bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Opto-mechanical Behavior of Biological Samples by Interferometry
Authors: Soroushian Behrouz , Whelan William M. , Kolios Michael 
Published: May 2021

<p>Optoacoustic imaging is a relatively novel biomedical imaging modality that relies on the absorption of light to create pressure transients that can be detected ultrasonically. In most scientific communications, the source of tissue contrast has been described as primarily optical. However, the thermomecahnical properties of tissue, as expressed through the Gruneisen coefficient, also affect the optoacoustic signal. To investigate the effect of thermomechanical tissue properties short pulses (~ 6.5 ns) from an optical parametric oscillator at 750 nm were used to irradiate coagulated and uncoagulated tissue-mimicking albumen phantoms, to emulate normal tissue and tissue that has been heated. The phantoms respond to the laser-induced stress by thermoelastic expansion. This thermomechanical behavior of the samples was assessed using an interferometric system capable of measuring transient displacements with a temporal resolution of less than 10 ns and a spatial resolution of < 10 nm. The experimental measurement allowed determination of the Gruneisen coefficient which is an important thermo-mechanical sample property that can affect generation of optoacoustic signals. An increase in the value of Gruneisen coefficient of 65% was measured when phantoms were coagulated compared to uncoagulated phantoms, consistent with the stiffening of the tissue mimicking material. This suggests that for thermal therapy the changes in the Gruneisen coefficient are also an important source of optoacoustic contrast. </p>
Analysis of the Summon Service at Ryerson University
Authors: Yan May , Manuel Kevin 
Published: May 2021

<p>Overview:</p>
<ul>
<li>Our research study was initiated to assess Ryerson’s discovery layer and explore how well the tool served our user needs.</li>
<li>Feedback collected will be used evaluate investment in the tool</li>
<li>Project began in the summer of 2011</li>
<li>Project approved by Ryerson Research Ethics</li>
<li>Funding supported by the Ryerson Library </li>
</ul>
Editorial: Focus on Indian migrations
Authors: Singh Ruchi , Sirkeci Ibrahim 
Published: May 2021

In this issue, we have brought together articles focusing on Indian and South Asian migration experiences and patterns. India has been a major player in international migration, including remittances flows, but also a major scene of internal migrations. This is to an extent perhaps expected as the second largest population in the world residing across a vast geography rich with ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. The 2018 United Nations World Migration Report states that the Indian diaspora is the largest in the world, with over 15.6 million people living outside the Sub-continent. International migration from India can be traced back even before indentured labour flows initiated under the British colonialism. India is a leading country of origin and a major supplier of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled work force. These migration flows from India has attracted significant interest among scholars of migration studies. In this editorial, we are offering some insights and an overview of Indian migrations since the British era.
The influence of pressure changes on the integrity of tanks for storage of petroleum products and toxic substances
Authors: Hlova Taras , Semerak Mykhailo , Hlova Bogdanna , Mykhailyshyn Mykola 
Published: May 2021

Tanks for the storage of oil products and toxic substances in warehouses are the main ones. They can be in the form of separate tanks or a group of tanks. The most widespread are vertical steel tanks with a stationary roof that a placed in open areas. The tanks heat up, and the intensity of evaporation of the oil product increases in case of fire. If there is a permanent roof, the pressure in the tank will increase. If the capacity of the breathing valves is less than the intensity of evaporation then there is a risk of explosion. Explosions in the tank often lead to the separation of the bottom, and the side cylindrical surface and the roof fly away instantly, spilling oil on neighboring tanks and the territory of the tank’s park. Then the combustion area increases intensively. The destruction of the integrity of the tank, due to the separation of the bottom, contributes to temperature and power stresses, the value of which increases with increasing temperature of their heating and increasing pressure, respectively. The values of temperature stresses are added to the power stresses caused by pressure, and when the critical value is reached, destruction occurs.
We investigated the stress-strain state of a steel vertical tank for the storage of oil products and toxic substances. The analysis of the reasons for the occurrence of admissible pressure in the tank, which is the reason for the loss of its integrity, is carried out. Using the differential equation of a closed cylindrical shell, which is under the action of internal pressure, analytical expressions are obtained to find deformations and stresses in the side cylindrical surface and bottom. Were calculated axial and annular stresses for the tank of RVS-900. Based on the basic relations of the theory of elasticity of thin plates and shells analytical expressions of the stress-strain state of the cylindrical tanks are obtained for conditions for changing of pressure on their structural elements. It is shown that the greatest values of axial stresses are obtained on the surface of the connection of the cylindrical surface with the bottom. The researches results are presented graphically.
Use Of Olivine For The Production Of MgO-SiO2 Binders
Authors: Allan Nye Scott , Vineet Shah , Christopher Oze , Barnaby Shanks , Chris Cheeseman 
Published: May 2021

The potential for using MgO and SiO2, recovered from olivine, was investigated for use as a cementitious binder system. The MgO to SiO2 proportion for the binder was fixed at 1:1. The nature of the hydration products were characterized using a variety of techniques including isothermal calorimetry, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The primary binding component of the paste was determined to be magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H). The recovered silica exhibited faster reactivity compared to commercially available silica fume. Compressive strengths in excess of 20 MPa were obtained using the materials recovered from olivine.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of B Cell- and Antibody Secreting Cell-Subsets in Human Melanoma Reveals Metastasis-, Tumor Stage-, and Age-Associated Dynamics
Authors: Chen Minyi , Werner Franziska , Wagner Christine , Simon Martin , Richtig Erika , Mertz Kirsten D. , Griss Johannes , Wagner Stephan N. 
Published: May 2021

Background: The role of tumor-associated B cells in human cancer is only starting to emerge. B cells typically undergo a series of developmental changes in phenotype and function, however, data on the composition of the B cell population in human melanoma are largely absent including changes during tumor progression and their potential clinical significance.Methods: In this study, we compared the number and distribution of six major B cell and antibody secreting cell subpopulations outside tertiary lymphoid structures in whole tumor sections of 154 human cutaneous melanoma samples (53 primary tumors without subsequent metastasis, 44 primary tumors with metastasis, 57 metastatic samples) obtained by seven color multiplex immunohistochemistry and automated tissue imaging and analysis.Results: In primary melanomas, we observed the highest numbers for plasmablast-like, memory-like, and activated B cell subtypes. These cells showed a patchy, predominant paratumoral distribution at the invasive tumor-stroma margin. Plasma cell-like cells were hardly detected, germinal center- and transitional/regulatory-like B cells not at all. Of the major clinicopathologic prognostic factors for primary melanomas, metastasis was associated with decreased memory-like B cell numbers and a higher age associated with higher plasmablast-like cell numbers. When we compared the composition of B cell subpopulations in primary melanomas and metastatic samples, we found a significantly higher proportion of plasma cell-like cells at distant metastatic sites and a higher proportion of memory-like B cells at locoregional than distant metastatic sites. Both cell types were detected mainly in the para- and intratumoral stroma.Conclusion: These data provide a first comprehensive and comparative spatiotemporal analysis of major B cell and antibody secreting cell subpopulations in human melanoma and describe metastasis-, tumor stage-, and age-associated dynamics, an important premise for B cell-related biomarker and therapy studies.
Knockdown of lncRNA ENST00000609755.1 Confers Protection Against Early oxLDL-Induced Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Sun Yi , Huang Shuna , Wan Chunyu , Ruan Qishuang , Xie Xiaoxu , Wei Donghong , Li Guobo , Lin Shaowei , Li Huangyuan , Wu Siying 
Published: May 2021

Background: This study investigated the association between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and coronary heart disease (CHD) and further elucidated the potential biological roles of lncRNAs in CHD pathogenesis.Methods: A case-control study (590 patients and 590 controls) was conducted from February 2017 and March 2019 in Fuzhou, China. Environmental factors were investigated using questionnaires and physical examinations. Five representative lncRNAs were screened using lncRNA microarray (peripheral blood in 5 cases and 5 controls) and further verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (peripheral blood leukocyte in 100 cases and 100 controls). Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) was used to induce a human coronary artery endothelial cell (HCAECs) injury model, and loss of function was used to elucidate the role of lncRNA ENST00000609755.1 (lnc-MICALL2-2) in oxLDL-induced HCAECs injury.Results: A total of 320 lncRNAs were found dysregulated in CHD patients (fold change&gt; 2, p &lt; 0.05). The results of a discovery microarray, population verification and HCAEC experiments suggested the lnc-MICALL2-2 is upregulated in CHD subjects and in an oxLDL-induced HCAECs injury model. Conversely, lnc-MICALL2-2 inhibition in vitro attenuated the effects of oxLDL on HCAECs morphology, proliferation, and apoptosis.Conclusion: Elevated expression of lnc-MICALL2-2 is an independent risk factor for CHD, and knockdown subsequently confers protection against early pathological processes of oxLDL-induced CHD.
Prognostic Model to Predict Postoperative Adverse Events in Pediatric Patients With Aortic Coarctation
Authors: Gu Yan , Li Qianqian , Lin Rui , Jiang Wenxi , Wang Xue , Zhou Gengxu , Su Junwu , Fan Xiangming , Gao Pei , Jin Mei , Wang Yuan , Du Jie 
Published: May 2021

Background: Postoperative adverse events remain excessively high in surgical patients with coarctation of aorta (CoA). Currently, there is no generally accepted strategy to predict these patients' individual outcomes.Objective: This study aimed to develop a risk model for the prediction of postoperative risk in pediatric patients with CoA.Methods: In total, 514 patients with CoA at two centers were enrolled. Using daily clinical practice data, we developed a model to predict 30-day or in-hospital adverse events after the operation. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator approach was applied to select predictor variables and logistic regression was used to develop the model. Model performance was estimated using the receiver-operating characteristic curve, the Hosmer–Lemeshow test and the calibration plot. Net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) compared with existing risk strategies were assessed.Results: Postoperative adverse events occurred in 195 (37.9%) patients in the overall population. Nine predictive variables were identified, including incision of left thoracotomy, preoperative ventilation, concomitant ventricular septal defect, preoperative cardiac dysfunction, severe pulmonary hypertension, height, weight-for-age z-score, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular posterior wall thickness. A multivariable logistic model [area under the curve = 0.8195 (95% CI: 0.7514–0.8876)] with adequate calibration was developed. Model performance was significantly improved compared with the existing Aristotle Basic Complexity (ABC) score (NRI = 47.3%, IDI = 11.5%) and the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1) (NRI = 75.0%, IDI = 14.9%) in the validation set.Conclusion: Using daily clinical variables, we generated and validated an easy-to-apply postoperative risk model for patients with CoA. This model exhibited a remarkable improvement over the ABC score and the RACHS-1 method.
Passive Solar and Conventional Housing Design: A Comparative Study of Daylighting Energy Efficiency Potential
Authors: Overen Ochuko K. , Meyer Edson L. , Makaka Golden 
Published: May 2021

The increasing energy consumption and its resultant CO2 emission in the built environment have revolutionized the housing design. Buildings are strategically designed to harness ambient weather factors for indoor space thermal conditioning and lighting. A comparison of the daylighting and potential environmental mitigations due to the lighting energy consumption in a passive solar and the conventional house was the aim of this study. Both houses used as a case study are in Alice, Eastern Cape in South Africa. The indoor illuminance of the homes was monitored using Li-Cor 210R photometric sensors. Between 07 h00 to 16 h30, the passive solar house’s average daylighting was 217 lux and 56 lux in the conventional house on a clear sky. Under the same sky condition, there was 47% lighting energy saving. This reduces the amount of coal usage by 1.97 kg, 3.53 kg of CO2, 14.80 g of NO2, and 4.76 L of water. In contrast, no energy savings were achieved in the conventional home. The equivalent environmental impacts due to 4.20 kg of coal usage were 7.52 kg of CO2, 31.52 g of NO2 emissions, and 10.14 L of water usage. From the findings, daylight harvest through passive solar design shows the potential of energy savings and environmental mitigation measures in the housing sector.
Whole-Transcriptome Analysis of Yak and Cattle Heart Tissues Reveals Regulatory Pathways Associated With High-Altitude Adaptation
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhong Jincheng , Wang Jikun , Chai Zhixin , Zhang Chengfu , Xin Jinwei , Wang Jiabo , Cai Xin , Wu Zhijuan , Ji Qiumei 
Published: May 2021

BackgroundThe yak (Bos grunniens) is an important livestock species that can survive the extremely cold, harsh, and oxygen-poor conditions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and provide meat, milk, and transportation for the Tibetans living there. However, the regulatory network that drive this hypoxic adaptation remain elusive.ResultsThe heart tissues from LeiRoqi (LWQY) yak and their related cattle (Bos Taurus) breeds, which are two native cattle breeds located in high altitude (HAC) and low altitude (LAC) regions, respectively, were collected for RNA sequencing. A total of 178 co-differentially expressed protein-coding transcripts (co-DETs) were discovered in each of the LAC-vs-LWQY and LAC-vs-HAC comparison groups, including NFATC2, NFATC1, ENPP2, ACSL4, BAD, and many other genes whose functions were reported to be associated with the immune-system, endocrine-system, and lipid metabolism. Two and 230 lncRNA transcripts were differentially expressed in the LAC-vs-LWQY and LAC-vs-HAC comparisons’ respectively, but no lncRNA transcripts that were co-differentially expressed. Among the 58 miRNAs that were co-differentially expressed, 18 were up-regulated and 40 were down-regulated. In addition, 640 (501 up-regulated and 139 down-regulated) and 152 (152 up-regulated and one down-regulated) circRNAs showed differential expression in LAC-vs-LWQY and LAC-vs-HAC comparison groups, respectively, and 53 up-regulated co-differentially expressed circRNAs were shared. Multiple co-DETs, which are the targets of miRNAs/lncRNAs, are significantly enriched in high-altitude adaptation related processes, such as, T cell receptor signaling, VEGF signaling, and cAMP signaling. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed by integrating the competing relationships among co-differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs. Furthermore, the hypoxic adaptation related ceRNA network was constructed, and the six mRNAs (MAPKAPK3, PXN, NFATC2, ATP7A, DIAPH1, and F2R), the eight miRNAs (including miR-195), and 15 circRNAs (including novel-circ-017096 and novel-circ-018073) are proposed as novel and promising candidates for regulation of hypoxic adaptation in the heart.ConclusionIn conclusion, the data recorded in the present study provides new insights into the molecular network of high-altitude adaptation along with more detailed information of protein-coding transcripts and non-coding transcripts involved in this physiological process, the detailed mechanisms behind how these transcripts “crosstalk” with each other during the plateau adaptation are worthy of future research efforts.
Serum Metabolite Biomarkers Predictive of Response to PD-1 Blockade Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Nie Xiaoqun , Xia Liliang , Gao Fang , Liu Lixia , Yang Yi , Chen Yingying , Duan Huangqi , Yao Yaxian , Chen Zhiwei , Lu Shun , Wang Ying , Yang Chen 
Published: May 2021

Background: Despite remarkable success of immunotherapies with checkpoint blockade antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), the majority of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have yet to receive durable benefits. We used the metabolomic profiling of early on-treatment serum to explore predictors of clinical outcomes of anti-PD-1 treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC.Methods: We recruited 74 Chinese patients who had stage IIIB/IV NSCLC-proven tumor progression and were treated with PD-1 inhibitor. The study was comprised of a discovery cohort of patients treated with nivolumab and two validation cohorts of patients receiving tislelizumab or nivolumab. Serum samples were collected 2–3 weeks after the first infusion of PD-1 inhibitor. Metabolomic profiling of serum was performed using ultrahigh performance lipid chromatograph-mass spectrometry. The serum metabolite biomarkers were identified using an integral workflow of nontargeted metabolomic data analysis.Results: A serum metabolite panel consisting of hypoxanthine and histidine was identified and validated as a predictor of response to PD-1 blockade treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC. High levels of both hypoxanthine and histidine in early on-treatment serum were associated with improved progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.078, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.027–0.221, p &lt; 0.001] and overall survival (HR = 0.124, 95% CI, 0.039–0.397, p &lt; 0.001) in the discovery cohort. The serum metabolite panel showed a high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing responders and non-responders in the validation cohorts 1 and 2, with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.933 and 1.000, respectively. High levels of serum hypoxanthine and histidine were correlated with improved progression-free survival in the validation cohort 1 (HR = 0.137, 95% CI, 0.040–0.467, p = 0.001) and in the validation cohort 2 (HR = 0.084, 95% CI, 0.009–0.762, p = 0.028).Conclusion: Our results revealed that hypoxanthine and histidine in early on-treatment serum are predictive biomarkers of response to PD-1 blockade therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. The serum biomarker panel would enable early identification of NSCLC patients who may benefit from PD-1 blockade therapy.
Vestibular Function After Cochlear Implantation in Partial Deafness Treatment
Authors: Sosna-Duranowska Magdalena , Tacikowska Grazyna , Gos Elzbieta , Krupa Anna , Skarzynski Piotr Henryk , Skarzynski Henryk 
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Cochlear implantation is a fully accepted method of treating individuals with profound hearing loss. Since the indications for cochlear implantation have broadened and include patients with low-frequency residual hearing, single-sided deafness, or an already implanted ear (meaning bilateral cochlear implantation), the emphasis now needs to be on vestibular protection.Materials and Methods: The research group was made up of 107 patients operated on in the otorhinolaryngosurgery department: 59 females and 48 males, aged 10.4–80.2 years (M = 44.4; SD = 18.4) with hearing loss lasting from 1.4 to 56 years (M = 22.7; SD = 13.5). The patients underwent cVEMP, oVEMP, a caloric test, and vHIT assessment preoperatively, and, postoperatively, cVEMP and oVEMP at 1–3 months and a caloric test and vHIT at 4–6 months.Results: After cochlear implantation, there was postoperative loss of cVEMP in 19.2% of the patients, oVEMP in 17.4%, reduction of caloric response in 11.6%, and postoperative destruction of the lateral, anterior, and posterior semicircular canal as measured with vHIT in 7.1, 3.9, and 4% respectively.Conclusions: Hearing preservation techniques in cochlear implantation are connected with vestibular protection, but the risk of vestibular damage in never totally eliminated. The vestibular preservation is associated with hearing preservation and the relation is statistically significant. Informed consent for cochlear implantation must include information about possible vestibular damage. Since the risk of vestibular damage is appreciable, preoperative otoneurological diagnostics need to be conducted in the following situations: qualification for a second implant, after otosurgery (especially if the opposite ear is to be implanted), having a history of vestibular complaints, and when there are no strict audiological or anatomical indications on which side to operate.