bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proof of Adjourn (PoAj): A Novel Approach to Mitigate Blockchain Attacks
Authors: Sayeed Sarwar , Marco-Gisbert Hector
Published: September 2020

The blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that is growing in importance since inception. Besides cryptocurrencies, it has also crossed its boundary inspiring various organizations, enterprises, or business establishments to adopt this technology benefiting from the most innovative security features. The decentralized and immutable aspects have been the key points that endorse blockchain as one of the most secure technologies at the present time. However, in recent times such features seemed to be faded due to new attacking techniques. One of the biggest challenges remains within the consensus protocol itself, which is an essential component to bring all network participants to an agreed state. Cryptocurrencies adopt suitable consensus protocols based on their mining requirement, and Proof of Work (PoW) is the consensus protocol that is being predominated in major cryptocurrencies. Recent consensus protocol-based attacks, such as the 51% attack, Selfish Mining, Miner Bribe Attack, Zero Confirmation Attack, and One Confirmation Attack have been demonstrated feasible. To overcome these attacks, we propose Proof of Adjourn (PoAj), a novel consensus protocol that provides strong protection regardless of attackers hashing capability. After analyzing the 5 major attacks, and current protection techniques indicating the causes of their failure, we compared the PoAj against the most widely used PoW, showing that PoAj is not only able to mitigate the 5 attacks but also attacks relying on having a large amount of hashing power. In addition, the proposed PoAj showed to be an effective approach to mitigate the processing time issue of large-sized transactions. PoAj is not tailored to any particular attack; therefore, it is effective against malicious powerful players. The proposed approach provides a strong barrier not only to current and known attacks but also to future unknown attacks based on different strategies that rely on controlling the majority of the hashing power.
From the Point Cloud to BIM Methodology for the Ideal Reconstruction of a Lost Bastion of the Cáceres Wall
Authors: Franco Pablo Alejandro Cruz , Rueda Márquez de la Plata Adela , Cruz Franco Jesús
Published: September 2020

Thanks to the use of non-invasive techniques and remote sensing in a 19th century building, it was possible to demonstrate that said building is a lost part of the Cáceres wall. This wall was believed to maintain the straight line from a known section, but remote sensing makes it clear that at that point the wall makes a break creating a door of which there was no record. Once this premise was confirmed, an ideal reconstruction hypothesis was developed. For this, the work base was taken on the data collected in an exhaustive data collection process, which launched millions of control points and facilitated in theorizing the original state of this lost section. The HBIM methodology greatly facilitated the process, and will allow for possible modifications with an IFC file as advances are made in that area. Finally, the research proposes an architectural project path that takes into account the data obtained remotely, and that achieves the inclusion of this part of the city in cultural interest and, of course, in a protected and cataloged area.
Optimal Design and Control of a Two-Speed Planetary Gear Automatic Transmission for Electric Vehicle
Authors: Huang Wei , Huang Jianfeng , Yin Chengliang
Published: September 2020

Multispeed transmissions are helpful for improvement of the economy and drivability of electric vehicles (EVs). In this paper, we propose a two-speed transmission based on dual planetary gear mechanism, in which shifts are realized by torque transfer between two brakes located on ring gears. To synthesize the dynamic and economic performances of the vehicle, a multiobjective optimization problem is constructed for gear ratio optimization and Pareto-optimal solutions of gear ratio combinations are obtained by Nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II). In particular, the minimum electric energy consumption of the EV is calculated with a fast Dynamic Programming (DP) in each iteration. Following this, a constant-output-torque control (COTC) scheme is adopted for the torque phase and inertia phase of gearshift process to ensure constant output torque on the wheel. To enhance transient responses, the feedforward–feedback controller structure is applied and a disturbance observer is integrated to improve robustness. Simulation results demonstrate that the two-speed transmission has much better performance in terms of acceleration time and energy economy compared to the fixed-ratio transmission, and the proposed gearshift control method is able to achieve fast and smooth gear shift robustly while maintaining constant output torque.
Intersection Routing Based on Fuzzy Multi-Factor Decision for VANETs
Authors: Cao Zhenbo , Silva Bhagya , Diyan Muhammad , Li Jilong , Han Kijun
Published: September 2020

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is a special form of mobile ad hoc network (MANET), which plays a key role in the intelligent transportation system (ITS). Though many outstanding geographic routing protocols are designed for VANETs, a majority of them use parameters that only affect routing performance. In this article, we propose an intersection routing based on fuzzy multi-factor decision (IRFMFD), which utilizes several features. The scheme is divided into two parts, namely vehicular decision management and intersection decision management. In the vehicular component, candidate vehicles between two static nodes (SNs) located at two intersections derive potential routing paths considering distance, neighbor quantity, and relative velocity. In the intersection component, the candidate SN was chosen from the current intersection’s 2-hop neighbors which were connected with the current intersection by a route that was decided on in part one. To get the best scheme, we also introduced other factors to estimate the number of hops in each link and link lifetime. The simulation shows that the IRFMFD outperforms on delivery ratio and end-to-end delay compared with AODV (Ad hoc on-demand distance vector), GPSR (Greedy perimeter stateless routing) and GeOpps (Geographical opportunistic routing).
The Shear Strength of Granite Weathered Soil Under Different Hydraulic Paths
Authors: Lu Youqian , Cai Guoqing , Zhao Chenggang
Published: September 2020

At present, there is no clear understanding of the influence of differences in soil mineral composition, particle size grading, and hydraulic paths on the shear strength of unsaturated soil, and the related strength models are not applicable. The shear strength characteristics of different saturation specimens under different hydraulic paths were studied on two granite weathered soils. The experimental results show that the shear strength index of the prepared specimen is “arched” with the increase of saturation, and the dehydration specimen decreases linearly with the saturation. As considering the cementation of free oxides in soils and the interaction among soil particles at different saturations, it is assumed that there are three different contact modes among soil particles: direct contact, meniscus contact, and cement contact. The difference in contact modes will reflect the different laws of shear strength. A shear strength model capable of distinguishing between the capillary effect and the adsorptive effect was established. The model predicted and verified the shear strength data of granite weathered soil under different hydraulic paths well, and then theoretically explained the evolution law of the shear strength of granite weathering soil under the change of saturation.
Gesture-Based User Interface for Vehicle On-Board System: A Questionnaire and Research Approach
Authors: Małecki Krzysztof , Nowosielski Adam , Kowalicki Mateusz
Published: September 2020

Touchless interaction with electronic devices using gestures is gaining popularity and along with speech-based communication offers their users natural and intuitive control methods. Now, these interaction modes go beyond the entertainment industry and are successfully applied in real-life scenarios such as a car interior. In the paper, we analyse the potential of hand gesture interaction in the vehicle environment by physically challenged drivers. A survey conducted with potential users shows that the knowledge of gesture-based interaction and its practical use by people with disabilities is low. Based on these results we proposed a gesture-based system for vehicle on-board system. It has been developed on the available state-of-the-art solutions and investigated in terms of usability on a group of people with different physical limitations who drive a car on daily basis mostly using steering aid tools. The obtained results are compared with the performance of users without any disabilities.
Microseismic Signal Denoising and Separation Based on Fully Convolutional Encoder–Decoder Network
Authors: Zhang Hang , Ma Chunchi , Pazzi Veronica , Zou Yulin , Casagli Nicola
Published: September 2020

Denoising methods are a highly desired component of signal processing, and they can separate the signal of interest from noise to improve the subsequent signal analyses. In this paper, an advanced denoising method based on a fully convolutional encoder–decoder neural network is proposed. The method simultaneously learns the sparse features in the time–frequency domain, and the mask-related mapping function for signal separation. The results show that the proposed method has an impressive performance on denoising microseismic signals containing various types and intensities of noise. Furthermore, the method works well even when a similar frequency band is shared between the microseismic signals and the noises. The proposed method, compared to the existing methods, significantly improves the signal–noise ratio thanks to minor changes of the microseismic signal (less distortion in the waveform). Additionally, the proposed methods preserve the shape and amplitude characteristics so that it allows better recovery of the real waveform. This method is exceedingly useful for the automatic processing of the microseismic signal. Further, it has excellent potential to be extended to the study of exploration seismology and earthquakes.
Tracing Tendencies in the Japanese Documentary Mode
Authors: Centeno-Martín Marcos P. , Raine Michael
Published: September 2020

The documentary mode has not had the recognition it deserves in the western historiography of Japanese cinema [...]
Evaluation of Historical CMIP6 Model Simulations of Seasonal Mean Temperature over Pakistan during 1970–2014
Authors: Karim Rizwan , Tan Guirong , Ayugi Brian , Babaousmail Hassen , Liu Fei
Published: September 2020

This work employed recent model outputs from coupled model intercomparison project phase six to simulate surface mean temperature during the June–July–August (JJA) and December–January–February (DJF) seasons for 1970–2014 over Pakistan. The climatic research unit (CRU TS4.03) dataset was utilized as benchmark data to analyze models’ performance. The JJA season exhibited the highest mean temperature, whilst DJF displayed the lowest mean temperature in the whole study period. The JJA monthly empirical cumulative distribution frequency (ECDF) range (26 to 28 °C) was less than that of DJF (7 to 10 °C) since JJA matched closely to CRU. The JJA and DJF seasons are warming, with higher warming trends in winters than in summers. On temporal scale, models performed better in JJA with overall low bias, low RMSE (root mean square error), and higher positive CC (correlation coefficient) values. DJF performance was undermined with higher bias and RMSE with weak positive correlation estimates. Overall, CanESM5, CESM2, CESM2-WACCM, GFDL-CM4, HadGEM-GC31-LL, MPI-ESM1-2-LR, MPI-ESM1-2-HR, and MRI-ESM-0 performed better for JJA and DJF.
Traffic-Related Airborne VOC Profiles Variation on Road Sites and Residential Area within a Microscale in Urban Area in Southern Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Jiun-Horng , Lu Yen-Ting , Chung I-I , Chiang Hung-Lung
Published: September 2020

The sampling sites, including roadsides and residential areas, were set up to collect ambient air and determine the volatile organic species it contained. For the roadside air, the average VOCs (volatile organic compounds) abundant at rush hour periods was two times that at non-rush hour periods. In the residential area, the VOC concentrationswere106 and 129 ppb during rush hour periods. The VOC concentration ratios of roadside and residential areas were in the range of 1.08–1.75 and the traffic emissions were related to the VOCs abundant in air. The highest VOC concentration was 168 ppb at midnight at residential sites and the VOC abundance could be two times that of roadside sites. This level of concentration could be attributed to the application of solvents and to human activity in a nearby motorcycle/vehicle maintenance plant, laundry rooms, etc. High abundant species were similar in both the roadside and residential air samples. These highly abundant species included toluene, acetone, acetonitrile, m,p-xylene and n-pentane, all of which can be emitted from traffic exhaust. Benzene, acrolein, formaldehyde, vinyl chloride and 1,3-butadiene were the main species with health impacts collected at both sites. In the micro-scale environment, the residential ambient air was affected by traffic flow from morning to night. In the midnight period, some local activities (a motorcycle/vehicle maintenance shop and laundry shops) affected the concentrations of certain VOCs (acetonitrile, toluene, hexane, 2-methylpentane, methyl cyclopentane and 3-methylpentane). The traffic and motor vehicles’ effects were determined, which could be useful for air quality management and strategy development in an urban area.
Meteorological Storm Influence on the Ionosphere Parameters
Authors: Borchevkina Olga , Karpov Ivan , Karpov Mikhail
Published: September 2020

This paper presents the observations of ionospheric parameters in Kaliningrad (54° N, 20° E) during a meteorological storm in the Baltic Sea during October 2017 and 2018. Analysis of the total electronic content (TEC) during the storm showed that perturbations of the TEC values from the median can reach two standard deviations of the value. For the critical frequency of the F2 layer, it was 1.5–1.6 times the standard deviations. On days of a meteorological storm, significant changes were noted in the dynamics of the E-layer’s critical frequency. The reasons for the occurrence of the observed phenomena were due to the propagation of acoustic-gravity waves generated by convective processes in the lower atmosphere during periods of a meteorological storm. Spectral analysis of TEC variations revealed an increase in the amplitudes of ionospheric variations 10–16 min over the area of a meteorological storm. The analysis allowed us to conclude that ionospheric perturbations during the meteorological perturbation were caused by increased acoustic-gravity wave (AGW) generation processes in the lower atmosphere. The most likely cause of negative ionospheric disturbances were processes associated with the dissipation of AGW propagating from the area of a meteorological storm and increased turbulence in the lower thermosphere.
The CO2 Emissions Drivers of Post-Communist Economies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Authors: Li Rui , Jiang Hong , Sotnyk Iryna , Kubatko Oleksandr , Almashaqbeh Y. A. Ismail
Published: September 2020

CO2 emissions have become a key environmental contaminant that is responsible for climate change in general and global warming in particular. Two geographical groups of countries that previously belonged to the former bloc of socialist countries are used for the estimations of CO2 emissions drivers. The research covers such Eastern European countries as Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russian Federation, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Ukraine and such Central Asian states as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan during the period 1996–2018. The main goal of the research is to identify common drivers that determine carbon dioxide emissions in selected states. To control for the time fixed effects (like EU membership), random effect model was used for the analysis of the panel data set. Results: It is found that energy efficiency progress reduces per capita CO2 emissions. Thus, an increase in GDP by 100 USD per one ton of oil equivalent decreases per capita CO2 emissions by 17–64 kg. That is, the more energy-efficient the economy becomes, the less CO2 emissions per capita it produces in a group of selected post-communist economies. Unlike energy efficiency, an increase in GDP per capita by 1000 USD raises CO2 emissions by 260 kg per capita, and the richer the economy becomes, the more CO2 emissions per capita it generates. The increase in life expectancy by one year leads to an increase in CO2 emissions per capita by 200−370 kg, with average values of 260 kg per capita. It was found that an increase in agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector share (as a % of GDP) by one percentage point leads to the decrease in CO2 emissions by 67–200 kg per capita, while an increase in industrial sector share by one percentage point leads to the increase in CO2 per capita emissions by 37–110 kg. Oil prices and foreign direct investment appeared to be statistically insignificant factors in a group of selected post-communist economies. Conclusions: The main policy recommendation is the promotion of energy efficiency policy and the development of green economy sectors. The other measures are the promotion of a less energy-intensive service sector and the modernization of the industrial sector, which is still characterized by high energy and carbon intensity.
Radiative Cascade Repopulation of 1s2s2p 4P States Formed by Single Electron Capture in 2–18 MeV Collisions of C4+ (1s2s 3S) with He
Authors: Zouros Theo J. M. , Nikolaou Sofoklis , Madesis Ioannis , Laoutaris Angelos , Nanos Stefanos , Dubois Alain , Benis Emmanouil P.
Published: September 2020

This study focuses on the details of cascade repopulation of doubly excited triply open-shell C3+(1s2s2p)4P and 2P± states produced in 2–18 MeV collisions of C4+(1s2s3S) with He. Such cascade calculations are necessary for the correct determination of the ratio R of their cross sections, used as a measure of spin statistics [Madesis et al. PRL 124 (2020) 113401]. Here, we present the details of our cascade calculations within a new matrix formulation based on the well-known diagrammatic cascade approach [Curtis, Am. J. Phys. 36 (1968) 1123], extended to also include Auger depopulation. The initial populations of the 1s2snℓ4L and 1s2snℓ2L levels included in our analysis are obtained from the direct nℓ single electron capture (SEC) cross sections, calculated using the novel three-electron close-coupling (3eAOCC) approach. All relevant radiative branching ratios (RBR) for n≤4 were computed using the COWAN code. While doublet RBRs are found to be very small, quartet RBRs are found to be large, indicating cascade feeding to be important only for quartets, consistent with previous findings. Calculations including up to third order cascades, extended to n→∞ using an n−3 SEC model, showed a ∼60% increase of the 1s2s2p4P populations due to cascades, resulting, for the first time, in R values in good overall agreement with experiment.
Design and Characterization of a Minimally Invasive Bipolar Electrode for Electroporation
Authors: Merola Giulia , Fusco Roberta , Di Bernardo Elio , D’Alessio Valeria , Izzo Francesco , Granata Vincenza , Contartese Deyanira , Cadossi Matteo , Audenino Alberto , Perazzolo Gallo Giacomo
Published: September 2020

Objective: To test a new bipolar electrode for electroporation consisting of a single minimally invasive needle. Methods: A theoretical study was performed by using Comsol Multiphysics® software. The prototypes of electrode have been tested on potatoes and pigs, adopting an irreversible electroporation protocol. Different applied voltages and different geometries of bipolar electrode prototype have been evaluated. Results: Simulations and pre-clinical tests have shown that the volume of ablated area is mainly influenced by applied voltage, while the diameter of the electrode had a lesser impact, making the goal of minimal-invasiveness possible. The conductive pole’s length determined an increase of electroporated volume, while the insulated pole length inversely affects the electroporated volume size and shape; when the insulated pole length decreases, a more regular shape of the electric field is obtained. Moreover, the geometry of the electrode determined a different shape of the electroporated volume. A parenchymal damage in the liver of pigs due to irreversible electroporation protocol was observed. Conclusion: The minimally invasive bipolar electrode is able to treat an electroporated volume of about 10 mm in diameter by using a single-needle electrode. Moreover, the geometry and the electric characteristics can be selected to produce ellipsoidal ablation volumes.
G-Quadruplexes in the Archaea Domain
Authors: Brázda Václav , Luo Yu , Bartas Martin , Kaura Patrik , Porubiaková Otilia , Šťastný Jiří , Pečinka Petr , Verga Daniela , Da Cunha Violette , Takahashi Tomio S. , Forterre Patrick , Myllykallio Hannu , Fojta Miroslav , Mergny Jean-Louis
Published: September 2020

The importance of unusual DNA structures in the regulation of basic cellular processes is an emerging field of research. Amongst local non-B DNA structures, G-quadruplexes (G4s) have gained in popularity during the last decade, and their presence and functional relevance at the DNA and RNA level has been demonstrated in a number of viral, bacterial, and eukaryotic genomes, including humans. Here, we performed the first systematic search of G4-forming sequences in all archaeal genomes available in the NCBI database. In this article, we investigate the presence and locations of G-quadruplex forming sequences using the G4Hunter algorithm. G-quadruplex-prone sequences were identified in all archaeal species, with highly significant differences in frequency, from 0.037 to 15.31 potential quadruplex sequences per kb. While G4 forming sequences were extremely abundant in Hadesarchaea archeon (strikingly, more than 50% of the Hadesarchaea archaeon isolate WYZ-LMO6 genome is a potential part of a G4-motif), they were very rare in the Parvarchaeota phylum. The presence of G-quadruplex forming sequences does not follow a random distribution with an over-representation in non-coding RNA, suggesting possible roles for ncRNA regulation. These data illustrate the unique and non-random localization of G-quadruplexes in Archaea.
The Mediator Role of Body Image-Related Cognitive Fusion in the Relationship between Disease Severity Perception, Acceptance and Psoriasis Disability
Authors: Almeida Vera , Leite Ângela , Constante Diana , Correia Rita , Almeida Isabel Filipa , Teixeira Maribel , Vidal Diogo Guedes , Sousa Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta , Teixeira Ana
Published: September 2020

Psoriasis is a long-term skin disorder without a cure, whose patients are particularly susceptible to mental health diseases. Using a sample of patients diagnosed with psoriasis, this study aimed to: (1) identify the clinical and positive psychological variables that contribute the most to psoriasis disability and (2) assess the mediator role of body image-related cognitive fusion in the relation between disease severity perception and acceptance and self-compassion, on one hand, and psoriasis disability on the other. This is an initial cross-sectional exploratory study, with 75 patients diagnosed with psoriasis (males 52%; mean age 54.99 ± 13.72) answering a sociodemographic and a clinical questionnaire, the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI), the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire—Body Image (CFQ-BI), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire—II (AAQ-II), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to characterize and assess the measures and the final model used. Through path analysis and a hierarchical multiple linear regression, it was found that the variables that significantly contributed to psoriasis disability were years of education, impact on social life and body image, explaining 70% of the variance. Body image-related cognitive fusion was a significant mediator in the relationship between disease severity and acceptance, and psoriasis disability. The implications of this study are considered to be extremely relevant, since it will allow additional information to be provided to psoriasis patients, appropriated to their educational level, aiming to reduce distorted perceptions of disease severity and intervene in the ability to accept this specific and important chronic health condition.
Heterogeneous Organo- and Metal Catalysis Using Phosphine Oxide Derivatives Anchored on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Ligi Maria Cristina , Flis Anna , Biagiotti Giacomo , Serrano Giulia , Michał Pietrusiewicz K. , Cicchi Stefano
Published: September 2020

Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes were modified anchoring phosphine oxides and used as heterogeneous catalysts. A proper substitution of the phosphine oxides allowed the use of the Tour reaction and the nitrene cycloaddition to obtain functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) with a loading up to 0.73 mmol/g of material. The catalysts proved efficient in Wittig reactions, Mitsunobu reactions, and Staudinger ligations. Furthermore, the phosphorus decorated CNT were used to produce nanocomposite with Pd nanoparticles able to catalyze Heck reactions.
Intracranial Meningiomas in the Elderly: Clinical, Surgical and Economic Evaluation. A Multicentric Experience
Authors: Cannizzaro Delia , Tropeano Maria Pia , Zaed Ismail , De Robertis Mario , Olei Simone , Vindigni Marco , Pegolo Enrico , Bagatto Daniele , Cardia Andrea , Maira Giulio , Fornari Maurizio , Skrap Miran , Ius Tamara
Published: September 2020

Meningioma is one of the most common intracranial tumors. It is benign and slow growing in the majority of cases. Given the increase in life expectancy and the number of radiological tests performed, the incidence in the elderly population (≥65 years) is continuously increasing. The surgical outcomes and prognostic factors in this age group are unclear. A retrospective analysis of all the patients treated for intracranial meningiomas in two different Italian institutions was performed. The clinical, radiological, surgical and follow-up data were retrospectively reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed to identify relationships between factors and outcomes. We also carried out an economic analysis. We analyzed 321 patients with intracranial meningioma. The mean age was 72.6 years (range, 65–90), with a female predominance (F/M, 1.41). Pre-operative deficits, cognitive impairment and seizures (p < 0.001) were associated with a worse post-operative Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) score (<80). A high pre-operative KPS score was associated with a good clinical and neurological outcome (p < 0.001). Being aged between 65 and 74 years, low surgical timing and Simpson removal grades of I and II were associated with a good outcome (p < 0.001). The length of hospitalization was significantly related to the outcome (p < 0.001). The complication rate was 14.3%. At 6-month follow-up, the mortality rate was 2.5%. The average cost was higher in patients with a pre-operative KPS score lower than 80. The outcome of intracranial-meningioma resection in elderly individuals is favorable when the pre-operative KPS score is >80. Treatment should be patient-specific, and additional factors should be considered. Patients with poor pre-operative clinical conditions might benefit from a combined strategy with partial resection and radiosurgery in order to reduce surgical timing and the complication rate.
Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Mediated Inhibition of CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cell Accumulation in Tumours: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Freeman Patrick , Mielgo Ainhoa
Published: September 2020

The tumour microenvironment (TME) is the complex environment in which various non-cancerous stromal cell populations co-exist, co-evolve and interact with tumour cells, having a profound impact on the progression of solid tumours. The TME is comprised of various extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in addition to a variety of immune and stromal cells. These include tumour-associated macrophages, regulatory T cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells, as well as endothelial cells, pericytes and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs are the most abundant stromal cell population in many tumours and support cancer progression, metastasis and resistance to therapies through bidirectional signalling with both tumour cells and other cells within the TME. More recently, CAFs have been shown to also affect the anti-tumour immune response through direct and indirect interactions with immune cells. In this review, we specifically focus on the interactions between CAFs and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and on how these interactions affect T cell recruitment, infiltration and function in the tumour. We additionally provide insight into the therapeutic implications of targeting these interactions, particularly in the context of cancer immunotherapy.
Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 1 as a Biomarker against Incomplete Age-Related Lobular Involution and Microcalcifications’ Development
Authors: Clemenceau Alisson , Hanna Mirette , Ennour-Idrissi Kaoutar , Burguin Anna , Diorio Caroline , Durocher Francine
Published: September 2020

As a downregulator of the Wnt signaling pathway, SFRP1 is involved in several components of the age-related lobular involution process such as inflammation, apoptosis, and adipogenesis. Because microcalcifications are associated with inflammation, we aimed to demystify the cross talk between SFRP1, inflammatory markers, and microcalcifications by assessing SFRP1 expression (immunohistochemistry) in a cohort of 162 women with different degrees of lobular involution. SFRP1 expression was inversely associated with the degree of lobular involution (OR = 0.84; p-value < 0.01). SFRP1 expression, age at mastectomy, and waist circumference taken together predicted the degree of lobular involution (AUC = 78.1). This predictive model was best in patients with microcalcifications (AUC = 81.1) and in parous women (AUC = 87.8). SFRP1 expression was correlated with leptin (rho = 0.32), TNF-α (rho = 0.21), and IL-6 (rho = 0.21) expression by epithelial cells (all p-values <0.001). SFRP1 expression was lower in nulliparous women with involuted breast tissue compared with parous women with involuted breast tissue (Δmean = −2.31; p-value < 0.01) and was higher in nulliparous women with microcalcifications compared with nulliparous women without microcalcifications (Δmean = 2.4; p-value < 0.05). In this study, we highlighted two SFRP1-based predictive models for incomplete lobular involution and the development of microcalcifications and identified two distinct inflammatory profiles associated with age-related lobular involution in parous and nulliparous women.
Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Patients with Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Bak Marie , Jess Tine , Flachs Esben Meulengracht , Zwisler Ann-Dorthe , Juel Knud , Frederiksen Henrik
Published: September 2020

An association between hematological cancers and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has previously been suggested, but the risk of IBD in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) is unknown. We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study using Danish registries, to estimate the risk of IBD in individuals diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis or unclassifiable MPN during 1994–2013. MPN patients were matched 1:10 with sex- and age-matched comparisons. Everyone was followed until a diagnosis of IBD, death/emigration, or 31 December 2013. The risk of IBD overall and according to MPN subtype was calculated using Cox regression and presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of 8207 MPN patients followed for 45,232 person-years, 80 were diagnosed with IBD (61 ulcerative colitis, 19 Crohn’s disease). The rate of IBD per 1000 person-years was 1.8 (95% CI:1.4–2.2) in patients vs. 0.8 (95% CI:0.7–0.8) in comparisons, and the absolute 10-year risk of IBD was 0.8% (95% CI:0.6–1.0) in patients vs. 0.4% (95% CI:0.4–0.5) in comparisons. The HR of IBD was 2.4 (95% CI:2.1–2.9) with similar HRs for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. MPN subtype risks varied from 2.1 (95% CI:1.6–2.7) to 2.8 (95% CI:2.1–3.7). Our unselected cohort study showed a more than 2-fold increased risk of IBD in MPN patients.
Mass Spectrometry Imaging for Reliable and Fast Classification of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Subtypes
Authors: Kriegsmann Mark , Zgorzelski Christiane , Casadonte Rita , Schwamborn Kristina , Muley Thomas , Winter Hauke , Eichhorn Martin , Eichhorn Florian , Warth Arne , Deininger Soeren-Oliver , Christopoulos Petros , Thomas Michael , Longerich Thomas , Stenzinger Albrecht , Weichert Wilko , Müller-Tidow Carsten , Kriegsmann Jörg , Schirmacher Peter , Kriegsmann Katharina
Published: September 2020

Subtyping of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is paramount for therapy stratification. In this study, we analyzed the largest NSCLC cohort by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to date. We sought to test different classification algorithms and to validate results obtained in smaller patient cohorts. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) from including adenocarcinoma (ADC, n = 499) and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC, n = 440), were analyzed. Linear discriminant analysis, support vector machine, and random forest (RF) were applied using samples randomly assigned for training (66%) and validation (33%). The m/z species most relevant for the classification were identified by on-tissue tandem mass spectrometry and validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Measurements from multiple TMAs were comparable using standardized protocols. RF yielded the best classification results. The classification accuracy decreased after including less than six of the most relevant m/z species. The sensitivity and specificity of MSI in the validation cohort were 92.9% and 89.3%, comparable to IHC. The most important protein for the discrimination of both tumors was cytokeratin 5. We investigated the largest NSCLC cohort by MSI to date and found that the classification of NSCLC into ADC and SqCC is possible with high accuracy using a limited set of m/z species.
Bortezomib-Loaded Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Selectively Alter Metabolism and Induce Death in Multiple Myeloma Cells
Authors: Nigro Alessandra , Frattaruolo Luca , Fava Mariarosa , De Napoli Ilaria , Greco Marianna , Comandè Alessandra , De Santo Marzia , Pellegrino Michele , Ricci Elena , Giordano Francesca , Perrotta Ida , Leggio Antonella , Pasqua Luigi , Sisci Diego , Cappello Anna Rita , Morelli Catia
Published: September 2020

A mesoporous silica-based nanodevice bearing the antineoplastic drug bortezomib (BTZ), whose release is triggered in acidic environment and grafted with folic acid (FOL) as a targeting function (FOL-MSN-BTZ) was tested on folate receptor overexpressing (FR+) multiple myeloma (MM) cells and on FR negative (FR−) normal cells. FOL-MSN-BTZ efficacy studies were conducted by means of growth experiments, TEM, TUNEL assay and Western Blotting analysis (WB). Metabolic investigations were performed to assess cells metabolic response to MSNs treatments. FOL-MSN-BTZ exclusively killed FR+ MM cells, leading to an apoptotic rate that was comparable to that induced by free BTZ, and the effect was accompanied by metabolic dysfunction and oxidative stress. Importantly, FOL-MSN-BTZ treated FR− normal cells did not show any significant sign of injury or metabolic perturbation, while free BTZ was still highly toxic. Notably, the vehicle alone (MSN-FOL) did not affect any biological process in both tested cell models. These data show the striking specificity of FOL-MSN-BTZ toward FR+ tumor cells and the outstanding safety of the MSN-FOL vehicle, paving the way for a future exploitation of FOL-MSN-BTZ in MM target therapy.
Recovering Secondary REE Value from Spent Oil Refinery Catalysts Using Biogenic Organic Acids
Authors: Dewi Melisa Pramesti , Petrus Himawan Tri Bayu Murti , Okibe Naoko
Published: September 2020

Spent catalysts produced by oil refinery industries are regarded as an important secondary source for valuable metals. In particular, spent fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts represent a potential source for rare earth elements (REEs). This study aimed to exploit the leachability of spent FCC catalysts as a secondary source for La, by using an alternative organic acid lixiviant produced under optimized fungal fermentation conditions. The first chemical leaching tests revealed that citric acid (>100 mM) is a comparable alternative lixiviant to conventional inorganic acids (1 M) and that the La dissolution behavior changed significantly with different types of organic acids. The initial fungal fermentation conditions (e.g., inoculum level, substrate concentration, pH) largely affected the resultant biogenic acid composition, and its manipulation was possible in order to almost solely ferment citric acid (~130 mM) while controlling the production of unwanted oxalic acid. The performance of actual biogenic acids (direct use of cell-free spent media) and artificially reconstituted biogenic acids (a mixture of chemical reagents) was nearly identical, achieving a final La dissolution of ~74% at a pulp density of 5%. Overall, the microbiological fermentation of organic acids could become a promising approach to supply an efficient and environmentally benign alternative lixiviant for REE scavenging from spent FCC catalyst wastes.
Zn-Al Mixed Oxides Decorated with Potassium as Catalysts for HT-WGS: Preparation and Properties
Authors: Antoniak-Jurak Katarzyna , Kowalik Paweł , Michalska Kamila , Próchniak Wiesław , Bicki Robert
Published: September 2020

A set of ex-ZnAl-LDHs catalysts with a molar ratio of Zn/Al in the range of 0.3–1.0 was prepared using co-precipitation and thermal treatment. The samples were characterized using various methods, including X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR, N2 adsorption, Temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2) as well as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS). Catalyst activity and long-term stability measurements were carried out in a high-temperature water–gas shift (HT-WGS) reaction. Mixed oxide catalysts with various Zn/Al molar ratios decorated with potassium showed high activity in the HT-WGS reaction within the temperature range of 330–400 °C. The highest activity was found for the Zn/Al molar ratio of 0.5 corresponding to spinel stoichiometry. However, the catalyst with a stoichiometric spinel molar ratio of Zn/Al (ZnAl_0.5_K) revealed a higher tendency for surface migration and/or vaporization of potassium during overheating at 450 °C. The correlation of the activity results and TPD-CO2 data show that medium basic sites enhance the progress of the HT-WGS reaction.
Enhanced Phenol Tert-Butylation Reaction Activity over Hierarchical Porous Silica-Alumina Materials
Authors: Xu Ling , Wang Fan , Xiu Zhi , Duan Limei , Liu Zongrui , Guan Jingqi
Published: September 2020

Hierarchical aluminum-silicon materials have been successfully prepared by mixing pre-crystallization of silica-alumina sol and citric acid under hydrothermal conditions. The influence of pre-crystallization time on the micro-mesoporous structure is studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 physical adsorption, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The catalytic performance of hierarchical silica-alumina material is evaluated by alkylation of phenol with tert-butanol. The results show that the silica-alumina materials with a pre-crystallization time of 16 h show micro-mesoporous structure and excellent catalytic activity.
A Perspective on Nigeria’s Preparedness, Response and Challenges to Mitigating the Spread of COVID-19
Authors: Anyanwu Madubuike Umunna , Festus Ishmael Jaja , Nwobi Obichukwu Chisom , Jaja Chinwe-Juliana Iwu , Oguttu James Wabwire
Published: September 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease pandemic that emerged in late 2019 in China, and later spread to other parts of the world, including Nigeria. This review analyzes the preparedness of Nigeria to the COVID-19 pandemic and recommends strategies that could be useful in controlling the disease. Published articles on COVID-19 worldwide, socioeconomic and disease status and preparedness to COVID-19 in Africa and Nigeria, were retrieved from databases such as Pubmed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and Google search engine. Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world, and is one of the largest crude oil producers in the world. However, its healthcare system is dilapidated and weak, due to years of neglect and widespread corruption. As a result, Nigeria is vulnerable to COVID-19, as evidenced by the current geographical distribution of the disease in its population. Many socioeconomic factors could potentially facilitate the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria. This could lead to a high caseload in the country, which could overwhelm the health care system. The application of social distancing, personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene and mask-wearing, as practiced in many countries, has proven to be effective to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In Nigeria, social distancing, in many instances, may be impracticable, given its large population, and a high density of people living in crowded conditions like slums and camps. Moreover, there is a sizeable population of internally displaced people, due to the attack by Boko Haram fighters in Northern Nigeria, and herdsmen in Southern Nigeria. The implementation of these measures is likely to be a great challenge. Nigeria has announced a complete lockdown for the containment of COVD-19, but its implementation and efficacy are doubtful, due to the same reasons previously mentioned.
Design of A Low-Cost and Disposable Paper-Based Immunosensor for the Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Aflatoxin B1
Authors: Migliorini Fernanda L. , Santos Danilo M. dos , Soares Andrey C. , Mattoso Luiz H. C. , Oliveira Osvaldo N. , Correa Daniel S.
Published: September 2020

We report a paper-based electrochemical immunosensor made with sustainable materials to detect aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a highly toxic, carcinogenic mycotoxin found in food. The immunosensor was prepared with a waterproof paper substrate and low-cost graphite-based conductive ink through a simple cut-printing method. The working electrode was functionalized with a drop-cast film of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)/chitosan on which a layer of anti-AFB1 monoclonal antibodies was immobilized covalently. The architecture of the immunosensor was confirmed with polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), including the effective immobilization of the active layer of anti-AFB1. With EIS as the principle of detection, the immunosensor could detect AFB1 in the range from 1 to 30 ng·mL−1, and detection limit of 0.62 ng·mL−1. This sensitivity is sufficient to detect AFB1 in food according to regulatory agencies. The immunosensor exhibited good repeatability, reproducibility, stability, and selectivity in experiments with a possible interferent. Furthermore, detection of AFB1 in maize flour samples yielded recovery of 97–99%, in a demonstration of the possible use of the paper-based immunosensor to detect AFB1 using extraction solutions from food samples.
Nightmares, Chronotype, Urbanicity, and Personality: An Online Study
Authors: Schredl Michael , Göritz Anja S.
Published: September 2020

Chronotype refers to individual differences in sleep timing (“owls” and “larks”) and “eveningness” has been associated with nightmares. However, it has not been tested as to whether neuroticism mediates this relationship. Urbanicity refers to being raised in an urban region and/or currently living in an urban region and is associated with heightened risk for developing mental disorders, and thus might be related to nightmare frequency and nightmare distress. Overall, 2492 persons (1437 women, 1055 men) completed an online survey between 23 March 2015 and 8 April 2015. The mean age of the sample was 47.75 ± 14.41 years. The findings indicate that the previously reported relationship between chronotype and nightmare frequency was mediated by neuroticism and “morningness” was related to higher dream recall compared to persons with a late bedtime preference. Urbanicity was not related to nightmare frequency but to lower nightmare distress, raising the interesting question as to whether beliefs about nightmares might be an important variable that contributes to nightmare distress. Based on the few studies so far, there are still many unresolved questions about the interaction between nightmares, chronotype, and urbanicity.
Depth Profile Analysis of Deep Level Defects in 4H-SiC Introduced by Radiation
Authors: Brodar Tomislav , Bakrač Luka , Capan Ivana , Ohshima Takeshi , Snoj Luka , Radulović Vladimir , Pastuović Željko
Published: September 2020

Deep level defects created by implantation of light-helium and medium heavy carbon ions in the single ion regime and neutron irradiation in n-type 4H-SiC are characterized by the DLTS technique. Two deep levels with energies 0.4 eV (EH1) and 0.7 eV (EH3) below the conduction band minimum are created in either ion implanted and neutron irradiated material beside carbon vacancies (Z1/2). In our study, we analyze components of EH1 and EH3 deep levels based on their concentration depth profiles, in addition to (−3/=) and (=/−) transition levels of silicon vacancy. A higher EH3 deep level concentration compared to the EH1 deep level concentration and a slight shift of the EH3 concentration depth profile to larger depths indicate that an additional deep level contributes to the DLTS signal of the EH3 deep level, most probably the defect complex involving interstitials. We report on the introduction of metastable M-center by light/medium heavy ion implantation and neutron irradiation, previously reported in cases of proton and electron irradiation. Contribution of M-center to the EH1 concentration profile is presented.
A Multifaceted Kinetic Model for the Thermal Decomposition of Calcium Carbonate
Authors: Zheng Jingxue , Huang Junchen , Tao Lin , Li Zhi , Wang Qi
Published: September 2020

The existing kinetic models often consider the influence of a single factor alone on the chemical reaction and this is insufficient to completely describe the decomposition reaction of solids. Therefore, the existing kinetic models were improved using the pore structure model. The proposed model was verified using the thermal decomposition experiment on calcium carbonate. The equation has been modified as fα=n1−α1−1n−ln1−α−1m1−ψln1−α12. This led to the conclusion that the pore structure, generated during the thermal decomposition of calcite, has an important influence on the decomposition kinetics. The existing experimental data show that the improved model, with random pores as the main body, reasonably describes the thermal decomposition process of calcite.
Grating Coupler Design for Vertical Light Coupling in Silicon Thin Films on Lithium Niobate
Authors: Han Huangpu , Xiang Bingxi
Published: September 2020

In this paper we provide a design for a vertical grating coupler for a silicon thin film on lithium niobate. The parameters-such as the cladding layer thickness of lithium niobate, fiber position, fiber angle, grating period, and duty cycle are analyzed and optimized to reduce the mode mismatch loss and the internal reflections. The alignment tolerances, for the grating coupler parameters, are also simulated and evaluated. We determine that our simulated grating coupler exhibits high efficiency, enhanced light coupling, and high alignment tolerance.