bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Dietary Methyl-Donor Intake and Other Lifestyle Factors on Cancer Patients in Hungary
Authors: Kiss Eva , Hajdu Anett , Forika Gertrud , Dank Magdolna , Krenacs Tibor , Nemeth Zsuzsanna
Published: September 2022

Background: Nutrition is essential to life and can have an indisputable influence on health and prevention of disease development including cancer. Methyl-donors are macronutrients that are important in achieving a healthy balance of metabolic processes. Their deficiency can lead to several symptoms and diseases—even to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to explore the potential protective effect of methyl-donor intake in breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer by patient follow up. Methods: A food frequency questionnaire and a diet diary were used to evaluate methyl-donor intake and blood samples were taken to evaluate Il-6 and IL-8 cytokine levels as well as MTHFR (C677T) polymorphism in breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients. Results: We found that levels around the recommended daily intake of B6 and B9 were effective in supporting the overall survival of breast and colorectal, and a relatively higher level of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, patients. The total intake of methyl-donors significantly and negatively correlated with smoking in pancreatic cancer, while folate as well as betaine intake significantly and positively correlated with IL-8 in colorectal cancer patients. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the appropriate intake of methyl-donor can be an adjunct of conventional oncotherapy to improve quality of life. Whether methyl-donor intake supports cancer prevention and patient survival needs further confirmation in large patient cohorts.
Transcriptome Analysis of Human Endogenous Retroviruses at Locus-Specific Resolution in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: La Ferlita Alessandro , Distefano Rosario , Alaimo Salvatore , Beane Joal D. , Ferro Alfredo , Croce Carlo M. , Tsichlis Philip N. , Pulvirenti Alfredo , Nigita Giovanni
Published: September 2022

Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Among its subtypes, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) are the most common, accounting for more than 85% of lung cancer diagnoses. Despite the incredible efforts and recent advances in lung cancer treatments, patients affected by this condition still have a poor prognosis. Therefore, novel diagnostic biomarkers are needed. Recently, a class of transposable elements called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) has been found to be implicated in cancer development and later employed as novel biomarkers for several tumor types. In this study, we first ever characterized the expression of HERVs at genomic locus-specific resolution in both LUAD and LUSC cohorts available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Precisely, (i) we profiled the expression of HERVs in TCGA-LUAD and TCGA-LUSC cohorts; (ii) we identified the dysregulated HERVs in both lung cancer subtypes; (iii) we evaluated the impact of the dysregulated HERVs on signaling pathways using neural network-based predictions; and (iv) we assessed their association with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). In conclusion, we believe this study may help elucidate another layer of dysregulation that occurs in lung cancer involving HERVs, paving the way for identifying novel lung cancer biomarkers.
Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Predicting Pathologic Complete Response in Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy
Authors: Li Wen , Le Nu N. , Onishi Natsuko , Newitt David C. , Wilmes Lisa J. , Gibbs Jessica E. , Carmona-Bozo Julia , Liang Jiachao , Partridge Savannah C. , Price Elissa R. , Joe Bonnie N. , Kornak John , Magbanua Mark Jesus M. , Nanda Rita , LeStage Barbara , Esserman Laura J. ,   I-SPY Imaging Working Group,   I-SPY Investigator Network, van’t Veer Laura J. , Hylton Nola M.
Published: September 2022

This study tested the hypothesis that a change in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measured in diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is an independent imaging marker, and ADC performs better than functional tumor volume (FTV) for assessing treatment response in patients with locally advanced breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy. A total of 249 patients were randomized to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy with pembrolizumab (pembro) or without pembrolizumab (control). DCE-MRI and DWI, performed prior to and 3 weeks after the start of treatment, were analyzed. Percent changes of tumor ADC metrics (mean, 5th to 95th percentiles of ADC histogram) and FTV were evaluated for the prediction of pathologic complete response (pCR) using a logistic regression model. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) estimated for the percent change in mean ADC was higher in the pembro cohort (0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52 to 0.93) than in the control cohort (0.63, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.83). In the control cohort, the percent change of the 95th percentile ADC achieved the highest AUC, 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52 to 0.85). In the pembro cohort, the percent change of the 25th percentile ADC achieved the highest AUC, 0.75 (95% CI: 0.55 to 0.95). AUCs estimated for percent change of FTV were 0.61 (95% CI: 0.39 to 0.83) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.47 to 0.85) for the pembro and control cohorts, respectively. Tumor ADC may perform better than FTV to predict pCR at an early treatment time-point during neoadjuvant immunotherapy.
Pan-Cancer Analysis of Pentraxin 3: A Potential Biomarker of COVID-19
Authors: Zhou Zijian , Zhou Xuan , Yang Yuanyuan , Wang Lujia , Wu Zhong
Published: September 2022

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a potential biomarker of the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients, is aberrantly expressed in human tumors. However, a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of PTX3 remains to be elucidated. PTX3 data profiles and clinical information in TCGA cancers were obtained from different public databases to clarify the expression levels, genetic alterations, prognostic significance, underlying mechanisms, and the predicted role in immunotherapy of PTX3 across TCGA cancers. Our analyses showed that PTX3 was aberrantly expressed in most tumors and was significantly related to prognosis and tumor stage. Interaction network and enrichment analyses revealed that PTX3 participated in tumor immuno-related progression. In addition, PTX3 levels were critically associated with immune cell components and immune scores, and PTX3 strongly coexpressed with immune-related genes in TCGA cancers. Meanwhile, PTX3 expression was associated with immune checkpoint genes, and immunotherapy potential biomarkers in multiple cancers, predicting special immunotherapy responses in different tumor types. In kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), PTX3 emerged as an independent prognostic factor through multivariable Cox regression analyses. Blocking PTX3 with siRNA could suppress the growth of KIRC cells and invasion. Conclusively, our study shows a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of PTX3, which might serve as a pan-cancer prognostic biomarker.
Cord Blood-Derived Natural Killer Cell Exploitation in Immunotherapy Protocols: More Than a Promise?
Authors: Damele Laura , Spaggiari Grazia Maria , Parodi Monica , Mingari Maria Cristina , Vitale Massimo , Vitale Chiara
Published: September 2022

In the last 20 years, Natural Killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy has become a promising approach to target various types of cancer. Indeed, NK cells play a pivotal role in the first-line defense against tumors through major histocompatibility complex-independent immunosurveillance. Their role in the control of leukemia relapse has been clearly established and, moreover, the presence of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) generally correlates with good prognosis. However, it has also been observed that, often, NK cells poorly infiltrate the tumor tissue, and, in TME, their functions may be compromised by immunosuppressive factors that contribute to the failure of anti-cancer immune response. Currently, studies are focused on the design of effective strategies to expand NK cells and enhance their cytotoxic activity, exploiting different cell sources, such as peripheral blood (PB), umbilical cord blood (UCB) and NK cell lines. Among them, UCB represents an important source of mature NK cells and CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (HSPCs), as precursors of NK cells. In this review, we summarize the UCB-derived NK cell activity in the tumor context, review the different in-vitro models to expand NK cells from UCB, and discuss the importance of their exploitation in anti-tumor immunotherapy protocols.
Novel Human Artificial Intelligence Hybrid Framework Pinpoints Thyroid Nodule Malignancy and Identifies Overlooked Second-Order Ultrasonographic Features
Authors: Jia Xiaohong , Ma Zehao , Kong Dexing , Li Yamin , Hu Hairong , Guan Ling , Yan Jiping , Zhang Ruifang , Gu Ying , Chen Xia , Shi Liying , Luo Xiaomao , Li Qiaoying , Bai Baoyan , Ye Xinhua , Zhai Hong , Zhang Hua , Dong Yijie , Xu Lei , Zhou Jianqiao ,   CAAU
Published: September 2022

We present a Human Artificial Intelligence Hybrid (HAIbrid) integrating framework that reweights Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) features and the malignancy score predicted by a convolutional neural network (CNN) for nodule malignancy stratification and diagnosis. We defined extra ultrasonographical features from color Doppler images to explore malignancy-relevant features. We proposed Gated Attentional Factorization Machine (GAFM) to identify second-order interacting features trained via a 10 fold distribution-balanced stratified cross-validation scheme on ultrasound images of 3002 nodules all finally characterized by postoperative pathology (1270 malignant ones), retrospectively collected from 131 hospitals. Our GAFM-HAIbrid model demonstrated significant improvements in Area Under the Curve (AUC) value (p-value < 10−5), reaching about 0.92 over the standalone CNN (~0.87) and senior radiologists (~0.86), and identified a second-order vascularity localization and morphological pattern which was overlooked if only first-order features were considered. We validated the advantages of the integration framework on an already-trained commercial CNN system and our findings using an extra set of ultrasound images of 500 nodules. Our HAIbrid framework allows natural integration to clinical workflow for thyroid nodule malignancy risk stratification and diagnosis, and the proposed GAFM-HAIbrid model may help identify novel diagnosis-relevant second-order features beyond ultrasonography.
Androgen Receptor Splice Variants Contribute to the Upregulation of DNA Repair in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Tolkach Yuri , Kremer Anika , Lotz Gábor , Schmid Matthias , Mayr Thomas , Förster Sarah , Garbe Stephan , Hosni Sana , Cronauer Marcus V. , Kocsmár Ildikó , Kocsmár Éva , Riesz Péter , Alajati Abdullah , Ritter Manuel , Ellinger Jörg , Ohlmann Carsten-Henning , Kristiansen Glen
Published: September 2022

Background: Canonical androgen receptor (AR) signaling regulates a network of DNA repair genes in prostate cancer (PCA). Experimental and clinical evidence indicates that androgen deprivation not only suppresses DNA repair activity but is often synthetically lethal in combination with PARP inhibition. The present study aimed to elucidate the impact of AR splice variants (AR-Vs), occurring in advanced or late-stage PCA, on DNA repair machinery. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-three tissue samples were analyzed, including primary hormone-naïve PCA, primary metastases, hormone-sensitive PCA on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and castration refractory PCA (CRPC group). The transcript levels of the target genes were profiled using the nCounter platform. Experimental support for the findings was gained in AR/AR-V7-expressing LNCaP cells subjected to ionizing radiation. Results: AR-Vs were present in half of hormone-sensitive PCAs on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and two-thirds of CRPC samples. The presence of AR-Vs is highly correlated with increased activity in the AR pathway and DNA repair gene expression. In AR-V-expressing CRPC, the DNA repair score increased by 2.5-fold as compared to AR-V-negative samples. Enhanced DNA repair and the deregulation of DNA repair genes by AR-V7 supported the clinical data in a cell line model. Conclusions: The expression of AR splice variants such as AR-V7 in PCA patients following ADT might be a reason for reduced or absent therapy effects in patients on additional PARP inhibition due to the modulation of DNA repair gene expression. Consequently, AR-Vs should be further studied as predictive biomarkers for therapy response in this setting.
Insights into Epigenetic Changes Related to Genetic Variants and Cells-of-Origin of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: An Algorithm for Practical Workup
Authors: Ciobanu Oana A. , Martin Sorina C. , Herlea Vlad , Fica Simona
Published: September 2022

Current knowledge on the molecular landscape of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) has advanced significantly. Still, the cellular origin of PanNETs is uncertain and the associated mechanisms remain largely unknown. DAXX/ATRX and MEN1 are the three most frequently altered genes that drive PanNETs. They are recognized as a link between genetics and epigenetics. Moreover, the acknowledged impact on DNA methylation by somatic mutations in MEN1 is a valid hallmark of epigenetic mechanism. DAXX/ATRX and MEN1 can be studied at the immunohistochemical level as a reliable surrogate for sequencing. DAXX/ATRX mutations promote alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) activation, determined by specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. ALT phenotype is considered a significant predictor of worse prognosis and a marker of pancreatic origin. Additionally, ARX/PDX1 expression is linked to important epigenomic alterations and can be used as lineage associated immunohistochemical marker. Herein, ARX/PDX1 association with DAXX/ATRX/MEN1 and ALT can be studied through pathological assessment, as these biomarkers may provide important clues to the mechanism underlying disease pathogenesis. In this review, we present an overview of a new approach to tumor stratification based on genetic and epigenetic characteristics as well as cellular origin, with prognostic consequences.
Proton Beam Therapy for Treatment-Naïve Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Prognostic Significance of Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) Grade
Authors: Kim Tae Hyun , Kim Bo Hyun , Park Joong-Won , Cho Yu Ri , Koh Young-Hwan , Chun Jung Won , Oh Eun Sang , Lee Do Yeul , Lee Sung Uk , Suh Yang-Gun , Woo Sang Myung , Moon Sung Ho , Kim Sang Soo , Lee Woo Jin
Published: September 2022

To evaluate the efficacy of proton beam therapy (PBT) as an initial treatment in treatment-naïve hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and to assess the prognostic significance of albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, 46 treatment-naïve HCC patients treated with PBT were analyzed. The ALBI grade distribution was grade 1 in 11 (23.9%) patients, grade 2 in 34 (73.9%) patients, and grade 3 in 1 (2.2%) patient. The median duration of follow-up was 56.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 48.2–64.7). Among the 46 patients, disease progression was observed in 23 (50%) patients: local progression in 3 (6.5%) patients; intrahepatic progression in 22 (47.8%); and extrahepatic progression in 5 (10.9%). The 5-year freedom from local progression (FFLP), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 92.7% (95% CI, 84.7–100.7), 43.3% (95% CI, 28.2–58.4), and 69.2% (95% CI, 54.9–83.5), respectively. In multivariate analysis, there were no independent factors for FFLP (p > 0.05 each), but tumor stage and ALBI grade were independent factors for PFS and OS (p < 0.05 each). PBT could result in comparable OS in treatment-naïve HCC patients to other recommended first-line treatments, and ALBI grade, in addition to tumor stage, could be useful for predicting OS.
Clinical Significance of Germline Pathogenic Variants among 51 Cancer Predisposition Genes in an Unselected Cohort of Italian Pancreatic Cancer Patients
Authors: Puccini Alberto , Ponzano Marta , Dalmasso Bruna , Vanni Irene , Gandini Annalice , Puglisi Silvia , Borea Roberto , Cremante Malvina , Bruno William , Andreotti Virginia , Allavena Eleonora , Martelli Valentino , Catalano Fabio , Grassi Massimiliano , Iaia Maria Laura , Pirrone Chiara , Pastorino Alessandro , Fornarini Giuseppe , Sciallero Stefania , Ghiorzo Paola , Pastorino Lorenza
Published: September 2022

Multigene germline panel testing is recommended for Pancreatic Cancer (PC) patients; however, for non-BRCA1/2 genes, the clinical utility is unclear. A comprehensive multi-gene assessment in unselected Italian PC patients is missing. We evaluated the prevalence and impact of Pathogenic Variants (PV) in 51 PC susceptibility genes in a real-world series of 422 Italian PC patients unselected for Family History (FH), compared the clinical characteristics and conducted survival analyses. 17% of patients had PVs (70/422), mainly in BRCA1/2 (4.5%, all <70 y), CDKN2A (4.5%, all >50 y), ATM (2.1%). PV carriers were younger (64 vs. 67; p = 0.02) and had more frequent personal/FH of PC, melanoma and breast/ovarian cancer (all p < 0.05). The Overall Survival (OS) was longer in patients carrying PVs (HR 0.78; p = 0.090), comprising ATM carriers (HR 0.33; p = 0.054). In the oxaliplatin-treated subset, PV carriers showed better control of the disease, although this was not statistically significant (67% vs. 56%). CDKN2A, BRCA2 and ATM were the most frequently altered genes. ATM PVs were positively associated with OS in 41% of PV carriers, 60% of whom carried CDKN2A,BRCA2 or ATM PVs, had negative FH and would have been missed by traditional referral. Thus, CDKN2A and ATM should be added to BRCA1/2 testing regardless of FH.
Modification of Graphite Sheet Anode with Iron (II, III) Oxide-Carbon Dots for Enhancing the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cell
Authors: Tripathi Babita , Pandit Soumya , Sharma Aparna , Chauhan Sunil , Mathuriya Abhilasha Singh , Dikshit Pritam Kumar , Gupta Piyush Kumar , Singh Ram Chandra , Sahni Mohit , Pant Kumud , Singh Satyendra
Published: September 2022

The present study explores the use of carbon dots coated with Iron (II, III) oxide (Fe3O4) for its application as an anode in microbial fuel cells (MFC). Fe3O4@PSA-C was synthesized using a hydrothermal-assisted probe sonication method. Nanoparticles were characterized with XRD, SEM, FTIR, and RAMAN Spectroscopy. Different concentrations of Fe3O4- carbon dots (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/cm2) were coated onto the graphite sheets (Fe3O4@PSA-C), and their performance in MFC was evaluated. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of Fe3O4@PSA-C (1 mg/cm2) modified anode indicated oxidation peaks at −0.26 mV and +0.16 mV, respectively, with peak currents of 7.7 mA and 8.1 mA. The fluxes of these anodes were much higher than those of other low-concentration Fe3O4@PSA-C modified anodes and the bare graphite sheet anode. The maximum power density (Pmax) was observed in MFC with a 1 mg/cm2 concentration of Fe3O4@PSA-C was 440.01 mW/m2, 1.54 times higher than MFCs using bare graphite sheet anode (285.01 mW/m2). The elevated interaction area of carbon dots permits pervasive Fe3O4 crystallization providing enhanced cell attachment capability of the anode, boosting the biocompatibility of Fe3O4@PSA-C. This significantly improved the performance of the MFC, making Fe3O4@PSA-C modified graphite sheets a good choice as an anode for its application in MFC.
Lack of ZNF365 Drives Senescence and Exacerbates Experimental Lung Fibrosis
Authors: Urista Juan , Maldonado Mariel , Toscano-Marquez Fernanda , Ramírez Remedios , Balderas-Martínez Yalbi Itzel , Becerril Carina , Romero Yair , Selman Moisés , Pardo Annie
Published: September 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by aberrant activation of the alveolar epithelium, the expansion of the fibroblast population, and the accumulation of extracellular matrix. Global gene expression of human lung fibroblasts stimulated with TGFβ-1, a strong fibrotic mediator revealed the overexpression of ZNF365, a zinc finger protein implicated in cell cycle control and telomere stabilization. We evaluated the expression and localization of ZNF365 in IPF lungs and in the fibrotic response induced by bleomycin in WT and deficient mice of the orthologous gene Zfp365. In IPF, ZNF365 was overexpressed and localized in fibroblasts/myofibroblasts and alveolar epithelium. Bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis showed an upregulation of Zfp365 localized in lung epithelium and stromal cell populations. Zfp365 KO mice developed a significantly higher fibrotic response compared with WT mice by morphology and hydroxyproline content. Silencing ZNF365 in human lung fibroblasts and alveolar epithelial cells induced a significant reduction of growth rate and increased senescence markers, including Senescence Associated β Galactosidase activity, p53, p21, and the histone variant γH2AX. Our findings demonstrate that ZNF365 is upregulated in IPF and experimental lung fibrosis and suggest a protective role since its absence increases experimental lung fibrosis mechanistically associated with the induction of cell senescence.
Minimally Invasive Bimanual Fetal Surgery—A Review
Authors: Brunner Susanne Eva , Durmaz Lidya-Olgu , Meinzer Andreas , Arp Milena , Krebs Thomas Franz , Bergholz Robert
Published: September 2022

Background: The aim of this review is to discuss experimental and clinical techniques and interventions of fetal surgery which have been performed minimally invasively by the means of a three-port approach for the fetoscope and instruments for the left and right hand of the surgeon (bimanual minimally invasive fetal surgery). Methods: a print and electronic literature search was performed; the titles and abstracts were screened and included reports were reviewed in a two-step approach. First, reports other than minimally invasive fetal surgery were excluded, then a full text review and analysis of the reported data was performed. Results: 17 reports were included. The heterogeneity of the included reports was high. Although reports on human fetoscopic surgical procedures can be found, most of them do not pick out bimanual fetal surgery as a central theme but rather address interventions applying a fetoscope with a working channel for a laser fiber, needle or flexible instrument. Most reports were on experimentation in animal models, the human application of minimally invasive fetoscopic bimanual surgery is rare and has at best been explored for the prenatal treatment of spina bifida. Some reported bimanual fetoscopic procedures were performed on the exteriorized uterus via a maternal laparotomy and can therefore not be classified as being truly minimally invasive. Discussion: our results demonstrate that minimally invasive fetoscopic bimanual surgery is rare, even in animal models, excluding many other techniques and procedures that are loosely termed ‘minimally invasive fetal surgery’ which we suggest to better label as ‘interventions’. Thus, more research on percutaneous minimally invasive bimanual fetoscopic surgery is warranted, with the aim to reduce the maternal, uterine and fetal trauma for correction of congenital malformations.
Comment on Küppers et al. Percutaneous Anorectoplasty (PARP)—An Adaptable, Minimal-Invasive Technique for Anorectal Malformation Repair. Children 2022, 9, 587
Authors: Peña Alberto
Published: September 2022

I read the above-mentioned article with a great deal of interest [...]
Updated Progress on Group II Intron Splicing Factors in Plant Chloroplasts
Authors: Zeng Chu , Jiao Qingsong , Jia Ting , Hu Xueyun
Published: September 2022

Group II introns are large catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) in the bacteria and organelle genomes of several lower eukaryotes. Many critical photosynthesis-related genes in the plant chloroplast genome also contain group II introns, and their splicing is critical for chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis processes. The structure of chloroplast group II introns was altered during evolution, resulting in the loss of intron self-splicing. Therefore, the assistance of protein factors was required for their splicing processes. As an increasing number of studies focus on the mechanism of chloroplast intron splicing; many new nuclear-encoded splicing factors that are involved in the chloroplast intron splicing process have been reported. This report reviewed the research progress of the updated splicing factors found to be involved in the splicing of chloroplast group II introns. We discuss the main problems that remain in this research field and suggest future research directions.
Defect Dynamics in Anomalous Latching of a Grating Aligned Bistable Nematic Liquid Crystal Device
Authors: Jones J. C. , Jones S. A. , Gradwell Z. R. , Fernandez F. A. , Day S. E.
Published: September 2022

Deliberate manipulation of topological defects is of particular interest for liquid crystal applications. For example, surface bistability occurs in the grating aligned Zenithal Bistable Device due to the stabilisation of ±½ defects at the points of high surface curvature. Conventional latching between continuous and defect states has previously been simulated satisfactorily using Q-tensor models that include the effect of weak-anchoring and flexoelectricity. However, experimental studies show that some arrangements lead to anomalous latching regimes. The Q-tensor model is used to show that such effects occur when the defects become detached from the surface and have more complex paths in the bulk of the sample.
Polymer-Derived Ceramics Technology: Characteristics, Procedure, Product Structures, and Properties, and Development of the Technology in High-Entropy Ceramics
Authors: He Jiabei , Song Mengshan , Chen Kaiyun , Kan Dongxiao , Zhu Miaomiao
Published: September 2022

Ceramics have become indispensable materials for a wide range of industrial applications due to their excellent properties. However, the traditional preparation of ceramic materials is often time-consuming and involves high sintering temperatures. These result in considerable energy consumption and high production costs, which limit the application of these materials in some industries. This paper focuses on the advent of polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) technology, which enabled the application of ceramics to fibers, composites, coatings, and films, mainly due to the excellent design, process, and low-temperature ceramic properties. We review and evaluate the important research progress made in polymer-derived ceramics technology in recent years and discuss its recent development into high-entropy ceramics. The development of polymer-derived ceramics technology in the field of high-entropy ceramics has broad research prospects, which can greatly improve the understanding and design of high-entropy materials and accelerate their application in the industrial field.
PSA-Stratified Performance of [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer Patients under Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Authors: Harsini Sara , Wilson Don , Bénard François
Published: September 2022

Based on in vitro studies, it is known that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) increases prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression on prostate cancer (PCa) cells. However, ADT also has cytoreductive effects which can decrease lesion size. The present evaluation was conducted to further analyze the influence of ongoing ADT on [18F]DCFPyL positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) performance in the setting of biochemically recurrent PCa. We retrospectively evaluated two groups of PCa patients, previously treated with radical intent, who had undergone [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT because of biochemical relapse with a minimum PSA level of 0.4 ng/mL. One group consisted of 95 patients under ADT at the time of the PET examination, and the other consisted of 445 patients not receiving ADT at the time of PET/CT. The uptake characteristics of the cardiac blood pool, liver, parotid glands, and five most active lesions were measured and compared between these two groups. The overall detection rate of [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT in patients under ADT at the time of imaging was significantly higher than patients not under ADT (91.6% vs. 80.4%, p-value = 0.007). However, the PSA-stratified differences in detection rates between patients with and without ADT did not reach statistical significance. Except for the maximal standardized uptake values corrected for lean body mass (SULmax) in the PSA range of 1 to <2 ng/mL, the intensity and volume of [18F]DCFPyL accumulation were higher in patients with ADT compared to the patients without. Statistical significance was attained for the SULmax in PSA range of 0.5 to <1 ng/mL (p-value = 0.0004) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in all PSA ranges (p-values of 0.0005 to 0.03). No significant difference was observed for radiotracer uptake in normal organs between the two groups with and without ADT. In this study population with biochemical recurrence of PCa and measurable PSA, ongoing ADT at the time of [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT imaging was associated with higher radiotracer uptake and overall lesion detection rate. This could be due in part to the more aggressive disease phenotype in patients with ongoing ADT.
Targeted L1-Regularization and Joint Modeling of Neural Networks for Causal Inference
Authors: Rostami Mehdi , Saarela Olli
Published: September 2022

The calculation of the Augmented Inverse Probability Weighting (AIPW) estimator of the Average Treatment Effect (ATE) is carried out in two steps, where in the first step, the treatment and outcome are modeled, and in the second step, the predictions are inserted into the AIPW estimator. The model misspecification in the first step has led researchers to utilize Machine Learning algorithms instead of parametric algorithms. However, the existence of strong confounders and/or Instrumental Variables (IVs) can lead the complex ML algorithms to provide perfect predictions for the treatment model which can violate the positivity assumption and elevate the variance of AIPW estimators. Thus the complexity of ML algorithms must be controlled to avoid perfect predictions for the treatment model while still learning the relationship between the confounders and the treatment and outcome. We use two NN architectures with an L1-regularization on specific NN parameters and investigate how their certain hyperparameters should be tuned in the presence of confounders and IVs to achieve a low bias-variance tradeoff for ATE estimators such as AIPW estimator. Through simulation results, we will provide recommendations as to how NNs can be employed for ATE estimation.
A near Real-Time Monitoring System Using Public WI-FI Data to Evaluate COVID-19 Social Distance Measures
Authors: Alorda-Ladaria Bartomeu , Ruiz-Pérez Maurici , Ramos Vicente
Published: September 2022

This study assessed the applicability of geolocation data provided by public Wi-Fi infrastructures as information sources that can contribute to urban planning and management. We focused particularly on modeling and monitoring real-time mobility and congestion using geolocation capabilities of Wi-Fi public networks in Smart cities. The proposed methodology combines a detailed geographic analysis of the space with high-frequency indicators generated from network data. This study emphasizes the importance of Wi-Fi infrastructures as noninvasive monitoring systems, and describes how network data can be applied to generate useful indicators for urban planning and management. The methodology was empirically implemented in the city of Palma (Balearic Islands, Spain), where the social distance level was measured to identify conflicting areas. We demonstrate how the proposed solution can estimate pedestrians’ density efficiently and precisely through high-frequency monitoring (5 min or less) and the construction of comprehensive indicators. In this context, we suggest several public policies that can be implemented by using this methodological approach to monitor dynamic patterns of pedestrian mobility, especially during health crises or during high tourist seasons.
Sequential Clique Optimization for Unsupervised and Weakly Supervised Video Object Segmentation
Authors: Koh Yeong Jun , Heo Yuk , Kim Chang-Su
Published: September 2022

A novel video object segmentation algorithm, which segments out multiple objects in a video sequence in unsupervised or weakly supervised manners, is proposed in this work. First, we match visually important object instances to construct salient object tracks through a video sequence without any user supervision. We formulate this matching process as the problem to find maximal weight cliques in a complete k-partite graph and develop the sequential clique optimization algorithm to determine the cliques efficiently. Then, we convert the resultant salient object tracks into object segmentation results and refine them based on Markov random field optimization. Second, we adapt the sequential clique optimization algorithm to perform weakly supervised video object segmentation. To this end, we develop a sparse-to-dense network to convert the point cliques into segmentation results. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm provides comparable or better performances than recent state-of-the-art VOS algorithms.
A New Methodological Framework for Project Design to Analyse and Prevent Students from Dropping Out of Higher Education
Authors: Flores Vaneza , Heras Stella , Julián Vicente
Published: September 2022

The problem of university dropout is a recurring issue in universities that affects students, especially in the first year of studies. The situation is aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has imposed a virtual education, generating a greater amount of data in addition to historical information, and thus, a greater demand for strategies to design projects based on Educational Data Mining (EDM). To deal with this situation, we present a framework for designing EDM projects based on the construction of a problem tree. The result is the proposal of a framework that merges the six phases of the CRISP-DM methodology with the first stage of the Logical Framework Methodology (LFM) to increase university retention. To illustrate this framework, we have considered the design of a project based on data mining to prevent students from dropping out of a Peruvian university.
Emerging and Advanced Green Energy Technologies for Sustainable and Resilient Future Grid
Authors: Salkuti Surender Reddy
Published: September 2022

Future grid refers to the next generation of the electrical grid, which will enable smart integration of conventional, renewable, and distributed power generation, energy storage, transmission and distribution, and demand management [...]
A Novel Mesoporous Activated Carbon Derived from Calliandra calothyrsus via Physical Activation: Saturation and Superheated
Authors: Saputra Nur Adi , Darmawan Saptadi , Efiyanti Lisna , Hendra Djeni , Wibowo Santiyo , Santoso Adi , Djarwanto  , Gusmailina  , Komarayati Sri , Indrawan Dian Anggraini , Yuniawati  , Nawawi Deded Sarip , Maddu Akhiruddin , Pari Gustan , Syafii Wasrin
Published: September 2022

In this work, both pyrochar and activated carbon were prepared by physical activation (i.e., saturation and superheated) by involving a thermal agent as a comparison. The effects of three agents on the pore development of activated carbon from a new material, Calliandra calothyrsus, were observed in detail. The BET surface area and the iodine index of the prepared activated carbon were used as pyrochar selection. Proximate, ultimate, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and SEM were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the product. Pyrochar pores were found to develop significantly at 350 °C, indicated by an increase in the BET surface area and iodine index. Pyrochar from a temperature of 350 °C was then selected as a precursor of activated carbon. S–SS and SS–S activated carbon samples were declared to have the highest iodine index (870 mg/g) and the highest BET surface area (642 m2/g), respectively. The pore distribution data showed that the superheated agent widened the pore and provided an active site for iodine adsorption, while the saturation agent resulted in a narrower pore for an increase in the BET surface area. S–SS has a lower C fraction and higher O fraction than SS–S. The SS–S samples have both Vol and Volmic for an increased BET surface area. The number of aromatic layers and –OH functional groups of the S–SS sample is more convenient for iodine enhancement than for increasing the BET surface area. Less water droplets and greater energy from superheated resulting pores widen, increasing the aromatic layer and providing additional functional groups.
Influencing of the Building Energy Policies upon the Efficiency of Energy Consumption: The Case of Courthouse Buildings in South Korea
Authors: Nindartin Acinia , Moon Hee-Woon , Park Sang-Jun , Lee Kyung-Tae , Im Jin-Bin , Kim Ju-Hyung
Published: September 2022

As Korea has declared to realize a net-zero emission by 2050 in the Paris Agreement, the country has begun to implement national energy efficiency policies through the Green Standard for Energy and Environmental Design (G-SEED) certification and revision of building insulation thickness standard. However, some studies have reported the ineffectiveness of G-SEED certification and insulation thickness standard in reducing the energy consumption in certain buildings. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of G-SEED certification and the revision of buildings’ insulation thickness standard, and evaluated the energy consumption of courthouse buildings. In addition, this study investigated the total annual energy consumption (electricity, gas, and heating energy) per gross floor area of courthouse buildings located in the central and southern regions of South Korea. Although many studies about the energy consumption analysis of non-residential buildings have been performed previously, a study evaluating the effectiveness of green certification and building insulation thickness standard on the energy consumption of courthouse buildings was performed for the first time. The results revealed that the revision of building insulation thickness standard and G-SEED certification resulted in an energy consumption efficiency of 34.61 and 31.14%, respectively. These results indicated the effectiveness of G-SEED certification and the revision of the building insulation thickness standard for enhancing energy efficiency in Korean courthouse buildings. However, some negative results were observed in the southern area, indicating that it is essential to increase the effectiveness of the building insulation thickness standard and G-SEED certification implementation.
The “D2P” Approach: Digitalisation, Production and Performance in the Standardised Sustainable Deep Renovation of Buildings
Authors: Cumo Fabrizio , Giustini Federica , Pennacchia Elisa , Romeo Carlo
Published: September 2022

The carbon neutrality of the built environment plays a key role in fighting the climate crisis and fully realising ecological transition. In this field, the aim of the paper is to promote a new production paradigm that enables an integrated process from the design phase to the production of high-performance building components, to their “tailor-made installation” for the efficiency enhancement of the national residential building stock, reducing resource consumptions, costs, construction time and the associated environmental impact. The methodological approach is based on three key elements: digitalisation, production and performance. Recent technologies make it possible to achieve important goals, through the creation of the digital cataloguing of existing buildings, advanced dynamic simulations, improved energy performance for building stock and industrial production chain optimisation of the construction sector according to off-site construction criteria. This strategy was tested on a demonstrator building. The methodology application has made it possible to validate a catalogue of standardised insulation solutions that can be applied to 90% of the existing national building stock and that can reduce installation times by 60% and costs by around 30% compared to traditional techniques, while complying with the national requirements on thermal building insulation. The study is able to organise production according to advanced standardisation in order to meet the real demand of the market with advantages in term of production costs and economies of scale.
Design and Optimization of One-Way Single-Wire Power Transfer Structure
Authors: Li Yang , Wang Xueliang , Hu Taocheng , Zhai Yujie , Huang Wenxin , Xu Rui
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a novel one-way single-wire power transfer structure is proposed. Different from the traditional single-wire power transfer system, power is one-way transmitted from the power source to the load, and no loop is constituted. The structure of one-way single-wire power transfer is studied in detail, and the influences of its length and shapes on the transmission efficiency are determined. Research shows that the length of the receiving structure plays a key role in improving the system’s efficiency, while the transmitting structure has a little effect. Based on ensuring transmission efficiency, the space volume optimization method is further applied. The expression of electromagnetic field distribution is derived theoretically, and the proposed structure is verified by simulation and experimental results.
Comparison of Morphological and Physiological Traits between Pinus brutia, Pinus halepensis, and Their Vigorous F1 Hybrids
Authors: Houminer Naomi , Riov Joseph , Moshelion Menachem , Osem Yagil , David-Schwartz Rakefet
Published: September 2022

Hybrids between Pinus brutia Ten. and Pinus halepensis Mill. have mainly been investigated with respect to their growth rate. Less attention has been paid to factors that contribute to their resistance to drought, although the hybrids have been shown to thrive over P. brutia in semi-arid regions. To understand the superior hybrid phenotype, we investigated morphological traits, growth parameters, and physiological response to drought stress in P. brutia, P. halepensis, and their vigorous hybrids. Rooted cuttings were propagated from mature trees and were examined in a high-throughput gravimetric system to evaluate their response to drought. Higher root-to-shoot ratio, needle length, and leaf mass per area (LMA) were observed in the hybrids compared to the two parental species. P. halepensis demonstrated higher transpiration rates (E) and stomatal conductance (gsc) than P. brutia, and an earlier reduction in E and gsc in response to drought stress. Similar to P. brutia, the hybrids showed low E and gsc, and an early stomatal closure in response to drought similar to P. halepensis. Our study suggests that the hybrids exhibit a unique combination of traits that may contribute to forest resilience in semi-arid regions undergoing climate change.
Evaluating the Influence of Microbial Fermentation on the Nutritional Value of Soybean Meal
Authors: Sukhikh Stanislav , Kalashnikova Olga , Ivanova Svetlana , Prosekov Alexander , Krol Olesia , Kriger Olga , Fedovskikh Nataly , Babich Olga
Published: September 2022

The aim of this article is to increase the nutritional value of soybean meal while reducing the content of antinutrients by microbial fermentation of soybean meal with a mixed culture of probiotic microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) at two different hydromodules. The addition of microorganisms increased the content of easily digestible protein and amine nitrogen in fermented soybean meal (30:110 and 30:130, hydromodulus soybean meal:water) while decreasing urease activity (hydromodulus 30:110). The positive effect of microbial fermentation on the mineral composition of soybean meal was demonstrated. The ability of microorganisms in the fermentation process to increase the content of protein, essential amino acids, and macro- and microelements in soybean meal while decreasing anti-nutritional factors opens up possibilities for using this technology to advance animal husbandry.
Nutritional Components of Millet Porridge Cooked by Different Electric Cookers Based on Principal Component and Cluster Analyses
Authors: Zhang Jiali , Li Pengliang , Liu Junli , Wang Yunting , Zhang Aixia , Zhao Wei , Li Shaohui , Liu Yingying , Liu Jingke
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: In order to study the effects of different electric cookers on the nutritional components of millet porridge, five different electric cookers (No. 1–5) were selected to cook millet porridge, then sensory and nutritional components in millet porridge, millet soup, and millet grains were analyzed; (2) Methods: Using principal component and cluster analysis, a variety of nutritional components were comprehensively compared; (3) Results: The results showed that among the different cooked samples, the content of amylose and reducing sugars was the highest in the samples cooked by electric cooker No. 3. The electric cooker No. 4 samples had the highest sensory evaluation score, crude fat, and protein content. The contents of ash, fatty acids, bound amino acids, and minerals were the highest in the electric cooker No. 5 samples. The sensory evaluation score and content of crude fat, ash, reducing sugars, direct starch, and Cu were higher in millet grains than in millet soup or porridge. The content of fatty acids, protein, amino acid, Zn, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Ca was highest in millet soup. Different electric cookers produced millet porridge with varying nutritional levels; (4) Conclusions: This study provides a reference for the further development of new electric cookers.
Mathematical Modeling of the Effects of Temperature and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Growth Kinetics of Pseudomonas Lundensis and Shewanella Putrefaciens in Chilled Chicken
Authors: Mai Xutao , Wang Wenzhuo , Zhang Xinxiao , Wang Daoying , Liu Fang , Sun Zhilan
Published: September 2022

The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the growth and spoilage characteristics of Pseudomonas lundensis LD1 and Shewanella putrefaciens SP1 in chilled chicken at 0–10 °C were studied. MAP inhibited microbial growth, TVB-N synthesis, and lipid oxidation. The inhibitory effect of MAP became more significant as the temperature decreased. The kinetic models to describe the growth of P. lundensis LD1 and S. putrefaciens SP1 at 0–10 °C were also established to fit the primary model Gompertz and the secondary model Ratkowsky. The models had a high degree of fit to describe the growth of dominant spoilage bacteria in chilled chicken. The observed numbers of P. lundensis LD1 and S. putrefaciens SP1 at 2 °C were compared with the predicted numbers, and the accuracy factor and bias factor ranged from 0.93 to 1.14. These results indicated that the two models could help predict the growth of P. lundensis and S. putrefaciens in chilled chicken at 0–10 °C. The analyzed models provide fast and cost-effective alternatives to replace traditional culturing methods to assess the influence of temperature and MAP on the shelf life of meat.