bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Properties of Magnetic Fe3O4/PCL Porous Biocomposite Scaffolds with Different Sizes and Quantities of Fe3O4 Particles
Authors: Ge Jianhua , Asmatulu Ramazan , Zhu Bo , Zhang Qiu , Yang Shang-You
Published: June 2022

In clinical practice, to treat diseases such as osteosarcoma or chondrosarcoma with broad surgical ostectomy, it would be ideal to have scaffolds that not only fill up the bone void but also possess the ability to regulate the subsequent regimes for targeted chemotherapy and/or bone regeneration. Magnetic targeting of therapeutic agents to specific sites in the body provides certain advantages such as minimal side-effects of anti-cancer drugs. The objective of this study was to characterize novel magnetic scaffolds that can be used as a central station to regulate the drug delivery of a magnetic nanoparticle system. Different sizes and quantities of Fe3O4 particles were mixed with poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) to construct the magnetic scaffolds, and their mechanical properties, degradation performance, and cell biocompatibility were evaluated. It appeared that the presence of Fe3O4 particles influenced the magnetic, mechanical, and biological performances of the scaffolds. The prepared bio-nanocomposite scaffolds provided predominantly magnetic/superparamagnetic properties. Scaffolds with a micron-sized Fe3O4 to PCL weight (wt) ratio of 0.1:0.9 exhibited higher mechanical performances among samples, with Young’s modulus reaching 1 MPa and stiffness, 13 N/mm. Although an increased Fe3O4 particle proportion mildly influenced cell growth during the biocompatibility test, none of the Fe3O4/PCL scaffolds showed a cytotoxic effect.
Effects of Extreme Light Cycle and Density on Melatonin, Appetite, and Energy Metabolism of the Soft-Shelled Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)
Authors: Tang Zhonghua , Liu Shifan , Niu Cuijuan
Published: June 2022

Constant darkness and constant light exposure often disturb the circadian rhythm in the behavior and energy metabolism of vertebrates. Melatonin is known as the hormonal mediator of photoperiodic information to the central nervous system and plays a key role in food intake and energy balance regulation in vertebrates. The popularly cultured soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis has been reported to grow better under constant darkness; however, the underlying physiological mechanism by which darkness benefits turtle growth is not clear yet. We hypothesized that increased melatonin levels induced by darkness would increase appetite and energy metabolism and thus promote growth in P. sinensis. In addition, in order to elucidate the interaction of photoperiod and density, juvenile turtles were treated under three photoperiods (light/dark cycle: 24L:0D, 12L:12D, 0L:24D, light density 900 lux) and two stocking densities (high density: 38.10 ind./m2, low density: 6.35 ind./m2) for 4 weeks, and then the blood and brain tissues of turtles were collected during the day (11:00–13:00) and at night (23:00–1:00) after 2 days of fasting. We examined changes in plasma melatonin levels, food intake (FI), and appetite-related hormones (plasma ghrelin and leptin), as well as growth and energy metabolism parameters such as specific growth rate (SGR), standard metabolic rate (SMR), plasma growth hormone (GH), and thyroid hormone/enzyme activity (plasma triiodothyronine T3, thyroxine T4, and T45′-deiodinase activity). Moreover, we also assessed the responses of mRNA expression levels of food intake-related genes (kisspeptin 1 (Kiss1); cocaine amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART); neuropeptide Y (NPY)) in the brain. The results showed that under high density, SGR was the lowest in 24L:0D and the highest in 0L:24D. FI was the highest in 0L:24D regardless of density. Plasma melatonin was the highest in 0L:24D under high density at night. SMR increased with decreasing light time regardless of density. Most expressions of the measured appetite-related genes (Kiss1, CART, and NPY) were not affected by photoperiod, nor were the related hormone levels, such as plasma leptin, ghrelin, and GH. However, thyroid hormones were clearly affected by photoperiod. T3 level in 0L:24D under high density during the day was the highest among all treatment groups. T4 in 24L:0D under high density during the day and T45′-deiodinase activity in 24L:0D under low density at night were significantly reduced compared with the control. Furthermore, the energy metabolism-related hormone levels were higher under higher density, especially during the day. Together, melatonin secretion is not only modulated by light but also likely to be regulated by unknown endogenous factors and density. Altered plasma melatonin induced by constant darkness and density seems to be involved in the modulation of energy metabolism rather than appetite in the soft-shelled turtle.
Pitfalls of Antiretroviral Therapy: Current Status and Long-Term CNS Toxicity
Authors: Rudd Harrison , Toborek Michal
Published: June 2022

HIV can traverse the BBB using a Trojan horse-like mechanism. Hidden within infected immune cells, HIV can infiltrate the highly safeguarded CNS and propagate disease. Once integrated within the host genome, HIV becomes a stable provirus, which can remain dormant, evade detection by the immune system or antiretroviral therapy (ART), and result in rebound viraemia. As ART targets actively replicating HIV, has low BBB penetrance, and exposes patients to long-term toxicity, further investigation into novel therapeutic approaches is required. Viral proteins can be produced by latent HIV, which may play a synergistic role alongside ART in promoting neuroinflammatory pathophysiology. It is believed that the ability to specifically target these proviral reservoirs would be a vital driving force towards a cure for HIV infection. A novel drug design platform, using the in-tandem administration of several therapeutic approaches, can be used to precisely target the various components of HIV infection, ultimately leading to the eradication of active and latent HIV and a functional cure for HIV. The aim of this review is to explore the pitfalls of ART and potential novel therapeutic alternatives.
The “Cerebrospinal Fluid Sink Therapeutic Strategy” in Alzheimer’s Disease—From Theory to Design of Applied Systems
Authors: Schreiner Thomas Gabriel , Menéndez-González Manuel , Popescu Bogdan Ovidiu
Published: June 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a global health problem, with incidence and prevalence considered to increase during the next decades. However, no currently available effective treatment exists despite numerous clinical trials in progress. Moreover, although many hypotheses are accepted regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms of AD onset and evolution, there are still many unknowns about the disorder. A relatively new approach, based on the amyloid-beta dynamics among different biological compartments, is currently intensely discussed, as it seems to offer a promising solution with significant therapeutic impact. Known as the “cerebrospinal-fluid-sink therapeutic strategy”, part of the “three-sink therapeutic strategy”, this theoretical model focuses on the dynamics of amyloid-beta among the three main liquid compartments of the human body, namely blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and the (brain) interstitial fluid. In this context, this article aims to describe in detail the abovementioned hypothesis, by reviewing in the first part the most relevant anatomical and physiological aspects of amyloid-beta dynamics. Subsequently, explored therapeutic strategies based on the clearance of amyloid-beta from the cerebrospinal fluid level are presented, additionally highlighting their limitations. Finally, the originality and novelty of this work rely on the research experience of the authors, who focus on implantable devices and their utility in AD treatment.
Novel Rivastigmine Derivatives as Promising Multi-Target Compounds for Potential Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Vicente-Zurdo David , Rosales-Conrado Noelia , León-González M. Eugenia , Brunetti Leonardo , Piemontese Luca , Pereira-Santos A. Raquel , Cardoso Sandra M. , Madrid Yolanda , Chaves Sílvia , Santos M. Amélia
Published: June 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most serious and prevalent neurodegenerative disorder still without cure. Since its aetiology is diverse, recent research on anti-AD drugs has been focused on multi-target compounds. In this work, seven novel hybrids (RIV–BIM) conjugating the active moiety of the drug rivastigmine (RIV) with 2 isomeric hydroxyphenylbenzimidazole (BIM) units were developed and studied. While RIV assures the inhibition of cholinesterases, BIM provides further appropriate properties, such as inhibition of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) aggregation, antioxidation and metal chelation. The evaluated biological properties of these hybrids included antioxidant activity; inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and Aβ42 aggregation; as well as promotion of cell viability and neuroprotection. All the compounds are better inhibitors of AChE than rivastigmine (IC50 = 32.1 µM), but compounds of series 5 are better inhibitors of BChE (IC50 = 0.9−1.7 µM) than those of series 4. Series 5 also showed good capacity to inhibit self- (42.1−58.7%) and Cu(II)-induced (40.3−60.8%) Aβ aggregation and also to narrow (22.4−42.6%) amyloid fibrils, the relevant compounds being 5b and 5d. Some of these compounds can also prevent the toxicity induced in SH-SY5Y cells by Aβ42 and oxidative stress. Therefore, RIV–BIM hybrids seem to be potential drug candidates for AD with multi-target abilities.
Modulating the Fibrillization of Parathyroid-Hormone (PTH) Peptides: Azo-Switches as Reversible and Catalytic Entities
Authors: Paschold André , Voigt Bruno , Hause Gerd , Kohlmann Tim , Rothemund Sven , Binder Wolfgang H.
Published: June 2022

We here report a novel strategy to control the bioavailability of the fibrillizing parathyroid hormone (PTH)-derived peptides, where the concentration of the bioactive form is controlled by an reversible, photoswitchable peptide. PTH1–84, a human hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands, is important for the maintenance of extracellular fluid calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Controlling fibrillization of PTH1–84 represents an important approach for in vivo applications, in view of the pharmaceutical applications for this protein. We embed the azobenzene derivate 3-{[(4-aminomethyl)phenyl]diazenyl}benzoic acid (3,4′-AMPB) into the PTH-derived peptide PTH25–37 to generate the artificial peptide AzoPTH25–37 via solid-phase synthesis. AzoPTH25–37 shows excellent photostability (more than 20 h in the dark) and can be reversibly photoswitched between its cis/trans forms. As investigated by ThT-monitored fibrillization assays, the trans-form of AzoPTH25–37 fibrillizes similar to PTH25–37, while the cis-form of AzoPTH25–37 generates only amorphous aggregates. Additionally, cis-AzoPTH25–37 catalytically inhibits the fibrillization of PTH25–37 in ratios of up to one-fifth. The approach reported here is designed to control the concentration of PTH-peptides, where the bioactive form can be catalytically controlled by an added photoswitchable peptide.
Assessing Detection Accuracy of Computerized Sonographic Features and Computer-Assisted Reading Performance in Differentiating Thyroid Cancers
Authors: Tai Hao-Chih , Chen Kuen-Yuan , Wu Ming-Hsun , Chang King-Jen , Chen Chiung-Nien , Chen Argon
Published: June 2022

For ultrasound imaging of thyroid nodules, medical guidelines are all based on findings of sonographic features to provide clinicians management recommendations. Due to the recent development of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) technologies, there have been computer-assisted detection (CAD) software devices available for clinical use to detect and quantify the sonographic features of thyroid nodules. This study is to validate the accuracy of the computerized sonographic features (CSF) by a CAD software device, namely, AmCAD-UT, and then to assess how the reading performance of clinicians (readers) can be improved providing the computerized features. The feature detection accuracy is tested against the ground truth established by a panel of thyroid specialists and a multiple-reader multiple-case (MRMC) study is performed to assess the sequential reading performance with the assistance of the CSF. Five computerized features, including anechoic area, hyperechoic foci, hypoechoic pattern, heterogeneous texture, and indistinct margin, were tested, with AUCs ranging from 0.888~0.946, 0.825~0.913, 0.812~0.847, 0.627~0.77, and 0.676~0.766, respectively. With the five CSFs, the sequential reading performance of 18 clinicians is found significantly improved, with the AUC increasing from 0.720 without CSF to 0.776 with CSF. Our studies show that the computerized features are consistent with the clinicians’ findings and provide additional value in assisting sonographic diagnosis.
A Rapid Tricolour Immunochromatographic Assay for Simultaneous Detection of Tricaine and Malachite Green
Authors: Lu Yi-Kuan , Xu Di , Liu Wen-Yue , Xie Jing , Lu Ying
Published: June 2022

In this research, we designed a rapid tricolour immunochromatographic test strip with double test lines (TS-DTL) and two-colour AuNP probes, which realised the simultaneous detection of tricaine mesylate (TMS) and malachite green (MG). Through a distinct tricolour system (red T1 line, blue T2 line and purple C line), a visual identification of TMS (0.2 μg/mL) and MG (0.5 μg/mL) was quickly achieved on site, which improved the accuracy of naked eye observations. The LODs of TMS in aquaculture water, fish and shrimp were 11.0, 29.6 and 61.4 ng/mL, respectively. MG LODs were 47.0 ng/mL (aquaculture water), 82.8 ng/mL (fish) and 152.4 ng/mL (shrimp). The LOD of MG was close to the similar TS methods. However, visual detection of TMS could meet the requirements of the residue limit (1 μg/mL) of TMS in the USA, and the quantitative detection of TMS was over 16 times lower than the USA standard. The developed platform was rapid (~20 min, HPLC~3 h) and accurate, which was verified using a traditional HPLC method. The recovery rates ranged from 82.2% to 108.6% in three types of real samples, indicating a potential application in on-site fast screening or multiple detection for TMS and MG residues in aquatic products.
The Neurobiological Basis of Love: A Meta-Analysis of Human Functional Neuroimaging Studies of Maternal and Passionate Love
Authors: Shih Hsuan-Chu , Kuo Mu-En , Wu Changwei , Chao Yi-Ping , Huang Hsu-Wen , Huang Chih-Mao
Published: June 2022

Maternal and passionate love are both crucial for reproduction and involve attachment behaviors with high rewards. Neurobiological studies of attachment in animal and human neuroimaging studies have suggested that the coordination of oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic pathways, coupled with the dopaminergic reward system, contribute to the formation and maintenance of maternal and passionate love. In the present study, we carried out a quantitative meta-analysis of human neuroimaging to identify common and dissociable neural substrates associated with maternal and passionate love, using the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) approach. The ALE results showed significant activation of the brain regions in the left ventral tegmental area (VTA), right thalamus, left substantia nigra, and the left putamen for maternal love, but in the bilateral VTA for passionate love. The meta-analytic neuroimaging evidence suggests the greater involvement of cognitive–affective regulation in maternal attachment and the greater desire to combine liking and wanting in romantic love behaviors. The conjunction analysis highlights the functional convergence of the VTA across the two types of human love, indicating a shared neurobiological mechanism of maternal and passionate love with evolutionary roots. Our findings suggest that the processing of both maternal and passionate love involve the affective and motivational regulation associated with dopaminergic systems; our neuroimaging evidence supports the notion that maternal and passionate love share a common evolutionary origin and neurobiological basis in the human brain.
Accurate Identification of ADHD among Adults Using Real-Time Activity Data
Authors: Kaur Amandeep , Kahlon Karanjeet Singh
Published: June 2022

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment disorder that affects millions of children and typically persists into adulthood. It must be diagnosed efficiently and consistently to receive adequate treatment, otherwise, it can have a detrimental impact on the patient’s professional performance, mental health, and relationships. In this work, motor activity data of adults suffering from ADHD and clinical controls has been preprocessed to obtain 788 activity-related statistical features. Afterwards, principal component analysis has been carried out to obtain significant features for accurate classification. These features are then fed into six different machine learning algorithms for classification, which include C4.5, kNN, Random Forest, LogitBoost, SVM, and Naive Bayes. The detailed evaluation of the results through 10-fold cross-validation reveals that SVM outperforms other classifiers with an accuracy of 98.43%, F-measure of 98.42%, sensitivity of 98.33%, specificity of 98.56% and AUC of 0.983. Thus, a PCA-based SVM approach appears to be an effective choice for accurate identification of ADHD patients among other clinical controls using real-time analysis of activity data.
Physiological and Neural Changes with Rehabilitation Training in a 53-Year Amputee: A Case Study
Authors: Mao Lin , Lu Xiao , Yu Chao , Yin Kuiying
Published: June 2022

Many people who received amputation wear sEMG prostheses to assist in their daily lives. How these prostheses promote muscle growth and change neural activity remains elusive. We recruited a subject who had his left hand amputated for over 53 years to participate in a six-week rehabilitation training using an sEMG prosthesis. We tracked the muscle growth of his left forearm and changes in neural activity over six weeks. The subject showed an increase in fast muscle fiber in his left forearm during the training period. In an analysis of complex networks of neural activity, we observed that the α-band network decreased in efficiency but increased in its capability to integrate information. This could be due to an expansion of the network to accommodate new movements enabled by rehabilitation training. Differently, we found that in the β-band network, a band frequency related to motor functions, the efficiency of the network initially decreased but started to increase after approximately three weeks. The ability to integrate network information showed an opposite trend compared with its efficiency. rMT values, a measure that negatively correlates with cortical excitability, showed a sharp decrease in the first three weeks, suggesting an increase in cortical excitability. In the last three weeks, there was little to no change. These data indicate that rehabilitation training promoted fast muscle fiber growth and introduced neural activity changes in the subject during the first three weeks of training. Our study gave insights into how rehabilitation training with an sEMG prosthesis could lead to physiological and neural changes in amputees.
A Bi-Objective Model for Scheduling Construction Projects Using Critical Chain Method and Interval-Valued Fuzzy Sets
Authors: Dalouchei Fatemeh , Mousavi Seyed Meysam , Antucheviciene Jurgita , Minaei Ahmad
Published: June 2022

Numerous constraints affect construction projects, and lack of management may lead to schedule deviation. In the execution phase of the project, due to the lack of timely access to the required resources and the existence of uncertainty, the project activities do not progress following the schedule, and as a result, schedule deviation occurs. The scheduling addresses resource constraints by the critical chain method and deals with delays in activities by placing buffers that have emerged as a method for scheduling construction projects. This paper presents a new bi-objective mathematical model which aims to reduce delay and increase quality, based on the critical chain method and resource constraint for scheduling construction projects. In the proposed model, the activities have been considered multi-mode ones. Moreover, this paper has assumed each activity to be executed in a normal or crashing way. Due to the uncertainty in real-world problems, the duration of the activity is expressed using triangular interval-valued fuzzy numbers. A new interval-valued fuzzy solution process is presented in this paper using a two-step approach. First, the equivalent crisp model is given; then in the second step, a goal programming approach is applied for transforming the bi-objective model into the single-objective one. Finally, the mathematical model is implemented on a case study adapted from the literature, and sensitivity analysis of the results is conducted.
The Influence of Transient Changes in Indoor and Outdoor Thermal Comfort on the Use of Outdoor Space by Older Adults in the Nursing Home
Authors: Zong Hua , Wang Jiao , Zhou Ting , Sun Jiarui , Chen Xuehong
Published: June 2022

Recently, the requirements regarding the environment of nursing homes are high, because the elderly are a vulnerable group with limited adaptive capacity to respond to transient environmental change. This paper presents a field investigation on the influence of transient thermal comfort changes between the indoor and outdoor spaces (i.e., air temperature (Ta), solar radiation (SR), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), and the thermal comfort indices of Universal Thermal Index (UTCI)) on the willingness of the elderly to use outdoor spaces of the Wanxia nursing home of Chengdu City. Results indicated that, in summer, the mean UTCI values of indoor and corridor spaces corresponded to the level of moderate heat stress, while those of road and garden corresponded to the strong heat stress level. Road and garden spaces even showed moderate heat stress in spring. Approximately 28.93% (139) of the elderly living here used outdoor spaces every day. The morning period (from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) was the elderly’s favorited period for using outdoor spaces in seasons. The microclimatic transient differences between indoor and outdoor spaces ranged from 0.47 °C to 2.93 °C (|ΔTa|), from 86.09 W/m2 to 206.76 W/m2 (|ΔSR|), from 5.29% to 14.76% (ΔRH), from 0.01 m/s to 0.07 m/s (|ΔWS|), and from 0.25 °C to 2.25 °C (ΔUTCI). These big microclimate differences could cause enormous health risks for the elderly in the process of indoor and outdoor space conversion. The minimal transient change occurred between corridors and indoors. Pearson correlation analysis indicated ΔTa and ΔRH between indoor and outdoor spaces were the primary meteorological factors that influenced the elderly’s willing to use outdoor spaces. The elderly preferred to live in a constant Ta and RH environment. Only when the ΔTa and ΔRH are small enough to resemble a steady-state (ΔUTCI ≤ 0.5 °C), ΔWS and ΔSI could affect the elderly’s choice of using outdoor space. Optimal design strategies were put forward for reducing the transient differences between indoor and outdoor microclimates to inspire the elderly to use outdoor spaces safely, including improving outdoor canopy coverage and indoor mechanical ventilation.
CD73 Promotes Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Authors: Allard David , Chrobak Pavel , Bareche Yacine , Allard Bertrand , Tessier Priscilla , Bergeron Marjorie A. , Johnson Nathalie A. , Stagg John
Published: June 2022

The ecto-nucleotidase CD73 is an important immune checkpoint in tumor immunity that cooperates with CD39 to hydrolyze pro-inflammatory extracellular ATP into immunosuppressive adenosine. While the role of CD73 in immune evasion of solid cancers is well established, its role in leukemia remains unclear. To investigate the role of CD73 in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mice that spontaneously develop CLL were crossed with CD73−/− mice. Disease progression in peripheral blood and spleen, and CLL markers were evaluated by flow cytometry and survival was compared to CD73-proficient Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mice. We observed that CD73 deficiency significantly delayed CLL progression and prolonged survival in Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mice, and was associated with increased accumulation of IFN-γ+ T cells and effector-memory CD8+ T cells. Neutralizing IFN-γ abrogated the survival advantage of CD73-deficient Eµ-TCL1 mice. Intriguingly, the beneficial effects of CD73 deletion were restricted to male mice. In females, CD73 deficiency was uniquely associated with the upregulation of CD39 in normal lymphocytes and sustained high PD-L1 expression on CLL cells. In vitro studies revealed that adenosine signaling via the A2a receptor enhanced PD-L1 expression on Eµ-TCL1-derived CLL cells, and a genomic analysis of human CLL samples found that PD-L1 correlated with adenosine signaling. Our study, thus, identified CD73 as a pro-leukemic immune checkpoint in CLL and uncovered a previously unknown sex bias for the CD73-adenosine pathway.
Impact of Lung Metastasis versus Metastasis of Bone, Brain, or Liver on Overall Survival and Thyroid Cancer-Specific Survival of Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Zhong Miaochun , Khan Farhana Zerin , He Xianghong , Cui Lingfei , Lei Kefeng , Ge Minghua
Published: June 2022

We investigate the impact of lung metastasis versus metastasis of bone, brain, or liver on overall survival (OS) and thyroid cancer-specific survival (TCSS) in patients with thyroid cancer (TC). Therefore, de-identified SEER 18 registry data of primary TC patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2016 were analyzed. The primary outcome was the prognosis of TC patients with lung metastasis compared with other sites. The secondary outcomes included the prognosis comparison between patients with and without surgery and between single and multiple metastasis sites. Isolated lung metastasis was associated with worse OS and TCSS than bone metastasis (both p < 0.05) and was associated with worse OS than liver metastasis (p = 0.0467). Surgery performed either for the primary or distant site was associated with better OS and TCSS in patients with metastasis of lung or bone (p < 0.05). Isolated lung metastasis was related to better OS and TCSS than lung–liver, lung–brain, and lung–other multiple metastases. The multivariable analysis revealed that age < 55 years, surgery to the primary site, and to the distant site(s) were associated with better outcomes, while T4 and Tx were associated with worse outcomes. Nevertheless, it revealed that the other race (i.e., any race other than white, black, or unknown) and male gender were associated with better TCSS only (p < 0.05). Isolated lung metastasis is associated with a worse prognosis in TC patients compared with bone or liver metastasis. Surgery performed either for the primary or distant site(s) is associated with better survival outcomes in TC patients with metastasis of lung or bone.
Cellular Senescence in Age-Related Diseases: Molecular Bases and Therapeutic Interventions
Authors: Buoso Erica , Attanzio Alessandro , Biundo Fabrizio
Published: June 2022

Due to the increase in life expectancy, the aging population around the globe has been growing significantly and is estimated to triple by 2050 [...]
Cytoplasmic LMO2-LDB1 Complex Activates STAT3 Signaling through Interaction with gp130-JAK in Glioma Stem Cells
Authors: Park Cheol Gyu , Choi Sang-Hun , Lee Seon Yong , Eun Kiyoung , Park Min Gi , Jang Junseok , Jeong Hyeon Ju , Kim Seong Jin , Jeong Sohee , Lee Kanghun , Kim Hyunggee
Published: June 2022

The oncogenic role of nuclear LIM domain only 2 (LMO2) as a transcriptional regulator is well established, but its function in the cytoplasm is largely unknown. Here, we identified LMO2 as a cytoplasmic activator for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in glioma stem cells (GSCs) through biochemical and bioinformatics analyses. LMO2 increases STAT3 phosphorylation by interacting with glycoprotein 130 (gp130) and Janus kinases (JAKs). LMO2-driven activation of STAT3 signaling requires the LDB1 protein and leads to increased expression of an inhibitor of differentiation 1 (ID1), a master regulator of cancer stemness. Our findings indicate that the cytoplasmic LMO2-LDB1 complex plays a crucial role in the activation of the GSC signaling cascade via interaction with gp130 and JAK1/2. Thus, LMO2-LDB1 is a bona fide oncogenic protein complex that activates either the JAK-STAT signaling cascade in the cytoplasm or direct transcriptional regulation in the nucleus.
New Technological Approach for the Evaluation of Postural Control Abilities in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Martini Giada , Beani Elena , Filogna Silvia , Menici Valentina , Cioni Giovanni , Battini Roberta , Sgandurra Giuseppina
Published: June 2022

Background: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) causes difficulties in postural control which are crucial to assess due to their impact on everyday life. There is a lack of suitable tools to acquire quantitative data and deeply analyze postural control, especially during the developmental age. The aim of this study is to investigate postural control skills in children with DCD and typically developing children (TD) using the Virtual Reality Rehabilitation System (VRRS). Methods: 18 children with DCD and 30 TD children (mean age 9.12 ± 2.65 and 7.12 ± 2.77 years, respectively) were tested by using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children Second Edition (MABC-2) and a VRRS stabilometric balance platform. A t-test was performed to identify differences in the VRRS parameters between the two groups. Furthermore, we investigated whether a correlation exists between the VRRS data and the MABC-2. Results: Significant differences (p < 0.05) in mean distance and frequency of the COP are found in the two groups. These parameters also correlate with the MABC-2 total score (p ≤ 0.05) and balance subscales (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: This study opens a new frontier for the assessment of postural skills in children with DCD and represents a potential basis for a tailored rehabilitation program, from which their postural stability and, consequently, their everyday life will benefit.
Study on the Durability of Hydraulic Lime Soil Mixed with Sodium Methyl Silicate
Authors: Ma Qingwen , Liu Qing , Cheng Kaidi , Liu Sihan
Published: June 2022

Natural hydraulic lime soil has good mechanical properties; as an earthen ruin restoration material, its durability is insufficient. Despite natural hydraulic lime being a topic that has been studied for several years from different researchers, it has not yet been fully considered for the improvement of durability. This work aims to experimentally investigate the enhancement of the durability properties of hydraulic lime-based. The performance of natural hydraulic limestone by adding sodium methyl silicate and organic silicon is examined and the effect of adding sodium methyl silicate on its performance and microstructure is studied. The 6%, 10%, and 15% lime–soil comparison test blocks of sodium silicate were compared with different lime–soil comparison test blocks not mixed with sodium methyl silicate; in addition to compression resistance, shear resistance, water absorption, and erosion resistance, dry–wet cycles were carried out, as well as microstructure testing and analysis. The results show that the addition of sodium methyl silicate enhances the compressive strength of hydraulic lime-modified soil, reduces its saturated water absorption, reduces its shear strength, improves its resistance to dry and wet cycles, and forms on the surface of the modified soil particles. The hydrophobic layer further improves its erosion resistance and water resistance. When the sodium methyl silicate content is 0.3%, the natural hydraulic lime soil has good mechanical properties and good durability, which is the optimal ratio.
Design and Analysis of a Robotic End-Effector for Automated Hi-Lok Nut Installation
Authors: Jiang Jiefeng , Xi Fengfeng (Jeff) , Bi Yunbo
Published: June 2022

The automated installation of hi-lok nuts by the robot is an effective way to replace tedious manual labor. For this purpose, an appropriate end-effector needs to be designed to carry out the feeding, alignment and fastening tasks. According to the installation process of hi-lok nuts, a motor driven fastening tool is designed with two parts: the front nut runner and rear driving shaft. The fastening task is modeled based on the force balances in the nut screwing action, which present the nut runner can rotate the nut as well as feed it axially. Then, a feeding-alignment (FA) device is designed to engage the nut feeding for fastening tool. The alignment action is modeled through the force balance about hi-lok nut involved with the nut gripper and nut runner. Finally, a tool end-effector has been built and integrated with an industrial robot. The successful implementation of automated installation of hi-lok nut demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed installation method and the validation of the designed robotic end-effector.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol Red in Water on Nb(x)/TiO2 Nanocomposites
Authors: Almulhem Najla , Awada Chawki , Shaalan Nagih M.
Published: June 2022

In this paper, the photocatalytic effect of Nb(x)/TiO2 nanocomposites on the degradation of phenol red (PR) was studied. Nb(x)/TiO2 nanocomposites are fabricated by a simple sol-gel route with new experimental conditions. The structural and optical properties were determined using high transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy. Compared to pure anatase TiO2, the recently fabricated Nb(x)/TiO2 nanocomposite has a shift in the optical band edge to the visible wavelength. Consequently, it has high performance in adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activities. A time of 160 min has been observed to be suitable for mostly degradable 20 mgL−1 of phenol red on Nb(2.0)/TiO2 composite. The kinetic results were in good agreement with the first-order kinetic model at different concentrations. In addition, the results showed that the addition of Nb led to a significant degradation process. The decomposition of phenol red pollutants showed a synergistic effect of the Nb(2.0)/TiO2 nanocomposites on wastewater treatment.
Pulmonary Lesion Classification Framework Using the Weighted Ensemble Classification with Random Forest and CNN Models for EBUS Images
Authors: Khomkham Banphatree , Lipikorn Rajalida
Published: June 2022

Lung cancer is a deadly disease with a high mortality rate. Endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) is one of the methods for detecting pulmonary lesions. Computer-aided diagnosis of pulmonary lesions from images can help radiologists to classify lesions; however, most of the existing methods need a large volume of data to give good results. Thus, this paper proposes a novel pulmonary lesion classification framework for EBUS images that works well with small datasets. The proposed framework integrates the statistical results from three classification models using the weighted ensemble classification. The three classification models include the radiomics feature and patient data-based model, the single-image-based model, and the multi-patch-based model. The radiomics features are combined with the patient data to be used as input data for the random forest, whereas the EBUS images are used as input data to the other two CNN models. The performance of the proposed framework was evaluated on a set of 200 EBUS images consisting of 124 malignant lesions and 76 benign lesions. The experimental results show that the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the curve are 95.00%, 100%, 86.67%, 92.59%, 100%, and 93.33%, respectively. This framework can significantly improve the pulmonary lesion classification.
Automated Detection of Dysplasia: Data Mining from Our Hematology Analyzers
Authors: Zhu Jaja , Clauser Sylvain , Freynet Nicolas , Bardet Valérie
Published: June 2022

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are clonal hematopoietic diseases of the elderly, characterized by chronic cytopenia, ineffective and dysplastic hematopoiesis, recurrent genetic abnormalities and increased risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Diagnosis on a complete blood count (CBC) can be challenging due to numerous other non-neoplastic causes of cytopenias. New generations of hematology analyzers provide cell population data (CPD) that can be exploited to reliably detect MDSs from a routine CBC. In this review, we first describe the different technologies used to obtain CPD. We then give an overview of the currently available data regarding the performance of CPD for each lineage in the diagnostic workup of MDSs. Adequate exploitation of CPD can yield very strong diagnostic performances allowing for faster diagnosis and reduction of time-consuming slide reviews in the hematology laboratory.
High-Temporal-Resolution Forest Growth Monitoring Based on Segmented 3D Canopy Surface from UAV Aerial Photogrammetry
Authors: Zhang Wenbo , Gao Feng , Jiang Nan , Zhang Chu , Zhang Yanchao
Published: June 2022

Traditional forest monitoring has been mainly performed with images or orthoimages from aircraft or satellites. In recent years, the availability of high-resolution 3D data has made it possible to obtain accurate information on canopy size, which has made the topic of canopy 3D growth monitoring timely. In this paper, forest growth pattern was studied based on a canopy point cloud (PC) reconstructed from UAV aerial photogrammetry at a daily interval for a year. Growth curves were acquired based on the canopy 3D area (3DA) calculated from a triangulated 3D mesh. Methods for canopy coverage area (CA), forest coverage rate, and leaf area index (LAI) were proposed and tested. Three spectral vegetation indices, excess green index (ExG), a combination of green indices (COM), and an excess red union excess green index (ExGUExR) were used for the segmentation of trees. The results showed that (1) vegetation areas extracted by ExGUExR were more complete than those extracted by the other two indices; (2) logistic fitting of 3DA and CA yielded S-shaped growth curves, all with correlation R2 > 0.92; (3) 3DA curves represented the growth pattern more accurately than CA curves. Measurement errors and applicability are discussed. In summary, the UAV aerial photogrammetry method was successfully used for daily monitoring and annual growth trend description.
Organizational Development as Generative Entrenchment
Authors: Moser Cody , Smaldino Paul
Published: June 2022

A critical task for organizations is how to best structure themselves to efficiently allocate information and resources to individuals tasked with solving sub-components of the organization’s central problems. Despite this criticality, the processes by which organizational structures form remain largely opaque within organizational theory, with most approaches focused on how structure is influenced by individual managerial heuristics, normative cultural perceptions, and trial-and-error. Here, we propose that a broad understanding of organizational formation can be aided by appealing to generative entrenchment, a theory from developmental biology that helps explain why phylogenetically diverse animals appear similar as embryos. Drawing inferences from generative entrenchment and applying it to organizational differentiation, we argue that the reason many organizations appear structurally similar is due to core informational restraints on individual actors beginning at the top and descending to the bottom of these informational hierarchies, which reinforces these structures via feedback between separate levels. We further argue that such processes can lead to the emergence of a variety of group-level traits, an important but undertheorized class of phenomena in cultural evolution.
Recent Advances in Randomness Extraction
Authors: Chattopadhyay Eshan
Published: June 2022

The area of randomness extraction has seen interesting advances in recent years, with rapid progress on many longstanding open problems, along with the introduction of many new notions that played a key role in this development. We survey this progress and highlight new definitions and notions that have been the subject of intense study in recent work.
HSP70 in Gills and Hepatopancreas of Mangrove Crabs Ucides cordatus: Comparison between Contaminated and Pristine Environments
Authors: Ortega Priscila , Vitorino Hector Aguilar
Published: June 2022

This study analyzed field and acclimatized (7 days) mangrove Ucides cordatus crabs from polluted and unpolluted environments to compare their HSP70 levels. The animals were cryo-anesthetized and dissected. Gills (anterior and posterior) and hepatopancreas were collected to evaluate total proteins and HSP70 levels using ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) method. The acclimatized animals from polluted environments showed higher HSP70 levels in the hepatopancreas than field animals. Results showed higher HSP70 levels in laboratory animals from the polluted environment than in field animals in the posterior gills. The regulation to decrease the damage caused by the environment and the acclimatization process may not be sufficient to stabilize physiological responses, especially in animals from polluted environments.
University Student Readiness and Its Effect on Intention to Participate in the Flipped Classroom Setting of Hybrid Learning
Authors: Wut Tai Ming , Xu Jing (Bill) , Lee Stephanie Wing , Lee Daisy
Published: June 2022

The flipped classroom teaching method has existed for many years. Past research indicates that students could have better self-directed learning skills, more in-depth learning, higher satisfaction, and motivation to study through flipped classroom learning. However, some challenges arise for students and teachers, such as student capability; lack of preparation; low motivation to watch pre-recorded videos; and low interaction. During the pandemic period, students began engaging in online or hybrid learning. Fortunately, instructors are familiar with technology. Our study aims to investigate the flipped classroom learning readiness of university students during the pandemic era, both in face-to-face and online mode. The classes were conducted in a hybrid manner, with two groups of students under the same treatment. The results indicate that the intention to participate in the flipped classroom setting is associated with readiness and perceived control. Such an intention is also the same regardless of learning mode. Perceived behavioral control is a partial mediator between student readiness and intention to participate in flipped classroom.
Digital Skills, ICTs and Students’ Needs: A Case Study in Social Work Degree, University of Zaragoza (Aragón-Spain)
Authors: Gómez-Poyato María José , Eito-Mateo Antonio , Mira-Tamayo Diana Carolina , Matías-Solanilla Antonio
Published: June 2022

Technological innovations are related to information and communication technologies (ICTs), which in turn have become a fundamental pillar in the field of education. Social work professionals require new approaches to take on the new type of work demanded by the digital society, specializing in research into the innovation of these new forms of action through technology. This article analyses whether university training is in tune with the new skills and abilities required for professional interventions in the twenty-first century. A total of 288 surveys were carried out on 309 students. Each survey consisted of 25 questions on the five digital skills areas. The results indicate that training in digital skills must gain space in university training plans, just as the pandemic became a starting point for the massive use of ICTs. The conclusions point to the importance of improving training in digital competences and skills for future generations of social workers, who, although they are digital natives, will need to know how to use ICTs in their social work.
Face Image Completion Based on GAN Prior
Authors: Shao Xiaofeng , Qiang Zhenping , Dai Fei , He Libo , Lin Hong
Published: June 2022

Face images are often used in social and entertainment activities to interact with information. However, during the transmission of digital images, there are factors that may destroy or obscure the key elements of the image, which may hinder the understanding of the image’s content. Therefore, the study of image completion of human faces has become an important research branch in the field of computer image processing. Compared with traditional image inpainting methods, deep-learning-based inpainting methods have significantly improved the results on face images, but in the case of complex semantic information and large missing areas, the completion results are still blurred, and the color of the boundary is inconsistent and does not match human visual perception. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a face completion method based on GAN priori to guide the network to complete face images by directly using the rich and diverse a priori information in the pre-trained GAN. The network model is a coarse-to-fine structure, where the damaged face images and the corresponding masks are first input to the coarse network to obtain the coarse results, and then the coarse results are input to the fine network with multi-resolution skip connections. The fine network uses the a priori information from the pre-trained GAN to guide the network to generate the face images, and finally uses the SN-PatchGAN discriminator to evaluate the completion results. The experiment is performed on the CelebA-HQ dataset. Compared with the latest three completion methods, the qualitative and quantitative experimental analysis shows that our method has obvious improvement in texture and fidelity.
Toward Point-of-Interest Recommendation Systems: A Critical Review on Deep-Learning Approaches
Authors: Safavi Sadaf , Jalali Mehrdad , Houshmand Mahboobeh
Published: June 2022

In recent years, location-based social networks (LBSNs) that allow members to share their location and provide related services, and point-of-interest (POIs) recommendations which suggest attractive places to visit, have become noteworthy and useful for users, research areas, industries, and advertising companies. The POI recommendation system combines different information sources and creates numerous research challenges and questions. New research in this field utilizes deep-learning techniques as a solution to the issues because it has the ability to represent the nonlinear relationship between users and items more effectively than other methods. Despite all the obvious improvements that have been made recently, this field still does not have an updated and integrated view of the types of methods, their limitations, features, and future prospects. This paper provides a systematic review focusing on recent research on this topic. First, this approach prepares an overall view of the types of recommendation methods, their challenges, and the various influencing factors that can improve model performance in POI recommendations, then it reviews the traditional machine-learning methods and deep-learning techniques employed in the POI recommendation and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. The recently proposed models are categorized according to the method used, the dataset, and the evaluation metrics. It found that these articles give priority to accuracy in comparison with other dimensions of quality. Finally, this approach introduces the research trends and future orientations, and it realizes that POI recommender systems based on deep learning are a promising future work.