bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Navigating the Tower of Babel: The Epistemological Shift of Bioinspired Innovation
Authors: Mead Taryn , Coley David , Borden D. Scott
Published: November 2020

The disparity between disciplinary approaches to bioinspired innovation has created a cultural divide that is stifling to the overall advancement of the approach for sustainable societies. This paper aims to advance the effectiveness of bioinspired innovation processes for positive benefits through interdisciplinary communication by exploring the epistemological assumptions in various fields that contribute to the discipline. We propose that there is a shift in epistemological assumptions within bioinspired innovation processes at the points where biological models derived from reductionist approaches are interpreted as socially-constructed design principles, which are then realized in practical settings wrought with complexity and multiplicity. This epistemological shift from one position to another frequently leaves practitioners with erroneous assumptions due to a naturalistic fallacy. Drawing on examples in biology, we provide three recommendations to improve the clarity of the dialogue amongst interdisciplinary teams. (1) The deliberate articulation of epistemological perspectives amongst team members. (2) The application of a gradient orientation towards sustainability instead of a dichotomous orientation. (3) Ongoing dialogue and further research to develop novel epistemological approaches towards the topic. Adopting these recommendations could further advance the effectiveness of bioinspired innovation processes to positively impact social and ecological systems.
The Organoid Era Permits the Development of New Applications to Study Glioblastoma
Authors: Andreatta Francesco , Beccaceci Giulia , Fortuna Nicolò , Celotti Martina , De Felice Dario , Lorenzoni Marco , Foletto Veronica , Genovesi Sacha , Rubert Josep , Alaimo Alessandro
Published: November 2020

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most frequent and aggressive type of glioma. The lack of reliable GB models, together with its considerable clinical heterogeneity, has impaired a comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms that lead to tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and response to treatments. Recently, 3D cultures have opened the possibility to overcome these challenges and cerebral organoids are emerging as a leading-edge tool in GB research. The opportunity to easily engineer brain organoids via gene editing and to perform co-cultures with patient-derived tumor spheroids has enabled the analysis of cancer development in a context that better mimics brain tissue architecture. Moreover, the establishment of biobanks from GB patient-derived organoids represents a crucial starting point to improve precision medicine therapies. This review exemplifies relevant aspects of 3D models of glioblastoma, with a specific focus on organoids and their involvement in basic and translational research.
Gynecological Cancers Caused by Deficient Mismatch Repair and Microsatellite Instability
Authors: Deshpande Madhura , Romanski Phillip A. , Rosenwaks Zev , Gerhardt Jeannine
Published: November 2020

Mutations in mismatch repair genes leading to mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency (dMMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI) have been implicated in multiple types of gynecologic malignancies. Endometrial carcinoma represents the largest group, with approximately 30% of these cancers caused by dMMR/MSI. Thus, testing for dMMR is now routine for endometrial cancer. Somatic mutations leading to dMMR account for approximately 90% of these cancers. However, in 5–10% of cases, MMR protein deficiency is due to a germline mutation in the mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, or EPCAM. These germline mutations, known as Lynch syndrome, are associated with an increased risk of both endometrial and ovarian cancer, in addition to colorectal, gastric, urinary tract, and brain malignancies. So far, gynecological cancers with dMMR/MSI are not well characterized and markers for detection of MSI in gynecological cancers are not well defined. In addition, currently advanced endometrial cancers have a poor prognosis and are treated without regard to MSI status. Elucidation of the mechanism causing dMMR/MSI gynecological cancers would aid in diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Recently, a new immunotherapy was approved for the treatment of solid tumors with MSI that have recurred or progressed after failing traditional treatment strategies. In this review, we summarize the MMR defects and MSI observed in gynecological cancers, their prognostic value, and advances in therapeutic strategies to treat these cancers.
Carcinogenesis as Side Effects of Iron and Oxygen Utilization: From the Unveiled Truth toward Ultimate Bioengineering
Authors: Toyokuni Shinya , Kong Yingyi , Cheng Zhen , Sato Kotaro , Hayashi Shotaro , Ito Fumiya , Jiang Li , Yanatori Izumi , Okazaki Yasumasa , Akatsuka Shinya
Published: November 2020

Evolution from the first life on earth to humans took ~3.8 billion years. During the time there have been countless struggles among the species. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the last major uncontrollable species against the human public health worldwide. After the victory with antibiotics, cancer has become the leading cause of death since 1981 in Japan. Considering that life inevitably depends on ceaseless electron transfers through iron and oxygen, we believe that carcinogenesis is intrinsically unavoidable side effects of using iron and oxygen. Many animal models unequivocally revealed that excess iron is a risk for carcinogenesis. This is supported by a variety of human epidemiological data on cancer risk and prognosis. Cancer is basically a disease of the genome with persistently activated oncogenes and inactivated tumor suppressor genes through which iron addiction with ferroptosis-resistance is maintained. Engineering has made a great advance in the past 50 years. In particular, nanotechnology is distinct in that the size of the engineered molecules is similar to that of our biomolecules. While some nano-molecules are found carcinogenic, there are principles to avoid such carcinogenicity with a smart possibility to use nano-molecules to specifically kill cancer cells. Non-thermal plasma is another modality to fight against cancer.
Optimal Clinical Management and the Molecular Biology of Angiosarcomas
Authors: Chen Tom Wei-Wu , Burns Jessica , Jones Robin L. , Huang Paul H.
Published: November 2020

Angiosarcomas comprise less than 3% of all soft tissue sarcomas but have a poor prognosis. Most angiosarcomas occur without obvious risk factors but secondary angiosarcoma could arise after radiotherapy or chronic lymphedema. Surgery remains the standard treatment for localized angiosarcoma but neoadjuvant systemic treatment may improve the curability. For advanced angiosarcoma, anthracyclines and taxanes are the main chemotherapy options. Anti-angiogenic agents have a substantial role but the failure of a randomized phase 3 trial of pazopanib with or without an anti-endoglin antibody brings a challenge to future trials in angiosarcomas. Immune checkpoint inhibitors as single agents or in combination with oncolytic virus may play an important role but the optimal duration remains to be investigated. We also report the current understanding of the molecular pathways involved in angiosarcoma pathogenesis including MYC amplification, activation of angiogenic pathways and different molecular alterations that are associated with angiosarcomas of different aetiology. The success of the patient-partnered Angiosarcoma Project (ASCProject) has provided not only detailed insights into the molecular features of angiosarcomas of different origins but also offers a template for future fruitful collaborations between patients, physicians, and researchers. Lastly, we provide our perspective of future developments in optimizing the clinical management of angiosarcomas.
Enhancement of Sono-Fenton by P25-Mediated Visible Light Photocatalysis: Analysis of Synergistic Effect and Influence of Emerging Contaminant Properties
Authors: Qi Lanyue , Lu Wenyuan , Tian Gengxu , Sun Yang , Han Jiangang , Xu Lijie
Published: November 2020

The main purpose is to figure out the involved synergistic effects by combining sono-Fenton using in situ generated H2O2 and the photocatalytic process of P25 under visible light (Vis/P25). Two emerging contaminants, dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP), with similar structure but different properties were selected to examine the influence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of target pollutants. Results show that there is synergy between sono-Fenton and Vis/P25, and more significant synergy can be obtained with low dose of Fe3+ or Fe2+ (0.02 mM) and for more hydrophilic DMP. Based on systematic analysis, the primary mechanism of the synergy is found to be the fast regeneration of Fe2+ by photo-electrons from P25 photocatalysis, which plays the dominant role when the Fe3+/Fe2+ concentration is low (0.02 mM). However, at high Fe3+/Fe2+ concentration (0.5 mM), the photoreduction of Fe(III) to Fe2+ can play a key role with relatively low efficiency. By studying the degradation intermediates of both DMP and DEP, the degradation pathways can be determined as the hydroxylation of aromatic ring and the oxidation of the aliphatic chain. Better mineralization performance is achieved for DMP than that for DEP due to the enhanced utilization efficiency of H2O2 by accelerating Fe2+ regeneration.
Calcitriol Suppresses HIF-1 and HIF-2 Transcriptional Activity by Reducing HIF-1/2α Protein Levels via a VDR-Independent Mechanism
Authors: Gkotinakou Ioanna-Maria , Kechagia Eleni , Pazaitou-Panayiotou Kalliopi , Mylonis Ilias , Liakos Panagiotis , Tsakalof Andreas
Published: November 2020

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors 1 and 2 (HIFs) are major mediators of cancer development and progression and validated targets for cancer therapy. Although calcitriol, the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D, was attributed with anticancer properties, there is little information on the effect of calcitriol on HIFs and the mechanism underling this activity. Here, we demonstrate the negative effect of calcitriol on HIF-1/2α protein levels and HIF-1/2 transcriptional activity and elucidate the molecular mechanism of calcitriol action. We also reveal that the suppression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression by siRNA does not abrogate the negative regulation of HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein levels and HIF-1/2 transcriptional activity by calcitriol, thus testifying that the mechanism of these actions is VDR independent. At the same time, calcitriol significantly reduces the phosphorylation of Akt protein kinase and its downstream targets and suppresses HIF-1/2α protein synthesis by inhibiting HIF1A and EPAS1 (Endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1) mRNA translation, without affecting their mRNA levels. On the basis of the acquired data, it can be proposed that calcitriol reduces HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein levels and inhibits HIF-1 and HIF-2 transcriptional activity by a VDR-independent, nongenomic mechanism that involves inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and suppression of HIF1A and EPAS1 mRNA translation.
BR-BCSC Signature: The Cancer Stem Cell Profile Enriched in Brain Metastases that Predicts a Worse Prognosis in Lymph Node-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Dionísio Maria Rita , Vieira André F. , Carvalho Rita , Conde Inês , Oliveira Mónica , Gomes Madalena , Pinto Marta T. , Pereira Pedro , Pimentel José , Souza Cristiano , Marques Márcia M. C. , Duval da Silva Vinícius , Barroso Alison , Preto Daniel , Cameselle-Teijeiro Jorge F. , Schmitt Fernando , Ribeiro Ana Sofia , Paredes Joana
Published: November 2020

Brain metastases remain an unmet clinical need in breast oncology, being frequently found in HER2-overexpressing and triple-negative carcinomas. These tumors were reported to be highly cancer stem-like cell-enriched, suggesting that brain metastases probably arise by the seeding of cancer cells with stem features. Accordingly, we found that brain-tropic breast cancer cells show increased stem cell activity and tumorigenic capacity in the chick embryo choriallantoic membrane when compared to the parental cell line. These observations were supported by a significant increase in their stem cell frequency and by the enrichment for the breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) phenotype CD44+CD24−/low. Based on this data, the expression of BCSC markers (CD44, CD49f, P-cadherin, EpCAM, and ALDH1) was determined and found to be significantly enriched in breast cancer brain metastases when compared to primary tumors. Therefore, a brain (BR)-BCSC signature was defined (3–5 BCSC markers), which showed to be associated with decreased brain metastases-free and overall survival. Interestingly, this signature significantly predicted a worse prognosis in lymph node-positive patients, acting as an independent prognostic factor. Thus, an enrichment of a BCSC signature was found in brain metastases, which can be used as a new prognostic factor in clinically challenging breast cancer patients.
Corneal Infection Models: Tools to Investigate the Role of Biofilms in Bacterial Keratitis
Authors: Urwin Lucy , Okurowska Katarzyna , Crowther Grace , Roy Sanhita , Garg Prashant , Karunakaran Esther , MacNeil Sheila , Partridge Lynda J. , Green Luke R. , Monk Peter N.
Published: November 2020

Bacterial keratitis is a corneal infection which may cause visual impairment or even loss of the infected eye. It remains a major cause of blindness in the developing world. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are common causative agents and these bacterial species are known to colonise the corneal surface as biofilm populations. Biofilms are complex bacterial communities encased in an extracellular polymeric matrix and are notoriously difficult to eradicate once established. Biofilm bacteria exhibit different phenotypic characteristics from their planktonic counterparts, including an increased resistance to antibiotics and the host immune response. Therefore, understanding the role of biofilms will be essential in the development of new ophthalmic antimicrobials. A brief overview of biofilm-specific resistance mechanisms is provided, but this is a highly multifactorial and rapidly expanding field that warrants further research. Progression in this field is dependent on the development of suitable biofilm models that acknowledge the complexity of the ocular environment. Abiotic models of biofilm formation (where biofilms are studied on non-living surfaces) currently dominate the literature, but co-culture infection models are beginning to emerge. In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo corneal infection models have now been reported which use a variety of different experimental techniques and animal models. In this review, we will discuss existing corneal infection models and their application in the study of biofilms and host-pathogen interactions at the corneal surface.
Molecular Evolution, Neurodevelopmental Roles and Clinical Significance of HECT-Type UBE3 E3 Ubiquitin Ligases
Authors: Ambrozkiewicz Mateusz C. , Cuthill Katherine J. , Harnett Dermot , Kawabe Hiroshi , Tarabykin Victor
Published: November 2020

Protein ubiquitination belongs to the best characterized pathways of protein degradation in the cell; however, our current knowledge on its physiological consequences is just the tip of an iceberg. The divergence of enzymatic executors of ubiquitination led to some 600–700 E3 ubiquitin ligases embedded in the human genome. Notably, mutations in around 13% of these genes are causative of severe neurological diseases. Despite this, molecular and cellular context of ubiquitination remains poorly characterized, especially in the developing brain. In this review article, we summarize recent findings on brain-expressed HECT-type E3 UBE3 ligases and their murine orthologues, comprising Angelman syndrome UBE3A, Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome UBE3B and autism spectrum disorder-associated UBE3C. We summarize evolutionary emergence of three UBE3 genes, the biochemistry of UBE3 enzymes, their biology and clinical relevance in brain disorders. Particularly, we highlight that uninterrupted action of UBE3 ligases is a sine qua non for cortical circuit assembly and higher cognitive functions of the neocortex.
Mathematical Modeling of Carbon Flux Parameters for Low-Pressure Vacuum Carburizing with Medium-High Alloy Steel
Authors: Wang Haojie , Liu Jing , Tian Yong , Wang Zhaodong , An Xiaoxue
Published: November 2020

Low-pressure vacuum carburizing adopts a pulse process mode to improve the carburizing efficiency and reduces gas and energy consumption. Carbon flux is the key to accurately control the time of strong infiltration and diffusion in each pulse. In order to obtain the carbon fluxes with various materials under diffident carburizing process conditions, an evenly segmented carbon flux method is proposed. A systematic study with each model using different materials (12Cr2Ni4A, 16Cr3NiWMoVNbE, and 18Cr2Ni4WA represent different initial carbon concentrations and different alloy compositions), carburizing temperatures, and carburizing pressures to determine the effect of these conditions on carbon flux is conducted. Compared with traditional segmented carbon flux method, an evenly segmented carbon flux method can predict the actual carbon flux more precisely and effectively in order to finely control the pulse carburization process. The paper also indicates that carbon fluxes increase with the increase of pressure. The optimal carburization pressure for low-pressure vacuum carburization is 300 Pa. Raising the carburization temperature to 980 °C instead of 920 °C can increase effective carbon flux by more than 30%. Among the material compositions, alloy content has the biggest impact over the carbon, initial carbon concentration the second, and saturated carbon concentration the third biggest impact.
Tribological Behavior of Ni-Based Coatings Deposited via Spray and Fuse Technique
Authors: Hernando Jiménez , Jairo Olaya Jhon , Edgar Alfonso José
Published: November 2020

The tribological behavior of Ni-based coatings was analyzed. The coatings were deposited on grey cast iron substrates in a spray and fuse process using Superjet Eutalloy deposition equipment, varying the oxygen flow conditions in the flame. By means of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, the crystal structure of the coatings was determined. The XRD patterns show the crystalline phases with principal reflections for Ni in the planes (111) and (222). Crystalline properties such as the orientation coefficient, crystallite size, and macrostrain showed the relationship with tribological and mechanical properties such as the dry wear rate and the microhardness. The microhardness was analyzed on the surface and on cross sections of the coatings by means of a Knoop microhardness tester. The topography and the morphological characteristics of the coatings and the tribo-surfaces were exanimated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy, while the chemical composition was measured by means of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The tribological behavior of the coatings was examined via the scratch cohesion–adhesion test, using cross sections of the coatings. Furthermore, adhesion and abrasion wear tests were carried out, using the pin-on-disk method, under the ASTM G99 standard and the ASTM G65 standard, respectively. The wear rate of the coatings showed a strong relation to the porosity in the metal matrix, which was previously determined via electrochemical characterization techniques.
Strain-Dependent Resistivity of Granular Manganite Systems: A Simple Quantitative Approach
Authors: De Feo Pasquale , Ferraioli Fabrizio , Coppola Nunzia , Maritato Luigi
Published: November 2020

The effects of an applied strain tensor on the electrical resistivity of a manganite granular system are investigated using a simple approach describing the induced deformation in terms of the tilt angle between adjacent grains. The results obtained assuming the resistivity of each grain as given by a metallic part, coming from the inner grain, and a surface-related tunnel contribution, allow us to estimate appreciable resistivity variations even in the case of small deformation angles.
Organic Optoelectronic Materials
Authors: Nguyen Van-Chuc , Lee Ji-Hoon
Published: November 2020

Organic optoelectronic materials have been widely used in recent electronic devices [...]
Simple Preparation of Ceramic-Like Materials Based on 1D-Agx(x=0, 5, 10, 20, 40 mM)/TiO2 Nanostructures and Their Photocatalysis Performance
Authors: Al Suliman Noura , Awada Chawki , Alshoaibi Adil , Shaalan Nagih M.
Published: November 2020

Vertical Agx/TiO2 nanorods were successfully grown by a simple oxidation method of a Ti-Ag coating. The samples were grown in the phase of ceramic-like materials, which can be reusable for many cycles for photocatalysis applications. These ceramic-like Agx/TiO2 nanostructures were prepared by the spin-coating of silver nitrate onto Ti sheets. The presence of silver on the surface of the Ti sheet during the oxidation process helped in the growth of one-dimensional nanostructures. The physical properties of the fabricated ceramic-like nanostructures were studied by varying the concentration of silver on the Ti-sheet before the oxidation. One-dimensional nanostructures with an average size varying within the range of 200–500 nm were grown. The presence of silver made the nanostructure vertically directed. The nanorods were dense at the low and medium concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mM of silver in contrary to high silver concentrations, where the nanorods were very sparse at 40 mM. Structural analysis showed the anatase and rutile structure of pure TiO2 with distinguishing diffraction lines A(101) and R(110); however, Agx/TiO2 showed a dominant orientation of A(101), confirming the 1D growth. Raman spectra confirmed the presence of TiO2 via the observation of its corresponding phonon modes. The photocatalysis properties of the fabricated ceramic-like nanostructures were performed on methylene blue (MB) as a known target dye. The low- and medium-silver-concentration samples showed a high photocatalytic activity compared to the pure and high-silver-concentration samples.
Strain Induced Anisotropic Magnetic Behaviour and Exchange Coupling Effect in Fe-SmCo5 Permanent Magnets Generated by High Pressure Torsion
Authors: Weissitsch Lukas , Stückler Martin , Wurster Stefan , Knoll Peter , Krenn Heinz , Pippan Reinhard , Bachmaier Andrea
Published: November 2020

High-pressure torsion (HPT), a technique of severe plastic deformation (SPD), is shown as a promising processing method for exchange-spring magnetic materials in bulk form. Powder mixtures of Fe and SmCo5 are consolidated and deformed by HPT exhibiting sample dimensions of several millimetres, being essential for bulky magnetic applications. The structural evolution during HPT deformation of Fe-SmCo5 compounds at room- and elevated- temperatures of chemical compositions consisting of 87, 47, 24 and 10 wt.% Fe is studied and microstructurally analysed. Electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction reveal a dual-phase nanostructured composite for the as-deformed samples with grain refinement after HPT deformation. SQUID magnetometry measurements show hysteresis curves of an exchange coupled nanocomposite at room temperature, while for low temperatures a decoupling of Fe and SmCo5 is observed. Furthermore, exchange interactions between the hard- and soft-magnetic phase can explain a shift of the hysteresis curve. Strong emphasis is devoted to the correlation between the magnetic properties and the evolving nano-structure during HPT deformation, which is conducted for a 1:1 composition ratio of Fe to SmCo5. SQUID magnetometry measurements show an increasing saturation magnetisation for increasing strain γ and a maximum of the coercive field strength at a shear strain of γ = 75.
Reduce the Planar Anisotropy of AA6016 Aluminum Sheets by Texture and Microstructure Control
Authors: Duan Xiaoge , Jiang Haitao , Mi Zhenli , Cheng Lei , Wang Jiayi
Published: November 2020

In order to produce a more isotropic Al-Mg-Si alloy sheet in the T4 temper, pre-annealed AA6016 hot rolled strips were cold rolled by conventional rolling, transverse rolling and an alternative rolling schedule. In this work, a weak and random texture was obtained in the alternative rolling sample, which was treated by solution treatment, as well as a fine and homogeneous recrystallized grain structure that reduced the earing percentage from 8.2% to 2.7%. An earing test was used to characterize the planar anisotropy of the AA6016 alloy. The crystallographic texture and microstructure of the AA6016 aluminum sheet were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. The earing percentage was reduced and eight-fold ears were produced in unidirectional rolled samples with strong β-fiber textures. Conversely, a higher earing percentage and four-fold ears were obtained for the alternative rolled sample, which was characterized by an appropriate combination of the Cube {001}<100> and stabilized BND {011}<3`22> [(φ1,¢,φ2) = (42°,45°,0°)] orientations. The main reason for the distinct earing profiles was the grain spatial distribution of textures formed during the cold rolling process. The dynamic recovery of the AA6016 alloy was promoted and both the nucleation and subsequent growth of the Cube orientation were suppressed by alternative rolling.
Recently Naturalized Paraserianthes lophantha subsp. lophantha Displays Contrasting Genetic Diversity and Climate Relationships Compared to Native Populations
Authors: Brown Gillian K. , James Elizabeth A. , Simmons Catherine L. , Ahrens Collin W.
Published: November 2020

Paraseriantheslophantha subsp. lophantha (Leguminosae) is native to southwestern Australia, but has become naturalized in eastern Australia and in countries around the world. Previous studies have investigated the introduction sources for P. lophantha subsp. lophantha overseas, but here, we expand on the knowledge of genetic patterns in its native and naturalized range in Australia. Genetic patterns were examined using nine nuclear microsatellite loci and three chloroplast DNA markers. The native populations exhibited phylogeographic patterns, including north-south differentiation, and a genetic signal related to temperature gradients. Naturalized Australian populations displayed lower overall genetic variation and no phylogeographic patterns. Several naturalized populations separated by large distances (350–650 km) shared multi-locus genotypes, supporting the notion of a shared source of germplasm and possible inbreeding due to human-mediated introductions from a limited number of individuals and/or source populations within the native range. We advocate that management strategies are tailored to the distinct conservation aims underpinning conservation in native or naturalized populations. Within the native distribution, management should have a long-term aim to replicate historical evolutionary processes, whereas in naturalized populations, immediate actions may be required to reduce the abundance of P. lophantha subsp. lophantha and minimize its invasive impact on the recipient vegetation.
Dynamic Enhancement Pattern on CT for Predicting Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms with Low PAX6 Expression: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Kimura Koichiro , Tsuchiya Junichi , Kitazume Yoshio , Kishino Mitsuhiro , Akahoshi Keiichi , Kudo Atsushi , Tanaka Shinji , Tanabe Minoru , Tateishi Ukihide
Published: November 2020

Paired box 6 (PAX6) is a transcription factor that plays a critical role in tumor suppression, implying that the downregulation of PAX6 promotes tumor growth and invasiveness. This study aimed to examine dynamic computed tomography (CT) features for predicting pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (Pan-NENs) with low PAX6 expression. We retrospectively evaluated 51 patients with Pan-NENs without synchronous liver metastasis to assess the pathological expression of PAX6. Two radiologists analyzed preoperative dynamic CT images to determine morphological features and enhancement patterns. We compared the CT findings between low and high PAX6 expression groups. Pathological analysis identified 11 and 40 patients with low and high PAX6 expression, respectively. Iso- or hypoenhancement types in the arterial and portal phases were significantly associated with low PAX6 expression (p = 0.009; p = 0.001, respectively). Low PAX6 Pan-NENs showed a lower portal enhancement ratio than high PAX6 Pan-NENs (p = 0.044). The combination based on enhancement types (iso- or hypoenhancement during arterial and portal phases) and portal enhancement ratio (≤1.22) had 54.5% sensitivity, 92.5% specificity, and 84.3% accuracy in identifying low PAX6 Pan-NENs. Dynamic CT features, including iso- or hypoenhancement types in the arterial and portal phases and lower portal enhancement ratio may help predict Pan-NENs with low PAX6 expression.
Influence of Internal Thoracic Artery Harvesting on Sternal Osteoblastic Activity and Perfusion
Authors: Mamchur Sergey , Vecherskii Yuri , Chichkova Tatiana
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the sternal osteoblastic activity and perfusion in the early period after a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and three-phasic dynamic scintigraphy (3PDS) with 99mTc methylene diphosphonate (MDP). Methods: The study group consisted of 57 male patients that were 57.3 ± 6.6 years of age. Thirty-six of them were randomized into two groups: in group I (n = 18), the internal thoracic artery (ITA) was skeletonized, and in group II (n = 18), the ITA was pedicled. All the patients in groups I and II underwent an off-pump CABG using 1.7 ± 0.3 grafts, including one anastomosis of the ITA to the left anterior descending coronary artery. The control group III (n = 21) consisted of patients that underwent mitral valve repair surgery, in whom the sternotomy without the ITA harvesting was performed. The 3PDS and SPECT of the thorax with 99mTc MDP were performed 2 weeks after surgery. Results: The sternal phosphates uptake in group I was approximately twice as high as in group II and approximately 1.5 times higher than in group III (p < 0.05). The MDP uptake asymmetry after the ITA skeletonization was the same as in the group with both intact ITAs. In contrast, after the pedicled ITA harvesting, the osteoblastic activity of the ipsilateral side of the sternum was lower than in the contralateral one. There was no statistically significant difference in scintillation count in the xiphoid process between groups I and II (p > 0.05); however, we observed a significant difference in the manubrium and body (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The main factor that improved the sternal perfusion after a CABG was the preservation of branches supplying the sternum using the skeletonization technique of ITA harvesting.
Reply to “The Carotid Sinus as a Viscometer”
Authors: Lee Ui Yun , Kim Chul In , Chung Gyung Ho , Jung Jinmu , Kwak Hyo Sung
Published: November 2020

Above all, we would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for writing your comment on our research [...]
Type 17 Immune Response Facilitates Progression of Inflammation and Correlates with Cognition in Stable Schizophrenia
Authors: Borovcanin Milica M. , Minic Janicijevic Slavica , Jovanovic Ivan P. , Gajovic Nevena M. , Jurisevic Milena M. , Arsenijevic Nebojsa N.
Published: November 2020

Dysregulation of the type 17 immune pathway has already been considered in schizophrenia and we previously measured decreased sera values of interleukin (IL)-17 in early stages. We further explored the possible correlation of IL-17 systemic levels with proinflammatory cytokines and cognitive scores and additionally analyzed the percentage of IL-17 producing lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with stable schizophrenia. We included 27 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (F20), after a three-month stable depot antipsychotic therapy (risperidone or paliperidone) and 18 healthy control subjects. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale of Schizophrenia and the Montreal-Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were conducted. Sera concentrations of IL-17, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and soluble ST2 receptor (sST2) were measured. Flow cytometry and Natural Killer (NK) and T cell analyses were done in 10 patients and 10 healthy controls. Moderate positive correlation was established between IL-17 and TNF-α (r = 0.640; p = 0.001), IL-17 and IL-6 (r = 0.514; p = 0.006), IL-17 and sST2 (r = 0.394; p = 0.042). Furthermore, a positive correlation between the serum levels of IL-17 and MoCA scores was observed, especially with visuospatial and executive functioning, as well as language functioning and delayed recall (p < 0.05). Significantly higher percentage of IL-17 producing CD56+ NK cells was measured in peripheral blood of patients with schizophrenia in remission vs. healthy individuals (p = 0.001). The percentage of CD4+ T cells and CD4+ T cells that produce IL-17 was significantly increased in patients (p = 0.001). This study revealed the involvement of innate type 17 immune response in the progression of inflammation and this could be related to cognitive functioning in stable schizophrenia.
Biopsychosocial Aspects in Individuals with Acute and Chronic Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain: Classification Based on a Decision Tree Analysis
Authors: Haik Melina N , Alburquerque-Sendín Francisco , Fernandes Ricardo A S , Kamonseki Danilo H , Almeida Lucas A , Liebano Richard E , Camargo Paula R
Published: November 2020

Biopsychosocial aspects seem to influence the clinical condition of rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP). However, traditional bivariate and linear analyses may not be sufficiently robust to capture the complex relationships among these aspects. This study determined which biopsychosocial aspects would better classify individuals with acute and chronic RCRSP and described how these aspects interact to create biopsychosocial phenotypes in individuals with acute and chronic RCRSP. Individuals with acute (<six months of pain, n = 15) and chronic (≥six months of pain, n = 38) RCRSP were included. Sociodemographic data, biological data related to general clinical health status, to shoulder clinical condition and to sensory function, and psychosocial data were collected. Outcomes were compared between groups and a decision tree was used to classify the individuals with acute and chronic RCRSP into different phenotypes hierarchically organized in nodes. Only conditioned pain modulation was different between the groups. However, the tree combined six biopsychosocial aspects to identify seven distinct phenotypes in individuals with RCRSP: three phenotypes of individuals with acute, and four with chronic RCRSP. While the majority of the individuals with chronic RCRSP have no other previous painful complaint besides the shoulder pain and low efficiency of endogenous pain modulation with no signs of biomechanical related pain, individuals with acute RCRSP are more likely to have preserved endogenous pain modulation and unilateral pain with signs of kinesiophobia.
Ultrasound as a Biomarker in Rheumatic Diseases
Authors: Quin Kai , Madhoun Hareth M.
Published: November 2020

Rheumatic diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders which often affect the musculoskeletal system. Given the lack of definitive testing, there are limited diagnostic tools at clinicians’ disposal. Over the recent decades, ultrasonography has gained widespread use within rheumatology due to its accessibility, safety, and relatively low cost. This review describes the clinical utility of ultrasound as a biomarker in the diagnosis and management of several rheumatic diseases.
A Parameterization of Models for Unit Root Processes: Structure Theory and Hypothesis Testing
Authors: Bauer Dietmar , Matuschek Lukas , de Matos Ribeiro Patrick , Wagner Martin
Published: November 2020

We develop and discuss a parameterization of vector autoregressive moving average processes with arbitrary unit roots and (co)integration orders. The detailed analysis of the topological properties of the parameterization—based on the state space canonical form of Bauer and Wagner (2012)—is an essential input for establishing statistical and numerical properties of pseudo maximum likelihood estimators as well as, e.g., pseudo likelihood ratio tests based on them. The general results are exemplified in detail for the empirically most relevant cases, the (multiple frequency or seasonal) I(1) and the I(2) case. For these two cases we also discuss the modeling of deterministic components in detail.
The Effect of Person Misfit on Item Parameter Estimation and Classification Accuracy: A Simulation Study
Authors: Mousavi Amin , Cui Ying
Published: November 2020

Often, important decisions regarding accountability and placement of students in performance categories are made on the basis of test scores generated from tests, therefore, it is important to evaluate the validity of the inferences derived from test results. One of the threats to the validity of such inferences is aberrant responding. Several person fit indices were developed to detect aberrant responding on educational and psychological tests. The majority of the person fit literature has been focused on creating and evaluating new indices. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of aberrant responding on the accuracy of estimated item parameters and refining estimations by using person fit statistics by means of simulation. Our results showed that the presence of aberrant response patterns created bias in the both b and a parameters at the item level and affected the classification of students, particularly high-performing students, into performance categories regardless of whether aberrant response patterns were present in the data or were removed. The results differed by test length and the percentage of students with aberrant response patterns. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Development of Students’ Learning to Learn Competence in Primary Science
Authors: Letina Alena
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study was to determine if there is a connection between the inquiry-based teaching of science in primary school and the development of the students’ learning to learn competence. The research involved 333 fourth-grade students at primary schools in Croatia. The experimental research with parallel groups included a number of students who were exposed to inquiry-based teaching of science for three months, and a control group that was, at the same time, exposed to traditional instruction in the same curriculum content. The results of this research show that through inquiry-based teaching students developed a higher level of the learning to learn competence than by using traditional teaching methods. Therefore, it is recommended to use inquiry-based learning as often as possible, because by developing the students’ learning to learn competence, students will be empowered for the process of lifelong learning.
The History and Usage of Parenting Newsletter Interventions in Family Life Education
Authors: Brotherson Sean E. , Hoffman Meagan Scott
Published: November 2020

Raising a child engages parents/caregivers in learning knowledge and skills needed for effective, healthy parenting. The field of parent and family education furnishes a variety of approaches and resources intended to assist and guide those raising and working with children. The Diffusion of Innovations Theory presents a clear framework for understanding how particular resources may develop and become more widely used in parent and family education. Among such resources, parenting newsletter interventions represent a unique and valuable approach to facilitating growth in parent/caregiver confidence, knowledge and skills. This paper provides an overview of the history and usage of newsletters in parent education in contexts including public health, extension and other settings. Further, it highlights key findings, challenges and future directions for parent newsletter interventions in the 21st century landscape of family life education.
Evolving Deep DenseBlock Architecture Ensembles for Image Classification
Authors: Fielding Ben , Zhang Li
Published: November 2020

Automatic deep architecture generation is a challenging task, owing to the large number of controlling parameters inherent in the construction of deep networks. The combination of these parameters leads to the creation of large, complex search spaces that are feasibly impossible to properly navigate without a huge amount of resources for parallelisation. To deal with such challenges, in this research we propose a Swarm Optimised DenseBlock Architecture Ensemble (SODBAE) method, a joint optimisation and training process that explores a constrained search space over a skeleton DenseBlock Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture. Specifically, we employ novel weight inheritance learning mechanisms, a DenseBlock skeleton architecture, as well as adaptive Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) with cosine search coefficients to devise networks whilst maintaining practical computational costs. Moreover, the architecture design takes advantage of recent advancements of the concepts of residual connections and dense connectivity, in order to yield CNN models with a much wider variety of structural variations. The proposed weight inheritance learning schemes perform joint optimisation and training of the architectures to reduce the computational costs. Being evaluated using the CIFAR-10 dataset, the proposed model shows great superiority in classification performance over other state-of-the-art methods while illustrating a greater versatility in architecture generation.
Multi-Scale Dense Attention Network for Stereo Matching
Authors: Chang Yuhui , Xu Jiangtao , Gao Zhiyuan
Published: November 2020

To improve the accuracy of stereo matching, the multi-scale dense attention network (MDA-Net) is proposed. The network introduces two novel modules in the feature extraction stage to achieve better exploit of context information: dual-path upsampling (DU) block and attention-guided context-aware pyramid feature extraction (ACPFE) block. The DU block is introduced to fuse different scale feature maps. It introduces sub-pixel convolution to compensate for the loss of information caused by the traditional interpolation upsampling method. The ACPFE block is proposed to extract multi-scale context information. Pyramid atrous convolution is adopted to exploit multi-scale features and the channel-attention is used to fuse the multi-scale features. The proposed network has been evaluated on several benchmark datasets. The three-pixel-error evaluated over all ground truth pixels is 2.10% on KITTI 2015 dataset. The experiment results prove that MDA-Net achieves state-of-the-art accuracy on KITTI 2012 and 2015 datasets.
Emulator of a Boost Converter for Educational Purposes
Authors: Lamo Paula , de Castro Ángel , Brañas Christian , Azcondo Francisco J.
Published: November 2020

Project-based learning (PBL) is proposed for the development of a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platform and the design of its digital controller for an undergraduate course on Digital Electronic Systems. The objective for students is the design of a digitally controlled HIL Boost converter, a digital pulse-width modulator (DPWM) and a current mode controller, implemented in field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices. To this end, the different parts of the project are developed and evaluated, maximizing the use of FPGA resources in the design of the HIL and DPWM blocks, and applying design techniques that minimize the use of the digital resources used in the design of the controller. Students are equipped with a new individualized educational experience, allowing them to test their technical competence and knowledge in an environment close to the reality of the industry.
High-Voltage Temperature Humidity Bias Test (HV-THB): Overview of Current Test Methodologies and Reliability Performances
Authors: Cimmino Davide , Ferrero Sergio
Published: November 2020

The high voltage temperature humidity bias test (HV-THB) has become increasingly popular for evaluating the performances of power semiconductor devices. Given the new challenges of the power semiconductor industry, several applications and devices need to be designed to withstand harsh environments during working operations, with a remarkable focus on high-humidity conditions. The HV-THB test allows one to activate and study different failure mechanisms which were not highlighted by the standard low voltage THB test, enabling new designs in several energy conversion fields, such as energy harvesting, industry and automotive applications. After a brief introduction of current test standards, this work goes through the current methodologies and state-of-the-art of the HV-THB test. The following sections are then dedicated to the knowledge about the failure mechanisms and the models for accelerated testing. Eventually, there is a section devoted to the main passivation materials in order to understand their effects on the HV-THB capabilities of the devices.
Integration of Discrete Wavelet Transform, DBSCAN, and Classifiers for Efficient Content Based Image Retrieval
Authors: Khalid Muhammad Junaid , Irfan Muhammad , Ali Tariq , Gull Muqaddas , Draz Umar , Glowacz Adam , Sulowicz Maciej , Dziechciarz Arkadiusz , AlKahtani Fahad Salem , Hussain Shafiq
Published: November 2020

In the domain of computer vision, the efficient representation of an image feature vector for the retrieval of images remains a significant problem. Extensive research has been undertaken on Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) using various descriptors, and machine learning algorithms with certain descriptors have significantly improved the performance of these systems. In this proposed research, a new scheme for CBIR was implemented to address the semantic gap issue and to form an efficient feature vector. This technique was based on the histogram formation of query and dataset images. The auto-correlogram of the images was computed w.r.t RGB format, followed by a moment’s extraction. To form efficient feature vectors, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) in a multi-resolution framework was applied. A codebook was formed using a density-based clustering approach known as Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN). The similarity index was computed using the Euclidean distance between the feature vector of the query image and the dataset images. Different classifiers, like Support Vector (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Decision Tree, were used for the classification of images. The set experiment was performed on three publicly available datasets, and the performance of the proposed framework was compared with another state of the proposed frameworks which have had a positive performance in terms of accuracy.
Rate-Invariant Modeling in Lie Algebra for Activity Recognition
Authors: Boujebli Malek , Drira Hassen , Mestiri Makram , Farah Imed Riadh
Published: November 2020

Human activity recognition is one of the most challenging and active areas of research in the computer vision domain. However, designing automatic systems that are robust to significant variability due to object combinations and the high complexity of human motions are more challenging. In this paper, we propose to model the inter-frame rigid evolution of skeleton parts as the trajectory in the Lie group SE(3)×…×SE(3). The motion of the object is similarly modeled as an additional trajectory in the same manifold. The classification is performed based on a rate-invariant comparison of the resulting trajectories mapped to a vector space, the Lie algebra. Experimental results on three action and activity datasets show that the proposed method outperforms various state-of-the-art human activity recognition approaches.