bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stage 1-Biomarkers of Kidney Injury in Dogs Undergoing Constant Rate Infusion of Hydroxyethyl Starch 130/0.4
Authors: Bruno Barbara , Troìa Roberta , Dondi Francesco , Maurella Cristiana , Gianella Paola , Lippi Ilaria , Tarducci Alberto , Borrelli Antonio
Published: August 2021

In veterinary medicine, investigations relating the effects of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on renal function report contrasting results. This study aimed to assess the changes in the selected biomarkers of kidney injury in dogs after the administration of HES 130/0.4 as a constant rate infusion (CRI) for 24 h. Ten adult client-owned dogs with hypoalbuminemia (albumin < 2 g/dL) and ongoing fluid losses were included. Enrolled dogs received intravenous fluid therapy with crystalloids and a CRI of HES 130/0.4 at a dose of 2 mL/kg/h for 24 h. Serum creatinine (sCr), fractional excretion (FE) of electrolytes, urinary protein to creatinine ratio (UPC), urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UAC), SDS-page, and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) were measured at the baseline before HES infusion, and after 24 h (T24) and 48 h (T48) from the baseline. No statistically significant difference was found between the baseline value vs. T24 and the baseline vs. T48 for sCr, UAC, UPC, FE of sodium, chloride and calcium, and uNGAL. A significant increase in FEK (p = 0.04) was noticed between the baseline and T48. In this study sample of hypoalbuminemic dogs, HES 130/0.4 at the dose and rate of infusion applied did not cause any significant changes in the investigated biomarkers of kidney injury.
Low Birth Weight Disturbs the Intestinal Redox Status and Mitochondrial Morphology and Functions in Newborn Piglets
Authors: Chen Jiaojiao , Song Yi , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Mao Xiangbing , Huang Zhiqing , Luo Junqiu , Yu Jie , Luo Yuheng , Yan Hui , Zheng Ping
Published: August 2021

Low birth-weight (LBW) neonates exhibit a lower growth rate and impaired intestinal development. However, the reasons for abnormal development of small intestine in LBW piglets have not been widely studied. The present study focused on the redox status and mitochondrial morphology and functions of the small intestine in LBW newborn piglets. Ten newborn normal birth-weight (NBW) piglets and LBW piglets from 10 primiparous sows with the same parturition day were selected and sampled immediately without sucking colostrum. The small intestine tissues were collected and measured. Compared with NBW newborn piglets, LBW newborn piglets had a significantly decreased length and weight of the small intestine (p < 0.05) as well as the villus height/crypt depth (V/C) index in the jejunum (p < 0.05). Furthermore, LBW piglets had a lower gene expression of tight junction protein zonula occluden-1 (ZO1), claudin 1, antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in jejunum (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, LBW induced mitochondrial vacuolation and significantly decreased the mRNA expression of PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) (p < 0.05) and tended to decrease the expression of cytochrome coxidase IV (Ccox IV) (p = 0.07) and cytochrome C (Cytc) (p = 0.08). In conclusion, LBW newborn piglets showed an abnormal development of the small intestine and disturbed redox status, and this may be caused by impaired morphology and the functions of mitochondria in the jejunum.
A Comparative Analysis of Thermoelectric Modules for the Purpose of Ensuring Thermal Comfort in Protective Clothing
Authors: Dąbrowska Anna , Kobus Monika , Pękosławski Bartosz , Starzak Łukasz
Published: August 2021

In recent times, more and more workers are exposed to thermal stress due to climate changes and increased ambient temperature. Demanding physical activities and the use of protective clothing are additional sources of thermal load for workers. Therefore, recent research has focused on the development of protective clothing with a cooling function. Phase change materials, air or liquid, were mainly used for this purpose; only a few publications were concerned the use of thermoelectric modules. This publication analyzes the influence of such factors as supplied current, ambient temperature, and the type of heat sink on the amount of heat flux transferred by a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and the electric power consumed by it. In the course of laboratory tests, a flexible thermoelectric module and three heat sink variants were tested. For this purpose, a polymer TEGway heat sink, a metal one, and a self-made one based on a superabsorbent were used. The research showed that at a temperature of 30 °C and above, the amount of the heat flux transferred by a TEC with a total area of 58 cm2, and an active area of 10 cm2 should be expected to be from 1 W to 1.5 W. An increase in ambient temperature from 20 to 35 °C caused a significant reduction in the heat flux by about 1 W. The results obtained indicated that the type of heat sink affects the heat flux drawn by the TEC to a statistically significant extent. The heat sink using the evaporation effect turned out to be the most efficient.
Design of Autonomous Mobile Robot for Cleaning in the Environment with Obstacles
Authors: Joon Arpit , Kowalczyk Wojciech
Published: August 2021

This paper describes the design and development of a cleaning robot, using adaptive manufacturing technology and its use with a control algorithm for which there is a stability proof. The authors’ goal was to fill the gap between theory and practical implementation based on available low-cost components. Adaptive manufacturing was chosen to cut down the cost of manufacturing the robot. Practical verification of the effectiveness of the control algorithm was achieved with the experiments. The robot comprises mainly three assemblies, a four-wheel-drive platform, a four-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm, and a vacuum system. The inlet pipe of the vacuum system was attached to the end effector of the robotic arm, which makes the robot more flexible to clean uneven areas, such as skirting on floors. The robot was equipped with a LIDAR sensor and web camera, giving the opportunity to develop more complex methods. A low-level proportional–integral–derivative (PID) speed controller was implemented, and a high-level controller that uses artificial potential functions to generate repulsive components, which avoids collision with obstacles. Robot operating system (ROS) was installed in the robot’s on-board system. With the help of the ROS node, the high-level controller generates control signals for the low-level controller.
Repetitive Learning Sliding Mode Stabilization Control for a Flexible-Base, Flexible-Link and Flexible-Joint Space Robot Capturing a Satellite
Authors: Fu Xiaodong , Ai Haiping , Chen Li
Published: August 2021

During the process of satellite capture by a flexible base–link–joint space robot, the base, joints, and links vibrate easily and also rotate in a disorderly manner owing to the impact torque. To address this problem, a repetitive learning sliding mode stabilization control is proposed to stabilize the system. First, the dynamic models of the fully flexible space robot and the captured satellite are established, respectively, and the impact effect is calculated according to the motion and force transfer relationships. Based on this, a dynamic model of the system after capturing is established. Subsequently, the system is decomposed into slow and fast subsystems using the singular perturbation theory. To ensure that the base attitude and the joints of the slow subsystem reach the desired trajectories, link vibrations are suppressed simultaneously, and a repetitive learning sliding mode controller based on the concept of the virtual force is designed. Moreover, a multilinear optimal controller is proposed for the fast subsystem to suppress the vibration of the base and joints. Two sub-controllers constitute the repetitive learning sliding mode stabilization control for the system. This ensures that the base attitude and joints of the system reach the desired trajectories in a limited time after capturing, obtain better control quality, and suppress the multiple flexible vibrations of the base, links and joints. Finally, the simulation results verify the effectiveness of the designed control strategy.
Immunological and Pathophysiological Outcomes of Helminth Infections and Type 2 Diabetes Comorbidity Studies in Humans and Experimental Animals—A Scoping Review
Authors: Silas Ekuyikeno , Ndlovu Siyanda , Tshilwane Selaelo Ivy , Mukaratirwa Samson
Published: August 2021

Animal and human studies have demonstrated that helminth infections are associated with a decreased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Lack of exposure to helminth infections has been postulated to be one mechanism to explain the markedly increased prevalence of T2DM in developed countries. However, there is still paucity of information regarding the immunological interactions between helminth infections and T2DM. The study aimed at reviewing peer-reviewed articles on host immune and pathophysiological outcomes from human and laboratory animal studies of helminth infections and T2DM comorbidity. A literature search was carried out in Google Scholar, PubMed, and EBSCOhost databases using the following keywords; immune responses OR immune modulation of helminth infections OR parasites infections AND Type 2 diabetes comorbidity in humans AND experimental/laboratory animals. Results showed that helminth infections provided some degree of protection from the pathology associated with T2DM by modulating the surrounding cytokine and chemokine milieu in humans and animals. Whilst there is some evidence regarding the protective effects of helminth infections to T2DM in cases of comorbidity, there is paucity of research in both laboratory animals and humans, with reference to the immunological and pathophysiological mechanisms which occur during comorbidity, and these constitute gaps for future research.
Ontology-Based Framework for Cooperative Learning of 3D Object Recognition
Authors: Chaisiriprasert Parkpoom , Yongsiriwit Karn , Dailey Matthew N. , Anutariya Chutiporn
Published: August 2021

Advanced service robots are not, as of yet, widely adopted, partly due to the effectiveness of robots’ object recognition capabilities, the issue of object heterogeneity, a lack of knowledge sharing, and the difficulty of knowledge management. To encourage more widespread adoption of service robots, we propose an ontology-based framework for cooperative robot learning that takes steps toward solving these problems. We present a use case of the framework in which multiple service robots offload compute-intensive machine vision tasks to cloud infrastructure. The framework enables heterogeneous 3D object recognition with the use of ontologies. The main contribution of our proposal is that we use the Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) to represent robots, and we propose the use of a new Robotic Object Description (ROD) ontology to represent the world of objects known by the collective. We use the WordNet database to provide a common understanding of objects across various robotic applications. With this framework, we aim to give a widely distributed group of robots the ability to cooperatively learn to recognize a variety of 3D objects. Different robots and different robotic applications could share knowledge and benefit from the experience of others via our framework. The framework was validated and then evaluated using a proof-of-concept, including a Web application integrated with the ROD ontology and the WordNet API for semantic analysis. The evaluation demonstrates the feasibility of using an ontology-based framework and using the Ontology Web Language (OWL) to provide improved knowledge management while enabling cooperative learning between multiple robots.
A Parallel Algorithm for Scheduling a Two-Machine Robotic Cell in Bicycle Frame Welding Process
Authors: Gnatowski Andrzej , Niżyński Teodor
Published: August 2021

Welding frames with differing geometries is one of the most crucial stages in the production of high-end bicycles. This paper proposes a parallel algorithm and a mixed integer linear programming formulation for scheduling a two-machine robotic welding station. The time complexity of the introduced parallel method is O(log2n) on an n3-processor Exclusive Read Exclusive Write Parallel Random-Access Machine (EREW PRAM), where n is the problem size. The algorithm is designed to take advantage of modern graphics cards to significantly accelerate the computations. To present the benefits of the parallelization, the algorithm is compared to the state of art sequential method and a solver-based approach. Experimental results show an impressive speedup for larger problem instances—up to 314 on a single Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), compared to a single-threaded CPU execution of the sequential algorithm.
Scattering Evaluation of Equivalent Surface Impedances of Acoustic Metamaterials in Large FDTD Volumes Using RLC Circuit Modelling
Authors: Ballestero Eric , Hamilton Brian , Jiménez Noé , Romero-García Vicent , Groby Jean-Philippe , Aygun Haydar , Dance Stephen
Published: August 2021

Most simulations involving metamaterials often require complex physics to be solved through refined meshing grids. However, it can prove challenging to simulate the effect of local physical conditions created by said metamaterials into much wider computing sceneries due to the increased meshing load. We thus present in this work a framework for simulating complex structures with detailed geometries, such as metamaterials, into large Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) computing environments by reducing them to their equivalent surface impedance represented by a parallel-series RLC circuit. This reduction helps to simplify the physics involved as well as drastically reducing the meshing load of the model and the implicit calculation time. Here, an emphasis is made on scattering comparisons between an acoustic metamaterial and its equivalent surface impedance through analytical and numerical methods. Additionally, the problem of fitting RLC parameters to complex impedance data obtained from transfer matrix models is herein solved using a novel approach based on zero crossings of admittance phase derivatives. Despite the simplification process, the proposed framework achieves good overall results with respect to the original acoustic scatterer while ensuring relatively short simulation times over a vast range of frequencies.
Review of Structural Health Monitoring Techniques in Pipeline and Wind Turbine Industries
Authors: Sharma Vinamra Bhushan , Singh Kartik , Gupta Ravi , Joshi Ayush , Dubey Rakesh , Gupta Vishwas , Bharadwaj Shruti , Zafar Md. Iltaf , Bajpai Sushant , Khan Mohd Ashhar , Srivastava Anubhava , Pathak Divyang , Biswas Susham
Published: August 2021

There has been enormous growth in the energy sector in the new millennium, and it has enhanced energy demand, creating an exponential rise in the capital investment in the energy industry in the last few years. Regular monitoring of the health of industrial equipment is necessary, and thus, the concept of structural health monitoring (SHM) comes into play. In this paper, the purpose is to highlight the importance of SHM systems and various techniques primarily used in pipelining industries. There have been several advancements in SHM systems over the years such as Point OFS (optical fiber sensor) for Corrosion, Distributed OFS for physical and chemical sensing, etc. However, these advanced SHM technologies are at their nascent stages of development, and thus, there are several challenges that exist in the industries. The techniques based on acoustic, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), etc. bring in various challenges, as it becomes daunting to monitor the deformations from both sides by employing only one technique. In order to determine the damages well in advance, it is necessary that the sensor is positioned inside the pipes and gives the operators enough time to carry out the troubleshooting. However, the mentioned technologies have been unable to indicate the errors, and thus, there is the requirement for a newer technology to be developed. The purpose of this review manuscript is to enlighten the readers about the importance of structural health monitoring in pipeline and wind turbine industries.
The Influence of Tropospheric Processes on Disturbances in the D and E Ionospheric Layers
Authors: Borchevkina Olga P. , Adamson Sergey O. , Dyakov Yurii A. , Karpov Ivan V. , Golubkov Gennady V. , Wang Pao-Kuan , Golubkov Maxim G.
Published: August 2021

Determination of the physical mechanisms of the energy transfer of tropospheric disturbances to the ionosphere is one of the fundamental problems of atmospheric physics. This article presents the observational results of tropospheric and ionospheric disturbances during the passages of the solar terminator and solar eclipse. Lidar observations showed the occurrence of tropospheric regions with noticeably increased amplitudes of density, pressure, and temperature variations with periods corresponding to acoustic and internal gravity waves, which were generated in the troposphere during the development of these events. Simultaneous satellite measurements demonstrate the response of the ionosphere to these tropospheric disturbances. Based on the experimental data, we determine the typical periods and spatial scales of variations. It is shown that the response time of the ionosphere to tropospheric disturbances is 30–40 min.
Curcumin Reverses NNMT-Induced 5-Fluorouracil Resistance via Increasing ROS and Cell Cycle Arrest in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Li Guoli , Fang Sining , Shao Xiao , Li Yejia , Tong Qingchao , Kong Beibei , Chen Lifen , Wang Yanzhong , Yang Jun , Yu Haitao , Xie Xinyou , Zhang Jun
Published: August 2021

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) plays multiple roles in improving the aggressiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC) and enhancing resistance to 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), making it an attractive therapeutic target. Curcumin (Cur) is a promising natural compound, exhibiting multiple antitumor effects and potentiating the effect of 5-FU. The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of Cur on attenuating NNMT-induced resistance to 5-FU in CRC. A panel of CRC cell lines with different NNMT expressions are used to characterize the effect of Cur. Herein, it is observed that Cur can depress the expression of NNMT and p-STAT3 in CRC cells. Furthermore, Cur can induce inhibition of cell proliferation, G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, especially in high-NNMT-expression CRC cell lines. Cur can also re-sensitize high-NNMT-expression CRC cells to 5-FU both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, it is proposed that Cur can reverse NNMT-induced cell proliferation and 5-FU resistance through ROS generation and cell cycle arrest. Given that Cur has long been used, we suppose that Cur is a promising anticancer drug candidate with minimal side effects for human CRC therapy and can attenuate NNMT-induced resistance to 5-FU.
You See What You Smell: Preferential Processing of Chemosensory Satiety Cues and Its Impact on Body Shape Perception
Authors: Pause Bettina M. , Schäfer Annika S. , Hoenen Matthias , Lübke Katrin T. , Stockhorst Ursula
Published: August 2021

The current study examines neural responses to satiety- and fasting-related volatiles and their effect on the processing of body shapes. Axillary sweat was sampled with cotton pads from 10 individuals after 12 h of fasting, and after having consumed a standard breakfast. Pure cotton pads served as the control. The chemosensory stimuli were presented to 20 participants (via a constant-flow olfactometer) exclusively, and additionally as context to images of overweight and underweight avatars. EEG was recorded (61 electrodes), and chemosensory (CSERPs; P1, N1, P2, P3) and visual event-related potentials (VERPs; N1, P2, P3a, P3b) were analyzed. The amplitudes of all positive CSERP components differed more strongly from cotton in response to chemosensory satiety cues as compared to fasting cues (P1: p = 0.023, P2: p = 0.083, P3: p = 0.031), paralleled by activity within the middle frontal and temporal gyrus. Overweight compared to underweight body shapes tended to elicit larger VERP P2 amplitudes (p = 0.068), and chemosensory satiety cues amplified the VERP amplitudes in response to any body shape (P2, P3a, P3b; all ps ≤ 0.017) as compared to the cotton control. The results indicate that chemosensory satiety cues transmit complex social information, overriding the processing of analogous visual input.
Differences in Subjective Memory Impairment, Depressive Symptoms, Sleep, and Physical Activity in African American and Asian American Elderly
Authors: Lee Minsun , Nam Jin-Hyeok , Yi Elizabeth , Bhimla Aisha , Nelson Julie , Ma Grace X.
Published: August 2021

Background: Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is associated with negative health outcomes including mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. However, ethnic differences in SMI and disparities in risk factors associated with SMI among minority populations are understudied. The study examined the ethnic differences in SMI, whether SMI was associated with depressive symptoms, sleep, and physical activity (PA), and whether the associations vary across racial/ethnic groups. Methods: Participants included 243 African and Asian Americans (including Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean Americans) aged 50 or older. Demographic information, SMI, depressive symptoms, daily sleeping hours, and PA levels were assessed. Results: Vietnamese Americans reported the highest SMI score. Depressive symptoms, sleeping hours, and PA levels were significantly associated with SMI. Depressive symptoms were the only significant factor across all ethnic groups. Significant interaction effects were found between ethnicity and health behaviors in predicting SMI. In particular, Vietnamese American participants with greater depressive symptoms and physical inactivity were significantly more likely to experience SMI compared to other ethnic groups Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate ethnic differences in SMI and its association with depressive symptoms, sleep, and PA, which highlight the importance of considering the unique cultural and historical backgrounds across different racial/ethnic groups when examining cognitive functioning in elderly.
Objective and Subjective Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/Hypopnoea Syndrome in UK Adults with Down Syndrome: A Strong Marker for Diurnal Behavioural Disturbances
Authors: Hill Elizabeth A. , Williams Linda J. , Cooper Sally-Ann , Riha Renata L.
Published: August 2021

Prior to this study, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) in adults with Down syndrome was unknown. We hypothesized that unrecognised OSAHS could have an additional deleterious impact on mood and behavioural disturbances in this group of people. Aims: To assess the prevalence of OSAHS in adults with Down syndrome in the United Kingdom, subjectively and objectively, and ascertain its association with diurnal behavioural disturbances. Method: Cross-sectional questionnaire study with home sleep apnoea testing (HSAT) during 2011–2015 across the four nations of the United Kingdom. Participants were adults aged ≥16 years with Down syndrome. Main outcome measures were: self- or caregiver-completed questionnaire data, including the Pictorial Epworth Sleepiness Scale (pESS), selected domains of the Developmental Behavioural Checklist for Adults (DBC-A), anthropometric measures, and symptoms of OSAHS. Objective prevalence was undertaken in a sample of responders using HSAT. Results: Responses were received from 1321/5270 participants (25%), with 1105 valid responses (21%). Eighty-one participants (7%) reported a prior diagnosis of OSA, of whom 38 were receiving therapy. Using validated algorithms, a diagnosis of OSAHS was probable in 366 participants (35%), who were younger, with higher BMI and higher mean total pESS (p < 0.0001). A total of 23% of participants had a pESS > 10. OSAHS was a strong marker for behavioural disturbances on the DBC-A depression, disruption and anti-social subscales (p < 0.001). Of 149 individuals who underwent HSAT, 42% were diagnosed with OSAHS. Conclusions: Untreated OSAHS in Down syndrome is common and associated with behavioural and mood disturbances. Improving awareness of OSAHS amongst adults with Down syndrome, their families and healthcare professionals is essential.
Ketamine-Assisted and Culturally Attuned Trauma Informed Psychotherapy as Adjunct to Traditional Indigenous Healing: Effecting Cultural Collaboration in Canadian Mental Health Care
Authors: Muscat Sherry-Anne , Wright Geralyn Dorothy , Bergeron Kristy , Morin Kevin W. , Crouch Courtenay Richards , Hartelius Glenn
Published: August 2021

Ketamine therapy with culturally attuned trauma-informed psychotherapy in a collaborative cross-cultural partnership may provide a critical step in the operationalization and optimization of treatment effectiveness in diverse populations and may provide a foundation for an improved quality of life for Indigenous people. Decolonizing Indigenous health and wellbeing is long overdue, requiring an equal partnership between government and Indigenous communities, built upon an aboriginal culture holistic foundation of balance of mind, body, social and spiritual realms, and within the context of historical and lived experiences of colonialism. Culturally attuned trauma-informed psychotherapy paired with ketamine—a fast-acting antidepressant that typically takes effect within 4 hours, even in cases of acute suicidality—may be uniquely qualified to integrate into an Indigenous based health system, since ketamine’s therapeutic effects engage multiple neuropsychological, physiological, biological, and behavioral systems damaged by intergenerational complex developmental trauma. Ketamine holds the potential to serve as a core treatment modality around which culturally engaged treatment approaches might be organized since its brief alteration of normal waking consciousness is already a familiar and intrinsic element of healing culture in many Indigenous societies. There is great need and desire in Indigenous communities for respectful and sacred partnership in fostering more effective mental health outcomes and improved quality of life.
Trading off Time–Cost–Quality in Construction Project Scheduling Problems with Fuzzy SWARA–TOPSIS Approach
Authors: Banihashemi Sayyid , Khalilzadeh Mohammad , Antucheviciene Jurgita , Šaparauskas Jonas
Published: August 2021

The increasing number of construction projects together with the limited resources of organizations led to tough competition for achieving project goals. Time, cost, and quality have been known as the project iron triangle. Project managers attempt to allocate the appropriate resources and make the best decisions for accomplishing projects with the shortest durations, lowest costs, and the highest quality. No study has examined the time–cost–quality trade-off problem with decision-making approaches. In this study, the fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are exploited to choose the best mode for performing each activity. For this purpose, the SWARA method is applied to determine the importance weights of time, cost, and quality. In addition, the TOPSIS (Technique for the Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) technique is used to rank and select the best activity execution modes. The proposed model is implemented on two medium- and large-size construction projects to evaluate its efficiency. Several execution modes with fuzzy duration, cost, and quality are considered for each project activity. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted taking three different conditions into account: the shortest duration of the execution modes, the lowest cost of the execution modes, and the highest quality of execution modes for each activity. The solution of each trade-off is compared with the solution obtained from the fuzzy SWARA–TOPSIS method. The schedule is developed according to the best execution mode for each project activity. The obtained results in two different construction projects show significant improvements in the overall project objectives so that the projects can be completed in fewer durations and costs along with higher quality. Because of the higher importance of cost, the cost of each activity is closer to the lowest cost. The activity duration is also closer to the most likely duration, and quality is closer to the high-quality level. The application of this approach can create new opportunities for research and knowledge development in the field of construction project scheduling.
Lipid Droplet-Associated Factors, PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and HSD17B Proteins in Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer
Authors: Sunami Yoshiaki , Rebelo Artur , Kleeff Jörg
Published: August 2021

Pancreatic and liver cancer are leading causes of cancer deaths, and by 2030, they are projected to become the second and the third deadliest cancer respectively. Cancer metabolism, especially lipid metabolism, plays an important role in progression and metastasis of many types of cancer, including pancreatic and liver cancer. Lipid droplets are intracellular organelles that store neutral lipids, but also act as molecular messengers, and signaling factors. It is becoming increasingly evident that alterations in the regulation of lipid droplets and their associated factors influence the risk of developing not only metabolic disease but also fibrosis and cancer. In the current review article, we summarized recent findings concerning the roles of lipid droplet-associated factors, patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3, Transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 11 and 13 as well as genetic variants in pancreatic and hepatic diseases. A better understanding of cancer type- and cell type-specific roles of lipid droplet-associated factors is important for establishing new therapeutic options in the future.
Neoadjuvant Treatment for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A False Promise or an Opportunity to Improve Outcome?
Authors: Khakoo Shelize , Petrillo Angelica , Salati Massimiliano , Muhith Abdul , Evangelista Jessica , Seghezzi Silvia , Petrelli Fausto , Tomasello Gianluca , Ghidini Michele
Published: August 2021

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has an aggressive tumor biology and is associated with poor survival outcomes. Most patients present with metastatic or locally advanced disease. In the 10–20% of patients with upfront resectable disease, surgery offers the only chance of cure, with the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy representing an established standard of care for improving outcomes. Despite resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, at best, 3-year survival reaches 63.4%. Post-operative complications and poor performance mean that around 50% of the patients do not commence adjuvant chemotherapy, and a significant proportion do not complete the intended treatment course. These factors, along with the advantages of early treatment of micrometastatic disease, the ability to downstage tumors, and the increase in R0 resection rates, have increased interest in neo-adjuvant treatment strategies. Here we review biomarkers for early diagnosis of PDAC and patient selection for a neo-adjuvant approach. We also review the current evidence for different chemotherapy regimens in this setting, as well as the role of chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy, and we discuss ongoing trials.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Oral Cancer Patients: Scoping Review and Critical Appraisal of Investigated Determinants
Authors: De Cicco Davide , Tartaro Gianpaolo , Ciardiello Fortunato , Fasano Morena , Rauso Raffaele , Fiore Francesca , Spuntarelli Chiara , Troiano Antonio , Lo Giudice Giorgio , Colella Giuseppe
Published: August 2021

Background: health-related quality of life (HRQOL) represents a secondary endpoint of medical interventions in oncological patients. Our aim was to highlight potential sources of bias that could be encountered when evaluating HRQOL in oral cancer patients. Methods: this review followed PRISMA-ScR recommendations. Participants: patients treated for oral cancer. Concept: HRQOL assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35/QLQ-H&N43. A critical appraisal of included studies was performed to evaluate the accuracy of data stratification with respect to HRQOL determinants. Results: overall, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria, totaling 1833 patients. In total, 8 sociodemographic (SDG) and 15 disease/treatment-specific (DT) HRQOL determinants (independent variables) were identified. The mean number of the independent variables was 6.1 (SD, 4.3)—5.0 (SD, 4.0) DT-related and 1.1 (SD, 1.8) SDG-related variables per article. None of the included papers considered all the identified determinants simultaneously. Conclusions: a substantial lack of evidence regarding HRQOL determinants was demonstrated. This strongly weakens the reliability of the reported findings due to the challenging presence of baseline confounding, selection, and omitted variable biases. The proposed approach recommends the use of further evaluation tools that gather more variables in a single score together with a selection of more homogeneous, reproducible, and comparable cohorts based on the identified baseline confounding.
Presynaptic AMPA Receptors in Health and Disease
Authors: Zanetti Letizia , Regoni Maria , Ratti Elena , Valtorta Flavia , Sassone Jenny
Published: August 2021

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are ionotropic glutamate receptors that play a major role in excitatory neurotransmission. AMPARs are located at both presynaptic and postsynaptic plasma membranes. A huge number of studies investigated the role of postsynaptic AMPARs in the normal and abnormal functioning of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). These studies highlighted that changes in the functional properties or abundance of postsynaptic AMPARs are major mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity phenomena, providing molecular explanations for the processes of learning and memory. Conversely, the role of AMPARs at presynaptic terminals is as yet poorly clarified. Accruing evidence demonstrates that presynaptic AMPARs can modulate the release of various neurotransmitters. Recent studies also suggest that presynaptic AMPARs may possess double ionotropic-metabotropic features and that they are involved in the local regulation of actin dynamics in both dendritic and axonal compartments. In addition, evidence suggests a key role of presynaptic AMPARs in axonal pathology, in regulation of pain transmission and in the physiology of the auditory system. Thus, it appears that presynaptic AMPARs play an important modulatory role in nerve terminal activity, making them attractive as novel pharmacological targets for a variety of pathological conditions.
Study on Annealing Process of Aluminum Oxide Passivation Layer for PERC Solar Cells
Authors: Huang Yu-Chun , Chuang Ricky Wenkuei
Published: August 2021

In this study, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) equipment was used to deposit Al2O3 film on a p-type silicon wafer, trimethylaluminum (TMA) and H2O were used as precursor materials, and then the post-annealing process was conducted under atmospheric pressure. The Al2O3 films annealed at different temperatures between 200–500 °C were compared to ascertain the effect of passivation films and to confirm the changes in film structure and thickness before and after annealing through TEM images. Furthermore, the negative fixed charge and interface defect density were analyzed using the C-V measurement method. Photo-induced carrier generation was used to measure the effective minority carrier lifetime, the implied open-circuit voltage, and the effective surface recombination velocity of the film. The carrier lifetime was found to be the longest (2181.7 μs) for Al2O3/Si post-annealed at 400 °C. Finally, with the use of VHF (40.68 MHz) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment, a silicon nitride (SiNx) film was plated as an anti-reflection layer over the front side of the wafer and as a capping layer on the back to realize a passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cell with optimal efficiency up to 21.54%.
Automated Optical Inspection Method for Light-Emitting Diode Defect Detection Using Unsupervised Generative Adversarial Neural Network
Authors: Huang Che-Hsuan , Lee Pei-Hsuan , Chang Shu-Hsiu , Kuo Hao-Chung , Sun Chia-Wei , Lin Chien-Chung , Tsai Chun-Lin , Liu Xinke
Published: August 2021

Many automated optical inspection (AOI) companies use supervised object detection networks to inspect items, a technique which expends tremendous time and energy to mark defectives. Therefore, we propose an AOI system which uses an unsupervised learning network as the base algorithm to simultaneously generate anomaly alerts and reduce labeling costs. This AOI system works by deploying the GANomaly neural network and the supervised network to the manufacturing system. To improve the ability to distinguish anomaly items from normal items in industry and enhance the overall performance of the manufacturing process, the system uses the structural similarity index (SSIM) as part of the loss function as well as the scoring parameters. Thus, the proposed system will achieve the requirements of smart factories in the future (Industry 4.0).
Brazilian Validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group (QLG) Computerised Adaptive Tests (CAT) Core
Authors: Marta Gustavo Nader , de Souza Tomás Y. T. , Silva Alice R. N. de Souza e , Pereira Ana Paula A. , Ferreira Neto David R. , Asso Rie N. , Degrande Fabiana A. M. , Nader-Marta Guilherme , da Silva Maurício F. , Gadia Rafael , Hanna Samir A. , Holzner Bernhard , Saad Everardo D. , Petersen Morten Aagaard
Published: August 2021

Background: This study aimed to validate the Brazilian version of EORTC CAT Core and compare the Brazilian results with those from the original European EORTC CAT Core validation study. Methods: After validated translation, 168 cancer patients from Brazil receiving radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy was assessed. Translated EORTC CAT Core and all QLQ-C30 items were administered to patients using CHES (Computer-Based Health Evaluation System) before (T0) and after (T1) treatment initiation. The association between QLQ-C30 and CAT scores and ceiling/floor effects were estimated. Based on estimates of relative validity (cross-sectional, known-group differences and changes over time), relative sample-size requirements for CAT compared to QLQ-C30 were estimated. Results: Correlation coefficients between CAT and QLQ-C30 domains ranged from 0.63 to 0.93; except for dyspnoea, all coefficients were >0.82 (corresponding figures were 0.81–0.93 in the European study). On average across domains, floor/ceiling was reduced by 10% using CAT (9% in the European study) corresponding to a relative reduction of 32% (37% in the European study). Analyses of known-group validity and responsiveness indicated that, on average across domains, the sample-size requirements may be reduced by 17% using CAT rather than QLQ-C30, without loss of power (28% in the European study). The Brazilian sample had less symptom/quality of life impairment than the European sample, which likely explains the lower sample-size reduction using CAT when comparing with the European sample. Conclusions: The results in the Brazilian cohort were generally similar to those from the European sample and confirm the validity and usefulness of the EORTC CAT Core.
A Machine Learning Approach for Gearbox System Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Vrba Jan , Cejnek Matous , Steinbach Jakub , Krbcova Zuzana
Published: August 2021

This study proposes a fully automated gearbox fault diagnosis approach that does not require knowledge about the specific gearbox construction and its load. The proposed approach is based on evaluating an adaptive filter’s prediction error. The obtained prediction error’s standard deviation is further processed with a support-vector machine to classify the gearbox’s condition. The proposed method was cross-validated on a public dataset, segmented into 1760 test samples, against two other reference methods. The accuracy achieved by the proposed method was better than the accuracies of the reference methods. The accuracy of the proposed method was on average 9% higher compared to both reference methods for different support vector settings.
Field Theoretical Approach for Signal Detection in Nearly Continuous Positive Spectra I: Matricial Data
Authors: Lahoche Vincent , Ousmane Samary Dine , Tamaazousti Mohamed
Published: August 2021

Renormalization group techniques are widely used in modern physics to describe the relevant low energy aspects of systems involving a large number of degrees of freedom. Those techniques are thus expected to be a powerful tool to address open issues in data analysis when datasets are highly correlated. Signal detection and recognition for a covariance matrix having a nearly continuous spectra is currently one of these opened issues. First, investigations in this direction have been proposed in recent investigations from an analogy between coarse-graining and principal component analysis (PCA), regarding separation of sampling noise modes as a UV cut-off for small eigenvalues of the covariance matrix. The field theoretical framework proposed in this paper is a synthesis of these complementary point of views, aiming to be a general and operational framework, both for theoretical investigations and for experimental detection. Our investigations focus on signal detection. They exhibit numerical investigations in favor of a connection between symmetry breaking and the existence of an intrinsic detection threshold.
Solving Schrödinger Bridges via Maximum Likelihood
Authors: Vargas Francisco , Thodoroff Pierre , Lamacraft Austen , Lawrence Neil
Published: August 2021

The Schrödinger bridge problem (SBP) finds the most likely stochastic evolution between two probability distributions given a prior stochastic evolution. As well as applications in the natural sciences, problems of this kind have important applications in machine learning such as dataset alignment and hypothesis testing. Whilst the theory behind this problem is relatively mature, scalable numerical recipes to estimate the Schrödinger bridge remain an active area of research. Our main contribution is the proof of equivalence between solving the SBP and an autoregressive maximum likelihood estimation objective. This formulation circumvents many of the challenges of density estimation and enables direct application of successful machine learning techniques. We propose a numerical procedure to estimate SBPs using Gaussian process and demonstrate the practical usage of our approach in numerical simulations and experiments.
The Complex Structure of the Pharmacological Drug–Disease Network
Authors: López-Rodríguez Irene , Reyes-Manzano Cesár F. , Guzmán-Vargas Ariel , Guzmán-Vargas Lev
Published: August 2021

The complexity of drug–disease interactions is a process that has been explained in terms of the need for new drugs and the increasing cost of drug development, among other factors. Over the last years, diverse approaches have been explored to understand drug–disease relationships. Here, we construct a bipartite graph in terms of active ingredients and diseases based on thoroughly classified data from a recognized pharmacological website. We find that the connectivities between drugs (outgoing links) and diseases (incoming links) follow approximately a stretched-exponential function with different fitting parameters; for drugs, it is between exponential and power law functions, while for diseases, the behavior is purely exponential. The network projections, onto either drugs or diseases, reveal that the co-ocurrence of drugs (diseases) in common target diseases (drugs) lead to the appearance of connected components, which varies as the threshold number of common target diseases (drugs) is increased. The corresponding projections built from randomized versions of the original bipartite networks are considered to evaluate the differences. The heterogeneity of association at group level between active ingredients and diseases is evaluated in terms of the Shannon entropy and algorithmic complexity, revealing that higher levels of diversity are present for diseases compared to drugs. Finally, the robustness of the original bipartite network is evaluated in terms of most-connected nodes removal (direct attack) and random removal (random failures).
A Wavenet-Based Virtual Sensor for PM10 Monitoring
Authors: Carnevale Claudio , Turrini Enrico , Zeziola Roberta , De Angelis Elena , Volta Marialuisa
Published: August 2021

In this work, a virtual sensor for PM10 concentration monitoring is presented. The sensor is based on wavenet models and uses daily mean NO2 concentration and meteorological variables (wind speed and rainfall) as input. The methodology has been applied to the reconstruction of PM10 levels measured from 14 monitoring stations in Lombardy region (Italy). This region, usually affected by high levels of PM10, is a challenging benchmarking area for the implemented sensors. Neverthless, the performances are good with relatively low bias and high correlation.
40 GHz VCO and Frequency Divider in 28 nm FD-SOI CMOS Technology for Automotive Radar Sensors
Authors: Maiellaro Giorgio , Caruso Giovanni , Scaccianoce Salvatore , Giacomini Mauro , Scuderi Angelo
Published: August 2021

This paper presents a 40 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and frequency divider chain fabricated in STMicroelectronics 28 nm ultrathin body and box (UTBB) fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) complementary metal-oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process with eight metal layers back-end-of-line (BEOL) option. VCOs architecture is based on an LC-tank with p-type metal-oxide–semiconductor (PMOS) cross-coupled transistors. VCOs exhibit a tuning range (TR) of 3.5 GHz by exploiting two continuous frequency tuning bands selectable via a single control bit. The measured phase noise (PN) at 38 GHz carrier frequency is −94.3 and −118 dBc/Hz at 1 and 10 MHz frequency offset, respectively. The high-frequency dividers, from 40 to 5 GHz, are made using three static CMOS current-mode logic (CML) Master-Slave D-type Flip-Flop stages. The whole divider factor is 2048. A CMOS toggle flip-flop architecture working at 5 GHz was adopted for low frequency dividers. The power dissipation of the VCO core and frequency divider chain are 18 and 27.8 mW from 1.8 and 1 V supply voltages, respectively. Circuit functionality and performance were proved at three junction temperatures (i.e., −40, 25, and 125 °C) using a thermal chamber.
Development of a High-Power-Factor Power Supply for an Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet
Authors: Su Chi-Feng , Liu Chih-Tung , Wu Jong-Shinn , Ho Ming-Tzu
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the design and implementation of a miniaturized high-voltage power supply with power factor correction (PFC) for atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) applications. The sinusoidal output frequency and voltage of the power supply can be controlled independently from 16 to 24 kHz and from 1 to 10 kVpeak, respectively. A helium APPJ load is used to assess the performance of the developed power supply. It is shown that the developed high-voltage power supply operates effectively, and the designed PFC converter improves the input current distortion of the power supply. Not only the power factor of the power supply is increased from 0.41 to 0.95, but it also provides a low-ripple DC voltage, which reduces the high-voltage ripple of the output from 730 to 50 Vp-p. In this paper, the proposed design integrates the PFC converter into the high-voltage power supply so that the developed power supply has better electrical characteristics and the overall power supply can be significantly miniaturized.