bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship of Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders (PTLD) Subtypes and Clinical Outcome in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Single Institutional Analysis/Experience of 558 Patients
Authors: Liu Yan , Wang Billy C. , Zuppan Craig W. , Chau Peter , Fitts James , Chinnock Richard , Wang Jun
Published: February 2023

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are heterogenous lymphoproliferative disorders that develop as a consequence of immunosuppression in transplant recipients. We sought to determine if subtypes of PTLD correlated with different outcomes. We performed a retrospective review of PTLD occurring in pediatric heart transplant recipients. A total of 558 children and infants underwent cardiac transplantation at our institution between 1985 and 2019 and were followed until March 2021. Forty-nine of 558 patients developed PTLD (8.8%). As compared to older children (>one year of age), infant recipients (<three months of age) were less likely to develop PTLD. Monomorphic PTLDs (M-PTLD, 61%) was the most common subtype at initial diagnosis, followed by non-destructive (21%), polymorphic (14%), and classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL, 4%). Patients who underwent transplantation at a young age (<three months) had significantly lower rates of M-PTLD or cHL and a longer time from transplant to PTLD diagnosis as compared to children older than one year at transplant (p = 0.04). Although not reaching statistical significance, patients with a shorter time to PTLD diagnosis showed a trend toward higher rates of M-PTLD or cHL. As expected, the overall survival (OS) of patients with M-PTLD or cHL was significantly lower than patients with non-destructive or polymorphic PTLD.
Effect of Selenium and Lycopene on Radiation Sensitivity in Prostate Cancer Patients Relative to Controls
Authors: Dhillon Varinderpal S. , Deo Permal , Fenech Michael
Published: February 2023

Almost half of prostate cancer (PC) patients receive radiation therapy as primary curative treatment. In spite of advances in our understanding of both nutrition and the genomics of prostate cancer, studies on the effects of nutrients on the radiation sensitivity of PC patients are lacking. We tested the hypothesis that low plasma levels of selenium and lycopene have detrimental effects on ionising radiation-induced DNA damage in prostate cancer patients relative to healthy individuals. The present study was performed in 106 PC patients and 132 age-matched controls. We found that the radiation-induced micronucleus (MN) and nuclear buds (NBuds) frequencies were significantly higher in PC patients with low selenium (p = 0.008 and p = 0.0006 respectively) or low lycopene (p = 0.007 and p = 0.0006 respectively) levels compared to the controls. The frequency of NBuds was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in PC patients who had low levels of both selenium and lycopene compared to (i) controls with low levels of both selenium and lycopene and (ii) PC patients with high levels of both selenium and lycopene (p = 0.0001). Our results support the hypothesis that low selenium and lycopene levels increase the sensitivity to radiation-induced DNA damage and suggest that nutrition-based treatment strategies are important to minimise the DNA-damaging effects in PC patients receiving radiotherapy.
Kinetics of Heavy Reformate Conversion to Xylenes over MCM-41 on Zeolite Beta Composite Catalyst
Authors: Ali Syed Ahmed , Hossain Mohammad Mozahar
Published: February 2023

Commercial heavy reformate is converted over MCM-41 on zeolite beta composite catalyst to produce mixed xylenes in a fluidized-bed batch reactor. The heavy reformate feedstock contains 67.4 wt.% trimethyl benzenes (TMBs) and 31.1 wt.% methyl ethyl benzenes (MEBs). The experiments were carried out at 300, 350 and 400 °C, while the reaction times were varied between 5 and 20 s. The conversion of MEBs was more than two times the conversion of TMBs. The selectivity to xylenes was quite high (60–65 wt.%) but changed very little with reaction time or temperature. A kinetic model was developed using a five-reaction network. The product composition obtained from the estimated kinetic parameters closely matches the experimental results, which confirms the validity of the assumptions made for kinetic modeling. The trend in the apparent activation energies of the reactions was in accordance with the relative size of the reactant molecules, and the lowest activation energy was for the transalkylation of TMBs with toluene to produce xylenes.
Encoding and Decoding of p53 Dynamics in Cellular Response to Stresses
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang Hang-Yu , Gao Xing-Jie , Zhu Hua-Xia , Zhang Xiao-Peng , Liu Feng , Wang Wei
Published: February 2023

In the cellular response to stresses, the tumor suppressor p53 is activated to maintain genomic integrity and fidelity. As a transcription factor, p53 exhibits rich dynamics to allow for discrimination of the type and intensity of stresses and to direct the selective activation of target genes involved in different processes including cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In this review, we focused on how stresses are encoded into p53 dynamics and how the dynamics are decoded into cellular outcomes. Theoretical modeling may provide a global view of signaling in the p53 network by coupling the encoding and decoding processes. We discussed the significance of modeling in revealing the mechanisms of the transition between p53 dynamic modes. Moreover, we shed light on the crosstalk between the p53 network and other signaling networks. This review may advance the understanding of operating principles of the p53 signaling network comprehensively and provide insights into p53 dynamics-based cancer therapy.
Actin-Cytoskeleton Drives Caveolae Signaling to Mitochondria during Postconditioning
Authors: Correa Francisco , Enríquez-Cortina Cristina , Silva-Palacios Alejandro , Román-Anguiano Nadia , Gil-Hernández Aurora , Ostolga-Chavarría Marcos , Soria-Castro Elizabeth , Hernández-Rizo Sharik , Heros Paola de los , Chávez-Canales María , Zazueta Cecilia
Published: February 2023

Caveolae-associated signaling toward mitochondria contributes to the cardioprotective mechanisms against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury induced by ischemic postconditioning. In this work, we evaluated the role that the actin-cytoskeleton network exerts on caveolae-mitochondria communication during postconditioning. Isolated rat hearts subjected to I/R and to postconditioning were treated with latrunculin A, a cytoskeleton disruptor. Cardiac function was compared between these hearts and those exposed only to I/R and to the cardioprotective maneuver. Caveolae and mitochondria structures were determined by electron microscopy and maintenance of the actin-cytoskeleton was evaluated by phalloidin staining. Caveolin-3 and other putative caveolae-conforming proteins were detected by immunoblot analysis. Co-expression of caveolin-3 and actin was evaluated both in lipid raft fractions and in heart tissue from the different groups. Mitochondrial function was assessed by respirometry and correlated with cholesterol levels. Treatment with latrunculin A abolishes the cardioprotective postconditioning effect, inducing morphological and structural changes in cardiac tissue, reducing F-actin staining and diminishing caveolae formation. Latrunculin A administration to post-conditioned hearts decreases the interaction between caveolae-forming proteins, the co-localization of caveolin with actin and inhibits oxygen consumption rates in both subsarcolemmal and interfibrillar mitochondria. We conclude that actin-cytoskeleton drives caveolae signaling to mitochondria during postconditioning, supporting their functional integrity and contributing to cardiac adaption against reperfusion injury.
Injection of Ultra-Purified Stem Cells with Sodium Alginate Reduces Discogenic Pain in a Rat Model
Authors: Suzuki Hisataka , Ura Katsuro , Ukeba Daisuke , Suyama Takashi , Iwasaki Norimasa , Watanabe Masatoki , Matsuzaki Yumi , Yamada Katsuhisa , Sudo Hideki
Published: February 2023

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a major cause of low back pain. However, treatments directly approaching the etiology of IVD degeneration and discogenic pain are not yet established. We previously demonstrated that intradiscal implantation of cell-free bioresorbable ultra-purified alginate (UPAL) gel promotes tissue repair and reduces discogenic pain, and a combination of ultra-purified, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rapidly expanding clones; RECs), and the UPAL gel increasingly enhanced IVD regeneration in animal models. This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of injecting a mixture of REC and UPAL non-gelling solution for discogenic pain and IVD regeneration in a rat caudal nucleus pulposus punch model. REC and UPAL mixture and UPAL alone suppressed not only the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and TrkA (p < 0.01, respectively), but also IVD degeneration and nociceptive behavior compared to punching alone (p < 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, REC and UPAL mixture suppressed these expression levels and nociceptive behavior compared to UPAL alone (p < 0.01, respectively). These results suggest that this minimally invasive treatment strategy with a single injection may be applied to treat discogenic pain and as a regenerative therapy.
NMR Spectra Particularities in LiNbO3 Crystals with a Near-Stoichiometric Composition
Authors: Yatsenko Alexander , Yevdokimov Sergey , Palatnikov Mikhail , Sidorov Nikolay
Published: February 2023

The paper studies LiNbO3 (LN) crystals with a near-stoichiometric composition (NSLN). The study establishes the possibility of different physical methods to reveal NSLN crystals’ exact composition. The main goal was to establish how precisely these methods can reveal a NSLN composition, including a defective structure. This structure determines properties that are important for the application of the crystals. Two NSLN crystals with a different Li/Nb ratio have been studied by IR and NMR spectroscopy. NSLN crystals have been grown from a congruent melt with different K2O flux contents (5.0 and 5.5 wt%). The data on NSLN have been compared with the data on congruent (CLN) crystals. CLN are the most widely used LN crystals. The study has established that analysis of the IR spectra can determine the Li/Nb ratio within [Li2O] = 48.6 – 50.0 mol% range, while the 93Nb NMR spectra has a wider range of sensibility. LN crystals’ stoichiometry or the Li/Nb ratio determine the concentration of antisite defects NbLi. Niobium substitutes lithium in its octahedron. Such defects appear up to [Li2O] = 49.9 mol%. Thus, the study shows that IR and NMR spectroscopy are sensitive methods that can complement each other when determining the precise LN composition (Li/Nb ratio) and the presence of intrinsic defects in the crystals.
Engineering Rational SERS Nanotags for Parallel Detection of Multiple Cancer Circulating Biomarkers
Authors: Zhang Zhipeng , Guan Rui , Li Junrong , Sun Yao
Published: February 2023

Precision cancer medicine necessitates a personalized treatment plan for each individual patient. Given cancer’s heterogeneity and dynamic nature, the plot of patient-specific signatures composed of multiple cancer circulating biomarkers is useful to reveal the complete tumor landscape for guiding precision medicine. As an emerging new technology, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) shows the intrinsic advantage of performing multiplexed detection with the extremely narrow Raman spectral line widths. In this review, we first discuss the design principle of SERS nanotags to enable the detection of multiple circulating biomarkers, highlighting the important roles of plasmonic nanostructures and triple bond-modulated Raman reporters. Following this, we detail the use of isotropic and anisotropic nanostructures as SERS enhancement substrates for amplifying Raman signals in multi-biomarker detection. Furthermore, we present the triple bond-modulated molecules as Raman reporters in SERS nanotags to expand the multiplexing capability for biomarker measurements. Finally, we offer critical insights into the challenges and perspectives of SERS nanotags for cancer diagnosis, particularly from the aspect of future clinical transition. It is expected that this review can facilitate the design of more functional SERS nanotags with high sensitivity and multiplexing capability to assist early and accurate cancer screening. We also believe our review will be of interest in the fields of molecular imaging, biomedicine, and analytical chemistry.
Development of Multifunctional Flame-Retardant Gel Coatings for Automotive Applications
Authors: Kovács Zsófia , Pomázi Ákos , Toldy Andrea
Published: February 2023

Due to strict safety regulations, the automotive industry requires an effective reduction of flammability in polymer components. Flame retardants are usually added to the polymer matrix, affecting the viscosity of the matrix. Another possible solution is the application of coatings containing flame retardants, which can additionally ensure good surface quality and protection against external influences. In our research, the flammability of reference and flame retarded gelcoat base materials was investigated using oxygen index (LOI), UL-94, and mass loss type cone calorimetry (MLC) tests. Based on the flammability tests, the best results were obtained with the gelcoat formulation containing 15%P ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and the mixed formulation containing 5%P APP and 5%P resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP), with a 55% and 64% reduction in the total heat release compared to the reference gelcoat, respectively. The two best-performing coatings were applied to polypropylene (PP) samples. 15%P APP reduced the peak heat release rate of PP by 89% compared to the reference. The gelcoat formulation containing 15%P APP was applied to polyurethane (PUR) automotive components, where the coating reduced the maximum heat release rate by 53% and shifted the time to peak heat release rate by 447 s.
Study of Toner Penetration in Papers by Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy and Optical Profilometry
Authors: Häkkänen Heikki , Backfolk Kaj , Sirviö Petri , Korppi-Tommola Jouko
Published: February 2023

Four major toners are used in the printing industry, cyan, magenta, yellow and black (Key) for making color images on paper. Paper brands suitable for printing have thin mineral/latex coatings, and toners are applied on top of the coating in the printing process. Chemical compositions from toner to toner, as well as from coating to coating, vary according to the needs of the end user. Interactions between the toner and the coating define the final color formation of the images in printing. Hence, it is important to study characteristics and dynamics of toners on coated papers. In this paper, we have used laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIBS) to provide information on elemental distributions of the toner and the coating layers on three coated papers and the base paper at a sub-micrometer resolution. Ablation crater depth profiles in the three different material layers were converted into metric scale by combining elemental information from the LIBS measurements and optical profilometry. Ablation efficiencies for a toner of 150 nm/pulse, for a coating of approximately 350 nm/pulse and for a base paper of approximately 1 μm at a fluence of 0.6 J/cm2 of an ArF excimer laser were determined. Using these results, the average layer thicknesses of the toner and the coating layers were evaluated. The detailed analysis of the elemental profiles of the two cyan toners studied revealed strong accumulation of silicon and titanium compounds of the toner on the toner–air interface but also on the toner–coating interface, but to a much smaller extent. The observation reveals the significance of toner component diffusion due to substrate–machine interaction in the printing process. Such diffusion processes must have an important role in final color formation of the images in printing. The method developed provides a unique and accurate means to study toner diffusion processes in coated papers under printing conditions.
Growth of Magnetron-Sputtered Ultrathin Chromium Films: In Situ Monitoring and Ex Situ Film Properties
Authors: Belosludtsev Alexandr , Sytchkova Anna , Baltrusaitis Kazimieras , Vaicikauskas Viktoras , Jasulaitiene Vitalija , Gric Tatjana
Published: February 2023

We report a systematic nanoscale investigation on the ultrathin Cr film growth process and properties. Polycrystalline metallic films were manufactured by magnetron sputtering on fused silica substrates. The film growth was observed in situ by broad-band optical monitoring (BBM) and plasma-emission spectroscopy (OES) methods. The ex situ characterization of the Cr films with thicknesses varying from 2.6 nm up to 57 nm were performed by both non-destructive and destructive techniques. Recently, we reported on a novel set of data for optical and electrical properties of sputtered chromium films. The optical and electrical properties of the films are known to be governed by their structure and microstructure, which were analyzed in detail in the present research. Moreover, the optical properties of the films were studied here in a significantly wider optical range and obtained using both in situ and ex situ measurements. Reliable in situ nanoscale characterization of metal films was shown to ensure an unfailing approach in obtaining ultrathin layers with desirable thickness and stable and well-determined optical constants and electrical conductivity. This is of high importance for various industries and novel upcoming applications.
Effects of Nano-Bentonite Polypropylene Nanocomposite Films and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Shelf Life of Fresh-Cut Iceberg Lettuce
Authors: Farahanian Zeynab , Zamindar Nafiseh , Goksen Gulden , Tucker Nick , Paidari Saeed , Khosravi Elham
Published: February 2023

In this study, the shelf life of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was evaluated. Lettuce samples were washed with disinfectant agents and sodium hypochlorite and then soaked in an ascorbic acid solution. Next, samples were stored in packaging films containing three levels (1% and 3% and 0% as a control film) of nano-bentonite particles (NBPs) as a filler in a modified atmosphere for 12 days at 4 °C. Various physicochemical parameters such as color, texture, pH, titratable acidity, dehydration, moisture, dry matter, chlorophyll content, microbial quality, and sensory properties were investigated. Results indicated that nano-packaging had a significant ability to maintain the sensory physicochemical properties of lettuce at the fifth (1% nano-composite film) and ninth (3% nano-composite film) days of storage when compared to the control films. The greatest growths of molds and yeasts were observed in the control films, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the application of bentonite nanoparticle fillers.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Functional Coatings and Nanomaterials in Molten Salts and Their Application
Authors: Stulov Yuriy , Dolmatov Vladimir , Dubrovskiy Anton , Kuznetsov Sergey
Published: February 2023

Nanomaterials are widely used in modern technologies due to their unique properties. Developing methods for their production is one of the most important scientific problems. In this review, the advantages of electrochemical methods for synthesis in molten salts of nanostructured coatings and nanomaterials for different applications were discussed. It was determined that the nanostructured Mo2C coatings on a molybdenum substrate obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis have a superior catalytic activity for the water-gas shift reaction. The corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant coatings of refractory metal carbides on steels were synthesized by the method of currentless transfer. This method also was used for the production of composite carbon fiber/refractory metal carbide materials, which are efficient electrocatalysts for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The possibility to synthesize GdB6 nanorods and Si and TaO nanoneedles by potentiostatic electrolysis was shown.
Coarse-Grained Modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein by Physics-Informed Machine Learning
Authors: Liang David , Zhang Ziji , Rafailovich Miriam , Simon Marcia , Deng Yuefan , Zhang Peng
Published: February 2023

Coarse-grained (CG) modeling has defined a well-established approach to accessing greater space and time scales inaccessible to the computationally expensive all-atomic (AA) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Popular methods of CG follow a bottom-up architecture to match properties of fine-grained or experimental data whose development is a daunting challenge for requiring the derivation of a new set of parameters in potential calculation. We proposed a novel physics-informed machine learning (PIML) framework for a CG model and applied it, as a verification, for modeling the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. The PIML in the proposed framework employs a force-matching scheme with which we determined the force-field parameters. Our PIML framework defines its trainable parameters as the CG force-field parameters and predicts the instantaneous forces on each CG bead, learning the force field parameters to best match the predicted forces with the reference forces. Using the learned interaction parameters, CGMD validation simulations reach the microsecond time scale with stability, at a simulation speed 40,000 times faster than the conventional AAMD. Compared with the traditional iterative approach, our framework matches the AA reference structure with better accuracy. The improved efficiency enhances the timeliness of research and development in producing long-term simulations of SARS-CoV-2 and opens avenues to help illuminate protein mechanisms and predict its environmental changes.
Reactive Spark Plasma Sintering and Thermoelectric Properties of Zintl Semiconducting Ca14Si19 Compound
Authors: Ali Doaa Omar A. , Fabbiani Marco , Coulomb Loïc , Bosc Simon , Villeroy Benjamin , Estournès Camille , Estournès Claude , Koza Michael Marek , Beaudhuin Mickaël , Viennois Romain
Published: February 2023

We present a new reactive spark plasma sintering (RSPS) technique for synthesizing the rhombohedral Ca14Si19 phase. The RSPS approach reduces the synthesis time from several weeks to a few minutes. The RSPS was found to be sufficient for obtaining a high level of purity of the Ca14Si19 under a pressure of 100 MPa for a dwell period of 5 min at a temperature of 900 ∘C. From electrical resistivity measurements, we were able to determine the energy band gap of Ca14Si19 to Eg=0.145(15) eV. The Seebeck coefficient shows Ca14Si19 as a p-type semiconductor at room temperature. It becomes n-type with increasing temperature pointing to significant bipolar and conduction band contributions due to the narrow bandgap of the compound.
Quantum Chemical Studies on the Adsorption of Hexachlorobenzene, Decachlorobiphenyl, Benzene, and Biphenyl by BN-Doped Graphene and C-Doped Hexagonal Boron Nitride Modified with β-Cyclodextrin
Authors: Lee Chien-Lin , Chang Tai-Chao , Chang Chia Ming
Published: February 2023

In this study, the adsorption of aromatic organic pollutants such as hexachlorobenzene, decachlorobiphenyl, benzene, and biphenyl by 2D nanomaterials was investigated using quantum chemical methods. The calculation results include reaction enthalpies, non-covalent intermolecular and intramolecular interactions, optimized structures, hydrogen bonds, and molecular electrostatic potentials. Fukui’s FMO electrophile sensitivity is used to predict the most reactive positions on the chemical species for both nucleophilic and electrophilic roles. The results of hard–soft acid-base reactivity descriptors show that the electronic structures of BN-doped graphene and C-doped hexagonal boron nitride depend on the degree of doping and the modification of β-cyclodextrin. C doping helps to significantly improve the conductivity of h-BN, and β-cyclodextrin enhances the binding stability of aromatic organic pollutants. Hydrogen bonding between β-cyclodextrin and chlorine-substituted compounds can enhance non-covalent interactions. In particular, the high adsorption capacity and electron transfer capacity of decachlorobiphenyl laid the foundation for the development of new sensors.
Tailoring Microstructure of Austenitic Stainless Steel with Improved Performance for Generation-IV Fast Reactor Application: A Review
Authors: Chen Shenghu , Xie Ang , Lv Xinliang , Chen Sihan , Yan Chunguang , Jiang Haichang , Rong Lijian
Published: February 2023

Austenitic stainless steels are selected as candidate materials for in-core and out-of-core components of Generation-IV fast reactors due to their excellent operating experience in light-water reactors over several decades. However, the performance of conventional austenitic stainless steels proves to be inadequate through operation feedback in fast reactors. To withstand the demands for material performance exposure to the extreme operating environment of fast reactors, modified austenitic stainless steels for in-core and out-of-core components have been developed from the first-generation 300-series steels. The design of an appropriate microstructure becomes a top priority for improving material performance, and key metallurgical features including δ-ferrite content, grain size and secondary phase precipitation pertinent to austenitic stainless steel are focused on in this paper. δ-ferrite content and grain size are closely correlated with the fabrication program and their effects on mechanical properties, especially creep and fatigue properties are critically assessed. Moreover, the impacts of some major elements including nitrogen, stabilization elements (Nb, Ti, V), phosphorus and boron on secondary phase precipitation behaviors during aging or creep are reviewed in detail. Based on the role of the aforementioned metallurgical features, the recommended specification of nitrogen content, stabilization ratio, phosphorus content, boron content, δ-ferrite content and grain size are put forward to guarantee the best-expected performance, which could provide reactors designers with attractive options to optimize fast reactor systems.
Cultural Landscape as Both a Threat and an Opportunity to Preserve a High Conservation Value of Vascular Flora: A Case Study
Authors: Chmiel Julian
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to show the influence of cultural landscape structure on species richnessand the conservation value of vascular flora.The analyses are based on 3201 original floristic lists (relevés) and 83,875 floristic data collected since 1994 within Gopło Millennium Park (Nadgoplański Park Tysiąclecia) in a rural area in central Poland. Descriptions of landscape composition in grid cells (0.5 km × 0.5 km) include land use structure, mean deviation of uneven proportions of various land use types, and Shannon index of diversity (H’). Vascular plant diversity was described using total species richness and contributions of groups of native and alien species. Assessment of floristic conservation value was based on qualitative and quantitative floristic index (Wfj and Wfi), mean coefficient of conservatism (C), and floristic quality index (FQI). Floristic analyses were conducted in relation to the whole study area and within grid cells, basing on numbers of species and number of floristic data. The results suggest that species richness in grid cells depends more strongly on diversity and evenness of contributions of land use types, irrespective of which land use types were present. Species richness is strongly dependent on land use structure. Larger contributions of arable fields and built-up areas are linked with a decrease in species richness of nonsynanthropic native plants and species of floristic conservation value. Regularity in this respect is very well illustrated by indices excluding the influence of species richness on floristic value (quantitative floristic index Wfi and mean coefficient of conservatism C). According to the algorithm of FQI, the most valuable floras are characterized by a large number of species with a high contribution of conservative ones. In the study area, this condition was met by floras of surface waters and wetlands.
DNA Barcode Library of Megadiverse Lepidoptera in an Alpine Nature Park (Italy) Reveals Unexpected Species Diversity
Authors: Huemer Peter , Wieser Christian
Published: February 2023

Species inventories are a prerequisite for biodiversity monitoring and conservation, particularly in protected areas. However, the possibilities of a standardized survey of species diversity using DNA barcoding have so far hardly been implemented, especially in species-rich groups. A first-time molecular-based and nearly complete inventory of the megadiverse insect order Lepidoptera in a protected area in the Alps (Cottian Alps, Italy) was intended to test the possibilities and reliability of DNA-based identifications. From voucher material collected between 2019 and 2022, we successfully sequenced 1213 morphospecies that grouped into 1204 BINs (barcode index numbers), whereas DNA barcoding failed for another 18 species. A total of 35 species shared a BIN with one or more taxa, but a majority of 19 species could still be discriminated by divergent sequences. A total of 12 morphospecies split into two BINs. These species and a further 22 taxa with unique BINs and barcode divergences >2% to the nearest neighbor require taxonomic re-assessment. Two additional cryptic species from the study area were described recently. Finally, 16 species are newly recorded for Italy. Our study, therefore, demonstrates the importance of DNA barcoding for both faunistics and the discovery of cryptic diversity, even in apparently well-studied protected areas.
Amphibian Dispersal Traits Not Impacted by Triclopyr Exposure during the Juvenile Stage
Authors: McFall Adam J. , Ziemba Julie , Weir Scott M. , Capps Krista A. , Lance Stacey L.
Published: February 2023

Exposure to agrochemicals can have lethal and sublethal effects on amphibians. Most toxicology studies only examine exposure during the aquatic larval stage. Survival of the juvenile stage is the most important for population persistence and it is critical to understand the potential impacts of exposure during this life stage. We investigated how short-term exposure to triclopyr, an herbicide commonly used in forestry management, might impact several juvenile traits. To determine if juveniles perceived exposure as an environmental stressor, we measured their release of corticosterone. We also examined dispersal traits by measuring foraging and hopping behavior. We found no evidence that exposure negatively impacted these traits or was a stressor. Our results provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impact of triclopyr on juvenile amphibians, but we recommend additional research on the effects of agrochemicals on juvenile amphibians.
Reversing the Decline in a Threatened Species: The Black-Faced Spoonbill Platalea minor
Authors: Cano-Alonso Luis Santiago , Grace Molly K. , Yu Yat-tung , Chan Simba
Published: February 2023

The black-faced spoonbill Platalea minor is a species endemic to the coastal fringes and archipelagos of East Asia. The global population was fewer than 300 individuals in the late 1980s. Since then, two international action plans (1995 and 2010–2020) have been implemented, and the global population has increased to more than 6000 individuals in 2021–2022; the species was downlisted from “Critically Endangered (CR)” to “Endangered (EN)” in 2000. To examine the basis for this success, we reviewed the implementation of the action plans in light of the IUCN Species Conservation Cycle (Assess–Plan–Act–Network–Communicate) framework, using publicly available information documenting the planned activity or policy outcome. Additionally, we used the IUCN Green Status of Species framework to assess the impact of this conservation effort on the black-faced spoonbill’s recovery to date and recovery potential. We found that the action plans for the black-faced spoonbill contain activities across all SCC framework components, though the number of activities implemented differed among countries. Our preliminary Green Status assessment indicates that the black-faced spoonbill is currently Largely Depleted, with a Species Recovery Score of 35%; however, without past conservation actions, we estimate that its score would be only 15% today (Critically Depleted), and that it is biologically possible for the species to fully recover (100%) in the next 100 years, if ambitious actions are taken. This provides further evidence that premeditated, evidence-based conservation interventions can reverse biodiversity loss.
Photographic Checklist, DNA Barcoding, and New Species of Sea Slugs and Snails from the Faafu Atoll, Maldives (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia and Vetigastropoda)
Authors: Cunha Tauana J. , Fernández-Simón Jose , Petrula Macy , Giribet Gonzalo , Moles Juan
Published: February 2023

Baseline biodiversity data are key for ecological and evolutionary studies and are especially relevant for areas such as the Maldivian Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which can act as a stepping-stone for the transport of widely distributed marine species. We surveyed the islands and reefs of the Faafu and Malé Atolls with snorkeling and scuba diving, collecting the two gastropod subclasses, Heterobranchia and Vetigastropoda. Our inventory comprises 104 species photographed alive to create an identification guide. We also provide COI barcodes for most species, adding novel sequence data for the Maldivian malacofauna. Half of our species represent new records for the Maldives, emphasizing how much diversity remains to be discovered. Species distributions reflect ecological rarity, with almost 60% of taxa only found in one site. We also compiled a comprehensive checklist of heterobranchs and vetigastropods of the Maldives based on literature records, resulting in 320 species, which, together with barcoding data, indicate several potential cryptic species in the Indo-Pacific. Six new species are described, the nudibranchs Limenandra evanescenti n. sp., Eubranchus putnami n. sp., Sakuraeolis marhe n. sp., Moridilla maldivensis n. sp., Tergiposacca perspicua n. sp., and the sacoglossan Costasiella fridae n. sp.
Size Matters: Diversity and Abundance of Small Mammal Community Varies with the Size of Great Cormorant Colony
Authors: Jasiulionis Marius , Balčiauskas Linas , Balčiauskienė Laima
Published: February 2023

Cormorant colonies are often viewed negatively by fishermen and foresters due to their extremely high impact on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In forests, the habitats of nesting territories are destroyed, with concomitant impacts on the animal communities. In 2011–2022, investigating three colonies of Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), we aimed to test whether their effect on small mammals depends on colony size. In the largest colony in Lithuania, a low species richness, lower diversity and relative abundance, as well as poorer body conditions of the most abundant species was found in the nesting zone. However, once the cormorants left the nesting site, all the parameters recovered. Two small colonies had a positive impact, with higher species richness in the territory of the colony (seven and ten species), diversity (H = 1.56 and 1.49), and relative abundance (27.00 ± 2.32 and 25.29 ± 2.91 ind. per 100 trap days) compared with the control habitat (three and eight species; H = 1.65 and 0.99; 12.58 ± 1.54 and 8.29 ± 1.05 ind./100 trap-days). We conclude that up to a certain colony size, cormorant pressure is a driver of habitat succession and has similar effects on the small mammal community as other successions in disturbed habitats.
TRPS1 Is Differentially Expressed in a Variety of Malignant and Benign Cutaneous Sweat Gland Neoplasms
Authors: Zengin Hatice B. , Bui Chau M. , Rybski Kristin , Pukhalskaya Tatsiana , Yildiz Bahadir , Smoller Bruce R.
Published: February 2023

Neoplasms of sweat glands and the breast may be morphologically and immunophenotypically similar. A recent study showed that TRPS1 staining is a highly sensitive and specific marker for breast carcinoma. In this study, we analyzed TRPS1 expression in a spectrum of cutaneous sweat gland tumors. We stained five microcystic adnexal carcinomas (MACs), three eccrine adenocarcinomas, two syringoid eccrine carcinomas, four hidradenocarcinomas, six porocarcinomas, one eccrine carcinoma-NOS, 11 hidradenomas, nine poromas, seven cylindromas, three spiradenomas, and 10 syringomas with TRPS1 antibodies. All of the MACs and syringomas were negative. Every cylindroma and two of the three spiradenomas demonstrated intense staining in cells lining the ductular spaces, with negative to relatively weak expression in surrounding cells. Of the 16 remaining malignant entities, 13 were intermediate to high positive, one was low positive, and two were negative. From the 20 hidradenomas and poromas, intermediate to high positivity was revealed in 14 cases, low positivity in three cases, and negative staining in three cases. Our study demonstrates a very high (86%) expression of TRPS1 in malignant and benign adnexal tumors that are mainly composed of islands or nodules with polygonal cells, e.g., hidradenomas. On the other hand, tumors with small ducts or strands of cells, such as MACs, appear to be completely negative. This differential staining among types of sweat gland tumors may represent either differential cells of origin or divergent differentiation and has the potential to be used as a diagnostic tool in the future.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of BBIBP-CorV Inactivated Vaccine Combined with BNT62b2 mRNA Booster Vaccine
Authors: Rákóczi Éva , Magócs Gusztáv , Kovács Sára , Nagy Béla , Szűcs Gabriella , Szekanecz Zoltán
Published: February 2023

Objectives: In this prospective study, SARS-CoV−2 spike protein specific total immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were analyzed before and after BNT162 b2 mRNA booster vaccination in individuals previously administered with two doses of BBIBP-CorV vaccine in comparison to immunized participants with three doses of BNT162 b2 vaccination. Methods: Sixty-one Caucasian volunteers (39 females, 22 males) vaccinated by BBIBP-CorV were included (mean age: 63.9 years). Sixty-one patients (41 females, 20 males) as controls were vaccinated with BNT162b2 (mean age: 59.9 years). Both groups received the third booster BNT162b2 vaccine. Total anti-SARS-CoV−2 S1-RBD Ig levels were measured by an immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics) and their calculated ratios after/before booster dose were compared between the two groups. Results: At baseline, significantly lower anti-SARS-CoV−2 S1-RBD total antibody levels were determined after initial immunization by two doses of inactivated BBIBP-CorV compared to BNT62b2 mRNA vaccine (p < 0.001). After BNT162b2 boosters, similarly high total Ig levels were detected in both the heterologous (27,195 [15,604–42,754] BAU/mL, p < 0.001) and the homologous booster cohort (24,492 [13,779−42,671] BAU/mL, p < 0.001) compared to baseline. Hence, the ratio of after/before total Ig levels was significantly higher with heterologous vs homologous immunization (p < 0.001). Conclusion: To address the concept that basic BBIBP-CorV vaccination is not as effective as BNT162b, we analyzed the effect of heterologous vaccination with BNT162b2. Our results suggest that BNT162b2 can successfully boost the effects of two-dose BBIBP-CorV vaccination.
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19
Authors: Mohseni Afshar Zeinab , Tavakoli Pirzaman Ali , Karim Bardia , Rahimipour Anaraki Shiva , Hosseinzadeh Rezvan , Sanjari Pireivatlou Elaheh , Babazadeh Arefeh , Hosseinzadeh Dariush , Miri Seyed Rouhollah , Sio Terence T. , Sullman Mark J. M. , Barary Mohammad , Ebrahimpour Soheil
Published: February 2023

Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been multiple peaks of the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus virus 2) infection, mainly due to the emergence of new variants, each with a new set of mutations in the viral genome, which have led to changes in the pathogenicity, transmissibility, and morbidity. The Omicron variant is the most recent variant of concern (VOC) to emerge and was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 26 November 2021. The Omicron lineage is phylogenetically distinct from earlier variants, including the previously dominant Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. The reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) test, rapid antigen assays, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans can help diagnose the Omicron variant. Furthermore, many agents are expected to have therapeutic benefits for those infected with the Omicron variant, including TriSb92, molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir, and their combination, corticosteroids, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blockers. Despite being milder than previous variants, the Omicron variant threatens many lives, particularly among the unvaccinated, due to its higher transmissibility, pathogenicity, and infectivity. Mounting evidence has reported the most common clinical manifestations of the Omicron variant to be fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe headache, and fatigue. This review summarizes the essential features of the Omicron variant, including its history, genome, transmissibility, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and the effectiveness of existing vaccines against this VOC.
An Ensemble Model for the Diagnosis of Brain Tumors through MRIs
Authors: Ghafourian Ehsan , Samadifam Farshad , Fadavian Heidar , Jerfi Canatalay Peren , Tajally AmirReza , Channumsin Sittiporn
Published: February 2023

Automatic brain tumor detection in MR Images is one of the basic applications of machine vision in medical image processing, which, despite much research, still needs further development. Using multiple machine learning techniques as an ensemble system is one of the solutions that can be effective in achieving this goal. In this paper, a novel method for diagnosing brain tumors by combining data mining and machine learning techniques has been proposed. In the proposed method, each image is initially pre-processed to eliminate its background region and identify brain tissue. The Social Spider Optimization (SSO) algorithm is then utilized to segment the MRI Images. The MRI Images segmentation allows for a more precise identification of the tumor region in the image. In the next step, the distinctive features of the image are extracted using the SVD technique. In addition to removing redundant information, this strategy boosts the speed of the processing at the classification stage. Finally, a combination of the algorithms Naïve Bayes, Support vector machine and K-nearest neighbor is used to classify the extracted features and detect brain tumors. Each of the three algorithms performs feature classification individually, and the final output of the proposed model is created by integrating the three independent outputs and voting the results. The results indicate that the proposed method can diagnose brain tumors in the BRATS 2014 dataset with an average accuracy of 98.61%, sensitivity of 95.79% and specificity of 99.71%. Additionally, the proposed method could diagnose brain tumors in the BTD20 database with an average accuracy of 99.13%, sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 99.26%. These results show a significant improvement compared to previous efforts. The findings confirm that using the image segmentation technique, as well as the ensemble learning, is effective in improving the efficiency of the proposed method.
The Use of 99mTc-Mononuclear Leukocyte Scintigraphy for Necrotizing External Otitis Diagnosis
Authors: de Souza Sergio , Laurindo Roberta , Gutfilen-Schlesinger Gabriel , Felix Felippe , Amarante Junior José , Gutfilen Bianca
Published: February 2023

Background: Necrotizing external otitis (NEO) is a severe infectious disease in the external acoustic meatus (EAM) and mastoid that may extend to the cranial base. Due to the lack of a gold standard examination technique, the diagnosis is often difficult and delayed. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc-mononuclear leukocyte scintigraphy associated with 99mTc-phytate in suspected NEO compared to 99mTc-MDP and 67Ga-citrate. Methods: A prospective study (32 patients) was conducted between 2011 and 2016. Results: At the end, twenty-four patients remained for the study conduction; nineteen had confirmed NEO diagnosis, one had sarcoma, one had EAM cholesteatoma, one had diffuse simple external otitis, and two had an inconclusive diagnosis. 99mTc-mononuclear leukocyte scintigraphy plus 99mTc-phytate was as sensitive as 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy (19/19X9/19), and more sensitive than 67Ga scintigraphy (19/19 x 17/19). Regarding specificity, it was superior to bone scintigraphy, 100% × 40% (5/5 × 2/5), and 67Ga scintigraphy, 100% × 20% (5/5 × 1/5). After the infection resolution, all NEO patients had their leukocyte scintigraphy negativized. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates this technique in patients with suspected NEO. Conclusions: 99mTc-mononuclear leukocyte was revealed to be the best option for NEO because of its specificity.
The Potential of UAV-Acquired Photogrammetric and LiDAR-Point Clouds for Obtaining Rock Dimensions as Input Parameters for Modeling Rockfall Runout Zones
Authors: Žabota Barbara , Berger Frédéric , Kobal Milan
Published: February 2023

Rockfalls present a significant hazard to human activities; therefore, their identification and knowledge about potential spatial impacts are important in planning protection measures to reduce rockfall risk. Remote sensing with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has allowed for the accurate observation of slopes that are susceptible to rockfall activity via various methods and sensors with which it is possible to digitally collect information about the rockfall activity and spatial distributions. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of rock deposits (width, length, and height) and their volumes are addressed, and the results are used in a rockfall trajectory simulation. Due to the availability of different sensors on the UAV, the aim was also to observe the possible differences in the dimension estimations between photogrammetric and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) point clouds, besides the most traditional method where rock deposit dimensions are measured on the field using a measuring tape. The motivation for reconstructing rock dimensions and volumes was solely for obtaining input parameters into a rockfall model. In order to study the differences between rock-measuring methods, rock dimensions were used as input parameters in a rockfall model, and additionally, modeling results such as propagation probability, maximum kinetic energies, and maximum passing heights were compared. The results show that there are no statistically significant differences between the measurement method with respect to rock dimensions and volumes and when modeling the propagation probability and maximum passing heights. On the other hand, large differences are present with maximum kinetic energies where LiDAR point cloud measurements achieved statistically significantly different results from the other two measurements. With this approach, an automated collection and measurement process of rock deposits is possible without the need for exposure to a risk of rockfall during fieldwork.