bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Stage-Specific Plasticity of Descending Modulatory Controls in a Rodent Model of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain
Authors: Kucharczyk Mateusz Wojciech , Derrien Diane , Dickenson Anthony Henry , Bannister Kirsty
Published: November 2020

Pain resulting from metastatic bone disease is a major unmet clinical need. Studying spinal processing in rodent models of cancer pain is desirable since the percept of pain is influenced in part by modulation at the level of the transmission system in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Here, a rodent model of cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) was generated following syngeneic rat mammary gland adenocarcinoma cell injection in the tibia of male Sprague Dawley rats. Disease progression was classified as “early” or “late” stage according to bone destruction. Even though wakeful CIBP rats showed progressive mechanical hypersensitivity, subsequent in vivo electrophysiological measurement of mechanically evoked deep dorsal horn spinal neuronal responses revealed no change. Rather, a dynamic reorganization of spinal neuronal modulation by descending controls was observed, and this was maladaptive only in the early stage of CIBP. Interestingly, this latter observation corresponded with the degree of damage to the primary afferents innervating the cancerous tissue. Plasticity in the modulation of spinal neuronal activity by descending control pathways reveals a novel opportunity for targeting CIBP in a stage-specific manner. Finally, the data herein have translational potential since the descending control pathways measured are present also in humans.
Cancer Alters the Metabolic Fingerprint of Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Palviainen Mari , Laukkanen Kirsi , Tavukcuoglu Zeynep , Velagapudi Vidya , Kärkkäinen Olli , Hanhineva Kati , Auriola Seppo , Ranki Annamari , Siljander Pia
Published: November 2020

Cancer alters cell metabolism. How these changes are manifested in the metabolite cargo of cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) remains poorly understood. To explore these changes, EVs from prostate, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), colon cancer cell lines, and control EVs from their noncancerous counterparts were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation and analyzed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), electron microscopy (EM), Western blotting, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Although minor differences between the cancerous and non-cancerous cell-derived EVs were observed by NTA and Western blotting, the largest differences were detected in their metabolite cargo. Compared to EVs from noncancerous cells, cancer EVs contained elevated levels of soluble metabolites, e.g., amino acids and B vitamins. Two metabolites, proline and succinate, were elevated in the EV samples of all three cancer types. In addition, folate and creatinine were elevated in the EVs from prostate and CTCL cancer cell lines. In conclusion, we present the first evidence in vitro that the altered metabolism of different cancer cells is reflected in common metabolite changes in their EVs. These results warrant further studies on the significance and usability of this metabolic fingerprint in cancer.
Focus on ROS1-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Crizotinib, Resistance Mechanisms and the Newer Generation of Targeted Therapies
Authors: D’Angelo Alberto , Sobhani Navid , Chapman Robert , Bagby Stefan , Bortoletti Carlotta , Traversini Mirko , Ferrari Katia , Voltolini Luca , Darlow Jacob , Roviello Giandomenico
Published: November 2020

The treatment of patients affected by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been revolutionised by the discovery of druggable mutations. ROS1 (c-ros oncogene) is one gene with druggable mutations in NSCLC. ROS1 is currently targeted by several specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but only two of these, crizotinib and entrectinib, have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Crizotinib is a low molecular weight, orally available TKI that inhibits ROS1, MET and ALK and is considered the gold standard first-line treatment with demonstrated significant activity for lung cancers harbouring ROS1 gene rearrangements. However, crizotinib resistance often occurs, making the treatment of ROS1-positive lung cancers more challenging. A great effort has been undertaken to identify a new generation or ROS1 inhibitors. In this review, we briefly introduce the biology and role of ROS1 in lung cancer and discuss the underlying acquired mechanisms of resistance to crizotinib and the promising new agents able to overcome resistance mechanisms and offer alternative efficient therapies.
Perioperative Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Children
Authors: Boretsky Karen
Published: November 2020

Anesthesiologists and other acute care physicians perform and interpret portable ultrasonography—point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)—at a child’s bedside, in the perioperative period. In addition to the established procedural use for central line and nerve block placement, POCUS is being used to guide critical clinical decisions in real-time. Diagnostic point-of-care applications most relevant to the pediatric anesthesiologist include lung ultrasound for assessment of endotracheal tube size and position, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia, and atelectasis; cardiac ultrasound for global cardiac function and hydration status, and gastric ultrasound for aspiration risk stratification. This article reviews and discusses select literature regarding the use of various applications of point-of-care ultrasonography in the perioperative period.
Enhanced Electrical Properties and Stability of P-Type Conduction in ZnO Transparent Semiconductor Thin Films by Co-Doping Ga and N
Authors: Tsay Chien-Yie , Chiu Wan-Yu
Published: November 2020

P-type ZnO transparent semiconductor thin films were prepared on glass substrates by the sol-gel spin-coating process with N doping and Ga–N co-doping. Comparative studies of the microstructural features, optical properties, and electrical characteristics of ZnO, N-doped ZnO (ZnO:N), and Ga–N co-doped ZnO (ZnO:Ga–N) thin films are reported in this paper. Each as-coated sol-gel film was preheated at 300 °C for 10 min in air and then annealed at 500 °C for 1 h in oxygen ambient. X-ray diffraction (XRD) examination confirmed that these ZnO-based thin films had a polycrystalline nature and an entirely wurtzite structure. The incorporation of N and Ga–N into ZnO thin films obviously refined the microstructures, reduced surface roughness, and enhanced the transparency in the visible range. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed the incorporation of N and Ga–N into the ZnO:N and ZnO:Ga–N thin films, respectively. The room temperature PL spectra exhibited a prominent peak and a broad band, which corresponded to the near-band edge emission and deep-level emission. Hall measurement revealed that the ZnO semiconductor thin films were converted from n-type to p-type after incorporation of N into ZnO nanocrystals, and they had a mean hole concentration of 1.83 × 1015 cm−3 and a mean resistivity of 385.4 Ω·cm. In addition, the Ga–N co-doped ZnO thin film showed good p-type conductivity with a hole concentration approaching 4.0 × 1017 cm−3 and a low resistivity of 5.09 Ω·cm. The Ga–N co-doped thin films showed relatively stable p-type conduction (>three weeks) compared with the N-doped thin films.
New Insights into the Structure of Glycols and Derivatives: A Comparative X-Ray Diffraction, Raman and Molecular Dynamics Study of Ethane-1,2-Diol, 2-Methoxyethan-1-ol and 1,2-Dimethoxy Ethane
Authors: Gontrani Lorenzo , Tagliatesta Pietro , Agresti Antonio , Pescetelli Sara , Carbone Marilena
Published: November 2020

In this study, we report a detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of three glycol derivatives, namely ethane-1,2-diol, 2-methoxyethan-1-ol and 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. For the first time, the X-ray spectra of the latter two liquids was measured at room temperature, and they were compared with the newly measured spectrum of ethane-1,2-diol. The experimental diffraction patterns were interpreted very satisfactorily with molecular dynamics calculations, and suggest that in liquid ethane-1,2-diol most molecules are found in gauche conformation, with intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the two hydroxyl groups. Intramolecular H-bonds are established in the mono-alkylated diol, but the interaction is weaker. The EDXD study also evidences strong intermolecular hydrogen-bond interactions, with short O···O correlations in both systems, while longer methyl-methyl interactions are found in 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. X-ray studies are complemented by micro Raman investigations at room temperature and at 80 °C, that confirm the conformational analysis predicted by X-ray experiments and simulations.
Investigating the Interaction between Persistent Slip Bands and Surface Hard Coatings via Crystal Plasticity Simulations
Authors: Dodaran Mohammad S. , Wang Jian , Shamsaei Nima , Shao Shuai
Published: November 2020

Fatigue cracks often initiate from the surface extrusion/intrusions formed due to the operation of persistent slip bands (PSBs). Suppression of these surface topographical features by hard surface coatings can significantly extend fatigue lives under lower stress amplitudes (i.e., high cycle fatigue), while cracks initiate early in the coating or in the coating–substrate interface under higher stress amplitudes (i.e., low cycle fatigue), deteriorating the fatigue performance. However, both beneficial and detrimental effects of the coatings appear to be affected by the coating–substrate material combination and coating thickness. A quantitative understanding of the role of these factors in the fatigue performance of materials is still lacking. In this study, crystal plasticity simulations were employed to elucidate the dependence of the coating’s effects on two factors—i.e., the coating thickness and loading amplitudes. The results revealed that the thicker coatings more effectively suppress the operation of the PSBs, but generate higher tensile and shear stresses, normal and parallel to the interfaces, respectively, promoting interfacial delamination. The tensile stresses parallel to the interface within the coating, which favors coating fracture, are not sensitive to the coating thickness.
Simultaneous Inference for High-Dimensional Approximate Factor Model
Authors: Wang Yong , Guo Xiao
Published: November 2020

This paper studies simultaneous inference for factor loadings in the approximate factor model. We propose a test statistic based on the maximum discrepancy measure. Taking advantage of the fact that the test statistic can be approximated by the sum of the independent random variables, we develop a multiplier bootstrap procedure to calculate the critical value, and demonstrate the asymptotic size and power of the test. Finally, we apply our result to multiple testing problems by controlling the family-wise error rate (FWER). The conclusions are confirmed by simulations and real data analysis.
Optimizing Computer Networks Communication with the Band Collocation Problem: A Variable Neighborhood Search Approach
Authors: Lozano-Osorio Isaac , Sanchez-Oro Jesus , Rodriguez-Garcia Miguel Ángel , Duarte Abraham
Published: November 2020

The Band Collocation Problem appears in the context of problems for optimizing telecommunication networks with the aim of solving some concerns related to the original Bandpass Problem and to present a more realistic approximation to be solved. This problem is interesting to optimize the cost of networks with several devices connected, such as networks with several embedded systems transmitting information among them. Despite the real-world applications of this problem, it has been mostly ignored from a heuristic point of view, with the Simulated Annealing algorithm being the best method found in the literature. In this work, three Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) variants are presented, as well as three neighborhood structures and a novel optimization based on Least Recently Used cache, which allows the algorithm to perform an efficient evaluation of the objective function. The extensive experimental results section shows the superiority of the proposal with respect to the best previous method found in the state-of-the-art, emerging VNS as the most competitive method to deal with the Band Collocation Problem.
System for Stabilizing an Operating Point of a Remote Electro-Optical Modulator Powered by Optical Fiber
Authors: Petrov Aleksei , Tronev Aleksandr , Agruzov Peter , Shamrai Aleksandr , Sorotsky Vladimir
Published: November 2020

The system for stabilizing an operating point of remote integrated optical Mach–Zehnder modulators with a dual output has been developed. The designed electronic circuit for precise bias control had low power consumption (less than 5 mW) and could be powered through optical fiber by signal optical radiation at a wavelength of 1550 nm with a power of 15 mW. The experimental demonstration of common mode noise rejection proved a high accuracy of the quadrature operating point setting and stabilization, resistance to the light intensity noise, and low level noise and distortion added to the transmitted signals.
The Power and Efficiency Analyses of the Cylindrical Cavity Receiver on the Solar Stirling Engine
Authors: Li Ji-Qiang , Kwon Jeong-Tae , Jang Seon-Jun
Published: November 2020

The technique of solar dish and Stirling engine combination is the most challenging and promising one. For the efficient conversion of the externally concentrated heat to the usable power, we studied the influences of the wall temperature, inclination angle, and open area ratio of the receiver on the Stirling engine power and efficiency. The theoretical analysis of the heat exchange element of the solar Stirling engine was performed, and the simulation model of the cavity absorber was built and analyzed. The temperature cloud and heat loss trends of the receiver under different wall temperatures, inclination angles, and opening ratios were illustrated. When the wall temperature of the absorber changes from 700 to 1000 K, the efficiency of the engine has increased by 8.8% from 21.34% to 30.11%. The higher the temperature, the higher the efficiency. As the inclination angle of the absorber increases from 0° to 60°, the efficiency of the engine is increased by 7.7% from 21.1% to 28.8%. With the increases of the aperture ratio, the engine output and efficiency reduced. The engine efficiency at the aperture ratio of 0.5 is 4% larger than that at the aperture ratio of 1.
Experimental Investigation of the Air Exchange Effectiveness of Push-Pull Ventilation Devices
Authors: Auerswald Sven , Hörberg Carina , Pflug Thibault , Pfafferott Jens , Bongs Constanze , Henning Hans-Martin
Published: November 2020

The increasing installation numbers of ventilation units in residential buildings are driven by legal objectives to improve their energy efficiency. The dimensioning of a ventilation system for nearly zero energy buildings is usually based on the air flow rate desired by the clients or requested by technical regulations. However, this does not necessarily lead to a system actually able to renew the air volume of the living space effectively. In recent years decentralised systems with an alternating operation mode and fairly good energy efficiencies entered the market and following question was raised: “Does this operation mode allow an efficient air renewal?” This question can be answered experimentally by performing a tracer gas analysis. In the presented study, a total of 15 preliminary tests are carried out in a climatic chamber representing a single room equipped with two push-pull devices. The tests include summer, winter and isothermal supply air conditions since this parameter variation is missing till now for push-pull devices. Further investigations are dedicated to the effect of thermal convection due to human heat dissipation on the room air flow. In dependence on these boundary conditions, the determined air exchange efficiency varies, lagging behind the expected range 0.5 < εa < 1 in almost all cases, indicating insufficient air exchange including short-circuiting. Local air exchange values suggest inhomogeneous air renewal depending on the distance to the indoor apertures as well as the temperature gradients between in- and outdoor. The tested measurement set-up is applicable for field measurements.
Value-Added Carp Products: Multi-Class Evaluation of Crisp Grass Carp by Machine Learning-Based Analysis of Blood Indexes
Authors: Fu Bing , Kaneko Gen , Xie Jun , Li Zhifei , Tian Jingjing , Gong Wangbao , Zhang Kai , Xia Yun , Yu Ermeng , Wang Guangjun
Published: November 2020

Crisp grass carp products from China are becoming more prevalent in the worldwide fish market because muscle hardness is the primary desirable characteristic for consumer satisfaction of fish fillet products. Unfortunately, current instrumental methods to evaluate muscle hardness are expensive, time-consuming, and wasteful. This study sought to develop classification models for differentiating the muscle hardness of crisp grass carp on the basis of blood analysis. Out of the total 264 grass carp samples, 12 outliers from crisp grass carp group were removed based on muscle hardness (<9 N), and the remaining 252 samples were used for the analysis of seven blood indexes including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH/GSSH), red blood cells (RBC), platelet count (PLT), and lymphocytes (LY). Furthermore, six machine learning models were applied to predict the muscle hardness of grass carp based on the training (152) and testing (100) datasets obtained from the blood analysis: random forest (RF), naïve Bayes (NB), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), support vector machine (SVM), partial least squares regression (PLSR), and artificial neural network (ANN). The RF model exhibited the best prediction performance with a classification accuracy of 100%, specificity of 93.08%, and sensitivity of 100% for discriminating crisp grass carp muscle hardness, followed by the NB model (93.75% accuracy, 91.83% specificity, and 94% sensitivity), whereas the ANN model had the lowest prediction performance (85.42% accuracy, 81.05% specificity, and 85% sensitivity). These machine learning methods provided objective, cheap, fast, and reliable classification for in vivo crisp grass carp and also prove useful for muscle quality evaluation of other freshwater fish.
Reviewing Martian Atmospheric Noble Gas Measurements: From Martian Meteorites to Mars Missions
Authors: Smith Thomas , Ranjith P. M. , He Huaiyu , Zhu Rixiang
Published: November 2020

Martian meteorites are the only samples from Mars available for extensive studies in laboratories on Earth. Among the various unresolved science questions, the question of the Martian atmospheric composition, distribution, and evolution over geological time still is of high concern for the scientific community. Recent successful space missions to Mars have particularly strengthened our understanding of the loss of the primary Martian atmosphere. Noble gases are commonly used in geochemistry and cosmochemistry as tools to better unravel the properties or exchange mechanisms associated with different isotopic reservoirs in the Earth or in different planetary bodies. The relatively low abundance and chemical inertness of noble gases enable their distributions and, consequently, transfer mechanisms to be determined. In this review, we first summarize the various in situ and laboratory techniques on Mars and in Martian meteorites, respectively, for measuring noble gas abundances and isotopic ratios. In the second part, we concentrate on the results obtained by both in situ and laboratory measurements, their complementarity, and the implications for the Martian atmospheric dynamic evolution through the last billions of years. Here, we intend on demonstrating how the various efforts established the Mars-Martian meteorites connection and its significance to our understanding of the red planet.
Are Vulnerable Communities Thoroughly Informed on Mosquito Bio-Ecology and Burden?
Authors: Buxton Mmabaledi , Machekano Honest , Gotcha Nonofo , Nyamukondiwa Casper , Wasserman Ryan J.
Published: November 2020

Mosquitoes account for a significant burden of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite evidence of (1) imminent anthropogenic climate and environmental changes, (2) vector-pathogen spatio-temporal dynamics and (3) emerging and re-emerging mosquito borne infections, public knowledge on mosquito bio-ecology remain scant. In particular, knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) on mosquitoes are often neglected despite otherwise expensive remedial efforts against consequent infections and other indirect effects associated with disease burden. To gather baseline KAPs that identify gaps for optimising vector-borne disease control, we surveyed communities across endemic and non-endemic malaria sub-districts (Botswana). The study revealed limited knowledge of mosquitoes and their infections uniformly across endemic and non-endemic areas. In addition, a significant proportion of respondents were concerned about mosquito burdens, although their level of personal, indoor and environmental protection practices varied significantly across sub-districts. Given the limited knowledge displayed by the communities, this study facilitates bridging KAP gaps to minimise disease burdens by strengthening public education. Furthermore, it provides a baseline for future studies in mosquito bio-ecology and desirable control practices across differential spheres of the rural–urban lifestyle, with implications for enhanced livelihoods as a consequence of improved public health.
Driving Mechanism of Power Battery Recycling Systems in Companies
Authors: Zhang Baojian , Li Jianqiang , Yue Xiaohang
Published: November 2020

In recent years, international environmental and public health research has become a hot topic, and battery recycling, which is often mentioned separately from waste disposal, has likewise become an academic topic. Battery recycling research is beneficial not only for controlling toxic and harmful substances, but also for public health. In addition, battery recycling brings value-added benefits to company management. As the most important link in the battery supply chain, the driving mechanism of battery recycling in the new electric vehicle industry will become particularly important. The subject of battery recycling is diverse, and the relationships among influencing factors are complex, thereby presenting a fluctuating state. Against this background, this study constructs a system dynamics model from the perspective of a main sorting and recycling system, a technological innovation subsystem and a replacement subsystem. Moreover, this study examines the driving mechanism of the power battery recycling system of a microlevel company. Focusing on the systematic impact of technological innovation capability and substitution, we find that the technological innovation drive of companies increases the total effect of required costs and product demands. It is embodied in two aspects, that is, the increase in the recovery rate leads to an increase in demand, whereas the increase in actual expenditures is less than the increase in technology-driven benefits. After technological innovation capability is improved, the effect of the technological innovation multiplier on the driving mechanism of companies is shown as rapid response time changes. In the substitution component of a company recycling system, we find that the maximum substitution rate limiting expectations has no significant impact on product differentiation. The leading effect of technological innovation capability is more obvious than that of substitution activity. Based on these findings, several suggestions for company operation and environmental governance are presented.
Dynamic Knee Valgus in Single-Leg Movement Tasks. Potentially Modifiable Factors and Exercise Training Options. A Literature Review
Authors: Wilczyński Bartosz , Zorena Katarzyna , Ślęzak Daniel
Published: November 2020

Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) as an incorrect movement pattern is recognized as a risk factor for lower limb injuries. Therefore, it is important to find the reasons behind this movement to select effective preventive procedures. There is a limited number of publications focusing on specific tasks, separating the double-leg from the single-leg tasks. Test patterns commonly used for DKV assessment, such as single-leg squat (SLS) or single leg landings (SLL), may show different results. The current review presents the modifiable factors of knee valgus in squat and landing single-leg tests in healthy people, as well as exercise training options. The authors used the available literature from PubMed, Scopus, PEDro and clinicaltrials.gov databases, and reviewed physiotherapy journals and books. For the purpose of the review, studies were searched for using 2D or 3D motion analysis methods only in the SLL and SLS tasks among healthy active people. Strengthening and activating gluteal muscles, improving trunk lateral flexion strength, increasing ROM dorsiflexion ankle and midfoot mobility should be taken into account when planning training programs aimed at reducing DKV occurring in SLS. In addition, knee valgus during SLL may occur due to decreased hip abductors, extensors, external rotators strength and higher midfoot mobility. Evidence from several studies supports the addition of biofeedback training exercises to reduce the angles of DKV.
Understanding Individual Mobility Pattern and Portrait Depiction Based on Mobile Phone Data
Authors: Li Chengming , Hu Jiaxi , Dai Zhaoxin , Fan Zixian , Wu Zheng
Published: November 2020

With the arrival of the big data era, mobile phone data have attracted increasing attention due to their rich information and high sampling rate. Currently, researchers have conducted various studies using mobile phone data. However, most existing studies have focused on macroscopic analysis, such as urban hot spot detection and crowd behavior analysis over a short period. With the development of the smart city, personal service and management have become very important, so microscopic portraiture research and mobility pattern of an individual based on big data is necessary. Therefore, this paper first proposes a method to depict the individual mobility pattern, and based on the long-term mobile phone data (from 2007 to 2012) of volunteers from Beijing as part of project Geolife conducted by Microsoft Research Asia, more detailed individual portrait depiction analysis is performed. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Based on high-density cluster identification, the behavior trajectories of volunteers are generalized into three types, and among them, the two-point-one-line trajectory and evenly distributed behavior trajectory were more prevalent in Beijing. (2) By integrating with Google Maps data, five volunteers’ behavior trajectories and the activity patterns of individuals were analyzed in detail, and a portrait depiction method for individual characteristics comprehensively considering their attributes, such as occupation and hobbies, is proposed. (3) Based on analysis of the individual characteristics of some volunteers, it is discovered that two-point-one-line individuals are generally white-collar workers working in enterprises or institutions, and the situation of a single cluster mainly exists among college students and home freelancer. The findings of this study are important for individual classification and prediction in the big data era and can also provide useful guidance for targeted services and individualized management of smart cities.
Spatial Assessment of the Effects of Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Hungary from 1990 to 2018
Authors: Waltner István , Saeidi Sahar , Grósz János , Centeri Csaba , Laborczi Annamária , Pásztor László
Published: November 2020

As soil erosion is still a global threat to soil resources, the estimation of soil loss, particularly at a spatiotemporal setting, is still an existing challenge. The primary aim of our study is the assessment of changes in soil erosion potential in Hungary from 1990 to 2018, induced by the changes in land use and land cover based on CORINE Land Cover data. The modeling scheme included the application and cross-valuation of two internationally applied methods, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA) models. Results indicate that the changes in land cover resulted in a general reduction in predicted erosion rates, by up to 0.28 t/ha/year on average. Analysis has also revealed that the combined application of the two models has reduced the occurrence of extreme predictions, thus, increasing the robustness of the method. Random Forest regression analysis has revealed that the differences between the two models are mainly driven by their sensitivity to slope and land cover, followed by soil parameters. The resulting spatial predictions can be readily applied for qualitative spatial analysis. However, the question of extreme predictions still indicates that quantitative use of the output results should only be carried out with sufficient care.
Various Aspects of Calcium Signaling in the Regulation of Apoptosis, Autophagy, Cell Proliferation, and Cancer
Authors: Patergnani Simone , Danese Alberto , Bouhamida Esmaa , Aguiari Gianluca , Previati Maurizio , Pinton Paolo , Giorgi Carlotta
Published: November 2020

Calcium (Ca2+) is a major second messenger in cells and is essential for the fate and survival of all higher organisms. Different Ca2+ channels, pumps, or exchangers regulate variations in the duration and levels of intracellular Ca2+, which may be transient or sustained. These changes are then decoded by an elaborate toolkit of Ca2+-sensors, which translate Ca2+ signal to intracellular operational cell machinery, thereby regulating numerous Ca2+-dependent physiological processes. Alterations to Ca2+ homoeostasis and signaling are often deleterious and are associated with certain pathological states, including cancer. Altered Ca2+ transmission has been implicated in a variety of processes fundamental for the uncontrolled proliferation and invasiveness of tumor cells and other processes important for cancer progression, such as the development of resistance to cancer therapies. Here, we review what is known about Ca2+ signaling and how this fundamental second messenger regulates life and death decisions in the context of cancer, with particular attention directed to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. We also explore the intersections of Ca2+ and the therapeutic targeting of cancer cells, summarizing the therapeutic opportunities for Ca2+ signal modulators to improve the effectiveness of current anticancer therapies.
Affinity Captured Urinary Extracellular Vesicles Provide mRNA and miRNA Biomarkers for Improved Accuracy of Prostate Cancer Detection: A Pilot Study
Authors: Davey Michelle , Benzina Sami , Savoie Marc , Breault Guy , Ghosh Anirban , Ouellette Rodney J.
Published: November 2020

Serum prostate-specific antigen (sPSA) testing has helped to increase early detection of and decrease mortality from prostate cancer. However, since sPSA lacks specificity, an invasive prostate tissue biopsy is required to confirm cancer diagnosis. Using urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a minimally invasive biomarker source, our goal was to develop a biomarker panel able to distinguish prostate cancer from benign conditions with high accuracy. We enrolled 56 patients in our study, 28 negative and 28 positive for cancer based on tissue biopsy results. Using our Vn96 peptide affinity method, we isolated EVs from post-digital rectal exam urines and used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure several mRNA and miRNA targets. We identified a panel of seven mRNA biomarkers whose expression ratio discriminated non-cancer from cancer with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.825, sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 84%. We also identified two miRNAs whose combined score yielded an AUC of 0.744. A model pairing the seven mRNA and two miRNA panels yielded an AUC of 0.843, sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 89%. Addition of EV-derived PCA3 levels and clinical characteristics to the biomarker model further improved test accuracy. An AUC of 0.955, sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 93% were obtained. Hence, Vn96-isolated urinary EVs are a clinically applicable and minimally invasive source of mRNA and miRNA biomarkers with potential to improve on the accuracy of prostate cancer screening and diagnosis.
Two-Dimensional Jamming Recognition Algorithm Based on the Sevcik Fractal Dimension and Energy Concentration Property for UAV Frequency Hopping Systems
Authors: Xue Rui , Liu Jing , Tang Huaiyu
Published: November 2020

Unmanned aircraft vehicle frequency hopping (UAV-FH) systems face multiple types of jamming, and one anti-jamming method cannot cope with all types of jamming. Therefore, the jamming signals of the environment where the UAV-FH system is located must be identified and classified; moreover, anti-jamming measures must be selected in accordance with different jamming types. First, the algorithm extracts the Sevcik fractal dimension from the frequency domain (SFDF) and the degree of energy concentration from the fractional Fourier domain of various types of jamming. Then, these parameters are combined into a two-dimensional feature vector and used as a feature parameter for classification and recognition. Lastly, a binary tree-based support vector machine (BT-SVM) multi-classifier is used to classify the jamming signal. Simulation results show that the feature parameters extracted by the proposed method have good separation and strong stability. Compared with the existing box-dimensional recognition algorithm, the new algorithm not only can quickly and accurately identify the type of jamming signal but also has more advantages when the jamming-to-noise ratio (JNR) is low.
Wearable Sensors for Monitoring and Preventing Noncommunicable Diseases: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kristoffersson Annica , Lindén Maria
Published: November 2020

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting a healthy well-being for all at all ages are listed as some of the goals in Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Considering that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, reducing the mortality of NCDs is an important target. To reach this goal, means for detecting and reacting to warning signals are necessary. Here, remote health monitoring in real time has great potential. This article provides a systematic review of the use of wearable sensors for the monitoring and prevention of NCDs. In addition, this article not only provides in-depth information about the retrieved articles, but also discusses examples of studies assessing warning signals that may result in serious health conditions, such as stroke and cardiac arrest, if left untreated. One finding is that even though many good examples of wearable sensor systems for monitoring and controlling NCDs are presented, many issues also remain to be solved. One major issue is the lack of testing on representative people from a sociodemographic perspective. Even though substantial work remains, the use of wearable sensor systems has a great potential to be used in the battle against NCDs by providing the means to diagnose, monitor and prevent NCDs.
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on the “Offensive” in Africa: Prospects for Integrated Management Initiatives
Authors: Tarusikirwa Vimbai L. , Machekano Honest , Mutamiswa Reyard , Chidawanyika Frank , Nyamukondiwa Casper
Published: November 2020

The South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) has aggressively invaded the African continent. Since its first detection in North Africa in Morocco and Tunisia in 2008, it has successfully invaded the entire southern, eastern and western Africa, where it has been on the offensive, causing significant damage to Solanaceous food crops. While control of this prolific invader is primarily based on conventional synthetic pesticides, this form of control is consistently losing societal approval owing to (1) pesticide resistance development and consequential loss of field efficacy; (2) growing public health concerns; (3) environmental contamination and loss of biological diversity and its associated ecological services; and (4) unsustainable costs, particularly for resource-poor African farmers. As such, more ecologically sound pest management strategies, e.g., the use of natural substances (NSs), may offer a more sustainable approach to tackling this offensive. A systematic literature search through digital libraries and online databases (JSTOR, PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Google Scholar) was conducted using predetermined keywords on T. absoluta, e.g., South American tomato pinworm. We use this to explain the invasion of T. absoluta in Africa, citing mechanisms facilitating African invasion and exploring the potential of its control using diverse biological control agents, natural and low-risk substances. Specifically, we explore how botanicals, entomopathogens, semiochemicals, predators, parasitoids, host plant resistance, sterile insect technique and others have been spatially employed to control T. absoluta and discuss the potential of these control agents in African landscapes using more integrated approaches. We discuss the use of NSs as assets to general insect pest control, some potential associated liabilities and explain the potential use and barriers to adoption in African systems from a legislative, economic, ecological and social standpoint.
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibodies in Corsica (France), April and June 2020
Authors: Capai Lisandru , Ayhan Nazli , Masse Shirley , Canarelli Jean , Priet Stéphane , Simeoni Marie-Hélène , Charrel Remi , de Lamballerie Xavier , Falchi Alessandra
Published: November 2020

Our aim was to assess the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection after the lockdown in a sample of the Corsican population. Between 16 April and 15 June 2020, 2312 residual sera were collected from patients with a blood analysis conducted in one of the participating laboratories. Residual sera obtained from persons of all ages were tested for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin G (IgG) using the EUROIMMUN enzyme immunoassay kit for semiquantitative detection of IgG antibodies against the S1 domain of viral spike protein (ELISA-S). Borderline and positive samples in ELISA-S were also tested with an in-house virus neutralization test (VNT). Prevalence values were adjusted for sex and age. A total of 1973 residual sera samples were included in the study. The overall seroprevalence based on ELISA-S was 5.27% (95% confidence interval (CI), 4.33–6.35) and 5.46% (4.51–6.57) after adjustment. Sex was not associated with IgG detection. However, significant differences were observed between age groups (p-value = 1 E-5). The highest values were observed among 10–19, 30–39, and 40–49 year-old age groups, ranging around 8–10%. The prevalence of neutralizing antibody titers ≥40 was 3% (2.28–3.84). In conclusion, the present study showed a low seroprevalence for COVID-19 in Corsica, a finding that is in accordance with values reported for other French regions in which the impact of the pandemic was low.
Accuracy of Conventional and Machine Learning Enhanced Chest Radiography for the Assessment of COVID-19 Pneumonia: Intra-Individual Comparison with CT
Authors: Martini Katharina , Blüthgen Christian , Walter Joan E. , Messerli Michael , Nguyen-Kim Thi Dan Linh , Frauenfelder Thomas
Published: November 2020

Purpose: To evaluate diagnostic accuracy of conventional radiography (CXR) and machine learning enhanced CXR (mlCXR) for the detection and quantification of disease-extent in COVID-19 patients compared to chest-CT. Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19-patients undergoing CXR from March to April 2020 together with COVID-19 negative patients as control group were retrospectively included. Two independent readers assessed CXR and mlCXR images for presence, disease extent and type (consolidation vs. ground-glass opacities (GGOs) of COVID-19-pneumonia. Further, readers had to assign confidence levels to their diagnosis. CT obtained ≤ 36 h from acquisition of CXR served as standard of reference. Inter-reader agreement, sensitivity for detection and disease extent of COVID-19-pneumonia compared to CT was calculated. McNemar test was used to test for significant differences. Results: Sixty patients (21 females; median age 61 years, range 38–81 years) were included. Inter-reader agreement improved from good to excellent when mlCXR instead of CXR was used (k = 0.831 vs. k = 0.742). Sensitivity for pneumonia detection improved from 79.5% to 92.3%, however, on the cost of specificity 100% vs. 71.4% (p = 0.031). Overall, sensitivity for the detection of consolidation was higher than for GGO (37.5% vs. 70.4%; respectively). No differences could be found in disease extent estimation between mlCXR and CXR, even though the detection of GGO could be improved. Diagnostic confidence was better on mlCXR compared to CXR (p = 0.013). Conclusion: In line with the current literature, the sensitivity for detection and quantification of COVID-19-pneumonia was moderate with CXR and could be improved when mlCXR was used for image interpretation.
Dental Caries Diagnosis and Detection Using Neural Networks: A Systematic Review
Authors: Prados-Privado María , García Villalón Javier , Martínez-Martínez Carlos Hugo , Ivorra Carlos , Prados-Frutos Juan Carlos
Published: November 2020

Dental caries is the most prevalent dental disease worldwide, and neural networks and artificial intelligence are increasingly being used in the field of dentistry. This systematic review aims to identify the state of the art of neural networks in caries detection and diagnosis. A search was conducted in PubMed, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Xplore, and ScienceDirect. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook tool. Thirteen studies were included. Most of the included studies employed periapical, near-infrared light transillumination, and bitewing radiography. The image databases ranged from 87 to 3000 images, with a mean of 669 images. Seven of the included studies labeled the dental caries in each image by experienced dentists. Not all of the studies detailed how caries was defined, and not all detailed the type of carious lesion detected. Each study included in this review used a different neural network and different outcome metrics. All this variability complicates the conclusions that can be made about the reliability or not of a neural network to detect and diagnose caries. A comparison between neural network and dentist results is also necessary.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) and Survival: The Importance of Systematic Screening and Treatment in HHT Centers of Excellence
Authors: de Gussem Els M. , Kroon Steven , Hosman Anna E. , Kelder Johannes C. , Post Martijn C. , Snijder Repke J. , Mager Johannes J.
Published: November 2020

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), an autosomal dominant disease, is characterized by telangiectases and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Untreated AVMs, especially in the lungs—pulmonary AVMs (PAVMs)—can result in morbidity with a decreased life expectancy. We have investigated whether HHT patients, systematically screened for HHT-related organ involvement and treated if needed, have a similar survival as persons without HHT. We included all individuals screened for HHT between 2004 and 2016 with a genetically or clinically confirmed diagnosis (HHT group) or excluded diagnosis (non-HHT control group). The social security number was used to confirm status as dead or alive in December 2019. We included 717 HHT patients and 471 controls. There was no difference in survival between the HHT and the non-HHT control group. The HHT group had a life expectancy of 75.9 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 73.3–78.6), comparable to the control group (79.3 years, 95% CI 74.8–84.0, Mantel–Cox test: p = 0.29). In conclusion, the life expectancy of HHT patients systematically screened for HHT-related organ involvement and treated if needed in an HHT center of excellence was similar compared to their controls, justifying systematic screening and treatment in HHT patients.
The Burden of Associated Comorbidities in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea—Regional Differences in Two Central–Eastern European Sleep Centers
Authors: Bikov Andras , Frent Stefan , Pleava Roxana , Kunos Laszlo , Bokhari Saba , Meszaros Martina , Mihaicuta Stefan
Published: November 2020

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is usually associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and depression. Data on relevant OSA-associated comorbidities in Central–European populations are scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of comorbidities in two OSA cohorts from Hungary and Romania. Methods: Data from 588 (282 from Hungary, 306 from Romania) untreated patients with OSA were retrospectively analyzed. The prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, allergic rhinitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia and depression were compared between the two populations following adjustment for demographics, body mass index, smoking history, comorbidities and sleep parameters. Results: The prevalence rates of hypertension, arrhythmia, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease, diabetes and COPD in the whole study population were directly related to the severity of OSA. We found an inverse correlation between the prevalence of osteoporosis and OSA severity (all p < 0.05). Following adjustment, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was higher in the Hungarian cohort, whilst the prevalence of asthma, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was higher in the Romanian cohort (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: There was no difference in the prevalence rate of most comorbidities in patients with OSA from the two cohorts, except for dyslipidemia, asthma, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Can Polyphenols in Eye Drops Be Useful for Trabecular Protection from Oxidative Damage?
Authors: Saccà Sergio Claudio , Izzotti Alberto , Vernazza Stefania , Tirendi Sara , Scarfì Sonia , Gandolfi Stefano , Bassi Anna Maria
Published: November 2020

Polyphenols, with anti-oxidant properties, counteract oxidative stress effects. Increasing evidence has found oxidative stressto be the main risk factor for trabecular meshwork (TM) damage, leading to high-tension glaucoma. Topical anti-oxidants could represent a new target for glaucoma treatment. Our aim is to investigate the protective mechanisms on a human TM culture of a patented polyphenol and fatty acid (iTRAB®)formulation in response to oxidative stress using an advanced invitromodel consisting of 3D-human TM cells, embedded in a natural hydrogel, and a milli-scaled multi-organ device model for constantdynamic conditions. The 3D-human TM cells(3D-HTMCs) were treated daily with 500 µM H2O2or 500 µM H2O2and 0.15% iTRAB®(m/v) for 72 h, and molecular differences in the intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS), state of the cells, activation of the apoptosis pathway and NF-kB and the expression ofinflammatory and fibrotic markers wereanalyzed at different time-points.Concomitant exposure significantly reduced iROS and restored TM viability, iTRAB® having a significant inhibitory effect on the apoptotic pathway, activation of NF-κB, induction of pro-inflammatory (IL-1α, IL-1ß and TNFα) and pro-fibrotic (TGFβ) cytokines and the matrix metalloproteinase expressions. It is clear that this specific anti-oxidant provides a valid TM protection, suggesting iTRAB® could be an adjuvant therapy in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).