bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
S3-Net: A Fast Scene Understanding Network by Single-Shot Segmentation for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Cheng Yuan , Yang Yuchao , Chen Hai-Bao , Wong Ngai , Yu Hao
Published: September 2021

Real-time segmentation and understanding of driving scenes are crucial in autonomous driving. Traditional pixel-wise approaches extract scene information by segmenting all pixels in a frame, and hence are inefficient and slow. Proposal-wise approaches only learn from the proposed object candidates, but still require multiple steps on the expensive proposal methods. Instead, this work presents a fast
single-shot segmentation
strategy for video scene understanding. The proposed net, called S3-Net, quickly locates and segments
target sub-scenes
, and meanwhile extracts

attention-aware time-series sub-scene features

(

ats-features

) as inputs to an

attention-aware spatio-temporal model (ASM)

. Utilizing tensorization and quantization techniques, S3-Net is intended to be lightweight for edge computing. Experiments results on CityScapes, UCF11, HMDB51, and MOMENTS datasets demonstrate that the proposed S3-Net achieves an accuracy improvement of 8.1% versus the 3D-CNN based approach on UCF11, a storage reduction of 6.9× and an inference speed of 22.8 FPS on CityScapes with a GTX1080Ti GPU.
Protein-carbohydrate interaction effects on energy balance, FGF21, IGF-1, and hypothalamic gene expression in rats
Authors: Gehring Josephine , Azzout-Marniche Dalila , Chaumontet Catherine , Piedcoq Julien , Gaudichon Claire , Even Patrick C.
Published: September 2021

As mechanisms controlling protein intake can operate independently and in combination with those controlling energy intakes, we investigated the metabolic and behavioral effects of the protein-carbohydrate interaction. With a simplified geometric framework, we showed that body composition, energy balance, plasma FGF21 and IGF-1 concentrations, and hypothalamic Pomc/ Agrp ratio were primarily responsive to protein content and, to a lesser extent, to carbohydrate content of the diet.
A naturally occurring FXR agonist, alisol B 23-acetate, protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Luan Zhi-Lin , Ming Wen-Hua , Sun Xiao-Wan , Zhang Cong , Zhou Yang , Zheng Feng , Yang Yong-Liang , Guan You-Fei , Zhang Xiao-Yan
Published: September 2021

In the present study, we found that alisol B 23-acetate (ABA), an identified natural farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist from the well-known traditional Chinese medicine Alismatis rhizoma, protects against ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI) in an FXR-dependent manner, as reflected by improved renal function, reduced renal tubular apoptosis, ameliorated oxidative stress, and suppressed inflammatory factor expression. Therefore, ABA may have great potential as a novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of AKI in the future.
Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Heterogeneity on Underground Roadway Stability under Dynamic Loads
Authors: Guo Tao , Feng Hao , Sun Zequan , Zhao Yang , Wu Xingyu , Xu Xinggang , Jiang Lishuai
Published: September 2021

With the increasing depth of coal mining and expanding mining scale, the rocks surrounding deep roadways are in a complex mechanical condition of frequent dynamic disturbance. The heterogeneity has an important influence on rock mass failure under dynamic loads. Therefore, it is necessary to study the deformation and failure of heterogeneous roadway under dynamic load. In this paper, the effect of heterogeneity on stability of roadway under static and different dynamic loads is studied. According to the results, the effect of rock mass heterogeneity on the deformation and failure of surrounding rock varies with different degrees of heterogeneity. Under static loading conditions, the stability of roadway is negatively correlated with the degree of heterogeneity of the rock mass. Under dynamic loading conditions, the change of heterogeneity degree has significant influence on the stability of surrounding rock. With the increase in dynamic load strength, the change in variation difference in the average value of roof sag, stress distribution, and plastic zone caused by variations in heterogeneity will increase. This study contributes to understanding the deformation and failure characteristics of heterogeneous roadways under dynamic loads and can be used to analyze heterogeneous roadways under dynamic loads.
Event-Related Potential Sensing Analysis on the Risk Perception and Decision-Making by Grassroots Managers in Different Fatigue States
Authors: Huang Yixin , Li Hongxia , Yang Yanling , Wang Jin , Jansz Janis
Published: September 2021

The risk perception and decision-making ability of grassroots managers is the key to the normal operation of enterprises. This study used event-related potential indicators (ERPs) to reveal the process of risk perception and decision-making behaviour of coal mine grassroots managers in different fatigue states. The ERP components, such as CNV, P300, MMN, and FRN, during risk perception, decision-making, and postperception periods were obtained and evaluated. The peak value and variation characteristics of ERP components of grassroots managers under fatigue and nonfatigue conditions were analysed. Accordingly, the effectiveness of decision-making behaviour in different periods was determined. The results showed that the P300 component is a key indicator in measurements of the deviation of grassroots managers’ decision-making behaviour, and FRN could reflect the negative emotions in the decision-making process and reflect the sensitivity of the risk perception of grassroots managers. There was a significant difference between the peak voltages of the ERP components of the grassroots managers in fatigue and nonfatigue states. The peak voltage of the ERP components of the grassroots managers in a fatigue state was generally greater than 10 μV; therefore, the quality of decision-making by the grassroots managers could be evaluated according to the characteristics of the ERP components. This study provides a risk decision-making reference for grassroots managers of coal mine enterprises.
Intelligent Recommendations of Startup Projects in Smart Cities and Smart Health Using Social Media Mining
Authors: Ben Abdessalem Karaa Wahiba , Alkhammash Eman , Slimani Thabet , Hadjouni Myriam
Published: September 2021

The paper presents a recommendation model for developing new smart city and smart health projects. The objective is to provide recommendations to citizens about smart city and smart health startups to improve entrepreneurship and leadership. These recommendations may lead to the country’s advancement and the improvement of national income and reduce unemployment. This work focuses on designing and implementing an approach for processing and analyzing tweets inclosing data related to smart city and smart health startups and providing recommended projects as well as their required skills and competencies. This approach is based on tweets mining through a machine learning method, the Word2Vec algorithm, combined with a recommendation technique conducted via an ontology-based method. This approach allows discovering the relevant startup projects in the context of smart cities and makes links to the needed skills and competencies of users. A system was implemented to validate this approach. The attained performance metrics related to precision, recall, and F-measure are, respectively, 95%, 66%, and 79%, showing that the results are very encouraging.
Port Environmental Quality or Economic Growth? Their Relevance and Government Preference in Developing Countries
Authors: Xu Tingliu , Xiao Yingjie , Khiewngamdee Chatchai , Lin Qin
Published: September 2021

In the past few years, the marine ecosystem has been a cheap resource in developing countries in the process of pursuing short-term vested interests. Therefore, high economic development of the developing countries is at a huge environmental cost. Nowadays, environmental protection is becoming a global concern. In this background, the government of the developing countries begins to formulate reasonable marine economic and environmental policies to find a balance between rapid economic development and marine environmental protection. In this contribution, a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model (DSGE) is constructed with the environmental constraints, and Bayesian estimation is used to calibrate the main parameters. Next, the model is employed to analyze the effects of government and consumer environmental preferences on macroeconomic variables, environmental quality, and consumer and government utility. Results show that the government’s preference for environmental quality is positively related to port environmental quality and negatively related to output, capital stock, and consumption. An enhancement of the environmental quality preference of the target audience can realize balanced development of economic growth and port environmental quality. The findings are conducive to coordinating the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and achieving sustainable development of the port.
Prediction Effect of Amplitude-Integrated EEG on the Brain Damage and Long-Term Nervous System Development of Late Preterm Infants
Authors: Qu Sehua , Shan Lianqiang , Zhang Zhen , Peng Wansheng , Chen Yun , Zhang Hui , Dong Huaifu , Chen Xin
Published: September 2021

In order to explore the prediction effect of amplitude-integrated EEG on the brain damage and long-term nervous system development of late preterm infants, this paper uses the hospital’s late preterm infants as the research object and analyzes the prediction effect of amplitude-integrated EEG on the brain damage and long-term nervous system development of late preterm infants through controlled trials. Among them, the test group used amplitude-integrated EEG for prediction analysis, and the control group used traditional clinical prediction methods. Furthermore, the real-time monitoring and short-term prediction effects of amplitude-integrated EEG on brain damage in late preterm babies and the prediction impact on long-term nervous system development are evaluated in this study. It incorporates statistical techniques to evaluate the findings statistically. In addition, a nonparametric rank-sum test is used in this work, and a chi-square test is used to compare enumeration data across groups. Through experimental research, it can be seen that the amplitude-integrated EEG has a pronounced prediction effect on the brain damage and long-term nervous system development of late preterm infants, and the effect is higher than that of the traditional clinical prediction methods.
Risk Control Management of New Rural Cooperative Financial Organizations Based on Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Kong Fanrong , Lu Hongxia
Published: September 2021

Rural cooperative financial organization is a new type of cooperative financial organization in recent years. It is a community financial institution created by farmers and small rural enterprises to voluntarily invest in shares in order to meet the growing demand for rural financing. However, this financial organization has many flaws in the design of the system; it has not promoted the better development of rural mutual fund assistance. In addition, mobile edge computing (MEC) can be used as an effective supplement to mobile cloud computing and has been proposed. However, most of the current literature studies on cloud computing provide computing offload just to propose a network architecture, without modeling and solving to achieve. In this context, this paper focuses on the practical application of MEC in the risk control of new rural cooperative financial organizations. This paper proposes a collaborative LECC mechanism based on machine learning under the MEC architecture. The experimental simulation shows that the HR under the LECC mechanism is about 17%–23%, 46%–69%, and 93%–177% higher than that of LENC, LRU, and RR, respectively. It is unrealistic to want to rely on meager loan interest for long-term development. The most practical way is to increase the income level of the organization itself.
Research on Rapid Detection Electrochemical Sensor‐Assisted Textile Art Design
Authors: Guo Chuan
Published: September 2021

Electrochemical sensor is a detection means that integrates electrochemical analysis technology with sensor technology. In this paper, we analyze the superiority of electrochemical sensors and the achievements made by electrochemical sensors in other related fields and argue the great impact of electrochemical sensors on modern industrial production and people’s life; we present the unique application of electrochemical sensors in textile art and its supporting design with the development of electrochemical sensor‐assisted textile art and its supporting design and analyze the current situation of textile art and development requiring technological innovation, rapid detection of electrochemical sensor‐assisted design, and the corresponding improvement of the quality and quality of the design. Also, we focus on the combination of design and art, using the characteristics of electrochemical sensors, the artistic expression, and functional enhancement, focusing on the space supporting the artistic effect. In this paper, two fibers, PU and PU/PAN‐SPA, were designed with the aid of electrochemical sensors for rapid detection and tested for their water absorption, moisture permeability, air permeability, and mechanical properties, all of which performed well and can be used as good materials for textile art design. The use of electrochemical sensors to assist in the design of suitable textile fiber materials according to artistic expression techniques can better stimulate the artist’s creative inspiration and release more contemporary artistic energy.
N1, N12-Diacetylspermine Is Elevated in Colorectal Cancer and Promotes Proliferation through the miR-559/CBS Axis in Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Mu Teng , Chu Tingguang , Li Wenxin , Dong Qianze , Liu Yong
Published: September 2021

N1, N12-Diacetylspermine (DiAcSpm) has been reported to be upregulated in the urine of cancer patients. Mass spectrometry has shown elevated DiAcSpm expressions in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues. However, the diagnostic application of DiAcSpm is not available due to a lack of diagnostic grade antibodies. Also, its biological roles in CRC cells remain unexplored. In the present study, we developed an antibody that directly detected DiAcSpm expression in paraffin-embedded tissues. We also characterized its biological characteristics and underlying mechanisms. Polyclonal antibodies were generated by immunizing animals with a synthetic product of DiAcSpm. Antibody DAS AB016 showed strong sensitivity against DiAcSpm in CRC tissues. Immunohistochemistry results showed that DiAcSpm expression was significantly elevated in CRC tissues. High levels of DiAcSpm correlated with the clinical stage and Ki67 index. DiAcSpm treatment increased levels of proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cyclin D1 and cyclin E proteins in CRC cell lines, SW480 and Caco-2. DiAcSpm also upregulated ATP production in these two cell lines. RNA-sequencing showed that DiAcSpm downregulated miR-559, which was confirmed using RT-qPCR. The luciferase reporter assay, western blotting, and RT-qPCR showed that cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) was the target of miR-559. miR-559 inhibited, while CBS accelerated, CRC proliferation. In addition, CBS siRNA knockdown blocked the biological effects of DiAcSpm on CRC cells. In conclusion, DiAcSpm was found to be increased in CRC tissues using a newly developed antibody. DiAcSpm accelerated CRC proliferation by regulating the miR-559/CBS axis.
A New Radial Spoiler for Suppressing Vortex‐Induced Vibration of a Tubular Tower and Its Practical Design Method
Authors: Fu Xing , Jiang Yao , Du Wen-Long , Yan Bo-Wen
Published: September 2021

Circular section tubular members with smaller wind load shape coefficient and higher stability are widely used in ultra‐high‐voltage (UHV) transmission towers. However, the tubular members, especially those with a large slenderness ratio, are prone to vortex‐induced vibration (VIV) within a specific wind speed range. The sustained vibration of members can easily cause fatigue failure of joints and threaten the operational safety of transmission lines. Consequently, a novel countermeasure for the VIV of tubular towers using a new type of radial spoiler is proposed, whose mechanism is to change the vortex shedding frequency by destroying the large‐scale vortexes into small‐scale vortexes. Then, the parametric analysis of different variables is carried out based on the orthogonal experiment and numerical simulation, including the height H and length B of the spoiler and the distance S between adjacent spoilers. The results show that the above three parameters all have significant influences on vortex shedding frequency. Additionally, a practical design method of the new radial spoiler is proposed, and the recommended values of H, B, and S are 1D∼2D, 1.5H∼3H, and 5D∼12.5D, respectively, where D is the diameter of the tubular member. Finally, a numerical verification of the suppression effects is carried out, demonstrating that the proposed quick design method is simple and reliable, which can be widely used in the VIV design of tubular towers.
Research on the Effect of Big Data Flipped Classroom Combined with Scenario Simulation Teaching: Based on Clinical Practice of Medical Students
Authors: Liu Shuli , Li Yong , Wang Xiaobo , Zhang Xuena , Wang Renshu
Published: September 2021

With the rapid development of information technology and the deepening of education reform, flipped classroom, as a new teaching mode, has received considerable attention from the education circle as soon as it appeared. This paper analyzes the teaching design principles of big data flipped classroom combined scenario simulation, constructs the teaching design model of big data flipped classroom combined scenario simulation in medical clinical practice, and explores the application and effect of the teaching method of big data flipped classroom combined scenario simulation. In this paper, the experimental group takes care of fusion simulations combined with the flipped classroom teaching method, and the routine control group uses the traditional teaching method; the scores of the two groups on theory, learning initiative, clinical practice, and critical thinking ability allow comparing the teaching effect, concluding that health care integration scenario simulation combined with flipped classroom teaching methods is new. It is beneficial to improve the learning ability, improve the ability of medical cooperation, enhance the sense of humanistic care, and so on. Analysis and comparison concludes that turning medical fusion simulations combined with classroom teaching, promoting the medical students on medical students’ clinical practice to master theoretical knowledge and practical operation ability, and improving the ability of critical thinking ability and care will lead medical students to make a study of basic knowledge of medicine helping to cultivate the graduate student’s study enthusiasm, stimulating interest in learning, improving the comprehensive quality of medical specialty, and making it worth popularizing in practice teaching.
Research on the Scientific Research Efficiency of Provincial Universities Based on the DEA Model
Authors: Wang Lifeng , Wang Tan
Published: September 2021

As the main factor of China’s higher education, effective evaluation of the scientific research efficiency of domestic universities is extremely significant to improve the scientific research management system of local universities, optimize the allocation of scientific research resources, and promote regional economic development. Based on the ten-year statistical data of the compilation of science and technology statistics of colleges and universities, this paper adopts the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to study the scientific research efficiency of 31 provincial universities in Shandong Province from three dimensions: level, type, and region. The results show that, first, the overall scientific research efficiency of the sample universities is not high and takes on a downward trend; there are some differences, changes in the same direction, and level convergence in each dimension of scientific research efficiency. Second, there is a positive correlation between the comprehensive scientific research strength of the sample universities and the technical efficiency. Third, the level of regional economic development has a positive impact on the scale efficiency of scientific research, which is closely related to the technical efficiency, and there is no positive correlation between these two. Thus, the research suggests that, in the future, colleges and universities should formulate differentiated management policies, build a “Government University” two-level scientific research performance evaluation system guided by scientific research quality, change the concept of scientific research managers, and improve the ability of personnel to improve the efficiency of scientific research in colleges and universities.
Time‐Frequency Characteristics and the Influence Mechanism of the EMR from Coal with Different Joint Angles
Authors: Mu Hongwei , Song Dazhao , Yin Shan , He Xueqiu , Qiu Liming , Su Dongfang , Liu Yang
Published: September 2021

It is vital to understand the electromagnetic radiation’s time‐frequency characteristics in the process of coal and rock failure with different joint angles in order to reveal the generation mechanism of the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and improve the accuracy of EMR early warning. We studied the time‐frequency characteristics of EMR signals of coal samples with different joint angles. The study finds that, (1) with the increase of joint angle, the failure time and peak load of samples decrease first and increase later, and the postpeak failure time decreases gradually. The EMR counts’ peak value showed a slow rise, a sharp rise, and a slow rise in the three intervals of α = 0° to 45°, 45° to 60°, and 60° to 90°, respectively. The accumulated EMR counts showed a steady upward trend. The duration of the EMR waveform, the dominant frequency of the EMR, and the peak number of the frequency spectrum of coal samples are on the rise. (2) As the joint angle increases, the samples’ failure mode changes from the stage fracture dominated by tension cracks to the rapid fracture with the coexistence of shear and tension cracks and finally to the burst fracture which produces a large number of fragments. This is also the main reason for the difference of the EMR generation mechanism and the signal of samples with different joint angles. (3) According to the experimental results, we established the modified formulas for calculating the EMR threshold value and deviation of coal and rock with joints under different stress environments and revealed that the longer the EMR waveform duration, the higher the dominant frequency, and the more the number of spectrum peaks, the greater the burst risk of coal and rock.
A PLCB1–PI3K–AKT Signaling Axis Activates EMT to Promote Cholangiocarcinoma Progression
Authors: Liang Shuhang , Guo Hongrui , Ma Kun , Li Xianying , Wu Dehai , Wang Yiqi , Wang Wei , Zhang Shugeng , Cui Yifeng , Liu Yufeng , Sun Linmao , Zhang Bo , Xin Mengyang , Zhang Ning , Zhou Huanran , Liu Yao , Wang Jiabei , Liu Lianxin
Published: September 2021

As a member of the phospholipase family, phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCB1) is involved in phospholipid hydrolysis and is frequently upregulated in human cancer. However, little is known about the role of PLCB1 in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). In this study, we uncover a role for PLCB1 in CCA progression and identify the underlying mechanisms. Both human CCA tissues and CCA cell lines expressed high levels of PLCB1. PLCB1 promoted tumor development and growth in various CCA mouse models, including transposon-based tumorigenesis models. PLCB1 activated PI3K/AKT signaling to induce CCA cells to undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistically, PABPC1 interacted with PLCB1 and PI3K to amplify PLCB1-mediated EMT via PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/Snail signaling. Ectopic PLCB1 induced resistance to treatment with gemcitabine combined with cisplatin, which could be reversed by the AKT inhibitor MK2206. PLCB1 expression was regulated by miR-26b-5p through direct interaction with PLCB1 3′UTR. Collectively, these data identify a PLCB1–PI3K–AKT signaling axis vital for CCA development and EMT, suggesting that AKT can be used as a therapeutic target to overcome chemotherapy resistance in CCA patients with high PLCB1 expression.

Significance:

PLCB1 functions as an oncogenic driver in cholangiocarcinoma development that confers an actionable therapeutic vulnerability to AKT inhibition.
Smarca4 Inactivation Promotes Lineage-Specific Transformation and Early Metastatic Features in the Lung
Authors: Concepcion Carla P. , Ma Sai , LaFave Lindsay M. , Bhutkar Arjun , Liu Manyuan , DeAngelo Lydia P. , Kim Jonathan Y. , Del Priore Isabella , Schoenfeld Adam J. , Miller Manon , Kartha Vinay K. , Westcott Peter M.K. , Sánchez-Rivera Francisco J. , Meli Kevin , Gupta Manav , Bronson Roderick T. , Riely Gregory J. , Rekhtman Natasha , Rudin Charles M. , Kim Carla F. , Regev Aviv , Buenrostro Jason D. , Jacks Tyler
Published: September 2021

SMARCA4/BRG1 encodes for one of two mutually exclusive ATPases present in mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes and is frequently mutated in human lung adenocarcinoma. However, the functional consequences of SMARCA4 mutation on tumor initiation, progression, and chromatin regulation in lung cancer remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that loss of Smarca4 sensitizes club cell secretory protein–positive cells within the lung in a cell type–dependent fashion to malignant transformation and tumor progression, resulting in highly advanced dedifferentiated tumors and increased metastatic incidence. Consistent with these phenotypes, Smarca4-deficient primary tumors lack lung lineage transcription factor activities and resemble a metastatic cell state. Mechanistically, we show that Smarca4 loss impairs the function of all three classes of SWI/SNF complexes, resulting in decreased chromatin accessibility at lung lineage motifs and ultimately accelerating tumor progression. Thus, we propose that the SWI/SNF complex via Smarca4 acts as a gatekeeper for lineage-specific cellular transformation and metastasis during lung cancer evolution.

Significance:

We demonstrate cell-type specificity in the tumor-suppressive functions of SMARCA4 in the lung, pointing toward a critical role of the cell-of-origin in driving SWI/SNF-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. We further show the direct effects of SMARCA4 loss on SWI/SNF function and chromatin regulation that cause aggressive malignancy during lung cancer evolution.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 275
CD137 Costimulation Counteracts TGFβ Inhibition of NK-cell Antitumor Function
Authors: Cabo Mariona , Santana-Hernández Sara , Costa-Garcia Marcel , Rea Anna , Lozano-Rodríguez Roberto , Ataya Michelle , Balaguer Francesc , Juan Manel , Ochoa Maria C. , Menéndez Silvia , Comerma Laura , Rovira Ana , Berraondo Pedro , Albanell Joan , Melero Ignacio , López-Botet Miguel , Muntasell Aura
Published: September 2021

Enhancing natural killer (NK) cell–based cancer immunotherapy by overcoming immunosuppression is an area of intensive research. Here, we have demonstrated that the anti-CD137 agonist urelumab can overcome TGFβ-mediated inhibition of human NK-cell proliferation and antitumor function. Transcriptomic, immunophenotypic, and functional analyses showed that CD137 costimulation modified the transcriptional program induced by TGFβ on human NK cells by rescuing their proliferation in response to IL2, preserving their expression of activating receptors (NKG2D) and effector molecules (granzyme B, IFNγ) while allowing the acquisition of tumor-homing/retention features (CXCR3, CD103). Activated NK cells cultured in the presence of TGFβ1 and CD137 agonist recovered CCL5 and IFNγ secretion and showed enhanced direct and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity upon restimulation with cancer cells. Trastuzumab treatment of fresh breast carcinoma–derived multicellular cultures induced CD137 expression on tumor-infiltrating CD16+ NK cells, enabling the action of urelumab, which fostered tumor-infiltrating NK cells and recapitulated the enhancement of CCL5 and IFNγ production. Bioinformatic analysis pointed to IFNG as the driver of the association between NK cells and clinical response to trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive primary breast cancer, highlighting the translational relevance of the CD137 costimulatory axis for enhancing IFNγ production. Our data reveals CD137 as a targetable checkpoint for overturning TGFβ constraints on NK-cell antitumor responses.
β2-Integrin Adhesion Regulates Dendritic Cell Epigenetic and Transcriptional Landscapes to Restrict Dendritic Cell Maturation and Tumor Rejection
Authors: Guenther Carla , Faisal Imrul , Fusciello Manlio , Sokolova Maria , Harjunpää Heidi , Ilander Mette , Tallberg Robert , Vartiainen Maria Kristina , Alon Ronen , Gonzalez-Granado Jose-Maria , Cerullo Vincenzo , Fagerholm Susanna Carola
Published: September 2021

Dendritic cells (DC), the classic antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, switch from an adhesive, phagocytic phenotype in tissues, to a mature, nonadhesive phenotype that enables migration to lymph nodes to activate T cells and initiate antitumor responses. Monocyte-derived DCs are used in cancer immunotherapy, but their clinical efficacy is limited. Here, we show that cultured bone marrow–derived DCs (BM-DC) expressing dysfunctional β2-integrin adhesion receptors displayed enhanced tumor rejection capabilities in B16.OVA and B16-F10 melanoma models. This was associated with an increased CD8+ T-cell response. BM-DCs expressing dysfunctional β2-integrins or manipulated to disrupt integrin adhesion or integrin/actin/nuclear linkages displayed spontaneous maturation in ex vivo cultures (increased costimulatory marker expression, IL12 production, and 3D migration capabilities). This spontaneous maturation was associated with an altered DC epigenetic/transcriptional profile, including a global increase in chromatin accessibility and H3K4me3/H3K27me3 histone methylation. Genome-wide analyses showed that H3K4me3 methylation was increased on DC maturation genes, such as CD86, Il12, Ccr7, and Fscn1, and revealed a role for a transcription factor network involving Ikaros and RelA in the integrin-regulated phenotype of DCs. Manipulation of the integrin-regulated epigenetic landscape in wild-type ex vivo–cultured BM-DCs enhanced their functionality in tumor rejection in vivo. Thus, β2-integrin–mediated adhesion to the extracellular environment plays an important role in restricting DC maturation and antitumor responses through regulation of the cellular epigenetic and transcriptional landscape. Targeting β2-integrins could therefore be a new strategy to improve the performance of current DC-based cancer immunotherapies.
Multiple Esophageal Leiomyoma Presenting with Clinical Dysphagia from Mechanical Obstruction and Motility Disorder
Authors: Wong Thanawin , Pattarapuntakul Tanawat , Keeratichananont Suriya , Cattapan Kamonwon , Nirattisaikul Sitang , Wetwittayakhlung Poowadon
Published: September 2021

Esophageal leiomyoma is uncommon. However, this tumor is the most common subepithelial tumor affecting the esophagus, comprising approximately two-thirds of benign esophageal tumors. Leiomyomas of the esophagus rarely cause symptoms when they are single and <5 cm. The mainstay of treatment is esophagectomy for symptomatic patients. A 68-year-old male patient presented with progressive dysphagia for 4 months. The degree of dysphagia and chest discomfort was more severe on solid rather than liquid diet. The CT scan of the chest showed multiple well-defined, submucosal nodules, up to 1.9 cm in diameter located at the middle esophagus. The barium swallow study illustrated multiple, well-defined, smooth, semilunar filling defects along the mid to distal esophagus. Meanwhile, esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed 8 smooth subepithelial masses. Moreover, the radial EUS showed multiple hypoechoic masses arising from the 4th layer, with some of the tumors connected to others as a horseshoe-like shape causing narrowed lumen. Last, high-resolution esophageal manometry revealed ineffective esophageal motility. We report a rare case of numerous esophageal leiomyomas which caused dysphagia as a result of both mechanical obstruction and hypomotility disorder. The histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of esophageal leiomyoma. Symptoms improved significantly after lifestyle modifications and adherence to dietary advice on the part of the patient.
A Patient with Metastatic Microsatellite Instability-High Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma with a Prolonged Response to Single-Agent Pembrolizumab
Authors: Guedikian Annie A. , Randall Megan E. , Sharko Anita , Leslie William T.
Published: September 2021

Immunotherapy is an effective new approach in the treatment of many malignancies. However, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) does not usually respond to immunotherapy. We discuss the case of a patient with metastatic microsatellite instability-high PDAC who had a prolonged response to single-agent pembrolizumab for almost 3 years.
Vitamin D Enhances Neutrophil Generation and Function in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Liao Xinmeng , Lan Yawen , Shao Rui , Liu Jiayu , Liang Shufei , Yin Zhan , Gudmundsson Gudmundur H. , Bergman Peter , Wan Min
Published: September 2021

Vitamin D (VD) is a major regulator of calcium metabolism in many living organisms. In addition, VD plays a key role in regulating innate and adaptive immunity in vertebrates. Neutrophils constitute an important part of the first line of defense against invading microbes; however, the potential effect of VD on neutrophils remains elusive. Thus, in this study zebrafish in different developmental stages were utilized to identify the potential role of VD in the basal homeostasis and functions of neutrophils. Our results showed that addition of exogenous VD3 promoted granulopoiesis in zebrafish larvae. Reciprocally, neutrophil abundance in the intestine of adult zebrafish with a cyp2r1 mutant, lacking the capacity to 25-hydroxylate VD, was reduced. Moreover, VD-mediated granulopoiesis was still observed in gnotobiotic zebrafish larvae, indicating that VD regulates neutrophil generation independent of the microbiota during early development. In contrast, VD was incapable to influence granulopoiesis in adult zebrafish when the commensal bacteria were depleted by antibiotic treatment, suggesting that VD might modulate neutrophil activity via different mechanisms depending on the developmental stage. In addition, we found that VD3 augmented the expression of il-8 and neutrophil recruitment to the site of caudal fin amputation. Finally, VD3 treatment significantly decreased bacterial counts and mortality in zebrafish infected with Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) in a neutrophil-dependent manner. Combined, these findings demonstrate that VD regulates granulopoiesis and neutrophil function in zebrafish immunity.
Augusto de Campos A-traduzir Emily Dickinson
Authors: Ferreira Élida Paulina , Alves Luana Castelo Branco
Published: September 2021

Neste artigo propomos, em diálogo com a escrita tradutória e a “tradução criativa” de Augusto de Campos em Eu não sou ninguém de Emily Dickinson (2015; 2008b), refletir sobre a natureza inventiva da tradução, a partir do que Jacques Derrida (2006) concebe como tradução, a-traduzir e tarefa do tradutor. Com esta análise, na interface entre os estudos de tradução e a filosofia derridiana, buscamos ampliar a reflexão sobre a concepção de representação na tradução e os processos de invenção/criação da escritura tradutória.
Incidence and Predictors of Progression to Chagas Cardiomyopathy: Long-Term Follow-Up of
Trypanosoma cruzi
–Seropositive Individuals
Authors: Nunes Maria Carmo P. , Buss Lewis F. , Silva Jose Luiz P. , Martins Larissa Natany A. , Oliveira Claudia Di Lorenzo , Cardoso Clareci Silva , Brito Bruno Oliveira de Figueiredo , Ferreira Ariela Mota , Oliveira Lea Campos , Bierrenbach Ana Luiza , Fernandes Fabio , Busch Michael P. , Hotta Viviane Tiemi , Martinelli Luiz Mario Baptista , Soeiro Maria Carolina F. Almeida , Brentegani Adriana , Salemi Vera M.C. , Menezes Marcia M. , Ribeiro Antonio Luiz P. , Sabino Ester Cerdeira
Published: September 2021

Background:

There are few contemporary cohorts of
Trypanosoma cruzi
–seropositive individuals, and the basic clinical epidemiology of Chagas disease is poorly understood. Herein, we report the incidence of cardiomyopathy and death associated with
T. cruzi
seropositivity.

Methods:

Participants were selected in blood banks at 2 Brazilian centers. Cases were defined as
T. cruzi
–seropositive blood donors.
T. cruzi
–seronegative controls were matched for age, sex, and period of donation. Patients with established Chagas cardiomyopathy were recruited from a tertiary outpatient service. Participants underwent medical examination, blood collection, ECG, and echocardiogram at enrollment (2008–2010) and at follow-up (2018–2019). The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and development of cardiomyopathy, defined as the presence of a left ventricular ejection fraction <50% or QRS complex duration ≥120 ms, or both. To handle loss to follow-up, a sensitivity analysis was performed using inverse probability weights for selection.

Results:

We enrolled 499
T. cruzi
–seropositive donors (age 48±10 years, 52% male), 488
T. cruzi
–seronegative donors (age 49±10 years, 49% male), and 101 patients with established Chagas cardiomyopathy (age 48±8 years, 59% male). The mortality in patients with established cardiomyopathy was 80.9 deaths/1000 person-years (py) (54/101, 53%) and 15.1 deaths/1000 py (17/114, 15%) in
T. cruzi
–seropositive donors with cardiomyopathy at baseline. Among
T. cruzi
–seropositive donors without cardiomyopathy at baseline, mortality was 3.7 events/1000 py (15/385, 4%), which was no different from
T. cruzi
–seronegative donors with 3.6 deaths/1000 py (17/488, 3%). The incidence of cardiomyopathy in
T. cruzi
–seropositive donors was 13.8 (95% CI, 9.5–19.6) events/1000 py (32/262, 12%) compared with 4.6 (95% CI, 2.3–8.3) events/1000 py (11/277, 4%) in seronegative controls, with an absolute incidence difference associated with
T. cruzi
seropositivity of 9.2 (95% CI, 3.6–15.0) events/1000 py.
T. cruzi
antibody level at baseline was associated with development of cardiomyopathy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1–1.8]).

Conclusions:

We present a comprehensive description of the natural history of
T. cruzi
seropositivity in a contemporary patient population. The results highlight the central importance of anti–
T. cruzi
antibody titer as a marker of Chagas disease activity and risk of progression.
Innovative Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-resolving Strategies for Pulmonary Hypertension: High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia Award 2019
Authors: Scott Tara E. , Qin Cheng Xue , Drummond Grant R. , Hobbs Adrian J. , Kemp-Harper Barbara K.
Published: September 2021

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, ostensibly incurable, and etiologically diverse disease with an unacceptably high 5-year mortality rate (≈50%), worse than many cancers. Irrespective of pathogenic origin, dysregulated immune processes underlie pulmonary hypertension pathobiology, particularly pertaining to pulmonary vascular remodeling. As such, a variety of proinflammatory pathways have been mooted as novel therapeutic targets. One such pathway involves the family of innate immune regulators known as inflammasomes. In addition, a new and emerging concept is differentiating between anti-inflammatory approaches versus those that promote pro-resolving pathways. This review will briefly introduce inflammasomes and examine recent literature concerning their role in pulmonary hypertension. Moreover, it will explore the difference between inflammation-suppressing and pro-resolution approaches and how this links to inflammasomes. Finally, we will investigate new avenues for targeting inflammation in pulmonary hypertension via more targeted anti-inflammatory or inflammation resolving strategies.
KADIN GİRİŞİMCİLERİN ÖZELLİKLERİ VE ERKEK GİRİŞİMCİLERDEN FARKLILIKLARI
Authors: DOĞAN Nilhun
Published: September 2021

Günümüzde girişimcilik, erkekler kadar kadınların da ilgisini çeken bir alan haline gelmiştir. Ancak, erkek girişimcilerle kıyaslandığında kadınların girişimcilik faaliyetlerinin arzu edilen seviyede olmadığı görülse de gün geçtikçe kadınlar ekonomik yaşam içerisinde daha çok yer almaktadır. Bununla birlikte, kadın ve erkek girişimciler arasında bazı farklılıklar vardır. Söz konusu farklılıklar, kültürel, sosyal, çevresel ya da ekonomik faktörlerden kaynaklanabilmektedir. Bu farklılıkların ortaya konulması, kadın girişimciliğine olan bakış açısı için oldukça önemlidir.
Bu çalışmada; kadın girişimciliğine ilişkin literatürde yer alan bazı önemli araştırmaların bulguları kapsamında, kadın girişimci özellikleri ve erkek girişimcilerden farklılıkları incelenmiştir.
Feature Geometry and Head Splitting in the Wolof Clausal Periphery
Authors: Martinović Martina
Published: September 2021

This article is a study of the morphosyntax of the clausal periphery in Wolof, specifically the two layers commonly labeled CP and IP. It has long been noted that (a) C and I share a number of properties, and (b) languages differ in the amount of structure over which functional features are distributed. I propose a structure-building mechanism that can both explain the C-I relationship and derive the variation in the distribution of features over syntactic heads. I argue that features of C and I are bundled together and that this feature bundle can be divided into multiple heads via Head Splitting, which allows parts of feature bundles to reproject. The proposal is illustrated through a detailed exploration of the C-I domain in Wolof, which bundles C and I into one head in some structures and splits them in others.
An Onto-Hermeneutic Approach to Early Medieval Daoist Philosophy
Authors: Assandri Friederike
Published: September 2021

This paper addresses the Buddhist terms and concepts in early medieval Daoist texts in the light of hermeneutic and onto-hermeneutic theory with an example from the Benji Jing. It argues that onto-hermeneutic strategies of interpretation allow us to understand Daoist texts with Buddhist terms and concepts as an expression of complex and creative philosophical thoughts without losing track of the essence of Daoism and thus as Daoist philosophy in its own right.
Comparison of traditional method and triple collocation analysis for evaluation of multiple gridded precipitation products across Germany
Authors: Duan Zheng , Duggan Edward , Chen Cheng , Gao Hongkai , Dong Jianzhi , Liu Junzhi
Published: September 2021

Evaluating the accuracy of precipitation products is essential for many applications. The traditional method for evaluation is to calculate error metrics of products with gauge measurements that are considered as ground-truth. The multiplicative triple collocation (MTC) method has been demonstrated powerful in error quantification of precipitation products when ground-truth is not known. This study applied MTC to evaluate five precipitation products in Germany: two raw satellite-based (CMORPH and PERSIANN), one reanalysis (ERA-Interim), one soil moisture-based (SM2RAIN-ASCAT), and one gauge-based (REGNIE) products. Evaluation was performed at the 0.5° -daily spatial-temporal scales. MTC involves a log transformation of data, necessitating dealing with zero values in daily precipitation. Effects of 12 different strategies for dealing with zero value on MTC results were investigated. Seven different triplet combinations were tested to evaluate the stability of MTC. Results showed that different strategies for replacing zero values had considerable effects on MTC-derived error metrics particularly for root mean squared error (RMSE). MTC with different triplet combinations generated different error metrics for individual products. MTC-derived correlation coefficient (CC) was more reliable than RMSE. It is more appropriate to use MTC to compare the relative accuracy of different precipitation products. Based on CC with unknown truth, MTC with different triplet combinations produced the same ranking of products as the traditional method. A comparison of results from MTC and the classic TC with additive error model showed the potential limitation of MTC in arid area or dry time periods with large ratio of zero daily precipitation.
Food insecurity, morbidity, and susto: Factors associated with depression severity in Guatemala measured with the Personal Health Questionnaire 9
Authors: Maupin Jonathan , Hackman Joseph
Published: September 2021

Background:

Depression is the largest contributor to non-fatal health loss globally and the majority of this burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, estimates of prevalence rates and severity in these contexts may be uncertain due to limited screening, lack of mental health providers, and stigma around mental disorders which may prevent individuals from seeking care. In Guatemala, estimates of depression vary, due in part to the range of screening and diagnostic instruments used and diversity of sample populations. Most studies emphasize personal experiences with violence as a predictor of depression in Guatemala, although high rates of inequality, discrimination, and resource scarcity in the country potentially play a role.

Aims:

In this study, we examine factors associated with depression severity categories measured with the Personal Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) among a random sample of women in a small urban community in the Central Highlands of Guatemala.

Methods:

Participants were recruited through a randomized sample of households in a small urban community. Participants completed a questionnaire which included questions on demographics, illness history, food insecurity, and the PHQ-9. In total, 101 women were included in the analysis.

Results:

Food insecurity, 2-week symptom reporting, and experiencing susto are associated with higher depression severity categories.

Conclusion:

This research highlights need for more research on factors related to the prevalence and severity of mental disorders, and the relationship between mental disorders and cultural constructs of distress, particularly in areas like Guatemala with limited mental health services.
Laboratory animals search filter for different literature databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and PsycINFO
Authors: van der Mierden Stevie , Hooijmans Carlijn R , Tillema Alice HJ , Rehn Simone , Bleich André , Leenaars Cathalijn HC
Published: September 2021

Systematic reviews are important tools in animal research, but the ever-increasing number of studies makes retrieval of all relevant publications challenging. Search filters aid in retrieving as many animal studies as possible. In this paper we provide updated and expanded versions of the SYRCLE animal filters for PubMed and Embase. We provide the Embase filter for both Embase.com and via Ovid. Furthermore, we provide new animal search filters for Web of Science (WoS) and APA PsycINFO via psycnet.apa.org and via Ovid. Compared with previous versions, the new filters retrieved 0.5–47.1% (19 references for PubMed, 837 for WoS) more references in a real-life example. All filters retrieved additional references, comprising multiple relevant reviews. A random sample from WoS found at least one potentially relevant primary study. These animal search filters facilitate identifying as many animal studies as possible while minimising the number of non-animal studies.