Regulatory Noncoding and Predicted Pathogenic Coding Variants of CCR5 Predispose to Severe COVID-19

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) found locus 3p21.31 associated with severe COVID-19. CCR5 resides at the same locus and, given its known biological role in other infection diseases, we investigated if common noncoding and rare coding variants, affecting CCR5, can predispose to severe COVID-19. We combined single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that met the suggestive significance level (P ≤ 1 × 10⁻⁵) at the 3p21.31 locus in public GWAS datasets (6406 COVID-19 hospitalized patients and 902,088 controls) with gene expression data from 208 lung tissues, Hi-C, and Chip-seq data. Through whole exome sequencing (WES), we explored rare coding variants in 147 severe COVID-19 patients. We identified three SNPs (rs9845542, rs12639314, and rs35951367) associated with severe COVID-19 whose risk alleles correlated with low CCR5 expression in lung tissues. The rs35951367 resided in a CTFC binding site that interacts with CCR5 gene in lung tissues and was confirmed to be associated with severe COVID-19 in two independent datasets. We also identified a rare coding variant (rs34418657) associated with the risk of developing severe COVID-19. Our results suggest a biological role of CCR5 in the progression of COVID-19 as common and rare genetic variants can increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19 by affecting the functions of CCR5.     

Effect of potato presence on the degradation of extra virgin olive oil during frying

This work investigates the effect of potato presence on the degradation of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) during repeated frying. For this reason the performance of EVOO during frying was compared with its performance during heating at frying temperatures. In order to make meaningful comparisons the temperature profiles obtained during the frying experiments were replicated during the heating experiments by means of a high energy exchange rate cooling/heating system. The effects of potato‐to‐oil ratio (1/7 and 1/35 kg_potatoes/L_oil) and number (N) of batches (N = 0, 1, 0, 20, 30, 40) were examined. EVOO was analysed using high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). It was found that polymerisation products increased linearly during frying and heating and that they were not affected by potatoes presence at low ratio. The effect of potato presence became statistically significant (yet not remarkable) at the high ratio. Decomposition products increased during frying whereas they decreased during heating.     

Spatio-Temporal Short-Term Urban Traffic Volume Forecasting Using Genetically Optimized Modular Networks

Abstract:   Current interest in short-term traffic volume forecasting focuses on incorporating temporal and spatial volume characteristics in the forecasting process. This article addresses the problem of integrating and optimizing predictive information from multiple locations of an urban signalized arterial and proposes a modular neural predictor consisting of temporal genetically optimized structures of multilayer perceptrons (MLP) that are fed with volume data from sequential locations to improve the accuracy of short-term forecasts. The results show that the proposed methodology provides more accurate forecasts compared to the conventional statistical methodologies applied, as well as to the static forms of neural networks.     

Immunotherapy as a Therapeutic Strategy for Gastrointestinal Cancer—Current Treatment Options and Future Perspectives

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer constitutes a highly lethal entity among malignancies in the last decades and is still a major challenge for cancer therapeutic options. Despite the current combinational treatment strategies, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies, the survival rates remain notably low for patients with advanced disease. A better knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that influence tumor progression and the development of optimal therapeutic strategies for GI malignancies are urgently needed. Currently, the development and the assessment of the efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents in GI cancer are in the spotlight of several clinical trials. Thus, several new modalities and combinational treatments with other anti-neoplastic agents have been identified and evaluated for their efficiency in cancer management, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell transfer, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, cancer vaccines, and/or combinations thereof. Understanding the interrelation among the tumor microenvironment, cancer progression, and immune resistance is pivotal for the optimal therapeutic management of all gastrointestinal solid tumors. This review will shed light on the recent advances and future directions of immunotherapy for malignant tumors of the GI system.     

Applying storm water management in Greek cities: learning from the European experience

This paper is based on the studies forming part of the European research project DayWater, which aims at the promotion of stormwater source control (participating countries: UK, France, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Greece). Source control techniques include all techniques (e.g. retention, infiltration, reuse) of stormwater treatment near its source, in contrast to end-of-pipe. In this paper we present: the different stormwater management issues across Europe; the specific stormwater management issues in Greece; source control techniques applied in European cities; Public policies for promoting source control techniques; Strategies of application of the aforementioned techniques and policies in Greek cities. In Greece, the question of stormwater treatment has not yet attracted a lot of attention. Wastewater management, flood prevention and fresh water scarcity issues are given priority instead. However source control stormwater management can contribute to the solution of all these problems. In many European cities source control techniques have been chosen for stormwater treatment because: a) they are less expensive than massive end-of-pipe treatment installations, b) they are more compatible with the natural water cycle, c) they reduce the overall stormwater flow and thus permit the expansion of cities without requesting reconstruction of the existing sewer networks. Different policy instruments (taxes, specific regulations and controls, information campaigns) have been applied in order to promote source control techniques. The main objective of this work is to discuss the possibility of applying similar techniques and policies in Greek cities.     

Role of microporosity and surface chemistry in adsorption of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene on polymer-derived activated carbons

Two carbon samples derived from poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) based polymer by carbonization between 700 and 800 °C were oxidized to two different levels of surface acidity. The surfaces of resulting adsorbents were characterized by potentiometric titration, adsorption of nitrogen, FTIR, SEM/EDAX and thermal analysis. The materials were used as adsorbents of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) from hexadecane with initial concentration of sulfur between 10-150 ppmw. Although it was found that pores with diameter less than 10 Å govern the amount of 4,6-DMDBT adsorbed, that amount is enhanced when acidic groups are present in the larger pores owing to the contributions of specific interactions. Surface chemistry plays an important role in reactive adsorption and deposition of the products of surface reactions in the pore system.