bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model and Algorithm of Two-Stage Distribution Location Routing with Hard Time Window for City Cold-Chain Logistics
Authors: Yan Liying , Grifoll Manel , Zheng Pengjun
Published: April 2020

Taking cold-chain logistics as the research background and combining with the overall optimisation of logistics distribution networks, we develop two-stage distribution location-routing model with the minimum total cost as the objective function and varying vehicle capacity in different delivery stages. A hybrid genetic algorithm is designed based on coupling and collaboration of the two-stage routing and transfer stations. The validity and feasibility of the model and algorithm are verified by conducting a randomly generated test. The optimal solutions for different objective functions of two-stage distribution location-routing are compared and analysed. Results turn out that for different distribution objectives, different distribution schemes should be employed. Finally, we compare the two-stage distribution location-routing to single-stage vehicle routing problems. It is found that a two-stage distribution location-routing system is feasible and effective for the cold-chain logistics network, and can decrease distribution cost for cold-chain logistics enterprises.
Proposal for a Methodology Based on XRD and SEM-EDS to Monitor Effects of Lime-Treatment on Clayey Soils
Authors: Moretti Laura , Natali Stefano , Tiberi Alice , D’Andrea Antonio
Published: April 2020

The aim of this paper is to present the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses on a natural and lime-treated clay, in order to determine the percentage of lime able to stabilize soil. For this reason, XRD test analyses have been conducted on natural soil (TQ0) and on two different mixtures (TQ3 and TQ5): The former with 3% and the latter with 5% by mass of quicklime. These mixtures have been analyzed at different curing times: At the addition of lime (0 d), and after a mellowing period of 7 and 28 d. The obtained results show that 3% of CaO is the percentage of quicklime able to modify the material (initial consumption of lime (ICL)) and 5% of CaO is the percentage able to stabilize it (lime stabilization optimum (LSO)). Finally, SEM images allowed for the monitoring of the process of reactions between the soil and lime during the mellowing period, while EDS analyses validated the XRD results in terms of chemical composition of the examined soil. For the examined natural clay, statistical analysis of the obtained EDS results identified a linear regression curve between the added quicklime and the after-treatment Ca content. The proposed approach could be adopted to calculate the content of calcium after the treatment and verify the in situ-added CaO during roadworks or at the end of them.
Parking Space and Obstacle Detection Based on a Vision Sensor and Checkerboard Grid Laser
Authors: Ma Shidian , Jiang Zhongxu , Jiang Haobin , Han Mu , Li Chenxu
Published: April 2020

The accuracy of automated parking technology that uses ultrasonic radar or camera vision for obstacles and parking space identification can easily be affected by the surrounding environment especially when the color of the obstacles is similar to the ground. Additionally, this type of system cannot recognize the size of the obstacles detected. This paper proposes a method to identify parking spaces and obstacles based on visual sensor and laser device recognition methods by installing a laser transmitter on the car. The laser transmitter produces a checkerboard-shaped laser grid (mesh), which varies with the condition encountered on the ground, which is then captured by the camera and taken as the region of interest for the necessary image processing. The experimental results show that this method can effectively identify obstacles as well as their size and parking spaces even when the obstacles and the background have a similar color compared to when only using sensors or cameras alone.
Optimisation of 2D U-Net Model Components for Automatic Prostate Segmentation on MRI
Authors: Astono Indriani P. , Welsh James S. , Chalup Stephan , Greer Peter
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we develop an optimised state-of-the-art 2D U-Net model by studying the effects of the individual deep learning model components in performing prostate segmentation. We found that for upsampling, the combination of interpolation and convolution is better than the use of transposed convolution. For combining feature maps in each convolution block, it is only beneficial if a skip connection with concatenation is used. With respect to pooling, average pooling is better than strided-convolution, max, RMS or L2 pooling. Introducing a batch normalisation layer before the activation layer gives further performance improvement. The optimisation is based on a private dataset as it has a fixed 2D resolution and voxel size for every image which mitigates the need of a resizing operation in the data preparation process. Non-enhancing data preprocessing was applied and five-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the fully automatic segmentation approach. We show it outperforms the traditional methods that were previously applied on the private dataset, as well as outperforming other comparable state-of-the-art 2D models on the public dataset PROMISE12.
The Relevance of Indoor Air Quality in Hospital Settings: From an Exclusively Biological Issue to a Global Approach in the Italian Context
Authors: Settimo Gaetano , Gola Marco , Capolongo Stefano
Published: April 2020

In the context of the architectures for health, it is an utmost priority to operate a regular and continuous updating of quality, efficacy, and efficiency’s processes. In fact, health promotion and prevention take place through a proper management and design of healing spaces, in particular with regard to the most sensitive users. In recent decades, there has been increasing attention to indoor air quality in healthcare facilities. Nowadays, this issue must involve the implementation of a series of appropriate interventions, with a global approach of prevention and reduction of risk factors on users’ health, which allows, in addition to a correct management of hospital settings, the realization of concrete actions. To date, in Italy, despite the indoor air being taken in consideration in numerous activities and studies aimed at understanding both building hygiene and environmental aspects, the greatest difficulty is strongly related to the absence of an integrated national policy. The scope of the paper is to underline the relevance of indoor air quality in hospital settings, highlighting the need of procedures, protocols, and tools for strengthening and improving interventions for health prevention, protection, and promotion of users.
Polymorphisms in Interleukin 13 Signaling and Interacting Genes Predict Advanced Fibrosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: El-Derany Marwa O.
Published: April 2020

Background: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) recently headlined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. This study aims to unveil the role of some unaddressed critical players that might aid in understanding, predicting, and targeting NASH and NASH-HCC. Methods: Serum interleukin 13 (IL-13) levels and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within interleukin (IL)-13 rs20541, IL-13 receptors (IL-13R1) rs2248841, (IL-13R2) rs5946040, signal transducer activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) rs167769, yes-associated protein (YAP1) rs11225163, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) rs2282055, and programmed death-ligand 2 (PD-L2) rs7854413 genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed on a cohort of 134 Egyptian male patients diagnosed with NASH and NASH-HCC. RESULTS: higher serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and higher serum IL-13 levels were directly associated with HCC development in NASH (odds ratio (OR) 19.6 and 1.9 p < 0.01). Reversibly, the presence of the C/C genotype in STAT6 rs167769 and the C allele carrier YAP1 rs11225163 were inversely associated with HCC in NASH patients (OR 0.015 and 0.047 p < 0.01). A predictive model was formulated with 97.5% specificity, 90.9% sensitivity, and 94.8% accuracy. Moreover, higher serum IL-13 levels and the presence of PD-L2 rs7854413 C allele carriers were associated with advanced fibrosis progression in NASH patients (OR 1.432 and 3.797 p < 0.01). Serum levels of IL-13 and C/C genotype in STAT6 rs167769 significantly increased the predictive capacity of serum AFP to predict HCC in F1–F2 and in F3–F4 fibrosis grades NASH patients. Conclusion: association between serum IL-13 and PD-L2 rs7854413 polymorphism successfully predict advanced fibrosis in NASH. However, HCC development in NASH is associated with higher serum AFP, IL-13 levels, and STAT6 rs167769, YAP1 rs11225163 polymorphisms.
Therapeutic Potential of Brassinosteroids in Biomedical and Clinical Research
Authors: Kaur Kohli Sukhmeen , Bhardwaj Abhay , Bhardwaj Vinay , Sharma Anket , Kalia Namarta , Landi Marco , Bhardwaj Renu
Published: April 2020

Steroids are a pivotal class of hormones with a key role in growth modulation and signal transduction in multicellular organisms. Synthetic steroids are widely used to cure large array of viral, fungal, bacterial, and cancerous infections. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a natural collection of phytosterols, which have structural similarity with animal steroids. BRs are dispersed universally throughout the plant kingdom. These plant steroids are well known to modulate a plethora of physiological responses in plants leading to improvement in quality as well as yield of food crops. Moreover, they have been found to play imperative role in stress-fortification against various stresses in plants. Over a decade, BRs have conquered worldwide interest due to their diverse biological activities in animal systems. Recent studies have indicated anticancerous, antiangiogenic, antiviral, antigenotoxic, antifungal, and antibacterial bioactivities of BRs in the animal test systems. BRs inhibit replication of viruses and induce cytotoxic effects on cancerous cell lines. Keeping in view the biological activities of BRs, this review is an attempt to update the information about prospects of BRs in biomedical and clinical application.
The Landscape of Targeted Therapies in TNBC
Authors: Vagia Elena , Mahalingam Devalingam , Cristofanilli Massimo
Published: April 2020

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) constitutes the most aggressive molecular subtype among breast tumors. Despite progress on the underlying tumor biology, clinical outcomes for TNBC unfortunately remain poor. The median overall survival for patients with metastatic TNBC is approximately eighteen months. Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment while there is a growing body of evidence that targeted therapies may be on the horizon with poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and immune check-point inhibitors already established in the treatment paradigm of TNBC. A large number of novel therapeutic agents are being evaluated for their efficacy in TNBC. As novel therapeutics are now incorporated into clinical practice, it is clear that tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution can result to de novo or acquired treatment resistance. As precision medicine and next generation sequencing is part of cancer diagnostics, tailored treatment approaches based on the expression of molecular markers are currently being implemented in clinical practice and clinical trial design. The scope of this review is to highlight the most relevant current knowledge regarding underlying molecular profile of TNBC and its potential application in clinical practice.
Exploring the Relevance of Senotherapeutics for the Current SARS-CoV-2 Emergency and Similar Future Global Health Threats
Authors: Malavolta Marco , Giacconi Robertina , Brunetti Dario , Provinciali Mauro , Maggi Fabrizio
Published: April 2020

The higher death rate caused by COVID-19 in older people, especially those with comorbidities, is a challenge for biomedical aging research. Here we explore the idea that an exacerbated inflammatory response, in particular that mediated by IL-6, may drive the deleterious consequences of the infection. Data shows that other RNA viruses, such as influenza virus, can display enhanced replication efficiency in senescent cells, suggesting that the accumulation of senescent cells with aging and age-related diseases may play a role in this phenomenon. However, at present, we are completely unaware of the response to SARS-CoV and SARS-COV-2 occurring in senescent cells. We deem that this is a priority area of research because it could lead to the development of several therapeutic strategies based on senotherapeutics or prevent unsuccessful attempts. Two of these senotherapeutics, azithromycin and ruxolitinib, are currently undergoing testing for their efficacy in treating COVID-19. The potential of these strategies is not only for ameliorating the consequences of the current emergence of SARS-CoV-2, but also for the future emergence of new viruses or mutated ones for which we are completely unprepared and for which no vaccines are available.
Targeted PARP Inhibition Combined with FGFR1 Blockade is Synthetically Lethal to Malignant Cells in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Lai Shiue-Wei , Bamodu Oluwaseun Adebayo , Chen Jia-Hong , Wu Alexander TH , Lee Wei-Hwa , Chao Tsu-Yi , Yeh Chi-Tai
Published: April 2020

The role and therapeutic promise of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in anticancer chemotherapy are increasingly being explored, particularly in adjuvant or maintenance therapy, considering their low efficacy as monotherapy agents and their potentiating effects on concurrently administered contemporary chemotherapeutics. Against the background of increasing acquired resistance to FGFR1 inhibitors and our previous work, which partially demonstrated the caspase-3/PARP-mediated antitumor and antimetastatic efficacy of PD173074, a selective FGFR1 inhibitor, against ALDH-high/FGFR1-rich pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, we investigated the probable synthetic lethality and therapeutic efficacy of targeted PARP inhibition combined with FGFR1 blockade in patients with PDAC. Using bioinformatics-based analyses of gene expression profiles, co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity, molecular docking, immunofluorescence staining, clonogenicity, Western blotting, cell viability or cytotoxicity screening, and tumorsphere formation assays, we demonstrated that FGFR1 and PARP co-occur, form a complex, and reduce survival in patients with PDAC. Furthermore, FGFR1 and PARP expression was upregulated in FGFR1 inhibitor (dasatinib)-resistant PDAC cell lines SU8686, MiaPaCa2, and PANC-1 compared with that in sensitive cell lines Panc0403, Panc0504, Panc1005, and SUIT-2. Compared with the limited effect of single-agent olaparib (PARP inhibitor) or PD173074 on PANC-1 and SUIT-2 cells, low-dose combination (olaparib + PD173074) treatment significantly, dose-dependently, and synergistically reduced cell viability, upregulated cleaved PARP, pro-caspase (CASP)-9, cleaved-CASP9, and cleaved-CASP3 protein expression, and downregulated Bcl-xL protein expression. Furthermore, combination treatment markedly suppressed the clonogenicity and tumorsphere formation efficiency of PDAC cells regardless of FGFR1 inhibitor-resistance status and enhanced RAD51 and γ-H2AX immunoreactivity. In vivo studies have shown that both early and late initiation of combination therapy markedly suppressed tumor xenograft growth and increase in weight, although the effect was more pronounced in the early initiation group. In conclusion, FGFR1 inhibitor-resistant PDAC cells exhibited sensitivity to PD173074 after olaparib-mediated loss of PARP signaling. The present FGFR1/PARP-mediated synthetic lethality proof-of-concept study provided preclinical evidence of the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of combinatorial FGFR1/PARP1 inhibition in human PDAC cell lines.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) Take the Central Stage in Driving Autoimmune Responses
Authors: Fousert Esther , Toes René , Desai Jyaysi
Published: April 2020

Following fifteen years of research, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are widely reported in a large range of inflammatory infectious and non-infectious diseases. Cumulating evidences from in vitro, in vivo and clinical diagnostics suggest that NETs may play a crucial role in inflammation and autoimmunity in a variety of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Most likely, NETs contribute to breaking self-tolerance in autoimmune diseases in several ways. During this review, we discuss the current knowledge on how NETs could drive autoimmune responses. NETs can break self-tolerance by being a source of autoantigens for autoantibodies found in autoimmune diseases, such as anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) in RA, anti-dsDNA in SLE and anti-myeloperoxidase and anti-protein 3 in AAV. Moreover, NET components could accelerate the inflammatory response by mediating complement activation, acting as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and inflammasome activators, for example. NETs also can activate other immune cells, such as B cells, antigen-presenting cells and T cells. Additionally, impaired clearance of NETs in autoimmune diseases prolongs the presence of active NETs and their components and, in this way, accelerate immune responses. NETs have not only been implicated as drivers of inflammation, but also are linked to resolution of inflammation. Therefore, NETs may be central regulators of inflammation and autoimmunity, serve as biomarkers, as well as promising targets for future therapeutics of inflammatory autoimmune diseases.
scRNA-seq Profiling of Human Testes Reveals the Presence of the ACE2 Receptor, A Target for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli Cells
Authors: Wang Zhengpin , Xu Xiaojiang
Published: April 2020

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. SARS-CoV-2 shares both high sequence similarity and the use of the same cell entry receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Several studies have provided bioinformatic evidence of potential routes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and urinary systems. However, whether the reproductive system is a potential target of SARS-CoV-2 infection has not yet been determined. Here, we investigate the expression pattern of ACE2 in adult human testes at the level of single-cell transcriptomes. The results indicate that ACE2 is predominantly enriched in spermatogonia and Leydig and Sertoli cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) indicates that Gene Ontology (GO) categories associated with viral reproduction and transmission are highly enriched in ACE2-positive spermatogonia, while male gamete generation related terms are downregulated. Cell–cell junction and immunity-related GO terms are increased in ACE2-positive Leydig and Sertoli cells, but mitochondria and reproduction-related GO terms are decreased. These findings provide evidence that the human testis is a potential target of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may have significant impact on our understanding of the pathophysiology of this rapidly spreading disease.
Granulation Effect Analysis of Gas Quenching Blast Furnace Slag with Different Basicities
Authors: Liu Chao , Kang Yue , Zhang Yuzhu , Xing Hongwei
Published: April 2020

High content amorphous phase blast furnace slag beads were prepared by gas quenching blast furnace slag (BFS), which could not only avoid a series of environmental problems caused by traditional water quenching methods, but also significantly increase the added value of BFS subsequent products. In this paper, the granulation mechanism of BFS and the amorphous phase formation mechanism of slag beads were studied by combining the physical properties of BFS and the granulation effect. The results showed that the viscosity of BFS decreased with the increase of basicity; the bigger the basicity, the higher the bead formation rate, the smaller the particle size and the more regular the slag shape. The smaller the basicity, the greater the crystallization activation energy and the smaller the Avrami exponent, which indicated that the crystal was more difficult to nucleate and grow. The increase of the cooling rate could effectively inhibit crystal precipitation. Therefore, the high basicity and cooling rate could not only guarantee the high bead formation rate of BFS, but also ensure the high content amorphous phase of slag beads.
Grip Force Measurement as a Complement to High-Resolution Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of A2 and A4 Finger Pulley Injuries
Authors: Iruretagoiena-Urbieta Xeber , De la Fuente-Ortiz de Zarate Javier , Blasi Marc , Obradó-Carriedo Felix , Ormazabal-Aristegi Andoni , Rodríguez-López Elena Sonsoles
Published: April 2020

The ability of finger flexors to generate force has been studied in relation to climbing performance. However, not much attention has been paid to the decrease in finger grip force in relation to annular pulley injuries. The purpose of the present study was to determine if an injured annular pulley implies a finger flexor force decrease, as well as its relation to clinical and sonographic changes. We performed an observational study in 39 rock climbers with A2 or A4 pulley injuries to the 3rd or 4th fingers. The variables considered were pain upon palpation, ultrasound tendon–bone distance, and finger grip strength decrease. Three rock climbing grip types were considered: the one finger crimp, open crimp, and close crimp. Injured rock climbers presented a decrease in finger grip strength compared to non-injured controls when performing a one finger crimp (p < 0.001). There exists a significant correlation between a tendon–bone distance at the level of the injured pulley and a decreased finger grip strength measured by performing a one finger crimp (p = 0.006). A decrease in finger grip strength could be considered in the diagnostic and follow-up process of A2 and A4 pulley injuries to the 3rd and 4th fingers.
Kynurenine/Tryptophan Ratio Predicts Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Responsiveness in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Wu Ming-Hsien , Lin Chia-Ni , Chiu Daniel Tsun-Yee , Chen Szu-Tah
Published: April 2020

Albuminuria is a measurement and determinant factor for diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) is recommended for albuminuria in DKD with variable response. To find surrogate markers to predict the therapeutic effect of ARB, we carried out a prospective study to correlate plasma metabolites and the progression of renal function/albuminuria in DKD patients. A total of 56 type 2 diabetic patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease and albuminuria were recruited. ARB was prescribed once albuminuria was established. Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was determined before and six months after ARB treatment, with a ≥30% reduction of UACR considered an ARB responder. Plasma levels of 145 metabolites were measured before ARB treatment; only those associated with albuminuria were selected and compared between ARB responders and non-responders. Both lower tryptophan (Trp ≤ 46.75 μmol/L) levels and a higher kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (KTR ≥ 68.5 × 10−3) were significantly associated with macroalbuminuria (MAU), but only KTR (≥54.7 × 10−3) predicts ARB responsiveness (sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 50%) in MAU. Together, these data suggest that the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio predicts angiotensin receptor blocker responsiveness in patients with diabetic kidney disease.
The Combination of Adaptive Convolutional Neural Network and Bag of Visual Words in Automatic Diagnosis of Third Molar Complications on Dental X-Ray Images
Authors: Ngoc Vo Truong Nhu , Agwu Agwu Chinedu , Son Le Hoang , Tuan Tran Manh , Nguyen Giap Cu , Thanh Mai Thi Giang , Duy Hoang Bao , Ngan Tran Thi
Published: April 2020

In dental diagnosis, recognizing tooth complications quickly from radiology (e.g., X-rays) takes highly experienced medical professionals. By using object detection models and algorithms, this work is much easier and needs less experienced medical practitioners to clear their doubts while diagnosing a medical case. In this paper, we propose a dental defect recognition model by the integration of Adaptive Convolution Neural Network and Bag of Visual Word (BoVW). In this model, BoVW is used to save the features extracted from images. After that, a designed Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model is used to make quality prediction. To evaluate the proposed model, we collected a dataset of radiography images of 447 patients in Hanoi Medical Hospital, Vietnam, with third molar complications. The results of the model suggest accuracy of 84% ± 4%. This accuracy is comparable to that of experienced dentists and radiologists.
Improvement of Fusel Oil Features and Effect of Its Use in Different Compression Ratios for an SI Engine on Performance and Emission
Authors: Şimşek Süleyman , Saygın Hasan , Özdalyan Bülent
Published: April 2020

In this study, the effects of the use of improved fusel oil on engine performance and on exhaust emissions in a spark-ignition engine were investigated experimentally in consideration of the water, gum, and moisture content at high compression ratios according to TS EN 228 standards. In the study, a four-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled, spark plug ignition engine with an 8/1 compression ratio was used at three different compression ratios (8/1, 8.5/1, 9.12/1). Experiments were performed for six different ratios of fuel blends (F0, F10, F20, F30, F40, and F50) at a constant speed and different loads. The data obtained from the experiments were compared with the original operating parameters of the engine while using gasoline. According to the test results, the optimal engine performance was at a 9.12/1 compression ratio and with a F30 fuel blend. With the increase from an 8/1 to 9.12/1 compression ratio for the F30 fuel blend, the overall efficiency increased by 6.91%, and the specific fuel consumption decreased by 2.35%. The effect of the optimum fusel blend on the emissions was also examined and CO emissions were reduced by 36.82%, HC emissions were reduced by 23.07%, and NOx emissions were reduced by 15.42%, while CO2 emissions were increased by 13.88%.
Evaluating the Potential of WorldView-3 Data to Classify Different Shoot Damage Ratios of Pinus yunnanensis
Authors: Yu Linfeng , Zhan Zhongyi , Ren Lili , Zong Shixiang , Luo Youqing , Huang Huaguo
Published: April 2020

Tomicus yunnanensis Kirkendall and Faccoli and Tomicus minor Hartig have caused serious shoot damage in Yunnan pine (Pinus yunnanensis Faranch) forests in the Yunnan province of China. However, very few remote sensing studies have been conducted to detect the different shoot damage ratios of individual trees. The aim of the study was to evaluate the suitability of eight-band WorldView-3 satellite image for detecting different shoot damage ratios (e.g., “healthy”, “slightly”, “moderately”, and “severely”). An object-based supervised classification method was used in this study. The tree crowns were delineated on a 0.3 m pan-sharpened worldview-3 image as reference data. Besides the original eight bands, normalized two-band indices were derived as spectral variables. For classifying individual trees, three classifiers—multinomial logistic regression (MLR), a stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SDA), and random forest (RF)—were evaluated and compared in this study. Results showed that SDA classifier based on all spectral variables had the highest classification accuracy (78.33%, Kappa = 0.712). Compared to original eight bands of Worldview-3, normalized two-band indices could improve the overall accuracy. Furthermore, the shoot damage ratio was a good indicator for detecting different levels of individual damaged trees. We concluded that the Worldview-3 satellite data were suitable to classify different levels of damaged trees; therefore, the best mapping results of damaged trees was predicted based on the best classification model which is very useful for forest managers to take the appropriate measures to decrease shoot beetle damage in Yunnan pine forests.
MCPH1 Lack of Function Enhances Mitotic Cell Sensitivity Caused by Catalytic Inhibitors of Topo II
Authors: Arroyo María , Sánchez Antonio , Cañuelo Ana , Heredia-Molina Rosalía F. , Martínez-Molina Eduardo , Clarke Duncan J. , Marchal Juan Alberto
Published: April 2020

The capacity of Topoisomerase II (Topo II) to remove DNA catenations that arise after replication is essential to ensure faithful chromosome segregation. Topo II activity is monitored during G2 by a specific checkpoint pathway that delays entry into mitosis until the chromosomes are properly decatenated. Recently, we demonstrated that the mitotic defects that are characteristic of cells depleted of MCPH1 function, a protein mutated in primary microcephaly, are not a consequence of a weakened G2 decatenation checkpoint response. However, the mitotic defects could be accounted for by a minor defect in the activity of Topo II during G2/M. To test this hypothesis, we have tracked at live single cell resolution the dynamics of mitosis in MCPH1 depleted HeLa cells upon catalytic inhibition of Topo II. Our analyses demonstrate that neither chromosome alignment nor segregation are more susceptible to minor perturbation in decatenation in MCPH1 deficient cells, as compared with control cells. Interestingly, MCPH1 depleted cells were more prone to mitotic cell death when decatenation was perturbed. Furthermore, when the G2 arrest that was induced by catalytic inhibition of Topo II was abrogated by Chk1 inhibition, the incidence of mitotic cell death was also increased. Taken together, our data suggest that the MCPH1 lack of function increases mitotic cell hypersensitivity to the catalytic inhibition of Topo II.
Comparison of MODIS and Model-Derived Snow-Covered Areas: Impact of Land Use and Solar Illumination Conditions
Authors: Di Marco Nicola , Righetti Maurizio , Avesani Diego , Zaramella Mattia , Notarnicola Claudia , Borga Marco
Published: April 2020

Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometry (MODIS) snow cover accuracy has been assessed in the past at different scales, with various approaches and in relation to the many factors influencing the remote observation of snow-covered areas (SCA). However, the challenge of fully characterizing MODIS accuracy over forest sites is still open. In this study, we exploit 5 years of data from the upper river Adige basin at Ponte Adige (Eastern Italian Alps) to condition an enhanced temperature index snowpack model accounting for model parameter uncertainty by using the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) methodology. The simulated SCA is then compared with MODIS retrievals through a range of different statistical metrics to investigate how land use and solar illumination conditions affect such comparison. In particular, the Overall Accuracy index (OA) is used to quantify the agreement between satellite-derived and simulated SCA on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Analyzing the spatial variability either of the median OA and its range shows that illumination conditions over forested canopies represent a major source of uncertainty in MODIS SCA. Exploiting this finding, we identify the minimum level of incoming short-wave radiation for accurate use of MODIS SCA in forest areas.
Disentangling the Main Components of Hydromorphological Modifications at Reach Scale in Rivers of Greece
Authors: Stefanidis Konstantinos , Latsiou Anna , Kouvarda Theodora , Lampou Anastasia , Kalaitzakis Nektarios , Gritzalis Konstantinos , Dimitriou Elias
Published: April 2020

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires from member states to monitor hydromorphological features of rivers in order to assess their ecological quality. Thus, numerous hydromorphological assessment methods have been developed with most of them focusing on the dynamics of hydrology, geomorphology and riparian zone extent. Within the scope of this study, we assessed the hydromorphological features of 106 river reaches distributed among thirteen WFD River Basin Districts (RBDs) to identify the main drivers of hydromorphological perturbation at a national scale. The studied reaches reflect a wide range of natural variability as they include various types of watercourses extending from lowlands to mid-altitude and mountainous systems. We employed the River Habitat Survey (RHS), and we recorded hydromorphological features and modifications in both banks and the channel bed along 500 m for each reach. Then, the Habitat Modification Score (HMS) and the individual sub-scores that indicate the extent of specific modifications (e.g., bridges, fords, weirs, bank reprofiling, bank reinforcement, etc.) were calculated in order to a) assess the severity of the total artificial modification and b) to highlight the most common and severe causes of overall alteration. The results showed that alterations such as reprofiling and reinforcement of banks contributed the most to the total HMS followed by the presence of fords and bridges. Particularly, the bank alterations indicate a serious deterioration of the longitudinal profile of the reaches, while the occurrence of many fords and bridges is the main cause for perturbations that affect locally the stream cross-sectional profile. Overall, these results compile a first nationwide assessment of the hydromorphological status of Greek rivers in line with the WFD and set the basis for further research that will focus on the diversity of stream habitat features as a measure for the overall ecological quality.
Potential Increased Risk of Trisomy 18 Observed After a Fertilizer Warehouse Fire in Brazos County and TX
Authors: Xu Xiaohui , Zhang Xiao , Han JeongWon , Adamu Yau , Zhang Bangning
Published: April 2020

Background: In this paper, we aimed to investigate the potential impacts of a fire accident in a fertilizer warehouse on chromosomal anomalies, including Trisomy 21 (T21) and Trisomy (T18) among pregnancies in Brazos County, Texas. We conducted an observational study in Brazos County, TX, with all patients of T18 and T21 cases in the live births in Brazos County between 2005–2014. The prevalence of T18 and T21 before, during, and after the accident in Brazos County were calculated and compared. The Standardized Morbidity Ratio (SMR) was applied to compare the prevalence of T18 and T21 in Brazos County to the statewide prevalence in Texas after adjusting for maternal race and age. Compared with statewide risk, the risk of T18 during the impacted years in Brazos county was found to be significantly higher (SMR = 5.0, 95% Confidence Interval(CI): 2.19–9.89), while there was no significant difference before (SMR = 0.77, 0.13–2.54) and after the accident (SMR = 0.71, 0.12–2.36). However, the prevalence of T21 during the impacted years was not significantly different from those before or after the accident. This study conclusively suggests that this fertilizer fire may be related to the increased prevalence of T18 in Brazos County, though the findings warrant further investigation.
Risk of Injury in Physically Active Students: Associated Factors and Quality of Life Aspects
Authors: Sieńko-Awierianów Elżbieta , Chudecka Monika
Published: April 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the potential factors of hypermobility and pain threshold on the risk of injury in physically active students and to verify which domains of quality of life are rated lower by young people with a history of injuries. Methods: The study included 278 students (138 women and 140 men) who regularly undertake physical activity. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, pain threshold, incidence of hypermobility syndrome, information on the history of injuries to the locomotor system, and the quality of life of the study participants were collected. Results: In the group studied, hypermobility and pain threshold had a statistically significant related on the risk of injury. Participants with a history of injuries had lower scores for an individual’s overall perception of their own health and the physical domain. There were also significant differences in the psychological domain of the quality of life between males and females with a history of injuries. Conclusion: In the studied group, the risk of injuries was related to diagnosed hypermobility and pain threshold measured on the lower limbs. The study also showed that people with a history of injuries had statistically significantly lower scores in the individual general perception of their own health and in the physical domain. Gender had a significant impact on the quality of life of people with injuries.
Association between Female Reproductive Health and Mancozeb: Systematic Review of Experimental Models
Authors: Bianchi Serena , Nottola Stefania Annarita , Torge Diana , Palmerini Maria Grazia , Necozione Stefano , Macchiarelli Guido
Published: April 2020

Mancozeb is a widely used fungicide approved for use in agriculture in many countries with long persistence in the environment and consequent bioaccumulation in tissues and biological fluids. Despite the large amount of studies published in recent years, the relationship between mancozeb exposure and female reproductive health is not fully elucidated. In order to summarize current evidence on mancozeb exposure and female reproductive disease, we performed a systematic review of literature. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to make this review. An adapted version of the National Toxicology Program’s Office of Health and Assessment and Translation (OHAT) framework was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Electronic search on two databases (PubMed and Scopus) was used to find experimental studies (in vitro and in vivo) on mancozeb exposure. The database search identified 250 scientific articles, 20 of which met our inclusion criteria. Selected data were then reviewed and summarized in tables. Overall, mancozeb represents a hazard for female reproductive health, with different mechanisms of action. Undoubtedly more experimental and epidemiological studies are required to definitively validate mancozeb as reproductive toxicant.
Prevalence of Internet Addiction and Gaming Disorders in Southeast Asia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chia Doris X. Y. , Ng Charis W. L. , Kandasami Gomathinayagam , Seow Mavis Y. L. , Choo Carol C. , Chew Peter K. H. , Lee Cheng , Zhang Melvyn W. B.
Published: April 2020

This meta-analytic review aimed to examine the pooled prevalence rates of Internet addiction and gaming disorders in Southeast Asia. Several databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched and a total of 24 studies were included in this study. The selection of studies was conducted in accordance to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two meta-analyses were conducted to examine data on Internet addiction and gaming disorders separately. A random-effects model was employed to derive the pooled prevalence rate. Mixed-effects meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the moderators of the between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias was tested using the Egger’s regression test and funnel plot. Only seven out of the 11 Southeast Asian countries were represented in the literature. All except for two of the included studies were cross-sectional in nature. The findings revealed a pooled prevalence rate of 20.0% (95% confidence interval: 14.5%–27.0%) and 10.1% (95% confidence interval: 7.3%–13.8%) for Internet addiction and gaming disorders respectively. Mean age and study population were significant moderators of the between-study heterogeneity in the prevalence rates of gaming disorders such that samples involving older participants showed higher prevalence rate than those involving younger individuals. Country of study was found to be significant moderator of the between-heterogeneity for both Internet addiction and gaming disorders, however the findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small and unbalanced sample sizes. There was no significant publication bias. Such epidemiology research should be extended to the Southeast Asian countries that have not been studied or are under-studied. Given that the prevalence rates appear to be higher in Southeast Asia than in other world regions, future research should also explore the factors behind these inter-regional differences. Further longitudinal studies should also be conducted to examine the trajectories of such disorders.
Structural Insight into the Interactions between Structurally Similar Inhibitors and SIRT6
Authors: Zhao Shuang , Zhu Yan-Yan , Wang Xiao-Yu , Liu Yong-Sheng , Sun Yun-Xiang , Zhao Qing-Jie , Li Hui-Yu
Published: April 2020

Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is an NAD+-dependent deacetylase with a significant role in 20% of all cancers, such as colon cancers and rectal adenocarcinoma. However, there is currently no effective drug for cancers related to SIRT6. To explore potential inhibitors of SIRT6, it is essential to reveal details of the interaction mechanisms between inhibitors and SIRT6 at the atomic level. The nature of small molecules from herbs have many advantages as inhibitors. Based on the conformational characteristics of the inhibitor Compound 9 (Asinex ID: BAS13555470), we explored the natural molecule Scutellarin, one compound of Huang Qin, which is an effective herb for curing cancer that has been described in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCMS) library. We investigated the interactions between SIRT6 and the inhibitors using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We illustrated that the structurally similar inhibitors have a similar binding mode to SIRT6 with residues—Leu9, Phe64, Val115, His133 and Trp188. Hydrophobic and π-stacking interactions play important roles in the interactions between SIRT6 and inhibitors. In summary, our results reveal the interactive mechanism of SIRT6 and the inhibitors and we also provide Scutellarin as a new potential inhibitor of SIRT6. Our study provides a new potential way to explore potential inhibitors from TCMS.
Expression of Sucrose Transporters from Vitis vinifera Confer High Yield and Enhances Drought Resistance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Cai Yumeng , Yan Jing , Tu Wenrui , Deng Zhefang , Dong Wenjie , Gao Han , Xu Jinxu , Zhang Nan , Yin Ling , Meng Qingyong , Zhang Yali
Published: April 2020

Sucrose is the predominant form of sugar transported from photosynthetic (source) to non-photosynthetic (sink) organs in higher plants relying on the transporting function of sucrose transporters (SUTs or SUCs). Many SUTs have been identified and characterized in both monocots and dicots. However, the function of sucrose transporters (SUTs or SUCs) from Vitis is not clear. As the world’s most planted grape species, Vitis vinifera owns three sucrose transport activity verified SUTs. In this study, we constructed three kinds of VvSUC (Vitis vinifera SUC)-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis. VvSUC-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis was cultured on sucrose-supplemented medium. VvSUC11- and VvSUC12-overexpressing lines had similar thrived growth phenotypes, whereas the size and number of leaves and roots from VvSUC27-overexpressing lines were reduced compared with that of WT. When plants were cultured in soil, all SUT transgenic seedlings produced more number of leaves and siliques, resulting in higher yield (38.6% for VvSUC12-transformants) than that of WT. Besides, VvSUC27-transformants and VvSUC11-transformants enhanced drought resistance in Arabidopsis, providing a promising target for crop improvement
A Distributed Bagging Ensemble Methodology for Community Prediction in Social Networks
Authors: Makris Christos , Pispirigos Georgios , Rizos Ioannis Orestis
Published: April 2020

Presently, due to the extended availability of gigantic information networks and the beneficial application of graph analysis in various scientific fields, the necessity for efficient and highly scalable community detection algorithms has never been more essential. Despite the significant amount of published research, the existing methods—such as the Girvan–Newman, random-walk edge betweenness, vertex centrality, InfoMap, spectral clustering, etc.—have virtually been proven incapable of handling real-life social graphs due to the intrinsic computational restrictions that lead to mediocre performance and poor scalability. The purpose of this article is to introduce a novel, distributed community detection methodology which in accordance with the community prediction concept, leverages the reduced complexity and the decreased variance of the bagging ensemble methods, to unveil the subjacent community hierarchy. The proposed approach has been thoroughly tested, meticulously compared against different classic community detection algorithms, and practically proven exceptionally scalable, eminently efficient, and promisingly accurate in unfolding the underlying community structure.
Favorable Long-Term Outcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Differentiated-Type-Predominant Early Gastric Cancer with Histological Heterogeneity
Authors: Kim Tae-Se , Shin Hyeong Chan , Min Byung-Hoon , Kim Kyoung-Mee , Min Yang Won , Lee Hyuk , Lee Jun Haeng , Rhee Poong-Lyul , Kim Jae J.
Published: April 2020

It remains unclear whether endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) can be indicated for differentiated-type-predominant early gastric cancer mixed with a minor undifferentiated component (EGC with histological heterogeneity (HH)). Here, we reviewed and compared clinicopathologic characteristics and long-term outcomes of ESD of 257 patients with EGC-HH and those of 2386 patients with pure differentiated-type EGC (PuD-EGC). After ESD, EGC-HH was managed in the same way as PuD-EGC. EGC-HHs were significantly associated with larger tumor size, more frequent submucosal invasion, and lymphovascular invasion compared to PuD-EGCs. Despite these aggressive features of EGC-HH, no local recurrence or gastric cancer-related death occurred during a median of 58 months of follow up after ESD for EGC-HH, if curative resection was achieved. After curative ESD for EGC-HH, six patients had metachronous recurrence (5.0%) and one patient underwent extragastric recurrence in a regional lymph node (0.8%). All these recurrence cases were curatively treated with ESD or gastrectomy. For patients with EGC-HH, five-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates after curative ESD were 97.0% and 94.8%, respectively, which were comparable to those of patients with PuD-EGC. In conclusion, ESD showed favorable long-term outcomes after curative resection and may be an acceptable treatment option for EGC-HH meeting curative endoscopic resection criteria.