bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HE4 as a Biomarker for Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Behrouzi Roya , Barr Chloe E. , Crosbie Emma J.
Published: September 2021

There are currently no blood biomarkers in routine clinical use in endometrial carcinoma (EC). Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is a glycoprotein that is overexpressed in the serum of patients with EC, making it a good candidate for use as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker. HE4 is correlated with poor prognostic factors, including stage, myometrial invasion and lymph node metastases, which means it could be used to guide decisions regarding the extent of surgery and need for adjuvant therapy. Serum HE4 has also shown promise for predicting responses to progestin therapy in early-stage EC. The use of algorithms and indices incorporating serum HE4 and other biomarkers, including clinical and imaging variables, is an area of increasing interest. Serum HE4 levels rise with age and renal dysfunction, which may affect the interpretation of results. This review covers the evidence supporting the use of HE4 as an EC biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, recurrence monitoring, and prediction of therapy response. The evidence for combining serum HE4 with other biomarkers, including clinical and imaging variables, its value as a biomarker in other biofluids and potential challenges of its clinical use are also discussed.
The Biocatalytic Production of 3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde and Evaluation of Its Stability
Authors: Ju Jung-Hyun , Jeon Sang-Gyu , Lee Kyung Min , Heo Sun-Yeon , Kim Min-Soo , Kim Chul-Ho , Oh Baek-Rock
Published: September 2021

3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA, reuterin) is a broad-spectrum natural antimicrobial agent used in the food industry and other fields. The low yield from the industrial production of 3-HPA using Lactobacillus reuteri and the spontaneous conversion of 3-HPA to acrolein have limited its more widespread use. We isolated L. reuteri BR201 as a biocatalyst for 3-HPA production and confirmed the effect of each factor in the two-step procedure for 3-HPA bioconversion. After initial cultivation for 8 h (late exponential phase), this isolate produced 378 mM of 3-HPA in 1 h at a concentration of OD600 nm 100, 30 °C, and an initial glycerol concentration of 500 mM. This is the highest reported biocatalytic yield of 3-HPA from a glycerol aqueous solution without additives. We confirmed that 4 mM of 3-HPA had antimicrobial activity against five pathogens. The degradation of 3-HPA to acrolein was greater at high temperatures, and there was little degradation when 3-HPA was maintained at 4 °C for 4 weeks. Our results may be useful for future applications of 3-HPA.
Will It Be Possible to Put into Practice the Mitigation of Ventilation Air Methane Emissions? Review on the State-of-the-Art and Emerging Materials and Technologies
Authors: Pawlaczyk-Kurek Anna , Suwak Mikołaj
Published: September 2021

The work refers to the important problem of methane emissions in relation to the ventilation air methane (VAM) emitted to the atmosphere. VAM is fuel that remains unused in most mines around the world due to the low content of the combustible component in the mixture (0.1–1%). The aim of this article is to present the real problems posed by released VAM in its utilization such as variability of flow, methane concentration, or possible presence of gaseous and non-gaseous pollutants. The paper presents the existing technologies that are ready to be implemented or have a reliable potential to be implemented in the industry and those whose development will have strong influence on the effective reduction in VAM emissions. The methods discussed include enrichment, thermal, and catalytic as well as photocatalytic oxidation. The catalysts dedicated to VAM oxidation were reviewed. The literature studies show that currently developed technologies enable more and more efficient oxidation of VAM. The most technologically advanced implemented solutions are based on the thermal oxidation method in TFRR. Catalytic methods are still at the laboratory research phase, but have been intensively developed and have the potential to be implemented at process scale in the future.
Sputter-Deposited Cr–Ag Films for Environmental Antimicrobial Applications
Authors: Wang Lijun , Wang Yingjie , Shum Powan , Hou Yuefeng , Fu Tao
Published: September 2021

Chromium–silver films with ≤ 39.2 at.% Ag were deposited by magnetron sputtering for antibacterial applications. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses indicate that the films consist of Cr and Ag, and silver segregation is not obvious at the surface. The films are hard (628–968 HV0.001) and hydrophobic with low surface energy (12.8–26.8 mJ/m2). The drying time of water droplets is dependent on ambient conditions, material wettability and droplet size. The test against Escherichia coli indicates antibacterial ratios of 100% for the Cr–Ag films (action time 3 h). However, bacteria died within 15 min due to quick drying of the bacterial suspension in open ambient conditions. The Cr–Ag films would have potential antimicrobial applications in public environmental facilities.
Multilink Internet-of-Things Sensor Communication Based on Bluetooth Low Energy Considering Scalability
Authors: Ryu Dong-Suk , Yeon Yeung-Mo , Kim Seung-Hee
Published: September 2021

As the growth rate of the internet-of-things (IoT) sensor market is expected to exceed 30%, a technology that can easily collect and processing a large number of various types of sensor data is gradually required. However, conventional multilink IoT sensor communication based on Bluetooth low energy (BLE) enables only the processing of up to 19 peripheral nodes per central device. This study suggested an alternative to increasing the number of IoT sensor nodes while minimizing the addition of a central processor by expanding the number of peripheral nodes that can be processed per central device through a new group-switching algorithm based on Bluetooth low energy (BLE). Furthermore, this involves verifying the relevancy of application to the industry field. This device environment lowered the possibility of data errors and equipment troubles due to communication interference between central processors, which is a critical advantage when applying it to industry. The scalability and various benefits of a group-switching algorithm are expected to help accelerate various services via the application of BLE 5 wireless communication by innovatively improving the constraint of accessing up to 19 nodes per central device in the conventional multilink IoT sensor communication.
Wildfire Risk Assessment and Zoning by Integrating Maxent and GIS in Hunan Province, China
Authors: Yang Xuhong , Jin Xiaobin , Zhou Yinkang
Published: September 2021

Forest wildfire is an important threat and disturbance facing natural forest ecosystems. Conducting wildfire risk assessments and zoning studies are of great practical significance in guiding wildfire prevention, curbing fire occurrence, and mitigating the environmental effects of wildfire. Taking Hunan Province, China as the case area, this study used remotely sensed high-temperature fire data as the wildfire sample. Twelve factors related to topography, climatic conditions, vegetation attributes, and human activities were used as environmental variables affecting wildfire occurrence. Then, a Maxent wildfire risk assessment model was constructed with GIS, which analyzed the contribution, importance, and response of environmental variables to wildfire in Hunan Province. The results show that (1) the Maxent model has high applicability and feasibility when applied to wildfire risk assessment after a test of wildfire sample sites; (2) the importance of meteorological conditions and vegetation status variables to wildfire are 54.64% and 25.40%, respectively, and their contribution to wildfire are 43.03% and 34.69%, respectively. The interaction between factors can enhance or weaken the contribution of factors on wildfire. (3) The mechanism for the effects of environmental variables on wildfire is not linear as generally believed; temperature, aridity, land use type, GDP, distance from the road, and population density have a nonlinear positive correlation with the probability of wildfire occurrence. Elevation, slope, precipitation, wind speed, and vegetation cover within the suitable interval positively contribute to the probability of wildfire, while the environmental conditions outside the suitable interval curb the occurrence of wildfire. The response of wildfire probability to forest density is U-shaped, which means either too high or too low will promote the occurrence of wildfire. (4) There is geographical variation of wildfire risk in Hunan Province. The areas at high risk and below account for 74.48% of the total area, while the areas at significantly high risk and above account for a relatively low proportion, 25.52%.
Automated Business Goal Extraction from E-mail Repositories to Bootstrap Business Understanding
Authors: Spruit Marco , Kais Marcin , Menger Vincent
Published: September 2021

The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM), despite being the most popular data mining process for more than two decades, is known to leave those organizations lacking operational data mining experience puzzled and unable to start their data mining projects. This is especially apparent in the first phase of Business Understanding, at the conclusion of which, the data mining goals of the project at hand should be specified, which arguably requires at least a conceptual understanding of the knowledge discovery process. We propose to bridge this knowledge gap from a Data Science perspective by applying Natural Language Processing techniques (NLP) to the organizations’ e-mail exchange repositories to extract explicitly stated business goals from the conversations, thus bootstrapping the Business Understanding phase of CRISP-DM. Our NLP-Automated Method for Business Understanding (NAMBU) generates a list of business goals which can subsequently be used for further specification of data mining goals. The validation of the results on the basis of comparison to the results of manual business goal extraction from the Enron corpus demonstrates the usefulness of our NAMBU method when applied to large datasets.
Machine Learning in Detecting COVID-19 Misinformation on Twitter
Authors: Alenezi Mohammed N. , Alqenaei Zainab M.
Published: September 2021

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are an inevitable part of our daily lives. These social media platforms are effective tools for disseminating news, photos, and other types of information. In addition to the positives of the convenience of these platforms, they are often used for propagating malicious data or information. This misinformation may misguide users and even have dangerous impact on society’s culture, economics, and healthcare. The propagation of this enormous amount of misinformation is difficult to counter. Hence, the spread of misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its treatment and vaccination may lead to severe challenges for each country’s frontline workers. Therefore, it is essential to build an effective machine-learning (ML) misinformation-detection model for identifying the misinformation regarding COVID-19. In this paper, we propose three effective misinformation detection models. The proposed models are long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, which is a special type of RNN; a multichannel convolutional neural network (MC-CNN); and k-nearest neighbors (KNN). Simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed models in terms of various evaluation metrics. The proposed models obtained superior results to those from the literature.
Intercropping Vicia sativa L. Improves the Moisture, Microbial Community, Enzyme Activity and Nutrient in Rhizosphere Soils of Young Kiwifruit Plants and Enhances Plant Growth
Authors: Wang Qiuping , Zhang Cheng , Li Jiaohong , Wu Xiaomao , Long Youhua , Su Yue
Published: September 2021

Drought, low nutrition, and weeds have become the major limiting factors of young kiwifruit orchards. In this study, the effects of intercropping Vicia sativa L. on the moisture, microbe community, enzyme activity, and nutrients in rhizosphere soils of young kiwifruit plants and their growth were investigated. The results show that intercropping V. sativa could effectively enhance soil moisture by 1.39–1.47 folds compared with clean tillage. Moreover, intercropping V. sativa could significantly (p < 0.01) increase the microbial community, enzyme activity and nutrient of kiwifruit rhizosphere soils, and improve plant height, stem girth, leaf number, maximum leaf length, maximum leaf width, and chlorophyll content of young kiwifruit plants by 43.60%, 18.68%, 43.75%, 18.09%, 21.15%, and 67.57% compared to clean tillage, respectively. The moisture, microbial quantity, enzyme activity, and nutrients in rhizosphere soils of young kiwifruit plants exhibited good correlations with their plant height, stem girth, leaf number, maximum leaf length, maximum leaf width, and chlorophyll content. This study highlights that intercropping V. sativa in young kiwifruit orchard can be used as an effective, labor-saving, economical and sustainable practice to improve the moisture, microbial community, enzyme activity, and nutrient of soils, and enhance kiwifruit plant growth and control weeds.
A Tale of Two Solitudes: Loneliness and Anxiety of Family Caregivers Caring in Community Homes and Congregate Care
Authors: Anderson Sharon , Parmar Jasneet , Dobbs Bonnie , Tian Peter George J.
Published: September 2021

We surveyed 604 family caregivers residing in the province of Alberta to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety, loneliness, and care work. We assessed anxiety with the Six-Item State Anxiety Scale and loneliness with the DeJong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale. The COVID-19 pandemic created two contexts giving rise to feelings of solitude for family caregivers. Family caregivers of Albertans living in private community homes were overwhelmed with caregiving needs while those caring for Albertans living in congregate settings were restricted from caregiving. The results indicated that before the COVID-19 pandemic, 31.7% of family caregivers were anxious and 53.5% were lonely. The proportions of those who were anxious rose to 78.8% and lonely to 85.9% during the pandemic. The qualitative responses of family caregivers connected being overwhelmed with care work either in community homes or as the designated essential caregiver in congregate living settings, as well as being unable to care in congregate care settings, with anxiety and loneliness. The caregivers reporting improvements in their health and relationships with care-receivers credited spending time with the receiver doing pleasant activities together, rather than purely performing onerous care tasks. Policymakers need to consider organizing health and community services to ensure family caregivers are not overwhelmed with care tasks or excluded from caring in congregate care.
Women’s Participation in Household Decision Making and Justification of Wife Beating: A Secondary Data Analysis from Pakistan’s Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Lassi Zohra S. , Ali Anna , Meherali Salima
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Globally, women’s empowerment is one of the important factors impacting the development of the nation. However, several women in developing countries, including Pakistan, experience a high level of gender discrimination and inequity. In this study, data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) were used to measure empowerment and its predictors among women in Pakistan. Methods: Pakistan’s 2017–2018 DHS dataset was used to measure women’s empowerment using two indicators, i.e., participation in decision making and views on wife beating among 4216 married women. The determinants of empowerment, such as age, place of residence, regions, wealth index, education, partner’s education, partner’s occupation, number of children, consanguinity, the age difference between husband and wife, house and land ownership, and house inheritance, are reported as prevalence ratios (PRs) with a 95% confidence intervals (CI). Multivariate regression models were used to produce covariate-adjusted PRs and 95% CIs. Results: More than half of all women were empowered (52.5%). Upon multivariate analysis, we identified that women from the province of Punjab (adjusted PR (aPR), 1.44; 95% CI, 1.20–1.73), Sindh (aPR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.35–1.96), and KPK (aPR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.91–1.31) compared to those living in Baluchistan; from the richest quantile (aPR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.37–1.99), followed by the richer quantile (aPR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.28–1.84), the middle quantile (aPR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.28–1.81), and the poorer quantile (aPR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.04–1.47) compared to women who were from the poorest quantile; who were highly educated (aPR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.25–1.67), followed by those who had a secondary education (aPR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.16–1.50) and a primary education (aPR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02–1.35) compared to women who were not educated; and had exposure to mass media (aPR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.06–1.36) compared to those who had no exposure were more empowered. Conclusion: To conclude, women’s empowerment in Pakistan is affected by various socioeconomic factors, as well as exposure to mass media. Targeted strategies are needed to improve access to education, employment, and poverty alleviation among women, particularly those living in rural areas. Various mass media advertisements should be practiced, targeting community norms and supporting women’s empowerment.
Burden of Mortality from Asbestos-Related Diseases in Italy
Authors: Fazzo Lucia , Binazzi Alessandra , Ferrante Daniela , Minelli Giada , Consonni Dario , Bauleo Lisa , Bruno Caterina , Bugani Marcella , De Santis Marco , Iavarone Ivano , Magnani Corrado , Romeo Elisa , Zona Amerigo , Alessi Mariano , Comba Pietro , Marinaccio Alessandro
Published: September 2021

Asbestos is one of the major worldwide occupational carcinogens. The global burden of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) was estimated around 231,000 cases/year. Italy was one of the main European asbestos producers until the 1992 ban. The WHO recommended national programs, including epidemiological surveillance, to eliminate ARDs. The present paper shows the estimate of the burden of mortality from ARDs in Italy, established for the first time. National standardized rates of mortality from mesothelioma and asbestosis and their temporal trends, based on the National Institute of Statistics database, were computed. Deaths from lung cancer attributable to asbestos exposure were estimated using population-based case-control studies. Asbestos-related lung and ovarian cancer deaths attributable to occupational exposure were estimated, considering the Italian occupational cohort studies. In the 2010–2016 period, 4400 deaths/year attributable to asbestos were estimated: 1515 from mesothelioma, 58 from asbestosis, 2830 from lung and 16 from ovarian cancers. The estimates based on occupational cohorts showed that each year 271 deaths from mesothelioma, 302 from lung cancer and 16 from ovarian cancer were attributable to occupational asbestos exposure in industrial sectors with high asbestos levels. The important health impact of asbestos in Italy, 10–25 years after the ban, was highlighted. These results suggest the need for appropriate interventions in terms of prevention, health care and social security at the local level and could contribute to the global estimate of ARDs.
Traceability and Emission Reduction of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen in Minjiang Estuary, China
Authors: Fan Chenchen , Zhang Peng , Song Gangfu , Wang Huaru , Wang Bingyi
Published: September 2021

The accumulation of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in estuaries has become a global environmental problem. A two-dimensional, hydrodynamic water quality model was constructed in this study to investigate the sources of DIN pollution in the Minjiang Estuary. The concentration response field between the stream input and DIN in the estuary was established by using the surveyed source data of the study area. A sharing coefficient method was used to calculate the contribution percentage of each outfall to derive and propose a reasonable nitrogen reduction plan. The results showed that the input of land-based nitrogen into the Minjiang River contributed more than half of the DIN in the near-shore sea; the middle and upper reaches of the Minjiang River largely influenced the estuary area (38.57%). Conversely, the estuary and the coastline accounted for a smaller proportion of only 5.24%, indicating that an integrated DIN reduction should be implemented in the estuary area of the whole river basin. The model calculations showed that the reduction results, after remediation according to the current national standards for wastewater discharge in rivers, were not satisfactory. Thus, a new scheme is proposed in this paper—the total nitrogen (TN) input from land-based sources into the Minjiang Estuary and from the Shuikou Dam to the Min’an section should be reduced to below 31.64%; simultaneously, the DIN concentration discharged from the Shuikou Dam should be controlled and maintained below 0.5 mg·L−1 (TN = 0.8 mg·L−1). These results will provide guidelines for developing strategies for the improvement of DIN and water quality in similar estuaries.
Developing an Instrument to Measure Self-Efficacy, Challenges and Knowledge in Oral Care among Geriatric Home Care Nurses—A Pilot Study
Authors: Aro Taru , Laitala Marja-Liisa , Vähänikkilä Hannu , Kyngäs Helvi , Tiisanoja Antti , Syrjälä Anna-Maija
Published: September 2021

The role of geriatric nurses is essential in preventing oral health problems of older people with impaired daily functioning. Nurses have reported low self-efficacy with regard to oral health care practices and wish to receive more information on the topic. The main aim of this pilot study was to develop an instrument to measure the self-efficacy beliefs, challenges and knowledge of geriatric home care nurses with regard to the oral health care of older. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate geriatric home care nurses’ self-efficacy beliefs, challenges and knowledge regarding the oral health care of the older people. In this case, 18 nurses participated in a one-day intervention and filled in the questionnaire before and after the intervention. The comments and questions of the nurses were analysed utilising the principles of inductive content analysis. Cronbach’s alpha for the scales varied between 0.69–0.79. The interactive intervention improved both nurses’ self-efficacy beliefs and oral health-related knowledge, and most of the challenges faced by nurses in older people’s oral health care were diminished. Financial resources and older people’s self-determination were the most common limitations to oral care. In this pilot study, we developed an instrument to measure geriatric home care nurses’ self-efficacy beliefs, challenges and knowledge regarding older people’s oral health care. In the future, this instrument can be validated with a larger study population.
Public Health Impacts of Underemployment and Unemployment in the United States: Exploring Perceptions, Gaps and Opportunities
Authors: Pratap Preethi , Dickson Alison , Love Marsha , Zanoni Joe , Donato Caitlin , Flynn Michael A. , Schulte Paul A.
Published: September 2021

Background: Unemployment, underemployment, and the quality of work are national occupational health risk factors that drive critical national problems; however, to date, there have been no systematic efforts to document the public health impact of this situation. Methods: An environmental scan was conducted to explore the root causes and health impacts of underemployment and unemployment and highlight multilevel perspectives and factors in the landscape of underemployment and unemployment. Methods: included a review of gray literature and research literature, followed by key informant interviews with nine organizational representatives in employment research and policy, workforce development, and industry to assess perceived needs and gaps in practice. Results: Evidence highlights the complex nature of underemployment and unemployment, with multiple macro-level underlying drivers, including the changing nature of work, a dynamic labor market, inadequate enforcement of labor protection standards, declining unions, wage depression, and weak political will interacting with multiple social determinants of health. Empirical literature on unemployment and physical, mental, and psychological well-being, substance abuse, depression in young adults, and suicides is quite extensive; however, there are limited data on the impacts of underemployment on worker health and well-being. Additionally, organizations do not routinely consider health outcomes as they relate to their work in workforce or policy development. Discussion and Conclusions: Several gaps in data and research will need to be addressed in order to assess the full magnitude of the public health burden of underemployment and unemployment. Public health needs to champion a research and practice agenda in partnership with multisector stakeholders to illuminate the role of employment quality and status in closing the gap on health inequities, and to integrate workforce health and well-being into labor and economic development agendas across government agencies and industry.
Difluoromethylornithine Induces Apoptosis through Regulation of AP-1 Signaling via JNK Phosphorylation in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Hwang Woo Yeon , Park Wook Ha , Suh Dong Hoon , Kim Kidong , Kim Yong Beom , No Jae Hong
Published: September 2021

Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), has promising activity against various cancers and a tolerable safety profile for long-term use as a chemopreventive agent. However, the anti-tumor effects of DFMO in ovarian cancer cells have not been entirely understood. Our study aimed to identify the effects and mechanism of DFMO in epithelial ovarian cancer cells using SKOV-3 cells. Treatment with DFMO resulted in a significantly reduced cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. DFMO treatment inhibited the activity and downregulated the expression of ODC in ovarian cancer cells. The reduction in cell viability was reversed using polyamines, suggesting that polyamine depletion plays an important role in the anti-tumor activity of DFMO. Additionally, significant changes in Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bax protein levels, activation of caspase-3, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were observed, indicating the apoptotic effects of DFMO. We also found that the effect of DFMO was mediated by AP-1 through the activation of upstream JNK via phosphorylation. Moreover, DFMO enhanced the effect of cisplatin, thus showing a possibility of a synergistic effect in treatment. In conclusion, treatment with DFMO alone, or in combination with cisplatin, could be a promising treatment for ovarian cancer.
Orchestration of Force Generation and Nuclear Collapse in Apoptotic Cells
Authors: Monier Bruno , Suzanne Magali
Published: September 2021

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a form of cell suicide that is extremely important for ridding the body of cells that are no longer required, to protect the body against hazardous cells, such as cancerous ones, and to promote tissue morphogenesis during animal development. Upon reception of a death stimulus, the doomed cell activates biochemical pathways that eventually converge on the activation of dedicated enzymes, caspases. Numerous pieces of information on the biochemical control of the process have been gathered, from the successive events of caspase activation to the identification of their targets, such as lamins, which constitute the nuclear skeleton. Yet, evidence from multiple systems now shows that apoptosis is also a mechanical process, which may even ultimately impinge on the morphogenesis of the surrounding tissues. This mechanical role relies on dramatic actomyosin cytoskeleton remodelling, and on its coupling with the nucleus before nucleus fragmentation. Here, we provide an overview of apoptosis before describing how apoptotic forces could combine with selective caspase-dependent proteolysis to orchestrate nucleus destruction.
Could the Human Endogenous Retrovirus-Derived Syncytialization Inhibitor, Suppressyn, Limit Heterotypic Cell Fusion Events in the Decidua?
Authors: Sugimoto Jun , Choi Sehee , Sheridan Megan A. , Koh Iemasa , Kudo Yoshiki , Schust Danny J.
Published: September 2021

Proper placental development relies on tightly regulated trophoblast differentiation and interaction with maternal cells. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) play an integral role in modulating cell fusion events in the trophoblast cells of the developing placenta. Syncytin-1 (ERVW-1) and its receptor, solute-linked carrier family A member 5 (SLC1A5/ASCT2), promote fusion of cytotrophoblast (CTB) cells to generate the multi-nucleated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) layer which is in direct contact with maternal blood. Another HERV-derived protein known as Suppressyn (ERVH48-1/SUPYN) is implicated in anti-fusogenic events as it shares the common receptor with ERVW-1. Here, we explore primary tissue and publicly available datasets to determine the distribution of ERVW-1, ERVH48-1 and SLC1A5 expression at the maternal-fetal interface. While SLC1A5 is broadly expressed in placental and decidual cell types, ERVW-1 and ERVH48-1 are confined to trophoblast cell types. ERVH48-1 displays higher expression levels in CTB and extravillous trophoblast, than in STB, while ERVW-1 is generally highest in STB. We have demonstrated through gene targeting studies that suppressyn has the ability to prevent ERVW-1-induced fusion events in co-culture models of trophoblast cell/maternal endometrial cell interactions. These findings suggest that differential HERV expression is vital to control fusion and anti-fusogenic events in the placenta and consequently, any imbalance or dysregulation in HERV expression may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Application of Pattern Language for Game Design in Pedagogy and Design Practice
Authors: Barney Christopher Aaron
Published: September 2021

Existing implementations of game design patterns have largely been confined to theoretical or research settings. Weaknesses in these implementations have prevented game design patterns from being properly evaluated as an educational and practical development tool. This paper examines these weaknesses, describes a method of developing and applying patterns that overcome the weaknesses, and evaluates use of the method for game design education and practice. Weaknesses in existing pattern implementations are: the omission of design problems, presumption of functional completeness at the level of pattern languages, narrow topical focus, and lack of a concise, repeatable method for pattern production. Several features of the proposed method were specifically built to address these weaknesses, namely the pattern template, the process for connecting patterns into a language and assessing the language’s scope, a rubric for assessing pattern confidence and interconnectivity confidence, and pattern-building exercises. This method was applied in a classroom setting. Results as assessed by the evaluation of student work suggest that creating patterns/pattern languages is an effective pedagogical approach. Designs produced using designer-created patterns closely align with existing design theory and are clearly understood by students. The above results may indicate that the path to gaining wider acceptance of pattern theory as a design framework within game design is not to produce a universal pattern language, but to facilitate the creation of case-specific languages by students and professional designers that use a shared ontology, and thus can be combined easily to solve the diverse sets of problems faced by these groups.
Sperm Production Is Reduced after a Heatwave at the Pupal Stage in the Males of the Parasitoid Wasp Microplitisrufiventris Kok (Hymenoptera; Braconidae)
Authors: El-Sabrout Ahmed M. , Hegazi Esmat , Khafagi Wedad , Bressac Christophe
Published: September 2021

Understanding reproduction is essential for controlling pests and supporting beneficial insects. Among the many factors allowing optimal reproduction, sperm availability is key to sex ratio control in hymenopteran parasitoids since males are haploid and only females come from fertilization. Microplitisrufiventris (Hymenoptera; Braconidae) is a solitary endoparasitoid of some noctuids. This insect could be used for the control of the cotton leafworm Spodopteralittoralis. Under controlled conditions, sperm quantity was measured in virgin males at 1, 5, 10, and 15 days; it increases in adult males until the fifth day. Sperm stock of control males increased from 2500 at one day to 6700 at 15 days. With the control climatic condition being 25 °C, we tested the effects of a time-limited increase of temperature that can be found in Egypt (36 and 40 °C) during one day at the early pupal stage. Emerging males had 1500 and 420 sperm at 36 and 40 °C, respectively; both lived shorter than the control. The sperm potential of males is dependent on both age and temperature during the early pupal stage. It could have dramatic consequences on the sex ratio of M. rufiventris in natural and controlled populations.
Sarcopenia and Myosteatosis as Prognostic Markers in Patients with Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma Undergoing Palliative Treatment
Authors: Jördens Markus S. , Wittig Linda , Heinrichs Lisa , Keitel Verena , Schulze-Hagen Maximilian , Antoch Gerald , Knoefel Wolfram T. , Fluegen Georg , Luedde Tom , Loberg Christina , Roderburg Christoph , Loosen Sven H.
Published: September 2021

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) represents the second most common primary liver cancer and is characterized by a very poor outcome, but reliable prognostic markers are largely missing. Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, as well as myosteatosis have been associated with an unfavorable outcome in several clinical conditions, including cancer. Here, we evaluated the prognostic relevance of sarcopenia and myosteatosis using routine abdominal CT (computed tomography) scans in advanced stage CCA patients undergoing palliative treatment. Methods: Routine abdominal CT scans were used to assess the skeletal muscle and the psoas muscle index (L3SMI/L3PMI) at the level of the third lumbar vertebra as radiological indices for sarcopenia as well as the mean skeletal muscle attenuation (MMA) as a surrogate for myosteatosis. Results were correlated with clinical data and outcomes. Results: Using a calculated optimal cut-off value of 71.95 mm2/cm, CCA patients with an L3SMI value below this cut-off showed a significantly reduced median overall survival (OS) of only 250 days compared to 450 days in patients with a higher L3SMI. Moreover, the median OS of CCA patients with an L3PMI above 6345 mm2/cm was 552 days compared to 252 days in patients with a lower L3PMI. Finally, CCA patients with an MMA above 30.51 Hounsfield Units survived significantly longer (median OS: 430 days) compared to patients with an MMA value below this ideal cut-off (median OS: 215 days). The prognostic relevance of L3SMI, L3PMI, and MMA was confirmed in uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Conclusion: Routine abdominal CT scans represent a unique opportunity to evaluate sarcopenia as well as myosteatosis in advanced CCA patients. We identified the L3SMI/L3PMI as well as the MMA as negative prognostic factors in CCA patients undergoing palliative therapy, arguing that the “opportunistic” evaluation of these parameters might yield important clinical information in daily routine.
Spatial Pattern and Driving Mechanism of Urban–Rural Income Gap in Gansu Province of China
Authors: Zhang Ping , Li Weiwei , Zhao Kaixu , Zhao Sidong
Published: September 2021

The urban–rural income gap is a principal indicator for evaluating the sustainable development of a region, and even the comprehensive strength of a country. The study of the urban–rural income gap and its changing spatial patterns and influence factors is an important basis for the formulation of integrated urban–rural development planning. In this paper, we conduct an empirical study on 84 county-level cities in Gansu Province by using various analysis tools, such as GIS, GeoDetector and Boston Consulting Group Matrix. The findings show that: (1) The urban–rural income gap in Gansu province is at a high level in spatial correlation and agglomeration, leading to the formation of a stepped and solidified spatial pattern. (2) Different factors vary greatly in influence, for example, per capita Gross Domestic Product, alleviating poverty policy and urbanization rate are the most prominent, followed by those such as floating population, added value of secondary industry and number of Internet users. (3) The driving mechanism becomes increasingly complex, with the factor interaction effect of residents’ income dominated by bifactor enhancement, and that of the urban–rural income gap dominated by non-linear enhancement. (4) The 84 county-level cities in Gansu Province are classified into four types of early warning zones, and differentiated policy suggestions are made in this paper.
Lattice-Matched AlInN/GaN/AlGaN/GaN Heterostructured-Double-Channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor High-Electron Mobility Transistors with Multiple-Mesa-Fin-Channel Array
Authors: Lee Hsin-Ying , Liu Day-Shan , Chyi Jen-Inn , Chang Edward Yi , Lee Ching-Ting
Published: September 2021

Multiple-mesa-fin-channel array patterned by a laser interference photolithography system and gallium oxide (Ga2O3) gate oxide layer deposited by a vapor cooling condensation system were employed in double-channel Al0.83In0.17N/GaN/Al0.18Ga0.82N/GaN heterostructured-metal-oxide-semiconductors (MOSHEMTs). The double-channel was constructed by the polarized Al0.18Ga0.82N/GaN channel 1 and band discontinued lattice-matched Al0.83In0.17N/GaN channel 2. Because of the superior gate control capability, the generally induced double-hump transconductance characteristics of double-channel MOSHEMTs were not obtained in the devices. The superior gate control capability was contributed by the side-wall electrical field modulation in the fin-channel. Owing to the high-insulating Ga2O3 gate oxide layer and the high-quality interface between the Ga2O3 and GaN layers, low noise power density of 8.7 × 10−14 Hz−1 and low Hooge’s coefficient of 6.25 × 10−6 of flicker noise were obtained. Furthermore, the devices had a unit gain cutoff frequency of 6.5 GHz and a maximal oscillation frequency of 12.6 GHz.
Preparation and Characterization of High-Strength Glass-Ceramics via Ion-Exchange Method
Authors: Lu Jianwei , Wang Haifeng , Zhu Juanjuan , Zheng Qiuju , Ding Linfeng , Jiang Weizhong
Published: September 2021

Lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramics (LAS GCs) are ideal shell materials for mobile phones; however, the mechanical properties of LAS GCs are comparatively lower than that of other shell materials. In this work, the impact of TiO2/(TiO2 + ZrO2) ratio on properties of LAS GCs was studied and the ion-exchange methods were applied to improve the mechanical properties of LAS GCs. The results show that LAS GCs with TiO2/(TiO2 + ZrO2) = 1/2 exhibit the best flexural strength (109 MPa) and Vickers hardness (525 Kg/mm2). The as-prepared glass was nucleated at 560 °C for 1 h and crystallized at 720 °C for 0.5 h. The main crystalline phases of LAS GCs are β-quartz solid solution, β-spodumene solid solution, and Li2SiO3. Moreover, the flexural strength and Vickers hardness of LAS GCs with TiO2/(TiO2 + ZrO2) = 1/2 further increased to 356 MPa and 838 Kg/mm2 after an ion-exchange at 420 °C for 6 h in pure KNO3 molten salt. The LAS GCs with enhanced mechanical strength have the potential to be applied as mobile phone back panels.
Analysis of Molecular Disordering Processes in the Phase Transition of Liquid Crystals Observed by Patterned-Illumination Time-Resolved Phase Microscopy
Authors: Sato Nozomi , Katayama Kenji
Published: September 2021

The initial processes of the phase transition dynamics of liquid crystals (LCs) subject to UV pulse irradiation were clarified using a nanosecond time-resolved imaging technique called pattern-illumination time-resolved phase microscopy (PI-PM). Two types of LCs were studied: a photo-responsive LC and dye-doped LCs. We found two steps of molecular disordering processes in the phase transition, namely local disordering proceeding anisotropically, followed by the spreading of the isotropic phase. These two processes were separated for a photo-responsive LC while being simultaneously observed for the dye-doped LCs. It was found that the photomechanical dyes induced the phase transition process faster than the photothermal dyes.
Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Titanium Deposition for Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing as a Function of Standoff Distance
Authors: Żórawski Wojciech , Molak Rafał , Mądry Janusz , Sienicki Jarosław , Góral Anna , Makrenek Medard , Scendo Mieczysław , Dobosz Romuald
Published: September 2021

In this research, the cold spray process as an additive manufacturing method was applied to deposit thick titanium coatings onto 7075 aluminium alloy. An analysis of changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings depending on the standoff distance was carried out to obtain the maximum deposition efficiency. The process parameters were selected in such a way as to ensure the spraying of irregular titanium powder at the highest velocity and temperature and changing the standoff distance from 20 to 100 mm. Experimental studies demonstrated that the standoff distance had a significant effect on the microstructure of the coatings and their adhesion. Moreover, its rise significantly increased the deposition efficiency. The standoff distance also significantly affected the coating microstructure and their adhesion to the substrate, but did not cause any changes in their phase composition. The standoff distance also influenced the coating porosity, which first decreased to a minimum level of 0.2% and then increased significantly to 9.8%. At the same time, the hardness of the coatings increased by 30%. Numerical simulations confirmed the results of the tests.
Effects of Deep Cryogenic Treatment on the Microstructure and Properties of Rolled Cu Foil
Authors: Dong Zhichao , Fei Xiangyu , Gong Benkui , Zhao Xinyu , Nie Jiwei
Published: September 2021

The development of fifth-generation (5G) communication and wearable electronics generates higher requirements for the mechanical properties of copper foil. Higher mechanical properties and lower resistance are required for flexible copper-clad laminate and high-frequency and high-speed Cu foil. Deep cryogenic treatment (DCT), as a post-treatment method, has many advantages, such as low cost and ease of operation. However, less attention has been paid to the impact of DCT on rolled Cu foil. In this study, the effects of DCT on the microstructure and mechanical properties of rolled Cu foil were investigated. The results show that as the treatment time increased, the tensile strength and hardness first increased and then decreased, reaching a peak value of 394.06 MPa and 1.47 GPa at 12 h. The mechanical property improvement of rolled Cu foil was due to the grain refinement and the increase of dislocation density. The dislocation density of rolled Cu foil after a DCT time of 12 h was determined to have a peak value of 4.3798 × 1015 m−2. The dislocation density increased by 19% and the grain size decreased by 12% after 12 h DCT.
Correction: Liu et al. Microstructure and Properties of SUS304 Stainless Steel Joints Brazed with Electrodeposited Ni-Cr-P Alloy Coatings. Materials 2021, 14, 4216
Authors: Liu Shubin , Shohji Ikuo , Kobayashi Tatsuya , Osanai Katsuharu , Ando Tetsuya , Hirohashi Junichiro , Wake Tsunehito , Inoue Katsufumi , Yamamoto Hiroki
Published: September 2021

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Screen Printed Antennas on Fiber-Based Substrates for Sustainable HF RFID Assisted E-Fulfilment Smart Packaging
Authors: Machiels Jarne , Appeltans Raf , Bauer Dieter Klaus , Segers Elien , Henckens Zander , Van Rompaey Wouter , Adons Dimitri , Peeters Roos , Geiβler Marie , Kuehnoel Katrin , Tempel Lydia , Weissbach Thomas , Hübler Arved Carl , Verma Akash , Ferraris Eleonora , Deferme Wim , Buntinx Mieke
Published: September 2021

Intelligent packaging is an emerging technology, aiming to improve the standard communication function of packaging. Radio frequency identification (RFID) assisted smart packaging is of high interest, but the uptake is limited as the market needs cost-efficient and sustainable applications. The integration of screen printed antennas and RFID chips as smart labels in reusable cardboard packaging could offer a solution. Although paper is an interesting and recyclable material, printing on this substrate is challenging as the ink conductivity is highly influenced by the paper properties. In this study, the best paper/functional silver ink combinations were first selected out of 76 paper substrates based on the paper surface roughness, air permeance, sheet resistance and SEM characterization. Next, a flexible high frequency RFID chip (13.56 MHz) was connected on top of screen printed antennas with a conductive adhesive. Functional RFID labels were integrated in cardboard packaging and its potential application as reusable smart box for third party logistics was tested. In parallel, a web-based software application mimicking its functional abilities in the logistic cycle was developed. This multidisciplinary approach to developing an easy-scalable screen printed antenna and RFID-assisted smart packaging application is a good example for future implementation of hybrid electronics in sustainable smart packaging.
Polystyrene-Fe3O4-MWCNTs Nanocomposites for Toluene Removal from Water
Authors: Abdullah Thamer Adnan , Juzsakova Tatjána , Rasheed Rashed Taleb , Salman Ali Dawood , Sebestyen Viktor , Domokos Endre , Sluser Brindusa , Cretescu Igor
Published: September 2021

In this research, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were functionalized by oxidation with strong acids HNO3, H2SO4, and H2O2. Then, magnetite/MWCNTs nanocomposites were prepared and polystyrene was added to prepare polystyrene/MWCNTs/magnetite (PS:MWCNTs:Fe) nanocomposites. The magnetic property of the prepared nano-adsorbent PS:MWCNTs:Fe was successfully checked. For characterization, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and BET surface area were used to determine the structure, morphology, chemical nature, functional groups, and surface area with pore volume of the prepared nano-adsorbents. The adsorption procedures were carried out for fresh MWCNTs, oxidized MWCNTs, MWCNTs-Fe, and PS:MWCNTs:Fe nanocomposites in batch experiments. Toluene standard was used to develop the calibration curve. The results of toluene adsorption experiments exhibited that the PS:MWCNTs:Fe nonabsorbent achieved the highest removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of toluene removal. The optimum parameters for toluene removal from water were found to be 60 min, 2 mg nano-sorbent dose, pH of 5, solution temperature of 35 °C at 50 mL volume, toluene concentration of 50 mg/L, and shaking speed of 240 rpm. The adsorption kinetic study of toluene followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics, with the best correlation (R2) value of 0.998, while the equilibrium adsorption study showed that the Langmuir isotherm was obeyed, which suggested that the adsorption is a monolayer and homogenous.