bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of technique failure and mortality on peritoneal dialysis: An analysis of New Zealand peritoneal dialysis registry data
Authors: Hayat Ashik , Saweirs Walaa
Published: November 2020

Aim

Technique failure is a major disadvantage associated with peritoneal dialysis (PD). This study aimed to analyse the demographic and risk predictors of technique failure and mortality in patients on PD.

Methods

All incidental PD patients registered on the New Zealand Peritoneal dialysis registry (NZPDR) from January 1995 to December 2014 were included in the study. The primary outcomes were time to technique failure and its specific causes, while as the secondary outcome was time to death. Risk predictors of technique failure and mortality were analysed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression model. Besides, competitive risk regression analysis was undertaken to analyse the effect of death as a competing event to technique failure.

Results

Of 6379 patients, there were 2993 (46.9%) episodes of technique failure and 2684 (42%) deaths. The crude technique failure and mortality rates were 165 ± 5.90 and 147.9 ± 5.50 (mean ± SD)/1000 patient‐years, respectively. Hazards of technique failure were lower in older individuals above 60 years, HR 0.72 (95% CI 0.67‐0.79), larger centres, HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.79‐1.00) and higher with coiled catheters, HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.16‐1.37). Early nephrology referral, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and Asian ethnicities were associated with better technique survival. Infections were the major cause of technique failure (58.4%) with peritonitis being the leading cause (30.2%).

Conclusion

There are multiple factors associated with risk of technique failure, therefore it is persuasive to construct a mathematical model for early prediction, for a planned transition to HD.
NtMYB12a acts downstream of sucrose to inhibit fatty acid accumulation by targeting lipoxygenase and SFAR genes in tobacco
Authors: Wang Zhong , Li Ze Feng , Wang Shan Shan , Xiao Yan Song , Xie Xiao Dong , Wu Ming Zhu , Yu Jin Long , Cheng Li Rui , Yang Ai Guo , Yang Jun
Published: November 2020

MYB12 promotes flavonol biosynthesis in plants by targeting several early biosynthesis genes (EBGs) of this pathway. The transcriptions of these EBGs are also induced by sucrose signal. However, whether MYB12 is activated by sucrose signal and what the other roles MYB12 has in regulating plant metabolism are poorly understood. In this study, two NtMYB12 genes were cloned from Nicotiana tabacum. Both NtMYB12a and NtMYB12b are involved in regulating flavonoids biosynthesis in tobacco. NtMYB12a is further shown to inhibit the accumulation of fatty acid (FA) in tobacco leaves and seeds. Post‐translational activation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate that NtMYB12a directly promotes the transcriptions of NtLOX6, NtLOX5, NtSFAR4 and NtGDSL2, which encode lipoxygenase (LOX) or SFAR enzymes catalyzing the degradation of FA. NtLOX6 and NtLOX5 are shown to prevent the accumulation of FA in the mature seeds and significantly reduced the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in tobacco. Sucrose stimulates the transcription of NtMYB12a, and loss function of NtMYB12a partially suppresses the decrease of FA content in tobacco seedlings caused by sucrose treatment. The regulation of sucrose on the expression of NtLOX6 and NtGDSL2 genes is mediated by NtMYB12a, whereas those of NtLOX5 and NtSFAR4 genes are independent of sucrose.
Small mammal responses to wetland restoration in the Greater Everglades ecosystem
Authors: Romañach Stephanie S. , D'Acunto Laura E. , Chapman Julia P. , Hanson Matthew R.
Published: November 2020

Wetlands have experienced dramatic losses in extent around the world, disrupting ecosystem function, habitat, and biodiversity. In Florida's Greater Everglades, a massive restoration effort costing billions of dollars and spanning multiple decades is underway. As Everglades restoration is implemented in incremental projects, scientists and planners monitor the outcomes of projects. In this study, we evaluated the progress of a restoration project in the southwestern Everglades. We aimed to determine whether the presence and density of small mammals differed between areas with the hydrologic restoration of the ecosystem and areas without restoration. Our three focal species were: marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), and cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus). Using spatially explicit capture‐recapture models, we found greater densities of cotton mouse in restored habitat and lower densities of hispid cotton rat in sites with higher water levels. In addition, we found an increase in the presence of the marsh rice rat in restored areas compared to unrestored, but captures were too low to reliably assess significance. Our study provides evidence that ongoing restoration in the southwestern Everglades is already impacting the small mammal community.
Sequential Aggregation of Probabilistic Forecasts—Application to Wind Speed Ensemble Forecasts
Authors: Zamo Michaël , Bel Liliane , Mestre Olivier
Published: November 2020

In numerical weather prediction (NWP), the uncertainty about the future state of the atmosphere is described by a set of forecasts (called an ensemble). All ensembles have deficiencies that can be corrected via statistical post-processing methods. Several ensembles, based on different NWP models, exist and may be corrected using different statistical methods. These raw or post-processed ensembles can thus be combined. The theory of prediction with expert advice allows us to build combination algorithms with theoretical guarantees on the forecast performance. We adapt this theory to the case of probabilistic forecasts issued as stepwise cumulative distribution functions, computed from raw and post-processed ensembles. The theory is applied to combine wind speed ensemble forecasts. The second goal of this study is to explore the use of two forecast performance criteria: the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) and the Jolliffe–Primo test. The usual way to build skilful probabilistic forecasts is to minimize the CRPS. Minimizing the CRPS may not produce reliable forecasts according to the Jolliffe–Primo test. The Jolliffe–Primo test generally selects reliable forecasts, but could lead to issuing suboptimal forecasts in terms of CRPS. We propose to use both criteria to achieve reliable and skilful probabilistic forecasts.
Controls on fluvial meander‐belt thickness and sand distribution: Insights from forward stratigraphic modelling
Authors: Yan Na , Colombera Luca , Mountney Nigel P.
Published: November 2020

Fluvial point‐bar evolution commonly involves multiple stages of bar development driven by changes in the style of meander transformations. Complicated planform morphologies are widely recognized in remote‐sensing imagery, but the relationships between meander‐bend evolutionary behaviour and stratigraphic architecture, facies distribution, and sand volumes remain poorly understood. This study applies a geometric forward stratigraphic model (Point‐Bar Sedimentary Architecture Numerical Deduction – ‘PB‐SAND’) to simulate the internal sedimentary architecture of 24 meander‐belt segments that evolved via a broad range of meander‐bend transformation styles. Modelling inputs are constrained by channel trajectories inferred from high‐resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) datasets, lithological information from a sedimentological database (Fluvial Architecture Knowledge Transfer System – ‘FAKTS’) and geological knowledge of trends in point‐bar lithology (for example, decrease in sand proportion with sinuosity, downstream of bend apices, and beyond the transition from point‐bar to counter‐point‐bar deposits) and in channel bathymetry (depth variations across pools and riffles). Modelling results are used to explore how the relative distribution of sand and mud is controlled by the styles of point‐bar transformation, quantified by the relative degree of meander translation versus expansion, and by the amount of bend rotation. The 24 models are classified into three groups based on cluster analysis of their mean migration angle, mean apex rotation, mean sinuosity, standard deviation of channel circular variance and preservation ratio; these quantities are known to be controlled by meander transformation types. Quantitative comparisons across these groups and relationships between metrics of planform change and quantifications of point‐bar deposits demonstrate how meander planform evolution controls point‐bar thickness and sand volume. Locally, the thickness of sand in bar deposits is controlled by the interplay of facies trends and spatial variations in bar thickness that reflect bathymetric changes, both related to local hydrodynamics. The proposed workflow establishes linkages between planform morphologies and three‐dimensional facies distributions; it can be employed to characterize the distribution of subsurface porous volumes where the planform history of meander bends can be reconstructed.
A highly conserved glutamic acid in ALFY inhibits membrane binding to aid in aggregate clearance
Authors: Reinhart Erin F. , Litt Nicole A. , Katzenell Sarah , Pellegrini Maria , Yamamoto Ai , Ragusa Michael J.
Published: November 2020

Autophagy‐linked FYVE protein (ALFY) is a large, multidomain protein involved in the degradation of protein aggregates by selective autophagy. The C‐terminal FYVE domain of ALFY has been shown to bind phosphatidylinositol 3‐phosphate (PI(3)P); however, ALFY only partially colocalizes with other FYVE domains in cells. Thus, we asked if the FYVE domain of ALFY has distinct membrane binding properties compared to other FYVE domains and whether these properties might affect its function in vivo. We found that the FYVE domain of ALFY binds weakly to PI(3)P containing membranes in vitro. This weak binding is the result of a highly conserved glutamic acid within the membrane insertion loop in the FYVE domain of ALFY that is not present in any other human FYVE domain. In addition, not only does this glutamic acid reduce binding to membranes in vitro and inhibits its targeting to membranes in vivo, but it is also important for the ability of ALFY to clear protein aggregates.
Taxonomic and Functional Shifts in the Sprout Spent Irrigation Water Microbiome in Response to
Salmonella
Contamination of Alfalfa Seeds
Authors: Zheng Jie , Reed Elizabeth , Ramachandran Padmini , Ottesen Andrea , Brown Eric W. , Wang Yu
Published: November 2020

Interactions of human enteric pathogens like
Salmonella
with plants and plant microbiomes remain to be elucidated. The rapid development of next-generation sequencing technologies provides powerful tools enabling investigation of such interactions from broader and deeper perspectives.
The Entner-Doudoroff Pathway Is an Essential Metabolic Route for Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C
Authors: He Lian , Groom Joseph D. , Lidstrom Mary E.
Published: November 2020

The gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs possess a unique central metabolic architecture where methane and other reduced C1 carbon sources are assimilated through the ribulose monophosphate cycle. Although efforts have been made to better understand methanotrophic metabolism in these bacteria via experimental and computational approaches, many questions remain unanswered.
Analysis of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Titers of Recovered COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Gold Jeffrey E. , Baumgartl William H. , Okyay Ramazan A. , Licht Warren E. , Fidel Paul L. , Noverr Mairi C. , Tilley Larry P. , Hurley David J. , Rada Balázs , Ashford John W.
Published: November 2020

COVID-19 has presented various paradoxes that, if understood better, may provide clues to controlling the pandemic, even before a COVID-19 vaccine is widely available. First, young children are largely spared from severe disease. Second, numerous countries have COVID-19 death rates that are as low as 1% of the death rates of other countries. Third, many people, despite prolonged close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive, never test positive themselves. Fourth, nearly half of people who test positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic. Some researchers have theorized that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may be responsible for these disparities. The significance of our study is that it showed that mumps titers related to the MMR II vaccine are significantly and inversely correlated with the severity of COVID-19-related symptoms, supporting the theorized association between the MMR vaccine and COVID-19 severity.
Potential Rhodopsin- and Bacteriochlorophyll-Based Dual Phototrophy in a High Arctic Glacier
Authors: Zeng Yonghui , Chen Xihan , Madsen Anne Mette , Zervas Athanasios , Nielsen Tue Kjærgaard , Andrei Adrian-Stefan , Lund-Hansen Lars Chresten , Liu Yongqin , Hansen Lars Hestbjerg
Published: November 2020

Over the course of evolution for billions of years, bacteria that are capable of light-driven energy production have occupied every corner of surface Earth where sunlight can reach. Only two general biological systems have evolved in bacteria to be capable of net energy conservation via light harvesting: one is based on the pigment of (bacterio-)chlorophyll and the other is based on proton-pumping rhodopsin. There is emerging genomic evidence that these two rather different systems can coexist in a single bacterium to take advantage of their contrasting characteristics in the number of genes involved, biosynthesis cost, ease of expression control, and efficiency of energy production and thus enhance the capability of exploiting solar energy. Our data provide the first clear-cut evidence that such dual phototrophy potentially exists in glacial bacteria. Further public genome mining suggests this understudied dual phototrophic mechanism is possibly more common than our data alone suggested.
Multiple cutaneous and haemorrhagic brain metastases as the sentinel presentation of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Gogia Pooja , Wallach Jonathan , Dhull Anil Kumar , Bhasin Sidharth
Published: November 2020

Skin is a relatively uncommon site of metastasis in lung cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis. Although, lung cancer does not uncommonly metastasise to the brain, haemorrhagic brain metastases are rarely reported. In this report, we present a dramatic presentation of a female smoker with a 3-week history of numerous cutaneous lesions over her body and two episodes of transient memory loss. Work-up demonstrated widely metastatic, poorly differentiated lung adenocarcinoma with haemorrhagic brain metastases. She proceeded with whole brain radiotherapy, but her performance status quickly declined afterwards; she succumbed to her malignancy within 6 weeks of presentation. This case presentation demonstrates that, for patients who present with cutaneous masses, especially those aged more than 60 years, and who have extensive smoking history, metastatic lung cancer should remain on the differential diagnosis. Also, the very poor prognosis of multiple metastases may influence medical and social decisions in the patient’s treatment plan.
Necrotising fasciitis following accidental injection of intraoral xylene: a preventable medication error
Authors: Eswaran Sudhagar , Ayyaswamy Anupriya , Saravanam Prasanna Kumar
Published: November 2020

The most common cause of preventable mortality and morbidity to the patient in a healthcare system is medication error. Medication errors have got a significant impact on the patient health and healthcare system. These errors are multidisciplinary and can occur at various stages of drug therapy. Physicians, nursing staff, pharmacists, hospital administration all have an important role in preventing medication errors from recurring. The most common causes include wrong patient, wrong drug prescription, look-alike sound-alike drugs, faulty drug administration, wrong dosage, drug storage, delivery problem, lack of staff, patient and physician education and failure to monitor closely. This case illustrates the importance of incorporating protocol and cross-checking before administering a drug during the procedure. Here, we discuss a case of accidental intraoral injection of xylene instead of xylocaine (local anaesthetic agent), which was a sound-alike drug that resulted in significant morbidity to the patient.
COVID-19 emergency and palliative medicine: an intervention model’
Authors: Riva Luca , Caraceni Augusto , Vigorita Federico , Berti Jacopo , Martinelli Maria Pia , Crippa Matteo , Pellegrini Giacomo , Scaccabarozzi Gianlorenzo
Published: November 2020

Objectives

The aim of this work is to describe the multidisciplinary model of intervention applied and the characteristics of some COVID-19 patients assisted by the hospital palliative care unit (UCP-H) of an Italian hospital in Lombardy, the Italian region most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on patients admitted to the A. Manzoni Hospital (Lecco, Lombardy Region, Italy) and referred to the UCP-H between 11 March 2020 and 18 April 2020, the period of maximum spread of COVID-19 in this area. Data were collected on the type of hospitalisation, triage process, modality of palliative care and psychological support provided.

Results

146 COVID-10 patients were referred to the UCP-H. Of these, 120 died during the observation time (82%) while 15 (10.2%) improved and were discharged from the UCP-H care. 93 had less favourable characteristics (rapid deterioration of respiratory function, old age, multiple comorbidities) and an intensive clinical approach was considered contraindicated, while 48 patients had more favourable presentations. Mean follow-up was 4.8 days. A mean of 4.3 assessments per patient were performed. As to respiratory support, 94 patients were treated with oxygen only (at different volumes) and 45 with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

Conclusion

The ongoing pandemic highlighted the need for dedicated palliative care teams and units for dying patients. This work highlights how palliative medicine specialist can make a fundamental contribution thanks to their ability and work experience in an organised multiprofessional context.
JET 7 XTRA Flex reperfusion catheter related complications during endovascular thrombectomy
Authors: Majidi Shahram , Bageac Devin V , Fayed Islam , Yim Benjamin , De Leacy Reade , Armonda Rocco A
Published: November 2020

Endovascular thrombectomy has revolutionized the management of acute ischemic stroke from emergent large vessel occlusion. Continued technological advancement in the field, as evidenced by successive introduction of large bore aspiration catheters with enhanced trackability and large inner diameter, has played a major role in achieving fast and robust recanalization and improved clinical outcome. Here, we present three patients with intraprocedural device malfunction related to the JET 7 XTRA Flex reperfusion catheter.
Collider constraints on a dark matter interpretation of the XENON1T excess
Authors: Primulando R. , Julio J. , Uttayarat P.
Published: November 2020

In light of the excess in the low-energy electron recoil events reported by XENON1T, many new physics scenarios have been proposed as a possible origin of the excess. One possible explanation is that the excess is a result of a fast moving dark matter (DM), with velocity$$v\sim $$v∼0.05–0.20 and mass between 1 MeV and 10 GeV, scattering off an electron. Assuming the fast moving DM-electron interaction is mediated by a vector particle, we derive collider constraints on the said DM-electron interaction. The bounds on DM-electron coupling is then used to constrain possible production mechanisms of the fast moving DM. We find that the preferred mass of the vector mediator is relatively light ($$\lesssim $$≲1 GeV) and the coupling of the vector to the electron is much smaller than the coupling to the fast moving DM.
On the regularization of Lifshitz-type field theories
Authors: Bonanno Alfio , Park Miok , Rachwał Lesław , Zappalà Dario
Published: November 2020

We consider Lifshitz-type scalar theories with explicit breaking of the Lorentz symmetry that, in addition, exhibit anisotropic scaling laws near the ultraviolet fixed point. Using the proper time regularization method on the spatial coordinates only, we derive the regularized form of the one-loop effective potential in such theories. We study the main features of the one-loop effective potential and, also, the RG flow of the scale-dependent potential both in the IR and UV regimes. The beta functions for the couplings are derived.
Time evolution of the free Dirac field in spatially flat FLRW space–times
Authors: Cotăescu Ion I.
Published: November 2020

The framework of the relativistic quantum mechanics on spatially flat FLRW space–times is considered for deriving the analytical solutions of the Dirac equation in different local charts of these manifolds. Systems of commuting conserved operators are used for determining the fundamental solutions as common eigenspinors giving thus physical meaning to the integration constants related to the eigenvalues of these operators. Since these systems, in general, are incomplete on the FLRW space–times there are integration constants that must be fixed by setting the vacuum either as the traditional adiabatic one or as the rest frame vacuum we proposed recently. All the known solutions of the Dirac equation on these manifolds are discussed in all details and a new type of spherical waves of given energy in the de Sitter expanding universe is reported here for the first time.
The sixth Russian-Chinese conference on knot theory and related topics
Authors: Abrosimov Nikolay , Cheng Zhiyun , Kauffman Louis H. , Vesnin Andrei , Yang Zhiqing
Published: November 2020

This is a preface to the special issue on Proceedings of the Sixth Russian-Chinese Conference on Knot Theory and Related Topics which was held in Novosibirsk in June 2019.
Conjugates of Pisot numbers
Authors: Hare Kevin G. , Sidorov Nikita
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we investigate the Galois conjugates of a Pisot number [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. In particular, we conjecture that for [Formula: see text] we have [Formula: see text] for all conjugates [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text]. Further, for [Formula: see text], we conjecture that for all Pisot numbers [Formula: see text] we have [Formula: see text]. A similar conjecture if made for [Formula: see text]. We conjecture that all of these bounds are tight. We provide partial supporting evidence for this conjecture. This evidence is both of a theoretical and computational nature.

Lastly, we connect this conjecture to a result on the dimension of Bernoulli convolutions parameterized by [Formula: see text], whose conjugate is the reciprocal of a Pisot number.
Eicosapentaenoic acid changes muscle transcriptome and intervenes in aging-related fiber type transition in male mice
Authors: Yamazaki Hiroki , Nishimura Mayu , Uehara Masaaki , Kuribara-Souta Akiko , Yamamoto Motohisa , Yoshikawa Noritada , Morohashi Ken-Ichirou , Tanaka Hirotoshi
Published: November 2020

This study demonstrated that the early phenotype of skeletal muscle in aging male mice is characterized by muscle weakness with fast-to-slow fiber type transition, which could be ameliorated by feeding with EPA-enriched diet. EPA induced metabolic changes such as an increase in systemic insulin sensitivity and altered muscle transcriptome in the aging mice. These changes may be related to the fiber type transition and influence muscle quality.
Arginine site 264 in murine estrogen receptor-α is dispensable for the regulation of the skeleton
Authors: Gustafsson Karin L. , Farman Helen H. , Nilsson Karin H. , Henning Petra , Movérare-Skrtic Sofia , Lionikaite Vikte , Lawenius Lina , Engdahl Cecilia , Ohlsson Claes , Lagerquist Marie K.
Published: November 2020

Mutation of arginine 264 in ERa has been shown to abrogate rapid membrane ERa-mediated endothelial effects. Our novel finding that mutation of R264 is dispensable for ERa-mediated skeletal effects supports the concept that R264 determines tissue specificity of ERa.
Calcineurin inhibitors: a double-edged sword
Authors: Ume Adaku C. , Wenegieme Tara-Yesomi , Williams Clintoria R.
Published: November 2020

Recently, research has directed its interests into identifying molecular pathways implicated in calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-induced renal fibrosis. An emerging body of studies investigating calcineurin (CnA) activity has identified distinct actions of two main ubiquitously expressed isoforms: CnAα and CnAβ. CNIs have the capacity to inhibit both of these CnA isoforms. In the kidney, CnAα is required for development, whereas CnAβ predominantly modulates the immune response and glomerular hypertrophic signaling powered by activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor of activated T lymphocytes (NFAT). Interestingly, data have shown that loss of CnAα activity contributes to the expression of profibrotic proteins in the kidney. Although this finding is of great significance, follow-up studies are needed to identify how loss of the CnAα isoform causes progressive renal damage. In addition, it is also necessary to identify downstream mediators of CnAα signaling that assist in upregulation of these profibrotic proteins. The goal of this review is to provide insight into strides taken to close the gap in elucidating CnA isoform-specific mechanisms of CNI-induced renal fibrosis. It is with hope that these contributions will lead to the development of newer generation CNIs that effectively blunt the immune response while circumventing extensive renal damage noted with long-term CNI use.
Analysis of Vibration and Noise for the Powertrain System of Electric Vehicles under Speed-Varying Operating Conditions
Authors: Deng Chenghao , Deng Qingpeng , Liu Weiguo , Yu Cheng , Hu Jianjun , Li Xiaofeng
Published: November 2020

Whine noise from the electric powertrain system of electric vehicles, including electromagnetic noise and gear-meshing noise, significantly affects vehicle comfort and has been getting growing concern. In order to identify and avoid whine problems as early as possible in the powertrain development process, this paper presents a vibration and noise simulation methodology for the electric powertrain system of vehicles under speed-varying operating conditions. The electromagnetic forces on the stator teeth of the motor and the bearing forces on the gearbox for several constant-speed operating conditions are obtained first by electromagnetic field simulation and multi-body dynamic simulation, respectively. Order forces for the speed-varying operating condition are generated by interpolation between the obtained forces, before they are applied on the mechanical model whose natural modes have been calibrated in advance by tested modes. The whine noise radiated from the powertrain is then obtained based on acoustic boundary element analysis. The simulated bearing forces indicate that the overlooking of the motor torque ripple does not result in significant loss in simulation accuracy of electromagnetic noise. The simulation results and tested data show good consistency, with the relative frequency deviation of local peaks being less than 8% and the error of the average sound pressure level (SPL) being mostly below 10 dB (A).
Efficiency of Sawdust as Low-Cost Adsorbent for Dyes Removal
Authors: Chikri R. , Elhadiri N. , Benchanaa M. , El maguana Y.
Published: November 2020

In recent years, the removal of dyes from wastewater has attracted considerable attention due to their harmful effects to ecosystem and human health. Adsorption as a facile and effective technique has been widely used to eliminate a large variety of dyes from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon is the most preferred adsorbent to treat wastewater but its use is limited because of high cost. Therefore, several low-cost and natural materials and wastes have been used as precursors for the preparation of alternative adsorbents. Among them, sawdust as an abundant and low-cost by-product has been explored as adsorbent for the removal of dyes from wastewater. This review focuses on the various sawdust used as a precursor for the preparation of activated carbons. Extensive literature information about sawdust, its compositions, activation methods, its efficiency for dyes removal, and environmental conditions effects has been reviewed. The applicability of various adsorption kinetic models and adsorption isotherm models for dye removal by sawdust-derived activated carbons has been also reported. Finally, this paper highlights the use of sawdust as base material for various composites and mixture which can be used as granular activated carbon.
Remote Identity Verification Using Gait Analysis and Face Recognition
Authors: Si Wen , Zhang Jing , Li Yu-Dong , Tan Wei , Shao Yi-Fan , Yang Ge-Lan
Published: November 2020

Biometric identification has verified its effectiveness in personal identity verification because of the uniqueness and noninvasion. In this research, we tend to apply the detection of biometric information to a remote sensing system for the purpose of security area monitoring. Our system is established by collecting signals from the coming individuals via the remote measurement in the specific condition where both kinds of data are detected to determine the identity. Specifically, the measuring of gait signals and facial images is integrated to provide a way of improving the detection accuracy and the robustness. In addition, the fuzzy association rule (FAR) is employed for data analysis in line with the outcomes of different methods. As such, the signals are integrated and transmitted for further processing and remote identification. Experiments are conducted to demonstrate the capability of the proposed system. With the training data increases, a high detection accuracy of 95.2% is obtained, which makes it a promising basis for the realization of remote identity verification.
Recalcitrant Esophageal Stricture Secondary to Mycophenolate Mofetil
Authors: Kim Joyce J. , Mulki Ramzi H. , Sebastian Kavya M.
Published: November 2020

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is associated with various gastrointestinal toxicities. However, limited literature studies exist reporting MMF-related gastrointestinal toxicity manifesting as esophageal strictures. We report a case of a 62-year-old male with kidney transplant on MMF, tacrolimus, and prednisone, presenting with progressive dysphagia and odynophagia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed severe esophageal stricturing with near food bolus impaction, requiring dilations, esophageal stent, and ultimately gastrostomy tube. Biopsies revealed nonspecific inflammation with no evidence of infectious/neoplastic process; thus, our multidisciplinary esophageal group determined that the process was secondary to MMF. This case demonstrates that, though rare, MMF can result in severe esophageal strictures causing significant morbidity.
Time to Relapse and Its Predictors among Children with Nephrotic Syndrome in Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2019
Authors: Gebrehiwot Miliete , Kassa Mekuria , Gebrehiwot Haftom , Sibhat Migbar
Published: November 2020

Background. Relapse in children with nephrotic syndrome leads to a variety of complications due to prolonged treatment and potential dependency on steroids. However, there is no study conducted to determine the incidence and predictive factors of relapse for nephrotic syndrome in Ethiopia, especially in children. Thus, this study aimed to assess the incidence of relapse and its predictors among children with nephrotic syndrome in Ethiopia. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing all charts of children with an initial diagnosis of the nephrotic syndrome in tertiary hospitals from 2011 to 2018. Charts of children with a diagnosis of steroid-resistant cases were excluded. The extraction tool was used for data collection, Epi-data manager V-4.4.2 for data entry, and Stata V-14 for cleaning and analysis. Kaplan-Meier curve, log-rank test, life table, and crude hazard ratios were used to describe the data and adjusted hazard ratios with 95% CI and

P

value for analysis. Median relapse time, incidence rate of relapse, and cumulative relapse probabilities at a certain time interval were computed. Bivariable and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazard regression to identify the factors associated with relapse. Any variable at

P
<
0.25

in the bivariable analysis was transferred to multivariate analysis. Then, the adjusted hazard ratio with 95% CI and

P
≤
0.05

was used to report the association and to test the statistical significance, respectively. Finally, texts, tables, and graphs were used to present the results. Results and Conclusion. Majority, 64.5% (40/66), of relapses were recorded in the first 12 months of follow-up. The incidence rate of relapse was 42.6 per 1000 child-month-observations with an overall 1454 child-month-observations and the median relapse time of 16 months. Having undernutrition [

AHR
=
3.44

; 95% CI 1.78-6.65], elevated triglyceride [

AHR
=
3.37

; 95% CI 1.04-10.90], decreased serum albumin level [

AHR
=
3.51

; 95% CI 1.81-6.80], and rural residence [

AHR
=
4.00

; 95% CI 1.49-10.76] increased the hazard of relapse. Conclusion and Recommendation. Relapse was higher in the first year of the follow-up period. Undernutrition, hypoalbuminemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and being from rural areas were independent predictors of relapse. A focused evaluation of those predictors during the initial diagnosis of the disease is compulsory.
An Apriori Algorithm‐Based Association Rule Analysis to Identify Herb Combinations for Treating Uremic Pruritus Using Chinese Herbal Bath Therapy
Authors: Lu Ping-Hsun , Keng Jui-Lin , Kuo Ko-Li , Wang Yu-Fang , Tai Yu-Chih , Kuo Chan-Yen
Published: November 2020

Uremic pruritus (UP) is prevalent among patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), which causes severe itching and affects their quality of life. Additionally, patients experience fatigue and depression, and an increased risk of mortality has also been reported. A meta‐analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has indicated that Chinese herbal bath therapy (CHBT) had adjuvant benefits in improving UP in ESRD patients, and previous studies have reported that herb combinations were more useful than treatment with a single herb. Association rule analysis has been used to evaluate potential correlations between herb combinations, and Apriori algorithms are one of the most powerful machine‐learning algorithms available for identifying associations within databases. Therefore, we used the Apriori algorithm to analyze association rules of potential core herb combinations for use in CHBT for UP treatment using data from a meta‐analysis of 17 RCTs that used CHBT for UP treatment. Data on 43 CHBT herbs were extracted from 17 RCTs included for analysis and we found 19 association rules. The results indicated that the following herb combinations {Chuanxiong, Baijili} ≥ {Dahuang} and {Dahuang, Baijili} ≥ {Chuanxiong} were most strongly associated, implying that these herb combinations represent potential CHBT treatments for UP.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Nonsurgical Endodontic Treatments Performed by One Specialist: A Retrospective Cohort Study about Tooth Survival and Treatment Success
Authors: Mareschi Paolo , Taschieri Silvio , Corbella Stefano
Published: November 2020

Background. The main aim of the retrospective cohort study was to evaluate tooth survival after the endodontic treatment over a period of more than 20 years. Moreover, success of the treatment and the correlation between baseline parameters and the outcomes were analyzed, and causes were recorded. Materials and Methods. Clinical records (including radiographs) of subjects treated with endodontic procedures (both primary and secondary (nonsurgical retreatment)) were collected and analyzed, covering a period of up to 29 years. Type of the treatment, technique, adequacy of treatment performed, presence of baseline radiolucency, and symptoms at baseline were recorded. Moreover, failure (presence of radiolucency 2 years after treatment) and tooth extraction data and causes of them were recorded. Outcomes were explored by using survival analysis (Kaplan–Meier estimates and survival table analysis) and regression analysis (Cox regression). Results. A total of 2,679 endodontically treated teeth were included in the analysis. After 20 years from the treatment, the cumulative survival rate for primary and secondary treatments was 84.10% (80.99%–87.21%) and 89.79% (86.68%–92.90%), respectively. No differences were found between primary and secondary treatments or with regard to the technique adopted. The presence of periapical radiolucency was correlated to higher odds of tooth extraction. Conclusions. Despite the limitations of the study, we can assume that the proportion of retained endodontically treated teeth was significantly high over a long-term period.
Scoliosis in Shprintzen–Goldberg Syndrome
Authors: Takano Hiromitsu , Yonezawa Ikuho , Okuda Takatoshi , Kajihara Hajime , Kaneko Kazuo
Published: November 2020

We report a case of scoliosis in a 12-year-old girl with Shprintzen–Goldberg syndrome. She was diagnosed with Shprintzen–Goldberg syndrome at birth. She was hospitalized for a surgical treatment because scoliosis gradually progressed. Preoperative X-ray confirmed 80° symptomatic scoliosis in T10–L5. Posterior correction and fusion were performed, and postoperative X-ray showed a correction to 43°in T10-L5. Limited subcutaneous tissues and fragile bones must be considered when selecting the appropriate surgical method. Accurate placement of a screw into thin pedicle is essential to obtain sufficient correction and fusion. The use of a navigation system is recommended.
Comparison of Cognitive Rehabilitation versus Donepezil Therapy on Memory Performance, Attention, Quality of Life, and Depression among Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Shahpouri Mohammad Mahdi , Barekatain Majid , Tavakoli Mahgol , Mirmosayyeb Omid , Safaei Ali , Shaygannejad Vahid
Published: November 2020

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that affects cognitive performance and leads to depression and decreased quality of life (QOL). The current study aims to assess the effects of cognitive rehabilitation versus donepezil therapy on memory, attention, depression, and QOL in MS patients compared to placebo and control groups. Methods. Eighty MS patients were randomly selected from parallel randomized trials and divided into four groups: A: cognitive rehabilitation (10 sessions of 120 minutes), B: control (no intervention), C: donepezil (10 mg daily), and D: placebo. Patients received the intervention for three months. They were assessed for cognitive status, depression, and QOL prior to the intervention and immediately after that using abbreviated mental test (AMT), prospective and retrospective memory questionnaire (PRMQ), everyday memory questionnaire (EMQ), digit span, MSQOL-54, and second edition Beck depression inventory (BDI). We compared scores between groups after the intervention, as well as the progression of scores in every single group. Results. The cognitive rehabilitation group showed improvement in EMQ, RPMQ, digit span, physical and mental health subscales of MSQOL54, and depression

P
<
0.05

. We observed the same effect for donepezil except for the digit span test

P
=
0.15

. Intergroup comparison of scores showed the superiority of cognitive rehabilitation over donepezil in digit span, depression, and mental health scores. Conclusion. Both donepezil and cognitive rehabilitation effectively improve memory performance, attention, depression, and QOL in MS patients. Cognitive rehabilitation is superior altogether. This study is registered with the Iranian registry of clinical trials http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/IRCT2016042227522N1.
Postoperative Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific and Overall Survival among Patients with Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Chen Li , Wang Yizeng , Zhao Ke , Wang Yuyun , He Xianghui
Published: November 2020

Background. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for 1%–2% of thyroid cancer in the United States based on the latest Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, and this study aimed to construct a comprehensive predictive nomogram based on various clinical variables in MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection. Methods. Data regarding 1,237 MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes dissection from 2004 to 2015 were obtained from the SEER database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to screen for meaningful independent predictors. These independent factors were used to construct a nomogram model, a survival prognostication tool for 3- and 5-year overall survival, and cancer-specific survival among these MTC patients. Result. A total of 1,237 patients enrolled from the SEER database were randomly divided into the training group (n = 867) and the test group (n = 370). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify meaningful independent prognostic factors (

P
<
0.05

). Tumor size, age, metastasis status, and LNR were selected as independent predictors of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Finally, two nomograms were developed, and the predicted C-index of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate in the training group was 0.828 and 0.904, respectively. The predicted C-index of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate in the test group was 0.813 and 0.828. Conclusion. Nomograms constructed by using various clinical variables can make more comprehensive and accurate predictions for MTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph nodes. These predictive nomograms help identify postoperative high-risk MTC patients and facilitate patient counseling on clinical prognosis and follow-up.
Therapeutic Potential of NTRK3 Inhibition in Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor
Authors: Ogura Koichi , Somwar Romel , Hmeljak Julija , Magnan Heather , Benayed Ryma , Momeni Boroujeni Amir , Bowman Anita S. , Mattar Marissa S. , Khodos Inna , de Stanchina Elisa , Jungbluth Achim , Asher Marina , Odintsov Igor , Hartono Alifiani B. , LaQuaglia Michael P. , Slotkin Emily , Pratilas Christine A. , Lee Sean Bong , Spraggon Lee , Ladanyi Marc
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a highly lethal intra-abdominal sarcoma of adolescents and young adults. DSRCT harbors a t(11;22)(p13:q12) that generates the EWSR1-WT1 chimeric transcription factor, the key oncogenic driver of DSRCT. EWSR1-WT1 rewires global gene expression networks and activates aberrant expression of targets that together mediate oncogenesis. EWSR1-WT1 also activates a neural gene expression program.

Experimental Design:

Among these neural markers, we found prominent expression of neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 3 (NTRK3), a druggable receptor tyrosine kinase. We investigated the regulation of NTRK3 by EWSR1-WT1 and its potential as a therapeutic target in vitro and in vivo, the latter using novel patient-derived models of DSRCT.

Results:

We found that EWSR1-WT1 binds upstream of NTRK3 and activates its transcription. NTRK3 mRNA is highly expressed in DSRCT compared with other major chimeric transcription factor–driven sarcomas and most DSRCTs are strongly immunoreactive for NTRK3 protein. Remarkably, expression of NTRK3 kinase domain mRNA in DSRCT is also higher than in cancers with NTRK3 fusions. Abrogation of NTRK3 expression by RNAi silencing reduces growth of DSRCT cells and pharmacologic targeting of NTRK3 with entrectinib is effective in both in vitro and in vivo models of DSRCT.

Conclusions:

Our results indicate that EWSR1-WT1 directly activates NTRK3 expression in DSRCT cells, which are dependent on its expression and activity for growth. Pharmacologic inhibition of NTRK3 by entrectinib significantly reduces growth of DSRCT cells both in vitro and in vivo, providing a rationale for clinical evaluation of NTRK3 as a therapeutic target in DSRCT.
LncRNA CASC2 Alleviates the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy by Regulating the miR-144/SOCS2 Signalling Axis
Authors: Min Xiao-Qiang , Xie Yan
Published: November 2020

Background: Diabetic nephropathy constitutes a large proportion of end-stage kidney failure in diabetic patients. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: Db/db diabetic mouse models and high glucose (HG)-induced human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs) were used as research models in vivo and in vitro. The expression of cancer susceptibility candidate 2 (CASC2) was quantified by qRT-PCR. The regulatory role of CASC2 in cell apoptosis, inflammatory factor release, and fibrosis was verified by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot assay, respectively. The bioinformatics prediction software DIANA and starBase v2.0 were used to predict the putative binding sites. The interactions among CASC2, miR-144, and SOCS2 were explored by the luciferase assay and Western bolt assay. Results: The expression of CASC2 in diabetic mouse models and HG-induced HRMCs was lower than that in the control (p < 0.05). Overexpression of CASC2 resulted in a decrease in the apoptosis rate, inflammatory factor release (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), expression of cleaved caspase-3, and fibrotic proteins (fibronectin, Col-IV, and TGF-β1) and an increase in Bcl-2 expression. Inhibition of CASC2 caused increased expression of miR-144. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations confirmed that activation of the miR-144/SOCS2 regulatory loop by overexpression of miR‐144 reversed the in vitro effects of CASC2 on inhibiting cell apoptosis, inflammatory factor release, and fibrosis. In addition, simultaneous overexpression of miR-144 and SOCS2 further increased the inhibition of cell apoptosis, inflammatory factor release, and fibrosis by CASC2. Conclusion: CASC2 could alleviate the degree and process of apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in diabetic nephropathic models by regulating the miR-144/SOCS2 axis.
An Unusual Case of Cholestatic Hepatitis due to Light-Chain Deposition Disease
Authors: Grembiale Alessandro , Garlatti Elena , Ermacora Anna , Grazioli Silvia , Balbi Massimiliano , Tonizzo Maurizio
Published: November 2020

Light-chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a rare paraproteinaemia characterized by the deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulins with a non-fibrillar structure and hence Congo red negative deposits. Kidney disease is the more frequent manifestation, but other organs may also be involved. A 70-year-old man with hypertension and mild chronic renal failure showed a hepatomegaly without splenomegaly. His renal and liver test rapidly got worse. A serum electrophoresis and immunofixation isolated monoclonal kappa light-chain gammopathy, with serum free kappa light chain excess. The bone marrow biopsy showed the presence of interstitial infiltration of plasma cells like multiple myeloma type at initial phase. Periumbilical fat biopsy was negative. Echocardiography demonstrated an infiltrative cardiac disease. The biopsies of the duodenum small intestine mucosa showed flaps with eosinophil material (Masson’s staining) with atrophic crypts and chronic inflammation at chorion level. Amyloid substance was negative. There was a strong positivity for light chains kappa compatible with LCDD. A liver biopsy confirmed this finding. Therapy with dexamethasone and bortezomib improved clinical state and hepatic and renal laboratory tests. Chemotherapy based on novel anti-myeloma agents should be rapidly considered in LCDD patients with severe organ involvement.