bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BIM for Existing Construction: A Different Logic Scheme and an Alternative Semantic to Enhance the Interoperabilty
Authors: Guzzetti Franco , Anyabolu Karen Lara Ngozi , Biolo Francesca , D’Ambrosio Lara
Published: February 2021

In the construction field, the Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology is becoming increasingly predominant and the standardization of its use is now an essential operation. This method has become widespread in recent years, thanks to the advantages provided in the framework of project management and interoperability. Hoping for its complete dissemination, it is unthinkable to use it only for new construction interventions. Many are experiencing what happens with the so-called Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM); that is, how BIM interfaces with Architectural Heritage or simply with historical buildings. This article aims to deal with the principles and working methodologies behind BIM/HBIM and modeling. The aim is to outline the themes on which to base a new approach to the instrument. In this way, it can be adapted to the needs and characteristics of each type of building. Going into the detail of standards, the text also contains a first study regarding the classification of moldable elements. This proposal is based on current regulations and it can provide flexible, expandable, and unambiguous language. Therefore, the content of the article focuses on a revision of the thinking underlying the process, also providing a more practical track on communication and interoperability.
Stress–Strain Strength Characteristics of Undisturbed Granite Residual Soil Considering Different Patterns of Variation of Mean Effective Stress
Authors: Shu Rongjun , Kong Lingwei , Liu Bingheng , Wang Juntao
Published: February 2021

Granite residual soil is one of the most frequently encountered problem soils in tropical regions, whose mechanical behavior heavily depends on the pattern of variation of mean effective stress (p’) during shearing, which can be classified into three categories: increasing-p’, constant-p’, and decreasing-p’. Unfortunately, so far, the stress–strain strength characteristics of granite residual soils have been studied mainly under increasing-p’ stress paths, although it is very likely to encounter stress paths with decreasing p’ in practice, especially in excavation engineering. Moreover, most pertinent research has focused on remolded granite residual soils, whereas undisturbed specimens have not yet received enough attention. In this paper, stress path triaxial tests considering different patterns of variation of mean effective stress were conducted on an undisturbed granite residual soil. Subsequently, a variable termed loading angle was introduced to quantitatively represent stress path. The influences of stress path on the Mohr–Coulomb strength parameters, deformation characteristics, ductility, and shearing stiffness were analyzed, with an emphasis on the role of pattern of variation of mean effective stress. The experimental results show that friction angle of the soil increases while cohesion decreases with the increase in loading angle. The increase in loading angle leads to less volume contraction and smaller failure strain. During shearing, the soil exhibited a less brittle response under stress paths with smaller loading angles. The initial secant shear modulus first decreased and then increased as the loading angle increased, with the minimum shearing stiffness occurring at a certain loading angle lying between 90° and 123.7°.
Generating Block-Structured Parallel Process Models by Demonstration
Authors: Lekić Julijana , Milićev Dragan , Stanković Dragan
Published: February 2021

Programming by demonstration (PBD) is a technique which allows end users to create, modify, accommodate, and expand programs by demonstrating what the program is supposed to do. Although the ideal of common-purpose programming by demonstration or by examples has been rejected as practically unrealistic, this approach has found its application and shown potentials when limited to specific narrow domains and ranges of applications. In this paper, the original method of applying the principles of programming by demonstration in the area of process mining (PM) to interactive construction of block-structured parallel business processes models is presented. A technique and tool that enable interactive process mining and incremental discovery of process models have been described in this paper. The idea is based on the following principle: using a demonstrational user interface, a user demonstrates scenarios of execution of parallel business process activities, and the system gives a generalized model process specification. A modified process mining technique with the α|| algorithm applied on weakly complete event logs is used for creating parallel business process models using demonstration.
A Study of Adversarial Attacks and Detection on Deep Learning-Based Plant Disease Identification
Authors: Luo Zhirui , Li Qingqing , Zheng Jun
Published: February 2021

Transfer learning using pre-trained deep neural networks (DNNs) has been widely used for plant disease identification recently. However, pre-trained DNNs are susceptible to adversarial attacks which generate adversarial samples causing DNN models to make wrong predictions. Successful adversarial attacks on deep learning (DL)-based plant disease identification systems could result in a significant delay of treatments and huge economic losses. This paper is the first attempt to study adversarial attacks and detection on DL-based plant disease identification. Our results show that adversarial attacks with a small number of perturbations can dramatically degrade the performance of DNN models for plant disease identification. We also find that adversarial attacks can be effectively defended by using adversarial sample detection with an appropriate choice of features. Our work will serve as a basis for developing more robust DNN models for plant disease identification and guiding the defense against adversarial attacks.
Long-Term Trends in Regional Wet Mercury Deposition and Lacustrine Mercury Concentrations in Four Lakes in Voyageurs National Park
Authors: Brigham Mark E. , VanderMeulen David D. , Eagles-Smith Collin A. , Krabbenhoft David P. , Maki Ryan P. , DeWild John F.
Published: February 2021

Although anthropogenic mercury (Hg) releases to the environment have been substantially lowered in the United States and Canada since 1990, concerns remain for contamination in fish from remote lakes and rivers where atmospheric deposition is the predominant source of mercury. How have aquatic ecosystems responded? We report on one of the longest known multimedia data sets for mercury in atmospheric deposition: aqueous total mercury (THgaq), methylmercury (MeHgaq), and sulfate from epilimnetic lake-water samples from four lakes in Voyageurs National Park (VNP) in northern Minnesota; and total mercury (THg) in aquatic biota from the same lakes from 2001–2018. Wet Hg deposition at two regional Mercury Deposition Network sites (Fernberg and Marcell, Minnesota) decreased by an average of 22 percent from 1998–2018; much of the decreases occurred prior to 2009, with relatively flat trends since 2009. In the four VNP lakes, epilimnetic MeHgaq concentrations declined by an average of 44 percent and THgaq by an average of 27 percent. For the three lakes with long-term biomonitoring, temporal patterns in biotic THg concentrations were similar to patterns in MeHgaq concentrations; however, biotic THg concentrations declined significantly in only one lake. Epilimnetic MeHgaq may be responding both to a decline in atmospheric Hg deposition as well as a decline in sulfate deposition, which is an important driver of mercury methylation in the environment. Results from this case study suggest that regional- to continental-scale decreases in both mercury and sulfate emissions have benefitted aquatic resources, even in the face of global increases in mercury emissions.
A New Perspective of Pseudomonas—Host Interactions: Distribution and Potential Ecological Functions of the Genus Pseudomonas within the Bark Beetle Holobiont
Authors: Saati-Santamaría Zaki , Rivas Raúl , Kolařik Miroslav , García-Fraile Paula
Published: February 2021

Symbiosis between microbes and insects has been raised as a promising area for understanding biological implications of microbe–host interactions. Among them, the association between fungi and bark beetles has been generally recognized as essential for the bark beetle ecology. However, many works investigating bark beetle bacterial communities and their functions usually meet in a common finding: Pseudomonas is a broadly represented genus within this holobiont and it may provide beneficial roles to its host. Thus, we aimed to review available research on this microbe–host interaction and point out the probable relevance of Pseudomonas strains for these insects, in order to guide future research toward a deeper analysis of the importance of these bacteria for the beetle’s life cycle.
Are There Any Parameters Missing in the Mathematical Models Applied in the Process of Spreading COVID-19?
Authors: Boselli Pietro M. , Basagni Massimo , Soriano Jose M.
Published: February 2021

On 11 March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of 12.44 GMT on 15 January 2021, it has produced 93,640,296 cases and 2,004,984 deaths. The use of mathematical modelling was applied in Italy, Spain, and UK to help in the prediction of this pandemic. We used equations from general and reduced logistic models to describe the epidemic development phenomenon and the trend over time. We extracted this information from the Italian Ministry of Health, the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs, and Social Welfare, and the UK Statistics Authority from 3 February to 30 April 2020. We estimated that, from the seriousness of the phenomenon, the consequent pathology, and the lethal outcomes, the COVID-19 trend relate to the same classic laws that govern epidemics and their evolution. The curve d(t) helps to obtain information on the duration of the epidemic phenomenon, as its evolution is related to the efficiency and timeliness of the system, control, diagnosis, and treatment. In fact, the analysis of this curve, after acquiring the data of the first three weeks, also favors the advantage to formulate forecast hypotheses on the progress of the epidemic.
Looking for Hidden Enemies of Metabarcoding: Species Composition, Habitat and Management Can Strongly Influence DNA Extraction while Examining Grassland Communities
Authors: Rucińska Anna , Olszak Marcin , Świerszcz Sebastian , Nobis Marcin , Zubek Szymon , Kusza Grzegorz , Boczkowska Maja , Nowak Arkadiusz
Published: February 2021

Despite the raising preoccupation, the critical question of how the plant community is composed belowground still remains unresolved, particularly for the conservation priority types of vegetation. The usefulness of metabarcoding analysis of the belowground parts of the plant community is subjected to a considerable bias, that often impedes detection of all species in a sample due to insufficient DNA quality or quantity. In the presented study we have attempted to find environmental factors that determine the amount and quality of DNA extracted from total plant tissue from above- and belowground samples (1000 and 10,000 cm2). We analyzed the influence of land use intensity, soil properties, species composition, and season on DNA extraction. The most important factors for DNA quality were vegetation type, soil conductometry (EC), and soil pH for the belowground samples. The species that significantly decreased the DNA quality were Calamagrostis epigejos, Coronilla varia, and Holcus lanatus. For the aboveground part of the vegetation, the season, management intensity, and certain species—with the most prominent being Centaurea rhenana and Cirsium canum—have the highest influence. Additionally, we found that sample size, soil granulation, MgO, organic C, K2O, and total soil N content are important for DNA extraction effectiveness. Both low EC and pH reduce significantly the yield and quality of DNA. Identifying the potential inhibitors of DNA isolation and predicting difficulties of sampling the vegetation plots for metabarcoding analysis will help to optimize the universal, low-cost multi-stage DNA extraction procedure in molecular ecology studies.
Behavioral Effects of Developmental Exposure to JWH-018 in Wild-Type and Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (disc1) Mutant Zebrafish
Authors: García-González Judit , de Quadros Bruno , Havelange William , Brock Alistair J. , Brennan Caroline H.
Published: February 2021

Synthetic cannabinoids can cause acute adverse psychological effects, but the potential impact when exposure happens before birth is unknown. Use of synthetic cannabinoids during pregnancy may affect fetal brain development, and such effects could be moderated by the genetic makeup of an individual. Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a gene with important roles in neurodevelopment that has been associated with psychiatric disorders in pedigree analyses. Using zebrafish as a model, we investigated (1) the behavioral impact of developmental exposure to 3 μM 1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)-indole (JWH-018; a common psychoactive synthetic cannabinoid) and (2) whether disc1 moderates the effects of JWH-018. As altered anxiety responses are seen in several psychiatric disorders, we focused on zebrafish anxiety-like behavior. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to JWH-018 from one to six days post-fertilization. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed using forced light/dark and acoustic startle assays in larvae and novel tank diving in adults. Compared to controls, both acutely and developmentally exposed zebrafish larvae had impaired locomotion during the forced light/dark test, but anxiety levels and response to startle stimuli were unaltered. Adult zebrafish developmentally exposed to JWH-018 spent less time on the bottom of the tank, suggesting decreased anxiety. Loss-of-function in disc1 increased anxiety-like behavior in the tank diving assay but did not alter sensitivity to JWH-018. Results suggest developmental exposure to JWH-018 has a long-term behavioral impact in zebrafish, which is not moderated by disc1.
Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Induce Insulin and Glucagon Double Positive Human Islet Cells That Are Resistant to Apoptosis
Authors: Tesi Marta , Bugliani Marco , Ferri Gianmarco , Suleiman Mara , De Luca Carmela , Bosi Emanuele , Masini Matilde , De Tata Vincenzo , Gysemans Conny , Cardarelli Francesco , Cnop Miriam , Eizirik Decio L. , Marchetti Piero , Marselli Lorella
Published: February 2021

The presence of islet cells double positive for insulin and glucagon (Ins+/Glu+) has been described in the pancreas from both type 2 (T2D) and type 1 (T1D) diabetic subjects. We studied the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines on the occurrence, trajectory, and characteristics of Ins+/Glu+ cells in human pancreatic islets. Pancreas samples, isolated islets, and dispersed islet cells from 3 T1D and 11 non-diabetic (ND) multi-organ donors were studied by immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and/or electron microscopy. ND islet cells were exposed to interleukin-1β and interferon-γ for up to 120 h. In T1D islets, we confirmed an increased prevalence of Ins+/Glu+ cells. Cytokine-exposed islets showed a progressive increase of Ins+/Glu+ cells that represented around 50% of endocrine cells after 120h. Concomitantly, cells expressing insulin granules only decreased significantly over time, whereas those containing only glucagon granules remained stable. Interestingly, Ins+/Glu+ cells were less prone to cytokine-induced apoptosis than cells containing only insulin. Cytokine-exposed islets showed down-regulation of β-cell identity genes. In conclusion, pro-inflammatory cytokines induce Ins+/Glu+ cells in human islets, possibly due to a switch from a β- to a β-/α-cell phenotype. These Ins+/Glu+ cells appear to be resistant to cytokine-induced apoptosis.
Imaging Inflammation with Positron Emission Tomography
Authors: Iking Janette , Staniszewska Magdalena , Kessler Lukas , Klose Jasmin M. , Lückerath Katharina , Fendler Wolfgang P. , Herrmann Ken , Rischpler Christoph
Published: February 2021

The impact of inflammation on the outcome of many medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, infections, cancer, and autoimmune diseases has been widely acknowledged. However, in contrast to neurological, oncologic, and cardiovascular disorders, imaging plays a minor role in research and management of inflammation. Imaging can provide insights into individual and temporospatial biology and grade of inflammation which can be of diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic value. There is therefore an urgent need to evaluate and understand current approaches and potential applications for imaging of inflammation. This review discusses radiotracers for positron emission tomography (PET) that have been used to image inflammation in cardiovascular diseases and other inflammatory conditions with a special emphasis on radiotracers that have already been successfully applied in clinical settings.
The Antibacterial Activity of Human Amniotic Membrane against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Associated with Urinary Tract Infections: New Insights from Normal and Cancerous Urothelial Models
Authors: Ramuta Taja Železnik , Tratnjek Larisa , Janev Aleksandar , Seme Katja , Starčič Erjavec Marjanca , Kreft Mateja Erdani
Published: February 2021

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a serious global health issue, especially due to emerging multidrug-resistant UTI-causing bacteria. Recently, we showed that the human amniotic membrane (hAM) could be a candidate for treatments and prevention of UPEC and Staphylococcus aureus infections. However, its role against multidrug-resistant bacteria, namely methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has not yet been thoroughly explored. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the hAM homogenate had antibacterial activity against 7 out of 11 tested multidrug-resistant strains, the greatest effect was on MRSA. Using novel approaches, its activity against MRSA was further evaluated in a complex microenvironment of normal and cancerous urinary bladder urothelia. Even short-term incubation in hAM homogenate significantly decreased the number of bacteria in MRSA-infected urothelial models, while it did not affect the viability, number, and ultrastructure of urothelial cells. The hAM patches had no antibacterial activity against any of the tested strains, which further exposes the importance of the hAM preparation. Our study substantially contributes to basic knowledge on the antibacterial activity of hAM and reveals its potential to be used as an antibacterial agent against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Rapid Detection of Glucose on Nanostructured Gold Film Biosensor by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Sung Cheng-Ju , Chao Szu-Han , Hsu Shih-Chieh
Published: February 2021

In this report, we summarized our development of biosensors for Rhodamine 6G and in vitro glucose detection based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering technology. For the detection of both Rhodamine 6G and in vitro glucose, a nature-patterned substrate with gold films over nanostructures (NPS-AuFON) was used as the surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor platform. The enhancement factor was calculated at 9 × 107. In the processing of the substrate, cyclic voltammetry was used to form nano-gold particles under different conditions. The Rhodamine 6G and glucose detection were then achieved on this substrate. Furthermore, we combined the potentiostatic technique and electrochemical adsorption to best detect glucose in low concentrations. The glucose oxidation potential (100 mV) was used to capture glucose close to the surface of the NPS-AuFON. The quantitative detection of glucose in solution and in situ inspection were confirmed. Further, we determined that this surface modification technology can reach the goal of experiments set by the World Health Organization to judge whether or not a patient is a diabetic by detecting a glucose concentration of 11.1 mmol/L (mg/dL) at a minimum.
Economic Evaluation in Neurological Physiotherapy: A Systematic Review
Authors: García-Álvarez David , Sempere-Rubio Núria , Faubel Raquel
Published: February 2021

This systematic review was carried out to compile and assess original studies that included economic evaluations of neurological physiotherapy interventions. A thorough search of PubMED, Cochrane and Embase was developed using keywords such as health economics, neurological physiotherapy and cost analysis, and studies published during the last six-year term were selected. A total of 3124 studies were analyzed, and 43 were eligible for inclusion. Among the studies analyzed, 48.8% were interventions for stroke patients, and 13.9% were focused on Parkinson’s disease. In terms of the countries involved, 46.5% of the studies included were developed in the UK, and 13.9% were from the USA. The economic analysis most frequently used was cost-utility, implemented in 22 of the studies. A cost-effectiveness analysis was also developed in nine of those studies. The distribution of studies including an economic evaluation in this discipline showed a clear geographic dominance in terms of the pathology. A clear upward trend was noted in the economic evaluation of interventions developed in neurological physiotherapy. However, these studies should be promoted for their use in evidence-based clinical practice and decision-making.
Multiple Dimensions of Smart Cities’ Infrastructure: A Review
Authors: Kasznar Ana , Hammad Ahmed , Najjar Mohammad , Linhares Qualharini Eduardo , Figueiredo Karoline , Soares Carlos , Haddad Assed
Published: February 2021

In recent years, there has been significant focus on smart cities, on how they operate and develop, and on their technical and social challenges. The importance of infrastructure as a major pillar of support in cities, in addition to the rapid developments in smart city research, necessitate an up-to-date review of smart cities’ infrastructure issues and challenges. Traditionally, a majority of studies have focused on traffic control and management, transport network design, smart grid initiatives, IoT (Internet of Things) integration, big data, land use development, and how urbanization processes impact land use in the long run. The work presented herein proposes a novel review framework that analyzes how smart city infrastructure is related to the urbanization process while presenting developments in IoT sensor networks, big data analysis of the generated information, and green construction. A classification framework was proposed to give insights on new initiatives regarding smart city infrastructure through answering the following questions: (i) What are the various dimensions on which smart city infrastructure research focuses? (ii) What are the themes and classes associated with these dimensions? (iii) What are the main shortcomings in current approaches, and what would be a good research agenda for the future? A bibliometric analysis was conducted, presenting cluster maps that can be used to understand different research trends and refine further searches. A bibliographic analysis was then followed, presenting a review of the most relevant studies over the last five years. The method proposed serves to stress where future research into understanding smart systems, their implementation and functionality would be best directed. This research concluded that future research on the topic should conceptualize smart cities as an emergent socio-techno phenomenon.
PDX-Derived Ewing’s Sarcoma Cells Retain High Viability and Disease Phenotype in Alginate Encapsulated Spheroid Cultures
Authors: Domenici Giacomo , Eduardo Rodrigo , Castillo-Ecija Helena , Orive Gorka , Montero Carcaboso Ángel , Brito Catarina
Published: February 2021

Ewing’s Sarcoma (ES) is the second most frequent malignant bone tumour in children and young adults and currently only untargeted chemotherapeutic approaches and surgery are available as treatment, although clinical trials are on-going for recently developed ES-targeted therapies. To study ES pathobiology and develop novel drugs, established cell lines and patient-derived xenografts (PDX) are the most employed experimental models. Nevertheless, the establishment of ES cell lines is difficult and the extensive use of PDX raises economic/ethical concerns. There is a growing consensus regarding the use of 3D cell culture to recapitulate physiological and pathophysiological features of human tissues, including drug sensitivity. Herein, we implemented a 3D cell culture methodology based on encapsulation of PDX-derived ES cell spheroids in alginate and maintenance in agitation-based culture systems. Under these conditions, ES cells displayed high proliferative and metabolic activity, while retaining the typical EWSR1-FLI1 chromosomal translocation. Importantly, 3D cultures presented reduced mouse PDX cell contamination compared to 2D cultures. Finally, we show that these 3D cultures can be employed in drug sensitivity assays, with results similar to those reported for the PDX of origin. In conclusion, this novel 3D cell culture method involving ES-PDX-derived cells is a suitable model to study ES pathobiology and can assist in the development of novel drugs against this disease, complementing PDX studies.
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and Immunotherapy Resistance: Lessons for the Treatment of Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Chehrazi-Raffle Alexander , Dorff Tanya B. , Pal Sumanta K. , Lyou Yung
Published: February 2021

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is a significant public health burden. It accounts for approximately 90 percent of all bladder cancers with an estimated 200,000 annual deaths globally. Platinum based cytotoxic chemotherapy combinations are the current standard of care in the frontline setting for metastatic UCC. Even with these treatments the median overall survival is estimated to be about 15 months. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated superior clinical benefits compared to second line chemotherapy in UCC treatment. However only a minority of patients (~20%) respond to ICIs, which highlights the need to better understand the mechanisms behind resistance. In this review, we (i) examine the pathophysiology of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, (ii) discuss pre-clinical evidence that supports the combination of Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors and ICI, and (iii) propose future combination treatments that could be investigated through clinical trials.
Recent Developments for the Application of 3D Structured Material Nickel Foam and Graphene Foam in Direct Liquid Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers
Authors: Karim Nabila A. , Alias Muhammad Syafiq , Yang Hsiharng
Published: February 2021

Platinum and platinum-based catalysts are some of the most effective catalysts used in fuel cells. However, electrocatalysts used for direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs) and electrolyzers are high cost and suffer from several other problems, thus hindering their commercialization as power sources to produce clean energy. Common issues in electrocatalysts are low stability and durability, slow kinetics, catalyst poisoning, high catalyst loading, high cost of the catalytic materials, poisoning of the electrocatalysts, and formation of intermediate products during electrochemical reactions. The use of catalyst supports can enhance the catalytic activity and stability of the power sources. Thus, nickel foam and graphene foam with 3D structures have advantages over other catalyst supports. This paper presents the application of nickel foam and graphene foam as catalyst supports that enhance the activities, selectivity, efficiency, specific surface area, and exposure of the active sites of DLFCs. Selected recent studies on the use of foam in electrolyzers are also presented.
Mast Cells Positive for c-Kit Receptor and Tryptase Correlate with Angiogenesis in Cancerous and Adjacent Normal Pancreatic Tissue
Authors: Ammendola Michele , Currò Giuseppe , Laface Carmelo , Zuccalà Valeria , Memeo Riccardo , Luposella Francesco , Laforgia Mariarita , Zizzo Nicola , Zito Alfredo , Loisi Donato , Patruno Rosa , Milella Lucia , Ugenti Ippazio , Porcelli Mariangela , Navarra Giuseppe , Gadaleta Cosmo Damiano , Ranieri Girolamo
Published: February 2021

Background: Mast cells (MCs) contain proangiogenic factors, in particular tryptase, associated with increased angiogenesis in several tumours. With special reference to pancreatic cancer, few data have been published on the role of MCs in angiogenesis in both pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue (PDAT) and adjacent normal tissue (ANT). In this study, density of mast cells positive for c-Kit receptor (MCDP-c-KitR), density of mast cells positive for tryptase (MCDPT), area of mast cells positive for tryptase (MCAPT), and angiogenesis in terms of microvascular density (MVD) and endothelial area (EA) were evaluated in a total of 45 PDAT patients with stage T2–3N0–1M0. Results: For each analysed tissue parameter, the mean ± standard deviation was evaluated in both PDAT and ANT and differences were evaluated by Student’s t-test (p ranged from 0.001 to 0.005). Each analysed tissue parameter was then correlated to each other one by Pearson t-test analysis (p ranged from 0.01 to 0.03). No other correlation among MCDP-c-KitR, MCDPT, MCAPT, MVD, EA and the main clinical–pathological characteristics was found. Conclusions: Our results suggest that tissue parameters increased from ANT to PDAT and that mast cells are strongly associated with angiogenesis in PDAT. On this basis, the inhibition of MCs through tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as masitinib, or inhibition of tryptase by gabexate mesylate may become potential novel antiangiogenetic approaches in pancreatic cancer therapy.
ApoB-Specific CD4+ T Cells in Mouse and Human Atherosclerosis
Authors: Marchini Timoteo , Hansen Sophie , Wolf Dennis
Published: February 2021

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the arterial wall that leads to the formation of vessel-occluding plaques within the subintimal space of middle-sized and larger arteries. While traditionally understood as a myeloid-driven lipid-storage disease, growing evidence suggests that the accumulation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ignites an autoimmune response with CD4+ T-helper (TH) cells that recognize self-peptides from Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), the core protein of LDL-C. These autoreactive CD4+ T cells home to the atherosclerotic plaque, clonally expand, instruct other cells in the plaque, and induce clinical plaque instability. Recent developments in detecting antigen-specific cells at the single cell level have demonstrated that ApoB-reactive CD4+ T cells exist in humans and mice. Their phenotypes and functions deviate from classical immunological concepts of distinct and terminally differentiated TH immunity. Instead, ApoB-specific CD4+ T cells have a highly plastic phenotype, can acquire several, partially opposing and mixed transcriptional programs simultaneously, and transit from one TH subset into another over time. In this review, we highlight adaptive immune mechanisms in atherosclerosis with a focus on CD4+ T cells, introduce novel technologies to detect ApoB-specific CD4+ T cells at the single cell level, and discuss the potential impact of ApoB-driven autoimmunity in atherosclerosis.
Potential Role of microRNAs in inducing Drug Resistance in Patients with Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Allegra Alessandro , Ettari Roberta , Innao Vanessa , Bitto Alessandra
Published: February 2021

The prognosis for newly diagnosed subjects with multiple myeloma (MM) has significantly progressed in recent years. However, most MM patients relapse and after several salvage therapies, the onset of multidrug resistance provokes the occurrence of a refractory disease. A continuous and bidirectional exchange of information takes place between the cells of the microenvironment and neoplastic cells to solicit the demands of cancer cells. Among the molecules serving as messengers, there are microRNAs (miRNA), a family of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Numerous miRNAs are associated with drug resistance, also in MM, and the modulation of their expression or activity might be explored to reverse it. In this review we report the most recent studies concerning the relationship between miRNAs and chemoresistance to the most frequently used drugs, such as proteasome inhibitors, steroids, alkylating agents and immunomodulators. The experimental use of antagomirs or miRNA mimics have successfully been proven to counteract chemoresistance and display synergistic effects with antimyeloma drugs which could represent a fundamental moment to overcome resistance in MM treatment.
Effect of Fe on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Fe/FeAl2O4 Cermet Prepared by Hot Press Sintering
Authors: Zhang Kuai , Li Yungang , Wang Chuang , Yan Hongyan , Li Hui , Liang Jinglong , Dang Jie
Published: February 2021

The Fe/FeAl2O4 cermet was prepared with Fe-Fe2O3-Al2O3 powder by a hot press sintering method at 1400 °C. The raw materials for the powder particles were respectively 2 µm (Fe), 0.5 µm (Fe2O3), and 0.5 µm (Al2O3) in diameter, the sintering pressure was 30 MPa, and the holding time was 120 min. The effects of different Fe mass ratios on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe/FeAl2O4 cermet were studied. The results showed that a new ceramic phase FeAl2O4 could be formed by an in situ reaction during the hot press sintering. When the Fe mass ratio was increased, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Fe/FeAl2O4 cermet showed a change law that initially became better and then became worse. The best microstructure and mechanical properties were obtained in the S2 sample, where the mass ratio of Fe-Fe2O3-Al2O3 was 6:1:2. In this Fe mass ratio, the relative density was about 94%, and the Vickers hardness and bending strength were 1.21 GPa and 210.0 MPa, respectively. The reaction mechanism of Fe in the preparation process was the in situ synthesis reaction of FeAl2O4 and the diffusion reaction of Fe to FeAl2O4 grains. The increase of the Fe mass ratio improved the wettability of Fe and FeAl2O4, which increased the diffusion rate of Fe to FeAl2O4 grains, which increased the influence on the structure of FeAl2O4.
Computational Study of Structural, Molecular Orbitals, Optical and Thermodynamic Parameters of Thiophene Sulfonamide Derivatives
Authors: Mubarik Adeel , Rasool Nasir , Hashmi Muhammad Ali , Mansha Asim , Zubair Muhammad , Shaik Mohammed Rafi , Sharaf Mohammed A.F. , Awwad Emad Mahrous , Abdelgawad Abdelatty
Published: February 2021

Thiophene and sulfonamide derivatives serve as biologically active compounds, used for the manufacture of large numbers of new drugs. In this study, 11 selected derivatives of thiophene sulfonamide were computed for their geometric parameters, such as hyperpolarizability, chemical hardness (ƞ), electronic chemical potential (μ), electrophilicity index (ω), ionization potential (I), and electron affinity (A). In addition, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectra were also simulated through theoretical calculations. The geometrical parameters and vibrational frequencies with assignments of the vibrational spectra strongly resemble the experimentally calculated values. Besides, the frontier molecular orbitals were also determined for various intramolecular interactions that are responsible for the stability of the compounds. The isodensity surfaces of the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) are the same pattern in most of the compounds, but in some compounds are disturbed due to the presence of highly electronegative hetero-atoms. In this series of compounds, 3 shows the highest HOMO–LUMO energy gap and lowest hyperpolarizability, which leads to the most stable compound and less response to nonlinear optical (NLO), while 7 shows the lowest HOMO–LUMO energy gap and highest hyperpolarizability, which leads to a less stable compound and a high NLO response. All compounds have their extended three-dimensional p-electronic delocalization which plays an important role in studying NLO responses.
A Revised PFMEA Approach for Reliable Design of Assembly Activities
Authors: Braglia Marcello , Castellano Davide , Gabbrielli Roberto , Marrazzini Leonardo
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel process failure mode and effect analysis (PFMEA) approach for the reliable design of assembly activities to prevent product defects due to errors during the assembly of complex products. PFMEA is approached as an integrated method that, in addition to implementing recommended actions, supports the design of worksheets, equipment, and layout of the assembly lines of complex systems, early in the design phase of the product. As a result, the innovative design-job element sheets (D-JESs), which report work instructions to the operator for assembly cycles, are defined before the design of the production and assembly process. The modification of the PFMEA structure, the implementation of proper recommended actions, and the designs of D-JESs, equipment, and assembly layout, early in the design phase of the product, are the novel contributions of the paper. The integrated method assures to effectively design the assembly process directly during the product design to avoid errors that could promote dissatisfaction of the end-users. It is practical to use and does not require large investments, implementation of new technologies, or complex additional training. Its practical application is demonstrated using a case study concerning a manufacturer of train wagons via manual assembly lines.
Improvement of the Working Environment and Daily Work-Related Tasks of Dental Hygienists Working in Private Dental Offices from the Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association Survey 2019
Authors: Nomura Yoshiaki , Ohara Yuki , Yamamoto Yuko , Okada Ayako , Hosoya Noriyasu , Hanada Nobuhiro , Takei Noriko
Published: February 2021

A dental hygienist performs various daily work-related tasks. The aim of this study was to elucidate the daily work-related tasks of Japanese dental hygienists and construct groups to understand the relationships between daily work-related tasks, the attractiveness of dental hygienist work, and the improvement of the working environment. The Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association has conducted a postal survey on the employment status of dental hygienists in Japan every five years since 1981. The data on the implementation of 74 daily work-related tasks in dental offices were analyzed from the survey carried out in 2019. The questionnaires were distributed to 16,722 dental hygienists and 8932 were returned (collection rate: 53.4%). The 3796 dental hygienists working at dental clinics were clearly classified into nine groups. Full-time workers requested a reduced workload. Part-time workers requested better treatment rather than reducing the workload. Salary and human relationships were common problems with the working environment. Full-time workers felt that job security was an attractive feature of the dental hygienist role. The data presented in this study may help with the improvement of working conditions for dental hygienists.
Sigma-Pi Structure with Bernoulli Random Variables: Power-Law Bounds for Probability Distributions and Growth Models with Interdependent Entities
Authors: Yamashita Rios de Sousa Arthur Matsuo , Takayasu Hideki , Sornette Didier , Takayasu Misako
Published: February 2021

The Sigma-Pi structure investigated in this work consists of the sum of products of an increasing number of identically distributed random variables. It appears in stochastic processes with random coefficients and also in models of growth of entities such as business firms and cities. We study the Sigma-Pi structure with Bernoulli random variables and find that its probability distribution is always bounded from below by a power-law function regardless of whether the random variables are mutually independent or duplicated. In particular, we investigate the case in which the asymptotic probability distribution has always upper and lower power-law bounds with the same tail-index, which depends on the parameters of the distribution of the random variables. We illustrate the Sigma-Pi structure in the context of a simple growth model with successively born entities growing according to a stochastic proportional growth law, taking both Bernoulli, confirming the theoretical results, and half-normal random variables, for which the numerical results can be rationalized using insights from the Bernoulli case. We analyze the interdependence among entities represented by the product terms within the Sigma-Pi structure, the possible presence of memory in growth factors, and the contribution of each product term to the whole Sigma-Pi structure. We highlight the influence of the degree of interdependence among entities in the number of terms that effectively contribute to the total sum of sizes, reaching the limiting case of a single term dominating extreme values of the Sigma-Pi structure when all entities grow independently.
Investigation of Ring and Star Polymers in Confined Geometries: Theory and Simulations
Authors: Halun Joanna , Karbowniczek Pawel , Kuterba Piotr , Danel Zoriana
Published: February 2021

The calculations of the dimensionless layer monomer density profiles for a dilute solution of phantom ideal ring polymer chains and star polymers with f=4 arms in a Θ-solvent confined in a slit geometry of two parallel walls with repulsive surfaces and for the mixed case of one repulsive and the other inert surface were performed. Furthermore, taking into account the Derjaguin approximation, the dimensionless layer monomer density profiles for phantom ideal ring polymer chains and star polymers immersed in a solution of big colloidal particles with different adsorbing or repelling properties with respect to polymers were calculated. The density-force relation for the above-mentioned cases was analyzed, and the universal amplitude ratio B was obtained. Taking into account the small sphere expansion allowed obtaining the monomer density profiles for a dilute solution of phantom ideal ring polymers immersed in a solution of small spherical particles, or nano-particles of finite size, which are much smaller than the polymer size and the other characteristic mesoscopic length of the system. We performed molecular dynamics simulations of a dilute solution of linear, ring, and star-shaped polymers with N=300, 300 (360), and 1201 (4 × 300 + 1-star polymer with four arms) beads accordingly. The obtained analytical and numerical results for phantom ring and star polymers are compared with the results for linear polymer chains in confined geometries.
NaHS-Hydrogel and Encapsulated Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Evaluation on an Ex Vivo Second-Degree Burn Model
Authors: Capin Lucille , Gross-Amat Olivia , Calteau Marie , Rovere Marie-Rose , Salmon Damien , Auxenfans Céline
Published: February 2021

Second-degree burns result in the loss of the epidermal barrier and could lead to delayed complications during the healing process. Currently, therapeutic options to treat severe burns are limited. Thus, this work aims to evaluate the effect of NaHS, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, in poloxamer hydrogel in topical application and the potentiating effect of injected encapsulated adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) compared to monolayer ASCs using our previous second-degree burn model on human skin explants. Indeed, our model allows testing treatments in conditions similar to a clinical application. The observed benefits of NaHS may include an antioxidant role, which might be beneficial in the case of burns. Concerning ASCs, their interest in wound healing is more than well documented. In order to evaluate the efficiency of our treatments, we analyzed the kinetics of wound closure, keratinocyte proliferation, and dermal remodeling. The effect of NaHS led to a delay in re-epithelialization, with a decrease in the number of proliferating cells and a decrease in the synthesis of procollagen III. On the contrary, intradermal injection of ASCs, encapsulated or not, improves wound healing by accelerating re-epithelialization and collagen I synthesis; however, only encapsulated ASCs accelerate keratinocyte migration and increase the rate of procollagen III and collagen III. In conclusion, NaHS treatment did not improve burn healing. However, the injection of ASCs stimulated wound healing, which is encouraging for their therapeutical use in burn treatment.
A Novel Iron Chloride Red-Ox Concentration Flow Cell Battery (ICFB) Concept; Power and Electrode Optimization
Authors: Bock Robert , Kleinsteinberg Björn , Selnes-Volseth Bjørn , Stokke Burheim Odne
Published: February 2021

For renewable energies to succeed in replacing fossil fuels, large-scale and affordable solutions are needed for short and long-term energy storage. A potentially inexpensive approach of storing large amounts of energy is through the use of a concentration flow cell that is based on cheap and abundant materials. Here, we propose to use aqueous iron chloride as a reacting solvent on carbon electrodes. We suggest to use it in a red-ox concentration flow cell with two compartments separated by a hydrocarbon-based membrane. In both compartments the red-ox couple of iron II and III reacts, oxidation at the anode and reduction at the cathode. When charging, a concentration difference between the two species grows. When discharging, this concentration difference between iron II and iron III is used to drive the reaction. In this respect it is a concentration driven flow cell redox battery using iron chloride in both solutions. Here, we investigate material combinations, power, and concentration relations.
A Bimodal Multichannel Battery Pack Equalizer Based on a Quasi-Resonant Two-Transistor Forward Converter
Authors: Wu Qixing , Gao Mingyu , Lin Huipin , Dong Zhekang
Published: February 2021

In the application of a long series battery group, an inter-pack imbalance is inevitable. No intra-pack cell equalizer can prevent pack-level over-discharge. A bimodal, multichannel battery pack equalizer based on a quasi-resonant, two-transistor forward converter is proposed to solve this problem and achieve a tradeoff between balancing efficiency and speed. This equalizer has two modes: pack-to-pack-group and pack-to-any-pack (P2PG&AP) mode and direct-pack-to-pack (DP2P) mode. In P2PG&AP mode, this equalizer can realize the full-switching-cycle (FSC) equalization through three balancing channels, and transfer energy from any pack to both the whole group and any pack inside the group. In addition, it can effectively clamp the transformer-induced voltage using a secondary side two-transistor magnetic reset structure (STMR) and reduce the total turns of transformer coil from 70 to 50 turns via a secondary side boost converter (SBC). In DP2P mode, this equalizer can realize zero voltage gap (ZVG) equalization. A prototype was tested at different switching frequencies and LC values to validate the theoretical analysis and optimize the bimodal hybrid operation. Experiment results including higher than 89.66% efficiency and minute-level balancing time under different pack voltage distributions show that the proposed topology demonstrates excellent balancing performance.