bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Papillomavirus 16-Transgenic Mice as a Model to Study Cancer-Associated Cachexia
Authors: Peixoto da Silva Sara , Santos Joana M. O. , Mestre Verónica F. , Medeiros-Fonseca Beatriz , Oliveira Paula A. , M. S. M. Bastos Margarida , Gil da Costa Rui M. , Medeiros Rui
Published: July 2020

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by general inflammation, weight loss and muscle wasting, partly mediated by ubiquitin ligases such as atrogin-1, encoded by Fbxo32. Cancers induced by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) include anogenital cancers and some head-and-neck cancers and are often associated with cachexia. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of cancer cachexia in HPV16-transgenic mice with or without exposure to the chemical carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Male mice expressing the HPV16 early region under the control of the cytokeratin 14 gene promoter (K14-HPV16; HPV+) and matched wild-type mice (HPV−) received DMBA (or vehicle) topically over 17 weeks of the experiment. Food intake and body weight were assessed weekly. The gastrocnemius weights and Fbxo32 expression levels were quantified at sacrifice time. HPV-16-associated lesions in different anatomic regions were classified histologically. Although unexposed HPV+ mice showed higher food intake than wild-type matched group (p < 0.01), they presented lower body weights (p < 0.05). This body weight trend was more pronounced when comparing DMBA-exposed groups (p < 0.01). The same pattern was observed in the gastrocnemius weights (between the unexposed groups: p < 0.05; between the exposed groups: p < 0.001). Importantly, DMBA reduced body and gastrocnemius weights (p < 0.01) when comparing the HPV+ groups. Moreover, the Fbxo32 gene was overexpressed in DMBA-exposed HPV+ compared to control mice (p < 0.05). These results show that K14-HPV16 mice closely reproduce the anatomic and molecular changes associated with cancer cachexia and may be a good model for preclinical studies concerning the pathogenesis of this syndrome.
Role of RNA Oxidation in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Liu Ziqian , Chen Xiatian , Li Zhe , Ye Wei , Ding Hongyan , Li Peifeng , Aung Lynn Htet Htet
Published: July 2020

In the history of nucleic acid research, DNA has always been the main research focus. After the sketch of the human genome was completed in 2000, RNA has been started to gain more attention due to its abundancies in the cell and its essential role in cellular physiology and pathologies. Recent studies have shown that RNAs are susceptible to oxidative damage and oxidized RNA is able to break the RNA strand, and affect the protein synthesis, which can lead to cell degradation and cell death. Studies have shown that RNA oxidation is one of the early events in the formation and development of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, its molecular mechanism, as well as its impact on these diseases, are still unclear. In this article, we review the different types of RNA oxidative damage and the neurodegenerative diseases that are reported to be associated with RNA oxidative damage. In addition, we discuss recent findings on the association between RNA oxidative damage and the development of neurodegenerative diseases, which will have great significance for the development of novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.
Role of Flavonoids in the Prevention of AhR-Dependent Resistance During Treatment with BRAF Inhibitors
Authors: Leclair Héloïse M. , Tardif Nina , Paris Anaïs , Galibert Marie-Dominique , Corre Sébastien
Published: July 2020

BRAF and MEK inhibitors (BRAFi and MEKi) are the standard of care for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in patients with BRAFV600E mutations, greatly improving progression-free survival. However, the acquisition of resistance to BRAFi and MEKi remains a difficult clinical challenge, with limited therapeutic options available for these patients. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of natural flavonoids as specific AhR (Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor) transcription factor antagonists in combination with BRAFi. Experimental Design: Experiments were performed in vitro and in vivo with various human melanoma cell lines (mutated for BRAFV600E) sensitive or resistant to BRAFi. We evaluated the role of various flavonoids on cell sensitivity to BRAFi and their ability to counteract resistance and the invasive phenotype of melanoma. Results: Flavonoids were highly effective in potentiating BRAFi therapy in human melanoma cell lines by increasing sensitivity and delaying the pool of resistant cells that arise during treatment. As AhR antagonists, flavonoids counteracted a gene expression program associated with the acquisition of resistance and phenotype switching that leads to an invasive and EMT-like phenotype. Conclusions: The use of natural flavonoids opens new therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of patients with BRAF-resistant disease.
The Latest Findings of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor Application in Gynecologic Cancers
Authors: Kooshkaki Omid , Derakhshani Afshin , Safarpour Hossein , Najafi Souzan , Vahedi Parviz , Brunetti Oronzo , Torabi Mitra , Lotfinejad Parisa , Paradiso Angelo Virgilio , Racanelli Vito , Silvestris Nicola , Baradaran Behzad
Published: July 2020

Gynecologic cancers account for approximately 11% of the newly diagnosed cancers in women in the United States and for 18% globally. The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) influences the clinical outcome of cancer patients and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including anti programmed cell death protein-1 (anti-PD-1), anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1), and anticytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4), which have been approved for treating different types of malignancies. Antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint have shown dynamic and durable tumor regressions, suggesting a rebalancing of the host–tumor interaction. There are several the US food and drug administration (FDA)-approved ICIs targeting PD-1, including pembrolizumab and nivolumab, as well as those targeting PD-L1, including avelumab, atezolizumab, and durvalumab for melanoma, renal cell cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, cervix cancer, urothelial cancer, and lung cancer. Current pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in several gynecologic cancers have reported significant antitumor activity. In this review, we investigate pre-clinical and clinical studies that describe the safety and efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, with a particular focus on ongoing clinical trials, analyzing the oncological outcome and adverse effects of ICIs in gynecologic cancers.
An Improved Traffic Congestion Monitoring System Based on Federated Learning
Authors: Xu Chenming , Mao Yunlong
Published: July 2020

This study introduces a software-based traffic congestion monitoring system. The transportation system controls the traffic between cities all over the world. Traffic congestion happens not only in cities, but also on highways and other places. The current transportation system is not satisfactory in the area without monitoring. In order to improve the limitations of the current traffic system in obtaining road data and expand its visual range, the system uses remote sensing data as the data source for judging congestion. Since some remote sensing data needs to be kept confidential, this is a problem to be solved to effectively protect the safety of remote sensing data during the deep learning training process. Compared with the general deep learning training method, this study provides a federated learning method to identify vehicle targets in remote sensing images to solve the problem of data privacy in the training process of remote sensing data. The experiment takes the remote sensing image data sets of Los Angeles Road and Washington Road as samples for training, and the training results can achieve an accuracy of about 85%, and the estimated processing time of each image can be as low as 0.047 s. In the final experimental results, the system can automatically identify the vehicle targets in the remote sensing images to achieve the purpose of detecting congestion.
Low Mismatch Rate between Double-Stranded RNA and Target mRNA Does Not Affect RNA Interference Efficiency in Colorado Potato Beetle
Authors: He Wanwan , Xu Wenbo , Fu Kaiyun , Guo Wenchao , Zhang Jiang
Published: July 2020

RNA interference (RNAi)-based technology has been proven as a novel approach for insect pest control. However, whether insects could evolve resistance to RNAi and the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. The target gene mutations were thought to be one of the potential ways to develop the resistance. Here we predicted the effective siRNA candidates that could be derived from dsRNA against the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) β-Actin gene (dsACT). By site-directed mutagenesis, we synthesized the dsRNAs with the defect in generation of effective siRNAs (and thus were supposed to have comparable low RNAi efficacy). We showed that, with mismatches to the target gene, all the dsRNA variants caused similar levels of silencing of target gene, mortality and larval growth retardation of CPB. Our results suggest that when the mismatch rate of dsACT and target β-Actin mRNA is less than 3%, the RNAi efficiency is not impaired in CPB, which might imply the low possibility of RNAi resistance evolving through the sequence mismatches between dsRNA and the target gene.
Interactions of Osteoprogenitor Cells with a Novel Zirconia Implant Surface
Authors: Munro Thomas , Miller Catherine M. , Antunes Elsa , Sharma Dileep
Published: July 2020

Background: This study compared the in vitro response of a mouse pre-osteoblast cell line on a novel sandblasted zirconia surface with that of titanium. Material and Methods: The MC3T3-E1 subclone 4 osteoblast precursor cell line was cultured on either sandblasted titanium (SBCpTi) or sandblasted zirconia (SBY-TZP). The surface topography was analysed by three-dimensional laser microscopy and scanning electron microscope. The wettability of the discs was also assessed. The cellular response was quantified by assessing the morphology (day 1), proliferation (day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9), viability (day 1, 9), and migration (0, 6, 24 h) assays. Results: The sandblasting surface treatment in both titanium and zirconia increased the surface roughness by rendering a defined surface topography with titanium showing more apparent nano-topography. The wettability of the two surfaces showed no significant difference. The zirconia surface resulted in improved cellular spreading and a significantly increased rate of migration compared to titanium. However, the cellular proliferation and viability noted in our experiments were not significantly different on the zirconia and titanium surfaces. Conclusions: The novel, roughened zirconia surface elicited cellular responses comparable to, or exceeding that, of titanium. Therefore, this novel zirconia surface may be an acceptable substitute for titanium as a dental implant material.
Facile Synthesis of Cauliflower Leaves Biochar at Low Temperature in the Air Atmosphere for Cu(II) and Pb(II) Removal from Water
Authors: Ge Qilong , Tian Qi , Moeen Muhammad , Wang Sufang
Published: July 2020

In this study, a facile and low-cost method for biochar (CLB) preparation from vegetable waste (cauliflower leaves) was developed at a low temperature (120 °C) in the air atmosphere. The prepared mechanism, adsorption mechanism, and performance of CLB for Cu(II) and Pb(II) sorption were investigated using Scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction(XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), and a series of sorption experiments. Then the CLB was subjected to single and double element sorption studies to examine the effect of pH value on the Cu(II)/Pb(II) sorption capacities and then competitive sorption priority. There are both more hydroxyl (–OH) and carboxyl (–COOH) functional groups on the surface of CLB compared to those from control (without H3PO4 impregnation), resulting in more ion exchanges and complexation reaction for CLB with Cu(II) and Pb(II). Besides, the phosphorus-containing groups (e.g., P = OOH, P = O.), which newly formed with H3PO4 impregnation, could also enhance sorption, especially for Pb(II), this way leaded to its adsorption and precipitation as Pb5(PO4)3OH crystals. The performance of maximum adsorption capacities of CLB toward Cu(II) and Pb(II) were 81.43 and 224.60 mg/g, respectively. This sorption was slightly pH-dependent, except that the sorption capacity improved significantly as the pH value of the solution increased from 2 to 4. Competitive sorption experiment confirmed that Pb(II) had a higher sorption priority than Cu(II).
Electrochemical Detection of Arsenite Using a Silica Nanoparticles-Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode
Authors: Ismail Suhainie , Yusof Nor Azah , Abdullah Jaafar , Abd Rahman Siti Fatimah
Published: July 2020

Arsenic poisoning in the environment can cause severe effects on human health, hence detection is crucial. An electrochemical-based portable assessment of arsenic contamination is the ability to identify arsenite (As(III)). To achieve this, a low-cost electroanalytical assay for the detection of As(III) utilizing a silica nanoparticles (SiNPs)-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was developed. The morphological and elemental analysis of functionalized SiNPs and a SiNPs/SPCE-modified sensor was studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The electrochemical responses towards arsenic detection were measured using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry (LSASV) techniques. Under optimized conditions, the anodic peak current was proportional to the As(III) concentration over a wide linear range of 5 to 30 µg/L, with a detection limit of 6.2 µg/L. The suggested approach was effectively valid for the testing of As(III) found within the real water samples with good reproducibility and stability.
Effect of Shot Peening on Redistribution of Residual Stress Field in Friction Stir Welding of 2219 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Nie Lin , Wu Yunxin , Gong Hai , Chen Dan , Guo Xudong
Published: July 2020

Welding is one of the essential stages in the manufacturing process of mechanical structures. Friction stir welding structure of aluminum alloy has been used as a primary supporting member in aerospace equipment. However, friction stir welding inevitably generates residual stress that promotes the initiation and propagation of cracks, threatening the performance of the welded structure. Shot peening can effectively change the distribution of residual stress and improve the fatigue properties of materials. In this paper, friction stir welding and shot peening are performed on 2219 aluminum alloy plates. The residual stress fields induced by friction stir welding and shot peening are measured by using the X-ray diffraction method and incremental center hole drilling method, and the distribution characteristics of residual stress fields are analyzed. The effect of the pellet diameters and pellet materials used in shot peening on the redistribution of welding residual stress field are investigated. The pellet diameter used in the experiment is in the range of 0.6–1.2 mm, and the pellet material includes glass, steel, and corundum. This study provides guidance for the application of shot peening in friction stir welding structure of 2219 aluminum alloy.
The Experimental and Numerical Research for Plastic Working of Nickel Matrix Composite Coatings
Authors: Dyl Tomasz , Starosta Robert , Rydz Dariusz , Koczurkiewicz Bartosz , Kuśmierska-Matyszczak Wioletta
Published: July 2020

In the machine, metallurgical, and shipbuilding industries, steel products with alloy and composite coatings based on nickel may be used. It is expedient to improve the physicochemical properties of the surface layer of products as they have a significant roughness value after thermal spraying. It is therefore important to finish the layers applied by flame spraying, where machining is used for this purpose. However, it causes a loss of coating material, which is quite expensive. Therefore, in order to reduce costs and improve the quality of the surface layer, the finishing treatment of nickel-based coatings by means of plastic working is used. Two types of plastic working were proposed: rolling and burnishing. Numerical and experimental tests of the plastic processing of alloy coatings were carried out. The roughness of the coatings after rolling decreased to 1/25 and 30% strengthening of the alloy coating matrix was determined. After burnishing, roughness was reduced to 1/12 and the alloy coatings were strengthened by 25%. Plastic working by rolling and burnishing has a beneficial effect on the surface quality of the workpiece, not only by significantly improving the roughness, but also by increasing the strength properties of the surface layers.
Field-Assisted Sintering/Spark Plasma Sintering of Gadolinium-Doped Ceria with Controlled Re-Oxidation for Crack Prevention
Authors: Mishra Tarini Prasad , Laptev Alexander M. , Ziegner Mirko , Sistla Sree Koundinya , Kaletsch Anke , Broeckmann Christoph , Guillon Olivier , Bram Martin
Published: July 2020

Gadolinium-Doped Ceria (GDC) is a prospective material for application in electrochemical devices. Free sintering in air of GDC powder usually requires temperatures in the range of 1400 to 1600 °C and dwell time of several hours. Recently, it was demonstrated that sintering temperature can be significantly decreased, when sintering was performed in reducing atmosphere. Following re-oxidation at elevated temperatures was found to be a helpful measure to avoid sample failure. Sintering temperature and dwell time can be also decreased by use of Spark Plasma Sintering, also known as Field-Assisted Sintering Technique (FAST/SPS). In the present work, we combined for the first time the advantages of FAST/SPS technology and re-oxidation for sintering of GDC parts. However, GDC samples sintered by FAST/SPS were highly sensitive to fragmentation. Therefore, we investigated the factors responsible for this effect. Based on understanding of these factors, a special tool was designed enabling pressureless FAST/SPS sintering in controlled atmosphere. For proof of concept, a commercial GDC powder was sintered in this tool in reducing atmosphere (Ar-2.9%H2), followed by re-oxidation. The fragmentation of GDC samples was avoided and the number of micro-cracks was reduced to a minimum. Prospects of GDC sintering by FAST/SPS were discussed.
A Fractional High-Gain Nonlinear Observer Design—Application for Rivers Environmental Monitoring Model
Authors: Rodriguez-Mata Abraham Efraim , Bustos-Terrones Yaneth , Gonzalez-Huitrón Victor , Lopéz-Peréz Pablo Antonio , Hernández-González Omar , Amabilis-Sosa Leonel Ernesto
Published: July 2020

The deterioration of current environmental water sources has led to the need to find ways to monitor water quality conditions. In this paper, we propose the use of Streeter–Phelps contaminant distribution models and state estimation techniques (observer) to be able to estimate variables that are very difficult to measure in rivers with online sensors, such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). We propose the design of a novel Fractional Order High Gain Observer (FOHO) and consider the use of Lyapunov convergence functions to demonstrate stability, as it is compared to classical extended Luenberger Observer published in the literature, to study the convergence in BOD estimation in rivers. The proposed methodology was used to estimated Dissolved oxygen (DO) and BOD monitoring of River Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. The use of fractional order in high-gain observers has a very effective effect on BOD estimation performance, as shown by our numerical studies. The theoretical results have shown that robust observer design can help solve problems in estimating complex variables.
Factors Associated with Procedural Thromboembolisms after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Nam Taek Min , Jang Ji Hwan , Kim Young Zoon , Kim Kyu Hong , Kim Seung Hwan
Published: July 2020

Background and objective: Procedural thromboembolisms after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke has rarely been studied. We retrospectively evaluated factors associated with procedural thromboembolisms after MT using diffusion-weight imaging (DWI) within 2 days of MT. Materials and Methods: From January 2018 to March 2020, 78 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent MT were evaluated using DWI. Procedural thromboembolisms were defined as new cerebral infarctions in other territories from the occluded artery on DWI after MT. Results: Procedural thromboembolisms were observed on DWI in 16 patients (20.5%). Procedural thromboembolisms were associated with old age (73.8 ± 8.18 vs. 66.8 ± 11.2 years, p = 0.021), intravenous (IV) thrombolysis (12 out of 16 (75.0%) vs. 25 out of 62 (40.3%), p = 0.023), heparinization (4 out of 16 (25.0%) vs. 37 out of 62 (59.7%), p = 0.023), and longer procedural time (90.9 ± 35.6 vs. 64.4 ± 33.0 min, p = 0.006). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that procedural thromboembolisms were independently associated with procedural time (adjusted odds ratio (OR); 1.020, 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.002–1.039, p = 0.030) and IV thrombolysis (adjusted OR; 4.697, 95% CI; 1.223–18.042, p = 0.024). The cutoff value of procedural time for predicting procedural thromboembolisms was ≥71 min (area under the curve; 0.711, 95% CI; 0.570–0.851, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Procedural thromboembolisms after MT for acute ischemic stroke are significantly associated with longer procedural time and IV thrombolysis. This study suggests that patients with IV thrombolysis and longer procedural time (≥71 min) are at a higher risk of procedural thromboembolisms after MT for acute ischemic stroke.
Incorporating Far-Infrared Data into Carbonate Mineral Analyses
Authors: Campbell Stephen , Poduska Kristin M.
Published: July 2020

Polycrystalline carbonate minerals (including calcite, Mg-calcite, and aragonite) can show distinctive variations in their far-infrared (FIR) spectra. We describe how to identify mixed-phase samples by correlating FIR spectral changes with mid-infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction data, and simple peak overlap simulations. Furthermore, we show how to distinguish portlandite-containing (Ca(OH) 2 ) mixtures that are common in heated calcium carbonate samples. Ultimately, these results could be used for tracking how minerals are formed and how they change during environmental exposure or processing after extraction.
Body Composition and Biochemical Parameters of Nutritional Status: Correlation with Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Balderas-Peña Luz-Ma-Adriana , González-Barba Faviola , Martínez-Herrera Brenda-Eugenia , Palomares-Chacón Ulises-Rodrigo , Durán-Anguiano Oscar , Salazar-Páramo Mario , Gómez-Sánchez Eduardo , Dávalos-Cobián Carlos , Nava-Zavala Arnulfo-Hernán , Hernández-Chávez Guillermo-Allan , Sat-Muñoz Daniel
Published: July 2020

Up to 60% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients develop malnutrition, affecting treatment effectiveness, increasing toxicity, postoperative complications, hospital stay, and worsening health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 48 women and 65 men with CRC. We correlated scores of the scales from the questionnaires EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ)-C30 and Colorectal Cancer module Colorectal 29 (QLQ-CR29) with patients’ body composition and clinical and biochemical indicators of nutritional status. Results: Scores on quality of life were negatively associated with the lymphocyte count (rP = −0.386) and the fat trunk percentage (rP = −0.349) in the women’s group. Scores on the physical and role functioning were inversely associated with the adiposity percentage (rP = −0.486 and rP = −0.411, respectively). In men, total skeletal muscle mass (SMM) was positively associated with emotional functioning (rP = 0.450); the trunk SMM was negatively related to fatigue (rP = −0.586), nausea and vomiting (rP = −0.469), pain (rP = −0.506), and financial difficulties (rP = −0.475); additionally, serum albumin was positively related to physical, emotional, and social functioning scales (rPs = 0.395, 0.453, and 0.363, respectively) and negatively to fatigue (rP = −0.362), nausea and vomiting (rP = −0.387), and appetite loss (rP = −0.347). Among the men, the reduced SMM and biochemical, nutritional parameters were related to low scores on the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 functioning scales. In conclusion, in patients with CRC, malnourishment could have a profound effect on the patients’ functionality and QoL (quality of life).
Effect of a Nutritional Intervention on the Intestinal Microbiota of Vertically HIV-Infected Children: The Pediabiota Study
Authors: Sainz Talía , Gosalbes María José , Talavera Alba , Jimenez-Hernandez Nuria , Prieto Luis , Escosa Luis , Guillén Sara , Ramos José Tomás , Muñoz-Fernández María Ángeles , Moya Andrés , Navarro Maria Luisa , Mellado María José , Serrano-Villar Sergio
Published: July 2020

Aims: The gut microbiota exerts a critical influence in the immune system. The gut microbiota of human virus immunodeficiency (HIV)-infected children remains barely explored. We aimed to characterize the fecal microbiota in vertically HIV-infected children and to explore the effects of its modulation with a symbiotic nutritional intervention. Methods: a pilot, double blind, randomized placebo-controlled study including HIV-infected children who were randomized to receive a nutritional supplementation including prebiotics and probiotics or placebo for four weeks. HIV-uninfected siblings were recruited as controls. The V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced in fecal samples. Results: 22 HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and with viral load (VL) <50/mL completed the follow-up period. Mean age was 11.4 ± 3.4 years, eight (32%) were male. Their microbiota showed reduced alpha diversity compared to controls and distinct beta diversity at the genus level (Adonis p = 0.042). Patients showed decreased abundance of commensals Faecalibacterium and an increase in Prevotella, Akkermansia and Escherichia. The nutritional intervention shaped the microbiota towards the control group, without a clear directionality. Conclusions: Vertical HIV infection is characterized by changes in gut microbiota structure, distinct at the compositional level from the findings reported in adults. A short nutritional intervention attenuated bacterial dysbiosis, without clear changes at the community level. Summary: In a group of 24 vertically HIV-infected children, in comparison to 11 uninfected controls, intestinal dysbiosis was observed despite effective ART. Although not fully effective to restore the microbiota, a short intervention with pre/probiotics attenuated bacterial dysbiosis.
Multistep-Ahead Solar Radiation Forecasting Scheme Based on the Light Gradient Boosting Machine: A Case Study of Jeju Island
Authors: Park Jinwoong , Moon Jihoon , Jung Seungmin , Hwang Eenjun
Published: July 2020

Smart islands have focused on renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, to achieve energy self-sufficiency. Because solar photovoltaic (PV) power has the advantage of less noise and easier installation than wind power, it is more flexible in selecting a location for installation. A PV power system can be operated more efficiently by predicting the amount of global solar radiation for solar power generation. Thus far, most studies have addressed day-ahead probabilistic forecasting to predict global solar radiation. However, day-ahead probabilistic forecasting has limitations in responding quickly to sudden changes in the external environment. Although multistep-ahead (MSA) forecasting can be used for this purpose, traditional machine learning models are unsuitable because of the substantial training time. In this paper, we propose an accurate MSA global solar radiation forecasting model based on the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), which can handle the training-time problem and provide higher prediction performance compared to other boosting methods. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed model, we conducted a global solar radiation prediction for two regions on Jeju Island, the largest island in South Korea. The experiment results demonstrated that the proposed model can achieve better predictive performance than the tree-based ensemble and deep learning methods.
Malicious UAV Detection Using Integrated Audio and Visual Features for Public Safety Applications
Authors: Jamil Sonain , Fawad  , Rahman MuhibUr , Ullah Amin , Badnava Salman , Forsat Masoud , Mirjavadi Seyed Sajad
Published: July 2020

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become popular in surveillance, security, and remote monitoring. However, they also pose serious security threats to public privacy. The timely detection of a malicious drone is currently an open research issue for security provisioning companies. Recently, the problem has been addressed by a plethora of schemes. However, each plan has a limitation, such as extreme weather conditions and huge dataset requirements. In this paper, we propose a novel framework consisting of the hybrid handcrafted and deep feature to detect and localize malicious drones from their sound and image information. The respective datasets include sounds and occluded images of birds, airplanes, and thunderstorms, with variations in resolution and illumination. Various kernels of the support vector machine (SVM) are applied to classify the features. Experimental results validate the improved performance of the proposed scheme compared to other related methods.
Gateway Selection in Millimeter Wave UAV Wireless Networks Using Multi-Player Multi-Armed Bandit
Authors: Mohamed Ehab Mahmoud , Hashima Sherief , Aldosary Abdallah , Hatano Kohei , Abdelghany Mahmoud Ahmed
Published: July 2020

Recently, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based communications gained a lot of attention due to their numerous applications, especially in rescue services in post-disaster areas where the terrestrial network is wholly malfunctioned. Multiple access/gateway UAVs are distributed to fully cover the post-disaster area as flying base stations to provide communication coverage, collect valuable information, disseminate essential instructions, etc. The access UAVs after gathering/broadcasting the necessary information should select and fly towards one of the surrounding gateways for relaying their information. In this paper, the gateway UAV selection problem is addressed. The main aim is to maximize the long-term average data rates of the UAVs relays while minimizing the flights’ battery cost, where millimeter wave links, i.e., using 30~300 GHz band, employing antenna beamforming, are used for backhauling. A tool of machine learning (ML) is exploited to address the problem as a budget-constrained multi-player multi-armed bandit (MAB) problem. In this setup, access UAVs act as the players, and the arms are the gateway UAVs, while the rewards are the average data rates of the constructed relays constrained by the battery cost of the access UAV flights. In this decentralized setting, where information is neither prior available nor exchanged among UAVs, a selfish and concurrent multi-player MAB strategy is suggested. Towards this end, three battery-aware MAB (BA-MAB) algorithms, namely upper confidence bound (UCB), Thompson sampling (TS), and the exponential weight algorithm for exploration and exploitation (EXP3), are proposed to realize gateways selection efficiently. The proposed BA-MAB-based gateway UAV selection algorithms show superior performance over approaches based on near and random selections in terms of total system rate and energy efficiency.
Extending and Matching a High Dynamic Range Image from a Single Image
Authors: Tran Van Luan , Lin Huei-Yung
Published: July 2020

Extending the dynamic range can present much richer contrasts and physical information from the traditional low dynamic range (LDR) images. To tackle this, we propose a method to generate a high dynamic range image from a single LDR image. In addition, a technique for the matching between the histogram of a high dynamic range (HDR) image and the original image is introduced. To evaluate the results, we utilize the dynamic range for independent image quality assessment. It recognizes the difference in subtle brightness, which is a significant role in the assessment of novel lighting, rendering, and imaging algorithms. The results show that the picture quality is improved, and the contrast is adjusted. The performance comparison with other methods is carried out using the predicted visibility (HDR-VDP-2). Compared to the results obtained from other techniques, our extended HDR images can present a wider dynamic range with a large difference between light and dark areas.
Internet of Things Based Blockchain for Temperature Monitoring and Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Prevention
Authors: Singh Rajani , Dwivedi Ashutosh Dhar , Srivastava Gautam
Published: July 2020

The top priority of today’s healthcare system is delivering medicine directly from the manufacturer to end-user. The pharmaceutical supply chain involves some level of commingling of a collection of stakeholders such as distributors, manufacturers, wholesalers, and customers. The biggest challenge associated with this supply chain is temperature monitoring as well as counterfeit drug prevention. Many drugs and vaccines remain viable within a specific range of temperatures. If exposed beyond this temperature range, the medicine no longer works as intended. In this paper, an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-based blockchain framework is proposed that tracks and traces drugs as they pass slowly through the entire supply chain. On the one hand, these new technologies of blockchain and IoT sensors play an essential role in supply chain management. On the other hand, they also pose new challenges of security for resource-constrained IoT devices and blockchain scalability issues to handle this IoT sensor-based information. In this paper, our primary focus is on improving classic blockchain systems to make it suitable for IoT based supply chain management, and as a secondary focus, applying these new promising technologies to enable a viable smart healthcare ecosystem through a drug supply chain.
An Electrochemical Sensor Based on Gold-Nanocluster-Modified Graphene Screen-Printed Electrodes for the Detection of β-Lactoglobulin in Milk
Authors: Hong Jingyi , Wang Yuxian , Zhu Liying , Jiang Ling
Published: July 2020

A simple and low-cost electrochemical sensor based on multimodified screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) was successfully synthesized for the sensitive detection of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg). The surface treatment of SPEs was accomplished by a simple drip coating method using polyethyleneimine (PEI), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), and the treated SPEs showed excellent electrical conductivity. The modified SPEs were then characterized with UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, and FTIR to analyze the morphology and composition of the AuNCs and the rGO. An anti-β-Lg antibody was then immobilized on the composite material obtained by modifying rGO with PEI and AuNCs (PEI-rGO-AuNCs), leading to the remarkable reduction in conductivity of the SPEs due to the reaction between antigen and antibody. The sensor obtained using this novel approach enabled a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.08 ng/mL and a detection range from 0.01 to 100 ng/mL for β-Lg. Furthermore, pure milk samples from four milk brands were measured using electrochemical sensors, and the results were in excellent agreement with those from commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods.
Exploiting Tissue Dielectric Properties to Shape Microwave Thermal Ablation Zones
Authors: Bottiglieri Anna , Ruvio Giuseppe , O’Halloran Martin , Farina Laura
Published: July 2020

The dielectric characterization of tissue targets of microwave thermal ablation (MTA) have improved the efficacy and pre-procedural planning of treatment. In some clinical scenarios, the tissue target lies at the interface with an external layer of fat. The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of the dielectric contrast between fat and target tissue on the shape and size of the ablation zone. A 2.45 GHz monopole antenna is placed parallel to an interface modelled by fat and a tissue characterized by higher dielectric properties and powered at 30 and 60 W for 60 s. The performances of MTA are numerically investigated considering different interface scenarios (i.e., different widths of fat layer, shifts in the antenna alignment) and a homogeneous reference scenario. Experiments (N = 10) are conducted on ex vivo porcine tissue to validate the numerical results. Asymmetric heating patterns are obtained in the interface scenario, the ablation zone in the target tissue is two-fold to ten-fold the size of the zone in the adipose tissue, and up to four times larger than the homogenous scenario. The adipose tissue reflects the electromagnetic energy into the adjacent tissue target, reducing the heating in the opposite direction.
The Impact of the Improved Search Object Detection on the SAR Action Success Probability in Maritime Transport
Authors: Burciu Zbigniew , Abramowicz-Gerigk Teresa , Przybyl Wojciech , Plebankiewicz Ireneusz , Januszko Adam
Published: July 2020

This paper presents the investigations on the improvement of search object detection during search and rescue (SAR) action at sea using thermal imaging and radar sensors. The introduction of new materials in the construction of lifesaving appliances increasing their detectability has been studied for the selected example of a pneumatic life raft. The research was based on laboratory tests and open sea trials. The presented experimental investigations on the new materials that can be used for pneumatic life raft construction showed the enhancement of its thermal and radar signatures, which directly affect life raft detectability and influence reliability of SAR action and probability of success (POS). The improved detectability of a life raft related to the time to survive of a person in the water (PIW) allowed to present the modified search pattern for both PIW and life raft, significantly increasing POS.
Mapping RRI Dimensions and Sustainability into Regional Development Policies and Urban Planning Instruments
Authors: Panciroli Alice , Santangelo Angela , Tondelli Simona
Published: July 2020

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is an inclusive approach to the research and innovation process. Regional and local authorities are encouraged to take advantages of RRI in order to address the complexity of the interplay between science and society, especially as it affects territorial development policies. However, adopting the RRI approach is not an immediate or linear process. Consciously or not, many territories have already adopted policies and planning instruments that incorporate RRI, generating effects on the spatial scales. The aim of this study is to provide a methodology to map the inclusion of RRI dimensions (i.e., public engagement, open access, gender, ethics, science education) into regional development policies and spatial planning instruments, in order to detect integrated strategies and elements that are sustainable, open, inclusive, anticipative and responsive. The mapping methodology has been applied to three territorial pilot cases. The results provide the territories with a baseline to improve the integration of the RRI approach in their commitments to develop self-sustaining research and innovation ecosystems. Through the lessons learnt from the pilot cases, recommendations are drawn for the integration of RRI in spatial and urban planning policies and tools.
Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices (KAP) of Italian Occupational Physicians towards Tick Borne Encephalitis
Authors: Riccò Matteo , Gualerzi Giovanni , Ranzieri Silvia , Ferraro Pietro , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi
Published: July 2020

Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) is an occupational health threat with increasing incidence in the geographic area of Italy. Despite this, TBE vaccination rates have ranged from 10% to 40% in Italy, even in at-risk workers. The reasons for this low rate are investigated in this present study of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of occupational physicians (OP) regarding TBE disease and vaccination in at-risk workers. A total of 229 OP participated in an internet-based survey by completing a structured questionnaire. Adequate general knowledge of TBE disease was found in 58% of OP. Accurate perception of TBE risk in occupational settings was found in 20%. TBE vaccination for at-risk workers was recommended by 19%. Willingness to recommend TBE vaccination was more likely by OP practicing in endemic areas (Odds Ratio 3.10, 95% confidence intervals 1.47–6.55), who knew the existence of the term “arboviruses” (3.10, 1.29–7.44), or exhibited a better understanding of TBE (2.38, 1.11–5.12)—and were positive predictors for promoting TBE vaccine, while acknowledging that TBE as a severe disease was a negative one. Tick-borne disorders in Italy are a still rare (but increasing) occupational health threat, and vaccination gaps for TBE virus may find an explanation in OP incomplete knowledge of evidence-based recommendations.
Effects of El Niño Southern Oscillation and Dipole Mode Index on Chikungunya Infection in Indonesia
Authors: Harapan Harapan , Yufika Amanda , Anwar Samsul , Te Haypheng , Hasyim Hamzah , Nusa Roy , Dhewantara Pandji Wibawa , Mudatsir Mudatsir
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the possible association of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Dipole Mode Index (DMI) on chikungunya incidence overtime, including the significant reduction in cases that was observed in 2017 in Indonesia. Monthly nation-wide chikungunya case reports were obtained from the Indonesian National Disease Surveillance database, and incidence rates (IR) and case fatality rate (CFR) were calculated. Monthly data of Niño3.4 (indicator used to represent the ENSO) and DMI between 2011 and 2017 were also collected. Correlations between monthly IR and CFR and Niño3.4 and DMI were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation. We found that chikungunya case reports declined from 1972 cases in 2016 to 126 cases in 2017, a 92.6% reduction; the IR reduced from 0.67 to 0.05 cases per 100,000 population. No deaths associated with chikungunya have been recorded since its re-emergence in Indonesia in 2001. There was no significant correlation between monthly Niño3.4 and chikungunya incidence with r = −0.142 (95%CI: −0.320–0.046), p = 0.198. However, there was a significant negative correlation between monthly DMI and chikungunya incidence, r = −0.404 (95%CI: −0.229–−0.554) with p < 0.001. In conclusion, our initial data suggests that the climate variable, DMI but not Niño3.4, is likely associated with changes in chikungunya incidence. Therefore, further analysis with a higher resolution of data, using the cross-wavelet coherence approach, may provide more robust evidence.
Rotaviruses Associate with Distinct Types of Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Iša Pavel , Pérez-Delgado Arianna , Quevedo Iván R. , López Susana , Arias Carlos F.
Published: July 2020

Rotaviruses are the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis among children under five years of age. Rotavirus cell entry has been extensively studied; however, rotavirus cell release is still poorly understood. Specifically, the mechanism by which rotaviruses leave the cell before cell lysis is not known. Previous works have found rotavirus proteins and viral particles associated with extracellular vesicles secreted by cells. These vesicles have been shown to contain markers of exosomes; however, in a recent work they presented characteristics more typical of microparticles, and they were associated with an increase in the infectivity of the virus. In this work, we purified different types of vesicles from rotavirus-infected cells. We analyzed the association of virus with these vesicles and their possible role in promotion of rotavirus infection. We confirmed a non-lytic rotavirus release from the two cell lines tested, and observed a notable stimulation of vesicle secretion following rotavirus infection. A fraction of the secreted viral particles present in the cell supernatant was protected from protease treatment, possibly through its association with membranous vesicles; the more pronounced association of the virus was with fractions corresponding to cell membrane generated microvesicles. Using electron microscopy, we found different size vesicles with particles resembling rotaviruses associated from both- the outside and the inside. The viral particles inside the vesicles were refractory to neutralization with a potent rotavirus neutralizing monoclonal antibody, and were able to infect cells even without trypsin activation. The association of rotavirus particles with extracellular vesicles suggests these might have a role in virus spread.
The Regulation of Flavivirus Infection by Hijacking Exosome-Mediated Cell–Cell Communication: New Insights on Virus–Host Interactions
Authors: Reyes-Ruiz José Manuel , Osuna-Ramos Juan Fidel , De Jesús-González Luis Adrián , Palacios-Rápalo Selvin Noé , Cordero-Rivera Carlos Daniel , Farfan-Morales Carlos Noe , Hurtado-Monzón Arianna Mahely , Gallardo-Flores Carla Elizabeth , Alcaraz-Estrada Sofía L. , Salas-Benito Juan Santiago , del Ángel Rosa María
Published: July 2020

The arthropod-borne flaviviruses are important human pathogens, and a deeper understanding of the virus–host cell interaction is required to identify cellular targets that can be used as therapeutic candidates. It is well reported that the flaviviruses hijack several cellular functions, such as exosome-mediated cell communication during infection, which is modulated by the delivery of the exosomal cargo of pro- or antiviral molecules to the receiving host cells. Therefore, to study the role of exosomes during flavivirus infections is essential, not only to understand its relevance in virus–host interaction, but also to identify molecular factors that may contribute to the development of new strategies to block these viral infections. This review explores the implications of exosomes in flavivirus dissemination and transmission from the vector to human host cells, as well as their involvement in the host immune response. The hypothesis about exosomes as a transplacental infection route of ZIKV and the paradox effect or the dual role of exosomes released during flavivirus infection are also discussed here. Although several studies have been performed in order to identify and characterize cellular and viral molecules released in exosomes, it is not clear how all of these components participate in viral pathogenesis. Further studies will determine the balance between protective and harmful exosomes secreted by flavivirus infected cells, the characteristics and components that distinguish them both, and how they could be a factor that determines the infection outcome.