bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Horizontal Gaze Palsy with Progressive Scoliosis with Overlapping Epilepsy and Learning Difficulties: A Case Report
Authors: Matera Emilia , Petruzzelli Maria Giuseppina , Tarantini Martina , Gabellone Alessandra , Marzulli Lucia , Ficarella Romina , Orsini Paola , Margari Lucia
Published: May 2022

Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a rare congenital disease characterized by the absence of horizontal gaze movements, progressive scoliosis, and typical brain, cerebellum, and medullary malformations. Here we describe a pediatric HGPPS case with overlapping epilepsy and learning difficulties. A 6-year-old girl was admitted to the University Hospital of Bari for the onset of a tonic–clonic seizure. Electroencephalogram showed slow and sharp waves on the right side with the tendency to diffuse. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated malformations compatible with HGPPS. Ophthalmological and orthopedic evaluations confirmed conjugate horizontal gaze palsy and mild thoracolumbar scoliosis. Neuropsychological assessment attested normal intelligence but serious difficulties in reading and writing. In spite of neuroradiological malformations, visual difficulties, and spinal deformities, literature data are limited about any coexisting neurocognitive HGPPS symptoms. Literature data regarding such topics are very limited. If, on the one hand, the coexistence of such symptoms can be interpreted as occasional, it could support the idea that they could fall within a spectrum of HGPPS anomalies. In addition to the standard investigations, the activation of specific neuropsychological assessment programs could help interventions improve the specialist care and the quality of life of HGPPS patients.
Has Information Infrastructure Reduced Carbon Emissions?—Evidence from Panel Data Analysis of Chinese Cities
Authors: Lyu Yang , Ji Zheng , Liang Han , Wang Tao , Zheng Yanqiao
Published: May 2022

Human activities have increased greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution, and “emission peaking” and “carbon neutrality” have become serious concerns at this point. The role of information infrastructure in reducing carbon emissions is a critical issue that has received little attention and needs to be addressed. Using panel data from 289 cities in China between 2011 and 2017, this research empirically explores the impact of information infrastructure on urban carbon emission intensity and the mechanism behind this effect. We discover that the construction of information infrastructure significantly reduces urban carbon emissions, and this finding holds true after a series of robustness tests. The mechanism is optimization of industrial structure, agglomeration of producer service industries, and innovation of green technologies. According to the heterogeneity test, the carbon emission reduction is greater in mega cities with higher technological levels and larger urban scales, as well as large cities with better traditional infrastructure. The present work’s findings give empirical support for promoting green and low-carbon development and mitigating global warming.
Uncertainty Analysis of Inverse Problem of Resistivity Model in Internal Defects Detection of Buildings
Authors: Xu Shan , Wang Xinran , Zhu Ruiguang , Wang Ding
Published: May 2022

Fissure detection in ancient buildings is of vital importance in the evaluation of resistance or remediation in urban areas. Electrical resistivity imaging is an efficient tool to detect fissures or moisture erosion in buildings by highlighting the resistivity contrasts in the inversion models. The traditional results of ERT images give deterministic interpretations of the internal artifact. However, the existence of equivalent models may correspond to different physical realities in engineering cases, to which the traditional ERT model cannot respond. In this paper, through the application of a field test on an ancient wall, it is shown that the segmentation of the equivalent model family is applicable to solve the internal defects detection problem in a probabilistic approach. It is achieved by performing a probabilistic approach to apply the uncertainty analysis. The procedure begins with the reduction in dimensions of the model by spectral decomposition, and the uncertainty space is rebuilt via Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). By computing the uncertainty space, probabilistic maps are created to demonstrate the electrical anomaly in a simpler structure. The proposed method provides a more accurate approach for the internal defects detection of buildings by considering the possibilities hidden in the equivalent model family of ERT results.
Green Building Efficiency and Influencing Factors of Transportation Infrastructure in China: Based on Three-Stage Super-Efficiency SBM–DEA and Tobit Models
Authors: Li Guijun , Ma Xiaoteng , Song Yanqiu
Published: May 2022

As an important part of low-carbon ecological city construction, green building is also an objective requirement of sustainable development. Based on the green building panel data of 30 provincial administrative regions in China from 2010 to 2020, the super-efficiency SBM model combined with the three-stage DEA model was adopted to obtain the green building efficiency value that was closer to the real situation by excluding the influence of environmental factors and statistical noise. Green buildings in China have only been developing for just over ten years and are still in the initial stage of spatial aggregation in which transportation infrastructure plays an important role in scale effect. This manuscript focuses on analyzing the influence factors, intensity and direction of transportation infrastructure on green building efficiency. The results show that: (1) The agglomeration effect is obvious in the area of green buildings with high efficiency, but the radiation effect is not strong in low-efficiency area. (2) Municipal transportation infrastructure investment, road surface area, per capita number of stations and interregional traffic network density have a positive impact on green building efficiency, while freight volume has a negative impact.
Prognostic Value of IGF2 mRNA-Binding Protein 3 (IGF2BP3) Intratumoral Expression in Melanoma Patients at the Time of Diagnosis: Comparative Analysis of RT-qPCR Versus Immunohistochemistry
Authors: Sánchez-Sendra Beatriz , Pérez-Debén Silvia , González-Muñoz José F. , Murgui Amelia , Monteagudo Carlos
Published: May 2022

Screening for prognostic biomarkers is crucial for clinical melanoma management. Insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) has emerged as a potential melanoma diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. It is commonly tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Our study retrospectively examines IGF2BP3 mRNA and protein expression in primary melanomas, their correlation with clinicopathologic factors, clinical outcome, and selected miRNAs expression, and their efficiency in predicting melanoma progression and survival. RT-qPCR and IHC on IGF2BP3 expression were performed in 61 cryopreserved and 63 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary melanomas, respectively, and correlated to clinicopathologic factors, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and melanoma -specific survival (MSS). The correlation between RT-qPCR and IHC was significant but moderate. IGF2BP3 mRNA showed a stronger association with clinicopathologic factors (Breslow thickness, ulceration, mitosis rate, growth phase, development of metastasis, and melanoma-specific survival) than its protein counterpart. Interestingly, higher IGF2BP3 mRNA expression was detected in primary melanomas that further metastasized to distant sites and was an independent prognostic factor for the risk of unfavorable DMFS and MSS. RT-qPCR outperformed IHC in sensitivity and in predicting worse clinical outcomes. Therefore, RT-qPCR may successfully be implemented for routine IGF2BP3 assessing for the selection of melanoma patients with a higher risk of developing distant metastasis and dying of melanoma.
A Data Science Approach for the Identification of Molecular Signatures of Aggressive Cancers
Authors: Barbosa-Silva Adriano , Magalhães Milena , Da Silva Gilberto Ferreira , Da Silva Fabricio Alves Barbosa , Carneiro Flávia Raquel Gonçalves , Carels Nicolas
Published: May 2022

The main hallmarks of cancer include sustaining proliferative signaling and resisting cell death. We analyzed the genes of the WNT pathway and seven cross-linked pathways that may explain the differences in aggressiveness among cancer types. We divided six cancer types (liver, lung, stomach, kidney, prostate, and thyroid) into classes of high (H) and low (L) aggressiveness considering the TCGA data, and their correlations between Shannon entropy and 5-year overall survival (OS). Then, we used principal component analysis (PCA), a random forest classifier (RFC), and protein–protein interactions (PPI) to find the genes that correlated with aggressiveness. Using PCA, we found GRB2, CTNNB1, SKP1, CSNK2A1, PRKDC, HDAC1, YWHAZ, YWHAB, and PSMD2. Except for PSMD2, the RFC analysis showed a different list, which was CAD, PSMD14, APH1A, PSMD2, SHC1, TMEFF2, PSMD11, H2AFZ, PSMB5, and NOTCH1. Both methods use different algorithmic approaches and have different purposes, which explains the discrepancy between the two gene lists. The key genes of aggressiveness found by PCA were those that maximized the separation of H and L classes according to its third component, which represented 19% of the total variance. By contrast, RFC classified whether the RNA-seq of a tumor sample was of the H or L type. Interestingly, PPIs showed that the genes of PCA and RFC lists were connected neighbors in the PPI signaling network of WNT and cross-linked pathways.
Patients with Positive Lymph Nodes after Radical Prostatectomy and Pelvic Lymphadenectomy—Do We Know the Proper Way of Management?
Authors: Małkiewicz Bartosz , Knura Miłosz , Łątkowska Małgorzata , Kobylański Maximilian , Nagi Krystian , Janczak Dawid , Chorbińska Joanna , Krajewski Wojciech , Karwacki Jakub , Szydełko Tomasz
Published: May 2022

Lymph node invasion in prostate cancer is a significant prognostic factor indicating worse prognosis. While it significantly affects both survival rates and recurrence, proper management remains a controversial and unsolved issue. The thorough evaluation of risk factors associated with nodal involvement, such as lymph node density or extracapsular extension, is crucial to establish the potential expansion of the disease and to substratify patients clinically. There are multiple strategies that may be employed for patients with positive lymph nodes. Nowadays, therapeutic methods are generally based on observation, radiotherapy, and androgen deprivation therapy. However, the current guidelines are incoherent in terms of the most effective management approach. Future management strategies are expected to make use of novel diagnostic tools and therapies, such as photodynamic therapy or diagnostic imaging with prostate-specific membrane antigen. Nevertheless, this heterogeneous group of men remains a great therapeutic concern, and both the clarification of the guidelines and the optimal substratification of patients are required.
Impaired Global Longitudinal Strain Is Associated with Cardiovascular Events in Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors
Authors: Polomski Elissa A. S. , Heemelaar Julius C. , Krol Augustinus D. G. , Louwerens Marloes , Beeres Saskia L. M. A. , Holman Eduard R. , Jukema J. Wouter , Schalij Martin J. , Antoni M. Louisa
Published: May 2022

Background: Treatment with thoracic irradiation for classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) leads to improved survival but also increases the risk of cardiovascular events. Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is usually assessed by echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), whereas global longitudinal strain (GLS) can detect early subclinical LV dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if conventional echocardiographic parameters and GLS are associated with cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up. Methods: 161 consecutive CHL patients treated with radiotherapy who underwent echocardiography > 10 years after diagnosis were assessed for eligibility. Multivariable cause-specific Cox regression was performed for a composite outcome of cardiac death and cardiovascular events and the competing outcome of noncardiac death. Results: 129 patients (61.2% female, N = 79) with a mean age of 46.3 ± 11.0 years at index visit were eligible for analysis. GLS was impaired in 51 patients (39.5%) and 10.9% had a LVEF of< 50%. The median E/e’ was 9.2 [7.2;12.7]. Adjusted for confounders, GLS > −16% showed a significant association with a near four-fold risk of the composite endpoint (HR = 3.95, 95% CI: 1.83–8.52, p < 0.001). LVEF < 50% (HR = 2.99, p = 0.016) and E/e’ (HR = 1.16, p < 0.001) also showed a significant relationship with the outcome. None of the aforementioned parameters were associated with the competing outcome. Conclusions: This study shows that LV dysfunction including impaired GLS in CHL survivors is associated with cardiovascular events and cardiac death.
Dependence of Photocatalytic Activity on the Morphology of Strontium Titanates
Authors: Gyulavári Tamás , Dusnoki Daniella , Márta Viktória , Yadav Mohit , Abedi Mahsa , Sápi András , Kukovecz Ákos , Kónya Zoltán , Pap Zsolt
Published: May 2022

Strontium titanates were prepared with different morphologies by varying the ratio of solvents used during the synthesis. The effects of morphology and solvent (ethylene glycol to water) ratio were investigated both on the structure and photocatalytic activity of the samples. Structural properties were determined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption measurements. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by the photocatalytic oxidation of phenol and by the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. The ratio of solvents notably influenced the morphology, strontium carbonate content, primary crystallite size, and specific surface area of the samples. Samples prepared at low ethylene glycol to water ratios were spherical, while the ones prepared at high ethylene glycol to water ratios could be characterized predominantly by lamellar morphology. The former samples were found to have the highest efficiency for phenol degradation, while the sample with the most well-defined lamellar morphology proved to be the best for CO2 reduction.
Reducibility Studies of Ceria, Ce0.85Zr0.15O2 (CZ) and Au/CZ Catalysts after Alkali Ion Doping: Impact on Activity in Oxidation of NO and CO
Authors: Iwanek (nee Wilczkowska) Ewa Maria , Liotta Leonarda Francesca , Williams Shazam , Hu Linjie , Ju Huitian , Pantaleo Giuseppe , Kaszkur Zbigniew , Kirk Donald W. , Patkowski Wojciech , Gliński Marek
Published: May 2022

The aim of these studies was to perform thorough research on the influence of alkali metal ions (Li, Na, K and Cs) on the properties of nanogold catalysts supported on ceria–zirconia. The addition of alkali metal ions onto CeO2 further affected the reducibility, which was not noted for the Zr-doped support (Ce0.85Zr0.15O2). Despite the substantial impact of alkali metal ions on the reducibility of ceria, the activity in CO oxidation did not change much. In contrast, they do not have a large effect on the reducibility of Au/CZ but suppressed the activity of this system in CO oxidation. The results show that for CO oxidation, the negative effect of potassium ions is greater than that of sodium, which corresponds to the shift in the Tmax of the reduction peak towards higher temperatures. The negative effect of Li+ and Cs+ spans 50% CO conversion. The negative effect was visible for CO oxidation in both the model stream and the complex stream, which also contained hydrocarbons and NO. In the case of NO oxidation to NO2, two temperature regimes were observed for Au + 0.3 at% K/CZ, namely in the temperature range below 350 °C; the effect of potassium ions was beneficial for NO oxidation, whereas at higher temperatures, the undoped gold catalyst produced more NO2.
Growth Response and Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in the Presence of Novel Multiple Myeloma Drug Melflufen
Authors: Gebraad Arjen , Ohlsbom Roope , Miettinen Juho J. , Emeh Promise , Pakarinen Toni-Karri , Manninen Mikko , Eskelinen Antti , Kuismanen Kirsi , Slipicevic Ana , Lehmann Fredrik , Nupponen Nina N. , Heckman Caroline A. , Miettinen Susanna
Published: May 2022

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are self-renewing and multipotent progenitors, which constitute the main cellular compartment of the bone marrow stroma. Because MSCs have an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma, it is essential to know if novel drugs target MSCs. Melflufen is a novel anticancer peptide–drug conjugate compound for patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Here, we studied the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan and doxorubicin in healthy human bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) and how these drugs affect BMSC proliferation. We established co-cultures of BMSCs with MM.1S myeloma cells to see if BMSCs increase or decrease the cytotoxicity of melflufen, melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. We evaluated how the drugs affect BMSC differentiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts and the BMSC-supported formation of vascular networks. Our results showed that BMSCs were more sensitive to melflufen than to melphalan. The cytotoxicity of melflufen in myeloma cells was not affected by the co-culture with BMSCs, as was the case for melphalan, bortezomib and doxorubicin. Adipogenesis, osteogenesis and BMSC-mediated angiogenesis were all affected by melflufen. Melphalan and doxorubicin affected BMSC differentiation in similar ways. The effects on adipogenesis and osteogenesis were not solely because of effects on proliferation, seen from the differential expression of differentiation markers normalized by cell number. Overall, our results indicate that melflufen has a significant impact on BMSCs, which could possibly affect therapy outcome.
A Long-Lasting PARP1-Activation Mediates Signal-Induced Gene Expression
Authors: Cohen-Armon Malka
Published: May 2022

This overview presents recent evidence for a long-lasting PARP1 activation by a variety of signal transduction mechanisms, mediating signal-induced gene expression and chromatin remodeling. This mode of PARP1 activation has been reported in a variety of cell types, under physiological conditions. In this mechanism, PARP1 is not transiently activated by binding to DNA breaks. Moreover, damaged DNA interfered with this long-lasting PARP1 activation.
Planetary Health: We Need to Talk about Narcissism
Authors: Logan Alan , Prescott Susan
Published: May 2022

Concepts of planetary health attempt to collectively address the biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors contributing to “Anthropocene Syndrome”, which encompasses the many wicked interrelated challenges of our time. It is increasingly evident that the wide array of causative factors is underpinned by attitudes, values, and worldviews. Emerging research suggests that certain dispositions or ‘traits’—observable along the continuum from individuals to large groups—may be central to the promotion of health of all systems, at all scales. Here in this viewpoint, we focus on the personality trait of narcissism in the collective context of planetary health. First described in 1852 by pioneering psychiatrist Joseph Guislain, the Mania of Narcissus refers to ‘the patient infatuated with his beauty, his charms, his wit, dress, talents, and birth’. We argue that Guislain’s observations are not restricted to the clinical setting, and that a larger-scale narcissism can interfere with the principles of planetary health. We propose that increasing narcissism, at scales ranging from the individual to the collective, is an important consideration in attitudes and behaviors that undermine health along the continuum of person, place, and planet. Despite a growing body of research directed at collective narcissism, and the role that empathy plays in healthy relationships between humans and nature, it is our contention that the role of narcissism and empathy are important but neglected aspects of the planetary health agenda.
Process Optimization and Stability of Waste Orange Peel Polyphenols in Extracts Obtained with Organosolv Thermal Treatment Using Glycerol-Based Solvents
Authors: Abdoun Rehab , Grigorakis Spyros , Kellil Abdessamie , Loupassaki Sofia , Makris Dimitris P.
Published: May 2022

This study was focused on the simultaneous organosolv treatment/extraction of waste orange peels (WOP) for the effective recovery of polyphenolic antioxidants. The treatments were performed with aqueous glycerol mixtures, which were acidified either with citric acid or hydrochloric acid (HCl). Process optimization was carried out using response surface methodology and comparative appraisal of the different processes tested, based on both the extraction efficiency factor (FEE), severity factor (SF) or combined severity factor (CSF). Metabolite stability was also of major concern, and it was examined by deploying liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results drawn suggested 90% (w/w) glycerol to be the highest-performing system, providing a yield in total polyphenols of 44.09 ± 5.46 mg GAE g−1 DM at 140 °C for 50 min, with a FEE of 2.20 and an SF of 2.88. Acidification with 1% citric acid was proven less efficient and equally severe, whereas acidification with 1% HCl was less severe but also less efficient. The major disadvantage associated with the use of HCl was its detrimental impact on the polyphenolic composition of WOP since major metabolites, such as narirutin, hesperidin and didymin, did not survive the process. By contrast, the formation of lower molecular weight compounds was observed. With regard to antioxidant properties, the extract obtained with aqueous glycerol displayed significantly higher antiradical activity and reducing power, which was in line with its higher concentration in total polyphenols. It was concluded that organosolv treatment with aqueous glycerol under the conditions employed may boost polyphenol recovery from WOP, thus giving extracts with powerful antioxidant characteristics.
Theoretical Study on the Electrochemical Catalytic Activity of Au-Doped Pt Electrode for Nitrogen Monoxide
Authors: Li Yumei , Hu Huijia , Zhang Weifeng , Tian Ziqi , Jiang Xiaoqing , Wang Yuheng , Zhang Shaolin , Zhang Qiuju , Jian Jiawen , Zou Jie
Published: May 2022

In order to gradually reduce automobile exhaust pollution and improve fuel quality, the NOx sensor, which can be monitored in real time in an automobile engine’s electronic control system, has become an indispensable part of the automobile lean burn system. In these types of NOx sensors, Au-doped platinum electrodes have received great attention due to their selectivity towards NO. However, the reaction process of NO gas on the Au-doped platinum electrode in the sensor and the possible regulation mechanism is still unclear. In this paper, the density functional theory (DFT) was used to analyze the effect of Au-doped Pt electrodes on the performance of nitrogen oxide sensors in automobiles. Firstly, the adsorption energies of NO molecules on pure Pt and Au/Pt surfaces were compared. The adsorption and dissociation of NO on Pt substrates doped with Au monomers, dimers, and trimers were investigated. These results showed that Au can effectively weaken the adsorption energy of NO molecules on a Pt surface. It was noted that with the increase in the number of Au atoms on the surface of Pt(111), the adsorption capacity of NO molecules on the alloy surface becomes weaker. When observing the transition state of NO decomposition on three different alloy surfaces, the study showed that the activation energy and reaction heat of NO dissociation increased. It further showed that doping with Au increased the activation energy of NO decomposition, thereby effectively inhibiting the decomposition of NO.
Immunopathology of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Focus on T Regulatory and B Cell Responses in Children Compared with Adults
Authors: Di Sante Gabriele , Buonsenso Danilo , De Rose Cristina , Tredicine Maria , Palucci Ivana , De Maio Flavio , Camponeschi Chiara , Bonadia Nicola , Biasucci Daniele , Pata Davide , Chiaretti Antonio , Valentini Piero , Ria Francesco , Sanguinetti Maurizio , Sali Michela
Published: May 2022

While the clinical impact of COVID-19 on adults has been massive, the majority of children develop pauci-symptomatic or even asymptomatic infection and only a minority of the latter develop a fatal outcome. The reasons of such differences are not yet established. We examined cytokines in sera and Th and B cell subpopulations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 40 children (<18 years old), evaluating the impact of COVID-19 infection during the pandemic’s first waves. We correlated our results with clinical symptoms and compared them to samples obtained from 16 infected adults and 7 healthy controls. While IL6 levels were lower in SARS-CoV-2+ children as compared to adult patients, the expression of other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFNγ and TNFα directly correlated with early age infection and symptoms. Th and B cell subsets were modified during pediatric infection differently with respect to adult patients and controls and within the pediatric group based on age. Low levels of IgD− CD27+ memory B cells correlated with absent/mild symptoms. On the contrary, high levels of FoxP3+/CD25high T-Regs associated with a moderate–severe clinical course in the childhood. These T and B cells subsets did not associate with severity in infected adults, with children showing a predominant expansion of immature B lymphocytes and natural regulatory T cells. This study shows differences in immunopathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children compared with adults. Moreover, these data could provide information that can drive vaccination endpoints for children.
Keeping Our Heads above Water: An Exploratory Study on the Equity Opportunities of Coastal Virginia Wireless Emergency Alerts
Authors: Grinton Wendell , Paige Frederick
Published: May 2022

Economically disadvantaged coastal communities face severe damage and casualties, which can be attributed to storm surges. Excessive amounts of inundation should be considered to a similar level to wind speeds and heavy rains that communities commonly prepare for amidst a hurricane event. Marginalized residents, such as residents of color, disabled residents, elderly residents, and residents occupying low-income housing, suffer from storm surge events. Coastal resiliency plans are bottlenecked by factors, such as residential stability, ability to relocate, and insurance coverage, all of which are inequitably constrained for marginalized communities. This exploratory study reviews the previous literature on wireless emergency alert (WEA) equity critiques and spatial analysis of the WEAs sent to coastal Virginia communities. Two research questions are explored in this paper: (1) How does the previous literature critique equity in wireless emergency alerts? (2) How many households are below the poverty line in areas where storm surge warnings have been sent? To improve the utilization of WEAs for the protection of low-income community members, there is evidence to support the increase in the frequency of message delivery and improving the call-to-action text. This paper sets the stage for future policy analyses and message design experimentation on emergency communication in coastal regions.
Examining the Development of a Geothermal Risk Mitigation Scheme in Greece
Authors: Karytsas Spyridon , Mendrinos Dimitrios , Oikonomou Theoni I. , Choropanitis Ioannis , Kujbus Attila , Karytsas Constantine
Published: May 2022

Geothermal project development entails a number of risks, the most significant of which is the geological risk. The introduction of a risk mitigation scheme (RMS) might enable project developers to shift some of the geological risk to public or private entities. Keeping the above in mind, the objective of this study is to examine the development of an effective and financially feasible geothermal risk mitigation scheme in Greece, i.e., a country with no such scheme available. In this respect, the existing status of the geothermal sector in the country is presented, followed by an evaluation of the financial sustainability of a potential RMS, taking into account different insurance premiums, risk coverages, and project success rates. The results indicate that alternative insurance premium, risk coverage, and success rate requirements would result in different financial preconditions for the foundation either of a public or a private fund. Keeping in mind that in most examined scenarios the initial RMS capital is expended before the end of the ending of the scheme, it is suggested that such a plan can only be initiated by the public sector, which is typical of countries with little-developed geothermal markets.
Bilateral Pheochromocytoma with Germline MAX Variant without Family History
Authors: Hata Shinnosuke , Asano Mai , Tominaga Hiroyuki , Hamaguchi Masahide , Hongo Fumiya , Usui Takeshi , Konishi Eiichi , Fukui Michiaki
Published: May 2022

Recently, the genetic background of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PPGLs) has been rapidly revealed. These tumors have been referred to as the “ten percent tumor”; however, the frequency of genetic variants of PPGLs has turned out to be more common than expected. PPGLs are potentially hereditary tumors and appear clinically sporadic. Here, we report a case of bilateral pheochromocytoma (PCC) with a variant in the MYC-associated factor X (MAX) gene (c.295 + 1G > A). A male patient was diagnosed with adrenal pheochromocytoma (PCC) and underwent a left adrenalectomy at the age of 40. A new tumor in the right adrenal gland was detected at the age of 43. Urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations gradually increased. The size of the right adrenal PCC continued to increase one year after detection. Genetic testing of the peripheral blood revealed the presence of a pathogenic variant in MAX. The natural history of adrenal PCCs with the MAX variant has not yet been clarified, because the number of reported cases is not sufficient. Thus, clinicians should consider a MAX variant when they find bilateral or multiple PCCs.
An In Vitro Study to Evaluate the Effect of Artificial Aging on Translucency, Contrast Ratio, and Color of Zirconia Dental Ceramic at Different Sintering Levels
Authors: Shetty Mallika , Jain Saurabh , Wankhede Tushar Milind , Sayed Mohammed E. , Mohammed Zahid , Shetty Sanath , Al Wadei Mohammed Hussain Dafer , Alqahtani Saeed M. , Othman Ahlam Abdulsalam Ahmed , Alnijaiban Mashael Adullah , Alnajdi Alhanouf K. , Akkam Tariq Ibrahim , AlResayes Saad Saleh , Alshehri Abdulkarim Hussain , Shaabi Fawzia Ibraheem
Published: May 2022

Increasing demands for aesthetically pleasing dental restorations have promoted the use of materials that display superior optical properties. Zirconia-based all-ceramic systems have good optical properties, thus providing the desired esthetics for dental restorations. The altered oral conditions impact the physical properties of these materials. Multiple studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of aging on the mechanical properties of computerized-aided design and computerized-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)-based zirconia; however, there is a scarcity of literature discussing the effect of aging on change in translucency, contrast ratio, and color. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the effect of accelerated artificial aging on translucency parameter (TP), contrast ratio (CR), and color of CAD/CAM zirconia at different sintering temperatures. Twenty-eight rectangular-shaped specimens were obtained by CAD/CAM milling of zirconia blank. Sintering of the samples was carried out at four different temperatures 1350 °C, 1400 °C, 1450 °C, and 1500 °C, respectively. Thermocycling of the samples was performed in a thermocycler. TP, CR, and color evaluation of all the samples was done again using a Spectrophotometer. Data acquired were statistically evaluated by one-way ANOVA and Post Hoc test. The highest amount of change in TP was recorded for specimens sintered at 1400 °C (1.86), whereas the least change was attributed to 1350 °C (0.51). The highest change in CR was observed in specimens sintered at 1500 °C (0.0971), and the least change in CR was observed at 1450 °C (0.0086). The highest ΔE values were recorded for 1400 °C against both white (1.86) and black background (2.17), whereas the least change was attributed to 1350 °C against white (0.86) and against a black background (1.41). The changes in TP were significant, but CR did not show any significant change. ΔE values for all the experimental groups were significant, but were below the clinically perceptible range. An increase in sintering temperature increased the translucency.
Mechanical Performances of Phenolic Modified Epoxy Resins at Room and High Temperatures
Authors: Zhao Yixin , Xu Rui , Xiao Yao , Wang Hailou , Zhang Wei , Zhang Guangyu
Published: May 2022

Epoxy is an important resin matrix and has been widely applied in laminated composites as a coating or adhesive material. In this article, the phenolic was applied to modify the mechanical properties of epoxy resin. The phenolic modified epoxy resins with various phenolic content were prepared via a polytetrafluoroethylene mould, and the phenolic modified epoxy-based plain woven laminated composites (PWLCs) were manufactured via vacuum assisted resin transfer method for further study of phenolic modified epoxy resins’ mechanical properties. The compression tests were performed perpendicularly to thickness at 2 mm/min to investigate the mechanical performances of phenolic modified epoxy resins and epoxy-based PWLCs. The results showed that the addition of phenolic into epoxy could improve the mechanical performances of epoxy resins and epoxy-based composites at room temperature, and the phenolic influenced epoxy-based PWLC more than epoxy matrix at room temperature. However, at high temperatures, the addition of phenolic decreased the mechanical performances of epoxy resins and epoxy-based composites, and the adverse effect of phenolic became more serious with the increase of phenolic content at high temperature. In addition, the thermogravimetric analyses were also conducted from 30 °C to 800 °C on phenolic modified epoxy resins and the results showed that the phenolic modified epoxy resin had an earlier loss in weight than unmodified epoxy resin. The earlier loss in weight meant that the addition of phenolic into epoxy resin led to the formation of unstable molecules at high temperature.
Synthesis and Application of Albumin Nanoparticles Loaded with Prussian Blue Nanozymes
Authors: Khramtsov Pavel , Kropaneva Maria , Bochkova Maria , Timganova Valeria , Kiselkov Dmitriy , Zamorina Svetlana , Rayev Mikhail
Published: May 2022

Prussian blue nanozymes exhibit peroxidase-like catalytic activity and are therefore considered a stable and inexpensive alternative to natural peroxidases in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this work, we propose a robust method of Prussian blue nanozyme functionalization, which relies on the entrapment of nanozymes into albumin nanoparticles. The principle of the method is the addition of ethanol to a solution that contains albumin and nanozymes. At a high ethanol concentration solubility of albumin decreases, resulting in the formation of albumin nanoparticles loaded with nanozymes. The hydrodynamic diameter of nanoparticles was between 120 and 230 nm and depended on the nanozyme-to-BSA ratio. Encapsulation efficiency of nanozymes reached 96–99% and up to 190 μg of nanozymes were loaded per 1 mg of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were stable at pH 5.5–7.5 and upon long-term storage in deionized water. Excellent reproducibility of the synthesis procedure was confirmed by the preparation of three individual batches of Prussian-blue-loaded BSA nanoparticles with almost identical properties. Nanoparticles were functionalized with monoclonal antibodies using glutaraldehyde cross-linking. The resulting conjugates were applied as labels in an ELISA-like assay of tumor marker prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The lower limit of detection was below 1 ng/mL, which enables measurement of PSA in the range of clinically relevant concentrations.
Cyber-Phishing Website Detection Using Fuzzy Rule Interpolation
Authors: Almseidin Mohammad , Alkasassbeh Mouhammad , Alzubi Maen , Al-Sawwa Jamil
Published: May 2022

This paper introduces a novel detection method for phishing website attacks while avoiding the issues associated with the deficiencies of the knowledge-based representation and the binary decision. The suggested detection method was performed using Fuzzy Rule Interpolation (FRI). The FRI reasoning methods added the benefit of enhancing the robustness of fuzzy systems and effectively reducing the system’s complexity. These benefits help the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to generate more realistic and comprehensive alerts in case of phishing attacks. The proposed method was applied to an open-source benchmark phishing website dataset. The results show that the proposed detection method obtained a 97.58% detection rate and effectively reduced the false alerts. Moreover, it effectively smooths the boundary between normal and phishing attack traffic because of its fuzzy nature. It has the ability to generate the required security alert in case of deficiencies in the knowledge-based representation. In addition, the results obtained from the proposed detection method were compared with other literature results. The results showed that the accuracy rate of this work is competitive with other methods. In addition, the proposed detection method can generate the required anti-phishing alerts even if one of the anti-phishing sparse rules does not cover some input parameters (observations).
Green Extraction of Cellulose Nanocrystals of Polymorph II from Cynara scolymus L.: Challenge for a “Zero Waste” Economy
Authors: Potenza Marianna , Bergamonti Laura , Lottici Pier Paolo , Righi Lara , Lazzarini Laura , Graiff Claudia
Published: May 2022

The increase of agri-food wastes by agriculture and industries is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. Here we propose the recycling of Cynara scolymus L. wastes to obtain polymorph II cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). Two different extraction procedures are compared: (i) Soxhlet extraction in an ethanol/toluene mixture, and (ii) water boiling of the agricultural waste. Both procedures were followed by purification of cellulose fibers through bleaching treatments and extraction of cellulose nanocrystals by acid hydrolysis. CNCs have been extensively characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, electrophoretic light scattering measurements, X-ray powder diffraction methods, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses. Extracted CNC are rod-like-shaped polymorph IIs with a good crystallinity index, and they are characterized by high hydrogen bonding intensity. The ELS measurements on samples from both procedures show good results regarding the stability of the CNC II sol (ζ < −40 ± 5 mV), comparable to that of the CNC polymorph I. Both polymorph II CNCs show better thermal stability, compared to CNC I. The results show that the easy extraction procedure from agricultural Cynara scolymus L. waste can be used to produce high-quality cellulose nanocrystals as a green alternative to the commonly used synthetic route.
Study on Sc Microalloying and Strengthening Mechanism of Al-Mg Alloy
Authors: Jiang Long , Zhang Zhifeng , Bai Yuelong , Li Shilin , Mao Weimin
Published: May 2022

In this study, Al-Mg alloys were prepared by vacuum + argon-protected casting. The effects of Sc microalloying on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Mg alloy were studied. The strengthening mechanism of Al-Mg alloy with Sc was discussed. The results show that the average grain size of as-cast Al-Mg alloy with Sc reaches 36.07 μm, which is 74.4% smaller than that of alloy 1 without refiner and 32.0% of alloy 2 with 0.15% Ti. The alloy with Sc has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 274 MPa and an elongation of 29.67%, and its tensile strength is 10.6% higher than alloy 1 and 7.9% higher than alloy 2. There exist two kinds of fine particles in as-cast Sc-containing Al-Mg alloy, nucleated particles Al3Sc, and dispersed second-phase particles Al3(Sc, Ti). The main strengthening mechanisms of the as-cast Al-Mg alloy with Sc reveal the solid solution strengthening of Mg and the fine-grain strengthening effect caused by Sc, accounting for 57.7% and 23.9% to strengthening contribution, respectively.
Research on Silicon-Substrate-Integrated Widely Tunable, Narrow Linewidth External Cavity Lasers
Authors: Li Xuan , Shi Junce , Wei Long , Ding Keke , Ma Yuhang , Li Zaijin , Li Lin , Qu Yi , Qiao Zhongliang , Liu Guojun , Zeng Lina
Published: May 2022

Widely tunable, narrow linewidth external cavity lasers on silicon substrates have many important applications, such as white-light interferometry, wavelength division multiplexing systems, coherent optical communication, and optical fiber sensor technology. Wide tuning range, high laser output power, single mode, stable spectral output, and high side-mode suppression ratio external cavity lasers have attracted much attention for their merits. In this paper, two main device-integrated structures for achieving widely tunable, narrow linewidth external cavity lasers on silicon substrates are reviewed and compared in detail, such as MRR-integrated structure and MRR-and-MZI-integrated structure of external cavity semiconductor lasers. Then, the chip-integrated structures are briefly introduced from the integration mode, such as monolithic integrated, heterogeneous integrated, and hybrid integrated. Results show that the silicon-substrate-integrated external cavity lasers are a potential way to realize a wide tuning range, high power, single mode, stable spectral output, and high side-mode suppression ratio laser output.
Full-Length Transcriptome Comparison Provides Novel Insights into the Molecular Basis of Adaptation to Different Ecological Niches of the Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent in Alvinocaridid Shrimps
Authors: Wang Aiyang , Sha Zhongli , Hui Min
Published: May 2022

The deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystem is one of the extreme chemoautotrophic environments. Shinkaicaris leurokolos Kikuchi and Hashimoto, 2000, and Alvinocaris longirostris Kikuchi and Ohta, 1995, are typically co-distributed and closely related alvinocaridid shrimps in hydrothermal vent areas with different ecological niches, providing an excellent model for studying the adaptive evolution mechanism of animals in the extreme deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment. The shrimp S. leurokolos lives in close proximity to the chimney vent discharging high-temperature fluid, while A. longirostris inhabits the peripheral areas of hydrothermal vents. In this study, full-length transcriptomes of S. leurokolos and A. longirostris were generated using a combination of single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and Illumina RNA-seq technology. Expression analyses of the transcriptomes showed that among the top 30% of highly expressed genes of each species, more genes related to sulfide and heavy metal metabolism (sulfide: quinone oxidoreductase, SQR; persulfide dioxygenase, ETHE1; thiosulfate sulfurtransferase, TST, and ferritin, FRI) were specifically highly expressed in S. leurokolos, while genes involved in maintaining epibiotic bacteria or pathogen resistance (beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein, BGBP; endochitinase, CHIT; acidic mammalian chitinase, CHIA, and anti-lipopolysaccharide factors, ALPS) were highly expressed in A. longirostris. Gene family expansion analysis revealed that genes related to anti-oxidant metabolism (cytosolic manganese superoxide dismutase, SODM; glutathione S-transferase, GST, and glutathione peroxidase, GPX) and heat stress (heat shock cognate 70 kDa protein, HSP70 and heat shock 70 kDa protein cognate 4, HSP7D) underwent significant expansion in S. leurokolos, while CHIA and CHIT involved in pathogen resistance significantly expanded in A. longirostris. Finally, 66 positively selected genes (PSGs) were identified in the vent shrimp S. leurokolos. Most of the PSGs were involved in DNA repair, antioxidation, immune defense, and heat stress response, suggesting their function in the adaptive evolution of species inhabiting the extreme vent microhabitat. This study provides abundant genetic resources for deep-sea invertebrates, and is expected to lay the foundation for deep decipherment of the adaptive evolution mechanism of shrimps in a deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystem based on further whole-genome comparison.
Delayed Signs of UV-C Damage to Chlorella sp. Observed through Fluorescent Staining
Authors: Lung Wei Qing Chloe , Yeh Han-Yang , Yang Sheng-Jie , Huang Chin-Yi , Nan Fan-Hua , Lee Meng-Chou
Published: May 2022

Ultraviolet (UV-C) irradiation is the most important part of water filtration, which has no side effects on the environment and has been used in water purification systems in the aquaculture and transistor industries. In this research, the effect of UV-C on Chlorella sp. was investigated. Chlorella sp. was irradiated 0, 1, 2 or 3 times at a fixed flow rate of 6.5 L min−1 and the effects of UV-C LED on the apoptosis rate and death rate of Chlorella sp. were analyzed by flow cytometry after staining cells with the nucleic acid dye SYTOX Green and the membrane-associated protein stain Annexin V-PE Reagent. As a result of UV-C irradiation, the Chlorella sp. cells underwent phosphatidylserine (PS) ectropion and plasma membrane damage, which resulted in death. The effect of UV-C was proportional to the number of times of irradiation. Three doses of UV-C LED irradiation resulted in a 91.76 ± 3.33% death rate, as observed through SYTOX Green staining, with no rebound within 72 h. This research is the first report to observe that delayed cellular apoptosis occurred in Chlorella sp., and we expect that our study can be used as a standard reference for future industrial applications.
Deep Learning-Based Total Kidney Volume Segmentation in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Using Attention, Cosine Loss, and Sharpness Aware Minimization
Authors: Raj Anish , Tollens Fabian , Hansen Laura , Golla Alena-Kathrin , Schad Lothar R. , Nörenberg Dominik , Zöllner Frank G.
Published: May 2022

Early detection of the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is crucial as it is one of the most common causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and kidney failure. The total kidney volume (TKV) can be used as a biomarker to quantify disease progression. The TKV calculation requires accurate delineation of kidney volumes, which is usually performed manually by an expert physician. However, this is time-consuming and automated segmentation is warranted. Furthermore, the scarcity of large annotated datasets hinders the development of deep learning solutions. In this work, we address this problem by implementing three attention mechanisms into the U-Net to improve TKV estimation. Additionally, we implement a cosine loss function that works well on image classification tasks with small datasets. Lastly, we apply a technique called sharpness aware minimization (SAM) that helps improve the generalizability of networks. Our results show significant improvements (p-value < 0.05) over the reference kidney segmentation U-Net. We show that the attention mechanisms and/or the cosine loss with SAM can achieve a dice score (DSC) of 0.918, a mean symmetric surface distance (MSSD) of 1.20 mm with the mean TKV difference of −1.72%, and R2 of 0.96 while using only 100 MRI datasets for training and testing. Furthermore, we tested four ensembles and obtained improvements over the best individual network, achieving a DSC and MSSD of 0.922 and 1.09 mm, respectively.