bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The RNA-Binding Motif Protein Family in Cancer: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Li Zhigang , Guo Qingyu , Zhang Jiaxin , Fu Zitong , Wang Yifei , Wang Tianzhen , Tang Jing
Published: November 2021

The RNA-binding motif (RBM) proteins are a class of RNA-binding proteins named, containing RNA-recognition motifs (RRMs), RNA-binding domains, and ribonucleoprotein motifs. RBM proteins are involved in RNA metabolism, including splicing, transport, translation, and stability. Many studies have found that aberrant expression and dysregulated function of RBM proteins family members are closely related to the occurrence and development of cancers. This review summarizes the role of RBM proteins family genes in cancers, including their roles in cancer occurrence and cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. It is essential to understand the mechanisms of these proteins in tumorigenesis and development, and to identify new therapeutic targets and prognostic markers.
Individualized Treatment Strategy for Cutaneous Melanoma: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?
Authors: Zeng Huihua , Liu Fen , Zhou Hairong , Zeng Changchun
Published: November 2021

In the past several decades, innovative research in cancer biology and immunology has contributed to novel therapeutics, such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which have transformed the management of patients with melanoma. Despite the remarkable therapeutic outcomes of targeted treatments targeting MAPK signaling and immunotherapy that suppresses immune checkpoints, some individuals acquire therapeutic resistance and disease recurrence. This review summarizes the current understanding of melanoma genetic variations and discusses individualized melanoma therapy options, particularly for advanced or metastatic melanoma, as well as potential drug resistance mechanisms. A deeper understanding of individualized treatment will assist in improving clinical outcomes for patients with cutaneous melanoma.
Proliferation Pattern of Pediatric Tumor-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Role in Cancer Dormancy: A Perspective of Study for Surgical Strategy
Authors: Pelizzo Gloria , Riva Federica , Croce Stefania , Avanzini Maria Antonietta , Acquafredda Gloria , de Silvestri Annalisa , Mazzon Emanuela , Bramanti Placido , Zuccotti Gianvincenzo , Mazzini Giuliano , Calcaterra Valeria
Published: November 2021

The explanation for cancer recurrence still remains to be fully elucidated. Moreover, tumor dormancy, which is a process whereby cells enter reversible G0 cell cycle arrest, appears to be a critical step in this phenomenon. We evaluated the cell cycle proliferation pattern in pediatric tumor-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), in order to provide a better understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying cancer dormancy. Specimens were obtained from 14 pediatric patients diagnosed with solid tumors and submitted to surgery. Morphology, phenotype, differentiation, immunological capacity, and proliferative growth of tumor MSCs were studied. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to evaluate the cell percentage of each cell cycle phase. Healthy donor bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) were employed as controls. It was noted that the DNA profile of proliferating BM-MSC was different from that of tumor MSCs. All BM-MSCs expressed the typical DNA profile of proliferating cells, while in all tumor MSC samples, ≥70% of the cells were detected in the G0/G1 phase. In particular, seven tumor MSC samples displayed intermediate cell cycle behavior, and the other seven tumor MSC samples exhibited a slow cell cycle. The increased number of tumor MSCs in the G0–G1 phase compared with BM-MSCs supports a role for quiescent MSCs in tumor dormancy regulation. Understanding the mechanisms that promote dormant cell cycle arrest is essential in identifying predictive markers of recurrence and to promote a dedicated surgical planning.
Predicting Post-operative Blood Inflammatory Biomarkers Using Pre-operative Heart Rate Variability in Patients With Cervical Cancer
Authors: Liu Jian , Liu Shiqi , Gao Longfei , Li Guangqiao , Xu Jie , Sun Yilin , Wang Jingfeng , Shi Bo
Published: November 2021

Blood inflammatory biomarkers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), play a significant role in determining the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer (CC). Currently, no methods are available to predict these indexes pre-operatively. Cardiac autonomic function is determined based on the heart rate variability (HRV), which is also associated with a progressive inflammatory response and cancer. Thus, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using pre-operative HRV parameters in CC patients to predict post-operative blood inflammation biomarkers as a means of determining prognosis. Between 2020 and 2021, 56 patients who were diagnosed with CC and then underwent hysterectomy surgery at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Bengbu Medical College were enrolled in this study. Five-minute electrocardiogram data were collected 1 day before the operation for analysis of HRV parameters, including frequency domain parameters (LF, HF, and LF/HF) and Poincaré plot parameters (SD1, SD2, and SD2/SD1). Venous blood was collected 2 days post-operatively and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated, with the NLR, LMR, and PLR determined. Pre-operative SD2 was significantly associated with post-operative PLR, with each 1-unit increase in SD2 decreasing the PLR value by 2.4 ± 0.9 (P < 0.05). Besides, LF/HF was significantly correlated with NLR, with each 1-unit increase in LF/HF increasing the NLR value by 1.1 ± 0.5 (P < 0.05). This association was independent of patient age and body mass index. These results suggest that the pre-operative autonomic nervous system plays a role in the regulation of post-operative cancer inflammation and that pre-operative HRV parameters can potentially predict post-operative inflammation and facilitate clinical treatment decisions.
The Role of Leadership Level in College Students’ Decision-Making: Evidence From Event-Related Potential Analysis
Authors: Yang Yuwei , Du Shunshun , He Hui , Wang Chengming , Shan Xueke , Gu Huang , Zhao Junfeng
Published: November 2021

Although risk decision-making plays an important role in leadership practice, the distinction in behavior between humans with differing levels of leadership, as well as the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms involved, remain unclear. In this study, the Ultimatum Game (UG) was utilized in concert with electroencephalograms (EEG) to investigate the temporal course of cognitive and emotional processes involved in economic decision-making between high and low leadership level college students. Behavioral results from this study found that the acceptance rates in an economic transaction, when the partner was a computer under unfair/sub unfair condition, were significantly higher than in transactions with real human partners for the low leadership group, while there was no significant difference in acceptance rates for the high leadership group. Results from Event-Related Potentials (ERP) analysis further indicated that there was a larger P3 amplitude in the low leadership group than in the high leadership group. We concluded that the difference between high and low leadership groups was at least partly due to their different emotional management abilities.
Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess Creative Potential Traits
Authors: Penagos-Corzo Julio C. , Saucedo Axel
Published: November 2021

The aim of the study was to develop an inventory to assess traits of creative potential and to analyze its psychometric properties. Three dimensions that could be associated with creative potential were proposed: willingness to transgress, willingness to take on challenges, and willingness to explore. For this purpose 551 participants were chosen to respond to an inventory composed of 12 items: Traits of Creative Potential Questionnaire, (TCPQ-12) and other tests to determine concurrent validity. The correlations between these instruments were significant. In addition, the instrument showed adequate internal consistency (Ω = 0.813) and the exploratory factor analysis yielded salient factors coincident with the proposed dimensions. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated an optimal fit (CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.979, GFI = 0.963, RMSEA = 0.035). with composite reliability (CR) values > 0.70 in two factors and in one was slightly lower (CR = 0.684). The average variance extracted (AVE) was > 0.5 in two factors and in one < 0.5. The study data allow to highlight that the instrument presented here is a concise instrument with adequate psychometric properties.
The Impact of a Workplace Terrorist Attack on the Psychosocial Work Environment: A Longitudinal Study From Pre- to Post-disaster
Authors: Berthelsen Mona , Hansen Marianne Bang , Nissen Alexander , Nielsen Morten Birkeland , Knardahl Stein , Heir Trond
Published: November 2021

The psychosocial work environment is of great importance for regaining health and productivity after a workplace disaster. Still, there is a lack of knowledge about the impact of a disaster on the psychosocial work environment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether employees' perceptions of role clarity, role conflicts, and predictability in their work situation changed from before to after a workplace terrorist attack. We combined data from two prospective work environment surveys of employees in three governmental ministries that were the target of the 2011 Oslo terrorist attack. A first two-wave survey was conducted 4–5 years and 2–3 years before the attack, and a second three-wave survey took place 10 months, 2 years, and 3 years after the attack. Of 504 individuals who were employed at the time of the bombing, 220 were employed in both pre- and post-disaster periods, participated in both the first and the second survey, and consented to the linking of data from the two surveys. We found no significant changes in levels of role clarity, role conflict, and predictability from before to after the terrorist attack. Adjusting for sex, age and education had no effect on the results. The findings suggest that perceptions of the psychosocial working environment are likely to be maintained at previous levels in the aftermath of a workplace disaster. Considering the importance of the psychosocial work environment for regaining health and productivity, the findings are important for the preparation for, and management of, future crises.
Adoption of an Evidence-Based Intervention for Mammography Screening Adherence in Safety Net Clinics
Authors: Holcomb Jennifer , Ferguson Gayla , Roth Isabel , Walton Gretchen , Highfield Linda
Published: November 2021

Through an academic-community partnership, an evidence-based intervention to reduce mammography appointment no-show rates in underserved women was expanded to safety net clinics. The partnership implemented four strategies to improve the adoption and scale-up of evidence-based interventions with Federally Qualified Health Centers and charity care clinics: (1) an outreach email blast targeting the community partner member clinics to increase program awareness, (2) an adoption video encouraging enrollment in the program, (3) an outreach webinar educating the community partner member clinics about the program, encouraging enrollment and outlining adoption steps, and (4) an adoption survey adapted from Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs from the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network for cancer control interventions with Federally Qualified Health Centers. The development of academic-community partnerships can lead to successful adoption of evidence-based interventions particularly in safety net clinics.
Present vs. Future Property Losses From a 100-Year Coastal Flood: A Case Study of Grand Isle, Louisiana
Authors: Mostafiz Rubayet Bin , Bushra Nazla , Rohli Robert V. , Friedland Carol J. , Rahim Md Adilur
Published: November 2021

Louisiana, U.S.A., is among the world's most vulnerable places to coastal flooding. Increasing frequency/intensity of natural hazards under climate change scenarios is expected to exacerbate Louisiana's coastal flood risk. Although many factors are involved, land subsidence from marshland compaction and underground resource extraction, shoreline erosion accelerated by eustatic sea level rise (ESLR), and tropical-cyclone-induced storm surge are among the most important. While past research has focused on flood risk assessment and mitigation strategies, including climate change scenarios, few studies examine all of these factors collectively. This study shows present pluvial flood depth and the contributions of additional coastal subsidence and ESLR toward future (2050) pluvial flooding. Then, current tropical-storm-induced storm surge and future storm surge depth modeled by Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) under climate change scenarios are presented. Present and future 100-year pluvial flood and storm surge losses (separately, 2020$) to structures and their contents are estimated at the individual building level for Grand Isle, Louisiana, a barrier island town of ecological, economic, historical, recreational, cultural, and aesthetic treasure. Results suggest that the average 100-year pluvial flood depth in buildings will increase by 1.35 feet by 2050, with subsidence contributing over 82% of this total. Subsidence is projected to escalate structure and content losses by ~17% above losses in 2017, while ESLR may contribute ~3% above 2017 losses. A 100-year tropical-cyclone-induced storm surge event amid a “low” scenario of environmental change as defined by CPRA would increase Grand Isle's structure and content losses by 68–74% above the 2017 value by 2027, 141–149% by 2042, and 346–359% by 2067. The (“high”) scenario of environmental change would increase the 100-year storm surge losses by 85–91% above the 2017 value by 2027, 199–218% by 2042, and 407–415% by 2067. Outcomes from this study will offer a more realistic risk assessment model and will direct flood risk managers, property owners, and other stakeholders to build a comprehensive framework to minimize future flood risk in one of the most vulnerable sites in the U.S.A. to coastal flooding.
Storm Clouds on the Horizon: On the Emerging Need to Tighten Selection Policies
Authors: Johnston Kathryn , Farah Lou , Baker Joe
Published: November 2021

Athlete selection is fundamental in elite sport, occurring regularly throughout an athlete's development. Research in this area reveals the accuracy of these decisions is questionable in even the most elite sport environments and athletes are increasingly disputing these decisions as unfair and punitive. As a countermeasure to these dispute and arbitration practices, many elite sport systems have created policies where coaches must outline and stand behind the criteria used for their selection decisions. Selection criteria policies have the potential to help encourage fair selection practices by holding selectors accountable to their selection criteria, but their implementation also has the potential to wrongfully nudge selectors toward developing more defendable, but less-accurate selection practices. The paper concludes with 10 suggestions to help support practitioners when implementing selection criteria.
Case Report: Superficial Circumflex Iliac Artery Perforator Flap for Tongue Reconstruction Following the Hemiglossectomy
Authors: Fang Yihong , Ouyang Qiming , Zheng Zhi , Wang Jin
Published: November 2021

Objective: Therapeutic evaluation of applying superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap in tongue reconstruction after hemiglossectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively collected a total number of 14 patients who received SCIP flap reconstruction for tongue defects at the Fujian Medical University affiliated Union Hospital, between November 2016 and November 2020. We evaluated the clinical features of the flap, analyzed the postoperative functions and esthetic effects after 6 months of the tongue reconstruction.

Results: All the SCIP flaps survived successfully after the operation, the recipient site tongue bodies were well reconstructed 6 months after the surgery. Patient speech and swallowing functions were well recovered during the follow-up. The scars in the donor site were concealed with limited numbness.

Conclusions: With the advantages of the hidden donor site and aesthetic benefits, the SCIP flap is a reliable option for the reconstruction of the tongue defect after hemiglossectomy.
Population-Based Survival Analysis of Patients With Limb Rhabdomyosarcoma and Metastasis at Diagnosis
Authors: Yang Chunying , Wang Haiqing , Niu Feng , Yao Lufeng
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Given the poor prognosis and the relative rarity of patients diagnosed with limb rhabdomyosarcoma (LRMS) and metastasis at diagnosis, we performed this study to reveal distinctive clinical features and evaluated prognostic factors of this special population in order to provide appropriate treatment.

Patients and Methods: We carried out retrospective research of patients diagnosed with LRMS and metastasis from 1975 to 2016 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program database. Survival curves were generated by applying the Kaplan–Meier method. In terms of evaluating and determining independent predictors of survival, we conducted univariate and multivariate survival analyses using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results: This retrospective analysis contained a series of 245 patients with metastatic LRMS, with male predominance (male vs. female, 1.6:1). Nearly half of the patients were diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (44.9%). According to the results of the univariate and multivariate analyses, younger age, tumor subtype, and radiotherapy were found to be significantly associated with improved overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS).

Conclusions: Patients with LRMS and metastasis at diagnosis experienced a quite poor prognosis. Age at diagnosis, tumor subtype, and radiotherapy can help clinicians to better estimate the prognosis. This study indicated that local radiotherapy can provide a survival benefit.
Effects of Microbial Fermented Feed on Serum Biochemical Profile, Carcass Traits, Meat Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profile, and Gut Microbiome Composition of Finishing Pigs
Authors: Tang Xiaopeng , Liu Xuguang , Zhang Kai
Published: November 2021

Microbial fermented feed is an important part of feed industry, while little research has focused on the solid-state fermentation of complete feed. Herein, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of fermented complete feed (FCF) on the growth performance, biochemical profile, carcass traits, meat proximate composition, meat amino acid and fatty acid profile, and gut microbiome composition of finishing pigs, thereby providing references for the application of FCF in animal production. Twenty Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs with an average body weight (BW) of 48.74 ± 1.49 kg were divided randomly into control group (pigs received a basal diet, CN, n = 10) and FCF group (pigs fed with FCF, n = 10). The experiment lasted for 60 days. FCF improved the growth performance, which was indicated by a significantly increased final BW, average daily gain and average daily feed intake, and a significantly decreased feed-to-gain ratio. FCF improved biochemical profile, which was indicated by a higher alkaline phosphatase, glucose, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity content. Pigs that received FCF had better carcass traits and meat quality than did pigs that received basal diet, which was indicated by a higher carcass length, crude protein content, lysine content, Glu content, C18:ln9c, C18:2n6c, C20:4n6, and unsaturated fatty acid content and a lower average back-fat thickness, C18:0, and saturated fatty acids. FCF significantly reduced the relative abundances of presumably pathogenic bacteria of phylum Proteobacteria and genus Escherichia–Shigella and enhanced the relative abundances of likely beneficial bacteria of phylum Firmicutes and genus Clostridium. In summary, FCF had a certain effect on the improvement of growth performance, serum biochemical profile, carcass traits, meat proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profile, and gut microbiome composition of finishing pigs.
Blade Roughness Effects on Compressor and Engine Performance—A CFD and Thermodynamic Study
Authors: Alqallaf Jasem , Teixeira Joao A.
Published: November 2021

Degradation of compressors is a common concern for operators of gas turbine engines (GTEs). Surface roughness, due to erosion or fouling, is considered one of the major factors of the degradation phenomenon in compressors that can negatively affect the designed pressure rise, efficiency, and, therefore, the engine aero/thermodynamic performance. The understanding of the aerodynamic implications of varying the blade surface roughness plays a significant role in establishing the magnitude of performance degradation. The present work investigates the implications due to the degradation of the compressor caused by the operation in eroding environments on the gas turbine cycle performance linking, thereby, the compressor aerodynamics with a thermodynamic cycle. At the core of the present study is the numerical assessment of the effect of surface roughness on compressor performance employing the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools. The research engine test case employed in the study comprised a fan, bypass, and two stages of the low pressure compressor (booster). Three operating conditions on the 100% speed-line, including the design point, were investigated. Five roughness cases, in addition to the smooth case, with equivalent sand-grain roughness (ks) of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 150 µm were simulated. Turbomatch the Cranfield in-house gas turbine performance simulation software, was employed to model the degraded engine performance. The study showed that the increase in the uniform roughness is associated with sizable drops in efficiency, booster pressure ratio (PR), non-dimensional mass flow (NDMF), and overall engine pressure ratio (EPR) together with rises in turbine entry temperature (TET) and specific fuel consumption (SFC). The performance degradation evaluation employed variables such as isentropic efficiency (ηis), low pressure compressor (LPC) PR, NDMF, TET, SFC, andEPR. The variation in these quantities showed, for the maximum blade surface degradation case, drops of 7.68%, 2.62% and 3.53%, rises of 1.14% and 0.69%, and a drop of 0.86%, respectively.
Comparison of a Lightweight Experimental Shaker and an Orchard Tractor Mounted Trunk Shaker for Fresh Market Citrus Harvesting
Authors: Ortiz Coral , Torregrosa Antonio , Castro-García Sergio
Published: November 2021

A designed lightweight experimental shaker successfully used to collect ornamental oranges has been tested to harvest fresh market citrus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the removal efficiency and operational times of this experimental device compared to an orchard trunk shaker. Three different collecting systems were studied. ‘Caracara’ citrus trees were tested. Removal efficiency, vibration parameters, fruit and tree damages, and fruit quality were measured. A high-speed camera was used to record operational times and determine cumulative removal percentage over vibration time. The canvases on the ground reduced the severe fruit damages but were not useful to protect against light damages. The experimental shaker produced a higher percentage of slightly damaged oranges. No significant differences in removal efficiency were found between the two harvesting systems. However, removal efficiency using the experimental device could be reduced by 40 percent and working time increase by more than 50 percent when access to the main branches was difficult. In agreement with previous results, the curve representing the branch cumulative removal percentage in time followed a sigmoidal pattern. A model was built showing that during the first 5 s more than 50 percent of the fruits were detached.
Practices and Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Variability in Family Farming. An Analysis of Cases of Rural Communities in the Andes Mountains of Colombia and Chile
Authors: Marchant Santiago Carla , Rodríguez Díaz Paulina , Morales-Salinas Luis , Paz Betancourt Liliana , Ortega Fernández Luis
Published: November 2021

Climate variability imposes greater challenges on family farming and especially on rural communities in vulnerable mountainous regions such as the Andes in Latin America. Changes in rainfall patterns and fluctuations in temperatures cause a greater frequency of extreme events, increased pests, and crop diseases, which even lead to food insecurity in communities that depend on self-production for survival. This is why strategies need to be developed to face this new scenario. Two cases of adaptation experiences to the effects of climate variability in rural communities in Chile (Araucanía Region) and Colombia (Cauca Department) were analyzed on this paper. For this, a mixed methodological approach was adopted that included the analysis of climate data, socioeconomic, and productive characterization of the communities, and a characterization of adaptation practices for both cases. The results show various ways of adapting mainly to changes in the availability and access of water for the development of agriculture and for domestic use. Likewise, it is shown that in order to be successful, the measures for facing climate variability must be part of coordinated strategies under a community-based adaptation approach and not developed in isolation.
Abiotic Stresses: Alteration of Composition and Grain Quality in Food Legumes
Authors: Sarkar Sumi , Khatun Marium , Era Farzana Mustafa , Islam A. K. M. Mominul , Anwar Md. Parvez , Danish Subhan , Datta Rahul , Islam A. K. M. Aminul
Published: November 2021

Abiotic stresses varyingly affect the grain composition and quality of food legumes. This paper is aimed at discussing the impact of abiotic stresses on the grain composition and quality of food legumes. As protein is the main grain constituent of food legumes for which it is being consumed by humans as a cheap protein source, abiotic stresses such as heat, cold, drought, salinity and heavy metals alter this grain protein content in different dimensions for different food legumes. Moreover, other valuable constituents such as starch, soluble sugar, oil, fatty acid and fiber content are affected differently by the abiotic stresses. The diverse impact of these abiotic stresses ultimately declines the grain quality and yield of food legumes. As food legumes play a vital role in the nutritional diet of millions of people in the world and are occasionally denoted as the meat of poor people, it is important to recognize that the sustainable production of food legumes, even under various environmental stresses, has the potential to ensure protein security for people globally. Therefore, it has become a necessity to improve the productivity and quality of food legumes under abiotic stresses through proper crop management and improved breeding strategies, thus enhancing food and economic security to the farmers, particularly in the developing countries of the world.
Circulating Superoxide Dismutase Concentrations in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pau Maria Carmina , Mangoni Arduino Aleksander , Zinellu Elisabetta , Pintus Gianfranco , Carru Ciriaco , Fois Alessandro Giuseppe , Pirina Pietro , Zinellu Angelo
Published: November 2021

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is characterized by a pro-oxidant state that results from the recurrent hypoxia-reoxygenation cycles. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), a key antioxidant enzyme involved in the detoxification of superoxide radicals, could represent a reliable marker to monitor the antioxidant defences in OSA. In order to capture and critically appraise the available evidence, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting SOD concentrations in OSA patients and non-OSA controls in the electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. In total, 13 studies in 847 OSA patients and 438 non-OSA controls were included in the meta-analysis. Blood SOD concentrations were significantly lower in OSA patients (SMD = 0.87, p < 0.001). By contrast, serum/plasma SOD concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. Although extreme between-study heterogeneity was observed, the SMD was not substantially modified when individual studies were sequentially removed. In conclusion, we observed that whole blood, but not serum/plasma, SOD concentrations were significantly lower in OSA patients compared with controls. Our meta-analysis suggests an impaired antioxidant defence in OSA that is more robustly assessed in the corpuscular biological matrix and provides useful background information for further studies investigating the association between SOD changes and clinical status in OSA.
Finger Millet Ethanol Extracts Prevent Hypertension by Inhibiting the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Level and Enhancing the Antioxidant Capacity in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Park Se Yeong , Jeong Eun Woo , Yang Yun Sun , Kim Hyun-Joo , Go Gwang-woong , Lee Hyeon Gyu
Published: November 2021

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) contains high levels of calcium and polyphenols, which have a variety of beneficial functions. We tested the hypothesis that finger millet ethanol extracts (FEs) have an antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The study groups were assigned as follows: (1) Wistar Kyoto rats (normal); (2) SHRs treated with saline (negative control); (3) SHRs treated with captopril 50 mg/kg bw (positive control); (4) SHRs treated with FE 250 mg/kg bw (FE250); and (5) SHRs treated with FE 500 mg/kg bw (FE500). FE supplementation improved the lipid profiles, including the triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, without deterioration in liver function. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance concentration and superoxide dismutase activity significantly improved after the application of FE250 and FE500. Interestingly, FE250 and FE500 application dramatically reduced the systolic blood pressure. FE supplementation exhibited powerful control over the renin-angiotensin system by reducing the angiotensin-converting enzyme levels and renin mRNA expression in the kidney. Additionally, FE500 application ameliorated vascular remodeling, reversed the thickening media, and decreased the media thickness/lumen diameter ratio of the aorta. These results imply that FEs are a potent antihypertensive nutraceutical for regulating the renin–angiotensin system and simultaneously inhibiting oxidative stress.
A Latent Heat Storage System for Low-Temperature Applications: From Materials Selection to Prototype Performances
Authors: Haillot Didier , Lalau Yasmine , Franquet Erwin , Rigal Sacha , Jay Frederic , Bédécarrats Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2021

The industrial sector is increasingly obliged to reduce its energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions to contribute to the world organizations’ targets in energy transition. An energy efficiency solution lies in the development of thermal energy storage systems, which are notably lacking in the low-temperature range (50–85 °C), for applications such as district heating or low-temperature waste heat recovery. This work aims to bring a latent heat storage solution from material selection to prototype evaluation. The first part of this paper is dedicated to the characterization and aging of a phase change material selected from a screening of the literature (fatty acid mixture mainly composed by stearic and palmitic acid). Then, this material is encapsulated and tested in a prototype whose performances are evaluated under various operating conditions. Finally, a numerical model validated by the experimental results is used to explore the influence of a wider range of operating conditions, dimensioning choices, and material conductivity improvements.
On the Determination of Acoustic Properties of Membrane Type Structural Skin Elements by Means of Surface Displacements
Authors: Urbán Daniel , Roozen N. B. , Jandák Vojtech , Brothánek Marek , Jiříček Ondřej
Published: November 2021

The article focuses on the determination of the acoustic properties (sound transmission loss, sound absorption and transmission coefficient under acoustic plane wave excitation) of membrane-type of specimens by means of a combination of incident plane wave sound pressure and membrane surface displacement information, measuring the sound pressure with a microphone and the membrane displacement by means of a laser Doppler vibrometer. An overview of known measurement methods and the theoretical background of the proposed so-called mobility-based method (MM) is presented. The proposed method was compared with the conventional methods for sound transmission loss and absorption measurement in the impedance tube, both numerically and experimentally. Finite element model (FEM) simulation results of two single layer membrane samples of different shape configurations were compared, amongst which six different variations of the backing wall termination. Four different approaches to determine the sound transmission loss and two methods to determine sound absorption properties of the membranes were compared. Subsequently, the proposed method was tested in a laboratory environment. The proposed MM method can be possibly used to measure the vibro-acoustic properties of building parts in situ.
Comparison of Exposed Aggregate Cement Concrete Surface and Stone Mastic Asphalt Surface Noise Emissions by Close-Proximity Method
Authors: Hablovicova Blanka , Krivanek Vitezslav , Markova Petra
Published: November 2021

In this study, results from long-term monitoring of the tyre/road noises of the exposed aggregate cement concrete (EACC) with the highest grain size of 8 mm and stone mastic asphalt (SMA) surface with the highest grain size of 11 mm performed by close-proximity (CPX) method are presented. There are certain concerns that the EACC surface will have inferior noise properties than SMA. These concerns are based on previous experience with the cement concrete surface with transverse tining texture which is very noisy. The main aim of this article is to demonstrate that these concerns are unfounded. A section of the motorway was chosen for the measuring and the testing speed for all measurements was 80 km·h−1. Provisional results (based on six years of monitoring) show that the noise levels measured on both these surface types are similar over their lifetime and exhibit logarithmic acoustic behaviour.
Extreme-Ultraviolet Beam-Foil Spectra of Na through Cl
Authors: Träbert Elmar
Published: November 2021

Beam-foil EUV spectra of elements from Na through Cl are presented, partly in survey spectra and partly in detail spectra. The ionization stages of interest are medium to high, so that three to thirteen electrons remain. Research topics are outlined and the problems of the measurement technique discussed.
GANs and Artificial Facial Expressions in Synthetic Portraits
Authors: Rosado Pilar , Fernández Rubén , Reverter Ferran
Published: November 2021

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) provide powerful architectures for deep generative learning. GANs have enabled us to achieve an unprecedented degree of realism in the creation of synthetic images of human faces, landscapes, and buildings, among others. Not only image generation, but also image manipulation is possible with GANs. Generative deep learning models are inherently limited in their creative abilities because of a focus on learning for perfection. We investigated the potential of GAN’s latent spaces to encode human expressions, highlighting creative interest for suboptimal solutions rather than perfect reproductions, in pursuit of the artistic concept. We have trained Deep Convolutional GAN (DCGAN) and StyleGAN using a collection of portraits of detained persons, portraits of dead people who died of violent causes, and people whose portraits were taken during an orgasm. We present results which diverge from standard usage of GANs with the specific intention of producing portraits that may assist us in the representation and recognition of otherness in contemporary identity construction.
Modern Approaches in Cardiovascular Disease Therapeutics: From Molecular Genetics to Tissue Engineering
Authors: Mallis Panagiotis , Michalopoulos Efstathios , Stavropoulos-Giokas Catherine
Published: November 2021

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) currently represents one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is estimated that more than 17.9 million people die each year due to CVD manifestations. Often, occlusion or stenosis of the vascular network occurs, either in large- or small-diameter blood vessels. Moreover, the obstruction of small vessels such as the coronary arteries may be related to more pronounced events, which can be life-threatening. The gold standard procedure utilizes the transplantation of secondary vessels or the use of synthetic vascular grafts. However, significant adverse reactions have accompanied the use of the above grafts. Therefore, modern therapeutic strategies must be evaluated for better disease administration. In the context of alternative therapies, advanced tissue-engineering approaches including the decellularization procedure and the 3D additive bioprinting methods, have been proposed. In this way the availability of bioengineered vascular grafts will be increased, covering the great demand that exists globally. In this Special Issue of Bioengineering, we tried to highlight the modern approaches which are focused on CVD therapeutics. This issue includes articles related to the efficient development of vascular grafts, 3D printing approaches and suitable atherosclerosis models.
Semantic Segmentation of Urinary Bladder Cancer Masses from CT Images: A Transfer Learning Approach
Authors: Baressi Šegota Sandi , Lorencin Ivan , Smolić Klara , Anđelić Nikola , Markić Dean , Mrzljak Vedran , Štifanić Daniel , Musulin Jelena , Španjol Josip , Car Zlatan
Published: November 2021

Urinary bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers of the urinary tract. This cancer is characterized by its high metastatic potential and recurrence rate. Due to the high metastatic potential and recurrence rate, correct and timely diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment and care. With the aim of increasing diagnosis accuracy, artificial intelligence algorithms are introduced to clinical decision making and diagnostics. One of the standard procedures for bladder cancer diagnosis is computer tomography (CT) scanning. In this research, a transfer learning approach to the semantic segmentation of urinary bladder cancer masses from CT images is presented. The initial data set is divided into three sub-sets according to image planes: frontal (4413 images), axial (4993 images), and sagittal (996 images). First, AlexNet is utilized for the design of a plane recognition system, and it achieved high classification and generalization performances with an AUCmicro¯ of 0.9999 and σ(AUCmicro) of 0.0006. Furthermore, by applying the transfer learning approach, significant improvements in both semantic segmentation and generalization performances were achieved. For the case of the frontal plane, the highest performances were achieved if pre-trained ResNet101 architecture was used as a backbone for U-net with DSC¯ up to 0.9587 and σ(DSC) of 0.0059. When U-net was used for the semantic segmentation of urinary bladder cancer masses from images in the axial plane, the best results were achieved if pre-trained ResNet50 was used as a backbone, with a DSC¯ up to 0.9372 and σ(DSC) of 0.0147. Finally, in the case of images in the sagittal plane, the highest results were achieved with VGG-16 as a backbone. In this case, DSC¯ values up to 0.9660 with a σ(DSC) of 0.0486 were achieved. From the listed results, the proposed semantic segmentation system worked with high performance both from the semantic segmentation and generalization standpoints. The presented results indicate that there is the possibility for the utilization of the semantic segmentation system in clinical practice.
Preface for the Special Issue on the Exploration of the Multifaceted Roles of Glycosaminoglycans: GAGs
Authors: Nikitovic Dragana , Pérez Serge
Published: November 2021

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear, anionic polysaccharides that consist of repeating disaccharides of hexosamine and hexuronic acid [...]
The Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of D-Ring-Modified Vitamin D Analogues
Authors: Kawagoe Fumihiro , Mototani Sayuri , Kittaka Atsushi
Published: November 2021

The vitamin D3 structure consists of the A-ring, a linker originating from the B-ring, C-ring, D-ring, and side-chain moieties. Each unit has its unique role in expressing the biological activities of vitamin D3. Many efforts have been made to date to assess the possible clinical use of vitamin D. Some organic chemists focused on the D-ring structure of vitamin D and synthesized D-ring-modified vitamin D analogues, and their biological activities were studied. This review summarizes the synthetic methodologies of D-ring-modified vitamin D analogues, except for seco-D, and their preliminary biological profiles.
Flow Cytometry: A Blessing and a Curse
Authors: Drescher Hannah , Weiskirchen Sabine , Weiskirchen Ralf
Published: November 2021

Flow cytometry is a laser-based technology generating a scattered and a fluorescent light signal that enables rapid analysis of the size and granularity of a particle or single cell. In addition, it offers the opportunity to phenotypically characterize and collect the cell with the use of a variety of fluorescent reagents. These reagents include but are not limited to fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies, fluorescent expressing protein-, viability-, and DNA-binding dyes. Major developments in reagents, electronics, and software within the last 30 years have greatly expanded the ability to combine up to 50 antibodies in one single tube. However, these advances also harbor technical risks and interpretation issues in the identification of certain cell populations which will be summarized in this viewpoint article. It will further provide an overview of different potential applications of flow cytometry in research and its possibilities to be used in the clinic.
Robust Nanozyme-Enzyme Nanosheets-Based Lactate Biosensor for Diagnosing Bacterial Infection in Olive Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)
Authors: Rajarathinam Thenmozhi , Kim Seonghye , Thirumalai Dinakaran , Lee Sujin , Kwon Minho , Paik Hyun-jong , Kim Suhkmann , Chang Seung-Cheol
Published: November 2021

Bacterial infections in fish farms increase mass mortality and rapid detection of infection can help prevent its widespread. Lactate is an important biomarker for early diagnosis of bacterial infections in farmed olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). To determine the lactate levels, we designed a disposable amperometric biosensor based on Prussian blue nanozyme and lactate oxidase (LOX) entrapped in copolymer-reduced graphene oxide (P-rGO) on screen-printed carbon electrodes. Because LOX is inherently unstable, P-rGO nanosheets were utilized as a base matrix to immobilize it. After optimization in terms of enzyme loading, operating potential, and pH, the biosensor displayed maximum current responses within 5 s at the applied potential of –0.1 V vs. internal Ag/AgCl. The biosensor had Langmuir-type response in the lactate concentration range from 10 µM to 1.6 mM, a dynamic linear response range of 10–100 µM, a sensitivity of 15.9 µA mM−1 cm−2, and a lower detection limit of 3.1 µM (S/N = 3). Additionally, the biosensor featured high reproducibility, good selectivity, and stability till four weeks. Its practical applicability was tested in olive flounder infected by Streptococcus parauberis against the uninfected control. The results were satisfactory compared to those of a standard colorimetric assay kit, validating our method.
In Silico Designing of a Multitope Vaccine against Rhizopus microsporus with Potential Activity against Other Mucormycosis Causing Fungi
Authors: Soltan Mohamed A. , Eldeen Muhammad Alaa , Elbassiouny Nada , Kamel Hasnaa L. , Abdelraheem Kareem M. , El-Gayyed Hanaa Abd , Gouda Ahmed M. , Sheha Mohammed F. , Fayad Eman , Ali Ola A. Abu , Ghany Khalid Abd El , El-damasy Dalia A. , Darwish Khaled M. , Elhady Sameh S. , Sileem Ashraf E.
Published: November 2021

During the current era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dissemination of Mucorales has been reported globally, with elevated rates of infection in India, and because of the high rate of mortality and morbidity, designing an effective vaccine against mucormycosis is a major health priority, especially for immunocompromised patients. In the current study, we studied shared Mucorales proteins, which have been reported as virulence factors, and after analysis of several virulent proteins for their antigenicity and subcellular localization, we selected spore coat (CotH) and serine protease (SP) proteins as the targets of epitope mapping. The current study proposes a vaccine constructed based on top-ranking cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), helper T lymphocyte (HTL), and B cell lymphocyte (BCL) epitopes from filtered proteins. In addition to the selected epitopes, β-defensins adjuvant and PADRE peptide were included in the constructed vaccine to improve the stimulated immune response. Computational tools were used to estimate the physicochemical and immunological features of the proposed vaccine and validate its binding with TLR-2, where the output data of these assessments potentiate the probability of the constructed vaccine to stimulate a specific immune response against mucormycosis. Here, we demonstrate the approach of potential vaccine construction and assessment through computational tools, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a proposed vaccine against mucormycosis based on the immunoinformatics approach.
Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Aggregate Anthropometric Failure among Pakistani Children: Findings from a Community Health Survey
Authors: Balogun Oluwafemi Samson , Asif Atta Muhammad , Akbar Muhammad , Chesneau Christophe , Jamal Farrukh
Published: November 2021

Malnutrition among children is an important public health problem in Pakistan. Conventional indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight) are well known. However, there is a need for aggregate indicators in this perspective. The goal of this study is to assess the prevalence and trends of malnutrition among Pakistani children under the age of five using the so-called composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF), a tool for calculating the whole aggregate burden of malnutrition. The data were extracted from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012–2013. Mothers’ education and socioeconomic statuses (SES) were assessed as important factors in malnutrition. Chi-squared analysis was used to check the bivariate association, and multiple logistic regression was used to identify the significant correlates of child malnutrition. Moreover, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was applied to strengthen the use of CIAF as an outcome variable. The study looked at 3071 children under the age of five, with 52.2% of them falling into the CIAF. Children of educated mothers had 43% fewer odds of being malnourished (OR (Odd Ratio) = 0.57, 95% CI (Confidence Interval) = 0.44–0.73). Additionally, a decreasing trend in malnutrition was found with increasing SES. There is a need to improve maternal education. Such programs focusing on increasing women’s autonomy in making home decisions should be established. Furthermore, long-term interventions for improving home SES and effective nutritional methods should be examined. For policymakers, the use of CIAF is suggested since it provides an estimate of the entire burden of undernutrition.