bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LncRNA 148400 Promotes the Apoptosis of Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells in Ischemic AKI by Targeting the miR−10b−3p/GRK4 Axis
Authors: Li Xingjin , Wu Zhifen , Yang Jurong , Zhang Dongshan
Published: December 2022

Although recent studies have reported that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is involved in the development of ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI), the exact function and regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs in ischemic AKI remain largely unknown. Herein, we found that ischemic injury promoted the expression of lncRNA 148400 in mouse proximal tubule-derived cell line (BUMPT) and C57BL/6J mice. Furthermore, the lncRNA148400 mediates ischemic injury-induced apoptosis of BUMPT cells. Mechanistically, lncRNA 148400 sponged miR−10b−3p to promote apoptosis via GRK4 upregulation. Finally, knockdown of lncRNA 148400 alleviated the I/R-induced deterioration of renal function, renal tubular injury, and cell apoptosis. In addition, cleaved caspase−3 is increased via targeting the miR−10b−3p/GRK4 axis. Collectively, these results showed that lncRNA 148400/miR−10b−3p/GRK4 axis mediated the development of ischemic AKI.
cfDNA Methylation Profiles and T-Cell Differentiation in Women with Endometrial Polyps
Authors: Li Xiao-Hong , Lu Mei-Yin , Niu Jia-Li , Zhu Dong-Yan , Liu Bin
Published: December 2022

DNA methylation is a part of the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression, including chromatin remodeling and the activity of microRNAs, which are involved in the regulation of T-cell differentiation and function. However, the role of cfDNA methylation in T-cell differentiation is entirely unknown. In patients with endometrial polyps (EPs), we have found an imbalance of T-cell differentiation and an aberrant cfDNA methylation profile, respectively. In this study, we investigated the relationship between cfDNA methylation profiles and T-cell differentiation in 14 people with EPs and 27 healthy controls. We found that several differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were associated with T-cell differentiation in people with EPs (ITGA2-Naïve CD4, r = −0.560, p = 0.037; CST9-EMRA CD4, r = −0.626, p = 0.017; and ZIM2-CM CD8, r = 0.576, p = 0.031), but not in healthy controls (all p > 0.05). When we combined the patients’ characteristics, we found a significant association between ITGA2 methylation and polyp diameter (r = 0.562, p = 0.036), but this effect was lost when adjusting the level of Naïve CD4 T-cells (r = 0.038, p = 0.903). Moreover, the circulating sex hormone levels were associated with T-cell differentiation (estradiol-Naïve CD4, r = −0.589, p = 0.027), and the cfDNA methylation profile (testosterone-ZIM2, r = −0.656, p = 0.011). In conclusion, this study has established a link between cfDNA methylation profiles and T-cell differentiation among people with EPs, which may contribute to the etiology of EPs. Further functional studies are warranted.
Acute Kidney Injury in Cancer Immunotherapy Recipients
Authors: Joseph Adrien , Lafarge Antoine , Azoulay Elie , Zafrani Lara
Published: December 2022

Cancer immunotherapy has now entered clinical practice and has reshaped the standard of care for many cancer patients. With these new strategies, specific toxicities have emerged, and renal side effects have been described. In this review, we will describe the causes of acute kidney injury in CAR T cell, immune checkpoint inhibitors and other cancer immuno-therapy recipients. CAR T cell therapy and bispecific T cell engaging antibodies can lead to acute kidney injury as a consequence of cytokine release syndrome, tumor lysis syndrome, sepsis or specific CAR T cell infiltration. Immune checkpoint blockade most often results in acute tubular interstitial nephritis, but glomerular diseases have also been described. Although the pathophysiology remains mostly elusive, we will describe the mechanisms of renal damage in these contexts, its prognosis and treatment. As the place of immunotherapy in the anti-cancer armamentarium is exponentially increasing, close collaboration between nephrologists and oncologists is of utmost importance to provide the best standard of care for these patients.
SARS-CoV-2 Pattern Provides a New Scoring System and Predicts the Prognosis and Immune Therapeutic Response in Glioma
Authors: Jiang Fan , Lu Deng-Feng , Zhan Zheng , Yuan Gui-Qiang , Liu Guang-Jie , Gu Jing-Yu , Sun Xiao-Ou , Wang Zhong
Published: December 2022

Objective: Glioma is the most common primary malignancy of the adult central nervous system (CNS), with a poor prognosis and no effective prognostic signature. Since late 2019, the world has been affected by the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Research on SARS-CoV-2 is flourishing; however, its potential mechanistic association with glioma has rarely been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential correlation of SARS-CoV-2-related genes with the occurrence, progression, prognosis, and immunotherapy of gliomas. Methods: SARS-CoV-2-related genes were obtained from the human protein atlas (HPA), while transcriptional data and clinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Glioma samples were collected from surgeries with the knowledge of patients. Differentially expressed genes were then identified and screened, and seven SARS-CoV-2 related genes were generated by LASSO regression analysis and uni/multi-variate COX analysis. A prognostic SARS-CoV-2-related gene signature (SCRGS) was then constructed based on these seven genes and validated in the TCGA validation cohort and CGGA cohort. Next, a nomogram was established by combining critical clinicopathological data. The correlation between SCRGS and glioma related biological processes was clarified by Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). In addition, immune infiltration and immune score, as well as immune checkpoint expression and immune escape, were further analyzed to assess the role of SCRGS in glioma-associated immune landscape and the responsiveness of immunotherapy. Finally, the reliability of SCRGS was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on glioma samples. Results: The prognostic SCRGS contained seven genes, REEP6, CEP112, LARP4B, CWC27, GOLGA2, ATP6AP1, and ERO1B. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median SARS-CoV-2 Index. Overall survival was significantly worse in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. COX analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated excellent predictive power for SCRGS for glioma prognosis. In addition, GSEA, immune infiltration, and immune scores indicated that SCRGS could potentially predict the tumor microenvironment, immune infiltration, and immune response in glioma patients. Conclusions: The SCRGS established here can effectively predict the prognosis of glioma patients and provide a potential direction for immunotherapy.
Chondrocyte De-Differentiation: Biophysical Cues to Nuclear Alterations
Authors: Al-Maslamani Noor A. , Oldershaw Rachel , Tew Simon , Curran Jude , D’Hooghe Pieter , Yamamoto Kazuhiro , Horn Henning F.
Published: December 2022

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a cell therapy to repair cartilage defects. In ACI a biopsy is taken from a non-load bearing area of the knee and expanded in-vitro. The expansion process provides the benefit of generating a large number of cells required for implantation; however, during the expansion these cells de-differentiate and lose their chondrocyte phenotype. In this review we focus on examining the de-differentiation phenotype from a mechanobiology and biophysical perspective, highlighting some of the nuclear mechanics and chromatin changes in chondrocytes seen during the expansion process and how this relates to the gene expression profile. We propose that manipulating chondrocyte nuclear architecture and chromatin organization will highlight mechanisms that will help to preserve the chondrocyte phenotype.
Long-Term Hyperglycemia Causes Depressive Behaviors in Mice with Hypoactive Glutamatergic Activity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Which Is Not Reversed by Insulin Treatment
Authors: Baek Ji Hyeong , Son Hyeonwi , Kang Jae Soon , Yoo Dae Young , Chung Hye Jin , Lee Dong Kun , Kim Hyun Joon
Published: December 2022

The etiology of hyperglycemic-induced depressive behaviors is unclear. We hypothesized that long-term hyperglycemia may induce long-lasting disturbances in glutamatergic signaling and neural damages, causing depressive behaviors. To prove our hypothesis, a C57BL/6N mouse model of hyperglycemia was maintained for 4 weeks (equivalent to approximately 3 years in humans), after which insulin treatment was administered for an additional 4 weeks to normalize hyperglycemia-induced changes. Hyperglycemic mice showed depressive-like behaviors. Glutamatergic neurons and glial cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were affected by hyperglycemia. Insulin treatment improved blood glucose, water intake, and food intake to normoglycemic levels, but did not improve depressive-like behaviors. Glutamatergic signaling decreased with long-term hyperglycemia and did not normalize with insulin-induced normoglycemia. Importantly, hyperglycemia-induced changes in the mPFC were almost not reversed by the 4-week insulin treatment. In particular, levels of insulin receptor beta subunit (IRβ), IRS-1, vesicular glutamate transporter 1, glutamine transporter SNAT2, phosphate-activated glutaminase, and GLUT-3 were not changed by insulin. Nitration and the dephosphorylation of IRβ in the PFC also did not improve with insulin treatment. Therefore, our results suggest that hypoactive glutamatergic activity in the mPFC is involved in diabetic-associated depressive behaviors, and it is difficult to cure with glycemic regulation alone.
ALDH1-Mediated Autophagy Sensitizes Glioblastoma Cells to Ferroptosis
Authors: Wu Yang , Kram Helena , Gempt Jens , Liesche-Starnecker Friederike , Wu Wei , Schlegel Jürgen
Published: December 2022

The fatal clinical course of human glioblastoma (GBM) despite aggressive adjuvant therapies is due to high rates of recurrent tumor growth driven by tumor cells with stem-cell characteristics (glioma stem cells, GSCs). The aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) family of enzymes has been shown to be a biomarker for GSCs, and ALDH1 seems to be involved in the biological processes causing therapy resistance. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered cell death mechanism, that depends on iron overload and lipid peroxidation, and it could, therefore, be a potential therapeutic target in various cancer types. Since both ALDH1 and ferroptosis interact with lipid peroxidation (LPO), we aimed to investigate a possible connection between ALDH1 and ferroptosis. Here, we show that RSL3-induced LPO and ferroptotic cell death revealed RSL3-sensitive and -resistant malignant glioma cell lines. Most interestingly, RSL3 sensitivity correlates with ALDH1a3 expression; only high ALDH1a3-expressing cells seem to be sensitive to ferroptosis induction. In accordance, inhibition of ALDH1a3 enzymatic activity by chemical inhibition or genetic knockout protects tumor cells from RSL3-induced ferroptotic cell death. Both RSL-3-dependent binding of ALDH1a3 to LC3B and autophagic downregulation of ferritin could be completely blocked by ALDH inhibition. Therefore, ALDH1a3 seems to be involved in ferroptosis through the essential release of iron by ferritinophagy. Our results also indicate that ferroptosis induction might be a particularly interesting clinical approach for targeting the highly aggressive cell population of GSC.
Melatonin Protects Mitochondrial Function and Inhibits Oxidative Damage against the Decline of Human Oocytes Development Caused by Prolonged Cryopreservation
Authors: Zhu Qi , Ding Ding , Yang Han , Zou Weiwei , Yang Dandan , Wang Kaijuan , Zhang Chao , Chen Beili , Ji Dongmei , Hao Yan , Xue Rufeng , Xu Yuping , Wang Qiushuang , Wang Jing , Yan Bo , Cao Yunxia , Zou Huijuan , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: December 2022

Melatonin (MT) can improve the effect of cryopreservation on oocytes by suppressing oxidative stress and maintaining the permeability of the oolemma. In this study, MT was firstly applied to human oocytes’ cryopreservation to explore the effect of prolonged cryopreservation on developmental competence and its role. Collected in vitro-matured human oocytes were cryopreserved in MT-containing or MT-free medium for 0 and 6 months; after warming, viable oocytes were assessed for developmental viability, intracellular protein expression, mitochondrial function, and oxidation-antioxidant system. Meanwhile, fresh oocytes were set as the control. The results showed that with the extension of cryopreservation time, the developmental competence of oocytes gradually declined, accompanied by the down-regulation of most mitochondrial function-related proteins, the reduction in ATP and GSH production, the increase in ROS accumulation, and the aggravation of the imbalance of ROS/GSH in oocytes. However, the participation of MT seemed to effectively mitigate these negative effects. Therefore, we speculate that melatonin may maintain normal ATP production and ROS/GSH balance in cryopreserved oocytes by protecting mitochondrial function and inhibiting oxidative damage, thereby effectively maintaining the developmental competence of human oocytes in prolonged cryopreservation.
Room-Temperature NO2 Gas Sensors Based on Granulated Carbon Nanofiber Material
Authors: Bannov Alexander G. , Lapekin Nikita I. , Kurmashov Pavel B. , Ukhina Arina V. , Manakhov Anton
Published: December 2022

Room-temperature gas sensors based on granulated carbon nanofiber material were investigated for the detection of NO2. The granulated material consisting of intertwined carbon nanofibers was synthesized by the decomposition of CH4 over the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst in a vibro-fluidized bed reactor. Carbon material was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Investigation of the gas sensors towards NO2 at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) was carried out in a dynamic flow-through setup in the range from 1 to 500 ppm. A comparison of the sensitivity gas sensor to NH3 and CH4 was also given. The sensor based on non-treated carbon nanofiber material showed the response ΔR/R0 of 5.1 % to 10 ppm of NO2. It was found that the sensor response to NO2 decreased when increasing the relative humidity. The effect of the relative humidity was more pronounced for low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and decreases with a further increase in them.
Functionally Gradient Coatings from HfC/ HfTaC2 to Ti: Growth Process, Basic Mechanical Properties and Wear Behavior
Authors: Li Jingli , Miao Qiang , Liang Wenping , Liu Ruixiang , Zhao Hui , Sun Jingjia , Zhang Jing , Zang Kai , Xu Jianyan , Yao Wei , Tao Xiaoma , Liu Mingguang
Published: December 2022

HfC and HfTaC2 coatings with gradient composition manufactured by double-cathode glow discharge plasma surface metallurgy technology were designed to improve the wear resistance of TA15 titanium alloy. The deposition mechanism of plasma and diffusion mechanism of atoms were investigated, and the growth process of coatings was revealed. The mechanical properties comprising microhardness and elastic modulus were investigated via first-principles calculations and experimental verification. The results reveal that the wear resistance of HfC and HfTaC2 coatings with abrasive wear mechanism is always better than that of the substrate with abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidation wear mechanism. The volume wear rates of the coatings are reduced by 90%–97% compared with the substrate, and that of HfTaC2 coatings are reduced by 29.9%–45.5% compared with HfC coatings. Furthermore, V-shaped cross section profiles of wear scars formed on HfC coatings, and U-shaped on HfTaC2 coatings, which is attributed to the addition of tantalum which causes HfC to form a sufficient solid solution, a 0.187–0.030 Å elongation of Ta-C bond length and 0.039–0.051 Å shortening of Hf-C bond length led to the unit cell shrinkage and the Bragg lattice changes from face-centered cubic to face-centered square lattice; accordingly, hardness and wear behavior were further improved.
Smart Food Packaging: An Umbrella Review of Scientific Publications
Authors: Boukid Fatma
Published: December 2022

The pivotal roles of smart packaging in the food industry are ensuring food quality and safety as well as providing consumers with important information about the food, allowing them to make more informed purchase/consumption decisions. The purpose of this study is to provide a holistic bibliometric analysis of smart food packaging. Bibliometric analysis collected 878 documents from the Scopus database. The annual trend revealed a three-phase growth, i.e., initial (1986–1999), development (2000–2016), and exponential (2017–2022). Since 2017, smart food packaging has attracted increasing research interest. From the keywords analysis, similar general topics of research were identified before and after the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). Remarkably, COVID-19 accelerated research and development toward finding sustainable and safe bio-based materials. However, most smart packaging materials are still not commercialized mainly due to the high cost of production and the absence of international standard regulations. Overall, academia is steps ahead in commercialization, where novel materials and mechanisms are tested for their efficiency and safety. The widespread of smart packaging relies on finding sustainable and safe solutions that are feasible at large scale and accepted by consumers.
Influence of Phase Composition on Stress-Corrosion Cracking of Ti-6Mo-5V-3Al-2Fe-2Zr Alloy in 3.5% NaCl Solution
Authors: Zhang Haoyu , Sun Jie , Zhou Ge , Yu Xiaoling , Wang Chuan , Gao Jian
Published: December 2022

The metastable β titanium alloys used in marine engineering applications suffered from stress-corrosion cracking in seawater. The different phase composition leads to the distinct stress-corrosion cracking behaviors of the alloy. In this work, the influence of the phase composition on the stress-corrosion cracking of a novel metastable β titanium alloy Ti-6Mo-5V-3Al-2Fe-2Zr was investigated. The alloys with different phase compositions were prepared by three types of thermal-mechanical processing, i.e., the single β phase (assigned as M(β)), the β phase plus fine α phase (assigned as M(β+fα)), and the β phase plus coarsened α phase (assigned as M(β+cα)). The electrochemical tests and constant-stress loading tests were performed, and the phase composition and microstructure were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The M(β) alloy exhibits the best corrosion resistance as well as the compact properties of oxide films, followed by the M(β+fα) alloy and the M(β+cα) alloy. Tear ridges and a flat facet with an undulating surface were observed on the stress-corrosion cracking fracture surface, which indicated the occurrence of high-degree dislocations movement and localized plastic deformation. Absorption-induced dislocation emission (AIDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) are the primary mechanisms for the stress-corrosion cracking of the alloy. The increased amount of β phase has a beneficial effect on stress-corrosion cracking resistance. For the alloy with β and α phases, the α phase with wider spacing has an adverse effect on stress corrosion performance.
Fabrication and Characterization of K2CeCl5/6LiCl and CeCl3/SrCl2/6LiCl Eutectics for Thermal Neutron Detection
Authors: Yajima Ryuga , Kamada Kei , Yoshino Masao , Takizawa Yui , Kutsuzawa Naoko , Sasaki Rei , Horiai Takahiko , Murakami Rikito , Kim Kyoung Jin , Kochurikhin Vladimir V. , Yamaji Akihiro , Kurosawa Shunsuke , Yokota Yuui , Sato Hiroki , Toyoda Satoshi , Ohashi Yuji , Hanada Takashi , Yoshikawa Akira
Published: December 2022

In recent years, thermal neutron detection using scintillators has been used in a wide range of fields. Thus, the development of scintillators with a higher light yield, faster decay, and higher sensitivity for thermal neutrons is required. In this study, K2CeCl5/6LiCl and CeCl3/SrCl2/6LiCl were developed as novel eutectic scintillators for thermal neutron detection. LiCl was selected as the neutron capture phase and K2CeCl5 and CeCl3 were used as the scintillator phases. The eutectics of K2CeCl5/6LiCl and CeCl3/SrCl2/6LiCl were prepared using the Vertical Bridgman method and the phases were identified by scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction measurements. The results of radioluminescence measurements under Ag source X-ray tube irradiation confirmed that the 5d-4f emission derived from Ce3+. The cathodoluminescence spectra and thermal neutron responses of the prepared eutectics were measured to evaluate their optical properties.
Electric Conductivity and Electrode Polarization as Markers of Phase Transitions
Authors: Gałązka Mirosław , Osiecka-Drewniak Natalia
Published: December 2022

Dielectric polarization and electric polarization of electrodes are the common features of polar materials. We described methods to analyze their contributions and showed that both dependencies on temperature of dielectric conductivity and electrode polarization and the exponents characterizing these dependencies are excellent markers of phase transitions. Proposed methods were applied to several compounds, such as liquid crystals, pharmacological compounds, monoalcohols, polyalcohols, and various thermodynamic phases. Common behavior was noted for materials under study. In similar phases, various substances have the same values of the exponents characterizing electric conductivity and contribution from the electrode polarization. These exponents show discontinuities at phase transition temperatures between crystal-like and liquid-like phases.
Effects of SiC Content on Wear Resistance of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Matrix Composites Fabricated via Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Shen Zhigang , Li Ning , Wang Ting , Wu Zhisheng
Published: December 2022

In this paper, in situ SiC-reinforced Al-Zn-Mg-Cu composites were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The effects of SiC content on the microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, and wear resistance of as-printed composites were preliminarily investigated. Results show that the microstructure was regulated, the matrix grains were refined, and the tendency to orientation grain growth was suppressed. SiC particles reacted in situ with the Al matrix to produce Si, Al4C3, and Al4SiC4 phases. The microhardness and wear resistance of as-printed composites increased with SiC content due to the fine grain strengthening of the matrix and the second phase strengthening of precipitates and reinforcements.
Electrochemical Investigation of the OER Activity for Nickel Phosphite-Based Compositions and Its Morphology-Dependent Fluorescence Properties
Authors: Poienar Maria , Svera Paula , Taranu Bogdan-Ovidiu , Ianasi Catalin , Sfirloaga Paula , Buse Gabriel , Veber Philippe , Vlazan Paulina
Published: December 2022

Herein, we present the investigation of catalytical and fluorescence properties for Ni11(HPO3)8(OH)6 materials obtained through a hydrothermal approach. As part of the constant search for new materials that are both cost effective and electrocatalytically active for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium, the present study involves several graphite electrodes modified with Ni11(HPO3)8(OH)6 mixed with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carbon black. The experimental results obtained in 0.1 mol L–1 KOH electrolyte solution show the electrode modified with rGO, 5 mg carbon black and 1 mg nickel phosphite as displaying the highest current density. This performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between nickel phosphite and the carbon materials. Investigation of the electrode’s OER performance in 0.1 mol L–1 KOH solution revealed a Tafel slope value of just 46 mV dec–1. By increasing the concentration to 0.5 and 1 mol L–1, this value increased as well, but there was a significant decrease in overpotential. Fluorescence properties were analyzed for the first time at the excitation length of 344 nm, and the observed strong and multiple emissions are described.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Breast Imaging: A Scientometric Umbrella Review
Authors: Tan Xiao Jian , Cheor Wai Loon , Lim Li Li , Ab Rahman Khairul Shakir , Bakrin Ikmal Hisyam
Published: December 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI), a rousing advancement disrupting a wide spectrum of applications with remarkable betterment, has continued to gain momentum over the past decades. Within breast imaging, AI, especially machine learning and deep learning, honed with unlimited cross-data/case referencing, has found great utility encompassing four facets: screening and detection, diagnosis, disease monitoring, and data management as a whole. Over the years, breast cancer has been the apex of the cancer cumulative risk ranking for women across the six continents, existing in variegated forms and offering a complicated context in medical decisions. Realizing the ever-increasing demand for quality healthcare, contemporary AI has been envisioned to make great strides in clinical data management and perception, with the capability to detect indeterminate significance, predict prognostication, and correlate available data into a meaningful clinical endpoint. Here, the authors captured the review works over the past decades, focusing on AI in breast imaging, and systematized the included works into one usable document, which is termed an umbrella review. The present study aims to provide a panoramic view of how AI is poised to enhance breast imaging procedures. Evidence-based scientometric analysis was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, resulting in 71 included review works. This study aims to synthesize, collate, and correlate the included review works, thereby identifying the patterns, trends, quality, and types of the included works, captured by the structured search strategy. The present study is intended to serve as a “one-stop center” synthesis and provide a holistic bird’s eye view to readers, ranging from newcomers to existing researchers and relevant stakeholders, on the topic of interest.
Proposal to Improve the Image Quality of Short-Acquisition Time-Dedicated Breast Positron Emission Tomography Using the Pix2pix Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Fujioka Tomoyuki , Satoh Yoko , Imokawa Tomoki , Mori Mio , Yamaga Emi , Takahashi Kanae , Kubota Kazunori , Onishi Hiroshi , Tateishi Ukihide
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of the pix2pix generative adversarial network (GAN) to improve the image quality of low-count dedicated breast positron emission tomography (dbPET). Pairs of full- and low-count dbPET images were collected from 49 breasts. An image synthesis model was constructed using pix2pix GAN for each acquisition time with training (3776 pairs from 16 breasts) and validation data (1652 pairs from 7 breasts). Test data included dbPET images synthesized by our model from 26 breasts with short acquisition times. Two breast radiologists visually compared the overall image quality of the original and synthesized images derived from the short-acquisition time data (scores of 1–5). Further quantitative evaluation was performed using a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM). In the visual evaluation, both readers revealed an average score of >3 for all images. The quantitative evaluation revealed significantly higher SSIM (p < 0.01) and PSNR (p < 0.01) for 26 s synthetic images and higher PSNR for 52 s images (p < 0.01) than for the original images. Our model improved the quality of low-count time dbPET synthetic images, with a more significant effect on images with lower counts.
Has COVID-19 Modified the Weight of Known Systemic Inflammation Indexes and the New Ones (MCVL and IIC) in the Assessment as Predictive Factors of Complications and Mortality in Acute Pancreatitis?
Authors: Radulescu Patricia Mihaela , Davitoiu Dragos Virgil , Baleanu Vlad Dumitru , Padureanu Vlad , Ramboiu Dumitru Sandu , Surlin Marin Valeriu , Bratiloveanu Tudor Constantin , Georgescu Eugen Florin , Streba Costin Teodor , Mercut Razvan , Caluianu Elena Irina , Trasca Emil Tiberius , Radulescu Dumitru
Published: December 2022

We aimed at evaluating the prognostic capacity of the inflammatory indices derived from routine complete blood cell counts in two groups of patients with acute pancreatitis from two different time periods, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a high incidence of complications with surgical risk and mortality was found. Two new markers were introduced: the mean corpuscular volume to lymphocyte ratio (MCVL) and the cumulative inflammatory index (IIC), which were calculated at a baseline in the two groups of patients. Of the already established markers, none of them managed to effectively predict the complications with surgical risk and mortality, with a decrease of less than 50% in specificity in the peri-COVID group. The MCVL had the best prediction of complications with surgical risk in both the pre-COVID and peri-COVID groups, validated it as an independent factor by multivariate analysis. The IIC had the best prediction of mortality in both periods and was proven to be an independent factor by multivariate analysis. As the IIC predicted death best, we tested the occurrence of death and found that patients with PA who had an IIC > 12.12 presented a risk of death 4.08 times higher in the pre-COVID group and 3.33 times higher in the peri-COVID group. The new MCVL and IIC independent markers had a superior sensitivity and specificity in predicting surgical risk complications and, respectively, mortality in the group of patients with acute pancreatitis during the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes them widely applicable in populations with modified immune and inflammatory status. Conclusions: In patients with acute pancreatitis, MCVL has a significant predictive value regarding complications with surgical risk (abscess, necrosis, and pseudocyst), and the IIC has a significant predictive value for mortality.
Comparison of 22G Fork-Tip and Franseen Needles and Usefulness of Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Upper Gastrointestinal Subepithelial Lesions
Authors: Yamashita Yasunobu , Ashida Reiko , Yamazaki Hirofumi , Kawaji Yuki , Shimokawa Toshio , Tamura Takashi , Hatamaru Keiichi , Itonaga Masahiro , Kitano Masayuki
Published: December 2022

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) is less accurate in obtaining samples from gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (SELs) ≤2 cm than from pancreatic cancers. The present study compared the usefulness of 22G Fork-tip and Franseen needles for EUS-TA and assessed the ability of contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS (CH-EUS) to diagnose SELs ≤2 cm. Fifty-seven patients who underwent EUS-TA for SELs ≤2 cm were evaluated. The primary endpoint was to compare the rate of acquisition of sufficient samples by these two needles. Secondary endpoints included technical success rate, adverse events, numbers of needle passes, and diagnostic ability of CH-EUS for SELs. Of the 57 included patients, 23 and 34 underwent EUS-TA with Fork-tip and Franseen needles, respectively. Technical success rates were 100% with both needles and adverse events occurred in zero (0%) and one (2.9%) patient with Fork-tip and Franseen needles, respectively. The rate of adequate sample acquisition was significantly higher using Fork-tip than Franseen needles (96% vs. 74%; p = 0.038). The hyper- or iso-vascular pattern on CH-EUS correlated significantly with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (p < 0.001). EUS-TA with Fork-tip needles were superior to EUS-TA with Franseen needles in acquiring sufficient samples and CH-EUS was also useful for the diagnosis of SELs ≤2 cm.
Aerodynamic Performance and Neuromuscular Control in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Authors: Chung Wei-Li , Liu Kuo-Cheng , Chuang Hsiu-Feng , Lu Yi-An , Li Hsueh-Yu , Wong Alice M. K. , Pei Yu-Cheng , Fang Tuan-Jen
Published: December 2022

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) causes glottal incompetence and poor vocal efficiency. The influence of laryngeal neuromuscular control on aerodynamics in UVFP remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between laryngeal muscle activities using quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) and aerodynamics in UVFP. This prospective study recruited patients with UVFP, and the diagnosis was confirmed with videolaryngostroboscopy and LEMG. The patient received aerodynamic assessment and LEMG of the thyroarytenoid-lateral cricoarytenoid (TA-LCA) muscle complex and the cricothyroid (CT) muscle. The relationship between quantitative LEMG and aerodynamic parameters was analyzed. A total of 134 UVFP patients without concurrent CT muscle involvement were enrolled. Compared with the normal side, the peak turn frequency of the lesioned side was lower in the TA-LCA (p < 0.001) and CT (p = 0.048) muscles. Stepwise linear regression revealed that the turn ratio of TA-LCA muscles was a robust factor in the decrease in peak expiratory airflow (β = −0.34, p = 0.036), mean airflow during voicing (β = −0.28, p = 0.014), and aerodynamic power (β = −0.42, p = 0.019), and an increase in aerodynamic efficiency (β = 27.91, p = 0.012). In addition, the turn ratio of CT muscles was a potent factor in inducing an increase in aerodynamic resistance (β = 14.93, p = 0.029). UVFP without CT involvement still showed suppression of CT muscles on the lesioned side, suggesting that neurological impairment of the TA-LCA complex could cause asymmetrical compensation of CT muscles, further impeding aerodynamics. The residual function of TA-LCA muscle complexes facilitates less air leakage and power dissipation, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency. On the other hand, the symmetrical compensation of the CT muscles improves aerodynamic resistance.
Stability and Reproducibility of Radiomic Features Based on Various Segmentation Techniques on Cervical Cancer DWI-MRI
Authors: Ramli Zarina , Karim Muhammad Khalis Abdul , Effendy Nuraidayani , Abd Rahman Mohd Amiruddin , Kechik Mohd Mustafa Awang , Ibahim Mohamad Johari , Haniff Nurin Syazwina Mohd
Published: December 2022

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer and ranked as 4th in morbidity and mortality among Malaysian women. Currently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is considered as the gold standard imaging modality for tumours with a stage higher than IB2, due to its superiority in diagnostic assessment of tumour infiltration with excellent soft-tissue contrast. In this research, the robustness of semi-automatic segmentation has been evaluated using a flood-fill algorithm for quantitative feature extraction, using 30 diffusion weighted MRI images (DWI-MRI) of cervical cancer patients. The relevant features were extracted from DWI-MRI segmented images of cervical cancer. First order statistics, shape features, and textural features were extracted and analysed. The intra-class relation coefficient (ICC) was used to compare 662 radiomic features extracted from manual and semi-automatic segmentations. Notably, the features extracted from the semi-automatic segmentation and flood filling algorithm (average ICC = 0.952 0.009, p > 0.05) were significantly higher than the manual extracted features (average ICC = 0.897 0.011, p > 0.05). Henceforth, we demonstrate that the semi-automatic segmentation is slightly expanded to manual segmentation as it produces more robust and reproducible radiomic features.
A Scoping Review of Marginal and Internal Fit Accuracy of Lithium Disilicate Restorations
Authors: Patel Tanya , Nathwani Neil , Fine Peter , Leung Albert
Published: December 2022

Objective: To assess and compare the accuracy of the marginal and internal fit of lithium disilicate crowns and onlays fabricated by conventional and digital methods. Sources: An electronic search was carried out on MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library between 2010 and 2021. Study selection: Seventeen studies published between 2014 & 2021 were included, of which thirteen were in vitro laboratory-based studies; three were in vivo clinical studies and one randomised controlled trial. Data: Twelve studies focused on the marginal fit, five focused on the marginal and internal fit. Five studies found that the marginal and internal fit of crowns were more accurate using digital techniques. Five studies noted that there was no difference using either technique and two noted that conventional methods had a more accurate marginal fit. Conclusion: Digital techniques were comparable to conventional methods in terms of accuracy although there was insufficient evidence to indicate that one technique was more accurate than the other with respect to Lithium Disilicate restorations. Clinical significance: Digital impressions are reliable and viable alternatives for clinicians compared to conventional impression techniques when restoring teeth with lithium disilicate restorations.
Saturated Nonsingular Fast Sliding Mode Control for the Crane-Form Pipeline System
Authors: Wang Baigeng , Li Shurong
Published: December 2022

The crane-form pipeline (CFP) system is a kind of petrochemical mechanical equipment composed of multiple rotating joints and rigid pipelines. It is often used to transport chemical fluid products in the factory to tank trucks. In order to realize the automatic alignment of the CFP and the tank mouth, the trajectory tracking control problem of the CFP must be solved. Therefore, a saturated nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (SNFTSM) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The new sliding mode manifold is constructed by the nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (NFTSM) manifold, saturation functions and signum functions. Further, according to the sliding mode control algorithm and the dynamic model of the CFP system, the SNFTSM controller is designed. Owing to the existence of saturation functions in the controller, the stability analysis using the Lyapunov equation needs to be discussed in different cases. The results show that the system states can converge to the equilibrium point in finite time no matter where they are on the state’s phase plane. However, due to the existence of signum functions, the control signal will produce chattering. In order to eliminate the chattering problem, the form of the controller is improved by using the boundary layer function. Finally, the control effect of the algorithm is verified by simulation and compared with the NTSM, NFTSM and SNTSM algorithms. From the comparison results, it is obvious that the controller based on the SNFTSM algorithm can effectively reduce the amplitude of the control torque while guaranteeing the fast convergence of the CFP system state error. Specifically, compared with the NFTSM algorithm, the maximum input torque can even be reduced by more than half.
Robustness of Interdependent Networks with Weak Dependency Based on Bond Percolation
Authors: Qiang Yingjie , Liu Xueming , Pan Linqiang
Published: December 2022

Real-world systems interact with one another via dependency connectivities. Dependency connectivities make systems less robust because failures may spread iteratively among systems via dependency links. Most previous studies have assumed that two nodes connected by a dependency link are strongly dependent on each other; that is, if one node fails, its dependent partner would also immediately fail. However, in many real scenarios, nodes from different networks may be weakly dependent, and links may fail instead of nodes. How interdependent networks with weak dependency react to link failures remains unknown. In this paper, we build a model of fully interdependent networks with weak dependency and define a parameter α in order to describe the node-coupling strength. If a node fails, its dependent partner has a probability of failing of 1−α. Then, we develop an analytical tool for analyzing the robustness of interdependent networks with weak dependency under link failures, with which we can accurately predict the system robustness when 1−p fractions of links are randomly removed. We find that as the node coupling strength increases, interdependent networks show a discontinuous phase transition when α<αc and a continuous phase transition when α>αc. Compared to site percolation with nodes being attacked, the crossover points αc are larger in the bond percolation with links being attacked. This finding can give us some suggestions for designing and protecting systems in which link failures can happen.
The Ownership Structure, and the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Disclosure, Firm Value and Firm Performance: The Audit Committee as Moderating Variable
Authors: Fuadah Luk Luk , Mukhtaruddin Mukhtaruddin , Andriana Isni , Arisman Anton
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the effect of ownership structure on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure, firm value, firm performance, and audit committees as moderating variables in the Indonesian context. The ownership structures in this study are foreign, public, state, and family ownership. This research is quantitative and uses secondary data. The sample consisted of 140 companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2018–2020 period. This study used legitimacy, stakeholder, and agency theory. The analytical method used was partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results show that foreign and public ownership positively and significantly affect environmental, social, and governance disclosure. However, state and family ownership did not affect environmental, social, and governance disclosure. In addition, environmental, social, and governance disclosure positively impacts firm value. However, environmental, social, and governance disclosure do not affect a company’s performance. Audit committees moderate the influence of environmental, social, and governance disclosure and firm value. However, the audit committees do not moderate the effect of environmental, social, and governance disclosure and firm performance. The government should make stronger environmental, social, and government regulations that must be implemented by companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange even though they are now voluntary.
Informal and Formal Wage Differences Based on Cohorts in Indonesia
Authors: Santoso Rokhedi Priyo , Sahadewo Gumilang Aryo , Sugiyanto Catur , Setiastuti Sekar Utami
Published: December 2022

Labor market dualism has caused a persistent wage gap between formal and informal workers in Indonesia. This study aimed to decompose the wage difference between formal and informal workers based on cohorts in Indonesia and further analyze the factors that influence this gap. This allowed us to identify the structure of the labor market and whether it tends to be segmented or competitive. By controlling the cohort, the estimation result was compatible with the human capital accumulation argument. The data sourced from the 2010 and 2019 National Labor Surveys comprised 581,312 and 503,313 workers, respectively. This study used the threefold Heckman selection-biased corrected Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition technique. The results showed that the wage gap between formal and informal workers is decreasing, especially among the younger cohort. Among this cohort, the labor market is still segmented, although the degree of segmentation is lower. In contrast, the older cohort labor market is more competitive but at a decreasing rate. A further decomposition showed that education has affected the wage gap between young and old cohorts. However, this effect is diminishing. In addition, differences in institutional labor market settings such as the wage system and occupational health and safety systems have increased the wage gap. The findings imply that equitable access to education for the younger cohort and the improvement of labor market institutions can reduce the gap between formal and informal wages.
The CPD Needs of Irish-Medium Primary and Post-Primary Teachers in Special Education
Authors: Nic Aindriú Sinéad , Duibhir Pádraig Ó , Connaughton-Crean Lorraine , Travers Joe
Published: December 2022

There are few professional development courses available to teachers with a focus on meeting the special educational needs (SEN) of students in immersion education contexts worldwide. The continuous professional development (CPD) needs of immersion education teachers in SEN are under researched internationally. This study investigated the CPD needs of primary and post-primary Irish immersion education teachers (N = 133) in SEN using an anonymous online survey. In this article, we provide an overview of the types of CPD that teachers have engaged with in the past and their preferences for future CPD in this area. The challenges they face in relation to CPD are evaluated and provide a context for the future development of CPD courses for this cohort. It was found that teachers want to learn more about inclusive pedagogies and assessments through a variety of interactive pedagogies. The findings of this study will be of interest to immersion educators in other contexts.
Culturally Sustaining Practices for Middle Level Mathematics Teachers
Authors: Ruppert Nancy B. , Coleman Bridget , Pinter Holly , Johnson Denise T. , Rector Meghan , Diaz Chandra
Published: December 2022

This chapter provides middle school mathematics teachers with strategies to specifically address culturally responsive teaching goals. Authors provide background on culturally sustaining practices and use Ellerbrock and Vomvoridi-Ivanovic’s (2019) three goals for Responsive Middle Level Mathematics Teaching (RMLMT) as a foundation to suggest three specific tools middle level practitioners can use to enhance their students’ experiences. The first goal, advancing young adolescent learners’ mathematical thinking, includes getting to know individuals’ mathematical selves. Goal two addresses promoting equity in young adolescent learner’s mathematical classroom learning experiences. Goal three, attending to young adolescents’ characteristics, needs, and interests, includes an examination of ways to use young adolescent characteristics in middle school math classrooms. The three tools we are recommending include: reflection, literacy integration, and utilization of place-based, problem-based learning. Each of these tools reflect practices that sustain an environment operationalizing the goals of RMLMT.
Wound Rotor Synchronous Motor as Promising Solution for Traction Applications
Authors: Hussain Asif , Baig Zafar , Toor Waqas , Ali Usman , Idrees Muhammad , Shloul Tamara , Ghadi Yazeed , Alkahtani Hend
Published: December 2022

Traction applications, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, require the electrical motor to be operated at low load conditions during most of their driving cycle. Permanent magnet (PM) motors in this case may not be an optimal choice due to their poor efficiency under low load conditions despite the fact that they exhibit the best output characteristics at the rated load. However, the wound rotor synchronous motor (WRSM) demonstrates the best efficiency at low load conditions due to their controllable excitation. This paper presents an interesting comparison of WRSM and the PM motor in terms of their efficiency over the entire drive cycle of traction applications, which demonstrates that WRSMs are more suitable compared to the apparently best performance PM motor. A WRSM with similar dimensions to the 2010 Toyota Prius interior permanent synchronous motor (IPMSM) was designed and optimized in this regard. The performance comparison of the PM motor and the WRSM was presented using 2-D finite element analysis (FEA) for the WRSM and the performance analysis report of the Toyota Prius IPMSM published by the US department of energies. The FEA analysis shows that the WRSM can achieve wide torque speed characteristics. Moreover, the WRSM exhibits better efficiency under low load conditions at the higher speed or field weakening region.