arab Emirates and worldwide. Although laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) leads to effective and sustainable weight loss, its long-term beneficial impact on other risk factors, including blood lipid and fatty acid (FA) profiles, remains unknown. These two profiles were assessed in patients 3 years after undergoing LSG and in LSG candidates (controls). Lipid profiles were measured using the Cobas e411 modular analyzer, and 35 FAs were identified. The age and body mass index were 36.55 ± 8.65 years and 31.49 ± 6.43 kg/m2 in the LSG group and 35.44 ± 9.51 years and 32.29 ± 5.38 kg/m2 in the control group, respectively. The overall lipid profile was more favorable in the LSG group than in the control group. Total saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs were similar between the groups, but total medium-chain FAs were more abundant in the LSG group. In endogenous FA synthesis, the estimated activity of C16Δ9 desaturase and Δ5 desaturase decreased, whereas that of elongase increased in the LSG group compared with that in the control group. The benefits of LSG on blood lipid and FA profiles in patients with 3-year LSG may be limited. Hence, lifestyle interventions combined with a long-term and strict regular follow-up regime may be warranted for patients undergoing LSG.
Agency, Ownership and the Potential Space
Authors: Arzy Shahar
Published: April 2021

The potential space, the space between the experiencer and the experience, is at the heart of Winnicott’s theory. The concepts of agency of one’s actions and ownership of one’s experience have been recently applied to such a space lying in between the experiencing self and the mental (cognitive) map she creates, representing her surroundings. Agency is defined as “the sense that I am the one who is generating the experience represented on a mental map”, while ownership is defined as “the sense that I am the one who is undergoing an experience, represented on a mental map”. Here these concepts are introduced and applied to five main realizations of Winnicott’s potential space: Playing, transitional phenomena, the therapeutic space, culture and creativity. Through theoretical constructs and clinical analyses, it is shown how agency and ownership, and their mutual interrelations, may help to better understand Winnicott’s theory with implications to clinical practice.
Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in a Nationwide Cohort of Older and Younger Veterans with Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, 2006–2019
Authors: Chien Hsu-Chih , Morreall Deborah , Patil Vikas , Rasmussen Kelli M. , Yong Christina , Li Chunyang , Passey Deborah G. , Burningham Zachary , Sauer Brian C. , Halwani Ahmad S.
Published: April 2021

Little is known about real-world treatment patterns and outcomes in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) following the recent introduction of newer treatments, especially among older adults. We describe patterns of first-line (1 L) WM treatment in early (2006–2012) and modern (2013–2019) eras and report outcomes (overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse event (AE)-related discontinuation) in younger (≤70 years) and older (>70 years) populations. We followed 166 younger and 152 older WM patients who received 1 L treatment between January 2006 and April 2019 in the Veterans Health Administration. Median follow-up was 43.5 months (range: 0.6–147.2 months). Compared to the early era, older patients in the modern era achieved improved ORRs (early: 63.8%, modern: 72.3%) and 41% lower risk of death/progression (hazard ratio (HR) for PFS: 0.59, 95% CI (confidence interval): 0.36–0.95), with little change in AE-related discontinuation between eras (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.4–1.7). In younger patients, the AE-related discontinuation risk increased almost fourfold (HR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.1–14), whereas treatment effects did not change between eras (HR for OS: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.66–2.8; HR for PFS: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.67–1.7). Marked improvements in survival among older adults accompanied a profound shift in 1 L treatment patterns for WM.
Breast Radiotherapy-Related Cardiotoxicity. When, How, Why. Risk Prevention and Control Strategies
Authors: Díaz-Gavela Ana , Figueiras-Graillet Lourdes , Luis Ángel , Salas Segura Juliana , Ciérvide Raquel , del Cerro Peñalver Elia , Couñago Felipe , Arenas Meritxell , López-Fernández Teresa
Published: April 2021

In recent decades, improvements in breast cancer management have increased overall patient survival; however, many cancer therapies have been linked to an important risk of cardiovascular adverse events. Cardio-oncology has been proposed as an emerging specialty to coordinate preventive strategies that improve the cardiovascular health of oncologic patients. It employs the most suitable personalized multidisciplinary management approach for each patient to optimize their cardiovascular health and improve their survival and quality of life. Radiotherapy is an essential part of the therapeutic regimen in breast cancer patients but can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, minimizing the negative impact of radiation therapy is an important challenge for radiotherapy oncologists and cardiologists specializing in this field. The aim of the present review is to update our knowledge about radiation-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients by undertaking a critical review of the relevant literature to determine risk prevention and control strategies currently available.
Colorectal Cancer and Immunity: From the Wet Lab to Individuals
Authors: Pramil Elodie , Dillard Clémentine , Escargueil Alexandre E.
Published: April 2021

Immunotherapy is a very promising field of research and application for treating cancers, in particular for those that are resistant to chemotherapeutics. Immunotherapy aims at enhancing immune cell activation to increase tumor cells recognition and killing. However, some specific cancer types, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), are less responsive than others to the current immunotherapies. Intrinsic resistance can be mediated by the development of an immuno-suppressive environment in CRC. The mutational status of cancer cells also plays a role in this process. CRC can indeed be distinguished in two main subtypes. Microsatellite instable (MSI) tumors show a hyper-mutable phenotype caused by the deficiency of the DNA mismatch repair machinery (MMR) while microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors show a comparatively more “stable” mutational phenotype. Several studies demonstrated that MSI CRC generally display good prognoses for patients and immunotherapy is considered as a therapeutic option for this type of tumors. On the contrary, MSS metastatic CRC usually presents a worse prognosis and is not responsive to immunotherapy. According to this, developing new and innovative models for studying CRC response towards immune targeted therapies has become essential in the last years. Herein, we review the in vitro and in vivo models used for research in the field of immunotherapy applied to colorectal cancer.
Immunotherapy Predictive Molecular Markers in Advanced Gastroesophageal Cancer: MSI and Beyond
Authors: Park Robin , Da Silva Laercio Lopes , Saeed Anwaar
Published: April 2021

Advanced gastroesophageal cancer (GEC) has a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Immunotherapy including the anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibodies pembrolizumab and nivolumab have been approved for use in various treatment settings in GEC. Additionally, frontline chemoimmunotherapy regimens have recently demonstrated promising efficacy in large phase III trials and have the potential to be added to the therapeutic armamentarium in the near future. There are currently several immunotherapy biomarkers that are validated for use in the clinical setting for GEC including programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression as well as the tumor agnostic biomarkers such as mismatch repair or microsatellite instability (MMR/MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB). However, apart from MMR/MSI, these biomarkers are imperfect because none are highly sensitive nor specific. Therefore, there is an unmet need for immunotherapy biomarker development. To this end, several biomarkers are currently being evaluated in ongoing trials with some showing promising predictive potential. Here, we summarize the landscape of immunotherapy predictive biomarkers that are currently being evaluated in GEC.
Permeability of Hypogymnia physodes Extract Component—Physodic Acid through the Blood–Brain Barrier as an Important Argument for Its Anticancer and Neuroprotective Activity within the Central Nervous System
Authors: Studzińska-Sroka Elżbieta , Majchrzak-Celińska Aleksandra , Zalewski Przemysław , Szwajgier Dominik , Baranowska-Wójcik Ewa , Żarowski Marcin , Plech Tomasz , Cielecka-Piontek Judyta
Published: April 2021

Lichen secondary metabolites are characterized by huge pharmacological potential. Our research focused on assessing the anticancer and neuroprotective activity of Hypogymnia physodes acetone extract (HP extract) and physodic acid, its major component. The antitumor properties were evaluated by cytotoxicity analysis using A-172, T98G, and U-138 MG glioblastoma cell lines and by hyaluronidase and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition. The neuroprotective potential was examined using COX-2, tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity tests. Moreover, the antioxidant potential of the tested substances was examined, and the chemical composition of the extract was analyzed. For physodic acid, the permeability through the blood–brain barrier using Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay for the Blood–Brain Barrier assay (PAMPA-BBB) was assessed. Our study shows that the tested substances strongly inhibited glioblastoma cell proliferation and hyaluronidase activity. Besides, HP extract diminished COX-2 and tyrosinase activity. However, the AChE and BChE inhibitory activity of HP extract and physodic acid were mild. The examined substances exhibited strong antioxidant activity. Importantly, we proved that physodic acid crosses the blood–brain barrier. We conclude that physodic acid and H. physodes should be regarded as promising agents with anticancer, chemopreventive, and neuroprotective activities, especially regarding the central nervous system diseases.
Catalytic Carbonylation Reactions
Authors: Mancuso Raffaella
Published: April 2021

In the last few years, the development of catalytic carbonylation reactions has increased greatly [...]
LPA1 Receptor Promotes Progesterone Receptor Phosphorylation through PKCα in Human Glioblastoma Cells
Authors: Valdés-Rives Silvia Anahi , Arcos-Montoya Denisse , de la Fuente-Granada Marisol , Zamora-Sánchez Carmen J. , Arias-Romero Luis Enrique , Villamar-Cruz Olga , Camacho-Arroyo Ignacio , Pérez-Tapia Sonia M. , González-Arenas Aliesha
Published: April 2021

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induces a wide range of cellular processes and its signaling is increased in several cancers including glioblastoma (GBM), a high-grade astrocytoma, which is the most common malignant brain tumor. LPA1 receptor is expressed in GBM cells and its signaling pathways activate protein kinases C (PKCs). A downstream target of PKC, involved in GBM progression, is the intracellular progesterone receptor (PR), which can be phosphorylated by this enzyme, increasing its transcriptional activity. Interestingly, in GBM cells, PKCα isotype translocates to the nucleus after LPA stimulation, resulting in an increase in PR phosphorylation. In this study, we determined that LPA1 receptor activation induces protein-protein interaction between PKCα and PR in human GBM cells; this interaction increased PR phosphorylation in serine400. Moreover, LPA treatment augmented VEGF transcription, a known PR target. This effect was blocked by the PR selective modulator RU486; also, the activation of LPA1/PR signaling promoted migration of GBM cells. Interestingly, using TCGA data base, we found that mRNA expression of LPAR1 increases according to tumor malignancy and correlates with a lower survival in grade III astrocytomas. These results suggest that LPA1/PR pathway regulates GBM progression.
Detubularized Ureterosigmoidostomy for the Creation of Continent Neobladder in Children: Cases Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Bindi Edoardo , Ilari Michele , Torino Giovanni , Mariscoli Francesca , Nino Fabiano , Cobellis Giovanni , Martino Ascanio
Published: April 2021

Introduction: To report our experience in continent urinary diversions, we describe two cases we treated performing detubularized ureterosigmoidostomy. In children, in the case of malformations or neoplastic diseases affecting the bladder, the need for a cystectomy is not so frequent. When cystectomy becomes mandatory, there is a need to create a continent bladder diversion. Mainz pouch II and Cologne pouch are procedures that utilize a detubularized sigma as a reservoir in order to build up a continent neo-bladder. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study performed at the Pediatric Surgical Unit of the Salesi Children’s Hospital. In this work, we reviewed data about two patients who underwent surgery for the creation of a sigmoid neo-bladder by the Mainz pouch II and Cologne pouch techniques. Results: In our experience, we treated a girl who was affected by a bladder’s rabdomiosarcoma and a girl born with a bladder exstrophy and treated at birth abroad. In both patients, a complete cystectomy was performed and a continent neo-bladder was created by a detubularized ureterosigmoidostomy. In the first case, we performed the Mainz pouch II technique and in the second, the Cologne pouch technique. Discussion: Different techniques have been developed with the main goal of the creation of an orthotopic neo-bladder, which has to be a low pressure reservoir with a continent sphincteric mechanism. Detubularized ureterosigmoidostomy is a good choice in pediatric patients. Our study, according to other works, shows that these procedure are safe with good long-term outcomes.
Differences in the Reaction of North Equatorial Countercurrent to the Developing and Mature Phase of ENSO Events in the Western Pacific Ocean
Authors: Wijaya Yusuf Jati , Hisaki Yukiharu
Published: April 2021

The North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) is an eastward zonal current closely related to an El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. This paper investigated the variations of NECC in the Western Pacific Ocean over 25 years (1993–2017) using satellite data provided by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) and the Remote Sensing System (RSS). The first mode of empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis showed that the NECC strengthened or weakened in each El Niño (La Niña) event during the developing or mature phase, respectively. We also found that the NECC shifting was strongly coincidental with an ENSO event. During the developing phase of an El Niño (La Niña) event, the NECC shifted southward (northward), and afterward, when it entered the mature phase, the NECC tended to shift slightly northward (southward). Moreover, the NECC strength was found to have undergone a weakening during the 2008–2017 period.
Heat Transfer in Nanomaterial Suspension (CuO and Al2O3) Using KKL Model
Authors: Awais Muhammad , Ehsan Awan Saeed , Raja Muhammad , Nawaz Muhammad , Khan Wasim , Yousaf Malik Muhammad , He Yigang
Published: April 2021

Novel nonlinear power-law flux models were utilized to model the heat transport phe-nomenon in nano-micropolar fluid over a flexible surface. The nonlinear conservation laws (mass, momentum, energy, mass transport and angular momentum) and KKL cor-relations for nanomaterial under novel flux model were solved numerically. Computed results were used to study the shear-thinning and shear-thickening nature of nano pol-ymer suspension by considering n-diffusion theory. Normalized velocity, temperature and micro-rotation profiles were investigated under the variation of physical parame-ters. Shear stresses at the wall for nanoparticles (CuO and Al2O3) were recorded and dis-played in the table. Error analyses for different physical parameters were prepared for various parameters to validate the obtained results.
Study on Spray Evaporation Treatment of Desulfurization Wastewater
Authors: Guo Huiqian , Wang Jing , Wu Jiangbo , Du Xiaoze
Published: April 2021

Limestone-gypsum wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) often produces a certain amount of wastewater with complex water quality and heavy metal pollution which should be treated properly before release. Spaying the desulfurization wastewater into flue duct and using exhausted flue gas heat for evaporation is a promising and economical technology for achieving zero wastewater discharge in thermal power plant. To enable a more in-depth understanding on evaporation of FGD wastewater spray, a visual wind tunnel test rig based on the atomized droplet laser measuring system was built to reveal the impact factors on droplet thermal-fluid behavior. The dominant impact factors such as compressed air pressure and flow rate in air-blast spray nozzle, hot air temperature and velocity in the evaporation tunnel were analyzed to discuss the droplet size distribution and evaporation performance through alternating operate condition. A discrete mathematical model that combines both Eulerian and Lagrangian framework was established to validate the experiment result. It is concluded that introducing high pressure compressed air into the nozzle can contribute to the dispersion of droplets and enhance the evaporation rate. Proper flow rate in spray nozzle is required to avoid incomplete droplets evaporation. Air temperature and velocity in the evaporation tunnel apply positive impact on droplet size distribution and evaporation performance. Numerical simulation results of both dominant factors impact on evaporation behavior and total evaporation rate showed consistency with the experimental outcome.
Improving the Protective Properties of Shellac-Based Varnishes by Functionalized Nanoparticles
Authors: Weththimuni Maduka L. , Milanese Chiara , Licchelli Maurizio , Malagodi Marco
Published: April 2021

Shellac is a natural varnish still known as one of the most elegant finishes for furniture and musical instruments, and currently used for restoration and refinishing of wooden antiques. However, it displays some limitations such as (i) sensitivity to alcoholic solvents (ii) softness of the coating, and (iii) considerable weathering due to photo- and bio-degradation. Hence, the main aim of this study was to improve the properties of shellac-based finish by introducing functionalized nanoparticles. Two inorganic nano-sized materials were considered: ZnO that was expected to reduce photo- and bio-degradation problems, and ZrO2 that was expected to improve the hardness of the varnish. Nanoparticles were synthesized and treated with a bifunctional silane coupling agent. Both plain and functionalized nanoparticles were extensively characterized using different experimental techniques. Functionalized nanoparticles were grafted on shellac through a reaction involving the epoxy-rings introduced on their surface. The resulting modified varnishes were applied on maple wood specimens according to traditional procedures. Different instrumental techniques and testing methods were used to characterize both nano-sized materials and the corresponding nanocomposites, as well as to evaluate the performance of the new coatings. The investigated composite materials display the same aesthetic appearance as plain shellac, while some other properties were improved. In particular, both nanocomposites are distinctly less soluble in alcohols than plain shellac and display antifungal properties. Moreover, coating containing functionalized ZnO nanoparticles displays photo-protection behavior, while shellac modified with ZrO2 nanoparticles exhibits a higher hardness when compared to the traditional varnish.
Performance Characteristics of Custom Thermocouples for Specialized Applications
Authors: Hadi Abdul-Sommed , Hill Bryce E. , Issahaq Mohammed Naziru
Published: April 2021

This work reports the performance characteristics of custom thermocouples developed for use in elevated temperatures such as metal casting operations. The scope of this research is limited to thermocouples designed using pyrolytic graphite (PG) as the primary thermoelement in connection with aluminum, copper, steel, and tungsten. The Seebeck coefficients of the sensors were determined from experimental data after heating to ~500 °C. Cooling from ~500 °C to room temperature enabled us to compare the characteristic behaviors of the sensors from the obtained near-linear responses in the voltage-temperature plots. Tungsten being a refractory metal produced the highest sensitivity of the sensors. The sensitivity of the PG-tungsten thermocouple upon heating measured up to 26 μV/°C and a slightly lower value of 24.2 μV/°C was obtained upon cooling. Conversely, the PG-steel thermocouple rather produced the lowest Seebeck coefficients of 13.8 μV/°C during heating and 14.0 μV/°C for the cooling experiments though steel has a high melting temperature than most of the other thermoelements.
Single Crystal Growth and Physical Properties of Pyroxene CoGeO3
Authors: Zhao Li , Hu Zhiwei , Guo Hanjie , Geibel Christoph , Lin Hong-Ji , Chen Chien-Te , Khomskii Daniel , Tjeng Liu Hao , Komarek Alexander C.
Published: April 2021

We report on the synthesis and physical properties of cm-sized CoGeO3 single crystals grown in a high pressure mirror furnace at pressures of 80 bar. Direction dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements on our single crystals reveal highly anisotropic magnetic properties that we attribute to the impact of strong single ion anisotropy appearing in this system with TN∼33.5 K. Furthermore, we observe effective magnetic moments that are exceeding the spin only values of the Co ions, which reveals the presence of sizable orbital moments in CoGeO3.