bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Low-Dose Neonatal Domoic Acid on the Spontaneous Behavior of Rats in Early Adulthood
Authors: JANDOVÁ K. , KOZLER P. , LANGMEIER M. , MAREŠOVÁ D. , POKORNÝ J. , RILJAK V.
Published: September 2020

Consumption of seafood containing toxin domoic acid (DA) causes an alteration of glutamatergic signaling pathways and could lead to various signs of neurotoxicity in animals and humans. Neonatal treatment with domoic acid was suggested as valuable model of schizophrenia and epilepsy. We tested how repeated early postnatal DA administration influences the spontaneous behavior of rats in adulthood. Rats were injected with 30 μg DA/kg from postnatal day (PND) 10 until PND 14. Their behavior was observed in the open field test for one hour (Laboras, Metris) at PND 35, PND 42 and PND 112. We did not find any difference between DA treated rats and animals injected with equivalent volume of saline in both test sessions at PND 35 and PND 42. DA rats at PND 112 exhibited significantly higher vertical and horizontal exploratory activity (tested parameters: locomotion, distance travelled, average speed reached during test, grooming and rearing) between the 30th-40th min of the test session and habituated over 10 min later. We conclude that at least in the given experimental design, neonatal DA treatment results in alteration of the spontaneous behavior of rats in adulthood.
N-Acetylcysteine Advancement of Surfactant Therapy in Experimental Meconium Aspiration Syndrome: Possible Mechanisms
Authors: KOPINCOVÁ J. , MOKRÁ D. , MIKOLKA P. , KOLOMAZNÍK M. , ČALKOVSKÁ A.
Published: September 2020

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) is meconium-induced respiratory failure of newborns associated with activation of inflammatory and oxidative pathways. For severe MAS, exogenous surfactant treatment is used which improves respiratory functions but does not treat the inflammation. Oxidative process can lead to later surfactant inactivation; hence, surfactant combination with antioxidative agent may enhance the therapeutic effect. Young New Zealand rabbits were instilled by meconium suspension and treated by surfactant alone, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) alone or by their combination and oxygen-ventilated for 5 h. Blood samples were taken before and 30 min after meconium application and 30 min, 1, 3 and 5 h after the treatment for evaluating of oxidative damage, total leukocyte count, leukocyte differential count and respiratory parameters. Leukocyte differential was assessed also in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. NAC alone had only mild therapeutic effect on MAS. However, the combination of NAC and surfactant facilitated rapid onset of therapeutic effect in respiratory parameters (oxygenation index, PaO2/FiO2) compared to surfactant alone and was the only treatment which prevented neutrophil migration into the lungs, oxidative damage and lung edema. Moreover, NAC suppressed IL-8 and IL-β formation and thus seems to be favorable agent for improving surfactant therapy in MAS.
Brisket Disease Is Associated with Lower Volatile Fatty Acid Production and Altered Rumen Microbiome in Holstein Heifers
Authors: Gaowa Naren , Panke-Buisse Kevin , Wang Shuxiang , Wang Haibo , Cao Zhijun , Wang Yajing , Yao Kun , Li Shengli
Published: September 2020

Brisket disease is heritable but is also associated with non-genetic risk factors and effects of the disease on the rumen microbiome are unknown. Ten Holstein heifers were exposed to the plateau environment for three months and divided into two groups according to the index of brisket disease, the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP): brisket disease group (BD, n = 5, mPAP > 63 mmHg) and healthy heifer group (HH, n = 5, mPAP < 41 mmHg). Rumen fluid was collected for analysis of the concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Extracted DNA from rumen contents was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing technology. The concentration of total VFA and alpha-diversity metrics were significantly lower in BD group (p < 0.05). Ruminococcus and Treponema were significantly decreased in BD heifers (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that 10 genera were related to the mPAP (p < 0.05). Genera of Anaerofustis, Campylobacter, and Catonella were negatively correlated with total VFA and acetic acid (R < −0.7, p < 0.05), while genera of Blautia, YRC22, Ruminococcus, and Treponema were positively related to total VFA and acetic acid (R > 0.7; p < 0.05). Our findings may be a useful biomarker in future brisket disease work.
Anti-Biofilm Effect of Tea Saponin on a Streptococcus agalactiae Strain Isolated from Bovine Mastitis
Authors: Shang Fei , Wang Hui , Xue Ting
Published: September 2020

Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) is a highly contagious pathogen which not only can cause neonatal meningitis, pneumonia, and septicemia but is also considered to be a major cause of bovine mastitis (BM), leading to large economic losses to the dairy industry worldwide. Like many other pathogenic bacteria, GBS also has the capacity to form a biofilm structure in the host to cause persistent infection. Tea saponin (TS), is one of the main active agents extracted from tea ash powder, and it has good antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In this study, we confirmed that TS has a slight antibacterial activity against a Streptococcus agalactiae strain isolated from dairy cow with mastitis and inhibits its biofilm formation. By performing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments, we observed that with addition of TS, the biofilm formed by this GBS strain exhibited looser structure and lower density. In addition, the results of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments showed that TS inhibited biofilm formation by down-regulating the transcription of the biofilm-associated genes including srtA, fbsC, neuA, and cpsE.
Taking the Hinge off: An Approach to Effector-Less Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Valeich Jamie , Boyd Dan , Kanwar Manu , Stenzel Daniel , De Ghosh Deblina , Ebrahimi Arpa , Woo James , Wang Jenny , Ambrogelly Alexandre
Published: September 2020

A variety of Fc domain engineering approaches for abrogating the effector functions of mAbs exists. To address some of the limitations of the current Fc domain silencing approaches, we are exploring a less commonly considered option which relies on the deletion of the hinge. Removal of the hinge domain in humanized IgG1 and IgG4 mAbs obliterates their ability to bind to activating human Fc gamma receptors I and IIIA, while leaving their ability to engage their target antigen intact. Deletion of the hinge also reduces binding to the Fc neonatal receptor, although Fc engineering allows partial recovery of affinity. Engineering of the CH3 domain, stabilizes hinge deleted IgG4s and prevents Fab arm exchange. The faster clearing properties together with the pacified Fc make modality of the hinge deleted mAb an appealing solution for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Enzyme-Treated Zizania latifolia Ethanol Extract Protects from UVA Irradiation-Induced Wrinkle Formation via Inhibition of Lysosome Exocytosis and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation
Authors: An Mirae , Kim Hyungkeun , Moon Joo-Myung , Ko Hyun-Soo , Clayton Paul , Lim Young-Hee
Published: September 2020

Ultraviolet A (UVA) is a risk factor for photoaging and wrinkle formation. Zizania latifolia is an herbaceous perennial plant. It contains many bioactive compounds such as tricin that show antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiwrinkle effect of a mixture of hydrolytic enzyme (cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase)-treated Z. latifolia extract (ZLE) and tricin on UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and SKH-1 hairless mice. Treatment of UVA-irradiated HDF cells with ZLE and tricin significantly decreased UVA induced-plasma membrane rupture, generation of ROS, expression levels of total and secreted lysosomal associated membrane protein (LAMP-1), cathepsin B and metalloproteinases (MMPs) and inhibited NF-κB activation. In the animal study, UVA-damaged epidermal and dermal tissues were repaired by the ZLE and tricin treatments. Administration of ZLE or tricin to UVA-irradiated animals recovered skin surface moisture and collagen fiber in dermal tissue. Treatment of ZLE or tricin decreased wrinkle formation, secretion of MMPs and expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cathepsin B, and increased the expression level of collagen-1 in UVA-irradiated animals. Overall, the ZLE and tricin treatments decreased the skin damage induced by UVA irradiation via inhibition of lysosomal exocytosis and ROS generation. Therefore, ZLE and tricin are promising as antiwrinkle and antiphotoaging agents.
Deposition of Cell Culture Coatings Using a Cold Plasma Deposition Method
Authors: O’Sullivan Denis , McArdle Hazel , Ng Sing Wei , Bourke Paula , Forster Robert , O’Neill Liam
Published: September 2020

Collagen coatings were applied onto polystyrene microplates using a cold atmospheric pressure plasma process. The coatings were compared to standard wet chemical collagen thin films using microscopy, surface energy, infra-red spectroscopy, electrophoresis, and cell culture techniques. Thin films were also deposited on gold electrodes using both coating methods and their structural and barrier properties probed using cyclic voltammetry. While the wet chemical technique produced a thicker deposit, both films appear equivalent in terms of coverage, porosity, structure, and chemistry. Significantly, the cold plasma method preserves both the primary and secondary structure of the protein and this results in high biocompatibility and cell activity that is at least equivalent to the standard wet chemical technique. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the benefits of a single step plasma coating in comparison to the traditional multi-step aseptic coating technique.
Surface Discharge Mechanism on Epoxy Resin in Electronegative Gases and Its Application
Authors: Park Herie , Lim Dong-Young , Bae Sungwoo
Published: September 2020

This study presents the surface discharge characteristics of insulating gases, including sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), dry air, and N2, under a non-uniform field. Surface discharge experiments were conducted, with the gas pressure ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 MPa, on samples of epoxy dielectrics under an AC voltage. The experimental results showed that the surface insulation performance significantly improved in insulating gases possessing electronegative gases, such as SF6 and dry air. Surface flashover voltages of SF6 were saturated with an increasing pressure, compared to dry air and N2. The surface discharge mechanism is proposed to explain the improvement and saturation of dielectric characteristics of the electronegative gas in complex dielectric insulations, as well as its influence on the surface flashover voltage. As an application, an insulation design method is discussed with regards to replacing SF6 gas in high-voltage power equipment based on the knowledge of the physics behind gas discharge.
CDA-Net for Automatic Prostate Segmentation in MR Images
Authors: Lu Zhiying , Zhao Mingyue , Pang Yong
Published: September 2020

Automatic and accurate prostate segmentation is an essential prerequisite for assisting diagnosis and treatment, such as guiding biopsy procedures and radiation therapy. Therefore, this paper proposes a cascaded dual attention network (CDA-Net) for automatic prostate segmentation in MRI scans. The network includes two stages of RAS-FasterRCNN and RAU-Net. Firstly, RAS-FasterRCNN uses improved FasterRCNN and sequence correlation processing to extract regions of interest (ROI) of organs. This ROI extraction serves as a hard attention mechanism to focus the segmentation of the subsequent network on a certain area. Secondly, the addition of residual convolution block and self-attention mechanism in RAU-Net enables the network to gradually focus on the area where the organ exists while making full use of multiscale features. The algorithm was evaluated on the PROMISE12 and ASPS13 datasets and presents the dice similarity coefficient of 92.88% and 92.65%, respectively, surpassing the state-of-the-art algorithms. In a variety of complex slice images, especially for the base and apex of slice sequences, the algorithm also achieved credible segmentation performance.
A Novel Self-Moving Framed Piezoelectric Actuator
Authors: Wang Liang , Hao Bo , Wang Ruifeng , Jin Jiamei , Xu Qingsong
Published: September 2020

Utilizing the inherent advantages of the piezoelectric driving technology, such as good adaptability to vacuum environment and no electromagnetic interference, a novel self-moving framed piezoelectric actuator is proposed, simulated, and tested in this study, holding a potential application for magnetic confinement fusion. Four piezoelectric composite beams form a framed piezoelectric actuator. Two orthogonal vibration modes are excited and coupled in the framed piezoelectric actuator, producing a microscopic elliptical motion at its driving feet. Due to the friction, the framed piezoelectric actuator can move on a rail, thereby constructing the railed carrying system. Numerical simulation is carried out to confirm the operation principle and to conduct the dimensional optimization of the proposed framed piezoelectric actuator. A prototype of the proposed framed piezoelectric actuator with a weight of 83.8 g is manufactured, assembled, and tested, to verify the piezoelectric actuation concept. The optimal driving frequency of 20.75 kHz is obtained for the proposed actuator prototype, and at the excitation voltage of 400 Vpp its maximum mean velocity of 384.9 mm/s is measured. Additionally, the maximum load weight to self-weight of the proposed actuator prototype reached up to 10.74 at the excitation voltage of 300 Vpp. These experimental results validate the feasibility of the piezoelectric actuation concept on the railed carrying system.
A Comprehensive Gridded Dataset Associated to the Climate Change Effect on the Water Resources in the Grand Est Region, France
Authors: Nistor Mărgărit-Mircea , Haidu Ionel , Dezsi Ştefan , Ştefan Cristina
Published: September 2020

Water resources and environment quality are nowadays under high pressure because of climate change, land use practices, as well as human actions. A comprehensive gridded dataset becomes a necessary instrument to assess the risk level at regional scale, and also for territorial planning, the defining strategies to address future natural and anthropological challenges. In order to obtain a complete database with the most important parameters at spatial scale, this study is constructed as a preparation of layers used for various environmental risks, but mostly with the climate change effect on the water resources from the Grand Est region, France. In addition, geological formations, terrain data, and land cover were harmonized as grid format for the study area. Thus, the temperature and precipitation parameters, related to the 1961–1990 (1990s), 2011–2040 (2020s), and 2041–2070 (2050s), become useful data for evapotranspiration, water availability, and effective precipitation calculations. The geology layer indicates the composition and types of aquifers and it contributes to the potential infiltration map (PIM). The morphology of the terrain contributes to the slope angle and PIM. Through the typology of land cover, the pollution load index (PLI) was estimated. The findings indicate intense aridization and the depletion of the effective precipitation (below 650 mm) during the present and future periods. With respect to these concerns, the surface waters and groundwater resources from the Grand Est region are experiencing the negative effects of climate change on runoff and aquifers recharge respectively. In addition, the high PLI in the industrial and agricultural areas contribute to the possibility of the increasing water resources vulnerability. The affected areas extend mainly in the western, north-central, and north-eastern parts of the region, mainly in the Rhine, Aube, and Marne Valleys. Considered as a precious resource in the region, the water management should follow best practices for vulnerability and risk assessment, and further to delineate the protection areas. As a comprehensive gridded dataset, the calculations and original maps presented in this paper represent a complex product with main environmental parameters processed at spatial scale of 1 km2 in ArcGIS. This product has the purpose to integrate the geospatial data for the Grand Est region of France.
MiRNA Profiles of Extracellular Vesicles Secreted by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells—Can They Predict Potential Off-Target Effects?
Authors: Nazari-Shafti Timo Z. , Neuber Sebastian , Duran Ana G. , Exarchos Vasileios , Beez Christien M. , Meyborg Heike , Krüger Katrin , Wolint Petra , Buschmann Johanna , Böni Roland , Seifert Martina , Falk Volkmar , Emmert Maximilian Y.
Published: September 2020

The cardioprotective properties of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are currently being investigated in preclinical studies. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) encapsulated in EVs have been identified as one component responsible for the cardioprotective effect of MSCs, their potential off-target effects have not been sufficiently characterized. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the miRNA profile of EVs isolated from MSCs that were derived from cord blood (CB) and adipose tissue (AT). The identified miRNAs were then compared to known targets from the literature to discover possible adverse effects prior to clinical use. Our data show that while many cardioprotective miRNAs such as miR-22-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-29c-3p, and miR-125b-5p were present in CB- and AT-MSC-derived EVs, a large number of known oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRNAs such as miR-16-5p, miR-23a-3p, and miR-191-5p were also detected. These findings highlight the importance of quality assessment for therapeutically applied EV preparations.
Critical Impact of Different Conserved Endoplasmic Retention Motifs and Dopamine Receptor Interacting Proteins (DRIPs) on Intracellular Localization and Trafficking of the D2 Dopamine Receptor (D2-R) Isoforms
Authors: Blagotinšek Cokan Kaja , Mavri Maša , Rutland Catrin Sian , Glišić Sanja , Senćanski Milan , Vrecl Milka , Kubale Valentina
Published: September 2020

The type 2 dopamine receptor D2 (D2-R), member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, exists in two isoforms, short (D2S-R) and long (D2L-R). They differ by an additional 29 amino acids (AA) in the third cytoplasmic loop (ICL3) of the D2L-R. These isoforms differ in their intracellular localization and trafficking functionality, as D2L-R possesses a larger intracellular pool, mostly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This review focuses on the evolutionarily conserved motifs in the ICL3 of the D2-R and proteins interacting with the ICL3 of both isoforms, specifically with the 29 AA insert. These motifs might be involved in D2-R exit from the ER and have an impact on cell-surface and intracellular localization and, therefore, also play a role in the function of dopamine receptor signaling, ligand binding and possible homo/heterodimerization. Our recent bioinformatic data on potential new interaction partners for the ICL3 of D2-Rs are also presented. Both are highly relevant, and have clinical impacts on the pathophysiology of several diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, manic depression, and others, as they are connected to a variety of essential motifs and differences in communication with interaction partners.
Characteristics and Expression Analyses of Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase Family in Prunus mume Reveal Genes Involved in Trehalose Biosynthesis and Drought Response
Authors: Yang Yongjuan , Ma Kaifeng , Zhang Tengxun , Li Lulu , Wang Jia , Cheng Tangren , Zhang Qixiang
Published: September 2020

Trehalose and its key synthase (trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, TPS) can improve the drought tolerance of plants. However, little is known about the roles of trehalose and the TPS family in Prunus mume response to drought. In our study, we discovered that the trehalose content in leaf, root, and stem tissues significantly increased in P. mume in response to drought. Therefore, the characteristics and functions of the TPS family are worth investigating in P. mume. We identified nine TPS family members in P. mume, which were divided into two sub-families and characterized by gene structure, promoter elements, protein conserved domains, and protein motifs. We found that the Hydrolase_3 domain and several motifs were highly conserved in Group II instead of Group I. The distinctions between the two groups may result from selective constraints, which we estimated by the dN/dS (ω) ratio. The ω values of all the PmTPS family gene pairs were evaluated as less than 1, indicating that purity selection facilitated their divergence. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using 92 TPSs from 10 Rosaceae species, which were further divided into five clusters. Based on evolutionary analyses, the five clusters of TPS family proteins mainly underwent varied purity selection. The expression patterns of PmTPSs under drought suggested that the TPS family played an important role in the drought tolerance of P. mume. Combining the expression patterns of PmTPSs and the trehalose content changes in leaf, stem, and root tissues under normal conditions and drought stress, we found that the PmTPS2 and PmTPS6 mainly function in the trehalose biosynthesis in P. mume. Our findings not only provide valuable information about the functions of trehalose and TPSs in the drought response of P. mume, but they also contribute to the future drought breeding of P. mume.
Tuning the Surface Charge of Self-Assembled Polydiacetylene Vesicles to Control Aggregation and Cell Binding
Authors: David Nelson Anthony , Shiveshwarkar Priyanka , Lim Butaek , Rojas Gumaro , Abure Izele , Shrestha Anura , Jaworski Justyn
Published: September 2020

Polydiacetylene vesicles of various compositions were assembled using a two-part mixture of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA) and ethylenedioxy-bis-ethylamine (EDEA)-labeled PCDA in order to control surface charge and stability within a desired pH range. Investigation of the interaction of the vesicles with mammalian cells as a function of surface charge was carried out and identified a clear correlation in cell–vesicle association and corresponding cell death for vesicles with positive surface charge. The binding behavior of the vesicles was found to be tunable by regulating the proportion of anionic PCDA relative to cationic PCDA–EDEA content within vesicles as to control the surface charge as a function of pH. Association of vesicles with cells thus depended on the corresponding charge of the vesicles and cell surface. The prospect of this work may serve as a step toward future vesicle designs to allow triggered uptake of vesicles locally within low pH tumor microenvironments.
Job Insecurity, Family Functionality and Mental Health: A Comparative Study between Male and Female Hospitality Workers
Authors: Vargas-Jiménez Esperanza , Castro-Castañeda Remberto , Agulló Tomás Esteban , Medina Centeno Raúl
Published: September 2020

The aim of the present article is to compare the family functionality, mental health and job insecurity of employees of the hospitality industry in Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas, in México. This is a quantitative and cross-sectional study. The sample was selected by non-probabilistic sampling for convenience and comprised a total of 914 people, of whom 438 were women (47.92%) and 476 were men (52.08%). The women surveyed reported more somatic symptoms, anxiety, insomnia and social dysfunction compared to men, which allows the conclusion that their mental health is vulnerable; meanwhile, men showed better perception of family functionality, a positive factor that reveals the family as a potential support factor that reduces stress, anxiety and improves men’s mental health. Another result reveals that the gender structure permeates the hotel sector, inequalities in the type of contract and income are corroborated, and the existence of a sexual division of labor to the detriment of women is confirmed, as they are mostly employed in low-skilled jobs that reproduce domestic tasks, particularly those related to cleaning and food service tasks.
Addendum: Witschen, P.M., et al. Tumor Cell Associated Hyaluronan-CD44 Signaling Promotes Pro-Tumor Inflammation in Breast Cancer. Cancers 2020, 12, 1325
Authors: Witschen Patrice , Chaffee Thomas , Brady Nicholas , Huggins Danielle , Knutson Todd , LaRue Rebecca , Munro Sarah , Tiegs Lyubov , McCarthy James , Nelson Andrew , Schwertfeger Kathryn
Published: September 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
PIWI-Like 1 and PIWI-Like 2 Expression in Breast Cancer
Authors: Erber Ramona , Meyer Julia , Taubert Helge , Fasching Peter A. , Wach Sven , Häberle Lothar , Gaß Paul , Schulz-Wendtland Rüdiger , Landgraf Laura , Olbricht Sabrina , Jung Rudolf , Beckmann Matthias W. , Hartmann Arndt , Ruebner Matthias
Published: September 2020

PIWI-like 1 and PIWI-like 2 play a role in stem cell self-renewal, and enhanced expression has been reported for several tumor entities. However, few studies have investigated PIWI-like 1 and PIWI-like 2 expressions in breast cancer subtypes regarding prognosis. Therefore, we examined protein expression in a large consecutive cohort of breast cancer patients and correlated it to breast cancer subtypes and survival outcome. PIWI-like 1 and PIWI-like 2 expressions were evaluated using immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 894 breast cancer patients, of whom 363 were eligible for further analysis. Percentage and intensity of stained tumor cells were analyzed and an immunoreactive score (IRS) was calculated. The interaction of PIWI-like 1 and PIWI-like 2 showed a prognostic effect on survival. For the combination of high PIWI-like 1 and low PIWI-like 2 expressions, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were significantly higher with regard to overall survival (OS) (HR 2.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24, 6.90), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 3.27; 95% CI 1.48, 7.20), and distant disease-free survival (DDFS) (HR 7.64; 95% CI 2.35, 24.82). Both proteins were significantly associated with molecular-like and PAM50 subgroups. Combining high PIWI-like 1 and low PIWI-like 2 expressions predicted poorer prognosis and both markers were associated with aggressive molecular subtypes.
Prognostic Factors in Childhood Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: Long Term Results of the International ALCL99 Trial
Authors: Mussolin Lara , Le Deley Marié-Cecilé , Carraro Elisa , Damm-Welk Christine , Attarbaschi Andishe , Williams Denise , Burke Amos , Horibe Keizo , Nakazawa Atsuko , Wrobel Grazyna , Mann Georg , Csóka Monika , Uyttebroeck Anne , Fernández-Delgado Cerdá Rafael , Beishuizen Auke , Mellgren Karin , Burkhardt Birgit , Klapper Wolfram , Turner Suzanne , d’Amore Emanuele , Lamant Laurence , Reiter Alfred , Woessmann Wilhelm , Brugières Laurence , Pillon Marta ,   on behalf of the European Inter-Group for Childhood Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (EICNHL)
Published: September 2020

With the aim of describing the long-term follow-up and to define the prognostic role of the clinical/pathological/molecular characteristics at diagnosis for childhood, adolescent and young adults affected by anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), we analyzed 420 patients aged up to 22 years homogeneously treated within the international ALCL99 trial. The 10-year progression free survival (PFS) was 70% and overall survival was 90%, rare late relapses occurred but no secondary malignancies were reported. Among clinical/pathological characteristics, only patients presenting a small cell/lymphohistiocytic (SC/LH) pattern were independently associated with risk of failure (hazard ratio = 2.49). Analysis of minimal disseminated disease (MDD), available for 162 patients, showed that both SC/LH pattern (hazard ratio = 2.4) and MDD positivity (hazard ratio = 2.15) were significantly associated with risk of failure in multivariate analysis. Considering MDD and SC/LH results, patients were separated into three biological/pathological (bp) risk groups: a high-risk group (bpHR) including MDD-positive patients with SC/LH pattern; a low-risk group (bpLR) including MDD-negative patients without SC/LH pattern; and an intermediate-risk group (bpIR) including remaining patients. The 10-year PFS was 40%, 75% and 86% for bpHR, bpIR and bpLR, respectively (p < 0.0001). These results should be considered in the design of future ALCL trials to tailor individual treatments.
Efficient Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to CO in Ionic Liquid/Propylene Carbonate Electrolyte on Ag Electrode
Authors: Ju Fengyang , Zhang Jinjin , Lu Weiwei
Published: September 2020

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a promising way to recycle it to produce value-added chemicals and fuels. However, the requirement of high overpotential and the low solubility of CO2 in water severely limit their efficient conversion. To overcome these problems, in this work, a new type of electrolyte solution constituted by ionic liquids and propylene carbonate was used as the cathodic solution, to study the conversion of CO2 on an Ag electrode. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), Tafel characterization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to study the catalytic effect and the mechanism of ionic liquids in electrochemical reduction of CO2. The LSV and Tafel characterization indicated that the chain length of 1-alkyl-3-methyl imidazolium cation had strong influences on the catalytic performance for CO2 conversion. The EIS analysis showed that the imidazolium cation that absorbed on the Ag electrode surface could stabilize the anion radical (CO2•−), leading to the enhanced efficiency of CO2 conversion. At last, the catalytic performance was also evaluated, and the results showed that Faradaic efficiency for CO as high as 98.5% and current density of 8.2 mA/cm2 could be achieved at −1.9 V (vs. Fc/Fc+).
Crosstalk Between Autophagy and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α in Antifungal Immunity
Authors: Quäschling Tim , Friedrich Dirk , Deepe George S. , Rupp Jan
Published: September 2020

Modern medicine is challenged by several potentially severe fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, or Histoplasma capsulatum. Though not all fungal pathogens have evolved as primary pathogens, opportunistic pathogens can still cause fatal infections in immuno-compromised patients. After infection with these fungi, the ingestion and clearance by innate immune cells is an important part of the host immune response. Innate immune cells utilize two different autophagic pathways, the canonical pathway and the non-canonical pathway, also called microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) -associated pathway (LAP), to clear fungal pathogens from the intracellular environment. The outcome of autophagy-related host immune responses depends on the pathogen and cell type. Therefore, the understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms of autophagy is crucial for the development and improvement of antifungal therapies. One of those molecular mechanisms is the interaction of the transcription-factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) with the autophagic immune response. During this review, we will focus on a comprehensive overview of the role of autophagy and HIF-1α on the outcome of fungal infections.
Correlation between Substrate Ion Fluxes and the Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Deposited by Deep Oscillation Magnetron Sputtering in Ar and Ar + Ne Plasmas
Authors: Oliveira João , Ferreira Fábio , Serra Ricardo , Kubart Tomas , Vitelaru Catalin , Cavaleiro Albano
Published: September 2020

Recently, the use of Ne as a processing gas has been shown to increase the ionization degree of carbon in High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) plasmas. In this work, time-resolved measurements of the substrate’s current density were carried out in order to study the time evolution of the ionic species arriving at the growing film. The addition of Ne to the plasma resulted in a steep increase of the sp3/sp2 ratio in the films once the Ne contents in the processing atmosphere exceeded 26%. Increasing the Ne content is shown to increase both the total number of C ions generated in the plasmas and the ratio of C/gaseous ions. The time-resolved substrate ion current density was used to evaluate the possibility of substrate biasing synchronizing with the discharge pulses in the HiPIMS process. It is shown that in pure Ar plasmas, substrate biasing should be confined to the time interval between 25 and 40 µs after the pulse starts, in order to maximize the C+/Ar+ ratio bombarding the substrate and minimize the formation of film stresses. However, Ne addition to the processing gas shortens the traveling time of the carbon species towards the substrate, reducing the separation between the gaseous and carbon ion arrival times.
Anatomical Variation of Human Bone Bioapatite Crystallography
Authors: Foley Brittany , Greiner Martina , McGlynn George , Schmahl Wolfgang W.
Published: September 2020

This systematic investigation of bioapatite, the mineral component of human bone, aims to characterize its crystallographic state, including lattice parameters and average crystallite size, and correlate these values with respect to anatomical position (bone function), physicality, and bone chemical composition. In sample sets of buried bone from three different human adult skeletons, anatomical variation of crystallographic parameters and correlation to chemical composition were indeed observed. In general, the observed bioapatite a unit-cell edge-length among all analyzed human bones in this study was larger by 0.1–0.2% compared to that of stoichiometric hydroxylapatite (HAp), and substantially larger than that of fluorapatite (FAp). Across all analyzed samples, the a (=b) lattice parameter (unit cell edge-length) varies more than does the c lattice parameter. Average crystallite size (average coherent diffracting domain size) in the c-direction was equal to approximately 25 nm, ranging among the analyzed 18 bone samples from about 20–32 nm, and varying more than crystallite size in the a,b-direction (~8–10 nm). Neither lattice parameters nor average bioapatite crystallite sizes appeared to be correlated with bone mechanical function. The relative chemical composition of the bone material, however, was shown to correlate with the a (=b) lattice parameter. To our knowledge, this research provides, for the first time, the systematic study of the crystallographic parameters of human bone bioapatite in the context of anatomical position, physical constitution, and bone chemical composition using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
Wavelength-Tunable Nonlinear Mirror Mode-Locked Laser Based on MgO-Doped Lithium Niobate
Authors: Zhao Lina , Tong Luyang , Cai Fangxin , Yuan Ye , Cai Yangjian
Published: September 2020

We present a high-power, wavelength-tunable picosecond Yb3+: CaGdAlO4 (Yb:CALGO) laser based on MgO-doped lithium niobate (MgO:LN) nonlinear mirror mode locking. The output wavelength in the continuous wave (CW) regime is tunable over a 45 nm broad range. Mode locking with a MgO:LN nonlinear mirror, the picosecond laser is tunable over 23 nm from 1039 to 1062 nm. The maximum output power of the mode-locked laser reaches 1.46 W, and the slope efficiency is 18.6%. The output pulse duration at 1049 nm is 8 ps. The laser repetition rate and bandwidth are 115.5 MHz and 1.7 nm, respectively.
Performance Analysis of Identification Codes
Authors: Derebeyoğlu Sencer , Deppe Christian , Ferrara Roberto
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we analyze the construction of identification codes. Identification codes are based on the question: “Is the message I have just received the one I am interested in?”, as opposed to Shannon’s transmission, where the receiver is interested in not only one, but any, message. The advantage of identification is that it allows rates growing double exponentially in the blocklength at the cost of not being able to decode every message, which might be beneficial in certain applications. We focus on a special identification code construction based on two concatenated Reed-Solomon codes and have a closer look at its implementation, analyzing the trade-offs of identification with respect to transmission and the trade-offs introduced by the computational cost of identification codes.
Entropy Analysis on the Blood Flow through Anisotropically Tapered Arteries Filled with Magnetic Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhang Lijun , Bhatti Muhammad Mubashir , Marin Marin , S. Mekheimer Khaled
Published: September 2020

The present analysis deals with the entropy analysis of the blood flow through an anisotropically tapered arteries under the suspension of magnetic Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs). The Jeffrey fluid model is contemplated as blood that is electrically conducting and incompressible. The lubrication approach is used for the mathematical modeling. The second law of thermodynamics is used to examine the entropy generation. The exact solutions are obtained against velocity and temperature profile with the use of computational software. The results for Entropy, Velocity, Bejan number, temperature profile, and impedance profile are discussed by plotting the graphs. ZnO-NPs have promising applications in biomedical engineering due to its low toxicity, economically reliable, and excellent biocompatibility. ZnO-NPs also emerged in medicine i.e., antibacterial and anticancer activity, and also beneficial in antidiabetic treatment. The monitoring of the blood temperature in the case of the tapered artery has supreme importance in controlling the temperature of blood in the living environment. The presence of a magnetic field is advantageous to manage and control the blood motion at different temperatures. The present outcomes are enriched to give valuable information for the research scientists in the field biomedical science, who are looking to examine the blood flow with stenosis conditions and also beneficial in treating multiple diseases.
Assessing Granger-Causality in the Southern Humboldt Current Ecosystem Using Cross-Spectral Methods
Authors: Contreras-Reyes Javier E. , Hernández-Santoro Carola
Published: September 2020

The southern Humboldt Current ecosystem is an important topic among researchers working on the drivers of pelagic species’ biological indicators. While sea surface temperature is believed to be a major driver in anchovies’ (Engraulis ringens) reproductive and body condition indicators, this paper shows that regional drivers such as Pacific decadal oscillation anomalies also influence these biological processes. In addition, a warm condition could trigger increased gonad development of anchovies and synchronization of body condition dynamics with local environmental conditions stemming from sea turbulence and Ekman transport. To test the statistical significance of causality between two time series and determine the direction of causality, the frequency-domain Granger-causality method is considered. Therefore, this study provides additional predictive information, derived from past data on anchovy reproductive and feeding activities. The study could be useful for researchers working on relationships of environmental conditions and pelagic species to predict biological processes’ maximum and minimum peak movements and anchovy abundance in the southern Humboldt Current ecosystem.
Coating 1-Octanethiol-Coated Copper Nano-Ink on a Paper Substrate via Multi-Pulse Flash Light Sintering for Application in Disposable Devices
Authors: Son Yeonho , Shin Dongho , Kang Minkyu , Lee Caroline Sunyong
Published: September 2020

Inkjet-printed patterns were formed on a paper substrate using anti-oxidant copper nano-ink for application to disposable electronic devices. To prevent substrate damage, the pattern was flash light sintered under ambient conditions using the multi-pulse technique. Pure copper nanoparticles were coated with 1-octanethiol for oxidation resistance using the dry-coating method. Mixing these with 1-octanol solvent at a concentration of 30 wt% produced the copper nano-ink. Photo paper was used as the substrate. The contact angle between the photo paper and copper nano-ink was 37.2° and the optimal energy density for the multi-pulse flash light sintering technique was 15.6 J/cm2. Using this energy density, the optimal conditions were an on-time of 2 ms (duty cycle of 80%) for three pulses. The resistivity of the resulting pattern was 2.8 × 10−7 Ω∙m. After bending 500 times to a radius of curvature of 30 mm, the relative resistance (ΔR/R0) of the multi-pulse flash light-sintered pattern hardly changed compared to that of the unbent pattern, while the single-pulse-sintered pattern showed dramatic increase by 8-fold compared to the unbent pattern. Therefore, the multi-pulse light sintering technique is a promising approach to produce an inkjet-printed pattern that can be applied to disposable electronic devices.
Multi-Chip IGBT Module Failure Monitoring Based on Module Transconductance with Temperature Calibration
Authors: Wang Chenyuan , He Yigang , Wang Chuankun , Li Lie , Wu Xiaoxin
Published: September 2020

The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) is the component with the highest failure rate in power converters, and its reliability is a critical issue in power electronics. IGBT module failure is largely caused by solder layer fatigue or bond wires fall-off. This paper proposes a multi-chip IGBT module failure monitoring method based on the module transconductance, which can accurately monitor IGBT module chip failures and bond wire failures. The paper first introduces the failure mechanism and module structure of the multi-chip IGBT module; then, it proposes a reliability model based on the module transconductance and analyzes the relationship between chip failure, bond wire failure, and the transmission characteristic curve of the IGBT module. Finally, the module transconductance under chip failure and bond wire failure is measured and calculated through simulation, and the temperature is calibrated, which can eliminate the influence of temperature on health monitoring. The results show that the method has a high sensitivity to chip failures and bond wire failures, can realize the failure monitoring of multi-chip IGBT modules, and is of great significance for improving the reliability of power converters.
Intelligent Data Fusion and Multi-Agent Coordination for Target Allocation
Authors: Noh Sanguk
Published: September 2020

This paper addresses the fusion processing techniques for multi-sensor data perceived through the infrared sensors of military surveillance robots, and proposes their decision-theoretic coordination to effectively monitor multiple targets. To combine the multi-sensor data from the distributed battlefield robots, a set of fusion rules are used to formulate a combined prediction from the multi-source data. The possible type of a target is estimated through the fusion rules. For the identification of targets, agents need to keep track of targets for continuous situation awareness. The coordination of the agents with limited range of surveillance is indispensable for their successful monitoring of multiple targets. For dynamic and flexible coordination, our agents follow the decision-theoretic approach. We implement a military simulator to compare the capabilities of fusion processing and those of coordination, and conduct experiments with our framework in distributed and uncertain battlefield environments. The experimental results show that the fusion process of multi-sensor data from military robots can improve the performance of estimation of the type of a target, and our coordinated agents outperform agents using random strategy for their target selection in various military scenarios.
Voltage H∞ Control of a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
Authors: Clemente Alejandro , Ramos Germán Andrés , Costa-Castelló Ramon
Published: September 2020

Redox flow batteries are one of the most relevant emerging large-scale energy storage technologies. Developing control methods for them is an open research topic; optimizing their operation is the main objective to be achieved. In this paper, a strategy that is based on regulating the output voltage is proposed. The proposed architecture reduces the number of required sensors. A rigorous design methodology that is based on linear H∞ synthesis is introduced. Finally, some simulations are presented in order to analyse the performance of the proposed control system. The results show that the obtained controller guaranties robust stability and performance, thus allowing the battery to operate over a wide range of operating conditions. Attending to the design specifications, the controlled voltage follows the reference with great accuracy and it quickly rejects the effect of sudden current changes.
Spectral Irradiance Influence on Solar Cells Efficiency
Authors: Leitão David , Torres João Paulo N. , Fernandes João F. P.
Published: September 2020

This paper investigates the influence of the spectral irradiance variation and the spectral response (SR) on the production of energy by photovoltaic cells. To determine the impact of SR and spectral irradiance on m-Si and perovskite cells, experimental tests were conducted outdoors, used optical filters to select different zones of the spectrum. For the computational simulations of the different photovoltaic modules, when subjected to a certain spectral irradiance, a model with spectral factor (SF) was implemented. The SF model accurately simulated the experiments performed for the high-pass filters. The highest relative errors for certain irradiation bands occurred due to the input variables used in the model, which did not fully describe the reality of the experiments performed. The effect of the SR and the spectral irradiance for each of them were observed through the simulations for the m-Si, a-Si, CdTe, and copper indium selenide (CIS) modules. The CIS technology presented a better overall result in the near infrared zone, producing about half of the energy produced by the CdTe technology in the visible zone. The SF, spectral incompatibility factor (MM), and spectral effective responsivity (SEF) parameters were verified to be important for studying the photovoltaic energy production.
Traveling-Wave Based Fault Location for Phase-to-Ground Fault in Non-Effectively Earthed Distribution Networks
Authors: Wang Yani , Zheng Tao , Yang Chang , Yu Li
Published: September 2020

This paper presents a multi-terminal traveling-wave-based fault location method for phase-to-ground fault in non-effectively earthed distribution systems. To improve the accuracy of fault location, a two-terminal approach is used to identify the faulty branch and a single-ended approach is followed to determine the fault distance based on the arrival time of reflected traveling waves. Wavelet decomposition is employed to extract the time-frequency component of the aerial-mode traveling waves. Magnitude and polarity of the wavelet coefficients are used to estimate the fault distance starting from the propagation fault point to the branch terminal. In addition, the network is divided into several sub-networks in order to reduce the number of measurement units. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated by simulations considering the phase-to-ground fault that happens at different positions in the distribution network.