bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cellulose and Vanadium Plasmonic Sensor to Measure Ni2+ Ions
Authors: Omar Nur Alia Sheh , Fen Yap Wing , Ramli Irmawati , Azmi Umi Zulaikha Mohd , Hashim Hazwani Suhaila , Abdullah Jaafar , Mahdi Mohd Adzir
Published: March 2021

A novel vanadium–cellulose composite thin film-based on angular interrogation surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for ppb-level detection of Ni(II) ion was developed. Experimental results show that the sensor has a linear response to the Ni(II) ion concentrations in the range of 2–50 ppb with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9910. This SPR sensor can attain a maximum sensitivity (0.068° ppb−1), binding affinity constant (1.819 × 106 M−1), detection accuracy (0.3034 degree−1), and signal-to-noise-ratio (0.0276) for Ni(II) ion detection. The optical properties of thin-film targeting Ni(II) ions in different concentrations were obtained by fitting the SPR reflectance curves using the WinSpall program. All in all, the proposed Au/MPA/V–CNCs–CTA thin-film-based surface plasmon resonance sensor exhibits better sensing performance than the previous film-based sensor and demonstrates a wide and promising technology candidate for environmental monitoring applications in the future.
A Fully Automated Pipeline for a Robust Conjunctival Hyperemia Estimation
Authors: Curti Nico , Giampieri Enrico , Guaraldi Fabio , Bernabei Federico , Cercenelli Laura , Castellani Gastone , Versura Piera , Marcelli Emanuela
Published: March 2021

Purpose: Many semi-automated and fully-automated approaches have been proposed in literature to improve the objectivity of the estimation of conjunctival hyperemia, based on image processing analysis of eyes’ photographs. The purpose is to improve its evaluation using faster fully-automated systems and independent by the human subjectivity. Methods: In this work, we introduce a fully-automated analysis of the redness grading scales able to completely automatize the clinical procedure, starting from the acquired image to the redness estimation. In particular, we introduce a neural network model for the conjunctival segmentation followed by an image processing pipeline for the vessels network segmentation. From these steps, we extract some features already known in literature and whose correlation with the conjunctival redness has already been proved. Lastly, we implemented a predictive model for the conjunctival hyperemia using these features. Results: In this work, we used a dataset of images acquired during clinical practice.We trained a neural network model for the conjunctival segmentation, obtaining an average accuracy of 0.94 and a corresponding IoU score of 0.88 on a test set of images. The set of features extracted on these ROIs is able to correctly predict the Efron scale values with a Spearman’s correlation coefficient of 0.701 on a set of not previously used samples. Conclusions: The robustness of our pipeline confirms its possible usage in a clinical practice as a viable decision support system for the ophthalmologists.
Sisyfos: A Modular and Extendable Open Malware Analysis Platform
Authors: Serpanos Dimitrios , Michalopoulos Panagiotis , Xenos Georgios , Ieronymakis Vasilios
Published: March 2021

Sisyfos is a modular and extensible platform for malware analysis; it addresses multiple operating systems, including critical infrastructure ones. Its purpose is to enable the development and evaluation of new tools as well as the evaluation of malware classifiers. Sisyfos has been developed based on open software for feature extraction and is available as a stand-alone tool with a web interface but can be integrated into an operational environment with a continuous sample feed. We present the structure and implementation of Sisyfos, which accommodates analysis for Windows, Linux and Android malware.
Probabilistic Assessment of Roof Snow Load and the Calibration of Shape Coefficients in the Eurocodes
Authors: Croce Pietro , Formichi Paolo , Landi Filippo
Published: March 2021

In modern structural codes, the reference value of the snow load on roofs is commonly given as the product of the characteristic value of the ground snow load at the construction site multiplied by the shape coefficient. The shape coefficient is a conversion factor which depends on the roof geometry, its wind exposure, and its thermal properties. In the Eurocodes, the characteristic roof snow load is either defined as the value corresponding to an annual probability of exceedance of 0.02 or as a nominal value. In this paper, an improved methodology to evaluate the roof snow load characterized by a given probability of exceedance (e.g., p=0.02 in one year) is presented based on appropriate probability density functions for ground snow loads and shape coefficients, duly taking into account the influence of the roof’s geometry and its exposure to wind. In that context, the curves for the design values of the shape coefficients are provided as a function of the coefficient of variation (COVg) of the yearly maxima of the snow load on the ground expected at a given site, considering three relevant wind exposure conditions: sheltered or non-exposed, semi-sheltered or normal, and windswept or exposed. The design shape coefficients for flat and pitched roofs, obtained considering roof snow load measurements collected in Europe during the European Snow Load Research Project (ESLRP) and in Norway, are finally compared with the roof snow load provisions given in the relevant existing Eurocode EN1991-1-3:2003 and in the new version being developed (prEN1991-1-3:2020) for the “second generation” of the Eurocodes.
Contrasting Impacts of Three Extreme El Niños on Double ITCZs over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Authors: Chen Yinlan , Yan Li , Li Gen , Xu Jianjun , Long Jingchao , Zheng Shaojun
Published: March 2021

In the recent four decades, there were three record-breaking El Niño events: 1982/1983, 1997/1998, and 2015/2016 events. A double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) pattern distinctively emerges over the eastern Pacific Ocean during boreal spring. Based on reanalysis (ERA-Interim) during 1979–2018, this study examines how these three extreme El Niños modulate such double ITCZs. The 1982/1983 and 1997/1998 El Niños moved both northern and southern ITCZs equatorward to form an individual and broad equatorial ITCZ. In contrast, the regulation of 2015/2016 El Niño was unique with a strengthened southern ITCZ to form a symmetric double-ITCZ. The above differences can be attributed to the different meridional structures of sea surface temperatures (SSTs). For the 1982/1983 and 1997/1998 El Niños, there was a meridionally symmetric structure of SST warming with a maximum at the equator. While for 2015/2016 El Niño, there was a meridionally symmetric structure of SST warming with a minimum at the equator.
An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Variability and Change in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
Authors: Ndlovu Mendy , Clulow Alistair D. , Savage Michael J. , Nhamo Luxon , Magidi James , Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe
Published: March 2021

Rainfall and air temperature variability pose the greatest risk to environmental change. Past trends in rainfall and air temperature facilitate projecting future climate changes for informed policy responses. We used a combination of the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and observed data from 1968 to 2017 to assess changes in rainfall, moisture stress, and air temperature variability over time on bioclimatic regions of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, South Africa. Indicators used included consecutive dry days (CDDs), consecutive wet days (CWDs), very heavy rainfall days (R20), monthly maximum daily maximum air temperature (TXx), monthly minimum daily minimum air temperature (TNn), the total number of rainfall days, and monthly air temperature averages. Trends in rainfall and moisture stress are notable in different bioclimatic regions across the province. However, these trends are diverse, in general, and spatially different across and within the bioclimatic regions. Further, related rainfall indicators do not respond in the same way as would be expected. Air temperature trends were consistent with global trends and land–air temperature anomalies. Although daytime air temperatures showed a positive trend, extreme air temperature events and increases are predominant in inland regions. Night-time air temperatures showed an upward trend in most stations across KZN. Local weather-and-climate related characteristics are evolving due to climatic variability and change. The study shows that changes in climatic activities are detectable at a local level from existing historical weather data; therefore, adaptation strategies should be contextualised to respond to local and area-specific challenges.
Cloud Cover over the Sahara during the Summer and Associated Circulation Features
Authors: Selami Nada , Sèze Geneviève , Gaetani Marco , Grandpeix Jean-Yves , Flamant Cyrille , Cuesta Juan , Benabadji Noureddine
Published: March 2021

Over the Sahara in summer, the activity of the Saharan thermal low pressure system (SHL), which is linked to the West-African monsoon dynamics and the mid-latitude circulation, is modulated by dust concentration and water-vapor transport. In this context, the role of clouds over western Sahara remains under-investigated. Using Meteosat-Second-Generation geostationary satellite data, for the first time the variability of cloud occurrence over Sahara by type in summer, at diurnal, daily and intra-seasonal time scales for the 2008–2014 period is documented. Using European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) Reanalysis (ERA) Interim (ERAI) reanalysis, cloud cover occurrences are characterized in terms of regional circulation patterns and moisture balance. We show that, over West-Sahara and Hoggar, mid-top clouds are the most frequent cloud-type in summer. Their summit reaches between 500 hPa and 400 hPa and lies just above the top of the Saharan Atmospheric Boundary Layer (SABL). During the rest of the year, high-top clouds are the most frequent. The variations in the spatial distribution of mid-top cloud occurrence coincide with the seasonal displacement and strengthening of the SHL and, in the mid-troposphere, of the Saharan anticyclone. Mid-top clouds occur most frequently when, at large scale, mass and humidity converge in the lower SABL due to heating on an extensive surface, and diverge in the upper SABL. Their diurnal cycle, with minimal frequency around 10 UTC and maximum in the evening, is consistent with the diurnal development of the Saharan Convective-Boundary-Layer. The frequency of high cloud increases when anticyclonic circulations at mid-level and upper-level retreat to the southeast and upper-level trough from mid-latitudes can penetrate more southwards.
Ambient Aerosol Measurements in Different Environments
Authors: Bougiatioti Aikaterini , Kostenidou Evangelia
Published: March 2021

Particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere has diverse natural and anthropogenic sources, and is a complex, heterogeneous mixture [...]
Extradural Motor Cortex Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease: Long-Term Clinical Outcome
Authors: Piano Carla , Bove Francesco , Mulas Delia , Di Stasio Enrico , Fasano Alfonso , Bentivoglio Anna Rita , Daniele Antonio , Cioni Beatrice , Calabresi Paolo , Tufo Tommaso
Published: March 2021

Previous investigations have reported on the motor benefits and safety of chronic extradural motor cortex stimulation (EMCS) for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), but studies addressing the long-term clinical outcome are still lacking. In this study, nine consecutive PD patients who underwent EMCS were prospectively recruited, with a mean follow-up time of 5.1 ± 2.5 years. As compared to the preoperatory baseline, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-III in the off-medication condition significantly decreased by 13.8% at 12 months, 16.1% at 18 months, 18.4% at 24 months, 21% at 36 months, 15.6% at 60 months, and 8.6% at 72 months. The UPDRS-IV decreased by 30.8% at 12 months, 22.1% at 24 months, 25% at 60 months, and 36.5% at 72 months. Dopaminergic therapy showed a progressive reduction, significant at 60 months (11.8%). Quality of life improved by 18.0% at 12 months, and 22.4% at 60 months. No surgical complication, cognitive or behavioral change occurred. The only adverse event reported was an infection of the implantable pulse generator pocket. Even in the long-term follow-up, EMCS was shown to be a safe and effective treatment option in PD patients, resulting in improvements in motor symptoms and quality of life, and reductions in motor complications and dopaminergic therapy.
Alterations of Amphetamine Reward by Prior Nicotine and Alcohol Treatment: The Role of Age and Dopamine
Authors: Stojakovic Andrea , Ahmad Syed Muzzammil , Lutfy Kabirullah
Published: March 2021

Evidence suggests that nicotine and alcohol can each serve as a gateway drug. We determined whether prior nicotine and alcohol treatment would alter amphetamine reward. Also, we examined whether age and dopaminergic neurotransmission are important in this regard. Male and female adolescent and adult C57BL/6J mice were tested for baseline place preference. Mice then received six conditioning with saline/nicotine (0.25 mg/kg) twice daily, followed by six conditioning with saline/ethanol (2 g/kg). Control mice were conditioned with saline/saline throughout. Finally, mice were conditioned with amphetamine (3 mg/kg), once in the nicotine-alcohol-paired chamber, and tested for place preference 24 h later. The following day, mice were challenged with amphetamine (1 mg/kg) and tested for place preference under a drugged state. Mice were then immediately euthanized, their brain removed, and nucleus accumbens isolated and processed for the level of dopamine receptors and transporter and glutamate receptors. We observed a greater amphetamine-induced place preference in naïve adolescents than adult mice with no change in state-dependent place preference between the two age groups. In contrast, amphetamine induced a significant place preference in adult but not adolescent mice with prior nicotine-alcohol exposure under the drug-free state. The preference was significantly greater in adults than adolescents under the drugged state. The enhanced response was associated with higher dopamine-transporter and D1 but reduced D2 receptors’ expression in adult rather than adolescent mice, with no changes in glutamate receptors levels. These results suggest that prior nicotine and alcohol treatment differentially alters amphetamine reward in adult and adolescent mice. Alterations in dopaminergic neurotransmission may be involved in this phenotype.
Viewers Change Eye-Blink Rate by Predicting Narrative Content
Authors: Andreu-Sánchez Celia , Martín-Pascual Miguel Ángel , Gruart Agnès , Delgado-García José María
Published: March 2021

Eye blinks provoke a loss of visual information. However, we are not constantly making conscious decisions about the appropriate moment to blink. The presence or absence of eye blinks also denotes levels of attention. We presented three movies with the exact same narrative but different styles of editing and recorded participants’ eye blinks. We found that moments of increased or decreased eye blinks by viewers coincided with the same content in the different movie styles. The moments of increased eye blinks corresponded to those when the actor leaves the scene and when the movie repeats the same action for a while. The moments of decreased eye blinks corresponded to actions where visual information was crucial to proper understanding of the scene presented. According to these results, viewers’ attention is more related to narrative content than to the style of editing when watching movies.
Introducing Adam’s Scale of Posterior Stroke (ASPOS): A Novel Validated Tool to Assess and Predict Posterior Circulation Strokes
Authors: Wiśniewski Adam , Filipska Karolina , Piec Katarzyna , Jaskólski Filip , Ślusarz Robert
Published: March 2021

Background: Assessing the severity of posterior circulation strokes, due to the variety of symptoms, is a significant clinical problem. Current clinimetric scales show lower accuracy in the measurement of posterior stroke severity, compared with that of anterior strokes. The aim of the study was to design a validated tool, termed Adam’s Scale of Posterior Stroke (ASPOS), for better assessment and prediction of posterior stroke. Methods: This prospective, observational study involved 126 posterior circulation ischemic stroke subjects. Four researchers, previously trained in ASPOS, randomized the stroke severity using a novel tool and other appropriate stroke scales (The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale—NIHSS, modified Rankin Scale—mRS, Glasgow Coma Scale, Barthel Index, or Israeli Vertebrobasilar Stroke Scale—IVBSS) to assess the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of ASPOS and investigate its predictive value. Results: ASPOS reached a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.7449, indicating good internal consistency. The Bland–Altman analysis showed a good coefficient of repeatability (CR) of 0.46, a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.41–0.53, and excellent intraclass correlation coefficients or weighted kappa values (>0.90), reflecting high reliability and reproducibility. Highly significant correlations with other scales confirmed the construct and predictive validity of ASPOS. A total ASPOS score of three points indicated a significantly increased probability of severe stroke based on the NIHSS, compared to a total ASPOS of 1–2 points (odds ratio (OR) 141; 95% CI: 6.72–2977.66; p = 0.0014). Conclusions: We developed a novel, valid, and reliable tool to assess posterior circulation strokes. This can contribute to a more comprehensive estimation of posterior stroke and, additionally, due to its predictive properties, it can be used to more accurately select candidates for specific treatments.
The Role of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Axl in Carcinogenesis and Development of Therapeutic Resistance: An Overview of Molecular Mechanisms and Future Applications
Authors: Wium Martha , Ajayi-Smith Aderonke F. , Paccez Juliano D. , Zerbini Luiz F.
Published: March 2021

Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents by cancer cells has remained a major obstacle in the successful treatment of various cancers. Numerous factors such as DNA damage repair, cell death inhibition, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and evasion of apoptosis have all been implicated in the promotion of chemoresistance. The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl, a member of the TAM family (which includes TYRO3 and MER), plays an important role in the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, motility, survival, and immunologic response. The overexpression of Axl is reported in several solid and hematological malignancies, including non-small cell lung, prostate, breast, liver and gastric cancers, and acute myeloid leukaemia. The overexpression of Axl is associated with poor prognosis and the development of resistance to therapy. Reports show that Axl overexpression confers drug resistance in lung cancer and advances the emergence of tolerant cells. Axl is, therefore, an important candidate as a prognostic biomarker and target for anticancer therapies. In this review, we discuss the consequence of Axl upregulation in cancers, provide evidence for its role in cancer progression and the development of drug resistance. We will also discuss the therapeutic potential of Axl in the treatment of cancer.
MicroRNAs, Long Non-Coding RNAs, and Circular RNAs: Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
Authors: Turai Peter Istvan , Nyírő Gábor , Butz Henriett , Patócs Attila , Igaz Peter
Published: March 2021

Around 40% of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PPGL) harbor germline mutations, representing the highest heritability among human tumors. All PPGL have metastatic potential, but metastatic PPGL is overall rare. There is no available molecular marker for the metastatic potential of these tumors, and the diagnosis of metastatic PPGL can only be established if metastases are found at “extra-chromaffin” sites. In the era of precision medicine with individually targeted therapies and advanced care of patients, the treatment options for metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma are still limited. With this review we would like to nurture the idea of the quest for non-coding ribonucleic acids as an area to be further investigated in tumor biology. Non-coding RNA molecules encompassing microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various tumors, and were also proposed as valuable diagnostic, prognostic factors, and even potential treatment targets. Given the fact that the pathogenesis of tumors including pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas is linked to epigenetic dysregulation, it is reasonable to conduct studies related to their epigenetic expression profiles and in this brief review we present a synopsis of currently available findings on the relevance of these molecules in these tumors highlighting their diagnostic potential.
Feasibility and Early Clinical Experience of Online Adaptive MR-Guided Radiotherapy of Liver Tumors
Authors: Rogowski Paul , von Bestenbostel Rieke , Walter Franziska , Straub Katrin , Nierer Lukas , Kurz Christopher , Landry Guillaume , Reiner Michael , Auernhammer Christoph Josef , Belka Claus , Niyazi Maximilian , Corradini Stefanie
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and early results of online adaptive MR-guided radiotherapy (oMRgRT) of liver tumors. Methods: We retrospectively examined consecutive patients with primary or secondary liver lesions treated at our institution using a 0.35T hybrid MR-Linac (Viewray Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA). Online-adaptive treatment planning was used to account for interfractional anatomical changes, and real-time intrafractional motion management using online 2D cine MRI was performed using a respiratory gating approach. Treatment response and toxicity were assessed during follow-up. Results: Eleven patients and a total of 15 lesions were evaluated. Histologies included cholangiocarcinomas and metastases of neuroendocrine tumors, colorectal carcinomas, sarcomas and a gastrointestinal stroma tumor. The median BED10 of the PTV prescription doses was 84.4 Gy (range 59.5–112.5 Gy) applied in 3–5 fractions and the mean GTV BED10 was in median 147.9 Gy (range 71.7–200.5 Gy). Online plan adaptation was performed in 98% of fractions. The median overall treatment duration was 53 min. The treatment was feasible and successfully completed in all patients. After a median follow-up of five months, no local failure occurred and no ≥ grade two toxicity was observed. OMRgRT resulted in better PTV coverage and fewer OAR constraint violations. Conclusion: Early results of MR-linac based oMRgRT for the primary and secondary liver tumors are promising. The treatment was feasible in all cases and well tolerated with minimal toxicity. The technique should be compared to conventional SBRT in further studies to assess the advantages of the technique.
Hepatic Arterial Buffer Response in Liver Radioembolization and Potential Use for Improved Cancer Therapy
Authors: Walrand Stephan , Hesse Michel , d’Abadie Philippe , Jamar François
Published: March 2021

Liver radioembolization is a treatment option for unresectable liver cancers, performed by infusion of 90Y or 166Ho loaded spheres in the hepatic artery. As tumoral cells are mainly perfused via the liver artery unlike hepatic lobules, a twofold tumor to normal liver dose ratio is commonly obtained. To improve tumoral cell killing while preserving lobules, co-infusion of arterial vasoconstrictor has been proposed but with limited success: the hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR) and hepatic vascular escape mechanism hamper the arterioles vasoconstriction. The proposed project aims to take benefit from the HABR by co-infusing a mesenteric arterial vasodilator: the portal flow enhancement inducing the vasoconstriction of the intra sinusoids arterioles barely impacts liver tumors that are mainly fed by novel and anarchic external arterioles. Animal studies were reviewed and dopexamine was identified as a promising safe candidate, reducing by four the hepatic lobules arterial flow. A clinical trial design is proposed. A four to sixfold improvement of the tumoral to normal tissue dose ratio is expected, pushing the therapy towards a real curative intention, especially in HCC where ultra-selective spheres delivery is often not possible.
Mechanisms of Resistance to PI3K Inhibitors in Cancer: Adaptive Responses, Drug Tolerance and Cellular Plasticity
Authors: Wright Sarah Christine Elisabeth , Vasilevski Natali , Serra Violeta , Rodon Jordi , Eichhorn Pieter Johan Adam
Published: March 2021

The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway plays a central role in the regulation of several signalling cascades which regulate biological processes such as cellular growth, survival, proliferation, motility and angiogenesis. The hyperactivation of this pathway is linked to tumour progression and is one of the most common events in human cancers. Additionally, aberrant activation of the PI3K pathway has been demonstrated to limit the effectiveness of a number of anti-tumour agents paving the way for the development and implementation of PI3K inhibitors in the clinic. However, the overall effectiveness of these compounds has been greatly limited by inadequate target engagement due to reactivation of the pathway by compensatory mechanisms. Herein, we review the common adaptive responses that lead to reactivation of the PI3K pathway, therapy resistance and potential strategies to overcome these mechanisms of resistance. Furthermore, we highlight the potential role in changes in cellular plasticity and PI3K inhibitor resistance.
The Evolving Role of Marked Lymph Node Biopsy (MLNB) and Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD) after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NACT) for Node-Positive Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis
Authors: Swarnkar Parinita K. , Tayeh Salim , Michell Michael J. , Mokbel Kefah
Published: March 2021

Targeted axillary dissection (TAD) is a new axillary staging technique that consists of the surgical removal of biopsy-proven positive axillary nodes, which are marked (marked lymph node biopsy (MLNB)) prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in addition to the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). In a meta-analysis of more than 3000 patients, we previously reported a false-negative rate (FNR) of 13% using the SLNB alone in this setting. The aim of this systematic review and pooled analysis is to determine the FNR of MLNB alone and TAD (MLNB plus SLNB) compared with the gold standard of complete axillary lymph node dissection (cALND). The PubMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases were searched using MeSH-relevant terms and free words. A total of 9 studies of 366 patients that met the inclusion criteria evaluating the FNR of MLNB alone were included in the pooled analysis, yielding a pooled FNR of 6.28% (95% CI: 3.98–9.43). In 13 studies spanning 521 patients, the addition of SLNB to MLNB (TAD) was associated with a FNR of 5.18% (95% CI: 3.41–7.54), which was not significantly different from that of MLNB alone (p = 0.48). Data regarding the oncological safety of this approach were lacking. In a separate analysis of all published studies reporting successful identification and surgical retrieval of the MLN, we calculated a pooled success rate of 90.0% (95% CI: 85.1–95.1). The present pooled analysis demonstrates that the FNR associated with MLNB alone or combined with SLNB is acceptably low and both approaches are highly accurate in staging the axilla in patients with node-positive breast cancer after NACT. The SLNB adds minimal new information and therefore can be safely omitted from TAD. Further research to confirm the oncological safety of this de-escalation approach of axillary surgery is required. MLNB alone and TAD are associated with acceptably low FNRs and represent valid alternatives to cALND in patients with node-positive breast cancer after excellent response to NACT.
Bioanalytical Detection of Steroid Abuse in Sports Based on the Androgenic Activity Measurement
Authors: Martín-Escudero Pilar , Muñoz-Guerra Jesus A. , García-Tenorio Soledad Vargas , Serrano-Garde Ester , Soldevilla-Navarro Ana Belén , Cortes-Carrillo Nuria , Galindo-Canales Mercedes , del Prado Nayade , Fuentes-Ferrer Manuel , Fernández-Pérez Cristina , Behnisch Peter Alexander , Brouwer Abraham
Published: March 2021

The anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are the most frequently consumed performance enhancing drugs (PED) in sports. In the anti-doping field, the detection of AAS is carried out by the analysis of the athlete’s urine using methodologies based on liquid/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Unfortunately, the detection of unknown compounds is not possible. BDS’s AR CALUX® bio detection technology was studied as an indirect method to detect the administration of a single dose of testosterone (T). Twelve T and placebo single dose administered men volunteers underwent a triple-blind crossover clinical trial. The UGT2B17 deletion was present among the volunteers and evenly distributed in heterozygous (ins/del), wild-type homozygous (ins/ins), and mutated homozygous (del/del) groups. A significant statistical difference in terms of bioluminescence was observed after the testosterone (T) administration for the three types of polymorphic groups. The ratio of means between the pre- and post-T administration periods, depending on the type of polymorphism, was in group ins/ins 3.31 (CI. 95%: 2.07–5.29), group ins/del 4.15 (CI 95%: 3.05–5.67), and group del/del 2.89 (CI 95%: 2.42–3.46). The results of the study are very promising, as they may offer us the possibility of designing a detection approach that, based on intra-individual monitoring of androgenic values, in the UGT2B17 deletion type.
Migration of Silver and Copper Nanoparticles from Food Coating
Authors: Ahari Hamed , Lahijani Leila Khoshboui
Published: March 2021

Packaging containing nanoparticles (NPs) can increase the shelf life of products, but the presence of NPs may hazards human life. In this regard, there are reports regarding the side effect and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles. The main aim of this research was to study the migration of silver and copper nanoparticles from the packaging to the food matrix as well as the assessment techniques. The diffusion and migration of nanoparticles can be analyzed by analytical techniques including atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, migration, and titration. Inductively coupled plasma-based techniques demonstrated the best results. Reports indicated that studies on the migration of Ag/Cu nanoparticles do not agree with each other, but almost all studies agree that the migration of these nanoparticles is higher in acidic environments. There are widespread ambiguities about the mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity, so understanding these nanoparticles and their toxic effects are essential. Nanomaterials that enter the body in a variety of ways can be distributed throughout the body and damage human cells by altering mitochondrial function, producing reactive oxygen, and increasing membrane permeability, leading to toxic effects and chronic disease. Therefore, more research needs to be done on the development of food packaging coatings with consideration given to the main parameters affecting nanoparticles migration.
Risk Score for Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in COVID-19 (RIM Score)
Authors: López-Escobar Alejandro , Madurga Rodrigo , Castellano José María , Velázquez Sara , Suárez del Villar Rafael , Menéndez Justo , Peixoto Alejandro , Jimeno Sara , Ventura Paula Sol , Ruiz de Aguiar Santiago
Published: March 2021

Infection by SARS-CoV2 has devastating consequences on health care systems. It is a global health priority to identify patients at risk of fatal outcomes. 1955 patients admitted to HM-Hospitales from 1 March to 10 June 2020 due to COVID-19, were were divided into two groups, 1310 belonged to the training cohort and 645 to validation cohort. Four different models were generated to predict in-hospital mortality. Following variables were included: age, sex, oxygen saturation, level of C-reactive-protein, neutrophil-to-platelet-ratio (NPR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR) and the rate of changes of both hemogram ratios (VNLR and VNPR) during the first week after admission. The accuracy of the models in predicting in-hospital mortality were evaluated using the area under the receiver-operator-characteristic curve (AUC). AUC for models including NLR and NPR performed similarly in both cohorts: NLR 0.873 (95% CI: 0.849–0.898), NPR 0.875 (95% CI: 0.851–0.899) in training cohort and NLR 0.856 (95% CI: 0.818–0.895), NPR 0.863 (95% CI: 0.826–0.901) in validation cohort. AUC was 0.885 (95% CI: 0.885–0.919) for VNLR and 0.891 (95% CI: 0.861–0.922) for VNPR in the validation cohort. According to our results, models are useful in predicting in-hospital mortality risk due to COVID-19. The RIM Score proposed is a simple, widely available tool that can help identify patients at risk of fatal outcomes.
Interpretable Multi-Head Self-Attention Architecture for Sarcasm Detection in Social Media
Authors: Akula Ramya , Garibay Ivan
Published: March 2021

With the online presence of more than half the world population, social media plays a very important role in the lives of individuals as well as businesses alike. Social media enables businesses to advertise their products, build brand value, and reach out to their customers. To leverage these social media platforms, it is important for businesses to process customer feedback in the form of posts and tweets. Sentiment analysis is the process of identifying the emotion, either positive, negative or neutral, associated with these social media texts. The presence of sarcasm in texts is the main hindrance in the performance of sentiment analysis. Sarcasm is a linguistic expression often used to communicate the opposite of what is said, usually something that is very unpleasant, with an intention to insult or ridicule. Inherent ambiguity in sarcastic expressions make sarcasm detection very difficult. In this work, we focus on detecting sarcasm in textual conversations from various social networking platforms and online media. To this end, we develop an interpretable deep learning model using multi-head self-attention and gated recurrent units. The multi-head self-attention module aids in identifying crucial sarcastic cue-words from the input, and the recurrent units learn long-range dependencies between these cue-words to better classify the input text. We show the effectiveness of our approach by achieving state-of-the-art results on multiple datasets from social networking platforms and online media. Models trained using our proposed approach are easily interpretable and enable identifying sarcastic cues in the input text which contribute to the final classification score. We visualize the learned attention weights on a few sample input texts to showcase the effectiveness and interpretability of our model.
Fast Pyrolysis of Cellulose by Infrared Heating
Authors: Nomura Takashi , Mizuno Hinano , Minami Eiji , Kawamoto Haruo
Published: March 2021

The fast pyrolysis of cellulose produces levoglucosan (LG), but secondary pyrolysis reactions tend to reduce the yield. The present study assessed the fast pyrolysis of cellulose by infrared (IR) heating under nitrogen flow. Because the nitrogen was not efficiently heated, gaseous LG was immediately cooled, resulting in a maximum yield of 52.7% under optimized conditions. Slow nitrogen flow and a high IR power level provided a greater gas yield by raising the temperature of the cellulose, and the formation of CO could be used as an indicator of the gasification of LG. Glycolaldehyde (GA) was the major byproduct, and the GA yield remained relatively constant under all conditions. Accordingly, GA was not a secondary product from the LG but was likely produced from the reducing ends of cellulose and other intermediate carbohydrates. The pyrolysis of cellulose proceeded within a narrow region of carbonized material that absorbed IR radiation more efficiently. The bulk of each cellulose sample could be decomposed in spite of this heterogeneous process by maintaining fast pyrolysis conditions for a sufficient length of time. This technique is a superior approach to LG production compared with other fast pyrolysis methods based on heat conduction.
Curved Surface Minijet Impingement Phenomena Analysed with ζ-f Turbulence Model
Authors: Kura Tomasz , Fornalik-Wajs Elzbieta , Wajs Jan , Kenjeres Sasa
Published: March 2021

The jet impingement phenomenon plays an important role among the heat transfer intensification methods. Very often its application and analyses refer to simple flat surfaces, while there is a lack of information in the literature for cases addressing curved surfaces. In the present work, the single jet impingement on the non-flat (concave and convex) surface is studied for a wide range of geometries, which originate from the mini-jet heat-exchanger design. The numerical simulations were performed by an advanced ζ-f turbulence model implemented in the open-source OpenFOAM (ESI-OpenCFD Ltd, Bracknell, United Kingdom) code. Noticeable differences in the phenomena occurring on the convex and concave surfaces were identified in the stagnation zone. Besides, the existence and location of the secondary peak in the Nusselt number distribution differed between the cases. These distributions were influenced by the shape of geometry, which determined flow characteristics and resulting heat transfer performance. The origins of these differences were looked at in the turbulence characteristics close to the impinged surface of the stagnations zone and its vicinity, where turbulence kinetic energy and enstrophy were analysed. It was stated that the differences are already noticeable for the single jet impingement case, but they might sum up when multiple jets are considered. Therefore, here presented results would be important for the analysis of the overall unit of mentioned mini-jets heat-exchanger.
A Hybrid Method to Evaluate Soil Liquefaction Potential of Seabed at Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan
Authors: Kuo Yu-Shu , Chong Kai-Jun , Chang Shang-Chun , Chai Juin-Fu , Hsu Hui-Ting
Published: March 2021

This paper undertakes liquefaction analysis with simplified procedures with standard penetration test (SPT) data and cone penetration test (CPT) data obtained from an offshore wind farm in the Changhua area. The soil liquefaction resistance calculated by the SPT-based simplified procedure suggested by the Japan Railway Association was in agreement with the laboratory results. The CPT is widely used in the site investigation of offshore wind farms. However, Taiwan’s registered professional engineers are still familiar with soil liquefaction analysis for offshore wind farms using SPT-based methods. Hence, a hybrid method that incorporates an SPT–CPT correlation into the New Japan Road Association (NJRA) method is proposed to evaluate the soil liquefaction potential for offshore wind farms in Taiwan. In the case studies of soil liquefaction with five groups of adjacent boreholes in Changhua’s offshore wind farms, the hybrid method shows that the soil liquefaction potential with CPT data is consistent with the results calculated with SPT-based simplified procedures. To quantify the risk of soil liquefaction, Monte Carlo simulation is used to calculate the uncertainty of CPT–qc for estimating the probability of soil liquefaction with the hybrid method.
Becoming a Yam: Healing Narratives as Political Resistance in the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Brooks Latoya B. , Gray Kareema J.
Published: March 2021

COVID-19 created a crisis that forced people to deal with the social, emotional, personal, and interpersonal impact of the virus in the United States. Simultaneously, Black people continued to be murdered and victimized by systemic racism and social injustice. Choosing wellness, self-recovery, and self-care during the global pandemonium surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic serves as an act of political resistance in the face of oppression and violence. The purpose of this essay is to explore the authors’ embodied uses of personal narratives centering the work sisters of the yam: black women and self-recovery, feminist theory, and African-centered social work paradigms as coping strategies and healing work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Performance of Cell-Free DNA Screening for Fetal Common Aneuploidies and Sex Chromosomal Abnormalities: A Prospective Study from a Less Developed Autonomous Region in Mainland China
Authors: Lai Yunli , Zhu Xiaofan , He Sheng , Dong Zirui , Tang Yanqing , Xu Fuben , Chen Yun , Meng Lintao , Tao Yuli , Yi Shang , Su Jiasun , Huang Hongqian , Luo Jingsi , Leung Tak Yeung , Wei Hongwei
Published: March 2021

To evaluate the performance of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) in the detection of common aneuploidies in a population-based study, a total of 86,262 single pregnancies referred for NIPS were prospectively recruited. Among 86,193 pregnancies with reportable results, follow-up was successfully conducted in 1160 fetuses reported with a high-risk result by NIPS and 82,511 cases (95.7%) with a low-risk result. The screen-positive rate (SPR) of common aneuploidies and sex chromosome abnormalities (SCAs) provided by NIPS were 0.7% (586/83,671) and 0.6% (505/83,671), respectively. The positive predictive values (PPVs) for Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13 and SCAs were calculated as 89.7%, 84.0%, 52.6% and 38.0%, respectively. In addition, less rare chromosomal abnormalities, including copy number variants (CNVs), were detected, compared with those reported by NIPS with higher read-depth. Among these rare abnormalities, only 23.2% (13/56) were confirmed by prenatal diagnosis. In total, four common trisomy cases were found to be false negative, resulting in a rate of 0.48/10,000 (4/83,671). In summary, this study conducted in an underdeveloped region with limited support for the new technology development and lack of cost-effective prenatal testing demonstrates the importance of implementing routine aneuploidy screening in the public sector for providing early detection and precise prognostic information.
Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas and Abdominal Desmoid Tumor in a Patient Carrying Two Different BRCA2 Germline Mutations: New Horizons from Tumor Molecular Profiling
Authors: Mafficini Andrea , Lawlor Rita T. , Ghimenton Claudio , Antonello Davide , Cantù Cinzia , Paolino Gaetano , Nottegar Alessia , Piredda Maria L. , Salvia Roberto , Milella Michele , Dei Tos Angelo P. , Fassan Matteo , Scarpa Aldo , Luchini Claudio
Published: March 2021

This case report describes the history of a 41 year-old woman with a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas and a metachronous abdominal desmoid tumor (DT) that occurred two years after the SPN surgical resection. At next-generation sequencing of 174 cancer-related genes, both neoplasms harbored a CTNNB1 somatic mutation which was different in each tumor. Moreover, two BRCA2 pathogenic mutations were found in both tumors, confirmed as germline by the sequencing of normal tissue. The BRCA2 mutations were c.631G>A, resulting in the amino-acid change p.V211I, and c.7008-2A>T, causing a splice acceptor site loss. However, as the two neoplasms showed neither loss of heterozygosity nor somatic mutation in the second BRCA2 allele, they cannot be considered as BRCA-dependent tumors. Nevertheless, this study highlights the important opportunities opened by extensive tumor molecular profiling. In this particular case, it permitted the detection of BRCA2-germline mutations, essential for addressing the necessary BRCA-related genetic counseling, surveillance, and screening for the patient and her family.
The Diversity and Evolution of Sex Chromosomes in Frogs
Authors: Ma Wen-Juan , Veltsos Paris
Published: March 2021

Frogs are ideal organisms for studying sex chromosome evolution because of their diversity in sex chromosome differentiation and sex-determination systems. We review 222 anuran frogs, spanning ~220 Myr of divergence, with characterized sex chromosomes, and discuss their evolution, phylogenetic distribution and transitions between homomorphic and heteromorphic states, as well as between sex-determination systems. Most (~75%) anurans have homomorphic sex chromosomes, with XY systems being three times more common than ZW systems. Most remaining anurans (~25%) have heteromorphic sex chromosomes, with XY and ZW systems almost equally represented. There are Y-autosome fusions in 11 species, and no W-/Z-/X-autosome fusions are known. The phylogeny represents at least 19 transitions between sex-determination systems and at least 16 cases of independent evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes from homomorphy, the likely ancestral state. Five lineages mostly have heteromorphic sex chromosomes, which might have evolved due to demographic and sexual selection attributes of those lineages. Males do not recombine over most of their genome, regardless of which is the heterogametic sex. Nevertheless, telomere-restricted recombination between ZW chromosomes has evolved at least once. More comparative genomic studies are needed to understand the evolutionary trajectories of sex chromosomes among frog lineages, especially in the ZW systems.
Novel GRHL2 Gene Variant Associated with Hearing Loss: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Trebusak Podkrajsek Katarina , Tesovnik Tine , Bozanic Urbancic Nina , Battelino Saba
Published: March 2021

In contrast to the recessive form, hearing loss inherited in a dominant manner is more often post-lingual and typically results in a progressive sensorineural hearing loss with variable severity and late onset. Variants in the GRHL2 gene are an extremely rare cause of dominantly inherited hearing loss. Genetic testing is a crucial part of the identification of the etiology of hearing loss in individual patients, especially when performed with next-generation sequencing, enabling simultaneous analysis of numerous genes, including those rarely associated with hearing loss. We aimed to evaluate the genetic etiology of hearing loss in a family with moderate late-onset hearing loss using next-generation sequencing and to conduct a review of reported variants in the GRHL2 gene. We identified a novel disease-causing variant in the GRHL2 gene (NM_024915: c.1510C>T; p.Arg504Ter) in both affected members of the family. They both presented with moderate late-onset hearing loss with no additional clinical characteristics. Reviewing known GRHL2 variants associated with hearing loss, we can conclude that they are more likely to be truncating variants, while the associated onset of hearing loss is variable.