bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteomic Profiling of Colon Cancer Tissues: Discovery of New Candidate Biomarkers
Authors: Buttacavoli Miriam , Albanese Nadia Ninfa , Roz Elena , Pucci-Minafra Ida , Feo Salvatore , Cancemi Patrizia
Published: April 2020

Colon cancer is an aggressive tumor form with a poor prognosis. This study reports a comparative proteomic analysis performed by using two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) between 26 pooled colon cancer surgical tissues and adjacent non-tumoral tissues, to identify potential target proteins correlated with carcinogenesis. The DAVID functional classification tool revealed that most of the differentially regulated proteins, acting both intracellularly and extracellularly, concur across multiple cancer steps. The identified protein classes include proteins involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolic pathways, oxidative stress, cell motility, Ras signal transduction, and cytoskeleton. Interestingly, networks and pathways analysis showed that the identified proteins could be biologically inter-connected to the tumor-host microenvironment, including innate immune response, platelet and neutrophil degranulation, and hemostasis. Finally, transgelin (TAGL), here identified for the first time with four different protein species, collectively down-regulated in colon cancer tissues, emerged as a top-ranked biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC). In conclusion, our findings revealed a different proteomic profiling in colon cancer tissues characterized by the deregulation of specific pathways involved in hallmarks of cancer. All of these proteins may represent promising novel colon cancer biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets, if validated in larger cohorts of patients.
Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Reduces Ventilation-Induced Lung Injury through Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α in a Murine Endotoxemia Model
Authors: Li Li-Fu , Liu Yung-Yang , Lin Shih-Wei , Chang Chih-Hao , Chen Ning-Hung , Hung Chen-Yiu , Lee Chung-Shu
Published: April 2020

Patients with sepsis frequently require mechanical ventilation (MV) to survive. However, MV has been shown to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines, causing ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). It has been demonstrated that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α plays a crucial role in inducing both apoptotic and inflammatory processes. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effects of HIF-1α and LMWH on sepsis-related acute lung injury (ALI) have not been fully delineated. We hypothesized that LMWH would reduce lung injury, production of free radicals and epithelial apoptosis through the HIF-1α pathway. Male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 6-mL/kg or 30-mL/kg MV for 5 h. Enoxaparin, 4 mg/kg, was administered subcutaneously 30 min before MV. We observed that MV with endotoxemia induced microvascular permeability; interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor protein production; neutrophil infiltration; oxidative loads; HIF-1α mRNA activation; HIF-1α expression; bronchial epithelial apoptosis; and decreased respiratory function in mice (p < 0.05). Endotoxin-induced augmentation of VILI and epithelial apoptosis were reduced in the HIF-1α-deficient mice and in the wild-type mice following enoxaparin administration (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that enoxaparin reduces endotoxin-augmented MV-induced ALI, partially by inhibiting the HIF-1α pathway.
Functional Role of Dietary Intervention to Improve the Outcome of COVID-19: A Hypothesis of Work
Authors: Messina Giovanni , Polito Rita , Monda Vincenzo , Cipolloni Luigi , Di Nunno Nunzio , Di Mizio Giulio , Murabito Paolo , Carotenuto Marco , Messina Antonietta , Pisanelli Daniela , Valenzano Anna , Cibelli Giuseppe , Scarinci Alessia , Monda Marcellino , Sessa Francesco
Published: April 2020

Background: On the 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown origin detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The infection spread first in China and then in the rest of the world, and on the 11th of March, the WHO declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Taking into consideration the mortality rate of COVID-19, about 5–7%, and the percentage of positive patients admitted to intensive care units being 9–11%, it should be mandatory to consider and take all necessary measures to contain the COVID-19 infection. Moreover, given the recent evidence in different hospitals suggesting IL-6 and TNF-α inhibitor drugs as a possible therapy for COVID-19, we aimed to highlight that a dietary intervention could be useful to prevent the infection and/or to ameliorate the outcomes during therapy. Considering that the COVID-19 infection can generate a mild or highly acute respiratory syndrome with a consequent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNF-α, a dietary regimen modification in order to improve the levels of adiponectin could be very useful both to prevent the infection and to take care of patients, improving their outcomes.
Genetic Architecture of Early Vigor Traits in Wild Soybean
Authors: Kofsky Janice , Zhang Hengyou , Song Bao-Hua
Published: April 2020

A worldwide food shortage has been projected as a result of the current increase in global population and climate change. In order to provide sufficient food to feed more people, we must develop crops that can produce higher yields. Plant early vigor traits, early growth rate (EGR), early plant height (EPH), inter-node length, and node count are important traits that are related to crop yield. Glycine soja, the wild counterpart to cultivated soybean, Glycine max, harbors much higher genetic diversity and can grow in diverse environments. It can also cross easily with cultivated soybean. Thus, it holds a great potential in developing soybean cultivars with beneficial agronomic traits. In this study, we used 225 wild soybean accessions originally from diverse environments across its geographic distribution in East Asia. We quantified the natural variation of several early vigor traits, investigated the relationships among them, and dissected the genetic basis of these traits by applying a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) with genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. Our results showed positive correlation between all early vigor traits studied. A total of 12 SNPs significantly associated with EPH were identified with 4 shared with EGR. We also identified two candidate genes, Glyma.07G055800.1 and Glyma.07G055900.1, playing important roles in influencing trait variation in both EGR and EPH in G. soja.
Involvement of Senescence and Mitochondrial Fission in Endothelial Cell Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype Induced by Angiotensin II
Authors: Miyao Masashi , Cicalese Stephanie , Kawai Tatsuo , Cooper Hannah A. , Boyer Michael J. , Elliott Katherine J. , Forrester Steven J. , Kuroda Ryohei , Rizzo Victor , Hashimoto Tomoki , Scalia Rosario , Eguchi Satoru
Published: April 2020

Angiotensin II (AngII) has a crucial role in cardiovascular pathologies, including endothelial inflammation and premature vascular aging. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying aging-related endothelial inflammation induced by AngII remains elusive. Here, we have tested a hypothesis in cultured rat aortic endothelial cells (ECs) that the removal of AngII-induced senescent cells, preservation of proteostasis, or inhibition of mitochondrial fission attenuates the pro-inflammatory EC phenotype. AngII stimulation in ECs resulted in cellular senescence assessed by senescence-associated β galactosidase activity. The number of β galactosidase-positive ECs induced by AngII was attenuated by treatment with a senolytic drug ABT737 or the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate. Monocyte adhesion assay revealed that the pro-inflammatory phenotype in ECs induced by AngII was alleviated by these treatments. AngII stimulation also increased mitochondrial fission in ECs, which was mitigated by mitochondrial division inhibitor-1. Pretreatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 attenuated AngII-induced senescence and monocyte adhesion in ECs. These findings suggest that mitochondrial fission and endoplasmic reticulum stress have causative roles in endothelial senescence-associated inflammatory phenotype induced by AngII exposure, thus providing potential therapeutic targets in age-related cardiovascular diseases.
Microbes and Cancer: Friends or Faux?
Authors: Azevedo Maria Manuel , Pina-Vaz Cidália , Baltazar Fátima
Published: April 2020

Cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly diseases in the world, representing the second leading cause of death. It is a multifactorial disease, in which genetic alterations play a key role, but several environmental factors also contribute to its development and progression. Infections induced by certain viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites constitute risk factors for cancer, being chronic infection associated to the development of certain types of cancer. On the other hand, susceptibility to infectious diseases is higher in cancer patients. The state of the host immune system plays a crucial role in the susceptibility to both infection and cancer. Importantly, immunosuppressive cancer treatments increase the risk of infection, by decreasing the host defenses. Furthermore, alterations in the host microbiota is also a key factor in the susceptibility to develop cancer. More recently, the identification of a tumor microbiota, in which bacteria establish a symbiotic relationship with cancer cells, opened a new area of research. There is evidence demonstrating that the interaction between bacteria and cancer cells can modulate the anticancer drug response and toxicity. The present review focuses on the interaction between microbes and cancer, specifically aiming to: (1) review the main infectious agents associated with development of cancer and the role of microbiota in cancer susceptibility; (2) highlight the higher vulnerability of cancer patients to acquire infectious diseases; (3) document the relationship between cancer cells and tissue microbiota; (4) describe the role of intratumoral bacteria in the response and toxicity to cancer therapy.
The Cannabinoid Receptor CB1 Stabilizes Sperm Chromatin Condensation Status During Epididymal Transit by Promoting Disulphide Bond Formation
Authors: Chioccarelli Teresa , Manfrevola Francesco , Porreca Veronica , Fasano Silvia , Altucci Lucia , Pierantoni Riccardo , Cobellis Gilda
Published: April 2020

The cannabinoid receptor CB1 regulates differentiation of spermatids. We recently characterized spermatozoa from caput epididymis of CB1-knock-out mice and identified a considerable number of sperm cells with chromatin abnormality such as elevated histone content and poorly condensed chromatin. In this paper, we extended our findings and studied the role of CB1 in the epididymal phase of chromatin condensation of spermatozoa by analysis of spermatozoa from caput and cauda epididymis of wild-type and CB1-knock-out mouse in both a homozygous or heterozygous condition. Furthermore, we studied the impact of CB1-gene deletion on histone displacement mechanism by taking into account the hyperacetylation of histone H4 and players of displacement such as Chromodomain Y Like protein (CDYL) and Bromodomain testis-specific protein (BRDT). Our results show that CB1, via local and/or endocrine cell-to-cell signaling, modulates chromatin remodeling mechanisms that orchestrate a nuclear condensation extent of mature spermatozoa. We show that CB1-gene deletion affects the epididymal phase of chromatin condensation by interfering with inter-/intra-protamine disulphide bridges formation, and deranges the efficiency of histone removal by reducing the hyper-acetylation of histone H4. This effect is independent by gene expression of Cdyl and Brdt mRNA. Our results reveal a novel and important role for CB1 in sperm chromatin condensation mechanisms.
Usability Evaluation—Advances in Experimental Design in the Context of Automated Driving Human–Machine Interfaces
Authors: Albers Deike , Radlmayr Jonas , Loew Alexandra , Hergeth Sebastian , Naujoks Frederik , Keinath Andreas , Bengler Klaus
Published: April 2020

The projected introduction of conditional automated driving systems to the market has sparked multifaceted research on human–machine interfaces (HMIs) for such systems. By moderating the roles of the human driver and the driving automation system, the HMI is indispensable in avoiding side effects of automation such as mode confusion, misuse, and disuse. In addition to safety aspects, the usability of HMIs plays a vital role in improving the trust and acceptance of the automated driving system. This paper aggregates common research methods and findings based on an extensive literature review. Empirical studies, frameworks, and review articles are included. Findings and conclusions are presented with a focus on study characteristics such as test cases, dependent variables, testing environments, or participant samples. These methods and findings are discussed critically, taking into consideration requirements for usability assessments of HMIs in the context of conditional automated driving. The paper concludes with a derivation of recommended study characteristics framing best practice advice for the design of experiments. The advised selection of scenarios and metrics will be applied in a future validation study series comprising a driving simulator experiment and three real driving experiments on test tracks in Germany, the USA, and Japan.
Oxidative Stress, Endoparasite Prevalence and Social Immunity in Bee Colonies Kept Traditionally vs. Those Kept for Commercial Purposes
Authors: Taric Elmin , Glavinic Uros , Vejnovic Branislav , Stanojkovic Aleksandar , Aleksic Nevenka , Dimitrijevic Vladimir , Stanimirovic Zoran
Published: April 2020

Commercially and traditionally managed bees were compared for oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and malondialdehyde (MDA)), the prevalence of parasites (Lotmaria passim, Crithidia mellificae and Nosema ceranae/apis) and social immunity (glucose oxidase gene expression). The research was conducted on Pester plateau (Serbia—the Balkan Peninsula), on seemingly healthy colonies. Significant differences in CAT, GST and SOD activities (p < 0.01), and MDA concentrations (p < 0.002) were detected between commercial and traditional colonies. In the former, the prevalence of both L. passim and N. ceranae was significantly (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) higher. For the first time, L. passim was detected in honey bee brood. In commercial colonies, the prevalence of L. passim was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in brood than in adult bees, whilst in traditionally kept colonies the prevalence in adult bees and brood did not differ significantly. In commercially kept colonies, the GOX gene expression level was significantly (p < 0.01) higher, which probably results from their increased need to strengthen their social immunity. Commercially kept colonies were under higher oxidative stress, had higher parasite burdens and higher GOX gene transcript levels. It may be assumed that anthropogenic influence contributed to these differences, but further investigations are necessary to confirm that.
Status of Water Quality for Human Consumption in High-Andean Rural Communities: Discrepancies between Techniques for Identifying Trace Metals
Authors: Quispe-Coica Alejandro , Fernández Sonia , Acharte Lume Luz , Pérez-Foguet Agustí
Published: April 2020

Access to safe water is essential for people’s lives and health. However, little information is available about the quality of water consumed in rural communities in the Andes of Peru. The difficulties of accessing communities, and the lack of nearby laboratories, raise the question of which techniques are being used or could be used to monitor water quality (and specifically, for trace metal content determination), as discrepancies between different techniques have been reported. This work focuses on water characterization of (i) physicochemical, microbiological, and parasitological parameters; and (ii) the presence of trace metals in a specific Andean region involving five communities, determined by two different techniques: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). AAS was performed at local laboratories in the province capital located within a 4-h travel distance from sampling points, and ICP-MS was performed in a certified lab in Lima at a 24-h bus travel distance (on average) from sampling points. The physicochemical characterization shows non-compliance with regulations of 16.4% of reservoirs and 23.1% of households. Further, standards for microbiological and parasitological parameters were not met by 14.5% of spring water points, 18.8% of water reservoirs, and 14.3% of households. These results are in agreement with the Peruvian government´s general figures regarding water quality in rural areas. While ICP-MS and AAS gave equivalent results for most pairs of sample metals tested, differences were found for Mo, Mn, Al, Zn, Cd, and Cu concentrations (with larger differences for Mo, Cd, and Cu). Differences in Al and Mo affect the comparison with water quality standards and generate uncertainty in terms of acceptability for human consumption.
Exercise Prescription Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Patients in the Absence of a Baseline Stress Test
Authors: Mytinger Megan , Nelson Rachael K. , Zuhl Micah
Published: April 2020

Aerobic exercise is a core component of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Leading organizations recommend that the exercise prescriptions should be based on a symptom limited baseline graded exercise test (GXT). However, recent evidence suggests that only ~30% of CR clinics perform baseline GXTs. Consequently, exercise prescriptions including exercise progression in CR are not following standard exercise prescription guidelines. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide clinicians with evidence-based techniques for prescribing exercise in the absence of a baseline GXT. Intensity indicators (e.g., heart rate, perceived exertion) are reviewed, along with special exercise considerations for various disease states (e.g., heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and coronary artery disease). Baseline exercise testing remains the gold standard approach for prescribing exercise among heart disease patients, however, clinicians must be prepared to safely develop and monitor patients when a baseline GXT is not performed.
Innovative Manufacturing Process of Functionalized PA2200 for Reduced Adhesion Properties
Authors: Rotella Giovanna , Del Prete Antonio , Muzzupappa Maurizio , Umbrello Domenico
Published: April 2020

This work proposes an approach to fabricate micro patterned surfaces on PA2200 polyamide in order to improve its performance in terms of wettability and adhesion. In more detail, the present work aims to change the wettability of the surface and decrease their bacteria adhesion tendency. The experimental procedure consists of imprinting a set of different micro patterned structures over the polymer in order to verify the effectiveness of the methodology to change the contact angle of the surface, and in turn, reduce the occurrence of bacteria adhesion. Four different surface patterning were produced by laser ablation of a commercially pure titanium alloy, and then imprinted over the polyamide by surface stamping. The resulting surfaces were analyzed by topographical characterization and scanning electron microscopy. The wettability was probed by contact angle measurements while the bacteria adhesion was analyzed by adhesion test. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method to modify the surface characteristics and to obtain a reliable patterned surface without using chemical hazardous material; opening to the possibility to replicate more complex structures and to obtain graded engineering surfaces.
Lidar Observations of the Swash Zone of a Low-Tide Terraced Tropical Beach under Variable Wave Conditions: The Nha Trang (Vietnam) COASTVAR Experiment
Authors: Almeida Luís Pedro , Almar Rafael , Blenkinsopp Chris , Senechal Nadia , Bergsma Erwin , Floc’h France , Caulet Charles , Biausque Melanie , Marchesiello Patrick , Grandjean Philippe , Ammann Jerome , Benshila Rachid , Thuan Duong Hai , Gomes da Silva Paula , Viet Nguyen Trung
Published: April 2020

A field experiment was conducted at a tropical microtidal intermediate sandy beach with a low tide terrace (Nha Trang, Vietnam) to investigate the short-term swash-zone hydrodynamics and morphodynamics under variable wave conditions. Continuous 2D Lidar scanner observations of wave height at the lower foreshore, subsequent run-up and swash-induced topographic changes were obtained. These data were complemented by detailed real-time kinematic GPS topographic surveys. Variable wave and tide conditions were experienced during the field experiment with relatively large swell waves (offshore significant wave height, Hs = 0.9 m to 1.3 m; peak wave period, Tp = 8 to 12 s) concomitant with spring tides at the beginning of the period, followed by mild wind waves (offshore Hs under 0.5 m and Tp 5 s) and neap tides. This resulted in the following morphological sequence: berm erosion followed by rapid neap berm reformation and beach recovery within a few days. New insights into the link between intra-tidal swash dynamics and daily beach profile evolution were found using the Lidar dataset. While waves directly cause morphology changes on a wave-by-wave basis, tidal levels were found to be a key factor in determining the morphological wave-effect (accretive or erosive) due to modulated interaction between surf and swash hydro-morphodynamics.
The Effect of Mass Ratio and Damping Coefficient on the Propulsion Performance of the Semi-Active Flapping Foil of the Wave Glider
Authors: Qi Zhanfeng , Jiang Min , Jia Lishuang , Zou Bo , Zhai Jingsheng
Published: April 2020

A numerical investigation on the propulsion performance of the semi-active flapping foil of the wave glider with different mass ratio and damping coefficient is investigated. The commercial CFD software Fluent is used to solve the URANS equations around the flapping foil by the Finite Volume Method. A mesh of 2D NACA0012 foil with the Reynolds number Re = 42,000 is used in all simulations. We first analyze the effect of the mass ratio on the mean output power coefficient and propulsion efficiency and note that with the variation of the mass ratio, the propulsion efficiency decreases slightly. Besides, we find that the mass ratio has a noticeable influence on the mean output power coefficient, and the influence is determined by the reduced frequency. For high reduced frequency, with the increase of the mass ratio, the propulsion performance of the flapping foil decreases monotonously. For low reduced frequency, the mean output power increases slightly. For critically reduced frequency, the mean output power coefficient of the foil firstly increases and then decreases via the mass ratio increase. Then, we examine the influence of the damping coefficient on the propulsion performance of the flapping foil and find that the damping coefficient has a severe adverse effect on the output power and propulsion efficiency. We conclude that the influence of the damping coefficient should be considered first when we design the propulsion device of the semi-active flapping foil. Meanwhile, we should also consider the sea conditions to choose the mass ratio to optimize the flapping foil.
Damage in Rubble Mound Breakwaters. Part II: Review of the Definition, Parameterization, and Measurement of Damage
Authors: Campos Álvaro , Molina-Sanchez Rafael , Castillo Carmen
Published: April 2020

Damage in rubble mound breakwaters has been addressed for more than 80 years and, as reported in “Part I: Historical review of damage models”, a considerable number of hydraulic instability models have been proposed up to date. Most of them were developed from small-scale physical tests, based on damage descriptors not always parameterized nor measured in the same way, which indeed complicates the comparison and reproducibility from different experimental data sources. The latter is increased by the lack of a standardized methodological approach inside an experimental and measuring process that involves many sources of uncertainty. Currently, the latest innovations applicable to damage measurement, together with the growing demand of reliable decision-making tools for conservation/maintenance strategies and structural/operational risk management, venture an upcoming proliferation of prototype monitoring, as well as new approaches aimed to characterize the stochastic nature of damage evolution. In this context, this paper is meant to review the concept of damage in rubble mound breakwaters, the different proposals for its parameterization, the past and present measuring techniques, and main challenges in the near future.
Methane Number Control of Fuel Gas Supply System Using Combined Cascade/Feed-Forward Control
Authors: Hwang Soon-kyu , Jung Byung-gun
Published: April 2020

Liquefied natural gas began to attract attention as a ship fuel to reduce environmental pollution and increase energy efficiency. During this period, highly efficient internal combustion engines emerged as the new propulsion system instead of steam turbines. However, Otto-cycle engines must use fuel that meets the methane number that was given by the engine makers. The purpose of this study was to develop a system configuration and a control method of methane number adjustment using combined cascade/feed-forward controllers for marine Otto-cycle engines to improve reference tracking and the disturbance rejection. The main principle involves controlling the downstream gas temperature of the fuel gas supply system to meet the required methane number. Three controllers are used in the combined cascade/feed-forward control for adjusting the downstream of the gas temperature: the cascade loop has two controllers and the feed-forward has one controller. The two controllers in the cascade loop are designed with proportional–integral (PI) controllers. The remaining controller is based on feed-forward control theory. A simulation was conducted to verify the efficacy of the proposed method, focusing on the disturbance rejection and set-point tracking, in comparison with a single PI controller, a single PI controller with feed-forward, and cascade control.
Molecular Tracking and Remote Sensing to Evaluate New Chemical Treatments Against the Maize Late Wilt Disease Causal Agent, Magnaporthiopsis maydis
Authors: Degani Ofir , Dor Shlomit , Chen Assaf , Orlov-Levin Valerie , Stolov-Yosef Avital , Regev Danielle , Rabinovitz Onn
Published: April 2020

Late wilt is a destructive disease of corn: outbreaks occur at the advanced growth stage and lead to severe dehydration of susceptible hybrids. The disease’s causal agent is the fungus Magnaporthiopsis maydis, whose spread relies on infested soils, seeds, and several alternative hosts. The current study aimed at advancing our understanding of the nature of this plant disease and revealing new ways to monitor and control it. Two field experiments were conducted in a heavily infested area in northern Israel seeded with highly sensitive corn hybrid. The first experiment aimed at inspecting the Azoxystrobin (AS) fungicide applied by spraying during and after the land tillage. Unexpectedly, the disease symptoms in this field were minor and yields were high. Nevertheless, up to 100% presence of the pathogen within the plant’s tissues was measured using the quantitative real-time PCR method. The highest AS concentration tested was the most effective treatment, and resulted in a 6% increase in cob yield and a 4% increase in A-class yield. In the second experiment conducted in the following summer of the same year in a nearby field, the disease outbreak was dramatically higher, with about 350 times higher levels of the pathogen DNA in the untreated plots’ plants. In this field, fungicide mixtures were applied using a dripline assigned for two coupling rows. The most successful treatment was AS and the Difenoconazole mixture, in which the number of infected plants decreased by 79%, and a 116% increase in crop yield was observed, along with a 41% increase in crop quality. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the treatments on the plants’ health using a remote, thermal infra-red sensitive camera supported the results and proved to be an essential research tool.
Kids, Difficult Asthma and Fungus
Authors: Bush Andrew
Published: April 2020

Fungi have many potential roles in paediatric asthma, predominantly by being a source of allergens (severe asthma with fungal sensitization, SAFS), and also directly damaging the epithelial barrier and underlying tissue by releasing proteolytic enzymes (fungal bronchitis). The umbrella term ‘fungal asthma’ is proposed for these manifestations. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is not a feature of childhood asthma, for unclear reasons. Diagnostic criteria for SAFS are based on sensitivity to fungal allergen(s) demonstrated either by skin prick test or specific IgE. In children, there are no exclusion criteria on total IgE levels or IgG precipitins because of the rarity of ABPA. Diagnostic criteria for fungal bronchitis are much less well established. Data in adults and children suggest SAFS is associated with worse asthma control and greater susceptibility to asthma attacks than non-sensitized patients. The data on whether anti-fungal therapy is beneficial are conflicting. The pathophysiology of SAFS is unclear, but the epithelial alarmin interleukin-33 is implicated. However, whether individual fungi have different pathobiologies is unclear. There are many unanswered questions needing further research, including how fungi interact with other allergens, bacteria, and viruses, and what optimal therapy should be, including whether anti-neutrophilic strategies, such as macrolides, should be used. Considerable further research is needed to unravel the complex roles of different fungi in severe asthma.
Multicopper Oxidases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Human Pathogenic Fungi
Authors: Chakraborty Tanmoy , Tóth Renáta , Nosanchuk Joshua D. , Gácser Attila
Published: April 2020

Multicopper oxidases (MCOs) are produced by microscopic and macroscopic fungal species and are involved in various physiological processes such as morphogenesis, lignin degradation, and defense mechanisms to stress inducing environmental conditions as well as fungal virulence. This review will summarize our current understanding regarding the functions of MCOs present in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in different human fungal pathogens. Of the two main MCO groups, the first group of MCOs is involved in iron homoeostasis and the second includes laccases. This review will also discuss their role in the pathogenesis of human fungal pathogens.
Current Research Trends on Interrelationships of Eco-Innovation and Internationalisation: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Šūmakaris Paulius , Ščeulovs Deniss , Korsakienė Renata
Published: April 2020

In this paper, bibliometric analysis is conducted on eco-innovation and internationalisation, since in the scientific literature, both research fields have been considered as being interrelated. Although the adoption of eco-innovation and internationalisation are risky processes, they reduce competitive risk and increase performance in a highly competitive business environment. The main objective of this study is to identify current research trends on the interrelationships of eco-innovations and internationalisation as well as the main areas of knowledge and to provide a general overview of research streams that can be classified using by papers, authors and journals found in the Web of Science database. In total, 1677 publications published between 1991 and 2020 related to eco-innovations and internationalisation were taken into consideration. For the visualisation of bibliographic material, VOSviewer software was used. These findings provide valuable insights by revealing the trends and highlighting the possible research streams for future investigations in the field of eco-innovations and internationalisation research.
An Exploratory Study of the Effect of Spanish Immersion Education on the Acquisition of Pronominal Subjects in Child Heritage Speakers
Authors: Goldin Michele
Published: April 2020

Studies have found that aspects of grammar that lie at the syntax–pragmatics interface, such as the use of pronominal subjects in null-subject languages, are likely to undergo cross-linguistic influence in bilingual speakers. This study contributes to our understanding of the role of Spanish immersion academic instruction on the comprehension of null subjects in English-dominant, Spanish-heritage children living in the United States. Two groups of bilingual children aged 4 to 7 (those attending a Spanish immersion school and those not) completed an acceptability judgment task in both English and Spanish. English monolingual children and monolingually raised Spanish children of the same ages also completed the task in their respective languages. The findings revealed that children in the Spanish immersion school performed on par with their monolingual peers in Spanish, but accepted significantly more ungrammatical null subjects in English than the other groups. These results suggest that immersion schooling plays a role in extending the English null subject stage in bilingual children due to competing input and cross-linguistic influence.
Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of HfO2 Thin Films Deposited at Low-Temperature Using Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Kim Kyoung-Mun , Jang Jin Sub , Yoon Soon-Gil , Yun Ju-Young , Chung Nak-Kwan
Published: April 2020

HfO2 was deposited at 80–250 °C by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), and properties were compared with those obtained by using thermal atomic layer deposition (thermal ALD). The ALD window, i.e., the region where the growth per cycle (GPC) is constant, shifted from high temperatures (150–200 °C) to lower temperatures (80–150 °C) in PEALD. HfO2 deposited at 80 °C by PEALD showed higher density (8.1 g/cm3) than those deposited by thermal ALD (5.3 g/cm3) and a smooth surface (RMS Roughness: 0.2 nm). HfO2 deposited at a low temperature by PEALD showed decreased contaminants compared to thermal ALD deposited HfO2. Values of refractive indices and optical band gap of HfO2 deposited at 80 °C by PEALD (1.9, 5.6 eV) were higher than those obtained by using thermal ALD (1.7, 5.1 eV). Transparency of HfO2 deposited at 80 °C by PEALD on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was high (> 84%). PET deposited above 80 °C was unable to withstand heat and showed deformation. HfO2 deposited at 80 °C by PEALD showed decreased leakage current from 1.4 × 10−2 to 2.5 × 10−5 A/cm2 and increased capacitance of approximately 21% compared to HfO2 using thermal ALD. Consequently, HfO2 deposited at a low temperature by PEALD showed improved properties compared to HfO2 deposited by thermal ALD.
Synthesis in Silica Nanoreactor: Copper Pyrophosphate Quantum Dots and Silver Oxide Nanocrystallites Inside Silica Mezochannels
Authors: Laskowski Łukasz , Majtyka-Piłat Anna , Cpałka Krzysztof , Zubko Maciej , Laskowska Magdalena
Published: April 2020

The synthesis routes are presented for the preparation of nanocomposites composed of nanocrystals placed inside SBA-15 silica pores. The procedures assume treating the silica channels as nanoreactors, where nanocrystals are created as a result of thermal decomposition of internal functional units. Its sizes and chemical composition can be modified by the change of functional group types and density inside silica channels. The procedure is demonstrated by the example of copper pyrophosphate quantum dots and silver oxide nanoparticles inside silica mezochannels. The method can be easily adopted to other types of nanocrystals that can be synthesized inside silica nanoreactors.
Effects of Ultrasonic Bending Vibration Introduced by an L-Shaped Ultrasonic Rod on the Microstructure and Properties of a 1060 Aluminum Alloy Strip Formed by Twin-Roll Casting
Authors: Shi Chen , Fan Gaofeng , Mao Xuqiang , Mao Daheng
Published: April 2020

In order to achieve the industrial application of ultrasonic energy in the continuous casting and rolling production of aluminum alloy, a new type of L-shaped ultrasonic rod was used to introduce an ultrasonic bending vibration into the aluminum melt in the launder during the horizontal twin-roll continuous casting and rolling process of a 1060 aluminum alloy. The effects of the ultrasonic bending vibration on the microstructure and properties of the 1060 aluminum alloy cast rolling strip and its subsequent cold rolling strip were studied experimentally, and the effect of the ultrasonic-assisted refining with different amounts of Al-Ti-B refiner was explored. The results show that under the same addition amount of Al-Ti-B refiner, the ultrasonic bending vibration can refine the grains of the cast rolling strip, make the distribution of precipitates more uniform, reduce the slag inclusion defects, and improve the mechanical properties to a certain extent. The microstructure and properties of the ultrasonic cast rolling strip with 0.18 wt% Al-Ti-B refiner or 0.12 wt% Al-Ti-B refiner are better than those of the conventional cast rolling strip, but the microstructure and properties of the ultrasonic cast rolling strip with 0.09 wt% Al-Ti-B refiner are slightly worse than those of the conventional cast rolling strip. Moreover, after cold rolling, the effect of the ultrasonic bending vibration on the improvement of the microstructure and properties of the aluminum alloy strip is inherited. A comprehensive analysis shows that the use of ultrasonic energy in this paper cannot completely replace the effect of the Al-Ti-B refiner, but it can reduce the addition amount of the Al-Ti-B refiner by 1/3.
Characterization of the Shape Anisotropy of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles during Thermal Decomposition
Authors: Vanhecke Dimitri , Crippa Federica , Lattuada Marco , Balog Sandor , Rothen-Rutishauser Barbara , Petri-Fink Alke
Published: April 2020

Magnetosomes are near-perfect intracellular magnetite nanocrystals found in magnetotactic bacteria. Their synthetic imitation, known as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), have found applications in a variety of (nano)medicinal fields such as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, multimodal imaging and drug carriers. In order to perform these functions in medicine, shape and size control of the SPIONs is vital. We sampled SPIONs at ten-minutes intervals during the high-temperature thermal decomposition reaction. Their shape (sphericity and anisotropy) and geometric description (volume and surface area) were retrieved using three-dimensional imaging techniques, which allowed to reconstruct each particle in three dimensions, followed by stereological quantification methods. The results, supported by small angle X-ray scattering characterization, reveal that SPIONs initially have a spherical shape, then grow increasingly asymmetric and irregular. A high heterogeneity in volume at the initial stages makes place for lower particle volume dispersity at later stages. The SPIONs settled into a preferred orientation on the support used for transmission electron microscopy imaging, which hides the extent of their anisotropic nature in the axial dimension, there by biasing the interpretation of standard 2D micrographs. This information could be feedback into the design of the chemical processes and the characterization strategies to improve the current applications of SPIONs in nanomedicine.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Effects of Microstructure on Properties in Cast Al Alloys
Authors: Tiryakioğlu Murat
Published: April 2020

The metallurgy of cast aluminum alloys has always been considered to be different from that of wrought alloys. Metallurgists have been taught that pores are intrinsic in cast aluminum alloys and that mechanical properties in cast aluminum alloys are controlled by dendrite arm spacing, the presence of Fe-bearing particles, and the size of Si particles in Al–Si alloys, which fracture and debond during deformation, leading to premature failure. Whether these effects are intrinsic or extrinsic, i.e., mere correlations due to the structural quality of castings, is discussed in detail. Ideal properties are discussed, based on findings presented mostly in physics literature. Pores and hot tears in aluminum castings are extrinsic. Moreover, the effect of dendrite arm spacing on elongation, precipitation, and subsequent fracture of β–Al5FeSi platelets, and finally Si particle fracture and debonding are all extrinsic. A fundamental change in how we approach the metallurgy of cast aluminum alloys is necessary.
Oriented to Multi-Branched Structure Unsupported 3D Printing Method Research
Authors: Hu Qingxi , Feng Die , Zhang Haiguang , Yao Yuan , Aburaia Mohamed , Lammer Herfried
Published: April 2020

For the traditional three-axis (3D) configuration of the additive manufacturing (AM) platform, when printing the target model with a multi-branched structure, it is imperative to construct adequate support structures. To eliminate the use of support during the printing process, a non-directional unsupported 3D printing method for five-axis AM is proposed in this paper. By carrying out the K-means clustering algorithm, the coarse partition of the model is obtained, and then the fine decomposition represented by a sequence of separating planes is determined by a local dynamic search adjustment algorithm according to manufacturing constraints. The multi-branched structure of the model is divided into simple subparts so that the general model can be built in different directions and be printed with its own parts as the support. Two case studies were carried out for verification. The experimental results showed that the branch-model can be printed without support using the non-directional unsupported 3D printing method, and the non-directional unsupported 3D printing can save 18.72–20.60% of materials and 20.60–23.33% of time compared to conventional 3D printing.
Phase Formation and High-Temperature Stability of Very Thin Co-Sputtered Ti-Al and Multilayered Ti/Al Films on Thermally Oxidized Si Substrates
Authors: Seifert Marietta , Lattner Eric , Menzel Siegfried B. , Oswald Steffen , Gemming Thomas
Published: April 2020

Ti-Al thin films with a thickness of 200 nm were prepared either by co-sputtering from elemental Ti and Al targets or as Ti/Al multilayers with 10 and 20 nm individual layer thickness on thermally oxidized Si substrates. Some of the films were covered with a 20-nm-thick SiO 2 layer, which was used as an oxidation protection against the ambient atmosphere. The films were annealed at up to 800 °C in high vacuum for 10 h, and the phase formation as well as the film architecture was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, cross section, and transmission electron microscopy, as well as Auger electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results reveal that the co-sputtered films remained amorphous after annealing at 600 °C independent on the presence of the SiO 2 cover layer. In contrast to this, the γ -TiAl phase was formed in the multilayer films at this temperature. After annealing at 800 °C, all films were degraded completely despite the presence of the cover layer. In addition, a strong chemical reaction between the Ti and SiO 2 of the cover layer and the substrate took place, resulting in the formation of Ti silicide. In the multilayer samples, this reaction already started at 600 °C.
Revision of a Monoblock Metal-on-Metal Cup Using a Dual Mobility Component: Is It a Reasonable Option?
Authors: Affatato Saverio , Castiello Emanuela , Amendola Luca , Comitini Saverio , Prudhon Jean Louis , Tigani Domenico
Published: April 2020

Revision of large-diameter, monoblock acetabular components for both hip resurfacing arthroplasty and metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasty (THA) is correlated to a high amount of complications. For this reason, performing a limited revision by conversion to a dual mobility (DM) without acetabular component exchange has been proposed in order to limit these complications. Although DM bearing offers an easy solution avoiding the intraoperative and time-associated complications, concern about polyethylene wear and stability remains due to the difference regarding the design, the coverage angle and the clearance of the two implants. In order to evaluate the performance of this new solution with the new material to prevent the possibility of failure it is essential to conduct a review of the literature A qualitative systematic review of the literature has been conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Scopus for English and French articles between January 2000 and October 2019 was performed, with the primary objective of finding articles about dual mobility bearing coupling with large metal-on-metal cup in the case of hip revision procedure. Various combinations of the key words were used in the search strategy. Thirteen articles with DM bearing mated with MoM cup were analyzed. Of the 130 hip revisions selected, with a follow-up from 6 to 53 months, there were a total of 14 with complications (10.77%): four true dislocations (3.08%); six intra-prosthetic dislocations (IPD, 4.6%), two of which presented plastic deformation and polyethylene wear; four other complications (3.08%), included a cup osteolysis, a clicking noise, a superficial infection and a periprosthetic fracture. All the mentioned true dislocations occurred during the first month while IPDs appeared during the first two years from the index revision. In conclusion, according to the literature analyzed, we can stress that the concerns and doubts about mating a DM bearing with large MoM cup cannot be dissolved. It has been pointed out that a DM bearing is not designed for a MoM cup; it is not mechanically tested on MoM cups, which presents different clearance and coverage angles. Predictable complications may occur, such as IPD, polyethylene wear and true dislocation. These complications have been reported at an even higher rate than they were in the eighties, when the first generation of DM implants were of a lower quality of polyethylene and the characteristic of the design was less optimal than modern ones.
Evaluation of Structure and Corrosion Behavior of FeAl Alloy after Crystallization, Hot Extrusion and Hot Rolling
Authors: Cebulski Janusz , Pasek Dorota , Chmiela Bartosz , Popczyk Magdalena , Swinarew Andrzej Szymon , Stanula Arkadiusz , Waśkiewicz Zbigniew , Knechtle Beat
Published: April 2020

The paper presents the results of tests on the corrosion resistance of Fe40Al5Cr0.2TiB alloy after casting, plastic working using extrusion and rolling methods. Examination of the microstructure of the Fe40Al5Cr0.2TiB alloy after casting and after plastic working was performed on an Olympus GX51 light microscope. The stereological relationships of the alloy microstructure in the state after crystallization and after plastic working were determined. The quantitative analysis of the structure was conducted after testing with the EBSD INCA HKL detector and the Nordlys II analysis system (Channel 5), which was equipped with the Hitachi S-3400N microscope. Structure tests and corrosion tests were performed on tests cut perpendicular to the ingot axis, extrusion direction, and rolling direction. As a result of the tests, it was found that the crystallized alloy has better corrosion resistance than plastically processed material. Plastic working increases the intensity of the electrochemical corrosion of the examined alloy. It was found that as-cast alloy is the most resistant to corrosion in a 5% NaCl compared with the alloys after hot extrusion and after hot rolling. The parameters in this study show the smallest value of the corrosion current density and corrosion rate as well as the more positive value of corrosion potential.