bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of miR-30b-5p-Loaded PEG-PLGA Nanoparticles for Targeted Treatment of Heart Failure
Authors: Ren Yu , Wang Xiao , Liang Hongyu , He Wenshuai , Zhao Xingsheng
Published: September 2021

Objective: Exploring the effectiveness of miR-30b-5p-loaded PEG-PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of heart failure and the underlying mechanism.

Methods: PEG-PLGA characteristics with different loading amounts were first examined to determine the loading, encapsulation, and release of miR-30b-5p from NPs. The effects of miR-30b-5p NPs on cardiac function and structure were assessed by immunofluorescence, echocardiography, HE/Masson staining, and TUNEL staining. The effects of NPs on the expression of factors related to cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation were examined by RT-PCR and western blotting, and the mechanism of miR-30b-5p treatment on heart failure was explored by dual luciferase reporter assay and RT-PCR.

Results: The size of PEG-PLGA NPs with different loading amounts ranged from 200 to 300 nm, and the zeta potential of PEG-PLGA NPs was negative. The mean entrapment efficiency of the NPs for miR-30b-5p was high (81.8 ± 2.1%), and the release rate reached 5 days with more than 90% release. Distribution experiments showed that NPs were mainly distributed in the heart and had a protective effect on myocardial injury and cardiac function. Compared with a rat model of cardiac failure and miR-30b-5p-non-loaede NP groups, the expression of cardiac hypertrophy markers (ANP, BNPβ-MHC) and inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6) were significantly decreased. Dual luciferase reporter assay assays indicated that miR-30b-5p exerted its effects mainly by targeting TGFBR2.

Conclusion: PEG-PLGA NPs loaded with miR-30b-5p improved cardiac function, attenuated myocardial injury, and regulated the expression of factors associated with cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation by targeting TGFBR2.
Emergent Collective Locomotion in an Active Polymer Model of Entangled Worm Blobs
Authors: Nguyen Chantal , Ozkan-Aydin Yasemin , Tuazon Harry , Goldman Daniel. I. , Bhamla M. Saad , Peleg Orit
Published: September 2021

Numerous worm and arthropod species form physically-connected aggregations in which interactions among individuals give rise to emergent macroscale dynamics and functionalities that enhance collective survival. In particular, some aquatic worms such as the California blackworm (Lumbriculus variegatus) entangle their bodies into dense blobs to shield themselves against external stressors and preserve moisture in dry conditions. Motivated by recent experiments revealing emergent locomotion in blackworm blobs, we investigate the collective worm dynamics by modeling each worm as a self-propelled Brownian polymer. Though our model is two-dimensional, compared to real three-dimensional worm blobs, we demonstrate how a simulated blob can collectively traverse temperature gradientsviathe coupling between the active motion and the environment. By performing a systematic parameter sweep over the strength of attractive forces between worms, and the magnitude of their directed self-propulsion, we obtain a rich phase diagram which reveals that effective collective locomotion emerges as a result of finely balancing a tradeoff between these two parameters. Our model brings the physics of active filaments into a new meso- and macroscale context and invites further theoretical investigation into the collective behavior of long, slender, semi-flexible organisms.
Optimization of VQE-UCC Algorithm Based on Spin State Symmetry
Authors: Guo Qing , Chen Ping-Xing
Published: September 2021

The accurate calculation of molecular energy spectra, a very complicated work, is of importance in many applied fields. Relying on the VQE-UCC algorithm, it is very possible to calculate the molecular energy spectrum on a noisy intermediate scale quantum computer. However, due to the limitation of the number of qubits and coherent time in quantum computers, the complexity of VQE-UCC algorithm still needs to be reduced in the simulation of macromolecules. We develop a new VQE-UCC method to calculate the ground state of the molecule according to the symmetry of the system, the complexity of which is reduced. Using this method we get the ground and excite state of four kinds of molecules. The method and the results are of great significance for the promotion of quantum chemical simulations.
Phytohormone-Based Regulation of Trichome Development
Authors: Li Jinxing , Wang Xingxing , Jiang Rui , Dong Boran , Fang Shiyuan , Li Qing , Lv Zongyou , Chen Wansheng
Published: September 2021

Phytohormones affect plant growth and development. Many phytohormones are involved in the initiation of trichome development, which can help prevent damage from UV radiation and insect bites and produce fragrance, flavors, and compounds used as pharmaceuticals. Phytohormones promote the participation of transcription factors in the initiation of trichome development; for example, the transcription factors HDZIP, bHLH and MYB interact and form transcriptional complexes to regulate trichome development. Jasmonic acid (JA) mediates the progression of the endoreduplication cycle to increase the number of multicellular trichomes or trichome size. Moreover, there is crosstalk between phytohormones, and some phytohormones interact with each other to affect trichome development. Several new techniques, such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system and single-cell transcriptomics, are available for investigating gene function, determining the trajectory of individual trichome cells and elucidating the regulatory network underlying trichome cell lineages. This review discusses recent advances in the modulation of trichome development by phytohormones, emphasizes the differences and similarities between phytohormones initially present in trichomes and provides suggestions for future research.
De Novo Design of Antimicrobial Peptides With a Special Charge Pattern and Their Application in Combating Plant Pathogens
Authors: Chen Eric H. -L. , Weng Cheng-Wei , Li Yi-Min , Wu Ming-Chin , Yang Chien-Chih , Lee Kung-Ta , Chen Rita P. -Y. , Cheng Chiu-Ping
Published: September 2021

Plant diseases are important issues in agriculture, and the development of effective and environment-friendly means of disease control is crucial and highly desired. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are known as potential alternatives to chemical pesticides because of their potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and because they have no risk, or have only a low risk, of developing chemical-resistant pathogens. In this study, we designed a series of amphipathic helical peptides with different spatial distributions of positive charges and found that the peptides that had a special sequence pattern “BBHBBHHBBH” (“B” for basic residue and “H” for hydrophobic residue) displayed excellent bactericidal and fungicidal activities in a wide range of economically important plant pathogens. The peptides with higher helical propensity had lower antimicrobial activity. When we modified the peptides with a long acyl chain at their N-terminus, their plant protection effect improved. Our application of the fatty acyl-modified peptides on the leaves of tomato and Arabidopsis plants lessened the infection caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Botrytis cinerea. Our study provides important insights on the development of more potent novel AMPs for plant protection.
The Question is not “If to Localise?” but Rather “How to Localise?”: Perspectives from Irish Humanitarian INGOs
Authors: Gibbons Pat , Otieku-Boadu Cyril
Published: September 2021

The localisation agenda has found a new impetus following the COVID 19 pandemic. International NGOs increasingly accept the inevitability of localisation and few would argue against its conceptual benefits. However, the challenge to operationalise localisation exposes fundamental differences in the INGO community. While all humanitarian INGOs share a common set of humanitarian principles, these principles sit alongside other principles and values that shape the fundamental strategic management processes of these organisations. This study of Irish humanitarian NGOs shows that organisations are at different stages in fully institutionalising localisation. Most of these organisations depend on a common resource pool that in turn has considerable influence over the speed of localisation. The big messages emanating from this study are that localisation is not without risk which needs to be shared by all stakeholders and many organisations will need to augment their strategic management processes to fully embrace localisation.
On the Commoditization of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Abonamah Abdullah A. , Tariq Muhammad Usman , Shilbayeh Samar
Published: September 2021

As artificial intelligence's potential and pervasiveness continue to increase, its strategic importance, effects, and management must be closely examined. Societies, governments, and business organizations need to view artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their usage from an entirely different perspective. AI is poised to have a tremendous impact on every aspect of our lives. Therefore, it must have a broader view that transcends AI's technical capabilities and perceived value, including areas of AI's impact and influence. Nicholas G. Carr's seminal paper “IT Does not Matter (Carr, 2003) explained how IT's potential and ubiquity have increased, but IT's strategic importance has declined with time. AI is poised to meet the same fate as IT. In fact, the commoditization of AI has already begun. This paper presents the arguments to demonstrate that AI is moving rapidly in this direction. It also proposes an artificial intelligence-based organizational framework to gain value-added elements for lowering the impact of AI commoditization.
Role Stress and Prosocial Service Behavior of Hotel Employees: A Moderated Mediation Model of Job Satisfaction and Social Support
Authors: Jin Yixing , Cheng Lin , Li Ying , Wang Yingda
Published: September 2021

Hotel employees’ positive behavior is prone to increase customer satisfaction, and thus, exploring the influencing mechanism of role stress on prosocial service behavior is critical to relieving their stress and improving service quality and hotel performance. This study aims to develop and test a moderated mediation model that links hotel employees’ role stress to prosocial service behavior. Based on the conservation of resources theory and job demands-resources model, this study suggests that the effect of role stress on prosocial service behavior is mediated by the level of job satisfaction, whereas the relationship between role stress and job satisfaction is moderated by social support. Data from 256 hotel employees in China largely support the hypotheses that role stress reduces job satisfaction, and that job dissatisfaction is related to low levels of prosocial service behavior. The data also show that job satisfaction partly mediates the relationship between role stress and prosocial service behavior, and social support weakens the relationship between role stress and job satisfaction. The results can help us understand the role of organization-level resources in the workplace and how role stress and job satisfaction affect prosocial service behavior.
Influence of Social Support on Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education
Authors: Desombre Caroline , Delaval Marine , Jury Mickaël
Published: September 2021

Inclusive education is at the heart of educational policy world-wide. Teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education, which are often associated with the success of the policy, have been studied extensively. Various factors related to teachers, students with special educational needs (SEN) and different specific contexts have been identified. In the current study, we explored the influence of social support on teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education. In a pilot study implying teachers, we replicated, in the French context, previous results showing a correlational link between social support and attitudes toward inclusion. Specifically, we showed that the more social support they perceived with regard to their attempts to include students with SEN, the more positive the teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education. In an experiment involving 314 teachers we then explored the causal link between these variables. Results showed that highlighting the support teachers receive improves their attitudes in comparison with highlighting a lack of support or a control condition in which support is not mentioned. These studies show the importance of supporting inclusive education in the schools. This support can be provided in different ways (emotional, informational, instrumental, etc.) and by different actors (colleagues, supervisors).
Social and Emotional Learning in the Ibero-American Context: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fernández-Martín Francisco-Domingo , Romero-Rodríguez José-María , Marín-Marín José-Antonio , Gómez-García Gerardo
Published: September 2021

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has acquired great prominence in recent years, due to the skills it develops in students, influencing personal and social well-being. At the same time, society is moving toward a model in which understanding oneself and others is a fundamental aspect in order to function properly on a social level. Studies on SEL programmes have been carried out in various parts of the world, although recent reviews have focused exclusively on the Anglo-Saxon context. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to synthesize research on the efficacy and effectiveness of SEL programmes in Ibero-American contexts in early childhood, primary and secondary education. Systematic review was used as the method of enquiry, following the standards of The Campbell Collaboration. In total, 22 empirical studies of SEL programmes implemented in Ibero-America were collected. The results showed that the SEL variables with the highest incidence and significant results were self-awareness, social awareness, self-control, relationship skills, decision-making, school climate, well-being, and academic achievement. While no studies focused on sense of belonging or school safety. Finally, the establishment of programme components, duration, and integration, for each variable, scientifically evidences the keys that can ensure the success of future SEL programmes.
Altered Functional Connectivity of the Nucleus Accumbens Network Between Deficit and Non-deficit Schizophrenia
Authors: Zhou Chao , Xue Chen , Chen Jiu , Amdanee Nousayhah , Tang Xiaowei , Zhang Hongying , Zhang Fuquan , Zhang Xiangrong , Zhang Caiyi
Published: September 2021

Deficit schizophrenia (DS), which is marked by stable negative symptoms, is regarded as a homogeneous subgroup of schizophrenia. While DS patients have structurally altered nucleus accumbens (NAcc) compared to non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS) patients and healthy individuals, the investigation of NAcc functional connectivity (FC) with negative symptoms and neurocognition could provide insights into the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. 58 DS, 93 NDS, and 113 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance (rsfMRI). The right and left NAcc were respectively used as seed points to construct the functional NAcc network in whole-brain FC analysis. ANCOVA compared the differences in NAcc network FC and partial correlation analysis explored the relationships between altered FC of NAcc, negative symptoms and neurocognition. Compared to HCs, both DS and NDS patients showed decreased FC between the left NAcc (LNAcc) and bilateral middle cingulate gyrus, and between the right NAcc (RNAcc) and right middle frontal gyrus (RMFG), as well as increased FC between bilateral NAcc and bilateral lingual gyrus. Moreover, the FC between the LNAcc and bilateral calcarine gyrus (CAL) was lower in the DS group compared to NDS patients. Correlation analysis indicated that FC value of LNAcc-CAL was negatively correlated to negative symptoms. Furthermore, aberrant FC values within the NAcc network were correlated with severity of clinical symptoms and neurocognitive impairments in DS and NDS patients. This study demonstrated abnormal patterns of FC in the NAcc network between DS and NDS. The presence of altered LNAcc-CAL FC might be involved in the pathogenesis of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison of Strategies in Six Countries
Authors: Chen Haiqian , Shi Leiyu , Zhang Yuyao , Wang Xiaohan , Jiao Jun , Yang Manfei , Sun Gang
Published: September 2021

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of containment strategies and mitigation strategies to provide a reference for controlling the ongoing global spread of the pandemic.

Methods: We extracted publicly available data from various official websites between January 1 and December 31, 2020, summarized the strategies implemented in China, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, and assessed the effectiveness of the prevention and control measures adopted by these countries with the daily new cases and mortality rate per 100,000 population.

Results: China, South Korea, and Singapore adopted containment strategies, which maintained a proactive approach by identifying and managing cases, tracking and isolating close contacts. China and Singapore had a similar epidemic curve and the new daily cases. As of December 31, 2020, the new daily cases of China and Singapore were below 100 with the mortality rates per 100,000 population of 0.3 and 0.5, respectively. But the new daily case of South Korea was as high as 1,029, with a mortality rate per 100,000 population of 1.8. In contrast, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France responded with mitigation strategies that focus on treating severe cases and those with underlying conditions. They had similar epidemic curves and mortality rates per 100,000 population. The United States had up to 234,133 new confirmed cases per day, and the mortality rate per 100,000 population was 107, while the United Kingdom had 56,029 new confirmed cases per day and the mortality rate per 100,000 population was 108, and France had 20,042 new cases per day, with a mortality rate per 100,000 population of 99.

Conclusions: China, Korea, and Singapore, which implemented strict containment measures, had significant outbreak control. Meanwhile, the successful practices in China, Singapore, and South Korea show that the containment strategies were practices that work especially at the individual level identifying and managing the infected patients and their close contacts. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, which implemented the mitigation policies, the effect of epidemic prevention and control was not significant that the epidemic continued or even increased epidemic relatively quickly.
Electromagnetic Exposure Dosimetry Study on Two Free Rats at 1.8 GHz via Numerical Simulation
Authors: Wang Xianghui , Xia Chengjie , Lu Lu , Qi Hongxin , Zhang Jie
Published: September 2021

Normally, the impact of electromagnetic exposure on human health is evaluated by animal study. The biological effect caused by electromagnetic exposure on such experimental animals as rats has been proven to be dose-dependent. However, though the dose of radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic exposure described by the specific absorbing rate (SAR) on fixed rats has been relatively well-studied utilizing the numerical simulations, the dosimetry study of exposure on free rat is insufficient, especially in the cases of two or more free rats. Therefore, the present work focuses on the variation of SAR caused by the existence of neighboring free rat in the same cage. Here, infrared thermography was used to record the activity of the two free rats who lived in the same cage that mounted at the far-field region in the microwave darkroom for a duration of 48 h. Then, using image processing techniques, the relative positions and orientations of the two rats are identified, which are defined by three parameters, such as the relative distance (d), relative direction angle (α), and relative orientation angle (β). Using the simulation software XFdtd 7.3, the influence of d, α, and β on the whole-body average SAR (WB-avgSAR) of the rats exposed to 1.8 GHz electromagnetic wave was calculated and analyzed. Then, the average variation of WB-avgSAR of the two rats compared with that of a single rat within 48 h was calculated. The numerical simulation results showed that the relative posture position described by (d, α, and β) of the two rats affects their WB-avgSAR and leads to fluctuations at different positions. However, the variation rate of the 48-h-average WB-avgSAR was only 10.3%, which implied that the over-time average SAR of two or more rats can be roughly described by the WB-avgSAR of a single free rat, except when a real-time precise control of exposure dose is necessary.
Tailored Immersion: Implementing Personalized Components Into Virtual Reality for Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: van Veelen Nancy , Boonekamp Rudy C. , Schoonderwoerd Tjeerd A.J. , van Emmerik Martijn L. , Nijdam Mirjam J. , Bruinsma Bastiaan , Geuze Elbert , Jones Chelsea , Vermetten Eric
Published: September 2021

With the application of virtual reality (VR), tailored interventions can be created that mirror the traumatic experiences of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Visual elements can be mimicked, and auditory and other senses stimulated. In doing so, the degree of immersion can be adjusted to optimize the therapeutic process. Objectively measuring the sensory immersion is key to keep subjects within their personal window of tolerance. Based on this information the therapist can decide manipulate the sensory stimulation embedded in the treatment. The objectives of this article are to explore the different immersive design aspects of VRET that can be modified to influence the experienced presence in veterans with PTSD, and to discuss possible methods of measuring the emotional response facilitated by immersive design aspects and experienced presence. Four design aspects are discussed: system, sensory cues, narrative and challenge. We also report on a user experiment in three veterans that informed on quality and depth of immersion. Believability of the neutral virtual environment was important for maintaining the veterans’ presence within the VR experience. The immersive design aspects that were personalized and supportive in the narrative of the veteran such as music and self-selected images appeared to have a strong influence on recall and reliving of the traumatic events. Finally, in order to increase the therapeutic effect in veterans with PTSD, the highlighted design aspects should be recognized and tailored to maximize immersion in virtual reality exposure therapy.
Comparison of Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy vs. Conventional Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: An Up-to-Date Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Jiang-Nan , Xu Zhen-Yu , Yin Hu-Ming
Published: September 2021

Background: The Retzius space-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP) has shown better results in urinary continence, but its efficacy and safety compared to conventional robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (c-RARP) remain controversial.

Material and Methods: A research was conducted in Medline via PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to January 4, 2021, to identify studies comparing RS-RARP to c-RARP. We used RevMan 5.3 and STATA 14.0 for meta-analysis.

Results: A total of 14 studies involving 3,129 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference in positive surgical margins (PSMs), but the RS-RARP group had significantly higher PSM rates in the anterior site [odds ratio (OR) = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.22–4.16, P = 0.01]. Postoperative continence in RS-RARP group at 1 month (OR = 5.72, 95% CI: 3.56–9.19, P < 0.01), 3 months (OR = 6.44, 95% CI: 4.50–9.22, P < 0.01), 6 months (OR = 8.68, 95% CI: 4.01–18.82, P < 0.01), and 12 months (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.20–4.70, P = 0.01) was significantly better than that in the c-RARP group. In addition, the RS-RARP group had a shorter console time (mean difference = −16.28, 95% CI: −27.04 to −5.53, P = 0.003) and a lower incidence of hernia (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.19–0.67, P = 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, pelvic lymph node dissection rate, postoperative complications, 1-year-biochemical recurrence rate, and postoperative sexual function.

Conclusions: Compared with c-RARP, RS-RARP showed better recovery of continence, shorter console time, and lower incidence of hernia. Although there was no significant difference in overall PSM, we suggest that the surgeon should be more careful if the lesion is in the anterior prostate.
A Prospective Study on Health-Related Quality of Life and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adult Brain Tumor Patients Treated with Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy
Authors: Kroeze Stephanie G. C. , Mackeprang Paul-Henry , De Angelis Claudio , Pica Alessia , Bachtiary Barbara , Kliebsch Ulrike L. , Weber Damien C.
Published: September 2021

Proton therapy (PT) is delivered to complex brain tumors to obtain an optimal curative treatment with limited toxicity. Value-based oncological medicine is increasingly important, particularly when long-term survival is to be expected. This study aims to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and patient reported outcomes (PROs) in patients treated with PT for brain tumors. Adult patients with brain tumors treated with PT filled out the EORTC-QLQ-C30 and BN20 questionnaires up to three years following PT. Toxicity was scored using the CTCAE v4.03. QoL and PRO were correlated to clinical factors. Three-year overall survival, distant brain control and local control rates were 98%, 97% and 84%, respectively. No ≥G3 acute toxicity was observed. Late PT-related ≥G3 severe toxicity occurred in seven patients (5.7%). Lower global QoL scores after PT were significantly correlated to low Karnofsky performance status (KPS) before PT (p = 0.001), surgical complications before PT (p = 0.04) and progressive disease (p = 0.017). A low QLQ-30 summary score at one year follow-up was correlated to sex (p = 0.015), low KPS before PT (p < 0.001), and central nervous system symptoms before PT (p = 0.018). Reported QLQ-BN20 neurological symptoms were correlated to lower KPS at baseline (p < 0.001) and surgical complications before PT (p = 0.03). PT-related toxicity only influenced reported symptoms directly following PT, but not QoL. Although global QoL temporarily decreased after treatment, it improved again from one year onwards. Global QoL and reported symptoms over time were not correlated with the proton therapy and were more related to preexisting symptoms and progressive disease. This study assists in improving patient support in patients with brain tumors receiving PT.
Evolution of the Tumor Microenvironment toward Immune-Suppressive Seclusion during Brain Metastasis of Breast Cancer: Implications for Targeted Therapy
Authors: Noh Myung-Giun , Kim Sung Sun , Kim Yeong Jin , Jung Tae-Young , Jung Shin , Rhee Joon-Haeng , Lee Jae-Hyuk , Lee Ji-Shin , Cho Jae-Ho , Moon Kyung-Sub , Park Hansoo , Lee Kyung-Hwa
Published: September 2021

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common solid malignant tumor that metastasizes to the brain. Despite emerging therapies such as immunotherapy, whether the tumor microenvironment (TME) in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) has potential as a target of new treatments is unclear. Expression profiling of 770 genes in 12 pairs of primary BC and matched brain metastasis (BM) samples was performed using the NanoString nCounter PanCancer IO360TM Panel. Immune cell profiles were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in samples from 50 patients with BCBM. Pathway analysis revealed that immune-related pathways were downregulated. Immune cell profiling showed that CD8+ T cells and M1 macrophages were significantly decreased, and M2 macrophages were significantly increased, in BM compared to primary BC samples (p = 0.001, p = 0.021 and p = 0.007, respectively). CCL19 and CCL21, the top differentially expressed genes, were decreased significantly in BM compared to primary BC (p < 0.001, both). IHC showed that the CD8+ count was significantly lower (p = 0.027), and the CD163+ and CD206+ counts were higher, in BM than primary BC (p < 0.001, both). A low CD8+ T cell count, low CD86+ M1 macrophage count, and high M2/M1 macrophage ratio were related to unfavorable clinical outcomes. BC exhibits an immunosuppressive characteristic after metastasis to the brain. These findings will facilitate establishment of a treatment strategy for BCBM based on the TME of metastatic cancer.
Reference Values to Assess Hemodilution and Warn of Potential False-Negative Minimal Residual Disease Results in Myeloma
Authors: Puig Noemí , Flores-Montero Juan , Burgos Leire , Cedena María-Teresa , Cordón Lourdes , Pérez José-Juan , Sanoja-Flores Luzalba , Manrique Irene , Rodríguez-Otero Paula , Rosiñol Laura , Martínez-López Joaquín , Mateos María-Victoria , Lahuerta Juan-José , Bladé Joan , San Miguel Jesús F. , Orfao Alberto , Paiva Bruno
Published: September 2021

Background: Whereas, in most patients with multiple myeloma (MM), achieving undetectable MRD anticipates a favorable outcome, some others relapse shortly afterwards. Although one obvious explanation for this inconsistency is the use of nonrepresentative marrow samples due to hemodilution, there is no guidance on how to evaluate this issue. Methods: Since B-cell precursors, mast cells and nucleated red blood cells are normally absent in peripheral blood, we analyzed them in 1404 bone marrow (BM) aspirates obtained in numerous disease settings and in 85 healthy adults (HA). Results: First, we confirmed the systematic detection of the three populations in HA, as well as the nonreduced numbers with aging. Pairwise comparisons between HA and MM patients grouped according to age and treatment showed significant variability, suggesting that hemodilution should be preferably evaluated with references obtained from patients treated with identical regimens. Leveraging the MRD results from 118 patients, we showed that a comparison with HA of similar age could also inform on potential hemodilution. Conclusions: Our study supports the routine assessment of BM cellularity to evaluate hemodilution, since reduced BM-specific cell types as compared to reference values (either treatment-specific or from HA if the former are unavailable) could indicate hemodilution and a false-negative MRD result.
Hybrid Structure of TiO2-Graphitic Carbon as a Support of Pt Nanoparticles for Catalyzing Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Jang Su-Jin , Kang Yun Chan , Hyun Jin-Su , Shin Tae Ho , Lee Young Wook , Roh Kwang Chul
Published: September 2021

The durability of catalysts in fuel cells is a longstanding issue that needs to be resolved. Catalyst stability of the fuel cell has always been a problem, studies are underway to address them. Herein, to address this issue, we synthesize a hybrid structure consisting of SP carbon (SP) as the graphitic carbon and TiO2 as the metal oxide using a microwave method for use as a support for Pt nanoparticles. Anatase TiO2 and Pt nanoparticles with sizes of ~5 and 3.5 ± 1.4 nm, respectively, are uniformly dispersed on a modified graphitic SP carbon support (Pt-TiO2-SP). This supported Pt catalyst exhibits significantly improves durability in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Furthermore, the Pt-TiO2-SP carbon hybrid catalyst manifests superior electrocatalytic stability and higher onset potential in ORR than those exhibited by Pt-SP carbon without TiO2. Pt-TiO2-SP exhibits an activity loss of less than 68 mV after 5000 electrochemical cycles, whereas an activity loss of ~100 mV is observed for Pt-SP carbon in a stability test. These results suggest that the strong metal–support interaction in TiO2-supported Pt catalyst significantly enhances the activity of Pt nanocatalyst.
Numerical Simulation of the Effect of Freeze–Thaw Cycles on the Durability of Concrete in a Salt Frost Environment
Authors: Li Hao , Zhang Yuan , Guo Haolong
Published: September 2021

In order to improve the accuracy of the analysis of the impact of freeze–thaw cycle on concrete durability in a salt freezing environment, the numerical simulation of the impact of the freeze–thaw cycle on concrete durability in a salt freezing erosion environment is studied in this paper. Firstly, considering the influence of axial force and bending moment on the relationship between bending moment and curvature, a concrete fiber beam column model is established. Then, according to the joint influence of temperature field, stress field and seepage field on concrete in the process of freezing and thawing, the control differential equation of the freezing and thawing cycle is established. The freeze–thaw damage section is divided, the non-uniform distribution of freeze–thaw damage is determined, and the division of the freeze–thaw damage section is completed. According to the linear relationship between freeze–thaw damage degree, relative dynamic elastic modulus, freeze–thaw cycle times and position variables, the durability of concrete is numerically simulated, and the attenuation law of bond strength at different section depths after freeze–thaw is determined. The results show that the temperature curve simulated by the design method is consistent with the actually measured temperature curve, which can better reduce the temperature change of the inner core of the test block during freezing and thawing, and the relative dynamic elastic modulus is in good agreement with the actual value, which can prove that the method in this paper has certain practical application value. It is expected to provide some reference for solving the durability problem of concrete in a salt frost erosion environment and the optimal design of concrete structures.
Frontline Treatment of the Young, Fit Patient with CLL: A Canadian Perspective
Authors: Costello Jacqueline , Kang Matthew , Banerji Versha
Published: September 2021

From a Canadian perspective, there has been a limited discussion on the frontline management of young, fit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The prevalence of this population ranges between 2 and 22 per 100,000 persons in Canada and varies by region. Until recently, fixed-duration fludarabine-based chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) was the primary treatment option in Canada for this patient population. The ECOG1912 trial has since demonstrated that ibrutinib and rituximab therapy are as effective as fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR) in this population. The ALLIANCE trial showed that rituximab added no incremental benefit to ibrutinib. Canadian payors and physicians adopted ibrutinib monotherapy as the CLL standard of care, even in the young, fit population, although frontline ibrutinib therapy is often reimbursed by provincial public drug plans only in patients with high-risk disease or those who are unfit to receive fludarabine. Young, fit patients with CLL and their physicians may now choose between continuous ibrutinib monotherapy and fixed-duration CIT with FCR. Factors affecting this choice include patient preference and the short- and long-term toxicity profiles of both regimens, and a risk-based algorithm is provided. As new continuous-therapy options enter the market, all treatment choices present benefits and risks that must be communicated to the patient.
Testing the Social Bubble Hypothesis on the Early Dynamics of a Scientific Project: The FET Flagship Candidate FuturICT (2010–2013)
Authors: Gisler Monika , Sornette Didier
Published: September 2021

We present an analysis of a large emerging scientific project in the light provided by the social bubbles hypothesis (SBH) that we have introduced in earlier papers. The SBH claims that, during an innovation boom or technological revolution, strong social interactions between enthusiastic supporters weave a network of reinforcing feedbacks that leads to widespread endorsement and extraordinary commitment, beyond what would be rationalized by a standard cost–benefit analysis. By probing the (Future and Emerging Technologies) FET Flagship candidate FuturICT project, as it developed in 2010–2013, we aimed at better understanding how a favorable climate was engineered, allowing the dynamics and risk-taking behaviors to evolve. We document that significant risk-taking was indeed clearly found—especially during workshops and meetings, for instance, in the form of the time allocation of participants, who seemed not to mind their precious time being given to the project and who exhibited many signs of enthusiasm. In this sense, the FuturICT project qualifies as a social bubble in the making when considered at the group level. In contrast, risk-perception at the individual level remained high and not everyone involved shared the exuberance cultivated by the promoters of FuturICT. As a consequence, those not unified under the umbrella of the core vision built niches for themselves that were stimulating enough to stay with the project, but not on a basis of blind over-optimism. Our detailed field study shows that, when considering individuals in isolation, the characteristics associated with a social bubble can vary significantly in the presence of other factors besides exaggerated risk-taking.
Differentiable PAC–Bayes Objectives with Partially Aggregated Neural Networks
Authors: Biggs Felix , Guedj Benjamin
Published: September 2021

We make two related contributions motivated by the challenge of training stochastic neural networks, particularly in a PAC–Bayesian setting: (1) we show how averaging over an ensemble of stochastic neural networks enables a new class of partially-aggregated estimators, proving that these lead to unbiased lower-variance output and gradient estimators; (2) we reformulate a PAC–Bayesian bound for signed-output networks to derive in combination with the above a directly optimisable, differentiable objective and a generalisation guarantee, without using a surrogate loss or loosening the bound. We show empirically that this leads to competitive generalisation guarantees and compares favourably to other methods for training such networks. Finally, we note that the above leads to a simpler PAC–Bayesian training scheme for sign-activation networks than previous work.
Energy and Entropy Analyses of a Pilot-Scale Dual Heating HDH Desalination System
Authors: Lawal Dahiru U. , Abdul Jawad Saad , Sharqawy Mostafa H. , Antar Mohamed A.
Published: September 2021

This study focuses on energy and entropy analysis to theoretically investigate the performance of a pilot scale dual heated humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination system. Two cases of HDH systems are considered in the analysis. The first case is a dual heated (DH) cycle consisting of 1.59 kW air heater and 1.42 kW water heater with a heat rate ratio of 0.89 (CAOW-DH-I). Whereas the second case is a dual heated HDH cycle comprising of 1.59 kW air heater and 2.82 kW water heater with a heat rate ratio of 1.77 (CAOW-DH-II). As a first step, mathematical code was developed based on heat and mass transfer and entropy generation within the major components of the system. The code was validated against the experimental data obtained from a pilot scale HDH system and was found to be in a good agreement with the experimental results. Theoretical results revealed that there is an optimal mass flowrate ratio at which GOR is maximized, and entropy generation is minimized. Furthermore, the degree of irreversibility within the humidifier component is low and approaches zero, while the specific entropy generation within other components are relatively high and are of the same order of magnitude. Entropy analysis also showed that the dual heated system with heat rate ratio greater than unity is better than the one with heat rate ratio less than unity.
Secrecy Analysis and Error Probability of LIS-Aided Communication Systems under Nakagami-m Fading
Authors: Ferreira Ricardo Coelho , Facina Michelle S. P. , de Figueiredo Felipe A. P. , Fraidenraich Gustavo , de Lima Eduardo Rodrigues
Published: September 2021

Large intelligent surfaces (LIS) are a new trend to achieve higher spectral efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio in mobile communications. For this reason, this paper proposes metrics to analyze the performance of systems with multiple antennas aided by LIS and derive the spectral efficiency, secrecy outage probability, and bit error probability in an environment with Nakagami-m distributed fading. In addition to an eavesdropper, there is a single-antenna user, an array of antennas at the transmitter side and the possibility of a direct link between transmitter and receiver. This study assumes that the LIS performs non-ideal phase cancellation leading to a residual phase error that follows a Von Mises distribution, and shows that the resulting channel can be accurately approximated by a Gamma distributed SNR whose parameters are analytically derived. From these formulas, it is possible to evaluate the effect of the strength of the line-of-sight link by varying the Nakagami parameter, m.
On the Existence of XOR-Based Codes for Private Information Retrieval with Private Side Information
Authors: Krishnan K. H. Murali , Harshan Jagadeesh
Published: September 2021

We consider the problem of Private Information Retrieval with Private Side Information (PIR-PSI), wherein the privacy of the demand and the side information are jointly preserved. Although the capacity of the PIR-PSI setting is known, we observe that the underlying capacity-achieving code construction uses Maximum Distance Separable (MDS) codes therefore contributing to high computational complexity when retrieving the demand. Pointing at this drawback of MDS-based PIR-PSI codes, we propose XOR-based PIR-PSI codes for a simple yet non-trivial setting of two non-colluding databases and two side information files at the user. Although our codes offer substantial reduction in complexity when compared to MDS-based codes, the code-rate marginally falls short of the capacity of the PIR-PSI setting. Nevertheless, we show that our code-rate is strictly higher than that of XOR-based codes for PIR with no side information. As a result, our codes can be useful when privately downloading a file especially after having downloaded a few other messages privately from the same database at an earlier time-instant.
Analysis of Supercritical CO2 Cycle Using Zigzag Channel Pre-Cooler: A Design Optimization Study Based on Deep Neural Network
Authors: Saeed Muhammed , Berrouk Abdallah S. , Singh Munendra Pal , Alawadhi Khaled , Siddiqui Muhammad Salman
Published: September 2021

The role of a pre-cooler is critical to the sCO2-BC as it not only acts as a sink but also controls the conditions at the main compressor’s inlet that are vital to the cycle’s overall performance. Despite their prime importance, studies on the pre-cooler’s design are hard to find in the literature. This is partly due to the unavailability of data around the complex thermohydraulic characteristics linked with their operation close to the critical point. Henceforth, the current work deals with designing and optimizing pre-cooler by utilizing machine learning (ML), an in-house recuperator and pre-cooler design, an analysis code (RPDAC), and a cycle design point code (CDPC). Initially, data computed using 3D Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation is used to train the machine learning (ML) model based on the deep neural network (DNN) to predict Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f). The trained ML model is then used in the pre-cooler design and optimization code (RPDAC) to generate various designs of the pre-cooler. Later, RPDAC was linked with the cycle design point code (CDPC) to understand the impact of various designs of the pre-cooler on the cycle’s performance. Finally, a multi-objective genetic algorithm was used to optimize the pre-cooler geometry in the environment of the power cycle. Results suggest that the trained ML model can approximate 99% of the data with 90% certainty in the pre-cooler’s operating regime. Cycle simulation results suggest that the cycle’s performance calculation can be misleading without considering the pre-cooler’s pumping power. Moreover, the optimization study indicates that the compressor’s inlet temperature ranging from 307.5 to 308.5 and pre-cooler channel’s Reynolds number ranging from 28,000 to 30,000 would be a good compromise between the cycle’s efficiency and the pre-cooler’s size.
Electrofacies as a Tool for the Prediction of True Resistivity Using Advanced Statistical Methods—Case Study
Authors: Baudzis Stanisław , Karłowska-Pik Joanna , Puskarczyk Edyta
Published: September 2021

Statistical analysis methods have been widely used in all industries. In well logs analyses, they have been used from the very beginning to predict petrophysical parameters such as permeability and porosity or to generate synthetic curves such as density or sonic logs. Initially, logs were generated as simple functions of other measurements. Then, as a result of the popularisation of algorithms such as the k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) or artificial neural networks (ANN), logs were created based on other logs. In this study, various industry and general scientific programmes were used for statistical data analysis, treating the well logs data as individual data sets, obtaining very convergent results. The methods developed for processing well logs data, such as Multi-Resolution Graph-Based Clustering (MRGBC), as well as algorithms commonly used in statistical analysis such as Kohonen self-organising maps (SOM), k-NN, and ANN were applied. The use of the aforementioned statis-tical methods allows for the electrofacies determination and prediction of an Rt log based on the other recorded well logs. Correct determination of Rt in resistivity measurements made with the Dual Laterolog tool in the conditions of the Groningen effect is often problematic. The applied calculation methods allow for the correct estimation of Rt in the tested well.
A Replicable Methodology to Evaluate Passive Façade Performance with SMA during the Architectural Design Process: A Case Study Application
Authors: Fabbri Kristian , Gaspari Jacopo
Published: September 2021

Huge efforts have been made in recent decades to improve energy saving in the building sector, particularly focused on the role of façades. Among the explored viable solutions, climate-adaptive building shells [CABS] consider promising solutions to control solar radiation, both in terms of illuminance and heating levels, but are still piloting these solutions due to their complex designs and necessary costs. The present study aims to provide a speedy but reliable methodology to evaluate the potential impacts of adopting active/passive CABS systems during the preliminary design stage. The proposed methodology allows the evaluation and comparison, when multiple options are considered, of the effects of each solution in terms of the energy needs, thermal comfort and lighting, while reducing the required effort and time for an extensive analysis of the overall building level. This is based on the use of a “virtual test room” where different conditions and configurations can be explored. A case study in the city of Bologna is included for demonstration purposes. The achieved results support the decisions made regarding energy behavior (over/under heating), indoor comfort, lighting and energy at an early design stage.
Numerical Modeling of Combustion and Detonation in Aqueous Foams
Authors: Kiverin Alexey , Yakovenko Ivan
Published: September 2021

Combustible aqueous foams and foamed emulsions represent prospective energy carriers. This paper is devoted to the overview of model assumptions required for numerical simulations of combustion and detonation processes in aqueous foams. The basic mathematical model is proposed and used for the analysis of the combustion development in the wet aqueous foam containing bubbles filled with reactive gas. The numerical results agree with the recent experimental data on combustion and detonation in aqueous foams containing premixed hydrogen–oxygen. The obtained results allowed for distinguishing the mechanisms of flame acceleration, transition to detonation, detonation propagation, and decay.