bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Proteomic- and Bioinformatic-Based Identification of Specific Allergens from Edible Insects: Probes for Future Detection as Food Ingredients
Authors: Barre Annick , Pichereaux Carole , Simplicien Mathias , Burlet-Schiltz Odile , Benoist Hervé , Rougé Pierre
Published: January 2021

The increasing development of edible insect flours as alternative sources of proteins added to food and feed products for improving their nutritional value, necessitates an accurate evaluation of their possible adverse side-effects, especially for individuals suffering from food allergies. Using a proteomic- and bioinformatic-based approach, the diversity of proteins occurring in currently consumed edible insects such as silkworm (Bombyx mori), cricket (Acheta domesticus), African migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), and giant milworm beetle (Zophobas atratus), was investigated. Most of them consist of phylogenetically-related protein allergens widely distributed in the different groups of arthropods (mites, insects, crustaceans) and mollusks. However, a few proteins belonging to discrete protein families including the chemosensory protein, hexamerin, and the odorant-binding protein, emerged as proteins highly specific for edible insects. To a lesser extent, other proteins such as apolipophorin III, the larval cuticle protein, and the receptor for activated protein kinase, also exhibited a rather good specificity for edible insects. These proteins, that are apparently missing or much less represented in other groups of arthropods, mollusks and nematods, share well conserved amino acid sequences and very similar three-dimensional structures. Owing to their ability to trigger allergic responses in sensitized people, they should be used as probes for the specific detection of insect proteins as food ingredients in various food products and thus, to assess their food safety, especially for people allergic to edible insects.
Characterization of Breed Specific Differences in Spermatozoal Transcriptomes of Sheep in Australia
Authors: Hodge Marnie J. , de las Heras-Saldana Sara , Rindfleish Sally J. , Stephen Cyril P. , Pant Sameer D.
Published: January 2021

Reduced reproductive efficiency results in economic losses to the Australian sheep industry. Reproductive success, particularly after artificial insemination, is dependent on a number of contributing factors on both ewe and ram sides. Despite considerable emphasis placed on characterising ewe side contributions, little emphasis has been placed on characterising ram side contributions to conception success. Over 14,000 transcripts are in spermatozoa of other species, which are transferred to the ova on fertilisation. These transcripts conceivably influence early embryonic development and whether conception is successful. Semen was collected (n = 45) across three breeds; Merino, Dohne, and Poll Dorset. Following collection, each ejaculate was split in two; an aliquot was assessed utilising Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) and the remaining was utilised for RNA extraction and subsequent next-generation sequencing. Overall, 754 differentially expressed genes were identified in breed contrasts and contrast between ejaculates of different quality. Downstream analysis indicated that these genes could play significant roles in a broad range of physiological functions, including maintenance of spermatogenesis, fertilisation, conception, embryonic development, and offspring production performance. Overall results provide evidence that the spermatozoal transcriptome could be a crucial contributing factor in improving reproductive performance as well as in the overall productivity and profitability of sheep industries.
Quantifying Multiple Erosion Events in the Distal Sector of the Northern Alpine Foreland Basin (North-Eastern Switzerland), by Combining Basin Thermal Modelling with Vitrinite Reflectance and Apatite Fission Track Data
Authors: Omodeo-Salé Silvia , Hamidi Yanis , Villagomez Diego , Moscariello Andrea
Published: January 2021

This work quantifies the amount of erosion associated with the Cretaceous and Miocene erosional unconformities recognised in the distal part of the Northern Alpine Foreland Basin (NAFB), north-eastern Switzerland. To achieve this goal, the basin thermal modelling approach is applied, calibrated by two different sets of data collected in previous studies: vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) and the temperature estimated from apatite fission tracks (AFT) data modelling. The novelty of this approach is the possibility to constrain the timing and magnitude of multiple erosion events by integrating thermal modelling with thermochronologic data. Combining these two methods allows the erosional events to be separated which would not be possible using only irreversible paleothermometers, such as vitrinite reflectance data. Two scenarios were tested, based on the data of two published thermochronology studies. For the Cretaceous unconformity, similar results are obtained for the two scenarios, both indicating that the deposition and the subsequent complete erosion of Lower Cretaceous deposits, in the order of 500–1300 m, depending on the area, are necessary, in order to attain the temperatures estimated by the thermal history modelling of AFT data. Thus, a depositional hiatus for this period is not likely. For the Miocene-Quaternary unconformity, the magnitude of erosion calculated for the two scenarios differs by 300–1400 m, depending on the AFT data considered. The two scenarios lead to a different evaluation of the subsidence and uplift rate of the study area, thus to a different interpretation of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of this distal sector of the NAFB.
Importance of Mediation against Addictive, Affective-Emotional, and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents. Educational System versus Associations
Authors: Barbero-Radío Antonio Manuel , García-Carpintero Muñoz María Ángeles , González-López José Rafael
Published: January 2021

This article analyzes health mediation among equals as an educational strategy against risk behaviors in young people from both the educational and associative systems in Seville (Spain), based on qualitative research, with the aim of assessing and comparing its impact in those areas. To this end, interviews with 49 professionals and 427 adolescents were conducted in discussion groups. Results acknowledge mediation as individual or group intervention accepted by young people as advice and information on health issues and conflict resolution, but also as a method for data collection in order to obtain a community health diagnosis. The educational system implements this strategy, but in associations it seems to work better, particularly in the psycho-emotional and sexual spheres. Unfortunately, intervention programs are usually discontinuous due to lack of resources and territorial variability. And this is why mediators’ support is highly valued by the target users, with preference for a male figure in the case of boys, and larger predisposition towards a female mediator in girls, except in cases where this agent has a special social relevance.
Role of CgTpo4 in Polyamine and Antimicrobial Peptide Resistance: Determining Virulence in Candida glabrata
Authors: Cavalheiro Mafalda , Romão Daniela , Santos Rui , Mil-Homens Dalila , Pais Pedro , Costa Catarina , Galocha Mónica , Pereira Diana , Takahashi-Nakaguchi Azusa , Chibana Hiroji , Fialho Arsénio M. , Teixeira Miguel C.
Published: January 2021

Candida glabrata is an emerging fungal pathogen whose success depends on its ability to resist antifungal drugs but also to thrive against host defenses. In this study, the predicted multidrug transporter CgTpo4 (encoded by ORF CAGL0L10912g) is described as a new determinant of virulence in C. glabrata, using the infection model Galleria mellonella. The CgTPO4 gene was found to be required for the C. glabrata ability to kill G. mellonella. The transporter encoded by this gene is also necessary for antimicrobial peptide (AMP) resistance, specifically against histatin-5. Interestingly, G. mellonella’s AMP expression was found to be strongly activated in response to C. glabrata infection, suggesting AMPs are a key antifungal defense. CgTpo4 was also found to be a plasma membrane exporter of polyamines, especially spermidine, suggesting that CgTpo4 is able to export polyamines and AMPs, thus conferring resistance to both stress agents. Altogether, this study presents the polyamine exporter CgTpo4 as a determinant of C. glabrata virulence, which acts by protecting the yeast cells from the overexpression of AMPs, deployed as a host defense mechanism.
Prominent Indomethacin-Induced Enteropathy in Fcgriib Defi-cient lupus Mice: An Impact of Macrophage Responses and Immune Deposition in Gut
Authors: Bhunyakarnjanarat Thansita , Udompornpitak Kanyarat , Saisorn Wilasinee , Chantraprapawat Bhumdhanin , Visitchanakun Peerapat , Dang Cong Phi , Issara-Amphorn Jiraphorn , Leelahavanichkul Asada
Published: January 2021

A high dose of NSAIDs, a common analgesic, might induce lupus activity through several NSAIDs adverse effects including gastrointestinal permeability defect (gut leakage) and endotoxemia. Indomethacin (25 mg/day) was orally administered for 7 days in 24-wk-old Fc gamma receptor IIb deficient (FcgRIIb-/-) mice, an asymptomatic lupus model (increased anti-dsDNA without lupus nephritis), and age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Severity of indomethacin-induced enteropathy in FcgRIIb-/- mice was higher than WT mice as demonstrated by survival analysis, intestinal injury (histology, immune-deposition, and intestinal cytokines), gut leakage (FITC-dextran assay and endotoxemia), serum cytokines, and lupus characteristics (anti-dsDNA, renal injury, and proteinuria). Prominent responses of FcgRIIb-/- macrophages toward lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared to WT cells due to the expression of only activating-FcgRs without inhibitory-FcgRIIb were demonstrated. Extracellular flux analysis indicated the greater mitochondria activity (increased respiratory capacity and respiratory reserve) in FcgRIIb-/- macrophages with a concordant decrease in glycolysis activity when compared to WT cells. In conclusion, gut leakage-induced endotoxemia is more severe in indomethacin-administered FcgRIIb-/- mice than WT, possibly due to the enhanced indomethacin toxicity from lupus-induced intestinal immune-deposition. Due to a lack of inhibitory-FcgRIIb expression, mitochondrial function, and cytokine production of FcgRIIb-/- macrophages were more prominent than WT cells. Hence, lupus disease-activation from NSAIDs-enteropathy-induced gut leakage is possible.
miRNAs and Biomarkers in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: An Update
Authors: De Martino Marco , Chieffi Paolo , Esposito Francesco
Published: January 2021

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the leading form of solid cancer and death affecting males between the ages of 20 and 40. Today, their surgical resection and chemotherapy are the treatments of first choice, even if sometimes this is not enough to save the lives of patients with TGCT. As seen for several tumors, the deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is also a key feature in TGCTs. miRNAs are small molecules of RNA with biological activity that are released into biological fluids by testicular cancer cells. Their presence, therefore, can be detected and monitored by considering miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers for TGCTs. The purpose of this review is to collect all the studies executed on miRNAs that have a potential role as biomarkers for testicular tumors.
Genetic Variants of ANGPT1, CD39, FGF2 and MMP9 Linked to Clinical Outcome of Bevacizumab Plus Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Gaibar María , Galán Miguel , Romero-Lorca Alicia , Antón Beatriz , Malón Diego , Moreno Amalia , Fernández-Santander Ana , Novillo Apolonia
Published: January 2021

Angiogenesis pathway genes show substantial genetic variability causing inter-individual differences in responses to anti-angiogenic drugs. We examined 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 13 of these genes to predict tumour response and clinical outcome measured as progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in 57 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) given bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. SNPs were detected (iPLEX® Assay) in genomic DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour specimens. The variant allele CD39 rs11188513 was associated with a good tumour response (p = 0.024). Patients homozygous for the wild-type allele FGF2 rs1960669 showed a median PFS of 10.95 months versus 5.44 months for those with at least one variant allele-A (HR 3.30; 95% CI: 1.52–7.14; p = 0.001). Patients homozygous for wild-type MMP9 rs2236416 and rs2274755 showed a median PFS of 9.48 months versus 6 and 6.62 months, respectively, for those with at least one variant allele (p = 0.022, p = 0.043, respectively). OS was also lengthened to 30.92 months (p = 0.034) in carriers of wild-type ANGPT1 rs2445365 versus 22.07 months for those carrying at least one variant allele-A. These gene variants were able to predict clinical outcome and tumour response in mCRC patients given bevacizumab-based therapy.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Preconditioning Upregulates Heme OxyGenase-1 and Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 Protein Expression in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats with Induced Postischemic Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Nesovic Ostojic Jelena , Ivanov Milan , Mihailovic-Stanojevic Nevena , Karanovic Danijela , Kovacevic Sanjin , Brkic Predrag , Zivotic Maja , Vajic Una Jovana , Jovovic Djurdjica , Jeremic Rada , Ljubojevic-Holzer Senka , Miloradovic Zoran
Published: January 2021

Renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is the most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Pathogenesis of postischemic AKI involves hemodynamic changes, oxidative stress, inflammation process, calcium ion overloading, apoptosis and necrosis. Up to date, therapeutic approaches to treat AKI are extremely limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) preconditioning on citoprotective enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins expression, in postischemic AKI induced in normotensive Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The animals were randomly divided into six experimental groups: SHAM-operated Wistar rats (W-SHAM), Wistar rats with induced postischemic AKI (W-AKI) and Wistar group with HBO preconditioning before AKI induction (W-AKI + HBO). On the other hand, SHR rats were also divided into same three groups: SHR-SHAM, SHR-AKI and SHR-AKI + HBO. We demonstrated that HBO preconditioning upregulated HO-1 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression, in both Wistar and SH rats. In addition, HBO preconditioning improved glomerular filtration rate, supporting by significant increase in creatinine, urea and phosphate clearances in both rat strains. Considering our results, we can also say that even in hypertensive conditions, we can expect protective effects of HBO preconditioning in experimental model of AKI.
Trichostatin A-Assisted Epigenomic Modulation Affects the Expression Profiles of Not Only Recombinant Human α1,2-Fucosyltransferase and α-Galactosidase A Enzymes But Also Galα1→3Gal Epitopes in Porcine Bi-Transgenic Adult Cutaneous Fibroblast Cells
Authors: Wiater Jerzy , Samiec Marcin , Skrzyszowska Maria , Lipiński Daniel
Published: January 2021

This study was conducted to explore whether trichostatin A-assisted epigenomic modulation (TSA-EM) can affect the expression of not only recombinant human α1,2-fucosyltransferase (rhα1,2-FT) and α-galactosidase A (rhα-Gal A) immune system enzymes but also Galα1→3Gal epitopes in ex vivo proliferating adult cutaneous fibroblast cells (ACFCs) derived from hFUT2×hGLA bi-transgenic pigs that had been produced for the needs of future xenotransplantation efforts. The ACFC lines were treated with 50 nM TSA for 24 h and then the expression profiles of rhα1,2-FT and rhα-Gal A enzymes were analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The expression profiles of the Galα1→3Gal epitope were determined by lectin blotting and lectin fluorescence. The ACFCs derived from non-transgenic (nTG) pigs were served as the negative (TSA−) and positive (TSA+) control groups. For both hFUT2×hGLA and nTG samples, the expression levels of α1,2-FT and α-Gal A proteins in TSA+ cells were more than twofold higher in comparison to TSA− cells. Moreover, a much lower expression of the Galα1→3Gal epitopes was shown in TSA− hFUT2×hGLA cells as compared to the TSA− nTG group. Interestingly, the levels of Galα1→3Gal expression in TSA-treated hFUT2×hGLA and nTG ACFCs were significantly higher than those noticed for their TSA-untreated counterparts. Summing up, ex vivo protection of effectively selected bi-transgenic ACFC lines, in which TSA-dependent epigenetic transformation triggered the enhancements in reprogrammability and subsequent expression of hFUT2 and hGLA transgenes and their corresponding transcripts, allows for cryopreservation of nuclear donor cells, nuclear-transferred female gametes, and resultant porcine cloned embryos. The latter can be used as a cryogenically conserved genetic resource of biological materials suitable for generation of bi-transgenic cloned offspring in pigs that is targeted at biomedical research in the field of cell/tissue xenotransplantation.
Identification, Classification, and Expression Analysis of the Triacylglycerol Lipase (TGL) Gene Family Related to Abiotic Stresses in Tomato
Authors: Wang Qi , Xu Xin , Cao Xiaoyu , Hu Tixu , Xia Dongnan , Zhu Jianhua , Zhan Xiangqiang
Published: January 2021

Triacylglycerol Lipases (TGLs) are the major enzymes involved in triacylglycerol catabolism. TGLs hydrolyze long-chain fatty acid triglycerides, which are involved in plant development and abiotic stress responses. Whereas most studies of TGLs have focused on seed oil metabolism and biofuel in plants, limited information is available regarding the genome-wide identification and characterization of the TGL gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Based on the latest published tomato genome annotation ITAG4.0, 129 SlTGL genes were identified and classified into 5 categories according to their structural characteristics. Most SlTGL genes were distributed on 3 of 12 chromosomes. Segment duplication appeared to be the driving force underlying expansion of the TGL gene family in tomato. The promoter analysis revealed that the promoters of SlTGLs contained many stress responsiveness cis-elements, such as ARE, LTR, MBS, WRE3, and WUN-motifs. Expression of the majority of SlTGL genes was suppressed following exposure to chilling and heat, while it was induced under drought stress, such as SlTGLa9, SlTGLa6, SlTGLa25, SlTGLa26, and SlTGLa13. These results provide valuable insights into the roles of the SlTGL genes family and lay a foundation for further functional studies on the linkage between triacylglycerol catabolism and abiotic stress responses in tomato.
SSnet: A Deep Learning Approach for Protein-Ligand Interaction Prediction
Authors: Verma Niraj , Qu Xingming , Trozzi Francesco , Elsaied Mohamed , Karki Nischal , Tao Yunwen , Zoltowski Brian , Larson Eric C. , Kraka Elfi
Published: January 2021

Computational prediction of Protein-Ligand Interaction (PLI) is an important step in the modern drug discovery pipeline as it mitigates the cost, time, and resources required to screen novel therapeutics. Deep Neural Networks (DNN) have recently shown excellent performance in PLI prediction. However, the performance is highly dependent on protein and ligand features utilized for the DNN model. Moreover, in current models, the deciphering of how protein features determine the underlying principles that govern PLI is not trivial. In this work, we developed a DNN framework named SSnet that utilizes secondary structure information of proteins extracted as the curvature and torsion of the protein backbone to predict PLI. We demonstrate the performance of SSnet by comparing against a variety of currently popular machine and non-Machine Learning (ML) models using various metrics. We visualize the intermediate layers of SSnet to show a potential latent space for proteins, in particular to extract structural elements in a protein that the model finds influential for ligand binding, which is one of the key features of SSnet. We observed in our study that SSnet learns information about locations in a protein where a ligand can bind, including binding sites, allosteric sites and cryptic sites, regardless of the conformation used. We further observed that SSnet is not biased to any specific molecular interaction and extracts the protein fold information critical for PLI prediction. Our work forms an important gateway to the general exploration of secondary structure-based Deep Learning (DL), which is not just confined to protein-ligand interactions, and as such will have a large impact on protein research, while being readily accessible for de novo drug designers as a standalone package.
Recent Insights into the Rhythmogenic Core of the Locomotor CPG
Authors: Rancic Vladimir , Gosgnach Simon
Published: January 2021

In order for locomotion to occur, a complex pattern of muscle activation is required. For more than a century, it has been known that the timing and pattern of stepping movements in mammals are generated by neural networks known as central pattern generators (CPGs), which comprise multiple interneuron cell types located entirely within the spinal cord. A genetic approach has recently been successful in identifying several populations of spinal neurons that make up this neural network, as well as the specific role they play during stepping. In spite of this progress, the identity of the neurons responsible for generating the locomotor rhythm and the manner in which they are interconnected have yet to be deciphered. In this review, we summarize key features considered to be expressed by locomotor rhythm-generating neurons and describe the different genetically defined classes of interneurons which have been proposed to be involved.
Asciminib Mitigates DNA Damage Stress Signaling Induced by Cyclophosphamide in the Ovary
Authors: Mattiello Luca , Pucci Giulia , Marchetti Francesco , Diederich Marc , Gonfloni Stefania
Published: January 2021

Cancer treatments can often adversely affect the quality of life of young women. One of the most relevant negative impacts is the loss of fertility. Cyclophosphamide is one of the most detrimental chemotherapeutic drugs for the ovary. Cyclophosphamide may induce the destruction of dormant follicles while promoting follicle activation and growth. Herein, we demonstrate the in vivo protective effect of the allosteric Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor Asciminib on signaling pathways activated by cyclophosphamide in mouse ovaries. We also provide evidence that Asciminib does not interfere with the cytotoxic effect of cyclophosphamide in Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)7 breast cancer cells. Our data indicate that concomitant administration of Asciminib mitigates the cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian reserve loss without affecting the anticancer potential of cyclophosphamide. Taken together, these observations are relevant for the development of effective ferto-protective adjuvants to preserve the ovarian reserve from the damaging effects of cancer therapies.
Pseudo-Dipeptide Bearing α,α-Difluoromethyl Ketone Moiety as Electrophilic Warhead with Activity against Coronaviruses
Authors: Citarella Andrea , Gentile Davide , Rescifina Antonio , Piperno Anna , Mognetti Barbara , Gribaudo Giorgio , Sciortino Maria Teresa , Holzer Wolfgang , Pace Vittorio , Micale Nicola
Published: January 2021

The synthesis of α-fluorinated methyl ketones has always been challenging. New methods based on the homologation chemistry via nucleophilic halocarbenoid transfer, carried out recently in our labs, allowed us to design and synthesize a target-directed dipeptidyl α,α-difluoromethyl ketone (DFMK) 8 as a potential antiviral agent with activity against human coronaviruses. The ability of the newly synthesized compound to inhibit viral replication was evaluated by a viral cytopathic effect (CPE)-based assay performed on MCR5 cells infected with one of the four human coronaviruses associated with respiratory distress, i.e., hCoV-229E, showing antiproliferative activity in the micromolar range (EC50 = 12.9 ± 1.22 µM), with a very low cytotoxicity profile (CC50 = 170 ± 3.79 µM, 307 ± 11.63 µM, and 174 ± 7.6 µM for A549, human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs), and MRC5 cells, respectively). Docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies indicated that 8 efficaciously binds to the intended target hCoV-229E main protease (Mpro). Moreover, due to the high similarity between hCoV-229E Mpro and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, we also performed the in silico analysis towards the second target, which showed results comparable to those obtained for hCoV-229E Mpro and promising in terms of energy of binding and docking pose.
DIscBIO: A User-Friendly Pipeline for Biomarker Discovery in Single-Cell Transcriptomics
Authors: Ghannoum Salim , Leoncio Netto Waldir , Fantini Damiano , Ragan-Kelley Benjamin , Parizadeh Amirabbas , Jonasson Emma , Ståhlberg Anders , Farhan Hesso , Köhn-Luque Alvaro
Published: January 2021

The growing attention toward the benefits of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is leading to a myriad of computational packages for the analysis of different aspects of scRNA-seq data. For researchers without advanced programing skills, it is very challenging to combine several packages in order to perform the desired analysis in a simple and reproducible way. Here we present DIscBIO, an open-source, multi-algorithmic pipeline for easy, efficient and reproducible analysis of cellular sub-populations at the transcriptomic level. The pipeline integrates multiple scRNA-seq packages and allows biomarker discovery with decision trees and gene enrichment analysis in a network context using single-cell sequencing read counts through clustering and differential analysis. DIscBIO is freely available as an R package. It can be run either in command-line mode or through a user-friendly computational pipeline using Jupyter notebooks. We showcase all pipeline features using two scRNA-seq datasets. The first dataset consists of circulating tumor cells from patients with breast cancer. The second one is a cell cycle regulation dataset in myxoid liposarcoma. All analyses are available as notebooks that integrate in a sequential narrative R code with explanatory text and output data and images. R users can use the notebooks to understand the different steps of the pipeline and will guide them to explore their scRNA-seq data. We also provide a cloud version using Binder that allows the execution of the pipeline without the need of downloading R, Jupyter or any of the packages used by the pipeline. The cloud version can serve as a tutorial for training purposes, especially for those that are not R users or have limited programing skills. However, in order to do meaningful scRNA-seq analyses, all users will need to understand the implemented methods and their possible options and limitations.
Multi-Sensor Data Fusion Algorithm for Indoor Fire Early Warning Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Wu Lesong , Chen Lan , Hao Xiaoran
Published: January 2021

Fire early warning is an important way to deal with the faster burning rate of modern home fires and ensure the safety of the residents’ lives and property. To improve real-time fire alarm performance, this paper proposes an indoor fire early warning algorithm based on a back propagation neural network. The early warning algorithm fuses the data of temperature, smoke concentration and carbon monoxide, which are collected by sensors, and outputs the probability of fire occurrence. In this study, non-uniform sampling and trend extraction were used to enhance the ability to distinguish fire signals and environmental interference. Data from six sets of standard test fire scenarios and six sets of no-fire scenarios were used to test the algorithm proposed in this paper. The test results show that the proposed algorithm can correctly alarm six standard test fires from these 12 scenarios, and the fire detection time is shortened by 32%.
Parasitoid Distribution and Parasitism of the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Different Maize Producing Regions of Uganda
Authors: Otim Michael Hilary , Adumo Aropet Stella , Opio Moses , Kanyesigye Dalton , Nakelet Opolot Henry , Tek Tay Wee
Published: January 2021

The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has successfully invaded Africa, where it has significantly impacted maize and sorghum production. Management of FAW in Africa predominantly relies on synthetic insecticides, which are expensive, and negatively impact the environment and beneficial insects. We, therefore, conducted field surveys in Uganda in 2017 and 2019 to identify egg and larval parasitoids of FAW for possible use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Parasitoids were identified by their mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (mtCOI) gene sequences. We identified 13 parasitoid species belonging to three families of Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Braconidae and Ichneumonidae, as well as one Dipteran family (Tachinidae). Coccygidium spp. and Chelonus bifoveolatus were the most abundant and widely distributed parasitoids. Overall, parasitism averaged 9.2% and ranged from 3.1% to 50% in 2017, and 0.8% to 33% in 2019. Parasitism by Sturmiopsis parasitica, Diolcogaster sp., and Cotesia flavipes on FAW in maize crops are reported for the first time. Our results suggest high biological diversity of FAW parasitoids, which should be exploited in the IPM of the FAW in Uganda.
Nerve Fibers in the Tumor Microenvironment Are Co-Localized with Lymphoid Aggregates in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Heij Lara R. , Tan Xiuxiang , Kather Jakob N. , Niehues Jan M. , Sivakumar Shivan , Heussen Nicole , van der Kroft Gregory , Damink Steven W. M. Olde , Lang Sven , Aberle Merel R. , Luedde Tom , Gaisa Nadine T. , Bednarsch Jan , Liu Drolaiz H. W. , Cleutjens Jack P. M. , Modest Dominik P. , Neumann Ulf P. , Wiltberger Georg J.
Published: January 2021

B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are reported to be important in survival in cancer. Pancreatic Cancer (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancer types, and currently, it is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. A better understanding of tumor biology is pivotal to improve clinical outcome. The desmoplastic stroma is a complex system in which crosstalk takes place between cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells and cancer cells. Indirect and direct cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME) drive key processes such as tumor progression, metastasis formation and treatment resistance. In order to understand the aggressiveness of PDAC and its resistance to therapeutics, the TME needs to be further unraveled. There are some limited data about the influence of nerve fibers on cancer progression. Here we show that small nerve fibers are located at lymphoid aggregates in PDAC. This unravels future pathways and has potential to improve clinical outcome by a rational development of new therapeutic strategies.
Implication of miR-126 and miR-139-5p in Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Dysregulation in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Chouri Eleni , Wang Maojie , Hillen Maarten R. , Angiolilli Chiara , Silva-Cardoso Sandra C. , Wichers Catharina G. K. , van der Kroef Maarten , Bekker Cornelis P. J. , Cossu Marta , van Bon Lenny , Affandi Alsya J. , Carvalheiro Tiago , Pandit Aridaman , van Roon Joel A. G. , Beretta Lorenzo , Burgering Boudewijn M. T. , Radstake Timothy R. D. J. , Rossato Marzia
Published: January 2021

Compelling evidence shows the involvement of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis. This study investigated whether microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the dysregulation of pDCs in SSc patients already at early stages. RNA from circulating pDCs was isolated from two independent cohorts of SSc patients with different disease phenotypes, and individuals with Raynaud’s phenomenon, for microRNA profiling and RNA-sequencing analysis. Proteomic analysis was exploited to identify novel direct miRNA targets at the protein level. Twelve and fifteen miRNAs were differentially expressed in at least one group of patients compared to healthy controls in discovery cohort I and II, respectively. Of note, miR-126 and miR-139-5p were upregulated in both preclinical and definite SSc patients and correlated with the expression of type I interferon (IFN)-responsive genes. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) stimulation of healthy pDCs upregulated the expression of both miRNAs, similarly to what was observed in patients. The proteomic analysis identified USP24 as a novel target of miR-139-5p. The expression level of USP24 was inversely correlated with miR-139-5p expression in SSc patients and induced by TLR9 stimulation in healthy pDCs. These findings demonstrated that the miRNA profile is altered in pDCs of SSc patients already at early stages of the disease and indicate their potential contribution to pDC activation observed in patients.
Improved Visual Localization via Graph Filtering
Authors: Lassance Carlos , Latif Yasir , Garg Ravi , Gripon Vincent , Reid Ian
Published: January 2021

Vision-based localization is the problem of inferring the pose of the camera given a single image. One commonly used approach relies on image retrieval where the query input is compared against a database of localized support examples and its pose is inferred with the help of the retrieved items. This assumes that images taken from the same places consist of the same landmarks and thus would have similar feature representations. These representations can learn to be robust to different variations in capture conditions like time of the day or weather. In this work, we introduce a framework which aims at enhancing the performance of such retrieval-based localization methods. It consists in taking into account additional information available, such as GPS coordinates or temporal proximity in the acquisition of the images. More precisely, our method consists in constructing a graph based on this additional information that is later used to improve reliability of the retrieval process by filtering the feature representations of support and/or query images. We show that the proposed method is able to significantly improve the localization accuracy on two large scale datasets, as well as the mean average precision in classical image retrieval scenarios.
In Silico Study Suggesting the Bias of Primers Choice in the Molecular Identification of Fungal Aerosols
Authors: Mbareche Hamza , Veillette Marc , Bilodeau Guillaume J.
Published: January 2021

This paper presents an in silico analysis to assess the current state of the fungal UNITE database in terms of the two eukaryote nuclear ribosomal regions, Internal Transcribed Spacers 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2), used in describing fungal diversity. Microbial diversity is often evaluated with amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing approaches, which is a target enrichment method that relies on the amplification of a specific target using particular primers before sequencing. Thus, the results are highly dependent on the quality of the primers used for amplification. The goal of this study is to validate if the mismatches of the primers on the binding sites of the targeted taxa could explain the differences observed when using either ITS1 or ITS2 in describing airborne fungal diversity. Hence, the choice of the pairs of primers for each barcode concur with a study comparing the performance of ITS1 and ITS2 in three occupational environments. The sequence length varied between the amplicons retrieved from the UNITE database using the pair of primers targeting ITS1 and ITS2. However, the database contains an equal number of unidentified taxa from ITS1 and ITS2 regions in the six taxonomic levels employed (phylum, class, order, family, genus, species). The chosen ITS primers showed differences in their ability to amplify fungal sequences from the UNITE database. Eleven taxa consisting of Trichocomaceae, Dothioraceae, Botryosphaeriaceae, Mucorales, Saccharomycetes, Pucciniomycetes, Ophiocordyceps, Microsporidia, Archaeorhizomycetes, Mycenaceae, and Tulasnellaceae showed large variations between the two regions. Note that members of the latter taxa are not all typical fungi found in the air. As no universal method is currently available to cover all the fungal kingdom, continuous work in designing primers, and particularly combining multiple primers targeting the ITS region is the best way to compensate for the biases of each one to get a larger view of the fungal diversity.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis and Treatment Modulation of Breast Cancer
Authors: Boca (Bene) Ioana , Dudea Sorin M. , Ciurea Anca I.
Published: January 2021

The aim of this paper is to highlight the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in breast cancer in terms of diagnosis, staging and follow-up of the post-treatment response. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is successfully used to diagnose multiple pathologies and has also clinical relevance in breast cancer. CEUS has high accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant lesions by analyzing the enhancement characteristics and calculating the time-intensity curve’s quantitative parameters. It also has a significant role in axillary staging, especially when the lymph nodes are not suspicious on clinical examination and have a normal appearance on gray-scale ultrasound. The most significant clinical impact consists of predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which offers the possibility of adjusting the therapy by dynamically evaluating the patient. CEUS is a high-performance, feasible, non-irradiating, accessible, easy-to-implement imaging method and has proven to be a valuable addition to breast ultrasound.
Evidence of a Down Syndrome Keratopathy: A Three-Dimensional (3-D) Morphogeometric and Volumetric Analysis
Authors: Toprak Ibrahim , Cavas Francisco , Vega Alfredo , Velázquez José S. , Alio del Barrio Jorge L. , Alio Jorge L.
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a different and abnormal corneal profile is present in Down syndrome (DS) by personalized three-dimensional (3D) modelling. This single-centre cross-sectional study included 43 patients with DS (43 eyes) and 58 age-sex-matched control subjects (58 eyes) with normal karyotype and topography. Refraction, central corneal thickness (CCT), aberrations (high-order, coma and spherical), asphericity and morphogeometric/volumetric parameters based on a 3D corneal model that was generated from raw topographical data were evaluated. Deviation of anterior/posterior apex (Dapexant/Dapexpost) and thinnest point (Dmctant/Dmctpost) from corneal vertex, anterior/posterior surface area (Aant/Apost), sagittal area passing through the anterior/posterior apex (Aapexant/Aapexpost) and thinnest point (Amctpost), total corneal volume (Vtotal) and volumetric progression for each 0.05 mm step of the radius value centred to the thinnest point (VOLMCT) and anterior/posterior apex (VOLAAP/VOLPAP) comprised the morphogeometric/volumetric parameters. In the DS group, 58.1% of the eyes presented abnormal topography. High-order and coma aberrations, asphericity, Dapexant, Aant, Apost and Aapexant were significantly higher, whereas CCT, Aapexpost, Amctpost, Vtotal, VOLAAP, VOLPAP and VOLMCT were lower in the DS group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Dapexpost did not differ between the groups (p > 0.05). This study demonstrates that corneas of the subjects with DS are different and more aberrated than those of normal age- and sex-matched non-DS controls. Anterior corneal apex appears to be displaced in DS even with normal topography, while posterior apex seems stable although topography is abnormal. These findings may help to modify our approach in the diagnosis of keratopathy in subjects with DS.
Gender Differences in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Who Received FOLFIRINOX
Authors: Kim Jinkook , Ji Eunjeong , Jung Kwangrok , Jung In Ho , Park Jaewoo , Lee Jong-Chan , Kim Jin Won , Hwang Jin-Hyeok , Kim Jaihwan
Published: January 2021

Background: The combination of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) is a very effective chemotherapeutic regimen for unresectable pancreatic cancer. Previous studies have reported that female gender may be a predictor of a better response to FOLFIRINOX. This study was aimed at investigating the clinical outcomes and dose modification patterns of FOLFIRINOX by gender. Methods: Patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC) who began FOLFIRINOX as the first-line therapy at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between 2013 and 2018 were enrolled. The patients received at least four chemotherapy cycles. Local regression and a linear mixed model were used to analyze dose modification patterns by gender. Results: Ninety-seven patients with MPC (54 men; 43 women) were enrolled. In the first FOLFIRINOX cycle, there were significant differences in age and body surface area between the genders (58.8 (men) and 64.9 years (women), p = 0.005; 1.7 (men) and 1.6 m2 (women), p < 0.001, respectively). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 10.8 and 18.0 months, respectively. There was a trend of longer PFS (10.3 (men) and 11.9 months (women), p = 0.153) and a significantly longer OS (17.9 (men) and 25.9 months (women), p = 0.019) in female patients. During the first year of FOLFIRINOX treatment, there was a significant difference of the age-corrected dose reduction pattern by gender (a mean of 95.6% dose at the initial cycle and −0.35% of dose reduction per week in men versus a mean of 90.7% dose at the initial cycle and −0.53% of dose reduction per week in women, p-value of the slope: <0.001). There was no difference in the adverse event rates between the genders. Conclusions: Female patients showed longer OS despite a more rapid dose reduction during each cycle. Gender differences should be considered during FOLFIRINOX treatment.
Comparative Efficacy of Various Stents for Palliation in Patients with Malignant Extrahepatic Biliary Obstruction: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Park Chan Hyuk , Park Se Woo , Jung Jang Han , Jung Eun Suk , Kim Jung Hee , Park Da Hae
Published: January 2021

Although many studies have investigated the efficacy of stent placement for patients with malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction, the clinical outcomes and adverse events of biliary stenting have not been comprehensively evaluated. We searched all relevant randomized-controlled trials that evaluated the comparative efficacy of biliary stents, including the plastic stents, uncovered self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs), and covered SEMSs in patients with malignant extrahepatic biliary obstructions. Twenty-one studies with 2326 patients were included. Both uncovered and covered SEMSs had a lower risk of recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) compared to plastic stents (risk ratio (RR) (95% confidence interval [CI]): uncovered vs. plastic, 0.46 (0.35–0.62); covered vs. plastic, 0.46 (0.34–0.62)). A comparison of the groups using SEMSs revealed that tumor ingrowth was common in the uncovered SEMS group, while stent migration, tumor overgrowth, and occlusion by sludge were common in the covered SEMS group; however, the overall risk of RBO did not differ between these groups (RR (95% CI): uncovered vs. covered: 1.02 (0.80–1.30)). Although the main causes of RBO vary across stents, RBO risk was similar between uncovered and covered SEMS groups. Both SEMSs have superior efficacy in terms of RBO compared to plastic stents.
RSSI-Based Localization Schemes for Wireless Sensor Networks Using Outlier Detection
Authors: Chuku Ndubueze , Nasipuri Asis
Published: January 2021

The received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of RF signals is a cost-effective solution for distance estimation, which makes it a practical choice for localization schemes in wireless sensor networks (WSN). However, RF propagation channels in most WSN deployment environments, including dense cities and natural habitats, are commonly affected by shadowing due to obstructions caused by natural and man-made obstacles. RF signal attenuation from shadowing introduces uncharacteristically high errors in RSSI-based distance estimates, which result in large errors in RSSI-based localization schemes. This paper proposes the use of outlier detection methods for removing the effect of such disproportionately erroneous distance estimates in location estimation using RSSI. Three different localization schemes are proposed that apply outlier detection to effectively reduce localization errors in shadowed environments. Performance results of the proposed schemes are obtained using computer simulations and experimental tests.
Molecules and Mechanisms to Overcome Oxidative Stress Inducing Cardiovascular Disease in Cancer Patients
Authors: Sabbatino Francesco , Conti Valeria , Liguori Luigi , Polcaro Giovanna , Corbi Graziamaria , Manzo Valentina , Tortora Vincenzo , Carlomagno Chiara , Vecchione Carmine , Filippelli Amelia , Pepe Stefano
Published: January 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are molecules involved in signal transduction pathways with both beneficial and detrimental effects on human cells. ROS are generated by many cellular processes including mitochondrial respiration, metabolism and enzymatic activities. In physiological conditions, ROS levels are well-balanced by antioxidative detoxification systems. In contrast, in pathological conditions such as cardiovascular, neurological and cancer diseases, ROS production exceeds the antioxidative detoxification capacity of cells, leading to cellular damages and death. In this review, we will first describe the biology and mechanisms of ROS mediated oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease. Second, we will review the role of oxidative stress mediated by oncological treatments in inducing cardiovascular disease. Lastly, we will discuss the strategies that potentially counteract the oxidative stress in order to fight the onset and progression of cardiovascular disease, including that induced by oncological treatments.
Effect of Steel Slag Aggregate on Pavement and Flame-Retardant Performance of Warm-Mixed Flame-Retardant Asphalt Concrete
Authors: Ren Yanfei , Chen Meizhu , Yang Tianyuan , Wu Shaopeng , Wang Kaifeng
Published: January 2021

With the rapid development of tunnel construction, tunnel safety and the shortage of high-quality aggregates have concerned researchers so that this issue has become a research hot spot in the past few years. In the present study, we intended to prepare warm-mixed flame-retardant asphalt concrete using steel slag aggregate and evaluate its pavement and flame retardant performance. In this regard, the chemical composition and microstructure of the steel slag were studied using X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then diverse pavement performances, including the dynamic stability, immersion Marshall, freeze–thaw splitting strength and low-temperature bending, were investigated for the warm-mixed flame-retardant asphalt concrete with steel slag aggregate. Moreover, a creative method of the flame spray gun combustion test was proposed to characterize the combustion degree and evaluate the flame-retardant performance of the asphalt concrete with steel slag. The experimental results show that the high-temperature and moisture stability performance are improved due to the addition of steel slag, however, the low-temperature performance is reduced for the warm-mixed flame-retardant asphalt concrete while it is still higher than the requirement value of the Chinese specification (GB/T 30596-2014). Meanwhile, the ignition temperature is increased and the ignition time is delayed for warm-mixed flame-retardant asphalt concrete because of the addition of steel slag. It is concluded that asphalt concrete with steel slag has excellent flame-retardant performance so that it is an appropriate choice for tunnel pavement.