bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The accordion technique enhances bone regeneration via angiogenesis factor in a rat distraction osteogenesis model
Authors: Liu Kai , Wang Sulong , Yalikun Ainizier , Ren Peng , Yusufu Aihemaitijiang
Published: September 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of the accordion technique (AT) during the distraction phase on chondrogenesis and bone regeneration in a rat femoral distraction osteogenesis (DO) model, and investigate its potential mechanism for reducing the total treatment time of DO.

Methods: Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that were specific-pathogen-free (SPF) were subjected to DO surgery on the right femur. The distraction rate was 0.5 mm/day for 10 days, following a latency period of 5 days. Rats were randomly divided into Control (no AT, n = 18), Group LA (low amplitude with AT, n = 18), and Group HA (high amplitude with AT, n = 18) according to different AT protocols in the distraction phase. Rats were respectively euthanized by anesthesia overdose at 2, 4 and 6 weeks of the consolidation phase, and the femurs were harvested. Digital radiography, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), biomechanical tests, and histomorphological analysis were used to assess the quality of regenerated bone in the distraction area.

Results: Digital radiographic, micro-CT, biomechanical tests, and histological analysis revealed an increase in early-stage callus formation (p < 0.05) and improved blood supply to the callus tissue in Group LA, as compared to both the Control and Group HA. The enhanced differentiation of fibrous and cartilaginous tissue into bone tissue was also observed in Group LA, leading to improved strength and stiffness (p < 0.05) of the regenerated bone at 6 weeks of the consolidation phase. The angiogenic (hypoxia-inducible factor—1α (HIF—1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p < 0.05) and osteogenic (runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin (OCN) and osteopontin (OPN), p < 0.05) biomarkers were higher expressed in Group LA at 2 and 4 weeks of consolidation phase, whereas decreased at 6 weeks of consolidation phase.

Conclusion: The application of AT with low amplitude during the distraction phase can enhance chondrogenesis and bone regeneration by activating the angiogenesis factor pathway and upregulating the expression of osteogenic-related biomarkers such as HIF-1α, VEGF, RUNX2, OCN, and OPN.
Secondary succession of shrub-herb communities in the hilly area of Taihang Mountain
Authors: Liu Xiuping , Zhou Wangming , Li Xiaoxin , Zhang Yuming , Dong Wenxu
Published: September 2023

Introduction

To document the successional processes of shrub-herb communities after large-scale human disturbance, and understand how changing environmental conditions affect species replacement in semi-humid hilly areas.

Methods

Utilizing the established permanent plots in the hilly area of Taihang Mountain, we evaluated temporal patterns of vegetation and soil following grass-to-shrub succession.

Results and Discussion

Along secondary succession, Vitex negundo var. heterophylla gradually dominated in dry sunny slope and shared the dominance with Leptodermis oblonga in shaded slope. Herbaceous dominant species in shrub-herb communities switched from Themeda japonica, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Artemisia sacrorum, and Cleistogenes chinensis in 1986 census to B. ischaemum and A. sacrorum in 2008 census, but herb was no longer dominant in 2020 census. As succession progresses, species dominance increased while richness decreased generally, and herb cover and aboveground biomass decreased, whereas shrub height, cover, and aboveground biomass increased significantly. Soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) in topsoil increased significantly while pH declined by 1.04 units over the past three decades. Plant communities transitioned from perennial herbs to shrub-herb and then shrub communities, and V. negundo var. heterophylla dominated in the succession of shrub-herb communities. Climate and soil properties, combined with plant attributes, together drive post-disturbance secondary succession. From a management perspective, the tight coupling between vegetation and soil under local climatic conditions should be considered to improve the fragile ecosystem in the hilly area of Taihang Mountain.
Hyperspectral imaging combined with CNN for maize variety identification
Authors: Zhang Fu , Zhang Fangyuan , Wang Shunqing , Li Lantao , Lv Qiang , Fu Sanling , Wang Xinyue , Lv Qingfeng , Zhang Yakun
Published: September 2023

Introduction

As the third largest food crop in the world, maize has wide varieties with similar appearances, which makes identification difficult. To solve the problem of identification of hybrid maize varieties, a method based on hyperspectral image technology combined with a convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed to identify maize varieties.

Methods

In this study, 735 maize seeds from seven half-parent hybrid maize varieties were regarded as the research object. The maize seed images in the range of 900 ~ 1700nm were obtained by hyperspectral image acquisition system. The region of interest (ROI) of the embryo surface was selected, and the spectral reflectance of maize seeds was extracted. After Savitzky-Golay (SG) Smoothing pretreatment, Maximum Normalization (MN) pretreatment was performed. The 56 feature wavelengths were selected by Competitive Adaptive Reweighting Algorithm (CARS) and Successive Projection Algorithm (SPA). And the 56 wavelengths were mapped to high-dimensional space by high-dimensional feature mapping and then reconstructed into three-dimensional image features. A five-layer convolution neural network was used to identify three-dimensional image features, and nine (SG+MN)-(CARS+SPA)-CNN maize variety identification models were established by changing the input feature dimension and the depth factor size of the model layer.

Results and Discussion

The results show that the maize variety classification model works best, when the input feature dimension is 768 and the layer depth factor d is 1.0. At this point, the model accuracy of the test set is 96.65% and the detection frame rate is1000 Fps/s in GPU environment, which can realize the rapid and effective non-destructive detection of maize varieties. This study provides a new idea for the rapid and accurate identification of maize seeds and seeds of other crops.
Gender representations and portrayal of adults in children’s television advertising: content analysis of prime cartoon channels in India
Authors: Chitra Kamalakannan Ravishankaran , Senthilkumar Nakkeeran
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Gender stereotyping in television advertising is a universal phenomenon and has the potential to influence children’s perceptions of gender roles. Despite India’s enormous child population, gender representation in television advertising is hardly researched.

Methods

This study was conducted using a content analysis methodology to examine gender stereotypes in children’s television advertising in India. A total of 189 unique advertisements were selected from six prime cartoon channels, namely Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Hungama, Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, and Pogo TV. A stratified constructed sample of 319 central figures from 102 hours of TV viewing was collected over two consecutive weeks in November 2018 during children’s prime-time viewings.

Results

This study examines gender role cues in children’s television advertising using McArthur and Resko’s coding method. The sample was subsequently analyzed using chi-square statistics, and the findings were contextualized and compared with those from other Asian nations. The results indicated that men significantly dominate (voice-over, product authority, autonomous roles, fact-based arguments, other products, end comments, pleasure, and practical rewards), whereas females are stereotyped (dependent roles, product users, portrayal of domestic products in domestic settings, opinion-based arguments, and self-enhancement rewards).

Discussion

However, the results reveal a reduction in certain stereotypical aspects, such as a significant increase in women performing voice-overs and portraying characters with product authority and autonomy, while men exhibit increased involvement with domestic products and rewards such as self-enhancement, practical, and pleasure rewards. The theoretical (social learning and role congruity theory) and practical implications for advertisers and marketers are discussed based on these findings.
Enhancing coping skills through brief interventions during cancer therapy – a quasi-experimental clinical pilot study
Authors: Gelse Norbert , Bodschwinna Daniela , Jarczok Marc N. , Wanner Magdalena , Volz Madeleine , Mayer-Steinacker Regine , Huober Jens , Gündel Harald , Hönig Klaus
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Psycho-oncological interventions can reduce distress by activating individual resources and enhancing coping skills. Since medical cancer treatment is performed increasingly in outpatient settings, there is a growing need for evidence-based and brief interventions to be integrated seamlessly into these treatment procedures. The aim of the present pilot study is to examine the feasibility of brief interventions to cope with illness in this area.

Methods

A single center quasi-experimental design was developed in oncological outpatients at the University Medical Center Ulm, Germany, including N = 60 individuals with cancer undergoing chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The intervention group (IG) consisted of N = 40 participants. These were assigned to either cognitive behavioral interventions (CBI) or hypnotherapeutic interventions (HTI). The interventions each comprised three individual one-hour sessions. In addition, a waiting control group (WCG of N = 20) was set up, receiving care-as-usual. Primary outcomes were feasibility measures such as recruitment rates, participant retention rates, and complete data rates. Clinical results were discussed for the feasibility of a comprehensive efficacy study.

Results

The recruitment and completion rates illustrate demand and acceptance of the offer. Of the 208 individuals with cancer offered to participate in the study, 77 were interested in enrolling. This rate of 37% roughly corresponds to the use of psycho-oncological services in general. 17 individuals (22%) withdraw from participation before the intervention began due to severe deterioration in their disease. Once started, all 40 individuals of the IG (100%) completed the intervention, and 17 individuals of the WCG (85%) completed the accompanying questionnaires. Tentative results on clinical outcomes indicate that brief interventions on resource activation could have lasting effects on well-being and stress management.

Discussion

With this feasibility study, we aimed to explore the potential of brief interventions such as hypnotherapeutic and cognitive-behavioral approaches in psycho-oncology as an integral part of oncology day care. Even with a small number of participants results seem to indicate that the study design and brief interventions such as those presented can offer a low-threshold service that can be seamlessly integrated into oncological therapy. Given the promising results of this pilot study, we propose a full RCT on the effectiveness of such a brief intervention program.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.drks.de, German Trials Register (DRKS00019095).
Analysis of the relationship between body habitus and frailty of community adults in Chongqing: a cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Chen Aini , Ren Li , Min Su , Li Ping , Wei Ke , Cao Jun , Tao Yi , Lv Feng
Published: September 2023

Objective

Currently, a multitude of studies are underway to investigate the factors affecting the degree of frailty, with a significant focus on the critical role of body mass index (BMI). This study aims to conduct a cross-sectional survey to investigate the multifaceted relationship between multiple body habitus and the factors that influence the degree of frailty.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 840 adult residents in Chongqing communities. A total of 723 participants were included in the data analysis, with an effective response rate of 92.0%. Fried’s frailty scale was used to classify individuals into fit, pre-frail, or frail. Non-parametric tests and chi-square tests were employed to evaluate the inter-group differences in frailty levels under different influencing factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to select the independent variables associated with frailty statistics. According to the results of the parallel line test, ordered or disordered multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the impact of a single independent variable on frailty for different variables.

Results

Adult community residents in Chongqing accounted for 29.18 and 5.67% in pre-frailty and frailty, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, high BMI, and high waist-hip ratio (WHR) were identified as major risk factors for frailty. Furthermore, the process of aging, coupled with moderate to heavy alcohol consumption, active weight loss behavior in the past year, and the presence of comorbidities, emerged as significant contributors to frailty. Conversely, factors such as a positive inclination toward taste, consistent meal timing, habitual breakfast consumption, sound nutritional intake, and the cultivation of healthy dietary practices were recognized as pivotal elements that act as protective factors against frailty.

Conclusion

The integration of both BMI and WHR provides a more comprehensive perspective, effectively capturing the intertwined influence of obesity and sarcopenia on the extent of frailty. To mitigate the risk of community-wide frailty, a multipronged approach is essential, involving the promotion of favorable dietary practices and achieving nutritional equilibrium, diligent management of coexisting medical conditions, moderation in alcohol consumption, and the enhancement of physical functionality.
Nuclear data for space exploration
Authors: Smith Michael S. , Vogt Ramona L. , LaBel Kenneth A.
Published: September 2023

Understanding the harmful effects of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) on space exploration requires a substantial amount of nuclear data. Specifically, the interaction of energetic GCR charged particles with spacecraft materials generates secondary radiations that, through energy deposition, can harm astronauts and electronic systems. By identifying the gaps in our knowledge of the relevant nuclear data—such as interaction cross sections—and identifying ways to fill those gaps—with measurements, compilations, evaluations, dissemination, reaction modeling, sensitivity studies, and uncertainty quantification—the safety and viability of space exploration can be improved. This work surveys the state of the art in this interdisciplinary field and identifies promising collaborative research topics that have significant potential to advance our understanding of the effects of the space radiation environment on space exploration.
Summer Olympic sports and female athletes: comparison of anti-doping collections and prohibited substances detected in Australia and New Zealand vs. France
Authors: Buisson Corinne , Brooker Lance , Goebel Catrin , Morrow Ryan , Chakrabarty Rima , Speers Naomi , Molina Adeline , Ericsson Magnus , Collomp Katia
Published: September 2023

Like any athlete, female athletes may be tempted to use prohibited substances during competition or training to enhance their performance. Anti-doping tests performed on female athletes in summer Olympic sports from two geographical areas: Australia/ New Zealand, and France were compared. First, the distribution of sample collections across different sports disciplines, as well as the distribution of substances was investigated. Then the distribution of collections and substances detected in the five sports categories (Strength/Speed, Endurance, Mixed, Motor Skills with High Energy Expenditure, and Motor Skills with Low Energy Expenditure) were studied with consideration of therapeutic use exemptions obtained by the athlete. Australia/New Zealand and France were similar in their overall number of anti-doping collections performed. Likewise, both regions had the same sports disciplines (athletics, aquatics, cycling) and sport categories (Mixed and Endurance) as having the highest number of sample collections. The Motor Skills with High Energy Expenditure, and Motor Skills with Low Energy Expenditure categories had the lowest number of sample collections. However, the number of substances detected was significantly different (p < 0.05) with a greater number of substances found in the French data. There were a few substances in common between the two geographical areas, namely prednisone/prednisolone, carboxy-THC, terbutaline, vilanterol and methylphenidate, but most were different. In-competition tests were the category where most of the AAFs were found.
Phone Numbers Classification (PNC) with Feed-forward Neural Networks
Authors: Hayat Safdar
Published: September 2023

A neural network (NN)-based method for phone number classification or recognition is provided in this paper. The used network is a one-hidden-layer multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier. Its training is based on backpropagation learning. I present the results of a Feed Forward Neural Network trained to classify phone numbers into four categories: Different training data were pre-processed and then tested to distinguish between four classes/patterns of phone numbers in order to train the FFNN. My goal is to provide a coalescence of the published research in this field and to arouse further research interest in and efforts to research the identified topics.
Statistical Analysis of Cricket Leagues Using Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Khan Sheharyar , Ishtiaq Muhammad , Bibi Kainat , Amin Rashid , Ahmed Adeel , Chaudhary Iqra
Published: September 2023

Any sport has statistics, and cricket is the one, where statistics are extremely important because players are ranked using these data. Individual runs, wickets, and highest scores, among other things, are included in these statistics. Players are chosen for tournaments all over the world based on statistics. By analysing cricket statistics and figures, this study employs Principal Component Analysis. Using the approach called Principal Component Analysis, this study examines the precise co-variation among several measurements linked to the batting and bowling talents of players in the Pakistan Super League PSL T-20 (2016-2019) and the Indian Premier League IPL T-20 (2016-2019). PCA is applied in this study to rank the PSL batsmen and bowlers based on their contributions to their clubs during these competitive seasons. The results of this research revealed the top ten ranked batters and bowlers who excelled during the series. Principal Component Analysis is widely used in applied multivariate data analysis. In the current investigation, PCA was utilized to rank the top ten best-performing batsmen and bowlers of the PSL and IPL. Principal Component Analysis is a dimension reduction technique that is used to reduce dataset dimensions into smaller variables. Here, principal component analysis is successfully used to rank the cricket batsmen and bowlers.
Multi-Criteria Decision Support System for Recommendation of PhD Supervisor
Authors: Abbasi Aiman Hafeez , Rehman Saif Ur , Ali Tariq
Published: September 2023

A decision support system (DSS) is a computerized system used to discover determinations, judgments, and courses of action within a business or an organization. In every arena of life, DSS play an important role. In higher education, DSSs are recognized for diverse reasons, for example to conjugate data and intelligence, to pull off the unrivaled and likely interpretations, and to fine-tune decisions under hesitancy. The PhD supervisorselection is itself a very difficult and mind tickling task which makes the student very nervous and sometime make him desperate because he is unable to make the right decision. This work will facilitate the scholars to get proper guidance to make it successful. For the selection of particular supervisor there are some set of criterions which a supervisor should also follow while selecting a particular scholar. Though, the lack of information about the supervisor can hamper scholars in making the selection of the supervisor. Correspondingly, the identification of thought-provoking criteria might be stimulating for potential scholars due to their level of immaturity. Therefore, a system is required which can facilitate scholars in selecting the research work advisors in accordance with the research topic based on multi-criteria like relevancy of the supervisor’s research area of interest and the relevance of the publications. In this research effort, a user-friendly conceptual DSS framework has been suggested to recommend the Ph.D. supervisor to scholars in academics. A multi-criteria DSS framework has been proposed for the facilitation of the scholars while selecting their Ph.D. supervisor. This recommendation is based on several criteria of selecting potential supervisor including the area of research interest along with the publications i.e., in journals and conferences in addition to number of Ph.Ds. produced so far. Finally, the publications of the Ph.D. produced so far and the research projects involved. Preliminary results of the proposed work has been discussed along with the future directions.
Decision Support System for Measuring the User Sentiment towards Different COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: Asghar Afeefa , Zaman Ali , Rehman Saif Ur
Published: September 2023

It's been a long time since the (COVID-19) engulfed the entire planet, upsetting normal schedules, destroying economies, and killing millions of people all over the world. The pandemic brought the entire world together in an endeavorto discover a cure and promote inoculation. The first round of vaccines began near the end of 2020, contrary to popular belief, and various nations began the inoculation drive very quickly while others keptit together fully expecting an effective preliminary. Web-based media is blockedwith a wide scope of both positive and negative stories in the developing Covid conditions. Numerous individuals were anticipating the vaccination, while others were mindful about the side effects and the fear-inspirednotions bringing about mixed emotions. This article performs sentiment analysis, which will be utilized in a choice emotionally supportive network in discovering the viability of COVID-19 vaccines among various nations.We have trained deep long short-term memory (LSTM) models to achieve state-of-the-art accuracy in estimating sentiment polarity and emotional state from extracted tweets.Theproposed technique decides public sentiments towards COVID-19 vaccines assisting the healthcare authorities with breaking down their reaction. The results show the mentality of individuals towards various vaccine brands as for their various responses to the Covid-19 vaccines.
A Comparative Analysis of Fruits and Vegetables Quality Using AI-Assisted Technologies: A Review
Authors: Maqsood Umair , Abbas Ahmed , Rehman Saif Ur , Asghar Afeefa , Kanwal Bushra , Shoukat Rana Saud
Published: September 2023

Food quality is a major issue for society since it is a crucial guarantee not only for human health but also for society's progress and stability. The planting, harvesting, and storage through preparation and consumption, all aspects of food processing should be considered. One of the most important methods for managing fruit and vegetable quality is by using AI food quality evaluation techniques. Emerging technologies such as computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) are thought to profit from the availability of massive data for active training and the generation of intelligent and operational equipment in real-time and predictably. The review helps provide an overview of leading-edge artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies that can help farmers in agriculture and food processing. In addition, the review presents some implications for the challenges and recommendations regarding the inclusion of technologies in real-time agriculture, policies, and substantial global investments. In addition, the fourth industrial revolution technologies of profound learning and computer vision robotics which are key to sustainability for food production is also addressed in it.
Multiple Eye Disease Detection Using Deep Learning
Authors: Amin Rashid , Ahmed Adeel , Shabih Ul Hasan Syed , Akbar Habib
Published: September 2023

Human eyes are susceptible to various abnormalities due to aging, trauma, and diseases like diabetes. Glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy are the leading causes of blindness worldwide. It is crucial to detect and diagnose these eye diseases early to provide timely treatment and prevent vision loss. Multiple eye disease detection through the analysis of medical images can aid in this process. The steps involved in the detection of multiple eye diseases using deep learning include image acquisition, region of interest extraction, feature extraction, and disease classification or detection. In this study, we proposed a model using deep learning algorithms, ResNetand VGG16, to detect eye diseases such as uveitis, glaucoma, crossed eyes, bulging eyes, and cataracts. We achieved a 92% accuracy rate using ResNet50 and 79% accuracy using the VGG16 model. By automating the detection process, we can save time for doctors and increase the accuracy and detection rate. The proposed model can be integrated into the healthcare system to assist in early diagnosis and effective treatment of eye diseases.
Behavioral Authentication for Smartphones backed by "Something you Process"
Authors: Imtiaz Nouman , Wahid Abdul , Hasan Syed Shabih Ul , Akbar Habib , Ahmed Adeel
Published: September 2023

Authentication of smartphone devices has been never so important nowadays. Machine learning techniques are not far behind to touch the new milestones of the latest and ever updating world. However, totally depending on machine learning will give you the scenarios of false user being accepted as true one and a true user being rejected as the false one, which can be devastating in some cases. Fifth factor of authentication “Something You Process” eradicates most of the cases of the false acceptance and false rejection, if used with the mentioned techniques. The novel approach applied here is the fifth factor combined with machine learning system and Behavioral authentication. The fifth factor is anti-shoulder surfing since the arithmetic operation is hidden by hand placed on the screen. After placing hand on the screen in such a way that it hides the code from others, the system shows the arithmetic operation and the processed calculation is performed in user’s mind. The pattern which is shown to the user is public, but machine learns the touch dynamics of the user along with his different postures including lying posture. The focus has been on the aspect of something that can be another layer or line of defense which can save the user’s authentication process. It results in decrement of false acceptance or false rejection upon unlocking of a smartphone device. This study deals with the postures of standing, sitting, and lying. The data is collected and the features are extracted in all of these positions.
MicroRNAs Can Influence Ovarian Cancer Progression by Dysregulating Integrin Activity
Authors: Fasoulakis Zacharias , Psarommati Michaela-Zoi , Papapanagiotou Angeliki , Pergialiotis Vasilios , Koutras Antonios , Douligeris Athanasios , Mortaki Anastasia , Mihail Antonios , Theodora Marianna , Stavros Sofoklis , Karakalpakis Defkalion , Papamihail Maria , Kontomanolis Emmanuel N. , Daskalakis George , Antsaklis Panos
Published: September 2023

Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease that affects thousands of women worldwide. Integrins, transmembrane receptors that mediate cell adhesion and signaling, play important roles in ovarian cancer progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Dysregulated expression of integrins is implicated in various cellular processes, such as cell migration, invasion, and proliferation. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate integrin expression and function, thus affecting various physiological and pathological processes, including ovarian cancer. In this article, we review the current understanding of integrin-mediated cellular processes in ovarian cancer and the roles of miRNAs in regulating integrins. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting miRNAs that regulate integrins for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Targeting miRNAs that regulate integrins or downstream signaling pathways of integrins may provide novel therapeutic strategies for inhibiting integrin-mediated ovarian cancer progression.
Changing Practice Patterns and Improving Survival for Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Underwood Patrick W. , Herremans Kelly M. , Neal Dan , Riner Andrea N. , Nassour Ibrahim , Hughes Steven J. , Trevino Jose G.
Published: September 2023

Over the last two decades, there have been many reported advances in the clinical management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We sought to evaluate changes in survival for patients diagnosed with PDAC between 2004 and 2017. The National Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with PDAC between 2004 and 2017. There were 55,401 patients who underwent surgery and 109,477 patients who underwent non-surgical treatment for PDAC between 2004 and 2017. Patients were categorized into four groups by year of diagnosis. Median survival improved from 15.5 months to 25.3 months for patients treated with surgery between the years 2016 and 2017 compared with between 2004 and 2007 (p < 0.001). Median survival improved from 7.2 months to 10.1 months for patients treated without surgery during the same years (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, the hazard ratio for death was estimated to multiply by 0.975 per year for patients treated with surgery and 0.959 per year for patients treated without surgery (p < 0.001). This increase in survival in the setting of evolving care validates continued efforts aimed at improving survival for patients with this devastating disease.
DNA Methylation Biomarkers as Prediction Tools for Therapeutic Response and Prognosis in Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Lu Chang-Yi , Hsiao Chih-Yang , Peng Pey-Jey , Huang Shao-Chang , Chuang Meng-Rong , Su Hung-Ju , Huang Kai-Wen
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Alfa-fetoprotein (AFP), as the main serum tumor marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is limited in terms of specificity and ability to predict outcomes. This study investigated the clinical utility of DNA methylation biomarkers to predict therapeutic responses and prognosis in intermediate-stage HCC. Methods: This study enrolled 72 patients with intermediate-stage HCC who underwent locoregional therapy (LRT) between 2020 and 2021. The immediate therapeutic response and disease status during a two-year follow-up were recorded. Analysis was performed on 10 selected DNA methylation biomarkers via pyrosequencing analysis of plasma collected before and after LRT. Results: Analysis was performed on 53 patients with complete responses and 19 patients with disease progression after LRT. The mean follow-up duration was 2.4 ± 0.6 years. A methylation prediction model for tumor response (MMTR) and a methylation prediction model for early progression (MMEP) were constructed. The area under the curve (AUC) for sensitivity and specificity of MMTR was 0.79 for complete response and 0.759 for overall survival. The corresponding AUCs for sensitivity and specificity of AFP and protein induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) were 0.717 and 0.708, respectively. Note that the MMTR index was the only significant predictor in multivariate analysis. The AUC for sensitivity and specificity of the MMEP in predicting early progression was 0.79. The corresponding AUCs for sensitivity and specificity of AFP and PIVKA-II were 0.758 and 0.714, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that platelet count, beyond up-to-7 criteria, and the MMEP index were strongly correlated with early tumor progression. Combining the indexes and serum markers further improved the predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.922). Multivariate analysis revealed the MMEP index was the only independent risk factor for overall survival. Discussion/Conclusions: This study indicates that these methylation markers could potentially outperform current serum markers in terms of accuracy and reliability in assessing treatment response and predicting outcomes. Combining methylation markers and serum markers further improved predictive accuracy, indicating that a multi-marker approach may be more effective in clinical practice. These findings suggest that DNA methylation biomarkers may be a useful tool for managing intermediate-stage HCC patients and guiding personalized treatment, particularly for those who are at high risk for close surveillance or adjuvant treatment after LRT.
Increased Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors with Dietary Methionine Restriction in a Colorectal Cancer Model
Authors: Morehead Lauren C. , Garg Sarita , Wallis Katherine F. , Simoes Camila C. , Siegel Eric R. , Tackett Alan J. , Miousse Isabelle R.
Published: September 2023

Dietary methionine restriction (MR), defined as a reduction of methionine intake by around 80%, has been shown to reproducibly decrease tumor growth and synergize with cancer therapies. In this study, we combined DMR with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in a model of colon adenocarcinoma. In vitro, we observed that MR increased the expression of MHC-I and PD-L1 in both mouse and human colorectal cancer cells. We also saw an increase in the gene expression of STING, a known inducer of type I interferon signaling. Inhibition of the cGAS–STING pathway, pharmacologically or with siRNA, blunted the increase in MHC-I and PD-L1 surface and gene expression following MR. This indicated that the cGAS–STING pathway, and interferon in general, played a role in the immune response to MR. We then combined dietary MR with ICIs targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1 in an MC38 colorectal cancer tumor model developed in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. The combination treatment was five times more effective at reducing the tumor size than ICIs alone in male mice. We noted sex differences in the response to dietary MR, with males showing a greater response than females. Finally, we observed an increase in membrane staining for the PD-L1 protein in MC38 tumors from animals who were fed an MR diet. MHC-I was highly expressed in all tumors and showed no expression difference when comparing tumors from control and MR-treated mice. These results indicated that MR increased PD-L1 expression both in vitro and in vivo and improved the response to ICIs in mice.
Dual Targeting of EZH2 Degradation and EGFR/HER2 Inhibition for Enhanced Efficacy against Burkitt’s Lymphoma
Authors: Kim Se Been , Yang Chae-Eun , Jeong Yurim , Yu Minseo , Choi Wan-Su , Lim Jung-Yeon , Jeon Youngwoo
Published: September 2023

EZH2, a histone methyltransferase, contributes significantly to cancer cell survival and proliferation. Although various EZH2 inhibitors have demonstrated promise in treating lymphoma, they have not fully managed to curb lymphoma cell proliferation despite effective reduction of the H3K27me3 mark. We used MS1943, an EZH2 selective degrader, which successfully diminishes EZH2 levels in lymphoma cells. Additionally, lapatinib, a dual inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) tyrosine kinases, targets a receptor protein that regulates cell growth and division. The overexpression of this protein is often observed in lymphoma cells. Our study aims to combine these two therapeutic targets to stimulate apoptosis pathways and potentially suppress Burkitt’s lymphoma cell survival and proliferation in a complementary and synergistic manner. We observed that a combination of MS1943 and lapatinib induced apoptosis in Daudi cells and caused cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases in both Ramos and Daudi cells. This strategy, using a combination of MS1943 and lapatinib, presents a promising therapeutic approach for treating lymphoma and potentially Burkitt’s lymphoma.
Concordance of Targeted Sequencing from Circulating Tumor DNA and Paired Tumor Tissue for Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Huang Chi-Cheng , Tsai Yi-Fang , Liu Chun-Yu , Lien Pei-Ju , Lin Yen-Shu , Chao Ta-Chung , Feng Chin-Jung , Chen Yen-Jen , Lai Jiun-I , Cheng Han-Fang , Chen Bo-Fang , Hsu Chih-Yi , Chiu Jen-Hwey , Tseng Ling-Ming
Published: September 2023

In this study, we evaluated the concordance of targeted sequencing between paired ctDNA and matched tumor samples from early breast cancers treated with curative intention. Molecular profiling was performed using the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3 and the Oncomine Breast cfDNA Assay v2. The liquid biopsy detection rate was 39% (all-stage breast cancers, n = 612). Among 246 early-stage patients assayed for both ctDNA and matched tumor, the cfDNA assay detected 73 (29.6%) and the comprehensive assay detected 201 (81.7%) breast cancers with at least one alteration (χ2 test, p = 0.001). In total, 67 (25.6%) cases tested positive on both platforms, while the cfDNA and comprehensive assays detected an additional 10 (4%) and 138 (56%) cases, respectively. The most prevalent mutant genes were TP53 (68.3%) and KRAS (53.5%), while the PIK3CA (39.4%), AKT1 (45.9%), and ERBB2 (17.1%) mutations constituted biomarkers for FDA-approved therapeutics. Our study showed that tumor tissue should be the source of actionable mutation detection for early breast cancers, considering that the concordance rate between tumor and liquid biopsy was only one-quarter.
Evaluation of Temozolomide and Fingolimod Treatments in Glioblastoma Preclinical Models
Authors: Davy Mélodie , Genest Laurie , Legrand Christophe , Pelouin Océane , Froget Guillaume , Castagné Vincent , Rupp Tristan
Published: September 2023

Glioblastomas are malignant brain tumors which remain lethal due to their aggressive and invasive nature. The standard treatment combines surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy using Temozolomide, albeit with a minor impact on patient prognosis (15 months median survival). New therapies evaluated in preclinical translational models are therefore still required to improve patient survival and quality of life. In this preclinical study, we evaluated the effect of Temozolomide in different models of glioblastoma. We also aimed to investigate the efficacy of Fingolimod, an immunomodulatory drug for multiple sclerosis also described as an inhibitor of the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor axis. The effects of Fingolimod and Temozolomide were analyzed with in vitro 2D and 3D cellular assay and in vivo models using mouse and human glioblastoma cells implanted in immunocompetent or immunodeficient mice, respectively. We demonstrated both in in vitro and in vivo models that Temozolomide has a varied effect depending on the tumor type (i.e., U87MG, U118MG, U138MG, and GL261), demonstrating sensitivity, acquired resistance, and purely resistant tumor phenotypes, as observed in patients. Conversely, Fingolimod only reduced in vitro 2D tumor cell growth and increased cytotoxicity. Indeed, Fingolimod had little or no effect on 3D spheroid cytotoxicity and was devoid of effect on in vivo tumor progression in Temozolomide-sensitive models. These results suggest that the efficacy of Fingolimod is dependent on the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment. Globally, our data suggest that the response to Temozolomide varies depending on the cancer model, consistent with its clinical activity, whereas the potential activity of Fingolimod may merit further evaluation.
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for Older Women with Early-Stage (Non-Metastatic) Breast Cancer—An Updated Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Reid-Agboola Chantae , Klukowska Anita , Malcolm Francesca L. , Harrison Cora , Parks Ruth M. , Cheung Kwok-Leung
Published: September 2023

Background: A previous systematic review by our team (2012) undertook comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in breast cancer and concluded there was not sufficient evidence to instate CGA as mandatory practice. SIOG/EUSOMA guidelines published in 2021 advocate the use of CGA in breast cancer patients. The aim is to perform an updated systematic review of the literature. Methods: A systematic review of studies published between 2012 and 2022 that assessed the use of CGA in breast cancer was performed on Cochrane, PubMed and Embase. Results: A total of 18 articles including 4734 patients with breast cancer were identified. The studies covered four themes for use of CGA in breast cancer: (1) to determine factors influencing survival (2) as an adjunct to treatment decision-making (3) to measure quality of life, and (4) to determine which tools should be included. There was evidence to support the use of CGA in themes 1–3; however, it is uncertain which assessment tools are best to use (theme 4). Conclusions: CGA can be used to determine factors affecting survival and quality of life in breast cancer patients and can therefore be used to aid treatment decision-making. Further work is required to determine gold standard CGA.
Teaching Data Science with Literate Programming Tools
Authors: Birkenkrahe Marcus
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a case study on using Emacs and Org-mode for literate programming in undergraduate computer and data science courses. Over three academic terms, the author mandated these tools across courses in R, Python, C++, SQL, and more. The onboarding relied on simplified Emacs tutorials and starter configurations. Students gained proficiency after undertaking initial practice. Live coding sessions demonstrated the flexible instruction enabled by literate notebooks. Assignments and projects required documentation alongside functional code. Student feedback showed enthusiasm for learning a versatile IDE, despite some frustration with the learning curve. Skilled students highlighted efficiency gains in a unified environment. However, the uneven adoption of documentation practices pointed to a need for better incorporation into grading. Additionally, some students found Emacs unintuitive, desiring more accessible options. This highlights a need to match tools to skill levels, potentially starting novices with graphical IDEs before introducing Emacs. The key takeaways are as follows: literate programming aids comprehension but requires rigorous onboarding and reinforcement, and Emacs excels for advanced workflows but has a steep initial curve. With proper support, these tools show promise for data science education.
Local Entanglement of Electrons in 1D Hydrogen Molecule
Authors: Christov Ivan P.
Published: September 2023

The quantum entanglement entropy of the electrons in a one-dimensional hydrogen molecule is quantified locally using an appropriate partitioning of the two-dimensional configuration space. Both the global and the local entanglement entropy exhibit a monotonic increase when increasing the inter-nuclear distance, while the local entropy remains peaked in the middle between the nuclei with its width decreasing. Our findings show that at the inter-nuclear distance where a stable hydrogen molecule is formed, the quantum entropy shows no peculiarity thus indicating that the entropy and the energy measures display different sensitivity with respect to the interaction between the two identical electrons involved. One possible explanation is that the calculation of the quantum entropy does not account explicitly for the distance between the nuclei, which contrasts to the total energy calculation where the energy minimum depends decisively on that distance. The numerically exact and the time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo calculations show close results.
Numerical Modeling of Shale Oil Considering the Influence of Micro- and Nanoscale Pore Structures
Authors: Ran Qiquan , Zhou Xin , Ren Dianxing , Dong Jiaxin , Xu Mengya , Li Ruibo
Published: September 2023

A shale reservoir is a complex system with lots of nanoscale pore throat structures and variable permeability. Even though shale reservoirs contain both organic and inorganic matter, the slip effect and phase behavior complicate the two-phase flow mechanism. As a result, understanding how microscale effects occur is critical to effectively developing shale reservoirs. In order to explain the experimental phenomena that are difficult to describe using classical two-phase flow theory, this paper proposes a new simulation method for two-phase shale oil reservoirs that takes into account the microscale effects, including the phase change properties of oil and gas in shale micro- and nanopores, as well as the processes of dissolved gas escape, nucleation, growth and aggregation. The presented numerical simulation framework, aimed at comprehending the dynamics of the two-phase flow within fractured horizontal wells situated in macroscale shale reservoirs, is subjected to validation against real-world field data. This endeavor serves the purpose of enhancing the theoretical foundation for predicting the production capacity of fractured horizontal wells within shale reservoirs. The impact of capillary forces on the fluid dynamics of shale oil within micro- and nanoscale pores is investigated in this study. The investigation reveals that capillary action within these micro- and nanoscale pores of shale formations results in a reduction in the actual bubble point pressure within the oil and gas system. Consequently, the reservoir fluid persists in a liquid monophasic state, implying a constrained mobility and diminished flow efficiency of shale oil within the reservoir. This constrained mobility is further characterized by a limited spatial extent of pressure perturbation and a decelerated pressure decline rate, which are concurrently associated with a relatively elevated oil saturation level.
Energy-Efficient Emerging Optical Wireless Links
Authors: Varotsos George K. , Aidinis Konstantinos , Nistazakis Hector E. , Gajic Zoran
Published: September 2023

In recent years, the tremendous increase in data traffic carried by wireless communication networks has generated the urgent need for establishing more energy-efficient wireless communication systems. Recent advances in semiconductor and light devices have triggered remarkable research interest to the development of these optical wireless communication (OWC) links. Among them, free-space optical (FSO) links and, more recently, ultraviolet links which operate within the (UV-C) spectral band, have been considered as prime candidates to create both high speed and power effective line-of-sight (LOS) and non-light-of-sight (NLOS) free-air communication links, respectively. Moreover, transdermal optical wireless (TOW) links for telemetry with medical implants minimize the expense of power for the implant. In the current review, a background on the energy efficiency challenges in wireless communication is presented. Each of these OWC technologies is mainly discussed in terms of key energy consumption requirements and major limiting factors that affect their power performance. Energy-efficient modulation formats as well as other powerful techniques for performance enhancement such as diversity and relaying are assessed. The survey is concluded with a discussion regarding their future energy consumption requirements and trends.