bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Finite Finger Joint Centers of Rotation Using 3D Hand Skeleton Motions Reconstructed from CT Scans
Authors: Yang Xiaopeng , Lim Zhichan , Jung Hayoung , Hong Younggi , Zhang Mengfei , Park Dougho , You Heecheon
Published: December 2020

The present study proposed a method to estimate the finite finger joint centers of rotation (CoRs) with high accuracy using 3D hand skeleton motions reconstructed from CT scans. Ten hand postures starting from a fully extended posture and ending at a fist posture with about 10° difference in flexion between the adjacent postures were captured by a CT scanner for 15 male participants, and their 3D hand skeletons were reconstructed using the CT scans. Each bone segment from the full extension posture was registered to the corresponding bone segments of the remaining hand postures. The proximal bone segments of a joint from two postures were aligned to estimate the finite CoR of the joint between the two postures. Centerlines of the distal bone segments of the joint were then identified using the principal component analysis method, and the finite CoR of the joint was determined as the intersection point of the identified centerlines. The proposed method reduced the variation of estimated finite joint CoRs by 16.0% to 67.0% among the finger joints compared to the existing methods. The variation of estimated finite joint CoRs decreased as the rotation angle of the joint increased. The proposed method can be used for the simulation of finger movement with high accuracy.
Evaluation of the Temperature and Time in Centrifugation-Assisted Freeze Concentration
Authors: Santana Tamara , Moreno Jorge , Petzold Guillermo , Santana Roberto , Sáez-Trautmann Guido
Published: December 2020

Centrifugation is a technique applied to assist in the freeze concentration of fruit juices and solutions. The aim of this work was to study the influence of the time–temperature parameters on the centrifugation process as a technique applied to assist in the first cycle of the freeze concentration of blueberry juice. A completely randomized 4 × 3 factorial design was performed using temperature and time as the factors, and the response variables included the percentage of concentrate, efficiency and solutes recovered. The results were evaluated using multiple linear regression, random forest regression, and Gaussian processes. The solid content in the concentrate doubled compared to the initial sample (18 °Brix) and approached 60% in the first cycle of blueberry juice freeze concentration. The combination of factors affected the percentage of the concentrate and solutes recovered, and the optimum of concentration was obtained at 15 °C with a centrifugation time of 20 min. Gaussian processes are suggested as suitable machine learning techniques for modelling the quantitative effect of the relevant factors in the centrifugation process.
Relative Weights of Physical Strength Factors in Sports Events: Focused on Similarity Sports Events Group According to the Sports Physiological View
Authors: Lee Kyoung-Hyun , Lee Jin-Seok , Lee Byung-Chan , Cho Eun-Hyung
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative weights of physical strength factors in sports events. We selected 16,645 people as a sample group who participated in physical fitness measurements through eight sports science centers across the country from 2016 until August of 2018, and divided into four sports types depending on the sports physiological view: type A: short-term muscular power and short-term muscular endurance, type B: mid-term muscular power, type C: long-term cardiorespiratory endurance, type D: coordination capability (CC), agility, flexibility, and balance. Categorized the performance level into excellent athletes and non-excellent athletes, and standardized (T-score) the measured value after considering sex, age and sports type group. Used logistic regression analysis for the method of analysis, and calculated the relative weights of physical strength factor with different sports by using Wald value which was calculated from logistic regression analysis. As a result, the relative weights of physical factor in type A were power 30%, muscular power (MP) 18%, CC 16%, agility 11%, flexibility 10%, cardiorespiratory endurance (CE) 1%, and balance 0%. The relative weights of physical factor in type B were muscular endurance (ME) 43%, MP 25%, power 20%, balance 9%, CE 2%, flexibility 1%, agility 0%, and CC 0%. The relative weights of physical factor in type C were ME 41%, CE 37%, power 10%, agility 8%, flexibility 2%, CC 2%, ME 0%, and balance 0%. Need more specific classification standard for type D sports. Hope the results of this study were used to measure physical fitness level and used as baseline data for recruiting future talents.
Geometric Morphometric Data Augmentation Using Generative Computational Learning Algorithms
Authors: Courtenay Lloyd A. , González-Aguilera Diego
Published: December 2020

The fossil record is notorious for being incomplete and distorted, frequently conditioning the type of knowledge that can be extracted from it. In many cases, this often leads to issues when performing complex statistical analyses, such as classification tasks, predictive modelling, and variance analyses, such as those used in Geometric Morphometrics. Here different Generative Adversarial Network architectures are experimented with, testing the effects of sample size and domain dimensionality on model performance. For model evaluation, robust statistical methods were used. Each of the algorithms were observed to produce realistic data. Generative Adversarial Networks using different loss functions produced multidimensional synthetic data significantly equivalent to the original training data. Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks were not as successful. The methods proposed are likely to reduce the impact of sample size and bias on a number of statistical learning applications. While Generative Adversarial Networks are not the solution to all sample-size related issues, combined with other pre-processing steps these limitations may be overcome. This presents a valuable means of augmenting geometric morphometric datasets for greater predictive visualization.
Comparison between Occlusal Errors of Single Posterior Crowns Adjusted Using Patient Specific Motion or Conventional Methods
Authors: Lee Ye-Chan , Lee Chunui , Shim June-Sung , Park Ji-Man , Shin Yooseok , Kim Jong-Eun , Lee Keun-Woo
Published: December 2020

Recently, digital technology has been used in dentistry to enhance accuracy and to reduce operative time. Due to advances in digital technology, the integration of individual mandibular motion into the mapping of the occlusal surface is being attempted. The Patient Specific Motion (PSM) is one such method. However, it is not clear whether the occlusal design that is adjusted using PSM could clinically show reduced occlusal error compared to conventional methods based on static occlusion. In this clinical comparative study including fifteen patients with a single posterior zirconia crown treatment, the occlusal surface after a clinical adjustment was compared to no adjustment (NA; design based on static occlusion), PSM (adjusted using PSM), and adjustment using a semi-adjustable articulator (SA) for the assessment of occlusal error. The root mean square (RMS; μm), average deviation value (±AVG; μm), and proportion inside the tolerance (in Tol; %) were calculated using the entire, subdivided occlusal surface and the out of tolerance area. Using a one-way ANOVA, the RMS and +AVG from the out of tolerance area showed a statistical difference between PSM (202.3 ± 39.8 for RMS, 173.1 ± 31.3 for +AVG) and NA (257.0 ± 73.9 for RMS, 210.9 ± 48.6 for +AVG). For the entire and subdivided occlusal surfaces, there were no significant differences. In the color-coded map analysis, PSM demonstrated a reduced occlusal error compared to NA. In conclusion, adjustment occlusal design using PSM is a simple and effective method for reducing occlusal errors that are difficult to identify in a current computer-aided design (CAD) workflow with static occlusion.
The Beneficial Health Effects of Vegetables and Wild Edible Greens: The Case of the Mediterranean Diet and Its Sustainability
Authors: Chatzopoulou Elena , Carocho Márcio , Di Gioia Francesco , Petropoulos Spyridon A.
Published: December 2020

The Mediterranean diet (MD) concept as currently known describes the dietary patterns that were followed in specific regions of the area in the 1950s and 1960s. The broad recognition of its positive effects on the longevity of Mediterranean populations also led to the adoption of this diet in other regions of the world, and scientific interest focused on revealing its health effects. MD is not only linked with eating specific nutritional food products but also with social, religious, environmental, and cultural aspects, thus representing a healthy lifestyle in general. However, modern lifestyles adhere to less healthy diets, alienating people from their heritage. Therefore, considering the increasing evidence of the beneficial health effects of adherence to the MD and the ongoing transitions in consumers’ behavior, the present review focuses on updating the scientific knowledge regarding this diet and its relevance to agrobiodiversity. In addition, it also considers a sustainable approach for new marketing opportunities and consumer trends of the MD.
A 5000-Year Sedimentary Record of East Asian Winter Monsoon from the Northern Muddy Area of the East China Sea
Authors: Chen Yanping , Li Yan , Lyu Wenzhe , Xu Dong , Han Xibin , Fu Tengfei , Yi Liang
Published: December 2020

The variability of the winter monsoon is one of the key components of the Asian monsoon, significantly influencing paleoenvironmental evolution in East Asia. However, whether the winter or the summer monsoon is the dominated factor controlling sedimentary dynamics of the muddy areas of the continental shelves of the East China Sea is debated, due to lack of consistency between various winter monsoon proxies in previous studies. In this work, the sediments of the upper part of core ECS-DZ1 with several marine surface samples were studied in terms of sediment grain size and radiocarbon dating, and changes in sedimentary dynamics of the northern muddy area of the ECS over the past 5000 years were documented. The main findings are as follows: (1) regional sedimentary dynamics were low and did not significantly change since the middle Holocene; (2) coarse particles are the dominated component in the sediments; (3) a proxy can be derived to indicate changes in winter monsoon. Based on this reconstructed winter monsoon record, we found that this record was generally negatively correlated to the stalagmite-based summer monsoon variability over the past 3500 years, but positively correlated before that. Moreover, this record can be well correlated to changes in the Kuroshio Current and the Bond ice-rafting debris events in the North Atlantic on millennial timescales, inferring large-scale and common atmospheric dynamics across the Asian continent over the past 5000 years. Therefore, we concluded that the winter monsoon is the predominant factor controlling sedimentary dynamics in the northern part of the ECS and proposed that the contribution of coarse particles may be one of potential indices to identify the role of the winter and the summer monsoons in sedimentary evolution.
Circulation Specific Precipitation Patterns over Svalbard and Projected Future Changes
Authors: Dobler Andreas , Lutz Julia , Landgren Oskar , Haugen Jan Erik
Published: December 2020

Precipitation on Svalbard can generally be linked to the atmospheric circulation in the Northern Atlantic. Using an automated circulation type classification, we show that weather type statistics are well represented in the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model at base resolution (MPI-ESM-LR). For a future climate projection following the Representative Concentration Pathway scenario RCP8.5, we find only small changes in the statistics. However, convection permitting simulations with the regional climate model from the Consortium for Small-scale Modeling in climate mode (COSMO-CLM) covering Svalbard at 2.5 km demonstrate an increase in precipitation for all seasons. About 74% of the increase are coming from changes under cyclonic weather situations. The precipitation changes are strongly related to differences in atmospheric conditions, while the contribution from the frequencies of weather types is small. Observations on Svalbard suggest that the general weather situation favouring heavy precipitation events is a strong south-southwesterly flow with advection of water vapour from warmer areas. This is reproduced by the COSMO-CLM simulations. In the future projections, the maximum daily precipitation amounts are further increasing. At the same time, weather types with less moisture advection towards Svalbard are becoming more important.
Characteristics of Clouds and Raindrop Size Distribution in Xinjiang, Using Cloud Radar Datasets and a Disdrometer
Authors: Zeng Yong , Yang Lianmei , Zhang Zuyi , Tong Zepeng , Li Jiangang , Liu Fan , Zhang Jinru , Jiang Yufei
Published: December 2020

Observation data from March to May 2020 of the Ka-band millimeter-wave cloud radar and disdrometer, located in Xinjiang, a typical arid region of China, were used to study the diurnal variation of clouds and precipitation, raindrop size distribution (DSD), and the physical parameters of raindrops. The results showed that there are conspicuous diurnal changes in clouds and precipitation. There is a decreasing trend of the cloud base height (CBH) from 05:00 to 19:00 CST (China Standard Time, UTC +8) and a rising trend of CBHs from 20:00 to 04:00 CST. The cloud top height (CTH) and the cloud thickness show a rising trend from 03:00 to 05:00 CST, 12:00 to 14:00 CST, and 20:00 to 01:00 CST. The diurnal variation of clouds is mainly driven by wind and temperature closely related to the topography of the study area. There are three apparent precipitation periods during the day, namely, 02:00–09:00 CST, 12:00 CST, and 17:00–21:00 CST. The changes in the physical parameters of raindrops are more drastic and evident with a lower CBH, lower CTH, and higher number of cloud layers from 12:00 to 21:00 CST than other times, which are closely related to day-to-day variations of systems moving through, and incoming solar radiation and the mountain–valley wind circulation caused by the trumpet-shaped topography that opens to the west played a secondary role. The DSD is in agreement with a normalized gamma distribution, and the value of the shape factor μ is significantly different from the fixed μ value in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The rain in arid Xinjiang had a higher concentration of raindrops and a smaller average raindrop diameter than the rain in other humid regions of the Central and Southeast Asian continent. In the Z−R (radar reflectivity–rain rate) relationship, Z=249R1.20 is derived for stratiform rain, and it is significantly different from humid regions. Using Z/Dm (mass–weighted mean diameter) and R, a new empirical relationship Z/Dm=214R1.20 is established, and improvement is obtained in rain retrieval by using the Z/Dm−R relation relative to the conventional Z−R relation. Additionally, the Nt−R, Dm−R, Nw−R, and Nt−Nw relationships with larger differences from humid regions are established by fitting the power-law equations. These results are useful for improving the data parameters of microphysical processes of WRF and the accuracy of quantitative precipitation estimation in arid regions.
Unravelling the Network of Nuclear Matrix Metalloproteinases for Targeted Drug Design
Authors: Frolova Anastasia S. , Petushkova Anastasiia I. , Makarov Vladimir A. , Soond Surinder M. , Zamyatnin Andrey A.
Published: December 2020

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent endopeptidases that are responsible for the degradation of a wide range of extracellular matrix proteins, which are involved in many cellular processes to ensure the normal development of tissues and organs. Overexpression of MMPs has been observed to facilitate cellular growth, migration, and metastasis of tumor cells during cancer progression. A growing number of these proteins are being found to exist in the nuclei of both healthy and tumor cells, thus highlighting their localization as having a genuine purpose in cellular homeostasis. The mechanism underlying nuclear transport and the effects of MMP nuclear translocation have not yet been fully elucidated. To date, nuclear MMPs appear to have a unique impact on cellular apoptosis and gene regulation, which can have effects on immune response and tumor progression, and thus present themselves as potential therapeutic targets in certain types of cancer or disease. Herein, we highlight and evaluate what progress has been made in this area of research, which clearly has some value as a specific and unique way of targeting the activity of nuclear matrix metalloproteinases within various cell types.
Yersinia Outer Membrane Vesicles as Potential Vaccine Candidates in Protecting against Plague
Authors: Byvalov Andrey A. , Konyshev Ilya V. , Uversky Vladimir N. , Dentovskaya Svetlana V. , Anisimov Andrey P.
Published: December 2020

Despite the relatively low incidence of plague, its etiological agent, Yersinia pestis, is an exceptional epidemic danger due to the high infectivity and mortality of this infectious disease. Reports on the isolation of drug-resistant Y. pestis strains indicate the advisability of using asymmetric responses, such as phage therapy and vaccine prophylaxis in the fight against this problem. The current relatively effective live plague vaccine is not approved for use in most countries because of its ability to cause heavy local and system reactions and even a generalized infectious process in people with a repressed immune status or metabolic disorders, as well as lethal infection in some species of nonhuman primates. Therefore, developing alternative vaccines is of high priority and importance. However, until now, work on the development of plague vaccines has mainly focused on screening for the potential immunogens. Several investigators have identified the protective potency of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a promising basis for bacterial vaccine candidates. This review is aimed at presenting these candidates of plague vaccine and the results of their analysis in animal models.
Bioactive Lipids in Health and Disease
Authors: Bari Monica , Bisogno Tiziana , Battista Natalia
Published: December 2020

Although the primordial concept of lipids is associated with the role they play as key components of the cell membrane, growing research in the field of bioactive lipids and lipidomic technologies proves the prominent role of these molecules in other biological functions [...]
Role of CD146 (MCAM) in Physiological and Pathological Angiogenesis—Contribution of New Antibodies for Therapy
Authors: Joshkon Ahmad , Heim Xavier , Dubrou Cléa , Bachelier Richard , Traboulsi Wael , Stalin Jimmy , Fayyad-Kazan Hussein , Badran Bassam , Foucault-Bertaud Alexandrine , Leroyer Aurelie S. , Bardin Nathalie , Blot-Chabaud Marcel
Published: December 2020

The fundamental role of cell adhesion molecules in mediating various biological processes as angiogenesis has been well-documented. CD146, an adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily, and its soluble form, constitute major players in both physiological and pathological angiogenesis. A growing body of evidence shows soluble CD146 to be significantly elevated in the serum or interstitial fluid of patients with pathologies related to deregulated angiogenesis, as autoimmune diseases, obstetric and ocular pathologies, and cancers. To block the undesirable effects of this molecule, therapeutic antibodies have been developed. Herein, we review the multifaceted functions of CD146 in physiological and pathological angiogenesis and summarize the interest of using monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic purposes.
Modulation of Early Host Innate Immune Response by an Avipox Vaccine Virus’ Lateral Body Protein
Authors: Giotis Efstathios S. , Laidlaw Stephen M. , Bidgood Susanna R. , Albrecht David , Burden Jemima J. , Robey Rebecca C. , Mercer Jason , Skinner Michael A.
Published: December 2020

The avian pathogen fowlpox virus (FWPV) has been successfully used as a vaccine vector in poultry and humans, but relatively little is known about its ability to modulate host antiviral immune responses in these hosts, which are replication-permissive and nonpermissive, respectively. FWPV is highly resistant to avian type I interferon (IFN) and able to completely block the host IFN-response. Microarray screening of host IFN-regulated gene expression in cells infected with 59 different, nonessential FWPV gene knockout mutants revealed that FPV184 confers immunomodulatory capacity. We report that the FPV184-knockout virus (FWPVΔ184) induces the cellular IFN response as early as 2 h postinfection. The wild-type, uninduced phenotype can be rescued by transient expression of FPV184 in FWPVΔ184-infected cells. Ectopic expression of FPV184 inhibited polyI:C activation of the chicken IFN-β promoter and IFN-α activation of the chicken Mx1 promoter. Confocal and correlative super-resolution light and electron microscopy demonstrated that FPV184 has a functional nuclear localisation signal domain and is packaged in the lateral bodies of the virions. Taken together, these results provide a paradigm for a late poxvirus structural protein packaged in the lateral bodies, capable of suppressing IFN induction early during the next round of infection.
Trends in Autism Research in the Field of Education in Web of Science: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: Carmona-Serrano Noemí , López-Belmonte Jesús , López-Núñez Juan-Antonio , Moreno-Guerrero Antonio-José
Published: December 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is conceived as a neurodevelopmental disorder. The scientific literature welcomes studies that reflect the possible singularities that people with ASD may present both in their daily lives and at an educational level. The main objective of this study is to analyze the scientific production on the term autism in Web of Science, focused on the educational field, in order to identify the research trends in this field of study. The intention is to offer researchers who study autism in the educational field some clear research directions. A bibliometric-type methodology was developed using the scientific mapping technique. For this purpose, a performance analysis and a co-word analysis were carried out. Work was conducted with an analysis unit of 5512 documents. The results show that the volume of production has been irregular from the beginning to the present. The collection of documents on the subject began to be relevant, in terms of the volume of production, from 2007, and this has persisted to the present. It is concluded that there are two lines of research. The first is the line focused on mothers of children with ASD and the second is the line of research focused on young people with ASD. In addition, since 2012, new lines of research have been generated, focused on the diagnosis and inclusion of these students in educational centers.
The Impacts of Symmetry in Architecture and Urbanism: Toward a New Research Agenda
Authors: Mehaffy Michael W.
Published: December 2020

Architecture has an ancient relationship to mathematics, and symmetry—in the broad sense of the term—is a core topic of both. Yet the contemporary application of theories of symmetry to architecture and built environments is a surprisingly immature area of research. At the same time, research is showing a divergence between the benefits of and preferences for natural environments on the one hand, and built environments on the other, demonstrating relatively deleterious effects of many contemporary built environments. Yet the research cannot yet pinpoint the actual geometric factors of architecture and urbanism that could produce such an important divergence. This paper explores this research gap, surveying the literature across a range of fields, and assessing current evidence for the impacts of symmetry in the built environment upon human perception and well-being. As an emerging case study, it considers the recent work by Christopher Alexander and Nikos Salingaros, two trained mathematicians who have made notable contributions to architecture and urbanism. The conclusion proposes a new research agenda toward further development of this immature subject area.
Effect of COVID-19 on Lungs: Focusing on Prospective Malignant Phenotypes
Authors: Sadhukhan Pritam , Ugurlu M. Talha , Hoque Mohammad O.
Published: December 2020

Currently, the healthcare management systems are shattered throughout the world, even in the developed nations due to the COVID-19 viral outbreak. A substantial number of patients infected with SARS-CoV2 develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and need advanced healthcare facilities, including invasive mechanical ventilation. Intracellular infiltration of the SARS-CoV2 virus particles into the epithelial cells in lungs are facilitated by the spike glycoprotein (S Protein) on the outer side of the virus envelope, a membrane protein ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) and two proteases (TMPRSS2 and Furin) in the host cell. This virus has unprecedented effects on the immune system and induces a sudden upregulation of the levels of different pro-inflammatory cytokines. This can be a cause for the onset of pulmonary fibrosis in the lungs. Existence of a high concentration of inflammatory cytokines and viral load can also lead to numerous pathophysiological conditions. Although it is well established that cancer patients are among the high-risk population due to COVID-19-associated mortality, it is still unknown whether survivors of COVID-19-infected subjects are at high-risk population for developing cancer and whether any biologic and clinical features exist in post-COVID-19 individuals that might be related to carcinogenesis.
Modulating the Tumour Microenvironment by Intratumoural Injection of Pattern Recognition Receptor Agonists
Authors: Burn Olivia K. , Prasit Kef K. , Hermans Ian F.
Published: December 2020

Signalling through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) leads to strong proinflammatory responses, enhancing the activity of antigen presenting cells and shaping adaptive immune responses against tumour associated antigens. Unfortunately, toxicities associated with systemic administration of these agonists have limited their clinical use to date. Direct injection of PRR agonists into the tumour can enhance immune responses by directly modulating the cells present in the tumour microenvironment. This can improve local antitumour activity, but importantly, also facilitates systemic responses that limit tumour growth at distant sites. As such, this form of therapy could be used clinically where metastatic tumour lesions are accessible, or as neoadjuvant therapy. In this review, we summarise current preclinical data on intratumoural administration of PRR agonists, including new strategies to optimise delivery and impact, and combination studies with current and promising new cancer therapies.
FET PET Radiomics for Differentiating Pseudoprogression from Early Tumor Progression in Glioma Patients Post-Chemoradiation
Authors: Lohmann Philipp , Elahmadawy Mai A. , Gutsche Robin , Werner Jan-Michael , Bauer Elena K. , Ceccon Garry , Kocher Martin , Lerche Christoph W. , Rapp Marion , Fink Gereon R. , Shah Nadim J. , Langen Karl-Josef , Galldiks Norbert
Published: December 2020

Currently, a reliable diagnostic test for differentiating pseudoprogression from early tumor progression is lacking. We explored the potential of O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) positron emission tomography (PET) radiomics for this clinically important task. Thirty-four patients (isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype glioblastoma, 94%) with progressive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria within the first 12 weeks after completing temozolomide chemoradiation underwent a dynamic FET PET scan. Static and dynamic FET PET parameters were calculated. For radiomics analysis, the number of datasets was increased to 102 using data augmentation. After randomly assigning patients to a training and test dataset, 944 features were calculated on unfiltered and filtered images. The number of features for model generation was limited to four to avoid data overfitting. Eighteen patients were diagnosed with early tumor progression, and 16 patients had pseudoprogression. The FET PET radiomics model correctly diagnosed pseudoprogression in all test cohort patients (sensitivity, 100%; negative predictive value, 100%). In contrast, the diagnostic performance of the best FET PET parameter (TBRmax) was lower (sensitivity, 81%; negative predictive value, 80%). The results suggest that FET PET radiomics helps diagnose patients with pseudoprogression with a high diagnostic performance. Given the clinical significance, further studies are warranted.
The Role of cis- and trans-Acting RNA Regulatory Elements in Leukemia
Authors: Elcheva Irina A. , Spiegelman Vladimir S.
Published: December 2020

RNA molecules are a source of phenotypic diversity and an operating system that connects multiple genetic and metabolic processes in the cell. A dysregulated RNA network is a common feature of cancer. Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), micro RNA (miRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) in tumors compared to their normal counterparts, as well as the recurrent mutations in functional regulatory cis-acting RNA motifs have emerged as biomarkers of disease development and progression, opening avenues for the design of novel therapeutic approaches. This review looks at the progress, challenges and future prospects of targeting cis-acting and trans-acting RNA elements for leukemia diagnosis and treatment.
The Tumor Microenvironment as a Driving Force of Breast Cancer Stem Cell Plasticity
Authors: Fico Flavia , Santamaria-Martínez Albert
Published: December 2020

Tumor progression involves the co-evolution of transformed cells and the milieu in which they live and expand. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are a specialized subset of cells that sustain tumor growth and drive metastatic colonization. However, the cellular hierarchy in breast tumors is rather plastic, and the capacity to transition from one cell state to another depends not only on the intrinsic properties of transformed cells, but also on the interplay with their niches. It has become evident that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a major player in regulating the BCSC phenotype and metastasis. The complexity of the TME is reflected in its number of players and in the interactions that they establish with each other. Multiple types of immune cells, stromal cells, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) form an intricate communication network with cancer cells, exert a highly selective pressure on the tumor, and provide supportive niches for BCSC expansion. A better understanding of the mechanisms regulating these interactions is crucial to develop strategies aimed at interfering with key BCSC niche factors, which may help reducing tumor heterogeneity and impair metastasis.
Harnessing the Power of Mast Cells in unconventional Immunotherapy Strategies and Vaccine Adjuvants
Authors: Willows Steven , Kulka Marianna
Published: December 2020

Mast cells are long-lived, granular, myeloid-derived leukocytes that have significant protective and repair functions in tissues. Mast cells sense disruptions in the local microenvironment and are first responders to physical, chemical and biological insults. When activated, mast cells release growth factors, proteases, chemotactic proteins and cytokines thereby mobilizing and amplifying the reactions of the innate and adaptive immune system. Mast cells are therefore significant regulators of homeostatic functions and may be essential in microenvironmental changes during pathogen invasion and disease. During infection by helminths, bacteria and viruses, mast cells release antimicrobial factors to facilitate pathogen expulsion and eradication. Mast cell-derived proteases and growth factors protect tissues from insect/snake bites and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Finally, mast cells release mediators that promote wound healing in the inflammatory, proliferative and remodelling stages. Since mast cells have such a powerful repertoire of functions, targeting mast cells may be an effective new strategy for immunotherapy of disease and design of novel vaccine adjuvants. In this review, we will examine how certain strategies that specifically target and activate mast cells can be used to treat and resolve infections, augment vaccines and heal wounds. Although these strategies may be protective in certain circumstances, mast cells activation may be deleterious if not carefully controlled and any therapeutic strategy using mast cell activators must be carefully explored.
Annexin A1 Released in Extracellular Vesicles by Pancreatic Cancer Cells Activates Components of the Tumor Microenvironment, through Interaction with the Formyl-Peptide Receptors
Authors: Novizio Nunzia , Belvedere Raffaella , Pessolano Emanuela , Tosco Alessandra , Porta Amalia , Perretti Mauro , Campiglia Pietro , Filippelli Amelia , Petrella Antonello
Published: December 2020

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive cancers in the world. Several extracellular factors are involved in its development and metastasis to distant organs. In PC, the protein Annexin A1 (ANXA1) appears to be overexpressed and may be identified as an oncogenic factor, also because it is a component in tumor-deriving extracellular vesicles (EVs). Indeed, these microvesicles are known to nourish the tumor microenvironment. Once we evaluated the autocrine role of ANXA1-containing EVs on PC MIA PaCa-2 cells and their pro-angiogenic action, we investigated the ANXA1 paracrine effect on stromal cells like fibroblasts and endothelial ones. Concerning the analysis of fibroblasts, cell migration/invasion, cytoskeleton remodeling, and the different expression of specific protein markers, all features of the cell switching into myofibroblasts, were assessed after administration of wild type more than ANXA1 Knock-Out EVs. Interestingly, we demonstrated a mechanism by which the ANXA1-EVs complex can stimulate the activation of formyl peptide receptors (FPRs), triggering mesenchymal switches and cell motility on both fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Therefore, we highlighted the importance of ANXA1/EVs-FPR axes in PC progression as a vehicle of intercommunication tumor cells-stroma, suggesting a specific potential prognostic/diagnostic role of ANXA1, whether in soluble form or even if EVs are captured in PC.
Erratum: Gruber, E.S.; et al. The Oncogene AF1Q is Associated with WNT and STAT Signaling and Offers a Novel Independent Prognostic Marker in Patients with Resectable Esophageal Cancer. Cells 2019, 8, 1357
Authors: Gruber Elisabeth S. , Oberhuber Georg , Birner Peter , Schlederer Michaela , Kenn Michael , Schreiner Wolfgang , Jomrich Gerd , Schoppmann Sebastian F. , Gnant Michael , Tse William , Kenner Lukas
Published: December 2020

The authors wish to make the following change to their paper [...]
Dense MgB2 Ceramics by Ultrahigh Pressure Field-Assisted Sintering
Authors: Prakasam Mythili , Balima Felix , Noudem Jacques , Largeteau Alain
Published: December 2020

Magnesium diboride (MgB2) ceramics, due to their impressive transition temperature of 39 K for superconductivity, have been widely investigated. The possibility to obtain highly dense MgB2 ceramics with fine microstructure and grain boundaries acting as pinning sites by novel high-pressure-assisted spark plasma sintering (HP-SPS) is reported in this article. HP-SPS was employed to reach 100% density in MgB2 ceramics, and high pressure was utilized in the consolidation of MgB2. An increase in pressure helped in stabilizing the MgB2 phase above thermal decomposition, thus avoiding the formation of non-superconducting phases such as MgO and MgB4. Pressure allowed strengthening of the covalent bond (condensation effect) to increase the thermal stability of MgB2. HP-SPS yielded high mechanical hardness in MgB2 (1488 HV). For better electrical connectivity, which leads to large magnetic moments in high density samples were obtained with the beneficial effect of high applied pressure (1.7–5 GPa) at high temperature (>1000 °C). The combination of the SPS process and high pressure ensured retention of the homogeneous fine microstructure required to obtain high current density and high hardness.
DMSO Intercalation in Selected Kaolinites: Influence of the Crystallinity
Authors: Mbey Jean-Aimé , Siéwé Jean Mermoz , Ngally Sabouang Cyrill Joël , Razafitianamaharavo Angelina , Kong Sakeo , Thomas Fabien
Published: December 2020

The present study deals with the relation between crystalline order in kaolinites and their ability to intercalate DMSO. Raw clays and kaolinite–DMSO complexes are analyzed using FTIR, XRD powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (DSC-TGA). The crystallinity is accessed using the Hinckley index (HI) from the raw clays’ XRD patterns and the p2 factor from their FTIR spectra. The intercalation ratio is evaluated from XRD and compared among the samples. The thermal analyses show a decrease in the dehydroxylation temperature in the DMSO–kaolinite complexes, indicating a decrease in the interlayer cohesion that may be useful to improve the delamination of kaolinite. The analysis of the coherent scattering domain size in the raw and the DMSO-intercalated samples indicates that the ordering is not affected during the DMSO intercalation. From these results, it is deduced that DMSO intercalation is favored by an increased crystallinity, as revealed by the intercalation ratio from XRD and the DSMO release during DSC-TGA analysis.
An Update on Pharmaceutical Strategies for Oral Delivery of Therapeutic Peptides and Proteins in Adults and Pediatrics
Authors: Dan Nirnoy , Samanta Kamalika , Almoazen Hassan
Published: December 2020

While each route of therapeutic drug delivery has its own advantages and limitations, oral delivery is often favored because it offers convenient painless administration, sustained delivery, prolonged shelf life, and often lower manufacturing cost. Its limitations include mucus and epithelial cell barriers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that can block access of larger molecules including Therapeutic protein or peptide-based drugs (TPPs), resulting in reduced bioavailability. This review describes these barriers and discusses different strategies used to modify TPPs to enhance their oral bioavailability and/or to increase their absorption. Some seek to stabilize the TTPs to prevent their degradation by proteolytic enzymes in the GI tract by administering them together with protease inhibitors, while others modify TPPs with mucoadhesive polymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG) to allow them to interact with the mucus layer, thereby delaying their clearance. The further barrier provided by the epithelial cell membrane can be overcome by the addition of a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) and the use of a carrier molecule such as a liposome, microsphere, or nanosphere to transport the TPP-CPP chimera. Enteric coatings have also been used to help TPPs reach the small intestine. Key efficacious TPP formulations that have been approved for clinical use will be discussed.
Material-Dependent Shear Capacity of Threaded Rods
Authors: Sklarov Nikolai , Thiele Catherina
Published: December 2020

Currently, the determination of the shear capacity VRk,s0 of post installed adhesive anchors is already included in the current standardization and approval documents. Considering that EAD 330499-00-0601 allows for determining the shear resistance of a fastener only based on the characteristic steel ultimate tensile strength fuk determined from the material tensile tests, and without considering the actual ductility of the material used, this leads to a severe underestimation of the actual steel shear resistance. In order to efficiently determine the shear strength by calculation based on material characteristics, tensile and shear tests were carried out on metallic threaded rods and rebars to show their correlation with the material properties. A new correlation between tensile and shear strength is presented, which is based on the plasticity module Epl and allows a good prognosis of the shear strength.
Insights in to the Electrochemical Activity of Fe-Based Perovskite Cathodes toward Oxygen Reduction Reaction for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Ma Dan , Gao Juntao , Xia Tian , Li Qiang , Sun Liping , Huo Lihua , Zhao Hui
Published: December 2020

The development of novel oxygen reduction electrodes with superior electrocatalytic activity and CO2 durability is a major challenge for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Here, novel cobalt-free perovskite oxides, BaFe1−xYxO3−δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) denoted as BFY05, BFY10, and BFY15, are intensively evaluated as oxygen reduction electrode candidate for solid oxide fuel cells. These materials have been synthesized and the electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been investigated systematically. The BFY10 cathode exhibits the best electrocatalytic performance with a lowest polarization resistance of 0.057 Ω cm2 at 700 °C. Meanwhile, the single cells with the BFY05, BFY10 and BFY15 cathodes deliver the peak power densities of 0.73, 1.1, and 0.89 W cm−2 at 700 °C, respectively. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) are analyzed by means of distribution of relaxation time (DRT). The results indicate that the oxygen adsorption-dissociation process is determined to be the rate-limiting step at the electrode interface. In addition, the single cell with the BFY10 cathode exhibits a good long-term stability at 700 °C under an output voltage of 0.5 V for 120 h.
The Effect of Hydroxyl on the Superhydrophobicity of Dodecyl Methacrylate (LMA) Coated Fabrics through Simple Dipping-Plasma Crosslinked Method
Authors: Xu Liyun , Zhang Yu , Guo Ying , Zhang Ruiyun , Shi Jianjun , Shen Yue , Yu Jianyong
Published: December 2020

In order to obtain stable superhydrophobicity, suitable hydrophobic treatment agents should be selected according to different material properties. In this paper, cotton and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics were respectively coated with dodecyl methacrylate (LMA) via argon combined capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), and the surface hydrophobicity and durability of the treated cotton and polyester fabrics are also discussed. An interesting phenomenon happened, whereby the LMA-coated cotton fabric (Cotton-g-LMA) had better water repelling and mechanical durability properties than LMA-coated PET fabric (PET-g-LMA), and LMA-coated hydroxyl-grafted PET fabrics (PET fabrics were successively coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and LMA, PET-g-PEG & LMA) had a similar performance to cotton fabrics. The water contact angles of Cotton-g-LMA, PET-g-LMA and PET-g-PEG & LMA were 156°, 153° and 155°, respectively, and after 45 washing cycles or 1000 rubbing cycles, the corresponding water contact angles decreased to 145°, 88°, 134° and 146°, 127° and 143°, respectively. Additionally, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polyamides-6 (PA6) fabrics all exhibited the same properties as the PET fabric. Therefore, the grafting of hydroxyl can improve the hydrophobic effect of LMA coating and the binding property between LMA and fabrics effectively, without changing the wearing comfort.
EEG and Deep Learning Based Brain Cognitive Function Classification
Authors: Sridhar Saraswati , Manian Vidya
Published: December 2020

Electroencephalogram signals are used to assess neurodegenerative diseases and develop sophisticated brain machine interfaces for rehabilitation and gaming. Most of the applications use only motor imagery or evoked potentials. Here, a deep learning network based on a sensory motor paradigm (auditory, olfactory, movement, and motor-imagery) that employs a subject-agnostic Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BLSTM) Network is developed to assess cognitive functions and identify its relationship with brain signal features, which is hypothesized to consistently indicate cognitive decline. Testing occurred with healthy subjects of age 20–40, 40–60, and >60, and mildly cognitive impaired subjects. Auditory and olfactory stimuli were presented to the subjects and the subjects imagined and conducted movement of each arm during which Electroencephalogram (EEG)/Electromyogram (EMG) signals were recorded. A deep BLSTM Neural Network is trained with Principal Component features from evoked signals and assesses their corresponding pathways. Wavelet analysis is used to decompose evoked signals and calculate the band power of component frequency bands. This deep learning system performs better than conventional deep neural networks in detecting MCI. Most features studied peaked at the age range 40–60 and were lower for the MCI group than for any other group tested. Detection accuracy of left-hand motor imagery signals best indicated cognitive aging (p = 0.0012); here, the mean classification accuracy per age group declined from 91.93% to 81.64%, and is 69.53% for MCI subjects. Motor-imagery-evoked band power, particularly in gamma bands, best indicated (p = 0.007) cognitive aging. Although the classification accuracy of the potentials effectively distinguished cognitive aging from MCI (p < 0.05), followed by gamma-band power.
Numerical Investigation of High-Purity Entangled Photon-Pair Generation in Ba3Mg3(BO3)3F3 Crystals
Authors: Lee Donghwa , Kim Ilhwan , Lee Kwang Jo
Published: December 2020

We investigate the high-purity entangled photon pair generation in a recently developed borate crystal, Ba3Mg3(BO3)3F3. The technique is based on the spontaneous parametric down-conversion under the extended phase matching (EPM), where the phase matching and the group velocity matching between the interacting photons are satisfied simultaneously in bulk crystals with point symmetry of orthorhombic mm2 (thus showing biaxial birefringence). We will discuss all the theoretical aspects required for the generation of photon pairs in mm2 biaxial crystals, which are much more complex than the cases of uniaxial crystals (e.g., β-BaB2O4 and LiNbO3) and periodically poled crystals that are widely used in the field. Our study includes theoretical and numerical investigations of two types of EPM and their corresponding effective nonlinearities and spatial walk-offs. The results show that two types of EPM are satisfied over the specific range in the direction of pump wave vector, corresponding to its spectral ranges of 876.15–1052.77 nm for Type I and 883.92–914.33 nm for Type II. The joint spectral analyses show that photon-pairs can be generated with high purities of 0.997 with a proper pump filtering (for Type II), and 0.833 even without pump filtering (for Type I).
Dual TMPRSS2:ERG Fusion in a Patient with Lung and Prostate Cancers
Authors: Giunchi Francesca , Massari Francesco , Altimari Annalisa , Gruppioni Elisa , Nobili Elisabetta , Fiorentino Michelangelo , Ardizzoni Andrea
Published: December 2020

The TMPRSS2:ERG fusion is considered prostate specific and has been rarely described in other tumors. We describe the case of a patient who developed lung and prostate cancers, both harboring the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion. The patient developed a cancer of the prostate with lymph node metastases and after two years a nodule of the thoracic wall. The histology and immunohistochemical profile of the two tumors were typical of prostate and lung cancers. The presence of the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion was demonstrated by next-generation sequencing on both malignancies, leading to the assumption that the lung nodule was a metastasis from the prostate cancer. The patient failed to respond to antiandrogen therapy, while chemotherapy for lung cancer led to a significant objective response. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a lung cancer harboring the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion, widening the spectrum of lung cancer-associated molecular alterations.