bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Circulating Risk Score, Based on Combined Expression of Exo-miR-130a-3p and Fibrinopeptide A, as Predictive Biomarker of Relapse in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Marconi Silvia , Croce Michela , Chiorino Giovanna , Rossi Giovanni , Guana Francesca , Profumo Aldo , Ostano Paola , Alama Angela , Longo Luca , De Luca Giuseppa , Dono Mariella , Dal Bello Maria Giovanna , Ponassi Marco , Rosano Camillo , Romano Paolo , Cavalieri Zita , Grassi Massimiliano , Tagliamento Marco , Zullo Lodovica , Venturi Consuelo , Dellepiane Chiara , Mastracci Luca , Bennicelli Elisa , Pronzato Paolo , Genova Carlo , Coco Simona
Published: July 2022

To date, the 5-year overall survival rate of 60% for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, reliable prognostic factors are needed. Growing evidence shows that cancer progression may depend on an interconnection between cancer cells and the surrounding tumor microenvironment; hence, circulating molecules may represent promising markers of cancer recurrence. In order to identify a prognostic score, we performed in-depth high-throughput analyses of plasma circulating markers, including exosomal microRNAs (Exo-miR) and peptides, in 67 radically resected NSCLCs. The miRnome profile selected the Exo-miR-130a-3p as the most overexpressed in relapsed patients. Peptidome analysis identified four progressively more degraded forms of fibrinopeptide A (FpA), which were depleted in progressing patients. Notably, stepwise Cox regression analysis selected Exo-miR-130a-3p and the greatest FpA (2-16) to build a score predictive of recurrence, where high-risk patients had 18 months of median disease-free survival. Moreover, in vitro transfections showed that higher levels of miR-130a-3p lead to a deregulation of pathways involved in metastasis and angiogenesis, including the coagulation process and metalloprotease increase which might be linked to FpA reduction. In conclusion, by integrating circulating markers, the identified risk score may help clinicians predict early-stage NSCLC patients who are more likely to relapse after primary surgery.
Degradation of Tetracycline Hydrochloride by a Novel CDs/g-C3N4/BiPO4 under Visible-Light Irradiation: Reactivity and Mechanism
Authors: Qian Wei , Hu Wangtong , Jiang Zhifei , Wu Yongyi , Li Zihuan , Diao Zenghui , Li Mingyu
Published: July 2022

In recent years, with the large-scale use of antibiotics, the pollution of antibiotics in the environment has become increasingly serious and has attracted widespread attention. In this study, a novel CDs/g-C3N4/BiPO4 (CDBPC) composite was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method for the removal of the antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) in water. The experimental results showed that the synthesized photocatalyst was crystalline rods and cotton balls, accompanied by overlapping layered nanosheet structures, and the specific surface area was as high as 518.50 m2/g. This photocatalyst contains g-C3N4 and bismuth phosphate (BiPO4) phases, as well as abundant surface functional groups such as C=N, C-O, and P-O. When the optimal conditions were pH 4, CDBPC dosage of 1 g/L, and TC concentration of 10 mg/L, the degradation rate of TC reached 75.50%. Active species capture experiments showed that the main active species in this photocatalytic system were holes (h+), hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anion radicals. The reaction mechanism for the removal of TC by CDBPC was also proposed. The removal of TC was mainly achieved by the synergy between the adsorption of CDBPC and the oxidation of both holes and hydroxyl radicals. In this system, TC was adsorbed on the surface of CDBPC, and then the adsorbed TC was degraded into small molecular products by an attack with holes and hydroxyl radicals and finally mineralized into carbon dioxide and water. This study indicated that this novel photocatalyst CDBPC has a huge potential for antibiotic removal, which provides a new strategy for antibiotic treatment of wastewater.
Crucial Role of Oncogenic KRAS Mutations in Apoptosis and Autophagy Regulation: Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Ferreira Anabela , Pereira Flávia , Reis Celso , Oliveira Maria José , Sousa Maria João , Preto Ana
Published: July 2022

KRAS, one of the RAS protein family members, plays an important role in autophagy and apoptosis, through the regulation of several downstream effectors. In cancer cells, KRAS mutations confer the constitutive activation of this oncogene, stimulating cell proliferation, inducing autophagy, suppressing apoptosis, altering cell metabolism, changing cell motility and invasion and modulating the tumor microenvironment. In order to inhibit apoptosis, these oncogenic mutations were reported to upregulate anti-apoptotic proteins, including Bcl-xL and survivin, and to downregulate proteins related to apoptosis induction, including thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). In addition, KRAS mutations are known to induce autophagy in order to promote cell survival and tumor progression through MAPK and PI3K regulation. Thus, these mutations confer resistance to anti-cancer drug treatment and, consequently, result in poor prognosis. Several therapies have been developed in order to overcome KRAS-induced cell death resistance and the downstream signaling pathways blockade, especially by combining MAPK and PI3K inhibitors, which demonstrated promising results. Understanding the involvement of KRAS mutations in apoptosis and autophagy regulation, might bring new avenues to the discovery of therapeutic approaches for CRCs harboring KRAS mutations.
β2 Integrins on Dendritic Cells Modulate Cytokine Signaling and Inflammation-Associated Gene Expression, and Are Required for Induction of Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Bednarczyk Monika , Bolduan Vanessa , Haist Maximilian , Stege Henner , Hieber Christoph , Johann Lisa , Schelmbauer Carsten , Blanfeld Michaela , Karram Khalad , Schunke Jenny , Klaus Tanja , Tubbe Ingrid , Montermann Evelyn , Röhrig Nadine , Hartmann Maike , Schlosser Jana , Bopp Tobias , Clausen Björn E , Waisman Ari , Bros Matthias , Grabbe Stephan
Published: July 2022

Heterodimeric β2 integrin surface receptors (CD11a-d/CD18) are specifically expressed by leukocytes that contribute to pathogen uptake, cell migration, immunological synapse formation and cell signaling. In humans, the loss of CD18 expression results in leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome (LAD-)1, largely characterized by recurrent severe infections. All available mouse models display the constitutive and ubiquitous knockout of either α or the common β2 (CD18) subunit, which hampers the analysis of the cell type-specific role of β2 integrins in vivo. To overcome this limitation, we generated a CD18 gene floxed mouse strain. Offspring generated from crossing with CD11c-Cre mice displayed the efficient knockdown of β2 integrins, specifically in dendritic cells (DCs). Stimulated β2-integrin-deficient splenic DCs showed enhanced cytokine production and the concomitantly elevated activity of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 1, 3 and 5, as well as the impaired expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 2–6 as assessed in bone marrow-derived (BM) DCs. Paradoxically, these BMDCs also showed the attenuated expression of genes involved in inflammatory signaling. In line, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice with a conditional DC-specific β2 integrin knockdown presented with a delayed onset and milder course of disease, associated with lower frequencies of T helper cell populations (Th)1/Th17 in the inflamed spinal cord. Altogether, our mouse model may prove to be a valuable tool to study the leukocyte-specific functions of β2 integrins in vivo.
NF-κB p65 Attenuates Cardiomyocyte PGC-1α Expression in Hypoxia
Authors: Rabinovich-Nikitin Inna , Blant Alexandra , Dhingra Rimpy , Kirshenbaum Lorrie A. , Czubryt Michael P.
Published: July 2022

Hypoxia exerts broad effects on cardiomyocyte function and viability, ranging from altered metabolism and mitochondrial physiology to apoptotic or necrotic cell death. The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) is a key regulator of cardiomyocyte metabolism and mitochondrial function and is down-regulated in hypoxia; however, the underlying mechanism is incompletely resolved. Using primary rat cardiomyocytes coupled with electrophoretic mobility shift and luciferase assays, we report that hypoxia impaired mitochondrial energetics and resulted in an increase in nuclear localization of the Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 subunit, and the association of p65 with the PGC-1α proximal promoter. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), an activator of NF-κB signaling, similarly reduced PGC-1α expression and p65 binding to the PGC-1α promoter in a dose-dependent manner, and TNFα-mediated down-regulation of PGC-1α expression could be reversed by the NF-κB inhibitor parthenolide. RNA-seq analysis revealed that cardiomyocytes isolated from p65 knockout mice exhibited alterations in genes associated with chromatin remodeling. Decreased PGC-1α promoter transactivation by p65 could be partially reversed by the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A. These results implicate NF-κB signaling, and specifically p65, as a potent inhibitor of PGC-1α expression in cardiac myocyte hypoxia.
Photodegradation of Fipronil by Zn-AlPO4 Materials Synthesized by Non-Hydrolytic Sol–Gel Method
Authors: de Lima Omar José , de Araújo Denis Talarico , Marçal Liziane , Crotti Antonio Eduardo Miller , Machado Guilherme Sippel , Nakagaki Shirley , de Faria Emerson Henrique , Ciuffi Katia Jorge
Published: July 2022

In recent decades, the increasing use of pesticides to improve food productivity has led to the release of effluents that contaminate the environment. To prepare a material that may help to treat effluents generated during agricultural practice, we used a new method based on the non-hydrolytic sol-gel route to obtain zinc photocatalysts in aluminophosphate matrixes. IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, differential scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectroscopy, and specific surface area and pore volume determined from the nitrogen adsorbed were used to characterize materials treated at different temperatures. X-ray analysis showed how heat-treatment affected the structure of the material: Zn-AlPO4 in the trigonal and orthorhombic phase was obtained at 750 and 1000 °C, respectively. These phases directly influenced the ability of the material to generate OH radicals. The capacity of the materials to treat effluents was tested in the photodegradation of the pesticide Fipronil. The photocatalytic reactions were monitored by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Zn-AlPO4 treated at 750 °C showed better photodegradation results--it removed 80% of the pesticide in 2 h when higher mass (150 mg) was tested. Long-time treatment of the effluent with Zn-AlPO4 treated at 750 °C completely photodegraded Fipronil. GC-MS analysis confirmed the photodegration profile, and only traces of Fipronil were observed after photocatalytic reaction for 120 min in the presence of Zn-AlPO4 treated at 750 °C under UV radiation.
Equilibrium Swelling of Thermo-Responsive Gels in Mixtures of Solvents
Authors: Drozdov Aleksey D. , de Claville Christiansen Jesper
Published: July 2022

Thermo-responsive (TR) gels of the LCST (lower critical solution temperature) type swell in water at temperatures below their volume phase transition temperature Tc and collapse above the critical temperature. When water is partially replaced with an organic liquid, these materials demonstrate three different types of equilibrium solvent uptake diagrams at temperatures below, above, in the close vicinity of Tc. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of TR gels in binary mixtures of solvents. It takes into account three types of phase transitions in TR gels driven by (i) aggregation of hydrophobic side groups into clusters from which solvent molecules are expelled, (ii) replacement of water with cosolvent molecules in cage-like structures surrounding these groups, and (iii) replacement of water with cosolvent as the main element of hydration shells around backbone chains. The model involves a relatively small number of material constants that are found by matching observations on covalently cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) macroscopic gels and microgels. Good agreement is demonstrated between the experimental data and results of numerical analysis. Classification is provided of the phase transition points on equilibrium swelling diagrams.
Improved the Wear Resistance of Ti/Cu Multilayer Film by Nitriding
Authors: Fang Haixiao , Zhao Hongjian , He Jining
Published: July 2022

In this study, Ti/Cu multilayer film was deposited by magnetron sputtering and then nitrided at 800 and 900 °C in N2. The microstructure and wear performance were studied. The deposited Ti/Cu multilayer film mainly consisted of Ti and Cu phases. After nitriding, the film mainly consisted of Cu4Ti3, CuTi, and TiN phases, indicating the interface reaction and nitriding reaction occurring. The surface microstructure of the Ti/Cu multilayer film became denser after nitridation. The wear resistance of the Ti/Cu multilayer film improved after nitriding. After nitriding at 900 °C for 2 h, the maximum wear track depth of the multilayer film was ~0.73 μm, which is just 65% of the deposited Ti/Cu multilayer film. The wear mechanism of the Ti/Cu multilayer film before and after nitriding was abrasive and adhesive wear.
Capsaicin-Modified Fluorosilicone Based Acrylate Coating for Marine Anti-Biofouling
Authors: Liu Jie , Sun Jiawen , Duan Jizhou , Dong Xucheng , Wang Xinping , Liu Chao , Hou Baorong
Published: July 2022

Capsaicin has been extensively studied for its excellent antifouling activity and very low environmental toxicity. However, mixing natural capsaicin with coatings can cause rapid capsaicin leakage, severely shortening its antifouling cycle. In this study, we describe the preparation and performance of a new capsaicin-modified marine antifouling organofluorosilicone, which is based on silicone and fluorine acrylate monomers covalently bound to an organic antimicrobial monomer, HMBA (N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-acrylamide) on a polymer network. The chemical grafting of HMBA into the polymer has improved the problem of short antifouling life of the coating due to antifouling agent leakage and the environmental pollution caused by the leakage. The study focused on the synthesis of pristine acrylate monomers with organic bioactive groups prepared from vanillin amine salts and their co-polymerization in the presence of distal acrylate oligomers. The resulting cross-linked films were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, contact angle, and adhesion analyses. The results indicate that the materials had good adhesion, low surface energy, and were resistant to prolonged immersion in water. The polyacrylate coating synthesized from acrylate exhibited antibacterial and anti-algae activity. Biological tests on the marine microorganisms, Pseudomonas species, Shewanella species, and Navicula incerta, revealed a 97%, 98%, and 99% reduction compared to the blank control group, respectively, indicating that the coating has strong anti-adhesive ability. This work is expected to develop a promising material for marine antifouling.
Effect of Number of Impregnations of Microberlinla sp with Microcapsule Emulsion on the Performance of Self-Repairing Coatings on Wood Surfaces
Authors: Han Yan , Yan Xiaoxing , Tao Yu
Published: July 2022

Embedding melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin-coated shellac microcapsules in waterborne coatings can extend the service longevity of waterborne coatings on a wood surface to a certain extent. Due to the content limitation of self-repairing microcapsules in waterborne coatings, the effective self-healing performance time is short. With the aim of improving the self-repairing properties of self-repairing coatings on the surface of a Microberlinla sp substrate, a more effective self-healing mechanism was achieved by impregnating the ebony wood substrate several times with an MF resin-coated transparent shellac-rosin microcapsule emulsion. After the impregnation of the ebony boards with microcapsules, a waterborne acrylic resin coating containing 3.0 wt.% transparent shellac microcapsules was applied to the surface of the wood boards. The influence of the number impregnations on the surface coating’s physical properties, chemical properties, and self-repairing properties was explored. The results showed that the hardness of the surface coating on the ebony boards changed little under different numbers of impregnations. With the increasing number of impregnations, the surface coatings’ adhesion and impact strength slowly increased, the chromatic difference value was increased, and the roughness first increased and then decreased. Impregnating ebony boards with the microcapsule emulsion contributes to enhancing the aging resistance and repair performance of surface coatings on the ebony boards. When the number of impregnations was eight, the width change rate of cracks on surface self-healing coatings was 28.4%, which suggested the best repair performance among all samples. By impregnating the wood substrate with the self-healing microcapsule emulsion, the effect of the interaction between microcapsules and wood on the self-repairing properties of the surface coating was studied, contributing to the theory for further improving the self-repairing properties of waterborne coatings on wood surfaces and promoting the application and development of self-healing microcapsules.
Brassica carinata Seed Meal as Soil Amendment and Potential Biofumigant
Authors: Monaci Elga , Casucci Cristiano , De Bernardi Arianna , Marini Enrica , Landi Lucia , Toscano Giuseppe , Romanazzi Gianfranco , Vischetti Costantino
Published: July 2022

Brassicaceae products have been extensively studied for their biofumigant activity; despite this, few investigate their effect on soil proprieties. This paper aims to describe the effect on soil fertility by adding the seed meal of Brassica carinata at three different doses corresponding to field dose (3 tons/ha), 10 and 100 fold this dose in organic soil. The organic carbon balance was evaluated by analysing the oxidisable, humified and mineralised carbon fractions. Microbial activity was measured by enzymes linked to the carbon, phosphorous and sulphur cycles—β-glucosidase, phosphatase and arylsulphatase, respectively. The amount corresponding to 30 t/ha was the best solution for the mineralised carbon and humic carbon ratio. In contrast, there was a substantial increase in the organic substance’s mineralisation level at the maximum dose, not offset by a relative rise in humification. No repression was observed in the metabolic activity of the microorganisms, their abundance or the main enzymatic activities and, in the conditions tested, a release of only a volatile isothiocyanate occurred, limiting the biofumigant effect. Therefore, these combined factors allow us to assert that the amendment with this type of material at the intermediate dose could positively affect the phosphorus cycle, the soil structure, and fertility.
Selenourea for Experimental Phasing of Membrane Protein Crystals Grown in Lipid Cubic Phase
Authors: Luo Zhipu , Gu Weijie , Wang Yichao , Tang Yannan , Li Dianfan
Published: July 2022

Heavy-atom soaking has been a major method for experimental phasing, but it has been difficult for membrane proteins, partly owing to the lack of available sites in the scarce soluble domain for non-invasive heavy-metal binding. The lipid cubic phase (LCP) has proven to be a successful method for membrane protein crystallization, but experimental phasing with LCP-grown crystals remains difficult, and so far, only 68 such structures were phased experimentally. Here, the selenourea was tested as a soaking reagent for the single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) phasing of crystals grown in LCP. Using a single crystal, the structure of the glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (PlsY, ~21 kDa), a very hydrophobic enzyme with 80% membrane-embedded residues, was solved. Remarkably, a total of 15 Se sites were found in the two monomers of PlsY, translating to one selenourea-binding site per every six residues in the accessible extramembrane protein. Structure analysis reveals that surface-exposed selenourea sites are mostly contributed by mainchain amides and carbonyls. This low-specificity binding pattern may explain its high loading ratio. Importantly, both the crystal diffraction quality and the LCP integrity were unaffected by selenourea soaking. Taken together, selenourea presents a promising and generally useful reagent for heavy-atom soaking of membrane protein crystals grown in LCP.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Laser Narrow-Gap Multi-Pass Weld 20 mm-Thick Ti-6Al-4V Alloy with Different Filling Layers
Authors: Meng Shenghao , Li Liqun , Si Changjian , Gong Jianfeng , Tao Wang
Published: July 2022

In the narrow-gap multi-layer welding of thick Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy sheets, reducing the number of filling layers can effectively improve the welding efficiency and reduce the possibility of interlayer defects. In order to explore the changes in the microstructure and properties of the weld after reducing the number of filling layers, Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy sheets with a thickness of 20 mm were successfully welded using the oscillating laser beam mode by laser narrow-gap multi-pass wire filler welding in eight, six, four, and three layers, and all of the formations were good. To reduce the number of filling layers and increase the welding line energy from 0.4 kJ/mm to 1.2 kJ/mm, the melting depth and width of the single layer were changed from 4.3 mm to 10.6 mm, and 5.7 mm to 10.3 mm. The average grain size of the needle-shaped martensite increased from 1.83 μm to 2.38 μm, while the tensile strength of the filled weld area decreased from 1301.8 MPa to 1169.8 MPa, which was higher than that of the base metal of 902.1 MPa. Since there are more columnar crystals in the center of the weld at low heat input, the impact energy was 20.53 J (60.6% of the base metal) at room temperature and 15.76 J (65.9% of the base metal) at −50 ∘C. Considering the weld formation, microstructure and mechanical property, welding four layers of fillers obtained with moderate line energy (0.8 kJ/mm) was more suitable.
Effect of (NbTi)C Particles on the Microstructure and Hardness of High Chromium and Nickel Indefinite Chilled Cast Iron
Authors: Zhu Hongwei , Xia Shule , Zhai Long , Dong Jiyu , Xiao Furen
Published: July 2022

High chromium and nickel indefinite chilled cast iron (ICCI), as an excellent hot roll material, is the preferred roll variety due to its good combination of surface roughness, hot crack resistance, and hot wear resistance. The microstructure and hardness of ICCI roll materials with different contents of (NbTi)C particles is studied here, and the microstructure evolution process is analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The influence of (NbTi)C particles on the carbide morphology and distribution is investigated by metallographic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the existence of (NbTi)C particles is observed. The experimental results show that (NbTi)C particles are present in granular, rod, and polygonal forms. Combined with a Thermo-Calc solidification phase diagram, it is found that the (NbTi)C particles undergo eutectic precipitation in the melt, forming short rod-shaped (NbTi)C carbides with a size of about 10 μm. Through the Rockwell hardness test, it is found that the hardness after adding 0.8 wt % (NbTi)C particles was 54.4 HRC, which was 21.1% higher than that without the addition.
Countercurrents: DCIS or Cancer? Why All the Confusion?
Authors: Narod Steven A. , Sopik Victoria
Published: July 2022

At present, women with ductal carcinoma in situ are counseled that they have a pre-malignant condition which carries the possibility of progression to a fully malignant breast cancer. However, in most cases, the treatment of DCIS resembles that of a small invasive breast cancer and this is a source of confusion to many. In order to properly evaluate the benefit of radiotherapy, mastectomy and contralateral mastectomy, it is necessary to consider the risks of ipsilateral invasive cancer and of contralateral breast cancer in women with DCIS and with small invasive breast cancer. Several registry-based studies indicate that the risks of ipsilateral and contralateral cancer are similar in the two conditions and therefore a similar approach to treatment is rational.
Appraising Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Hormone Receptor Positive HER2-Negative Breast Cancer—A Literature Review
Authors: Mata Danilo Giffoni de Mello Morais , Amir Carmona Carlos , Eisen Andrea , Trudeau Maureen
Published: July 2022

Background: Approximately 75% of breast cancer (BC) is associated with luminal differentiation expressing endocrine receptors (ER). For ER+ HER2− tumors, adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) is the cornerstone treatment. Although relapse events steadily continue, the ET benefits translate to dramatically lengthen life expectancy with bearable side-effects. This review of ER+ HER2− female BC outlines suitable adjuvant treatment strategies to help guide clinical decision making around appropriate therapy. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Libraries, using ER+ HER−, ET BC keywords. Results: In low-risk patients: five years of ET is the standard option. While Tamoxifen remains the preferred selection for premenopausal women, AI is the choice for postmenopausal patients. In the high-risk category: ET plus/minus OFS with two years of Abemaciclib is recommended. Although extended ET for a total of ten years is an alternative, the optimal AI duration is undetermined; nevertheless an additional two to three years beyond the initial five years may be sufficient. In this postmenopausal group, bisphosphonate is endorsed. Conclusions: Classifying the risk category assists in deciding the treatment route and its optimal duration. Tailoring the breadth of ET hinges on a wide array of factors to be appraised for each individualized case, including weighing its benefits and harms.
Pacinian Corpuscles as a Diagnostic Clue of Ledderhose Disease—A Case Report and Mapping of Pacinian Corpuscles of the Sole
Authors: Feito Jorge , Esteban Ruth , García-Martínez María Lourdes , García-Alonso Francisco J. , Rodríguez-Martín Raquel , Rivas-Marcos María Belén , Cobo Juan L. , Martín-Biedma Benjamín , Lahoz Manuel , Vega José A.
Published: July 2022

Background: Plantar fibromatosis, known as Ledderhose disease, is a neoplastic disease characterized by a locally-aggressive bland fibroblastic proliferation. Although Pacinian corpuscles alterations are commonly described in palmar fibromatosis, there are still no references about Pacinian corpuscles alterations in the rarer plantar version. Methods: We present a case report where a wide cutaneous resection, including the plantar fascia was performed, allowing a detailed study of Pacinian corpuscles. Pacinian corpuscles were analyzed using immunohistochemistry for neurofilament proteins, S100 protein, CD34, vimentin, glucose transporter 1, epithelial membrane antigen, neural-cell adhesion molecule, actin, desmin, type IV collagen, and high-affinity neurotrophin Trk-receptors. Moreover, the density and the size of the corpuscles were determined. Results: A clear increase in the number (hyperplasia) of Pacinian corpuscles was evidenced in the Ledderhose disease plantar fascia in comparison with similarly aged normal subjects. Pacinian hypertrophy was not demonstrated, but a significant decrease in the number of corpuscular lamellae was noted, with a subsequent increase in the interlamellar spaces. Pacinian corpuscles from the pathological plantar fascia showed an abnormal structure and immunohistochemical profile, generally without identifiable axons, and also absence of an inner core or an intermediate layer. Moreover, other molecules related with trophic maintenance of corpuscles were also absent. Finally, a vascular proliferation was commonly noted in some corpuscles, which involved all corpuscular constituents. Conclusion: The observed Pacinian corpuscles hyperplasia could be considered a diagnostic clue of plantar fibromatosis.
Diagnostics of BAP1-Tumor Predisposition Syndrome by a Multitesting Approach: A Ten-Year-Long Experience
Authors: Sculco Marika , La Vecchia Marta , Aspesi Anna , Clavenna Michela Giulia , Salvo Michela , Borgonovi Giulia , Pittaro Alessandra , Witel Gianluca , Napoli Francesca , Listì Angela , Grosso Federica , Libener Roberta , Maconi Antonio , Rena Ottavio , Boldorini Renzo , Giachino Daniela , Bironzo Paolo , Maffè Antonella , Alì Greta , Elefanti Lisa , Menin Chiara , Righi Luisella , Tampieri Cristian , Scagliotti Giorgio Vittorio , Dianzani Caterina , Ferrante Daniela , Migliore Enrica , Magnani Corrado , Mirabelli Dario , Matullo Giuseppe , Dianzani Irma
Published: July 2022

Germline mutations in the tumor suppressor gene BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1) lead to BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome (BAP1-TPDS), characterized by high susceptibility to several tumor types, chiefly melanoma, mesothelioma, renal cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. Here, we present the results of our ten-year experience in the molecular diagnosis of BAP1-TPDS, along with a clinical update and cascade genetic testing of previously reported BAP1-TPDS patients and their relatives. Specifically, we sequenced germline DNA samples from 101 individuals with suspected BAP1-TPDS and validated pathogenic variants (PVs) by assessing BAP1 somatic loss in matching tumor specimens. Overall, we identified seven patients (7/101, 6.9%) carrying six different germline BAP1 PVs, including one novel variant. Consistently, cascade testing revealed a total of seven BAP1 PV carriers. In addition, we explored the mutational burden of BAP1-TPDS tumors by targeted next-generation sequencing. Lastly, we found that certain tumors present in PV carriers retain a wild-type BAP1 allele, suggesting a sporadic origin of these tumors or a functional role of heterozygous BAP1 in neoplastic development. Altogether, our findings have important clinical implications for therapeutic response of BAP1-TPDS patients.
Challenges in Rare Diseases Diagnostics: Incontinentia Pigmenti with Heterozygous GBA Mutation
Authors: Minić Snežana , Trpinac Dušan , Novaković Ivana , Cerovac Nataša , Dobrosavljević Vukojević Danijela , Rosain Jérémie
Published: July 2022

Rare diseases represent a diagnostic challenge due to their number, variety of clinical phenomena, and possibility of a simultaneous presence of two or more diseases. An illustration of this challenge is an occurrence of a late diagnosis of a proband initially diagnosed with West syndrome, later revealed to be caused by Incontinentia pigmenti (IP). Furthermore, 20 years later, it was discovered that the proband was also a carrier of a heterozygous GBA gene mutation. The methods used in diagnostics were as follows: IKBKG gene analysis, the X-chromosome inactivation assay, analyses of the genes relevant for neurodegeneration, WES analysis, analysis of biochemical parameters typical for Gaucher disease (GD), and autoantibodies including IFN-α2a and IFN-ω. To avoid overlooking IP and other possible rare disease diagnoses, carefully searching for dermatological signs in these conditions is recommended. It is important that the diagnostic criteria are based on quality and extensive data from multiple studies of each rare disease. Establishing precise diagnostic criteria for as many rare diseases as possible and establishing a publicly accessible database of rare diseases with a search possibility according to phenotypic abnormalities and genetic mutations would greatly facilitate and speed up the establishment of an accurate diagnosis.
Association between Periodontal Treatment and Healthcare Costs in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Cohort Study Based on German Claims Data
Authors: Blaschke Katja , Hellmich Martin , Samel Christina , Listl Stefan , Schubert Ingrid
Published: July 2022

There is empirical evidence of an association between periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD). However, it is uncertain whether periodontal treatment in CHD patients might lead to reduced healthcare costs. This study aims to assess the association between periodontal treatment and healthcare costs in newly diagnosed CHD patients. Data from 21,263 adults who were continuously insured between 2011 and 2016 and who were newly diagnosed with CHD in 2013 were selected from a German claims database. The study population was differentiated by the utilization of periodontal treatment. The average treatment effect (ATE) of periodontal treatment on healthcare costs (total, inpatient, outpatient, drugs) was investigated using weighted Poisson regression models conditional on covariates and is shown as a ratio (of geometric means). Periodontal treatment was documented for 4.7% of the persons in the study population. Newly diagnosed CHD patients showed an ATE of 0.98 for total healthcare cost (95% CI 0.90–1.06), 0.79 for inpatient costs (95% CI 0.61–1.04), and 0.95 for drug costs (95% CI 0.87–1.04). A statistically significant 7% increase in outpatient costs was shown (95% CI 1.01–1.13). Despite a lack of statistical significance in most cases, the study provides evidence of a meaningful decrease in inpatient costs after periodontal treatment. Further studies are needed.
Multiscale Dense U-Net: A Fast Correction Method for Thermal Drift Artifacts in Laboratory NanoCT Scans of Semi-Conductor Chips
Authors: Liu Mengnan , Han Yu , Xi Xiaoqi , Zhu Linlin , Yang Shuangzhan , Tan Siyu , Chen Jian , Li Lei , Yan Bin
Published: July 2022

The resolution of 3D structure reconstructed by laboratory nanoCT is often affected by changes in ambient temperature. Although correction methods based on projection alignment have been widely used, they are time-consuming and complex. Especially in piecewise samples (e.g., chips), the existing methods are semi-automatic because the projections lose attenuation information at some rotation angles. Herein, we propose a fast correction method that directly processes the reconstructed slices. Thus, the limitations of the existing methods are addressed. The method is named multiscale dense U-Net (MD-Unet), which is based on MIMO-Unet and achieves state-of-the-art artifacts correction performance in nanoCT. Experiments show that MD-Unet can significantly boost the correction performance (e.g., with three orders of magnitude improvement in correction speed compared with traditional methods), and MD-Unet+ improves 0.92 dB compared with MIMO-Unet in the chip dataset.
On an Approximate Solution of the Cauchy Problem for Systems of Equations of Elliptic Type of the First Order
Authors: Juraev Davron Aslonqulovich , Shokri Ali , Marian Daniela
Published: July 2022

In this paper, on the basis of the Carleman matrix, we explicitly construct a regularized solution of the Cauchy problem for the matrix factorization of Helmholtz’s equation in an unbounded two-dimensional domain. The focus of this paper is on regularization formulas for solutions to the Cauchy problem. The question of the existence of a solution to the problem is not considered—it is assumed a priori. At the same time, it should be noted that any regularization formula leads to an approximate solution of the Cauchy problem for all data, even if there is no solution in the usual classical sense. Moreover, for explicit regularization formulas, one can indicate in what sense the approximate solution turns out to be optimal.
Goal or Miss? A Bernoulli Distribution for In-Game Outcome Prediction in Soccer
Authors: Yao Wendi , Wang Yifan , Zhu Mengyao , Cao Yixin , Zeng Dan
Published: July 2022

Due to a colossal soccer market, soccer analysis has attracted considerable attention from industry and academia. In-game outcome prediction has great potential in various applications such as game broadcasting, tactical decision making, and betting. In some sports, the method of directly predicting in-game outcomes based on the ongoing game state is already being used as a statistical tool. However, soccer is a sport with low-scoring games and frequent draws, which makes in-game prediction challenging. Most existing studies focus on pre-game prediction instead. This paper, however, proposes a two-stage method for soccer in-game outcome prediction, namely in-game outcome prediction (IGSOP). When the full length of a soccer game is divided into sufficiently small time frames, the goal scored by each team in each time frame can be modeled as a random variable following the Bernoulli distribution. In the first stage, IGSOP adopts state-based machine learning to predict the probability of a scoring goal in each future time frame. In the second stage, IGSOP simulates the remainder of the game to estimate the outcome of a game. This two-stage approach effectively captures the dynamic situation after a goal and the uncertainty in the late phase of a game. Chinese Super League data have been used for algorithm training and evaluation, and the results demonstrate that IGSOP outperforms existing methods, especially in predicting draws and prediction during final moments of games. IGSOP provides a novel perspective to solve the problem of in-game outcome prediction in soccer, which has a potential ripple effect on related research.
Burden and Costs of Severe Burn Injury in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Cleland Heather , Sriubaite Ieva , Gabbe Belinda
Published: July 2022

This study examines the costs of severe burn injury in Victoria, Australia. It quantifies the funding generated through an activity-based case-mix system for hospital treatment of acute injury and presentations in the subsequent two years and costs of the longer-term burden of burn injury due to premature burn-related deaths and disability. Severe adult burns cases in Victoria from 2007–2016 were identified using the Victorian State Trauma Registry (VSTR). Cases were linked with the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED), Victoria Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD), and the National Coronial Information System (NCIS). Hospital re-imbursements and costs of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were calculated using disability weights derived from the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire responses at 24 months post injury. There were 331 patients hospitalised with a burn ≥20% total body surface area (TBSA) from 2007–2016. Total mean re-imbursement (SD) for the acute treatment episode per patient in Australian dollars (AUD) was $87,570 ($97,913). There was significant variation in the number of cases by year and re-imbursement per patient, with high outliers common. Excluding 2009, when 173 people died in bushfires, there were 7749 DALYs which cost $991,872,000. Severe burns are uncommon and variable. Economic treatment costs of severe burns are high, and among survivors there is high incidence of long-term disability and overall burden of injury.
Research on the Sequential Difference Histogram Failure Principle Applied to the Signal Design of Radio Frequency Stealth Radar
Authors: Jia Jinwei , Han Zhuangzhi , Liu Limin , Xie Hui , Lv Meng
Published: July 2022

As electronic warfare becomes the core of modern warfare, radio frequency (RF) stealth radar is becoming the focus of modern electronic warfare. The anti-sorting strategy of RF stealth radar is a new effective method of the anti-enemy electronic reconnaissance system. Hence, research on the failure mechanism of sorting algorithms has become the cornerstone of anti-sorting technology. In this paper, the mechanism of algorithm failure is studied because the SDIF algorithm is widely used in engineering practice throughout the whole workflow of the sequential difference histogram (SDIF) algorithm, from the estimation of pulse repetition interval (PRI) destroyed by the algorithm and algorithm analysis to the staggered signal. Firstly, the working steps of the SDIF histogram sorting algorithm are considered. Key steps of signal sorting by the algorithm are analyzed, and the failure principle of the sorting algorithm is proposed. It is pointed out that if the PRI signal center value of the two groups of radars is within the tolerance range of the sorting algorithm, when the two signal center values are not of the same order of magnitude, the difference is more than 10 times, and the signal variation is less than 30% of the center value, the sorting error of the algorithm for the radar signal is at least 25%. The sorting algorithm fails to sort signals. At the same time, for the sorting failure of the staggered signal, the sub-PRI design formula of the staggered signal is proposed, and the staggered signal satisfying the design formula can make the sorting algorithm invalid. Finally, the correctness of the SDIF failure principle is further verified by formula derivation, signal design simulation and experiment. The principle of sorting failure provides theoretical support and foundation for the design of anti-sorting RF stealth signal. The principle of sorting failure makes up for the shortcomings of random signal design and improves the design efficiency of RF stealth signal.
Intracranial Monitoring to Verify Novel Transcranial Electric Stimulation in an Epileptic Swine Model
Authors: Wang Yu-Chi , Wang Po-Fang , Pan Han-Chi , Lin Chuan-Yi , Hsu Hao-Teng , Liu Zhuo-Hao , Lee Po-Lei
Published: July 2022

Invasive deep brain stimulation has proven to be clinically therapeutic for patients with drug-refractory epilepsy. The aim of this study was to develop a novel transcranial electrical device as a noninvasive stimulation modality for seizure treatment. We fabricated a novel transcranial electrical device and tested it in four swine brains with depth electrodes surgically implanted under neuro-navigation. Stimulation with two high-frequency alternating currents was used to cause an interference envelope. Acute focal epilepsy was induced by a subcortical injection of penicillin and specific anesthesia protocol. The frequency and electric field of the stimulation in the hippocampus were investigated. The two frequencies (2 k and 2.14 kHz) of stimulation successfully caused an envelope of 140 Hz. With 1 mA stimulation, the electric field degraded gradually and induced an in situ electric field of 0.68 mV/mm in the hippocampi. The interference mode transcranial electric stimulation attenuated the originally induced epileptic form discharges. No neuronal or axonal injuries were noted histopathologically after the stimulation. The feasibility and biosafety of our proposed device were preliminarily verified. Future translational research should focus on the electrode deposition and stimulation parameters for a quantitative therapeutic effect.
Charging and Discharging Current Characteristics of Polypropylene Film under Varied Electric Fields
Authors: Xing Zhaoliang , Tian Fuqiang , Guo Shaowei , Zhang Shuting , Li Fei , Liang Jieyi , Cui Huize , Dai Xiying
Published: July 2022

Charging and discharging current behavior under high DC electric field in polypropylene (PP) film is closely related to the charge transport and accumulation process, which has an important effect on the electrical insulating properties of PP. In this paper, the dependence of the charging and discharging current of polypropylene films on time and electric field has been comprehensively studied. The results showed that the transient and steady current values of the charging and discharging process increase with the increase of electric field. Dependence of the charging current on the electric field conformed well to the space charge limited current (SCLC) theory with a transition electric field of 270 kV/mm, at which the charge transport changed from ohmic conduction to SCLC conduction. The carrier mobility derived from the discharging current became significantly smaller with increase of the charging electric field. The charge accumulation after discharging was derived from the integration of the difference of the charging and discharging current and it showed an increase with the electric field and increased sharply above a certain threshold electric field (the same as the transition electric field in SCLC theory). It was proved that the conduction current and charge accumulation evolution and dependence on the electric field were mainly determined by the balance between the electrode charge injection process and the bulk conduction process.
Rock CT Image Super-Resolution Using Residual Dual-Channel Attention Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Shan Liqun , Liu Chengqian , Liu Yanchang , Kong Weifang , Hei Xiali
Published: July 2022

Because of its benefits in terms of high speed, non-destructiveness, and three-dimensionality, as well as ease of integration with computer simulation, computed tomography (CT) technology is widely applied in reservoir geology research. However, rock imaging is restricted by the device used as there is not a win–win for both the image receptive field and corresponding resolution. Convolutional neural network-based super-resolution reconstruction has become a hot topic in improving the performance of CT images. With the help of a convolution kernel, it can effectively extract characteristics and ignore disturbance information. The dismal truth is that convolutional neural networks still have numerous issues, particularly unclear texture details. To address these challenges, a generative adversarial network (RDCA-SRGAN) was designed to improve rock CT image resolution using the combination of residual learning and a dual-channel attention mechanism. Specifically, our generator employs residual attention to extract additional features; similarly, the discriminator builds on dual-channel attention and residual learning to distinguish generated contextual information and decrease computational consumption. Quantitative and qualitative analyses demonstrate that the proposed model is superior to earlier advanced frameworks and is capable to constructure visually indistinguishable high-frequency details. The quantitative analysis shows our model contributes the highest value of structural similarity, enriching the more detailed texture information. From the qualitative analysis, in enlarged details of the reconstructed images, the edges of the images generated by the RDCA-SRGAN can be shown to be clearer and sharper. Our model not only performs well in subtle coal cracks but also enriches more dissolved carbonate and carbon minerals. The RDCA-SRGAN has substantially enhanced the reconstructed image resolution and our model has great potential to be used in geomorphological study and exploration.
Multi-Chamber Actuator Mode Selection through Reinforcement Learning–Simulations and Experiments
Authors: Raduenz Henrique , Ericson Liselott , De Negri Victor , Krus Petter
Published: July 2022

This paper presents the development and implementation of a reinforcement learning agent as the mode selector for a multi-chamber actuator in a load-sensing architecture. The agent selects the mode of the actuator to minimise system energy losses. The agent was trained in a simulated environment and afterwards deployed to the real system. Simulation results indicated the capability of the agent to reduce energy consumption, while maintaining the actuation performance. Experimental results showed the capability of the agent to learn via simulation and to control the real system.