Annual Report 2022
released!
 
Article
Pediatric Patients with Stage IV Rhabdomyosarcoma Significantly Benefit from Long-Term Maintenance Therapy: Results of the CWS-IV 2002 and the CWS DOK IV 2004-Trials
Cancers 2023, 15(7), 2050; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15072050 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in childhood. Whereas more than 90% of patients with localized low-risk RMS can be cured, metastatic RMS have a dismal outcome, with survival rates of less than 30%. The HD CWS-96 trial showed [...] Read more.
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in childhood. Whereas more than 90% of patients with localized low-risk RMS can be cured, metastatic RMS have a dismal outcome, with survival rates of less than 30%. The HD CWS-96 trial showed an improved outcome for patients receiving maintenance therapy after completing intensive chemotherapy. Consequently, the international clinical trials CWS-IV 2002 and CWS DOK IV 2004 on metastatic disease of STS of the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe (CWS) were designed in addition to the CWS-2002P trial for localized RMS disease. All patients received a multimodal intensive treatment regimen. To maintain remission, three options were compared: long-term maintenance therapy (LTMT) versus allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) versus high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT). A total of 176 pediatric patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic RMS or RMS-like tumor were included. A total of 89 patients receiving LTML showed a significantly better outcome, with an event-free survival (EFS) of 41% and an overall survival (OS) of 53%, than alloHSCT (n = 21, EFS 19%, p = 0.02, OS 24%, p = 0.002). The outcome of LTML was slightly improved compared to HDCT (n = 13, EFS 35%, OS 34%). In conclusion, our data suggest that in patients suffering from metastatic RMS, long-term maintenance therapy is a superior strategy in terms of EFS and OS compared to alloHSCT. EFS and OS of HDCT are similar in these strategies; however, the therapeutic burden of LTMT is much lower. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rhabdomyosarcoma: Still Unresolved Questions but New Perspectives)
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Article
Machine Learning on Prediction of Relative Physical Activity Intensity Using Medical Radar Sensor and 3D Accelerometer
Sensors 2023, 23(7), 3595; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23073595 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Background: One of the most critical topics in sports safety today is the reduction in injury risks through controlled fatigue using non-invasive athlete monitoring. Due to the risk of injuries, it is prohibited to use accelerometer-based smart trackers, activity measurement bracelets, and smart [...] Read more.
Background: One of the most critical topics in sports safety today is the reduction in injury risks through controlled fatigue using non-invasive athlete monitoring. Due to the risk of injuries, it is prohibited to use accelerometer-based smart trackers, activity measurement bracelets, and smart watches for recording health parameters during performance sports activities. This study analyzes the synergy feasibility of medical radar sensors and tri-axial acceleration sensor data to predict physical activity key performance indexes in performance sports by using machine learning (ML). The novelty of this method is that it uses a 24 GHz Doppler radar sensor to detect vital signs such as the heartbeat and breathing without touching the person and to predict the intensity of physical activity, combined with the acceleration data from 3D accelerometers. Methods: This study is based on the data collected from professional athletes and freely available datasets created for research purposes. A combination of sensor data management was used: a medical radar sensor with no-contact remote sensing to measure the heart rate (HR) and 3D acceleration to measure the velocity of the activity. Various advanced ML methods and models were employed on the top of sensors to analyze the vital parameters and predict the health activity key performance indexes. three-axial acceleration, heart rate data, age, as well as activity level variances. Results: The ML models recognized the physical activity intensity and estimated the energy expenditure on a realistic level. Leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation (CV), as well as out-of-sample testing (OST) methods, have been used to evaluate the level of accuracy in activity intensity prediction. The energy expenditure prediction with three-axial accelerometer sensors by using linear regression provided 97–99% accuracy on selected sports (cycling, running, and soccer). The ML-based RPE results using medical radar sensors on a time-series heart rate (HR) dataset varied between 90 and 96% accuracy. The expected level of accuracy was examined with different models. The average accuracy for all the models (RPE and METs) and setups was higher than 90%. Conclusions: The ML models that classify the rating of the perceived exertion and the metabolic equivalent of tasks perform consistently. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Radar Sensors)
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Article
Ginsenoside Rb1 Interfered with Macrophage Activation by Activating PPARγ to Inhibit Insulin Resistance in Obesity
by , , , , , and
Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3083; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073083 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by insulin resistance (IR), often accompanied by inflammation. Macrophage activation acts as an inflammatory response, which is characterized by macrophage recruitment in the initial stage. Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) is a main active ingredient, which is known for [...] Read more.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by insulin resistance (IR), often accompanied by inflammation. Macrophage activation acts as an inflammatory response, which is characterized by macrophage recruitment in the initial stage. Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) is a main active ingredient, which is known for its fat-reducing, anti-inflammatory effects. To clarify that Rb1 regulates macrophage activation in adipose tissue and improves tissue inflammation, network pharmacology and molecular docking were used for target prediction and preliminary validation. By constructing the co-culture model of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) and primary macrophage (PM), the body adipose tissue microenvironment was simulated to observe the adipogenesis degree of adipocytes under the effect of Rb1. The levels of cytokines, macrophage polarization, and protein or RNA expression in the inflammatory signaling pathway were finally detected. The results showed that 89 common targets of T2D-Rb1 were obtained after their intersection. Furthermore, according to the results of the KEGG pathway and PPI analysis, PTGS2 (COX-2) is the downstream protein of PPARγ-NF-κB. The molecular binding energy of PPARγ-Rb1 is −6.8 kcal/mol. Rb1 significantly inhibited the increase in MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-1β induced by hypertrophic adipocytes supernatant and promoted the expression of IL-10. Rb1 inhibited the activation of inflammatory macrophages and PM migration and upregulated PPARγ expression with the blocking of NF-κB activation. Additionally, Rb1 promoted the expression of IRS1 and PI3K in the insulin signal pathway, which had a similar effect with ROS. Therefore, Rb1 might affect macrophage activation through PPARγ, which might alleviate obese insulin resistance in T2D early stage. Full article
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Article
Short-Term Phantom Recollection in 8–10-Year-Olds and Young Adults
by and
J. Intell. 2023, 11(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11040067 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Illusory conscious experience of the “presentation” of unstudied material, called phantom recollection, occurs at high levels in long-term episodic memory tests and underlies some forms of false memory. We report an experiment examining, for the first time, the presence of phantom recollection in [...] Read more.
Illusory conscious experience of the “presentation” of unstudied material, called phantom recollection, occurs at high levels in long-term episodic memory tests and underlies some forms of false memory. We report an experiment examining, for the first time, the presence of phantom recollection in a short-term working memory (WM) task in 8- to 10-year-old children and young adults. Participants studied lists of eight semantically related words and had to recognize them among unpresented distractors semantically related and unrelated to the studied words after a retention interval of a few seconds. Regardless of whether the retention interval was filled with a concurrent task that interfered with WM maintenance, the false recognition rate for related distractors was very high in both age groups, although it was higher in young adults (47%) than children (42%) and rivaled the rate of target acceptance. The conjoint recognition model of fuzzy-trace theory was used to examine memory representations underlying recognition responses. In young adults, phantom recollection underpinned half of the false memories. By contrast, in children, phantom recollection accounted for only 16% of them. These findings suggest that an increase in phantom recollection use may underlie the developmental increase in short-term false memory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Development of Working Memory and Attention)
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Article
Remote Sensing Analysis of Typhoon-Induced Storm Surges and Sea Surface Cooling in Chinese Coastal Waters
by , , and
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(7), 1844; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15071844 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Inthis study, remote sensing measurements were utilized to examine the characteristics of storm surges and sea surface cooling in Chinese coastal waters caused by typhoons. Altimetric data from satellite altimeters were used to determine the magnitude, cross-shelf decaying scale, and propagating speed of [...] Read more.
Inthis study, remote sensing measurements were utilized to examine the characteristics of storm surges and sea surface cooling in Chinese coastal waters caused by typhoons. Altimetric data from satellite altimeters were used to determine the magnitude, cross-shelf decaying scale, and propagating speed of storm surges from typhoons. The results were in agreement with estimates obtained from a theoretical model and tide gauge data, showing that the two storm surges propagated as continental shelf waves along the southeastern coast of China. The sea surface cooling, driven by Typhoons 1319Usagi and 1323Fitow, was analyzed using the remote sensing sea surface temperature product, named the global 1 km sea surface temperature (G1SST) dataset, revealing a considerable decrease in the temperature, with the largest decrease reaching 4.5 °C after the passage of 1319Usagi, in line with buoy estimates of 4.6 °C. It was found that 1323Fitow and 1324Danas jointly impacted the southeastern coast of China, resulting in a significant temperature drop of 4.0 °C. Our study shows that incorporating remotely sensed measurements into the study of oceanic responses to typhoons has significant benefits and complements the traditional tide gauge network and buoy data. Full article
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Article
Keeping Morality “on the Straight” and Never “on the Bend”: Metaphorical Representations of Moral Concepts in Straightness and Curvature
by , , , , , and
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13040295 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The study of moral conceptual metaphors has been an important topic in recent years. In Chinese culture, the concepts of curvature and straightness are given certain semantic contents, in which curvature refers to being sly while straightness refers to having integrity. In the [...] Read more.
The study of moral conceptual metaphors has been an important topic in recent years. In Chinese culture, the concepts of curvature and straightness are given certain semantic contents, in which curvature refers to being sly while straightness refers to having integrity. In the present study, we used the Implicit Association Test (IAT) paradigm (Experiment 1) and the Stroop paradigm (Experiment 2) to investigate whether there are metaphorical representations of curvature and straightness in moral concepts. The results revealed that the mean reaction time in compatible trials (i.e., moral words accompanied by a straight pattern and immoral words accompanied by a curved pattern) was significantly shorter than that in incompatible trials (i.e., moral words accompanied by a curved pattern and immoral words accompanied by a straight pattern). The Stroop paradigm showed that reaction times were significantly reduced when moral words were presented in a straight font, but there was no significant difference between the presentation of immoral words in a straight font and that in a curved font. The results suggest that mental representations of moral concepts are associated with straightness and curvature in Chinese culture. Full article
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Article
Proton Radiation Effects of CMOS Image Sensors on Different Star Map Recognition Algorithms for Star Sensors
by , , , and
Electronics 2023, 12(7), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12071629 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Star sensors are widely used by satellites for their precise pointing accuracy. However, protons in space will cause cumulative effects and single-event transients in the imaging systems of star sensors. These effects will affect the success rate of star map recognition of star [...] Read more.
Star sensors are widely used by satellites for their precise pointing accuracy. However, protons in space will cause cumulative effects and single-event transients in the imaging systems of star sensors. These effects will affect the success rate of star map recognition of star sensors. In this paper, proton irradiation experiments and field tests were carried out in turn, and three typical star recognition algorithms were used to recognize the star maps. The results showed that cumulative effects led to a decrease in the number of identifiable stars, which greatly affected the recognition success rate of the grid algorithm. Hot pixels caused by displacement damage effects increased the star centroid positioning error, leading to a decrease in the recognition success rate of the triangle algorithm and pyramid algorithm. Single-event transients produced by protons hitting the image sensor are similar to the grayscale value and shape of a star, and were recognized as “false stars”, which had a significant impact on the success rate of the three recognition algorithms. In general, the pyramid algorithm was more effective than the other two algorithms in identifying the affected star map, and the recognition success rate of the grid algorithm was significantly reduced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Radiation Effects of Advanced Electronic Devices and Circuits)
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Article
Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Variotropic Concrete during Cyclic and Continuous Sulfate Attack
by , , , , , and
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4386; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074386 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The concrete of numerous buildings and structures is at increased risk due to various kinds of aggressive pollutants. In this regard, it is necessary to implement and take additional actions, among which the so-called technological methods for concrete structure property modification are promising. [...] Read more.
The concrete of numerous buildings and structures is at increased risk due to various kinds of aggressive pollutants. In this regard, it is necessary to implement and take additional actions, among which the so-called technological methods for concrete structure property modification are promising. These methods comprise improvement and modernization of existing technologies to produce the most effective concrete building structures before the introduction of steel reinforcement. One of the effective and proven technological and design solutions is the use of centrifuged and vibrocentrifuged concrete of an annular section with a variotropic concrete structure. The aim of the work was to study the physical and mechanical properties of variotropic concretes of annular structures when exposed to sulfate attack. As a result of the cyclic impact of sulfate attack, the mass loss of vibrocentrifuged concrete was the smallest in comparison with centrifuged (17% less) and vibrated concrete (37% less). The loss of cube and prism strength of vibrocentrifuged concrete was the smallest in comparison with centrifuged (20% and 18% less, respectively) and vibrated concrete (42% and 38% less, respectively). The sulfate attack rate, as a depth of penetration and concrete destruction, was 46% less for vibrocentrifuged concrete than for centrifuged concrete and 65% less than for vibrated concrete. Full article
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Communication
BICM-ID Labeling-Based Recipient Identification in a Heterogeneous Network
by
Sensors 2023, 23(7), 3605; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23073605 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The concept of labeling-based recipient identification (LABRID) for bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) is revisited. LABRID allows addressing a message recipient station in a wireless network by using an individual labeling map without compromising error performance. This eliminates the need to [...] Read more.
The concept of labeling-based recipient identification (LABRID) for bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) is revisited. LABRID allows addressing a message recipient station in a wireless network by using an individual labeling map without compromising error performance. This eliminates the need to use any byte of the data frame to carry the recipient address explicitly. In addition, the destination of the frame can be determined in parallel with a BICM-ID decoding procedure in the receiver’s physical layer. Therefore, the MAC layer is not involved in processing the vast majority of frames transmitted in a network. Previously, it was shown that LABRID works fine if there are only LABRID-compatible stations within the network, and every receiver can reject frames destined for other receivers. This paper considers a scenario in which LABRID-compatible BICM-ID stations and legacy BICM stations coexist in the same network. A few experiments show that the LABRID receiver can reject an old-fashioned BICM frame by judging the convergence of the iterative decoding process. It also turns out that the legacy BICM receiver can identify and dismiss the LABRID-type frames thanks to the standard cyclic redundancy check (CRC) procedure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Modulation Technology for 6G Communications)
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Article
Linking Sustainable Design and Social Sustainability Performance of Chemical Manufacturing Firms: Moderating Role of Islamic Work Ethics
by , and
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5991; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075991 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
This study examines the impact of sustainable design on firms’ social sustainability performance, and the moderating role of Islamic work ethics in this relationship. 344 chemical manufacturing organisations in Malaysia were invited to participate in a survey. Data from 130 completed questionnaire sets [...] Read more.
This study examines the impact of sustainable design on firms’ social sustainability performance, and the moderating role of Islamic work ethics in this relationship. 344 chemical manufacturing organisations in Malaysia were invited to participate in a survey. Data from 130 completed questionnaire sets were subjected to partial least square (PLS) analysis. The results demonstrated significant effect of sustainable design on social sustainability performance. It was also shown that Islamic work ethics moderate the relationship between sustainable design and social sustainability performance. Al-Quran and hadith were used to support this study to link the relationships of the variables under study, particularly in the context of chemical manufacturing organisations in Malaysia. The present study has furnished significant theoretical contributions of how the Natural-resource-based view theory and stakeholder theory could be incorporated into the present proposed framework with the inclusion of the moderating role of Islamic work ethics, and eventually enrich the findings of extant research. As for practical contributions, businesses in the chemical industry would make well-informed decisions about which eco-friendly practices, particularly sustainable design, to adopt in order to attain social sustainability performance and successfully implement Islamic work ethics. Direction for future research is also recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Design Innovation)
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Article
Transcriptome Dynamics Underlying Planticine®-Induced Defense Responses of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to Biotic Stresses
by , , , , , , , , , , , , , and
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6494; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076494 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The induction of natural defense mechanisms in plants is considered to be one of the most important strategies used in integrated pest management (IPM). Plant immune inducers could reduce the use of chemicals for plant protection and their harmful impacts on the environment. [...] Read more.
The induction of natural defense mechanisms in plants is considered to be one of the most important strategies used in integrated pest management (IPM). Plant immune inducers could reduce the use of chemicals for plant protection and their harmful impacts on the environment. Planticine® is a natural plant defense biostimulant based on oligomers of α(1→4)-linked D-galacturonic acids, which are biodegradable and nontoxic. The aim of this study was to define the molecular basis of Planticine’s biological activity and the efficacy of its use as a natural plant resistance inducer in greenhouse conditions. Three independent experiments with foliar application of Planticine® were carried out. The first experiment in a climatic chamber (control environment, no pest pressure) subjected the leaves to RNA-seq analysis, and the second and third experiments in greenhouse conditions focused on efficacy after a pest infestation. The result was the RNA sequencing of six transcriptome libraries of tomatoes treated with Planticine® and untreated plants; a total of 3089 genes were found to be differentially expressed genes (DEGs); among them, 1760 and 1329 were up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively. DEG analysis indicated its involvement in such metabolic pathways and processes as plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling pathway, photosynthesis, and regulation of transcription. We detected up-regulated gene-encoded elicitor and effector recognition receptors (ELRR and ERR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) genes, and transcription factors (TFs), i.e., WRKY, ERF, MYB, NAC, bZIP, pathogenesis-related proteins (PRPs), and resistance-related metabolite (RRMs) genes. In the greenhouse trials, foliar application of Planticine® proved to be effective in reducing the infestation of tomato leaves by the biotrophic pathogen powdery mildew and in reducing feeding by thrips, which are insect herbivores. Prophylactic and intervention use of Planticine® at low infestation levels allows the activation of plant defense mechanisms. Full article
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Article
An Explainable Student Fatigue Monitoring Module with Joint Facial Representation
by , , and
Sensors 2023, 23(7), 3602; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23073602 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Online fatigue estimation is, inevitably, in demand as fatigue can impair the health of college students and lower the quality of higher education. Therefore, it is essential to monitor college students’ fatigue to diminish its adverse effects on the health and academic performance [...] Read more.
Online fatigue estimation is, inevitably, in demand as fatigue can impair the health of college students and lower the quality of higher education. Therefore, it is essential to monitor college students’ fatigue to diminish its adverse effects on the health and academic performance of college students. However, former studies on student fatigue monitoring are mainly survey-based with offline analysis, instead of using constant fatigue monitoring. Hence, we proposed an explainable student fatigue estimation model based on joint facial representation. This model includes two modules: a spacial–temporal symptom classification module and a data-experience joint status inferring module. The first module tracks a student’s face and generates spatial–temporal features using a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) for the relevant drivers of abnormal symptom classification; the second module infers a student’s status with symptom classification results with maximum a posteriori (MAP) under the data-experience joint constraints. The model was trained on the benchmark NTHU Driver Drowsiness Detection (NTHU-DDD) dataset and tested on an Online Student Fatigue Monitoring (OSFM) dataset. Our method outperformed the other methods with an accuracy rate of 94.47% under the same training–testing setting. The results were significant for real-time monitoring of students’ fatigue states during online classes and could also provide practical strategies for in-person education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Learning Based 2D/3D Sensors Data Understanding and Analysis)
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Article
Defining the Climate for Inclusiveness and Multiculturalism: Linking to Context
by
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13040100 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of how to define a positive climate for inclusiveness that recognizes the context and social environment of participants. In order to study employees working with Indigenous people and minorities in four organizations, [...] Read more.
The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of how to define a positive climate for inclusiveness that recognizes the context and social environment of participants. In order to study employees working with Indigenous people and minorities in four organizations, we used a grounded research approach to define what an inclusive environment might look like. The interview questions gathered examples of experiences which employees valued because they felt more included and not excluded from people they worked with. The experiences fell into four categories, as follows: (i) leadership engaged in supporting inclusiveness within the organization; (ii) leadership engaged in seeking inclusiveness within the community; (iii) being involved in multicultural practices within the organization and community; and (iv) participating in initiatives which encourage engagement and involvement. This paper’s conceptualization of a climate of inclusion is different from other studies, possibly because of the unique context in which service organizations are placed, as such organizations typically work with Indigenous people and minorities. Although we are especially mindful of the danger of generalizing our findings without further research, the scope of this paper might provide some direction for future studies of other organizations. We suggest that there is also a need to be open to methods which allow individuals and groups to define a climate of inclusivity that is relevant to their context; this is because context may be essential for recognizing certain groups of people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Ways To Address Diversity Issues)
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Review
The Landscape of Global Ocean Microbiome: From Bacterioplankton to Biofilms
by , , , , , and
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6491; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076491 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The development of metagenomics has opened up a new era in the study of marine microbiota, which play important roles in biogeochemical cycles. In recent years, the global ocean sampling expeditions have spurred this research field toward a deeper understanding of the microbial [...] Read more.
The development of metagenomics has opened up a new era in the study of marine microbiota, which play important roles in biogeochemical cycles. In recent years, the global ocean sampling expeditions have spurred this research field toward a deeper understanding of the microbial diversities and functions spanning various lifestyles, planktonic (free-living) or sessile (biofilm-associated). In this review, we deliver a comprehensive summary of marine microbiome datasets generated in global ocean expeditions conducted over the last 20 years, including the Sorcerer II GOS Expedition, the Tara Oceans project, the bioGEOTRACES project, the Micro B3 project, the Bio-GO-SHIP project, and the Marine Biofilms. These datasets have revealed unprecedented insights into the microscopic life in our oceans and led to the publication of world-leading research. We also note the progress of metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics, which are confined to local marine microbiota. Furthermore, approaches to transforming the global ocean microbiome datasets are highlighted, and the state-of-the-art techniques that can be combined with data analyses, which can present fresh perspectives on marine molecular ecology and microbiology, are proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metagenomes of Various Environments)
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Article
The Secretome of Parental and Bone Metastatic Breast Cancer Elicits Distinct Effects in Human Osteoclast Activity after Activation of β2 Adrenergic Signaling
by , , , , , , , , , and
Biomolecules 2023, 13(4), 622; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13040622 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), particularly through the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2-AR), has been linked with breast cancer (BC) and the development of metastatic BC, specifically in the bone. Nevertheless, the potential clinical benefits of exploiting β2-AR antagonists as a treatment for BC [...] Read more.
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), particularly through the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2-AR), has been linked with breast cancer (BC) and the development of metastatic BC, specifically in the bone. Nevertheless, the potential clinical benefits of exploiting β2-AR antagonists as a treatment for BC and bone loss-associated symptoms remain controversial. In this work, we show that, when compared to control individuals, the epinephrine levels in a cohort of BC patients are augmented in both earlier and late stages of the disease. Furthermore, through a combination of proteomic profiling and functional in vitro studies with human osteoclasts and osteoblasts, we demonstrate that paracrine signaling from parental BC under β2-AR activation causes a robust decrease in human osteoclast differentiation and resorption activity, which is rescued in the presence of human osteoblasts. Conversely, metastatic bone tropic BC does not display this anti-osteoclastogenic effect. In conclusion, the observed changes in the proteomic profile of BC cells under β-AR activation that take place after metastatic dissemination, together with clinical data on epinephrine levels in BC patients, provided new insights on the sympathetic control of breast cancer and its implications on osteoclastic bone resorption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Skeletal Development and Diseases)
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Article
Electrochemical Sensing of H2O2 by Employing a Flexible Fe3O4/Graphene/Carbon Cloth as Working Electrode
by , , , , , , , , and
Materials 2023, 16(7), 2770; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072770 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
We report the synthesis of Fe3O4/graphene (Fe3O4/Gr) nanocomposite for highly selective and highly sensitive peroxide sensor application. The nanocomposites were produced by a modified co-precipitation method. Further, structural, chemical, and morphological characterization of the Fe [...] Read more.
We report the synthesis of Fe3O4/graphene (Fe3O4/Gr) nanocomposite for highly selective and highly sensitive peroxide sensor application. The nanocomposites were produced by a modified co-precipitation method. Further, structural, chemical, and morphological characterization of the Fe3O4/Gr was investigated by standard characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The average crystal size of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was calculated as 14.5 nm. Moreover, nanocomposite (Fe3O4/Gr) was employed to fabricate the flexible electrode using polymeric carbon fiber cloth or carbon cloth (pCFC or CC) as support. The electrochemical performance of as-fabricated Fe3O4/Gr/CC was evaluated toward H2O2 with excellent electrocatalytic activity. It was found that Fe3O4/Gr/CC-based electrodes show a good linear range, high sensitivity, and a low detection limit for H2O2 detection. The linear range for the optimized sensor was found to be in the range of 10–110 μM and limit of detection was calculated as 4.79 μM with a sensitivity of 0.037 µA μM−1 cm−2. The cost-effective materials used in this work as compared to noble metals provide satisfactory results. As well as showing high stability, the proposed biosensor is also highly reproducible. Full article
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Article
The Promoter SNPs Were Associated with Both the Contents of Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) and the Expressions of PUFA-Related Genes in Common Carp
by , , , , and
Biology 2023, 12(4), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12040524 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The allo-tetraploid common carp encodes two duplicated fads2 genes (fads2a and fads2b) and two duplicated elovl5 genes (elovl5a and elovl5b). The coding SNPs (cSNPs) of these genes were reported to be significantly associated with the PUFA contents. Whether the [...] Read more.
The allo-tetraploid common carp encodes two duplicated fads2 genes (fads2a and fads2b) and two duplicated elovl5 genes (elovl5a and elovl5b). The coding SNPs (cSNPs) of these genes were reported to be significantly associated with the PUFA contents. Whether the promoter SNPs (pSNPs) were associated with the PUFA contents has not been reported yet. In this study, after sequencing the promoters of these four genes, we identified six pSNPs associated with the contents of PUFAs in common carp, including one elovl5a pSNP, one elovl5b pSNP, and four fads2b pSNPs. The pSNPs were predicted in the locations of transcriptional factor binding sites. Together with previously identified cSNPs in fads2b and elovl5b, the pSNPs and cSNPs of these two genes had the joint effects on the PUFA contents with higher explained percentage of phenotypic variation of the PUFA contents than single gene. The expression levels of both fads2a and fads2b were significantly positively correlated with the contents of six PUFAs. The fads2b pSNPs corresponding to higher fads2b expression levels were associated with higher PUFA contents. The pSNPs and cSNPs will be useful for the future selection breeding of common carp with higher PUFA contents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Zoology)
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Article
Application of Gaussian Mixtures in a Multimodal Kalman Filter to Estimate the State of a Nonlinearly Moving System Using Sparse Inaccurate Measurements in a Cellular Radio Network
by , and
Sensors 2023, 23(7), 3603; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23073603 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Kalman filter is a well-established accuracy correction method in control, guidance, and navigation. With the popularity of mobile communication and ICT, Kalman Filter has been used in many new applications related to positioning based on spatiotemporal data from the cellular network. Despite the [...] Read more.
Kalman filter is a well-established accuracy correction method in control, guidance, and navigation. With the popularity of mobile communication and ICT, Kalman Filter has been used in many new applications related to positioning based on spatiotemporal data from the cellular network. Despite the low accuracy compared to Global Positioning System, the method is an excellent supplement to other positioning technologies. It is often used in sensor fusion setups as a complementary source. One of the reasons for the Kalman Filter’s inaccuracy lies in naive radio coverage approximation techniques based on multivariate normal distributions assumed by previous studies. Therefore, in this paper, we evaluated those disadvantages and proposed a Gaussian mixtures model to address the non-arbitrary shape of the radio cells’ coverage area. Having incorporated the Gaussian mixtures model into Switching Kalman Filter, we achieved better accuracy in positioning within the cellular network. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Intelligent Wireless Networks)
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Article
The SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Activates the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mediated Signaling
by , , , , , and
Vaccines 2023, 11(4), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11040768 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). At the molecular and cellular levels, the SARS-CoV-2 uses its envelope glycoprotein, the spike S protein, to infect the target cells in the lungs via binding [...] Read more.
The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). At the molecular and cellular levels, the SARS-CoV-2 uses its envelope glycoprotein, the spike S protein, to infect the target cells in the lungs via binding with their transmembrane receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Here, we wanted to investigate if other molecular targets and pathways may be used by SARS-CoV-2. We investigated the possibility of the spike 1 S protein and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream signaling pathway in vitro using the lung cancer cell line (A549 cells). Protein expression and phosphorylation were examined upon cell treatment with the recombinant full spike 1 S protein or RBD. We demonstrate for the first time the activation of EGFR by the Spike 1 protein associated with the phosphorylation of the canonical Extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and AKT kinases and an increase in survivin expression controlling the survival pathway. Our study suggests the putative implication of EGFR and its related signaling pathways in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and COVID-19 pathology. This may open new perspectives in the treatment of COVID-19 patients by targeting EGFR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Vaccine Development for Emerging Infectious Diseases)
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Review
Enhancing Digital Health Services with Big Data Analytics
by , , and
Big Data Cogn. Comput. 2023, 7(2), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/bdcc7020064 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Medicine is constantly generating new imaging data, including data from basic research, clinical research, and epidemiology, from health administration and insurance organizations, public health services, and non-conventional data sources such as social media, Internet applications, etc. Healthcare professionals have gained from the integration [...] Read more.
Medicine is constantly generating new imaging data, including data from basic research, clinical research, and epidemiology, from health administration and insurance organizations, public health services, and non-conventional data sources such as social media, Internet applications, etc. Healthcare professionals have gained from the integration of big data in many ways, including new tools for decision support, improved clinical research methodologies, treatment efficacy, and personalized care. Finally, there are significant advantages in saving resources and reallocating them to increase productivity and rationalization. In this paper, we will explore how big data can be applied to the field of digital health. We will explain the features of health data, its particularities, and the tools available to use it. In addition, a particular focus is placed on the latest research work that addresses big data analysis in the health domain, as well as the technical and organizational challenges that have been discussed. Finally, we propose a general strategy for medical organizations looking to adopt or leverage big data analytics. Through this study, healthcare organizations and institutions considering the use of big data analytics technology, as well as those already using it, can gain a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the potential use, effective targeting, and expected impact. Full article
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Article
Influence of Thermal and Mechanical Load Cycling on Fracture Resistance of Premolars Filled with Calcium Silicate Sealer
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4388; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074388 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the aging effect of thermomechanical cyclic load on fracture resistance of lower premolars obturated with AH Plus and BioRoot RCS root canal sealers. Forty-eight single-rooted premolars teeth were instrumented with REVO-S files up to SU/0.06 [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the aging effect of thermomechanical cyclic load on fracture resistance of lower premolars obturated with AH Plus and BioRoot RCS root canal sealers. Forty-eight single-rooted premolars teeth were instrumented with REVO-S files up to SU/0.06 taper. The teeth were randomly assigned into 2 main groups (n = 24) according to the selected two root canal sealers (AH Plus or BioRoot RCS). All teeth were obturated using matching gutta-percha. Each main group were further divided into 3 subgroups (A, B and C) (n = 8). Group A acted as the negative control group (non-Thermomechanical aging). Whereas Group B and C were subjected first to thermal variations in a thermal cycling machine (7500 and 15,000 thermal cycles), then two different dynamic loading periods namely 3 × 105 and 6 × 105 in a masticatory simulator with a nominal load of 5 kg at 1.2 Hz which simulate approximately 1 ½ and 3 years of clinical function respectively. The roots were decoronated and fracture resistance were measured using a universal testing machine. After thermal-mechanical aging, BioRoot RCS showed significantly higher fracture resistance (p < 0.05) than AH Plus. As the thermal-mechanical cycles increased both AH Plus and BioRoot RCS exhibited a significant decrease in fracture resistance (p < 0.05). It could be concluded that thermomechanical aging had a significant impact on the outcome of the fracture resistance of AH Plus and BioRoot RCS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dental Biomaterials: Evaluation and Clinical Applications)
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Article
Longer Survival and Preserved Liver Function after Proton Beam Therapy for Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(4), 3915-3926; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30040296 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Background: Proton beam therapy (PBT) has been recently reported to achieve excellent tumor control with minimal toxicity in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) was investigated for larger HCC. This study was designed to [...] Read more.
Background: Proton beam therapy (PBT) has been recently reported to achieve excellent tumor control with minimal toxicity in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) was investigated for larger HCC. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of PBT on unresectable HCC in comparison with TACE combined with RFA. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 70 patients with HCC which was difficult to control by surgical resection or RFA monotherapy, 24 patients treated with PBT and 46 patients with TACE plus RFA. The therapeutic effects were assessed as local progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: The local PFS was more than 65% in 60 months for PBT and TACE plus RFA. The patients treated with PBT showed 82% OS at 60 months post-treatment. In contrast, those treated with TACE plus RFA showed 28% OS. When comparing the changes of ALBI scores in patients with different severities of chronic liver disease, the scores of PBT-treated patients were maintained at the baseline; however, those of TACE plus RFA-treated patients worsened after the treatments. Conclusions: The results indicated that PBT may show better benefits than TACE plus RFA therapy in terms of OS in patients with unresectable HCC by sparing the non-tumor liver tissues. Full article
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Article
Estimating Body Weight in Captive Rabbits Based on Improved Mask RCNN
Agriculture 2023, 13(4), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13040791 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Automated body weight (BW) estimation is an important indicator to reflect the automation level of breeding, which can effectively reduce the damage to animals in the breeding process. In order to manage meat rabbits accurately, reduce the frequency of manual intervention, and improve [...] Read more.
Automated body weight (BW) estimation is an important indicator to reflect the automation level of breeding, which can effectively reduce the damage to animals in the breeding process. In order to manage meat rabbits accurately, reduce the frequency of manual intervention, and improve the intelligent of meat rabbit breeding, this study constructed a meat rabbit weight estimation system to replace manual weighing. The system consists of a meat rabbit image acquisition robot and a weight estimation model. The robot stops at each cage in turn and takes a top view of the rabbit through an RGB camera. The images from the robot are automatically processed in the weight estimation model, which consists of the meat rabbit segmentation network based on improved Mask RCNN and the BW fitting network. Attention mechanism, PointRend algorithm, and improved activation function are proposed to improve the performance of Mask RCNN. Six morphological parameters (relative projected area, contour perimeter, body length, body width, skeleton length, and curvature) are extracted from the obtained mask, and are sent into the BW fitting network based on SVR-SSA-BPNN. The experiment shows that the system achieves a 4.3% relative error and 172.7 g average absolute error in BW estimation for 441 rabbits, while the meat rabbit segmentation network achieves a 99.1% mean average precision (mAP) and a 98.7% mean pixel accuracy (MPA). The system provides technical support for automatic BW estimation of meat rabbits in commercial breeding, which is helpful to promote precision breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Intelligence in Livestock Farming)
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Communication
Air Pollution in South Texas: A Short Communication of Health Risks and Implications
Air 2023, 1(2), 94-103; https://doi.org/10.3390/air1020008 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Air pollution is a major public health concern. The region of South Texas in the United States has experienced high levels of air pollution in recent years due to an increase in population, cross-border trade between the U.S.A. and Mexico, and high vehicular [...] Read more.
Air pollution is a major public health concern. The region of South Texas in the United States has experienced high levels of air pollution in recent years due to an increase in population, cross-border trade between the U.S.A. and Mexico, and high vehicular activity. This review assesses the relationships between human health and air pollution in South Texas. A thorough scientific search was performed using PubMed, Science Direct, and ProQuest, with most of the literature focusing on the source apportionment of particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in width (PM2.5), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), Black Carbon (BC), and associated health risks for children and pregnant women. Findings from the source apportionment studies suggest the role of industries, automobiles emissions, agricultural burning, construction work, and unpaved roads in the overall deterioration of air quality and deleterious health effects, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This review demonstrates the pressing need for more air pollution and health effects studies in this region, especially the Brownsville–Harlingen–McAllen metropolitan area. Full article
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Review
Prostate Cancer Metastasis to Stomach: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(4), 3901-3914; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30040295 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Metastatic prostate cancer is a common diagnosis with a protracted but terminal course. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement is extremely rare, and reportedly portends a poor prognosis. It can present years after the initial prostate cancer diagnosis. Only fifteen cases of prostate cancer metastasis [...] Read more.
Metastatic prostate cancer is a common diagnosis with a protracted but terminal course. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement is extremely rare, and reportedly portends a poor prognosis. It can present years after the initial prostate cancer diagnosis. Only fifteen cases of prostate cancer metastasis to the stomach have been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 72-year-old man with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and extensive bony involvement. He presented a decade after the diagnosis of prostate cancer with signs of heartburn; a gastric biopsy was initially believed to represent primary gastric carcinoma, but subsequently a diagnosis of prostate cancer metastatic to the stomach was confirmed. This case highlights the importance of the provision of a pertinent clinical history and clinical differential diagnosis at the time of submission of surgical pathology specimens, as well as highlighting the need to have a low index of suspicion to pursue additional pathologic markers whenever a presumed second adenocarcinoma is noted in the context of a patient having a history of current or prior advanced-stage adenocarcinoma of another site. The correct diagnosis can shield the patient from the morbidity of inappropriate surgical or medical management. Full article
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Article
Psychosocial Wellbeing among Patients with Breast Cancer during COVID-19
Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(4), 3886-3900; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30040294 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the wellbeing of breast cancer (BC) patients is not well understood. This study described psychosocial problems among these patients in the United States (US) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from BC patients via [...] Read more.
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the wellbeing of breast cancer (BC) patients is not well understood. This study described psychosocial problems among these patients in the United States (US) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from BC patients via an online self-report survey between 30 March–6 July 2021 to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 diagnosis history and potential depression, health-related quality of life, COVID-related stress, and financial toxicity. Patients with early-stage (eBC) and metastatic (mBC) disease were compared. Of 669 patients included in the analysis, the prevalence of COVID-19 diagnosis history (10.9% versus 7.7%) and potential depression (33.7% versus 28.3%) were higher in mBC than eBC patients. Patients with eBC (versus mBC) had higher scores on nearly all Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast scales (all, p < 0.001). For the Psychological Impact of Cancer subscales measuring negative coping strategies, the emotional distress score was the highest (9.1 ± 1.8) in the overall sample. Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity scores were higher in eBC than in mBC patients (24.2 ± 11.3 vs. 21.3 ± 10.2, p < 0.001). Overall, the COVID-19-related stress score was highest for danger/contamination fears (8.2 ± 5.6). In conclusion, impairments to psychosocial wellbeing among patients during the pandemic were observed, particularly financial toxicity and poor mental health and emotional functioning, with greater problems among mBC patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Breast Cancer)
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Review
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: The Gray Curtain of Immunotherapy and Spikes of Lights
Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(4), 3871-3885; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30040293 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dismal disease with a poor 5-year overall survival rate (~10%). The revolution of immunotherapy in clinical oncology has not substantially changed clinical outcome for patients with PDAC. Despite outstanding efforts, neither immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone, nor [...] Read more.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dismal disease with a poor 5-year overall survival rate (~10%). The revolution of immunotherapy in clinical oncology has not substantially changed clinical outcome for patients with PDAC. Despite outstanding efforts, neither immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone, nor in combination with chemotherapy or targeted therapies have shown encouraging results. This failure mirrors the lack of knowledge about the real key players of immune system senescence and the complexity of the tumor microenvironment in PDAC. However, some hope can be derived from PARP-inhibitor combinations, vaccines, and CAR-T-cells therapy. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the latest updates about the use of ICIs in PDAC, focusing on clinical evidence and ongoing studies highlighting explanations for the failure of immunotherapy and possible solutions. Full article
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Entry
Synaptosomes: A Functional Tool for Studying Neuroinflammation
Encyclopedia 2023, 3(2), 406-418; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3020027 (registering DOI) - 30 Mar 2023
Definition
Synaptosomes are subcellular components isolated from nerve terminations that can be prepared by homogenizing brain tissue in isotonic sucrose solution followed by appropriate centrifugation. Their preparation technique has a long history since synaptosomes were first isolated from nerve endings and described by Gray [...] Read more.
Synaptosomes are subcellular components isolated from nerve terminations that can be prepared by homogenizing brain tissue in isotonic sucrose solution followed by appropriate centrifugation. Their preparation technique has a long history since synaptosomes were first isolated from nerve endings and described by Gray and Whittaker in 1962. The preparation of synaptosomes produces presynaptic boutons alone or in combination with fragments of postsynaptic membranes. Interestingly, synaptosomes contain organelles and vesicles that express native channels, receptors, and transporters. At 37 °C, these isolated nerve endings are metabolically active and synthesize and release neurotransmitters. They are actively used to investigate neurotransmission, its actors, and the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release. To date, many functional and non-functional applications of synaptosomes have been documented. Due to their versatility, synaptosomes have been actively used to study neuroinflammatory processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Neuroinflammation)
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