bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-HLA Antibodies in Kidney Transplantation: Immunity and Genetic Insights
Authors: Sorohan Bogdan Marian , Baston Cătălin , Tacu Dorina , Bucșa Cristina , Țincu Corina , Vizireanu Paula , Sinescu Ioanel , Constantinescu Ileana
Published: June 2022

The polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system has been considered the main target for alloimmunity, but the non-HLA antibodies and autoimmunity have gained importance in kidney transplantation (KT). Apart from the endothelial injury, secondary self-antigen exposure and the presence of polymorphic alloantigens, respectively, auto- and allo- non-HLA antibodies shared common steps in their development, such as: antigen recognition via indirect pathway by recipient antigen presenting cells, autoreactive T cell activation, autoreactive B cell activation, T helper 17 cell differentiation, loss of self-tolerance and epitope spreading phenomena. Both alloimmunity and autoimmunity play a synergic role in the formation of non-HLA antibodies, and the emergence of transcriptomics and genome-wide evaluation techniques has led to important progress in understanding the mechanistic features. Among them, non-HLA mismatches between donors and recipients provide valuable information regarding the role of genetics in non-HLA antibody immunity and development.
Application of Non-Destructive Testing Techniques (NDTT) to Characterize Nanocarriers Used for Drug Delivery: A Mini Review
Authors: Barbhuiya Rahul Islam , Ramalingam Saipriya , Kalra Harsimran Kaur , Elsayed Abdallah , Routray Winny , Annamalai Manickavasagan , Singh Ashutosh
Published: June 2022

The synthesis of tailored and highly engineered multifunctional pharmaceutical nanocarriers is an emerging field of study in drug delivery applications. They have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, aiding the targeted drug’s biodistribution and pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, the characterization of nanocarriers is critical for understanding their physicochemical properties, which significantly impact their molecular and systemic functioning. To achieve specific goals, particle size, surface characteristics, and drug release properties of nanocarriers must be managed. This mini review provides an overview of the applications of non-destructive testing techniques (NDTT) to reveal the characteristics of nanocarriers, considering their surface charge, porosity, size, morphology, and crystalline organization. The compositional and microstructural characterization of nanocarriers through NDTT, such as dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, have been comprehensively reviewed. Furthermore, NDTT is only used to characterize physicochemical parameters related to the physiological performance of nanocarriers but does not account for nanocarrier toxicity. Hence, it is highly recommended that in the future, NDTT be developed to assess the toxicity of nanocarriers. In addition, by developing more advanced, effective, and precise techniques, such as machine vision techniques using artificial intelligence, the future of using NDTT for nanocarrier characterization will improve the evaluation of internal quality parameters.
Correction: Dagan et al. A Lifespan Development Theory of Insecure Attachment and Internalizing Symptoms: Integrating Meta-Analytic Evidence via a Testable Evolutionary Mis/Match Hypothesis. Brain Sci. 2021, 11, 1226
Authors: Dagan Or , Groh Ashley M. , Madigan Sheri , Bernard Kristin
Published: June 2022

In the original article [...]
Multi-Mode Imaging Scale for Endovascular Therapy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (META)
Authors: Zhong Wansi , Chen Zhicai , Yan Shenqiang , Zhou Ying , Zhang Ruoxia , Luo Zhongyu , Yu Jun , Lou Min
Published: June 2022

Background: With the guidance of multi-mode imaging, the time window for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has been expanded to 24 h. However, poor clinical outcomes are still not uncommon. We aimed to develop a multi-mode imaging scale for endovascular therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke (META) to predict the neurological outcome in patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Methods: We included consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with occlusion of middle cerebral artery and/or internal carotid artery who underwent EVT. Poor outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3–6 at 3 months. A five-point META score was constructed based on clot burden score, multi-segment clot, the Alberta Stroke Program early computed tomography score of cerebral blood volume (CBV-ASPECTS), and collateral status. We evaluated the META score performance using area under the curve (AUC) calculations. Results: A total of 259 patients were included. A higher META score was independently correlated with poor outcomes at 3 months (odds ratio, 1.690, 95% CI, 1.340 to 2.132, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, hypertension, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and baseline blood glucose. Patients with a META score ≥ 2 were less likely to benefit from EVT (mRS 3–6: 60.8% vs. 29.2%, p < 0.001). The META score predicted poor outcomes with an AUC of 0.714, higher than the Pittsburgh Response to Endovascular therapy (PRE) score, the totaled health risks in vascular events (THRIVE) score (AUC: 0.566, 0.706), and the single imaging marker in the scale. Conclusions: The novel META score could refine the predictive accuracy of prognosis after EVT, which might provide a promising avenue for future automatic imaging analysis to help decision making.
The Effects of Spatial Attention Focus and Visual Awareness on the Processing of Fearful Faces: An ERP Study
Authors: Qiu Zeguo , Becker Stefanie I. , Pegna Alan J.
Published: June 2022

Previous research on the relationship between attention and emotion processing have focused essentially on consciously-viewed, supraliminal stimuli, while the attention-emotion interplay remains unexplored in situations where visual awareness is restricted. Here, we presented participants with face pairs in a backward masking paradigm and examined the electrophysiological activity in response to fearful and neutral expressions under different conditions of attention (spatially attended vs. unattended) and stimulus visibility (subliminal vs. supraliminal). We found an enhanced N2 (visual awareness negativity -VAN-) and an enhanced P3 for supraliminal compared to subliminal faces. The VAN, indexing the early perceptual awareness, was enhanced when the faces were spatially attended compared to when they were unattended, showing that the VAN does not require spatial attention focus but can be enhanced by it. Fearful relative to neutral expressions enhanced the early neural activity (N2) regardless of spatial attention but only in the supraliminal viewing condition. However, fear-related enhancements on later neural activity (P3) were found when stimuli were both attended and presented supraliminally. These findings suggest that visual awareness is needed for emotion processing during both early and late stages. Spatial attention is required for emotion processing at the later stage but not at the early stage.
Dopamine, Erectile Function and Male Sexual Behavior from the Past to the Present: A Review
Authors: Melis Maria Rosaria , Sanna Fabrizio , Argiolas Antonio
Published: June 2022

Early and recent studies show that dopamine through its neuronal systems and receptor subtypes plays different roles in the control of male sexual behavior. These studies show that (i) the mesolimbic/mesocortical dopaminergic system plays a key role in the preparatory phase of sexual behavior, e.g., in sexual arousal, motivation and reward, whereas the nigrostriatal system controls the sensory-motor coordination necessary for copulation, (ii) the incertohypothalamic system is involved in the consummatory aspects of sexual behavior (penile erection and copulation), but evidence for its role in sexual motivation is also available, (iii) the pro-sexual effects of dopamine occur in concert with neural systems interconnecting the hypothalamus and preoptic area with the spinal cord, ventral tegmental area and other limbic brain areas and (iv) D2 and D4 receptors play a major role in the pro-sexual effects of dopamine. Despite some controversy, increases or decreases, respectively, of brain dopamine activity induced by drugs or that occur physiologically, usually improves or worsens, respectively, sexual activity. These findings suggest that an altered central dopaminergic tone plays a role in mental pathologies characterized by aberrant sexual behavior, and that pro-erectile D4 receptor agonists may be considered a new strategy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men.
Computational Analysis of Pathogenetic Pathways in Alzheimer’s Disease and Prediction of Potential Therapeutic Drugs
Authors: Petralia Maria Cristina , Mangano Katia , Quattropani Maria Catena , Lenzo Vittorio , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Fagone Paolo
Published: June 2022

Background. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease which affects more than 50 million patients and represents 60–80% of all cases of dementia. Mutations in the APP gene, mostly affecting the γ-secretase site of cleavage and presenilin mutations, have been identified in inherited forms of AD. Methods. In the present study, we performed a meta-analysis of the transcriptional signatures that characterize two familial AD mutations (APPV7171F and PSEN1M146V) in order to characterize the common altered biomolecular pathways affected by these mutations. Next, an anti-signature perturbation analysis was performed using the AD meta-signature and the drug meta-signatures obtained from the L1000 database, using cosine similarity as distance metrics. Results. Overall, the meta-analysis identified 1479 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 684 downregulated genes, and 795 upregulated genes. Additionally, we found 14 drugs with a significant anti-similarity to the AD signature, with the top five drugs being naftifine, moricizine, ketoconazole, perindopril, and fexofenadine. Conclusions. This study aimed to integrate the transcriptional profiles associated with common familial AD mutations in neurons in order to characterize the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in AD and to find more effective drugs for AD.
The Effect of Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Sleep Bruxism in Respiratory Polygraphy Study
Authors: Kazubowska-Machnowska Klaudia , Jodkowska Anna , Michalek-Zrabkowska Monika , Wieckiewicz Mieszko , Poreba Rafal , Dominiak Marzena , Gac Pawel , Mazur Grzegorz , Kanclerska Justyna , Martynowicz Helena
Published: June 2022

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sleep bruxism (SB) may appear concomitantly. Data on the relationship between OSA and SB are limited. It was shown that in a population with an increased risk of OSA, OSA was dependently correlated with SB on the degree of OSA severity only in mild and moderate cases of OSA. We aimed to confirm this relationship and affecting factors in a group of dental office patients in a prospective, observational study. Adult patients (n = 119) were evaluated using respiratory polygraphy. The risk of OSA was assessed using a STOP-Bang questionnaire (SBQ). The episodes of bruxism and respiratory events were scored according to the standards of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The prevalence of OSA and SB was found to be 63.02% and 41.17%, respectively. The bruxism episode index (BEI) was increased in the group with a higher risk of OSA (SBQ ≥ 3) compared to the group with a lower risk of OSA (3.49 ± 3.63 vs. 2.27 ± 2.50, p = 0.03). The sensitivity and specificity of the SBQ were not sufficient to predict SB. A positive linear correlation between AHI and BEI in the group with AHI < 23/h was found. The study confirmed that OSA was associated with SB in the group of patients with OSA and/or SB risk. The relationship between OSA and SB depended on the degree of severity of OSA and occurred in mild and moderate cases of OSA.
Mediating Effect of Psychological Process Variables on the Relationship between Dysfunctional Coping and Psychopathologies: A Comparative Study on Psychopathologies during COVID-19
Authors: Hambali Nurfarah Lydia , Ayu Friska , Pang Nicholas Tze Ping , Kassim Mohd Amiruddin Mohd , Algristian Hafid , Sahri Moch. , Giloi Nelbon , Rahim Syed Sharizman Syed Abdul , Omar Azizan , Jeffree Mohammad Saffree , Wider Walton
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 crisis has had repercussions on global mental wellbeing. This study aimed: (1) to identify the mediating role of psychological process variables, namely psychological mindedness, psychological mindfulness, and psychological inflexibility on the relationship between dysfunctional coping and psychopathologies in Indonesian undergraduate students subjected to national quarantine orders throughout July, 2020 and (2) to compare the level of anxiety, depression, and anxiety between Indonesian and Malaysian undergraduate students. A cross-sectional study was performed with 869 Indonesian undergraduate students from Nahdlatul Ulama University of Surabaya (UNUSA) and 515 undergraduate students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The BIPM, MAAS, AAQ-I, DASS-21, and Brief COPE were used to assess the research variables. The proportion who scored “moderate” and above for depression, anxiety, and stress were 20.2%, 25.0%, and 14.2%, respectively, in Malaysian samples and 22.2%, 35.0%, and 23.48% in Indonesian samples. In Study 1, psychological mindedness, psychological mindfulness, and psychological inflexibility significantly mediated the relationship between dysfunctional coping and psychopathologies. In Study 2, Indonesians demonstrated significantly higher anxiety and stress compared to Malaysian samples. Despite the contrasting COVID-19 situations in Malaysia and Indonesia, psychopathologies were more affected in Indonesia. Hence, our study suggests how crucial it is for mental health providers to consider promoting psychological mindedness, psychological mindfulness, and psychological flexibility to alleviate the corresponding psychopathologies among undergraduate students.
Relation of Brain Perfusion Patterns to Sudden Unexpected Death Risk Stratification: A Study in Drug Resistant Focal Epilepsy
Authors: Chacon Lilia Morales , Garcia Lidice Galan , Bosch-Bayard Jorge , García-Ramo Karla Batista , Martin Margarita Minou Báez , Alfonso Maydelin Alfonso , Batista Sheyla Berrillo , de la Paz Bermudez Tania , González Judith González , Coroneux Abel Sánchez
Published: June 2022

To explore the role of the interictal and ictal SPECT to identity functional neuroimaging biomarkers for SUDEP risk stratification in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy (DRFE). Twenty-nine interictal-ictal Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans were obtained from nine DRFE patients. A methodology for the relative quantification of cerebral blood flow of 74 cortical and sub-cortical structures was employed. The optimal number of clusters (K) was estimated using a modified v-fold cross-validation for the use of K means algorithm. The two regions of interest (ROIs) that represent the hypoperfused and hyperperfused areas were identified. To select the structures related to the SUDEP-7 inventory score, a data mining method that computes an automatic feature selection was used. During the interictal and ictal state, the hyperperfused ROIs in the largest part of patients were the bilateral rectus gyrus, putamen as well as globus pallidus ipsilateral to the seizure onset zone. The hypoperfused ROIs included the red nucleus, substantia nigra, medulla, and entorhinal area. The findings indicated that the nearly invariability in the perfusion pattern during the interictal to ictal transition observed in the ipsi-lateral putamen F = 12.60, p = 0.03, entorhinal area F = 25.80, p = 0.01, and temporal middle gyrus F = 12.60, p = 0.03 is a potential biomarker of SUDEP risk. The results presented in this paper allowed identifying hypo- and hyperperfused brain regions during the ictal and interictal state potentially related to SUDEP risk stratification.
Post-Migration Life Adversity and Mental Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers: The Mediating Role of Resilience between Perceived Discrimination, Socio-Economic Strains, Structural Strains, and Mental Health
Authors: Feyissa Israel Fisseha , Noh Yeop , Yoon Myeong Sook
Published: June 2022

This study made a claim that perceived discrimination, socio-economic strain, and structural strain on displaced people have an adverse impact on their mental health. Our claim also acknowledges that these people potentially have a unique set of strengths and abilities that they rely on to overcome their immediate and future problems. The aim of this study is thus to examine the relationship between post-migration life adversity and mental health problems, and assess the potential mediating role of resilience among asylum seekers and refugees (219 asylum seekers and 42 recognized refugees) living in South Korea. Structural equation modelling was used to examine hypothesized pathways between post-migration life adversity, mental health and resilience. Fit indices showed adequate to excellent fit of the examined models with mental health as the outcome. Mental health was positively regressed on PMLA and negatively regressed on R. In addition, R partially mediated the association between PMLA and MH. In addition to providing the academic contributions of this study to the ongoing study of resilience and its social welfare implications, the result of the study indicated the necessity of improving the present and future socio-environmental factors that foster resilience among refugees and asylum seekers.
Online Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Experiences and Teenage Girls’ Self-Objectification: The Role of Broad Conceptualization of Beauty
Authors: Lin Sen , Li Liming , Jiang Libiao
Published: June 2022

Self-objectification is a common and deleterious phenomenon among young teenage girls, for which interpersonal sexual objectification experiences are a great risk; in the current information era, sexual objectification experiences may also expand into the online space. Based on this, this study aimed to examine the association between online interpersonal sexual objectification (OISO) experiences and teenage girls’ self-objectification, as well as the potential moderating role of broad conceptualization of beauty in relation to this. Seven hundred and seventy-one female undergraduate students were recruited voluntarily to complete questionnaires on OISO experiences, self-objectification, and the broad conceptualization of beauty. Results indicated that OISO experiences were positively associated with teenage girls; self-objectification and the broad conceptualization of beauty could significantly buffer this relation, which was weakened among individuals with a high level of broad conceptualization of beauty. This study expands previous research on sexual objectification, providing practical significance for promoting the well-being of teenage girls.
The Role of the Psycho-Oncologist during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Clinical Breast Cancer Case Report
Authors: Silvestri Giulia , Borgese Caterina , Sommacal Samuela , Iannopollo Letizia , Cristaldi Grazia , Serpentini Samantha
Published: June 2022

The 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been very stressful, but more so for those with cancer. Patients with cancer experienced more pandemic-related stress and psychological distress than those without a cancer diagnosis. This case report, about a breast cancer patient, is presented in order to emphasize (1) the importance of the management of psychological care in oncology, (2) the need for a thorough understanding of the efficacy of the role of the psycho-oncologist and related interventions in a breast care unit for the health of both patients and professionals to improve clinical outcomes, and (3) the emerging health concerns of breast cancer patients in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thermal Perception in Naturally Ventilated University Buildings in Spain during the Cold Season
Authors: Aguilar Antonio , de la Hoz-Torres María , Martínez-Aires María , Ruiz Diego
Published: June 2022

The indoor thermal environment has become a critical factor, due to its impact on the energy efficiency of a building and the health and performance of its occupants. It is particularly important for educational buildings, where students and teachers are exposed to these thermal conditions. This study assessed the impact of natural ventilation efficiency and university students’ thermal perception during the cold season. A field monitoring campaign and a questionnaire survey were conducted. A total of 989 students participated in this study. The results show that, although the CO2 concentration in 90% of the evaluated classrooms was below the European recommended value (i.e., 800 ppm), only 18% of the classrooms were within the thermal comfort zone defined by national regulations. These thermal conditions caused 55% of the students surveyed to report that they were dissatisfied, and that this environment interfered with their academic performance. Significant differences were found between thermal sensation votes from female and male students (p < 0.001). The obtained neutral temperature was one degree higher for female students than for males. Our results suggest that ventilation protocols need to be modified by adjusting the window opening strategy, and these findings should be used as guidelines during their redesign.
Study on Wind-Induced Response of Transmission Tower-Line System under Downburst Wind
Authors: Fang Zhiyuan , Wang Zhisong , Zhu Renyu , Huang Hanjie
Published: June 2022

Downburst is the main source of extreme wind speed in non-typhoon areas, which has caused a large amount of transmission line damage all over the world. In order to reveal the wind-induced vibration response characteristics of a transmission tower-line system under downburst, the nonlinear dynamic analysis of a single tower and tower-line system is carried out, and the amplification effect of tower-line coupling and fluctuating wind on the dynamic response is studied. Then, the effects of three wind field parameters closely related to the average wind profile on the wind-induced response of the tower-line system are studied. The results show that under the action of the downburst, the tower-line coupling weakens the dynamic response to a certain extent, and the dynamic amplification factor of a single tower and tower-line system is 1.1 ~ 1.3; for the self-supporting tower, when the height of the peak wind speed is close to the height of tower, the responses of the structure are more unfavorable. When the vector superposition method is used, the storm moving speed (Vt) has little effect on the wind-induced response of the tower-line system. For large-span structures such as tower-line systems, to ensure the safety of the structural design, the value of the characteristic radius (Rc) should not be too small.
Combined Greening Strategies for Improved Results on Carbon-Neutral Urban Policies
Authors: Orozco-Messana Javier , Iborra-Lucas Milagro , Calabuig-Moreno Raimon
Published: June 2022

Starting from historical environmental records of the Benicalap neighbourhood in Valencia, this paper presents an energy model contributing to the assessment of carbon-neutral city policies for several nature-based solution (NBS) pilots extended to the neighbourhood level and combined with building façade renovation proposals. Accurate monitoring of several NBS pilot strategies was studied to validate a computational-fluid-dynamic (CFD) microclimate flux (both storage heat flux and latent heat flux) model, allowing a joint understanding of humidity and heat dynamics for the pilots under study. When expanded at a neighbourhood level, the combined effect of NBSs and energy dynamics (from buildings and vegetation) on neighbourhood microclimates is used to assess the optimal combination of urban renovation policies for energy efficiency and consequently carbon footprint reduction.
Experimental Study on Flexural Performance of the Prestressed Glulam Continuous Beam after Long-Term Loading
Authors: Guo Nan , Zhang Yunan , Mei Lidan , Zhao Yan
Published: June 2022

The study of the long-term behavior of the prestressed continuous beam is vital for the design and the appliance of wood structures in engineering. In this study, long-term experiments were first conducted to determine the long-term creep behavior. Afterward, the prestress of the long-term beam was regulated to the initial state, and we carried out short-term flexural experiments to explore the effect of prestressing regulation. The influences of prestressed value and the number of prestressed steel wires on the mechanical properties of the continuous beam were investigated and discussed. The experimental results demonstrate that the creep reduced the stress in the steel wires, weakened the effect of prestressing, and increased the tensile stress at the bottom of the beam, which led to a reduction in the bearing capacity of the beam. The prestressing regulation could increase the moment arm, so the bearing capacity of the beam was improved.
Shaking Table Test and Parameter Analysis on Vibration Control of a New Damping System (PDAL)
Authors: Ren Hongmei , Fan Qiaoqiao , Lu Zheng
Published: June 2022

In order to make full use of the advantages of PD (particle damper) and TLD (tuned liquid damper) technologies, a new kind of damping system combining these two already-existing dampers is proposed and was named as PDAL (tuned particle damper with additional liquid). A shaking table test of a steel frame structure with a PDAL system is conducted here for the purpose of vibration control analysis. The results of the test demonstrate well the reliability and effectiveness of the PDAL system under various seismic waves. Seismic responses (mainly acceleration value) are investigated thoroughly for parameter analysis based on the experimental data, and some suggestions are proposed for future designs, including the necessity for parameter optimization and awareness of the dynamic characteristic changes that might occur in actual structures if attached with a PDAL system. This paper constitutes a preliminary study for the PDAL system, and it can serve as a baseline and conceptual reference for future investigations.
Using Machine Learning Method to Discover Hygrothermal Transfer Patterns from the Outside of the Wall to Interior Bamboo and Wood Composite Sheathing
Authors: Wang Xiaohuan , Li Hongping , Zhu Yurong , Peng Xiangdong , Wan Zhibin , Xu Huatai , Nyberg Roger G. , Song William Wei , Fei Benhua
Published: June 2022

To identify hygrothermal transfer patterns of exterior walls is a crucial issue in the design, assessment, and construction of buildings. Temperature and relative humidity, as sensor monitoring data, were collected from the outside of the wall to interior bamboo and wood composite sheathing over the year in Huangshan Mountain District, Anhui Province, China. Combining the machine learning method of reservoir computing (RC) with agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC), a novel clustering framework was built for better extraction of the characteristics of hygrothermal transfer on the time series data. The experimental results confirmed the hypothesis that the change in the temperature and relative humidity of the outside of the wall (RHT12) dominated the change of the interior sheathing (RHT11). The delay time between two adjacent peaks in temperature was 1 to 2 h, while that in relative humidity was 1 to 4 h from the outside of the wall to interior bamboo and wood composite sheathing. There was no significant difference in temperature peak delay time between April and July. Temperature peak delay time was 50 to 120 min. However, relative humidity peak delay time was 100 to 240 min in April, whereas it was 20 to 120 min in July. The impact formed a relatively linear relationship between outdoor temperature and relative humidity peak delay time. The hygrothermal transfer patterns were characterized effectively by the peak delays. The discovery of the hygrothermal transfer patterns for the bamboo and wood composite walls using the machine learning method will facilitate the development of energy-efficient and durable bamboo and wood composite wall materials and structures.
Generative and Evolutionary Techniques for the Process of Creating Architectural Objects on the Base of a 3D Prototype Model
Authors: Grabska Ewa Janina
Published: June 2022

The use of a genetic algorithm in evolutionary design is one of the major generative approaches for synthesis and evaluation during the design process. The process stimulates creativity in generating new, unexpected artifacts and aiding in their evaluation. We analyze the subject of the evolutionary design of building form styling following the aesthetic preferences of the designer. Component types and connection patterns characterize the building form and the rules of its composition. The designer using a graphics editor creates a 3D prototype model of a building form representative of his/her stylistic preferences by selecting different types of components and patterns of their connections. In the proposed evolutionary design, how the designer prototype model is organized, processed, and manipulated in generating buildings is based on the special graph structures. The research question addressed in this paper is, “How can a designer-defined 3D prototype model along with non-numerical graph calculations, influence computational creativity?” The main aim is to contribute to a better understanding of the non-numerical graph calculations describing the design process where visual perception is the driving force of creativity. Utilizing the developed formal description of the design synthesis, methodological contributions to generative and evolutionary techniques for computational creativity are presented.
Predicting and Improving the Waterlogging Resilience of Urban Communities in China—A Case Study of Nanjing
Authors: Cui Peng , Ju Xuan , Liu Yi , Li Dezhi
Published: June 2022

In recent years, urban communities in China have been continuously affected by extreme weather and emergencies, among which the rainstorm and waterlogging disasters pose a great threat to infrastructure and personnel safety. Chinese governments issue a series of waterlogging prevention and control policies, but the waterlogging prevention and mitigation of urban communities still needs to be optimized. The concept of “resilience” has unique advantages in the field of community disaster management, and building resilient communities can effectively make up for the limitations of the traditional top-down disaster management. Therefore, this paper focuses on the pre-disaster prevention and control of waterlogging in urban communities of China, following the idea of “concept analysis–influencing factor identification–evaluation indicators selection–impact mechanism analysis–resilience simulation prediction–empirical research–disaster adaptation strategy formulation”. The structural equation model and BP neural network are used by investigating the existing anti-waterlogging capitals of the target community to predict the future waterlogging resilience. Based on this simulation prediction model, and combined with the incentive and restraint mechanisms, suggestions on corrective measures can be put forward before the occurrence of waterlogging.
Risk Factors That Lead to Time and Cost Overruns of Building Projects in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshihri Saad , Al-Gahtani Khalid , Almohsen Abdulmohsen
Published: June 2022

Rapid transformation across all sectors through Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030 initiatives led to an increase in construction activities. However, the construction industry has been already facing huge cost and time overruns, affecting all stakeholders. The aim of this study is to identify and explore the influential risk factors that lead to completion delays and cost overruns of government-funded building construction projects in Saudi Arabia, all of which have been subjected to a traditional type of procurement method (Standard Public Works Contract). The literature examined in this study identified a total of 83 risk factors, which have been grouped into nine categories. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to determine the participants’ perspectives on the degree of probability of occurrence (P) of each risk and its potential impact on a project in terms of time (IT) and cost (IC). The questionnaire survey was distributed to 200 experts and professionals associated with Saudi building construction projects, which were grouped into four categories: clients, designers, consultants, and contractors. Fifty-five acceptable questionnaires were returned and analysed. The relative importance index (RII), and Risk Importance (RI) were used to identify the most influential risk factors, and an agreement test was conducted. The results of the survey revealed that the most significant risks factors contributing to the delay of building construction projects’ completion are contractor’s financial difficulties, owner’s delay in making progress payments for completed works, contracts awarded to the lowest bidder, change orders during construction, ineffective project planning and scheduling by the contractor, shortage of manpower, and contractor’s poor site management and supervision. In addition, change orders during construction and contracts awarded to the lowest bidder are the most significant risks factors of exceeding budgets. Based on the results, it is concluded that for achieving sustainable development, client, contractor, and labour-related risks must be effectively managed.
Estrogen Receptor β (ESR2) Transcriptome and Chromatin Binding in a Mantle Cell Lymphoma Tumor Model Reveal the Tumor-Suppressing Mechanisms of Estrogens
Authors: Huang Dan , Huang Zhiqiang , Indukuri Rajitha , Bangalore Revanna Chandrashekar , Berglund Mattias , Guan Jiyu , Yakimchuk Konstantin , Damdimopoulos Anastasios , Williams Cecilia , Okret Sam
Published: June 2022

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma with one of the highest male-to-female incidence ratios. The reason for this is not clear, but epidemiological as well as experimental data have suggested a role for estrogens, particularly acting through estrogen receptor β (ESR2). To study the ESR2 effects on MCL progression, MCL cells sensitive and resistant to the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib were grafted to mice and treated with the ESR2-selective agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN). The results showed that the DPN treatment of mice grafted with both ibrutinib-sensitive and -resistant MCL tumors resulted in impaired tumor progression. To identify the signaling pathways involved in the impaired tumor progression following ESR2 agonist treatment, the transcriptome and ESR2 binding to target genes were investigated by genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation in Granta-519 MCL tumors. DPN-regulated genes were enriched in several biological processes that included cell–cell adhesion, endothelial–mesenchymal transition, nuclear factor-kappaB signaling, vasculogenesis, lymphocyte proliferation, and apoptosis. In addition, downregulation of individual genes, such as SOX11 and MALAT1, that play a role in MCL progression was also observed. Furthermore, the data suggested an interplay between the lymphoma cells and the tumor microenvironment in response to the ESR2 agonist. In conclusion, the results clarify the mechanisms by which estrogens, via ESR2, impair MCL tumor progression and provide a possible explanation for the sex-dependent difference in incidence. Furthermore, targeting ESR2 with a selective agonist may be an additional option when considering the treatment of both ibrutinib-sensitive and -resistant MCL tumors.
Early Mortality among Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosed in Thuringia, Germany, between 1996 and 2016—A Population-Based Study
Authors: Kouka Mussab , Buentzel Jens , Kaftan Holger , Boeger Daniel , Mueller Andreas H. , Wittig Andrea , Schultze-Mosgau Stefan , Ernst Thomas , Guntinas-Lichius Orlando
Published: June 2022

Population-based studies on early mortality in head and neck cancer (HNC) are sparse. This retrospective population-based study investigated early mortality of HNC and the influence of patients’ tumor and treatment characteristics. All 8288 patients with primary HNC of the German federal state Thuringia from 1996 to 2016 were included. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify independent factors for 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day mortality. The 30-, 90-, and 180-day mortality risks were 1.8%, 5.1%, and 9.6%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, male sex (odds ratio (OR) 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–1.84), increasing age (OR 1.81; CI 1.49–2.19), higher T (T4: OR 3.09; CI 1.96–4.88) and M1 classification (OR 1.97; CI 1.43–2.73), advanced stage (IV: OR 3.97; CI 1.97–8.00), tumors of the cavity of mouth (OR 3.47; CI 1.23–9.75), oropharynx (OR 3.01; CI 1.06–8.51), and hypopharynx (OR 3.27; CI 1.14–9.40) had a significantly greater 180-day mortality. Surgery (OR 0.51; CI 0.36–0.73), radiotherapy (OR 0.37; CI 0.25–0.53), and multimodal therapy (OR 0.10; CI 0.07–0.13) were associated with decreased 180-day mortality. Typical factors associated with worse overall survival had the most important impact on early mortality in a population-based setting.
Heterogeneity of HER2 Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells of Patients with Breast Cancer Brain Metastases and Impact on Brain Disease Control
Authors: de Castro Douglas Guedes , Pellizzon Antônio Cássio Assis , Braun Alexcia Camila , Chen Michael Jenwei , Silva Maria Letícia Gobo , Fogaroli Ricardo Cesar , Gondim Guilherme Rocha Melo , Ramos Henderson , Neto Elson Santos , Abrahão Carolina Humeres , Yu Liao Shin , Abdallah Emne Ali , Calsavara Vinicius Fernando , Chinen Ludmilla Thomé Domingos
Published: June 2022

HER2 expression switching in circulating tumor cells (CTC) in breast cancer is dynamic and may have prognostic and predictive clinical implications. In this study, we evaluated the association between the expression of HER2 in the CTC of patients with breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) and brain disease control. An exploratory analysis of a prospective assessment of CTC before (CTC1) and after (CTC2) stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery (SRT) for BCBM in 39 women was performed. Distant brain failure-free survival (DBFFS), the primary endpoint, and overall survival (OS) were estimated. After a median follow-up of 16.6 months, there were 15 patients with distant brain failure and 16 deaths. The median DBFFS and OS were 15.3 and 19.5 months, respectively. The median DBFFS was 10 months in patients without HER2 expressed in CTC and was not reached in patients with HER2 in CTC (p = 0.012). The median OS was 17 months in patients without HER2 in CTC and was not reached in patients with HER2 in CTC (p = 0.104). On the multivariate analysis, DBFFS was superior in patients who were primary immunophenotype (PIP) HER2-positive (HR 0.128, 95% CI 0.025–0.534; p = 0.013). The expression of HER2 in CTC was associated with a longer DBFFS, and the switching of HER2 expression between the PIP and CTC may have an impact on prognosis and treatment selection for BCBM.
Combined Inhibition of FOSL-1 and YAP Using siRNA-Lipoplexes Reduces the Growth of Pancreatic Tumor
Authors: Diego-González Lara , Fernández-Carrera Andrea , Igea Ana , Martínez-Pérez Amparo , Real Oliveira M. Elisabete C. D. , Gomes Andreia C. , Guerra Carmen , Barbacid Mariano , González-Fernández África , Simón-Vázquez Rosana
Published: June 2022

Pancreatic cancer evades most of the current therapies and there is an urgent need for new treatments that could efficiently eliminate this aggressive tumor, such as the blocking of routes driving cell proliferation. In this work, we propose the use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to inhibit the combined expression of FOSL-1 and YAP, two signaling proteins related with tumor cell proliferation and survival. To improve the efficacy of cell transfection, DODAB:MO (1:2) liposomes were used as siRNA nanocarriers, forming a complex denominated siRNA-lipoplexes. Liposomes and lipoplexes (carrying two siRNA for each targeted protein, or the combination of four siRNAs) were physico-chemically and biologically characterized. They showed very good biocompatibility and stability. The efficient targeting of FOSL-1 and YAP expression at both mRNA and protein levels was first proved in vitro using mouse pancreatic tumoral cell lines (KRASG12V and p53 knockout), followed by in vivo studies using subcutaneous allografts on mice. The peri-tumoral injection of lipoplexes lead to a significant decrease in the tumor growth in both Athymic Nude-Foxn1nu and C57BL/6 mice, mainly in those receiving the combination of four siRNAs, targeting both YAP and FOSL-1. These results open a new perspective to overcome the fast tumor progression in pancreatic cancer.
Transplacental Passage and Fetal Effects of Antineoplastic Treatment during Pregnancy
Authors: Triarico Silvia , Rivetti Serena , Capozza Michele Antonio , Romano Alberto , Maurizi Palma , Mastrangelo Stefano , Attinà Giorgio , Ruggiero Antonio
Published: June 2022

The incidence of PAC is relatively infrequent among pregnant women. However, it has gradually increased in recent years, becoming a challenging area for clinicians that should take into account in the same way maternal benefits and fetal potential risks correlated to the antineoplastic treatment. None of the antineoplastic drugs is completely risk-free during the pregnancy, the timing of exposure and transplacental transfer properties influence the toxicity of the fetus. Despite the lack of guidelines about the management of PAC, several studies have described the use and the potential fetal and neonatal adverse events of antineoplastic drugs during pregnancy. We provide a review of the available literature about the transplacental passage and fetal effects of chemotherapy and targeted agents, to guide the clinicians in the most appropriate choices for the management of PAC.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Radiomic Evaluation with Serial PET/CT: Exploring Features Predictive of Survival in Patients with Long-Term Follow-Up
Authors: Dmytriw Adam A. , Ortega Claudia , Anconina Reut , Metser Ur , Liu Zhihui A. , Liu Zijin , Li Xuan , Sananmuang Thiparom , Yu Eugene , Joshi Sayali , Waldron John , Huang Shao Hui , Bratman Scott , Hope Andrew , Veit-Haibach Patrick
Published: June 2022

Purpose: We aim determine the value of PET and CT radiomic parameters on survival with serial follow-up PET/CT in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for which curative intent therapy is undertaken. Methods: Patients with NPC and available pre-treatment as well as follow up PET/CT were included from 2005 to 2006 and were followed to 2021. Baseline demographic, radiological and outcome data were collected. Univariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate features from baseline and follow-up time points, and landmark analyses were performed for each time point. Results: Sixty patients were enrolled, and two-hundred and seventy-eight (278) PET/CT were at baseline and during follow-up. Thirty-eight percent (38%) were female, and sixty-two patients were male. All patients underwent curative radiation or chemoradiation therapy. The median follow-up was 11.72 years (1.26–14.86). Five-year and ten-year overall survivals (OSs) were 80.0% and 66.2%, and progression-free survival (PFS) was 90.0% and 74.4%. Time-dependent modelling suggested that, among others, PET gray-level zone length matrix (GLZLM) gray-level non-uniformity (GLNU) (HR 2.74 95% CI 1.06, 7.05) was significantly associated with OS. Landmark analyses suggested that CT parameters were most predictive at 15 month, whereas PET parameters were most predictive at time points 3, 6, 9 and 15 month. Conclusions: This study with long-term follow up data on NPC suggests that mainly PET-derived radiomic features are predictive for OS but not PFS in a time-dependent evaluation. Furthermore, CT radiomic measures may predict OS and PFS best at initial and long-term follow-up time points and PET measures may be more predictive in the interval. These modalities are commonly used in NPC surveillance, and prospective validation should be considered.
Implication of Hepsin from Primary Tumor in the Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Zaragoza-Huesca David , Nieto-Olivares Andrés , García-Molina Francisco , Ricote Guillermo , Montenegro Sofía , Sánchez-Cánovas Manuel , Garrido-Rodríguez Pedro , Peñas-Martínez Julia , Vicente Vicente , Martínez Francisco , Lozano María Luisa , Carmona-Bayonas Alberto , Martínez-Martínez Irene
Published: June 2022

Hepsin is a type II transmembrane serine protease whose deregulation promotes tumor invasion by proteolysis of the pericellular components. In colorectal cancer, the implication of hepsin is unknown. Consequently, we aimed to study the correlations between hepsin expression and different clinical-histopathological variables in 169 patients with localized colorectal cancer and 118 with metastases. Tissue microarrays were produced from samples at diagnosis of primary tumors and stained with an anti-hepsin antibody. Hepsin expression was correlated with clinical-histopathological variables by using the chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests, Kaplan–Meier and Aalen–Johansen estimators, and Cox and Fine and Gray multivariate models. In localized cancer patients, high-intensity hepsin staining was associated with reduced 5-year disease-free survival (p-value = 0.16). Medium and high intensity of hepsin expression versus low expression was associated with an increased risk of metastatic relapse (hazard ratio 2.83, p-value = 0.035 and hazard ratio 3.30, p-value = 0.012, respectively), being a better prognostic factor than classic histological variables. Additionally, in patients with localized tumor, 5-year thrombosis cumulative incidence increased with the increment of hepsin expression (p-value = 0.038). Medium and high intensities of hepsin with respect to low intensity were associated with an increase in thrombotic risk (hazard ratio 7.71, p-value = 0.043 and hazard ratio 9.02, p-value = 0.028, respectively). This relationship was independent of previous tumor relapse (p-value = 0.036). Among metastatic patients, low hepsin expression was associated with a low degree of tumor differentiation (p-value < 0.001) and with major metastatic dissemination (p-value = 0.023). Hepsin is a potential thrombotic and metastatic biomarker in patients with localized colorectal cancer. In metastatic patients, hepsin behaves in a paradoxical way with respect to differentiation and invasion processes.
Inhibitor of Growth Factors Regulate Cellular Senescence
Authors: Ghafouri-Fard Soudeh , Taheri Mohammad , Baniahmad Aria
Published: June 2022

The Inhibitor of Growth (ING) proteins are a group of tumor suppressors with five conserved genes. A common motif of ING factors is the conserved plant homeodomain (PHD), with which they bind to chromatin as readers of the histone mark trimethylated histone H3 (H3K4me3). These genes often produce several protein products through alternative splicing events. Interestingly, ING1 and ING2 participate in the establishment of the repressive mSIN3a-HDAC complexes, whereas ING3, ING4, and ING5 are associated with the activating HAT protein complexes. In addition to the modulation of chromatin’s structure, they regulate cell cycle transition, cellular senescence, repair of DNA damage, apoptosis, and angiogenic pathways. They also have fundamental effects on regulating cellular senescence in cancer cells. In the current review, we explain their role in cellular senescence based on the evidence obtained from cell line and animal studies, particularly in the context of cancer.