bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Effectiveness of Bevacizumab versus Cetuximab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients without Primary Tumor Resection
Authors: Su Yi-Chia , Wu Chih-Chien , Su Chien-Chou , Hsieh Meng-Che , Cheng Ching-Lan , Kao Yang Yea-Huei
Published: April 2022

Primary tumor resection may be unfeasible in metastatic colorectal cancer. We determined the effects of bevacizumab and cetuximab therapies on survival or conversion surgery in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who did not undergo primary tumor resection. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 8466 patients who underwent first-line bevacizumab- or cetuximab-based therapy. We analyzed the data of both therapies in patients who did not undergo primary tumor resection. Overall survival after targeted therapy plus chemotherapy was assessed. The groups were matched using propensity score matching and weighting. Cetuximab resulted in lower mortality than bevacizumab (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.75); however, it did not have the same effect in patients that underwent primary tumor resection (HR = 0.95) after propensity score weighting. Among patients treated with targeted agents, primary tumor resection was associated with lower mortality among those who received both bevacizumab (HR = 0.60) and cetuximab (HR = 0.75). Among patients that did not undergo primary tumor resection, multivariable analysis for conversion surgery showed that the cetuximab group (HR = 1.82) had a significantly higher metastasectomy rate. In these patients, cetuximab-based therapy was associated with significantly better survival compared with bevacizumab-based therapy. Cetuximab also yielded a higher conversion surgery rate. These findings demonstrate the importance of stratification by primary tumor resection in the application of current treatment guidelines and initiation of future clinical trials.
Targeting Ribosome Biogenesis in Cancer: Lessons Learned and Way Forward
Authors: Zisi Asimina , Bartek Jiri , Lindström Mikael S.
Published: April 2022

Rapid growth and unrestrained proliferation is a hallmark of many cancers. To accomplish this, cancer cells re-wire and increase their biosynthetic and metabolic activities, including ribosome biogenesis (RiBi), a complex, highly energy-consuming process. Several chemotherapeutic agents used in the clinic impair this process by interfering with the transcription of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in the nucleolus through the blockade of RNA polymerase I or by limiting the nucleotide building blocks of RNA, thereby ultimately preventing the synthesis of new ribosomes. Perturbations in RiBi activate nucleolar stress response pathways, including those controlled by p53. While compounds such as actinomycin D and oxaliplatin effectively disrupt RiBi, there is an ongoing effort to improve the specificity further and find new potent RiBi-targeting compounds with improved pharmacological characteristics. A few recently identified inhibitors have also become popular as research tools, facilitating our advances in understanding RiBi. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the various compounds targeting RiBi, their mechanism of action, and potential use in cancer therapy. We discuss screening strategies, drug repurposing, and common problems with compound specificity and mechanisms of action. Finally, emerging paths to discovery and avenues for the development of potential biomarkers predictive of therapeutic outcomes across cancer subtypes are also presented.
Glycosyltransferases in Cancer: Prognostic Biomarkers of Survival in Patient Cohorts and Impact on Malignancy in Experimental Models
Authors: Pucci Michela , Duca Martina , Malagolini Nadia , Dall’Olio Fabio
Published: April 2022

Background: Glycosylation changes are a main feature of cancer. Some carbohydrate epitopes and expression levels of glycosyltransferases have been used or proposed as prognostic markers, while many experimental works have investigated the role of glycosyltransferases in malignancy. Using the transcriptomic data of the 21 TCGA cohorts, we correlated the expression level of 114 glycosyltransferases with the overall survival of patients. Methods: Using the Oncolnc website, we determined the Kaplan–Meier survival curves for the patients falling in the 15% upper or lower percentile of mRNA expression of each glycosyltransferase. Results: Seventeen glycosyltransferases involved in initial steps of N- or O-glycosylation and of glycolipid biosynthesis, in chain extension and sialylation were unequivocally associated with bad prognosis in a majority of cohorts. Four glycosyltransferases were associated with good prognosis. Other glycosyltransferases displayed an extremely high predictive value in only one or a few cohorts. The top were GALNT3, ALG6 and B3GNT7, which displayed a p < 1 × 10−9 in the low-grade glioma (LGG) cohort. Comparison with published experimental data points to ALG3, GALNT2, B4GALNT1, POFUT1, B4GALT5, B3GNT5 and ST3GAL2 as the most consistently malignancy-associated enzymes. Conclusions: We identified several cancer-associated glycosyltransferases as potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.
Randomized Crossover Trial Evaluating Detoxification of Tobacco Carcinogens by Broccoli Seed and Sprout Extract in Current Smokers
Authors: Bauman Julie E. , Hsu Chiu-Hsieh , Centuori Sara , Guillen-Rodriguez Jose , Garland Linda L. , Ho Emily , Padi Megha , Bageerathan Vignesh , Bengtson Lisa , Wojtowicz Malgorzata , Szabo Eva , Chow H.-H. Sherry
Published: April 2022

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, rich in the isothiocyanate glucoraphanin, is associated with reduced risk of tobacco-related cancers. Sulforaphane, released by hydrolysis of glucoraphanin, potently induces cytoprotective phase II enzymes. Sulforaphane decreased the incidence of oral cancer in the 4NQO carcinogenesis model. In residents of Qidong, China, broccoli seed and sprout extracts (BSSE) increased detoxification of air pollutants benzene and acrolein, also found in tobacco smoke. This randomized, crossover trial evaluated detoxification of tobacco carcinogens by the BSSE Avmacol® in otherwise healthy smokers. Participants were treated for 2 weeks with both low and higher-dose BSSE (148 µmol vs. 296 µmol of glucoraphanin daily), separated by a 2-week washout, with randomization to low-high vs. high-low sequence. The primary endpoint was detoxification of benzene, measured by urinary excretion of its mercapturic acid, SPMA. Secondary endpoints included bioavailability, detoxification of acrolein and crotonaldehyde, modulation by GST genotype, and toxicity. Forty-nine participants enrolled, including 26 (53%) females with median use of 20 cigarettes/day. Low and higher-dose BSSE showed a mean bioavailability of 11% and 10%, respectively. Higher-dose BSSE significantly upregulated urinary excretion of the mercapturic acids of benzene (p = 0.04), acrolein (p < 0.01), and crotonaldehyde (p = 0.02), independent of GST genotype. Retention and compliance were high resulting in early study completion. In conclusion, BSSE significantly upregulated detoxification of the tobacco carcinogens benzene, acrolein, and crotonaldehyde in current tobacco smokers.
Prognostic Factors after Surgery for Salivary Gland Cancer; What Is New, and What Is Next?
Authors: Camaioni Angelo , De Luca Pietro , Salzano Francesco Antonio
Published: April 2022

Salivary gland cancers account approximately for 7% of all head and neck tumors [...]
Optimization of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Anodizing Process in NaOH-Na2SiO3-Na2B4O7 Environmental-Friendly Electrolyte
Authors: Pan Su , Tu Xiaohua , Yu Jianxing , Zhang Yang , Miao Chengping , Xu Yaling , Fu Rui , Li Jiayou
Published: April 2022

The optimization of NaOH-Na2SiO3-Na2B4O7 electrolyte for the plasma electrolytic oxidation of AZ31B magnesium alloy was investigated through orthogonal tests. The properties of the anodized films were evaluated by film thickness, roughness measurements, salt spray tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and potentiodynamic polarization tests, respectively. The orthogonal tests revealed that the optimal formulation of the electrolyte comprised NaOH 45 g/L, Na2SiO3 50 g/L, and Na2B4O7 90 g/L. NaOH exhibited the most significant effect on film thickness, while Na2SiO3 had the greatest effect on corrosion resistance. Moreover, the optimal electrical parameters were also obtained with the values of current density 1 A /dm2, oxidation time 15 min, pulse frequency 200 Hz and duty cycle of 10%. The surface morphology of the anodized coating formed under optimal conditions was uniform and compact. Furthermore, the phase compositions of all samples were mainly composed of MgO and Mg2SiO4. The corrosion potential, corrosion current density and polarization resistance of the prepared coating by plasma electrolytic oxidation improved remarkably compared with that of the substrate.
Improvement of Structures and Properties of Al2O3 Coating Prepared by Cathode Plasma Electrolytic Deposition by Incorporating SiC Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Xianjia , Li Zhi , Zhou Rui , Wang Bin , Wang Yu , Li Husheng , He Tao , Ma Yushan , Ge Tao , Fan Wei , Bai Yu
Published: April 2022

A serious issue in the preparation of Al2O3 coatings by cathode plasma electrolytic deposition (CPED) is that the coatings have a porous structure, which is detrimental to their protective performance. Therefore, to address this problem, SiC nanoparticles are incorporated into the Al2O3 coating in this study. A series of Al2O3–SiC composite coatings are efficaciously prepared on the surface of 316L stainless steel by CPED. The microstructures, compositions and phase components of the composite coatings are characterized; the electrochemical corrosion resistance and tribological behavior are evaluated; and the mechanism of SiC nanoparticles in the coating formation process is discussed in detail. The results indicate that the Al2O3 coating prepared by CPED consists of α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3, and the former is the main crystalline phase. With the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles in the coating, the content of α-Al2O3 gradually decreases, almost disappearing, accompanied by an increase in γ-Al2O3 as the main crystalline phase. The incorporation of SiC nanoparticles significantly reduces the surface irregularity and roughness of Al2O3 coatings and remarkably improves the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the Al2O3 coatings. The improvement in corrosion resistance and anti-wear properties can be explained by the fact that the SiC nanoparticles effectively weaken electrical breakdown and increase the compactness of the coatings.
Effect of Edible Coating on the Quality and Antioxidant Enzymatic Activity of Postharvest Sweet Cherry (Prunusavium L.) during Storage
Authors: Hu Wenzhong , Sarengaowa Sarengaowa , Feng Ke
Published: April 2022

The effects of edible chitosan coating (0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5% and 0.75% w/v) on the changes in the quality, respiration rate, total phenolic content and anthocyanin of postharvest sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) at 10 °C were investigated. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were also determined. The result showed that the treatments of chitosan edible coating were effective at delaying the evolution of the parameters related to postharvest ripening, such as color and firmness, and respiration rate. The edible coatings also showed that the lower total phenolics and total antioxidant activity were maintained compared to that in the control associated with the overripening. It was suggested that the optimal quality and enhanced antioxidant enzymatic activities of postharvest cherry fruits were obtained by an edible coating of chitosan 0.5% up to 24 days at 10 °C. The chitosan edible coating could be favorable for extending shelf-life, maintaining the quality of sweet cherries.
N-TiO2-Coated SiC Foam for the Treatment of Dyeing Wastewater under Blue Light LED Irradiation
Authors: Sun Wen , Li Xuankun , Zou Jingtao , Guo Han
Published: April 2022

TiO2 is widely used for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater, but the practical applications of the photocatalyst are limited due to its poor visible light absorption and low recovery rate. In this study, high production of nitrogen-doped TiO2 was achieved by a hydrolysis precipitation method; the obtained N-TiO2 had a small crystallite size and good dispersibility. The effect of calcining temperature on the photocatalytic performance of N-TiO2 was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in a blue light LED irradiation cylinder, it was found the N-TiO2 calcined at 400 °C showed the best photocatalytic activity. Then the N-TiO2 was immobilized on SiC ceramic foam by dip-coating with PVA as the binder. The prepared N-TiO2/SiC foam showed excellent photocatalytic activity under blue light LED irradiation; as high as 96.3% of MB was degraded at optimum conditions. After five cycles of MB photodegradation, the photocatalytic activity of N-TiO2/SiC foam only changed slightly, which makes it a promising photocatalytic material for wastewater treatment.
Tribological Characterization of Reinforced Fe Matrix Composites with Hybrid Reinforcement of C, Cu, and SiC Particulates
Authors: Kheradmand Azam Beigi , Fattahi Mohammad Reza , Tayebi Morteza , Hamawandi Bejan
Published: April 2022

This study sought to design and characterize the Fe, SiC, Cu, and C metal matrix composite (MMC) with optimum SiC content to obtain sufficiently good wear resistance performance. For this purpose, Fe, Cu, graphite, and BaSO4 (Fe-11Cu-6.5G-6BaSO4) with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 wt.% SiC powders (in the range of 45–150 um) were milled for the fabrication of the composite. Then, sintering was performed by hot press at 1000 °C under 400 MPa in a controlled atmosphere furnace. Wear, and coefficient of friction (COF) were then carried out on the samples under 20 N and 700 rpm for 1000 m. SEM micrographs and EDS analysis were also utilized for the wear mechanism. According to the studies of worn surfaces, it was found that at the beginning of the sliding distance, the abrasion mechanism was predominant, and by increasing the sliding distance of plastic deformation, adhesive wear and oxidation were activated. It was concluded that the weight loss decreases less and has a constant and more appropriate COF due to an increase in SiC to an optimal value, i.e., 10%. In addition, wear resistance and hardness increase due to increased SiC. Therefore, due to the low wear rate and suitable coefficient of friction, composite Fe-11Cu-10SiC-6.5G-6BaSO4 can be introduced as brake pad applications.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Shiravand Yavar , Khodadadi Faezeh , Kashani Seyyed Mohammad Amin , Hosseini-Fard Seyed Reza , Hosseini Shadi , Sadeghirad Habib , Ladwa Rahul , O’Byrne Ken , Kulasinghe Arutha
Published: April 2022

The discovery of immune checkpoint proteins such as PD-1/PDL-1 and CTLA-4 represents a significant breakthrough in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, humanized monoclonal antibodies, targeting these immune checkpoint proteins have been utilized successfully in patients with metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck cancers and non-small lung cancer. The US FDA has successfully approved three different categories of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as PD-1 inhibitors (Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, and Cemiplimab), PDL-1 inhibitors (Atezolimumab, Durvalumab and Avelumab), and CTLA-4 inhibitor (Ipilimumab). Unfortunately, not all patients respond favourably to these drugs, highlighting the role of biomarkers such as Tumour mutation burden (TMB), PDL-1 expression, microbiome, hypoxia, interferon-γ, and ECM in predicting responses to ICIs-based immunotherapy. The current study aims to review the literature and updates on ICIs in cancer therapy.
Diversity of Marine and Brackish Macrophytes in the Port-Cros National Park (Provence, France, Mediterranean Sea): Taxa and Research Effort over Space and Time
Authors: Boudouresque Charles-François , Perret-Boudouresque Michèle , Blanfuné Aurélie
Published: April 2022

The terrestrial and marine Port-Cros National (PCNP) was established in 1963; it was then made up only of the Archipelago of Port-Cros. Since 2012, it has been extended to include a vast land and sea area, including not only islands but also part of the mainland, the new PCNP (N-PCNP); the marine core area and the adjacent marine area cover approximately 120,000 ha and extend over 63 km as the crow flies, from east to west. Taxon richness is just one descriptor of biodiversity among others (e.g., functional and ecosystem diversity), and is far from being the most reliable one; however, it deserves to be taken into consideration, provided that certain prerequisites are met, because it constitutes a convenient measure of, e.g., the research effort and the diversity of habitats. The number of reported macrophyte taxa amounts to 502: 73 green algae, 316 red algae, 104 brown algae and 9 magnoliophyta and other taxa. Two new combinations are proposed: Ericaria brachycarpa var. claudiae and Gongolaria montagnei var. compressa. This gamma species diversity is far from being exceptionally high, but rather is within the norm for the Mediterranean, if we take into account the size of the area considered. The number of reported taxa per site is highly heterogeneous throughout the N-PCNP area; it is, as expected, correlated with the number of studies per site. The research effort peaked in the 1970–1980s, and then irregularly declined, which may seem surprising in this era of biodiversity launched at the 1992 Rio Summit. The exceptionally extensive database available, covering more than a century, provides the basis for a critical analysis of the concept of biodiversity, as proclaimed by the general public and the ‘greens’, which can be naive or biased, and of the concept of ‘heritage value species’, which the authors of this article consider to be a ‘toxic concept’, as opposed to ‘ordinary biodiversity’, which enables ecosystem functioning. However, this database, straddling both areas highly impacted by humans (coastal development, tourist resorts) and areas that are effectively protected, does not highlight obvious changes over time.
Entropy Treatment of Evolution Algebras
Authors: Mukhamedov Farrukh , Qaralleh Izzat
Published: April 2022

In this paper, by introducing an entropy of Markov evolution algebras, we treat the isomorphism of S-evolution algebras. A family of Markov evolution algebras is defined through the Hadamard product of structural matrices of non-negative real S-evolution algebras, and their isomorphism is studied by means of their entropy. Furthermore, the isomorphism of S-evolution algebras is treated using the concept of relative entropy.
Learning Local Distribution for Extremely Efficient Single-Image Super-Resolution
Authors: Wu Wei , Xu Wen , Zheng Bolun , Huang Aiai , Yan Chenggang
Published: April 2022

Achieving balance between efficiency and performance is a key problem for convolution neural network (CNN)-based single-image super-resolution (SISR) algorithms. Existing methods tend to directly output high-resolution (HR) pixels or residuals to reconstruct the HR image and focus a lot of attention on designing powerful CNN backbones. However, this reconstruction way requires the CNN backbone to have good ability to fit the mapping function from LR pixels to HR pixels, which certainly held these methods back from achieving extreme efficiency and from working in embedded environments. In this work, we propose a novel distribution learning architecture to estimate the local distribution and reconstruct HR pixels by sampling the local distribution with the corresponding 2D coordinates. We also improve the backbone structure to better support the proposed distribution learning architecture. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance for extremely efficient SISR and exhibits a good balance between efficiency and performance.
Data-Driven State Prediction and Analysis of SOFC System Based on Deep Learning Method
Authors: Rao Mumin , Wang Li , Chen Chuangting , Xiong Kai , Li Mingfei , Chen Zhengpeng , Dong Jiangbo , Xu Junli , Li Xi
Published: April 2022

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system is a kind of green chemical-energy–electric-energy conversion equipment with broad application prospects. In order to ensure the long-term stable operation of the SOFC power-generation system, prediction and evaluation of the system’s operating state are required. The mechanism of the SOFC system has not been fully revealed, and data-driven single-step prediction is of little value for practical applications. The state-prediction problem can be regarded as a time series prediction problem. Therefore, an innovative deep learning model for SOFC system state prediction is proposed in this study. The model uses a two-layer LSTM network structure that supports multiple sequence feature inputs and flexible multi-step prediction outputs, which allows multi-step prediction of system states using SOFC system experimental data. Comparing the proposed model with the traditional ARIMA model and LSTM recursive prediction model, it is shown that the multi-step LSTM prediction model performs better than the ARIMA and LSTM recursive prediction models in terms of two evaluation criteria: root mean square error and mean absolute error. Thus, the proposed multi-step LSTM prediction model can effectively and accurately predict and evaluate the SOFC system’s state.
A Negative Sequence Current Phasor Compensation Technique for the Accurate Detection of Stator Shorted Turn Faults in Induction Motors
Authors: Bakhri Syaiful , Ertugrul Nesimi
Published: April 2022

Stator faults are the most critical faults in induction motors as they develop quickly hence requiring fast online diagnostic methods. A number of online condition monitoring techniques are proposed in the literature to respond to such faults, including the signature analysis of the stator current, vibration monitoring, flux leakage monitoring, negative sequence components of voltage and current and sequence components monitoring based on the identification of asymmetrical behavior in a machine. Negative sequence components of voltage and current and sequence components monitoring are commonly considered for the identification of asymmetrical behavior of induction motors. Negative sequence current analysis is a sensitive technique for the detection of shorted turns as it directly measures the asymmetry produced by the fault. However, the technique is sensitive to other asymmetrical faults and disturbances, which can also produce negative sequence currents. These disturbances include sensor errors, inherent asymmetry and voltage unbalance. This paper provides a comprehensive investigation of the disturbances using a motor model along with experimental measurements under varying load conditions. Then, a new phasor compensation technique is explained to eliminate such disturbances effectively. This technique enables the accurate detection of even relatively small shorted turn faults, even at an early stage. The technique is tested experimentally, and a set of practical results are given to validate the methods developed.
Contingency Analysis of a Grid Connected EV's for Primary Frequency Control of an Industrial Microgrid Using Efficient Control Scheme
Authors: Sabhahit Jayalakshmi , Solanke Sanjana , Jadoun Vinay , Malik Hasmat , García Márquez Fausto , Pinar-Pérez Jesús
Published: April 2022

After over a century of internal combustion engines ruling the transport sector, electric vehicles appear to be on the verge of gaining traction due to a slew of advantages, including lower operating costs and lower CO2 emissions. By using the Vehicle-to-Grid (or Grid-to-Vehicle if Electric vehicles (EVs) are utilized as load) approach, EVs can operate as both a load and a source. Primary frequency regulation and congestion management are two essential characteristics of this technology that are added to an industrial microgrid. Industrial Microgrids are made up of different energy sources such as wind farms and PV farms, storage systems, and loads. EVs have gained a lot of interest as a technique for frequency management because of their ability to regulate quickly. Grid reliability depends on this quick reaction. Different contingency, state of charge of the electric vehicles, and a varying number of EVs in an EV fleet are considered in this work, and a proposed control scheme for frequency management is presented. This control scheme enables bidirectional power flow, allowing for primary frequency regulation during the various scenarios that an industrial microgrid may encounter over the course of a 24-h period. The presented controller will provide dependable frequency regulation support to the industrial microgrid during contingencies, as will be demonstrated by simulation results, achieving a more reliable system. However, simulation results will show that by increasing a number of the EVs in a fleet for the Vehicle-to-Grid approach, an industrial microgrid’s frequency can be enhanced even further.
Performance Study of Origami Crash Tubes Based on Energy Dissipation History
Authors: Zhang Peng , Sun Zuoyu , Wang Hui , Xiang Xinmei
Published: April 2022

Thin-walled tubes are widely used as energy-absorbing components in traffic vehicles, which can absorb part of the energy in time by using the plastic deformation of the components during collision so as to reduce the damage of the vehicle body and improve the overall safety and reliability of traffic vehicles. The prefolded design of thin-walled tube components can guide it to achieve the ideal energy dissipation performance according to the preset damage path, so the related research based on origami tubes has attracted a lot of attention. Since the geometry of the origami tubes is controlled by many parameters and stress and deformation is a complex nonlinear damage process, most of the previous studies adopted the method of case analysis to carry out numerical simulation and experimental verification of the relevant influence parameters. This paper makes a new exploration of this kind of problem and focuses on solving the related technical problems in three aspects: 1. The automatic model modeling and 3D display based on parameters are proposed; 2. System integration using Python programming to automatically generate the data files of ABAQUS for finite element simulation was realized, and we sorted the finite element analysis results into an artificial intelligence analysis data set; 3. Clustering analysis of the energy consumption history of the data set is carried out using a machine learning algorithm, and the key design parameters that affect the energy consumption history are studied in depth. The sensitivity of the energy absorption performance of the origami tubes with multi-morphology patterns to the crease spacing is studied, and it is shown that the concave–convex crease spacing distribution with a distance larger than 18 mm could be used to activate specific crushing modes. In the optimal case, its initial peak force is reduced by 66.6% compared to uniformly spaced creases, while the average crushing force is essentially the same. Furthermore, this paper finds a new path to optimizing the design of parameters for origami tubes including a multi-morphology origami pattern from the perspective of energy dissipation.
A Novel Data-Driven Estimation Method for State-of-Charge Estimation of Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhai Suwei , Li Wenyun , Wang Cheng , Chu Yundi
Published: April 2022

With the increasing proportion of Li-ion batteries in energy structures, studies on the estimation of the state of charge (SOC) of Li-ion batteries, which can effectively ensure the safety and stability of Li-ion batteries, have gained much attention. In this paper, a new data-driven method named the probabilistic threshold compensation fuzzy neural network (PTCFNN) is proposed to estimate the SOC of Li-ion batteries. Compared with other traditional methods that need to build complex battery models, the PTCFNN only needs data learning to obtain nonlinear mapping relationships inside Li-ion batteries. In order to avoid the local optimal value problem of traditional BP neural networks and the fixed reasoning mechanism of traditional fuzzy neural networks, the PTCFNN combines the advantages of a probabilistic fuzzy neural network and a compensation fuzzy neural network so as to improve the learning convergence speed and optimize the fuzzy reasoning mechanism. Finally, in order to verify the estimation performance of the PTCFNN, a 18650-20R Li-ion battery was used to carry out the estimation test. The results show that the mean absolute error and mean square error are very small under the conditions of a low-current test and dynamic-current test, and the overall estimation error is less than 1%, which further indicates that this method has good estimation ability.
Bagnoli Urban Regeneration through Phytoremediation
Authors: Cirillo Clelia , Bertoli Barbara , Acampora Giovanna , Marcolongo Loredana
Published: April 2022

The Bagnolidistrict in Naples has needed urban redevelopmentfor many years. The area is not only affected by pollution caused by many industries but also by environmental pollutants, according togeognostic surveys that have found numerous contaminantsin the subsoil and water.Currently, the combination of an urban rehabilitation processwith the phytodepuration technique may represent a successful idea for obtaining bothurban regenerationand environmental remediation. Phytoremediation, a biologically based technology, has attracted the attention of both thepublic and scientists as a low-cost alternative for soil requalification. The use of plants as well as the microorganisms present in their root systems plays an important role in the ecological engineering field in controlling and reducing pollutants present in theair, water and soil.The result is efficient, sustainable and cost-effective environmental recovery compared to conventional chemical–physical techniques. In this way, not only the environmental recovery of SIN Bagnoli-Corogliocan be obtained, but also the regeneration of its landscape.
Predictive Microbial Community and Functional Gene Expression Profiles in Pineapple Peel Fermentation Using 16S rRNA Gene Sequences
Authors: Tallei Trina Ekawati , Fatimawali  , Yelnetty Afriza , Kusumawaty Diah , Effendi Yunus , Park Moon Nyeo , Alhumaydhi Fahad A. , Emran Talha Bin , Kim Bonglee
Published: April 2022

Pineapple peel (PP) is a by-product with the potential to be used as a raw material for functional beverages. Traditional PP fermentation has so far paid little attention to the microbial community and its role in the fermentation process. As a result, the current research looked into the microbial communities and their roles during PP fermentation. A metagenomic approach based on the 16S rRNA sequencing data was used to assess the microbial communities. Subsequent analysis was performed using PICRUSt (phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states) to analyze the microbial functions in the fermentation system. The microecology of the fermentation process in three samples was predominated by Firmicutes. Furthermore, the well-known probiotic genera Weissella, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus were found to be predominating in the gumer, promic, and control samples, respectively. It was obvious that microenvironmental differences have an effect on the microbial composition of PP fermentation. Moreover, functional prediction revealed that carbohydrate metabolism was the most prevalent metabolic pathway during the fermentation process. Additionally, it was discovered that all of the bacteria found in the samples played significant roles in carbohydrate, amino acid, vitamin, and co-factor metabolism, which can be inferred to result in the production of beneficial metabolites.
Specific Gain and Loss of Co-Expression Modules in Long-Lived Individuals Indicate a Role of circRNAs in Human Longevity
Authors: Ge Ming-Xia , Jiang Jian-Jun , Yang Li-Qin , Yang Xing-Li , He Yong-Han , Li Gong-Hua , Kong Qing-Peng
Published: April 2022

Deep RNA sequencing of 164 blood samples collected from long-lived families was performed to investigate the expression patterns of circular RNAs (circRNAs). Unlike that observed in previous studies, circRNA expression in long-lived elderly individuals (98.3 ± 3.4 year) did not exhibit an age-accumulating pattern. Based on weighted circRNA co-expression network analysis, we found that longevous elders specifically gained eight but lost seven conserved circRNA-circRNA co-expression modules (c-CCMs) compared with normal elder controls (spouses of offspring of long-lived individuals, age = 59.3 ± 5.8 year). Further analysis showed that these modules were associated with healthy aging-related pathways. These results together suggest an important role of circRNAs in regulating human lifespan extension.
You Really Affect Me: The Role of Social Influence in the Relationship between Procedural Justice and Turnover Intention
Authors: Gharbi Hassane , Aliane Nadir , Al Falah Khaled A. , Sobaih Abu Elnasr E.
Published: April 2022

This research aims to test the impact of procedural justice on employees’ turnover intention via their intention to stay or give up their positions by putting social influence in the spotlight as a mediating variable. Although the topic dealing with the relationship linking organizational justice to turnover intention has taken some wrinkles, there has been no published research, to the best of researchers’ knowledge, that integrates social influence as a mediating variable between the aforementioned relationships. A questionnaire survey was administered to 558 employees working in a renowned banking institution located in the capital city of Tunis, Tunisia. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results using AMOS software, IBM, version 23, showed that social influence partially mediated the relationship between procedural justice and turnover intention. More specifically, procedural justice has a significant negative effect on turnover intention (β = −0.30, p < 0.01) and a significant positive effect on social influence (β = +0.54, p < 0.01), which will have a significant positive effect on turnover intention (β = +0.91, p < 0.01). The results confirm that procedural justice is necessary for any organization; however, it is not enough to eliminate the turnover intention, especially with the presence of social influence. Social influence alters the judgments of those caught in its nets. This intangible aspect and power is even more enigmatic and harmful, which can lead to a change in cognitive references and behaviors. Social influence heavily affects the spontaneity of individuals and they became subject to dominant forces, which has to be properly controlled by management.
MicroRNA as a Biomarker in Gastroenterological Cancers
Authors: Morishita Asahiro , Shirakami Yohei , Okumura Tomoyuki , Masaki Tsutomu
Published: April 2022

This Special Issue aims to highlight the usefulness of microRNA (miRNA) as diagnostic and prognostic markers of gastroenterological cancer (GC) [...]
Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Revealed the Response Mechanism of Quinoa Seedlings to Different Phosphorus Stresses
Authors: Wang Qianchao , Guo Yirui , Huang Tingzhi , Zhang Xuesong , Zhang Ping , Xie Heng , Liu Junna , Li Li , Kong Zhiyou , Qin Peng
Published: April 2022

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a dicotyledonous annual herb of Family Amaranthaceae and Subfamily Chenopodiaceae. It has high nutritional and economic value. Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant macronutrient, a component of many biomolecules, and vital to growth, development, and metabolism. We analyzed the transcriptomes and metabolomes of Dianli–1299 and Dianli–71 quinoa seedlings, compared their phenotypes, and elucidated the mechanisms of their responses to the phosphorus treatments. Phenotypes significantly varied with phosphorus level. The plants responded to changes in available phosphorus by modulating metabolites and genes implicated in glycerophospholipid, glycerolipid and glycolysis, and glyconeogenesis metabolism. We detected 1057 metabolites, of which 149 were differentially expressed (DEMs) and common to the control (CK) vs. the low-phosphorus (LP) treatment samples, while two DEMs were common to CK vs. the high-phosphorus (HP) treatment samples. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) annotated 29,232 genes, of which 231 were differentially expressed (DEGs) and common to CK vs. LP, while one was common to CK vs. HP. A total of 15 DEMs and 11 DEGs might account for the observed differences in the responses of the quinoa seedlings to the various phosphorus levels. The foregoing results may provide a theoretical basis for improving the phosphorus utilization efficiency in quinoa.
Beyond BRCA: The Emerging Significance of DNA Damage Response and Personalized Treatment in Pancreatic and Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Dalmasso Bruna , Puccini Alberto , Catalano Fabio , Borea Roberto , Iaia Maria Laura , Bruno William , Fornarini Giuseppe , Sciallero Stefania , Rebuzzi Sara Elena , Ghiorzo Paola
Published: April 2022

The BRCA1/2 germline and/or somatic pathogenic variants (PVs) are key players in the hereditary predisposition and therapeutic response for breast, ovarian and, more recently, pancreatic and prostate cancers. Aberrations in other genes involved in homologous recombination and DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are being investigated as promising targets in ongoing clinical trials. However, DDR genes are not routinely tested worldwide. Due to heterogeneity in cohort selection and dissimilar sequencing approaches across studies, neither the burden of PVs in DDR genes nor the prevalence of PVs in genes in common among pancreatic and prostate cancer can be easily quantified. We aim to contextualize these genes, altered in both pancreatic and prostate cancers, in the DDR process, to summarize their hereditary and somatic burden in different studies and harness their deficiency for cancer treatments in the context of currently ongoing clinical trials. We conclude that the inclusion of DDR genes, other than BRCA1/2, shared by both cancers considerably increases the detection rate of potentially actionable variants, which are triplicated in pancreatic and almost doubled in prostate cancer. Thus, DDR alterations are suitable targets for drug development and to improve the outcome in both pancreatic and prostate cancer patients. Importantly, this will increase the detection of germline pathogenic variants, thereby patient referral to genetic counseling.
Mechanical Load and Piezo1 Channel Regulated Myosin II Activity in Mouse Lenses
Authors: Allen Ariana , Maddala Rupalatha , Eldawy Camelia , Rao Ponugoti Vasantha
Published: April 2022

The cytoarchitecture and tensile characteristics of ocular lenses play a crucial role in maintaining their transparency and deformability, respectively, which are properties required for the light focusing function of ocular lens. Calcium-dependent myosin-II-regulated contractile characteristics and mechanosensitive ion channel activities are presumed to influence lens shape change and clarity. Here, we investigated the effects of load-induced force and the activity of Piezo channels on mouse lens myosin II activity. Expression of the Piezo1 channel was evident in the mouse lens based on immunoblot and immufluorescence analyses and with the use of a Piezo1-tdT transgenic mouse model. Under ex vivo conditions, change in lens shape induced by the load decreased myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. While the activation of Piezo1 by Yoda1 for one hour led to an increase in the levels of phosphorylated MLC, Yoda1 treatment for an extended period led to opacification in association with increased calpain activity and degradation of membrane proteins in ex vivo mouse lenses. In contrast, inhibition of Piezo1 by GsMTx4 decreased MLC phosphorylation but did not affect the lens tensile properties. This exploratory study reveals a role for the mechanical load and Piezo1 channel activity in the regulation of myosin II activity in lens, which could be relevant to lens shape change during accommodation.
Corrective and Preventive Action Plan (CAPA) for Disputes in Construction Projects: A Norwegian Perspective
Authors: Sabri Omar K. , Torp Olav
Published: April 2022

The consensus in the Norwegian construction industry is that the projects are characterized by conflicts. Because unresolved disputes that reach courts take time and resources to be solved, this leads to lost productivity and high costs for all stakeholders. Of the root causes of conflicts identified previously, tender specification and contract understanding were the most significant issues. To expand on previous findings, a qualitative analysis of 58 formal, semi-structured interviews was conducted to determine whether personal characteristics and types of contracts presented conflicts. Interviews were conducted with contractors, public clients, consultants, academics, and lawyers. Data were analyzed using NVIVO 12.0 following specific relevant themes and thematic maps. Corrective and preventive actions included the development of a new method to produce better-prepared tender documents, knowledge building in contract management, training to ensure better communication and dialogue between client and contractor, trust-building, dispute resolution along the way, and avoid awarding contracts at the lowest price or the use of a hybrid model. Improved routines may drive costs down, and cooperation and new forms of tendering and contracting could be the key to prevent and minimize disputes in Norway.
Clinical Developmental Cardiology for Understanding Etiology of Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Yamagishi Hiroyuki
Published: April 2022

Congenital heart diseases (CHD) result from abnormal development of the cardiovascular system and usually involve defects in specific steps or structural components of the developing heart and vessels. The determination of left–right patterning of our body proceeds by the steps involving the leftward “nodal flow” by motile cilia in the node and molecules that are expressed only on the left side of the embryo, eventually activating the molecular pathway for the left-side specific morphogenesis. Disruption of any of these steps may result in left–right patterning defects or heterotaxy syndrome. As for the outflow tract development, neural crest cells migrate into the cardiac outflow tract and contribute to form the septum of the outflow tract that divides the embryonic single truncus arteriosus into the aortic and the pulmonary trunk. Reciprocal signaling between neural crest cells and another population of myocardial precursor cells originated from the second heart field are essential for the steps of outflow tract development. To better understand the etiology of CHD, it is important to consider what kind of CHD is caused by abnormalities in each step during the complex development of the cardiovascular system.
Black-Box Modelling and Prediction of Deep-Sea Landing Vehicles Based on Optimised Support Vector Regression
Authors: Sun Hongming , Guo Wei , Lan Yanjun , Wei Zhenzhuo , Gao Sen , Sun Yu , Fu Yifan
Published: April 2022

Due to the nonlinearity of the deep-seafloor and complexity of the hydrodynamic force of novel structure platforms, realising an accurate motion mechanism modelling of a deep-sea landing vehicle (DSLV) is difficult. The support vector regression (SVR) model optimised through particle swarm optimisation (PSO) was used to complete the black-box motion modelling and vehicle prediction. In this study, first, the prototype and system composition of the DSLV were proposed, and subsequently, the high-dimensional nonlinear mapping relationship between the motion state and the driving forces was constructed using the SVR of radial basis function. The high-precision model parameter combination was obtained using PSO, and, subsequently, the black-box modelling and prediction of the vehicle were realised. Finally, the effectiveness of the method was verified through multi-body dynamics simulation and scaled test prototype data. The experimental results confirmed that the proposed PSO–SVR model could establish an accurate motion model of the vehicle, and provided a high-precision motion state prediction. Furthermore, with less calculation, the proposed method can reliably apply the model prediction results to the intelligent behaviour control and planning of the vehicle, accelerate the development progress of the prototype, and minimise the economic cost of the research and development process.
Biodiversity, Distribution, and Conservation of Plants and Fungi: Effects of Global Warming and Environmental Stress
Authors: Biketova Alona Yu. , Catana Rodica , Kosakyan Anush
Published: April 2022

The estimation of global biodiversity and its conservation is an old, but still unresolved, concern in biology [...]
Therapeutic Potential of Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles Using Extract of Leptadenia hastata against Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Abdallah Basem M. , Ali Enas M.
Published: April 2022

Gold nanoparticles are widely used in the biomedical field for the treatment of several diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases, and immune system disorders, due to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of green synthesized gold nanoparticles using ethanolic leaf extract of Leptadenia hastata (LH-AuNPs) against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in mice. UV/visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and zeta potential were used to characterize the biofabricated LH-AuNPs. Antifungal activity of LH-AuNPs was determined by MTT assay, (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide), time-kill assay, and radial growth inhibition. TEM and SEM were used to examine the mode of the antifungal action of LH-AuNPs. The in vivo activity of LH-AuNPs against IPA was studied using a well-established IPA mouse model. LH-AuNPs excreted antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus with MIC 64 µg/mL and inhibited the radial growth of A. fumigatus by 30% compared to the control. LH-AuNPs caused distortion and collapse of fungal hyphae and deterioration of cell walls. Interestingly, LH-AuNPs did not display any cytotoxicity on cultured primary bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) or A549 human lung cell line in vitro at MIC concentration. IPA mice treated with LH-AuNPs displayed significant lung tissue repair without any in vivo cytotoxicity. LH-AuNPs administration showed significant suppression of fungal burden and gliotoxin production in the lung. In addition, LH-AuNPs inhibited IPA-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines production, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and reduced oxidative stress in lung. In conclusion, our data provide LH-AuNPs as a novel nanoparticle therapy for IPA.