bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Satellite Observations and Air Quality Modelling to Validation of NOx Anthropogenic EMEP Emissions Inventory over Central Europe
Authors: Szymankiewicz Karol , Kaminski Jacek W. , Struzewska Joanna
Published: November 2021

One of the most important minor species in the atmosphere is nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The primary objective of the presented research was to propose a method to adjust emission inventories (emission fluxes) using tropospheric NO2 columns observed by OMI and SCIAMACHY instruments. Modified emission fluxes were used in a chemical weather model GEM-AQ. The GEM-AQ model results were compared with the monthly averaged satellite-derived column amount of NO2 over Europe for the 2008–2010 observing period. It was shown that the observed and modelled spatial distribution of high values of the NO2 column is highly correlated with the distribution of major anthropogenic sources in the modelling domain. The presented findings highlight the importance of the anthropogenic sources in the overall budget of NO2 in the polluted troposphere. Regions for which modelling results showed underestimation or overestimation compared with observations were constant for the whole analysis period. Thus, the NO2 column observations could be used for correcting emission estimates. The proposed emission correction method is based on the differences in modelled and satellite-derived NO2 columns. Modelling was done for 2011 using the original and adjusted emission inventories and compared with observed NO2 columns. The analysis was extended to compare modelling results with surface NO2 observations from selected air quality stations in Poland. A significant improvement in modelling results was obtained over regions with large overestimations in the control run for which the original emission fluxes were used.
Colored 3D Path Extraction Based on Depth-RGB Sensor for Welding Robot Trajectory Generation
Authors: Gómez-Espinosa Alfonso , Rodríguez-Suárez Jesús B. , Cuan-Urquizo Enrique , Cabello Jesús Arturo Escobedo , Swenson Rick L.
Published: November 2021

The necessity for intelligent welding robots that meet the demand in real industrial production, according to the objectives of Industry 4.0, has been supported owing to the rapid development of computer vision and the use of new technologies. To improve the efficiency in weld location for industrial robots, this work focuses on trajectory extraction based on color features identification on three-dimensional surfaces acquired with a depth-RGB sensor. The system is planned to be used with a low-cost Intel RealSense D435 sensor for the reconstruction of 3D models based on stereo vision and the built-in color sensor to quickly identify the objective trajectory, since the parts to be welded are previously marked with different colors, indicating the locations of the welding trajectories to be followed. This work focuses on 3D color segmentation with which the points of the target trajectory are segmented by color thresholds in HSV color space and a spline cubic interpolation algorithm is implemented to obtain a smooth trajectory. Experimental results have shown that the RMSE error for V-type butt joint path extraction was under 1.1 mm and below 0.6 mm for a straight butt joint; in addition, the system seems to be suitable for welding beads of various shapes.
Detection and Control of Fusarium oxysporum from Soft Rot in Dendrobium officinale by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays
Authors: Xiao Caiyun , Li Rongyu
Published: November 2021

Soft rot causing Fusarium oxysporum is one of the most destructive diseases of Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo in China that reduces D. officinale yield and quality. A key challenge for an integrated management strategy for this disease is the rapid and accurate detection of F. oxysporum on D. officinale. Therefore, a new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for this purpose. In this study, the primers were selected and designed using the translation elongation factor-1α (TEF-1α) gene region as the target DNA sequence in order to screen the best system of reaction of LAMP to detect F. oxysporum through optimizing different conditions of the LAMP reaction, including time, temperature, concentrations of MgSO4, and concentrations of inner and outer primers. The optimized system was able to efficiently amplify the target gene at 62 °C for 60 min with 1.2 μM internal primers, 0.4 μM external primers, 7 mM Mg2+, and 5 fg/µL minimum detection concentration of DNA for F. oxysporum. The amplified products could be detected with the naked eye after completion of the reaction with SYBR green I. We were better able to control the effect of soft rot in D. officinale using fungicides following a positive test result. Additionally, the control effect of synergism combinations against soft rot was higher than 75%. Thus, LAMP assays could detect F. oxysporum in infected tissues of D. officinale and soils in field, allowing for early diagnosis of the disease.
Macroautophagy and Mitophagy in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Focus on Therapeutic Interventions
Authors: Magalhães João Duarte , Fão Lígia , Vilaça Rita , Cardoso Sandra Morais , Rego Ana Cristina
Published: November 2021

Macroautophagy, a quality control mechanism, is an evolutionarily conserved pathway of lysosomal degradation of protein aggregates, pathogens, and damaged organelles. As part of its vital homeostatic role, macroautophagy deregulation is associated with various human disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. There are several lines of evidence that associate protein misfolding and mitochondrial dysfunction in the etiology of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. Macroautophagy has been implicated in the degradation of different protein aggregates such as Aβ, tau, alpha-synuclein (α-syn), and mutant huntingtin (mHtt) and in the clearance of dysfunctional mitochondria. Taking these into consideration, targeting autophagy might represent an effective therapeutic strategy to eliminate protein aggregates and to improve mitochondrial function in these disorders. The present review describes our current understanding on the role of macroautophagy in neurodegenerative disorders and focuses on possible strategies for its therapeutic modulation.
The Impact of Lifestyle Interventions in High-Risk Early Breast Cancer Patients: A Modeling Approach from a Single Institution Experience
Authors: Pistelli Mirco , Natalucci Valentina , Scortichini Laura , Agostinelli Veronica , Lenci Edoardo , Crocetti Sonia , Merloni Filippo , Bastianelli Lucia , Taus Marina , Fumelli Daniele , Giulietti Gloria , Cola Claudia , Capecci Marianna , Serrani Roberta , Ceravolo Maria Gabriella , Ricci Maurizio , Nicolai Albano , Barbieri Elena , Nicolai Giulia , Ballatore Zelmira , Savini Agnese , Berardi Rossana
Published: November 2021

A healthy lifestyle plays a strategic role in the prevention of BC. The aim of our prospective study is to evaluate the effects of a lifestyle interventions program based on special exercise and nutrition education on weight, psycho-physical well-being, blood lipid and hormonal profile among BC patients who underwent primary surgery. From January 2014 to March 2017, a multidisciplinary group of oncologists, dieticians, physiatrists and an exercise specialist evaluated 98 adult BC female patients at baseline and at different time points. The patients had at least one of the following risk factors: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, high testosterone levels, high serum insulin levels or diagnosis of MS. Statistically significant differences are shown in terms of BMI variation with the lifestyle interventions program, as well as in waist circumference and blood glucose, insulin and testosterone levels. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was reported in variations of total Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score, in the anxiety HADS score and improvement in joint pain. Our results suggested that promoting a healthy lifestyle in clinical practice reduces risk factors involved in BC recurrence and ensures psycho-physical well-being.
CCR4 as a Therapeutic Target for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Yoshie Osamu
Published: November 2021

CCR4 is a chemokine receptor mainly expressed by T cells. It is the receptor for two CC chemokine ligands, CCL17 and CCL22. Originally, the expression of CCR4 was described as highly selective for helper T type 2 (Th2) cells. Later, its expression was extended to other T cell subsets such as regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells. CCR4 has long been regarded as a potential therapeutic target for allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma. Furthermore, the findings showing that CCR4 is strongly expressed by T cell malignancies such as adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs) have led to the development and clinical application of the fully humanized and glyco-engineered monoclonal anti-CCR4 Mogamulizumab in refractory/relapsed ATLL and CTCLs with remarkable successes. However, Mogamulizumab often induces severe adverse events in the skin possibly because of its efficient depletion of Treg cells. In particular, treatment with Mogamulizumab prior to allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the only curative option of these T cell malignancies, often leads to severe glucocorticoid-refractory graft-versus-host diseases. The efficient depletion of Treg cells by Mogamulizumab has also led to its clinical trials in advanced solid tumors singly or in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The main focus of this review is CCR4; its expression on normal and malignant T cells and its significance as a therapeutic target in cancer immunotherapy.
Cancer-Related Alopecia: From Etiologies to Global Management
Authors: Quesada Stanislas , Guichard Alexandre , Fiteni Frédéric
Published: November 2021

Alopecia represents a multifaceted challenge with distinct etiologies and consequences. Transposed to the world of oncology, different types of alopecia and molecular pathways have been characterized, allowing a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. In patients with cancer, alopecia can be iatrogenic (i.e., due to conventional chemotherapies, endocrine therapies, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, radiotherapy and surgery) or a direct consequence of the disease itself (e.g., malnutrition, scalp metastases and paraneoplastic syndromes). Identification of the actual incriminated mechanism(s) is therefore essential in order to deliver appropriate supportive care, whether preventive or curative. On the preventive side, the last few years have seen the advent of the automated cooling cap, a prophylactic approach supported by several randomized clinical trials. On the curative side, although the treatments currently available are limited, several promising therapeutic approaches are under development. Appropriate alopecia management is essential, particularly regarding its psychological repercussions with significant consequences on the quality of life of patients and their family and with a potential impact on treatment compliance.
Locoregional Treatments for Bridging and Downstaging HCC to Liver Transplantation
Authors: Crocetti Laura , Bozzi Elena , Scalise Paola , Bargellini Irene , Lorenzoni Giulia , Ghinolfi Davide , Campani Daniela , Balzano Emanuele , De Simone Paolo , Cioni Roberto
Published: November 2021

Liver transplantation (LT) is the first-line treatment for patients diagnosed with unresectable early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the setting of cirrhosis. It is well known that HCC patients within the Milan criteria (solitary tumour ≤ 5 cm or ≤3 tumours, each <3 cm) could undergo LT with excellent results. However, there is a growing tendency to enlarge inclusion criteria since the Milan criteria are nowadays considered too restrictive and may exclude patients who would benefit from LT. On the other hand, there is a persistent shortage of donor organs. In this scenario, there is consensus about the role of loco-regional therapy (LRT) during the waiting list to select patients who would benefit more from LT, reducing the risk of drop off from the waiting list as well as decreasing tumour dimension to meet acceptable criteria for LT. In this review, current evidence on the safety, efficacy and utility of LRTs as neoadjuvant therapies before LT are summarized.
Targeting HGF/c-Met Axis Decreases Circulating Regulatory T Cells Accumulation in Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Palle Juliette , Hirsch Laure , Lapeyre-Prost Alexandra , Malka David , Bourhis Morgane , Pernot Simon , Marcheteau Elie , Voron Thibault , Castan Florence , Lacotte Ariane , Benhamouda Nadine , Tanchot Corinne , François Eric , Ghiringhelli François , de la Fouchardière Christelle , Zaanan Aziz , Tartour Eric , Taieb Julien , Terme Magali
Published: November 2021

Elucidating mechanisms involved in tumor-induced immunosuppression is of great interest since it could help to improve cancer immunotherapy efficacy. Here we show that Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), a pro-tumoral and proangiogenic factor, and its receptor c-Met are involved in regulatory T cells (Treg) accumulation in the peripheral blood of gastric cancer (GC) patients. We observed that c-Met is expressed on circulating monocytes from GC patients. The elevated expression on monocytes is associated with clinical parameters linked to an aggressive disease phenotype and correlates with a worse prognosis. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells from GC patients differentiated in the presence of HGF adopt a regulatory phenotype with a lower expression of co-stimulatory molecules, impaired maturation capacities, and an increased ability to produce interleukin-10 and to induce Treg differentiation in vitro. In the MEGA-ACCORD20-PRODIGE17 trial, GC patients received an anti-HGF antibody treatment (rilotumumab), which had been described to have an anti-angiogenic activity by decreasing proliferation of endothelial cells and tube formation. Rilotumumab decreased circulating Treg in GC patients. Thus, we identified that HGF indirectly triggers Treg accumulation via c-Met-expressing monocytes in the peripheral blood of GC patients. Our study provides arguments for potential alternative use of HGF/c-Met targeted therapies based on their immunomodulatory properties which could lead to the development of new therapeutic associations in cancer patients, for example with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Papillary Thyroid Cancer Prognosis: An Evolving Field
Authors: Ulisse Salvatore , Baldini Enke , Lauro Augusto , Pironi Daniele , Tripodi Domenico , Lori Eleonora , Ferent Iulia Catalina , Amabile Maria Ida , Catania Antonio , Di Matteo Filippo Maria , Forte Flavio , Santoro Alberto , Palumbo Piergaspare , D’Andrea Vito , Sorrenti Salvatore
Published: November 2021

Over the last few years, a great advance has been made in the comprehension of the molecular pathogenesis underlying thyroid cancer progression, particularly for the papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which represents the most common thyroid malignancy. Putative cancer driver mutations have been identified in more than 98% of PTC, and a new PTC classification into molecular subtypes has been proposed in order to resolve clinical uncertainties still present in the clinical management of patients. Additionally, the prognostic stratification systems have been profoundly modified over the last decade, with a view to refine patients’ staging and being able to choose a clinical approach tailored on single patient’s needs. Here, we will briefly discuss the recent changes in the clinical management of thyroid nodules, and review the current staging systems of thyroid cancer patients by analyzing promising clinicopathological features (i.e., gender, thyroid auto-immunity, multifocality, PTC histological variants, and vascular invasion) as well as new molecular markers (i.e., BRAF/TERT promoter mutations, miRNAs, and components of the plasminogen activating system) potentially capable of ameliorating the prognosis of PTC patients.
Variable Expression of the Disialoganglioside GD2 in Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes
Authors: Erber Ramona , Kailayangiri Sareetha , Huebner Hanna , Ruebner Matthias , Hartmann Arndt , Häberle Lothar , Meyer Julia , Völkl Simon , Mackensen Andreas , Landgraf Laura , Geppert Carol I. , Schulz-Wendtland Rüdiger , Beckmann Matthias W. , Fasching Peter A. , Farwick Nicole , Rossig Claudia , Gass Paul
Published: November 2021

The disialoganglioside GD2 is a tumor-associated antigen that may allow for the application of targeted immunotherapies (anti-GD2 antibodies, GD2 CAR T cells) in patients with neuroblastoma and other solid tumors. We retrospectively investigated GD2 expression in a breast cancer cohort, using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) on tissue microarrays (TMAs), and its impact on survival. GD2 expression on IHC (n = 568) and IF (n = 503) was investigated in relation to subtypes and patient outcome. Overall, 50.2% of the 568 IHC-assessed samples and 69.8% of the 503 IF-assessed samples were GD2-positive. The highest proportion of GD2-positive tumors was observed in luminal tumors. Significantly fewer GD2-positive cases were detected in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) compared with other subtypes. The proportion of GD2-expressing tumors were significantly lower in HER2-positive breast cancer in comparison with luminal tumors on IF staining (but not IHC). GD2 expression of IHC or IF was not significantly associated with disease-free or overall survival, in either the overall cohort or in individual subtypes. However, GD2 expression can be seen in more than 50% of breast cancer cases, with the highest frequency in hormone receptor-positive tumors. With this high expression frequency, patients with GD2-positive advanced breast cancer of all subtypes may benefit from GD2-targeting immunotherapies, which are currently subject to clinical testing.
Transcriptomics, Epigenetics, and Metabolomics of Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Spyroglou Ariadni , Piaditis George P. , Kaltsas Gregory , Alexandraki Krystallenia I.
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of endocrine hypertension, mainly caused by aldosterone-producing adenomas or hyperplasia; understanding its pathophysiological background is important in order to provide ameliorative treatment strategies. Over the past several years, significant progress has been documented in this field, in particular in the clarification of the genetic and molecular mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs). Methods: Systematic searches of the PubMed and Cochrane databases were performed for all human studies applying transcriptomic, epigenetic or metabolomic analyses to PA subjects. Studies involving serial analysis of gene expression and microarray, epigenetic studies with methylome analyses and micro-RNA expression profiles, and metabolomic studies focused on improving understanding of the regulation of autonomous aldosterone production in PA were all included. Results: In this review we summarize the main findings in this area and analyze the interplay between primary aldosteronism and several signaling pathways with differential regulation of the RNA and protein expression of several factors involved in, among others, steroidogenesis, calcium signaling, and nuclear, membrane and G-coupled protein receptors. Distinct transcriptomic and metabolomic patterns are also presented herein, depending on the mutational status of APAs. In particular, two partially opposite transcriptional and steroidogenic profiles appear to distinguish APAs carrying a KCNJ5 mutation from all other APAs, which carry different mutations. Conclusions: These findings can substantially contribute to the development of personalized treatment in patients with PA.
Antihistamines Potentiate Dexamethasone Anti-Inflammatory Effects. Impact on Glucocorticoid Receptor-Mediated Expression of Inflammation-Related Genes
Authors: Zappia Carlos Daniel , Torralba-Agu Valeria , Echeverria Emiliana , Fitzsimons Carlos P. , Fernández Natalia , Monczor Federico
Published: November 2021

Antihistamines and glucocorticoids (GCs) are often used together in the clinic to treat several inflammation-related situations. Although there is no rationale for this association, clinical practice has assumed that, due to their concomitant anti-inflammatory effects, there should be an intrinsic benefit to their co-administration. In this work, we evaluated the effects of the co-treatment of several antihistamines on dexamethasone-induced glucocorticoid receptor transcriptional activity on the expression of various inflammation-related genes in A549 and U937 cell lines. Our results show that all antihistamines potentiate GCs’ anti-inflammatory effects, presenting ligand-, cell- and gene-dependent effects. Given that treatment with GCs has strong adverse effects, particularly on bone metabolism, we also examined the impact of antihistamine co-treatment on the expression of bone metabolism markers. Using MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cells, we observed that, though the antihistamine azelastine reduces the expression of dexamethasone-induced bone loss molecular markers, it potentiates osteoblast apoptosis. Our results suggest that the synergistic effect could contribute to reducing GC clinical doses, ineffective by itself but effective in combination with an antihistamine. This could result in a therapeutic advantage, as the addition of an antihistamine may reinforce the wanted effects of GCs, while related adverse effects could be diminished or at least mitigated. By modulating the patterns of gene activation/repression mediated by GR, antihistamines could enhance only the desired effects of GCs, allowing their effective dose to be reduced. Further research is needed to correctly determine the clinical scope, benefits, and potential risks of this therapeutic strategy.
Adaptation to Chronic-Cycling Hypoxia Renders Cancer Cells Resistant to MTH1-Inhibitor Treatment Which Can Be Counteracted by Glutathione Depletion
Authors: Hansel Christine , Hlouschek Julian , Xiang Kexu , Melnikova Margarita , Thomale Juergen , Helleday Thomas , Jendrossek Verena , Matschke Johann
Published: November 2021

Tumor hypoxia and hypoxic adaptation of cancer cells represent major barriers to successful cancer treatment. We revealed that improved antioxidant capacity contributes to increased radioresistance of cancer cells with tolerance to chronic-cycling severe hypoxia/reoxygenation stress. We hypothesized, that the improved tolerance to oxidative stress will increase the ability of cancer cells to cope with ROS-induced damage to free deoxy-nucleotides (dNTPs) required for DNA replication and may thus contribute to acquired resistance of cancer cells in advanced tumors to antineoplastic agents inhibiting the nucleotide-sanitizing enzyme MutT Homologue-1 (MTH1), ionizing radiation (IR) or both. Therefore, we aimed to explore potential differences in the sensitivity of cancer cells exposed to acute and chronic-cycling hypoxia/reoxygenation stress to the clinically relevant MTH1-inhibitor TH1579 (Karonudib) and to test whether a multi-targeting approach combining the glutathione withdrawer piperlongumine (PLN) and TH1579 may be suited to increase cancer cell sensitivity to TH1579 alone and in combination with IR. Combination of TH1579 treatment with radiotherapy (RT) led to radiosensitization but was not able to counteract increased radioresistance induced by adaptation to chronic-cycling hypoxia/reoxygenation stress. Disruption of redox homeostasis using PLN sensitized anoxia-tolerant cancer cells to MTH1 inhibition by TH1579 under both normoxic and acute hypoxic treatment conditions. Thus, we uncover a glutathione-driven compensatory resistance mechanism towards MTH1-inhibition in form of increased antioxidant capacity as a consequence of microenvironmental or therapeutic stress.
Fabrication of C/C–SiC–ZrB2 Ultra-High Temperature Composites through Liquid–Solid Chemical Reaction
Authors: Sun Qian , Zhang Huifeng , Huang Chuanbing , Zhang Weigang
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we aimed to improve the oxidation and ablation resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced carbon (CFC) composites at temperatures above 2000 °C. C/C–SiC–ZrB2 ultra-high temperature ceramic composites were fabricated through a complicated liquid–solid reactive process combining slurry infiltration (SI) and reactive melt infiltration (RMI). A liquid Si–Zr10 eutectic alloy was introduced, at 1600 °C, into porous CFC composites containing two kinds of boride particles (B4C and ZrB2, respectively) to form a SiC–ZrB2 matrix. The effects and mechanism of the introduced B4C and ZrB2 particles on the formation reaction and microstructure of the final C/C–SiC–ZrB2 composites were investigated in detail. It was found that the composite obtained from a C/C–B4C preform displayed a porous and loose structure, and the formed SiC–ZrB2 matrix distributed heterogeneously in the composite due to the asynchronous generation of the SiC and ZrB2 ceramics. However, the C/C–SiC–ZrB2 composite, prepared from a C/C–ZrB2 preform, showed a very dense matrix between the fiber bundles, and elongated plate-like ZrB2 ceramics appeared in the matrix, which were derived from the dissolution–diffusion–precipitation mechanism of the ZrB2 clusters. The latter composite exhibited a relatively higher ZrB2 content (9.51%) and bulk density (2.82 g/cm3), along with lower open porosity (3.43%), which endowed this novel composite with good mechanical properties, including pseudo-plastic fracture behavior.
Satellite Telemetry of Blue-Throated Macaws in Barba Azul Nature Reserve (Beni, Bolivia) Reveals Likely Breeding Areas
Authors: Davenport Lisa C. , Boorsma Tjalle , Carrara Lucas , Antas Paulo de Tarso Zuquim , Faria Luciene , Brightsmith Donald J. , Herzog Sebastian K. , Soria-Auza Rodrigo W. , Hennessey A. Bennett
Published: November 2021

The Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Llanos de Moxos ecosystem of Beni, Bolivia. To aid conservation of the northwestern population that utilizes the Barba Azul Nature Reserve during the non-breeding season, we set out to learn the sites where these birds breed using satellite telemetry. We describe preliminary tests conducted on captive birds (at Loro Parque Foundation, Tenerife, Spain) that resulted in choosing Geotrak Parrot Collars, a metal, battery-operated unit that provides data through the Argos satellite system. In September 2019, we tagged three birds in Barba Azul with Geotrak collars, and received migration data for two birds, until battery depletion in November and December 2019. Our two migrant birds were tracked leaving Barba Azul on the same date (27 September), but departed in divergent directions (approximately 90 degrees in separation). They settled in two sites approximately 50–100 km from Barba Azul. Some details of the work are restricted out of conservation concern as the species still faces poaching pressures. Knowing their likely breeding grounds, reserve managers conducted site visits to where the birds were tracked, resulting in the discovery of breeding birds, although no birds still carrying a transmitter were seen then. A single individual still carrying its collar was spotted 13 August 2021 at Barba Azul. The work suggests that the Blue-throated Macaws of Barba Azul use breeding sites that are scattered across the Llanos de Moxos region, although within the recognized boundaries of the northwestern subpopulation. We conclude that the use of satellite collars is a feasible option for research with the species and could provide further conservation insights.
Passive Acoustic Monitoring and Automatic Detection of Diel Patterns and Acoustic Structure of Howler Monkey Roars
Authors: Do Nascimento Leandro A. , Pérez-Granados Cristian , Beard Karen H.
Published: November 2021

Nighttime studies are underrepresented in ecological research. Even well-known behaviors, such as the loud call of howler monkeys, are rarely studied at night. Our goal was to help fill this knowledge gap by studying the 24 h vocal behavior of the Guianan red howler monkey (Alouatta macconnelli) and to compare the acoustic structures of howling bouts made during the day to those made at night. We used passive acoustic monitoring coupled with automatic acoustic detection to study three groups of howlers over three months in the Viruá National Park, Roraima, Brazil. The automatic classifier we built detected 171 howling bouts with a 42% recall rate and 100% precision. Though primarily diurnal, howlers vocalized mainly at night. Greater vocal activity before nautical twilight might be associated with territorial and resource defense behaviors, with howlers calling from roosting sites before starting their daily routines. We also found that during the day, howling bouts were longer and had lower harmonic-to-noise ratios, lower frequencies, and more symmetric energy distributions than bouts at night. Our study adds to growing evidence that passive acoustic monitoring and automatic acoustic detection can be used to study primates and improve our understanding of their vocal behavior.
A Novel Low-Area Point Multiplication Architecture for Elliptic-Curve Cryptography
Authors: Rashid Muhammad , Hazzazi Mohammad Mazyad , Khan Sikandar Zulqarnain , Alharbi Adel R. , Sajid Asher , Aljaedi Amer
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a Point Multiplication (PM) architecture of Elliptic-Curve Cryptography (ECC) over GF(2163) with a focus on the optimization of hardware resources and latency at the same time. The hardware resources are reduced with the use of a bit-serial (traditional schoolbook) multiplication method. Similarly, the latency is optimized with the reduction in a critical path using pipeline registers. To cope with the pipelining, we propose to reschedule point addition and double instructions, required for the computation of a PM operation in ECC. Subsequently, the proposed architecture over GF(2163) is modeled in Verilog Hardware Description Language (HDL) using Vivado Design Suite. To provide a fair performance evaluation, we synthesize our design on various FPGA (field-programmable gate array) devices. These FPGA devices are Virtex-4, Virtex-5, Virtex-6, Virtex-7, Spartan-7, Artix-7, and Kintex-7. The lowest area (433 FPGA slices) is achieved on Spartan-7. The highest speed is realized on Virtex-7, where our design achieves 391 MHz clock frequency and requires 416 μs for one PM computation (latency). For power, the lowest values are achieved on the Artix-7 (56 μW) and Kintex-7 (61 μW) devices. A ratio of throughput over area value of 4.89 is reached for Virtex-7. Our design outperforms most recent state-of-the-art solutions (in terms of area) with an overhead of latency.
Coordinated Control System between Grid–VSC and a DC Microgrid with Hybrid Energy Storage System
Authors: Montilla-DJesus Miguel , Franco-Mejía Édinson , Trujillo Edwin Rivas , Rodriguez-Amenedo José Luis , Arnaltes Santiago
Published: November 2021

Direct current microgrids (DCMGs) are currently presented as an alternative solution for small systems that feed sensitive electrical loads into DC. According to the scientific literature, DCMG maintains good voltage regulation. However, when the system is in islanded mode, very pronounced voltage variations are presented, compromising the system’s ability to achieve reliable and stable energy management. Therefore, the authors propose a solution, connecting the electrical network through a grid-tied voltage source converter (GVSC) in order to reduce voltage variations. A coordinated control strategy between the DCMG and GVSC is proposed to regulate the DC voltage and find a stable power flow between the various active elements, which feed the load. The results show that the control strategy between the GVSC and DCMG, when tested under different disturbances, improves the performance of the system, making it more reliable and stable. Furthermore, the GVSC supports the AC voltage at the point of common coupling (PCC) without reducing the operating capacity of the DCMG and without exceeding even its most restrictive limit. All simulations were carried out in MATLAB 2020.
RETRACTED: Thyristor Aging-State-Evaluation Method Based on State Information and Tensor Domain Theory
Authors: Lei Zhaoyu , Guo Jianyi , Tian Yingfu , Yang Jiemin , Xiong Yinwu , Zhang Jie , Shang Ben , Fan Youping
Published: November 2021

The thyristor is the key device for the converter of the ultra-high-voltage DC (UHVDC) project to realize AC–DC conversion. The reliability of thyristors is directly related to the safe operation of the UHVDC transmission system. Due to the complex operating environment of the thyristor, there are many interrelated parameters that may affect the aging state of thyristors. To extract useful information from the massive high-dimensional data and further obtain the aging state of thyristors, a supervised tensor domain classification (STDC) method based on the adaptive syn-thetic sampling method, the gradient-boosting decision tree, and tensor domain theory is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the algorithm applies the continuous medium theory to analogize the aging state points of the thyristor to the mass points in the continuous medium. Then, the algorithm applies the concept of the tensor domain to identify the aging state of the thyristor and to transform the original state-identification problem into the state classification surface determination of the tensor domain. Secondly, a temporal fuzzy clustering algorithm is applied to realize automatic positioning of the classification surface of each tensor sub-domain. Furthermore, to solve the problem of unbalanced sample size between aging class data and normal class data in the state-identification domain, the improved adaptive synthetic sampling algorithm is applied to preprocess the data. The gradient-boosting decision tree algorithm is applied to solve the multi-classification problem of the thyristor. Finally, the comparison between the algorithm proposed and the conventional algorithm is performed through the field-test data provided by the CSG EHV Power Transmission Company of China’s Southern Power Grid. It is verified that the evaluation method proposed has higher recognition accuracy and can effectively classify the thyristor states.
Piecewise Parabolic Approximate Computation Based on an Error-Flattened Segmenter and a Novel Quantizer
Authors: An Mengyu , Luo Yuanyong , Zheng Muhan , Wang Yuxuan , Dong Hongxi , Wang Zhongfeng , Peng Chenglei , Pan Hongbing
Published: November 2021

This paper proposes a novel Piecewise Parabolic Approximate Computation method for hardware function evaluation, which mainly incorporates an error-flattened segmenter and an implementation quantizer. Under a required software maximum absolute error (MAE), the segmenter adaptively selects a minimum number of parabolas to approximate the objective function. By completely imitating the circuit’s behavior before actual implementation, the quantizer calculates the minimum quantization bit width to ensure a non-redundant fixed-point hardware architecture with an MAE of 1 unit of least precision (ulp), eliminating the iterative design time for the circuits. The method causes the number of segments to reach the theoretical limit, and has great advantages in the number of segments and the size of the look-up table (LUT). To prove the superiority of the proposed method, six common functions were implemented by the proposed method under TSMC-90 nm technology. Compared to the state-of-the-art piecewise quadratic approximation methods, the proposed method has advantages in the area with roughly the same delay. Furthermore, a unified function-evaluation unit was also implemented under TSMC-90 nm technology.
Description of Intra-Annual Changes in Cambial Activity and Differentiation of Secondary Conductive Tissues of Aesculus hippocastanum Trees Affected by the Leaf Miner Cameraria ohridella
Authors: Myśkow Elżbieta , Sokołowska Katarzyna , Słupianek Aleksandra , Gryc Vladimir
Published: November 2021

Aesculus hippocastanum trees are commonly infested by the leaf miner Cameraria ohridella, whose larval activity causes the destruction of the leaf parenchyma and induces defoliation. Pest attacks result in, e.g., production of smaller fruits and tree re-flowering in autumn. Concerning pest influence on stem structure only scarce information of narrower annual growth rings of wood has been published. Therefore, we determined the effect of the presence of the leaf miner infestation on intra-annual cambial activity and on differentiation of conductive tissues. These data were compared with phenological phases and pest activity. Pest feeding resulted in changes in onset, cessation and duration of cambial divisions, and differentiation of secondary xylem. The duration of cambial activity was about a month shorter in heavily infested trees and was connected with premature tree defoliation. Affected trees were characterised by a reduction in cambial divisions and earlier cessation of wood differentiation resulting in narrower wood rings. Furthermore, the infested trees exhibited altered wood structure, with more vessels of smaller diameters, however these changes did not affect its theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Interestingly, pest attack did not influence secondary phloem differentiation. The probable influence of long-term infestation on tree growth and condition was discussed.
Development of an Artificial Neural Network Utilizing Particle Swarm Optimization for Modeling the Spray Drying of Coconut Milk
Authors: Ming Jesse Lee Kar , Anuar Mohd Shamsul , How Muhammad Syahmeer , Noor Samsul Bahari Mohd , Abdullah Zalizawati , Taip Farah Saleena
Published: November 2021

Spray drying techniques are one of the methods to preserve and extend the shelf-life of coconut milk. The objective of this research was to create a particle swarm optimization–enhanced artificial neural network (PSO–ANN) that could predict the coconut milk spray drying process. The parameters for PSO tuning were selected as the number of particles and acceleration constant, respectively, for both global and personal best using a 2k factorial design. The optimal PSO settings were recorded as global best, C1 = 4.0; personal best, C2 = 0; and number of particles = 100. When comparing different types of spray drying models, PSO–ANN had an MSE value of 0.077, GA–ANN had an MSE of 0.033, while ANN had an MSE of 0.082. Sensitivity analysis was conducted on all three models to evaluate the significance level of each parameter on the model, and it was discovered that inlet temperature had the most significant influence on the model performance. In conclusion, the PSO–ANN was found to be more effective than ANN but less effective than GA–ANN in predicting the quality of coconut milk powder.
Phenolic Profiles and Biological Activities of Extracts from Edible Wild Fruits Ehretia tinifolia and Sideroxylon lanuginosum
Authors: Monroy-García Imelda N. , Carranza-Torres Irma Edith , Carranza-Rosales Pilar , Oyón-Ardoiz María , García-Estévez Ignacio , Ayala-Zavala Jesús Fernando , Morán-Martínez Javier , Viveros-Valdez Ezequiel
Published: November 2021

Ehretia tinifolia Linnaeus (Boraginacea) and Sideroxylon lanuginosum Michaux (Sapotaceae) are wild fruits consumed in North America and are appreciated for their pleasant flavor and sweet taste. However, details regarding their composition and biological properties in the available literature are scarce. This study reports the phenolic composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative activities, and digestive enzymatic inhibition of amberlite-retained methanolic extracts from both fruits. Results revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in antioxidants. S. lanuginosum had lower phenolic but higher flavonoid contents (21.4 ± 1.5 mg GAE/100 g FW and 6.42 ± 0.9 mg CE/100 g FW) than E. tinifolia (64.7 ± 2.6 mg GAE/100 g FW and 5.1 ± 0.4 mg CE/100 g FW). HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis showed rosmarinic acid as a major polyphenol in E. tinifolia and quercetin glucoside in S. lanuginosum. Polyphenols content in E. tinifolia was related to a significant free radical scavenging ability: DPPH (EC50 = 0.32 ± 0.03 mg/mL), TEAC (4134 ± 9.7 μM TE/g dry extract), and hemolysis inhibition (IC50 = 58.55 ± 2.4 μg/mL). Both extracts were capable of inhibiting α-glucosidase, partially inhibiting α-amylase, and showed no inhibition against lipase, while showing antiproliferative activity against HeLa, HT-29 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Our study revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in health-beneficial phytochemicals and hold significant potential for elaborating functional foods.
Genetic Approaches to Enhance Multiple Stress Tolerance in Maize
Authors: Malenica Nenad , Dunić Jasenka Antunović , Vukadinović Lovro , Cesar Vera , Šimić Domagoj
Published: November 2021

The multiple-stress effects on plant physiology and gene expression are being intensively studied lately, primarily in model plants such as Arabidopsis, where the effects of six stressors have simultaneously been documented. In maize, double and triple stress responses are obtaining more attention, such as simultaneous drought and heat or heavy metal exposure, or drought in combination with insect and fungal infestation. To keep up with these challenges, maize natural variation and genetic engineering are exploited. On one hand, quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with multiple-stress tolerance are being identified by molecular breeding and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which then could be utilized for future breeding programs of more resilient maize varieties. On the other hand, transgenic approaches in maize have already resulted in the creation of many commercial double or triple stress resistant varieties, predominantly weed-tolerant/insect-resistant and, additionally, also drought-resistant varieties. It is expected that first generation gene-editing techniques, as well as recently developed base and prime editing applications, in combination with the routine haploid induction in maize, will pave the way to pyramiding more stress tolerant alleles in elite lines/varieties on time.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Laying Hens Revealed the Role of Aging-Related Genes during Forced Molting
Authors: Zhang Tongyu , Chen Yu , Wen Junhui , Jia Yaxiong , Wang Liang , Lv Xueze , Yang Weifang , Qu Changqing , Li Haiying , Wang Huie , Qu Lujiang , Ning Zhonghua
Published: November 2021

Molting in birds provides us with an ideal genetic model for understanding aging and rejuvenation since birds present younger characteristics for reproduction and appearance after molting. Forced molting (FM) by fasting in chickens causes aging of their reproductive system and then promotes cell redevelopment by providing water and feed again. To reveal the genetic mechanism of rejuvenation, we detected blood hormone indexes and gene expression levels in the hypothalamus and ovary of hens from five different periods during FM. Three hormones were identified as participating in FM. Furthermore, the variation trends of gene expression levels in the hypothalamus and ovary at five different stages were found to be basically similar using transcriptome analysis. Among them, 45 genes were found to regulate cell aging during fasting stress and 12 genes were found to promote cell development during the recovery period in the hypothalamus. In addition, five hub genes (INO80D, HELZ, AGO4, ROCK2, and RFX7) were identified by WGCNA. FM can restart the reproductive function of aged hens by regulating expression levels of genes associated with aging and development. Our study not only enriches the theoretical basis of FM but also provides insights for the study of antiaging in humans and the conception mechanism in elderly women.
A Missense Variant in the Bardet-Biedl Syndrome 2 Gene (BBS2) Leads to a Novel Syndromic Retinal Degeneration in the Shetland Sheepdog
Authors: Hitti-Malin Rebekkah J. , Burmeister Louise M. , Lingaas Frode , Kaukonen Maria , Pettinen Inka , Lohi Hannes , Sargan David , Mellersh Cathryn S.
Published: November 2021

Canine progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) describes a group of hereditary diseases characterized by photoreceptor cell death in the retina, leading to visual impairment. Despite the identification of multiple PRA-causing variants, extensive heterogeneity of PRA is observed across and within dog breeds, with many still genetically unsolved. This study sought to elucidate the causal variant for a distinct form of PRA in the Shetland sheepdog, using a whole-genome sequencing approach. Filtering variants from a single PRA-affected Shetland sheepdog genome compared to 176 genomes of other breeds identified a single nucleotide variant in exon 11 of the Bardet–Biedl syndrome-2 gene (BBS2) (c.1222G>C; p.Ala408Pro). Genotyping 1386 canids of 155 dog breeds, 15 cross breeds and 8 wolves indicated the c.1222G>C variant was only segregated within Shetland sheepdogs. Out of 505 Shetland sheepdogs, seven were homozygous for the variant. Clinical history and photographs for three homozygotes indicated the presence of a novel phenotype. In addition to PRA, additional clinical features in homozygous dogs support the discovery of a novel syndromic PRA in the breed. The development and utilization of a diagnostic DNA test aim to prevent the mutation from becoming more prevalent in the breed.
Effect of Acupuncture on Movement Function in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Kwon Miri , Cheong Moon Joo , Leem Jungtae , Kim Tae-hun
Published: November 2021

We aimed to compare the effectiveness of some different acupuncture modalities on motor function using the unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS)-III scores of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) via pairwise and network meta-analyses (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included RCTs. A frequentist approach-based random effect model NMA was performed. Seventeen RCTs with 1071 participants were included. The five following modalities were identified: combination of conventional medication (levodopa) with (1) electroacupuncture (ELEC), (2) manual acupuncture (MANU), (3) bee venom acupuncture (BEEV), (4) sham acupuncture (SHAM), and (5) conventional medication alone (CONV). In NMA on UPDRS-III, BEEV was the best modality compared to CONV (mean difference [MD]) −7.37, 95% confidence interval [−11.97, −2.77]). The comparative ranking assessed through NMA was suggested to be BEEV, MANU, ELEC, SHAM, and CONV. Regarding daily activity assessment (UPDRS-II), the magnitude of effectiveness was in the order of BEEV, ELEC, MANU, SHAM, and CONV. Combination treatment with BEEV (MANU or ELEC) and CONV can be recommended to improve motor function in PD patients. Due to the limited number of included RCTs, further NMA with more rigorous RCTs are warranted.
Extreme Situation Experienced by Dental Students of the Medical University of Silesia Due to the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic during the First Lockdown
Authors: Doniec Rafał , Wójcik Sylwia , Valverde Raul , Piaseczna Natalia , Sieciński Szymon , Duraj Konrad , Tkacz Ewaryst
Published: November 2021

The pandemic declared in many countries in 2020 due to COVID-19 led to the freezing of economies and the introduction of distance learning in both schools and universities. This unusual situation has affected the mental state of citizens, which has the potential to lead to the development of post-traumatic stress and depression. This study aimed to assess the level of stress in dental students in the context of the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. A survey on the PSS-10 scale was prepared to measure the level of perceived stress. The study included 164 dental students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. The results showed the impact of COVID-19 on the stress of students, with 67.7% reporting high levels of stress. The study also revealed that stress was higher among older female students. This paper recommends that the university provide more intensive psychological care as psychological first aid strategies in epidemics or natural disasters and to consider telemedicine in order to deliver services due to the limitations of the pandemic.