bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Stratification of Childhood Ependymomas as a Basis for Personalized Diagnostics and Treatment
Authors: Zaytseva Margarita , Papusha Ludmila , Novichkova Galina , Druy Alexander
Published: October 2021

Ependymomas are among the most enigmatic tumors of the central nervous system, posing enormous challenges for pathologists and clinicians. Despite the efforts made, the treatment options are still limited to surgical resection and radiation therapy, while none of conventional chemotherapies is beneficial. While being histologically similar, ependymomas show considerable clinical and molecular diversity. Their histopathological evaluation alone is not sufficient for reliable diagnostics, prognosis, and choice of treatment strategy. The importance of integrated diagnosis for ependymomas is underscored in the recommendations of Consortium to Inform Molecular and Practical Approaches to CNS Tumor Taxonomy. These updated recommendations were adopted and implemented by WHO experts. This minireview highlights recent advances in comprehensive molecular-genetic characterization of ependymomas. Strong emphasis is made on the use of molecular approaches for verification and specification of histological diagnoses, as well as identification of prognostic markers for ependymomas in children.
TIMP1 and TIMP2 Downregulate TGFβ Induced Decidual-like Phenotype in Natural Killer Cells
Authors: Albini Adriana , Gallazzi Matteo , Palano Maria Teresa , Carlini Valentina , Ricotta Riccardo , Bruno Antonino , Stetler-Stevenson William G. , Noonan Douglas M.
Published: October 2021

Natural Killer (NK) cells have been found to be anergic, exhausted and pro-angiogenic in cancers. NK cell from healthy donors, exposed to TGFβ, acquire the CD56brightCD9+CD49a+ decidual-like-phenotype, together with decreased levels of NKG2D activation marker, increased levels of TIM-3 exhaustion marker, similar to cancer-associated NK cells. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs) exert dual roles in cancer. The role of TIMPs in modulating immune cells is a very novel concept, and the present is the first report studying their ability to contrast TGFβ action on NK cells. Here, we investigated the effects of TIMP1 and TIMP2 recombinant proteins in hindering decidual-like markers in NK cells, generated by polarizing cytolytic NK cells with TGFβ. The effects of TIMP1 or TIMP2 on NK cell surface antigens were determined by multicolor flow cytometry. We found that TIMP1 and TIMP2 were effective in interfering with TGFβ induced NK cell polarization towards a decidual-like-phenotype. TIMP1 and TIMP2 counteracted the effect of TGFβ in increasing the percentage of CD56bright, CD16−, CD9+ and CD49a+, and restoring normal levels for TIMP 1 and 2 also inhibited decrease levels of the activation marker NKG2D induced by TGFβ and decreased the TGFβ upregulated exhaustion marker TIM-3. NK cell degranulation capabilities against K562 cells were also decreased by TGFβ and not by TIMP1 or TIMP2. TIMP1 treatment could partially restore degranulation marker CD107a expression. Treatment with recombinant TIMP-1 or TIMP-2 showed a trend, although not statistically significant, to decrease CD49a+ and TIM-3+ expression and increase NKG2D in peripheral blood NK cells exposed to conditioned media from colon cancer cell lines. Our results suggest a potential role of TIMPs in controlling the tumor-associated cytokine TGFβ-induced NK cell polarization. Given the heterogeneity of released factors within the TME, it is clear that TGFβ stimulation represents a model to prove TIMP’s new properties, but it cannot be envisaged as a soloist NK cell polarizing agent. Therefore, further studies from the scientific community will help defining TIMPs immunomodulatory activities of NK cells in cancer, and their possible future diagnostic–therapeutic roles.
Superior Overall Survival in Patients with Colorectal Cancer, Regular Aspirin Use, and Combined Wild-Type PIK3CA and KRAS-Mutated Tumors
Authors: Gebauer Leonie , Nist Andrea , Mernberger Marco , Stiewe Thorsten , Moll Roland , Stabla Kathleen , Klinge Uwe , Mack Elisabeth , Brendel Cornelia , Neubauer Andreas
Published: October 2021

The impact of aspirin use after the diagnosis of colorectal cancer is unknown. Among others, PIK3CA (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic subunit alpha) mutational status was proposed as a molecular biomarker for the response to adjuvant aspirin therapy. However, prognostic data on aspirin use after a colorectal cancer diagnosis in relation to KRAS mutational status is limited. In a single-center retrospective study, we obtained KRAS and PIK3CA mutational status in a cohort of 153 patients with a first diagnosis of colorectal cancer receiving tumor surgery with curative intent. PIK3CA mutational status was determined by pyrosequencing, and KRAS mutational status was determined by next-generation sequencing. Clinicopathological data and survival data were assessed using patient records and reporting registers. We observed a significant 10-year overall survival benefit in patients with aspirin use and combined wild-type PIK3CA and mutated-KRAS tumors (HR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.17–0.87; p = 0.02), but not in patients without aspirin use. Our data indicate a benefit of aspirin usage particularly for patients with combined wild-type PIK3CA and mutated-KRAS tumor characteristics.
Glutamine and Cholesterol Plasma Levels and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Treated with Taxanes
Authors: Marín-Aguilera Mercedes , Pereira María V. , Jiménez Natalia , Reig Òscar , Cuartero Anna , Victoria Iván , Aversa Caterina , Ferrer-Mileo Laura , Prat Aleix , Mellado Begoña
Published: October 2021

Altered metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Malignant cells metabolise glutamine to fulfil their metabolic needs. In prostate cancer, androgen receptor signalling promotes glutamine metabolism, which is also involved in cholesterol homeostasis. We aimed to determine whether the plasma glutamine levels correlate with the blood lipid profile, clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with metastatic castration resistance prostate cancer (mCRPC) undergoing taxanes. We retrospectively assessed the glutamine and glutamate levels in plasma samples by a bioluminescent assay. Pre-treatment glutamine, glutamate, cholesterol and triglycerides levels were correlated with patients’ clinical characteristics, taxanes response and clinical outcomes. Seventy-five patients with mCRPC treated with taxanes were included. The plasma glutamine levels were significantly higher in patients that received abiraterone or enzalutamide prior to taxanes (p = 0.003). Besides, patients with low glutamine levels were more likely to present a PSA response to taxanes (p = 0.048). Higher glutamine levels were significantly correlated with shorter biochemical/clinical progression-free survival (PSA/RX-PFS) (median 2.5 vs. 4.2 months; p = 0.048) and overall survival (OS) (median 12.6 vs. 20.3; p = 0.008). High cholesterol levels independently predicted early PSA/RX-PFS (p = 0.034). High glutamine and cholesterol in the plasma from patients with mCRPC were associated with adverse clinical outcomes, supporting the relevance of further research on metabolism in prostate cancer progression.
The Genetic Makeup of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: Role of Germline Variants in Defining Disease Risk, Phenotypic Diversity and Outcome
Authors: Masselli Elena , Pozzi Giulia , Carubbi Cecilia , Vitale Marco
Published: September 2021

Myeloproliferative neoplasms are hematologic malignancies typified by a substantial heritable component. Germline variants may affect the risk of developing a MPN, as documented by GWAS studies on large patient cohorts. In addition, once the MPN occurred, inherited host genetic factors can be responsible for tuning the disease phenotypic presentation, outcome, and response to therapy. This review covered the polymorphisms that have been variably associated to MPNs, discussing them in the functional perspective of the biological pathways involved. Finally, we reviewed host genetic determinants of clonal hematopoiesis, a pre-malignant state that may anticipate overt hematologic neoplasms including MPNs.
Co-Expression of CD34, CD90, OV-6 and Cell-Surface Vimentin Defines Cancer Stem Cells of Hepatoblastoma, Which Are Affected by Hsp90 Inhibitor 17-AAG
Authors: Lee-Theilen Mieun , Hadhoud Julia R. , Volante Giulietta , Fadini Delaine D. , Eichhorn Julia , Rolle Udo , Fiegel Henning C.
Published: September 2021

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are nowadays one of the major focuses in tumor research since this subpopulation was revealed to be a great obstacle for successful treatment. The identification of CSCs in pediatric solid tumors harbors major challenges because of the immature character of these tumors. Here, we present CD34, CD90, OV-6 and cell-surface vimentin (csVimentin) as reliable markers to identify CSCs in hepatoblastoma cell lines. We were able to identify CSC characteristics for the subset of CD34+CD90+OV-6+csVimentin+-co-expressing cells, such as pluripotency, self-renewal, increased expression of EMT markers and migration. Treatment with Cisplatin as the standard chemotherapeutic drug in hepatoblastoma therapy further revealed the chemo-resistance of this subset, which is a main characteristic of CSCs. When we treated the cells with the Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG, we observed a significant reduction in the CSC subset. With our study, we identified CSCs of hepatoblastoma using CD34, CD90, OV-6 and csVimentin. This set of markers could be helpful to estimate the success of novel therapeutic approaches, as resistant CSCs are responsible for tumor relapses.
ING Tumour Suppressors and ING Splice Variants as Coregulators of the Androgen Receptor Signalling in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Melekhova Anna , Baniahmad Aria
Published: September 2021

Prevention and overcoming castration resistance of prostate cancer (PC) remains one of the main unsolved problems in modern oncology. Hence, many studies are focused on the investigation of novel androgen receptor (AR) regulators that could serve as potential drug targets in disease therapy. Among such factors, inhibitor of growth (ING) proteins were identified. Some ING proteins act as AR transcriptional coregulators, indicating their relevance for PC research. The ING family consists of five protein-coding genes from ING1 to ING5 and pseudogene INGX. The ING genes were revealed through their sequence homology to the first identified ING1 from an in vivo screen. ING factors are a part of histone modification complexes. With the help of the conserved plant homeodomain (PHD) motif, ING factors bind to Histone 3 Lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation mark with a stronger affinity to the highest methylation grade H3K4me3 and recruit histone acetyltransferases (HAT) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) to chromatin. ING1 and ING2 are core subunits of mSIN3a-HDAC corepressor complexes, whereas ING3–5 interact with different HAT complexes that serve as coactivators. ING members belong to type II tumour suppressors and are frequently downregulated in many types of malignancies, including PC. As the family name indicates, ING proteins are able to inhibit cell growth and tumour development via regulation of cell cycle and cancer-relevant pathways such as apoptosis, cellular senescence, DNA repair, cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Many ING splice variants that enhance the diversity of ING activity were discovered. However, it seems that the existence of multiple ING splice variants is underestimated, since alternative splice variants, such as the AR coregulators ING1 and ING3, counteract full-length ING and thus play an opposite functional role. These results open a novel prospective investigation direction in understanding ING factors biology in PC and other malignancies.
Comparative Analysis of Six IRF Family Members in Alveolar Epithelial Cell-Intrinsic Antiviral Responses
Authors: Wüst Sandra , Schad Paulina , Burkart Sandy , Binder Marco
Published: September 2021

Host cell-intrinsic antiviral responses are largely mediated by pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) signaling and the interferon (IFN) system. The IFN regulatory factor (IRF) family of transcription factors takes up a central role in transcriptional regulation of antiviral innate immunity. IRF3 and IRF7 are known to be key players downstream of PRRs mediating the induction of type I and III IFNs. IFN signaling then requires IRF9 for the expression of the full array of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) ultimately defining the antiviral state of the cell. Other members of the IRF family clearly play a role in mediating or modulating IFN responses, such as IRF1, IRF2 or IRF5, however their relative contribution to mounting a functional antiviral response is much less understood. In this study, we systematically and comparatively assessed the impact of six members of the IRF family on antiviral signaling in alveolar epithelial cells. We generated functional knockouts of IRF1, -2, -3, -5, -7, and -9 in A549 cells, and measured their impact on the expression of IFNs and further cytokines, ISGs and other IRFs, as well as on viral replication. Our results confirmed the vital importance of IRF3 and IRF9 in establishing an antiviral state, whereas IRF1, 5 and 7 were largely dispensable. The previously described inhibitory activity of IRF2 could not be observed in our experimental system.
Insights into Bone Morphogenetic Protein—(BMP-) Signaling in Ocular Lens Biology and Pathology
Authors: Shu Daisy Y. , Lovicu Frank J.
Published: September 2021

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a diverse class of growth factors that belong to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) superfamily. Although originally discovered to possess osteogenic properties, BMPs have since been identified as critical regulators of many biological processes, including cell-fate determination, cell proliferation, differentiation and morphogenesis, throughout the body. In the ocular lens, BMPs are important in orchestrating fundamental developmental processes such as induction of lens morphogenesis, and specialized differentiation of its fiber cells. Moreover, BMPs have been reported to facilitate regeneration of the lens, as well as abrogate pathological processes such as TGFβ-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis. In this review, we summarize recent insights in this topic and discuss the complexities of BMP-signaling including the role of individual BMP ligands, receptors, extracellular antagonists and cross-talk between canonical and non-canonical BMP-signaling cascades in the lens. By understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying BMP activity, we can advance their potential therapeutic role in cataract prevention and lens regeneration.
Interneuron Dysfunction and Inhibitory Deficits in Autism and Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Nomura Toshihiro
Published: October 2021

The alteration of excitatory–inhibitory (E–I) balance has been implicated in various neurological and psychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single-gene disorder that is the most common known cause of ASD. Understanding the molecular and physiological features of FXS is thought to enhance our knowledge of the pathophysiology of ASD. Accumulated evidence implicates deficits in the inhibitory circuits in FXS that tips E–I balance toward excitation. Deficits in interneurons, the main source of an inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have been reported in FXS, including a reduced number of cells, reduction in intrinsic cellular excitability, or weaker synaptic connectivity. Manipulating the interneuron activity ameliorated the symptoms in the FXS mouse model, which makes it reasonable to conceptualize FXS as an interneuronopathy. While it is still poorly understood how the developmental profiles of the inhibitory circuit go awry in FXS, recent works have uncovered several developmental alterations in the functional properties of interneurons. Correcting disrupted E–I balance by potentiating the inhibitory circuit by targeting interneurons may have a therapeutic potential in FXS. I will review the recent evidence about the inhibitory alterations and interneuron dysfunction in ASD and FXS and will discuss the future directions of this field.
Ejaculate Allocation and Sperm Characteristics Differ among Alternative Male Types in a Species of Fish with Cooperation and Competition among Unrelated Males
Authors: Alonzo Suzanne H. , Stiver Kelly A. , Kindsvater Holly K. , Marsh-Rollo Susan E. , Nugent Bridget , Kazancıoğlu Erem
Published: October 2021

Sexual selection arising from sperm competition has driven the evolution of immense variation in ejaculate allocation and sperm characteristics not only among species, but also among males within a species. One question that has received little attention is how cooperation among males affects these patterns. Here we ask how male alternative reproductive types differ in testes size, ejaculate production, and sperm morphology in the ocellated wrasse, a marine fish in which unrelated males cooperate and compete during reproduction. Nesting males build nests, court females and provide care. Sneaker males only “sneak” spawn, while satellite males sneak, but also help by chasing away sneakers. We found that satellite males have larger absolute testes than either sneakers or nesting males, despite their cooperative role. Nesting males invested relatively less in testes than either sneakers or satellites. Though sneakers produced smaller ejaculates than either satellite or nesting males, we found no difference among male types in either sperm cell concentration or sperm number, implying sneakers may produce less seminal fluid. Sperm tail length did not differ significantly among male types, but sneaker sperm cells had significantly larger heads than either satellite or nesting male sperm, consistent with past research showing sneakers produce slower sperm. Our results highlight that social interactions among males can influence sperm and ejaculate production.
The CAM Model for CIC-DUX4 Sarcoma and Its Potential Use for Precision Medicine
Authors: Komatsu Aoi , Matsumoto Kotaro , Yoshimatsu Yuki , Sin Yooksil , Kubota Arisa , Saito Tomoki , Mizumoto Ayaka , Ohashi Shinya , Muto Manabu , Noguchi Rei , Kondo Tadashi , Tamanoi Fuyuhiko
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: CIC-DUX4 sarcoma is a rare mesenchymal small round cell tumor which belongs to rare cancers that occupy a significant percentage of cancer cases as a whole, despite each being rare. Importantly, each rare cancer type has different features, and thus there is a need to develop a model that mimics the features of each of these cancers. We evaluated the idea that the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM), a convenient and versatile animal model, can be established for the CIC-DUX4 sarcoma. (2) Methods: Patient-derived cell lines of CIC-DUX4 were applied. These cells were transplanted onto the CAM membrane and tumor formation was examined by H&E staining, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The CAM tumor was transferred onto a fresh CAM and was also used to form organoids. Retention of the fusion gene was examined. (3) Results: H&E staining as well as molecular characterization demonstrated the formation of the CIC-DUX4 tumor on the CAM membrane. Expression of cyclin D2 and ETV4 was identified. The CAM tumor was transferred to a fresh CAM to form the second-generation CAM tumor. In addition, we were successful in forming tumor organoids using the CAM tumor. Retention of the fusion gene CIC-DUX4 in the CAM, second-generation CAM, and in the CAM-derived organoids was confirmed by RT-PCR. (4) Conclusions: The CAM assay provides a promising model for CIC-DUX4 sarcoma.
Exosomes in the Tumor Microenvironment: From Biology to Clinical Applications
Authors: da Costa Vitor Rodrigues , Araldi Rodrigo Pinheiro , Vigerelli Hugo , D’Ámelio Fernanda , Mendes Thais Biude , Gonzaga Vivian , Policíquio Bruna , Colozza-Gama Gabriel Avelar , Valverde Cristiane Wenceslau , Kerkis Irina
Published: October 2021

Cancer is one of the most important health problems and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Despite the advances in oncology, cancer heterogeneity remains challenging to therapeutics. This is because the exosome-mediated crosstalk between cancer and non-cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) contributes to the acquisition of all hallmarks of cancer and leads to the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which exhibit resistance to a range of anticancer drugs. Thus, this review aims to summarize the role of TME-derived exosomes in cancer biology and explore the clinical potential of mesenchymal stem-cell-derived exosomes as a cancer treatment, discussing future prospects of cell-free therapy for cancer treatment and challenges to be overcome.
Measuring the Metabolic Evolution of Glioblastoma throughout Tumor Development, Regression, and Recurrence with Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Salzillo Travis C. , Mawoneke Vimbai , Weygand Joseph , Shetty Akaanksh , Gumin Joy , Zacharias Niki M. , Gammon Seth T. , Piwnica-Worms David , Fuller Gregory N. , Logothetis Christopher J. , Lang Frederick F. , Bhattacharya Pratip K.
Published: October 2021

Rapid diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of aggressive diseases such as glioblastoma can improve patient survival by providing physicians the time to optimally deliver treatment. This research tested whether metabolic imaging with hyperpolarized MRI could detect changes in tumor progression faster than conventional anatomic MRI in patient-derived glioblastoma murine models. To capture the dynamic nature of cancer metabolism, hyperpolarized MRI, NMR spectroscopy, and immunohistochemistry were performed at several time-points during tumor development, regression, and recurrence. Hyperpolarized MRI detected significant changes of metabolism throughout tumor progression whereas conventional MRI was less sensitive. This was accompanied by aberrations in amino acid and phospholipid lipid metabolism and MCT1 expression. Hyperpolarized MRI can help address clinical challenges such as identifying malignant disease prior to aggressive growth, differentiating pseudoprogression from true progression, and predicting relapse. The individual evolution of these metabolic assays as well as their correlations with one another provides context for further academic research.
Disproportion in Pericyte/Endothelial Cell Proliferation and Mechanisms of Intussusceptive Angiogenesis Participate in Bizarre Vessel Formation in Glioblastoma
Authors: Díaz-Flores Lucio , Gutiérrez Ricardo , González-Gómez Miriam , García María-del-Pino , Díaz-Flores Lucio , González-Marrero Ibrahim , Ávila Julio , Martín-Vasallo Pablo
Published: October 2021

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant tumor in the brain. In addition to the vascular pattern with thin-walled vessels and findings of sprouting angiogenesis, GBM presents a bizarre microvasculature (BM) formed by vascular clusters, vascular garlands, and glomeruloid bodies. The mechanisms in BM morphogenesis are not well known. Our objective was to assess the role of pericyte/endothelial proliferation and intussusceptive angiogenic mechanisms in the formation of the BM. For this purpose, we studied specimens of 66 GBM cases using immunochemistry and confocal microscopy. In the BM, the results showed (a) transitional forms between the BM patterns, mostly with prominent pericytes covering all the abluminal endothelial cell (EC) surface of the vessels, (b) a proliferation index high in the prominent pericytes and low in ECs (47.85 times higher in pericytes than in ECs), (c) intravascular pillars (hallmark of intussusceptive angiogenesis) formed by transcapillary interendothelial bridges, endothelial contacts of opposite vessel walls, and vessel loops, and (d) the persistence of these findings in complex glomeruloid bodies. In conclusion, disproportion in pericyte/EC proliferation and mechanisms of intussusceptive angiogenesis participate in BM formation. The contributions have morphogenic and clinical interest since pericytes and intussusceptive angiogenesis can condition antiangiogenic therapy in GBM.
The Pathophysiological Role of Heat Shock Response in Autoimmunity: A Literature Review
Authors: Androvitsanea Ariadni , Stylianou Kostas , Drosataki Eleni , Petrakis Ioannis
Published: October 2021

Within the last two decades, there has been increasing evidence that heat-shock proteins can have a differential influence on the immune system. They can either provoke or ameliorate immune responses. This review focuses on outlining the stimulatory as well as the inhibitory effects of heat-shock proteins 27, 40, 70, 65, 60, and 90 in experimental and clinical autoimmune settings.
Ventricular Arrhythmias in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy—New Avenues for Mechanism-Guided Treatment
Authors: Amoni Matthew , Dries Eef , Ingelaere Sebastian , Vermoortele Dylan , Roderick H. Llewelyn , Claus Piet , Willems Rik , Sipido Karin R.
Published: October 2021

Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of lethal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). In patients who are at high risk after myocardial infarction, implantable cardioverter defibrillators are the most effective treatment to reduce incidence of SCD and ablation therapy can be effective for ventricular arrhythmias with identifiable culprit lesions. Yet, these approaches are not always successful and come with a considerable cost, while pharmacological management is often poor and ineffective, and occasionally proarrhythmic. Advances in mechanistic insights of arrhythmias and technological innovation have led to improved interventional approaches that are being evaluated clinically, yet pharmacological advancement has remained behind. We review the mechanistic basis for current management and provide a perspective for gaining new insights that centre on the complex tissue architecture of the arrhythmogenic infarct and border zone with surviving cardiac myocytes as the source of triggers and central players in re-entry circuits. Identification of the arrhythmia critical sites and characterisation of the molecular signature unique to these sites can open avenues for targeted therapy and reduce off-target effects that have hampered systemic pharmacotherapy. Such advances are in line with precision medicine and a patient-tailored therapy.
Tribological Performance of Diamond-like Nanocomposite Coatings: Influence of Environments and Laser Surface Texturing
Authors: Pimenov Sergei M. , Zavedeev Evgeny V. , Zilova Olga S. , Lepekhov Alexander P. , Jaeggi Beat , Neuenschwander Beat
Published: September 2021

Diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN) films (a-C:H:Si:O films) are characterized by their unique structure and remarkable tribological properties to be pronounced under various environmental and surface modification conditions. In this paper, we investigated the effects of environments (humid air, water and oil lubrication, elevated temperatures) and laser surface texturing on tribological performance of DLN coatings. Femtosecond laser (wavelength 515 nm) was used for surface texturing. Comparative tests of DLN films sliding against different counterbodies (steel, Si3N4) in humid air and water demonstrated the low-friction and low-wear performance under water, in the absence of chemical interaction of water with the counterbody surface. The wear rates of the film and Si3N4 ball in water, 7.5 × 10−9 and 2.6 × 10−9 mm3/(Nm), were found to be considerably lower than the corresponding values 6.8 × 10−7 and 3.8 × 10−8 mm3/(Nm) in humid air, in spite of higher friction in water-lubricated sliding. Laser surface texturing of DLN films was performed to fabricate microcrater arrays, followed by tribological testing under oil lubrication at different temperatures, from 23 to 100 °C. The lubricated friction performance of laser-textured films was improved at both the room temperature and elevated temperatures. The friction coefficient was reduced from 0.1 (original film) to 0.083 for laser-textured film at room temperature, and then to 0.068 at 100 °C. The nano-/microfriction behavior of laser-structured surface characterized by lower friction forces than the original surface was demonstrated using friction force microscopy in ambient air. The obtained results demonstrate excellent tribological properties of DLN coatings in various environments, which can be further improved by femtosecond-laser-surface texturing.
Wear Behavior of Borided Cold-Rolled High Manganese Steel
Authors: Hayat Fatih , Sezgin Cihangir Tevfik
Published: October 2021

In this study, a novel high-manganese steel (HMS) was borided at 850, 900 and 950 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h by the pack boriding process. Contrary to previous literature, borided HMS uncommonly exhibited saw-tooth morphology like low alloy steels, and manganese enhanced the boron diffusion. Another striking analysis is that the “egg-shell effect” did not occur. The present study demonstrated the silicon-rich zone for the first time in the literature by EDX mapping. Moreover, the formation mechanism of silicon-rich zones was explained and termed as “compact transfer of silicones (CTS)”. XRD analysis showed the existence of FeB, Fe2B, MnB and SiC phases. The boriding time and temperature increased the thickness of the boride layer from 31.41 μm to 117.65 µm. The hardness of the borided layer ranged from 1120 to 1915 HV0.05. The activation energy of borided HMS was found to be a very low result compared to high alloy steel investigated in the literature. The Daimler-Benz Rockwell-C adhesion test showed that adhesions of borided HMS surfaces are sufficient. The dry sliding wear tests showed that boriding treatment increased the wear resistance of untreated HMS by 5 times. The present study revealed that the boriding process extended the service life of HMS components.
Synthesis of Gd2Zr2O7 Coatings Using the Novel Reactive PS-PVD Process
Authors: Pędrak Pawel , Dychtoń Kamil , Drajewicz Marcin , Góral Marek
Published: October 2021

Ceramic topcoats of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) make it possible to increase the working temperature of the hot sections of jet engines. Yttria-stabilized zirconia oxide (YSZ) is usually used to protect the turbine blades and vanes against high temperature and oxidation. It is necessary to develop new materials which can operate at higher temperatures in a highly oxidizing gas atmosphere. Re2Zr2O7-type pyrochlores are promising YSZ replacements. Usually, they are produced by mixing pure oxides in the calcination process at higher temperatures. In a recent article, the new concept of pyrochlore synthesis during the deposition process was presented. The new technology, called reactive plasma spray physical vapor deposition (reactive PS-PVD), was developed and a Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO) coating was achieved. The reactive PS-PVD process allowed for the use of a mixture of untreated ZrO2 and Gd2O3 powders as reactants, instead of the commercially available gadolinium zirconate powders used in other types of processes. The results of microstructure observations revealed a columnar microstructure in the produced ceramic layer. The phase composition indicated the presence of gadolinium zirconate. Thermal analysis showed a decrease in the thermal conductivity in the range of 700 to 1200 °C of the produced layers, as compared to the layer made of the currently used conventional YSZ.
Expression of Senescence and Apoptosis Biomarkers in Synchronous Bilateral Breast Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Saleh Tareq , El-Sadoni Mohammed , Alhesa Ahmad , Awad Heyam , Jaradat Mahmoud , Al-Hazaimeh Mohammad , Dawoud Rand , Mryyian Amel , Azab Bilal
Published: October 2021

Background: Synchronous bilateral breast cancer (SBBC) provides a special condition where two independent breast tumors are exposed to cancer pharmacotherapy within a uniform pharmacokinetic milieu. Both senescence and apoptosis are established responses to therapy; however, they have potentially variable contributions to the overall outcome of treatment, which are yet to be determined. Methods: In this report, we describe the clinicopathological picture of two SBBC cases that received standard anticancer treatment and assess their expression profile of several molecular hallmarks of senescence and apoptosis. Results: Our analysis identified that synchronous tumors have variable expression profiles of both senescence- and apoptosis-associated biomarkers, despite comparable pathological responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and current survival rates. Conclusions: Our results highlight the variable expression of senescence- and apoptosis-associated markers in breast tumors (despite the shared somatic genetic background) and invites a large-scale assessment of both senescence and apoptosis in breast cancer tissue in vivo and their contribution to the pathological response and overall survival.
Prognostic Radiological Tools for Clinical Stage IA Pure Solid Lung Cancer
Authors: Nakada Takeo , Takahashi Yusuke , Sakakura Noriaki , Iwata Hiroshi , Ohtsuka Takashi , Kuroda Hiroaki
Published: October 2021

In this study, we analyzed prognostic radiological tools and surgical outcomes for radiologically pure solid adenocarcinomas (AD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SQ) in clinical stage IA. We retrospectively investigated 130 patients who underwent surgical resections. We assessed the predictive risk factors for recurrence and pathological lymph node metastasis (LNM). There was no statistical difference in recurrence free survival (RFS) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) between AD and SQ groups (p = 0.642 and p = 0.403, respectively). In the whole cohort, tumor size on lung window and mediastinal settings, and tumor disappearance ratio using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were not prognostic parameters (p = 0.127, 0.066, and 0.082, respectively). The maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) using positron emission tomography-CT was associated with recurrence (p = 0.016). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, the cut-off value of SUVmax for recurrence was 4.6 (p = 0.016). The quantitative continuous variables using any radiological tools were not associated with LNM. However, tumor diameter on mediastinal setting ≥8 mm with SUVmax ≥2.4 could be a risk factor for LNM. Pure solid AD and SQ were equivalent for the RFS and CSS. SUVmax was useful to predict recurrence. The tumor diameter on a mediastinal setting and SUVmax were useful in predicting pathological LNM.
The Challenge of Return to Work after Breast Cancer: The Role of Family Situation, CANTO Cohort
Authors: Caumette Elsa , Vaz-Luis Inès , Pinto Sandrine , Havas Julie , Bovagnet Thomas , Ruiz de Azua Garazi , Di Meglio Antonio , Martin Anne-Laure , Everhard Sibille , Cottu Paul , Vanlemmens Laurence , Jouannaud Christelle , Lerebours Florence , Dumas Agnès , Menvielle Gwenn
Published: October 2021

Return to work (RTW) after breast cancer is associated with improved quality of life. The link between household characteristics and RTW remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the family situation on women’s RTW two years after breast cancer. We used data of a French prospective cohort of women diagnosed with stage I-III, primary breast cancer (CANTO, NCT01993498). Among women employed at diagnosis and under 57 years old, we assessed the association between household characteristics (living with a partner, marital status, number and age of economically dependent children, support by the partner) and RTW. Logistic regression models were adjusted for age, household income, stage, comorbidities, treatments and their side effects. Analyzes stratified by age and household income were performed to assess the association between household characteristics and RTW in specific subgroups. Among the 3004 patients included, women living with a partner returned less to work (OR = 0.63 [0.47–0.86]) and decreased their working time after RTW. Among the 2305 women living with a partner, being married was associated with decreased RTW among women aged over 50 (OR = 0.57 [0.34–0.95]). Having three or more children (vs. none) was associated with lower RTW among women with low household income (OR = 0.28 [0.10–0.80]). Household characteristics should be considered in addition to clinical information to identify vulnerable women, reduce the social consequence of cancer and improve their quality of life.
Diversity and Ecology of Diatoms in Pliocene Deposits of the Tunka Valley (Baikal Rift Zone)
Authors: Titova Lyubov’ , Hassan Abdulmonem , Mikhailov Ivan , Rodionova Elena , Rasskazov Sergei , Usoltseva Мarina
Published: September 2021

Fossil diatoms are an excellent tool for reconstructing the palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographic changes involving lacustrine systems. In this work, the diatom content of Pliocene sediments recovered from a core extracted in the Tunka Basin (Baikal Rift Zone, Russia) is described. Revealed by light and scanning electron microscopy, 170 species of diatoms were found. Benthic, alkaliphilic, indifferent, cosmopolitan, and oligosaprobe species predominated. Ecological, geographical, and stratigraphic analysis of diatoms showed two ecozones, differing in taxonomic diversity of species. From the data obtained, palaeoenvironmental conditions of these zone formations have been reconstructed. It was shown that during the period corresponding to sedimentation in Ecozone II, the reservoir was cooler, as suggested by the increase of arctic-alpine taxa. The absence of Baikal Pliocene endemics and the presence of local endemics in the Tunka core indicate that there was no geographical connection between the palaeolake of the Tunka Valley and Lake Baikal during the Pliocene.
A Hotspot of Arid Zone Subterranean Biodiversity: The Robe Valley in Western Australia
Authors: Clark Huon L. , Buzatto Bruno A. , Halse Stuart A.
Published: October 2021

Knowledge of subterranean fauna has mostly been derived from caves and streambeds, which are relatively easily accessed. In contrast, subterranean fauna inhabiting regional groundwater aquifers or the vadose zone (between surface soil layers and the watertable) is difficult to sample. Here we provide species lists for a globally significant subterranean fauna hotspot in the Robe Valley of the Pilbara region, Western Australia. This fauna was collected from up to 50 m below ground level using mining exploration drill holes and monitoring wells. Altogether, 123 subterranean species were collected over a distance of 17 km, comprising 65 troglofauna and 58 stygofauna species. Of these, 61 species were troglobionts and 48 stygobionts. The troglofauna occurs in small voids and fissures in mesas comprised mostly of an iron ore formation, while the stygofauna occurs in the alluvium of a river floodplain. The richness of the Robe Valley is not a localized aberration, but rather reflects the richness of the arid Pilbara region. While legislation in Western Australia has recognized the importance of subterranean fauna, mining is occurring in the Robe Valley hotspot with conditions of environmental approval that are designed to ensure species persistence.
Threat Assessment Method of Low Altitude Slow Small (LSS) Targets Based on Information Entropy and AHP
Authors: Luo Ruining , Huang Shucai , Zhao Yan , Song Yafei
Published: October 2021

In order to deal with the new threat of low altitude slow small (LSS) targets in air defense operations and provide support for LSS target interception decision, we propose a simple and reliable LSS target threat assessment method. Based on the detection capability of LSS targets and their threat characteristics, this paper proposes a threat evaluation factor and threat degree quantization function in line with the characteristics of LSS targets. LSS targets not only have the same threat characteristics as traditional air targets but also have the unique characteristics of flexible mobility and dynamic mission planning. Therefore, we use analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and information entropy to determine the subjective and objective threat factor weights of LSS targets and use the optimization model to combine them to obtain more reliable evaluation weights. Finally, the effectiveness and credibility of the proposed method are verified by experimental simulation.
An Improved Residual Network for Pork Freshness Detection Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Zou Liang , Liu Weinan , Lei Meng , Yu Xinhui
Published: October 2021

Effective and rapid assessment of pork freshness is significant for monitoring pork quality. However, a traditional sensory evaluation method is subjective and physicochemical analysis is time-consuming. In this study, the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique, a fast and non-destructive analysis method, is employed to determine pork freshness. Considering that commonly used statistical modeling methods require preprocessing data for satisfactory performance, this paper presents a one-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual network (1D-SE-ResNet) to construct the complex relationship between pork freshness and NIRS. The developed model enhances the one-dimensional residual network (1D-ResNet) with squeeze-and-excitation (SE) blocks. As a deep learning model, the proposed method is capable of extracting features from the input spectra automatically and can be used as an end-to-end model to simplify the modeling process. A comparison between the proposed method and five popular classification models indicates that the 1D-SE-ResNet achieves the best performance, with a classification accuracy of 93.72%. The research demonstrates that the NIRS analysis technique based on deep learning provides a promising tool for pork freshness detection and therefore is helpful for ensuring food safety.
Various Auto-Correlation Functions of m-Bit Random Numbers Generated from Chaotic Binary Sequences
Authors: Tsuneda Akio
Published: October 2021

This paper discusses the auto-correlation functions of m-bit random numbers obtained from m chaotic binary sequences generated by one-dimensional nonlinear maps. First, we provide the theoretical auto-correlation function of an m-bit sequence obtained by m binary sequences that are assumed to be uncorrelated to each other. The auto-correlation function is expressed by a simple form using the auto-correlation functions of the binary sequences. This implies that the auto-correlation properties of the m-bit sequences can be easily controlled by the auto-correlation functions of the original binary sequences. In numerical experiments using a computer, we generated m-bit random sequences using some chaotic binary sequences with prescribed auto-correlations generated by one-dimensional chaotic maps. The numerical experiments show that the numerical auto-correlation values are almost equal to the corresponding theoretical ones, and we can generate m-bit sequences with a variety of auto-correlation properties. Furthermore, we also show that the distributions of the generated m-bit sequences are uniform if all of the original binary sequences are balanced (i.e., the probability of 1 (or 0) is equal to 1/2) and independent of one another.
Image Encryption Scheme Based on Multiscale Block Compressed Sensing and Markov Model
Authors: Shi Yuandi , Hu Yinan , Wang Bin
Published: October 2021

Many image encryption schemes based on compressed sensing have the problem of poor quality of decrypted images. To deal with this problem, this paper develops an image encryption scheme by multiscale block compressed sensing. The image is decomposed by a three-level wavelet transform, and the sampling rates of coefficient matrices at all levels are calculated according to multiscale block compressed sensing theory and the given compression ratio. The first round of permutation is performed on the internal elements of the coefficient matrices at all levels. Then the coefficient matrix is compressed and combined. The second round of permutation is performed on the combined matrix based on the state transition matrix. Independent diffusion and forward-backward diffusion between pixels are used to obtain the final cipher image. Different sampling rates are set by considering the difference of information between an image’s low- and high-frequency parts. Therefore, the reconstruction quality of the decrypted image is better than that of other schemes, which set one sampling rate on an entire image. The proposed scheme takes full advantage of the randomness of the Markov model and shows an excellent encryption effect to resist various attacks.
Fatigue Detection with Spatial-Temporal Fusion Method on Covariance Manifolds of Electroencephalography
Authors: Zhao Nan , Lu Dawei , Hou Kechen , Chen Meifei , Wei Xiangyu , Zhang Xiaowei , Hu Bin
Published: October 2021

With the increasing pressure of current life, fatigue caused by high-pressure work has deeply affected people and even threatened their lives. In particular, fatigue driving has become a leading cause of traffic accidents and deaths. This paper investigates electroencephalography (EEG)-based fatigue detection for driving by mining the latent information through the spatial-temporal changes in the relations between EEG channels. First, EEG data are partitioned into several segments to calculate the covariance matrices of each segment, and then we feed these matrices into a recurrent neural network to obtain high-level temporal information. Second, the covariance matrices of whole signals are leveraged to extract two kinds of spatial features, which will be fused with temporal characteristics to obtain comprehensive spatial-temporal information. Experiments on an open benchmark showed that our method achieved an excellent classification accuracy of 93.834% and performed better than several novel methods. These experimental results indicate that our method enables better reliability and feasibility in the detection of fatigued driving.
Free Space Measurement Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Modulating Retro-Reflectors under Correlated Turbulent Channel
Authors: Wang Xingyu , Liu Wei , Wu Tianyi , Guo Chang , Zhang Yijun , Zhao Shanghong , Dong Chen
Published: October 2021

Modulating retro-reflector (MRR), originally introduced to support laser communication, relieves most of the weight, power, and pointing requirements to the ground station. In this paper, a plug-and-play measurement device independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) scheme with MRR is proposed not only to eliminate detector side channels and allow an untrusted satellite relay between two users, but also to simplify the requirements set-ups in practical flexible moving scenarios. The plug-and-play architecture compensates for the polarization drift during the transmission to provide superior performance in implementing the MDI-QKD on a free-space channel, and the MRR device is adopted to relax the requirements on both communication terminals. A double-pass correlated turbulent channel model is presented to investigate the complex and unstable channel characteristics caused by the atmospheric turbulence. Furthermore, the security of the modified MDI-QKD scheme is analyzed under some classical attacks and the simulation results indicate the feasibility under the situation that the system performance deteriorates with the increase of fading correlation coefficient and the turbulence intensity, which provides a meaningful step towards an MDI-QKD based on the moving platforms to join a dynamic quantum network with untrusted relays.