bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the development of psychological morbidity in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review
Authors: Hoogkamer Anna B , Brooks Alenka J , Rowse Georgina , Lobo Alan J
Published: March 2020

Background

Psychological morbidity in inflammatory bowel disease is common with significant impact on quality of life and health outcomes, but factors which predict the development of psychological morbidity are unclear.

Aim

To undertake a systematic literature review of the predictors of psychological morbidity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods

Electronic searches for English-language articles were performed with keywords relating to psychological morbidity according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV and subsequent criteria, and inflammatory bowel disease; in MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Web of Science and EMBASE for studies published from January 1997 to 25 January 2019.

Results

Of 660 studies identified, seven met the inclusion criteria. All measured depression, with three also measuring anxiety. Follow-up duration was variable (median of 18 months range 6–96 months). Risk factors identified for development of psychological morbidity included physical factors: aggressive disease (HR 5.77, 95% CI 1.89 to 17.7) and greater comorbidity burden (OR 4.31, 95% CI 2.83 to 6.57) and psychological risk factors: degree of gratitude (r=−0.43, p<0.01) and parenting stress (R-change=0.03, F(1,58)=35.6, p<0.05). Age-specific risk was identified with young people (13–17 years) at increased risk.

Conclusions

Identifiable risks for the development of psychological morbidity in inflammatory bowel disease include physical and psychological factors. Further research is required from large prospective studies to enable early interventions in those at risk and reduce the impact of psychological morbidity.
Lifestyle modification in older versus younger patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: Jepma Patricia , Jorstad Harald T , Snaterse Marjolein , ter Riet Gerben , Kragten Hans , Lachman Sangeeta , Minneboo Madelon , Boekholdt S Matthijs , Peters Ron J , Scholte op Reimer Wilma
Published: March 2020

Objective

To compare the treatment effect on lifestyle-related risk factors (LRFs) in older (≥65 years) versus younger (<65 years) patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in The Randomised Evaluation of Secondary Prevention by Outpatient Nurse SpEcialists 2 (RESPONSE-2) trial.

Methods

The RESPONSE-2 trial was a community-based lifestyle intervention trial (n=824) comparing nurse-coordinated referral with a comprehensive set of three lifestyle interventions (physical activity, weight reduction and/or smoking cessation) to usual care. In the current analysis, our primary outcome was the proportion of patients with improvement at 12 months follow-up (n=711) in ≥1 LRF stratified by age.

Results

At baseline, older patients (n=245, mean age 69.2±3.9 years) had more adverse cardiovascular risk profiles and comorbidities than younger patients (n=579, mean age 53.7±6.6 years). There was no significant variation on the treatment effect according to age (p value treatment by age=0.45, OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.31). However, older patients were more likely to achieve ≥5% weight loss (OR old 5.58, 95% CI 2.77 to 11.26 vs OR young 1.57, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.49, p=0.003) and younger patients were more likely to show non-improved LRFs (OR old 0.38, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.67 vs OR young 0.88, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.26, p=0.01).

Conclusion

Despite more adverse cardiovascular risk profiles and comorbidities among older patients, nurse-coordinated referral to a community-based lifestyle intervention was at least as successful in improving LRFs in older as in younger patients. Higher age alone should not be a reason to withhold lifestyle interventions in patients with CAD.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance T2* mapping for the assessment of cardiovascular events in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Gastl Mareike , Gruner Christiane , Labucay Karin , Gotschy Alexander , Von Spiczak Jochen , Polacin Malgorzata , Boenner Florian , Kelm Malte , Ruschitzka Frank , Alkadhi Hatem , Kozerke Sebastian , Manka Robert
Published: March 2020

Background

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiac events. Beyond classic risk factors, relative myocardial ischaemia and succeeding myocardial alterations, which can be detected using either contrast agents or parametric mapping in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, have shown an impact on outcome in HCM. CMR may help to risk stratify using parametric T2* mapping. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of T2* values or fibrosis with cardiovascular events in HCM.

Methods

The relationship between T2* with supraventricular, ventricular arrhythmia or heart failure was retrospectively assessed in 91 patients with HCM referred for CMR on a 1.5T MR imaging system. Fibrosis as a reference was added to the model. Patients were subdivided into groups according to T2* value quartiles.

Results

47 patients experienced an event of ventricular arrhythmia, 25 of atrial fibrillation/flutter and 17 of heart failure. T2*≤28.7 ms yielded no association with ventricular events in the whole HCM cohort. T2* of non-obstructive HCM showed a significant association with ventricular events in univariate analysis, but not in multivariate analysis. For the combined endpoint of arrhythmic events, there was already an association for the whole HCM cohort, but again only in univariate analyses. Fibrosis stayed the strongest predictor in all analyses. There was no association for T2* and fibrosis with heart failure.

Conclusions

Decreased T2* values by CMR only provide a small association with arrhythmic events in HCM, especially in non-obstructive HCM. No information is added for heart failure.
Combined ultrasound/electrostimulation‐guided block of the lumbosacral plexus in a cat undergoing pelvic limb amputation
Authors: Trujanovic Robert , Otero Pablo E , Larenza Menzies Maria Paula
Published: March 2020

A cat was anaesthetised with midazolam and alfaxalone for a pelvic limb amputation due to a metatarsal fracture complicated with soft tissue necrosis. The femoral nerve and lumbosacral trunk were blocked with ropivacaine 0.75 per cent using a combined ultrasound/nervestimulation‐guided approach. Anaesthesia was maintained with end‐tidal concentrations of isoflurane between 1 per cent and 1.1 per cent. Vital parameters were stable during anaesthesia although moderate hypothermia (33.6°C–35.5°C) was encountered. The lateral cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve was desensitised with lidocaine 2 per cent at the end of the surgical procedures. The cat recovered well from anaesthesia and received meloxicam 0.05 mg/kg daily for postoperative pain treatment. Repeated evaluations using a composite pain scale showed values compatible with low probability of pain during the following 48 hours. Only one dose of methadone (0.2 mg/kg) was given. The combined femoral nerve and lumbosacral trunk block provided optimal intraoperative antinociception and postoperative pain relief.
Rickets in Scottish blackface lambs on five South West Scotland farms
Authors: Hurst Emma , Henderson Katrina , Stevenson Heather , Schwarz Tobias , Scholes Sandra , Carty Helen , Mason Colin , Mellanby Richard J
Published: March 2020

Vitamin D plays a critical role in the regulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis and in the development and maintenance of skeletal health. Sheep can obtain vitamin D via either cutaneous production following exposure to UV radiation or consumption of vitamin D containing foodstuffs. In northern Europe, sheep are often unable to cutaneously generate vitamin D in late winter due to the lack of UV radiation. Consequently, they are heavily reliant on dietary sources of vitamin D, which, if insufficient, can lead to rickets in growing lambs. Here, we report the diagnosis of rickets in Scottish blackface lambs on five farms in South West Scotland. Cases were diagnosed based on classical skeletal clinical signs alongside extremely low concentrations of 25 hydroxyvitamin D, the major circulating metabolite of vitamin D, which is widely used to assess vitamin D status. This report demonstrates that rickets can be a major health problem in hill sheep.
Effect of different size of PbWO4particles on EPDM composite for gamma-ray shielding
Authors: Fan Jinghui , Wu Juying , Ma Yan
Published: March 2020

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) composites filled with 0–400 phr [Formula: see text] (PWO) were prepared by conventional process using a two-roll mill. Surface treatment of the fillers coated with KH570 was conducted to enhance the wettability and lubrication of fillers in the polymer matrix. According to SEM images and mechanical test, both micro- and submicro-fillers disperse homogeneously in the matrix, and adhesion of submicro-fillers to the matrix is stronger than that of micro-fillers. The submicro-PWO composites had better tensile strength and elongation at break than those composites containing micro-PWO powder, but a relatively higher hardness. The photon shielding test was performed to determine the radiation shielding properties of these composites, which showed that attenuation of gamma-rays for the submicro-PWO composites was substantially enhanced compared to micro-PWO reinforced composites.
Extended gravitational decoupling approach in f(𝒢) gravity
Authors: Sharif M. , Saba Saadia
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we explore decoupled anisotropic interior solutions for static sphere using extended gravitational decoupling technique in [Formula: see text] gravity. We choose Tolman-IV solution as the isotropic interior source describing compact spherical geometry and extend its domains to determine two anisotropic models using some physical constraints. We test physical acceptability of both models for the compact star PSRJ1416-2230 through physical parameters, energy bounds and causality condition. It is observed that both models are physically viable as well as stable. It is also found that the first star model becomes more dense at its core as compared to the second for a small increase in the coupling constant [Formula: see text].
Analysis of the reaction Q-value effect using newly evaluated empirical formulas of (n,2n) cross-sections near 14.6MeV
Authors: Yiğit M.
Published: March 2020

Empirical formulas in determining the cross-sections play an important role at the energies of which there are no experimental data scattered about. The purpose of the present communication is to further improve the formulas of the cross-section of [Formula: see text] reactions at the energies near 14.6[Formula: see text]MeV. A systematics for the evaluation of these cross-sections is studied. We present the empirical formulas based on the statistical theory of nuclear reactions in connection with the compound nucleus. The new empirical formulas are found by using the experimental cross-sections as a function of the reaction [Formula: see text]-value. Thus, the new formulas provide the best description of the existing measured data compared with systematics suggested earlier by other authors.
NUMERICAL STUDY ON BONDING OF PMMA NANOCHANNELS
Authors: YANG XUE , CHEN KAI , YIN ZHIFU , ZOU HELIN , YU TENGFEI
Published: March 2020

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) nanochannels are becoming increasingly important for biological, optical and electronic applications. To form a complete PMMA nanochannel/device, the open nanotrench will always be thermal bonded. However, the bonding process which influences the final fabrication precision of PMMA devices has not yet been studied systematically by numerical simulation. In this work, an elastic–plastic model was used for PMMA nanochannel bonding. The influence of temperature, pressure, aspect ratio, and friction coefficient on the dimension loss and max stress was studied systematically. By numerical simulation, all the main influence factors were optimized. It is expected that the proposed simulation method has a high potential for the polymer bonding process analysis.
Geometry of Chen invariants in statistical warped product manifolds
Authors: Al-Solamy Falleh R. , Bansal Pooja , Chen Bang-Yen , Murathan Cengizhan , Shahid Mohammad Hasan
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we derive Chen inequality for statistical submanifold of statistical warped product manifolds [Formula: see text]. Further, we derive Chen inequality for Legendrian statistical submanifold in statistical warped product manifolds [Formula: see text]. We also provide some applications of derived inequalities in a statistical warped product manifold which is equivalent to a hyperbolic space. Moreover, we construct new examples of statistical warped product manifolds to support results.
Shape equations for two-dimensional manifolds with nonempty boundary based on a variational method
Authors: Bracken Paul
Published: March 2020

A smooth surface is considered which has a curved boundary. A system of exterior differential forms is introduced which describes the surface and boundary curves completely in the moving frame approach. A total free energy functional is defined based on these forms for which an equilibrium equation and boundary conditions of the surface are derived by calculating the variation of the total free energy. These results can be applied to a surface with several freely exposed edges.
Theoretical and Experimental Modeling of Phase Change Material-Based Space Heating Using Solar Energy
Authors: Vaidhyanathan Ashwath , Banker N. D.
Published: March 2020

Recently, renewable sources of energy, particularly, solar thermal energy, have gained significant attention for developing heating and cooling mechanisms for buildings. This work aims at developing a theoretical model for space heating based on phase change material (PCM) using solar energy in winter conditions for the Northern region of India. The system has two PCM containers placed inside the room on the two opposite walls, which receives heat from concentrating solar system during the daytime. After achieving the temperature of PCM above its melting point using the solar system, the stored heat of PCM is released to the room ambient during the nighttime when the room ambient is at lower temperature. OM-37, having melting temperature of [Formula: see text]C, has been used as a PCM for the current research work. The numerical investigation of the system shows that temperature of the room reaches to 26–[Formula: see text]C from [Formula: see text]C in 4–5[Formula: see text]h of operation and thus ensuring thermal comfort of occupants.
Simulations of surface corrugations of graphene sheets through the generalized graphene thermophoretic motion equation
Authors: Pinar Zehra
Published: March 2020

In the current decade, nanomaterials have attracted great attention due to the wide range of applications in various disciplines and nanotechnology. Graphene is the best nanoscale material and one of the thinnest elastic films and has various applications. The thermophoretic motion system describes the diffusion of solitaries into substrate-supported graphene sheets. Lie group transformation of the motion equation is used to reduce the equation into solvable equation which is solved through the Bernoulli approximation method and some properties of the solutions are discussed.
PC-RPL
Authors: Kim Hyung-Sin , Paek Jeongyeup , Culler David E. , Bahk Saewoong
Published: March 2020

We present
PC-RPL
, a transmission power-controlled IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy wireless networks that significantly improves the end-to-end packet delivery performance under heavy traffic compared to the standard RPL. We show through actual design, implementation, and experiments that a multihop wireless network can achieve better throughput and routing stability when transmission power and routing topology are “jointly and adaptively” controlled. Our experiments show that the predominant “fixed and uniform” transmission power strategy with “link quality and hop distance”–based routing topology construction (i.e., RPL) loses significant bandwidth due to hidden terminal and load imbalance problems. We design an adaptive and distributed control mechanism for transmission power and routing topology, named
PC-RPL
, on top of the standard RPL routing protocol for hidden terminal mitigation and load balancing. We implement
PC-RPL
on real embedded devices and evaluate its performance on a 49-node multihop testbed.
PC-RPL
reduces total end-to-end packet losses by approximately sevenfold without increasing hop distance compared to RPL with the highest transmission power, resulting in 17% improvement in aggregate bandwidth and 64% improvement for the worst-case node by successfully alleviating both hidden terminal and load imbalance problems.
N-Glycosylation of IgG and IgG-Like Recombinant Therapeutic Proteins: Why Is It Important and How Can We Control It?
Authors: Majewska Natalia I. , Tejada Max L. , Betenbaugh Michael J. , Agarwal Nitin
Published: March 2020

Regulatory bodies worldwide consider N-glycosylation to be a critical quality attribute for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG-like therapeutics. This consideration is due to the importance of posttranslational modifications in determining the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic properties of biologics. Given its critical role in protein therapeutic production, we review N-glycosylation beginning with an overview of the myriad interactions of N-glycans with other biological factors. We examine the mechanism and drivers for N-glycosylation during biotherapeutic production and the several competing factors that impact glycan formation, including the abundance of precursor nucleotide sugars, transporters, glycosidases, glycosyltransferases, and process conditions. We explore the role of these factors with a focus on the analytical approaches used to characterize glycosylation and associated processes, followed by the current state of advanced glycosylation modeling techniques. This combination of disciplines allows for a deeper understanding of N-glycosylation and will lead to more rational glycan control.
Helicobacter pyloriinfection impairs chaperone-assisted maturation of Na-K-ATPase in gastric epithelium
Authors: Marcus Elizabeth A. , Tokhtaeva Elmira , Jimenez Jossue L. , Wen Yi , Naini Bita V. , Heard Ashley N. , Kim Samuel , Capri Joseph , Cohn Whitaker , Whitelegge Julian P. , Vagin Olga
Published: March 2020

This work provides evidence that Helicobacter pylori decreases levels of Na-K-ATPase, a vital transport enzyme, in gastric epithelia, both in acutely infected cultured cells and in chronically infected patients and animals. The bacteria interfere with BiP-assisted folding of newly-made Na-K-ATPase subunits in the endoplasmic reticulum, accelerating their ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation and decreasing efficiency of the assembly of native enzyme. Decreased Na-K-ATPase expression contributes to H. pylori-induced gastric injury.
miR-524-5p inhibits angiogenesis through targeting WNK1 in colon cancer cells
Authors: Li Xiang , Li Zitao , Zhu Ye , Li Zhu , Yao Lihong , Zhang Lamei , Yuan Lin , Shang Yang , Liu Jianting , Li Caijuan
Published: March 2020

There is increasing evidence that microRNA (miRNA) abnormity is involved in the occurrence and the development of various malignancies, including colon cancer. MiRNA-524–5p has been reported to possess anticancer activity in various tumors, which function is seldom investigated in colon cancer cells. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the miRNA-524–5p/with-no-lysine kinase 1 (WNK1) system on angiogenesis in a colon cancer cell line (HT-29 and COLO205 cells) and further investigate the potential mechanisms. We found miRNA-524–5p expression was relatively high in COLO205 cells and relatively low in HT-29 cells. Elevating miRNA-524–5p expression inhibited proliferation, induced cycle arrest, diminished vascular endothelial growth factor production, and thereby suppressed angiogenesis in HT-29 cells. WNK1 silencing exerted the ability of antiangiogenesis in HT-29 cells. Besides, miRNA-524–5p deficiency-induced angiogenesis was impeded by WNK1 silence in COLO205 cells. In a murine tumor model, miRNA-524–5p agomir treatment significantly suppressed colon cancer tumorigenicity with the downregulation of WNK1 expression. In summary, our results indicated that miRNA-524–5p inhibited angiogenesis in colon cancer cells via targeting WNK1.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY MiRNA-524–5p inhibited angiogenesis in colon cancer cells via targeting with-no-lysine kinase 1.
High-fructose corn syrup-sweetened soft drink consumption increases vascular resistance in the kidneys at rest and during sympathetic activation
Authors: Chapman Christopher L. , Grigoryan Tigran , Vargas Nicole T. , Reed Emma L. , Kueck Paul J. , Pietrafesa Leonard D. , Bloomfield Adam C. , Johnson Blair D. , Schlader Zachary J.
Published: March 2020

We first tested the hypothesis that consuming a high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)-sweetened soft drink augments kidney vasoconstriction to sympathetic stimulation compared with water ( study 1). In a second study, we examined the mechanisms underlying these observations ( study 2). In study 1, 13 healthy adults completed a cold pressor test, a sympathoexcitatory maneuver, before (preconsumption) and 30 min after drinking 500 mL of decarbonated HFCS-sweetened soft drink or water (postconsumption). In study 2, venous blood samples were obtained in 12 healthy adults before and 30 min after consumption of 500 mL water or soft drinks matched for caffeine content and taste, which were either artificially sweetened (Diet trial), sucrose-sweetened (Sucrose trial), or sweetened with HFCS (HFCS trial). In both study 1 and study 2, vascular resistance was calculated as mean arterial pressure divided by blood velocity, which was measured via Doppler ultrasound in renal and segmental arteries. In study 1, HFCS consumption increased vascular resistance in the segmental artery at rest (by 0.5 ± 0.6 mmHg·cm−1·s−1, P = 0.01) and during the cold pressor test (average change: 0.5 ± 1.0 mmHg·cm−1·s−1, main effect: P = 0.05). In study 2, segmental artery vascular resistance increased in the HFCS trial (by 0.8 ± 0.7 mmHg·cm−1·s−1, P = 0.02) but not in the other trials. Increases in serum uric acid were greater in the HFCS trial (0.3 ± 0.4 mg/dL, P ≤ 0.04) compared with the Water and Diet trials, and serum copeptin increased in the HFCS trial (by 0.8 ± 1.0 pmol/L, P = 0.06). These findings indicate that HFCS acutely increases vascular resistance in the kidneys, independent of caffeine content and beverage osmolality, which likely occurs via simultaneous elevations in circulating uric acid and vasopressin.
Pathophysiology of unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury: importance of renal counterbalance and implications for the AKI-CKD transition
Authors: Polichnowski Aaron J. , Griffin Karen A. , Licea-Vargas Hector , Lan Rongpei , Picken Maria M. , Long Jainrui , Williamson Geoffrey A. , Rosenberger Christian , Mathia Susanne , Venkatachalam Manjeri A. , Bidani Anil K.
Published: March 2020

Unilateral ischemia-reperfusion (UIR) injury leads to progressive renal atrophy and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) and is commonly used to investigate the pathogenesis of the acute kidney injury-chronic kidney disease transition. Although it is well known that contralateral nephrectomy (CNX), even 2 wk post-UIR injury, can improve recovery, the physiological mechanisms and tubular signaling pathways mediating such improved recovery remain poorly defined. Here, we examined the renal hemodynamic and tubular signaling pathways associated with UIR injury and its reversal by CNX. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent left UIR or sham UIR and 2 wk later CNX or sham CNX. Blood pressure, left renal blood flow (RBF), and total glomerular filtration rate were assessed in conscious rats for 3 days before and over 2 wk after CNX or sham CNX. In the presence of a contralateral uninjured kidney, left RBF was lower ( P < 0.05) from 2 to 4 wk following UIR (3.6 ± 0.3 mL/min) versus sham UIR (9.6 ± 0.3 mL/min). Without CNX, extensive renal atrophy, TIF, and tubule dedifferentiation, but minimal pimonidazole and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α positivity in tubules, were present at 4 wk post-UIR injury. Conversely, CNX led ( P < 0.05) to sustained increases in left RBF (6.2 ± 0.6 mL/min) that preceded the increases in glomerular filtration rate. The CNX-induced improvement in renal function was associated with renal hypertrophy, more redifferentiated tubules, less TIF, and robust pimonidazole and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α staining in UIR injured kidneys. Thus, contrary to expectations, indexes of hypoxia are not observed with the extensive TIF at 4 wk post-UIR injury in the absence of CNX but are rather associated with the improved recovery of renal function and structure following CNX.
Research on Key Control Technology of Intelligent Rolling Contact Fatigue Test Facility
Authors: Li Jianyao , Liang Juke , Chen Gubo , Yang Yan
Published: March 2020

An intelligent rolling contact fatigue test equipment is developed, and the control methods are presented. For obtaining the slip accurately, the control method based on master-slave synchronization is proposed. For controlling the loads in high precision, the control method took into consideration the influence by two factors, displacement and the load. The nonlinear interference and excess torque in load control are effectively suppressed. Based on the SIMOTION D425 which is the Siemens integrated motion control system, the control system architecture of the intelligent rolling contact fatigue test equipment is constructed. The solutions of slip ratio and the experimental load controlled by these methods are satisfactory with the requirement of design precision. In the validation experiment, the load control accuracy is ±3%, the average error of load control is 1.77%, and the average error of slip control is 0.26%. The experiment results show the proposed control methods are feasible and effective.
Bell’s Palsy: A Prospective Study
Authors: Mustafa Ahmed Hassan Kamil , Suleiman Ahmed Mohammed
Published: March 2020

Background. Bell’s palsy is an acute idiopathic facial nerve paralysis of sudden onset. It is the most common cause of lower motor neuron facial nerve paralysis with an annual incidence of 15–30 per 100,000 population. The objective of this work is to study the grade of the attack and the associated symptoms of Bell’s palsy in a group of Sudanese patients. The study type is an analytical prospective-based study. The study was carried out at Khartoum Teaching Dental Hospital, Khartoum General Teaching Hospital. In this prospective of the study, 48 patients with Bell’s palsy were evaluated using the House–Brackman scale in relation to the above mentioned variables. Results. The study showed 18 patients (37.5%) were grade II, and 24 patients (50%) had postauricular pain before and during the attack. By the end of the study period, 40 patients recovered completely (83.3%), and 8 (16.7%) patients did not recover completely, 5 (10.4%) patients complained of hearing changes during the attack, and 13 (27.1) patients gave a history of exposure to cold before the attack. Conclusion. Based on our prospective study, we conclude that the percentage of complete recovery decreases with increased severity of the attack at onset. We failed to demonstrate any relation between postauricular pain and prognosis of Bell’s palsy. The percentage of taste changes in our study is low in comparison with those obtained in the literature. In addition, all the patients showed complete regain of taste sensation. The percentage of patients with hearing changes in our study is high compared with some studies. In literature, we have no explanation for that, and it may be related to severity of the attack. In the present study, we found a strong association between exposure to cold and development of Bell’s palsy. As the number of patients in our study is small and there is a limited period of follow-up, the study may not reflect the real situation; therefore, we need a large population-based study.
The Study of the Supernormal Mechanical Properties of Giant NPR Anchor Cables
Authors: Tao ZhiGang , Xu HuiXia , Zhu Chun , Lv Qian , Wang Yong
Published: March 2020

Due to the frequent occurrence of geological disasters, such as geological faults, tectonic activities, and local activities, the study of a cable structure capable of resisting large deformations and of absorbing energy is investigated. The plane length is increased step by step based on the deformation and energy absorption values of the original NPR anchor cable model. Three kinds of two-stage constant resistance bodies are designed following the three principles: first-stage friction plus second-stage expansion, primary expansion plus secondary expansion, and first-stage expansion plus second-stage friction. Moreover, a giant NPR anchor cable with extraordinary mechanical properties is developed. Via a theoretical analysis and laboratory static tensile tests on traditional NPR and giant NPR anchor cables, their force characteristics, constant resistance, and fluctuation trends are related to the size and the structure of the constant resistance body. In addition, the most remarkable improvement takes place in the cables’ deformation and energy absorption properties. The deformation increases from 1000–2000 mm to 3000–4000 mm, while the energy absorption value increases from 4.21 × 105–1.09 × 106 J to 3.2 × 106 J. The constant resistance value is also effectively enhanced to 550–723.7 kN. This provides a reliable technical support for their application in deep geological faults.
Impact of IFN-Free and IFN-Based Treatment on Blood Myeloid Dendritic Cell, Monocyte, Slan-DC, and Activated T Lymphocyte Dynamics during HCV Infection
Authors: Vita Serena , Zuccalà Paola , Savinelli Stefano , Mascia Claudia , Rossi Raffaella , Schiavone Francesco , Marocco Raffaella , Tieghi Tiziana , Iannetta Marco , Nijhawan Parni , Zingaropoli Maria Antonella , d’Ettore Gabriella , Vullo Vincenzo , Mastroianni Claudio Maria , Lichtner Miriam
Published: March 2020

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection leads to the activation of innate immunity, a key component in HCV fibrosis. In the past, the use of IFN-based treatment regimens did not permit an adequate evaluation of the impact of HCV clearance on immune cells, because of their antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. The recent development of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, which is associated with high rates of sustained virological response, enables a more accurate analysis of the immunological modifications following HCV eradication. We studied the dynamics of blood myeloid dendritic cells, monocytes, slan-DCs, and T lymphocytes during IFN-free and IFN-based regimens in hepatitis C virus infection.
Simulation of the In Situ Spatially Varying Ground Motions and Nonlinear Seismic Response Analysis of the Cable-Stayed Bridge
Authors: Zhang Jin , Chen Ke-jian , Ju Neng-pan , Zheng Shi-xiong , Jia Hong-yu , Yuan Da-ping
Published: March 2020

To study the nonlinear seismic behavior and seismic resistance of the long-span cable-stayed bridges subjected to earthquakes, the multidimensional and multisupported artificial ground motions are synthesized first based on the in situ site conditions of the bridge considering the coherent and traveling wave effects. Then, considering the material nonlinearity of the cable-stayed bridge, a 3D finite element model is established based on the OpenSees platform, and the nonlinear seismic response analysis of the bridge is carried out under the synthetic artificial ground motions. The nonlinear seismic response of main bridge components such as piers, towers, bearings, and cables is analyzed, and key conclusions and observations are drawn.
Berberine Inhibits MDA‐MB‐231 Cells by Attenuating Their Inflammatory Responses
Authors: Zhao Lina , Zhang Chunhai
Published: March 2020

Breast cancer initiation is closely associated with cytokines that can change the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Compounds extracted from plants have been explored for the possibility of cancer treatment in the recent decades. Berberine is an isoquinoline plant alkaloid with remarkable antioxidant and anti‐inflammation roles, which is used in ethnic medicines, including traditional Chinese and North American medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of berberine on the malignant tumor cell behaviors in a breast cell line, MDA‐MB‐231. We found that berberine could not influence the cell viability in normal condition but was able to decrease the cancer cell migration capability in a scratch wound model and accordingly prolong the wound healing time. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that berberine inhibited the increased phosphorylation of c‐Jun and c‐Fos in these scratched cancer cells. With the cotreatment with LPS, which could boost the expression of cytokines in these cancer cells, berberine significantly reduced the increased expression of TNF‐α and IL‐6. Meanwhile, we found that berberine inhibited the activation of NF‐κB by preventing the degradation of IκBα.
A Note on Some Bounds of the α-Estrada Index of Graphs
Authors: Yang Yang , Sun Lizhu , Bu Changjiang
Published: March 2020

Let G be a simple graph with n vertices. Let A~αG=αDG+1−αAG, where 0≤α≤1 and AG and DG denote the adjacency matrix and degree matrix of G, respectively. EEαG=∑i=1neλi is called the α-Estrada index of G, where λ1,⋯,λn denote the eigenvalues of A~αG. In this paper, the upper and lower bounds for EEαG are given. Moreover, some relations between the α-Estrada index and α-energy are established.
Precision Augmentation of Medical Surge Capacity for Disaster Response
Authors: Shen Weifeng , Jiang Libing , He Xiaojun
Published: March 2020

Background. In recent years, serious injuries associated with extreme climate, earthquakes, terrorism, and other natural and man-made disasters have occurred frequently throughout the world. A surge in medical demand that extends beyond local medical surge capacity in mass casualty incidents following major disasters is common. Materials and Methods. We reviewed and analyzed emergency medical rescue efforts after major disasters in recent years to elaborate the precision strategy of augmenting medical surge capacity for disaster response. Results. Precision augmentation of medical surge capacity for disaster response can be achieved through several measures. These include (1) release of internal capacity through precision launching or through upgrading the levels of response, (2) precision support for medical surge capacity from external efforts, (3) centralized response, and (4) altering standards of care. We should adopt precision augmentation of medical surge capacity according to the specific situation. Conclusions. Augmentation of medical surge capacity as a basic strategy can be used to achieve effective disaster response. In disaster response, due to the complexity of disaster medical capacity amplification, it is important to select the appropriate medical capacity strategy accurately according to the actual disaster situation.
Optimal Decay Rate Estimates of a Nonlinear Viscoelastic Kirchhoff Plate
Authors: Feng Baowei , Zahri Mostafa
Published: March 2020

This paper is concerned with a nonlinear viscoelastic Kirchhoff plate uttt−σΔuttt+Δ2ut−∫0tgt−sΔ2usds=divF∇ut. By assuming the minimal conditions on the relaxation function g: g′t≤ξtGgt, where G is a convex function, we establish optimal explicit and general energy decay results to the system. Our result holds for Gt=tp with the range p∈1, 2, which improves earlier decay results with the range p∈1,3/2. At last, we give some numerical illustrations and related comparisons.
A Rare Case of Chronic Uterine Inversion Secondary to Submucosal Fibroid Managed in the Province Hospital of Nepal
Authors: Singh Amit , Ghimire Rajan
Published: March 2020

Uterine inversion secondary to uterine pathology is a rare scenario that a gynecologist encounters. Unlike puerperal uterine inversion, it is misleading and may not always be possible to reduce to normal position without surgery. We report a case of a 35-year female with per vaginal bleeding for fifteen months with a mass-like sensation in the vaginal canal. She presented in shock and had a globular mass in the vaginal canal with the indistinct cervical os. She was resuscitated with blood transfusions and intravenous fluid. She was posted for emergency surgery where myomectomy was done vaginally, and finally, Haultain’s procedure was carried out. The uterus was preserved.
Weighted Morrey Spaces Related to Schrödinger Operators with Nonnegative Potentials and Fractional Integrals
Authors: Wang Hua
Published: March 2020

Let ℒ=−Δ+V be a Schrödinger operator on ℝd, d≥3, where Δ is the Laplacian operator on ℝd, and the nonnegative potential V belongs to the reverse Hölder class RHs with s≥d/2. For given 0<α<d, the fractional integrals associated with the Schrödinger operator ℒ is defined by ℐα=ℒ−α/2. Suppose that b is a locally integrable function on ℝd and the commutator generated by b and ℐα is defined by b.ℐαfx=bx⋅ℐαfx−ℐαbfx. In this paper, we first introduce some kinds of weighted Morrey spaces related to certain nonnegative potentials belonging to the reverse Hölder class RHs with s≥d/2. Then, we will establish the boundedness properties of the fractional integrals ℐα on these new spaces. Furthermore, weighted strong-type estimate for the corresponding commutator b,ℐα in the framework of Morrey space is also obtained. The classes of weights, the classes of symbol functions, as well as weighted Morrey spaces discussed in this paper are larger than Ap,q, BMOℝd, and Lp,κμ,ν corresponding to the classical case (that is V≡0).
Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in a Child Receiving Chronic Hemodialysis
Authors: Moore Joyce , Klowak Jennifer , Isaza Gloria , Arora Steven , Belostotsky Vladimir , Stein Nina , Chanchlani Rahul
Published: March 2020

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) occurs due to hypoperfusion of the optic nerve and is a rare complication in patients receiving maintenance dialysis. To date, AION has only been reported in 22 children, all of whom were receiving peritoneal dialysis. We report the first case of AION in a 2-year 11-month-old child receiving chronic hemodialysis secondary to polycystic kidney disease from a phosphomannomutase 2 gene mutation. This case highlights the consideration for frequent blood pressure monitoring and ophthalmic screening in a certain cohort of children receiving chronic dialysis.
Cauliflower Mosaic Virus TAV, a Plant Virus Protein That Functions like Ribonuclease H1 and is Cytotoxic to Glioma Cells
Authors: Turri Valentina , Latinovic Olga S. , Bonafè Massimiliano , Toyang Ngeh , Parigi Maria , Calassanzio Matteo , Martelli Pier Luigi , Vagheggini Alessandro , Abbati Giulia , Sarnelli Anna , Casadio Rita , Ratti Claudio , Massi Paola , Schoelz James E. , Salvato Maria S. , Piccinini Filippo , Martinelli Giovanni
Published: March 2020

Recent comparisons between plant and animal viruses reveal many common principles that underlie how all viruses express their genetic material, amplify their genomes, and link virion assembly with replication. Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) is not infectious for human beings. Here, we show that CaMV transactivator/viroplasmin protein (TAV) shares sequence similarity with and behaves like the human ribonuclease H1 (RNase H1) in reducing DNA/RNA hybrids detected with S9.6 antibody in HEK293T cells. We showed that TAV is clearly expressed in the cytosol and in the nuclei of transiently transfected human cells, similar to its distribution in plants. TAV also showed remarkable cytotoxic effects in U251 human glioma cells in vitro. These characteristics pave the way for future analysis on the use of the plant virus protein TAV, as an alternative to human RNAse H1 during gene therapy in human cells.
The Synchronization of Electron Enricher and Electron Extractor as Ternary Composite Photoanode for Enhancement of DSSC Performance
Authors: Sangkhun Weradesh , Wanwong Sompit , Wongyao Nutthapon , Butburee Teera , Kumnorkaew Pisist , Wootthikanokkhan Jatuphorn
Published: March 2020

This work developed a novel ternary composite photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) composed of (i) N-, S-doped titanium dioxide with exposed {001} facet (N-, S-TiO2{001}), (ii) N-, S-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-, S-rGO), and (iii) commercial titanium dioxide (P25). The DSSC device fabricated with the ternary composite photoanode showed the greatest of power conversion efficiency (8.62%) compared to the device fabricated with P25 photoanode (3.20%). This enhancement was attributed to the synergistic effect of the N-, S-TiO2{001} and the N-, S-rGO, which act as an electron enricher and an electron extractor, respectively.
Dynamic Responses of Planar Multilink Mechanism considering Mixed Clearances
Authors: Chen Xiulong , Jiang Shuai , Deng Yu
Published: March 2020

Translational and revolute joints are the main kinds of joints in planar multilink mechanisms. Translational and revolute clearance joints have great influence on dynamical responses of planar mechanisms. Most research studies mainly focused upon revolute clearance of planar mechanisms based upon the modified Coulomb friction model, some studies investigated clearance of the pin-slot joint, and few studies researched mixed clearances (considering both translational clearance and revolute clearance) based on the LuGre friction model. Dynamic response of the 2-DOF nine-bar mechanism considering mixed clearances based on the LuGre model is investigated in this work. The dynamic model with mixed clearances is built by the Lagrange multipliers. Dynamic responses including motion output of the slider, driving torques, contact forces, shaft center trajectories at revolute clearance pairs, and slider trajectory inside the guide are analyzed, respectively. Influences of different friction models on dynamic responses are studied, such as LuGre and modified Coulomb’s friction models. Effects of different clearance values and different driving speeds on dynamic responses with mixed clearances are both analyzed. Virtual prototype model considering mixed clearances is carried out through ADAMS to verify correctness.
Design of PI Controller for Voltage Controller of Four-Phase Interleaved Boost Converter Using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Laoprom Ittipon , Tunyasrirut Satean
Published: March 2020

This article introduces voltage feedback controlling using the PI controller tuned gains by metaheuristic optimizations for a four-phase interleaved boost converter. The metaheuristic optimizations, particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), and Tabu search (TS) are applied to find the optimal gains for the proposed control system. In experiment, the designed control system is implemented on the DSP board TMS320F28335 with MATLAB/Simulink. In this paper, there are two conditions of the control system in the test, without load and with load. The response result of the proposed control system tuned gains by PSO is no overshoot and approaches to the steady state better than GA and TS methods. Moreover, it is able to maintain the output voltage feedback at a constant level according to the control signal both without load and with load conditions. As a result, the four-phase interleaved boost converter is regulated by the PI controller tuned gains with PSO which could efficiently maintain the voltage of both levels.
Cooperative Game-Based Virtual Machine Resource Allocation Algorithms in Cloud Data Centers
Authors: Kim Sungwook
Published: March 2020

With the growing demand of cloud services, cloud data centers (CDCs) can provide flexible resource provisioning in order to accommodate the workload demand. In CDCs, the virtual machine (VM) resource allocation problem is an important and challenging issue to provide efficient infrastructure services. In this paper, we propose a unified resource allocation scheme for VMs in the CDC system. To provide a fair-efficient solution, we concentrate on the basic concept of Shapley value and adopt its variations to effectively allocate CDC resources. Based on the characteristics of value solutions, we develop novel CPU, memory, storage, and bandwidth resource allocation algorithms. To practically implement our algorithms, application types are assumed as cooperative game players, and different value solutions are applied to optimize the resource utilization. Therefore, our four resource allocation algorithms are jointly combined as a novel fourfold game model and take various benefits in a rational way through the cascade interactions while solving comprehensively some control issues. To ensure the growing demand of cloud services, this feature can leverage the full synergy of different value solutions. To check the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed scheme, we conduct extensive simulations. The simulation results show that our algorithms have significant performance improvement compared to the existing state-of-the-art protocols. Finally, we summarize our cooperative game-based approach and discuss possible major research issues for the future challenges about the cloud-assisted DC resource allocation paradigm.
GPD1 Enhances the Anticancer Effects of Metformin by Synergistically Increasing Total Cellular Glycerol-3-Phosphate
Authors: Xie Jianjiang , Ye Jianheng , Cai Zhiduan , Luo Yong , Zhu Xuejin , Deng Yulin , Feng Yuanfa , Liang Yingke , Liu Ren , Han Zhaodong , Liang Yuxiang , Zheng Yu , Mo Rujun , Zhuo Yangjia , Wu Yongding , Jiang Funeng , Zhu Jianguo , Wu Chin-Lee , Zhong Weide
Published: March 2020

Metformin is an oral drug widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Numerous studies have demonstrated the value of metformin in cancer treatment. However, for metformin to elicit effects on cancer often requires a high dosage, and any underlying mechanism for how to improve its inhibitory effects remains unknown. Here, we found that low mRNA expression of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (GPD1) may predict a poor response to metformin treatment in 15 cancer cell lines. In vitro and in vivo, metformin treatment alone significantly suppressed cancer cell proliferation, a phenotype enhanced by GPD1 overexpression. Total cellular glycerol-3-phosphate concentration was significantly increased by the combination of GPD1 overexpression and metformin treatment, which suppressed cancer growth via inhibition of mitochondrial function. Eventually, increased reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial structural damage was observed in GPD1-overexpressing cell lines treated with metformin, which may contribute to cell death. In summary, this study demonstrates that GPD1 overexpression enhances the anticancer activity of metformin and that patients with increased GPD1 expression in tumor cells may respond better to metformin therapy.

Significance:

GPD1 overexpression enhances the anticancer effect of metformin through synergistic inhibition of mitochondrial function, thereby providing new insight into metformin-mediated cancer therapy.