bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small Extracellular Vesicles and Metastasis—Blame the Messenger
Authors: Seibold Tanja , Waldenmaier Mareike , Seufferlein Thomas , Eiseler Tim
Published: August 2021

Cancer is a complex disease, driven by genetic defects and environmental cues. Systemic dissemination of cancer cells by metastasis is generally associated with poor prognosis and is responsible for more than 90% of cancer deaths. Metastasis is thought to follow a sequence of events, starting with loss of epithelial features, detachment of tumor cells, basement membrane breakdown, migration, intravasation and survival in the circulation. At suitable distant niches, tumor cells reattach, extravasate and establish themselves by proliferating and attracting vascularization to fuel metastatic growth. These processes are facilitated by extensive cross-communication of tumor cells with cells in the primary tumor microenvironment (TME) as well as at distant pre-metastatic niches. A vital part of this communication network are small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, exosomes) with a size of 30–150 nm. Tumor-derived sEVs educate recipient cells with bioactive cargos, such as proteins, and in particular, major nucleic acid classes, to drive tumor growth, cell motility, angiogenesis, immune evasion and formation of pre-metastatic niches. Circulating sEVs are also utilized as biomarker platforms for diagnosis and prognosis. This review discusses how tumor cells facilitate progression through the metastatic cascade by employing sEV-based communication and evaluates their role as biomarkers and vehicles for drug delivery.
Intraoperative Digital Analysis of Ablation Margins (DAAM) by Fluorescent Confocal Microscopy to Improve Partial Prostate Gland Cryoablation Outcomes
Authors: Selvaggio Oscar , Falagario Ugo Giovanni , Bruno Salvatore Mariano , Recchia Marco , Sighinolfi Maria Chiara , Sanguedolce Francesca , Milillo Paola , Macarini Luca , Rastinehad Ardeshir R. , Sanchez-Salas Rafael , Barret Eric , Lugnani Franco , Rocco Bernardo , Cormio Luigi , Carrieri Giuseppe
Published: August 2021

Partial gland cryoablation (PGC) aims at destroying prostate cancer (PCa) foci while sparing the unaffected prostate tissue and the functionally relevant structures around the prostate. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has boosted PGC, but available evidence suggests that ablation margins may be positive due to MRI-invisible lesions. This study aimed at determining the potential role of intraoperative digital analysis of ablation margins (DAAM) by fluoresce confocal microscopy (FCM) of biopsy cores taken during prostate PGC. Ten patients with low to intermediate risk PCa scheduled for PGC were enrolled. After cryo-needles placement, 76 biopsy cores were taken from the ablation margins and stained by the urologist for FCM analysis. Digital images were sent for “real-time” pathology review. DAAM, always completed within the frame of PGC treatment (median time 25 min), pointed out PCa in 1/10 cores taken from 1 patient, thus prompting placement of another cryo-needle to treat this area. Standard HE evaluation confirmed 75 cores to be cancer-free while displayed a GG 4 PCa in 7% of the core positive at FCM. Our data point out that IDAAM is feasible and reliable, thus representing a potentially useful tool to reduce the risk of missing areas of PCa during PGC.
Role of Virus-Related Chronic Inflammation and Mechanisms of Cancer Immune-Suppression in Pathogenesis and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Borgia Melissa , Dal Bo Michele , Toffoli Giuseppe
Published: August 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be classified as a prototypical inflammation-driven cancer that generally arises from a background of liver cirrhosis, but that in the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), could develop in the absence of fibrosis or cirrhosis. Tumor-promoting inflammation characterizes HCC pathogenesis, with an epidemiology of the chronic liver disease frequently encompassing hepatitis virus B (HBV) or C (HCV). HCC tumor onset and progression is a serial and heterogeneous process in which intrinsic factors, such as genetic mutations and chromosomal instability, are closely associated with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which may have features associated with the etiopathogenesis and expression of the viral antigens, which favor the evasion of tumor neoantigens to immune surveillance. With the introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies for HCV infection, sustained virological response (SVR) has become very high, although occurrence of HCC and reactivation of HBV in patients with co-infection, who achieved SVR in short term, have been observed in a significant proportion of treated cases. In this review, we discuss the main molecular and TME features that are responsible for HCC pathogenesis and progression. Peculiar functional aspects that could be related to the presence and treatment of HCV/HBV viral infections are also dealt with.
From Cell-Free Protein Synthesis to Whole-Cell Biotransformation: Screening and Identification of Novel α-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenases for Preparative-Scale Synthesis of Hydroxy-l-Lysine
Authors: Rolf Jascha , Nerke Philipp , Britner Annette , Krick Sebastian , Lütz Stephan , Rosenthal Katrin
Published: August 2021

The selective hydroxylation of non-activated C-H bonds is still a challenging reaction in chemistry. Non-heme Fe2+/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases are remarkable biocatalysts for the activation of C-H-bonds, catalyzing mainly hydroxylations. The discovery of new Fe2+/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases with suitable reactivity for biotechnological applications is therefore highly relevant to expand the limited range of enzymes described so far. In this study, we performed a protein BLAST to identify homologous enzymes to already described lysine dioxygenases (KDOs). Six novel and yet uncharacterized proteins were selected and synthesized by cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS). The subsequent in vitro screening of the selected homologs revealed activity towards the hydroxylation of l-lysine (Lys) into hydroxy-l-lysine (Hyl), which is a versatile chiral building block. With respect to biotechnological application, Escherichia coli whole-cell biocatalysts were developed and characterized in small-scale biotransformations. As the whole-cell biocatalyst expressing the gene coding for the KDO from Photorhabdus luminescens showed the highest specific activity of 8.6 ± 0.6 U gCDW−1, it was selected for the preparative synthesis of Hyl. Multi-gram scale product concentrations were achieved providing a good starting point for further bioprocess development for Hyl production. A systematic approach was established to screen and identify novel Fe2+/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases, covering the entire pathway from gene to product, which contributes to accelerating the development of bioprocesses for the production of value-added chemicals.
Activity of Ag/CeZrO2, Ag+K/CeZrO2, and Ag-Au+K/CeZrO2 Systems for Lean Burn Exhaust Clean-Up
Authors: Iwanek (nee Wilczkowska) Ewa M. , Liotta Leonarda Francesca , Williams Shazam , Hu Linjie , Ju Huitian , Pantaleo Giuseppe , Thapar Alisha , Kaszkur Zbigniew , Kirk Donald W. , Gliński Marek
Published: August 2021

Herein, the activity of Ag and bimetallic Au-Ag catalysts, supported over Ce0.85Zr0.15O2 (CZ), was investigated in a complex stream, whose components included CO, C3H8, NO, O2, and, optionally, an injection of water vapor. In such a stream, three of the possible reactions that can occur are CO oxidation, propane combustion, and NO oxidation. The aim of these studies was to explore whether silver, due to its strong affinity to oxygen, will counteract the stabilization of oxygen by potassium. The effect of the presence of potassium ions on the activity of the monometallic silver catalysts is beneficial in the complex stream without water vapor in all three studied reactions, although it is negligible in the model CO stream. It has been shown that water vapor strongly suppresses the activity of the Ag+K/CZ catalyst, much more so than that of the Ag/CZ catalyst. The second purpose of the work was to determine whether the negative effect of potassium ions on the activity of nanogold catalyst can be countered by the addition of silver. Studies in a model stream for CO oxidation have shown that, for a catalyst preloaded with gold, the effect of potassium is nulled by silver, and the activity of AuAg + 0.15 at%K/CZ and AuAg + 0.30 at%K/CZ is the same as that of the monometallic Au catalyst. Conversely, when the reaction is carried out in a complex stream, containing CO, C3H8, NO, O2, and water vapor, the presence of water vapor leads to higher CO conversion as well as increased NO2 formation and slightly suppresses the C3H8 combustion.
Mutation of Key Residues in β-Glycosidase LXYL-P1-2 for Improved Activity
Authors: Chen Jing-Jing , Liang Xiao , Chen Tian-Jiao , Yang Jin-Ling , Zhu Ping
Published: August 2021

The β-glycosidase LXYL-P1-2 identified from Lentinula edodes can be used to hydrolyze 7-β-xylosyl-10-deacetyltaxol (XDT) into 10-deacetyltaxol (DT) for the semi-synthesis of Taxol. Recent success in obtaining the high-resolution X-ray crystal of LXYL-P1-2 and resolving its three-dimensional structure has enabled us to perform molecular docking of LXYL-P1-2 with substrate XDT and investigate the roles of the three noncatalytic amino acid residues located around the active cavity in LXYL-P1-2. Site-directed mutagenesis results demonstrated that Tyr268 and Ser466 were essential for maintaining the β-glycosidase activity, and the L220G mutation exhibited a positive effect on increasing activity by enlarging the channel that facilitates the entrance of the substrate XDT into the active cavity. Moreover, introducing L220G mutation into the other LXYL-P1-2 mutant further increased the enzyme activity, and the β-d-xylosidase activity of the mutant EP2-L220G was nearly two times higher than that of LXYL-P1-2. Thus, the recombinant yeast GS115-EP2-L220G can be used for efficiently biocatalyzing XDT to DT for the semi-synthesis of Taxol. Our study provides not only the prospective candidate strain for industrial production, but also a theoretical basis for exploring the key amino acid residues in LXYL-P1-2.
Stable Mixed Fe-Mn Oxides Supported on ZrO2 Oxygen Carriers for Practical Utilization in CLC Processes
Authors: Ksepko Ewelina , Lysowski Rafal
Published: August 2021

The objective of the research was to prepare Fe-based materials for use as oxygen carriers (OCs) and investigate their reactivity in terms of their applicability to energy systems. The performance of ZrO2 supported Fe-Mn oxide oxygen carriers with hydrogen/air in an innovative combustion technology known as chemical looping combustion (CLC) was analyzed. The influence of manganese addition (15–30 wt.%) on reactivity and other physical properties of oxygen carriers was discussed. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) were conducted to evaluate their performance. Multi-cycle tests were conducted in TGA with oxygen carriers utilizing gaseous fuel. The effect of redox cycle number and temperature on stability and oxygen transport capacity and redox reaction rate were also evaluated. Physical-chemical analysis such as phase composition was investigated by XRD, while morphology by SEM-EDS and surface area analyses were investigated by the BET method. For screening purposes, the reduction and oxidation were carried out from 800 °C to 1000 °C. Three-cycle TGA tests at the selected temperature range indicated that all novel oxygen carriers exhibited stable chemical looping combustion performance, apart from the reference material, i.e., Fe/Zr oxide. A stable reactivity of bimetallic OCs, together with complete H2 combustion without signs of FeMn/Zr oxide agglomeration, were proved. Oxidation reaction was significantly faster than the reduction reaction for all oxygen carriers. Furthermore, the obtained data indicated that the materials have a low cost of production, with superior reactivity towards hydrogen and air, making them perfect matching carriers for industrial applications for power generation.
Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper-Mediated TLR2 Downregulation Accounts for Reduced Neutrophil Activity Following Acute DEX Treatment
Authors: Ricci Erika , Roselletti Elena , Gentili Marco , Sabbatini Samuele , Perito Stefano , Riccardi Carlo , Migliorati Graziella , Monari Claudia , Ronchetti Simona
Published: August 2021

Glucocorticoids are the most powerful anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive pharmacological drugs available, despite their adverse effects. Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) is a glucocorticoid-induced gene that shares several anti-inflammatory properties with glucocorticoids. Although immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids on neutrophils remain poorly understood, we previously demonstrated that GILZ suppresses neutrophil activation under glucocorticoid treatment. Here, we sought to explore the regulation of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) on neutrophils and the associated GILZ involvement. Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated from wild type and GILZ-knock-out (KO) mice. TLR2 was found to be downregulated by the in vivo administration of glucocorticoids in wild type but not in GILZ-KO neutrophils, suggesting the involvement of GILZ in TLR2 downregulation. Accordingly, the TLR2-associated anti-fungal activity of neutrophils was reduced by DEX treatment in wild type but not GILZ-KO neutrophils. Furthermore, GILZ did not interact with NF-κB but was found to bind with STAT5, a pivotal factor in the regulation of TLR2 expression. A similar modulation of TLR2 expression, impaired phagocytosis, and killing activity was observed in circulating human neutrophils treated in vitro with DEX. These results demonstrate that glucocorticoids reduce the ability of neutrophils to respond to infections by downregulating TLR2 via GILZ, thereby reducing critical functions.
α-Synuclein Decreases the Abundance of Proteasome Subunits and Alters Ubiquitin Conjugates in Yeast
Authors: Popova Blagovesta , Galka Dajana , Häffner Nicola , Wang Dan , Schmitt Kerstin , Valerius Oliver , Knop Michael , Braus Gerhard H.
Published: August 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most prevalent movement disorder characterized with loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. One of the pathological hallmarks of the disease is accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (αSyn) in cytoplasmic Lewy body inclusions that indicates significant dysfunction of protein homeostasis in PD. Accumulation is accompanied with highly elevated S129 phosphorylation, suggesting that this posttranslational modification is linked to pathogenicity and altered αSyn inclusion dynamics. To address the role of S129 phosphorylation on protein dynamics further we investigated the wild type and S129A variants using yeast and a tandem fluorescent timer protein reporter approach to monitor protein turnover and stability. Overexpression of both variants leads to inhibited yeast growth. Soluble S129A is more stable and additional Y133F substitution permits αSyn degradation in a phosphorylation-independent manner. Quantitative cellular proteomics revealed significant αSyn-dependent disturbances of the cellular protein homeostasis, which are increased upon S129 phosphorylation. Disturbances are characterized by decreased abundance of the ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation machinery. Biotin proximity labelling revealed that αSyn interacts with the Rpt2 base subunit. Proteasome subunit depletion by reducing the expression of the corresponding genes enhances αSyn toxicity. Our studies demonstrate that turnover of αSyn and depletion of the proteasome pool correlate in a complex relationship between altered proteasome composition and increased αSyn toxicity.
The Potential of Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy against Cancer
Authors: Beumer-Chuwonpad Ammarina , Taggenbrock Renske L. R. E. , Ngo T. An , van Gisbergen Klaas P. J. M.
Published: August 2021

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) comprise an important memory T cell subset that mediates local protection upon pathogen re-encounter. TRM populations preferentially localize at entry sites of pathogens, including epithelia of the skin, lungs and intestine, but have also been observed in secondary lymphoid tissue, brain, liver and kidney. More recently, memory T cells characterized as TRM have also been identified in tumors, including but not limited to melanoma, lung carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and ovarian carcinoma. The presence of these memory T cells has been strongly associated with favorable clinical outcomes, which has generated an interest in targeting TRM cells to improve immunotherapy of cancer patients. Nevertheless, intratumoral TRM have also been found to express checkpoint inhibitory receptors, such as PD-1 and LAG-3. Triggering of such inhibitory receptors could induce dysfunction, often referred to as exhaustion, which may limit the effectiveness of TRM in countering tumor growth. A better understanding of the differentiation and function of TRM in tumor settings is crucial to deploy these memory T cells in future treatment options of cancer patients. The purpose of this review is to provide the current status of an important cancer immunotherapy known as TIL therapy, insight into the role of TRM in the context of antitumor immunity, and the challenges and opportunities to exploit these cells for TIL therapy to ultimately improve cancer treatment.
CytokineLink: A Cytokine Communication Map to Analyse Immune Responses—Case Studies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and COVID-19
Authors: Olbei Marton , Thomas John P. , Hautefort Isabelle , Treveil Agatha , Bohar Balazs , Madgwick Matthew , Gul Lejla , Csabai Luca , Modos Dezso , Korcsmaros Tamas
Published: August 2021

Intercellular communication mediated by cytokines is critical to the development of immune responses, particularly in the context of infectious and inflammatory diseases. By releasing these small molecular weight peptides, the source cells can influence numerous intracellular processes in the target cells, including the secretion of other cytokines downstream. However, there are no readily available bioinformatic resources that can model cytokine–cytokine interactions. In this effort, we built a communication map between major tissues and blood cells that reveals how cytokine-mediated intercellular networks form during homeostatic conditions. We collated the most prevalent cytokines from the literature and assigned the proteins and their corresponding receptors to source tissue and blood cell types based on enriched consensus RNA-Seq data from the Human Protein Atlas database. To assign more confidence to the interactions, we integrated the literature information on cell–cytokine interactions from two systems of immunology databases, immuneXpresso and ImmunoGlobe. From the collated information, we defined two metanetworks: a cell–cell communication network connected by cytokines; and a cytokine–cytokine interaction network depicting the potential ways in which cytokines can affect the activity of each other. Using expression data from disease states, we then applied this resource to reveal perturbations in cytokine-mediated intercellular signalling in inflammatory and infectious diseases (ulcerative colitis and COVID-19, respectively). For ulcerative colitis, with CytokineLink, we demonstrated a significant rewiring of cytokine-mediated intercellular communication between non-inflamed and inflamed colonic tissues. For COVID-19, we were able to identify cell types and cytokine interactions following SARS-CoV-2 infection, highlighting important cytokine interactions that might contribute to severe illness in a subgroup of patients. Such findings have the potential to inform the development of novel, cytokine-targeted therapeutic strategies. CytokineLink is freely available for the scientific community through the NDEx platform and the project github repository.
5′-Nucleotidase Plays a Key Role in Uric Acid Metabolism of Bombyx mori
Authors: Tang Linmeng , Yang Dehong , Wang Yaohui , Yang Xu , Chen Kai , Luo Xingyu , Xu Jun , Liu Yujia , Tang Zheng , Zhang Qianqian , Liu Zhiwei , Huang Yongping
Published: August 2021

Uric acid (UA) is the end-product in the human purine metabolism pathway. The UA that accumulates in silkworm tissues is excreted as a nitrogen waste product. Here, we first validated that Bombyx mori has a homolog of the human gene that encodes the 5′-nucleotidase (5′N) involved in purine metabolism. The B. mori gene, Bm5′N, is located upstream of other genes involved in UA metabolism in the silkworm. Disruption of Bm5′N via the CRISPR/Cas9 system resulted in decreased UA levels in the silkworm epidermis and caused a translucent skin phenotype. When Bm5′N mutant silkworms were fed with the uric acid precursor inosine, the UA levels in the epidermis increased significantly. Furthermore, the metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of Bm5′N mutants indicated that loss of the Bm5′N affected purine metabolism and the ABC transport pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that the UA pathway is conserved between the silkworm and humans and that the Bm5′N gene plays a crucial role in the uric acid metabolism of the silkworm. Thus, the silkworm may be a suitable model for the study of UA metabolism pathways relevant to human disease.
Aberrant Stress Granule Dynamics and Aggrephagy in ALS Pathogenesis
Authors: Zhang Yi , Gu Jiayu , Sun Qiming
Published: August 2021

Stress granules are conserved cytosolic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) compartments that undergo dynamic assembly and disassembly by phase separation in response to stressful conditions. Gene mutations may lead to aberrant phase separation of stress granules eliciting irreversible protein aggregations. A selective autophagy pathway called aggrephagy may partially alleviate the cytotoxicity mediated by these protein aggregates. Cells must perceive when and where the stress granules are transformed into toxic protein aggregates to initiate autophagosomal engulfment for subsequent autolysosomal degradation, therefore, maintaining cellular homeostasis. Indeed, defective aggrephagy has been causally linked to various neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this review, we discuss stress granules at the intersection of autophagy and ALS pathogenesis.
The Dual Character of MAX Phase Nano-Layered Structure Highlighted by Supersonic Particles Deposition
Authors: Ion Alberto , Sallot Pierre , Badea Victor , Duport Patrice , Popescu Camelia , Denoirjean Alain
Published: August 2021

MAX phase compounds offer an attractive mixture of ceramic–metallic properties due to their covalent ionic–metallic nature. Since their discovery, a great interest was attributed to their synthesis and potential applications, but the processing of pure compounds as coatings for industrial large-scale application is still considered a challenge. To date, a limited number of papers have evaluated the build-up of MAX phase coating by cold spray (CS), a novel cost-effective and productive spray technology used in both areas of research and industry. Employing CS, the hot gas-propelled material particles have ballistic impingement on a substrate where they undergo plastic deformation. Because of the brittleness, internal delamination, and limited deformability, the deposition of the pure MAX phase is rather challenging. This paper presents the building-up ability of dense MAX-phase coatings by CS with retained structures and compositions, in close relation with the substrate characteristics and phase composition that influences the dual character ceramic–metallic behaviour. Besides recent literature, the originality of this research consists of pioneering deposition of Ti3AlC2 that emphasizes the ceramic–metallic character influenced by the particle speed and the mechanical properties of both substrate and compound.
Preparation of Sintered Brick with Aluminum Dross and Optimization of Process Parameters
Authors: Zhang Yu , Ni Hongjun , Lv Shuaishuai , Wang Xingxing , Li Songyuan , Zhang Jiaqiao
Published: August 2021

Aluminum dross is produced in the process of industrial production and regeneration of aluminum. Currently, the main way to deal with aluminum dross is stacking and landfilling, which aggravates environmental pollution and resource waste. In order to find a green and environmental protection method for the comprehensive utilization, the aluminum dross was used as raw materials to prepare sintered brick. Firstly, the raw material ratio, molding pressure and sintering process were determined by single factor test and orthogonal test, and the mechanism of obvious change of mechanical strength of sintered brick was studied by XRD and SEM. The experimental results show that, the optimal formula of sintered brick is 50% aluminum dross, 37.50% engineering soil and 12.50% coal gangue. The optimum process parameters are molding pressure 10 MPa, heating rate 8 °C/ min, sintering temperature 800 °C, holding time 60 min. The samples prepared under the above formula and process parameters present outstanding performance, and the compressive strength, flexural strength and water absorption rate are 16.21 MPa, 3.42 MPa and 17.12% respectively.
Preparation of Graphene Oxide Composites and Assessment of Their Adsorption Properties for Lanthanum (III)
Authors: Zhou Jie , Song Xiaosan , Shui Boyang , Wang Sanfan
Published: August 2021

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was prepared using the improved Hummers’ method, and GO was carboxylated and modified into hydroxylated graphene oxide (GOH). Diatomaceous earth (DE), which exhibits stable chemical properties, a large specific surface area, and high porosity, as well as chitosan/magnetic chitosan, was loaded by solution blending. Subsequently, carboxylated graphene oxide/diatomite/chitosan (GOH/DCS) and carboxylated graphene oxide/diatomite/magnetic chitosan (GOH/DMCS) composites were prepared through simple solid–liquid separation. The results showed that the modified GOH/DCS and GOH/DMCS composites could be used to remove lanthanum La(III)), which is a rare earth element. Different factors, such as initial solution concentration, pH of the solution, adsorbent dosage, adsorption contact time, and adsorption reaction temperature, on adsorption, were studied, and the adsorption mechanism was explored. An adsorption–desorption recycling experiment was also used to evaluate the recycling performance of the composite material. The results show that at the initial solution concentration of 50 mg·g−1, pH = 8.0, 3 g·L−1 adsorbent dosage, reaction temperature of 45 °C, and adsorption time of 50 min, the adsorption effect is the best. The adsorption process is more in line with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model, and the internal diffusion is not the only controlling effect. The adsorption process is an endothermic and spontaneous chemical adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity of GOH/DMCS for La(III) at 308K is 302.51 mg/g through model simulation. After four adsorption–desorption cycles, the adsorption capacity of the GOH/DMCS composite for La(III) initially exceeded 74%. So, GOH/DMCS can be used as a reusable and efficient adsorbent.
Effect of Pulsed Light Irradiation on Patterning of Reduction Graphene Oxide-Graphene Oxide Interconnects for Power Devices
Authors: Choi Eunmi , Pyo Sunggyu
Published: August 2021

Reduction graphene oxide (r-GO) lines on graphene oxide (GO) films can be prepared by a photocatalytic reduction and photothermal reduction method. A mechanism of partial GO reduction by pulsed photon energy is identified for preparing patterned rGO-GO films. The photocatalytic reduction method efficiently reduces GO at low photon energies. The successful production of a patterned rGO-GO film without damage by the photo thermal reduction method is possible when an energy density of 6.0 or 6.5 J/m2 per pulse is applied to a thin GO film (thickness: 0.45 μm). The lowest resistance obtained for a photo-reduced rGO line is 0.9 kΩ sq−1. The GO-TiO2 pattern fabricated on the 0.23 μm GO-TiO2 composite sheet through the energy density of each pulse is 5.5 J/m2 for three pulses.
The Low-Temperature Ring during Droplet Impact on a Superhydrophilic Surface
Authors: Ma Huixia , Chun Jiang , Zhou Feng , Qiao Kai , Jiang Rui , Zhang Shumei , Hao Tingting
Published: August 2021

Droplet impact on the solid surfaces is widespread in nature, daily life, and industrial applications. The spreading characteristics and temperature evolution in the inertial spreading regime are critical for the heat and mass transfer process on the solid-liquid interface. This work investigated the spreading characteristics and temperature distribution of the thin liquid film in the inertial rapid spreading regime of droplet impact on the heated superhydrophilic surfaces. Driven by the inertial and capillary force, the droplet rapidly spreads on the superhydrophilic surface, resulting in a high temperature center in the impact center surrounded by a the low-temperature ring. The formation of the unique the low-temperature ring on the heated superhydrophilic surface is due to the much smaller time scale of rapid spreading than that of heat transfer from the hot solid surface to the liquid film surface. CFD numerical simulation shows that the impacting droplet spreads and congests in the front of liquid film, leading to the formation of vortex velocity distribution in the liquid film. Increasing We number and wall temperature can accelerate the heat transfer rate of liquid film and shorten the existence time of the low-temperature ring. The findings of the the low-temperature ring on the superhydrophilic surface provide the guidelines to optimization of surface structures and functional coatings for enhancing heat transfer in various energy systems.
Advanced Functional Metal-Ceramic and Ceramic Coatings Deposited by Low-Pressure Cold Spraying: A Review
Authors: Winnicki Marcin
Published: August 2021

Based on the recent analysis of various databases, cold spray (CS), the newest method among thermal spraying technologies, has received the unabated attention of hundreds of researchers continuously since its invention in the 1980s. The significance of CS lies in the low process temperature, which usually ensures compressive residual stresses and allows for the formation of coatings on a thermally sensitive substrate. This paper concerns the low-pressure cold spray (LPCS) variant employed for forming metal matrix composites (MMCs) with high ceramic contents and all-ceramic coatings. At the very beginning, the influence of LPCS process parameters on deposition efficiency (DE) is analysed. In the next part, the most useful feedstock powder preparation techniques for LCPS are presented. Due to the combination of bottom-up powder production methods (e.g., sol-gel (SG)) with LCPS, the metal matrix that works as a binder for ceramic particles in MMC coatings can be removed, resulting in all-ceramic coatings. Furthermore, with optimization of spraying parameters, it is possible to predict and control phase transformation in the feedstock material. Further in the paper, differences in the bonding mechanism of metal–ceramic mixtures and ceramic particles are presented. The properties and applications of various MMC and ceramic coatings are also discussed. Finally, the exemplary direction of CS development is suggested.
Tryptophan, an Amino-Acid Endowed with Unique Properties and Its Many Roles in Membrane Proteins
Authors: Khemaissa Sonia , Sagan Sandrine , Walrant Astrid
Published: August 2021

Tryptophan is an aromatic amino acid with unique physico-chemical properties. It is often encountered in membrane proteins, especially at the level of the water/bilayer interface. It plays a role in membrane protein stabilization, anchoring and orientation in lipid bilayers. It has a hydrophobic character but can also engage in many types of interactions, such as π–cation or hydrogen bonds. In this review, we give an overview of the role of tryptophan in membrane proteins and a more detailed description of the underlying noncovalent interactions it can engage in with membrane partners.
Possibilities of Application Cement By-Pass Dust into the Garden Architecture Elements
Authors: Procházka Lukáš , Vojvodíková Barbara , Boháčová Jana
Published: August 2021

This article deals with the possibility of using cement by-pass dust (CBPD) in the garden architecture elements, specifically in curbs for park use. To increase the positive effect on the environment, other secondary raw materials were also used in the research, specifically blast furnace granulated slag and silica fly ash. Mixtures were based on alkali activation, where cement as a binder was 100% replaced by raw materials with waste properties. In the research, properties of used materials and also the basic physical-mechanical and durability properties of prepared mixtures were determined Part of the research focused on the effect of the tested beams on the grassland planted around the beams. Any significant negative impact was not registered, except for low pH increase of soil. Infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis were performed on selected samples. Testing has shown that the products are in accordance with the Czech standard requirements for concrete curbs in garden architecture. The samples did not pass only the scaling test, which is, however, a condition for concrete curbs used for roads. For garden architecture this test is not required.
Transition from Fire-Dependent Open Forests: Alternative Ecosystem States in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Hanberry Brice B.
Published: August 2021

Land use and fire exclusion have influenced ecosystems worldwide, resulting in alternative ecosystem states. Here, I provide two examples from the southeastern United States of fire-dependent open pine and pine-oak forest loss and examine dynamics of the replacement forests, given continued long-term declines in foundation longleaf (Pinus palustris) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata) pines and recent increases in commercial loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii) pines. Shortleaf pine-oak forest historically may have been dominant on about 32 to 38 million ha, a provisional estimate based on historical composition of 75% of all trees, and has decreased to about 2.5 million ha currently; shortleaf pine now is 3% of all trees in the northern province. Longleaf pine forest decreased from about 30 million ha, totaling 75% of all trees, to 1.3 million ha and 3% of all trees in contemporary forests of the southern province. The initial transition from open pine ecosystems to closed forests, primarily comprised of broadleaf species, was countered by conversion to loblolly and slash pine plantations. Loblolly pine now accounts for 37% of all trees. Loss of fire-dependent ecosystems and their foundation tree species affect associated biodiversity, or the species that succeed under fire disturbance.
Genetic Diversity of Hatchery-Bred Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) Compared with the Wild Population: Potential Effects of Stocking on the Indigenous Gene Pool of a Norwegian Reservoir
Authors: Linløkken Arne N. , Johnsen Stein I. , Johansen Wenche
Published: August 2021

This study was conducted in Lake Savalen in southeastern Norway, focusing on genetic diversity and the structure of hatchery-reared brown trout (Salmo trutta) as compared with wild fish in the lake and in two tributaries. The genetic analysis, based on eight simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, showed that hatchery bred single cohorts and an age structured sample of stocked and recaptured fish were genetically distinctly different from each other and from the wild fish groups. The sample of recaptured fish showed the lowest estimated effective population size Ne = 8.4, and the highest proportion of siblings, despite its origin from five different cohorts of hatchery fish, counting in total 84 parent fish. Single hatchery cohorts, originating from 13–24 parental fish, showed Ne = 10.5–19.9, suggesting that the recaptured fish descended from a narrow group of parents. BayeScan analysis indicated balancing selection at several loci. Genetic indices of wild brown trout collected in the lake in 1991 and 2010 suggested temporal genetic stability, i.e., the genetic differentiation (FST) was non-significant, although the Ne, the number of alleles per locus and the number of private alleles were lower in the 2010 sample.
Faster Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network in the Classification of Different Parkinsonism Patterns of the Striatum on Maximum Intensity Projection Images of [18F]FP-CIT Positron Emission Tomography
Authors: Choi Byung Wook , Kang Sungmin , Kim Hae Won , Kwon Oh Dae , Vu Huy Duc , Youn Sung Won
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of a deep-learning convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) model to detect imaging findings suggestive of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) based on [18F]FP-CIT PET maximum intensity projection (MIP) images versus that of nuclear medicine (NM) physicians. The anteroposterior MIP images of the [18F]FP-CIT PET scan of 527 patients were classified as having PD (139 images) or non-PD (388 images) patterns according to the final diagnosis. Non-PD patterns were classified as overall-normal (ONL, 365 images) and vascular parkinsonism with definite defects or prominently decreased dopamine transporter binding (dVP, 23 images) patterns. Faster R-CNN was trained on 120 PD, 320 ONL, and 16 dVP pattern images and tested on the 19 PD, 45 ONL, and seven dVP patterns images. The performance of the Faster R-CNN and three NM physicians was assessed using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. The difference in performance was assessed using Cochran’s Q test, and the inter-rater reliability was calculated. Faster R-CNN showed high accuracy in differentiating PD from non-PD patterns and also from dVP patterns, with results comparable to those of NM physicians. There were no significant differences in the area under the curve and performance. The inter-rater reliability among Faster R-CNN and NM physicians showed substantial to almost perfect agreement. The deep-learning model accurately differentiated PD from non-PD patterns on MIP images of [18F]FP-CIT PET, and its performance was comparable to that of NM physicians.
A Method for Detecting and Analyzing Facial Features of People with Drug Use Disorders
Authors: Li Yongjie , Yan Xiangyu , Zhang Bo , Wang Zekun , Su Hexuan , Jia Zhongwei
Published: August 2021

Drug use disorders caused by illicit drug use are significant contributors to the global burden of disease, and it is vital to conduct early detection of people with drug use disorders (PDUD). However, the primary care clinics and emergency departments lack simple and effective tools for screening PDUD. This study proposes a novel method to detect PDUD using facial images. Various experiments are designed to obtain the convolutional neural network (CNN) model by transfer learning based on a large-scale dataset (9870 images from PDUD and 19,567 images from GP (the general population)). Our results show that the model achieved 84.68%, 87.93%, and 83.01% in accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in the dataset, respectively. To verify its effectiveness, the model is evaluated on external datasets based on real scenarios, and we found it still achieved high performance (accuracy > 83.69%, specificity > 90.10%, sensitivity > 80.00%). Our results also show differences between PDUD and GP in different facial areas. Compared with GP, the facial features of PDUD were mainly concentrated in the left cheek, right cheek, and nose areas (p < 0.001), which also reveals the potential relationship between mechanisms of drugs action and changes in facial tissues. This is the first study to apply the CNN model to screen PDUD in clinical practice and is also the first attempt to quantitatively analyze the facial features of PDUD. This model could be quickly integrated into the existing clinical workflow and medical care to provide capabilities.
Tumor Segmentation in Breast Ultrasound Image by Means of Res Path Combined with Dense Connection Neural Network
Authors: Yu Kailuo , Chen Sheng , Chen Yanghuai
Published: August 2021

Over the past few years, researchers have demonstrated the possibilities to use the Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) to provide a preliminary diagnosis. Recently, it is also becoming increasingly common for doctors and computer practitioners to collaborate on developing CAD. Since the early diagnosis of breast cancer is the most critical step, a precise segmentation of breast tumor with accurate edge and shape is vital for accurate diagnoses and reduction in the patients’ pain. In view of the deficient accuracy of existing method, we proposed a novel method based on U-Net to improve the tumor segmentation accuracy in breast ultrasound images. First, Res Path was introduced into the U-Net to reduce the difference between the feature maps of the encoder and decoder. Then, a new connection, dense block from the input of the feature maps in the encoding-to-decoding section, was added to reduce the feature information loss and alleviate the vanishing gradient problem. A breast ultrasound database, which contains 538 tumor images, from Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai and marked by two professional doctors was used to train and test models. We, using ten-fold cross-validation method, compared the U-Net, U-Net with Res Path, and the proposed method to verify the improvements. The results demonstrated an overall improvement by the proposed approach when compared with the other in terms of true-positive rate, false-positive rate, Hausdorff distance indices, Jaccard similarity, and Dice coefficients.
Spontaneous Upper Urinary Tract Rupture Caused by Ureteric Stones: Clinical Characteristics and Validation of a Radiological Classification System
Authors: Bebi Carolina , Spinelli Matteo Giulio , Lucignani Gianpaolo , Biondetti Pierpaolo , Martinetti Laura , Fulgheri Irene , De Lorenzis Elisa , Albo Giancarlo , Ierardi Annamaria , Palmisano Franco , Salonia Andrea , Carrafiello Gianpaolo , Montanari Emanuele , Boeri Luca
Published: August 2021

Background: This study seeks to validate a radiological classification system of spontaneous upper urinary tract rupture (sUUTR) and to analyse its relationship with clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of sUUTR. Methods: We analysed data from 66 patients with a computerised tomography (CT)-proven sUUTR treated with ureteral or nephrostomy catheter positioning. Comorbidities were scored with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). All CT scans were reviewed by two experienced radiologists and one urologist, who classified sUUTR in (a) local spread, (b) free fluid and (c) urinoma. Interobserver agreement for radiological score was evaluated with the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s Kappa analyses. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models verified the association between clinical variables and sUUTR severity. Results: The interobserver agreement for sUUTR classification was high among radiologists and between the radiologists and the urologist (all Kappa > 0.7), with an overall high interrater reliability (ICC 0.82). Local spread, free fluid and urinoma were found in 24 (36.4%), 39 (59.1%) and 3 (4.5%) cases, respectively. Patients with free fluid/urinoma had higher rate of CCI ≥ 1 than those with local spread (40.5% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.04). Intraoperative absence of urine extravasation was more frequently found in patients with local spread than those with free fluid/urinoma (66.7% vs. 28.6%, p < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that local spread (OR 4.5, p < 0.01) was associated with absence of contrast medium extravasation during pyelography, after accounting for stone size, fever and CCI. Conclusions: The analysed sUUTR classification score had good inter/intra-reader reliability among radiologists and urologists. Absence of urine extravasation was five times more frequent in patients with local spread, making conservative treatment feasible in these cases.
Deep Learning-Based Prediction of Paresthesia after Third Molar Extraction: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Kim Byung Su , Yeom Han Gyeol , Lee Jong Hyun , Shin Woo Sang , Yun Jong Pil , Jeong Seung Hyun , Kang Jae Hyun , Kim See Woon , Kim Bong Chul
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine whether convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can predict paresthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve using panoramic radiographic images before extraction of the mandibular third molar. The dataset consisted of a total of 300 preoperative panoramic radiographic images of patients who had planned mandibular third molar extraction. A total of 100 images taken of patients who had paresthesia after tooth extraction were classified as Group 1, and 200 images taken of patients without paresthesia were classified as Group 2. The dataset was randomly divided into a training and validation set (n = 150 [50%]), and a test set (n = 150 [50%]). CNNs of SSD300 and ResNet-18 were used for deep learning. The average accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve were 0.827, 0.84, 0.82, and 0.917, respectively. This study revealed that CNNs can assist in the prediction of paresthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve after third molar extraction using panoramic radiographic images.
Understanding the Nature of the Long-Range Memory Phenomenon in Socioeconomic Systems
Authors: Kazakevičius Rytis , Kononovicius Aleksejus , Kaulakys Bronislovas , Gontis Vygintas
Published: August 2021

In the face of the upcoming 30th anniversary of econophysics, we review our contributions and other related works on the modeling of the long-range memory phenomenon in physical, economic, and other social complex systems. Our group has shown that the long-range memory phenomenon can be reproduced using various Markov processes, such as point processes, stochastic differential equations, and agent-based models—reproduced well enough to match other statistical properties of the financial markets, such as return and trading activity distributions and first-passage time distributions. Research has lead us to question whether the observed long-range memory is a result of the actual long-range memory process or just a consequence of the non-linearity of Markov processes. As our most recent result, we discuss the long-range memory of the order flow data in the financial markets and other social systems from the perspective of the fractional Lèvy stable motion. We test widely used long-range memory estimators on discrete fractional Lèvy stable motion represented by the auto-regressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) sample series. Our newly obtained results seem to indicate that new estimators of self-similarity and long-range memory for analyzing systems with non-Gaussian distributions have to be developed.