bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different Numbers of Long‐Pulse 1064‐nm Nd‐YAG Laser Treatments for Onychomycosis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Zhang Rui-na , Zhuo Feng-lin , Wang Dong-kun , Ma Li-zhi , Zhao Jun-ying , Li Lin-feng
Published: January 2020

Purpose. To examine the benefits of different numbers of 1064‐nm Nd‐YAG laser treatments in patients with onychomycosis. Methods. This was a pilot study of patients with onychomycosis who were divided into three groups: four treatment sessions (group A), eight sessions (group B), and 12 sessions (group C). Only infected nails of degrees II–III (Scoring Clinical Index for Onychomycosis) were included. Treatment was given once a week using a long‐pulse Nd‐YAG 1064‐nm laser. Patients were followed at 8, 16, and 24 weeks after the first treatment. Side effects were recorded. Results. Treatments were completed for 442 nails in 102 patients. The efficacy rates at 8, 16, and 24 weeks were 35.5%, 38.7%, and 37.4% for group A; 31.4%, 41.7%, and 44.0% for group B; and 27.7%, 50.0%, and 55.4% for group C, respectively. There was a significant difference in the efficacy rate at 24 weeks (P = 0.016) between groups A and C, but not for groups A vs. B, or for groups B vs. C. No difference in the efficacy rate at 8 or 16 weeks was observed among the three groups. In all three groups, the efficacy was better for degree II nails than for degree III nails (all P < 0.05). No side effects occurred. Conclusions. The 1064‐nm Nd‐YAG laser had clinical benefits against onychomycosis. Higher numbers of treatments provided better long‐term (24‐week) benefits, but had no impact on the short‐term outcomes. The efficacy of laser treatment on degree II onychomycosis was better than for degree III.
The Biomarkers for Acute Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure
Authors: Wang Xi-Ying , Zhang Fen , Zhang Chi , Zheng Liang-Rong , Yang Jian
Published: January 2020

The use of a large number of cardiovascular biomarkers, meant to complement the use of the electrocardiogram, echocardiography cardiac imaging, and clinical symptom assessment, has become a routine in clinical diagnosis, differential diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis and guides the management of patients with suspected cardiovascular diseases. There is a broad consensus that cardiac troponin and natriuretic peptides are the preferred biomarkers in clinical practice for the diagnosis of the acute coronary syndrome and heart failure, respectively, while the roles and possible clinical applications of several other potential biomarkers are still under study. This review mainly focuses on the recent studies of the roles and clinical applications of troponin and natriuretic peptides, which seem to be the best‐validated markers in distinguishing and predicting the future cardiac events of patients with suspected cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, the review briefly discusses some of the large number of potential markers that may play a more prominent role in the future.
Sulfiredoxin as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Advanced and Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Barquilha Caroline N. , Santos Nilton J. , Monção Caio C. D. , Barbosa Isabela C. , Lima Flávio O. , Justulin Luis A. , Pértega-Gomes Nelma , Felisbino Sérgio L.
Published: January 2020

The incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) is increasing, and it is currently the second most frequent cause of death by cancer in men. Despite advancements in cancer therapies, new therapeutic approaches are still needed for treatment-refractory advanced metastatic PCa. Cross-species analysis presents a robust strategy for the discovery of new potential therapeutic targets. This strategy involves the integration of genomic data from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and human PCa datasets. Considering the role of antioxidant pathways in tumor initiation and progression, we searched oxidative stress-related genes for a potential therapeutic target for PCa. First, we analyzed RNA-sequencing data from Pb-Cre4; Ptenf/f mice and discovered an increase in sulfiredoxin (Srxn1) mRNA expression in high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (medium-stage tumors), and poor-differentiated adenocarcinoma (advanced-stage prostate tumors). The increase of SRXN1 protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry in mouse prostate tumor paraffin samples. Analyses of human databases and prostate tissue microarrays demonstrated that SRXN1 is overexpressed in a subset of high-grade prostate tumors and correlates with aggressive PCa with worse prognosis and decreased survival. Analyses in vitro showed that SRXN1 expression is also higher in most PCa cell lines compared to normal cell lines. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated downregulation of SRXN1 led to decreased viability of PCa cells LNCaP. In conclusion, we identified the antioxidant enzyme SRXN1 as a potential therapeutic target for PCa. Our results suggest that the use of specific SRXN1 inhibitors may be an effective strategy for the adjuvant treatment of castration-resistant PCa with SRXN1 overexpression.
Unbalance Suppression for AMB Rotor System Using APF-SRF Algorithm
Authors: Xu Yuanping , Wu Haitong , Guan Xudong
Published: January 2020

With the great capability in levitating rotors, active magnetic bearings (AMB) have been increasingly applied in high-speed rotating machinery applications. Typically, for the practical application of AMB rotor systems, synchronous unbalance vibration has long been a critical issue. Thus, exploring a facile yet effective approach to address this issue has attracted tremendous interest from both industrial and academic perspectives. Herein, in this work, we propose a novel strategy to suppress the unbalance vibration through a compensation control algorithm method. The compensation control algorithm which is established based on the combination of first-order all-pass filter (APF) and synchronous rotating frame (SRF) algorithm demonstrates to be efficient in greatly reducing the unbalance vibration and resulting in excellent system stability according to both simulation and experimental results. This work not only confirms the applicability of APF-SRF algorithm for the AMB rotor systems but also opens up a new paradigm to modulate and minimize the unbalance vibration of AMB rotor systems.
Staphylococcus lugdunensis Septic Arthritis following Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Kamaci Saygin , Bedeir Yehia H. , Utz Christopher J. , Colosimo Angelo J.
Published: January 2020

Summary. We report two cases of Staphylococcus lugdunensis (S. lugdunensis) septic arthritis following arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Both initial surgical procedures were ACL reconstruction along with simultaneous collateral ligament and meniscus procedures. Patients presented with septic arthritis three and ten weeks following the index procedure. Both patients successfully recovered with early arthroscopic irrigation, debridement, and synovial culture, in addition to long-term parenteral and oral antibiotics.
Teenage Pregnancy and Its Adverse Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes at Lemlem Karl Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018
Authors: Abebe Ayele Mamo , Fitie Girma Wogie , Jember Desalegn Abebaw , Reda Mihretab Mehari , Wake Getu Engida
Published: January 2020

Introduction. One of the major public health issues across the whole world these days is teenage pregnancy which is defined as being pregnant in the age ranging from 13–19 years. About 11% of all births which occurred worldwide accounted for girls aged 15 to 19 years. From these, 95% teenage deliveries occur in low‐ and middle‐income countries. World health 2014 statistics show that complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second cause of death for 15–19‐year‐old girls globally. The aim of this study was to determine adverse obstetrical and perinatal outcomes of teenage pregnancy among deliveries at Lemlem Karl General Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018. Result. This study result showed that 17.5% of the teenagers and 6.8% of the adults deliver low birth weight neonates. From the total teenage mothers, about thirty‐five (11.3%) of them had developed pregnancy‐induced hypertension, whereas about thirteen (4.2%) of adults develop pregnancy‐induced hypertension. Regarding cesarean delivery, forty (12.9%) of those teenage mothers deliver by a cesarean section while 58 (18%) of the adult mothers deliver by cesarean delivery. Teenage pregnancy was significantly associated with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes, a cesarean delivery (AOR: 0.57; 95% CI, 0.36–0.90), episiotomy (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI, 1.25–3.39), and low birth weight (AOR: 2.22; 95% CI, 1.13–4.36), and premature delivery were 2.87 (1.49–5.52). This study shows that adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes were significantly associated with teenagers than adult mothers. Therefore, giving health education on focused ANC is very important to bring change to the teenager at this study area.
Effects of Boron Nitride Coatings at High Temperatures and Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Properties of Carbon Fiber-Based Magnetic Materials
Authors: Sun Qilong , Ye Wei , Cheng Jiahao , Long Xiaoyun
Published: January 2020

An electromagnetic (EM) wave-absorbing material with a three-layer structure is prepared by depositing magnetic particles and a high-temperature resistant coating on the surface of the carbon fiber (CF) with in situ hybridization. Accordingly, the structure, chemical composition, morphology, high-temperature resistance, EM characteristics, and EM wave absorption of the composite materials were analyzed. The composite materials contained CFs, and the magnetic particles, such as Fe3O4, NiFe2O4, CoFe2O4, and Ni3Fe, distributed along the axial direction of the fiber, while boron nitride (BN) existed in the outermost coating layer. This preparation method improves the oxidation resistance and EM wave absorption performance of the CF. When the concentrations of the metal salt solution and the original BN solution are 0.625×1.5 mol L-1 [nFeCl3: nCoSO4: nNiSO4=2:2:1] and 4 mol L-1 [nH3BO3:nCONH22=1:3], respectively, the thermal decomposition temperature of the prepared CF/1.5FeCoNi/2BN is increased from 450°C to 754°C. In the frequency range of 10.6–26 GHz, the EM wave loss is less than −10 dB (the bandwidth spans 15.4 GHz). The CF-based composite material prepared in this study has the characteristics of light weight, wide absorption band, and strong oxidation resistance and constitutes the reference basis for the study of other high-temperature, EM wave-absorbing materials.
Existence of Positive Solutions for a Class ofpx,qx-Laplacian Elliptic Systems with Multiplication of Two Separate Functions
Authors: Bouizem Youcef , Boulaaras Salah Mahmoud , Allahem Ali
Published: January 2020

The paper deals with the study of the existence of weak positive solutions for a new class of the system of elliptic differential equations with respect to the symmetry conditions and the right hand side which has been defined as multiplication of two separate functions by using the sub-supersolutions method (1991 Mathematics Subject Classification: 35J60, 35B30, and 35B40).
Clinical Characteristics of 162 Patients with Drug‐Induced Liver and/or Kidney Injury
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Chen Xiangmei
Published: January 2020

Context. Drug‐induced liver and kidney injuries are the most common adverse drug reactions in the clinic, and they have similar pathogeneses. Aims. To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with drug‐induced liver and/or kidney injury. Settings and Design. This was a retrospective study. Methods and Materials. We analyzed data from 162 patients with drug‐induced liver and/or kidney injury from 2008 to 2018 at the Chinese Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed on the drugs used, sex, age, weight, complications, and laboratory test results. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 statistical software. Results. (1) The most common drugs causing organ injury in this study were antineoplastic drugs, antibiotics, traditional Chinese medicine, lipid‐lowering drugs, and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs. (2) Among 22 patients with drug‐induced liver and kidney injuries, 68.18% had a hepatocellular pattern, 13.64% had a mixed pattern, and 18.18% had a cholestatic pattern. Among the three groups, the P value for creatinine was 0.002. (3) The P value for urinary protein between the isolated kidney injury group and the liver and kidney injury group was 0.028. (4) Multivariate analysis showed that, among the drug‐induced renal injury patients and all injury patients, those with a higher neutrophil percentage had a lower risk of liver injury (OR = 0.574, 95% CI: 0.390–0.846; OR = 0.545, 95% CI: 0.396–0.749). Conclusions. (1) The serum creatinine level was higher in liver injury patients with the cholestatic pattern than in those with the hepatocellular or mixed pattern. (2) There was a significant difference in urinary protein between the isolated kidney and the liver and kidney injury groups. (3) Among patients with drug‐induced organ injury, those with a higher neutrophils percentage had a lower risk of liver injury.
Does Reconstruction with Reimplantation of Sterilized Tumor Bone Provide Survival Benefit in Diaphyseal Osteosarcoma?
Authors: Nayak Prakash , Gulia Ashish , Puri Ajay
Published: January 2020

Does reimplantation of sterilized tumor bone for reconstruction provide outcome benefits in intercalary osteosarcoma based on the potential immunogenic effect of reimplanted sterilized tumor tissue? Of 720 cases of surgically treated high-grade osteosarcoma patients treated at our institute from 2006 to 2013, 61 had predominantly diaphyseal disease. All patients were nonmetastatic at presentation. Patient and tumor characteristics, treatment details, and local recurrence-free, metastasis-free, and overall survival were compared for 24 patients who had reconstruction with sterilized tumor bone reimplantation vs 37 who did not. Both the groups were well matched in terms of baseline characteristics. Means were compared with the t-test, proportions with the chi-square test, and survival with the log-rank test. The Kaplan‐Meier method was used to construct time to event curves. Cox proportional hazard regression modeling was employed for multivariate time to event analysis. Twenty-two had extracorporeal radiation and reimplantation (ECRT) with or without the vascularised fibula. Fifty-gray single dose was used in all cases. Two had pasteurization and reimplantation. Thirty seven had non-reimplantation reconstructions (including intercalary or osteoarticular endoprosthesis, pedicled bone grafts, rotation-plasty, and amputations). Five-year local recurrence-free survival was 85% for reimplantation and 97% for non-reimplantation groups (p=0.17). Five-year metastasis-free survival was 63% and 54%, respectively (p=0.44). Five-year overall survival was 70% and 58%, respectively (p=0.39). The data from this study did not demonstrate significantly better local recurrence-free, distant relapse-free, or overall survival benefit in the tumor bone reimplantation group.
Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy in Congolese Patients
Authors: Kabedi Nelly N. , Kayembe David L. , Elongo Gloria M. , Mwanza Jean-Claude
Published: January 2020

Purpose. Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a visually debilitating disease that mostly affects people of African and Asian heritage. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is the recommended exploratory method for definitive diagnosis. The disease has been extensively described in Asians and Caucasians, but not in Africans. This study was conducted to document the clinical presentation and optical coherence tomography features of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Congolese patients. Methods. A prospective case series of patients with PCV was performed between January 2017 and June 2019. Routine ocular examination was performed including best corrected visual acuity measurement, slit-lamp examination, dilated direct fundoscopy, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). The diagnosis was based on a combination of clinical and OCT signs. Results. Fourteen patients were diagnosed with PCV during this period. The average age was 64.7 ± 6.9 years. There were 8 females. Ten (71.4%) patients had systemic hypertension. Most patients (n = 9, 64.3%) had bilateral involvement. Blurred vision was the most common complaint (71.4%). The main clinical presentation was subretinal exudates, seen in 19 (82.6%) eyes of 11 (78.6%) patients and subretinal hemorrhage in 10 (43.5%) eyes. Macular localization was found in 16 eyes (69.5%) of 12 (85.7%) patients. Drusen were observed in 35.7% of the patients. On OCT imaging, thumb-like pigment epithelial detachment and subretinal exudation were the most frequent features, observed in 92.9% and 71.4% of the patients, respectively. Conclusions. PCV in Congolese patients showed features that are more similar to those observed in Caucasians. In this setting where indocyanine green angiography is not available, OCT facilitates the diagnosis of PCV.
Digestible Energy Intake and Digestive Efficiency of Human-Managed North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis)
Authors: Minter Larry J. , Heugten Kimberly Ange-van , Harms Craig A. , Stoskopf Michael K.
Published: January 2020

Diets currently provided to captive North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) are highly variable with different institutions providing various whole foods, commercial complete prepared diets, or combinations of both. This study investigated the digestible energy intake, gastrointestinal transit time, and digestive efficiency of three different diets being fed at three North Carolina institutions. Otters housed at Institution A (n = 3) were fed strictly fish. Otters housed at Institutions B (n = 3) and C (n = 2) were fed a majority fish based diet (58.5 and 74.1%, respectively), supplemented with fruits, vegetables, and supplemental protein sources as enrichment. There was an apparent trend between increased percentage of fish in the diet and faster transit time and higher digestive efficiency. As less fish was included in the diets, the GI transit time was longer (Institution A, 106 minutes; Institution B, 145 minutes; Institution C, 208 minutes). Median digestive efficiency was high for all three groups (A, 91.4%; B, 87.8%; C, 89.8%) but was higher for the institutions feeding fish. Additionally, the overall median gross energy intake for the eight animals in this study was 163.1 kcal/kgBM0.75/day (range: 92.2 to 260.7 kcal/kgBM0.75/day). While all three institutions had healthy otter populations, it appears that a higher fish diet should be further studied as the model North American river otter diet.
An Assessment of the Relationship between Structural and Functional Imaging of Cerebrovascular Disease and Cognition-Related Fibers
Authors: Tang Xiaoping , Xiao Xinlan , Yin Jianhua , Yang Ting , Zeng Bingliang
Published: January 2020

In order to assess the relationship between structural and functional imaging of cerebrovascular disease and cognition-related fibers, this paper chooses a total of 120 patients who underwent cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) treatment at a designated hospital by this study from June 2013 to June 2018 and divides them into 3 groups according to the random number table method: vascular dementia (VaD) group, vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (VCIND) group, and noncognition impairment (NCI) group with 40 cases of patients in each group. Cognitive function measurement and imaging examination were performed for these 3 groups of patients, and the observation indicators of cognitive state examination (CSE), mental assessment scale (MAS), clock drawing test (CDT), adult intelligence scale (AIS), frontal assessment battery (FAB), verbal fluency test (VFT), trail making test (TMT), cognitive index (CI), white matter lesions (WML), third ventricle width (TVW), and frontal horn index (FHI) were tested, respectively. The results shows that the average scores of CSE, MAS, AIS, and VFT in the VaD and VCIND group are lower than those of the NCI group and the differences are statistically significant (P<0.05); the average scores of FAB, TMT, and CI in the VaD group are higher than those of the VCIND group and the differences are also statistically significant (P<0.05); the average scores of FHI and TVW in the VaD group are lower than those of the VCIND and NCI group with statistically significant differences (P<0.05); the average scores of WML, CDT, and AIS in the VaD group are higher than those of the VCIND and NCI group with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Therefore, it is believed that the structural and functional imaging features of cerebrovascular disease are closely related to cognition-related fibers, and the incidence of white matter lesions is closely related to the degree of lesions and cognitive dysfunction of cerebral small vessel disease, in which a major risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in patients with small blood vessels is the severity of white matter lesions; brain imaging and neuropsychiatric function assessment can better understand the relationship between cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment. The results of this study provide a reference for the further research studies on the relationship between structural and functional imaging of cerebrovascular disease and cognition-related fibers.
Stationary Distribution and Periodic Solution of Stochastic Toxin-Producing Phytoplankton–Zooplankton Systems
Authors: Wei Chunjin , Fu Yingjie
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we investigate the dynamics of autonomous and nonautonomous stochastic toxin-producing phytoplankton–zooplankton system. For the autonomous system, we establish the sufficient conditions for the existence of the globally positive solution as well as the solution of population extinction and persistence in the mean. Furthermore, by constructing some suitable Lyapunov functions, we also prove that there exists a single stationary distribution which is ergodic, what is more important is that Lyapunov function does not depend on existence and stability of equilibrium. For the nonautonomous periodic system, we prove that there exists at least one nontrivial positive periodic solution according to the theory of Khasminskii. Finally, some numerical simulations are introduced to illustrate our theoretical results. The results show that weaker white noise and/or toxicity will strengthen the stability of system, while stronger white noise and/or toxicity will result in the extinction of one or two populations.
Symmetry Analysis, Bäcklund Transformations, and Interaction Solutions for an AB Modified KdV System
Authors: Jia Man
Published: January 2020

An AB modified KdV (AB-mKdV) system which can be used to describe two-place event is studied in this manuscript. Because the AB-mKdV system is considered as a special reduction of the famous AKNS system, the properties of the AKNS system are first revealed by using symmetry analysis. The nonlocal symmetries related to truncated Painlevé expansion, the finite transformation, and the symmetry reduction solutions of the AKNS system are presented. The corresponding Bäcklund transformations and the interaction solutions of the AB-mKdV system are constructed based on the special reduction. The results demonstrate that the AB-mKdV system possesses many kinds of interaction solutions, such as the interactions between kink and soliton and kink and cnoidal waves. The soliton can be changed from bright to dark during propagation.
A Selection Hyper-Heuristic Algorithm for Multiobjective Dynamic Economic and Environmental Load Dispatch
Authors: Yang Le , He Dakuo , Li Bo
Published: January 2020

Dynamic economic and environmental load dispatch (DEED) aims to determine the amount of electricity generated from power plants during the planning period to meet load demand while minimizing energy consumption costs and environmental pollution emission indicators subject to the operation requirements. This planning problem is usually expressed using a nonsmooth cost function, taking into account various equality and inequality constraints such as valve-point effects, operational limits, power balance, and ramp rate limits. This paper presents DEED models developed for a system consisting of thermal units, wind power generators, photovoltaic (PV) generators, and energy storage (ES). A selection hyper-heuristic algorithm is proposed to solve the problems. Three heuristic mutation operators formed a low-level operator pool to direct search the solution space of DEED. The high level of SHHA evaluates the performances of the low-level operators and dynamically adjusts the chosen probability of each operator. Simulation experiments were carried out on four systems of different types or sizes. The results verified the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Personalization of CM Injection Protocols in Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (People CT Trial)
Authors: Eijsvoogel N. G. , Hendriks B. M. F. , Nelemans P. , Mihl C. , Willigers J. , Martens B. , Wildberger J. E. , Das M.
Published: January 2020

Aim. To evaluate the performance of three contrast media (CM) injection protocols for cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) based on body weight (BW), lean BW (LBW), and cardiac output (CO). Materials and methods. A total of 327 consecutive patients referred for CCTA were randomized into one of the three CM injection protocols, where CM injection was based on either BW (112 patients), LBW (108 patients), or CO (107 patients). LBW and CO were calculated via formulas. All scans were ECG-gated and performed on a third-generation dual-source CT with 70–120 kV (automated tube voltage selection) and 100 kVqual.ref/330 mAsqual.ref. CM injection protocols were also adapted to scan time and tube voltage. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with optimal intravascular attenuation (325–500 HU). Secondary outcomes were mean and standard deviation of intravascular attenuation values (HU), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and subjective image quality with a 4-point Likert scale (1 = poor/2 = sufficient/3 = good/4 = excellent). The t-test for independent samples was used for pairwise comparisons between groups, and a chi-square test (χ2) was used to compare categorical variables between groups. All p values were 2-sided, and a p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Mean overall HU and CNR were 423 ± 60HU/14 ± 3 (BW), 404 ± 62HU/14 ± 3 (LBW), and 413 ± 63HU/14 ± 3 (CO) with a significant difference between groups BW and LBW (p=0.024). The proportion of patients with optimal intravascular attenuation (325–500 HU) was 83.9%, 84.3%, and 86.9% for groups BW, LBW, and CO, respectively, and between-group differences were small and nonsignificant. Mean CNR was diagnostic (≥10) in all groups. The proportion of scans with good-excellent image quality was 94.6%, 86.1%, and 90.7% in the BW, LBW, and CO groups, respectively. The difference between proportions was significant between the BW and LBW groups. Conclusion. Personalization of CM injection protocols based on BW, LBW, and CO, and scan time and tube voltage in CCTA resulted in low variation between patients in terms of intravascular attenuation and a high proportion of scans with an optimal intravascular attenuation. The results suggest that personalized CM injection protocols based on LBW or CO have no additional benefit when compared with CM injection protocols based on BW.
A Rare Case of Extracavitary Primary Effusion Lymphoma in the Bladder and Ureter
Authors: Tong Jiankun , Jadallah Sana , Rodgers William H. , Jung Gabriel , Fulman Malvina , Swaika Abhisek
Published: January 2020

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and very aggressive large B-cell lymphoma usually presenting as serous effusions without a tumor mass. It is universally associated with human herpesvirus type-8 (HHV-8) infection. It most commonly occurs in the body cavities and rarely develops as solid tumor masses in the wall of cavity and other organs, and it has been termed as extracavitary PEL. Extracavitary PEL has been reported in the lymph nodes and extranodal sites. Here we report a rare case of extracavitary PEL occurring in the bladder and ureter of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative 76-year-old Chinese male, presenting with right leg swelling, erythema, and pain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of extracavitary PEL presenting in the bladder and ureter.
Convergence of the High-Accuracy Algorithm for Solving the Dirichlet Problem of the Modified Helmholtz Equation
Authors: Li Hu , Zeng Guang
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we derive the convergence for the high-accuracy algorithm in solving the Dirichlet problem of the modified Helmholtz equation. By the boundary element method, we transform the system to be a boundary integral equation. The high-accuracy algorithm using the specific quadrature rule is developed to deal with weakly singular integrals. The convergence of the algorithm is proved based on Anselone’s collective compact theory. Moreover, an asymptotic error expansion shows that the algorithm is of order Oh03. The numerical examples support the theoretical analysis.
Preparation of Cholesteryl-Modified Aminated Pullulan Nanoparticles to Evaluate Nanoparticle of Hydrophobic Degree on Drug Release and Cytotoxicity
Authors: Yuan Huabing , Zhong Wu , Wang Rong , Zhou Ping , Nie Yu , Hu Wei , Tao Xiaojun , Yang Ping
Published: January 2020

The formation of nanoparticles (NPs) and surface properties such as size and charge are affected by the amphiphilic property of polymer, which is vital for evaluating their function. Here, we synthesized cholesteryl-modified aminated pullulan polymers (CHPNs) with different amounts of cholesterol succinate (CHS). We characterized the three hydrophobically modified polymers (CHPN1, CHPN2, and CHPN3) (CHS: Pu‐NH2=1/5,2/5,3/5) by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to measure particle size and zeta potential of CHPN NPs. The particle sizes of the three NPs CHPN1, CHPN2, and CHPN3 were 178.0, 144.4, and 97.8 nm, respectively. The particle size was related to the cholesteryl substitution of polymers to a certain extent: the stronger the hydrophobicity, the smaller the particle size. In 48 h, the drug release for CHPN3 and CHPN1 NPs was 57.8% and 72.7%. Thus, the NPs showed good sustained drug release: the greater the degree of hydrophobic substitution, the better the sustained release. The cytotoxicity findings were reversed: CHPN1 NPs, with low hydrophobic substitution, showed the best inhibition of Lewis lung cancer cells.
Fine Tactile Representation of Materials for Virtual Reality
Authors: Yoon YooChang , Moon Dongmin , Chin Seongah
Published: January 2020

The most important aspect of virtual reality (VR) is the degree by which a user can feel and experience virtual space as though it is reality. Until recently, the experience of VR had to be satisfied with operations using a separate controller along with the visual and auditory elements. However, for a far more realistic VR environment, users should be able to experience the delicacy of tactile materials. This study proposes tactile technology, which is inexpensive and easy to use. To achieve this, we analyzed the unique patterns of materials through image filtering and designed a computing model to deliver realistic vibrations to the user. In addition, we developed and tested a haptic glove so that the texture of the material can be sensed in a VR environment.
Modeling of Emergency Supply Scheduling Problem Based on Reliability and Its Solution Algorithm under Variable Road Network after Sudden-Onset Disasters
Authors: Chen Tinggui , Wu Shiwen , Yang Jianjun , Cong Guodong , Li Gongfa
Published: January 2020

It is common that many roads in disaster areas are damaged and obstructed after sudden-onset disasters. The phenomenon often comes with escalated traffic deterioration that raises the time and cost of emergency supply scheduling. Fortunately, repairing road network will shorten the time of in-transit distribution. In this paper, according to the characteristics of emergency supplies distribution, an emergency supply scheduling model based on multiple warehouses and stricken locations is constructed to deal with the failure of part of road networks in the early postdisaster phase. The detailed process is as follows. When part of the road networks fail, we firstly determine whether to repair the damaged road networks, and then a model of reliable emergency supply scheduling based on bi-level programming is proposed. Subsequently, an improved artificial bee colony algorithm is presented to solve the problem mentioned above. Finally, through a case study, the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm are verified.
Impact and Outcomes of Pretreatment Total Serum Testosterone on Localized Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Usera Brittni M. , Creveling Polly , Tward Jonathan D.
Published: January 2020

Purpose. To investigate how pretreatment testosterone levels correlate with progression-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival in a propensity-adjusted localized prostate cancer population. Methods. Men diagnosed with clinical NCCN-risk stratified very-low, low, intermediate, high, and/or very-high risk prostate cancer who had a baseline total serum testosterone level≥100 ng/dl measured within the 100 days preceding the first definitive therapy were identified from our prospectively gathered institutional database. Cohorts below (100–239 ng/dl), within (240–593 ng/dl), or above (594 + ng/dl) one standard deviation from the mean testosterone level (416 ng/dl) were used for comparison. Progression-free, metastasis-free, and overall survival were evaluated. A separate cohort of men not receiving ADT was used to evaluate testosterone recovery after various treatment modalities (surgery, external beam radiation, brachytherapy, or combined EBRT + Brachy). Results. There was no statistically significant difference between the low, average, and high testosterone cohorts for PFS, MFS, or OS. In men not using ADT, there were no statistically significant changes in testosterone levels 1 year after therapy, regardless of therapy type. Conclusion. In men with serum testosterone levels >=100 ng/dl at diagnosis, baseline testosterone does not impact PFS, MFS, or OS. Recovery of testosterone back to baseline is expected for men undergoing either surgery, external beam or brachytherapy, or combined modality radiation when not using ADT.
MicroRNA‐127 Inhibits the Progression of Melanoma by Downregulating Delta‐Like Homologue 1
Authors: Tian Ping , Tao Ling , Wang Yujun , Han Xiaobing
Published: January 2020

Objective. Melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer with low survival rate and poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play essential roles in progression of melanoma. However, the role and mechanism of miR‐127 in the process of melanoma remain poorly understood. Methods. The expressions of miR‐127 and delta‐like homologue 1 (DLK1) were measured in melanoma tissues and cells by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and Western blot. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by MTT assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot. The interaction between miR‐127 and DLK1 was investigated by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase activity assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). Murine xenograft model was conducted to investigate the effect of miR‐127 on tumor growth in vivo. Results. miR‐127 was inhibited and DLK1 mRNA was enhanced in melanoma tissues and cells. Low abundance of miR‐127 in melanoma tissues predicted a poor prognosis and was associated with the malignant clinicopathological features. Overexpression of miR‐127 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in melanoma cells. Moreover, DLK1 was targeted by miR‐127 and its restoration reversed the regulatory effect of miR‐127 on the process of melanoma. Besides, the addition of miR‐127 suppressed xenograft tumor growth via suppressing DLK1 protein level in nude mice. Conclusion. miR‐127 blocked the development of melanoma by targeting DLK1, providing a novel biomarker for the treatment of melanoma.
Effects of Quintessence Dark Energy on the Action Growth and Butterfly Velocity
Authors: Ghaffarnejad Hossein , Farsam Mohammad , Yaraie Emad
Published: January 2020

In this work we are about to investigate the effects of quintessence dark energy on evolution of the computational complexity relating to the AdS/CFT correspondence. We use “complexity=action” conjecture for a charged AdS black hole surrounded by the dark energy at the quintessence regime. Then we try to find some conditions on the quintessence parameters where the Lloyd bound is satisfied in presence of affects of the quintessence dark energy on the complexity growth at the late time approximations. We compare late time approximation of the action growth by perturbed geometry in small limits of shift function. Actually we investigate the evµolution of complexity when thermofield double state on the boundaries is perturbed by local operator corresponding to a shock wave geometry as holographically. Furthermore we seek spread of local shock wave on the black hole horizon in presence of the quintessence dark energy.
Resistin Is Increased in Periodontal Cells and Tissues: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Nogueira Andressa V. B. , Nokhbehsaim Marjan , Tekin Sema , de Molon Rafael S. , Spolidorio Luis C. , Memmert Svenja , Damanaki Anna , Jäger Andreas , Eick Sigrun , Deschner James , Cirelli Joni A.
Published: January 2020

Resistin, a proinflammatory adipokine, is elevated in many inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about its performance in periodontitis. The present study is aimed at evaluating resistin expression and synthesis in periodontal cells and tissues under inflammatory/microbial stress in addition to its effects on the periodontium. In vivo, 24 male rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and ligature-induced periodontal disease. After 6 and 12 days, animals were sacrificed to analyze gene expression of adipokines, bone loss, inflammation, and resistin synthesis. In vitro, human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts were used to evaluate the expression of resistin after inflammatory stimuli. In addition, PDL fibroblasts were exposed to resistin to evaluate its role on soft and hard tissue metabolism markers. The periodontitis group demonstrated significant bone loss, an increase in the number of inflammatory cells and vascular structures, an increase in resistin expression and synthesis, and a decrease in the expression of adiponectin, leptin, and its functional receptor. PDL fibroblasts showed a significant increase in resistin expression and synthesis in response to the inflammatory stimulus by IL-1β. Resistin induced an increase in cytokine expression and a decrease in the regulation of some hard tissue and matrix formation genes in PDL fibroblasts. These data indicate that resistin is produced by periodontal cells and tissues, and this effect is enhanced by inflammatory stimuli. Moreover, resistin seems to interfere with soft and hard tissue metabolism during periodontitis by reducing markers related to matrix formation and bone tissue.
Surfactant Expression Defines an Inflamed Subtype of Lung Adenocarcinoma Brain Metastases that Correlates with Prolonged Survival
Authors: Pocha Kolja , Mock Andreas , Rapp Carmen , Dettling Steffen , Warta Rolf , Geisenberger Christoph , Jungk Christine , Martins Leila R. , Grabe Niels , Reuss David , Debus Juergen , von Deimling Andreas , Abdollahi Amir , Unterberg Andreas , Herold-Mende Christel C.
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

To provide a better understanding of the interplay between the immune system and brain metastases to advance therapeutic options for this life-threatening disease.

Experimental Design:

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were quantified by semiautomated whole-slide analysis in brain metastases from 81 lung adenocarcinomas. Multi-color staining enabled phenotyping of TILs (CD3, CD8, and FOXP3) on a single-cell resolution. Molecular determinants of the extent of TILs in brain metastases were analyzed by transcriptomics in a subset of 63 patients. Findings in lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases were related to published multi-omic primary lung adenocarcinoma The Cancer Genome Atlas data (n = 230) and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data (n = 52,698).

Results:

TIL numbers within tumor islands was an independent prognostic marker in patients with lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases. Comparative transcriptomics revealed that expression of three surfactant metabolism-related genes (SFTPA1, SFTPB, and NAPSA) was closely associated with TIL numbers. Their expression was not only prognostic in brain metastasis but also in primary lung adenocarcinoma. Correlation with scRNA-seq data revealed that brain metastases with high expression of surfactant genes might originate from tumor cells resembling alveolar type 2 cells. Methylome-based estimation of immune cell fractions in primary lung adenocarcinoma confirmed a positive association between lymphocyte infiltration and surfactant expression. Tumors with a high surfactant expression displayed a transcriptomic profile of an inflammatory microenvironment.

Conclusions:

The expression of surfactant metabolism-related genes (SFTPA1, SFTPB, and NAPSA) defines an inflamed subtype of lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases characterized by high abundance of TILs in close vicinity to tumor cells, a prolonged survival, and a tumor microenvironment which might be more accessible to immunotherapeutic approaches.
Ophthalmologic Manifestations as Initial Presentation of Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Mohamed Shehab F. , Qatami Ahmed , Nashwan Abdulqadir , Abdulla Mohammad A. , Yassin Mohamed A.
Published: January 2020

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm, classically described as triphasic disease (chronic, accelerated, and blast). Despite the significant efforts made by different groups to optimize treatment and outcome, there are still unmet needs and unanswered questions. Ophthalmologic manifestations are among the therapeutic challenges. The best available therapy for patients presenting with ophthalmologic manifestations is still unclear. Here we present two cases of CML (chronic phase) with ophthalmologic manifestations as initial presentation, trying to shed light on this important type of presentation and proposing recommendations for hematologists in view of the current literature.
HPV-Related Neovaginal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting as Lung Metastasis after Male-to-Female Gender Confirmation Surgery
Authors: Wang Gang , Ferguson David , Ionescu Diana N. , Hoang Lien , Barrett Sarah , van Niekerk Dirk , Rose James Neil , Kollmannsberger Christian
Published: January 2020

There have been 4 reported cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the neovagina in transgender women. In this report, we present another case of neovaginal SCC in a transgender woman, which was HPV-related, with lung metastasis as the initial presentation, and which was also complicated by her previous history of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This unique case highlights the diagnostic challenges in these unusual scenarios. Through this report, we hope to address the benefits of multidisciplinary tumor board rounds, provision of detailed clinical information, and familiarization of the transgender anatomy within the pelvis in this group of patients. We also propose that transgender women undergo a continuous annual follow-up after postoperative follow-up is completed.
Rectal Arteriovenous Malformation Treated by Transcatheter Arterial Embolization
Authors: Ishikawa Sho , Mukai Shoichiro , Hirata Yuzo , Kohata Akihiro , Kai Azusa , Namba Yosuke , Okimoto Sho , Fujisaki Seiji , Fukuda Saburo , Takahashi Mamoru , Fukuda Toshikatsu , Ohdan Hideki
Published: January 2020

An 86-year-old man who presented with frequent hematochezia with mild anemia on blood tests was admitted to our hospital. Colonoscopy exhibited a submucosal tumor-like lesion in the lower rectum. CT and MRI showed blood flow into the lesion, but not tumor component. Angiography of the superior rectal artery and left internal iliac artery showed vascular hyperplasia and nidus. Thus, rectal arteriovenous malformation was diagnosed. If bleeding from arteriovenous malformation was out of control, surgical resection was necessary. However, due to the age of the patient, we performed transcatheter arterial embolization and abdominoperineal resection was not needed. Embolization from the left superior rectal artery, middle rectal artery and inferior rectal artery was performed to control the bleeding and to avoid surgery. After embolization, he was followed up for 10 months in our hospital without recurrence.
Potential of Next-Generation Sequencing in Noninvasive Fetal Molecular Blood Group Genotyping
Authors: Wienzek-Lischka Sandra , Bachmann Sandy , Froehner Vanessa , Bein Gregor
Published: January 2020

Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn and fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia are caused by maternal antibodies against fetal alloantigens on red blood cells or platelets that are inherited from the father. After transplacental transport to the fetal circulation, antibodies of the IgG class may cause severe fetal anemia or bleeding complications. The indication for noninvasive fetal blood group genotyping is given if a clinically relevant antibody is detected in a pregnant woman and if the father is heterozygous (or unknown) for the implicated blood group allele. This mini-review will focus on the advantages and current limitations of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for noninvasive diagnosis of fetal blood groups which is, in contrast to fetal aneuploidy screening, proposed only by some research groups. Targeted massively parallel sequencing of short DNA fragments from maternal cell-free plasma samples enables counting of fetal alleles for many single nucleotide polymorphisms in parallel. This information can be utilized for estimation of the fetal fraction of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as well as detection of the paternal blood group allele in question. Adherence to a cut-off of ≥4% fetal fraction for reporting conclusive results is recommended to avoid false-negative results due to low fetal fraction. For screening purposes of fetal RHD in RhD-negative pregnant women, real-time PCR methods are very well established. However, for diagnostic purposes, the targeted amplicon-based NGS approach has the inherent capability to estimate the fetal fraction of cfDNA. In the future, improving the accuracy of NGS by consensus sequencing of single cfDNA molecules may enable reliable fetal blood group genotyping already in the first trimester of pregnancy.
América Latina e a onda progressista
Authors: Vasconcelos Joana Salém
Published: January 2020

Este texto é uma resenha do livro “Uma história da onda progressista sul-americana (1998-2016)”, de Fabio Luis Barbosa dos Santos. Resultado de pesquisas de campo em onze países, o livro apresenta uma análise bem-informada sobre os alcances e limites da onda progressista, explicando as particularidades de cada situação nacional e identificando seu movimento histórico comum. O fenômeno da onda progressista é entendido em sua heterogeneidade, não como um conjunto de governos, mas como um momento histórico. Ao explicar seus dilemas nacionais, o autor conseguiu traçar um quadro das suas correlações regionais e determinações compartilhadas. As tensões específicas de cada governo são analisadas a partir das suas alianças de classe, apoios e fraturas com os movimentos sociais e com as oligarquias, bem como os matizes de diferentes estratégias de integração. Ao problematizar o consenso extrativista, o autor propõe uma compreensão histórico-estrutural dos impasses da conjuntura latino-americana, recolocando a dependência e a desigualdade como fortalezas que obstruem os horizontes da transformação.