bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forensic Discrimination Potential of Blue, Black, Green, and Red Colored Fountain Pen Inks Commercially Used in Pakistan, by UV/Visible Spectroscopy, Thin Layer Chromatography, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Sharif Mehwish , Batool Madeeha , Chand Sohail , Farooqi Zahoor Hussain , Tirmazi Syed Azhar Ali Shah , Athar Makshoof
Published: January 2019

Examination and comparison of fountain pen inks are very important in forensic questioned documents examination in developing countries where the chances of fraud are greater in cases of cheques, marriage papers, entry of birth and death, etc. In this study, fountain pen inks of blue, black, green, and red colours that are commercially used in Pakistan have been discriminated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, TLC, and FTIR spectroscopy. We have calculated and compared the results in terms of discriminating power. UV/Visible Spectroscopy of fountain pen inks of different brands showed different composition despite their similar colours. TLC was effectively used to differentiate between the colored components of inks. FTIR results showed that each brand could be distinguished by studying the pattern of their absorption spectra that appeared due to the presence of different functional groups. On the basis of combined results of UV-VIS, TLC, and FTIR, the DP was found from 0.73-0.8 for blue, 0.80-1.0 for black, 0.5-1.0 for green, and 1.0 for red colored fountain pen inks. Overall, this study demonstrated the elevated worth of analysis of fountain pen inks commercially used in Pakistan as the study for fountain pen inks, while not very common, remains an interesting target study.
UWB Metamaterial-Loaded Antenna for C-Band Applications
Authors: Dawar Parul , Raghava N. S. , De Asok
Published: January 2019

A novel metamaterial-inspired patch antenna is proposed, wherein a 2-segment SRR Labyrinth metamaterial is embedded inside the antenna substrate. It is observed that upon incorporation, the bandwidth widens to around 600% and VSWR improves by approx. 1.5% and the antenna is miniaturized by 400%. The Nicolson-Ross-Weir (NRW) method has been used to retrieve the material parameters from transmission and reflection coefficients.
Autophagy Regulated by Gain of Function Mutant p53 Enhances Proteasomal Inhibitor-Mediated Cell Death through Induction of ROS and ERK in Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Saini Heena , Hakeem Ifrah , Mukherjee Sudeshna , Chowdhury Shibasish , Chowdhury Rajdeep
Published: January 2019

Mutations in p53, especially gain of function (GOF) mutations, are highly frequent in lung cancers and are known to facilitate tumor aggressiveness. Yet, the links between mutant GOF-p53 and lung cancers are not well established. In the present study, we set to examine how we can better sensitize resistant GOF-p53 lung cancer cells through modulation of cellular protein degradation machineries, proteasome and autophagy. H1299 p53 null lung cancer cells were stably transfected with R273H mutant GOF-p53 or wild-type (wt) p53 or empty vectors. The presence of R273H-P53 conferred the cancer cells with drug resistance not only against the widely used chemotherapeutic agents like cisplatin (CDDP) or 5-flurouracil (5-FU) but also against potent alternative modes of therapy like proteasomal inhibition. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new strategies that can overcome GOF-p53 induced drug resistance and prolong patient survival following failure of standard therapies. We observed that the proteasomal inhibitor, peptide aldehyde N-acetyl-leu-leu-norleucinal (commonly termed as ALLN), caused an activation of cellular homeostatic machinery, autophagy in R273H-P53 cells. Interestingly, inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine (CQ) alone or in combination with ALLN failed to induce enhanced cell death in the R273H-P53 cells; however, in contrast, an activation of autophagy by serum starvation or rapamycin increased sensitivity of cells to ALLN-induced cytotoxicity. An activated autophagy was associated with increased ROS and ERK signaling and an inhibition of either ROS or ERK signaling resulted in reduced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, inhibition of GOF-p53 was found to enhance autophagy resulting in increased cell death. Our findings provide novel insights pertaining to mechanisms by which a GOF-p53 harboring lung cancer cell is better sensitized, which can lead to the development of advanced therapy against resistant lung cancer cells.
Quantification of Lappaconitine in Mouse Blood by UPLC-MS/MS and Its Application to a Pharmacokinetic Study
Authors: Chen Fan , Shen Xiuwei , Huang Peng , Fu Huiyan , Jin Yue , Wen Congcong
Published: January 2019

Lappaconitine is extracted from Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai, which belongs to the Ranunculaceae. Lappaconitine is as a diterpenoid alkaloid used as a nonaddictive analgesic. To assure the rational use of the drug, ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was conducted to determine lappaconitine in mouse blood and its application to pharmacokinetics. In this study, khasianine was used as internet standard (IS). A UPLC BEH C18 column was used for chromatographic separation and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate (0.1% formic acid). The flow rate of was 0.4 mL/min. Quantitative detection was performed in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray ionization source in positive mode. Twenty-four mice were randomly divided into four groups, three of which received 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg lappaconitine by intragastric administration, while the other group received 1 mg/kg lappaconitine by intravenous administration. After 0.0833, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 8 h, blood samples were collected and acetonitrile was used for protein precipitation. A linear calibration relationship (R2 = 0.9979) in the range of 0.1-500 ng/mL in mouse blood indicated good results. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.1 ng/mL and the limit of detection was 0.04 ng/mL. The intra-day and inter-day precision were below 13% and 14%, respectively. The accuracy was 90.1-107.2%, and the recovery exceeded 81.1%. The matrix effect ranged between 102.1 and 108.8%. The absolute bioavailability of lappaconitine was 2.0%. UPLC-MS/MS achieved high sensitivity, speed, and selectivity. Methodological verification indicated this method as suitable for determination of lappaconitine in mouse blood.
Brucine Suppresses Vasculogenic Mimicry in Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231
Authors: Xu Meng-Ran , Wei Peng-Fei , Suo Ming-Zhu , Hu Yi , Ding Weiping , Su Li , Zhu Yao-Dong , Song Wan-Ji , Tang Guan-Hao , Zhang Mei , Li Ping
Published: January 2019

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) with the pattern of endothelial independent tubular structure formation lined by aggressive tumor cells mimics regular tumor blood vessels to ensure robust blood supply and correlates with the proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis of malignant tumors, which was demonstrated to be a major obstacle for resistance to antiangiogenesis therapy. Therefore, it is urgent to discover methods to abrogate the VM formation of tumors, which possesses important practical significance for improving tumor therapy. Brucine is a traditional medicinal herb extracted from seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L. (Loganiaceae) exhibiting antitumor activity in a variety of cancer models. In the present study, the effect of brucine on vasculogenic mimicry and the related mechanism are to be investigated. We demonstrated that, in a triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, brucine induced a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell proliferation along with apoptosis induction at higher concentrations. The further study showed that brucine inhibited cell migration and invasion with a dose-dependent manner. Our results for the first time indicated that brucine could disrupt F-actin cytoskeleton and microtubule structure, thereby impairing hallmarks of aggressive tumors, like migration, invasion, and holding a possibility of suppressing vasculogenic mimicry. Hence, the inhibitory effect of brucine on vasculogenic mimicry was further verified. The results illustrated that brucine significantly suppressed vasculogenic mimicry tube formation with a dose-dependent effect indicated by the change of the number of tubules, intersections, and mean length of tubules. The in-depth molecular mechanism of vasculogenic mimicry suppression induced by brucine was finally suggested. It was demonstrated that brucine inhibited vasculogenic mimicry which might be through the downregulation of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma-A2 and matrix metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9.
Malignant Glioma in the Cerebellum Presenting as Multiple Small Lesions
Authors: Mamiya Takashi , Shimato Shinji , Nishizawa Toshihisa , Yamanouchi Takashi , Ishikawa Kojiro , Ito Makoto , Abe Masato , Kato Kyozo
Published: January 2019

Malignant glioma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults, usually occurs in supratentorial space as a single mass lesion, and cerebellar location and multiple appearance are uncommon. We report a case of a 69-year-old female with three lesions simultaneously found in the cerebellum on magnetic resonance images (MRIs) after suffering from gait disturbance. Two lesions were around 15 mm in size and the other one was observed as a spotty enhancement. Although MRI findings suggested brain metastases, whole body examinations denied any primary malignancies. Biopsy for one lesion in the cerebellum was performed, which resulted in pathological diagnosis of malignant astrocytoma. The lesions were considered multicentric glioma based on MRI definition. The treatment with temozolomide and whole brain radiation was completed. Although the patient was discharged in an independent state with the shrinkage of the tumors, she unexpectedly died following sudden loss of consciousness from an unknown cause one month after discharge. The coincidence of cerebellar location and multicentricity characterized by smallness is quite rare in glioma patients, and such MRI findings might be misleading for the diagnosis. We describe the details of the case and discuss the pathogenesis of this unique presentation of malignant glioma with the literatures.
KIR/HLA Gene Profile Implication in Systemic Sclerosis Patients from Mexico
Authors: Machado-Sulbaran Andrea Carolina , Ramírez-Dueñas María Guadalupe , Navarro-Zarza José Eduardo , Muñoz-Valle José Francisco , Mendoza-Carrera Francisco , Baños-Hernández Christian Johana , Parra-Rojas Isela , Montoya-Buelna Margarita , Sánchez-Hernández Pedro Ernesto
Published: January 2019

Introduction. Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune, inflammatory, and multisystemic disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and fibrosis. The pathogenesis involves the interaction between immune system cells such as macrophages, NK cells, T cells, and B cells. Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) are expressed in NK cells and some T cell subsets that recognize HLA class I molecules as ligands and are involved in regulating the activation and inhibition of these cells. The KIR family consists of 14 genes and two pseudogenes; according to the gene content, the genotype could be AA and Bx. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between KIR/HLA genes and genotypes with SSc and the clinical characteristics. Methods. We included 50 SSc patients and 90 Control Subjects (CS). Genotyping of KIR, HLA-C, -Bw4, and -A∗03/∗11 was made by SSP-PCR. Results. In SSc patients, a higher frequency of KIR2DL2 (p=0.0007, p′=0.011), KIR2DS4del (p=0.001, p′=0.021), and HLA-C2 (p=0.02, p′=0.09) was found. This is the first study to evaluate the frequency of HLA-A∗03/∗11 in SSc patients, of which a low frequency was found in both groups. Compound genotypes KIR2DL2+/HLA-C1+ or KIR2DL2+/HLA-C2+ have a higher frequency in SSc patients. The Bx genotype was the most frequent and was associated with risk to SSc (p=0.007, OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.4–7.9, p′=0.014). The genotypes with a higher iKIR number than aKIR (iKIR>aKIR) were found in all individuals; genotypes with 7-8 iKIR genes were increased in SSc patients. We do not find an association between the KIR genes with the clinical characteristics. Conclusion. The results suggest that KIR2DL2 and 2DS4del could have a risk role in the development of SSc, but not with clinical manifestations.
Towards Virtual VATS, Face, and Construct Evaluation for Peg Transfer Training of Box, VR, AR, and MR Trainer
Authors: Qin Zhibao , Tai Yonghang , Xia Chengqi , Peng Jun , Huang Xiaoqiao , Chen Zaiqing , Li Qiong , Shi Junsheng
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study is to develop and assess the peg transfer training module face, content and construct validation use of the box, virtual reality (VR), cognitive virtual reality (CVR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) trainer, thereby to compare advantages and disadvantages of these simulators. Training system (VatsSim-XR) design includes customized haptic-enabled thoracoscopic instruments, virtual reality helmet set, endoscope kit with navigation, and the patient-specific corresponding training environment. A cohort of 32 trainees comprising 24 novices and 8 experts underwent the real and virtual simulators that were conducted in the department of thoracic surgery of Yunnan First People’s Hospital. Both subjective and objective evaluations have been developed to explore the visual and haptic potential promotions in peg transfer education. Experiments and evaluation results conducted by both professional and novice thoracic surgeons show that the surgery skills from experts are better than novices overall, AR trainer is able to provide a more balanced training environments on visuohaptic fidelity and accuracy, box trainer and MR trainer demonstrated the best realism 3D perception and surgical immersive performance, respectively, and CVR trainer shows a better clinic effect that the traditional VR trainer. Combining these in a systematic approach, tuned with specific fidelity requirements, medical simulation systems would be able to provide a more immersive and effective training environment.
Friction Model of Industrial Robot Joint with Temperature Correction by Example of KUKA KR10
Authors: Nevmerzhitskiy Maksim N. , Notkin Boris S. , Vara Andrey V. , Zmeu Konstantin V.
Published: January 2019

The quality of industrial robots essentially depends on the properties of their kinematic couples. This research has involved conducting an experimental study of the friction torque in a joint of the KUKA KR10 industrial robot and building its model. It has been established that the largest impact on friction in the joint is caused by its axial load and velocity, as well as the temperature of the mechanism, which is generally not homogeneous. It is not possible to measure temperature fields in the joints of a serial industrial robot directly. This study has set forth a method to estimate friction torque taking into account the temperature factor indirectly. For this, we have used the motor temperature available for measuring in combination with special periodical motions, performed by the robot, during which we estimated the actual friction torque in the joint and calculated a temperature correction based on our findings.
Synchronous Ovarian and Breast Cancers with a Novel Variant in BRCA2 Gene: A Case Report
Authors: Llinás-Quintero Néstor , Cabrera-Florez Eduardo , Mendoza-Fandiño Gustavo , Matute-Turizo Gustavo , Vasquez-Trespalacios Elsa M. , Gallón-Villegas Luis J.
Published: January 2019

We report a case of a 52-year-old female with a family history of pancreatic and colon cancers who presented with a right breast mass positive for high-grade medullar carcinoma with triple-negative biomolecular profile. Further workup was performed finding a left ovarian mass. The patient underwent laparotomy performing optimal cytoreduction on bilateral ovarian tumors; the pathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed bilateral ovary adenocarcinoma with positive peritoneal malignancy. Due to her synchronic breast and ovarian cancers, a genetic profile was performed detecting a new pathogenic variant in the BRCA2 gene: c.3606_3607del (p.Ser1203Cysfs). She was given chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel obtaining complete clinical response. Regarding her breast cancer, she had a right modified radical mastectomy and prophylactic left mastectomy obtaining complete clinical response. This case presents with an unusual subtype and difficult histologic diagnosis of a synchronic medullar breast cancer and ovary carcinoma associated with a new mutation of the BRCA2 gene.
Distance-Based Congestion Pricing with Day-to-Day Dynamic Traffic Flow Evolution Process
Authors: Cheng Qixiu , Xing Jiping , Yi Wendy , Liu Zhiyuan , Fu Xiao
Published: January 2019

This paper studies the distance-based congestion pricing in a network considering the day-to-day dynamic traffic flow evolution process. It is well known that, after an implementation or adjustment of a new congestion toll scheme, the network environment will change and traffic flows will be nonequilibrium in the following days; thus it is not suitable to take the equilibrium-based indexes as the objective of the congestion toll. In the context of nonequilibrium state, prior research proposed a mini–max regret model to solve the distance-based congestion pricing problem in a network considering day-to-day dynamics. However, it is computationally demanding due to the calculation of minimal total travel cost for each day among the whole planning horizon. Therefore, in order to overcome the expensive computational burden problem and make the robust toll scheme more practical, we propose a new robust optimization model in this paper. The essence of this model, which is an extension of our prior work, is to optimize the worst condition among the whole planning period and ameliorate severe traffic congestions in some bad days. Firstly, a piecewise linear function is adopted to formulate the nonlinear distance toll, which can be encapsulated to a day-to-day dynamics context. A very clear and concise model named logit-type Markov adaptive learning model is then proposed to depict commuters’ day-to-day route choice behaviors. Finally, a robust optimization model which minimizes the maximum total travel cost among the whole planning horizon is formulated and a modified artificial bee colony algorithm is developed for the robust optimization model.
A Composite Guidance Law for Suppressing Measurement Noise of LOS Angular Rate
Authors: Chen Feng , He Guangjun , He Qifang
Published: January 2019

To effectively intercept a low‐altitude target in clutter background, a nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode guidance law is designed. The designed guidance law can fully exploit the fast convergence characteristics of linear sliding mode control and the finite‐time‐convergent characteristics of terminal sliding mode control to ensure that the line‐of‐sight (LOS) angle converges to a desired angle in a limited time at a faster rate. Utilizing the smooth switching characteristics of the hyperbolic tangent function similar to the saturation function, a finite‐time‐convergent differentiator is designed. Meanwhile, a new finite‐time‐convergent disturbance observer designed on the tracking differentiator can effectively track the ideal LOS angular rate, suppress the measurement noise, and make a smooth estimation of the target maneuvering acceleration in clutter background. Combining the estimated value of the disturbance observer, the sign function with switch coefficient is introduced to design a composite nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode guidance law. The simulation results show that the composite guidance law can not only effectively suppress the measurement noise of the LOS angular rate and improve the accuracy of low‐altitude target intercepting, but also greatly reduce the energy consumption in the interception process.
Chromatography Based Metabolomics andIn SilicoScreening ofGymnema sylvestreLeaf Extract for Its Antidiabetic Potential
Authors: Parveen Shabana , Ansari Mohd Hafizur Rehman , Parveen Rabea , Khan Washim , Ahmad Sayeed , Husain Syed Akhtar
Published: January 2019

Gymnema sylvestre, popularly known as gurmar, is extensively used in traditional systems of medicine for diabetes, stomach ailments, liver diseases, and cardiac disorders. Dried leaf powder ofG. sylvestrewas extracted through soxhlation using 70% (v/v) alcohol. The hydroalcoholic extract was concentrated to 1/4th of its volume and basified to isolate gymnemic acid enriched extract using chloroform. The isolated extract was checked for its antioxidant potential against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), which showed scavenging activity of 82.31% at 80 μg/mL of extract. Quality control analysis of the extract was carried out by TLC. Chloroform and methanol (9.5:0.5, v/v) were used as a solvent system and separated compounds were detected at 254 and 366 nm. A total of 13 metabolites were separated. However, major peaks were atRf0.12, 0.69, 0.79, and 0.85. Further, UPLC-MS fingerprinting of the extract was done using acetonitrile and 0.5% formic acid in water as mobile phase in gradient elution mode. A total of 21 metabolites were separated and tentatively identified from the database. Deacyl gymnemic acid and quercetin are the two major metabolites found in the extract. Gymnemic acid, deacyl gymnemic acid, and quercetin were docked with ten different proteins associated with glucose metabolism, transport, and glucose utilization. It has been observed that gymnemic acid was more potent than deacyl gymnemic acid in terms of binding affinity towards proteins and showed a favorable interaction with amino acid residues at the active site. Thus, the present study gives an insight of identified metabolites with protein interaction and a reason for the hypoglycemic potential of deacyl gymnemic acid enriched extract, which can be further explored forin vitroandin vivostudies to establish its phytopharmacological and therapeutic effect.
Longitudinal Reservoir Evaluation Technique for Tight Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Luo Yutian , Yang Zhengming , Tang Zhenxing , Zhou Sibin , Wu Jinwei , Xiao Qianhua
Published: January 2019

Reservoir evaluation is a method for classifying reservoirs and the description of heterogeneity quantitatively. In this study, according to the characteristics of longitudinal physical properties of tight oil reservoirs, advanced experimental techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance, high pressure mercury intrusion, and X-ray diffraction were adopted; the flow capacity, reservoir capacity, ability to build an effective displacement system, and the ability to resist damage in reservoir reconstruction were considered as evaluation indexes; average throat radius, percentage of movable fluid, start-up pressure gradient, and the content of clay minerals were taken as the evaluation parameters. On the above basis, a longitudinal evaluation technique for tight oil reservoirs was established. The reservoir was divided into four categories by using this method. The reservoirs with a depth 2306.54 m–2362.07 m were mainly type I and II reservoirs, and the reservoirs with a depth of 2362.07 m–2391.30 m were mainly reservoirs of type II and III. The most effective development was water injection in the upper section and gas injection in the lower section.
Synchronous Gastrointestinal Tumor and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or Dissection Treated with Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Followed by Tumor Resection
Authors: Zhang Bo , Wu Ketong , Liu Yang , Lai Haiyang , Zeng Zhaofei
Published: January 2019

Objective. To evaluate the strategy in the management of patients with synchronous gastrointestinal tumor and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or abdominal aortic dissection (AAD) undergoing endovascular repair followed by tumor resection. Materials and Methods. Five patients with synchronous gastrointestinal tumor and AAA or AAD were treated by endovascular repair followed by tumor resection. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed with respect to the management strategy, safety, and outcome. Results. Endovascular repair was technically successful in all patients. All the stents were well positioned and well patent, and the AAA (n=3) or AAD (n=2) were correctly excluded without endoleaks. After endovascular repair, all patients underwent resection of gastrointestinal tumor. No late mortality or major complications related to the two procedures were observed in the subsequent follow-up. Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that EVAR could significantly shorten the delay between AAA and gastrointestinal procedure with an excellent postoperative outcome. If the anatomical criteria are satisfied, EVAR followed by tumor resection might be an effective treatment for concomitant AAA and gastrointestinal tumor.
Meta-Analysis of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Ruzieh Mohammed , Foy Andrew J. , Aboujamous Nader M. , Moroi Morgan K. , Naccarelli Gerald V. , Ghahramani Mehrdad , Kanjwal Shaffi , Marine Joseph E. , Kanjwal Khalil
Published: January 2019

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are two common conditions that often coexist and predispose each to one another. AF increases hospitalization rates and overall mortality in patients with HF. The current available therapeutic options for AF in patients with HF are diverse and guidelines do not provide a clear consensus regarding the best management approach. To determine if catheter ablation for AF is superior to medical therapy alone in patients with coexisting HF, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis. The primary outcomes evaluated are left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ) scores, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance, heart failure hospitalizations, and mortality. The results are presented as a mean difference for continuous outcome measures and odds ratios for dichotomous outcomes (using Mantel-Haenszel random effects model). 7 full texts met inclusion criteria, including 856 patients. AF catheter ablation was associated with a significant increase in LVEF (mean difference 6.8%; 95% CI: 3.5 – 10.1; P<0.001) and 6MWT (mean difference 29.3; 95% CI: 11.8 – 46.8; P = 0.001), and improvement in MLWHFQ (mean difference -12.1; 95% CI: -20.9 – -3.3; P = 0.007). The risk of all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the AF ablation arm (OR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.31 – 0.77; P = 0.002). In conclusion, atrial fibrillation ablation in patients with systolic heart failure is associated with significant improvement in LVEF, quality of life, 6MWT, and overall mortality.
Mechanism by Which Backfill Body Reduces Amount of Energy Released in Deep Coal Mining
Authors: Qi Wenyue , Zhang Jixiong , Zhou Nan , Wu Zhongya , Zhang Jun
Published: January 2019

Deep coal mining is unavoidable, and the complex mining environments and the increasing dangers associated with ultrahigh energy accumulation and release from mining disturbances renders it extremely difficult to maintain a safe and stable stope. Solid backfilling technology directly uses coal gangue and other solid wastes in the mining area to fill the gob after mining. Support from the backfill body can inhibit the movement of overlying rock strata and significantly alleviate the influence of mining. In this study, the correlations between the deformation of gangue filling material and the characteristics of energy dissipation were examined under lateral uniaxial compression. The strain energy density distributions of backfilling and caving mining methods were simulated using numerical modeling. The results showed that the strain energy density distribution of backfilling mining was less concentrated, and its peak value was lower than that of caving mining by 51.0%, indicating that backfilling could effectively reduce the amount of energy released from mining rocks. The dense backfill mining area of the No. 9301 face in Tangkou Coal Mine was used as a case study. Measures for controlling the backfill body compaction for reducing the amount of energy released from mining rocks were proposed. These measures include optimizing the support structure and filling material formula, controlling the preroof subsidence, and ensuring an appropriate number of tamping strokes. The monitoring results of the backfilling quality, surface subsidence, and microseismic energy of No. 9301 working face in Tangkou Coal Mine showed that when the backfill body filling ratio control value was 82.28%, the total number of microseisms and the amount of energy released from the mining working face were significantly lower compared to those of the caving method. This study demonstrated that the backfill body could effectively reduce the amount of energy released from mining rocks, thereby realizing management of mine earthquake and sustainable deep coal mining.
Ultrasonographic Assessment with Three-Dimensional Mode of the Urethral Compression Effect following Sling Surgery with and without Mesh Surgery
Authors: Lin Kun-Ling , Juan Yung-Shun , Chou Shih-hsiang , Long Cheng-Yu
Published: January 2019

Background. The aim of this study was to assess anatomical changes in the urethra at rest and during straining following sling surgery with and without transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM) in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with or without pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using three-dimensional ultrasonography. Methods. 76 women with SUI with or without pelvic organ prolapse after sling surgery. They underwent sling surgery alone (S group, n=36) or concomitant TVM (M group, n=40). All patients underwent urinalysis, pelvic examinations, urodynamic study, 3D perineal ultrasonography, and personal interviews before and 1 year after surgery. The urethral area was calculated from the axial plane of perineal ultrasonography by multiplying π by the long and short axes of the urethral lumen. Results. The axial area of the middle and distal urethra during straining was significantly smaller than at rest in both groups (P<0.001). In addition, the length of the short axis of the proximal urethra was significantly shorter in those undergoing sling surgery alone during straining compared with those undergoing concomitant sling and mesh surgery (P<0.001). Conclusions. There was a greater impact on the proximal urethra in women who underwent sling surgery alone than those who underwent sling and TVM surgery together.
Investigation on SIW Slot Antenna Array with Beam Scanning Ability
Authors: Li Yanfei , Li Yang
Published: January 2019

A sparse substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) slot antenna array and its application on phase scanning are studied in this paper. The genetic algorithm is used to optimize the best arrangement for 8-element and 7-element sparse arrays over an aperture of 4.5λ0. Antenna arrays with feeding networks, for steering the main beam pointing to 0° and −15°, are demonstrated with the SIW technology. The comparison between the sparse array and the conventional uniformly spaced array with the same aperture are presented, which suggest that the same beam width can be obtained with the gain decreased by 0.5 or 1 dBi and the number of element reduced by 2 or 3, respectively. The sparse antenna array with beam scanning ability presented in this paper shows that, while the beam scanning in the range of ±15°, the gain fluctuation is less than 0.3 dBi and the side lobe level is lower than −10 dB.
Microbial Agents as Putative Inducers of B Cell Lymphoma in Sjögren’s Syndrome through an Impaired Epigenetic Control: The State-of-The-Art
Authors: Talotta Rossella , Sarzi-Puttini Piercarlo , Atzeni Fabiola
Published: January 2019

Introduction. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is crucially important in order to be able to discriminate the steps that lead to B cell transformation and promptly identify the patients at risk of lymphomagenesis. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the evidence concerning the role that infections or dysbiosis plays in the epigenetic control of gene expression in SS patients and their possible involvement in B cell lymphomagenesis. Materials and Methods. We searched the PubMed and Google Scholar databases and selected a total of 92 articles published during the last 25 years that describe experimental and clinical studies of the potential associations of microbiota and epigenetic aberrations with the risk of B cell lymphoma in SS patients. Results and Discussion. The genetic background of SS patients is characterized by the hyperexpression of genes that are mainly involved in regulating the innate and adaptive immune responses and oncogenesis. In addition, salivary gland epithelial cells and lymphocytes both have an altered epigenetic background that enhances the activation of proinflammatory and survival pathways. Dysbiosis or chronic latent infections may tune the immune response and modify the cell epigenetic machinery in such a way as to give B lymphocytes an activated or transformed phenotype. It is also worth noting that transposable integrated retroelements may participate in the pathogenesis of SS and B cell lymphomagenesis by inducing DNA breaks, modulating cell gene expression, or generating aberrant transcripts that chronically stimulate the immune system. Conclusions. Microorganisms may epigenetically modify target cells and induce their transcriptome to generate an activated or transformed phenotype. The occurrence of lymphoma in more than 15% of SS patients may be the end result of a combination of genetics, epigenetics, and dysbiosis or latent infections.
Applying Human Factors Engineering Methods for Risk Assessment of a Neonatal Incubator
Authors: Ribeiro Custódio Renata Aparecida , Trzesniak Clarissa , Pinto Ribeiro Miranda Renata , Donda Angelini Guilherme Henrique , Bordón Jade Souza , Santos Vieira Leila Cristina , Pereira Mello Carlos Henrique
Published: January 2019

This research aimed to find main users, frequent utilized tasks, major usability problems, and the context of use of a neonatal incubator (NI) present in a neonatal intensive care unit from a Brazilian hospital and to find out the problems faced by a new user. The chosen methods were the heuristics analysis, contextual investigation, and usability test (UT). Nurses and technicians are the main users of NIs. The predominant contexts of use are the admission of newborns and the replacement of the equipment. Eight selected tasks were performed in the UT, and the most significant problems refer to alarms and configuration of the Air and Skin Modes, because the interface is not intuitive to novice users. Therefore, mitigating errors should be an investment in human factor engineering methods from the beginning of the product development process to the training of the main users.
Right Sided Intracardiac Thrombosis during Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Bhat Anusha Ganapati , Golchin Armand , Pasupula Deepak Kumar , Hernandez-Montfort Jaime A.
Published: January 2019

Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation is a common technology of the modern era used as a bridge in severe refractory cardiac and respiratory failure until definitive management is planned. However, early recognition and management of one of the most challenging complications, intracardiac thrombus, continue to remain a conundrum. The incidence of the clinical scenario is very rare. Therefore, due to the lack of literature, there are no guidelines for risk stratification, prevention, or management of intracardiac thrombus. We describe a case of massive pulmonary embolism, who developed a sudden right sided intra-cardiac thrombosis while being optimally anticoagulated on VA ECMO. We also review the literature to describe the pathophysiology, risk stratification, prevention, and management of this rare entity.
Topical Review: Basic Psychological Needs in Adolescents with Chronic Pain—A Self-Determination Perspective
Authors: Riggenbach Annina , Goubert Liesbet , Van Petegem Stijn , Amouroux Rémy
Published: January 2019

This topical review outlines the resilience pathway to adaptive functioning in pediatric pain within a developmental perspective. Self-Determination Theory proposes that the satisfaction of one’s basic psychological needs (for autonomy, relatedness, and competence) is crucial for understanding human flourishing and healthy development. However, the role of the basic psychological needs received little attention in a pediatric-pain population. Yet, we propose that need satisfaction may be a resilience factor and need frustration a risk factor, for living with chronic pain. In this topical review, we first discuss two major models that have been developed to understand pain-related disability: the fear-avoidance model of pain and the ecological resilience-risk model in pediatric chronic pain. Both models have been used with children and adolescents but do not include a developmental perspective. Therefore, we introduce Self-Determination Theory and highlight the potentially moderating and mediating role of the basic needs on pain-related disability in children and adolescents. Taken together, we believe that Self-Determination Theory is compatible with the fear-avoidance model of pain and the ecological resilience-risk model in pediatric chronic pain and may deepen our understanding of why some adolescents are able to live adaptively in spite of chronic pain.
Visualizing the Distribution of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Ischemic Brain Using In Vivo19F-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging
Authors: Huber Vincent J. , Igarashi Hironaka , Ueki Satoshi , Terumitsu-Tsujita Mika , Nito Chikako , Ohno Ken , Suzuki Yuji , Itoh Kosuke , Kwee Ingrid L. , Nakada Tsutomu
Published: January 2019

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) damage the neurovascular unit, promote the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption following ischemic stroke, and play essential roles in hemorrhagic transformation (HT), which is one of the most severe side effects of thrombolytic therapy. However, no biomarkers have presently been identified that can be used to track changes in the distribution of MMPs in the brain. Here, we developed a new19F-molecular ligand, TGF-019, for visualizing the distribution of MMPs in vivo using19F-magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (19F-MRSI). We demonstrated TGF-019 has sufficient sensitivity for the specific MMPs suspected in evoking HT during ischemic stroke, i.e., MMP2, MMP9, and MMP3. We then utilized it to assess those MMPs at 22 to 24 hours after experimental focal cerebral ischemia on MMP2-null mice, as well as wild-type mice with and without the systemic administration of the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). The19F-MRSI of TGN-019-administered mice showed high signal intensity within ischemic lesions that correlated with total MMP2 and MMP9 activity, which was confirmed by zymographic analysis of ischemic tissues. Based on the results of this study,19F-MRSI following TGN-019 administration can be used to assess potential therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke.
Aerobic Training Associated with Arginine Supplementation Reduces Collagen-Induced Platelet Hyperaggregability in Rats under High Risk to Develop Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Motta Nadia A. V. , Fumian Milla M. , Medeiros Renata F. , Lima Gabriel F. , Scaramello Christianne B. V. , Oliveira Karen J. , Nóbrega Antonio C. L. , Brito Fernanda C. F.
Published: January 2019

Background. Increased platelet response is seen in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Previous reports have shown that arginine supplementation and aerobic exercise training enhance vascular nitric oxide (NO) activity and inhibit platelet hyperaggregability; however, the effects of their association remain unknown.Aim. To investigate whether arginine supplementation and aerobic exercise association may exert beneficial effects, reducing platelet hyperaggregability in rats under high risk to develop metabolic syndrome.Methods. Wistar rats were divided into two groups: control (C) and fructose (F – water with 10% of fructose). After two weeks, the F group was subdivided into four groups: F, the same as before; fructose + arginine (FA – 880 mg/kg/day of L-arginine by gavage); fructose + training (FT); and fructose + arginine + training (FTA). Treatment lasted for eight weeks.Results. The fructose administration was able to increase the collagen-induced platelet aggregation (27.4 ± 2.7%) when compared to the C group (8.0 ± 3.4%). Although the arginine supplementation (32.2 ± 6.3%) or aerobic training (23.8 ± 6.5%) did not promote any change in platelet collagen-induced hyperaggregability, the association of arginine supplementation and aerobic exercise promoted an inhibition of the platelet hyperaggregability induced by fructose administration (13.9 ± 4.4%) (P<0.05). These effects were not observed when ADP was employed as an agonist. In addition, arginine supplementation associated with aerobic exercise promoted a decrease in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) serum levels when compared to the fructose group, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect.Conclusions. Our data indicate an important role of arginine supplementation associated with aerobic exercise, reducing platelet hyperaggregability and inflammatory biomarker levels in rats under high risk to develop metabolic syndrome.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis Revealing a Severe Hypertriglyceridemia and Acute Pancreatitis in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Zaher Fatima Zahra , Boubagura Imane , Rafi Sana , Elmghari Ghizlane , Elansari Nawal
Published: January 2019

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening acute metabolic complication occurring in patients with diabetes, especially in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), due to an insulin deficiency. Moderate hypertriglyceridemia is commonly observed in DKA but severe hypertriglyceridemia with a triglyceride level exceeding 10g/L is very rarely reported. We report a case of a 14-year-old boy who had type 1 diabetes for 4 years treated with insulin therapy, also having adrenal insufficiency treated with hydrocortisone who presented with ketoacidosis and excruciating abdominal pain. Investigations revealed hypertriglyceridemia at 64g/L, lipasemia at 1000 U/L, and stage E pancreatitis on abdominal CT. The patient was treated with intravenous insulin, rehydration, and fenofibrate with good clinical and biological evolution. Severe hypertriglyceridemia causing pancreatitis in type 1 diabetes mellitus is a rare but very serious complication of DKA in children.
Skin-Resident γδ T Cells Exhibit Site-Specific Morphology and Activation States
Authors: Marshall Abigail S. , Silva Jaqueline Raymondi , Bannerman Courtney A. , Gilron Ian , Ghasemlou Nader
Published: January 2019

Skin-resident γδ T cells play an important role in maintaining the immune barrier at the epithelial surface. Their roles in wound healing, regulation of immune response to injury, and reepithelialization have been characterized extensively in the mouse, though their function in human skin remains largely unknown. Human skin-resident γδ T cells sparsely populate the skin and are often small and rounded in appearance. Those in the mouse ear and back, which line the dermal barrier, are highly arborized cells with many processes extending from the cell body. To date, these cells have been studied primarily in the mouse ear and back; however, it is important to further identify and characterize γδ T cells in other body sites to better understand their function and study their contribution to injury and disease. We developed a novel method to visualize these cells in the skin (whole-mount and cryosections) that when combined with flow cytometry allowed us to assess differences in skin-resident γδ T cell numbers, morphology, and activation state in the ear, back, and footpad (chosen for their importance in immunological and pain research). In comparing cell length, number of dendritic processes, and expression of the activation marker CD69, we found that γδ T cell morphology and activation states vary significantly among the three tissue environments. Specifically, γδ T cells in the footpad are smaller, have fewer processes, and show the highest levels of activation compared to back- and ear-resident cells. Our observations suggest that our understanding of skin-resident γδ T cell functionality, drawn from the experiments performed in the ear and back tissue, may not be applicable to all skin environments. The footpad-resident cells also more closely resemble γδ T cells in human skin, suggesting that cells in this tissue environment may serve as a better translational model when studying γδ T cell function/activity.
Mathematical Modeling for Pharmaco-Kinetic and -Dynamic Predictions from Controlled Drug Release NanoSystems: A Comparative Parametric Study
Authors: Panotopoulos Grigorios P. , Haidar Ziyad S.
Published: January 2019

Predicting pharmacokinetics, based on the theory of dynamic systems, for an administered drug (whether intravenously, orally, intramuscularly, etc.), is an industrial and clinical challenge. Often, mathematical modeling of pharmacokinetics is preformed using only a measured concentration time profile of a drug administered in plasma and/or in blood. Yet, in dynamic systems, mathematical modeling (linear) uses both a mathematically described drug administration and a mathematically described body response to the administered drug. In the present work, we compare several mathematical models well known in the literature for simulating controlled drug release kinetics using available experimental data sets obtained in real systems with different drugs and nanosized carriers. We employed the χ2 minimization method and concluded that the Korsmeyer–Peppas model (or power-law model) provides the best ﬁt, in all cases (the minimum value of χ2 per degree of freedom; χmin2/d.o.f. = 1.4183, with 2 free parameters or m = 2). Hence, (i) better understanding of the exact mass transport mechanisms involved in drugs release and (ii) quantitative prediction of drugs release can be computed and simulated. We anticipate that this work will help devise optimal pharmacokinetic and dynamic release systems, with measured variable properties, at nanoscale, characterized to target specific diseases and conditions.
Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphatase 1 Expression Reduces 18F-FDG Uptake in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Ruohua , Zhou Xiang , Huang Gang , Liu Jianjun
Published: January 2019

Purpose. To determine the relationship between fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1) expression and fluorine 18 (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and to investigate how 18F-FDG uptake and FBP1 expression are related to tumor metabolism and tumor differentiation grade. Materials and Methods. A total of 54 patients with ccRCC underwent 18F-FDG combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) before tumor resection. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) for the primary tumor was calculated from the 18F-FDG uptake. The relationship between SUVmax of primary tumor and the expression of FBP1, hexokinase 2 (HK2), and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) was analyzed via immunohistochemical analysis. Results. We identified an inverse relationship between FBP1 expression and SUVmax (P=0.031). SUVmax was higher in patients with high-grade ccRCC (mean, 11.6 ± 5.0) than in those with low-grade ccRCC (mean, 3.8 ± 1.6, P<0.001). FBP1 expression was significantly lower in patients with high-grade ccRCC (mean, 0.23 ± 0.1) than in those with low-grade ccRCC (mean, 0.57 ± 0.08; P=0.018). FBP1 status could be predicted with an accuracy of 66.7% when a SUVmax cutoff value of 3.55 was used. GLUT1 expression in ccRCC was positively correlated with 18F-FDG uptake and FBP1 status, whereas HK2 expression was not. Conclusion. SUVmax in patients with ccRCC is inversely associated with the expression of FBP1, and FBP1 may inhibit 18F-FDG uptake via regulating GLUT1. SUVmax is higher in patients with high-grade ccRCC than in those with low-grade ccRCC, which could be the result of lower FBP1 expression in patients with high-grade ccRCC.