bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Phase II Study of Glembatumumab Vedotin for Metastatic Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Hasanov Merve , Rioth Matthew J. , Kendra Kari , Hernandez-Aya Leonel , Joseph Richard W. , Williamson Stephen , Chandra Sunandana , Shirai Keisuke , Turner Christopher D. , Lewis Karl , Crowley Elizabeth , Moscow Jeffrey , Carter Brett , Patel Sapna
Published: August 2020

Glembatumumab vedotin (CDX-011, GV) is a fully human Immunoglobulin G2 monoclonal antibody directed against glycoprotein NMB coupled via a peptide linker to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), a potent cytotoxic microtubule inhibitor. This phase II study evaluated the overall response rate and safety of GV, glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB) expression, and survival in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Eligible patients with metastatic uveal melanoma who had not previously been treated with chemotherapy received GV 1.9 mg/kg every three weeks. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included GPNMB expression, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity analysis. GPNMB expression was assessed pre- and post-treatment via immunohistochemistry for patients with available tumor tissue. Out of 35 patients who received treatment, two patients had confirmed partial responses (PRs; 6%), and 18 patients had a stable disease (SD; 51%) as the best objective response. 38% of the patients had stable disease >100 days. The grade 3 or 4 toxicities that occurred in two or more patients were neutropenia, rash, hyponatremia, and vomiting. The median progression-free survival was 3.1 months (95% CI: 1.5–5.6), and the median overall survival was 11.9 months (95% CI 9.0–16.9) in the evaluable study population. GV is well-tolerated in metastatic uveal melanoma. The disease control rate was 57% despite a low objective response rate. Exploratory immune correlation studies are underway to provide insight into target saturation, combination strategies, and antigen release.
Targeting Gut Microbial Biofilms—A Key to Hinder Colon Carcinogenesis?
Authors: Chew Siang-Siang , Tan Loh Teng-Hern , Law Jodi Woan-Fei , Pusparajah Priyia , Goh Bey-Hing , Ab Mutalib Nurul Syakima , Lee Learn-Han
Published: August 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global public health issue which poses a substantial humanistic and economic burden on patients, healthcare systems and society. In recent years, intestinal dysbiosis has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of CRC, with specific pathogens exhibiting oncogenic potentials such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis having been found to contribute to CRC development. More recently, it has been shown that initiation of CRC development by these microorganisms requires the formation of biofilms. Gut microbial biofilm forms in the inner colonic mucus layer and is composed of polymicrobial communities. Biofilm results in the redistribution of colonic epithelial cell E-cadherin, increases permeability of the gut and causes a loss of function of the intestinal barrier, all of which enhance intestinal dysbiosis. This literature review aims to compile the various strategies that target these pathogenic biofilms and could potentially play a role in the prevention of CRC. We explore the potential use of natural products, silver nanoparticles, upconverting nanoparticles, thiosalicylate complexes, anti-rheumatic agent (Auranofin), probiotics and quorum-sensing inhibitors as strategies to hinder colon carcinogenesis via targeting colon-associated biofilms.
Atomic-Level Functionalized Graphdiyne for Electrocatalysis Applications
Authors: Qian Xiaodong , Zheng Yongshen , Chen Songhua , Xu Jialiang
Published: August 2020

Graphdiyne (GDY) is a two-dimensional (2D) electron-rich full-carbon planar material composed of sp2- and sp-hybridized carbon atoms, which features highly conjugated structures, uniformly distributed pores, tunable electronic characteristics and high specific surface areas. The synthesis strategy of GDY by facile coupling reactions under mild conditions provides more convenience for the functional modification of GDY and offers opportunities for realizing the special preparation of GDY according to the desired structure and unique properties. These structural characteristics and excellent physical and chemical properties of GDY have attracted increasing attention in the field of electrocatalysis. Herein, the research progress in the synthesis of atomic-level functionalized GDYs and their electrocatalytic applications are summarized. Special attention was paid to the research progress of metal-atom-anchored and nonmetallic-atom-doped GDYs for applications in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytic processes. In addition, several potential development prospects and challenges of these 2D highly conjugated electron-rich full-carbon materials in the field of electrocatalysis are presented.
Repetitive Intermittent Hyperglycemia Drives the M1 Polarization and Inflammatory Responses in THP-1 Macrophages Through the Mechanism Involving the TLR4-IRF5 Pathway
Authors: Al-Rashed Fatema , Sindhu Sardar , Arefanian Hossein , Al Madhoun Ashraf , Kochumon Shihab , Thomas Reeby , Al-Kandari Sarah , Alghaith Abdulwahab , Jacob Texy , Al-Mulla Fahd , Ahmad Rasheed
Published: August 2020

Repetitive intermittent hyperglycemia (RIH) is an independent risk factor for complications associated with type-2 diabetes (T2D). Glucose fluctuations commonly occur in T2D patients with poor glycemic control or following intensive therapy. Reducing blood glucose as well as glucose fluctuations is critical to the control of T2D and its macro-/microvascular complications. The interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-5 located downstream of the nutrient sensor toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, is emerging as a key metabolic regulator. It remains unclear how glucose fluctuations may alter the IRF5/TLR4 expression and inflammatory responses in monocytes/macrophages. To investigate this, first, we determined IRF5 gene expression by real-time qRT-PCR in the white adipose tissue samples from 39 T2D and 48 nondiabetic individuals. Next, we cultured THP-1 macrophages in hypo- and hyperglycemic conditions and compared, at the protein and transcription levels, the expressions of IRF5, TLR4, and M1/M2 polarization profile and inflammatory markers against control (normoglycemia). Protein expression was assessed using flow cytometry, ELISA, Western blotting, and/or confocal microscopy. IRF5 silencing was achieved by small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. The data show that adipose IRF5 gene expression was higher in T2D than nondiabetic counterparts (p = 0.006), which correlated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.47/p < 0.001), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = 0.23/p = 0.03), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (r = 0.56/p < 0.0001), interleukin (IL)-1β (r = 0.40/p = 0.0009), and C-C motif chemokine receptor (CCR)-2 (r = 0.49/p < 0.001) expression. IRF5 expression in macrophages was induced/upregulated (p < 0.05) by hypoglycemia (3 mM/L), persistent hyperglycemia (15 mM/L–25 mM/L), and RIH/glucose fluctuations (3–15 mM/L) as compared to normoglycemia (5 mM/L). RIH/glucose fluctuations also induced M1 polarization and an inflammatory profile (CD11c, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1) in macrophages. RIH/glucose fluctuations also drove the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 (p < 0.001), which is a known marker for cardiovascular complication in T2D patients. Notably, all these changes were counteracted by IRF5 silencing in macrophages. In conclusion, RIH/glucose fluctuations promote the M1 polarization and inflammatory responses in macrophages via the mechanism involving TLR4-IRF5 pathway, which may have significance for metabolic inflammation.
Considering Cause and Effect of Immune Cell Aging on Cardiac Repair after Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Tobin Stephanie W. , Alibhai Faisal J. , Weisel Richard D. , Li Ren-Ke
Published: August 2020

The importance of the immune system for cardiac repair following myocardial infarction is undeniable; however, the complex nature of immune cell behavior has limited the ability to develop effective therapeutics. This limitation highlights the need for a better understanding of the function of each immune cell population during the inflammatory and resolution phases of cardiac repair. The development of reliable therapies is further complicated by aging, which is associated with a decline in cell and organ function and the onset of cardiovascular and immunological diseases. Aging of the immune system has important consequences on heart function as both chronic cardiac inflammation and an impaired immune response to cardiac injury are observed in older individuals. Several studies have suggested that rejuvenating the aged immune system may be a valid therapeutic candidate to prevent or treat heart disease. Here, we review the basic patterns of immune cell behavior after myocardial infarction and discuss the autonomous and nonautonomous manners of hematopoietic stem cell and immune cell aging. Lastly, we identify prospective therapies that may rejuvenate the aged immune system to improve heart function such as anti-inflammatory and senolytic therapies, bone marrow transplant, niche remodeling and regulation of immune cell differentiation.
Addition of Si3N4 Strengthens SiC Coatings via Heat Treatment with Nitrogen Gas onto Carbon/Carbon Composites
Authors: Mao Zuli , Yang Li
Published: August 2020

We report the synthesis of SiC/Si3N4 coatings on carbon/carbon composites via pack cementation and heat treatment with nitrogen gas, the latter of which improves the coating wear resistance. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to analyse the microstructure, surface morphology, chemical states and elemental distribution, respectively, of SiC and SiC/Si3N4 coatings. In addition, we analyse the tribological behaviour of the SiC and SiC/Si3N4 coatings and the related microstructure and wear mechanisms. The results show that SiC/Si3N4 coatings are compact and contain the three phases: Si3N4, SiC and C. Additionally, specimens with the SiC/Si3N4 coating have smaller, more stable friction coefficients and less weight loss than specimens with only the SiC coating. Adhesive wear and abrasive wear are the main wear mechanisms contributing to the higher friction coefficient of the SiC coating. Furthermore, with the SiC/Si3N4 coating, adhesive wear is the main wear mechanism causing a high friction coefficient at the initial stage of frictional wear. In the subsequent stages of frictional wear, the graphite in the SiC/Si3N4 coating generates a thin lubricating film that decreases the friction coefficient.
Quantitative Structure–Property Relationships from Experiments for CH4 Storage and Delivery by Metal–Organic Frameworks
Authors: Mahmoud Eyas
Published: August 2020

Quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPRs) can be applied to metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to allow for reasonable estimates to be made of the CH4 storage performance. QSPRs are available for CH4 storage of MOFs, but these were obtained from Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations which have come under scrutiny and of which the accuracy has been questioned. Here, QSPRs were developed from experimental data and insights are provided on how to improve storage and deliverable CH4 storage capacity based on material properties. Physical properties of MOFs, such as density, pore volume, and largest cavity diameter (LCD), and their significance for CH4 storage capacity were assessed. One relationship that was found is that CH4 gravimetric storage capacity is directly proportional to Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area (r2 > 90%). The QSPRs demonstrated the effect of van der Waals forces involved in CH4 adsorption. An assessment was made of the accuracy of QSPRs made by GCMC as compared to QSPRs derived from experimental data. Guidelines are provided for optimal design of MOFs, including density and pore volume. With the recent achievement of the gravimetric 2012 DOE CH4 storage target, the QSPRs presented here may allow for the prediction of structural descriptors for CH4 storage capacity and delivery.
Enhancing Diversity Knowledge through Marine Citizen Science and Social Platforms: The Case of Hermodice carunculata (Annelida, Polychaeta)
Authors: Krželj Maja , Cerrano Carlo , Di Camillo Cristina
Published: August 2020

The aim of this research is to set a successful strategy for engaging citizen marine scientists and to obtain reliable data on marine species. The case study of this work is the bearded fireworm Hermodice carunculata, a charismatic species spreading from the southern Mediterranean probably in relation to global warming. To achieve research objectives, some emerging technologies (mainly social platforms) were combined with web ecological knowledge (i.e., data, pictures and videos about the target species published on the WWW for non-scientific purposes) and questionnaires, in order to invite people to collect ecological data on the amphinomid worm from the Adriatic Sea and to interact with involved people. In order to address future fruitful citizen science campaigns, strengths and weakness of each used method were illustrated; for example, the importance of informing and thanking involved people by customizing interactions with citizens was highlighted. Moreover, a decisive boost in people engagement may be obtained through sharing the information about citizen science project in online newspapers. Finally, the work provides novel scientific information on the polychete’s distribution, the northernmost occurrence record of H. carunculata in the Mediterranean Sea and new insights on predatory behavior on other living benthic species.
Quantitative Multiplex Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase–Polymerase Chain Reaction with Fluorescent Probe Detection of Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors, KIR2DL4/3DL3
Authors: Wongfieng Wipaporn , Nutalai Rungtiwa , Jumnainsong Amonrat , Leelayuwat Chanvit
Published: August 2020

(1) Background: KIR2DL4/KIR3DL3 are the framework genes present in all KIR haplotypes, with unique expression patterns being present only in women and CD56bright NK cells. KIR genes have a high degree of DNA sequence identity. Consequently, they are one of the most challenging genes for molecular detection—especially regarding expressions; (2) Methods: We developed an effective method to determine KIR3DL3/KIR2DL4 expressions based on a multiplex quantitative real-time Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR )with fluorescent probes using NK92; (3) Results: Standardizations of the singleplex KIR2DL4 and KIR3DL3 were performed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity for further development of the multiplex assay. The limit of detection was at 500 copies each. There was cross-amplification with the presence of related KIR genes at a level of 5 × 107 copies. This is not biologically significant because this high level of KIR expression has not been found in clinical samples. The multiplex assay was reproducible equivalent to its singleplex (KIR2DL4; R2 = 0.995, KIR3DL3; R2 = 0.996, but lower sensitivity of 103 copies). Furthermore, the validation of the developed method on samples of blood donors showed high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99.9%); (4) Conclusions: The developed method is reliable and highly specific suitable for evaluation of the KIR2DL4/3DL3 mRNA expressions in further applications.
Virtual Modelling and Testing of the Single and Contra-Rotating Co-Axial Propeller
Authors: Panjwani Balram , Quinsard Cecile , Przemysław Dominik Gacia , Furseth Jostein
Published: August 2020

Propellers are a vital component to achieve successful and reliable operation of drones. However, the drone developer faces many challenges while selecting a propeller and a common approach is to perform static thrust measurement. However, the selection of a propeller using a static thrust measurement system is time-consuming. To overcome a need for the static thrust system a virtual model has been developed for measuring both the static and dynamic thrust of a single and coaxial propeller. The virtual model is reliable enough to minimize the need for full-scale tests. The virtual model has been built using two open-source software Qblade and OpenFoam. Qblade is employed to obtain the lift and drag coefficients of the propeller’s airfoil section. OpenFoam is utilized to perform the flow simulations of propellers and for obtaining the thrust and torque data of the propeller. The developed virtual model is validated with experimental data and the experimental data are obtained by developing a multi-force balance system for measuring thrusts and torques of a single and a pair of coaxial contra-rotating propellers. The data obtained from the propeller virtual model are compared with the measurement data. For a single propeller, the virtual model shows that the estimated forces are close to the experiment at lower rotational speeds. For coaxial propellers, there are some deviations at the rear propeller due to the turbulence and flow disturbance caused by the front propeller. However, the computed thrust data are still accurate enough to be used in selecting the propeller. The studies indicate that in the future, these virtual models will minimize a need for experimental testing.
Data-Dependent Conditional Priors for Unsupervised Learning of Multimodal Data
Authors: Lavda Frantzeska , Gregorová Magda , Kalousis Alexandros
Published: August 2020

One of the major shortcomings of variational autoencoders is the inability to produce generations from the individual modalities of data originating from mixture distributions. This is primarily due to the use of a simple isotropic Gaussian as the prior for the latent code in the ancestral sampling procedure for data generations. In this paper, we propose a novel formulation of variational autoencoders, conditional prior VAE (CP-VAE), with a two-level generative process for the observed data where continuous z and a discrete c variables are introduced in addition to the observed variables x. By learning data-dependent conditional priors, the new variational objective naturally encourages a better match between the posterior and prior conditionals, and the learning of the latent categories encoding the major source of variation of the original data in an unsupervised manner. Through sampling continuous latent code from the data-dependent conditional priors, we are able to generate new samples from the individual mixture components corresponding, to the multimodal structure over the original data. Moreover, we unify and analyse our objective under different independence assumptions for the joint distribution of the continuous and discrete latent variables. We provide an empirical evaluation on one synthetic dataset and three image datasets, FashionMNIST, MNIST, and Omniglot, illustrating the generative performance of our new model comparing to multiple baselines.
Optimum State-of-Charge Operating Range for Frequency Regulation of Energy Storage Systems Using a Master–Slave Parallel Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Cho Sung-Min , Kim Jae-Chul , Yun Sang-Yun
Published: August 2020

Lithium batteries are used for frequency regulation in power systems because of their fast response and high efficiency. Lithium batteries have different life characteristics depending on their type, and it is necessary to set the optimal state-of-charge (SOC) operating range considering these characteristics to obtain the maximum gain. In general, narrowing the operating range increases the service life but may lower the performance of charging and discharging operations in response to frequency fluctuations, and vice versa. We present performance assessment indicators that consider charging and discharging due to frequency variations and lifespan of the batteries. However, to evaluate the performance, while reflecting the non-linear life characteristics of lithium batteries, simulating the entire operation is necessary, which requires a long calculation time. Therefore, we propose a master–slave parallel genetic algorithm to derive the optimal SOC operating range with reduced calculation time. A simulation program was implemented to evaluate the computational performance that determines the optimal SOC range. The proposed method reduces the calculation time while considering the non-linear life characteristics of lithium batteries. It was confirmed that a more accurate SOC operating range could be calculated by simulating the entire life span.
FPGA-Based Architecture for Sensing Power Consumption on Parabolic and Trapezoidal Motion Profiles
Authors: Montalvo Victor , Estévez-Bén Adyr A. , Rodríguez-Reséndiz Juvenal , Macias-Bobadilla Gonzalo , Mendiola-Santíbañez Jorge D. , Camarillo-Gómez Karla A.
Published: August 2020

The objective of this work is to design and implement a scalable Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based motion control system for DC servo motors using a parabolic velocity profile for industrial applications. The implementation in this device allows the obtaining of a fast, flexible and low-cost system. The system is divided into control, communication and closed-loop coupling. The work also addresses a comparative analysis of the most used profiles, the trapezoidal and parabolic. The comparison is made considering the energy consumption of both profiles. As a consequence of the comparison made, the velocity profile can be selected to reduce production costs by saving energy and reducing wear on machinery. The discrete models of the velocity profiles are obtained through numerical methods that permit the control blocks to be implemented in an FPGA. To reduce maintenance costs and energy consumption in servo mechanisms, the derivation of the acceleration or jerk of the motor is shown. A Graphic User Interface (GUI) is presented, which allows monitoring the position, velocity and angular acceleration of the motor shaft. In addition, the developed interface supports modification of parameters of the final position and maximum velocity in the motor. The delivered current is compared, evaluating its decrease using a parabolic velocity profile. Finally, the experimental results are illustrated.
Zonal and Nodal Models of Energy Market in European Union
Authors: Borowski Piotr F.
Published: August 2020

Along with economic development and development of power systems, new, more effective models of the energy market are sought. Traditional zonal models used on the electricity market have proved to be poorly adapted to new circumstances and phenomena occurring in the macroeconomic environment. The main aim of the research was to show the direction (including the nodal model and prosumer behavior) in which the energy market should develop in order to meet the state-of-the-art technical, ecological and social challenges. Therefore, with the new challenges, a new chapter has opened up on very interesting research for the electrical industry. There are new solutions for the development and modernization of models from the point of view of management and econometrics of the energy market, adapted to new challenges related to ecology, technology, and competition. This article presents the zone model with its imperfections and suggestions for its improvement and proposes a nodal model that may in the near future become a new model for the functioning of the electricity market in Europe.
Structural Carbon Allocation and Wood Growth Reflect Climate Variation in Stands of Hybrid White Spruce in Central Interior British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Ivanusic Anastasia , Wood Lisa J. , Lewis Kathy
Published: August 2020

Research Highlights: This research presents a novel approach for comparing structural carbon allocation to tree growth and to climate in a dendrochronological analysis. Increasing temperatures reduced the carbon proportion of wood in some cases. Background and Objectives: Our goal was to estimate the structural carbon content of wood within hybrid white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) × engelmannii (Parry) grown in British Columbia, Canada, and compare the percent carbon content to wood properties and climate conditions of the region. Specific objectives included: (i) the determination of average incremental percent carbon, ring widths (RW), earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) widths, cell wall thickness, and density over time; (ii) the determination of differences between percent carbon in individual forest stands and between regions; and (iii) the evaluation of the relationships between percent carbon and climate variation over time. Methods: Trees were sampled from twelve sites in northern British Columbia. Wood cores were analyzed with standard dendrochronology techniques and SilviScan analysis. Percent structural carbon was determined using acetone extraction and elemental analysis for 5 year increments. Individual chronologies of wood properties and percent carbon, and chronologies grouped by region were compared by difference of means. Temperature and precipitation values from the regions were compared to the carbon chronologies using correlation, regression, and visual interpretation. Results: Significant differences were found between the percent structural carbon of wood in individual natural and planted stands; none in regional aggregates. Some significant relationships were found between percent carbon, RW, EW, LW, and the cell wall thickness and density values. Percent carbon accumulation in planted stands and natural stands was found in some cases to correlate with increasing temperatures. Natural stand percent carbon values truncated to the last 30 years of growth was shown as more sensitive to climate variation compared to the entire time series. Conclusions: Differences between the stands in terms of structural carbon proportion vary by site-specific climate characteristics in areas of central interior British Columbia. Wood properties can be good indicators of variation in sequestered carbon in some stands. Carbon accumulation was reduced with increasing temperatures; however, warmer late-season conditions appear to enhance growth and carbon accumulation.
Structural Vulnerability Assessment of Heritage Timber Buildings: A Methodological Proposal
Authors: Shabani Amirhosein , Kioumarsi Mahdi , Plevris Vagelis , Stamatopoulos Haris
Published: August 2020

The conservation of heritage structures is pivotal not only due to their cultural or historical importance for nations, but also for understanding their construction techniques as a lesson that can be applied to contemporary structures. Timber is considered to be the oldest organic construction material and is more vulnerable to environmental threats than nonorganic materials such as masonry bricks. In order to assess the structural vulnerability of heritage timber structures subjected to different types of risk, knowledge about their structural systems and configurations, the nature and properties of the materials, and the behavior of the structure when subjected to different risks, is essential for analysts. In order to facilitate the procedure, different assessment methods have been divided into the categories in situ and ex situ, which are applicable for vulnerability assessments at the element and full-scale level of a case study. An existing methodology for structural vulnerability assessments and conservation of heritage timber buildings is reviewed and a new methodology is proposed.
Assessment of Cavitation Models for Compressible Flows Inside a Nozzle
Authors: Kumar Aishvarya , Ghobadian Ali , Nouri Jamshid M.
Published: August 2020

This study assessed two cavitation models for compressible cavitating flows within a single hole nozzle. The models evaluated were SS (Schnerr and Sauer) and ZGB (Zwart-Gerber-Belamri) using realizable k-epsilon turbulent model, which was found to be the most appropriate model to use for this flow. The liquid compressibility was modeled using the Tait equation, and the vapor compressibility was modeled using the ideal gas law. Compressible flow simulation results showed that the SS model failed to capture the flow physics with a weak agreement with experimental data, while the ZGB model predicted the flow much better. Modeling vapor compressibility improved the distribution of the cavitating vapor across the nozzle with an increase in vapor volume compared to that of the incompressible assumption, particularly in the core region which resulted in a much better quantitative and qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The results also showed the prediction of a normal shockwave downstream of the cavitation region where the local flow transforms from supersonic to subsonic because of an increase in the local pressure.
Spray-Dried Structured Lipid Carriers for the Loading of Rosmarinus officinalis: New Nutraceutical and Food Preservative
Authors: Baldim Iara , Souza Claudia R. F. , Durazzo Alessandra , Lucarini Massimo , Santini Antonello , Souto Eliana B. , Oliveira Wanderley P.
Published: August 2020

Rosemary, an aromatic herb with significant antioxidative activity, is frequently used as food preservative and a source of nutraceuticals. Its antioxidant effect is mainly related to the presence of phenolic compounds, molecules considerably unstable and prone to irreversible physicochemical changes when exposed to external agents. We here proposed the loading of rosemary into structured lipid systems to improve its physicochemical properties. Four formulations were prepared using the same amount of rosemary lyophilized extract. The lipid phase was composed of stearic acid and oleic acid, and the aqueous phase, a varying combination of drying carriers (whey protein concentrate or gum Arabic) and surfactant (Poloxamer 188). The formulations were sonicated, spray-dried, and the obtained powders were characterized regarding the density (0.18 g/mL to 0.26 g/mL), particle size distribution (7 µm and 52 µm), and water solubility (29% to 48%). The antioxidant activity was determined by applying ABTS•+ radical-scavenging assay and the results expressed per gram of lyophilized extract (150.6 μmol Trolox/g to 376.4 μmol Trolox/g), with a significantly lower/higher result seen for formulations containing gum Arabic and a higher concentration of Poloxamer. The prepared systems may have potential applications as preservative in foodstuff and as nutraceutical.
Stable Longitudinal Methylation Levels at the CpG Sites Flanking the CTG Repeat of DMPK in Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Authors: Hildonen Mathis , Knak Kirsten Lykke , Dunø Morten , Vissing John , Tümer Zeynep
Published: August 2020

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder mainly characterized by gradual muscle loss, weakness, and delayed relaxation after muscle contraction. It is caused by an expanded CTG repeat in the 3′ UTR of DMPK, which is transcribed into a toxic gain-of-function mRNA that affects the splicing of a range of other genes. The repeat is unstable, with a bias towards expansions both in somatic cells and in the germline, which results in a tendency for earlier onset with each generation, as longer repeat lengths generally correlate with earlier onset. Previous studies have found hypermethylation in the regions flanking the repeat in congenital onset DM1 and in some patients with non-congenital DM1. We used pyrosequencing to investigate blood methylation levels in 68 patients with non-congenital DM1, compare the methylation levels between the blood and muscle, and assess whether methylation levels change over time in the blood. We found higher methylation levels in the blood of DM1 patients than in healthy controls and especially in the patients who had inherited the disease allele maternally. The methylation levels remained relatively stable over time and are a strong biomarker of the disease, as well as of the maternal inheritance of the disease.
Advances in Flood Early Warning: Ensemble Forecast, Information Dissemination and Decision-Support Systems
Authors: Shi Haiyun , Du Erhu , Liu Suning , Chau Kwok-Wing
Published: August 2020

Floods are usually highly destructive, which may cause enormous losses to lives and property. It is, therefore, important and necessary to develop effective flood early warning systems and disseminate the information to the public through various information sources, to prevent or at least mitigate the flood damages. For flood early warning, novel methods can be developed by taking advantage of the state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., ensemble forecast, numerical weather prediction, and service-oriented architecture) and data sources (e.g., social media), and such developments can offer new insights for modeling flood disasters, including facilitating more accurate forecasts, more efficient communication, and more timely evacuation. The present Special Issue aims to collect the latest methodological developments and applications in the field of flood early warning. More specifically, we collected a number of contributions dealing with: (1) an urban flash flood alert tool for megacities; (2) a copula-based bivariate flood risk assessment; and (3) an analytic hierarchy process approach to flash flood impact assessment.
Association of Fitness and Fatness with Clustered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Nigerian Adolescents
Authors: Musa Danladi I. , Toriola Abel L. , Goon Daniel T. , Jonathan Sunday U.
Published: August 2020

Purpose: This study examinedthe independent and joint association of fitness and fatness with clustered cardiovascular disease risk (CVDrs) in 11–18 year-old Nigerian adolescents. Methods: A hundred and ninety seven adolescents (100 girls and 97 boys) were evaluated forfitness, fatness and CVDrs. Fitness was evaluated with the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test while fatness was assessed using body mass index. A clustered CVDrs was computed from the standardized residuals of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. Regression models controlling for waist circumference assessed the association of fitness and fatness with CVDrs. Results: Prevalence of clustered CVD risk was 7.1% (girls = 3.0%; boys = 4.1%). Based on risk factor abnormalities, 52.8% of participants had one or more CVD risk factor abnormalities with more boys (27.4%) affected. Low fitness was associated with clustered CVDrs in both girls (R2 = 9.8%, β = −0.287, p = 0.05) and boys (R2 = 17%, β = −0.406, p < 0.0005). Fatness was not associated with the CVDrs in both sexes. After controlling for all the variables in the model, only fitness (R2 = 10.4%) and abdominal fat (R2 = 19.5%) were associated with CVDrs respectively. Unfit girls were 3.2 (95% CI = 1.31–7.91, p = 0.011) times likely to develop CVD risk abnormality compared to their fit counterparts. The likelihood of unfit boys developing CVD risk abnormality was 3.9 (95% CI = 1.15–10.08, p = 0.005) times compared to their fit peers. Conclusions: Fitness but not fatness was a better predictor of CVDrs in Nigerian boys and girls. The result of this study suggests that any public health strategies aimed at preventing or reversing the increasing trends of CVD risk in adolescents should emphasize promotion of aerobic fitness.
The Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Daphnia magna to Dewatered Drinking Water Treatment Residue
Authors: Yuan Nannan , Pei Yuansheng , Bao Anping , Wang Changhui
Published: August 2020

There have been widespread attempts to recycle drinking water treatment residue (DWTR) after dewatering for environmental remediation, which is beneficial for both the environment and the economy. The directly discharged DWTR without dewatering to natural water bodies, however, was reported to show signs of chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna (D. magna), a typical zooplankton in the aquatic environment. This study comprehensively assessed the effect of dewatered DWTR on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of D. magna based on acute and chronic toxicity tests. The results showed that the survival, growth, reproduction, body morphology of offspring, and the antioxidant enzymes of D. magna were not affected by the dewatered DWTR. These physiological and biochemical indexes also had no undesirable changes for the DWTR-amended sediments (with ratios of 0–50%) incubated for 10 and 180 d; the growth and reproduction were even promoted when D. magna was exposed to 5000 mg-sediment L−1, which may be due to the extra nutrients supplied by the amended sediments for the animals. The results demonstrated that by contrast with the directly discharged DWTR without dewatering, the dewatered DWTR could be safe to D. magna. Further analysis suggested that heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, and Zn) with relatively low concentrations and high stability could be the main reasons leading to the high safety of the dewatered DWTR. Overall, dewatered DWTR can be considered a non-hazardous material for zooplankton.
Turning Community Elder Care into a Profession: Insights from Trainees, Developers, Employers and Supervisors
Authors: Ben-Harush Aya , Ayalon Liat , Shinan-Altman Shiri
Published: August 2020

This study explores the process of turning elder care into a profession, by giving a voice to different professionals who took part in developing and implementing a new Israeli training program for community care workers. The program attempts to offer a response to the shortage of paid long-term carers for older adults by turning community elder care into a profession. Interviews with graduates, trainees who dropped out of the program, developers, employers and supervisors from three regions of the training program were conducted. Analysis explored attempts to transition community care from an occupation to a profession. The community care worker’s role and its uniqueness in comparison to the traditional paid long-term care worker are discussed. The difficulties that stem from the ambiguity of the definition of this new occupation are described.
Anti-X Apron Wearing and Musculoskeletal Problems Among Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Monaco Maria Grazia Lourdes , Carta Angela , Tamhid Tishad , Porru Stefano
Published: August 2020

Interventional radiology activities and other medical practices using ionising radiation have become increasingly prevalent. In this context, the use of anti-X aprons, in association with awkward postures and non-ergonomic working conditions, might cause the onset of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This research aims to evaluate the evidence about the correlation between wearing anti-X aprons and work-related MSDs. A systematic scoping review of articles published between 1990 and 2020 was conducted by searching the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Twelve cross-sectional studies, conducted among interventional physicians, nurses, and technicians, were finally included. Five studies primarily investigated the association between use of anti-X aprons and MSDs, showing that a higher prevalence of disorders was not always associated with the use of protective aprons. No studies investigated the impact of anti-X aprons on fitness for work assessment, particularly in subjects with MSDs. There is no complete agreement about the correlation between anti-X apron-wearing and the occurrence of MSDs, although the possible discomfort of workers using anti-X aprons appears more evident. Further studies are needed to objectify the role of these protective devices in the genesis of MSDs and to offer specific ergonomic solutions for healthcare workers.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Elevation Is Independently Associated with Subclinical Renal Impairment in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Population—A Community-Based Study in Northern Taiwan
Authors: Chuang Hai-Hua , Lin Rong-Ho , Li Wen-Cheng , Yeh Wei-Chung , Lin Yen-An , Chen Jau-Yuan
Published: August 2020

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and renal impairment (RI) among middle-aged and elderly people. We collected and analyzed demographic, anthropometric, metabolic, and renal function data in a community-based population in Northern Taiwan. We excluded subjects with acute inflammation from this study and defined RI as the presence of urinary albumin–creatinine ratio 30–300 mg/g or an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. There were 131, 125, and 125 participants in the low (≤0.80 mg/L), middle (0.81–1.76 mg/L), and high (>1.77 mg/L) hs-CRP tertiles, respectively. hs-CRP exhibited significantly positive correlations with body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride, and fasting plasma glucose, and a negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein. The prevalence and odds ratio of RI significantly increased across hs-CRP tertiles from low to high, and this trend remained significant after adjusting for the conventional cardiometabolic risk factors. hs-CRP ≥ 1.61 mg/L in the total group and ≥2.03 mg/L in the elderly group accurately predicted RI (p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). These findings suggest that we should carefully evaluate the renal function for at-risk individuals with hs-CRP elevation.
Effects of Data Aggregation on Time Series Analysis of Seasonal Infections
Authors: Alarcon Falconi Tania M. , Estrella Bertha , Sempértegui Fernando , Naumova Elena N.
Published: August 2020

Time series analysis in epidemiological studies is typically conducted on aggregated counts, although data tend to be collected at finer temporal resolutions. The decision to aggregate data is rarely discussed in epidemiological literature although it has been shown to impact model results. We present a critical thinking process for making decisions about data aggregation in time series analysis of seasonal infections. We systematically build a harmonic regression model to characterize peak timing and amplitude of three respiratory and enteric infections that have different seasonal patterns and incidence. We show that irregularities introduced when aggregating data must be controlled during modeling to prevent erroneous results. Aggregation irregularities had a minimal impact on the estimates of trend, amplitude, and peak timing for daily and weekly data regardless of the disease. However, estimates of peak timing of the more common infections changed by as much as 2.5 months when controlling for monthly data irregularities. Building a systematic model that controls for data irregularities is essential to accurately characterize temporal patterns of infections. With the urgent need to characterize temporal patterns of novel infections, such as COVID-19, this tutorial is timely and highly valuable for experts in many disciplines.
Spatial and Temporal Impacts of Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors on Healthcare Resources: A County-Level Bayesian Local Spatiotemporal Regression Modeling Study of Hospital Beds in Southwest China
Authors: Song Chao , Wang Yaode , Yang Xiu , Yang Yili , Tang Zhangying , Wang Xiuli , Pan Jay
Published: August 2020

Comprehensive investigation on understanding geographical inequalities of healthcare resources and their influencing factors in China remains scarce. This study aimed to explore both spatial and temporal heterogeneous impacts of various socioeconomic and environmental factors on healthcare resource inequalities at a fine-scale administrative county level. We collected data on county-level hospital beds per ten thousand people to represent healthcare resources, as well as data on 32 candidate socioeconomic and environmental covariates in southwest China from 2002 to 2011. We innovatively employed a cutting-edge local spatiotemporal regression, namely, a Bayesian spatiotemporally varying coefficients (STVC) model, to simultaneously detect spatial and temporal autocorrelated nonstationarity in healthcare-covariate relationships via estimating posterior space-coefficients (SC) within each county, as well as time-coefficients (TC) over ten years. Our findings reported that in addition to socioeconomic factors, environmental factors also had significant impacts on healthcare resources inequalities at both global and local space–time scales. Globally, the personal economy was identified as the most significant explanatory factor. However, the temporal impacts of personal economy demonstrated a gradual decline, while the impacts of the regional economy and government investment showed a constant growth from 2002 to 2011. Spatially, geographical clustered regions for both hospital bed distributions and various hospital bed-covariates relationships were detected. Finally, the first spatiotemporal series of complete county-level hospital bed inequality maps in southwest China was produced. This work is expected to provide evidence-based implications for future policy making procedures to improve healthcare equalities from a spatiotemporal perspective. The employed Bayesian STVC model provides frontier insights into investigating spatiotemporal heterogeneous variables relationships embedded in broader areas such as public health, environment, and earth sciences.
Perspectives on 3D Bioprinting of Peripheral Nerve Conduits
Authors: Soman Soja , Vijayavenkataraman Sanjairaj
Published: August 2020

The peripheral nervous system controls the functions of sensation, movement and motor coordination of the body. Peripheral nerves can get damaged easily by trauma or neurodegenerative diseases. The injury can cause a devastating effect on the affected individual and his aides. Treatment modalities include anti-inflammatory medications, physiotherapy, surgery, nerve grafting and rehabilitation. 3D bioprinted peripheral nerve conduits serve as nerve grafts to fill the gaps of severed nerve bodies. The application of induced pluripotent stem cells, its derivatives and bioprinting are important techniques that come in handy while making living peripheral nerve conduits. The design of nerve conduits and bioprinting require comprehensive information on neural architecture, type of injury, neural supporting cells, scaffold materials to use, neural growth factors to add and to streamline the mechanical properties of the conduit. This paper gives a perspective on the factors to consider while bioprinting the peripheral nerve conduits.
Psoriasis and Connective Tissue Diseases
Authors: Yamamoto Toshiyuki
Published: August 2020

Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with various co-morbidities, having been recently considered as a comprehensive disease named psoriatic disease or psoriatic syndrome. Autoimmune diseases are one form of its co-morbidities. In addition to the genetic background, shared pathogenesis including innate immunity, neutrophil extracellular trap (NETs), and type I interferon, as well as acquitted immunity such as T helper-17 (Th17) related cytokines are speculated to play a significant role in both psoriasis and connective tissue diseases. On the other hand, there are definite differences between psoriasis and connective tissue diseases, such as their pathomechanisms and response to drugs. Therefore, we cannot expect that one stone kills two birds, and thus caution is necessary when considering whether the administered drug for one disease is effective or not for another disease. In this review, several connective tissue diseases and related diseases are discussed from the viewpoint of their coexistence with psoriasis.