bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
F-polynomials of tabulated virtual knots
Authors: Ivanov Maxim , Vesnin Andrei
Published: May 2020

A sequence of [Formula: see text]-polynomials [Formula: see text] of virtual knots [Formula: see text] was defined by Kaur et al. in 2018. These polynomials have been expressed in terms of index value of crossing and [Formula: see text]-writhe of [Formula: see text]. By the construction, [Formula: see text]-polynomials are generalizations of Kauffman’s Affine Index Polynomial, and are invariants of virtual knot [Formula: see text]. We present values of [Formula: see text]-polynomials of oriented virtual knots having at most four classical crossings in a diagram.
COMPARISON OF THEORIES OF REST TREMOR MECHANISM IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE: CENTRAL OSCILLATOR (SOURCE-TRIGGERED OSCILLATIONS) AND FEEDBACK-INDUCED INSTABILITY IN THE SENSORIMOTOR LOOP (SELF-SUSTAINED OSCILLATIONS)
Authors: SHAH VRUTANGKUMAR V. , GOYAL SACHIN , PALANTHANDALAM-MADAPUSI HARISH J.
Published: May 2020

Rest tremor is one of the most common and disabling symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The exact neural origin of rest tremor is still not clearly understood. Understanding the origin of rest tremor is important as it may aid in optimizing existing treatment strategies such as Deep Brain Stimulation or in developing new treatment strategies for rest tremor reduction. There are broadly two theories that are gaining prominence for rest tremor generation in PD. The first theory is the central oscillator theory that states that the rest tremor is triggered by an oscillatory source in the brain. The second theory is the feedback-induced instability theory that states that the rest tremor arises out of a feedback-induced instability in the sensorimotor loop. This paper analyzes validity of the two theories based on established clinical observations of Parkinsonian rest tremor by using representative simulation examples. Finally, based on our analysis, we propose two test-worthy experiments for further validation.
The normalized Ricci flow and homology in Lagrangian submanifolds of generalized complex space forms
Authors: Mofarreh Fatemah , Ali Akram , Othman Wan Ainun Mior
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we prove that a simply connected Lagrangian submanifold in the generalized complex space form is diffeomorphic to standard sphere [Formula: see text] and the normalized Ricci flow converges to a constant curvature metric, provided its squared norm of the second fundamental form satisfies some upper bound depending only on the squared norm of the mean curvature vector field, the constant sectional curvature, and the dimension of the Lagrangian immersion of the ambient space. Next, we conclude that stable currents do not exist and homology groups vanish in a compact real submanifold of the general complex space form, provided that the second fundamental form satisfies some extrinsic conditions. We show that our results improve some previous results.
Peridynamic Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates Based on First-Order Shear Deformation Theory
Authors: Dorduncu Mehmet , Kaya Kadir , Ergin Omer Faruk
Published: May 2020

A nonlocal Peridynamic Differential Operator (PDDO) is presented for static analysis of laminated composite plates based on the First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT). The equilibrium equations and boundary conditions of the FSDT were derived from the principle of virtual work. The local spatial derivatives in these equations were replaced with their nonlocal PD forms. The continuous transverse shear stresses were achieved by integrating the stress equilibrium equations through the thickness of the plate. This approach was validated against an existing analytical solution by considering a simply supported laminated composite plate under uniformly distributed sinusoidal load for different aspect ratios. The performance of this formulation was investigated by comparing through-the-thickness stress variations against the analytical solutions.
Design and analysis of a shear mode piezoelectric energy harvester for rotational motion system
Authors: Narolia Tejkaran , Gupta Vijay K. , Parinov I. A.
Published: May 2020

A shear mode piezoelectric energy harvester for harvesting energy from rotary motion is developed. The kinetic energy in the form of rotation is converted into electrical form of energy by piezoelectric principle with oscillation of piezoelectric patch through magnetic shear force. Efforts have been made to increase the output power using shear mode of operation. In order to estimate the induced voltage of piezoelectric patch, a mathematical model and an Finite Element (FE) model are developed. Considering various parameters, optimization of the harvester was made. Analytical and Finite Element Method (FEM) results are compared and good agreement has been found. The total average output power of 358.44 W is generated when rotary speed of hub of about 600 RPM.
The Potential Role of Endogenous Viral Elements in the Evolution of Bats as Reservoirs for Zoonotic Viruses
Authors: Skirmuntt Emilia C. , Escalera-Zamudio Marina , Teeling Emma C. , Smith Adrian , Katzourakis Aris
Published: May 2020

Despite a small genome size, bats have comparable diversity of retroviral and non-retroviral endogenous sequences to other mammals. These include Class I and Class II retroviral sequences, foamy viruses, and deltaretroviruses, as well as filovirus, bornavirus, and parvovirus endogenous viral elements. Some of these endogenous viruses are sufficiently preserved in bat genomes to be expressed, with potential effects for host biology. It is clear that the bat immune system differs when compared with other mammals, yet the role that virus-derived endogenous elements may have played in the evolution of bat immunity is poorly understood. In this review, we discuss some of the bat-specific immune mechanisms that may have resulted in a virus-tolerant phenotype and link these to the long-standing virus-host coevolution that may have allowed a large diversity of endogenous retroviruses and other endogenous viral elements to colonize bat genomes. We also consider the possible effects of endogenization in the evolution of the bat immune system.
Tuning the Senses: How the Pupil Shapes Vision at the Earliest Stage
Authors: Mathôt Sebastiaan
Published: May 2020

The pupil responds reflexively to changes in brightness and focal distance to maintain the smallest pupil (and thus the highest visual acuity) that still allows sufficient light to reach the retina. The pupil also responds to a wide variety of cognitive processes, but the functions of these cognitive responses are still poorly understood. In this review, I propose that cognitive pupil responses, like their reflexive counterparts, serve to optimize vision. Specifically, an emphasis on central vision over peripheral vision results in pupil constriction, and this likely reflects the fact that central vision benefits most from the increased visual acuity provided by small pupils. Furthermore, an intention to act with a bright stimulus results in preparatory pupil constriction, which allows the pupil to respond quickly when that bright stimulus is subsequently brought into view. More generally, cognitively driven pupil responses are likely a form of sensory tuning: a subtle adjustment of the eyes to optimize their properties for the current situation and the immediate future.
Mechanisms of altered skeletal muscle action potentials in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington’s disease
Authors: Miranda Daniel R. , Reed Eric , Jama Abdulrahman , Bottomley Michael , Ren Hongmei , Rich Mark M. , Voss Andrew A.
Published: May 2020

Huntington’s disease (HD) patients suffer from progressive and debilitating motor dysfunction for which only palliative treatment is currently available. Previously, we discovered reduced skeletal muscle Cl− channel (ClC-1) and inwardly rectifying K+ channel (Kir) currents in R6/2 HD transgenic mice. To further investigate the role of ClC-1 and Kir currents in HD skeletal muscle pathology, we measured the effect of reduced ClC-1 and Kir currents on action potential (AP) repetitive firing in R6/2 mice using a two-electrode current clamp. We found that R6/2 APs had a significantly lower peak amplitude, depolarized maximum repolarization, and prolonged decay time compared with wild type (WT). Of these differences, only the maximum repolarization was accounted for by the reduction in ClC-1 and Kir currents, indicating the presence of additional ion channel defects. We found that both KV1.5 and KV3.4 mRNA levels were significantly reduced in R6/2 skeletal muscle compared with WT, which explains the prolonged decay time of R6/2 APs. Overall, we found that APs in WT and R6/2 muscle significantly and progressively change during activity to maintain peak amplitude despite buildup of Na+ channel inactivation. Even with this resilience, the persistently reduced peak amplitude of R6/2 APs is expected to result in earlier fatigue and may help explain the motor impersistence experienced by HD patients. This work lays the foundation to link electrical changes to force generation defects in R6/2 HD mice and to examine the regulatory events controlling APs in WT muscle.
Functional modulation of sarcolemmal KATP channels by atrial natriuretic peptide-elicited intracellular signaling in adult rabbit ventricular cardiomyocytes
Authors: Zhang Dai-Min , Lin Yu-Fung
Published: May 2020

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cell metabolic status to membrane excitability and are crucial for stress adaptation and cytoprotection in the heart. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a cardiac peptide important for cardiovascular homeostasis, also exhibits cytoprotective features including protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injuries. However, how ANP modulates cardiac KATP channels is largely unknown. In the present study we sought to address this issue by investigating the role of ANP signaling in functional modulation of sarcolemmal KATP (sarcKATP) channels in ventricular myocytes freshly isolated from adult rabbit hearts. Single-channel recordings were performed in combination with pharmacological approaches in the cell-attached patch configuration. Bath application of ANP markedly potentiated sarcKATP channel activities induced by metabolic inhibition with sodium azide, whereas the KATP-stimulating effect of ANP was abrogated by selective inhibition of the natriuretic peptide receptor type A (NPR-A), cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), reactive oxygen species (ROS), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)1/2, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), or the ryanodine receptor (RyR). Blockade of RyRs also nullified hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced stimulation of sarcKATP channels in intact cells. Furthermore, single-channel kinetic analyses revealed that ANP enhanced the function of ventricular sarcKATP channels through destabilizing the long closures and facilitating the opening transitions, without affecting the single-channel conductance. In conclusion, here we report that ANP positively modulates the activity of ventricular sarcKATP channels via an intracellular signaling mechanism consisting of NPR-A, PKG, ROS, ERK1/2, CaMKII, and RyR2. This novel mechanism may regulate cardiac excitability and contribute to cytoprotection, in part, by opening myocardial KATP channels.
Influences of environmental factors during preeclampsia
Authors: Dasinger John Henry , Abais-Battad Justine M. , Mattson David L.
Published: May 2020

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder that impacts 5–8% of pregnancies and has long-term cardiovascular and metabolic implications for both mother and fetus. The mechanisms are unclear; however, it is believed that preeclampsia is characterized by abnormal vascularization during placentation resulting in the manifestation of clinical signs such as hypertension, proteinuria, and endothelial dysfunction. Although there is no current cure to alleviate the clinical signs, an emerging area of interest in the field is the influence of environmental factors including diet on the risk of preeclampsia. Because preeclampsia has serious cardiovascular implications to both the mother and fetus and most antihypertensive medications are contraindicated in pregnancy, it is important to investigate other potential therapeutic options such as dietary manipulation. The emerging field of nutrigenomics links diet with the gene expression of known pathways such as oxidative stress and inflammation via microbiome-mediated metabolites and could serve as one potential avenue of therapeutic targets for preeclampsia. Although the exact role of nutrition in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia is unknown, this review will focus on known pathways involved in the development of preeclampsia and how dietary intake modulates the microbiome, oxidative stress, and inflammation with an emphasis on nutrigenomics as a potential avenue of further investigation to better understand this pathology.
Defining “active sensing” through an analysis of sensing energetics: homeoactive and alloactive sensing
Authors: Zweifel Nadina O. , Hartmann Mitra J. Z.
Published: May 2020

The term “active sensing” has been defined in multiple ways. Most strictly, the term refers to sensing that uses self-generated energy to sample the environment (e.g., echolocation). More broadly, the definition includes all sensing that occurs when the sensor is moving (e.g., tactile stimuli obtained by an immobile versus moving fingertip) and, broader still, includes all sensing guided by attention or intent (e.g., purposeful eye movements). The present work offers a framework to help disambiguate aspects of the “active sensing” terminology and reveals properties of tactile sensing unique among all modalities. The framework begins with the well-described “sensorimotor loop,” which expresses the perceptual process as a cycle involving four subsystems: environment, sensor, nervous system, and actuator. Using system dynamics, we examine how information flows through the loop. This “sensory-energetic loop” reveals two distinct sensing mechanisms that subdivide active sensing into homeoactive and alloactive sensing. In homeoactive sensing, the animal can change the state of the environment, while in alloactive sensing the animal can alter only the sensor’s configurational parameters and thus the mapping between input and output. Given these new definitions, examination of the sensory-energetic loop helps identify two unique characteristics of tactile sensing: 1) in tactile systems, alloactive and homeoactive sensing merge to a mutually controlled sensing mechanism, and 2) tactile sensing may require fundamentally different predictions to anticipate reafferent input. We expect this framework may help resolve ambiguities in the active sensing community and form a basis for future theoretical and experimental work regarding alloactive and homeoactive sensing.
Optimization of Storage Location Assignment in Tier-To-Tier Shuttle-Based Storage and Retrieval Systems Based on Mixed Storage
Authors: Lei Bin , Hu Fangxin , Jiang Zhaoyuan , Mu Haibo
Published: May 2020

To improve the efficiency of tier-to-tier shuttle-based storage and retrieval system (SBS/RS), the optimization problem of the location allocation based on the mixed storage of goods is proposed. Considering the effect of warehouse operation scheduling and batch outbound allocation on the location allocation, an optimization model with the shortest outbound time of all outbound orders in a certain historical period is established. The optimization model consists of two stages: location allocation and job scheduling. A two-layer genetic algorithm is designed to solve the model. The first layer is used to solve the location allocation, and the coding method is group coding; the second layer is used for job scheduling, and the coding mode is real number coding. When the population is initialized during the location allocation phase, the BFD algorithm is used to improve the convergence velocity of the algorithm. Taking the actual data of a tier-to-tier SBS/RS of an aviation food company as an example, the established model and design algorithm were verified, and the different batch intervals of each cargo space for storing different types of goods and outbound were analyzed. The optimization effects of the algorithm are compared, and the effects of considering the job scheduling and not considering the job scheduling on the location allocation are compared. The results show that based on the cargo allocation strategy of cargo mixed storage, the outbound efficiency can be improved by about 20%. Considering job scheduling, the efficiency of warehousing is improved by about 5% compared with the optimization of warehouse allocation without job scheduling, where the efficiency of delivery is increased by about 6%.
An Explicit Coupled Method of FEM and Meshless Particle Method for Simulating Transient Heat Transfer Process of Friction Stir Welding
Authors: Xiao Yihua , Wu Hecheng
Published: May 2020

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a favorable welding technology for aluminum alloys. The FSW process involves complex heat and mass transfer. Explicit meshless particle methods are currently popular methods for simulating the process, but they require expensive computational cost. Coupling explicit finite element method (FEM) and meshless particle methods can ease the problem by making use of high efficiency of FEM and advantages of meshless particle methods. Though many efforts have been made to couple FEM and meshless particle methods for transient dynamics problems, coupling them for transient heat transfer problems is seldom addressed. In this work, we focus on treating this problem. We developed an explicit coupled method of FEM and the meshless particle method presented in a previous work and used it to simulate the thermal process during FSW. In the method, FEM using lumped heat capacity matrix and low-order numerical integration is constructed to obtain high efficiency. A new coupling algorithm is proposed to link thermal calculations of the weak-form FEM and the strong-form meshless particle method. Forward Euler method is used for time integration to achieve an explicit algorithm. The coupled method is used to calculate a numerical example having analytical solution. Calculated results show that it can achieve a good accuracy. The method is employed to simulate FSW of Al 6061-T6 plates. It predicts thermal cycles in good agreement with experimental results. It shows an accuracy comparable to that of the meshless particle method while having a higher efficiency than the latter.
Adaptive Molecular Evolution of AKT3 Gene for Positive Diversifying Selection in Mammals
Authors: Farmanullah  , Hosseini Seyed Mahdi , Liang Aixin , Hua Guohua , Rehman Zia ur , Talpur Hira Sajjad , Salim Mohammad , Ahmad Saeed , Abulaiti Adili , Khan Momen , Safdar Muhammad , Kakar Ihsan Ullah , Ahmad Zahoor , Ahmad Muhammad Zulfiqar , Tingzhu Ye , Schreurs Nicola M. , Bano Iqra , Yang Liguo
Published: May 2020

The V‐Akt Murine Thymoma Viral Oncogene Homolog 3 (AKT3) gene is of the serine/threonine‐protein kinase family and influences the production of milk fats and cholesterol by acting on the sterol administrative area restricting protein (SREBP). The AKT3 gene is highly preserved in animals, and during lactation in cattle, its expression increases. The AKT3 gene is expressed in the digestive system, mammary gland, and immune cells. A phylogenetic investigation was performed to clarify the evolutionary role of AKT3, by maximum probability. The AKT3 gene sequence data of various mammalian species was evident even with animals undergoing breeding selection. From 39 mammalian species studied, there was a signal of positive diversifying selection with Hominidae at 13Q, 16G, 23R, 24P, 121P, 294K, 327V, 376L, 397K, 445T, and 471F among other codon sites of the AKT3 gene. These sites were codes for amino acids such as arginine, proline, lysine, and leucine indicating major roles for the function of immunological proteins, and in particular, the study highlighted the importance of changes in gene expression of AKT3 on immunity.
Clinical Significance and Prognostic Value of miR-28-5p in Colon Cancer
Authors: Li Ji-lin , Li Ke-zhi , Xie Ming-zhi , Tang Yan-ping , Tang Yin-lin , Hu Bangli
Published: May 2020

Background. The association of miR-28-5p with colon cancer remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to determine the clinical significance and prognostic value of miR-28-5p in colon cancer. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data of miR-28-5p in colon adenocarcinoma data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the data was divided into cancer group and normal group, respectively. Forty colon cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected and tested by qRT-PCR methods. The difference of the miR-28-5p expression between colon cancer and normal tissues was compared. The clinical significance of miR-28-5p in colon cancer and the association with the survival were determined. The predictive value of miR-28-5p in clinical features was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve. The target genes of miR-28-5p were identified, and the functional of target genes was performed using bioinformatics analysis. Results: The expression of miR-28-5p was increased in colon cancer tissues compared with normal controls (p=0.037). The expression of miR-28-5p was significantly increased in tissues with distant metastases compared with that without distant metastases (p=0.026). Patients with high expression of miR-28-5p have a shorter survival time than those with low expression (p=0.004). Cox analysis showed that miR-28-5p was an independent predictor for the survival of patients (p=0.014). Combination of miR-28-5p with TNM stage and clinical stage can improve the prognostic value for the patients (p<0.05). miR-28-5p has a moderate predictive value in predicting the TNM stage and clinical stage (T stage: AUC=0.515; N stage: AUC=0.523, M stage: AUC=0.572; clinical stage: AUC=0.539). 711 potential target genes of miR-28-5p were screened; their function and pathways were identified. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that miR-28-5p was increased in colon cancer and can be an independent indicator for the overall survival in patients with colon cancer.
Recent Advances in Chitosan‐Based Metal Nanocomposites for Wound Healing Applications
Authors: Wang Kai , Pan Su , Qi Zhiping , Xia Peng , Xu Haotian , Kong Weijian , Li Hongru , Xue Pan , Yang Xiaoyu , Fu Chuan
Published: May 2020

Chitosan (CS) has been extensively studied as a natural polymer, in the field of wound repair, due to its useful properties, which include a lack of toxicity and stimulation, excellent biological affinity, degradability, and promotion of collagen deposition. However, inferior mechanical strength and moderate antibacterial properties are the drawbacks restricting its further clinical application. Many researchers have adopted the use of nanotechnology, in particular metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), in order to improve the mechanical strength and specific antibacterial properties of chitosan composites, with promising results. Furthermore, chitosan naturally functions as a reducing agent for MNPs, which can also reduce cytotoxicity. Thus, CS, in combination with MNPs, exhibits antibacterial activity, excellent mechanical strength, and anti‐inflammatory properties, and it has great potential to accelerate the process of wound healing. This review discusses the current use of CS and MNPs in wound healing and emphasises the synergy and the advantages for various applications in wound healing.
Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Adverse Cardiovascular Outcome in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Younger than 60 Years Old
Authors: Zeng Yingsi , Chen Zijun , Chen Qinkai , Zhan Xiaojiang , Long Haibo , Peng Fenfen , Zhang Fengping , Feng Xiaoran , Zhou Qian , Liu Lingling , Peng Xuan , Evergreen Tree Nephrology Association  , Guo Guanhua , Zhang Yujing , Wang Zebin , Wen Yueqiang , Li Jiao , Liang Jianbo
Published: May 2020

Background. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a new inflammatory marker; the relationship between NLR and adverse cardiovascular (CV) prognosis has been gradually emphasized in the general population. However, their association in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remains unclear. Methods. From January 1, 2010, to May 31, 2017, a total of 1652 patients were recruited. NLR was categorized in triplicates: NLR≤2.74, 2.743.96. Kaplan-Meier cumulative incidence curve and multivariable COX regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between NLR and the incidence of adverse CV outcome, while a competitive risk model was applied to assess the effects of other outcomes on adverse CV prognosis. Besides, forest plot was investigated to analyze the adverse CV prognosis in different subgroups. Results. During follow-up, 213 new-onset CV events and 153 CV disease (CVD) deaths were recorded. Multivariable COX regression models showed that the highest tertile of NLR level was associated with increased risk of CV events (HR=1.39, 95%CI=1.01‐1.93, P=0.046) and CVD mortality (HR=1.81, 95%CI=1.22‐2.69, P=0.003), while compared to the lowest tertile. Competitive risk models showed that the differences in CV event (P<0.001) and CVD mortality (P=0.004) among different NLR groups were still significant while excluding the effects of other outcomes. In subgroups, with each 1 increased in the NLR level, adjusted HR of new-onset CV event was 2.02 (95%CI=1.26−3.23, P=0.003) and CVD mortality was 2.98 (95%CI=1.58−5.62, P=0.001) in the younger group (age<60 years). Conclusions. NLR is an independent risk factor for adverse CV prognosis in PD patients younger than 60 years old.
How Do Climate and Nonclimatic Variables Influence the Production of Agricultural Staple Crops in Vulnerable Rural Communities in the Bawku Municipality of Northern Ghana?
Authors: Ayumah Rashida , Asante Felix , Guodaar Lawrence , Eshun Gabriel
Published: May 2020

We examined the influence of climate (temperature and rainfall) and nonclimatic variables (soil fertility using soil pH and organic matter) on the production of agricultural staple crops (maize [Zea mays L.], millet [Pennisetum glaucum L.], and rice [Oryza sativa L.]) in vulnerable communities in the Bawku Municipality of northern Ghana. Using five selected farming communities as study sites, multiple datasets were obtained from primary and secondary sources. Participatory approaches together with questionnaires were used as data collection tools to quantify and qualify climate (temperature and rainfall) and nonclimatic variables (soil fertility using soil pH and organic matter) and crop production. The Mann–Kendall trend test results indicate a significant variation in annual rainfall for the 15-year period (1999 to 2013) with a relatively stable mean temperature variation in the Municipality. The results of the multiple regression indicate that climatic and nonclimatic factors, particularly rainfall, soil pH, and organic matter have a significant positive effect on maize, millet, and rice when other factors are held constant. We conclude that to ease the burden of climate on production, better irrigation facilities be provided for the Municipality and weather forecasting information on the pending growing season be made available to farmers to enable them take informed decision. Also, policy on climate adaptation should take into account the interaction of external drivers of climate and nonclimatic variables to better build farmers’ resilience for food security at the local level.
Changing the Focus to the Whole Patient instead of One Oral Disease: The Concept of Individualized Prevention
Authors: Schmalz Gerhard , Ziebolz Dirk
Published: May 2020

Oral diseases are highly prevalent and a global burden. Accordingly, their prevention appears essential. Recently, different strategies have been developed, mainly focusing on the presence of singular oral diseases or conditions. This article aims to construct a contemporary concept of individualized preventive care in dentistry whereby the focus is switched from viewing oral health in isolation to viewing the patient as a whole. The basis for individualized prevention measures is the case-oriented profile, including the synthesis of risk- and need-oriented parameters. The risk profile comprises different risk factors within the fields of systemic diseases, medications, and lifestyle that inherently pose a potential risk of complications (e.g., infectious endocarditis) and/or oral diseases (e.g., periodontitis). The needs profile includes factors originating from the aspects of oral diseases, dental restorations/appliances, and dental results with a potential risk of pathogenesis (e.g., the de novo development of caries) and/or the potential progression of oral diseases (e.g., an existing caries lesion). Based on these parameters, the general framework and content of prevention measures, as well as the maintenance interval, should be adapted to the individual patient. The implications of this concept might increase the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of prevention in dental care. A further area of focus is primary prevention, that is, a focus on the preservation of oral health instead of a disease-related approach. However, clinical validation is needed to prove the benefits of the model presented. Individualized prevention promotes a shift from a disease-focused model to a whole-patient-focused model and provides a potential approach for establishing a contemporary concept for preventive care in dentistry.
A Novel Nomogram including AJCC Stages Could Better Predict Survival for NSCLC Patients Who Underwent Surgery: A Large Population-Based Study
Authors: Shang Xiaoling , Yu Haining , Lin Jiamao , Li Zhenxiang , Zhao Chenglong , Sun Jian , Wang Haiyong
Published: May 2020

Objective. In this study, we aimed to establish a novel nomogram model which was better than the current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage to predict survival for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent surgery. Patients and Methods. 19617 patients with initially diagnosed NSCLC were screened from Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. These patients were randomly divided into two groups including the training cohort and the validation cohort. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the influence of different variables on overall survival (OS). Then, using R software version 3.4.3, we constructed a nomogram and a risk classification system combined with some clinical parameters. We visualized the regression equation by nomogram after obtaining the regression coefficient in multivariate analysis. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve were used to perform the validation of nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the clinical utility of the nomogram. Results. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that seven factors including age, sex, stage, histology, surgery, and positive lymph nodes (all, P<0.001) were independent predictors of OS. Among them, stage (C-index = 0.615), positive lymph nodes (C-index = 0.574), histology (C-index = 0.566), age (C-index = 0.563), and sex (C-index = 0.562) had a relatively strong ability to predict the OS. Based on these factors, we established and validated the predictive model by nomogram. The calibration curves showed good consistency between the actual OS and predicted OS. And the decision curves showed great clinical usefulness of the nomogram. Then, we built a risk classification system and divided NSCLC patients into two groups including high-risk group and low-risk group. The Kaplan–Meier curves revealed that OS in the two groups was accurately differentiated in the training cohort (P<0.001). And then, we validated this result in the validation cohort which also showed that patients in the high-risk group had worse survival than those in the low-risk group. Conclusion. The results proved that the nomogram model had better performance to predict survival for NSCLC patients who underwent surgery than AJCC stage. These tools may be helpful for clinicians to evaluate prognostic indicators of patients undergoing operation.
Combination of Acupoints in Treating Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Apriori Algorithm‐Based Association Rule Analysis
Authors: Hsieh Po-Chun , Cheng Chu-Fang , Wu Chih-Wei , Tzeng I-Shiang , Kuo Chan-Yen , Hsu Pei-Shan , Lee Chang-Ti , Yu Min-Chien , Lan Chou-Chin
Published: May 2020

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent and a major burden on the healthcare system worldwide. It has a severe impact on patients due to poor health‐related quality of life (HRQL), dyspnea, and exertional intolerance. Our previous meta‐analysis revealed that body acupuncture therapy had adjuvant benefits of improving HRQL in COPD patients undergoing optimal medical treatment. Previous studies indicated that treatment with combinations of acupoints was more effective than single acupoint treatment. The association rule analysis has been widely used to explore relationships in acupoint combination. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the potential core acupoint combination in COPD treatment by mining the association rules from the retrieved randomized control trials (RCTs) of the previous meta‐analyses. This study was conducted based on Apriori algorithm‐based association rule analysis, which is a popular data mining method available in software R. We extracted acupoints as binary data from the 12 included RCTs for analysis. There were 27 acupoints extracted from 12 RCTs. The top 10 frequently selected acupoints were BL12, BL13, BL20, BL23, BL43, CV17, EXB1, LU5, LU7, and ST36. We investigated 2444 association rules, and the results showed that {ST36, BL12} ≥ {CV17}, {ST36, BL12} ≥ {EXB1}, {CV17, BL12} ≥ {ST36}, and {EXB1, BL12} ≥ {ST36} were the most associated rules in the retrieved RCTs. The acupoint combinations of ST36, BL12, and CV17 and ST36, BL12, and EXB1 could be considered as the core of acupoint combination for further acupuncture treatment of COPD.
Study on Optimal Generative Network for Synthesizing Brain Tumor-Segmented MR Images
Authors: Lee Hyunhee , Jo Jaechoon , Lim Heuiseok
Published: May 2020

Due to institutional and privacy issues, medical imaging researches are confronted with serious data scarcity. Image synthesis using generative adversarial networks provides a generic solution to the lack of medical imaging data. We synthesize high-quality brain tumor-segmented MR images, which consists of two tasks: synthesis and segmentation. We performed experiments with two different generative networks, the first using the ResNet model, which has significant advantages of style transfer, and the second, the U-Net model, one of the most powerful models for segmentation. We compare the performance of each model and propose a more robust model for synthesizing brain tumor-segmented MR images. Although ResNet produced better-quality images than did U-Net for the same samples, it used a great deal of memory and took much longer to train. U-Net, meanwhile, segmented the brain tumors more accurately than did ResNet.
Detection and Classification of Early Decay on Blueberry Based on Improved Deep Residual 3D Convolutional Neural Network in Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Qiao Shicheng , Wang Qinghu , Zhang Jun , Pei Zhili
Published: May 2020

Recently, the automatic detection of decayed blueberries is still a challenge in food industry. Early decay of blueberries happens on surface peel, which may adopt the feasibility of hyperspectral imaging mode to detect decayed region of blueberries. An improved deep residual 3D convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) framework is proposed for hyperspectral images classification so as to realize fast training, classification, and parameter optimization. Rich spectral and spatial features can be rapidly extracted from samples of complete hyperspectral images using our proposed network. This combines the tree structured Parzen estimator (TPE) adaptively and selects the super parameters to optimize the network performance. In addition, aiming at the problem of few samples, this paper proposes a novel strategy to enhance the hyperspectral image sample data, which can improve the training effect. Experimental results on the standard hyperspectral blueberry datasets show that the proposed framework improves the classification accuracy compared with AlexNet and GoogleNet. In addition, our proposed network reduces the number of parameters by half and the training time by about 10%.
Animal Models of Diabetes-Associated Renal Injury
Authors: Noshahr Zahra Samadi , Salmani Hossein , Khajavi Rad Abolfazl , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: May 2020

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main factor leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and subsequent morbidity and mortality. Importantly, the prevalence of DN is continuously increasing in developed countries. Many rodent models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been established to elucidate the pathogenesis of diabetes and examine novel therapies against DN. These models are developed by chemical, surgical, genetic, drug, and diet/nutrition interventions or combination of two or more methods. The main characteristics of DN including a decrease in renal function, albuminuria and mesangiolysis, mesangial expansion, and nodular glomerulosclerosis should be exhibited by an animal model of DN. However, a rodent model possessing all of the abovementioned features of human DN has not yet been developed. Furthermore, mice of different genetic backgrounds and strains show different levels of susceptibility to DN with respect to albuminuria and development of glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions. Therefore, the type of diabetes, development of nephropathy, duration of the study, cost of maintaining and breeding, and animals’ mortality rate are important factors that might be affected by the type of DN model. In this review, we discuss the pros and cons of different rodent models of diabetes that are being used to study DN.
Resveratrol Treatment Is Associated with Lipid Regulation and Inhibition of Lipoprotein‐Associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2) in Rabbits Fed a High‐Fat Diet
Authors: Xu Lei , Wang Renjie , Liu Hongyu , Wang Jiaoqi , Mang Jing , Xu Zhongxin
Published: May 2020

The effects of resveratrol on various conditions have been widely studied previously. This paper aimed to investigate the influence of resveratrol on atherosclerosis (AS). Twenty‐four New Zealand male rabbits were randomly and equally assigned to the normal diet group (NDG), fat diet group (FDG), and fat diet with resveratrol group (80 mg/kg/d, RFG). Biochemical indicators from blood samples were analyzed at baseline and 3 months to investigate the effects of resveratrol on blood lipid, lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2), liver, and renal function. The indicators including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine (CREA), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), and Lp‐PLA2. At 3 months, arteries were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to study the influence of resveratrol on the aortic intima, smooth muscle layer, and the intima/media ratio. Comparisons of weight, ALT, AST, CREA, TG, TC, HDL‐C, LDL‐C, and Lp‐PLA2 among the three groups showed no significant difference at baseline. However, at the end of 3 months, significant differences were observed in AST, CREA, TC, HDL‐C, LDL‐C, and Lp‐PLA2 between the three groups (P < 0.05). In pairwise comparison, CREA, TC, LDL‐C, and Lp‐PLA2 had significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). In addition, there were significant differences in the AST and HDL‐C levels between RFG and NDG groups (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the HDL‐C levels were also significantly different between the FDG and NDG groups (P < 0.01). The histologic analysis also showed that the thickness of the aortic intima and the ratio of the intima and aortic tunica media (P < 0.05) significantly decreased in RFG compared to FDG. Resveratrol may have an antiatherosclerosis effect on a rabbit model of AS.
Chromosome 6p Amplification in Aqueous Humor Cell-Free DNA Is a Prognostic Biomarker for Retinoblastoma Ocular Survival
Authors: Xu Liya , Polski Ashley , Prabakar Rishvanth K. , Reid Mark W. , Chevez-Barrios Patricia , Jubran Rima , Kim Jonathan W. , Kuhn Peter , Cobrinik David , Hicks James , Berry Jesse L.
Published: May 2020

Aqueous humor contains tumor-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and can serve as a liquid biopsy for retinoblastoma. We previously associated somatic copy-number alteration (SCNA) 6p gain with a 10-fold increased risk of enucleation. Here we provide a 2-year update to further explore 6p gain as a prognostic biomarker for ocular survival. Patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma from December 2014 to July 2019 from whom aqueous humor was sampled were included. cfDNA was extracted and shallow whole-genome sequencing performed to identify highly recurrent retinoblastoma SCNAs (gain of 1q, 2p, 6p, loss of 13q, 16q). 116 aqueous humor samples from 50 eyes of 46 patients were included: 27 eyes were salvaged, 23 were enucleated. Highly recurrent retinoblastoma SCNAs were found in 66% eyes. 6p gain was the most prevalent SCNA (50% eyes). It was particularly more prevalent in enucleated eyes (73.9%) than in salvaged eyes (29.6%; P = 0.004). 6p gain in aqueous humor cfDNA portended nearly 10-fold increased odds of enucleation (OR = 9.87; 95% confidence interval = 1.75–55.65; P = 0.009). In the enucleated eyes, 6p gain was associated with aggressive histopathologic features, including necrosis, higher degrees of anaplasia, and focal invasion of ocular structures. With extended follow-up and nearly double the aqueous humor samples, we continue to demonstrate 6p gain as a potential prognostic biomarker for retinoblastoma.

Implications:

Aqueous humor is a high-yield source of tumor-derived DNA in retinoblastoma eyes. Detection of 6p gain in the aqueous humor allows for targeted, patient-centered therapies based on this molecular prognostic marker. Prospective, multicenter studies with aqueous humor sampled from all eyes at diagnosis are warranted to validate these findings.
RPGR-Related X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa Carriers with a Severe “Male Pattern”
Authors: Salvetti Anna Paola , Nanda Anika , MacLaren Robert E.
Published: May 2020

Background: X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) due to mutations in the RPGR gene is a very severe form of RP, resulting in rapid disease progression and retinal dysfunction. Female carriers do not usually report symptoms. However, it has reported that carriers of XLRP can have a significant visual and retinal impairment. Objectives: To report a detailed description of 3 cases of severely affected females who presented with a “male” phenotype and have posed challenges at diagnosis, due to the apparent autosomal dominant family history. Method: Autofluorescence imaging (AF), colour imaging and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed. Confirmation of the genetic mutation was obtained by Sanger genetic sequencing. In 1 patient an X-inactivation analysis was performed to detect the X-inactivation ratio, as the percentage of cells tested in which each allele is active. Results: All the patients started suffering from night blindness in early childhood. Colour, fundus AF and OCT images showed the typical pattern of degeneration reported in men. One patient underwent retina implant surgery due to the severe atrophy. Conclusions: This is a small selection of females with a severe phenotype that do not differ from the typical male phenotype. In our opinion gene therapy surgery should be warranted in this scenario.
Immunomorphological Features of the Placenta in Allogeneic Pregnancy as the Background for the Development of Obstetric Complications
Authors: Rudenko Ekaterina E. , Kogan Evgeniya A. , Demura Тatiana А. , Zharkov Nickolay V. , Trifonova Natalia S. , Zhukova Elvira V. , Aleksandrov Leonid S. , Bayanova Sofia N.
Published: May 2020

Objective: To study the structural and immunohistochemical features of placentas in women after assisted reproductive technology (ART) with allogeneic eggs (oocyte donation and surrogate motherhood). Study Design: The study involved 89 women whose pregnancy occurred as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a donor egg in a surrogate motherhood program (IVF-SM, n = 47 patients) or oocyte donation (IVF-DO, n = 42). The comparison group consisted of 21 patients in whom pregnancy occurred as a result of IVF with their own egg (IVF-OE). A clinical and anamnestic analysis of the pregnant women was carried out. Morphological and immunohistochemical studies were performed on placental material. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD8, CD56, CD138, and CD25/CD4 markers indicating the processes of impaired tolerance in placenta was carried out. ­Results: We observed a predominance of women aged >40 (range 42.7–3.91) years with a burdened somatic and obstetric-gynecological history and a high incidence of hypertensive pregnancy complications, such as gestational arterial hypertension (27.4%) and preeclampsia (28.5%), in the IVF-DO group. The IVF-SM group included mainly somatically healthy women aged <30 (29.4–3.19) years with a high risk of termination of pregnancy in the third trimester (49.6%) and premature birth (21.6%). Placentas taken from women after allogeneic pregnancy had pronounced signs of immune alteration, such as chronic histiocytic intervillositis, lymphoplasmacytic deciduitis, chronic chorioamnionitis, chronic villitis, and perivillous fibrinoid with lymphocytes (p [F] < 0.05). Immunohistochemical study of the placentas showed accumulation of CD138+ plasma cells, CD8+ T lymphocytes, and uterine natural killer cells, and a decrease in the number of CD25/CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the structures of the uteroplacental region (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Placentas after IVF with oocyte donation and surrogate motherhood programs are characterized by similar changes, associated with the development of chronic inflammation in the structures of the placenta and immunohistochemical signs of impaired immunological tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface. The data we obtained allow us to classify pregnancies under surrogate motherhood programs as a risk factor for the development of pregnancy complications with immune pathogenesis.
Disease-Specific Molecular Profiles Highlighted by Radar Graphic Display
Authors: Scala Enrico , Abeni Damiano , Asero Riccardo
Published: May 2020

Background: Management of hundreds of analytes obtained from the molecular multiplex techniques currently available may represent a challenge for clinicians in daily clinical practice. Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe a comprehensive and simple approach to assess such complex molecular results, to display relevant disease-specific signatures at a glance, and to facilitate their interpretation. Method: A total of 6,332 consecutive allergic patients, categorized based on clinical symptoms reported at the time of the first visit before IgE testing, were evaluated through ImmunoCAP ISAC112®. Results and Conclusions: The occurrence of bronchial asthma is associated with polcalcin, serum albumin, or lipocalin reactivity. Higher risk of severe reaction to food is linked to tropomyosin or nonspecific lipid transfer protein reactivity (in the absence of plant pathogenesis-related proteins [PR-10] or profilin sensitization). We used radar graphic display to highlight, at a glance, the molecular reactivity profiles associated with relevant disease-specific patterns.