bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multidimensional Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Characterization of Tissue Microstructure in Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Pilot Study
Authors: Naranjo Isaac Daimiel , Reymbaut Alexis , Brynolfsson Patrik , Lo Gullo Roberto , Bryskhe Karin , Topgaard Daniel , Giri Dilip D. , Reiner Jeffrey S. , Thakur Sunitha B. , Pinker-Domenig Katja
Published: March 2021

Diffusion-weighted imaging is a non-invasive functional imaging modality for breast tumor characterization through apparent diffusion coefficients. Yet, it has so far been unable to intuitively inform on tissue microstructure. In this IRB-approved prospective study, we applied novel multidimensional diffusion (MDD) encoding across 16 patients with suspected breast cancer to evaluate its potential for tissue characterization in the clinical setting. Data acquired via custom MDD sequences was processed using an algorithm estimating non-parametric diffusion tensor distributions. The statistical descriptors of these distributions allow us to quantify tissue composition in terms of metrics informing on cell densities, shapes, and orientations. Additionally, signal fractions from specific cell types, such as elongated cells (bin1), isotropic cells (bin2), and free water (bin3), were teased apart. Histogram analysis in cancers and healthy breast tissue showed that cancers exhibited lower mean values of “size” (1.43 ± 0.54 × 10−3 mm2/s) and higher mean values of “shape” (0.47 ± 0.15) corresponding to bin1, while FGT (fibroglandular breast tissue) presented higher mean values of “size” (2.33 ± 0.22 × 10−3 mm2/s) and lower mean values of “shape” (0.27 ± 0.11) corresponding to bin3 (p < 0.001). Invasive carcinomas showed significant differences in mean signal fractions from bin1 (0.64 ± 0.13 vs. 0.4 ± 0.25) and bin3 (0.18 ± 0.08 vs. 0.42 ± 0.21) compared to ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) and invasive carcinomas with associated DCIS (p = 0.03). MDD enabled qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the composition of breast cancers and healthy glands.
Prospective Validation of Pentraxin-3 as a Novel Serum Biomarker to Predict the Risk of Prostate Cancer in Patients Scheduled for Prostate Biopsy
Authors: Falagario Ugo Giovanni , Busetto Gian Maria , Netti Giuseppe Stefano , Sanguedolce Francesca , Selvaggio Oscar , Infante Barbara , Ranieri Elena , Stallone Giovanni , Carrieri Giuseppe , Cormio Luigi
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To test and internally validate serum Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels as a potential PCa biomarker to predict prostate biopsy (PBx) results. Materials and Methods: Serum PSA and serum PTX3 were prospectively assessed in patients scheduled for PBx at our Institution due to increased serum PSA levels or abnormal digital rectal examination. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analysis, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis (DCA), were used to test the accuracy of serum PTX3 in predicting anyPCa and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) defined as Gleason Grade (GG) ≥ 2. Results: Among the 455 eligible patients, PCa was detected in 49% and csPCa in 25%. During univariate analysis, PTX3 outperformed other variables in predicting both anyPCa and csPCa. The addition of PTX3 to multivariable models based on standard clinical variables, significantly increased each model’s predictive accuracy for anyPCa (AUC from 0.73 to 0.82; p < 0.001) and csPCa (AUC from 0.79 to 0.83; p < 0.001). At DCA, PTX3, and PTX3, density showed higher net benefit than PSA and PSA density and increased the net benefit of multivariable models in deciding when to perform PBx. Conclusions: Serum PTX3 levels might be of clinical utility in predicting prostate biopsy results. Should our findings be confirmed, this novel reflex test could be used to reduce the number and burden of unnecessary prostate biopsies.
Durvalumab after Chemoradiotherapy for PD-L1 Expressing Inoperable Stage III NSCLC Leads to Significant Improvement of Local-Regional Control and Overall Survival in the Real-World Setting
Authors: Taugner Julian , Käsmann Lukas , Eze Chukwuka , Tufman Amanda , Reinmuth Niels , Duell Thomas , Belka Claus , Manapov Farkhad
Published: March 2021

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by maintenance treatment with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab is a new standard of care for inoperable stage III NSCLC. The present study compares the oncological outcome of patients treated with CRT to those treated with CRT and durvalumab (CRT-IO) in the real-world setting. The analysis was performed based on the retro- and prospectively collected data of 144 consecutive inoperable stage III NSCLC patients treated between 2011–2020. Local-regional-progression-free-survival (LRPFS—defined as progression in the mediastinum, hilum and/or supraclavicular region at both sites and the involved lung), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated from the last day of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT). Median follow-up for the entire cohort was 33.1 months (range: 6.3–111.8) and median overall survival was 27.2 (95% CI: 19.5–34.9) months. In the CRT-IO cohort after a median follow-up of 20.9 (range: 6.3–27.4) months, median PFS was not reached, LRPFS (p = 0.002), PFS (p = 0.018), and OS (p = 0.005) were significantly improved vs. the historical cohort of conventional CRT patients. After propensity-score matching (PSM) analysis with age, gender, histology, tumor volume, and treatment mode, and exact matching for T-and N-stage, 22 CRT-IO patients were matched 1:2 to 44 CRT patients. Twelve-month LRPFS, PFS, and OS rates in the CRT-IO vs. CRT cohort were 78.9 vs. 45.5% (p = 0.002), 60.0 vs. 31.8% (p = 0.007), and 100 vs. 70.5% (p = 0.003), respectively. This real-world analysis demonstrated that durvalumab after CRT led to significant improvement of local-regional control, PFS, and OS in PD-L1 expressing inoperable stage III NSCLC patients compared to a historical cohort.
Automated Detection and Classification of Desmoplastic Reaction at the Colorectal Tumour Front Using Deep Learning
Authors: Nearchou Ines P. , Ueno Hideki , Kajiwara Yoshiki , Lillard Kate , Mochizuki Satsuki , Takeuchi Kengo , Harrison David J. , Caie Peter D.
Published: March 2021

The categorisation of desmoplastic reaction (DR) present at the colorectal cancer (CRC) invasive front into mature, intermediate or immature type has been previously shown to have high prognostic significance. However, the lack of an objective and reproducible assessment methodology for the assessment of DR has been a major hurdle to its clinical translation. In this study, a deep learning algorithm was trained to automatically classify immature DR on haematoxylin and eosin digitised slides of stage II and III CRC cases (n = 41). When assessing the classifier’s performance on a test set of patient samples (n = 40), a Dice score of 0.87 for the segmentation of myxoid stroma was reported. The classifier was then applied to the full cohort of 528 stage II and III CRC cases, which was then divided into a training (n = 396) and a test set (n = 132). Automatically classed DR was shown to have superior prognostic significance over the manually classed DR in both the training and test cohorts. The findings demonstrated that deep learning algorithms could be applied to assist pathologists in the detection and classification of DR in CRC in an objective, standardised and reproducible manner.
The Management of Brain Metastases—Systematic Review of Neurosurgical Aspects
Authors: Proescholdt Martin A. , Schödel Petra , Doenitz Christian , Pukrop Tobias , Höhne Julius , Schmidt Nils Ole , Schebesch Karl-Michael
Published: March 2021

The multidisciplinary management of patients with brain metastases (BM) consists of surgical resection, different radiation treatment modalities, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and targeted molecular treatment. This review presents the current state of neurosurgical technology applied to achieve maximal resection with minimal morbidity as a treatment paradigm in patients with BM. In addition, we discuss the contribution of neurosurgical resection on functional outcome, advanced systemic treatment strategies, and enhanced understanding of the tumor biology.
Covalent Cysteine Targeting of Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) Family by Withaferin-A Reduces Survival of Glucocorticoid-Resistant Multiple Myeloma MM1 Cells
Authors: Logie Emilie , Chirumamilla Chandra S. , Perez-Novo Claudina , Shaw Priyanka , Declerck Ken , Palagani Ajay , Rangarajan Savithri , Cuypers Bart , De Neuter Nicolas , Mobashar Hussain Urf Turabe Fazil , Kumar Verma Navin , Bogaerts Annemie , Laukens Kris , Offner Fritz , Van Vlierberghe Pieter , Van Ostade Xaveer , Berghe Wim Vanden
Published: March 2021

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by plasma cells’ uncontrolled growth. The major barrier in treating MM is the occurrence of primary and acquired therapy resistance to anticancer drugs. Often, this therapy resistance is associated with constitutive hyperactivation of tyrosine kinase signaling. Novel covalent kinase inhibitors, such as the clinically approved BTK inhibitor ibrutinib (IBR) and the preclinical phytochemical withaferin A (WA), have, therefore, gained pharmaceutical interest. Remarkably, WA is more effective than IBR in killing BTK-overexpressing glucocorticoid (GC)-resistant MM1R cells. To further characterize the kinase inhibitor profiles of WA and IBR in GC-resistant MM cells, we applied phosphopeptidome- and transcriptome-specific tyrosine kinome profiling. In contrast to IBR, WA was found to reverse BTK overexpression in GC-resistant MM1R cells. Furthermore, WA-induced cell death involves covalent cysteine targeting of Hinge-6 domain type tyrosine kinases of the kinase cysteinome classification, including inhibition of the hyperactivated BTK. Covalent interaction between WA and BTK could further be confirmed by biotin-based affinity purification and confocal microscopy. Similarly, molecular modeling suggests WA preferably targets conserved cysteines in the Hinge-6 region of the kinase cysteinome classification, favoring inhibition of multiple B-cell receptors (BCR) family kinases. Altogether, we show that WA’s promiscuous inhibition of multiple BTK family tyrosine kinases represents a highly effective strategy to overcome GC-therapy resistance in MM.
Deletions on Chromosome Y and Downregulation of the SRY Gene in Tumor Tissue Are Associated with Worse Survival of Glioblastoma Patients
Authors: Łysiak Małgorzata , Smits Anja , Roodakker Kenney Roy , Sandberg Elisabeth , Dimberg Anna , Mudaisi Munila , Bratthäll Charlotte , Strandeus Michael , Milos Peter , Hallbeck Martin , Söderkvist Peter , Malmström Annika
Published: March 2021

Background: Biological causes of sex disparity seen in the prevalence of cancer, including glioblastoma (GBM), remain poorly understood. One of the considered aspects is the involvement of the sex chromosomes, especially loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Methods: Tumors from 105 isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild type male GBM patients were tested with droplet digital PCR for copy number changes of ten genes on chromosome Y. Decreased gene expression, a proxy of gene loss, was then analyzed in 225 IDH wild type GBM derived from TCGA and overall survival in both cohorts was tested with Kaplan–Meier log-rank analysis and maximally selected rank statistics for cut-off determination. Results: LOY was associated with significantly shorter overall survival (7 vs. 14.6 months, p = 0.0016), and among investigated individual genes survival correlated most prominently with loss of the sex-determining region Y gene (SRY) (10.8 vs. 14.8 months, p = 0.0031). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and MYC proto-oncogene signaling pathways are associated with low SRY expression. Conclusion: Our data show that deletions and reduced gene expression of chromosome Y genes, especially SRY, are associated with reduced survival of male GBM patients and connected to major susceptibility pathways of gliomagenesis.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary: Immunohistochemical and Molecular Analyses Reveal Distinct UV-Signature/MCPyV-Negative and High Immunogenicity/MCPyV-Positive Profiles
Authors: Donizy Piotr , Wróblewska Joanna P. , Dias-Santagata Dora , Woznica Katarzyna , Biecek Przemyslaw , Mochel Mark C. , Wu Cheng-Lin , Kopczynski Janusz , Pieniazek Malgorzata , Ryś Janusz , Marszalek Andrzej , Hoang Mai P.
Published: March 2021

Background: Merkel cell carcinomas of unknown primary (MCC-UPs) are defined as deep-seated tumors without an associated cutaneous tumor. Although the distinction has important clinical implications, it remains unclear whether these tumors represent primary tumors of lymph nodes or metastatic cutaneous primaries. Methods: We compared the immunohistochemical profiles of four groups of MCCs (Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-positive UP, MCPyV-negative UP, MCPyV-positive known primary (KP), and MCPyV-negative KP) using B-cell and pre-B-cell markers, cell cycle regulating proteins, follicular stem cell markers, and immune markers, and performed next generation and Sanger sequencing. Results: Virus-positive and virus-negative MCC-UPs exhibited an immunoprofile similar to virus-positive and virus-negative primary cutaneous MCCs, respectively. MCC-UP tumors (both virus-positive and -negative) were immunogenic with similar or even higher tumoral PD-L1 expression and intratumoral CD8 and FoxP3 infiltrates in comparison to MCPyV-positive cutaneous tumors. In addition, similar to primary cutaneous MCCs, MCPyV-negative MCC-UPs exhibited UV signatures and frequent high tumor mutational burdens, whereas few molecular alterations were noted in MCPyV-positive MCC-UPs. Conclusions: Our results showed distinct UV-signatures in MCPyV-negative tumors and high immunogenicity in MCPyV-positive tumors. Although additional studies are warranted for the MCPyV-positive cases, our findings are supportive of a cutaneous metastatic origin for MCPyV-negative MCC-UP tumors.
H2-Rich and Tar-Free Downstream Gasification Reaction of EFB by Using the Malaysian Dolomite as a Secondary Catalyst
Authors: Al-Obaidi Mohammed Mahmoud Ahmad , Ishak Nor Shafizah , Ali Salmiaton , Arifin Nor Anisa , Raja Shahruzzaman Raja Mohamad Hafriz , Wan Abdul Karim Ghani Wan Azlina , Yun Hin Taufiq-Yap , Shamsuddin Abdul Halim
Published: March 2021

In this study, Malaysian dolomites as secondary catalysts are placed at the downstream of the fluidized-bed gasifier. Three types of Malaysian dolomites with different elemental ratios of CaO-MgO content denoted as P1, P2, and P3 are investigated with EFB gasification reaction at different cracking temperatures (700–900 °C). The performance of the catalysts with a variation of catalyst to biomass weight ratio (C/B) (0.05 to 0.30 w/w) is evaluated. The findings showed that the total gas yield increased by 20%, hydrogen increased by 66%, along with an almost 99% reduction in tar content with P1 catalyst with the following reaction conditions: gasification temperature of 850 °C, equivalence ratio (ER) of 0.25, and cracking temperature of 900 °C. Malaysia dolomite could be a secondary catalyst to provide a better alternative, tar-free hydrogen-rich gas with the possibility of regeneration and re-use.
Insights into the Stability and Activity of MIL-53(Fe) in Solar Photocatalytic Oxidation Processes in Water
Authors: López Jorge , Chávez Ana M. , Rey Ana , Álvarez Pedro M.
Published: March 2021

MIL-53(Fe) is a metal organic framework that has been recently considered a heterogeneous photocatalyst candidate for the degradation of water pollutants under visible or solar radiation, though stability studies are rather scarce in the literature. In this work, MIL-53(Fe) was successfully synthesized by a solvothermal method and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), elemental analysis and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF). The effects of pH, temperature, solar radiation and the presence of oxidants (i.e., electron acceptors) such as ozone, persulfate and hydrogen peroxide on the stability of MIL-53(Fe) in water were investigated. The as-synthetized MIL-53(Fe) exhibited relatively good stability in water at pH 4 but suffered fast hydrolysis at alkaline conditions. At pH 4–5, temperature, radiation (solar and visible radiation) and oxidants exerted negative effect on the stability of the metal–organic framework (MOF) in water, resulting in non-negligible amounts of metal (iron) and linker (terephthalic acid, H2BDC) leached out from MIL-53(Fe). The photocatalytic activity of MIL-53(Fe) under simulated solar radiation was studied using phenol and metoprolol as target pollutants. MIL-53(Fe) on its own removed less than 10% of the pollutants after 3 h of irradiation, while in the presence of ozone, persulfate or hydrogen peroxide, complete elimination of pollutants was achieved within 2 h of exposure to radiation. However, the presence of oxidants and the formation of some reaction intermediates (e.g., short-chain carboxylic acids) accelerated MIL-53(Fe) decarboxylation. The findings of this work suggest that MIL-53(Fe) should not be recommended as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for water treatment before carrying out a careful evaluation of its stability under actual reaction conditions.
Stem Cell Therapy for Microvascular Injury Associated with Ischemic Nephropathy
Authors: Textor Stephen C. , Abumoawad Abdu , Saad Ahmed , Ferguson Christopher , Dietz Allan
Published: March 2021

Ischemic nephropathy reflects progressive loss of kidney function due to large vessel atherosclerotic occlusive disease. Recent studies indicate that this process is characterized by microvascular rarefaction, increased tissue hypoxia and activation of inflammatory processes of tissue injury. This review summarizes the rationale and application of functional MR imaging to evaluate tissue oxygenation in human subjects that defines the limits of renal adaptation to reduction in blood flow, development of increasingly severe tissue hypoxia and recruitment of inflammatory injury pathways in ischemic nephropathy. Human mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) are capable of modifying angiogenic pathways and immune responses, but the potency of these effects vary between individuals and various clinical characteristics including age and chronic kidney disease and levels of hypoxia. We summarize recently completed first-in-human studies applying intrarenal infusion of autologous adipose-derived MSC in human subjects with ischemic nephropathy that demonstrate a rise in blood flow and reduction in tissue hypoxia consistent with partial repair of microvascular injury, even without restoring main renal arterial blood flow. Inflammatory biomarkers in the renal vein of post-stenotic kidneys fell after MSC infusion. These changes were associated with modest but significant dose-related increments in kidney function. These data provide support a role for autologous MSC in repair of microvascular injury associated with tissue hypoxia.
Sarcoidosis: A Clinical Overview from Symptoms to Diagnosis
Authors: Sève Pascal , Pacheco Yves , Durupt François , Jamilloux Yvan , Gerfaud-Valentin Mathieu , Isaac Sylvie , Boussel Loïc , Calender Alain , Androdias Géraldine , Valeyre Dominique , El Jammal Thomas
Published: March 2021

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease of unknown etiology characterized by the formation of granulomas in various organs. It affects people of all ethnic backgrounds and occurs at any time of life but is more frequent in African Americans and Scandinavians and in adults between 30 and 50 years of age. Sarcoidosis can affect any organ with a frequency varying according to ethnicity, sex and age. Intrathoracic involvement occurs in 90% of patients with symmetrical bilateral hilar adenopathy and/or diffuse lung micronodules, mainly along the lymphatic structures which are the most affected system. Among extrapulmonary manifestations, skin lesions, uveitis, liver or splenic involvement, peripheral and abdominal lymphadenopathy and peripheral arthritis are the most frequent with a prevalence of 25–50%. Finally, cardiac and neurological manifestations which can be the initial manifestation of sarcoidosis, as can be bilateral parotitis, nasosinusal or laryngeal signs, hypercalcemia and renal dysfunction, affect less than 10% of patients. The diagnosis is not standardized but is based on three major criteria: a compatible clinical and/or radiological presentation, the histological evidence of non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation in one or more tissues and the exclusion of alternative causes of granulomatous disease. Certain clinical features are considered to be highly specific of the disease (e.g., Löfgren’s syndrome, lupus pernio, Heerfordt’s syndrome) and do not require histological confirmation. New diagnostic guidelines were recently published. Specific clinical criteria have been developed for the diagnosis of cardiac, neurological and ocular sarcoidosis. This article focuses on the clinical presentation and the common differentials that need to be considered when appropriate.
Changes in Biomechanical Properties of A375 Cells Due to the Silencing of TMSB4X Expression Are Not Directly Correlated with Alterations in Their Stemness Features
Authors: Makowiecka Aleksandra , Mazurkiewicz Ewa , Mrówczyńska Ewa , Malek Natalia , Battistella Alice , Lazzarino Marco , Nowak Dorota , Mazur Antonina Joanna
Published: March 2021

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a small, 44-amino acid polypeptide. It has been implicated in multiple processes, including cell movement, angiogenesis, and stemness. Previously, we reported that melanoma cell lines differ in Tβ4 levels. Studies on stable clones with silenced TMSB4X expression showed that Tβ4 impacted adhesion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression. Here, we show that the cells with silenced TMSB4X expression exhibited altered actin cytoskeleton’s organization and subcellular relocalization of two intermediate filament proteins: Nestin and Vimentin. The rearrangement of the cell cytoskeleton resulted in changes in the cells’ topology, height, and stiffness defined by Young’s modulus. Simultaneously, only for some A375 clones with a lowered Tβ4 level, we observed a decreased ability to initiate colony formation in soft agar, tumor formation in vivo, and alterations in Nanog’s expression level transcription factor regulating stemness. Thus, we show for the first time that in A375 cells, biomechanical properties are not directly coupled to stemness features, and this cell line is phenotypically heterogeneous.
Upregulated Angiogenesis Is Incompetent to Rescue Dilated Cardiomyopathy Phenotype in Mice
Authors: Arif Mohammed , Alam Perwez , Ahmed Rafeeq PH , Pandey Raghav , Faridi Hafeez M , Sadayappan Sakthivel
Published: March 2021

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by pathologic cardiac remodeling resulting in chambers enlargement and impaired heart contractility. Previous reports and our in-silico analysis support the association of DCM phenotype and impaired tissue angiogenesis. Here, we explored whether the modulation in cardiac angiogenesis partly intervenes or rescues the DCM phenotype in mice. Here, a DCM mouse model [α-tropomyosin 54 (α-TM54) mutant] was crossbred with microRNA-210 transgenic mice (210-TG) to develop microRNA-210 (miR-210) overexpressing α-TM54 mutant mice (TMx210). Contrary to wild-type (WT) and 210-TG mice, a significant increase in heart weight to body weight ratio in aged mixed-gender TMx210 and DCM mice was recorded. Histopathological analysis revealed signs of pathological cardiac remodeling such as myocardial disarray, myofibrillar loss, and interstitial fibrosis in DCM and TMx210 mice. Contrary to WT and DCM, a significant increase in angiogenic potential was observed in TMx210 and 210-TG mice hearts which is reflected by higher blood vessel density and upregulated proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor-A. The echocardiographic assessment showed comparable cardiac dysfunction in DCM and TMx210 mice as compared to WT and 210-TG. Overall, the present study concludes that miR-210 mediated upregulated angiogenesis is not sufficient to rescue the DCM phenotype in mice.
Improvements in Fire Resistance, Decay Resistance, Anti-Mold Property and Bonding Performance in Plywood Treated with Manganese Chloride, Phosphoric Acid, Boric Acid and Ammonium Chloride
Authors: Wu Zhigang , Deng Xue , Luo Zhongyou , Zhang Bengang , Xi Xuedong , Yu Liping , Li Lifen
Published: March 2021

(1) A compound protectant was prepared using manganese chloride, phosphoric acid, boric acid and ammonium chloride, and then a veneer was immersed in the prepared protectant to prepare plywood in this paper. Great attention was paid to discussing influences of such protectant on fire resistance, decay resistance, anti-mold property and bonding performance of plywood. Results demonstrated that after protectant treatment, the plywood showed not only good fire resistance and smoke inhibition, but also strong char-formation ability, slow flame spreading, long time to ignition, small fire risk and high safety level. (2) The mass loss rates of plywood with protectant treatment after infection and erosion in wood-destroying Coriolus versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum were 19.73% and 17.27%, reaching the II-level corrosion grade. (3) There is not a significant difference with Aspergillus niger V.; however, it was possible to observe a strong difference with Trichoderma viride Pers. ex Fr., indicating that the protectant acted as a good anti-mold product for plywood. (4) The protectant influenced the bonding interface of wood and bonding conditions of the adhesive. The bonding strength of plywood was weakened, but it still met the requirements on bonding strength of GB/T 9846-2015. (5) The protectant changed the thermal decomposition and thermal degradation of plywood, inhibiting the generation of inflammable goods, blocking transmission of heats and lowering the thermal decomposition temperature of plywood. These promoted dehydrations and charring of wood and the generated carbon had a high thermal stability. (6) Compared with untreated plywood, the prepared protectant treatment significantly enhanced the fire resistance of plywood, reduced its biodegradability by wood-decaying fungi and showed good mold resistance.
Synthesis, Luminescent Properties and White LED Fabrication of Sm3+ Doped Lu2WMoO9
Authors: Chen Zijun , Xu Huiyi , Cao Chunyan , Chen Xiaoting , Zhang Min , Jian Minkun , Li Yuechan , Xie An
Published: March 2021

In this paper, Sm3+ doped Lu2W0.5Mo0.5O6, Lu2WMoO9, and Lu2(W0.5Mo0.5O4)3 materials were synthesized by using a two-step solid-state reaction method. The synthesized materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, field emission scanning electronic micrograph (FE-SEM) pictures, photoluminescence (PL) excitation and emission spectra, and temperature-dependent emission intensities. Orange-reddish light could be observed from the phosphors under ultraviolet (UV) 365 nm light. The Sm3+ doped Lu2WMoO9 had enhanced PL intensities compared to the other two materials. The excitation, the energy transfer, the nonradiative relaxation, and the emission processes were illustrated by using schematic diagrams of Sm3+ in Lu2MoWO9. The optimal Sm3+ doping concentration was explored in the enhancing luminescence of Lu2WMoO9. By combing the Sm3+ doped Lu2WMoO9 to UV 365 nm chips, near white lighting emitting diode (W-LED) were obtained. The phosphor can be used in single phosphor-based UV W-LEDs.
Solid-State Solar Cells Based on TiO2 Nanowires and CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite
Authors: Sami Abdul , Ansari Arsalan , Idrees Muhammad Dawood , Alam Muhammad Musharraf , Imtiaz Junaid
Published: March 2021

Perovskite inorganic-organic solar cells are fabricated as a sandwich structure of mesostructured TiO2 as electron transport layer (ETL), CH3NH3PbI3 as active material layer (AML), and Spiro-OMeTAD as hole transport layer (HTL). The crystallinity, structural morphology, and thickness of TiO2 layer play a crucial role to improve the overall device performance. The randomly distributed one dimensional (1D) TiO2 nanowires (TNWs) provide excellent light trapping with open voids for active filling of visible light absorber compared to bulk TiO2. Solid-state photovoltaic devices based on randomly distributed TNWs and CH3NH3PbI3 are fabricated with high open circuit voltage Voc of 0.91 V, with conversion efficiency (CE) of 7.4%. Mott-Schottky analysis leads to very high built-in potential (Vbi) ranging from 0.89 to 0.96 V which indicate that there is no depletion layer voltage modulation in the perovskite solar cells fabricated with TNWs of different lengths. Moreover, finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis revealed larger fraction of photo-generated charges due to light trapping and distribution due to field convergence via guided modes, and improved light trapping capability at the interface of TNWs/CH3NH3PbI3 compared to bulk TiO2.
Current Treatment Approaches and Outcomes in the Management of Rectal Cancer Above the Age of 80
Authors: Mourad Ali P. , De Robles Marie Shella , Putnis Soni , Winn Robert D.R.
Published: March 2021

Background: The number of cases of rectal cancer in our older cohort is expected to rise with our ageing population. In this study, we analysed patterns in treatment and the long-term outcomes of patients older than 80 years with rectal cancer across a health district. Methods: All cases of rectal cancer managed at the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Australia between 2006 and 2018 were analysed from a prospectively maintained database. Patients were stratified into three age groups: ≤65 years, 66–79 years and ≥80 years of age. The clinicopathological characteristics, operative and non-operative treatment approach and survival outcomes of the three groups were compared. Results: Six hundred and ninety-nine patients with rectal cancer were managed, of which 118 (17%) were aged 80 and above. Patients above 80 were less likely to undergo surgery (71% vs. 90%, p < 0.001) or receive adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (p < 0.05). Of those that underwent surgical resection, their tumours were on average larger (36.5 vs. 31.5 mm, p = 0.019) and 18 mm closer the anal verge (p = 0.001). On Kaplan–Meier analysis, those above 80 had poorer cancer-specific survival when compared to their younger counterparts (p = 0.032), but this difference was no longer apparent after the first year (p = 0.381). Conclusion: Patients above the age of 80 with rectal cancer exhibit poorer cancer-specific survival, which is accounted for in the first year after diagnosis. Priority should be made to optimise care during this period. There is a need for further research to establish the role of chemoradiotherapy in this population, which appears to be underutilised.
Bacterial Community Composition and Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Differs with Culture Time of Skeletonema dohrnii
Authors: Liu Yang , Kan Jinjun , Yang Jing , Noman Md Abu , Sun Jun
Published: March 2021

Skeletonema dohrnii is a common red tide microalgae occurring in the coastal waters and throughout the world. The associated heterotrophic or autotrophic bacteria play vital roles in regulating algal growth, production, and physiology. In this study, we investigated the detailed bacterial community structure associated with the growth of S. dohrnii’s using high-throughput sequencing-based on 16S rDNA. Our results demonstrated that Bacteroidetes (48.04%) and Proteobacteria (40.66%) in all samples accounted for the majority of bacterial populations. There was a significant linear regression relationship between the abundance of bacterial phyla and culture time. Notable shifts in bacterial community composition were observed during algal growth: Flavobacteriales accounted for the vast majority of sequences at the order level. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Rhodobacterales was gradually reduced during the whole growth process of S. dohrnii (0–12 days). However, beyond that, the relative abundance of Marinobacter was slowly increasing. It is noteworthy that five fluorophores (Peaks T1, T2, I, M, and A) were detected during the growth stage of S. dohrnii. The characteristic indexes (fluorescence index, humification index, and biological index) of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) also varied with the culture time. In addition, the taxa of bacteria had certain effects on CDOM and they were inextricably linked to each other.
Updated Distribution of the Mysid Antromysis cenotensis (Crustacea: Peracarida), a Protected Key Species in Yucatan Peninsula Cenotes
Authors: Liévano-Beltrán Luis Arturo , Simões Nuno
Published: March 2021

We present 52 new geographic location records for the peracarid crustacean Antromysis cenotensis Creaser, 1936, endemic in cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. This species is currently considered threatened and, therefore, is protected by Mexican law. These results arise from several expeditions carried out between 2017 and 2020 in 75 locations within the cenote-ring, the interior, and coastal plains of the peninsula. A comprehensive literature review provided 84 geographic location records since the species was described in 1936. A map with 136 geographic location records that better describe the current species distribution is also included. With this information, plus some notes on the ecology of the species, a comprehensive literature and data review, and a brief analysis regarding the possible factors associated with the confirmed absence of the species in some locations in the state of Yucatan, we provide a brief and condensed summary of the actual knowledge on this particular species. The data in Darwin Core format can be retrieved in Zenodo.
Cognitive and Behavioral Manifestations in ALS: Beyond Motor System Involvement
Authors: Rusina Robert , Vandenberghe Rik , Bruffaerts Rose
Published: March 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has long been considered to be a purely motor disorder. However, it has become apparent that many ALS patients develop cognitive and behavioral manifestations similar to frontotemporal dementia and the term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal spectrum disorder (ALS-FTSD) is now used in these circumstances. This review is intended to be an overview of the cognitive and behavioral manifestations commonly encountered in ALS patients with the goal of improving case-oriented management in clinical practice. We introduce the principal ALS-FTSD subtypes and comment on their principal clinical manifestations, neuroimaging findings, neuropathological and genetic background, and summarize available therapeutic options. Diagnostic criteria for ALS-FTSD create distinct categories based on the type of neuropsychological manifestations, i.e., changes in behavior, impaired social cognition, executive dysfunction, and language or memory impairment. Cognitive impairment is found in up to 65%, while frank dementia affects about 15% of ALS patients. ALS motor and cognitive manifestations can worsen in parallel, becoming more pronounced when bulbar functions (affecting speech, swallowing, and salivation) are involved. Dementia can precede or develop after the appearance of motor symptoms. ALS-FTSD patients have a worse prognosis and shorter survival rates than patients with ALS or frontotemporal dementia alone. Important negative prognostic factors are behavioral and personality changes. From the clinician’s perspective, there are five major distinguishable ALS-FTSD subtypes: ALS with cognitive impairment, ALS with behavioral impairment, ALS with combined cognitive and behavioral impairment, fully developed frontotemporal dementia in combination with ALS, and comorbid ALS and Alzheimer’s disease. Although the most consistent ALS and ALS-FTSD pathology is a disturbance in transactive response DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) metabolism, alterations in microtubule-associated tau protein metabolism have also been observed in ALS-FTSD. Early detection and careful monitoring of cognitive deficits in ALS are crucial for patient and caregiver support and enable personalized management of individual patient needs.
Can the Determination of HE4 and CA125 Markers Affect the Treatment of Patients with Endometrial Cancer?
Authors: Cymbaluk-Płoska Aneta , Gargulińska Paula , Bulsa Michał , Kwiatkowski Sebastian , Chudecka-Głaz Anita , Michalczyk Kaja
Published: March 2021

The aim of our research was to determine the use of CA125 and HE4 as prognostic factors in patients with different clinical staging of endometrial cancer. Sixty-two patients with advanced endometrial cancer and 287 patients with early stage endometrial cancer participated in the study. Based on the results obtained in the study, the cut-off value for HE4 was established at 186 pmol/l and correlated with the possibility of cytoreductive surgery in patients with recurrent endometrial cancer. Univariate logistic regression revealed that serum concentrations for the median CA125 correlated with DFS (HR = 1.76, p = 0.033) and OS (HR = 1.42, p = 0.025), while the median of HE4 marker correlated with DFS (HR = 1.96, p = 0.015) and OS (HR = 1.83, p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, a decrease in CA125 level below normal range correlated positively with DFS and OS (HR = 1.45, p = 0.026; HR = 1.38, p = 0.037). HE4 levels correlated with DFS as follows: values below the normal range (HR = 2.31, p = 0.01), and with OS (HR = 1.89, p = 0.004). Based on the results obtained in the study, we found that HE4 is a sensitive tool for predicting the risk of recurrence and overall survival in patients with endometrial cancer.
Gait Stability Measurement by Using Average Entropy
Authors: Huang Han-Ping , Hsu Chang Francis , Mao Yi-Chih , Hsu Long , Chi Sien
Published: March 2021

Gait stability has been measured by using many entropy-based methods. However, the relation between the entropy values and gait stability is worth further investigation. A research reported that average entropy (AE), a measure of disorder, could measure the static standing postural stability better than multiscale entropy and entropy of entropy (EoE), two measures of complexity. This study tested the validity of AE in gait stability measurement from the viewpoint of the disorder. For comparison, another five disorders, the EoE, and two traditional metrics methods were, respectively, used to measure the degrees of disorder and complexity of 10 step interval (SPI) and 79 stride interval (SI) time series, individually. As a result, every one of the 10 participants exhibited a relatively high AE value of the SPI when walking with eyes closed and a relatively low AE value when walking with eyes open. Most of the AE values of the SI of the 53 diseased subjects were greater than those of the 26 healthy subjects. A maximal overall accuracy of AE in differentiating the healthy from the diseased was 91.1%. Similar features also exists on those 5 disorder measurements but do not exist on the EoE values. Nevertheless, the EoE versus AE plot of the SI also exhibits an inverted U relation, consistent with the hypothesis for physiologic signals.
Analysis of Pseudo-Lyapunov Exponents of Solar Convection Using State-of-the-Art Observations
Authors: Viavattene Giorgio , Murabito Mariarita , Guglielmino Salvatore L. , Ermolli Ilaria , Consolini Giuseppe , Giorgi Fabrizio , Jafarzadeh Shahin
Published: March 2021

The solar photosphere and the outer layer of the Sun’s interior are characterized by convective motions, which display a chaotic and turbulent character. In this work, we evaluated the pseudo-Lyapunov exponents of the overshooting convective motions observed on the Sun’s surface by using a method employed in the literature to estimate those exponents, as well as another technique deduced from their definition. We analyzed observations taken with state-of-the-art instruments at ground- and space-based telescopes, and we particularly benefited from the spectro-polarimetric data acquired with the Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer, the Crisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter, and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager. Following previous studies in the literature, we computed maps of four quantities which were representative of the physical properties of solar plasma in each observation, and estimated the pseudo-Lyapunov exponents from the residuals between the values of the quantities computed at any point in the map and the mean of values over the whole map. In contrast to previous results reported in the literature, we found that the computed exponents hold negative values, which are typical of a dissipative regime, for all the quantities derived from our observations. The values of the estimated exponents increase with the spatial resolution of the data and are almost unaffected by small concentrations of magnetic field. Finally, we showed that similar results were also achieved by estimating the exponents from residuals between the values at each point in maps derived from observations taken at different times. The latter estimation technique better accounts for the definition of these exponents than the method employed in previous studies.
Energy and Exergy Analysis of an Absorption and Mechanical System for a Dehumidification Unit in a Gelatin Factory
Authors: Lima Lucas , Keutenedjian Mady Carlos
Published: March 2021

In this paper, an energy and exergy analysis is applied to the air dehumidification unit of a liquid desiccant system in an industrial gelatin conveyor dryer. The working fluid is a binary solution of lithium chloride (LiCl) in water. Dry air is used in order to decrease the amount of liquid in the gelatin. Therefore, the environmental air must have its absolute humidity reduced from about 12 g/kg to the project target, which is 5 g/kg. The process is a cycle using an absorption desiccant unit (LiCl in water), where the weak solution absorbs water vapor from the air. In the regenerator, condensation of the solution (desorption) from the moist air occurs. As a result, the steam consumption of the desorber and electrical power used for the vapor compression chiller (with ammonia, NH3, as working fluid) are the primary sources of cost for the factory. To improve the plant’s energy and exergy behaviors, the process is evaluated using a mathematical model of the system processes. In addition, we evaluate the substitution of the vapor compression chiller by an absorption unit (lithium bromide (LiBr) in water). The performance indicators of the compression vapor systems showed the best results. Even when using the condenser’s energy to pre-heat the solution, the installed system proved to be more effective.
Complexity of Body Movements during Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Furutani Naoki , Takahashi Tetsuya , Naito Nobushige , Maruishi Takafumi , Yoshimura Yuko , Hasegawa Chiaki , Hirosawa Tetsu , Kikuchi Mitsuru
Published: March 2021

Recently, measuring the complexity of body movements during sleep has been proven as an objective biomarker of various psychiatric disorders. Although sleep problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and might exacerbate ASD symptoms, their objectivity as a biomarker remains to be established. Therefore, details of body movement complexity during sleep as estimated by actigraphy were investigated in typically developing (TD) children and in children with ASD. Several complexity analyses were applied to raw and thresholded data of actigraphy from 17 TD children and 17 children with ASD. Determinism, irregularity and unpredictability, and long-range temporal correlation were examined respectively using the false nearest neighbor (FNN) algorithm, information-theoretic analyses, and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Although the FNN algorithm did not reveal determinism in body movements, surrogate analyses identified the influence of nonlinear processes on the irregularity and long-range temporal correlation of body movements. Additionally, the irregularity and unpredictability of body movements measured by expanded sample entropy were significantly lower in ASD than in TD children up to two hours after sleep onset and at approximately six hours after sleep onset. This difference was found especially for the high-irregularity period. Through this study, we characterized details of the complexity of body movements during sleep and demonstrated the group difference of body movement complexity across TD children and children with ASD. Complexity analyses of body movements during sleep have provided valuable insights into sleep profiles. Body movement complexity might be useful as a biomarker for ASD.
Restorative Justice and the School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Review of Existing Literature
Authors: Morgan Hani
Published: March 2021

Black students experience out-of-school suspensions at a higher rate than other students. The higher rate at which these students are suspended is believed to contribute to a school-to-prison pipeline. This review article is designed to enhance the understanding of this problem by focusing on the factors that play a part in the school-to-prison pipeline. A purposeful sample of recently published literature by some of the leading scholars in this area was selected for analysis. Some studies indicate that school personnel may be biased in the ways they respond to Black students. The lack of teacher preparation and support has been documented to be one of the contributing factors as well. Researchers have also referred to the similarities between urban schools and other schools with high concentrations of Black students, arguing that these schools implement more punitive approaches to discipline. This review article enhances the understanding of a possible way to deal with this problem by including content about how implementing effective restorative discipline programs may alleviate the school-to-prison pipeline.
Female English Teachers Perceptions and Experience of Continuing Professional Development in Qatar
Authors: Qadhi Saba , Floyd Alan
Published: March 2021

The Qatari government views English language learning as crucial to the country’s future success. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that English language teachers (ELTs) employed in Qatar may not necessarily have the appropriate training, qualifications, and experience to enable them to teach successfully. Despite growing research and interest in the continuing professional development (CPD) experiences and needs of ELTs in Western contexts, there remains a lack of research in Middle Eastern countries in general and in Qatar in particular. The aim of this study was to address this gap by exploring female ELTs’ perceptions and experiences of CPD in Qatar in order to develop new practical and theoretical insights into our understanding of this area. The study draws on data from life history interviews undertaken with 16 female ELTs with at least 3 years of teaching experience in Qatari schools. The study found that the participants had very different experiences of CPD based on their personal and professional characteristics. This suggests that for it to be perceived as a positive experience, the current model of professional development for ELTs may need revising. We propose a paradigm shift from a traditional “one size fits all” CPD model towards a more dynamic and interactive style of teacher development that facilitates both personal reflection and professional discourse among teachers. It is argued that such a shift would prove a considerable step forward for English language teaching in this country.