bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer: A Comparative Cohort Study According to Pathogenic Variant Status
Authors: Marwitz Tim , Hüneburg Robert , Spier Isabel , Lau Jan-Frederic , Kristiansen Glen , Lingohr Philipp , Kalff Jörg C. , Aretz Stefan , Nattermann Jacob , Strassburg Christian P.
Published: December 2020

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) is an inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome characterized by an elevated risk for diffuse gastric cancer (DGC) and lobular breast cancer (LBC). Some patients fulfilling the clinical testing criteria harbor a pathogenic CDH1 or CTNNA1 germline variant. However, the underlying mechanism for around 80% of the patients with a family or personal history of DGC and LBC has so far not been elucidated. In this cohort study, patients meeting the 2015 HDGC clinical testing criteria were included, and subsequently, CDH1 sequencing was performed. Of the 207 patients (161 families) in this study, we detected 21 pathogenic or likely pathogenic CDH1 variants (PV) in 60 patients (28 families) and one CTNNA1 PV in two patients from one family. Sixty-eight percent (n = 141) of patients were female. The overall PV detection rate was 18% (29/161 families). Criterion 1 and 3 of the 2015 HDGC testing criteria yielded the highest detection rate of CDH1/CTNNA1 PVs (21% and 28%). PV carriers and patients without proven PV were compared. Risk of gastric cancer (GC) (38/62 61% vs. 102/140 73%) and age at diagnosis (40 ± 13 years vs. 44 ± 12 years) were similar between the two groups. However, GC was more advanced in gastrectomy specimens of patients without PV (81% vs. 26%). LBC prevalence in female carriers of a PV was 20% (n = 8/40). Clinical phenotypes differed strongly between families with the same PV. Emphasis should be on detecting more causative genes predisposing for HDGC and improve the management of patients without a proven pathogenic germline variant.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells: The Challenges of Phenotypic Heterogeneity
Authors: Arnone Marlon , Konantz Martina , Hanns Pauline , Paczulla Stanger Anna M. , Bertels Sarah , Godavarthy Parimala Sonika , Christopeit Maximilian , Lengerke Claudia
Published: December 2020

Patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) show highly heterogeneous clinical outcomes. Next to variabilities in patient-specific parameters influencing treatment decisions and outcome, this is due to differences in AML biology. In fact, different genetic drivers may transform variable cells of origin and co-exist with additional genetic lesions (e.g., as observed in clonal hematopoiesis) in a variety of leukemic (sub)clones. Moreover, AML cells are hierarchically organized and contain subpopulations of more immature cells called leukemic stem cells (LSC), which on the cellular level constitute the driver of the disease and may evolve during therapy. This genetic and hierarchical complexity results in a pronounced phenotypic variability, which is observed among AML cells of different patients as well as among the leukemic blasts of individual patients, at diagnosis and during the course of the disease. Here, we review the current knowledge on the heterogeneous landscape of AML surface markers with particular focus on those identifying LSC, and discuss why identification and targeting of this important cellular subpopulation in AML remains challenging.
Patient-Derived Xenograft and Organoid Models for Precision Medicine Targeting of the Tumour Microenvironment in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Lee Tet Woo , Lai Amy , Harms Julia K. , Singleton Dean C. , Dickson Benjamin D. , Macann Andrew M. J. , Hay Michael P. , Jamieson Stephen M. F.
Published: December 2020

Patient survival from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the seventh most common cause of cancer, has not markedly improved in recent years despite the approval of targeted therapies and immunotherapy agents. Precision medicine approaches that seek to individualise therapy through the use of predictive biomarkers and stratification strategies offer opportunities to improve therapeutic success in HNSCC. To enable precision medicine of HNSCC, an understanding of the microenvironment that influences tumour growth and response to therapy is required alongside research tools that recapitulate the features of human tumours. In this review, we highlight the importance of the tumour microenvironment in HNSCC, with a focus on tumour hypoxia, and discuss the fidelity of patient-derived xenograft and organoids for modelling human HNSCC and response to therapy. We describe the benefits of patient-derived models over alternative preclinical models and their limitations in clinical relevance and how these impact their utility in precision medicine in HNSCC for the discovery of new therapeutic agents, as well as predictive biomarkers to identify patients’ most likely to respond to therapy.
Tumour Stroma Ratio Assessment Using Digital Image Analysis Predicts Survival in Triple Negative and Luminal Breast Cancer
Authors: Millar Ewan KA , Browne Lois H. , Beretov Julia , Lee Kirsty , Lynch Jodi , Swarbrick Alexander , Graham Peter H.
Published: December 2020

We aimed to determine the clinical significance of tumour stroma ratio (TSR) in luminal and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) using digital image analysis and machine learning algorithms. Automated image analysis using QuPath software was applied to a cohort of 647 breast cancer patients (403 luminal and 244 TNBC) using digital H&E images of tissue microarrays (TMAs). Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards were used to ascertain relationships with overall survival (OS) and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS). For TNBC, low TSR (high stroma) was associated with poor prognosis for both OS (HR 1.9, CI 1.1–3.3, p = 0.021) and BCSS (HR 2.6, HR 1.3–5.4, p = 0.007) in multivariate models, independent of age, size, grade, sTILs, lymph nodal status and chemotherapy. However, for luminal tumours, low TSR (high stroma) was associated with a favourable prognosis in MVA for OS (HR 0.6, CI 0.4–0.8, p = 0.001) but not for BCSS. TSR is a prognostic factor of most significance in TNBC, but also in luminal breast cancer, and can be reliably assessed using quantitative image analysis of TMAs. Further investigation into the contribution of tumour subtype stromal phenotype may further refine these findings.
Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in the Formation of the Pre-Metastatic Niche
Authors: Li Ru , Wen Annie , Lin Jun
Published: December 2020

In the presence of a primary tumor, the pre-metastatic niche is established in secondary organs as a favorable microenvironment for subsequent tumor metastases. This process is orchestrated by bone marrow-derived cells, primary tumor-derived factors, and extracellular matrix. In this review, we summarize the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, CC-chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and Chemokine (C–X–C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) in the formation of the pre-metastatic niche according to the most recent studies. Pro-inflammatory cytokines released from tumor cells or stromal cells act in both autocrine and paracrine manners to induce phenotype changes in tumor cells, recruit bone marrow-derived cells, and form an inflammatory milieu, all of which prime a secondary organ’s microenvironment for metastatic cell colonization. Considering the active involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines in niche formation, clinical strategies targeting them offer ways to inhibit the establishment of the pre-metastatic niche and therefore attenuate metastatic progression. We review clinical trials targeting different inflammatory cytokines in patients with metastatic cancers. Due to the pleiotropy and redundancy of pro-inflammatory cytokines, combined therapies should be designed in the future.
Role of Hypoxia and the Adenosine System in Immune Evasion and Prognosis of Patients with Brain Metastases of Melanoma: A Multiplex Whole Slide Immunofluorescence Study
Authors: Mayer Arnulf , Haist Maximilian , Loquai Carmen , Grabbe Stephan , Rapp Matthias , Roth Wilfried , Vaupel Peter , Schmidberger Heinz
Published: December 2020

Following the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, a substantial prolongation of the overall survival has been achieved for many patients with multiple brain metastases from melanoma. However, heterogeneity between individual tumor responses is incompletely understood. In order to determine the impact of the individual tumor phenotype on the prognosis of melanoma patients, we examined surgical sections from 33 patients who were treated with radiotherapy (whole-brain radiotherapy, WBRT, stereotactic radiotherapy, STX, or both) and Ipilimumab. We analyzed multiplex staining of the hypoxia marker GLUT-1, the adenosine (ADO)-associated enzymes CD73 and CD39, and CD8, a marker of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) on a single-cell basis using QuPath. Additionally, the MOSAIC interaction analysis algorithm was used to explore the hypothesis that CTL systematically avoid GLUT-1high tumor areas. Our results revealed, that a strong GLUT-1 expression, low numbers of CTL, or exclusion of CTL from the tumor were correlated with significant prognostic detriment. Hypoxic tumors overall have smaller amounts of CTL, and spatial analysis revealed a repellent effect of hypoxia on CTL. In contrast to in vitro studies, specific upregulation of ADO-related enzymes CD73 and CD39 in GLUT-1high tumor regions was never observed. In this study, we could show direct in vivo evidence for hypoxia-mediated immunosuppression in melanoma. Moreover, this study suggests a significant prognostic relevance of the tumor immune phenotype, the strength of CD8 infiltration in the tumor, and the expression of hypoxia marker GLUT-1 on melanoma cells. Last, our results suggest a temporal stability of the microenvironment-mediated immunosuppressive phenotype in melanoma.
The Effects of CeO2 and Co Doping on the Properties and the Performance of the Ni/Al2O3-MgO Catalyst for the Combined Steam and CO2 Reforming of Methane Using Ultra-Low Steam to Carbon Ratio
Authors: Dharmasaroja Nichthima , Ratana Tanakorn , Tungkamani Sabaithip , Sornchamni Thana , Simakov David S. A. , Phongaksorn Monrudee
Published: December 2020

In this paper, the 10 wt% Ni/Al2O3-MgO (10Ni/MA), 5 wt% Ni-5 wt% Ce/Al2O3-MgO (5Ni5Ce/MA), and 5 wt% Ni-5 wt% Co/Al2O3-MgO (5Ni5Co/MA) catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method. The effects of CeO2 and Co doping on the physicochemical properties of the Ni/Al2O3-MgO catalyst were comprehensively studied by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H2 temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), CO2 temperature programmed reduction (CO2-TPD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects on catalytic performance for the combined steam and CO2 reforming of methane with the low steam-to-carbon ratio (S/C ratio) were evaluated at 620 °C under atmospheric pressure. The appearance of CeO2 and Co enhanced the oxygen species at the surface that decreased the coke deposits from 17% for the Ni/MA catalyst to 11–12% for the 5Ni5Ce/MA and 5Ni5Co/MA catalysts. The oxygen vacancies in the 5Ni5Ce/MA catalyst promoted water activation and dissociation, producing surface oxygen with a relatively high H2/CO ratio (1.6). With the relatively low H2/CO ratio (1.3), the oxygen species at the surface was enhanced by CO2 activation-dissociation via the redox potential in the 5Ni5Co/MA catalyst. The improvement of H2O and CO2 dissociative adsorption allowed the 5Ni5Ce/MA and 5Ni5Co/MA catalysts to resist the carbon formation, requiring only a low amount of steam to be added.
Chemical and Laser Ablation Synthesis of Monometallic and Bimetallic Ni-Based Nanoparticles
Authors: Lasemi Niusha , Rupprechter Günther
Published: December 2020

The catalytic properties of nanoparticles depend on their size, shape and surface/defect structure, with the entire catalyst performance being governed by the corresponding distributions. Herein, we present two routes of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticle synthesis that enable control of the structural parameters, i.e., wet-chemical synthesis and laser ablation in liquid-phase. The latter is particularly suited to create defect-rich nanoparticles. Impregnation routes were applied to prepare Ni and NiCu nanoparticles, whereas nano- and femtosecond laser ablation in liquid-phase were employed to prepare Ni and NiAu nanoparticles. The effects of the Ni:Cu ratio in impregnation and of laser fluence and liquid-medium on laser ablation are discussed. The atomic structure and (surface) composition of the nanoparticles were characterized by electron microscopic (BF-TEM, DF-TEM, HRTEM) and spectroscopic/diffraction techniques (EDX, SAED, XPS, IR), complemented by theory (DFT). The chemically synthesized bimetallic NiCu nanoparticles initially had Cu-rich surfaces, which changed to Ni-rich upon reaction. For laser ablation, depending on conditions (fluence, type of liquid), highly defective, ordered, or core/shell-like nanoparticles were produced. The case studies highlight the specific benefits of each preparation method for catalyst synthesis and discuss the potential of nanoparticles produced by pulsed laser ablation for catalytic applications.
Synthesis and Characterization of Amorphous Molybdenum Sulfide (MoSx)/CdIn2S4 Composite Photocatalyst: Co-Catalyst Using in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Li Qi , Liu Wanli , Xie Xuejian , Yang Xianglong , Chen Xiufang , Xu Xiangang
Published: December 2020

Co-catalyst deposition is used to improve the surface and electrical properties of photocatalysts. In this work, MoSx/CdIn2S4 nanocomposites were prepared by a facile hydrothermal and photodeposition route. The basic crystalline phases and morphology of the as-prepared samples were determined, and these results showed that MoSx was tightly anchored onto CdIn2S4 by sharing the same S atom. In the hydrogen production experiments, MoSx/CdIn2S4-40 displayed the optimal photocatalytic hydrogen production yield in 4 h. The H2 evolution rate reached 2846.73 μmol/g/h, which was 13.6-times higher than that of pure CdIn2S4. Analyzing the photocatalytic enhancement mechanisms revealed that this unique structure had a remarkable photogenerated electron-hole pair separation efficiency, rapid charge carrier transfer channels, and more abundant surface reaction sites. The use of co-catalyst (MoSx) greatly improved the photocatalytic activity of CdIn2S4.
Photocatalytic Degradation of the Light Sensitive Organic Dyes: Methylene Blue and Rose Bengal by Using Urea Derived g-C3N4/ZnO Nanocomposites
Authors: Alharthi Fahad A. , Ali Alghamdi Abdulaziz , Alanazi Hamdah S. , Alsyahi Amjad Abdullah , Ahmad Naushad
Published: December 2020

In this study, we report the fabrication of graphitic carbon nitride doped zinc oxide nanocomposites, g-C3N4/ZnO, (Zn-Us) by using different amount of urea. They were further characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman, UV-vis, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The prepared nanocomposites were used as photocatalysts for the mineralization of the light sensitive dyes Methylene Blue (MB) and Rose Bengal (RB) under UV light irradiation, and corresponding photo-mechanism was proposed. Benefiting from these photocatalytic characteristics, urea derived g-C3N4/ZnO photocatalysts have been found to have excellent photodegradation activity against the MB and RB for 6 h and 4 h, respectively. Under the given experimental conditions, the degradation percentage of fabricated Zn-Us were shown ~90% for both model dyes. Compared to cationic MB dye, anionic RB dye is more actively degraded on the surface of prepared photocatalysts. The results obtained can be effectively used for future practical applications in wastewater treatment
Clonal Analysis of Gliogenesis in the Cerebral Cortex Reveals Stochastic Expansion of Glia and Cell Autonomous Responses to Egfr Dosage
Authors: Zhang Xuying , Mennicke Christine V. , Xiao Guanxi , Beattie Robert , Haider Mansoor A. , Hippenmeyer Simon , Ghashghaei H. Troy
Published: December 2020

Development of the nervous system undergoes important transitions, including one from neurogenesis to gliogenesis which occurs late during embryonic gestation. Here we report on clonal analysis of gliogenesis in mice using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM) with quantitative and computational methods. Results reveal that developmental gliogenesis in the cerebral cortex occurs in a fraction of earlier neurogenic clones, accelerating around E16.5, and giving rise to both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Moreover, MADM-based genetic deletion of the epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) in gliogenic clones revealed that Egfr is cell autonomously required for gliogenesis in the mouse dorsolateral cortices. A broad range in the proliferation capacity, symmetry of clones, and competitive advantage of MADM cells was evident in clones that contained one cellular lineage with double dosage of Egfr relative to their environment, while their sibling Egfr-null cells failed to generate glia. Remarkably, the total numbers of glia in MADM clones balance out regardless of significant alterations in clonal symmetries. The variability in glial clones shows stochastic patterns that we define mathematically, which are different from the deterministic patterns in neuronal clones. This study sets a foundation for studying the biological significance of stochastic and deterministic clonal principles underlying tissue development, and identifying mechanisms that differentiate between neurogenesis and gliogenesis.
Functional Analysis of Adipokinetic Hormone Signaling in Bombyx mori
Authors: Sehadova Hana , Takasu Yoko , Zaloudikova Anna , Lin Yu-Hsien , Sauman Ivo , Sezutsu Hideki , Rouhova Lenka , Kodrik Dalibor , Zurovec Michal
Published: December 2020

Insect adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) are short peptides produced in the corpora cardiaca and are responsible for mobilizing energy stores from the fat body to the hemolymph. Three related peptides, AKH1, AKH2, and AKH/corazonin-related peptide (ACP) as well as three AKH receptors have been reported in Bombyx mori. AKH1 and AKH2 are specific for the AKHR1 receptor, whereas ACP interacts with the other two AKHRs. To assess the effect of the two silkworm AKHs and ACP in the regulation of energy homeostasis we examined the expression pattern of the three peptides and their receptors as well as their effect on the level of carbohydrates and lipids in the hemolymph. Our results support the hypothesis that only AKH1 and AKH2 peptides together with the AKHR1 receptor are involved in the maintenance of energy homeostasis. Because Bombyx AKHR1 (BmAKHR1) seems to be a true AKHR we generated its mutation. The BmAKHR1 mutant larvae display significantly lower carbohydrate and lipid levels in the hemolymph and reduced sensitivity to starvation. Our study clarifies the role of BmAKHR1 in energy homeostasis.
CHEK2 Germline Variants in Cancer Predisposition: Stalemate Rather than Checkmate
Authors: Stolarova Lenka , Kleiblova Petra , Janatova Marketa , Soukupova Jana , Zemankova Petra , Macurek Libor , Kleibl Zdenek
Published: December 2020

Germline alterations in many genes coding for proteins regulating DNA repair and DNA damage response (DDR) to DNA double-strand breaks (DDSB) have been recognized as pathogenic factors in hereditary cancer predisposition. The ATM-CHEK2-p53 axis has been documented as a backbone for DDR and hypothesized as a barrier against cancer initiation. However, although CHK2 kinase coded by the CHEK2 gene expedites the DDR signal, its function in activation of p53-dependent cell cycle arrest is dispensable. CHEK2 mutations rank among the most frequent germline alterations revealed by germline genetic testing for various hereditary cancer predispositions, but their interpretation is not trivial. From the perspective of interpretation of germline CHEK2 variants, we review the current knowledge related to the structure of the CHEK2 gene, the function of CHK2 kinase, and the clinical significance of CHEK2 germline mutations in patients with hereditary breast, prostate, kidney, thyroid, and colon cancers.
Role of Aquaporins in the Physiological Functions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Zannetti Antonella , Benga Gheorghe , Brunetti Arturo , Napolitano Francesco , Avallone Luigi , Pelagalli Alessandra
Published: December 2020

Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of membrane water channel proteins that control osmotically-driven water transport across cell membranes. Recent studies have focused on the assessment of fluid flux regulation in relation to the biological processes that maintain mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) physiology. In particular, AQPs seem to regulate MSC proliferation through rapid regulation of the cell volume. Furthermore, several reports have shown that AQPs play a crucial role in modulating MSC attachment to the extracellular matrix, their spread, and migration. Shedding light on how AQPs are able to regulate MSC physiological functions can increase our knowledge of their biological behaviours and improve their application in regenerative and reparative medicine.
t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a Paradigm for the Understanding of Leukemogenesis at the Level of Gene Regulation and Chromatin Programming
Authors: Kellaway Sophie , Chin Paulynn S. , Barneh Farnaz , Bonifer Constanze , Heidenreich Olaf
Published: December 2020

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenous disease with multiple sub-types which are defined by different somatic mutations that cause blood cell differentiation to go astray. Mutations occur in genes encoding members of the cellular machinery controlling transcription and chromatin structure, including transcription factors, chromatin modifiers, DNA-methyltransferases, but also signaling molecules that activate inducible transcription factors controlling gene expression and cell growth. Mutant cells in AML patients are unable to differentiate and adopt new identities that are shaped by the original driver mutation and by rewiring their gene regulatory networks into regulatory phenotypes with enhanced fitness. One of the best-studied AML-subtypes is the t(8;21) AML which carries a translocation fusing sequences encoding the DNA-binding domain of the hematopoietic master regulator RUNX1 to the ETO gene. The resulting oncoprotein, RUNX1/ETO has been studied for decades, both at the biochemical but also at the systems biology level. It functions as a dominant-negative version of RUNX1 and interferes with multiple cellular processes associated with myeloid differentiation, growth regulation and genome stability. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of how this protein reprograms normal into malignant cells and how our current knowledge could be harnessed to treat the disease.
Flavylium Dye as pH-Tunable Fluorescent and CD Probe for Double-Stranded DNA and RNA
Authors: Crnolatac Ivo , Giestas Letícia , Horvat Gordan , Parola António Jorge , Piantanida Ivo
Published: December 2020

The interaction of 4′-(N,N-dimethylamino)-6-hydroxyflavylium cation with double stranded (ds-) DNA/RNA was studied by UV/Vis spectrophotometry, circular dichroism (CD), and also steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopies at neutral and weakly acidic conditions. At pH 5, the studied molecule, in its flavylium cationic form, showed considerable binding affinities (5 < logKs < 6) for all ds-DNA/RNA, contrary to chalcones forms (dominant at pH 7), which did not show binding to polynucleotides. Flavylium cation intercalated into ds-DNAs at variance to dominant groove aggregation within ds-RNA, which was reported by RNA-specific bisignate induced CD spectrum (ICD) bands. The intrinsically negligible fluorescence of flavylium was strongly increased upon the addition of DNA or RNA, whereby both the fluorescence intensity and emission lifetimes of complexes differed considerably: the strongest emission increase was observed for AU-RNA (detection limit estimated to 10 nM) followed by AT-DNAs and the much weaker effect of GC-DNAs. Both fluorescence sensitivity on the ds-DNA/RNA secondary structure and sequence-selective ICD bands make the flavylium–chalcones system an intriguing pH-switchable new probe for distinguishing between various polynucleotide sequences.
Measuring the Thickness of Metal Coatings: A Review of the Methods
Authors: Giurlani Walter , Berretti Enrico , Innocenti Massimo , Lavacchi Alessandro
Published: December 2020

Thickness dramatically affects the functionality of coatings. Accordingly, the techniques in use to determine the thickness are of utmost importance for coatings research and technology. In this review, we analyse some of the most appropriate methods for determining the thickness of metallic coatings. In doing so, we classify the techniques into two categories: (i) destructive and (ii) non-destructive. We report on the peculiarity and accuracy of each of these methods with a focus on the pros and cons. The manuscript also covers practical issues, such as the complexity of the procedure and the time required to obtain results. While the analysis focuses most on metal coatings, many methods are also applicable to films of other materials.
Improved Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of Mg-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Composite by Coating with Zr-Based Metallic Glass Thin Film
Authors: Tsai Pei-Hua , Lee Chung-I , Song Sin-Mao , Liao Yu-Chin , Li Tsung-Hsiung , Jang Jason Shian-Ching , Chu Jinn P.
Published: December 2020

Mg-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) and its composite (BMGC) can be excellent candidates as lightweight structure materials, but lack of anti-corrosion ability may restrict their application. In order to enhance the natural weak point of Mg-based BMGC, a 200-nm thick Zr-based metallic glass thin film (MGTF) ((Zr53Cu30Ni9Al8)99.5Si0.5) was applied and its mechanical properties as well as its corrosion resistance were appraised. The results of a 3-point bending test revealed that the flexural strength of the Mg-based BMGC with 200-nm thick Zr-based MGTF coating can be greatly enhanced from 180 to 254 MPa. We propose that the Zr-based MGTF coating can help to cover any small defects of a substrate surface, provide a protecting layer to prevent stress concentration, and cease crack initiation from the specimen surface during bending tests. Moreover, the results of anti-corrosion behavior analysis revealed a similar trend between the Mg-based BMG, Mg-based BMGC, and Mg-based BMGC with Zr-based MGTF coating in 0.9 wt.% sodium chloride solution. The readings show a positive effect with the Zr-based MGTF coating. Therefore, the 200-nm thick Zr-based MGTF coating is a promising solution to provide protection for both mechanical and anti-corrosion behaviors of Mg-based BMGC and reinforce its capability as structure material in island environments.
Graphene Oxide/Polyaniline Nanocomposites Used in Anticorrosive Coatings for Environmental Protection
Authors: Yang Shuanqiang , Zhu Shu , Hong Ruoyu
Published: December 2020

In recent years, metal corrosion causes serious threats to the economy of the world and the living environment. Hence, it is very important to seek non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials with metal anti-corrosion properties for the sustainable development of society. The barrier properties of graphene oxide (GO) and the special electrochemical property of polyaniline (PANI) can significantly improve the corrosion resistance of metals. Herein, we developed an in-situ polymerization method to prepare graphene oxide/polyaniline (GO/PANI) nanocomposites with unique anti-corrosion properties. The obtained GO/PANI nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermalgravimetric analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The as-prepared composite materials were uniformly dispersed in epoxy resin to prepare anticorrosive coatings and coated on the surface of steel. The anti-corrosion performance of the coatings was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization technique. The EIS results showed that the total impedance of epoxy/GO/PANI coatings is greater than epoxy/PANII coatings, and the impedance module value can reach 8.67 × 108 Ω·cm2. In general, it is concluded that the anti-corrosion performance of GO/PANI coating is significantly higher than PANI coating and pure GO coating.
Simulation of Monolithically Integrated Meta-Lens with Colloidal Quantum Dot Infrared Detectors for Enhanced Absorption
Authors: Ning Yan , Zhang Shuo , Hu Yao , Hao Qun , Tang Xin
Published: December 2020

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have been intensively investigated over the past decades in various fields for both light detection and emission applications due to their advantages like low cost, large-scale production, and tunable spectral absorption. However, current infrared CQD detectors still suffer from one common problem, which is the low absorption rate limited by CQD film thickness. Here, we report a simulation study of CQD infrared detectors with monolithically integrated meta-lenses as light concentrators. The design of the meta-lens for 4 μm infrared was investigated and simulation results show that light intensity in the focused region is ~20 times higher. Full device stacks were also simulated, and results show that, with a meta-lens, high absorption of 80% can be achieved even when the electric area of the CQD detectors was decreased by a factor of 64. With higher absorption and a smaller detector area, the employment of meta-lenses as optical concentrators could possibly improve the detectivity by a factor of 32. Therefore, we believe that integration of CQD infrared detectors with meta-lenses could serve as a promising route towards high performance infrared optoelectronics.
Interdependent Linear Complexion Structure and Dislocation Mechanics in Fe-Ni
Authors: Turlo Vladyslav , Rupert Timothy J.
Published: December 2020

Using large-scale atomistic simulations, dislocation mechanics in the presence of linear complexions are investigated in an Fe-Ni alloy, where the complexions appear as nanoparticle arrays along edge dislocation lines. When mechanical shear stress is applied to drive dislocation motion, a strong pinning effect is observed where the defects are restricted by their own linear complexion structures. This pinning effect becomes weaker after the first dislocation break-away event, leading to a stress-strain curve with a profound initial yield point, similar to the static strain aging behavior observed experimentally for Fe-Mn alloys with the same type of linear complexions. The existence of such a response can be explained by local diffusion-less and lattice distortive transformations corresponding to L10-to-B2 phase transitions within the linear complexion nanoparticles. As such, an interdependence between a linear complexion structure and dislocation mechanics is found.
First-Principles Study of Structure and Magnetism in Copper(II)-Containing Hybrid Perovskites
Authors: Gonçalves João N. , Phillips Anthony E. , Li Wei , Stroppa Alessandro
Published: December 2020

We report a first-principles study of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites with formula [A]Cu(H2POO)3 (A = triazolium (Trz) and guanidinium (Gua), and H2POO− = hypophosphite), and [HIm]Cu(HCO2)3 (HIm = imidazolium cation, HCO2− = formate). The triazolium hypophosphite and the formate have been suggested as possible ferroelectrics. We study the fully relaxed structures with different magnetic orderings and possible phonon instabilities. For the [Trz]Cu hypophosphite, the Trz cation is shown to induce large octahedral distortions due to the Jahn-Teller effect, with Cu-O long-bond ordering along two perpendicular directions, which is correlated with antiferromagnetic ordering and strongly one-dimensional. We find that the structure is dynamically stable with respect to zone-center distortions, but instabilities appear along high symmetry lines in the Brillouin zone. On the other hand, for the [HIm]Cu formate, large octahedral distortions are found, with large Cu-O bonds present in half of the octahedra, in this case along a single direction, and correspondingly, the magnetism is almost two-dimensional.
A Wave-Based Vibration Analysis of a Finite Timoshenko Locally Resonant Beam Suspended with Periodic Uncoupled Force-Moment Type Resonators
Authors: Lv Hangyuan , Zhang Yimin
Published: December 2020

This paper first employs and develops an exact wave-based vibration analysis approach to investigate a finite Timoshenko beam carrying periodic two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) uncoupled force-moment type resonators. In the approach, vibrations are described as structural waves that propagate along uniform structural elements and reflected and transmitted at structural discontinuities. Each uncoupled force-moment type resonator is considered as a cell which injects waves into the distributed beam through the transverse force and the bending moment at the attached point. By assembling wave relations of the cells into the beam, the forced vibration problem of the locally resonant (LR) structure is turned to be the solution to a related set of matrix equations. In addition, the parametric analysis provides an efficient method to obtain wide low-frequency range band-gaps. Accuracy of the proposed wave-based vibration analysis approach is demonstrated by the simulated and measured results of two sets of beam-like resonator samples.
Demographic Traits Variation in a Pyrenean Newt (Calotriton asper) among Lacustrine and Stream Populations
Authors: Camarasa Sebastià , Oromi Neus , Sanuy Delfí , Amat Fèlix
Published: December 2020

Demographic traits were analyzed in the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper) to evaluate whether its variability responds to the adaptation to the different habitats. In this study, life history traits of Calotriton asper were studied in nine populations living in two different kinds of habitats in the Pyrenees mountains: lakes and streams. Skeletochronology was used to determine age structure and different traits such as age at maturity and longevity. Age structure was different between populations and sexes. The two lacustrine populations, with facultative pedomorphosis, attained their maturity earlier. Age at sexual maturity ranged from 4 to 9 years and in some populations was similar between sexes while in others, females matured at younger ages than males. Maximum longevity varied from 7 to 35 years among populations and was correlated with the age at sexual maturity. Body size differed among populations, was sexually dimorphic, and this disparity was not related to the kind of habitat. The maximum size was found in the lacustrine population but exhibited high variation between populations. The results obtained show a significant variability between sexes and populations, in age and body size structure of Calotriton asper that did not depend on the habitat.
First 1-M Resolution Land Cover Map Labeling the Overlap in the 3rd Dimension: The 2018 Map for Wallonia
Authors: Bassine Céline , Radoux Julien , Beaumont Benjamin , Grippa Taïs , Lennert Moritz , Champagne Céline , De Vroey Mathilde , Martinet Augustin , Bouchez Olivier , Deffense Nicolas , Hallot Eric , Wolff Eléonore , Defourny Pierre
Published: December 2020

Land cover maps contribute to a large diversity of geospatial applications, including but not limited to land management, hydrology, land use planning, climate modeling and biodiversity monitoring. In densely populated and highly fragmented landscapes as observed in the Walloon region (Belgium), very high spatial resolution is required to depict all the infrastructures, buildings and most of the structural elements of the semi-natural landscapes (like hedges and small water bodies). Because of the resolution, the vertical dimension needs explicit handling to avoid discontinuities incompatible with many applications. For example, how to map a river flowing under a bridge? The particularity of our data is to provide a two-digit land cover code to label all the overlapping items. The identification of all the overlaps resulted from the combination of remote sensing image analysis and decision rules involving ancillary data. The final product is therefore semantically precise and accurate in terms of land cover description thanks to the addition of 24 classes on top of the 11 pure land cover classes. The quality of the map has been assessed using a state-of-the-art validation scheme. Its overall accuracy is as high as 91.5%, with an average producer’s accuracy of 86% and an average user’s accuracy of 91%.
A State-Level Socioeconomic Data Collection of the United States for COVID-19 Research
Authors: Sha Dexuan , Malarvizhi Anusha Srirenganathan , Liu Qian , Tian Yifei , Zhou You , Ruan Shiyang , Dong Rui , Carte Kyla , Lan Hai , Wang Zifu , Yang Chaowei
Published: December 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 from late 2019 not only threatens the health and lives of humankind but impacts public policies, economic activities, and human behavior patterns significantly. To understand the impact and better prepare for future outbreaks, socioeconomic factors play significant roles in (1) determinant analysis with health care, environmental exposure and health behavior; (2) human mobility analyses driven by policies; (3) economic pressure and recovery analyses for decision making; and (4) short to long term social impact analysis for equity, justice and diversity. To support these analyses for rapid impact responses, state level socioeconomic factors for the United States of America (USA) are collected and integrated into topic-based indicators, including (1) the daily quantitative policy stringency index; (2) dynamic economic indices with multiple time frequency of GDP, international trade, personal income, employment, the housing market, and others; (3) the socioeconomic determinant baseline of the demographic, housing financial situation and medical resources. This paper introduces the measurements and metadata of relevant socioeconomic data collection, along with the sharing platform, data warehouse framework and quality control strategies. Different from existing COVID-19 related data products, this collection recognized the geospatial and dynamic factor as essential dimensions of epidemiologic research and scaled down the spatial resolution of socioeconomic data collection from country level to state level of the USA with a standard data format and high quality.
Ovarian Carcinosarcoma with Retroperitoneal Para-Aortic Lymph Node Dissemination Followed by an Unusual Postoperative Complication: A Case Report with a Brief Literature Review
Authors: Kostov Stoyan , Kornovski Yavor , Ivanova Yonka , Dzhenkov Deyan , Stoyanov George , Stoilov Stanislav , Slavchev Stanislav , Trendafilova Ekaterina , Yordanov Angel
Published: December 2020

Introduction. Ovarian carcinosarcoma (OCS), also known as malignant mixed Müllerian tumour (MMMT), is one of the rarest histological subtypes of ovarian cancer. It is an aggressive tumour with a dismal prognosis—the median survival of patients is less than two years. The rarity of the disease generates many controversies about histogenesis, prognostic factors and treatment of OCS. Histologically, OCS is composed of an epithelial and sarcomatous component. Case report. In the present case, a patient with bilateral ovarian cysts and bulky paraaortic lymph nodes is reported. Retroperitoneal paraaortic lymph node metastases were the only extrapelvic dissemination of OCS. The patient underwent comprehensive surgical staging procedures, including total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, supracolic omentectomy and selective para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Histologically the ovarian carcinosarcoma was composed of an epithelial component (high-grade serous adenocarcinoma) and three sarcomatous components (homologous—endometrial stromal cell sarcoma, and heterologous—chondrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma). Immunohistochemistry staining was performed. A postoperative complication (adhesion between the abdominal aorta and terminal ileum causing obstructive ileus) that has never been reported in the medical literature occurred. Conclusion. Carcinosarcomas are carcinomas with epithelial–mesenchymal transition and heterologous differentiation. Retroperitoneal pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes should be carefully inspected in patients with ovarian tumours. Adhesions between the small bowels and abdominal aorta are possible complications after lymph node dissection in the paraaortic region.
Heterogeneous Graphical Granger Causality by Minimum Message Length
Authors: Hlaváčková-Schindler Kateřina , Plant Claudia
Published: December 2020

The heterogeneous graphical Granger model (HGGM) for causal inference among processes with distributions from an exponential family is efficient in scenarios when the number of time observations is much greater than the number of time series, normally by several orders of magnitude. However, in the case of “short” time series, the inference in HGGM often suffers from overestimation. To remedy this, we use the minimum message length principle (MML) to determinate the causal connections in the HGGM. The minimum message length as a Bayesian information-theoretic method for statistical model selection applies Occam’s razor in the following way: even when models are equal in their measure of fit-accuracy to the observed data, the one generating the most concise explanation of data is more likely to be correct. Based on the dispersion coefficient of the target time series and on the initial maximum likelihood estimates of the regression coefficients, we propose a minimum message length criterion to select the subset of causally connected time series with each target time series and derive its form for various exponential distributions. We propose two algorithms—the genetic-type algorithm (HMMLGA) and exHMML to find the subset. We demonstrated the superiority of both algorithms in synthetic experiments with respect to the comparison methods Lingam, HGGM and statistical framework Granger causality (SFGC). In the real data experiments, we used the methods to discriminate between pregnancy and labor phase using electrohysterogram data of Islandic mothers from Physionet databasis. We further analysed the Austrian climatological time measurements and their temporal interactions in rain and sunny days scenarios. In both experiments, the results of HMMLGA had the most realistic interpretation with respect to the comparison methods. We provide our code in Matlab. To our best knowledge, this is the first work using the MML principle for causal inference in HGGM.
Interdependence of Sectors of Economic Activities for World Countries from the Reduced Google Matrix Analysis of WTO Data
Authors: Coquidé Célestin , Lages José , Shepelyansky Dima L.
Published: December 2020

We apply the recently developed reduced Google matrix algorithm for the analysis of the OECD-WTO World Network of Economic Activities. This approach allows to determine interdependencies and interactions of economy sectors of several countries, including China, Russia and the USA, properly taking into account the influence of all the other world countries and their economic activities. Within this analysis, we also obtain the sensitivity of EU countries’ economies to the petroleum activity sector. We show that this approach takes into account the multiplicity of economical interactions between countries and activity sectors, thus providing a richer analysis compared to the usual export-import analysis.
Cross-Modal Learning Based on Semantic Correlation and Multi-Task Learning for Text-Video Retrieval
Authors: Wu Xiaoyu , Wang Tiantian , Wang Shengjin
Published: December 2020

Text-video retrieval tasks face a great challenge in the semantic gap between cross modal information. Some existing methods transform the text or video into the same subspace to measure their similarity. However, this kind of method does not consider adding a semantic consistency constraint when associating the two modalities of semantic encoding, and the associated result is poor. In this paper, we propose a multi-modal retrieval algorithm based on semantic association and multi-task learning. Firstly, the multi-level features of video or text are extracted based on multiple deep learning networks, so that the information of the two modalities can be fully encoded. Then, in the public feature space where the two modalities information are mapped together, we propose a semantic similarity measurement and semantic consistency classification based on text-video features for a multi-task learning framework. With the semantic consistency classification task, the learning of semantic association task is restrained. So multi-task learning guides the better feature mapping of two modalities and optimizes the construction of unified feature subspace. Finally, the experimental results of our proposed algorithm on the Microsoft Video Description dataset (MSVD) and MSR-Video to Text (MSR-VTT) are better than the existing research, which prove that our algorithm can improve the performance of cross-modal retrieval.
A Coalitional Model Predictive Control for the Energy Efficiency of Next-Generation Cellular Networks
Authors: Masero Eva , Fletscher Luis A. , Maestre José M.
Published: December 2020

Next-generation cellular networks are large-scale systems composed of numerous base stations interacting with many diverse users. One of the main challenges with these networks is their high energy consumption due to the expected number of connected devices. We handle this issue with a coalitional Model Predictive Control (MPC) technique for the case of next-generation cellular networks powered by renewable energy sources. The proposed coalitional MPC approach is applied to two simulated scenarios and compared with other control methods: the traditional best-signal level mechanism, a heuristic algorithm, and decentralized and centralized MPC schemes. The success of the coalitional strategy is considered from an energy efficiency perspective, which means reducing on-grid consumption and improving network performance (e.g., number of users served and transmission rates).
A Fuzzy Adaptative Backstepping Control Strategy for Marine Current Turbine under Disturbances and Uncertainties
Authors: Shen Xusheng , Xie Tao , Wang Tianzhen
Published: December 2020

Marine current energy is attracting more and more attention in the world as a reliable and highly predictable energy resource. However, conventional proportional integral (PI) control will be sensitive to the numerous challenges that exist in a marine current turbine system (MCTs) such as marine current disturbance, torque disturbance and other uncertain parameters. This paper proposes a fuzzy adaptive backstepping control (F-A-BC) approach for a marine current turbine system. The proposed F-A-BC strategy consisted of two parts. First, an adaptive backstepping control approach with the compensation of disturbance and uncertainty was designed to improve anti-interference of the MCT so that the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) was realized. Then, a fuzzy logic control approach was combined to adjust parameters of an adaptive backstepping control approach in real time. The effectiveness of the proposed controller was verified by the simulation of a direct-drive marine current turbine system. The simulation results showed that the F-A-BC has better anti-interference ability and faster convergence compared to the adaptive backstepping control, sliding mode control and fuzzy PI control strategies under disturbances. The error percentage of rotor speed could be reduced by 3.5% under swell effect compared to the conventional controller. Moreover, the robustness of the F-A-BC method under uncertainties was tested and analyzed. The simulation results also indicated that the proposed approach could slightly improve the power extraction capability of the MCTs under variable marine current speed.