bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant Potential of Non-Extractable Fractions of Dried Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Mochida Naoko , Matsumura Yoko , Kitabatake Masahiro , Ito Toshihiro , Kayano Shin-ichi , Kikuzaki Hiroe
Published: August 2022

Oxidative stress causes the progression of diabetes and its complications; thus, maintaining the balance between reactive oxygen species produced by hyperglycemia and the antioxidant defense system is important. We herein examined the antioxidant potential of non-extractable fractions of dried persimmon (NEP) against oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes (50 mg/kg body weight) were administered NEP for 9 weeks. Antioxidant enzyme activities and concentration of antioxidants in liver tissues were analyzed with a microplate reader. Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle fibers were stained with succinate dehydrogenase and muscle fiber sizes were measured. The administration of NEP increased the body weight of diabetes rats. Regarding antioxidant activities, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity and superoxide dismutase activity in liver tissues significantly increased. In addition, increases in glutathione peroxidase activity in liver tissues and reductions in the cross-sectional area of EDL muscle fibers were significantly suppressed. In these results, NEP improved the antioxidant defense system in the liver tissues of diabetic rats, in addition to attenuating of muscle fibers atrophy against oxidative damage induced by hyperglycemia.
Special Issue on Robotic-Based Technologies for Rehabilitation and Assistance
Authors: Lee Giuk
Published: August 2022

Robotic technology designed to assist rehabilitation can potentially increase the efficiency of and accessibility to therapy by assisting therapists in providing consistent training for extended periods of time and collecting data to assess progress [...]
Typhoon Track Prediction Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Ren Jia , Xu Nan , Cui Yani
Published: August 2022

China is located in the northwest Pacific region where typhoons occur frequently, and every year typhoons make landfall and cause large or small economic losses or even casualties. Therefore, how to predict typhoon paths more accurately has undoubtedly become an important research topic nowadays. Therefore, this paper predicts the path of typhoons formed in the South China Sea based on deep learning. This paper combines the CNN network and the LSTM network to build a C-LSTM typhoon path prediction model, using the typhoon paths and related meteorological variables formed in the South China Sea from 1949 to 2021 as the data set, and using the Granger causality test to select multiple features for the data set to achieve data dimensionality reduction. Finally, by comparing the experiments with the LSTM typhoon path prediction model, it is proved that the prediction results of the model have smaller errors.
Evaluating Skill of the Keetch–Byram Drought Index, Vapour Pressure Deficit and Water Potential for Determining Bushfire Potential in Jamaica
Authors: Charlton Candice , Stephenson Tannecia , Taylor Michael A. , Campbell Jayaka
Published: August 2022

Bushfire management which incorporates fire potential indices is still in its infancy in Jamaica and the Caribbean. In this study three bushfire potential indices—Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI), Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) and Water Potential (Ψw)—are calculated for south-central Jamaica where bushfire frequencies are highest. The skills of the indices are evaluated using their representation of the normalised bushfire climatology, monthly and seasonal (December–March/DJFM; April–June/AMJ; July–August/JA and September–November/SON) fire variability for the periods 2013–2017, 2010–2019 and 2001–2019. Fire data are obtained from the MODIS C6 Archive and Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB). The relationship between the fire indices and large-scale oceanic and atmospheric features are also examined. The results suggest that Ψw exhibits strong correlations with the MODIS and JFB climatologies and represents well the maxima in March and July and the local minima in May–June and October. Ψw and VPDI also show good hit rates for moderate and high-risk categories in south-central Jamaica (though with relatively high false alarm rates). Regression models premised on Ψw and VPD respectively show good skill in representing AMJ (R2 = 57–58%), SON (R2 = 57–58%) and JA (R2 = 57–60%) fire variability. Variability during DJFM is poorly captured by any fire index. Although the KBDI represents the normalised climatology reasonably well its peaks occur one month later, that is, in April and August. KBDI exhibits strong and statistically significant correlations with JFB and MODIS climatologies, but seasonal models premised on KBDI do not perform as well as for the other two indices except in JA. All indices had a statistically significant relationship on both monthly and 1 month lag time scales for NINO3 and TNA-NINO3 large-scale climate indices. The indices, and in particular Ψw, show good prospects for producing seasonal bushfire outlooks for south-central Jamaica and Jamaica in general. These results also suggest the usefulness of monitoring large-scale oceanic patterns as part of the monitoring framework for bushfires in the island.
The Impacts of Low-Carbon City Pilot Projects on Carbon Emissions in China
Authors: Tu Zhengge , Cao Yu , Kong Jiayang
Published: August 2022

Here, we assessed the impact of low-carbon city pilot projects on carbon emissions across China through application of a series of econometric techniques to data on these three waves of low-carbon city construction. Our baseline results are obtained from a difference-in-differences estimator, comparing cities with and without introducing low-carbon city pilot projects, and show that low-carbon city pilot projects reduce carbon emissions by about 2 percentage points. We found a similar impact of low-carbon city pilot projects on carbon emissions when we controlled for the estimated propensity of a city to launch the low-carbon city pilot project based on a series of urban characteristics. We obtained comparable estimates when we instrumented whether a city would launch the low-carbon city pilot projects using regional waves of low-carbon city pilot projects. Our results also show that low-carbon city pilot projects have a larger impact on carbon emissions in northern, poorer, and less industrialized cities than those with the opposite characteristics. We found little evidence for the persistence of this impact on carbon emissions, implying that it is necessary to dynamically adjust the low-carbon city pilot projects for cities that have launched the project.
Impacts of Air Pollution and Dampness on Occupant Respiratory Health in Unplanned Houses: A Case Study of Bandung, Indonesia
Authors: Sani Hanief , Kubota Tetsu , Sumi Jumpei , Surahman Usep
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the results from field measurements and household surveys on the severity of indoor mold risk and its impact on respiratory health in a typical unplanned neighborhood of kampungs in Bandung, Indonesia. Mold risk was investigated using fungal risk detectors (n = 102), while air pollution levels were established with total suspended particulate (TSP) and particulate matter (PM2.5) (n = 38). The self-reported prevalence of respiratory diseases was obtained using a questionnaire form (ATS-DLD-78) (n = 599). The results showed that respiratory health problems were higher in the rainy season, particularly among children. Most houses suffered from severe mold risk, primarily due to extreme humid weather conditions, especially during rainy season (97%) where water leakage was prevalent (60%). In addition, the TSP and PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the WHO standards in most kampung houses, where around 58% of the houses recorded higher outdoor mean PM2.5 concentrations than indoors. Further, the path analysis showed that allergies followed by humidity rate and smell, which were affected by window-opening duration, directly impacted children’s respiratory health. Smoking behavior and building-related health problems, due to exposure to outdoor air pollution, affected the respiratory health of those aged 15 years old and over.
Estimating PM2.5 Concentrations Using an Improved Land Use Regression Model in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Zheng Sheng , Zhang Chengjie , Wu Xue
Published: August 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution affects the environment and poses threat to human health. The study of the influence of land use and other factors on PM2.5 is crucial for the rational development and utilization of territorial space. To explore the intrinsic mechanism between PM2.5 pollution and related factors, this study used the land use regression (LUR) model, and introduced geographically weighted regression (GWR), and random forest (RF) to optimize the basic LUR model. The basic LUR model was constructed to predict the annual average PM2.5 concentrations using three elements: artificial surfaces, forest land, and wind speed as explanatory variables, with adjusted R2 of 0.645. The improved LUR models based on GWR and RF, with an adjusted R2 of 0.767 and 0.821, respectively, show better fitting effects. The LUR simulation results show that the PM2.5 pollution in the northern Zhejiang is more serious and concentrated. The concentrations are also higher in regions such as the river valley plains in central Zhejiang and the coastal plains in southeastern Zhejiang. These findings show that pollution emissions should be further reduced and environmental protection should be strengthened.
Biological Impact of γ-Fe2O3 Magnetic Nanoparticles Obtained by Laser Target Evaporation: Focus on Magnetic Biosensor Applications
Authors: Fadeyev Fedor A. , Blyakhman Felix A. , Safronov Alexander P. , Melnikov Grigory Yu. , Nikanorova Anastasia D. , Novoselova Iuliia P. , Kurlyandskaya Galina V.
Published: August 2022

The biological activity of γ-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), obtained by the laser target evaporation technique, was studied, with a focus on their possible use in biosensor applications. The biological effect of the MNPs was investigated in vitro on the primary cultures of human dermal fibroblasts. The effects of the MNPs contained in culture medium or MNPs already uptaken by cells were evaluated for the cases of the fibroblast’s proliferation and secretion of cytokines and collagen. For the tests related to the contribution of the constant magnetic field to the biological activity of MNPs, a magnetic system for the creation of the external magnetic field (having no commercial analogues) was designed, calibrated, and used. It was adapted to the size of standard 24-well cell culture plates. At low concentrations of MNPs, uptake by fibroblasts had stimulated their proliferation. Extracellular MNPs stimulated the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Interleukin-8 (IL-8) or chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8 (CXCL8)) in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the presence of MNPs did not increase the collagen secretion. The exposure to the uniform constant magnetic field (H ≈ 630 or 320 Oe), oriented in the plane of the well, did not cause considerable changes in fibroblasts proliferation and secretion, regardless of presence of MNPs. Statistically significant differences were detected only in the levels of IL-8/CXCL8 release.
Recent Advances in Stretchable and Wearable Capacitive Electrophysiological Sensors for Long-Term Health Monitoring
Authors: Ullah Hadaate , Wahab Md A. , Will Geoffrey , Karim Mohammad R. , Pan Taisong , Gao Min , Lai Dakun , Lin Yuan , Miraz Mahdi H.
Published: August 2022

Over the past several years, wearable electrophysiological sensors with stretchability have received significant research attention because of their capability to continuously monitor electrophysiological signals from the human body with minimal body motion artifacts, long-term tracking, and comfort for real-time health monitoring. Among the four different sensors, i.e., piezoresistive, piezoelectric, iontronic, and capacitive, capacitive sensors are the most advantageous owing to their reusability, high durability, device sterilization ability, and minimum leakage currents between the electrode and the body to reduce the health risk arising from any short circuit. This review focuses on the development of wearable, flexible capacitive sensors for monitoring electrophysiological conditions, including the electrode materials and configuration, the sensing mechanisms, and the fabrication strategies. In addition, several design strategies of flexible/stretchable electrodes, body-to-electrode signal transduction, and measurements have been critically evaluated. We have also highlighted the gaps and opportunities needed for enhancing the suitability and practical applicability of wearable capacitive sensors. Finally, the potential applications, research challenges, and future research directions on stretchable and wearable capacitive sensors are outlined in this review.
Impact of Distribution of a Tip Sheet to Increase Early Detection and Prevention Behavior among First-Degree Relatives of Melanoma Patients: A Randomized Cluster Trial
Authors: Marcé Diane , Le Vilain-Abraham Floriane , Bridou Morgiane , Quéreux Gaelle , Dupuy Alain , Lesimple Thierry , Le Corre Yannick , Wierzbicka-Hainaut Ewa , Legoupil Delphine , Célérier Philippe , Maillard Hervé , Machet Laurent , Caille Agnès
Published: August 2022

Background: First-degree relatives (FDRs, defined as parents, children, and siblings) of melanoma patients are at a two-to-fivefold increased risk of developing melanoma themselves. FDRs are advised to perform self-skin examination (SSE) and annual medical total cutaneous examination (TCE) performed either by a dermatologist or a general practitioner, and to change their sun-related behavior. This advice is given orally to melanoma patients who are asked to relay the information to their FDRs. Objective: Our aim was to determine the impact of providing a tip sheet to melanoma patients intended to their first-degree relatives (FDRs) on early detection and sun-related behaviors in this group at increased risk of melanoma. Methods: A superiority, cluster-randomized trial was conducted at nine hospital centers. In the intervention group, dermatologists were asked to deliver to melanoma patients (index cases) the tip sheet and oral advice intended to their FDRs. The control group were asked to deliver the usual oral advice alone. The primary outcome was early detection of melanoma in FDRs with a medical TCE performed within one year after the first visit of the index case. Secondary outcomes were SSE and sun-related behaviors in FDRs. Results: A total of 48 index cases and 114 FDRS in the control group, 60 index cases and 166 FDRS in the intervention group were recruited. In the intervention group, 36.1% of FDRs performed a medical TCE as compared to 39.5% of FDRs in the control group (OR 0.9 [95% CI 0.5 to 1.5], p = 0.63). We did not find a between-group difference in SSE and sun-related behaviors. Conclusion: A tip sheet added to the usual oral advice did not increase medical TCE among FDRs of melanoma patients. Overall, the rate of TCE among FDRs was low. Research on other strategies is needed to increase melanoma detection in this population.
Characterisation of an Atrx Conditional Knockout Mouse Model: Atrx Loss Causes Endocrine Dysfunction Rather Than Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumour
Authors: Gaspar Tiago Bordeira , Macedo Sofia , Sá Ana , Soares Mariana Alves , Rodrigues Daniela Ferreira , Sousa Mafalda , Mendes Nuno , Martins Rui Sousa , Cardoso Luís , Borges Inês , Canberk Sule , Gärtner Fátima , Miranda-Alves Leandro , Sobrinho-Simões Manuel , Lopes José Manuel , Soares Paula , Vinagre João
Published: August 2022

ATRX is a chromatin remodeller that maintains telomere homeostasis. Loss of ATRX is described in approximately 10% of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PanNETs) and associated with poorer prognostic features. Here, we present a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) addressing the role of Atrx loss (AtrxKO) in pancreatic β cells, evaluating a large cohort of ageing mice (for up to 24 months (mo.)). Atrx loss did not cause PanNET formation but rather resulted in worsening of ageing-related pancreatic inflammation and endocrine dysfunction in the first year of life. Histopathological evaluation highlighted an exacerbated prevalence and intensity of pancreatic inflammation, ageing features, and hepatic steatosis in AtrxKO mice. Homozygous floxed mice presented hyperglycaemia, increased weights, and glucose intolerance after 6 months, but alterations in insulinaemia were not detected. Floxed individuals presented an improper growth of their pancreatic endocrine fraction that may explain such an endocrine imbalance. A pilot study of BRACO-19 administration to AtrxKO mice resulted in telomere instability, reinforcing the involvement of Atrx in the maintenance of β cell telomere homeostasis. Thereby, a non-obese dysglycaemic GEMM of disrupted Atrx is here presented as potentially useful for metabolic studies and putative candidate for inserting additional tumourigenic genetic events.
Possible Bias in Supervised Deep Learning Algorithms for CT Lung Nodule Detection and Classification
Authors: Sourlos Nikos , Wang Jingxuan , Nagaraj Yeshaswini , van Ooijen Peter , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn
Published: August 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms for automatic lung nodule detection and classification can assist radiologists in their daily routine of chest CT evaluation. Even though many AI algorithms for these tasks have already been developed, their implementation in the clinical workflow is still largely lacking. Apart from the significant number of false-positive findings, one of the reasons for that is the bias that these algorithms may contain. In this review, different types of biases that may exist in chest CT AI nodule detection and classification algorithms are listed and discussed. Examples from the literature in which each type of bias occurs are presented, along with ways to mitigate these biases. Different types of biases can occur in chest CT AI algorithms for lung nodule detection and classification. Mitigation of them can be very difficult, if not impossible to achieve completely.
Identification of Immune Cell Components in Breast Tissues by a Multiparametric Flow Cytometry Approach
Authors: Coppola Luigi , Smaldone Giovanni , D’aiuto Massimiliano , D’aiuto Giuseppe , Mossetti Gennaro , Rinaldo Massimo , Verticilo Simona , Nicolai Emanuele , Salvatore Marco , Mirabelli Peppino
Published: August 2022

Immune cell components are able to infiltrate tumor tissues, and different reports described the presence of infiltrating immune cells (TILs) in several types of solid tumors, including breast cancer. The primary immune cell component cells are reported as a lymphocyte population mainly comprising the cytotoxic (CD8+) T cells, with varying proportions of helper (CD4+) T cells and CD19+ B cells, and rarely NK cells. In clinical practice, an expert pathologist commonly detects TILs areas in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained histological slides via light microscopy. Moreover, other more in-depth approaches could be used to better define the immunological component associated with tumor tissues. Using a multiparametric flow cytometry approach, we have studied the immune cells obtained from breast tumor tissues compared to benign breast pathologies. A detailed evaluation of immune cell components was performed on 15 and 14 biopsies obtained from breast cancer and fibroadenoma subjects, respectively. The percentage of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes was significantly higher in breast cancer patients compared to patients with fibroadenoma. Infiltrating helper T lymphocytes were increased in the case of malignant breast lesions, while cytotoxic T lymphocytes disclosed an opposite trend. In addition, our data suggest that the synergistic effect of the presence/activation of NK cells and NKT cells, in line with the data in the literature, determines the dampening of the immune response. Moreover, the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio was calculated and was completely altered in patients with breast cancer. Our approach could be a potent prognostic factor to be used in diagnostic/therapeutic purposes for the improvement of breast cancer patients’ management.
Circulating Cells with Macrophage-like Characteristics in Cancer: The Importance of Circulating Neoplastic-Immune Hybrid Cells in Cancer
Authors: Sutton Thomas L. , Patel Ranish K. , Anderson Ashley N. , Bowden Stephen G. , Whalen Riley , Giske Nicole R. , Wong Melissa H.
Published: August 2022

Cancer remains a significant cause of mortality in developed countries, due in part to difficulties in early detection, understanding disease biology, and assessing treatment response. If effectively harnessed, circulating biomarkers promise to fulfill these needs through non-invasive “liquid” biopsy. While tumors disseminate genetic material and cellular debris into circulation, identifying clinically relevant information from these analytes has proven difficult. In contrast, cell-based circulating biomarkers have multiple advantages, including a source for tumor DNA and protein, and as a cellular reflection of the evolving tumor. While circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have dominated the circulating cell biomarker field, their clinical utility beyond that of prognostication has remained elusive, due to their rarity. Recently, two novel populations of circulating tumor-immune hybrid cells in cancer have been characterized: cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs) and circulating hybrid cells (CHCs). CAMLs are macrophage-like cells containing phagocytosed tumor material, while CHCs can result from cell fusion between cancer and immune cells and play a role in the metastatic cascade. Both are detected in higher numbers than CTCs in peripheral blood and demonstrate utility in prognostication and assessing treatment response. Additionally, both cell populations are heterogeneous in their genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic signatures, and thus have the potential to inform on heterogeneity within tumors. Herein, we review the advances in this exciting field.
Lipoprotein Deprivation Reveals a Cholesterol-Dependent Therapeutic Vulnerability in Diffuse Glioma Metabolism
Authors: Wood James , Abdelrazig Salah , Evseev Sergey , Ortori Catherine , Castellanos-Uribe Marcos , May Sean T. , Barrett David A. , Diksin Mohammed , Chakraborty Sajib , Kim Dong-Hyun , Grundy Richard G. , Rahman Ruman
Published: August 2022

Poor outcomes associated with diffuse high-grade gliomas occur in both adults and children, despite substantial progress made in the molecular characterisation of the disease. Targeting the metabolic requirements of cancer cells represents an alternative therapeutic strategy to overcome the redundancy associated with cell signalling. Cholesterol is an integral component of cell membranes and is required by cancer cells to maintain growth and may also drive transformation. Here, we show that removal of exogenous cholesterol in the form of lipoproteins from culture medium was detrimental to the growth of two paediatric diffuse glioma cell lines, KNS42 and SF188, in association with S-phase elongation and a transcriptomic program, indicating dysregulated cholesterol homeostasis. Interrogation of metabolic perturbations under lipoprotein-deficient conditions revealed a reduced abundance of taurine-related metabolites and cholesterol ester species. Pharmacological reduction in intracellular cholesterol via decreased uptake and increased export was simulated using the liver X receptor agonist LXR-623, which reduced cellular viability in both adult and paediatric models of diffuse glioma, although the mechanism appeared to be cholesterol-independent in the latter. These results provide proof-of-principle for further assessment of liver X receptor agonists in paediatric diffuse glioma to complement the currently approved therapeutic regimens and expand the options available to clinicians to treat this highly debilitating disease.
Ultra Deep Sequencing of Circulating Cell-Free DNA as a Potential Tool for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Management
Authors: Higuera Mónica , Vargas-Accarino Elena , Torrens María , Gregori Josep , Salcedo María Teresa , Martínez-Campreciós Joan , Torres Gloria , Bermúdez-Ramos María , Bilbao Itxarone , Guerrero-Murillo Mercedes , Serres-Créixams Xavier , Merino Xavier , Rodríguez-Frías Francisco , Quer Josep , Mínguez Beatriz
Published: August 2022

Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations have been described to be inversely correlated with prognosis in cancer. Mutations in HCC-associated driver genes in cfDNA have been reported, but their relation with patient’s outcome has not been described. Our aim was to elucidate whether mutations found in cfDNA could be representative from those present in HCC tissue, providing the rationale to use the cfDNA to monitor HCC. Methods: Tumoral tissue, paired nontumor adjacent tissue and blood samples were collected from 30 HCC patients undergoing curative therapies. Deep sequencing targeting HCC driver genes was performed. Results: Patients with more than 2 ng/µL of cfDNA at diagnosis had higher mortality (mean OS 24.6 vs. 31.87 months, p = 0.01) (AUC = 0.782). Subjects who died during follow-up, had a significantly higher number of mutated genes (p = 0.015) and number of mutations (p = 0.015) on cfDNA. Number of mutated genes (p = 0.001), detected mutations (p = 0.001) in cfDNA and ratio (number of mutations/cfDNA) (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with recurrence. However, patients with a ratio (number of mutations/cfDNA) above 6 (long-rank p = 0.0003) presented a higher risk of recurrence than those with a ratio under 6. Detection of more than four mutations in cfDNA correlated with higher risk of death (long-rank p = 0.042). Conclusions: In summary, cfDNA and detection of prevalent HCC mutations could have prognostic implications in early-stage HCC patients
Predictive Biomarkers of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: Current and Future Perspectives for Precision Medicine
Authors: Derouane Françoise , van Marcke Cédric , Berlière Martine , Gerday Amandine , Fellah Latifa , Leconte Isabelle , Van Bockstal Mieke R. , Galant Christine , Corbet Cyril , Duhoux Francois P.
Published: August 2022

Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer is correlated with better survival. Meanwhile, an expanding arsenal of post-neoadjuvant treatment strategies have proven beneficial in the absence of pCR, leading to an increased use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with early breast cancer and the search for predictive biomarkers of response. The better prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy could enable the escalation or de-escalation of neoadjuvant treatment strategies, with the ultimate goal of improving the clinical management of early breast cancer. Clinico-pathological prognostic factors are currently used to estimate the potential benefit of neoadjuvant systemic treatment but are not accurate enough to allow for personalized response prediction. Other factors have recently been proposed but are not yet implementable in daily clinical practice or remain of limited utility due to the intertumoral heterogeneity of breast cancer. In this review, we describe the current knowledge about predictive factors for response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients and highlight the future perspectives that could lead to the better prediction of response, focusing on the current biomarkers used for clinical decision making and the different gene signatures that have recently been proposed for patient stratification and the prediction of response to therapies. We also discuss the intratumoral phenotypic heterogeneity in breast cancers as well as the emerging techniques and relevant pre-clinical models that could integrate this biological factor currently limiting the reliable prediction of response to neoadjuvant systemic therapy.
Development of Olaparib-Resistance Prostate Cancer Cell Lines to Identify Mechanisms Associated with Acquired Resistance
Authors: Cahuzac Maxime , Péant Benjamin , Mes-Masson Anne-Marie , Saad Fred
Published: August 2022

Background: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) were initially deployed to target breast and ovarian tumors with mutations in DNA damage response genes. Recently, PARPi have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of prostate cancer (PC) patients having exhausted conventional therapeutics. Despite demonstrating promising response rates, all patients treated with PARPi eventually develop resistance. However, PARPi resistance in PC is not well understood, and further studies are required to understand PARPi resistance in PC to propose strategies to circumvent resistance. Methods: Starting from well-established olaparib-sensitive PC cell lines (LNCaP, C4-2B and DU145), we derived olaparib-resistant (OR) PC cell lines and performed a microarray analysis. Results: The olaparib IC50 values of OR cell lines increased significantly as compared to the parental cell lines. Gene expression analyses revealed that different pathways, including DNA repair, cell cycle regulation and autophagy, were affected by acquired resistance. A total of 195 and 87 genes were significantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in all three OR cell lines compared to their parental counterparts. Among these genes, we selected BRCC3, ROCK2 and ATG2B for validation. We showed that ROCK2 expression, basal autophagy and homologous recombination (HR) efficiency were increased in all OR cell lines. Conclusions: Our study provides a new in vitro model to study PARPi resistance in PC and suggests new possible targets to reverse resistance and prolong the benefits of PARPi treatment.
Grade 3–4 Immune-Related Adverse Events Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients Are Correlated with Better Outcome: A Real-Life Observational Study
Authors: Guezour Nadia , Soussi Ghassen , Brosseau Solenn , Abbar Baptiste , Naltet Charles , Vauchier Charles , Poté Nicolas , Hachon Lorry , Namour Céline , Khalil Antoine , Trédaniel Jean , Zalcman Gérard , Gounant Valérie
Published: August 2022

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been a major advance in treating non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Programmed cell death protein-1/programmed death-ligand 1 blockade enhances immune function, mediating anti-tumor activity, yet causing immune-related adverse events (irAEs). We investigated the prognostic role of Grade 3–4 irAEs on overall survival (OS). Methods: This observational study recruited advanced NSCLC patients who received ICIs at Bichat-Claude Bernard University Hospital and in a community hospital, Saint-Joseph Foundation (Paris), between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2019. Immunotherapy as a single-agent or double-drug combination was applied in the first and later lines. Univariable and multivariable analyses were instrumental in evaluating the prognostic impact of irAEs. Results: Overall, 201 consecutive ICI-treated patients were enrolled. High-grade irAEs (Grades 3–4) occurred in 36 patients (17.9%), including 11 (30.5%) cases of pneumonitis, 8 (22.2%) of colitis, 4 (11.1%) hepatic, 3 (8.3%) dermatological, 2 (5.5%) neurological events, and 2 cases (5.5%) of poly-arthralgia. The median OS was 10.4 ± 1.36 months (95% CI:7.7–13.1), being significantly higher in patients with high-grade irAEs than those without, 27.8 months vs. 8.1 months, respectively (HR = 2.5; p < 0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed an independent association between high-grade irAEs and longer OS (HR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.2–0.6, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Our real-life study confirms that high-grade irAEs predict longer OS in advanced NSCLC.
Review of Current Human Genome-Scale Metabolic Models for Brain Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Kishk Ali , Pacheco Maria Pires , Heurtaux Tony , Sinkkonen Lasse , Pang Jun , Fritah Sabrina , Niclou Simone P. , Sauter Thomas
Published: August 2022

Brain disorders represent 32% of the global disease burden, with 169 million Europeans affected. Constraint-based metabolic modelling and other approaches have been applied to predict new treatments for these and other diseases. Many recent studies focused on enhancing, among others, drug predictions by generating generic metabolic models of brain cells and on the contextualisation of the genome-scale metabolic models with expression data. Experimental flux rates were primarily used to constrain or validate the model inputs. Bi-cellular models were reconstructed to study the interaction between different cell types. This review highlights the evolution of genome-scale models for neurodegenerative diseases and glioma. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of each approach and propose improvements, such as building bi-cellular models, tailoring the biomass formulations for glioma and refinement of the cerebrospinal fluid composition.
Sonochemical Synthesis of Nanostructured Ni-Fe-C System and Its Catalytic Activity Based on Decolorization of Reactive Black 5 Dye
Authors: Garibay Febles Vicente , Melo-Máximo Dulce Viridiana , Hernández Perez Isaías , Suárez Parra Raúl , Espinoza-Tapia Julio César , Luna Paz Ricardo , Diaz-Barriga Arceo Lucia , Rivera Olvera Jesús Noé , Melo-Máximo Lizbeth , González-Reyes Leonardo
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the thermal decomposition of acetyl acetonates of Ni(II) and Fe(III) via a sonochemical process at 20 kHz for 50 min. In the absence of magnetic fields the reactions of Ni(II) and Fe(III) acetyl acetonates under ultrasonic treatment produce Ni(OH)2 and FeO(OH) nanoparticles coated with carbon. The synthesized materials with different Ni-Fe stoichiometries, Ni90-Fe10, Ni80-Fe20, and Ni50-Fe50 wt%, were subjected to catalytic activity for dye decolorization of Reactive Black 5 (RB5, 100 mg/L) at room temperature using visible radiation. The correlation between the structural and optoelectronic properties and the catalytic performance of the Ni-Fe system with different stoichiometries is reported.
Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the CoFeNiMnMox High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Liu Yongqin , Zhu Man , Yao Lijuan , Jian Zengyun
Published: August 2022

In this study, the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of CoFeNiMnMox high-entropy alloy after adding Mo were investigated. With the increase in Mo content, Mo atoms occupied lattice sites and the microstructure changed from hypoeutectic of primary FCC-phase to Laves phase particles of FCC-phase, and Vickers microhardness increased steadily from 193 to 357. The yield strength increased from 187 MPa when the Mo content was 0.25 to 537 MPa when the Mo content was 1.0. The microstructure formation can be explained by atomic size difference δ and parameter ΔχA. δ ≥ 3.87% and ΔχA ≥ 5.24% criterion is proposed to better predict the microstructure formation of the coexistence of (FCC + Laves) phases.
Land Use, Microorganisms, and Soil Organic Carbon: Putting the Pieces Together
Authors: Mo Lingzi , Zanella Augusto , Bolzonella Cristian , Squartini Andrea , Xu Guo-Liang , Banas Damien , Rosatti Mauro , Longo Enrico , Pindo Massimo , Concheri Giuseppe , Fritz Ines , Ranzani Giulia , Bellonzi Marco , Campagnolo Marco , Casarotto Daniele , Longo Michele , Linnyk Vitalyi , Ihlein Lucas , Yeomans Allan James
Published: August 2022

We set out to study what biodiversity is, and how it can be influenced by human activities. To carry out this research, we looked for two, relatively closed, natural small-island systems: one little-influenced by human settlement and another equivalent (same vegetation series aligned 200 m from the first) but heavily settled. In these two environments, two transects were created in 10 subecosystems, from the sea to the mainland. We sought similar subecosystems in both places. We selected a series of eight points along the same gradient in the two environments, with two additional nonoverlapping points, specific to “natural plus” or “natural minus”. We studied soil microorganisms and arthropods to have a large number of cases (OTUs) available, and also studied the microorganisms’ phylogenetic status. We also compared biodiversity with soil organic carbon (SOC) content, using two SOC measurement systems (with and without litter), to understand biodiversity starting from its potential source of food (SOC). The results surprised us: the biodiversity indices are higher in the anthropized environment; the level of biodiversity of these microorganisms (OTUs) is linked to the quantity of organic carbon measured in the first 30 cm of soil with two different methods, Carbon Still Yeomans (650 g of soil sample) and Skalar Primacs ATC-100-IC-E (1 g of soil sample). The following forced line at the origin explains 85% of the variance: Shannon–Wiener’s H = 1.42 • ln (TOC400); where ln = natural logarithm and TOC400 = organic carbon lost from a soil sample raised to 400 °C. The concept of biodiversity merges with that of survival: the more species there are, the better they are organized among themselves in the process of food consumption (SOC utilization), and the better they will be able to transform the environment to survive and evolve with it. We wanted to identify the differences in soil biodiversity of natural and anthropogenic ecosystems, to offer evidence-providing tools to land managers to achieve more ecologically efficient managing practices.
ACTH-Independent Cushing’s Syndrome Caused by an Ectopic Adrenocortical Adenoma in the Renal Hilum
Authors: Hao Zhixin , Ding Jie , Huo Li , Luo Yaping
Published: August 2022

We report a rare case of Cushing’s syndrome induced by an ectopic adrenocortical adenoma. A 57-year-old woman was diagnosed with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing’s syndrome based on clinical manifestation and laboratory information. She was found to have a mass in the left renal hilum via contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). The mass was negative, as seen in somatostatin receptor imaging with 99mTc-hydrazinonicotinyl-Tyr3-octreotide (HYNIC-TOC), and showed mild fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) activity via positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. The results of adrenal venous sampling suggested a left-side adrenal origin of hypercortisolism, possibly secreted by the mass in the renal hilum. Histopathology after surgical resection of the mass confirmed an ectopic adrenocortical adenoma, which was responsible for the patient’s Cushing’s syndrome. During the 8-month follow-up after surgery, no recurrence of Cushing’s syndrome was found.
Application of A U-Net for Map-like Segmentation and Classification of Discontinuous Fibrosis Distribution in Gd-EOB-DTPA-Enhanced Liver MRI
Authors: Strotzer Quirin David , Winther Hinrich , Utpatel Kirsten , Scheiter Alexander , Fellner Claudia , Doppler Michael Christian , Ringe Kristina Imeen , Raab Florian , Haimerl Michael , Uller Wibke , Stroszczynski Christian , Luerken Lukas , Verloh Niklas
Published: August 2022

We aimed to evaluate whether U-shaped convolutional neuronal networks can be used to segment liver parenchyma and indicate the degree of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis at the voxel level using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. This retrospective study included 112 examinations with histologically determined liver fibrosis/cirrhosis grade (Ishak score) as the ground truth. The T1-weighted volume-interpolated breath-hold examination sequences of native, arterial, late arterial, portal venous, and hepatobiliary phases were semi-automatically segmented and co-registered. The segmentations were assigned the corresponding Ishak score. In a nested cross-validation procedure, five models of a convolutional neural network with U-Net architecture (nnU-Net) were trained, with the dataset being divided into stratified training/validation (n = 89/90) and holdout test datasets (n = 23/22). The trained models precisely segmented the test data (mean dice similarity coefficient = 0.938) and assigned separate fibrosis scores to each voxel, allowing localization-dependent determination of the degree of fibrosis. The per voxel results were evaluated by the histologically determined fibrosis score. The micro-average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of this seven-class classification problem (Ishak score 0 to 6) was 0.752 for the test data. The top-three-accuracy-score was 0.750. We conclude that determining fibrosis grade or cirrhosis based on multiphase Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI seems feasible using a 2D U-Net. Prospective studies with localized biopsies are needed to evaluate the reliability of this model in a clinical setting.
A Novel Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Improved Arnold Transform and Chaotic Pulse-Coupled Neural Network
Authors: Ye Jinhong , Deng Xiangyu , Zhang Aijia , Yu Haiyue
Published: August 2022

Information security has become a focal topic in the information and digital age. How to realize secure transmission and the secure storage of image data is a major research focus of information security. Aiming at this hot topic, in order to improve the security of image data transmission, this paper proposes an image encryption algorithm based on improved Arnold transform and a chaotic pulse-coupled neural network. Firstly, the oscillatory reset voltage is introduced into the uncoupled impulse neural network, which makes the uncoupled impulse neural network exhibit chaotic characteristics. The chaotic sequence is generated by multiple iterations of the chaotic pulse-coupled neural network, and then the image is pre-encrypted by XOR operation with the generated chaotic sequence. Secondly, using the improved Arnold transform, the pre-encrypted image is scrambled to further improve the scrambling degree and encryption effect of the pre-encrypted image so as to obtain the final ciphertext image. Finally, the security analysis and experimental simulation of the encrypted image are carried out. The results of quantitative evaluation show that the proposed algorithm has a better encryption effect than the partial encryption algorithm. The algorithm is highly sensitive to keys and plaintexts, has a large key space, and can effectively resist differential attacks and attacks such as noise and clipping.
A Hybrid SEM-Neural Network Modeling of Quality of M-Commerce Services under the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mehedintu Anca , Soava Georgeta
Published: August 2022

The research purpose is to contribute to the understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the intensification of commercial transactions on the mobile channel (m-commerce) and to identify the most significant factors that act on consumer behavior based on the development of a conceptual model to establish the influence of m-commerce service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. The data were collected through a survey addressed to customers who, during 2021–2022, made at least one purchase through m-commerce. The analysis was performed with SPSS Statistics and Amos software, using a hybrid approach: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The research results confirm the hypotheses presented in this study. Both models identified the quality of services offered by m-commerce, satisfaction, and trust as determining factors for increasing consumer loyalty in virtual commerce. The novelty of this study consists of an interconnected analysis model of some variables specific to mobile commerce, which have not been used in this combination in the specialized literature. This research can be the basis of other research studies. In addition, it provides valuable results for the business environment (forecasts) and customers by obtaining improved, personalized, and secure commerce services.
A Compact, Ultra-Wideband, Transformer-Based Quadrature Signal Generation Network in 45 nm CMOS SOI for 5G Applications
Authors: Zhu Yuzhe , Liu Xuzhi , Li Xiaoran , Liu Zicheng , Qi Quanwen
Published: August 2022

In this article, we present an ultra-wideband, fully-differential quadrature signal generation network for 5G applications. The ultra-wideband network is composed of a passive balun and cascaded transformer-based quadrature hybrid. Passive balun converts a single-ended signal to differential with minimum insertion loss, and transformer-based quadrature hybrids are cascaded to suppress I/Q imbalance over an ultra-wide bandwidth. The coupling coefficient of the transformer-based quadrature hybrid is enhanced by adopting vertically stacked multiturn transformer topology to extend operation bandwidth and reduce passive loss and chip area. A novel layout and signal routings are proposed to reduce passive loss, undesired magnetic coupling and I/Q imbalance, making meander lines for phase matching unnecessary. The proposed ultra-wideband quadrature signal generation network is designed in GlobalFoundries 45 nm CMOS SOI process with a core area of 845 μm × 495 μm. The output I/Q magnitude mismatch is less than 0.5 dB from 16 to 60 GHz, and phase mismatch is less than 2° from 16.5 to 54.7 GHz. The input return loss is lower than −10 dB from 22 to 45 GHz, and signal loss varies from 5.74 to 7.4 dB (including 1:2 power splitting and loss from passive balun). The effective image rejection ratio (IRR) is calculated based on I/Q mismatch and is higher than 40 dB from 21.5 to 53.5 GHz.
Ecological Safety and Spatial Distribution of Mercury and Arsenic in Qinghai Spruce Ecosystems in Remote Plateau Mountains, Northwest China
Authors: Wu Yi , Wang Shengli , Zhao Cuicui , Nan Zhongren , Zhao Chuanyan
Published: August 2022

The long-distance transport of toxic elements is a crucial external source of metals accumulated in remote forest ecosystems. Due to the harsh environmental conditions and the complexity and diversity of influencing factors in remote alpine ecosystems, research on toxic elements is very limited, especially in the dry zone. In this regard, mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in soil and plant samples were investigated in a Qinghai spruce forest ecosystem at Sidalong Forest Farm (SDL), in the Qilian Mountains, northwest China. The results of the study showed a significant variation in the spatial distribution of Hg and As in soils, but a highly similar spatial distribution trend was found in mosses. High Hg and As concentrations in plants were found in moss, bark, and litterfall; the concentration of Hg was particularly high (BCF > 1). The Qilian Mountain spruce forest ecosystem was contaminated with exogenous Hg and As, with Hg, in particular, being the most serious form of contamination. The study results can provide baseline data for future forest management and research in the spruce forest ecosystem in Qinghai, northwest China.