bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plant community composition and tree seedling establishment in response to seeding and weeding treatments on different reclamation cover soils
Authors: deBortoli Leah A. , Pinno Bradley D. , MacKenzie M. Derek , Li Edith H.Y.
Published: February 2019

The majority of plant diversity in North American boreal forests is comprised of understory plant communities undergoing continuous interspecific competition. Anthropogenic activities, particularly surface mining, have introduced higher severity disturbances that not only remove vegetation, but also modify soil. During reclamation, soils used to cap overburden materials have inhibited native plant growth and increased weed invasion. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of seeding and weeding treatments for promoting the establishment of native understory plant communities, as well as a common deciduous tree species, on three different reclamation cover soils (forest floor – mineral mix, peat–mineral mix, and transitional). The broadcasting of a native forb seed mix was not successful on any of the cover soils, whereas weeding affected each cover soil differently. With weeding, the forest floor – mineral mix and transitional cover soils experienced a decrease in the relative abundance of introduced forbs and an increase in the relative abundance of graminoids. The increase in graminoid cover on the forest floor – mineral mix was mostly attributed to the expansion of Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) P. Beauv. Overall, weeding effectively eliminated introduced plant species, allowing competitive native grasses to establish. However, weeding may have unintentionally hindered the development of a native understory plant community via the over-establishment of grass on reclamation sites.
Potential climate change effects on the geochemical stability of waste and mobility of elements in receiving environments for Canadian metal mines south of 60°N
Authors: Clemente Joyce S. , Huntsman Philippa
Published: February 2019

Increased temperatures and changing amounts of precipitation may alter environments, increasing the challenges faced by mines. This is a paper on topics relevant to metal mine biogeochemical environments, related waste management, element transport, and environment health south of 60° latitude. Mine waste can contain elements of interest (EOI) that may have adverse environmental and biological effects at concentrations that are higher than in undisturbed sites. Elevated concentrations of EOIs are transported by water as solutes and particles. Wind erosion also transports particles, and establishing its contribution and effects is challenging. Dispersal of EOI can be controlled at the source using water covers, geomembranes, geosynthetic clay liners, and covers with capillary barrier effects. Drainage that can be produced over a wide range of pH must be treated to meet environmental requirements. Water treatment can produce sludge that must be stored or processed. The success of these mitigation measures can be observed in the biological health of organisms at the site and vicinity. Processes responsible for EOI dissolution and transport, waste control and water management systems, and the stress experienced by biota near mines are all subject to climate change effects. Understanding and adapting to challenges from a rapidly changing environment will require cooperation between industry, government, mining communities, and scientists. Ideally, adaptation measures should correspond to temperature and precipitation projections, but this information is not always available at the relevant geographic scale. To anticipate emerging risks, it may be necessary to explore a variety of scenarios at lab and field scales, and to implement robust and flexible management techniques.
A Two-Level Recurrent Neural Network Language Model Based on the Continuous Bag-of-Words Model for Sentence Classification
Authors: Lee Yo Han , Kim Dong W. , Lim Myo Taeg
Published: February 2019

In this paper, a new two-level recurrent neural network language model (RNNLM) based on the continuous bag-of-words (CBOW) model for application to sentence classification is presented. The vector representations of words learned by a neural network language model have been shown to carry semantic sentiment and are useful in various natural language processing tasks. A disadvantage of CBOW is that it only considers the fixed length of a context because its basic structure is a neural network with a fixed length of input. In contrast, the RNNLM does not have a size limit for a context but only considers the previous context’s words. Therefore, the advantage of RNNLM is complementary to the disadvantage of CBOW. Herein, our proposed model encodes many linguistic patterns and improves upon sentiment analysis and question classification benchmarks compared to previously reported methods.
Enhanced Diffusion in a Model of Molecular Motors with Potential Switching
Authors: Shinagawa Ryota , Sasaki Kazuo
Published: February 2019

Diffusion enhancement is a phenomenon in which the diffusion coefficient of a system is increased by an external force and it becomes larger than that of the force-free diffusion in thermal equilibrium. It is known that this phenomenon occurs for a Brownian particle in a periodic potential under a constant external force. Recently, it was found that diffusion enhancement also occurred in a biological molecular motor, whose moving part could move itself by switching the potentials generated by the other parts. It was shown that the diffusion coefficient exhibited peaks as a function of a constant external force. Here, we report the occurrence of an additional peak and investigate the condition governing its appearance.
Experimental Investigations and Statistical Modeling of Ultrasonic Assisted Jet Electrochemical Micro-Drilling Process with Pulsed DC
Authors: Goel Harsha , Pandey Pulak M.
Published: February 2019

This article presents an experimental study of a recently developed process, namely, ultrasonic assisted jet electrochemical micro-drilling (UAJet-ECMD) using pulsed DC voltage power supply. The goal of the work was to examine the effect of pulsed DC voltage on the performance of UAJet-ECMD process. In the previous work carried out by the authors, the process has been studied using the continuous DC voltage. The pulse “on” time (pulsed DC voltage), electrolyte pressure and pulse “on” time (ultrasonic vibrations) were selected as the process parameters, whereas material removal rate (MRR) and hole taper were chosen as process responses. It was found that the pulse “on” time (pulsed DC voltage) had crucial effect on the MRR as well as on the hole taper. MRR and hole taper were both found to increase with rise in pulse “on” time (pulsed DC voltage). Optimization of process responses of UAJet-ECMD process was done. The responses obtained for optimized set of process parameters were verified and found in good conformity with the experimental results.
Polynomial functions in the residue class rings of Dedekind domains
Authors: Li Xiumei , Sha Min
Published: February 2019

In this paper, as an extension of the integer case, we define polynomial functions over the residue class rings of Dedekind domains, and then we give canonical representations and counting formulas for such polynomial functions. In particular, we give an explicit formula for the number of polynomial functions over the residue class rings of polynomials over finite fields.
Density of odd order reductions for elliptic curves with a rational point of order 2
Authors: Liang Ke , Rouse Jeremy
Published: February 2019

Suppose that [Formula: see text] is an elliptic curve with a rational point [Formula: see text] of order [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is a point of infinite order. We consider the problem of determining the density of primes [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] has odd order. This density is determined by the image of the arboreal Galois representation [Formula: see text]. Assuming that [Formula: see text] is primitive (that is neither [Formula: see text] nor [Formula: see text] is twice a point over [Formula: see text]) and that the image of the ordinary [Formula: see text]-adic Galois representation is as large as possible (subject to [Formula: see text] having a rational point of order [Formula: see text]), we determine that there are [Formula: see text] possibilities for the image of [Formula: see text]. As a consequence, the density of primes [Formula: see text] for which the order of [Formula: see text] is odd is between 1/14 and [Formula: see text].
Cu–Al–Si alloy anode material with enhanced electrochemical properties for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Fan Huilin , Wang Youhong , Yu Mingxiang , Wang Kangkang , Zhang Junting , Liu Yien , Ma Lin , Zhang Peng , Hu Pengcheng , Zhao Jia
Published: February 2019

The microstructure and electrochemical property of Cu–Al–Si alloy anode material are studied in this paper. The research shows that the alloy particle has a basic circular outline, and two copper-rich phases with different silicon contents are detected in the particle, and both phases with nanostructure are observed in its surface layer. The nano-silicon alloy negative electrode material needs to be used in a certain proportion with graphite, binder and conductive agent, and the stirring process also has an important influence on its electrochemical performance. Multiple mixing can achieve a better cycle retention compared to direct mixing. The first-cycle coulombic efficiency of the electrode material is improved up to about 90%, and the specific capacity is still higher than 500[Formula: see text]mAh[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] after 100 cycles. The battery manufacturing process is similar to the graphite negative electrode, so it is easy to be applied.
How many samples are needed to prove the absence of contamination? An example using arsenic
Authors: Heathcote John
Published: February 2019

If a change of use for industrial land is proposed in the UK, there is usually a requirement to demonstrate that the change of use will not result in the land becoming Contaminated Land, as defined under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Under certain circumstances, this demonstration can be made by showing that the mean concentration of contaminants of potential concern is below a suitable assessment level appropriate to the proposed new use. How much sampling effort is required for this purpose? Using a relatively large dataset for arsenic in soil, a developed approach is presented to determine the number of measurements required for a clearance investigation to demonstrate absence of contamination based on minimizing expectation of financial loss, taking into account both the actual cost of investigation and the possible cost of incorrectly determining that contamination is still present and undertaking unnecessary remediation. Abstract probabilities are discussed in terms of money spent and money potentially saved.

Supplementary material
: an Excel spreadsheet containing the full dataset, showing its sub-sampling, is available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4415039
Don't Even Ask
Authors: Shay Richard , Blumenthal Uri , Gadepally Vijay , Hamlin Ariel , Mitchell John Darby , Cunningham Robert K.
Published: February 2019

This paper presents a vision and description for query control, which is a paradigm for database access control. In this model, individual queries are examined before being executed and are either allowed or denied by a pre-defined policy. Traditional view-based database access control requires the enforcer to view the query, the records, or both. That may present difficulty when the enforcer is not allowed to view database contents or the query itself. This discussion of query control arises from our experience with privacy-preserving encrypted databases, in which no single entity learns both the query and the database contents. Query control is also a good fit for enforcing rules and regulations that are not well-addressed by view-based access control. With the rise of federated database management systems, we believe that new approaches to access control will be increasingly important.
Acute Postexercise Change in Circulating Irisin Is Related to More Favorable Lipid Profile in Pregnant Women Attending a Structured Exercise Program and to Less Favorable Lipid Profile in Controls: An Experimental Study with Two Groups
Authors: Szumilewicz Anna , Worska Aneta , Piernicka Magdalena , Kuchta Agnieszka , Jastrzębski Zbigniew , Radzimiński Łukasz , Kozłowska Marta , Micielska Katarzyna , Ziemann Ewa
Published: February 2019

Introduction. The blood irisin concentrations may be affected both by exercise and pregnancy. We aimed to determine acute responses in serum irisin after a single exercise session and relationships between exercise-induced changes in this hormone and lipid profile in pregnancy.Material and Methods. It was an experimental study in 20 Caucasian women in normal pregnancy (age30±3years,28±6weeks of gestation;mean±SD). Participants were assigned to training (n=8) and control groups (n=12). Before the experiment, women from the training group attended a structured exercise program 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected before and 30 minutes after a single bout of 60-minute moderate- to high-intensity exercise to determine serum levels of irisin, insulin, glucose concentration, and lipid profile.Results. At baseline, we recorded slightly lower irisin levels in the training group compared to controls (12.2±2.4and13.9±3.3 ng·ml-1, respectively). Only in the training group all women presented increase in irisin levels after exercise (on average by 14%); and this change was statistically significant (p=0.002). In the controls, we found positive significant relationships between postexercise irisin change and low-density lipoproteins (R=0.594;p=0.04) and total cholesterol (R=0.734;p=0.006). Surprisingly, in the training group, these relationships were also significant but inverse (R=−0.738andp=0.036;R=−0.833andp=0.01, respectively).Conclusions. Training and control pregnant women responded differently to a single exercise session, both in the postexercise change in irisin and its relationship to the blood lipids. Only in the training group we observed the postexercise increase in irisin, which was related to more favorable lipid profile. Systematic prenatal physical activity may optimize the postexercise irisin response and lipid metabolism regulated by this hormone. Therefore, exercise programs should be promoted in pregnant women and obstetric care providers.
The Efficacy of Flupentixol-Melitracen in the Adjuvant Therapy of Ulcerative Colitis in the Chinese Population: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhou Xiaoqian , Zhao Lei , Yang Ping , Chen Yaxi , Ruan Xiong Z.
Published: February 2019

Objectives. Our aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of flupentixol-melitracen in the adjuvant therapy of ulcerative colitis patients in the Chinese population. Methods. Both the RevMan 5.2 and the Stata 12.0 software are used in this study for analysis, and a fixed-effect model (the Mantel-Haenszel method) or a random-effect model (the DerSimonian and Laird method) is used to merge or aggregate the risk ratio (RR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CI) of included studies. Results. Eleven trials involving 654 ulcerative colitis patients (treated group: 328; control group: 326) were analyzed in this study. Significant differences (RR=1.29, 95% CI=1.20 to 1.40, P<0.001) between patients were observed between the two groups. Conclusions. Our results suggested that the efficacy of flupentixol-melitracen in the adjuvant therapy of ulcerative colitis is better than traditional drug treatments.
Maximizing Nonlocal Self‐Similarity Prior for Single Image Super‐Resolution
Authors: Li Jianhong , Wattanachote Kanoksak , Wu Yarong
Published: February 2019

Prior knowledge plays an important role in the process of image super‐resolution reconstruction, which can constrain the solution space efficiently. In this paper, we utilized the fact that clear image exhibits stronger self‐similarity property than other degradated version to present a new prior called maximizing nonlocal self‐similarity for single image super‐resolution. For describing the prior with mathematical language, a joint Gaussian mixture model was trained with LR and HR patch pairs extracted from the input LR image and its lower scale, and the prior can be described as a specific Gaussian distribution by derivation. In our algorithm, a large scale of sophisticated training and time‐consuming nearest neighbor searching is not necessary, and the cost function of this algorithm shows closed form solution. The experiments conducted on BSD500 and other popular images demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms traditional methods and is competitive with the current state‐of‐the‐art algorithms in terms of both quantitative metrics and visual quality.
Aluminum Responsive Genes in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)
Authors: Krasnov George S. , Dmitriev Alexey A. , Zyablitsin Alexander V. , Rozhmina Tatiana A. , Zhuchenko Alexander A. , Kezimana Parfait , Snezhkina Anastasiya V. , Fedorova Maria S. , Novakovskiy Roman O. , Pushkova Elena N. , Povkhova Liubov V. , Bolsheva Nadezhda L. , Kudryavtseva Anna V. , Melnikova Nataliya V.
Published: February 2019

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a multipurpose crop which is used for the production of textile, oils, composite materials, pharmaceuticals, etc. Soil acidity results in a loss of seed and fiber production of flax, and aluminum toxicity is a major factor that depresses plant growth and development in acid conditions. In the present work, we evaluated gene expression alterations in four flax genotypes with diverse tolerance to aluminum exposure. Using RNA-Seq approach, we revealed genes that are differentially expressed under aluminum stress in resistant (Hermes, TMP1919) and sensitive (Lira, Orshanskiy) cultivars and selectively confirmed the identified alterations using qPCR. To search for differences in response to aluminum between resistant and sensitive genotypes, we developed the scoring that allowed us to suggest the involvement of MADS-box and NAC transcription factors regulating plant growth and development and enzymes participating in cell wall modifications in aluminum tolerance in flax. Using Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, we revealed that glutathione metabolism, oxidoreductase, and transmembrane transporter activities are the most affected by the studied stress in flax. Thus, we identified genes that are involved in aluminum response in resistant and sensitive genotypes and suggested genes that contribute to flax tolerance to the aluminum stress.
Design and Synthesis of a Dinuclear Copper(II) Probe for Selective Fluorescence Sensing of Pyrophosphate
Authors: Xu Jinhe , Li Jing , Liu Chenxi , Yang Linlin , He Guangjie , Ni Tianjun , Fan Aiying , Wang Songjun , Wang Qingzhi
Published: February 2019

A novel coumarin-based compound DPAC with two dipicolylamine (DPA) arms as the chelator sites was designed and synthesized. The compound DPAC exhibits a highly selective response to Cu2+ ions with a distinctly emission-quenching phenomenon. Moreover, the in situ formed complex DPAC-Cu2+ was used for the detection of pyrophosphate (PPi). The binding manner of probe DPAC-Cu2+ with PPi in 1 : 1 stoichiometry was supported by the Benesi-Hildebrand fitting, ESI-MS and HPLC analysis. The linear range of PPi concentration was 1-4 μM, and the detection limit was 0.53 μM. The competing experiments illustrated that the probe DPAC-Cu2+ had good sensitivity and selectivity for PPi than other anions, including ATP, ADP, AMP, and Pi in CH3CN : HEPES (3 : 2, v/v, pH=7.20) buffer. Further, cell fluorescence imaging experiments indicated that the probe DPAC-Cu2+ had a potential to be used to detect PPi in vivo.
Outcome of Cervical Lymph Nodes Dissection for Thyroid Cancer with Nodal Metastases: A Southeast Asian 3-Year Experience
Authors: Lim Raymond Z. M. , Ooi Juin Y. , Tan Jih H. , Tan Henry C. L. , Sikin Seniyah M.
Published: February 2019

Introduction. Therapeutic nodal dissection is still the mainstay of treatment for patients with lymph node metastases in many centres. The local data, however, on the outcome of therapeutic LND remains limited. Hence, this study aims to inform practice by presenting the outcomes of LND for thyroid cancer patients and our experience in a tertiary referral centre.Methods. This is a single-centre retrospective observational study in a Malaysian tertiary endocrine surgery referral centre. Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection between years 2013 and 2015 were included and electronic medical records over a 3-year follow-up period were reviewed. The outcomes of different lymph node dissection (LND), including central neck dissection, lateral neck dissection, or both, were compared.Results. Of the 43 subjects included, 28 (65.1%) had Stage IV cancer. Among the 43 subjects included, 8 underwent central LND, and 15 had lateral LND while the remaining 20 had dissection of both lateral and central lymph nodes. Locoregional recurrence was found in 16 (37.2%) of our subjects included, with no statistical difference between the central (2/8), lateral (7/15), and both (7/20). Postoperative hypocalcaemia occurred in 7 (16.3%) patients, and vocal cord palsy occurred in 5 (11.6%), whereas 9 patients (20.9%) required reoperation. Death occurred in 4 of our patients.Conclusion. High recurrence and reoperative rates were observed in our centre. While the routine prophylactic LND remains controversial, high risk patients may be considered for prophylactic LND. The long-term risk and benefit of prophylactic LND with individualised patient selection in the local setting deserve further studies.
The Liver X Receptor Is Upregulated in Monocyte-Derived Macrophages and Modulates Inflammatory Cytokines Based on LXRα Polymorphism
Authors: Kim Hyoun-Ah , Baek Wook-Young , Han Mi-Hwa , Jung Ju-Yang , Suh Chang-Hee
Published: February 2019

Liver X receptors (LXRs) have emerged as important regulators of inflammatory gene expression. Previously, we had reported that an LXRα gene promoter polymorphism (-1830 T > C) is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, we assessed cytokine expression in relation to LXRα polymorphism in monocyte-derived macrophages from patients with SLE. Macrophages were obtained after 72 hours of culture of human monocytes supplemented with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Cells were transfected with LXRα promoter constructs. Additionally, peripheral blood mononuclear cell- (PBMC-) derived macrophages from the patients were evaluated for proinflammatory cytokines in relation to the genotypes of LXRα -1830 T > C. The expression of LXRα was increased in macrophages; levels of proinflammatory cytokines were decreased with LXRα expression. Production of proinflammatory cytokines varied depending on LXRα -1830 T > C genotype. In particular, expression of LXRα was decreased and that of proinflammatory cytokines was increased for LXRα -1830 TC genotype compared to that for TT genotype. The data were consistent in PBMC-derived macrophages from patients with SLE. Increased proinflammatory cytokines is related to TLR7 and TLR9 expression. These data suggest that the expression levels of LXRα, according to LXRα -1830 T > C genotype, may contribute to the inflammatory response by induction of inflammatory cytokines in SLE.
Research on the Mechanical Properties and NMR Characteristics of Cement Mortar during Freeze‐Thaw Cycles
Authors: Liu Taoying , Wang Yunmin , Zhou Keping , Gao Feng , Xie Shenghua
Published: February 2019

Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology has the characteristics of nondestructive, rapid, and accurate. In the present paper, the mechanical properties and the size and distribution of pores of cement mortar during freeze‐thaw cycles were studied by using the NMR technology for the first time. The change law of surface and quality, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus of cement mortar under 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 freeze‐thaw cycles were studied. And the changes of T2 spectra of cement mortar under different freeze‐thaw environments were analyzed; the change rule between freeze‐thaw cycles and the size of the pore within the cement mortar were also obtained. Moreover, the relationship between the mechanical properties and the pore structure of cement mortar was studied.
The Effect of Butyrate-Supplemented Parenteral Nutrition on Intestinal Defence Mechanisms and the Parenteral Nutrition-Induced Shift in the Gut Microbiota in the Rat Model
Authors: Jirsova Zuzana , Heczkova Marie , Dankova Helena , Malinska Hana , Videnska Petra , Vespalcova Hana , Micenkova Lenka , Bartonova Lenka , Sticova Eva , Lodererova Alena , Prefertusová Lucia , Sekerkova Alena , Hradecky Jaromir , Cahova Monika
Published: February 2019

Butyrate produced by the intestinal microbiota is essential for proper functioning of the intestinal immune system. Total dependence on parenteral nutrition (PN) is associated with numerous adverse effects, including severe microbial dysbiosis and loss of important butyrate producers. We hypothesised that a lack of butyrate produced by the gut microbiota may be compensated by its supplementation in PN mixtures. We tested whetheri.v.butyrate administration would (a) positively modulate intestinal defence mechanisms and (b) counteract PN-induced dysbiosis. Male Wistar rats were randomised to chow, PN, and PN supplemented with 9 mM butyrate (PN+But) for 12 days. Antimicrobial peptides, mucins, tight junction proteins, and cytokine expression were assessed by RT-qPCR. T-cell subpopulations in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were analysed by flow cytometry. Microbiota composition was assessed in caecum content. Butyrate supplementation resulted in increased expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-7, E-cadherin), antimicrobial peptides (Defa 8, Rd5, RegIIIγ), and lysozyme in the ileal mucosa. Butyrate partially alleviated PN-induced intestinal barrier impairment and normalised IL-4, IL-10, and IgA mRNA expression. PN administration was associated with an increase in Tregs in MLN, which was normalised by butyrate. Butyrate increased the total number of CD4+ and decreased a relative amount of CD8+ memory T cells in MLN. Lack of enteral nutrition and PN administration led to a shift in caecal microbiota composition. Butyrate did not reverse the altered expression of most taxa but did influence the abundance of some potentially beneficial/pathogenic genera, which might contribute to its overall beneficial effect.
Accurate Fatigue Detection Based on Multiple Facial Morphological Features
Authors: Li Kangning , Wang Shangshang , Du Chang , Huang Yuxin , Feng Xin , Zhou Fengfeng
Published: February 2019

Fatigue driving is becoming a dangerous and common situation for drivers and represents a significant factor for fatal car crashes. Machine learning researchers utilized various sources of information to detect driver’s drowsiness. This study integrated the morphological features of both the eye and mouth regions and extensively investigated the fatigue detection problem from the aspects of feature numbers, classifiers, and modeling parameters. The proposed algorithm REcognizing the Drowsy Expression (REDE) achieved the 10-fold cross-validation accuracy 96.07% and took about 21 milliseconds to process one image. REDE outperformed the existing four studies on both fatigue detection accuracy and running time and is fast enough to handle the task of real-time fatigue monitoring captured at the rate of 30 frames per second. To further facilitate the research of fatigue detection, the raw data and the feature matrix were also released.
Prevalence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Western Highlands in Yemen
Authors: Alkulaibi Mohammed Musid , Suleiman Ahmed Mohamed , Gasim Khalil Eltahir Awad , Al-Garadi Maged Ahmed
Published: February 2019

Leishmaniasis in Yemen is still not fully investigated nor well studied. Recently, outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in western highland were declared. However, there are no reports concerning the disease and the circulating species in the region. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Utmah district located in Western Highlands in Yemen. A cross-sectional survey was carried out at those highlands. For the survey, 1165 participants were subjected to Leishmanin Skin Test (LST) accompanied with direct interviews and physical examination. The overall prevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the district was 18.5% and the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) was more frequent in the escarpments with a prevalence of 37%, including 5.5% for active lesion and 31.5% for scar of healed lesions. Children under the age of 16 years old comprised most of the CL cases (76.3%). The escarpments of western highlands in Yemen were hyperendemic areas for CL and the infection was more prevalent in children.
Laparoscopic Major Gastrointestinal Surgery Is Safe for Properly Selected Patient with COPD: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Guo Yulin , Cao Feng , Ding Yixuan , Sun Haichen , Liu Shuang , Li Ang , Li Fei
Published: February 2019

Background. Laparoscopy has been widely applied in gastrointestinal surgery, with benefits such as less intraoperative blood loss, faster recovery, and shorter length of hospital stay. However, it remains controversial if laparoscopic major gastrointestinal surgery could be conducted for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which was traditionally considered as an important risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications. The present study was conducted to review and assess the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic major abdominal surgery for patient with COPD. Materials and Methods. Databases including PubMed, EmBase, Cochrane Library, and Wan-fang were searched for all years up to Jul 1, 2018. Studies comparing perioperative results for COPD patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery between laparoscopic and open approaches were enrolled. Results. Laparoscopic approach was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (MD = -174.03; 95% CI: −232.16 to -115.91, P < 0.00001; P < 0.00001, I2=93% for heterogeneity) and shorter length of hospital stay (MD = -3.30; 95% CI: −3.75 to -2.86, P < 0.00001; P = 0.99, I2=0% for heterogeneity). As for pulmonary complications, laparoscopic approach was associated with lower overall pulmonary complications rate (OR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.71, P < 0.00001; P = 0.42, I2=0% for heterogeneity) and lower postoperative pneumonia rate (OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.67, P < 0.00001; P = 0.57, I2=0% for heterogeneity). Moreover, laparoscopic approach was associated with lower wound infection (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.63, P < 0.00001; P = 0.99, I2=0% for heterogeneity) and abdominal abscess rates (OR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.79, P < 0.0004; P = 0.24, I2=30% for heterogeneity). Conclusions. Laparoscopic major gastrointestinal surgery for properly selected COPD patient was safe and feasible, with shorter term benefits.
Electrocardiographic Associations Seen with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Shankar Shyam , Gupta Sushilkumar Satish , Rojas-Marte Geurys , Demir Selma , Saxena Abhinav , Obiagwu Chukwudi , Aggarwal Nidhi , Rai Anand Kumar , Kamholz Stephan , Shetty Vijay , Kupfer Yizhak
Published: February 2019

Background. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic respiratory disorder associated with repeated nocturnal partial or complete collapse that is often underdiagnosed and associated with multiple comorbidities. The association between specific features on an electrocardiogram and OSA has not been well studied. This retrospective study attempts to bridge this gap in knowledge.Methods. A total of 265 patients’ medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Specific features of their electrocardiograms and their association with the severity of OSA were studied from April 2014 to May 2016. 215 patients were included in the final analysis. Tests of group difference between OSA patients and controls were done using student’s t-tests for continuous variables and using chi-square tests for categorical outcomes. Multivariate tests of differences between OSA and control patients were done using logistic regression to control for possible confounding factors.Results. A total of 215 patients with diagnosed OSA and 41 controls in whom OSA was ruled out using polysomnography were compared. Males were more likely to present with OSA than females (93 % versus 76 %; p < 0.001). OSA patients were also significantly older: 52.18 ± 14.04 versus 44.55 ± 14.64; p = 0.002. Deep S waves in V5-6 (p=0.014) and RS pattern with Deep S waves in leads I and AVF (p=0.017) were both significantly associated with OSA based on univariate comparisons. These findings lost significance in the multivariate analysis.Conclusion. The idea of using an electrocardiogram in aiding in the assessment of OSA is attractive and feasible, as it is a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective method. Our results can be used for early risk stratification in patients with OSA.
A Functional Landscape of Resistance to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 Inhibition in NRAS-Mutant Melanoma
Authors: Hayes Tikvah K. , Luo Flora , Cohen Ofir , Goodale Amy B. , Lee Yenarae , Pantel Sasha , Bagul Mukta , Piccioni Federica , Root David E. , Garraway Levi A. , Meyerson Matthew , Johannessen Cory M.
Published: February 2019

Combinatorial inhibition of MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 is currently undergoing clinical investigation in NRAS-mutant melanoma. To prospectively map the landscape of resistance to this investigational regimen, we utilized a series of gain- and loss-of-function forward genetic screens to identify modulators of resistance to clinical inhibitors of MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 alone and in combination. First, we identified NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines that were dependent on NRAS for proliferation and sensitive to MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 combination treatment. We then used a genome-scale ORF overexpression screen and a CRISPR knockout screen to identify modulators of resistance to each inhibitor alone or in combination. These orthogonal screening approaches revealed concordant means of achieving resistance to this therapeutic modality, including tyrosine kinases, RAF, RAS, AKT, and PI3K signaling. Activated KRAS was sufficient to cause resistance to combined MEK/CDK inhibition and to replace genetic depletion of oncogenic NRAS. In summary, our comprehensive functional genetic screening approach revealed modulation of resistance to the inhibition of MEK1/2, CDK4/6, or their combination in NRAS-mutant melanoma.

Significance:

These findings reveal that NRAS-mutant melanomas can acquire resistance to genetic ablation of NRAS or combination MEK1/2 and CDK4/6 inhibition by upregulating activity of the RTK–RAS–RAF and RTK–PI3K–AKT signaling cascade.
Label-Free Raman Spectroscopy Reveals Signatures of Radiation Resistance in the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Paidi Santosh K. , Diaz Paola Monterroso , Dadgar Sina , Jenkins Samir V. , Quick Charles M. , Griffin Robert J. , Dings Ruud P.M. , Rajaram Narasimhan , Barman Ishan
Published: February 2019

Delay in the assessment of tumor response to radiotherapy continues to pose a major challenge to quality of life for patients with nonresponsive tumors. Here, we exploited label-free Raman spectroscopic mapping to elucidate radiation-induced biomolecular changes in tumors and uncovered latent microenvironmental differences between treatment-resistant and -sensitive tumors. We used isogenic radiation-resistant and -sensitive A549 human lung cancer cells and human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines (UM-SCC-47 and UM-SCC-22B, respectively) to grow tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice and demonstrated the molecular specificity and quantitative nature of Raman spectroscopic tissue assessments. Raman spectra obtained from untreated and treated tumors were subjected to chemometric analysis using multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) and support vector machine (SVM) to quantify biomolecular differences in the tumor microenvironment. The Raman measurements revealed significant and reliable differences in lipid and collagen content postradiation in the tumor microenvironment, with consistently greater changes observed in the radiation-sensitive tumors. In addition to accurately evaluating tumor response to therapy, the combination of Raman spectral markers potentially offers a route to predicting response in untreated tumors prior to commencing treatment. Combined with its noninvasive nature, our findings provide a rationale for in vivo studies using Raman spectroscopy, with the ultimate goal of clinical translation for patient stratification and guiding adaptation of radiotherapy during the course of treatment.

Significance:

These findings highlight the sensitivity of label-free Raman spectroscopy to changes induced by radiotherapy and indicate the potential to predict radiation resistance prior to commencing therapy.
Prognostic Value of Platelet Count in Patients with Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Choi Mihong , Lee Jeong-Ok , Jung Jongheon , Lee Ji Yun , Lee Eunyoung , Lee Hyewon , Bang Soo-Mee , Eom Hyeon Seok , Lee Jong Seok
Published: February 2019

Background: Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous entity with poor survival. We evaluated the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), and platelet count as new prognostic factors for PTCL. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 77 patients with PTCL initially treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Survival curves were compared between groups with different initial NLR (iNLR), end-point NLR (eNLR), initial ALC, and platelet counts. Cox regression was used to analyze the risk factor for survival. Results: Patients with a higher eNLR (≥3), lymphopenia (< 1,000/μL), and thrombocytopenia (< 150 K/μL) had an inferior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to their counterparts, while a higher iNLR (≥3) was predictive of a shorter OS but not PFS. Among these, thrombocytopenia was an independent poor prognostic factor for both PFS and OS, with a hazard ratio of 2.42 (p = 0.012) for PFS and 4.21 (p = 0.006) for OS. The presence of thrombocytopenia further stratified patients with a worse prognosis within overlapping risk-groups by the prognostic index for PTCL. Conclusions: Our study showed that thrombocytopenia at diagnosis was an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with PTCL.
Brain Vasculature and Cognition
Authors: Fouda Abdelrahman Y. , Fagan Susan C. , Ergul Adviye
Published: February 2019

There is a complex interaction between the brain and the cerebral vasculature to meet the metabolic demands of the brain for proper function. Preservation of cerebrovascular function and integrity has a central role in this sophisticated communication within the brain, and any derangements can have deleterious acute and chronic consequences. In almost all forms of cognitive impairment, from mild to Alzheimer disease, there are changes in cerebrovascular function and structure leading to decreased cerebral blood flow, which may initiate or worsen cognitive impairment. In this focused review, we discuss the contribution of 2 major vasoactive pathways to cerebrovascular dysfunction and cognitive impairment in an effort to identify early intervention strategies.
Cumulative Psychosocial Stress and Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Older Women
Authors: Burroughs Peña Melissa S. , Mbassa Rachel S. , Slopen Natalie B. , Williams David R. , Buring Julie E. , Albert Michelle A.
Published: February 2019

Background:

Research implicates acute and chronic stressors in racial/ethnic health disparities, but the joint impact of multiple stressors on racial/ethnic disparities in cardiovascular health is unknown.

Methods:

In 25 062 women (24 053 white; 256 Hispanic; 440 black; 313 Asian) articipating in the Women’s Health Study follow-up cohort, we examined the relationship between cumulative psychosocial stress (CPS) and ideal cardiovascular health (ICH), as defined by the American Heart Association’s 2020 strategic Impact Goals. This health metric includes smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and glucose, with higher levels indicating more ICH and less cardiovascular risk (score range, 0–7). We created a CPS score that summarized acute stressors (eg, negative life events) and chronic stressors (eg, work, work-family spillover, financial, discrimination, relationship, and neighborhood) and traumatic life event stress reported on a stress questionnaire administered in 2012 to 2013 (score range, 16–385, with higher scores indicating higher levels of stress).

Results:

White women had the lowest mean CPS scores (white: 161.7±50.4; Hispanic: 171.2±51.7; black: 172.5±54.9; Asian: 170.8±50.6;
P
overall
<0.01). Mean CPS scores remained higher in Hispanic, black, and Asian women than in white women after adjustment for age, socioeconomic status (income and education), and psychological status (depression and anxiety) (
P
<0.01 for each). Mean ICH scores varied by race/ethnicity (
P
<0.01) and were significantly lower in black women and higher in Asian women compared with white women (β-coefficient [95% CI]: Hispanics, −0.02 [−0.13 to −0.09]; blacks, −0.34 [−0.43 to −0.25]; Asians, 0.34 [0.24 to 0.45]); control for socioeconomic status and CPS did not change these results. Interactions between CPS and race/ethnicity in ICH models were not significant.

Conclusions:

Both CPS and ICH varied by race/ethnicity. ICH remained worse in blacks and better in Asians compared with whites, despite taking into account socioeconomic factors and CPS.
Abstract 103: Cytochrome b5 Reductase 3 Regulates Myoglobin Redox State and Controls Cardiac Function
Authors: Carew Nolan T , Altmann Helene M , Galley Joseph C , Hahn Scott , Miller Megan P , Shiva Sruti , McNamara Dennis , Straub Adam C
Published: February 2019

Oxidative stress contributes to the adverse pathophysiology of cardiac remodeling in heart failure. During oxidative stress, hemoprotein heme-iron can be oxidized, often altering the function of these proteins. We previously reported that cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (Cyb5R3) regulates heme iron redox in the vascular wall. While conducting vasoreactivity studies with a small-molecule Cyb5R3 inhibitor, we unexpectedly observed inhibition resulted in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with reduced ejection fraction. Based on this study, we generated the first cardiomyocyte Cyb5R3 knockout mouse. Heart specific Cyb5R3 knockout resulted in DCM with >50% lethality in 15 days. H&E staining, wheat germ agglutinin immunofluorescence staining, transmission electron microscopy and diffusion tensor MRI shows that loss of Cyb5R3 causes myocardial atrophy and fibrosis. Due to the known heme iron reducing function of Cyb5R3, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) was used to assess the abundance of reduced and oxidized myoglobin ex vivo. Cyb5R3 knockout hearts had approximately 30% more oxidation relative to controls. Hypoxyprobe staining, which senses tissue pO2 below 5mmHg, showed Cyb5R3 expression is required for maintaining intra-cardiomyocyte pO
2
, likely through myoglobin heme-iron reduction. Decreased pO
2
was supported by altered mitochondrial dynamics. Complex IV activity was significantly reduced, along with decreased mitochondrial size and total ATP. Heme degradation protein, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was significantly upregulated, suggesting that Cyb5R3 knockout may result in increased free-heme toxicity leading to intracellular damage. To translate these findings to humans, we conducted a retrospective study using a high-frequency T117S variant in African Americans. T117S carriers had significantly accelerated mortality post-first acute cardiac event. A T117S mouse was generated and received trans-aortic constriction (TAC) for 2 weeks. Preliminary results suggest T117S TAC mice have accelerated cardiac remodeling and time to death after pressure overload relative to C57B6/J TAC controls. Together, these data support Cyb5R3 expression may have an important role as a heme-iron reductase in cardiomyocyte function.
Abstract 202: Low Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Identified a Novel Population of Human Cardiac Progenitor Cells with the Capacity for Myocardial Repair
Authors: Li Xiuchun , Wang Xiao-Liang , Bennett Edward , Cai Chuanxi
Published: February 2019

As resident cardiac stem/progenitor cells (CPCs) stay in the hypoxia niche, have less metabolic activity and lower mitochondrial membrane potential, the aim of this study was to characterize a new subset of CPCs with lower mitochondrial membrane potential and examine their potential for myocardial repair. Following the live cell staining with a lipophilic cationic dye tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) at a final concentration of 25 nm, a novel subset of hCPCs with the lowest ~3% TMRM fluorescence were sorted from right atrial appendage derived cells (RAACs) in patients with cardiomyopathy, and named as ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs, which are self-renewable, and characterized as positive (>90%) for CD90, CD44, CD140b, CD172a, however, negative (<5%) for CD34, CD45, CD54, CD117, CD133. The increased expression of pluripotent genes (LIN28, NANOG, & OCT3/4) and cardiac lineage genes (GATA4, MEF2C, MYOCD, & NKX2.5), as well as the decreased expression of cell cycle inhibitor (CDKN2A & CDKN1A) were observed in ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs comparing with the non-sorted RAACs. Interestingly, ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs exclusively express heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). And CPCs positive for HO-1 and NKX2.5/GATA4 were found in the intact human heart tissue sections. ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs are able to differentiate into all three cardiac lineage cells in both
in vitro
and
in vivo
conditions, and display superior ability for survival, proliferation and release of cytoprotective cytokines compared to the RAACs. At 35 days, compared with the vehicle and control cell groups, transplantation of ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs significantly improve the cardiac structure and function following myocardial infarction in the immunodeficient mouse model, as indicated by the increased left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, increased positive and negative LV dP/dt, reduced LV remodeling, and reduced infarct size. The immunohistochemistry studies showed the significant increased cardiac proliferation, newly formed cardiomyocytes, angiogenesis, and decreased cell apoptosis in the ΔΨ
m
low
-hCPCs treated group. In summary, we identified a new hCPC population that might represent a primitive progenitor cell population within human hearts. The existence of these cells opens new opportunities for myocardial repair.