bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Anorectal Dysfunction After Interspincteric Resection in Patients With Low Rectal Cancer
Authors: Min Li , Fan Zhang , Zhi Wang , Pingang Li , Lijuan Xie , Min Deng , Yan Wen , Xiaosong Wang , Bo Tang
Published: October 2021

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore the risk factors for anorectal dysfunction after intersphincteric resection in patients with low rectal cancer.

Methods: A total of 251 patients who underwent intersphincteric resection from July 2014 to June 2020 were included in this study, for which the Kirwan's grade, Wexner score, and anorectal manometric index were used to evaluate the anorectal function and other parameters including demographics, surgical features, and clinical and pathological characteristics. These parameters were analysed to explore the potential risk factors for anorectal function after intersphincteric resection.

Results: In the 251 included patients, 98 patients underwent partial intersphincteric resection, 87 patients underwent subtotal intersphincteric resection, and 66 patients underwent total intersphincteric resection. There were 53 (21.1%) patients who had postoperative complications, while no significant difference was observed between the three groups. Furthermore, 30 patients (45.5%) in the total intersphincteric resection group were classified as having anorectal dysfunction (Kirwan's grade 3–5), which was significantly higher than that in the partial intersphincteric resection group (27.6%) and subtotal intersphincteric resection group (29.9%). The mean Wexner score of patients that underwent total intersphincteric resection was 7.9, which was higher than that of patients that had partial intersphincteric resection (5.9, p = 0.002) and subtotal intersphincteric resection (6.4, p = 0.027). The initial perceived volume was lower in the total intersphincteric resection group than in the partial and subtotal intersphincteric resection groups at 1, 3, and 6 months after intersphincteric resection. In addition, the resting pressure, maximum squeeze pressure, and maximum tolerated volume in the total intersphincteric resection group were worse than those in the partial and subtotal groups at 3 and 6 months after intersphincteric resection. Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that an age ≥65, total intersphincteric resection, and preoperative chemoradiotherapy were independent risk factors for anorectal dysfunction (P = 0.023, P = 0.003, and P = 0.008, respectively). Among the 66 patients who underwent total intersphincteric resection, 17 patients received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, of which 12 patients (70.6%) were classified as having anorectal dysfunction.

Conclusion: The current study concluded that age ≥65, total intersphincteric resection, and preoperative chemoradiotherapy were risk factors for anorectal dysfunction after intersphincteric resection. The morbidity of anorectal dysfunction after total intersphincteric resection for patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy was relatively high, and the indication should be carefully evaluated.
An Assessment of the Economic Impacts of the 2019 African Swine Fever Outbreaks in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen-Thi Thinh , Pham-Thi-Ngoc Linh , Nguyen-Ngoc Que , Dang-Xuan Sinh , Lee Hu Suk , Nguyen-Viet Hung , Padungtod Pawin , Nguyen-Thu Thuy , Nguyen-Thi Thuy , Tran-Cong Thang , Rich Karl M.
Published: October 2021

The 2019 African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in Vietnam imposed considerable impacts on the pig sector in Vietnam, resulting in the death or culling of nearly six million pigs, or more than 20% of the country's pig population. In order to assess the magnitude of the outbreak at sector level (both on farm and at value chain level), on livelihoods, and on the broader national economy, a comprehensive impact assessment was conducted using a mixed methods approach that integrated a value chain assessment with the use of quantitative modeling tools at sector and national levels. The results showed that the outbreak caused severe direct and indirect economic losses among farmers, particularly medium- and large-farmers whose livelihoods are largely derived from pig production. The outbreaks also affected other value chain actors due to a halving in the volume of pigs traded. At sector level, the outbreaks posed adverse impacts on the domestic supply and demand for pork, especially in the traditional sector. Meanwhile, the modern sector with higher levels of biosecurity and high technology growth was less likely to be affected and even benefited from the outbreak, which was evidenced by increased supply and income throughout the simulation period in this sector. At national level, different model simulation scenarios showed a sharp reduction in total gross domestic product (GDP) and a substantial loss of jobs. Improvements in the system of ASF compensation scheme are needed, both in terms of its administration, but also in its targeting, with greater emphasis needed on developing improved risk-sharing and funding mechanisms across national and local levels.
Outdoor Node Localization Using Random Neural Networks for Large-Scale Urban IoT LoRa Networks
Authors: Ingabire Winfred , Larijani Hadi , Gibson Ryan M. , Qureshi Ayyaz-UI-Haq
Published: October 2021

Accurate localization for wireless sensor end devices is critical, particularly for Internet of Things (IoT) location-based applications such as remote healthcare, where there is a need for quick response to emergency or maintenance services. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are widely known for outdoor localization services; however, high-power consumption and hardware cost become a significant hindrance to dense wireless sensor networks in large-scale urban areas. Therefore, wireless technologies such as Long-Range Wide-Area Networks (LoRaWAN) are being investigated in different location-aware IoT applications due to having more advantages with low-cost, long-range, and low-power characteristics. Furthermore, various localization methods, including fingerprint localization techniques, are present in the literature but with different limitations. This study uses LoRaWAN Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values to predict the unknown X and Y position coordinates on a publicly available LoRaWAN dataset for Antwerp in Belgium using Random Neural Networks (RNN). The proposed localization system achieves an improved high-level accuracy for outdoor dense urban areas and outperforms the present conventional LoRa-based localization systems in other work, with a minimum mean localization error of 0.29 m.
Impact of Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions on Antiglycoxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibition Capacities of Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside
Authors: Fraisse Didier , Bred Alexis , Felgines Catherine , Senejoux François
Published: October 2021

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is a widespread anthocyanin derivative, which has been reported in vitro to exert potent antioxidant, antiglycation and α-glucosidase inhibition effects. Nevertheless, the physiological relevance of such properties remains uncertain considering its significant instability in gastrointestinal conditions. A simulated digestion procedure was thus instigated to assess the influence of gastric and intestinal media on its chemical integrity and biological activities. HPLC analyses of digested C3G samples confirmed the striking impact of intestinal conditions, as attested by a decomposition ratio of 70%. In contrast, with recovery rates of around 90%, antiglycation, as well as DPPH and ABTS scavenging assays, uniformly revealed a noteworthy persistence of its antiglycoxidant capacities. Remarkably, a prominent increase of its α-glucosidase inhibition activity was even observed after the intestinal phase, suggesting that classical in vitro evaluations might underestimate C3G antidiabetic potential. Consequently, the present data provide novel and specific insights on C3G’s digestive fate, suggesting that the gastrointestinal tract does not profoundly affect its positive action on oxidative and carbonyl stresses. More specifically, it also tends to support its regulating effects on postprandial hyperglycemia and its potential usefulness for diabetes management.
A Novel Heterogeneous Parallel Convolution Bi-LSTM for Speech Emotion Recognition
Authors: Zhang Huiyun , Huang Heming , Han Henry
Published: October 2021

Speech emotion recognition is a substantial component of natural language processing (NLP). It has strict requirements for the effectiveness of feature extraction and that of the acoustic model. With that in mind, a Heterogeneous Parallel Convolution Bi-LSTM model is proposed to address the challenges. It consists of two heterogeneous branches: the left one contains two dense layers and a Bi-LSTM layer, while the right one contains a dense layer, a convolution layer, and a Bi-LSTM layer. It can exploit the spatiotemporal information more effectively, and achieves 84.65%, 79.67%, and 56.50% unweighted average recalls on the benchmark databases EMODB, CASIA, and SAVEE, respectively. Compared with the previous research results, the proposed model achieves better performance stably.
Fretting Fatigue Experiment and Finite Element Analysis for Dovetail Specimen at High Temperature
Authors: Qu Zhen , Liu Kaicheng , Wang Baizhi , Chen Zhiying
Published: October 2021

The dovetail attachment between the turbine blade and disk for an aero-engine operates under varying centrifugal load and vibration at elevated temperatures. The fretting fatigue is prone to occur at the contact surface of the dovetail attachment. This paper investigated the fretting fatigue behavior of the dovetail specimen at 630 °C through experiment and numerical simulation, in which the blade-like dovetail specimen is nickel-based single crystal superalloy DD10 while two fretting pads in contact with the dovetail specimen simulating the mortise of the disk are made of powder metallurgy FGH99. It is revealed from all the tests that the fracture induced by the fretting wear occurs at the upper edge area of the contact surface. The contact surface near the upper edge is more severely worn; hence, the phenomenon of partition on the worn contact surface can be observed, which is consistent with the fretting fatigue mechanism. Moreover, the calculated area of maximum contact pressure gradient through finite element method is in good agreement with the experimental position of the initial fretting fatigue cracks.
Experimental and Simulated Investigation of Lubrication Characteristics of a Water-Lubricated Bearing in a Single-Screw Compressor
Authors: Xie Jia , Peng Chengyu , Zhang Wenshan , Zhao Cun , Feng Quanke
Published: October 2021

Water-lubricated single-screw compressors (WSSCs) have developed rapidly in recent years because they can supply oil-free compressed air at considerably low costs. However, a major technical obstacle is that the conventional bearing arrangement of a star wheel shaft is prone to wear failure, which makes it difficult for WSSCs to run properly for long periods of time. To solve this problem, a star wheel thrust bearing with new liquid groove was proposed in this paper. Pulsating forces (i.e., bearing forces) acting on a star wheel shaft by compressing air were calculated through the dynamic analysis of the star wheel shaft system. A mathematical model of hydraulic water films in the bearing sliding clearance was established to describe the influence of water injection pressure on water film pressure distribution and its bearing capacity. Lubrication characteristics were compared between two types of hydrostatic thrust bearings (HTBs) with different grooves to illustrate that the new structure is more suitable for WSSCs. The reasonability of the proposed model and simulation results were verified using an axial thrust bearing test rig developed by the authors. In addition, variation parameters of hydrostatic film thickness between the sliding surfaces of the star wheel axial thrust bearing were measured. The results show that the instability of the water film thickness and axial vibration of the star wheel were suppressed, thereby avoiding the contact of solid materials between the end face of the axial thrust bearing. This study provides a structural optimization pattern of star wheel axial thrust bearings used in water-lubricated single-screw compressors.
Improvement of Multi-Hole Airflow Impingement on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics Inside a Turbine Vane Cavity
Authors: Zhang Lixi , Cao Gaopan , Feng Kai , Jia Yi , Zhang Zhengyang
Published: October 2021

The cooling effect of turbine vane is of great importance for ensuring thermal protection and economic operation of gas turbines. This study aims to reveal the influence mechanism and performance of impingement cooling and heat transfer within a turbine guide vane cavity. Then, a turbine guide vane cavity with a complex pin fins structure is numerically investigated at a multi-hole impingement by comparison with experiment verification. The results show that the larger the Reynolds number is, the larger the average Nusselt number is on the upper and lower surfaces of the cavity. The average Nusselt number increased on the upper and lower surfaces as the impingement hole diameter increased. Comparing 1 impingement hole with 16 ones, the average Nusselt number of the lower surface of the latter is 553.9% larger than that of the former. Furthermore, the average Nusselt number of the lower surface for pin fin height of 3 mm is only improved by 11.2% for pin fin height of 24 mm. The heat transfer effect near the impingement holes is better than that far away from the impingement holes. In particular, it is recommended to have 14 impingement holes with a hole diameter of 7.2 mm, as well as circular pin fins with a height of 3 mm and spacing of 25.8 mm. In addition, the entropy generation distribution in impingement cooling is analyzed. This study can provide a reference to enhance the turbine vane cooling performance by optimization design.
Bipolar Patients and Bullous Pemphigoid after Risperidone Long-Acting Injectable: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Fabrazzo Michele , Boccardi Mariangela , Cipolla Salvatore , Galiero Raffaele , Tucci Claudia , Perris Francesco , Di Caprio Ester Livia , Catapano Francesco , Sasso Ferdinando Carlo
Published: October 2021

Neuropsychiatric disorders are found to be associated with bullous pemphigoid (BP), an autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease. Antipsychotics have emerged as possible inducing factors of BP. However, large sample studies concerning BP associated with antipsychotics, as well as with specific mental disorders, are still lacking. Our review retrieved a few clinical studies and case reports on the topic, producing controversial results. We report for the first time a bipolar patient case presenting BP following five-month therapy with risperidone long-acting injectable (LAI). We hypothesize that the dermatological event is associated with the medication administered. The issue emerged during psychiatric consultation and was confirmed by histological examination, direct and indirect immunofluorescence studies, plus positive plasma and cutaneous BP180 and BP230 IgG. Neurodegeneration or neuroinflammation might represent a primary process leading to a cross-reactive immune response between neural and cutaneous antigens and contributing to self-tolerance failure. Furthermore, the time sequence of the shared biological mechanisms leading to clinical manifestations of the neuropsychiatric disorder and BP remains undefined. BP comorbid with bipolar disorder might occasionally represent a serious health risk and affect patients’ physical and psychosocial quality of life. Thus, clinicians treating psychiatric patients should consider BP as a possible adverse effect of psychotropic medications.
An Optimal Transport Based Transferable System for Detection of Erroneous Somato-Sensory Feedback from Neural Signals
Authors: Bhattacharyya Saugat , Hayashibe Mitsuhiro
Published: October 2021

This study is aimed at the detection of single-trial feedback, perceived as erroneous by the user, using a transferable classification system while conducting a motor imagery brain–computer interfacing (BCI) task. The feedback received by the users are relayed from a functional electrical stimulation (FES) device and hence are somato-sensory in nature. The BCI system designed for this study activates an electrical stimulator placed on the left hand, right hand, left foot, and right foot of the user. Trials containing erroneous feedback can be detected from the neural signals in form of the error related potential (ErrP). The inclusion of neuro-feedback during the experiments indicated the possibility that ErrP signals can be evoked when the participant perceives an error from the feedback. Hence, to detect such feedback using ErrP, a transferable (offline) decoder based on optimal transport theory is introduced herein. The offline system detects single-trial erroneous trials from the feedback period of an online neuro-feedback BCI system. The results of the FES-based feedback BCI system were compared to a similar visual-based (VIS) feedback system. Using our framework, the error detector systems for both the FES and VIS feedback paradigms achieved an F1-score of 92.66% and 83.10%, respectively, and are significantly superior to a comparative system where an optimal transport was not used. It is expected that this form of transferable and automated error detection system compounded with a motor imagery system will augment the performance of a BCI and provide a better BCI-based neuro-rehabilitation protocol that has an error control mechanism embedded into it.
Sensorimotor Activity and Network Connectivity to Dynamic and Static Emotional Faces in 7-Month-Old Infants
Authors: Quadrelli Ermanno , Roberti Elisa , Polver Silvia , Bulf Hermann , Turati Chiara
Published: October 2021

The present study investigated whether, as in adults, 7-month-old infants’ sensorimotor brain areas are recruited in response to the observation of emotional facial expressions. Activity of the sensorimotor cortex, as indexed by µ rhythm suppression, was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) while infants observed neutral, angry, and happy facial expressions either in a static (N = 19) or dynamic (N = 19) condition. Graph theory analysis was used to investigate to which extent neural activity was functionally localized in specific cortical areas. Happy facial expressions elicited greater sensorimotor activation compared to angry faces in the dynamic experimental condition, while no difference was found between the three expressions in the static condition. Results also revealed that happy but not angry nor neutral expressions elicited a significant right-lateralized activation in the dynamic condition. Furthermore, dynamic emotional faces generated more efficient processing as they elicited higher global efficiency and lower networks’ diameter compared to static faces. Overall, current results suggest that, contrarily to neutral and angry faces, happy expressions elicit sensorimotor activity at 7 months and dynamic emotional faces are more efficiently processed by functional brain networks. Finally, current data provide evidence of the existence of a right-lateralized activity for the processing of happy facial expressions.
Association of Tumor Hydroxyindole O-Methyltransferase and Serum 5-Methoxytryptophan with Long-Term Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ko Bor-Sheng , Liang Shu-Man , Chang Tzu-Ching , Wu Jing-Yiing , Lee Po-Hsun , Hsu Yu-Juei , Kuo Cheng-Chin , Liou Jun-Yang , Wu Kenneth K.
Published: October 2021

5-methoxytryptophan (5-MTP) is a recently discovered tryptophan (Trp) metabolite with anti-inflammatory and tumor-suppressing actions. Its synthesis is catalyzed by hydroxyindole O-methyltransferase (HIOMT). HIOMT levels were reported to be decreased in some patients with colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancer. It is unclear whether tissue HIOMT levels is altered in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is also unclear whether serum 5-MTP concentration is influenced by HCC. In this study, 150 HCC and adjacent normal liver tissues and serum samples were obtained from the HCC biobank established by a prospective multicenter study. Serum samples from 47 healthy subjects were included as a reference. HIOMT mRNA was measured by real time PCR. Serum 5-MTP and selected Trp metabolites were analyzed by quantitative LC-MS. HCC tissue HIOMT mRNA levels adjusted for adjacent normal tissue HIOMT mRNA levels was associated with overall and relapse-free (RF) survival. Combined serum 5-MTP or tissue HIOMT mRNA and serum kynurenine (Kyn) analysis predicted prolonged overall and RF survival following liver resection. A high serum 5-MTP or tissue HIOMT mRNA and low serum Kyn is associated with long-term survival. In conclusion, tumor tissue HIOMT mRNA and serum 5-MTP are potential biomarkers of HCC, especially when analyzed in combination with serum Kyn.
Standardization and Validation of Brachytherapy Seeds’ Modelling Using GATE and GGEMS Monte Carlo Toolkits
Authors: Chatzipapas Konstantinos P. , Plachouris Dimitris , Papadimitroulas Panagiotis , Mountris Konstantinos A. , Bert Julien , Visvikis Dimitris , Mihailidis Dimitris , Kagadis George C.
Published: October 2021

This study aims to validate GATE and GGEMS simulation toolkits for brachytherapy applications and to provide accurate models for six commercial brachytherapy seeds, which will be freely available for research purposes. The AAPM TG-43 guidelines were used for the validation of two Low Dose Rate (LDR), three High Dose Rate (HDR), and one Pulsed Dose Rate (PDR) brachytherapy seeds. Each seed was represented as a 3D model and then simulated in GATE to produce one single Phase-Space (PHSP) per seed. To test the validity of the simulations’ outcome, referenced data (provided by the TG-43) was compared with GATE results. Next, validation of the GGEMS toolkit was achieved by comparing its outcome with the GATE MC simulations, incorporating clinical data. The simulation outcomes on the radial dose function (RDF), anisotropy function (AF), and dose rate constant (DRC) for the six commercial seeds were compared with TG-43 values. The statistical uncertainty was limited to 1% for RDF, to 6% (maximum) for AF, and to 2.7% (maximum) for the DRC. GGEMS provided a good agreement with GATE when compared in different situations: (a) Homogeneous water sphere, (b) heterogeneous CT phantom, and (c) a realistic clinical case. In addition, GGEMS has the advantage of very fast simulations. For the clinical case, where TG-186 guidelines were considered, GATE required 1 h for the simulation while GGEMS needed 162 s to reach the same statistical uncertainty. This study produced accurate models and simulations of their emitted spectrum of commonly used commercial brachytherapy seeds which are freely available to the scientific community. Furthermore, GGEMS was validated as an MC GPU based tool for brachytherapy. More research is deemed necessary for the expansion of brachytherapy seed modeling.
Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Petty Amy J. , Owen Dwight H. , Yang Yiping , Huang Xiaopei
Published: October 2021

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent the most abundant leukocyte population in most solid tumors and are greatly influenced by the tumor microenvironment. More importantly, these macrophages can promote tumor growth and metastasis through interactions with other cell populations within the tumor milieu and have been associated with poor outcomes in multiple tumors. In this review, we examine how the tumor microenvironment facilitates the polarization of TAMs. Additionally, we evaluate the mechanisms by which TAMs promote tumor angiogenesis, induce tumor invasion and metastasis, enhance chemotherapeutic resistance, and foster immune evasion. Lastly, we focus on therapeutic strategies that target TAMs in the treatments of cancer, including reducing monocyte recruitment, depleting or reprogramming TAMs, and targeting inhibitory molecules to increase TAM-mediated phagocytosis.
Emerging Bone Marrow Microenvironment-Driven Mechanisms of Drug Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Tangle or Chance?
Authors: Ciciarello Marilena , Corradi Giulia , Forte Dorian , Cavo Michele , Curti Antonio
Published: October 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been considered for a long time exclusively driven by critical mutations in hematopoietic stem cells. Recently, the contribution of further players, such as stromal and immune bone marrow (BM) microenvironment components, to AML onset and progression has been pointed out. In particular, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) steadily remodel the leukemic niche, not only favoring leukemic cell growth and development but also tuning their responsiveness to treatments. The list of mechanisms driven by MSCs to promote a leukemia drug-resistant phenotype has progressively expanded. Moreover, the relative proportion and the activation status of immune cells in the BM leukemic microenvironment may vary by influencing their reactivity against leukemic cells. In that, the capacity of the stroma to re-program immune cells, thus promoting and/or hampering therapeutic efficacy, is emerging as a crucial aspect in AML biology, adding an extra layer of complexity. Current treatments for AML have mainly focused on eradicating leukemia cells, with little consideration for the leukemia-damaged BM niche. Increasing evidence on the contribution of stromal and immune cells in response to therapy underscores the need to hold the mutual interplay, which takes place in the BM. A careful dissection of these interactions will help provide novel applications for drugs already under experimentation and open a wide array of opportunities for new drug discovery.
In Vitro Investigations of miR-33a Expression in Estrogen Receptor-Targeting Therapies in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Ozfiliz-Kilbas Pelin , Sonmez Ozlem , Obakan-Yerlikaya Pinar , Coker-Gurkan Ajda , Palavan-Ünsal Narcin , Uysal-Onganer Pinar , Arisan Elif Damla
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Increased fatty acid synthesis leads to the aggressive phenotype of breast cancer and renders efficiency of therapeutics. Regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) on lipid biosynthesis pathways as miR-33a have potential to clarify the exact mechanism. (2) Methods: We determined miR-33a expression levels following exposure of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to estrogen receptor (ER) activator (estradiol-17β, E2) or anti-estrogens (ICI 182,780, Fulvestrant, FUL) at non-cytotoxic concentrations. We related miR-33a expression levels in the cells to cellular lipid biosynthesis-related pathways through immunoblotting. (3) Results: miR-33a mimic treatment led to significantly downregulation of fatty acid synthase (FASN) in MCF-7 cells but not in MDA-MB-231 cells in the presence of estradiol-17β (E2) or Fulvestrant (FUL). In contrast to the miR-33a inhibitor effect, miR-33a mimic co-transfection with E2 or FUL led to diminished AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) activity in MCF-7 cells. E2 increases FASN levels in MDA-MB-231 cells regardless of miR-33a cellular levels. miR-33a inhibitor co-treatment suppressed E2-mediated AMPKα activity in MDA-MB-231 cells. (4) Conclusions: The cellular expression levels of miR-33a are critical to understanding differential responses which include cellular energy sensors such as AMPKα activation status in breast cancer cells.
PARP Inhibitors and Haematological Malignancies—Friend or Foe?
Authors: Skelding Kathryn A. , Lincz Lisa F.
Published: October 2021

Since their introduction several years ago, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi) have become the standard of care for breast and gynaecological cancers with BRCA gene mutations. Given that PARPi act by exploiting defective DNA repair mechanisms within tumour cells, they should be ideally suited to combatting haematological malignancies where these pathways are notoriously defective, even though BRCA mutations are rare. To date, despite promising results in vitro, few clinical trials in humans for haematological malignancies have been performed, and additional investigation is required. Paradoxically, secondary haematological malignancies have arisen in patients after treatment with PARPi, raising concerns about their potential use as therapies for any blood or bone marrow-related disorders. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the biological, pre-clinical, and clinical evidence for and against treating individual haematological malignancies with approved and experimental PARPi. We conclude that the promise of effective treatment still exists, but remains limited by the lack of investigation into useful biomarkers unique to these malignancies.
Germline Predisposition to Pediatric Cancer, from Next Generation Sequencing to Medical Care
Authors: Gargallo Pablo , Oltra Silvestre , Yáñez Yania , Juan-Ribelles Antonio , Calabria Inés , Segura Vanessa , Lázaro Marián , Balaguer Julia , Tormo Teresa , Dolz Sandra , Fernández José María , Fuentes Carolina , Torres Bárbara , Andrés Mara , Tasso María , Castel Victoria , Font de Mora Jaime , Cañete Adela
Published: October 2021

Knowledge about genetic predisposition to pediatric cancer is constantly expanding. The categorization and clinical management of the best-known syndromes has been refined over the years. Meanwhile, new genes for pediatric cancer susceptibility are discovered every year. Our current work shares the results of genetically studying the germline of 170 pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer. Patients were prospectively recruited and studied using a custom panel, OncoNano V2. The well-categorized predisposing syndromes incidence was 9.4%. Likely pathogenic variants for predisposition to the patient’s tumor were identified in an additional 5.9% of cases. Additionally, a high number of pathogenic variants associated with recessive diseases was detected, which required family genetic counseling as well. The clinical utility of the Jongmans MC tool was evaluated, showing a high sensitivity for detecting the best-known predisposing syndromes. Our study confirms that the Jongmans MC tool is appropriate for a rapid assessment of patients; however, the updated version of Ripperger T criteria would be more accurate. Meaningfully, based on our findings, up to 9.4% of patients would present genetic alterations predisposing to cancer. Notably, up to 20% of all patients carry germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in genes related to cancer and, thereby, they also require expert genetic counseling. The most important consideration is that the detection rate of genetic causality outside Jongmans MC et al. criteria was very low.
Recent Development in Sludge Biochar-Based Catalysts for Advanced Oxidation Processes of Wastewater
Authors: Chen Xingxing , Fu Liya , Yu Yin , Wu Changyong , Li Min , Jin Xiaoguang , Yang Jin , Wang Panxin , Chen Ying
Published: October 2021

Sewage sludge as waste of the wastewater treatment process contains toxic substances, and its conversion into sludge biochar-based catalysts is a promising strategy that merges the merits of waste reutilization and environmental cleanup. This study aims to systematically recapitulate the published articles on the development of sludge biochar-based catalysts in different advanced oxidation processes of wastewater, including sulfate-based system, Fenton-like systems, photocatalysis, and ozonation systems. Due to abundant functional groups, metal phases and unique structures, sludge biochar-based catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic behavior for decontamination in advanced oxidation systems. In particular, the combination of sludge and pollutant dopants manifests a synergistic effect. The catalytic mechanisms of as-prepared catalysts in these systems are also investigated. Furthermore, initial solution pH, catalyst dosage, reaction temperature, and coexisting anions have a vital role in advanced oxidation processes, and these parameters are systematically summarized. In summary, this study could provide relatively comprehensive and up-to-date messages for the application of sludge biochar-based catalysts in the advanced oxidation processes of wastewater treatment.
Development of Portable E-Nose System for Fast Diagnosis of Whitefly Infestation in Tomato Plant in Greenhouse
Authors: Cui Shaoqing , Cao Lin , Acosta Nuris , Zhu Heping , Ling Peter P.
Published: October 2021

An electronic nose (E-nose) system equipped with a gas sensor array and real-time control panel was developed for a fast diagnosis of whitefly infestation in tomato plants. Profile changes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from tomato plants under different treatments (i.e., whitefly infestation, mechanical damage, and no treatment) were successfully determined by the developed E-nose system. A rapid sensor response with high sensitivity towards whitefly-infested tomato plants was observed in the E-nose system. Results of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) indicated that the E-nose system was able to provide accurate distinguishment between whitefly-infested plants and healthy plants, with the first three principal components (PCs) accounting for 87.4% of the classification. To reveal the mechanism of whitefly infestation in tomato plants, VOC profiles of whitefly-infested plants and mechanically damaged plants were investigated by using the E-nose system and GC-MS. VOCs of 2-nonanol, oxime-, methoxy-phenyl, and n-hexadecanoic acid were only detected in whitefly-infested plants, while compounds of dodecane and 4,6-dimethyl were only found in mechanically damaged plant samples. Those unique VOC profiles of different tomato plant groups could be considered as bio-markers for diagnosing different damages. Moreover, the E-nose system was demonstrated to have the capability to differentiate whitefly-infested plants and mechanically damaged plants. The relationship between sensor performance and VOC profiles confirmed that the developed E-nose system could be used as a fast and smart device to detect whitefly infestation in greenhouse cultivation.
Soil Mesofauna Responses to Fire Severity in a Sclerophyllous Forest in Central Chile
Authors: Castro-Huerta Ricardo , Morales Carolina , Gajardo John , Mundaca Enrique A. , Yáñez Marco
Published: October 2021

Forest fires may have severe impacts on the aboveground biodiversity and soil chemical and biological properties. Edaphic organisms are highly sensitive to disturbances and are typically used to measure the magnitude of these events. Overall, little is known about the responses of these organisms to fires differing in their severity levels. This study aimed to assess the effect of fire severity on the soil mesofauna community diversity and structure in a site located in a Mediterranean zone of central Chile. In postfire conditions, we use spectral indexes from satellite images to map fire severity at four levels (non-damage (ND), low damage (L), medium damage (M), high damage (H)). Soil samples were collected at each severity level, and the mesofauna abundance was quantified. Although the metrics describing species diversity and dominance were similar among fire severity levels, the abundance and composition of the mesofauna were specifically altered at the high severity level. The edaphic mesofauna can be considered suitable bioindicators to evaluate the postfire ecosystem recovery, especially in the areas highly damaged by fire.
The Formation of Neochromosomes during Experimental Evolution in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Thierry Agnès , Khanna Varun , Dujon Bernard
Published: October 2021

Novel, large-scale structural mutations were previously discovered during the cultivation of engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in which essential tRNA synthetase genes were replaced by their orthologs from the distantly related yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Among those were internal segmental amplifications forming giant chromosomes as well as complex segmental rearrangements associated with massive amplifications at an unselected short locus. The formation of such novel structures, whose stability is high enough to propagate over multiple generations, involved short repeated sequences dispersed in the genome (as expected), but also novel junctions between unrelated sequences likely triggered by accidental template switching within replication forks. Using the same evolutionary protocol, we now describe yet another type of major structural mutation in the yeast genome, the formation of neochromosomes, with functional centromeres and telomeres, made of extra copies of very long chromosomal segments ligated together in novel arrangements. The novel junctions occurred between short repeated sequences dispersed in the genome. They first resulted in the formation of an instable neochromosome present in a single copy in the diploid cells, followed by its replacement by a shorter, partially palindromic neochromosome present in two copies, whose stability eventually increased the chromosome number of the diploid strains harboring it.
Candidate Genes of Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Energy Metabolism in Athletes
Authors: Balberova Olga V. , Bykov Evgeny V. , Medvedev German V. , Zhogina Margarita A. , Petrov Kirill V. , Petrova Marina M. , Al-Zamil Mustafa , Trefilova Vera V. , Goncharova Polina S. , Shnayder Natalia A.
Published: October 2021

All biological processes associated with high sports performance, including energy metabolism, are influenced by genetics. DNA sequence variations in such genes, single nucleotide variants (SNVs), could confer genetic advantages that can be exploited to achieve optimal athletic performance. Ignorance of these features can create genetic “barriers” that prevent professional athletes from pursuing a career in sports. Predictive Genomic DNA Profiling reveals single nucleotide variations (SNV) that may be associated with better suitability for endurance, strength and speed sports. (1) Background: To conduct a research on candidate genes associated with regulation of skeletal muscle energy metabolism among athletes. (2) Methods: We have searched for articles in SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Clinical keys, PubMed, e-LIBRARY databases for the period of 2010–2020 using keywords and keywords combinations; (4) Conclusions: Identification of genetic markers associated with the regulation of energy metabolism in skeletal muscles can help sports physicians and coaches develop personalized strategies for selecting children, teenagers and young adults for endurance, strength and speed sports (such as jogging, middle or long distance runs). However, the multifactorial aspect of sport performances, including impact of genetics, epigenetics, environment (training and etc.), is important for personalized strategies for selecting of athletes. This approach could improve sports performance and reduce the risk of sports injuries to the musculoskeletal system.
Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Beclin-1 Expression Predicts the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Barca Ida , Mignogna Chiara , Novembre Daniela , Ferragina Francesco , Cristofaro Maria Giulia
Published: October 2021

Background: Autophagy is a cellular process responsible for maintaining homeostasis; a dysregulation of this process is involved in the development and progression of neoplasms. Beclin-1 is one of the major proteins linked to autophagy. However, the data regarding the association between the role of Beclin-1 and the progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) are rather low. For this reason, the objective of this study is to evaluate, through immunohistochemical techniques, the prognostic role of the expression of Beclin-1 autophagy marker in patients with OSCC. Methods: This is a single-centre retrospective study that includes patients with OSCC admitted to the Maxillofacial Unit of “Magna Graecia” University between January 2019 and September 2020. All the samples obtained from surgery were treated with anti Beclin-1 antibodies and subjected to immunohistochemical methods. Results: A total of 26 samples were analysed and the following variables were evaluated for each: percentage of positive Beclin-1 expression by tumour cells, signal strength of tumour cells, and total score. The variables considered were first normalised according to the D’Agostino and Pearson test, then analysed using the Pearson linear correlation coefficient: a statistically significant correlation was found between the parameters infiltration-intensity (p = 0.0088), infiltration-percent (p = 0.0123), intensity-total score (p = 0.0060). Conclusions: The immunohistochemical evaluation of Beclin-1 revealed a statistically significant correlation between the intensity of the molecule’s expression and a greater degree of infiltration of the neoplasm. Beclin-1 can, therefore, be considered a valid prognostic index of disease.
Pandemic Stress and Its Correlates among Pregnant Women during the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Poland
Authors: Ilska Michalina , Kołodziej-Zaleska Anna , Brandt-Salmeri Anna , Preis Heidi , Lobel Marci
Published: October 2021

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous stressful conditions, especially for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. Pandemic-related pregnancy stress consists of two dimensions: stress associated with feeling unprepared for birth due to the pandemic (Preparedness Stress), and stress related to fears of perinatal COVID-19 infection (Perinatal Infection Stress). The purpose of our study was to elucidate the association between various factors—sociodemographic, obstetric, pandemic-related, and situational—and pandemic stress in its two dimensions during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Polish pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a total of 1119 pregnant women recruited during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (between November 2020 and January 2021). Participants were recruited via social media to complete an online study questionnaire that included sociodemographic, obstetric, situational, and COVID-19 pandemic factors, as well as the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS). Results: Nearly 38.5% of participants reported high Preparedness Stress; 26% reported high Perinatal Infection Stress. Multivariate analyses indicated that lack of COVID-19 diagnosis, higher compliance with safety rules and restrictions, and limited access to outdoor space were independently associated with moderate to severe levels of Infection Stress. Current emotional or psychiatric problems, nulliparity, limited access to outdoor space, and alterations to obstetric visits were independently associated with moderate to severe Preparedness Stress. Conclusion: Study findings suggest that particular attention should be focused on the groups of pregnant women who are most vulnerable to pandemic-related stress and therefore may be more prone to adverse outcomes associated with prenatal stress.
High School Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Blended Learning One Year after the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: López-Fernández Iván , Burgueño Rafael , Gil-Espinosa Francisco Javier
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the educational landscape worldwide. One year after the disease outbreak, blended learning, which combines distance and face-to-face learning, became an alternative to fully online learning to address the demands of ensuring students’ health and education. Physical education teachers faced an additional challenge, given the experiential nature of their subject, but research on teachers’ perspectives is scarce. This study aims to explore high school physical education teachers’ perceptions of the potential, advantages, and disadvantages of the blended learning model of instruction. An online survey was used to register the views of 174 Spanish high school physical education teachers (120 men and 54 women). The main findings revealed that physical education teachers considered that blended learning, compared with full face-to-face learning, implied a work overload, worsened social relationships, and did not help to increase students’ motivation. Likewise, most teachers considered the physical activity performed by students during the blended learning period as being lower than usual. Furthermore, teachers reported that the students from lower-income families were the ones that experienced a lack of technological means the most. These results may guide both present and future policies and procedures for blended physical education. More research is needed to analyze the usefulness of blended learning in high school physical education.
Study on Passive Heating Involving Firewalls with an Additional Sunlight Room in Rural Residential Buildings
Authors: Yang Simin , Dewancker Bart , Chen Shuo
Published: October 2021

With the growth in China’s economic GDP, energy consumption has increased year by year. The energy demand of rural residential buildings is 223 million tons of standard coal equivalent, accounting for 24% of the national energy demand. Therefore, an energy-saving design for rural residences is necessary. This research took the traditional residences in southern Shaanxi as the research object and combined the cooking methods in southern Shaanxi with solar heating, proposing a sunlight heating system with an additional firewall. The system is composed of a firewall system and a sunlight system. The combination of the two systems prolongs the heating time and makes up for the lack of intermittent heating. The firewall principle involves using the heat generated by cooking through the heat storage and heat release capacity of the wall, and using the principle of heat radiation and convection to increase the indoor temperature. Meanwhile, the principle of the additional sunlight room involves using the external facade of the building to establish an additional sunlight room, by absorbing the heat radiation of the sun and using the principle of heat transfer from the wall. The rapid loss of indoor hot air is avoided, the heating time is prolonged, and part of the heat is retained, thereby improving the heating efficiency. A model was established based on the typical residential model in southern Shaanxi, and the presence or absence of solar radiation on the wall was used as the research variable. Using ANSYS software to simulate the analysis, it is concluded that the firewall–sunlight system can extend the heating time and meet the continuous heating demand, and the heating effect is better than that of the firewall heating system alone. When the walls have solar radiation, the annual heat load reduction rate of the buildings under the new system is 20.21%. When the walls do not have solar radiation, the annual heat load reduction rate of the buildings under the new system is 8.56%.