bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) Assays as a Model of Patient-Derived Xenografts from Circulating Cancer Stem Cells (cCSCs) in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Pizon Monika , Schott Dorothea , Pachmann Ulrich , Schobert Rainer , Pizon Marek , Wozniak Marta , Bobinski Rafal , Pachmann Katharina
Published: March 2022

Background: cCSCs are a small subset of circulating tumor cells with cancer stem cell features: resistance to cancer treatments and the capacity for generating metastases. PDX are an appreciated tool in oncology, providing biologically meaningful models of many cancer types, and potential platforms for the development of precision oncology approaches. Commonly, mouse models are used for the in vivo assessment of potential new therapeutic targets in cancers. However, animal models are costly and time consuming. An attractive alternative to such animal experiments is the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay. Methods: In this study, primary cultures from cCSCs were established using the sphere-forming assay. Subsequently, tumorspheres were transplanted onto the CAM membrane of fertilized chicken eggs to form secondary microtumors. Results: We have developed an innovative in vitro platform for cultivation of cCSCs from peripheral blood of cancer patients. The number of tumorspheres increased significantly with tumor progression and aggressiveness of primary tumor. The number of tumorspheres was positively correlated with Ki-67, Her2 status, and grade score in primary breast tumors. The grafting of tumorspheres onto the CAM was successful and positively correlated with aggressiveness and proliferation capacity of the primary tumor. These tumors pathologically closely resembled the primary tumor. Conclusions: The number of tumorspheres cultured from peripheral blood and the success rate of establishing PDX directly reflect the aggressiveness and proliferation capacity of the primary tumor. A CAM-based PDX model using cCSC provides a fast, low-cost, easy to handle, and powerful preclinical platform for drug screening, therapy optimization, and biomarker discovery.
Orchestrating Treatment Modalities in Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors—Need for a Conductor
Authors: Siebenhüner Alexander R. , Langheinrich Melanie , Friemel Juliane , Schäfer Niklaus , Eshmuminov Dilmurodjon , Lehmann Kuno
Published: March 2022

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are a vast growing disease. Over 50% of these tumors are recognized at advanced stages with lymph node, liver, or distant metastasis. An ongoing controversy is the role of surgery in the metastatic setting as dedicated systemic treatments have emerged recently and shown benefits in randomized trials. Today, liver surgery is an option for advanced pNETs if the tumor has a favorable prognosis, reflected by a low to moderate proliferation index (G1 and G2). Surgery in this well-selected population may prolong progression-free and overall survival. Optimal selection of a treatment plan for an individual patient should be considered in a multidisciplinary tumor board. However, while current guidelines offer a variety of modalities, there is so far only a limited focus on the right timing. Available data is based on small case series or retrospective analyses. The focus of this review is to highlight the right time-point for surgery in the setting of the multimodal treatment of an advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.
The Fra-1/AP-1 Oncoprotein: From the “Undruggable” Transcription Factor to Therapeutic Targeting
Authors: Casalino Laura , Talotta Francesco , Cimmino Amelia , Verde Pasquale
Published: March 2022

The genetic and epigenetic changes affecting transcription factors, coactivators, and chromatin modifiers are key determinants of the hallmarks of cancer. The acquired dependence on oncogenic transcriptional regulators, representing a major determinant of cancer cell vulnerability, points to transcription factors as ideal therapeutic targets. However, given the unavailability of catalytic activities or binding pockets for small-molecule inhibitors, transcription factors are generally regarded as undruggable proteins. Among components of the AP-1 complex, the FOS-family transcription factor Fra-1, encoded by FOSL1, has emerged as a prominent therapeutic target. Fra-1 is overexpressed in most solid tumors, in response to the BRAF-MAPK, Wnt-beta-catenin, Hippo-YAP, IL-6-Stat3, and other major oncogenic pathways. In vitro functional analyses, validated in onco-mouse models and corroborated by prognostic correlations, show that Fra-1-containing dimers control tumor growth and disease progression. Fra-1 participates in key mechanisms of cancer cell invasion, Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition, and metastatic spreading, by driving the expression of EMT-inducing transcription factors, cytokines, and microRNAs. Here we survey various strategies aimed at inhibiting tumor growth, metastatic dissemination, and drug resistance by interfering with Fra-1 expression, stability, and transcriptional activity. We summarize several tools aimed at the design and tumor-specific delivery of Fra-1/AP-1-specific drugs. Along with RNA-based therapeutics targeting the FOSL1 gene, its mRNA, or cognate regulatory circRNAs, we will examine the exploitation of blocking peptides, small molecule inhibitors, and innovative Fra-1 protein degraders. We also consider the possible caveats concerning Fra-1 inhibition in specific therapeutic contexts. Finally, we discuss a recent suicide gene therapy-based approach, aimed at selectively killing the Fra-1-overexpressing neoplastic cells.
The Novel Competing Endogenous Long Noncoding RNA SM2 Regulates Gonadotropin Secretion in the Hu Sheep Anterior Pituitary by Targeting the Oar-miR-16b/TGF-β/SMAD2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wan Zhen , Yang Hua , Chen Peiyong , Wang Zhibo , Cai Yu , Yao Xiaolei , Wang Feng , Zhang Yanli
Published: March 2022

Pituitary gonadotropins play a pivotal role in reproduction. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as important regulators in the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian (HPO) axis associated with reproduction. However, the contributions of lncRNAs to pituitary gonadotropin secretion remain largely unknown. Therefore, this work was performed to uncover the functional mechanisms of the novel lncRNA TCONS_00083279 (lncRNA SM2) and its potential targeting pathway oar-miR-16b/TGF-beta/SMAD2, which is associated with gonadotropin secretion in sheep pituitary cells. In the present study, the lncRNA SM2 showed high expression levels in the sheep pituitary gland, and it was located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of pituitary cells. lncRNA SM2 knockdown inhibited pituitary cell proliferation and FSH and LH secretion. The function of the lncRNA SM2 was sponged by oar-miR-16b, and this regulated the growth and gonadotropin secretion of pituitary cells by modulating SMAD2, as shown by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. FSH and LH levels were both upregulated by SMAD2 overexpression. Moreover, the levels of the lncRNA SM2, SMAD2 and TGFR1, as well as FSH and LH, in sheep pituitary cells increased significantly under gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation (p < 0.05). This work illustrates that the lncRNA SM2 regulates gonadotropin secretion in the Hu sheep anterior pituitary by targeting the oar-miR-16b/TGF-β/SMAD2 signaling pathway, providing a valuable resource for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying sheep reproduction.
EGFR Signaling in Lung Fibrosis
Authors: Schramm Fabian , Schaefer Liliana , Wygrecka Malgorzata
Published: March 2022

In this review article, we will first provide a brief overview of the ErbB receptor–ligand system and its importance in developmental and physiological processes. We will then review the literature regarding the role of ErbB receptors and their ligands in the maladaptive remodeling of lung tissue, with special emphasis on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here we will focus on the pathways and cellular processes contributing to epithelial–mesenchymal miscommunication seen in this pathology. We will also provide an overview of the in vivo studies addressing the efficacy of different ErbB signaling inhibitors in experimental models of lung injury and highlight how such studies may contribute to our understanding of ErbB biology in the lung. Finally, we will discuss what we learned from clinical applications of the ErbB1 signaling inhibitors in cancer in order to advance clinical trials in IPF.
Key Genes and Biochemical Networks in Various Brain Regions Affected in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Abyadeh Morteza , Tofigh Nahid , Hosseinian Saeedeh , Hasan Mafruha , Amirkhani Ardeshir , Fitzhenry Matthew J. , Gupta Veer , Chitranshi Nitin , Salekdeh Ghasem H. , Haynes Paul A. , Gupta Vivek , Shahpasand Koorosh , Mirzaei Mehdi
Published: March 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most complicated progressive neurodegenerative brain disorders, affecting millions of people around the world. Ageing remains one of the strongest risk factors associated with the disease and the increasing trend of the ageing population globally has significantly increased the pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. The pathogenesis of AD is being extensively investigated, yet several unknown key components remain. Therefore, we aimed to extract new knowledge from existing data. Ten gene expression datasets from different brain regions including the hippocampus, cerebellum, entorhinal, frontal and temporal cortices of 820 AD cases and 626 healthy controls were analyzed using the robust rank aggregation (RRA) method. Our results returned 1713 robust differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between five brain regions of AD cases and healthy controls. Subsequent analysis revealed pathways that were altered in each brain region, of which the GABAergic synapse pathway and the retrograde endocannabinoid signaling pathway were shared between all AD affected brain regions except the cerebellum, which is relatively less sensitive to the effects of AD. Furthermore, we obtained common robust DEGs between these two pathways and predicted three miRNAs as potential candidates targeting these genes; hsa-mir-17-5p, hsa-mir-106a-5p and hsa-mir-373-3p. Three transcription factors (TFs) were also identified as the potential upstream regulators of the robust DEGs; ELK-1, GATA1 and GATA2. Our results provide the foundation for further research investigating the role of these pathways in AD pathogenesis, and potential application of these miRNAs and TFs as therapeutic and diagnostic targets.
Cardiac Cachexia: Unaddressed Aspect in Cancer Patients
Authors: Saha Sarama , Singh Praveen Kumar , Roy Partha , Kakar Sham S.
Published: March 2022

Tumor-derived cachectic factors such as proinflammatory cytokines and neuromodulators not only affect skeletal muscle but also affect other organs, including the heart, in the form of cardiac muscle atrophy, fibrosis, and eventual cardiac dysfunction, resulting in poor quality of life and reduced survival. This article reviews the holistic approaches of existing diagnostic, pathophysiological, and multimodal therapeutic interventions targeting the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for cancer-induced cardiac cachexia. The major drivers of cardiac muscle wasting in cancer patients are autophagy activation by the cytokine-NFkB, TGF β-SMAD3, and angiotensin II-SOCE-STIM-Ca2+ pathways. A lack of diagnostic markers and standard treatment protocols hinder the early diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction and the initiation of preventive measures. However, some novel therapeutic strategies, including the use of Withaferin A, have shown promising results in experimental models, but Withaferin A’s effectiveness in human remains to be verified. The combined efforts of cardiologists and oncologists would help to identify cost effective and feasible solutions to restore cardiac function and to increase the survival potential of cancer patients.
Browning Epicardial Adipose Tissue: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Doukbi Elisa , Soghomonian Astrid , Sengenès Coralie , Ahmed Shaista , Ancel Patricia , Dutour Anne , Gaborit Bénédicte
Published: March 2022

The epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is the visceral fat depot of the heart which is highly plastic and in direct contact with myocardium and coronary arteries. Because of its singular proximity with the myocardium, the adipokines and pro-inflammatory molecules secreted by this tissue may directly affect the metabolism of the heart and coronary arteries. Its accumulation, measured by recent new non-invasive imaging modalities, has been prospectively associated with the onset and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation in humans. Recent studies have shown that EAT exhibits beige fat-like features, and express uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) at both mRNA and protein levels. However, this thermogenic potential could be lost with age, obesity and CAD. Here we provide an overview of the physiological and pathophysiological relevance of EAT and further discuss whether its thermogenic properties may serve as a target for obesity therapeutic management with a specific focus on the role of immune cells in this beiging phenomenon.
Spermatozoal Mitochondrial Dynamics Markers and Other Functionality-Related Signaling Molecules Exert Circadian-like Response to Repeated Stress of Whole Organism
Authors: Starovlah Isidora M. , Radovic Pletikosic Sava M. , Tomanic Tamara M. , Medar Marija L. J. , Kostic Tatjana S. , Andric Silvana A.
Published: March 2022

In the search for the possible role of the mitochondrial dynamics markers in spermatozoa adaptation, an in vivo approach was designed to mimic situations in which human populations are exposed to 3 h of repeated psychological stress (the most common stress in human society) at different time points during the day (24 h). The hormones (stress hormone corticosterone and testosterone), the number and the functionality of spermatozoa (response to acrosome-reaction-inducer progesterone), as well as the transcriptional profiles of 22 mitochondrial dynamics and function markers and 22 signaling molecules regulating both mitochondrial dynamics and spermatozoa number and functionality were followed at three time points (ZT3, ZT11, and ZT23). The results show that repeated stress significantly decreased the number and functionality of spermatozoa at all time points. In the same samples, the transcriptional profiles of 91% (20/22) of mitochondrial dynamics and functionality markers and 86% (19/22) of signaling molecules were disturbed after repeated stress. It is important to point out that similar molecular changes in transcriptional profiles were observed at ZT3 and ZT23, but the opposite was observed at ZT11, suggesting the circadian nature of the adaptive response. The results of PCA analysis show the significant separation of repeated stress effects during the inactive/light and active/dark phases of the day, suggesting the circadian timing of molecular adaptations.
Recent Sensing Technologies of Imperceptible Water in Atmosphere
Authors: Mekawy Moataz , Kawakita Jin
Published: March 2022

Accurate detection and quantitative evaluation of environmental water in vapor and liquids state expressed as humidity and precipitation play key roles in industrial and scientific applications. However, the development of supporting tools and techniques remains a challenge. Although optical methods such as IR and LASER could detect environmental water in the air, their apparatus is relatively huge. Alternatively, solid detection field systems (SDFSs) could recently lead to a revolution in device downsizing and sensing abilities via advanced research, mainly for materials technology. Herein, we present an overview of several SDFS based sensing categories and their core materials mainly used to detect water in atmosphere, either in the vapor or liquid phase. We considered the governing mechanism in the detection process, such as adsorption/desorption, condensation/evaporation for the vapor phase, and surface attach/detach for the liquid phase. Sensing categories such as optical, chilled mirror, resistive, capacitive, gravimetric sensors were reviewed together with their designated tools such as acoustic wave, quartz crystal microbalance, IDT, and many others, giving typical examples of daily based real scientific applications.
Enteral Linezolid as an Effective Option to Treat an Extremely Preterm Infant with Bacillus cereus Sepsis
Authors: Minotti Chiara , Bonadies Luca , Liberati Cecilia , De Pieri Marica , Giaquinto Carlo , Baraldi Eugenio , Donà Daniele
Published: March 2022

We report the safe and effective use of oral linezolid for treatment of Bacillus cereus sepsis in an extremely preterm neonate, previously fed with human donor milk, in which a Brevibacillus sp. was eventually found. Due to several predisposing factors, premature, very low birth weight newborns are extremely vulnerable to invasive infections by environmental pathogens. After vancomycin microbiologic treatment failure (despite adequate blood concentrations and clinical response), linezolid was chosen for its optimal enteral absorption and bioavailability, also after exhaustion of peripheral venous heritage. No adverse events were recorded, with clinical cure. We reviewed the literature on B. cereus infections in newborns, together with the available evidence on the use of linezolid in similar contexts.
Analysis of Iron Anchor Diseases Unearthed from Gudu Ruins in Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Mai Bingjie , Chen Youlu , Zhang Ying , Huang Yongsheng , Wang Juanli , Li Yuhu , Cao Ming , Cao Jing
Published: March 2022

Iron cultural relics are easily affected by environmental factors and can completely rust away. As early as the Qin Dynasty in ancient China, Xianyang Gudu was part of the most important transportation route to the West from ancient Chang’an; research into Xianyang Gudu has provided important information for understanding the historical changes in ancient China, East–West trade, and ancient boating technology. In this research, we use the iron anchors unearthed from the Gudu ruins in Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China as the research object; then, we used a scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), a high-resolution X-ray diffractometer (XRD), ion chromatography, and other methods to detect the corroded products of the iron anchors, and analyzed the iron anchor diseases in different preservation environments to explore the relationship between iron anchor disease and the preservation environment. This research found that the corroded products of the iron anchors contained the harmful tetragonal lepidocrocite (β-FeOOH) and that a high concentration of salt ions in the river channel accelerated the corrosion of the anchors; this analysis, based on the disease results, can provide a basis for the subsequent scientific restoration of iron anchors.
Evaluation of Anticorrosion Coatings for Offshore Wind Turbine Monopiles for an Optimized and Time-Efficient Coating Application
Authors: Marinova Nevena , Urbegain Aiala , Benguria Pablo , Travé Andreu , Caracena Raúl
Published: March 2022

Offshore corrosion is a critical issue for metallic offshore structures. In this study, we investigated the corrosion protection of 12 coating systems for offshore monopiles in atmospheric, splash, and submerged zones, and we compared their performance under accelerated laboratory testing according to ISO 12944 with real field exposure. The results showed that the aging of the coatings did not accelerate at the same rate in all coatings. Furthermore, we observed that for some types of laboratory tests, the results are not representative of real field exposure as the laboratory test is much less aggressive than the real offshore conditions. This observation confirms that the field exposure data provide valuable information in order to properly assess the corrosion protection of coatings and thus the expected lifetime of the offshore structure. Additionally, we analyzed the rate-determining steps involved in the application of the coating onto the entire monopile and quantified the possibility of achieving a more time efficient coating process. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the issues related to testing and qualification of corrosion protection coatings for offshore structures and provide useful insights for the selection of coating solutions at the industrial level.
Application of the Hurricane-Based Optimization Algorithm to the Phase-Balancing Problem in Three-Phase Asymmetric Networks
Authors: Cruz-Reyes Jose Luis , Salcedo-Marcelo Sergio Steven , Montoya Oscar Danilo
Published: March 2022

This article addresses the problem of optimal phase-swapping in asymmetric distribution grids through the application of hurricane-based optimization algorithm (HOA). The exact mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is solved by using a master–slave optimization procedure. The master stage is entrusted with the definition of load connection at each stage by using an integer codification that ensures that, per node, only one from the possible six-load connections is assigned. In the slave stage, the load connection set provided by the master stage is applied with the backward/forward power flow method in its matricial form to determine the amount of grid power losses. The computational performance of the HOA was tested in three literature test feeders composed of 8, 25, and 37 nodes. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed master–slave optimization approach when compared with the classical Chu and Beasley genetic algorithm (CBGA) and the discrete vortex search algorithm (DVSA). The reductions reached with HOA were 24.34%, 4.16%, and 19.25% for the 8-, 28-, and 37-bus systems; this confirms the literature reports in the first two test feeders and improves the best current solution of the IEEE 37-bus grid. All simulations are carried out in the MATLAB programming environment.
Real-World Management and Outcomes of Crizotinib-Treated ROS1-Rearranged NSCLC: A Retrospective Canadian Cohort
Authors: Gibson Amanda J. W. , Box Adrian , Cheung Winson Y. , Dean Michelle L. , Elegbede Anifat A. , Hao Desiree , Pabani Aliyah , Sangha Randeep , Bebb Dafydd Gwyn
Published: March 2022

The use, safety and effectiveness of crizotinib as part of the management of ROS1-rearranged NSCLC patients in a real-world Canadian clinical cohort was the focus of this retrospective review. Twenty-one ROS1-rearranged patients with advanced/metastatic disease receiving crizotinib between 2014–2020 were identified; crizotinib demonstrated tolerability and effectiveness in this population where outcomes were similar to those described in other crizotinib-treated real-world cohorts, but lower than those of the PROFILE 1001 clinical trial population. Systemic anti-cancer therapy prior to crizotinib initiation occurred in half of the study cohort, with platin-pemetrexed and immune checkpoint inhibitors being most common. Platin-pemetrexed showed good effectiveness in this cohort, but despite high prevalence of upregulated PD-L1 expression, immune checkpoint inhibitors showed poor effectiveness in his cohort. Among all systemic therapies received, crizotinib showed the most effective disease control, although longer intervals between diagnosis and crizotinib initiation were more common among those showing a lack of clinical response to crizotinib, and patients with brain metastases at the time of crizotinib initiation also showed increased diagnosis to crizotinib initiation intervals and decreased clinical response to crizotinib. This study reveals crizotinib has clinical benefit, but timely identification of ROS1-rearrangements and initiation targeted therapies appears important to maximize outcome in this population.
Large-Scale Dataset for the Analysis of Outdoor-to-Indoor Propagation for 5G Mid-Band Operational Networks
Authors: Ali Usman , Caso Giuseppe , De Nardis Luca , Kousias Konstantinos , Rajiullah Mohammad , Alay Özgü , Neri Marco , Brunstrom Anna , Di Benedetto Maria-Gabriella
Published: March 2022

Understanding radio propagation characteristics and developing channel models is fundamental to building and operating wireless communication systems. Among others uses, channel characterization and modeling can be used for coverage and performance analysis and prediction. Within this context, this paper describes a comprehensive dataset of channel measurements performed to analyze outdoor-to-indoor propagation characteristics in the mid-band spectrum identified for the operation of 5th Generation (5G) cellular systems. Previous efforts to analyze outdoor-to-indoor propagation characteristics in this band were made by using measurements collected on dedicated, mostly single-link setups. Hence, measurements performed on deployed and operational 5G networks still lack in the literature. To fill this gap, this paper presents a dataset of measurements performed over commercial 5G networks. In particular, the dataset includes measurements of channel power delay profiles from two 5G networks in Band n78, i.e., 3.3–3.8 GHz. Such measurements were collected at multiple locations in a large office building in the city of Rome, Italy by using the Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) TSMA6 network scanner during several weeks in 2020 and 2021. A primary goal of the dataset is to provide an opportunity for researchers to investigate a large set of 5G channel measurements, aiming at analyzing the corresponding propagation characteristics toward the definition and refinement of empirical channel propagation models.
Deep-Learning-Aided Detection of Mycobacteria in Pathology Specimens Increases the Sensitivity in Early Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Compared with Bacteriology Tests
Authors: Zaizen Yoshiaki , Kanahori Yuki , Ishijima Sousuke , Kitamura Yuka , Yoon Han-Seung , Ozasa Mutsumi , Mukae Hiroshi , Bychkov Andrey , Hoshino Tomoaki , Fukuoka Junya
Published: March 2022

The histopathological diagnosis of mycobacterial infection may be improved by a comprehensive analysis using artificial intelligence. Two autopsy cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, and forty biopsy cases of undetected acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were used to train AI (convolutional neural network), and construct an AI to support AFB detection. Forty-two patients underwent bronchoscopy, and were evaluated using AI-supported pathology to detect AFB. The AI-supported pathology diagnosis was compared with bacteriology diagnosis from bronchial lavage fluid and the final definitive diagnosis of mycobacteriosis. Among the 16 patients with mycobacteriosis, bacteriology was positive in 9 patients (56%). Two patients (13%) were positive for AFB without AI assistance, whereas AI-supported pathology identified eleven positive patients (69%). When limited to tuberculosis, AI-supported pathology had significantly higher sensitivity compared with bacteriology (86% vs. 29%, p = 0.046). Seven patients diagnosed with mycobacteriosis had no consolidation or cavitary shadows in computed tomography; the sensitivity of bacteriology and AI-supported pathology was 29% and 86%, respectively (p = 0.046). The specificity of AI-supported pathology was 100% in this study. AI-supported pathology may be more sensitive than bacteriological tests for detecting AFB in samples collected via bronchoscopy.
SDWBF Algorithm: A Novel Pedestrian Detection Algorithm in the Aerial Scene
Authors: Ma Xin , Zhang Yuzhao , Zhang Weiwei , Zhou Hongbo , Yu Haoran
Published: March 2022

Due to the large amount of video data from UAV aerial photography and the small target size from the aerial perspective, pedestrian detection in drone videos remains a challenge. To detect objects in UAV images quickly and accurately, a small-sized pedestrian detection algorithm based on the weighted fusion of static and dynamic bounding boxes is proposed. First, a weighted filtration algorithm for redundant frames was applied using the inter-frame pixel difference algorithm cascading vision and structural similarity, which solved the redundancy of the UAV video data, thereby reducing the delay. Second, the pre-training and detector learning datasets were scale matched to address the feature representation loss caused by the scale mismatch between datasets. Finally, the static bounding extracted by YOLOv4 and the motion bounding boxes extracted by LiteFlowNet were subject to the weighted fusion algorithm to enhance the semantic information and solve the problem of missing and multiple detections in UAV object detection. The experimental results showed that the small object recognition method proposed in this paper enabled reaching an mAP of 70.91% and an IoU of 57.53%, which were 3.51% and 2.05% higher than the mainstream target detection algorithm.
An Approach for Security Enhancement of Certain Encryption Schemes Employing Error Correction Coding and Simulated Synchronization Errors
Authors: Mihaljević Miodrag J. , Wang Lianhai , Xu Shujiang
Published: March 2022

An approach for the cryptographic security enhancement of encryption is proposed and analyzed. The enhancement is based on the employment of a coding scheme and degradation of the ciphertext. From the perspective of the legitimate parties that share a secret key, the degradation appears as a transmission of the ciphertext through a binary erasure channel. On the other hand, from the perspective of an attacker the degradation appears as a transmission of the ciphertext over a binary deletion channel. Cryptographic security enhancement is analyzed based on the capacity of the related binary deletion channel. An illustrative implemementation framework is pointed out.
Optimal Control Policy for Energy Management of a Commercial Bank
Authors: Tahir Ifrah , Nasir Ali , Algethami Abdullah
Published: March 2022

There has been substantial research on Building Energy Management Systems. Most of the work has focused more on the management scheme and less on the specific structure or the nature of activities within each building. However, recently some attention is being paid to these specifics, and this paper is one of such efforts, where we consider the structure and nature of activities in the building for developing an energy management system custom designed for a bank branch where customers may arrive randomly based on a known probability distribution. Specifically, this paper presents a model for generating an optimal control policy to manage the electrical energy of a commercial bank building. A Markov Decision Process (MDP) model is proposed. The MDP model is solved for the calculation of an optimal control policy using stochastic dynamic programming. The advantage of the proposed model is that it can incorporate uncertainty involved in the problem. Another advantage is that the output control policy is optimal with respect to a discounted cost/reward function. A disadvantage of the proposed scheme is computational complexity. To overcome this disadvantage, a decomposition-based approach is proposed. A unique feature of the proposed MDP-based model is that it was developed for a specific type of building, i.e., a bank. The need for a Building Management System (BMS) that is specific for a particular type of building arises due to the fact that each building has its own working parameters and environment. Our focus is to give a customized BMS framework for a bank building. Practical implementation of the developed model is discussed and a case study is included for demonstration purposes. Results obtained from the case study indicate that considerable savings in the electrical energy expenditure can be achieved without compromising comfort. This is possible due to optimization of the control policy using the statistical information relevant to the problem.
Dynamic Impact of a Rail Vehicle on a Rail Infrastructure with Particular Focus on the Phenomenon of Threshold Effect
Authors: Idczak Włodzimierz , Lewandrowski Tomasz , Pokropski Dominik , Rudnicki Tomasz , Trzmiel Jacek
Published: March 2022

The paper undertakes analysis of the dynamic impact of a rail vehicle on various types of a railway infrastructure with particular focus on the phenomenon of threshold effect within the transition zones of an engineering facility. The problem of locally variable stiffness of the railway infrastructure, which in turn could lead to the accelerated infrastructure degradation, is identified. Using the analytical and numerical background, the computational model is presented, based on which, it could be possible to determine the impact of the various rail support on the dynamic response of the entire infrastructure. The dynamic load, caused by the passage of the multiaxle rail vehicle, is taken into account in the paper. The fourth-order differential equation is solved by using the finite differences method with application of the numerical MATLAB script. The created numerical algorithm and a number of calculations allowed the formulation of several solutions that could reduce the dynamic impact of the rail vehicle on the railway surface within the transition zones. In the paper, theoretical results are compared to the field measurements conducted on a real dynamically loaded rail. Field experiments have been carried out on the railway track in operation. The vertical displacement of a rail, dynamically loaded by various types of rail vehicles passing by (both passenger and freight trains) has been investigated. Researches have been carried out in the area of transition zones of engineering facilities. Test points have been selected in places where there is a sudden change in parameters of the track structure (e.g., a change from concrete sleepers to wooden sleepers). Based on conducted researches it has been possible to validate results obtained from the numerical calculations.
Stability Boundary Analysis of Islanded Droop-Based Microgrids Using an Autonomous Shooting Method
Authors: Agundis-Tinajero Gibran D. , C. Vasquez Juan , Guerrero Josep M.
Published: March 2022

This paper presents a stability analysis for droop-based islanded AC microgrids via an autonomous shooting method based on bifurcation theory. Shooting methods have been used for the periodic steady-state analysis of electrical systems with harmonic or unbalanced components with a fixed fundamental frequency; however, these methods cannot be directly used for the analysis of microgrids because, due to the their nature, the microgrids frequency has small variations depending on their operative point. In this way, a new system transformation is introduced in this work to change the droop-controlled microgrid mathematical model from an non-autonomous system into an autonomous system. By removing the explicit time dependency, the steady-state solution can be obtained with a shooting methods and the stability of the system calculated. Three case studies are presented, where unbalances and nonlinearities are included, for stability analysis based on bifurcation analysis; the bifurcations indicate qualitative changes in the dynamics of the system, thus delimiting the operating zones of nonlinear systems, which is important for practical designs. The model transformation is validated through time-domain simulation comparisons, and it is demonstrated through the bifurcation analysis that the instability of the microgrid is caused by supercritical Neimark–Sacker bifurcations, and the dynamical system phase portraits are presented.
Expansion of Naturally Regenerated Forest
Authors: Alday Josu G. , Martínez-Ruiz Carolina
Published: March 2022

Forests cover 31% of the global land area and are home to most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity [...]
Control Method for Continuous Grain Drying Based on Equivalent Accumulated Temperature Mechanism and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Liu Zhe , Xu Yan , Han Feng , Zhang Yaqiu , Wang Guiying , Wu Zidan , Wu Wenfu
Published: March 2022

Grain drying is a complex heat and mass transfer process, which has the characteristics of a significant delay, multidisturbance, nonlinearity, strong coupling, and parameter uncertainty. Artificial intelligence (AI) control technology is suitable for solving such complex control problems. In this paper, the mechanism and data dual-drive with equivalent accumulated temperature (EAT) mutual-window AI-control method for continuous grain drying were proposed, and a control system was established. The experimental verification was carried out on the test platform of continuous grain drying. The results show that the method has the ability of implicit prediction, high accuracy, strong stability and self-adaptive ability, and the maximum control deviation of moisture at the outlet of the dryer is −0.58–0.3%.
Genetic Connection between Hyperglycemia and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hyperlipidemic Mice
Authors: Shi Lisa J. , Chagari Bilhan , An Alexander , Chen Mei-Hua , Bao Yongde , Shi Weibin
Published: March 2022

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major risk for atherosclerosis and its complications. Apoe-null (Apoe−/−) mouse strains exhibit a wide range of variations in susceptibility to T2D and carotid atherosclerosis, with the latter being a major cause of ischemic stroke. To identify genetic connections between T2D and carotid atherosclerosis, 145 male F2 mice were generated from LP/J and BALB/cJ Apoe−/− mice and fed 12 weeks of a Western diet. Atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid arteries, fasting, and non-fasting plasma glucose levels were measured, and genotyping was performed using miniMUGA arrays. Two significant QTL (quantitative trait loci) on chromosomes (Chr) 6 and 15 were identified for carotid lesions. The Chr15 QTL coincided precisely with QTL Bglu20 for fasting and non-fasting glucose levels. Carotid lesion sizes showed a trend toward correlation with fasting and non-fasting glucose levels in F2 mice. The Chr15 QTL for carotid lesions was suppressed after excluding the influence from fasting or non-fasting glucose. Likely candidate genes for the causal association were Tnfrsf11b, Deptor, and Gsdmc2. These results demonstrate a causative role for hyperglycemia in the development of carotid atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic mice.
Extreme Sea Surges, Tsunamis and Pluvial Flooding Events during the Last ~1000 Years in the Semi-Arid Wetland, Coquimbo Chile
Authors: Araya Karen , Muñoz Práxedes , Dezileau Laurent , Maldonado Antonio , Campos-Caba Rodrigo , Rebolledo Lorena , Cardenas Paola , Salamanca Marco
Published: March 2022

The coast of Chile has been exposed to marine submersion events from storm surges, tsunamis and flooding due to heavy rains. We present evidence of these events using sedimentary records that cover the last 1000 years in the Pachingo wetland. Two sediment cores were analyzed for granulometry, XRF, pollen, diatoms and TOC. Three extreme events produced by marine submersion and three by pluvial flooding during El Niño episodes were identified. Geochronology was determined using a conventional dating method using 14C, 210Pbxs and 137Cs). The older marine event (E1) was heavier, identified by a coarser grain size, high content of seashells, greater amount of gravel and the presence of two rip-up clasts, which seems to fit with the tsunami of 1420 Cal AD. The other two events (E3 and E5) may correspond to the 1922 (E3) tsunami and the 1984 (E5) storm waves, corroborated with a nearshore wave simulation model for this period (SWAM). On the other hand, the three flood events (E2, E4, E6) all occurred during episodes of El Niño in 1997 (E6), 1957 (E4) and 1600 (E6), represented by layers of fine-grain sands and wood charcoal remains.
Spontaneous Pneumo-Mediastinum in a Post-COVID-19 Patient with Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Mormile Ilaria , Mormile Mauro , Rea Gaetano , Petraroli Angelica , Barbieri Vittoria , de Paulis Amato , Rossi Francesca Wanda
Published: March 2022

Pulmonary involvement is the most common cause of death among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is particularly problematic to manage in SSc patients since they may experience a more severe evolution of COVID-19 due to the pre-existent interstitial lung disease (ILD) and the administration of immunosuppressive treatments. In addition, the remarkable radiological similarities between SSc-ILD and COVID-19 complicate the differential diagnosis between these two entities. Herein, we present the first case of spontaneous pneumo-mediastinum in a post-COVID-19 patient with SSc. In our patient, both smoking and pulmonary fibrosis could lead to cyst formation, which possibly spontaneously broke and caused pneumo-mediastinum. Moreover, megaesophagus perforation due to the smooth muscle atrophy, replacement with fibrosis, and achalasia may extend into the mediastinum or pleural space and has also been described as a rare case of spontaneous pneumo-pericardium. Finally, spontaneous pneumo-mediastinum and pneumothorax have been recently reported as an established complication of severe COVID-19 pneumonia and among COVID-19 long-term complication. This case report underlines that the worsening of respiratory symptoms in SSc patients, especially when recovered from COVID-19, requires further investigations for ruling out other tentative diagnoses besides the evolution of the SSc-ILD.
Dental Emergencies in an Italian Pediatric Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Carmagnola Daniela , Toma Marilisa , Henin Dolaji , Perrotta Mariachiara , Gianolio Laura , Colombo Alessandra , Dellavia Claudia
Published: March 2022

Emergency rooms (ER) are largely used by patients with oral complaints, who choose the ER over private or public dental offices for oral prevention and treatment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the activity of most dental facilities was limited, and most hospitals and ERs were dedicated to the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The present study analyzed the number of and reason for visits at the emergency room (ER) of Ospedale dei Bambini “Vittore Buzzi”, the main pediatric hospital in Milano, Italy, between 2019 and 2020, with a particular focus on oral emergencies. In 2019, 25,435 children turned to the ER, compared to 16,750 in 2020. About 10% of the children were eventually admitted to the hospital in both years. The number of admissions for infectious diseases, other than COVID-19, signed an important decrease in 2020, while trauma/injuries decreased slightly in number but increased in proportion. The number and proportion of ER visits for oral complaints decreased in 2020 compared to 2019. Stomatitis was the most frequent condition, followed by traumatic injuries, which decreased in number and percentage between 2019 and 2020. Oral infections and painful caries accounted for about 15% of the cases in both 2019 and 2020. These data highlight the need to promote territorial services for the prevention and treatment of oral health complaints, including dental emergencies.
Serum Albumin Kinetics in Major Ovarian, Gastrointestinal, and Cervico Facial Cancer Surgery
Authors: Motamed Cyrus , Mariani Lucie , Suria Stéphanie , Weil Gregoire
Published: March 2022

Hypoalbuminemia in major cancer surgery can lead to postoperative short and long-term complications. Our study was designed to detect albumin variations in three major cancer surgeries: ovarian debulking (DBK), major abdominal gastrointestinal surgery (ABD), and major cervico-facial, or ear, nose and throat cancer surgery (ENT). Single-center prospective study inclusion criteria were non-emergency procedures scheduled to last at least five hours. We performed hourly perioperative monitoring of the patients’ albuminemia and hemoglobinemia. Electronic charts were followed for at least five years for survival analysis. Sixty-three patients were analyzed: 30 in the DBK group, 13 in the ABD group, and 20 in the ENT group. There was a significant difference in albumin decrease between the ENT group and the two others (−19% at six hours in the ENT group versus -49% in the debulking group and −31% in the ABD group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the DBK and ABD groups. The decrease in hemoglobin was not significantly different between the groups, and no significant difference was observed in long-term survival. DBK and ABD surgery yielded significant hypoalbuminemia. Therefore, the extent of decrease in serum albumin is probably not the only etiology of the specific postoperative complications of these major surgeries. No significant difference was noticed in five-year mortality, and no correlation was found in relation to the degree of intraoperative albumin kinetics.
Lifestyle Factors Associated with Undernutrition in Older People after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Prospective Study in the Fukushima Health Management Survey
Authors: Okazaki Kanako , Ohira Tetsuya , Sakai Akira , Shimabukuro Michio , Kazama Junichiro J. , Takahashi Atsushi , Nakano Hironori , Hayashi Fumikazu , Nagao Masanori , Yasumura Seiji , Ohto Hitoshi , Kamiya Kenji
Published: March 2022

We conducted a longitudinal examination to assess the relationship between lifestyle habits, including exercise habits, and the incidence of undernutrition after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. Of the 31,411 participants aged ≥60 years who lived in the municipalities’ evacuation areas before the disaster and had undergone health examinations, 17,622 persons with a body mass index of 20–25 kg/m2 were followed up through the FY 2017 (a mean follow-up of 6.9 years). The analysis involved 13,378 individuals who could be followed. The associations between undernutrition after the disaster and lifestyle factors were estimated via multivariable-adjusted analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The dependent variable was the proportion of undernutrition after the disaster, whereas independent variables included evacuation, exercise habits/physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, meals before bedtime, gastrointestinal surgery history, history of lifestyle-related diseases, and two or more subjective symptoms. In total, 1712 of the 13,378 participants were newly undernourished after the disaster. The statistically significant variables influencing the occurrence of undernutrition were non-evacuation (hazard ratio (HR), 1.31; 95% confidence index (CI) 1.17–1.47), poor exercise habits (HR, 1.14; 95% CI 1.03–1.50), and poor physical activity (HR, 1.12; 95% CI 1.01–1.25). Other significant related variables were drinking habits, surgical history, lifestyle-related diseases, and two or more subjective symptoms. These results suggest that regular exercise and/or physical activity might be important in preventing undernutrition following a disaster, regardless of sex, other lifestyle habits, or past medical history.
Systemic Disorders Closely Associated with Malocclusion in Late Adolescence: A Review and Perspective
Authors: Abe Masanobu , Mitani Akihisa , Yao Atsushi , Hoshi Kazuto , Yanagimoto Shintaro
Published: March 2022

Oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease are reported to be associated with various systemic diseases such as heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, rheumatism, and metabolic syndrome, thus increasing the importance of prevention and early treatment [...]