bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined Effects of Allelopathic Polyphenols on Microcystis aeruginosa and Response of Different Chlorophyll Fluorescence Parameters
Authors: Huang Suzhen , Zhu Junying , Zhang Lu , Peng Xue , Zhang Xinyi , Ge Fangjie , Liu Biyun , Wu Zhenbin
Published: December 2020

Polyphenols are allelochemicals secreted by aquatic plants that effectively control cyanobacteria blooms. In this study, sensitive response parameters (including CFPs) of Microcystis aeruginosa were explored under the stress of different polyphenols individually and their combination. The combined effects on M. aeruginosa were investigated based on the most sensitive parameter and cell densities. For pyrogallic acid (PA) and gallic acid (GA), the sensitivity order of parameters based on the EC50 values (from 0.73 to 3.40 mg L–1 for PA and from 1.05 to 2.68 mg L–1 for GA) and the results of the hierarchical cluster analysis showed that non-photochemical quenching parameters [NPQ, qN, qN(rel) and qCN] > photochemical quenching parameters [YII, qP, qP(rel) and qL] or others [Fv/Fm, F’v/F’m, qTQ and UQF(rel)] > cell densities. CFPs were not sensitive to ellagic acid (EA) and (+)-catechin (CA). The sensitivity order of parameters for M. aeruginosa with PA-GA mixture was similar to that under PA and GA stress. The quantitative (Toxicity Index, TI) and qualitative (Isobologram representation) methods were employed to evaluate the combined effects of PA, GA, and CA on M. aeruginosa based on cell densities and NPQ. TI values based on the EC50 cells suggested the additive effects of binary and multiple polyphenols, but synergistic and additive effects according to the EC50 NPQ (varied from 0.16 to 1.94). In terms of NPQ of M. aeruginosa, the binary polyphenols exhibited synergistic effects when the proportion of high toxic polyphenols PA or GA was lower than 40%, and the three polyphenols showed a synergistic effect only at the ratio of 1:1:1. Similar results were also found by isobologram representation. The results showed that increasing the ratio of high toxic polyphenols would not enhance the allelopathic effects, and the property, proportion and concentrations of polyphenols played an important role in the combined effects. Compared with cell densities, NPQ was a more suitable parameter as evaluating indicators in the combined effects of polyphenols on M. aeruginosa. These results could provide a method to screen the allelochemicals of polyphenols inhibiting cyanobacteria and improve the inhibitory effects by different polyphenols combined modes.
New Insights in Addressing Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Association With the Deep Medullary Veins
Authors: Xu Zhihua , Li Fangfei , Wang Bing , Xing Dengxiang , Pei Yusong , Yang Benqiang , Duan Yang
Published: December 2020

Objective

To assess the suitability of deep medullary vein visibility in susceptibility weighted imaging—magnetic resonance imaging studies as a method for the diagnosis and evaluation of cerebral small vessel disease progression.

Methods

A total of 92 patients with CSVD were enrolled and baseline clinical and imaging data were reviewed retrospectively. Neuroimaging biomarkers of CSVD including high-grade white matter hyperintensity (HWMH), cerebral microbleed (CMB), enlarged perivascular space (PVS), and lacunar infarct (LI) were identified and CSVD burden was calculated. Cases were grouped accordingly as mild, moderate, or severe. The DMV was divided into six segments according to the regional anatomy. The total DMV score (0–18) was calculated as the sum of the six individual segmental scores, which ranged from 0 to 3, for a semi-quantitative assessment of the DMV based on segmental continuity and visibility.

Results

The DMV score was independently associated with the presence of HWMH, PVS, and LI (P < 0.05), but not with presence and absence of CMB (P > 0.05). Correlation between the DMV score and the CSVD burden was significant (P < 0.05) [OR 95% C.I., 1.227 (1.096–1.388)].

Conclusion

The DMV score was associated with the presence and severity of CSVD.
Approach and Avoidance Behavior in Female Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors: Wiesenfeller Jana , Flasbeck Vera , Brown Elliot C. , Brüne Martin
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is portrayed by unstable relationships, fears of abandonment and heightened sensitivity to social rejection. Research has shown that these characteristics may lead to inappropriate social behavior including altered approach-avoidance behavior. However, it has remained unclear how social exclusion may affect approach-avoidance behavior in patients with BPD.

Design

We assessed social approach-avoidance behavior and the impact of social exclusion in a sample of 38 patients with BPD and 40 healthy control participants.

Methods

We used an explicit joystick-based approach-avoidance task (AAT) after playing a virtual ball-tossing game (Cyberball), which simulates the exclusion of the participant by two other players. In the AAT, participants were required to push or pull emotional stimuli, more specifically happy and angry facial expressions, with either direct or averted gaze direction.

Results

Patients with BPD approached happy stimuli less and showed overall less differential approach-avoidance behavior toward individuals expressing positive or negative facial emotions compared to healthy participants, who showed more approach behavior for happy compared to angry facial expressions. Moreover, borderline symptom severity correlated inversely with the AAT score for happy facial expressions and positively with subjective unpleasantness during social exclusion as well as rejection sensitivity. However, social exclusion did not influence approach-avoidance tendencies.

Conclusion

Patients with BPD showed altered approach-avoidance behavior, which might affect social interactions in the patient’s everyday lives and may therefore impede social interaction.
Case Report: Refractory Hypotension of GABA B Receptor Autoimmune Encephalitis
Authors: Hanxin Kong , Xiaomin Wang , Hao Ying , Shuihong Zheng
Published: December 2020

Introduction: With the development of antibody detection technology, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) B receptor encephalitis is a known autoimmune disease. This paper describes a patient with refractory hypotension who suffered GABA B receptor autoimmune encephalitis.

Case Report: We describe a 63-year-old man with GABA B receptor autoimmune encephalitis who had hypotension on day 17 of the disease onset. Despite two rounds of immunoglobulin administration, high-dose intravenous steroid injections and immunosuppressive therapy on day 35 of hospitalization, psychiatric symptoms and seizures were significantly improved; however, the patient's blood pressure remained low.

Conclusion: This case study and literature review investigated the impairment of autonomic nerve function and its subsequent management in patients with GABA B receptor autoimmune encephalitis.
WAUC: A Multi-Modal Database for Mental Workload Assessment Under Physical Activity
Authors: Albuquerque Isabela , Tiwari Abhishek , Parent Mark , Cassani Raymundo , Gagnon Jean-François , Lafond Daniel , Tremblay Sébastien , Falk Tiago H.
Published: December 2020

Assessment of mental workload is crucial for applications that require sustained attention and where conditions such as mental fatigue and drowsiness must be avoided. Previous work that attempted to devise objective methods to model mental workload were mainly based on neurological or physiological data collected when the participants performed tasks that did not involve physical activity. While such models may be useful for scenarios that involve static operators, they may not apply in real-world situations where operators are performing tasks under varying levels of physical activity, such as those faced by first responders, firefighters, and police officers. Here, we describe WAUC, a multimodal database of mental Workload Assessment Under physical aCtivity. The study involved 48 participants who performed the NASA Revised Multi-Attribute Task Battery II under three different activity level conditions. Physical activity was manipulated by changing the speed of a stationary bike or a treadmill. During data collection, six neural and physiological modalities were recorded, namely: electroencephalography, electrocardiography, breathing rate, skin temperature, galvanic skin response, and blood volume pulse, in addition to 3-axis accelerometry. Moreover, participants were asked to answer the NASA Task Load Index questionnaire after each experimental section, as well as rate their physical fatigue level on the Borg fatigue scale. In order to bring our experimental setup closer to real-world situations, all signals were monitored using wearable, off-the-shelf devices. In this paper, we describe the adopted experimental protocol, as well as validate the subjective, neural, and physiological data collected. The WAUC database, including the raw data and features, subjective ratings, and scripts to reproduce the experiments reported herein will be made available at:http://musaelab.ca/resources/.
Screening and Identification of Prognostic Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells and Genes of Endometrioid Endometrial Adenocarcinoma: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Database and Bioinformatics
Authors: Chen Bingnan , Wang Di , Li Jiapo , Hou Yue , Qiao Chong
Published: December 2020

Background

Endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA) is one of the most common tumors in the female reproductive system. With the further understanding of immune regulation mechanism in tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy is emerging in tumor treatment. However, there are few systematic studies on EEA immune infiltration.

Methods

In this study, prognostic tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and related genes of EEA were comprehensively analyzed for the first time through the bioinformatics method with CIBERSORT algorithm as the core. Gene expression profile data were downloaded from the TCGA database, and the abundance ratio of TIICs was obtained. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to identify prognostic TIICs. EEA samples were grouped according to the risk score in Cox regression model. Differential analysis and functional enrichment analyses were performed on high- and low-risk groups to find survival-related hub genes, which were verified by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER).

Result

Four TIICs including memory CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells were identified. And two hub gene modules were found, in which six hub genes including APOL1, CCL17, RBP4, KRT15, KRT71, and KRT79 were significantly related to overall survival and were closely correlated with some certain TIICs in the validation of TIMER.

Conclusion

In this study, four prognostic TIICs and six hub genes were found to be closely related to EEA. These findings provided new potential targets for EEA immunotherapy.
Computer-Aided System Application Value for Assessing Hip Development
Authors: Jiang Yaoxian , Yang Guangyao , Liang Yuan , Shi Qin , Cui Boqi , Chang Xiaodan , Qiu Zhaowen , Zhao Xudong
Published: December 2020

Purpose

A computer-aided system was used to semiautomatically measure Tönnis angle, Sharp angle, and center-edge (CE) angle using contours of the hip bones to establish an auxiliary measurement model for developmental screening or diagnosis of hip joint disorders.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed bilateral hip x-rays for 124 patients (41 men and 83 women aged 20–70 years) who presented at the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University in 2017 and 2018. All images were imported into a computer-aided detection system. After manually outlining hip bone contours, Tönnis angle, Sharp angle, and CE angle marker lines were automatically extracted, and the angles were measured and recorded. An imaging physician also manually measured all angles and recorded hip development, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to compare computer-aided system measurements with imaging physician measurements. Accuracy for different angles was calculated, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was used to represent the diagnostic efficiency of the computer-aided system.

Results

For Tönnis angle, Sharp angle, and CE angle, correlation coefficients were 0.902, 0.887, and 0.902, respectively; the accuracies of the computer-aided detection system were 89.1, 93.1, and 82.3%; and the AUROC curve values were 0.940, 0.956, and 0.948.

Conclusion

The measurements of Tönnis angle, Sharp angle, and CE angle using the semiautomatic system were highly correlated with the measurements of the imaging physician and can be used to assess hip joint development with high accuracy and diagnostic efficiency.
Epidemiological Investigation and Virus Tracing of a Measles Outbreak in Zhoushan Islands, China, 2019
Authors: Zhang Hui , Chen Can , Tang An , Wu Bing , Liu Leijie , Wu Mingyu , Wang Hongling
Published: December 2020

Background: Measles transmissions due to case importations challenge public health systems globally and herd immunities in all countries. In 2019, an imported measles case and its subsequently outbreak was found in the Zhoushan Islands. Here, the process of epidemiological investigation and virus tracing were summarized to provide references for the prevention and control of measles in the future.

Materials and methods: The data on the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical manifestation of measles cases in this outbreak were collected. The 450 bp fragments of the measles virus (MeV) N gene were amplified and sequenced. The genome of the first imported case was further isolated. Then, the maximum-likelihood and time-scaled phylogenetic analysis was conducted.

Results: A total of 28 measles cases were confirmed. Their onsets were between March 13 and May 18, 2019. The first patient was from the Ukraine. He was confirmed at the Fever Clinic in Zhoushan hospital on March 15, 2019 and at the same time, another patient had visited the hospital due to another illness and 10 days later, this second case had onset (March 25, 2019). The epidemic curve shows sustained community transmission. The majority of the following cases (19/26) were clustered on the Donggang street which was close to where the second case worked. The 22 measles virus strains successfully isolated from this outbreak all belonged to the D8.2a sub-cluster and clustered with the KY120864/MVs/GirSomnath.IND/42.16/[D8] which was the predominant genotype in the Ukraine during 2018-2019. The analysis of the complete D8 genotype genome pointed to the fact that this prevailing strain originated from India in 2015 and its substitution rate was estimated as 6.91 × 10−4 (5.64–7.98 × 10−4) nucleotide substitutions/site/year.

Conclusion: This outbreak was caused by an imported case from the Ukraine. There was a possible nosocomial infection between the first case and the second case. Then, the second case played an important role in the spread of virus due to her occupation. The molecular phylogenetic analysis could help to track the origin of the virus. Increasing and maintaining the high level of vaccination coverage (≥95%) and an efficient response to imported cases are essential to prevent and control the recurrence and outbreak of measles virus.
Bubalus bubalis: A Short Story
Authors: Minervino Antonio Humberto Hamad , Zava Marco , Vecchio Domenico , Borghese Antonio
Published: December 2020

The domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), also known as water buffalo or Asian buffalo to prevent confusion with the American bison (Bison bison), wrongly named buffalo in North America, comprises two subspecies: the river buffalo (B. bubalis bubalis) and the swamp buffalo (B. bubalis kerebau). The swamp buffalo has a consistent phenotype and is considered as one type, even if many breeds are recognized within it; conversely, the river buffalo subspecies has many breeds. We found limited information available regarding the worldwide distribution of buffaloes. The best estimate is that 208,098,759 buffalo head are distributed in 77 countries in five continents. In this review, we presented the basic aspects of the water buffalo and unraveled the buffalo path followed from the origin of the species to its current global distribution. We reviewed several data sources to provide a better estimate of the world buffalo count and distribution.
Local Chicken Breeds of Africa: Their Description, Uses and Conservation Methods
Authors: Manyelo Tlou Grace , Selaledi Letlhogonolo , Hassan Zahra Mohammed , Mabelebele Monnye
Published: December 2020

There has been a research gap in the genetic, physiological, and nutritional aspects of indigenous chickens of Africa over the past decade. These chickens are known to be economically, socially, and culturally important to the people of Africa, especially those from marginalised communities. Although they are associated with poor productivity in terms of the number of eggs laid, most consumers prefer their flavoursome meat. Several local chickens have been classified into breeds or ecotypes, but many remain unidentified and are facing extinction. To prevent this, the Food and Agriculture Organization has launched an indigenous poultry conservation programme. In addition, the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa has established a programme to protect four local chicken breeds. The purpose of this review is to provide a detailed understanding of the description, uses and conservation methods of local chicken breeds of Africa. Several studies have been conducted on the nutritional requirements of local chickens, but the results were inconclusive and contradictory. This review concludes that local chickens play a significant role in improving livelihoods, and strategies to preserve and sustain them must be intensified.
Effects of Lure Type on Chase-Related Behaviour in Racing Greyhounds
Authors: Starling Melissa , Wilson Bethany , McGreevy Paul
Published: December 2020

The willingness of racing greyhounds in Australia to chase a mechanical lure on racetracks will affect the longevity of its racing career. Racing greyhounds that fail to chase may be retired from racing at an early age and their fate becomes uncertain and may in some cases be euthanasia. At the end of races, greyhounds are diverted into a catching pen while the lure continues on. Racing greyhounds may also run on straight tracks for training purposes, where the lure comes to a stop either within the catching pen or just outside it, rather than continuing on. The purpose of the current study was to determine if these different track conditions and lure features affected greyhound behaviour before and after chasing the lure. Video cameras were used to record the behaviour of greyhounds immediately before chasing a lure either on one of two straight trial tracks (n = 89 greyhounds) or during race-meets on oval racetracks (n = 537), as well as at the end of the chase in the catching pen. The results were analysed with logistic regression mixed models and coefficients expressed as odds ratios. It was predicted there would be a higher frequency of behaviours indicating frustration in the catching pen at tracks where no chase objects were accessible. This pattern was present, but not significant. It was also predicted there would be a higher frequency of behaviours that may indicate high anticipation before chasing at tracks where chase objects were accessible in the catching pen. This pattern was not realised. Behaviours prior to chasing varied between track types and days, suggesting these behaviours are unlikely to be good indicators of anticipation or motivation to chase. This study shows that greyhounds behave differently in the catching pen depending on the track and lure features.
Minimization of Global Adjustment Charges for Large Electricity Customers Using Energy Storage—Canadian Market Case Study
Authors: Kadri Abdeslem , Mohammadi Farah , Awadallah Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Recently, the interest in utilizing energy storage systems (ESSs), particularly batteries, has increased. ESSs are employed for several enhancement tasks in power systems on both the operation and planning scales. On the operation side, ESSs play a main role in offering several ancillary services. In the context of planning, ESSs are used for asset upgrade deferral among other grid applications. This work employs a battery energy storage system (BESS) to minimize the electricity bill charges associated with global adjustment for large consumers in the jurisdiction of Ontario, Canada. An optimization formulation for sizing and scheduling the BESS, to minimize the utility charges and gain profits from other revenue streams, such as energy price arbitrage (EPA), was developed and implemented. The results show the economic feasibility of the developed algorithm to minimize the annual bills of real customers and gain profits. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out to show the potential of the proposed method in providing significant benefits and gains for customers.
Directly Measuring the Pulse Front Distortion of High-Peak-Power Femtosecond Lasers
Authors: Wu Fenxiang , Zhang Zongxin , Yang Xiaojun , Hu Jiabing , Xu Yi , Leng Yuxin
Published: December 2020

Pulse front distortion occurring in lenses can broaden the temporal profile of the pulse at focus and therefore decrease the focused intensity, especially for large-aperture femtosecond lasers. A previously proposed self-reference cross correlator was improved to directly measure the pulse front distortion of high-peak-power femtosecond lasers. The measured results of a 200 TW/27 fs laser are in good accordance with the calculated value. Moreover, the temporal intensity distribution of the pulse in the focal region was also investigated, in order to better guide and further promote the strong laser-matter interaction investigations. According to the measured PFD, the effective pulse duration at far field of this 200 TW laser was theoretically simulated to be ≈49 fs, which is almost two times the generally regarded 27 fs. As a result, the actually available focused intensity of this laser is only 55% of the case without pulse front distortion.
Time-Variant Seismic Fragility of Offshore Continuous Beam Bridges Based on Collapse Analysis
Authors: Shi Zhaodong , Liang Yan , Cao Yang , Yan Jialei
Published: December 2020

In this paper, the concrete carbonation and chloride-induced corrosion of bridge structure in the service period under the offshore environment were comprehensively considered. Based on the time-varying degradation effect of mechanical properties of materials and continuous damage model, the time-varying seismic fragility of bridge components was analyzed with using incremental dynamic analysis. The time-varying brittleness curves of the bridge system and components were established according to the results of the analysis. According to the analysis of the time-varying fragility of the structure in the complete damage state, the collapse working conditions of the bridge structure and a method of quantifying the fragility coefficient were proposed. The results show that the fragility coefficient of the bridge system is higher than that of the components in the whole life cycle, and all of them increase with the increase of the bridge service cycle. When the peak acceleration of ground is small, the removing of 1# pier is more fragile. When reaching the design service life, the fragility coefficient of the bridge system is about 30% higher than that of the original state. The fragility coefficient of the bridge system in removing of 1# is the maximum value between three working conditions.
Relationship of Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed and Long-Term Average Spectrum with Auditory–Perceptual Analysis
Authors: Antonetti Angélica Emygdio da Silva , Siqueira Larissa Thais Donalonso , Gobbo Maria Paula de Almeida , Brasolotto Alcione Ghedini , Silverio Kelly Cristina Alves
Published: December 2020

Cepstral peak prominence-smoothed (CPPs) and long-term average spectrum (LTAS) are robust measures that represent the glottal source and source-filter interactions, respectively. Until now, little has been known about how physiological events impact auditory–perceptual characteristics in the objective measures of CPPs and LTAS (alpha ratio; L1–L0). Thus, this paper aims to analyze the relationship between such acoustic measures and auditory–perceptual analysis and then determine which acoustic measure best represents voice quality. We analyzed 53 voice samples of vocally healthy participants (vocally healthy group-VHG) and 49 voice samples of participants with behavioral dysphonia (dysphonic group-DG). Each voice sample was composed of sustained vowel /a/ and connected speech. CPPs seem to be the best predictor of voice deviation in both studied populations because there was moderate to strong negative correlations with general degree, breathiness, roughness, and strain (auditory–perceptual parameters). Regarding L1–L0, this measure is related to breathiness (moderate negative correlations). Hence, L1–L0 provides information about air leak through closed glottis, assisting the phonatory efficiency analysis.
Monitoring of Ground Movement and Groundwater Changes in London Using InSAR and GRACE
Authors: Agarwal Vivek , Kumar Amit , L. Gomes Rachel , Marsh Stuart
Published: December 2020

Groundwater-induced land movement can cause damage to property and resources, thus its monitoring is very important for the safety and economics of a city. London is a heavily built-up urban area and relies largely on its groundwater resource and thus poses the threat of land subsidence. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) can facilitate monitoring of land movement and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity anomalies can facilitate groundwater monitoring. For London, no previous study has investigated groundwater variations and related land movement using InSAR and GRACE together. In this paper, we used ENVISAT ASAR C-band SAR images to obtain land movement using Persistent Scatterer InSAR (PSInSAR) technique and GRACE gravity anomalies to obtain groundwater variations between December 2002 and December 2010 for central London. Both experiments showed long-term, decreasing, complex, non-linear patterns in the spatial and temporal domain. The land movement values varied from −6 to +6 mm/year, and their reliability was validated with observed Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, by conducting a two-sample t-test. The average groundwater loss estimated from GRACE was found to be 9.003 MCM/year. The ground movement was compared to observed groundwater values obtained from various boreholes around central London. It was observed that when large volumes of groundwater is extracted then it leads to land subsidence, and when groundwater is recharged then surface uplift is witnessed. The results demonstrate that InSAR and GRACE complement each other and can be an excellent source of monitoring groundwater for hydrologists.
Multi-Time-Scale Features for Accurate Respiratory Sound Classification
Authors: Monaco Alfonso , Amoroso Nicola , Bellantuono Loredana , Pantaleo Ester , Tangaro Sabina , Bellotti Roberto
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the urgency of the developments in computer-assisted medicine and, in particular, the need for automated tools supporting the clinical diagnosis and assessment of respiratory symptoms. This need was already clear to the scientific community, which launched an international challenge in 2017 at the International Conference on Biomedical Health Informatics (ICBHI) for the implementation of accurate algorithms for the classification of respiratory sound. In this work, we present a framework for respiratory sound classification based on two different kinds of features: (i) short-term features which summarize sound properties on a time scale of tenths of a second and (ii) long-term features which assess sounds properties on a time scale of seconds. Using the publicly available dataset provided by ICBHI, we cross-validated the classification performance of a neural network model over 6895 respiratory cycles and 126 subjects. The proposed model reached an accuracy of 85%±3% and an precision of 80%±8%, which compare well with the body of literature. The robustness of the predictions was assessed by comparison with state-of-the-art machine learning tools, such as the support vector machine, Random Forest and deep neural networks. The model presented here is therefore suitable for large-scale applications and for adoption in clinical practice. Finally, an interesting observation is that both short-term and long-term features are necessary for accurate classification, which could be the subject of future studies related to its clinical interpretation.
Future Crop Yield Projections Using a Multi-model Set of Regional Climate Models and a Plausible Adaptation Practice in the Southeast United States
Authors: Shin D. W. , Cocke Steven , Baigorria Guillermo A. , Romero Consuelo C. , Kim Baek-Min , Kim Ki-Young
Published: December 2020

Since maize, peanut, and cotton are economically valuable crops in the southeast United States, their yield amount changes in a future climate are attention-grabbing statistics demanded by associated stakeholders and policymakers. The Crop System Modeling—Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (CSM-DSSAT) models of maize, peanut, and cotton are, respectively, driven by the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) Phase II regional climate models to estimate current (1971–2000) and future (2041–2070) crop yield amounts. In particular, the future weather/climate data are based on the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A2 emissions scenario. The NARCCAP realizations show on average that there will be large temperature increases (~2.7 °C) and minor rainfall decreases (~−0.10 mm/day) with pattern shifts in the southeast United States. With these future climate projections, the overall future crop yield amounts appear to be reduced under rainfed conditions. A better estimate of future crop yield amounts might be achievable by utilizing the so-called weighted ensemble method. It is proposed that the reduced crop yield amounts in the future could be mitigated by altering the currently adopted local planting dates without any irrigation support.
Smart Climate Hydropower Tool: A Machine-Learning Seasonal Forecasting Climate Service to Support Cost–Benefit Analysis of Reservoir Management
Authors: Essenfelder Arthur H. , Larosa Francesca , Mazzoli Paolo , Bagli Stefano , Broccoli Davide , Luzzi Valerio , Mysiak Jaroslav , Mercogliano Paola , dalla Valle Francesco
Published: December 2020

This study proposes a climate service named Smart Climate Hydropower Tool (SCHT) and designed as a hybrid forecast system for supporting decision-making in a context of hydropower production. SCHT is technically designed to make use of information from state-of-art seasonal forecasts provided by the Copernicus Climate Data Store (CDS) combined with a range of different machine learning algorithms to perform the seasonal forecast of the accumulated inflow discharges to the reservoir of hydropower plants. The machine learning algorithms considered include support vector regression, Gaussian processes, long short-term memory, non-linear autoregressive neural networks with exogenous inputs, and a deep-learning neural networks model. Each machine learning model is trained over past decades datasets of recorded data, and forecast performances are validated and evaluated using separate test sets with reference to the historical average of discharge values and simpler multiparametric regressions. Final results are presented to the users through a user-friendly web interface developed from a tied connection with end-users in an effective co-design process. Methods are tested for forecasting the accumulated seasonal river discharges up to six months in advance for two catchments in Colombia, South America. Results indicate that the machine learning algorithms that make use of a complex and/or recurrent architecture can better simulate the temporal dynamic behaviour of the accumulated river discharge inflow to both case study reservoirs, thus rendering SCHT a useful tool in providing information for water resource managers in better planning the allocation of water resources for different users and for hydropower plant managers when negotiating power purchase contracts in competitive energy markets.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals High Similarities between Adult Human Cardiac Stem Cells and Neural Crest-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Höving Anna L. , Sielemann Katharina , Greiner Johannes F. W. , Kaltschmidt Barbara , Knabbe Cornelius , Kaltschmidt Christian
Published: December 2020

For the identification of a stem cell population, the comparison of transcriptome data enables the simultaneous analysis of tens of thousands of molecular markers and thus enables the precise distinction of even closely related populations. Here, we utilized global gene expression profiling to compare two adult human stem cell populations, namely neural crest-derived inferior turbinate stem cells (ITSCs) of the nasal cavity and human cardiac stem cells (hCSCs) from the heart auricle. We detected high similarities between the transcriptomes of both stem cell populations, particularly including a range of neural crest-associated genes. However, global gene expression likewise reflected differences between the stem cell populations with regard to their niches of origin. In a broader analysis, we further identified clear similarities between ITSCs, hCSCs and other adherent stem cell populations compared to non-adherent hematopoietic progenitor cells. In summary, our observations reveal high similarities between adult human cardiac stem cells and neural crest-derived stem cells from the nasal cavity, which include a shared relation to the neural crest. The analyses provided here may help to understand underlying molecular regulators determining differences between adult human stem cell populations.
Solidago virgaurea L.: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities
Authors: Fursenco Cornelia , Calalb Tatiana , Uncu Livia , Dinu Mihaela , Ancuceanu Robert
Published: December 2020

Solidago virgaurea L. (European goldenrod, Woundwort), Asteraceae, is a familiar medicinal plant in Europe and other parts of the world, widely used and among the most researched species from its genus. The aerial parts of European goldenrod have long been used for urinary tract conditions and as an anti-inflammatory agent in the traditional medicine of different peoples. Its main chemical constituents are flavonoids (mainly derived from quercetin and kaempferol), C6-C1 and C6-C3 compounds, terpenes (mostly from the essential oil), and a large number of saponin molecules (mainly virgaureasaponins and solidagosaponins). Published research on its potential activities is critically reviewed here: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, spasmolitic, antihypertensive, diuretic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasite, cytotoxic and antitumor, antimutagenic, antiadipogenic, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, and antisenescence. The evidence concerning its potential benefits is mainly derived from non-clinical studies, some effects are rather modest, whereas others are more promising, but need more confirmation in both non-clinical models and clinical trials.
The Role of Postoperative Radiotherapy for Carcinosarcoma of the Uterus
Authors: Vordermark Dirk , Medenwald Daniel , Izaguirre Victor , Sieker Frank , Marnitz Simone
Published: December 2020

The role of postoperative radiotherapy delivered as external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) or a combination of both, in the management of carcinosarcoma of the uterus is not clearly defined, as only limited randomized trial data are available, indicating a reduction in locoregional recurrences after EBRT. We performed a structured review of data published from 2010. Although no relevant new data from prospective trials or meta-analyses were identified, 14 analyses of cancer registry data from the United States or Europe, focusing predominantly on the endpoint for overall survival, were identified, four of them using propensity-score matching to compare subgroups treated with vs. without radiotherapy. Although stage-by-stage data are rare, the registry analyses support the idea of a beneficial effect, especially of VBT, on overall survival in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IA patients (to a lesser extent in stage IB). For stages II to III, the data sets indicate the largest effects on overall survival for the combination of EBRT and VBT. In all stages, survival effects of radiotherapy apparently persist when given in addition to chemotherapy. Whereas some studies see the strongest survival effects in patients with positive lymph nodes, propensity-score matched data indicate an overall survival effect of radiotherapy (EBRT + VBT or VBT alone) in FIGO stages I to III regardless of lymph node surgery.
Strategies for Cancer Immunotherapy Using Induced Pluripotency Stem Cells-Based Vaccines
Authors: Bernardes de Jesus Bruno , Neves Bruno Miguel , Ferreira Manuela , Nóbrega-Pereira Sandrina
Published: December 2020

Despite improvements in cancer therapy, metastatic solid tumors remain largely incurable. Immunotherapy has emerged as a pioneering and promising approach for cancer therapy and management, and in particular intended for advanced tumors unresponsive to current therapeutics. In cancer immunotherapy, components of the immune system are exploited to eliminate cancer cells and treat patients. The recent clinical successes of immune checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies represent a turning point in cancer treatment. Despite their potential success, current approaches depend on efficient tumor antigen presentation which are often inaccessible, and most tumors turn refractory to current immunotherapy. Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been shown to share several characteristics with cancer (stem) cells (CSCs), eliciting a specific anti-tumoral response when injected in rodent cancer models. Indeed, artificial cellular reprogramming has been widely compared to the biogenesis of CSCs. Here, we will discuss the state-of-the-art on the potential implication of cellular reprogramming and iPSCs for the design of patient-specific immunotherapeutic strategies, debating the similarities between iPSCs and cancer cells and introducing potential strategies that could enhance the efficiency and therapeutic potential of iPSCs-based cancer vaccines.
An Anti-MICA/B Antibody and IL-15 Rescue Altered NKG2D-Dependent NK Cell Responses in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Mantovani Stefania , Varchetta Stefania , Mele Dalila , Donadon Matteo , Torzilli Guido , Soldani Cristiana , Franceschini Barbara , Porta Camillo , Chiellino Silvia , Pedrazzoli Paolo , Santambrogio Roberto , Barabino Matteo , Cigala Claudia , Piccolo Gaetano , Opocher Enrico , Maestri Marcello , Sangiovanni Angelo , Bernuzzi Stefano , Lhospice Florence , Kraiem Manel , Mondelli Mario Umberto , Oliviero Barbara
Published: December 2020

Natural killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in cancer immune surveillance, and activating the receptor/ligand interaction may contribute to control the development and evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the role of the natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) activating receptor and its ligand, the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A and B (MICA/B) in patients with cirrhosis and HCC subjected to surgical resection, patients with cirrhosis and no HCC, and healthy donors (HD). The NKG2D-mediated function was determined in peripheral blood (PB), in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (NK-TIL), and in matched surrounding liver tissue (NK-LIL). A group of patients treated with sorafenib because of clinically advanced HCC was also studied. A humanized anti-MICA/B monoclonal antibody (mAb) was used in in vitro experiments to examine NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Serum concentrations of soluble MICA/B were evaluated by ELISA. IL-15 stimulation increased NKG2D-dependent activity which, however, remained dysfunctional in PB NK cells from HCC patients, in line with the reduced NKG2D expression on NK cells. NK-TIL showed a lower degranulation ability than NK-LIL, which was restored by IL-15 stimulation. Moreover, in vitro IL-15 stimulation enhanced degranulation and interferon-γ production by PB NK from patients at month one of treatment with sorafenib. Anti-MICA/B mAb associated with IL-15 was able to induce PB NK cytotoxicity for primary HCC cells in HD and patients with HCC, who also showed NK-TIL degranulation for autologous primary HCC cells. Our findings highlight the key role of the NKG2D-MICA/B axis in the regulation of NK cell responses in HCC and provide evidence in support of a potentially important role of anti-MICA/B mAb and IL-15 stimulation in HCC immunotherapy.
Mesenchymal Characteristics and Predictive Biomarkers on Circulating Tumor Cells for Therapeutic Strategy
Authors: Okabe Takahiro , Togo Shinsaku , Fujimoto Yuichi , Watanabe Junko , Sumiyoshi Issei , Orimo Akira , Takahashi Kazuhisa
Published: December 2020

Metastasis-related events are the primary cause of cancer-related deaths, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have a pivotal role in metastatic relapse. CTCs include a variety of subtypes with different functional characteristics. Interestingly, the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers expressed in CTCs are strongly associated with poor clinical outcome and related to the acquisition of circulating tumor stem cell (CTSC) features. Recent studies have revealed the existence of CTC clusters, also called circulating tumor microemboli (CTM), which have a high metastatic potential. In this review, we present current opinions regarding the clinical significance of CTCs and CTM with a mesenchymal phenotype as clinical surrogate markers, and we summarize the therapeutic strategy according to phenotype characterization of CTCs in various types of cancers for future precision medicine.
Centromeric KIR AA Individuals Harbor Particular KIR Alleles Conferring Beneficial NK Cell Features with Implications in Haplo-Identical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Dubreuil Léa , Maniangou Bercelin , Chevallier Patrice , Quéméner Agnès , Legrand Nolwenn , Béné Marie C. , Willem Catherine , David Gaëlle , Alizadeh Mehdi , Makanga Dhon Roméo , Cesbron Anne , Gendzekhadze Ketevan , Gagne Katia , Retière Christelle
Published: December 2020

We have recently shown a broad disparity of Natural Killer (NK) cell responses against leukemia highlighting good and bad responders resting on the Killer cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) and HLA genetics. In this study, we deeply studied KIR2D allele expression, HLA-C recognition and functional effect on NK cells in 108 blood donors in combining high-resolution KIR allele typing and multicolor flow cytometry. The KIR2DL1*003 allotype is associated with centromeric (cen) AA motif and confers the highest NK cell frequency, expression level and strength of KIR/HLA-C interactions compared to the KIR2DL1*002 and KIR2DL1*004 allotypes respectively associated with cenAB and BB motifs. KIR2DL2*001 and *003 allotypes negatively affect the frequency of KIR2DL1+ and KIR2DL3+ NK cells. Altogether, our data suggest that cenAA individuals display more efficient KIR2DL alleles (L1*003 and L3*001) to mount a consistent frequency of KIR2DL+ NK cells and to confer an effective NK cell responsiveness. The transposition of our in vitro observations in the T-replete haplo-identical HSCT context led us to observe that cenAA HSC grafts limit significantly the incidence of relapse in patients with myeloid diseases after T-replete haplo-identical HSCT. As NK cells are crucial in HSCT reconstitution, one could expect that the consideration of KIR2DL1/2/3 allelic polymorphism could help to refine scores used for HSC donor selection.
Comparative Transcriptomics Analyses in Livers of Mice, Humans, and Humanized Mice Define Human-Specific Gene Networks
Authors: Jiang Chengfei , Li Ping , Ruan Xiangbo , Ma Yonghe , Kawai Kenji , Suemizu Hiroshi , Cao Haiming
Published: December 2020

Mouse is the most widely used animal model in biomedical research, but it remains unknown what causes the large number of differentially regulated genes between human and mouse livers identified in recent years. In this report, we aim to determine whether these divergent gene regulations are primarily caused by environmental factors or some of them are the result of cell-autonomous differences in gene regulation in human and mouse liver cells. The latter scenario would suggest that many human genes are subject to human-specific regulation and can only be adequately studied in a human or humanized system. To understand the similarity and divergence of gene regulation between human and mouse livers, we performed stepwise comparative analyses in human, mouse, and humanized livers with increased stringency to gradually remove the impact of factors external to liver cells, and used bioinformatics approaches to retrieve gene networks to ascertain the regulated biological processes. We first compared liver gene regulation by fatty liver disease in human and mouse under the condition where the impact of genetic and gender biases was minimized, and identified over 50% of all commonly regulated genes, that exhibit opposite regulation by fatty liver disease in human and mouse. We subsequently performed more stringent comparisons when a single specific transcriptional or post-transcriptional event was modulated in vitro or vivo or in liver-specific humanized mice in which human and mouse hepatocytes colocalize and share a common circulation. Intriguingly and strikingly, the pattern of a high percentage of oppositely regulated genes persists under well-matched conditions, even in the liver of the humanized mouse model, which represents the most closely matched in vivo condition for human and mouse liver cells that is experimentally achievable. Gene network analyses further corroborated the results of oppositely regulated genes and revealed substantial differences in regulated biological processes in human and mouse cells. We also identified a list of regulated lncRNAs that exhibit very limited conservation and could contribute to these differential gene regulations. Our data support that cell-autonomous differences in gene regulation might contribute substantially to the divergent gene regulation between human and mouse livers and there are a significant number of biological processes that are subject to human-specific regulation and need to be carefully considered in the process of mouse to human translation.