bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic assessment of diastolic function for experimental models
Authors: Ogilvie Leslie M. , Edgett Brittany A. , Huber Jason S. , Platt Mathew J. , Eberl Hermann J. , Lutchmedial Sohrab , Brunt Keith R. , Simpson Jeremy A.
Published: March 2020

Traditionally, the evaluation of cardiac function has focused on systolic function; however, there is a growing appreciation for the contribution of diastolic function to overall cardiac health. Given the emerging interest in evaluating diastolic function in all models of heart failure, there is a need for sensitivity, accuracy, and precision in the hemodynamic assessment of diastolic function. Hemodynamics measure cardiac pressures in vivo, offering a direct assessment of diastolic function. In this review, we summarize the underlying principles of diastolic function, dividing diastole into two phases: 1) relaxation and 2) filling. We identify parameters used to comprehensively evaluate diastolic function by hemodynamics, clarify how each parameter is obtained, and consider the advantages and limitations associated with each measure. We provide a summary of the sensitivity of each diastolic parameter to loading conditions. Furthermore, we discuss differences that can occur in the accuracy of diastolic and systolic indices when generated by automated software compared with custom software analysis and the magnitude each parameter is influenced during inspiration with healthy breathing and a mild breathing load, commonly expected in heart failure. Finally, we identify key variables to control (e.g., body temperature, anesthetic, sampling rate) when collecting hemodynamic data. This review provides fundamental knowledge for users to succeed in troubleshooting and guidelines for evaluating diastolic function by hemodynamics in experimental models of heart failure.

Listen to this article’s corresponding podcast at https://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/assessment-of-diastolic-function/ .
Elevated Plasmin(ogen) as a Common Risk Factor for COVID-19 Susceptibility
Authors: Ji Hong-Long , Zhao Runzhen , Matalon Sadis , Matthay Michael A.
Published: March 2020

Patients with hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular illness, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney dysfunction have worse clinical outcomes when infected with SARS-CoV-2, for unknown reasons. The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for the existence of elevated plasmin(ogen) in COVID-19 patients with these comorbid conditions. Plasmin, and other proteases, may cleave a newly inserted furin site in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2, extracellularly, which increases its infectivity and virulence. Hyperfibrinolysis associated with plasmin leads to elevated D-dimer in severe patients. The plasmin(ogen) system may prove a promising therapeutic target for combating COVID-19.
Determinants of Infertility among Married Women Attending Dessie Referral Hospital and Dr. Misganaw Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic, Dessie, Ethiopia
Authors: Bayu Desalegn , Egata Gudina , Kefale Bereket , Jemere Tadeg
Published: March 2020

Background. Infertility is the inability to become pregnant after one year of sexual intercourse without the use of contraception. Epidemiological data suggest that 10 to 15% of couples around the world are suffering from infertility. The exact meaning of marriage is mainly fulfilled if the couple conceives and bears children. Failure of this often leads to unhappy married lives, divorces, and high levels of psychiatric morbidity. There is scarcity of data about determinants of infertility in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the determinants of infertility among married women attending Dessie Referral Hospital and Dr. Misganaw gynecology and obstetrics specialty clinic, Dessie, Ethiopia, 2019. Methods. An institution-based case-control study was conducted on 281 participants. The participants were selected by a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23 for analyses. Variables with p<0.25 in bivariable logistic regression were entered into multivariable logistic regression. Odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure the direction and strength of the association. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results. The determinants of women’s infertility were age at the first pregnancy (AOR=2.89; 95% CI: 1.105, 7.564), age at menarche (AOR=3.2; 95% CI: 1.278, 7.975), menstruation flow in days (AOR=4.17; 95% CI: 0.062, 0.929), multiple sexual partners (AOR=5.33; 95% CI: 2.124, 13.397), and history of STI (AOR=2.79; 95% CI: 1.088, 7.159). Conclusion. Age at the first pregnancy, age at menarche, multiple sexual partners, number of days of menstruation flow, and history of STI were determinants of women’s infertility. Infertility may bring about unhappy married lives, divorces, and high levels of psychiatric morbidity. Therefore, couples need to have heath education about risk factors for infertility.
High-Serum Angiopoietin-Like Protein 3 Levels Associated with Cardiovascular Outcome in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Chen Ming-Chun , Hsu Bang-Gee , Lee Chung-Jen , Wang Ji-Hung
Published: March 2020

Background. Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism and angiogenesis, and there is growing interest regarding the association between ANGPTL3 and coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aims to investigate whether ANGPTL3 levels can be used to predict the future occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with CAD. Methods. Overall, 90 patients with CAD were enrolled between January and December 2012. The study’s primary endpoint was incidence of MACEs. Patient follow-up was completed on June 30, 2017. Results. Following a median follow-up period of 54 months, 33 MACEs had occurred. Patients reporting MACEs had lower statin use (P=0.022) and higher serum C-reactive protein (P<0.001) and serum ANGPTL3 (P<0.001) levels than those without MACEs. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed higher cumulative incidence of CV events in the high ANGPTL3 group (median ANGPTL3 level ≥ 222.37 ng/mL) than in the low ANGPTL3 group (log-rank P=0.046). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that ANGPTL3 levels were independently associated with MACEs in patients with CAD (hazard ratio: 1.003; 95% confidence interval: 1.000–1.005; P=0.026) after adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index, classical risk factors, and potential confounders. Conclusions. Serum ANGPTL3 levels could serve as a biomarker for future occurrence of MACEs in patients with CAD.
Interval Recognition Algorithm of the Pavement Surface Condition Based on Lagrange Interpolation Method
Authors: He Ren , Zhang Liwei
Published: March 2020

The accurate recognition of road condition is one of the important factors that influence vehicle safety performance. This paper comes up with an original mathematical method of an interval recognition algorithm of the pavement surface condition based on Lagrange interpolation. The ordinate of the peak point is solved by the Lagrange interpolation method, and the pavement surface condition is deduced by the interval identification algorithm. The simulation results from six typical roads and the varied pavement surface show that besides the cobblestone pavement which is not common in the daily road, the estimation error of the initial tire-road friction coefficient by the Lagrange interpolation method is less than 2%, the pavement surface condition can be identified by interval recognition algorithm quickly and accurately, and the response time is less than 0.2 seconds.
Ibrutinib-Associated Cardiac Tamponade with Concurrent Antiplatelet Therapy
Authors: Miatech Jennifer L. , Hughes John H. , McCarty Dillon K. , Stagg M. Patrick
Published: March 2020

Ibrutinib is approved for the first-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). A well-known side effect of ibrutinib therapy is increased bleeding risk, which ranges from mild mucocutaneous bleeding to rarely life-threatening hemorrhage. The increased bleeding tendency associated with ibrutinib is thought to be related to its effect on several platelet signaling pathways, which can be exacerbated in the setting of concurrent antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy. We present an 82-year-old male with CLL on ibrutinib and concurrent antiplatelet therapy who developed cardiac tamponade due to a hemorrhagic pericardial effusion requiring emergent placement of a pericardial window. This case further highlights the risk of major bleeding in patients treated with ibrutinib and concurrent antiplatelet therapy.
Investigation of Variations of Invertase and Glucose Oxidase Degrees against Heating and Timing Options in Raw Honeys
Authors: Sahin Huseyin , Kolayli Sevgi , Beykaya Mehmet
Published: March 2020

Invertase and glucose oxidase are secreted by the hypopharyngeal glands of honeybees for the hydrolysis of sucrose and the preservation from microbial effects, respectively. It is also prominent to understand how the levels of invertase and glucose oxidase of raw honey samples are being influenced by different conditions because the behavior of these specific enzymes in raw honeys could be a marker for the quality parameters. On the basis of this expectation, three raw honey samples tagged as blossom, pine, and oak were investigated. To reach the desired aim, extraction conditions were diversified by the range of different periods as 0, 1, 3, and 6 h and of different temperatures as 24, 45, and 65°C. The optimal heating condition and the period of extraction for invertase activity of all honey types were 24°C and 1 h because data of this condition were 147.960–178.266 enzyme unit per kilogram (U/kg) and 20.179–24.313 invertase number (IN). Although the variety of glucose oxidase activity was not evaluated as a worthwhile indicator of quality for raw honey due to its abnormal activity behavior, the change of invertase activity should be considered as a quality parameter due to showing the gradual decreasing level from initially a quite high one.
Decentralized and Dynamic Band Selection in Uplink Enhanced Licensed-Assisted Access: Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach
Authors: Tilahun Fitsum Debebe , Kang Chung G.
Published: March 2020

Enhanced licensed-assisted access (eLAA) is an operational mode that allows the use of unlicensed band to support long-term evolution (LTE) service via carrier aggregation technology. The extension of additional bandwidth is beneficial to meet the demands of the growing mobile traffic. In the uplink eLAA, which is prone to unexpected interference from WiFi access points, resource scheduling by the base station, and then performing a listen before talk (LBT) mechanism by the users can seriously affect the resource utilization. In this paper, we present a decentralized deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based approach in which each user independently learns dynamic band selection strategy that maximizes its own rate. Through extensive simulations, we show that the proposed DRL-based band selection scheme improves resource utilization while supporting certain minimum quality of service (QoS).
Successful Medical Management of a Retroperitoneal Abscess: A Difficult Diagnosis in Pyrexia of Unknown Origin
Authors: Ishan U. G. H. , Thilakasiri M. C. K. , Weeratunga P. N. , Lanerolle R. D.
Published: March 2020

Retroperitoneal abscesses are uncommon conditions with occult and insidious presentations. There is often a lack of abdominal signs and ultrasound findings, causing a delay in diagnosis and definitive treatment, leading to poor patient outcomes. We report a case of right-sided retroperitoneal abscess of a 28-year-old female patient with diabetes mellitus. Prior to admission, the patient reported a vague 2 weeks history of right-sided back and abdominal pain and dysuria. She presented to our medical ward with suspected pyelonephritis with right-sided renal abscess. A retroperitoneal abscess involving the right renal fossa was revealed on an urgent CT scan. The patient underwent percutaneous ultrasound-guided pigtail catheter drainage. Patient clinically and biochemically improved with medical management gradually over 2 weeks. This case report highlights the importance of investigating for recurrent urinary tract infections of diabetics which are often overlooked in general practice.
Design of Robust Adaptive Fuzzy Controller for a Class of Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) Uncertain Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Lin Jieqiong , Zhou Jiakang , Lu Mingming , Wang Hao , Yi Allen
Published: March 2020

In order to solve the precision and stability control problems of nonlinear uncertain systems applied in machining systems, in this paper, a robust adaptive fuzzy control technique based on Dynamic Surface Control (DSC) method is proposed for the generalized single-input single-output (SISO) uncertain nonlinear system. A first-order low-pass filter is introduced in each step of the traditional robust control method to overcome the “calculation expansion” problem, and Takagi–Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy logic system is applied to approximate an uncertain nonlinear function of unknown structure in the system. The designed robust adaptive fuzzy controller is applied to the 3D elliptical vibration cutting (3D EVC) device system model, and the effectiveness of the controller design is verified by analysis of position tracking, speed tracking, and tracking error. The results of studies show that the robust adaptive fuzzy controller can effectively suppress the jitter problem of the three-dimensional elliptical vibration cutting device so that the control object can be stabilized quickly even if it has a little jitter at the beginning. It can be smoothed to move along the ideal displacement and velocity signals. It is verified that the designed controller has strong robust adaptability.
The Effect of Intraoperative Methadone Compared to Morphine on Postsurgical Pain: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Kendall Mark C. , Alves Lucas J. , Pence Kristi , Mukhdomi Taif , Croxford Daniel , De Oliveira Gildasio S.
Published: March 2020

Background and Objectives. Methadone is commonly used in chronic pain, but it is not frequently used as an intraoperative analgesic. Several randomized studies have compared intraoperative methadone to morphine regarding postsurgical analgesia, but they have generated conflicting results. The aim of this investigation was to compare the analgesic efficacy of intraoperative methadone to morphine in patients undergoing surgical procedures. Methods. We performed a quantitative systematic review of randomized controlled trials in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar electronic databases. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model, weighted mean differences (WMD), standard deviation, 95% confidence intervals, and sample size. Methodological quality was evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. Results. Seven randomized controlled trials evaluating 337 patients across different surgical procedures were included. The aggregated effect of intraoperative methadone on postoperative opioid consumption did not reveal a significant effect, WMD (95% CI) of −0.51 (−1.79 to 0.76), (P=0.43) IV morphine equivalents. In contrast, the effect of methadone on postoperative pain demonstrated a significant effect in the postanesthesia care unit, WMD (95% CI) of −1.11 (−1.88 to −0.33), P=0.005, and at 24 hours, WMD (95% CI) of −1.35 (−2.03 to −0.67), P<0.001. Conclusions. The use of intraoperative methadone reduces postoperative pain when compared to morphine. In addition, the beneficial effect of methadone on postoperative pain is not attributable to an increase in postsurgical opioid consumption. Our results suggest that intraoperative methadone may be a viable strategy to reduce acute pain in surgical patients.
OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids Retention, Oxidative Quality, and Sensoric Acceptability of Spray-Dried Flaxseed Oil
Authors: Shahid Muhammad Zia , Imran Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Kamran , Ahmad Muhammad Haseeb , Nadeem Muhammad , Muhammad Niaz , Yasmin Adeela
Published: March 2020

Flaxseed is naturally a rich source of essential omega-3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid (ALA), which exhibits nearly 57% of its entire fatty acid profile. Oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids during processing and storage results in reduced shelf stability of food products and limited health potentials. Spray-drying is considered a processing technique to shield omega-3 fatty acids from oxidative damage. For the purpose, the extracted flaxseed oil (FSO) together with the emulsifier (flaxseed meal polysaccharide gum) was passed through a mini spray-dryer to prepare spray-dried flaxseed oil (SDFSO) samples. The SDFSO samples for quality were evaluated at 0th, 30th, and 60th days of storage at two different temperatures of 4°C and 25°C, accordingly. The maximum oil protection efficiency was recorded as 90.78% at 160°C. The highest percentage for ALA retention was recorded as 54.7% and 53.9% at 4°C, while the lowest retention was observed as 48.6% and 46.2% at 25°C after 30 and 60 days of storage, respectively. The inlet (160°C) and outlet air temperatures (80°C) were considered as key factors contributing a decline in retention of ALA of the SDFSO samples. The free fatty acid contents of FSO and SDFSO samples reached to their peaks, i.e., 1.22% and 0.75%, respectively, after 60 days of storage at 25°C. The initial peroxide value of FSO (control) was 0.16, which increased to 0.34 (4°C) and 1.10 (25°C) meq/kg O2 at the end of 60 days storage. The value for malondialdehyde of SDFSO samples was increased from 0.17 (0 day) to 0.34 nmol/g of lipids at 60 days (4°C), and the same increasing trend was observed at 25°C. In the case of color and overall acceptability, the lowest evaluation scores were awarded to FSO samples in comparison to SDFSO samples. Overall, SDFSO possessed improved oxidative quality and can be recommended as a fortifying agent in various functional food products.
Sequential Route Choice Modeling Based on Dynamic Reference Points and Its Empirical Study
Authors: Long Xueqin , Hou Chenxi , Liu Shanshan , Wang Yuejiao
Published: March 2020

Aiming at the influence of information, we investigate and analyze the sequential route choice behavior under dynamic reference points based on cumulative prospect theory in this paper. An experiment platform collecting the sequential route choices based on C/S structure is designed and four types of information are released to participants, respectively. Real-time travel time prediction methods are then proposed for travelers’ decision-making. Using nonlinear regression method, the parameters of the value function and weight function of cumulative prospect theory are estimated under different types of information, respectively. It is found that travelers’ behavior showed obvious characteristic of risk pursuit under the circumstance where real-time travel time information is released. Instead, when they have access to descriptive information, they tend to be more conservative.
Analysis of the Rule of TCM Compatibility in TCM Prescriptions Containing Ginseng Radix ET Rhizoma in Ancient Books for Xiaoke Bing
Authors: Sun Xiuli , Zhang Bo , Wang ShuHua , Liu Shuying , Zhou Qingying
Published: March 2020

Background. TCM considers that diabetes belongs to the scope of Xiaoke Bing. Compound prescriptions are characteristics of TCM. For a certain medicine, its compatibility with different medicines can exert different efficacies in different prescriptions. Using the TCM compound prescriptions containing Ginseng Radix ET Rhizoma in ancient books for Xiaoke Bing as an example, this study introduces new methods to investigate the rule of TCM compatibility. Methods. Frequency analysis was accomplished by programs written in Perl. The R, Cytoscape, and DpClus software were used to carry out the association rules analysis, the construction of the TCM interconnection network, and the graph clustering analysis, respectively. Results. Frequency analysis ranked the frequencies of medicine, medicinal flavors, properties, and meridian attributions, and it was found that some of them are significantly higher than others. Six association rules were obtained. The TCM interconnection network showed that there are close medicine associations among prescriptions, and we got 17 categories of closely related prescriptions from the network. Conclusions. Ginseng Radix ET Rhizoma was widely used in treating Xiaoke Bing. Our results are consistent with the understanding of Xiaoke Bing in TCM; hence, it is demonstrated that the methods are effective for exploring the rule of TCM usage in prescriptions. This analysis could provide references for the treatment of diabetes.
Marrow-Infiltrating Regulatory T Cells Correlate with the Presence of Dysfunctional CD4+PD-1+ Cells and Inferior Survival in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Alrasheed Nouf , Lee Lydia , Ghorani Ehsan , Henry Jake Y. , Conde Lucia , Chin Melody , Galas-Filipowicz Daria , Furness Andrew J.S. , Chavda Selina J. , Richards Huw , De-Silva Dunnya , Cohen Oliver C. , Patel Dominic , Brooks Anthony , Rodriguez-Justo Manuel , Pule Martin , Herrero Javier , Quezada Sergio A. , Yong Kwee L.
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

Immune dysregulation is described in multiple myeloma. While preclinical models suggest a role for altered T-cell immunity in disease progression, the contribution of immune dysfunction to clinical outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to characterize marrow-infiltrating T cells in newly diagnosed patients and explore associations with outcomes of first-line therapy.

Experimental Design:

We undertook detailed characterization of T cells from bone marrow (BM) samples, focusing on immune checkpoints and features of immune dysfunction, correlating with clinical features and progression-free survival.

Results:

We found that patients with multiple myeloma had greater abundance of BM regulatory T cells (Tregs) which, in turn, expressed higher levels of the activation marker CD25 compared with healthy donors. Patients with higher frequencies of Tregs had shorter PFS and a distinct Treg immune checkpoint profile (increased PD-1, LAG-3) compared with patients with lower frequencies of Tregs. Analysis of CD4 and CD8 effectors revealed that low CD4effector (CD4eff):Treg ratio and increased frequency of PD-1–expressing CD4eff cells were independent predictors of early relapse over and above conventional risk factors, such as genetic risk and depth of response. Ex vivo functional analysis and RNA sequencing revealed that CD4 and CD8 cells from patients with greater abundance of CD4effPD-1+ cells displayed transcriptional and secretory features of dysfunction.

Conclusions:

BM-infiltrating T-cell subsets, specifically Tregs and PD-1–expressing CD4 effectors, negatively influence clinical outcomes in newly diagnosed patients. Pending confirmation in larger cohorts and further mechanistic work, these immune parameters may inform new risk models, and present potential targets for immunotherapeutic strategies.
Cabozantinib Reverses Renal Cell Carcinoma–mediated Osteoblast Inhibition in Three-dimensional CocultureIn Vitroand Reduces Bone OsteolysisIn Vivo
Authors: Pan Tianhong , Martinez Mariane , Hubka Kelsea M. , Song Jian H. , Lin Song-Chang , Yu Guoyu , Lee Yu-Chen , Gallick Gary E. , Tu Shi-Ming , Harrington Daniel A. , Farach-Carson Mary C. , Lin Sue-Hwa , Satcher Robert L.
Published: March 2020

Renal cell carcinoma bone metastases (RCCBM) are typically osteolytic. We previously showed that BIGH3 (beta Ig-h3/TGFBI), secreted by 786-O renal cell carcinoma, plays a role in osteolytic bone lesion in RCCBM through inhibition of osteoblast (OSB) differentiation. To study this interaction, we employed three-dimensional (3D) hydrogels to coculture bone-derived 786-O (Bo-786) renal cell carcinoma cells with MC3T3-E1 pre-OSBs. Culturing pre-OSBs in the 3D hydrogels preserved their ability to differentiate into mature OSB; however, this process was decreased when pre-OSBs were cocultured with Bo-786 cells. Knockdown of BIGH3 in Bo-786 cells recovered OSB differentiation. Furthermore, treatment with bone morphogenetic protein 4, which stimulates OSB differentiation, or cabozantinib (CBZ), which inhibits VEGFR1 and MET tyrosine kinase activities, also increased OSB differentiation in the coculture. CBZ also inhibited pre-osteoclast RAW264.7 cell differentiation. Using RCCBM mouse models, we showed that CBZ inhibited Bo-786 tumor growth in bone. CBZ treatment also increased bone volume and OSB number, and decreased osteoclast number and blood vessel density. When tested in SN12PM6 renal cell carcinoma cells that have been transduced to overexpress BIGH3, CBZ also inhibited SN12PM6 tumor growth in bone. These observations suggest that enhancing OSB differentiation could be one of the therapeutic strategies for treating RCCBM that exhibit OSB inhibition characteristics, and that this 3D coculture system is an effective tool for screening osteoanabolic agents for further in vivo studies.
Revision of a Complex Periprosthetic Humerus Fracture with Two-Thirds of Humerus Bone Loss with an Allograft-Prosthetic Composite Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Tort Pedro , Goldman Brian Howard , Deal Matthew J. , Beaton David
Published: March 2020

Shoulder arthroplasty is becoming an increasingly standard procedure in the United States. In conjunction with an aging population and increased prevalence of osteoporosis, proper management of periprosthetic humerus fractures is of great interest to orthopedic surgeons. Several periprosthetic humeral fracture classification systems take into consideration the fracture location and implant stability, but they do not address the type of bone defects or amount of bone available for revision surgery. The lack of description and guidance in the different varieties of humerus bone defects limits current classification system utility in cases with severe bone loss. There are previous case reports of revisions of periprosthetic humerus fractures with an allograft-prosthetic composite reverse total shoulder replacement. Different from previously reported cases, the case described in this article presented the treatment of a complex humerus fracture with loss of more than two-thirds of the patient’s native humerus. Due to the extensive humerus bone loss, we modified the surgical techniques previously published to allow for a successful surgery.
Cytology Reporting System for Lung Cancer from the Japan Lung Cancer Society and Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology: An Interobserver Reproducibility Study and Risk of Malignancy Evaluation on Cytology Specimens
Authors: Hiroshima Kenzo , Yoshizawa Akihiko , Takenaka Akemi  , Haba Reiji  , Kawahara Kunimitsu  , Minami Yuko  , Kakinuma Hirokuni  , Shibuki Yasuo , Miyake Shinji  , Kajio Kenta  , Miyamoto Kana  , Nagatomo Moe  , Nishimura Sanako  , Mano Masayuki  , Matsubayashi Jun  , Motoi Noriko  , Nagao Toshitaka , Nakatsuka Shin-ichi , Yoshida Tsutomu  , Satoh Yukitoshi
Published: March 2020

Introduction: The classification of lung carcinoma is based on small biopsies and/or cytology in 80% of patients with non-small cell carcinoma. However, there is no widely accepted classification system for respiratory cytology. The Japan Lung Cancer Society (JLCS) and Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology (JSCC) have proposed a new four-tiered cytology reporting system for lung carcinoma with the following categories: (1) “negative for malignancy,” (2) “atypical cells,” (3) “suspicious for malignancy,” and (4) “malignancy.” Objective: The aim of this work was to perform an interobserver reproducibility study to confirm the utility of the four-tiered reporting system on respiratory cytological samples. Methods: We analyzed 90 cytological samples obtained with bronchoscopy. Seven observers classified these cases into each category by reviewing one Papanicolaou-stained slide per case according to the three-, four-, and five-tiered reporting systems. Results: The interobserver agreement was fair in the three- (κ = 0.50), four- (κ = 0.45), and five-tiered (κ = 0.45) reporting systems. However, the four-tiered reporting system provided more precise information than the three-tiered reporting system in patient management. The risk of malignancy in the four-tiered reporting system was also stratified well: 19.3% for “negative for malignancy,” 45.6% for “atypical cells,” 74.7% for “suspicious for malignancy,” and 88.1% for “malignancy.” Conclusions: The reporting system proposed by the JLCS and JSCC was designed to enhance the communication between clinicians and pathologists and among different institutions. It is simple and applicable to cytological diagnosis of any respiratory diseases. We propose establishing an international classification for respiratory cytology, harmonizing the reporting systems proposed by different countries.
European Thyroid Association Survey on Use of Minimally Invasive Techniques for Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Hegedüs Laszlo , Frasoldati Andrea , Negro Roberto , Papini Enrico
Published: March 2020

Objective: Image-guided interventional ultrasound (US) techniques represent diagnostic and therapeutic tools for non-surgical management of thyroid nodular disease. We sought to investigate the attitude of European Thyroid Association (ETA) members towards the use of minimally invasive techniques (MIT) in diagnosis/therapy of symptomatic nodular goitre. Methods: ETA members were invited to participate in an online survey investigating the use of MIT in benign and malignant thyroid nodular disease. Of 865 invited members, 221 (25.5%) completed the survey. The respondents were from 40 countries; 139 (74.7%) were from European countries. Results: Respondents personally performed thyroid US (91.6%), Fine needle aspiration (FNA; 75.3%), ethanol ablation (EA; 22.1%), core needle biopsy (CNB; 11%) and thermal treatments (4.8%). When skills and/or technology were unavailable, only 13.4% referred patients “often” or “always” to other centres with specific expertise in this field. Surgery was the preferred first option in patients with recurrent cysts, 4.0 cm benign nodules, local (radioiodine-avid or non-avid) lymph node metastases, or papillary cancers <1.0 cm. For autonomously functioning nodules radioactive iodine treatment was the preferred choice, followed by surgery. Thermal ablation (TA) was the preferred option only for a 4 cm benign nodule in old patients with comorbidities. Conclusions: US, US-guided FNA and surgery were available to nearly all respondents, while MIT was not. CNB and EA were employed only by about 1/3 of the respondents and TA procedures were available and personally performed only by a minority. For most thyroid lesions, surgery was the preferred option versus thermal therapies. The ETA needs to develop guidelines and establish teaching to overcome geographic inequality and promote the use of MIT as a valid therapy option in appropriate cases.
Prepregnancy Overweight and Obesity Are Associated with an Increased Risk of Preterm Birth in Chinese Women
Authors: Su Xiu Juan , Huang Shi Jia , Li Xiang , Du Qiao Ling
Published: March 2020

Introduction: The association between obesity before pregnancy and preterm birth varies with age and ethnicity. Objective: To study the association between early body mass index (BMI) and risk of preterm birth in Chinese women. Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective cohort study including 36,596 Chinese women who gave birth to a live singleton infant from 2015 to 2018. Women were classified as underweight (BMI <18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5 to <23), overweight (BMI 23 to <27.5), or obese (BMI ≥27.5) according to the most recent criteria for Asian women. Multivariate log-binomial regression models were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for preterm birth among different groups. Results: Compared to women with normal weight, women with overweight or obesity before pregnancy had an increased risk of preterm birth; the RRs and 95% CIs were 1.22 (95% CI: 1.08–1.37) and 1.30 (95% CI: 1.01–1.69), respectively. The greatest risk of extremely preterm birth was observed in obese women. The estimators were robust when considering the maternal age and rate of gestational weight gain (GWG) during pregnancy. Conclusions: Women with overweight and obesity had an increased risk of preterm birth regardless of GWG in early pregnancy. Our study suggests that it is beneficial to lose weight before conception for both overweight and obese women who plan to become pregnant.
COVID-19 Infection in a Patient with End-Stage Kidney Disease
Authors: Fu Dian , Yang Bo , Xu Jing , Mao Zhiguo , Zhou Chenchen , Xue Cheng
Published: March 2020

Since December 2019, the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread very rapidly in China and worldwide. In this article, we report on a 75-year-old man infected with 2019 novel coronavirus who has end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). COVID-19 patients with ESKD need isolation dialysis, but most of them cannot be handled in time due to limited continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) machines. CRRT provided benefits for this patient by removing potentially damaging toxins and stabilizing his metabolic and hemodynamic status. With the control of uremia and fluid status, this patient ended up with an uneventful post-CRRT course, absence of clinical symptoms, and negative PCR tests. Greater efforts are needed to decrease the mortality of COVID-19-infected ESKD patients.
Heart Transplantation in Muscular Dystrophy Patients
Authors: Wells Dennis , Rizwan Raheel , Jefferies John L. , Bryant Roosevelt , Ryan Thomas D. , Lorts Angela , Chin Clifford , Zafar Farhan , Morales David L.
Published: March 2020

Background:

Cardiomyopathy is a common complication among muscular dystrophy (MD) patients and often results in advanced heart failure and premature death. In spite of this, there is hesitancy to consider heart transplantation (HTx). This study describes the HTx outcomes in patients with MD in the United States.

Methods and Results:

All HTx in the United Network for Organ Sharing database from October 1, 1987, to March 31, 2016, were identified. Two patient groups were created: MD cohort (n=81), and a cohort of all other cardiomyopathies, called cardiomyopathy-unmatched (n=41 317). Propensity score matching (ratio 1:2) was performed on transplant age, gender transplant year, renal function, and inotropic support at transplant to form a cardiomyopathy-matched cohort (n=162). Patient characteristics and posttransplant outcomes were compared. In the 81 patients with MD, Becker was the most common type (42%–52%). All the analyzed preoperative characteristics did not statistically differ between the MD and cardiomyopathy-matched cohorts except ventricular assist device use (16% versus 30%;
P
=0.017), ventilator support (0% versus 6%;
P
=0.031), and donor race mismatch (30% versus 55%;
P
<0.001). Median time on waitlist was not statistically different between the 2 groups (52 versus 59 days;
P
=0.12). Posttransplant survival of MD cohort was not statistically different compared with cardiomyopathy-matched cohort (
P
=0.18; hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.71 [0.42–1.18]) and was better than the cardiomyopathy-unmatched cohort (
P
=0.004; hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.53 [0.34–0.82]). Among the types of MD, no statistical difference was observed in posttransplant survival of Becker MD versus non-Becker MD (
P
=0.12; hazard ratio [95% CI], 2.17 [0.79–6.01]).

Conclusions:

Patients with MD undergoing HTx had similar long-term posttransplant survival compared with matched cardiomyopathy-related HTx recipients. HTx appears to be an effective treatment for a select group of muscular dystrophy patients with end-stage heart failure.
Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology—Part One
Authors: Allen Michael
Published: March 2020

Debates about the definitions of and relationship between systematic theology and biblical theology have become commonplace. Institutional and intellectual programs have taken sides and stood over against each other. Even within the relatively small world of confessional Reformed theology, the matter has garnered a good bit of attention and controversy. Matters have only grown more complex with the rise, more recently, of theological interpretation of scripture or theological exegesis, which may or may not overlap with both systematics and biblical theology. This essay seeks to reflect on perhaps the most influential proposals thus far and then to suggest a way forward. To that end, proposals by Geerhardus Vos, John Murray, and Richard Gaffin will be examined at length. In each case, their argument will be traced patiently, with observations and questions raised in a preliminary manner. Deeper analysis and a counterproposal will appear in a second essay.
“While We Were Yet Enemies”
Authors: Ziegler Philip G.
Published: March 2020

A distinctive contribution of Protestant dogmatics is its account of the interrelation of divine grace and human sin in which saving grace comes upon fallen, sinful humanity. What is most evangelically interesting and significant to Reformed faith is that God graciously acts precisely for creatures who are turned away from and pitched against divine goodness, against divine vocation, and against divine love. Thus, to ask and answer the question of ‘nature and grace’ as such is not yet to have set the question of grace in its most significant and telling register. In conversation with insights from the Didache, the apostle Paul, and early modern Reformed doctrines of sin, this essay argues that we do not win the measure of divine grace unless and until we meet it in connection with our godlessness and enmity, that is, in God’s saving confrontation with radical human sinfulness.
Printing Chinese Characters, Engraving Chinese Types: Wooden Chinese Movable Type at the Imprimerie Nationale (1715-1819)
Authors: Bussotti Michela , Landry-Deron Isabelle
Published: March 2020

The collection of Chinese wooden movable types is among the oldest treasures of the Imprimerie Nationale. The types were carved in Paris between 1715 and 1819, and they are a legacy of the first French attempts to master the expertise necessary to print Chinese alongside Western alphabetic scripts. This article, which is the result of research conducted at the Imprimerie Nationale, combined with a study of historical and literary sources from various periods kept at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and at Italian libraries, provides a description of the types’ physical characteristics and relates how they were created, designed, organized, engraved, employed, classified and stored.

Our research focuses on the attempts to include Chinese characters in publications in Western languages which were made in Europe and particularly in France from the beginning of the eighteenth century onwards. At a time when Europeans were beginning to expand their range of activities in Asia, printing in Asian scripts was a technical as well as a commercial, political and intellectual challenge. With no Chinese typographer to help, the French team modelled the types on characters found in a Chinese dictionary imported into France by missionaries, and at the beginning of the nineteenth century they published two dictionaries which included Chinese characters printed with wooden type.
Making a Canonical Work: a Cultural History of the Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, 1679-1949
Authors: Zhang Gillian Yanzhuang
Published: March 2020

As the most widely-used painting manual in China, the Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting (Jieziyuan huazhuan 芥子園畫傳, hereafter Mustard Seed) has long been considered to have been a handbook for beginners. This article problematizes this relatively fixed notion by examining different editions of the manual and argues that the pedagogical function that most people take for granted is an anachronistic construction. In fact, the woodblock-printed Mustard Seed was regarded as an illegitimate painting manual in the mainstream art scene after its publication because it used woodblock printing to convey painting techniques. The canonization of the manual started in the late Qing (1862-1911), as a result of the availability of affordable lithographic editions. It soon became a primer for many would-be painters and gradually entered art schools in the Republican period (1912-1949), changing the traditional pedagogies of painting education. While highlighting the multivalent social functions of Mustard Seed, this paper will also show how changes in printing technique are connected to Mustard Seed’s canonization.
Strategy on the Wintry Sea: The Russo-British Submarine Flotilla in the Baltic, 1914–1918
Authors: Johnson Ian Ona
Published: March 2020

From 1914 to 1917, in severe weather conditions on the icy Baltic Sea, Russian and British submariners contested control of the sea lanes with the German Imperial Navy. Their accomplishments were largely forgotten after the war’s end. However, the Russo-British Baltic Submarine Flotilla played an important role in the war at sea in the First World War. Most significantly, in 1915 the Flotilla wreaked havoc on German naval planning and nearly cut Germany’s critical iron ore imports from Sweden. The results would lead to a strategic crisis in the German Imperial Admiralty Staff and delay Germany’s attempt to break the British blockade until 1916. Here, the significance of the Russo-British Baltic Submarine Flotilla to the broader strategy of the First World War – and its later impact on strategy in the Second World War – is re-examined.
Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots from Tobacco Wastewater for the Detection of Ferric(III) Ions
Authors: Tang Ju , Zhang Jin , Shi Peiguang , Xiao Yiming , Shi Yanli , Ding Lan , Xu Wen
Published: March 2020

In this study, fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are prepared using a one-step pyrolysis from tobacco wastewater. The TEM, UV-vis, XPS, FT-IR and PL techniques are employed to characterize the morphology, elementary composition and optical properties of these CQDs. It is found
that the CQDs in ethanol solution can achieve strongly the blue light emission under the UV irradiation and the fluorescence quantum yield (QY) can reach up to 51.7%. Most importantly, we find that the CQDs can be applied for selective detection of Ferric(III) ions in solutions via photoluminescence
(PL) measurement. The sensitivity of the detection can reach up to 0.1 M. The analysis of the electronic energy structure suggests that the quenching of the PL emission by the presence of Ferric(III) ions is attributed to the surface functional groups attached to the CQDs, which can interact
with metal ions so that the electrons in the excited state of the CQDs are transferred into the unoccupied orbits of Ferric(III) ions. A corresponding physical mechanism is proposed to gain a understanding about how the presence of the Ferric(III) ions can affect the PL emission from CQDs.
H2O2/UV-Initiated Copolymerization of Acrylamide and Dimethyl Diallyl Ammonium Chloride: Characterization and Flocculation Performance
Authors: Li Yisen , Zheng Xinyu , Zheng Huaili
Published: March 2020

The cationic polyacrylamide flocculant P(AM-DMDAAC) is prepared by copolymerizing acrylamide (AM) and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (DMDAAC) initiated by H2O2 under UV irradiation conditions. The structural features and thermal stability of P(AM-DMDAAC) are
characterized via infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The effects of multiple factors, including monomer concentration, mass monomer ratio, illumination time, initiator H2O2 concentration,
solution pH, illumination intensity, and urea concentration, on the intrinsic viscosity of P(AM-DMDAAC) are studied. The optimum preparation conditions are found to be 30% monomer concentration, 1:4 mass monomer ratio, 0.5‰ initiator concentration, 5.5 pH, 30 min illumination time,
1800 uW/cm2 illumination intensity, and 0.5% urea concentration. Under optimal conditions, the intrinsic viscosity of P(AM-DMDAAC) reaches 18.31 dL/g, which corresponds to a molecular weight of 9.6 × 10 6. Sludge dewatering experiments show that P(AM-DMDAAC) exhibits
superior flocculating performance compared with other flocculants.
Characterizations of Cladded 6082-T6 Aluminum Alloy Through Hard Anodizing
Authors: Mahmoud Essam R. I. , Algahtani Ali , Khan Sohaib Z. , Ahmed Gulam Mohammed Sayeed
Published: March 2020

Aluminum alloys have attractions to be used for a wide range of applications. Although the passive film on aluminum can provide corrosion protection, it has limited wear resistance in oil and gas applications due to the aggressive environment. This work has investigated the enhancements
of hard anodizing on the performance of 6082-T6 aluminum alloy surface against erosion and corrosion test environments. The study investigates the surface roughness and hardness of the hard-anodized coating before going deeper in the cross-section to study in details the macro/microstructure
of the formed layer. The erosion resistance of the coated layer, in particular, the effect of sand concentration and temperature variations to the aqueous slurry impingement against material properties such as adhesion, ductility, and roughness were investigated. In addition, a series of electrochemistry
tests have been conducted to verify the corrosion performance. As a reference, the un-coated aluminum substrate was instigated in all the experiments. The resulted hard anodized coating layer had good adhesion with the aluminum substrate and was consisted of two distinct amorphous sub-layers
of almost 50 m thick with some elongated porosity. It has been shown that the erosion resistance of aluminum alloy can be highly improved by hard anodizing, especially at high temperature. The hard-anodized sample shows almost twice hardness values compared with aluminum substrate for both
eroded and un-eroded conditions. For the corrosion behavior, the hard-anodizing coating has lower corrosion current density than the aluminum substrate.
FeNi3 Nanoparticle for the Localization of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy by MRI
Authors: Xu Jingfeng , Zhao Yilei
Published: March 2020

From the perspective of targeting factors, iron acetylacetonate and nickel acetylacetonate were used as major materials, and oleylamine was used as a solvent. Through thermal decomposition, the uniformly distributed nanoparticle FeNi3 was obtained. Then, the α-methyltryptophan
(AMT) was used to modify FeNi3, thereby the material (FeNi3-AMT) would be biocompatible. The prepared material was used as a targeting factor to explore whether it could target the epileptogenic focus in temporal lobe epilepsy model rats. In the experiment, the animal
models of temporal lobe epilepsy were constructed by using the lithium chloride-pirocarpine method. According to the injection of the nuclear magnetic factor, the models were divided into the FeNi3 group, the FeNi3-AMT group, and the saline group. The model rats received
intravenous injections 48 hours after the onset of epilepsy. The activity of the epileptic seizure sites before and after injection, the penetration of nanoparticles, and the toxic and side effects of the material were compared. The results showed that the rat models of temporal lobe epilepsy
were successfully constructed (the success rate was more than 85%). Meanwhile, the epilepsy lesions of the rat models added with nanoparticles were darker (P < 0.05). The staining of rat brain sections confirmed the distribution of iron particles. In the FeNi3-AMT group,
there were more iron particles distributed (P < 0.05). In addition, various abnormal neurons appeared in the hippocampus of the three groups, and there was no significant difference between the different groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the number
of positive neurons in the CA3 region of the brain between different groups (P < 0.05). However, the imaging effect based on FeNi3-AMT was more prominent (P < 0.05), which confirmed that the FeNi3-AMT group had better targeting location effects. The
study confirmed that the iron nano alloy particle material had excellent application values in the localization of temporal lobe epilepsy.