bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vivo estrogenicity of p-phenoxyphenol and p-pentyloxyphenol
Authors: Wang Yue , Xiao Han , Yang Lei , Jia Xiaojing , Guo Xuan , Zhang Zhaobin
Published: October 2020

p-Alkoxyphenols (AOPs) are a class of ethers that are widely used in industrial and agricultural productions and daily necessities.p-Phenoxyphenol (PhOP) andp-pentyloxyphenol (PeOP) belong to this class and have been reported to be estrogenic in vitro. However, their in vivo estrogenic activities have rarely been of concern. In this study, we performed an immature mouse uterotrophic assay and studied the estrogenic effects of these two compounds in mice. The results revealed that the uterine weights of the animals treated with PhOP significantly increased at doses of 30 and 300 mg kg-1bw day-1for 3 days (P < 0.05), while no significant uterotrophic effects were observed in the mice treated with PeOP. Using next-generation transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), we also analyzed the gene expression in the uterine tissue of mice treated with PhOP and PeOP. The observed gene regulation patterns of the PhOP- and PeOP-treated specimens were similar to those of the 17β-estradiol (E2)-treated specimens. In particular, some estrogen-responsive genes, such as theSprr2gene family,Apoa1,Prap1, andAhsg, displayed a regulation trend similar to that of E2. In addition, molecule docking analysis revealed that both PhOP and PeOP could be well docked into the active site of hERα, with potential of mean force (PMF) values of − 58.68 and − 52.67 kcal mol-1for PhOP and PeOP, respectively. The results of this study indicate that PhOP exhibits relatively strong in vivo estrogenic activity, which could be of future concern.
The comparative risk of acute kidney injury of vancomycin relative to other common antibiotics
Authors: Gaggl Martina , Pate Virginia , Stürmer Til , Kshirsagar Abhijit V. , Layton J. Bradley
Published: October 2020

The glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin is a mainstay in the treatment of Gram-positive infection. While its association with acute kidney injury (AKI) has waxed and waned, recent data suggest nephrotoxicity, even as mono-therapy. Our study aimed to evaluate the 2-week risk of AKI after at least 3 days of intravenous vancomycin mono-therapy initiated within 5 days of hospitalization compared to other intravenous antibiotics used for similar indications. We used a new user-active comparator study design and identified patients with a first hospitalization during which they received vancomycin or comparator, from commercial claims based in the United States. We estimated incidence rates, hazard ratios using adjusted cox-regression models, and standardized mortality/morbidity ratio weighted cox-regression models. In the 32,997 patients vancomycin was used in 17% of patients and 129 cases of AKI were observed. Overall incidence of AKI was 9.3 (95% CI 0.78–1.22) per 100 person-years. The adjusted hazard ratio for vancomycin versus all other comparators was 0.74 (95% CI 0.45–1.21). Separate models for respective comparators resulted in hazard ratios below the null, except for vancomycin vs. cefazolin. Intravenous vancomycin mono-therapy does not increase the risk of AKI compared to other intravenous antibiotics used for similar indication in this cohort of hospitalized patients.
De novo transcriptome analysis of the critically endangered alpine Himalayan herb Nardostachys jatamansi reveals the biosynthesis pathway genes of tissue-specific secondary metabolites
Authors: Dhiman Nisha , Kumar Anil , Kumar Dinesh , Bhattacharya Amita
Published: October 2020

The study is the first report on de novo transcriptome analysis of Nardostachys jatamansi, a critically endangered medicinal plant of alpine Himalayas. Illumina GAIIx sequencing of plants collected during end of vegetative growth (August) yielded 48,411 unigenes. 74.45% of these were annotated using UNIPROT. GO enrichment analysis, KEGG pathways and PPI network indicated simultaneous utilization of leaf photosynthates for flowering, rhizome fortification, stress response and tissue-specific secondary metabolites biosynthesis. Among the secondary metabolite biosynthesis genes, terpenoids were predominant. UPLC-PDA analysis of in vitro plants revealed temperature-dependent, tissue-specific differential distribution of various phenolics. Thus, as compared to 25 °C, the phenolic contents of both leaves (gallic acid and rutin) and roots (p-coumaric acid and cinnamic acid) were higher at 15 °C. These phenolics accounted for the therapeutic properties reported in the plant. In qRT-PCR of in vitro plants, secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway genes showed higher expression at 15 °C and 14 h/10 h photoperiod (conditions representing end of vegetative growth period). This provided cues for in vitro modulation of identified secondary metabolites. Such modulation of secondary metabolites in in vitro systems can eliminate the need for uprooting N. jatamansi from wild. Hence, the study is a step towards effective conservation of the plant.
Using a theory of mind to find best responses to memory-one strategies
Authors: Glynatsi Nikoleta E. , Knight Vincent A.
Published: October 2020

Memory-one strategies are a set of Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma strategies that have been praised for their mathematical tractability and performance against single opponents. This manuscript investigates best response memory-one strategies with a theory of mind for their opponents. The results add to the literature that has shown that extortionate play is not always optimal by showing that optimal play is often not extortionate. They also provide evidence that memory-one strategies suffer from their limited memory in multi agent interactions and can be out performed by optimised strategies with longer memory. We have developed a theory that has allowed to explore the entire space of memory-one strategies. The framework presented is suitable to study memory-one strategies in the Prisoner’s Dilemma, but also in evolutionary processes such as the Moran process. Furthermore, results on the stability of defection in populations of memory-one strategies are also obtained.
Lifetime analysis of mdx skeletal muscle reveals a progressive pathology that leads to myofiber loss
Authors: Massopust Ryan T. , Lee Young il , Pritchard Anna L. , Nguyen Van-Khoa M. , McCreedy Dylan A. , Thompson Wesley J.
Published: October 2020

The muscular dystrophy X-linked mouse (mdx) is the most commonly used preclinical model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Although disease progression in the mouse does not perfectly model the human disease, it shares many pathological features. Early characterizations of the model reported severe pathology through early adulthood followed by disease stabilization. As a result, research in the mdx mouse has largely focused on early adulthood. The overarching goal of this study is to improve the understanding of the mdx mouse model by tracking pathological features of the disease throughout life. We performed a thorough characterization of myofiber pathology in mdx mice from 2 weeks to 2 years of age. We report that individual mdx muscle fibers undergo progressive hypertrophy that continues through the lifespan. Despite massive hypertrophy on the myofiber level, we report no hypertrophy on the muscle level. These seemingly contradictory findings are explained by previously underappreciated myofiber loss in mdx mice. We conclude that due to myofiber loss, in combination with the progressive nature of other pathological features, aged mdx muscle tissue provides reliable benchmarks for disease progression that may be valuable in testing the efficacy of therapeutics for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Using whole-exome sequencing and protein interaction networks to prioritize candidate genes for germline cutaneous melanoma susceptibility
Authors: Yepes Sally , Tucker Margaret A. , Koka Hela , Xiao Yanzi , Jones Kristine , Vogt Aurelie , Burdette Laurie , Luo Wen , Zhu Bin , Hutchinson Amy , Yeager Meredith , Hicks Belynda , Freedman Neal D. , Chanock Stephen J. , Goldstein Alisa M. , Yang Xiaohong R.
Published: October 2020

Although next-generation sequencing has demonstrated great potential for novel gene discovery, confirming disease-causing genes after initial discovery remains challenging. Here, we applied a network analysis approach to prioritize candidate genes identified from whole-exome sequencing analysis of 98 cutaneous melanoma patients from 27 families. Using a network propagation method, we ranked candidate genes by their similarity to known disease genes in protein–protein interaction networks and identified gene clusters with functional connectivity. Using this approach, we identified several new candidate susceptibility genes that warrant future investigations such as NGLY1, IL1RN, FABP2, PRKDC, and PROSER2. The propagated network analysis also allowed us to link families that did not have common underlying genes but that carried variants in genes that interact on protein–protein interaction networks. In conclusion, our study provided an analysis perspective for gene prioritization in the context of genetic heterogeneity across families and prioritized top potential candidate susceptibility genes in our dataset.
Dynamics of soil ingestion by growing bulls during grazing on a high sward height in the French West Indies
Authors: Collas Claire , Mahieu Maurice , Badot Pierre-Marie , Crini Nadia , Rychen Guido , Feidt Cyril , Jurjanz Stefan
Published: October 2020

Free-range livestock are exposed to environmental contaminants by ingesting contaminated matrices mainly soil. Several works evaluated precisely the soil ingestion and its variation factors in ruminants. Contrary to temperate grazing systems, tropical ones were poorly documented whereas weather or traditional grazing practices may change models established in temperate systems. The study was performed in the French West Indies, which are concerned by a widespread environmental chlordecone contamination. The work evaluated daily soil and grass ingestions by tethered growing bulls grazing on a very high sward close to 50 cm for 11 days without being moved. This grazing management is representative to local practices by small farmers or not professional holders and allows completing the results previously obtained. Daily soil ingestion did not significantly increase across time and was on average 26.9 g dry matter/100 kg body weight (i.e. 1.4% of the total mass ingested). Marked individual variations indicated that exposure risk assessments would require experimental designs based on a sufficient number of individuals. This study was also the first to investigate the changes in sward soiling with respect to the distance from the stake and reported lower soil loading on grass in the peripheral than central and intermediate areas.
The topology of higher-order complexes associated with brain hubs in human connectomes
Authors: Andjelković Miroslav , Tadić Bosiljka , Melnik Roderick
Published: October 2020

Higher-order connectivity in complex systems described by simplexes of different orders provides a geometry for simplex-based dynamical variables and interactions. Simplicial complexes that constitute a functional geometry of the human connectome can be crucial for the brain complex dynamics. In this context, the best-connected brain areas, designated as hub nodes, play a central role in supporting integrated brain function. Here, we study the structure of simplicial complexes attached to eight global hubs in the female and male connectomes and identify the core networks among the affected brain regions. These eight hubs (Putamen, Caudate, Hippocampus and Thalamus-Proper in the left and right cerebral hemisphere) are the highest-ranking according to their topological dimension, defined as the number of simplexes of all orders in which the node participates. Furthermore, we analyse the weight-dependent heterogeneity of simplexes. We demonstrate changes in the structure of identified core networks and topological entropy when the threshold weight is gradually increased. These results highlight the role of higher-order interactions in human brain networks and provide additional evidence for (dis)similarity between the female and male connectomes.
Retraction Note: Molecular Phylogeny and Revision of Copepod Orders (Crustacea: Copepoda)
Authors: Khodami Sahar , McArthur J. Vaun , Blanco-Bercial Leocadio , Arbizu Pedro Martinez
Published: October 2020

Editor's Note: This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74404-2
Making EuO multiferroic by epitaxial strain engineering
Authors: Goian Veronica , Held Rainer , Bousquet Eric , Yuan Yakun , Melville Alexander , Zhou Hua , Gopalan Venkatraman , Ghosez Phillipe , Spaldin Nicola A. , Schlom Darrell G. , Kamba Stanislav
Published: October 2020

Multiferroics are materials exhibiting the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ideally ferromagnetism. Unfortunately, most known magnetoelectric multiferroics combine ferroelectricity with antiferromagnetism or with weak ferromagnetism. Here, following previous theoretical predictions, we provide clear experimental indications that ferroelectricity can be induced by epitaxial tensile strain in the ferromagnetic simple binary oxide EuO. We investigate the ferroelectric phase transition using infrared reflectance spectroscopy, finding that the frequency of the soft optical phonon reduces with increasing tensile strain and decreasing temperature. We observe such a soft mode anomaly at 100 K in (EuO)2/(BaO)2 superlattices grown epitaxially on (LaAlO3)0.29-(SrAl1/2Ta1/2O3)0.71 substrates, which is a typical signature for a displacive ferroelectric phase transition. The EuO in this superlattice is nominally subjected to 6.4% biaxial tensile strain, i.e., 50% more than believed needed from previously published calculations. We interpret our results with new first-principles density functional calculations using a hybrid functional, which provides a better quantitative agreement with experiment than the previously used local-density approximation and generalized gradient approximation functionals.
The biomaterial polyphosphate blocks stoichiometric binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein to the cellular ACE2 receptor
Authors: Müller Werner E. G. , Neufurth Meik , Schepler Hadrian , Wang Shunfeng , Tolba Emad , Schröder Heinz C. , Wang Xiaohong
Published: October 2020

The polymer polyphosphate, abundant in blood platelets, blocks the binding of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS- spike (S)-protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) at low concentrations.
The nano-bio interactions of rare-earth doped BaF2 nanophosphors shape the developmental processes of zebrafish
Authors: Chouryal Yogendra Nath , Nema Shubham , Sharma Rahul Kumar , Kewat Heera Lal , Pandey Archna , Ghosh Pushpal , Bhargava Yogesh
Published: October 2020

Nanoparticles with biomedical applications should be evaluated for their biocompatibility.
Dually regulating the proliferation and the immune microenvironment of melanomaviananoparticle-delivered siRNA targeting onco-immunologic CD155
Authors: Wang Yan , Luo Ying-Li , Chen Yi-Fang , Lu Zi-Dong , Wang Yue , Czarna Anna , Shen Song , Xu Cong-Fei , Wang Jun
Published: October 2020

Nanoparticle-delivered siRNA targeting CD155 for dual regulation of the proliferation and of the immune microenvironment of melanoma.
Conductive and antimicrobial macroporous nanocomposite hydrogels generated from air-in-water Pickering emulsions for neural stem cell differentiation and skin wound healing
Authors: Xu Mingjian , Li Qingtao , Fang Zhou , Jin Min , Zeng Qing , Huang Guozhi , Jia Yong-Guang , Wang Lin , Chen Yunhua
Published: October 2020

Conductive and antimicrobial macroporous hydrogels have shown promising applications in promoting soft tissue regeneration.
Electrocatalytic water oxidation reaction promoted by cobalt-Prussian blue and its thermal decomposition product under mild conditions
Authors: Zambiazi Priscilla J. , Aparecido Gabriel de O. , Ferraz Thiago V. de B. , Skinner William S. J. , Yoshimura Rafael G. , Moreira Daniel E. B. , Germscheidt Rafael L. , Nascimento Lucas L. , Patrocinio Antonio Otavio T. , Formiga André L. B. , Bonacin Juliano A.
Published: October 2020

Water oxidation studies with Co-Prussian blue and Co3O4. Figure adapted from ‘Under the Wave off Kanagawa’ (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as ‘The Great Wave’, from the series ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji’ (‘Fugaku sanjūrokkei’) by K. Hokusai.
Synthesis and characterization of zinc di(O-2,2-dimethylpentan-3-yl dithiocarbonates) bearing pyridine or tetramethylethylenediamine coligands and investigation of their thermal conversion mechanisms towards nanocrystalline zinc sulfide
Authors: Vakalopoulou Efthymia , Buchmaier Christine , Pein Andreas , Saf Robert , Fischer Roland C. , Torvisco Ana , Warchomicka Fernando , Rath Thomas , Trimmel Gregor
Published: October 2020

Different coligands on zinc xanthate complexes significantly influence the thermal decomposition mechanism in the conversion process towards nanocrystalline zinc sulfide.
Synthesis and characterization of the mixed-ligand coordination polymer Cu3Cl(N4C-NO2)2
Authors: Westwater Bradley , Lloyd Hayleigh J. , Vitorica-Yrezabal Inigo J. , Fong Angela , McMaster Patrick , Sloan Martin , Coaker Brian M. , Pulham Colin R. , Portius Peter
Published: October 2020

An unexpected novel energetic material was found in seed crystal-controlled CuCl2 – Na(N4C-NO2) – sodium ascorbate reduction reactions.
Modeling of 210Pb and 210Po radionuclide emissions from local power plants in central Poland
Authors: Długosz-Lisiecka Magdalena , Perka Damian
Published: October 2020

Due to the more volatile nature of 210Po in relation to 210Pb, an imbalance of activity concentrations in high temperature combustion processes can be observed, especially in fine particulates (diameter < 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 μm).
Photodegradation of emerging contaminants in a sunlit wastewater lagoon, seasonal measurements, environmental impacts and modelling
Authors: Wang Yufei , Fan Linhua , Crosbie Nick , Roddick Felicity A.
Published: October 2020

Relationships between seasonal environmental conditions and photodegradation of emerging contaminants during lagoon wastewater treatment demonstrated and APEX model evaluated.
Repurposing pre-pasteurization as an in situ thermal hydrolysis pretreatment process for enhancing anaerobic digestion of municipal sludge: a horizontal comparison between temperature-phased and standalone thermophilic or mesophilic anaerobic digestion
Authors: Zhang Dian , Santha Hari , Pallansch Karen , Novak John T. , Wang Zhi-Wu
Published: October 2020

This study evaluated the effect of pre-pasteurization (70 °C for 45 min) on the performance of temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) in horizontal comparison with standalone mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD).
Extended topological line defects in graphene for individual identification of DNA nucleobases
Authors: Kumawat Rameshwar L. , Pathak Biswarup
Published: October 2020

The TOC features a scheme of solid-state nanochannel-based DNA sequencing techniques. DNA nucleobases can be analyzed at the single-molecule level by adsorption on topologically extended line defects in the graphene-based electrode setup.
Review on organosulfur materials for rechargeable lithium batteries
Authors: Shadike Zulipiya , Tan Sha , Wang Qin-Chao , Lin Ruoqian , Hu Enyuan , Qu Deyang , Yang Xiao-Qing
Published: October 2020

Lithium storage properties of organosulfur electrodes including organodisulfide, thioethers, organosulfide polymers and sulfurized polyacrylonitrile have been comprehensively reviewed.
A zeolite-based ship-in-a-bottle route to ultrasmall carbon dots for live cell labeling and bioimaging
Authors: Dong Lei , Hu Dehong , Wang Yanding , Sheng Zonghai , Hong Mei , Yang Shihe
Published: October 2020

The smallest-pore SAPO-20 zeolite confined pyrolysis of organics afforded ultrasmall uniform carbon dots with excellent performance in bioimaging.
Catalyst-free construction of spiro [benzoquinolizidine-chromanones] via a tandem condensation/1,5-hydride transfer/cyclization process
Authors: Liu Siyuan , Wang Hang , Wang Baomin
Published: October 2020

A highly efficient and quite mild protocol to achieve spiro [benzoquinoline-chromanones] through a catalyst-free condensation/[1,5]-hydride shift/6-endo cyclization sequence was developed.
Band gap engineering of donor–acceptor co-crystals by complementary two-point hydrogen bonding
Authors: Yee Nathan , Dadvand Afshin , Perepichka Dmitrii F.
Published: October 2020

Hydrogen bonding of diindolopyrrole donors with quinone acceptors enhances the orbital interactions and modulates the band gap and electrical properties of their complexes.
A highly sensitive humidity sensor based on an aggregation-induced emission luminogen-appended hygroscopic polymer microresonator
Authors: Qiagedeer Airong , Yamagishi Hiroshi , Sakamoto Minami , Hasebe Hanako , Ishiwari Fumitaka , Fukushima Takanori , Yamamoto Yohei
Published: October 2020

A self-assembled microsphere resonator, comprising a hygroscopic polymer with aggregation-induced emission luminogen pendants, can sense humidity with high sensitivity and repeatability.
Effect of van der Waals interactions on the adhesion strength at the interface of the hydroxyapatite–titanium biocomposite: a first-principles study
Authors: Grubova Irina Yu. , Surmeneva Maria A. , Surmenev Roman A. , Neyts Erik C.
Published: October 2020

Dispersion interactions play a significant role in altering the bonding strength of the hydroxyapatite coating to the substrate, and such interactions is critical in molecular simulations.
Theoretical investigations of electrochemical CO2 reduction by transition metals anchored on CNTs
Authors: Ao Chengcheng , Zhao Wei , Ruan Shanshan , Qian Siyu , Liu Yi , Wang Lei , Zhang Lidong
Published: October 2020

Transition metals supported on nitrogen doped carbon materials are a class of promising electrochemical catalysts toward electrochemical CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR) that have exhibited excellent catalytic performance.
Diffuso-kinetic membrane budding dynamics
Authors: Rojas Molina Rossana , Liese Susanne , Alimohamadi Haleh , Rangamani Padmini , Carlson Andreas
Published: October 2020

A wide range of proteins create shape transformations of membranes. The remodeling is a coupling between the energetic cost of membrane bending, protein recruitment which induce local spontaneous curvature and protein diffusion on the membrane.
Photo-driven growth of a monolayer of platinum spherical-nanocrowns uniformly coated on a membrane toward fuel cell applications
Authors: Liu Huiyuan , Qin Jiaqi , Rockward Tommy , Wu Jingtian , Li Jia , Li Guangwei , Mao Qing , Lv Yang , Wang Xiao , Zhang Shuomeng , Shi Weiyu , Chen Gang , He Qinggang , Jiang Ying-Bing , Yu Hongmei , Borup Rodney L. , Wang Yun , Song Yujiang
Published: October 2020

Membrane electrode assemblies with ordered electrocatalyst layers are fabricated by regio-selective growth of a monolayer of platinum spherical nanocrowns on a photocatalyst-decorated membrane under irradiation.
Design and fabrication of conductive polymer hydrogels and their applications in flexible supercapacitors
Authors: Han Xinting , Xiao Guangchun , Wang Yuchen , Chen Xiaona , Duan Gaigai , Wu Yongzhong , Gong Xiao , Wang Hangxiang
Published: October 2020

Conductive polymer hydrogels, which combine the advantages of both polymers and conductive materials, have huge potential in flexible supercapacitors.
Suppressing voltage fading and improving cycling stability of Li-rich Mn-based materials by introducing MgSO4
Authors: Xue Jiaxi , Wang Yajing , Sun Cui , Xu Pan , Fan Xiaoxiang , Fan Jingmin , Zheng Mingsen , Dong Quanfeng
Published: October 2020

We report a method to mitigate voltage fading and improve the cycling performance of Li-rich Mn-based cathodes by introducing MgSO4 into the cathode. After 100 cycles at 1C, the average discharge voltage decay was only 0.115 V, with 96.7% voltage retention.
Biomaterial-assisted drug delivery for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome treatment
Authors: Lin Zhijun , Hu Hanze , Liu Bolong , Chen Yanyan , Tao Yu , Zhou Xiangfu , Li Mingqiang
Published: October 2020

This review aims to highlight emerging biomaterial-assisted drug delivery systems for interstitial cystitis treatment and provide a perspective on future developments.
Intra-chain and inter-chain synergistic effect gives rise to high electron mobilities for naphthalenediimide based copolymers
Authors: Ning Lu , Han Guangchao , Yi Yuanping
Published: October 2020

The influence of conformations and packing structures on electron transport was systematically revealed for NDI-based copolymers.
Vapochromism induced by intermolecular electron transfer coupled with hydrogen-bond formation in zinc dithiolene complex
Authors: Yokomori So , Dekura Shun , Fujino Tomoko , Kawamura Mitsuaki , Ozaki Taisuke , Mori Hatsumi
Published: October 2020

A novel vapochromic mechanism by intermolecular electron transfer coupled with hydrogen-bond formation was realized in a zinc dithiolene complex crystal.
RAS GTPase signalling to alternative effector pathways
Authors: Singh Swati , Smith Matthew J.
Published: October 2020

RAS GTPases are fundamental regulators of development and drivers of an extraordinary number of human cancers. RAS oncoproteins constitutively signal through downstream effector proteins, triggering cancer initiation, progression and metastasis. In the absence of targeted therapeutics to mutant RAS itself, inhibitors of downstream pathways controlled by the effector kinases RAF and PI3K have become tools in the treatment of RAS-driven tumours. Unfortunately, the efficacy of this approach has been greatly minimized by the prevalence of acquired drug resistance. Decades of research have established that RAS signalling is highly complex, and in addition to RAF and PI3K these small GTPase proteins can interact with an array of alternative effectors that feature RAS binding domains. The consequence of RAS binding to these effectors remains relatively unexplored, but these pathways may provide targets for combinatorial therapeutics. We discuss here three candidate alternative effectors: RALGEFs, RASSF5 and AFDN, detailing their interaction with RAS GTPases and their biological significance. The metastatic nature of RAS-driven cancers suggests more attention should be granted to these alternate pathways, as they are highly implicated in the regulation of cell adhesion, polarity, cell size and cytoskeletal architecture.
Cardiovascular toxicity of PI3Kα inhibitors
Authors: Sadasivan Chandu , Zhabyeyev Pavel , Labib Dina , White James A. , Paterson D. Ian , Oudit Gavin Y.
Published: October 2020

The phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of intracellular lipid kinases that phosphorylate the 3′-hydroxyl group of inositol membrane lipids, resulting in the production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. This results in downstream effects, including cell growth, proliferation, and migration. The heart expresses three PI3K class I enzyme isoforms (α, β, and γ), and these enzymes play a role in cardiac cellular survival, myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial contractility, excitation, and mechanotransduction. The PI3K pathway is associated with various disease processes but is particularly important to human cancers since many gain-of-function mutations in this pathway occur in various cancers. Despite the development, testing, and regulatory approval of PI3K inhibitors in recent years, there are still significant challenges when creating and utilizing these drugs, including concerns of adverse effects on the heart. There is a growing body of evidence from preclinical studies revealing that PI3Ks play a crucial cardioprotective role, and thus inhibition of this pathway could lead to cardiac dysfunction, electrical remodeling, vascular damage, and ultimately, cardiovascular disease. This review will focus on PI3Kα, including the mechanisms underlying the adverse cardiovascular effects resulting from PI3Kα inhibition and the potential clinical implications of treating patients with these drugs, such as increased arrhythmia burden, biventricular cardiac dysfunction, and impaired recovery from cardiotoxicity. Recommendations for future directions for preclinical and clinical work are made, highlighting the possible role of PI3Kα inhibition in the progression of cancer-related cachexia and female sex and pre-existing comorbidities as independent risk factors for cardiac abnormalities after cancer treatment.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Professional Practice in the Northern Territory, Australia
Authors: Staley Bea , O'Boyle Jacklyn , Armstrong Emily , Coonan Erin , Taylor Louise , Dutton Jaimee
Published: October 2020

This commentary article describes the clinical context in the Northern Territory, Australia, and the concerns and changes in practice brought forth by COVID-19. We provide an overview of the local response, which has included a shift to telepractice, and discuss the merits and potential issues of telepractice service provision in remote and very remote Australia.
Channel modelling for vehicle‐to‐vehicle MIMO communications in geometrical rectangular tunnel scenarios
Authors: Zhou Jie , Chen Zhen , Jiang Hao , Kikuchi Hisakazu
Published: October 2020

This study presents a multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) statistical channel model for vehicle‐to‐vehicle (V2V) line‐of‐sight (LOS) and non‐LOS mobile communication system in a rectangular tunnel environment. In order to improve the V2V communication system performance, the authors introduced the elevation and azimuth angles in three‐dimensional modelling based on the original literature. In the proposed reference channel model, the single‐bounced scattering propagation path of electromagnetic signals is considered and it is assumed that the scatterers are randomly distributed on the rectangular tunnel wall. Starting from the statistical physical channel model, the time‐variant transfer functions are derived. Thereafter, the analytical expressions of the space–time–frequency cross‐correlation function, the space cross‐correlation function, the temporal autocorrelation function, the frequency correlation function, and MIMO channel capacity are derived. The influence of model parameters on the performance of the V2V communication system is also analysed. This work provides an innovative approach to channel modelling in a rectangular tunnel mobile communication environment.
Routing algorithm based on triangular fuzzy layer model and multi‐layer clustering for opportunistic network
Authors: Li Zhuoyang , Chen Zhigang , Wu Jia , Liu Kanghuai
Published: October 2020

With the development of 5G network and big data and the popularity of mobile intelligent devices, the opportunistic social network has been further developed. At present, several existing routing algorithms based on node similarity use the context information of the node to select the best relay node. However, most opportunistic social algorithms only consider the social properties of nodes and ignore the importance of the similarity of the moving trajectories of the nodes. The transmission opportunity of messages in the opportunity social network is generated by the movement of the nodes, so this feature must betaken into account in the designing of the routing algorithm. Therefore, this study proposes a routing algorithm based on the triangular fuzzy layer model and multi‐layer clustering for the opportunistic social network. In this study, the authors use the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process model to analyse the social similarity and trajectory similarity to determine the best message transmission node. This study compares the other four opportunistic social network routing algorithms in the simulation environment. In general, among the five routing algorithms, the transmission rate of the TFMC algorithm is the best. The average end‐to‐end delay and average network overhead are also the lowest.
Majority based antenna selection schemes in downlink NOMA network with channel estimation errors and feedback delay
Authors: Aldababsa Mahmoud , Kucur Oğuz
Published: October 2020

This paper develops new suboptimal antenna selection (AS) schemes, majority based transmit antenna selection/maximal ratio combining (TAS‐maj/MRC) and joint transmit and receive antenna selection (JTRAS‐maj), in a multiple‐input multiple‐output non‐orthogonal multiple access (MIMO‐NOMA) network. The impact of the channel estimation errors (CEEs) and feedback delay (FD) on the performance of the network is studied in Nakagami‐m fading channels. First, the outage behavior of the network is investigated in a unified manner for the proposed AS schemes by deriving the closed‐form expression of the exact outage probability (OP). Next, in the presence of the CEEs and FD, the corresponding upper bound of the OP is obtained. The OP expression in high signal‐to‐noise ratio region is then provided to illustrate an error floor value in the presence of the CEEs and FD as well as diversity and array gains in the absence of the CEEs and FD. Finally, the analytical results in the presence and absence of the CEEs and FD are verified by the Monte Carlo simulations. The numerical results show that the proposed majority based AS schemes are superior to both max‐max‐max and max‐min‐max based AS schemes and the system performance is more sensitive to the CEE than FD.
Latency‐aware reinforced routing for opportunistic networks
Authors: Sharma Deepak Kumar , Gupta Sarthak , Malik Shubham , Kumar Rohit
Published: October 2020

In opportunistic networks, the path connecting two nodes is not continuous at any time instant. In such an environment, routing is an extremely taxing word owing to the ever‐changing nature of the network and random connections between nodes. Routing in such networks is done by a store carry forward mechanism, in which local information is used to make opportunistic routing decisions. In this study, the authors present a novel dynamic and intelligent self‐learning routing protocol that is an improvement of the history‐based routing protocol for opportunistic (HiBOp) networks. The proposed method presents a novel solution for the estimation of average latency between any two nodes, which is used along with reinforcement learning to dynamically learn the nodes' interactions. Simulation results on a real mobility trace (INFOCOM 2006) show that latency‐aware reinforced routing for opportunistic network applied to HiBOp outperforms the original HiBOp protocol by 14.4% in terms of delivery probability, 15% in terms of average latency and 34.7% in terms of overhead ratio.
Directional expansion‐based fault diagnosis algorithm using orthotopic and ellipsoidal filtering
Authors: Liu Zixing , Wang Ziyun , Wang Yan , Park Ju H. , Ji Zhicheng
Published: October 2020

For solving the problem of fault diagnosis for systems with unknown but bounded noises, a directional expansion‐based fault diagnosis algorithm using orthotopic and ellipsoidal filtering is proposed in this study. In this fault diagnosis process, whether the system is faulty or not is checked by detecting whether the ellipsoidal feasible set is empty. When the ellipsoidal feasible set is empty, the specific faulty components are isolated based on the empty state of the test ellipsoidal sets. The orthotopic set is expanded in the faulty directions alone to minimise the set containing the fault parameter vector. Finally, comparative analyses of the proposed fault diagnosis algorithm and global expansion‐based fault diagnosis algorithm using the orthotopic and ellipsoidal filtering in both numerical and case simulations prove the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed algorithm and show the advantages of this algorithm in view of convergence rate and fault identification speed.
Investigations on the effect of ageing on charge de‐trapping processes of epoxy–alumina nanocomposites based on isothermal relaxation current measurements
Authors: Maur Subhajit , Haque Nasirul , Pottekat Preetha , Chakraborty Biswajit , Dalai Sovan , Chatterjee Biswendu
Published: October 2020

In this study, the relationship between thermal ageing and charge trapping properties of epoxy‐based nanocomposites has been investigated. With ageing, any dielectric material undergoes thorough degradation. This degradation significantly affects the space charge accumulation and charge trapping behaviour of the dielectric, which are very important parameters for insulation health under high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) environment. In this work, an improved model based on the isothermal relaxation current (IRC) has been developed to study the charge trapping behaviour of pure epoxy and epoxy alumina (Al2 O3) nano‐composites at different ageing conditions. A methodology based on polarisation–depolarisation current (PDC) measurements has been proposed to identify the current component due to a dipolar relaxation in measured total IRC. This will help to identify the trap distribution characteristics more accurately compared to conventional IRC measurements. It was experimentally observed that the addition of nanoparticles significantly reduces trapped charge formation and reduces thermal degradation. It is observed that aging leads to the generation of deeper traps, while the addition of Al2 O3 nanoparticles mainly enhances the density of shallow traps. Results presented in this work indicate that epoxy–alumina nanocomposites are very much suitable in HVDC applications from the perspective of trapped charge accumulation.
Smart agriculture: real‐time classification of green coffee beans by using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Huang Nen‐Fu , Chou Dong‐Lin , Lee Chia‐An , Wu Feng‐Ping , Chuang An‐Chi , Chen Yi‐Hsien , Tsai Yin‐Chun
Published: October 2020

Coffee is an important economic crop and one of the most popular beverages worldwide. The rise of speciality coffees has changed people's standards regarding coffee quality. However, green coffee beans are often mixed with impurities and unpleasant beans. Therefore, this study aimed to solve the problem of time‐consuming and labour‐intensive manual selection of coffee beans for speciality coffee products. The second objective of the authors’ study was to develop an automatic coffee bean picking system. They first used image processing and data augmentation technologies to deal with the data. They then used deep learning of the convolutional neural network to analyse the image information. Finally, they applied the training model to connect an IP camera for recognition. They successfully divided good and bad beans. The false‐positive rate was 0.1007, and the overall coffee bean recognition rate was 93%.
TriRNSC: triclustering of gene expression microarray data using restricted neighbourhood search
Authors: Biswal Bhawani Sankar , Patra Sabyasachi , Mohapatra Anjali , Vipsita Swati
Published: October 2020

Computational analysis of microarray data is crucial for understanding the gene behaviours and deriving meaningful results. Clustering and biclustering of gene expression microarray data in the unsupervised domain are extremely important as their outcomes directly dominate healthcare research in many aspects. However, these approaches fail when the time factor is added as the third dimension to the microarray datasets. This three‐dimensional data set can be analysed using triclustering that discovers similar gene sets that pursue identical behaviour under a subset of conditions at a specific time point. A novel triclustering algorithm (TriRNSC) is proposed in this manuscript to discover meaningful triclusters in gene expression profiles. TriRNSC is based on restricted neighbourhood search clustering (RNSC), a popular graph‐based clustering approach considering the genes, the experimental conditions and the time points at an instance. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated in terms of volume and some performance measures. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analysis are used to validate the TriRNSC results biologically. The efficiency of TriRNSC indicates its capability and reliability and also demonstrates its usability over other state‐of‐art schemes. The proposed framework initiates the application of the RNSC algorithm in the triclustering of gene expression profiles.
Efficient heart disease prediction‐based on optimal feature selection using DFCSS and classification by improved Elman‐SFO
Authors: Wankhede Jaishri , Kumar Magesh , Sambandam Palaniappan
Published: October 2020

Prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a critical challenge in the area of clinical data analysis. In this study, an efficient heart disease prediction is developed based on optimal feature selection. Initially, the data pre‐processing process is performed using data cleaning, data transformation, missing values imputation, and data normalisation. Then the decision function‐based chaotic salp swarm (DFCSS) algorithm is used to select the optimal features in the feature selection process. Then the chosen attributes are given to the improved Elman neural network (IENN) for data classification. Here, the sailfish optimisation (SFO) algorithm is used to compute the optimal weight value of IENN. The combination of DFCSS–IENN‐based SFO (IESFO) algorithm effectively predicts heart disease. The proposed (DFCSS–IESFO) approach is implemented in the Python environment using two different datasets such as the University of California Irvine (UCI) Cleveland heart disease dataset and CVD dataset. The simulation results proved that the proposed scheme achieved a high‐classification accuracy of 98.7% for the CVD dataset and 98% for the UCI dataset compared to other classifiers, such as support vector machine, K‐nearest neighbour, Elman neural network, Gaussian Naive Bayes, logistic regression, random forest, and decision tree.
Computational aeroacoustics of the EAA benchmark case of an axial fan
Authors: Schoder Stefan , Junger Clemens , Kaltenbacher Manfred
Published: October 2020

This contribution benchmarks the aeroacoustic workflow of the perturbed convective wave equation and the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings analogy in Farassat’s 1A version for a low-pressure axial fan. Thereby, we focus on the turbulence modeling of the flow simulation and mesh convergence concerning the complete aeroacoustic workflow. During the validation, good agreement has been found with the efficiency, the wall pressure sensor signals, and the mean velocity profiles in the duct. The analysis of the source term structures shows a strong correlation to the sound pressure spectrum. Finally, both acoustic sound propagation models are compared to the measured sound field data.
The influence of fibre pre-treatment on the mechanical properties of the geopolymer composites
Authors: Korniejenko Kinga , Figiela Beata , Šimonová Hana , Kucharczyková Barbara , Duarte Guigou Martin , Łach Michał
Published: October 2020

This article aims to analyse the long-term influence of the pre- treatment method on mechanical properties such as the compressive strength of geopolymer composites reinforced with short natural fibres (length of around 5 mm). This paper presents the behaviour of sodium activator-synthesised fly ash geopolymer containing natural fibres at ambient temperatures. Fly ash from the Skawina coal power plant (located in: Skawina, Lesser Poland, Poland) was used as a raw material. The chemical composition of the fly ash was typical for class F. The article evaluated the methods of pre-treatment of the fibres on the mechanical properties of the geopolymer composites. It compares the plain specimens and composites with fibres pre-treated in water and alkali solutions as well as with fibres without any pre-treatment. The fibres were added at the amount of 1% by weight. The investigation was made by visual analysis and the testing of mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength at ambient temperature) after 6 months. The achieved results do not confirm the positive influence of the fibre pre-treatment on the mechanical properties of the composites.
Composition and selected properties of low pH mortars and concretes for radioactive waste repositories
Authors: Cheng An , Lin Wei-Ting , Chao Sao-Jeng , Hsu Hui-Mi
Published: October 2020

Conventional cementitious materials as tunnel supporting materials are utilised in the construction of the final repository for spent nuclear fuel. However, the use of cementitious material releases alkaline ions from pH12 to pH13 plumed into groundwater. Such a high pH is detrimental to the performance of the bentonite functioning, which may possibly enhance the dissolution and alteration of the fracture buffer and filling materials. Instead, low-pH cementitious materials are being developed for use in geological repositories. This study is aimed at evaluating the usability of low-pH cementitious materials containing 40% silica fume or composites blended with 20% silica fume and 40% fly ash. Engineering properties were analysed and verified through experimental research using the flow, compressive strength, pH measurement and hydraulic conductivity. Test results show that the replacement level with 40% of silica fume or 20% of silica fume and 40% of fly ash was suitable for the mixture of low-pH cementitious. Compared to the compressive strength and water permeability of ordinary cementitious, those of low-pH cementitious enhanced better engineered performances at the age of 91 days. The information is contributed us to establish the long-term durability and environmental requirements of disposal repositories in Taiwan.
Hydrogen diffusion through polymer membranes
Authors: Gay Nicolas , Lamouchi Takoua , Agostini Franck , Davy Catherine A. , Skoczylas Frédéric
Published: October 2020

This experimental study determines H2 transfer properties of High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) or epoxy membranes. Two different techniques are compared. The pressure gradient technique is analyzed for permeability or diffusion. Results show that the main phenomenon involved is diffusion. The second technique involves a gas concentration gradient. Although implying significantly slower kinetics, this classical technique is consistent with results obtained with the faster pressure gradient technique.
Stator Winding Fault Detection Using External Search Coil and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Vicente João , Ferreira Ângela , Castoldi Marcelo , Teixeira João , Goedtel Alessandro
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a methodology for winding stator fault detection of induction motors, using an external search coil, which is a noninvasive technique and can be applied during motor operation. The dispersion magnetic flux of the motor operating in abnormal conditions induces a voltage in the search coil that differs from a reference pattern corresponding to the healthy stator winding. Experimental data were obtained in a test bench using a 0.75 kW three-phase squirrel-cage induction motor with the stator winding modified to allow the introduction of short circuits. This work considered short circuits in one phase, involving 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% of the turns, with the motor loaded with a varying torque. Fault diagnosis is obtained through two models of artificial neural networks, implemented with the signals in the time domain. The obtained results demonstrated that the developed methodology presents difficulties in predicting short circuits in incipient stages, but for short circuits of higher severity, the behaviour improved substantially, being 100% successful for faults with 10% turns short-circuited.
Erweiterte Reanimationsmaßnahmen: die extrakorporale kardiopulmonale Reanimation
Authors: Ohlemacher Florian , Lichy Gregor
Published: October 2020

Eine extrakorporale kardiopulmonale Reanimation (eCPR) gilt als Therapieoption bei therapierefraktärem Herz-Kreislauf-Versagen. Sie kann die Überlebensrate mit günstigem neurologischem Ergebnis bei hochselektierten Patienten deutlich verbessern. Dieser Beitrag schildert das Verfahren, die Kriterien bei der Entscheidung zur eCPR sowie die Vor- und Nachteile der beiden Optionen – In-Hospital- und Out-of-Hospital-Variante – der eCPR.