bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of metformin on human bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cell—breast cancer cell line interactions
Authors: Teufelsbauer Maryana , Lang Clemens , Plangger Adelina , Rath Barbara , Moser Doris , Staud Clement , Radtke Christine , Neumayer Christoph , Hamilton Gerhard
Published: February 2022

Metformin is used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and was found to lower the incidence of cancer. Bone metastasis is a common impairment associated with advanced breast cancer. The present study investigated the effects of metformin on human bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSC)—breast cancer cell line interactions. BM-MSCs grown from box chisels were tested for growth-stimulating and migration-controlling activity on four breast cancer cell lines either untreated or after pretreatment with metformin. Growth stimulation was tested in MTT tests and migration in scratch assays. Furthermore, the expression of adipokines of BM-MSCs in response to metformin was assessed using Western blot arrays. Compared to breast cancer cell lines (3.6 ± 1.4% reduction of proliferation), 500 µM metformin significantly inhibited the proliferation of BM-MSC lines (mean 12.3 ± 2.2 reduction). Pretreatment of BM-MSCs with metformin showed variable effects of the resulting conditioned media (CM) on breast cancer cell lines depending on the specific BM-MSC—cancer line combination. Metformin significantly reduced the migration of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 in response to CM of drug-pretreated BM-MSCs. Assessment of metformin-induced alterations in the expression of adipokines by BM-MSC CM indicated increased osteogenic signaling and possibly impairment of metastasis. In conclusion, the anticancer activities of metformin are the result of a range of direct and indirect mechanisms that lower tumor proliferation and progression. A lower metformin-induced protumor activity of BM-MSCs in the bone microenvironment seem to contribute to the positive effects of the drug in selected breast cancer patients.
Knockout of high-mobility group box 1 in B16F10 melanoma cells induced host immunity-mediated suppression of in vivo tumor growth
Authors: Yokomizo Kanako , Waki Kayoko , Ozawa Miyako , Yamamoto Keiko , Ogasawara Sachiko , Yano Hirohisa , Yamada Akira
Published: February 2022

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been reported as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule that is released from damaged or dead cells and induces inflammation and subsequent innate immunity. However, the role of HMGB1 in the anti-tumor immunity is unclear since inflammation in the tumor microenvironment also contributes to tumor promotion and progression. In the present study, we established HMGB1-knockout clones from B16F10 and CT26 murine tumors by genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and investigated the role of HMGB1 in anti-tumor immunity. We found that (1) knockout of HMGB1 in the tumor cells suppressed in vivo, but not in vitro, tumor growth, (2) the suppression of the in vivo tumor growth was mediated by CD8 T cells, and (3) infiltration of CD8 T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells into the tumor tissues was accelerated in HMGB1-knockout tumors. These results demonstrated that knockout of HMGB1 in tumor cells converted tumors from poor infiltration of immune cells called “cold” to “immune-inflamed” or “hot” and inhibited in vivo tumor growth mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Infiltration of immune cells to the tumor microenvironment is an important step in the series known as the cancer immunity cycle. Thus, manipulation of tumor-derived HMGB1 might be applicable to improve the clinical outcomes of cancer immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint blockades and cancer vaccine therapies.
Patterns of catch and trophic signatures illustrate diverse management requirements of coastal fisheries in Solomon Islands
Authors: Smallhorn-West Patrick , van der Ploeg Jan , Boso Delvene , Sukulu Meshach , Leamae Janet , Isihanua Mathew , Jasper Martin , Saeni-Oeta Janet , Batalofo Margaret , Orirana Grace , Konamalefo Alick , Houma Jill , Eriksson Hampus
Published: February 2022

Coastal fisheries are a critical component of Pacific island food systems; they power village economies and provide nutritious aquatic foods. Many coastal women and men actively fishing in this region rely on multi-species fisheries, which given their extraordinary diversity are notoriously difficult to both characterize, and to manage. Understanding patterns of fishing, diversity of target species and drivers of these patterns can help define requirements for sustainable management and enhanced livelihoods. Here we use a 12-month data set of 8535 fishing trips undertaken by fishers across Malaita province, Solomon Islands, to create fisheries signatures for 13 communities based on the combination of two metrics; catch per unit effort (CPUE) and catch trophic levels. These signatures are in turn used as a framework for guiding suitable management recommendations in the context of community-based resource management. While a key proximate driver of these patterns was fishing gear (e.g. angling, nets or spearguns), market surveys and qualitative environmental information suggest that community fishing characteristics are coupled to local environmental features more than the market value of specific species they target. Our results demonstrate that even within a single island not all small-scale fisheries are equal, and effective management solutions ultimately depend on catering to the specific environmental characteristics around individual communities.
Semi-natural habitats in the European boreal region: Caught in the socio-ecological extinction vortex?
Authors: Herzon Irina , Raatikainen Kaisa J. , Helm Aveliina , Rūsiņa Solvita , Wehn Sølvi , Eriksson Ove
Published: February 2022

We propose to consider semi-natural habitats—hotspots for biodiversity—being caught in a socio-ecological extinction vortex, similar to the phenomenon described for species threatened with extinction. These habitats are essentially socioecological systems, in which socioeconomic drivers are interlinked with ecological processes. We identify four highly interlinked and mutually reinforcing socio-economic processes, pertaining to the importance of semi-natural habitats for (i) agricultural production, (ii) policy, research and development; (iii) vocational education in the fields of agricultural sciences and (iv) public’s experiences with semi-natural habitats. Evidence from six countries in the boreal region demonstrates that recent slowing down or even reversal of two processes are insufficient to stop the extinction vortex phenomenon. We suggest research directions to ascertain the phenomenon, monitor its development and develop proactive actions to weaken the vortex. It is highly plausible that interventions directed at most, if not all, of the key vortex processes are needed to reverse the overall deteriorating trends of a socio-ecological system.
Mathematical modelling of cross-linked polyacrylic-based hydrogels: physical properties and drug delivery
Authors: Bisotti Filippo , Pizzetti Fabio , Storti Giuseppe , Rossi Filippo
Published: February 2022

Recently, hydrogels have gained significant importance in different applications, such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. They are 3D structures of hydrophilic polymers held together through physical or chemical crosslinking. Important is their ability to swell in presence of solvents, forming elastic gels able to maintain their original shape. Furthermore, these scaffolds slowly degrade in the physiological environment, leading the growing tissue to replace the former filled site. In this work, hydrogels have been synthetized using branched polyacrylic acid (carbomer) cross-linked with an aliphatic polyetherdiamine (elastamine). In particular, we focused on the description of their equilibrium conditions in swollen state and the dynamic simulation of the swelling process. These hydrogels exhibited a peculiar swelling behaviour characterized by an overshoot of the volume increase before reaching the equilibrium. Notably, such behaviour was found at different pH values. In this manuscript, the swelling behaviour was studied by mathematical modelling. Moreover, the ability of these devices to release drugs was also examined through a literature model to understand the different operating transport mechanisms.
Establishment of a mouse model of pancreatic cancer using human pancreatic cancer cell line S2-013-derived organoid
Authors: Tanaka Chiharu , Furihata Kaoru , Naganuma Seiji , Ogasawara Mitsunari , Yoshioka Reiko , Taniguchi Hideki , Furihata Mutsuo , Taniuchi Keisuke
Published: February 2022

A well-established preclinical model of pancreatic cancer needs to be established to facilitate research on new therapeutic targets. Recently established animal models of pancreatic cancer, including patient-derived tumor models and organoid models, are used for pre-clinical drug testing and biomarker discovery. These models have useful characteristics over conventional xenograft mouse models based on cell lines in preclinical studies, but still cannot accurately predict the clinical outcomes of new treatments and have not yet been broadly implemented in research. We employed pancreatic cancer organoid culture methods using the pancreatic cancer cell line S2-013, and performed pathological and immunohistochemical analyses to characterize tumor xenografts obtained from a mouse model implanted with S2-013 cell line-derived organoids. Serum levels of the pancreatic cancer tumor marker CA19-9 were measured by ELISA. We generated human pancreatic cancer organoids using a co-culture of S2-013 cells, human endothelial cells derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and human mesenchymal stem cells, and established a mouse model with subcutaneously transplanted human pancreatic cancer organoids (S2-013-organoid model). Although blood clotting crater-like formation developed in the middle of subcutaneous xenografts in the S2-013-conventional model, created by subcutaneously injecting S2-013 cells into the right flank of nude mice, the size of xenografts in the S2-013-organoid model gradually increased without crater-like formation. Importantly, tumor xenografts obtained from the S2-013-organoid model exhibited a clinical human pancreatic cancer tissue-like cellular morphology, tissue architecture, and polarity, and actively formed cancer stroma containing mature blood vessels with the high expression of the vascular tight junction marker CD31. In subcutaneous xenografts of S2-013-conventional mice, no blood vessel density or widely expanding areas of necrotic regions were present. Consequently, serum levels of CA19-9 in the S2-013-organoid model correlated with tumor volumes. In addition, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, the conversion of epithelial cells to the mesenchymal phenotype, was observed in tumor xenografts of the S2-013-organoid model. The S2-013-organoid model provides tumor xenografts consisting of clinical human pancreatic cancer-like tissue formation with the effective development of vascularized stroma, and may be valuable for facilitating studies on pre-clinical drug testing and biomarker discovery.
Robust Detection of Tables in Documents Using Scores from Table Cell Cores
Authors: Ajij Md. , Pratihar Sanjoy , Roy Diptendu Sinha , Hanne Thomas
Published: February 2022

Table detection is an essential step in many document analysis systems. Tabular data are a pivotal form of information representation that can organize data in a conventional structure for comfortable and quick information retrieval and comparison. Detection of table structures in PDF files or images is a challenging task because of the variability of table layouts, and sometimes the tabular structures’ similarities with non-tabular elements like charts, plots, etc. In this work, we have presented a table detection method using a geometric analysis of the table cell cores that represents the table cell texts. The proposed method works by analyzing the text gap information, and hence it can detect the table cell cores, irrespective of the presence of the table boundary lines and cell-separating rule-lines. Experimentations have been done on various document images of complex structures from well-known datasets. The detection accuracies obtained by us corroborate the usefulness of the proposed method.
Iran-US Claims Tribunal Reports
Authors: Caplan Lee M.
Published: February 2022

The Iran–US. Claims Tribunal, concerned principally with the claims of US nationals against Iran, is the most important international claims tribunal to have sat in over half a century. Its jurisprudence is bound to make a uniquely important contribution to international law and, in particular, the law relating to aliens, treaty law, and international arbitral procedure. The 40th volume of the Iran–US Claims Tribunal Reports makes available to the public the Tribunal's most recent work, including an important award in a large dispute between Iran and the United States. This volume of the Reports is a critical contribution to the field of international arbitration that will inform and guide the practice of international arbitration practitioners from around the world.
Sustained Deep Pacific Carbon Storage After the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition Linked to Enhanced Southern Ocean Stratification
Authors: Qin Bingbin , Jia Qi , Xiong Zhifang , Li Tiegang , Algeo Thomas J. , Dang Haowen
Published: February 2022

Changes in ocean carbon inventory are considered the likely primary driver of declining glacial atmospheric pCO2 through the Mid‐Pleistocene Transition (MPT). Here, we present global core‐top calibrations of the “size‐normalized weight” (SNW) of planktonic foraminifera for estimating paleo‐deep‐water Δ[CO32−]. Then, we apply this approach to reconstruct deep‐water Δ[CO32−] in the western tropical Pacific since ∼1.4 Ma. At ∼1.0–0.9 Ma, a rapid weakening of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) resulted in a transient increase of ∼10 μmol kg−1 in deep‐water Δ[CO32−], after which deep‐water Δ[CO32−] declined at ∼0.9–0.7 Ma. Glacial and interglacial deep‐water Δ[CO32−] reveals stepwise declines of about 7 and 10 μmol kg−1, respectively, after MIS 20 (0.79–0.81 Ma) and MIS 19 (0.76–0.79 Ma), reflecting increased DIC content in the deep Pacific. We infer that a sustained increase in deep Pacific carbon storage following the MPT was linked to enhanced oceanic stratification and greater influence of CO2‐rich Southern Ocean‐sourced waters.
GPS Rates of Vertical Bedrock Motion Suggest Late Holocene Ice‐Sheet Readvance in a Critical Sector of East Antarctica
Authors: King Matt A. , Watson Christopher S. , White Duanne
Published: February 2022

We investigate present‐day bedrock vertical motion using new Global Positioning System (GPS) timeseries from the Totten‐Denman glacier region of East Antarctica (∼77°–120°E) where models of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) disagree, glaciers are likely losing mass, and few data constraints on GIA exist. We show that varying surface mass balance loading (SMBL) is a dominant signal, contributing random‐walk‐like noise to GPS timeseries across Antarctica. In the study region, it induces site velocity biases of up to ∼+1 mm/yr over 2010–2020. After correcting for SMBL displacement and GPS common mode error, subsidence is evident at all sites aside from the Totten Glacier region where uplift is ∼1.5 mm/yr. Uplift near the Totten Glacier is consistent with late Holocene ice retreat while the widespread subsidence further west suggests possible late Holocene readvance of the region’s ice sheet, in broad agreement with limited glacial geological data and highlighting the need for sampling beneath the current ice sheet.
Pair Selection Optimization for InSAR Time Series Processing
Authors: Smittarello D. , d’Oreye N. , Jaspard M. , Derauw D. , Samsonov S.
Published: February 2022

The ever‐increasing amount of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data motivates the development of automatic processing chains to fully exploit the opportunities offered by these large databases. The Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) Mass processing Toolbox for Multidimensional time series is an optimized tool to automatically download SAR data, select the interferometric pairs, perform the interferometric mass processing, compute the geocoded deformation maps, invert and display the velocity maps and the 2D time series on a web page updated incrementally as soon as a new image is available. New challenges relate to data management and processing load. We address them through methodological improvements dedicated to optimizing the InSAR pair selection. The proposed algorithm narrows the classical selection based on the shortest temporal and spatial baselines thanks to a coherence proxy and balances the use of each image as Primary and Secondary images thanks to graph theory methods. We apply the processing to three volcanic areas characterized with different climate, vegetation, and deformation characteristics: the Virunga Volcanic Province (DR Congo), the Reunion Island (France), and the Domuyo and Laguna del Maule area (Chile‐Argentina border). Compared to pair selection based solely on baseline criteria, this new tool produces similar velocity maps while reducing the total number of computed differential InSAR interferograms by up to 75%, which drastically reduces the computation time. The optimization also allows to reduce the influence of DEM errors and atmospheric phase screen, which increase the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the inverted displacement time series.
Climatology of Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Residual Circulations and Mesopause Height Derived From SABER Observations
Authors: Wang Ningchao , Qian Liying , Yue Jia , Wang Wenbin , Mlynczak Martin G. , Russell James M.
Published: February 2022

In the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region, residual circulations driven by gravity wave breaking and dissipation significantly impact constituent distribution and the height and temperature of the mesopause. The distribution of CO2 can be used as a proxy for the residual circulations. Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) CO2 volume mixing ratio (VMR) and temperature measurements from 2003 to 2020 are used to study the monthly climatology of MLT residual circulations and the mesopause height. Our analyses show that (a) mesopause height strongly correlates with the CO2 VMR vertical gradient during solstices; (b) mesopause height has a discontinuity at midlatitude in the summer hemisphere, with a lower mesopause height at mid‐to‐high latitudes as a result of adiabatic cooling driven by strong adiabatic upwelling; (c) the residual circulations have strong seasonal variations at mid‐to‐high latitudes, but they are more uniform at low latitudes; and (d) the interannual variability of the residual circulations and mesopause height is larger in the Southern Hemisphere (SH; 4–5 km) than in the Northern Hemisphere (NH; 0.5–1 km).
Tectonic and Orbital Imprints in the Redox History of Japan Sea Since the Pliocene
Authors: Zhao Debo , Wan Shiming , Zhai Lina , Shi Xuefa , Li Anchun
Published: February 2022

Oxygen content in the deep ocean plays a vital role in biogeochemical processes and has significant impacts on the global carbon cycle. The Japan Sea is a semiclosed basin with only shallow water connection to the Western North Pacific, and its redox history has been sensitively affected by tectonic and climatic changes in the past. Studies of paleo‐redox changes in the Japan Sea focused on the tectonic and orbital scales since the Pliocene remain scarce to date. Here, we present two high‐resolution paleo‐redox records during the last 4 Ma at IODP Sites U1425 and U1430 drilled in the Japan Sea. Our authigenic U (uranium) and U/Al records suggest remarkable changes of Japan Sea redox history from relatively oxic to periodic oxic‐anoxic conditions at ∼1.7 Ma. This was mainly caused by the restricted input of North Pacific oxygen‐rich water due to the uplift of northeastern Japan during late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, and opening of the Tsushima Strait and the periodic intrusion of Tsushima Warm Current following sea level change during glacial‐interglacial cycles since ∼1.7 Ma. Orbital changes of Japan Sea redox history suggest the existence of a long eccentricity cycle of 400 ka associated with East Asian summer monsoon rainfall evolution throughout the last 4 Ma. Changes of the amplitude of sea level and inflow of Tsushima Warm Current combined with the East Asian monsoon evolution produced eccentricity and obliquity cycles in Japan Sea redox environment after ∼1.7 Ma, as well as a transition from relatively oxic to anoxic conditions during glacials before and after Middle Pleistocene Transition.
How Does Sand Move? New Observations Challenge Prevailing Formulas
Authors: Chapman Andrew
Published: February 2022

Research in the Azores finds a discrepancy between field observations of sediment transport and predictions made with commonly used mathematical formulas.
New Perspectives on the Enigma of Expanding Antarctic Sea Ice
Authors: Blanchard-Wrigglesworth Edward , Eisenman Ian , Zhang Sally , Sun Shantong , Donohoe Aaron
Published: February 2022

Recent research offers new insights on Antarctic sea ice, which, despite global warming, has increased in overall extent over the past 40 years.
Extraction of P Wave From Ambient Seafloor Noise Observed by Distributed Acoustic Sensing
Authors: Tonegawa T. , Araki E. , Matsumoto H. , Kimura T. , Obana K. , Fujie G. , Arai R. , Shiraishi K. , Nakano M. , Nakamura Y. , Yokobiki T. , Kodaira S.
Published: February 2022

Seismic wave extractions have been performed using ambient noise records observed by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology. Extractions of microseisms can be investigated at a local scale using such DAS records observed in the ocean. Here, we show P and Scholte wave extractions from ambient seafloor noise observed by DAS along a submarine cable deployed off Cape Muroto in the Nankai subduction zone, Japan. The P waves can be observed at a frequency band of 0.1–0.3 Hz and up to a distance of 8 km. The distance at which the P waves can be observed is controlled by the P incident angle and the DAS sensitivity to the observable apparent velocity. Effective extractions of P and Scholte waves, corresponding to large intensity of wave‐wave interaction at the sea surface, are performed, indicating that the waves are originated from pressure field at the sea surface.
Exercise in advanced prostate cancer elevates myokine levels and suppresses in-vitro cell growth
Authors: Kim Jin-Soo , Taaffe Dennis R. , Galvão Daniel A. , Hart Nicolas H. , Gray Elin , Ryan Charles J. , Kenfield Stacey A. , Saad Fred , Newton Robert U.
Published: February 2022

Background

Altering the systemic milieu through exercise has been proposed as a potential mechanism underlying exercise-driven tumour suppression. It is not yet known whether men with advanced prostate cancer can elicit such adaptations following a program of exercise. The purpose is to examine myokine levels of serum acquired from metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients recruited to the INTERVAL-GAP4 trial before and after 6 months of exercise and its tumour-suppressive effect.

Methods

Twenty-five men with mCRPC (age = 74.7 ± 7.1 yrs) were randomised to supervised multimodal (aerobic and resistance) exercise (EX) or self-directed exercise control group (CON). Body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and fasting blood in a rested state was collected at baseline and at 6 months. Serum levels of myokines (SPARC, OSM, decorin, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3) were measured. Serum was applied to the prostate cancer cell line DU145, and growth was assessed for 72 h.

Results

No significant change in body composition was observed. Adjusted serum OSM (P = 0.050) and relative OSM (P = 0.083), serum SPARC (P = 0.022) and relative SPARC (P = 0.025) increased in EX compared to CON. The area under curve (AUC) over 72 h showed a significant reduction in DU145 growth after applying post-intervention serum from the EX vs CON (P = 0.029).

Conclusion

Elevated myokine expressions and greater tumour-suppressive effects of serum after 6 months of periodised and autoregulated supervised exercise was observed in men with mCRPC. Exercise-induced systemic changes may slow disease progression in men with advanced prostate cancer.
Enhancing catalytic performance of AuPd catalysts towards the direct synthesis of H2O2 through incorporation of base metals
Authors: Barnes Alexandra , Lewis Richard J. , Morgan David J. , Davies Thomas E. , Hutchings Graham J.
Published: February 2022

The introduction of small quantities of tertiary base metals into supported AuPd nanoparticles is found to result in improved catalytic performance towards the direct synthesis of H2O2 compared to the bi-metallic analogue.
Cubic MnV2O4 fabricated through a facile sol–gel process as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries: morphology and performance evolution
Authors: Wen Ni , Chen Siyuan , Lu Qiuchen , Fan Qinghua , Kuang Quan , Dong Youzhong , Zhao Yanming
Published: February 2022

Cubic MnV2O4 is fabricated by a facile sol–gel process, which shows excellent lithium storage performance. Furthermore, we systematically studied the electrochemical kinetics characteristics and morphology evolution of the MnV2O4 electrode.
A microporous anionic metal–organic framework for aqueous encapsulation and highly reversible sensitization of light-emitting Tb3+ ions
Authors: Jin J. C. , Liu X. Y. , Yang G. P. , Hou L. , Wang Y. Y.
Published: February 2022

An anionic porous material can serve as both a host and an antenna for protecting and sensitizing extra-framework light-emitting Eu3+/Tb3+ ions. The Tb3+ uptake and release is a reversible process and the cationic Tb3+ can be gradually released.
Buchwald–Hartwig amination of aryl esters and chlorides catalyzed by the dianisole-decorated Pd–NHC complex
Authors: Zheng Di-Zhong , Xiong Hong-Gang , Song A-Xiang , Yao Hua-Gang , Xu Chang
Published: February 2022

A general protocol has been developed for the Buchwald–Hartwig aminations of different kinds of electrophiles: aryl esters as acyl electrophiles and aryl chlorides as aryl electrophiles.
Vesicle formation of single-tailed amphiphilic alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in water induced by dehydration–rehydration
Authors: Gong Feixue , Du Na , Hou Wanguo
Published: February 2022

The dehydration–rehydration process can induce the micelle-to-vesicle transition in the single-component aqueous solutions of simple single-tailed amphiphiles, resulting in pure vesicle (or vesicle-dominated) systems.
Metal-free synthesis of β-aminoketones by the reductive hydroamination of ynones
Authors: Fu Rui , Liu Yu , Wu Tao , Zhang Xinyu , Zhu Yang , Luo Jiangbin , Zhang Zhengyu , Jiang Yaojia
Published: February 2022

This paper describes a cascade method for the synthesis of β-aminoketones through the reductive hydroamination of alkynes under metal-free conditions. This process can be applied to synthesis of drug molecules including Proroxan and Propipocaine.
Mesogenic discrete metallofoldamer for columnar liquid crystal
Authors: Kawano Shin-ichiro , Narita Kazutaka , Ikemoto Yuka , Sasaki Ako , Tanaka Kentaro
Published: February 2022

A helical metallofoldamer forms a columnar phase with high thermal stability owing to its rigid helical mesogenic structure.
Synergistic luminescent thermometer using co-doped Ca2GdSbO6:Mn4+/(Eu3+ or Sm3+) phosphors
Authors: Li Guixian , Xue Yu , Mao Qinan , Pei Lang , He Hong , Liu Meijiao , Chu Liang , Zhong Jiasong
Published: February 2022

The high temperature sensitivity of Ca2GdSbO6:Mn4+/(Eu3+ or Sm3+) phosphor has been used for constructing a luminescence thermometer.
Engineering transition metal catalysts for large-current-density water splitting
Authors: Yang Xin , Guo Ruike , Cai Rui , Shi Wei , Liu Wenzhu , Guo Jian , Xiao Jiafu
Published: February 2022

Recent progress of noble metal-free electrocatalysts toward large-current-density water electrolysis has been summarized
Polyindole and polypyrrole as a sustainable platform for environmental remediation and sensor applications
Authors: Thadathil Anjitha , Pradeep Hareesh , Joshy Deepak , Ismail Yahya A. , Periyat Pradeepan
Published: February 2022

This review focuses on the synthesis and improvement of two types of N-containing conducting polymers – polypyrrole and polyindole – as well as an in-depth analysis of their binary and ternary nanocomposites in the treatment of contaminants, sensing, and green chemistry.
An in situ fluorine and ex situ titanium two-step co-doping strategy for efficient solar water splitting by hematite photoanodes
Authors: Kang Kyoungwoong , Zhang Hemin , Kim Jeong Hun , Byun Woo Jin , Lee Jae Sung
Published: February 2022

A novel two-step co-doping strategy of in situ F− anion, followed by ex situ Ti4+ cation promotes the hematite photoanode for water splitting much more effectively than single-step co-doping strategies that are either all in situ or all ex situ.
Switchable crystal–amorphous states of NiSO4·6H2O induced by a Reddy tube
Authors: Sivakumar A. , Sahaya Jude Dhas S. , Thirupathy J. , Reddy K. P. J. , Kumar Raju Suresh , Almansour Abdulrahman I. , Chakraborty Shubhadip , Martin Britto Dhas S. A.
Published: February 2022

Dynamic shock wave induced switchable phase transitions between crystal and amorphous states of NiSO4·6H2O is reported.
An efficient blue phosphor with high thermal stability for lighting and optical pressure sensor applications
Authors: Chen Hang , Seto Takatoshi , Wang Yuhua
Published: February 2022

The developed narrow-band blue emitting NCMPO:Eu2+ phosphor has a high quantum efficiency and thermal stability. A visual color variation was realized under various pressures.
Feeding sequence-regulated divergent (4 + 1 + 1′) annulations of α-bromo carbonyls and 1-azadienes via computational calculation-based mechanism elucidation
Authors: Zeng Rong , Wang Zheng , Peng Ruikun , Yan Peng , Yang Jie , Zhou Qian , Gu Jing , Zheng Peng-Fei , Chen Ying-Chun , Ouyang Qin
Published: February 2022

Based on computational calculation-based mechanism elucidation, a new controllable divergent (4 + 1 + 1′) reaction was realised by changing the feeding sequence of two different α-bromo substrates in the presence of tertiary amines and bases.
Stereoselective cyclopropanation of enamides via C–C bond cleavage of cyclopropenes
Authors: Chen Jie , Han Jiabin , Wu Tao , Zhang Jian , Li Meng , Xu Ying , Zhang Jinli , Jiao Yongjuan , Yang Yanhui , Jiang Yaojia
Published: February 2022

This work describes a straightforward protocol for the stereoselective synthesis of vinylcyclopropylamides in high E/Z and syn/anti ratios by cyclopropanation of N-tosyl substituted enamides with cyclopropenes in the presence of rhodium catalyst.
Reduction of satellite images size in 5G networks using machine learning algorithms
Authors: Moorthy Talari Venkata Krishna , Budati Anil Kumar , Kautish Sandeep , Goyal S.B. , Prasad Kolalapudi Lakshmi
Published: February 2022

The high data volume of multispectral satellite images is compressed for better visual perception without loss of image and statistical properties of the local or global image to provide superior information for obtaining effective results using 5G networks. This compression is a technique applied to remote sensing applications to analyse the data for prediction or forecasting the real‐time applications by remote sensing applications like IoT and data transmission over 5G wireless networks. The extensive data images have multiple bands, which contain earth surface/object information with various frequencies. It is difficult to handle this extensive data for processing data. The compression is mandatory to avoid this complexity by removing redundancy data, unnecessary pixel information and non‐visual redundancy data between bands. There are various standard compression techniques are available like JPEG 2000, Wavelet and DCT methods. The proposed method is implemented with a combination of intra coding and machine learning algorithm. The standard compression technique does not give better results due to degradation of pixels, lack of spatial and spectral information. This paper enriches progressive results by reduced satellite images for transmission of data in IoT and 5G wireless networks, in which qualitative results are compared by standard compression technique with suitable parameters.
Forecasting thermal parameters for ultra‐high voltage transformers using long‐ and short‐term time‐series network with conditional mutual information
Authors: Lin Weiqing , Miao Xiren , Chen Jing , Xiao Sa , Lu Yanzhen , Jiang Hao
Published: February 2022

Precise forecasting of the thermal parameters is a critical factor for the safe operation and fault incipient warning of the ultra‐high voltage (UHV) transformers. In this work, a novel multi‐step forecasting method based on the long‐ and short‐term time‐series network (LSTNet) with the conditional mutual information (CMI) is proposed for the UHV transformer. To improve the computational efficiency and eliminate the redundancy, the CMI‐based feature selection algorithm is applied to analyse the correlation between the original monitoring parameters and construct the optimal feature subset. LSTNet, which is composed of a convolutional layer, recurrent layer and recurrent‐skip layer, is utilized to capture both the short‐term nonlinear characteristics and the long‐term periodic characteristics. The LSTNet model is established to forecast the variation tendency of the oil and winding temperatures for different locations in the UHV transformer. The results show that the proposed method significantly enhances the accuracy in both one‐step and multi‐step thermal parameters forecasting and achieves better performance in terms of the RMSE and MAE compared with other existing methods.
A novel approach to partial coverage in wireless sensor networks via the roman dominating set
Authors: Ghaffari Fatemeh , Bahrak Behnam , Shariatpanahi Seyed P.
Published: February 2022

One major challenge in deploying wireless sensor networks (WSN) in real‐world applications is minimising the energy consumption by the sensors while maintaining the coverage of the monitored field. However, many applications do not need full coverage of the monitored area all the time, which can help us reduce the network's energy consumption. One approach to exploit this property is to set up a sleep/wake‐up schedule for each node such that no redundant nodes are active in an area of coverage simultaneously. This will allow the existence of monitoring holes in a controlled manner, which the authors call partial coverage. In this study, the partial coverage condition is imposed by constructing a Roman Dominating Set of awake nodes in the network. Roman domination is a method for colouring a graph's vertices with three labels (0, 1, 2), such that all the vertices with label 0 have an adjacent vertex with label 2, while the sum of the labels of nodes is minimised. Based on this formulation, a simple greedy algorithm is proposed to construct such a structure supported by three theorems. Furthermore, the performance of the authors’ proposal in different scenarios is evaluated.
Super‐resolution forward‐looking imaging method for manoeuvering platform with optimised dictionary and extended sparsity adaptive matching pursuit
Authors: Zhang Gang , Liang Yi , Chen Shuxuan , Xing Mengdao , Li Zhenfang
Published: February 2022

In forward‐looking imaging, left‐right Doppler is ambiguous and cross‐range resolution is limited by real aperture, which result in traditional synthetic aperture radar imaging methods no longer applicable. Besides, the impact of three‐dimensional acceleration on an over‐complete dictionary matrix and sparse reconstruction kernel is not considered in conventional super‐resolution forward‐looking imaging methods. To solve these problems, a super‐resolution forward‐looking imaging method for manoeuvering platforms is proposed. First, the range walk caused by forward‐looking geometry and higher‐order phase introduced by three‐dimensional acceleration are eliminated by compensating a pre‐processing function. Subsequently, according to beam steering‐based geometry and linear regression model, the over‐complete dictionary matrix is optimised to more accurately describe the complicated forward‐looking geometry with curved trajectory. Finally, sparsity adaptive matching pursuit kernel with an improved halting condition is adopted to reconstruct the forward‐looking scene. The proposed method is supported by point target simulation and surface target simulation.
Stellar activity correction using PCA decomposition of shells
Authors: Cretignier M. , Dumusque X. , Pepe F.
Published: February 2022

Context.Stellar activity and instrumental signals are the main limitations to the detection of Earth-like planets using the radial-velocity (RV) technique. Recent studies show that the key to mitigating those perturbing effects might reside in analysing the spectra themselves, rather than the RV time series and a few activity proxies.

Aims.The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that we can reach further improvement in RV precision by performing a principal component analysis (PCA) decomposition of the shell time series, with the shell as the projection of a spectrum onto the space-normalised flux versus flux gradient.

Methods.By performing a PCA decomposition of shell time series, it is possible to obtain a basis of first-order spectral variations that are not related to Keplerian motion. The time coefficients associated with this basis can then be used to correct for non-Dopplerian signatures in RVs.

Results.We applied this new method on the YARARA post-processed spectra time series of HD 10700 (τCeti) and HD 128621 (αCen B). On HD 10700, we demonstrate, thanks to planetary signal injections, that this new approach can successfully disentangle real Dopplerian signals from instrumental systematics. The application of this new methodology on HD 128621 shows that the strong stellar activity signal seen at the stellar rotational period and one-year aliases becomes insignificant in a periodogram analysis. The RV root mean square on the 5-yr data is reduced from 2.44 m s−1down to 1.73 m s−1. This new approach allows us to strongly mitigate stellar activity, however, noise injections tests indicate that rather high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N > 250) is required to correct for the observed activity signal on HD 128621.
The Planck clusters in the LOFAR sky
Authors: Botteon A. , Shimwell T. W. , Cassano R. , Cuciti V. , Zhang X. , Bruno L. , Camillini L. , Natale R. , Jones A. , Gastaldello F. , Simionescu A. , Rossetti M. , Akamatsu H. , van Weeren R. J. , Brunetti G. , Brüggen M. , Groeneveld C. , Hoang D. N. , Hardcastle M. J. , Ignesti A. , Di Gennaro G. , Bonafede A. , Drabent A. , Röttgering H. J. A. , Hoeft M. , de Gasperin F.
Published: February 2022

Context. Relativistic electrons and magnetic fields permeate the intra-cluster medium (ICM) and manifest themselves as diffuse sources of synchrotron emission observable at radio wavelengths, namely radio halos and radio relics. Although there is broad consensus that the formation of these sources is connected to turbulence and shocks in the ICM, the details of the required particle acceleration, the strength and morphology of the magnetic field in the cluster volume, and the influence of other sources of high-energy particles are poorly known.

Aims. Sufficiently large samples of radio halos and relics, which would allow us to examine the variation among the source population and pinpoint their commonalities and differences, are still missing. At present, due to the physical properties of the sources and the capabilities of existing facilities, large numbers of these sources are easiest to detect at low radio frequencies, where they shine brightly.

Methods. We examined the low-frequency radio emission from all 309 clusters in the second catalog of Planck Sunyaev Zel’dovich detected sources that lie within the 5634 deg2 covered by the Second Data Release of the LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey (LoTSS-DR2). We produced LOFAR images at different resolutions, with and without discrete sources subtracted, and created overlays with optical and X-ray images before classifying the diffuse sources in the ICM, guided by a decision tree.

Results. Overall, we found 83 clusters that host a radio halo and 26 that host one or more radio relics (including candidates). About half of them are new discoveries. The detection rate of clusters that host a radio halo and one or more relics in our sample is 30 ± 11% and 10 ± 6%, respectively. Extrapolating these numbers, we anticipate that once LoTSS covers the entire northern sky it will provide the detection of 251 ± 92 clusters that host a halo and 83 ± 50 clusters that host at least one relic from Planck clusters alone. All images and results produced in this work are publicly available via the project website.
Flexible diverticulotomy for Zenker's diverticulum – a bicentric study
Authors: Epping Hendrik , Ziachehabi Alexander , Spaun Georg , Wewalka Friedrich , Maieron Andreas , Schöfl Rainer
Published: February 2022

Introduction Flexible diverticulotomy is an established procedure for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. In a bicentric study, we investigated the development of the procedure since its introduction at the Ordensklinikum Linz Barmherzige Schwestern and Elisabethinen in 2010.

Methods All flexible diverticulotomies performed between January 2010 and December 2019 at the above-mentioned clinics were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two 5-year periods (2010–2014 and 2015–2019) and statistical tests were performed for comparison of data.

Results In all, 69 flexible diverticulotomies were performed. The procedure was technically successful in 93.5% of cases. No lethal outcome was encountered. Only 2 (2.9%) interventions led to serious complications which had to be treated in the intensive care unit. Mild complications occurred in 14.5% of cases. 54 patients were evaluated in the follow-up period; 11 (20.3%) patients experienced relapses of dysphagia. The primary intervention resulted in a significant improvement over the observation period. Patients in the second intervention group had shorter average hospital stays and longer recurrence-free intervals.

Conclusion Flexible diverticulotomy is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. However, as the success rate appears to depend on the expertise and experience of the department, flexible diverticulotomy should be performed at centers with high caseloads.
Pelvic Radiation Disease
Authors: Sammour Tarik , Kahokehr Arman A.
Published: February 2022

Pelvic radiation is increasingly being used for the neoadjuvant and definitive treatment of pelvic organ malignancy. While this treatment can be highly effective, and may assist in organ sparing, it is also associated with significant toxicity and devastating adverse events that need to be considered. In broad terms, pelvic radiation disease affects both the primary target organ as well as adjacent organs and soft tissue structures, with complications that can be classified and graded according to consensus criteria. The complication grade is often modality, dose, and area dependent. The most common manifestations are proctitis, cystitis, recto-urethral fistula, ureteric stricture, and bone involvement. Toxicity can be misdiagnosed for many years, resulting in significant management delays. Complications can be difficult to prevent and challenging to treat, requiring specialized multi-disciplinary input to achieve the best possible strategy to minimize impact and improve patient quality of life.
Real-World Experience with Nivolumab in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Who Have Progressed on Prior Therapies: A Single-Center Study from India
Authors: Rauthan Amit , Murthy Nitin Yashas , Patil Poonam , Nigade Gaurav , Somashekhar SP , Zaveri Shabber S.
Published: February 2022

Introduction Nivolumab monotherapy is approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients who have progressed on prior therapies based on the pivotal Checkmate-025 trial. There is limited literature on the efficacy and safety profile of usage of nivolumab in the treatment of mRCC in India in a real-world setting.

Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of patients who received nivolumab monotherapy for mRCC after having progressed on prior therapies. Tumor response was graded according to RECIST v1.1 and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were documented and graded according to CTCAE v5.0.

Results Between 2016 and 2019, 35 patients received nivolumab for mRCC at our center after progression on prior therapies. A majority of the patients (n = 30, 85.7%) received it in a second-line setting, and the remaining in the third line and beyond setting. Clear cell was the most common histology (n = 26, 74.3%). There were 18 patients (51.42%) who belonged to IMDC intermediate risk, while 17 (48.58%) patients were at poor risk. The overall response rate was 60%, with complete response (CR) in 11.4%. Median duration of response was not reached among responders. Median PFS was 5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.06–6.93) and median OS was 26 months (95% CI: 1.90–50.09). Ongoing survival of 47, 42, 34, and 22 months was noted in four patients with CR, respectively. In our study, 23 patients (65.71%) experienced any grade of irAE. Grade 3 irAEs was seen in four patients (11.42%). Most common irAE was thyroid dysfunction seen in 12 patients (34.2%). Treatment discontinuation due to irAEs occurred in three patients (8.57%).

Conclusion Nivolumab showed good efficacy with high response rates and an OS comparable to the pivotal Checkmate-025 trial. It was well tolerated with safety profile in terms of irAE consistent with those reported in literature.
Are we Missing Barrett's Esophagus in Our Busy Endoscopy Practice? Improving Detection
Authors: Dutta Amit Kumar
Published: February 2022

Barrett's esophagus (BE) denotes the replacement of stratified squamous epithelium of esophagus by columnar epithelium. It is associated with a significantly increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma and hence patients with BE are advised endoscopic surveillance for early detection of dysplastic and neoplastic lesions. Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cancer in terms of incidence and mortality in India. Around 15 to 25% of esophageal cancers are adenocarcinoma. BE is likely to be an important precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma and we may be missing patients with BE in our busy endoscopy practice. The detection of BE may be improved by identifying high-risk groups, performing thorough endoscopic examination, and applying newer imaging techniques. The high-risk group includes patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity, smoking, etc. During endoscopic examination, a careful assessment of the gastroesophageal junction and identification of important landmarks such as gastroesophageal junction and Z line are essential to detect BE. Management of BE depends on the detection of dysplasia and for this four quadrant mucosal biopsy is recommended every 1 to 2 cm. However, random biopsy samples only a small area of mucosa and advanced technologies for real-time detection of dysplasia and neoplasia may overcome this limitation. In this review, we discuss the current scenario of BE in India and ways to improve the detection of BE including dysplastic lesions.