bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Effectiveness of Uniportal-VATS Lobectomy Compared to Open Surgery in Early-Stage Lung Cancer
Authors: Nachira Dania , Congedo Maria Teresa , Tabacco Diomira , Sassorossi Carolina , Calabrese Giuseppe , Ismail Mahmoud , Vita Maria Letizia , Petracca-Ciavarella Leonardo , Margaritora Stefano , Meacci Elisa
Published: March 2022

Background

Although the feasibility and safety of Uniportal-Video-Assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) has been proven, its surgical effectiveness is still debated. The aim of this study is to assess the equivalence of the U-VATS approach compared with an open technique in terms of surgical (nodal-upstaging, complications, and post-operative results) and short-term survival outcomes.

Methods

The clinical data of patients undergoing lobectomy for NSCLC at our center, from January 2014 to December 2019, were analyzed retrospectively. All patients undergoing open or U-VATS lobectomy with lymphadenectomy for early-stage lung cancer (cT1-T3N0, stages IA-IIB) were included in the study. Only 230 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Group bias was reduced through 1:1 propensity score matching, which resulted in 46 patients in each group (open surgery and U-VATS).

Results

The intra- and post-operative mortality were null in both groups. There was no difference in the post-operative complications (p: 1.00) between U-VATS and open lobectomy. There was also no recorded difference in the pathological nodal up-staging [11 (23.9%) after thoracotomy vs. 8 (17.4%) after U-VATS, p: 0.440). The chest tube duration was longer in the open group (p: 0.025), with a higher post-operative pain (p: 0.001). Additionally, the 3-year overall survival (OS) was 78% after U-VATS lobectomy vs. 74% after open lobectomy (p: 0.204), while 3-year disease-specific survival (DSS) was 97 vs. 89% (p: 0.371), respectively. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 62% in the U-VATS group and 66% in the thoracotomy group, respectively (p: 0.917).

Conclusions

Uniportal-VATS lobectomy for the treatment of early-stage lung cancer seems to be a safe and effective technique with similar surgical and short-term survival outcomes as open surgery, but with lower post-operative pain and shorter in-hospital stay.
Dioecy in Flowering Plants: From the First Observations of Prospero Alpini in the XVI Century to the Most Recent Advances in the Genomics Era
Authors: Vannozzi Alessandro , Palumbo Fabio , Lucchin Margherita , Barcaccia Gianni
Published: March 2022

Prospero Alpini was an Italian physician, botanist and scientist. Born in Marostica, in the Republic of Venice, in his youth he served in the Milanese army, but in 1574 he decided to study medicine at the University of Padova, where he graduated in 1578. After a short period as a doctor in Camposampiero (Padova, Italy), he became the personal doctor of Giorgio Emo, the appointed consul in Cairo in Egypt. In this way, he was able to devote himself to the study of botany. In this country, from the cultivation practices of the date palm, he described for the first time the sexual dimorphism in plants, later adopted as the basis of Linnaeus’ scientific classification system. Since then, this behavior, termed dioecy, has been described in other plant species, and many advances have been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, especially with the advent of genomics. Starting from a brief description of Prospero’s life and his pioneering scientific contribution, we illustrated the two main models explaining dioecism. This was achieved by taking a cue from two plant species, grapevine and poplar, in which genomics and single molecule sequencing technologies played a pivotal role in scientific advance in this field.
Design and Performance Analysis of Lamina Emergent Torsional Joints Based on Double-Laminated Material Structure
Authors: Ma Buchuan , Qiu Lifang , Liu Beiying , Yu Yue , Liu Ningning , Chen Guimin
Published: March 2022

Flexibility and accuracy are two key aspects of the performances of compliant joints. In order to obtain high flexibility while maintain high accuracy, this paper proposes a design method to improve the tensile stiffness of Lamina Emergent Torsional (LET) joint by utilizing double-laminated material structure. The joint is made of a LET joint and a layer of flexible H18 aluminum foil fixing on it (called double-laminated LET, DL-LET). The kinetostatic model for the joint is given, and the equations needed to calculate the equivalent spring constant are derived. The model is verified using finite element analysis (FEA). The results obtained through two different ways coincide with each other very well. The results show that DL-LET and LET joints have similar bending stiffness, while the tensile stiffness of the DL-LET joint is much larger than that of the LET joint. The results are validated by tensile tests. Finally, to further demonstrate the extension of this idea, a DL-Triple-LET joint is presented and compared to the Triple-LET joint.
Adaptive Harmony Search for Tuned Liquid Damper Optimization under Seismic Excitation
Authors: Ocak Ayla , Nigdeli Sinan Melih , Bekdaş Gebrail , Kim Sanghun , Geem Zong Woo
Published: March 2022

In this study, the tuned liquid damper (TLD) device was optimized by the harmony search (HS) and adaptive harmony search algorithms (AHS). Using the harmony search algorithm, seismic excitations were directed at single and ten-story structures, and TLD parameters were optimized to minimize building movement. To improve design parameters, the optimization process was repeated by adapting the design factors of the harmony search algorithm. For this purpose, both the harmony memory consideration ratio (HMCR) and fret width (FW) were gradually reduced by providing an initial value, and optimum algorithm parameters were obtained. As a result of both optimizations, in a critical seismic analysis, the displacements of the adaptive harmony search showed smaller means and standard deviations than those of the classical harmony search.
Carbon Dynamics in Rewetted Tropical Peat Swamp Forests
Authors: Darusman Taryono , Murdiyarso Daniel , Impron Impron , Chaniago Iswandi Anas , Lestari Dwi Puji
Published: March 2022

Degraded and drained peat swamp forests (PSFs) are major sources of carbon emissions in the forestry sector. Rewetting interventions aim to reduce carbon loss and to enhance the carbon stock. However, studies of rewetting interventions in tropical PSFs are still limited. This study examined the effect of rewetting interventions on carbon dynamics at a rewetted site and an undrained site. We measured aboveground carbon (AGC), belowground carbon (BGC), litterfall, heterotrophic components of soil respiration (Rh), methane emissions (CH4), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration at both sites. We found that the total carbon stock at the rewetted site was slightly lower than at the undrained site (1886.73 ± 87.69 and 2106.23 ± 214.33 Mg C ha−1, respectively). The soil organic carbon (SOC) was 1685 ± 61 Mg C ha−1 and 1912 ± 190 Mg C ha−1 at the rewetted and undrained sites, respectively, and the carbon from litterfall was 4.68 ± 0.30 and 3.92 ± 0.34 Mg C ha−1 year−1, respectively. The annual average Rh was 4.06 ± 0.02 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at the rewetted site and was 3.96 ± 0.16 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at the undrained site. In contrast, the annual average CH4 emissions were −0.0015 ± 0.00 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at the rewetted site and 0.056 ± 0.000 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at the undrained site. In the rewetted condition, carbon from litter may become stable over a longer period. Consequently, carbon loss and gain mainly depend on the magnitude of peat decomposition (Rh) and CH4 emissions.
Sorption of Fulvic Acids onto Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Extracted from Commercial Sunscreens: ToF-SIMS and High-Dimensional Data Analysis
Authors: Tayyebi Sabet Khomami Narjes , Welle Alexander , Kunz Stefan , Philippe Allan
Published: March 2022

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (n-TiO2) are common ingredients of sunscreens and are often released into surface waters during usage. Once released, the surface chemistry of n-TiO2 changes by interacting with dissolved organic matter (DOM). In previous studies, these interactions were investigated using model n-TiO2 and; therefore, do not account for the complex composition of the coating of n-TiO2 aged in sunscreens. Taking advantage of a mild extraction method to provide more realistic nanoparticles, we investigated the potentials of time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) combined with high-dimensional data analysis to characterize the sorption of fulvic acids, as a model for DOM, on titanium dioxide nanoparticles extracted from ten different commercial sunscreens (n-TiO2 ⸦ sunscreen). Clustering analysis confirmed the ability of ToF-SIMS to detect the sorption of fulvic acids. Moreover, a unique sorption pattern was recognized for each n-TiO2 ⸦ sunscreen, which implied different fractionation of fulvic acids based on the initial specifications of nanoparticles, e.g., size, coating, etc. Furthermore, random forest was used to extract the most important fragments for predicting the presence of fulvic acids on the surface of n-TiO2 ⸦ sunscreen. Finally, we evaluate the potential of ToF-SIMS for characterizing the sorption layer.
A Multiple End-Devices Authentication Scheme for LoRaWAN
Authors: Fan Chun-I , Zhuang Er-Shuo , Karati Arijit , Su Chun-Hui
Published: March 2022

With the advancement of the Internet of Things, the LoRa Alliance produced the Long-Range Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN) Specification, allowing end-devices to transit through a gateway and join the LoRa network after completing a join procedure. When an end-device joins the LoRaWAN network, it must send a join request message to the network server and wait for the network server to verify such request under the current LoRaWAN join protocol. However, as the number of end-devices grows exponentially, network server verification messages will grow linearly with the number of end-devices. This paper proposes an authentication system for multiple end-devices that complies with the LoRa Alliance’s specifications and decreases the joining latency imposed by the network server verifying messages. The proposed authentication system is formally secure against the server and end-device impersonation. In addition, we assess the authentication overhead and compare it to the standard approach.
Stable Crack Propagation Model of Rock Based on Crack Strain
Authors: Huang Xiao , Shi Chong , Ruan Huaining , Zhang Yiping , Zhao Wei
Published: March 2022

The establishment of a rock constitutive model considering microcrack propagation characteristics is an important channel to reflect the progressive damage and failure of rocks. The prepeak crack strain evolution curve of rock is divided into three stages based on the triaxial compression test results of granite and the definition of crack strain. According to the nonlinear variation characteristics of crack strain in the stage of rock crack stable propagation, rock deformation is expressed as the sum of matrix strain and crack strain. Then, the exponential constitutive relationship of rock crack stable propagation is deduced. The axial crack strains of the rock sample and its longitudinal section are equal. Thus, the longitudinal symmetry plane of the rock sample is abstracted as a model containing sliding crack structure in an elastic body, and the evolution equation of crack geometric parameters in the process of stable crack propagation is obtained. Compared with the experimental data, results show that the rock crack stable propagation model based on crack strain can adequately describe the evolution law of crack strain and wing crack length. In addition, the wing crack propagates easily when the elastic body with small width contains an initial crack with a large length and an axial dip angle of 45° under compressive load. This study provides a new idea for the analysis of the stable propagation characteristics and laws of rock cracks under compressive load.
Interaction and Assembly of Bacterial Communities in High-Latitude Coral Habitat Associated Seawater
Authors: Chen Yu , Li Jie , Lyu Yuanjiao , Zou Yiyang , Li Qiqi , Yang Qingsong , Tang Xiaoyu , Yuan Xiangcheng , Jiang Zhijian , Zhang Si
Published: March 2022

Threatened by climate change and ocean warming, coral reef ecosystems have been shifting in geographic ranges toward a higher latitude area. The water-associated microbial communities and their potential role in primary production contribution are well studied in tropical coral reefs, but poorly defined in high-latitude coral habitats to date. In this study, amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and cbbL gene, co-occurrence network, and βNTI were used. The community structure of bacterial and carbon-fixation bacterial communities showed a significant difference between the center of coral, transitional, and non-coral area. Nitrite, DOC, pH, and coral coverage ratio significantly impacted the β-diversity of bacterial and carbon-fixation communities. The interaction of heterotrophs and autotrophic carbon-fixers was more complex in the bottom than in surface water. Carbon-fixers correlated with diverse heterotrophs in surface water but fewer lineages of heterotrophic taxa in the bottom. Bacterial community assembly showed an increase by deterministic process with decrease of coral coverage in bottom water, which may correlate with the gradient of nitrite and pH in the habitat. A deterministic process dominated the assembly of carbon-fixation bacterial community in surface water, while stochastic process dominated t the bottom. In conclusion, the structure and assembly of bacterial and carbon-fixer community were affected by multi-environmental variables in high-latitude coral habitat-associated seawater.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of the Self-Assembly of Phenylalanine Peptide Nanotubes
Authors: Bystrov Vladimir , Likhachev Ilya , Sidorova Alla , Filippov Sergey , Lutsenko Aleksey , Shpigun Denis , Belova Ekaterina
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we propose and use a new approach for a relatively simple technique for conducting MD simulation (MDS) of various molecular nanostructures, determining the trajectory of the MD run and forming the final structure using external force actions. A molecular dynamics manipulator (MD manipulator) is a controlled MDS type. As an example, the applicability of the developed algorithm for assembling peptide nanotubes (PNT) from linear phenylalanine (F or Phe) chains of different chirality is presented. The most adequate regimes for the formation of nanotubes of right chirality D from the initial L-F and nanotubes of left chirality L of their initial dipeptides D-F modes were determined. We use the method of a mixed (vector–scalar) product of the vectors of the sequence of dipole moments of phenylalanine molecules located along the nanotube helix to calculate the magnitude and sign of chirality of self-assembled helical phenylalanine nanotubes, which shows the validity of the proposed approach. As result, all data obtained correspond to the regularity of the chirality sign change of the molecular structures with a hierarchical complication of their organization.
Magnetic Field Sensing Based on Whispering Gallery Mode with Nanostructured Magnetic Fluid-Infiltrated Photonic Crystal Fiber
Authors: Zhang Chencheng , Pu Shengli , Hao Zijian , Wang Boyu , Yuan Min , Zhang Yuxiu
Published: March 2022

A kind of novel and compact magnetic field sensor has been proposed and investigated experimentally. The proposed sensor consists of a tapered single mode fiber coupled with a nanostructured magnetic fluid-infiltrated photonic crystal fiber, which is easy to be fabricated. The response of magnetic fluid to magnetic field is used to measure the intensity of magnetic field via whispering gallery mode. The magnetic field-dependent shift in resonance wavelength is observed. The maximum magnetic field intensity sensitivity is 53 pm/mT. The sensor sensitivity is inversely proportional to the thickness of the photonic crystal fiber cladding.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Associated Factors among Female Migrants in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Anouti Fatme Al , Ahmed Luai A. , Riaz Azmat , Grant William B. , Shah Nadir , Ali Raghib , Alkaabi Juma , Shah Syed M.
Published: March 2022

Vitamin D is important for bone health, and vitamin D deficiency could be linked to noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated risk factors among female migrants from Philippines, Arab, and South Asian countries residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We used a cross-sectional study to recruit a random sample (N = 550) of female migrants aged 18 years and over in the city of Al Ain, UAE. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations ≤20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L). We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency. The mean age of participants was 35 years (SD ± 10). The overall prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency was 67% (95% CI 60–73%), with the highest rate seen in Arabs (87%), followed by South Asians (83%) and the lowest in Filipinas (15%). Multivariate analyses showed that low physical activity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.59; 95% CI 1.98, 10.63), having more than 5 years duration of residence in the UAE (aOR = 4.65; 95% CI: 1.31, 16.53) and being obese (aOR = 3.56; 95% CI 1.04, 12.20) were independently associated with vitamin D deficiency, after controlling for age and nationality. In summary, vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among female migrants, especially Arabs and South Asians. It is crucial that health professionals in the UAE become aware of this situation among this vulnerable subpopulation and provide intervention strategies aiming to rectify vitamin D deficiency by focusing more on sun exposure, physical activity, and supplementation.
InfectionCMA: A Cell MicroArray Approach for Efficient Biomarker Screening in In Vitro Infection Assays
Authors: Magalhães Ana C. , Ricardo Sara , Moreira Ana C. , Nunes Mariana , Tavares Margarida , Pinto Ricardo J. , Gomes Maria Salomé , Pereira Luisa
Published: March 2022

The recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has forced the scientific community to acquire knowledge in real-time, when total lockdowns and the interruption of flights severely limited access to reagents as the global pandemic became established. This unique reality made researchers aware of the importance of designing efficient in vitro set-ups to evaluate infectious kinetics. Here, we propose a histology-based method to evaluate infection kinetics grounded in cell microarray (CMA) construction, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques. We demonstrate that the chip-like organization of the InfectionCMA has several advantages, allowing side-by-side comparisons between diverse cell lines, infection time points, and biomarker expression and cytolocalization evaluation in the same slide. In addition, this methodology has the potential to be easily adapted for drug screening.
Incidence, Persistence, and Clearance of Anal Human Papillomavirus among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Zhou Yiguo , Zhou Xinyi , Lin Yi-Fan , Luo Ganfeng , Lu Yong , Wang Zhenyu , Li Peiyang , Luo Zhenzhou , Meng Xiaojun , Tian Tian , Fu Leiwen , Dai Jianghong , Zou Huachun
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study to measure incidence, persistence, and clearance of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. (2) Methods: MSM were recruited in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuxi, China in 2017. A tablet-based questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. An anal brush sample was collected for HPV testing and genotyping. Participants were followed up 12 months after enrolment. (3) Results: A total of 196 participants completed two HPV tests with a median age of 27.3 (interquartile range (IQR) 24.0–32.8) years. Rate of incidence, persistence, and clearance for HPV among MSM were 31.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 24.7–39.2), 47.9 (36.8–61.3), and 122.5 (104.3–143.0) per 1000 person months (pm), respectively. HPV 16 (4.1/1000 pm) had the highest incidence rate, and HPV 6 (47.4/1000 pm) had the highest persistence rate. Having lower education and engaging in receptive anal intercourse were potential risk factors of HPV incidence. A higher incidence rate was observed among younger MSM. (4) Conclusions: The high incidence and low clearance of anal HPV highlight the necessity of HPV vaccination among MSM. Further studies are needed to clarify the HPV dynamics at multiple anatomical sites and the burden of HPV-related diseases among MSM.
First Molecular Evidence for the Presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Naturally Infected Small Ruminants in Tunisia, and Confirmation of Anaplasma ovis Endemicity
Authors: M’ghirbi Youmna , Oporto Beatriz , Hurtado Ana , Bouattour Ali
Published: March 2022

Anaplasma species are obligate intracellular rickettsial vector-borne pathogens that impose economic constraints on animal breeders and threaten human health. Anaplasma ovis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infect sheep and goats worldwide. A duplex PCR targeting the msp2 and msp4 genes of A. phagocytophilum and A. ovis, respectively, was developed to analyze the field blood samples collected from sheep and goats. A total of 263 apparently healthy small ruminants from 16 randomly selected flocks situated in 3 bioclimatic zones in Tunisia were analyzed for Anaplasma infections. Anaplasma spp. was detected in 78.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 72.8–83.1) of the analyzed animals. The prevalence of A. ovis in sheep (80.4%) and goats (70.3%) was higher than that of A. phagocytophilum (7.0% in sheep and 1.6% in goats). Using an inexpensive, specific, and rapid duplex PCR assay, we provide, to the best of our knowledge, the first molecular evidence for the presence of A. phagocytophilum in small ruminants in Tunisia. A. phagocytophilum generally presented as a co-infection with A. ovis. This study provides important data to understand the epidemiology of anaplasmosis in small ruminants, and highlights the risk of contracting the infection upon tick exposure.
Image Spherizing-Based Three-Dimensional Displacement Measurement Technique for Microscope with Single Camera
Authors: Zhao Ran , Li Xuan , Sun Ping , Tang Yuxin , Jiao Peng , Huang Yonggang , Jia Jinsheng
Published: March 2022

The detection of three-dimensional displacement, caused by micro-nano scale deformation, is of great significance for the industrial production of glass or quartz optical fiber products. Considering the detection cost and practicability, an image spherizing-based three-dimensional displacement measurement method for a monocular microscopic imaging system (a microscope with a normal industrial camera) is proposed. Differential theory tells us that an arbitrary large-scale deformation can be approximatively considered as the sum of slope-shaped deformations. In this paper, an ordinary slope model is presented by the idea of image spherizing and differential theory, which reveals the mathematical relation between in-plane displacement and out-of-plane displacement in the deformed images captured by an optical microscope. After obtaining the in-plane displacement field, the out-of-plane displacement field can be extracted from the in-plane displacement field by the ordinary slope model, which indicates that the out-of-plane displacement information carried by the in-plane displacement is fully utilized. Simulation and application experiments are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and all the absolute errors of the measurement by optical microscope with a magnification of 50× are less than 0.2 μm. Unlike conventional methods, the new method does not need a phase unwrapping process during detection and has many attractive characteristics such as low-cost, simple arrangements and good applicability. Because the measurement precision of this technique can meet the detection requirement, it has been applied to the industrial detection of glass or quartz optical fiber products.
Scaling up the Process of Catalytic Decomposition of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons with the Formation of Carbon Nanostructures
Authors: Wang Chen , Bauman Yury I. , Mishakov Ilya V. , Stoyanovskii Vladimir O. , Shelepova Ekaterina V. , Vedyagin Aleksey A.
Published: March 2022

Catalytic processing of organochlorine wastes is considered an eco-friendly technology. Moreover, it allows us to obtain a value-added product—nanostructured carbon materials. However, the realization of this process is complicated by the aggressiveness of the reaction medium due to the presence of active chlorine species. The present research is focused on the characteristics of the carbon product obtained over the Ni-Pd catalyst containing 5 wt% of palladium in various quartz reactors: from a lab-scale reactor equipped with McBain balance to scaled-up reactors producing hundreds of grams. 1,2-dichloroethane was used as a model chlorine-substituted organic compound. The characterization of the materials was performed using scanning and transmission electron microscopies, Raman spectroscopy, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. Depending on the reactor type, the carbon yield varied from 14.0 to 24.2 g/g(cat). The resulting carbon nanofibers possess a segmented structure with disordered packaging of the graphene layers. It is shown that the carbon deposits are also different in density, structure, and morphology, depending on the type of reactor. Thus, the specific surface area changed from 405 to 262 and 286 m2/g for the products from reactor #1, #2, and #3, correspondingly. The main condition providing the growth of a fluffy carbon product is found to be its ability to grow in any direction. If the reactor walls limit the carbon growing process, the carbon product is represented by very dense fibers that can finally crack the reactor.
Decrease in Ca2+ Concentration in Quail Cardiomyocytes Is Faster than That in Rat Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Ogura Yuhei , Ito Hiroaki , Sugita Shukei , Nakamura Masanori , Ujihara Yoshihiro
Published: March 2022

Mammals and birds have quicker heart rates compared to other species. Mammalian cardiomyocytes have T-tubule membranes that facilitate rapid changes in Ca2+ concentrations. In contrast, bird cardiomyocytes do not possess T-tubule membranes, which raises the question of how birds achieve fast heartbeats. In this study, we compared the changes in Ca2+ concentration in cardiomyocytes isolated from adult quails and rats to elucidate the mechanism resulting in rapid heart rates in birds. Cardiomyocytes isolated from quails were significantly narrower than those isolated from rats. When Ca2+ concentration changes in the entire cardiomyocytes were measured using Fura-2 acetoxymethyl ester (AM), the time to peak was statistically longer in quails than in rats. In contrast, the decay time was markedly shorter in quails than in rats. As a result, the total time of Ca2+ concentration change was shorter in quails than in rats. A spatiotemporal analysis of Ca2+ concentration changes in quail cardiomyocytes showed that the decrease in Ca2+ concentration was faster in the center of the cell than near the cell membrane. These results suggest that avian cardiomyocytes achieve rapid changes in Ca2+ concentration by increasing the Ca2+ removal capacity in the central part of the cell compared to mammalian cardiomyocytes.
UPLC-MS/MS-Based Analysis of Trastuzumab in Plasma Samples: Application in Breast Cancer Patients Sample Monitoring
Authors: Sheikh Aadil Ahmad , Alam Ozair , Rub Rehan Abdur , Iqbal Muzaffar , Medhi Kunjahari , Alsalman Abdulkhaliq J. , Imran Mohd , Alshehri Sultan , Ghoneim Mohammed M. , Shakeel Faiyaz
Published: March 2022

Trastuzumab is a target-based recombinant humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAbs), extensively employed for treatment of metastatic breast cancer with human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression. Studies around the world have reported that mAbs have substantial inter-patient unpredictable absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME-pharmacokinetics) because of multiple elements manipulating the concentration of mAbs in plasma. Herein, we have established a bioanalytical technique using UPLC-MS/MS with an easy sample workup method and in-solution digestion protocol to assay the trastuzumab plasma samples from breast cancer patients in clinical studies. Surrogated proteolytic peptides were used for accurate quantification of trastuzumab (CanMab) with a trastuzumab signature peptide with [13C6, 15N4]-arginine and [13C6, 15N2]-lysine stable isotope-labeled (SIL) peptide. Experiments to validate the method were accurately carried out according to the guidelines mentioned in the bioanalytical method validation protocol. The evaluation established excellent linearity over a wide range of 5–500 µg/mL. The experimental procedure was efficaciously performed in a pilot study of five breast cancer patients and residual concentrations of drugs from responding and non-responding subjects were compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) examination displayed that 52.25 µg/mL was the Cmin threshold predictive response with a satisfactory sensitivity of 88.58% and specificity of 79.25%.
Use of 3D Laser Scanning and Additive Technologies for Reconstruction of Damaged and Destroyed Cultural Heritage Objects
Authors: Parfenov Vadim , Igoshin Sergei , Masaylo Dmitriy , Orlov Alexey , Kuliashou Dzmitry
Published: March 2022

Three-dimensional laser scanning is a novel measurement technique that is frequently used for the documentation of cultural heritage (CH) objects. In the process of 3D scanning, one can obtain computing 3D models of artworks to be documented. It allows one to produce detailed digitized archives of important CH objects. Moreover, the use of 3D scanning enables the digital reconstruction of architectural fragments, sculptures, and other artworks. One more important application of this technique relates to the creation of molds and replicas for replacements of outdoor CH objects in case their preservation requirements do not allow them to remain in their original place due to the influence of environmental factors. One of the most effective ways of creating replicas is the use of laser additive technologies. Therefore, the combination of 3D scanning and additive technologies is a very promising way of preservation of CH. This paper describes several case studies concerned with the combined usage of 3D laser scanning and additive technologies for digital reconstruction and replication and of outdoor sculptures in St. Petersburg city. One of them is the reconstruction of the zinc sculpture “Eva at the fountain” (XIX century, England), which was destroyed during WWII. Its replica was created by means of laser stereolithography. Eventually, one more project is related to the reconstruction of the fragment of the sufficiently damaged cast-iron XIX century monument. This object was reconstructed using two laser technologies: direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), and laser cladding (LC).
The Birth of Buddhist Organizations in Modern Indonesia, 1900–1959
Authors: Yulianti Yulianti
Published: March 2022

In the early twentieth century, Indonesia was a predominantly Muslim majority colony under the Dutch Christian colonial authorities. The 1930 volkstelling (census record) conducted by the Dutch colonial government recorded four religions being practiced in the archipelago; Buddhism was not one of them. Nevertheless, sources such as newspapers and private magazines published by various organizations showed that Buddhism was being practiced in Java. In the 1930s, several organizations published books and translations on Buddhism. The first organization that exclusively identified itself as Buddhist, the Java Buddhist Association, was established in 1929 by Dutch Buddhists in West Java. Five years later, Peranakan Chinese in Batavia established a second Buddhist organization. This article seeks to explore two issues, namely: the history and development of Buddhist institutions during the late colonial and early post-Independence Indonesia; and the transnational networks of these institutions in the promotion of Buddhist knowledge in modern Indonesia.
Deep Learning and Transformer Approaches for UAV-Based Wildfire Detection and Segmentation
Authors: Ghali Rafik , Akhloufi Moulay A. , Mseddi Wided Souidene
Published: March 2022

Wildfires are a worldwide natural disaster causing important economic damages and loss of lives. Experts predict that wildfires will increase in the coming years mainly due to climate change. Early detection and prediction of fire spread can help reduce affected areas and improve firefighting. Numerous systems were developed to detect fire. Recently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were employed to tackle this problem due to their high flexibility, their low-cost, and their ability to cover wide areas during the day or night. However, they are still limited by challenging problems such as small fire size, background complexity, and image degradation. To deal with the aforementioned limitations, we adapted and optimized Deep Learning methods to detect wildfire at an early stage. A novel deep ensemble learning method, which combines EfficientNet-B5 and DenseNet-201 models, is proposed to identify and classify wildfire using aerial images. In addition, two vision transformers (TransUNet and TransFire) and a deep convolutional model (EfficientSeg) were employed to segment wildfire regions and determine the precise fire regions. The obtained results are promising and show the efficiency of using Deep Learning and vision transformers for wildfire classification and segmentation. The proposed model for wildfire classification obtained an accuracy of 85.12% and outperformed many state-of-the-art works. It proved its ability in classifying wildfire even small fire areas. The best semantic segmentation models achieved an F1-score of 99.9% for TransUNet architecture and 99.82% for TransFire architecture superior to recent published models. More specifically, we demonstrated the ability of these models to extract the finer details of wildfire using aerial images. They can further overcome current model limitations, such as background complexity and small wildfire areas.
High-Precision Absolute Pose Sensing for Parallel Mechanisms
Authors: Schempp Constantin , Schulz Stefan
Published: March 2022

A parallel mechanism’s pose is usually obtained indirectly from the active joints’ coordinates by solving the direct kinematics problem. Its accuracy mainly depends on the accuracy of the measured active joints’ coordinates, the tolerances in the active and passive joints, possible backlash, axes misalignment, limb deformations due to stress or temperature, the initial pose estimate that is used for the numerical method, and the accuracy of the kinematic model itself. Backlash and temperature deformations in the active joints especially hinder high-precision applications as they usually cannot be observed. By implementing a camera module on the base platform and an array of fiducial tags on the moveable manipulator platform of a parallel mechanism, a highly accurate, direct, and absolute pose measurement system can be obtained that can overcome those limitations. In this paper, such a measurement system is proposed, designed, and its accuracy is investigated on a state-of-the-art H-811.I2 6-axis miniature hexapod by Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG.
Application of Quality by Design Approach to the Pharmaceutical Development of Anticancer Crude Extracts of Crocus sativus Perianth
Authors: Mykhailenko Olha , Ivanauskas Liudas , Bezruk Ivan , Petrikaitė Vilma , Georgiyants Victoriya
Published: March 2022

The application of the Quality by Design (QbD) concept to extracts obtained from Crocus sativus perianth with potential anticancer activity will ensure the safety, efficiency, and quality control of the entire technological process, as well as determine the critical factors affecting the quality of extracts. Potentially critical points of the production of the plant extracts, including the cultivation and processing of the plant materials, the extraction process, and the choice of solvents, were identified using the Ishikawa diagram and FMEA risk assessment methods as well as the corrective actions proposed. The Herbal Chemical Marker Ranking System (HerbMars) approach was used to justify the Q-markers choice of Crocus, which takes into account bioavailability, pharmacological activity, and the presence of the selected standard. An experimental design (DoE) was used to assess the influence of potentially critical factors on the efficiency of the compound extraction from raw materials with water or ethanol. The presence of 16 compounds in Crocus perianth was determined by HPLC and their quantitative assessment was established. Selected compounds (ferulic acid, mangiferin, crocin, rutin, isoquercitrin) can be used for the quality control of Crocus perianth. In addition, the stigmas from the Volyn region met the requirements of ISO 3632 for saffron as a spice (category I). The cytotoxic activity against melanoma (IGR39) and triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines of the hydroethanolic extract of C. sativus perianth was significantly more pronounced than the water extract, probably due to the chemical composition of the constituent components. The results show that the QbD approach is a powerful tool for process development for the production of quality herbal drugs.
Participatory Action Research for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Scoping Review
Authors: Lassi Zohra S , Neideck Ebony Grace , Aylward Bridget Mary , Andraweera Prabha H. , Meherali Salima
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions are essential for the health of adolescents (10–19 years). Co-designing is a participatory approach to research, allowing for collaboration with academic and non-academic stakeholders in intervention development. Participatory action research (PAR) involves stakeholders throughout the planning, action, observation, and reflection stages of research. Current knowledge indicates that co-producing SRH interventions with adolescents increases a feeling of ownership, setting the scene for intervention adoption in implementation settings. Objectives: This scoping review aims to understand the extent of adolescents’ participation in PAR steps for co-designed SRH interventions, including the barriers and facilitators in co-designing of SRH intervention, as well as its effectiveness on adolescents’ SRH outcomes. Methods: Database searching of PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and organisational websites was performed, identifying 439 studies. Results: Upon screening, 30 studies (published between 2006–2021) met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis identified that adolescents were involved in the planning and action stages of the interventions, but not in the observation and reflection stages. Although the review identified the barriers and facilitators for co-designing SRF interventions, none of the included studies reported on the effectiveness of co-designing SRH interventions with adolescents; therefore, meta-analysis was not performed. Conclusions: While no specific outcome of the interventions was reported, all papers agreed that adolescent co-designing in ASRH interventions should occur at all stages to increase understanding of local perceptions and develop a successful intervention.
Storytelling as an Educational Tool in Sustainable Education
Authors: Hofman-Bergholm Maria
Published: March 2022

In this theoretical paper, a multidisciplinary framework is structured to enable the formation of a shared understanding of the need to combine education for sustainability, traditional knowledge, transformative learning, systems thinking, and storytelling. The paper summarizes results from some fairly new studies on sustainability implementation in education, recognizes problems, and provides alternative suggestions on how to address problems that prevent the integration of sustainability in education. An increase in ecological illiteracy in society and lost contact with nature seem to occur within the now-growing generation. In research literature, it is largely agreed that systems thinking needs to be developed in order to understand the concept of sustainability. Reviewing research in the field, systems dynamics, simulations, and case studies are highlighted as possible pedagogical tools to emerge in the understanding of sustainability. However, do we still only preform information transformation? To transform both education and society, transformative learning must be adopted. This paper would like to emphasize the capacity of storytelling to make sustainability more easily accessible. Storytelling as a pedagogical tool for learning sustainability is still a bit overshadowed, but the idea of sustainability can be traced far back in aboriginal cultures, where storytelling has been used to transfer traditional knowledge from one generation to the next.
A New Container Throughput Forecasting Paradigm under COVID-19
Authors: Huang Anqiang , Liu Xinjun , Rao Changrui , Zhang Yi , He Yifan
Published: March 2022

COVID-19 has imposed tremendously complex impacts on the container throughput of ports, which poses big challenges for traditional forecasting methods. This paper proposes a novel decomposition–ensemble forecasting method to forecast container throughput under the impact of major events. Combining this with change-point analysis and empirical mode decomposition (EMD), this paper uses the decomposition–ensemble methodology to build a throughput forecasting model. Firstly, EMD is used to decompose the sample data of port container throughput into multiple components. Secondly, fluctuation scale analysis is carried out to accurately capture the characteristics of the components. Subsequently, we tailor the forecasting model for every component based on the mode analysis. Finally, the forecasting results of all the components are combined into one aggregated output. To validate the proposed method, we apply it to a forecast of the container throughput of Shanghai port. The results show that the proposed forecasting model significantly outperforms its rivals, including EMD-SVR, SVR, and ARIMA.
A Case Study Evaluating Water Quality and Reach-, Buffer-, and Watershed-Scale Explanatory Variables of an Urban Coastal Watershed
Authors: Heidkamp Laurissa C. , Christian Alan D.
Published: March 2022

Land use land cover within a watershed influences stream water quality, habitat quality, and biological community structure. As development and associated impervious surface increases in a watershed, changes in storm water and nutrient inputs generally cause declines in habitat conditions and biodiversity. The first goal of our study was to evaluate the water quality in the Charles River watershed, in which our objective (G1O1) was to establish ten 100-meter reach-scale sampling stations and conduct physical, chemical, and biological assessments. The second goal of this study was to better understand the direct and indirect effects of hierarchical variables on water quality in the Charles River watershed. Our first objective of our second goal (G2O1) was to calculate land use land cover percentages at the pour-point subwatershed and local 100-meter buffer scale for each of our ten 100-meter reach sampling stations. Our second objective of our second goal (G2O2) was to use path analysis to determine the direct and indirect effects of land use land cover and impervious surface on water quality in the Charles River watershed. The results of G1O1 were that habitat quality assessments ranged from “marginal” to “optimal” and biological quality assessments ranged from “fair” to “good“, indicating overall “fair” or better water quality conditions in the watershed. The results of G2O2 were that our path analysis resulted in differences in effects of development between the buffer and sub-watershed scale. At the buffer scale, water quality was influenced more negatively by the percentage of developed land area versus the percentage of impervious cover. While both buffer development and habitat quality had a direct effect on Streamside Biosurvey Macroinvertebrates, buffer development also directly hindered habitat quality, thus having an indirect effect on Streamside Biosurvey Macroinvertebrates through habitat. Streamside Biosurvey Macroinvertebrate scores were shown to be more sensitive to development within the buffer versus at the sub-watershed scale, where impervious cover was a more important indicator of stream water quality. Through this small case study of 10 stations within the Charles River watershed, we illustrated how citizen-science level water quality assessments can be combined with water chemistry and hierarchical LULC data to provide insights into potential direct and indirect effects on water quality. As the fields of landscape ecology and conservation continue to grow, so does our ability to determine changes in land development and devise management strategies aimed at improving water quality.
Business Analysis and Product Innovation to Improve SMEs Business Performance
Authors:   Department of Management, Faculty of Economy and Business, Universitas Widyatama, Bandung, Indonesia, Febrianti R A M , Herbert A S N
Published: March 2022

Currently, business growth, especially small and medium-sized businesses in Bandung City, Indonesia, has experienced a fairly high increase. In this era of the COVID-19 pandemic, SME players must be able to improve their analytical skills, especially knowledge about business trends. In addition, the innovation factor is also perceived to be very important in order to survive in the face of competition. This study is aimed to understand the influence of business analysis and innovation performance in improving the business performance of small and medium enterprises. This study uses a quantitative method with an explanatory approach to determine how much influence the independent variable has on the dependent variable. Respondents in this study were SMEs in the city of Bandung, especially on Jalan Cikutra. 200 questionnaires were distributed but only 170 were returned. The results in this study are that these two variables have a fairly high influence on business performance. This shows that the variables of business analysis ability and innovation are important factors for SMEs to improve their business performance