bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breast Cancer Risk and Breast-Cancer-Specific Mortality following Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy in BRCA Carriers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gaba Faiza , Blyuss Oleg , Tan Alex , Munblit Daniel , Oxley Samuel , Khan Khalid , Legood Rosa , Manchanda Ranjit
Published: March 2023

Background: Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) is the gold standard method of ovarian cancer risk reduction, but the data are conflicting regarding the impact on breast cancer (BC) outcomes. This study aimed to quantify BC risk/mortality in BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers after RRSO. Methods: We conducted a systematic review (CRD42018077613) of BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers undergoing RRSO, with the outcomes including primary BC (PBC), contralateral BC (CBC) and BC-specific mortality (BCSM) using a fixed-effects meta-analysis, with subgroup analyses stratified by mutation and menopause status. Results: RRSO was not associated with a significant reduction in the PBC risk (RR = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.59–1.21) or CBC risk (RR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.65–1.39) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers combined but was associated with reduced BC-specific mortality in BC-affected BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers combined (RR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.18–0.39). Subgroup analyses showed that RRSO was not associated with a reduction in the PBC risk (RR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.68–1.17) or CBC risk (RR = 0.85, 95%CI: 0.59–1.24) in BRCA1 carriers nor a reduction in the CBC risk in BRCA2 carriers (RR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.07–1.74) but was associated with a reduction in the PBC risk in BRCA2 carriers (RR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.41–0.97) and BCSM in BC-affected BRCA1 carriers (RR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.30–0.70). The mean NNT = 20.6 RRSOs to prevent one PBC death in BRCA2 carriers, while 5.6 and 14.2 RRSOs may prevent one BC death in BC-affected BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers combined and BRCA1 carriers, respectively. Conclusions: RRSO was not associated with PBC or CBC risk reduction in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers combined but was associated with improved BC survival in BC-affected BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers combined and BRCA1 carriers and a reduced PBC risk in BRCA2 carriers.
Impact of Epstein Barr Virus Infection on Treatment Opportunities in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Perri Francesco , Sabbatino Francesco , Ottaiano Alessandro , Fusco Roberta , Caraglia Michele , Cascella Marco , Longo Francesco , Rega Rosalia Anna , Salzano Giovanni , Pontone Monica , Marciano Maria Luisa , Piccirillo Arianna , Montano Massimo , Fasano Morena , Ciardiello Fortunato , Della Vittoria Scarpati Giuseppina , Ionna Franco
Published: March 2023

Chemical, physical, and infectious agents may induce carcinogenesis, and in the latter case, viruses are involved in most cases. The occurrence of virus-induced carcinogenesis is a complex process caused by an interaction across multiple genes, mainly depending by the type of the virus. Molecular mechanisms at the basis of viral carcinogenesis, mainly suggest the involvement of a dysregulation of the cell cycle. Among the virus-inducing carcinogenesis, Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) plays a major role in the development of both hematological and oncological malignancies and importantly, several lines of evidence demonstrated that nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is consistently associated with EBV infection. Cancerogenesis in NPC may be induced by the activation of different EBV “oncoproteins” which are produced during the so called “latency phase” of EBV in the host cells. Moreover, EBV presence in NPC does affect the tumor microenvironment (TME) leading to a strongly immunosuppressed status. Translational implications of the above-mentioned statements are that EBV-infected NPC cells can express proteins potentially recognized by immune cells in order to elicit a host immune response (tumor associated antigens). Three immunotherapeutic approaches have been implemented for the treatment of NPC including active, adoptive immunotherapy, and modulation of immune regulatory molecules by use of the so-called checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we will highlight the role of EBV infection in NPC development and analyze its possible implications on therapy strategies.
Analysis of Cancer Genomic Amplifications Identifies Druggable Collateral Dependencies within the Amplicon
Authors: Pons Guillem , Gallo-Oller Gabriel , Navarro Natalia , Zarzosa Patricia , Sansa-Girona Júlia , García-Gilabert Lia , Magdaleno Ainara , Segura Miguel F. , Sánchez de Toledo Josep , Gallego Soledad , Moreno Lucas , Roma Josep
Published: March 2023

The identification of novel therapeutic targets for specific cancer molecular subtypes is crucial for the development of precision oncology. In the last few years, CRISPR/Cas9 screens have accelerated the discovery and validation of new targets associated with different tumor types, mutations, and fusions. However, there are still many cancer vulnerabilities associated with specific molecular features that remain to be explored. Here, we used data from CRISPR/Cas9 screens in 954 cancer cell lines to identify gene dependencies associated with 16 common cancer genomic amplifications. We found that high-copy-number genomic amplifications generate multiple collateral dependencies within the amplified region in most cases. Further, to prioritize candidate targets for each chromosomal region amplified, we integrated gene dependency parameters with both druggability data and subcellular location. Finally, analysis of the relationship between gene expression and gene dependency led to the identification of genes, the expression of which may constitute predictive biomarkers of dependency. In conclusion, our study provides a set of druggable targets specific for each amplification, opening the possibility to specifically target amplified tumors on this basis.
Nucleolin Regulates Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation under Hypoxia by Modulating miRNA Expression
Authors: Lee Jihui , Kang Hara
Published: March 2023

Hypoxia induces the abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), resulting in the pathogenesis of various vascular diseases. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are involved in a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation and responses to hypoxia. In this study, we observed that the RBP nucleolin (NCL) was downregulated by histone deacetylation in response to hypoxia. We evaluated its regulatory effects on miRNA expression under hypoxic conditions in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). miRNAs associated with NCL were assessed using RNA immunoprecipitation in PASMCs and small RNA sequencing. The expression of a set of miRNAs was increased by NCL but reduced by hypoxia-induced downregulation of NCL. The downregulation of miR-24-3p and miR-409-3p promoted PASMC proliferation under hypoxic conditions. These results clearly demonstrate the significance of NCL–miRNA interactions in the regulation of hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation and provide insight into the therapeutic value of RBPs for vascular diseases.
Interaction between Gut Microbiota and Celiac Disease: From Pathogenesis to Treatment
Authors: Rossi Roberta Elisa , Dispinzieri Giulia , Elvevi Alessandra , Massironi Sara
Published: March 2023

Celiac disease (CD) is a common systemic disorder that results from an abnormal response of human immunity to gluten intake, affecting the small intestine. In individuals who carry a genetic susceptibility, CD is triggered by environmental factors, including viral infections and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. The gut microbiome is essential in controlling the immune system, and recent findings indicate that changes in the gut microbiome may contribute to various chronic immune disorders, such as CD through mechanisms that still require further exploration. Some bacteria exhibit epitopes that mimic gliadin and may enhance an immune response in the host. Other bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, may work in conjunction with gluten to trigger and escalate intestinal inflammation. The microbiota may also directly influence antigen development through the production of immunogenic or tolerogenic gluten peptides or directly influence intestinal permeability through the release of zonulin. Finally, the gut microbiome can impact intestinal inflammation by generating proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokines and metabolites. It is crucial to consider the impact of genetic factors (specifically, HLA-DQ haplotypes), perinatal elements such as birth mode, type of infant feeding, and antibiotic and infection exposure on the composition of the early intestinal microbiome. According to the available studies, the gut microbiome alterations associated with CD tend to exhibit a decreased presence of beneficial bacteria, including some anti-inflammatory Bifidobacterium species. However, some controversy remains as some reports have found no significant differences between the gut microbiomes of individuals with and without CD. A better understanding of the gut microbiome’s role in the development of CD would greatly benefit both prevention and treatment efforts, especially in complicated or treatment-resistant cases. Here, we have attempted to summarize the available evidence on the relationship between the gut microbiota and CD, with a particular focus on potential therapeutic targets.
Advances in Nucleotide Repeat Expansion Diseases: Transcription Gets in Phase
Authors: Figueiredo Ana S. , Loureiro Joana R. , Macedo-Ribeiro Sandra , Silveira Isabel
Published: March 2023

Unstable DNA repeat expansions and insertions have been found to cause more than 50 neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuromuscular disorders. One of the main hallmarks of repeat expansion diseases is the formation of abnormal RNA or protein aggregates in the neuronal cells of affected individuals. Recent evidence indicates that alterations of the dynamic or material properties of biomolecular condensates assembled by liquid/liquid phase separation are critical for the formation of these aggregates. This is a thermodynamically-driven and reversible local phenomenon that condenses macromolecules into liquid-like compartments responsible for compartmentalizing molecules required for vital cellular processes. Disease-associated repeat expansions modulate the phase separation properties of RNAs and proteins, interfering with the composition and/or the material properties of biomolecular condensates and resulting in the formation of abnormal aggregates. Since several repeat expansions have arisen in genes encoding crucial players in transcription, this raises the hypothesis that wide gene expression dysregulation is common to multiple repeat expansion diseases. This review will cover the impact of these mutations in the formation of aberrant aggregates and how they modify gene transcription.
Monitoring Molecular Structure Changes of Cow and Camel Milk Mixtures during Coagulation: A Study Based on TPA and 2DCOS-MIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Boukria Oumayma , El Hadrami El Mestafa , Sultanova Shakhnoza , Alqurashi Randah Miqbil , Cahyana Yana , Aït-Kaddour Abderrahmane
Published: March 2023

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy in combination with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to monitor molecular structure evolution of milk mixtures of two species (cow and camel) during enzymatic coagulation. Molecular structure changes and texture characteristics were investigated on five different milk formulations by mixing camel milk (CaM) and cow milk (CM) (i.e., CaM, CaM3:CM1, CaM1:CM1, CaM1:CM3, and CM, (v/v)). Regarding MIR spectroscopy, two spectral regions were considered to monitor milk coagulation, the fatty acid acyl-chain region (3000–2800 cm−1) and the protein region (1700–1500 cm−1). Different formulation dissimilarities were revealed through the synchronous 2DCOS spectra and their respective auto-peaks. Moreover, using the cross-peak symbols of the synchronous and asynchronous spectra helps to establish the sequence of molecular structure modifications during coagulation. Finally, the analysis of the 2DCOS-MIR synchronous and asynchronous maps by PLS-DA gave good discriminant accuracy (88 to 100%) between each formulation. Those results highlighted that different synchronous and asynchronous chemical phenomena occurred during milk coagulation depending on the milk formulation. Texture attributes were influenced by camel milk ratio in mixtures based on the initial composition of milks. Samples containing more than 50% of CM showed significantly higher hardness compared to pure CaM and CaM3:CM; however, CM gel displayed lower springiness contrary to CaM. Textural characteristics of the resulted gels also confirmed that 2DCOS MIR observations are consistent with textural observations of the gels obtained after milk mixtures coagulation.
Nanocomposite Materials based on Metal Nanoparticles for the Electrochemical Sensing of Neurotransmitters
Authors: Leau Sorina-Alexandra , Lete Cecilia , Lupu Stelian
Published: March 2023

Neurotransmitters (NTs) are known as endogenous chemical messengers with important roles in the normal functioning of central and peripheral nervous systems. Abnormal levels of certain NTs, such as dopamine, serotonin and epinephrine, have been linked with several neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease). To date, various strategies have been employed for the quantitative determination of NTs, and nanocomposite materials based on conducting polymers and metal nanoparticles constitute a cornerstone for the development of electrochemical sensors with low costs, stability, fast response rates and high selectivity and sensitivity. The preparation and analytical applications of nanocomposite materials based on metal nanoparticles in the electrochemical sensing of neurotransmitters are discussed in this paper. Recent developments in the electrochemical sensing of neurotransmitters are also discussed with emphasis on the benefits brought by metal nanoparticles in improving the sensitivity of the analytical measurements. The electrochemical synthesis methods for the in situ generation of metal nanoparticles within conducting polymer layers are reviewed. The analytical applications of the nanocomposite-sensing materials towards the detection of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin are discussed in terms of detection and quantification limits, linear response range, sensitivity and selectivity.
Potential Role of Global Longitudinal Strain in Cardiac and Oncological Patients Undergoing Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation (CORE)
Authors: Cuomo Gianluigi , Iannone Francesca Paola , Di Lorenzo Anna , Testa Crescenzo , Ciccarelli Michele , Venturini Elio , Cesaro Arturo , Pacileo Mario , Tagliamonte Ercole , D’Andrea Antonello , Vecchione Carmine , Vigorito Carlo , Giallauria Francesco
Published: March 2023

Although shown to be effective in improving survival and quality of life in patients with cancer, some treatments are well-known causes of cardiotoxicity, such as anthracyclines, monoclonal antibodies against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and radiotherapy. To prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients living with cancer, cardiologists and oncologists promoted the development of cardio-oncology, an interdisciplinary field which aims to further improving life expectancy in these patients. Cardio-oncology rehabilitation (CORE), through correction of risk factors, prescription of drug therapies and structured exercise programs, tries to improve symptoms, quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and survival in patients with cancer. Different imaging modalities can be used to evaluate the real effectiveness of exercise training on cardiac function. Among these, the global longitudinal strain (GLS) has recently aroused interest, thanks to its high sensitivity and specificity for cardiac dysfunction detection due to advanced ultrasound programs. This review summarizes the evidence on the usefulness of GLS in patients with cancer undergoing cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Numerical Simulation of Graphene Growth by Chemical Vapor Deposition Based on Tesla Valve Structure
Authors: Yang Bo , Yang Ni , Zhao Dan , Chen Fengyang , Yuan Xingping , Kou Bin , Hou Yanqing , Xie Gang
Published: March 2023

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has become an important method for growing graphene on copper substrates in order to obtain graphene samples of high quality and density. This paper mainly focuses on the fluid flow and transmission phenomenon in the reactor under different process operating conditions and reactor structures. Two macroscopic physical parameters that are established as important for CVD growth are temperature and pressure. Based on the special structure of a miniature T45-R Tesla valve acting as a CVD reactor structure, this study uses numerical simulation to determine the effect of the pressure field inside a Tesla valve on graphene synthesis and temperature variation on the graphene surface deposition rate. This macroscopic numerical modeling was compared to the existing straight tube model and found to improve the graphene surface deposition rate by two orders of magnitude when the 1290–1310 K reaction temperature range inside the Tesla valve was maintained and verified through the experiment. This study provides a reference basis for optimizing the reactor geometry design and the effects of changing the operating parameters on carbon deposition rates during a CVD reaction, and will furthermore benefit future research on the preparation of high-quality, large-area, and high-density graphene by CVD.
Study on Deformation Force of Hard Aluminum Alloy Incremental Forming
Authors: Wen Liang , Li Yongjie , Zheng Silai , Xu Hao , Liu Yunshuang , Yuan Qiaolong , Zhang Yuanpeng , Wu Hao , Shen Yuzhou , Kong Jizhou , Wei Hongyu
Published: March 2023

The deformation force is an important factor affecting the forming accuracy of parts in the incremental forming process of sheet metal. This paper proposes an analytical calculation method of the deformation force based on pure shear deformation. After assuming and simplifying the factors affecting the deformation force, a graphical method is used to approximate the contact area between the forming tool and the sheet metal. A forming test is also designed. In addition, the deformation force is measured in the experiment, and its theoretical analysis value is compared with the actual measurement value of the forming test to validate the analytical method of deformation force calculation. The results show that the radial forming deviations are 28.5% and 22.5%, the axial deformation force deviations are 9.8% and 16.1%, and the forming force deviations are 6.3% and 10.3%, which demonstrates the effectiveness of using the analytical method to calculate the deformation force.
Safety and Accuracy of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Alone in Clinically Node-Positive Patients Undergoing Upfront Surgery for Invasive Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lovrics Olivia , Tao Brendan , Parvez Elena
Published: March 2023

Landmark trials (Z0011 and AMAROS) have demonstrated that axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be safely omitted in patients with breast cancer and 1–2 positive sentinel nodes. Extrapolating from these and other cardinal studies such as NSABP B-04, guidelines state that patients with 1–2 needle biopsy-proven positive lymph nodes undergoing upfront surgery can have sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature to identify studies examining the direct application of SLNB in such patients. EMBASE and Ovid MEDLINE were searched from inception to 3 May 2022. Studies including patients with nodal involvement confirmed on pre-operative biopsy and undergoing SLNB were identified. Studies with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. Search resulted in 2518 records, of which 68 full-text studies were reviewed, ultimately yielding only 2 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Both studies used targeted axillary surgery (TAS) with pre-operative localization of the biopsy-proven positive node in addition to standard SLNB techniques. In a non-randomized single-center prospective study, Lee et al. report no regional recurrences in patients undergoing TAS or ALND, and no difference in distant recurrence or mortality at 5 years. In the prospective multicenter TAXIS trial by Webber et al., the median number of positive nodes retrieved with TAS in patients undergoing upfront surgery was 2 (1, 4 IQR). Within the subset of patients who underwent subsequent ALND, 61 (70.9%) had additional positive nodes, with 26 (30.2%) patients having ≥4 additional positive nodes. Our review demonstrates that there is limited direct evidence for SLNB alone in clinically node-positive patients undergoing upfront surgery. Available data suggest a high proportion of patients with residual disease in this setting. While the totality of the data, mostly indirect evidence, suggests SLNB alone may be safe, we call on clinicians and researchers to prospectively collect data on this patient population to better inform decision-making.
Pedicled Functional Latissimus Flaps for Reconstruction of the Upper Extremity following Resection of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Arguello Alexandra M. , Sullivan Mikaela H. , Mills Gavin L. , Moran Steven L. , Houdek Matthew T.
Published: March 2023

(1) Background: Resection of soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) of the upper extremity can result in substantial functional impairment with limited options for functional reconstruction. Free functional latissimus flaps have been utilized to restore function of the thigh; however, there is limited data on the use of latissimus flaps for functional reconstruction in the upper extremity. As such, we sought to evaluate our institutional experience with these flaps. (2) Methods: We reviewed ten (seven male; three female; and a mean age of 63 years) patients undergoing soft-tissue sarcoma resection involving the triceps (n = 4), biceps (n = 4), and deltoid (n = 2) reconstructed with a pedicled functional latissimus flap. All surviving patients had at least 1 year of follow-up, with a mean follow-up of 5 years. (3) Results: The mean elbow range of motion and shoulder elevation were 105° and 150°. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 88%, and the muscle strength was four. Four patients had a recipient site wound complication. There were no flap losses. One patient sustained a radiation-associated humerus fracture 5 years postoperatively, treated nonoperatively. (4) Conclusions: Although early complications are high, pedicled functional latissimus flaps allow for wound coverage, potential space obliteration, and restoration of function in the upper extremity following resection of large soft tissue sarcomas.
WaRM: A Roof Material Spectral Library for Wallonia, Belgium
Authors: Wyard Coraline , Marion Rodolphe , Hallot Eric
Published: March 2023

The exploitation of urban-material spectral properties is of increasing importance for a broad range of applications, such as urban climate-change modeling and mitigation or specific/dangerous roof-material detection and inventory. A new spectral library dedicated to the detection of roof material was created to reflect the regional diversity of materials employed in Wallonia, Belgium. The Walloon Roof Material (WaRM) spectral library accounts for 26 roof material spectra in the spectral range 350–2500 nm. Spectra were acquired using an ASD FieldSpec3 Hi-Res spectrometer in laboratory conditions, using a spectral sampling interval of 1 nm. The analysis of the spectra shows that spectral signatures are strongly influenced by the color of the roof materials, at least in the VIS spectral range. The SWIR spectral range is in general more relevant to distinguishing the different types of material. Exceptions are the similar properties and very close spectra of several black materials, meaning that their spectral signatures are not sufficiently different to distinguish them from each other. Although building materials can vary regionally due to different available construction materials, the WaRM spectral library can certainly be used for wider applications; Wallonia has always been strongly connected to the surrounding regions and has always encountered climatic conditions similar to all of Northwest Europe.
High-Frequency Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Treatment of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in the Head and Neck Region
Authors: Tamas Tiberiu , Dinu Cristian , Lenghel Lavinia Manuela , Boțan Emil , Tamas Adela , Stoia Sebastian , Leucuta Daniel Corneliu , Bran Simion , Onisor Florin , Băciuț Grigore , Armencea Gabriel , Băciuț Mihaela
Published: March 2023

Non-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the human body and unfortunately the incidence continues to increase. NMSC is represented by the basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), which are the most prevalent forms, and basosquamous cell carcinomas (BSC) together with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), which are rare types but with a very aggressive pattern and poor prognosis. The pathological diagnosis is hard to assess without a biopsy, even by the dermoscopy. Moreover, the staging can be problematic because there is no access clinically to the thickness of the tumor and the depth of the invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US), which is a very efficient imaging method, non-irradiating and cheap, in diagnosis and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer in the head and neck region. Thirty-one patients with highly suspicious malignant lesions of the head and neck skin were evaluated in the Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery Department and Imaging Department in Cluj Napoca, Romania. All tumors were measured with three transducers: 13 MHz, 20 MHz and 40 MHz. Doppler examination and elastography were also used. The length, width, diameter, thickness, the presence of necrosis, status of regional lymph nodes, the presence of hyperechoic spots, strain ratio and vascularization were all recorded. After that, all patients were treated by surgical resection of the tumor and reconstruction of the defect. Immediately after surgical resection, all tumors were measured again after the same protocol. The resection margins were evaluated by all three types of transducers in order to detect malignant involvement and the results were compared with the histopathological report. We found that the 13 MHz transducers offered a big picture of the tumor but the level of details, in the form of the presence of the hyperechoic spots, is reduced. We recommend this transducer for evaluation of surgical margins or for the large skin tumors. The 20 and 40 MHz transducers are better for viewing the particularities of malignant lesions and for an accurate measurement; however, in the case of large size lesions, assessing all three dimensions of the tumor can be difficult. The intralesional hyperechoic spots are present in case of BCC and they can be used for differential diagnosis of BCC.
Clinical Characteristics and Current Status of Treatment for Recurrent Bladder Cancer after Surgeries on Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Xinfeng , Xue Yufan , Zhu Guodong
Published: March 2023

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a relatively rare, but highly malignant, disease with an estimated annual incidence of 2 cases per 100,000 people. The main surgical treatment modalities for UTUC are radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff resection. After surgery, intravesical recurrence (IVR) can occur in up to 47% of patients, and 75% of them present with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, there are few studies focused on the diagnosis and treatment of postoperatively recurrent bladder cancer for patients with previous UTUC history (UTUC-BC), and many of the influencing factors are still controversial. In this article, we performed a narrative review of the recent literature, mainly summarizing the factors influencing postoperative IVR in patients with UTUC and discussing the subsequent prevention, monitoring, and treatment tools for it.
Contrast Enhanced Mammography (CEM) Enhancing Asymmetry: Single-Center First Case Analysis
Authors: Migliaro Giuliano , Bicchierai Giulia , Valente Pietro , Di Naro Federica , De Benedetto Diego , Amato Francesco , Boeri Cecilia , Vanzi Ermanno , Miele Vittorio , Nori Jacopo
Published: March 2023

(1) Purpose: The latest Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon for CEM introduced a new descriptor, enhancing asymmetries (EAs). The purpose of this study was to determine which types of lesions were correlated with EAs. (2) Methods: A total of 3359 CEM exams, executed at AOUC Careggi in Florence, Italy between 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively assessed by two radiologists. For each of the EAs found, the size, the enhancing conspicuity (degree of enhancement relative to background described as low, moderate, or high), whether there was a corresponding finding in the traditional radiology images (US or mammography), the biopsy results when performed including any follow-up exams, and the presence of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) of the normal breast tissue (minimal, mild, moderate, marked) were described. (3) Results: A total of 64 women were included, 36 of them underwent CEM for a preoperative staging assessment, and 28 for a problem-solving examination. Among the 64 EAs, 19/64 (29.69%) resulted in being category B5 (B5) lesions, 5/64 (7.81%) as category B3 (B3) lesions, and 40/64(62.50%) were negative or benign either after biopsy or second-look exams or follow-up. We assessed that EAs with higher enhancing conspicuity correlated significantly with a higher risk of B5 lesions (p: 0.0071), especially bigger ones (p: 0.0274). Conclusions: EAs can relate both with benign and tumoral lesions, and they need to be assessed as the other CEM descriptors, with re-evaluation of low-energy images and second-look exams, particularly larger EAs with higher enhancing conspicuity.
Association between the Risk of Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight with Periodontal Disease in Pregnant Women: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Padilla-Cáceres Tania , Arbildo-Vega Heber Isac , Caballero-Apaza Luz , Cruzado-Oliva Fredy , Mamani-Cori Vilma , Cervantes-Alagón Sheyla , Munayco-Pantoja Evelyn , Panda Saurav , Vásquez-Rodrigo Hernán , Castro-Mejía Percy , Huaita-Acha Delsi
Published: March 2023

Background: The purpose of this review is to determine the association between the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in newborns and periodontal disease in pregnant women. Methods: A bibliographic search was carried out until November 2021 in the following biomedical databases: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scielo, LILACS and Google Scholar. Studies reporting the association between the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in newborns with periodontal disease in pregnant women, which were systematic reviews, in English and without time limits were included. AMSTAR-2 was used to assess the risk of the included studies, and the GRADEPro GDT tool was used to assess the quality of the evidence and the strength of the recommendation of the results. Results: The preliminary search yielded a total of 161 articles, discarding those that did not meet the selection criteria, leaving only 15 articles. Seven articles were entered into a meta-analysis, and it was found that there is an association between the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in newborns with periodontal disease in pregnant women. Conclusions: There is an association between the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in newborns with periodontal disease in pregnant women.
Designing Ultrahigh Frequency Motor Rotor Position Search Coils for Electric Propulsion in Drones
Authors: Li Xinmin , Wang Huan , Wang Huimin , Guo Liyan , Chen Wei
Published: March 2023

As the core of electric propulsion in drones, the motor has higher requirements for its reliability and fault tolerance. Accurate acquisition of rotor position information is a prerequisite for a motor-driven drone’s system to operate stably. Traditional search coils can provide fault tolerance for position detection, but they cannot detect rotor position in the full speed range (stationary to rated speed). In order to make the search coils provide rotor position in the full speed range, this study proposes to inject an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) signal (50–100 kHz) into the search coils. By optimizing the self-inductance of the search coil, the mutual inductance between the search coil and the armature winding, the back electromotive force (BEMF) of the search coil, and the mutual inductance between the search coils, the structure of the UHF search coil designed in this paper is helpful to extract the UHF feedback signal. Finally, based on the mapping relationship between the self-inductance of the search coil and the rotor position, the rotor position of the motor can be detected in the full speed range. The novelty of the proposed work lies in the UHF search coil with zero mutual inductance coupling to the armature winding, small BEMF, and low interphase mutual inductance that can detect the rotor position in the full speed domain. Maxwell software is used to optimize the structure of the UHF search coil, and the feasibility of the design results is verified by co-simulation.
Dual-ATME: Dual-Branch Attention Network for Micro-Expression Recognition
Authors: Zhou Haoliang , Huang Shucheng , Li Jingting , Wang Su-Jing
Published: March 2023

Micro-expression recognition (MER) is challenging due to the difficulty of capturing the instantaneous and subtle motion changes of micro-expressions (MEs). Early works based on hand-crafted features extracted from prior knowledge showed some promising results, but have recently been replaced by deep learning methods based on the attention mechanism. However, with limited ME sample sizes, features extracted by these methods lack discriminative ME representations, in yet-to-be improved MER performance. This paper proposes the Dual-branch Attention Network (Dual-ATME) for MER to address the problem of ineffective single-scale features representing MEs. Specifically, Dual-ATME consists of two components: Hand-crafted Attention Region Selection (HARS) and Automated Attention Region Selection (AARS). HARS uses prior knowledge to manually extract features from regions of interest (ROIs). Meanwhile, AARS is based on attention mechanisms and extracts hidden information from data automatically. Finally, through similarity comparison and feature fusion, the dual-scale features could be used to learn ME representations effectively. Experiments on spontaneous ME datasets (including CASME II, SAMM, SMIC) and their composite dataset, MEGC2019-CD, showed that Dual-ATME achieves better, or more competitive, performance than the state-of-the-art MER methods.
A New Reliability Coefficient Using Betting Commitment Evidence Distance in Dempster–Shafer Evidence Theory for Uncertain Information Fusion
Authors: Tang Yongchuan , Wu Shuaihong , Zhou Ying , Huang Yubo , Zhou Deyun
Published: March 2023

Dempster–Shafer evidence theory is widely used to deal with uncertain information by evidence modeling and evidence reasoning. However, if there is a high contradiction between different pieces of evidence, the Dempster combination rule may give a fusion result that violates the intuitive result. Many methods have been proposed to solve conflict evidence fusion, and it is still an open issue. This paper proposes a new reliability coefficient using betting commitment evidence distance in Dempster–Shafer evidence theory for conflict and uncertain information fusion. The single belief function for belief assignment in the initial frame of discernment is defined. After evidence preprocessing with the proposed reliability coefficient and single belief function, the evidence fusion result can be calculated with the Dempster combination rule. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed uncertainty measure, a new method of uncertain information fusion based on the new evidence reliability coefficient is proposed. The experimental results on UCI machine learning data sets show the availability and effectiveness of the new reliability coefficient for uncertain information processing.
A Multi-Scale Temporal Convolutional Network with Attention Mechanism for Force Level Classification during Motor Imagery of Unilateral Upper-Limb Movements
Authors: Sheng Junpeng , Xu Jialin , Li Han , Liu Zhen , Zhou Huilin , You Yimeng , Song Tao , Zuo Guokun
Published: March 2023

In motor imagery (MI) brain–computer interface (BCI) research, some researchers have designed MI paradigms of force under a unilateral upper-limb static state. It is difficult to apply these paradigms to the dynamic force interaction process between the robot and the patient in a brain-controlled rehabilitation robot system, which needs to induce thinking states of the patient’s demand for assistance. Therefore, in our research, according to the movement of wiping the table in human daily life, we designed a three-level-force MI paradigm under a unilateral upper-limb dynamic state. Based on the event-related de-synchronization (ERD) feature analysis of the electroencephalography (EEG) signals generated by the brain’s force change motor imagination, we proposed a multi-scale temporal convolutional network with attention mechanism (MSTCN-AM) algorithm to recognize ERD features of MI-EEG signals. Aiming at the slight feature differences of single-trial MI-EEG signals among different levels of force, the MSTCN module was designed to extract fine-grained features of different dimensions in the time–frequency domain. The spatial convolution module was then used to learn the area differences of space domain features. Finally, the attention mechanism dynamically weighted the time–frequency–space domain features to improve the algorithm’s sensitivity. The results showed that the accuracy of the algorithm was 86.4 ± 14.0% for the three-level-force MI-EEG data collected experimentally. Compared with the baseline algorithms (OVR-CSP+SVM (77.6 ± 14.5%), Deep ConvNet (75.3 ± 12.3%), Shallow ConvNet (77.6 ± 11.8%), EEGNet (82.3 ± 13.8%), and SCNN-BiLSTM (69.1 ± 16.8%)), our algorithm had higher classification accuracy with significant differences and better fitting performance.
Developing Second Language Learners’ Sociolinguistic Competence: How Teachers’ CEFR-Related Professional Learning Aligns with Learner-Identified Needs
Authors: Rehner Katherine , Lasan Ivan
Published: March 2023

This article explores how teachers’ professional learning about the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) can re-orient their reported teaching practices to meet learner-identified sociolinguistic needs. To this end, the article first examines learners’ sociolinguistic needs by exploring the extent to which post-secondary French-as-a-second-language (FSL) learners, who completed their elementary and secondary schooling in Ontario, Canada, believe that they have successfully developed sociolinguistic competence in their target language. Specifically, it considers the learners’ assessment of their sociolinguistic abilities, the types of sociolinguistic skills they wish to develop further, a comparison with their actual sociolinguistic performance, and the ways in which they hope to develop the sociolinguistic skills they feel they lack. Second, the article explores Ontario elementary- and secondary-school FSL teachers’ reported focus on sociolinguistic competence in their teaching after having engaged in intensive and extensive CEFR-oriented professional learning. Specifically, it considers how the teachers’ professional learning influences the sociolinguistic relevance of their planning, classroom practice, and assessment and evaluation. The article concludes by considering whether the degree of “fit” between the learners’ self-identified needs and the teachers’ reports of their re-oriented practices is poised to improve the sociolinguistic outcomes of Ontario FSL learners.
The Use of Question Modification Strategies to Differentiate Instruction in Eritrean Mathematics and Science Classrooms
Authors: Zerai Desalegn , Eskelä-Haapanen Sirpa , Posti-Ahokas Hanna , Vehkakoski Tanja
Published: March 2023

This qualitative study aimed at examining the question modification strategies Eritrean elementary and middle school teachers used to differentiate their instruction and meet the diversity in the classroom as well as the functions these strategies served in classroom interactions. The research data consisted of videotaped recordings (N = 11 videotaped lessons) of classroom interactions in eight mathematics and science classrooms, which were analysed through interaction analysis. The findings showed that Eritrean teachers utilised the following five question modification strategies either independently or in combination: repetition; rephrasing; clarification; decomposition; and code-switching. Although repetition was the most commonly used strategy, it was not found to help teachers to differentiate their instruction. Likewise, the utilisation of rephrasing was dependent on how effectively teachers captured students’ misunderstandings and modified their questions accordingly. Instead, clarification, decomposition, and code-switching were found to be the most highly developed question modification strategies from the viewpoint of differentiation. It was concluded that the question modification strategies were dominant and workable elements of classroom interactions in teacher-led and poorly-resourced large classrooms, such as those in Eritrea.
Numerical Investigation of the Long-Term Load Shifting Behaviors within the Borehole Heat Exchanger Array System
Authors: Zou Haijiang , Guo Siyu , Wang Ruifeng , Wang Fenghao , Shen Zhenxing , Cai Wanlong
Published: March 2023

In the process of development and utilization of a large-scale borehole heat exchanger (BHE) array system, the phenomenon of load shifting within BHE array can be observed. In this paper, OpenGeoSys software coupled with TESPy toolkit is used to establish a comprehensive numerical model of BHE system (without depicting the heat pump part), and the behaviors of load shifting between BHEs with different design parameters are studied. The results show that the outlet temperature of single BHE and BHE array is generally rising, and the soil temperature around the BHE has accumulated unbalanced heat. The soil temperature near the BHEs array fluctuates more obviously than the single BHE system, and the distribution is uneven. At the end of the 15th year, the soil temperature near the center BHE increased by 2 °C compared with the initial soil temperature, which was more favorable in winter, but was not conducive to the performance improvement in summer. Further analysis by changing the inter-borehole spacing shows that with the increase of the inter-borehole spacing, the load shifting behaviors are gradually weakened, and the maximum shifted load of the central BHE is linear with the change of the inter-borehole spacing. After changing the layout methods, we observe that the more intensive the layout is, the more load shifting behavior is, and the unbalanced rate of soil temperature distribution around the linear layout is lower than other layouts. With the increase in the number of BHEs, the load shifting behaviors are further enhanced. By analyzing the proportion of shifted load amount relative to the average value, it is found that the system will take a longer time to reach heat balance with the increase of BHEs’ number. A shutdown of part of BHEs for a certain period of time will help to improve the long-term operational efficiency of the large-scale shallow ground source heat pump (GSHP) system.
Indirect Effects of High-Performance Buildings at Household and Community Level: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Pistore Lorenza , Tintinaglia Francesca , Pernetti Roberta , Stivanello Pietro , Pasut Wilmer
Published: March 2023

Towards a carbon-neutral society, the building sector has a pivotal role with still a great potential for improvement. A new generation of buildings is rising but, to set a more ambitious shift in the paradigm and to fully justify the additional efforts (technological and economic) needed to fill the gap between net zero and plus energy performances, it is essential to consider not only the direct effects, but also all the indirect impacts. However, research conducted in the last decade solely focuses on the direct effects, mainly energy savings, while the indirect impacts neither have a clear identity nor terminology and a defined list of the impacts and methodologies for their quantification is still missing. With these premises, a systematic literature review on the current state of the art was performed in this work, with the aim of (i) investigating the heterogeneous terminology used for such indirect effects, (ii) identifying a final potential list of impacts both at the household and at the community level and (iii) their macro-categorizations, and (iv) exploring the current implemented methodologies and indicators for an economic quantification. As a final result of the analysis, the authors propose a unique terminology for addressing the indirect effects of high-performance buildings. This paper sets the needed basis and common ground for future research in this field, meant to economically quantify the indirect effects in the building sector.
Categorizing 15 kV High-Voltage HDPE Insulator’s Leakage Current Surges Based on Convolution Neural Network Gated Recurrent Unit
Authors: Liu Wen-Bin , Nguyen Thanh Phuong , Cho Ming-Yuan , Nguyen Da Thao
Published: March 2023

The leakage currents are appropriate for determining the contamination level of insulators in the power distribution system, which are efficiently cleaned or replaced during the maintenance schedule. In this research, the hybrid convolution neural network and gated recurrent unit model (CNN-GRU) are developed to categorize the leakage current pulse of the 15 kV HDPE insulator in the transmission towers in Taiwan. Many weather parameters are accumulated in the online monitoring system, which is installed in different transmission towers in coastal areas that suffer from heavy pollution. The Pearson correlation matrix is computed for selecting the high correlative features with the leakage current. Hyperparameter optimization is employed to decide the enhancing framework of the CNN-GRU methodology. The performance of the CNN-GRU is completely analyzed with other deep learning algorithms, which comprise the GRU, bidirectional GRU, LSTM, and bidirectional LSTM. The developed CNN-GRU acquired the most remarkable improvements of 79.48% CRE, 83.54% validating CRE, 14.14% CP, 20.89% validating CP, 66.24% MAE, 63.59% validating MAE, 73.24% MSE, and 71.59% validating MSE benchmarks compared with other methodologies. Therefore, the hybrid CNN-GRU methodology provides comprehensive information about the contamination degrees of insulator surfaces derived from the property of leakage currents.
Path-Following Control for Thrust-Vectored Hypersonic Aircraft
Authors: Sahbon Nezar , Jacewicz Mariusz , Lichota Piotr , Strzelecka Katarzyna
Published: March 2023

Thrust vector control (TVC) might be used to control aircraft at large altitudes and in post-stall conditions when aerodynamic control surfaces are ineffective. This study demonstrated that the implementation of the TVC on high-speed aircraft is a reasonable solution and might be an alternative when compared to the complicated reaction control system or large aerodynamic control surfaces. The numerical flight dynamics model of the X-15 experimental aircraft was developed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink and then used to investigate the proposed solution. The obtained results indicate that the aircraft, equipped with full 3D thrust vectoring and two independent horizontal stabilizers to control the roll angle, was able to achieve flight along the path that was defined by a set of waypoints. This paper also highlights the potential benefits and challenges of using TVC as a control method for aircraft. The results of this study contribute to the growing body of research on aircraft control and simulation. Future work can explore the use of TVC for other aircraft with unique configurations and low maneuverability features.