bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterologous Prime-Boost Vaccination with a Peptide-Based Vaccine and Viral Vector Reshapes Dendritic Cell, CD4+ and CD8+ T Cell Phenotypes to Improve the Antitumor Therapeutic Effect
Authors: Hofer Tamara , Rossi Matteo , Carboni Susanna , Di Berardino Besson Wilma , von Laer Dorothee , Wollmann Guido , Derouazi Madiha , Santiago-Raber Marie-Laure
Published: December 2021

Heterologous prime-boost settings with a protein vaccine and the viral vector vesicular stomatitis virus, both expressing tumor-associated antigens (KISIMA-TAA and VSV-GP-TAA), have been previously shown to generate potent antitumor immunity. In the cold TC-1 model (HPV antigen) and the immune-infiltrate MC-38 model (Adpgk, Reps1 and Rpl18 neo-antigens), we further investigated pivotal immune cells that educate CD8+ T cells. Heterologous prime-boost vaccination induced a superior antitumor response characterized by the increase in number and functionality of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, recruitment of cross-presenting dendritic cells, and polarization of CD4+ T cells towards an antitumor Th1 phenotype within the tumor and tumor-draining lymph nodes, turning the cold TC-1 tumor into a hot, inflamed tumor. In the inflamed MC-38 tumor model, treatment combination markedly prolonged the overall survival of mice. Treatment with multi-epitope vaccines also induced high frequencies of multiple antigen specificities in the periphery and in the tumor. Prime-boost treatment reduced tumor-infiltrating regulatory CD4+ T cells whilst increasing cross-presenting dendritic cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes. In conclusion, heterologous prime-boost vaccination possesses the ability to induce a potent anti-tumor response in both immune-excluded and immune-infiltrated mouse tumor models. Additionally, this study highlights the design of a multi-epitope vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.
Newborn Screening for the Detection of the TP53 R337H Variant and Surveillance for Early Diagnosis of Pediatric Adrenocortical Tumors: Lessons Learned and Way Forward
Authors: Tosin Karina C. F. , Legal Edith F. , Pianovski Mara A. D. , Ibañez Humberto C. , Custódio Gislaine , Carvalho Denise S. , Figueiredo Mirna M. O. , Hoffmann Filho Anselmo , Fiori Carmem M. C. M. , Rodrigues Ana Luiza M. , Mello Rosiane G. , Ogradowski Karin R. P. , Parise Ivy Z. S. , Costa Tatiana E. J. , Melanda Viviane S. , Watanabe Flora M. , Silva Denise B. , Komechen Heloisa , Laureano Henrique A. , Carboni Edna K. , Kuczynski Ana P. , Luiz Gabriela C. F. , Lima Leniza , Tormen Tiago , Gerber Viviane K. Q. , Anegawa Tania H. , Avilla Sylvio G. A. , Tenório Renata B. , Mendes Elaine L. , Fachin Donin Rayssa D. , Souza Josiane , Kozak Vanessa N. , Oliveira Gisele S. , Souza Deivid C. , Gomy Israel , Teixeira Vinicius B. , Borba Helena H. L. , Kiesel Filho Nilton , Parise Guilherme A. , Ribeiro Raul C. , Figueiredo Bonald C.
Published: December 2021

The incidence of pediatric adrenocortical tumors (ACT) is high in southern Brazil due to the founder TP53 R337H variant. Neonatal screening/surveillance (NSS) for this variant resulted in early ACT detection and improved outcomes. The medical records of children with ACT who did not participate in newborn screening (non-NSS) were reviewed (2012–2018). We compared known prognostic factors between the NSS and non-NSS cohorts and estimated surveillance and treatment costs. Of the 16 non-NSS children with ACT carrying the R337H variant, the disease stages I, II, III, and IV were observed in five, five, one, and five children, respectively. The tumor weight ranged from 22 to 608 g. The 11 NSS children with ACT all had disease stage I and were alive. The median tumor weight, age of diagnosis, and interval between symptoms and diagnosis were 21 g, 1.9 years, and two weeks, respectively, for the NSS cohort and 210 g, 5.2 years, and 15 weeks, respectively, for the non-NSS cohort. The estimated surveillance/screening cost per year of life saved is US$623/patient. NSS is critical for improving the outcome of pediatric ACT in this region. Hence, we strongly advocate for the inclusion of R337H in the state-mandated universal screening and surveillance.
Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy and In Vivo Bioimaging
Authors: Haque Shagufta , Norbert Caroline Celine , Acharyya Rajarshi , Mukherjee Sudip , Kathirvel Muralidharan , Patra Chitta Ranjan
Published: December 2021

In the current communication, a simple, environmentally compatible, non-toxic green chemistry process is used for the development of silver nanoparticles (AgZE) by the reaction between silver nitrate (AgNO3) and the ethanolic leaf extract of Zinnia elegans (ZE). The optimization of AgZE is carried out using a series of experiments. Various physico-chemical techniques are utilized to characterize the nanomaterials. The cell viability assay of AgZE in normal cells (CHO, HEK-293T, EA.hy926, and H9c2) shows their biocompatible nature, which is supported by hemolytic assay using mouse RBC. Interestingly, the nanoparticles exhibited cytotoxicity towards different cancer cell lines (U-87, MCF-7, HeLa, PANC-1 and B16F10). The detailed anticancer activity of AgZE on human glioblastoma cell line (U-87) is exhibited through various in vitro assays. In vivo the AgZE illustrates anticancer activity by inhibiting blood vessel formation through CAM assay. Furthermore, the AgZE nanoparticles when intraperitoneally injected in C57BL6/J mice (with and without tumor) exhibit fluorescence properties in the NIR region (excitation: 710 nm, emission: 820 nm) evidenced by bioimaging studies. The AgZE biodistribution through ICPOES analysis illustrates the presence of silver in different vital organs. Considering all the results, AgZE could be useful as a potential cancer therapeutic agent, as well as an NIR based non-invasive imaging tool in near future.
Efficacy, Outcome, and Safety of Elderly Patients with Glioblastoma in the 5-ALA Era: Single Center Experience of More Than 10 Years
Authors: Kiesel Barbara , Wadiura Lisa I. , Mischkulnig Mario , Makolli Jessica , Sperl Veronika , Borkovec Martin , Freund Julia , Lang Alexandra , Millesi Matthias , Berghoff Anna S. , Furtner Julia , Woehrer Adelheid , Widhalm Georg
Published: December 2021

Background: In the next decades, the incidence of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) will increase due to the growth of the elderly population. Fluorescence-guided resection using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is widely applied to achieve maximal safe resection of GBM and is identified as a novel intraoperative marker for diagnostic tissue during biopsies. However, detailed analyses of the use of 5-ALA in resections as well as biopsies in a large elderly cohort are still missing. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the efficacy, outcome, and safety of surgically- treated GBM in the 5-ALA era in a large elderly cohort. Methods: All GBM patients aged 65 years or older who underwent neurosurgical intervention between 2007 and 2019 were included. Data on 5-ALA application, intraoperative fluorescence status, and 5-ALA-related side effects were derived from our databank. In the case of resection, the tumor resectability and the extent of resection were determined. Potential prognostic parameters relevant for overall survival were analyzed. Results: 272 GBM patients with a median age of 71 years were included. Intraoperative 5-ALA fluorescence was applied in most neurosurgical procedures (n = 255/272, 88%) and visible fluorescence was detected in most cases (n = 252/255, 99%). In biopsies, 5-ALA was capable of visualizing tumor tissue by visible fluorescence in all but one case (n = 91/92, 99%). 5-ALA administration did not result in any severe side effects. Regarding patient outcome, smaller preoperative tumor volume (<22.75 cm3), gross total resection, single lesions, improved postoperative neurological status, and concomitant radio-chemotherapy showed a significantly longer overall survival. Conclusions: Our data of this large elderly cohort demonstrate the clinical utility and safety of 5-ALA fluorescence in GBM for improved tumor visualization in both resections as well as biopsies. Therefore, we recommend the use of 5-ALA not only in resections, but also in open/stereotactic biopsies to optimize the neurosurgical management of elderly GBM patients.
Brentuximab-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Manage an Emerging Challenge in Hodgkin Lymphoma Therapy
Authors: Velasco Roser , Domingo-Domenech Eva , Sureda Anna
Published: December 2021

Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an anti-CD30 antibody–drug conjugate approved to treat classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). BV-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (BVIN) is one of the greatest concerns for haematologists treating HL for several reasons. First, BVIN is highly frequent. Most patients receiving BV will experience some degree of BVIN, resulting in the primary reason for dose modification or discontinuation of HL therapy. Second, BV produces sensory, motor, and/or autonomic peripheral nerve dysfunction, which can present as severe, disabling forms of BVIN—predominantly motor—in some patients. Third, although largely reversible, BVIN may persist months or years after treatment and thereby become a major issue in HL survivorship. BVIN may, therefore, negatively affect the quality of life and work-life of often young patients with HL, in whom long-term survival is expected. Currently, the only strategy for BVIN includes dose adjustments and treatment discontinuation; however, this could interfere with LH therapy efficacy. In this setting, early recognition and adequate management of BVIN are critical in improving clinical outcomes. Careful neurologic monitoring may allow accurate diagnoses and gradation of ongoing forms of BVIN presentation. This review analysed current, available data on epidemiology, pathophysiology, patient- and treatment-related risk factors, clinical and neurophysiologic phenotypes, and management in patients with HL. Furthermore, this review specifically addresses limitations posed by BVIN assessments in clinical practice and provides skills and tools to improve neurologic assessments in these patients. Integrating this neurotoxic drug in clinical practice requires a multidisciplinary approach to avoid or minimise neurotoxicity burden in survivors of HL.
An Overview of Intracranial Ependymomas in Adults
Authors: Lombardi Giuseppe , Della Puppa Alessandro , Pizzi Marco , Cerretti Giulia , Bonaudo Camilla , Gardiman Marina Paola , Dipasquale Angelo , Gregucci Fabiana , Esposito Alice , De Bartolo Debora , Zagonel Vittorina , Simonelli Matteo , Fiorentino Alba , Ducray Francois
Published: December 2021

Ependymomas are rare primary central nervous system tumors. They can form anywhere along the neuraxis, but in adults, these tumors predominantly occur in the spine and less frequently intracranially. Ependymal tumors represent a heterogenous group of gliomas, and the WHO 2016 classification is based essentially on a grading system, with ependymomas classified as grade I, II (classic), or III (anaplastic). In adults, surgery is the primary initial treatment, while radiotherapy is employed as an adjuvant treatment in some cases of grade II and in all cases of anaplastic ependymoma; chemotherapy is reserved for recurrent cases. In recent years, important and interesting advances in the molecular characterization of ependymomas have been made, allowing for the identification of nine molecular subgroups of ependymal tumors and moving toward subgroup-specific patients with improved risk stratification for treatment-decisions and future prospective trials. New targeted agents or immunotherapies for ependymoma patients are being explored for recurrent disease. This review summarizes recent molecular advances in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial ependymomas including surgery, radiation therapy and systemic therapies.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Kaltenmeier Christof , Simmons Richard L. , Tohme Samer , Yazdani Hamza O.
Published: December 2021

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality. The metastatic process involves several identifiable biological stages, including tumor cell dissemination, intravasation, and the extravasation of circulating cancer cells to facilitate colonization at a distant site. Immune cell infiltration and inflammation within the tumor microenvironment coincide with tumor progression and metastatic spread and are thought to be the key mediators of this complex process. Amongst many infiltrating cells, neutrophils have recently emerged as an important player in fueling tumor progression, both in animal models and cancer patients. The production of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) is particularly important in the pathogenesis of the metastatic cascade. NETs are composed of web-like DNA structures with entangled proteins that are released in response to inflammatory cues in the environment. NETs play an important role in driving tumor progression both in experimental and clinical models. In this review, we aim to summarize the current advances in understanding the role of NETs in cancer, with a specific focus on their role in promoting premetastatic niche formation, interaction with circulating cancer cells, and in epithelial to mesenchymal transition during cancer metastasis. We will furthermore discuss the possible role and different treatment options for targeting NETs to prevent tumor progression.
A Comparison of the Efficiency of Catalysts Based on Ni, Ni-Co and Ni-Mo in Pressure Pyrolysis of Biomass Leading to Hythane
Authors: Straka Pavel , Bičáková Olga , Hlinčík Tomáš
Published: December 2021

A thermal conversion of biomass to hythane using catalysts was studied. Low-temperature pyrolysis of two different types of biomass was performed in a pressure sealed reactor, and the resulting gas with high contents of CO2 and CO was methanized in a hydrogen atmosphere at a pressure of 30 bar. As catalysts, Ni/Al2O3, NiCo/Al2O3 and NiMo/Al2O3 were used and their catalytic activity was evaluated. The NiCo/Al2O3 catalyst showed the highest catalytic activity, Ni/Al2O3 had a lower but comparable one, and NiMo/Al2O3 showed the lowest activity. The resulting hythane contained 70 vol.% CH4 and 10 vol.% H2 (with NiCo/Al2O3 catalyst, HHV 29.20 MJ/m3, LHV 26.32 MJ/m3), or 57 vol.% CH4 and 23 vol% H2 (with Ni/Al2O3, HHV 25.92 MJ/m3, LHV 23.21 MJ/m3) or 47 vol.% CH4 and 27 vol.% H2 (with NiMo/Al2O3, HHV 23.23 MJ/m3, LHV 20.76 MJ/m3). It has been found that secondary reactions of volatile biomass products are of great importance for successful pressure pyrolysis.
CXCL16/CXCR6 Axis in Adipocytes Differentiated from Human Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Regulates Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Lee Seung-Cheol , Lee Yoo-Jung , Choi Inho , Kim Min , Sung Jung-Suk
Published: December 2021

Adipocytes interact with adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) that exist as a form of M2 macrophage in healthy adipose tissue and are polarized into M1 macrophages upon cellular stress. ATMs regulate adipose tissue inflammation by secreting cytokines, adipokines, and chemokines. CXC-motif receptor 6 (CXCR6) is the chemokine receptor and interactions with its specific ligand CXC-motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) modulate the migratory capacities of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs). CXCR6 is highly expressed on differentiated adipocytes that are non-migratory cells. To evaluate the underlying mechanisms of CXCR6 in adipocytes, THP-1 human monocytes that can be polarized into M1 or M2 macrophages were co-cultured with adipocytes. As results, expression levels of the M1 polarization-inducing factor were decreased, while those of the M2 polarization-inducing factor were significantly increased in differentiated adipocytes in a co-cultured environment with additional CXCL16 treatment. After CXCL16 treatment, the anti-inflammatory factors, including p38 MAPK ad ERK1/2, were upregulated, while the pro-inflammatory pathway mediated by Akt and NF-κB was downregulated in adipocytes in a co-cultured environment. These results revealed that the CXCL16/CXCR6 axis in adipocytes regulates M1 or M2 polarization and displays an immunosuppressive effect by modulating pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory pathways. Our results may provide an insight into a potential target as a regulator of the immune response via the CXCL16/CXCR6 axis in adipocytes.
Nucleofection of Adipose Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells: Improved Transfection Efficiency for GMP Grade Applications
Authors: Agostini Francesco , Vicinanza Carla , Biolo Gianni , Spessotto Paola , Da Ros Francesco , Lombardi Elisabetta , Durante Cristina , Mazzucato Mario
Published: December 2021

Nucleofection (NF) is a safe, non-viral transfection method, compatible with Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines. Such a technique is useful to improve therapeutic effectiveness of adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) in clinical settings, but improvement of NF efficiency is mandatory. Supernatant rich in growth factors (SRGF) is a clinical-grade medium additive for ASC expansion. We showed a dramatically increased NF efficiency and post-transfection viability in ASC expanded in presence of SRGF (vs. fetal bovine serum). SRGF expanded ASC were characterized by increased vesicle endocytosis but lower phagocytosis properties. SRGF increased n-6/n-3 ratio, reduced membrane lipid raft occurrence, and lowered intracellular actin content in ASC. A statistical correlation between NF efficiency and lipid raft availability on cell membranes was shown, even though a direct relationship could not be demonstrated: attempts to selectively modulate lipid rafts levels were, in fact, limited by technical constraints. In conclusion, we reported for the first time that tuning clinical-grade compatible cell culture conditions can significantly improve ASC transfection efficiency by a non-viral and safe approach. A deep mechanistic characterization is extremely complex, but we can hypothesize that integrated changes in membrane structure and intracellular actin content could contribute to explain SRGF impact on ASC NF efficiency.
The Novel Phosphatase Domain Mutations Q171R and Y65S Switch PTEN from Tumor Suppressor to Oncogene
Authors: Garrido Jose Antonio Ma. G. , Alcantara Krizelle Mae M. , Danac Joshua Miguel C. , Serrano Fidel Emmanuel C. , Cutiongco-de la Paz Eva Maria , Garcia Reynaldo L.
Published: December 2021

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10, or PTEN, is a well-characterized tumor suppressor with both lipid and protein phosphatase activities. PTEN is often downregulated by epigenetic mechanisms such as hypermethylation, which leads to constitutive activation of the PI3K–Akt pathway. Large datasets from next-generation sequencing, however, revealed that mutations in PTEN may not only hamper protein function but may also affect interactions with downstream effectors, leading to variable oncogenic readouts. Here, two novel PTEN mutations, Q171R and Y65S, identified in Filipino colorectal cancer patients, were phenotypically characterized in NIH3T3 and HCT116 cells, alongside the C124S canonical mutant and wild-type controls. The novel mutants increased cellular proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and migratory capacity. They induced gross morphological changes including cytoplasmic shrinkage, increased cellular protrusions and extensive cytoskeletal reorganization. The mutants also induced a modest increase in Akt phosphorylation. Further mechanistic studies will help determine the differential oncogenic potencies of these mutants, and resolve whether the structural constraints imposed by the mutations may have altered associations with downstream effectors.
Silicon MEMS Thermocatalytic Gas Sensor in Miniature Surface Mounted Device Form
Authors: Samotaev Nikolay , Dzhumaev Pavel , Oblov Konstantin , Pisliakov Alexander , Obraztsov Ivan , Ducso Csaba , Biro Ferenc
Published: December 2021

A reduced size thermocatalytic gas sensor was developed for the detection of methane over the 20% of the explosive concentration. The sensor chip is formed from two membranes with a 150 µm diameter heated area in their centers and covered with highly dispersed nano-sized catalyst and inert reference, respectively. The power dissipation of the chip is well below 70 mW at the 530 °C maximum operation temperature. The chip is mounted in a novel surface mounted metal-ceramic sensor package in the form-factor of SOT-89. The sensitivity of the device is 10 mV/v%, whereas the response and recovery times without the additional carbon filter over the chip are <500 ms and <2 s, respectively. The tests have shown the reliability of the new design concerning the hotplate stability and massive encapsulation, but the high degradation rate of the catalyst coupled with its modest chemical power limits the use of the sensor only in pulsed mode of operation. The optimized pulsed mode reduces the average power consumption below 2 mW.
Assessment of Oral Skills in Adolescents
Authors: Gràcia Marta , Alvarado Jesús M. , Nieva Silvia
Published: December 2021

There is broad consensus on the need to foster oral skills in middle school due to their inherent importance and because they serve as a tool for learning and acquiring other competences. In order to facilitate the assessment of communicative competence, we hereby propose a model which establishes five key dimensions for effective oral communication: interaction management; multimodality and prosody; textual coherence and cohesion; argumentative strategies; and lexicon and terminology. Based on this model, we developed indicators to measure the proposed dimensions, thus generating a self-report tool to assess oral communication in middle school. Following an initial study conducted with 168 students (mean age = 12.47 years, SD = 0.41), we selected 22 items with the highest discriminant power, while in a second study carried out with a sample of 960 students (mean age 14.11 years, SD = 0.97), we obtained evidence concerning factorial validity and the relationships between oral skills, emotional intelligence and metacognitive strategies related to metacomprehension. We concluded that the proposed model and its derived measure constitute an instrument with good psychometric properties for a reliable and valid assessment of students’ oral competence in middle school.
Clinical Experience with Anti-IgE Monoclonal Antibody (Omalizumab) in Pediatric Severe Allergic Asthma—A Romanian Perspective
Authors: Berghea Elena Camelia , Balgradean Mihaela , Pavelescu Carmen , Cirstoveanu Catalin Gabriel , Toma Claudia Lucia , Ionescu Marcela Daniela , Bumbacea Roxana Silvia
Published: December 2021

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic disease affecting children, with a negative impact on their quality of life. Asthma is often associated with comorbid allergic diseases, and its severity may be modulated by immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergen sensitization. Omalizumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-IgE antibody, the first biological therapy approved to treat patients aged ≥6 years with severe allergic asthma. The primary objective of our study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Omalizumab in Romanian children with severe allergic asthma. Methods: In this observational real-life study, 12 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years (mean 12.4 years) with severe allergic asthma received Omalizumab as an add-on treatment. Asthma control, exacerbations, lung function, and adverse events were evaluated at baseline and after the first year of treatment. Results: We observed general improvement in total asthma symptom scores and reduction in the rate of exacerbation of severe asthma. Omalizumab treatment was associated with improvement in the measures of lung function, and no serious adverse reactions were reported. FEV1 improved significantly after one year of treatment with Omalizumab [ΔFEV1 (% pred.) = 18.3], and [similarly, ΔMEF50 (%) = 25.8]. The mean severe exacerbation rate of asthma decreased from 4.1 ± 2.8 to 1.15 ± 0.78 (p < 0.0001) during the year of treatment with Omalizumab. Conclusions: This study showed that Omalizumab can be an effective and safe therapeutic option for Romanian children and adolescents with severe allergic asthma, providing clinically relevant information on asthma control and exacerbation rate in children and adolescents. The results demonstrated the positive effect of Omalizumab in young patients with asthma, starting from the first year of treatment.
Entropy Optimized Second Grade Fluid with MHD and Marangoni Convection Impacts: An Intelligent Neuro-Computing Paradigm
Authors: Shoaib Muhammad , Tabassum Rafia , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Rafiq Ayesha , Khan Muhammad Ijaz , Jamshed Wasim , Abdel-Aty Abdel-Haleem , Yahia I. S. , E. Mahmoud Emad
Published: December 2021

Artificial intelligence applications based on soft computing and machine learning algorithms have recently become the focus of researchers’ attention due to their robustness, precise modeling, simulation, and efficient assessment. The presented work aims to provide an innovative application of Levenberg Marquardt Technique with Artificial Back Propagated Neural Networks (LMT-ABPNN) to examine the entropy generation in Marangoni convection Magnetohydrodynamic Second Grade Fluidic flow model (MHD-SGFM) with Joule heating and dissipation impact. The PDEs describing MHD-SGFM are reduced into ODEs by appropriate transformation. The dataset is determined through Homotopy Analysis Method by the variation of physical parameters for all scenarios of proposed LMT-ABPNN. The reference data samples for training/validation/testing processes are utilized as targets to determine the approximated solution of proposed LMT-ABPNN. The performance of LMT-ABPNN is validated by MSE based fitness, error histogram scrutiny, and regression analysis. Furthermore, the influence of pertinent parameters on temperature, concentration, velocity, entropy generation, and Bejan number is also deliberated. The study reveals that the larger β and Ma, the higher f′(η) while M has the reverse influence on f′(η). For higher values of β, M, Ma, and Ec, θ(η) boosts. The concentration ϕ(η) drops as Ma and Sc grow. An augmentation is noticed for NG for higher estimations of β,M, and Br. Larger β,M and Br decays the Bejan number.
Environmental and Socioeconomic Impact of Copper Slag—A Review
Authors: Gabasiane Tlotlo Solomon , Danha Gwiranai , Mamvura Tirivaviri A. , Mashifana Tebogo , Dzinomwa Godfrey
Published: December 2021

Copper slag is generated when copper and nickel ores are recovered from their parent ores using a pyrometallurgical process, and these ores usually contain other elements which include iron, cobalt, silica, and alumina. Slag is a major problem in the metallurgical industries as it is dumped into heaps which have accumulated into millions of tons over the years. Moreover, they pose a danger to the environment as they occupy vacant land (space problems). Over the past few years, studies have been conducted to investigate the copper slag-producing outlets to learn their behavior, as well as properties of slag, to have the knowledge of how to better reuse and recycle copper slag. This review article provides the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of slag, as well as a characterization of copper slag, with the aim of reusing and recycling the slag to benefit the environment and economy. Recycling methods are considered an attractive technological pathway for reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as promoting the concept of circular economy through the utilization of waste. These metal elements have value depending on their characteristics; hence, copper slag is considered as a secondary source of valuable metals. Some of the pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes to consider are physical separation, magnetic separation, flotation, leaching, and direct reduction roasting of iron (DRI). Some of the possible metals that can be recovered from the copper slag include Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, and Ag (precious metals).
Numerical Investigation of Plastic Strain Homogeneity during Equal-Channel Angular Pressing of a Cu-Zr Alloy
Authors: Wongsa-Ngam Jittraporn , Noraphaiphipaksa Nitikorn , Kanchanomai Chaosuan , Langdon Terence G.
Published: December 2021

A three-dimensional finite element method (3D FEM) simulation was carried out using ABAQUS/Explicit software to simulate multi-pass processing by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) of a circular cross-sectional workpiece of a Cu-Zr alloy. The effective plastic strain distribution, the strain homogeneity and the occurrence of a steady-state zone in the workpiece were investigated during ECAP processing for up to eight passes. The simulation results show that a strain inhomogeneity was developed in ECAP after one pass due to the formation of a corner gap in the outer corner of the die. The calculations show that the average effective plastic strain and the degree of homogeneity both increase with the number of ECAP passes. Based on the coefficient of variance, a steady-state zone was identified in the middle section of the ECAP workpiece, and this was numerically evaluated as extending over a length of approximately 40 mm along the longitudinal axis for the Cu-Zr alloy.
Bond Behavior of Recycled Fiber Recycled Concrete with Reinforcement after Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Authors: Liu Yu , Zhou Jinghai , Wu Di , Kang Tianbei , Liu Aixia
Published: December 2021

Freeze-thaw (F-T) damage is the major factor destroying the bond behavior of reinforced concrete in the cold areas of China. The bond behavior between recycled fiber recycled concrete (RFRC) and reinforcement after F-T cycles was investigated in this paper. The pull-out tests were undertaken with the replacement rate (0, 50%, and 100%) of recycled aggregates (RA) and volume content (0, 0.12%, and 0.24%) of recycled fibers (RFs) as test variables. The results demonstrate that the F-T cycles will reduce the bond strength between RFRC and reinforcement. Bond strength decreases by 69.41% after 150 cycles. Moreover, RF can improve the bond strength between RFRC and reinforcing steel. Bonding strength increases by 11.35% with the addition of 0.12% RF. A simplified two-phase bond-slip model between RFRC and reinforced steel after F-T cycles was eventually established, and it correlated well with the experimental results. This research presents a theoretical basis for the application of RFRC in building structures in cold areas.
As-Grown Domain Structure in Calcium Orthovanadate Crystals
Authors: Shishkina Ekaterina , Yuzhakov Vladimir , Nebogatikov Maksim , Pelegova Elena , Linker Eduard , Ivleva Lyudmila , Shur Vladimir
Published: December 2021

An as-grown domain structure in nominally pure and Mn-doped calcium orthovanadate (CVO) crystals was studied by several methods of domain imaging: optical microscopy, piezoelectric force microscopy, and Cherenkov-type second harmonic generation. The combination of imaging methods provided an opportunity for comprehensive study of the domain structure on the polar surface and in the bulk of the samples. It was shown that, in nominally pure CVO crystals, an irregular 3D maze of rounded domains, with charged walls, essentially tilted from the polar direction, was present. It was proposed that the domain structure was formed just below the phase transition temperature and persisted during subsequent cooling. Such behavior is due to effective bulk screening of the depolarization field and a low value of the pyroelectric field which appears during cooling. The revealed formation of triangular domains and flat fragments of domain walls in Mn-doped CVO was attributed to polarization reversal under the action of the polar component of the pyroelectric field, above the threshold value for domain switching. This fact represents the first observation of the domain switching in CVO crystals.
Controllable Liquid Crystal Micro Tube Laser
Authors: Lin Jia-De , Wu Po-Chen , Mo Ting-Shan , Huang Bing-Yau , Kuo Chie-Tong , Lee Chia-Rong
Published: December 2021

This study demonstrates controllable random lasing emissions in a dye-doped nematic liquid crystal (DDNLC)-infiltrated microcapillary. The emission wavelength of the micro tube laser can be adjusted by changing the focusing position of the pumped pulses on the center or the periphery of the liquid crystal region of the microcapillary. In addition, with doping azo-dyes in the DDNLC of the micro tube laser, optical controllability of the lasing intensity and wavelength can be further achieved. The controllable micro tube laser may find highly widespread photonic applications in multicolor emitting sources, and vibration and UV sensors.
Obtaining Biocompatible Porous Composite Material Based on Zinc-Modified Hydroxyapatite and Lactide-Glycolide Copolymer
Authors: Lytkina Daria , Gutsalova Anastasiya , Fedorishin Dmitry , Kurzina Irina
Published: December 2021

The development of surgery in the field of bone tissue reconstruction provides a stable demand for new materials for implants. Of particular interest are materials based on hydroxyapatite, which are close in chemical composition to the elemental composition and structure of bone and have similar biologically active properties. In this work, the regularities of the formation of new composite materials based on a zinc-modified hydroxyapatite framework coated with a copolymer of lactide and glycolide were revealed for the first time. The aim of this work was to obtain porous composite materials based on zinc-modified hydroxyapatite and a copolymer of lactide and glycolide with properties suitable for use as a material for bone implants. The phase and elemental composition of the composites was studied by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray spectral microanalysis. Regularities have been established between the surface properties and the composition of materials, as well as their biocompatibility, determined using monocytes isolated from human peripheral blood. The antibacterial activity of the materials against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was determined.
A New Signal of Tropicalization in the Northeast Atlantic: The Spread of the Spotfin Burrfish Chilomycterus reticulatus in Madeira Archipelago and Its Invasion Risk
Authors: Castro Nuno , Schäfer Susanne , Parretti Paola , Monteiro João Gama , Gizzi Francesca , Chebaane Sahar , Almada Emanuel , Henriques Filipe , Freitas Mafalda , Vasco-Rodrigues Nuno , Silva Rodrigo , Radeta Marko , Freitas Rúben , Canning-Clode João
Published: December 2021

Current trends in the global climate facilitate the displacement of numerous marine species from their native distribution ranges to higher latitudes when facing warming conditions. In this work, we analyzed occurrences of a circumtropical reef fish, the spotfin burrfish, Chilomycterus reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1958), in the Madeira Archipelago (NE Atlantic) between 1898 and 2021. In addition to available data sources, we performed an online survey to assess the distribution and presence of this species in the Madeira Archipelago, along with other relevant information, such as size class and year of the first sighting. In total, 28 valid participants responded to the online survey, georeferencing 119 C. reticulatus sightings and confirming its presence in all archipelago islands. The invasiveness of the species was screened using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Five assessments rated the fish as being of medium risk of establishing a local population and becoming invasive. Current temperature trends might have facilitated multiple sightings of this thermophilic species in the Madeira Archipelago. The present study indicates an increase in C. reticulatus sightings in the region. This underlines the need for updated comprehensive information on species diversity and distribution to support informed management and decisions. The spread of yet another thermophilic species in Madeiran waters provides further evidence of an ongoing tropicalization, emphasizing the need for monitoring programs and the potential of citizen science in complementing such programs.
Deep Learning Applied to SEM Images for Supporting Marine Coralline Algae Classification
Authors: Piazza Giulia , Valsecchi Cecile , Sottocornola Gabriele
Published: December 2021

The classification of coralline algae commonly relies on the morphology of cells and reproductive structures, along with thallus organization, observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Nevertheless, species identification based on morphology often leads to uncertainty, due to their general plasticity. Evolutionary and environmental studies featured coralline algae for their ecological significance in both recent and past Oceans and need to rely on robust taxonomy. Research efforts towards new putative diagnostic tools have recently been focused on cell wall ultrastructure. In this work, we explored a new classification tool for coralline algae, using fine-tuning pretrained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) on SEM images paired to morphological categories, including cell wall ultrastructure. We considered four common Mediterranean species, classified at genus and at the species level (Lithothamnion corallioides, Mesophyllum philippii, Lithophyllum racemus, Lithophyllum pseudoracemus). Our model produced promising results in terms of image classification accuracy given the constraint of a limited dataset and was tested for the identification of two ambiguous samples referred to as L. cf. racemus. Overall, explanatory image analyses suggest a high diagnostic value of calcification patterns, which significantly contributed to class predictions. Thus, CNNs proved to be a valid support to the morphological approach to taxonomy in coralline algae.
Comparisons of Zooplankton Community Structure between with- and without- Pesticide Applications on Rice Fields
Authors: Plangklang Nattaporn , Athibai Sujeephon
Published: December 2021

Herbicide usage in rice fields over time may have a direct and indirect influence on the biodiversity of the fields. The impacts of herbicide usage on non-target organisms were assessed by examining the species richness and zooplankton density of two rice fields. One was 2.08 hectares in size and had been treated with pesticides during the sampling year (RF-PA). The second field, measuring 1.76 hectares, had received no pesticide treatment (RF-NPA). Every two weeks, zooplankton was quantitatively collected from ten sampling sites in each field. At each station, 20 L of measured water was filtered through a plankton net with a mesh size of 20 µm and preserved in 1% Lugol’s solution. The results revealed that RF-NPA and RF-PA had 112 and 88 species of zooplankton, respectively, with an abundance-based Jaccard index (Jabd) of 0.438. The total zooplankton density in RF-NPA was 24.4 ind./L, significantly higher than the 16.6 ind./L in RF-PA (p < 0.001). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’) and evenness (J) were highest in RF-NPA at the second sampling (3.45 and 0.75, respectively). These results indicate that glyphosate application affects the diversity of species and density of zooplankton in rice fields.
The E-Textile for Biomedical Applications: A Systematic Review of Literature
Authors: Cesarelli Giuseppe , Donisi Leandro , Coccia Armando , Amitrano Federica , D’Addio Giovanni , Ricciardi Carlo
Published: December 2021

The use of e-textile technologies spread out in the scientific research with several applications in both medical and nonmedical world. In particular, wearable technologies and miniature electronics devices were implemented and tested for medical research purposes. In this paper, a systematic review regarding the use of e-textile for clinical applications was conducted: the Scopus and Pubmed databases were investigate by considering research studies from 2010 to 2020. Overall, 262 papers were found, and 71 of them were included in the systematic review. Of the included studies, 63.4% focused on information and communication technology studies, while the other 36.6% focused on industrial bioengineering applications. Overall, 56.3% of the research was published as an article, while the remainder were conference papers. Papers included in the review were grouped by main aim into cardiological, muscular, physical medicine and orthopaedic, respiratory, and miscellaneous applications. The systematic review showed that there are several types of applications regarding e-textile in medicine and several devices were implemented as well; nevertheless, there is still a lack of validation studies on larger cohorts of subjects since the majority of the research only focuses on developing and testing the new device without considering a further extended validation.
Performance Analysis of Conventional Machine Learning Algorithms for Identification of Chronic Kidney Disease in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients
Authors: Chowdhury Nakib Hayat , Reaz Mamun Bin Ibne , Haque Fahmida , Ahmad Shamim , Ali Sawal Hamid Md , A Bakar Ahmad Ashrif , Bhuiyan Mohammad Arif Sobhan
Published: December 2021

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the severe side effects of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the detection and diagnosis of CKD are often delayed because of its asymptomatic nature. In addition, patients often tend to bypass the traditional urine protein (urinary albumin)-based CKD detection test. Even though disease detection using machine learning (ML) is a well-established field of study, it is rarely used to diagnose CKD in T1DM patients. This research aimed to employ and evaluate several ML algorithms to develop models to quickly predict CKD in patients with T1DM using easily available routine checkup data. This study analyzed 16 years of data of 1375 T1DM patients, obtained from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) clinical trials directed by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, USA. Three data imputation techniques (RF, KNN, and MICE) and the SMOTETomek resampling technique were used to preprocess the primary dataset. Ten ML algorithms including logistic regression (LR), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), Gaussian naïve Bayes (GNB), support vector machine (SVM), stochastic gradient descent (SGD), decision tree (DT), gradient boosting (GB), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and light gradient-boosted machine (LightGBM) were applied to developed prediction models. Each model included 19 demographic, medical history, behavioral, and biochemical features, and every feature’s effect was ranked using three feature ranking techniques (XGB, RF, and Extra Tree). Lastly, each model’s ROC, sensitivity (recall), specificity, accuracy, precision, and F-1 score were estimated to find the best-performing model. The RF classifier model exhibited the best performance with 0.96 (±0.01) accuracy, 0.98 (±0.01) sensitivity, and 0.93 (±0.02) specificity. LightGBM performed second best and was quite close to RF with 0.95 (±0.06) accuracy. In addition to these two models, KNN, SVM, DT, GB, and XGB models also achieved more than 90% accuracy.
A Pilot Study of Transbronchial Biopsy Using Endobronchial Ultrasonography with a Guide Sheath in the Diagnosis of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease
Authors: Ito Takayasu , Kimura Tomoki , Kataoka Kensuke , Okachi Shotaro , Wakahara Keiko , Hashimoto Naozumi , Kondoh Yasuhiro
Published: December 2021

The occurrence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) with peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) is closely linked to the development of lung cancer. Yet, the best diagnostic approach for identifying PPLs in patients with ILD remains elusive. This study retrospectively investigated the application of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) using endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) to the effective and safe diagnosis of PPLs when compared with conventional TBB. The study sample included a consecutive series of 19 patients with ILD who underwent conventional TBB or TBB using EBUS-GS at Tosei General Hospital between 1 April 2013 and 31 October 2015. The two techniques were compared based on diagnostic yield and associated complications. The diagnostic yield of EBUS-GS TBB was significantly higher than that of conventional TBB (p = 0.009), especially for small lesions (≤20 mm), lesions located in the lower lobes, lesions with a positive bronchus sign, and lesions visible by chest radiography (p = 0.010, p = 0.022, p = 0.006, and p = 0.002, respectively). There were no significant differences in complication rates. Therefore, EBUS-GS is an effective alternative for the diagnosis of PPLs in patients with ILD, without additional complications.
High-Resolution DWI with Simultaneous Multi-Slice Readout-Segmented Echo Planar Imaging for the Evaluation of Malignant and Benign Breast Lesions
Authors: Peng Shuyi , Guo Yihao , Zhang Xiaoyong , Tao Juan , Liu Jie , Zhu Wenying , Chen Leqing , Yang Fan
Published: December 2021

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of high-resolution readout-segmented echo planar imaging (rs-EPI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is used simultaneously with multi-slice (SMS) imaging (SMS rs-EPI) for the differentiation of breast malignant and benign lesions in comparison to conventional rs-EPI on a 3T MR scanner. A total of 102 patients with 113 breast lesions underwent bilateral breast MRI using a prototype SMS rs-EPI sequence and a conventional rs-EPI sequence. Subjective image quality was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent). Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), lesion contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) value of the lesion were measured for comparison. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnosis performance of ADC, and the corresponding area under curve (AUC) was calculated. The image quality scores in anatomic distortion, lesion conspicuity, sharpness of anatomical details and overall image quality of SMS rs-EPI were significantly higher than those of conventional rs-EPI. CNR was enhanced in the high-resolution SMS rs-EPI acquisition (6.48 ± 1.71 vs. 4.23 ± 1.49; p < 0.001). The mean ADC value was comparable in SMS rs-EPI and conventional rs-EPI (benign 1.45 × 10−3 vs. 1.43 × 10−3 mm2/s, p = 0.702; malignant 0.91 × 10−3 vs. 0.89 × 10−3 mm2/s, p = 0.076). The AUC was 0.957 in SMS rs-EPI and 0.983 in conventional rs-EPI. SMS rs-EPI technique allows for higher spatial resolution and slight reduction of scan time in comparison to conventional rs-EPI, which has potential for better differentiation between malignant and benign lesions of the breast.
Augmented Reality in Food Promotion and Analysis: Review and Potentials
Authors: Styliaras Georgios D.
Published: December 2021

The paper presents the current state of using augmented reality (AR) in the sectors of food analysis and food promotion through products and orders. Based on an extensive literature review, 34 indicative augmented reality applications of various purposes, target audiences and implementations have been selected and presented. Applications are research-based, commercial, or oriented just for entertainment. Eight classification criteria are defined, especially for these applications, and used for presenting them, including content, context, execution scenario, markers, devices supported, implementation details and appeals based on evaluation, downloads, or sales. Additionally, 16 implementation and supportive platforms that have been used in the presented applications are described. The paper discusses advantages and limitations of current applications leading to proposals of further use of augmented reality in these food sectors towards a uniform handling of all parameters related to food processing, from production until consumption. These parameters include content use, design considerations, implementation issues, use of AR markers, etc.