bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marked Increased Production of Acute Phase Reactants by Skeletal Muscle during Cancer Cachexia
Authors: Massart Isabelle S. , Paulissen Geneviève , Loumaye Audrey , Lause Pascale , Pötgens Sarah A. , Thibaut Morgane M. , Balan Estelle , Deldicque Louise , Atfi Azeddine , Louis Edouard , Gruson Damien , Bindels Laure B. , Meuwis Marie-Alice , Thissen Jean-Paul
Published: November 2020

Loss of skeletal muscle mass in cancer cachexia is recognized as a predictor of mortality. This study aimed to characterize the changes in the muscle secretome associated with cancer cachexia to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and to identify secreted proteins which may reflect this wasting process. The changes in the muscle proteome of the C26 model were investigated by label-free proteomic analysis followed by a bioinformatic analysis in order to identify potentially secreted proteins. Multiple reaction monitoring and Western blotting were used to verify the presence of candidate proteins in the circulation. Our results revealed a marked increased muscular production of several acute phase reactants (APR: Haptoglobin, Serine protease inhibitor A3N, Complement C3, Serum amyloid A-1 protein) which are released in the circulation during C26 cancer cachexia. This was confirmed in other models of cancer cachexia as well as in cancer patients. Glucocorticoids and proinflammatory cytokines are responsible for an increased production of APR by muscle cells. Finally, their muscular expressions are strongly positively correlated with body weight loss as well as the muscular induction of atrogens. Our study demonstrates therefore a marked increased production of APR by the muscle in cancer cachexia.
Long-Term Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer in Patients Aged ≥75 Years
Authors: Chang Jin Won , Jung Da Hyun , Park Jun Chul , Shin Sung Kwan , Lee Sang Kil , Lee Yong Chan
Published: November 2020

Background and Aims: The number of elderly patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) who meet the indications for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasing. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in elderly patients undergoing ESD for EGC. Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2018, 439 patients aged ≥75 years who underwent ESD for EGC were analyzed. The clinical outcomes and prognosis were evaluated, and independent risk factors for OS were identified. Results: The mean patient (302 men, 137 women) age was 78.3 (range 75–92) years. En bloc, R0, and curative resections were achieved in 96.8%, 90.7%, and 75.6%, respectively, without severe adverse events. During the follow-up (median 54.2 (range 4.0–159.6) months), 86 patients died (three of gastric cancer). The 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS was 91.2%, 83.5%, and 54.5%, respectively, and the 3-, 5-, and 10-year cancer related survival rate were 99.7%, 99.1% and 97.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, smoking, history of cancer of other organs, NLR > 1.6, Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 3, and presence of lymphovascular invasion (hazard ratio = 3.96, 1.78, 1.83, 1.83, and 2.63, respectively, all p < 0.05) were independent five risk factors for poor OS. The high-risk group (≥3 risk factors) showed a significantly lower OS than the low-risk group (<2 risk factors) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The five factors could be useful in predicting the long-term prognosis of elderly ESD patients or deciding the therapeutic approaches in case of non-curative resection.
Blockade of Glial Connexin 43 Hemichannels Reduces Food Intake
Authors: Guillebaud Florent , Barbot Manon , Barbouche Rym , Brézun Jean-Michel , Poirot Kevin , Vasile Flora , Lebrun Bruno , Rouach Nathalie , Dallaporta Michel , Gaige Stéphanie , Troadec Jean-Denis
Published: November 2020

The metabolic syndrome, which comprises obesity and diabetes, is a major public health problem and the awareness of energy homeostasis control remains an important worldwide issue. The energy balance is finely regulated by the central nervous system (CNS), notably through neuronal networks, located in the hypothalamus and the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), which integrate nutritional, humoral and nervous information from the periphery. The glial cells’ contribution to these processes emerged few year ago. However, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Glial connexin 43 hemichannels (Cx43 HCs) enable direct exchange with the extracellular space and can regulate neuronal network activity. In the present study, we sought to determine the possible involvement of glial Cx43 HCs in energy balance regulation. We here show that Cx43 is strongly expressed in the hypothalamus and DVC and is associated with glial cells. Remarkably, we observed a close apposition of Cx43 with synaptic elements in both the hypothalamus and DVC. Moreover, the expression of hypothalamic Cx43 mRNA and protein is modulated in response to fasting and diet-induced obesity. Functionally, we found that Cx43 HCs are largely open in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) from acute mice hypothalamic slices under basal condition, and significantly inhibited by TAT-GAP19, a mimetic peptide that specifically blocks Cx43 HCs activity. Moreover, intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) TAT-GAP19 injection strongly decreased food intake, without further alteration of glycaemia, energy expenditures or locomotor activity. Using the immediate early gene c-Fos expression, we found that i.c.v. TAT-GAP19 injection induced neuronal activation in hypothalamic and brainstem nuclei dedicated to food intake regulation. Altogether, these results suggest a tonic delivery of orexigenic molecules associated with glial Cx43 HCs activity and a possible modulation of this tonus during fasting and obesity.
Protein Kinase C Alpha Cellular Distribution, Activity, and Proximity with Lamin A/C in Striated Muscle Laminopathies
Authors: Nicolas Hannah A. , Bertrand Anne T. , Labib Sarah , Mohamed-Uvaize Musfira , Bolongo Pierrette M. , Wu Wen Yu , Bilińska Zofia T. , Bonne Gisèle , Akimenko Marie-Andrée , Tesson Frédérique
Published: November 2020

Striated muscle laminopathies are cardiac and skeletal muscle conditions caused by mutations in the lamin A/C gene (LMNA). LMNA codes for the A-type lamins, which are nuclear intermediate filaments that maintain the nuclear structure and nuclear processes such as gene expression. Protein kinase C alpha (PKC-α) interacts with lamin A/C and with several lamin A/C partners involved in striated muscle laminopathies. To determine PKC-α’s involvement in muscular laminopathies, PKC-α’s localization, activation, and interactions with the A-type lamins were examined in various cell types expressing pathogenic lamin A/C mutations. The results showed aberrant nuclear PKC-α cellular distribution in mutant cells compared to WT. PKC-α activation (phos-PKC-α) was decreased or unchanged in the studied cells expressing LMNA mutations, and the activation of its downstream targets, ERK 1/2, paralleled PKC-α activation alteration. Furthermore, the phos-PKC-α-lamin A/C proximity was altered. Overall, the data showed that PKC-α localization, activation, and proximity with lamin A/C were affected by certain pathogenic LMNA mutations, suggesting PKC-α involvement in striated muscle laminopathies.
High Dose Ifosfamide in Relapsed and Unresectable High-Grade Osteosarcoma Patients: A Retrospective Series
Authors: Palmerini Emanuela , Setola Elisabetta , Grignani Giovanni , D’Ambrosio Lorenzo , Comandone Alessandro , Righi Alberto , Longhi Alessandra , Cesari Marilena , Paioli Anna , Hakim Rossella , Pierini Michela , Marchesi Emanuela , Vanel Daniel , Pignochino Ymera , Donati Davide Maria , Picci Piero , Ferrari Stefano
Published: November 2020

Background: The evidence on high-dose ifosfamide (HD-IFO) use in patients with relapsed osteosarcoma is limited. We performed a retrospective study to analyze HD-IFO activity. Methods: Patients with osteosarcoma relapsed after standard treatment [methotrexate, doxorubicin, cisplatin +/− ifosfamide (MAP+/−I)] with measurable disease according to RECIST1.1 were eligible to ifosfamide (3 g/m2/day) continuous infusion (c.i.) days 1–5 q21d. RECIST1.1 overall response rate (ORR) (complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)), progression-free survival at 6-month (6m-PFS), duration of response (DOR), and 2-year overall survival (2y-OS) were assessed. PARP1 expression and gene mutations were tested by immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing. Results: 51 patients were included. ORR was 20% (1 CR + 9 PR). Median DOR was 5 months (95%CI 2–7). Median PFS, 6m-PFS, OS, and 2y-OS were 6 months (95%CI 4–9), 51%, 15 months (10–19), and 30%, respectively. A second surgical complete remission (CR2) was achieved in 26 (51%) patients. After multivariate analysis, previous use of ifosfamide (HR 2.007, p = 0.034) and CR2 (HR 0.126, p < 0.001) showed a significant correlation with PFS and OS, respectively. No significant correlation was found between outcomes and PARP1 or gene mutations. Conclusions: HD-IFO should be considered as the standard first-line treatment option in relapsed osteosarcoma and control arm of future trial in this setting.
Dysbindin deficiency Alters Cardiac BLOC-1 Complex and Myozap Levels in Mice
Authors: Borlepawar Ankush , Schmiedel Nesrin , Eden Matthias , Christen Lynn , Rosskopf Alexandra , Frank Derk , Lüllmann-Rauch Renate , Frey Norbert , Rangrez Ashraf Yusuf
Published: November 2020

Dysbindin, a schizophrenia susceptibility marker and an essential constituent of BLOC-1 (biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1), has recently been associated with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through the activation of Myozap-RhoA-mediated SRF signaling. We employed sandy mice (Dtnbp1_KO), which completely lack Dysbindin protein because of a spontaneous deletion of introns 5–7 of the Dtnbp1 gene, for pathophysiological characterization of the heart. Unlike in vitro, the loss-of-function of Dysbindin did not attenuate cardiac hypertrophy, either in response to transverse aortic constriction stress or upon phenylephrine treatment. Interestingly, however, the levels of hypertrophy-inducing interaction partner Myozap as well as the BLOC-1 partners of Dysbindin like Muted and Pallidin were dramatically reduced in Dtnbp1_KO mouse hearts. Taken together, our data suggest that Dysbindin’s role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy is redundant in vivo, yet essential to maintain the stability of its direct interaction partners like Myozap, Pallidin and Muted.
Tumour PD-L1 Expression in Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Acheampong Emmanuel , Abed Afaf , Morici Michael , Bowyer Samantha , Amanuel Benhur , Lin Weitao , Millward Michael , S. Gray Elin
Published: November 2020

Antibodies against programmed death-1 (PD-1), and its ligand, (PD-L1) have been approved recently for the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Although there are previous reports that addressed PD-L1 detection on tumour cells in SCLC, there is no comprehensive meta-analysis on the prevalence of PD-L1 expression in SCLC. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases to assess reports on the prevalence of PD-L1 expression and the association between PD-L1 expression and overall survival (OS). This meta-analysis included 27 studies enrolling a total of 2792 patients. The pooled estimate of PD-L1 expression was 26.0% (95% CI 17.0–37.0), (22.0% after removing outlying studies). The effect size was significantly heterogeneous (I2 = 97.4, 95% CI: 95.5–98.5, p < 0.0001).Positive PD-L1 expression was a favourable prognostic factor for SCLC but not statistically significant (HR = 0.86 (95% CI (0.49–1.50), p = 0.5880; I2 = 88.7%, p < 0.0001). Begg’s funnel plots and Egger’s tests indicated no publication bias across included studies (p > 0.05). Overall, there is heterogeneity in the prevalence of PD-L1 expression in SCLC tumour cells across studies. This is significantly moderated by factors such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) evaluation cut-off values, and assessment of PD-L1 staining patterns as membranous and/or cytoplasmic. There is the need for large size, prospective and multicentre studies with well-defined protocols and endpoints to advance the clinical value of PD-L1 expression in SCLC.
Metabolic Profiling of CSF from People Suffering from Sporadic and LRRK2 Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study
Authors: Yilmaz Ali , Ugur Zafer , Ustun Ilyas , Akyol Sumeyya , Bahado-Singh Ray O. , Maddens Michael , Aasly Jan O. , Graham Stewart F.
Published: November 2020

CSF from unique groups of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients was biochemically profiled to identify previously unreported metabolic pathways linked to PD pathogenesis, and novel biochemical biomarkers of the disease were characterized. Utilizing both 1H NMR and DI-LC-MS/MS we quantitatively profiled CSF from patients with sporadic PD (n = 20) and those who are genetically predisposed (LRRK2) to the disease (n = 20), and compared those results with age and gender-matched controls (n = 20). Further, we systematically evaluated the utility of several machine learning techniques for the diagnosis of PD. 1H NMR and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, in combination with bioinformatic analyses, provided useful information highlighting previously unreported biochemical pathways and CSF-based biomarkers associated with both sporadic PD (sPD) and LRRK2 PD. Results of this metabolomics study further support our group’s previous findings identifying bile acid metabolism as one of the major aberrant biochemical pathways in PD patients. This study demonstrates that a combination of two complimentary techniques can provide a much more holistic view of the CSF metabolome, and by association, the brain metabolome. Future studies for the prediction of those at risk of developing PD should investigate the clinical utility of these CSF-based biomarkers in more accessible biomatrices. Further, it is essential that we determine whether the biochemical pathways highlighted here are recapitulated in the brains of PD patients with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets.
Regulation of CAR and PXR Expression in Health and Disease
Authors: Daujat-Chavanieu Martine , Gerbal-Chaloin Sabine
Published: November 2020

Pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily that mainly act as ligand-activated transcription factors. Their functions have long been associated with the regulation of drug metabolism and disposition, and it is now well established that they are implicated in physiological and pathological conditions. Considerable efforts have been made to understand the regulation of their activity by their cognate ligand; however, additional regulatory mechanisms, among which the regulation of their expression, modulate their pleiotropic effects. This review summarizes the current knowledge on CAR and PXR expression during development and adult life; tissue distribution; spatial, temporal, and metabolic regulations; as well as in pathological situations, including chronic diseases and cancers. The expression of CAR and PXR is modulated by complex regulatory mechanisms that involve the interplay of transcription factors and also post-transcriptional and epigenetic modifications. Moreover, many environmental stimuli affect CAR and PXR expression through mechanisms that have not been elucidated.
Load Capacity of Shallow Embedded Anchor Channels
Authors: Mahrenholtz Christoph , Sharma Akanshu
Published: November 2020

Anchor channels are cast in concrete and allow the connection of components using channel bolts. In recent years, the design to value resulted in ever thinner concrete elements, which often cannot accommodate the required embedment depth of standard anchor channels. For this reason, channels may be fitted with short anchors. While existing design provisions allow for the calculation of the tension capacity also for shallow embedded anchor channels, tests are required to determine product-specific parameters for the economic shear loads design. The presented study investigated the performance of shallow embedded anchor channels tested in shear. The detailed evaluation of the test data demonstrates that testing of the minimum embedment is conservative and that the load-displacement behavior of channels with welded I-sections is comparable to that of channels with forged headed studs. In addition, a new evaluation approach is proposed.
Delta-Like Canonical Notch Ligand 1 in Patients Following Liver Transplantation—A Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Decker Sebastian O. , Hildebrand Dagmar , Bruckner Thomas , Lichtenstern Christoph , Heeg Klaus , Weigand Markus A. , Brenner Thorsten , Uhle Florian
Published: November 2020

Opportunistic bacterial infections are dreaded risks in patients following liver transplantation (LTX), even though patients receive an antibiotic prophylaxis. The timely recognition of such an infection may be delayed, as culture-based diagnostic methods are linked with a relevant gap in performance. We measured plasma concentrations of Delta-like canonical Notch ligand 1 (DLL1) in 93 adult patients at seven consecutive time points after liver transplantation and correlated the results to the occurrence of culture-proven bacterial infection or a complicated clinical course (composite endpoint of two or more complications: graft rejection or failure, acute kidney failure, acute lung injury, or 90-day mortality). Patients exhibited elevated plasma concentrations after liver transplantation over the whole 28 d observation time. Patients with bacterial infection showed increased DLL1 levels compared to patients without infection. Persistent elevated levels of DLL1 on day 7 and afterward following LTX were able to indicate patients at risk for a complicated course. Plasma levels of DLL1 following LTX may be useful to support an earlier detection of bacterial infections in combination with C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), or they may lead to risk stratification of patients as a single marker for post-operative complications. (Clinical Trial Notation. German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00005480).
Low Entropy Sub-Networks Prevent the Integration of Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Data
Authors: Gogolewski Krzysztof , Kostecki Marcin , Gambin Anna
Published: November 2020

The constantly and rapidly increasing amount of the biological data gained from many different high-throughput experiments opens up new possibilities for data- and model-driven inference. Yet, alongside, emerges a problem of risks related to data integration techniques. The latter are not so widely taken account of. Especially, the approaches based on the flux balance analysis (FBA) are sensitive to the structure of a metabolic network for which the low-entropy clusters can prevent the inference from the activity of the metabolic reactions. In the following article, we set forth problems that may arise during the integration of metabolomic data with gene expression datasets. We analyze common pitfalls, provide their possible solutions, and exemplify them by a case study of the renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Using the proposed approach we provide a metabolic description of the known morphological RCC subtypes and suggest a possible existence of the poor-prognosis cluster of patients, which are commonly characterized by the low activity of the drug transporting enzymes crucial in the chemotherapy. This discovery suits and extends the already known poor-prognosis characteristics of RCC. Finally, the goal of this work is also to point out the problem that arises from the integration of high-throughput data with the inherently nonuniform, manually curated low-throughput data. In such cases, the over-represented information may potentially overshadow the non-trivial discoveries.
Training Multilayer Perceptron with Genetic Algorithms and Particle Swarm Optimization for Modeling Stock Price Index Prediction
Authors: Ecer Fatih , Ardabili Sina , Band Shahab S. , Mosavi Amir
Published: November 2020

Predicting stock market (SM) trends is an issue of great interest among researchers, investors and traders since the successful prediction of SMs’ direction may promise various benefits. Because of the fairly nonlinear nature of the historical data, accurate estimation of the SM direction is a rather challenging issue. The aim of this study is to present a novel machine learning (ML) model to forecast the movement of the Borsa Istanbul (BIST) 100 index. Modeling was performed by multilayer perceptron–genetic algorithms (MLP–GA) and multilayer perceptron–particle swarm optimization (MLP–PSO) in two scenarios considering Tanh (x) and the default Gaussian function as the output function. The historical financial time series data utilized in this research is from 1996 to 2020, consisting of nine technical indicators. Results are assessed using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and correlation coefficient values to compare the accuracy and performance of the developed models. Based on the results, the involvement of the Tanh (x) as the output function, improved the accuracy of models compared with the default Gaussian function, significantly. MLP–PSO with population size 125, followed by MLP–GA with population size 50, provided higher accuracy for testing, reporting RMSE of 0.732583 and 0.733063, MAPE of 28.16%, 29.09% and correlation coefficient of 0.694 and 0.695, respectively. According to the results, using the hybrid ML method could successfully improve the prediction accuracy.
Geometric Aspects of the Isentropic Liquid Dynamics and Vorticity Invariants
Authors: Balinsky Alexander A. , Blackmore Denis , Kycia Radosław , Prykarpatski Anatolij K.
Published: November 2020

We review a modern differential geometric description of fluid isentropic motion and features of it including diffeomorphism group structure, modelling the related dynamics, as well as its compatibility with the quasi-stationary thermodynamical constraints. We analyze the adiabatic liquid dynamics, within which, following the general approach, the nature of the related Poissonian structure on the fluid motion phase space as a semidirect Banach groups product, and a natural reduction of the canonical symplectic structure on its cotangent space to the classical Lie-Poisson bracket on the adjoint space to the corresponding semidirect Lie algebras product are explained in detail. We also present a modification of the Hamiltonian analysis in case of a flow governed by isothermal liquid dynamics. We study the differential-geometric structure of isentropic magneto-hydrodynamic superfluid phase space and its related motion within the Hamiltonian analysis and related invariant theory. In particular, we construct an infinite hierarchy of different kinds of integral magneto-hydrodynamic invariants, generalizing those previously constructed in the literature, and analyzing their differential-geometric origins. A charged liquid dynamics on the phase space invariant with respect to an abelian gauge group transformation is also investigated, and some generalizations of the canonical Lie-Poisson type bracket is presented.
Protein Conformational States—A First Principles Bayesian Method
Authors: Rogers David M.
Published: November 2020

Automated identification of protein conformational states from simulation of an ensemble of structures is a hard problem because it requires teaching a computer to recognize shapes. We adapt the naïve Bayes classifier from the machine learning community for use on atom-to-atom pairwise contacts. The result is an unsupervised learning algorithm that samples a ‘distribution’ over potential classification schemes. We apply the classifier to a series of test structures and one real protein, showing that it identifies the conformational transition with >95% accuracy in most cases. A nontrivial feature of our adaptation is a new connection to information entropy that allows us to vary the level of structural detail without spoiling the categorization. This is confirmed by comparing results as the number of atoms and time-samples are varied over 1.5 orders of magnitude. Further, the method’s derivation from Bayesian analysis on the set of inter-atomic contacts makes it easy to understand and extend to more complex cases.
University Students’ Readiness for Using Digital Media and Online Learning—Comparison between Germany and the USA
Authors: Küsel Julian , Martin Florence , Markic Silvija
Published: November 2020

The year 2020 brought many changes to our everyday life but also our education system. Universities needed to change their teaching practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Words like “digital media”, “online teaching” and “online learning” were present in all of the discussions. The main issues here were the technical infrastructure of students and universities all over the world. However, to have good technical infrastructure does not mean that everybody is also ready to use it. Thus, the present study focused on the issue of university students’ readiness for online learning. The quantitative research goal was to evaluate German university students’ readiness for using digital media and online learning in their tertiary education and compare them with students from the United States. Overall, 72 students from the researchers’ university in Germany and 176 students from multiple universities in the United States completed the Student Readiness of Online Learning (SROL) questionnaire. Results show substantial differences between the two groups of students, with U.S. students being more ready for online learning. The results and limitations were discussed, and practical implications and further ideas were provided.
Lipofuscin-Type Pigment as a Marker of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Carvalho Sónia , Carneiro Isa , Henrique Rui , Tuchin Valery , Oliveira Luís
Published: November 2020

The study of the optical properties of biological tissues for a wide spectral range is necessary for the development and planning of noninvasive optical methods to be used in clinical practice. In this study, we propose a new method to calculate almost all optical properties of tissues as a function of wavelength directly from spectral measurements. Using this method, and with the exception of the reduced scattering coefficient, which was obtained by traditional simulation methods, all the other optical properties were calculated in a simple and fast manner for human and pathological colorectal tissues. The obtained results are in good agreement with previous published data, both in magnitude and in wavelength dependence. Since this method is based on spectral measurements and not on discrete-wavelength experimental data, the calculated optical properties contain spectral signatures that correspond to major tissue chromophores such as DNA and hemoglobin. Analysis of the absorption bands of hemoglobin in the wavelength dependence of the absorption spectra of normal and pathological colorectal mucosa allowed to identify differentiated accumulation of a pigment in these tissues. The increased content of this pigment in the pathological mucosa may be used for the future development of noninvasive diagnostic methods for colorectal cancer detection.
A Simplified Accuracy Enhancement to the Saleh AM/AM Modeling and Linearization of Solid-State RF Power Amplifiers
Authors: Al-Kanan Haider , Li Fu
Published: November 2020

The Saleh behavioral model exhibits high prediction accuracy for nonlinearity of traveling-wave tube power amplifiers (TWT-PAs). However, the accuracy of the Saleh model degrades when modeling solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) technology. In addition, the polynomial expansion of the Saleh model consists of only odd-order terms as analyzed in this work. This paper proposes a novel model accuracy enhancement for the Saleh amplitude-to-amplitude (AM/AM) model when applied to radio frequency (RF) SSPAs. The proposed model enhancement accounts for the second-order intermodulation distortion, which is an important nonlinearity challenge in wideband wireless communications. The proposed static AM/AM model is a three-parameter rational function, which exhibits low complexity compared to the state-of-the-art behavioral models. A transpose architecture of finite-impulse digital filter is used to quantify the memory effect in SSPAs. A least-squares method is used for extracting all the model parameters. A linearization technique using a three-parameter digital predistortion model is also calculated to compensate for the AM/AM nonlinear distortion in SSPAs. Finally, the identification and evaluation of the enhanced Saleh model is presented based on measurements of RF SSPAs.
Simulation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Load Profiles in Office Buildings Based on Occupancy Data
Authors: Uimonen Semen , Lehtonen Matti
Published: November 2020

Transportation vehicles are a large contributor of the carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Electric Vehicles (EVs) are a promising solution to reduce the CO2 emissions which, however, requires the right electric power production mix for the largest impact. The increase in the electric power consumption caused by the EV charging demand could be matched by the growing share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the power production. EVs are becoming a popular sustainable mean of transportation and the expansion of EV units due to the stochastic nature of charging behavior and increasing share of RES creates additional challenges to the stability in the power systems. Modeling of EV charging fleets allows understanding EV charging capacity and demand response (DR) potential of EV in the power systems. This article focuses on modeling of daily EV charging profiles for buildings with various number of chargers and daily events. The article presents a modeling approach based on the charger occupancy data from the local charging sites. The approach allows one to simulate load profiles and to find how many chargers are necessary to suffice the approximate demand of EV charging from the traffic characteristics, such as arrival time, duration of charging, and maximum charging power. Additionally, to better understand the potential impact of demand response, the modeling approach allows one to compare charging profiles, while adjusting the maximum power consumption of chargers.
Numerical and Experimental Study of Air-to-Air Plate Heat Exchangers with Plain and Offset Strip Fin Shapes
Authors: Kim Kyung Rae , Lee Jae Keun , Jeong Hae Do , Kang Yul Ho , Ahn Young Chull
Published: November 2020

This study evaluates the performance of a plate heat exchanger numerically and experimentally. The predictive model for estimating the heat transfer and frictional pressure drop across the plain and offset strip fins is compared with the experimental results with the parameters of Reynolds number and fin pitch. The heat transfer of the offset fin shape is 13.4% higher than that of the plain fin in the experiment in the case of Re = 6112 for the hot airflow and Re = 2257 for the cold airflow. A predictive model uses the effectiveness-Number of Transfer Units (NTU) method with the discretization in the segments divided into small control volumes in the heat exchanger. The difference of heat transfer and pressure drop for the plain fin between the numerical and the experimental results are approximately 1.9% and 5.9%, respectively. Thus, the results indicate that the predictive model for estimating the heat transfer is useful for evaluating the performance of the plate heat exchanger in the laminar-to-transition regions.
Particleboards from Recycled Wood
Authors: Iždinský Ján , Vidholdová Zuzana , Reinprecht Ladislav
Published: November 2020

The effective recovery of wood waste generated in wood processing and also at the end of wood product life is important from environmental and economic points of view. In a laboratory, 16 mm-thick three-layer urea–formaldehyde (UF)-bonded particleboards (PBs) were produced at 5.8 MPa and 240 °C and with an 8 s/mm pressing factor, using wood particles prepared from (1) fresh spruce wood (C), (2) a mixture of several recycled wood products (R1), and (3) recycled faulty PBs bonded with UF resin (R2). Particles from spruce wood were combined with particles from R1 or R2 recyclates in weight ratios of 100:0, 80:20, 50:50 and 0:100. In comparison to the control spruce PB, the PBs containing the R1 recyclate from old wood products were characterized by lower thickness swelling after 2 and 24 h (TS-2h and TS-24h), lower by 18 and 31%; water absorption after 2 and 24 h (WA-2h and WA-24h), lower by 33 and 28%; modulus of rupture in bending (MOR), lower by 28%; modulus of elasticity in bending (MOE), lower by 18%; internal bond (IB), lower by 33%; and resistance to decay determined by the mass loss under the action of the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana (Δm), lower by 32%. The PBs containing the R2 recyclate from faulty PBs were also characterized by a lower TS-2h and TS-24h, lower by 45% and 59%; WA-2h and WA-24h, lower by 61% and 51%; MOR, lower by 37%; MOE, lower by 17%; and IB, lower by 33%; however, their biological resistance to C. puteana was more effective, with a decreased Δm in the decay test, lower by 44%.
Ability of Remote Sensing Systems to Detect Bark Beetle Spots in the Southeastern US
Authors: Gomez Demian F. , Ritger Haley M.W. , Pearce Christopher , Eickwort Jeffrey , Hulcr Jiri
Published: November 2020

Research Highlights: Sentinel-2 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) products show greater potential to detect indications of disturbance by bark beetles in the southeastern US than Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), as the high spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the southeastern forest land prevents its deployment at the current resolution. Background and Objectives: Remote sensing technologies have been an essential tool to detect forest disturbances caused by insect pests through spectral trait variation. In the US, coordinated efforts such as ForWarn, led by the US Forest Service and based on MODIS satellite data, are used to monitor biotic and abiotic disturbances. Because of the particular characteristics of the southeastern US landscape, including forest fragmentation and rapid forest turnover due to management, detection and visualization of small bark beetle spots using remote sensing technology developed for more homogeneous landscapes has been challenging. Here, we assess the ability of MODIS and Sentinel-2 time-series vegetation index data products to detect bark beetle spots in the Florida Panhandle. Materials and Methods: We compared ForWarn’s detection ability (lower resolution images) with that of Sentinel-2 (higher resolution images) using bark beetle spots confirmed by aerial surveys and ground checks by the Florida Forest Service. Results: MODIS and Sentinel-2 can detect damage produced by bark beetles in the southeastern US, but MODIS detection via NDVI change exhibits a high degree of false negatives (30%). Sentinel-2 NDVI products show greater potential for identifying indications of disturbance by bark beetles than MODIS change maps, with Sentinel-2 capturing negative changes in NDVI for all spots. Conclusions: Our research shows that for practical bark beetle detection via remote sensing, higher spatial and temporal resolution will be needed.
Methodology for the Study of Near-Future Changes of Fire Weather Patterns with Emphasis on Archaeological and Protected Touristic Areas in Greece
Authors: Varela Vassiliki , Vlachogiannis Diamando , Sfetsos Athanasios , Politi Nadia , Karozis Stelios
Published: November 2020

This work introduces a methodology for assessing near-future fire weather pattern changes based on the Canadian Fire Weather Index system components (Fire Weather Index (FWI), Initial Spread Index (ISI), Fire Severity Rating (FSR)), applied in touristic areas in Greece. Four series of daily raster-based datasets for the fire seasons (May–October), concerning a historic (2006 to 2015) and a future climatology period (2036–2045), were created for the areas under consideration, based on high-resolution climate modelling with the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP), PCR 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. The climate model data were obtained from the European Coordinated Downscaling Experiment (EURO-CORDEX) climate database and consisted of atmospheric variables as required by the FWI system, at 12.5 km spatial resolution. The final datasets of the abovementioned variables used for the study were processed at 5 km spatial resolution for the domain of interest after applying regridding based on the nearest neighbour interpolating process. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial operations, including spatial statistics and zonal analyses, were applied on the series of the derived daily raster maps in order to provide a number of output thematic layers. Moreover, historic FWI percentile values, which were estimated for Greece in the frame of a past research study of the Environmental Research Laboratory (EREL), were used as reference data for further evaluation of future fire weather changes. The straightforward methodology for the assessment of the evolution of spatial and temporal distribution of Fire weather Danger due to climate change presented herewith is an essential tool for enhancing the knowledge for the decision support process for forest fire prevention, planning and management policies in areas where the fire risk both in terms of fire hazard likelihood and expected impact is quite important due to human presence and cultural prestige, such as archaeological and tourist protected areas.
Effect of Additional Motivational Interviewing on Smoking Abstinence for 1-Year among Korean Adolescents: Results from A Comparative Retrospective Study in Quitline
Authors: Tran Thi Phuong Thao , Park Jinju , Park Eunjung , Shin Sang Hwa , Paek Yu-Jin , Kim Yun Hee , Lim Min Kyung
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of additional motivational enhancement through telephone-based counseling on short- and long-term smoking abstinence among Korean adolescents. Methods: A comparative retrospective study was conducted based on the longitudinal follow up in Quitline from 2010 to 2017. A total of 533 and 178 adolescent smokers voluntarily participated in the 1-year quitting counseling only (group A, who were ready to quit) and the additional 4-week motivational interviewing before 1-year quitting counseling (group B, who were ambivalent about quitting), respectively. The outcomes were self-reported continuous abstinence at 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year follow up. Logistic regression was applied to estimate the effect of potential factors, including motivational enhancement, on cessation outcome. Results: At baseline, adolescents in group B had a lower motivation to quit than those in group A (p < 0.001). The successful quit rates at 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year follow up were 37.2%, 12.8%, and 11.4% in group A and 33.7%, 15.2%, and 11.2% in group B, respectively. After adjusting factors as appropriate, successful quit rates in group B were not significantly different from the rates in group A. Higher self-efficacy increased the successful quit rate at 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year follow up, similar in subgroup analysis by gender. Never-drinking showed significant association with 30-day successful quit in the whole population and among boys. The lower number of smoking triggers was associated with an increased 30-day successful quit rate among boys only. Conclusions: Counseling for motivational enhancement could be a promising approach for better quitting outcomes. Improving self-efficacy and eliminating smoking triggers should be continuously strengthened during the quitting process.
Reasons for Regularly Using Heated Tobacco Products among Adult Current and Former Smokers in Japan: Finding from 2018 ITC Japan Survey
Authors: Xu Steve S. , Meng Gang , Yan Mi , Gravely Shannon , Quah Anne C. K. , Ouimet Janine , O’Connor Richard J. , Sutanto Edward , Yoshimi Itsuro , Mochizuki Yumiko , Tabuchi Takahiro , Fong Geoffrey T.
Published: November 2020

The market growth of heated tobacco products (HTPs), such as IQOS, Ploom TECH, and glo, has increased dramatically in Japan since 2016. Little is known about the reasons why current and former smokers are using HTPs. The data for this cross-sectional study were from the 2018 (Wave 1) International Tobacco Control (ITC) Japan Survey, a national web-based survey of 4500 people, including 658 current HTP users, of whom 549 were concurrently smoking cigarettes and 109 were former smokers. The most common reasons for regularly using HTPs were: beliefs that HTP are less harmful than cigarettes to themselves (90.6%) or to others (86.7%), enjoyment (76.5%), and social acceptability (74.4%). About half of current smokers (55.1%) reported using HTPs because these products might help them quit smoking. However, a near-equal percentage (52.0%) of current smokers reported using HTPs to replace some of the cigarettes they smoked so that they did not have to give up smoking altogether. If smokers are using HTPs to complement rather than quit their smoking, then the harm reduction potential of HTPs suggested by the toxicity studies will be diminished.
Pediatrics Consequences of Caesarean Section—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Słabuszewska-Jóźwiak Aneta , Szymański Jacek Krzysztof , Ciebiera Michał , Sarecka-Hujar Beata , Jakiel Grzegorz
Published: November 2020

Background: Cesarean section is a surgical procedure, which is the most frequently performed in gynecology and obstetrics. It is commonly believed that an operative delivery is a less painful and safer mode of delivery, which translates into an increasing number of the procedures performed without medical indications. The maternal sequelae of cesarean sections are well elucidated and widely discussed in the literature, while long-term neonatal consequences still remain the issue of research and scientific dispute. The aim of the present paper was to perform a systematic review of current literature regarding pediatrics consequences of cesarean section. Methods: We reviewed available data from PubMed, Science Direct as well as Google Scholar bases concerning early and long-term neonatal sequelae of operative deliveries. The following key words were used: “cesarean section”, “caesarean section”, “neonatal outcomes”, “respiratory disorders”, “asthma”, “obesity”, “overweight”, and “neurological disorders”. A total of 1636 papers were retrieved out of which 27 were selected for the final systematic review whereas 16 articles provided data for meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4. To determine the strength of association between the caesarean section and respiratory tract infections, asthma, diabetes type 1 as well as obesity the pooled odds ratios (OR) with the 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Conducted meta-analyses revealed that caesarean section is a risk factor for respiratory tract infections (pooled OR = 1.30 95%CI 1.06–1.60, p = 0.001), asthma (pooled OR = 1.23 95%CI 1.14–1.33, p < 0.00001) as well as obesity (pooled OR = 1.35 95%CI 1.29–1.41, p < 0.00001) in offspring. Conclusions: The results of the studies included indicated that children delivered by cesarean section more commonly developed respiratory tract infections, obesity and the manifestations of asthma than children delivered vaginally. The risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 1 or neurological disorders in offspring after caesarean section is still under discussion.
Antibiotic Resistance in Recreational Waters: State of the Science
Authors: Nappier Sharon P. , Liguori Krista , Ichida Audrey M. , Stewart Jill R. , Jones Kaedra R.
Published: November 2020

Ambient recreational waters can act as both recipients and natural reservoirs for antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria and antimicrobial resistant genes (ARGs), where they may persist and replicate. Contact with AMR bacteria and ARGs potentially puts recreators at risk, which can thus decrease their ability to fight infections. A variety of point and nonpoint sources, including contaminated wastewater effluents, runoff from animal feeding operations, and sewer overflow events, can contribute to environmental loading of AMR bacteria and ARGs. The overall goal of this article is to provide the state of the science related to recreational exposure and AMR, which has been an area of increasing interest. Specific objectives of the review include (1) a description of potential sources of antibiotics, AMR bacteria, and ARGs in recreational waters, as documented in the available literature; (2) a discussion of what is known about human recreational exposures to AMR bacteria and ARGs, using findings from health studies and exposure assessments; and (3) identification of knowledge gaps and future research needs. To better understand the dynamics related to AMR and associated recreational water risks, future research should focus on source contribution, fate and transport—across treatment and in the environment; human health risk assessment; and standardized methods.
Maintaining and Supporting Seniors’ Wellbeing through Foreign Language Learning: Psycholinguistics of Second Language Acquisition in Older Age
Authors: Pikhart Marcel , Klimova Blanka
Published: November 2020

This study concerns aspects of positive psychology connected to foreign language learning (FLL) in an older healthy generation. The positive psychology perspective stresses the positive aspects of improved wellbeing in participants who engage in various activities, particularly mental and brain-training practices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore older people’s subjective feelings connected to their FLL as one of the crucial ways to improve their quality of life (QoL). The objective of the research was to determine the subjective satisfaction level of the participants of a second language (L2) acquisition course. The research sample (experimental group) consisted of 105 respondents who were Czech citizens and 55+ years old. Two control groups were set up. The first (young control) consisted of 102 young adults (university students), also Czech citizens, aged between 19 and 23 years. The second control group (elderly control) consisted of 102 subjects older than 55 years, similar in age to the experimental group. A standardized online questionnaire survey was the principal research method, identical both for the experimental and control groups. The findings clearly showed that language training significantly improved the subjective positive feelings and wellbeing of the older participants, regardless of their objective progress in FLL itself. These results stood in opposition to the young control group and were different from the elderly control group. The results revealed that FLL is an effective tool for enhancing the overall wellbeing of older people, which was shown in their expression of their feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and positive motivation to learn an L2. In addition, FLL objectively affected their mental health in a positive way and expanded their social networks. Moreover, FLL was a meaningful activity for them, despite the weak objective learning outcomes due to the decline of cognitive functions, helping them find their general purpose of life, as well as life motivation as expressed in the survey. These findings are crucial, as it has already been proven that wellbeing is directly connected with good health and longevity. Therefore, national governments and all stakeholders dealing with the present issue of the aging population should pay undivided attention to the enhancement of older people’s wellbeing by all possible intervention approaches, including FLL. There is limited research into the issue and the findings of this investigation could be an impetus for further research into the topic from the perspectives of cognitive science, psychology, and psycholinguistics.