bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metformin Activates the Protective Effects of the AMPK Pathway in Acute Lung Injury Caused by Paraquat Poisoning
Authors: Wu Liaozhang , Cen Yifang , Feng Menglong , Zhou Yanna , Tang Hui , Liao Xueli , Wang Yanze , Wang Min , Zhou Manhong
Published: October 2019

Objective. To observe whether metformin (MET) plays a protective role in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by paraquat (PQ) poisoning in rats by activating the AMPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods. PQ exposure was used to construct a rat model of ALI and a model of acute type II alveolar epithelial cell (RLE-6TN) injury, and MET intervention was performed. Rat lung tissue samples were collected to evaluate pathological changes in rat lung tissue, the oxidation index, and inflammatory factors; cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assays, and the protein expression levels of phospho-AMPK and phospho-NF-κBp65 in rat lung tissue and RLE-6TN cells were observed by Western blotting. Results. Compared with the PQ group, the MET treatment group showed significantly (1) reduced lung wet/dry ratio (W/D: 4.67±0.31 vs. 5.45±0.40, P<0.001), (2) reduced pathological changes in lung tissue, (3) decreased MDA levels (nmol/mg prot: 2.70±0.19 vs. 3.08±0.15, P<0.001) and increased SOD and GSH-Px activities (U/mg prot: 76.17±5.22 vs. 45.23±6.58, 30.40±2.84 vs. 21.00±3.20; all P<0.001) in lung tissue homogenate, (4) reduced levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in lung tissue homogenates (pg/mL: 47.87±5.06 vs. 66.77±6.55; 93.03±7.41 vs. 107.39±9.81; 75.73±6.08 vs. 89.12±8.94; all P<0.001), (5) increased activity of RLE-6TN cells (%: 0.69±0.09, 0.76±0.06, and 0.58±0.03 vs. 0.50±0.05; all P<0.05), (6) decreased protein levels of phospho-NF-κBp65 in lung homogenates and RLE-6TN cells (p-NF-κB/NF-κB: 0.47±0.09 vs. 0.81±0.13; 0.26±0.07 vs. 0.79±0.13; all P<0.01), and (7) upregulated protein expression of phospho-AMPK in lung homogenates and RLE-6TN cells (p-AMPK/AMPK: 0.88±0.05 vs. 0.36±0.12; 0.93±0.03 vs. 0.56±0.15; all P<0.01). After the addition of the AMPK inhibitor Compound C (Com C), the protein expression levels of phospho-AMPK and phospho-NF-κBp65 returned to baseline. Conclusion. MET can effectively alleviate ALI induced by paraquat poisoning and increase the viability of cells exposed to paraquat. The mechanism may be related to the activation of the AMPK/NF-κB pathway, downregulation of inflammatory mediators such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and upregulation of the SOD and GSH-Px oxidation index, and these effects can be inhibited by the AMPK inhibitor Com C.
Helical Slot Antenna for the Microwave Ablation
Authors: Lee Moonhee , Son Taeho
Published: October 2019

In this study, a thin coaxial antenna for microwave ablation (MWA) is proposed. A helical slot is added between two slots in order to overcome the disadvantage of the radiation range extending to the unwanted part in the conventional single-slot and double-slot applicators. By adding a helical slot, the specific absorption rate (SAR) pattern is more concentrated near the slot as compared with the conventional slot. Experiments were conducted using the simulation, and a liver phantom was made and heated up using microwaves. Based on the results on the liver phantom, experiments were conducted using swine liver which is similar to human liver. Applied frequency and microwave average input power were assumed as 2.45 GHz and 50 W (47 dBm), respectively. As a result of the experiment, return loss was −23.09 dB, and the temperature reached 60°C after 90 seconds of exposition. Based on the phantom experiments of the swine liver, necrotic lesions of the tissue at a distance of 3.5–4 cm from the microwave antenna were observed.
Research on Rolling Bearing Fault Feature Extraction Based on Singular Value Decomposition considering the Singular Component Accumulative Effect and Teager Energy Operator
Authors: Li Longlong , Cui Yahui , Chen Runlin , Chen Lingping , Wang Lihua
Published: October 2019

The extraction of impulsive signatures from a vibration signal is vital for fault diagnosis of rolling element bearings, which are always whelmed by noise, especially in the early stage of defect development. Aiming at the weak defect diagnosis, kurtosis of Teager energy operator (KTEO) spectrum is employed to indicate the fault information capacity of a spectrum, and considering the accumulative effect of a singular component, accumulative kurtosis of TEO (AKTEO) is firstly proposed to determine the proper signal reconstructed order during vibration signal processing using singular value decomposition (SVD). Then, a vibration processing scheme named SVD‐AKTEO is designed where an iteration is employed to reflect an accumulative singular effect by kurtosis of TEO spectrum. Finally, the fault diagnosis results can be extracted from the TEO spectrum output by SVD‐AKTEO. Simulation data and real data from a run‐to‐failure experiment of a rolling bearing are adopted to validate the efficiency, and comparative analysis demonstrates the feasibility to detect the early defect of the rolling bearing.
Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Thrombotic Disease Comparison of Two Territories: Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Isordia-Salas Irma , Martínez-Marino Manuel , Alberti-Minutti Paolo , Ricardo-Moreno María Tania , Castro-Calvo Ricardo , Santiago-Germán David , Alvarado-Moreno José Antonio , Calleja-Carreño Cristian , Hernández-Juárez Jesús , Leaños-Miranda Alfredo , Majluf-Cruz Abraham
Published: October 2019

Background and Purpose. The thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is an important inhibitor of fibrinolysis and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis; genetic polymorphisms of the TAFI gene affect its activity and increase the risk of thrombosis. Moreover, studies in young patients are still scarce. The aim was to examine the contribution of the Thr325Ile and Ala147Thr polymorphisms with ST acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) or idiopathic ischemic stroke (IIS) in the young Mexican population. Methods. A total of 244 patients with STEMI ≤45 years of age and 244 controls. In a second study, 250 patients with IIS ≤45 years of age were recruited, including 250 controls. In both studies, cases and controls were matched by age and sex. The polymorphisms were determined in all participants by PCR-RFLP. Results. There was significant difference in the Thr325Ile genotype distribution (P=0.001) and allele frequency (P=0.001) between STEMI and control groups, but no difference in the Ala147Thr genotype distribution (P=0.24) and allele frequency (P=0.46), neither in the Thr325Ile genotype distribution (P=0.25) nor in the Ala147Thr genotype distribution (P=0.46) or their allele frequencies; there was significant difference between IIS and the control group. There were independent factors for STEMI: the Ile allele (P=0.01), type 2 diabetes mellitus (P=0.001), hypertension (P=0.001), smoking (P=0.001), dyslipidemia (P=0.001), and family history of atherothrombotic disease (P=0.001). The independent factors for IIS were hypertension (P=0.001), smoking (P<0.01), and family history of atherothrombotic disease (P<0.01). Conclusions. The Thr325Ile polymorphism, but no Ala147Thr polymorphism, represents an independent risk factor for STEMI in the young Mexican population.
A Novel Clinical Six-Flavoprotein-Gene Signature Predicts Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Peng Liu , Guo Jin-Cheng , Long Lin , Pan Feng , Zhao Jian-Mei , Xu Li-Yan , Li En-Min
Published: October 2019

Flavoproteins and their interacting proteins play important roles in mitochondrial electron transport, fatty acid degradation, and redox regulation. However, their clinical significance and function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are little known. Here, using survival analysis and machine learning, we mined 179 patient expression profiles with ESCC in GSE53625 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and constructed a signature consisting of two flavoprotein genes (GPD2 and PYROXD2) and four flavoprotein interacting protein genes (CTTN, GGH, SRC, and SYNJ2BP). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed the signature was significantly associated with the survival of ESCC patients (mean survival time: 26.77 months in the high-risk group vs. 54.97 months in the low-risk group, P<0.001, n = 179), and time-dependent ROC analysis demonstrated that the six-gene signature had good predictive ability for six-year survival for ESCC (AUC = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.81–0.90). We then validated its prediction performance in an independent set by RT-PCR (mean survival: 15.73 months in the high-risk group vs. 21.1 months in the low-risk group, P=0.032, n = 121). Furthermore, RNAi-mediated knockdown of genes in the flavoprotein signature led to decreased proliferation and migration of ESCC cells. Taken together, CTTN, GGH, GPD2, PYROXD2, SRC, and SYNJ2BP have an important clinical significance for prognosis of ESCC patients, suggesting they are efficient prognostic markers and potential targets for ESCC therapy.
Comparison of Clinical and Biomechanical Outcomes between Partial Fibulectomy and Drug Conservative Treatment for Medial Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Chen Guo , Xu Bin , Xie Jinwei , Nie Yong , Tang Shuo , Ma Jun , Huang Qiang , Zhou Zongke , Shen Bin , Li Xia , Shen Hai , Pei Fuxing
Published: October 2019

Background. Upper partial fibulectomy has been preliminarily proved to have the efficacy for pain alleviation and improvement of function in patients with mild to moderate medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, the previous studies lack the control group with other treatments. The aim of this prospective, randomized controlled study is to compare the clinical and biomechanical effects between upper partial fibulectomy and drug conservative treatment on improvement of clinical pain, function, and gait for patients with mild to moderate medial knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and further discuss its biomechanical mechanism. Methods. From August 2016 to February 2017, 49 and 48 patients with mild to moderate medial KOA were allocated to fibulectomy and drug groups. We assessed the patients’ visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, limb alignment, passive flexion/extension range of motion (ROM) of the knee, and 3D gait kinematics and kinetics parameters before and after intervention. Repeated-measures ANOVA with Dunnett’s post hoc assessment and multivariate analysis of variance were applied for intragroup and intergroup comparisons, respectively. Results. The improvement in the fibulectomy group on the VAS pain score, HSS knee score, walking speed, and walking knee range of motion (ROM) was statistically better than that in the drug group. The decreased overall peak knee adduction moment (KAM) (decreased by 16.1%) and hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle (decreased by 0.99° from a more varus alignment to a more neutral alignment) of the affected and operated side 1 year after surgery were observed in the fibulectomy group. Conclusion. This research demonstrated that as a biomechanical intervention, upper partial fibulectomy can be a better choice in pain relief and function and gait improvement than drug conservative treatment for patients with early-stage knee OA. The long-term clinical outcomes, indication, and rationale for the improvement in clinical symptoms should be investigated further.
Wavelet Neural Network for Modeling Chlorophyll a Concentration Affected by Artificial Upwelling
Authors: Huang Haocai , Zheng Bofu , Wang Yihong , Wei Yan
Published: October 2019

Through bringing nutrient‐rich subsurface water to the surface, the artificial upwelling technology is applied to increase the primary marine productivity which could be assessed by Chlorophyll a concentration. Chlorophyll a concentration may vary with different water physical properties. Therefore, it is necessary to study the relationship between Chlorophyll a concentration and other water physical parameters. To ensure the accuracy of predicting the concentration of Chlorophyll a, we develop several models based on wavelet neural network (WNN). In this study, we build up a three‐layer basic wavelet neural network followed by three improved wavelet neural networks, which are namely genetic algorithm‐based wavelet neural network (GA‐WNN), particle swarm optimization‐based wavelet neural network (PSO‐WNN), and genetic algorithm & particle swarm optimization‐based wavelet neural network (GAPSO‐WNN). The experimental data were collected from Qiandao Lake, China. The performances of the proposed models are compared based on four evaluation parameters, i.e., R‐square, root mean square error (RMSE), mean of error (ME), and distance (D). The modeling results show that the wavelet neural network can achieve a certain extent of accuracy in modeling the relationships between Chlorophyll a concentration and the five input parameters (salinity, depth, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen).
Study on the Preparation and Fracture Behavior of Red Mud-Yellow Phosphorus Slag-Based Concrete
Authors: Li Xianhai , Zhang Qin , Mao Song , Li Longjiang , Wang Jingbo
Published: October 2019

Serious environmental pollution issues caused by the storage and exposure of large amounts of red mud (RM) and yellow phosphorus slag (YPS) have raised significant concerns. Red mud-yellow phosphorous slag-cement concrete (RM-YPS-CC) is prepared with 25% yellow phosphorus slag content (YPSC) and 10% red mud content (RMC) to replace a portion of the cement at the age of 28 days and was found in this study to satisfy the mechanical property requirements. More ettringite and portlandite were generated with the RM-YPS-CC than with the yellow phosphorous slag-cement concrete (YPS-CC). In addition, the cementitious materials were more interlaced, and there was more disorder in the crystals of the RM-YPS-CC, which formed a more complex spatial structure than the YPS-CC did. Without RM, the initial cracking strength on the surface of the concrete was 5–6 MPa, the maximum crack width was 3.96 mm, and the crack number was 8. However, the cracking strength was 26.5–27 MPa with RMC5, the maximum crack width was 0.66 mm with RMC15, and the crack number was 3 with RMC15. Moreover, studies using the digital image correlation (DIC) method indicated that the displacement distribution and evolution of the first crack area changed quickly at 10 MPa in either horizontal or vertical direction, and a similar trend was maintained from 10 MPa to 27.1 MPa for the YPS-CC. However, with a small distribution and evolution of horizontal or vertical displacement from 5 MPa to 25 MPa, the evolution would change rapidly when reaching 30 MPa for RM-YPS-CC. This study aims to provide new insights into the wide application of YPS and RM for saving energy and reducing emissions and to develop a new method to study the fracture behavior of concrete.
Prevalence and Correlates of Neurocognitive Disorders among HIV Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy at a Kenyan Hospital
Authors: Mugendi A. G. , Kubo M. N. , Nyamu D. G. , Mwaniki L. M. , Wahome S. K. , Haberer J. E.
Published: October 2019

Background. HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) represent a spectrum of cognitive abnormalities affecting attention, concentration, learning, memory, executive function, psychomotor speed, and/or dexterity. Our objectives in this analysis are to determine the prevalence of HAND and the covariates in a Kenyan population. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a convenient sample of people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) attending routine care visits at the Kenyatta National Hospital HIV clinic between July and August 2015. Baseline demographics were obtained using interviewer-administered questionnaires; clinical data were abstracted from patient records. Trained research clinicians determined the neurocognitive status by administration of the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) scale, and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale. Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of ≤26 on the MOCA and ≤10 on the IHDS. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression to determine predictors of screening positive for HAND were done with the significance value set at <0.05. Results. We enrolled 345 participants (202 men; 143 women). The mean age of the study population was 42 years (±standard deviation (SD) 9.5). Mean duration since HIV diagnosis and mean duration on ART were 6.3 (±SD 3.7) and 5.6 years (±SD 3.4), respectively. Median CD4 count at interview was 446 cells/mm3 (interquartile range (IQR) 278–596). Eighty-eight percent of participants screened positive for HAND, of whom 87% had asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI) and minor neurocognitive disorders (MND) grouped together while 1% had HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Patients on AZT/3TC/EFV were 3.7 times more likely to have HAND (OR = 3.7, p=0.03) compared to other HAART regimens. In the adjusted analysis, women were more likely to suffer any form of HAND than men (aOR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.02, 4.71; p=0.045), whereas more years in school and a higher CD4 count (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.88; p=0.012), (aOR = 0.998, 95% CI 0.997, 0.999; p=0.013) conferred a lowered risk. Conclusion. Asymptomatic and mild neurocognitive impairment is prevalent among people living with HIV on treatment. Clinical care for HIV-positive patients should involve regular screening for neurocognitive disorders while prioritizing women and those with low education and/or low CD4 counts.
Time‐Varying Compressive Strength Model of Aeolian Sand Concrete considering the Harmful Pore Ratio Variation and Heterogeneous Nucleation Effect
Authors: Li Yugen , Zhang Huimei , Liu Xiaoyu , Liu Guangxiu , Hu Dawei , Meng Xiangzhen
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence mechanism of aeolian sand on the mechanical property of concrete and establish the time‐varying compressive strength model. Test studies on the development of concrete’s compressive strength with aeolian sand from the Mu Us Desert were carried out. Influence mechanism of aeolian sand on the strength of concrete was revealed by using the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to analyze the pore ratio and structures of aeolian sand concrete (ASC) and using the X‐ray single crystal diffraction (XRD) to calculate the relative contents of hydration products semiquantitatively. Results show that the strength first increases and then decreases with the increase of aeolian sand content, where 20% was the best replacement ratio. With less than 20% content, it promoted the strength by changing the pore structure of concrete and accelerating the cement hydration speed based on its filling effect and chemical activity; when the content was more than 20%, it led to a decrease of strength because of an increase of harmful pore ratio and a weakening of the interface transition zone (ITZ), where the stress concentration and damage when loading are easier to occur. At last, a time‐varying compressive strength model of ASC considering the harmful pore ratio variation and heterogeneous nucleation effect was established based on the discussion, published date, and American Concrete Institute (ACI) model, which agrees well with the experimental results and can easily predict the strength of concrete.
Pulse Electrodeposition of Palladium Nanoparticles onto Silicon in DMSO
Authors: Kuntyi Orest , Shepida Mariana , Dobrovetska Oksana , Nichkalo Stepan , Korniy Sergiy , Eliyashevskyy Yuriy
Published: October 2019

The deposition of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) on the surface of n-Si (100) substrate by pulsed electrolysis in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions of Pd(NO3)2 was investigated. It has been shown that nonaqueous medium (DMSO) contributes the Pd (II) recovery at high cathode potential values avoiding side processes to occur. In combination with the pulse mode, this allows the deposition of spherical PdNPs with their uniform distribution on the silicon surface. We established that the main factors influencing the geometry of PdNPs are the value of the cathode potential, the concentration of palladium ions in solution, and the number of pulse-pause cycles. It is shown that with increasing Ecathode value there is a tendency to increase the density of silicon surface filling with nanoparticles. As the concentration of Pd(NO3)2 increases from 1 to 6 mM, the density of silicon surface filling with PdNPs and their average size also increase. We found that with increasing the number of pulse-pause cycles, there is a predominant growth of nanoparticles in diameter, which causes 2D filling of the substrate surface.
Prediction of Overall Survival and Progression-Free Survival by the 18F-FDG PET/CT Radiomic Features in Patients with Primary Gastric Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Zhou Yi , Ma Xue-Lei , Pu Lu-Tong , Zhou Ruo-Fan , Ou Xue-Jin , Tian Rong
Published: October 2019

Purpose. To determine whether the radiomic features of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) contribute to prognosis prediction in primary gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PG-DLBCL) patients. Methods. This retrospective study included 35 PG-DLBCL patients who underwent PET/CT scans at West China Hospital before curative treatment. The volume of interest (VOI) was drawn around the tumor, and radiomic analysis of the PET and CT images, within the same VOI, was conducted. The metabolic and textural features of PET and CT images were evaluated. Correlations of the extracted features with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic value of the radiomic parameters. Results. In the univariate model, many of the textural features, including kurtosis and volume, extracted from the PET and CT datasets were significantly associated with survival (5 for OS and 7 for PFS (PET); 7 for OS and 14 for PFS (CT)). Multivariate analysis identified kurtosis (hazard ratio (HR): 28.685, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.067–398.152, p=0.012), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) (HR: 26.152, 95% CI: 2.089–327.392, p=0.011), and gray-level nonuniformity (GLNU) (HR: 14.642, 95% CI: 2.661–80.549, p=0.002) in PET and sphericity (HR: 11.390, 95% CI: 1.360–95.371, p=0.025) and kurtosis (HR: 11.791, 95% CI: 1.583–87.808, p=0.016), gray-level nonuniformity (GLNU) (HR: 6.934, 95% CI: 1.069–44.981, p=0.042), and high gray-level zone emphasis (HGZE) (HR: 9.805, 95% CI: 1.359–70.747, p=0.024) in CT as independent prognostic factors. Conclusion. 18F-FDG PET/CT radiomic features are potentially useful for survival prediction in PG-DLBCL patients. However, studies with larger cohorts are needed to confirm the clinical prognostication of these parameters.
Immunoinformatics Approach for Multiepitope Vaccine Prediction from H, M, F, and N Proteins of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus
Authors: Gaafar Bothina B. M. , Ali Sumaia A. , Abd-elrahman Khoubieb Ali , Almofti Yassir A.
Published: October 2019

Background. Small ruminant morbillivirus or peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is an acute and highly contagious viral disease of goats, sheep, and other livestock. This study aimed at predicting an effective multiepitope vaccine against PPRV from the immunogenic proteins haemagglutinin (H), matrix (M), fusion (F), and nucleoprotein (N) using immunoinformatics tools.Materials and Methods. The sequences of the immunogenic proteins were retrieved from GenBank of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). BioEdit software was used to align each protein from the retrieved sequences for conservancy. Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) analysis resources were used to predict B and T cell epitopes. For B cells, the criteria for electing epitopes depend on the epitope linearity, surface accessibility, and antigenicity.Results. Nine epitopes from the H protein, eight epitopes from the M protein, and ten epitopes from each of the F and N proteins were predicted as linear epitopes. The surface accessibility method proposed seven surface epitopes from each of the H and F proteins in addition to six and four epitopes from the M and N proteins, respectively. For antigenicity, only two epitopes142PPERV146and63DPLSP67were predicted as antigenic from H and M, respectively. For T cells, MHC-I binding prediction tools showed multiple epitopes that interacted strongly with BoLA alleles. For instance, the epitope45MFLSLIGLL53from the H protein interacted with four BoLA alleles, while276FKKILCYPL284predicted from the M protein interacted with two alleles. Although F and N proteins demonstrated no favorable interaction with B cells, they strongly interacted with T cells. For instance,358STKSCARTL366from the F protein interacted with five alleles, followed by340SQNALYPMS348and442IDLGPAISL450that interacted with three alleles each. The epitopes from the N protein displayed strong interaction with BoLA alleles such as490RSAEALFRL498that interacted with five alleles, followed by two epitopes2ATLLKSLAL10and304QQLGEVAPY312that interacted with four alleles each. In addition to that, four epitopes3TLLKSLALF11,356YFDPAYFRL364,360AYFRLGQEM368, and412PRQAQVSFL420interacted with three alleles each.Conclusion. Fourteen epitopes were predicted as promising vaccine candidates against PPRV from four immunogenic proteins. These epitopes should be validated experimentally through in vitro and in vivo studies.
An Emerging Cardiovascular Disease: Takotsubo Syndrome
Authors: Moscatelli Sara , Montecucco Fabrizio , Carbone Federico , Valbusa Alberto , Massobrio Laura , Porto Italo , Brunelli Claudio , Rosa Gian Marco
Published: October 2019

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a recently identified cardiac disease, which is far from being completely known. The aims of this narrative review are to provide a better understanding of the pathophysiological features of TTS and to update clinical findings in order to improve the management of subjects affected by this syndrome (according to the most recent consensus papers issued by the international scientific societies). We based our search on the material obtained via PubMed up to April 2019. The terms used were “Takotsubo Syndrome and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy” in combination with “heart failure, pathophysiology, complications, diagnosis, and treatment.” TTS is a reversible form of ventricular dysfunction usually characterized by akinesia of the apex in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. In its initial phase, TTS may be indistinguishable from AMI and is usually triggered by a sudden emotional/physical stressor which abruptly increases catecholamine levels. However, the mechanisms by which catecholamines or other unidentified molecules can cause myocardial dysfunction is unknown. In-hospital stay may be hampered by various life-threatening complications, while data on long-term survival remain scarce and unclear. Furthermore, TTS may sometimes recur. We believe that TTS is clearly a much more complex condition than previously thought. Much remains to be discovered about its pathophysiologic mechanisms, the role of the link between the heart and brain and that of triggering factors and gender, and the reasons why this syndrome displays different phenotypes and sometimes recurs. Undoubtedly, preliminary evidence from pathophysiological studies (mainly genetic studies) has shown promising advances. However, prospective randomized clinical trials are still needed in order to identify and to tailor the best medical treatments for TTS patients.
TOPSIS Method Based on Correlation Coefficient and Entropy Measure for Linguistic Pythagorean Fuzzy Sets and Its Application to Multiple Attribute Decision Making
Authors: Lin Mingwei , Huang Chao , Xu Zeshui
Published: October 2019

The linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy set (LPFS) is an important implement for modeling the uncertain and imprecise information. In this paper, a novel TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method is proposed for LPFSs based on correlation coefficient and entropy measure. To this end, the correlation coefficient is proposed for the relationship measurement between LPFSs. Afterwards, two entropy measures are developed to calculate the attribute weight information. Then, a novel linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy TOPSIS (LPF‐TOPSIS) method is proposed to solve multiple attribute decision‐making problems. Finally, the LPF‐TOPSIS method is applied to handle a case concerning the selection of firewall productions, and then, a case concerning the security evaluation of computer systems is given to conduct the comparative analysis between the proposed LPF‐TOPSIS method and previous decision‐making methods for validating the superiority of the proposed LPF‐TOPSIS method.
Effects of Water Immersion on the Adhesion between Adhesive Layer and Concrete Block
Authors: Shi Jiajun , Pan Yunfeng , Li Hedong , Fu Jun
Published: October 2019

The effectiveness of load transfer in the CFRP‐adhesive‐concrete system highly relies on the integrity of the interfacial bond between adhesive layer and concrete. In the present paper, the effects of water immersion on the mode I fracture energy of the adhesion between CFRP adhesive and concrete were investigated experimentally and numerically. Four‐point bending test was conducted to measure the mode I fracture energy of the interfacial layer between adhesive and concrete. The moisture content distribution and the hygrothermal stress were determined by using the finite element method (FEM). The mode I fracture energy was found decreasing with increasing immersion time. The difference between the mode I fracture energy at 2 weeks and 4 weeks is rare. The failure mode of the four‐point bending test specimen shifts from concrete failure to interfacial debonding. The moisture content at the adhesive/concrete interface reaches equilibrium after 2 weeks of water immersion. The hygrothermal stress between adhesive and concrete is smaller than the tensile strength of concrete. Deterioration of the physical bond leads to the degradation of bonding strength. The reduction of the mode I fracture energy is more severe than that of the mode II fracture energy.
Contagion Processes on Time‐Varying Networks with Homophily‐Driven Group Interactions
Authors: Ding Li , Hu Ping
Published: October 2019

The complicated interaction patterns among heterogeneous individuals have a profound impact on the contagion process in the networks. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence for the emergence of many‐body interactions between two or more nodes in a wide range of biological and social networks. To encode these multinode interactions explicitly, the simplicial complex is now a popular alternative to simple networks. Meanwhile, the time‐varying network has been acknowledged as a key ingredient of the contagion process. In this paper, we consider the connectivity pattern of networks affected by the homophily effect associated with individual attributes and investigate the impact of homophily‐driven group interactions on the contagion process in temporal networks. The simplicial complex modeling framework is adopted to capture stochastic interactions between passively selected nodes in the paradigm of activity‐driven networks. We study the evolution of infection and the epidemic threshold of the contagion process by both analytical and numerical methods. Our results on statistical topological properties of instantaneous network may shed light on accurately characterizing the evolution curve of infection. Furthermore, we show the impact of the homophily‐driven interaction pattern on the epidemic threshold, which generalizes the existing results on both the paradigmatic activity‐driven network and the simplicial activity‐driven network.
Oxidative Stress, Lipid Peroxidation, and Loss of Hyaluronic Acid in the Human Vitreous Affected by Synchysis Scintillans
Authors: Bergandi Loredana , Skorokhod Oleksii A , La Grotta Rosalba , Schwarzer Evelin , Nuzzi Raffaele
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to assess the oxidative stress status in eyes affected by synchysis scintillans and to compare it to vitreoretinal disorders without synchysis scintillans. Human aqueous and vitreous humors were obtained during vitrectomy from thirty-seven otherwise healthy patients that were randomly chosen among patients that had to undergo a 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy from the central vitreous cavity, for either synchysis scintillans (n = 16) or vitreoretinal disorders without synchysis scintillans (n = 21), such as idiopathic epimacular membrane (n = 12), macular hole (n = 5), or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (n = 4). The redox parameters thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), a measurement of lipid peroxidation, nitrite concentration, an estimate of nitric oxide (NO) production, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-protein conjugates, a structural protein modification by lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE, and the antioxidative activities of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase were measured in aqueous and vitreous humors and compared between synchysis scintillans affected and not-affected patients. TBARS and nitrite levels of the vitreous humor were significantly higher in patients with synchysis scintillans as compared to patients affected by vitreoretinal disorders without synchysis scintillans. Synchysis scintillans patients had significantly lower activities of SOD and catalase both in aqueous and vitreous humors than patients with vitreoretinal disorders without synchysis. The consequently higher lipoperoxide-dependent 4-HNE production in synchysis scintillans was detectable in aqueous and vitreous humors as a significant increased accumulation of 4-HNE-protein conjugates vs nonsynchysis vitreoretinal disorders. Additionally, hyaluronic acid (HA) was significantly decreased in the vitreous body of synchysis scintillans patients. The data consistently show that synchisis scintillans is accompanied by a redox imbalance with increased oxidative modifications of 4-HNE proteins and loss of HA, both of likely importance for remote damages of the retina. It remains to be proven whether a therapeutic strategy which targets oxidative stress may be effective in the treatment of synchysis patients.
Environmentally Friendly Mesoporous Nanocomposite Prepared from Al-Dross Waste with Remarkable Adsorption Ability for Toxic Anionic Dye
Authors: Ahmed Inas A. , Al-Radadi Najlaa S. , Hussein H. S. , Ragab Ahmed H.
Published: October 2019

In this work, a mesoporous nanocomposite composed of nanogibbsite (α-Al(OH)3) and nanosilica was prepared. Gibbsite nanoparticles (GNPs) with a crystal size of ≈38 nm were prepared from Al-dross industrial waste products in an acidic environment at 100°C. Nanosilica (NS) with a crystal size of ≈13 nm was prepared from sodium silicate using dilute hydrochloric acid. The deposition of nanosilica onto gibbsite particles was investigated. The mesoporous silica-gibbsite (NSG) nanocomposite was examined by evaluating its ability to adsorb the toxic anionic dye Eriochrome black T (EBT) from aqueous solution. The compositional and morphological properties of NSG nanocomposites were studied by means of the FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques. The effect of dye concentration, pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature was investigated. The sorption models, the isotherms, and the thermodynamic parametersΔHo,ΔGo, andΔSowere evaluated. The N2adsorption-desorption isotherms revealed that mixing the two prepared materials (NS and GNPs) to form the NSG nanocomposite resulted in good properties (a surface area of 62.34 m2·g−1, a pore radius of 22.717 nm, and a pore volume of 0.7081 cm3·g−1). The results show that the prepared NSG nanocomposite has a remarkable ability to adsorb toxic anionic dyes.
Rotation Stiffness Investigation of Spatial Joints with End‐Plate Connection
Authors: Chen Shizhe , Pan Jianrong , Wang Zhan , Zhou Chao
Published: October 2019

Spatial joints with end‐plate connections show significant spatial coupling effects under spatial loading. Mechanical behaviour and failure modes of these spatial joints differ from those of planar joints. This study involved experiments and finite element analyses with respect to planar joints with end‐plate connections under static load. The numerical results agreed well with the experimental data, and this verified the adequacy of the finite element analyses. Then, finite element models of the spatial interior joint, exterior joint, and corner joint were established to analyse the difference between the mechanical behaviour of spatial joints and planar joints. The component method was used to analyse components contributing to the initial stiffness of spatial joints. An initial rotation stiffness calculation model of spatial joints was proposed based on the deformation of joints. The findings indicated that results of the calculation models were in good agreement with those of the finite element analyses, and this proved that the calculation model proposed in this study could act as a reference method.
The Prevalence of Dyslipidemia and Hyperglycemia among Stroke Patients: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Ali Iyad , Abuissa Mahmoud , Alawneh Anan , Subeh Omar , Abu Sneineh Ahmad , Mousa Sabreen , Deeb Israa' , Rayyan Hiba
Published: October 2019

Background/Aim. Stroke or cerebrovascular accident is defined as sudden or sub acute onset of focal neurologic deficit, caused by the interruption of blood flow to parts of the brain. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia among stroke patients in Palestine. Materials and Methods. A total of 70 patients with stroke were included in a cross-sectional study between November 2017 and February 2018. Stroke patients were diagnosed based on a CT scan reviewed by a neurologist. Fasting venous blood samples were collected to measure the lipid profile (cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), triacylglycerol (TAG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL)), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. An interview-based questionnaire, included background data, past medical history, family history, and other risk factors for stroke, was filled for each patient. Results. Based on our results, 28.57% of patients had high LDL, 17.1% had high cholesterol, 15.7% had high TAG and 61.3% had low HDL. About half of the patients (51.4%) had abnormal HbA1c and abnormal FBG (52.8%). The majority (67.1%) of patients were males, whereas, 11% of patients were obese (BMI of more than 30 kg/m2) and 51.4% were smokers. Regarding the family history of diseases, 81% of patients had a family history of hypertension, 50% had a family history of stroke, and 58% had a family history of diabetes mellitus. Conclusion. Male gender and smoking were most likely to increase the risk of stroke. Risk factors like low HDL, high LDL, high FBG, high HbA1c, and hypertension contribute substantially to the incidence of stroke. A family history of stroke, hypertension and diabetes were significant risk factors for stroke.
Optical Coherence Tomography of Animal Models of Retinitis Pigmentosa: From Animal Studies to Clinical Applications
Authors: Nakazawa Mitsuru , Hara Aiko , Ishiguro Sei-ichi
Published: October 2019

Purpose. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between the findings of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of previously reported animal models of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) associated with known genetic mutations and their background structural and functional changes. Methods. We reviewed previous publications reporting the SD-OCT findings of animal models of RP and summarized the characteristic findings of SD-OCT in nine different animal models (RCS–/–, RHO P23H, RHO S334ter, RHO–/–, Rpe65–/–, rp12, Pde6β–/– (rd1 and rd10), and Arr1–/–) of human RP. Results. Despite the various abnormal structural changes found in these different animal models, progressive thinning of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and hyperreflective change in the inner and outer segment (IS-OS) layers of the photoreceptors were commonly observed on SD-OCT. In the rapidly progressive severe photoreceptor degeneration seen in rd10 and Arr1–/– mice, the ONL appeared hyperreflective. Electroretinography revealed various degrees of disease severity in these animal models. Discussion and Conclusion: SD-OCT is sensitive enough to detect even mild changes in the photoreceptor OS. Conversely, SD-OCT cannot qualitatively differentiate the pathologic and functional differences in the photoreceptors associated with different genetic abnormalities, with the exception of the rapid progression of severe forms of photoreceptor degeneration. These findings can be of value to understand better the clinical findings and the heterogeneous degenerative processes in patients with RP.
Involvement of Interleukin-10 in Analgesia of Electroacupuncture on Incision Pain
Authors: Dai Wen-jing , Sun Jia-lu , Li Chao , Mao Wei , Huang Yun-ke , Zhao Zhi-qi , Zhang Yu-qiu , Lü Ning
Published: October 2019

Objective. Postincision pain often occurs after surgery and is an emergency to be treated in clinic. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a Chinese traditional treatment widely used to cure acute or chronic pain, but its mechanism is not clear. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine that shows neuroprotective effects in inflammation and injury in the CNS. The present study attempts to reveal that IL-10 is crucial for EA analgesia on postincision pain. Methods. A model of incision pain was established in C57BL/6J mice. The pain threshold was detected by behavioral test, and the expression of IL-10 and its receptor was detected by an immunohistochemical method. C-fiber-evoked field potentials were recorded by in vivo analysis. Results. The mechanical allodynia induced by paw incision was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of EA in mice. Intrathecal injection of IL-10 neutralizing antibody (2 µg/10 µL) but not intraplantar injection (10 µg/10 µL) reversed the analgesia of EA. The upregulations of IL-10 mRNA and protein were induced by EA at 6 h and 1 d after incision, respectively. Spinal long-term potentiation (LTP), a substrate for central sensitization, was also suppressed by EA with IL-10. IL-10 recombinant protein (1 µg/10 µL, i.t.) mimicked the analgesia of EA on mechanical allodynia and inhibition on the spinal LTP. Posttreatment of EA after incision also transitorily relieved the mechanical allodynia, which can be blocked by spinal IL-10 antibody. IL-10 and its receptor, IL-10RA, are predominantly expressed in the superficial spinal astrocytes. Conclusions. These results suggested that pretreatment of EA effectively prevented postincision pain and IL-10 in spinal astrocytes was critical for the analgesia of EA and central sensitization.
The Evolution of Collective Strategies in SMEs’ Innovation: A Tripartite Game Analysis and Application
Authors: Liu Lixia , Huang Yuanshi , Zhan Xueli
Published: October 2019

Financing difficulty is recognized as the main bottleneck in the technology innovation process of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The governments generally provide financial support for SMEs’ innovation activities. Numerous research studies have been conducted on the role of the government in enterprises’ innovation, while there is no consistent conclusion on whether government subsidies can improve stakeholder collaboration and effectively ease financing constraints of SMEs’ innovation. Due to information asymmetry and the bounded rationality, the dynamic game among the government, external investors, and SMEs has the characteristics of complexity. This paper aims to explore the collective strategies of the major stakeholders in SMEs’ innovation and investigate the effect of antecedents on innovation activities. We establish a trilateral evolutionary game model on the relationship among the government, external investors, and SMEs. The simulation results show that the evolutionary system converges quickly to the equilibrium; when the government subsidies decrease, the external investors’ appraisal costs decrease and the investment amount and return rates of external investors increase. Furthermore, under the condition of government subsidies, external investors will not change their investment strategies even if the external investors’ recognition costs have exceeded their return on SMEs’ investment. The findings can provide good reference for the government to solve the financing problem of SMEs’ innovation.
An Incidental Diagnosis of Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis and Secundum Atrial Septal Defect (Lutembacher’s Syndrome) in a Young Woman
Authors: Alam Md Mashiul , Khaled Md Fakhrul Islam
Published: October 2019

Lutembacher’s syndrome is a rare cardiovascular defect comprising of mitral stenosis and atrial septal defect. A combination of acquired mitral stenosis and congenital atrial septal defect is the most well-recognized pattern. As atrial septal defect acts as a pressure relieving gateway, signs and symptoms of mitral stenosis may be attenuated and/or delayed in such patients. We have presented a case with Lutembacher’s syndrome that was incidentally diagnosed as having such defect during outpatient check-up for upper respiratory infection.
Preoperative Mean Platelet Volume and Platelet Distribution Width Predict Postoperative Sepsis in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Li Xue-ting , Yan Zibo , Wang Rui-tao , Yu Kai-jiang
Published: October 2019

Purpose. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) have been used to reflect the platelet activity in clinics. We assessed initial serum MPV and PDW levels in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, in predicting the development of sepsis in CRC patients postoperatively. Patients and Methods. This study included 220 patients diagnosed with CRC. 55 patients were stratified to one group that developed sepsis postoperatively, and 165 patients were stratified to the other group that did not develop sepsis postoperatively. Clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected 3 days before the operation. Results. MPV (p<0.001) was significantly higher and PDW (p<0.001) was significantly lower in the sepsis group than in the nonsepsis group. Either MPV or PDW is independently associated with ICU mortality in sepsis patients with CRC. MPV is independently associated with 14-day, 28-day, and 90-day mortality and PDW is independently associated with 90-day mortality in patients with CRC. The prevalence of sepsis increased as MPV tertiles increased (p<0.001), and the prevalence of sepsis increased as PDW tertiles decreased (p<0.001). Conclusions. Serum MPV and PDW levels between CRC patients with/without sepsis postoperatively are significantly different. The initial serum MPV or PDW levels can potentially serve as a predictor of sepsis in CRC patients postoperatively.