bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Kidney Damage Markers after Deferasirox Treatment in Patients with Thalassemia Major: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Badeli Hamidreza , Baghersalimi Adel , Eslami Sajjad , Saadat Farshid , Rad Afagh Hassanzadeh , Basavand Rokhsar , Papkiadeh Soghra Rafiei , Darbandi Bahram , Kooti Wesam , Peluso Ilaria
Published: April 2019

Background. The life of patients with β-thalassemia major depends on blood transfusion. Regular blood transfusion leads to hemosiderosis in their main organs. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of deferasirox and deferoxamine on renal damage in patients with β-thalassemia major. Method. The present case-control study was conducted on 60 individuals who were referred to the 17th Shahrivar Tertiary Referral Hospital in Guilan province, Iran. In this study, patients with β-thalassemia major who used deferasirox (n=21) and patients who used deferoxamine (n=19) were evaluated. The control group (n=20) was selected from healthy individuals. Serum creatinine (CREA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and Cystatin C were measured from blood samples. Furthermore, urinary (U.) neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), albumin (Alb), interleukin- (IL-) 18, and Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) were measured by the ELISA method and normalized for U. creatinine (CREA). Results. U. NGAL, U. IL-18, and BUN biomarkers in the deferasirox group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.001). U. NGAL/CREA and U. KIM-1/CREA ratios increased in both the deferoxamine and deferasirox groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). U. Alb was significantly higher in patients treated with deferoxamine than in healthy participants (p<0.05). Conclusion. The findings of this study indicate that after taking deferasirox, there was renal damage and an increase in inflammatory factors. Also, minor renal impairment was observed after deferoxamine administration, but it was not confirmed at the molecular level (U. NGAL and KIM-1). Therefore, it seems that patients who are taking these two drugs should be monitored carefully.
Frost-Resistant Epoxy-Urethane Binders Containing Diglycidyl Urethane
Authors: Strel’nikov Vladimir N. , Senichev Valeriy Yu. , Slobodinyuk Alexey I. , Savchuk Anna V. , Volkova Elena R.
Published: April 2019

A novel method for developing frost-resistant epoxy-urethane binders is proposed that is based on mixtures of epoxy-urethane oligomers and diglycidyl urethane formed during synthesis. The microheterogeneous elastic materials obtained by curing these mixtures by the cycloaliphatic amines have a low glass transition temperature and high mechanical properties.
Rehabilitation of an Extremely Edentulous Atrophic Maxilla with a Pseudoskeletal Class III Relationship
Authors: Zafiropoulos Gregor-Georg , Yoon Tae Ho , Abuzayda Moosa
Published: April 2019

The skeletal class III relationship presents complex dentoalveolar problems, requiring multidisciplinary treatment. In edentulous people, severe atrophy of the jawbone simulates the clinical appearance of a skeletal class III relationship (pseudoskeletal class III), which presents major problems for rehabilitation. This article describes the rehabilitation of a 67-year-old patient with a pseudoskeletal class III relationship. The mandible was restored with two implant-supported bar-retained overdentures using clips for retention. The extremely atrophic maxilla was restored with a combination of sinus augmentation, implant placement, and classic prosthodontic treatment using an electroformed mesostructured overdenture with swivel lock attachments on an implant-supported bar. By performing minimal augmentative and implant surgeries and using the possibilities and advantages of classic prosthetic dentistry, the clinical situation described here could be managed and the atrophic maxilla could be rehabilitated.
Dielectric and Structural Properties of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) Filled with Magnesium Oxide Nanofillers
Authors: Arshad A. N. , Wahid M. H. M. , Rusop M. , Majid W. H. A. , Subban R. H. Y. , Rozana M. D.
Published: April 2019

This study examines the dielectric properties of filled PVDF film and filled PVDF-TrFE film incorporated with 1, 3, 5, and 7 weight percentages of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanofillers. The metal-insulator-metal (MIM) configuration demonstrates PVDF/MgO with 7 weight percent of MgO which produced high dielectric constant (1 kHz) with low dielectric loss. The ATR-FTIR spectra of PVDF/MgO (7%) indicate wide bonding peaks at 840 cm-1 and 880 cm-1, assigned to -CH2 and -CF2 groups, respectively. This implies the presence of high content of β-crystals in the PVDF/MgO (7%) film. A shift in the peak was observed in the same film, from 1170 cm-1 to 1180 cm-1 suggesting possible transformation from γ-crystals to β-crystals. This film showed no apparent defect on its film surface. Thus, it established that PVDF incorporated with 7% MgO can be used to produce nanocomposite thin film for low-frequency electronic devices.
FBW7 Regulates the Autophagy Signal in Mesangial Cells Induced by High Glucose
Authors: Gao Chenlin , Fan Fang , Chen Jiao , Long Yang , Tang Shi , Jiang Chunxia , Xu Yong
Published: April 2019

Aims. Abnormal regulation of autophagy participates in the development of diabetic nephropathy. mTOR is the most common negative regulator of the autophagy signaling pathway. FBW7 constitutes the SCF (Skp1–Cullin1–F-box protein) recognition subunit of E3 ubiquitin ligase, and mTOR is a substrate of FBW7 that can be modified by ubiquitination and be degraded via proteasomes. In this study, we explored the relationship between FBW7 and autophagy and examined the effects of FBW7 on the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy in vitro.Materials and Methods. We cultured mesangial cells induced by high glucose in vitro and used rapamycin as a specific mTOR inhibitor, performed FBW7 gene overexpression, and detected the expression of autophagy signal and inflammatory factors by WB, ELISA, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence.Results. High glucose can downregulate the expression of FBW7 and activate mTOR signal, which leads to diminished autophagy in renal mesangial cells, as well as renal inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic factors. RAPA, as a specifically inhibitor of mTOR, can decrease inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic factors by inhibiting mTOR. Moreover, FBW7 gene overexpression can increase autophagy by inhibiting mTOR signal; at the same time, the inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic factors were decreased in mesangial cells.Conclusions. FBW7 was decreased in renal mesangial cells induced by high glucose, and FBW7 gene overexpression can increase autophagy by inhibiting mTOR signaling and ameliorate inflammation and fibrosis.
Study on Flight Performance of Propeller-Driven UAV
Authors: Liu Rui-lin , Zhang Zhong-jie , Jiao Yu-fei , Yang Chun-hao , Zhang Wen-jian
Published: April 2019

The engine performance test at altitudes of 0-7000 m was carried out on the high-performance test bench of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) piston engine. The flight performance of UAV was studied, including propeller thrust characteristics, maneuverability, flight envelope, and cruise performance. The results showed that with the increase in altitudes, the UAV climb rate gradually decreased; the maximum climb rate decreased from 2.5 m/s at 2000 m to 0.5 m/s at 7000 m. The maximum flight altitude is 7000 m, and the flight speed range is about 47 m/s-52 m/s at the altitude of 7000 m. Maximum navigation range and endurance of UAV decrease by 5.8% and 8%, respectively, with each increment of 1000 m in altitudes.
Impact of Metabolic Syndrome Diagnosis and Its Treatment on Survival of Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Mafiana Rose N. , Al-Kindi Maimona S. , Mafiana Ngozichukwu , Al Lawati Ahmed S. , Al Moundhri Mansour
Published: April 2019

Background. Epidemiologic findings on the effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its treatment on colorectal cancer (CRC) survival have been inconsistent and have not been previously studied in an Arab population such as the Omani population.Patients and Methods. Data from the hospital records of 301 CRC patients treated in Sultan Qaboos University (SQUH), Oman, from 2006 to 2014 were analyzed retrospectively to determine the effects of MetS and its treatment on CRC survival. Overall survival (OS) by MetS status and by medications for MetS components management was compared with Cox proportional models.Results. Of the 301 patients, 76 (25.2%) had MetS, 20.3% were on insulin, 23.9% were on metformin, 25.6% took statins, 17.9% were on either angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). Whereas metformin (HR, 0.46, 95% CI, 0.25-0.84) and statins (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35-0.96) had a protective effect on OS, insulin (HR 1.73, 95% CI, 1.02-2.97) had a detrimental effect. In subgroup analysis of diabetic subjects, a nonsignificant improvement in OS was observed in the metformin treated patients compared to those on other hypoglycemic agents (HR, 0.92, 95% CI, 0.55-1.55). Neither MetS nor antihypertensive drugs had any apparent effect on OS.Conclusions. Our result suggests that, among CRC patients with MetS, taking metformin and statins may improve overall survival, whereas being on insulin may negatively impact CRC prognosis. Further studies are warranted to determine the exact mechanism through which metformin, statins, and insulin exert their effects on CRC survival.
A Road Network Traffic State Identification Method Based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram and Spectral Clustering and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Lin Xiaohui
Published: April 2019

Accurate identification of road network traffic status is the key to improve the efficiency of urban traffic control and management. Both data mining method and MFD‐based methods can divide the traffic state of road network, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The data mining method is oriented to traffic data with high efficiency, but it can only discriminate traffic status from microlevel, while the MFD of road network can discriminate traffic status from macrolevel, but there are still some problems, such as the fact that the discriminant method of equivalence points based on MFD lacks theoretical support or that traffic status could not be subdivided. If data mining methods and road network’s MFD are combined, the accuracy of road network traffic state identification will be greatly improved. In addition, the research shows that the combination of unsupervised learning clustering analysis method (such as spectral clustering algorithm) and supervised learning machine algorithm (such as support vector machine algorithm (SVM)) is more accurate in traffic state identification. Therefore, a traffic state identification method based on MFD and spectral clustering and SVM is proposed, combining the advantages of spectral clustering algorithm and SVM algorithm. Firstly, spectral clustering algorithm is used to classify the traffic state of road network’s MFD. Secondly, SVM multiclassifier is trained with the partitioned road network’s MFD parameters, and the accuracy evaluation method of classification results based on obfuscation matrix is given. Finally, the connected‐vehicle network simulation platform is built for empirical analysis. The results show that the classification results of spectral clustering algorithm are closer to the theoretical values, compared with K‐means algorithm, and the accuracy of SVM multiclassifier is 96.3%. It can be seen that our algorithm can identify the road network traffic state more effectively from the macrolevel.
Optimal Convergence Rates for the Strong Solutions to the Compressible MHD Equations with Potential Force
Authors: Ouyang Miao
Published: April 2019

In this paper, the large‐time behavior of solutions to the Cauchy problem for the 3D compressible MHD equations is considered with the effect of external force. We construct the global unique solution with the small initial data near the stationary profile. The optimal Lp − L2(1 ≤ p ≤ 2) time decay rates of the solution to the system are built in multifrequency decompositions.
Reward Processing under Chronic Pain from the Perspective of “Liking” and “Wanting”: A Narrative Review
Authors: Liu Xinhe , Wang Ning , Gu Lijia , Guo Jianyou , Wang Jinyan , Luo Fei
Published: April 2019

The therapeutic goals of patients with chronic pain are not only to relieve pain but also to improve the quality of life. Chronic pain negatively affects various aspects of daily life, such as by decreasing the motivation to work and reward sensitivity, which may lead to difficulties in daily life or even unemployment. Human and animal studies have shown that chronic pain damages reward processing; the exploration of associated internal mechanisms may aid the development of treatments to repair this damage. Incentive salience theory, used widely to describe reward processing, divides this processing into “liking” (reward-induced hedonic sensory impact) and “wanting” (reward-induced motivation) components. It has been employed to explain pathological changes in reward processing induced by psychiatric disorders. In this review, we summarize the findings of studies of reward processing under chronic pain and examine the effects of chronic pain on “liking” and “wanting.” Evidence indicates that chronic pain compromises the “wanting” component of reward processing; we also discuss the neural mechanisms that may mediate this effect. We hope that this review aids the development of therapies to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic pain.
Analysis of Healthcare Systems by Using Systemic Approach
Authors: Bielecki Andrzej , Nieszporska Sylwia
Published: April 2019

National healthcare systems in all countries do not act effectively. Therefore, especially strategies for introducing organizational innovation to public organization should be considered. The problem is how to organize the research in this field. One of the generally accepted solutions is the systemic approach to healthcare systems. In this paper multiagent systems theory and autonomous systems theory are applied to the analysis of main types of healthcare systems. Such analysis allows us to consider the system properties: the level of the autonomy, energy dissipation in the system, the payoff specificity (in the meaning of game theory), functional role of the agents in the system, the level of the agents’ cooperation, and delays in flows of money, requests, rules, and controls. As a result, some new functionalities of the healthcare system on the national level have been found and analysed. The aforementioned parameters are good tools to analyse the system functionality.
The Number of Metastatic Lymph Nodes is a Useful Predictive Factor for Recurrence after Surgery for Nonmetastatic Nonfunctional Neuroendocrine Neoplasm of the Pancreas
Authors: Capretti G. , Nappo G. , Smiroldo V. , Cereda M. , Branciforte B. , Spaggiari P. , Carrara S. , Preatoni P. , Gavazzi F. , Ridolfi C. , Donisi G. , Lania A. , Zerbi A.
Published: April 2019

Nodal involvement (actually categorized as positive or negative) is an important prognostic factor after surgery for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs). We aim to evaluate the predictive role of the number of nodal metastases after pancreatic resection for pNENs. We analyzed from a prospectively maintained database all pancreatic resections for nonmetastatic nonfunctioning pNENs performed in our institution from 2011 to 2016. According to the number of nodal metastases, enhancing the actual categorization, we distinguished the following: N0, no nodal metastases; N1, 1-3 metastatic lymph nodes; and N2, metastases in 4 or more regional lymph nodes. Recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated. The predictive value in terms of recurrence for each clinicopathological data, including the number of metastatic lymph nodes, was calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. 77 patients underwent pancreatic surgery for pNENs. N0, N1, and N2 resections were found in 52 (67.5%), 16 (20.8%), and 9 (11.7%) cases, respectively. Mean follow-up of the entire cohort was 48 (±25) months. The recurrence rate was 11.8%, and the mean time of recurrence was 12 (±14) months. DFS was 83.7 months (76.0 - 91.5). At a univariate analysis, factors associated with recurrence were mitotic count (OR 1.19, p=0.001), Ki67 value (OR 1.06, p=0.001), the presence of nodal metastases (OR 11.54, p=0.002), and metastases in 4 or more regional lymph nodes (N2) (OR 30.19, p=0.002). At a multivariate analysis, only mitotic count (OR 1.51, p=0.005) and N2 resection (OR 134.74, p=0.002) were found to be predictive factors of recurrence. The number of metastatic lymph nodes and mitotic count is the most significant predictive factors of recurrence after pancreatic surgery for nonmetastatic nonfunctioning pNENs.
RNA-Seq-Based Gene Expression Pattern and Morphological Alterations in Chick Thymus during Postnatal Development
Authors: Xue Zhouyiyuan , Ansari Abdur Rahman , Zhao Xing , Zang Kun , Liang Yu , Cui Lei , Hu Yafang , Cheng Ranran , Zhang Xiaolong , Zhong Juming , Liu Huazhen
Published: April 2019

The thymus is a lobulated unique lymphoid immune organ that plays a critical role in the selection, development, proliferation, and differentiation of T cells. The thymus of developing chickens undergoes continued morphological alterations; however, the biomolecular and transcriptional dynamics of the postnatal thymus in avian species is not clear yet. Therefore, the thymuses from chickens at different stages of development (at weeks 0, 1, 5, 9, 18, and 27) were used in the present study. The RNA-seq method was used to study the gene expression patterns. On average, 24120819 clean reads were mapped, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified on the basis of log values (fold change), including 744 upregulated and 425 downregulated genes. The expression pattern revealed by RNA-seq was validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis of four important genes, which are PCNA, CCNA2, CCNB2, and CDK1. Thus, the current study revealed that during postnatal development, the thymus undergoes severe atrophy. Thymus structure was damaged and gene expression changed dramatically, especially at the 27th week of age. Moreover, we found significant changes of several signaling pathways such as the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and cell cycle signaling pathways. Hence, it may be inferred that those signaling pathways might be closely related to the postnatal chicken thymus development.
Association of Serum PSP/REG Iαwith Renal Function in Pregnant Women
Authors: Zhu Xiangyun , Dong Beibei , Reding Theresia , Peng Youfan , Lin Hao , Zhi Mengmeng , Han Manman , Graf Rolf , Li Ling
Published: April 2019

Pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein Iα(PSP/REG Iα) is a secretory protein produced in the pancreas, but its expression has also been observed in the kidney. It may be associated with kidney dysfunction. This study investigates the possible association between PSP/REG Iαand kidney function in pregnant women. Serum PSP/REG Iαlevels were measured by a specific ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Maternal information and clinical and biochemical parameters were collected. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated for all individuals to evaluate their renal function. Spearman’s correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between PSP/REG Iαand eGFR, serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA). A total of 595 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Participants with mildly reduced eGFR had higher PSP/REG Iαlevels [50.49 (35.02, 58.64)] than in the general population [26.84 (21.02, 33.07)] (p < 0.001). Included participants were stratified into PSP/REG Iαquartiles; significant differences were observed in the levels of eGFR, serum Cr, BUN, and UA. PSP/REG Iαwas negatively correlated with eGFR (r = −0.402, p < 0.001) and positively associated with serum Cr (r = 0.468, p < 0.001), BUN (r = 0.166, p < 0.001), and UA (r = 0.207, p < 0.001). The linear regression analysis indicated that PSP/REG Iαwas associated with UA, BUN, and eGFR. High PSP/REG Iαconcentrations were closely associated with renal dysfunction in pregnant women. Our study provides clinical evidence that serum PSP/REG Iαlevels could be a novel biomarker for assessment of renal function in pregnant women.
Analysis of the Calculation of a Plasma Sheath Using the Parallel SO-DGTD Method
Authors: Yang Qian , Wei Bing , Li Linqian , Ge Debiao
Published: April 2019

The plasma sheath is known as a popular topic of computational electromagnetics, and the plasma case is more resource-intensive than the non-plasma case. In this paper, a parallel shift-operator discontinuous Galerkin time-domain method using the MPI (Message Passing Interface) library is proposed to solve the large-scale plasma problems. To demonstrate our algorithm, a plasma sheath model of the high-speed blunt cone was established based on the results of the multiphysics software, and our algorithm was used to extract the radar cross-section (RCS) versus different incident angles of the model.
Numerical Investigation into the Critical Speed and Frequency of the Hunting Motion in Railway Vehicle System
Authors: Sun Jianfeng , Chi Maoru , Cai Wubin , Jin Xuesong
Published: April 2019

The critical speed and hunting frequency are two basic research objects of vehicle system dynamics and have a significant influence on the dynamic performance. A lateral dynamic model with 17 degrees of freedom was established in this study to investigate the critical speed and hunting frequency of a high‐speed railway vehicle. The nonlinearities of wheel/rail contact geometry, creep forces, and yaw damper were all considered. A heuristic nonlinear creep model was employed to estimate the contact force between the wheel and the rail. The Maxwell model, which covers the influence of the stiffness characteristic, is used to simulate the yaw damper. To reflect the blow‐off of the yaw damper, the damping coefficient is described by stages. Based on the mathematical model, the combined effects of vehicle parameters on the critical speed in the straight line and hunting frequency of the wheelset were investigated innovatively. The novel phenomenon that the hunting frequency exhibits a sudden increase from a smaller value to a larger value when the blow‐off of the yaw damper occurs was discovered during the calculations. The extents to which various parameters affect the critical speed and hunting frequency are clear on the basis of the numerical results. Moreover, all of the parameter values were divided into three sections to determine the sensitive range for the critical speed and hunting frequency. The results show that the first section of values plays the decisive role on both the critical speed and the hunting frequency for all parameters analyzed. The investigation in this paper enriches the study of hunting stability and gives some ideas to probably solve the abnormal vibrations during the actual operation.
Electrical Stimulation Activates Fibroblasts through the Elevation of Intracellular Free Ca2+: Potential Mechanism of Pelvic Electrical Stimulation Therapy
Authors: Li Suting , Lu Danhua , Tang Jianming , Min Jie , Hu Ming , Li Yang , Liu Yaodan , Wang Linlin , Liu Cheng , Hong Li
Published: April 2019

Ca2+ is an important ion in response to electrical stimulation (ES) and acts as second messenger in the regulation of various physiological processes. Pelvic floor electrical stimulation (PES) is a low-voltage clinical application, available for urinary incontinence (UI) treatment. Fibroblasts, as the main cellular component of vaginal wall and pelvic ligament, play an important role in the maintenance of pelvic health. We studied the effect of ES on fibroblasts in this study. ES was conducted with electrotaxis chambers on L929 fibroblast and the ES parameter was 100 mV/mm×2h. The results showed that ES increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration, promoted the expression of PCNA, CyclinB1, and CyclinD1, and increased the proportion of cells in S and G2 phages. After ES, fibroblasts get activated and proliferated. Besides, BAPTA-AM, a membrane permeated chelator for intracellular free Ca2+, partially inhibited the effect of ES on fibroblasts activation and proliferation promotion. Furthermore, we elucidated that Ca2+, as a second messenger and upstream signal for Smads and Akt signaling, regulated ES-induced nuclear translocation of smad2/3, phosphorylation of smad2/3, Akt, and GSK3β. Finally, we validated the effect of ES on PES mouse model. The results indicated that PES promoted the activation and proliferation of fibroblasts in vivo. In conclusion, we verify that ES can elevate the concentration of intracellular Ca2+ and activate its downstream signaling and then promote the activation of fibroblasts, which may be one of the mechanisms of PES therapy.
A Study on Pattern of Retinal Detachment in Patients with Choroidal Coloboma and Its Outcome after Surgery at a Tertiary Eye Hospital in Nepal
Authors: Suwal Barsha , Paudyal Govinda , Thapa Raba , Bajimaya Sanyam , Sharma Sanjita , Pradhan Eli
Published: April 2019

Background. To review the pattern of retinal detachment (RD) in patients with choroidal coloboma and type of reattachment surgery performed and to study its outcome in terms of retinal reattachment, visual acuity, and postsurgical complications. Methods. Observational case series of a single tertiary eye institution of 13 eyes having choroidal coloboma with RD done from January 2015 to June 2017. Results. Mean age of presentation was 29.3 years (Range 14–60 years). Males were two times more affected than females (2.25 : 1). The overall rate of anatomic success achieved after RD repair and silicon oil removal at 6 months was 92.3% (12/13 eyes). Following surgery, visual acuity improved in 6 out of 11 eyes (54.54%), remained unchanged in 4 eyes (36.36%), and worsened in 1 eye (9.1%). The most common complication following surgery was secondary glaucoma in 30.7% (4/11 eyes). Conclusion. The overall anatomic success rate of retina reattachment surgery in colobomatous eye is good, and the visual outcome following surgery can improve in majority of the cases or may remain same in few cases. Hence, timely surgery is advocated. But careful follow-up is required as the risk of postoperative complications is also high.
Short-Term Safety and Tolerability of an Antimalarial Herbal Medicine, CoBaT-Y017 in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Noudjiegbe Adrien N. , Gnimassou Adeline L. , Gbenoudon Judith S. , Degbelo Jean-Eudes , Allabi Aurel C. E.
Published: April 2019

Background. Malaria is the most prevalent parasitic disease in Benin and the main cause of morbidity and mortality. To fight this disease, a large proportion of the population resorts to herbal drugs. However, for most of these herbal preparations, no scientific evidence of their safety or efficacy has yet been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term safety and tolerability of  CoBaT-Y017 and collect some data on its antimalarial efficacy. Material and Methods.  CoBaT-Y017 was formulated into syrup accommodated in 70 mL bottles. The trial involved a sample of 10 male volunteers, selected using the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) method and declared apparently healthy by a physician through clinical examination. During the baseline analysis, two cases of parasitaemia were detected. The volunteers were hospitalized for 5 days and orally given 35 mL of  CoBaT-Y017 diluted in 1.5 L of mineral water, for four consecutive days. Safety and tolerability were monitored clinically, haematologically, biochemically, and parasitologically on days 0 to 5, 7, and 14. Adverse events were recorded by self-reporting or by a physician through clinical examinations and biological investigations. Results. 60% of the volunteers experienced no adverse events; appetite increase (40%) and drowsiness (20%) were adverse events noted. There were no changes in physical characteristics or vital signs and haematological and biochemical parameters. The two initial positive cases of parasitaemia became negative 24 hours after administration. Conclusion.  CoBaT-Y017 presented a significant safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers to allow its further development by starting a phase II clinical study.
Stable Reference Gene Selection for RT-qPCR Analysis inSynechococcus elongatusPCC 7942 under Abiotic Stresses
Authors: Luo Xiao , Li Jiaxing , Chang Tianliang , He Hongyan , Zhao Yi , Yang Xue , Zhao Yuwei , Xu Yao
Published: April 2019

Synechococcus elongatusPCC 7942 (S. elongatusPCC 7942) is a model cyanobacteria species for circadian clock mechanism studies. It has also been widely used as a bioreactor to produce biofuels and other metabolic products. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) technology is the most commonly used method for studying the expression of specific genes, in which the relative expression level of target genes is calibrated by stably expressed internal reference genes. In this work, we examined the expression of nine candidate reference genes in time-course samples ofS. elongatusPCC 7942 under no treatment (control), NaCl-stress conditions, H2O2-stress conditions, and high light-stress conditions. Based on the qPCR amplification parameters, the stability ranking of these candidate reference genes was established by three statistical software programs, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. Considering all the stress conditions or high light stress alone, the results showed that the combination ofprsandsecAwas the best choice for the double reference gene calibration method by qPCR. The combination ofsecAandppc,rimMandrnpA,rnpA,andilvDwas most stable under no treatment, NaCl-stress conditions, and H2O2-stress conditions, respectively.rimMwas stable under only special conditions and should be carefully chosen.16SandrnpBwere not suitable as internal reference genes forS. elongatusPCC 7942 qPCR experiments under all experimental conditions. To validate the above results, a cyanobacterial core clock gene,kaiC, was used to evaluate the actual performance of the optimized reference genes by qPCR, as well as the worst reference genes under different stress conditions. The results indicated that the best reference gene yielded more accurate calibration results for qPCR experiments carried out inS. elongatusPCC 7942 time-course samples.
RYR1Sequence Variants in Myopathies: Expression and Functional Studies in Two Families
Authors: Zullo Alberto , Perrotta Giuseppa , D'Angelo Rossana , Ruggiero Lucia , Gravino Elvira , Del Vecchio Luigi , Santoro Lucio , Salvatore Francesco , Carsana Antonella
Published: April 2019

The skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1), i.e., the Ca2+channel of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (S/ER), and the voltage-dependent calcium channel Cav1.1 are the principal channels involved in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.RYR1gene variants are linked to distinct skeletal muscle disorders, including malignant hyperthermia susceptibility and central core disease (CCD), mainly with autosomal dominant inheritance, and autosomal recessive myopathies with a broad phenotypic and histopathological spectrum. The age at onset ofRYR1-related myopathies varies from infancy to adulthood. We report the identification of fourRYR1variants in two Italian families: one with myopathy and variants c.4003C>T (p.R1335C) and c.7035C>A (p.S2345R), and another with CCD and variants c.9293G>T (p.S3098I) and c.14771_14772insTAGACAGGGTGTTGCTCTGTTGCCCTTCTT (p.F4924_V4925insRQGVALLPFF). We demonstrate that, in patient-specific lymphoblastoid cells, the c.4003C>T (p.R1335C) variant is not expressed and the in-frame 30-nucleotide insertion variant is expressed at a low level. Moreover, Ca2+release in response to the RyR1 agonist 4-chloro-m-cresol and to thapsigargin showed that the c.7035C>A (p.S2345R) variant causes depletion of S/ER Ca2+stores and that the compound heterozygosity for variant c.9293G>T (p.S3098I) and the 30-nucleotide insertion increases RyR1-dependent Ca2+release without affecting ER Ca2+stores. In conclusion, we detected and functionally characterized disease-causing variants of the RyR1 channel in patient-specific lymphoblastoid cells.
Effect of Auxiliary Blade on Aerodynamic Characteristics of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine by Numerical Simulation
Authors: Li Yan , Zhao Chang , Qu Chunming , Zhao Shouyang , Feng Fang , Tagawa Kotaro
Published: April 2019

In order to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the Straight-bladed Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (SB-VAWT), a rotor structure with auxiliary blade installed behind the main blade was proposed in this study. To investigate the effects of relative thickness and the fixing angle of the auxiliary blade on aerodynamic characteristics of SB-VAWT, numerical simulations were carried out. Two shapes of NACA 4-digital series blade-section, NACA0018 and NACA0024, were selected as the main blades in this work. Effects of relative thickness and fixing angles of auxiliary blade on the aerodynamic performance of SB-VAWT had been analyzed in detail, which had 5 kinds of relative thickness and 3 kinds of fixing angles combined into 13 working conditions. And the main blades and the auxiliary blades were also decided as the NACA series airfoil with five kinds of relative thickness. Three kinds of fixing angle of auxiliary blade installed behind main blade were used including 0°, 5°, and 10°. The simulations included the output power coefficients, the static torque coefficients, and the flow fields around the main blade and auxiliary blade for both the dynamic and static conditions at some typical azimuth angles. The results show that the auxiliary blade with certain relative thickness and fixing angle can improve the output power characteristics and static torque characteristics of SB-VAWT, which can also provide research reference for improving the performance of VAWT.
Streptococcus salivarius Prosthetic Joint Infection following Dental Cleaning despite Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Authors: Olson Lyra B. , Turner Daniel J. , Cox Gary M. , Hostler Christopher J.
Published: April 2019

We present the case of a 92-year-old man with septic arthritis of a prosthetic hip joint due to Streptococcus salivarius one week following a high-risk dental procedure despite preprocedure amoxicillin. S. salivarius is a commensal bacterium of the human oral mucosa that is an uncommon cause of bacteremia. S. salivarius has previously been described as a causative agent of infective endocarditis and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis but was only recently recognized as a cause of prosthetic joint infection. This case highlights the potential pathogenicity of a common commensal bacteria and the questionable utility of prophylactic antibiotics before dental procedures to prevent periprosthetic joint infections.
Systematic Review of Basic Research on Alzheimer’s Disease with Shen Zhi Ling Oral Liquid
Authors: Wang Yahan , Liu Chunxiang , Wang Hui , Jiang Yin , Wang Pengwen , Shang Hongcai
Published: April 2019

Objective. The present report systematically reviewed the basic research of Shen Zhi Ling oral liquid (Tiao Xin preparation) treatment on Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods. CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were searched, and the literature was selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted, and descriptive analysis was used. Results. Twenty-four articles were included, all of which were published as “Tiao Xin preparation.” There were seven types of AD models involved. The mechanism of action of Shen Zhi Ling oral liquid in the treatment of AD primarily included suppression of Aβ deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation, regulation of multiple neurotransmitters, improvement in energy metabolism, and promotion of the expression of autophagy-related and learning-memory-associated proteins. Conclusions. AD is a complex disease caused by multiple factors. Shen Zhi Ling oral liquid exhibited multiple and multitarget effects and great potential for treating AD. The continuous development of molecular biology and related disciplines will further elucidate the mechanism of Shen Zhi Ling oral liquid intervention in AD.
Grey Clustering Evaluation for the Cooperation Efficiency of PPP Project: Taking Beijing Metro Line 4 as an Example
Authors: Sun Hui , Liang Yingzi , Wang Yuning
Published: April 2019

PPP model is an important model which provides public products or services based on the coordination between the public sector and private sector. The implementation of PPP model is helpful for relieving the stress of insufficient funding for public sector and improving the efficiency of resource allocation. Comparing with traditional infrastructure project, PPP project involves many stakeholders, and the cooperation efficiency during the different stakeholders impacts the results of the project directly. Thus, it is important to explore the cooperation efficiency of PPP project. Based on grey clustering model, this paper evaluates the cooperation efficiency of PPP project. An evaluation index system including 36 indexes is established based on the aims and objectives of three stakeholders (public sector, private sector, and passengers). A case study of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project is implemented to verify the validity and applicability of the evaluation model. And the results showed that the cooperation efficiency of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project is relatively high. The model also provided insights into the shortage of the cooperation efficiency of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project. As such, the results can assist all stakeholders in adjusting the cooperation efficiency.
Understanding the Effects of Changing Weather: A Case of Flash Flood in Morogoro on January 11, 2018
Authors: Kimambo Offoro Neema , Chikoore Hector , Gumbo Jabulani Ray
Published: April 2019

Floods are the leading cause of hydrometeorological disasters in East Africa. Regardless of where, when, and how the event has happened, floods affect social security as well as environmental damages. Understanding floods dynamics, their impacts, and management is thus critical, especially in climate risk assessment. In the present study, a flash flood (a case of an episodic hydrological event) which happened on January 11, 2018, in Morogoro, Tanzania, is examined and synthesized. Data were courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Forecasting System (NOAA GFS) (forecast data), Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), and Sokoine University of Agriculture (for the automatic weather data). With the help of ZyGRIB-grib file visualization software (version 8.01, under General Public License (GNU GPL v3)), the forecast data and patterns of the observation from the automatic weather station (temperatures, wind speed and directions, rainfall, humidity, and pressure) and the long-term rainfall data analysis in the study area made it possible. This study contributes to the knowledge of understanding the changing weather for planning and management purposes. Both forecasts and the observations captured the flash flood event. The rain was in the category of heavy rainfall (more than 50 mm per day) as per the regional guidelines. The synergy between the forecasts and the 30-minute weather observation interval captured the fundamental weather patterns that describe the event. For studying the nature and impacts of flash floods in the region, the integration of automatic weather observation into the systems of national meteorological centers is inevitable. Additionally, as part of an integrated disaster risk reduction effort, there is a need for a review on catchment management strategies.
Waterpipe Smoke Exposure Triggers Lung Injury and Functional Decline in Mice: Protective Effect of Gum Arabic
Authors: Nemmar Abderrahim , Al-Salam Suhail , Beegam Sumaya , Yuvaraju Priya , Ali Badreldin H.
Published: April 2019

The prevalence of waterpipe (shisha) tobacco smoking has recently seen a substantial increase worldwide and is becoming a public health problem. Both human and animal studies have established that waterpipe smoke (WPS) increases airway reactivity and inflammation. Gum Arabic (GA) is a prebiotic agent that possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its effects on lung toxicity induced by WPS exposure are unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible salutary effects and underlying mechanisms of GA on WPS-induced pulmonary pathophysiologic effects. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to air or WPS (30 minutes/day for one month) with or without GA treatment in drinking water (15%, w/v). Exposure to WPS induced an influx of neutrophil polymorphs in the peribronchiolar and interstitial spaces and an increase of tumor necrosis factor-α and 8-isoprostane, a marker of lipid peroxidation, concentrations in lung homogenates. The latter effects were significantly mitigated by GA treatment. Likewise, the lung DNA damage induced by WPS exposure was prevented by GA administration. Western blot analysis of the lung showed that GA inhibited nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) expression caused by WPS and augmented that of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Similarly, immunohistochemical analysis of bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar cells showed a parallel and significant increase in the nuclear expression of Nrf2 and cytoplasmic expression of glutathione in mice treated with GA and exposed to WPS. Moreover, GA administration has significantly prevented airway hyperreactivity to methacholine induced by WPS. We conclude that GA administration significantly declined the physiological, histological, biochemical, and molecular indices of lung toxicity caused by WPS exposure, indicating its beneficial respiratory impact. Considering that GA is a safe agent with health benefits in humans, our data suggest its potential usage in waterpipe smokers.
Gossypol Promotes Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling through WIF1 in Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis
Authors: Liang Jinqian , Chen Chong , Liu Hongzhe , Liu Xiangyang , Zhao Hong , Hu Jianhua
Published: April 2019

Osteoporosis is one of the most frequent diseases related with age. Previously, we have reported a novel potential drug, gossypol, for the treatment of osteoporosis through its regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This study aims to identify the detailed mechanism of gossypol in human osteoporosis. Mice injected with gossypol were subjected for RNA-seq analysis and the transcription level of WIF1 was shown to be decreased dramatically in gossypol-treated mice, which was further confirmed by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. Luciferase reporter assay showed gossypol inhibited the activity of WIF1 and the methylation of WIF1 was significantly upregulated, evidenced by ChIP assay. Cell viability assays demonstrated that gossypol promoted cell proliferation while cotreatment with WIF1 expressing plasmid reversed the effect in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Similarly, cell apoptotic assays and TUNEL assays showed gossypol suppressed cell apoptosis, which was revised by WIF1 overexpression. The mouse model suggested gossypol injection ameliorated osteoporosis, while coinjection of AAV5-WIF1 eliminated the protection effects of gossypol, as evidenced by H&E staining, serum osteocalcin level, serum OPG level, serum RANKL level, bone density, ultimate strength, and postyield displacement. This study is a supplement to the former publication, which reinforced the protection effect of gossypol in human osteoporosis.
Application of Support Vector Regression in Indonesian Stock Price Prediction with Feature Selection Using Particle Swarm Optimisation
Authors: Rustam Zuherman , Kintandani Puteri
Published: April 2019

Stock investing is one of the most popular types of investments since it provides the highest return among all investment types; however, it is also associated with considerable risk. Fluctuating stock prices provide an opportunity for investors to make a high profit. We can see the movement of groups of stock prices from the stock index, which is called Jakarta Composite Index (JKSE) in Indonesia. Several studies have focused on the prediction of stock prices using machine learning, while one uses support vector regression (SVR). Therefore, this study examines the application of SVR and particle swarm optimisation (PSO) in predicting stock prices using stock historical data and several technical indicators, which are selected using PSO. Subsequently, a support vector machine (SVM) was applied to predict stock prices with the technical indicator selected by PSO as the predictor. The study found that stock price prediction using SVR and PSO shows good performances for all data, and many features and training data used by the study have relatively low error probabilities. Thereby, an accurate model was obtained to predict stock prices in Indonesia.
A Compound of Chinese Herbs Protects against Alcoholic Liver Fibrosis in Rats via the TGF-β1/Smad Signaling Pathway
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Liu Yunjie , Yue Wuyang , Tan Yuefeng , Wang He , Zhang Lishi , Chen Jinyao
Published: April 2019

Alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF) has become a major public health concern owing to its health impacts and the lack of effective treatment strategies for the disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of a compound composed of Chinese herbsPueraria lobata(Willd.),Salvia miltiorrhiza,Schisandra chinensis, andSilybum marianumon ALF. An ALF model was established. Rats were fed with modified Lieber–Decarli alcohol liquid diet and injected with trace CCl4at late stage. The rats were then treated with several doses of the compound. Biochemical and fibrosis-relevant parameters were measured from the sera obtained from the rats. Liver tissues were obtained for hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Matrix metalloproteinase-13 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 were determined by immunohistochemistry assays. The mRNA and protein expression levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Smad2, Smad3, and Smad7 on the livers were also measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Results showed that the compound treatment alleviated pathological lesions in the liver, decreased the serum levels of hyaluronan, laminin, and hydroxyproline, and diminished the expression of hepatic tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1. Compound treatment also increased hepatic matrix metalloproteinase-13 expression and inhibited the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. In conclusion, the compound has a protective effect against ALF in rats, and an underlying mechanism is involved in the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.
Antiangiogenic Effect of Alkaloids
Authors: Alasvand Masoud , Assadollahi Vahideh , Ambra Roberto , Hedayati Ehsan , Kooti Wesam , Peluso Ilaria
Published: April 2019

Alkaloids are among the natural phytochemicals contained in functional foods and nutraceuticals and have been suggested for the prevention and/or management of oxidative stress and inflammation-mediated diseases. In this review, we aimed to describe the effects of alkaloids in angiogenesis, the process playing a crucial role in tumor growth and invasion, whereby new vessels form. Antiangiogenic compounds including herbal ingredients, nonherbal alkaloids, and microRNAs can be used for the control and treatment of cancers. Several lines of evidence indicate that alkaloid-rich plants have several interesting features that effectively inhibit angiogenesis. In this review, we present valuable data on commonly used alkaloid substances as potential angiogenic inhibitors. Different herbal and nonherbal ingredients, introduced as antiangiogenesis agents, and their role in angiogenesis-dependent diseases are reviewed. Studies indicate that angiogenesis suppression is exerted through several mechanisms; however, further investigations are required to elucidate their precise molecular and cellular mechanisms, as well as potential side effects.