bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In VivoStudies on the Influence of Bacteriophage Preparations on the Autoimmune Inflammatory Process
Authors: Międzybrodzki Ryszard , Borysowski Jan , Kłak Marlena , Jończyk-Matysiak Ewa , Obmińska-Mrukowicz Bożena , Suszko-Pawłowska Agnieszka , Bubak Barbara , Weber-Dąbrowska Beata , Górski Andrzej
Published: October 2017

Phage preparations used for phage therapy may have not only direct antibacterial action but also immunomodulating effects mediated by phages themselves as well as by bacterial antigens. Therefore phage application in patients with immune disorders, and especially with autoimmune diseases, requires special attention. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of phage lysates (staphylococcal phages A3/R, phi200, and MS-1 cocktail, enterococcal phage 15/P,Pseudomonasphage 119x, andE. coliT4 phage) as well as purified T4 phage on the course of murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), commonly used as an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis. Intraperitoneal application of phage lysates or purified T4 phage did not aggravate the course of autoimmune joint disease. Moreover, although endotoxins are known to potentiate CIA, the systemic administration of phage lysate ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, which contains debris of this Gram-negative bacillus, did not significantly influence CIA although the sonicate of the corresponding bacterial strain did. Interestingly, a purified T4 phage revealed some anti-inflammatory activity when applied under the therapeutic scheme. Our preliminary results do not suggest that phages may aggravate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In contrast T4 phage may even exert an immunosuppressive effect.
Genetics of Marbling in Wagyu Revealed by the Melting Temperature of Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Lipids
Authors: Lloyd Sally S. , Valenzuela Jose L. , Steele Edward J. , Dawkins Roger L.
Published: October 2017

Extreme marbling or intramuscular deposition of lipid is associated with Wagyu breeds and is therefore assumed to be largely inherited. However, even within 100% full blood Wagyu prepared under standard conditions, there is unpredictable scatter of the degree of marbling. Here, we evaluate melting temperature (Tm) of intramuscular fat as an alternative to visual scores of marbling. We show that “long fed” Wagyu generally hasTmbelow body temperature but with a considerable range under standardized conditions. Individual sires have a major impact indicating that the variation is genetic rather than environmental or random error. In order to measure differences of lower marbling breeds and at shorter feeding periods, we have comparedTmin subcutaneous fat samples from over the striploin. Supplementary feeding for 100 to 150 days leads to a rapid decrease inTmof 50% Red Wagyu (Akaushi) : 50% European crosses, when compared to 100% European. This improvement indicates that the genetic effect of Wagyu is useful, predictable, and highly penetrant. Contemporaneous DNA extraction does not affect the measurement ofTm. Thus, provenance can be traced and substitution can be eliminated in a simple and cost-effective manner.
Consensus Kernel K-Means Clustering for Incomplete Multiview Data
Authors: Ye Yongkai , Liu Xinwang , Liu Qiang , Yin Jianping
Published: October 2017

Multiview clustering aims to improve clustering performance through optimal integration of information from multiple views. Though demonstrating promising performance in various applications, existing multiview clustering algorithms cannot effectively handle the view’s incompleteness. Recently, one pioneering work was proposed that handled this issue by integrating multiview clustering and imputation into a unified learning framework. While its framework is elegant, we observe that it overlooks the consistency between views, which leads to a reduction in the clustering performance. In order to address this issue, we propose a new unified learning method for incomplete multiview clustering, which simultaneously imputes the incomplete views and learns a consistent clustering result with explicit modeling of between-view consistency. More specifically, the similarity between each view’s clustering result and the consistent clustering result is measured. The consistency between views is then modeled using the sum of these similarities. Incomplete views are imputed to achieve an optimal clustering result in each view, while maintaining between-view consistency. Extensive comparisons with state-of-the-art methods on both synthetic and real-world incomplete multiview datasets validate the superiority of the proposed method.
Correlation in the Coronal Angle between Knee and Hindfoot Was Observed in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Unless Talocrural Joint Was Destroyed
Authors: Nishitani Kohei , Ito Hiromu , Shimozono Yoshiharu , Furu Moritoshi , Azukizawa Masayuki , Hashimoto Motomu , Tanaka Masao , Mimori Tsuneyo , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the compensatory correlation between knee and hindfoot in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This cross-sectional study included 218 patients (407 lower extremities). Radiographs of the hindfoot and full-length posteroanterior hip-to-calcaneus standing radiographs were evaluated. The destruction of the hindfoot was evaluated using the Larsen grading system. The coronal angular deformity of the knee and hindfoot was evaluated by the femorotibial angle (FTA) and the angle between the tibial shaft and the entire hindfoot (tibiohindfoot angle, THFA). The correlation between FTA and THFA was determined by Pearson’s coefficient. For all patients, FTA correlated to THFA (R = 0.28, p<0.001). The correlation was observed as long as the talocrural joint was preserved (Larsen grade ≤ 2), even if the subtalar joint had been destroyed (Larsen grade ≥ 3). However, the correlation was not observed when the talocrural joint was destroyed (Larsen grade ≥ 3, R = −0.02, p=0.94). The pain in the hindfoot did not correlate with FTA or THFA. In conclusion, a compensatory deformity of the hindfoot against the deformity of the knee was observed in RA, and the correlation was lost when talocrural joint was destroyed.
Resveratrol Ameliorates Mitochondrial Elongation via Drp1/Parkin/PINK1 Signaling in Senescent‐Like Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Ren Xuecong , Chen Li , Xie Jing , Zhang Zhifeng , Dong Gengting , Liang Jie , Liu Liang , Zhou Hua , Luo Pei
Published: October 2017

Resveratrol is widely known for its antiaging properties and exerts cardiovascular protective effects in different experimental models. The role of resveratrol in regulating mitochondrial functions and dynamics during the cardiac aging process remains poorly understood. In this study, the effects of resveratrol on mitochondrial morphology and mitochondrial depolarization and on expressions of Drp1, parkin, PINK1, and LC3 were investigated in H9c2 cells after D‐galactose treatment that induced senescent‐like cardiomyocytes. The results show that downregulation of Drp1 markedly increased mitochondrial elongation. Senescent‐like cardiomyocytes were more resistant to CCCP‐induced mitochondrial depolarization, which was accompanied by suppressed expression of parkin, PINK1, and LC3‐II. Resveratrol treatment significantly increased Drp1 expression, ameliorated mitochondrial elongation, and increased the mitochondrial translocations of parkin and PINK1. In addition, resveratrol significantly enhanced LC3‐II expression and decreased TOM20‐labeled mitochondrial content. Resveratrol also suppressed the phosphorylation of parkin and PINK1, which may relate to its abilities to degrade the impaired mitochondria in senescent‐like cardiomyocytes. These findings show that suppressing mitochondrial elongation in a Drp1‐dependent manner is involved in the effect of resveratrol on attenuating the development of aging cardiomyocytes. Activation of parkin and PINK1 may be a potential mechanism of resveratrol for treating cardiovascular complications related to aging.
Quantum Speed Limit for Relativistic Spin-0 and Spin-1 Bosons on Commutative and Noncommutative Planes
Authors: Wang Kang , Zhang Yu-Fei , Wang Qing , Long Zheng-Wen , Jing Jian
Published: October 2017

Quantum speed limits of relativistic charged spin-0 and spin-1 bosons in the background of a homogeneous magnetic field are studied on both commutative and noncommutative planes. We show that, on the commutative plane, the average speeds of wave packets along the radial direction during the interval in which a quantum state is evolving from an initial state to the orthogonal final one can not exceed the speed of light, regardless of the intensities of the magnetic field. However, due to the noncommutativity, the average speeds of the wave packets on noncommutative plane will exceed the speed of light in vacuum provided the intensity of the magnetic field is strong enough. It is a clear signature of violating Lorentz invariance in the relativistic quantum mechanics region.
Malnutrition and Its Associated Factors among Rural School Children in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt
Authors: Abdel Wahed Wafaa Y. , Hassan Safaa K. , Eldessouki Randa
Published: October 2017

Malnutrition is an increasing health problem among children in developing countries. We assessed the level of malnutrition and associated factors among school children in a rural setting in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. A school based cross-sectional survey was conducted on children (6–17 years) in Manshit El Gamal village in Tamia district of Fayoum Governorate. Weight, height, and age data were used to calculatez-scores of the three nutritional indicators using WHO anthroPlus. Sociodemographics and lifestyles Data were collected. Prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting was 34.2%, 3.4%, and 0.9%, respectively, while obesity was 14.9%. Prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in younger age group of 6–9 years in comparison with older age and was higher in males versus females in 10–13-year-age group. Increasing age, reduced poultry consumption, and escaping breakfast were associated factors for stunting with OR (95% CI) 1.27 (1.17–1.37), 2.19 (1.4–3.4), and 2.3 (1.07–5.03). Younger age and regular employment of the father were factors associated with obesity (OR = 0.753; 0.688–0.824 and OR = 2.217; 1.4–3.5). Malnutrition is highly prevalent in Fayoum in line with the national prevalence and associated with age, gender, regularity of father’s employment, and dietary factors.
Vitamin D Status, Disease Activity, and Endothelial Dysfunction in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Authors: Caraba Alexandru , Crişan Viorica , Romoşan Ioan , Mozoş Ioana , Murariu Marius
Published: October 2017

Cardiovascular diseases represent important complications in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, generated by an accelerated atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is represented by the assessment of the correlations between serum levels of vitamin D, disease activity, and endothelial dysfunction in patients with early RA. Material and Methods. The study was performed on a group of 35 patients with early RA and 35 healthy subjects matched for age and gender, as controls. In all studied subjects, the following were determined: inflammatory markers, insulin resistance, vitamin D levels, and endothelial dysfunction. Statistical analysis were performed using the Student’s t-test and the Pearson’s test. p values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. The group of patients with RA patients presented inflammation, low levels of vitamin D, elevated insulin resistance, and reduced flow-mediated vasodilation, statistically significant compared to the control group (p<0.00001). Significant inverse correlations between the levels of 25(OH) vitamin D and DAS28, respective insulin resistance, and significant positive correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and endothelial function were demonstrated. Conclusion. In early RA patients with moderate and high disease activity, low serum levels of vitamin D were associated with disease activity, increased insulin resistance, and endothelial dysfunction.
The Prefiltering Techniques in Emotion Based Place Recommendation Derived by User Reviews
Authors: Ishanka U. A. Piumi , Yukawa Takashi
Published: October 2017

Context-aware recommendation systems attempt to address the challenge of identifying products or items that have the greatest chance of meeting user requirements by adapting to current contextual information. Many such systems have been developed in domains such as movies, books, and music, and emotion is a contextual parameter that has already been used in those fields. This paper focuses on the use of emotion as a contextual parameter in a tourist destination recommendation system. We developed a new corpus that incorporates the emotion parameter by employing semantic analysis techniques for destination recommendation. We review the effectiveness of incorporating emotion in a recommendation process using prefiltering techniques and show that the use of emotion as a contextual parameter for location recommendation in conjunction with collaborative filtering increases user satisfaction.
Severe Cytomegalovirus Reactivation in Patient with Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after Standard Chemotherapy
Authors: Modvig Lena , Boyle Ciaran , Randall Katie , Borg Anton
Published: October 2017

Clinically significant cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is not uncommon in patients with severe immunodeficiency secondary to underlying medical disorders or following aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. However, it is less frequently found in patients with low-grade haematological malignancies after nonintensive chemotherapy. We treated a patient at our centre for stage IVB follicular lymphoma with standard chemotherapy who successively developed CMV colitis associated with a CMV viral load of >3 million copies/ml. Four lines of antiviral treatment were necessary to obtain biochemical remission with undetectable CMV levels, with an initially insufficient response to valganciclovir despite therapeutic pre- and posttreatment levels. Subsequently, our patient also developed an infection with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) as further evidence of severe immune compromise. This case report demonstrates the importance of including investigations for less common sources of infection when confronted with a patient with a low-grade haematological malignancy and a pyrexia of unknown origin.
An Improved Random Walker with Bayes Model for Volumetric Medical Image Segmentation
Authors: Dong Chunhua , Zeng Xiangyan , Lin Lanfen , Hu Hongjie , Han Xianhua , Naghedolfeizi Masoud , Aberra Dawit , Chen Yen-Wei
Published: October 2017

Random walk (RW) method has been widely used to segment the organ in the volumetric medical image. However, it leads to a very large-scale graph due to a number of nodes equal to a voxel number and inaccurate segmentation because of the unavailability of appropriate initial seed point setting. In addition, the classical RW algorithm was designed for a user to mark a few pixels with an arbitrary number of labels, regardless of the intensity and shape information of the organ. Hence, we propose a prior knowledge-based Bayes random walk framework to segment the volumetric medical image in a slice-by-slice manner. Our strategy is to employ the previous segmented slice to obtain the shape and intensity knowledge of the target organ for the adjacent slice. According to the prior knowledge, the object/background seed points can be dynamically updated for the adjacent slice by combining the narrow band threshold (NBT) method and the organ model with a Gaussian process. Finally, a high-quality image segmentation result can be automatically achieved using Bayes RW algorithm. Comparing our method with conventional RW and state-of-the-art interactive segmentation methods, our results show an improvement in the accuracy for liver segmentation (p<0.001).
Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer to Thyroid Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Technique
Authors: Abdel-Aziz Yousef , Hammad Tariq , Nawras Mohamad , Abdulwahid Hayder , Nawras Ali
Published: October 2017

Medical literature about the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in identifying thyroid lesions is limited. We present a case of secondary thyroid cancer from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastasis, diagnosed by thyroid EUS-fine needle aspiration (FNA) approach that was done for staging of esophageal adenocarcinoma, in a patient with 11-year history of complete right nephrectomy for RCC. An 81-year-old female patient underwent EUS for the evaluation of a newly discovered distal esophageal cancer. A hypoechoic, round, and well-demarcated mass that measured 26.9 mm × 21.9 mm was noticed in the right lobe thyroid gland. Therefore FNA was performed. The cytological results were consistent with metastatic RCC. In conclusion, EUS-FNA of thyroid nodule is a feasible and safe technique that can be used to evaluate any suspicious thyroid nodule. This case emphasizes the importance of carefully examining the thyroid gland during routine upper esophageal EUS examinations in the presence of history of nonthyroidal cancer.
Constitutive Expression of Adiponectin in Endothelial Progenitor Cells Protects a Rat Model of Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Zhang Renwei , Xie Xiaorui , Yu Qing , Feng Hongliang , Wang Meiyao , Li Yan , Liu Yumin
Published: October 2017

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), as precursors to endothelial cells, play a significant part in the process of endogenous blood vessel repair and maintenance of endothelial integrity. Adiponectin (APN) is an adipocyte-specific adipocytokine. In this study, we aim to test whether we transplant a combined graft of EPCs transfected with the adiponectin gene into a rat model of cerebral ischemia could improve functional recovery after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a MCAO control group, a MCAO EPC treatment group, and a MCAO LV-APN-EPC treatment group. A focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion model was induced by the intraluminal suture method. After 2 h of reperfusion, EPCs were transplanted by injection through the tail vein. A rotarod test was conducted to assess behavioral function before MCAO and on days 1, 7, and 14 after MCAO. After 14 d, TTC staining, CD31 immunofluorescence, and TUNEL staining were used to evaluate infarct volume, microvessel density, and cell apoptosis. Results revealed that behavioral function, infarct area percentage, microvessel density, and cell apoptosis rates were more favorable in the LV-APN-EPC treatment group than in the EPC treatment group. These data suggested that gene-modified cell therapy may be a useful approach for the treatment of ischemic stroke.
Body Schema Illusions: A Study of the Link between the Rubber Hand and Kinesthetic Mirror Illusions through Individual Differences
Authors: Metral Morgane , Gonthier Corentin , Luyat Marion , Guerraz Michel
Published: October 2017

Background. The well-known rubber hand paradigm induces an illusion by having participants feel the touch applied to a fake hand. In parallel, the kinesthetic mirror illusion elicits illusions of movement by moving the reflection of a participant’s arm. Experimental manipulation of sensory inputs leads to emergence of these multisensory illusions. There are strong conceptual similarities between these two illusions, suggesting that they rely on the same neurophysiological mechanisms, but this relationship has never been investigated. Studies indicate that participants differ in their sensitivity to these illusions, which provides a possibility for studying the relationship between these two illusions. Method. We tested 36 healthy participants to confirm that there exist reliable individual differences in sensitivity to the two illusions and that participants sensitive to one illusion are also sensitive to the other. Results. The results revealed that illusion sensitivity was very stable across trials and that individual differences in sensitivity to the kinesthetic mirror illusion were highly related to individual differences in sensitivity to the rubber hand illusion. Conclusions. Overall, these results support the idea that these two illusions may be both linked to a transitory modification of body schema, wherein the most sensitive people have the most malleable body schema.
Dynamic Vehicle Scheduling for Working Service Network with Dual Demands
Authors: Li Bing , Xu Wei , Xuan Hua , Xu Chunqiu
Published: October 2017

This study aims to develop some models to aid in making decisions on the combined fleet size and vehicle assignment in working service network where the demands include two types (minimum demands and maximum demands), and vehicles themselves can act like a facility to provide services when they are stationary at one location. This type of problem is named as the dynamic working vehicle scheduling with dual demands (DWVS-DD) and formulated as a mixed integer programming (MIP). Instead of a large integer program, the problem is decomposed into small local problems that are guided by preset control parameters. The approach for preset control parameters is given. By introducing them into the MIP formulation, the model is reformulated as a piecewise form. Further, a piecewise method by updating preset control parameters is proposed for solving the reformulated model. Numerical experiments show that the proposed method produces better solution within reasonable computing time.
Relationship between Activities of Daily Living and Readmission within 90 Days in Hospitalized Elderly Patients with Heart Failure
Authors: Kitamura Masahiro , Izawa Kazuhiro P. , Taniue Hiroki , Mimura Yumi , Imamura Keita , Nagashima Hitomi , Brubaker Peter H.
Published: October 2017

Aims. To examine the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) and readmission within 90 days and assess the cutoff value of ADL to predict readmission in hospitalized elderly patients with heart failure (HF). Methods. This cohort study comprised 589 consecutive patients with HF aged ≥65 years, who underwent cardiac rehabilitation from May 2012 to May 2016 and were discharged home. We investigated patients’ characteristics, basic attributes, and ADL (motor and cognitive Functional Independence Measure [FIM]). We analyzed the data using the unpaired t-test, χ2 test, Cox proportional hazard model, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and Kaplan-Meier method. Results. Of 589 patients, 113 met the criteria, and they were divided into the nonreadmission (n=90) and readmission groups (n=23). Age, body mass index, New York Heart Association class, hemoglobin level, and motor FIM score were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). The body mass index (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.87; p<0.05) and motor FIM score (HR: 0.94; p<0.01) remained statistically significant. The cutoff value for the motor FIM score determined by ROC curve analysis was 74.5 points (area under the curve = 0.78; p<0.001). Conclusion. The motor FIM score in elderly patients with HF was an independent predictor of rehospitalization within 90 days.
Proanthocyanidins Attenuation of H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage in Tendon-Derived Stem Cells via Upregulating Nrf-2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Sun Wenshuang , Meng Jia , Wang Zhenheng , Yuan Tao , Qian Hong , Chen Wenxiang , Tong Jian , Xie Yu , Zhang Ya , Zhao Jianning , Bao Nirong
Published: October 2017

Proanthocyanidins (PCs) have shown inhibition of oxidative damage by improving Nrf-2 expression in many tissues. However, the cytoprotective effects of PCs on H2O2-induced tendon damage have not been verified. The current study was aimed at assessing the cytoprotection of PCs on the oxidative cellular toxicity of tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) induced by H2O2. The TDSCs were isolated from patellar tendons of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, and the cells after third passage were used for subsequent experiments. The isolated cells were identified by flow cytometry assay and multidifferentiation potential assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to examine cell viability. Real-Time PCR and Western Blot were employed to, respectively, assess the mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf-2, GCLM, NQO-1, and HO-1. PCs significantly improved the cell viability of TDSCs. Furthermore, H2O2 upregulated Nrf-2, GCLM, NQO-1, and HO-1 without significant difference, while the proteins expressions were increased with significant difference in PCs group and PCs + H2O2 cotreated group. All the findings indicated that PCs could protect against the oxidative damage induced by H2O2 in TDSCs, and the cytoprotective effects might be due to the ability of PCs to activate the expressions of GCLM, HO-1, and NQO-1 via upregulating Nrf-2 signaling pathway.
A New Hybrid UPFC Controller for Power Flow Control and Voltage Regulation Based on RBF Neurosliding Mode Technique
Authors: Kenne Godpromesse , Kuate René Fochie , Fombu Andrew Muluh , Nguimfack-Ndongmo Jean de Dieu , Fotsin Hilaire Bertrand
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a new technique to design a Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) for power flow control and DC voltage regulation of an electric power transmission system which is based on a hybrid technique which combines a Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network (online training) with the sliding mode technique to take advantage of their common features. The proposed controller does not need the knowledge of the perturbation bounds nor the full state of the nonlinear system. Hence, it is robust and produces an optimal response in the presence of system parameter uncertainty and disturbances. The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated through numerical simulations on a Kundur power system and compared with a classical PI controller. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness, robustness, and superiority of the proposed controller.
Three Ways to Improve the Performance of Real-Life Camera-Based Fall Detection Systems
Authors: Debard Glen , Mertens Marc , Goedemé Toon , Tuytelaars Tinne , Vanrumste Bart
Published: October 2017

More than thirty percent of persons over 65 years fall at least once a year and are often not able to get up again. Camera-based fall detection systems can help by triggering an alarm when falls occur. Previously we showed that real-life data poses significant challenges, resulting in high false alarm rates. Here, we show three ways to tackle this. First, using a particle filter combined with a person detector increases the robustness of our foreground segmentation, reducing the number of false alarms by 50%. Second, selecting only nonoccluded falls for training further decreases the false alarm rate on average from 31.4 to 26 falls per day. But, most importantly, this improvement is also shown by the doubling of the AUC of the precision-recall curve compared to using all falls. Third, personalizing the detector by adding several days containing only normal activities, no fall incidents, of the monitored person to the training data further increases the robustness of our fall detection system. In one case, this reduced the number of false alarms by a factor of 7 while in another one the sensitivity increased by 17% for an increase of the false alarms of 11%.
Treatment and Outcome for Children with Esophageal Atresia from a Gender Perspective
Authors: Ekselius Julia , Salö Martin , Arnbjörnsson Einar , Stenström Pernilla
Published: October 2017

Background. Besides the incidence of esophageal atresia (EA) being higher in males, no other gender-specific differences in EA have been reported. The aim of this study was to search for gender-specific differences in EA. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary center for pediatric surgery. The medical charts of infants born with EA were reviewed. 20 girls were identified, and 20 boys were selected as matched controls with respect to concomitant malformations. Their treatment and outcome were evaluated. Results. Polyhydramnios was more common in pregnancies with boys, 40%, versus girls, 10%, with EA (p<0.01). In total, 36 (90%) children had patent ductus arteriosus, without any gender difference (18 and 18, resp., p=1). The distribution of days at the different levels of care was not equally distributed between boys and girls. Boys with EA had significantly more postoperative days (median 5 days) in the ward than girls (median 5 and 2 days, resp., p=0.04). No other gender-specific differences in surgical treatment, complications, or symptoms at follow-up were identified. Conclusion. Polyhydramnios appears to be more frequent in pregnancies with boys than girls with EA. In this study, boys have longer stays than girls at the pediatric surgery ward.
A Novel Mutation of theCYP11B2in a Saudi Infant with Primary Hypoaldosteronism
Authors: Alfaraidi Lama , Alfaifi Abrar , Alquaiz Rawan , Almijmaj Faten , Mawlawi Horia
Published: October 2017

Isolated hypoaldosteronism is a rare autosomal recessive disease presenting with severe salt wasting and failure to thrive in infancy. A 6-month-old Saudi girl born to consanguineous parents was referred from primary health care for failure to thrive and developmental delay. Laboratory tests revealed hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and metabolic acidosis with high renin and low aldosterone. Blood samples were collected for endocrine and genetic studies. Sequence analysis of theCYP11B2revealed a T to A transition at position 1398 + 2 in exon 8 of the gene in a homozygous state (c.1398+T>A). This result was confirmed by sequencing an independent PCR product. Given the position of the transition at a highly conserved nucleotide and the predictions of different bioinformatic algorithms, it is likely that the mutation is the pathogenic cause of this condition. This result was compared with the reference NM_000498.3. Here, we report a novel homozygous mutation resulting in aldosterone synthase deficiency. To the best of our knowledge, this mutation has not been described in the literature or in any database thus far. The mutation manifested as a rare inherited disease in an infant exhibiting critical salt loss. An adequate replacement treatment will give a good long-term prognosis.
Complex Monitoring of Biochemical and Radionuclide Parameters in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma during Immunotherapy
Authors: Sayapina M. S. , Averinova S. G. , Zacharova T. V. , Kashkadaeva A. V. , Shiryaev S. V. , Poluectova M. V. , Vorob’eva O. A.
Published: October 2017

Study Objective. To study the effectiveness of complex monitoring of the kidney function, based on biochemical and radionuclide methods in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Materials and Methods. 41 mRCC patients after nephrectomy received nivolumab (n = 23) and interferon-α (n = 18) from 2015 to 2017. At baseline and 2 months after, all patients underwent blood chemistry, urinalysis, Rehberg test, and ELISA to determine serum levels of IL-17A, TGF-β, and erythropoietin. The monitoring of the renal function and urodynamics by complex renal scintigraphy (CRS) was used for all patients using a dual-detector gamma camera and simultaneous data recording in 2 projections. The interpretation of CRS data used the original SENS CRS technology. Study Results. Statistically significant correlations were established between IL-17A, TGF-β, and D (excretion rate of 99mTc-technephore from the parenchyma) and Rnfsc (a stable sign of nephrosclerosis), respectively. A significant correlation was established between the parameters of the complex functional monitoring with the prognosis for the risk of renal failure (RF) and efficacy of immunotherapy in mRCC. Conclusions. All mRCC patients after nephrectomy were recommended to undergo biochemical monitoring with inclusion of TGF-β and IL-17A, as well as radionuclide monitoring (CRS) to determine the RF risk at an early stage.
Collaborative Knowledge Framework for Mediation Information System Engineering
Authors: Mu Wenxin , Benaben Frederick , Boissel-Dallier Nicolas , Pingaud Herve
Published: October 2017

With the worldwide interenterprise collaboration and interoperability background, automatic collaborative business process deduction is crucial and imperative researching subject. A methodology of deducing collaborative process is designed by collecting collaborative knowledge. Due to the complexity of deduction methodology, a collaborative knowledge framework is defined to organize abstract and concrete collaborative information. The collaborative knowledge framework contains three dimensions: elements, levels, and life cycle. To better define the framework, the relations in each dimension are explained in detail. They are (i) relations among elements, which organize the gathering orders and methods of different collaborative elements, (ii) relations among life cycle, which present modeling processes and agility management, and (iii) relations among levels, which define relationships among different levels of collaborative processes: strategy, operation, and support. This paper aims to explain the collaborative knowledge framework and the relations inside.
Gasification Reaction Characteristics between Biochar and CO2 as well as the Influence on Sintering Process
Authors: Gan Min , Lv Wei , Fan Xiaohui , Chen Xuling , Ji Zhiyun , Jiang Tao
Published: October 2017

For achieving green production of iron ore sintering, it is significant to substitute biochar, which is a clean and renewable energy, for fossil fuels. In this paper, the gasification reaction between CO2 and biochar was investigated. The results showed the initial temperature and the final temperature of the gasification reaction between biochar and CO2 were lower, while the maximum weight loss rate and the biggest heat absorption value were much higher than those of coke breeze, which indicated gasification reaction between the biochar and CO2 occurred rapidly at lower temperature. The gasification activation energy of biochar was 131.10 kJ/mol, which was lower than that of the coke breeze by 56.26 kJ/mol. Therefore, biochar had a higher reactivity and easily reacted with CO2 to generate CO. As a result, when biochar replaced coke powder at equal heat condition in sintering process, the combustion efficiency of fuel decreased and was disadvantage to the mineralization of iron ores at high temperature. With the increase of substitute proportion, the sinter yield, tumble strength, and productivity were decreased. The proportion of biochar replacing coke breeze should not be higher than 40%. By reducing the heat replacement ratio of biochar, the yield and quality of sinter got improved.
Preparation and Properties of Agricultural Residuals-Iron Concentrate Pellets
Authors: Liu Zhulin , Bi Xuegong , Gao Zeping , Wang Yayu
Published: October 2017

In this paper, carbon-containing pellets were prepared by using crop-derived charcoal made from agricultural residuals and iron ore concentrates, and their pelletizing performance and properties were studied. Experimental results showed that the strengths of pellets were related to the particle size of concentrates and the content of moisture, bentonite, and crop-derived charcoal fines in the pelletizing mixture and the temperature of roasting and reduction. That the granularity of raw materials was fine and the bentonite content increased was beneficial to the improvement of pellet strengths. The suitable molar ratio of carbon to oxygen was 1.0 and the proper proportioning ratios of moisture and binder were 8.0% and 6.5%, respectively. The pellet strengths increased accordingly with increasing the reduction temperature, and when the temperature reached 1200°C, accompanied by the fast reduction of iron and the formation of crystal stock, the dropping strength of product pellets was 15 times and the compressive strength was 1650 N; this may be improved by grinding of the concentrate, leading to acceptable strength for the blast furnace.
Left Brachiocephalic Vein Stenosis due to the Insertion of a Temporal Right Subclavian Hemodialysis Catheter
Authors: Skandalou Eleni I. , Apostolidou-Kiouti Fani D. , Minasidis Ilias D. , Skandalos Ioannis K.
Published: October 2017

Central vein stenosis/occlusion is a common well-described sequel to the placement of hemodialysis catheters in the central venous system. The precise mechanisms by which central vein stenosis occurs are not well known. Current concepts in central vein stenosis pathophysiology focus on the response to vessel injury model, emphasizing the process of trauma. A case of left brachiocephalic vein stenosis due to the insertion and function of a temporary right subclavian hemodialysis catheter is presented. The purpose of the manuscript is to emphasize that, with the introduction of a temporary subclavian hemodialysis catheter via the right subclavian vein apart from causing concurrent stenosis/infarction of the right subclavian and right brachiocephalic vein, it is also possible to cause stenosis of the left brachiocephalic vein (close to its contribution to the superior vena cava) although the catheter tip is placed in the correct anatomical position in the superior vena cava.
Comparative Analysis of Spontaneous and Stimulus-Evoked Calcium Transients in Proliferating and Differentiating Human Midbrain-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Johansen Torben , Krabbe Christina , Schmidt Sissel Ida , Serrano Alberto Martínez , Meyer Morten
Published: October 2017

Spontaneous cytosolic calcium transients and oscillations have been reported in various tissues of nonhuman and human origin but not in human midbrain-derived stem cells. Using confocal microfluorimetry, we studied spontaneous calcium transients and calcium-regulating mechanisms in a human ventral mesencephalic stem cell line undergoing proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Spontaneous calcium transients were detected in a large fraction of both proliferating (>50%) and differentiating (>55%) cells. We provide evidence for the existence of intracellular calcium stores that respond to muscarinic activation of the cells, having sensitivity for ryanodine and thapsigargin possibly reflecting IP3receptor activity and the presence of ryanodine receptors and calcium ATPase pumps. The observed calcium transient activity potentially supports the existence of a sodium-calcium antiporter and the existence of calcium influx induced by depletion of calcium stores. We conclude that the cells have developed the most important mechanisms governing cytosolic calcium homeostasis. This is the first comparative report of spontaneous calcium transients in proliferating and differentiating human midbrain-derived stem cells that provides evidence for the mechanisms that are likely to be involved. We propose that the observed spontaneous calcium transients may contribute to mechanisms involved in cell proliferation, phenotypic differentiation, and general cell maturation.
Shake Table Study on the Effect of Mainshock-Aftershock Sequences on Structures with SFSI
Authors: Qin Xiaoyang , Chouw Nawawi
Published: October 2017

Observations from recent earthquakes have emphasised the need for a better understanding of the effects of structure-footing-soil interaction on the response of structures. In order to incorporate the influences of soil, a laminar box can be used to contain the soil during experiments. The laminar box simulates field boundary conditions by allowing the soil to shear during shake table tests. A holistic response of a structure and supporting soil can thus be obtained by placing a model structure on the surface of the soil in the laminar box. This work reveals the response of structure with SFSI under mainshock and aftershock earthquake sequences. A large (2 m by 2 m) laminar box, capable of simulating the behaviour of both dry and saturated soils, was constructed. A model structure was placed on dry sand in the laminar box. The setup was excited by a sequence of earthquake excitations. The first excitation was used to obtain the response of the model on sand under the mainshock of an earthquake. The second and third excitations represented the first and second aftershocks, respectively.
Retroperitoneal Ectopic Pregnancy: Diagnosis and Therapeutic Challenges
Authors: Ouassour Salma , Filali Abdelhai Adib , Raiss Mohamed , Bezad Rachid , Tazi Zakia , Alami Mohamed Hassan , Bennani Jihane , Dafiri Rachida
Published: October 2017

Background. Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy is extremely rare. This unusual location represents a great challenge for clinicians due to the difficulties of diagnosis and high risk of life-threatening complications. Case Report. We report the case of a spontaneous early pregnancy of undetermined location in a patient with a history of previous laparoscopic surgery. Diagnosis steps using clinical examination, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging led to the localization of the pregnancy, in the left side of the para-aortic region, in the retroperitoneal space. Conclusion. Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy is an uncommon entity with rather complex pathogenesis. Clinicians should carefully interpret clinical signs, biological findings, and imaging features and be aware of unusual locations such as the retroperitoneum for ectopic pregnancies. Early diagnosis and appropriate management strategy are conditio sine qua non for successful treatment outcomes.
Natural Killer T-cell Immunotherapy in Combination with Chemotherapy-Induced Immunogenic Cell Death Targets Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Gebremeskel Simon , Lobert Lynnea , Tanner Kaitlyn , Walker Brynn , Oliphant Tora , Clarke Livia E. , Dellaire Graham , Johnston Brent
Published: October 2017

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are glycolipid-reactive lymphocytes that promote cancer control. In previous studies, NKT-cell activation improved survival and antitumor immunity in a postsurgical mouse model of metastatic breast cancer. Herein, we investigated whether NKT-cell activation could be combined with chemotherapeutic agents to augment therapeutic outcomes. Gemcitabine and cyclophosphamide analogues enhanced the potential immunogenicity of 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells by increasing the expression of antigen-presenting molecules (MHC-I, MHC-II, and CD1d) and promoting exposure or release of immunogenic cell death markers (calreticulin, HMGB1, and ATP). In 4T1 primary tumor and postsurgical metastasis models, BALB/c mice were treated with cyclophosphamide or gemcitabine. NKT cells were then activated by transfer of dendritic cells loaded with the glycolipid antigen α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). Chemotherapeutic treatments did not impact NKT-cell activation but enhanced recruitment into primary tumors. Cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, or α-GalCer–loaded dendritic cell monotherapies decreased tumor growth in the primary tumor model and reduced metastatic burden and prolonged survival in the metastasis model. Combining chemotherapeutics with NKT-cell activation therapy significantly enhanced survival, with surviving mice exhibiting attenuated tumor growth following a second tumor challenge. The frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells was reduced by gemcitabine, cyclophosphamide, or α-GalCer–loaded dendritic cell treatments; cyclophosphamide also reduced the frequency of regulatory T cells. Individual treatments increased immune cell activation, cytokine polarization, and cytotoxic responses, although these readouts were not enhanced further by combining therapies. These findings demonstrate that NKT-cell activation therapy can be combined with gemcitabine or cyclophosphamide to target tumor burden and enhance protection against tumor recurrence. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(12); 1086–97. ©2017 AACR.
Adjuvante hypofraktionierte Strahlentherapie beim frühen Mammakarzinom. Übersicht und Meta-Analyse randomisierter kontrollierter Studien
Authors: Budach Wilfried , Bölke Edwin , Matuschek Christiane
Published: October 2017

Hintergrund: Eine adjuvante Strahlentherapie ist nach einer brusterhaltenden Operation bei der großen Mehrheit aller Mammakarzinom-Patientinnen angezeigt. Die konventionell fraktionierte Strahlentherapie mit 50 Gy in 25 Fraktionen galt mehrere Jahrzehnte lang als Therapiestandard. Kürzlich wurden Langzeitergebnisse randomisierter Studien veröffentlicht, in denen unterschiedliche moderat hypofraktionierte Strahlentherapie-Schemata untersucht wurden, die die klinische Praxis verändern könnten. Patienten und Methoden: Mittels einer Pubmed-Suche wurden die relevanten Veröffentlichungen zu hypofraktionierter Strahlentherapie beim Mammakarzinom identifiziert. Insgesamt ergab die Suche 4 randomisierte kontrollierte Studien mit Daten zu 7095 Patientinnen und einem Nachbeobachtungszeitraum von 10 Jahren. Wir führten eine Meta-Analyse zum primären Endpunkt «ipsilaterale Rezidivierung des Mammakarzinoms» und eine Auswertung der Toxizitätsdaten durch. Ergebnisse: Eine moderat hypofraktionierte Strahlentherapie mit einem Schema wie z.B. 40 Gy in 15 Fraktionen innerhalb von 3 Wochen ist bei den meisten Mammakarzinom-Patientinnen, bei denen nach einer brusterhaltenden Operation eine adjuvante Strahlentherapie erforderlich ist, ebenso effizient und sicher wie eine konventionell fraktionierte Strahlentherapie. Bei Patientinnen unter 40 Jahren, die eine neoadjuvante Chemotherapie erhalten haben und bei denen eine Indikation für eine Bestrahlung der regionären Lymphknoten vorliegt, werden weitere Daten benötigt. Schlussfolgerung: Eine moderat hypofraktionierte Strahlentherapie kann bei den meisten Mammakarzinom-Patientinnen als Standardtherapie nach einer brusterhaltenden Operation empfohlen werden.
Durch niedrigeren Blutdruck induzierte renale Hypoperfusion begünstigt Cisplatin-induzierte Nephrotoxizität
Authors: Link Hartmut
Published: October 2017

Hintergrund und Ziele: Cisplatin-induzierte Nephrotoxizität betrifft vorrangig die proximalen Tubuli; die tubuläre Schädigung beeinträchtigt wiederum die glomeruläre Filtrationsrate. Niedrigerer Blutdruck führt zur Hypoperfusion der Niere, was eine ischämische akute Nierenschädigung (ANS) begünstigt. In diesem Beitrag untersuchen wir den Zusammenhang zwischen renaler Hypoperfusion infolge von niedrigerem Blutdruck und durch Cisplatin induzierter Nephrotoxizität. Methoden: Der Zusammenhang zwischen Cisplatin-Therapie und Hypoalbuminämie ist nicht geklärt. In dieser Studie erhielten japanische Patienten am Fujita Health University Hospital zwischen April 2006 und Dezember 2012 Cisplatin als Erstlinien-Chemotherapie. Hypoalbuminämie war definiert als Serumalbumin ≤ 3,5 mg/dl. Ergebnisse: Patienten, bei denen während der Chemotherapie ein herabgesetzter Blutdruck gemessen wurde, wurden in die Gruppe mit niedrigerem Blutdruck eingeteilt (n = 229), die anderen kamen in die Gruppe mit normalem Blutdruck (n = 743). Die Cisplatin-Gesamtdosis in der Gruppe mit normalem und der mit niedrigerem Blutdruck betrug 58,9 ± 23,8 bzw. 55,0 ± 20,4 mg/m2. In der Gruppe mit niedrigerem Blutdruck war die Rate schwerer Nephrotoxizität höher und die Gesamtüberlebenszeit kürzer als in der Gruppe mit normalem Blutdruck. Eine multivariate Analyse ergab eine signifikante Korrelation zwischen niedrigerem Blutdruck und Hypoalbuminämie. Schlussfolgerungen: Um eine ischämische ANS zu vermeiden, sind Ernährung und Kachexiekontrolle wichtige Bestandteile der Versorgung von Krebspatienten. Übersetzung aus Oncology 2016;90:313-320 (DOI: 10.1159/000446371)
Juckreizmanagement im Kindesalter
Authors: Fölster-Holst Regina
Published: October 2017

Juckreiz ist bei Kindern ein sehr verbreitetes Symptom und steht in der Regel eher mit einer Hautkrankheit in Verbindung als mit einer zugrunde liegenden systemischen Erkrankung. Zu den häufigsten Dermatosen zählen atopische Dermatitis, Kontaktdermatitis, Insektenstiche, Skabies und Pediculosis capitis. Es gibt spezifische diagnostische Muster, die sich aus einer sorgfältigen Erhebung der Vorgeschichte und der dermatologischen Untersuchung ergeben. Bei der dermatologischen Behandlung muss berücksichtigt werden, dass Kinder, insbesondere im frühen Kindesalter, im Vergleich zu Erwachsenen Unterschiede in der Physiologie und Pathophysiologie sowie in der Pharmakokinetik und Pharmakodynamik aufweisen.