bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies to Improve Therapeutic Compliance in General Medicine
Authors: Turabian Jose Luis
Published: August 2020

Within the framework where overlap therapeutic alliance, patient-centred consultation and shared decision-making, the strategies to increase compliance during the consultation in general medicine are inserted. A strategy is, in a strict sense, an organized, formalized and oriented procedure to obtain a clearly established goal. Its application in daily practice requires the improvement of procedures and techniques whose detailed choice and design are the responsibility of the doctor. To achieve the goal of improving compliance in general medicine, within this model of patient-centred medicine / therapeutic alliance / shared decisions, a number of strategies can be cited: 1) Establish rapport and continuity of care that allows building trust; 2) Ensure confidentiality; 3) Sensitive exploration of adverse drug reactions and prevention of their effects on compliance; 4) Simplify the therapeutic regimen; 5) Self-monitoring; 6) Avoid giving the impression that the drug replaces the need for changes in habits (such as diet, exercise and smoking cessation); 7) Know the patient's agenda, explore perceptions of the disease, and assess the importance that the patient attaches to compliance, and their confidence in achieving it; this also includes understand and tolerate that the chronic patient sometimes gets tired and abandons the treatment that is necessary; 8) Involve the patient in the decision; and, 9) Motivational Interviewing and negotiation of therapeutic objectives, although they seem minimal from doctor point of view. Finally, it must be remembered that the patient always has the last word to accept our indications or not.
PENDIDIKAN NAHDLATUL ULAMA UNTUK PERADABAN DUNIA (RESPON K.H. ABDUL WAHID HASYIM)
Authors: Saeful Ridhwan Deden , Dewita Novri
Published: August 2020

Kiayi Wahid Hasyim, a reformist pro-change, proposed changes and at the same time did the same for the pesantren environment. The most monumental changes in Pondok Pesantren Tebuireng, reforms in the methods and objectives of learning at the pesantren, and the establishment of madrasas. Kiayi Wahid Hasyim made the system tutorial as a bandongan method session. According to him, the bandongan method is very ineffective for the initiative of the students. Few things are aware that Kiayi Wahid Hasyim is a traditionalist who claims to be futuristic. He is a figure who represents circles that are rarely touched by academics, even researchers, most of whom are Western researchers, who tend to fall in love with modernists who are dynamic, adaptive, pragmatic, and not at all hostile to those from the West.
A Regional Neural Network Approach to Estimate Water-Column Nutrient Concentrations and Carbonate System Variables in the Mediterranean Sea: CANYON-MED
Authors: Fourrier Marine , Coppola Laurent , Claustre Hervé , D’Ortenzio Fabrizio , Sauzède Raphaëlle , Gattuso Jean-Pierre
Published: August 2020

A regional neural network-based method, “CANYON-MED” is developed to estimate nutrients and carbonate system variables specifically in the Mediterranean Sea over the water column from pressure, temperature, salinity, and oxygen together with geolocation and date of sampling. Six neural network ensembles were developed, one for each variable (i.e., three macronutrients: nitrates (NO3-), phosphates (PO43-) and silicates (SiOH4), and three carbonate system variables: pH on the total scale (pHT), total alkalinity (AT), and dissolved inorganic carbon or total carbon (CT), trained using a specific quality-controlled dataset of reference “bottle” data in the Mediterranean Sea. This dataset is representative of the peculiar conditions of this semi-enclosed sea, as opposed to the global ocean. For each variable, the neural networks were trained on 80% of the data chosen randomly and validated using the remaining 20%. CANYON-MED retrieved the variables with good accuracies (Root Mean Squared Error): 0.78 μmol.kg–1for NO3-, 0.043 μmol.kg–1for PO43-and 0.71 μmol.kg–1for Si(OH)4, 0.014 units for pHT, 13 μmol.kg–1forATand 12 μmol.kg–1forCT. A second validation on the ANTARES independent time series confirmed the method’s applicability in the Mediterranean Sea. After comparison to other existing methods to estimate nutrients and carbonate system variables, CANYON-MED stood out as the most robust, using the aforementioned inputs. The application of CANYON-MED on the Mediterranean Sea data from autonomous observing systems (integrated network of Biogeochemical-Argo floats, Eulerian moorings and ocean gliders measuring hydrological properties together with oxygen concentration) could have a wide range of applications. These include data quality control or filling gaps in time series, as well as biogeochemical data assimilation and/or the initialization and validation of regional biogeochemical models still lacking crucial reference data. Matlab and R code are available athttps:// github.com/MarineFou/CANYON-MED/.
RETRACTED: Mammalian STE20-Like Kinase 2 Promotes Lipopolysaccharides-Mediated Cardiomyocyte Inflammation and Apoptosis by Enhancing Mitochondrial Fission
Authors: Tian Yanan , Song Haijiu , Qin Wei , Ding Zhenjiang , Zhang Ying , Shan Weichao , Jin Dapeng
Published: August 2020

In this study, we analyzed the role of mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 2 (Mst2), a serine-threonine protein kinase, in Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-mediated inflammation and apoptosis in the H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Mst2 mRNA and protein levels were significantly upregulated in the LPS-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes. LPS treatment induced expression of IL-2, IL-8, and MMP9 mRNA and proteins in the H9C2 cardiomyocytes, and this was accompanied by increased caspase-3/9 mediating H9C2 cardiomyocyte apoptosis. LPS treatment also increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as GSH, SOD, and GPX, in the H9C2 cardiomyocytes. The LPS-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes showed lower cellular ATP levels and mitochondrial state-3/4 respiration but increased mitochondrial fragmentation, including upregulation of the mitochondrial fission genes Drp1, Mff, and Fis1. LPS-induced inflammation, mitochondrial ROS, mitochondrial fission, and apoptosis were all significantly suppressed by pre-treating the H9C2 cardiomyocytes with the Mst2 inhibitor, XMU-MP1. However, the beneficial effects of Mst2 inhibition by XMU-MP1 were abolished by carbonyl cyanide-4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP), a potent activator of mitochondrial fission. These findings demonstrate that Mst2 mediates LPS-induced cardiomyocyte inflammation and apoptosis by increasing mitochondrial fission.
Adaptive Reconstruction of Imperfectly Observed Monotone Functions, with Applications to Uncertainty Quantification
Authors: Bonnet Luc , Akian Jean-Luc , Savin Éric , Sullivan T.
Published: August 2020

Motivated by the desire to numerically calculate rigorous upper and lower bounds on deviation probabilities over large classes of probability distributions, we present an adaptive algorithm for the reconstruction of increasing real-valued functions. While this problem is similar to the classical statistical problem of isotonic regression, the optimisation setting alters several characteristics of the problem and opens natural algorithmic possibilities. We present our algorithm, establish sufficient conditions for convergence of the reconstruction to the ground truth, and apply the method to synthetic test cases and a real-world example of uncertainty quantification for aerodynamic design.
Measuring Learning Outcomes of Entrepreneurship Education Using Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Kozlinska Inna , Mets Tõnis , Rõigas Kärt
Published: August 2020

This paper empirically substantiates a novel tripartite framework for measuring learning outcomes of entrepreneurship education (EE) by employing structural equation modeling. Three types of learning outcome are estimated—cognitive, skill-based, and affective—following Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of educational objectives. The study is based on a sample of 249 imminent and recent Bachelor-level graduates from the leading universities of Estonia. The key fit, reliability, and validity indicators show statistically that the tested framework can serve as an instrument for measuring the learning outcomes of EE. This novel instrument may also serve as an alternative to entrepreneurial intention-based models very frequently used in EE to evaluate the learning outcomes. The studied interrelationships demonstrate that (1) the affective outcomes correlate significantly with the cognitive outcomes (r = 0.273, p < 0.001) and with the skill-based (r = 0.368, p < 0.001) outcomes; a correlation between the cognitive and skill-based outcomes is also significant and comparatively high (r = 0.602, p < 0.001); (2) the learning outcomes explain more variance in the cognitive and skill-based outcome constructs (44.7% and 81.0%, accordingly) than in the affective outcome construct (16.7%). Conclusions and implications for entrepreneurship educators and researchers are discussed.
Approach for Image-Based Semantic Segmentation of Canopy Cover in Pea–Oat Intercropping
Authors: Munz Sebastian , Reiser David
Published: August 2020

Intercropping systems of cereals and legumes have the potential to produce high yields in a more sustainable way compared to sole cropping systems. Their agronomic optimization remains a challenging task given the numerous management options and the complexity of interactions between the crops. Efficient methods for analyzing the influence of different management options are needed. The canopy cover of each crop in the intercropping system is a good determinant for light competition, thus influencing crop growth and weed suppression. Therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility to estimate canopy cover within an intercropping system of pea and oat based on semantic segmentation using a convolutional neural network. The network was trained with images from three datasets during early growth stages comprising canopy covers between 4% and 52%. Only images of sole crops were used for training and then applied to images of the intercropping system. The results showed that the networks trained on a single growth stage performed best for their corresponding dataset. Combining the data from all three growth stages increased the robustness of the overall detection, but decreased the accuracy of some of the single dataset result. The accuracy of the estimated canopy cover of intercropped species was similar to sole crops and satisfying to analyze light competition. Further research is needed to address different growth stages of plants to decrease the effort for retraining the networks.
Effects of Dietary Doum Palm Fruit Powder on Growth, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Response, and Disease Resistance of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.)
Authors: Al-Khalaifah Hanan. S. , Khalil Alshimaa A. , Amer Shimaa A. , Shalaby Shimaa I. , Badr Haitham A. , Farag Mohamed F. M. , Altohamy Dalia E. , Abdel Rahman Afaf N.
Published: August 2020

Application of herbal immune-stimulants for modulation of fish growth and immune response has received great interest during the past decades. With several pharmacological properties, Doum palm, Hyphaene thebaica (Mart.) is known to be a beneficial medicinal plant. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the dietary addition of doum palm fruit powder (DPFP) on growth performance, non-specific immune response, and antioxidant parameters of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.). A total of 120 fish (average initial weight 60.50 ± 0.04 g) were randomly allocated to four groups (three replicates/group, 10 fish/aquarium); a basal diet without DPFP supplementation was used as a control, and three other diets were prepared by supplementing 5, 10, or 15 g kg−1 DPFP for a ten-week feeding period. Following ten weeks of feeding, the fish were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila (as an immune challenge test), and mortalities were recorded. In comparison to the control diet, dietary DPFP significantly improved growth parameters, including final body weight, body weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER), along with an increase in the content of dry matter of the whole body, in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the heights of intestinal villi, numbers of goblet cells, and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) exhibited marked escalation in all parts of the intestine by increasing the level of DPFP, except for numbers of IEL in the proximal part. The decline in serum glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels was prominent in DPFP10 and DPFP15 groups respective to the DPFP0 group. Furthermore, DPFP boosted the hepatic level of catalase (CAT) in the fish, in a dose-dependent manner; meanwhile, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content were also augmented in DPFP10 and DPFP15 groups respective to the DPFP0 group. Dietary DPFP (DPFP15 followed by DPFP10 then DPFP5) led to a pronounced enhancement in the innate immune response (phagocytic percent and index, lysozyme activity, nitric oxide (NO) production, and sialoglycans, namely α 2,3-sialyltransferase and α 2,6-sialyltransferase content); however, the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was reduced. Significantly higher relative percentage survival (RPS, 88.56%) of the fish, following the A. hydrophila challenge, was observed for the DPFP15 group. We can suggest that DPFP can beneficially influence fish growth, intestinal histomorphology, hepatic levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content, immune response, and disease resistance against A. hydrophila challenge.
Development of a Donkey Grimace Scale to Recognize Pain in Donkeys (Equus asinus) Post Castration
Authors: Orth Emma K. , Navas González Francisco J. , Iglesias Pastrana Carlos , Berger Jeannine M. , Jeune Sarah S. le , Davis Eric W. , McLean Amy K.
Published: August 2020

The objectives of this study were to establish a donkey ethogram, followed by a donkey grimace scale to be applied to donkeys pre- and post-castration and to test if there was a notable difference in scores based on observer knowledge, gender, and experience, which could reveal possible discomfort/pain. Nine healthy male adult donkeys were surgically castrated. Fifty-four photos were selected from frontal, lateral, and body views taken pre- and post-castration. Observers ranging from minimal to extensive knowledge and levels of experience based on education and hours/month spent with donkeys scored six photos/donkey on a scale of 0–2 (0 = not present, 1 = moderately present, 2 = obviously present). Scores were based on body language and facial parameters: Ears down, ears back, eye white showing, glazed look, orbital tightening, eyes round shape, nostril tension, eyes narrow shape, muzzle tension, and abnormal stance and overall perception of the animal being in pain. Level of experience and knowledge, as well as gender significantly (p < 0.001), affected observers’ ability to accurately score images. The study suggests that the most significant indicators of pain in donkeys are overall appearance and abnormal body stance provided their sensitivity, specificity and accuracy values of 63.18%, 62.07%, and 62.60%, respectively.
The Bristol Sponge Microbiome Collection: A Unique Repository of Deep-Sea Microorganisms and Associated Natural Products
Authors: Williams Sam E. , Stennett Henry L. , Back Catherine R. , Tiwari Kavita , Ojeda Gomez Jorge , Challand Martin R. , Hendry Katharine R. , Spencer James , Essex-Lopresti Angela E. , Willis Christine L. , Curnow Paul , Race Paul R.
Published: August 2020

The deep ocean is the largest habitat for life on Earth, though the microorganisms that occupy this unique environmental niche remain largely unexplored. Due to the significant logistical and operational challenges associated with accessing the deep ocean, bioprospecting programmes that seek to generate novel products from marine organisms have, to date, focused predominantly on samples recovered from shallow seas. For this reason, the deep ocean remains a largely untapped resource of novel microbiological life and associated natural products. Here we report the establishment of the Bristol Sponge Microbiome Collection (BISECT), a unique repository of deep-sea microorganisms and associated metabolites isolated from the microbiota of marine sponges, recovered from previously unsurveyed regions of the mid Atlantic Ocean, at depths of 0.3–3 km. An integrated biodiscovery pipeline comprising molecular, genetic, bioinformatic and analytical tools is also described, which is being applied to interrogate this collection. The potential of this approach is illustrated using data reporting our initial efforts to identify antimicrobial natural product lead compounds. Prospects for the use of BISECT to address allied pharmaceutical needs, along with mechanisms of access to the collection are also discussed
Gd-Complex of a Rosmarinic Acid Conjugate as an Anti-Inflammatory Theranostic Agent via Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging
Authors: Kim Hee-Kyung , Hwang Seonghwan , Sung Bokyung , Kim Yeoun-Hee , Chang Yongmin
Published: August 2020

Rosmarinic acid (RosA), an important polyphenol, is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its application in theranostics has been rarely reported. Therefore, a new single-molecule anti-inflammatory theranostic compound containing RosA would be of great interest. A gadolinium (Gd) complex of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-trisacetic acid (DO3A) and RosA (Gd(DO3A-RosA)(H2O)) was synthesized and examined for use as a single-molecule theranostic agent. Its kinetic stability is comparable to that of clinically used macrocyclic magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. In addition, its relaxivity is higher than that of structurally analogous Gd-BT-DO3A. This agent was evaluated for inflammatory targeting magnetic resonance contrast and showed strong and prolonged enhancement of imaging in inflamed tissues of mice. The theranostic agent also possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as evidenced by reactive oxygen species scavenging, superoxide dismutase activity, and inflammatory factors. The novel RosA-conjugated Gd complex is a promising theranostic agent for the imaging of inflamed tissues, as well as for the treatment of inflammation and oxidative stress.
Protective Effect of Low Molecular Weight Peptides from Solenocera crassicornis Head against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Mice via the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway
Authors: Jiang Shuoqi , Zhang Zhuangwei , Huang FangFang , Yang Zuisu , Yu Fangmiao , Tang Yunping , Ding Guofang
Published: August 2020

The major component of the Solenocera crassicornis head protein hydrolysates-fraction 1 (SCHPs-F1) are low molecular weight peptides (MW < 1 kDa). In this study, we investigated the potential renoprotective effects of SCHPs-F1 in a cyclophosphamide (CTX) toxicity mouse model. In brief, 40 male mice were randomly divided into 5 groups and received either saline or 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) CTX by intraperitoneal injection for 5 days, followed by either saline or SCHPs-F1 (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) by intragastric administration for 15 days. SCHPs-F1 treatment significantly reversed the CTX-induced decreases in the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), and cytochrome P450 (CYP450), as well as the renal histological lesions. Furthermore, the results indicated that SCHPs-F1 potentially alleviated CTX-induced nephrotoxicity through mitigating inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and apoptosis status of the kidneys, as evidenced by decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ and increased levels of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Moreover, overexpression of pro-apoptotic proteins pair B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X (Bax)/Bcl-2, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase)-3 and caspase-9 in renal tissues were suppressed by treatment with SCHPs-F1. In addition, the protein levels of the antioxidant factor nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the expression levels of its downstream target genes heme-oxygenase (HO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone) 1 (NQO-1) were stimulated by treatment with SCHPs-F1 in the CTX-induced renal injury model. Taken together, our data suggested that SCHPs-F1 could provide a novel potential strategy in mitigating the nephrotoxicity caused by CTX.
Inhibition of Droplet Growth in Model Beverage Emulsions Stabilized Using Poly (ethylene glycol) Alkyl Ether Surfactants Having Various Hydrophilic Head Sizes: Impact of Ester Gum
Authors: Park Jimoon , Lee Jiyun , McClements David Julian , Choi Seung Jun
Published: August 2020

The effect of ester gum, a widely used weighting agent, on Ostwald ripening in model beverage emulsions formulated using different food-grade surfactants was examined. A microfluidizer was used to prepare 5% orange oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by a series of ethylene glycol alkyl ether surfactants. Emulsions prepared using only orange oil exhibited an appreciable increase in droplet size during a 14-day storage, independent of surfactant type or concentration. Incorporation of ester gum into the oil phase of the emulsions effectively inhibited droplet growth at concentrations ≥20%. The inhibition of droplet growth by ester gum depended on the surfactant type (hydrophilic group size) and concentration. Overall, ester gum stabilized the emulsions by acting as an Ostwald ripening inhibitor, as well as a weighting agent.
Activated Carbon from Spent Coffee Grounds: A Good Competitor of Commercial Carbons for Water Decontamination
Authors: Rosson Egle , Garbo Francesco , Marangoni Giovanni , Bertani Roberta , Lavagnolo Maria Cristina , Moretti Elisa , Talon Aldo , Mozzon Mirto , Sgarbossa Paolo
Published: August 2020

In the framework of the circular economy, spent coffee grounds were converted into powdered activated carbon by means of pyrolysis, using potassium hydroxide as the activating agent. Its adsorption capacity on a panel of phenolic compounds was compared with those of two commercial powdered activated carbons, after preliminary studies on organic dyes with different ionic properties, to assess the affinity between adsorbates and adsorbents. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were carried out, together with Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. They were useful to calculate the breakthrough at 5%, 10%, and 50% of adsorption and the partition coefficients for the comparison of performance between different sorbent systems in a less biased manner (e.g., reducing bias associated with operational settings like sorbate concentration and sorbents dosage). The results showed that the removal efficiency for SCGs-AC was comparable with that of the commercial activated carbons with the highest partition coefficients for methylene blue (12,455 mg/g/μM, adsorption capacity = 179 mg/g) and 3-chlorophenol (81.53 mg/g/μM, adsorption capacity = 3765 mg/g). The lower efficiency in bromothymol blue and bisphenol-A adsorption was due to its different morphology and surface properties.
Dynamic Behavior of Pile-Supported Structures with Batter Piles according to the Ground Slope through Centrifuge Model Tests
Authors: Yun Jungwon , Han Jintae
Published: August 2020

Pile-supported structures incorporating batter piles are commonly used, and can be installed both on the horizontal and inclined ground. Recent studies have considered the positive role of batter piles during earthquakes, highlighting their satisfactory contribution to structural seismic performance. However, in these structures, even though the dynamic system responses can vary greatly depending on the ground slope, few previous studies have evaluated the seismic performance of batter piles relative to the ground slope. Therefore, this study evaluates the seismic performance of pile-supported structures with batter piles, relative to the ground slope using dynamic centrifuge model tests. The acceleration, displacement, moment, and axial force of the system were experimentally derived and reviewed, and the pile moment and axial force (M–N) interaction diagrams of the pile cross-sections were analyzed. The installation of the batter piles resulted in a greater reduction in the system response in the inclined-ground model (acceleration: −48%, displacement: −50%, and moment: −84%) compared to that in the horizontal-ground model (acceleration: −27%, displacement: +650%, and moment: −77%). Overall, batter piles showed better seismic performance in the inclined-ground model than in the horizontal-ground model.
Influence of Different Heat Treatments on Torsional and Cyclic Fatigue Resistance of Nickel–Titanium Rotary Files: A Comparative Study
Authors: Gambarini Gianluca , Cicconetti Andrea , Di Nardo Dario , Miccoli Gabriele , Zanza Alessio , Testarelli Luca , Seracchiani Marco
Published: August 2020

Protaper Universal (PTU), Protaper Gold (PTG) (Maillefer, Ballaigues, CH), EdgeTaper (ET), and EdgeTaper Platinum (ETP) (Albuquerque, NM, USA) were tested for both torsional and flexural resistance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of proprietary heat treatment on the metallurgical properties of the aforementioned instruments. Four groups of 30 different instruments (size 20.07) were tested, then divided into two subgroups of 15 instruments—one for the cyclic fatigue test in a curved canal (90°—2 mm radius) at 300 rpm and 2.5 Ncm. The time to fracture (TtF) and fragment length (FL) were recorded. The other subgroup was subjected to the torsional test (300 rpm, 5.5 Ncm). The torque to fracture and TtF were recorded. All the instruments underwent a SEM analysis. The heat-treated instruments showed a significantly higher fatigue resistance than the non-heat-treated instruments (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the torsional resistance between the ET and PTU, and the ETP and PTG. However, when comparing all the groups, the heat-treated instruments showed less torsional resistance. The improvement from heat treatment was mainly found in the cyclic fatigue resistance.
A Review of Modelling and Simulation Methods for Flashover Prediction in Confined Space Fires
Authors: Cortés Daniel , Gil David , Azorín Jorge , Vandecasteele Florian , Verstockt Steven
Published: August 2020

Confined space fires are common emergencies in our society. Enclosure size, ventilation, or type and quantity of fuel involved are factors that determine the fire evolution in these situations. In some cases, favourable conditions may give rise to a flashover phenomenon. However, the difficulty of handling this complicated emergency through fire services can have fatal consequences for their staff. Therefore, there is a huge demand for new methods and technologies to tackle this life-threatening emergency. Modelling and simulation techniques have been adopted to conduct research due to the complexity of obtaining a real cases database related to this phenomenon. In this paper, a review of the literature related to the modelling and simulation of enclosure fires with respect to the flashover phenomenon is carried out. Furthermore, the related literature for comparing images from thermal cameras with computed images is reviewed. Finally, the suitability of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for flashover prediction in enclosed spaces is also surveyed.
Toughening Behavior of Carbon/Epoxy Laminates Interleaved by PSF/PVDF Composite Nanofibers
Authors: Saghafi Hamed , Palazzetti Roberto , Heidary Hossein , Brugo Tommaso Maria , Zucchelli Andrea , Minak Giangiacomo
Published: August 2020

This paper presents an investigation on fracture behavior of carbon/epoxy composite laminates interleaved with electrospun nanofibers. Three different mats were manufactured and interleaved, using only polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), only polysulfone (PSF), and their combination. Mode-I and Mode-II fracture mechanics tests were conducted on virgin and nanomodified samples, and the results showed that PVDF and PSF nanofibers enhance the Mode-I critical energy release rate (GIC) by 66% and 51%, respectively, while using a combination of the two registered a 78% increment. The same phenomenon occurred under Mode-II loading. SEM micrographs were taken, to investigate the toughening mechanisms provided by the nanofibers.
Historical Change and Ecological Risk of Potentially Toxic Elements in the Lake Sediments from North Aral Sea, Central Asia
Authors: Liu Wen , Ma Long , Abuduwaili Jilili
Published: August 2020

The Aral Sea has received worldwide attention for the deterioration of its biological and chemical status. The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the lake sediments reflects changes in the surrounding watershed and represents a potential hazard for the lake ecosystem. In conjunction with existing environmental records from the Aral Sea basin, sedimentary records of PTEs in North Aral Sea covering a short time scale, anno Domini (AD) 1950–2018, were used to reveal historical changes in PTE concentrations and potential risks to lake functioning. The results suggested that the levels of PTEs in lake sediments from North Aral Sea changed abruptly around 1970 AD, which is concurrent with the intensification of human activities within the basin. After 1970 AD, with the exception of As, which remained at unpolluted-to-moderately polluted levels, the geo-accumulation indices of the remaining PTEs studied (V, Cr, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd) inferred a moderately polluted status. Before 1970 AD, the total ecological risk was low, but since 1970, the total ecological risk index has exceeded 150, indicating moderate risk. Historical changes in PTE levels of lake sediments from North Aral Sea and their potential ecological risks are reported for the first time. The conclusions provide an important reference for the protection of lake ecosystems and will provide data for regional/global comparisons of environmental change during the Anthropocene.
Concensus-Based ALADIN Method to Faster the Decentralized Estimation of Laplacian Spectrum
Authors: Tran Thi-Minh-Dung , Ngoc An Luu , Doan Ngoc Chi Nam
Published: August 2020

With the upcoming fifth Industrial Revolution, humans and collaborative robots will dance together in production. They themselves act as an agent in a connected world, understood as a multi-agent system, in which the Laplacian spectrum plays an important role since it can define the connection of the complex networks as well as depict the robustness. In addition, the Laplacian spectrum can locally check the controllability and observability of a dynamic controlled network, etc. This paper presents a new method, which is based on the Augmented Lagrange based Alternating Direction Inexact Newton (ALADIN) method, to faster the convergence rate of the Laplacian Spectrum Estimation via factorization of the average consensus matrices, that are expressed as Laplacian-based matrices problems. Herein, the non-zero distinct Laplacian eigenvalues are the inverse of the stepsizes {αt,t=1,2,…} of those matrices. Therefore, the problem now is to carry out the agreement on the stepsize values for all agents in the given network while ensuring the factorization of average consensus matrices to be accomplished. Furthermore, in order to obtain the entire Laplacian spectrum, it is necessary to estimate the relevant multiplicities of these distinct eigenvalues. Consequently, a non-convex optimization problem is formed and solved using ALADIN method. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated through the simulation results and the comparison with the Lagrange-based method in advance.
Accurate, Low Cost PM2.5 Measurements Demonstrate the Large Spatial Variation in Wood Smoke Pollution in Regional Australia and Improve Modeling and Estimates of Health Costs
Authors: Robinson Dorothy L.
Published: August 2020

The accuracy and utility of low-cost PM2.5 sensors was evaluated for measuring spatial variation and modeling population exposure to PM2.5 pollution from domestic wood-heating (DWH) in Armidale, a regional town in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, to obtain estimates of health costs and mortality. Eleven ‘PurpleAir’ (PA) monitors were deployed, including five located part of the time at the NSW government station (NSWGov) to derive calibration equations. Calibrated PA PM2.5 were almost identical to the NSWGov tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and Armidale Regional Council’s 2017 DustTrak measurements. Spatial variation was substantial. National air quality standards were exceeded 32 times from May–August 2018 at NSWGov and 63 times in one residential area. Wood heater use by about 50% of households increased estimated annual PM2.5 exposure by over eight micrograms per cubic meter, suggesting increased mortality of about 10% and health costs of thousands of dollars per wood heater per year. Accurate real-time community-based monitoring can improve estimates of exposure and avoid bias in estimating dose-response relationships. Efforts over the past decade to reduce wood smoke pollution proved ineffective, perhaps partly because some residents do not understand the health impacts or costs of wood-heating. Real-time Internet displays can increase awareness of DWH and bushfire pollution and encourage governments to develop effective policies to protect public health, as recommended by several recent studies in which wood smoke was identified as a major source of health-hazardous air pollution.
Recent Advances of Polyaniline-Based Biomaterials for Phototherapeutic Treatments of Tumors and Bacterial Infections
Authors: Korupalli Chiranjeevi , Kalluru Poliraju , Nuthalapati Karthik , Kuthala Naresh , Thangudu Suresh , Vankayala Raviraj
Published: August 2020

Conventional treatments fail to completely eradicate tumor or bacterial infections due to their inherent shortcomings. In recent years, photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive treatment modality that relies on the absorption of photothermal agents (PTAs) at a specific wavelength, thereby transforming the excitation light energy into heat. The advantages of PTT are its high efficacy, specificity, and minimal damage to normal tissues. To this end, various inorganic nanomaterials such as gold nanostructures, carbon nanostructures, and transition metal dichalcogenides have been extensively explored for PTT applications. Subsequently, the focus has shifted to the development of polymeric PTAs, owing to their unique properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, and low toxicity when compared to inorganic PTAs. Among various organic PTAs, polyaniline (PANI) is one of the best-known and earliest-reported organic PTAs. Hence, in this review, we cover the recent advances and progress of PANI-based biomaterials for PTT application in tumors and bacterial infections. The future prospects in this exciting area are also addressed.
The Teleost Thymus in Health and Disease: New Insights from Transcriptomic and Histopathological Analyses of Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus
Authors: Ronza Paolo , Robledo Diego , Losada Ana Paula , Bermúdez Roberto , Pardo Belén G. , Martínez Paulino , Quiroga María Isabel
Published: August 2020

The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ that plays a pivotal role in the adaptive immune system. The immunobiology of the thymus in fish is considered to be similar to that of mammals, but it is actually poorly characterized in several cultured teleost species. In particular, while investigations in human and veterinary medicine have highlighted that the thymus can be affected by different pathological conditions, little is known about its response during disease in fish. To better understand the role of the thymus under physiological and pathological conditions, we conducted a study in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), a commercially valuable flatfish species, combining transcriptomic and histopathological analyses. The myxozoan parasite Enteromyxum scophthalmi, which represents a major challenge to turbot production, was used as a model of infection. The thymus tissues of healthy fish showed overrepresented functions related to its immunological role in T-cell development and maturation. Large differences were observed between the transcriptomes of control and severely infected fish. Evidence of inflammatory response, apoptosis modulation, and declined thymic function associated with loss of cellularity was revealed by both genomic and morphopathological analyses. This study presents the first description of the turbot thymus transcriptome and provides novel insights into the role of this organ in teleosts’ immune responses.
Non-pharmacological Treatment of Refractory Angina and Microvascular Angina
Authors: Rakhimov Kudrat , Gori Tommaso
Published: August 2020

Refractory angina (RA) is defined as debilitating anginal symptoms despite the optimal guideline-directed combination of medical, percutaneous, and surgical therapies. Often referred to as “no option”, these patients represent a significant unmet clinical need for healthcare institutions. Due to the ageing of the population, and increased survival from coronary artery disease, the number of patients with RA is expected to rise exponentially. Despite the developments of novel technologies for the treatment of RA, none of them found wide clinical application (to date). Microvascular dysfunction, alone or in combination with epicardial coronary disease, is thought to contribute significantly to refractory angina. However, most of the techniques developed to improve RA symptoms have not been tested specifically on patients with microvascular dysfunction. This review discusses the recent developments in the treatment of RA, and gives some perspectives on the future of these techniques.
Effect of Cladribine on Neuronal Apoptosis: New Insight of In Vitro Study in Multiple Sclerosis Therapy
Authors: Ruggieri Maddalena , Gargano Concetta Domenica , Ferretta Anna , Manni Alessia , Capacchione Antonio , Frigeri Antonio , Iaffaldano Pietro , Trojano Maria , Paolicelli Damiano
Published: August 2020

Background: Cladribine (2-CdA) can cross the blood–brain barrier, resulting in inhibition of DNA synthesis and repair and disruption of cellular proliferation in actively dividing lymphocytes. No data on effect on neurons are available. Aim: To study “in vitro” 2-CdA apoptotic effects on neurons in healthy donor and multiple sclerosis patient lymphocytes. Methods: Neuroblastoma cells were co-cultured with lymphocytes, with and without 2-CdA. Results: Apoptosis increased in lymphocytes with 2-CdA; increase was also observed when lymphocytes were cultured with neuronal cells. However, neurons were not affected by 2-CdA for apoptosis. Conclusions: 2-CdA causes peripheral and central lymphocyte death preserving neurons, with a reasonable impact on inflammation and neuroprotection.
Allocentric Spatial Memory Performance in a Virtual Reality-Based Task is Conditioned by Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity
Authors: Castillo Escamilla Joaquín , Fernández Castro José Javier , Baliyan Shishir , Ortells-Pareja Juan José , Ortells Rodríguez Juan José , Cimadevilla José Manuel
Published: August 2020

Traditionally, the medial temporal lobe has been considered a key brain region for spatial memory. Nevertheless, executive functions, such as working memory, also play an important role in complex behaviors, such as spatial navigation. Thus, the main goal of this study is to clarify the relationship between working memory capacity and spatial memory performance. Spatial memory was assessed using a virtual reality-based procedure, the Boxes Room task, and the visual working memory with the computer-based Change Localization Task. One hundred and twenty-three (n = 123) participants took part in this study. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a statistically significant relationship between working memory capacity and spatial abilities. Thereafter, two subgroups n = 60, were formed according to their performance in the working memory task (1st and 4th quartiles, n = 30 each). Results demonstrate that participants with high working memory capacity committed fewer mistakes in the spatial task compared to the low working memory capacity group. Both groups improved their performance through repeated trials of the spatial task, thus showing that they could learn spatial layouts independent of their working memory capacity. In conclusion, these findings support that spatial memory performance is directly related to working memory skills. This could be relevant for spatial memory assessment in brain lesioned patients.
MiR-302b as a Combinatorial Therapeutic Approach to Improve Cisplatin Chemotherapy Efficacy in Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Cataldo Alessandra , Romero-Cordoba Sandra , Plantamura Ilaria , Cosentino Giulia , Hidalgo-Miranda Alfredo , Tagliabue Elda , Iorio Marilena V.
Published: August 2020

Introduction: Chemotherapy is still the standard of care for triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). Here, we investigated miR-302b as a therapeutic tool to enhance cisplatin sensitivity in vivo and unraveled the molecular mechanism. Materials and Methods: TNBC-xenografted mice were treated with miR-302b or control, alone or with cisplatin. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis and independent-validation of Integrin Subunit Alpha 6 (ITGA6) expression was assessed on mice tumor samples. Silencing of ITGA6 was performed to evaluate cisplatin response in vitro. Further, potential transcription factors of ITGA6 (E2F transcription facor 1 (E2F1), E2F transcription factor 2 (E2F2), and Yin Yang 1 (YY1)) were explored to define the miRNA molecular mechanism. The miR-302b expression was also assessed in TNBC patients treated with chemotherapy. Results: The miR–302b-cisplatin combination significantly impaired tumor growth versus the control through indirect ITGA6 downregulation. Indeed, ITGA6 was downmodulated in mice treated with miR-302b–cisplatin, and ITGA6 silencing increased drug sensitivity in TNBC cells. In silico analyses and preclinical assays pointed out the regulatory role of the E2F family and YY1 on ITGA6 expression under miR-302b–cisplatin treatment. Finally, miR-302b enrichment correlated with better overall survival in 118 TNBC patients. Conclusion: MiR-302b can be exploited as a new therapeutic tool to improve the response to chemotherapy, modulating the E2F family, YY1, and ITGA6 expression. Moreover, miR-302b could be defined as a new prognostic factor in TNBC patients.
Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Liver Tumorigenesis Reveal a Wide Histological Spectrum of Neoplastic and Non-Neoplastic Liver Lesions
Authors: Steiger Katja , Gross Nina , Widholz Sebastian A. , Rad Roland , Weichert Wilko , Mogler Carolin
Published: August 2020

Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) are an elegant tool to study liver carcinogenesis in vivo. Newly designed mouse models need detailed (histopathological) phenotyping when described for the first time to avoid misinterpretation and misconclusions. Many chemically induced models for hepatocarcinogenesis comprise a huge variety of histologically benign and malignant neoplastic, as well as non-neoplastic, lesions. Such comprehensive categorization data for GEMM are still missing. In this study, 874 microscopically categorized liver lesions from 369 macroscopically detected liver “tumors” from five different GEMM for liver tumorigenesis were included. The histologic spectrum of diagnosis included a wide range of both benign and malignant neoplastic (approx. 82%) and non-neoplastic (approx. 18%) lesions including hyperplasia, reactive bile duct changes or oval cell proliferations with huge variations among the various models and genetic backgrounds. Our study therefore critically demonstrates that models of liver tumorigenesis can harbor a huge variety of histopathologically distinct diagnosis and, depending on the genotype, notable variations are expectable. These findings are extremely important to warrant the correct application of GEMM in liver cancer research and clearly emphasize the role of basic histopathology as still being a crucial tool in modern biomedical research.
mTOR Inhibition Leads to Src-Mediated EGFR Internalisation and Degradation in Glioma Cells
Authors: Colella Barbara , Colardo Mayra , Iannone Gianna , Contadini Claudia , Saiz-Ladera Cristina , Fuoco Claudia , Barilà Daniela , Velasco Guillermo , Segatto Marco , Di Bartolomeo Sabrina
Published: August 2020

Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor widely expressed on the surface of numerous cell types, which activates several downstream signalling pathways involved in cell proliferation, migration and survival. EGFR alterations, such as overexpression or mutations, have been frequently observed in several cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM), and are associated to uncontrolled cell proliferation. Here we show that the inhibition of mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) mediates EGFR delivery to lysosomes for degradation in GBM cells, independently of autophagy activation. Coherently with EGFR internalisation and degradation, mTOR blockade negatively affects the mitogen activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK)/ERK pathway. Furthermore, we provide evidence that Src kinase activation is required for EGFR internaliation upon mTOR inhibition. Our results further support the hypothesis that mTOR targeting may represent an effective therapeutic strategy in GBM management, as its inhibition results in EGFR degradation and in proliferative signal alteration.
Prognostic Significance of Incidental Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Cancer Presenting with Incidental Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Barca-Hernando Maria , Ortega-Rivera Rocio , Lopez-Ruz Sergio , Elias-Hernandez Teresa , Asensio-Cruz Maria Isabel , Marin-Romero Samira , Toral Javier , Montero Emilio , Sanchez Veronica , Arellano Elena , Sanchez-Diaz Jose Maria , Real-Dominguez Macarena , Otero-Candelera Remedios , Jara-Palomares Luis
Published: August 2020

In symptomatic acute pulmonary embolism (PE), the presence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk factor for 30- and 90-day mortality. In patients with cancer and incidental PE, the prognostic effect of concomitant incidental DVT is unknown. In this retrospective study, we examined the effect of incidental DVT on all-cause mortality in such patients. Adjusted Cox multivariate regression analysis was used for relevant covariates. From January 2010 to March 2018, we included 200 patients (mean age, 65.3 ± 12.4 years) who were followed up for 12.5 months (interquartile range 7.4–19.4 months). Of these patients, 62% had metastases, 31% had concomitant incidental DVT, and 40.1% (n = 81) died during follow-up. All-cause mortality did not increase in patients with DVT (hazard ratio [HR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–2.75, p = 0.855). On multivariate analysis, weight (adjusted HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92–0.99, p = 0.032), and metastasis (adjusted HR 10.26, 95% CI 2.35–44.9, p = 0.002) were predictors of all-cause mortality. In conclusion, low weight and presence of metastases were associated with all-cause mortality, while presence of concomitant DVT was unrelated to poorer survival.