bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Gaps in Time-Series Data Affect Asteroseismic Interpretation
Authors: Bradley Paul A.
Published: December 2021

Most pulsating white dwarf stars pulsate with many periods, each of which is a probe of their interior, which has made asteroseismolgy of these stars an active field. However, disentangling the multiple periodicities requires long, uninterrupted strings of data. We briefly describe the history of multi-site observing campaigns that culminated in the development of the Whole Earth Telescope in the late 1980s that still functions today. Through examples from the May 1990 campaign on GD 358, we show how critical it is to eliminate periodic gaps in data to greatly reduce aliasing in Fourier Transforms normally used to analyze the frequency content of pulsating white dwarfs. We close with a brief description of space satellite-based data, along with the advantages and disadvantages of these data compared to ground-based data.
Management of Nephrolithiasis in Pregnancy: Multi-Disciplinary Guidelines From an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Lee Matthew S. , Fenstermaker Michael A. , Naoum Emily E. , Chong Suzanne , Van de Ven Cosmas J. , Bauer Melissa E. , Kountanis Joanna A. , Ellis James H. , Shields James , Ambani Sapan , Krambeck Amy E. , Roberts William W. , Ghani Khurshid R.
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The management of nephrolithiasis during pregnancy can be stressful for urologists due to concerns for investigations and treatments that may pose risk of fetal harm, and unfamiliarity with optimal management of these complex patients. In response, we created multi-disciplinary evidence-based guidelines to standardize the care for obstetric patients presenting with flank pain and suspicion for nephrolithiasis.

Methods: A multi-disciplinary team involving Urology, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diagnostic Radiology, and Interventional Radiology from a single academic medical center was assembled. A PubMed search was performed using keywords of pregnancy/antepartum, nephrolithiasis/calculi/kidney stones, ureteroscopy, non-obstetric surgery, complications, preterm delivery, MRI, computerized tomography, renal bladder ultrasound (RBUS), and anesthesia to identify relevant articles. Team members reviewed their respective areas to create a comprehensive set of guidelines. One invited external expert reviewed the guidelines for validation purposes.

Results: A total of 54 articles were reviewed for evidence synthesis. Four guideline statements were constructed to guide diagnosis and imaging, and seven statements to guide intervention. Guidelines were then used to create a diagnostic and intervention flowchart for ease of use. In summary, RBUS should be the initial diagnostic study. If diagnostic uncertainty still exists, a non-contrast CT scan should be obtained. For obstetric patients presenting with a septic obstructing stone, urgent decompression should be achieved. We recommend ureteral stent placement as the preferred intervention if local factors allow.

Conclusions: We present a standardized care pathway for the management of nephrolithiasis during pregnancy. Our aim is to standardize and simplify the clinical management of these complex scenarios for urologists.
Polivinil-alkohol (PVA) szál (fiber) alapú szövet (fólia) hidrofilicitásának optimalizálása
Authors: Czibulya Zsuzsanna , Csík Attila , Bakó József , Novák Levente , Szabó Péter , Hegedűs Csaba
Published: December 2021

A sebgyógyulást elősegítő anyagoknak számos kémiai, biológiai, mechanikai feltételnek kell megfelelniük, mint példáula biokompatibilitás, biodegradábilitás; eközben adott ideig meg kell tartaniuk a kialakított szerkezetet, és szelektíven kell kölcsönhatásba lépniük pl. a csontképződésben részt vevő sejtekkel is. Munkánk célja stabil szerkezetet biztosító, hőkezeléssel iniciált, citromsavval keresztkötött polivinil-alkohol vázak elektrosztatikus szálképzéssel történő előállítása volt. A szálak stabilitását a keresztkötőanyag mennyiségének optimalizálásával és a szövetek hőkezelésével kívántuk elérni. A kiindulási polimer oldatok viszkozitását folyásgörbe mérésekből határoztuk meg. Az ebből készített szövetek felületi morfológiáját alacsony vákuumú pásztázó elektronmikroszkópia és nedvesítési peremszög mérésekkel meghatározott paraméterek változásait detektálva tanulmányoztuk. A keresztkötőanyag-tartalom növelése a szálátmérő növekedését, (224 ± 52 nm-ről, 269 ± 109 nm-re) az eloszlás kiszélesedését és a hidrofilicitás csökkenését eredményezte, amely hatásokat a hőkezelés még kifejezettebbé tett. Az ekképpen előállított minták hőkezelés után a desztillált vizes 24–120 órányi áztatásnak is ellenálltak. Az eredmények alapján meghatározható egy felhasználás szempontjából optimális polimer oldat összetétel.
Epilepsziás páciens protetikai rehabilitációja BioHpp alkalmazásával
Authors: Németh Fanni , Hermann Péter
Published: December 2021

Terápiarezisztens epilepsziás páciensünk anamnézisében több rohamforma is előfordult, így évente többször grand mal, mely tudatvesztéssel is együtt jár, absence roham, myoklónusos roham, és komplex parciális roham. A rohamok testszerte számos sérülést okoztak, így clavicula-törést, orbita alap törést és vállficamot, valamint a felső részleges fémlemezes fogpótlás akrilát műínyének és műfogainak törését, ezért a konvencionális tervezésű fogpótlás használhatatlanná vált. A BioHpp anyaga rugalmasabb a hagyományos fémlemezek anyagaihoz képest. Az ebből készült kivehető lemezes fogpótlását páciensünk 1,5 éve panaszmentesen viseli. Kevésbé törékeny fizikai tulajdonságai miatt a BioHpp használatának új indikációs területét jelentené az epilepsziás páciensek kivehető fogpótlással történő ellátása.
The Growing Importance of the Economic Role of the Corporate Bond Market
Authors: Bécsi Attila , Bognár Gergely , Lóga Máté
Published: December 2021

The role of corporate bonds has expanded globally in the past decade, as they are an ideal financial instrument both for diversifying the liability structure of issuing companies and managing investors’ portfolios. An adequately developed, liquid corporate bond market has a beneficial effect on the functioning and transparency of the market mechanisms of the economy and can also strengthen the crisis resilience of the financial system. Several studies have shown that – in addition to the normal functioning of companies – the issue of corporate financing is also important in crisis management, as uncertainty during a crisis has a negative impact on the liquidity of bank lending, limiting companies’ funding options. In such a situation, it is therefore vital that companies can also rely on other forms of financing. Recognising this in the aftermath of the 2008–2009 economic crisis, central banks in a number of countries launched bond purchase programmes in order to start supporting the expansion of the corporate bond market. Thanks to the Bond Funding for Growth Scheme (BFGS) of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (the Central Bank of Hungary, MNB), the Hungarian corporate bond market now offers a realistic financing alternative to bank loans for a wide range of companies.
Financial Exclusion in the Digital Payment Space
Authors: Somogyvári Márta
Published: December 2021

The digitalisation of payment systems is accelerating and appears unstoppable. Today, we use mixed payment systems based on cash and digital money, but an increasing number of central banks are exploring the possibility of introducing central bank digital currency and full digitalisation. The greatest obstacle to this is not only the increase in the amount of cash in circulation, but also the situation of those social groups that do not use electronic payment methods and are excluded from financial services. There are several reasons for the latter, including economic and intellectual access difficulties, low levels of digital and financial literacy, banks’ business policies and difficulties in accessing digital infrastructure. Subsidising digital access and various educational training programmes can help reduce financial exclusion, but the most impactful solution may be developments that use artificial intelligence to replace face-to-face contact. This requires rapid, safe, transparent innovations that take into account the specific characteristics of the heterogeneous groups affected by financial exclusion.
Developmental Change of Yolk Microbiota and Its Role on Early Colonization of Intestinal Microbiota in Chicken Embryo
Authors: Ding Peng , Liu Huichao , Tong Yueyue , He Xi , Yin Xin , Yin Yulong , Zhang Haihan , Song Zehe
Published: December 2021

Although the fertilized eggs were found to contain microbes in early studies, the detailed composition of yolk microbiota and its influence on embryo intestinal microbiota have not been satisfactorily examined yet. In this study, the yolk microbiota was explored by using 16s rRNA sequencing at different developmental stages of the broiler embryo. The results showed that the relative abundance of yolk microbiota was barely changed during embryogenesis. According to the KEGG analysis, the yolk microbiota were functionally related to amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolisms during chicken embryogenesis. The yolk microbiota influences the embryonic intestinal microbiota through increasing the colonization of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes in the intestine, particularly. The intestinal microbes of neonatal chicks showed higher proportions of Faecalibacterium, Blautia, Coprococcus, Dorea, and Roseburia compared to the embryonic intestinal microbiota. Our findings might give a better understanding of the composition and developmental change of yolk microbiota and its roles in shaping the intestinal microbiota.
The NRF2-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation of Antioxidant Defense Pathways: Relevance for Cell Type-Specific Vulnerability to Neurodegeneration and Therapeutic Intervention
Authors: Boas Stephanie M. , Joyce Kathlene L. , Cowell Rita M.
Published: December 2021

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology and pathobiology of various neurodegenerative diseases. At baseline, the cells of the nervous system have the capability to regulate the genes for antioxidant defenses by engaging nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NFE2/NRF)-dependent transcriptional mechanisms, and a number of strategies have been proposed to activate these pathways to promote neuroprotection. Here, we briefly review the biology of the transcription factors of the NFE2/NRF family in the brain and provide evidence for the differential cellular localization of NFE2/NRF family members in the cells of the nervous system. We then discuss these findings in the context of the oxidative stress observed in two neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and present current strategies for activating NFE2/NRF-dependent transcription. Based on the expression of the NFE2/NRF family members in restricted populations of neurons and glia, we propose that, when designing strategies to engage these pathways for neuroprotection, the relative contributions of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types to the overall oxidative state of tissue should be considered, as well as the cell types which have the greatest intrinsic capacity for producing antioxidant enzymes.
Numerical Simulation of Ultra-Shallow Buried Large-Span Double-Arch Tunnel Excavated under an Expressway
Authors: Wang Jianxiu , Cao Ansheng , Wu Zhao , Sun Zhipeng , Lin Xiao , Sun Lei , Liu Xiaotian , Li Huboqiang , Sun Yuanwei
Published: December 2021

The temporal and spatial effects of a complicated excavation process are vital for an ultra-shallow buried large-span double-arch tunnel excavated under an expressway in service. Numerical simulations are urgent and necessary to understand the effect of the total construction process. Taking Xiamen Haicang tunnel as a research object, the total excavation process of three pilot tunnels and the three-bench reserved core soil method of an ultra-shallow buried large-span double-arch tunnel with a fault fracture zone under an expressway was simulated using software FLAC3D. The deformation of the surface, surrounding rock, underground pipelines, tunnel support structure and partition wall of the three pilot tunnels and the main tunnel was analyzed, and the dangerous areas and time nodes were obtained. When the tunnel was excavated to the fault fracture zone, the deformation of the surface and surrounding rock increased significantly. The rock and soil within 20 m behind the excavation surface of the pilot tunnel were greatly disturbed by the excavation. During the excavation of the main tunnel, the horizontal displacement of the middle partition wall moved slightly towards the main tunnel excavated first. The research results can provide a reference for the construction design of double-arch tunnels.
Ensemble-Guided Model for Performance Enhancement in Model-Complexity-Limited Acoustic Scene Classification
Authors: Lee Seokjin , Kim Minhan , Shin Seunghyeon , Baek Seungjae , Park Sooyoung , Jeong Youngho
Published: December 2021

In recent acoustic scene classification (ASC) models, various auxiliary methods to enhance performance have been applied, e.g., subsystem ensembles and data augmentations. Particularly, the ensembles of several submodels may be effective in the ASC models, but there is a problem with increasing the size of the model because it contains several submodels. Therefore, it is hard to be used in model-complexity-limited ASC tasks. In this paper, we would like to find the performance enhancement method while taking advantage of the model ensemble technique without increasing the model size. Our method is proposed based on a mean-teacher model, which is developed for consistency learning in semi-supervised learning. Because our problem is supervised learning, which is different from the purpose of the conventional mean-teacher model, we modify detailed strategies to maximize the consistency learning performance. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method, experiments were performed with an ASC database from the Detection and Classification of Acoustic Scenes and Events 2021 Task 1A. The small-sized ASC model with our proposed method improved the log loss performance up to 1.009 and the F1-score performance by 67.12%, whereas the vanilla ASC model showed a log loss of 1.052 and an F1-score of 65.79%.
Loop Closure Detection in RGB-D SLAM by Utilizing Siamese ConvNet Features
Authors: Xu Gang , Li Xiang , Zhang Xingyu , Xing Guangxin , Pan Feng
Published: December 2021

Loop closure detection is a key challenge in visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems, which has attracted significant research interest in recent years. It entails correctly determining whether a scene has previously been visited by a mobile robot and completely establishing the consistent maps of motion. There are many loop closure detection methods that have been proposed, but most of these algorithms are handcrafted features-based and perform weak robustness to illumination variations. In this paper, we investigate a Siamese Convolutional Neural Network (SCNN) to solve the task of loop closure detection in RGB-D SLAM. Firstly, we use a pre-trained SCNN model to extract features as image descriptors; then, the L2 norm distance is adopted as a similarity metric between descriptors. In terms of the learned features for matching, there are two key issues for discussion: (1) how to define an appropriate loss as supervision (utilizing the cross-entropy loss, the contrastive loss, or the combination of two); and (2) how to combine the appearance information in RGB images and position information in depth images (utilizing early fusion, mid-level fusion or late fusion). We compare our proposed method of different baseline by experiments carried out on two public datasets (New College and NYU), and our performance outperforms the state-of-the-art.
The Impact of the 2020 Oil Production Fluctuations on Methane Emissions over the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries: A Satellite Approach
Authors: Farahat Ashraf
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 outbreak has significantly affected global industrial and transportation markets. Airlines, rails, and cars’ industries and their supporting energy sectors have been substantially disrupted by the pandemic. This has resulted in undermined energy demand around the world during 2019 and 2020. The organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) led by Saudi Arabia failed to persuade Russia to cutback oil supplies to deal with the loss of demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. On 8 March 2020, Saudi Arabia announced a raise in its oil production and offered a large discount on its crude oil sales. By April 2020, Saudi Arabia increased its oil production to about 12 million-oil barrels/day. This rise in oil production has not only resulted in the biggest fall in oil prices since the 1991 Gulf War but also increased methane emissions over the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regions. Here, we report 2019 and 2020 data set of average seasonal methane-mixing ratio retrieved from TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board of S5P spacecraft over 19 refineries and oil fields in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. Low methane emissions were recorded over western and central Saudi Arabia compared to the eastern side of the country. In general, high methane emissions were observed in 2020 compared to 2019 around oil refineries and fields in western, central, and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia as well as over other GCC countries. This could be attributed to the oil high production associated with the oil prices fluctuation during 2020.
There Is More Than Meets the Eye: Identification of Dual Molecular Diagnosis in Patients Affected by Hearing Loss
Authors: Morgan Anna , Faletra Flavio , Severi Giulia , La Bianca Martina , Licchetta Laura , Gasparini Paolo , Graziano Claudio , Girotto Giorgia
Published: December 2021

Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory impairment, and it is characterized by a high clinical/genetic heterogeneity. Here we report the identification of dual molecular diagnoses (i.e., mutations at two loci that lead to the expression of two Mendelian conditions) in a series of families affected by non-syndromic and syndromic HL. Eighty-two patients who displayed HL as a major clinical feature have been recruited during the last year. After an accurate clinical evaluation, individuals have been analyzed through whole-exome sequencing (WES). This protocol led to the identification of seven families characterized by the presence of a dual diagnosis. In particular, based on the clinical and genetic findings, patients have been classified into two groups: (a) patients with HL and distinct phenotypes not fitting in a known syndrome due to mutations at two loci (e.g., HL in association with Marfan syndrome) and (b) patients with two genes involved in HL phenotype (e.g., TMPRSS3 and MYH14). These data highlight for the first time the high prevalence of dual molecular diagnoses in HL patients and suggest that they should be considered especially for those cases that depart from the expected clinical manifestation or those characterized by a significant intra-familiar variability.
Cognitive Training with Neurofeedback Using NIRS Improved Cognitive Functions in Young Adults: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Nouchi Rui , Nouchi Haruka , Dinet Jerome , Kawashima Ryuta
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: A previous study has shown that cognitive training with neurofeedback (CT-NF) using down-regulation improves cognitive functions in young adults. Neurofeedback has two strategies for manipulating brain activity (down-regulation and upregulation). However, the benefit of CT-NF with the upregulation of cognitive functions is still unknown. In this study, we investigated whether the upregulation of CT-NF improves a wide range of cognitive functions compared to cognitive training alone. (2) Methods: In this double-blinded randomized control trial (RCT), 60 young adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups: CT-NF group, CT alone group, and an active control (ACT) group who played a puzzle game. Participants in the three groups used the same device (tablet PC and 2ch NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy)) and performed the training game for 20 min every day for four weeks. We measured brain activity during training in all groups, but only CT-NFs received NF. We also measured a wide range of cognitive functions before and after the intervention period. (3) Results: The CT-NF groups showed superior beneficial effects on episodic memory, working memory, and attention compared to the CT alone and ACT groups. In addition, the CT-NF group showed an increase in brain activity during CT, which was associated with improvements in cognitive function. (4) Discussion: This study first demonstrated that the CT-NF using the upregulation strategy has beneficial effects on cognitive functions compared to the CT alone. Our results suggest that greater brain activities during CT would enhance a benefit from CT.
HIF-Dependent CKB Expression Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis, Whereas Cyclocreatine Therapy Impairs Cellular Invasion and Improves Chemotherapy Efficacy
Authors: Krutilina Raisa I. , Playa Hilaire , Brooks Danielle L. , Schwab Luciana P. , Parke Deanna N. , Oluwalana Damilola , Layman Douglas R. , Fan Meiyun , Johnson Daniel L. , Yue Junming , Smallwood Heather , Seagroves Tiffany N.
Published: December 2021

The oxygen-responsive hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 promotes several steps of the metastatic cascade. A hypoxic gene signature is enriched in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and is correlated with poor patient survival. Inhibiting the HIF transcription factors with small molecules is challenging; therefore, we sought to identify genes downstream of HIF-1 that could be targeted to block invasion and metastasis. Creatine kinase brain isoform (CKB) was identified as a highly differentially expressed gene in a screen of HIF-1 wild type and knockout mammary tumor cells derived from a transgenic model of metastatic breast cancer. CKB is a cytosolic enzyme that reversibly catalyzes the phosphorylation of creatine, generating phosphocreatine (PCr) in the forward reaction, and regenerating ATP in the reverse reaction. Creatine kinase activity is inhibited by the creatine analog cyclocreatine (cCr). Loss- and gain-of-function genetic approaches were used in combination with cCr therapy to define the contribution of CKB expression or creatine kinase activity to cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis in ER-negative breast cancers. CKB was necessary for cell invasion in vitro and strongly promoted tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. Similarly, cyclocreatine therapy repressed cell migration, cell invasion, the formation of invadopodia and lung metastasis. Moreover, in common TNBC cell line models, the addition of cCr to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy agents was either additive or synergistic to repress tumor cell growth.
The Nerve Growth Factor Metabolic Pathway Dysregulation as Cause of Alzheimer’s Cholinergic Atrophy
Authors: Do Carmo Sonia , Kannel Benjamin , Cuello A. Claudio
Published: December 2021

The cause of the loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) and their terminal synapses in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has provoked a decades-long controversy. The cholinergic phenotype of this neuronal system, involved in numerous cognitive mechanisms, is tightly dependent on the target-derived nerve growth factor (NGF). Consequently, the loss of BFCNs cholinergic phenotype in AD was initially suspected to be due to an NGF trophic failure. However, in AD there is a normal NGF synthesis and abundance of the NGF precursor (proNGF), therefore the NGF trophic failure hypothesis for the atrophy of BCNs was abandoned. In this review, we discuss the history of NGF-dependency of BFCNs and the atrophy of these neurons in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Further to it, we propose that trophic factor failure explains the BFCNs atrophy in AD. We discuss evidence of the occurrence of a brain NGF metabolic pathway, the dysregulation of which, in AD explains the severe deficiency of NGF trophic support for the maintenance of BFCNs cholinergic phenotype. Finally, we revise recent evidence that the NGF metabolic dysregulation in AD pathology starts at preclinical stages. We also propose that the alteration of NGF metabolism-related markers in body fluids might assist in the AD preclinical diagnosis.
Decrease of Pro-Angiogenic Monocytes Predicts Clinical Response to Anti-Angiogenic Treatment in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Oudard Stephane , Benhamouda Nadine , Escudier Bernard , Ravel Patrice , Tran Thi , Levionnois Emeline , Negrier Sylvie , Barthelemy Philippe , Berdah Jean , Gross-Goupil Marine , Sternberg Cora , Bono Petri , Porta Camillo , De Giorgi Ugo , Parikh Omi , Hawkins Robert , Highley Martin , Wilke Jochen , Decker Thomas , Tanchot Corinne , Gey Alain , Terme Magali , Tartour Eric
Published: December 2021

The modulation of subpopulations of pro-angiogenic monocytes (VEGFR-1+CD14 and Tie2+CD14) was analyzed in an ancillary study from the prospective PazopanIb versus Sunitinib patient preferenCE Study (PISCES) (NCT01064310), where metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients were treated with two anti-angiogenic drugs, either sunitinib or pazopanib. Blood samples from 86 patients were collected prospectively at baseline (T1), and at 10 weeks (T2) and 20 weeks (T3) after starting anti-angiogenic therapy. Various subpopulations of myeloid cells (monocytes, VEGFR-1+CD14 and Tie2+CD14 cells) decreased during treatment. When patients were divided into two subgroups with a decrease (defined as a >20% reduction from baseline value) (group 1) or not (group 2) at T3 for VEGFR-1+CD14 cells, group 1 patients presented a median PFS and OS of 24 months and 37 months, respectively, compared with a median PFS of 9 months (p = 0.032) and a median OS of 16 months (p = 0.033) in group 2 patients. The reduction in Tie2+CD14 at T3 predicted a benefit in OS at 18 months after therapy (p = 0.04). In conclusion, in this prospective clinical trial, a significant decrease in subpopulations of pro-angiogenic monocytes was associated with clinical response to anti-angiogenic drugs in patients with mRCC.
Role of Human Antigen R (HuR) in the Regulation of Pulmonary ACE2 Expression
Authors: Aloufi Noof , Haidar Zahraa , Ding Jun , Nair Parameswaran , Benedetti Andrea , Eidelman David H. , Gallouzi Imed-Eddine , Di Marco Sergio , Hussain Sabah N. , Baglole Carolyn J.
Published: December 2021

Patients with COPD may be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 because of ACE2 upregulation, the entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke, the main risk factor for COPD, increases pulmonary ACE2. How ACE2 expression is controlled is not known but may involve HuR, an RNA binding protein that increases protein expression by stabilizing mRNA. We hypothesized that HuR would increase ACE2 protein expression. We analyzed scRNA-seq data to profile ELAVL1 expression in distinct respiratory cell populations in COVID-19 and COPD patients. HuR expression and cellular localization was evaluated in COPD lung tissue by multiplex immunohistochemistry and in human lung cells by imaging flow cytometry. The regulation of ACE2 expression was evaluated using siRNA-mediated knockdown of HuR. There is a significant positive correlation between ELAVL1 and ACE2 in COPD cells. HuR cytoplasmic localization is higher in smoker and COPD lung tissue; there were also higher levels of cleaved HuR (CP-1). HuR binds to ACE2 mRNA but knockdown of HuR does not change ACE2 protein levels in primary human lung fibroblasts (HLFs). Our work is the first to investigate the association between ACE2 and HuR. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanistic underpinning behind the regulation of ACE2 expression.
Chemosensory Optode Array Based on Pluronic-Stabilized Microspheres for Differential Sensing
Authors: Kalinowska Aleksandra , Wicik Magdalena , Matusiak Patrycja , Ciosek-Skibińska Patrycja
Published: December 2021

Differential sensing techniques are becoming nowadays an attractive alternative to classical selective recognition methods due to the “fingerprinting” possibility allowing identifying various analytes without the need to fabricate highly selective binding recognition sites. This work shows for the first time that surfactant-based ion-sensitive microspheres as optodes in the microscale can be designed as cross-sensitive materials; thus, they are perfect candidates as sensing elements for differential sensing. Four types of the newly developed chemosensory microspheres—anion- and cation-selective, sensitive toward amine- and hydroxyl moiety—exhibited a wide range of linear response (two to five orders of magnitude) in absorbance and/or fluorescence mode, great time stability (at least 2 months), as well as good fabrication repeatability. The array of four types of chemosensitive microspheres was capable of perfect pattern-based identification of eight neurotransmitters: dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, histamine, taurine, and phenylethylamine. Moreover, it allowed the quantification of neurotransmitters, also in mixtures. Its selectivity toward neurotransmitters was studied using α- and β-amino acids (Ala, Asp, Pro, Tyr, taurine) in simulated blood plasma solution. It was revealed that the chemosensory optode set could recognize subtle differences in the chemical structure based on the differential interaction of microspheres with various moieties present in the molecule. The presented method is simple, versatile, and convenient, and it could be adopted to various quantitative and qualitative analytical tasks due to the simple adjusting of microspheres components and measurement conditions.
Polysaccharide-Based Active Coatings Incorporated with Bioactive Compounds for Reducing Postharvest Losses of Fresh Fruits
Authors: Shiekh Khursheed Ahmad , Ngiwngam Kittaporn , Tongdeesoontorn Wirongrong
Published: December 2021

This review reports recently published research related to the application of polysaccharide-based biodegradable and edible coatings (BECs) fortified with bioactive compounds obtained from plant essential oils (EOs) and phenolic compounds of plant extracts. Combinations of polysaccharides such as starches, pectin, alginate, cellulose derivatives, and chitosan with active compounds obtained from clove, lemon, cinnamon, lavender, oregano, and peppermint have been documented as potential candidates for biologically active coating materials for retardation of quality changes in fresh fruits. Additionally, polysaccharide-based active coatings supplemented with plant extracts such as cashew leaves, pomegranate peel, red roselle, apple fiber, and green tea extracts rich in phenolic compounds and their derivatives have been reported to be excellent substituents to replace chemically formulated wax coatings. Moreover, EOs and plant polyphenolics including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones phenols, organic acids, terpenes, and esters contain hydroxyl functional groups that contribute bioactivity to BECs against oxidation and reduction of microbial load in fresh fruits. Therefore, BECs enriched with active compounds from EOs and plant extracts minimize physiological and microbial deterioration by reducing moisture loss, softening of flesh, ripening, and decay caused by pathogenic bacterial strains, mold, or yeast rots, respectively. As a result, shelf life of fresh fruits can be extended by employing active polysaccharide coatings supplemented with EOs and plant extracts prior to postharvest storage.
Optimization of the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Grouting Material for Non-Soil-Squeezing PHC Pipe Pile
Authors: Hou Zhenkun , Tang Mengxiong , Liang Shihua , Zhu Yi
Published: December 2021

The physical and mechanical properties of grouting materials greatly affect the friction resistance and the bearing performance of a non-soil-squeezing PHC pipe pile. Orthogonal tests for four factors at five levels were carried out to optimize the proportion of the water–cement mixture by using Portland cement as a raw material and a water-reducing agent, expansion agent and early-strength agent as additives. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) Both the water–cement ratio and the dosage of water-reducing agent are positively correlated with the fluidity of the water–cement mixture and have the greatest influence on the fluidity, followed by the expansion agent and early-strength agent. The saturation point of the water-reducing agent is 1.5%. (2) The strength of the grouting body decreases linearly with the increase of the water–cement ratio, and the dosage of the water-reducing agent has no obvious effect on the strength. As the dosage of expansion agent increases, the strength of the grouting body decreases rapidly. The expansion agent mainly plays a key role in the middle and late stages of the hardening process of the slurry. Early-strength agents have a greater impact on the early strength, but less on the later strength. When the slurry is solidified for 3 h, the early-strength agent has the greatest impact on the strength with an optimal dosage of 5%. (3) The volume of the grouting body has an inverse relationship with the water–cement ratio, and the optimal amount of expansion agent is 12%. The incorporation of an expansion agent makes the volume increase of the grouting body exceed the volume shrinkage ratio caused by the hardening of the grouting body with a curing time of more than 3 days, ensuring a slight increase in the volume of the grouting body. After 3 days, even though the effect of the expansion agent is gradually weakened, it can still ensure that the volume of the grouting body does not shrink. With the increase of the amount of water-reducing agent, the volume of the grouting body gradually decreases. When the amount of water-reducing agent exceeds 1.5%, the volume of the grouting body no longer decreases. (4) The early-strength agent has almost no effect on the volume of the grouting body. When the curing time is 3 h, the water–cement ratio has the greatest influence on the volume of the grouting body, followed by the water-reducing agent, and, finally, the expansion agent. After 3 h, the water–cement ratio still has the greatest influence, and the influence of the expansion agent gradually exceeds that of the water-reducing agent. The water-reducing agent mainly affects the volume of the grouting body in the water separation stage, and the expansion agent mainly plays a role in the middle and late stages of the slurry solidification. After optimized ratio analysis, the fluidity of the water–cement mixture can be improved, the volume shrinkage ratio rate can be lowered and the early strength can be increased.
Prospective Randomized Phase II Study of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) vs. Conventional Fractionated Radiotherapy (CFRT) for Chinese Patients with Early-Stage Localized Prostate Cancer
Authors: Poon Darren M. C. , Lam Daisy , Wong Kenneth C. W. , Chu Cheuk-Man , Cheung Michael , Mo Frankie , Suen Joyce , Ng Chi-Fai , Chan Anthony T. C.
Published: December 2021

Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has potential radiobiologic and economic advantages over conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) in localized prostate cancer (PC). This study aimed to compare the effects of these two distinct fractionations on patient-reported quality of life (PRQOL) and tolerability. Methods: In this prospective phase II study, patients with low- and intermediate-risk localized PC were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the SBRT (36.25 Gy/5 fractions/2 weeks) or CFRT (76 Gy/38 fractions/7.5 weeks) treatment groups. The primary endpoint of variation in PRQOL at 1 year was assessed by changes in the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire scores and analysed by z-tests and t-tests. Results: Sixty-four eligible Chinese men were treated (SBRT, n = 31; CFRT, n = 33) with a median follow-up of 2.3 years. At 1 year, 40.0%/46.9% of SBRT/CFRT patients had a >5-point decrease in bowel score (p = 0.08/0.28), respectively, and 53.3%/46.9% had a >2-point decrease in urinary score (p = 0.21/0.07). There were no significant differences in EPIC score changes between the arms at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, but SBRT was associated with significantly fewer grade ≥ 1 acute and 1-year late gastrointestinal toxicities (acute: 35% vs. 87%, p < 0.0001; 1-year late: 64% vs. 84%, p = 0.03), and grade ≥ 2 acute genitourinary toxicities (3% vs. 24%, p = 0.04) compared with CFRT. Conclusion: SBRT offered similar PRQOL and less toxicity compared with CFRT in Chinese men with localized PC.
No Preferred Reference Frame at the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Stuckey William , McDevitt Timothy , Silberstein Michael
Published: December 2021

Quantum information theorists have created axiomatic reconstructions of quantum mechanics (QM) that are very successful at identifying precisely what distinguishes quantum probability theory from classical and more general probability theories in terms of information-theoretic principles. Herein, we show how one such principle, Information Invariance and Continuity, at the foundation of those axiomatic reconstructions, maps to “no preferred reference frame” (NPRF, aka “the relativity principle”) as it pertains to the invariant measurement of Planck’s constant h for Stern-Gerlach (SG) spin measurements. This is in exact analogy to the relativity principle as it pertains to the invariant measurement of the speed of light c at the foundation of special relativity (SR). Essentially, quantum information theorists have extended Einstein’s use of NPRF from the boost invariance of measurements of c to include the SO(3) invariance of measurements of h between different reference frames of mutually complementary spin measurements via the principle of Information Invariance and Continuity. Consequently, the “mystery” of the Bell states is understood to result from conservation per Information Invariance and Continuity between different reference frames of mutually complementary qubit measurements, and this maps to conservation per NPRF in spacetime. If one falsely conflates the relativity principle with the classical theory of SR, then it may seem impossible that the relativity principle resides at the foundation of non-relativisitic QM. In fact, there is nothing inherently classical or quantum about NPRF. Thus, the axiomatic reconstructions of QM have succeeded in producing a principle account of QM that reveals as much about Nature as the postulates of SR.
Effect of Pyrolysis Atmosphere on the Gasification of Waste Tire Char
Authors: Grzywacz Przemysław , Czerski Grzegorz , Gańczarczyk Wojciech
Published: December 2021

The aim of the study is to assess the influence of the atmosphere during pyrolysis on the course of CO2 gasification of a tire waste char. Two approaches were used: the pyrolysis step was carried out in an inert atmosphere of argon (I) or in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide (II). The examinations were carried out in non-isothermal conditions using a Rubotherm DynTherm thermobalance in the temperature range of 20–1100 °C and three heating rates: 5, 10 and 15 K/min. Based on the results of the gasification examinations, the TG (Thermogravimetry) and DTG (Derivative Thermogravimetry) curves were developed and the kinetic parameters were calculated using the KAS (Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose) and FWO (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa) methods. Additionally, the CO2 gasification of tire chars reaction order (n), was evaluated, and the kinetic parameters were calculated with the use of Coats and Redfern method. Tire waste char obtained in an argon atmosphere was characterized by lower reactivity, which was reflected in shift of conversion and DTG curves to higher temperatures and higher mean values of activation energy. A variability of activation energy values with the progress of the reaction was observed. For char obtained in an argon atmosphere, the activation energy varied in the range of 191.1–277.2 kJ/mol and, for a char obtained in an atmosphere of CO2, in the range of 148.0–284.8 kJ/mol. The highest activation energy values were observed at the beginning of the gasification process and the lowest for the conversion degree 0.5–0.7.
Improvement of Properties of an Insulated Wall for Refrigerated Trailer-Numerical and Experimental Study
Authors: Zdun Konrad , Uhl Tadeusz
Published: December 2021

In the paper, we report our research on the improvement of thermal efficiency of refrigerated trailers by modification of their wall structure by placing a layer of phase change material inside them. The research was carried out in the field of transport, meeting the requirements of all classes provided for in the ATP agreement for refrigerated trailers. As part of the research, we formulated a numerical model of the proposed design of the refrigerator walls, which was subsequently validated by comparing the modeling results with the results of experimental tests carried out on a test bench designed specifically for this purpose. Based on the validated simulation conditions, we formulated the numerical model of a full-scale refrigerated semi-trailer, which was numerically tested under the conditions specified in the ATP Agreement. The results proved that adding a 6 mm layer of the SP-24 phase change material in each of the walls of the cold store allows the temperature inside the trailer to be kept below −20 °C for a period of 24 h without the need to supply cold from the outside during operation. The passive refrigerated semi-trailer system implemented in this manner with 6 mm PCM layer allows for a reduction in primary energy consumption by up to 86% in a period of 22 h. The mentioned percentage did not take into account the efficiency of the cooling system of the phase change material.
Mechanistic Insights into Hydrodeoxygenation of Acetone over Mo/HZSM-5 Bifunctional Catalyst for the Production of Hydrocarbons
Authors: Miao Kai , Li Tan , Su Jing , Wang Cong , Wang Kaige
Published: December 2021

Catalytic hydropyrolysis via the introduction of external hydrogen into catalytic pyrolysis process using hydrodeoxygenation catalysts is one of the major approaches of bio-oil upgrading. In this study, hydrodeoxygenation of acetone over Mo/HZSM-5 and HZSM-5 were investigated with focus on the influence of hydrogen pressure and catalyst deactivation. It is found that doped MoO3 could prolong the catalyst activity due to the suppression of coke formation. The influence of hydrogen pressure on catalytic HDO of acetone was further studied. Hydrogen pressure of 30 bar effectively prolonged catalyst activity while decreased the coke deposition over catalyst. The coke formation over the HZSM-5 and Mo/HZSM-5 under 30 bar hydrogen pressure decreased 66% and 83%, respectively, compared to that under atmospheric hydrogen pressure. Compared to the test with the HZSM-5, 35% higher yield of aliphatics and 60% lower coke were obtained from the Mo/HZSM-5 under 30 bar hydrogen pressure. Characterization of the spent Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst revealed the deactivation was mainly due to the carbon deposition blocking the micropores and Bronsted acid sites. Mo/HZSM-5 was proved to be potentially enhanced production of hydrocarbons.
Screening and Identification of Yeasts from Fruits and Their Coculture for Cider Production
Authors: Hou Chih-Yao , Huang Pei-Hsiu , Lai Yen-Tso , Lin Shin-Ping , Liou Bo-Kang , Lin Hui-Wen , Hsieh Chang-Wei , Cheng Kuan-Chen
Published: December 2021

Coculturing non-Saccharomyces yeasts with Saccharomyces cerevisiae could enrich the aromatic complexity of alcoholic beverages during cider brewing. Therefore, the present study performed rapid strain screening via selective culture medium and aroma analysis and adopted a response surface methodology to optimize fermentation conditions to produce 2-phenylethyl acetate (PEA), which presents a rose and honey scent. The effects of coculturing yeasts on cider quality were evaluated through hedonic sensory analysis and the check-all-that-apply (CATA) method. Hanseniaspora vineae P5 and S. cerevisiae P1 produced ciders with high levels of PEA and 2-phenylethanol, respectively. The optimal fermentation process consisted of sequential inoculation with a 31 h delay between inoculations, followed by fermentation for 14.5 d at 18.7 °C, yielding 17.41 ± 0.51 mg/L of PEA, which was 4.6-fold higher than that obtained through the unoptimized fermentation process. Additionally, the CATA results revealed that the cider produced through coculturing was associated with descriptors such as “smooth taste”, “honey”, “pineapple”, and “fruity”, which can be attributed to the high ethyl acetate and PEA levels in the cider.
Machine Learning-Based Lie Detector Applied to a Novel Annotated Game Dataset
Authors: Rodriguez-Diaz Nuria , Aspandi Decky , Sukno Federico M. , Binefa Xavier
Published: December 2021

Lie detection is considered a concern for everyone in their day-to-day life, given its impact on human interactions. Thus, people normally pay attention to both what their interlocutors are saying and to their visual appearance, including the face, to find any signs that indicate whether or not the person is telling the truth. While automatic lie detection may help us to understand these lying characteristics, current systems are still fairly limited, partly due to lack of adequate datasets to evaluate their performance in realistic scenarios. In this work, we collect an annotated dataset of facial images, comprising both 2D and 3D information of several participants during a card game that encourages players to lie. Using our collected dataset, we evaluate several types of machine learning-based lie detectors in terms of their generalization, in person-specific and cross-application experiments. We first extract both handcrafted and deep learning-based features as relevant visual inputs, then pass them into multiple types of classifier to predict respective lie/non-lie labels. Subsequently, we use several metrics to judge the models’ accuracy based on the models predictions and ground truth. In our experiment, we show that models based on deep learning achieve the highest accuracy, reaching up to 57% for the generalization task and 63% when applied to detect the lie to a single participant. We further highlight the limitation of the deep learning-based lie detector when dealing with cross-application lie detection tasks. Finally, this analysis along the proposed datasets would potentially be useful not only from the perspective of computational systems perspective (e.g., improving current automatic lie prediction accuracy), but also for other relevant application fields, such as health practitioners in general medical counselings, education in academic settings or finance in the banking sector, where close inspections and understandings of the actual intentions of individuals can be very important.