bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating miR-99a-5p Expression in Plasma: A Potential Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
Authors: Garrido-Cano Iris , Constâncio Vera , Adam-Artigues Anna , Lameirinhas Ana , Simón Soraya , Ortega Belen , Martínez María Teresa , Hernando Cristina , Bermejo Begoña , Lluch Ana , Lopes Paula , Henrique Rui , Jerónimo Carmen , Cejalvo Juan Miguel , Eroles Pilar
Published: October 2020

MicroRNAs have emerged as new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for breast cancer. Herein, we analysed miR-99a-5p expression levels in primary tumours and plasma of breast cancer patients to evaluate its usefulness as a minimally invasive diagnostic biomarker. MiR-99a-5p expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR in three independent cohorts of patients: (I) Discovery cohort: breast cancer tissues (n = 103) and healthy breast tissues (n = 26); (II) Testing cohort: plasma samples from 105 patients and 98 healthy donors; (III) Validation cohort: plasma samples from 89 patients and 85 healthy donors. Our results demonstrated that miR-99a-5p was significantly downregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to healthy breast tissues. Conversely, miR-99a-5p levels were significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy controls in plasma samples from both testing and validation cohorts, and ROC curve analysis revealed that miR-99a-5p has good diagnostic potential even to detect early breast cancer. In conclusion, miR-99a-5p’s deregulated expression distinguished healthy patients from breast cancer patients in two different types of samples (tissues and plasma). Interestingly, expression levels in plasma were significantly lower in healthy controls than in early-stage breast cancer patients. Our findings suggest circulating miR-99a-5p as a novel promising non-invasive biomarker for breast cancer detection.
The Paralogue of the Intrinsically Disordered Nuclear Protein 1 Has a Nuclear Localization Sequence that Binds to Human Importin α3
Authors: Neira José L. , Rizzuti Bruno , Jiménez-Alesanco Ana , Abián Olga , Velázquez-Campoy Adrián , Iovanna Juan L.
Published: October 2020

Numerous carrier proteins intervene in protein transport from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in eukaryotic cells. One of those is importin α, with several human isoforms; among them, importin α3 (Impα3) features a particularly high flexibility. The protein NUPR1L is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), evolved as a paralogue of nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1), which is involved in chromatin remodeling and DNA repair. It is predicted that NUPR1L has a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) from residues Arg51 to Gln74, in order to allow for nuclear translocation. We studied in this work the ability of intact NUPR1L to bind Impα3 and its depleted species, ∆Impα3, without the importin binding domain (IBB), using fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and molecular docking techniques. Furthermore, the binding of the peptide matching the isolated NLS region of NUPR1L (NLS-NUPR1L) was also studied using the same methods. Our results show that NUPR1L was bound to Imp α3 with a low micromolar affinity (~5 μM). Furthermore, a similar affinity value was observed for the binding of NLS-NUPR1L. These findings indicate that the NLS region, which was unfolded in isolation in solution, was essentially responsible for the binding of NUPR1L to both importin species. This result was also confirmed by our in silico modeling. The binding reaction of NLS-NUPR1L to ∆Impα3 showed a larger affinity (i.e., lower dissociation constant) compared with that of Impα3, confirming that the IBB could act as an auto-inhibition region of Impα3. Taken together, our findings pinpoint the theoretical predictions of the NLS region in NUPR1L and, more importantly, suggest that this IDP relies on an importin for its nuclear translocation.
Helicobacter pylori Virulence Factor Cytotoxin-Associated Gene A (CagA)-Mediated Gastric Pathogenicity
Authors: Ansari Shamshul , Yamaoka Yoshio
Published: October 2020

Helicobacter pylori causes persistent infection in the gastric epithelium of more than half of the world’s population, leading to the development of severe complications such as peptic ulcer diseases, gastric cancer, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Several virulence factors, including cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), which is translocated into the gastric epithelium via the type 4 secretory system (T4SS), have been indicated to play a vital role in disease development. Although infection with strains harboring the East Asian type of CagA possessing the EPIYA-A, -B, and -D sequences has been found to potentiate cell proliferation and disease pathogenicity, the exact mechanism of CagA involvement in disease severity still remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we discuss the possible role of CagA in gastric pathogenicity.
Role of TSPO/VDAC1 Upregulation and Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Localization in the Dysfunctional Myocardium of Hyperglycaemic Rats
Authors: Gliozzi Micaela , Scarano Federica , Musolino Vincenzo , Carresi Cristina , Scicchitano Miriam , Ruga Stefano , Zito Maria Caterina , Nucera Saverio , Bosco Francesca , Maiuolo Jessica , Macrì Roberta , Guarnieri Lorenza , Mollace Rocco , Coppoletta Anna Rita , Nicita Caterina , Tavernese Annamaria , Palma Ernesto , Muscoli Carolina , Mollace Vincenzo
Published: October 2020

Clinical management of diabetic cardiomyopathy represents an unmet need owing to insufficient knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying the dysfunctional heart. The aim of this work is to better clarify the role of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) isoforms and of translocator protein (TSPO)/voltage-dependent anion-selective channel 1 (VDAC1) modulation in the development of hyperglycaemia-induced myocardial injury. Hyperglycaemia was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats through a streptozocin injection (35 mg/Kg, i.p.). After 60 days, cardiac function was analysed by echocardiography. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate NADPH oxidase and TSPO expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. MMP-2 activity was detected by zymography. Superoxide anion production was estimated by MitoSOX™ staining. Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel 1 (VDAC-1), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and cytochrome C expression was assessed by Western blot. Hyperglycaemic rats displayed cardiac dysfunction; this response was characterized by an overexpression of NADPH oxidase, accompanied by an increase of superoxide anion production. Under hyperglycaemia, increased expression of TSPO and VDAC1 was detected. MMP-2 downregulated activity occurred under hyperglycemia and this profile of activation was accompanied by the translocation of intracellular N-terminal truncated isoform of MMP-2 (NT-MMP-2) from mitochondria-associated membrane (MAM) into mitochondria. In the onset of diabetic cardiomyopathy, mitochondrial impairment in cardiomyocytes is characterized by the dysregulation of the different MMP-2 isoforms. This can imply the generation of a “frail” myocardial tissue unable to adapt itself to stress.
Targeting SRC Kinase Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Alcalá Sonia , Mayoral-Varo Víctor , Ruiz-Cañas Laura , López-Gil Juan Carlos , Heeschen Christopher , Martín-Pérez Jorge , Sainz Bruno
Published: October 2020

The proto-oncogene nonreceptor tyrosine-protein kinase SRC is a member of the SRC family of tyrosine kinases (SFKs), and its activation and overexpression have been shown to play a protumorigenic role in multiple solid cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC is currently the seventh-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and, by 2030, it is predicted to become the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. PDAC is characterized by its high lethality (5-year survival of rate of <10%), invasiveness, and chemoresistance, all of which have been shown to be due to the presence of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs) within the tumor. Due to the demonstrated overexpression of SRC in PDAC, we set out to determine if SRC kinases are important for PaCSC biology using pharmacological inhibitors of SRC kinases (dasatinib or PP2). Treatment of primary PDAC cultures established from patient-derived xenografts with dasatinib or PP2 reduced the clonogenic, self-renewal, and tumor-initiating capacity of PaCSCs, which we attribute to the downregulation of key signaling factors such as p-FAK, p-ERK1-2, and p-AKT. Therefore, this study not only validates that SRC kinases are relevant and biologically important for PaCSCs but also suggests that inhibitors of SRC kinases may represent a possible future treatment option for PDAC patients, although further studies are still needed.
Investigation of Bone Growth in Additive-Manufactured Pedicle Screw Implant by Using Ti-6Al-4V and Bioactive Glass Powder Composite
Authors: Lam Tu-Ngoc , Trinh Minh-Giam , Huang Chih-Chieh , Kung Pei-Ching , Huang Wei-Chin , Chang Wei , Amalia Lia , Chin Hsu-Hsuan , Tsou Nien-Ti , Shih Shao-Ju , Chen San-Yuan , Wang Chun-Chieh , Tsai Pei-I , Wu Meng-Huang , Huang E-Wen
Published: October 2020

In this study, we optimized the geometry and composition of additive-manufactured pedicle screws. Metal powders of titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) were mixed with reactive glass-ceramic biomaterials of bioactive glass (BG) powders. To optimize the geometry of pedicle screws, we applied a novel numerical approach to proposing the optimal shape of the healing chamber to promote biological healing. We examined the geometry and composition effects of pedicle screw implants on the interfacial autologous bone attachment and bone graft incorporation through in vivo studies. The addition of an optimal amount of BG to Ti-6Al-4V leads to a lower elastic modulus of the ceramic-metal composite material, effectively reducing the stress-shielding effects. Pedicle screw implants with optimal shape design and made of the composite material of Ti-6Al-4V doped with BG fabricated through additive manufacturing exhibit greater osseointegration and a more rapid bone volume fraction during the fracture healing process 120 days after implantation, per in vivo studies.
Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Enhances Cell Survival after in Situ Retinal Degeneration
Authors: Suárez-Barrio Carlota , del Olmo-Aguado Susana , García-Pérez Eva , Artime Enol , de la Fuente María , Muruzabal Francisco , Anitua Eduardo , Baamonde-Arbaiza Begoña , Fernández-Vega Luis , Merayo-Lloves Jesús
Published: October 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGFs) under blue light conditions in an in vivo model of retinal degeneration. Methods: Male Wistar rats were exposed to dark/blue light conditions for 9 days. On day 7, right eyes were injected with saline and left eyes with PRGF. Electroretinography (ERG) and intraocular pressure (IoP) measurements were performed before and after the experiment. After sacrifice, retinal samples were collected. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to analyze the structure of retinal sections. Immunofluorescence for brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (Brn3a), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), rhodopsin, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to study the retinal conditions. Results: Retinal signaling measured by ERG was reduced by blue light and recovered with PRGF; however, IoP measurements did not show significant differences among treatments. Blue light reduced the expression for Brn3a, ChAT, and rhodopsin. Treatment with PRGF showed a recovery in their expressions. HO-1 and GFAP results showed that blue light increased their expression but the use of PRGF reduced the effect of light. Conclusions: Blue light causes retinal degeneration. PRGF mitigated the injury, restoring the functionality of these cells and maintaining the tissue integrity.
Recombinant Bacillus caldovelox Arginase Mutant (BCA-M) Induces Apoptosis, Autophagy, Cell Cycle Arrest and Growth Inhibition in Human Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Chung Sai-Fung , Kim Chi-Fai , Chow Ho-Yin , Chong Hiu-Chi , Tam Suet-Ying , Leung Yun-Chung , Lo Wai-Hung
Published: October 2020

With our recent success in developing a recombinant human arginase drug against broad-spectrum cancer cell lines, we have explored the potential of a recombinant Bacillus caldovelox arginase mutant (BCA-M) for human cervical cancer treatment. Our studies demonstrated that BCA-M significantly inhibited the growth of human cervical cancer cells in vitro regardless of argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) expression. Drug susceptibilities correlate well with the expressions of major urea cycle genes and completeness of L-arginine regeneration pathways. With the expressions of ASS and ASL genes conferring resistance to L-arginine deiminase (ADI) which is undergoing Phase III clinical trial, BCA-M offers the advantage of a broader spectrum of susceptible cancer cells. Mechanistic studies showed that BCA-M inhibited the growth of human cervical cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at S and/or G2/M phases. Our results also displayed that autophagy served as a protective mechanism, while the growth inhibitory effects of BCA-M could be enhanced synergistically by its combination to the autophagy inhibitor, chloroquine (CQ), on human cervical cancer cells.
Nicotinic Receptor Subunits Atlas in the Adult Human Lung
Authors: Diabasana Zania , Perotin Jeanne-Marie , Belgacemi Randa , Ancel Julien , Mulette Pauline , Delepine Gonzague , Gosset Philippe , Maskos Uwe , Polette Myriam , Deslée Gaëtan , Dormoy Valérian
Published: October 2020

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels responsible for rapid neural and neuromuscular signal transmission. Although it is well documented that 16 subunits are encoded by the human genome, their presence in airway epithelial cells (AECs) remains poorly understood, and contribution to pathology is mainly discussed in the context of cancer. We analysed nAChR subunit expression in the human lungs of smokers and non-smokers using transcriptomic data for whole-lung tissues, isolated large AECs, and isolated small AECs. We identified differential expressions of nAChRs in terms of detection and repartition in the three modalities. Smoking-associated alterations were also unveiled. Then, we identified an nAChR transcriptomic print at the single-cell level. Finally, we reported the localizations of detectable nAChRs in bronchi and large bronchioles. Thus, we compiled the first complete atlas of pulmonary nAChR subunits to open new avenues to further unravel the involvement of these receptors in lung homeostasis and respiratory diseases.
Systemic Fusariosis: A Rare Complication in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Biddeci Giada , Donà Daniele , Geranio Giulia , Spadini Silvia , Petris Maria Grazia , Pillon Marta , Biffi Alessandra , Putti Maria Caterina
Published: October 2020

Fusarium species are ubiquitous pathogens causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Clinical presentation depends on a host’s immunity and can be localized or disseminated. Since there are few reports of disseminated fusariosis in children, we described an unusual case of Fusarium solani infection in a 9-year-old child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This patient presented a deep wound in the elbow at diagnosis. During the induction phase of chemotherapy, he developed multiple skin lesions and severe pneumonia; Fusarium solani was cultured from the skin lesions. He was treated with a high dose of liposomal amphotericin B, followed by voriconazole. Starting from this peculiar case, we collected all patients with acute leukemia affected by Fusarium infection, treated in the pediatric Onco-Hematology Division of Padua University Hospital during the last 20 years. We identified another six cases: all these patients were affected by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and five of them presented a relapsed/refractory disease. Two out of seven patients died because of infection; five patients recovered from infection, but three out of seven died because of leukemia. Skin lesions in immunocompromised patients should rise the suspicion of disseminated fusariosis. Furthermore, considering the emergence of filamentous fungi in immunocompromised patients, we all should be aware of Fusarium infection, reminding us that the diagnosis is important to cure the infection.
Evaluation of Chromosome Microarray Analysis in a Large Cohort of Females with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single Center Italian Study
Authors: Calderoni Sara , Ricca Ivana , Balboni Giulia , Cagiano Romina , Cassandrini Denise , Doccini Stefano , Cosenza Angela , Tolomeo Deborah , Tancredi Raffaella , Santorelli Filippo Maria , Muratori Filippo
Published: October 2020

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders resulting from the complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Thanks to the chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) in clinical practice, the accurate identification and characterization of submicroscopic deletions/duplications (copy number variants, CNVs) associated with ASD was made possible. However, the widely acknowledged excess of males on the autism spectrum reflects on a paucity of CMA studies specifically focused on females with ASD (f-ASD). In this framework, we aim to evaluate the frequency of causative CNVs in a single-center cohort of idiopathic f-ASD. Among the 90 f-ASD analyzed, we found 20 patients with one or two potentially pathogenic CNVs, including those previously associated with ASD (located at 16p13.2 16p11.2, 15q11.2, and 22q11.21 regions). An exploratory genotype/phenotype analysis revealed that the f-ASD with causative CNVs had statistically significantly lower restrictive and repetitive behaviors than those without CNVs or with non-causative CNVs. Future work should focus on further understanding of f-ASD genetic underpinnings, taking advantage of next-generation sequencing technologies, with the ultimate goal of contributing to precision medicine in ASD.
Aboveground Biomass Distribution in a Multi-Use Savannah Landscape in Southeastern Kenya: Impact of Land Use and Fences
Authors: Amara Edward , Adhikari Hari , Heiskanen Janne , Siljander Mika , Munyao Martha , Omondi Patrick , Pellikka Petri
Published: October 2020

Savannahs provide valuable ecosystem services and contribute to continental and global carbon budgets. In addition, savannahs exhibit multiple land uses, e.g., wildlife conservation, pastoralism, and crop farming. Despite their importance, the effect of land use on woody aboveground biomass (AGB) in savannahs is understudied. Furthermore, fences used to reduce human–wildlife conflicts may affect AGB patterns. We assessed AGB densities and patterns, and the effect of land use and fences on AGB in a multi-use savannah landscape in southeastern Kenya. AGB was assessed with field survey and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, and a land cover map was developed using Sentinel-2 satellite images in Google Earth Engine. The highest woody AGB was found in riverine forest in a conservation area and in bushland outside the conservation area. The highest mean AGB density occurred in the non-conservation area with mixed bushland and cropland (8.9 Mg·ha−1), while the lowest AGB density (2.6 Mg·ha−1) occurred in overgrazed grassland in the conservation area. The largest differences in AGB distributions were observed in the fenced boundaries between the conservation and other land-use types. Our results provide evidence that conservation and fences can create sharp AGB transitions and lead to reduced AGB stocks, which is a vital role of savannahs as part of carbon sequestration.
Thermoelastic Processes by a Continuous Heat Source Line in an Infinite Solid via Moore–Gibson–Thompson Thermoelasticity
Authors: Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Ahmed Ibrahim-Elkhalil , Nasr Mohamed E. , Khalil Khalil M. , Zakria Adam , Mohammed Fawzy A.
Published: October 2020

Many attempts have been made to investigate the classical heat transfer of Fourier, and a number of improvements have been implemented. In this work, we consider a novel thermoelasticity model based on the Moore–Gibson–Thompson equation in cases where some of these models fail to be positive. This thermomechanical model has been constructed in combination with a hyperbolic partial differential equation for the variation of the displacement field and a parabolic differential equation for the temperature increment. The presented model is applied to investigate the wave propagation in an isotropic and infinite body subjected to a continuous thermal line source. To solve this problem, together with Laplace and Hankel transform methods, the potential function approach has been used. Laplace and Hankel inverse transformations are used to find solutions to different physical fields in the space–time domain. The problem is validated by calculating the numerical calculations of the physical fields for a given material. The numerical and theoretical results of other thermoelastic models have been compared with those described previously.
Graphene Oxide Aerosol Deposition and its Influence on Cancer Cells. Preliminary Results
Authors: Nasiłowska Barbara , Bogdanowicz Zdzisław , Hińcza Kinga , Mierczyk Zygmunt , Góźdź Stanisław , Djas Małgorzata , Kowiorski Krystian , Bombalska Aneta , Kowalik Artur
Published: October 2020

This paper presents the results of the interaction of graphene oxide (GO) on MDA-MB-231 and SW-954 cancer cell lines. The tests were carried out in two variants. In the first one, GO was sprayed on a Petri dish and then, the cancer cell lines were cultured. In the second variant, the cells were covered with an aerosol containing GO. In both variants, cancer cell lines were incubated and tested every 24, 48, and 72 h. After each time period, cell viability and surface morphology were measured. The tests after 72 h showed that coating with GO aerosol caused a reduction in cell viability by 52.7% and 26.4% for MDA-MB-231 and SW-954 cancer cell lines, respectively, with respect to a reference sample (without the influence of GO aerosol). Tests where GO is a culture medium demonstrated a decrease in cell viability by approximately 4.3% compared to a reference sample for both considered cell lines.
A Critical Reanalysis of Uncontrollable Washboarding Phenomenon in Metal Band Sawing
Authors: Orlowski Kazimierz A. , Dobrzynski Michal , Gajowiec Grzegorz , Lackowski Marcin , Ochrymiuk Tomasz
Published: October 2020

The article analyzes the cutting process of hard bars. Investigations conducted in industrial conditions demonstrated the presence of surface errors in the machined workpieces in the form of washboard patterns. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of cutting on band sawing machines with different band saw blades. The cutting processes were conducted on three different horizontal band sawing machine types. Analyzed material was an alloy steel Ø40 mm rod with a hardened surface covered with a thin layer of chromium. The hardness of the outer layer was 547 HV with a core hardness of 180 HV. The surface topography measurements of the processed workpieces were carried out with the 3D Optical Profiler, which supplied information on the irregularities of the processed material texture. In each of the analyzed cases, a corrugated surface was obtained after sawing, which is the effect of the occurrence of the washboarding phenomenon, despite the fact that the teeth of each band saw had variable pitches. The washboarding phenomenon when cutting rods with hard surfaces is caused by the phenomenon of wave regeneration. Despite the use of variable pitch saw blades, the cutting process results in rippling of the sawn surface, which is caused by the high hardness of the outer layer of the workpiece, as well as by the type of tool with spring setting of teeth.
Industry Risk Factors and Stock Returns of Malaysian Oil and Gas Industry: A New Look with Mean Semi-Variance Asset Pricing Framework
Authors: Hoque Mohammad Enamul , Low Soo-Wah
Published: October 2020

This study employs a mean semi-variance asset pricing framework to examine the influence of risk factors on stock returns of oil and gas companies. This study also examines how downside risk is priced in stock performance. The time-series estimations expose that market, size, momentum, oil, gas, and exchange rate have significant impacts on oil and gas stock returns, but effects are heterogeneous depending on an individual stock. The two-stage cross-section estimations provide new insights about investors’ risk-return trade-off when facing downside risks. The results show that downside risk exposures to market, momentum, oil, and exchange rate factors are negatively priced in the Malaysian oil and gas stocks. This implies that investors are penalized for their downside exposure to these risk factors, and such inference is consistent with the risk preference explanation of prospect theory. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the only risk factor found to be positively priced in the returns of oil and gas stocks. Additionally, we find a negative relationship between LNG factor and total risk. This suggests that as the risk exposure to LNG increases, the total risk decreases, implying that the LNG risk factor is an idiosyncratic risk and not a systematic risk factor. Such interpretation is consistent with the correlation result, which shows no association between LNG and the market risk factor.
Assessment of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Steel Slag Waste’s Recycling Options into Value Added Green Products: A Review
Authors: Teo Pao Ter , Zakaria Siti Koriah , Salleh Siti Zuliana , Taib Mustaffa Ali Azhar , Mohd Sharif Nurulakmal , Abu Seman Anasyida , Mohamed Julie Juliewatty , Yusoff Mahani , Yusoff Abdul Hafidz , Mohamad Mardawani , Masri Mohamad Najmi , Mamat Sarizam
Published: October 2020

Steel slag is one of the most common waste products from the steelmaking industry. Conventional methods of slag disposal can cause negative impacts on humans and the environment. In this paper, the process of steel and steel slag production, physical and chemical properties, and potential options of slag recycling were reviewed. Since steel is mainly produced through an electric arc furnace (EAF) in Malaysia, most of the recycling options reviewed in this paper focused on EAF slag and the strengths and weaknesses of each recycle option were outlined. Based on the reports from previous studies, it was found that only a portion of EAF slag is recycled into more straightforward, but lower added value applications such as aggregates for the construction industry and filter/absorber for wastewater treatments. On the other hand, higher added value recycling options for EAF slag that are more complicated such as incorporated as raw material for Portland cement and ceramic building materials remain at the laboratory testing stage. The main hurdle preventing EAF slag from being incorporated as a raw material for higher added value industrial applications is its inconsistent chemical composition. The chemical composition of EAF slag can vary based on the scrap metal used for steel production. For this, mineral separation techniques can be introduced to classify the EAF slag base on its physical and chemical compositions. We concluded that future research on recycling EAF slag should focus on separation techniques that diversify the recycling options for EAF slag, thereby increasing the waste product’s recycling rate.
Volatilization Behavior of Manganese from Molten Steel with Different Alloying Methods in Vacuum
Authors: Chu Jianhua , Bao Yanping
Published: October 2020

The volatilization loss of manganese during the vacuum smelting process is one of the key factors that determines the manufacturing cost and quality of manganese steel. In this study, the laboratory experiments and thermodynamic calculations were performed to investigate volatilization behavior of manganese from molten steels with different alloying methods in vacuum process. Based on the thermodynamic analysis, with the increase of manganese content, the partial vapor pressure of the manganese component increased, resulting in manganese being easily volatilized from molten steel. The carbon content in the steel shows an evident influence on partial vapor pressure of manganese component, and a higher carbon content in steel leads to a lower partial vapor pressure of manganese, but it not influenced by the silicon content. Compared with the alloying method of high carbon ferromanganese, the volatilization loss of manganese in the alloying method of silicon manganese presents faster decay, agreeing well with the thermodynamic analysis. Besides, the volatile fraction generated in the alloying method of high-carbon ferromanganese is composed of a large amount of MnO nanorods with a lateral length approximately 500 nm and a small number of Mn3O4/Mn nanoparticles with a diameter less than 500 nm. Additionally, the volatile fraction generated in the alloying method of silicon manganese shows Mn3O4 nanoparticles as the main phase. It can be inferred that the existence of the manganese oxide phase is attributed to the high chemical activity of nanoscale particles within air.
Prediction of Fatigue Crack Growth Behaviour in Ultrafine Grained Al 2014 Alloy Using Machine Learning
Authors: Raja Allavikutty , Chukka Sai Teja , Jayaganthan Rengaswamy
Published: October 2020

The present work investigates the relationship between fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) and stress intensity factor range (∆K) using machine learning models with the experimental fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) data of cryo-rolled Al 2014 alloy. Various machine learning techniques developed recently provide a flexible and adaptable approach to explain the complex mathematical relations especially, non-linear functions. In the present work, three machine algorithms such as extreme learning machine (ELM), back propagation neural networks (BPNN) and curve fitting model are implemented to analyse FCGR of Al alloys. After tuning of networks with varying hidden layers and number of neurons, the trained models found to fit well to the tested data. The three tested models are compared with each other over the training as well as testing phase. The mean square error for predicting the FCG of cryo-rolled Al 2014 alloy by BPNN, ELM and curve fitting methods are 1.89, 1.84 and 0.09 respectively. While the ELM models outperform the rest of models in terms of training time, curve fitting model showed best performance in terms of accuracy over testing data with least mean square error (MSE). In terms of local optimisation, back propagation neural networks excel the other two models.
Copper Precipitation Behavior during Continuous Cooling and Subsequent Aging of Powder-Forged Fe-2.5Cu-C Alloy
Authors: Wang Sui , Wu Yake , Zhang Tengyu , Jiang Feng
Published: October 2020

Microstructure and property evolution of a powder-forged Fe-2.5Cu-C alloy during continuous cooling and subsequent aging were investigated to improve its mechanical properties. During continuous cooling, copper precipitates formed were consistent with the interphase mechanism when the cooling rate was less than 7 °C/s; however, the hardness of the specimen was always higher at faster cooling rates because finer grains and harder phases formed. During subsequent aging, copper precipitates formed and/or coarsened continuously while the hardness of the alloys was greatly influenced by the combined effects of the primary and secondary precipitates, as revealed by the theoretical calculations. In addition, the forming and evolving mechanisms of the copper precipitates at different stages were also discussed based on the experimental results. This study will provide guidance to the industry for achieving high performance in the powder-forged products by treatment manipulation.
Quantitative Phase Analysis of Skarn Rocks by the Rietveld Method Using X-ray Powder Diffraction Data
Authors: Tzvetanova Yana , Petrov Ognyan , Kerestedjian Thomas , Tarassov Mihail
Published: October 2020

The Rietveld method using X-ray powder diffraction data was applied to selected skarn samples for quantitative determination of the present minerals. The specimens include garnet, clinopyroxene–garnet, plagioclase–clinopyroxene–wollastonite–garnet, plagioclase–clinopyroxene–wollastonite, plagioclase–clinopyroxene–wollastonite–epidote, and plagioclase–clinopyroxene skarns. The rocks are coarse- to fine-grained and characterized by an uneven distribution of the constituent minerals. The traditional methods for quantitative analysis (point-counting and norm calculations) are not applicable for such inhomogeneous samples containing minerals with highly variable chemical compositions. Up to eight individual mineral phases have been measured in each sample. To obtain the mineral quantities in the skarn rocks preliminary optical microscopy and chemical investigation by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were performed for the identification of some starting components for the Rietveld analysis and to make comparison with the Rietveld X-ray powder diffraction results. All of the refinements are acceptable, as can be judged by the standard indices of agreement and by the visual fits of the observed and calculated diffraction profiles. A good correlation between the refined mineral compositions and the data of the EPMA measurements was achieved.
A Parametric Study of the Effects of Critical Design Parameters on the Performance of Nanoscale Silicon Devices
Authors: Malik Faraz Kaiser , Talha Tariq , Ahmed Faisal
Published: October 2020

The current electronics industry has used the aggressive miniaturization of solid-state devices to meet future technological demands. The downscaling of characteristic device dimensions into the sub-10 nm regime causes them to fall below the electron–phonon scattering length, thereby resulting in a transition from quasi-ballistic to ballistic carrier transport. In this study, a well-established Monte Carlo model is employed to systematically investigate the effects of various parameters such as applied voltage, channel length, electrode lengths, electrode doping and initial temperature on the performance of nanoscale silicon devices. Interestingly, from the obtained results, the short channel devices are found to exhibit smaller heat generation, with a 2 nm channel device having roughly two-thirds the heat generation rate observed in an 8 nm channel device, which is attributed to reduced carrier scattering in the ballistic transport regime. Furthermore, the drain contacts of the devices are identified as critical design areas to ensure safe and efficient performance. The heat generation rate is observed to increase linearly with an increase in the applied electric field strength but does not change significantly with an increase in the initial temperature, despite a marked reduction in the electric current flowing through the device.
What Was First, Obesity or Inflammatory Bowel Disease? What Does the Gut Microbiota Have to Do with It?
Authors: Jarmakiewicz-Czaja Sara , Sokal Aneta , Filip Rafał
Published: October 2020

A sedentary lifestyle and inadequate nutrition often leads to disturbances in intestinal homeostasis, which may predispose people to excess body weight and metabolic syndrome. Obesity is frequently observed in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), similar to the general population. Obesity may exert a negative effect on the course of IBD as well as reduce the response to treatment. Moreover, it may also be an additional risk factor for vein thromboembolism during the flare. In both obesity and IBD, it is of great importance to implement proper dietary ingredients that exert desirable effect on gut microbiota. The key to reducing body mass index (BMI) and alleviating the course of IBD is preserving healthy intestinal microflora.
Demographic, Behavioural and Anthropometric Correlates of Food Liking: A Cross-sectional Analysis of Young Adults
Authors: Livingstone K.M. , Pnosamy H. , Riddell L.J. , Cicerale S.
Published: October 2020

The degree to which foods are liked or disliked is associated with dietary intake and health behaviours. However, most food liking research has focused on single foods and nutrients and few studies have examined associations with demographics and health behaviours. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between food liking and socio-demographics, health behaviours, diet quality and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of young Australian adults. Data from 1728 undergraduate students (21.8 (standard deviation [SD] 6.0) years; 76% female) were used. Food liking scores and a diet quality index (Dietary Guideline Index, DGI) were estimated from a Food Liking Questionnaire and Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between food liking and correlates. Young adults with higher liking for encouraged core foods were older, female, did their own food shopping, consumed less packaged foods and had better diet quality. Higher liking for discretionary foods and beverages was associated with less healthy behaviours, such as smoking, higher BMI and lower diet quality. These results suggest that food liking measures may offer an appropriate methodology for understanding influences on young adults’ food choices, adding to the body of literature investigating the potential for food liking scores to assess diet–disease relationships.
Effect of Caffeine Consumption on the Risk for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Sex Differences in Human
Authors: Jee Hye Jin , Lee Sang Goo , Bormate Katrina Joy , Jung Yi-Sook
Published: October 2020

Caffeine occurs naturally in various foods, such as coffee, tea, and cocoa, and it has been used safely as a mild stimulant for a long time. However, excessive caffeine consumption (1~1.5 g/day) can cause caffeine poisoning (caffeinism), which includes symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, insomnia, and gastrointestinal disorders. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the effect of caffeine consumption as a protective factor or risk factor for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Currently, the importance of personalized medicine is being emphasized, and research on sex/gender differences needs to be conducted. Our review focuses on the effect of caffeine consumption on several neurological and psychiatric disorders with respect to sex differences to provide a better understanding of caffeine use as a risk or protective factor for those disorders. The findings may help establish new strategies for developing sex-specific caffeine therapies.
Ascending Aorta Resection and End-to-End Anastomosis: Redistribution of Wall Shear Stress Induced by a Bioprosthetic Heart Valve
Authors: Raffa Giuseppe M. , Pasta Salvatore
Published: October 2020

Although aortic resection and end-to-end anastomosis are applied to repair ascending aortic aneurysm, there is a lack of information on the late risk of post-operative complications, such as aortic dissection and aneurysmal re-dilatation. It is recognized that altered hemodynamic forces exerted on an aortic wall play an important role on dissection and aneurysm formation. We present a case in which the hemodynamic forces were investigated prior and after repair of an ascending aorta treated by resection with end-to-end anastomosis and a bioprosthetic heart valve. Post-operative wall shear stress was redistributed uniformly along the vessel circumference, and this may suggest a reduced risk of complications near aortic root, but not exclude the re-dilatation of the ascending aorta.
Impacts of Urbanization on the Ecosystem Services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, China
Authors: Wang Xuege , Yan Fengqin , Su Fenzhen
Published: October 2020

Unprecedented urbanization has occurred globally, which has converted substantial natural landscapes into impervious surfaces and further impacted ecosystem services and functioning. In this study, we quantified the spatiotemporal patterns of urbanization and investigated the impacts of urbanization on the ecosystem service value (ESV) in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) of China from 1980 to 2018. The results show that the GBA has experienced extensive urbanization, with the urban area increasing from 2607.4 to 8243.5 km2 from 1980 to 2018. Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Foshan exhibited the top five highest urban expansion rates. Throughout the study period, edge expansion was the most dominant growth mode, with a decreasing trend, while infilling increased in the GBA. The total ESV loss induced by urban expansion in the GBA reached 40.5 billion yuan over the past four decades. The ESV loss due to the water body decrease caused by urbanization was the largest. Our study suggests that decision-makers should control new urban areas and protect water bodies, wetlands, and forests with high ESVs to promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations.
Indoor and Outdoor Low-Cost Seamless Integrated Navigation System Based on the Integration of INS/GNSS/LIDAR System
Authors: Li Ningbo , Guan Lianwu , Gao Yanbin , Du Shitong , Wu Menghao , Guang Xingxing , Cong Xiaodan
Published: October 2020

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) provides accurate positioning data for vehicular navigation in open outdoor environment. In an indoor environment, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) establishes a two-dimensional map and provides positioning data. However, LIDAR can only provide relative positioning data and it cannot directly provide the latitude and longitude of the current position. As a consequence, GNSS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) integrated navigation could be employed in outdoors, while the indoors part makes use of INS/LIDAR integrated navigation and the corresponding switching navigation will make the indoor and outdoor positioning consistent. In addition, when the vehicle enters the garage, the GNSS signal will be blurred for a while and then disappeared. Ambiguous GNSS satellite signals will lead to the continuous distortion or overall drift of the positioning trajectory in the indoor condition. Therefore, an INS/LIDAR seamless integrated navigation algorithm and a switching algorithm based on vehicle navigation system are designed. According to the experimental data, the positioning accuracy of the INS/LIDAR navigation algorithm in the simulated environmental experiment is 50% higher than that of the Dead Reckoning (DR) algorithm. Besides, the switching algorithm developed based on the INS/LIDAR integrated navigation algorithm can achieve 80% success rate in navigation mode switching.
Thermophysical Features of the Rümker Region in Northern Oceanus Procellarum: Insights from CE-2 CELMS Data
Authors: Meng Zhiguo , Lei Jietao , Qian Yuqi , Xiao Long , Head James W. , Chen Shengbo , Cheng Weiming , Shi Jiancheng , Ping Jinsong , Kang Zhizhong
Published: October 2020

The Rümker region is located in the northern Oceanus Procellarum, which has been selected as the landing and sampling region for China’s Chang’e-5 (CE-5) mission. The thermophysical features of the mare units are studied in detail using the brightness temperature (TB) maps (TB, normalized TB, TB difference) derived from the CE-2 microwave radiometer data. The previously interpreted geological boundaries of the Rümker region are revisited in this study according to their TB behaviors: IR1, IR2, and IR3 Rümker plateau units are combined into one single unit (IR); and a hidden unit is found on the Mons Rümker; Mare basaltic units Im1 and Em1 are combined into Em1; and Em2 is more likely the extending of Im2. Each of the previous proposed landing sites and their scientific value are summarized and reevaluated. Based on this, four landing sites are recommended in order to maximize the scientific outcome of the CE-5 mission. We suggest that the Eratosthenian-aged Em4 and Em1 units as the top priority landing site for the CE-5 mission; the age-dating results will provide important clues concerning the thermal evolution of the Moon.
Deriving Annual Double-Season Cropland Phenology Using Landsat Imagery
Authors: Qiu Tong , Song Conghe , Li Junxiang
Published: October 2020

Cropland phenology provides key information in managing agricultural practices and modelling crop yield. However, most of the existing phenological products have coarse spatial resolution ranging from 250 to 8000 m, which is not sufficient to capture the critical spatial details of cropland phenology at the landscape scale. Landsat imagery provides an unprecedented data source to generate 30-m spatial resolution phenological products. This paper explored the potential of utilizing multi-year Landsat enhanced vegetation index to derive annual phenological metrics of a double-season agricultural land from 1993 to 2009 in a sub-urban area of Shanghai, China. We used all available Landsat TM and ETM+ observations (538 scenes) and developed a Landsat double-cropping phenology (LDCP) algorithm. LDCP captures the temporal trajectory of multi-year enhanced vegetation index time series very well, with the degree of fitness ranging from 0.78 to 0.88 over the study regions. We found good agreements between derived annual phenological metrics and in situ observation, with root mean square error ranging from 8.74 to 18.04 days, indicating that the proposed LDCP is capable of detecting double-season cropland phenology. LDCP could reveal the spatial heterogeneity of cropland phenology at parcel scales. Phenology metrics were retrieved for approximately one-third and two-thirds of the 17 years for the first and second cropping cycles, respectively, depending on the number of good quality Landsat data. In addition, we found an advanced peak of season for both cropping cycles in 50–60% of the study area, and a delayed start of season for the second cropping cycle in 50–70% of the same area. The potential drivers of those trends might be climate warming and changes in agricultural practices. The derived cropland phenology can be used to help estimate historical crop yields at Landsat spatial resolution, providing insights on evaluating the effects of climate change on temporal variations of crop growth, and contributing to food security policy making.
Road Safety Analysis of High-Risk Roads: Case Study in Baja California, México
Authors: Montoya-Alcaraz Marco , Mungaray-Moctezuma Alejandro , Calderón-Ramírez Julio , García Leonel , Martinez-Lazcano Cynthia
Published: October 2020

The objective of this research is to develop a useful procedure to assess and identify risks that promote accidents by road users, with the vision of improving safety through the implementation and technical employment of operative strategies. The relevance of this proposal lies in the fact that the issue of traffic accidents is a global problem. This project is located in the mountain range of Baja California, Mexico, in the Centinela–La Rumorosa highway and integrates accidental and pavement surface condition data, geometric design performance, analysis of traffic signals, and road safety devices present on the road using geodetic techniques. It is concluded that this procedure contributes to determining risk areas that promote accidents and generate a risk reduction plan to support future decision-making that guarantees better performance for road users. Furthermore, it is highlighted that the analysis of road safety must be a permanent process for those who operate, design, and build the road system.