bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Residual Stress and Equivalent Bending Stiffness on the Dimensional Stability of the Thin-Walled Parts
Authors: Gao Hanjun , Li Xin , Wu Qiong , Lin Minghui , Zhang Yidu
Published: May 2021

The monolithic thin-walled parts are widely used in the aeronautic and astronautic field because of its excellent mechanical performance and light weight, but the thin-walled parts are vulnerable to the machining deformation due to its low stiffness and high material removal rate. According to the relative basic theory, the stiffness and internal residual stress of the part are the critical factors affecting the dimensional stability. In this work, the influences of equivalent bending stiffness and residual stress on the dimensional stability of thin-walled parts are studied. Nine typical thin-walled parts in three groups with two materials (7075 aluminum alloy for A1~A3 and B1~B3, and Ti6Al4V titanium alloy for B4~B6) are machined and treated with different processes. Topology optimization technique is used to optimize the structure of parts to enhance the bending stiffness. Corresponding finite element method (FEM) simulations are carried out to further investigate the generation mechanism. The deformations in 312 hours after machining are measured using coordinate measuring machine, and the deformation changes of the parts are obtained and analyzed. Finally, based on topological optimization and stress relief technology, a machining deformation control method for the monolithic thin-walled parts is proposed. Results show that the maximum and average deformations of thin-walled are evidently decreased using the proposed method.
Next-Generation Sequencing Screening Reveals Novel Genetic Variants for Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Pediatric Chinese Patients
Authors: wang yan , han bo , fan youfei , yi yingchun , lv jianli , wang jing , yang xiaofei , jiang diandong , zhao lijian , zhang jianjun , yuan hui
Published: May 2021

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardial disease characterized by bilateral or left ventricular cardiac dilation and systolic dysfunction leading to heart failure and sudden cardiac death in children. Most studies focus on the genetic alterations in DCM-related genes in adult populations; however, it remains enigmatic about the mutational landscape in pediatric DCM patients, especially in the Chinese population. We exploited the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to genetically analyze 46 pediatric patients and to decipher the genotype-phenotype correlation in these patients’ clinical outcomes. Our results indicated DCM-associated pathogenic mutations in 10 genes related to the structure or function of the sarcomere, desmosomal and cytoskeletal proteins. We also identified 6 pathogenic mutations (5 novel) in the titin (TTN) gene leading to the formation of truncated TTN protein variants in 6 (13%) out of 46 patients each. Furthermore, we investigated the correlations between TTN gene mutation and clinical outcomes in these patients. Conclusion: Our data suggest that one-third of cases of pediatric DCM are caused by genetic mutations. The role of TTN variants should not be underestimated in pediatric DCM and age-dependent pathogenic penetrance of these genetic mutations needs to be considered in the case of familial DCM. Thus, NGS analysis can be applied to decode the yet unknown DCM etiological genetic factors in pediatric as well as adult patients.
Overexpression of oncogenic spliced-AGR2vH potentiates cholangiocarcinoma cell tumorigenicity with proteomic alterations
Authors: Yosudjai Juthamas , Inpad Chaturong , Surangkul Damrasamon , Phimsen Suchada , Saisomboon Saowaluk , Hongsrichan Nuttanan , Wongkham Sopit , Jirawatnotai Siwanon , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Kaewkong Worasak
Published: May 2021

Upregulated expression of Anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) has been observed in cells, highly metastatic mouse models, nras-mutant zebrafish and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) specimens derived from patients. Our previous study reported that AGR2 splicing into AGR2vH can promote CCA cell metastasis and survivability. This present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying AGR2vH tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. AGR2vH was determined in patient tissues and presented the upregulation in CCA tumor tissues compared with matched-normal adjacent tissues. During the in vitro studies, AGR2vH was ectopically overexpressed in KKU-213A cells. Established AGR2vH-overexpressing CCA cells were found to exhibit increased proliferative and clonogenic ability. For in vivo tumorigenicity, a higher tumorigenic potential was identified in AGR2vH-overexpressing cells xenograft mice. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with protein bioinformatics was used to examine the proteomic alteration. The CCA cell proteome was altered, and it was indicated that AGR2vH may be associated with CCA cell proliferation via the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which was verified via the comparative immunoblotting of β-catenin in cytoplasmic and nuclear fractionated proteins. These present results provided evidence that the upregulation of AGR2vH promotes the tumorigenicity of CCA cells, which was associated with an alteration of the CCA cell proteome.
Proteomics Informed by Transcriptomics for a Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Sialoproteome of Ornithodoros Moubata Adult Ticks
Authors: Oleaga Ana , Carnero-Moran Angel , Valero M. Luz , Pérez-Sánchez Ricardo
Published: May 2021

Background
The argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata is the main vector in mainland Africa of the African swine fever virus and the spirochete Borrelia duttoni, which causes human relapsing fever. Elimination of O. moubata populations would contribute to the prevention and control of these two severe diseases. The development of anti-tick vaccines is an eco-friendly and sustainable method for the elimination of tick populations. The tick saliva forms part of the tick-host interface and knowing its composition is key for the identification and selection of vaccine candidate antigens. The aim of the present work is to expand the data on the saliva proteome composition of O. moubata adult ticks, particularly of female ticks, since a more in-depth knowledge of the O. moubata sialome will allow identifying and selecting novel salivary antigens as targets for tick vaccines.
Methods
We have analysed samples of female and male saliva using two different mass spectrometry approaches: data-dependent acquisition LC-MS/MS and sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry (SWATH-MS). To maximise the number of protein identifications, a proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) analysis was applied using the O. moubata salivary transcriptomic dataset previously obtained by RNAseq.
Results
The SWATH-MS proved to be superior to LC-MS/MS in the study of female saliva since it increased by 60% the number of identified proteins, enhanced the reproducibility of the results and provided a quantitative image of the saliva components. As a whole, we have identified 299 non-redundant proteins in the O. moubata saliva and quantified the expression of 165 of them in both male and female saliva, among which 13 were significantly overexpressed in females and 40 in males. These results evidence important quantitative differences between sexes in the saliva proteome.
Conclusions
This work expand our knowledge of the O. moubata sialome, particularly of female ticks, by increasing the identification of novel salivary proteins and functions at the tick–host feeding interface. The integration of this new knowledge together with the information from the O. moubata sialotranscriptome will allow a more rational selection of the salivary candidates as antigen targets for tick vaccine development.
Fidelity and the Impact of Patient Safety Huddles on Teamwork and Safety Culture: An Evaluation of the Huddle Up for Safer Healthcare (HUSH) Project
Authors: Lamming Laura , Crosswaite Kate , Faisal Muhammad , McDonach Eileen , Montague Jane , Mohammed Mohammed A , Cracknell Alison , Lovatt Alison , Slater Beverley
Published: May 2021

Background: The Patient Safety Huddle (PSH) is a brief multidisciplinary daily meeting held to discuss patient safety and action to mitigate risk. Despite growing interest and application of huddles as a mechanism for improving safety, evidence of their impact remains limited. There is also variation in how huddles are conceived and implemented with little focus on their fidelity (the extent to which delivered as planned) and potential ways in which they might influence outcomes. The Huddle Up for Safer Healthcare (HUSH) project attempted to scale up the implementation of patient safety huddles in five hospitals – 92 wards - across three UK NHS Trusts. This paper aims to assess their fidelity, time to embed, and impact on teamwork and safety culture. Methods: A multi-method Developmental Evaluation was conducted. The Stages of Implementation Checklist (SIC) was used to determine time taken to embed PSHs. Observations confirmed embedded status and fidelity of PSH. A Teamwork and Safety Climate survey (TSC) was administered at two time-points: pre- and post-embedding. Changes in TSC scores were calculated for Trusts, job role and clinical speciality.Results: Observations confirmed Patient Safety Huddles were embedded in 64 wards. Mean fidelity score was 4.9/9. PSHs frequently demonstrated a ‘fear free’ space while Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts and historical harms were routinely neglected. Analysis showed a positive change for the majority of TSC questions and the overall safety grade of the ward.Conclusions: PSHs are feasible and effective for improving teamwork and safety culture, especially for nurses. PSH fidelity criteria may need adjusting to include factors deemed most useful by frontline staff. Future work should examine inter-disciplinary and role-based differences in TSC outcomes.
Effect of Laser on Double-Arc Physical Characteristics in Pulsed Laser Induced Double-TIG Welding
Authors: Liu Liming , Xu Xinkun , Xu Guomin , Zhang Zhaodong
Published: May 2021

In order to improve the energy utilization efficiency of double-TIG arc, based on the synchronous induction of pulsed laser to double-arc, the coupling-enhanced discharge phenomenon between double-arc is studied in this paper. The energy utilization efficiency of pulsed laser induced double-arc is quantitatively analyzed. The physical characteristics of coupling double-arc are studied based on high-speed camera and spectral diagnosis technology. The physical model is established to discuss the particle migration during the coupling discharge, characterizing the movement state of electrons. The results show that Dla (horizontal distance between the tungsten electrode tip and laser beam axis) has a significant effect on the energy utilization efficiency of the heat source. With the increase of Dla, there are three interaction relationships between the double-arc plasma and keyhole plasma: Mutual interference, Coupling-enhanced discharge and No interaction. A suitable Dla can realize the synchronous induction of laser to double-arc plasma, forming a coupling double-arc, the heat source has a higher energy utilization efficiency. The migration of particles in double-arc can be divided into four stages: Double-arc free discharge stage, Laser-induced initial stage, Laser-induced contraction stage and Laser-induced stable stage. Under the induction of laser, the double-arc forms a common compressed conductive channel. The energy density of coupling double-arc reaches 9.3 times that of traditional double-arc, and the total electron kinetic energy increases by 38% compared with traditional double-arc.
Evaluation of the new ECOWAS directive on tobacco taxation
Authors: Ane Mohamed
Published: May 2021

This paper provides an assessment of the level of implementation of the new 2017 ECOWAS Directive on Tobacco Products Tariff and Tax Policy in Member States. This stricter directive recommends that member states apply a minimum excise duty of 50% of the pre-tax (ex-factory) selling price of imported or domestic tobacco products in order to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use among the population.
It is clear from this research that most Member States are still not complying with the recommended tax provisions. Some countries continue to apply an excise rate of less than 50%, while others are satisfied with the necessary rate. While Ghana continues to have the highest excise rate (175%) in the economic union, countries such as Togo, Benin, and Senegal have made relatively more efforts to increase the excise rate. Indeed, Togo tripled its rate, followed by Benin by two. Senegal, in addition to having increased its rate by one and a half, is the only country to have introduced a minimum collection price per package to avoid price drops. However, while efforts have been made in terms of restrictions on use, promotion and advertising, they are likely to be undermined by the low enforcement of tax rates.
Thus, for a comprehensive tobacco control strategy, we suggest that efforts to increase tobacco taxation within ECOWAS be increased in proportion to inflation and changes in disposable income per capita, recognizing that low-income people are more sensitive to any price increase.
Assessing Phenylalanine Blood Level in Children Having Phenylketonuria in Southern Khorasan Province, and Determining the Affecting Social and Demographic Factors
Authors: Chahkandi Tayebeh , Bijari Bita , Laeen Niloofar Hamidi , Shaban Saye , Jafarabadi Emad Asgari
Published: May 2021

Background: Phenylketonuria is a metabolic disorder resulting from a defect in phenylalanine metabolism with a global prevalence of 1 in 10000. Delayed initiation of dietary modification leads to brain injury and cognitive and behavioral problems. The main objective of this study was to assess the demographic and social factors affecting metabolic control of patients having phenylketonuria in Southern Khorasan Province.Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive analytic study which was performed during summer 2019, 32 out of 37 known children and adolescents having phenylketonuria in Southern Khorasan Province were assessed. The age of patients, the gender of patients, parents` marital status, parents` occupational status, parents` educational level, the distance between home and phenylketonuria clinic, and the number of affected siblings having phenylketonuria were documented. We were not able to contact five patients having phenylketonuria in Southern Khorasan Province. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software using Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The significance level was considered as p <0.05.Results: 32 patients with a mean age of 6.6±4.7 years were enrolled in this study. 23 of them were male (71.9%) and 9 patients were females (28.1%). The mean phenylalanine level in this study group was 8.1±5.2 mg/dl. The disease was optimally controlled in 14 patients (43.3%) and poorly controlled in 18 of them (56.3%). There was not any statistically significant relation between the metabolic control of the disease and any of the assessed social and demographic factors.Conclusion: The disease was properly controlled in 43.3% of the assessed population, and 56.3% had poor metabolic control. There was not any statistically significant relation between the metabolic control of patients having phenylketonuria in Southern Khorasan Province and assessed demographic and social. As the number of known cases in South Khorasan province is limited, small sample size could be one of the main limitations of our study.
Diagnosis and Classification of the Diabetes Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Theerthagiri Prasannavenkatesan , A Usha Ruby , J Vidya
Published: May 2021

Diabetes mellitus is characterized as a chronic disease may cause many complications. The machine learning algorithms are used to diagnosis and predict the diabetes. The learning based algorithms plays a vital role on supporting decision making in disease diagnosis and prediction. In this paper, traditional classification algorithms and neural network based machine learning are investigated for the diabetes dataset. Also, various performance methods with different aspects are evaluated for the K-nearest neighbor, Naive Bayes, extra trees, decision trees, radial basis function, and multilayer perceptron algorithms. It supports the estimation on patients suffering from diabetes in future. The results of this work shows that the multilayer perceptron algorithm gives the highest prediction accuracy with lowest MSE of 0.19. The MLP gives the lowest false positive rate and false negative rate with highest area under curve of 86 %.
Iran Temperatures in 2019 and 2020
Authors: Sorkhabi Omid Memarian
Published: May 2021

In this study, the temperature of Iran based on satellite observations during 2019 and 2020 has been investigated. In 2019, the western, southwestern and southeastern regions are warmer than other regions. The maximum average annual temperature of Iran will reach 30 degrees Celsius and the minimum average annual temperature will reach 4 degrees Celsius in 2019. The central regions of Iran have an average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius in 2020. The western, southwestern regions are about 1 degree Celsius warmer in 2020 than in 2019. The eastern regions of Iran in 2020 are about -1.5 degrees Celsius colder than in 2019.
Vulpinic Acid as a Natural Compound Inhibits the Proliferation of Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cell by Inducing Apoptosis
Authors: Duman Demet Cansaran , Eskiler Gamze Guney , Çolak Betül , Kucukkara Elif Sozen
Published: May 2021

Lichen secondary metabolites have drawn considerable attention in recent years due to limitations of current treatment options. Vulpinic acid (VA) obtained from Letharia vulpina lichen species exerts a remarkable cytotoxic effect on different cancer types. However, the therapeutic efficacy of VA in metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) cells has not been investigated. In the present study, we aimed to identify VA-mediated cytotoxicity in PC-3 mPC cells compared with control cells. After identification of the cytotoxic concentrations of VA, VA induced apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V, cell cycle, acridine orange and propidium iodide staining and RT-PCR analysis. Our findings showed that VA significantly decreased the viability of PC-3 cells (p < 0.01) and caused a considerable early apoptotic effect through G0/G1 arrest, nuclear bleebing and the activation of particularly initiator caspases. Therefore, VA may be a potential treatment option for mPC patients. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of VA-induced apoptosis with advanced analysis should be further performed.
A Cluster of COVID-19 Among the Staff of a Logistics Company at Pudong International Airport after Exposure to Virus-contaminated Foreign Aircraft Cabins
Authors: Qiu Qi , Sun Xiaodong , Ye Chuchu , Pan Hao , Wang Yuanping , Chu Ruilin , Hao Lipeng , Cui Peng , Yu Xiao , Liu Shelan , Wu Huanyu , Fu Chen
Published: May 2021

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a severe burden worldwide. “Environment to human” transmission by non-cold chain is causing alarm and attention. Methods: Epidemiological information of the COVID-19 cases were collected to determine epidemiological links and analyze transmission chains. Respiratory specimens were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid by rRT-PCR assay. Results: A total of five cases were diagnosed in Pudong New Area during November 20 to 22, 2020. Case 1, 3 and 5 worked for the same logistics company at Pudong International Airport, and had close contact with each other during work. Case 2 is the wife of case 1, case 4 is the wife of case 3. The source of infection was exposure to virus-contaminated foreign aircraft cabins, the virus transmitted among colleagues of a logistics company due to close contacts without effective protection, and then led to intra-household transmissions. The epidemic has been rapidly brought under control, and all the five cases recovered after 13 to 42 day’s treatment.Conclusions: Regular surveillance and testing of high-risk groups were necessary for COVID-19 control and prevention. Strict management measures and disinfection of imported goods were still need to be implemented in view of severe foreign epidemic situation.
Estimation of Heating-Up Effecting in the Yellow River Basin Based on MODIS Data
Authors: Pan Ziwu , Zhu Jun , Qin Fen
Published: May 2021

Using MODIS land surface temperature data, air temperature data and elevation data from 2000 to 2015 in the Yellow River Basin. The GWR analysis method with high accuracy was chosen to establish the regression model of plateau air temperature, land surface temperature and altitude. In the 12-month GWR regression model, the determination coefficient (Adjusted R2) was above 0.95 or more (0.959-0.980) and the root-mean-square error (RMSE)was between 0.740 and 1.029°C. Depending on the model, the air temperature of the Yellow River Basin is estimated and the accuracy is verified. On this basis, the average monthly air temperature in the basin is converted to altitudes of 4500m and 5000m, and the heating-up effects of various shapes in the basin are compared and discussed. The results show that: (1) Using the GWR method, combined with the observation data of the ground station, the accuracy of the air temperature estimation in the Yellow River Basin can be increased to 0.740°C; (2) According to the estimated annual variation of the spatial distribution of the 12-month average temperature, in the upper of the Tibet Plateau, the Huangshui Valley and the Gannan Plateau have lower annual air temperatures and less spatial distribution. While the air temperature in the northeast of the upstream Inner Mongolia plateau was higher, which was related to the rapid drying temperature rise near the desert. The change of mean monthly temperature in the middle and lower reaches is relatively high and the change is small, which is closely linked to the fact that it is located in the low-elevation area of the basin plain and has perennial light and heat.(3) The heating-up effect in the Yellow River Basin is outstanding. It is preliminaries estimated that at the same altitude, the Tibet Plateau is about 1.5~8°C higher than the Loess Plateau, and about 6~13°C higher than the North China Plain.
1,5-Dichloroethanoanthracene Derivatives as Antidepressant Maprotiline Analogues: Synthesis and DFT Computational Calculations
Authors: Sultan Mujeeb , Pillai Renjith Raveendran , Alzahrani Eman
Published: May 2021

The chlorinated tetracyclic 1,5-dichloro-9,10-dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracen-12-yl)-N-methylmethanamine 1, a maprotiline analogue, has been synthesized via reduction and Diels–Alder reaction followed by reductive amination of Aldehyde 2. Density Functional Theory calculations were performed to identify the possible isomers of the intermediate compound aldehyde 2, these calculations were in a good agreement with experimental result where aldehyde 2 could exist in three isomers with comparable energies. In addition, the side chain of this aldehyde 2 was extended via Wittig reaction to obtain the unsaturated ester 5 that subjected to selective olefinic catalytic hydrogenation to obtain the corresponding saturated ester 6. 1D-NMR (DEPT) and 2D-NMR (HSQC, DQF-COSY) techniques were recruited for structural elucidation in addition to HRMS.
MicroRNA-1246 Suppresses the Metastasis of Breast Cancer Cells by Targeting the DRAK1A/PGRN Axis to Prevent the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Wang Pan , Chen Wenju , Zhang Yaqiong , Zhong Qianyi , Li Zhaoyun , Wang Yichao
Published: May 2021

Objective. Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant and highly heterogeneous tumors in women. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-1246, play important roles in various types of malignant cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the biological role of miR-1246 in TNBC has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we studied the role of miR-1246 in the occurrence and development of TNBC and its mechanism of action.Methods. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed to observe the effects of miR-1246 on TNBC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively. The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers was detected by western blotting. Dual luciferase reporter assays were performed to determine whether DYRK1A is a novel target of miR-1246. In addition, an immunoprecipitation experiment was performed to verify the binding of DYRK1A to PGRN. Rescue experiments were performed to determine whether DYRK1A is a novel target of miR-1246 and whether miR-1246 suppresses the metastasis of breast cancer cells by targeting the DRAK1A/PGRN axis to prevent the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.Results. Our results show that miR‑1246 suppresses the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells and that DYRK1A is a novel target of miR-1246. MiR‑1246 plays a suppressive role in the regulation of the EMT of TNBC cells by targeting DYRK1A. DYRK1A mediates the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer via activation of the EMT. We identified PGRN as a novel DYRK1A-interacting protein. DYRK1A and PGRN act together to regulate the occurrence and development of breast cancer through miR-1246.Conclusion. miR-1246 attenuates TNBC cell invasion and the EMT by targeting the DRAK1A/PGRN axis. Our data suggest that miR‑1246 may be used to develop novel early-stage diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for TNBC.
Comprehensive Analysis of Immune Cell Enrichment in the Tumor Microenvironment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Mito Ikko , Takahashi Hideyuki , Kawabata-Iwakawa Reika , Ida Shota , Tada Hiroe , Chikamatsu Kazuaki
Published: May 2021

Background: Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) is highly infiltrated by immune cells, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and myeloid lineage cells. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor cells orchestrate a highly immunosuppressive microenvironment by secreting immunosuppressive mediators, expressing immune checkpoint ligands, and downregulating human leukocyte antigen expression. In the present study, we aimed to comprehensively profile the immune microenvironment of HNSCC using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.Methods: We calculated enrichment scores of 33 immune cell types based on RNA-seq data of HNSCC tissues and adjacent non-cancer tissues. Based on these scores, we performed non-supervised clustering and identified three immune signatures, i.e., cold, lymphocyte, and myeloid/dendritic cell (DC), using clustering results. We then compared the clinical and biological features of the three signatures.Results: Among HNSCC and non-cancer tissues, human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive HNSCCs exhibited the highest scores in various immune cell types, including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, plasma cells, basophils, and their subpopulations. Among the three immune signatures, the proportions of HPV-positive tumors, oropharyngeal cancers, early T tumors, and N factor positive cases were significantly higher in the lymphocyte signature than in other signatures. Among the three signatures, the lymphocyte signature showed the longest overall survival (OS), especially in HPV-positive patients, whereas the myeloid/DC signature demonstrated the shortest OS in these patients. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed the upregulation of several pathways related to inflammatory and proinflammatory responses in the lymphocyte signature. The expression of PRF1, IFNG, GZMB, PDCD1, LAG3, CTLA4, HAVCR2, and TIGIT was the highest in the lymphocyte signature. Meanwhile, the expression of PD-1 ligand genes CD274 and PDCD1LG2 was highest in the myeloid/DC signature. Conclusions: Herein, our findings revealed the transcriptomic landscape of the immune microenvironment that closely reflects the clinical and biological significance of HNSCC, indicating that molecular profiling of the immune microenvironment can be employed to develop novel biomarkers and precision immunotherapies for HNSCC.
Twisted oxide lateral homostructures with conjunction tunability
Authors: Yang Jan-Chi , Wu Ping-Chun , Wei Chia-Chun , Zhong Qilan , Ho Sheng-Zhu , Chiu Yu-You , Liou Yi-De , Chiu Chun-Chien , Hu Jo-Chi , You Kei-Jie , Zheng Junding , Chang Chun-Fu , Huang Rong , Duan Chun-Gang , Chen Yi-Chun , Kuo Chang-Yang
Published: May 2021

Epitaxial growth is of significant importance over the past decades, given it has been the key process of modern technology for delivering high-quality thin films. For conventional heteroepitaxy, the selection of proper single crystal substrates not only facilitates the integration of different materials but also fulfills interface and strain engineering upon a wide spectrum of functionalities. Nevertheless, the lattice structures, regularity and crystalline orientation are determined once a specific substrate is chosen. In this work, we reveal the growth of twisted oxide lateral homostructures with multiple conjunction degree of freedom. The twisted lateral homostructures with atomically sharp interfaces can be composed of epitaxial “blocks” with different crystalline orientations, ferroic orders and phases. We further demonstrate that this approach is universal for fabricating various complex systems. Our results establish an efficient pathway towards twisted lateral homostructures, allowing epitaxial films to be arbitrarily tailored at designated positions with unbounded in-plane conjunction tunability.
Association Between Food Addiction and Time Perspective During COVID-19 Isolation
Authors: Borisenkov Mikhail F. , Popov Sergey V. , Smirnov Vasily V. , Gubin Denis G. , Petrov Ivan M. , Vasilkova Tatyana N. , Solovieva Svetlana V. , Martinson Ekaterina A. , Pecherkina Anna A. , Dorogina Olga I. , Symaniuk Elvira E.
Published: May 2021

Purpose: This study tested two hypotheses: a) that during COVID-19 isolation the incidence rate of food addiction is increased, and b) people with present time perspective (TP) are more likely exhibited signs of food addiction (FA).Methods: The final study sample included 949 people, mean age 21.8 ± 7.8 years (range: 17-71 years, women: 78.3%). Each participant indicated their personal data and completed Yale Food Addiction Scale and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory.Results: There was an increased incidence rate of FA (OR = 1.678, 95% CI = 1.324, 2.148, p = .000) during COVID-19 isolation. Individuals with balanced, future, and past positive TP were less likely to exhibit symptoms of FA. Persons with past negative, and present hedonistic TP were more likely to exhibit signs of FA.Conclusion: There was an increased incidence rate of FA during COVID-19 isolation. Persons with shortened time horizon are more likely to exhibit symptoms of FA.Level of Evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
Physical and Chemical Mechanisms Involved in Adhesion of Orthodontic Bonding Composites: in Vitro Evaluations
Authors: Condò Roberta , Mampieri Gianluca , Cioffi Alessandro , Cataldi Maria Elena , Frustaci Ilaria , Giancotti Aldo , Campanella Vincenzo , Mussi Valentina , Convertino Annalisa , Maiolo Luca , Pasquantonio Guido
Published: May 2021

Background Bond strength of orthodontic composite is strongly influenced by molecular and structural mechanisms. Aim of this in vitro study was to compare the bond strength of light-cure orthodontic composites by measuring debonding forces and evaluating locations of bond failure. Investigations on chemical compositions clarified adhesive behaviors and abilities, exploring effects of ageing processes in this junction materials. Methods Sixteen human premolars were selected to realize specimen of enamel sections, randomly divided into three groups, which was assigned a different orthodontic adhesive system and then underwent to Shear Bond Strength test. Twenty-seven human premolars were selected to produce samples, each of which was coupled at a metallic bracket, bonded to the enamel tooth surface with one of the three orthodontic adhesive systems, to quantify, at FE-SEM magnifications, after debonding, the residual material on enamel and bracket base surfaces. Eight test discs of each orthodontic composite, were divided into three randomly groups to study accelerated aging effects in human saliva and sugary drink. Chemical compositions of composite materials were investigated, before and after ageing procedures, by Raman Spectroscopy analysis. Conclusion The orthodontic adhesive systems showed rather similar strength of adhesion to enamel. The breakage of adhesive-adherent bond occurs in TXT at enamel-adhesive interface while in Bisco and Leone composites at the adhesive-bracket interface. Accelerated in vitro aging demonstrated a good physical-chemical stability for all orthodontic composites, Bisco only, was weakly contaminated with respect to the other two materials.
Ocular Surface Cooling Rate Associated With Tear Film Characteristics and the Maximum Interblink Period
Authors: Ding Jennifer , Kim Young Hyun , Yi Sarah M , Graham Andrew D , Li Wing , Lin Meng C
Published: May 2021

The surface of the human eye is covered with a protective tear film that refreshes with each blink. Natural blinking occurs involuntarily, but one can also voluntarily blink or refrain from blinking. The maximum time one can refrain from blinking until the onset of discomfort is the maximum inter-blink period (MIBP). In between blinks the tear film thins and evaporates from the ocular surface. Tear film evaporation can be measured with various instruments. Infrared thermography provides a non-invasive measure of the ocular surface temperature (OST). Due to evaporation, ocular surface cooling (OSC) generally occurs when the eyes are open and exposed to the environment. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of OSC on the MIBP, and to investigate the association of the MIBP with tear film characteristics in subjects who do and do not exhibit OSC. The MIBP was measured simultaneously with OST over time. Non-invasive tear breakup time, tear meniscus height, tear lipid layer thickness, and Schirmer I test strip wetted lengths were measured on a day prior to the thermography visit. Subjects were divided into cooling and non-cooling groups based on OSC rate, and demographic and tear film characteristics were tested for inter-group differences. A faster rate of OSC was associated with an exponentially shorter duration of the MIBP overall and within the cooling group alone. Faster non-invasive tear breakup time was significantly associated with a shorter MIBP in both groups. These results suggest that tear film evaporation initiates a pathway that results in the onset of ocular discomfort and the stimulus to blinking. The presence of a subset of subjects with no or minimal OSC who nevertheless have a short MIBP indicates that evaporative cooling is not the only mechanism responsible for the onset of ocular discomfort.
Exploring the Association of Self-Reported Physical Activity with Peripheral Arterial Disease Severity: A Cross-Sectional Study from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Database
Authors: Aldhahi Monira Ibrahim , Alshehri Mohammed M. , Alqahtani Abdulfattah Saeed
Published: May 2021

Background
Engaging in physical activity (PA) has been proved to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. In patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), diminished PA predicts high overall mortality. However, it is unknown to what extent participation in PA is associated with PAD severity. Therefore, the overarching aim of this study was to investigate the association between PAD severity and PA levels using the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) database.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional cohort study that included 495 participants with PAD and a total of 14,536 participants without PAD from the HCHS/SOL database. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered to assess the time spent weekly in performing moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) during work, leisure time, and transportation. The Ankle–Brachial Index (ABI) was used to measure PAD. PA status was categorized on the basis of MVPA as follows: physically active (MVPA ≥ 150 min) and physically inactive (combined MVPA < 150 min). Eventually, the total sample was then classified as follows: normal ABI and physically active, normal ABI but physically inactive, PAD and physically active, and PAD but physically inactive. Regression models were used to investigate the association between different types of PA and the severity of PAD.
Results
Of the participants, 235 (47%) were involved in no to insufficient PA, and 260 (53%) engaged in at least 150 min/week of MVPA. The majority of participants (54%) with mild PAD were physically active, and 58% of those with severe PAD were physically inactive. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, education, smoking status, body mass index, and statins), inactive people with a diagnosis of PAD were more likely to have severe PAD (β = .79, p = .02). In addition, decreases in work-related PA, total metabolic equivalents, and total PA were associated with increased PAD severity.
Conclusions
It was found that MVPA patterns were associated with PAD severity, and they explained high severity among patients with PAD who were physically inactive. These findings highlight the necessity of interventions in increasing PA in these participants. Future studies are required to identify appropriate exercise regimens or home-based programs to help patients with severe PAD meet the current PA recommendations.
Spinoglenoid notched ganglion cyst with a subtle SLAP tear, and acromio-humeral impingement findings veiling the real radiological picture: An MRI lesson
Authors: Dogan Emrah , Aydoğmuş Hüseyin , Aydoğmuş Sinem
Published: May 2021

Spinoglenoid notch ganglion cyst (SNGC) is a rare shoulder cystic lesion. It is usually associated with superior labrum anteroposterior (SLAP) tears. SNGC can typically cause compression of the suprascapular nerve at the spinoglenoid notch. The aim of our paper is to draw attention to the relation of SNGC cyst with SLAP tears and to raise awareness so that accompanying low-grade labral tears are not overlooked. In addition, since these findings usually accompanied by acromioclavicular joint hypertrophy, the clinic table accidentally can be linked with impingement. The patient applied to our hospital with a complaint of weakness and mild pain in his arm. External rotation was difficult in the examination. Linear type I SLAP tear associated with degeneration was detected. The radiological findings of SLAP tear were subtle, and there were additional findings that could be interpreted as impingement. A lobulated and multiloculated cyst was observed in the supraglenoid notch.
Coordination of Lead (II) and Cadmium (II) Ions to Nylon 6/flax Linum Composite as a Route of Removal of Heavy Metals
Authors: Moja NT , Mishra SB , Hwang SS , Tsai TY , Mishra Ajay Kumar
Published: May 2021

Nylon 6 (PA6) reinforced Flax Linum composites were synthesized by melt mix extrusion and molded through Mucell\ ® injection technique for adsorption application for removal of Cd(II) and Pb(II) metal ions. The structural morphologies of all samples were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmittance emission microscopy (TEM) and Scanning emission microscopy (SEM), indicating crystallized materials with pore-like cells and Thermographic analysis (TGA) illustrated the thermally stable., Microscopic PA6 revealed the effects of Flax content on both cell density and cell size of the foamed samples. The cell size of neat PA6 (48 μm) changed to 36, 17, and 15 μm after incorporation of Flax compositions for 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 wt%. The removal of Cd(II)and Pb(II) with PA6/Flax 1.0 wt% composite was found to follow the Langmuir isotherm model. The results indicated that PA6 1.0 wt% composite can be efficiently used as a superabsorbent for the removal of Cd(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solution.
Unscented Kalman Filter and Control in TSE(3) with Applications to Spacecraft Dynamics
Authors: Wittal Matthew Michael , Mangiacapra Gennaro , Nazari Morad , Capello Elisa
Published: May 2021

This paper presents a novel rigid-body spacecraft navigation and control architecture within the framework of special Euclidean group SE(3) and its tangent bundle TSE(3) while considering stochastic processes in the system. The proposed framework combines the orbit-attitude motions of the spacecraft into a single, compact set. The stochastic state filter is designed based on the unscented Kalman filter which uses a special retraction function to encode the sigma points onto the manifold. The navigation system is then integrated to an almost globally asymptotically stabilizing Morse-Lyapunov-based control system with backstepping. Numerical simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed navigation filter for the full state estimation. In addition, the navigation and control system is tested in the nonlinear gravity field of a small celestial body with an irregular shape. In particular, the performance of the closed-loop system is studied in a tracking problem of spacecraft motion near the asteroid Bennu based on the OSIRIS-REx's mission data.
Hybrid therapy versus Total En Bloc Spondyectomy in the treatment of Solitary Radioresistant Spinal Metastases：A propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Zheng Jianping , Wu Longyun , Shi Jiandang , Niu Ningkui , Yang Zongqiang , Ding Huiqiang
Published: May 2021

Background

Both hybrid therapy (HT) and total en bloc spondylectomy (TES)can lead to good results for solitary radioresistant metastatic spinal tumors with high-grade epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC). However, there is still a lack of comparative studies on the treatment efficacy of these two methods.
Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with the above-mentioned tumors between January 2012 and May 2019. A total of 157 patients underwent surgery, among whom 64 received HT, and 93 were treated with TES. Propensity score matching allowed the generation of best-matched pairs for the 2 categories (1:1 ratio). Local control rates and survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.
Results

All patients received a minimum of 2-year follow-up. The longest follow-up time was 88 months. The survival rates and local progression-free survival rates after HT were comparable with TES at 1 year (84.6% vs. 83.1%; 90.2% vs. 90%), 2 year (60.8% vs. 64.3%; 64.1% vs. 62.1%), and 5 year (18.8% vs. 24.1%; 24.4% vs. 28.4%). There were no significant differences in pain control, improvement of neurological status, spine stabilization restoration, and improvement in quality of life between groups. However, HT showed more advantages in shortening operative time and reducing intraoperative blood loss than TES.
Conclusion

Our results suggest that HT can obtain satisfactory results comparable to TES for solitary radioresistant metastatic spinal tumors with high-grade ESCC. In addition, compared with TES, HT has the advantages of shortening operative time and reducing perioperative complications. For solitary radioresistant metastatic spinal tumors with a high degree of ESCC, HT may be a promising treatment in the future.
Influence of Traumatic Brain Injury on Extracellular Tau Elimination at the Blood-Brain Barrier
Authors: Eisenbaum Maxwell , Pearson Andrew , Gratkowski Arissa , Mouzon Benoit , Mullan Michael , Crawford Fiona , Ojo Joseph , Bachmeier Corbin
Published: May 2021

Repetitive head trauma has been associated with the accumulation of tau species in the brain. Our prior work showed brain vascular mural cells contribute to tau processing in the brain, and that these cells progressively degenerate following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI). The current studies investigated the role of the cerebrovasculature in the elimination of extracellular tau from the brain, and the influence of r-mTBI on these processes. Following intracranial injection, the levels of exogenous tau residing in the brain were elevated in a mouse model of r-mTBI at 12 months post-injury compared to r-sham mice, indicating reduced tau elimination from the brain following head trauma. This may be the result of decreased caveolin-1 mediated tau efflux at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), as the caveolin inhibitor, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, significantly reduced tau uptake in isolated cerebrovessels and significantly decreased the basolateral-to-apical transit of tau across an in vitro model of the BBB. Moreover, we found that the upstream regulator of endothelial caveolin-1, Mfsd2a, was elevated in r-mTBI cerebrovessels compared to r-sham, which coincided with a decreased expression of cerebrovascular caveolin-1 at 6 months post-injury. Lastly, angiopoietin-1, a mural cell-derived protein governing endothelial Mfsd2a expression, was secreted to a greater extent from r-mTBI cerebrovessels compared to r-sham animals. Thus, in the chronic phase post-injury, release of angiopoietin-1 from degenerating mural cells downregulates caveolin-1 expression in brain endothelia, resulting in decreased tau elimination across the BBB, which may describe the accumulation of tau species in the brain following head trauma.
A distance-based microfluidic paper-based biosensor for glucose measurements in tear range
Authors: Allameh Samira , Rabbani Mohsen
Published: May 2021

The prevalence of diabetes has increased over the past years. Therefore, developing minimally invasive, user-friendly and cost-effective glucose biosensors is necessary especially in low-income and developing countries. Cellulose paper-based analytical devices have attracted the attention of many researchers due to affordability, not requiring trained personnel, and complex equipment. This paper describes a microfluidic paper-based analytical device for the detection of glucose in tear with the naked eye. The paper-based biosensor fabricated by laser CO2, and GOx/HRP enzymatic solution coupled with TMB was utilized as reagents. A sample volume of 10 µl was needed for the biosensor operation and the results were observable within 5 minutes. To evaluate the device performance, color intensity-based and distance-based results were analyzed by ImageJ and Tracker. Distance-based results showed a linear behavior in the range of 0.1–0.6 mM with an R2 = 0.967 and LOD of 0.2 mM. The results could be perceived by the naked eye without any need to further equipment or trained personnel in a relatively short time (3–5 minutes). Moreover, glucose concentration could be obtained non-invasively by tears collected by this µPAD.