bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Roles of Post-Translational Modifications in STAT3 Biological Activities and Functions
Authors: Tesoriere Annachiara , Dinarello Alberto , Argenton Francesco
Published: August 2021

STAT3 is an important transcription factor that regulates cell growth and proliferation by regulating gene transcription of a plethora of genes. This protein also has many roles in cancer progression and several tumors such as prostate, lung, breast, and intestine cancers that are characterized by strong STAT3-dependent transcriptional activity. This protein is post-translationally modified in different ways according to cellular context and stimulus, and the same post-translational modification can have opposite effects in different cellular models. In this review, we describe the studies performed on the main modifications affecting the activity of STAT3: phosphorylation of tyrosine 705 and serine 727; acetylation of lysine 49, 87, 601, 615, 631, 685, 707, and 709; and methylation of lysine 49, 140, and 180. The extensive results obtained by different studies demonstrate that post-translational modifications drastically change STAT3 activities and that we need further analysis to properly elucidate all the functions of this multifaceted transcription factor.
Persistent Endothelial Dysfunction in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Ambrosino Pasquale , Calcaterra Ilenia , Molino Antonio , Moretta Pasquale , Lupoli Roberta , Spedicato Giorgio Alfredo , Papa Antimo , Motta Andrea , Maniscalco Mauro , Di Minno Matteo Nicola Dario
Published: August 2021

Background: Endothelial dysfunction has a key role in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its disabling complications. We designed a case-control study to assess the alterations of endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) among convalescent COVID-19 patients. Methods: COVID-19 patients referred to a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit within 2 months from swab test negativization were consecutively evaluated for inclusion and compared to controls matched for age, gender, and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: A total of 133 convalescent COVID-19 patients (81.2% males, mean age 61.6 years) and 133 matched controls (80.5% males, mean age 60.4 years) were included. A significantly lower FMD was documented in convalescent COVID-19 patients as compared to controls (3.2% ± 2.6 vs. 6.4% ± 4.1 p < 0.001), confirmed when stratifying the study population according to age and major clinical variables. Among cases, females exhibited significantly higher FMD values as compared to males (6.1% ± 2.9 vs. 2.5% ± 1.9, p < 0.001). Thus, no significant difference was observed between cases and controls in the subgroup analysis on females (6.1% ± 2.9 vs. 5.3% ± 3.4, p = 0.362). Among convalescent COVID-19 patients, FMD showed a direct correlation with arterial oxygen tension (rho = 0.247, p = 0.004), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (rho = 0.436, p < 0.001), forced vital capacity (rho = 0.406, p < 0.001), and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (rho = 0.280, p = 0.008). Overall, after adjusting for major confounders, a recent COVID-19 was a major and independent predictor of FMD values (β = −0.427, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is associated with a persistent and sex-biased endothelial dysfunction, directly correlated with the severity of pulmonary impairment.
Presynaptic Paraneoplastic Disorders of the Neuromuscular Junction: An Update
Authors: Giannoccaro Maria Pia , Avoni Patrizia , Liguori Rocco
Published: August 2021

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the target of a variety of immune-mediated disorders, usually classified as presynaptic and postsynaptic, according to the site of the antigenic target and consequently of the neuromuscular transmission alteration. Although less common than the classical autoimmune postsynaptic myasthenia gravis, presynaptic disorders are important to recognize due to the frequent association with cancer. Lambert Eaton myasthenic syndrome is due to a presynaptic failure to release acetylcholine, caused by antibodies to the presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels. Acquired neuromyotonia is a condition characterized by nerve hyperexcitability often due to the presence of antibodies against proteins associated with voltage-gated potassium channels. This review will focus on the recent developments in the autoimmune presynaptic disorders of the NMJ.
Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Tumor Suppressor Genes in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Kuo Kung-Kai , Hsiao Pi-Jung , Chang Wen-Tsan , Chuang Shih-Chang , Yang Ya-Han , Wuputra Kenly , Ku Chia-Chen , Pan Jia-Bin , Li Chia-Pei , Kato Kohsuke , Liu Chung-Jung , Wu Deng-Chyang , Yokoyama Kazunari K.
Published: August 2021

The high mortality of pancreatic cancer is attributed to the insidious progression of this disease, which results in a delayed diagnosis and advanced disease stage at diagnosis. More than 35% of patients with pancreatic cancer are in stage III, whereas 50% are in stage IV at diagnosis. Thus, understanding the aggressive features of pancreatic cancer will contribute to the resolution of problems, such as its early recurrence, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies targeting tumor suppressor gene products may help prevent the progression of pancreatic cancer. In this review, we discuss several recent clinical trials of pancreatic cancer and recent studies reporting safe and effective treatment modalities for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Image-Guided Ablation for Colorectal Liver Metastasis: Principles, Current Evidence, and the Path Forward
Authors: Lin Yuan-Mao , Paolucci Iwan , Brock Kristy K. , Odisio Bruno C.
Published: August 2021

Image-guided ablation can provide effective local tumor control in selected patients with CLM. A randomized controlled trial suggested that radiofrequency ablation combined with systemic chemotherapy resulted in a survival benefit for patients with unresectable CLM, compared to systemic chemotherapy alone. For small tumors, ablation with adequate margins can be considered as an alternative to resection. The improvement of ablation technologies can allow the treatment of tumors close to major vascular structures or bile ducts, on which the applicability of thermal ablation modalities is challenging. Several factors affect the outcomes of ablation, including but not limited to tumor size, number, location, minimal ablation margin, RAS mutation status, prior hepatectomy, and extrahepatic disease. Further understanding of the impact of tumor biology and advanced imaging guidance on overall patient outcomes might help to tailor its application, and improve outcomes of image-guided ablation.
Maturation State-Specific Alternative Splicing in FLT3-ITD and NPM1 Mutated AML
Authors: Wojtuszkiewicz Anna , van der Werf Inge , Hutter Stephan , Walter Wencke , Baer Constance , Kern Wolfgang , Janssen Jeroen J. W. M. , Ossenkoppele Gert J. , Haferlach Claudia , Cloos Jacqueline , Haferlach Torsten
Published: August 2021

Despite substantial progress achieved in unraveling the genetics of AML in the past decade, its treatment outcome has not substantially improved. Therefore, it is important to better understand how genetic mutations translate to phenotypic features of AML cells to further improve response predictions and to find innovative therapeutic approaches. In this respect, aberrant splicing is a crucial contributor to the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. Thus far, altered splicing is well characterized in relation to splicing factor mutations in AML. However, splicing profiles associated with mutations in other genes remain largely unexplored. In this study, we explored differential splicing profiles associated with two of the most common aberrations in AML: FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations. Using RNA-sequencing data of a total of 382 primary AML samples, we found that the co-occurrence of FLT3-ITD and mutated NPM1 is associated with differential splicing of FAB-type specific gene sets. Despite the FAB-type specificity of particular gene sets, the primary functions perturbed by differential splicing in all three FAB types include cell cycle control and DNA damage response. Interestingly, we observed functional divergence between alternatively spliced and differentially expressed genes in FLT3-ITD+/NPM1+ samples in all analyzed FAB types, with differential expression affecting genes involved in hematopoietic differentiation. Altogether, these observations indicate that concomitant FLT3-ITD and mutated NPM1 are associated with the maturation state-specific differential splicing of genes with potential oncogenic relevance.
Alkylaminophenol and GPR17 Agonist for Glioblastoma Therapy: A Combinational Approach for Enhanced Cell Death Activity
Authors: Doan Phuong , Nguyen Phung , Murugesan Akshaya , Candeias Nuno R. , Yli-Harja Olli , Kandhavelu Meenakshisundaram
Published: August 2021

Drug resistance and tumor heterogeneity limits the therapeutic efficacy in treating glioblastoma, an aggressive infiltrative type of brain tumor. GBM cells develops resistance against chemotherapeutic agent, temozolomide (TMZ), which leads to the failure in treatment strategies. This enduring challenge of GBM drug resistance could be rational by combinatorial targeted therapy. Here, we evaluated the combinatorial effect of phenolic compound (2-(3,4-dihydroquinolin-1(2H)-yl)(p-tolyl)methyl)phenol (THTMP), GPR17 agonist 2-({5-[3-(Morpholine-4-sulfonyl)phenyl]-4-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl}sulfanyl)-N-[4-(propan-2-yl)phenyl]acetamide (T0510.3657 or T0) with the frontline drug, TMZ, on the inhibition of GBM cells. Mesenchymal cell lines derived from patients’ tumors, MMK1 and JK2 were treated with the combination of THTMP + T0, THTMP + TMZ and T0 + TMZ. Cellular migration, invasion and clonogenicity assays were performed to check the migratory behavior and the ability to form colony of GBM cells. Mitochondrial membrane permeability (MMP) assay and intracellular calcium, [Ca2+]i, assay was done to comprehend the mechanism of apoptosis. Role of apoptosis-related signaling molecules was analyzed in the induction of programmed cell death. In vivo validation in the xenograft models further validates the preclinical efficacy of the combinatorial drug. GBM cells exert better synergistic effect when exposed to the cytotoxic concentration of THTMP + T0, than other combinations. It also inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, colony-forming ability and cell cycle progression in S phase, better than the other combinations. Moreover, the combination of THTMP + T0 profoundly increased the [Ca2+]i, reactive oxygen species in a time-dependent manner, thus affecting MMP and leading to apoptosis. The activation of intrinsic apoptotic pathway was regulated by the expression of Bcl-2, cleaved caspases-3, cytochrome c, HSP27, cIAP-1, cIAP-2, p53, and XIAP. The combinatorial drug showed promising anti-tumor efficacy in GBM xenograft model by reducing the tumor volume, suggesting it as an alternative drug to TMZ. Our findings indicate the coordinated administration of THTMP + T0 as an efficient therapy for inhibiting GBM cell proliferation.
Investigation and Computational Modelling of Variable TEG Leg Geometries
Authors: Doraghi Qusay , Khordehgah Navid , Żabnieńska-Góra Alina , Ahmad Lujean , Norman Les , Ahmad Darem , Jouhara Hussam
Published: August 2021

In this work, computational modelling and performance assessment of several different types of variable thermoelectric legs have been performed under steady-state conditions and the results reviewed. The study conducted has covered geometries, not previously analysed in the literature, such as Cone-leg and Diamond-leg, based on the corresponding thermoelectric generator leg shape structure. According to the findings, it has been demonstrated that the inclusion of a variable cross-section can have an impact on the efficiency of a thermoelectric generator. It has been concluded that the Diamond configuration generated a slightly larger voltage difference than the conventional Rectangular geometry. In addition, for two cases, Rectangular and Diamond configurations, the voltage generated by a TEG module consisting of 128 pairs of legs was analysed. As thermal stress analysis is an important factor in the selection of TEG leg geometries, it was observed based on simulations that the newly implemented Diamond-leg geometry encountered lower thermal stresses than the traditional Rectangular model, while the Cone-shape may fail structurally before the other TEG models. The proposed methodology, taking into account the results of the simulation carried out, provides guidance for the development of thermoelectric modules with different forms of variable leg geometry.
Unveiling the Intramolecular Ionic Diels–Alder Reactions within Molecular Electron Density Theory
Authors: Domingo Luis R. , Ríos-Gutiérrez Mar , Aurell María José
Published: August 2021

The intramolecular ionic Diels–Alder (IIDA) reactions of two dieniminiums were studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the ωB97XD/6-311G(d,p) computational level. Topological analysis of the electron localization function (ELF) of dieniminiums showed that their electronic structures can been seen as the sum of those of butadiene and ethaniminium. The superelectrophilic character of dieniminiums accounts for the high intramolecular global electron density transfer taking place from the diene framework to the iminium one at the transition state structures (TSs) of these IIDA reactions, which are classified as the forward electro density flux. The activation enthalpy associated with the IIDA reaction of the experimental dieniminium, 8.7 kcal·mol−1, was closer to that of the ionic Diels–Alder (I-DA) reaction between butadiene and ethaniminium, 9.3 kcal·mol−1. However, the activation Gibbs free energy of the IIDA reaction was 12.7 kcal·mol−1 lower than that of the intermolecular I-DA reaction. The strong exergonic character of the IIDA reaction, higher than 20.5 kcal·mol−1, makes the reaction irreversible. These IIDA reactions present a total re/exo and si/endo diastereoselectivity, which is controlled by the most favorable chair conformation of the tetramethylene chain. ELF topological analysis of the single bond formation indicated that these IIDA reactions take place through a non-concerted two-stage one-step mechanism. Finally, ELF and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) topological analyses of the TS associated with the inter and intramolecular processes showed the great similarity between them.
Comparison of Optical Ammonia-Sensing Properties of Conducting Polymer Complexes with Polysulfonic Acids
Authors: Gribkova Oxana , Kabanova Varvara , Tverskoy Vladimir , Nekrasov Alexander
Published: August 2021

Thin films of conducting polymer complexes with polysulfonic acids of various structures were electrochemically deposited onto transparent FTO electrodes. The behavior of the polymer-based optical ammonia vapor sensors in response to various concentrations of ammonia vapors, ranging from 5 to 135 ppm, was investigated, including the response time and response amplitude. It was found that the nature of the conducting polymers (poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polypyrrole, polyaniline), as well as the structure of the polyacids, affected the sensing performance of the obtained complexes.
sCD14 Level in Saliva of Children and Adolescents with and without Dental Caries, a Hurdle Model
Authors: Pellegrini Gaia , Maddalone Marcello , Malvezzi Matteo , Toma Marilisa , Del Fabbro Massimo , Canciani Elena , Dellavia Claudia
Published: August 2021

Objective: Soluble CD14 (sCD14) plays an important role in the innate immune response of the oral cavity. The investigation of this biomarker for detection of carious lesions is an even more actual procedure due to its non-invasiveness and the ease of withdrawal. The purpose of the present observational case-control study was to evaluate whether the quantification of sCD14 in children and adolescent’s saliva can discriminate healthy subjects from those suffering from tooth decay. Materials and Methods: 164 subjects (6 to 17 years) were selected and divided into 2 groups: those with at least 1 decayed tooth were assigned to group Decayed (n = 82) and those free from dental caries to group Healthy (n = 82). The amount of salivary soluble CD14 was quantified. Results: Mean salivary soluble CD14 was 28.3 ± 10.8 μg/mL in the Healthy group and 22 ± 9.6 μg/mL in the Decayed group. A hurdle model was applied to the data to estimate both the probability of having carious lesions and their number in relation to sCD14 levels. sCD14 was strongly associated (p < 0.01) with an inverse relation to both the probability of having caries and their number (falling rate of 5% per unit CD14 μg/mL). Conclusions: This data confirms the relationship between sCD14 and the presence of dental caries. However, there is no clear cut off level between healthy and unhealthy subjects, so it is currently not possible to use sCD14 as a biomarker to determine the risk of decays.
Electrochemical Properties of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 Cathode Materials Prepared with Different Ammonia Content
Authors: Xu Chen , Guan Siqi , Li Lixiang , Sun Chengguo , An Baigang , Geng Xin
Published: August 2021

The content of ammonia coordination agent in initial aqueous solution is one of important factors which greatly influences the morphologies and electrochemical performances of layered LiNi6Mn2Co2O2 (NCM622). The spherical morphologies, contributing to higher specific capacity of NCM622, ascribe to the same precipitation rate of transition metal ions (Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+) during co-precipitation. Hence, the effects of different amounts of ammonia in initial solution on the hydroxide equilibrium constant and properties of NCM622 were discussed. With the ammonia content of 70 mL, the spherical morphology with more perfect layered structure and higher discharge capacity are obtained. The necessity of ammonia content in initial solution are also demonstrated from electrochemical performances of NCM622, such as the initial discharge capacity of 199.8 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, the specific capacity of 150.0 mAh g−1 after 100th cycles, and the capacity retention rate of 89.6% at 3 C. If other metal ions are anticipated to be chemically doped with NCM622, the hydroxide equilibrium constant and precipitation rate need to be considered.
Effect of Surfactant Dynamics on Flow Patterns Inside Drops Moving in Rectangular Microfluidic Channels
Authors: Kovalchuk Nina M. , Simmons Mark J. H.
Published: August 2021

Drops contained in an immiscible liquid phase are attractive as microreactors, enabling sound statistical analysis of reactions performed on ensembles of samples in a microfluidic device. Many applications have specific requirements for the values of local shear stress inside the drops and, thus, knowledge of the flow field is required. This is complicated in commonly used rectangular channels by the flow of the continuous phase in the corners, which also affects the flow inside the drops. In addition, a number of chemical species are present inside the drops, of which some may be surface-active. This work presents a novel experimental study of the flow fields of drops moving in a rectangular microfluidic channel when a surfactant is added to the dispersed phase. Four surfactants with different surface activities are used. Flow fields are measured using Ghost Particle Velocimetry, carried out at different channel depths to account for the 3-D flow structure. It is shown that the effect of the surfactant depends on the characteristic adsorption time. For fast-equilibrating surfactants with a characteristic time scale of adsorption that is much smaller than the characteristic time of surface deformation, this effect is related only to the decrease in interfacial tension, and can be accounted for by the change in capillary number. For slowly equilibrating surfactants, Marangoni stresses accelerate the corner flow, which changes the flow patterns inside the drop considerably.
Towards Optimal pH of the Skin and Topical Formulations: From the Current State of the Art to Tailored Products
Authors: Lukić Milica , Pantelić Ivana , Savić Snežana D.
Published: August 2021

Acidic pH of the skin surface has been recognized as a regulating factor for the maintenance of the stratum corneum homeostasis and barrier permeability. The most important functions of acidic pH seem to be related to the keratinocyte differentiation process, the formation and function of epidermal lipids and the corneocyte lipid envelope, the maintenance of the skin microbiome and, consequently, skin disturbances and diseases. As acknowledged extrinsic factors that affect skin pH, topically applied products could contribute to skin health maintenance via skin pH value control. The obtained knowledge on skins’ pH could be used in the formulation of more effective topical products, which would add to the development of the so-called products ‘for skin health maintenance’. There is a high level of agreement that topical products should be acidified and possess pH in the range of 4 to 6. However, formulators, dermatologists and consumers would benefit from some more precise guidance concerning favorable products pH values and the selection of cosmetic ingredients which could be responsible for acidification, together with a more extensive understanding of the mechanisms underlaying the process of skin acidification by topical products.
High Diversity in Urban Areas: How Comprehensive Sampling Reveals High Ant Species Richness within One of the Most Urbanized Regions of the World
Authors: Brassard François , Leong Chi-Man , Chan Hoi-Hou , Guénard Benoit
Published: August 2021

The continuous increase in urbanization has been perceived as a major threat for biodiversity, particularly within tropical regions. Urban areas, however, may still provide opportunities for conservation. In this study focused on Macao (China), one of the most densely populated regions on Earth, we used a comprehensive approach, targeting all the vertical strata inhabited by ants, to document the diversity of both native and exotic species, and to produce an updated checklist. We then compared these results with 112 studies on urban ants to illustrate the dual roles of cities in sustaining ant diversity and supporting the spread of exotic species. Our study provides the first assessment on the vertical distribution of urban ant communities, allowing the detection of 55 new records in Macao, for a total of 155 ant species (11.5% being exotic); one of the highest species counts reported for a city globally. Overall, our results contrast with the dominant paradigm that urban landscapes have limited conservation value but supports the hypothesis that cities act as gateways for exotic species. Ultimately, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of ants within cities around the world to understand native and exotic patterns of diversity.
Factors Influencing Business Analytics Solutions and Views on Business Problems
Authors: Potančok Martin , Pour Jan , Ip Wui
Published: August 2021

The main aim of this paper is to identify and specify factors that influence business analytics. A factor in this context refers to any significant characteristic that defines the environment in which business analytics and business in general are conducted. Factors and their understanding are essential for the quality of final business analytics solutions, given their complexity and interconnectedness. Factors play an extremely important role in analytic thinking and business analysts’ skills and knowledge. These factors determine effective approaches and procedures for business analytics, and, in some cases, they also aid in the decision to delay a business analytics solution given a situation. This paper has used the case study method, a qualitative research method, due to the need to carry out investigation within the actual business (company) environment, in order to be able to fully understand and verify factors affecting analytics from the viewpoint of all stakeholders. This study provides a set of 15 factors from business, company, and market environments, including their importance in business analytics.
A Global Book Reading Dataset
Authors: Sabri Nazanin , Weber Ingmar
Published: August 2021

The choice of what to read is both influenced by and indicative of such factors as a person’s beliefs, culture, gender, and socioeconomic status. However, obtaining data including such personal attributes, as well as detailed reading habits and activities of individuals is difficult and would usually require either (i) data from e-readers, such as the Amazon Kindle, or from library checkouts, both of which are hard to obtain, or (ii) distributing questionnaires and conducting interviews, which can be expensive and suffers from recall bias. In this study, we present a dataset of over 40 million reading instances of 1,872,677 unique individuals collected from Goodreads. Goodreads is a book-cataloging social media platform with millions of users, where users share comments on the books they have read, while creating and maintaining social connections. We enrich the dataset with gender and location information. The dataset presented in this study can be used to perform cross-national and cross-gender analyses of reading behavior among book enthusiasts.
The Automatic Detection of Dataset Names in Scientific Articles
Authors: Heddes Jenny , Meerdink Pim , Pieters Miguel , Marx Maarten
Published: August 2021

We study the task of recognizing named datasets in scientific articles as a Named Entity Recognition (NER) problem. Noticing that available annotated datasets were not adequate for our goals, we annotated 6000 sentences extracted from four major AI conferences, with roughly half of them containing one or more named datasets. A distinguishing feature of this set is the many sentences using enumerations, conjunctions and ellipses, resulting in long BI+ tag sequences. On all measures, the SciBERT NER tagger performed best and most robustly. Our baseline rule based tagger performed remarkably well and better than several state-of-the-art methods. The gold standard dataset, with links and offsets from each sentence to the (open access available) articles together with the annotation guidelines and all code used in the experiments, is available on GitHub.
Load Frequency Control Based on the Bees Algorithm for the Great Britain Power System
Authors: Shouran Mokhtar , Anayi Fatih , Packianather Michael , Habil Monier
Published: August 2021

This paper focuses on using the Bees Algorithm (BA) to tune the parameters of the proposed Fuzzy Proportional–Integral–Derivative with Filtered derivative (Fuzzy PIDF), Fractional Order PID (FOPID) controller and classical PID controller developed to stabilize and balance the frequency in the Great Britain (GB) power system at rated value. These controllers are proposed to meet the requirements of the GB Security and Quality of Supply Standard (GB-SQSS), which requires frequency to be brought back to its nominal value after a disturbance within a specified time. This work is extended to employ the proposed fuzzy structure controller in a dual-area interconnected power system. In comparison with controllers tuned by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Teaching Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) used for the same systems, simulation results show that the Fuzzy PIDF tuned by BA is able to significantly reduce the deviation in the frequency and tie-line power when a sudden disturbance is applied. Furthermore, the applied controllers tuned by BA including the Fuzzy PIDF prove their high robustness against a wide range of system parametric uncertainties and different load disturbances.
Deep Learning of Histopathological Features for the Prediction of Tumour Molecular Genetics
Authors: Murchan Pierre , Ó’Brien Cathal , O’Connell Shane , McNevin Ciara S. , Baird Anne-Marie , Sheils Orla , Ó Broin Pilib , Finn Stephen P.
Published: August 2021

Advanced diagnostics are enabling cancer treatments to become increasingly tailored to the individual through developments in immunotherapies and targeted therapies. However, long turnaround times and high costs of molecular testing hinder the widespread implementation of targeted cancer treatments. Meanwhile, gold-standard histopathological assessment carried out by a trained pathologist is widely regarded as routine and mandatory in most cancers. Recently, methods have been developed to mine hidden information from histopathological slides using deep learning applied to scanned and digitized slides; deep learning comprises a collection of computational methods which learn patterns in data in order to make predictions. Such methods have been reported to be successful in a variety of cancers for predicting the presence of biomarkers such as driver mutations, tumour mutational burden, and microsatellite instability. This information could prove valuable to pathologists and oncologists in clinical decision making for cancer treatment and triage for in-depth sequencing. In addition to identifying molecular features, deep learning has been applied to predict prognosis and treatment response in certain cancers. Despite reported successes, many challenges remain before the clinical implementation of such diagnostic strategies in the clinical setting is possible. This review aims to outline recent developments in the field of deep learning for predicting molecular genetics from histopathological slides, as well as to highlight limitations and pitfalls of working with histopathology slides in deep learning.
Cholesterol Efflux Capacity Associates with the Ankle-Brachial Index but Not All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Clemens Robert K. , Hunjadi Monika , Ritsch Andreas , Rohrer Lucia , Meier Thomas O. , Amann-Vesti Beatrice , von Eckardstein Arnold , Annema Wijtske
Published: August 2021

Background: Cholesterol efflux is an important mechanism by which high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) protect against cardiovascular disease. As peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with high mortality rates, mainly due to cardiovascular causes, we investigated whether cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-depleted plasma, a widely used surrogate of HDL function, may serve as a predictive marker for mortality in this patient population. Methods: In this prospective single-center study (median follow-up time: 9.3 years), apoB-containing lipoproteins were precipitated from plasma of 95 patients with PAD and incubated with J744-macrophages, which were loaded with radiolabeled cholesterol. CEC was defined as the fractional radiolabel released during 4 h of incubation. Results: Baseline CEC was lower in PAD patients that currently smoked (p = 0.015) and had a history of myocardial infarction (p = 0.011). Moreover, CEC showed a significant correlation with HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.003) and apolipoprotein A-I levels (p = 0.001) as well as the ankle-brachial index (ABI, p = 0.018). However, CEC did not differ between survivors and non-survivors. Neither revealed Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses any significant association of CEC with all-cause mortality rates. Conclusion: Taken together, CEC is associated with ABI but does not predict all-cause mortality in patients with PAD.
UASea: A Data Acquisition Toolbox for Improving Marine Habitat Mapping
Authors: Doukari Michaela , Batsaris Marios , Topouzelis Konstantinos
Published: August 2021

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are widely used in the acquisition of high-resolution information in the marine environment. Although the potential applications of UAS in marine habitat mapping are constantly increasing, many limitations need to be overcome—most of which are related to the prevalent environmental conditions—to reach efficient UAS surveys. The knowledge of the UAS limitations in marine data acquisition and the examination of the optimal flight conditions led to the development of the UASea toolbox. This study presents the UASea, a data acquisition toolbox that is developed for efficient UAS surveys in the marine environment. The UASea uses weather forecast data (i.e., wind speed, cloud cover, precipitation probability, etc.) and adaptive thresholds in a ruleset that calculates the optimal flight times in a day for the acquisition of reliable marine imagery using UAS in a given day. The toolbox provides hourly positive and negative suggestions, based on optimal or non-optimal survey conditions in a day, calculated according to the ruleset calculations. We acquired UAS images in optimal and non-optimal conditions and estimated their quality using an image quality equation. The image quality estimates are based on the criteria of sunglint presence, sea surface texture, water turbidity, and image naturalness. The overall image quality estimates were highly correlated with the suggestions of the toolbox, with a correlation coefficient of −0.84. The validation showed that 40% of the toolbox suggestions were a positive match to the images with higher quality. Therefore, we propose the optimal flight times to acquire reliable and accurate UAS imagery in the coastal environment through the UASea. The UASea contributes to proper flight planning and efficient UAS surveys by providing valuable information for mapping, monitoring, and management of the marine environment, which can be used globally in research and marine applications.
A Low Spur and Low Jitter Quadrature LO-Generator Using CML Inductive Peaking Technique for WLAN Transceiver
Authors: Tian Tian , Li Peng , Huang Huiqun , Pu Yilin , Wu Bin
Published: August 2021

The demand for a local oscillator (LO) signal of high quality and integrity in local area network (WLAN) communication is growing with the increasing date rate. The LO signals for high data rate WLAN applications are desired to not only have proper shape waveforms and adequate voltage amplitude but also to achieve relatively stable and clean outputs with low phase noise and low spur. Fractional-N frequency planning is critical for a quadrature LO-generator, which is achieved by a single-sideband (SSB) mixer and multiple dividers since it can avoid the frequency pulling and alleviate the self-mixing and DC offset issues, while spur levels are easily increased due to harmonic mixing, imbalance, and leakage of the SSB mixer. This article proposes a simple and innovative quadrature LO-generator, which adopts a current-mode-logic (CML) inductive peaking (IP) circuit to improve phase noise and suppress spurious tones. Four types of LO delivery methods using IP circuits are proposed and compared. Among four methods, the CML-IP circuit presents the optimum performance for driving long wires of multi-mm length. Instead of previous digital spur cancellation, the CML-IP circuit achieves higher spur suppression, lower jitter, and a greater figure of merit (FoM). The quadrature LO-generator can be configured to either VCO mode or bypass mode supporting external VCO input. Implemented in 55 nm CMOS technology, the proposed quadrature LO-generator achieves −52.6 dBc spur suppression, −142 dBc/Hz phase noise at 1 MHz offset at the 4.8 GHz frequency, and −271 FoM. Furthermore, the quadrature LO-generator occupies an active area of 0.178 mm2 and consumes 23.86 mW.
A Regularization-Based Big Data Framework for Winter Precipitation Forecasting on Streaming Data
Authors: Kanavos Andreas , Trigka Maria , Dritsas Elias , Vonitsanos Gerasimos , Mylonas Phivos
Published: August 2021

In the current paper, we propose a machine learning forecasting model for the accurate prediction of qualitative weather information on winter precipitation types, utilized in Apache Spark Streaming distributed framework. The proposed model receives storage and processes data in real-time, in order to extract useful knowledge from different sensors related to weather data. In following, the numerical weather prediction model aims at forecasting the weather type given three precipitation classes namely rain, freezing rain, and snow as recorded in the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) network. For depicting the effectiveness of our proposed schema, a regularization technique for feature selection so as to avoid overfitting is implemented. Several classification models covering three different categorization methods namely the Bayesian, decision trees, and meta/ensemble methods, have been investigated in a real dataset. The experimental analysis illustrates that the utilization of the regularization technique could offer a significant boost in forecasting performance.
A 1.55-to-32-Gb/s Four-Lane Transmitter with 3-Tap Feed Forward Equalizer and Shared PLL in 28-nm CMOS
Authors: Cai Chen , Zheng Xuqiang , Chen Yong , Wu Danyu , Luan Jian , Lu Dechao , Zhou Lei , Wu Jin , Liu Xinyu
Published: August 2021

This paper presents a fully integrated physical layer (PHY) transmitter (TX) suiting for multiple industrial protocols and compatible with different protocol versions. Targeting a wide operating range, the LC-based phase-locked loop (PLL) with a dual voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) was integrated to provide the low jitter clock. Each lane with a configurable serialization scheme was adapted to adjust the data rate flexibly. To achieve high-speed data transmission, several bandwidth-extended techniques were introduced, and an optimized output driver with a 3-tap feed-forward equalizer (FFE) was proposed to accomplish high-quality data transmission and equalization. The TX prototype was fabricated in a 28-nm CMOS process, and a single-lane TX only occupied an active area of 0.048 mm2. The shared PLL and clock distribution circuits occupied an area of 0.54 mm2. The proposed PLL can support a tuning range that covers 6.2 to 16 GHz. Each lane’s data rate ranged from 1.55 to 32 Gb/s, and the energy efficiency is 1.89 pJ/bit/lane at a 32-Gb/s data rate and can tune an equalization up to 10 dB.
The Potential Utilizing of Critical Element from Coal and Combustion Residues
Authors: Hu Yunhu , You Mu , Liu Guijian , Dong Zhongbing , Jiao Facun , Meng Ying
Published: August 2021

Strategically critical elements are becoming significant for the rising demand of emerging energy-efficient technologies and high-tech applications. These critical elements are mostly geologically dispersed, and mainly recovered from recycled materials. Coal with high concentrations of critical elements is supposed to stable alternative sources. The abundances of critical elements in coal varies widely among different deposits and regions. The high concentrations of critical elements are found in many Chinese and Russian coal ores. The global mining potential ratio (MPR) is applied and suggests scandium, hafnium, cesium, yttrium, germanium, gallium, thallium, strontium and rare-earth elements could be potential recovery from coal. A number of benefits are expected with the extraction of critical elements during coal utilization.
Effect of Sake Lees on the Inhibition of Lipid Accumulation in Adipocytes
Authors: Motono Yuki , Imai Takeshi , Emi Takashi , Iguchi Takafumi , Takaoka Motoko
Published: August 2021

Recent lifestyle changes, such as the Westernization of diets and the rise in the prevalence of obesity, with an associated increase in the number of patients with lifestyle-related diseases, have become a social issue. Fermented food has attracted attention as a solution to problems caused by obesity. Sake lees, a byproduct of sake brewing, represent one such food that is expected to have health benefits. In this study, we investigated the effects of sake lees components on preadipocytes (3T3-L1). We cultured preadipocytes in a medium with indigestible sake lees components (ISLCs) to investigate lipid accumulation, analyzed the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and LPL activities of those cells, and performed a real-time PCR analysis of the IL6 expression in the cells. The results show that lipid accumulation and GPDH activity were significantly decreased in adipocytes treated with 1.0 mg/mL ISLCs compared to untreated cells. Furthermore, the expression of IL6 in adipocytes treated with 1.0 mg/mL ISLCs was significantly decreased and the lipase activity was significantly increased in adipocytes treated with ISLCs after differentiation. IL6 is known to have multiple functions in adipose tissue. In conclusion, ISLCs were associated with reduced lipid accumulation in adipocytes, with effects on IL6 expression and LPL activity observed throughout the differentiation period.
Ambalytics: A Scalable and Distributed System Architecture Concept for Bibliometric Network Analyses
Authors: Kammerer Klaus , Göster Manuel , Reichert Manfred , Pryss Rüdiger
Published: August 2021

A deep understanding about a field of research is valuable for academic researchers. In addition to technical knowledge, this includes knowledge about subareas, open research questions, and social communities (networks) of individuals and organizations within a given field. With bibliometric analyses, researchers can acquire quantitatively valuable knowledge about a research area by using bibliographic information on academic publications provided by bibliographic data providers. Bibliometric analyses include the calculation of bibliometric networks to describe affiliations or similarities of bibliometric entities (e.g., authors) and group them into clusters representing subareas or communities. Calculating and visualizing bibliometric networks is a nontrivial and time-consuming data science task that requires highly skilled individuals. In addition to domain knowledge, researchers must often provide statistical knowledge and programming skills or use software tools having limited functionality and usability. In this paper, we present the ambalytics bibliometric platform, which reduces the complexity of bibliometric network analysis and the visualization of results. It accompanies users through the process of bibliometric analysis and eliminates the need for individuals to have programming skills and statistical knowledge, while preserving advanced functionality, such as algorithm parameterization, for experts. As a proof-of-concept, and as an example of bibliometric analyses outcomes, the calculation of research fronts networks based on a hybrid similarity approach is shown. Being designed to scale, ambalytics makes use of distributed systems concepts and technologies. It is based on the microservice architecture concept and uses the Kubernetes framework for orchestration. This paper presents the initial building block of a comprehensive bibliometric analysis platform called ambalytics, which aims at a high usability for users as well as scalability.
Protective Decision-Making in Bushfire Part 2: A Rapid Systematic Review of the ‘Leave Early’ Literature
Authors: Strahan Kenneth William , Gilbert John
Published: August 2021

In Australia, residents can choose to remain to defend their property against bushfire but, since the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, considerable emphasis is placed on leaving early, well in advance of a bushfire. However, many householders delay their protective decision. The insights offered by the literature into how and why some people leave early before their personal safety is threatened can inform bushfire safety policy and practice. This systematic review reports the findings of 90 papers selected from 216 identified through a search of papers in Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar published between 1995 and May 2021 in English. This review establishes the reasons people leave early; the influence of official and unofficial warnings; gender and other demographics; the influence of self-evacuation archetypes; planning and preparation; the influence of children and other dependents and pets; triggers initiating leaving; factors impeding and facilitating leaving; and policy issues around early leaving. This review also details 12 seminal studies that capture much of the evidence on the decision to leave early.
Bran-Enriched Milled Durum Wheat Fractions Obtained Using Innovative Micronization and Air-Classification Pilot Plants
Authors: Cammerata Alessandro , Sestili Francesco , Laddomada Barbara , Aureli Gabriella
Published: August 2021

Dietary guidelines recommend the consumption of unprocessed, or minimally processed, wheat foods because they are richer in health-promoting components (i.e., minerals, vitamins, lignans, phytoestrogens, and phenolic compounds) compared to traditionally refined products. The design and implementation of technological solutions applied to the milling process are becoming a key requirement to obtain less refined mill products characterized by healthier nutritional profiles. This study presents the development of an upgraded micronization plant and of a modified air-classification plant to produce several novel types of durum wheat milling fractions, each enriched in bran particles of different sizes (from 425 µm > Ø to Ø < 180 µm) and percentage ratios. A preliminary quality assessment of the milling fractions was carried out by measuring yield percentages and ash content, the latter being related to detect the presence of bran particles. A wide array of milling fractions with different original particle size compositions was provided through the study of the process. Results indicate the ability of the novel pilot plants to produce several types of less refined milling fractions of potential interest for manufacturing durum wheat end-products beneficial for human health.
Pike-Perch (Sander lucioperca) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fed with an Alternative Microorganism Mix for Reducing Fish Meal and Oil—Fishes’ Growth Performances and Quality Traits
Authors: Schafberg Michaela , Loest Karin , Müller-Belecke Andreas , Rohn Sascha
Published: August 2021

In the last decades, several plant-based materials were used for the substitution of fish meal and oil in aquaculture. The present study evaluated the fish quality and the sensory differences of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) from three different feeding groups, which were fed a commercially available industrial (standard) diet, a control diet, and a special microorganism-based feed mix. This feed mainly consisted of a mix made of Rhodotorula glutinis, Crypthecodinium cohnii, and Arthrospira sp. and had 50% less fish meal and fish oil compared to typical control diets. At the beginning, the pike-perch population was six months old, and the rainbow trout population was 15 months old. The feeding study duration was 16 weeks and every four weeks the growth performance and several morphometric parameters were recorded. Afterwards, sensory evaluation took place to identify possible trends. Sensory evaluation revealed that the rainbow trout groups did not show any significant differences to the standard and control fish fillets with regard to odor, texture, and taste. The effects on rainbow trout growth performances and carcass parameters were similar to the standard group. The feed mix was not optimal for pike-perch farming, which was also reflected by significantly adversely affected growth performance and carcass parameters. The sensorial evaluation showed an opposite trend: here, only small differences in the fillets from the feed mix and standard/control diet were observed.
A Numerical Study of Nonlinear Fractional Order Partial Integro-Differential Equation with a Weakly Singular Kernel
Authors: Akram Tayyaba , Ali Zeeshan , Rabiei Faranak , Shah Kamal , Kumam Poom
Published: August 2021

Fractional differential equations can present the physical pathways with the storage and inherited properties due to the memory factor of fractional order. The purpose of this work is to interpret the collocation approach for tackling the fractional partial integro-differential equation (FPIDE) by employing the extended cubic B-spline (ECBS). To determine the time approximation, we utilize the Caputo approach. The stability and convergence analysis have also been analyzed. The efficiency and reliability of the suggested technique are demonstrated by two numerical applications, which support the theoretical results and the effectiveness of the implemented algorithm.