bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural Back-Stepping Control of Hypersonic Flight Vehicle with Actuator Fault
Authors: Wu Qi , Guo Yuyan
Published: March 2018

This paper addresses the fault-tolerant control of hypersonic flight vehicle. To estimate the unknown function in flight dynamics, neural networks are employed in controller design. Moreover, in order to compensate the actuator fault, an adaptive signal is introduced in the controller design to estimate the unknown fault parameters. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach could obtain satisfying performance.
Intraoral Potentially Malignant Disorders in a Brazilian Oral Pathology Service: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Histopathological Findings
Authors: Mello Fernanda Weber , Melo Gilberto , Meurer Maria Inês , Rivero Elena Riet Correa
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of individuals with intraoral potentially malignant disorders (IOPMD) in an oral pathology service in Brazil. Cases were screened based on clinical diagnosis of leukoplakia (LKP), erythroleukoplakia (ELKP), and erythroplakia (EP). Clinical data and information regarding associated factors were gathered from biopsy reports. Histological diagnoses were collected from histopathological records. Among 208 IOPMD cases, 84.13% involved LKP; 11.1%, ELKP; and 4.8%, EP. The most affected sites were the gingiva and buccal mucosa. Histologically, epithelial dysplasia was present in 66.8% of the lesions, acanthosis and hyperkeratosis without epithelial dysplasia were present in 27.9%, and squamous cell carcinoma was present in 2.9%. Most patients were males, fair-skinned, with mean age of 53.4 years. Chronic smokers represented 73% of subjects, of which 30% also consumed alcohol. Smokers and drinkers were mostly males (p<0.001). EP and ELKP represented histologically more severe degrees of epithelial dysplasia than LKP (p<0.001). In conclusion, individuals with IOPMD were more frequently fair-skinned men in the sixth decade of life, with smoking habit. Special attention is required to clinical diagnoses of ELKP and EP since the prevalence of severe epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma is higher than in LKP.
Continuous-Wave and Passively Q-Switched Er:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser at 2.7 μm
Authors: Qin Zhipeng , Xie Guoqiang , Zhang Jian , Ma Jingui , Yuan Peng , Qian Liejia
Published: March 2018

We report on a continuous-wave (CW) and passively Q-switched Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser in mid-infrared spectral region. In the CW regime, a maximum output power of 2.07 W is achieved at 2717.3 nm with a slope efficiency of 13.5%. Stable passive Q-switching of the Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser is demonstrated based on semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. Under an absorbed pump power of 12.4 W, a maximum average output power of 223 mW is generated with a pulse energy of 1.7 μJ and a pulse width of 350 ns at 2709.3 nm.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of an HIV Infection Model with Delay in Immune Response Activation
Authors: Maziane Mehdi , Hattaf Khalid , Yousfi Noura
Published: March 2018

We propose and analyse an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection model with spatial diffusion and delay in the immune response activation. In the proposed model, the immune response is presented by the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) cells. We first prove that the model is well-posed by showing the global existence, positivity, and boundedness of solutions. The model has three equilibria, namely, the free-infection equilibrium, the immune-free infection equilibrium, and the chronic infection equilibrium. The global stability of the first two equilibria is fully characterized by two threshold parameters that are the basic reproduction number R0 and the CTL immune response reproduction number R1. The stability of the last equilibrium depends on R0 and R1 as well as time delay τ in the CTL activation. We prove that the chronic infection equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable when the time delay is sufficiently small, while it loses its stability and a Hopf bifurcation occurs when τ passes through a certain critical value.
Extending Well-Founded Semantics with Clark’s Completion for Disjunctive Logic Programs
Authors: Nieves Juan Carlos , Osorio Mauricio
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we introduce new semantics (that we call D3-WFS-DCOMP) and compare it with the stable semantics (STABLE). For normal programs, this semantics is based onsuitableintegration of the well-founded semantics (WFS) and the Clark’s completion. D3-WFS-DCOM has the following appealing properties: First, it agrees with STABLE in the sense that it never defines a nonminimal model or a nonminimal supported model. Second, for normal programs it extends WFS. Third, every stable model of a disjunctive programPis a D3-WFS-DCOM model ofP. Fourth, it is constructed using transformation rules accepted by STABLE. We also introduce second semantics that we call D2-WFS-DCOMP. We show that D2-WFS-DCOMP is equivalent to D3-WFS-DCOMP for normal programs but this is not the case for disjunctive programs. We also introduce third new semantics that supports the use of implicit disjunctions. We illustrate how these semantics can be extended to programs including explicit negation, default negation in the head of a clause, and aluboperator, which is a generalization of the aggregation operatorsetofover arbitrary complete lattices.
Association between Prior Chlamydia trachomatis Infection and Ectopic Pregnancy at a Tertiary Care Hospital in South Western Uganda
Authors: Mpiima Derrick Paul , Wasswa Salongo George , Lugobe Henry , Ssemujju Augustine , Mumbere Mulisya Olivier , Masinda Abraham , Twizerimana Hillary , Ngonzi Joseph
Published: March 2018

Background. Increase in the number of ectopic pregnancy is attributed to increase in the incidence of pelvic infections. Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for most of the sexually transmitted bacterial infections. If undetected and untreated, the infection can ascend to the upper genital tract and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and related sequelae (ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility). Objective. To determine the association between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and ectopic pregnancy at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH). Methods. This was an unmatched case-control study carried out at MRRH involving 25 cases and 76 controls. Serological evidence of prior chlamydial infection was determined by testing for the presence of Chlamydia immunoglobulin G antibodies in their blood. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and also the factors associated with ectopic pregnancy. The significant level of <0.05 was used. Results. Chlamydia antibodies were found in 60% of patients with ectopic pregnancy and 26.3% of the controls (p=0.002). The presence of Chlamydia antibodies was associated with a fourfold risk of ectopic pregnancy. Conclusion. There was a strong association between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and ectopic pregnancy.
Assessment of Neutronic Characteristics of Accident-Tolerant Fuel and Claddings for CANDU Reactors
Authors: Younan Simon , Novog David
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to evaluate accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) concepts being considered for CANDU reactors. Several concepts, including uranium dioxide/silicon carbide (UO2-SiC) composite fuel, dense fuels, microencapsulated fuels, and ATF cladding, were modelled in Serpent 2 to obtain reactor physics parameters, including important feedback parameters such as coolant void reactivity and fuel temperature coefficient. In addition, fuel heat transfer was modelled, and a simple accident model was tested on several ATF cases to compare with UO2. Overall, several concepts would require enrichment of uranium to avoid significant burnup penalties, particularly uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) and fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuels. In addition, none of the fuel types have a significant advantage over UO2 in terms of overall accident response or coping time, though U-9Mo fuel melts significantly sooner due to its low melting point. Instead, the different ATF concepts appear to have more modest advantages, such as reduced fission product release upon cladding failure, or reduced hydrogen generation, though a proper risk assessment would be required to determine the magnitude of these advantages to weigh against economic disadvantages. The use of uranium nitride (UN) enriched in N15 would increase exit burnup for natural uranium, providing a possible economic advantage depending on fuel manufacturing costs.
Fixed Points of L-Fuzzy Mappings in Ordered b-Metric Spaces
Authors: Beg Ismat , Ahmed Mohamed A. , Nafadi Hatem A.
Published: March 2018

We prove common fixed point theorems for weakly commuting and occasionally coincidentally idempotent L-fuzzy mappings in ordered b-metric spaces. We also obtain common fixed point for pair of mapping satisfying (JCLR) property. An application to integral type and usual contractive condition is given.
Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis due toLactobacillus paracaseiin Cirrhosis
Authors: Harding-Theobald Emily , Maraj Bharat
Published: March 2018

Lactobacillusspecies colonize the human gastrointestinal tract and are rarely pathogenic. We present a case involving a cirrhotic patient who presented with sepsis and was found to have peritoneal cultures demonstratingLactobacillusas the sole pathogen concerning for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Treatment was achieved with high-dose penicillin and clindamycin but the patient developed hepatorenal syndrome and died from acute renal failure. Intra-abdominalLactobacillusinfections are typically seen in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis or who have recently had bowel perforation. There are few case reports of spontaneousLactobacillusperitonitis in patients with cirrhosis. Our case report addresses the challenges ofLactobacillustreatment and suggests antibiotic coverage of commensal organisms in patients who do not improve with standard management.
Soluble Interleukin-2 Receptor: A Potential Marker for Monitoring Disease Activity in IgG4-Related Disease
Authors: Karim A. F. , Eurelings L. E. M. , Bansie R. D. , van Hagen P. M. , van Laar J. A. M. , Dik W. A.
Published: March 2018

Background. IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a fibroinflammatory condition. T-cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis, and therefore, serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) may be a potential biomarker. Method. We studied the levels of sIL-2R in 26 histologically proven IgG4-RD patients with available serum sIL-2R and compared them to those in newly diagnosed and untreated sarcoidosis patients (n=78) and controls (n=101) and the serum sIL-2R levels in patients after treatment of IgG4-RD (n=15). The disease activity was measured using the IgG4-Related Disease Responder Index (IgG4-RD RI). Results. Median serum sIL-2R in IgG4-RD patients was 4667 pg/ml compared to 1515 pg/ml in controls (P<0.001) and 6050 pg/ml in sarcoidosis patients (P=0.004 compared to IgG4-RD). All IgG4-RD patients had elevated serum sIL-2R levels compared to the reference value of <2500 pg/ml in controls and 85% elevated serum IgG4; however, these did not correlate with each other. Both serum sIL-2R and IgG4 levels declined significantly after treatment (P=0.001 and P=0.01, resp.). Before treatment, serum sIL-2R level and IgG4-RD RI did not correlate with each other. However, the decrease in serum sIL-2R upon treatment did correlate significantly (P=0.04) with the decrease in disease activity assessed by IgG-RD RI. Conclusion. Serum sIL-2R is elevated in IgG4-RD reflecting the inflammatory process with enhanced T-cell activation. Furthermore, serum sIL-2R might serve as a potential marker of response to treatment in IgG4-RD.
A Semiactive Skyhook‐Inertance Control Strategy Based on Continuously Adjustable Inerter
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Liang , Zhang Tian , Nie Jiamei , Chen Long
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a modified skyhook‐inertance control strategy which is realized through a hydraulic device of continuously adjustable inertance between sprung mass and unsprung mass. The parasitic damping inherent in the hydraulic device as well as the inertance is taken into account in the modified control strategy. Differential equation models are built to compare the performance of the semiactive suspension employing the modified control strategy with that of the passive suspension. The results demonstrate that the semiactive suspension significantly reduces sprung mass natural frequency, attenuates the resonant peak value without the penalty of deterioration at higher frequencies, and achieves over 28% improvement on ride comfort, compared with the passive suspension in unload condition. The proposed hydraulic device, together with its control strategy, can be used to reduce the variation of sprung mass natural frequency and ride comfort between unload and full‐load condition.
Anomalous Right Subclavian Artery-Esophageal Fistulae
Authors: Shires Courtney Brooke , Rohrer Michael J.
Published: March 2018

An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is the most common aortic arch anomaly, but only 19 previous cases of ARSA-esophageal fistula have been reported. Six patients have survived their bleeding episode. We describe the case of a 44-year-old woman who developed massive hemoptysis. Laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, head and neck angiogram, and median sternotomy did not reveal what was presumed initially to be a tracheoinnominate fistula. Contrasted CT showed an anomalous subclavian artery posterior to the esophagus. Given the technical challenge of approaches for this pathology, the patient was unfit for open surgical repair. Therefore, endovascular covered stent grafts were deployed spanning the segment of the subclavian artery in continuity with the esophagus, via a right brachial artery approach. Unfortunately, the patient died after successful placement of the grafts.
A Crowd-Based Intelligence Approach for Measurable Security, Privacy, and Dependability in Internet of Automated Vehicles with Vehicular Fog
Authors: Rauniyar Ashish , Hagos Desta Haileselassie , Shrestha Manish
Published: March 2018

With the advent of Internet of things (IoT) and cloud computing technologies, we are in the era of automation, device-to-device (D2D) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. Automated vehicles have recently gained a huge attention worldwide, and it has created a new wave of revolution in automobile industries. However, in order to fully establish automated vehicles and their connectivity to the surroundings, security, privacy, and dependability always remain a crucial issue. One cannot deny the fact that such automatic vehicles are highly vulnerable to different kinds of security attacks. Also, today’s such systems are built from generic components. Prior analysis of different attack trends and vulnerabilities enables us to deploy security solutions effectively. Moreover, scientific research has shown that a “group” can perform better than individuals in making decisions and predictions. Therefore, this paper deals with the measurable security, privacy, and dependability of automated vehicles through the crowd-based intelligence approach that is inspired from swarm intelligence. We have studied three use case scenarios of automated vehicles and systems with vehicular fog and have analyzed the security, privacy, and dependability metrics of such systems. Our systematic approaches to measuring efficient system configuration, security, privacy, and dependability of automated vehicles are essential for getting the overall picture of the system such as design patterns, best practices for configuration of system, metrics, and measurements.
Efficacy and Safety of Polymer-Free Ultrathin Strut Sirolimus-Probucol Coated Drug-Eluting Stents for Chronic Total Occlusions: Insights from the Coroflex ISAR 2000 Worldwide Registry
Authors: Mahmood Zuhdi Ahmad Syadi , Krackhardt Florian , Waliszewski Matthias W. , Ismail Muhammad Dzafir , Boxberger Michael , Wan Ahmad Wan Azman
Published: March 2018

Objective. Coronary revascularization in chronic total occlusion (CTO) is associated with improved clinical outcomes. The choice of the coronary stent is crucial in maintaining long-term vessel patency after CTO revascularization. We investigated the efficacy and safety of polymer-free ultrathin strut sirolimus-probucol coated drug-eluting stents (PF-SES) for CTO lesions. Methods. Patients with CTO lesions treated with PF-SES were identified from the prospective multicenter international ISAR 2000 registry. The primary endpoint was clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 9 months. Secondary endpoints were 9-month major adverse cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, or TLR) (MACE) and the occurrence of stent thrombosis. Results. A total of 111 patients with CTO lesions (n=127) were available for analysis. The 9-month clinical follow-up rate was 91%. The mean reference vessel diameter and lesion length were 2.76 mm ± 0.40 and 26.8 mm ± 13.1, respectively. The overall DAPT duration was 9.7 ± 2.8 months. Only one (1%) in-hospital MI was reported. The TLR and MACE rates at 9 months were 2% (2/101) and 5.9% (6/101), respectively. The 9-month accumulated rates of definite or probable stent thrombosis was 0% (0/101). Conclusion. Revascularizations for CTO with PF-SES are associated with low rates of TLR and MACE at 9 months with no stent thrombosis. These initial findings need to be compared with results of other new generation DES of larger studies.
HyPro: A Multi-DoF Hybrid-Powered Transradial Robotic Prosthesis
Authors: Semasinghe C. L. , Ranaweera R. K. P. S. , Prasanna J. L. B. , Kandamby H. M. , Madusanka D. G. K. , Gopura R. A. R. C.
Published: March 2018

This paper proposes a multi-DoF hybrid-powered transradial robotic prosthesis, named HyPro. The HyPro consists of two prosthetic units: hand and wrist that can achieve five grasping patterns such as power grasp, tip grasp, lateral grasp, hook grasp, and index point. It is an underactuated device with 15 degrees of freedom. A hybrid powering concept is proposed and implemented on hand unit of HyPro where the key focus is on restoration of grasp functions of biological hand. A novel underactuated mechanism is introduced to achieve the required hand preshaping for a given grasping pattern using electric power in the pregrasp stage and body power is used in grasp stage to execute the final grasping action with the selected fingers. Unlike existing hybrid prostheses where each of the joints is separately controlled by either electric or body power, the proposed prosthesis is capable of delivering grasping power in combination. The wrist unit of HyPro is designed and developed to achieve flexion-extension and supination-pronation using electric power. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the functionality and performance of the proposed hybrid-powered robotic prosthesis. The results verified the potential of HyPro to perform intended grasping patterns effectively and efficiently.
High Glucose Induces Autophagy through PPARγ-Dependent Pathway in Human Nucleus Pulposus Cells
Authors: Jiang Chang , Liu Shuhao , Cao Yuanwu , Shan Hongping
Published: March 2018

Diabetes mellitus is a multiorgan disorder affecting many types of connective tissues, including bone and cartilage. High glucose could accelerate the autophagy in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. In our present study, we investigated whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) pathway is involved into autophagy regulation in NP cells under high glucose condition. After NP cells were treated with different high glucose concentrations for 72 hours, the rate of autophagy increased. Moreover, the levels of PPARγ, Beclin-1, and LC3II were significantly increased and p62 was significantly decreased compared to control group. Then, NP cells were treated with high glucose plus PPARγ agonist or PPARγ antagonist, respectively. The rate of autophagy and the levels of Beclin-1 and LC3II increased, but p62 decreased when PPARγ agonist was used. On the contrary, the rate of autophagy and the levels of Beclin-1 and LC3II decreased, while p62 increased when PPARγ antagonist was added. These results suggested that autophagy induced by high glucose in NP cells was through PPARγ-dependent pathway.
The Feasibility Study for Multigeometries Identification of Uranium Components Using PCA-LSSVM Based on Correlation Measurements
Authors: Zhou Mi , Feng Peng , Liu Yixin , Wei Biao
Published: March 2018

The geometry of uranium components is one of the key characteristics and strictly confidential. The geometry identification of metal uranium components was studied using 252Cf source-driven correlation measurement method. For the 3 uranium samples with the same mass and enrichment, there are subtle differences in neutron signals. Even worse, the correlation functions were disturbed by scatter neutrons and include “accidental” coincidence, which is not conductive to the geometry identification. In this paper, we proposed an identification method combining principal component analysis and least-square support vector machine (PCA-LSSVM). The results based on PCA-LSSVM showed that the training precision was 100% and the test precision was 95.83% of the identification model. The total precision of the identification model was 98.41%, which indicated that the identification model was an effective way to identify the geometry properties with the correlation functions.
Development of Micellar HPLC-UV Method for Determination of Pharmaceuticals in Water Samples
Authors: da Silva Danielle Cristina , Oliveira Cláudio Celestino
Published: March 2018

Method for extraction and determination of amoxicillin, caffeine, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, tetracycline, diclofenac, ibuprofen, nimesulide, levonorgestrel, and 17α-ethynylestradiol exploiting micellar liquid chromatography with PDA detector and solid-phase extraction was proposed. The usage of toxic solvents was low; the chromatographic separation of the medicaments was performed using a C18 column and mobile phases A and B containing 15.0% (v/v) ethanol, 3.0% (m/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and 0.02 mol·L−1 phosphate at pHs 7.0 and 8.0, respectively. The method is simple, selective, and fast, and the analytes were separated in 23.0 min. For extraction, 1000 mL of sample containing 2.0% (v/v) ethanol and 0.002 mol·L−1 citric acid at pH 2.50 was loaded through a 1000 mg of C18 cartridge. The analytes were eluted using 3.0 mL of ethanol, which were evaporated and redissolved in 0.5 mL of mobile phase. Concentration factors better than 1200, except amoxicillin (224), were obtained. The analytical curves were linear (R2 better than 0.992); LOD and LOQ n=10 presented values in the range of 0.019–0.247 and 0.058–0.752 mg·L−1, respectively. Recoveries of 99% were obtained, and the results are in agreement with those obtained by the comparative methods.
Are There Differences in the Anthropometric, Hemodynamic, Hematologic, and Biochemical Profiles between Late- and Early-Onset Preeclampsia?
Authors: Aires Rodrigues de Freitas Márcia , Vieira da Costa Alice , Alves de Medeiros Luciana , da Silva Garrote Filho Mario , Lemos Debs Diniz Angélica , Penha-Silva Nilson
Published: March 2018

Preeclampsia (PE) is classified as early-onset PE (EOPE) and late-onset PE (LOPE) when present before or after 34 weeks of gestation, respectively. This transversal study aimed to investigate the differences and possible associations existing in the anthropometric, hemodynamic, hematologic, and biochemical profiles of late- and early-onset preeclampsia. The study included 65 volunteers admitted to a tertiary hospital in Brazil: 29 normotensive and 36 with preeclampsia (13 with EOPE and 23 with LOPE). Pregnant women with LOPE presented greater weight gain and borderline increase in body mass index at the end of gestation in relation to the other groups, which is compatible with the metabolic origin, associated with obesity, attributed to this form of the disease. Pregnant women with EOPE presented a borderline reduction in the number of erythrocytes and a significant decrease in the number of platelets, in addition to a significant increase in reticulocytes, serum iron, and ferritin when compared to normotensive pregnant women and pregnant women with LOPE. A significant increase in osmotic stability of erythrocytes was observed in the EOPE group in relation to other groups. Hemodynamic analysis by Doppler ultrasonography of the ophthalmic artery showed that both groups of pregnant women with PE presented alterations compatible with the occurrence of hyperflow in the orbital territory. These hemodynamic changes were associated with changes in hematimetric indices.
The RNA-binding Protein MEX3B Mediates Resistance to Cancer Immunotherapy by Downregulating HLA-A Expression
Authors: Huang Lu , Malu Shruti , McKenzie Jodi A. , Andrews Miles C. , Talukder Amjad H. , Tieu Trang , Karpinets Tatiana , Haymaker Cara , Forget Marie-Andrée , Williams Leila J. , Wang Zhe , Mbofung Rina M. , Wang Zhi-Qiang , Davis Richard Eric , Lo Roger S. , Wargo Jennifer A. , Davies Michael A. , Bernatchez Chantale , Heffernan Timothy , Amaria Rodabe N. , Korkut Anil , Peng Weiyi , Roszik Jason , Lizée Gregory , Woodman Scott E. , Hwu Patrick
Published: March 2018

Purpose: Cancer immunotherapy has shown promising clinical outcomes in many patients. However, some patients still fail to respond, and new strategies are needed to overcome resistance. The purpose of this study was to identify novel genes and understand the mechanisms that confer resistance to cancer immunotherapy.

Experimental Design: To identify genes mediating resistance to T-cell killing, we performed an open reading frame (ORF) screen of a kinome library to study whether overexpression of a gene in patient-derived melanoma cells could inhibit their susceptibility to killing by autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL).

Results: The RNA-binding protein MEX3B was identified as a top candidate that decreased the susceptibility of melanoma cells to killing by TILs. Further analyses of anti–PD-1–treated melanoma patient tumor samples suggested that higher MEX3B expression is associated with resistance to PD-1 blockade. In addition, significantly decreased levels of IFNγ were secreted from TILs incubated with MEX3B-overexpressing tumor cells. Interestingly, this phenotype was rescued upon overexpression of exogenous HLA-A2. Consistent with this, we observed decreased HLA-A expression in MEX3B-overexpressing tumor cells. Finally, luciferase reporter assays and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assays suggest that this is due to MEX3B binding to the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of HLA-A to destabilize the mRNA.

Conclusions: MEX3B mediates resistance to cancer immunotherapy by binding to the 3′ UTR of HLA-A to destabilize the HLA-A mRNA and thus downregulate HLA-A expression on the surface of tumor cells, thereby making the tumor cells unable to be recognized and killed by T cells. Clin Cancer Res; 24(14); 3366–76. ©2018 AACR.

See related commentary by Kalbasi and Ribas, p. 3239
Histone Methyltransferase EZH2: A Therapeutic Target for Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Jones Bayley A. , Varambally Sooryanarayana , Arend Rebecca C.
Published: March 2018

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in females in the United States. There were an estimated 22,440 new cases and 14,080 deaths due to ovarian cancer in 2017. Most patients present with advanced-stage disease, revealing the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies targeting pathways of tumorigenesis and chemotherapy resistance. While multiple genomic changes contribute to the progression of this aggressive disease, it has become increasingly evident that epigenetic events play a pivotal role in ovarian cancer development. One of the well-studied epigenetic modifiers, the histone methyltransferase EZH2, is a member of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and is commonly involved in transcriptional repression. EZH2 is the enzymatic catalytic subunit of the PRC2 complex that can alter gene expression by trimethylating lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27). In ovarian cancer, EZH2 is commonly overexpressed and therefore potentially serves as an effective therapeutic target. Multiple small-molecule inhibitors are being developed to target EZH2, which are now in clinical trials. Thus, in this review, we highlight the progress made in EZH2-related research in ovarian cancer and discuss the potential utility of targeting EZH2 with available small-molecule inhibitors for ovarian cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(3); 591–602. ©2018 AACR.
Venous Thromboembolism during Interventional MRI-Guided Stereotactic Surgery
Authors: Kundishora Adam J. , Englot Dario J. , Starr Philip A. , Martin Alastair J. , Larson Paul S.
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Interventional MRI (iMRI) allows real-time confirmation of electrode and microcatheter location in anesthetized patients; however, MRI-compatible pneumatic compression devices (PCD) to reduce the periprocedural venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk are not commercially available. Given the paucity of literature on VTE following iMRI surgery, better characterizing patients suffering this complication and the incidence of this event following iMRI procedures is pivotal for defining best surgical practices. We aim to investigate the incidence of postoperative VTE in iMRI procedures without the use of PCD. Methods: Medical records and operative times of patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and mean surgical durations were reported with statistical comparisons via ANOVA and the 2-tailed Student t test, an α of 0.05, and the Bonferroni correction. Patients experiencing postoperative VTE underwent an in-depth chart review. Results: Two out of two hundred ten (0.95%) iMRI procedures resulted in postoperative VTE events. There were statistically significant differences in procedure times between unilateral electrode (157.5 ± 5.7 min), bilateral electrode (193.6 ± 2.9 min), and bilateral gene therapy procedures (467.3 ± 26.5 min). Both patients had longer-than-average operative times for their respective procedures. Conclusions: The incidence of postoperative VTE is low following iMRI procedures, even without the use of PCD during surgery.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Disease Burden and Etiology in Skin of Color
Authors: Lee Dylan E. , Clark Ashley K. , Shi Vivian Y.
Published: March 2018

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating skin disease. Although most studies on HS are conducted in largely Caucasian populations, evidence demonstrates a higher prevalence in patients with skin of color, including African and Hispanic populations. These racial subgroups are likely at risk for greater disease burden due to a higher prevalence of components of the metabolic syndrome, comorbid depression, and low socioeconomic status; however, there is a paucity of research in these populations. Additionally, studies examining the genetic and anatomical basis for HS, as well as the response to HS therapies, are lacking for patients with skin of color. Complicating this issue is the limited access to effective medical care, including dermatologists, for African and Hispanic populations as well as other minority groups. In this review, we identify gaps in the knowledge base, highlight the association between HS and patients with skin of color, and provide direction for much needed research into this condition.
Elevated HPV16 E1 Expression Is Associated with Cervical Cancer Progression
Authors: Baedyananda Fern , Chaiwongkot Arkom , Bhattarakosol Parvapan
Published: March 2018

Objectives: The primary replication protein, HPV E1, has been shown to play a role in mitigating host defence and disrupting normal cell cycle processes, leading to the development of cancer. This study investigated the expression profile of HPV16 E1 in various stages of cervical cancer development and the factors that control E1 expression. Methods: One hundred and twenty-four HPV16-positive cervical samples ranging from normal to CIN 1, CIN 2/3, and SCC lesions were studied. E1 mRNA expression was determined by ddPCR. Methylation of promoters p97 and p670 was quantified by pyrosequencing, while PCR, qPCR, and sequencing were used to determine the physical state and variations of the HPV16 E1 genome. Results: Increased E1 mRNA expression related to disease progression (normal 0.18, CIN 1 0.41, CIN 2/3 0.65, and SCC 0.79) was demonstrated with a significant positive correlation (r = 0.661, p = 0.019). No association between physical state and E1 expression was found. Methylation of p97 and p670 promoters showed significant elevation in SCC compared to normal samples. Only 4.2% showed genomic variations of HPV16 E1 63-bp duplication. Conclusion: E1 may play a role in cancer development. The detection of E1 mRNA and promoter methylation may be useful as cancer prognostic markers.
Liver Transplantation for Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kamo Naoko , Kaido Toshimi , Yagi Shintaro , Okajima Hideaki , Uemoto Shinji
Published: March 2018

Transarterial chemoembolization is the standard treatment for patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system. However, in Japan, not a few patients with intermediate-stage HCC undergo liver transplantation (LT). The present study investigated characteristics and outcomes of LT for intermediate-stage HCC. Between February 1999 and November 2016, a total of 226 patients underwent LT for HCC at our institute. Among these, 56 patients showed intermediate-stage HCC (24.8%). We examined overall survival and recurrence rate after LT according to our extended criteria (maximum size ≤5 cm, number ≤10, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin ≤400 mAU/mL) and pretreatment. One-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival and recurrence rates of LT for intermediate-stage HCC were 88/64/58% and 22/34/44%, respectively. One-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival and recurrence rates in patients within (n = 35) the criteria (94/80/80% and 9/15/22%, respectively) were significantly better than those in patients beyond (n = 21) the criteria (81/43/29%, p = 0.002 and 39/41/66%, p = 0.001, respectively). Forty-nine cases (88%) had a history of pretreatment. In patients within our extended criteria, overall survival and recurrence rates did not differ significantly between patients with (n = 31) and without (n = 4) pretreatment. In conclusion, outcomes after LT for intermediate-stage HCC are more favorable if patients meet our extended criteria.
Ly6C
Hi
Blood Monocyte/Macrophage Drive Chronic Inflammation and Impair Wound Healing in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Kimball Andrew , Schaller Matthew , Joshi Amrita , Davis Frank M. , denDekker Aaron , Boniakowski Anna , Bermick Jennifer , Obi Andrea , Moore Bethany , Henke Peter K. , Kunkel Steve L. , Gallagher Katherine A.
Published: March 2018

Objective—

Wound monocyte-derived macrophage plasticity controls the initiation and resolution of inflammation that is critical for proper healing, however, in diabetes mellitus, the resolution of inflammation fails to occur. In diabetic wounds, the kinetics of blood monocyte recruitment and the mechanisms that control in vivo monocyte/macrophage differentiation remain unknown.

Approach and Results—

Here, we characterized the kinetics and function of Ly6C
Hi
[Lin
−
(CD3
−
CD19
−
NK1.1
−
Ter-119
−
) Ly6G
−
CD11b
+
] and Ly6C
Lo
[Lin
−
(CD3
−
CD19
−
NK1.1
−
Ter-119
−
) Ly6G
−
CD11b
+
] monocyte/macrophage subsets in normal and diabetic wounds. Using flow-sorted
tdTomato
-labeled Ly6C
Hi
monocyte/macrophages, we show Ly6C
Hi
cells transition to a Ly6C
Lo
phenotype in normal wounds, whereas in diabetic wounds, there is a late, second influx of Ly6C
Hi
cells that fail transition to Ly6C
Lo
. The second wave of Ly6C
Hi
cells in diabetic wounds corresponded to a spike in MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) and selective administration of anti-MCP-1 reversed the second Ly6C
Hi
influx and improved wound healing. To examine the in vivo phenotype of wound monocyte/macrophages, RNA-seq–based transcriptome profiling was performed on flow-sorted Ly6C
Hi
[Lin
−
Ly6G
−
CD11b
+
] and Ly6C
Lo
[Lin
−
Ly6G
−
CD11b
+
] cells from normal and diabetic wounds. Gene transcriptome profiling of diabetic wound Ly6C
Hi
cells demonstrated differences in proinflammatory and profibrotic genes compared with controls.

Conclusions—

Collectively, these data identify kinetic and functional differences in diabetic wound monocyte/macrophages and demonstrate that selective targeting of CD11b
+
Ly6C
Hi
monocyte/macrophages is a viable therapeutic strategy for inflammation in diabetic wounds.
Morphological and molecular features of some freshwater prawn species under genus Macrobrachium Spence Bate, 1868 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Myanmar
Authors: MAR WIN , KANG PENG-FEI , MAO BIN , WANG YU-FENG
Published: March 2018

Myanmar is abundant in lakes and rivers, yet only a few investigations on the fauna of shrimps and prawns have been conducted and no molecular characteristics of prawn species have been described. This study reveals the morphologically identification of five freshwater prawn species under the genus Macrobrachium, including M. cavernicola, M. australiense, M. johnsoni, M. josephi and Macrobrachium sp.WMY-2017. As there was no previous record and information concerning with M. australiense, M. johnsoni, M. josephi and Macrobrachium sp. WMY-2017, they were regarded as the first record from Myanmar. A fragment of Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene (COI) was amplified successfully from three studied species: M. australiense, M. josephi, and Macrobrachium sp.WMY-2017. The interspecific divergences of studied species varied from 0.01 to 0.15. The phylogenetic tree based on COI fragment sequences showed that M. australiense was closely related to M. rosenbergii, while Macrobrachium sp. WMY-2017 was closest to M. josephi. The results of molecular phylogeny has clarified the relationship within the genus Macrobrachium and represents the first step toward understanding the pattern of speciation base on molecular approach in Myanmar.
Data-Driven Localization Mappings in Filtering the Monsoon–Hadley Multicloud Convective Flows
Authors: De La Chevrotière Michèle , Harlim John
Published: March 2018

This paper demonstrates the efficacy of data-driven localization mappings for assimilating satellite-like observations in a dynamical system of intermediate complexity. In particular, a sparse network of synthetic brightness temperature measurements is simulated using an idealized radiative transfer model and assimilated to the monsoon–Hadley multicloud model, a nonlinear stochastic model containing several thousands of model coordinates. A serial ensemble Kalman filter is implemented in which the empirical correlation statistics are improved using localization maps obtained from a supervised learning algorithm. The impact of the localization mappings is assessed in perfect-model observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) as well as in the presence of model errors resulting from the misspecification of key convective closure parameters. In perfect-model OSSEs, the localization mappings that use adjacent correlations to improve the correlation estimated from small ensemble sizes produce robust accurate analysis estimates. In the presence of model error, the filter skills of the localization maps trained on perfect- and imperfect-model data are comparable.
Validation of the Acoustic Voice Quality Index Version 03.01 and the Acoustic Breathiness Index in the Spanish language
Authors: Delgado Hernández Jonathan , León Gómez Nieves M. , Jiménez Alejandra , Izquierdo Laura M. , Barsties v. Latoszek Ben
Published: March 2018

Objective:

The aim of this study was to validate the Acoustic Voice Quality Index 03.01 (AVQIv3) and the Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI) in the Spanish language.

Method:

Concatenated voice samples of continuous speech (cs) and sustained vowel (sv) from 136 subjects with dysphonia and 47 vocally healthy subjects were perceptually judged for overall voice quality and breathiness severity. First, to reach a higher level of ecological validity, the proportions of cs and sv were equalized regarding the time length of 3 seconds sv part and voiced cs part, respectively. Second, concurrent validity and diagnostic accuracy were verified.

Results:

A moderate reliability of overall voice quality and breathiness severity from 5 experts was used. It was found that 33 syllables as standardization of the cs part, which represents 3 seconds of voiced cs, allows the equalization of both speech tasks. A strong correlation was revealed between AVQIv3 and overall voice quality and ABI and perceived breathiness severity. Additionally, the best diagnostic outcome was identified at a threshold of 2.28 and 3.40 for AVQIv3 and ABI, respectively.

Conclusions:

The AVQIv3 and ABI showed in the Spanish language valid and robust results to quantify abnormal voice qualities regarding overall voice quality and breathiness severity.
Comorbid Fluency Difficulties in Reading and Math: Longitudinal Stability Across Early Grades
Authors: Koponen Tuire , Aro Mikko , Poikkeus Anna-Maija , Niemi Pekka , Lerkkanen Marja-Kristiina , Ahonen Timo , Nurmi Jari-Erik
Published: March 2018

We examined the prevalence of comorbidity of dysfluent reading and math skills longitudinally in a representative sample ( N = 1,928) and the stability of comorbid and single difficulties from first to fourth grades. The findings indicated that half the children who showed very low performance in one skill also evidenced low or very low performance in the other. Comorbid difficulties had somewhat higher prevalence in third and fourth graders than in first and second graders. The stability of comorbid difficulties was found to be established from Grade 2 onward, but the stability of single difficulties increased steadily across grades. Overall, the findings emphasize the relatively strong stability of comorbid difficulties after the second grade and underscore the need for close monitoring of, and support for, both skills as opposed to just one.
Refugees and citizens: Understanding Eritrean refugees’ ambivalence towards homeland politics
Authors: Belloni Milena
Published: March 2018

This article revisits ambivalence as a protracted state which does not simply develop as a result of the migration experience but stems from overlapping levels of normative inconsistency. Drawing from my ethnography of Eritreans’ everyday life in the homeland and abroad, I analyse their attitudes of patriotism and disenchantment through an ambivalence lens. Their ambiguous attitudes are arising from national and transnational Eritrean state policies and are further complicated by their role as “political refugees” in host countries. My informants’ ambivalence stems from them embodying more than one role (i.e. patriots, family breadwinners, refugees from and citizens of their homeland), from contradictory expectations pertaining to the same role (i.e. young citizens in Eritrea) and from clashing implications of being members of two different social systems (i.e. the destination country and the country of origin). Thus, Eritreans’ political loyalties and actions are characterised by a state of ambivalence throughout their migration process. Despite its peculiar characteristics, this case study sheds light on the complexity of ambivalence, as more than a temporary condition, for migrants and refugees in particular. In the current scenario of emigrant states’ transnational governance, protracted ambivalence is likely to mark the attitudes of an increasing number of people on the move as both refugees from and citizens of their country of origin.
Building Faith in Democracy: Deliberative Events, Political Trust and Efficacy
Authors: Boulianne Shelley
Published: March 2018

Governments have turned to public deliberation as a way to engage citizens in governance with the goal of rebuilding faith in government institutions and authority as well as to provide quality inputs into governance. This article offers a systematic analysis of the literature on the effects of deliberative events on participants’ political efficacy and trust. The systematic review contextualizes the results from a 6-day deliberative event. This case study is distinctive in highlighting the long-term impacts on participants’ political trust and efficacy as key outcomes of the deliberative process unfold, that is, City Council receives then responds to the participants’ recommendations report. Using four-wave panel data spanning 2.5 years and three public opinion polls (control groups), the study demonstrates that participants in deliberative events are more efficacious and trusting prior to and after the deliberative event. Despite the case study’s evidence and the systematic review of existing literature, questions remain about whether enhanced opportunities for citizen engagement in governance can ameliorate low levels of political trust and efficacy observed in Western democracies.
Effects of abrasion on mechanical properties of Kevlar KM2-600 and S glass tows
Authors: Abu Obaid A , Gillespie JW
Published: March 2018

In this effort, the effects of abrasion on the mechanical properties of Kevlar KM2-600 and two types of S glass tows (AGY S2 and Owens Corning Shield Strand S) are studied. Data was generated from cyclic abrasion tests conducted at a tension level of 8% of failure load at10 mm/s (24 in/min) using a specially developed abrasion test machine. Fit curves for axial modulus and tenacity loss were established as a function of abrasion time/contact length for each tow type. Fiber surface damage and fiber breakage within the tows were identified as the major source of tow property degradation. Based on scanning electron microscopy measurements, glass fibers exhibited surface damage (micro-cracks and sizing/coating removal) that were more extensive in AGY S2 glass fibers. Kevlar KM2 fibers after tow abrasion tests exhibited fibrillation and peeling of broken fibrils from the fiber surface. In all three fibers, surface damage increased at longer abrasion times/friction contact length. Overall, the results indicated that the abrasion resistance is the highest for Kevlar KM2, followed by OCV Shield Strand and AGY S2 glass tows. The sizing material on OCV Shield Strand fibers contributed to the improved abrasion resistance compared to AGY S2.
Good Grades and a Bad Reputation
Authors: Lehman Brett
Published: March 2018

Relational aggression involves excluding peers from social activities and spreading harmful rumors about the victim. Assumptions that only girls are victimized in this way are largely debunked, yet there is little research to explain why boys are victimized in this manner. This study poses the possibility that male adolescent victimization by relational aggression should operate in similar ways that verbal and physical bullying operate among U.S. adolescents. Logistic regression results based on the 2013 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey lend evidence to suggest that relational aggression can be used to sanction academically successful boys. While other studies found that academically successful boys can be bullied through verbal and physical means, these findings show that being excluded and having rumors spread about oneself are additional and previously unstudied ways that boys are punished by their peers for failing to display masculinity.