bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Failed videolaryngoscopy in an infant with giant vallecular cyst managed successfully with a ‘three-person technique’ of fibre-optic intubation
Authors: Gupta Anju , Gupta Nishkarsh
Published: September 2019

Vallecular cysts are a rare entity but can complicate the airway management due to the physical impediment and distortion of the laryngeal inlet. It can lead to fatal life-threatening airway obstruction postinduction of anaesthesia. Infancy compounds the risks due to lack of cooperation and physiological reserves. The literature review suggested most anaesthesiologists avoided muscle relaxants and aspiration of the cyst was used as a rescue technique. The present case report illustrates the successful airway management of an infant with a huge vallecular cyst using fibre-optic intubation by a ‘three-person’ technique after paraglossal videolaryngoscopy failed to secure the airway.
A fatal case of levamisole induced bone marrow failure
Authors: George John Titus , Janeela Asisha M , Sigamani Elanthenral , Mathuram Alice Joan
Published: September 2019

A 20-year-old college student presented with high grade, intermittent fever for 10 days associated with blood stained loose stools after taking tablet levamisole for 17 days for vitiligo vulgaris. He was febrile, had a toxic appearance and appeared pale. Investigations showed neutropaenia with thrombocytopaenia. Blood cultures were sterile and stool cultures did not grow any enteric pathogens. His bone marrow examination was suggestive of an aplastic anaemia. He was administered empirical antibiotics, granulocyte colony stimulating factor and platelet transfusions. However, his fever and blood stained stools persisted. A repeat bone marrow examination after 2 weeks still revealed a hypoplastic marrow. Hence, a diagnosis of a levamisole induced bone marrow failure was made. While being worked up for an allogeneic stem cell transplantation, he developed neutropaenic enterocolitis and refractory septic shock with carbapenem resistantKlebsiella pneumoniaeand succumbed to his illness.
Vaginal delivery in the 30+4 weeks of pregnancy and organ donation after brain death in early pregnancy
Authors: Reinhold Ann Kristin , Kredel Markus , Markus Christian K , Kranke Peter
Published: September 2019

A 28-year-old woman suffered a traffic accident resulting in severe head injuries with deleterious prognosis. Diagnostics further revealed a hitherto unknown pregnancy, at suspected week 9. Based on the patient’s wish to donate organs, brain death protocol confirmed irreversible loss of brain function. Yet, vital pregnancy rendered organ transplantation impossible. Multiple ethical and legal issues arose, from invalidation of established legal care after brain death to the delivery of a healthy child after trauma and long-term critical care. After medicolegal and ethical counselling, pregnancy was sustained, and the goal of organ donation postponed. Critical care focused on foetal homeostasis. At 30+4 weeks, a viable girl was born via assisted vaginal delivery. Postpartal organ donation resulted in heart, kidney and pancreas transplantation. The case emphasises the medical, legal and ethical challenges to combine two apparently diametrical goals: the successful full-term pregnancy and the fulfilment of a patient’s wish to donate organs.
What are the respiratory effects of e-cigarettes?
Authors: Gotts Jeffrey E , Jordt Sven-Eric , McConnell Rob , Tarran Robert
Published: September 2019

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are alternative, non-combustible tobacco products that generate an inhalable aerosol containing nicotine, flavors, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. Vaping is now a multibillion dollar industry that appeals to current smokers, former smokers, and young people who have never smoked. E-cigarettes reached the market without either extensive preclinical toxicology testing or long term safety trials that would be required of conventional therapeutics or medical devices. Their effectiveness as a smoking cessation intervention, their impact at a population level, and whether they are less harmful than combustible tobacco products are highly controversial. Here, we review the evidence on the effects of e-cigarettes on respiratory health. Studies show measurable adverse biologic effects on organ and cellular health in humans, in animals, and in vitro. The effects of e-cigarettes have similarities to and important differences from those of cigarettes. Decades of chronic smoking are needed for development of lung diseases such as lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, so the population effects of e-cigarette use may not be apparent until the middle of this century. We conclude that current knowledge of these effects is insufficient to determine whether the respiratory health effects of e-cigarette are less than those of combustible tobacco products.
Automatic Seizure Detection Based on S-Transform and Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Liu Guoyang , Zhou Weidong , Geng Minxing
Published: September 2019

Automatic seizure detection is significant for the diagnosis of epilepsy and reducing the massive workload of reviewing continuous EEGs. In this work, a novel approach, combining Stockwell transform (S-transform) with deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), is proposed to detect seizure onsets in long-term intracranial EEG recordings. Primarily, raw EEG data is filtered with wavelet decomposition. Then, S-transform is used to obtain a proper time-frequency representation of each EEG segment. After that, a 15-layer deep CNN using dropout and batch normalization serves as a robust feature extractor and classifier. Finally, smoothing and collar technique are applied to the outputs of CNN to improve the detection accuracy and reduce the false detection rate (FDR). The segment-based and event-based evaluation assessments and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are employed for the performance evaluation on a public EEG database containing 21 patients. A segment-based sensitivity of 97.01% and a specificity of 98.12% are yielded. For the event-based assessment, this method achieves a sensitivity of 95.45% with an FDR of 0.36/h.
Thermodynamics of higher-order entropy corrected Schwarzschild–Beltrami–de Sitter black hole
Authors: Pourhassan B. , Farahani H. , Upadhyay S.
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we consider higher-order correction of the entropy and study the thermodynamical properties of recently proposed Schwarzschild–Beltrami–de Sitter black hole, which is indeed an exact solution of Einstein equation with a positive cosmological constant. By using the corrected entropy and Hawking temperature, we extract some thermodynamical quantities like Gibbs and Helmholtz free energies and heat capacity. We also investigate the first and second laws of thermodynamics. We find that presence of higher-order corrections, which come from thermal fluctuations, may remove some instabilities of the black hole. Also unstable to stable phase transition is possible in presence of the first- and second-order corrections.
New method for the generation of neutrino beams at accelerators
Authors: Chesnokov Yu. A. , Maisheev V. A.
Published: September 2019

The generation of neutrino beams at proton accelerators is a difficult scientific and engineering problem. To obtain narrow directional neutrino beams for experiments, intense extracted proton beams are used, secondary particles ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons) are generated at an external target. Further, to obtain parallel beams of these neutrino parent particles, high-current electromagnetic lenses are used. In this work, a surprisingly simple method based on a crystal focusing device has been proposed to obtain neutrino beams. Neutrino fluxes are calculated in comparison with the traditional scheme.
Neutrino oscillations in a trapping potential
Authors: Johns Lucas
Published: September 2019

A number of derivations of the standard neutrino oscillation formula are known, each one providing its own unique insights. Common to all treatments is the assumption that neutrinos propagate freely between source and detector, as indeed they do in all experiments thus far conducted. Here, we consider how neutrinos oscillate when contrary to the usual setup, they are bound in a potential well. The focus in particular is on nonrelativistic neutrinos with quasi-degenerate masses, for which oscillations in free space are described by the same formula, to lowest order, as relativistic neutrinos. Trapping these particles engenders corrections to their oscillation frequencies because the interference terms are between discrete energy levels rather than continuous spectra. Especially novel is the frequency shift that occurs due to the dependence of the energy levels on the mass of the neutrino: this part of the correction is nonvanishing even in the extremely nonrelativistic limit, reflecting the fact that the neutrino mass states have different zero-point energies in the well. Building an apparatus that can trap neutrinos is a futuristic prospect to say the least, but these calculations nonetheless shine a light on certain basic aspects of the flavor-oscillation phenomenon.
A Bandwidth and Frequency Calibration Method for OOK UWB-IR Transmitter with High Energy Efficiency
Authors: Diao Shengxi , Lin Fujiang , Zheng Yuanjin
Published: September 2019

In this paper, an offline bandwidth and frequency calibration method for an on–off LC oscillator-based ultra-wideband impulse radio (UWB-IR) transmitter is presented. Implemented in 0.18-[Formula: see text]m CMOS, the offline calibration circuits consume very little power. This allows the transmitter to consume an ultra-low average power of 319[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]W over 3–5[Formula: see text]GHz at 2[Formula: see text]Mbps. The calibration is critical to ensure the FCC spectral mask compliance despite the process–voltage–temperature (PVT) variations. The transmitter can deliver a large differential output swing of 1.8–3[Formula: see text]V to a 100-[Formula: see text] load with minimal power efficiency of 7% at different data rates (2–30[Formula: see text]Mbps). It is suitable for WPAN application with localization and positioning capabilities.
Markov Chain Modeling for Reliability Analysis of Multi-Phase Buck Converters
Authors: Asl Elias Shokati , Sabahi Mehran , Abapour Mehdi , Khosroshahi Alireza Eyvazizadeh , Khoun-Jahan Hossein
Published: September 2019

In recent years, the structure of multi-phase buck converter also called Interleaved Buck Converter (IBC) has gained considerable attention. The advantages of the IBC in comparison to the conventional Buck converter (CBC) are the lower output current ripple, higher efficiency, fast transient response, lower electromagnetic interference and higher reliability. Since more than one stage is employed in the IBC, this converter is highly reliable. In this paper, the reliability and mean time to failure (MTTF) of the CBC, and two- and three-stage IBCs are figured out. Using the obtained results and considering various scenarios, a comprehensive comparison is provided. In addition, the operation of the converter in case of fault occurrence for high and low capacities is analyzed and reliability is evaluated in each state. The relation between the reliability and temperature of semiconductor elements is discussed. Furthermore, a laboratory-scaled prototype is used to extract the experimental results of the temperature variation of the elements during a fault. Markov model is used to evaluate the analyzed reliability.
Groups with an Engel restriction on proper subgroups of infinite rank
Authors: Abdollahi Alireza , Trabelsi Nadir , Zitouni Amel
Published: September 2019

We prove that a locally graded group whose proper subgroups are Engel (respectively, [Formula: see text]-Engel) is either Engel (respectively, [Formula: see text]-Engel) or finite. We also prove that a group of infinite rank whose proper subgroups of infinite rank are Engel (respectively, [Formula: see text]-Engel) is itself Engel (respectively, [Formula: see text]-Engel), provided that [Formula: see text] belongs to the Černikov class [Formula: see text], which is the closure of the class of periodic locally graded groups by the closure operations Ṕ, P̀, R and L.
Complexity of unknotting of trivial 2-knots
Authors: Lishak Boris , Nabutovsky Alexander
Published: September 2019

We construct a family of trivial [Formula: see text]-knots [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] such that the maximal complexity of [Formula: see text]-knots in any isotopy connecting [Formula: see text] with the standard unknot grows faster than a tower of exponentials of any fixed height of the complexity of [Formula: see text].

Here, we can either construct [Formula: see text] as smooth embeddings and measure their complexity as the ropelength (a.k.a the crumpledness) or construct PL-knots [Formula: see text], consider isotopies through PL knots, and measure the complexity of a PL-knot as the minimal number of flat [Formula: see text]-simplices in its triangulation.

These results contrast with the situation of classical knots in [Formula: see text], where every unknot can be untied through knots of complexity that is only polynomially higher than the complexity of the initial knot.
Modeling and analysis of knee joint impact damage in triple jump manipulators based on finite element method
Authors: Long Mingquan
Published: September 2019

In order to study the three jump training and competition on knee joint impact damage degree, left knee joint of one healthy male athletes is used as the research object, a complete knee three-dimensional model was established based on the jumper’s knee CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including the femur, tibia, fibula, patella and knee major cartilage, ligaments. The multi-body dynamics analysis (MDA) and finite element analysis (FEA) method are used to calculate the three jump, jump starting, landing process of athletes knee joint impact, the state should change the status of stress, strain and displacement. The results show that in the three jump process, the load on the lateral contact area of the knee joint is the largest, the displacement is the largest, and it increases with the impact of jump and landing. This exacerbated the degree of wear and tear of the tibia, it tends to induce knee injury in athletes. The results show that the combination of finite element and MDA can better study the knee joint’s shock and vibration during the three-level jump training and competition, and these open up a new research method for the knee joint injury. It also provides a certain reference for the prevention and treatment of knee joint injury.
Formal verification with HiLLS-specified models: A further step in multi-analysis modeling of complex systems
Authors: Samuel Kehinde G. , Maiga Oumar , Traoré Mamadou K.
Published: September 2019

The multi-analysis modeling of a complex system is the act of building a family of models which allows to cover a large spectrum of analysis methods (such as simulation, formal methods, enactment,[Formula: see text]) that can be performed to derive various properties of this system. The High-Level Language for Systems Specification (HiLLS) has recently been introduced as a graphical language for discrete event simulation, with potential for other types of analysis, like enactment for rapid system prototyping. HiLLS defines an automata language that also opens the way to formal verification. This paper provides the building blocks for such a feature. That way, a unique model can be used not only to perform both simulation and enactment experiments but also to allow the logical analysis of properties without running any experiment. Therefore, it saves from the effort of building three different analysis-specific models and the need to align them semantically.
Weighted-exponential regression model: An alternative to the gamma regression model
Authors: Altun Emrah
Published: September 2019

In this study, weighted-exponential regression model is proposed for modeling the right-skewed response variable as an alternative to the gamma regression model. The maximum likelihood, method of moments, least-squares and weighted least-squares estimation methods are used to estimate unknown parameters of re-parametrized weighted-exponential distribution. The simulation study is conducted to compare the efficiencies of parameter estimation methods. An application on coalition duration dataset is given to demonstrate the usefulness of proposed regression model against the gamma regression model. The residual analysis is performed to evaluate the accuracy of the fitted model. Empirical findings show that the weighted-exponential regression model provides better fits than the gamma regression model and could be a good choice for modeling the right-skewed response variable.
A conversation with Danish Contractor
Authors: Anjum Bushra
Published: September 2019

In this series of interviews with innovation leaders, Ubiquity Associate Editor and software engineer, Dr. Bushra Anjum sits down with Danish Contractor, a senior artificial intelligence researcher at IBM Research India. Contractor discusses his work advancing question-answering systems and chatbots for complex human interaction.
Gentrification, Land Use, and Crime
Authors: MacDonald John M. , Stokes Robert J.
Published: September 2019

Over the past twenty years, many US cities have seen urban revitalization and population changes associated with an increased desire for urban living among the affluent. As inner-city neighborhoods become gentrified, they are more likely to witness the construction of new buildings and homes, the conversion of industrial spaces to mixed-used developments, expanded access to mass transit, and the arrival of coffee shops and other urban amenities. In this review, we take stock of what is known about the impact of gentrification and land-use changes on neighborhood crime. We summarize research conducted since the period of urban revitalization that started in the 1990s as well as studies that have a quasi-experimental design. We find that gentrification and associated changes to land use tend to reduce crime in neighborhoods. Our findings are tempered by the need for greater conceptual clarity on how to measure when a neighborhood has gentrified and a clearer examination of the spatial displacement of crime. We conclude with a discussion on the need for criminologists to partner with urban planners to study how changes in the land use of cities can be made to generate crime reductions that benefit all places and, finally, detail some promising directions for future research.
Virus Structures by X-Ray Free-Electron Lasers
Authors: Meents A. , Wiedorn M.O.
Published: September 2019

Until recently X-ray crystallography has been the standard technique for virus structure determinations. Available X-ray sources have continuously improved over the decades, leading to the realization of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). They provide high-intensity femtosecond X-ray pulses, which allow for new kinds of experiments by making use of the diffraction-before-destruction principle. By overcoming classical dose constraints, they at least in principle allow researchers to perform X-ray virus structure determination for single particles at room temperature. Simultaneously, the availability of XFELs led to the development of the method of serial femtosecond crystallography, where a crystal structure is determined from the measurement of hundreds to thousands of microcrystals. In the case of virus crystallography this method does not require freezing of the crystals and allows researchers to perform experiments under non-equilibrium conditions (e.g., by laser-induced temperature jumps or rapid chemical mixing), which is currently not possible with electron microscopy.
From Viruses to Genes to Cells
Authors: Vogt Peter K.
Published: September 2019

I always loved biology and to do experiments. This passion and a great deal of good fortune and serendipity landed me in the field of retrovirology at the time when it opened to experimental analysis. I became involved in viral replication, genetics, and viral oncogenes. In more recent years, I have applied what I learned in tumor virology to human cancer. The early years of my personal life were marked by displacements and migration: deportation into East Germany, escape to the West, and emigration to the United States. As a young man I faced heartbreaking personal tragedies but attained a peaceful and steady course in the second half of my life. I am fortunate to have found my home in Southern California and to continue in cancer research.
A computational fluid dynamics simulation of liquid swallowing by impaired pharyngeal motion: bolus pathway and pharyngeal residue
Authors: Ohta Jun , Ishida Shunichi , Kawase Tetsuaki , Katori Yukio , Imai Yohsuke
Published: September 2019

Common practices to improve the ability to swallow include modifying physical properties of foods and changing the posture of patients. Here, we quantified the effects of the viscosity of a liquid bolus and patient posture on the bolus pathway and pharyngeal residue using a computational fluid dynamics simulation. We developed a computational model of an impaired pharyngeal motion with a low pharyngeal pressure and no pharyngeal adaptation. We varied viscosities from 0.002 to 1 Pa·s and postures from −15° to 30° (from nearly vertical to forward leaning). In the absence of pharyngeal adaptation, a honey-like liquid bolus caused pharyngeal residue, particularly in the case of forward-leaning postures. Although the bolus speed was different among viscosities, the final pathway was only slightly different. The shape, location, and tilting of the epiglottis effectively invited a bolus to two lateral pathways, suggesting a high robustness of the swallowing process.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Thickening agents are often used for patients with dysphagia. An increase in bolus viscosity not only reduces the risk of aspiration but also can cause a residual volume in the pharynx. Because information obtained from videofluoroscopic swallowing studies is only two-dimensional, measurement of pharyngeal residue is experimentally difficult. We successfully quantified the three-dimensional bolus pathway and the pharyngeal residual volume using computational modeling and simulation.
Combined inhibition of CCR2 and ACE provides added protection against progression of diabetic nephropathy in Nos3-deficient mice
Authors: Tesch Gregory H. , Pullen Nick , Jesson Michael I. , Schlerman Franklin J. , Nikolic-Paterson David J.
Published: September 2019

Macrophage-mediated renal injury promotes the development of diabetic nephropathy. Blockade of chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) inhibits kidney macrophage accumulation and early glomerular damage in diabetic animals. This study tested early and late interventions with a CCR2 antagonist (CCR2A) in a model of progressive diabetic glomerulosclerosis and determined whether CCR2A provides added benefit over conventional treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi). Diabetes was induced in hypertensive endothelial nitric oxide synthase ( Nos3)-deficient mice by administration of five low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) injections daily. Groups of diabetic Nos3−/− mice received a CCR2A (30 mg·kg−1·day−1 PF-04634817 in chow) as an early intervention ( weeks 2–15 after STZ). The late intervention ( weeks 8–15 after STZ) involved PF-04634817 alone, ACEi (captopril in water 10 mg·kg−1·day−1) alone, or combined ACEi + CCR2A. Control diabetic and nondiabetic Nos3−/− mice received normal chow and water. Early intervention with a CCR2A inhibited kidney inflammation and glomerulosclerosis, albuminuria, podocyte loss, and renal function impairment but not hypertension in diabetic Nos3−/− mice. Late intervention with a CCR2A also inhibited kidney inflammation, glomerulosclerosis, and renal dysfunction but did not affect albuminuria. ACEi alone suppressed hypertension and albuminuria and partially reduced podocyte loss and glomerulosclerosis but did not affect renal dysfunction. Compared with ACEi alone, the combined late intervention with ACEi + CCR2A provided better protection against kidney damage (inflammation, glomerulosclerosis, and renal function impairment) but not albuminuria. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that combining CCR2A and ACEi provides broader and superior renal protection than ACEi alone in a model of established diabetic glomerulosclerosis with hypertension.
O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation of β-actin Ser199in diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Akimoto Yoshihiro , Yan Kunimasa , Miura Yuri , Tsumoto Hiroki , Toda Tosifusa , Fukutomi Toshiyuki , Sugahara Daisuke , Kudo Akihiko , Arai Tomio , Chiba Yuko , Kaname Shinya , Hart Gerald W. , Endo Tamao , Kawakami Hayato
Published: September 2019

The function of actin is regulated by various posttranslational modifications. We have previously shown that in the kidneys of nonobese type 2 diabetes model Goto-Kakizaki rats, increased O-GlcNAcylation of β-actin protein is observed. It has also been reported that both O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation occur on Ser199of β-actin. However, their roles are not known. To elucidate their roles in diabetic nephropathy, we examined the rat kidney for changes in O-GlcNAcylation of Ser199(gS199)-actin and in the phosphorylation of Ser199(pS199)-actin. Both gS199- and pS199-actin molecules had an apparent molecular weight of 40 kDa and were localized as nonfilamentous actin in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Compared with the normal kidney, the immunostaining intensity of gS199-actin increased in podocytes of the glomeruli and in proximal tubules of the diabetic kidney, whereas that of pS199-actin did not change in podocytes but decreased in proximal tubules. We confirmed that the same results could be observed in the glomeruli of the human diabetic kidney. In podocytes of glomeruli cultured in the presence of the O-GlcNAcase inhibitor Thiamet G, increased O-GlcNAcylation was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in the amount of filamentous actin and in morphological changes. Our present results demonstrate that dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation of Ser199occurred in diabetes, which may contribute partially to the causes of the morphological changes in the glomeruli and tubules. gS199- and pS199-actin will thus be useful for the pathological evaluation of diabetic nephropathy.
Therapeutic Efficacy of Kangfuxin Liquid Combined with PPIs in Gastric Ulcer
Authors: Zou Jun-Bo , Zhang Xiao-Fei , Shi Ya-Jun , Tai Jia , Wang Yu , Liang Yu-Lin , Wang Fang , Cheng Jiang-Xue , Wang Jing , Guo Dong-Yan
Published: September 2019

Objective. To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin liquid (KFX) combined with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the treatment of gastric ulcer (GU). Materials and Methods. Electronic databases including PubMed, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CBM were examined for appropriate articles without language limitations on key words before March 10, 2019. RevMan 5.3 software was applied to execute outcome assessment and finish the meta-analysis. Results. 22 articles involving 2,024 patients with a gastric ulcer were selected. Total efficacy rate and efficacy rate of gastroscopy were significantly enhanced for the combination of KFX with PPIs compared to those of PPI treatment alone (OR = 6.95, 95% CI: 4.87, 9.91, P<0.00001; OR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.98, 4.42, P<0.00001, respectively). Same results were found for different PPIs in combination on total efficacy rate, respectively. The combination also significantly reduced the adverse events (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.70, P=0.002). In addition, KFX combined with PPI could suppress the inflammation (MD = −6.11, 95% CI: −7.45, −4.77, P<0.00001), reduce the recurrence rate (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.70, P=0.005), and enhance the clearance rate of Helicobacter pylori (HP, OR = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.80, 7.87, P=0.0004). It seemed like the combination would influence immune function by increasing levels of T-lymphocyte subsets CD4 and CD8 but not CD3 (MD = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.25, 3.55, P<0.0001); MD = 25.72, 95% CI: 14.55, 36.90, P<0.00001; MD = 0.72, 95% CI: −0.66, 2.09, P=0.31, respectively). Conclusion. KFX combined with PPIs in treatment of patients with GU could improve the total efficacy rate and efficacy rate of gastroscopy and reduce adverse events and the recurrence rate. However, the results of this study should be handled with care due to the limitations. Several rigorous RCTs are in need to confirm these findings.
Analysis of a Multiple Delays Model for Treatment of Cancer with Oncolytic Virotherapy
Authors: El Alami laaroussi Adil , Hia Mohamed El , Rachik Mostafa , Ghazzali Rachid
Published: September 2019

Despite advanced discoveries in cancerology, conventional treatments by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy remain ineffective in some situations. Oncolytic virotherapy, i.e., the involvement of replicative viruses targeting specific tumor cells, opens new perspectives for better management of this disease. Certain viruses naturally have a preferential tropism for the tumor cells; others are genetically modifiable to present such properties, as the lytic cycle virus, which is a process that represents a vital role in oncolytic virotherapy. In the present paper, we present a mathematical model for the dynamics of oncolytic virotherapy that incorporates multiple time delays representing the multiple time periods of a lytic cycle. We compute the basic reproductive ratio R0, and we show that there exist a disease-free equilibrium point (DFE) and an endemic equilibrium point (DEE). By formulating suitable Lyapunov function, we prove that the disease-free equilibrium (DFE) is globally asymptotically stable if R0<1 and unstable otherwise. We also demonstrate that under additional conditions, the endemic equilibrium is stable. Also, a Hopf bifurcation analysis of our dynamic system is used to understand how solutions and their stability change as system parameters change in the case of a positive delay. To illustrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results, we give numerical simulations for several scenarios.
An Object Proxy-Based Dynamic Layer Replacement to Protect IoMT Applications
Authors: Han Bo , Yin-Liang Zhao , Chang-Peng Zhu
Published: September 2019

The Internet of medical things (IoMT) has become a promising paradigm, where the invaluable additional data can be collected by the ordinary medical devices when connecting to the Internet. The deep understanding of symptoms and trends can be provided to patients to manage their lives and treatments. However, due to the diversity of medical devices in IoMT, the codes of healthcare applications may be manipulated and tangled by malicious devices. In addition, the linguistic structures for layer activation in languages cause controls of layer activation to be part of program’s business logic, which hinders the dynamic replacement of layers. Therefore, to solve the above critical problems in IoMT, in this paper, a new approach is firstly proposed to support the dynamic replacement of layer in IoMT applications by incorporating object proxy into virtual machine (VM). Secondly, the heap and address are used to model the object and object evolution to guarantee the feasibility of the approach. After that, we analyze the influences of field access and method invocation and evaluate the risk and safety of the application when these constraints are satisfied. Finally, we conduct the evaluations by extending Java VM to validate the effectiveness of the proposal.
Antiageing Performance Evaluation of Recycled Engine Oil Bottom Used in Asphalt Rejuvenation
Authors: Yu Miaozhang , Li Jin , Cui Xinzhuang , Guo Dedong , Li Xinjun
Published: September 2019

To comprehensively evaluate the antiageing performance of recycled engine oil bottom (REOB) used in asphalt rejuvenation, ageing performance studies were carried out on REOB, REOB-rejuvenated asphalt, and REOB-rejuvenated asphalt mixture. The thin film oven test (TFOT) results of REOB and a professional regenerant, RA5, were compared to verify the ageing resistance of REOB as an asphalt regenerant. The quality and viscosity of REOB-rejuvenated asphalt, RA5-rejuvenated asphalt, and base asphalt were measured after extended TFOT (ageing times for 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 20 h, and 25 h), and the low-temperature performance of three aged asphalts was evaluated by bending beam rheological tests. The corresponding three kinds of asphalt mixtures were used to design and pave surface layers of a full-scale indoor test road. The long-term fatigue performance of indoor asphalt pavement was investigated by a self-developed rotary accelerated loading test (RALT) system. The results show that when used as an asphalt regenerant, REOB meets the antiageing requirements listed in the technical specification. The short-term (TFOT ageing time less than or equal to 10 h) ageing resistance of REOB-rejuvenated asphalt is better than that of RA5-rejuvenated asphalt but worse than that of base asphalt, whereas the long-term (TFOT ageing time greater than or equal to 15 h) ageing resistance of REOB-rejuvenated asphalt is the worst among the three tested asphalts. After long-term ageing, REOB-rejuvenated asphalt is prone to cracking at low temperatures because of its rapid increase in stiffness and sharp decrease in stress relaxation performance. Increasing temperatures increases the deflection value of asphalt pavement as the number of loading cycles increase. High-temperature ageing significantly aggravates the increase of the deflection value of REOB-rejuvenated asphalt pavement under RALT long-term loading, which makes it most prone to fatigue failure among the three pavements. Therefore, the above test results show that REOB used in asphalt pavement rejuvenation is prone to premature and excessive damage.
Epithelial Mesenchymal and Endothelial Mesenchymal Transitions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review
Authors: Gurzu Simona , Kobori Laszlo , Fodor Decebal , Jung Ioan
Published: September 2019

Purpose. To present a comprehensive review of the literature data, published between 2000 and 2019 on the PubMed and Web of Science databases, in the field of the tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). All the data were combined with the personal experiences of the authors.Design. From 1002 representative papers, we selected 86 representative publications which included data on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), and molecular background of chemoresistance or resistance to radiotherapy.Results. Although the central event concerns activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, other signal pathways, such as c-Met/HGF/Snail, Notch-1/NF-κB, TGF-β/SMAD, and basic fibroblast growth factor-related signaling, play a role in the EMT of HCC cells. This pathway is targeted by specific miRNAs and long noncoding RNAs, as explored in this paper. A central player in the tumor microenvironment proved to be the CSCs which can be marked by CD133, CD44, CD90, EpCAM, and CD105. CSCs can induce resistance to cytotoxic therapy or, alternatively, can be synthesized, de novo, after chemo- or radiotherapy, especially after transarterial chemoembolization- or radiofrequency ablation-induced hypoxia. The circulating tumor cells proved to have epithelial, intermediate, or mesenchymal features; their properties have a critical prognostic role.Conclusion. The metastatic pathway of HCC seems to be related to the Wnt- or, rather, TGFβ1-mediated inflammation-angiogenesis-EMT-CSCs crosstalk link. Molecular therapy should target this molecular axis controlling the HCC microenvironment.
Real Representation Approach to Quaternion Matrix Equation Involving ϕ‐Hermicity
Authors: Liu Xin , Huang Huajun , He Zhuo-Heng
Published: September 2019

For a quaternion matrix A, we denote by Aϕ the matrix obtained by applying ϕ entrywise to the transposed matrix AT, where ϕ is a nonstandard involution of quaternions. A is said to be ϕ‐Hermitian or ϕ‐skew‐Hermitian if A = Aϕ or A = −Aϕ, respectively. In this paper, we give a complete characterization of the nonstandard involutions ϕ of quaternions and their conjugacy properties; then we establish a new real representation of a quaternion matrix. Based on this, we derive some necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a ϕ‐Hermitian solution or ϕ‐skew‐Hermitian solution to the quaternion matrix equation AX = B. Moreover, we give solutions of the quaternion equation when it is solvable.
Holistic User Context‐Aware Recommender Algorithm
Authors: Kavu Tatenda D. , Dube Kudakwashe , Raeth Peter G.
Published: September 2019

Existing recommender algorithms lack dynamism, human focus, and serendipitous recommendations. The literature indicates that the context of a user influences user decisions, and when incorporated in recommender systems (RSs), novel and serendipitous recommendations can be realized. This article shows that social, cultural, psychological, and economic contexts of a user influence user traits or decisions. The article demonstrates a novel approach of incorporating holistic user context‐aware knowledge in an algorithm to solve the highlighted problems. Web content mining and collaborative filtering approaches were used to develop a holistic user context‐aware (HUC) algorithm. The algorithm was evaluated on a social network using online experimental evaluations. The algorithm demonstrated dynamism, novelty, and serendipity with an average of 84% novelty and 85% serendipity.
Automated Dataset Generation System for Collaborative Research of Cyber Threat Analysis
Authors: Kim Daegeon , Kim Huy Kang
Published: September 2019

The objectives of cyberattacks are becoming sophisticated, and attackers are concealing their identity by masquerading as other attackers. Cyber threat intelligence (CTI) is gaining attention as a way to collect meaningful knowledge to better understand the intention of an attacker and eventually predict future attacks. A systemic threat analysis based on data acquired from actual cyber incidents is a useful approach to generating intelligence for such an objective. Developing an analysis technique requires a high-volume and fine-quality data. However, researchers can become discouraged by inaccessibility to data because organizations rarely release their data to the research community. Owing to a data inaccessibility issue, academic research tends to be biased toward techniques that develop steps of the CTI process other than analysis and production. In this paper, we propose an automated dataset generation system called CTIMiner. The system collects threat data from publicly available security reports and malware repositories. The data are stored in a structured format. We released the source codes and dataset to the public, including approximately 640,000 records from 612 security reports published from January 2008 to June 2019. In addition, we present a statistical feature of the dataset and techniques that can be developed using it. Moreover, we demonstrate an application example of the dataset that analyzes the correlation and characteristics of an incident. We believe our dataset will promote collaborative research on threat analysis for the generation of CTI.
Establishment and Initial Testing of a Medium-Sized, Surgically Feasible Animal Model for Brucellar Spondylodiscitis: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Cai Xiaoyu , Xu Tao , Xun Chuanhui , Abulizi Yakefu , Liu Qian , Sheng Weibin , Han Zhihua , Gao Liang , Maimaiti Maierdan
Published: September 2019

Brucellar spondylodiscitis, the most prevalent and significant osteoarticular presentation of human Brucellosis, is difficult to diagnose and usually yields irreversible neurologic deficits and spinal deformities. However, no animal models of Brucellar spondylodiscitis exist, allowing for preclinical investigations. The present study investigated whether intraosseous injection of attenuated Brucella melitensis vaccine into rabbits’ lumbar vertebrae imitates the radiographic and histopathological characteristics of human Brucellar spondylodiscitis. Radiographic and histopathological analyses at 8 weeks postoperatively revealed radiographic changes within vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs, abscesses formation within the paravertebral soft tissue, and typical prominent inflammation response without caseous necrosis, which were largely comparable to human Brucellar spondylodiscitis. Such a medium-sized, surgically feasible rabbit model provides a promising in vivo setting for further preclinical investigation of Brucellar spondylodiscitis.
A Comparative Study on the Prediction of Occupational Diseases in China with Hybrid Algorithm Combing Models
Authors: Lu Yaoqin , Yan Huan , Zhang Lijiang , Liu Jiwen
Published: September 2019

Occupational disease is a huge problem in China, and many workers are under risk. Accurate forecasting of occupational disease incidence can provide critical information for prevention and control. Therefore, in this study, five hybrid algorithm combing models were assessed on their effectiveness and applicability to predict the incidence of occupational diseases in China. The five hybrid algorithm combing models are the combination of five grey models (EGM, ODGM, EDGM, DGM, and Verhulst) and five state-of-art machine learning models (KNN, SVM, RF, GBM, and ANN). The quality of the models were assessed based on the accuracy of model prediction as well as minimizing mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root-mean-squared error (RMSE). Our results showed that the GM-ANN model provided the most precise prediction among all the models with lowest mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 3.49% and root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 1076.60. Therefore, the GM-ANN model can be used for precise prediction of occupational diseases in China, which may provide valuable information for the prevention and control of occupational diseases in the future.
Observational Study on the Preparation of the Implant Site with Piezosurgery vs. Drill: Comparison between the Two Methods in terms of Postoperative Pain, Surgical Times, and Operational Advantages
Authors: Maglione Michele , Bevilacqua Lorenzo , Dotto Federica , Costantinides Fulvia , Lorusso Felice , Scarano Antonio
Published: September 2019

Purpose. Recent advances show that ultrasonic implant site osteotomy is related to a decreased trauma and a better postoperative healing of the surgical site when compared to traditional drilling techniques. The micrometric bone cutting control and the operative advantages related to the piezoelectric approach are also characterized by a learning curve for the clinician in surgical practice and an increased operative duration of the procedure. The aim of this investigation is to compare the operative time, the postoperative pain, and the amount of painkillers taken by the patient during the healing period. Methods. A total of 65 patients were treated at the Unit of Oral Surgery (Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Health, University of Trieste, Italy) using a split mouth model: 75 drill-inserted implants (G1) and 75 piezoelectric device-inserted implants (G2) were placed. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was performed to evaluate the postoperative pain at 15 days from surgery. The operative time and frequency of intake of painkillers were measured. Results. The G1 and G2 groups showed a significant difference with a higher use of painkillers observed for G1. The G2 patients showed a lower level of pain (VAS) at all experimental times between 8 hours to 7 days (p<0.01) postsurgery. At 15 days, the pain levels were similar for both groups. No differences were found in site preparation duration between the study groups. Conclusions. The evidence supports the application of the piezoelectric approach compared to the drill’s osteotomy as a useful technique for implant site preparation. This trial is registered with NCT03978923.
Correlation of Tumor Burden in Sentinel Lymph Nodes with Tumor Burden in Nonsentinel Lymph Nodes and Survival in Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Namikawa Kenjiro , Aung Phyu P. , Milton Denái R. , Tetzlaff Michael T. , Torres-Cabala Carlos A. , Curry Jonathan L. , Nagarajan Priyadharsini , Ivan Doina , Ross Merrick , Gershenwald Jeffrey E. , Prieto Victor G.
Published: September 2019

Purpose:

In patients with cutaneous melanoma, metastasis in a nonsentinel lymph node (non-SLN) is a strong independent adverse prognostic factor. However, patients with a tumor-involved SLN no longer routinely undergo completion lymph node dissection (CLND). We hypothesized that SLN tumor burden may predict non-SLN tumor burden.

Experimental Design:

We compared tumor burden parameters between SLN and non-SLN in patients with cutaneous melanoma who underwent SLN biopsy with a positive SLN during 2003 to 2008 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Results:

We identified 336 eligible patients with a positive SLN. Of these, 308 (92%) underwent CLND, and 35 (10%) had non-SLN metastasis. The median follow-up time was 6.0 years. For patients with maximum diameter of tumor in the SLN ≤2.0 mm, >2.0–5.0 mm, and >5.0 mm, non-SLN metastasis was detected in 5 of 200 patients (3%), 10 of 63 patients (16%), and 20 of 57 patients (35%), and the mean maximum diameters of the non-SLN tumor deposits were 0.09, 1.56, and 2.71 mm, respectively (P < 0.0001). The percentage of patients with both subcapsular and intraparenchymal non-SLN tumor was higher for patients with SLN tumor in both locations than for patients with SLN tumor in only one location (P < 0.0001). Extranodal extension in a non-SLN was more common in patients with extranodal extension in an SLN (P = 0.003).

Conclusions:

In patients with cutaneous melanoma who undergo CLND, SLN tumor burden predicts non-SLN tumor burden. SLN tumor burden parameters provide accurate prognostic stratification independent of non-SLN status and should be considered for incorporation into future staging systems and integrated risk models.
Effectiveness and Safety of Combination Therapy of Transarterial Chemoembolization and Apatinib for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Chinese Population: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wei Yan , Liu Jianjun , Yan Min , Zhao Shuguang , Long Yong , Zhang Weilu
Published: September 2019

Background: The combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and apatinib has been used in the treatment of intermediate or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its effectiveness and safety are also argued. Methods: Eligible studies were collected from a computer search of literatures published from the database establishment to May 2019 in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Ovid, the Cochrane Library, Wanfang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and China Biology Medicine Disc. The objective response rate (ORR), the disease control rate (DCR), survival rate (SR), and the incidences of treatment-related adverse effects (AEs) were collected as the relevant outcomes. Data were analyzed through fixed/random effects of meta-analysis models with RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Eight randomized controlled clinical trials comprising 528 patients and 4 cohort studies comprising 226 patients were eventually included. Compared to the control group treated with TACE solely, combination therapy group, in which intermediate or advanced HCC patients were treated with TACE and apatinib, significantly enhanced ORR (relative risk [RR] 2.06, 95% CI 1.63–2.61, p < 0.001), DCR (RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.24–2.20, p < 0.001), and whole SRs of 6-month (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.08–2.14, p = 0.02), 1-year (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.25–1.84, p < 0.001), and 2-year (RR 1.84, 95% CI 1.34–2.54, p < 0.001). The incidence of hand foot syndrome, proteinuria, hypertension, and diarrhea was significantly increased in the combination therapy group compared with the control group (p < 0.05), and the incidence of nausea and vomiting, fever, and myelosuppression, respectively, was similar in 2 groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The combination therapy of TACE and apatinib can enhance the clinical effectiveness better than TACE solely in patients with intermediate or advanced HCC, while increase in the AEs is usually tolerable.