bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Naringin- and Icariin-Contained Herbal Formula, Gushukang, Ameliorated Aged Osteoporosis of Aged Mice with High Calcium Intake
Authors: Li Xiao-Li , Xu Fei , Lin Fu-Hui , Ai Lian-Zhong , Zhao Yong-Jian , Bi Xiao-Lei , Sui Li , Zhang Yan
Published: November 2020

Traditional herbal formula Gushukang (GSK) was clinically applied to treat primary osteoporosis and showed osteoprotective effect in ovariectomized rodent animals and regulatory action on calcium transporters. This study aimed to determine if GSK could ameliorate aged osteoporosis by modulating serum level of calciotropic hormones and improving calcium balance. 18-month-old male mice were orally administered with either GSK (0.38[Formula: see text]g/kg body weight) or calcitriol (1[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/kg body weight) combined with high calcium diet (HCD, 1.2% Ca) for 60 days. The aged mice fed with normal calcium diet (NCD, 0.6% Ca) were a negative control. Trabecular bone and cortical bone properties as well as calcium balance were determined. Treatment with GSK significantly increased 25(OH)D and 1,25-(OH)2D levels in serum, moreover, it markedly attenuated trabecular bone micro-architectural deteriorations and elevated trabecular bone mass as well as strengthened cortical bone mechanical properties shown by the increase in maximal bending load and elastic modulus. Calcium balance, including urinary Ca excretion, fecal Ca level and net calcium retention, was remarkably improved by GSK, which up-regulated TRPV6 expression in duodenum and TRPV5 expression in kidney and down-regulated claudin-14 expression in duodenum and kidney. Additionally, 1-OHase and 24-OHase expression was significantly decreased (vs. NCD group) and increased (vs. HCD group), respectively, in kidney of GSK- and calcitriol-treated mice. Taken together, this study demonstrated the ameliorative effects of Gushukang on aged osteoporosis by effectively stimulating vitamin D production and improving calcium balance of aged mice with high dietary calcium supplement.
JGraphs: A Toolset to Work with Monte-Carlo Tree Search-Based Algorithms
Authors: García-Díaz Vicente , Núñez-Valdez Edward Rolando , García Cristian González , Gómez-Gómez Alberto , Crespo Rubén González
Published: November 2020

Monte-Carlo methods are the basis for solving many computational problems using repeated random sampling in scenarios that may have a deterministic but very complex solution from a computational point of view. In recent years, researchers are using the same idea to solve many problems through the so-called Monte-Carlo Tree Search family of algorithms, which provide the possibility of storing and reusing previously calculated results to improve precision in the calculation of future outcomes. However, developers and researchers working in this area tend to have to carry out software developments from scratch to use their designs or improve designs previously created by other researchers. This makes it difficult to see improvements in current algorithms as it takes a lot of hard work. This work presents JGraphs, a toolset implemented in the Java programming language that will allow researchers to avoid having to reinvent the wheel when working with Monte-Carlo Tree Search. In addition, it will allow testing experiments carried out by others in a simple way, reusing previous knowledge.
Monitoring and Analysis of Ancient Building Columns on the Basis of Relative Dynamic Method
Authors: Wang Xiufang , Li Guohua , Dong Jun , Li Jihang
Published: November 2020

During the service period of ancient building structures, due to the cumulative development of local damage to load-bearing members such as columns, the structural strength and stiffness will decrease, which may lead to catastrophic accidents. The traditional damage recognition method based on modal parameters is sometimes not effective. In this study, the vibration analysis combined with the relative dynamic method is used to analyze the damage of the wooden columns of the ancient building. The dynamic damage identification experiment was performed on a single wooden column. The effects of compressing the wooden column, crack length, and application of axial pressure on the natural frequency of the wood column were explored. The natural frequency of the wood column was determined by data acquisition and signal processing (DASP) software, and the damage of the component was evaluated by analyzing the change in the natural frequency obtained under different states. Results of the relative dynamic method showed that the damages can be evaluated by observing the change in the natural frequency. However, determining the damage position and the damage form was impossible. Then the mode shapes at different frequencies were obtained by processing the time domain signal, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) calculation, and simultaneously using the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA). It is able to detect the damage of the ancient building components without damage, adding experiments to verify it, and enriching the application of the relative dynamic method theory. According to the variation law of the vibration mode animation, the location of the crack is generally concluded.
A Data-Taking System for Planetary Radar Applications
Authors: Margot Jean-Luc
Published: November 2020

Most planetary radar applications require recording of complex voltages at sampling rates of up to 20[Formula: see text]MHz. I describe the design and implementation of a sampling system that has been installed at the Arecibo Observatory, Goldstone Solar System Radar, and Green Bank Telescope. After many years of operation, these data-taking systems have enabled the acquisition of hundreds of datasets, many of which still await publication.
A Survey of Motion and Task Planning Techniques for Unmanned Multicopter Systems
Authors: Lan Menglu , Lai Shupeng , Lee Tong H. , Chen Ben M.
Published: November 2020

Unmanned aerial systems provide many applications with the ability to perform flying tasks autonomously, and hence have received significant research and commercial attention in the past decade. One of the most popular unmanned aerial platforms for such tasks is the small-scale rotorcraft with multiple rotors, commonly known as multicopters. In order for these platforms to perform fully autonomous missions and tasks, they require a sophisticated low-level flight control system that is integrated with advanced task and motion planning modules, which combine together to form the complete unmanned aerial system (UAS). In this paper, the planning module of unmanned multicopter systems is discussed in detail, and a comprehensive survey on techniques for both motion and task planning reported in literature and by the Unmanned Systems Research Group at the National University of Singapore is presented.
Does business cycle heterogeneously impact on banks’ capital buffers, risk and financial stability in BRIC economies?
Authors: Moudud-Ul-Huq Syed , Islam Md. Nazmul , Khan Abdul Gaffar , Ali Md. Rostam , Biswas Tanmay , Chakrabarty Brishti
Published: November 2020

This paper revisited the relationship between capital buffers and risk adjustments by showing the impact of the business cycle. Empirically, we used an unbalanced panel dataset from 426 banks of the BRIC countries (i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, and China) for the period 2007–2016. By using the two-step system GMM (2GMM), this study shows the results as: (i) capital buffers of Russia, India, and China behave counter-cyclically while it is pro-cyclical for Brazilian banks over the business cycle; (ii) in BRIC’s economy, credit risk, and bank financial stability is related to business cycle in counter and pro-cyclical fashion, respectively; (iii) capital buffers adjustment speed is the premier in China and India, shining banks accessibility to capital refill is much easier to Brazil and Russia. The adjustment speed is heterogeneous across countries; and (iv) financial stability in apex for the Chinese, Russian, and Indian banks apart from the Brazilian banks.
Establishment and Application of a Method for the Determination of Ganoderic Acid A
Authors: Li Shengyun , Yuan Yaowu , Yu Chenchen , Gao Hao , Tan Jianxin , Tian Yiling
Published: November 2020

A method for the quantitative determination of ganoderic acid A was constructed using the principle of indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and this method was used to determine the ganoderic A contents of Ganoderma lucidum samples in the market. The conjugate of ganoderic acid A and bovine serum albumin was used for four rounds of immunization on test rabbits to obtain rabbit antiganoderic acid A antibody IgG. The enzyme-labeled plate was coated with the conjugate of ganoderic acid A and ovalbumin. The first stage reaction in the indirect competitive ELISA was that the conjugate of ganoderic acid A in the sample competed with the conjugate coated on the enzyme-labeled plate to bind rabbit antibodies. The second stage reaction was the combination of goat anti-rabbit IgG–horseradish peroxidase and rabbit antiganoderic acid A antibody IgG. The results of the determination of ganoderic acid A standard by this method showed that the coefficient of variation of repeated wells in the group was <5%, the detection limit of ganoderic acid A was 0.6 μg/L, and ganoderic acid A had a substantial dose-response relationship in the content range of 0.9–72.9 μg/L (R2 = 0.994). This method was used to measure the ganoderic A content of 12 varieties of G. lucidum in the market and showed the obvious differences in the ganoderic acid A contents of the different varieties. This method is simple, fast, and of great importance to the quality control of Ganoderma products.
An Intertwining of Curvelet and Linear Canonical Transforms
Authors: Tantary Azhar Y. , Shah Firdous A.
Published: November 2020

In this article, we introduce a novel curvelet transform by combining the merits of the well-known curvelet and linear canonical transforms. The motivation towards the endeavour spurts from the fundamental question of whether it is possible to increase the flexibility of the curvelet transform to optimize the concentration of the curvelet spectrum. By invoking the fundamental relationship between the Fourier and linear canonical transforms, we formulate a novel family of curvelets, which is comparatively flexible and enjoys certain extra degrees of freedom. The preliminary analysis encompasses the study of fundamental properties including the formulation of reconstruction formula and Rayleigh’s energy theorem. Subsequently, we develop the Heisenberg-type uncertainty principle for the novel curvelet transform. Nevertheless, to extend the scope of the present study, we introduce the semidiscrete and discrete analogues of the novel curvelet transform. Finally, we present an example demonstrating the construction of novel curvelet waveforms in a lucid manner.
Picture Fuzzy Rough Set and Rough Picture Fuzzy Set on Two Different Universes and Their Applications
Authors: Ahmed Dliouah , Dai Binxiang
Published: November 2020

The major concern of this article is to propose the notion of picture fuzzy rough sets (PFRSs) over two different universes which depend on

δ
,
ζ
,
ϑ

-cut of picture fuzzy relation

ℛ

on two different universes (i.e., by combining picture fuzzy sets (PFSs) with rough sets (RSs)). Then, we discuss several interesting properties and related results on the PFRSs. Furthermore, we define some notions related to PFRSs such as (Type-I/Type-II) graded PFRSs, the degree

α

and

β

with respect to

ℛ

δ
,
ζ
,
ϑ

on PFRSs, and (Type-I/Type-II) generalized PFRSs based on the degree

α

and

β

with respect to

ℛ

δ
,
ζ
,
ϑ

and investigate the basic properties of above notions. Finally, an approach based on the rough picture fuzzy approximation operators on two different universes in decision-making problem is introduced, and we give an example to show the validity of this approach.
A Random Walk-Based Energy-Aware Compressive Data Collection for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Dong Keming , Chen Chao , Yu Xiaohan
Published: November 2020

The energy efficiency for data collection is one of the most important research topics in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). As a popular data collection scheme, the compressive sensing- (CS-) based data collection schemes own many advantages from the perspectives of energy efficiency and load balance. Compared to the dense sensing matrices, applications of the sparse random matrices are able to further improve the performance of CS-based data collection schemes. In this paper, we proposed a compressive data collection scheme based on random walks, which exploits the compressibility of data vectors in the network. Each measurement was collected along a random walk that is modeled as a Markov chain. The Minimum Expected Cost Data Collection (MECDC) scheme was proposed to iteratively find the optimal transition probability of the Markov chain such that the expected cost of a random walk could be minimized. In the MECDC scheme, a nonuniform sparse random matrix, which is equivalent to the optimal transition probability matrix, was adopted to accurately recover the original data vector by using the nonuniform sparse random projection (NSRP) estimator. Simulation results showed that the proposed scheme was able to reduce the energy consumption and balance the network load.
Critical Factors to Achieve Sustainability of Public-Private Partnership Projects in the Water Sector: A Stakeholder-Oriented Network Perspective
Authors: He Nan , Li Yijing , Li Huimin , Liu Ziqi , Zhang Chengyi
Published: November 2020

A key challenge in the management of the public-private partnership project is to understand the critical factors for sustainability performance as well as their complex interaction. Majority of existing studies focus on identifying general factors without consideration of specific context of individual sector. To bridge the gap, unique characteristics of water PPP projects are taken into consideration in this study where the relationship among critical factors to achieve sustainable performance is analyzed from a network perspective. Stakeholder-associated factors and their interrelations were identified via extensive literature review and structured interview, and the social network analysis (SNA) method was employed to recognize the critical factors and their interactions in sustainability achievement of water PPP projects. As a result, seven stakeholder groups and 18 critical factor nodes were identified and further classified into four challenges when achieving sustainability. These challenges are (1) promoting ecological awareness and responsible citizen behaviour; (2) project construction quality; (3) ecological designs and technology innovations; and (4) project management capacity. These findings provide the stakeholders of water PPP projects with useful references for mitigating the risks and facilitating efforts to achieve better sustainability performance.
Rectal Bleeding after Insertion of a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube
Authors: Alhazmi Ghadeer , Alsabri Mroj , Alsuwat Shahad , Al-Zangabi Adnan , Al-Zahrani Abdulaziz , Shariff Mohammed Kareemulla
Published: November 2020

Iatrogenic injury to an internal organ such as the stomach, colon, small bowel, or liver after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion is a rare complication. We present a case of rectal bleeding due to colon injury during PEG tube placement. This required urgent exploratory laparoscopic surgery with segmental resection of the transverse colon and replacement of the PEG tube. Postoperatively, the patient significantly improved with time and tolerated PEG tube feeding.
Dramatic Response in a Patient with Metastatic Gastric Cancer Using Trifluridine/Tipiracil after Rapid Disease Progression while on Nivolumab
Authors: Nozawa Kazuki , Narita Yukiya , Hosoda Waki , Muro Kei
Published: November 2020

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors has redefined the treatment strategy and changed the way tumor assessments are made because of its response pattern. Studies have suggested that initiating chemotherapy after checkpoint inhibitors may have high anti-tumor activity in some cancer types. This response pattern has not been reported in patients with gastric cancer, and particularly for the combination of trifluridine/tipiracil. A 69-year-old man presented at follow-up for metastatic gastric cancer being treated with nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody. Computed tomography of the liver showed a rapid 4-fold growth of the metastasis compared with baseline measurements taken while receiving paclitaxel and ramucirumab. It met the definition of a phenomenon called hyperprogressive disease. Nivolumab was discontinued, and he was switched to trifluridine/tipiracil. The liver metastasis was shrunk markedly after 2 months with improvement in his performance status and laboratory data. Sequential therapy starting with immune checkpoint inhibitors followed by cytotoxic agents such as trifluridine/tipiracil may have an apparent efficacy in gastric cancer even though prior immunotherapy demonstrates hyperprogressive disease.
PAX2 Mutation-Related Oligomeganephronia in a Young Adult Patient
Authors: Bitó László , Kalmár Tibor , Maróti Zoltán , Turkevi-Nagy Sándor , Bereczki Csaba , Iványi Béla
Published: November 2020

Oligomeganephronic hypoplasia, commonly referred to as oligomeganephronia (OMN), is a rare pediatric disorder characterized by small kidneys. Histologically a paucity of nephrons is observed which show compensatory enlargement. Hyperfiltration injury leads to end-stage kidney disease. Here we report a 23-year-old Caucasian female patient who presented with a 7-year history of nonnephrotic proteinuria, slow worsening of renal function, normal-sized kidneys, normal blood pressure, healthy weight, and normoglycemia. Evaluation of a kidney biopsy specimen revealed sparsely distributed and markedly enlarged glomeruli (glomerular density 0.63/mm2, glomerular diameter 268 µm), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and 70% effacement of the foot processes. The glomerular basement membrane was normal (mean thickness 285 nm). The genetic analysis of 19 genes known to cause FSGS identified a heterozygous de novo nonsense mutation of PAX2 in exon 4 (NM_003990.3:c.430C>T and NP_003981.2:p.Gln144Ter). Clinical investigations ruled out optic nerve coloboma, hearing loss, and vesicoureteral reflux. Magnetic resonance imaging of the urogenital tract found the uterus to be bicornuate. Based on these data, OMN in nonhypoplastic kidneys and adaptive FSGS related to PAX2 mutation was diagnosed. Her kidney function worsened during the 30-month follow-up (last visit: eGFR-EPI 32 mL/min/1.73 m2) despite angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment. To our best knowledge, our patient is the seventh in the English-language literature with a biopsy diagnosis of OMN in an adult, the first observed with normal-sized kidneys, and the first in whom a specific etiologic genetic diagnosis was established. Nonsense PAX2 mutations between the paired domain and the octapeptide domain appear to manifest in renal-limited phenotype.
Axitinib plus Immuncheckpoint-Inhibitor: evidenz- und expertenbasierte Konsensusempfehlungen für die Behandlungsoptimierung und das Management von therapieassoziierten Nebenwirkungen
Authors: Grünwald Viktor , Voss Martin H. , Rini Brain I. , Powles Thomas , Albiges Laurence , Giles Rachel H. , Jonasch Eric 
Published: November 2020

Die kürzlich erfolgte Zulassung der Kombinationstherapien von Axitinib mit den Immuncheckpoint-Inhibitoren (ICI) Pembrolizumab oder Avelumab zur First-Line-Therapie des fortgeschrittenen Nierenzellkarzinoms macht Handlungsempfehlungen zur Differenzierung zwischen immunbezogenen Nebenwirkungen (adverse events, AEs), die durch ICI verursacht werden, und Axitinib-bezogenen AEs erforderlich, um die Therapie mit Axitinib-ICI-Kombinationen zu optimieren. Die hier vorgestellten Empfehlungen basieren auf einer systematischen kritischen Überprüfung der veröffentlichten Evidenzlage und einer Diskussion unter Experten auf diesem Gebiet sowie einer Umfrage mit dem Ziel, einen Expertenkonsens über spezifische Maßnahmen für das Therapiemanagement mit den Kombinationstherapien von Axitinib/Avelumab und Axitinib/Pembrolizumab zu erhalten. Die Experten identifizierten AE-Bereiche, bei denen ein spezielles Management während der Behandlung mit Axitinib-ICI-Kombinationstherapien notwendig ist und die von den aktuellen Empfehlungen nicht abgedeckt werden. Nebenwirkungen, die ein solches spezialisiertes Management erfordern, sind Diarrhoe, Lebertoxizität, Fatigue und kardiovaskuläre AEs. Die Triage zwischen immunsuppressiven und supportiven Maßnahmen ist ein zentrales Element des Therapiemanagements. Dieser neuartige Therapieansatz erfordert ein klinisches Monitoring und Erfahrungen mit beiden Wirkstoffklassen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit liegt der Schwerpunkt auf AEs, die Überschneidungen zwischen der Axitinib- und der ICI-Therapie aufweisen. Unsere Empfehlungen beziehen sich auf das Management von AEs, die unter der Behandlung mit Axitinib-ICI-Kombinationen auftreten, und haben zum Ziel, die Sicherheit dieser Therapien zu verbessern.
New‐Onset Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Long‐Term Outcome: A Population‐Based Nationwide Study From the SWEDEHEART Registry
Authors: Taha Amar , Nielsen Susanne J. , Bergfeldt Lennart , Ahlsson Anders , Friberg Leif , Björck Staffan , Franzén Stefan , Jeppsson Anders
Published: November 2020

Background

The long‐term impact of new‐onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting and the benefit of early‐initiated oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with POAF are uncertain.

Methods and Results

All patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without preoperative atrial fibrillation in Sweden from 2007 to 2015 were included in a population‐based study using data from 4 national registries: SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence‐based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies), National Patient Registry, Dispensed Drug Registry, and Cause of Death Registry. POAF was defined as any new‐onset atrial fibrillation during the first 30 postoperative days. Cox regression models (adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, and medication) were used to assess long‐term outcome in patients with and without POAF, and potential associations between early‐initiated OAC and outcome. In a cohort of 24 523 patients with coronary artery bypass grafting, POAF occurred in 7368 patients (30.0%), and 1770 (24.0%) of them were prescribed OAC within 30 days after surgery. During follow‐up (median 4.5 years, range 0‒9 years), POAF was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.18 [95% CI, 1.05‒1.32]), any thromboembolism (ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral arterial embolism) (aHR 1.16, 1.05‒1.28), heart failure hospitalization (aHR 1.35, 1.21‒1.51), and recurrent atrial fibrillation (aHR 4.16, 3.76‒4.60), but not with all‐cause mortality (aHR 1.08, 0.98‒1.18). Early initiation of OAC was not associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke or any thromboembolism but with increased risk for major bleeding (aHR 1.40, 1.08‒1.82).

Conclusions

POAF after coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with negative prognostic impact. The role of early OAC therapy remains unclear. Studies aiming at reducing the occurrence of POAF and its consequences are warranted.
Ludwigia venugopalanii (Onagraceae), a striking apetalous species from Kerala, India

Authors: ARYA SINDHU , SURESH VEERANKUTTY , BIJU PUNNAKOT , VISHNU WALSAN KALARIKKAL , ANILKUMAR VENUGOPALAN NAIR SARADHAMMA
Published: November 2020

Ludwigia venugopalanii , a new species of Ludwigia from Western Ghats, Kerala (Southwestern India), is described and illustrated. The new species Ludwigia venugopalanii is morphologically similar to L. palustris from which it differs by alternate phyllotaxy, length and pubescence of calyx tube, absence of bracteoles, shape of ovule and capsule morphology.
Hyaloterminalis, a novel genus of Coryneaceae in order Diaporthales
Authors: RATHNAYAKA ACHALA R. , WANASINGHE DHANUSHKA N. , DAYARATHNE MONIKA C. , CHETHANA K.W. THILINI , BHAT D. JAYARAMA , KUO CHANG-HSIN , MORTIMER PETER E. , LUMYONG SAISAMORN , HYDE KEVIN D.
Published: November 2020

The dematiaceous coelomycete Hyaloterminalis alishanensis gen. et sp. nov. (Coryneaceae, Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes) is introduced in this paper. It was isolated from dead branches of Cerasus sp. from the Ali Mountain, Taiwan. Coryneum was previously the only genus in Coryneaceae, and morphological similarity of Hyaloterminalis with the type genus is limited to broadly fusiform, brown conidia. Hyaloterminalis differs from Coryneum in having pycnidial conidiomata, persistent paraphyses and conidiophore morphology, with a long narrow hyaline tip to the apical cell and hyaline basal cells. Multigene phylogenetic analyses, using a combined LSU, ITS and TEF1-α sequence data generated from maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and MrBayes analyses, confirmed that Hyaloterminalis forms a distinct lineage within Coryneaceae and its establishment as a new genus is well-supported. The new taxon is described, illustrated and compared with Coryneum. The ITS (MH861215) and LSU (MH872982) sequences obtained from the ex-type strain of Talekpea foeticia, confirm its status as a member in Coryneaceae. Therefore, Talekpea is accepted as a distinct genus in Coryneaceae.
Biochemical and genetic analysis of Ecm14, a conserved fungal pseudopeptidase
Authors: McDonald R. Christian , Schott Matthew J. , Idowu Temitope A. , Lyons Peter J.
Published: November 2020

Background

Like most major enzyme families, the M14 family of metallocarboxypeptidases (MCPs) contains a number of pseudoenzymes predicted to lack enzyme activity and with poorly characterized molecular function. The genome of the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiaeencodes one member of the M14 MCP family, a pseudoenzyme named Ecm14 proposed to function in the extracellular matrix. In order to better understand the function of such pseudoenzymes, we studied the structure and function of Ecm14 inS. cerevisiae.

Results

A phylogenetic analysis of Ecm14 in fungi found it to be conserved throughout the ascomycete phylum, with a group of related pseudoenzymes found in basidiomycetes. To investigate the structure and function of this conserved protein, His6-tagged Ecm14 was overexpressed in Sf9 cells and purified. The prodomain of Ecm14 was cleaved in vivo and in vitro by endopeptidases, suggesting an activation mechanism; however, no activity was detectable using standard carboxypeptidase substrates. In order to determine the function of Ecm14 using an unbiased screen, we undertook a synthetic lethal assay. Upon screening approximately 27,000 yeast colonies, twenty-two putative synthetic lethal clones were identified. Further analysis showed many to be synthetic lethal with auxotrophic marker genes and requiring multiple mutations, suggesting that there are few, if any, singleS. cerevisiaegenes that present synthetic lethal interactions withecm14Δ.

Conclusions

We show in this study that Ecm14, although lacking detectable enzyme activity, is a conserved carboxypeptidase-like protein that is secreted from cells and is processed to a mature form by the action of an endopeptidase. Our study and datasets from other recent large-scale screens suggest a role for Ecm14 in processes such as vesicle-mediated transport and aggregate invasion, a fungal process that has been selected against in modern laboratory strains ofS. cerevisiae.
A nomogramic model based on clinical and laboratory parameters at admission for predicting the survival of COVID-19 patients
Authors: Ma Xiaojun , Wang Huifang , Huang Junwei , Geng Yan , Jiang Shuqi , Zhou Qiuping , Chen Xuan , Hu Hongping , Li Weifeng , Zhou Chengbin , Gao Xinglin , Peng Na , Deng Yiyu
Published: November 2020

Background

COVID-19 has become a major global threat. The present study aimed to develop a nomogram model to predict the survival of COVID-19 patients based on their clinical and laboratory data at admission.

Methods

COVID-19 patients who were admitted at Hankou Hospital and Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China from January 12, 2020 to March 20, 2020, whose outcome during the hospitalization was known, were retrospectively reviewed. The categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s χ2-test or Fisher’s exact test, and continuous variables were analyzed using Student’s t-test or Mann Whitney U-test, as appropriate. Then, variables with a P-value of ≤0.1 were included in the log-binomial model, and merely these independent risk factors were used to establish the nomogram model. The discrimination of the nomogram was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and internally verified using the Bootstrap method.

Results

A total of 262 patients (134 surviving and 128 non-surviving patients) were included in the analysis. Seven variables, which included age (relative risk [RR]: 0.905, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.868–0.944; P < 0.001), chronic heart disease (CHD, RR: 0.045, 95% CI: 0.0097–0.205; P < 0.001, the percentage of lymphocytes (Lym%, RR: 1.125, 95% CI: 1.041–1.216; P = 0.0029), platelets (RR: 1.008, 95% CI: 1.003–1.012; P = 0.001), C-reaction protein (RR: 0.982, 95% CI: 0.973–0.991; P < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, RR: 0.993, 95% CI: 0.990–0.997; P < 0.001) and D-dimer (RR: 0.734, 95% CI: 0.617–0.879; P < 0.001), were identified as the independent risk factors. The nomogram model based on these factors exhibited a good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.948 (95% CI: 0.923–0.973).

Conclusions

A nomogram based on age, CHD, Lym%, platelets, C-reaction protein, LDH and D-dimer was established to accurately predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients. This can be used as an alerting tool for clinicians to take early intervention measures, when necessary.
Using optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound imaging to quantify coronary plaque cap thickness and vulnerability: a pilot study
Authors: Lv Rui , Maehara Akiko , Matsumura Mitsuaki , Wang Liang , Wang Qingyu , Zhang Caining , Guo Xiaoya , Samady Habib , Giddens Don P. , Zheng Jie , Mintz Gary S. , Tang Dalin
Published: November 2020

Background

Detecting coronary vulnerable plaques in vivo and assessing their vulnerability have been great challenges for clinicians and the research community. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is commonly used in clinical practice for diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, due to IVUS limited resolution (about 150–200 µm), it is not sufficient to detect vulnerable plaques with a threshold cap thickness of 65 µm. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has a resolution of 15–20 µm and can measure fibrous cap thickness more accurately. The aim of this study was to use OCT as the benchmark to obtain patient-specific coronary plaque cap thickness and evaluate the differences between OCT and IVUS fibrous cap quantifications. A cap index with integer values 0–4 was also introduced as a quantitative measure of plaque vulnerability to study plaque vulnerability.

Methods

Data from 10 patients (mean age: 70.4; m: 6; f: 4) with coronary heart disease who underwent IVUS, OCT, and angiography were collected at Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) using approved protocol with informed consent obtained. 348 slices with lipid core and fibrous caps were selected for study. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based and expert-based data segmentation were performed using established methods previously published. Cap thickness data were extracted to quantify differences between IVUS and OCT measurements.

Results

For the 348 slices analyzed, the mean value difference between OCT and IVUS cap thickness measurements was 1.83% (p = 0.031). However, mean value of point-to-point differences was 35.76%. Comparing minimum cap thickness for each plaque, the mean value of the 20 plaque IVUS-OCT differences was 44.46%, ranging from 2.36% to 91.15%. For cap index values assigned to the 348 slices, the disagreement between OCT and IVUS assignments was 25%. However, for the OCT cap index = 2 and 3 groups, the disagreement rates were 91% and 80%, respectively. Furthermore, the observation of cap index changes from baseline to follow-up indicated that IVUS results differed from OCT by 80%.

Conclusions

These preliminary results demonstrated that there were significant differences between IVUS and OCT plaque cap thickness measurements. Large-scale patient studies are needed to confirm our findings.
COVID-19 vaccine development: What lessons can we learn from TB?
Authors: Safar Hussain A. , Mustafa Abu Salim , McHugh Timothy D.
Published: November 2020

At the time of writing, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected more than 49 million people causing more than 1.2 million deaths worldwide since its emergence from Wuhan, China in December 2019. Vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2 has drawn the global attention in order to stop the spread of the virus, with more than 10 vaccines being tested in phase III clinical trials, as of November 2020. However, critical to vaccine development is consideration of the immunological response elicited as well as biological features of the vaccine and both need to be evaluated thoroughly. Tuberculosis is also a major infectious respiratory disease of worldwide prevalence and the vaccine development for tuberculosis has been ongoing for decades. In this review, we highlight some of the common features, challenges and complications in tuberculosis vaccine development, which may also be relevant for, and inform, COVID-19 vaccine development.
Dynamic body-weight support to boost rehabilitation outcomes in patients with non-traumatic spinal cord injury: an observational study
Authors: Huber Justin P. , Sawaki Lumy
Published: November 2020

Background

Dynamic body-weight support (DBWS) may play an important role in rehabilitation outcomes, but the potential benefit among disease-specific populations is unclear. In this study, we hypothesize that overground therapy with DBWS during inpatient rehabilitation yields greater functional improvement than standard-of-care in adults with non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NT-SCI).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included individuals diagnosed with NT-SCI and undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. All participants were recruited at a freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Individuals who trained with DBWS for at least three sessions were allocated to the experimental group. Participants in the historical control group received standard-of-care (i.e., no DBWS). The primary outcome was change in the Functional Independence Measure scores (FIMgain).

Results

During an inpatient rehabilitation course, participants in the experimental group (n = 11), achieved a mean (SD) FIMgainof 48 (11) points. For the historical control group (n = 11), participants achieved a mean (SD) FIMgainof 36 (12) points. From admission to discharge, both groups demonstrated a statistically significant FIMgain. Between groups analysis revealed no significant difference in FIMgain(p = 0.022; 95% CI 2.0–22) after a post hoc correction for multiple comparisons. In a secondary subscore analysis, the experimental group achieved significantly higher gains in sphincter control (p = 0.011: 95% CI 0.83–5.72) with a large effect size (Cohen’sd1.19). Locomotion subscores were not significantly different (p = 0.026; 95% CI 0.37–5.3) nor were the remaining subscores in self-care, mobility, cognition, and social cognition.

Conclusions

This is the first study to explore the impact of overground therapy with DBWS on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes for persons with NT-SCI. Overground therapy with DBWS appears to significantly improve functional gains in sphincter control compared to the standard-of-care. Gains achieved in locomotion, mobility, cognition, and social cognition did not meet significance. Findings from the present study will benefit from future large prospective and randomized studies.
Mesenchymal stem cells and acellular products attenuate murine induced colitis
Authors: Li Yan , Altemus Jessica , Lightner Amy L.
Published: November 2020

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a well-established immunomodulatory agent which can also promote tissue repair and regeneration. Recent studies have demonstrated MSCs as a novel therapeutic for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the precise role of MSCs in regulating immune responses is controversial, and its significance in the pathogenesis remains IBD undefined. In addition, MSCs’ acellular product, extracellular vesicles (EVs), may also play an important role in the armamentarium of therapeutics, but how EVs compare to MSCs remains unknown due to the lack of side-by-side comparative investigation. We herein compared MSCs and MSC-derived EVs for the treatment of IBD using a DSS-induced colitis model.

Methods

A DSS-induced colitis model was used. At day 4, mice received adipose-derived MSCs, MSC-derived EVs, or placebo. Weight loss, stool consistency, and hematochezia was charted. At day 8, murine colons were harvested, histologic analysis performed, and serum/tissue cytokine analysis conducted.

Results

MSCs and EVs demonstrated equivalent immunosuppressive function in DSS-treated mice through decreased colonic lymphocyte infiltration and attenuated disease severity after both MSC and EV treatment. Furthermore, both MSCs and EVs have an equivalent ability to inhibit inflammation in the DSS colitis model by inhibiting JAK, JNK 1/2, and STAT3 signaling.

Conclusions

These results suggest that (i) both MSCs and EVs are effective therapeutic candidates for a DSS-induced mouse colitis model, (ii) MSCs and EVs have similar immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory functions, and (iii) EVs may present a novel future therapeutic for the treatment of IBD.
Detection of viral RNA fragments in human iPSC cardiomyocytes following treatment with extracellular vesicles from SARS-CoV-2 coding sequence overexpressing lung epithelial cells
Authors: Kwon Youjeong , Nukala Sarath Babu , Srivastava Shubhi , Miyamoto Hiroe , Ismail Nur Izzah , Jousma Jordan , Rehman Jalees , Ong Sang-Bing , Lee Won Hee , Ong Sang-Ging
Published: November 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global pandemic. The prevalence/severity of COVID-19 is higher among patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Despite the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, in cardiomyocytes, there has been no conclusive evidence of direct viral infection although the presence of viral genome within COVID-19 patients’ hearts has been reported. Here, we overexpressed SARS-CoV-2 genes in A549 lung epithelial cells. We then isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs) and detected the presence of viral RNA within these EVs. We observed that human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are receptive to these EVs, and viral genes were detectable in the cardiomyocytes. Accordingly, the uptake of viral RNA-harboring EVs led to an upregulation of inflammation-related genes in hiPSC-CMs. Thus, our findings indicate that SARS-CoV-2 RNA containing EVs represents an indirect route of viral RNA entry into cardiomyocytes.
Clinical impact of digital and conventional PET control databases for semi-quantitative analysis of brain 18F-FDG digital PET scans
Authors: Mairal Elise , Doyen Matthieu , Rivasseau-Jonveaux Thérèse , Malaplate Catherine , Guedj Eric , Verger Antoine
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Digital PET cameras markedly improve sensitivity and spatial resolution of brain 18F-FDG PET images compared to conventional cameras. Our study aimed to assess whether specific control databases are required to improve the diagnostic performance of these recent advances.

Methods

We retrospectively selected two groups of subjects, twenty-seven Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients and twenty-two healthy control (HC) subjects. All subjects underwent a brain 18F-FDG PET on a digital camera (Vereos, Philips®). These two group (AD and HC) are compared, using a Semi-Quantitative Analysis (SQA), to two age and sex matched controls acquired with a digital PET/CT (Vereos, Philips®) or a conventional PET/CT (Biograph 6, Siemens®) camera, at group and individual levels. Moreover, individual visual interpretation of SPM T-maps was provided for the positive diagnosis of AD by 3 experienced raters.

Results

At group level, SQA using digital controls detected more marked hypometabolic areas in AD (+ 116 cm3 at p < 0.001 uncorrected for the voxel, corrected for the cluster) than SQA using conventional controls. At the individual level, the accuracy of SQA for discriminating AD using digital controls was higher than SQA using conventional controls (86% vs. 80%, p < 0.01, at p < 0.005 uncorrected for the voxel, corrected for the cluster), with higher sensitivity (89% vs. 78%) and similar specificity (82% vs. 82%). These results were confirmed by visual analysis (accuracies of 84% and 82% for digital and conventional controls respectively, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

There is an urgent need to establish specific digital PET control databases for SQA of brain 18F-FDG PET images as such databases improve the accuracy of AD diagnosis.
Heat consumption scenarios in the rural residential sector: the potential of heat pump-based demand-side management for sustainable heating
Authors: Campos José , Csontos Csaba , Harmat Ádám , Csüllög Gábor , Munkácsy Béla
Published: November 2020

Background

Poor air quality and inadequate domestic heating sources are tightly connected problems in the Eastern-European countryside. There are a few alternatives to comprehensively solve these problems with an emphasis on economic and environmental sustainability. In this paper, individual heat pumps and energy efficiency measures are analyzed in four scenarios to investigate their role for cleaner and sufficient heating in rural settings. From a high-level perspective, this paper assesses the potential for electricity demand flexibility based on the use of individual heat pumps equipped with hot water storage.

Methods

In a first step, the current annual residential heating energy consumption of a rural area in Hungary is estimated with a bottom-up model using data from field surveys and official datasets. In a second step, four scenarios estimate the future heating energy consumption considering demographic trends and the average number of building retrofits (thermal insulation) performed yearly in the region.

Results

The reference scenario is a 20-year projection of heating energy consumption with modest retrofit actions which resulted in small energy savings. Alternative scenarios based on more effective retrofit actions reaching higher rates of the building stock would result in a 23–69% reduction in final energy consumption. Phasing out lignite from the heating energy mix would reduce particulate matter emissions. Each well-insulated dwelling with a heat pump-based system and hot water storage tank could provide theoretical flexibility of approximately 3.4 kWh per 24 h.

Conclusions

The current energy retrofit practices are not sufficient to solve the challenges faced in this area. Demand-side management policies based on the widespread use of individual heat pumps are an alternative to promote access to cleaner residential heating. An additional benefit is the potential for flexibility in electricity demand. Thus, this paper calls for an integration of energy retrofit with efficient heating (including hot water storage tank) to achieve results that further contribute to a future of sustainable energy.
Seventy years’ achievements of international cooperation by the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Authors: Wang Ru-Bo , Hong Yi-Ting , Zhou Xiao-Nong
Published: November 2020

Background

With the promotion of national control programs on parasitic and tropical diseases in China, the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD), Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has gained significant experience in the global health arena through international cooperation over the last seven decades allowing a multilateral impact in the elimination of major endemic diseases.

Methods

The achievements of NIPD since 1950 has been analyzed with emphasis on the various stages that started with research and control of the endemic parasitic and other tropical diseases at the national level and progressed via international cooperation into a global presence.

Results

The major achievements contributed by NIPD consist of (i) improving technical capability; (ii) promoting control and elimination of parasitic and tropical diseases; (iii) participating in global health governance and cooperation; and (iv) developing a cooperation model for technical assistance and global public health development. It is expected that NIPD’s experience of international cooperation will be essential for the dissemination of China's successful experience in global health governance, emergency response and development, with focus on malaria and neglected tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis, soil-borne and food-borne helminthiases and echinococcosis.

Conclusions

NIPD’s new tasks will not only continue to promote national control of endemic parasitic infections and disease elimination programs in China, but also play a leading role in global health and disease elimination programs in the future.
Prenatal alcohol exposure is a leading cause of interneuronopathy in humans
Authors: Marguet Florent , Friocourt Gaëlle , Brosolo Mélanie , Sauvestre Fanny , Marcorelles Pascale , Lesueur Céline , Marret Stéphane , Gonzalez Bruno J. , Laquerrière Annie
Published: November 2020

Alcohol affects multiple neurotransmitter systems, notably the GABAergic system and has been recognised for a long time as particularly damaging during critical stages of brain development. Nevertheless, data from the literature are most often derived from animal or in vitro models. In order to study the production, migration and cortical density disturbances of GABAergic interneurons upon prenatal alcohol exposure, we performed immunohistochemical studies by means of the proliferation marker Ki67, GABA and calretinin antibodies in the frontal cortical plate of 17 foetal and infant brains antenatally exposed to alcohol, aged 15 weeks’ gestation to 22 postnatal months and in the ganglionic eminences and the subventricular zone of the dorsal telencephalon until their regression, i.e., 34 weeks’ gestation. Results were compared with those obtained in 17 control brains aged 14 weeks of gestation to 35 postnatal months. We also focused on interneuron vascular migration along the cortical microvessels by confocal microscopy with double immunolabellings using Glut1, GABA and calretinin. Semi-quantitative and quantitative analyses of GABAergic and calretininergic interneuron density allowed us to identify an insufficient and delayed production of GABAergic interneurons in the ganglionic eminences during the two first trimesters of the pregnancy and a delayed incorporation into the laminar structures of the frontal cortex. Moreover, a mispositioning of GABAergic and calretininergic interneurons persisted throughout the foetal life, these cells being located in the deep layers instead of the superficial layers II and III. Moreover, vascular migration of calretininergic interneurons within the cortical plate was impaired, as reflected by low numbers of interneurons observed close to the cortical perforating vessel walls that may in part explain their abnormal intracortical distribution. Our results are globally concordant with those previously obtained in mouse models, in which alcohol has been shown to induce an interneuronopathy by affecting interneuron density and positioning within the cortical plate, and which could account for the neurological disabilities observed in children with foetal alcohol disorder spectrum.