bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Roles of Neuropilin 2/VEGF-C Axis in a Series of Recurrent Lymphangioma
Authors: Yan Xueqiang , Zheng Nannan , Xiong Xiaoli , Duan Xufei , Yang Jun , Bian Hongqiang , Zhu Zhenchuang , Xiong Xiaofeng , Chen Xuyong
Published: April 2019

Introduction Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor act as a major contributor to lymphangioma, but their role on nonrecurrent and recurrent lymphangiomas remain unclear. We aim to investigate those factors in the generation of recurrent lymphangioma.

Materials and Methods Patients diagnosed with lymphangioma from January 2005 to December 2012 in our hospital were collected and divided into nonrecurrent and recurrent lymphangiomas. The clinical characteristics including age, sex, symptoms, location, and size of lymphangioma were collected. Surgical resection samples were collected for histology, protein and mRNA detection of VEGF-C, VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR-3), and neuropilin 2 (Nrp2). Follow-ups including lymphangioma recurrent and the local symptoms such as ulcer were reviewed.

Results A total of 80 patients aged from 5 months to 12 years were enrolled in this study, 51 patients had no recurrence and other 29 patients suffered from recurrent lymphangioma. There was no significant difference in demographic data and clinical characters between the two groups (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemistry staining showed that VEGFR-3 remained unchanged between nonrecurrent and recurrent lymphangiomas (p > 0.05), and VEGF-C and Nrp2 were significantly increased in recurrent lymphangioma compared with nonrecurrent lymphangioma (p < 0.05). The same expression trend was proved as detected by protein and mRNA levels.

Conclusion The VEGF-C/Nrp2 axis was significantly increased in the recurrent lymphangioma, indicating that VEGF-C/Nrp2 targeted therapy may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for recurrent lymphangioma.
Dueling nationalisms in North and South Korea
Authors: Park Seo-Hyun
Published: April 2019

Are frequent appeals to autonomy and self-reliance by political leaders indicative of strong North and South Korean nationalism? As divided nations that have experienced colonization and Cold War intervention, North and South Korea are described as having particularly nationalistic tendencies, exemplified by the extreme ideology of self-reliance in North Korea and episodes of anti-Japanism and anti-Americanism in South Korea. But often ignored in existing structural or cultural deterministic accounts is the other side of “Great Power” nationalism in both Koreas—that is, the desire to become advanced nations themselves by emulating the success of Great Powers. The argument presented here is that such an outward-looking nationalism is also a shared source of Korean foreign policy and has become a source of domestic legitimacy battles, during which weakened leaders turn to greater autonomy to bolster their political positions. Through a comparative examination of the evolution of juche in North Korea, which began as a reaction to perceived Soviet interference in the mid-1950s, and the development of anti-sadae (Great-Power revering) thought in postwar South Korea, this article attempts to explain the role of Great Powers in, as well as identify the patterns of, domestic legitimacy contestation in Korean foreign policy.
Nanometer growth of marine bio-films of different metallic alloys in seawater by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Authors: Al-Muhanna Khalid , Habib Khaled
Published: April 2019

The main purpose of this study was to monitor the growth of the marine bio-film, of micro/macro-organisms, on the surface of different metallic alloys in seawater by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The alloys used in this study were; UNS 1020 carbon steel, stainless steel 304, stainless steel 316L, Sanicro 28, Cu–Ni 70–30, Hastelloy G-30, and titanium. The EIS was used to measure the A.C. Impedance (Z) and the double layer capacitance (Cdl) of the formed bio-film in seawater on a frequent basis. The total exposure time of the tests ranged between 90 days to 180 days. The visual inspection of the tested samples showed a bio-film formation on the surface of these samples. The microbiologically influenced (induced) corrosion (MIC) was observed only on the carbon steel. Monitoring the growth of the bio-film formation was accomplished by the EIS during the 90-180 days exposure of the tested samples. A gradual monitoring of the growth of the bio-film formation was achieved by mathematically correlating the obtained the A.C. Impedance (Z) and the double layer capacitance (Cdl) of the bio-film to the thickness of the bio-film formation. The advantage of EIS is a non-invasive technique with a sensing (spatial) resolution in a nanometer scale in a comparison to other techniques of monitoring the growth of bio-films on metallic alloys in aqueous solutions.
Exponential stabilization of the full von Kármán beam by a thermal effect and a frictional damping and distributed delay
Authors: Bouzettouta Lamine , Abdelhak Djebabla
Published: April 2019

The one-dimensional full von Kármán beam is stabilized using the dissipative effect through heat conduction acting on the longitudinal component and the frictional damping acting on the transversal component of the beam.
Domain boundaries in Luttinger-Tisza ordered dipole lattices
Authors: Ashhab S. , Carignano M. , Madjet M. E.
Published: April 2019

Motivated by the recent interest in the possible ordering of the CH3NH3 dipoles in the material CH3NH3PbI3, we investigate the properties of domain boundaries in a simple cubic lattice of dipoles. We perform numerical simulations in which we set the boundary conditions such that the dipoles at the opposite sides of the simulated sample are ordered in different directions, hence simulating a domain boundary. We calculate the lowest energy configuration under this constraint. We find that if we consider only dipole–dipole interactions, the dipole orientations tend to gradually transform between the two orientations at the two opposite ends of the sample. When we take into consideration the finite spatial size of the CH3NH3 molecules and go beyond the point dipole approximation, we find that the domain boundary becomes sharper. For the parameters of CH3NH3PbI3, our results indicate that the optimal energy structure has a boundary region of a width on the order of a single unit cell.
Experimental and simulation studies on temporal evolution of chemically etched Si surface: Tunable light trapping and cold cathode electron emission properties
Authors: Singh Ranveer , Mollick Safiul Alam , Saini Mahesh , Guha Puspendu , Som Tapobrata
Published: April 2019

Anisotropic alkaline etching of single crystalline p-Si(100) substrates is carried out for different times (in the range of 30–2400 s). This leads to the formation of randomly distributed pyramidal structures on Si surfaces, as observed from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy images. During early stages of etching, rough surfaces evolve, but for longer etching times, pyramidally textured surfaces (having dimensions in the range of 0.2–2 μm) are formed. The formation of pyramidal structures is explained in light of simulation studies based on the continuum theory of stress-induced morphological instability. The power spectral density plots extracted from the experimental AFM images and the simulated images show that while the correlation length increases for lower etching times, it gets saturated for higher etching times. These facts corroborate well with our experimental results that reveal increasing pyramidal size with etching time. In addition, we study the temporal evolution of antireflection and field emission properties of such pyramidally textured-silicon substrates in line with their potential use in solar cells and moderate level cold cathode electron emission, respectively. For instance, it is interesting to note that surface reflectance of these pyramidally textured surfaces (formed at higher etching times) can be brought down to as low as 0.4% over a broad spectral range, viz., 300–3000 nm. Likewise, the field emission data show that turn-on potential decreases with increasing etching time (e.g., 2.62 V μm−1 for an etching time of 1200 s).
Atomistic insights on the influence of pre-oxide shell layer and size on the compressive mechanical properties of nickel nanowires
Authors: Aral Gurcan , Islam Md Mahbubul , Wang Yun-Jiang , Ogata Shigenobu , van Duin Adri C. T.
Published: April 2019

We used ReaxFF reactive molecular dynamics simulations to systematically investigate the effects of a pre-oxide shell layer on the mechanical properties of [001]-oriented nickel (Ni) nanowires (NWs) under the uniaxial compressive loading at room temperature. The pristine Ni NWs are considered as references to compare the mechanical properties of the oxide-coated NWs. We found that the mechanical properties of pristine Ni NWs under uniaxial compression are sensitive to both the diameter of the NWs and the pre-oxide shell layer, and their combined effect determines the overall stress and strain behaviors. The compressive strength of the pristine NWs decreases significantly with the decreasing diameter. We observe that the native defected amorphous pre-oxide shell layer with ∼1.0 nm thickness leads to a lowering of the mechanical compressive resistivity of NWs and causes additional softening. Oxide-coated NWs exhibit a lesser size-dependent unique properties and a lower overall yield strength compared to their pristine counterparts. The reduction of the mechanical compressive yield stress and strain with the decreasing diameter is due to the substantial changes in plastic flow as well as correlated with the existence of the pre-oxide shell layer as compared to its pristine counterpart. Particularly, pre-oxide shell layers have pronounced effects on the initiation of initial dislocations to onset plastic deformation and consequently on the overall plastic response.
Boron doped diamond films: A microwave attenuation material with high thermal conductivity
Authors: Ding Minghui , Liu Yanqing , Lu Xinru , Li Yifeng , Tang Weizhong
Published: April 2019

Microwave attenuation materials with high thermal conductivity are required for developing high power microwave technology. In this paper, boron-doped diamond films with different doping concentrations were prepared by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Complex permittivity of the samples was measured in the K-band by using the transmission/reflection method. It was found that the complex permittivity of the diamond films increased with an increase in the boron doping concentration and the diamond films were transformed from a microwave transparent material into a microwave absorbing material. In addition, although thermal conductivity decreased with increasing boron concentration, it remained at a fairly high level. Therefore, boron-doped diamond films could be developed into a microwave attenuation material with extremely high thermal conductivity. Mechanism analysis revealed that the increase in the real part of permittivity mainly resulted from the hopping polarization of bound charges, while the increase in the imaginary part was due to both hopping polarization and valence band conduction. It was found that with the increase in the boron doping concentration, the proportion of the dielectric loss of the first mechanism increased.
Investigating the influence of intramolecular bond lengths on the intermolecular interaction of H2–AgCl complex: Binding energy, intermolecular vibrations, and isotope effects
Authors: Zheng Rui , Zheng Limin , Yang Minghui
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we performed a theoretical study on the influence of intramolecular bond lengths on the intermolecular interactions between H2 and AgCl molecules. Using four sets of bond lengths for the monomers of H2 and AgCl, four-dimensional intermolecular potential energy surfaces (PESs) were constructed from ab initio data points at the level of single and double excitation coupled cluster method with noniterative perturbation treatment of triple excitations. A T-shaped global minimum was found on the PES. Interestingly, both the binding energies and Ag–H2 distances present a linear relationship with the intramolecular bond lengths of H2–AgCl. The accuracy of these PESs was validated by the available spectroscopic data via the bound state calculations, and the predicted rotational transition frequencies can reproduce the experimental observations with a root-mean-squared error of 0.0003 cm−1 based on the PES constructed with r(H–H) and r(Ag–Cl) fixed at 0.795 and 2.261 Å, respectively. The intermolecular vibrational modes were assigned unambiguously with a simple pattern by analyzing the wave functions. Isotope effects were also investigated by the theoretical calculations, and the results are in excellent agreement with the available spectroscopic data. The transition frequencies for the isotopolog D2–AgCl are predicted with the accuracy of 0.3 MHz.
A guideline to solar forecasting research practice: Reproducible, operational, probabilistic or physically-based, ensemble, and skill (ROPES)
Authors: Yang Dazhi
Published: April 2019

Over the past decade, significant progress in solar forecasting has been made. Nevertheless, there are concerns about duplication, long-term value, and reproducibility; this is referred to as the “solar forecasting bubble.” There is an urgent need to reconcile and improve the current solar forecasting research practice. This discussion paper proposes a so-called “ROPES” guideline that describes the desirable characteristics of future solar forecasting studies. In short, ROPES stands for reproducible, operational, probabilistic and/or physically based, ensemble, and skill. This set of characteristics is intended to facilitate comparison, comprehension, and communication within the solar forecasting field and speed up its development. Compliance with ROPES is evaluated on 79 solar forecasting references published during 2017 January to 2018 July in 6 Elsevier energy journals. Although most current papers fall short of complying with ROPES, evidence suggests that a consensus is forming.
Imaging flow distribution through nanoporous polymer films using bright-field nanoscopy
Authors: Suran Swathi , Varma Manoj
Published: April 2019

Bright-field nanoscopy (BFN), an optical visualization technique using standard diffraction-limited microscopy, has been used in the past to visualize nanoscale objects such as grain boundaries in single layer graphene and water transport across nanomembranes. Here, we show how BFN can be used to visualize and gather information about water transport networks in porous polymer membranes. We were able to visualize a sub-100 nm network of pores in a polyelectrolyte multilayer using this technique. The extracted pore diameter distribution fitted well to an exponential distribution. Further, the time evolution of pore diameter displayed two distinct regimes consistent with expectations.
Electron transport in N-polar GaN-based heterostructures
Authors: Rakoski Alexa , Diez Sandra , Li Haoran , Keller Stacia , Ahmadi Elaheh , Kurdak Çağlıyan
Published: April 2019

Electron transport in N-polar GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) structures with a combination of In0.18Al0.82N-AlN as the barrier was studied via temperature-dependent van der Pauw Hall and Shubnikov de Haas measurements. In contrast to Ga-polar HEMT structures, no persistent photoconductivity could be detected. In a sample with 10 nm thick InAlN, only one oscillation frequency was observed, demonstrating that a single sublevel is present. From the oscillations, a two-dimensional electron gas carrier density of 8.54 × 1012 cm−2 and a mobility of 4970 cm2/V s were extracted at 1.7 K. This sample was further investigated using ionic liquid gating. The charge density was varied from 7.5 × 1012 cm−2 to 9.6 × 1012 cm−2. The electron mobility significantly declined with decreasing charge density. This is in contrast to Ga-polar HEMT structures, where the electron mobility typically increases slightly as the charge density decreases.
Simple and low-cost production of hybrid 3D-printed microfluidic devices
Authors: Duong Lynh Huyen , Chen Pin-Chuan
Published: April 2019

The use of three-dimensional (3D) printing for the fabrication of microfluidic chips has attracted considerable attention among researchers. This low-cost fabrication method allows for rapid prototyping and the creation of complex structures; however, these devices lack optical transparency, which greatly hinders the characterization and quantification of experiment results. To address this problem, integrating a transparent substrate with a 3D-printed chip is an effective approach. In this study, we present a solvent bonding method of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) thermoplastic materials for the creation of optically detectable 3D-printed microfluidic devices. To achieve an excellent bonding between PMMA and ABS substrates, we used spray coating as a method for the distribution of ethanol solution followed by UV exposure and post-annealing step to improve the bonding strength. We fabricated a microfluidic chip with S-microchannel to characterize the bonding protocol, and other two application-oriented microfluidic chips, including a 3D split-and-recombine-based passive micromixer, and an integrated microchip for the mixing of two streams of liquid prior to the formation of double-emulsion droplets, to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed scheme. As a result, at least eight bars of the bonding strength between PMMA/ABS substrates was achieved, and the ability of producing optically detectable 3D-printed microfluidic devices based on this bonding method was confirmed.
Characterizing deviation from equilibrium in direct simulation Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Alamatsaz Arghavan , Venkattraman Ayyaswamy
Published: April 2019

A fundamental and yet computationally feasible parameter based on the characteristic function of the velocity distribution function (VDF) is proposed for determining the deviation from near-equilibrium conditions in rarefied flow simulations using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The proposed parameter utilizes the one-to-one correspondence between the VDF and its characteristic function (or Fourier transform), thereby correlating the deviation of the VDF (from a Chapman-Enskog VDF) with the deviation of the characteristic function (also from that of a Chapman-Enskog VDF). The results are first presented for an unsteady Bobylev solution for approach to equilibrium in 0-D, free-molecular Fourier-Couette flow problem and the Mott-Smith solution for the shock wave all of which have analytical solutions for the VDF, thereby confirming that the proposed parameter indeed captures the deviation from near-equilibrium conditions accurately. The utility of the proposed parameter is then demonstrated using two benchmark problems—Couette flow (over a range of Knudsen numbers) and structure of a normal shock (for upstream Mach numbers of 1.5, 3, and 5)—solved using the DSMC method. While the current work only presents results for benchmark one-dimensional DSMC simulations, the approach can be extended easily to rarefied flows in higher dimensions. Therefore, the proposed parameter has the potential to be used for understanding the nature of VDF and its deviation from near-equilibrium conditions at all locations in a flow field without the need for explicitly sampling the VDF.
Spurious ferromagnetic remanence detected by hybrid magnetometer
Authors: Bevilacqua Giuseppe , Biancalana Valerio , Dancheva Yordanka , Stiaccini Leonardo , Vigilante Antonio
Published: April 2019

Nuclear magnetic resonance detection in ultra-low-field regime enables the measurement of different components of a spurious remanence in the polymeric material constituting the sample container. A differential atomic magnetometer detects simultaneously the static field generated by the container and the time-dependent signal from the precessing nuclei. The nuclear precession responds with frequency shifts and decay rate variations to the container magnetization. Two components of the latter act independently on the atomic sensor and on the nuclear sample. A model of the measured signal allows a detailed interpretation on the basis of the interaction geometry.
Theoretical Study on Pyramidal C7N6–H3R3 Molecules
Authors: He Bing , Li Bingke , Zhou Hongwei
Published: April 2019

The pyramidal molecule C7N6H6 and its nine symmetric tri-substituted derivatives C7N6–H3R3 (R=OH, F, CN, N3, NH2, NO2, N=NH, N2H3, and C≡CH) were investigated computationally using the GAUSSIAN 09 program package. Natural bond orbital and atoms in molecules analyses, as well as valence bond theory were applied to investigate the bonding properties. In comparison to their well known analogues C6N7–R3, i.e. generic heptazines, it is found that these 10 molecules are all reactive. Further studies on the topological structures and ionization energy values indicate that the reactive site of the molecules is located at the carbon atom of the core frame. Even though C7N6–H3R3 are neutral molecules, the structures and properties of some are consistent with those of a carbanion, and indeed, they act like carbanions, or so-called carbanionoids. These carbanionoids may have an extensive impact in organic chemistry and organometallic chemistry.
Human mutations highlight an intersubunit cation–π bond that stabilizes the closed but not open or inactivated states of TRPV channels
Authors: Teng Jinfeng , Anishkin Andriy , Kung Ching , Blount Paul
Published: April 2019

Significance

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are key cation channels that respond to thermal, chemical, electric, or mechanical stimuli. There are >60 mutations known in TrpV4 that cause defects in bone or neural development. Two mutations guided us to examine a cation–π bond, which we found to tie the four subunits together to help close the channel gate. This or a similar bond is seen in many structures of TRP channels. In experiments, breaking this bond favors opening and inactivation of TRPV4.
Circulating heparin oligosaccharides rapidly target the hippocampus in sepsis, potentially impacting cognitive functions
Authors: Zhang Xing , Han Xiaorui , Xia Ke , Xu Yongmei , Yang Yimu , Oshima Kaori , Haeger Sarah M. , Perez Mario J. , McMurtry Sarah A. , Hippensteel Joseph A. , Ford Joshay A. , Herson Paco S. , Liu Jian , Schmidt Eric P. , Linhardt Robert J.
Published: April 2019

Significance

Sepsis results in the heparanase-mediated release of heparan sulfate oligosaccharides from the endothelial glycocalyx. In human sepsis patients, these released heparan sulfate oligosaccharides have been shown to be rich in highly sulfated domains, and their presence was associated with moderate or severe cognitive impairment. The current study uses a murine sepsis model to show that an exogenously administered highly sulfated
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C-labeled heparan sulfate oligosaccharide, rich in highly sulfated domains, selectively targets the hippocampus. This selective targeting suggests that heparan sulfate sequestering of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus may impact spatial memory formation. A therapeutic strategy for selectively protecting cognition in septic patients might be developed through targeting these heparan sulfate oligosaccharides, rich in highly sulfated domains.
Lamin B1 loss promotes lung cancer development and metastasis by epigenetic derepression of RET
Authors: Jia Yanhan , Vong Joaquim Si-Long , Asafova Alina , Garvalov Boyan K. , Caputo Luca , Cordero Julio , Singh Anshu , Boettger Thomas , Günther Stefan , Fink Ludger , Acker Till , Barreto Guillermo , Seeger Werner , Braun Thomas , Savai Rajkumar , Dobreva Gergana
Published: April 2019

Although abnormal nuclear structure is an important criterion for cancer diagnostics, remarkably little is known about its relationship to tumor development. Here we report that loss of lamin B1, a determinant of nuclear architecture, plays a key role in lung cancer. We found that lamin B1 levels were reduced in lung cancer patients. Lamin B1 silencing in lung epithelial cells promoted epithelial–mesenchymal transition, cell migration, tumor growth, and metastasis. Mechanistically, we show that lamin B1 recruits the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to alter the H3K27me3 landscape and repress genes involved in cell migration and signaling. In particular, epigenetic derepression of the RET proto-oncogene by loss of PRC2 recruitment, and activation of the RET/p38 signaling axis, play a crucial role in mediating the malignant phenotype upon lamin B1 disruption. Importantly, loss of a single lamin B1 allele induced spontaneous lung tumor formation and RET activation. Thus, lamin B1 acts as a tumor suppressor in lung cancer, linking aberrant nuclear structure and epigenetic patterning with malignancy.
CLEASE: a versatile and user-friendly implementation of cluster expansion method
Authors: Chang Jin Hyun , Kleiven David , Melander Marko , Akola Jaakko , Garcia-Lastra Juan Maria , Vegge Tejs
Published: April 2019

Materials exhibiting a substitutional disorder such as multicomponent alloys and mixed metal oxides/oxyfluorides are of great importance in many scientific and technological sectors. Disordered materials constitute an overwhelmingly large configurational space, which makes it practically impossible to be explored manually using first-principles calculations such as density functional theory due to the high computational costs. Consequently, the use of methods such as cluster expansion (CE) is vital in enhancing our understanding of the disordered materials. CE dramatically reduces the computational cost by mapping the first-principles calculation results on to a Hamiltonian which is much faster to evaluate. In this work, we present our implementation of the CE method, which is integrated as a part of the atomic simulation environment (ASE) open-source package. The versatile and user-friendly code automates the complex set up and construction procedure of CE while giving the users the flexibility to tweak the settings and to import their own structures and previous calculation results. Recent advancements such as regularization techniques from machine learning are implemented in the developed code. The code allows the users to construct CE on any bulk lattice structure, which makes it useful for a wide range of applications involving complex materials. We demonstrate the capabilities of our implementation by analyzing the two example materials with varying complexities: a binary metal alloy and a disordered lithium chromium oxyfluoride.
Enhanced continuous generation of non-Gaussianity through optomechanical modulation
Authors: Qvarfort Sofia , Serafini Alessio , Xuereb André , Rätzel Dennis , Bruschi David Edward
Published: April 2019

We study the non-Gaussian character of quantum optomechanical systems evolving under the fully nonlinear optomechanical Hamiltonian. By using a measure of non-Gaussianity based on the relative entropy of an initially Gaussian state, we quantify the amount of non-Gaussianity induced by both a constant and time-dependent cubic light–matter coupling and study its general and asymptotic behaviour. We find analytical approximate expressions for the measure of non-Gaussianity and show that initial thermal phonon occupation of the mechanical element does not significantly impact the non-Gaussianity. More importantly, we also show that it is possible to continuously increase the amount of non-Gassuianity of the state by driving the light–matter coupling at the frequency of mechanical resonance, suggesting a viable mechanism for increasing the non-Gaussianity of optomechanical systems even in the presence of noise.
Interferometric measurement of micro-g acceleration with levitated atoms
Authors: Carli A Di , Colquhoun C D , Kuhr S , Haller E
Published: April 2019

The sensitivity of atom interferometers is usually limited by the observation time of a free falling cloud of atoms in Earth’s gravitational field. Considerable efforts are currently made to increase this observation time, e.g. in fountain experiments, drop towers and in space. In this article, we experimentally study and discuss the use of magnetic levitation for interferometric precision measurements. We employ a Bose–Einstein condensate of cesium atoms with tuneable interaction and a Michelson interferometer scheme for the detection of micro-g acceleration. In addition, we demonstrate observation times of 1s, which are comparable to current drop-tower experiments, we study the curvature of our force field, and we observe the effects of a phase-shifting element in the interferometer paths.
Neuropathological correlates of structural and functional imaging biomarkers in 4-repeat tauopathies
Authors: Spina Salvatore , Brown Jesse A , Deng Jersey , Gardner Raquel C , Nana Alissa L , Hwang Ji-Hye L , Gaus Stephanie E , Huang Eric J , Kramer Joel H , Rosen Howie J , Kornak John , Neuhaus John , Miller Bruce L , Grinberg Lea T , Boxer Adam L , Seeley William W
Published: April 2019

Neurodegenerative dementia syndromes are characterized by spreading of pathological protein deposition along syndrome-specific neural networks. Structural and functional MRI measures can assess the integrity of these networks and have been proposed as biomarkers of disease progression for clinical trials. The relationship between in vivo imaging measures and pathological features, at the single subject level, remains largely unknown. Patient-specific maps of atrophy and seed-based intrinsic connectivity disruption, as compared to normal controls, were obtained for 27 patients subsequently diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (n = 16, seven males, age at death 68.9 ± 6.0 years, imaging-to-pathology interval = 670.2 ± 425.1 days) or corticobasal degeneration (n = 11, two males, age at death 66.7 ± 5.4 years, imaging-to-pathology interval = 696.2 ± 482.2 days). A linear mixed effect model with crossed random effects was used to test regional and single-subject level associations between post-mortem regional measures of neurodegeneration and tau inclusion burden, on the one hand, and regional volume loss and seed-based intrinsic connectivity reduction, on the other. A significant association was found between tau inclusion burden and in vivo volume loss, at the regional level and independent of neurodegeneration severity, in both progressive supranuclear palsy [n = 340 regions; beta 0.036; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.001, 0.072; P = 0.046] and corticobasal degeneration (n = 215 regions; beta 0.044; 95% CI: 0.009, 0.079; P = 0.013). We also found a significant association between post-mortem neurodegeneration and in vivo volume loss in both progressive supranuclear palsy (n = 340 regions; beta 0.155; 95% CI: 0.061, 0.248; P = 0.001) and corticobasal degeneration (n = 215 regions; beta 0.277; 95% CI: 0.104, 0.450; P = 0.002). We found a significant association between regional neurodegeneration and intrinsic connectivity dysfunction in corticobasal degeneration (n = 215 regions; beta 0.074; 95% CI: 0.005, 0.143; P = 0.035), but no other associations between post-mortem measures of tauopathy and intrinsic connectivity dysfunction reached statistical significance. Our data suggest that in vivo structural imaging measures reflect independent contributions from neurodegeneration and tau burden in progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration. Seed-based measures of intrinsic connectivity dysfunction showed less reliable predictive value when used as in vivo biomarkers of tauopathy. The findings provide important guidance for the use of imaging biomarkers as indirect in vivo assays of microscopic pathology.
Accelerating Structural Degeneration in Temporal Regions and Their Effects on Cognition in Aging of MCI Patients
Authors: Li Xin , Xia Jianan , Ma Chao , Chen Kewei , Xu Kai , Zhang Junying , Chen Yaojing , Li He , Wei Dongfeng , Zhang Zhanjun
Published: April 2019

Age is the major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there is limited evidence about MCI-specific aging-related simultaneous changes of the brain structure and their impact on cognition. We analyzed the brain imaging data from 269 subjects (97 MCI patients and 172 cognitively normal [CN] elderly) using voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics procedures to explore the special structural pattern during aging. We found that the patients with MCI showed accelerated age-related reductions in gray matter volume in the left planum temporale, thalamus, and posterior cingulate gyrus. The similar age×group interaction effect was found in the fractional anisotropy of the bilateral parahippocampal cingulum white matter tract, which connects the temporal regions. Importantly, the age-related temporal gray matter and white matter alterations were more significantly related to performance in memory and attention tasks in MCI patients. The accelerated degeneration patterns in the brain structure provide evidence for different neural mechanisms underlying aging in MCI patients. Temporal structural degeneration may serve as a potential imaging marker for distinguishing the progression of the preclinical AD stage from normal aging.
A competing-risks nomogram and recursive partitioning analysis for cause-specific mortality in patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma
Authors: Zhang G , Wu B , Wang X , Li J
Published: April 2019

The objective of this study is to estimate the probability of cause-specific mortality using a competing-risks nomogram and recursive partitioning analysis in a large population-based cohort of patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma. The surveillance, epidemiology and end results database was used to identify 162 patients diagnosed with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma from 1998 to 2014. We estimated a cumulative incidence function for cause-specific mortality. A nomogram was constructed by using a proportional subdistribution hazard model, validated using bootstrap cross-validation, and evaluated with a decision curve analysis to assess its clinical utility. Finally, we performed risk stratification using a recursive partitioning analysis to divide patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma into clinically useful prognostic groups. Tumor location, distant metastasis, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were significantly associated with cause-specific mortality. The calibration plots demonstrated good concordance between the predicted and actual outcomes. The discrimination performance of a Fine–Gray model was evaluated by using the c-index, which was 0.723 for cause-specific mortality. The decision curve analysis ranged from 0.268 to 0.968 for the threshold probability at which the risk model provided net clinical benefits relative to hypothetical all-screening and no-screening scenarios. The risk groups stratified by a recursive partitioning analysis allowed significant distinction between cumulative incidence curves. We determined the probability of cause-specific mortality in patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma and developed a nomogram and recursive partitioning analysis stratification system based on a competing-risks model. The nomogram and recursive partitioning analysis appear to be suitable for risk stratification of cause-specific mortality in patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma and will help clinicians to identify patients at increased risk of cause-specific mortality to guide treatment and surveillance decisions.
Sublobar resection for node-negative lung cancer 2–5 cm in size
Authors: Stiles Brendon M , Mao Jialin , Harrison Sebron , Lee Benjamin , Port Jeffrey L , Altorki Nasser K , Sedrakyan Art
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVES

Sublobar resection (SLR) is an alternative to lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Outcomes following SLR for tumours >2 cm are not well described. We sought to determine the utilization of SLR for stage I tumours >2–5 cm in size and to determine predictors of outcome.

METHODS

We utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER)-Medicare database to identify NSCLC patients with primary lung cancer ≥66 years old with stage I cancers >2–5 cm in size. We evaluated overall survival and cancer-specific survival among cohorts undergoing lobectomy versus SLR. Propensity score matching was performed. We compared patient characteristics and survival between groups.

RESULTS

For the study time period (2007–2012), among patients with tumours >2 cm and ≤5 cm (n = 4582), 3890 lobectomies (85%) and 692 SLR (15%) were performed. Patients undergoing SLR were older, had smaller tumours and more comorbidities. Patients undergoing lobectomy were much more likely to have any lymph nodes removed (95.6% vs 65.6%, P < 0.001) and to have >10 nodes removed (29.6% vs 7.5%, P < 0.001). All-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.65, confidence interval (CI) 1.48–1.85] and cancer-specific (HR 1.63, CI 1.29–2.06) mortality were higher following SLR. At 3 years, overall survival (60.9%, CI 57.0–64.6% vs 54.4%, CI 50.4–58.2%) and cancer-specific survival (87.3%, CI 83.5–90.3% vs 76.5%, CI 71.0–81.1%) favoured lobectomy over SLR. In propensity-matched groups, both all-cause (HR 1.27, CI 1.10–1.47) and cancer-specific (HR 1.54, CI 1.11–2.16) mortality rates were higher with SLR.

CONCLUSIONS

In pathologically staged patients, SLR appears inferior to lobectomy for stage I NSCLC 2–5 cm in size. SLR is associated with less extensive lymphadenectomy and with worse survival than lobectomy in this cohort of patients. However, the 76.5% 3-year cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing SLR may exceed that of other localized treatment options for NSCLC. As such, SLR may be an appropriate option for high-risk patients with carefully staged 2–5 cm N0 tumours.
Erratum: “Abelian Arithmetic Chern–Simons Theory and Arithmetic Linking Numbers”
Authors: Chung Hee-Joong , Kim Dohyeong , Kim Minhyong , Pappas George , Park Jeehoon , Yoo Hwajong
Published: April 2019

We wish to point out errors in the paper “Abelian Arithmetic Chern–Simons Theory and Arithmetic Linking Numbers”, International Mathematics Research Notices, Vol. 2017, No. 00, pp. 1–29. The main error concerns the symmetry of the “ramified case” of the height pairing, which relies on the vanishing of the Bockstein map in Proposition 3.5. The surjectivity claimed in the 1st line of the proof of Proposition 3.5 is incorrect. The specific results that are affected are Proposition 3.5; Lemmas 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, and 3.9; and Corollary 3.11. The definition of the $(S,n)$-height pairing following Lemma 3.9 is also invalid, since the symmetry of the pairing was required for it to be well defined. The results of Section 3 before Proposition 3.5 as well as those of the other Sections are unaffected.

Proposition 3.10 is correct, but the proof is unclear and has some sign errors. So we include here a correction. As in the paper, let $I$ be an ideal such that $I^n$ is principal in ${\mathcal{O}}_{F,S}$. Write $I^n=(f^{-1})$. Then the Kummer cocycles $k_n(f)$ will be in $Z^1(U, {{\mathbb{Z}}/{n}{\mathbb{Z}}})$. For any $a\in F$, denote by $a_S$ its image in $\prod _{v\in S} F_v$. Thus, we get an element $$\begin{equation*}[f]_{S,n}:=[(k_n(f), k_{n^2}(f_S), 0)] \in Z^1(U, {{{\mathbb{Z}}}/{n}{{\mathbb{Z}}}} \times_S{\mathbb{Z}}/n^2{\mathbb{Z}}),\end{equation*}$$which is well defined in cohomology independently of the choice of roots used to define the Kummer cocycles. (We have also trivialized both $\mu _{n^2}$ and $\mu _n$.)
Impact of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Dual Infection on Female Genital Tract Mucosal Immunity and the Vaginal Microbiome
Authors: Keller Marla J , Huber Ashley , Espinoza Lilia , Serrano Myrna G , Parikh Hardik I , Buck Gregory A , Gold Jeremy A , Wu Yiqun , Wang Tao , Herold Betsy C
Published: April 2019

Background

Mechanisms linking herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are not fully defined. We tested the hypothesis that HSV-2 and HIV dual infection is associated with cervicovaginal inflammation and/or vaginal dysbiosis.

Methods

Genital tract samples were obtained weekly over a 12-week period from 30 women seropositive (+) for HIV and HSV-2 and 15 women each who were seropositive for one or seronegative (−) for both viruses. Immune mediators, antimicrobial activity, and microbial composition and diversity were compared.

Results

Significant differences in the concentrations of interferon-γ (P = .002), tumor necrosis factor-α (P = .03), human beta defensin 1 (P = .001), secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (P = .01), and lysozyme (P = .03) were observed across the 4 groups (Kruskal-Wallis). There were also significant differences in vaginal microbial alpha diversity (Simpson index) (P = .0046). Specifically, when comparing HIV-1+/HSV-2+ to HIV-1−/HSV-2− women, a decrease in Lactobacillus crispatus and increase in diverse anaerobes was observed. The number of genital HSV outbreaks was greater in HIV+ versus HIV− women (39 versus 12) (P = .04), but there were no significant differences when comparing outbreak to non-outbreak visits.

Conclusions

Increased microbial diversity and cervicovaginal inflammation in HIV and HSV-2 dually infected women may adversely impact genital health and, in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, facilitate HIV shedding.
Improvement of growth performance and parameters of intestinal function in liquid fed early weanling pigs1
Authors: Jiang Junjie , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Yu Jie , Mao Xiangbing , Huang Zhiqing , Luo Yuheng , Luo Junqiu , Zheng Ping
Published: April 2019

Liquid feeding, a widely used technique, has been applied as a feeding technique commonly in global swine production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of liquid feeding on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal barrier functions during the early weaning period in pigs. Three hundred and sixty 24-d-old weanling pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with BW of 6.98 ± 0.15 kg were randomly assigned to a control diet (dry fed basal diet, CON) or as meal mixed with water in the ratio 1:4 (liquid fed basal diet, LF) with 6 replicates per treatment and 30 weanling pigs per replicate. The study lasted 7 d. On days 4 to 7, fresh fecal samples were collected to evaluate apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients. After 7 d, 2 weanling pigs per pen were euthanized and physiological samples were obtained. Results showed that LF increased (P < 0.05) ADG (281 g vs. 183 g), ADFI (374 g vs. 245 g), and final BW (8.95 kg vs. 8.26 kg) compared with CON. Compared with CON, LF significantly decreased (P < 0.05) serum cortisol and d-lactate concentrations as well as the activity of diamine oxidase, enhanced (P < 0.05) the ATTD of ether extract and ash, increased (P < 0.05) the activities of amylase, lipase, and lactase in the jejunal mucosa. Furthermore, LF had higher (P < 0.05) villus height and villi height:crypt depth and increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expressions of insulin-like growth factors-1 receptor (IGF-1R), claudin-2 (CLDN-2), zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2) in the jejunum. Moreover, LF had lower (P < 0.05) abundances of total bacteria and Escherichia coli and higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of acetic acid and butyric acid in cecal digesta. Altogether, the results indicated that liquid feeding not only promoted growth performance but also improved intestinal health by enhancing gut barrier functions in weanling pigs.
Two new species of freshwater crabs of the genus Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamonautidae) from the forests of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Daniels Savel R , Busschau Theo , Cumberlidge Neil
Published: April 2019

Recent taxonomic studies of forest habitats in South Africa have revealed the presence of three new species of freshwater crabs, suggesting that decapod diversity within the indigenous forest biome remain poorly documented. Surveys of the freshwater crabs of north eastern KwaZulu-Natal province produced a number of specimens from Ntendeka Wilderness Area (Ngome forest) and Nkandla and Ngoye forests that proved to belong to two new species following morphological and molecular analysis (mtDNA sequencing of three loci, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and COI). Two undescribed species, P. ntendekaensis sp. nov. and P. ngoyensis sp. nov. are described. The divergence time estimation of the new phylogeny for eastern and southern African freshwater crabs is discussed to illuminate biogeographic patterning and to understand factors responsible for cladogenesis.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Oncology Care Model Halfway Through: Perspectives from Diverse Participants
Authors: Kline Ronald M , Brown Michelle , Buescher Nikolas , Cox John , Horenkamp Elizabeth , Hoverman Russell , Neubauer Marcus , Oyer Randall , Rainey Anne Marie Fraley , Strawbridge Larisa
Published: April 2019

The Oncology Care Model (OCM) is a 5-year model developed and tested by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that uses an episode-based payment model triggered by the receipt of chemotherapy to test if changing payment mechanisms, in conjunction with a requirement for enhanced patient services, can generate clinical transformation that will orient practices toward more patient-centered, high-value care to reduce expenditures and preserve or enhance quality of care for beneficiaries. The model is geographically diverse with practices in 34 states and encompasses practices ranging in size from 1 to more than 400 practitioners, with a multitude of business structures. Given these varied clinical and business environments, we believe that OCM-participating practices will have different opportunities and challenges as they work toward practice transformation, but they will likely share similarities with other practices in similar clinical and business settings. This commentary shares the experiences of four diverse groups participating in OCM—three practices and one network of practices—halfway through the model’s projected 5-year life cycle in the expectation that these experiences will be of value to other practices embarking toward patient-centered, high-value practice transformation.
Maximizing the power of deep extragalactic imaging surveys with the James Webb Space Telescope
Authors: Kemp T W , Dunlop J S , McLure R J , Schreiber C , Carnall A C , Cullen F
Published: April 2019

We present a new analysis of the potential power of deep, near-infrared, imaging surveys with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to improve our knowledge of galaxy evolution. In this work we properly simulate what can be achieved with realistic survey strategies, and utilize rigorous signal-to-noise ratio calculations to calculate the resulting posterior constraints on the physical properties of galaxies. We explore a broad range of assumed input galaxy types (>20 000 models, including extremely dusty objects) across a wide redshift range (out to z ≃ 12), while at the same time considering a realistic mix of galaxy properties based on our current knowledge of the evolving population (as quantified through the Empirical Galaxy Generator). While our main focus is on imaging surveys with NIRCam, spanning $\lambda _{\mathrm{ obs}} = 0.8\!-\!5.0\, \mu$m, an important goal of this work is to quantify the impact/added-value of: (i) parallel imaging observations with MIRI at longer wavelengths, and (ii) deeper supporting optical/UV imaging with HST (potentially prior to JWST launch) in maximizing the power and robustness of a major extragalactic NIRCam survey. We show that MIRI parallel 7.7-$\mu$m imaging is of most value for better constraining the redshifts and stellar masses of the dustiest (AV > 3) galaxies, while deep B-band imaging (reaching ≃ 28.5 AB mag) with ACS on HST is vital for determining the redshifts of the large numbers of faint/low-mass, z < 5 galaxies that will be detected in a deep JWST NIRCam survey.