bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing an Adaptive 3D Vertebrae Model of Scoliosis Patients for Customize Garment Design
Authors: Mosleh Sara , Abtew Mulat Alubel , Bruniaux Pascal , Tartare Guillaume , Chen Yan
Published: April 2021

Scoliosis is one of the most frequently occurring morphological problems in people. People with such an abnormal curve of the spine face a huge problem, not only from the medical point of view but also from that of garment design and production processes. The current paper brings a novel designing technique to develop an adaptive 3D model of the complicated anatomical shape of the human vertebrae using 3D digitization technologies. Even though it is not as accurate as scanning approaches, it is accurate enough for several applications, including visualization and constructing statistical shape models. Thus, the adaptive model will further integrate with the full skeleton and then to the body shapes of scoliosis patients, not only for an easy garment design process but also to produce comfortable and high-performance garments. The model has also the benefit of adjusting for each tissue to all kinds of spine parameters, such as the height and the angles of the bones and disks (especially the three characteristic planes: sagittal, coronal, and transverse). Thus, the full adaptive skeleton model and later its garment design system, considering the current adaptive vertebrae model for fitted, comfortable and well-performing scoliosis patients garment products, could be developed.
Temperature Dependence of Density and Viscosity of Biobutanol-Gasoline Blends
Authors: Trost Daniel , Polcar Adam , Boldor Dorin , Nde Divine Bup , Wolak Artur , Kumbár Vojtěch
Published: April 2021

Butanol seems to be an eligible fuel for compensating for the increasing fuel consumption. Biobutanol could be produced from local sources in the place of use. Its properties show similar results to gasoline, so biobutanol could be added as a biocomponent into fuels. Important properties, in the case of blending biobutanol into gasoline, are its fluid properties and their dependence on the temperature. Therefore, in this paper, the volumetric mass density and viscosity of the selected ratios between biobutanol and gasoline (0, 5, 10, 85, 100 vol.%) were tested over the temperature range from −10 °C up to 40 °C. Gasolines with a 95 Research Octane Number (RON 95) and with a 98 Research Octane Number (RON 98) were used. It was observed that as the temperature increased, the viscosity and volumetric mass density of the samples decreased nonlinearly. Four mathematical models were used for modelling the viscosity. The accuracy of models was evaluated and compared according to the coefficient of determination R2 and sum of squared estimate of errors (SSE). The results show that blends with 5 vol.% and 10 vol.% of biobutanol promise very similar fluid properties to pure gasoline. In contrast, a blend with 85 vol.% of biobutanol shows different fluid properties from gasoline, especially in negative temperatures, a lot. For practical applications, mathematical polynomial multivariate models were created. Using these models, three-dimensional graphs were constructed.
An Observational Study on Cephalometric Characteristics and Patterns Associated with the Prader–Willi Syndrome: A Structural Equation Modelling and Network Approach
Authors: Istodor Alin Viorel , Rusu Laura-Cristina , Noja Gratiela Georgiana , Roi Alexandra , Roi Ciprian , Bratu Emanuel , Moise Georgiana , Puiu Maria , Farcas Simona Sorina , Andreescu Nicoleta Ioana
Published: April 2021

Examining specific patterns of major cranio-facial alterations through cephalometric measurements in order to improve the Prader–Willi (PWS) syndrome diagnostic poses a major challenge of identifying interlinkages between numerous credentials. These interactions can be captured through probabilistic models of conditional independence between heterogeneous variables. Our research included 18 subjects (aged 4 to 28 years) genetically diagnosed with Prader–Willi syndrome and a healthy control group (matched age and sex). A morphometric and cephalometric analysis was performed upon all the subjects in order to obtain the needed specific data. We have, therefore, firstly deployed several integrated Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) to capture the positive and negative partial correlations and the intensity of the connections between numerous credentials configured to determine specific cranio-facial characteristics of patients with PWS compared to others without this genetic disorder (case-control analysis). Afterwards, we applied structural equation modelling (SEM) with latent class analysis to assess the impact of these coordinates on the prevalence of the Prader–Willi diagnostic. We found that there are latent interactions of features affected by external variables, and the interlinkages are strapping particularly between cranial base (with an important role in craniofacial disharmonies) and facial heights, as important characteristic patterns in determining the Prader–Willi diagnostic, while the overall patterns are significantly different in PWS and the control group. These results impact the field by providing an enhanced comprehensive perspective on cephalometric characteristics and specific patterns associated with Prader–Willi syndrome that can be used as benchmarks in determining the diagnostic of this rare genetic disorder. Furthermore, the two innovative exploratory research tools applied in this paper are very useful to the craniofacial field to infer the connections/dependencies between variables (particularly biological variables and genes) on cephalometric characteristics and specific patterns associated with Prader–Willi syndrome.
Theoretical Modeling and Analysis of the Contribution of the Near-Field Absorption to the Dipole Radiation Power in Top-Emitting Organic Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Kim Jiyong , Kim Jungho
Published: April 2021

We theoretically model the near-field (NF) absorption for a multilayer micro-cavity (MMC) structure and investigate the contribution of the NF absorption to the dipole radiation power in top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The NF absorption occurs due to the interaction between an evanescent wave with a large in-plane wave vector and a planar metal layer in the vicinity of the dipole radiation. The analytical expressions of the NF absorption in the MMC structure are derived from the plane wave expansions of the electric field amplitude, which includes the two-beam and multi-beam interference terms. The transverse magnetic polarization light emitted by both horizontally and vertically oriented dipole emitters is considered in the NF absorption while the contribution of the transverse electric polarization light is neglected. Based on the total spectral power density calculated in a top-emitting OLED, the respective spectral response functions of surface plasmon (SP) modes and NF absorption are compared, where the summation of the Lorentzian line shape functions is used to represent spectral responses of SP modes. At large values of in-plane wave vectors, the spectral response caused by the NF absorption becomes significant and approaches the total spectral power density. In addition, the relative optical powers from various dipole dissipation mechanisms are calculated with respect to the dipole emitter position in the emission layer (EML), which shows the optical power coupled to the NF absorption is predominant over other mechanisms when the distance between the dipole emitter and the EML/Ag interface is less than 10 nm in the top-emitting OLED.
Software for Evaluating Pumping Tests on Real Wells
Authors: Ficaj Václav , Pech Pavel , Kahuda Daniel
Published: April 2021

As the climate is changing, greater exploitation of groundwater reserves is becoming evident; however, this would have been apparent even without climate change. Therefore, increasing emphasis is given to maintaining well functionality. Wells are susceptible to aging, which reduces their efficiency. Today, there exist several solutions for determining the size of additional resistance (the skin effect), which indicates a well’s current state and that of its close surroundings. The implementation of most of these solutions is often time-consuming. To improve our tools, a goal has been set to accelerate and facilitate the method of determining the size of additional resistance. In this study, we present new software that accelerates this process. It applies an innovative method based upon a partial differential equation describing the radially symmetric flow to a real well, which occurs under an unsteady regime, using the Laplace transform. Stehfest algorithm 368 is used to invert the Laplace transform. Such software can be used to evaluate an additional-resistance well, even when a straight section evaluated using the Cooper–Jacob method is not achieved in the semilogarithmic plot of drawdown vs. log time during the pumping test. This solution is demonstrated in the comprehensive evaluation of 10 wells and 3 synthetic pumping tests.
Color Image Self-Recovery and Tampering Detection Scheme Based on Fragile Watermarking with High Recovery Capability
Authors: Reyes-Reyes Rogelio , Cruz-Ramos Clara , Ponomaryov Volodymyr , Garcia-Salgado Beatriz P. , Molina-Garcia Javier
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a fragile watermarking scheme for color image authentication and self-recovery with high tampering rates is proposed. The original image is sub-sampled and divided into non-overlapping blocks, where a watermark used for recovery purposes is generated for each one of them. Additionally, for each recovery watermark, the bitwise exclusive OR (XOR) operation is applied to obtain a single bit for the block authentication procedure. The embedding and extraction process can be implemented in three variants (1-LSB, 2-LSB or 3-LSB) to solve the tampering coincidence problem (TCP). Three, six or nine copies of the generated watermarks can be embedded according to the variant process. Additionally, the embedding stage is implemented in a bit adjustment phase, increasing the watermarked image quality. A particular procedure is applied during a post-processing step to detect the regions affected by the TCP in each recovery watermark, where a single faithful image used for recovery is generated. In addition, we involve an inpainting algorithm to fill the blocks that have been tampered with, significantly increasing the recovery image quality. Simulation results show that the proposed framework demonstrates higher quality for the watermarked images and an efficient ability to reconstruct tampered image regions with extremely high rates (up to 90%). The novel self-recovery scheme has confirmed superior performance in reconstructing altered image regions in terms of objective criteria values and subjective visual perception via the human visual system against other state-of-the-art approaches.
Cloud-Edge Collaboration-Based Knowledge Sharing Mechanism for Manufacturing Resources
Authors: Wang Xixiang , Wan Jiafu
Published: April 2021

The development of multi-variety, mixed-flow manufacturing environments is hampered by a low degree of automation in information and empirical parameters’ reuse among similar processing technologies. This paper proposes a mechanism for knowledge sharing between manufacturing resources that is based on cloud-edge collaboration. The manufacturing process knowledge is coded using an ontological model, based on which the manufacturing task is refined and decomposed to the lowest-granularity concepts, i.e., knowledge primitives. On this basis, the learning process between devices is realized by effectively screening, matching, and combining the existing knowledge primitives contained in the knowledge base deployed on the cloud and the edge. The proposed method’s effectiveness was verified through a comparative experiment contrasting manual configuration and knowledge sharing configuration on a multi-variety, small-batch manufacturing experiment platform.
Online Forecasting and Anomaly Detection Based on the ARIMA Model
Authors: Kozitsin Viacheslav , Katser Iurii , Lakontsev Dmitry
Published: April 2021

Real-time diagnostics of complex technical systems such as power plants are critical to keep the system in its working state. An ideal diagnostic system must detect any fault in advance and predict the future state of the technical system, so predictive algorithms are used in the diagnostics. This paper proposes a novel, computationally simple algorithm based on the Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average model to solve anomaly detection and forecasting problems. The good performance of the proposed algorithm was confirmed in numerous numerical experiments for both anomaly detection and forecasting problems. Moreover, a description of the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Fault Detection (ARIMAFD) library, which includes the proposed algorithms, is provided in this paper. The developed algorithm proves to be an efficient algorithm and can be applied to problems related to anomaly detection and technological parameter forecasting in real diagnostic systems.
Modeling Dendritic Cell Pulsed Immunotherapy for Mice with Melanoma—Protocols for Success and Recurrence
Authors: Chimal-Eguia Juan Carlos , Castillo-Montiel Erandi , Rangel-Reyes Julio Cesar , Paez-Hernández Ricardo Teodoro
Published: April 2021

Nowadays, immunotherapy has become an important alternative to fight cancer. One way in which biologists and medics use immunotherapy is by injecting antigen-incubated Dendritic Cells (DCs) into mice to stimulate an immune response. The DCs optimal quantities and infusion times for a successful cancer eradication are often unknown to the therapists; usually, these quantities are obtained by testing various protocols. The article shows a model of five differential equations which represents some interactions between some cells of the immune system and tumor cells which is used to test different infusion protocols of Dendritic Cells. This study aims to find operation ranges to DCs quantities and injection times for which the therapy reduces the tumor significantly. To that end, an exhaustive search of operative protocols is performed using simulations of a mathematical model. Furthermore, nonlinear analysis of the model reveals that without the DC therapy tumor cells cannot stay under non-lethal bounds. Finally, we show that a pulsed periodic therapy can prevent tumor relapsing when the doses and period times lie within a certain range.
Comparison of 360° Turn Cycles among Individuals after Stroke and Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Soangra Rahul , Krishnan Vennila , John Joby , Rashedi Ehsan , McKenzie Alison
Published: April 2021

Stroke survivors are at high risk of falling during turning. The kinematics of performing a 360° turn have not been fully analyzed among individuals after stroke. Quantitative differences in the parameters of turning between healthy older adults and those after stroke could provide detailed information on turning ability among these groups. The purpose of the current study was to characterize differences between healthy older adults and adults after stroke in 360° turn kinematics. Fourteen individuals with chronic stroke (mean age: 69 ± 8.4 years) and 14 healthy older adults (mean age: 74 ± 8.7 years) performed three trials of 360° turning. Kinematics data were collected using 26 reflective markers at several body landmarks. This new method for quantifying turning revealed that stroke significantly affected the number of turn cycles, number of single support (SS) critical phases, and critical time. In some cases, falls among individuals with stroke may be related to the combination of impaired movement patterns and the complexity of tasks such as turning. Understanding turning kinematics can inform clinical interventions targeting improvements in turning ability and consequently, fall risk reduction in individuals after stroke.
A Molecular Insight into the Synergistic Mechanism of Nigella sativa (Black Cumin) with β-Lactam Antibiotics against Clinical Isolates of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Badger-Emeka Lorina I. , Emeka Promise Madu , Ibrahim Hairul Islam M.
Published: April 2021

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is detrimental to hospitalized patients. With diminishing choices of antibiotics and the worry about resistance to colistin in synergistic combined therapy, there are suggestions for the use of herbal derivatives. This investigation evaluated the synergistic effects of Nigella sativa (NS) in combination with beta-lactam (β-lactam) antibiotics on extreme drug-resistant (XDR) MRSA isolates. NS concentrations of 10, 7.5, 5.0, 2.5, 1.0, and 0.1 µg/mL, alone and in combination with β-lactam antibiotics, were used to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of MRSA isolates by the well diffusion method. Time–kill assays were performed using a spectrophotometer, with time–kill curves plotted and synergism ascertained by the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC). Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to gain insight into the mechanism of action of treated groups. Isolates were inhibited by the NS concentrations, with differences in the zones of inhibition being statistically insignificant at p < 0.05. There were statistically significant differences in the time–kill assay for the MRSA isolates. In addition, NS combined with augmentin showed better killing than oxacillin and cefuroxime. The mechanism of action shown by the SEM and TEM results revealed cell wall disruption, which probably created interference that led to bacterial lysis.
Low-Cost Air Quality Sensing towards Smart Homes
Authors: Omidvarborna Hamid , Kumar Prashant , Hayward Joe , Gupta Manik , Nascimento Erick Giovani Sperandio
Published: April 2021

The evolution of low-cost sensors (LCSs) has made the spatio-temporal mapping of indoor air quality (IAQ) possible in real-time but the availability of a diverse set of LCSs make their selection challenging. Converting individual sensors into a sensing network requires the knowledge of diverse research disciplines, which we aim to bring together by making IAQ an advanced feature of smart homes. The aim of this review is to discuss the advanced home automation technologies for the monitoring and control of IAQ through networked air pollution LCSs. The key steps that can allow transforming conventional homes into smart homes are sensor selection, deployment strategies, data processing, and development of predictive models. A detailed synthesis of air pollution LCSs allowed us to summarise their advantages and drawbacks for spatio-temporal mapping of IAQ. We concluded that the performance evaluation of LCSs under controlled laboratory conditions prior to deployment is recommended for quality assurance/control (QA/QC), however, routine calibration or implementing statistical techniques during operational times, especially during long-term monitoring, is required for a network of sensors. The deployment height of sensors could vary purposefully as per location and exposure height of the occupants inside home environments for a spatio-temporal mapping. Appropriate data processing tools are needed to handle a huge amount of multivariate data to automate pre-/post-processing tasks, leading to more scalable, reliable and adaptable solutions. The review also showed the potential of using machine learning technique for predicting spatio-temporal IAQ in LCS networked-systems.
Pancreatic Cancer Signaling Pathways, Genetic Alterations, and Tumor Microenvironment: The Barriers Affecting the Method of Treatment
Authors: Javadrashid Darya , Baghbanzadeh Amir , Derakhshani Afshin , Leone Patrizia , Silvestris Nicola , Racanelli Vito , Solimando Antonio Giovanni , Baradaran Behzad
Published: April 2021

Genetic alterations, especially the K-Ras mutation, carry the heaviest burden in the progression of pancreatic precursor lesions into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The tumor microenvironment is one of the challenges that hinder the therapeutic approaches from functioning sufficiently and leads to the immune evasion of pancreatic malignant cells. Mastering the mechanisms of these two hallmarks of PDAC can help us in dealing with the obstacles in the way of treatment. In this review, we have analyzed the signaling pathways involved in PDAC development and the immune system’s role in pancreatic cancer and immune checkpoint inhibition as next-generation therapeutic strategy. The direct targeting of the involved signaling molecules and the immune checkpoint molecules, along with a combination with conventional therapies, have reached the most promising results in pancreatic cancer treatment.
Tumor-Associated Macrophages—Implications for Molecular Oncology and Imaging
Authors: Kimm Melanie A. , Klenk Christopher , Alunni-Fabbroni Marianna , Kästle Sophia , Stechele Matthias , Ricke Jens , Eisenblätter Michel , Wildgruber Moritz
Published: April 2021

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent the largest group of leukocytes within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of solid tumors and orchestrate the composition of anti- as well as pro-tumorigenic factors. This makes TAMs an excellent target for novel cancer therapies. The plasticity of TAMs resulting in varying membrane receptors and expression of intracellular proteins allow the specific characterization of different subsets of TAMs. Those markers similarly allow tracking of TAMs by different means of molecular imaging. This review aims to provides an overview of the origin of tumor-associated macrophages, their polarization in different subtypes, and how characteristic markers of the subtypes can be used as targets for molecular imaging and theranostic approaches.
Rutin Is a Low Micromolar Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease 3CLpro: Implications for Drug Design of Quercetin Analogs
Authors: Rizzuti Bruno , Grande Fedora , Conforti Filomena , Jimenez-Alesanco Ana , Ceballos-Laita Laura , Ortega-Alarcon David , Vega Sonia , Reyburn Hugh T. , Abian Olga , Velazquez-Campoy Adrian
Published: April 2021

The pandemic, due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has stimulated the search for antivirals to tackle COVID-19 infection. Molecules with known pharmacokinetics and already approved for human use have been demonstrated or predicted to be suitable to be used either directly or as a base for a scaffold-based drug design. Among these substances, quercetin is known to be a potent in vitro inhibitor of 3CLpro, the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. However, its low in vivo bioavailability calls for modifications to its molecular structure. In this work, this issue is addressed by using rutin, a natural flavonoid that is the most common glycosylated conjugate of quercetin, as a model. Combining experimental (spectroscopy and calorimetry) and simulation techniques (docking and molecular dynamics simulations), we demonstrate that the sugar adduct does not hamper rutin binding to 3CLpro, and the conjugated compound preserves a high potency (inhibition constant in the low micromolar range, Ki = 11 μM). Although showing a disruption of the pseudo-symmetry in the chemical structure, a larger steric volume and molecular weight, and a higher solubility compared to quercetin, rutin is able to associate in the active site of 3CLpro, interacting with the catalytic dyad (His41/Cys145). The overall results have implications in the drug-design of quercetin analogs, and possibly other antivirals, to target the catalytic site of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro.
Ultra-Small Superparamagnetic Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles Exert Different Effects on Erythrocytes in Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Radosinska Jana , Jasenovec Tomas , Radosinska Dominika , Balis Peter , Puzserova Angelika , Skratek Martin , Manka Jan , Bernatova Iveta
Published: April 2021

We determined erythrocyte physiological and biochemical properties after the single and repeated administration of ultra-small superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (USPIONs) in normotensive Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Polyethylene glycol-coated USPIONs (transmission electron microscope detected a mean size of ~30 nm and hydrodynamic size ~51 nm) were intravenously administered to rats either in one infusion at nominal dose 1 mg Fe/kg or in two infusions (administered with a difference of 24 h) at nominal dose 2 mg Fe/kg. Results showed that USPIONs did not deteriorate erythrocyte deformability, nitric oxide production, and osmotic resistance in both experimental settings. Both the single and repeated USPION administration elevated erythrocyte deformability in WKY. However, this effect was not present in SHR; deformability in USPION-treated SHR was significantly lower than in USPION-treated WKY. Nitric oxide production by erythrocytes was increased after a single USPION treatment in WKY, so it can be associated with improvement in erythrocyte deformability. Using biomagnetometry, we revealed significantly lower amounts of USPION-originated iron in erythrocytes in SHR compared with WKY. We found a much faster elimination of USPIONs from erythrocytes in hypertensive rats compared with the normotensive ones, which might be relevant for clinical practice in hypertensive patients undergoing clinical examination with the use of iron-oxide nanoparticles.
Modeling Diet-Induced NAFLD and NASH in Rats: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Carreres Lydie , Jílková Zuzana Macek , Vial Guillaume , Marche Patrice N. , Decaens Thomas , Lerat Hervé
Published: April 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, characterized by hepatic steatosis without any alcohol abuse. As the prevalence of NAFLD is rapidly increasing worldwide, important research activity is being dedicated to deciphering the underlying molecular mechanisms in order to define new therapeutic targets. To investigate these pathways and validate preclinical study, reliable, simple and reproducible tools are needed. For that purpose, animal models, more precisely, diet-induced NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) models, were developed to mimic the human disease. In this review, we focus on rat models, especially in the current investigation of the establishment of the dietary model of NAFLD and NASH in this species, compiling the different dietary compositions and their impact on histological outcomes and metabolic injuries, as well as external factors influencing the course of liver pathogenesis.
Strengthening Structures in the Petiole–Lamina Junction of Peltate Leaves
Authors: Wunnenberg Julian , Rjosk Annabell , Neinhuis Christoph , Lautenschläger Thea
Published: April 2021

Peltate- or umbrella- shaped leaves are characterised by a petiole more or less centrally attached to the lamina on the abaxial side. The transition from the petiole to lamina in peltate leaves resembles a significant and abrupt geometrical change from a beam to a plate in a very compact shape. Since these leaves have not been subject of many studies, the distribution of that specific leaf morphology in the plant kingdom was investigated. Furthermore, the connection between the petiole and lamina of several peltate species was studied anatomically and morphologically, focusing on the reinforcing fibre strands. We found peltate leaves in 357 species representing 25 orders, 40 families and 99 genera. The majority are herbaceous perennials growing in shady, humid to wet habitats mainly distributed in the subtropical–tropical zones. Detailed anatomical investigation of 41 species revealed several distinct principles of how the transition zone between the petiole and lamina is organised. In-depth analysis of these different types accompanied by finite element-modelling could serve as inspiration for supporting structures in lightweight construction.
Contactless Temperature Sensing at the Microscale Based on Titanium Dioxide Raman Thermometry
Authors: Zani Veronica , Pedron Danilo , Pilot Roberto , Signorini Raffaella
Published: April 2021

The determination of local temperature at the nanoscale is a key point to govern physical, chemical and biological processes, strongly influenced by temperature. Since a wide range of applications, from nanomedicine to nano- or micro-electronics, requires a precise determination of the local temperature, significant efforts have to be devoted to nanothermometry. The identification of efficient materials and the implementation of detection techniques are still a hot topic in nanothermometry. Many strategies have been already investigated and applied to real cases, but there is an urgent need to develop new protocols allowing for accurate and sensitive temperature determination. The focus of this work is the investigation of efficient optical thermometers, with potential applications in the biological field. Among the different optical techniques, Raman spectroscopy is currently emerging as a very interesting tool. Its main advantages rely on the possibility of carrying out non-destructive and non-contact measurements with high spatial resolution, reaching even the nanoscale. Temperature variations can be determined by following the changes in intensity, frequency position and width of one or more bands. Concerning the materials, Titanium dioxide has been chosen as Raman active material because of its intense cross-section and its biocompatibility, as already demonstrated in literature. Raman measurements have been performed on commercial anatase powder, with a crystallite dimension of hundreds of nm, using 488.0, 514.5, 568.2 and 647.1 nm excitation lines of the CW Ar+/Kr+ ion laser. The laser beam was focalized through a microscope on the sample, kept at defined temperature using a temperature controller, and the temperature was varied in the range of 283–323 K. The Stokes and anti-Stokes scattered light was analyzed through a triple monochromator and detected by a liquid nitrogen-cooled CCD camera. Raw data have been analyzed with Matlab, and Raman spectrum parameters—such as area, intensity, frequency position and width of the peak—have been calculated using a Lorentz fitting curve. Results obtained, calculating the anti-Stokes/Stokes area ratio, demonstrate that the Raman modes of anatase, in particular the Eg one at 143 cm−1, are excellent candidates for the local temperature detection in the visible range.
Music Modulates Cognitive Flexibility? An Investigation of the Benefits of Musical Training on Markers of Cognitive Flexibility
Authors: Gade Miriam , Schlemmer Kathrin
Published: April 2021

Cognitive flexibility enables the rapid change in goals humans want to attain in everyday life as well as in professional contexts, e.g., as musicians. In the laboratory, cognitive flexibility is usually assessed using the task-switching paradigm. In this paradigm participants are given at least two classification tasks and are asked to switch between them based on valid cues or memorized task sequences. The mechanisms enabling cognitive flexibility are investigated through two empirical markers, namely switch costs and n-2 repetition costs. In this study, we assessed both effects in a pre-instructed task-sequence paradigm. Our aim was to assess the transfer of musical training to non-musical stimuli and tasks. To this end, we collected the data of 49 participants that differed in musical training assessed using the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index. We found switch costs that were not significantly influenced by the degree of musical training. N-2 repetition costs were small for all levels of musical training and not significant. Musical training did not influence performance to a remarkable degree and did not affect markers of mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility, adding to the discrepancies of findings on the impact of musical training in non-music-specific tasks.
Investigating Parietal and Premotor Influence on Motor Cortical Excitability Associated with Visuomotor Associative Plasticity
Authors: Wolfe Paul J. , Kaethler Lynea B. , Staines W. Richard
Published: April 2021

The brain changes in response to sensory signals it is exposed to. It has been shown that long term potentiation-like neuroplasticity can be experimentally induced via visual paired-associative stimulation (V-PAS). V-PAS combines afferent visual stimuli with a transcranial magnetic stimulation pulse to induce plasticity. Preparation of a reaching movement to generate activity in superior parietal occipital cortex (SPOC) was used in this study as an additional afferent contributor to modulate the resultant plasticity. We hypothesized that V-PAS with a reaching movement would induce greater cortical excitability than V-PAS alone and would exhibit facilitated SPOC to M1 projections. All four experiments enrolled groups of 10 participants to complete variations of V-PAS in a repeated measures design. SPOC to M1 projections facilitated motor cortex excitability following V-PAS regardless of intervention received. We did not observe evidence indicating extra afferent information provided an additive effect to participants. Investigation of PMd to M1 projections confirmed disinhibition and suggested interneuronal populations within M1 may be mechanistically involved. Future research should look to rule out the existence of an upper limit for effective afference during V-PAS and investigate the average influence of V-PAS on cortical excitability in the larger population.
Morphometric Analysis of Brain in Newborn with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Authors: Lucignani Martina , Longo Daniela , Fontana Elena , Rossi-Espagnet Maria Camilla , Lucignani Giulia , Savelli Sara , Bascetta Stefano , Sgrò Stefania , Morini Francesco , Giliberti Paola , Napolitano Antonio
Published: April 2021

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a severe pediatric disorder with herniation of abdominal viscera into the thoracic cavity. Since neurodevelopmental impairment constitutes a common outcome, we performed morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis on CDH infants to investigate cortical parameters such as cortical thickness (CT) and local gyrification index (LGI). By assessing CT and LGI distributions and their correlations with variables which might have an impact on oxygen delivery (total lung volume, TLV), we aimed to detect how altered perfusion affects cortical development in CDH. A group of CDH patients received both prenatal (i.e., fetal stage) and postnatal MRI. From postnatal high-resolution T2-weighted images, mean CT and LGI distributions of 16 CDH were computed and statistically compared to those of 13 controls. Moreover, TLV measures obtained from fetal MRI were further correlated to LGI. Compared to controls, CDH infants exhibited areas of hypogiria within bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal labels, while no differences were found for CT. LGI significantly correlated with TLV within bilateral temporal lobes and left frontal lobe, involving language- and auditory-related brain areas. Although the causes of neurodevelopmental impairment in CDH are still unclear, our results may suggest their link with altered cortical maturation and possible impaired oxygen perfusion.
Change Detection in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Images for Progress Monitoring of Road Construction
Authors: Han Dongyeob , Lee Suk , Song Mihwa , Cho Jun
Published: April 2021

Currently, unmanned aerial vehicles are increasingly being used in various construction projects such as housing developments, road construction, and bridge maintenance. If a drone is used at a road construction site, elevation information and orthoimages can be generated to acquire the construction status quantitatively. However, the detection of detailed changes in the site owing to construction depends on visual video interpretation. This study develops a method for automatic detection of the construction area using multitemporal images and a deep learning method. First, a deep learning model was trained using images of the changing area as reference. Second, we obtained an effective application method by applying various parameters to the deep learning process. The application of the time-series images of a construction site to the selected deep learning model enabled more effective identification of the changed areas than the existing pixel-based change detection. The proposed method is expected to be very helpful in construction management by aiding in the development of smart construction technology.
Furin Prodomain ppFurin Enhances Ca2+ Entry Through Orai and TRPC6 Channels’ Activation in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: López Jose J. , Siegfried Geraldine , Cantonero Carlos , Soulet Fabienne , Descarpentrie Jean , Smani Tarik , Badiola Iker , Pernot Simon , Evrard Serge , Rosado Juan A. , Khatib Abdel-Majid
Published: April 2021

The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) modulation plays a key role in the regulation of cellular growth and survival in normal cells and failure of [Ca2+]i homeostasis is involved in tumor initiation and progression. Here we showed that inhibition of Furin by its naturally occurring inhibitor the prodomain ppFurin in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells resulted in enhanced store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) and reduced the cell malignant phenotype. Expression of ppFurin in a stable manner in MDA-MB-231 and the melanoma MDA-MB-435 cell lines inhibits Furin activity as assessed by in vitro digestion assays. Accordingly, cell transfection experiments revealed that the ppFurin-expressing cells are unable to adequately process the proprotein convertase (PC) substrates vascular endothelial growth factor C (proVEGF-C) and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (proIGF-1R). Compared to MDA-MB-435 cells, expression of ppFurin in MDA-MB-231 and BT20 cells significantly enhanced SOCE and induced constitutive Ca2+ entry. The enhanced SOCE is impaired by inhibition of Orai channels while the constitutive Ca2+ entry is attenuated by silencing or inhibition of TRPC6 or inhibition of Orai channels. Analysis of TRPC6 activation revealed its upregulated tyrosine phosphorylation in ppFurin-expressing MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, while ppFurin had no effect on MDA-MB-435 cell viability, in MDA-MB-231 cells ppFurin expression reduced their viability and ability to migrate and enhanced their sensitization to the apoptosis inducer hydrogen peroxide and similar results were observed in BT20 cells. These findings suggest that Furin inhibition by ppFurin may be a useful strategy to interfere with Ca2+ mobilization, leading to breast cancer cells’ malignant phenotype repression and reduction of their resistance to treatments.
Targeting Feedforward Loops Formed by Nuclear Receptor RORγ and Kinase PBK in mCRPC with Hyperactive AR Signaling
Authors: Zhang Xiong , Huang Zenghong , Wang Junjian , Ma Zhao , Yang Joy , Corey Eva , Evans Christopher P. , Yu Ai-Ming , Chen Hong-Wu
Published: April 2021

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a highly aggressive disease with few therapeutic options. Hyperactive androgen receptor (AR) signaling plays a key role in CRPC progression. Previously, we identified RAR-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ) as a novel key driver of AR gene overexpression and increased AR signaling. We report here that several RORγ antagonists/inverse agonists including XY018 and compound 31 were orally effective in potent inhibition of the growth of tumor models including patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors. RORγ controls the expression of multiple aggressive-tumor gene programs including those of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion. We found that PDZ binding kinase (PBK), a serine/threonine kinase, is a downstream target of RORγ that exerts the cellular effects. Alterations of RORγ expression or function significantly downregulated the mRNA and protein level of PBK. Our further analyses demonstrated that elevated PBK associates with and stabilizes RORγ and AR proteins, thus constituting novel, interlocked feed-forward loops in hyperactive AR and RORγ signaling. Indeed, dual inhibition of RORγ and PBK synergistically inhibited the expression and function of RORγ, AR, and AR-V7, and the growth and survival of CRPC cells. Therefore, our study provided a promising, new strategy for treatment of advanced forms of prostate cancer.
NCX-4040, a Unique Nitric Oxide Donor, Induces Reversal of Drug-Resistance in Both ABCB1- and ABCG2-Expressing Multidrug Human Cancer Cells
Authors: Sinha Birandra K. , Perera Lalith , Cannon Ronald E.
Published: April 2021

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) in the clinic is a significant problem for a successful treatment of human cancers. Overexpression of various ABC transporters (P-gp, BCRP and MRP’s), which remove anticancer drugs in an ATP-dependent manner, is linked to the emergence of MDR. Attempts to modulate MDR have not been very successful in the clinic. Furthermore, no single agent has been found to significantly inhibit their functions to overcome clinical drug resistance. We have previously shown that nitric oxide (●NO) inhibits ATPase functions of ABC transporters, causing reversal of resistance to clinically active anticancer drugs. In this study, we have used cytotoxicity and molecular docking studies to show that NCX4040, a nitric oxide donor related to aspirin, inhibited the functions of ATPase which resulted in significant reversal of resistance to both adriamycin and topotecan in P-gp- and BCRP-expressing human cancer cell lines, respectively. We also used several other cytotoxic nitric oxide donors, e.g., molsidomine and S-nitroso glutathione; however, both P-gp- and BCRP-expressing cells were found to be highly resistant to these NO-donors. Molecular docking studies showed that NCX4040 binds to the nucleotide binding domains of the ATPase and interferes with further binding of ATP, resulting in decreased activities of these transporters. Our results are extremely promising and suggest that nitric oxide and other reactive species delivered to drug resistant tumor cells by well-designed nitric oxide donors could be useful in sensitizing anticancer drugs in multidrug resistant tumors expressing various ABC transporters.
Expression of ERBB Family Members as Predictive Markers of Prostate Cancer Progression and Mortality
Authors: Clairefond Sylvie , Ouellet Véronique , Péant Benjamin , Barrès Véronique , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Mes-Masson Anne-Marie , Saad Fred
Published: April 2021

Background: EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, and ERBB4 are growth receptors of the ERBB family implicated in the development of epithelial cancers. Studies have suggested a role for EGFR and ERBB3 in the development of prostate cancer (PC), while the involvement of ERBB2 and ERBB4 remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the expression of all members of the ERBB family in PC tissue from a large cohort and determined their contribution, alone or in combination, as prognostic markers. Methods: Using immunofluorescence coupled with digital image analyses, we quantified the expression of EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, and ERBB4 on radical prostatectomy specimens (n = 285) arrayed on six tissue microarrays. By combining EGFR, ERBB2, and ERBB3 protein expression in a decision tree model, we identified an association with biochemical recurrence (log rank = 25.295, p < 0.001), development of bone metastases (log rank = 23.228, p < 0.001), and cancer-specific mortality (log rank = 24.586, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study revealed that specific protein expression patterns of ERBB family members are associated with an increased risk of PC progression and mortality.
Atypical Response Patterns in Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors—Navigating the Radiologic Potpourri
Authors: Wong Alvin , Vellayappan Balamurugan , Cheng Lenith , Zhao Joseph J. , Muthu Vaishnavi , Asokumaran Yugarajah , Low Jia-Li , Lee Matilda , Huang Yi-Qing , Kumarakulasinghe Nesaretnam Barr , Ngoi Natalie , Leong Cheng-Nang , Chua Wynne , Thian Yee-Liang
Published: April 2021

Background: Atypical response patterns have been a topic of increasing relevance since the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), challenging the traditional RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) method of tumor response assessment. Newer immune-related response criteria can allow for the evolution of radiologic pseudoprogression, but still fail to capture the full range of atypical response patterns encountered in clinical reporting. Methods: We did a detailed lesion-by-lesion analysis of the serial imaging of 46 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with ICIs with the aim of capturing the full range of radiologic behaviour. Results: Atypical response patterns observed included pseudoprogression (n = 15; 32.6%), serial pseudoprogression (n = 4; 8.7%), dissociated response (n = 22; 47.8%), abscopal response (n = 9; 19.6%), late response (n = 5; 10.9%), and durable response after cessation of immunotherapy (n = 2; 4.3%). Twenty-four of 46 patients (52.2%) had at least one atypical response pattern and 18 patients (39.1%) had multiple atypical response patterns. Conclusions: There is a high incidence of atypical response patterns in RCC patients receiving ICIs and the study contributes to the growing literature on the abscopal effect. The recognition of these interesting and overlapping radiologic patterns challenges the oncologist to tweak treatment options such that the clinical benefits of ICIs are potentially maximized.
Assessing Preclinical Research Models for Immunotherapy for Gynecologic Malignancies
Authors: Dholakia Jhalak , Scalise Carly , Arend Rebecca C.
Published: April 2021

Gynecologic malignancies are increasing in incidence, with a plateau in clinical outcomes necessitating novel treatment options. Immunotherapy and modulation of the tumor microenvironment are rapidly developing fields of interest in gynecologic oncology translational research; examples include the PD-1 (programmed cell death 1) and CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) axes and the Wnt pathway. However, clinical successes with these agents have been modest and lag behind immunotherapy successes in other malignancies. A thorough contextualization of preclinical models utilized in gynecologic oncology immunotherapy research is necessary in order to effectively and efficiently develop translational medicine. These include murine models, in vitro assays, and three-dimensional human-tissue-based systems. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of preclinical models for immunotherapy in gynecologic malignancies, including benefits and limitations of each, in order to inform study design and translational research models. Improved model design and implementation will optimize preclinical research efficiency and increase the translational value to positive findings, facilitating novel treatments that improve patient outcomes.
Enriched (Z)-lycopene in Tomato Extract via Co-Extraction of Tomatoes and Foodstuffs Containing Z-isomerization-accelerating Compounds
Authors: Honda Masaki , Murakami Kazuya , Ichihashi Kohei , Takada Wataru , Goto Motonobu
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to promote the Z-isomerization of lycopene in its extraction process from tomato pulp by adding foodstuffs containing Z-isomerization-accelerating compounds. The addition of onion, broccoli, mustard, makonbu (Saccharina japonica), or shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) to the ethyl acetate extraction process significantly accelerated the Z-isomerization of lycopene. For example, when lycopene was extracted from tomato pulp at 70 °C without foodstuffs, the total Z-isomer ratio of lycopene in the extract was 38.4 ± 0.5%, whereas when onion, broccoli, mustard, makonbu, and shiitake mushroom were added to the process and the extraction was performed using the same procedure, the total Z-isomer ratios significantly increased to 53.6 ± 0.4, 47.9 ± 0.3, 48.2 ± 0.1, 41.5 ± 0.9, and 42.0 ± 1.2%, respectively. Since the above foodstuffs contain large amounts of carotenoid Z-isomerization-accelerating catalysts, i.e., polysulfides, isothiocyanates, or iodine, those components would promote Z-isomerization of lycopene in the extraction process. Since lycopene Z-isomers potentially have higher bioavailability and biological effects than the all-E-isomer, lycopene extraction with foodstuffs having a Z-isomerization-promoting effect in ethyl acetate should enhance the health benefits of tomato extracts.