bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Heterocyclic Aromatic Compound Dye (Methylene Blue) on Chitosan Adsorbent Sourced from African Snail Shell: Modelling and Optimization Studies
Authors: BELLO VICTOR EHIGIMETOR , Olafadehan Olaosebikan Abidoye 
Published: July 2022

In this article, the modelling and optimization of five operational process parameters involving initial concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time, temperature and pH of the solution as it affects the treatment of aqueous solution contaminated with methylene blue, a heterocyclic aromatic compound, on chitosan sourced from African Snail Shell were studied using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques coupled with genetic algorithm. The single and interactive effects of the variables were examined by way of analysis of variance (ANOVA). A comparison of the model techniques was done and an evaluation was carried out with some selected error functions. Both modelling and optimization tools performed creditably well. However, the hybrid ANN-GA proved to be a superior modelling and optimization technique with excellent generalization ability which gave an average absolute deviation between the experimental and predicted data of both response variables considered. The insightful relative importance of the process variables based on the renowned Garson and Olden’s algorithm methods coupled with step by step approach initiated in the Matlab environment were equally investigated. The findings from this study revealed in clear terms that pH and initial concentrations were the most influential parameters and the maximum value of 99.28% of methylene blue removed at optimum conditions affirmed that the chitosan adsorbent is viable for the treatment of effluents from the textile industry.
Basophil Activation Test as a Biomarker for Taxanes Anaphylaxis
Authors: De Campos Lucila , Giavina-Bianchi Pedro , Acharya Shree , Lynch Donna-Marie , Kalil Jorge , Castells Mariana C. 
Published: July 2022

IntroductionTaxanes are widely used chemotherapy agents, and their administration, despite premedication, is associated with hypersensitivity reactions (HR) in up to 9% of patients, 1% of which are severe. The mechanisms of these reactions are not fully understood. Finding biomarkers for early diagnosis and better understanding the underlying mechanisms of these reactions are key to defining the best treatment strategy for patients.MethodsThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the basophil activation test (BAT) to diagnose patients with anaphylactic reactions to taxanes. Patients with anaphylaxis to taxane compounds (n = 15) were assessed through clinical history, skin testing (when possible), and BAT. BAT was performed immediately before rapid drug desensitization or before skin testing using anti-CD123 conjugated (APC-Biolegend), anti-HLADR conjugated (FITC-Biolegend) to gate Basophils and anti-CD63 conjugated (PE-Biolegend), and anti-CD203c conjugated (BV-Biolegend) to assess CD203c and CD63 expression on basophils under taxane stimulation. BAT was also performed in eight healthy volunteers.ResultsBAT was positive for CD203c in eight out of 15 patients and for CD63 in four out of 15 patients and in two out of eight controls. The sensitivity for CD203c was 53%, the specificity was 87%, and the area under the curve was 0.66 (p = 0.19%). For CD63, these rates were 33%, 87%, and 0.6 (p = 0.4). In a subgroup analysis of patients with positive skin tests (11 patients), CD203c was positive in six patients (sensitivity of 54.5% and specificity of 87.5%), and CD63 was positive in five patients (sensitivity of 45% and specificity of 75%).ConclusionsBAT as a diagnostic tool for immediate hypersensitivity reactions to taxanes may be relevant in patients with selected phenotypes and endotypes, especially those with severe reactions or when the diagnosis cannot be established by the skin test. Increased expression of CD203c was more frequent than of CD63 in patients with positive results, and the sensitivity of this biomarker was higher in patient sub-group with positive skin tests, i.e., patients with IgE-mediated endotypes.
Coexistence of Adjacent Siliciclastic, Carbonate, and Mixed Sedimentary Systems: An Example From Seafloor Morphology in the Northern Lesser Antilles Forearc
Authors: Morena Pierre , Ratzov Gueorgui , Cattaneo Antonio , Klingelhoefer Frauke , Beck Christian , Seibert Chloé , Marcaillou Boris , Feuillet Nathalie 
Published: July 2022

Three main types of factors commonly control the nature of the clasts, the arrangement of the distinctive lithologies, and the general architecture of turbidite systems: sedimentation rate and carbonate production; climates and glacio-eustatism; and morphology and tectonics. The coexistence of adjacent systems of distinctive nature is, however, scarcely documented, and the relative influence of each factor needs better constrain. In the Northern Lesser Antilles Segment (NLAS), carbonate and siliciclastic sediment sources coexist within a 150 km lateral distance, with carbonate platforms lying onto a volcanic substratum, and by a succession of spurs and triangular valleys that are bounded by active normal faulting. To better understand the factors controlling sedimentary processes from the carbonate platform sources to the deep-sea sinks, we used backscatter, bathymetry, multichannel seismic, and sub-bottom profiles. Sedimentary systems are dominated by siliciclastic input (by retrogressive erosion of confined canyons affecting the volcanic slope), carbonate input (by carbonate sediment transported by oceanic- and wind-driven submarine currents beyond the leeward edges of carbonates platforms), or both. In the mixed systems, the retrogressive erosion of the canyon head determines the nature of the source (volcanic on the slope, carbonate when the canyons reach the shelf edge). Glacio-eustatism has a key role in carbonate availability on the platform, as attested by the presence of drowned platforms. The main contribution of this study is the identification of the major role that tectonic activity plays in the short-distance coexistence of the distinctive sedimentary systems since fault-bounded V-shaped valleys in map view offer alternating leeward and windward edges favoring carbonate or mixed systems. Additionally, the steep slope gradient induced by normal faults and regional subsidence seems to be the main factor controlling sediment dispersal. It causes multiple line sources and the dispersion of gravity-driven currents under the effect of hydraulic jumps, thus preventing the formation of a channelized system. Our study provides a modern analog of adjacent systems dominated by distinctive lithologies in a tectonically active area. The results appear particularly appropriate to decipher the nature of ancient source-to-sink systems dominated by complex tectonics, paleo-bathymetry, and sediment routings.
Comparing Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Functional and Taxonomic Diversity of Phytoplankton Community in Tropical Cascading Reservoirs
Authors: Resende Nathália da Silva , Santos Juliana Barreto Oliveira dos , Josué Iollanda Ivanov Pereira , Barros Nathan Oliveira , Cardoso Simone Jaqueline 
Published: July 2022

Small Hydroelectric Power Plants (SHPs) are considered hydroelectric plants of reduced size and power that modify the landscape in a lower degree. As they are generally built-in sequence along the course of a river, these reservoirs are subject to the Cascading Reservoir Continuum Concept (CRCC), which provides a gradient effect mainly observed on suspended particles and nutrients. These effects can reflect in the phytoplankton community, which respond in terms of changes in their structure and function to environmental changes. Here, we aimed to investigate whether spatial variation would be more explanatory than temporal variation for phytoplankton structure and composition in cascading SHPs reservoirs. Furthermore, we sought to understand the effect of the hydrodynamics of run-of-river and storage reservoirs for phytoplankton community composition. We assessed the predictive power of physical and chemical conditions of the water, and zooplankton density as explanatory variables for phytoplankton taxonomic and functional diversity. The study was carried out over 6 years in three SHPs located on the Paraibuna River, Brazil, totaling 24 campaigns. After counting and identification, the phytoplankton species were classified according to qualitative functional traits related to morphology, physiology, and behavior. The reservoirs had significant differences in nutrients and suspended solids, corroborating with the CRCC. Nonetheless, these variables alone were not able to explain the distribution of phytoplanktonic species. However, as significant coupling between phytoplankton and zooplankton was found, and zooplankton might have influenced the phytoplankton distribution along the longitudinal gradient of the river. Furthermore, changes in taxonomic and functional composition of phytoplankton were mainly related to reservoir hydrodynamics and temporal variation. The last reservoir in the cascade was the one with the greatest phytoplankton species and functional diversity. Taxonomic and functional diversity indices were positively correlated, but at a certain point, functional richness reached a plateau. Here we highlight the complexity of understanding the role of cascading reservoirs in the structure and function of phytoplanktonic communities, which are subject to large spatial and temporal variations, even within the same stretch of a river.
Lightning Disaster Risk Zoning in Jiangsu Province of China Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Entropy Weight Method
Authors: Jin Chenlu , Shu Yu , Han Zhaoquan , Chen Qu , He Jing , Wang Song 
Published: July 2022

Jiangsu Province is located in the middle coastal area of East China, and has a relatively developed economy and a large population density. Severe convection often occurs in Jiangsu Province, and the lightning activities may cause great economic losses and social impact in this region. Based on the theory of natural disaster risk assessment, this study investigates the risk of hazard factors, the sensitivity of hazard-pregnant environment, and the frangibility of a hazard-bearing body in Jiangsu Province. Then, we select thunderstorm days, cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning density, CG lightning current intensity, altitude, topographic relief, soil-electric conductivity, drainage density, population density, gross domestic product (GDP) per land area, and soil utilization type as the influencing factors, and then we use the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method to calculate the weights of the influencing factors. Furthermore, all the factors are weighted stacked in ArcGIS, and finally the lightning disaster risk zoning map (1 × 1 km of Jiangsu Province is presented. The results show that the risk of lightning disaster in Jiangsu is low in the north and high in the south. The area of different risk level increases with the decrease in risk level. High-risk areas are mainly in the middle of Nanjing, eastern Changzhou, eastern Wuxi, and the middle of Suzhou. Medium-risk areas are mainly in northern Nanjing, eastern Changzhou, eastern Suzhou, the Tongshan District of Xuzhou City, the Chongchuan District of Nantong City, Lianyun District of Lianyungang City, and the Xiangshui County, Sheyang County, and Dafeng District of Yancheng City. The sub–low-risk areas are mainly in Xuzhou, Suqian, Huai’an, and the middle of Yangzhou City. The low-risk areas are mainly in Lianyungang, Yancheng, northern Nantong, Taizhou, Zhenjiang, southern Nanjing, western Changzhou, western Wuxi, and western Suzhou. We hope this study could provide some references for the lightning disaster prevention and mitigation in Jiangsu Province and East China.
Complement Is Activated During Normothermic Machine Perfusion of Porcine and Human Discarded Kidneys
Authors: Jager Neeltina M. , Venema Leonie H. , Arykbaeva Asel S. , Meter-Arkema Anita H. , Ottens Petra J. , van Kooten Cees , Mollnes Tom E. , Alwayn Ian P. J. , Leuvenink Henri G. D. , Pischke Soeren E. ,   PROPER study consortium
Published: July 2022

BackgroundThe gap between demand and supply of kidneys for transplantation necessitates the use of kidneys from extended criteria donors. Transplantation of these donor kidneys is associated with inferior results, reflected by an increased risk of delayed graft function. Inferior results might be explained by the higher immunogenicity of extended criteria donor kidneys. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) could be used as a platform to assess the quality and function of donor kidneys. In addition, it could be useful to evaluate and possibly alter the immunological response of donor kidneys. In this study, we first evaluated whether complement was activated during NMP of porcine and human discarded kidneys. Second, we examined the relationship between complement activation and pro-inflammatory cytokines during NMP. Third, we assessed the effect of complement activation on renal function and injury during NMP of porcine kidneys. Lastly, we examined local complement C3d deposition in human renal biopsies after NMP.MethodsNMP with a blood-based perfusion was performed with both porcine and discarded human kidneys for 4 and 6 h, respectively. Perfusate samples were taken every hour to assess complement activation, pro-inflammatory cytokines and renal function. Biopsies were taken to assess histological injury and complement deposition.ResultsComplement activation products C3a, C3d, and soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) were found in perfusate samples taken during NMP of both porcine and human kidneys. In addition, complement perfusate levels positively correlated with the cytokine perfusate levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF during NMP of porcine kidneys. Porcine kidneys with high sC5b-9 perfusate levels had significantly lower creatinine clearance after 4 h of NMP. In line with these findings, high complement perfusate levels were seen during NMP of human discarded kidneys. In addition, kidneys retrieved from brain-dead donors had significantly higher complement perfusate levels during NMP than kidneys retrieved from donors after circulatory death.ConclusionNormothermic kidney machine perfusion induces complement activation in porcine and human kidneys, which is associated with the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and in porcine kidneys with lower creatinine clearance. Complement inhibition during NMP might be a promising strategy to reduce renal graft injury and improve graft function prior to transplantation.
ICAM-1 on Breast Cancer Cells Suppresses Lung Metastasis but Is Dispensable for Tumor Growth and Killing by Cytotoxic T Cells
Authors: Regev Ofer , Kizner Marina , Roncato Francesco , Dadiani Maya , Saini Massimo , Castro-Giner Francesc , Yajuk Olga , Kozlovski Stav , Levi Nehora , Addadi Yoseph , Golani Ofra , Ben-Dor Shifra , Granot Zvi , Aceto Nicola , Alon Ronen 
Published: July 2022

Breast tumors and their derived circulating cancer cells express the leukocyte β2 integrin ligand Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). We found that elevated ICAM-1 expression in breast cancer cells results in a favorable outcome and prolonged survival of breast cancer patients. We therefore assessed the direct in vivo contribution of ICAM-1 expressed by breast cancer cells to breast tumorigenesis and lung metastasis in syngeneic immunocompetent mice hosts using spontaneous and experimental models of the lung metastasis of the C57BL/6-derived E0771 cell line, a luminal B breast cancer subtype. Notably, the presence of ICAM-1 on E0771 did not alter tumor growth or the leukocyte composition in the tumor microenvironment. Interestingly, the elimination of Tregs led to the rapid killing of primary tumor cells independently of tumor ICAM-1 expression. The in vivo elimination of a primary E0771 tumor expressing the ovalbumin (OVA) model neoantigen by the OVA-specific OVA-tcr-I mice (OT-I) transgenic cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) also took place normally in the absence of ICAM-1 expression by E0771 breast cancer target cells. The whole lung imaging of these cells by light sheet microscopy (LSM) revealed that both Wild type (WT)- and ICAM-1-deficient E0771 cells were equally disseminated from resected tumors and accumulated inside the lung vasculature at similar magnitudes. ICAM-1-deficient breast cancer cells developed, however, much larger metastatic lesions than their control counterparts. Strikingly, the vast majority of these cells gave rise to intravascular tumor colonies both in spontaneous and experimental metastasis models. In the latter model, ICAM-1 expressing E0771- but not their ICAM-1-deficient counterparts were highly susceptible to elimination by neutrophils adoptively transferred from E0771 tumor-bearing donor mice. Ex vivo, neutrophils derived from tumor-bearing mice also killed cultured E0771 cells via ICAM-1-dependent interactions. Collectively, our results are a first indication that ICAM-1 expressed by metastatic breast cancer cells that expand inside the lung vasculature is involved in innate rather than in adaptive cancer cell killing. This is also a first indication that the breast tumor expression of ICAM-1 is not required for CTL-mediated killing but can function as a suppressor of intravascular breast cancer metastasis to lungs.
Combination of Low-Dose Gemcitabine and PD-1 Inhibitors for Treatment in Patients With Advanced Malignancies
Authors: Huang Hao , Peng Ling , Zhang Bicheng , Till Brian G. , Yang Yonghao , Zhang Xiaojie , Zhao Lingdi , Fu Xiaomin , Li Tiepeng , Han Lu , Qin Peng , Chen Lin , Yan Xiang , Liu Yang , Wang Wenkang , Ye Zhenlong , Li Hongle , Gao Quanli , Wang Zibing 
Published: July 2022

PurposeThis study determined the efficacy of low-dose gemcitabine combined with programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors for treating multiple malignancies, providing a cost-effective and safe treatment option.Study DesignThis study included 61 patients with advanced solid tumors treated with low-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors at the Henan Cancer Hospital between January 2018 and February 2022. We retrospectively reviewed medical records to evaluate several clinical factors, including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse effects (AEs), and objective response to treatment.ResultsSixty-one patients received treatment with low-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors. The objective response rate (ORR) was 29.5% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 62.3%. The median PFS was 4.3 months (95% confidence interval, 2.3 to 6.3 months) and the median OS was 15.0 months (95% confidence interval, 8.8 to 21.2 months). Hematological toxicity, mainly leukopenia or thrombocytopenia, was the most common AE, with any-grade and grade 3/4 hematological toxicity reported in 60.7 and 13.1% of patients, respectively.ConclusionsLow-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors may offer a novel treatment option for patients with advanced malignancies.
Placental Malaria is Associated with Higher LILRB2 Expression in Monocyte Subsets and Lower Anti-Malarial IgG Antibodies During Infancy
Authors: Dechavanne Celia , Nouatin Odilon , Adamou Rafiou , Edslev Sofie , Hansen Anita , Meurisse Florian , Sadissou Ibrahim , Gbaguidi Erasme , Milet Jacqueline , Cottrell Gilles , Gineau Laure , Sabbagh Audrey , Massougbodji Achille , Moutairou Kabirou , Donadi Eduardo A. , Carosella Edgardo D. , Moreau Philippe , Remarque Ed , Theisen Michael , Rouas-Freiss Nathalie , Garcia André , Favier Benoit , Courtin David 
Published: July 2022

BackgroundPlacental malaria (PM) is associated with a higher susceptibility of infants to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria. A hypothesis of immune tolerance has been suggested but no clear explanation has been provided so far. Our goal was to investigate the involvement of inhibitory receptors LILRB1 and LILRB2, known to drive immune evasion upon ligation with pathogen and/or host ligands, in PM-induced immune tolerance.MethodInfants of women with or without PM were enrolled in Allada, southern Benin, and followed-up for 24 months. Antibodies with specificity for five blood stage parasite antigens were quantified by ELISA, and the frequency of immune cell subsets was quantified by flow cytometry. LILRB1 or LILRB2 expression was assessed on cells collected at 18 and 24 months of age.FindingsInfants born to women with PM had a higher risk of developing symptomatic malaria than those born to women without PM (IRR=1.53, p=0.040), and such infants displayed a lower frequency of non-classical monocytes (OR=0.74, p=0.01) that overexpressed LILRB2 (OR=1.36, p=0.002). Moreover, infants born to women with PM had lower levels of cytophilic IgG and higher levels of IL-10 during active infection.InterpretationModulation of IgG and IL-10 levels could impair monocyte functions (opsonisation/phagocytosis) in infants born to women with PM, possibly contributing to their higher susceptibility to malaria. The long-lasting effect of PM on infants’ monocytes was notable, raising questions about the capacity of ligands such as Rifins or HLA-I molecules to bind to LILRB1 and LILRB2 and to modulate immune responses, and about the reprogramming of neonatal monocytes/macrophages.
Ecological, Social and Economic Aspects of Italian Marine Spearfishing Tournaments (2009-2020)
Authors: Terlizzi Antonio , Tarantino Giulio , Sbragaglia Valerio 
Published: July 2022

Marine recreational spearfishing is practiced by a small proportion of recreational fishers and ecological, social and economic aspects of such activities are poorly understood with respect to recreational angling. The Italian Federation of Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities (FIPSAS) started in 2009 the collection of catch data related to Italian spearfishing tournaments. Here, we provide the first snapshot of this catch data regarding 48 tournaments organized in 29 different Italian localities from 2009 to 2020. We also developed a survey to collect social and economic information that has been administrated to participants to the tournaments. We retrieved 8843 specimens caught by spearfishers, which accounted for 33 species and a total biomass of 5665 kg (mean individual mass ± standard error; 0.64 ± 0.01 kg). The five most frequently species represented 78% of the specimens caught (white seabream, Diplodus sargus 48%; brown wrasse, Labrus merula 12%; brown meagre, Sciaena umbra 9%, green wrasse, Labrus viridis 5%; salema, Sarpa salpa 4%). The overall catch per unit effort for all the tournaments was 0.47 ± 0.01 kg/spearfisher/h, and we showed interesting effects of type of tournaments and type of displacement on it. We also assessed the accuracy of participants to catch fish in accordance to tournaments-specific minimum weight limits. The five most caught species showed that spearfishers committed errors around 50 g below the weight limit. The survey showed that spearfishers participating to tournaments are trophy-fish oriented (i.e., they would rather catch one or two big fish than ten smaller fish), but not particularly catch oriented (i.e., they are just as happy if they do not shoot the fish they see and a fishing trip can be successful even if no fish are caught). Regarding the motives for fishing, they fish for experiencing adventure, excitement and new and different things as well as to be underwater. Participants spent from 2 to 26 days in the tournament locations (median equal to 7 days), which implies a total expenditure to solely participate to the tournaments ranging from 800 to 3500 Euros (mean ± standard deviation; 1800 ± 591 euros). This study represents the first ecological, social and economic baseline knowledge for an integrative management of contemporary spearfishing tournaments.