bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrative analysis of sensory evaluation and non-targeted metabolomics to unravel tobacco leaf metabolites associated with sensory quality of heated tobacco
Authors: Zhao Lu , Shang Shanzhai , Tian Yongfeng , Gao Yulong , Song Zhongbang , Peng Lijuan , Li Zhuolin , Wang Bingwu
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Heated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) products are heating tobacco plug at a temperature of 350°C and produce different emissions in aerosol and sensory perceptions of tobacco leaf compared with combustible tobacco. Previous study assessed different tobacco varieties in heated tobacco for sensory quality and analyzed the links between sensory scores of the final products and certain chemical classes in tobacco leaf. However, contribution of individual metabolites to sensory quality of heated tobacco remains largely open for investigation.

Methods

In present study, five tobacco varieties were evaluated as heated tobacco for sensory quality by an expert panel and the volatile and non-volatile metabolites were analyzed by non-targeted metabolomics profiling.

Results

The five tobacco varieties had distinct sensory qualities and can be classified into higher and lower sensory rating classes. Principle component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed that leaf volatile and non-volatile metabolome annotated were grouped and clustered by sensory ratings of heated tobacco. Orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis followed by variable importance in projection and fold-change analysis revealed 13 volatiles and 345 non-volatiles able to discriminate the tobacco varieties with higher and lower sensory ratings. Some compounds such as β-damascenone, scopoletin, chlorogenic acids, neochlorogenic acids, and flavonol glycosyl derivatives had strong contribution to the prediction of sensory quality of heated tobacco. Several lyso-phosphatidylcholine and lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine lipid species, and reducing and non-reducing sugar molecules were also positively related to sensory quality.

Discussion

Taken together, these discriminating volatile and non-volatile metabolites support the role of leaf metabolites in affecting the sensory quality of heated tobacco and provide new information on the types of leaf metabolites that can be used to predict applicability of tobacco varieties for heated tobacco products.
A comprehensive review on emerging trends in the dynamic evolution of digital addiction and depression
Authors: Karakose Turgut , Yıldırım Bilal , Tülübaş Tijen , Kardas Abdurrahman
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Using digital addiction as an umbrella term to cover any type of addictions to digital technologies such as the internet, smartphones, social media, or video games, the current study aimed to reveal the intellectual structure and evolution of research addressing digital addiction-depression relationship.

Methods

The study combined bibliometric and science mapping analysis methods for this purpose. Data for the study was gathered from Web of Science Core Collection after a comprehensive process of data search/extraction, and 241 articles were included in the final data set. A period-based, comparative science mapping analysis was performed using the SciMAT software.

Results

The analysis of data over three periods, Period 1 (1983-2016), Period 2 (2017-2019), and Period 3 (2020-2022) showed that internet addiction was the most significant theme across all three periods, which was followed by social media addiction. Depression, which emerged as a significant theme during Period 1, was later covered under anxiety disorder theme. Research interest was mostly on factors related to both addiction and depression such as cognitive distortion, insomnia, loneliness, self-esteem, social support, alexithymia, as well as cybervictimization or academic performance.

Discussion

The results suggested that much research is warranted on the digital addiction-depression relationship in different age cohorts, especially children and elderly. Similarly, the current analysis showed that this line of research particularly focused on internet, gaming and social media addiction, and evidence with regard to other types of digital addiction or related compulsive behaviors was almost absent. In addition, research was mostly inclined to understanding cause-effect relationships, which is significant, but preventive strategies seemed to be barely addressed. Likewise, the smartphone addiction-depression relationship arguably garnered less research interest, so future research would contribute to the field in this respect.
Deep learning for studying drawing behavior: A review
Authors: Beltzung Benjamin , Pelé Marie , Renoult Julien P. , Sueur Cédric
Published: February 2023

In recent years, computer science has made major advances in understanding drawing behavior. Artificial intelligence, and more precisely deep learning, has displayed unprecedented performance in the automatic recognition and classification of large databases of sketches and drawings collected through touchpad devices. Although deep learning can perform these tasks with high accuracy, the way they are performed by the algorithms remains largely unexplored. Improving the interpretability of deep neural networks is a very active research area, with promising recent advances in understanding human cognition. Deep learning thus offers a powerful framework to study drawing behavior and the underlying cognitive processes, particularly in children and non-human animals, on whom knowledge is incomplete. In this literature review, we first explore the history of deep learning as applied to the study of drawing along with the main discoveries in this area, while proposing open challenges. Second, multiple ideas are discussed to understand the inherent structure of deep learning models. A non-exhaustive list of drawing datasets relevant to deep learning approaches is further provided. Finally, the potential benefits of coupling deep learning with comparative cultural analyses are discussed.
Psychological resilience buffers the association between cell phone addiction and sleep quality among college students in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Xie Guangming , Wu Qi , Guo Xiaohan , Zhang Jinpeng , Yin Dehui
Published: February 2023

Background and aims

Excessive use of cell phones can take up college students’ time and energy, and the sleep quality will inevitably be affected. A high level of psychological resilience can help them to maintain a positive attitude and cope with stressful events. However, few studies were conducted to investigate the effects of psychological resilience buffering cell phone addiction on sleep quality. In our hypothesis, psychological toughness would mitigate the worsening impact of cell phone addiction on sleep quality.

Methods

The sample consisted of 7,234 Chinese college students who completed an electronic questionnaire that included demographic characteristics, such as the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), the Psychological Resilience Index (CD-RISC), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). SPSS 26.0 was used for data analysis, the measurement data were described by x¯ ± s for those conforming to normal distribution, and the comparison of means between groups was analyzed by group t-test or one-way ANOVA. Those that was not conforming to normal distribution were described by median M (P25, P75), and the comparison of M between groups was analyzed by Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test. Using Spearman correlation analysis, the associations between mobile phone addiction, psychological resilience, and sleep quality were evaluated. Using SPSS Process, the mediating role of psychological resilience was examined.

Results

The mean scores of cell phone addiction and psychological resilience were 45.00 (SD = 13.59) and 60.58 (SD = 18.30), respectively; the sleep quality score M (P25, P75) was 5.0 (3.0, 7.0). Cell phone addiction among college students had a direct predictive effect on sleep quality (β = 0.260, P < 0.01), and psychological resilience had a negative correlation with both cell phone addiction and sleep quality (β = –0.073, P < 0.01, and β = –0.210, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience was responsible for a mediating effect value of 5.556% between cell phone addiction and sleep quality.

Conclusion

Cell phone addiction has an impact on sleep quality both directly and indirectly through the mediating effect of psychological resilience. Increased psychological resilience has the potential effect to buffer the exacerbating of cell phone addiction on sleep quality. These findings provide an evidence for cell phone addiction prevention, psychological management, and sleep improvement in China.
Detection of cassava brown streak ipomoviruses in aphids collected from cassava plants
Authors: Nanyiti Sarah , Kabaalu Richard , Alicai Titus , Abidrabo Phillip , Seal Susan E. , Bouvaine Sophie , Bailey Andy M. , Foster Gary D.
Published: February 2023

Cassava is an important staple food in Africa and a major source of carbohydrates for 800 million people globally. However, cassava suffers severe yield losses caused by many factors including pests and diseases. A devastating disease of cassava is cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) caused by the cassava brown streak ipomoviruses (CBSIs) (family Potyviridae), Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV), and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV). Spread of CBSD is mainly through planting infected stem cuttings used for propagation. Transmission of CBSIs by the insect vector (Bemisia tabaci) has been reported. However, experimental transmission efficiencies of CBSIs are usually low. Recent research has showed the occurrence of a DAG motif associated with aphid transmission in other potyviruses, within the coat protein gene of CBSV. Consequently this study aimed to explore the possibility that besides whiteflies, aphids may transmit CBSIs. Cassava plants were assessed during a survey for occurrence of CBSD and aphids as potential alternative CBSIs vectors. We collected aphids from CBSD-symptomatic and symptomless cassava plants within farmers' fields in Uganda during April–July 2020. The aphids were analyzed for the presence of CBSIs by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and to determine aphid species using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (mtCOI) barcoding. Unusual aphid infestation of cassava plants was observed at 35 locations in nine districts across Uganda and on 11 other plant species within or adjacent to cassava fields. This is the first report of aphids infesting cassava in Uganda. Molecular analysis of the aphid confirmed presence of three different aphid species in the surveyed cassava fields, namely, Aphis solanella, Aphis fabae mordvilkoi, and Rhopalosiphum sp. mtCOI nucleotide sequences for the aphids in which CBSIs were detected are deposited with Genbank under accession numbers OP223337-40. Both UCBSV and CBSV were detected by RT-PCR in aphids collected from cassava fields with CBSD-affected plants. The CBSIs were detected in 14 aphid samples collected from 19 CBSD-symptomatic cassava plants. These results suggest the ability of aphids to acquire CBSIs, but transmission experiments are required on their vector potential.
Video-assisted transcervical-transtracheal repair of posterior wall laceration of thoracic trachea: A new approach. Case Report
Authors: Tombelli Simone , Viggiano Domenico , Gatteschi Lavinia , Voltolini Luca , Gonfiotti Alessandro
Published: February 2023

Iatrogenic tracheal lacerations are a rare but potentially fatal event. In selected acute cases, surgery plays a key role. Treatment can be conservative, for lacerations of less than 3 cm; surgical or endoscopic, depending on the size and location of the lesion and fan efficiency. There is no clear indication of the use of any of these approaches and the decision is therefore linked to local expertise. We present an emblematic clinical case of a 79 years old female patient undergoing polytrauma as a result of a road accident, without neurological damage, which required intubation and subsequent tracheotomy due to a significant limitation to ventilation. Imaging has shown the tracheal laceration involving the anterior wall and the pars membranacea up to the origin of the right main bronchus.A percutaneous tracheotomy was permormed without any improvement of the respiratory dynamic. Therefore, the patient underwent a surgical repair of the tracheal laceration with a hybrid mini-cervicotomic/endoscopic approach. This less invasive approach successfully repaired the extensive loss of substance.
Implementation of Blockchain Technology Could Increase Equity and Transparency in Organ Transplantation: A Narrative Review of an Emergent Tool
Authors: Anselmo Alessandro , Materazzo Marco , Di Lorenzo Nicola , Sensi Bruno , Riccetti Camilla , Lonardo Maria Teresa , Pellicciaro Marco , D’Amico Francesco , Siragusa Leandro , Tisone Giuseppe
Published: February 2023

In the last few years, innovative technology and health care digitalization played a major role in all medical fields and a great effort worldwide to manage this large amount of data, in terms of security and digital privacy has been made by different national health systems. Blockchain technology, a peer-to-peer distributed database without centralized authority, initially applied to Bitcoin protocol, soon gained popularity, thanks to its distributed immutable nature in several non-medical fields. Therefore, the aim of the present review (PROSPERO N° CRD42022316661) is to establish a putative future role of blockchain and distribution ledger technology (DLT) in the organ transplantation field and its role to overcome inequalities. Preoperative assessment of the deceased donor, supranational crossover programs with the international waitlist databases, and reduction of black-market donations and counterfeit drugs are some of the possible applications of DLT, thanks to its distributed, efficient, secure, trackable, and immutable nature to reduce inequalities and discrimination.
MYOLO: A Lightweight Fresh Shiitake Mushroom Detection Model Based on YOLOv3
Authors: Cong Peichao , Feng Hao , Lv Kunfeng , Zhou Jiachao , Li Shanda
Published: February 2023

Fruit and vegetable inspection aids robotic harvesting in modern agricultural production. For rapid and accurate detection of fresh shiitake mushrooms, picking robots must overcome the complex conditions of the growing environment, diverse morphology, dense shading, and changing field of view. The current work focuses on improving inspection accuracy at the expense of timeliness. This paper proposes a lightweight shiitake mushroom detection model called Mushroom You Only Look Once (MYOLO) based on You Only Look Once (YOLO) v3. To reduce the complexity of the network structure and computation and improve real-time detection, a lightweight GhostNet16 was built instead of DarkNet53 as the backbone network. Spatial pyramid pooling was introduced at the end of the backbone network to achieve multiscale local feature fusion and improve the detection accuracy. Furthermore, a neck network called shuffle adaptive spatial feature pyramid network (ASA-FPN) was designed to improve fresh shiitake mushroom detection, including that of densely shaded mushrooms, as well as the localization accuracy. Finally, the Complete Intersection over Union (CIoU) loss function was used to optimize the model and improve its convergence efficiency. MYOLO achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 97.03%, 29.8M parameters, and a detection speed of 19.78 ms, showing excellent timeliness and detectability with a 2.04% higher mAP and 2.08 times fewer parameters than the original model. Thus, it provides an important theoretical basis for automatic picking of fresh shiitake mushrooms.
Multi-Omic Approaches to Classify, Predict, and Treat Acute Leukemias
Authors: Hernandez-Valladares Maria
Published: February 2023

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer, in which nearly 5% of the cases are diagnosed before the first year of age [...]
Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC) Cells Rewire Their Metabolism to Overcome Curcumin Antitumoral Effects Opening a Window of Opportunity to Improve Treatment
Authors: Nocito Marta Claudia , Avena Paola , Zavaglia Lucia , De Luca Arianna , Chimento Adele , Hamad Tarig , La Padula Davide , Stancati Davide , Hantel Constanze , Sirianni Rosa , Casaburi Ivan , Pezzi Vincenzo
Published: February 2023

Extensive research suggests that curcumin interferes with multiple cell signaling pathways involved in cancer development and progression. This study aimed to evaluate curcumin effects on adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare but very aggressive tumor. Curcumin reduced growth, migration and activated apoptosis in three different ACC cell lines, H295R, SW13, MUC-1. This event was related to a decrease in estrogen-related receptor-α (ERRα) expression and cholesterol synthesis. More importantly, curcumin changed ACC cell metabolism, increasing glycolytic gene expression. However, pyruvate from glycolysis was only minimally used for lactate production and the Krebs cycle (TCA). In fact, lactate dehydrogenase, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), TCA genes and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) were reduced. We instead found an increase in Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT), glutamine antiport transporter SLC1A5 and glutaminase (GLS1), supporting a metabolic rewiring toward glutamine metabolism. Targeting this mechanism, curcumin effects were improved. In fact, in a low glutamine-containing medium, the growth inhibitory effects elicited by curcumin were observed at a concentration ineffective in default growth medium. Data from this study prove the efficacy of curcumin against ACC growth and progression and point to the concomitant use of inhibitors for glutamine metabolism to improve its effects.
A Novel Blood Proteomic Signature for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Muazzam Ammara , Spick Matt , Cexus Olivier N. F. , Geary Bethany , Azhar Fowz , Pandha Hardev , Michael Agnieszka , Reed Rachel , Lennon Sarah , Gethings Lee A. , Plumb Robert S. , Whetton Anthony D. , Geifman Nophar , Townsend Paul A.
Published: February 2023

Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumour in men. Improved testing for diagnosis, risk prediction, and response to treatment would improve care. Here, we identified a proteomic signature of prostate cancer in peripheral blood using data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry combined with machine learning. A highly predictive signature was derived, which was associated with relevant pathways, including the coagulation, complement, and clotting cascades, as well as plasma lipoprotein particle remodeling. We further validated the identified biomarkers against a second cohort, identifying a panel of five key markers (GP5, SERPINA5, ECM1, IGHG1, and THBS1) which retained most of the diagnostic power of the overall dataset, achieving an AUC of 0.91. Taken together, this study provides a proteomic signature complementary to PSA for the diagnosis of patients with localised prostate cancer, with the further potential for assessing risk of future development of prostate cancer. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD025484.
CAR-T-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Promising Development of CAR-T Anti-Tumor Therapy
Authors: Pagotto Sara , Simeone Pasquale , Brocco Davide , Catitti Giulia , De Bellis Domenico , Vespa Simone , Di Pietro Natalia , Marinelli Lisa , Di Stefano Antonio , Veschi Serena , De Lellis Laura , Verginelli Fabio , Kaitsas Francesco , Iezzi Manuela , Pandolfi Assunta , Visone Rosa , Tinari Nicola , Caruana Ignazio , Di Ianni Mauro , Cama Alessandro , Lanuti Paola , Florio Rosalba
Published: February 2023

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogenous population of plasma membrane-surrounded particles that are released in the extracellular milieu by almost all types of living cells. EVs are key players in intercellular crosstalk, both locally and systemically, given that they deliver their cargoes (consisting of proteins, lipids, mRNAs, miRNAs, and DNA fragments) to target cells, crossing biological barriers. Those mechanisms further trigger a wide range of biological responses. Interestingly, EV phenotypes and cargoes and, therefore, their functions, stem from their specific parental cells. For these reasons, EVs have been proposed as promising candidates for EV-based, cell-free therapies. One of the new frontiers of cell-based immunotherapy for the fight against refractory neoplastic diseases is represented by genetically engineered chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) lymphocytes, which in recent years have demonstrated their effectiveness by reaching commercialization and clinical application for some neoplastic diseases. CAR-T-derived EVs represent a recent promising development of CAR-T immunotherapy approaches. This crosscutting innovative strategy is designed to exploit the advantages of genetically engineered cell-based immunotherapy together with those of cell-free EVs, which in principle might be safer and more efficient in crossing biological and tumor-associated barriers. In this review, we underlined the potential of CAR-T-derived EVs as therapeutic agents in tumors.
Genome-Wide Analysis of lncRNA-mRNA Co-Expression Networks in CD133+/CD44+ Stem-like PDAC Cells
Authors: Eptaminitaki Giasemi C. , Zaravinos Apostolos , Stellas Dimitris , Panagopoulou Maria , Karaliota Sevasti , Baltsavia Ismini , Iliopoulos Ioannis , Chatzaki Ekaterini , Iliopoulos Dimitrios , Baritaki Stavroula
Published: February 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the second most prevalent gastrointestinal malignancy and the most common type of pancreatic cancer is linked with poor prognosis and, eventually, with high mortality rates. Early detection is seldom, while tumor heterogeneity and microarchitectural alterations benefit PDAC resistance to conventional therapeutics. Although emerging evidence suggest the core role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in PDAC aggressiveness, unique stem signatures are poorly available, thus limiting the efforts of anti-CSC-targeted therapy. Herein, we report the findings of the first genome-wide analyses of mRNA/lncRNA transcriptome profiling and co-expression networks in PDAC cell line-derived CD133+/CD44+ cells, which were shown to bear a CSC-like phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Compared to CD133−/CD44− cells, the CD133+/CD44+ population demonstrated significant expression differences in both transcript pools. Using emerging bioinformatic tools, we performed lncRNA target coding gene prediction analysis, which revealed significant Gene Ontology (GO), pathway, and network enrichments in many dyregulated lncRNA nearby (cis or trans) mRNAs, with reported involvement in the regulation of CSC phenotype and functions. In this context, the construction of lncRNA/mRNA networks by ingenuity platforms identified the lncRNAs ATF2, CHEK1, DCAF8, and PAX8 to interact with “hub” SC-associated mRNAs. In addition, the expressions of the above lncRNAs retrieved by TCGA-normalized RNAseq gene expression data of PAAD were significantly correlated with clinicopathological features of PDAC, including tumor grade and stage, nodal metastasis, and overall survival. Overall, our findings shed light on the identification of CSC-specific lncRNA signatures with potential prognostic and therapeutic significance in PDAC.
HIPK2 as a Novel Regulator of Fibrosis
Authors: Garufi Alessia , Pistritto Giuseppa , D’Orazi Gabriella
Published: February 2023

Fibrosis is an unmet medical problem due to a lack of evident biomarkers to help develop efficient targeted therapies. Fibrosis can affect almost every organ and eventually induce organ failure. Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) is a protein kinase that controls several molecular pathways involved in cell death and development and it has been extensively studied, mainly in the cancer biology field. Recently, a role for HIPK2 has been highlighted in tissue fibrosis. Thus, HIPK2 regulates several pro-fibrotic pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β and Notch involved in renal, pulmonary, liver and cardiac fibrosis. These findings suggest a wider role for HIPK2 in tissue physiopathology and highlight HIPK2 as a promising target for therapeutic purposes in fibrosis. Here, we will summarize the recent studies showing the involvement of HIPK2 as a novel regulator of fibrosis.
Protein Signatures and Individual Circulating Proteins, including IL-6 and IL-15, Associated with Prognosis in Patients with Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Christensen Troels D. , Madsen Kasper , Maag Emil , Larsen Ole , Jensen Lars Henrik , Hansen Carsten P. , Markussen Alice , Høgdall Dan T. S. , Chen Inna M. , Nielsen Dorte , Johansen Julia S.
Published: February 2023

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a rare gastrointestinal cancer with a dismal prognosis. Biomarkers with clinical utility are needed. In this study, we investigated the association between survival and 89 immuno-oncology-related proteins, with the aim of identifying prognostic biomarkers for BTC. The study included patients with BTC (n = 394) treated at three Danish hospitals. Patients were divided into four cohorts: the first-line discovery cohort (n = 202), first-line validation cohort (n = 118), second-line cohort (n = 56), and surgery cohort (n = 41). Plasma protein levels were measured using a proximity extension assay (Olink Proteomics). Twenty-seven proteins were associated with overall survival (OS) in a multivariate analysis in the discovery cohort. In the first-line validation cohort, high levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, mucin 16, hepatocyte growth factor, programmed cell death ligand 1, and placental growth factor were significantly associated with poor OS in univariate Cox regression analyses. When adjusting for performance status, location, and stage, the association was significant only for IL-6 (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–1.46) and IL-15 (HR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.48–3.35). Receiver operating characteristic analyses confirmed IL-6 and IL-15 as the strongest predictors of survival. Combining several proteins into signatures further improved the ability to distinguish between patients with short (<6 months) and long survival (>18 months). The study identified several circulating proteins as prognostic biomarkers in patients, with BTC, IL-6, and IL-15 being the most promising markers. Combining proteins in a prognostic signature improved prognostic performance, but future studies are needed to determine the optimal combination and thresholds.
Editorial for Special Issue on Imaging Biomarker in Oncology
Authors: Polici Michela , Laghi Andrea , Caruso Damiano
Published: February 2023

Imaging biomarkers are the expression of quantitative imaging and have become central in the management of cancers, proving consistent and objective information to outline an appropriate workflow for oncologic patients [...]
Dendrimer Technology in Glioma: Functional Design and Potential Applications
Authors: Gaitsch Hallie , Hersh Andrew M. , Alomari Safwan , Tyler Betty M.
Published: February 2023

Novel therapeutic and diagnostic methods are sorely needed for gliomas, which contribute yearly to hundreds of thousands of cancer deaths worldwide. Despite the outpouring of research efforts and funding aimed at improving clinical outcomes for patients with glioma, the prognosis for high-grade glioma, and especially glioblastoma, remains dire. One of the greatest obstacles to improving treatment efficacy and destroying cancer cells is the safe delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and biologics to the tumor site at a high enough dose to be effective. Over the past few decades, a burst of research has leveraged nanotechnology to overcome this obstacle. There has been a renewed interest in adapting previously understudied dendrimer nanocarriers for this task. Dendrimers are small, highly modifiable, branched structures featuring binding sites for a variety of drugs and ligands. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential for dendrimers and dendrimer conjugates to effectively shuttle therapeutic cargo to the correct tumor location, permeate the tumor, and promote apoptosis of tumor cells while minimizing systemic toxicity and damage to surrounding healthy brain tissue. This review provides a primer on the properties of dendrimers; outlines the mechanisms by which they can target delivery of substances to the site of brain pathology; and delves into current trends in the application of dendrimers to drug and gene delivery, and diagnostic imaging, in glioma. Finally, future directions for translating these in vitro and in vivo findings to the clinic are discussed.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors: Latest Concepts in Disease Pathogenesis and Clinical Management
Authors: Yao Chengjun , Zhou Haiying , Dong Yanzhao , Alhaskawi Ahmad , Hasan Abdullah Ezzi Sohaib , Wang Zewei , Lai Jingtian , Goutham Kota Vishnu , Hasan Abdulla Hasan Abdulla Mohamed , Lu Hui
Published: February 2023

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma with limited therapeutic options and a poor prognosis. Although neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and radiation exposure have been identified as risk factors for MPNST, the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying MPNST pathogenesis have only lately been roughly elucidated. Plexiform neurofibroma (PN) and atypical neurofibromatous neoplasm of unknown biological potential (ANNUBP) are novel concepts of MPNST precancerous lesions, which revealed sequential mutations in MPNST development. This review summarized the current understanding of MPNST and the latest consensus from its diagnosis to treatment, with highlights on molecular biomarkers and targeted therapies. Additionally, we discussed the current challenges and prospects for MPNST management.
Development of a Machine Learning-Based Prediction Model for Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression in Children with Wilms’ Tumor
Authors: Li Mujie , Wang Quan , Lu Peng , Zhang Deying , Hua Yi , Liu Feng , Liu Xing , Lin Tao , Wei Guanghui , He Dawei
Published: February 2023

Purpose: Develop and validate an accessible prediction model using machine learning (ML) to predict the risk of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression (CIM) in children with Wilms’ tumor (WT) before chemotherapy is administered, enabling early preventive management. Methods: A total of 1433 chemotherapy cycles in 437 children with WT who received chemotherapy in our hospital from January 2009 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, clinicopathological characteristics, hematology and blood biochemistry baseline results, and medication information were collected. Six ML algorithms were used to construct prediction models, and the predictive efficacy of these models was evaluated to select the best model to predict the risk of grade ≥ 2 CIM in children with WT. A series of methods, such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the calibration curve, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to test the model’s accuracy, discrimination, and clinical practicability. Results: Grade ≥ 2 CIM occurred in 58.5% (839/1433) of chemotherapy cycles. Based on the results of the training and validation cohorts, we finally identified that the extreme gradient boosting (XGB) model has the best predictive efficiency and stability, with an AUROC of up to 0.981 in the training set and up to 0.896 in the test set. In addition, the calibration curve and the DCA showed that the XGB model had the best discrimination and clinical practicability. The variables were ranked according to the feature importance, and the five variables contributing the most to the model were hemoglobin (Hgb), white blood cell count (WBC), alkaline phosphatase, coadministration of highly toxic chemotherapy drugs, and albumin. Conclusions: The incidence of grade ≥ 2 CIM was not low in children with WT, which needs attention. The XGB model was developed to predict the risk of grade ≥ 2 CIM in children with WT for the first time. The model has good predictive performance and stability and has the potential to be translated into clinical applications. Based on this modeling and application approach, the extension of CIM prediction models to other pediatric malignancies could be expected.
Associations of Total Body Fat Mass and Skeletal Muscle Index with All-Cause and Cancer-Specific Mortality in Cancer Survivors
Authors: Aduse-Poku Livingstone , Karanth Shama D. , Wheeler Meghann , Yang Danting , Washington Caretia , Hong Young-Rock , Manini Todd M. , Fabregas Jesus C. , Cheng Ting-Yuan David , Braithwaite Dejana
Published: February 2023

Purpose: The importance of body composition on cancer outcomes is of great clinical interest. Measures of body composition that differentiate fat mass from skeletal muscle mass can help redefine our understanding of body composition for cancer survival. We investigated whether the risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality differ by levels of total fat mass and sarcopenia status in cancer survivors. Our secondary aim was a subgroup analysis assessing the role of race within these associations. Methods: Participants included 1682 adult cancer survivors who had undergone a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examination to measure body composition, from the 1999–2006 and 2011–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Total fat mass was categorized into tertiles (we assessed high vs. low tertiles), and sarcopenia was considered as having an appendicular skeletal muscle mass index less than 7.26 kg/m2 for males and less than 5.45 kg/m2 for females. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The mean age of study participants was 61.9 years, and they were followed up for an average of 9.67 years. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 25.0% (N = 304), and 33.4% (N = 561) had a high total fat mass. Participants with a higher fat mass (aHR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.06–1.61) and with sarcopenia (aHR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.22–1.88) had a 30% and 51% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to participants with a low fat mass and with no sarcopenia, respectively. Further, sarcopenia (aHR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.23–2.29) was associated with a higher risk of cancer-specific mortality in cancer survivors. The association between sarcopenia and all-cause mortality was twice as strong in Black people (aHR = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.39–6.06) compared to White people (aHR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.19–1.95). Conclusions: Our findings show the opposing relations of fat mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index with mortality in a national sample of cancer survivors, and that the relationships may differ by race. These results emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy body composition among cancer survivors.
Rate Equations of Structure-Sensitive Catalytic Reactions with Arbitrary Kinetics
Authors: Murzin Dmitry Yu.
Published: February 2023

A general mathematical framework for the quantitative description of the cluster size dependence in heterogeneous catalytic reactions has been developed based on an analysis of the Gibbs energy of elementary reactions. The methodology was illustrated for a generic linear sequence of elementary reactions with three steps, a multi-step mechanism of ethanol oxidation comprising linear, nonlinear and quasi-equilibria steps and a network of parallel reactions in transformations of furfural.
Homotaurine and Curcumin Analogues as Potential Anti-Amyloidogenic Agents
Authors: Quiroz Jose Paredes , Zeng Andi , Young Michelle , Gordon Patrick , Jaipuria Aadya , Reed Kristi J. , Landry Greg M. , Yang Suhui , Asher Shreya , Zhang Sabrina Ruoyao Chen , Priefer Ronny
Published: February 2023

Currently, there is neither a cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) nor a way to stop the progressive death of neuronal cells associated with this devastating aliment. To date, there are only medications that temporarily slow its progression, and do not interfere with its pathogenesis. One of the hallmarks of AD is the presence of amyloid-beta plaques derived from the metabolism of the amyloid precursor protein, via the cleavage by beta followed by gamma secretase. Homotaurine, a naturally occurring small molecule found in some seaweeds, and curcumin, a phenolic antioxidant found in Curcuma longa, have been extensively studied as potential compounds to prevent/reverse plaque formation. In this study, libraries of chalcones and extended chalcones based on curcumin, as well as aminopropylsulfonamides inspired by homotaurine, were synthesized. Using fluorescence spectroscopic analysis with Thioflavin T, the anti-aggregation effect on Aβ42 was determined. A select number of newly synthesized chalcones and extended chalcone analogs were revealed to be potential anti-amyloidogenic agents. These were further evaluated with regard to their neurotoxicity/neuroprotection. The extended chalcone analogs that displayed the most anti-aggregation effect on Aβ42 were further analyzed in an MTT assay. Although none of the compounds alone displayed any neurotoxicity, none were able to provide neuroprotection against Aβ42.
Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Dynamic Simulation Targeting Main Protease (Mpro) of New, Thiazole Clubbed Pyridine Scaffolds as Potential COVID-19 Inhibitors
Authors: Alghamdi Adel , Abouzied Amr S. , Alamri Abdulwahab , Anwar Sirajudheen , Ansari Mukhtar , Khadra Ibrahim , Zaki Yasser H. , Gomha Sobhi M.
Published: February 2023

Many biological activities of pyridine and thiazole derivatives have been reported, including antiviral activity and, more recently, as COVID-19 inhibitors. Thus, in this paper, we designed, synthesized, and characterized a novel series of N-aminothiazole-hydrazineethyl-pyridines, beginning with a N′-(1-(pyridine-3-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinecarbothiohydrazide derivative and various hydrazonoyl chlorides and phenacyl bromides. Their Schiff bases were prepared from the condensation of N-aminothiazole derivatives with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde. FTIR, MS, NMR, and elemental studies were used to identify new products. The binding energy for non-bonding interactions between the ligand (studied compounds) and receptor was determined using molecular docking against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (PDB code: 6LU7). Finally, the best docked pose with highest binding energy (8a = −8.6 kcal/mol) was selected for further molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies to verify the outcomes and comprehend the thermodynamic properties of the binding. Through additional in vitro and in vivo research on the newly synthesized chemicals, it is envisaged that the achieved results will represent a significant advancement in the fight against COVID-19.
Soft Tissue Masses of the Hand: A Review of Clinical Presentation and Imaging Features
Authors: AbuMoussa Samuel , Roshan Mona Pari , Souza Felipe Ferreira , Daley Dane , Rosenberg Andrew , Pretell Juan , Fullerton Natalia , Subhawong Ty
Published: February 2023

More than 15% of all soft-tissue tumors arise in the hand. Because of the location of these tumors, even small abnormalities may be alarming to patients on presentation. Although the majority of lesions are benign and can be diagnosed solely by history and physical examination, additional imaging workup may be required to confirm a diagnosis or define anatomic extent of involvement. This paper aims to review the basic epidemiology, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatment options of the more common soft-tissue tumors of the hand.
Characterization of Seed Oil from Six In Situ Collected Wild Amaranthus Species
Authors: Hussain Amara Noor , Geuens Jeroen , Vermoesen Ann , Munir Mamoona , Iamonico Duilio , Marzio Piera Di , Fortini Paola
Published: February 2023

Six Amaranthus species (A. cruentus, A. hybridus, A. hypochondriacus, A. muricatus, A. tuberculatus, and A. viridis) were collected in Italy (wild habitats) from crops and roadsides. Amaranth seed oil was extracted to obtain fractions rich in squalene. Squalene, free fatty acid, tocopherol, and sterol composition and content were investigated in detail. An analysis of variance and principal components was performed. The oil content in the seed ranged from 5.17% (A. muricatus) to 12.20% (A. tuberculatus). The quantity of squalene in the oil varied from 3.43% (A. muricatus) to 6.09% (A. hypochondriacus). The primary sterols were beta-sitosterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol. The main tocopherols in all the samples were alfa-tocopherol, beta-tocopherol, and delta-tocopherol. Our results exhibited that the smallest seeds (A. tuberculatus) have the highest percentages of oil and squalene, whereas the largest seeds size (A. muricatus) show the lowest percentages. There is also evidence that the samples growing at lower altitudes show the highest concentration of fatty acids. According to our results, the six wild Amaranthus species exhibited similar characteristics to commercial species. This study confirms that the site of the collection has an impact on the oil and squalene content of the Amaranthus species.
Discussion on the Relationship between Computation, Information, Cognition, and Their Embodiment
Authors: Dodig-Crnkovic Gordana , Miłkowski Marcin
Published: February 2023

Three special issues of Entropy journal have been dedicated to the topics of “Information-Processing and Embodied, Embedded, Enactive Cognition”. They addressed morphological computing, cognitive agency, and the evolution of cognition. The contributions show the diversity of views present in the research community on the topic of computation and its relation to cognition. This paper is an attempt to elucidate current debates on computation that are central to cognitive science. It is written in the form of a dialog between two authors representing two opposed positions regarding the issue of what computation is and could be, and how it can be related to cognition. Given the different backgrounds of the two researchers, which span physics, philosophy of computing and information, cognitive science, and philosophy, we found the discussions in the form of Socratic dialogue appropriate for this multidisciplinary/cross-disciplinary conceptual analysis. We proceed as follows. First, the proponent (GDC) introduces the info-computational framework as a naturalistic model of embodied, embedded, and enacted cognition. Next, objections are raised by the critic (MM) from the point of view of the new mechanistic approach to explanation. Subsequently, the proponent and the critic provide their replies. The conclusion is that there is a fundamental role for computation, understood as information processing, in the understanding of embodied cognition.
Carnot Cycles in a Harmonically Confined Ultracold Gas across Bose–Einstein Condensation
Authors: Reyes-Ayala Ignacio , Miotti Marcos , Hemmerling Michal , Dubessy Romain , Perrin Hélène , Romero-Rochin Victor , Bagnato Vanderlei Salvador
Published: February 2023

Carnot cycles of samples of harmonically confined ultracold 87Rb fluids, near and across Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC), are analyzed. This is achieved through the experimental determination of the corresponding equation of state in terms of the appropriate global thermodynamics for non-uniform confined fluids. We focus our attention on the efficiency of the Carnot engine when the cycle occurs for temperatures either above or below the critical temperature and when BEC is crossed during the cycle. The measurement of the cycle efficiency reveals a perfect agreement with the theoretical prediction (1−TL/TH), with TH and TL serving as the temperatures of the hot and cold heat exchange reservoirs. Other cycles are also considered for comparison.
Binary Bamboo Forest Growth Optimization Algorithm for Feature Selection Problem
Authors: Pan Jeng-Shyang , Yue Longkang , Chu Shu-Chuan , Hu Pei , Yan Bin , Yang Hongmei
Published: February 2023

Inspired by the bamboo growth process, Chu et al. proposed the Bamboo Forest Growth Optimization (BFGO) algorithm. It incorporates bamboo whip extension and bamboo shoot growth into the optimization process. It can be applied very well to classical engineering problems. However, binary values can only take 0 or 1, and for some binary optimization problems, the standard BFGO is not applicable. This paper firstly proposes a binary version of BFGO, called BBFGO. By analyzing the search space of BFGO under binary conditions, the new curve V-shaped and Taper-shaped transfer function for converting continuous values into binary BFGO is proposed for the first time. A long-mutation strategy with a new mutation approach is presented to solve the algorithmic stagnation problem. Binary BFGO and the long-mutation strategy with a new mutation are tested on 23 benchmark test functions. The experimental results show that binary BFGO achieves better results in solving the optimal values and convergence speed, and the variation strategy can significantly enhance the algorithm’s performance. In terms of application, 12 data sets derived from the UCI machine learning repository are selected for feature-selection implementation and compared with the transfer functions used by BGWO-a, BPSO-TVMS and BQUATRE, which demonstrates binary BFGO algorithm’s potential to explore the attribute space and choose the most significant features for classification issues.
System and Market-Wide Impact Analysis of Coordinated Demand Response and Battery Storage Operation by a Load-Serving Entity
Authors: Bano Pakeeza , Imran Kashif , Janjua Abdul Kashif , Abusorrah Abdullah , Fida Kinza , Alhumade Hesham
Published: February 2023

Because of electricity markets, environmental concerns, transmission constraints, and variable renewable energy sources (VRES), coordinated operation of demand response (DR) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) has become critical. In turn, the optimal coordinated operation of DR and BESS by an entity can affect overall electricity market outcomes and transmission network conditions. The coordinated operation is desirable for the profit-seeking entity, but it may adversely affect the cost and revenues of other market participants or cause system congestion. Though few coordinated operation models already exist, our aim in this research is to provide a novel multi-objective optimization-based methodology for the coordinated operation of DR and BESS to boost market profit. Moreover, another goal is to simultaneously study the combined effects of such coordinated models on transmission networks and electricity markets for the first time. This paper has proposed a new method for coordinated DR and BESS utilization by a load-serving entity (LSE) to increase its profit. Moreover, it has employed agent-based modeling of the electricity systems (AMES) for testing our coordinated DR and BESS method under day-ahead market and transmission system conditions. Simulation results of case studies indicate that the operating costs of all LSEs decreased, and there was as much as 98,260 $/day in cost savings for BESS deploying LSE1. Although revenues of cheaper generation companies (GenCos) decreased, those of expensive GenCos increased or showed mixed trends. For example, GenCo 3 exhibits an 8765 $/day decrease in revenue for 25% BESS capacity, whereas a 6328 $/day increase in revenue for 37.5% BESS capacity. The variance of LMPs, widely used as a risk index, greatly decreased for the LSE utilizing the coordinated methodology, somewhat decreased for other LSEs but increased for cheaper GenCos with no LSE at the local node. Since BESS deployment decisions of an LSE can have system-wide or market-wide consequences, simulation analysis before deployment can help reduce market distortions or system congestions.