bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Modelling Analysis for Carrier Concentration Level Optimization of CdTe Heterojunction Thin Film–Based Solar Cell with Different Non–Toxic Metal Chalcogenide Buffer Layers Replacements: Using SCAPS–1D Software
Authors: Zyoud Samer H. , Zyoud Ahed H. , Ahmed Naser M. , Abdelkader Atef F. I.
Published: November 2021

Cadmium telluride (CdTe), a metallic dichalcogenide material, was utilized as an absorber layer for thin film–based solar cells with appropriate configurations and the SCAPS–1D structures program was used to evaluate the results. In both known and developing thin film photovoltaic systems, a CdS thin–film buffer layer is frequently employed as a traditional n–type heterojunction partner. In this study, numerical simulation was used to determine a suitable non–toxic material for the buffer layer that can be used instead of CdS, among various types of buffer layers (ZnSe, ZnO, ZnS and In2S3) and carrier concentrations for the absorber layer (NA) and buffer layer (ND) were varied to determine the optimal simulation parameters. Carrier concentrations (NA from 2 × 1012 cm−3 to 2 × 1017 cm−3 and ND from 1 × 1016 cm−3 to 1 × 1022 cm−3) differed. The results showed that the use of CdS as a buffer–layer–based CdTe absorber layer for solar cell had the highest efficiency (%) of 17.43%. Furthermore, high conversion efficiencies of 17.42% and 16.27% were for the ZnSe and ZnO-based buffer layers, respectively. As a result, ZnO and ZnSe are potential candidates for replacing the CdS buffer layer in thin–film solar cells. Here, the absorber (CdTe) and buffer (ZnSe) layers were chosen to improve the efficiency by finding the optimal density of the carrier concentration (acceptor and donor). The simulation findings above provide helpful recommendations for fabricating high–efficiency metal oxide–based solar cells in the lab.
Investigation of TiO2 Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-Gel Method for Effectual Photodegradation, Oxidation and Reduction Reaction
Authors: Ahmad Mohamad M. , Mushtaq Shehla , Al Qahtani Hassan S. , Sedky A. , Alam Mir Waqas
Published: November 2021

Metal oxide titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by using a simple and economical sol-gel method. The prepared nanoparticles were used to evaluate methylene blue dye degradation and as catalysts in the oxidation of benzaldehyde. The crystallite size of the titanium dioxide nanoparticle was 18.3 nm, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The spherical morphology was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the elemental composition of the nanoparticle was found by energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis. The anatase form of the nanoparticle was confirmed by the bandgap 3.2 eV, which was measured using UV–DRS analysis. The bond between metal and oxygen was confirmed by the peaks at 485 and 606 cm–1 analyzed by Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR). The efficiency of the catalyst in dye degradation was 60.08, 68.38, and 80.89% with respect to 50, 75, and 100 mg catalyst weight. The yield % of benzoic acid was 94%, and the reduction efficiency against 4-nitrophenol was 98.44%.
Structure and Content Analysis of Raw Materials for Production of Trimanganese Tetraoxide Pigment
Authors: Safarov Ruslan Z. , Kargin Jumat B. , Aibuldinov Yelaman K. , Zhandildenova Assemgul K. , Makhmutov Bolat B. , Sviderskiy Alexandr K. , Vatin Nikolai I.
Published: November 2021

The research aims to reveal the structure, phase, and elemental content of manganese ores from deposits—Bogach (Karaganda region, Kazakhstan) and Zhaksy (Akmola region, Kazakhstan). The samples were studied with scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis (SEM-EDA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Infra-red spectroscopy (IRS). During the research, structural peculiarities, elemental and phase content of the samples have been revealed. The mineral matter of the Bogach deposit ore mainly consists of hollandite, cryptomelane, braunite, calcite, bixbyite, quartz. The Zhaksy deposit ore includes quartz, hollandite, bixbyite, pyrolusite. Bogach ore includes (wt.%) C(10.68), O(32.00), Mn(43.26), Ca(6.36), Si(3.51), Na(0.52), Al(1.13), Mg(0.69), K(1.85). The elemental content of Mn in Zhaksy ore is two times lower. Zhaksy ore includes (wt.%) C(23.77), O(32.1), Mn(21.81), Si(10.52), Al(5.13), K(1.21), Fe(5.47). The obtained data of the conducted spectral analysis indicate that both samples represent a polymineral heterogeneous structure. Conducted research allows to conclude, that by phase-elemental content the Bogach ore can be used for obtaining trimanganese tetraoxide pigment similar to manganese ores from West Sumatera deposit (Indonesia) by top-down method using grinding with a milling tool and high-temperature sintering.
Effect of Preparation Method and Ni2+ Substitution on the Structural, Thermal, and Optical Properties of Nanocrystalline Lanthanum Zirconate Pyrochlore
Authors: Alharthi Fahad , Wahab Rizwan , Manoharadas Salim , Alrayes Basel F. , Ahmad Naushad
Published: November 2021

In order to establish the effective application of materials in a particular area, it is important to first investigate the physical and chemical properties, such as the crystallinity, structure, and the optical and surface properties. The objective of the present study is to fabricate thermally stable pyrochlore oxides, namely, lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7, LZ) and Ni-doped lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr1.5Ni0.5O7, LZN) by the solid-state and sol-gel methods. The effects of the preparation and substitution of Zr4+ by Ni2+ for the resulting nanocrystalline samples were characterized in terms of structure, purity, porosity, the thermal and optical properties, and photoluminescence by different techniques: XRD, FT-IR, BET, EDS, TG-DTG, UV-Vis-DRS, and PL. The XRD results confirm that the pyrochlores prepared via the sol-gel method (LZ-sg and LZN-sg) had a cubic unit-cell lattice, whereas the solid-state method (LZ-s and LZN-s) had impurities of the oxides. The XRD patterns, LZ-sg and LZN-sg, were further treated with the Rietveld technique. The textural measurements reveal that LZ-sg had a higher BET surface area compared to LZN-sg. In addition, the substitution of Zr4+ by the Ni2+ ion provides rational evidence for the improvement in the oxygen mobility, as well as the optical and photoluminescence properties through the lowering of the optical band energy and the electron–hole pairs.
Probing Surface Information of Alloy by Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer
Authors: Song Tinglu , Zou Meishuai , Lu Defeng , Chen Hanyuan , Wang Benpeng , Wang Shuo , Xu Fan
Published: November 2021

In recent years, time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometer (ToF-SIMS) has been widely employed to acquire surface information of materials. Here, we investigated the alloy surface by combining the mass spectra and 2D mapping images of ToF-SIMS. We found by surprise that these two results seem to be inconsistent with each other. Therefore, other surface characteristic tools such as SEM-EDS were further used to provide additional supports. The results indicated that such differences may originate from the variance of secondary ion yields, which might be affected by crystal orientation.
Green Synthesis of Ni-Cu-Zn Based Nanosized Metal Oxides for Photocatalytic and Sensor Applications
Authors: Alam Mir Waqas , Aamir Muhammad , Farhan Mohd , Albuhulayqah Maryam , Ahmad Mohamad M. , Ravikumar C.R. , Dileep Kumar V.G. , Ananda Murthy H.C.
Published: November 2021

The preparation, characterization, and application of Nickel oxide (NiO)–Copper oxide (CuO)–Zinc oxide (ZnO) transition nanometal oxides have significantly enhanced their tunable properties for superior multifunctional performances compared with well-known metal oxides. NiO–CuO–ZnO nano transition metal oxides were synthesized by a simple eco-friendly solution combustion method. X-ray diffraction studies revealed distinct phases such as monoclinic, cubic, and hexagonal wurtzite for CuO, NiO, and ZnO, respectively, with NiO having the highest composition. The particle sizes were found to be in the range between 25 and 60 nm, as determined by powder X-ray diffraction. The energy bandgap values were found to be 1.63, 3.4, and 4.2 eV for CuO, ZnO, and NiO, respectively. All metal oxides exhibited a moderate degradation efficiency for AR88 dye. The results of ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra helped identify the bandgap of metal oxides and a suitable wavelength for photocatalytic irradiation. Finally, we concluded that the electrochemical studies revealed that the synthesized materials are well suitable for sensor applications.
Influence of Crystal Plasticity Parameters on the Strain Hardening Behavior of Polycrystals
Authors: Shahmardani Mahdieh , Vajragupta Napat , Hartmaier Alexander
Published: November 2021

The effective mechanical properties of a polycrystal depend directly on the single-crystal properties of each grain and its crystallographic orientation with respect to the load axis. While the micromechanical approach has been used quite extensively to study the influence of grain shape and crystallographic texture on the resulting mechanical behavior of a polycrystal, the influence of the crystal plasticity parameters, which describe the constitutive behavior of the single crystal, requires to be investigated systemically because, typically, these parameters are fitted to describe a given material behavior. In the current research, this gap is filled by systemically studying the effect of changes in crystal plasticity parameters on the effective mechanical properties of polycrystals. The numerical model employed here consists of a representative volume element of 100 grains, and the material properties are described by using a non-local crystal plasticity model. A proper homogenization technique was used to homogenize the micromechanical results to an effective macroscopic material response. The equivalent stress versus equivalent plastic strain curve was obtained numerically by introducing the Voce-type hardening law, mimicking the material behavior in uniaxial tensile tests. The four parameters of the Voce-type hardening law were fitted to the macroscopic stress-strain curves, and the correlation between the crystal plasticity parameters and the Voce parameters has been studied, which is an efficient way to study the influence of microscopic material descriptions on the macroscopic behavior of polycrystals.
Potential Role of CCN Proteins in Breast Cancer: Therapeutic Advances and Perspectives
Authors: Ahmed Kazi Ahsan , Hasib Tasnin Al , Paul Shamrat Kumar , Saddam Md. , Mimi Afsana , Saikat Abu Saim Mohammad , Faruque Hasan Al , Rahman Md. Ataur , Uddin Md. Jamal , Kim Bonglee
Published: November 2021

CCNs are a specific type of matricellular protein, which are essential signaling molecules, and play multiple roles in multicellular eukaryotes. This family of proteins consists of six separate members, which exist only in vertebrates. The architecture of CCN proteins is multi-modular comprising four distinct modules. CCN Proteins achieve their primary functional activities by binding with several integrin7 receptors. The CCN family has been linked to cell adhesion, chemotaxis and migration, mitogenesis, cell survival, angiogenesis, differentiation, tumorigenesis, chondrogenesis, and wound healing, among other biological interactions. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and CCN regulated breast cancer stands at the top. A favorable or unfavorable association between various CCNs has been reported in patients with breast carcinomas. The pro-tumorigenic CCN1, CCN2, CCN3, and CCN4 may lead to human breast cancer, although the anti-tumorigenic actions of CCN5 and CCN6 are also present. Several studies have been conducted on CCN proteins and cancer in recent years. CCN1 and CCN3 have been shown to exhibit a dual nature of tumor inhibition and tumor suppression to some extent in quiet recent time. Pharmacological advances in treating breast cancer by targeting CCN proteins are also reported. In our study, we intend to provide an overview of these research works while keeping breast cancer in focus. This information may facilitate early diagnosis, early prognosis and the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Is Biodiversity of Uropodina Mites (Acari: Parasitiformes) Inhabiting Dead Wood Dependent on the Tree Species?
Authors: Zacharyasiewicz Michał , Napierała Agnieszka , Kurek Przemysław , Grossmann Kamila , Błoszyk Jerzy
Published: November 2021

The article presented here is the continuation of a study on the importance of dead wood for the biodiversity of the Uropodina (Acari: Parasitiformes) communities inhabiting dead wood. The major aim of this study is to check whether the species of tree can have any impact on the species composition and abundance of uropodine mite communities inhabiting dead wood. The next aim of the study is to test the following hypotheses: (1) Uropodina exhibit preferences for certain tree species; and (2) communities differ depending on the region and time of the samples collection. The material for the analysis consists of samples from different types of dead wood merocenoses and 37 species of trees, and were collected across the whole area of Poland. More Uropodina species were collected from the dead wood of broadleaved species than from coniferous species. The tree species in which communities of the studied mites were the richest were beech, oak, pine, spruce, linden, and hornbeam. The analysis of habitat preferences of Uropodina mites for particular tree species has revealed that none of the analyzed mite species did not occur in the dead wood samples from all tree species. Another important result is that the mite communities found in the samples from the same tree species remained similar in each decade of the research. The results also show that the communities of Uropodina inhabiting dead wood of the same tree species in different regions of Poland had different species composition, which stems from differences in the range of occurrence of these mites species.
Contributions of Distribution Modelling to the Ecological Study of Psittaciformes
Authors: Ferrer-Paris José R. , Sánchez-Mercado Ada
Published: November 2021

We provide an overview of the use of species distribution modeling to address research questions related to parrot ecology and conservation at a global scale. We conducted a literature search and applied filters to select the 82 most relevant studies to discuss. The study of parrot species distribution has increased steadily in the past 30 years, with methods and computing development maturing and facilitating their application for a wide range of research and applied questions. Conservation topics was the most popular topic (37%), followed by ecology (34%) and invasion ecology (20%). The role of abiotic factors explaining parrot distribution is the most frequent ecological application. The high prevalence of studies supporting on-ground conservation problems is a remarkable example of reduction in the research–action gap. Prediction of invasion risk and assessment of invasion effect were more prevalent than examples evaluating the environmental or economic impact of these invasions. The integration of species distribution models with other tools in the decision-making process and other data (e.g., landscape metrics, genetic, behavior) could even further expand the range of applications and provide a more nuanced understanding of how parrot species are responding to their even more changing landscape and threats.
Global Characterization of XRN 5′-3′ Exoribonucleases and Their Responses to Environmental Stresses in Plants
Authors: Song Weimeng , Li Yanjie , Niu Yue , Wu You , Bao Yan , Yu Xiang
Published: November 2021

The XRN family of 5′-3′ Exoribonucleases is functionally conserved in eukaryotic organisms. However, the molecular evolution of XRN proteins in plants and their functions in plant response to environment stresses remain largely unexplored. In this study, we identified 23 XRN proteins in 6 representative plant species. Polygenetic analysis revealed that XRN2 was Arabidopsis-specific among these species, and additional branches outside the clades of XRN3 and XRN4 proteins, which we named as XRN5, were found in rice, maize, and soybean. However, XRN5 in soybean lost their entire 5′-3′ XRN Exoribonuclease domain. Protein conserved sequence analysis showed that XRN3/XRN2 contained potential bipartite nuclear-localization signals (NLS) while all the XRN4 proteins lost their second KR/RR motif of NLS, potentially leading to their cytoplasm localization. SIXRN3-2 contained one mutation in this second KR/RR motif, which may change their sub-cellular localization. The promoter cis-element analysis indicated that these XRN genes responded to multiple stresses and plant hormones diversely at transcriptional level. Finally, transcriptomic analysis suggested that OsXRN3 and ZmXRN3-1 were induced by low temperature, SIXRN4 and ZmXRN4 was inhibited by heat shock, and OsXRN5 and GmXRN5-2 were repressed by drought. However, in general, the expression patterns revealed the response diversity of XRNs to environment stimuli in different plant species. Taken together, this study characterized 23 XRNs with NLS variation that contributed to their sub-cellular localization and provided an overview of the XRNs response diversity to multiple environmental stresses, suggesting that XRNs could be used as potential gene editing candidates for precise stress-tolerant crop breeding.
Exploring Effective Conservation of Charismatic Flora: Orchids in Armenia as a Case Study
Authors: Faruk Aisyah , Papikyan Astghik , Nersesyan Anush
Published: November 2021

Plants are the bedrock of life on Earth but are increasingly threatened with extinction. The most cost-effective way of conserving plant diversity is through Protected Areas (PAs). However, the locality, size, and management of PAs are crucial for effectively maintaining diversity and have been criticized as currently inadequate. Using Armenia as our study site and orchids as our study taxa, we sought to (1) identify spatial patterns of orchid diversity hotspots and corresponding PA network sites; (2) examine if the current PA network is effective at capturing orchid species richness and diversity and (3) explore the relationship between the range of area suitability of species and level of protection. We used data collected from herbarium, field visits and GBIF occurrence records. Using freely available mapping software, we created heatmaps of observations and species richness. We compared PA sites based on the number of species (species richness) and diversity (Shannon–Weiner Index). Species range was developed using the MaxEnt model and a correlation analysis was performed against the proportion of the range within PA. We found that 57% of PA sites have a representation of at least one species of orchid, but some threatened species are not presented within any PA site. The Tavush and Syunik province not only held the highest species richness (>10 species), but the PA network within also held high orchid diversity (2.5 diversity index value for Dilijan National Park). We did not find a significant relationship between the range of area suitability for orchids and protection; however, all our target species had less than 30% of their range under protection. Our study highlights important challenges related to the limitations of available data, and we discuss these implications towards effective conservation outcomes for orchids for the region.
Crystal Clear: Investigating Databases for Research, the Case of Drone Strikes
Authors: Giacomello Giampiero , Martinelli Damiano
Published: November 2021

The availability of numerous online databases offers new and tremendous opportunities for social science research. Furthermore, databases based on news reports often allow scholars to investigate issues otherwise hard to tackle, such as, for example, the impact and consequences of drone strikes. Crucial to the campaign against terrorism, official data on drone strikes are classified, but news reports permit a certain degree of independent scrutiny. The quality of such research may be improved if scholars can rely on two (or more) databases independently reporting on the same issue (a solution akin to ‘data triangulation’). Given these conditions, such databases should be as reliable and valid as possible. This paper aimed to discuss the ‘validity and reliability’ of two such databases, as well as open up a debate on the evaluation of the quality, reliability and validity of research data on ‘problematic’ topics that have recently become more accessible thanks to online sources.
Deep Learning-Based Microscopic Diagnosis of Odontogenic Keratocysts and Non-Keratocysts in Haematoxylin and Eosin-Stained Incisional Biopsies
Authors: Rao Roopa S. , Shivanna Divya B. , Mahadevpur Kirti S. , Shivaramegowda Sinchana G. , Prakash Spoorthi , Lakshminarayana Surendra , Patil Shankargouda
Published: November 2021

Background: The goal of the study was to create a histopathology image classification automation system that could identify odontogenic keratocysts in hematoxylin and eosin-stained jaw cyst sections. Methods: From 54 odontogenic keratocysts, 23 dentigerous cysts, and 20 radicular cysts, about 2657 microscopic pictures with 400× magnification were obtained. The images were annotated by a pathologist and categorized into epithelium, cystic lumen, and stroma of keratocysts and non-keratocysts. Preprocessing was performed in two steps; the first is data augmentation, as the Deep Learning techniques (DLT) improve their performance with increased data size. Secondly, the epithelial region was selected as the region of interest. Results: Four experiments were conducted using the DLT. In the first, a pre-trained VGG16 was employed to classify after-image augmentation. In the second, DenseNet-169 was implemented for image classification on the augmented images. In the third, DenseNet-169 was trained on the two-step preprocessed images. In the last experiment, two and three results were averaged to obtain an accuracy of 93% on OKC and non-OKC images. Conclusions: The proposed algorithm may fit into the automation system of OKC and non-OKC diagnosis. Utmost care was taken in the manual process of image acquisition (minimum 28–30 images/slide at 40× magnification covering the entire stretch of epithelium and stromal component). Further, there is scope to improve the accuracy rate and make it human bias free by using a whole slide imaging scanner for image acquisition from slides.
Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation upon Immunosuppression: Is There a Role for Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen in Patients with Immune-Escape Mutants? A Case Report
Authors: Caviglia Gian Paolo , Zorzi Antonella , Rizzetto Mario , Mirandola Massimo , Olivero Antonella , Carolo Giada
Published: November 2021

The reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBVr) in patients undergoing pharmacological immunosuppression is a potentially fatal clinical event that may occur in patients with overt or occult HBV infection. The risk of HBVr is mainly determined by the type of immunosuppressive therapy and the HBV serologic profile, with a higher risk in patients positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and a lower risk in HBsAg-negative/antibodies to core antigen-positive subjects. Notably, a considerable proportion of patients experiencing HBVr showed a high degree of variability of the HBV S gene, possibly leading to immune escape mutants. These mutations, usually in the “a-determinant” of the HBsAg, can cause diagnostic problems and consequently hamper the appropriate management strategy of patients at risk of HBVr. Here, we describe a case of HBVr in a patient with a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia and a previous history of kidney transplant, providing evidence of the potential usefulness of hepatitis B core-related antigen measurement in patients with HBV immune-escape mutants at risk of viral reactivation.
Performing an Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Needle Kidney Biopsy: An Up-To-Date Procedural Review
Authors: Granata Antonio , Distefano Giulio , Pesce Francesco , Battaglia Yuri , Suavo Bulzis Paola , Venturini Massimo , Palmucci Stefano , Cantisani Vito , Basile Antonio , Gesualdo Loreto
Published: November 2021

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) has revolutionized the clinical practice of nephrology in the last decades. PRB remains an essential tool for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic management of several renal diseases and for the assessment of renal involvement in systemic diseases. In this study, we examine the different applications and provide a review of the current evidence on the periprocedural management of patients. PRB is recommended in patients with significant proteinuria, hematuria, acute kidney injury, unexpected worsening of renal function, and allograft dysfunction after excluding pre- and post-renal causes. A preliminary ultrasound examination is needed to assess the presence of anatomic anomalies of the kidney and to identify vessels that might be damaged by the needle during the procedure. Kidney biopsy is usually performed in the prone position on the lower pole of the left kidney, whereas in patients with obesity, the supine antero-lateral position is preferred. After preparing a sterile field and the injection of local anesthetics, an automatic spring-loaded biopsy gun is used under ultrasound guidance to obtain samples of renal parenchyma for histopathology. After the procedure, an ultrasound scan must be performed for the prompt identification of potential early bleeding complications. As 33% of complications occur after 8 h and 91% occur within 24 h, the ideal post-procedural observation time is 24 h. PRB is a safe procedure and should be considered a routine part of the clinical practice of nephrology.
Application and Validation of the Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion/Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Ratio in Patients with Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Keranov Stanislav , Haen Saskia , Vietheer Julia , Rutsatz Wiebke , Wolter Jan-Sebastian , Kriechbaum Steffen D. , von Jeinsen Beatrice , Bauer Pascal , Tello Khodr , Richter Manuel , Dörr Oliver , Rieth Andreas J. , Nef Holger , Hamm Christian W. , Liebetrau Christoph , Rolf Andreas , Keller Till
Published: November 2021

The main aim of this study was to assess the prognostic utility of TAPSE/PASP as an echocardiographic parameter of maladaptive RV remodeling in cardiomyopathy patients using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Furthermore, we sought to compare TAPSE/PASP to TAPSE. The association of the echocardiographic parameters TAPSE/PASP and TAPSE with CMR parameters of RV and LV remodeling was evaluated in 111 patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and cut-off values for maladaptive RV remodeling were defined. In a second step, the prognostic value of TAPSE/PASP and its cut-off value were analyzed regarding mortality in a validation cohort consisting of 221 patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. A low TAPSE/PASP (<0.38 mm/mmHg) and TAPSE (<16 mm) were associated with a lower RVEF and a long-axis RV global longitudinal strain (GLS) as well as higher RVESVI, RVEDVI and NT-proBNP. A low TAPSE/PASP, but not TAPSE, was associated with a lower LVEF and long-axis LV GLS, and a higher LVESVI, LVEDVI and T1 relaxation time at the interventricular septum and the RV insertion points. Furthermore, in the validation cohort, low TAPSE/PASP was associated with a higher mortality and TAPSE/PASP was an independent predictor of mortality. TAPSE/PASP is a predictor of maladaptive RV and LV remodeling associated with poor outcomes in cardiomyopathy patients.
Digital Pathology Transformation in a Supraregional Germ Cell Tumour Network
Authors: Colling Richard , Protheroe Andrew , Sullivan Mark , Macpherson Ruth , Tuthill Mark , Redgwell Jacqueline , Traill Zoe , Molyneux Angus , Johnson Elizabeth , Abdullah Niveen , Taibi Andrea , Mercer Nikki , Haynes Harry R. , Sackville Anthony , Craft Judith , Reis Joao , Rees Gabrielle , Soares Maria , Roberts Ian S. D. , Siiankoski Darrin , Hemsworth Helen , Roskell Derek , Roberts-Gant Sharon , White Kieron , Rittscher Jens , Davies Jim , Browning Lisa , Verrill Clare
Published: November 2021

Background: In this article we share our experience of creating a digital pathology (DP) supraregional germ cell tumour service, including full digitisation of the central laboratory. Methods: DP infrastructure (Philips) was deployed across our hospital network to allow full central digitisation with partial digitisation of two peripheral sites in the supraregional testis germ cell tumour network. We used a survey-based approach to capture the quantitative and qualitative experiences of the multidisciplinary teams involved. Results: The deployment enabled case sharing for the purposes of diagnostic reporting, second opinion, and supraregional review. DP was seen as a positive step forward for the departments involved, and for the wider germ cell tumour network, and was completed without significant issues. Whilst there were challenges, the transition to DP was regarded as worthwhile, and examples of benefits to patients are already recognised. Conclusion: Pathology networks, including highly specialised services, such as in this study, are ideally suited to be digitised. We highlight many of the benefits but also the challenges that must be overcome for such clinical transformation. Overall, from the survey, the change was seen as universally positive for our service and highlights the importance of engagement of the whole team to achieve success.
Performance Evaluation of the BZ COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Test for the Culture-Free and Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies
Authors: Jung Bo Kyeung , Yoon Jung , Bae Joon-Yong , Kim Jeonghun , Park Man-Seong , Lee Suk Yong , Lim Chae Seung
Published: November 2021

Rapid and accurate measurement of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) can aid in understanding the development of immunity against COVID-19. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of a rapid SARS-CoV-2 nAb detection test called the BZ COVID-19 nAb test BZ-nAb (BZ-nAb; BioZentech). Using the 90% plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT-90) as a reference, 104 serum specimens collected from COVID-19-positive and -negative patients were grouped into 40 PRNT-90-positive and 64 PRNT-90-negative specimens. The performance of the BZ-nAb was compared with that of the cPass surrogate virus neutralization test (cPass sVNT; Genscript). The BZ-nAb showed a sensitivity ranging from 92.5%–95.0% and specificity ranging from 96.9%–100%, whereas cPass sVNT showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval (CI) 90.5%–100%) and specificity of 98.4% (95% CI, 91.6%–100%). The dilution factor obtained with PRNT-90 showed a stronger correlation with the percent inhibition of cPass sVNT (r = 0.8660, p < 0.001) compared with the test and control line ratio (T/C ratio) of the BZ-nAb (r = −0.7089, p < 0.001). An almost perfect agreement was seen between the BZ-nAb and cPass sVNT results, with a strong negative correlation between the BZ-nAb T/C ratio and cPass sVNT percent inhibition (r = −0.8022, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the diagnostic performance of the BZ-nAb was comparable to that of the cPass sVNT, although the BZ-nAb had a slightly lower sensitivity.
Usefulness of Preoperative High Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index as a Prognostic Biomarker in Patients Who Undergo Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Multicenter Analysis
Authors: Yamashita Shimpei , Iwahashi Yuya , Miyai Haruka , Matsumura Nagahide , Hagino Keizo , Kikkawa Kazuro , Kohjimoto Yasuo , Hara Isao
Published: November 2021

Evidence of the prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) after radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer is limited. This study aims to assess the association between preoperative SII and prognosis after RC for bladder cancer. In this multicenter retrospective study, we calculated preoperative SII as well as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in 237 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer between March 2009 and March 2018. Patients were classified into high SII and low SII groups by using the optimal cutoff value (438 × 109/L) based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for cancer-specific death. We compared cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups. To evaluate the prognostic impact of preoperative SII, we also performed Cox proportional regression analyses for CSS and OS. Of 237 patients, 127 patients were classified into the high SII group and 110 patients into the low SII group. During the follow-up period, 70 patients died of bladder cancer (30%) and 21 patients died from other causes (9%). Patients with high SII had significantly lower rates of CSS and OS than those with low SII (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that high SII was independently associated with poor CSS (p = 0.01) and poor OS (p < 0.01). In conclusion, high SII could be an independent significant predictor of poor prognosis after RC in patients with bladder cancer.
Fully Automated Quantitative Measurement of Serum Organic Acids via LC-MS/MS for the Diagnosis of Organic Acidemias: Establishment of an Automation System and a Proof-of-Concept Validation
Authors: Ueyanagi Yasushi , Setoyama Daiki , Kawakami Daisuke , Mushimoto Yuichi , Matsumoto Shinya , Hotta Taeko , Kang Dongchon
Published: November 2021

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been widely used to analyze hundreds of organic acids in urine to provide a diagnostic basis for organic acidemia. However, it is difficult to operate in clinical laboratories on a daily basis due to sample pretreatment processing. Therefore, we aimed to develop a fully automated system for quantifying serum organic acids using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The pretreatment CLAM-2030 device was connected to an LC-MS/MS system for processing serum under optimized conditions, which included derivatizing serum organic acids using 3-Nitrophenylhydrazine. The derivatized organic acids were separated on a reverse-phase Sceptor HD-C column and detected using negative-ion electrospray ionization multiple reaction monitoring MS. The automated pretreatment-LC-MS/MS system processed serum in less than 1 h and analyzed 19 serum organic acids, which are used to detect organic acidemias. The system exhibited high quantitative sensitivity ranging from approximately 2 to 100 µM with a measurement reproducibility of 10.4% CV. Moreover, a proof-of-concept validation of the system was performed using sera from patients with propionic acidemia (n = 5), methylmalonic acidemia (n = 2), and 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria (n = 1). The levels of marker organic acids specific to each disease were significantly elevated in the sera of the patients compared to those in control samples. The automated pretreatment-LC-MS/MS system can be used as a rapid in-hospital system to measure organic acid levels in serum for the diagnosis of organic acidemias.
Kynurenine and Hemoglobin as Sex-Specific Variables in COVID-19 Patients: A Machine Learning and Genetic Algorithms Approach
Authors: Celaya-Padilla Jose M. , Villagrana-Bañuelos Karen E. , Oropeza-Valdez Juan José , Monárrez-Espino Joel , Castañeda-Delgado Julio E. , Oostdam Ana Sofía Herrera-Van , Fernández-Ruiz Julio César , Ochoa-González Fátima , Borrego Juan Carlos , Enciso-Moreno Jose Antonio , López Jesús Adrián , López-Hernández Yamilé , Galván-Tejada Carlos E.
Published: November 2021

Differences in clinical manifestations, immune response, metabolic alterations, and outcomes (including disease severity and mortality) between men and women with COVID-19 have been reported since the pandemic outbreak, making it necessary to implement sex-specific biomarkers for disease diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to identify sex-associated differences in COVID-19 patients by means of a genetic algorithm (GALGO) and machine learning, employing support vector machine (SVM) and logistic regression (LR) for the data analysis. Both algorithms identified kynurenine and hemoglobin as the most important variables to distinguish between men and women with COVID-19. LR and SVM identified C10:1, cough, and lysoPC a 14:0 to discriminate between men with COVID-19 from men without, with LR being the best model. In the case of women with COVID-19 vs. women without, SVM had a higher performance, and both models identified a higher number of variables, including 10:2, lysoPC a C26:0, lysoPC a C28:0, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, lactic acid, cough, fever, anosmia, and dysgeusia. Our results demonstrate that differences in sexes have implications in the diagnosis and outcome of the disease. Further, genetic and machine learning algorithms are useful tools to predict sex-associated differences in COVID-19.
Male Breast Cancer Review. A Rare Case of Pure DCIS: Imaging Protocol, Radiomics and Management
Authors: Tari Daniele Ugo , Morelli Luigi , Guida Antonella , Pinto Fabio
Published: November 2021

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of male breast is a rare lesion, often associated with invasive carcinoma. When the in situ component is present in pure form, histological grade is usually low or intermediate. Imaging is difficult as gynaecomastia is often present and can mask underlying findings. We report a rare case of pure high-grade DCIS in a young male patient, with associated intraductal papilloma and atypical ductal hyperplasia. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) showed an area of architectural distortion at the union of outer quadrants of the left breast without gynaecomastia. Triple assessment suggested performing a nipple-sparing mastectomy, which revealed the presence of a focal area of high-grade DCIS of 2 mm. DCIS, even of high grade, is difficult to detect with mammography and even more rare, especially when associated with other proliferative lesions. DBT with 2D synthetic reconstruction is useful as the imaging step of a triple assessment and it should be performed in both symptomatic and asymptomatic high-risk men to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions. We propose a diagnostic model to early detect breast cancer in men, optimizing resources according to efficiency, effectiveness and economy, and look forward to radiomics as a powerful tool to help radiologists.
Diagnostic Modalities in Critical Care: Point-of-Care Approach
Authors: Rajsic Sasa , Breitkopf Robert , Bachler Mirjam , Treml Benedikt
Published: November 2021

The concept of intensive care units (ICU) has existed for almost 70 years, with outstanding development progress in the last decades. Multidisciplinary care of critically ill patients has become an integral part of every modern health care system, ensuing improved care and reduced mortality. Early recognition of severe medical and surgical illnesses, advanced prehospital care and organized immediate care in trauma centres led to a rise of ICU patients. Due to the underlying disease and its need for complex mechanical support for monitoring and treatment, it is often necessary to facilitate bed-side diagnostics. Immediate diagnostics are essential for a successful treatment of life threatening conditions, early recognition of complications and good quality of care. Management of ICU patients is incomprehensible without continuous and sophisticated monitoring, bedside ultrasonography, diverse radiologic diagnostics, blood gas analysis, coagulation and blood management, laboratory and other point-of-care (POC) diagnostic modalities. Moreover, in the time of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, particular attention is given to the POC diagnostic techniques due to additional concerns related to the risk of infection transmission, patient and healthcare workers safety and potential adverse events due to patient relocation. This review summarizes the most actual information on possible diagnostic modalities in critical care, with a special focus on the importance of point-of-care approach in the laboratory monitoring and imaging procedures.
Validation of a Monte Carlo Modelling Based Dosimetry of Extraoral Photobiomodulation
Authors: Yaroslavsky Anna N. , Juliano Amy F. , Adnan Ather , Selting Wayne J. , Iorizzo Tyler W. , Carroll James D. , Sonis Stephen T. , Duncan Christine N. , London Wendy B. , Treister Nathaniel S.
Published: November 2021

An in vivo validation study was performed to confirm the accuracy of extraoral photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) dosimetry determined by modelling. The Monte Carlo technique was utilized to calculate the fluence rate and absorbed power of light delivered through multi-layered tissue. Optical properties used during Monte Carlo simulations were taken from the literature. Morphological data of four study volunteers were acquired using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Light emitting diode (LED) coupled to a power meter were utilized to measure transmitted power through each volunteer’s cheek, in vivo. The transmitted power determined by Monte Carlo modelling was compared to the in vivo measurements to determine the accuracy of the simulations. Experimental and simulation results were in good agreement for all four subjects. The difference between the mean values of the measured transmission was within 12% from the respective transmission obtained using Monte Carlo simulations. The results of the study indicate that Monte Carlo modelling is a robust and reliable method for light dosimetry.
Deep Learning Based Fast Screening Approach on Ultrasound Images for Thyroid Nodules Diagnosis
Authors: Rehman Hafiz Abbad Ur , Lin Chyi-Yeu , Su Shun-Feng
Published: November 2021

Thyroid nodules are widespread in the United States and the rest of the world, with a prevalence ranging from 19 to 68%. The problem with nodules is whether they are malignant or benign. Ultrasonography is currently recommended as the initial modality for evaluating thyroid nodules. However, obtaining a good diagnosis from ultrasound imaging depends entirely on the radiologists levels of experience and other circumstances. There is a tremendous demand for automated and more reliable methods to screen ultrasound images more efficiently. This research proposes an efficient and quick detection deep learning approach for thyroid nodules. An open and publicly available dataset, Thyroid Digital Image Database (TDID), is used to determine the robustness of the suggested method. Each image is formatted into a pyramid tile-based data structure, which the proposed VGG-16 model evaluates to provide segmentation results for nodular detection. The proposed method adopts a top-down approach to hierarchically integrate high- and low-level features to distinguish nodules of varied sizes by employing fuse features effectively. The results demonstrated that the proposed method outperformed the U-Net model, achieving an accuracy of 99%, and was two times faster than the competitive model.
Unique Ultrasonographic Findings of Isolated IgG4-Related Lymphadenopathy
Authors: Yun Jae Sung , Choi Seoyun , Jang Kyu Yun , Park Eun Hae
Published: November 2021

IgG4-related disease is a rare immune-mediated disease that can involve many organs in the body. The lymph node is also where IgG4-related diseases occur, but its histological structure is different from that of other organs. For this reason, pathologists have difficulty diagnosing IgG4-related lymphadenopathy. If there were specific imaging findings of IgG4-related lymphadenopathy, it would be of great help to pathologists. A 64-year-old male visited our hospital with right ankle pain. On physical examination, the right lower extremity showed severe swelling with wound dehiscence, and infection was suspected. On CT (128-MDCT, Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare) taken at the lower extremity, multiple enlarged lymph nodes were incidentally noted in the right inguinal area. On ultrasonography, a “starry night sign” resembling hyperechoic follicles was observed in the enlarged lymph node. A core needle biopsy was performed, and IgG4-related lymphadenopathy was diagnosed. Laboratory examination showed hypergammaglobulinemia with marked elevated serum IgG4, corresponding to IgG4-related disease. Chest and abdominal imaging were evaluated, but there was no extranodal IgG4-related disease. IgG4-related lymphadenopathy showed a very unique ultrasonography imaging finding. The cortex was filled with diffusely scattered hyperechoic foci and some bright foci gathered to form a follicle. This imaging finding may help diagnose IgG4-related lymphadenopathy.
Computed Tomography Texture Analysis of Carotid Plaque as Predictor of Unfavorable Outcome after Carotid Artery Stenting: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Colombi Davide , Bodini Flavio Cesare , Rossi Beatrice , Bossalini Margherita , Risoli Camilla , Morelli Nicola , Petrini Marcello , Sverzellati Nicola , Michieletti Emanuele
Published: November 2021

Novel biomarkers are advocated to manage carotid plaques. Therefore, we aimed to test the association between textural features of carotid plaque at computed tomography angiography (CTA) and unfavorable outcome after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Between January 2010 and January 2021, were selected 172 patients (median age, 77 years; 112/172, 65% men) who underwent CAS with CTA of the supra-aortic vessels performed within prior 6 months. Standard descriptors of the density histogram were derived by open-source software automated analysis obtained by CTA plaque segmentation. Multiple logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the ROC (AUC) were used to identify potential prognostic variables and to assess the model performance for predicting unfavorable outcome (periprocedural death or myocardial infarction and any ipsilateral acute neurological event). Unfavorable outcome occurred in 17/172 (10%) patients (median age, 79 years; 12/17, 70% men). Kurtosis was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio, 0.79; confidence interval, 0.65–0.97; p = 0.029). The predictive model for unfavorable outcome including CTA textural features outperformed the model without textural features (AUC 0.789 vs. 0.695, p = 0.004). In patients with stenotic carotid plaque, kurtosis derived by CTA density histogram analysis is an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome after CAS.