bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Carbonation on the Leachability of Solidified/Stabilized Lead‐Contaminated Expansive Soil
Authors: Zha Fusheng , Liu Congmin , Kang Bo , Xu Long , Yang Chengbin , Chu Chengfu , Yu Chuang , Zhang Wei , Zhang Jiwen , Liu Zhenghong
Published: February 2021

Lime, fly ash, and alkaline residue are used widely as effective binders to solidify/stabilize heavy metal‐contaminated expansive soil. Carbonation, however, may influence the effectiveness of solidification/stabilization (S/S) by decomposing hydration products and decreasing pH, which would seriously damage the long‐term durability of stabilized soils. This study focused on the variation of leaching characteristics of solidified/stabilized lead‐contaminated expansive soils before and after accelerated carbonation under the leachant of pH 3 and 5 by the semidynamic leaching test. After semidynamic leaching, leaching indexes such as the effective diffusion coefficient (De), leachability index (Lx), and slope (rc) were used to reveal the ion leaching mechanism. The results indicated that the amount of Pb2+ and Ca2+ leached out under different pH conditions increased after carbonation, which confirmed that carbonate on solidified/stabilized lead (Pb) had a negative impact. Additionally, the De values of Pb2+ and Ca2+ varied in the range of 1.16E − 10 cm2/s to 1.71E − 07 cm2/s, which demonstrated that ion migration was low. The contaminated soil solidified by lime and AR could be used in “controlled utilization” as Lx was higher than 9, and the leaching process was controlled by a dissolution reaction according to the analysis of rc. Moreover, the strong acidic leachant (pH = 3) resulted in more ions leaching out and lower pH in leachate compared with a mildly acidic leachant. Finally, with literature and experimental results, we found that the main reason for the increase of lead ion filtration of the carbonation reduced the pH value of the matrix and made the hydration products denatured and decomposed.
Crenolanib Regulates ERK and AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways in RAS/BRAF-Mutated Colorectal Cancer Cells and Organoids
Authors: Fujino Shiki , Miyoshi Norikatsu , Ito Aya , Yasui Masayoshi , Ohue Masayuki , Ogino Takayuki , Takahashi Hidekazu , Uemura Mamoru , Matsuda Chu , Mizushima Tsunekazu , Doki Yuichiro , Eguchi Hidetoshi
Published: February 2021

Recently developed molecularly targeted therapies such as EGFR inhibitors have notably improved the prognosis of patients with cancer. However, patients with KRAS and BRAF mutations do not currently benefit from these therapies. Here, we aimed to examine potential effects of crenolanib as a new molecularly targeted therapy in colorectal cancer. We used multiple colorectal cancer cell lines to investigate the growth-inhibitory effect of crenolanib and its effect in combination with other cytotoxic agents. Primary cultures of patient-derived organoids (PDO), a model that reflects the heterogeneity of clinical colorectal cancer, were used to further validate the effects of crenolanib. Unlike cetuximab, crenolanib remarkably suppressed ERK and AKT/mTOR pathways in HT29 cells with BRAF mutation and in HCT116 cells with KRAS mutation with corresponding growth-suppressing effects. Additive or synergistic effects were observed in treatments with combination of crenolanib and other cytotoxic drugs. Moreover, crenolanib suppressed the expression of stem cell markers, such as OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2. These observations were substantiated in seven PDOs with KRAS mutation and two PDOs without KRAS/BRAF mutations, with crenolanib suppressing the growth of all PDOs regardless of their KRAS mutation status. Furthermore, crenolanib abrogated PDGF- and TGFβ-induced increase of OCT4-positive cells in PDOs. Together, these findings suggest that crenolanib may have clinical utility for patients with colorectal cancer, especially patients with KRAS/BRAF mutations.

Implications:

These findings indicate that crenolanib can be a useful target agent for patients with colorectal cancer, especially patients with KRAS/BRAF mutations.
Colorectal Cancer–Derived CAT1-Positive Extracellular Vesicles Alter Nitric Oxide Metabolism in Endothelial Cells and Promote Angiogenesis
Authors: Ikeda Atsushi , Nagayama Satoshi , Sumazaki Makoto , Konishi Makoto , Fujii Risa , Saichi Naomi , Muraoka Satoshi , Saigusa Daisuke , Shimada Hideaki , Sakai Yoshiharu , Ueda Koji
Published: February 2021

Accumulating scientific evidences strongly support the importance of cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) in organization of tumor microenvironment and metastatic niches, which are also considered as ideal tools for cancer liquid biopsy. To uncover the full scope of proteomic information packaged within EVs secreted directly from human colorectal cancer, we cultured surgically resected viable tissues and obtained tissue-exudative EVs (Te-EV). Our quantitative profiling of 6,307 Te-EV proteins and 8,565 tissue proteins from primary colorectal cancer and adjacent normal mucosa (n = 17) allowed identification of a specific cargo in colorectal cancer–derived Te-EVs, high-affinity cationic amino acid transporter 1 (CAT1, P = 5.0 × 10–3, fold change = 6.2), in addition to discovery of a new class of EV markers, VPS family proteins. The EV sandwich ELISA confirmed escalation of the EV-CAT1 level in plasma from patients with colorectal cancer compared with healthy donors (n = 119, P = 3.8 × 10–7). Further metabolomic analysis revealed that CAT1-overexpressed EVs drastically enhanced vascular endothelial cell growth and tubule formation via upregulation of arginine transport and downstream NO metabolic pathway. These findings demonstrate the potency of CAT1 as an EV-based biomarker for colorectal cancer and its functional significance on tumor angiogenesis.

Implications:

This study provides a proteome-wide compositional dataset for viable colorectal cancer tissue–derived EVs and especially emphasizes importance of EV-CAT1 as a key regulator of angiogenesis.
Identification and Therapeutic Targeting of GPR20, Selectively Expressed in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors, with DS-6157a, a First-in-Class Antibody–Drug Conjugate
Authors: Iida Kenji , Abdelhamid Ahmed Amr H. , Nagatsuma Akiko Kawano , Shibutani Tomoko , Yasuda Satoru , Kitamura Michiko , Hattori Chiharu , Abe Manabu , Hasegawa Jun , Iguchi Takuma , Karibe Tsuyoshi , Nakada Takashi , Inaki Koichiro , Kamei Reiko , Abe Yuki , Nomura Taisei , Andersen Jessica L. , Santagata Sandro , Hemming Matthew L. , George Suzanne , Doi Toshihiko , Ochiai Atsushi , Demetri George D. , Agatsuma Toshinori
Published: February 2021

Currently, the only approved treatments for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) are tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), which eventually lead to the development of secondary resistance mutations in KIT or PDGFRA and disease progression. Herein, we identified G protein–coupled receptor 20 (GPR20) as a novel non–tyrosine kinase target in GIST, developed new GPR20 IHC, and assessed GPR20 expression in cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, and clinical samples from two institutes (United States and Japan). We studied GPR20 expression stratified by treatment line, KIT expression, GIST molecular subtype, and primary tumor location. We produced DS-6157a, an anti-GPR20 antibody–drug conjugate with a novel tetrapeptide-based linker and DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor exatecan derivative (DXd). DS-6157a exhibited GPR20 expression–dependent antitumor activity in GIST xenograft models including a GIST model resistant to imatinib, sunitinib, and regorafenib. Preclinical pharmacokinetics and safety profile of DS-6157a support its clinical development as a potential novel GIST therapy in patients who are refractory or have resistance or intolerance to approved TKIs.

Significance:

GPR20 is selectively expressed in GIST across all treatment lines, regardless of KIT/PDGFRA genotypes. We generated DS-6157a, a DXd-based antibody–drug conjugate that exhibited antitumor activity in GIST models by a different mode of action than currently approved TKIs, showing favorable pharmacokinetics and safety profiles.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1307
СИНТЕЗ ТА ВИВЧЕННЯ БІОЛОГІЧНОЇ АКТИВНОСТІ ПОЛІЦИКЛІЧНИХ 1-ТІОКСО-9,10a-ДИГІДРОПІРОЛО[3,4-b]КАРБАЗОЛ-3,10-ДІОНІВ
Authors: Kryshchyshyn-Dylevych A. P.
Published: February 2021

Мета роботи. Дизайн та синтез нових конденсованих молекул на основі індольного та тіогідантоїнового (2-тіоксоімідазолідин-4-онового) циклів як потенційних «лікоподібних сполук». Дослідження їхньої протипухлинної активності.

Матеріали і методи. Органічний синтез, спектроскопія ЯМР, фармакологічний скринінг.

Результати й обговорення. Взаємодією 3-(4-оксо-2-тіоксотіазолідин-5-іліденметилен)-1H-індол-карбонових кислот із тіогідантоїном у середовищі ацетатної кислоти при нагріванні одержано конденсовані тетрациклічні 1-тіоксо-9,10a-дигідропіроло[3,4-b]карбазол-3,10-діони. У реакції метил-3-форміліндолін-2-карбоксилату із 2-тіогідантоїном утворюється метиловий естер 5-флюоро-3-(4-оксо-2-тіоксоімідазолідин-5-іліденметил)-1H-індол-2-карбонової кислоти. Антипроліферативну активність синтезованих сполук вивчали у концентрації 10-5 М на панелі ракових клітин.

Висновки. Опрацьовано ефективний метод синтезу 1-тіоксо-9,10a-дигідропіроло[3,4-b]карбазол-3,10-діонів. Встановлено помірний ефект синтезованих сполук щодо лінії раку нирок UO-31.
ОПИСОВЕ ПРОЄКТУВАННЯ УПРАВЛІННЯ ЯКІСТЮ МЕДИЧНОЇ ДОПОМОГИ ХВОРИМ З ГОСТРИМИ ПОРУШЕННЯМИ МОЗКОВОГО КРОВООБІГУ В ЧАСТИНІ ФАРМАКОТЕРАПІЇ
Authors: Levytska O. R.
Published: February 2021

Мета роботи. Здійснити моделювання системи управління якістю медичної допомоги (МД) хворим з гострими порушеннями мозкового кровообігу (ГПМК), пов'язаною з використанням лікарських засобів (ЛЗ).

Матеріали і методи. Матеріалом дослідження були теоретичні питання управління якістю МД хворим з ГПМК в частині фармакотерапії. Використано концепцію управління якістю А. Фейгенбаума, методи системного підходу, інформаційного пошуку, узагальнення, моделювання.

Результати й обговорення. Опрацьовано модель управління якістю МД хворим з ГПМК, реалізація якої через інтеграцію 5 управлінських рівнів та 17 вертикальних функцій за концепцією управління якістю А. Фейгенбаума та скеровування основних зусиль на комплексний контроль якості МД уможливить доступ хворого з ГПМК до раціональної фармакотерапії (ФТ).

Висновок. На засадах концепції управління якістю А. Фейгенбаума опрацьована модель управління якістю МД хворим з ГПМК, реалізація якої закладами охорони здоров’я гіпотетично забезпечить отримання пацієнтами раціональної ФТ за комплексного контролю якості цього процесу, що в кінцевому результаті уможливить позитивний вплив на якість життя хворих з ГПМК.
Muslim Cultures beyond the Aperture: An East African Photo-Story Illuminated by First-Hand Accounts
Authors: Sheikh-Miller Nasira
Published: February 2021

This paper is an exploration of Indian Muslim culture in East Africa through pre- and post-independence eras via the medium of photography.

It examines the art and craft of photographic practice, the training of photographers, their social networks and those of their patrons, as well as the personal context of photographs. It also discusses the dispersal of archives and personal collections.

It is based upon first-hand accounts from professional photographers, their family members as well as patrons, whose ancestors travelled from India via Indian Ocean trade routes.

Fareh te chareh is a Gujarati proverb meaning ‘A person who roams advances.’
Performance Objects of Muḥarram in Iran: A Story through Steel
Authors: Collinet Annabelle
Published: February 2021

Some Muḥarram ceremonies in Iran today, such as taziyeh (ritual theatre) and dasteh (procession), often involve metal artifacts. They are commonly made of steel (mainly armor elements, arms, sculptures, and vessels). Many objects of similar types, generally without any historical data on their original contexts, are preserved in Islamic art collections. The present research proposes to identify these objects as Muḥarram performance objects. Based on two large collections (Paris, Musée du Louvre and Musée des Arts Décoratifs), this article aims to relocate them in their likely ritual contexts, especially those developed in the late Qajar period (from 1850 onward), and to look further into the past of their Safavid (1501–1722) models. Made of forged steel and inlaid with precious metals, these productions from the late Safavid period to the present day suggest the durability of some models with a strong visual identity and highlight the recurring use of this metal in Shiʿ⁠a devotional art in Iran.
An updated generic circumscription for Cryptangieae (Cyperaceae, Poales) based on a molecular phylogeny and a morphological character reconstruction
Authors: COSTA SUZANA M. , VITTA FABIO A. , THOMAS WILLIAM W. , MUASYA A. MUTHAMA , MOROKAWA ROSEMERI , BITTRICH VOLKER , SHEPHERD GEORGE J. , DO AMARAL MARIA DO CARMO E.
Published: February 2021

Cryptangieae is a monophyletic tribe, as asserted in a recent molecular hypothesis, but there are questions about the circumscription and relationships of its genera. We enlarged the sampling of the tribe diversity, including about 80% of known species, and provide new analyses using single and combined matrices from two chloroplast (rbcL and trnL-F) and three nuclear ribosomal (ITS, ETS and 5S-NTS) regions with Bayesian Inference to clarify these questions. We also performed character reconstruction analyses with diagnostic morphological characters, including some traditionally applied in Cryptangieae taxonomy, using parsimony methods. The molecular analyses show Lagenocarpus in the current circumscription as polyphyletic, and the need to merge Cephalocarpus and Everardia to avoid paraphyletic genera. We propose an updated circumscription following the phylogeny, including a new name to a group at generic level (Krenakia); and discuss the phylogenetic significance of the morphological characters in Cryptangieae taxonomy. Though the relationship among some genera still needs more research, the genera we propose are strongly supported clades with clear morphological synapomorphies. Additionally, we provide an identification key, a brief description of genera and a list of accepted species including the required new combinations.
An integrated framework for supplier selection and performance evaluation for apparel retail industry
Authors: Sarıçam Canan , Yilmaz Said Melih
Published: February 2021

Supplier evaluation, including supplier selection and performance evaluation, has become a critical issue for apparel retailers within the apparel supply chain dealing with severe competition in the global market. An effective evaluation of suppliers requires considering both the quantitative and qualitative performance aspects and integrating the efficiency measurement. In an attempt to address this issue, this study proposes an integrated framework that can handle supplier selection and overall performance evaluation in a comprehensive but feasible manner. The proposed integrated framework customized for apparel retailers combines the current techniques having specific capabilities: data envelopment analysis (DEA), analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). DEA has been used to make the overall performance evaluation, whereas AHP and TOPSIS have been used in combination to provide the quantitative data required by DEA. The proposed integrated framework was implemented and verified using numerical data gathered from a global apparel retailer. The findings revealed that suppliers can be more successful when they put a balanced effort into improving their performance in regards to the important criteria instead of concentrating on only the most important criterion. Moreover, the overall performance evaluation can be much more convenient and rewarding for apparel retailers in terms of finding out the true potential of suppliers when quantitative and qualitative data and efficiency measurements are taken into account at the same time.
Strain-sensing fiber with a core–sheath structure based on carbon black/polyurethane composites for smart textiles
Authors: Li Wanchao , Pei Zeguang
Published: February 2021

Fiber-shaped sensors have great potential for real-time monitoring of human physiological signals thanks to the merging of electronic and textile technologies. This work reports on the fabrication of a core–sheath structured strain-sensing fiber based on the wet-spinning method. The sensing fiber is composed of a core of non-conducting polyurethane and a conducting sheath of carbon black in a polyurethane matrix. Microscopic observation reveals the irregular shape or scattered appearance of the core as well as the porous structure of the fiber, the diameter of which is in the range 200–500 μm. The electro-mechanical properties and their dependence on carbon black concentration in the sheath and draw ratio between the spinneret and first drafting roller are experimentally investigated. It has been found that the percolation threshold of the fiber is in the range 15–16 wt%. The resistance of the fiber rises stably as the fiber is stretched up to a strain of 120% and increases with the increase of draw ratio between the spinneret and first drafting roller. In the cyclic tensile tests, the resistance of the fiber exhibits good repeatability in subsequent loading–unloading cycles after pre-stretching, despite partial recovery of the resistance in the first few cycles. The integration of the strain-sensing fiber into textiles is demonstrated by the core-spun yarn fabricated based on a modified vortex spinning method. The results of this study indicate the fiber could be a promising candidate for a sensor for smart textiles.
Just a Normal Conversation: Investigative Interviews in a County Jail
Authors: Kelly Christopher E. , Meehan Nathan , Mcclary Michael , Jenaway Elizabeth M.
Published: February 2021

The majority of research on investigative interviewing has been on police attempting to solve a crime by obtaining a confession or gathering information, and comparatively fewer studies have examined interviewing at points “downstream” in the process, such as in the courts or correctional system. Furthermore, the focus of the research has been to measure the variable techniques or questioning strategies that produce confessions or information at the expense of analyzing factors related to the interview itself. Thus, we analyzed a sample of 50 corrections-based interviews for “dynamic” interviewing methods and interviewee responses that were measured at three points throughout the interview, and we measured 10 “static” interview factors. In the final multilevel model, we found that productive questioning methods increased a component score that combined interviewee cooperation, engagement, and forthcomingness, the several measures of accusatorial interrogation methods decreased the outcome measure, and the case-level variable of interviewee-initiated interviews increased it.
Role of MRI in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a review article
Authors: Pilania Khushboo , Jankharia Bhavin
Published: February 2021

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a rare heterogeneous group of chronic, autoimmune conditions characterized by the slow, progressive weakness of the skeletal muscles and inflammatory infiltrates in the muscle tissue. The predominant role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in myositis imaging is to assess disease activity and to identify the target site for biopsy. Its role in phenotyping the disease is less explored. The aim of the present review was to examine the role of MRI in differentiating between the common inflammatory myopathies, i.e. dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and sporadic inclusion body myositis, and to describe the specific spectrum of MRI findings in various inflammatory myopathies.
High KIF11 expression is associated with poor outcome of NSCLC
Authors: Liu Junhui , Tian Yubin , Yi Lei , Gao Zhaojia , Lou Ming , Yuan Kai
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

To clarify the correlation between KIF11 (kinesin family member 11) and clinicopathologic characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and identify the prognostic value of KIF11 in patients with NSCLC.

Methods:

For investigating the expression of KIF11 in NSCLC, two tissue microarrays (TMAs: one contained 60 paired NSCLC tissues and paratumor tissues, the other contained 140 NSCLC tissues and 10 normal lung tissues) were constructed, stained, and scored. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets were used to explore the differential expression level of KIF11 between NSCLC and paratumor. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted and multivariate analysis were carried out.

Results:

The staining of KIF11 mainly distributed throughout the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Its expression was higher in NSCLC than paratumor cells, and similar results were obtained from TCGA datasets. We found that high expression of KIF11 had a significant correlation with lymph node metastases ( p = 0.024) and pathologic stage ( p = 0.018); that significant difference was not found in any other clinicopathologic characteristic. As univariate and multivariate analysis showed, KIF11 expression was significantly correlated with overall survival time of NSCLC ( p = 0.002, p = 0.025, respectively). High KIF11 expression was found to significantly associate with overall survival of stage II–III ( p = 0.001) and lung adenocarcinoma ( p = 0.036).

Conclusion:

High KIF11 expression predicts poor outcome in NSCLC. KIF11 is expected to be a viable prognostic biomarker for NSCLC.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2* Mapping of the Talar Dome and Subtalar Joint Cartilage 3 Years After Anterior Talofibular Ligament Repair or Reconstruction in Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability
Authors: Hu Yiwen , Zhang Yuyang , Li Qianru , Xie Yuxue , Lu Rong , Tao Hongyue , Chen Shuang
Published: February 2021

Background:

Cartilage degeneration is a common issue in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability. However, there are limited studies regarding the effectiveness of lateral ligament surgery on preventing talar and subtalar joint cartilage from further degenerative changes.

Purpose:

To longitudinally evaluate talar and subtalar cartilage compositional changes using magnetic resonance imaging T2* mapping in anatomic anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL)–repaired and ATFL-reconstructed ankles and to compare them with measures in asymptomatic controls.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Between January 2015 and December 2016, patients with chronic lateral ankle instability who underwent anatomic ATFL repair (n = 19) and reconstruction (n = 20) were prospectively recruited. Patients underwent 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and 3-year follow-up. As asymptomatic controls, 21 healthy volunteers were recruited and underwent imaging at baseline. Talar dome cartilage was divided into (1) medial anterior, central, and posterior and (2) lateral anterior, central, and posterior. Posterior subtalar cartilage was divided into (1) central talus and calcaneus and (2) lateral talus and calcaneus. Ankle function was assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society scores.

Results:

There were significant increases in T2* values in medial and lateral posterior and central talus cartilage from baseline to 3-year follow-up in patients who underwent repair. T2* values were significantly higher in ATFL-repaired ankles at follow-up for all cartilage regions of interest, except medial and lateral anterior and lateral central, compared with those in healthy controls. From baseline to 3-year follow-up, ATFL-reconstructed ankles had a significant increase in T2* values in lateral central and posterior cartilage. T2* values in ATFL-reconstructed ankles at follow-up were elevated in all cartilage regions of interest, except medial and lateral anterior, compared with those in healthy controls. ATFL-repaired ankles showed a greater decrease of T2* values from baseline to follow-up in lateral calcaneus cartilage than did ATFL-reconstructed ankles ( P = .031). No significant differences in American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society score were found between repair and reconstruction procedures (mean ± SD, 19.11 ± 7.45 vs 16.85 ± 6.24; P = .311).

Conclusion:

Neither anatomic ATFL repair nor reconstruction could prevent the progression of talar dome and posterior subtalar cartilage degeneration; however, ankle function and activity levels were not affected over a short period. Patients who underwent ATFL repair exhibited lower T2* values in the lateral calcaneus cartilage than did those who underwent reconstruction.
Workgroup’s Openness to Diversity and Employees’ Perception of Human Resources Practices: The Moderating Effect of Group Membership
Authors: Das Sudeep Kumar , Azmi Feza Tabassum , James P. S.
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this article is to examine the role of a workgroup’s openness to diversity (WOD) in shaping employees’ perception of human resources practices (HRPs), by focusing primarily on three types of diversity, namely visible diversity, value diversity and informational diversity. The study also examines the moderating effect of group membership on the relationship. Cross-sectional data through a survey of 533 employees of various leading information technology (IT) companies in India are used. The results suggest that a workgroup’s openness to diversity is a strong determinant of the perception of HRPs. It is observed that the workgroup’s openness to visible diversity has no significant impact on the perception of HRPs, whereas openness to value and informational diversity has a significant positive impact. The results also show that group membership moderates the relationship. In terms of the originality of this study, we contend that, to date, there is a paucity of empirical studies linking a workgroup’s openness to diversity with the perception of HRPs. Hence, the present study addresses this gap by examining the relationship, as well as the boundary conditions on this relationship.
Effect of nanocomposite slurry on strength development of fully recycled aggregate concrete
Authors: Meng Tao , Yu Song-lin , Wei Huadong , Zhu Sheng
Published: February 2021

Recycled concrete has been widely used in construction because of the gradual shortage of natural aggregate resources and the large amount of construction waste. In this study, concrete with 100% recycled aggregate was prepared, and its properties, microtopography, and potential enhancement method were investigated. The results indicated that the mechanical properties of the fully recycled aggregate concrete (FRC) were significantly inferior to the natural aggregate concrete. The compressive strength of the FRC with a water-cement ratio of 0.6 was noticeably improved by spraying a nanocomposite slurry on recycled aggregate, whereas this had little influence when the water-cement ratio was 0.3. The compressive strength of the FRC with a water-cement ratio of 0.3 could be improved by mixing with strengthening materials. The best improvement in the compressive strength of the concrete was observed at 28 days because a membrane covered the surface of the aggregate, creating a bond between the aggregate and cement, filling the pores between them, and compacting the concrete. This paper reports a prospective method for improving the properties of FRC, which will promote the application of recycled aggregate in industry.
Compressive sampling–based ultrasonic computerized tomography technique for damage detection in concrete-filled steel tube in a bridge
Authors: Li Binbin , Liu Bo , Xu Fan , Liu Yang , Wang Wentao , Yang Tao
Published: February 2021

Ultrasonic computerized tomography is a promising technique for damage detection by enabling ultrasonic waves via multiple measurement paths leading to accurate localization of structural damage. Unlike traditional ultrasonic computerized tomography that requires numerous measurements and costly computation, a compressive sampling advancing both the measuring phase and the imaging phase is proposed in this study to achieve accurate identification with no low-speed traditional ultrasonic computerized tomography technique measurements or costly computation in real-world applications. The proposed rapid ultrasonic computerized tomography approach advances both the measuring phase and the imaging phase. In the measuring phase, far few ultrasonic measurement paths are randomly selected to capture the characteristics of the ultrasonic waves carrying the underlying damaged information. And in the imaging phase, ℓ1-norm minimization optimization algorithm is used to reconstruct the internal damage, rendering the sparest solution related to the physical damages. The functionality of the proposed approach is validated by both numerical simulation and experimental testing. The results indicate that the improved ultrasonic computerized tomography technique in compressive sampling framework has a great potential for rapid damage detection, which is a game-changing technique for accurate and cost-efficient damage detection in real-world applications.
Meningioma uptake of 68Gallium-PSMA-11 as a pitfall on positron emission tomography/computer tomography
Authors: Courtney Michael , Johnston Ciaran , Nasoodi Afshin
Published: February 2021

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men with high incidence of recurrence following treatment. Biochemical recurrence, as indicated by rising PSA levels following successful treatment of the primary disease, is a frequent encounter in routine clinical practice. 68Gallium-PSMA positron emission tomography/computer tomography has been widely accepted as the modality of choice with the highest impact in management of this group of patients. Pitfalls of this diagnostic technique stem from the diversity of histological entities, other than prostate tumour cells, which can demonstrate increased uptake of the radiotracer. We present a case of intracranial uptake of PSMA by meningioma in a patient with BCR, as a pitfall in imaging of prostate cancer. Knowledge of normal distribution of the tracer is of utmost importance when reading positron emission tomography/computer tomography imaging especially given the relative novelty of usage of 68Gallium-PSMA.
CT and MR imaging findings of bilateral ovarian metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: a case report
Authors: Fujii Shinya , Mukuda Naoko , Murakami Atsushi , Yunaga Hiroto , Kitao Shinichiro , Miyoshi Hidenao , Nosaka Kanae
Published: February 2021

Secondary ovarian involvement by renal cell carcinoma rarely occurs. Here, we describe the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of bilateral ovarian metastases from renal cell carcinoma that demonstrated heterogeneous strong contrast enhancing tumors with flow voids around and within the tumors. In addition, the apparent diffusion coefficients of the malignant tumors were high. These findings were similar to those of renal cell carcinomas at primary and other metastatic sites.
Simulation and Performance Analysis of Dielectric Modulated Dual Source Trench Gate TFET Biosensor
Authors: Chong Chen , Liu Hongxia , Wang Shulong , Chen Shupeng
Published: February 2021

In this paper, a dielectric modulated double source trench gate tunnel FET (DM-DSTGTFET) based on biosensor is proposed for the detection of biomolecules. DM-DSTGTFET adopts double source and trench gate to enhance the on-state current and to generate bidirectional current. In the proposed structure, two cavities are etched over 1 nm gate oxide for biomolecules filling. A 2D simulation in the Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) is adopted for the analysis of sensitivity study. The results show that under low supply voltage, the current sensitivity of the DM-DSTGTFET is as high as 1.38 × 105, and the threshold voltage sensitivity can reach 1.2 V. Therefore, the DM-DSTGTFET biosensor has good application prospects due to its low power consumption and high sensitivity.
High-pressure processing-induced transcriptome response during recovery of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Duru Ilhan Cem , Bucur Florentina Ionela , Andreevskaya Margarita , Nikparvar Bahareh , Ylinen Anne , Grigore-Gurgu Leontina , Rode Tone Mari , Crauwels Peter , Laine Pia , Paulin Lars , Løvdal Trond , Riedel Christian U. , Bar Nadav , Borda Daniela , Nicolau Anca Ioana , Auvinen Petri
Published: February 2021

Background

High-pressure processing (HPP) is a commonly used technique in the food industry to inactivate pathogens, including L. monocytogenes. It has been shown that L. monocytogenes is able to recover from HPP injuries and can start to grow again during long-term cold storage. To date, the gene expression profiling of L. monocytogenes during HPP damage recovery at cooling temperature has not been studied. In order identify key genes that play a role in recovery of the damage caused by HPP treatment, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) for two L. monocytogenes strains (barotolerant RO15 and barosensitive ScottA) at nine selected time points (up to 48 h) after treatment with two pressure levels (200 and 400 MPa).

Results

The results showed that a general stress response was activated by SigB after HPP treatment. In addition, the phosphotransferase system (PTS; mostly fructose-, mannose-, galactitol-, cellobiose-, and ascorbate-specific PTS systems), protein folding, and cobalamin biosynthesis were the most upregulated genes during HPP damage recovery. We observed that cell-division-related genes (divIC, dicIVA, ftsE, and ftsX) were downregulated. By contrast, peptidoglycan-synthesis genes (murG, murC, and pbp2A) were upregulated. This indicates that cell-wall repair occurs as a part of HPP damage recovery. We also observed that prophage genes, including anti-CRISPR genes, were induced by HPP. Interestingly, a large amount of RNA-seq data (up to 85%) was mapped to Rli47, which is a non-coding RNA that is upregulated after HPP. Thus, we predicted that Rli47 plays a role in HPP damage recovery in L. monocytogenes. Moreover, gene-deletion experiments showed that amongst peptidoglycan biosynthesis genes, pbp2A mutants are more sensitive to HPP.

Conclusions

We identified several genes and mechanisms that may play a role in recovery from HPP damage of L. monocytogenes. Our study contributes to new information on pathogen inactivation by HPP.
Rate of neuropathic progression in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy and other peripheral neuropathies: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Xiaochen , Yarlas Aaron , Vera-Llonch Montserrat , Baranwal Nishtha , Biber Josh , Brown Duncan , Vogt Braden , Karam Chafic
Published: February 2021

Background

We aimed to compare neuropathic progression rate between hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) and other peripheral neuropathies, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).

Methods

Literature searches identified studies reporting neuropathic progression, measured by Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) or NIS-Lower Limbs (NIS-LL). Our study also included unpublished data from a clinical registry of patients who were diagnosed with different peripheral neuropathies and seen at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) during 2016–2020. Meta-analysis and meta-regression models examined and compared annual progression rates, calculated from extracted data, between studies of ATTRv-PN and other peripheral neuropathies.

Results

Data were synthesized from 15 studies in which NIS and/or NIS-LL total scores were assessed at least twice, with ≥12 weeks between assessments, among untreated patients with ATTRv-PN or other peripheral neuropathies. Meta-analysis models yielded that the annual progression rate in NIS total scores was significantly different from zero for studies in ATTRv-PN and CMT (11.77 and 1.41; both P < 0.001), but not DPN (− 1.96; P = 0.147). Meta-regression models showed significantly faster annual progression in studies in ATTRv-PN, which statistically exceeded that in other peripheral neuropathies by 12.45 points/year for NIS, and 6.96 for NIS-LL (both P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Peripheral nervous function deteriorates more rapidly in patients with ATTRv-PN than for other peripheral neuropathies. These findings may improve understanding of the natural history of neuropathy in ATTRv-PN, facilitate early diagnosis, and guide the development of assessment tools and therapies specifically targeting neuropathic progression in this debilitating disease.
Neonatal near misses and associated factors among mother’s who give a live neonate at Hawassa City governmental hospitals, 2019: a facility based cross-sectional study design
Authors: Tekola Anteneh Fikrie , Baye Genet , Amaje Elias , Tefera Kebede
Published: February 2021

Background

Neonatal near miss is a neonate who nearly died but survived from a severe complication occurred during pregnancy, birth or within 0–28 days of extra-uterine life. However, there is no available data that quantifies the magnitude of neonatal near miss (NNM) in Ethiopia where there is high prevalence of neonatal mortality. Therefore, this study is designed to provide information about the magnitude and associated factors of neonatal near miss among women who give a live birth at Hawassa City Governmental hospitals, 2019.

Methods

A facility based cross-sectional study design was conducted on 604 mothers who gave live neonates at Adare General Hospital and Hawassa University Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital from May 9, 2019 to June 7, 2019. Face to face interviewer administered structured questionnaire with a supplementation of maternal and neonatal medical records with checklists were used to collect the data. Data were coded and entered in to Epi data version 3.1 and then exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science IBM version 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics was run and the data were presented using frequency tables and figure. The bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the possible factors of neonatal near miss. Finally, Adjusted Odds Ratio and 95% Confidence Intervals were used to declare statsticall significance.

Result

Among all 604 selected live births an overall proportion of NNM cases, 202 (33.4%) (95% CI: 29.7–37.1%) was obtained at Hawassa City Government Hospitals. Respiratory distress 158 (94%) and infection or sepsis 138 (84%) were found to be the leading causes of NNM cases in our study. Governmental and non-governmental employed mother (AOR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.46–6.44) and Cesarean Section delivery (AOR = 1.89, (95% CI: 1.25–2.83)) were positively significantly associated with neonatal near miss. Whereas, pregnancy induced Hypertension (AOR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.27–0.69) was negatively associated with neonatal near miss.

Conclusion

This study revealed relatively high prevalence of NNM in the study areas. Employed women, pregnancy induced hypertension and cesarean section mode of delivery were found to be independent factors affecting the prevalence of NNM cases. Therefore, HUCSH and Adare general Hospitals should focus on proving quality antenatal care and prevention of occupational related problems among pregnant women.
Male partner involvement in birth preparedness, complication readiness and obstetric emergencies in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Forbes Faye , Wynter Karen , Zeleke Berihun M. , Fisher Jane
Published: February 2021

Background

Maternal mortality remains a pressing concern across Sub-Sahara Africa. The ‘Three Delays Model’ suggests that maternal deaths are a consequence of delays in: seeking care, reaching medical care and receiving care. Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) refers to a plan organised during pregnancy in preparation for a normal birth and in case of complications. Male partners in many Sub-Saharan African communities could play a pivotal role in a woman’s ability to prepare for birth and respond to obstetric complications. This review aimed identify: the extent and quality of research performed on the topic of male partner involvement in BPCR in Sub-Saharan Africa; the degree to which populations and geographic areas are represented; how male partner involvement has been conceptualized; how male partners response to obstetric complications has been conceptualised; how the variation in male partners involvement has been measured and if any interventions have been performed.

Methods

In this scoping review, articles were identified through a systematic search of databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Maternity and Infant Care and a manual scan of relevant papers, journals and websites. All authors contributed to the screening process and a quality assessment using the Kmet checklist. The PRISMA checking list for Scoping Reviews was used to guide the search, data charting and reporting of the review The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42019126263).

Results

Thirty-five articles met inclusion criteria, reporting: 13 qualitative, 13 cross-sectional, 5 mixed method and 4 intervention studies. Data were contributed by approximately 14,550 participants (numbers were not always reported for focus groups) including: women who were pregnant or who had experienced pregnancy or childbirth within the previous 3 years, their male partners and key informants such as health workers and community leaders.

Conclusions

The diversity of study designs, aims and source countries in this body of literature reflects an emerging stage of research; as a result, the review yielded strong evidence in some areas and gaps in others. Male partner’s involvement in BPCR and responding to obstetric emergencies can be conceptualised as being centrally involved in responding to complications and having some role in preparing for birth through their position in the chain of decisions and provision of logistic support. However, their knowledge of pregnancy complications and level of preparation for birth is low, suggesting they are making decisions without being fully informed. There is limited evidence on interventions to improve their knowledge. Future research efforts should be focused on producing standardised, culturally appropriate, higher level evidence.
Clinically significant genomic alterations in the Chinese and Western patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Xu Shifeng , Guo Yuan , Zeng Yanwu , Song Zhijian , Zhu Xiaodan , Fan Ning , Zhang Zhilei , Ren Guibing , Zang Yunjin , Rao Wei
Published: February 2021

Background

The goal of this study is to disclose the clinically significant genomic alterations in the Chinese and Western patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

A total of 86 Chinese patients were enrolled in this study. A panel of 579 pan-cancer genes was sequenced for the qualified samples from these patients. Driver genes, actionability, and tumor mutational burden were inferred and compared to a cohort of Western patients.

Results

Totally, 36 and 12 driver genes were identified in the Chinese and Western cohorts, respectively. Of them, seven driver genes (IDH1, KRAS, TP53, BAP1, PBRM1, ARID1A, and NRAS) were shared by the two cohorts. Four driver genes (SPTA1, ARID2, TP53, and GATA1) were found significantly correlated with the tumor mutational burden. For both cohorts, half of the patients had actionable mutations. The two cohorts shared the most actionable genes but differed much in their frequency. Though KRAS mutations were at the first and second actionable rank respectively for the Chinese and Western populations, they were still at a relatively low level of actionable evidence.

Conclusions

The study on the clinical significance of genomic alterations directs the future development of precision medicine for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treatment.
ERK3 is transcriptionally upregulated by ∆Np63α and mediates the role of ∆Np63α in suppressing cell migration in non-melanoma skin cancers
Authors: Alshammari Eid S. , Aljagthmi Amjad A. , Stacy Andrew J. , Bottomley Mike , Shamma H. Nicholas , Kadakia Madhavi P. , Long Weiwen
Published: February 2021

Background

p63, a member of the p53 gene family, is an important regulator for epithelial tissue growth and development. ∆Np63α is the main isoform of p63 and highly expressed in Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) whose biochemical features and cellular regulation are distinct from those of conventional MAPKs such as ERK1/2. While ERK3 has been shown to be upregulated in lung cancers and head and neck cancers, in which it promotes cancer cell migration and invasion, little is known about the implication of ERK3 in NMSCs.

Methods

Fluorescent immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression levels of ΔNp63α and ERK3 in normal and NMSC specimens. Dunnett’s test was performed to compare mean fluorescence intensity (MFI, indicator of expression levels) of p63 or ERK3 between normal cutaneous samples and NMSC samples. A mixed effects (ANOVA) test was used to determine the correlation between ΔNp63α and ERK3 expression levels (MFI). The regulation of ERK3 by ΔNp63α was studied by qRT-PCR, Western blot and luciferase assay. The effect of ERK3 regulation by ΔNp63α on cell migration was measured by performing trans-well migration assay.

Results

The expression level of ∆Np63α is upregulated in NMSCs compared to normal tissue. ERK3 level is significantly upregulated in AK and SCC in comparison to normal tissue and there is a strong positive correlation between ∆Np63α and ERK3 expression in normal skin and skin specimens of patients with AK, SCC or BCC. Further, we found that ∆Np63α positively regulates ERK3 transcript and protein levels in A431 and HaCaT skin cells, underlying the upregulation of ERK3 expression and its positive correlation with ∆Np63α in NMSCs. Moreover, similar to the effect of ∆Np63α depletion, silencing ERK3 greatly enhanced A431 cell migration. Restoration of ERK3 expression under the condition of silencing ∆Np63α counteracted the increase in cell migration induced by the depletion of ∆Np63α. Mechanistically, ERK3 inhibits the phosphorylation of Rac1 G-protein and the formation of filopodia of A431 skin SCC cells.

Conclusions

ERK3 is positively regulated by ∆Np63α and mediates the role of ∆Np63α in suppressing cell migration in NMSC.