bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MilliBack
Authors: Xiao Ning , Yang Panlong , Li Xiang-Yang , Zhang Yanyong , Yan Yubo , Zhou Hao
Published: September 2019

Real-time handwriting tracking is important for many emerging applications such as Artificial Intelligence assisted education and healthcare. Existing movement tracking systems, including those based on vision, ultrasound or wireless technologies, fail to offer high tracking accuracy, no learning/training/calibration process, low tracking latency, low cost and easy to deploy at the same time. In this work, we design and evaluate a wireless backscattering based handwriting tracking system, called MilliBack, that satisfies all these requirements. At the heart of MilliBack are two Phase Differential Iterative (PDI) schemes that can infer the position of the backscatter tag (which is attached to a writing tool) from the change in the signal phase. By adopting carefully-designed differential techniques in an iterative manner, we can take the diversity of devices out of the equation. The resulting position calculation has a linear complexity with the number of samples, ensuring fast and accurate tracking.

We have put together a MilliBack prototype and conducted comprehensive experiments. We show that our system can track various handwriting traces accurately, in some testings it achieve a median error of 4.9 mm. We can accurately track and reconstruct arbitrary writing/drawing trajectories such as equations, Chinese characters or just random shapes. We also show that MilliBack can support relatively high writing speed and smoothly adapt to the changes of working environment.
FarSense
Authors: Zeng Youwei , Wu Dan , Xiong Jie , Yi Enze , Gao Ruiyang , Zhang Daqing
Published: September 2019

The past few years have witnessed the great potential of exploiting channel state information retrieved from commodity WiFi devices for respiration monitoring. However, existing approaches only work when the target is close to the WiFi transceivers and the performance degrades significantly when the target is far away. On the other hand, most home environments only have one WiFi access point and it may not be located in the same room as the target. This sensing range constraint greatly limits the application of the proposed approaches in real life.

This paper presents FarSense--the first real-time system that can reliably monitor human respiration when the target is far away from the WiFi transceiver pair. FarSense works well even when one of the transceivers is located in another room, moving a big step towards real-life deployment. We propose two novel schemes to achieve this goal: (1) Instead of applying the raw CSI readings of individual antenna for sensing, we employ the ratio of CSI readings from two antennas, whose noise is mostly canceled out by the division operation to significantly increase the sensing range; (2) The division operation further enables us to utilize the phase information which is not usable with one single antenna for sensing. The orthogonal amplitude and phase are elaborately combined to address the "blind spots" issue and further increase the sensing range. Extensive experiments show that FarSense is able to accurately monitor human respiration even when the target is 8 meters away from the transceiver pair, increasing the sensing range by more than 100%.1 We believe this is the first system to enable through-wall respiration sensing with commodity WiFi devices and the proposed method could also benefit other sensing applications.
Evolutionary Ecology ofWolbachiaReleases for Disease Control
Authors: Ross Perran A. , Turelli Michael , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: September 2019

Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic Alphaproteobacteria that can suppress insect-borne diseases through decreasing host virus transmission (population replacement) or through decreasing host population density (population suppression). We contrast natural Wolbachia infections in insect populations with Wolbachia transinfections in mosquitoes to gain insights into factors potentially affecting the long-term success of Wolbachia releases. Natural Wolbachia infections can spread rapidly, whereas the slow spread of transinfections is governed by deleterious effects on host fitness and demographic factors. Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) generated by Wolbachia is central to both population replacement and suppression programs, but CI in nature can be variable and evolve, as can Wolbachia fitness effects and virus blocking. Wolbachia spread is also influenced by environmental factors that decrease Wolbachia titer and reduce maternal Wolbachia transmission frequency. More information is needed on the interactions between Wolbachia and host nuclear/mitochondrial genomes, the interaction between invasion success and local ecological factors, and the long-term stability of Wolbachia-mediated virus blocking.
Vascular Plants Are Globally Significant Contributors to Marine Carbon Fluxes and Sinks
Authors: Cragg Simon M. , Friess Daniel A. , Gillis Lucy G. , Trevathan-Tackett Stacey M. , Terrett Oliver M. , Watts Joy E.M. , Distel Daniel L. , Dupree Paul
Published: September 2019

More than two-thirds of global biomass consists of vascular plants. A portion of the detritus they generate is carried into the oceans from land and highly productive blue carbon ecosystems—salt marshes, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows. This large detrital input receives scant attention in current models of the global carbon cycle, though for blue carbon ecosystems, increasingly well-constrained estimates of biomass, productivity, and carbon fluxes, reviewed in this article, are now available. We show that the fate of this detritus differs markedly from that of strictly marine origin, because the former contains lignocellulose—an energy-rich polymer complex of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin that is resistant to enzymatic breakdown. This complex can be depolymerized for nutritional purposes by specialized marine prokaryotes, fungi, protists, and invertebrates using enzymes such as glycoside hydrolases and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases to release sugar monomers. The lignin component, however, is less readily depolymerized, and detritus therefore becomes lignin enriched, particularly in anoxic sediments, and forms a major carbon sink in blue carbon ecosystems. Eventual lignin breakdown releases a wide variety of small molecules that may contribute significantly to the oceanic pool of recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon. Marine carbon fluxes and sinks dependent on lignocellulosic detritus are important ecosystem services that are vulnerable to human interventions. These services must be considered when protecting blue carbon ecosystems and planning initiatives aimed at mitigating anthropogenic carbon emissions.
The Way It Was
Authors: Osborn M.J.
Published: September 2019

Mary Osborn was a native Californian. She was an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked in the laboratory of I.L. Chaikoff. She received her PhD at the University of Washington, where her work on the role of folic acid coenzymes in one-carbon metabolism revealed the mechanism of action of methotrexate. After postdoctoral training with Bernard Horecker in the Department of Microbiology at New York University (NYU), she embarked on her research career as a faculty member in the NYU Department of Microbiology and in the Department of Molecular Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In 1968 she moved as one of the founding faculty of the new medical school of the University of Connecticut, where she remained until her retirement in 2014. Her research was focused on the biosynthesis of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria and on the assembly of the bacterial cell envelope. She made seminal contributions in these areas. She was the recipient of numerous honors and served as president of several important scientific organizations. Later in her career she served as chair of the National Research Council Committee on Space Biology and Medicine, advisory to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which produced an influential report that plotted the path for NASA's space biology research program in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Dr. Osborn died on Jan. 17, 2019.
Resveratrol Reverses Thioacetamide-Induced Renal Assault with respect to Oxidative Stress, Renal Function, DNA Damage, and Cytokine Release in Wistar Rats
Authors: Zargar Seema , Alonazi Mona , Rizwana Humaira , Wani Tanveer A.
Published: September 2019

Background. Thioacetamide (TAA), a class 2B-type carcinogen, is a potent toxicant. Toxicities caused by this compound in various tissues due to oxidative stress, increase of proinflammatory markers, and apoptosis have been reported; however, reports on kidney toxicity are negligible. Resveratrol (RSV), on the other hand, has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in different cases. Resveratrol’s protective effects against TAA kidney toxicity were investigated in four rat groups. Methodology. Four groups of rats were studied as follows (n=8): control group, where rats were fed normal diet and water; TAA group, where rats received 0.3% TAA in water for two weeks; RSV group, where rats received 10 mg/kg body weight (bw) of RSV as oral suspension for two weeks; and treated group, where rats orally received 10 mg/kg bw RSV and simultaneously received 0.3% TAA for two weeks. Kidney homogenates from all groups were analyzed for cytokine release (IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) and oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation, catalase, and 8-OHdG). The serum of rats was analyzed for the quantification of renal function markers (blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and creatine kinase). Result. A significant increase in the renal function markers (BUN, 240%; creatinine, 187%; and creatine kinase, 117%), oxidative stress parameters (lipid peroxidation, 192% increase; catalase, 30.5% decrease), cytokines (IL-4, 120%; TNF-α, 129%; and IFN-γ, 133%), and DNA damage was observed in the TAA-treated group. All changes were significantly reversed in the group treated with RSV and TAA (P<0.05) in combination, with no significant difference compared to the control group. Conclusion. We conclude that resveratrol shows protection against TAA toxicity in rat kidney with respect to DNA damage, oxidative stress, renal function and cytokine release.
High Cervical Intrathecal Targeted Drug Delivery: A Case Report of Refractory Oropharyngeal Cancer Pain
Authors: Moman Rajat N. , Rogers Julie M. , Pittelkow Thomas P.
Published: September 2019

Introduction. Some patients with head and neck cancers have pain refractory to aggressive multimodal therapies. Herein, we report the use of an intrathecal targeted drug delivery (TDD) system catheter tip placed at C1 for the treatment of recalcitrant oropharyngeal cancer pain. Case Report. A patient with recurrent metastatic squamous cell tongue cancer reported severe pain not controlled despite high-dose opioids and nonopioid adjuvants. It was elected to proceed with an intrathecal TDD system with the catheter tip placed at the C1 level. After pump placement, we were able to decrease her daily oral morphine equivalents (OME) from nearly 1000 mg to 300 mg over the course of two months while titrating her TDD from 0.3 mg/day to 0.7 mg/day of intrathecal hydromorphone. Unfortunately, her improvement was limited secondary to aggressive cancer-directed treatments likely contributing to device infection and explant. Conclusions. In this patient, high cervical placement of an intrathecal TDD catheter was associated with a decrease in OME. While used in clinical practice on occasion, the use of high cervical TDD placement such as this implantable C1 intrathecal TDD system for cancer-associated pain is underreported in the literature. Further studies on this intervention within this challenging population are warranted.
Interaction between Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Intervertebral Disc Microenvironment: From Cell Therapy to Tissue Engineering
Authors: Vadalà Gianluca , Ambrosio Luca , Russo Fabrizio , Papalia Rocco , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: September 2019

Low back pain (LBP) in one of the most disabling symptoms affecting nearly 80% of the population worldwide. Its primary cause seems to be intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD): a chronic and progressive process characterized by loss of viable cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown within the intervertebral disc (IVD) especially in its inner region, the nucleus pulposus (NP). Over the last decades, innovative biological treatments have been investigated in order to restore the original healthy IVD environment and achieve disc regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been widely exploited in regenerative medicine for their capacity to be easily harvested and be able to differentiate along the osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic lineages and to secrete a wide range of trophic factors that promote tissue homeostasis along with immunomodulation and anti-inflammation. Several in vitro and preclinical studies have demonstrated that MSCs are able to acquire a NP cell-like phenotype and to synthesize structural components of the ECM as well as trophic and anti-inflammatory mediators that may support resident cell activity. However, due to its unique anatomical location and function, the IVD presents distinctive features: avascularity, hypoxia, low glucose concentration, low pH, hyperosmolarity, and mechanical loading. Such conditions establish a hostile microenvironment for both resident and exogenously administered cells, which limited the efficacy of intradiscal cell therapy in diverse investigations. This review is aimed at describing the characteristics of the healthy and degenerated IVD microenvironment and how such features influence both resident cells and MSC viability and biological activity. Furthermore, we focused on how recent research has tried to overcome the obstacles coming from the IVD microenvironment by developing innovative cell therapies and functionalized bioscaffolds.
Physical and Rheological Properties of Egg Albumin Foams Are Affected by Ionic Strength and Basil Seed Gum Supplementation
Authors: Razi Saeed Mirarab , Motamedzadegan Ali , Shahidi Seyed-Ahmad , Rashidinejad Ali
Published: September 2019

In this study, the effect of ionic strength and basil seed gum (BSG) on the foaming properties of egg white albumin (EWA) was studied. The foam was prepared with 1% EWA (w/v) in the presence of different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl; 0, 0.5, and 1% w/v) and BSG (0, 0.1, and 0.3% w/v). The results showed that foam density and foam stability of EWA significantly (p<0.05) increased with an increase in BSG concentration (from 0 to 0.3% w/v). On the contrary, an increase in NaCl concentration (from 0 to 1% w/v) increased foam overrun but decreased foam density. Amplitude rheological parameters indicated an improvement in foam structure with increasing NaCl concentration. In addition, an elastic structure was obtained in the case of the foams with the higher concentrations of NaCl. Elastic modulus (G′) was higher than loss modulus (G″) in the frequency range, and there was low frequency dependency in all of the samples. In constant frequency of 1 Hz, tangent (δ) was the lowest in the sample containing 1% NaCl (w/v), but without BSG. There was a decrease in yield stress values with increasing BSG concentration; however, the increase in NaCl concentration led to an increase in yield stress. The highest yield stress (37 Pa) belonged to the sample containing 1% NaCl, but without BSG. Overall, it was found that both NaCl and BSG could substantially improve the rheological and foaming properties (in particular, foam stability) of egg white albumin.
Short-Term Efficacy and Safety of IL-17, IL-12/23, and IL-23 Inhibitors Brodalumab, Secukinumab, Ixekizumab, Ustekinumab, Guselkumab, Tildrakizumab, and Risankizumab for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Bai Fan , Li Gang Gang , Liu Qingmin , Niu Xinwu , Li Ruilian , Ma Huiqun
Published: September 2019

Background. The role of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-23 (IL-23), and interleukin-17 (IL-17) has been recognized in psoriasis pathogenesis, and new drugs targeting this axis have already been developed which may provide a new therapeutic approach for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Objective. To compare the direct and indirect evidences of the efficacy and safety of brodalumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, ustekinumab, guselkumab, tildrakizumab, and risankizumab in the short-term treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis using network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for the available relevant studies. NMA was conducted by Stata 15.0 software using relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety. Ranked the efficacy and safety for each drug accordance with the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results. This meta-analysis included 28 studies. All the interventions performed better than placebo in short-term achievement. Based on the result of SUCRA, ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks ranked the highest in short-term achievement of PASI 75 (SUCRA = 93.0%). Brodalumab 210 mg ranked the highest in short-term achievement of PASI 100 (SUCRA = 85.0%). Secukinumab 300 mg ranked the highest in short-term achievement of sPGA 0/1 or IGA 0/1 or PGA 0/1 (SUCRA = 98.1%). In terms of having a risk of adverse events, the rates were higher in brodalumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and ustekinumab 45 mg compared with placebo. Ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks ranked the highest in the risk of adverse events during short-term treatment (SUCRA = 4.5%). Guselkumab 50 mg ranked the highest in the risk of serious adverse events during short-term treatment (SUCRA = 25.9%). Ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks ranked the highest in the risk of discontinuations due to adverse events during short-ter treatment (SUCRA = 10.7%). Conclusions. IL-17, IL-12/23, and IL-23 inhibitors had high efficacy in the achievement of PASI 75, PASI 100, and sPGA 0/1 or IGA 0/1 or PGA 0/1 in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis after 12 or 16 weeks of treatment. IL-17 inhibitors showed superior efficacy. However, its clinical safety was poor. Risankizumab appeared to have relatively high efficacy and low risk. The clinical tolerance of other biological agents needs to be further observed.
Correlations of Corneal Spherical Aberration with Astigmatism and Axial Length in Cataract Patients
Authors: Zhang Min , Qian Dongjin , Jing Qinghe , Chen Jiahui , Deng Michael , Jiang Yongxiang
Published: September 2019

Purpose. To clarify the distribution of corneal spherical aberrations (SAs) in cataract patients with different corneal astigmatism and axial length. Setting. Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science of the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Design. Retrospective case series. Methods. The axial length, corneal SAs, and other corneal biometrics were collected in cataract patients with Pentacam HR and IOLMaster 500. The statistical analysis of the corneal SAs was based on the stratification of axial length and anterior corneal astigmatism. Results. In total, 6747 eyes of 6747 patients were recruited, with 2416 eyes (58.17 ± 16.81 years old) in the astigmatism group (anterior corneal astigmatism ≥1 D) and others (61.82 ± 12.64 years old) in the control group. In patients with astigmatism <2 D, the total and anterior SAs decreased as the axial length increased (P<0.001). The total corneal SAs of patients with astigmatism of 2-3 D stabilized at around 0.29 μm, whereas those of patients with anterior corneal astigmatism ≥3 D tended to be variable. Age and anterior corneal astigmatism had positive and negative effects, respectively, on SA in the regression model. Conclusions. Axial length has a negative effect on the anterior and total corneal SAs, which stabled around 0.33 μm and 0.30 μm in patients with axial length of ≥26 mm, respectively. Individualized SA adjustments are essential for patients undergoing aspheric toric IOL implantation with preoperative anterior corneal astigmatism of 1-2 D or ≥3 D. Toric IOLs with a negative SA of −0.20 μm are recommended for patients with anterior corneal astigmatism of 2-3 D if no customized therapy is warranted.
Growth of Cu2O Nanopyramids by Ion Beam Sputter Deposition
Authors: Ejigu Assamen Ayalew
Published: September 2019

In this study, we have successfully deposited n-type Cu2O triangular nanopyramids on Si by employing ion beam sputter deposition with an Ar : O2 ratio of 9 : 1 at a substrate temperature of 450°C. Scanning electron microscopy measurements showed attractively triangular nanopyramids of ∼500 nm edge and height lengths. Both X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy characterizations showed the structures were single-phase polycrystalline Cu2O, and the room-temperature photoluminescence investigation showed interestingly green and blue exciton luminescence emissions. All Mott—Schottky, linear sweep voltammetry, and photocurrent measurements indicated that the conductivity of the Cu2O pyramids is of n-type.
Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Levels Are Positively Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Gao Ruo-Yao , Hsu Bang-Gee , Wu Du-An , Hou Jia-Sian , Chen Ming-Chun
Published: September 2019

Background. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) acts as a potent metabolic regulator. Serum FGF21 levels were significantly higher in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum FGF21 levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in T2DM patients. Methods. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 126 T2DM patients. MetS and its components were defined according to the diagnostic criteria from the International Diabetes Federation. Serum FGF21 concentrations were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Among these patients, 84 (66.7%) had MetS. Female gender, hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body fat mass, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), triglyceride level (TG), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), insulin level, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and FGF21 levels were higher, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL-C) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were lower in DM patients with MetS. Univariate linear analysis revealed that hypertension, BMI, WC, body fat mass, SBP, DBP, logarithmically transformed TG (log-TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, log-glucose, log-creatinine, log-UACR, log-insulin, and log-HOMA-IR positively correlated, whereas HDL-C and eGFR negatively correlated with serum FGF21 levels in T2DM patients. Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that body fat mass (adjusted R2 change = 0.218; P=0.008) and log-TG (adjusted R2 change = 0.036; P<0.001) positively correlated, whereas eGFR (adjusted R2 change = 0.033; P=0.013) negatively correlated with serum FGF21 levels in T2DM patients. Conclusions. This study showed that higher serum FGF21 levels were positively associated with MetS in T2DM patients and significantly positively related to body fat mass and TG but negatively related to eGFR in these subjects.
Effects of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on Health and Aging of C. elegans Depend on daf-12/daf-16
Authors: Zhang Zhaokang , Zhou Yannan , Fan Haitao , Billy Kirunda John , Zhao Yunjie , Zhan Xuan , Yang Lijian , Jia Ya
Published: September 2019

As the global population ages, searching for drugs and functional foods which can slow down the aging process has attracted a number of researchers. In this paper, the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) extracted from Lycium barbarum was characterized and the effects of LBP on the aging and health of C. elegans were studied. Results showed that LBP can prolong the lifespan, improve the abilities to withstand environmental stress, enhance reproductive potentials, and maintain muscle integrity of C. elegans. By using genetically mutated C. elegans strains, RNAi gene silencing, and measuring the mRNA expression level, it was demonstrated that the lifespan of C. elegans was extended by LBP mainly through sir-2.1, daf-12, and daf-16. The present study might provide a basis for further study of LBP as a food or drug to interfere with aging and reduce the incidence of age-related diseases.
H2S Protects against Cardiac Cell Hypertrophy through Regulation of Selenoproteins
Authors: Greasley Adam , Zhang Yanjie , Wu Bo , Pei Yanxi , Belzile Nelson , Yang Guangdong
Published: September 2019

Cardiac hypertrophy is defined as the enlargement of the cardiac myocytes, leading to improper nourishment and oxygen supply due to the increased functional demand. This increased stress on the cardiac system commonly leads to myocardial infarction, contributing to 85% of all cardiac-related deaths. Cystathionine gamma-lyase- (CSE-) derived H2S is a novel gasotransmitter and plays a critical role in the preservation of cardiac functions. Selenocysteine lyase (SCLY) has been identified to produce H2Se, the selenium homologue of H2S. Deficiency of selenium is often found in Keshan disease, a congestive cardiomyopathy. The interaction of H2S and H2Se in cardiac cell hypertrophy has not been explored. In this study, cell viability was evaluated with a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Oxidative stress and cell size were observed through immunostaining. The expression of genes was determined by real-time PCR and western blot. Here, we demonstrated that incubation of rat cardiac cells (H9C2) with H2O2lead to increased oxidative stress and cell surface area, which were significantly attenuated by pretreatment of either H2S or H2Se. H2S incubation induced SCLY/H2Se signaling, which next caused higher expressions and activities of selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase. Furthermore, deficiency of CSE inhibited the expressions of SCLY and selenoprotein P in mouse heart tissues. We also found that both H2S and H2Se stimulated Nrf2-targeted downstream genes. These data suggests that H2S protects against cardiac hypertrophy through enhancement of a group of antioxidant proteins.
miR-34b/crs4938723 T>C Decreases Neuroblastoma Risk: A Replication Study in the Hunan Children
Authors: Li Yong , Zhuo Zhen-Jian , Zhou Haiyan , Liu Jiabin , Xiao Zhenghui , Xiao Yaling , He Jing , Liu Zan
Published: September 2019

Neuroblastoma is the most common seen solid neural tumor in children less than age one. As mutation in themiR-34b/cgene is observed in several types of human malignancies, there likely to be similar events that contribute to the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. We hypothesize that polymorphism in themiR-34b/cgene might predispose to neuroblastoma. Here, we conducted this replication study by genotyping rs4938723 T>C frommiR-34b/cin Hunan children (162 subjects with neuroblastoma and 270 control subjects) and examined its effect on the risk of neuroblastoma. We determined such association using logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender. Relative to those with TT genotype, subjects with C allele had reduced neuroblastoma risk (TC vs. TT: adjustedOR=0.46,95%CI=0.30‐0.71; additive model: adjustedOR=0.64,95%CI=0.47‐0.88; TC/CC vs. TT: adjustedOR=0.49,95%CI=0.33‐0.73). Stratified analysis revealed that rs4938723 TC/CC carriers were less likely to develop neuroblastoma for patients in the subgroups ofage≤18 months,age>18 months, females, males, tumors in retroperitoneal, tumors in other sites, and clinical stages II, III, IV, and III+IV. Our findings verifiedmiR-34b/crs4938723 C variant allele as a protective factor for the risk of neuroblastoma. Further investigation of howmiR-34b/crs4938723 T>C might modify neuroblastoma risk is warranted.
IL-17 Inversely Correlated with IL-10 via the STAT3 Gene in Pneumocystis-Infected Mice
Authors: Rong Heng-Mo , Qian Xiao-Jun , Zhang Chao , Li Ting , Tong Zhao-Hui
Published: September 2019

Background. Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) remains a common opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed individuals. Current studies showed that multiple immune cells and cytokines took part in the host defense against Pneumocystis (PC). However, the roles of IL-17 and IL-10 in the development of PCP have not been elucidated. Methods. IL-10 and IL-17 levels in serum from PCP mice were detected via ELISA. The percentages of B10 cells, IL-10+ macrophages, and IL-10+ T cells in the lung from IL-17–/– PCP mice and Th17 cells and IL-17+γδT cells in IL-10–/– PCP mice were examined via flow cytometry. Also, antibody neutralization examination was also performed to elucidate the relationship of IL-17 and IL-10 in the PCP model. Results. We noted the increase of IL-17 and IL-10 levels in serum from mice infected with Pneumocystis. Furthermore, deficiency of IL-17 or IL-10 could lead to the delayed clearance of Pneumocystis and more severed lung damage. Our data also demonstrated that IL-17 deficiency enhanced the serum IL-10 level and the percentages of B10 cells, IL-10+ macrophages, and IL-10+ T cells in the lung from PCP mice. Interestingly, we also noted an increase of the IL-17 level in serum and Th17 cell and IL-17+γδT cell percentages in the lung from IL-10–/– PCP mice. Using antibody neutralization experiments, we found that the STAT3 gene might play a critical role in the interplay of IL-17 and IL-10 in PCP. Conclusion. Taken together, our results demonstrated that IL-17 and IL-10 could play the protective roles in the progression of PCP and the inverse correlation of them might be mediated by STAT3.
Volatile Organic Compounds as Biomarkers of Gastrointestinal Diseases and Nutritional Status
Authors: Rondanelli Mariangela , Perdoni Federica , Infantino Vittoria , Faliva Milena Anna , Peroni Gabriella , Iannello Giancarlo , Nichetti Mara , Alalwan Tariq A. , Perna Simone , Cocuzza Clementina
Published: September 2019

Purpose. The purpose of this review was to identify the best solution for rapid and noninvasive diagnosis and long-term monitoring of patients affected by inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, colon and gastric cancer, obesity in correlation to diet, and breast milk to evaluate exposure to VOCs in women and infants.Methods. This review included 20 previously published eligible studies. VOC analysis has allowed us to highlight differences in lifestyles, intestinal microbiota, and metabolism. New innovative methods have been described that allow the detection and quantification of a broad spectrum of metabolites present in exhaled breath even at very low levels, some of which have been shown to be indicators of pathological conditions.Results. Five studies were analyzed that involved VOC analysis in relation to type of diet. All of them showed that the type of diet can have an impact on metabolites excreted and therefore can be a useful tool in the nutritional studies related to metabolism and health and disease status. Two studies concerned VOC analysis in inflammatory bowel diseases, and the results showed that VOCs can distinguish active disease from remission; VOC profile is clearly different in patients. In particular, C15H301-pentadecene, 3-methyl-1-butanal, octane, acetic acid, alpha-pinene, and m-cymene are elevated in active ulcerative colitis. Four studies examined VOCs in gastric and colorectal tumors showing a change in metabolic biomarkers of cancer patients compared to the control group. Finally, the study of VOCs in breast milk has improved the understanding of the potential health risks of exposure of children to chemical pollutants.Conclusions. VOC analysis allowed to highlight differences in behavior, lifestyle, and metabolism of individuals. Analytical methods are continuously developed to allow for better detection and quantification of metabolites, thus enabling the detection of a broader spectrum of pathophysiology and disease biomarkers.
A General MINLP Model for the Multiway Valve Channel‐Limited Location‐Allocation Problem
Authors: Zhu Boyu , Zhou Jun , Liang Guangchuan , Zhou Xuan , Zhou Liulin
Published: September 2019

As an important aspect of oil and gas field construction, oil and gas field surface engineering often affects the efficiency and safety of oil and gas production, and it requires a large investment. In the past, much work has been done on layout optimization for gathering pipeline networks. However, few studies have considered multiway valves in the optimization of pipeline networks. Compared to traditional metering processes, a process using multiway valves can reduce construction and operation costs and enable automation of the well‐selection operation. In this paper, an MINLP model is established in which the number of multiway valves and their numbers of channels are considered special constraints and the number of multiway valves and the associations between wells and multiway valves are treated as optimization variables. A specific heuristic algorithm for solving this problem is also proposed in this paper. We consider the coordinates of real‐world wells and of randomly generated well locations as different examples to analyze the performance of this algorithm. These examples demonstrate that the algorithm can initially adjust the network through single‐step iteration, while double‐step iteration is efficient when all channels of a multiway valve have been associated with pipelines, and multistep iteration can help the objective function escape from local optima. Finally, numerical analysis results prove that the proposed algorithm can be used to efficiently solve the problem of interest and exhibits stable convergence.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth-Promoting BacteriumHartmannibacter diazotrophicusStrain E19T
Authors: Suarez Christian , Ratering Stefan , Hain Torsten , Fritzenwanker Moritz , Goesmann Alexander , Blom Jochen , Chakraborty Trinad , Bunk Boyke , Spröer Cathrin , Overmann Jörg , Schnell Sylvia
Published: September 2019

Strain E19Tdescribed asHartmannibacter diazotrophicusgen. nov. sp. nov. was isolated from the rhizosphere ofPlantago winterifrom a natural salt meadow in a nature protection area. Strain E19Tis a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium able to colonize the rhizosphere of barley and to promote its growth only under salt stress conditions. To gain insights into the genetic bases of plant growth promotion and its lifestyle at the rhizosphere under salty conditions, we determined the complete genome sequence using two complementary sequencing platforms (Ilumina MiSeq and PacBioRSII). The E19Tgenome comprises one circular chromosome and one plasmid containing several genes involved in salt adaptation and genes related to plant growth-promoting traits under salt stress. Based on previous experiments, ACC deaminase activity was identified as a main mechanism of E19Tto promote plant growth under salt stress. Interestingly, no genes classically reported to encode for ACC deaminase activity are present. In general, the E19Tgenome provides information to confirm, discover, and better understand many of its previously evaluated traits involved in plant growth promotion under salt stress. Furthermore, the complete E19Tgenome sequence helps to define its previously reported unclear 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic affiliation.Hartmannibacterforms a distinct subcluster with generaMethylobrevis,Pleomorphomonas,Oharaeibacter, andMongoliimonassubclustered with genera belonging toRhizobiales.
Sampling Efficiency in Spatially Varying Soils for Slope Stability Assessment
Authors: Li Yajun , Qian Cheng , Liu Kang
Published: September 2019

Site investigations are usually carried out in geotechnical engineering to track the range of design parameters. Due to the inherent soil spatial variability and usually limited scope of site exploration programs, the design parameters are usually uncertain at locations where test samples are not taken. This uncertainty often propagates to the response of geotechnical structures such as soil slopes. This paper developed a conditional simulation framework to investigate the sampling efficiency (i.e., sampling location and sampling distance) in designing slopes in spatially varying soils. A performance‐based sampling efficiency index is proposed to achieve this. It is found that the optimal location to take vertical samples are in the vicinity of slope crest to slope midpoint and the optimal distance within a limited exploration scope is such that the additional sample subdivides the influence domain to either side of the first vertical sample.
Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A Induces Inflammatory Cytokine Expression by Activating IGF-I/PI3K/Akt Pathways
Authors: Li Weiping , Li Hongwei , Zhou Li , Wang Zijian , Hua Bing
Published: September 2019

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) was previously reported to be an inflammatory biomarker and a prognostic marker of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and involved in the process of atherosclerosis and plaque rupture. However, the role of PAPP-A in inflammation is poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of PAPP-A in macrophage activation and inflammatory cytokine production. RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with or without PAPP-A. Reverse-transcriptase quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were performed to detect gene and protein expressions. The concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in culture supernatants was determined by ELISA. Results showed that PAPP-A significantly stimulated the expression of MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 at both transcriptional and translational levels in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The secretion of these inflammatory cytokines by macrophages was also increased after PAPP-A treatment. Moreover, PAPP-A activated the IGF-I/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in macrophages. The PAPP-A-mediated upregulation of MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNA and protein levels were strongly inhibited by PI3K inhibitors or IGF-IR siRNA, indicating that the upregulation of MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 could involve the IGF-I/PI3K/Akt pathway. Together, this study demonstrates that PAPP-A activates the macrophage signaling pathway (IGF-I/PI3K/Akt), which drives the expression and production of inflammatory cytokines known to contribute to the initiation and progression of ACS. These findings indicate that PAPP-A may play a proinflammatory role in the pathophysiology of ACS and serve as a potential therapeutic target.
MicroRNA-145 Protects against Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury via CaMKII-Mediated Antiapoptotic and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways
Authors: Liu Zhebo , Tao Bo , Fan Suzhen , Pu Yong , Xia Hao , Xu Lin
Published: September 2019

MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) has been shown to play an important role in cardiovascular system disorders; however, the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was aimed at elucidating the cardioprotective effects of miR-145 against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We established a rat myocardial I/R model with 45 min left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion and 2 h reperfusion. The levels of myocardial enzymes, apoptotic, inflammatory, and oxidative indices were determined. The arrhythmia score was assessed by programmed electrical stimulation (PES). Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were applied to evaluate the expression levels of miR-145 and related target proteins, respectively. I/R injury decreased the expression of miR-145; however, upregulated miR-145 markedly reduced the elevation of ST segment, decreased corrected QT (QTc) intervals, and attenuated I/R-induced electrophysiological instability. Furthermore, miR-145 suppressed myocardium apoptotic, inflammatory, and oxidative response as well as the phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), ryanodine receptor2 (RyR2 Ser2814), apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK), and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65. In summary, overexpression of miR-145 alleviates I/R-induced myocardial electrophysiological instability and apoptotic and inflammatory response via inhibition of the CaMKII-mediated ASK1 antiapoptotic pathway and NF-κB p65 anti-inflammatory pathways.
Resveratrol Inhibits MMP3 and MMP9 Expression and Secretion by Suppressing TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 Activation in Ox-LDL-Treated HUVECs
Authors: Zhang Ming , Xue Yun , Chen Huilian , Meng Lingbing , Chen Beidong , Gong Huan , Zhao Yanyang , Qi Ruomei
Published: September 2019

Aim. Resveratrol is a natural plant polyphenol. The present study investigated the effects of resveratrol on the Toll-like receptor 4- (TLR4-) mediated expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in oxidized low-density lipoprotein- (ox-LDL-) treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods. Protein expression was analyzed by immunoblotting. The secretion of MMPs was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The animal experiments were performed with and without resveratrol treatment in high-fat chow-fed mice. Results. Resveratrol inhibited the expression of TLR4, MMP3, and MMP9 in ox-LDL- and lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) treated HUVECs. Resveratrol reduced the secretion of MMP3 and MMP9 that was induced by ox-LDL and LPS. The TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 similarly suppressed the expression and secretion of MMP3 and MMP9 in ox-LDL- and LPS-treated HUVECs. Resveratrol attenuated the phosphorylation of the transcription factors nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) that was induced by ox-LDL and LPS. Resveratrol recovered Sirt1 expression. In the animal experiments, resveratrol decreased TLR4 expression in the aorta, MMP9 levels in plasma, and vascular structural changes in high-fat chow-fed mice, with no significant effect on plasma MMP3 levels. Conclusion. Resveratrol inhibited the TLR4-mediated expression and secretion of MMP3 and MMP9 in ox-LDL-treated HUVECs. The mechanism of action of resveratrol may be associated with the suppression of NF-κB and STAT3 phosphorylation and restoration of Sirt1 expression. Resveratrol exerts protective effects against vascular structural changes in high-fat chow-fed mice.
Nω-(Carboxymethyl)arginine Is One of the Dominant Advanced Glycation End Products in Glycated Collagens and Mouse Tissues
Authors: Kinoshita Sho , Mera Katsumi , Ichikawa Hiroko , Shimasaki Satoko , Nagai Mime , Taga Yuki , Iijima Katsumasa , Hattori Shunji , Fujiwara Yukio , Shirakawa Jun-ichi , Nagai Ryoji
Published: September 2019

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in proteins during aging in humans. In particular, the AGE structureNω-(carboxymethyl)arginine (CMA) is produced by oxidation in glycated collagen, accounting for one of the major proteins detected in biological samples. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which CMA is generated in collagen and detected CMA in collagen-rich tissues. When various protein samples were incubated with glucose, the CMA content, detected using a monoclonal antibody, increased in a time-dependent manner only in glycated collagen, whereas the formation ofNε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), a major antigenic AGE, was detected in all glycated proteins. Dominant CMA formation in glycated collagen was also observed by electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). During incubation of glucose with collagen, CMA formation was enhanced with increasing glucose concentration, whereas it was inhibited in the presence of dicarbonyl-trapping reagents and a metal chelator. CMA formation was also observed upon incubating collagen with glyoxal, and CMA was generated in a time-dependent manner when glyoxal was incubated with type I–IV collagens. To identify hotspots of CMA formation, tryptic digests of glycated collagen were applied to an affinity column conjugated with anti-CMA. Several CMA peptides that are important for recognition by integrins were detected by LC-MS/MS and amino acid sequence analyses. CMA formation on each sequence was confirmed by incubation of the synthesized peptides with glyoxal and ribose. LC-MS detected CMA in the mouse skin at a higher level than other AGEs. Furthermore, CMA accumulation was greater in the human aorta of older individuals. Overall, our study provides evidence that CMA is a representative AGE structure that serves as a useful index to reflect the oxidation and glycation of collagen.
Metformin Improves Fertility in Obese Males by Alleviating Oxidative Stress-Induced Blood-Testis Barrier Damage
Authors: Ye Jifeng , Luo Dandan , Xu Xiaolin , Sun Mingqi , Su Xiaohui , Tian Zhenhua , Zhang Meijie , Yu Chunxiao , Guan Qingbo
Published: September 2019

Background/Aims. Obesity, which is related to increased oxidative stress in various tissues, is a risk factor for male infertility. Metformin is reported to have an antioxidant effect; however, the precise role of metformin in obesity-induced male infertility remains unknown. The current study is aimed at exploring the effects of metformin and characterizing its underlying mechanism in the fertility of obese males. Methods. An obese male mouse model was generated by feeding mice with a high-fat diet; then, the mice were administered metformin in water for 8 weeks. Reproductive ability, metabolic parameters, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were assessed by cohabitation, enzymatic methods, and ELISA, respectively. Damage to the integrity of the blood-testis barrier (BTB), which ensures spermatogenesis, was assessed by transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence with a biotin tracer. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were employed for the assessments of oxidative stress. BTB-related proteins were measured by immunoblotting. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was assessed by immunofluorescence. Results. High-fat-diet-fed mice presented evident lipid metabolic disturbances, disrupted BTB integrity, and decreased reproductive function. Metformin alleviated the decrease in male fertility, decreased ectopic lipid deposition in the testis, and increased serum FSH levels. A further mechanistic analysis revealed that metformin ameliorated the high-fat-diet-induced injury to the BTB structure and permeability and restored the disordered BTB-related proteins, which might be associated with an improvement in oxidative stress and a recovery of NF-κB activity in Sertoli cells (SCs). Conclusion. Metformin improves obese male fertility by alleviating oxidative stress-induced BTB damage. These findings provide new insights into the effect of metformin on various diseases and suggest future possibilities in the treatment of male infertility.