bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salmonella Enteritidis Fatal Septicemia with Meningoencephalitis in a Tiger (Panthera tigris) Cub
Authors: Mazzotta Elisa , Foiani Greta , De Benedictis Giulia Maria , Fiore Enrico , Natale Alda , Spagnolo Elena , Vascellari Marta , Cento Giulia , Corrò Michela
Published: September 2022

A 15-day-old, female, captive Panthera tigris cub was hospitalized after developing severe hyperthermia, depression, and lack of appetite. The clinical condition rapidly worsened, and the tiger cub died in 72 h after the onset of neurological symptoms, septic shock, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The postmortem main gross findings consisted of a severe and diffuse bilateral fibrino-suppurative meningoencephalitis and ventriculitis, mild fibrinous and sero-hemorrhagic polyserositis and cystitis, severe pulmonary edema, and hemorrhages. Microscopically, the meninges, ependyma, and choroid plexuses were diffusely expanded by abundant infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, with multifocal fibrinous exudation. Histiocytic interstitial pneumonia, fibrinous and neutrophilic polyserositis, and pyelocystitis were also observed. Vascular thrombosis with multifocal vasculitis and vascular necrosis were frequently observed. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures performed on the brain, lungs, intestine, kidneys, and in pericardial effusion reported the presence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis. Environmental and nutritional contamination were identified as putative sources of infections. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of Salmonella Enteritidis septicemia with meningoencephalitis in a tiger cub, which highlights the need to further investigate the cause of acute perinatal death to reduce the risk of infectious disease outbreaks.
Impact of Dietary Supplementation with Sodium Butyrate Protected by Medium-Chain Fatty Acid Salts on Gut Health of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Sadurní Meritxell , Barroeta Ana Cristina , Sala Roser , Sol Cinta , Puyalto Mónica , Castillejos Lorena
Published: September 2022

Nutritional strategies to improve gut health of broilers are under research. This study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with sodium butyrate protected by sodium salts of medium-chain fatty acids as a feed additive on broiler gut health. The first experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing at 0.5, 1, and 2 kg/t in broilers housed under optimal conditions. Supplementation at 0.5 and 1 kg/t maintained goblet cell counts at 10 days of age (p ≤ 0.05), and supplementation at 1 kg/t decreased intraepithelial lymphocyte counts compared to 2 kg/t at 39 days (p ≤ 0.10). Abdominal fat pad levels of lauric and myristic acids were gradually increased by supplement dose (p ≤ 0.05). In the second experiment, the feed additive at 1 kg/t was evaluated in coccidiosis-challenged broilers. Experimental treatments were as follows: non-challenged, control-challenged, and supplemented-challenged treatments. Coccidiosis negatively impact performance and modify histomorphometry and microbiota (p ≤ 0.05). The feed additive increased crypt depth at 7 days post-inoculation and goblet cell count at 14 days post-inoculation (p ≤ 0.05). Further, supplementation interacted with the microbiota modification led by the coccidiosis (p ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that this feed additive could be a useful strategy to reinforce the gut barrier, especially for birds under coccidiosis-challenge treatments.
Evaluation of a Novel Precision Biotic on Enterohepatic Health Markers and Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens under Enteric Challenge
Authors: Blokker Britt , Bortoluzzi Cristiano , Iaconis Christelle , Perez-Calvo Estefania , Walsh Maria C. , Schyns Ghislain , Tamburini Ian , Geremia Jack M.
Published: September 2022

This study evaluated the supplementation of a precision biotic (PB) on the enterohepatic health markers and growth performance of broiler chickens undergoing an enteric challenge. In the first study, three treatments were used: Unchallenged Control (UC); Challenged Control (CC; dietary challenge and 10× dose of coccidia vaccine); and a challenged group supplemented with PB (1.3 kg/ton). In the second study, three treatments were used: control diet, diet supplemented with Avilamycin (10 ppm), and a diet supplemented with PB (0.9 kg/ton). All the birds were exposed to natural challenge composed by dietary formulation and reused litter from a coccidiosis positive flock. In Trial 1, PB decreased ileal histological damage, increased villi length, and the expression of SLC5A8 in ileal tissue versus CC; it reduced ileal expression of IL-1β compared to both UC and CC treatments. PB increased the expression of cell cycling gene markers CCNA2 and CDK2 in the ileum compared to CC. In Trial 2, PB improved the growth performance, intestinal lesion scores and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. These results indicate that birds supplemented with PB are more resilient to enteric challenges, probably by its action in modulating microbiome metabolic pathways related to nitrogen metabolism and protein utilization.
Changes in Stereotypies: Effects over Time and over Generations
Authors: Tatemoto Patricia , Broom Donald M. , Zanella Adroaldo J.
Published: September 2022

Stereotypies comprise a wide range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that develop in individuals whose neural condition or environment results in poor welfare. While stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare at the time of occurrence, they may have various consequences. Environmental enrichment modifies causal factors and reduces the occurrence of stereotypies, providing evidence that stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare. However, stereotypy occurrence and consequences change over time. Furthermore, there are complex direct and epigenetic effects when mother mammals that are kept in negative conditions do or do not show stereotypies. It is proposed that, when trying to deal with challenging situations, stereotypies might initially help animals to cope. After further time in the conditions, the performance of the stereotypy may impair brain function and change brain connections, neurophysiology and eventually neuroanatomy. It is possible that reported neuroanatomical changes are an effect of the stereotypy rather than a cause.
RNA Sequencing Reveals the Regulation of Betaine on Chicken Myogenesis
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Cai Danfeng , Ju Xing , Li Kan , Liang Sisi , Fang Meixia , Nie Qinghua
Published: September 2022

Betaine is trimethylglycine and a universal methyl donor which could provide methyl and glycine for cells and animals. As a new star in epigenetics, N6-Methyladenosine has been reported to regulate multiple biological activities, but the regulatory mechanism of betaine on N6-Methyladenosine as well as myogenesis was little studied. In this study, we treated chicken primary myoblast cells with different concentrations of betaine (0, 10, 25, and 50 mmol/L) and found that myoblast cell proliferation was inhibited, although the cell cycle was promoted in the S phase by betaine, where the myotube area was increased as well as the differentiation marker genes MyoD, MyoG, MyHC, Myomarker, and Ckm. RNA sequencing obtained a total of 61 differentially expressed genes (DEGs); DEGs caused by 50 mmol/L betaine were mainly enriched in the regulation of skeletal muscle tissue regeneration and some amino acid metabolic processes. The gene expression pattern trends of all DEGs were mainly clustered into 2 profiles, with the increase in betaine concentration, the gene expression pattern either increased or decreased continuously. Overall, a low concentration betaine can increase the N6-Methyladenosine modification level and myotube area but depresses myoblast cell proliferation in vitro.
Feasibility of Algorithm-Based Clinical Decision Support for Suspected Urinary Tract Infections in Nursing Home Residents
Authors: New Garrett P. , Nazir Arif , Logan Penny , Kistler Christine E.
Published: September 2022

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are commonly suspected in nursing home (NH) residents, commonly resulting in antimicrobial prescriptions, even when symptoms are non-specific. To improve the diagnosis and management of suspected UTIs in NH residents, we conducted a pilot test of a paper-based clinical algorithm across NHs in the southern U.S. with ten advanced practice providers (APPs). The paper-based algorithm was modified based on the clinical care needs of our APPs and included antimicrobial treatment recommendations. The APPs found the UTI antimicrobial stewardship and clinical decision support acceptable. The educational sessions and algorithm improved baseline confidence toward UTI diagnosing and treatment. The APPs thought the algorithm was useful and did not negatively impact workload. Feedback from the pilot study will be used to improve the next iteration of the algorithm as we assess its impact on prescribing outcomes.
Structural Characterization of Peripolin and Study of Antioxidant Activity of HMG Flavonoids from Bergamot Fruit
Authors: Bartella Lucia , Mazzotti Fabio , Talarico Ines Rosita , De Luca Giuseppina , Santoro Ilaria , Prejanò Mario , Riccioni Costanza , Marino Tiziana , Di Donna Leonardo
Published: September 2022

The structural characterization of a new flavonoid from bergamot fruit (Citrus bergamia Risso) carrying the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl (HMG) ester moiety has been accomplished, and its antioxidant ability was tested from a chemical point of view. The peculiarity of the new molecule, named peripolin, relies on the presence of the HMG chemical group linked to the sugar portion of neoeriocitrin; the structure was elucidated using both high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments performed on the purified molecule extracted from the fruit. The antioxidant ability of the new molecule was tested by classical chemical approaches, such as DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, and from a theoretical point of view. 1H and 13C NMR experiments and HR-ESI-MS/MS experiments show unequivocally that the HMG moiety is linked to the primary position of the glucose unit of neohesperidose, while the chemical tests and the computational results show that peripolin possesses strong antioxidant behavior, similar to that of neoeriocitrin and remarkably higher respect to the other flavonoids present in the fruit. Furthermore, the quantitative assays carried out by UPLC-MS/MS showed that its amount in the fruit is similar to that of the other main flavonoids. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations allowed us to investigate the possible conformations adopted by the antioxidants in the presence of water molecules. In particular, the switch of open-closed conformations of HMG-containing species was evidenced. As far as the reaction with DPPH, the calculation of ΔGrea supported the experimental outcomes regarding the peripolin and neoeriocitrin activity. In conclusion, bergamot fruit, already known for its potential to lower the level of blood cholesterol, has been proven to contain molecules such as neoeriocitrin and the newly characterized peripolin, which could have important in-vivo antioxidant characteristics.
Sulforaphane Protects against Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction-Induced Renal Damage in Rats by Alleviating Mitochondrial and Lipid Metabolism Impairment
Authors: Aranda-Rivera Ana Karina , Cruz-Gregorio Alfredo , Aparicio-Trejo Omar Emiliano , Tapia Edilia , Sánchez-Lozada Laura Gabriela , García-Arroyo Fernando Enrique , Amador-Martínez Isabel , Orozco-Ibarra Marisol , Fernández-Valverde Francisca , Pedraza-Chaverri José
Published: September 2022

Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) is an animal rodent model that allows the study of obstructive nephropathy in an accelerated manner. During UUO, tubular damage is induced, and alterations such as oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial impairment favor fibrosis development, leading to chronic kidney disease progression. Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from green cruciferous vegetables, might improve mitochondrial functions and lipid metabolism; however, its role in UUO has been poorly explored. Therefore, we aimed to determine the protective effect of SFN related to mitochondria and lipid metabolism in UUO. Our results showed that in UUO SFN decreased renal damage, attributed to increased mitochondrial biogenesis. We showed that SFN augmented peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α) and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1). The increase in biogenesis augmented the mitochondrial mass marker voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and improved mitochondrial structure, as well as complex III (CIII), aconitase 2 (ACO2) and citrate synthase activities in UUO. In addition, lipid metabolism was improved, observed by the downregulation of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), sterol regulatory-element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), which reduces triglyceride (TG) accumulation. Finally, restoring the mitochondrial structure reduced excessive fission by decreasing the fission protein dynamin-related protein-1 (DRP1). Autophagy flux was further restored by reducing beclin and sequestosome (p62) and increasing B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and the ratio of microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3 II and I (LC3II/LC3I). These results reveal that SFN confers protection against UUO-induced kidney injury by targeting mitochondrial biogenesis, which also improves lipid metabolism.
Extension of DBSCAN in Online Clustering: An Approach Based on Three-Layer Granular Models
Authors: Zhang Xinhui , Shen Xun , Ouyang Tinghui
Published: September 2022

In big data analysis, conventional clustering algorithms have limitations to deal with nonlinear spatial datasets, e.g., low accuracy and high computation cost. Aiming at these problems, this paper proposed a new DBSCAN extension algorithm for online clustering, which consists of three layers, considering DBSCAN, granular computing (GrC), and fuzzy rule-based modeling. Firstly, making use of DBSCAN algorithms’ advantages at extracting structural information, spatial data are clustered via DBSCAN into structural clusters, which are subsequently described by structural information granules (IG) via GrC. Secondly, based on the structural IGs, a series of granular models are constructed in the medium space, and utilized to form fuzzy rules to guide clustering on spatial data. Finally, with the help of structural IGs and granular rules, a rule-based modeling method is constructed in the output space for online clustering. Experiments on a synthetic toy dataset and a typical spatial dataset are implemented in this paper. Numerical results validate the feasibility to the proposed method in online spatial data clustering. Moreover, comparative studies with conventional methods and existing DBSCAN variants demonstrate the superiorities of the proposed method, as well as accuracy improvement and computation overhead reduction.
Adversarial Detection Based on Inner-Class Adjusted Cosine Similarity
Authors: Guan Dejian , Zhao  Wentao
Published: September 2022

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have attracted extensive attention because of their excellent performance in many areas; however, DNNs are vulnerable to adversarial examples. In this paper, we propose a similarity metric called inner-class adjusted cosine similarity (IACS) and apply it to detect adversarial examples. Motivated by the fast gradient sign method (FGSM), we propose to utilize an adjusted cosine similarity which takes both the feature angle and scale information into consideration and therefore is able to effectively discriminate subtle differences. Given the predicted label, the proposed IACS is measured between the features of the test sample and those of the normal samples with the same label. Unlike other detection methods, we can extend our method to extract disentangled features with different deep network models but are not limited to the target model (the adversarial attack model). Furthermore, the proposed method is able to detect adversarial examples crossing attacks, that is, a detector learned with one type of attack can effectively detect other types. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed IACS features can well distinguish adversarial examples and normal examples and achieve state-of-the-art performance.
The Effect of a Topcoat with Amorphous Polymer Layers on the Mesogen Orientation and Photoalignment Behavior of Side Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymer Films
Authors: Furuichi Mari , Hara Mitsuo , Nagano Shusaku , Seki Takahiro
Published: September 2022

The mesogen orientations of liquid crystals are sensitive to the nature of the contacting surface. For side chain liquid crystalline polymer (SCLCP) films, most investigations have been conducted for thin films formed on a solid substrate surface such as glass, quartz and metal oxides, and little knowledge has been accumulated for SCLCP films whose top surface is covered by amorphous polymers. This work presents the effect of a topcoat with amorphous polymers placed on SCLCP films on the mesogen orientation and photoalignment behavior. When an SCLCP film that adopts a homeotropic mesogen orientation is covered with a glass plate or polymer layer, the mesogens turns to a random planar orientation. This planar orientation is favorable for efficient in-plane photoalignment by irradiation with linear polarized light. An in-plane order parameter exceeding 0.5 is readily obtained. Unexpectedly, a significant stabilization of the liquid crystal phase by over 10 °C is observed above the isotropization temperature of the SCLCP. These fundamental sets of knowledge should be significant in the fabrication of various polymer LC devices.
Constructing Condition Monitoring Model of Harmonic Drive
Authors: Kuo Jong-Yih , Hsu Chao-Yang , Wang Ping-Feng , Lin Hui-Chi , Nie Zhen-Gang
Published: September 2022

The harmonic drive is an essential industrial component. In industry, the efficient and accurate determination of machine faults has always been a significant problem to be solved. Therefore, this research proposes an anomaly detection model which can detect whether the harmonic drive has a gear-failure problem through the sound recorded by a microphone. The factory manager can thus detect the fault at an early stage and reduce the damage loss caused by the fault in the machine. In this research, multi-layer discrete wavelet transform was used to de-noise the sound samples, the Log Mel spectrogram was used for feature extraction, and finally, these data were entered into the EfficientNetV2 network. To assess the model performance, this research used the DCASE 2022 dataset for model evaluation, and the area under the characteristic acceptance curve (AUC) was estimated to be 5% higher than the DCASE 2022 baseline model. The model achieved 0.93 AUC for harmonic drive anomaly detection.
Stride-TCN for Energy Consumption Forecasting and Its Optimization
Authors: Anh Le Hoang , Yu Gwang Hyun , Vu Dang Thanh , Kim Jin Sul , Lee Jung Il , Yoon Jun Churl , Kim Jin Young
Published: September 2022

Forecasting, commonly used in econometrics, meteorology, or energy consumption prediction, is the field of study that deals with time series data to predict future trends. Former studies have revealed that both traditional statistical models and recent deep learning-based approaches have achieved good performance in forecasting. In particular, temporal convolutional networks (TCNs) have proved their effectiveness in several time series benchmarks. However, presented TCN models are too heavy to deploy on resource-constrained systems, such as edge devices. As a resolution, this study proposes a stride–dilation mechanism for TCN that favors a lightweight model yet still achieves on-pair accuracy with the heavy counterparts. We also present the Chonnam National University (CNU) Electric Power Consumption dataset, the dataset of energy consumption measured at CNU by smart meters every hour. The experimental results indicate that our best model reduces the mean squared error by 32.7%, whereas the model size is only 1.6% compared to the baseline TCN.
A Performance Evaluation of the Alpha-Beta (α-β) Filter Algorithm with Different Learning Models: DBN, DELM, and SVM
Authors: Khan Junaid , Kim Kyungsup
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we present a new Multiple learning to prediction algorithm model that used three different combinations of machine-learning methods to improve the accuracy of the α-β filter algorithm. The parameters of α and β were tuned in dynamic conditions instead of static conditions. The proposed system was designed to use the deep belief network (DBN), the deep extreme learning machine (DELM), and the SVM as three different learning algorithms. Then these learned parameters were trained by the machine-learning algorithms tuned to the α-β filter algorithm as a prediction module, and they gave the final predicted results. The MAE and RMSE were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed α-β filter with different learning algorithms. Each algorithm recorded different best-case accuracy results; for the DBN, we achieved 3.60 and 2.61; for the DELM, we obtained the best-case result of 3.90 and 2.81; and finally, for the SVM, 4.0 and 3.21 were attained in terms of the RMSE and MAE, respectively, as compared to 5.21 and 3.95. When assessed in comparison with the typical alpha–beta filter algorithm, the proposed system provided results with better accuracy.
UV-Visible Spectroscopic Technique-Data Mining Tool as a Reliable, Fast, and Cost-Effective Method for the Prediction of Total Polyphenol Contents: Validation in a Bunch of Medicinal Plant Extracts
Authors: Guemari Fathi , Laouini Salah Eddine , Rebiai Abdelkrim , Bouafia Abderrhmane , Meneceur Souhaila , Tliba Ali , Majrashi Kamlah Ali , Alshareef Sohad Abdulkaleg , Menaa Farid , Barhoum Ahmed
Published: September 2022

Medicinal plants extracts are a rich natural source of bioactive phytochemicals (mainly polyphenols). This study aims at determining the total polyphenols content (TPC) of nine medicinal plants extracted using the UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopic method, along with the Orange Data Mining Tool (ODMT). The TPC for the selected medicinal plant extracts (i.e., Daucus carota L. root, Ruta Chalepensis L. Leaves, Anisosciadium DC. Leaves, Thymus vulgaris L. Leaves, Senna alexandrina leaves, Myrtus communis L. leaves, Silybum Marianum L. Flower, Silybum marianum L. Leaves, and Rosa moschata Flower) was measured using gallic acid (GA) as a standard. The intended method requires a maximum of 1 mg of GA and only 1 mg of the plant extract. The wavelength range of the maximum absorption in the UV-vis spectrum was about 270 nm. For polyphenols, the purposed method linear dynamic concertation range (44.67 to 334.7 mg GA equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight (DW)) with a recovery percentage range of 95.3% to 104.3%, and the good regression value, was found to be R2 = 0.999. This method was easy, fast, accurate, and less expensive than the conventional Folin–Ciocalteu method.
RETRACTED: Dynamics of MHD Convection of Walters B Viscoelastic Fluid through an Accelerating Permeable Surface Using the Soret–Dufour Mechanism
Authors: Anusha P. , Sri M. , Madhav Vallabhaneni Venkata , Chaitanya Ch. , Spandana V.V. , Saxena Kuldeep , Abdul-Zahra Dalael , Linul Emanoil , Prakash Chander , Buddhi Dharam , Campilho Raul
Published: September 2022

The MHD convective Walters-B memory liquid flow past a permeable accelerating surface with the mechanism of Soret-Dufour is considered. The flow equation constitutes a set of partial differential equations (PDEs) to elucidate the real flow of a non-Newtonian liquid. The radiation thermo-physical parameters were employed based on the use of Roseland approximation. This implies the fluid employed in this exploration is optically thick. Utilizing suitable similarity terms, the flow equation PDEs were simplified to become total differential equations. The spectral homotopy analysis method (SHAM) was utilized to provide outcomes to the model. The SHAM involves the addition of the Chebyshev pseudospectral approach (CPM) alongside the homotopy analysis approach (HAM). The outcomes were depicted utilizing graphs and tables for the quantities of engineering concern. The mechanisms of Soret and Dufour were separately examined. The imposed magnetism was found to lessen the velocity plot while the thermal radiation term elevates the temperature plot because of the warm particles of the fluid.
High-Precision Depth Map Estimation from Missing Viewpoints for 360-Degree Digital Holography
Authors: Kim Hakdong , Lim Heonyeong , Jee Minkyu , Lee Yurim , Yoon MinSung , Kim Cheongwon
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we propose a novel model to extract highly precise depth maps from missing viewpoints, especially for generating holographic 3D content. These depth maps are essential elements for phase extraction, which is required for the synthesis of computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The proposed model, called the holographic dense depth, estimates depth maps through feature extraction, combining up-sampling. We designed and prepared a total of 9832 multi-view images with resolutions of 640 × 360. We evaluated our model by comparing the estimated depth maps with their ground truths using various metrics. We further compared the CGH patterns created from estimated depth maps with those from ground truths and reconstructed the holographic 3D image scenes from their CGHs. Both quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Influencers: Van Gogh Immersive Experiences and the Attention-Experience Economy
Authors: Mondloch Kate
Published: September 2022

Van Gogh immersive exhibitions—multi-sited, branded multimedia environments inspired by the artist’s life and paintings—are seemingly ubiquitous in 2022. These itinerant digital spectacles bundle reproductions of Vincent Van Gogh’s most recognizable artistic motifs with tropes of fin-de-siècle madness, bathing their visitors in an artistic wonderland of projected images and soundscapes spread throughout cavernous exhibition venues. The popularity of these commercial juggernauts is unmatched. At present, at least five different companies are staging competing versions of digital Van Gogh art exhibitions in dozens of cities worldwide, with a particular emphasis at present on sites throughout North America. How are we as art critics to make sense of these exhibitions as well as their influence within the institutional context of the visual arts? Taking the digital Van Gogh phenomenon as its central case study, this article investigates the emerging art-themed immersive exhibition model and explores the specific mode of spectatorship it promotes. Situating these projects within the broader framework of the contemporaneous attention and experience economies, and with an eye toward the crucial role of social media, I propose that art-themed immersive exhibitions such as the Van Gogh immersive experiences exemplify habits of digitally-mediated, 24/7 immersive attention and consumption in art and in everyday life.
Sounding Data from Ground-Based Microwave Radiometers for a Hailstorm Case: Analyzing Spatiotemporal Differences and Initializing an Idealized Model for Prediction
Authors: Ma Rongjun , Li Xiaofei
Published: September 2022

Atmospheric physical sounding data from three ground-based microwave radiometers located in Xi’an were analyzed to explore the temporal and spatial differences of a hailstorm event and were initialized into an idealized Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to predict the total evolution of the event, which occurred on 29 July 2019. Liquid water and relative humidity profiles revealed a consistent sequence of hailstorm intensity among observations from surface meteorological stations and the FY-4A satellite, where the precipitation and cloud top temperature intensified from north to south, corresponding to the locations of the ground-based microwave radiometers in Gaoling, Weiyang, and Chang’an. Compared with those of a similar storm without hail that occurred on 9 August 2018, the humidity profiles and heights at 0 °C and −20 °C exhibited more dramatic changes. The heights at 0 °C and −20 °C obviously increased with a low-value zone in the relative humidity profiles during the strongest stage of the hailstorm in Chang’an and Weiyang. Later, the heights sharply dropped in Chang’an when strong, downward ice-phased hydrometers occurred with hail production in the storm. A time-saving, idealized WRF simulation, initialized with pre-3-h sounding data from ground-based microwave radiometers, was designed to qualitatively predict this hailstorm. The simulations consistently showed a strong-to-weak intensity of storms from Chang’an to Weiyang to Gaoling. Although the first attempt at this model has uncertainties in both the observations and the model, it provides a potential new method for single-point fine hailstorm prediction.
Cratering Induced by Slow Highly Charged Ions on Ultrathin PMMA Films
Authors: Thomaz Raquel S. , Ernst Philipp , Grande Pedro L. , Schleberger Marika , Papaléo Ricardo M.
Published: September 2022

Highly charged ions are a well-known tool for the nanostructuring of surfaces. We report on the thickness dependence of nanostructures produced by single 260 keV Xe38+ ions on ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films (1 nm to 60 nm) deposited onto Si substrates. The nanostructures induced by slow highly charged ions are rimless craters with a diameter of around 15 nm, which are roughly independent of the thickness of the films down to layers of about 2 nm. The crater depth and thus the overall crater volume are, however, thickness-dependent, decreasing in size in films thinner than ~25 nm. Our findings indicate that although the potential energy of the highly charged ions is the predominant source of deposited energy, the depth of the excited material contributing to crater formation is much larger than the neutralization depth of the ions, which occurs in the first nanometer of the solid at the projectile velocity employed here. This suggests synergism between kinetic and potential-driven processes in nanostructure formation in PMMA.
An Electrochemical Immunosensor for the Determination of Procalcitonin Using the Gold-Graphene Interdigitated Electrode
Authors: Amouzadeh Tabrizi Mahmoud , Acedo Pablo
Published: September 2022

Procalcitonin (PCT) is considered a sepsis and infection biomarker. Herein, an interdigitated electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of PCT has been developed. The interdigitated electrode was made of the laser-engraved graphene electrode decorated with gold (LEGE/Aunano). The scanning electron microscopy indicated the LEGE/Aunano has been fabricated successfully. After that, the anti-PTC antibodies were immobilized on the surface of the electrode by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid. The electrochemical performance of the fabricated immunosensor was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS method was used for the determination of PCT in the concentration range of 2.5–800 pg/mL with a limit of detection of 0.36 pg/mL. The effect of several interfering agents such as the C reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and human serum albumin (HSA) was also studied. The fabricated immunosensor had a good selectivity to the PCT. The stability of the immunosensor was also studied for 1 month. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was obtained to be 5.2%.
Label-Free Aptasensor for Detection of Fipronil Based on Black Phosphorus Nanosheets
Authors: Huang Hao , Zhang Chuanxiang , Zhou Jie , Wei Dan , Ma Tingting , Guo Wenfei , Liu Xueying , Li Song , Deng Yan
Published: September 2022

A label-free fipronil aptasensor was built based on Polylysine-black phosphorus nanosheets composition (PLL-BPNSs) and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). A PLL-BP modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated by combining BP NSs and PLL, which included a considerable quantity of -NH2. Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) were placed onto the GCE, and PLL-BPNSs bonded to Au NPs firmly by assembling. The thiolated primers were then added and fixed using an S-Au bond, and competitive binding of the fipronil aptamer was utilized for fipronil quantitative assessment. The sensor’s performance was evaluated using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The linear equation is ΔI (μA) = 13.04 logC + 22.35, while linear correlation coefficient R2 is 0.998, and detection limit is 74 pg/mL (0.17 nM) when the concentration of fipronil is 0.1 ng/mL–10 μg/mL. This aptasensor can apply to quantitative detection of fipronil.
Fluorescence Signal-Readout of CRISPR/Cas Biosensors for Nucleic Acid Detection
Authors: Huang Zhaohe , Liu Sitong , Pei Xiaojing , Li Shujing , He Yifan , Tong Yigang , Liu Guoqi
Published: September 2022

The CRISPR/Cas system is now being used extensively in nucleic acid detection applications, particularly after the trans-cleavage activity of several Cas effectors was found. A CRISPR/Cas system combined with multiple signal-readout techniques has been developed for various molecular diagnostics applications. Fluorescence is now a widely utilized dominant read-out technique in CRISPR biosensors. An in-depth understanding of various fluorescence readout types and variables affecting the fluorescence signals can facilitate better experimental designs to effectively improve the analytical performance. There are the following two commonly used types of CRISPR/Cas detection modes: the first is based on binding activity, such as Cas9 and dCas9; the second is based on cleavage activity, such as Cas12a, Cas12b, Cas13, and Cas14. In this review, fluorescence signal-readout strategies from the last 5 years based on the binding activity and cleavage activity of the CRISPR/Cas system with fundamentals and examples are fully discussed. A detailed comparison of the available fluorescent reporter sequences and design principles is summarized. Current challenges and further applications of CRISPR-based detection methods will be discussed according to the most recent developments.
Epigenetic Effects in HPA Axis Genes Associated with Cortical Thickness, ERP Components and SUD Outcome
Authors: Hill Shirley Y. , Wellman Jeannette L. , Zezza Nicholas , Steinhauer Stuart R. , Sharma Vinod , Holmes Brian
Published: September 2022

Association between familial loading for alcohol use disorders (AUD) and event-related potentials (ERPs) suggests a genetic basis for these oscillations though much less is known about epigenetic pathways influenced by environmental variation. Early life adversity (ELA) influences negative outcomes much later in life. The stress-activated neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) contributes to the deleterious effects of ELA on brain structure and function in animals. Accordingly, we hypothesized that ELA would be related to cortical thickness and electrophysiological characteristics through an epigenetic effect on CRH receptor type-1 (CRHR1) methylation. A total of 217 adolescent and young adult participants from either multiplex alcohol dependence or control families were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T and cortical thickness was determined. Longitudinal follow-up across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood provided developmental ERP data and measures of adversity. Blood samples for genetic and epigenetic analyses were obtained in childhood. Cortical thickness and visual ERP components were analyzed for their association and tested for familial risk group differences. Visual P300 amplitude at Pz and cortical thickness of the left lateral orbitofrontal region (LOFC), were significantly related to risk group status. LOFC cortical thickness showed a negative correlation with CRHR1 methylation status and with childhood total stress scores from the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory (LISRES). Stress scores were also significantly related to P300 amplitude recorded in childhood. The present results suggest that early life adversity reflected in greater total LISRES stress scores in childhood can impact the methylation of the CRHR1 gene with implications for brain development as seen in cortical thickness and electrophysiological signals emanating from particular brain regions.
De-Escalating the Management of In Situ and Invasive Breast Cancer
Authors: Angarita Fernando A. , Brumer Robert , Castelo Matthew , Esnaola Nestor F. , Edge Stephen B. , Takabe Kazuaki
Published: September 2022

It is necessary to identify appropriate areas of de-escalation in breast cancer treatment to minimize morbidity and maximize patients’ quality of life. Less radical treatment modalities, or even no treatment, have been reconsidered if they offer the same oncologic outcomes as standard therapies. Identifying which patients benefit from de-escalation requires particular care, as standard therapies will continue to offer adequate cancer outcomes. We provide an overview of the literature on the de-escalation of treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), local treatment of breast cancer, and surgery after neoadjuvant systemic therapy. De-escalation of breast cancer treatment is a key area of investigation that will continue to remain a priority. Improvements in understanding the natural history and biology of breast cancer, imaging modalities, and adjuvant treatments will expand this even further. Future efforts will continue to challenge us to consider the true role of various treatment modalities.
Synergistic Effects of Sanglifehrin-Based Cyclophilin Inhibitor NV651 with Cisplatin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Simón Serrano Sonia , Tavecchio Michele , Mallik Josef , Grönberg Alvar , Elmér Eskil , Kifagi Chamseddine , Gallay Philippe , Hansson Magnus Joakim , Massoumi Ramin
Published: September 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage, is the most common primary liver cancer. Owing to a lack of effective HCC treatments and the commonly acquired chemoresistance, novel therapies need to be investigated. Cyclophilins—intracellular proteins with peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity—have been shown to play a key role in therapy resistance and cell proliferation. Here, we aimed to evaluate changes in the gene expression of HCC cells caused by cyclophilin inhibition in order to explore suitable combination treatment approaches, including the use of chemoagents, such as cisplatin. Our results show that the novel cyclophilin inhibitor NV651 decreases the expression of genes involved in several pathways related to the cancer cell cycle and DNA repair. We evaluated the potential synergistic effect of NV651 in combination with other treatments used against HCC in cisplatin-sensitive cells. NV651 showed a synergistic effect in inhibiting cell proliferation, with a significant increase in intrinsic apoptosis in combination with the DNA crosslinking agent cisplatin. This combination also affected cell cycle progression and reduced the capacity of the cell to repair DNA in comparison with a single treatment with cisplatin. Based on these results, we believe that the combination of cisplatin and NV651 may provide a novel approach to HCC treatment.
Effect of Radiotherapy on Functional and Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes after Jaw Reconstruction
Authors: Venchiarutti Rebecca L. , Dunn Masako , Charters Emma , Cheng Kai , Froggatt Catriona , Mukherjee Payal , Wallace Christine , Howes Dale , Leinkram David , Singh Jasvir , Nguyen Kevin , Low Tsu-Hui (Hubert) , Ch’ng Sydney , Wykes James , Wu Raymond , Clark Jonathan R.
Published: September 2022

Long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional outcomes following mandibular and maxillary reconstruction are lacking. To determine these outcomes, a cross-sectional study of patients with a history of cancer who underwent jaw reconstruction was undertaken. Participants were identified from a database of jaw reconstruction procedures at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse (Sydney, Australia). Eligible patients had at least one month follow-up, were aged ≥18 years at surgery, and had history of malignancy. HRQOL was measured using the FACE-Q Head and Neck Cancer Module (FACE-Q H&N). Functional outcomes were measured using the FACE-Q H&N, MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and Speech Handicap Index (SHI). Ninety-seven questionnaires were completed (62% response rate). Mean age of respondents was 63.7 years, 61% were male, and 64% underwent radiotherapy. Treatment with radiotherapy was associated with worse outcomes across 10/14 FACE-Q H&N scales, three MDADI subscales and one composite score, and the SHI. Mean differences in scores between irradiated and non-irradiated patients exceeded clinically meaningful differences for the MDADI and SHI. Issues with oral competence, saliva, speaking, and swallowing worsened with increasing time since surgery. Younger patients reported greater concerns with appearance, smiling, speaking, and cancer worry. Women reported greater concerns regarding appearance and associated distress. History of radiotherapy substantially impacts HRQOL and function after jaw reconstruction. Age at surgery and gender were also predictors of outcomes and associated distress. Pre-treatment counselling of patients requiring jaw reconstruction may lead to improved survivorship for patients with head and neck cancer.
Orthotopic Glioblastoma Models for Evaluation of the Clinical Target Volume Concept
Authors: Bütof Rebecca , Hönscheid Pia , Aktar Rozina , Sperling Christian , Tillner Falk , Rassamegevanon Treewut , Dietrich Antje , Meinhardt Matthias , Aust Daniela , Krause Mechthild , Troost Esther G. C.
Published: September 2022

In times of high-precision radiotherapy, the accurate and precise definition of the primary tumor localization and its microscopic spread is of enormous importance. In glioblastoma, the microscopic tumor extension is uncertain and, therefore, population-based margins for Clinical Target Volume (CTV) definition are clinically used, which could either be too small—leading to increased risk of loco-regional recurrences—or too large, thus, enhancing the probability of normal tissue toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this project is to investigate an individualized definition of the CTV in preclinical glioblastoma models based on specific biological tumor characteristics. The microscopic tumor extensions of two different orthotopic brain tumor models (U87MG_mCherry; G7_mCherry) were evaluated before and during fractionated radiotherapy and correlated with corresponding histological data. Representative tumor slices were analyzed using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) and stained for putative stem-like cell markers as well as invasion markers. The edges of the tumor are clearly shown by the MALDI segmentation via unsupervised clustering of mass spectra and are consistent with the histologically defined border in H&E staining in both models. MALDI component analysis identified specific peaks as potential markers for normal brain tissue (e.g., 1339 m/z), whereas other peaks demarcated the tumors very well (e.g., 1562 m/z for U87MG_mCherry) irrespective of treatment. MMP14 staining revealed only a few positive cells, mainly in the tumor border, which could reflect the invasive front in both models. The results of this study indicate that MALDI information correlates with microscopic tumor spread in glioblastoma models. Therefore, an individualized CTV definition based on biological tumor characteristics seems possible, whereby the visualization of tumor volume and protein heterogeneity can be potentially used to define radiotherapy-sensitive and resistant areas.
Prognostic Relevance of Nuclear Receptors in Relation to Peritumoral Inflammation and Tumor Infiltration by Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer
Authors: Köpke Melitta B. , Chateau Marie-Christine , Boissière-Michot Florence , Schneider Mariella , Garrido Fabian , Zati-Zehni Alaleh , Vilsmaier Theresa , Kessler Mirjana , Ditsch Nina , Cavaillès Vincent , Jeschke Udo
Published: September 2022

The prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is intensively investigated in breast cancer (BC). It is already known that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive type of BC, has the highest percentage of TILs. In addition, there is an influence of steroid hormone receptor expression (type I nuclear receptors) on TIL subpopulations in breast cancer tissue. The link between type II nuclear receptors and the level of TILs is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify TILs in a panel of 264 sporadic breast cancers and investigate the correlation of TIL levels with type I and II nuclear receptors expression. TIL levels were significantly increased in the subgroup of TNBC. By contrast, they decreased in estrogen (ER)- or progesterone receptor (PR)-positive cases. Moreover, TIL levels were correlated with type II nuclear receptors, including PPARγ, with a significant inverse correlation of the nuclear form (r = −0.727, p < 0.001) and a weak positive correlation of the cytoplasmic form (r = 0.202, p < 0.002). Surprisingly, BC cases with a TIL Salgado score of >15% showed a significantly decreased overall survival. In addition, peritumoral inflammation was also quantified in BC tissue samples. In our cohort, although the level of peritumoral inflammation was not correlated with OS, it determined the prognostic value of ER, PR, and PPARγ in BC. Altogether, the present study provides a differentiated overview of the relations between nuclear receptor expression, TIL levels, peritumoral inflammation, and prognosis in BC.
The Association between Smoking and Mortality in Women with Breast Cancer: A Real-World Database Analysis
Authors: Lai Yi-Chen , Chen Yu-Han , Wu Yu-Cih , Liang Fu-Wen , Wang Jhi-Joung , Lim Sher-Wei , Ho Chung-Han
Published: September 2022

Smoking increases the cancer-specific and overall mortality risk in women with breast cancer (BC). However, the effect of smoking cessation remains controversial, and detailed research is lacking in Asia. We aimed to investigate the association between smoking status and mortality in women with BC using the population-based cancer registry. The Taiwan Cancer Registry was used to identify women with BC from 2011 to 2017. A total of 54,614 women with BC were enrolled, including 1687 smokers and 52,927 non-smokers. The outcome, mortality, was identified using Taiwan’s cause-of-death database. The association between smoking status and mortality was estimated using Cox proportional regression. Women with BC who smoked had a 1.25-fold higher (95% C.I.: 1.08–1.45; p = 0.0022) risk of overall mortality and a 1.22-fold higher (95% C.I.: 1.04–1.44; p = 0.0168) risk of cancer-specific mortality compared with non-smokers. The stratified analysis also indicated that women with BC who smoked showed a significantly higher overall mortality risk (HR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.01–1.43; p = 0.0408) than women with BC who did not smoke among women without comorbidities. Additionally, current smokers had a 1.57-fold higher risk (95% CI: 1.02–2.42; p = 0.0407) of overall mortality compared with ever smokers among women with BC who smoked. It was shown that a current smoking status is significantly associated with an increase in overall and cancer-specific mortality risk in women with BC. Quitting smoking could reduce one’s mortality risk. Our results underscore the importance of smoking cessation for women with BC.