bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Feasible Method for Evaluating the Uniformity of Remolded Loess Samples with Shear Strength
Authors: Yao Wang , Li Xi’an , Zhang Ning , Ren Yongbiao , Shi Jianfeng , Zhang Chen , Xue Quan , Hao Zhitao
Published: January 2023

The precision and reliability of test findings are closely related to the uniformity of remolded loess samples. Although many methods to evaluate the uniformity of remolded loess have been proposed, they have not been widely accepted, due to the many defects. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the evaluation method and index of the uniformity of remolded loess samples in laboratory tests. In this paper, variations in shear strength and microscopic properties along the sample height were examined using the direct shear test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test. The feasibility and reliability of employing shear strength as an indicator to assess the uniformity of remolded loess samples were confirmed based on the test results. The results showed that the shear strength and shear strength parameters decreased from top to bottom along the sample height, and that the difference in the shear strength and shear strength parameters between the top and the bottom of remolded loess samples increased with the increase in the sample height. The variation tendency of the shear strength and shear strength parameters altered when the height–diameter (H/D) ratio exceeded 0.97. The SEM test results revealed that as the sample height increased, the disparity in microstructure and pore distribution in various portions of remolded loess samples became more apparent. The effect of sample height on the uniformity of remolded loess samples was mostly attributable to the variation in coating thickness and the content of clay particles on the surface of coarse particles, induced by a reduction in compactness from the top to the bottom of samples. The coefficient for evaluating the uniformity of the remolded loess sample was defined as the ratio of the shear strength at the top to that at the bottom of the remolded sample, and 0.8 was chosen as the threshold value. The shear strength reflected the uniformity of remolded loess samples as accurately as the microscopic test parameters. Furthermore, the direct shear test is the most classic and widely used laboratory test, with a low cost, easy accessibility, short test cycle, simple data processing and low environmental requirements, which provides another feasible method to evaluate the uniformity of remolded loess.
Isolated Pancreatic Metastases of Renal Cell Carcinoma—Clinical Particularities and Seed and Soil Hypothesis
Authors: Sellner Franz , Thalhammer Sabine , Klimpfinger Martin
Published: January 2023

A meta-analysis of 1470 isolated pancreatic metastases of renal cell carcinoma revealed, that, in addition to the unusual exclusive occurrence of pancreatic metastases and the favourable treatment results, the isPMRCC is characterised by further peculiarities of the clinical course: The lack of prognostic significance of volume and growth rate dependent risk factors and the independence of treatment results from standard or local resections. As an explanation for all these peculiarities, according to today’s knowledge, a strong acting seed and soil mechanism can serve, which allows embolized tumour cells to grow to metastases only in the pancreas, and prevents them definitively or for years in all other organs. The good prognosis affects not only isolated PM, but also multi-organ metastases of the RCC, in which the additional occurrence of PM is also associated with a better prognosis. Genetic studies revealed specific changes in cases of PM of RCC: Lack of loss of 9p21.3 and 14q31.2, which are otherwise specific gene mutations at the onset of generalization, a low weight genome instability index, i.e., high genetic stability, and a low rate of PAB1 and a high rate of BPRM1 alterations, which signal a more favourable course. The cause of pancreatic organotropism in isPMRCC is still unclear, so only those factors that have been identified as promoting organotropism in other, more frequent tumour entities can be presented: Formation of the pre-metastatic niche, chemokine receptor–ligand mechanism, ability to metabolic adaptation, and immune surveillance.
Circulating Monocytes Serve as Novel Prognostic Biomarker in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients
Authors: Hansen Frederik J. , David Paul , Akram Marina , Knoedler Samuel , Mittelstädt Anke , Merkel Susanne , Podolska Malgorzata J. , Swierzy Izabela , Roßdeutsch Lotta , Klösch Bettina , Kouhestani Dina , Anthuber Anna , Bénard Alan , Brunner Maximilian , Krautz Christian , Grützmann Robert , Weber Georg F.
Published: January 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) ranks among the most fatal cancer diseases, widely accepted to have the most dismal prognoses. Although immunotherapy has broadly revolutionized cancer treatment, its value in PDAC appears to be relatively low. Exhibiting protumoral effects, monocytes have recently been proposed as potential targets of such immunotherapeutic regimens. However, to date, the body of evidence on monocytes’ role in PDAC is scarce. Therefore, we analyzed monocytes in the peripheral blood of 58 PDAC patients prior to surgery and compared them to healthy individuals. PDAC patients showed increased levels of monocytes when compared to healthy controls In addition, patients with perineural infiltration demonstrated a higher percentage of monocytes compared to non-infiltrating tumors and PDAC G3 was associated with higher monocyte levels than PDAC G2. Patients with monocyte levels > 5% were found to have an 8.9-fold increased risk for a G3 and perineural infiltrated PDAC resulting in poorer survival compared to patients with <5% monocyte levels. Furthermore, PDAC patients showed increased expressions of CD86 and CD11c and decreased expressions of PD-L1 on monocytes compared to healthy individuals. Finally, levels of monocytes correlated positively with concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α in plasma of PDAC patients. Based on our findings, we propose monocytes as a novel prognostic biomarker. Large-scale studies are needed to further decipher the role of monocytes in PDAC and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets.
Correction: Gonçalves et al. Macrophage and Lymphocyte Infiltration Is Associated with Volumetric Tumor Size but Not with Volumetric Growth in the Tübingen Schwannoma Cohort. Cancers 2021, 13, 466
Authors: Gonçalves Vítor Moura , Suhm Elisa-Maria , Ries Vanessa , Skardelly Marco , Tabatabai Ghazaleh , Tatagiba Marcos , Schittenhelm Jens , Behling Felix
Published: January 2023

The authors would like to make a correction to their published paper [...]
The Application of Mineral Kaolinite for Environment Decontamination: A Review
Authors: Chen Meijuan , Yang Tongxi , Han Jichang , Zhang Yang , Zhao Liyun , Zhao Jinghan , Li Rong , Huang Yu , Gu Zhaolin , Wu Jixian
Published: January 2023

Kaolinite clay mineral with a layered silicate structure is an abundant resource in China. Due to its advantages of excellent stability, high specific surface area and environmental friendliness, kaolinite is widely used in environment decontamination. By using kaolinite as a carrier, the photocatalytic technology in pure photocatalysts of poor activities, narrow spectral responses, and limited electron transport can be overcome, and the nano-Ag disinfectant’s limitation of the growth and aggregation of nanoparticles is released. Moreover, pure kaolinite used as an adsorbent shows poor surface hydroxyl activity and low cation exchange, leading to the poor adsorption selectivity and easy desorption of heavy metals. Current modification methods including heat treatment, acid modification, metal modification, inorganic salt modification, and organic modification are carried out to obtain better adsorption performance. This review systematically summarizes the application of kaolinite-based nanomaterials in environmental decontamination, such as photocatalytic pollutant degradation and disinfection, nano silver (Ag) disinfection, and heavy metal adsorption. In addition, applications on gas phase pollutant, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), capture and the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also discussed. This study is the first comprehensive summary of the application of kaolinite in the environmental field. The review also illustrates the efficiency and mechanisms of coupling naturally/modified kaolinite with nanomaterials, and the limitation of the current use of kaolinite.
Role of Moonlighting Proteins in Disease: Analyzing the Contribution of Canonical and Moonlighting Functions in Disease Progression
Authors: Huerta Mario , Franco-Serrano Luis , Amela Isaac , Perez-Pons Josep Antoni , Piñol Jaume , Mozo-Villarías Angel , Querol Enrique , Cedano Juan
Published: January 2023

The term moonlighting proteins refers to those proteins that present alternative functions performed by a single polypeptide chain acquired throughout evolution (called canonical and moonlighting, respectively). Over 78% of moonlighting proteins are involved in human diseases, 48% are targeted by current drugs, and over 25% of them are involved in the virulence of pathogenic microorganisms. These facts encouraged us to study the link between the functions of moonlighting proteins and disease. We found a large number of moonlighting functions activated by pathological conditions that are highly involved in disease development and progression. The factors that activate some moonlighting functions take place only in pathological conditions, such as specific cellular translocations or changes in protein structure. Some moonlighting functions are involved in disease promotion while others are involved in curbing it. The disease-impairing moonlighting functions attempt to restore the homeostasis, or to reduce the damage linked to the imbalance caused by the disease. The disease-promoting moonlighting functions primarily involve the immune system, mesenchyme cross-talk, or excessive tissue proliferation. We often find moonlighting functions linked to the canonical function in a pathological context. Moonlighting functions are especially coordinated in inflammation and cancer. Wound healing and epithelial to mesenchymal transition are very representative. They involve multiple moonlighting proteins with a different role in each phase of the process, contributing to the current-phase phenotype or promoting a phase switch, mitigating the damage or intensifying the remodeling. All of this implies a new level of complexity in the study of pathology genesis, progression, and treatment. The specific protein function involved in a patient’s progress or that is affected by a drug must be elucidated for the correct treatment of diseases.
The Alternative TrkAIII Splice Variant, a Targetable Oncogenic Participant in Human Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
Authors: Cappabianca Lucia , Zelli Veronica , Pellegrini Cristina , Sebastiano Michela , Maccarone Rita , Clementi Marco , Chiominto Alessandro , Ruggeri Pierdomenico , Cardelli Ludovica , Ruggieri Marianna , Sbaffone Maddalena , Fargnoli Maria-Concetta , Guadagni Stefano , Farina Antonietta R. , Mackay Andrew R.
Published: January 2023

Post-therapeutic relapse, poor survival rates and increasing incidence justify the search for novel therapeutic targets and strategies in cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). Within this context, a potential oncogenic role for TrkA in CMM is suggested by reports of NTRK1 amplification, enhanced TrkA expression and intracellular TrkA activation associated with poor prognosis. TrkA, however, exhibits tumour-suppressing properties in melanoma cell lines and has recently been reported not to be associated with CMM progression. To better understand these contradictions, we present the first analysis of potential oncogenic alternative TrkA mRNA splicing, associated with TrkA immunoreactivity, in CMMs, and compare the behaviour of fully spliced TrkA and the alternative TrkAIII splice variant in BRAF(V600E)-mutated A375 melanoma cells. Alternative TrkA splicing in CMMs was associated with unfolded protein response (UPR) activation. Of the several alternative TrkA mRNA splice variants detected, TrkAIII was the only variant with an open reading frame and, therefore, oncogenic potential. TrkAIII expression was more frequent in metastatic CMMs, predominated over fully spliced TrkA mRNA expression in ≈50% and was invariably linked to intracellular phosphorylated TrkA immunoreactivity. Phosphorylated TrkA species resembling TrkAIII were also detected in metastatic CMM extracts. In A375 cells, reductive stress induced UPR activation and promoted TrkAIII expression and, in transient transfectants, promoted TrkAIII and Akt phosphorylation, enhancing resistance to reductive stress-induced death, which was prevented by lestaurtinib and entrectinib. In contrast, fully spliced TrkA was dysfunctional in A375 cells. The data identify fully spliced TrkA dysfunction as a novel mechanism for reducing melanoma suppression, support a causal relationship between reductive stress, UPR activation, alternative TrkAIII splicing and TrkAIII activation and characterise a targetable oncogenic pro-survival role for TrkAIII in CMM.
Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Yttrium Oxide and Evolution of Morphology and Microstructure during Thermal Decomposition of Y2(C2O4)3·10H2O
Authors: Gribov Pavel A. , Sidelnikov Anatoly A. , Belosludov Rodion V. , Matvienko Alexander A.
Published: January 2023

A study of the morphology and evolution of the microstructure during thermal decomposition of Y2(C2O4)3·10H2O was conducted, and the stages and factors having the greatest impact on particle size and specific surface area were identified. The effect of the yttrium oxalate hexahydrate phases on the course of decomposition was also investigated. The evolution of the morphology and microstructure of decomposition products was explained from the analysis of volume shrinkage at various stages of the reaction. The formation of oxycarbonate is accompanied by the largest shrinkage during the reaction. At this stage, there is a significant increase in the specific surface area to 60–90 m2/g. Conversely, the morphology and microstructure of the particles during the transformation of oxycarbonate into yttrium oxide change insignificantly. Yttrium oxide powders obtained from the monoclinic and triclinic hexahydrate phases have the same specific surface area, but different morphology and bulk density due to pseudomorph formation. The carbon formed during thermolysis was shown to affect the specific surface area of the decomposition product. Two methods for producing yttrium oxide with high specific surface area have been proposed, and nanocrystalline yttrium oxide with a specific surface area of 65 m2/g was obtained.
A Clinical Update on SARS-CoV-2: Pathology and Development of Potential Inhibitors
Authors: Singh Desh Deepak , Han Ihn , Choi Eun-Ha , Yadav Dharmendra Kumar
Published: January 2023

SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is highly infectious and causes severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARD), immune suppression, and multi-organ failure. For SARS-CoV-2, only supportive treatment options are available, such as oxygen supportive therapy, ventilator support, antibiotics for secondary infections, mineral and fluid treatment, and a significant subset of repurposed effective drugs. Viral targeted inhibitors are the most suitable molecules, such as ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme-2) and RBD (receptor-binding domain) protein-based inhibitors, inhibitors of host proteases, inhibitors of viral proteases 3CLpro (3C-like proteinase) and PLpro (papain-like protease), inhibitors of replicative enzymes, inhibitors of viral attachment of SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2 receptor and TMPRSS2 (transmembrane serine proteinase 2), inhibitors of HR1 (Heptad Repeat 1)–HR2 (Heptad Repeat 2) interaction at the S2 protein of the coronavirus, etc. Targeting the cathepsin L proteinase, peptide analogues, monoclonal antibodies, and protein chimaeras as RBD inhibitors interferes with the spike protein’s ability to fuse to the membrane. Targeting the cathepsin L proteinase, peptide analogues, monoclonal antibodies, and protein chimaeras as RBD inhibitors interferes with the spike protein’s ability to fuse to the membrane. Even with the tremendous progress made, creating effective drugs remains difficult. To develop COVID-19 treatment alternatives, clinical studies are examining a variety of therapy categories, including antibodies, antivirals, cell-based therapy, repurposed diagnostic medicines, and more. In this article, we discuss recent clinical updates on SARS-CoV-2 infection, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, immunopathology, the new emergence of variant, SARS-CoV-2, various approaches to drug development and treatment options. The development of therapies has been complicated by the global occurrence of many SARS-CoV-2 mutations. Discussion of this manuscript will provide new insight into drug pathophysiology and drug development.
Bridging PCR: An Efficient and Reliable Scheme Implemented for Genome-Walking
Authors: Lin Zhiyu , Wei Cheng , Pei Jinfeng , Li Haixing
Published: January 2023

The efficacy of the available genome-walking methods is restricted by low specificity, high background, or composite operations. We herein conceived bridging PCR, an efficient genome-walking approach. Three primers with random sequences, inner walker primer (IWP), bridging primer (BP), and outer walker primer (OWP), are involved in bridging PCR. The BP is fabricated by splicing OWP to the 5′-end of IWP’s 5′-part. A bridging PCR set is constituted by three rounds of amplification reactions, sequentially performed by IWP, BP plus OWP, and OWP, respectively pairing with three nested sequence-specific primers (SSP). A non-target product arising from IWP alone undergoes end-lengthening mediated by BP. This modified non-target product is a preferentially formed hairpin between the lengthened ends, instead of binding with shorter OWP. Meanwhile, a non-target product, triggered by SSP alone or SSP plus IWP, is removed by nested SSP. As a result, only the target DNA is accumulated. The efficacy of bridging PCR was validated by walking the gadA/R genes of Levilactobacillus brevis CD0817 and the hyg gene of rice.
Semi-Site-Specific Primer PCR: A Simple but Reliable Genome-Walking Tool
Authors: Wei Cheng , Lin Zhiyu , Pei Jinfeng , Pan Hao , Li Haixing
Published: January 2023

Genome-walking has been frequently applied to molecular biology and related areas. Herein, a simple but reliable genome-walking technique, termed semi-site-specific primer PCR (3SP-PCR), is presented. The key to 3SP-PCR is the use of a semi-site-specific primer in secondary PCR that partially overlaps its corresponding primary site-specific primer. A 3SP-PCR set comprises two rounds of nested amplification reactions. In each round of reaction, any primer is allowed to partially anneal to the DNA template once only in the single relaxed-stringency cycle, creating a pool of single-stranded DNAs. The target single-stranded DNA can be converted into a double-stranded molecule directed by the site-specific primer, and thus can be exponentially amplified by the subsequent high-stringency cycles. The non-target one cannot be converted into a double-strand due to the lack of a perfect binding site to any primer, and thus fails to be amplified. We validated the 3SP-PCR method by using it to probe the unknown DNA regions of rice hygromycin genes and Levilactobacillus brevis CD0817 glutamic acid decarboxylase genes.
Single Prolonged Stress Decreases the Level of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in C57BL/6, but Not in House Mice
Authors: Kurilova Ekaterina , Sidorova Maria , Tuchina Oksana
Published: January 2023

Many people experience traumatic events during their lives, but not all of them develop severe mental pathologies, characterized by high levels of anxiety that persists for more than a month after psychological trauma, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We used a single prolonged stress protocol in order to model PTSD in long-inbred C57BL/6 and wild-derived (house) female mice. The susceptibility of mice to single prolonged stress was assessed by behavior phenotyping in the Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze, the level of neuroinflammation in the hippocampus was estimated by real-time PCR to TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, Iba1 and GFAP, as well as immunohistochemical analysis of microglial morphology and mean fluorescence intensity for GFAP+ cells. The level of neurogenesis was analyzed by real-time PCR to Ki67, Sox2 and DCX as well as immunohistochemistry to Ki67. We showed that long-inbread C57BL/6 mice are more susceptible to a single prolonged stress protocol compared to wild-derived (house) mice. Stressed C57BL/6 mice demonstrated elevated expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the hippocampus, while in house mice no differences in cytokine expression were detected. Expression levels of Iba1 in the hippocampus did not change significantly after single prolonged stress, however GFAP expression increased substantially in stressed C57BL/6 mice. The number of Iba+ cells in the dentate gyrus also did not change after stress, but the morphology of Iba+ microglia in C57BL/6 animals allowed us to suggest that it was activated; house mice also had significantly more microglia than C57BL/6 animals. We suppose that decreased microglia levels in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 compared to house mice might be one of the reasons for their sensitivity to a single prolonged stress. Single prolonged stress reduced the number of Ki67+ proliferating cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus but only in C57BL/6 mice, not in house mice, with the majority of cells detected in the dorsal (septal) hippocampus in both. The increase in the expression level of DCX might be a compensatory reaction to stress; however, it does not necessarily mean that these immature neurons will be functionally integrated, and this issue needs to be investigated further.
A Three-Phase Model to Evaluate Effects of Phase Diffusivity and Volume Fraction upon the Crack Propagation in Concrete Subjected to External Sulphate Attack
Authors: Yi Chaofan , Chen Zheng , Yu Jiamin , Bindiganavile Vivek
Published: January 2023

This study models concrete as a multi-phase system that comprises the mortar, coarse aggregates, and interfacial transition zones (ITZs). The diffusivity and the volumetric fraction of these phases are considered to propose a three-phase diffusion–reaction model to simulate the external sulphate attack. Furthermore, the parametric analysis alongside the sensitivity analysis is carried out to quantify the effect of these phases on the expansive cracking in concrete when exposed to a sulphate-rich environment. The results show that mortar dominates the sulphate ingress and the ensuing distress, while the ITZ is found to be least significant. Due to its significantly low permeability, the coarse aggregate may act as a “deceleration strip” or a “dam”, which in turn obstructs the sulphate penetration. More importantly, this effect is further noted to evolve with a decrease in the diffusivity and a rise in the volumetric fraction of coarse aggregates. As for ITZ, its volume fraction may play a more dominant role than its diffusivity on sulphate attack in concrete.
The Effect of Deposition Temperature of TiN Thin Film Deposition Using Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Lee Baek-Ju , Kim Yoo-Seong , Seo Dong-Won , Choi Jae-Wook
Published: January 2023

In this study, the effect of deposition temperature of TiN thin films deposited using the thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) method was investigated. TiCl4 precursor and NH3 reactive gas were used, and the deposition rate, resistivity change, and surface morphology characteristics were compared in the deposition temperature range of 400 °C–600 °C. While resistivity decreased to 177 µΩcm as the deposition temperature increased to 600 °C, an increase in surface roughness (Rq) to 0.69 nm and a deterioration in the step coverage were identified. In order to obtain a high-quality TiN thin film with excellent resistivity and step coverage characteristics even at low deposition temperatures, the TiN thin film was post-treated with plasma in a combination of N2/He gas ratio of 3:2 to confirm the change in resistivity. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed crystallization change in the TiN thin film caused by plasma energy. As a result, the resistivity of the TiN thin film deposited at 400 °C was confirmed to be lowered by about 25%.
Interplay of Interfacial and Rheological Properties on Drainage Reduction in CO2 Foam Stabilised by Surfactant/Nanoparticle Mixtures in Brine
Authors: de Azevedo Beatriz Ribeiro Souza , Alvarenga Bruno Giordano , Percebom Ana Maria , Pérez-Gramatges Aurora
Published: January 2023

Although nanoparticles (NPs) are known to increase foam stability, foam stabilisation is not observed in all surfactant/NP combinations. The present study evaluates the stability of CO2 foams containing surfactant/NP mixtures with attractive or repulsive electrostatic interactions at the low pH imposed by CO2 in the presence of a high-salinity brine. Three ionic surfactants and two oxide NPs (SiO2 and Al2O3) were used in combinations of similar or opposite charges. Surface tension, viscosity, ζ-potential and hydrodynamic size experiments allowed the analysis of CO2 foam stability based on the impact of surfactant–NP interactions on bulk and interfacial properties. All oppositely charged systems improved the foam half-life; however, a higher NP concentration was required to observe a significant effect when more efficient surfactants were present. Both bulk viscosity and rigidity of the interfacial films drastically increased in these systems, reducing foam drainage. The mixture of SiO2 with a zwitterionic surfactant showed the greatest increase in CO2 foam stability owing to the synergy of these effects, mediated by attractive interactions. This study showed that the use of NPs should be tailored to the surfactant of choice to achieve an interplay of interfacial and rheological properties able to reduce foam drainage in applications involving CO2 foam in brine.
Mitigation of Socio-Economical Inequalities on the Profile of Healthcare Workers Infected with SARS-CoV-2 upon Vaccination: The Experience of a Brazilian Public Healthcare Institution during the Omicron Wave
Authors: Zuma Maria Celia Chaves , Faccion Roberta Soares , da Costa Ana Carolina Carioca , Gomes Leonardo Henrique Ferreira , Moore Daniella Campelo Batalha Cox , Gomes Junior Saint Clair , Bonomo Adriana Cesar , Savino Wilson , Missailidis Sotiris , Vasconcelos Zilton Farias Meira
Published: January 2023

Background: COVID-19 increased health inequalities worldwide. Even among healthcare workers, social-economical features enhanced the risk of infection (having positive serology) during the first outbreak. The Omicron variant changed the pandemic course and differs from previous variants in many aspects (molecular, clinical, and epidemiological). Herein, we investigated if the profile of our hospital SARS-CoV-2-positive workers during the Omicron outbreak was the same as the first COVID-19 wave. Methods: Socio-demographics, previous infection, and vaccine status of 351 healthcare workers from our institution during the Omicron outbreak were compared between SARS-CoV-2-negative and -positive workers, using chi-square tests. These data were confronted with the profile observed at the beginning of the pandemic. Results: Compared to the original COVID-19 wave, higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in highly exposed workers in our hospital and a loss of impact of public transportation and other socio-demographic features in SARS-CoV-2 transmission were observed. Conclusions: Our data suggest the current phase of the pandemic is associated with a reduction of social inequalities among healthcare workers in Rio de Janeiro, possibly due to vaccine-associated protection. Therefore, a worldwide effort to advance vaccination coverage, especially for healthcare workers in developing countries, should be reinforced.
Non-Fermi Liquid Behavior in the Three-Dimensional Hubbard Model
Authors: Kellar Samuel , Tam Ka-Ming , Moreno Juana
Published: January 2023

We present a numerical study on the non-Fermi liquid behavior of a three-dimensional strongly correlated system. The Hubbard model in a simple cubic lattice is simulated by the dynamical cluster approximation; in particular, the quasi-particle weight is calculated at finite dopings for a range of temperatures. By fitting the quasi-particle weight to the marginal Fermi liquid form at finite doping near the putative quantum critical point, we find evidence of a separatrix between Fermi liquid and non-Fermi liquid regions. Our results suggest that a marginal Fermi liquid and possibly a quantum critical point exist in the non-symmetry broken solution of the three-dimensional interacting electron systems. We also calculate the spectral function, close to the half-filling, and we obtain evidence of pseudogap.
Poor Muscle Status, Dietary Protein Intake, Exercise Levels, Quality of Life and Physical Function in Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer at Chemotherapy Commencement and during Follow-Up
Authors: Parkinson Jessica , Bandera Amelia , Crichton Megan , Shannon Catherine , Woodward Natasha , Hodgkinson Adam , Millar Luke , Teleni Laisa , van der Meij Barbara S.
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to investigate nutritional status, body composition, dietary protein intake, handgrip strength, 6 min or 4 m walk tests, self-reported physical activity, physical function, and quality of life (QoL-EORTC-QLQc30) at commencement of chemotherapy; to detect changes over time (from commencement of chemotherapy, and after 3, 6, 12, 26 and 52 weeks) in women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC); and to investigate the relationship between nutritional variables. ‘Sarcopenia’ was defined as low muscle mass and strength, ‘myosteatosis’ as muscle fat-infiltration (CT scan). Continuous variables were analysed using paired t-tests between baseline and follow-ups. Fifteen women (54y, 95% CI [46.3;61.2]) were recruited. At baseline, malnutrition was present in 3 (20%) participants, sarcopenia in 3 (20%) and myosteatosis in 7 (54%). Thirteen (87%) participants had low protein intake; low handgrip strength was observed in 0, and low walk test distance and physical activity in four (27%) participants. Physical function and QoL were low in 10 (67%) and 9 (60%), respectively. QoL between baseline and 52 weeks decreased by 11.7 (95% CI [2.4;20.9], p = 0.025). Other variables did not significantly change over time. In this small study sample, myosteatosis, low dietary protein intake, low exercise levels and impaired quality of life and physical function are common.
Postprandial Glycaemia, Insulinemia, and Lipidemia after 12 Weeks’ Cheese Consumption: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Human Sub-Study
Authors: Kjølbæk Louise , Raziani Farinaz , Tholstrup Tine , Rudnicki Rosa Caroline Jullie , Ritz Christian , Astrup Arne , Raben Anne
Published: January 2023

Some populations are recommended to consume low-fat dairy, although the evidence behind replacing high-fat with low-fat dairy products is limited. This exploratory sub-study investigated the effect of cheese with different fat content on postprandial changes in type-2-diabetes risk markers. Following 12-week cheese or jam intake, a 4 h meal test was conducted with 37 participants. Test meals included bread and either: 80 g regular-fat cheese (REG), 80 g reduced-fat cheese (RED) or 25 g jam (CHO). Postprandial blood was drawn and appetite sensations registered. Time-meal interactions were not observed for glucose and insulin, but for triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acids (FFA). Pairwise comparisons showed 0.17 ± 0.07 mmol/L (p = 0.044) and 0.25 ± 0.07 mmol/L (p = 0.002) higher TG at 180 and 240 min, respectively, and 94 ± 37 mmol/L (p = 0.029) higher FFA at 180 min for REG compared with RED. Compared with CHO, intake of both cheese meals reduced insulin and glucose (main effects of meal, both p ≤ 0.011) and increased FFA and TG at certain time points. In conclusion, intake of cheese with a regular, compared with reduced, fat content did not affect glucose, insulin and appetite, but increased TG and FFA.
Manufacturing Constraints in Topology Optimization for the Direct Manufacturing of Extrusion-Based Additively Manufactured Parts
Authors: Rosnitschek Tobias , Baumann Tobias , Orgeldinger Christian , Alber-Laukant Bettina , Tremmel Stephan
Published: January 2023

Additive manufacturing is a potentially disruptive technology with a high impact on supply chains and part design. While generally allowing much higher degrees of freedom in design than formative and subtractive manufacturing techniques, the necessity of support structures can diminish the impact of additive manufacturing. This article presents a methodology based on finite spheres to integrate knowledge about process limitations into topology optimization for the direct extrusion-based additive manufacturing of parts with maximized stiffness and strength and minimized support structures. This methodology has been included within our self-developed Freeware Z88 Arion® V3. We investigated the impact of the manufacturing constraints on the additive manufacturing process regarding effective material usage on application test examples. The test results showed that the design proposals created while applying the finite spheres and two-step smoothing needed significantly less or no support material for all application examples.
Glycemia and New-Onset Diabetes among COVID-19 Patients with Prediabetes: A Follow-Study of Case Series in India
Authors: Chandrasekaran Nirmala , Sathish Thirunavukkarasu
Published: January 2023

Studies have shown that COVID-19 patients with prediabetes frequently present with high plasma glucose levels on hospital admission. However, whether the glycemic abnormalities are temporary or persist after recovery from the illness is unclear. We conducted a follow-up study of the case series of 69 COVID-19 patients with prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7–6.4%) who were admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India, from May to October 2020 and were discharged alive. Over a mean follow-up of 146.6 (SD: 72.5) days, the mean fasting plasma glucose rose significantly by 16.8 mg/dL (from 119.3–136.1 mg/dL), 2-hr post-prandial glucose by 61.0 mg/dL (from 176.2–237.2 mg/dL), and HbA1c by 0.6% (5.9–6.5%). Of the 49 (84.5%) patients who were discharged with glucose-lowering medications, 40 (81.6%) continued taking them at the first follow-up visit (mean of 50.1 days from admission), and 39 (79.6%) continued taking them at the second follow-up visit (mean of 114.3 days from the first follow-up visit). In addition, 12.1% of patients developed new-onset diabetes after recovery from the illness. These findings underscore the importance of regular monitoring of glycemic parameters in COVID-19 patients with prediabetes after recovery.
NLRP3 Gene Polymorphisms in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome Patients
Authors: Li Ruei-Nian , Ou Tsan-Teng , Lin Chia-Hui , Lin Yuan-Zhao , Fang Tzu-Jung , Chen Yi-Jing , Tseng Chia-Chun , Sung Wan-Yu , Wu Cheng-Chin , Yen Jeng-Hsien
Published: January 2023

Aim: The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome leads to the stimulation of cytokines and is significantly involved in the pathogenesis and progression of autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations of NLRP3 gene polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and primary Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) patients. Methods: A total of 239 patients with RA, 285 patients with primary SS, and 170 healthy controls were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and gene polymorphisms were genotyped through the TaqMan assay. Antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-Ro, and anti-CCP antibodies were detected using immunofluorescence immunoassay. Results: The T allele of rs4612666 CT elevated the susceptibility to RA disease. The RF titer during diagnosis of RA was significantly high in RA patients with the A allele of rs12079994 G/A polymorphism. The titer of anti-CCP during diagnosis of RA was high in the absence of the C allele of rs10754558 C/G polymorphisms in RA patients. Antinuclear antibody and anti-CCP were positively associated with the A allele of rs12079994 G/A polymorphism in primary SS. The C allele of rs4612666 C/T was negatively associated with ANA in primary SS. Conclusions: The results have shown that NLRP3 gene polymorphisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA and primary SS.
Ultrasound of the Biceps Muscle in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease with Deep Brain Stimulation: Rigidity Can Be Quantified by Shear Wave Elastography
Authors: Oppold Julia , Breu Maria-Sophie , Gharabaghi Alireza , Grimm Alexander , Del Grosso Nicholas A. , Hormozi Mohammad , Kleiser Benedict , Klocke Philipp , Kronlage Cornelius , Weiß Daniel , Marquetand Justus
Published: January 2023

Rigidity in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is assessed by clinical scales, mostly the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale of the Movement Disorders Society (MDS-UPDRS). While the MDS-UPDRS-III ranges on an integer from 0 to 4, we investigated whether muscle ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) offers a refined assessment. Ten PD patients (five treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) and levodopa, five with levodopa only) and ten healthy controls were included. Over a period of 80 min, both the SWE value and the item 22b-c of the MDS-UPDRS-III were measured at 5 min intervals. The measurements were performed bilaterally at the biceps brachii muscle (BB) and flexor digitorum profundus muscle in flexion and passive extension. Rigidity was modified and tracked under various therapeutic conditions (with and without medication/DBS). The feasibility of SWE for objective quantification was evaluated by correlation with the UPDRS-III: considering all positions and muscles, there was already a weak correlation (r = 0.01, p < 0.001)—in a targeted analysis, the BB in passive extension showed a markedly higher correlation (r = 0.494, p < 0.001). The application of dopaminergic medication and DBS resulted in statistically significant short-term changes in both clinical rigidity and SWE measurements in the BB (p < 0.001). We conclude that rigidity is reflected in the SWE measurements, indicating that SWE is a potential non-invasive quantitative assessment tool for PD.
Current Status of the Diagnosis of Early-Stage Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nakaoka Kazunori , Ohno Eizaburo , Kawabe Naoto , Kuzuya Teiji , Funasaka Kohei , Nakagawa Yoshihito , Nagasaka Mitsuo , Ishikawa Takuya , Watanabe Ayako , Tochio Takumi , Miyahara Ryoji , Shibata Tomoyuki , Kawashima Hiroki , Hashimoto Senju , Hirooka Yoshiki
Published: January 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Despite medical progress in each field in recent years, it is still insufficient for managing PDAC, and at present, the only curative treatment is surgery. A typical pancreatic cancer is relatively easy to diagnose with imaging. However, it is often not recommended for surgical treatment at the time of diagnosis due to metastatic spread beyond the pancreas. Even if it is operable, it often recurs during postoperative follow-up. In the case of PDAC with a diameter of 10 mm or less, the 5-year survival rate is as good as 80% or more, and the best index for curative treatment is tumor size. The early detection of pancreatic cancer with a diameter of less than 10 mm or carcinoma in situ is critical. Here, we provide an overview of the current status of diagnostic imaging features and genetic tests for the accurate diagnosis of early-stage PDAC.
A Spectrum-Saving Transmission Method in Multi-Antenna Satellite Communication Star Networks: Sharing the Frequency with Terminals
Authors: Li Tian , Hao Xuekun , Yue Xinwei
Published: January 2023

Satellite communication networks have gradually been recognized as an effective way to enhance the ground-based wireless communication. Considering the weight restriction of payloads, multi-antenna technologies have recently come into use on satellite platforms, and are capable of generating beams flexibly to provide services. To avoid incurring interferences, adjacent beams are designed to take different spectral resources. Unfortunately, this may limit the simultaneously accessed terminals since the spectrum cannot be fully used. In this paper, we propose a spectrum-saving transmission method in a satellite star network, where terminals communicate with each other through the hub station. Taking advantage of the great transmission capability differences of the hub station and terminals, we could allocate them the same spectral resources. Specifically, it is not necessary to use exclusive frequency bands for terminals.The proposed method can play a significant role when large numbers of users need to access the system with limited spectrum resource. To give a deep insight into the spectrum-saving method, the expressions of ergodic sum-rate are provided, and the impact of the number of accessed terminals is further analyzed. Simulation results validate the advantage of the proposed method in terms of bit error rate and ergodic sum rate.
Fault Diagnosis Strategy for a Standalone Photovoltaic System: A Residual Formation Approach
Authors: Alam Zaheer , Khan Malak Adnan , Khan Zain Ahmad , Ahmad Waleed , Khan Imran , Khan Qudrat , Irfan Muhammad , Nowakowski Grzegorz
Published: January 2023

The search for sustainability and green energy, in electricity production, has lead many researchers to study and improve photovoltaic (PV) systems. The PV systems, being a combination of power electronic modules and PV array, have high tendency of faults in sensors, switches, and passive devices. Thus, a reliable fault diagnosis (FD) scheme plays a significant role in protecting PV systems. In this article, a sliding mode observer (SMO)-based FD scheme is presented to figure out the sensor faults in a standalone PV system. The proposed FD scheme makes use of residual formation which in turn helps in detection of faults on the basis of a defined threshold. In addition to the functionality of fault detection, the SMO provides the benefit of reduction in number of sensors required in the PV system. This feature can be utilized as software redundancy in fault-tolerant control (FTC). The test bench, standalone PV system, is equipped with a buck–boost converter for maximum power transfer (MPT) to the connected load. Moreover, the FD scheme is backed by a back-stepping (BS) analogy-based control scheme for extraction of maximum power from the PV panel. The simulations are performed in the MATLAB/Simulink platform under varying environmental conditions (temperature and irradiance) and resistive load. These simulations, subjected to varying operating conditions, confirm the efficacy, in terms of robustness, chattering (oscillations about the reference), and steady-state error, of the proposed scheme.
Content Caching in Mobile Edge Computing Based on User Location and Preferences Using Cosine Similarity and Collaborative Filtering
Authors: Gul-E-Laraib  , Zaman Sardar Khaliq uz , Maqsood Tahir , Rehman Faisal , Mustafa Saad , Khan Muhammad Amir , Gohar Neelam , Algarni Abeer D. , Elmannai Hela
Published: January 2023

High-speed internet has boosted clients’ traffic needs. Content caching on mobile edge computing (MEC) servers reduces traffic and latency. Caching with MEC faces difficulties such as user mobility, limited storage, varying user preferences, and rising video streaming needs. The current content caching techniques consider user mobility and content popularity to improve the experience. However, no present solution addresses user preferences and mobility, affecting caching decisions. We propose mobility- and user-preferences-aware caching for MEC. Using time series, the proposed system finds mobility patterns and groups nearby trajectories. Using cosine similarity and CF, we predict and cache user-requested content. CF predicts the popularity of grouped-based content to improve the cache hit ratio and reduce delay compared to baseline techniques.
Fast Adaptive Binarization of QR Code Images for Automatic Sorting in Logistics Systems
Authors: Chen Rongjun , Li Weijie , Lan Kailin , Xiao Jinghui , Wang Leijun , Lu Xu
Published: January 2023

With the development of technology, QR codes play an important role in information exchange. In order to work out the problem of uneven illumination in automatic sorting in logistics systems, an adaptive method in binarization is presented. The proposed method defines the block windows’ size adaptively for local binarization based on the traits of the QR code. It takes advantage of integral images to calculate the sum of gray values in a block. The method can binarize the QR code with high quality and speed under uneven illumination. Compared with several existing algorithms, it is shown that the proposed method is more effective. The experimental results validate that the proposed method has a higher recognition accuracy and is more efficient in binarization.
Blockchain-Based Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading System Using Open-Source Angular Framework and Hypertext Transfer Protocol
Authors: Baig Mirza Jabbar Aziz , Iqbal Mohammad Tariq , Jamil Mohsin , Khan Jahangir
Published: January 2023

Renewable energy resources have been gaining ground in recent years and we are on the verge of a decentralized energy market with consumers becoming prosumers. Platforms that facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) sale or purchase of energy are therefore essential. This paper presents a way to trade energy across P2P networks using blockchain technology. The main server is a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (Pi4B), on which the user interface (UI) as well as the private Ethereum blockchain are configured. The blockchain also implements a smart contract. For the purpose of developing the UI that provides assistance in conducting trading activities, an open-source Angular framework is used. Also explored in the study is the development of an Internet of Things (IoT) server using the latest ESP32-S3 microcontroller. The field instrumentation devices (FIDs) are connected to the microcontroller for the purpose of data acquisition and for subsequent transmission to an IoT server. The blockchain network maintains a record of all transactions in an immutable manner. Assuring security is achieved through a local configuration of the system, hosted on a private network with restricted access. For the purposes of information security and data integrity, additional security measures are also considered, such as a secret recovery phrase, firewalls, login credentials and private key. Among the servers and clients, there is an implementation of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The P2P energy trading approach involving renewable energy designed for remote communities is explained and illustrated in this paper.
Facial Emotion Recognition with Inter-Modality-Attention-Transformer-Based Self-Supervised Learning
Authors: Chaudhari Aayushi , Bhatt Chintan , Krishna Achyut , Travieso-González Carlos M.
Published: January 2023

Emotion recognition is a very challenging research field due to its complexity, as individual differences in cognitive–emotional cues involve a wide variety of ways, including language, expressions, and speech. If we use video as the input, we can acquire a plethora of data for analyzing human emotions. In this research, we use features derived from separately pretrained self-supervised learning models to combine text, audio (speech), and visual data modalities. The fusion of features and representation is the biggest challenge in multimodal emotion classification research. Because of the large dimensionality of self-supervised learning characteristics, we present a unique transformer and attention-based fusion method for incorporating multimodal self-supervised learning features that achieved an accuracy of 86.40% for multimodal emotion classification.