bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of V1 surround modulation tuning on visual saliency and the tilt illusion
Authors: Keemink Sander W. , Boucsein Clemens , van Rossum Mark C. W.
Published: May 2018

Neurons in the primary visual cortex respond to oriented stimuli placed in the center of their receptive field, yet their response is modulated by stimuli outside the receptive field (the surround). Classically, this surround modulation is assumed to be strongest if the orientation of the surround stimulus aligns with the neuron’s preferred orientation, irrespective of the actual center stimulus. This neuron-dependent surround modulation has been used to explain a wide range of psychophysical phenomena, such as biased tilt perception and saliency of stimuli with contrasting orientation. However, several neurophysiological studies have shown that for most neurons surround modulation is instead center dependent: it is strongest if the surround orientation aligns with the center stimulus. As the impact of such center-dependent modulation on the population level is unknown, we examine this using computational models. We find that with neuron-dependent modulation the biases in orientation coding, commonly used to explain the tilt illusion, are larger than psychophysically reported, but disappear with center-dependent modulation. Therefore we suggest that a mixture of the two modulation types is necessary to quantitatively explain the psychophysically observed biases. Next, we find that under center-dependent modulation average population responses are more sensitive to orientation differences between stimuli, which in theory could improve saliency detection. However, this effect depends on the specific saliency model. Overall, our results thus show that center-dependent modulation reduces coding bias, while possibly increasing the sensitivity to salient features.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neural responses in the primary visual cortex are modulated by stimuli surrounding the receptive field. Most earlier studies assume this modulation depends on the neuron’s tuning properties, but experiments have shown that instead it depends mostly on the stimulus characteristics. We show that this simple change leads to neural coding that is less biased and under some conditions more sensitive to salient features.
Interference between competing motor memories developed through learning with different limbs
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Kumar Adarsh , Sonane Bhoomika , Mutha Pratik K.
Published: May 2018

Learning from motor errors that occur across different limbs is essential for effective tool use, sports training, and rehabilitation. To probe the neural organization of error-driven learning across limbs, we asked whether learning opposing visuomotor mappings with the two arms would interfere. Young right-handers first adapted to opposite visuomotor rotations A and B with different arms and were then reexposed to A 24 h later. We observed that relearning of A was never faster nor were initial errors smaller than prior A learning, which would be expected if there was no interference from B. Rather, errors were greater than or similar to, and learning rate was slower than or comparable to, previous A learning depending on the order in which the arms learned. This indicated robust interference between the motor memories of A and B when they were learned with different arms in close succession. We then proceeded to uncover that the order-dependent asymmetry in performance upon reexposure resulted from asymmetric transfer of learning from the left arm to the right but not vice versa and that the observed interference was retrograde in nature. Such retrograde interference likely occurs because the two arms require the same neural resources for learning, a suggestion consistent with that of our past work showing impaired learning following left inferior parietal damage regardless of the arm used. These results thus point to a common neural basis for formation of new motor memories with different limbs and hold significant implications for how newly formed motor memories interact.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In a series of experiments, we demonstrate robust retrograde interference between competing motor memories developed through error-based learning with different arms. These results provide evidence for shared neural resources for the acquisition of motor memories across different limbs and also suggest that practice with two effectors in close succession may not be a sound approach in either sports or rehabilitation. Such training may not allow newly acquired motor memories to be stabilized.
Genetic variants predicting aerobic capacity response to training are also associated with skeletal muscle oxidative capacity in moderate-to-severe COPD
Authors: Adami Alessandra , Hobbs Brian D. , McDonald Merry-Lynn N. , Casaburi Richard , Rossiter Harry B. ,   for the COPDGene Investigators
Published: May 2018

Muscle oxidative capacity is a major determinant of maximum oxygen uptake (V̇O2max). V̇O2max predicts survival in humans. Muscle oxidative capacity is low in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and can be assessed from the muscle oxygen consumption recovery rate constant ( k) by near-infrared spectroscopy. We hypothesized that 11 SNPs, previously associated with the increase in V̇O2max following exercise training, would correlate with k in 152 non-Hispanic White and African American smokers with and without COPD. Associations were adjusted for age, weight, FEV1% predicted, steps/day, and principal components of genetic ancestry. No SNPs were significantly associated with k. rs2792022 within BTAF1 (β = 0.130, P = 0.053) and rs24575771 within SLC22A3 (β = 0.106, P = 0.058) approached nominal significance. Case-control stratification identified three SNPs nominally associated with k in moderate-to-severe COPD ( rs6481619 within SVIL β = 0.152, P = 0.013; BTAF1 β = 0.196, P = 0.046; rs7386139 within DEPTOR β = 0.159, P = 0.047). These data support further study of the genomic contributions to skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD.
Pharmacology of Adenosine Receptors: The State of the Art
Authors: Borea Pier Andrea , Gessi Stefania , Merighi Stefania , Vincenzi Fabrizio , Varani Katia
Published: May 2018

Adenosine is a ubiquitous endogenous autacoid whose effects are triggered through the enrollment of four G protein-coupled receptors: A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. Due to the rapid generation of adenosine from cellular metabolism, and the widespread distribution of its receptor subtypes in almost all organs and tissues, this nucleoside induces a multitude of physiopathological effects, regulating central nervous, cardiovascular, peripheral, and immune systems. It is becoming clear that the expression patterns of adenosine receptors vary among cell types, lending weight to the idea that they may be both markers of pathologies and useful targets for novel drugs. This review offers an overview of current knowledge on adenosine receptors, including their characteristic structural features, molecular interactions and cellular functions, as well as their essential roles in pain, cancer, and neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. Finally, we highlight the latest findings on molecules capable of targeting adenosine receptors and report which stage of drug development they have reached.
Isocratic Resolution of Fluoroquinolone-Based Antibiotics on the Phenylethyl-Bonded Phase under Nonaqueous Elution: A Consideration of the Separation Mechanism
Authors: Gao Yu-Xuan , Chen Shushi
Published: May 2018

This paper reports the isocratic resolution of 10 fluoroquinolone-based antibiotics and their precursors on the phenylethyl-bonded phase under the elution of the nonaqueous mobile phase composed of acetonitrile, methanol, acetic acid, and triethylamine. Most of the analytes were baseline resolved within 10 minutes. The interaction simulation and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data indicated that the carbonyl-containing group, a secondary or tertiary amine of an analyte, was heavily involved in the retention, resulting in retention with residual silanol groups on the stationary phase. In some cases, the elution reversal or resolution enhancement of analytes was observed when the volume of acidic or basic additive in the mobile phase was dominant. However, the π-π complexation interaction between the fluorine-attached phenyl group of the analyte and the phenylethyl moiety on the stationary phase was not observed. Consequently, the resolution could not be reproduced either on the other stationary phase modified with C18, phenyl, or phenylhexyl moiety under the same chromatographic conditions or under the aqueous elution.
Cocoa Pod Husk Pectin Intended as a Pharmaceutical Excipient Has No Adverse Effects on Haematological Parameters in Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Adi-Dako Ofosua , Ofori-Kwakye Kwabena , Kukuia Kennedy Kwami Edem , Asiedu-Larbi Jerry , Nyarko Alexander Kwadwo , Kumadoh Doris , Frimpong Grace
Published: May 2018

Natural polymer research has recently become the focus of intensive research in the quest for new enabling excipients for novel drugs in pharmaceutical formulation for optimal treatment outcomes. Evaluations of some excipients have shown deleterious haematological effects of varying extents on the safety profile of these excipients. A 90-day subchronic toxicity study was conducted to evaluate the influence of cocoa pod husk (CPH) pectin on indicators for haematotoxicity. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats (SDRs) were fed with CPH pectin in doses up to 71.4 mg/kg. The effects of CPH pectin on the haematological indices, direct and total bilirubin, and the spleen were determined. The results indicated that CPH pectin did not induce any untoward toxic effects on the haematological indices, bilirubin levels, and the spleen. There were, however, elevations in MCV at day 30, which was not sustained after the 90 days. The data obtained from this study did not reveal any remarkable findings of toxicological relevance to the haematopoietic system.
High Data Rate FinFET On-Off Keying Transmitter for Wireless Capsule Endoscopy
Authors: Intzes Ioannis , Meng Hongying , Cosmas John P.
Published: May 2018

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a painless diagnostic tool used by the physicians for endoscopic examination of the gastrointestinal track. The performance of the existing WCE systems is limited by high power consumption and low data rate transmission. In this paper, a 144 MHz FinFET On-Off Keying (OOK) transmitter is designed and integrated with a class-E power amplifier. It is implemented and simulated using 16 nm FinFET Predictive Technology Models. The proposed transmitter can achieve the data rate of 33 Mbps with average power consumption of 1.04 mW from a 0.85 V power supply in the simulation. This design outperforms the current state-of-the-art designs.
A Multiagent Cooperation Model Based on Trust Rating in Dynamic Infinite Interaction Environment
Authors: Fan Sixia
Published: May 2018

To improve the liveness of agents and enhance trust and collaboration in multiagent system, a new cooperation model based on trust rating in dynamic infinite interaction environment (TR-DII) is proposed. TR-DII model is used to control agent’s autonomy and selfishness and to make agent do the rational decision. TR-DII model is based on two important components. One is dynamic repeated interaction structure, and the other is trust rating. The dynamic repeated interaction structure is formed with multistage inviting and evaluating actions. It transforms agents’ interactions into an infinity task allocation environment, where controlled and renewable cycle is a component most agent models ignored. Additionally, it influences the expectations and behaviors of agents which may not appear in one-shot time but may appear in long-time cooperation. Moreover, with rewards and punishments mechanism (RPM), the trust rating (TR) is proposed to control agent blindness in selection phase. However, RPM is the factor that directly influences decisions, not the reputation as other models have suggested. Meanwhile, TR could monitor agent’s statuses in which they could be trustworthy or untrustworthy. Also, it refines agent’s disrepute in a new way which is ignored by the others. Finally, grids puzzle experiment has been used to test TR-DII model and other five models are used as comparisons. The results show that TR-DII model can effectively adjust the trust level between agents and makes the solvers be more trustworthy and do choices that are more rational. Moreover, through interaction result feedback, TR-DII model could adjust the income function, to control cooperation reputation, and could achieve a closed-loop control.
Subsidence Prediction of Overburden Strata and Surface Based on the Voussoir Beam Structure Theory
Authors: He Changchun , Xu Jialin
Published: May 2018

The hard and stiff strata (key strata) bear the overburden load in the form of a voussoir beam structure (VBS) after break. The VBS affects both the surface subsidence and the stope underground pressure. Therefore, the reasonable method to predict the surface subsidence is based on the whole subsidence formulae of the VBS. This study first establishes the subsidence formulae of the VBS analytically. The influence of the block length on the subsidence curve and the VBS level on the zero‐subsidence range are then analyzed based on the subsidence formulae of the VBS. The results show the half‐subsidence curve of the VBS is an S‐shaped curve. The block length hardly affects the S‐shaped subsidence curve determined by the width of the undercompacted zone. Furthermore, a greater undercompacted zone width corresponds to a greater offset distance of the inflection point. The higher the VBS level, the farther the zero‐subsidence range, and the flatter the subsidence curve. The subsidence of the highest VBS can approximately represent the surface subsidence when the topsoil is thin enough.
Using a Somatosensory Controller to Assess Body Size for Size-Specific Dose Estimates in Computed Tomography
Authors: Wu Jay , Han Ruo-Ping , Liu Yan-Lin
Published: May 2018

Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used in the healthcare environment. Presently, the radiation dose in CT is determined using the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE). Accurate assessment of individual’s body size is essential for dose estimation. In this study, we integrated a somatosensory controller with a CT scanner to measure patient’s anterior-posterior diameter (APD) and lateral diameter (LATD) and calculate the corresponding effective diameter (ED). A total of 108 individuals with an average age of 38.6 years were enrolled in this study. Microsoft Kinect was used to acquire the depth image of subjects. A grayscale-to-surface height conversion curve was created using acrylic sheets for APD estimation. The APD, LATD, and ED were measured and compared with the results obtained using F ruler and CT images. The mean absolute differences for APD, LATD, and ED between Kinect and F ruler measurements were 5.2%, 1.3%, and 2.5%, respectively, while those between Kinect and CT measurements were 8.8%, 2.6%, and 5.0%, respectively. Kinect can replace CT or F ruler for real-time body size measurements. The use of the somatosensory controller has the advantages of simple, low cost, no radiation, and automatic calculation. It can accurately estimate patient’s APD, LATD, and ED for SSDE.
URG11 Regulates Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion
Authors: Pan Bin , Ye Yunlin , Liu Haiping , Zhen Jianli , Zhou Hongmei , Li Yutong , Qu Lijun , Wu Youke , Zeng Chuanrong , Zhong Weifeng
Published: May 2018

Upregulated gene 11 (URG11), a new gene upregulated by hepatitis B virus X protein, is involved in the development and progression of several tumors, including liver, stomach, lung, and colon cancers. However, the role of URG11 in prostate cancer remains yet to be elucidated. By determined expression in human prostate cancer tissues, URG11 was found significantly upregulated and positively correlated with the severity of prostate cancer, compared with that in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues. Further, the mRNA and protein levels of URG11 were significantly upregulated in human prostate cancer cell lines (DU145, PC3, and LNCaP), compared with human prostate epithelial cell line (RWPE-1). Moreover, by the application of siRNA against URG11, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells were markedly inhibited. Genetic knockdown of URG11 also induced cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase, induced apoptosis, and decreased the expression level ofβ-catenin in prostate cancer cells. Overexpression of URG11 promoted the expression ofβ-catenin, the growth, the migration, and invasion ability of prostate cancer cells. Taken together, this study reveals that URG11 is critical for the proliferation, migration, and invasion in prostate cancer cells, providing the evidence of URG11 to be a novel potential therapeutic target of prostate cancer.
Adaptation and Validation of the Malay Version of the Osteoarthritis Knee and Hip Quality of Life Questionnaire among Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
Authors: Abdul Kadir Azidah , Mohd Arif Mohd Faizal , Ishak Azlina , Hassan Intan Idiana , Mohd Noor Norhayati
Published: May 2018

Objective. To adapt and validate the Malay version of Osteoarthritis Knee and Hip Quality of Life (OAKHQOL) questionnaire. Design. The OAKHQOL was adapted into Malay version using forward-backward translation methodology. It was then validated in a cross-sectional study of 191 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients completed the OAKHQOL and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. Confirmatory analysis, reliability analysis, and Pearson correlation test were performed. Results. The new five-factor model of 28 items demonstrated an acceptable level of goodness of fit (comparative fit index = 0.915, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.905, incremental fit index = 0.916, chi-squared/degree of freedom = 1.953, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.071), signifying a fit model. The Cronbach’s alpha value and the composite reliability of each construct ranged from 0.865 to 0.933 and 0.819 to 0.921, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the OAKHQOL and the WOMAC showed adequate criterion validity. Known groups validity showed statistical difference in body mass index in physical activity, mental health, and pain construct. The pain domain was statistically different between the age groups. Conclusion. The Malay version OAKHQOL questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to assess health-related quality of life in knee OA patients.
Major Maternal Dietary Patterns during Early Pregnancy and Their Association with Neonatal Anthropometric Measurement
Authors: Hajianfar Hossein , Esmaillzadeh Ahmad , Feizi Awat , Shahshahan Zahra , Azadbakht Leila
Published: May 2018

Background. Anthropometric measurements of newborn infant are widely assessed as determinants of maternal nutrition. Although earlier studies have mostly examined the effects of particular nutrients or foods during gestational period on neonatal anthropometric measurements, there are few studies regarding the association of dietary patterns and mentioned measurements. So, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between major maternal dietary patterns and neonatal anthropometric measurements including body weight, head circumference, and height. Methods. The current prospective observational study is based on the data collected from 812 pregnant women. Dietary data was collected using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results. Three identified major dietary patterns according to the results obtained from the factor loading matrix were (i) “western dietary pattern”; (ii) “traditional dietary pattern”; (iii) “healthy dietary pattern”. Overall, this study demonstrated a positive significant association between high adherences to western dietary pattern and chance of having low birth weight infant. However, such associations were not seen in women taking healthy and traditional dietary patterns. Conclusion. We found that healthier maternal dietary patterns during early pregnancy might be associated with lower risk of low birth weight. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.
The Polymorphism in ADORA3 Decreases Transcriptional Activity and Influences the Chronic Heart Failure Risk in the Chinese
Authors: He Hai-Rong , Li Yuan-Jie , He Gong-Hao , Qiang Hua , Zhai Ya-Jing , Ma Mao , Wang Ya-Jun , Wang Yan , Zheng Xiao-Wei , Dong Ya-Lin , Lyu Jun
Published: May 2018

Aim. To investigate the genetic contribution of adenosine A3 receptor (ADORA3) gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods. Firstly, a case-control study was performed to investigate the association of ADORA3 polymorphisms with CHF risk. Three hundred northern Chinese Han CHF patients and 400 ethnicity-matched healthy controls were included. Four polymorphisms were genotyped. This case-control study was also replicated in 304 CHF patients and 402 controls from southern China. Finally, the functional variability of positive polymorphism was analyzed using luciferase reporter assay and real-time PCR. Results. Overall, the rs1544223 was significantly associated with CHF risk under the dominant model (P=0.046, OR = 1.662, 95% CI = 1.009–2.738). But it did not affect disease severity. These results were also consistent in replicated population. In addition, the transcriptional activity for promoter with the A allele was lower than that with the G allele (n=3, 4.501±0.308 versus 0.571±0.114, P<0.01) and ADORA3 mRNA levels were significantly higher in GG homozygotes than subjects carrying GA (n=6, 0.058±0.01 versus 0.143±0.068, P=0.004) or AA genotypes (n=6, 0.065±0.01 versus 0.143±0.068, P=0.008). Conclusions. Should the findings be validated by further studies with larger patient samples and in different ethnicities, they may provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of CHF.
Bladder Rupture as a Complication of Circumcision following Total Subcoronal Urethral Ligation
Authors: Hojjat Asal , Keihani Sorena , Mahboubi Amir Hassan , Kajbafzadeh Abdol-Mohammad
Published: May 2018

Circumcision is one of the most commonly performed procedures and generally is considered a safe and minor surgery. However, serious and catastrophic complications may sometime occur if adequate attention is not paid to all aspects of this procedure. Bleeding is the most common early complication of circumcision and sometimes is controlled by applying sutures. We hereby report a case of urethral obstruction after deep suturing of the bleeding site performed at a district center that led to bladder rupture as an exceedingly rare complication following circumcision.
Effects of Chailong Jieyu Pill on Behavior, Monoamine Neurotransmitters, and Corticosteroid Receptors in a Rat Model of Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Feng Guang-kui , Ma Xian-jun , Chen Yin-yi , Bian Guang-rong , Yang Chao , Gu Bao-dong
Published: May 2018

Chailong Jieyu Pill (CJP) is composed of Radix Bupleuri, Radix Scutellariae, Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata, Radix Codonopsis, Radix Glycyrrhizae preparata, keel, Concha Ostreae, Concha Margaritifera Usta, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, and Fructus Jujubae. CJP has shown good clinical effects on improving anxiety disorders. However, as the mechanism underlying such benefits remains unclear, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action for CJP on anxiety‐related behaviors in a rat model of anxiety disorder. After establishing a rat model of anxiety disorder using uncertain empty bottle stimulation, rats were divided into control, model, citalopram, low‐dose CJP, and high‐dose CJP groups. After 1 month of administration, effects of treatments on rat appearance, body weight, and open‐field test scores were observed. In addition, hippocampal monoamine neurotransmitter (5‐hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, and norepinephrine) contents were measured with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA expression of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were measured with reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. CJP increased rat weight, and this effect was increased in the high‐dose CJP group compared with the citalopram group (P < 0.05). CJP also elevated open‐field test scores compared with the citalopram group (P < 0.05). While CJP decreased monoamine neurotransmitter contents in rat hippocampus, the regulatory effect of CJP on 5‐hydroxytryptamine was reduced compared with citalopram (P < 0.01). CJP upregulated GR mRNA expression in both low‐dose (P < 0.05) and high‐dose (P < 0.01) CJP groups, but only the latter significantly downregulated MR mRNA expression and showed enhanced effects compared with citalopram (P < 0.05). Thus, CJP likely exerted its significant antianxiety effect by diminishing monoamine neurotransmitters and regulating mRNA expression of MR and GR in the hippocampus of our rat model of anxiety disorder.
Modeling Renal Disease “On the Fly”
Authors: Millet-Boureima Cassandra , Porras Marroquin Jessica , Gamberi Chiara
Published: May 2018

Detoxification is a fundamental function for all living organisms that need to excrete catabolites and toxins to maintain homeostasis. Kidneys are major organs of detoxification that maintain water and electrolyte balance to preserve physiological functions of vertebrates. In insects, the renal function is carried out by Malpighian tubules and nephrocytes. Due to differences in their circulation, the renal systems of mammalians and insects differ in their functional modalities, yet carry out similar biochemical and physiological functions and share extensive genetic and molecular similarities. Evolutionary conservation can be leveraged to model specific aspects of the complex mammalian kidney function in the genetic powerhouseDrosophila melanogasterto study how genes interact in diseased states. Here, we compare the human andDrosophilarenal systems and present selected fly disease models.
Changes in Hysterectomy Route and Adnexal Removal for Benign Disease in Australia 2001–2015: A National Population-Based Study
Authors: Cure Natalie De , Robson Stephen J.
Published: May 2018

Objective. Hysterectomy rates have fallen over recent years and there remains debate whether salpingectomy should be performed to reduce the lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. We examined trends in adnexal removal and route of hysterectomy in Australia between 2001 and 2015. Methods. Data were obtained from the national procedural dataset for hysterectomy approach (vaginal, VH; abdominal, AH; and, laparoscopic, LH) and rates of adnexal removal, as well as endometrial ablation. The total female population in two age groups (“younger age group,” 35 to 54 years, and “older age group,” 55 to 74 years) was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results. The rate of hysterectomy fell in both younger (61.7 versus 45.2/10000/year, p<0.005) and older (38.8 versus 33.2/10000/year, p<0.005) age groups. In both age groups there were significant decreases in the incidence rates for VH (by 53% in the younger age group and 29% in the older age group) and AH (by 53% and 55%, respectively). The rates of LH increased by 153% in the younger age group and 307% in the older age group. Overall, the proportion of hysterectomies involving adnexal removal increased (31% versus 65% in the younger age group, p<0.005; 44% versus 58% in the older age group, p<0.005). The increase occurred almost entirely after 2011. Conclusion. Hysterectomy is becoming less common, and both vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy are being replaced by laparoscopic hysterectomy. Removal of the adnexae is now more common in younger women.
BAG3 Protein Is Involved in Endothelial Cell Response to Phenethyl Isothiocyanate
Authors: Franceschelli Silvia , Bruno Anna Paola , Festa Michela , Falco Antonia , Gionti Elisa , d’Avenia Morena , De Marco Margot , Basile Anna , Iorio Vittoria , Marzullo Liberato , Rosati Alessandra , Pascale Maria
Published: May 2018

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a cruciferous vegetable‐derived compound, is a versatile cancer chemopreventive agent that displays the ability to inhibit tumor growth during initiation, promotion, and progression phases in several animal models of carcinogenesis. In this report, we dissect the cellular events induced by noncytotoxic concentrations of PEITC in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In the early phase, PEITC treatment elicited cells’ morphological changes that comprise reduction in cell volume and modification of actin organization concomitantly with a rapid activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Downstream to PI3K, PEITC also induces the activity of Rac1 and activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK), well‐known regulators of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Interestingly, PEITC modifications of the actin cytoskeleton were abrogated by pretreatment with JNK inhibitor, SP600125. JNK signaling led also to the activation of the c‐Jun transcription factor, which is involved in the upregulation of several genes; among them is the BAG3 protein. This protein, a member of the BAG family of heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 cochaperones, is able to sustain survival in different tumor cell lines and neoangiogenesis by directly regulating the endothelial cell cycle. Furthermore, BAG3 is involved in maintaining actin folding. Our findings indicate that BAG3 protein expression is induced in endothelial cells upon exposure to a noncytotoxic concentration of PEITC and its expression is requested for the recovery of normal cell size and morphology after the stressful stimuli. This assigns an additional role for BAG3 protein in the endothelial cells after a stress event.
The Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Bovine Hepacivirus in China
Authors: Deng Yu , Guan Su Hua , Wang Silu , Hao Guiying , Rasmussen Thomas Bruun
Published: May 2018

Hepacivirus has been identified in cattle in Africa, Europe, and South America. In this survey of bovine hepacivirus (BovHepV) in 131 serum samples from Chinese cattle herds using RT-PCR, five of 131 sera were BovHepV positive, with the infection rate of 3.82%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial NS3 coding sequence showed that the BovHepV of the five positive samples clustered with other BovHepV but formed a separate branch. The results indicated that these new BovHepV represent emerging and novel strains. Further investigations are necessary to determine the epidemiology and viral pathogenesis of these BovHepV strains, as well as the potential threat to ruminant and livestock workers in China.
High Vimentin Expression Predicts a Poor Prognosis and Progression in Colorectal Cancer: A Study with Meta-Analysis and TCGA Database
Authors: Du Le , Li Jingchuan , Lei Lei , He Hongjuan , Chen Erfei , Dong Jing , Yang Jin
Published: May 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of vimentin expression in the prognosis and progression of CRC. Meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the correlations between vimentin and prognosis and clinicopathological features in CRC. Literatures were searched by PubMed, Embase, ClinicalKey, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang databases. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to assess the association of vimentin expression with survival rate in CRC. Eleven reports with 1969 cases were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that positive vimentin expression predicted a poor overall survival (OS) in the univariate analysis (HR: 2.087, 95%CI: 1.660-2.625) and multivariate analysis (HR: 1.633, 95%CI: 1.223-2.181). Vimentin overexpression also conferred worse disease-free survival (DFS) in the univariate analysis (HR: 2.069, 95%CI: 1.024-4.179) and multivariate analysis (HR: 2.802, 95%CI: 1.421-5.527). Moreover, upregulated vimentin is related to lymph node metastasis (OR: 2.288, 95%CI: 1.159-4.517), TNM stages (OR: 1.957, 95%CI: 1.333-2.873), and N stage (OR: 2.316, 95%CI: 1.482-3.620). Analysis of TCGA database indicated that elevated vimentin predicated a shorter OS (p=0.033). Our findings reveal that upregulated vimentin contributes to the progression and poor prognosis of CRC. Vimentin may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in patients with CRC.
J Wave Autodetection Using Analytic Time-Frequency Flexible Wavelet Transformation Applied on ECG Signals
Authors: Li Deng-ao , Zhou Jie , Zhao Jumin , Liu Xinyan
Published: May 2018

As a new important index of the electrocardiogram (ECG) of ventricular bipolar play, J wave plays an increasingly significant role in the clinical diagnosis. The existence of J wave hints at potential crisis of fatal disease and even death. Nowadays, however, it can hardly meet the clinical needs where the diagnosis of J wave variation only depends on experience of clinicians. Therefore, a new technique which is capable of detecting J wave using analytic time-frequency flexible wavelet transformation (ATFFWT) is proposed in this paper. We have used ATFFWT to decompose the processed ECG signals into the desired subbands. Further, Fuzzy Entropy (FE) is computed from each subband to capture more hidden and meaningful information. Feature scoring method is applied to select optimal feature set. Finally, the extracted features are fed to Least Squares-Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) classifier. The 10-fold cross validation is used to obtain reliable and stable performance and to avoid the overfitting of the model. Our proposed algorithm has achieved accuracy of 97.61% for Morlet Wavelet (MW) kernel in comparison to 97.56% for Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel. The developed effective algorithm can be used to design an expert system to aid clinicians in their regular diagnosis.
Placenta Accreta following Hysteroscopic Lysis of Adhesions Caused by Asherman’s Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Sonan Yuko , Aoki Shigeru , Enomoto Kimiko , Seki Kazuo , Miyagi Etsuko
Published: May 2018

Asherman’s syndrome is defined as partial or complete obstruction of the uterine cavity primarily caused by intrauterine procedures and infections. Hysteroscopic adhesiolysis is commonly used to treat Asherman’s syndrome. Although the frequency of placenta accreta is known to increase with pregnancy after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis, precise data remain unknown. We report a case of placenta accreta following hysteroscopic lysis of adhesions caused by Asherman’s syndrome and IVF treatment and review the literature on placenta accreta following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis. It is necessary to consider placenta accreta as a complication of pregnancies after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis for Asherman’s syndrome, particularly in those conceived using IVF.
Demadroid: Object Reference Graph-Based Malware Detection in Android
Authors: Wang Huanran , He Hui , Zhang Weizhe
Published: May 2018

Smartphone usage has been continuously increasing in recent years. In addition, Android devices are widely used in our daily life, becoming the most attractive target for hackers. Therefore, malware analysis of Android platform is in urgent demand. Static analysis and dynamic analysis methods are two classical approaches. However, they also have some drawbacks. Motivated by this, we present Demadroid, a framework to implement the detection of Android malware. We obtain the dynamic information to build Object Reference Graph and propose λ-VF2 algorithm for graph matching. Extensive experiments show that Demadroid can efficiently identify the malicious features of malware. Furthermore, the system can effectively resist obfuscated attacks and the variants of known malware to meet the demand for actual use.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Analysis of a Fetus with Joubert Syndrome
Authors: Xiang Jingjing , Zhang Lili , Jiang Wei , Zhang Qin , Wang Ting , Li Haibo , Li Hong
Published: May 2018

Objective. To diagnose and explore the genetic cause of Joubert syndrome (JS) in a fetus. Methods. Prenatal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed, and genetic analysis was conducted using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Sanger sequencing. Results. Prenatal ultrasound and MRI examinations showed cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and molar tooth sign (MTS); hence the fetus was diagnosed with JS. Further genetic analysis revealed a known missense variant (c.3599C>T, p.A1200V) and a novel missense variant (c.3857G>A, p.R1286H) in the C5orf42 gene of the fetus. Conclusion. Our study provides insights into prenatal and early diagnosis of JS and expands the variation spectrum of C5orf42 gene.
Metastatic Melanoma of Uncertain Primary with 5-Year Durable Response after Conventional Therapy: A Case Report with Literature Review
Authors: Chantharasamee Jomjit , Treetipsatit Jitsupa
Published: May 2018

A 51-year-old Thai woman presented with bilateral leg edema and painful left inguinal mass for 6 months. Physical examination revealed matted bilateral inguinal lymph nodes up to 9 cm in size. Otherwise, physical examinations including skin were unremarkable. The result of the lymph node incisional biopsy is consistent with that of metastatic melanoma. The extensive investigation demonstrated multiple intra-abdominal and inguinal lymph nodes without detectable primary tumor. Palliative radiation and conventional chemotherapy were prescribed. The CT scan between treatments showed that the response was stable disease, but the following CT scan demonstrated a gradual decrease in size from August 2012 to November 2017 including the lesions outside radiation fields. Moreover, she developed vitiligo during a follow-up visit. The previous data reported the median overall survival among the patients who were treated with conventional chemotherapy ranging from 9.1 to 9.3 months and whose 5-year survival was less than 10%. This case represented a metastatic melanoma of unknown primary who achieved a durable response by conventional treatment. The clinical features including nodal-only disease, vitiligo, and abscopal effect of radiation were considered to be the favorable factors.
Availability of a Hybrid FSO/RF Link While Using the Link’s Diversity for Packet Scheduling
Authors: Grigoriu Liliana
Published: May 2018

Hybrid‐free space optical and radio frequency wireless links are a way of providing reliable transport of real‐time traffic in outdoor wireless environments. We consider a link layer protocol that assigns packets to each physical channel of such a hybrid link, which first attempts to send each packet over one of the links (the main link) and, if unsuccessful, sends the packet over the other link (the backup link). The hybrid link processes high‐priority traffic by using the link layer protocol and additional (background) traffic at low priority over the backup link. In this setting, high‐priority traffic can be transmitted at a rate as high as the maximum capacity of the main link, assuming that the backup link can compensate for main link capacity deterioration, with no need for reconfigurations aimed at adapting to changes in weather conditions, which is an advantage over other approaches. From the perspective of link availability for high‐priority traffic, we compare our approach to using another protocol that does not require reconfigurations, which could be employed if the backup link is expected to have a constant transmission rate during the time interval of interest. For situations where both links can be represented by finite‐state Markov models with states corresponding to channel bit error rates, as has been done in previous literature for radio frequency links and for free space optical links affected by strong atmospheric turbulence and Gaussian noise, we give a way to provide probabilistic quality of service guarantees for background traffic assuming that the high‐priority traffic is insured to not exceed a given constant rate.
Performance of Synthetic Double Sampling Chart with Estimated Parameters Based on Expected Average Run Length
Authors: You Huay Woon
Published: May 2018

A synthetic double sampling (SDS) chart is commonly evaluated based on the assumption that process parameters (namely, mean and standard deviation) are known. However, the process parameters are usually unknown and must be estimated from an in-control Phase-I dataset. This will lead to deterioration in the performance of a control chart. The average run length (ARL) has been implemented as the common performance measure in process monitoring of the SDS chart. Computation of ARL requires practitioners to determine shift size in advance. However, this requirement is too restricted as practitioners may not have the experience to specify the shift size in advance. Thus, the expected average run length (EARL) is introduced to assess the performance of the SDS chart when the shift size is random. In this paper, the SDS chart, with known and estimated process parameters, was evaluated based on EARL and compared with the performance measure, ARL.
Endoscopic and Pathologic Resolution of Chronic Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Diaphragm-Like Colonic Strictures and Ulceration
Authors: Poushanchi Behdod , Vallabh Hiren , Kupec Justin
Published: May 2018

The chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has steadily increased and, as a result, adverse effects have become more common. Isolated case reports have documented diaphragm-like colonic strictures and ulceration as the result of NSAID use. We report a unique case of this rare side effect with documented endoscopic and histologic healing of multiple proximal diaphragm-like colonic strictures and ulceration months after simple discontinuation of NSAID therapy.
Identifying Important Nodes in Complex Networks Based on Multiattribute Evaluation
Authors: Xu Hui , Zhang Jianpei , Yang Jing , Lun Lijun
Published: May 2018

Assessing and measuring the importance of nodes in a complex network are of great theoretical and practical significance to improve the robustness of the actual system and to design an efficient system structure. The classical local centrality measures of important nodes only take the number of node neighbors into consideration but ignore the topological relations and interactions among neighbors. Due to the complexity of the algorithm itself, the global centrality measure cannot be applied to the analysis of large-scale complex network. The k-shell decomposition method considers the core node located in the center of the network as the most important node, but it only considers the residual degree and neglects the interaction and topological structure between the node and its neighbors. In order to identify the important nodes efficiently and accurately in the network, this paper proposes a local centrality measurement method based on the topological structure and interaction characteristics of the nodes and their neighbors. On the basis of the k-shell decomposition method, the method we proposed introduces two properties of structure hole and degree centrality, which synthetically considers the nodes and their neighbors’ network location information, topological structure, scale characteristics, and the interaction between different nuclear layers of them. In this paper, selective attacks on four real networks are, respectively, carried out. We make comparative analyses of the averagely descending ratio of network efficiency between our approach and other seven indices. The experimental results show that our approach is valid and feasible.
Neck-Tongue Syndrome: Viewpoints on Etiology in a Patient with Bilateral Symptoms
Authors: Sidlow Jonathan S. , Raden Mark J. , Sidlow Richard
Published: May 2018

Neck-Tongue Syndrome is a rare entity, and when it presents in the pediatric age group, it is usually due to osseous, ligamentous, or nervous anatomic variation. We present below a case involving a patient whose bilateral symptoms were intermittently present from the age of five to the age of twenty-one years and discuss this case in light of the present theories of the anatomic substrate underlying this syndrome.
Exogenous Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 Affects Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Expression in Conjunctival Filtering Blebs and Bleb Scarring in Rats
Authors: Wang Ling , Liu Meng-ying , Yin Gang , Li Na , Wang Da-bo
Published: May 2018

Objective. To examine the effect of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) on conjunctival filtering bleb scarring. Methods. A model of conjunctival filtering bleb was established whereby rats were injected with saline, blank adenoviral vector, or adenoviral vector carrying TIMP-2 into the bleb. Filtration bleb formation and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression were examined. Results. All operated eyes formed obvious elevated blebs on day 1. In the normal saline group, empty plasmid group, and gene transfection group maintenance time of filtrating blebs was 5–14, 5–14, and 6–16 days, and average survival time was 8.24, 8.16, and 9.44 days, respectively. MMP-2 expression increased slightly in the gene transfection group at 3 and 5 days after surgery, reached a peak after 14 days, and then gradually decreased. MMP-2 expression was weakly positive in the normal conjunctival epithelium, but was hardly detected in the lamina propria. Seven days after surgery, the epithelium and lamina propria of the conjunctival filtering bleb exhibited strong positive expression in the empty plasmid group but only weak expression in the adenovirus group. Conclusion. Exogenous TIMP-2 interfered with local MMP-2 expression, delaying peak expression of MMP-2 and slowing the scarring of filtering blebs during wound healing of subconjunctival tissue.
A Comparison of Direct and Indirect Analytical Approaches to Measuring Total Nicotine Equivalents in Urine
Authors: Taghavi Taraneh , Novalen Maria , Lerman Caryn , George Tony P. , Tyndale Rachel F.
Published: May 2018

Background: Total nicotine equivalents (TNE), the sum of nicotine and metabolites in urine, is a valuable tool for evaluating nicotine exposure. Most methods for measuring TNE involve two-step enzymatic hydrolysis for indirect quantification of glucuronide metabolites. Here, we describe a rapid, low-cost direct LC/MS assay.

Methods: In 139 smokers' urine samples, Bland–Altman, correlation, and regression analyses were used to investigate differences in quantification of nicotine and metabolites, TNE, and nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) between direct and indirect LC/MS methods. DNA from a subset (n = 97 smokers) was genotyped for UGT2B10*2 and UGT2B17*2, and the known impact of these variants was evaluated using urinary ratios determined by the direct versus indirect method.

Results: The direct method showed high accuracy (0%–9% bias) and precision (3%–14% coefficient of variation) with similar distribution of nicotine metabolites to literary estimates and good agreement between the direct and indirect methods for nicotine, cotinine, and 3-hydroxycotinine (ratios 0.99–1.07), but less agreement for their respective glucuronides (ratios 1.16–4.17). The direct method identified urinary 3HC+3HC-GLUC/COT as having the highest concordance with plasma NMR and provided substantially better estimations of the established genetic impact of glucuronidation variants compared with the indirect method.

Conclusions: Direct quantification of nicotine and metabolites is less time-consuming and less costly, and provides accurate estimates of nicotine intake, metabolism rate, and the impact of genetic variation in smokers.

Impact: Lower cost and maintenance combined with high accuracy and reproducibility make the direct method ideal for smoking biomarker, NMR, and pharmacogenomics studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(8); 882–91. ©2018 AACR.