bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correction of the skull density ratio for transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy: clinical significance of predicting therapeutic temperature
Authors: Hori Hiroki , Iwamuro Hirokazu , Nakano Masayuki , Ouchi Takahiro , Kawahara Takashi , Taira Takaomi , Abe Keiichi , Iijima Ken , Yamaguchi Toshio
Published: March 2021

OBJECTIVE

In transcranial magnetic resonance imaging–guided focused ultrasound (TcMRgFUS), a high skull density ratio (SDR) is advantageous to achieve a sufficiently high temperature at the target. However, it is not easy to estimate the temperature rise because the SDR shows different values depending on the reconstruction filter used. The resolution characteristic of a computed tomography (CT) image depends on a modulation transfer function (MTF) defined by the reconstruction filter. Differences in MTF induce unstable SDRs. The purpose of this study was both to standardize SDR by developing a method to correct the MTF and to enable effective patient screening prior to TcMRgFUS treatment and more accurate predictions of focal temperature.

METHODS

CT images of a skull phantom and five subjects were obtained using eight different reconstruction filters. A frequency filter (FF) was calculated using the MTF of each reconstruction filter, and the validity of SDR standardization was evaluated by comparing the variation in SDR before and after FF correction. Subsequently, FF processing was similarly performed using the CT images of 18 patients who had undergone TcMRgFUS, and statistical analyses were performed comparing the relationship between the SDRs before and after correction and the maximum temperature in the target during TcMRgFUS treatment.

RESULTS

The FF was calculated for each reconstruction filter based on one manufacturer's BONE filter. In the CT images of the skull phantom, the SDR before FF correction with five of the other seven reconstruction filters was significantly smaller than that with the BONE filter (p < 0.01). After FF correction, however, a significant difference was recognized under only one condition. In the CT images of the five subjects, variation of the SDR due to imaging conditions was significantly improved after the FF correction. In 18 cases treated with TcMRgFUS, there was no correlation between SDR before FF correction and maximum temperature (rs = 0.31, p > 0.05); however, a strong positive correlation was observed after FF correction (rs = 0.71, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

After FF correction, the difference in SDR due to the reconstruction filter used is smaller, and the correlation with temperature is stronger. Therefore, the SDR can be standardized by applying the FF, and the maximum temperature during treatment may be predicted more accurately.
Management strategies for recurrent pediatric craniopharyngioma: new recommendations
Authors: Fouda Mohammed A. , Karsten Madeline , Staffa Steven J. , Scott R. Michael , Marcus Karen J. , Baird Lissa C.
Published: March 2021

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to identify the independent risk factors for recurrence or progression of pediatric craniopharyngioma and to establish predictors of the appropriate timing of intervention and best management strategy in the setting of recurrence/progression, with the aim of optimizing tumor control.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of all pediatric patients with craniopharyngioma who were diagnosed and treated at Boston Children’s Hospital between 1990 and 2017. This study was approved by the institutional review board at Boston Children’s Hospital. All statistical analyses were performed using Stata software.

RESULTS

Eighty patients (43 males and 37 females) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 8.6 ± 4.4 years (range 1.2–19.7 years). The mean follow-up was 10.9 ± 6.5 years (range 1.3–24.6 years). Overall, 30/80 (37.5%) patients developed recurrence/progression. The median latency to recurrence/progression was 12.75 months (range 3–108 months). Subtotal resection with no adjuvant radiotherapy (p < 0.001) and fine calcifications (p = 0.008) are independent risk factors for recurrence/progression. An increase (%) in the maximum dimension of the tumor at the time of recurrence/progression was considered a statistically significant predictor of the appropriate timing of intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the identified independent risk factors for tumor recurrence/progression and the predictors of appropriate timing of intervention in the setting of recurrence/progression, the authors propose an algorithm for optimal management of recurrent pediatric craniopharyngioma to increase the likelihood of tumor control.
Global dissipative solutions of the defocusing isothermal Euler–Langevin–Korteweg equations
Authors: Chauleur Quentin
Published: March 2021

We construct global dissipative solutions on the torus of dimension at most three of the defocusing isothermal Euler–Langevin–Korteweg system, which corresponds to the Euler–Korteweg system of compressible quantum fluids with an isothermal pressure law and a linear drag term with respect to the velocity. In particular, the isothermal feature prevents the energy and the BD-entropy from being positive. Adapting standard approximation arguments we first show the existence of global weak solutions to the defocusing isothermal Navier–Stokes–Langevin–Korteweg system. Introducing a relative entropy function satisfying a Gronwall-type inequality we then perform the inviscid limit to obtain the existence of dissipative solutions of the Euler–Langevin–Korteweg system.
Pericardial fluid and vascular tissue engineering: A preliminary study
Authors: Sönmezer Dilek , Lati̇foğlu Fatma , Toprak Güler , Düzler Ayhan , İşoğlu İsmail Alper
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND: The heart is surrounded by a membrane called pericardium or pericardial cavity. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the pericardial fluid (PF) for coating polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds. PFS, which is a PF component, was used for the coating material. In addition to using PFS for surface coating, MED and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were also used for comparison. METHODS: Pericardial fluid cells (PFSc) isolated from PF were cultured on coated PCL scaffolds for 1, 3, and 5 days. Cell viability was determined using 3-(4, 5-di-methylthiazol- 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: The MTT assay results showed that the viability of cells on PCL scaffold coated with PFS increased over time (P < 0.005), and cell viability was significantly different between PCL scaffolds coated with PFS and non-coated PCL scaffolds. However, cell viability was significantly higher in the PCL scaffolds coated with PFS than non-coated and coated with FBS, MED, and PCL scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microscopy images and MTT assay indicated that PFSc are attached, proliferated, and spread on PCL scaffolds, especially on PCL scaffolds coated with PFS. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PFS is a biocompatible material for surface modification of PCL scaffolds, which can be used as a suitable material for tissue engineering applications.
Effect of all-trans retinoic acid and pentagalloyl glucose on smooth muscle cell elastogenesis
Authors: Sanaei Kaveh , Plotner Sydney , Oommen Jacob Anson , Ramirez-Vick Jaime , Vyavahare Narendra , Nosoudi Nasim
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND: The main objective of tissue engineering is to fabricate a tissue construct that mimics native tissue both biologically and mechanically. A recurring problem for tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBV) is deficient elastogenesis from seeded smooth muscle cells. Elastin is an integral mechanical component in blood vessels, allowing elastic deformation and retraction in response to the shear and pulsatile forces of the cardiac system. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research is to assess the effect of the vitamin A derivative all-trans retinoic acid (RA) and polyphenol pentagalloyl glucose (PGG) on the expression of elastin in human aortic smooth muscle cells (hASMC). METHODS: A polycaprolactone (PCL) and the gelatin polymer composite was electrospun and doped with RA and PGG. The scaffolds were subsequently seeded with hASMCs and incubated for five weeks. The resulting tissue-engineered constructs were evaluated using qPCR and Fastin assay for their elastin expression and deposition. RESULTS: All treatments showed an increased elastin expression compared to the control, with PGG treatments showing a significant increase in gene expression and elastin deposition.
Early evaluation of treatment response to transarterial chemoembolization in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: The role of dynamic three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound
Authors: Cao Jiaying , Dong Yi , Fan Peili , Mao Feng , Chen Kailing , Chen Rongxin , Huang Beijian , Cheng Yaqing , Wang Wen-Ping
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND:

Dynamic three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) with quantitative analysis is available in recent years. It can reduce the quantitative sampling error caused by the inconsistency of different sections in order to evaluate local treatment response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accurately.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the value of dynamic 3D-CEUS in evaluating the early response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment in patients with advanced HCC lesions.

METHODS:

In this prospective study, both two-dimensional (2D) CEUS and dynamic 3D-CEUS were performed on 40 HCC patients who scheduled for TACE at baseline (T0) and 1–3 days (T1) after treatment. Tumor microvascular perfusion changes were assessed by CEUS time-intensity curve (TIC) and quantitative parameters. According to contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging 1 month after treatment results, patients were divided into responders and non-responders groups. The changes of perfusion parameters of both 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS were compared between responders and non-responders groups before and after TACE treatment.

RESULTS:

Before and after TACE treatment, no significant difference in maximum diameter of HCC lesions between the two groups could be found. There were more significant differences and ratios of perfusion parameters in 3D-CEUS quantitative analysis than in 2D-CEUS. The mutual significant differences and ratios of 2D-CEUS and 3D-CEUS included peak intensity (PI) difference, PI ratio, ratio of area under the curve (A), ratio of area under the wash-out part (AWO) and slope (S) difference. The former 4 corresponding parameters were better on 3D-CEUS than on 2D-CEUS.

CONCLUSION:

Dynamic 3D-CEUS can be used as a potential imaging method to evaluate early treatment response to TACE in advanced HCC patients.
Nivolumab: 5 Years Since FDA Approval of the First Checkpoint Inhibitor for Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Tsimafeyeu Ilya
Published: March 2021

On November 23, 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), thus opening a new era of immunotherapy for this tumor. This review summarizes the 5-year experience of studying and using nivolumab in RCC patients.
Development and Validation of a Prognostic Nomogram for Gastric Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Population-Based Study
Authors: Zhang Shuairan , Liu Yang , Jiao Zihan , Li Zenan , Wang Jin , Li Ce , Qu Xiujuan , Xu Ling
Published: March 2021

Background

Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (GSRCC) is a rare disease associated with poor prognosis. A prognostic nomogram was developed and validated in this study to assess GSRCC patients’ overall survival (OS).

Methods

Patients diagnosed with GSRCC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2004–2016) and the First Hospital of China Medical University (CMU1h) were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Univariate and multivariate COX analysis was used to determine independent prognostic factors to construct the prognostic nomogram. Predictions were evaluated by the C-index and calibration curve. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and Kaplan-Meier analysis were employed to assess the clinical utility of the survival prediction model.

Results

Patients were classified into two cohorts. We randomly divided patients in the SEER database and CMU1h cohort into a training group (n=3068, 80%) and a validation group (n=764, 20%). Age, race, T stage, N stage, M stage, therapy, and tumor size were significantly associated with the prognosis of GSRCC patients. On this basis, a nomogram was constructed, with a C-index in the training and the validation cohorts at 0.772 (95% CI: 0.762–0.782) and 0.774 (95% CI: 0.752–0.796), respectively. The accuracy of the generated nomogram was verified through calibration plots. Similarly, compared with the traditional AJCC staging system, the results of the area under curve (AUC) calculated by ROC, DCA, and Kaplan-Meier curves, demonstrated a good predictive value of the constructed nomogram, compared to the traditional AJCC staging system.

Conclusion

In the present study, seven independent prognostic factors of GSRCC were screened out. The established nomogram models based on seven variables provided a visualization of each prognostic factor’s risk and assisted clinicians in predicting the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of GSRCC.
Predicting Survival Duration With MRI Radiomics of Brain Metastases From Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Chen Bihong T. , Jin Taihao , Ye Ningrong , Mambetsariev Isa , Wang Tao , Wong Chi Wah , Chen Zikuan , Rockne Russell C. , Colen Rivka R. , Holodny Andrei I. , Sampath Sagus , Salgia Ravi
Published: March 2021

Background: Brain metastases are associated with poor survival. Molecular genetic testing informs on targeted therapy and survival. The purpose of this study was to perform a MR imaging-based radiomic analysis of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to identify radiomic features that were important for predicting survival duration.

Methods: We retrospectively identified our study cohort via an institutional database search for patients with brain metastases from EGFR, ALK, and/or KRAS mutation-positive NSCLC. We segmented the brain metastatic tumors on the brain MR images, extracted radiomic features, constructed radiomic scores from significant radiomic features based on multivariate Cox regression analysis (p < 0.05), and built predictive models for survival duration.

Result: Of the 110 patients in the cohort (mean age 57.51 ± 12.32 years; range: 22–85 years, M:F = 37:73), 75, 26, and 15 had NSCLC with EGFR, ALK, and KRAS mutations, respectively. Predictive modeling of survival duration using both clinical and radiomic features yielded areas under the receiver operative characteristic curve of 0.977, 0.905, and 0.947 for the EGFR, ALK, and KRAS mutation-positive groups, respectively. Radiomic scores enabled the separation of each mutation-positive group into two subgroups with significantly different survival durations, i.e., shorter vs. longer duration when comparing to the median survival duration of the group.

Conclusion: Our data supports the use of radiomic scores, based on MR imaging of brain metastases from NSCLC, as non-invasive biomarkers for survival duration. Future research with a larger sample size and external cohorts is needed to validate our results.
Characteristic of Tumor Regrowth After Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and Outcomes of Repeat Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas
Authors: Li Yanli , Wu Lisha , Quan Tingting , Fu Junyi , Cao Linhui , Li Xi , Liang Shunyao , Huang Minyi , Deng Yinhui , Yu Jinxiu
Published: March 2021

Objective

This study aimed to report the characteristic of tumor regrowth after gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) and outcomes of repeat GKRS in nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs).

Design and Methods

This retrospective study consisted of 369 NFPA patients treated with GKRS. The median age was 45.2 (range, 7.2–84.0) years. The median tumor volume was 3.5 (range, 0.1–44.3) cm3.

Results

Twenty-four patients (6.5%) were confirmed as regrowth after GKRS. The regrowth-free survivals were 100%, 98%, 97%, 86% and 77% at 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 year, respectively. In multivariate analysis, parasellar invasion and margin dose (<12 Gy) were associated with tumor regrowth (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.125, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.318–7.410, p = 0.010 and HR = 3.359, 95% CI = 1.347–8.379, p = 0.009, respectively). The median time of regrowth was 86.1 (range, 23.2–236.0) months. Previous surgery was associated with tumor regrowth out of field (p = 0.033). Twelve patients underwent repeat GKRS, including regrowth in (n = 8) and out of field (n = 4). Tumor shrunk in seven patients (58.3%), remained stable in one (8.3%) and regrowth in four (33.3%) with a median repeat GKRS margin dose of 12 (range, 10.0–14.0) Gy. The actuarial tumor control rates were 100%, 90%, 90%, 68%, and 68% at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 years after repeat GKRS, respectively.

Conclusions

Parasellar invasion and tumor margin dose (<12 Gy) were independent risk factors for tumor regrowth after GKRS. Repeat GKRS might be effective on tumor control for selected patients. For regrowth in field due to relatively insufficient radiation dose, repeat GKRS might offer satisfactory tumor control. For regrowth out of field, preventing regrowth out of field was the key management. Sufficient target coverage and close follow-up might be helpful.
Tackling Immune Targets for Breast Cancer: Beyond PD-1/PD-L1 Axis
Authors: Tabana Yasser , Okoye Isobel S. , Siraki Arno , Elahi Shokrollah , Barakat Khaled H.
Published: March 2021

The burden of breast cancer is imposing a huge global problem. Drug discovery research and novel approaches to treat breast cancer have been carried out extensively over the last decades. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors are showing promising preclinical and clinical results in treating breast cancer, they are facing multiple limitations. From an immunological perspective, a recent report highlighted breast cancer as an “inflamed tumor” with an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Consequently, researchers have been focusing on identifying novel immunological targets that cantune upthe tumor immune microenvironment. In this context, several novel non-classical immune targets have been targeted to determine their ability to uncouple immunoregulatory pathways at play in the tumor microenvironment. This article will highlight strategies designed to increase the immunogenicity of the breast tumor microenvironment. It also addresses the latest studies on targets which can enhance immune responses to breast cancer and discusses examples of preclinical and clinical trial landscapes that utilize these targets.
The Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of Malignant Struma Ovarii: An Analysis of 144 Published Patients
Authors: Cui Yuying , Yao Jinming , Wang Shengnan , Zhao Junyu , Dong Jianjun , Liao Lin
Published: March 2021

The objective of this study is to summarize the clinical and pathologic characteristics of malignant struma ovarii to facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease. All 144 patients were females from 27 countries. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 42.6 years. Overall, 35.71% of the patients underwent unilateral oophorectomy, 58.57% of the patients underwent bilateral oophorectomy, 5.72% of the patients were not ovariectomized, and 38.57% of the patients received radioactive iodine treatment with an average dose of 158.22 mCI each time. “Impure” types accounted for 70.19% of the cases, while pure types accounted for 29.81% of the cases. Among these cases, papillary thyroid carcinoma accounted for 50.00%, follicular thyroid carcinoma accounted for 26.47%, follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma accounted for 18.63%, papillary and follicular mixed thyroid carcinoma accounted for 2.94%, anaplastic carcinoma accounted for 0.98%, and medullary carcinoma accounted for 0.98%. In total, 21 patients (51.22%) had elevated CA125. More than half of the patients (51.94%) had metastasis outside the ovary. The most common metastatic site was the pelvic cavity. The misdiagnosis rate was 17.27%. Mortality was related to metastasis and the cancer type. Gene mutations were found in the NRAS, KRAS, BRAF, and KIT genes and were similar to those in thyroid carcinoma, but some patients (37.5%) did not exhibit any gene mutations. Regardless of the treatment received, the survival rate is high. Treatment could initially include ovariectomy; however, in cases with metastasis and iodine uptake of the metastatic tumor, thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine therapy, and thyroid hormone inhibiting therapy are indicated.
The Role of Chemotherapy in Patients With HER2-Negative Isolated Locoregional Recurrence of Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Lee Kyoungmin , Sim Sung Hoon , Kang Eun Joo , Seo Jae Hong , Chae Heejung , Lee Keun Seok , Kim Ji-Yeon , Ahn Jin Seok , Im Young-Hyuck , Park Seri , Park Yeon Hee , Park In Hae
Published: March 2021

Background: The role of chemotherapy for isolated locoregional recurrence (iLRR) of breast cancer has not been firmly established after local therapies.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective analysis to evaluate the clinical implications of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients with HER2-negative iLRR.

Results: Of a total of 277 patients, 146 (52.7%) received chemotherapy for iLRR. Median follow-up duration was 56.1 months. Eighty-six (31.0%) patients had luminal B-like and 100 (36.1%) had TNBC iLRR. There was a trend of longer disease free survival (DFS) in the chemotherapy group (4-year DFS: 70.4 vs. 59.5%, HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.45–1.02, log-rank p = 0.059). When adjusted with clinically relevant factors, DFS was significantly prolonged with chemotherapy (adjusted HR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.40–0.94, p = 0.023). Subgroup analyses for DFS showed patients with disease free interval (DFI) <5 years or prior chemotherapy had a benefit from chemotherapy (adjusted HR = 0.57, p = 0.018; adjusted HR = 0.51, p = 0.005, respectively). Regarding the molecular subtypes, a longer DFS with chemotherapy was observed both in luminal B-like (4-year DFS: 77.8 vs. 55.0%, HR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.27–0.99, log-rank p = 0.048) and in TNBC patients (4-year DFS: 61.9 vs. 42.8%, HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.24–1.02, log-rank p = 0.056), but not in luminal A-like.

Conclusions: The chemotherapy for iLRR of breast cancer should be individualized for each patient, considering DFI, prior chemotherapy, and molecular subtypes.
Anthocyanins: Biosynthesis, Distribution, Ecological Role, and Use of Biostimulants to Increase Their Content in Plant Foods—A Review
Authors: Mannino Giuseppe , Gentile Carla , Ertani Andrea , Serio Graziella , Bertea Cinzia Margherita
Published: March 2021

In the past century, plant biostimulants have been increasingly used in agriculture as innovative and sustainable practice. Plant biostimulants have been mainly investigated as potential agents able to mitigate abiotic stress. However, few information is available about their ability to influence fruit quality or change fruit phytochemical composition. In particular, very little is known about their effects on anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation. Due to the increasing demand of consumers for healthier foods with high nutraceutical values, this review tries to fill the gap between anthocyanin content and biostimulant application. Here, we elucidate the chemical structure, biosynthetic pathway, plant distribution, and physiological role of anthocyanins in plants. Moreover, we discuss the potential implications for human health derived from the consumption of foods rich in these molecules. Finally, we report on literature data concerning the changes in anthocyanin content and profile after the application of biostimulant products on the most common anthocyanin-containing foods.
The Ecuadorian Banana Farms Managers’ Perceptions: Innovation as a Driver of Environmental Sustainability Practices
Authors: Ramírez-Orellana Alicia , Ruiz-Palomo Daniel , Rojo-Ramírez Alfonso , Burgos-Burgos John E.
Published: March 2021

This article aims to explore the perceptions of banana farms managers towards environmental sustainability practices through the impact of innovation, adoption of information systems, and training employees through a case study in the province of El Oro (Ecuador). Furthermore, the paper assesses how farmers’ perceptions could guide public policy incentives. PLS-Structural Equation Modeling are used as the framework by which the constructs is represented within the model. The model explained 59% of the environmental sustainability practices of Ecuadorian banana farms. The results indicate that environmental sustainability practices were positively influenced mainly by training employees, innovation, and adoption of information systems. Additionally, both the adoption of information systems and training employees indirectly influenced sustainable practices through innovation as a mediator. We may conclude that in the Ecuadorian banana farms, changes in environmental practices are derived from innovation strategies as an axis of development of useful information and training employees in public policies.
The Intestinal Carriage of Plasmid-Mediated Colistin-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Tertiary Care Settings
Authors: Tkadlec Jan , Kalova Alzbeta , Brajerova Marie , Gelbicova Tereza , Karpiskova Renata , Smelikova Eva , Nyc Otakar , Drevinek Pavel , Krutova Marcela
Published: March 2021

Background: In order to estimate the prevalence of plasmid borne colistin resistance and to characterize in detail the mcr-positive isolates, we carried out a sentinel testing survey on the intestinal carriage of plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in hospitalized patients. Methods: Between June 2018 and September 2019, 1922 faecal samples from hospitalised patients were analysed by selective culture in presence of colistin (3.5 mg/L), and in parallel by direct detection of the mcr-1 to mcr-8 genes by qPCR. The mcr-positive isolates were characterised by whole-genome sequencing. Results: The prevalence of the mcr-1 gene was 0.21% (n = 4/1922); the mcr-2 to 8 genes were not detected. The mcr-1 gene was found to be localised in the IncX4 (n = 3) and IncHI2 (n = 1) plasmid type. One Escherichia coli isolate was susceptible to colistin due to the inactivation of the mcr-1 gene through the insertion of the IS2 element; however, the colistin resistance was inducible by culture in low concentrations of colistin. One human mcr-1 positive E. coli isolate was related genetically to the mcr-1 E. coli isolate derived from turkey meat of Czech origin. Conclusions:mcr-mediated colistin resistance currently poses little threat to patients hospitalised in Czech healthcare settings. The presence of the mcr-1 gene in the human population has a possible link to domestically produced, retail meat.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Prophylactic Use of Ertapenem for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections after Elective Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Vicentini Costanza , Gianino Maria Michela , Corradi Alessio , Marengo Noemi , Bordino Valerio , Corcione Silvia , De Rosa Francesco Giuseppe , Fattore Giovanni , Zotti Carla Maria
Published: March 2021

Standard surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) regimens are less effective in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) due to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates, particularly for patients undergoing colorectal surgery. This study aimed to evaluate whether ertapenem should be a preferred strategy for the prevention of SSIs following elective colorectal surgery compared to three standard SAP regimens: amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefoxitin, and cefazolin plus metronidazole. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using decision tree models. Probabilities of SSIs and AMR-SSIs, costs, and effects (in terms of quality-adjusted life-years) were considered in the assessment of the alternative strategies. Input parameters integrated real data from the Italian surveillance system for SSIs with data from the published literature. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the potential impact of the decreasing efficacy of standard SAP regimens in preventing SSIs. According to our models, ertapenem was the most cost-effective strategy only when compared to amoxicillin-clavulanate, but it did not prove to be superior to cefoxitin and cefazolin plus metronidazole. The sensitivity analysis found ertapenem would be the most cost-effective strategy compared to these agents if their failure rate was more than doubled. The findings of this study suggest ertapenem should not be a preferred strategy for SAP in elective colorectal surgery.
The Importance of Developing Electrochemical Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for a Rapid Detection of Antioxidants
Authors: Elhachem Marie , Cayot Philippe , Abboud Maher , Louka Nicolas , Maroun Richard G. , Bou-Maroun Elias
Published: March 2021

This review aims to pin out the importance of developing a technique for rapid detection of antioxidants, based on molecular imprinting techniques. It covers three major areas that have made great progress over the years in the field of research, namely: antioxidants characterization, molecular imprinting and electrochemistry, alone or combined. It also reveals the importance of bringing these three areas together for a good evaluation of antioxidants in a simple or complex medium, based on selectivity and specificity. Although numerous studies have associated antioxidants with molecular imprinting, or antioxidants with electrochemistry, but even electrochemistry with molecular imprinting to valorize different compounds, the growing prominence of antioxidants in the food, medical, and paramedical sectors deserves to combine the three areas, which may lead to innovative industrial applications with satisfactory results for both manufacturers and consumers.
Translational Approaches with Antioxidant Phytochemicals against Alcohol-Mediated Oxidative Stress, Gut Dysbiosis, Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction, and Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Ballway Jacob W. , Song Byoung-Joon
Published: March 2021

Emerging data demonstrate the important roles of altered gut microbiomes (dysbiosis) in many disease states in the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. Gut dysbiosis with decreased ratios of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes and other changes are reported to be caused by many disease states and various environmental factors, such as ethanol (e.g., alcohol drinking), Western-style high-fat diets, high fructose, etc. It is also caused by genetic factors, including genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic changes in different individuals. Gut dysbiosis, impaired intestinal barrier function, and elevated serum endotoxin levels can be observed in human patients and/or experimental rodent models exposed to these factors or with certain disease states. However, gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can be normalized through lifestyle alterations such as increased consumption of healthy diets with various fruits and vegetables containing many different kinds of antioxidant phytochemicals. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of gut dysbiosis, leaky gut, endotoxemia, and fatty liver disease with a specific focus on the alcohol-associated pathways. We also mention translational approaches by discussing the benefits of many antioxidant phytochemicals and/or their metabolites against alcohol-mediated oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and fatty liver disease.
Oxidative Stress in Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI): From Mechanisms to Biomarkers for Use in Clinical Practice
Authors: Villanueva-Paz Marina , Morán Laura , López-Alcántara Nuria , Freixo Cristiana , Andrade Raúl J. , Lucena M Isabel , Cubero Francisco Javier
Published: March 2021

Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a type of hepatic injury caused by an uncommon drug adverse reaction that can develop to conditions spanning from asymptomatic liver laboratory abnormalities to acute liver failure (ALF) and death. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in DILI are poorly understood. Hepatocyte damage can be caused by the metabolic activation of chemically active intermediate metabolites that covalently bind to macromolecules (e.g., proteins, DNA), forming protein adducts—neoantigens—that lead to the generation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which can eventually lead to cell death. In parallel, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) stimulate the immune response, whereby inflammasomes play a pivotal role, and neoantigen presentation on specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules trigger the adaptive immune response. A wide array of antioxidant mechanisms exists to counterbalance the effect of oxidants, including glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), which are pivotal in detoxification. These get compromised during DILI, triggering an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants defense systems, generating oxidative stress. As a result of exacerbated oxidative stress, several danger signals, including mitochondrial damage, cell death, and inflammatory markers, and microRNAs (miRNAs) related to extracellular vesicles (EVs) have already been reported as mechanistic biomarkers. Here, the status quo and the future directions in DILI are thoroughly discussed, with a special focus on the role of oxidative stress and the development of new biomarkers.
The Phenoxyphenol Compound diTFPP Mediates Exogenous C2-Ceramide Metabolism, Inducing Cell Apoptosis Accompanied by ROS Formation and Autophagy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Chang Wen-Tsan , Bow Yung-Ding , Chen Yen-Chun , Li Chia-Yang , Chen Jeff Yi-Fu , Chu Yi-Ching , Teng Yen-Ni , Li Ruei-Nian , Chiu Chien-Chih
Published: March 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe disease that accounts for 80% of liver cancers. Chemotherapy is the primary therapeutic strategy for patients who cannot be treated with surgery or who have late-stage HCC. C2-ceramide is an effective reagent that has been found to inhibit the growth of many cancer types. The metabolism of C2-ceramide plays a vital role in the regulation of cell death/cell survival. The phenoxyphenol compound 4-{2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-[2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)phenyl]phenoxy}phenol (diTFPP) was found to have a synergistic effect with C2-ceramide, resulting in considerable cell death in the HA22T HCC cell line. diTFPP/C2-ceramide cotreatment induced a two- to threefold increase in cell death compared to that with C2-ceramide alone and induced pyknosis. Annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D (7AAD) double staining and Western blotting indicated that apoptosis was involved in diTFPP/C2-ceramide cotreatment-mediated cell death. We next analyzed transcriptome alterations in diTFPP/C2-ceramide-cotreated HA22T cells with next-generation sequencing (NGS). The data indicated that diTFPP treatment disrupted sphingolipid metabolism, inhibited cell cycle-associated gene expression, and induced autophagy and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive changes in gene expression. Additionally, we assessed the activation of autophagy with acridine orange (AO) staining and observed alterations in the expression of the autophagic proteins LC3B-II and Beclin-1, which indicated autophagy activation after diTFPP/C2-ceramide cotreatment. Elevated levels of ROS were also reported in diTFPP/C2-ceramide-treated cells, and the expression of the ROS-associated proteins SOD1, SOD2, and catalase was upregulated after diTFPP/C2-ceramide treatment. This study revealed the potential regulatory mechanism of the novel compound diTFPP in sphingolipid metabolism by showing that it disrupts ceramide metabolism and apoptotic sphingolipid accumulation.
Nucleoside Di- and Triphosphates as a New Generation of Anti-HIV Pronucleotides. Chemical and Biological Aspects
Authors: Rachwalak Marta , Romanowska Joanna , Sobkowski Michal , Stawinski Jacek
Published: March 2021

This review provides a short account of the chemical synthesis of nucleoside di- and triphosphates on a historical background, together with the use of this class of compounds as potential pronucleotides in anti-HIV therapy.
Topology of the World Tourism Web
Authors: Kostelić Katarina , Turk Marko
Published: March 2021

The applications of social network analysis to the world tourism network are scarce, and a research update is long overdue. The goal of this research is to examine the topology of the world tourism network and to discuss the meaning of its characteristics in light of the current situation. The data used for the analysis comprise 193 target countries, 242 source countries, and 17,022 links, which is an overall 1,448,285,894 travels in 2018. Social network analysis is applied to the data to determine network topological and diffusion properties, as well as the network structure and its regularities (does it behave more as a social or a technological/biological network?). While results presented in this paper give a thorough insight into the world tourism network in the year 2018, they are only a glimpse in comparison to the possibilities for further research.
Rheology-Based Classification of Foods for the Elderly by Machine Learning Analysis
Authors: Jeong Sungmin , Kim Heesu , Lee Suyong
Published: March 2021

A new research framework for the rheological measurements of foods for the elderly was proposed by combining experiments with machine learning. Universal design food (UDF), the conventional rheological test for foods for the elderly, was compared with three different rheological methods in terms of stress, clearly showing a great linear correlation (R2 = 0.9885) with the puncture test. A binary logistic classification with the tensorflow library was successfully applied to predict the elderly’s foods based on the rheological stress values from the UDF and puncture tests. The gradient descent algorithm demonstrated that the cost functions became minimized, and the model parameters were optimally estimated with an increasing number of machine learning iterations. From the testing dataset, the predictive model with a threshold value of 0.7 successfully classified the food samples into two groups (belong to the elderly’s foods or not) with an accuracy of 98%. The research framework proposed in this study can be applied to a wide variety of classification and estimation-related studies in the field of food science.
Outlier Detection with Explanations on Music Streaming Data: A Case Study with Danmark Music Group Ltd.
Authors: Herskind Sejr Jonas , Christiansen Thorbjørn , Dvinge Nicolai , Hougesen Dan , Schneider-Kamp Peter , Zimek Arthur
Published: March 2021

In the digital marketplaces, businesses can micro-monitor sales worldwide and in real-time. Due to the vast amounts of data, there is a pressing need for tools that automatically highlight changing trends and anomalous (outlier) behavior that is potentially interesting to users. In collaboration with Danmark Music Group Ltd. we developed an unsupervised system for this problem based on a predictive neural network. To make the method transparent to developers and users (musicians, music managers, etc.), the system delivers two levels of outlier explanations: the deviation from the model prediction, and the explanation of the model prediction. We demonstrate both types of outlier explanations to provide value to data scientists and developers during development, tuning, and evaluation. The quantitative and qualitative evaluation shows that the users find the identified trends and anomalies interesting and worth further investigation. Consequently, the system was integrated into the production system. We discuss the challenges in unsupervised parameter tuning and show that the system could be further improved with personalization and integration of additional information, unrelated to the raw outlier score.
BeePIV: A Method to Measure Apis Mellifera Traffic with Particle Image Velocimetry in Videos
Authors: Kulyukin Vladimir , Mukherjee Sarbajit , Minichiello Angela , Truscott Tadd
Published: March 2021

Accurate measurement of honeybee (Apis mellifera) traffic in the vicinity of the hive is critical in systems that continuously monitor honeybee colonies to detect deviations from the norm. BeePIV, the algorithm we describe and evaluate in this article, is a new significant result in our longitudinal investigation of honeybee flight and traffic in electronic beehive monitoring. BeePIV converts frames from bee traffic videos to particle motion frames with uniform background, applies particle image velocimetry to these motion frames to compute particle displacement vector fields, classifies individual displacement vectors as incoming, outgoing, and lateral, and uses the respective vector counts to measure incoming, outgoing, and lateral bee traffic. We evaluate BeePIV on twelve 30-s color videos with a total frame count of 8928 frames for which we obtained the ground truth by manually counting every full bee motion in each frame. The bee motion counts obtained from these videos with BeePIV come closer to the human bee motion counts than the bee motion counts obtained with our previous video-based bee counting methods. We use BeePIV to compute incoming and outgoing bee traffic curves for two different hives over a period of seven months and observe that these curves closely follow each other. Our observations indicate that bee traffic curves obtained by BeePIV may be used to predict colony failures. Our experiments suggest that BeePIV can be used in situ on the raspberry pi platform to process bee traffic videos.
Design of a Rectangular Pickup Coil Fabricated on a PCB Using WBG Power Semiconductor in Discrete Package
Authors: Kim Ui-Jin
Published: March 2021

Power semiconductors based on wide bandgap (WBG) devices are capable of fast switching and have low on-resistance. Accordingly, a fast sensor with a higher bandwidth is required for circuit inspection based on switch current measurements. Thus, it is necessary to have a current sensor in the printed circuit board (PCB) circuit for diagnosis and protection of the surface mount device (SMD) type circuit system. Accordingly, a pickup coil with the advantages of a high degree of sensor configuration freedom, wide bandwidth, and low cost can be a good alternative. This study analyzes the influence of coil shape and parameters on sensor design as a guideline for embedding a pickup coil in an SMD-type PCB circuit of a WBG power semiconductor-based, half-bridge structure. The mutual inductance and self-inductance values of the coil are considered large variables in the design of a sensor coil for simultaneously maintaining high bandwidth and sensor sensitivity. Therefore, magnetic and frequency response analyses were conducted to verify the correlation with inductance, the influence of coupling capacitance, and the influence of the magnetic field formation via the current flowing through the external trace inside the PCB. The coil model is verified and discussed through simulation and double pulse tests.
Theoretical Prediction of P-Triphenylene-Graphdiyne as an Excellent Anode Material for Li, Na, K, Mg, and Ca Batteries
Authors: Salavati Mohammad , Alajlan Naif , Rabczuk Timon
Published: March 2021

The efficient performance of metal-ion batteries strongly depends on electrode materials characteristics. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are among promising electrode materials for metal-ion battery cells, owing to their excellent structural and electronic properties. Two-dimensional graphdiyne has been recently fabricated and revealed unique storage capacities and fast charging rates. The current study explores the performance of the novel phosphorated-triphenylene graphdiyne (P-TpG) monolayer as an anode material for Li-, Na-, K-, Mg-, and Ca-ions storage via extensive density functional theory (DFT) simulations. Our results reveal that the stable structure of P-TpG monolayers delivers ultra-high storage capacities of ~2148, ~1696, ~1017, and ~2035 mA·h·g−1 for Li-, Na-, K-, and Ca- ions, respectively. Notably, the metallic electronic behavior is illustrated by adsorbing metal-ions on the P-TpG nanosheets, suggesting a good electronic conductivity. The NEB results demonstrate that P-TpG can serve as an outstanding candidate for the optimal charging/discharging process. This theoretical study suggests P-TpG nanosheets as a highly promising candidate for the design of advanced metal-ion batteries with remarkable charge capacities and optimal charging/discharging rates.
Spin Dependent Transport through Driven Magnetic System with Aubry-Andre-Harper Modulation
Authors: Koley Arpita , Maiti Santanu K. , Ojeda Silva Judith Helena , Laroze David
Published: March 2021

In this work, we put forward a prescription of achieving spin selective electron transfer by means of light irradiation through a tight-binding (TB) magnetic chain whose site energies are modulated in the form of well known Aubry–Andre–Harper (AAH) model. The interaction of itinerant electrons with local magnetic moments in the magnetic system provides a misalignment between up and down spin channels which leads to a finite spin polarization (SP) upon locating the Fermi energy in a suitable energy zone. Both the energy channels are significantly affected by the irradiation which is directly reflected in degree of spin polarization as well as in its phase. We include the irradiation effect through Floquet ansatz and compute spin polarization coefficient by evaluating transmission probabilities using Green’s function prescription. Our analysis can be utilized to investigate spin dependent transport phenomena in any driven magnetic system with quasiperiodic modulations.
A Conceptual Model for Joint Graphic Representation of Mechatronic Systems with Servomechanisms
Authors: Garrido Julio , Santos David , Silva Diego , Riveiro Enrique , Sáez Juan
Published: March 2021

This article deals with the problem of joint representation of mechanical and motion control information of machines with servo axes. A new conceptual model is proposed for the graphical representation of industrial mechatronic systems covering the minimum information requirements from both mechanical and motion automation points of view. The model also takes into account new electronic motion control concepts such as virtual axes and temporary electronic coordination relationships between axes (e-gears). The objective is to support more integrated and collaborative work between mechanical designers and automation developers when implementing complex machines and industrial mechatronic systems. Schemes graphically representing the relevant common information are obtained from the information model, which may simplify the exchange of information between the mechanical and the motion control fields, not only at conceptualization and design stages, but also throughout the rest of the implementation process of industrial mechatronic systems.
Systematic Review on Human Skin-Compatible Wearable Photoplethysmography Sensors
Authors: Lee Inho , Park Nakkyun , Lee Hanbee , Hwang Chuljin , Kim Joo Hee , Park Sungjun
Published: March 2021

The rapid advances in human-friendly and wearable photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors have facilitated the continuous and real-time monitoring of physiological conditions, enabling self-health care without being restricted by location. In this paper, we focus on state-of-the-art skin-compatible PPG sensors and strategies to obtain accurate and stable sensing of biological signals adhered to human skin along with light-absorbing semiconducting materials that are classified as silicone, inorganic, and organic absorbers. The challenges of skin-compatible PPG-based monitoring technologies and their further improvements are also discussed. We expect that such technological developments will accelerate accurate diagnostic evaluation with the aid of the biomedical electronic devices.