bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the mechanics of calcium regulation in T lymphocyte: A finite element method approach
Authors: Naik Parvaiz Ahmad
Published: June 2020

Changes in cellular Ca[Formula: see text] concentration control a variety of physiological activities including hormone and neurotransmitter release, muscular contraction, synaptic plasticity, ionic channel permeability, apoptosis, enzyme activity, gene transcription and reproduction process. Spatial–temporal Ca[Formula: see text] dynamics due to Ca[Formula: see text] release, buffering and re-uptaking plays a central role in studying the Ca[Formula: see text] regulation in T lymphocytes. In most cases, Ca[Formula: see text] has its major signaling function when it is elevated in the cytosolic compartment. In this paper, a two-dimensional mathematical model to study spatiotemporal variations of intracellular Ca[Formula: see text] concentration in T lymphocyte cell is proposed and investigated. The cell is assumed to be a circular shaped geometrical domain for the representation of properties of Ca[Formula: see text] dynamics within the cell including important parameters. Ca[Formula: see text] binding proteins for the dynamics of Ca[Formula: see text] are itself buffer and other physiological parameters located in Ca[Formula: see text] stores. The model incorporates the important biophysical processes like diffusion, reaction, voltage-gated Ca[Formula: see text] channel, leak from endoplasmic reticulum (ER), efflux from cytosol to ER via sarco–ER Ca[Formula: see text] adenosine triphosphate (SERCA) pumps, buffers and Na[Formula: see text] exchanger. The proposed mathematical model is solved using a finite difference method and the finite element method. Appropriate initial and boundary conditions are incorporated in the model based on biophysical conditions of the problem. Computer simulations in MATLAB R2019b are employed to investigate mathematical models of reaction–diffusion equation. The effect of source, buffer, Na[Formula: see text]/Ca[Formula: see text] exchanger, etc. on spatial and temporal patterns of Ca[Formula: see text] in T lymphocyte has been studied with the help of numerical results. From the obtained results, it is observed that, the coordinated combination of the incorporated parameters plays a significant role in Ca[Formula: see text] regulation in T lymphocytes. ER leak and voltage-gated Ca[Formula: see text] channel provides the necessary Ca[Formula: see text] to the cell when required for its proper functioning, while on the other side buffers, SERCA pump and Na[Formula: see text]/Ca[Formula: see text] exchanger makes balance in the Ca[Formula: see text] concentration, so as to prevent the cell from death as higher concentration for longer time is harmful for the cell and can cause cell death.
A microvascular image analysis method for optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy
Authors: Zhao Jingxiu , Zhao Qian , Lin Riqiang , Meng Jing
Published: June 2020

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) has been shown to be an excellent tool for high-resolution imaging of microvasculature, and quantitative analysis of the microvasculature can provide valuable information for the early diagnosis and treatment of various vascular-related diseases. In order to address the characteristics of weak signals, discontinuity and small diameters in photoacoustic microvascular images, we propose a method adaptive to the microvascular segmentation in photoacoustic images, including Hessian matrix enhancement and the morphological connection operators. The accuracy of our vascular segmentation method is quantitatively evaluated by the multiple criteria. To obtain more precise and continuous microvascular skeletons, an improved skeleton extraction framework based on the multistencil fast marching (MSFM) method is developed. We carried out in vivo OR-PAM microvascular imaging in mouse ears and subcutaneous hepatoma tumor model to verify the correctness and superiority of our proposed method. Compared with the previous methods, our proposed method can extract the microvascular network more completely, continuously and accurately, and provide an effective solution for the quantitative analysis of photoacoustic microvascular images with many small branches.
Some properties of left 2α-Engel subgroups
Authors: Mehrjerdi Ali Mohammad Z. , Moghaddam Mohammad Reza R. , Rostamyari Mohammad Amin
Published: June 2020

In 1904, Schur proved his famous result which says that if the central factor group of a given group is finite, then so is its derived subgroup. In 1994, Hegarty showed that if the absolute central factor group, [Formula: see text], is finite, then so is its autocommutator subgroup, [Formula: see text]. In the present paper, for a given automorphism [Formula: see text] of the group [Formula: see text], we introduce the concept of left [Formula: see text]-Engel, [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]-Engel commutator, [Formula: see text]. Then under some condition, we prove that the finiteness of [Formula: see text] implies that [Formula: see text] is also finite. We also construct an upper bound for the order of [Formula: see text] in terms of the order of [Formula: see text].
Domination number of unit graph of ℤn
Authors: Su Huadong , Yang Liying
Published: June 2020

The unit graph of a ring [Formula: see text] is the simple graph, denoted by [Formula: see text], whose vertex set is [Formula: see text], and in which two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent if and only if [Formula: see text] is a unit of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we completely determine the domination number of [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text] has exactly three prime divisors.
Independent strong weak domination: A mathematical programming approach
Authors: Berberler Murat Erşen , Uğurlu Onur , Berberler Zeynep Nihan
Published: June 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a graph. A subset [Formula: see text] of vertices is a dominating set if every vertex in [Formula: see text] is adjacent to at least one vertex of [Formula: see text]. The domination number is the minimum cardinality of a dominating set. Let [Formula: see text]. Then, [Formula: see text] strongly dominates [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] weakly dominates [Formula: see text] if (i) [Formula: see text] and (ii) [Formula: see text]. A subset [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is a strong (weak) dominating set of [Formula: see text] if every vertex in [Formula: see text] is strongly (weakly) dominated by at least one vertex in [Formula: see text]. The strong (weak) domination number of [Formula: see text] is the minimum cardinality of a strong (weak) dominating set. A set [Formula: see text] is an independent (or stable) set if no two vertices of [Formula: see text] are adjacent. The independent domination number of [Formula: see text] (independent strong domination number, independent weak domination number, respectively) is the minimum size of an independent dominating set (independent strong dominating set, independent weak dominating set, respectively) of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, mathematical models are developed for the problems of independent domination and independent strong (weak) domination of a graph. Then test problems are solved by the GAMS software, the optima and execution times are implemented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mathematical programming formulations for the problems, and computational results show that the proposed models are capable of finding optimal solutions within a reasonable amount of time.
Explicit constructions of cyclic and negacyclic codes of length 3ps over 𝔽pm + u𝔽pm
Authors: Phuto Jirayu , Klin-Eam Chakkrid
Published: June 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a prime such that [Formula: see text]. The algebraic structures of all cyclic and negacyclic codes of length [Formula: see text] over the finite commutative chain ring [Formula: see text] are obtained that the conditions depend on the factorization of polynomial [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text]. Therefore, we classify the structures of cyclic and negacyclic codes of length [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text] into 2 cases, i.e., [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. From that we obtain the number of all cyclic and negacyclic codes of length [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text]. After that, we give some situations for such cyclic and negacyclic codes are self-dual codes.
Outer-paired domination in graphs
Authors: Mahmoodi A. , Asgharsharghi L.
Published: June 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a simple graph with vertex set [Formula: see text] and edge set [Formula: see text]. An outer-paired dominating set [Formula: see text] of a graph [Formula: see text] is a dominating set such that the subgraph induced by [Formula: see text] has a perfect matching. The outer-paired domination number of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is the minimum cardinality of an outer-paired dominating set of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study the outer-paired domination number of graphs and present some sharp bounds concerning the invariant. Also, we characterize all the trees with [Formula: see text].
Linear dynamical systems of dimension two over the ring of integers modulo pt
Authors: Wei Yangjiang , Xu Heyan , Liang Linhua
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we investigate the linear dynamical system [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the ring of integers modulo [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] is a prime). In order to facilitate the visualization of this system, we associate a graph [Formula: see text] on it, whose nodes are the points of [Formula: see text], and for which there is an arrow from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], when [Formula: see text] for a fixed [Formula: see text] matrix [Formula: see text]. In this paper, the in-degree of each node in [Formula: see text] is obtained, and a complete description of [Formula: see text] is given, when [Formula: see text] is an idempotent matrix, or a nilpotent matrix, or a diagonal matrix. The results in this paper generalize Elspas’ [1959] and Toledo’s [2005].
Eu luminescence from BaTiO3/SiO2 multilayer xerogel structures
Authors: Gaponenko N. , Parafinyuk D. , Kholov P. , Raichenok T. , Prislopski S.
Published: June 2020

Sol–gel technology was applied to fabricate Eu-doped BaTiO3/SiO2 multilayer structures by spinning on silicon and fused silica substrates. Eu photoluminescence (PL) was investigated depending on the annealing temperature of these structures. The samples demonstrate the room temperature luminescence corresponding to 5[Formula: see text]FJ ([Formula: see text], 2, 3, 4) transitions of trivalent europium with the most intensive band at 615 nm. For the structure on fused silica with Eu in the BaTiO3 cavity, increase of the annealing temperature from [Formula: see text]C to [Formula: see text]C results in modification of the luminescence indicatrix and lowering of the luminescence intensity in the direction along the surface normal. For BaTiO3/SiO2 multilayer structure generated on silicon, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses reveal disordering after annealing at [Formula: see text]C. This heat treatment provides also an increase of the Eu luminescence intensity.
Crustal origin of the West Florida Terrane, and detrital zircon provenance and development of accommodation during initial rifting of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and western Bahamas
Authors: Erlich R. N. , Pindell J.
Published: June 2020

Well and seismic data were combined with existing radiometric data and 1328 new laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb zircon ages from igneous, sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks in three wells to determine the origin and evolution of key crustal terranes, and the timing of initial rifting and synrift deposition in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and western Bahamas. These data reveal that several southeastern Gulf of Mexico crustal terranes, distinguished by their zircon age distributions and geochemistries, were amalgamated into a single terrane of mixed Pan-African and Amazonian crustal affinity (the newly named West Florida Terrane) during the formation of Pangaea. Sinistral offset along the Florida Transfer Zone (FTZ) during the Late Triassic–Middle Jurassic was likely to have been facilitated by crustal heterogeneity at the boundary between the West Florida and Suwannee terranes, a prime area for reactivation during the break-up of Pangaea. Initial extension, igneous activity and synrift deposition in the region began during the Middle Triassic in the western Bahamas and offshore North Florida, and rapidly expanded into the South Florida Basin by the Early Jurassic. Peak igneous activity and accommodation in the region was diachronous from north to south, beginning in the north during the Early Jurassic (Sinemurian–Pliensbachian) before ending in the south in the Early–Middle Jurassic (Sinemurian–Aalenian/early Bajocian). Detrital zircons in sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks were primarily derived from local erosion of pre-existing crustal terranes. Long-distance transport was likely for pre-Neoproterozoic and post-Cambrian Paleozoic zircons. Middle Jurassic detrital zircons in volcaniclastic rocks of the western Bahamas may have been deposited during ash-fall events from hotspot activity in the southeastern Bahamas.
Investigating the Effects of Lithium Deposition on the Abuse Response of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Deichmann Eric , Torres-Castro Loraine , Lamb Joshua , Karulkar Mohan , Ivanov Sergei , Grosso Christopher , Gray Lucas , Langendorf Jill , Garzon Fernando
Published: June 2020

Li deposition at the graphitic anode is widely reported in literature as one of the leading causes of capacity fade in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Previous literature has linked Li deposition resulting from low-temperature ageing to diminished safety characteristics, however no current research has probed the effects of Li deposition on the abuse response of well-characterized cells. Using overtemperature testing, a relationship between increased concentrations of Li deposition and exacerbated abuse response in 1 Ah pouch cells has been established. A novel Li deposition technique is also investigated, where cells with n:p < 1 (anode-limiting) have been cycled at a high rate to exploit Li+ diffusion limitations at the anode. Scanning Electron Microscopy of harvested anodes indicates substantial Li deposition in low n:p cells after 20 cycles, with intricate networks of Li(s) deposits which hinder Li+ intercalation/deintercalation. Peak broadening and decreased amplitude of differential capacity plots further validates a loss of lithium inventory to Li+ dissolution, and Powder X-ray Diffraction indicates Li+ intercalation with staging in anode interstitial sites as the extent of Li deposition increases. A cradle-to-grave approach is leveraged on cell fabrication and testing to eliminate uncertainty involving the effects of cell additives on Li deposition and other degradation mechanisms.
Transport Processes in a Li-ion Cell during an Internal Short-Circuit
Authors: Kim Jinyong , Mallarapu Anudeep , Santhanagopalan Shriram
Published: June 2020

Internal short-circuit in a lithium-ion cell causes an abrupt increase in cell temperature and triggers subsequent thermal runaway. In this work, we present a detailed electrochemical-thermal model to investigate the physical behavior during an internal short-circuit. Simulations at wide range of heat transfer coefficients and short-circuit resistances are conducted to illustrate electrochemical and thermal behavior under a wide range of conditions. The Joule heating at the shorted region promotes electrochemical reactions nearby, causing in-plane non-uniformity of electrolyte and active material transport. Furthermore, it is found that diffusion in solid active materials plays a significant role at very high shorting currents (∼20 C), as electrochemical reactions rate are being controlled progressively more by availability of Li+ at the interface, due to limitations in diffusion through the active material with increasing discharge rates. This diffusion limitation causes a drop in available energy, and subsequently a decrease in cell equilibrium potential and the heat generation rate at the location of the short. On the other hand, rapid depletion of lithium concentration in the electrolyte and accumulation on the electrode surface results in highly non-uniform transport properties resulting in higher heat generation rates. Hence, the heating regime shifts from “local heating” to “global heating”. Based on the findings, important design parameters for battery safety are discussed.
Effects of electroacupuncture on stress-induced gastric dysrhythmia and mechanisms involving autonomic and central nervous systems in functional dyspepsia
Authors: Zhang Sujuan , Liu Yi , Li Shiying , Ye Feng , Foreman Robert D. , Chen Jiande D. Z.
Published: June 2020

Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used as an effective method to treat stress-related disorders. However, its mechanisms remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of EA on gastric slow wave (GSW) dysrhythmia and c-Fos expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) induced by stress in a rodent model of functional dyspepsia (FD). Rats in the neonatal stage were treated using intragastric iodoacetamide. Eight weeks later, the rats were implanted with electrodes in the stomach for the measurement of GSW and electrodes into accupoints ST36 for EA. Autonomic functions were assessed by spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Rats were placed for 30 min in a cylindrical plastic tube for acute restraint stress. The involvement of a central afferent pathway was assessed by measuring c-Fos-immunoreactive cells in the NTS. 1) EA normalized restraint stress-induced impairment of GSW in FD rats. 2) EA significantly increased vagal activity ( P = 0.002) and improved sympathovagal balance ( P = 0.004) under stress in FD rats. 3) In FD rats under restraint stress, plasma norepinephrine concentration was increased substantially ( P < 0.01), which was suppressed with EA. 4) The EA group showed increased c-Fos-positive cell counts in the NTS compared with the sham EA group ( P < 0.05) in FD rats. Acute restraint stress induces gastric dysrhythmia in a rodent model of FD. EA at ST36 improves GSW under stress in FD rats mediated via the central and autonomic pathways, involving the NTS and vagal efferent pathway.
SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: From the Bench to the Bedside
Authors: Romagnoli Stefano , Peris Adriano , De Gaudio A. Raffaele , Geppetti Pierangelo
Published: June 2020

First isolated in China in early 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the novel coronavirus responsible for the ongoing pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The disease has been spreading rapidly across the globe, with the largest burden falling on China, Europe, and the United States. COVID-19 is a new clinical syndrome, characterized by respiratory symptoms with varying degrees of severity, from mild upper respiratory illness to severe interstitial pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, aggravated by thrombosis in the pulmonary microcirculation. Three main phases of disease progression have been proposed for COVID-19: an early infection phase, a pulmonary phase, and a hyperinflammation phase. Although current understanding of COVID-19 treatment is mainly derived from small uncontrolled trials that are affected by a number of biases, strong background noise, and a litany of confounding factors, emerging awareness suggests that drugs currently used to treat COVID-19 (antiviral drugs, antimalarial drugs, immunomodulators, anticoagulants, and antibodies) should be evaluated in relation to the pathophysiology of disease progression. Drawing upon the dramatic experiences taking place in Italy and around the world, here we review the changes in the evolution of the disease and focus on current treatment uncertainties and promising new therapies.
Safflor Yellow B Attenuates Ischemic Brain Injury via Downregulation of Long Noncoding AK046177 and Inhibition of MicroRNA-134 Expression in Rats
Authors: Wang Chaoyun , Wan Hongzhi , Wang Qiaoyun , Sun Hongliu , Sun Yeying , Wang Kexin , Zhang Chunxiang
Published: June 2020

Stroke breaks the oxidative balance in the body and causes extra reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, leading to oxidative stress damage. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs play pivotal roles in oxidative stress-mediated brain injury. Safflor yellow B (SYB) was able to effectively reduce ischemia-mediated brain damage by increasing antioxidant capacity and inhibiting cell apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the putative involvement of lncRNA AK046177 and microRNA-134 (miR-134) regulation in SYB against ischemia/reperfusion- (I/R-) induced neuronal injury. I/R and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) were established in vivo and in vitro. Cerebral infarct volume, neuronal apoptosis, and protein expression were detected. The effects of SYB on cell activity, cell respiration, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), antioxidant enzymes, and ROS were evaluated. I/R or OGD/R upregulated the expression of AK046177 and miR-134 and subsequently inhibited the activation and expression of CREB, which caused ROS generation and brain/cell injury. SYB attenuated the effects of AK046177, inhibited miR-134 expression, and promoted CREB activation, which in turn promoted Nrf2 expression, and then increased antioxidant capacities, improved cell respiration, and reduced apoptosis. We suggested that the antioxidant effects of SYB were driven by an AK046177/miR-134/CREB-dependent mechanism that inhibited this pathway, and that SYB has potential use in reducing or possibly preventing I/R-induced neuronal injury.
A Comparison of the Incidences of Venous Thromboembolism after Total Hip Arthroplasty between the Direct Anterior Approach and the Direct Lateral Approach, Especially in the Early Period after Introduction of the Direct Anterior Approach
Authors: Kawano Tetsuya , Kijima Hiroaki , Yamada Shin , Konishi Natsuo , Kubota Hitoshi , Tazawa Hiroshi , Tani Takayuki , Suzuki Norio , Kamo Keiji , Okudera Yoshihiko , Fujii Masashi , Sasaki Ken , Iwamoto Yosuke , Nagahata Itsuki , Miura Takanori , Miyakoshi Naohisa , Shimada Yoichi
Published: June 2020

Objective. To compare the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the direct anterior approach (DAA) with that using the direct lateral approach (DLA). In addition, patient background characteristics and the incidence of VTE were compared between the first half and the latter half of the period after introducing DAA and against DLA. Method. This was a retrospective, multicenter study involving 109 patients (116 hips) who had undergone primary unilateral THA. Thirty-six hips underwent THA using DAA and 80 hips underwent THA using DLA. Patient information including sex, age, and preoperative diagnosis was collected. The incidence of VTE was compared between DAA and DLA. Moreover, the patients who underwent THA using DAA were divided into 2 groups (first half and latter half groups), and sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and surgical time were compared between the 2 groups. Moreover, the incidence of VTE was compared among the 3 groups (first half of DAA, latter half of DAA, and DLA). Results. The incidence of VTE in the DAA group was significantly higher than that in the DLA group p=0.014. The incidence of VTE in the first half group was significantly higher than in the latter half group and the DLA group (p=0.035 and p=0.001, respectively), and there was no difference in the incidence of VTE between the latter half group and the DLA group p=0.923. Surgical time was significantly longer in the first half group than in the latter half group p=0.046. Conclusions. In the first half of the period after introducing the DAA, more VTEs occurred than in the DLA. It may be important to shorten the surgical time in the early stage of introducing the DAA, and aggressive anticoagulation therapy may be required until the surgeon becomes familiar with the procedure.
Clinical Patterns and Outcome of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Ahn Seon Young , Kim Suk Bae , Song Il Han
Published: June 2020

Background. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may develop into liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical patterns and survival outcomes of NAFLD-related HCC patients and those of alcoholic liver disease (ALD)-related or hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC patients. Methods. A total of 622 HCC patients with associated NAFLD (n = 56), ALD (n = 173), or HBV infection (n = 393) were enrolled. The clinical characteristics and survival were analyzed according to the underlying liver diseases. Results. NAFLD-related HCC patients were more commonly older women and had more metabolic risk factors but were less likely to have cirrhosis and ascites, compared to ALD-related or HBV-related HCC patients. NAFLD-related HCC more often had an infiltrative pattern (P=0.047), a larger tumor (P=0.001), more macrovascular invasion (P=0.022), and exceeded the Milan criteria (P=0.001), but was less frequently diagnosed during tumor surveillance (P=0.025). Survival analysis did not show any difference among NAFLD-related, ALD-related, and HBV-related HCC patients. Furthermore, propensity score matching analysis did not reveal a significant difference in the median survival between the different groups (NAFLD vs. ALD, 14.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.0–26.0] vs. 13.0 months [95% CI, 0–26.3]; P=0.667, NAFLD vs. HBV, 14.0 months [95% CI, 2.0–26.0] vs. 12.0 months [95% CI, 4.3–17.8]; P=0.573). Conclusions. NAFLD-related HCCs were more often detected at an advanced stage with infiltrative patterns, although they showed no significant difference in survival compared to ALD-related or HBV-related HCCs. A future prospective research should be focused on identifying NAFLD patients who require strict surveillance in order to early detect and timely treat HCC.
Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin as an Antiatherosclerotic Agent in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Review
Authors: Deng Qian , Li Xiao Xue , Fang Yanting , Chen Xin , Xue Jingui
Published: June 2020

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is one of the diseases with the highest morbidity and mortality globally. It causes a huge burden on families and caregivers and high costs for medicine and surgical interventions. Given expensive surgeries and failures of most conventional treatments, medical community tries to find a more cost‐effective cure. Thus, attentions have been primarily focused on food or herbs. Quercetin (Qu) extracted from food, a flavonoid component, develops potentials of alternative or complementary medicine in atherosclerosis. Due to the wide range of health benefits, researchers have considered to apply Qu as a natural compound in therapy. This review is aimed to identify the antiatherosclerosis functions of Qu in treating ASCVD such as anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant properties, effects on endothelium‐dependent vasodilation, and blood lipid‐lowering.
Experimental Study on Strengthening and Sealing Materials and Their Application in Coal Mines
Authors: Zhang Chao , Cheng Ren-hui , Liu Chao , Xue Jun-hua , Liu Hua , Jin Gao-han , Chang Jie , Yan Jing , Zeng Xiang-zhen , Wang Xing-long
Published: June 2020

To solve the problem of unstable sealing in the sealing section of a gassy, soft coal seam, a seal reinforcement material for gas extraction boreholes was developed, which was mainly made of ordinary Portland cement and blended with additives such as aluminium powder, quicklime, and gypsum. Firstly, in order to obtain the necessary expansion and compressive strength of reinforcement material, key factors affecting the material properties were determined. Key factors affecting the expansion properties and compressive strength of reinforcing materials were investigated by a single‐factor test. Moreover, according to the central combination (Box–Behnken) experimental principle and response surface analysis (RSA), the interactions of various factors on the expansion and compressive strength were determined, and the optimal experimental conditions were acquired. The experimental results indicated that the optimum ratio of the material was 2% for gypsum and 0.52% for aluminium powder and quicklime at the experimental temperature of 20°C, and the ratio of water to material was 0.6. Finally, in the N1103 working face of No. 3 coal seam of Yuwu coal mine, Luan Group, China, the sealing property of the reinforcement material was validated, and the problem of hole collapse at the borehole orifice was solved (resulting in a gas concentration 2.48 times that measured before borehole reinforcement), and the gas drainage effect was enhanced.
Posbist Reliability Theory for Typical Systems with Multicomponents
Authors: Ren Jiaojiao , Wu Cong
Published: June 2020

This paper investigates Posbist reliability theory for typical systems with multicomponents. This theory is based on possibility and binary-state assumptions. It works well under situations of insufficient data and epistemic uncertainty. When the lifetime of every component of a typical system is assumed unrelated and a normal, strictly convex fuzzy variable in some possibility space, the Posbist reliability is concretely derived where the exactly value can be obtained at any moment, unlike existing ones only given by a lower and upper bound. We numerically compare the Posbist reliability between typical systems of four types: series, parallel, series-parallel, and parallel-series. Moreover, numerical safety evaluations are given based on possibilistic and probabilistic models.
Capsules TCN Network for Urban Computing and Intelligence in Urban Traffic Prediction
Authors: Li Dazhou , Lin Chuan , Gao Wei , Chen Zeying , Wang Zeshen , Liu Guangqi
Published: June 2020

Predicting urban traffic is of great importance to smart city systems and public security; however, it is a very challenging task because of several dynamic and complex factors, such as patterns of urban geographical location, weather, seasons, and holidays. To tackle these challenges, we are stimulated by the deep-learning method proposed to unlock the power of knowledge from urban computing and proposed a deep-learning model based on neural network, entitled Capsules TCN Network, to predict the traffic flow in local areas of the city at once. Capsules TCN Network employs a Capsules Network and Temporal Convolutional Network as the basic unit to learn the spatial dependence, time dependence, and external factors of traffic flow prediction. In specific, we consider some particular scenarios that require accurate traffic flow prediction (e.g., smart transportation, business circle analysis, and traffic flow assessment) and propose a GAN-based superresolution reconstruction model. Extensive experiments were conducted based on real-world datasets to demonstrate the superiority of Capsules TCN Network beyond several state-of-the-art methods. Compared with HA, ARIMA, RNN, and LSTM classic methods, respectively, the method proposed in the paper achieved better results in the experimental verification.
Effects of Ginkgo biloba on Early Decompression after Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Guo Xing , Wang Xiaotie , Dong Jin , Lv Wei , Zhao Shandou , Jin Liangliang , Guo Jiangtao , Wang Mingfeng , Cai Chaojun , Sun Jie , Zhou Yan , Zhang Qian , Chen Xiaoli , Yang Jinyan , Ji Ruili , Xin Xiaoyan , Li Min , Li Yongsong , Fan Jin
Published: June 2020

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe trauma of the central nervous system characterized by high disability and high mortality. Clinical progress has been achieved in understanding the pathological mechanism of SCI and its early treatment, but the results are unsatisfactory. In China, increasing attention has been paid to the role of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of SCI. In particular, extracts from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree), which have been reported to exert anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties and repair a variety of active cellular damage, have been applied therapeutically for centuries. In this study, we established a rat SCI model to investigate the effects of Ginkgo biloba leaves on decompression at different stages of SCI. The application of Ginkgo biloba leaves during the decompression of SCI at different time points, the neurological recovery of SCI, and the underlying molecular mechanism were explored. The findings provide reliable experimental data that reveal the mechanism of GBI (Ginkgo biloba injection) in the clinical treatment of SCI.
An Efficient Combination among sMRI, CSF, Cognitive Score, and APOE ε4 Biomarkers for Classification of AD and MCI Using Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Khatri Uttam , Kwon Goo-Rak
Published: June 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and a progressive neurodegenerative condition, characterized by a decline in cognitive function. Symptoms usually appear gradually and worsen over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with individual daily tasks. Thus, the accurate diagnosis of both AD and the prodromal stage (i.e., mild cognitive impairment (MCI)) is crucial for timely treatment. As AD is inherently dynamic, the relationship between AD indicators is unclear and varies over time. To address this issue, we first aimed at investigating differences in atrophic patterns between individuals with AD and MCI and healthy controls (HCs). Then we utilized multiple biomarkers, along with filter- and wrapper-based feature selection and an extreme learning machine- (ELM-) based approach, with 10-fold cross-validation for classification. Increasing efforts are focusing on the use of multiple biomarkers, which can be useful for the diagnosis of AD and MCI. However, optimum combinations have yet to be identified and most multimodal analyses use only volumetric measures obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Anatomical structural MRI (sMRI) measures have also so far mostly been used separately. The full possibilities of using anatomical MRI for AD detection have thus yet to be explored. In this study, three measures (cortical thickness, surface area, and gray matter volume), obtained from sMRI through preprocessing for brain atrophy measurements; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), for quantification of specific proteins; cognitive score, as a measure of cognitive performance; and APOE ε4 allele status were utilized. Our results show that a combination of specific biomarkers performs well, with accuracies of 97.31% for classifying AD vs. HC, 91.72% for MCI vs. HC, 87.91% for MCI vs. AD, and 83.38% for MCIs vs. MCIc, respectively, when evaluated using the proposed algorithm. Meanwhile, the areas under the curve (AUC) from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves combining multiple biomarkers provided better classification performance. The proposed features combination and selection algorithm effectively classified AD and MCI, and MCIs vs. MCIc, the most challenging classification task, and therefore could increase the accuracy of AD classification in clinical practice. Furthermore, we compared the performance of the proposed method with SVM classifiers, using a cross-validation method with Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) datasets.
Autophagy Functions to Prevent Methylglyoxal-Induced Apoptosis in HK-2 Cells
Authors: Park So-Hyun , Choi Hyun-Il , Ahn Jiyun , Jang Young-Jin , Ha Tae-Youl , Seo Hyo-Deok , Kim Yoon-Sook , Lee Dae-Hee , Jung Chang Hwa
Published: June 2020

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive carbonyl species, causes cellular damage and is closely related to kidney disease, particularly diabetic nephropathy. Although MGO has been reported to induce autophagy and apoptosis, the relationships between the two pathways are unclear. Here, we evaluated whether autophagy may be the underlying mechanism inhibiting MGO-induced apoptosis. MGO treatment induced concentration- and time-dependent apoptosis in HK-2 cells. Moreover, MGO upregulated the autophagy markers p62 and LC3-II. Apoptosis caused by MGO was increased in ATG5-knockdown cells compared to that in wild-type cells. In contrast, autophagy activation by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide resulted in reduced apoptosis, suggesting that autophagy played a role in protecting against MGO-induced cell death. To examine the mechanisms through which autophagy occurred following MGO stimulation, we investigated changes in AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Autophagy induction by MGO treatment was not related to AKT/mTOR signaling; however, it did involve autophagy-related gene expression promoted by AMP-activated protein kinase-mediated transcription factors, such as forkhead box 1. Overall, our findings indicate that MGO-induced cellular damage can be mitigated by autophagy, suggesting that autophagy may be a potential therapeutic target for diseases such as diabetic nephropathy.
Cumulative Burden of Chronic Health Conditions in Adult Survivors of Osteosarcoma and Ewing Sarcoma: A Report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study
Authors: Bishop Michael W. , Ness Kirsten K. , Li Chenghong , Liu Wei , Srivastava Deo Kumar , Chemaitilly Wassim , Krull Kevin R. , Green Daniel M. , Pappo Alberto S. , Robison Leslie L. , Hudson Melissa M. , Mulrooney Daniel A.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Adult survivors of childhood osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are at risk of developing therapy-related chronic health conditions. We characterized the cumulative burden of chronic conditions and health status of survivors of childhood bone sarcomas.

Methods:

Survivors (n = 207) treated between 1964 and 2002 underwent comprehensive clinical assessments (history/physical examination, laboratory analysis, and physical and neurocognitive testing) and were compared with community controls (n = 272). Health conditions were defined and graded according to a modified version of the NCI's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and the cumulative burden estimated.

Results:

Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma survivors [median age 13.6 years at diagnosis (range 1.7–24.8); age at evaluation 36.6 years (20.7–66.4)] demonstrated an increased prevalence of cardiomyopathy (14.5%; P < 0.005) compared with controls. Nearly 30% of osteosarcoma survivors had evidence of hypertension. By age 35 years, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma survivors had, on average, 12.0 (95% confidence interval, 10.2–14.2) and 10.6 (8.9–12.6) grade 1–4 conditions and 4.0 (3.2–5.1) and 3.5 (2.7–4.5) grade 3–4 conditions, respectively, compared with controls [3.3 (2.9–3.7) grade 1–4 and 0.9 (0.7–1.0) grade 3–4]. Both survivor cohorts exhibited impaired 6-minute walk test, walking efficiency, mobility, strength, and endurance (P < 0.0001). Accumulation of ≥4 grade 3–4 chronic conditions was associated with deficits in executive function [RR: osteosarcoma 1.6 (1.0–2.4), P = 0.049; Ewing sarcoma 2.0 (1.2–3.3), P = 0.01] and attention [RR: osteosarcoma 2.3 (1.2–4.2); P = 0.008].

Conclusions:

Survivors of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma experience a high cumulative burden of chronic health conditions, with impairments of physical function and neurocognition.

Impact:

Early intervention strategies may ameliorate the risk of comorbidities in bone sarcoma survivors.
Changes in Aged Fibroblast Lipid Metabolism Induce Age-Dependent Melanoma Cell Resistance to Targeted Therapy via the Fatty Acid Transporter FATP2
Authors: Alicea Gretchen M. , Rebecca Vito W. , Goldman Aaron R. , Fane Mitchell E. , Douglass Stephen M. , Behera Reeti , Webster Marie R. , Kugel Curtis H. , Ecker Brett L. , Caino M. Cecilia , Kossenkov Andrew V. , Tang Hsin-Yao , Frederick Dennie T. , Flaherty Keith T. , Xu Xiaowei , Liu Qin , Gabrilovich Dmitry I. , Herlyn Meenhard , Blair Ian A. , Schug Zachary T. , Speicher David W. , Weeraratna Ashani T.
Published: June 2020

Older patients with melanoma (>50 years old) have poorer prognoses and response rates to targeted therapy compared with young patients (<50 years old), which can be driven, in part, by the aged microenvironment. Here, we show that aged dermal fibroblasts increase the secretion of neutral lipids, especially ceramides. When melanoma cells are exposed to the aged fibroblast lipid secretome, or cocultured with aged fibroblasts, they increase the uptake of lipids via the fatty acid transporter FATP2, which is upregulated in melanoma cells in the aged microenvironment and known to play roles in lipid synthesis and accumulation. We show that blocking FATP2 in melanoma cells in an aged microenvironment inhibits their accumulation of lipids and disrupts their mitochondrial metabolism. Inhibiting FATP2 overcomes age-related resistance to BRAF/MEK inhibition in animal models, ablates tumor relapse, and significantly extends survival time in older animals.

Significance:

These data show that melanoma cells take up lipids from aged fibroblasts, via FATP2, and use them to resist targeted therapy. The response to targeted therapy is altered in aged individuals because of the influences of the aged microenvironment, and these data suggest FATP2 as a target to overcome resistance.

See related commentary by Montal and White, p. 1255..

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1241
Proximal Gastrectomy in a Case of Giant Gastric Liposarcoma and a 5-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Lochman Petr , Rejchrt Stanislav , Páral Jiří
Published: June 2020

Even though liposarcomas account for 10–20% of all mesenchymal malignancies, they are extremely rarely located in the stomach. We report the case of a female patient with gastric liposarcoma. CT revealed a giant hypoechogenic tumour subcardially on the posterior gastric wall. Endoscopic tumour resection by piecemeal technique was done, and a lipoma was confirmed on histopathological examination. A recurrent bleeding tumour was proven 6 weeks later. The patient underwent an open proximal gastrectomy with pyloroplasty, and liposarcoma was surprisingly revealed in the resected specimen, finally. Five years later, our patient had been without recurrence or any somatic difficulties. The CT finding of a submucosal fatty tumour with heterogeneous density within the gastric wall should raise the suspicion for liposarcoma. The goal is the surgical removal of the tumour with sufficient margins ensuring R0 resection.
Primary Intraosseous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising from a Dentigerous Cyst of the Maxillary Wisdom Tooth
Authors: Takahashi Hikaru , Takaku Yuichiro , Kozakai Ayako , Otsuru Hiroshi , Murata Yuya , Myers Michael W.
Published: June 2020

The World Health Organization defines primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (PIOSCC) as a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising primarily within the jaws and having no connection with the oral mucosa. Here, we report a case of PIOSCC in which it was difficult to differentiate the condition from pericoronitis of an impacted maxillary wisdom tooth. The patient was a 27-year-old pregnant woman with a pain in the right maxillary wisdom tooth. The pain was diagnosed as pericoronitis of the right maxillary wisdom tooth, and the tooth was extracted under local anesthesia. During extraction, soft tissue was observed in the coronal part of the tooth, and it was diagnosed as SCC arising in a dentigerous cyst. Because the tumor may still be present, surgical resection was performed under general anesthesia. There has been no recurrence or metastasis at the 1-year follow-up. This case was histopathologically considered from being a benign odontogenic tumor to a malignant tumor. However, it revealed an extensive aberrant type and invasion equivalent to SCC. Thus, the histopathological diagnosis was PIOSCC arising from a dentigerous cyst. Although advanced cases of PIOSCC have been published, diagnosis of PIOSCC in the early stages is rare. In this case, we diagnosed pericoronitis of an impacted maxillary wisdom tooth and extracted the tooth. Therefore, we discovered it accidentally. In the early stages, diagnosis can be difficult both clinically and histopathologically.
Obesity-Related Glomerulopathy: A Latent Change in Obesity Requiring More Attention
Authors: Yang Shuting , Cao Chuqing , Deng Tuo , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: June 2020

Background: Obesity has become a major public health problem, and the prevalence of kidney diseases has increased in parallel. Among kidney diseases caused by metabolic disorders, obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) is secondary to obesity. Summary: ORG is mainly caused by glomerular hyperfiltration, dysregulation of hormone and cytokine secretion in adipose tissues, and ectopic lipid accumulation in renal cells. ORG is pathologically characterized by glomerular hypertrophy, with or without focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis. Patients with ORG usually present with proteinuria concomitant with metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia and hypertension. Weight loss, RAAS inhibitors, and improved insulin resistance can reduce the progression of ORG. Conclusion: ORG is a growing renal pathological change in obese individuals, and a comprehensive understanding of the disease is pivotal to avoid its occurrence and improve quality of life for those with obesity. Key Messages:This review comprehensively describes the characteristics of ORG in pathological changes, clinical manifestations, pathogeneses and treatments.
Pulmonal-arterielle Hypertonie und chronisch-thromboembolische pulmonale Hypertonie: Eine immunologische Perspektive
Authors: Koudstaal Thomas , Boomars Karin A. , Kool Mirjam
Published: June 2020

Pulmonale Hypertonie (PH) ist eine extrem belastende fortschreitende Erkrankung, die durch erhöhte pulmonal-arterielle Drücke gekennzeichnet ist. Diese führen zu rechtsventrikulärer (RV) Insuffizienz (Rechtsherzinsuffizienz), Herzinsuffizienz und letztlich zum Tod. Je nach Ätiologie werden Patienten mit PH in die folgenden 5 Gruppen eingeteilt: (1) Pulmonal-arterielle Hypertonie (PAH), (2) PH bei Erkrankungen des linken Herzens, (3) PH bei Lungenerkrankungen und/oder Hypoxie, (4) PH aufgrund chronischer Thromboembolien (CTEPH) und (5) PH mit unklaren multifaktoriellen Mechanismen. Derzeit ist die Prognose für Patienten mit PAH bzw. CTEPH, selbst mit PAH-spezifischer Pharmakotherapie, weiterhin schlecht. Die durchschnittliche 5-Jahres-Überlebensrate beträgt für PAH 57%–59% und für inoperable CTEPH 53%–69%. Daher ist ein besserer Einblick in die Pathogenese von PAH und CTEPH dringend erforderlich, um neue Behandlungsstrategien entwickeln zu können. Neuere Studien zeigen sowohl bei PAH- als auch bei CTEPH-Patienten ein erhöhtes Vorliegen und eine vermehrte Aktivierung angeborener und adaptiver Immunzellen. Darüber hinaus haben umfassende Forschungsarbeiten zu Biomarkern ergeben, dass zahlreiche Entzündungs- und Immunmarker bei PAH- und CTEPH-Patienten mit deren Hämodynamik und/oder Prognose korrelieren. Zunehmende Evidenzdaten über die pathologische Rolle von Immunzellen bei angeborener und adaptiver Immunität haben zu zahlreichen vielversprechenden präklinischen interventionellen Studien geführt. Diese ziehen ihrerseits innovative klinische Studien nach sich, die derzeit durchgeführt werden. Möglicherweise ist neben den aktuellen Behandlungen, die sich ausschließlich auf eine Vasodilatation stützen, eine Kombination immunmodulatorischer Therapien erforderlich, um eine wirksame Behandlung und Prävention gegen das Fortschreiten dieser Erkrankung zu etablieren. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit beschreiben wir die aktuellen Fortschritte bezüglich unserer Erkenntnisse über die Beteiligung der einzelnen Zelltypen des Immunsystems bei PH. Wir geben einen Überblick über den wachsenden Korpus an Evidenzdaten zu Entzündung und Immunität im Rahmen der Pathogenese von PH sowie über die Anwendung von inflammatorischen Biomarkern und immunmodulatorischen Therapien bei PAH und CTEPH.