bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Young Canadian e-Cigarette Users and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Vaping Behaviors by Pandemic Onset and Gender
Authors: Hopkins D. Brett , Al-Hamdani Mohammed
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to test how youth and young adult e-cigarette users responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Youth and Young Adult Vaping Survey (N = 1,308) included 540 (44.7%) participants that reported differences in their vaping behaviors since the onset of the pandemic. Gender was the only relevant covariate that yielded a significant effect and/or interaction through a multivariate test. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the effect of pandemic onset (pre- vs. during-pandemic), gender (males vs. females), and their interaction on vaping behaviors (days of vaping per week, episodes of vaping per day, and puffs per vaping episode). Respondents reported fewer days of vaping per week, episodes of vaping per day, and puffs per vaping episode during-pandemic than pre-pandemic [F(3,533) = 52.81, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.229]. The multivariate effect of gender on the three vaping outcomes was not statistically significant [F(3, 533) = 2.14, p = 0.095, ηp2 = 0.012], though the interaction between pandemic onset and gender was [F(3, 533) = 2.86, p = 0.036, ηp2 = 0.016]. Males reported fewer episodes of vaping per day [t(262) = 7.40, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 5.19–8.97] and puffs per vaping episode [t(263) = 3.23, p = 0.001, 95% CI:0.292–1.20] during-pandemic than pre-pandemic. Females reported fewer vaping episodes per day during-pandemic than pre-pandemic [t(273) = 5.14, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 2.76–6.18]. Further, females reported more frequent puffs per vaping episode in comparison to males during-pandemic [t(538) = −2.38, p = 0.017, 95% CI: −2.09–0.200]. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to reduce vaping through health promotion messaging. Since females take more puffs per vaping episode overall, they may benefit the most from greater vaping cessation supports.
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Face Increased Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 Clusters
Authors: De Ridder David , Sandoval José , Vuilleumier Nicolas , Azman Andrew S. , Stringhini Silvia , Kaiser Laurent , Joost Stéphane , Guessous Idris
Published: January 2021

Objective: To investigate the association between socioeconomic deprivation and the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 clusters.

Methods: We analyzed 3,355 SARS-CoV-2 positive test results in the state of Geneva (Switzerland) from February 26 to April 30, 2020. We used a spatiotemporal cluster detection algorithm to monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics and defined spatial cluster persistence as the time in days from emergence to disappearance. Using spatial cluster persistence measured outcome and a deprivation index based on neighborhood-level census socioeconomic data, stratified survival functions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Population density adjusted Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression models were then used to examine the association between neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 clusters.

Results: SARS-CoV-2 clusters persisted significantly longer in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. In the Cox PH model, the standardized deprivation index was associated with an increased spatial cluster persistence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43 [95% CI, 1.28–1.59]). The adjusted tercile-specific deprivation index HR was 1.82 [95% CI, 1.56–2.17].

Conclusions: The increased risk of infection of disadvantaged individuals may also be due to the persistence of community transmission. These findings further highlight the need for interventions mitigating inequalities in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and thus, of serious illness and mortality.
Immersive Virtual Reality and Complex Skill Learning: Transfer Effects After Training in Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Dobrowolski Paweł , Skorko Maciek , Pochwatko Grzegorz , Myśliwiec Monika , Grabowski Andrzej
Published: January 2021

This study investigated the efficacy of training a complex skill within an immersive virtual environment. We constructed a sensorimotor workstation task and trained participants to operate it with either a non-interactive (text, video) method or with a virtual equivalent of the workstation. Our results indicate that virtual reality trained participants had significantly higher accuracy and produced fewer timeouts in the workstation task than those trained using non-interactive methods, demonstrating a successful transfer of skills between virtual reality and the real world. Further, comparing younger and older adults in their performance, we found that older adults did not differ in their ability to benefit from virtual reality training, and that the extent of this benefit was not significantly affected by existing cognitive deficits (as measured using the Operation Span and AX-Continuous Performance tasks). These findings suggest that virtual reality technologies can find application in a wide range of skill training contexts and across diverse age groups.
Assessing the Adsorption of Bipyridinium Herbicides on Model Soil Granular Media
Authors: Tadeo-Jalife Nahim R. , Vasquez-Medrano Ruben , Quevedo Ivan R.
Published: January 2021

In this research work, the adsorption of two bipyridinium herbicides (i. e., Diquat and Paraquat) on natural soil and on model soil surfaces has been studied at different water chemistries commonly found in the environment (e.g., pH, supporting electrolyte, and presence of humic or fulvic acids). The experimental work was carried out in the laboratory, using experimental batches of clean quartz sand, silanized quartz sand and sandy soil as a model of agricultural topsoil where herbicides are commonly used and can be adsorbed. The concentrations reached at the equilibrium were analyzed by UV-Visible Spectroscopy for the supernatant fraction of the samples. The concentrations were fitted using adsorption isotherms to determine the adsorption mechanisms (i.e., chemisorption or physisorption) at the interface. In general terms, we have encountered that the nature of the soil matrix plays an important role on the study of pollutant adsorption. In experiments carried out on silica sand, the most abundant component of the natural soil matrix, no significant sorption was observed (<1.5 mg/g) for any of the herbicides. Yet, in experiments carried out on the presence of clay and natural organic matter (i.e., fulvic and humic acids), the adsorption of both herbicides is much higher, likely due to the chemical structure of the molecules that might facilitate the complexation with both herbicides. This investigation improves our understanding of the role that soil granular components play on the absorption of two commonly used herbicides and adequately predict their fate in natural aquatic environments.
Development of a Computer-Aided Design and Finite Element Analysis Combined Method for Affordable Spine Surgical Navigation With 3D-Printed Customized Template
Authors: Eltes Peter Endre , Bartos Marton , Hajnal Benjamin , Pokorni Agoston Jakab , Kiss Laszlo , Lacroix Damien , Varga Peter Pal , Lazary Aron
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Revision surgery of a previous lumbosacral non-union is highly challenging, especially in case of complications, such as a broken screw at the first sacral level (S1). Here, we propose the implementation of a new method based on the CT scan of a clinical case using 3D reconstruction, combined with finite element analysis (FEA), computer-assisted design (CAD), and 3D-printing technology to provide accurate surgical navigation to aid the surgeon in performing the optimal surgical technique by inserting a pedicle screw at the S1 level.

Materials and Methods: A step-by-step approach was developed and performed as follows: (1) Quantitative CT based patient-specific FE model of the sacrum was created. (2) The CAD model of the pedicle screw was inserted into the sacrum model in a bicortical convergent and a monocortical divergent position, by overcoming the geometrical difficulty caused by the broken screw. (3) Static FEAs (Abaqus, Dassault Systemes) were performed using 500 N tensile load applied to the screw head. (4) A template with two screw guiding structures for the sacrum was designed and manufactured using CAD design and 3D-printing technologies, and investment casting. (5) The proposed surgical technique was performed on the patient-specific physical model created with the FDM printing technology. The patient-specific model was CT scanned and a comparison with the virtual plan was performed to evaluate the template accuracy

Results: FEA results proved that the modified bicortical convergent insertion is stiffer (6,617.23 N/mm) compared to monocortical divergent placement (2,989.07 N/mm). The final template was created via investment casting from cobalt-chrome. The template design concept was shown to be accurate (grade A, Gertzbein-Robbins scale) based on the comparison of the simulated surgery using the patient-specific physical model and the 3D virtual surgical plan.

Conclusion: Compared to the conventional surgical navigation techniques, the presented method allows the consideration of the patient-specific biomechanical parameters; is more affordable, and the intraoperative X-ray exposure can be reduced. This new patient- and condition-specific approach may be widely used in revision spine surgeries or in challenging primary cases after its further clinical validation.
Representing Deep Neural Networks Latent Space Geometries with Graphs
Authors: Lassance Carlos , Gripon Vincent , Ortega Antonio
Published: January 2021

Deep Learning (DL) has attracted a lot of attention for its ability to reach state-of-the-art performance in many machine learning tasks. The core principle of DL methods consists of training composite architectures in an end-to-end fashion, where inputs are associated with outputs trained to optimize an objective function. Because of their compositional nature, DL architectures naturally exhibit several intermediate representations of the inputs, which belong to so-called latent spaces. When treated individually, these intermediate representations are most of the time unconstrained during the learning process, as it is unclear which properties should be favored. However, when processing a batch of inputs concurrently, the corresponding set of intermediate representations exhibit relations (what we call a geometry) on which desired properties can be sought. In this work, we show that it is possible to introduce constraints on these latent geometries to address various problems. In more detail, we propose to represent geometries by constructing similarity graphs from the intermediate representations obtained when processing a batch of inputs. By constraining these Latent Geometry Graphs (LGGs), we address the three following problems: (i) reproducing the behavior of a teacher architecture is achieved by mimicking its geometry, (ii) designing efficient embeddings for classification is achieved by targeting specific geometries, and (iii) robustness to deviations on inputs is achieved via enforcing smooth variation of geometry between consecutive latent spaces. Using standard vision benchmarks, we demonstrate the ability of the proposed geometry-based methods in solving the considered problems.
Compressed Brown Algae as a Potential Environmental Enrichment Material in Growing Pigs
Authors: Pol Françoise , Huneau-Salaün Adeline , Gallien Sarah , Ramonet Yannick , Rose Nicolas
Published: January 2021

In barren housing conditions, enrichment materials are given to pigs to improve their welfare. Here, we assessed the suitability of an algae-based cylinder as an enrichment material on the behavioral, physiological, health and productivity welfare indicators of pigs. Algae was compared with metal chains and wood logs. The study involved 444 pigs from two successive batches on one single farm. During the suckling period, half of the pigs received algae and the control pigs received no material. After weaning and until the end of fattening, algae, wood or chains were equally distributed among the pigs. Consumption of algae cylinders was different between pens and between batches. After weaning and during the fattening period, although the results differed between batches, no significant difference was observed in the object manipulations. Salivary cortisol, used as biomarker to measure the stress levels after pig transfers, were similar between the treatments. Enrichment material made from algae had no negative effect on pig health and no effect on performance and body condition. Regarding their characteristics and according to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2016/336 classification, algae cylinders can be categorized as suboptimal enrichment materials, although the present results suggest that it does not significantly improve pig welfare compared to a metal chain, which is categorized as a material of marginal interest.
Seroprevalence, Risk Factors and Molecular Identification of Bovine Leukemia Virus in Egyptian Cattle
Authors: Selim Abdelfattah , Manaa Eman A. , Alanazi Abdullah D. , Alyousif Mohamed S.
Published: January 2021

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is distributed worldwide and affects dairy cattle causing severe economic losses. The BLV has been serologically reported in Egypt, but few studies have evaluated its associated risk factors and genetic classification. Therefore, this study assessed risk factors associated with BLV infection and identified the genetic diversity of the Egyptian strain. The study was conducted on 500 dairy cattle distributed in four Governorates located in Northern Egypt. Overall, the seroprevalence of BLV infection among Egyptian dairy cattle was 18.2%. The grazing cattle in the losing house system had higher odds for BLV seropositivity, and bad practice such as the use of a single needle or one plastic glove for more than one animal was considered a significant risk factor for BLV infection. Besides, the sequencing and phylogenetic analysis for one Egyptian BLV strain was performed, and the obtained results confirmed the clustering of Egyptian BLV strain into genotype-1. The assessment of associated risk factors for BLV infection and determination of its genetic classification are essential to implement an effective control program.
Assessment of Testicular Lhcgr mRNA Expression Correlated with Testis and Seminal Vesicle Activities in the Libyan jird (Meriones libycus, Rodentia: Muridae) during Breeding Season Compared with Nonbreeding Season
Authors: Boufermes Radia , Belhocine Mansouria , Amirat Zaina , Khammar Farida
Published: January 2021

The Libyan jird (Meriones libycus, 1823) is a wild desert rodent that is a seasonal breeder species adapted to breed when the environmental conditions can satisfy the energy and hydrous requirements of pregnant and nursing females to ensure that births occur at the most favorable time of the year. We assessed gene expression of testicular luteinizing hormone receptor (Lhcgr) correlated to testis activity. The expression of Lhcgr was evaluated using quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR and the testis activity by a histological method in adult male Libyan jirds during the nonbreeding and breeding seasons. Our results showed that Lhcgr mRNA expression increased in autumn during the nonbreeding season and decreased in spring during the breeding season. This expression varied in contrast to testicular structure or function and plasma testosterone levels. These results help to elucidate this desert rodent’s seasonal sexual activity, which is correlated with central regulation.
Electrodecoration and Characterization of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Bioactive Synergistic Nanocopper: Magnetic Hyperthermia-Induced Ionic Release for Anti-Biofilm Action
Authors: Marchianò Verdiana , Salvador Maria , Moyano Amanda , Gutiérrez Gemma , Matos María , Yáñez-Vilar Susana , Piñeiro Yolanda , Rivas José , Martínez-García José C. , Peddis Davide , Blanco-López Maria C. , Rivas Montserrat , Ditaranto Nicoletta , Cioffi Nicola
Published: January 2021

The urgency for the availability of new antibacterial/disinfectant agents has become a worldwide priority. At the same time, along with the extensive use of other metal nanoparticles (NPs), the investigation of magnetic NPs (MNPs) in antibacterial studies has turned out to be an increasingly attractive research field. In this context, we present the preparation and characterization of superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs, electrodecorated with antimicrobial copper NPs, able to modulate the release of bioactive species not only by the NP’s stabilizer, but also through the application of a suitable magnetic field. Antimicrobial synergistic CuNPs stabilized by benzalkonium chloride have been used in the current study. We demonstrate the successful preparation of Cu@Fe3O4 MNPs composites through morphological and spectroscopic results. Additionally, an extensive magnetic characterization is reported, along with hyperthermia-induced copper ionic release. On the basis of our results, we propose a new generation of antimicrobial magnetic nanomaterials, whose bioactivity can be also tuned by the application of a magnetic field.
A Single Plasmid of Nisin-Controlled Bovine and Human Lactoferrin Expressing Elevated Antibacterial Activity of Lactoferrin-Resistant Probiotic Strains
Authors: Liu Zhen-Shu , Lin Chuen-Fu , Lee Chung-Pei , Hsieh Min-Chi , Lu Hung-Fu , Chen Ying-Fang , Ku Yu-We , Chen Po-Wen
Published: January 2021

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional protein found in mammals, and it shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. To improve the functional properties of specific probiotics in order to provide both the beneficial characteristics of lactic acid bacteria and the biological activity of LF, cDNAs of bovine LF (BLF), human LF (HLF), or porcine LF (PLF) were cloned into a nisin-inducible plasmid. These were then transformed into the selected eight probiotics, which are LF-resistant hosts. Expression of recombinant LFs (rLFs) was analyzed via SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Although the selected host strains may not contain the nisRK genes (NisK, the sensor kinase; NisR, the regulator protein), the components of autoregulation, a low level of LFs expression can be successfully induced by using nisin within bacterial cells in a time-dependent manner in three engineered clones, including Lactobacillus delbrueckii/HLF, L. delbrueckii/BLF, and L. gasseri/BLF. Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus gasseri originate from yogurt and human milk, respectively, and both strains are functional probiotic strains. Therefore, we further compared the antibacterial activities of disrupted recombinant probiotic clones, conventional strains (host control), and vector control ones by using agar diffusion and broth inhibition analysis, and the expression of rLFs in the above three clones considerately improved their antibacterial efficacies against four important food-borne pathogens, namely, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Salmonellaenterica. In conclusion, this study provides a simple strategy for the production of functional LFs (BLF and HLF) in both functional and LF-resistant hosts for applications in the field.
Innovative Natural Functional Ingredients from Olive and Citrus Extracts in Spanish-Type Dry-Cured Sausage “Fuet”
Authors: Martínez Zamora Lorena , Peñalver Rocío , Ros Gaspar , Nieto Gema
Published: January 2021

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of hydroxytyrosol derived from synthetic (HTs) and organic (HTo) sources, and citrus (C) extract, by incorporating them in a dry-cured meat product: fuet. Firstly, antioxidant extracts were tested in an oxidized pork meat model system, avoiding by 100% the protein oxidation against AAPH and AMVN. After that, four batches of fuet were made, namely Control, HTs, HTo, and C, which incorporated antioxidant extracts as substitutes of synthetic additives. A hundred-day shelf-life study was carried out. The incorporation of phenolic extracts neither affected proximal composition, nor ripening process (airing losses, aw, and pH), nor color development. However, the incorporation of HT increased Fe, Mn, and Si mineral content. At the same time, HT extracts inhibited lipid and protein oxidation and microbiological growth by 50%. Regarding sensory analysis, HTo was the most unpalatable (extract flavor apparition), while HTs and C samples were equally accepted as the Control sample. In addition, HT fuet samples showed two-fold higher antioxidant activity and total phenolic content than the Control sample. In conclusion, the use of HTs in dry-cured sausages was demonstrated to be the best option to the development of clean label meat products, with promising antioxidant properties and the best standards of quality and acceptability.
Self-Embedding Fragile Watermarking Scheme to Detect Image Tampering Using AMBTC and OPAP Approaches
Authors: Kim Cheonshik , Yang Ching-Nung
Published: January 2021

Research on self-embedding watermarks is being actively conducted to solve personal privacy and copyright problems by image attack. In this paper, we propose a self-embedded watermarking technique based on Absolute Moment Block Truncation Coding (AMBTC) for reconstructing tampered images by cropping attacks and forgery. AMBTC is suitable as a recovery bit (watermark) for the tampered image. This is because AMBTC has excellent compression performance and image quality. Moreover, to improve the quality of the marked image, the Optimal Pixel Adjustment Process (OPAP) method is used in the process of hiding AMBTC in the cover image. To find a damaged block in a marked image, the authentication data along with the watermark must be hidden in the block. We employ a checksum for authentication. The watermark is embedded in the pixels of the cover image using 3LSB and 2LSB, and the checksum is hidden in the LSB. Through the recovering procedure, it is possible to recover the original marked image from the tampered marked image. In addition, when the tampering ratio was 45%, the image (Lena) could be recovered at 36 dB. The proposed self-embedding method was verified through an experiment, and the result was the recovered image showed superior perceptual quality compared to the previous methods.
CFD Simulation of the Slot Jet Impingement Heat Transfer Process and Application to a Temperature Control System for Galvanizing Line of Metal Band
Authors: Cademartori Stefano , Cravero Carlo , Marini Martino , Marsano Davide
Published: January 2021

A CFD model to simulate the cooling technique trough slot jet impingement has been developed. Such a technique has been tested on an existing vertical galvanizing industrial line, which initially envisaged a round jet configuration, the subject of a previous work. Two different slot jet configurations have been simulated and compared to the pre-existing one, in order to provide design information for a possible new jet cooler after exploring different solutions. The numerical model has been appropriately calibrated and validated by comparing it with experimental measurements from a literature case. At first, a single slot jet configuration was simulated through a 2D model, then multi slot configurations were calculated using 3D models. Different turbulence models were compared to select the best candidate for the CFD approach. Finally, several configurations with different slots numbers and jet-wall distances were considered. It was possible to understand the physical mechanisms underlying this cooling technique and to be able to select the most promising configuration for the reference industrial cooling process.
Preparation of Synthetic Titania Slag Relevant to the Industrial Smelting Process Using an Induction Furnace
Authors: Gupta Avishek Kumar , Aula Matti , Pihlasalo Jouni , Mäkelä Pasi , Huttula Marko , Fabritius Timo
Published: January 2021

A high titania slag that is used as a feedstock for TiO2 manufacturing is obtained by ilmenite smelting (FeO.TiO2). The composition of the slag obtained by smelting is dependent on the composition of the mineral used for slag preparation, i.e., ilmenite in our study. At the laboratory scale, ilmenite slags are mostly obtained by using ilmenite as the raw material. An easy and simple way would be to prepare the synthetic slag using the individual components and heating them to high temperature in a furnace. The titania slag has a high oxidizing nature and requires an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation of the slag as well as the molybdenum crucible. This paper describes the preparation of synthetic ilmenite slag using an induction furnace and the study of the composition and the phases formed in the slag. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) were used as analytical techniques for studying the slag. A comparison between obtained synthetic slag and industrial ilmenite slag was performed to test the possibility of preparing slags in the laboratory as per the required composition. The slags show similar phase formation as obtained in industrial ilmenite slags, which means that the synthetic slags are identical to the industrial slags.
A Jamming-Resilient and Scalable Broadcasting Algorithm for Multiple Access Channel Networks
Authors: Aldawsari Bader A. , Jafarian Jafar Haadi
Published: January 2021

Multiple access channel (MAC) networks use a broadcasting algorithm called the Binary Exponential Backoff (BEB) to mediate access to the shared communication channel by competing nodes and resolve their collisions. While the BEB achieves fair throughput and average packet latency in jamming-free environments and relatively small networks, its performance noticeably degrades when the network is exposed to jamming or its size increases. This paper presents an alternative broadcasting algorithm called the K-tuple Full Withholding (KTFW), which significantly increases MAC networks’ resilience to jamming attacks and network growth. Through simulation, we compare the KTFW with both the BEB and the Queue Backoff (QB), an efficient and high-throughput broadcasting algorithm. We compare the three approaches against two different traffic injection models, each approximating a different environment type. Our results show that the KTFW achieves higher throughput and lower average packet latency against jamming attacks than both the BEB and the QB algorithms. The results also show that the KTFW outperforms the BEB for larger networks with or without jamming.
Incisors Extrusion with Clear Aligners Technique: A Finite Element Analysis Study
Authors: Rossini Gabriele , Modica Stefano , Parrini Simone , Deregibus Andrea , Castroflorio Tommaso
Published: January 2021

Since the low level of available evidence and the limited number of studies do not clarify whether clear aligners are a good option for extrusion, finite element (FE) analyses were performed to obtain more accurate biomechanical data about open-bite treatment in the upper arch. The aim of this study is to answer three questions: Are aligners efficient in performing upper incisor extrusion? Does the number, position, and shape of attachments influence the force system? Is posterior anchorage preserved during incisor extrusion? Six different simulations were performed with different attachment patterns. The results of this study were consistent with the biomechanical information obtained from clinical trials, and highlighted the need of better knowing undesired forces during teeth movement with clear aligners. Some attachment configuration seems to lead to a better force system. The presence of rectangular horizontal attachments on the buccal or palatal surface of upper incisors in combination with rectangular vertical attachments on posterior teeth was found to produce the most efficient force system with minimal aligner deformation.
The Challenging Riddle about the Janus-Type Role of Hsp60 and Related Extracellular Vesicles and miRNAs in Carcinogenesis and the Promises of Its Solution
Authors: David Sabrina , Vitale Alessandra Maria , Fucarino Alberto , Scalia Federica , Vergilio Giuseppe , Conway de Macario Everly , Macario Alberto J. L. , Caruso Bavisotto Celeste , Pitruzzella Alessandro
Published: January 2021

Hsp60 is one of the most ancient and evolutionarily conserved members of the chaperoning system. It typically resides within mitochondria, in which it contributes to maintaining the organelle’s proteome integrity and homeostasis. In the last few years, it has been shown that Hsp60 also occurs in other locations, intracellularly and extracellularly, including cytosol, plasma-cell membrane, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Consequently, non-canonical functions and interacting partners of Hsp60 have been identified and it has been realized that it is a hub molecule in diverse networks and pathways and that it is implicated, directly or indirectly, in the development of various pathological conditions, the Hsp60 chaperonopathies. In this review, we will focus on the multi-faceted role of this chaperonin in human cancers, showing the contribution of intra- and extracellular Hsp60 in cancer development and progression, as well as the impact of miRNA-mediated regulation of Hsp60 in carcinogenesis. There are still various aspects of this intricate biological scenario that are poorly understood but ongoing research is steadily providing new insights and we will direct attention to them. For instance, we will highlight the possible applications of the Hsp60 involvement in carcinogenesis not only in diagnosis, but also in the development of specific anti-cancer therapies centered on the use of the chaperonin as therapeutic target or agent and depending on its role, pro- or anti-tumor.
The New York City COVID-19 Spread in the 2020 Spring: A Study on the Potential Role of Particulate Using Time Series Analysis and Machine Learning
Authors: Mirri Silvia , Roccetti Marco , Delnevo Giovanni
Published: January 2021

This study investigates the potential association between the daily distribution of the PM2,5 air pollutant and the initial spreading of COVID-19 in New York City. We study the period from 4 March to 22 March 2020, and apply our analysis to all five counties, including the city, plus seven neighboring counties, including both urban and peripheral districts. Using the Granger causality methodology, and considering the maximum lag period (14 days) between infection and the correspondent diagnosis, we found that the time series of the new daily infections registered in those 12 counties appear to correlate to the time series of the concentrations of the PM2.5 particulate circulating in the air, with 33 over 36 statistical tests with a p-value less than 0.005, thus confirming such a hypothesis. Moreover, looking for further confirmation of this association, we train four different machine learning algorithms on a portion of those time series. These are able to predict that the number of the new daily infections would have surpassed a given infections threshold for the remaining portion of the series, with an average accuracy ranging from 84% to 95%, depending on the algorithm and/or on the specific county under observation. This is similar to other results obtained from several polluted urban areas, e.g., Wuhan, Xiaogan, and Huanggang in China, and Northern Italy. Our study provides further evidence that ambient air pollutants can be associated with a daily COVID-19 infection incidence.
On the Development of a Surrogate Modelling Toolbox for Virtual Assembly
Authors: Kaufmann Manuel , Effenberger Ira , Huber Marco F.
Published: January 2021

Virtual assembly (VA) is a method to simulate the physical assembly (PA) of scanned parts. Small local part deviations can accumulate to large assembly deviations limiting the product quality. The propagation of geometrical deviations onto the assembly is a crucial step in tolerance management to assess the assembly quality. Current approaches for VA do not sufficiently consider the physical joining process. Therefore, the propagated assembly geometry may deviate strongly from the PA. In the state of the art, only specific and complex methods for particular joining processes are known. In this paper, the concept of Surrogate Models (SMs) is introduced, representing the connection between part and assembly geometries for particular joining processes. A Surrogate Modelling Toolbox (SMT) is developed that is intended to cover the variety of joining processes by the implementation of suitable SMs. A particular SM is created by the composition of suitable Surrogate Operations (SOs). An open list of SOs is presented. The composition of a SM is studied for a laser welding process of two polymer components. The resulting VA is compared to the PA in order to validate the developed model and is quantified by the exploitation ratio R.
Ammonia and PM2.5 Air Pollution in Paris during the 2020 COVID Lockdown
Authors: Viatte Camille , Petit Jean-Eudes , Yamanouchi Shoma , Van Damme Martin , Doucerain Carole , Germain-Piaulenne Emeric , Gros Valérie , Favez Olivier , Clarisse Lieven , Coheur Pierre-Francois , Strong Kimberly , Clerbaux Cathy
Published: January 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown reduced anthropogenic emissions of NO2 in Paris. NO2 concentrations recorded in 2020 were the lowest they have been in the past 5 years. Despite these low-NO2 levels, Paris experienced PM2.5 pollution episodes, which were investigated here based on multi-species and multi-platform measurements. Ammonia (NH3) measurements over Paris, derived from a mini-DOAS (differential optical absorption spectroscopy) instrument and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite, revealed simultaneous enhancements during the spring PM2.5 pollution episodes. Using the IASI maps and the FLEXPART model, we show that long-range transport had a statistically significant influence on the degradation of air quality in Paris. In addition, concentrations of ammonium (NH4+) and PM2.5 were strongly correlated for all episodes observed in springtime 2020, suggesting that transport of NH3 drove a large component of the PM2.5 pollution over Paris. We found that NH3 was not the limiting factor for the formation of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), and we suggest that the conversion of ammonia to ammonium may have been the essential driver.
Flash Drought Response to Precipitation and Atmospheric Evaporative Demand in Spain
Authors: Noguera Iván , Domínguez-Castro Fernando , Vicente-Serrano Sergio M.
Published: January 2021

Flash drought is the result of strong precipitation deficits and/or anomalous increases in atmospheric evaporative demand (AED), which triggers a rapid decline in soil moisture and stresses vegetation over short periods of time. However, little is known about the role of precipitation and AED in the development of flash droughts. For this paper, we compared the standardized precipitation index (SPI) based on precipitation, the evaporative demand drought index (EDDI) based on AED, and the standardized evaporation precipitation index (SPEI) based on the differences between precipitation and AED as flash drought indicators for mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands for 1961–2018. The results show large differences in the spatial and temporal patterns of flash droughts between indices. In general, there was a high degree of consistency between the flash drought patterns identified by the SPI and SPEI, with the exception of southern Spain in the summer. The EDDI showed notable spatial and temporal differences from the SPI in winter and summer, while it exhibited great coherence with the SPEI in summer. We also examined the sensitivity of the SPEI to AED in each month of the year to explain its contribution to the possible development of flash droughts. Our findings showed that precipitation is the main driver of flash droughts in Spain, although AED can play a key role in the development of these during periods of low precipitation, especially in the driest areas and in summer.
Molecular Modeling Studies on the Multistep Reactivation Process of Organophosphate-Inhibited Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase
Authors: Jończyk Jakub , Kukułowicz Jędrzej , Łątka Kamil , Malawska Barbara , Jung Young-Sik , Musilek Kamil , Bajda Marek
Published: January 2021

Poisoning with organophosphorus compounds used as pesticides or misused as chemical weapons remains a serious threat to human health and life. Their toxic effects result from irreversible blockade of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, which causes overstimulation of the cholinergic system and often leads to serious injury or death. Treatment of organophosphorus poisoning involves, among other strategies, the administration of oxime compounds. Oximes reactivate cholinesterases by breaking the covalent bond between the serine residue from the enzyme active site and the phosphorus atom of the organophosphorus compound. Although the general mechanism of reactivation has been known for years, the exact molecular aspects determining the efficiency and selectivity of individual oximes are still not clear. This hinders the development of new active compounds. In our research, using relatively simple and widely available molecular docking methods, we investigated the reactivation of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase blocked by sarin and tabun. For the selected oximes, their binding modes at each step of the reactivation process were identified. Amino acids essential for effective reactivation and those responsible for the selectivity of individual oximes against inhibited acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase were identified. This research broadens the knowledge about cholinesterase reactivation and demonstrates the usefulness of molecular docking in the study of this process. The presented observations and methods can be used in the future to support the search for new effective reactivators.
The Effect of Acute Intense Exercise on Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Smokers and Non-Smokers
Authors: Nobari Hadi , Nejad Hamzeh Abdi , Kargarfard Mehdi , Mohseni Soghra , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Carmelo Adsuar José , Pérez-Gómez Jorge
Published: January 2021

Acute intense exercise causes significant oxidative stress and consequently an increase in total antioxidant capacity; however, the mechanisms and combined effects of intense exercise and smoking on oxidative stress among active and non-active smokers are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute intense exercise on antioxidant enzyme activity responses in active and non-active individuals exposed to cigarette smoke. The study included 40 subjects who were equally classified as: smokers that did exercise (SE), smokers that did not do exercise (SnE), non-smokers that did exercise (NSE), and non-smokers that did not do exercise (NSnE). The adjusted Astrand test was used to exhaust the subjects. Salivary enzymes of peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured, by spectrophotometry methods, at 3 different time points: pre-test (TP1), post-test (TP2), and one hour after finishing the test (TP3). Significant (p < 0.05) group x time interactions were found for the three enzymes. Salivary POX, CAT and SOD increased in all groups from TP1 to TP2 and decreased from TP2 to TP3. Only the NSE showed a significant difference between TP1 to TP3 in POX and SOD by +0.011 ± 0.007 and +0.075 ± 0.020 (U/mL), respectively. The NSE showed significantly higher activity of POX, CAT and SOD in TP2 compared to the other groups. Furthermore, NSE and NSnE had higher activity of POX, CAT and SOD in TP1 and TP3 (p < 0.05) compared with SE and SnE. Only in the NSnE, were no differences observed in CAT compared with SE and SnE in TP3. These results showed that the antioxidant activity at rest and in the recovery time after the acute intense exercise was lower in SE and SnE compared with NSE and NSnE, suggesting that smoking habit may reduce the ameliorating effect of regular physical activity on acute exercise-induced oxidative stress.
HuR Protein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Implications in Development, Prognosis and Treatment
Authors: Papatheofani Vasiliki , Levidou Georgia , Sarantis Panagiotis , Koustas Evangelos , Karamouzis Michalis V. , Pergaris Alexandros , Kouraklis Gregorios , Theocharis Stamatios
Published: January 2021

Hu-antigen R (HuR) is a post-transcriptional regulator that belongs to the embryonic lethal abnormal vision Drosophila-like family (ELAV). HuR regulates the stability, translation, subcellular localization, and degradation of several target mRNAs, which are implicated in carcinogenesis and could affect therapeutic options. HuR protein is consistently highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to the adjacent normal liver tissue and is involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of various genes implicated in liver malignant transformation. Additionally, HuR protein seems to be a putative prognosticator in HCC, predicting worse survival. This review summarizes the recent evidence regarding the role of HuR in primary liver tumors, as presented in clinical studies, in vitro experiments and in vivo animal models. In conclusion, our review supports the consistent role of HuR protein in the development, prognosis, and treatment of HCC. Additional studies are expected to expand current information and exploit its putative employment as a future candidate for more personalized treatment in these tumors.
Energy Performance of School Buildings by Construction Periods in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Katić Dragan , Krstić Hrvoje , Marenjak Saša
Published: January 2021

This paper is part of broader research aimed at determining the relationship between energy performance and energy costs as a part of the operational and life cycle costs in school buildings in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), as exceptionally important social and public buildings. The research was conducted by statistical analysis of data collected from documents of detailed energy audits (DEA) for 185 school buildings in FBiH in relation to construction periods. The paper analyzes the characteristics of buildings such as construction period, building envelope characteristics, climatic conditions, efficiency of installed space heating system, number of users and heating mode. The aim of this research was to determine the energy performance for the existing state and to compare them with the allowable values in accordance with the applicable legal regulations. There is a performance gap between predicted (calculated) and measured (actual) delivered energy for space heating. This research shows poor energy performance and provides a basis for developing strategies and plans to improve energy efficiency. The results of the energy performance of school buildings in the FBiH are the first step towards the development of a model for predicting energy costs.
Integrin α3β1 Promotes Invasive and Metastatic Properties of Breast Cancer Cells through Induction of the Brn-2 Transcription Factor
Authors: Miskin Rakshitha Pandulal , Warren Janine S. A. , Ndoye Abibatou , Wu Lei , Lamar John M. , DiPersio C. Michael
Published: January 2021

In the current study, we demonstrate that integrin α3β1 promotes invasive and metastatic traits of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells through induction of the transcription factor, Brain-2 (Brn-2). We show that RNAi-mediated suppression of α3β1 in MDA-MB-231 cells caused reduced expression of Brn-2 mRNA and protein and reduced activity of the BRN2 gene promoter. In addition, RNAi-targeting of Brn-2 in MDA-MB-231 cells decreased invasion in vitro and lung colonization in vivo, and exogenous Brn-2 expression partially restored invasion to cells in which α3β1 was suppressed. α3β1 promoted phosphorylation of Akt in MDA-MB-231 cells, and treatment of these cells with a pharmacological Akt inhibitor (MK-2206) reduced both Brn-2 expression and cell invasion, indicating that α3β1-Akt signaling contributes to Brn-2 induction. Analysis of RNAseq data from patients with invasive breast carcinoma revealed that high BRN2 expression correlates with poor survival. Moreover, high BRN2 expression positively correlates with high ITGA3 expression in basal-like breast cancer, which is consistent with our experimental findings that α3β1 induces Brn-2 in TNBC cells. Together, our study demonstrates a pro-invasive/pro-metastatic role for Brn-2 in breast cancer cells and identifies a role for integrin α3β1 in regulating Brn-2 expression, thereby revealing a novel mechanism of integrin-dependent breast cancer cell invasion.
TFEB Supports Pancreatic Cancer Growth through the Transcriptional Regulation of Glutaminase
Authors: Kim Ji Hye , Lee Jinyoung , Cho Young-Ra , Lee So-Yeon , Sung Gi-Jun , Shin Dong-Myung , Choi Kyung-Chul , Son Jaekyoung
Published: January 2021

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a master regulator of lysosomal function and autophagy. In addition, TFEB has various physiological roles such as nutrient sensing, cellular stress responses, and immune responses. However, the precise roles of TFEB in pancreatic cancer growth remain unclear. Here, we show that pancreatic cancer cells exhibit a significantly elevated TFEB expression compared with normal tissue samples and that the genetic inhibition of TFEB results in a significant inhibition in both glutamine and mitochondrial metabolism, which in turn suppresses the PDAC growth both in vitro and in vivo. High basal levels of autophagy are critical for pancreatic cancer growth. The TFEB knockdown had no significant effect on the autophagic flux under normal conditions but interestingly caused a profound reduction in glutaminase (GLS) transcription, leading to an inhibition of glutamine metabolism. We observed that the direct binding of TFEB to the GLS and TFEB gene promotors regulates the transcription of GLS. We also found that the glutamate supplementation leads to a significant recovery of the PDAC growth that had been reduced by a TFEB knockdown. Taken together, our current data demonstrate that TFEB supports the PDAC cell growth by regulating glutaminase-mediated glutamine metabolism.
ID1 and ID4 Are Biomarkers of Tumor Aggressiveness and Poor Outcome in Immunophenotypes of Breast Cancer
Authors: Garcia-Escolano Marta , Montoyo-Pujol Yoel G. , Ortiz-Martinez Fernando , Ponce Jose J. , Delgado-Garcia Silvia , Martin Tina A. , Ballester Hortensia , Aranda F. Ignacio , Castellon-Molla Elena , Sempere-Ortells J. Miguel , Peiro Gloria
Published: January 2021

Inhibitor of differentiation (ID) proteins are a family of transcription factors that contribute to maintaining proliferation during embryogenesis as they avoid cell differentiation. Afterward, their expression is mainly silenced, but their reactivation and contribution to tumor development have been suggested. In breast cancer (BC), the overexpression of ID1 has been previously described. However, whether the remaining ID genes have a specific role in this neoplasia is still unclear. We studied the mRNA expression of all ID genes by q RT-PCR in BC cell lines and 307 breast carcinomas, including all BC subtypes. Our results showed that ID genes are highly expressed in all cell lines tested. However, ID4 presented higher expression in BC cell lines compared to a healthy breast epithelium cell line. In accordance, ID1 and ID4 were predominantly overexpressed in Triple-Negative and HER2-enriched samples. Moreover, high levels of both genes were associated with larger tumor size, histological grade 3, necrosis and vascular invasion, and poorer patients’ outcomes. In conclusion, ID1 and ID4 may act as biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness and worse prognosis in breast cancer, and they could be used as potential targets for new treatments discover.