bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between Uric Acid Level and Severity of Acute Primary Cerebral Infarction: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Wang Ruying , Zhong Yi , Zhou Quan , Xu Ping
Published: June 2020

Numerous studies have shown that uric acid (UA) is associated with cerebrovascular disease, but whether UA is a protective factor or worsens the risk of developing cerebrovascular disease remains controversial. This study investigated the relationship between UA levels detected at admission and the severity of acute primary cerebral infarction. This cross‐sectional study enrolled patients with acute primary cerebral infarction (N = 238, 157 men). We designated the levels of serum UA measured at the time of admission as the independent variable and the degree of neurological impairment at admission as the dependent variable. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the extent of neurological dysfunction: NIHSS ≤ 5, minor stroke; NIHSS > 5, moderate to severe stroke. There was a statistically significant difference in UA levels between patients with mild cerebral infarctions (NIHSS ≤ 5) and those with moderate or severe cerebral infarctions (NIHSS > 5) (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the serum UA level was found to be nonlinearly related to NIHSS, and the inflection point was 372 μmol/L. The extent of the influence and confidence interval was 0.99 (0.98, 0.99) on the left side of the inflection point and 1.00 (1.00, 1.01) on the right side. There was a nonlinear relationship between the UA level measured on admission and the degree of neurological impairment in patients with acute primary cerebral infarction. When UA was <372 μmol/L, it was negatively correlated with the degree of neurological impairment in patients with acute cerebral infarction, but when UA was ≥372 μmol/L, the protective effect of UA disappeared.
Readministration of Cancer Drugs in a Patient with Chemorefractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kawagoe Tetsuro , Ikeda Go , Oshiro Yu , Maruki Yuta , Kaneko Keiko , Iwakiri Katsuhiko
Published: June 2020

A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our institution for severe pain in her right lower abdomen caused by the perforation of cecal cancer. She underwent emergency surgery, from which she was diagnosed with cecal carcinoma with liver, lung, and lymph node metastases. As she was taking aspirin to prevent cerebral infarction, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (receptor) antibody and regorafenib therapy were not used. Thus, we started a modified FOLFOX 6+cetuximab regimen. This first-line treatment initially achieved a partial response (PR), but she then developed progressive disease (PD) after 14 months. We changed the regimen to FOLFIRI, followed by trifluridine/tipiracil, but her progression-free survival periods were 2.7 months and 1 month, respectively. Although we cycled through the available array of standard cancer drugs, the patient showed a good performance status, and some benefit from treatment still seemed plausible. We readministered the 5-fluorouracil oral preparation S-1, which maintained stable disease (SD) for 7 months. After PD emerged, we readministered the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody panitumumab for 7.5 months of SD. Finally, 39 months after her diagnosis, she died from rapidly progressing disease. However, her relatively long survival implies that readministering drugs similar to those used in previous regimens might benefit patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Influence of Solvent on the Component Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Apricot Cake (Prunus armeniaca L.) Extracts
Authors: Shakun A. S. , Vorobyova V. I. , Chygyrynets O. E. , Skiba M. I.
Published: June 2020

Antioxidants of natural origin which are based on agroprocessing waste appear as substance with high performance properties. They have complicated structure and contain a complex of biologically active compounds. This is why research of the above is particularly relevant in current competitive market. When working with plant raw materials and isolation of valuable compounds, the urgent issue is the choice of the method (extraction method) and extractant, which will ensure a maximum release of chemically active compounds. Known solvents such as methanol, ethanol, hexane, diethyl ether, and mixtures thereof are usually used for recovery. The purpose of this research was to study the effect of selected nonpolar solvents on the phytochemical composition and the antioxidant capacity of Prunus armeniaca L. Extracts were obtained using ethanol, silicone, propan-2-ol, and mixtures of ethanol silicone and propan-2-ol with silicone. In the obtained extracts, identification of the sequestered chemically active compounds was carried out by means of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and IR and UV spectrometry, and the extracts were evaluated on antioxidant properties. Various extracts showed varying degrees of antioxidant activity in various test systems, depending on the concentration. Since various antioxidant compounds have different mechanisms of action, several methods have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of antioxidant extracts. The results showed that the test solvents play an important role in the extraction of the plant material into the component composition, as well as the antioxidant ability of Prunus armeniaca L.
[Retracted] Overexpression of 14‐3‐3σ Modulates Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Survival by PI3K/Akt Signaling
Authors: Wu Qiao , Fan Hua , Lang Ren , Li Xianliang , Zhang Xingmao , Lv Shaocheng , He Qiang
Published: June 2020

The protein 14‐3‐3σ is involved in numerous cellular processes through its ability to bind phosphorylated serine/threonine residues. It is a key regulator of the cell cycle involving in G2 arrest by p53. Deregulation of 14‐3‐3σ expression has been associated with a large variety of human cancers. However, its physiological function and therapeutic significance have rarely been investigated in cholangiocarcinoma. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), we evaluated 14‐3‐3σ expression in 65 human extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas. As a result, we found that 14‐3‐3σ is expressed in the tissue of 56 patients (86.2%), and its expression is positively correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and tumor stage. We also explored the significance of 14‐3‐3σ and found that 14‐3‐3σ exerts cell type‐dependent effects on cell proliferation through PI3K/Akt signaling in both in vitro and in vivo xenograft models. These results suggest that 14‐3‐3σ assumes a constitutive role in tumorigenesis rather than acting as a cell cycle regulator in cholangiocarcinoma, which makes 14‐3‐3σ a new potential target for therapeutic intervention.
FOXA1 Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Association with Clinicopathological Characteristics and EMT Markers
Authors: Ammous-Boukhris Nihel , Ayadi Wajdi , Derbel Mariem , Allaya-Jaafar Nesrine , Charfi Slim , Daoud Jamel , Sellami-Boudawara Tahya , Mokdad-Gargouri Raja
Published: June 2020

The forkhead box (FOXA) family of transcription factors regulates gene expression and chromatin structure during tumorigenesis and embryonic development. Until now, the relationship between FOXA1 and the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has not yet been reported. Therefore, our purpose is to analyze the expression of FOXA1 in 56 NPC patients compared to 10 normal nasopharyngeal mucosae and to correlate the expression with the clinicopathological features. Besides, we investigated the association between FOXA1 and LMP1 gene expression, as well as the EMT markers namely the E‐cadherin and Twist1. Among 56 NPC tissues, 34 (60.7%) cases were positive for FOXA1. Furthermore, we noticed that FOXA1 expression correlated with TNM (p = 0.037), and age at diagnosis (p = 0.05). Moreover, positive expression of FOXA1 is likely to be associated with prolonged disease‐free survival and overall survival rates. On the other hand, we observed a positive association between the expression of E‐cadherin and FOXA1 (p = 0.0051) whereas Twist1 correlated negatively with FOXA1 (p = 0.004). Furthermore, knowing that LMP1 plays a key role in the pathogenesis of NPC, we explored the association of FOXA1 with the LMP1 gene expression in both NPC cell lines and tissues. We found that, in the C666‐1 which displays low levels of LMP1, the expression of FOXA1 is high, and inversely in the C15 cell line that expresses a high level of LMP1, the level of FOXA1 is low. Besides, in accordance to our results, we found that in NPC tissues there is a negative association between LMP1 and FOXA1. In conclusion, our results suggest that the overexpression of FOXA1 is associated with a nonaggressive behavior and favorable prognosis in NPC patients. FOXA1 could contribute in the EMT process through key factors as E‐cadherin, Twist1, and LMP1.
Hydroxytyrosol Plays Antiatherosclerotic Effects through Regulating Lipid Metabolism via Inhibiting the p38 Signal Pathway
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Qin Yating , Wan Xiaoning , Liu Hao , Iv Chao , Ruan Weibin , Lu Li , He Lin , Guo Xiaomei
Published: June 2020

Purpose. Hydroxytyrosol (HT) processes multiaspect pharmacological properties such as antithrombosis and antidiabetes. The aim of this study was to explore the antistherosclerotic roles and relevant mechanisms of HT. Methods. Male apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into 2 groups: the control group and the HT group (10 mg/kg/day orally). After 16 weeks, blood tissue, heart tissue, and liver tissue were obtained to detect the atherosclerotic lesions, histological analysis, lipid parameters, and inflammation. And the underlying molecular mechanisms of HT were also studied in vivo and in vitro. Results. HT administration significantly reduced the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of apoE-/- mice. We found that HT markedly lowered the levels of serum TG, TC, and LDL‐C approximately by 17.4% (p = 0.004), 15.2% (p = 0.003), and 17.9% (p = 0.009), respectively, as well as hepatic TG and TC by 15.0% (p < 0.001) and 12.3% (p = 0.003), respectively, while inducing a 26.9% (p = 0.033) increase in serum HDL‐C. Besides, HT improved hepatic steatosis and lipid deposition. Then, we discovered that HT could regulate the signal flow of AMPK/SREBP2 and increase the expression of ABCA1, apoAI, and SRBI. In addition, HT reduced the levels of serum CRP, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 approximately by 23.5% (p < 0.001), 27.8% (p < 0.001), 18.4% (p < 0.001), and 19.1% (p < 0.001), respectively, and induced a 1.4‐fold increase in IL‐10 level (p = 0.014). Further, we found that HT might regulate cholesterol metabolism via decreasing phosphorylation of p38, followed by activation of AMPK and inactivation of NF‐κB, which in turn triggered the blockade of SREBP2/PCSK9 and upregulation of LDLR, apoAI, and ABCA1, finally leading to a reduction of LDL‐C and increase of HDL‐C in the circulation. Conclusion. Our results provide the first evidence that HT displays antiatherosclerotic actions via mediating lipid metabolism‐related pathways through regulating the activities of inflammatory signaling molecules.
Uniaxial Compression Mechanical Properties of Rock Samples in Soft and Hard Composite Strata
Authors: Wu Bo , Huang Wei
Published: June 2020

In the upper soft and lower hard composite strata, it is very difficult to sample the rock and test the mechanical properties of the samples. The study of the mechanical properties of similar material samples by artificial manufacture may enable an alternative method to solve this problem. Therefore, the feasibility of artificial sample preparation and the test of mechanical properties of rock samples in the composite strata become the key to solve the study of mechanical properties of the upper soft strata and the lower hard composite strata. For this purpose, the artificial composite samples composed of two kinds of materials with different strengths were prepared by using cement and kaolin as similar materials. Through the uniaxial compression test of artificial composite rock samples, the effects of the strength ratio of similar materials and the thickness ratio of higher strength materials on the mechanical properties of composite specimens were analyzed. The results of uniaxial compression test show that artificial similar materials could be used to simulate the composite rock samples which are difficult to sample. Without considering the structural interface effect, the greater the strength ratio of similar materials, the greater the impact on the overall strength of composite specimens. The change of volume proportion of high‐strength materials has a significant impact on the overall strength of composite specimens. Moreover, the numerical simulation and the experimental stress‐strain curves both show a similar trend, indicating that the deformation of the composite strata mainly occurs in the soft part. The research results can provide reference for the test and analysis of mechanical properties in similar complex strata with difficult sampling.
Progression of Aortic Arch Calcification Is Associated with Overall and Cardiovascular Mortality in Hemodialysis
Authors: Chung Wei-Shiuan , Shih Ming-Chen Paul , Wu Pei-Yu , Huang Jiun-Chi , Chen Szu-Chia , Chiu Yi-Wen , Chang Jer-Ming , Chen Hung-Chun
Published: June 2020

Background. Vascular calcification is common and associated with unfavorable outcomes among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Nevertheless, little is known whether the progression of vascular calcification outweighs the baseline calcification in association with overall and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods. This study included 140 maintenance HD patients. Vascular calcification was assessed using the aortic arch calcification (AoAC) score measured from chest radiographs at the baseline and the second year of follow-up. Progression of vascular calcification (ΔAoAC) was defined as the difference between the two measurements of AoAC. The association of ΔAoAC with overall and CV mortality was evaluated using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results. During the mean follow-up period of 5.8 years, there were 49 (35%) overall mortality and 27 (19.3%) CV mortality. High brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was positively correlated with ΔAoAC, whereas old age was negatively correlated with ΔAoAC. In multivariate adjusted Cox analysis, increased ΔAoAC (per 1 unit), but not baseline AoAC, was significantly associated with overall mortality (HR, 1.183; 95% CI, 1.056–1.327; p=0.004) and CV mortality (HR, 1.194; 95% CI, 1.019–1.398; p=0.028). Conclusion. Progression of AoAC outperformed the baseline AoAC in association with increased risk of overall and CV mortality in HD patients. A regular follow-up of chest radiograph and AoAC score assessments are simple and cost-effective to identify the high-risk individuals of unfavorable outcomes in maintenance HD patients.
Inertia Parameter Identification for an Unknown Satellite in Precapture Scenario
Authors: Liu Xiao-Feng , Zhang Xiao-Yu , Chen Pei-Ran , Cai Guo-Ping
Published: June 2020

The problem of dynamics and control using a space robot to capture a noncooperative satellite is an important issue for on-orbit services. Inertia parameters of the satellite should be identified before capturing such that the robot can design an active controller to finish the capturing task. In this paper, a new identification scheme is proposed for parameter identification of a noncooperative satellite. In this scheme, the space robot is controlled to contact softly and then maintain contact with the noncooperative target firstly, then the variation of momentum of the target during the contact-maintaining phase is calculated using the control force and torque acting on the base of the space robot and the kinematic information of the space robot, and finally, the momentum-conservation-based identification method is used to estimate inertia parameters of the target. To realize soft contact and then maintain contact, a damping contact controller is designed in this paper, in which a mass-damping system is designed to control the contact between the robot and the target. Soft contact and then contact maintenance can be realized by utilizing the buffering characteristics of the mass-damping system. The effectiveness of the proposed identification scheme is verified through numerical simulations at the end of this paper. Simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme can achieve high-precision identification results.
tRNA‐Derived Fragments in Podocytes with Adriamycin‐Induced Injury Reveal the Potential Mechanism of Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Li Shanwen , Liu Yiwen , He Xiaowei , Luo Xiagang , Shi Huimin , Qu Gaoting , Wen Xianli , Gan Weihua , Wang Jun , Zhang Aiqing
Published: June 2020

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is a disease involving injury to podocytes in the glomerular filtration barrier, and its specific causes have not been elucidated. Transfer RNA‐derived fragments (tRFs), products of precise tRNA cleavage, have been indicated to play critical roles in various diseases. Currently, there is no relevant research on the role of tRFs in INS. This study intends to explore the changes in and importance of tRFs during podocyte injury in vitro and to further analyze the potential mechanism of INS. Differentially expressed tRFs in the adriamycin‐treated group were identified by high‐throughput sequencing and further verified by quantitative RT‐PCR. In total, 203 tRFs with significant differential expression were identified, namely, 102 upregulated tRFs and 101 downregulated tRFs (q < 0.05, ∣log2FC | ≥2). In particular, AS‐tDR‐008924, AS‐tDR‐011690, tDR‐003634, AS‐tDR‐013354, tDR‐011031, AS‐tDR‐001008, and AS‐tDR‐007319 were predicted to be involved in podocyte injury by targeting the Gpr, Wnt, Rac1, and other genes. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis showed that these differential tRFs were strongly associated with podocyte injury processes such as protein binding, cell adhesion, synapses, the actin cytoskeleton, and insulin‐activate receptor activity. KEGG pathway analysis predicted that they participated in the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, and Ras signaling pathway. It was reported that these pathways contribute to podocyte injury. In conclusion, our study revealed that changes in the expression levels of tRFs might be involved in INS. Seven of the differentially expressed tRFs might play important roles in the process of podocyte injury and are worthy of further study.
The Effectiveness of First-Generation iStent Microbypass Implantation Depends on Initial Intraocular Pressure: 24-Month Follow-Up—Prospective Clinical Trial
Authors: Konopińska Joanna , Kozera Milena , Kraśnicki Paweł , Mariak Zofia , Rękas Marek
Published: June 2020

Background. Evaluation of efficacy of the iStent trabecular bypass implant in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) depending on the value pretreatment IOP and number of medications used before surgery in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PXG) and coexisting cataract.Methods. A prospective, uncontrolled, interventional case series. 72 patients, on a mean age of 72.42 ± 9.17, were divided into two groups depending on baseline IOP: group I < 26 mmHg and group II ≥ 26 mmHg. All subjects underwentab internoimplantation of a single iStent together with cataract surgery. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), IOP, number of antiglaucoma medications, visual field, and number and type of complications were examined before and after surgery. Postoperative patients were followed up at 1, 7, and 30 days and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. All the patients were washed out preoperatively as well as postoperatively.Results. The mean observation time was 20 months. The mean preoperative IOP was 21.03 ± 1.44 mmHg in group I and reduced to mean 15.60 ± 2.12 mmHg after operation. In group II, mean IOP reduced from 26.00 ± 0.00 to 18.56 ± 1.81 (p=0.003). Mean glaucoma medications decreased from 1.35 ± 0.65 to 0.29 ± 0.52 in group I (p<0.001) and from 2.89 ± 1.18 to 1.33 ± 1.50 in group II (p<0.001). At 24 months, medication reduction was significantly greater in group I than group II (p=0.026).Conclusions. Combined cataract surgery with implantation of iStent seems to be an effective procedure in patients with mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma and cataract. In patients with baseline IOP < 26 mmHg, surgery reduced IOP and medication use significantly declined to 2 years, with greater reductions achieved versus patients with baseline IOP ≥ 26 mmHg. This trial is registered withNCT03807869.
Analysis and Simulation of a Fractional Order Optimal Control Model for HBV
Authors: Yang Liangli , Su Yongmei , Li Xiaoke , Ye Yongan
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we propose a fractional optimal control model of anti-HBV infection based on saturation incidence and logistic proliferation of uninfected cells for the first time. We derive the basic reproduction number R0 and the cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune response reproductive number R1 and give the stable analysis based on R0 and R1. We analyse the optimal control condition and give two optimal control strategies about entecavir monotherapy and combination therapy of traditional Chinese medicine and entecavir with different fractional orders by simulation. The simulation shows that combination therapy may be a good choice in anti-HBV infection therapy. We also compare the objective function values of the optimal control strategies with other constant control strategies; the comparison shows that the optimal therapy can get similar or better treatment effect with less drug dose and side effects.
Novel Conservative Approach to High Surgical Risk Frail Proximal Femur Fractures
Authors: Koizia Alexander , Abuown Ala , Vowles Julie , Smith Damien , Koizia Louis J.
Published: June 2020

One of the major impacts following a neck of femur fracture is pain. Most patients (nearly all) undergo an operation. This usually includes the frailest terminal patients and deemed a palliative procedure to reduce ongoing pain. The operation comes with risks and can reduce life expectancy in these patients and result in prolonged hospital admission, delirium, and postoperative complications. This case highlights a novel approach to managing the frailest end-of-life patients that does not require them to undergo a conventional operation. The case resulted in a quick discharge from hospital and for the patient and family to maximise the time out of hospital, with a reduced analgesic burden and a peaceful passing away. We feel that this could be an alternative, more humane option for such patients.
Identifying Crowding Impact on Departure Time Choice of Commuters in Urban Rail Transit
Authors: Cheng Yan , Ye Xiafei , Fujiyama Taku
Published: June 2020

Crowding in urban rail transit is an inevitable issue for most of the high-density cities across the world, especially during peak time. For commuters who have considerably fixed destination arrival times, departure time choice is an important tool to adjust their trips. The ignorance of crowding impact on commuters’ departure time choice in urban rail transit may cause errors in forecasting dynamic passenger flow during peak time in urban rail transit. The paper develops a mixed logit model to identify how crowding impacts the departure time choice of commuters and their taste variation. Arrival time value was firstly measured in a submodel by applying the reference point approach and then integrated to the main model. Considering the characteristics of human perception, we divided crowding into five grades with distinct circumstances. All parameter distributions were assumed based on their empirical distributions revealed through resampling. The data from Shanghai Metro used for estimation were collected by a specifically designed survey, which combines revealed preference questions and stated preference experiments to investigate the willingness and extent of changing departure time choice of passengers who experienced various grades and duration of crowding in the most crowded part. The result shows that an asymmetric valuation model with preferred arrival time as the only reference point best captured commuters’ responses to arrival time. The departure time choice model clearly identified that only crowding ranging from Grades 3 to 5 had an impact on commuters’ departure time choice. The parameters of crowding costs can be assumed to follow transformed lognormal distributions. It is found that the higher the grade of crowding is, the bigger the impact each unit of crowding cost has on commuters’ departure time choice, while commuters’ tastes get more concentrated when crowded situation upgrades. The model in this paper can help policymakers better understand the interaction between commuters’ departure time choice and crowding alleviation.
Competency Assessment of Final-Year Dental Students in Tunisia
Authors: Chouchene F. , Taktak N. , Masmoudi F. , Baaziz A. , Maatouk F. , Ghedira H.
Published: June 2020

Introduction. The educational program assessment has always been the main objective of quality improvement in all curricula. The aim of this study was to describe the levels of competency of final-year students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir in Tunisia in the major skills needed for a new dentist.Methods. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 154 students filled out a questionnaire including 53 competencies, rated on a four-point Likert scale, broadly based on the competencies described in the profile and competences for the graduating dentist in Europe.Results. The response rate was 67% (145/230). For twenty items in the questionnaire, over 75% of the students reported being competent. The five items with the highest percentages were “undertaking supragingival and subgingival scaling-Item 22” (97.2%), “evaluating the periodontium, establishing a diagnosis and formulating a treatment plan-Item 2” (96.6%), “identify the location and degree of activity of dental caries-Item 24 (95.9%), “taking and interpreting dental radiographs-Item 12” (94.4%), “restoring damaged teeth-Item 25” (93.8%), and “managing primary oral health care-Item 16” (93.8%). For eighteen skills, more than 75% of students self-rated being not competent, demonstrating a need of more thorough training, notably in periodontal surgery and implantology, among these, five skills were found that demand in-depth acquisition according to the students.Conclusion. The general state of competency of the last-year dental students was described as fairly satisfactory based on the students’ self-reported responses. However, theoretical and practical backgrounds related to some subjects in the school need to be improved.
A Calculation Method for Vehicle Movement Reconstruction from Videos
Authors: Feng Hao , Shi Weiguo , Chen Feng , Byon Young-Ji , Heng Weiwei , Pan Shaoyou
Published: June 2020

This paper proposes a new enhanced method based on one-dimensional direct linear transformation for estimating vehicle movement states in video sequences. The proposed method utilizes a contoured structure of target vehicles, and the data collection procedure is found to be relatively stable and effective, providing a better applicability. The movements of vehicles in the video are captured by active calibration regions while the spatial consistency between the vehicle’s driving track and the calibration information are in sync. The vehicle movement states in the verification phase are estimated using the proposed method first, and then the estimated states are compared with the actual movement states recorded in the experimental test. The results show that, in the case of camera perspective of 90 degrees, in all driving states of low speed, high speed, or deceleration, the error between estimated speed and recorded speed is less than 1.5%, the error of accelerations is less than 7%, and the error of distances is less than 2%; similarly, in the case of camera perspective of 30 degrees, the errors of speeds, distances, and accelerations are less than 4%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. It is found that the proposed method is superior to other existing methods.
Dealing with Pure New User Cold-Start Problem in Recommendation System Based on Linked Open Data and Social Network Features
Authors: Yadav Usha , Duhan Neelam , Bhatia Komal Kumar
Published: June 2020

Preferring accuracy over computation time or vice versa is very challenging in the context of recommendation systems, which encourages many researchers to opt for hybrid recommendation systems. Currently, researchers are trying hard to produce correct and accurate recommendations by suggesting the use of ontology, but the lack of techniques renders to take its full advantage. One of the major issues in recommender systems bothering many researchers is pure new user cold-start problem which arises due to the absence of information in the system about the new user. Linked Open Data (LOD) initiative sets standards for interoperability among cross domains and has gathered enormous amount of data over the past years, which provides various ways by which recommender system’s performance can be improved by enriching user’s profile with relevant features. This research work focuses on solving pure new user cold-start problem by building user’s profile based on LOD, collaborative features, and social network-based features. Here, a new approach is devised to compute item similarity based on ontology, thus predicting the rating of nonrated item. A modified method to calculate user’s similarity based on collaborative features to deal with other issues such as accuracy and computation time is also proposed. The empirical results and comparative analysis of the proposed hybrid recommendation system dictate its better performance specifically for providing solution to pure new user cold-start problem.
A Stereological Study of the Toxic Effects of Cerium Oxide during Pregnancy on Kidney Tissues in Neonatal NMRI Mice
Authors: Nemati Afsaneh , Assadollahi Vahideh , Peluso Ilaria , Abbaszadeh Abolfazl , Beigi-boroujeni Mandana , Khanipur Zahra , Gholami Mohammadreza
Published: June 2020

Background. Both antioxidant and prooxidant activities have been previously reported for cerium oxide (CeO2). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CeO2 at different doses on changes in kidney tissues and markers in neonatal mice. Methods. We randomly divided 30 pregnant NMRI mice into five groups (n=6 per group)—a control group and four groups treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of different doses of CeO2 (10, 25, 80, or 250 mg/kg body weight (bw)) on gestation days (GD) 7 and GD14. At the end of the treatment period, we analyzed the kidney tissues and serum samples. The levels of two serum redox markers, malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), were determined. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test, and a P value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results. The mean total volumes of the renal corpuscle, glomeruli, and Bowman’s capsule membranes significantly increased, and there was a significant decrease in the mean total volume of Bowman’s space in the high-dose CeO2 group compared to that in the control group. No statistically significant differences existed in the serum levels of MDA and FRAP in the treated and control groups. Conclusion. Our results suggest that high doses of CeO2 impair fetal renal development in pregnant mice, which results in kidney damage. Therefore, CeO2 administration during pregnancy could have dose-dependent adverse effects on the developing kidneys in neonates.
Association between Sleep Deprivation in Caregivers and Risk of Injury among Toddlers: A Propensity Score Analysis
Authors: Chiu I-Tsung , Huang Ting-Yun , Ong Jiann Ruey , Ou Ju-Chi , Chen Ping-Ling , Ma Hon-Ping
Published: June 2020

Introduction. Unintentional injury remains the leading cause of death in children worldwide. Adequate parental supervision is a crucial strategy for preventing injury. Many factors, such as a large family size, poor socioeconomic status, and the caregiver being a single mother, contribute to unintentional injury in children. In addition, sleep deprivation in caregivers might be associated with injury in children because sleep deprivation causes impaired daytime cognitive function, wake‐state instability, and negative moods, thereby impairing caregiver supervision. Therefore, this study determines the association between injury in children and the sleep quality of their primary caregivers. Method. This is a retrospective case–control study on unintentional injury in children aged 0 to 4 years who visited the emergency department (case group) and an age‐ and sex‐matched control group. Sleep quality in caregivers was assessed using the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between aspects of the PSQI and injury. A propensity score model was used to generate a quasirandomized design. Results. This case‐control study recruiting 277 injured and 274 noninjured children was conducted in Taiwan. There was no statistically significant difference in child’s age and primary caregiver’s age between the injured and noninjured groups. The primary outcome, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, was not significantly different between the two groups. The average scores of sleep duration and habitual sleep efficiency in the control group were higher than those in the case group. However, there was no difference between the two groups after adjusting via a propensity score model, including the following potential confounders, child’s age, child’s sex, number of previous injury, caregiver mental status, caregiver’s sex and caregiver’s age, and the number of children living together. Conclusion. Our study was the first to examine the association between injury in children and the sleep quality of their primary caregivers. We observed that no PSQI component significantly affected the risk of injury among children.
Reconstruction and Analysis of Tight Sandstone Digital Rock Combined with X-Ray CT Scanning and Multiple-Point Geostatistics Algorithm
Authors: Lei Yun
Published: June 2020

Unconventional rocks such as tight sandstone and shale usually develop multiscale complex pore structures, with dimensions ranging from nanometers to millimeters, and the full range can be difficult to characterize for natural samples. In this paper, we developed a new hybrid digital rock construction approach to mimic the pore space of tight sandstone by combining X-ray CT scanning and multiple-point geostatistics algorithm (MPGA). First, a three-dimensional macropore digital rock describing the macroscopic pore structure of tight sandstone was constructed by micro-CT scanning. Then, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed on the tight sandstone sample, and the three-dimensional micropore digital rock was reconstructed by MPGA. Finally, the macropore digital rock and the micropore digital rock were superimposed into the full-pore digital rock. In addition, the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) response of digital rocks is simulated using a random walk method, and seepage simulation was performed by the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The results show that the full-pore digital rock has the same anisotropy and good connectivity as the actual rock. The porosity, NMR response, and permeability are in good agreement with the experimental values.
A Case of Advanced Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer with Bulky Lymph Node Metastases Treated with Nivolumab
Authors: Nakamura Naohiko , Kinami Shinichi , Fujita Jun , Kaida Daisuke , Tomita Yasuto , Miyata Takashi , Fujita Hideto , Ueda Nobuhiko , Takamura Hiroyuki , Kosaka Takeo
Published: June 2020

A 71-year-old woman was diagnosed with advanced gastroesophageal junction cancer with bulky lymph nodes along the cardiac region and the lower mediastinum (GE-Circ type 3 T3 N3 M0 H0 stage III) and received treatment with S-1 and oxaliplatin (SOX) as first-line chemotherapy. After 3 cycles of SOX, severe anorexia and diarrhea were observed. We converted from this regimen of systemic chemotherapy to ramucirumab (RAM) monotherapy as second-line chemotherapy. This treatment resulted in a reduction in size of the metastatic lymph nodes along the cardiac region and the lower mediastinum. However, progression of lymph node metastasis and the primary tumor was observed following 7 months of RAM monotherapy. Therefore, nivolumab was initiated as third-line chemotherapy 14 months after the initial treatment. After 3 months of nivolumab administration, a 47% reduction in metastatic lymph nodes was achieved and a regression of the primary gastric tumor as seen on an enhanced computed tomography scan. After 7 months of nivolumab monotherapy, the diameter of the target lymph nodes had reduced by 81% from baseline, and there was no evidence of malignancy upon pathological assessment of the primary tumor site biopsy. The patient survived with nivolumab monotherapy for approximately 2 years after her first visit, without any adverse reaction to nivolumab.
Inpatient Kidney Function Recovery among Septic Shock Patients Who Initiated Kidney Replacement Therapy in the Hospital
Authors: Chen Joy C.Y. , Hu Bo , Frank Ryan D. , Kashani Kianoush B.
Published: June 2020

Background: Sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently seen and managed in intensive care units (ICUs). Sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) independently contributes to the mortality of sepsis. Understanding the potential factors involved in kidney function recovery may further aid in the prevention and management of SA-AKI. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of septic shock patients who required kidney replacement therapy and factors associated with kidney function recovery. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult septic shock patients who received in-hospital kidney replacement therapy at medical intensive care unit (MICU) at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from January 1, 2006, to May 31, 2018. Kidney function recovery was defined as liberation from kidney replacement therapy before hospital discharge. Associations between clinical features and kidney recovery were analyzed using multivariable Fine and Gray regression accounting for death as a competing event. Results: Our retrospective cohort consisted of 229 patients with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 64 (52–74) years: 55% were men, 89% were Caucasians, 39% had diabetes mellitus (DM), 16% had heart failure, APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) III score was 105 (84–123), and SOFA (Sequential [Sepsis-related] Organ Failure Assessment) score was 12 (9–14). The patients received 1,567 (524–4,108) mL of intravenous fluids in the first 3 h, 92% required vasopressor support, and 83% required mechanical ventilation. The median MICU and hospital stays were 7 (4–13) and 19 (10–31) days, respectively. Median (IQR) kidney replacement therapy duration was 7 (3.5–17.1) days. Among 158 ICU survivors, 73 (46%) patients were weaned from RRT in ICU and 85 (54%) were transitioned to intermittent RRT. A higher volume of fluid resuscitation in the first 3 h (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07 per 1 L, CI: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.04) and a history of DM (HR = 1.70, CI: 1.14–2.54, p = 0.009) were associated with kidney function recovery. Conclusion: Among septic shock patients who initiated kidney replacement therapy in the MICU, 41% recovered kidney function before discharge. A higher initial fluid resuscitation volume was associated with recovery, and interestingly, patients with DM had a higher chance of recovery.
Detailed Analysis of the Space between the Semicircular Canals for the Purpose of Direct Bone Conduction Stimulation of the Inner Ear
Authors: Wojciechowski Tomasz , Lachowska Magdalena , Niemczyk Kazimierz
Published: June 2020

Introduction: Until recently, all locations for bone conduction (BC) stimulator described in the literature were situated outside of the real otic capsule. In recent studies 2 new sites for the BC titanium implant were proposed to directly stimulate the cochlea from the closest possible distance, which was the bone forming the ampulla of the lateral semicircular canal (SC) and the bone between the superior and lateral SC. They proved to be the most efficient in terms of transmission of vibratory energy into the inner ear and could be introduced in the field of BC hearing rehabilitation. To the best of our knowledge the anatomy of the space between SC has not been studied so far. However, screwing the BC implant into the proposed new locations directly at the otic capsule and drilling the bone near the SC cast doubt on the safety of this procedure. In this study we aimed to present a detailed analysis of the anatomy of the otic capsule, especially as regards the space between the SC that seems to be safer. Methods: Sixteen fresh frozen cadaveric temporal bones scanned with micro-computed tomography and analyzed using the multiplanar reconstruction option. The anatomy of the space between the SC was analyzed in detail for the purpose of direct BC stimulation of the inner ear. Results: At least 3 mm of bony tissue is available above the bony space between the crura of the superior SC above the lateral SC, where the new location for the titanium BC implant is proposed. As regards the limitations of the length of screw the BC implant to be screwed, the smallest distance is at least 4 mm of bone thickness. Conclusions: The bone between the crura of the superior SC is the best placement to screw the BC implant directly to the otic capsule. The implant direction should be parallel to the plane of the lateral SC. This location, the direction, and the limitation of the screw length of the BC implant to a maximum of 7 mm present the lowest potential risk of damage to the inner ear.
Diabetic Foot Ulcer with Alcaligenes faecalis Infection
Authors: Huang Chienhsiu
Published: June 2020

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers are an increasingly common complex problem and are associated with a very considerable health care burden. Diabetic foot ulcer with Alcaligenes faecalis infection is rarely reported in the literature. We report a case series of diabetic foot ulcer with A. faecalis infection treated at our facility. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients with diabetic foot ulcer with A. faecalis infection seen from January 2014 to April 2019. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, ulcer lesion classification, comorbidities, prior intravenous antibiotic use within 3 months, wound culture, antibiotics sensitivity test, and clinical outcomes of these patients. Results: Eight cases of diabetic foot ulcer with A. faecalis infection were seen in 5 males and 3 females. Mean age was 54.6 years. All patients had other comorbidities, and all ulcer lesions were of chronic duration (>14 days). All wound cultures revealed polymicrobial infection, with 2 cases of diabetic foot with extensive drug-resistant A. faecalis infection found in 2019. All patients needed intravenous antibiotic therapy and surgical interventions for the chronic ulcer lesion. The wound failed to heal in 3 patients. Conclusions: All diabetic foot ulcers with A. faecalis infection were of chronic duration (>14 days) and had polymicrobial infection. Extensive drug-resistant A. faecalis emerged in 2019. Definitive antibiotic therapy is necessary for all infected wounds and should be based on both the culture results and susceptibility data. All patients will need appropriate wound care, and most will need rapid surgical intervention for an optimal outcome.
Effectiveness of Aromatherapy for Relief of Pain, Nausea, and Vomiting after Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Amirhosseini Mojdeh , Dehghan Mahlagha , Mangolian Shahrbabaki Parvin , Pakmanesh Hamid
Published: June 2020

Background: Postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting are common side effects of percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Nowadays, non-pharmacological and complementary therapies have been noticed. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of lavender and clary sage on the pain, nausea, and vomiting after percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial study on 79 patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of lavender aromatherapy (n = 27), clary sage aromatherapy (n = 26), and a control group (n = 26). Each of the intervention groups received the inhalation aromatherapy immediately and 3 and 6 h after the operation. Pain, nausea, and emetic episodes in patients of the three groups were measured before the intervention and 30 min after each intervention using a visual analog scale and checklist. Results: Pain decreased significantly in the clary sage aromatherapy group. Nausea had a downward trend in the two groups of aromatherapy. The lavender aromatherapy group had the lowest incidence of emetic episodes compared to the other groups. Conclusion: Regarding the annoying pain, nausea, and vomiting after percutaneous nephrolithotomy for patients, and taking into account the complications of drug therapy, the use of complementary non-pharmacological methods can help increase the comfort of patients.
Arm Span and Its Relation to Height in a 2- to 17-Year-Old Reference Population and Heterozygous Carriers of ACAN Variants
Authors: Gerver Willem J.M. , Gkourogianni Alexandra , Dauber Andrew , Nilsson Ola , Wit Jan M.
Published: June 2020

Background/Objectives: In the clinical assessment of a short or tall child, estimating body disproportion is useful to assess the likelihood of a primary growth disorder, e.g., skeletal dysplasia. Our objectives were (1) to use data from the Maastricht study on healthy children (2–17 years) to calculate relative arm span (AS) for height (H) to serve as age references for clinical purposes; (2) to assess its age and sex dependency; and (3) to investigate relative AS adjustment for age and sex in individuals with ACAN haploinsufficiency. Methods: The Maastricht study data (2,595 Caucasian children, 52% boys, 48% girls) were re-analysed to produce reference tables and graphs for age and sex of AS – H and AS/H. Published information on AS/H in Europeans was used as reference data for adults. Relative AS from 33 patients with ACAN haploinsufficiency were plotted against reference data and expressed as standard deviation score (SDS) for age and sex. Results: Mean AS – H from 2 to 17 years increased from –1.2 to +1.5 cm in boys and from –4.8 to +1.6 cm in girls. Mean AS/H increased from 0.9848 to 1.0155 in boys and from 0.9468 to 1.0028 in girls. Mean AS/H in patients with ACAN haploinsufficiency was approximately 1.0, 1.5 and 0.5 SDS in young children, adolescents and 20- to 50-year-olds, respectively, and normal thereafter. Conclusions: These reference charts can be used for 2- to 17-year-old children/adolescents. Carriers of ACAN haploinsufficiency have an elevated mean AS/H in childhood and adolescence and a slightly elevated ratio till 50 years.