bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Mitochondria in the Mechanisms of Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Kuznetsov Andrey V. , Javadov Sabzali , Margreiter Raimund , Grimm Michael , Hagenbuchner Judith , Ausserlechner Michael J.
Published: October 2019

Mitochondria play a critical role in maintaining cellular function by ATP production. They are also a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proapoptotic factors. The role of mitochondria has been established in many aspects of cell physiology/pathophysiology, including cell signaling. Mitochondria may deteriorate under various pathological conditions, including ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Mitochondrial injury can be one of the main causes for cardiac and other tissue injuries by energy stress and overproduction of toxic reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress, elevated calcium and apoptotic and necrotic cell death. However, the interplay among these processes in normal and pathological conditions is still poorly understood. Mitochondria play a critical role in cardiac IR injury, where they are directly involved in several pathophysiological mechanisms. We also discuss the role of mitochondria in the context of mitochondrial dynamics, specializations and heterogeneity. Also, we wanted to stress the existence of morphologically and functionally different mitochondrial subpopulations in the heart that may have different sensitivities to diseases and IR injury. Therefore, various cardioprotective interventions that modulate mitochondrial stability, dynamics and turnover, including various pharmacologic agents, specific mitochondrial antioxidants and uncouplers, and ischemic preconditioning can be considered as the main strategies to protect mitochondrial and cardiovascular function and thus enhance longevity.
A Comprehensive Insight on the Health Benefits and Phytoconstituents of Camellia sinensis and Recent Approaches for Its Quality Control
Authors: Aboulwafa Maram M. , Youssef Fadia S. , Gad Haidy A. , Altyar Ahmed E. , Al-Azizi Mohamed M. , Ashour Mohamed L.
Published: October 2019

Tea, Camellia sinensis, which belongs to the family Theaceae, is a shrub or evergreen tree up to 16 m in height. Green tea is very popular because of its marked health benefits comprising its anticancer, anti-oxidant, and antimicrobial activities, as well as its effectiveness in reducing body weight. Additionally, it was recognized by Chinese people as an effective traditional drink required for the prophylaxis against many health ailments. This is due to the complex chemical composition of green tea, which comprises different classes of chemical compounds, such as polyphenols, alkaloids, proteins, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and others. The beneficial health effects of green tea ultimately led to its great consumption and increase its liability to be adulterated by either low-quality or non-green tea products with concomitant decrease in activity. Thus, in this review, green tea was selected to highlight its health benefits and phytoconstituents, as well as recent approaches for its quality-control monitoring that guarantee its incorporation in many pharmaceutical industries. More research is needed to find out other more biological activities, active constituents, and other simple and cheap techniques for its quality assurance that ascertain the prevention of its adulteration.
Benefits of Magnesium Supplementation to Broiler Subjected to Dietary and Heat Stress: Improved Redox Status, Breast Quality and Decreased Myopathy Incidence
Authors: Estevez Mario , Petracci Massimiliano
Published: October 2019

Poultry is highly sensitive to oxidative reactions. Oxidative reactions have attracted considerable attention from animal and food scientists because of the adverse effects of these reactions on animal welfare, performance and food quality. Despite its implication in multiple biological functions magnesium (Mg) supplementation is typically overlooked in broiler diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Mg supplementation (0.3%) using a commercial product (Optibreast®) on production parameters, the redox status and meat quality in broilers challenged with dietary (oxidized oil) and heat stress. The incidence of myopathies, namely, wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS) was also assessed. Mg supplementation had a clear interaction with the absorption/accumulation of Ca in blood and breast muscle but this effect had no negative influence on any of the production parameters under study. Mg supplementation had positive effects on particular meat quality traits such as water holding capacity (WHC) and color. WHC may have other positive effects in turn on relevant sensory traits such as juiciness. Mg supplementation protected against protein oxidation in liver and plasma of broilers. This effect may be related to the increased activity of catalase in such tissues. Mg supplementation reduced the incidence of WS and WB myopathies to almost half the occurrence of such defects in animals fed a control diet. Further studies with a larger number of animals and the application of advanced proteomic/metabolomic tools are required to (1) corroborate the positive influence of Mg on myopathy incidence and (2) identify the underlying molecular basis of the proposed mechanisms.
Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Sulfide in Higher Plants under Physiological and Stress Conditions
Authors: Corpas Francisco J.
Published: October 2019

Nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are two gasotransmitters endogenously generated in plant cells [...]
Multi-Scenario Cooperative Evolutionary Algorithm for the β-Robust p-Median Problem with Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Shi Jianmai , Zheng Xiaolei , Jiao Bo , Wang Rui
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we studied the solution approach for the β-robust p-median problem with a large number of scenarios for the uncertain demands. The concept of neighborhood scenarios was introduced to describe the scenarios with a higher similarity than others. By utilizing knowledge from the solutions of neighborhood scenarios and the parallel search strategy, a novel multi-scenario cooperative evolutionary algorithm was proposed to solve the problem for all scenarios in one run. The proposed algorithm was compared with the widely used location–allocation heuristic and genetic algorithm through two practical cases, which were a network with 95 cities and a network with 668 demand nodes in an urban area. The computational results indicate that our algorithm can obtain better solutions in a much shorter time.
Patellofemoral Joint Loads during Running Immediately Changed by Shoes with Different Minimalist Indices: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Yang Chenhao , Xiao Songlin , Yang Yang , Zhang Xini , Wang Junqing , Fu Weijie
Published: October 2019

Purpose: Given the high incidence of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) in runners, this study aimed to investigate the immediate effect of shoes with different minimalist indices (MI) on the mechanical loads of the patellofemoral joint. Methods: Fifteen healthy male rearfoot strike runners were recruited to complete overground running trials at 3.33 m/s (±5%) in two running shoe conditions (MI = 26% versus MI = 86%). The amount of ten Vicon infrared cameras (100 Hz) and two Kistler force plates (1000 Hz) were used to collect kinematic and ground reaction force (GRF) data simultaneously. Quadriceps strength, patellofemoral contact force, patellofemoral contact area, and patellofemoral contact stress were calculated. Results: No significant differences were observed in the impact force and the second peak of the vertical GRF between the two shoe conditions. Compared to wearing low-MI shoes, wearing high-MI shoes showed that the maximum flexion angle of the knee, the contact area of patellofemoral joint and the peak knee extension moment reduced significantly (p < 0.01), and the peak patellofemoral contact force and stress decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that wearing high-MI shoes significantly decreases the patellofemoral contact force and patellofemoral joint stress by reducing the moment of knee extension, thus effectively reducing the load of the patellofemoral joint during the stance phase of running and potentially lowering the risk of PFPS.
Discriminative Local Feature for Hyperspectral Hand Biometrics by Adjusting Image Acutance
Authors: Nie Wei , Zhang Bob , Zhao Shuping
Published: October 2019

Image acutance or edge contrast in an image plays a crucial role in hyperspectral hand biometrics, especially in the local feature representation phase. However, the study of acutance in this application has not received a lot of attention. Therefore, in this paper we propose that there is an optimal range of image acutance in hyperspectral hand biometrics. To locate this optimal range, a thresholded pixel-wise acutance value (TPAV) is firstly proposed to assess image acutance. Then, through convolving with Gaussian filters, a hyperspectral hand image was preprocessed to obtain different TPAVs. Afterwards, based on local feature representation, the nearest neighbor method was used for matching. The experiments were conducted on hyperspectral dorsal hand vein (HDHV) and hyperspectral palm vein (HPV) databases containing 53 bands. The results that achieved the best performance were those where image acutance was adjusted to the optimal range. On average, the samples with adjusted acutance compared to the original improved by a recognition rate (RR) of 29.5% and 45.7% for the HDHV and HPV datasets, respectively. Furthermore, our method was validated on the PolyU multispectral palm print database producing similar results to that of the hyperspectral. From this we can conclude that image acutance plays an important role in hyperspectral hand biometrics.
Efficient Near-Field Analysis of the Electromagnetic Scattering Based on the Dirichlet-to-Neumann Map
Authors: Perrotta Antea M. , Maffucci Antonio , Ventre Salvatore , Tamburrino Antonello
Published: October 2019

This paper proposes an efficient technique to solve the electromagnetic scattering problem, in the near zone of scatterers illuminated by external fields. The technique is based on a differential formulation of the Helmholtz equation discretized in terms of a finite element method (FEM). In order to numerically solve the problem, it is necessary to truncate the unbounded solution domain to obtain a bounded computational domain. This is usually done by defining fictitious boundaries where absorbing conditions are imposed, for example by applying the perfect matching layer (PML) approach. In this paper, these boundary conditions are expressed in an analytical form by using the Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) operator. Compared to classical solutions such as PML, the proposed approach based on the DtN: (i) avoids the errors related to approximated boundary conditions; (ii) allows placing the boundary in close proximity to the scatterers, thus, reducing the solution domain to be meshed and the related computational cost; (iii) allows dealing with objects of arbitrary shapes and materials, since the shape of the boundary independent from those of the scatterers. Case-studies on problems related to the scattering from cable bundles demonstrate the accuracy and the computational advantage of the proposed technique, compared to existing ones.
Dynamics of a Turbine Blade with an Under-Platform Damper Considering the Bladed Disc’s Rotation
Authors: He Shangwen , Jia Wenzhen , Yang Zhaorui , He Bingbing , Zhao Jun
Published: October 2019

High-cycle fatigue (HCF) failure of the turbine blades of aero-engines caused by high vibrational stresses is one of the main causes of aero-engine incidents [...]
Pedestrian Attributes Recognition in Surveillance Scenarios Using Multi-Task Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Yan Pu , Zhuo Li , Li Jiafeng , Zhang Hui , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2019

Pedestrian attributes (such as gender, age, hairstyle, and clothing) can effectively represent the appearance of pedestrians. These are high-level semantic features that are robust to illumination, deformation, etc. Therefore, they can be widely used in person re-identification, video structuring analysis and other applications. In this paper, a pedestrian attributes recognition method for surveillance scenarios using a multi-task lightweight convolutional neural network is proposed. Firstly, the labels of the attributes for each pedestrian image are integrated into a label vector. Then, a multi-task lightweight Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is designed, which consists of five convolutional layers, three pooling layers and two fully connected layers to extract the deep features of pedestrian images. Considering that the data distribution of the datasets is unbalanced, the loss function is improved based on the sigmoid cross-entropy, and the scale factor is added to balance the amount of various attributes data. Through training the network, the mapping relationship model between the deep features of pedestrian images and the integration label vector of their attributes is established, which can be used to predict each attribute of the pedestrian. The experiments were conducted on two public pedestrian attributes datasets in surveillance scenarios, namely PETA and RAP. The results show that, compared with the state-of-the-art pedestrian attributes recognition methods, the proposed method can achieve a superior accuracy by 91.88% on PETA and 87.44% on RAP respectively.
Palladium Nanocatalysts on Hydroxyapatite: Green Oxidation of Alcohols and Reduction of Nitroarenes in Water
Authors: Shokouhimehr Mohammadreza , Yek Samaneh Mahmoudi-Gom , Nasrollahzadeh Mahmoud , Kim Aejung , Varma Rajender S.
Published: October 2019

A green procedure is described for supporting Pd nanoparticles on hydroxyapatite (HAP), which serves as a highly-stable heterogeneous catalyst displaying excellent activity for the aqueous expeditious reduction of nitroaromatics to the corresponding amines with sodium borohydride, and oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols by hydrogen peroxide with high yields and selectivities. The structural features of the prepared catalyst are confirmed by latest techniques including field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reusability of the heterogeneous catalyst was affirmed in the aqueous reduction of nitrobenzene and oxidation of cycloheptanol for six consecutive runs without significant loss of catalytic activity.
Line Shapes in a Magnetic Field: Trajectory Modifictions II: Full Collision-Time Statistics
Authors: Alexiou Spiros
Published: October 2019

In a previous paper, a variation of the Collision-time Statistics method was applied to identify the relevant perturbers for line broadening under the action of a constant magnetic field. As discussed, that version was simplified and inadequate for low magnetic field and/or large perturber mass (ions). The purpose of the present work is to augment the previous work, so that such cases can be handed efficiently. The results may also be used to construct analytic, i.e., impact/unified models under the usual assumptions in these models.
Chitosan–Azide Nanoparticle Coating as a Degradation Barrier in Multilayered Polyelectrolyte Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Sydow Steffen , Aniol Armin , Hadler Christoph , Menzel Henning
Published: October 2019

Therapeutics, proteins or drugs, can be encapsulated into multilayer systems prepared from chitosan (CS)/tripolyphosphat (TPP) nanogels and polyanions. Such multilayers can be built-up by Layer-by-Layer (LbL) deposition. For use as drug-releasing implant coating, these multilayers must meet high requirements in terms of stability. Therefore, photochemically crosslinkable chitosan arylazide (CS–Az) was synthesized and nanoparticles were generated by ionotropic gelation with TPP. The particles were characterized with regard to particle size and stability and were used to form the top-layer in multilayer films consisting of CS–TPP and three different polysaccharides as polyanions, namely alginate, chondroitin sulfate or hyaluronic acid, respectively. Subsequently, photo-crosslinking was performed by irradiation with UV light. The stability of these films was investigated under physiological conditions and the influence of the blocking layer on layer thickness was investigated by ellipsometry. Furthermore, the polyanion and the degree of acetylation (DA) of chitosan were identified as additional parameters that influence the film structure and stability. Multilayer systems blocked with the photo-crosslinked chitosan arylazide showed enhanced stability against degradation.
Exploring the Antioxidant Effects and Periodic Regulation of Cancer Cells by Polyphenols Produced by the Fermentation of Grape Skin by Lactobacillus plantarum KFY02
Authors: Liu Jia , Tan Fang , Liu Xinhong , Yi Ruokun , Zhao Xin
Published: October 2019

Lactobacillus plantarum KFY02 (LP-KFY02) was isolated from naturally fermented yoghurt in Xinjiang. We previously demonstrated that LP-KFY02 has good biological activity in vitro. In this study, LP-KFY02 was used to ferment grape skin, and the LP-KFY02 fermented grape skin extract solution (KFSE) was examined for its antioxidant ability in a human embryonic kidney (293T) cell oxidative damage model caused by H2O2 and its inhibitory effect on human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. The results showed that KFSE reduced the degree of oxidative damage in 293T cells, increased the relevant expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and GSH-peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and decreased the expression levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO). The expression of genes and proteins of SOD, CAT, GSH, and GSH-Px was up-regulated. In addition, KFSE-induced growth inhibition appeared to be through induction of cell-cycle arrest. This induction was accompanied by a reduction in the expression of cell-cycle genes, such as cyclin-D1 and CDK4. In addition, KFSE induced gene expression of p21, the apoptosis gene wild-type p53 and the caspase family. At the protein expression level, Bax and Caspase-8 were up-regulated, and the inflammatory marker Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) was down-regulated. The fermentation solution polyphenols were separated and identified as epicatechin gallate, coumarin, new chlorogenic acid, rutin, resveratrol, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, etc. by HPLC. Overall, these results demonstrate that KFSE significantly attenuated oxidative damage in 293T cells and inhibited tumor growth in HepG2 cancer cells, induces cell-cycle arrest and affects proteins involved in cell-cycle regulation and proliferation. This suggests that KFSE may also be explored as a neo-adjuvant to expansion of hepatoma.
Development of a Simple Pretreatment Immunoassay Based on an Organic Solvent-Tolerant Nanobody for the Detection of Carbofuran in Vegetable and Fruit Samples
Authors: Zhang Jin-ru , Wang Yu , Dong Jie-xian , Yang Jin-yi , Zhang Yu-qi , Wang Feng , Si Rui , Xu Zhen-lin , Wang Hong , Xiao Zhi-li , Shen Yu-dong
Published: October 2019

Nanobodies are one-tenth the size of conventional antibodies and are naturally obtained from the atypical heavy-chain-only antibodies present in camelids. Their small size, high solubility, high stability, and strong resilience to organic solvents facilitate their use as novel analytical reagents in immunochemistry. In this study, specific nanobodies against pesticide carbofuran were isolated and characterized from an immunized library via phage display platform. We further established an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using nanobody Nb316 to detect carbofuran in vegetable and fruit samples. The results showed a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 7.27 ng/mL and a detection limit of 0.65 ng/mL. A simplified sample pretreatment procedure omitting the evaporation of organic solvent was used. The averaged recovery rate of spiked samples ranged between 82.3% and 103.9%, which correlated with that of standard UPLC–MS/MS method. In conclusion, a nanobody with high specificity for carbofuran was characterized, and a nanobody-based sensitive immunoassay for simple and rapid detection of carbofuran in real samples was validated.
A Computational Toxicology Approach to Screen the Hepatotoxic Ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicines: Polygonum multiflorum Thunb as a Case Study
Authors: He Shuaibing , Zhang Xuelian , Lu Shan , Zhu Ting , Sun Guibo , Sun Xiaobo
Published: October 2019

In recent years, liver injury induced by Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) has gained increasing attention worldwide. Assessing the hepatotoxicity of compounds in TCMs is essential and inevitable for both doctors and regulatory agencies. However, there has been no effective method to screen the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs available until now. In the present study, we initially built a large scale dataset of drug-induced liver injuries (DILIs). Then, 13 types of molecular fingerprints/descriptors and eight machine learning algorithms were utilized to develop single classifiers for DILI, which resulted in 5416 single classifiers. Next, the NaiveBayes algorithm was adopted to integrate the best single classifier of each machine learning algorithm, by which we attempted to build a combined classifier. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the combined classifier were 72.798, 0.732, 0.724, and 0.793, respectively. Compared to several prior studies, the combined classifier provided better performance both in cross validation and external validation. In our prior study, we developed a herb-hepatotoxic ingredient network and a herb-induced liver injury (HILI) dataset based on pre-clinical evidence published in the scientific literature. Herein, by combining that and the combined classifier developed in this work, we proposed the first instance of a computational toxicology to screen the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs. Then Polygonum multiflorum Thunb (PmT) was used as a case to investigate the reliability of the approach proposed. Consequently, a total of 25 ingredients in PmT were identified as hepatotoxicants. The results were highly consistent with records in the literature, indicating that our computational toxicology approach is reliable and effective for the screening of hepatotoxic ingredients in Pmt. The combined classifier developed in this work can be used to assess the hepatotoxic risk of both natural compounds and synthetic drugs. The computational toxicology approach presented in this work will assist with screening the hepatotoxic ingredients in TCMs, which will further lay the foundation for exploring the hepatotoxic mechanisms of TCMs. In addition, the method proposed in this work can be applied to research focused on other adverse effects of TCMs/synthetic drugs.
Tissue Plasminogen Activator and MRI Signs of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
Authors: Dobrynina Larisa A. , Shabalina Alla A. , Zabitova Maryam R. , Kremneva Elena I. , Gadzhieva Zukhra Sh. , Krotenkova Marina V. , Gnedovskaya Elena V. , Berdalin Alexander B. , Kalashnikova Lyudmila A.
Published: October 2019

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is one of the leading causes of cognitive impairment and stroke. The importance of endothelial dysfunction and high blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability in pathogenesis, together with ischemia, is under discussion. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs of SVD. We examined 71 patients (23 men and 48 women; mean age: 60.5 ± 6.9 years) with clinical and MRI signs of SVD, and 21 healthy volunteers with normal MRIs. All subjects underwent 3T MRI and measurements of t-PA and PAI-1 levels. An increase in t-PA level is correlated with the volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) (R = 0.289, p = 0.034), severity on the Fazekas scale (p = 0.000), and with the size of subcortical (p = 0.002) and semiovale (p = 0.008) perivascular spaces. The PAI-1 level is not correlated with the t-PA level or MRI signs of SVD. The correlation between t-PA and the degree of WMH and perivascular spaces’ enlargement, without a correlation with PAI-1 and lacunes, is consistent with the importance of t-PA in BBB disruption and its role in causing brain damage in SVD.
Unclassifiable Isolated Monoclonal Lymphocytosis: Comprehensive Description of a Retrospective Cohort
Authors: Degaud Michaël , Baseggio Lucile , Grange Béatrice , Manzoni Delphine , Huet Sarah , Callet-Bauchu Evelyne , Traverse-Glehen Alexandra , Davi Frédéric , Ghesquières Hervé , Salles Gilles , Sujobert Pierre
Published: October 2019

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, the nosology of B-cell neoplasms integrates clinical, morphological, phenotypic, and genetic data. In this retrospective analysis, we identified 18 patients with isolated neoplastic lymphocytosis that could not be accurately classified within the WHO classification. Most of them were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis and the evolution was relatively indolent, as only five patients required treatment after a median follow-up of 48 months. The neoplastic B-cells expressed CD5 in most cases, but the Royal Marsden Hospital score was strictly below 3. Trisomy 12 was the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality. High-throughput sequencing highlighted mutations found in both chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). Similarly, the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region repertoire was distinct from those reported in CLL or MZL. However, as treatment choice is dependent on the correct classification of the lymphoproliferative disorder, a histological diagnosis should be performed in case patients need to be treated.
Comprehensive Metabolomic Search for Biomarkers to Differentiate Early Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Cirrhosis
Authors: Kim Da , Cho Eun , Yu Kyung-Sang , Jang In-Jin , Yoon Jung-Hwan , Park Taesung , Cho Joo-Youn
Published: October 2019

The established biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), serum α-fetoprotein (AFP), has suboptimal performance in early disease stages. This study aimed to develop a metabolite panel to differentiate early-stage HCC from cirrhosis. Cross-sectional metabolomic analyses of serum samples were performed for 53 and 47 patients with early HCC and cirrhosis, respectively, and 50 matched healthy controls. Results were validated in 82 and 80 patients with early HCC and cirrhosis, respectively. To retain a broad spectrum of metabolites, technically distinct analyses (global metabolomic profiling using gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry and targeted analyses using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry) were employed. Multivariate analyses classified distinct metabolites; logistic regression was employed to construct a prediction model for HCC diagnosis. Five metabolites (methionine, proline, ornithine, pimelylcarnitine, and octanoylcarnitine) were selected in a panel. The panel distinguished HCC from cirrhosis and normal controls, with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.82; this was significantly better than that of AFP (AUC: 0.75). During validation, the panel demonstrated significantly better predictability (AUC: 0.94) than did AFP (AUC: 0.78). Defects in ammonia recycling, the urea cycle, and amino acid metabolism, demonstrated on enrichment pathway analysis, may reliably distinguish HCC from cirrhosis. Compared with AFP alone, the metabolite panel substantially improved early-stage HCC detection.
Long-Term Outcomes of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma Associated with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 in Comparison to Sporadic Schwannoma
Authors: Shinya Yuki , Hasegawa Hirotaka , Shin Masahiro , Sugiyama Takehiro , Kawashima Mariko , Takahashi Wataru , Iwasaki Shinichi , Kashio Akinori , Nakatomi Hirofumi , Saito Nobuhito
Published: October 2019

The efficacy of radiosurgery for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2)-associated vestibular schwannoma (VS) remains debatable. We retrospectively analyzed radiosurgical outcomes for NF2-associated VS compared to sporadic VS using our database of 422 consecutive VS patients. Twenty-five patients with 30 NF2-associated VSs with a mean follow-up of 121 months were identified. NF2-associated VSs exhibited excellent tumor control (10-year cumulative rate, 92% vs. 92% in sporadic VSs; p = 0.945) and worse overall survival (73% vs. 97%; p = 0.005), mainly due to tumor progression other than the treated VSs. The presence of NF2 was not associated with failed tumor control via multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. No difference in radiation-induced adverse events (RAEs) was confirmed between cohorts, and prescription dose (hazard ratio 8.30, 95% confidence interval 3.19–21.62, p < 0.001) was confirmed as a risk for cranial nerve injuries via multivariate analysis. Further analysis after propensity score matching using age, volume, and sex as covariates showed that NF2-associated VSs exhibited excellent local control (100% vs. 93%; p = 0.240) and worse overall survival (67% vs. 100%; p = 0.002) with no significant difference in RAEs. Excellent long-term tumor control and minimal invasiveness may make radiosurgery a favorable therapeutic option for NF2 patients with small to medium VS, preferably with non-functional hearing or deafness in combination with postoperative tumor growth or progressive non-operated tumors, or with functional hearing by patients’ wish.
Quantitative Imaging of White and Gray Matter Remyelination in the Cuprizone Demyelination Model Using the Macromolecular Proton Fraction
Authors: Khodanovich Marina , Pishchelko Anna , Glazacheva Valentina , Pan Edgar , Akulov Andrey , Svetlik Mikhail , Tyumentseva Yana , Anan’ina Tatyana , Yarnykh Vasily
Published: October 2019

Macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) has been established as a quantitative clinically-targeted MRI myelin biomarker based on recent demyelination studies. This study aimed to assess the capability of MPF to quantify remyelination using the murine cuprizone-induced reversible demyelination model. MPF was measured in vivo using the fast single-point method in three animal groups (control, cuprizone-induced demyelination, and remyelination after cuprizone withdrawal) and compared to quantitative immunohistochemistry for myelin basic protein (MBP), myelinating oligodendrocytes (CNP-positive cells), and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC, NG2-positive cells) in the corpus callosum, caudate putamen, hippocampus, and cortex. In the demyelination group, MPF, MBP-stained area, and oligodendrocyte count were significantly reduced, while OPC count was significantly increased as compared to both control and remyelination groups in all anatomic structures (p < 0.05). All variables were similar in the control and remyelination groups. MPF and MBP-stained area strongly correlated in each anatomic structure (Pearson’s correlation coefficients, r = 0.80–0.90, p < 0.001). MPF and MBP correlated positively with oligodendrocyte count (r = 0.70–0.84, p < 0.01 for MPF; r = 0.81–0.92, p < 0.001 for MBP) and negatively with OPC count (r = −0.69–−0.77, p < 0.01 for MPF; r = −0.72–−0.89, p < 0.01 for MBP). This study provides immunohistological validation of fast MPF mapping as a non-invasive tool for quantitative assessment of de- and remyelination in white and gray matter and indicates the feasibility of using MPF as a surrogate marker of reparative processes in demyelinating diseases.
The Expanding Riboverse
Authors: Sulima Sergey O. , Dinman Jonathan D.
Published: October 2019

Subverting the conventional concept of “the” ribosome, a wealth of information gleaned from recent studies is revealing a much more diverse and dynamic ribosomal reality than has traditionally been thought possible. A diverse array of researchers is collectively illuminating a universe of heterogeneous and adaptable ribosomes harboring differences in composition and regulatory capacity: These differences enable specialization. The expanding universe of ribosomes not only comprises an incredible richness in ribosomal specialization between species, but also within the same tissues and even cells. In this review, we discuss ribosomal heterogeneity and speculate how the emerging understanding of the ribosomal repertoire is impacting the biological sciences today. Targeting pathogen-specific and pathological “diseased” ribosomes promises to provide new treatment options for patients, and potential applications for “designer ribosomes” are within reach. Our deepening understanding of and ability to manipulate the ribosome are establishing both the technological and theoretical foundations for major advances for the 21st century and beyond.
The Hemocompatibility of Nanoparticles: A Review of Cell–Nanoparticle Interactions and Hemostasis
Authors: de la Harpe Kara , Kondiah Pierre , Choonara Yahya , Marimuthu Thashree , du Toit Lisa , Pillay Viness
Published: October 2019

Understanding cell–nanoparticle interactions is critical to developing effective nanosized drug delivery systems. Nanoparticles have already advanced the treatment of several challenging conditions including cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), yet still hold the potential to improve drug delivery to elusive target sites. Even though most nanoparticles will encounter blood at a certain stage of their transport through the body, the interactions between nanoparticles and blood cells is still poorly understood and the importance of evaluating nanoparticle hemocompatibility is vastly understated. In contrast to most review articles that look at the interference of nanoparticles with the intricate coagulation cascade, this review will explore nanoparticle hemocompatibility from a cellular angle. The most important functions of the three cellular components of blood, namely erythrocytes, platelets and leukocytes, in hemostasis are highlighted. The potential deleterious effects that nanoparticles can have on these cells are discussed and insight is provided into some of the complex mechanisms involved in nanoparticle–blood cell interactions. Throughout the review, emphasis is placed on the importance of undertaking thorough, all-inclusive hemocompatibility studies on newly engineered nanoparticles to facilitate their translation into clinical application.
Depletion of Bone Marrow-Derived Fibrocytes Attenuates TAA-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Mice
Authors: Hempel Felix , Roderfeld Martin , Savai Rajkumar , Sydykov Akylbek , Irungbam Karuna , Schermuly Ralph , Voswinckel Robert , Köhler Kernt , Churin Yury , Kiss Ladislau , Bier Jens , Pons-Kühnemann Jörn , Roeb Elke
Published: October 2019

Bone marrow-derived fibrocytes (FC) represent a unique cell type, sharing features of both mesenchymal and hematopoietic cells. FC were shown to specifically infiltrate the injured liver and participate in fibrogenesis. Moreover, FC exert a variety of paracrine functions, thus possibly influencing the disease progression. However, the overall contribution of FC to liver fibrosis remains unclear. We aimed to study the effect of a specific FC depletion, utilizing a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK)/Valganciclovir suicide gene strategy. Fibrosis was induced by oral thioacetamide (TAA) administration in C57BL/6J mice. Hepatic hydroxyproline content was assessed for the primary readout. The HSV-TK model enabled the specific depletion of fibrocytes. Hepatic hydroxyproline content was significantly reduced as a result of the fibrocyte ablation (−7.8%; 95% CI: 0.7–14.8%; p = 0.033), denoting a reduced deposition of fibrillar collagens. Lower serum alanine transaminase levels (−20.9%; 95% CI: 0.4–36.9%; p = 0.049) indicate a mitigation of liver-specific cellular damage. A detailed mode of action, however, remains yet to be identified. The present study demonstrates a relevant functional contribution of fibrocytes to chronic toxic liver fibrosis, contradicting recent reports. Our results emphasize the need to thoroughly study the biology of fibrocytes in order to understand their importance for hepatic fibrogenesis.
Complete and Incomplete Pentalogy of Cantrell
Authors: Kylat Ranjit I.
Published: October 2019

Pentalogy of Cantrell (PC) is a malformation characterized by defects in the ventral abdominal wall, lower sternum, diaphragmatic pericardium, anterior diaphragm associated with omphalocele, thoraco-abdominal ectopia cordis, diaphragmatic hernia, and intracardiac abnormalities. PC is stratified as complete or incomplete and we present both the complete and incomplete forms.
Gender-Related Challenges in Educational Interventions with Syrian Refugee Parents of Trauma-Affected Children in Turkey
Authors: Diamond Melissa , Oberg Charles
Published: October 2019

Since 2012, more than three million Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey. While these refugees vary in socioeconomic background, it is notable that 50% of Syrian refugee children in Turkey display symptoms of post-traumatic stress and that more than 663,138 of these children between the ages of six and seventeen are not enrolled in school. For those children who are in school, high levels of trauma have significant implications for the education system as trauma alters the brain and affects the way children learn. A Global Voice for Autism is an international non-governmental relief and development organization that exists to equip teachers and families in conflict-affected communities. Its intent is to support the development and success of children with autism and trauma-related behavioral challenges in their classrooms, home, and communities. The instabilities inherent in the Syrian refugee experience pose a number of challenges to the organization’s effective implementation of programming. The experiences of refugees in Turkey are highly gendered. Therefore, a qualitative gender analysis was conducted to address and better understand the challenges faced when carrying out these educational interventions. The article examines domestic violence, sexual violence, and masculinity as gender-driven constructs that influence how refugees experience trauma. In addition, structural issues in existing support systems all present significant challenges to Syrian refugee parents that impede effective program implementation. It is imperative to assess structural issues in existing support services to address these challenges and to successfully carry out meaningful and impactful programming. This Brief Report provides a series of recommendations in order to ameliorate these challenges and increase the efficacy of educational interventions with Syrian refugee parents of trauma-affected and vulnerable children in Turkey. It concludes with a call for policy changes that protect refugees from deportation when accessing support services and a network of services that do not require residency permits. It calls for increased integration of parent trauma support in educational intervention trainings and the creation of safe spaces where mothers and fathers can discuss their own trauma and challenges in the hope of significantly enhancing program efficacy.
Impact of K+ Doping on Modulating Majority Charge Carrier Type and Quality of Perovskite Thin Films by Two-step Solution Method for Solar Cells
Authors: Yao Yujun , Zou Xiaoping , Cheng Jin , Ling Tao , Chang Chuangchuang , Chen Dan
Published: October 2019

Traditional hetero-junction perovskite solar cells are composed of light-absorbing layers, charge carrier-transporting layers, and electrodes. Recently, a few papers on homo-junction perovskite solar cells have been studied. Here, we studied the effect of K+ doping on TiO2/PbI2 interface quality, perovskite film morphology, photo-physical properties, and majority carrier type. In particular, the K+ extrinsic doping can modulate the majority carrier type of the perovskite thin film. The study indicated that the interface between the perovskite layer and the TiO2 layer deteriorates with the increase of K+ doping concentration, affecting the electron transport ability from the perovskite film to the TiO2 layer and the photo-physical properties of the perovskite layer by K+ doping. In addition, the majority charge carrier type of perovskite thin films can be changed from n-type to p-type after K+ extrinsic doping, and the corresponding hole concentration increased to 1012 cm−3. This approach of modulating the majority charge carrier type of perovskite thin film will pave the way for the investigation of perovskite homo-junction by extrinsic doping for solar cells.
Miniaturized Metalens Based Optical Tweezers on Liquid Crystal Droplets for Lab-on-a-Chip Optical Motors
Authors: Suwannasopon Satayu , Meyer Fabian , Schlickriede Christian , Chaisakul Papichaya , T-Thienprasert Jiraroj , Limtrakul Jumras , Zentgraf Thomas , Chattham Nattaporn
Published: October 2019

Surfaces covered with layers of ultrathin nanoantenna structures—so called metasurfaces have recently been proven capable of completely controlling phase of light. Metalenses have emerged from the advance in the development of metasurfaces providing a new basis for recasting traditional lenses into thin, planar optical components capable of focusing light. The lens made of arrays of plasmonic gold nanorods were fabricated on a glass substrate by using electron beam lithography. A 1064 nm laser was used to create a high intensity circularly polarized light focal spot through metalens of focal length 800 µm, N.A. = 0.6 fabricated based on Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle. We demonstrated that optical rotation of birefringent nematic liquid crystal droplets trapped in the laser beam was possible through this metalens. The rotation of birefringent droplets convinced that the optical trap possesses strong enough angular momentum of light from radiation of each nanostructure acting like a local half waveplate and introducing an orientation-dependent phase to light. Here, we show the success in creating a miniaturized and robust metalens based optical tweezers system capable of rotating liquid crystals droplets to imitate an optical motor for future lab-on-a-chip applications.
Geometrical Platform of Big Database Computing for Modeling of Complex Physical Phenomena in Electric Current Treatment of Liquid Metals
Authors: Zaporozhets Yuriy , Ivanov Artem , Kondratenko Yuriy
Published: October 2019

According to the principles of multiphysical, multiscale simulation of phenomena and processes which take place during the electric current treatment of liquid metals, the need to create an adjustable and concise geometrical platform for the big database computing of mathematical models and simulations is justified. In this article, a geometrical platform was developed based on approximation of boundary contours using arcs for application of the integral equations method and matrix transformations. This method achieves regular procedures using multidimensional scale matrices for big data transfer and computing. The efficiency of this method was verified by computer simulation and used for different model contours, which are parts of real contours. The obtained results showed that the numerical algorithm was highly accurate based on the presented geometrical platform of big database computing and that it possesses a potential ability for use in the organization of computational processes regarding the modeling and simulation of electromagnetic, thermal, hydrodynamic, wave, and mechanical fields (as a practical case in metal melts treated by electric current). The efficiency of this developed approach for big data matrices computing and equation system formation was displayed, as the number of numerical procedures, as well as the time taken to perform them, were much smaller when compared to the finite element method used for the same model contours.
Matrix Metalloproteinases as Markers of Acute Inflammation Process in the Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Lavrova Anastasia , Esmedljaeva Diljara , Belik Vitaly , Postnikov Eugene
Published: October 2019

The main factors of pathogenesis in the pulmonary tuberculosis are not only the bacterial virulence and sensitivity of the host immune system to the pathogen, but also the degree of destruction of the lung tissue. Such destruction processes lead to the development of caverns, in most cases requiring surgical interventions besides the drug therapy. Identification of special biochemical markers allowing to assess the necessity of surgery or therapy prolongation remains a challenge. We consider promising markers—metalloproteinases—analyzing the data obtained from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis infected by different strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We argue that the presence of drug-resistant strains in lungs leading to complicated clinical prognosis could be justified not only by the difference in medians of biomarkers concentration (as determined by the Mann–Whitney test for small samples), but also by the qualitative difference in their probability distributions (as detected by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test). Our results and the provided raw data could be used for further development of precise biochemical data-based diagnostic and prognostic tools for pulmonary tuberculosis.
An At-Risk Population Screening Program for Mucopolysaccharidoses by Measuring Urinary Glycosaminoglycans in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Hsiang-Yu , Lee Chung-Lin , Lo Yun-Ting , Tu Ru-Yi , Chang Ya-Hui , Chang Chia-Ying , Chiu Pao Chin , Chang Tung-Ming , Tsai Wen-Hui , Niu Dau-Ming , Chuang Chih-Kuang , Lin Shuan-Pei
Published: October 2019

Background: The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare lysosomal storage disorders characterized by the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and which eventually cause progressive damage to various tissues and organs. We developed a feasible MPS screening algorithm and established a cross-specialty collaboration platform between medical geneticists and other medical specialists based on at-risk criteria to allow for an earlier confirmative diagnosis of MPS. Methods: Children (<19 years of age) with clinical signs and symptoms compatible with MPS were prospectively enrolled from pediatric clinics between July 2013 and June 2018. Urine samples were collected for a non-specific total GAG analysis using the dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) spectrophotometric method, and the quantitation of three urinary GAGs (dermatan sulfate (DS), heparan sulfate (HS), and keratan sulfate (KS)) was performed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The subjects with elevated urinary GAG levels were recalled for leukocyte enzyme activity assay and genetic testing for confirmation. Results: Among 153 subjects enrolled in this study, 13 had a confirmative diagnosis of MPS (age range, 0.6 to 10.9 years—three with MPS I, four with MPS II, five with MPS IIIB, and one with MPS IVA). The major signs and symptoms with regards to different systems recorded by pediatricians at the time of the decision to test for MPS were the musculoskeletal system (55%), followed by the neurological system (45%) and coarse facial features (39%). For these 13 patients, the median age at the diagnosis of MPS was 2.9 years. The false negative rate of urinary DMB ratio using the dye-based method for these 13 patients was 31%, including one MPS I, two MPS IIIB, and one MPS IVA. However, there were no false negative results with urinary DS, HS and KS using the MS/MS-based method. Conclusions: We established an at-risk population screening program for MPS by measuring urinary GAG fractionation biomarkers using the LC-MS/MS method. The program included medical geneticists and other medical specialists to increase awareness and enable an early diagnosis by detecting MPS at the initial onset of clinical symptoms.