bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cremaster muscle perfusion, oxygenation, and heterogeneity revealed by a new automated acquisition system in a rodent model of prolonged hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Torres Filho Ivo P. , Barraza David , Hildreth Kim , Williams Charnae , Dubick Michael A.
Published: October 2019

Local blood flow/oxygen partial pressure (Po2) distributions and flow-Po2 relationships are physiologically relevant. They affect the pathophysiology and treatment of conditions like hemorrhagic shock (HS), but direct noninvasive measures of flow, Po2, and their heterogeneity during prolonged HS are infrequently presented. To fill this void, we report the first quantitative evaluation of flow-Po2 relationships and heterogeneities in normovolemia and during several hours of HS using noninvasive, unbiased, automated acquisition. Anesthetized rats were subjected to tracheostomy, arterial/venous catheterizations, cremaster muscle exteriorization, hemorrhage (40% total blood volume), and laparotomy. Control animals equally instrumented were not subjected to hemorrhage/laparotomy. Every 0.5 h for 4.5 h, noninvasive laser speckle contrast imaging and phosphorescence quenching were employed for nearly 7,000 flow/Po2 measurements in muscles from eight animals, using an automated system. Precise alignment of 16 muscle areas allowed overlapping between flow and oxygenation measurements to evaluate spatial heterogeneity, and repeated measurements were used to estimate temporal heterogeneity. Systemic physiological parameters and blood chemistry were simultaneously assessed by blood samplings replaced with crystalloids. Hemodilution was associated with local hypoxia, but increased flow prevented major oxygen delivery decline. Adding laparotomy and prolonged HS resulted in hypoxia, ischemia, decreased tissue oxygen delivery, and logarithmic flow/Po2 relationships in most regions. Flow and Po2 spatial heterogeneities were higher than their respective temporal heterogeneities, although this did not change significantly over the studied period. This quantitative framework establishes a basis for evaluating therapies aimed at restoring muscle homeostasis, positively impacting outcomes of civilian and military trauma/HS victims.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study on flow-Po2 relationships during normovolemia, hemodilution, and prolonged hemorrhagic shock using noninvasive methods in multiple skeletal muscle areas of monitored animals. Automated flow/Po2 measurements revealed temporal/spatial heterogeneities, hypoxia, ischemia, and decreased tissue oxygen delivery after trauma/severe hemorrhage. Hemodilution was associated with local hypoxia, but hyperemia prevented a major decline in oxygen delivery. This framework provides a quantitative basis for testing therapeutics that positively impacts muscle homeostasis and outcomes of trauma/hemorrhagic shock victims.
NOESIS: A Framework for Complex Network Data Analysis
Authors: Martínez Víctor , Berzal Fernando , Cubero Juan-Carlos
Published: October 2019

Network data mining has attracted a lot of attention since a large number of real‐world problems have to deal with complex network data. In this paper, we present NOESIS, an open‐source framework for network‐based data mining. NOESIS features a large number of techniques and methods for the analysis of structural network properties, network visualization, community detection, link scoring, and link prediction. The proposed framework has been designed following solid design principles and exploits parallel computing using structured parallel programming. NOESIS also provides a stand‐alone graphical user interface allowing the use of advanced software analysis techniques to users without prior programming experience. This framework is available under a BSD open‐source software license.
Performance Evaluation of FSO Communications under Sand-Dust Conditions
Authors: Cao Minghua , Wang Huiqin , Yao Yu , Hou Shanglin
Published: October 2019

Sand-dust weather conditions are considered the primary challenge to free-space optical (FSO) communications. It may cause severe attenuation that is malignant to FSO link performance. This study investigates the impact of sand-dust particles on a laser signal using the radiation propagation method and the small-angle approximation method. Numerical simulation shows that in sand-dust weather conditions, the multiple scattering effect is dominant and results in signal pulse delay and pulse broadening. Furthermore, the signal attenuation follows a negative exponential distribution to the laser wavelength. Superior performance can be achieved by employing a longer wavelength laser to reduce pulse delay and mutual interference.
Mathematical Models of Cancer Cell Plasticity
Authors: Weerasinghe Hasitha N. , Burrage Pamela M. , Burrage Kevin , Nicolau Dan V.
Published: October 2019

Quantitative modelling is increasingly important in cancer research, helping to integrate myriad diverse experimental data into coherent pictures of the disease and able to discriminate between competing hypotheses or suggest specific experimental lines of enquiry and new approaches to therapy. Here, we review a diverse set of mathematical models of cancer cell plasticity (a process in which, through genetic and epigenetic changes, cancer cells survive in hostile environments and migrate to more favourable environments, respectively), tumour growth, and invasion. Quantitative models can help to elucidate the complex biological mechanisms of cancer cell plasticity. In this review, we discuss models of plasticity, tumour progression, and metastasis under three broadly conceived mathematical modelling techniques: discrete, continuum, and hybrid, each with advantages and disadvantages. An emerging theme from the predictions of many of these models is that cell escape from the tumour microenvironment (TME) is encouraged by a combination of physiological stress locally (e.g., hypoxia), external stresses (e.g., the presence of immune cells), and interactions with the extracellular matrix. We also discuss the value of mathematical modelling for understanding cancer more generally.
Sitagliptin-Dependent Differences in the Intensity of Oxidative Stress in Rat Livers Subjected to Ischemia and Reperfusion
Authors: Trocha Małgorzata , Krzystek-Korpacka Małgorzata , Merwid-Ląd Anna , Nowak Beata , Pieśniewska Małgorzata , Dzięgiel Piotr , Gomułkiewicz Agnieszka , Kowalski Przemysław , Diakowska Dorota , Szeląg Adam , Sozański Tomasz
Published: October 2019

Purpose. Ischemia/reperfusion (IR) is the main cause of liver damage after transplantation. We evaluated the effect of sitagliptin (STG) on oxidative stress parameters in the rat liver under IR. Methods. Rats were treated with STG (5 mg/kg) (S and SIR) or saline solution (C and CIR). Livers from CIR and SIR were subjected to ischemia (60 min) and reperfusion (24 h). During reperfusion, aminotransferases (ALT and AST) were determined in blood samples. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), paraoxonase-1 (PON1), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and the mRNA expression of SOD1 were determined in liver homogenates after reperfusion. Different regions of livers were also histologically evaluated. Results. The PON1 activity was higher, and the TBARS level was lower in SIR than in CIR. There was an inverse relationship between TBARS and PON1 levels in the whole cohort. The GPx activity was lower in ischemic than in nonischemic groups regardless of the STG treatment. In SIR, the SOD1 activity was higher compared to that in CIR. In S, the expression of SOD1 mRNA was the highest of all examined groups and positively correlated with the SOD1 activity in the whole animal cohort. During IR aminotransferases, the activity in the drug-treated group was lower in all examined points of time. In drug-treated groups, the percentage of steatosis was higher than that in nontreated groups regardless of IR. Conclusions. The protective effect of STG on the rat liver, especially its antioxidant properties, was revealed under IR conditions.
Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in the Tumor and Adjacent Noncancerous Tissues of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zalewska-Ziob Marzena , Adamek Brygida , Kasperczyk Janusz , Romuk Ewa , Hudziec Edyta , Chwalińska Ewa , Dobija-Kubica Katarzyna , Rogoziński Paweł , Bruliński Krzysztof
Published: October 2019

Lung tissue is directly exposed to high oxygen pressure, as well as increased endogenous and exogenous oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in these conditions play an important role in the initiation and promotion of neoplastic growth. In response to oxidative stress, the antioxidant activity increases and minimizes ROS-induced injury in experimental systems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD; isoforms: Cu/ZnSOD and MnSOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), along with the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in tumor and adjacent noncancerous tissues of two histological types of NSCLC, i.e., adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, collected from 53 individuals with surgically resectable NSCLC. MDA concentration was similar in tumors compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues. Tumor cells had low MnSOD activity, usually low Cu/ZnSOD activity, and almost always low catalase activity compared with those of the corresponding tumor-free lung tissues. Activities of GSH-related enzymes were significantly higher in tumor tissues, irrespective of the histological type of cancer. This pattern of antioxidant enzymes activity could possibly be the way by which tumor cells protect themselves against increased oxidative stress.
Prediction Model of Corrosion Current Density Induced by Stray Current Based on QPSO‐Driven Neural Network
Authors: Wang Chengtao , Li Wei , Xin Gaifang , Wang Yuqiao , Xu Shaoyi
Published: October 2019

The buried pipelines and metallic structures in subway systems are subjected to electrochemical corrosion under the stray current interference. The corrosion current density determines the degree and the speed of stray current corrosion. A method combining electrochemical experiment with the machine learning algorithm was utilized in this research to study the corrosion current density under the coupling action of stray current and chloride ion. In this study, a quantum particle swarm optimization‐neural network (QPSO‐NN) model was built up to predict the corrosion current density in the process of stray current corrosion. The QPSO algorithm was employed to optimize the updating process of weights and biases in the artificial neural network (ANN). The results show that the accuracy of the proposed QPSO‐NN model is better than the model based on backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and particle swarm optimization‐neural network (PSO‐NN). The accuracy distribution of the QPSO‐NN model is more stable than that of the BPNN model and the PSO‐NN model. The presented model can be used for the prediction of corrosion current density and provides the possibility to monitor the stray current corrosion in subway system through an intelligent learning algorithm.
Influence of Backfill Compaction on Mechanical Characteristics of High‐Density Polyethylene Double‐Wall Corrugated Pipelines
Authors: Fang Hongyuan , Tan Peiling , Li Bin , Yang Kangjian , Zhang Yunhui
Published: October 2019

For flexible pipelines, the influence of backfill compaction on the deformation of the pipe has always been the focus of researchers. Through the finite element software, a three‐dimensional soil model matching the exterior wall corrugation of the high‐density polyethylene pipe was skillfully established, and the “real” finite element model of pipe‐soil interaction verified the accuracy through field test. Based on the model, the strain distribution at any position of the buried HDPE pipe can be obtained. Changing the location and extent of the loose backfill, the strain and radial displacement distributions of the interior and exterior walls of the HDPE pipe under different backfill conditions when external load applied to the foundation were analyzed, and the dangerous parts of the pipe where local buckling and fracture may occur were identified. It is pointed out that when the backfill is loose, near the interface between the backfill loose region and the well‐compacted region, the maximum circumferential strain occurs frequently, the exterior wall strain is more likely to increase greatly on the region near crown or invert, the interior wall strains increase in amplitude at springline, and the location of the loose region has a greater influence on the strain of the pipe than the size of the loose area.
Predictive Factors and Clinical Prediction Score for Serious Intracranial Causes in Acute Nontraumatic Headache at an Emergency Department
Authors: Tantarattanapong Siriwimon , Chalongkulasak Lalita
Published: October 2019

Purpose. The objectives of this study were to investigate the predictive factors and develop a clinical prediction score to identify serious intracranial causes in acute nontraumatic headache (NTH). Methods. A retrospective chart review study was conducted from 2013 to 2018 in acute NTH patients who visited the emergency department. The patients were divided into serious intracranial headache and nonserious intracranial headache groups. The two groups were compared in regard to the baseline characteristics, clinical presentation, physical examination, investigation, and diagnosis. The significant factors to predict a serious intracranial cause were examined using a multivariate logistic regression model. The coefficients from the multivariate logistic regression were used to plot the receiver operating characteristic curve to develop a clinical prediction score. Results. From 2,372 patients, 454 met the inclusion criteria. Of the 454 patients with acute NTH, 88 (19.4%) patients were serious intracranial cause. The seven significant factors that predicted serious intracranial cause were abrupt onset (odds ratio (OR) 7.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.77‒22.91), awakening pain (OR 3.14, 95% CI 4.15–6.82), duration of headache >1 week (OR 10.59, 95% CI 2.9–38.7), fever (OR 6.01, 95% CI 2.07–17.46), worst headache ever (OR 12.95, 95% CI 5.69–29.45), alteration of consciousness (OR 13.55, 95% CI 2.07‒88.88), and localizing neurological deficit (OR 5.28, 95% CI 1.6‒17.46). A score ≥3 out of 10 points of the clinical prediction score was likely to identify a serious intracranial cause of acute NTH with a sensitivity and specificity of 87.50% (95% CI 78.73–93.59%) and 87.70% (95% CI 83.90–90.89%), respectively. The area under the curve was 0.933. Conclusion. Abrupt onset, awakening pain, duration of headache >1 week, fever, worst headache ever, alteration of consciousness, and localizing neurological deficit were the significant predictive factors for serious intracranial cause of acute NTH.
Upregulation of Peroxiredoxin 3 Protects Afg3l2-KO Cortical Neurons In Vitro from Oxidative Stress: A Paradigm for Neuronal Cell Survival under Neurodegenerative Conditions
Authors: Bettegazzi Barbara , Pelizzoni Ilaria , Scarzella Floramarida Salerno , Restelli Lisa Michelle , Zacchetti Daniele , Maltecca Francesca , Casari Giorgio , Grohovaz Fabio , Codazzi Franca
Published: October 2019

Several neurodegenerative disorders exhibit selective vulnerability, with subsets of neurons more affected than others, possibly because of the high expression of an altered gene or the presence of particular features that make them more susceptible to insults. On the other hand, resilient neurons may display the ability to develop antioxidant defenses, particularly in diseases of mitochondrial origin, where oxidative stress might contribute to the neurodegenerative process. In this work, we investigated the oxidative stress response of embryonic fibroblasts and cortical neurons obtained from Afg3l2-KO mice. AFG3L2 encodes a subunit of a protease complex that is expressed in mitochondria and acts as both quality control and regulatory enzyme affecting respiration and mitochondrial dynamics. When cells were subjected to an acute oxidative stress protocol, the survival of AFG3L2-KO MEFs was not significantly influenced and was comparable to that of WT; however, the basal level of the antioxidant molecule glutathione was higher. Indeed, glutathione depletion strongly affected the viability of KO, but not of WT MEF, thereby indicating that oxidative stress is more elevated in KO MEF even though well controlled by glutathione. On the other hand, when cortical KO neurons were put in culture, they immediately appeared more vulnerable than WT to the acute oxidative stress condition, but after few days in vitro, the situation was reversed with KO neurons being more resistant than WT to acute stress. This compensatory, protective competence was not due to the upregulation of glutathione, rather of two mitochondrial antioxidant proteins: superoxide dismutase 2 and, at an even higher level, peroxiredoxin 3. This body of evidence sheds light on the capability of neurons to activate neuroprotective pathways and points the attention to peroxiredoxin 3, an antioxidant enzyme that might be critical for neuronal survival also in other disorders affecting mitochondria.
Update on Myopia Risk Factors and Microenvironmental Changes
Authors: Coviltir Valeria , Burcel Miruna , Cherecheanu Alina Popa , Ionescu Catalina , Dascalescu Dana , Potop Vasile , Burcea Marian
Published: October 2019

The focus of this update is to emphasize the recent advances in the pathogenesis and various molecular key approaches associated with myopia in order to reveal new potential therapeutic targets. We review the current evidence for its complex genetics and evaluate the known or candidate genes and loci. In addition, we discuss recent investigations regarding the role of environmental factors. This paper also covers current research aimed at elucidating the signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of myopia.
Effect of Underground Coal Mining on Slope Morphology and Soil Erosion
Authors: Ning Liu , Xiao-Guang Zhao , Shi-Jie Song , Wen-Fu Zhou
Published: October 2019

Underground coal mining will cause large‐scale surrounding rock movement, resulting in surface subsidence and irreversible deformation of surface morphology, which would lead to geological disasters and ecological environment problems. In this paper, FLAC3D numerical model is built based on the natural slope gradient, slope type, and included angle between the slope and working face, and their influences on the change of surface morphology and soil erosion caused by underground coal mining is studied. Research results show that the change of slope gradient caused by underground mining decreases with the increase of natural slope gradient, while slope length has opposite laws; different slope types have different changes of slope morphology. The order of slope types corresponding to gradient changes is mixed slope < uniform slope < concave slope < convex slope; the length of the concave and uniform slope decreases, and the convex and mixed slope length increases. When the included angle between the slope and working face is 0° ≤ α < 90°, the underground mining will cause the natural slope gradient increase, the change of the slope gradient will increase with the rise of the angle, the slope length will decrease, and the rate of decrease will be reduced with the increase of the angle. Coal mining will cause the increasing of the runoff and erosion modulus of slope, mainly runoff modulus.
Nanostructured CeO2 Thin Films Prepared by the Sol-Gel Dip-Coating Method with Anomalous Behavior of Crystallite Size and Bandgap
Authors: Acosta-Silva Y. J. , Toledano-Ayala M. , Torres-Delgado G. , Torres-Pacheco I. , Méndez-López A. , Castanedo-Pérez R. , Zelaya-Ángel O.
Published: October 2019

Amorphous CeO2 thin films were deposited by a dip-coating method on Corning glass substrates and annealed for one hour at the temperatures (T) of 250, 450, and 550°C in air for crystallization. The precursor solution was prepared by dissolving cerium acetate in methanol, lactic acid, glycerol, and trimethylamine at 55°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the cubic structure of CeO2. From XRD data and employing the Scherrer formula, the crystallite size (CS) was calculated to be within the 4.0±0.5 to 10±1 nm interval. SEM micrographs revealed cracks of the films annealed at 250 and 450°C, even though for 550°C, the film shows a homogeneous morphology free of cracks. CS increases (from 4.0 to 10 nm) and thickness decreases (from 217 to 182 nm) when T increases. The UV-vis spectra exhibited an average transmittance of 80% in the 300 to 2000 nm wavelength range. Also, from XRD, it was observed that the lattice shrinks and from transmittance that the bandgap energy increases with T. The Raman spectra exhibit 461 cm-1 assigned to F2g mode of the fluorite cubic structure, where F2g hardens when T increases as an effect of the shrinkage of the lattice.
An Intelligent Data Analysis for Recommendation Systems Using Machine Learning
Authors: Ramzan Bushra , Bajwa Imran Sarwar , Jamil Noreen , Amin Riaz Ul , Ramzan Shabana , Mirza Farhan , Sarwar Nadeem
Published: October 2019

In recent times, selection of a suitable hotel location and reservation of accommodation have become a critical issue for the travelers. The online hotel search has been increased at a very fast pace and became very time-consuming due to the presence of huge amount of online information. Recommender systems (RSs) are getting importance due to their significance in making decisions and providing detailed information about the required product or a service. To acquire the hotel recommendations while dealing with textual hotel reviews, numerical ranks, votes, ratings, and number of video views have become difficult. To generate true recommendations, we have proposed an intelligent approach which also deals with large-sized heterogeneous data to fulfill the needs of the potential customers. The collaborative filtering (CF) approach is one of the most popular techniques of the RS to generate recommendations. We have proposed a novel CF recommendation approach in which opinion-based sentiment analysis is used to achieve hotel feature matrix by polarity identification. Our approach combines lexical analysis, syntax analysis, and semantic analysis to understand sentiment towards hotel features and the profiling of guest type (solo, family, couple etc). The proposed system recommends hotels based on the hotel features and guest type for personalized recommendation. The developed system not only has the ability to handle heterogeneous data using big data Hadoop platform but it also recommends hotel class based on guest type using fuzzy rules. Different experiments are performed over the real-world datasets obtained from two hotel websites. Moreover, the values of precision and recall and F-measure have been calculated, and the results are discussed in terms of improved accuracy and response time, significantly better than the traditional approaches.
Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Zhu Dan-dan , Liu Xun
Published: October 2019

Purpose. To evaluate the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet/lymphocyte ratio(PLR) value in the development of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO)patients. Methods. 81 patients with BRVO and 81 age and sex-matched subjects were recruited as the control group. The BRVO diagnosis was confirmed under comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations. NLR and PLR parameters obtained from peripheral blood were recorded. Results. Both the mean NLR and PLR was significantly higher in the BRVO group compared with the control group (p < 0.001). In ROC analysis, the AUC for NLR was 0.82, and NLR of >2.48 predicted BRVO with a sensitivity of 58% and specificity of 98%. The AUC for PLR was 0.78, and PLR of >110.2 predicted BRVO with a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 72%. Conclusion. The current study demonstrated that BRVO patients had increased NLR and PLR levels compared with control subjects. The NLR and PLR may be used as independent predictors for identifying risk for the development of BRVO.
Effect of Bitter Compounds on the Expression of Bitter Taste Receptor T2R7 Downstream Signaling Effectors incT2R7/pDisplay-Gα16/gust44/pcDNA3.1 (+) Cells
Authors: Su Yuan , Jie Hang , Zhu Qing , Zhao Xiaoling , Wang Yan , Yin Huadong , Kumar Mishra Shailendra , Li Diyan
Published: October 2019

Bitterness is an important taste sensation for chickens, which provides useful sensory information for acquisition and selection of diet, and warns them against ingestion of potentially harmful and noxious substances in nature. Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) mediate the recognition of bitter compounds belonging to a family of proteins known as G-protein coupled receptors. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the expression ofT2R7in chicken tongue tissue and constructcT2R7-1andcT2R7-2-expressing HEK-293T cells to access the expression ofPLCβ2andITPR3after exposure with different concentrations of the bitter compounds. Using real-time PCR, we show that the relative expression level ofT2R7mRNA in 5, 1, 0.1, and 10−3 mM of camphor and erythromycin solutions and 5 mM of chlorpheniramine maleate solutions was significantly higher than that in 50 mM KCL solutions. We confirmed that the bitter taste receptor T2R7 and downstream signaling effectors are sensitive to different concentrations of bitter compounds. Moreover, T2R7-1 (corresponding to the unique haplotype of the Tibetan chicken) had higher sensitivity to bitter compounds compared with that of T2R7-2 (corresponding to the unique haplotype of the Jiuyuan black-chicken). These results provide great significance of taste response on dietary intake to improve chicken feeding efficiency in poultry production and have certain reference value for future taste research in other bird species.
Adipokine Chemerin Stimulates Progression of Atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− Mice
Authors: Liu Huadong , Xiong Wei , Luo Yu , Chen Hua , He Yaqiong , Cao Yuanzhi , Dong Shaohong
Published: October 2019

Background. Vascular remodeling is the most critical pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Adipokine chemerin was known for its relationship with obesity as well as metabolism. Most recently, chemerin was found to play a crucial role in the pathologic process of cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease. In this study, we surveyed the role of chemerin in progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice. Objective. To investigate the relationship between chemerin and progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice and its mechanism. Methods. 8-week-old ApoE−/− mice were fed with high-fat diet to induce the atherosclerosis model. Adenoviruses were transfected for knockdown or overexpression of chemerin gene into aorta. Serums and aortic tissues of ApoE−/− mice were obtained after feeding high-fat diet for 16 weeks. HE staining and oil red staining were performed to evaluate aortic plaque. ELISA was performed to explore serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Real-time PCR and western blotting were carried out to investigate the mRNA and protein levels of chemerin, nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κBp65), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38-MAPK), phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), and phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK 1/2). Result. Aortic plaque formation was significantly induced by high-fat diet in ApoE−/− mice. Simultaneously, elevated serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β and elevated mRNA and protein levels of chemerin, NF-κBp65, PCNA, p-p38-MAPK, p-JNK, and p-ERK 1/2 were found in ApoE−/− mice. After aortic chemerin gene was inhibited by adenovirus, aortic atherosclerosis induced by high-fat diet was significantly meliorated, serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β decreased, mRNA and protein levels of NF-κBp65, PCNA, p-p38-MAPK, p-JNK, and p-ERK 1/2 decreased simultaneously. Conclusion. Our study revealed that chemerin stimulated the progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice.
Emerging Role of Ferroptosis in Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Hu Zhaoxin , Zhang Hao , Yang Shi-kun , Wu Xueqin , He Dong , Cao Ke , Zhang Wei
Published: October 2019

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a heterogeneous group of critical disease conditions with high incidence and mortality. Vasoconstriction, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation are generally thought to be the main pathogenic mechanisms of AKI. Ferroptosis is a type of iron-dependent nonapoptotic cell death characterized by membrane lipid peroxide accumulation and polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption, and it plays essential roles in many diseases, including cancers and neurologic diseases. Recent studies have revealed an emerging role of ferroptosis in the pathophysiological processes of AKI. Here, in the present review, we summarized the most recent discoveries on the role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of AKI as well as its therapeutic potential in AKI.
CCA Secure Public Key Encryption against After-the-Fact Leakage without NIZK Proofs
Authors: Zhao Yi , Liang Kaitai , Yang Bo , Chen Liqun
Published: October 2019

In leakage resilient cryptography, there is a seemingly inherent restraint on the ability of the adversary that it cannot get access to the leakage oracle after the challenge. Recently, a series of works made a breakthrough to consider a postchallenge leakage. They presented achievable public key encryption (PKE) schemes which are semantically secure against after-the-fact leakage in the split-state model. This model puts a more acceptable constraint on adversary’s ability that the adversary cannot query the leakage of secret states as a whole but the functions of several parts separately instead of prechallenge query only. To obtain security against chosen ciphertext attack (CCA) for PKE schemes against after-the-fact leakage attack (AFL), existing works followed the paradigm of “double encryption” which needs noninteractive zero knowledge (NIZK) proofs in the encryption algorithm. We present an alternative way to achieve AFL-CCA security via lossy trapdoor functions (LTFs) without NIZK proofs. First, we formalize the definition of LTFs secure against AFL (AFLR-LTFs) and all-but-one variants (ABO). Then, we show how to realize this primitive in the split-state model. This primitive can be used to construct AFLR-CCA secure PKE scheme in the same way as the method of “CCA from LTFs” in traditional sense.
Endovascular Occlusion of a Renal Arteriovenous Fistula with Renal Vein Aneurysm Formation for Rupture Prevention
Authors: Rhee Yae Hyun , Busch Lucas , Sansone Roberto , Ertas Neslihan , Floros Nikolaos , Schelzig Hubert , Mulorz Joscha , Wagenhäuser Markus Udo
Published: October 2019

Purpose. To report the effectiveness of left renal artery (LRA) occlusion using Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) II as treatment for a high-flow renal arteriovenous fistula (RAVF) with multiple renal vein aneurysms (RVA) to prevent aneurysm rupture and cardiac decompensation. Case Report. A 59-year-old female suffering from a post-traumatic RAVF presented with tachycardia and increased cardiac output (CO). Doppler ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a high-flow RAVF with multiple RVAs and unilateral critically reduced kidney function. Appreciating recent interventional therapeutic advances, the patient was treated with endovascular placement of AVP II into the left renal artery (LRA) resulting in complete occlusion of the RAVF to effectively reduce the risk of RVA rupture and cardiac decompensation. No anti-platelet medication was administrated after the occlusion of the LRA. The patient’s physical capacity improved since right heart volume strain was normalized, and CO was reduced. Conclusion. Transbrachial AVP II occlusion of the LRA is effective to occlude high-flow RAVFs to prevent risk of life-threatening RVA rupture. Additional follow-up is warranted to verify long-term effectiveness of this approach.
Comparison of Intravitreal Aflibercept and Ranibizumab for Treatment of Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization: One-Year Results—A Retrospective, Comparative Study
Authors: Erden Burak , Bölükbaşı Selim , Baş Emine , Çakır Akın
Published: October 2019

Purpose. To compare one-year treatment outcomes of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) for treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). Methods. The medical records of a total of 30 eyes diagnosed with mCNV and underwent IVA or IVR treatment for a minimum one-year follow-up were studied retrospectively. All the subjects had an axial length >26 mm and received a 1 + PRN (pro re nata) regimen IVA or IVR. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thicknesses (CMT) on optical coherence tomography were evaluated before and after treatment. Results. There were 12 eyes in IVA group, with a mean age of 60.0 ± 10.2 years. The mean BCVA significantly improved from baseline 1.54 ± 0.76 to 0.85 ± 0.61 and the mean CMT significantly decreased from baseline 384.3 ± 119.1 μm to 305.9 ± 75.4 μm at Month 12 (p:0.024 and p:0.011, respectively). There were 18 eyes in IVR group, with a mean age of 57.4 ± 13.1 years. The mean BCVA improved from baseline 1.14 ± 0.90 to 1.04 ± 0.93 and the mean CMT significantly decreased from baseline 366.5 ± 102.3 μm to 323.6 ± 103.6 μm at Month 12 after IVR (p:0.345 and p:0.011, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups in CMT changes in the study period (p:0.178), but IVA resulted in significantly better final visual gain (0.69 versus 0.09; p:0.006). Conclusions. Both IVA and IVR treatment modalities resulted in similar anatomical outcomes but IVA had better visual outcomes in treatment of mCNV.
LKB1/AMPK Pathway and Drug Response in Cancer: A Therapeutic Perspective
Authors: Ciccarese Francesco , Zulato Elisabetta , Indraccolo Stefano
Published: October 2019

Inactivating mutations of the tumor suppressor gene Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1) are frequently detected in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and cervical carcinoma. Moreover, LKB1 expression is epigenetically regulated in several tumor types. LKB1 has an established function in the control of cell metabolism and oxidative stress. Clinical and preclinical studies support a role of LKB1 as a central modifier of cellular response to different stress-inducing drugs, suggesting LKB1 pathway as a highly promising therapeutic target. Loss of LKB1-AMPK signaling confers sensitivity to energy depletion and to redox homeostasis impairment and has been associated with an improved outcome in advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the interplay between LKB1 and its downstream targets in cancer and focus on potential therapeutic strategies whose outcome could depend from LKB1.
Defining New Research Questions and Protocols in the Field of Traumatic Brain Injury through Public Engagement: Preliminary Results and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hasan Shumaila , Chari Aswin , Ganau Mario , Uff Chris
Published: October 2019

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of death and disability in the age group below 40 years. The financial cost of loss of earnings and medical care presents a massive burden to family, society, social care, and healthcare, the cost of which is estimated at £1 billion per annum (about brain injury (online)). At present, we still lack a full understanding on the pathophysiology of TBI, and biomarkers represent the next frontier of breakthrough discoveries. Unfortunately, many tenets limit their widespread adoption. Brain tissue sampling is the mainstay of diagnosis in neuro-oncology; following on this path, we hypothesise that information gleaned from neural tissue samples obtained in TBI patients upon hospital admission may correlate with outcome data in TBI patients, enabling an early, accurate, and more comprehensive pathological classification, with the intent of guiding treatment and future research. We proposed various methods of tissue sampling at opportunistic times: two methods rely on a dedicated sample being taken; the remainder relies on tissue that would otherwise be discarded. To gauge acceptance of this, and as per the guidelines set out by the National Research Ethics Service, we conducted a survey of TBI and non-TBI patients admitted to our Trauma ward and their families. 100 responses were collected between December 2017 and July 2018, incorporating two redesigns in response to patient feedback. 75.0% of respondents said that they would consent to a brain biopsy performed at the time of insertion of an intracranial pressure (ICP) bolt. 7.0% replied negatively and 18.0% did not know. 70.0% would consent to insertion of a jugular bulb catheter to obtain paired intracranial venous samples and peripheral samples for analysis of biomarkers. Over 94.0% would consent to neural tissue from ICP probes, external ventricular drains (EVD), and lumbar drains (LD) to be salvaged, and 95.0% would consent to intraoperative samples for further analysis.
Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine as Adjuvant Therapy for Refractory Androgenetic Alopecia
Authors: You Qiang , Li Lan , Ma Xiao , Gao Tian , Xiong Suqin , Yan Yufen , Fang Hao , Li Fengqing , Chen Hongping , Liu Youping
Published: October 2019

Objective. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies have been widely used for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) for thousands of years. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the curative efficacy and safety of TCM for treating AGA. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TCM for the treatment of AGA through March 2019 were systematically identified in 4 English databases, namely, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science, and 4 Chinese databases, namely, Sino-Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and WanFang. Quality assessment and data analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.3.5, and Stata 15.1 was used to cope with publication bias. Results. 30 RCTs involving 2615 patients were randomly divided into a TCM group and a conventional medicine (CM) group. The results showed that the total efficacy rate (TER) of the TCM group was significantly higher than that of the control group (OR = 3.34, 95% CI = 2.75–4.05, P<0.00001). The total symptom score (TSS) of the TCM group was markedly reduced when compared with the CM group (SMD = −0.86; 95% CI = −1.19, −0.53; P<0.00001). The microelement levels (Fe2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+) in hair were significantly improved when complemented with TCM therapy. In addition, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of adverse events (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.29–1.05, P=0.07). Conclusions. In view of the effectiveness and safety of TCM, the present meta-analysis suggests that TCM could be recommended as an effective and safe adjuvant therapy for the treatment of AGA by improving the TER, symptoms, serum testosterone levels, and microelement levels. However, long-term and higher-quality RCTs are needed to overcome the limitations of the selected studies and more precisely interrogate the efficacy and safety of TCM.
Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Two Alternative Stabilization Techniques on Expansive Soil Slopes
Authors: Zhang Rui , Long Mingxu , Zheng Jianlong
Published: October 2019

Two alternative techniques, the lime stabilization technique (LST) and the geogrid reinforcement technique (GRT), are both useful to stabilize expansive soil slopes, but their impacts on the environment need be further evaluated. Based on a case study, two techniques as well as their construction processes were introduced. The energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were investigated by the life cycle assessment (LCA). The sensitivity analyses were carried out, including the lime content for LST, the reinforcement spacing for GRT, the embankment height, delivery distance, and treatment width for both techniques. From the LCA results, with the GRT, the energy consumption and CO2 emissions can be reduced by 7.52% and 57.09%, respectively. The main sources of two techniques are raw material production, soil transportation, and paving stage while the CO2 emissions of lime production are about 11.68 times of those of geogrid production. From the sensitivity analysis results, as the lime content of LST increases by 1%, the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions increase by 8.27% and 13.16%, respectively; as the reinforcement spacing of GRT increases by 0.05 m, the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions increase by 1.63% and 0.69%, respectively; as the embankment height increases by 1 m, the increase rates of energy consumption and CO2 emissions of LST are 1.68 and 1.61 times of those of GRT, respectively. In this project, when the embankment height is less than 10 m, the geogrid technique has the advantages of energy‐saving and emission‐reduction. It was found that the GRT is not sensitive to the change of delivery distance and treatment width and significantly reduces the environmental impacts, especially in reducing the impact of global warming.
Method Improvements of Testing Modulus of Soil Based on Free‐Vibration Column
Authors: Jin Dandan , Huang Xianwen , Wang Binghui , Zhou Aizhao , Liu Shunqing
Published: October 2019

It is difficult to directly measure the dynamic elastic modulus of soils when the strain is less than 10−4, though the dynamic shear modulus can be easily obtained by the free‐vibration testing method. Some improvements were adapted to the traditional free‐vibration column for measuring dynamic elastic modulus of soil precisely with lateral vibration in small strain (10−4∼10−6). Differing from the traditional lateral vibration theory, a new dynamic elastic modulus testing method based on bending vibration equation of cantilever beam was put forward based on the improved free‐vibration column of GZZ‐50. Firstly, some descriptions about calibration process of needed testing parameter (moment of inertia of drive board) were made, and then, Poisson’s ratio of standardized column was used to confirm the measured results. Four main improvements were applied, including the shape of drive board which made the bending vibration equation solved, laser displacement sensors for correcting specimen’s height parameter with uncontacted manner which can reduce the influence of specimen, a hoop with plug used to make the split mould be removed, and air duct used when installing drive board to increase the success rate of installing specimen. Finally, standard process of installing specimen was described, which can be used as reference of similar test.
Chaihu-Shugan-San Reinforces CYP3A4 Expression via Pregnane X Receptor in Depressive Treatment of Liver-Qi Stagnation Syndrome
Authors: He Zehui , Fan Rong , Zhang Chunhu , Tang Tao , Liu Xu , Luo Jiekun , Cui Hanjin , Wang Yang , Lu Ruohuang , Gan Pingping
Published: October 2019

Backgrounds. Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) is a classic traditional Chinese herbal prescription for treating depression. However, the underlying mechanism of the Chinese syndrome-specific efficacy of CSS is poorly understood. Aim of the Study. From traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacogenetics perspectives, the present study aimed to investigate the antidepressant effects of CSS on a mouse model of Liver-Qi Stagnation (LQS) syndrome and its underlying mechanisms. Methods and Materials. We used two main mouse models of depressive syndromes in the study, including LQS and liver stagnation and spleen deficiency (LSSD) syndrome. Tail suspension and forced swimming tests were used to evaluate the effects of CSS on animal behaviour. The expression level of the CYP450 enzyme from liver microsomes was analysed by western blot (WB) analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). More specifically, we analysed the key compounds of CSS that are responsible for CYP450 regulation via bioinformatics. Ultimately, luciferase assays were employed to confirm the prediction in vitro. Results. CSS remarkably reduced the immobile time in LQS rather than in LSSD mice. Although CSS significantly upregulated CYP2C9 in mice with both syndromes, activated translation of CYP3A4 induced by CSS was only observed in the LQS group. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the unique regulation of CYP3A4 was responsible for the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) from CSS. Further luciferase assays confirmed the enhancement of CYP3A4 expression via the pregnane X receptor (PXR) pathway in vitro. Conclusions. CSS specifically upregulates the translation of CYP3A4 via the PXR pathway in depressed LQS mice. GA, a bioactive compound that originates from CSS, contributes to this activation. This work provides novel insight into Chinese syndrome-based therapy for depression.
A Microbial Siderophore-Inspired Self-Gelling Hydrogel for Noninvasive Anticancer Phototherapy
Authors: Ko Seungbeom , Park Joo Yeon , Oh Yu-Kyoung
Published: October 2019

Microbial carboxyl and catechol siderophores have been shown to have natural iron-chelating abilities, suggesting that hyaluronic acid (HA) and the catechol compound, gallic acid (GA), may have iron-coordinating activities. Here, a photoresponsive self-gelling hydrogel that was both injectable and could be applied to the skin was developed on the basis of the abilities of HA and GA to form coordination bonds with ferric ions (Fe3+). The conjugate of HA and GA (HA–GA) instantly formed hydrogels in the presence of ferric ions and showed near-infrared (NIR)-responsive photothermal properties. Following their subcutaneous injection into mice, HA–GA and ferric ion formed a hydrogel, which remained at the injection site for at least 8 days. Intratumoral injection of HA-GA/Fe hydrogel into mice allowed repeated exposure of the tumor to NIR irradiation. This repeated NIR irradiation resulted in complete tumor ablation in KB carcinoma cell–xenografted mice and suppressed lung metastasis of 4T1-Luc orthotopic breast tumors. Application of HA-GA/Fe hydrogel to the skin of A375 melanoma-xenografted tumor sites, followed by NIR irradiation, also resulted in complete tumor ablation. These findings demonstrate that single applications of HA–GA/Fe hydrogel have photothermal anticancer effects against both solid tumors and skin cancers.

Significance:

These findings provide new insights into noninvasive anticancer phototherapy using self-gelling hydrogels. Application of these hydrogels in preclinical models reduces the sizes of solid tumors and skin cancers without surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Natural Killer Cell–Derived Vesicular miRNAs: A New Anticancer Approach?
Authors: Fabbri Muller
Published: October 2019

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes targeting virus-infected cells and cancer cells. Specific pro- and antikilling signals modulate the overall ability of NK cells to kill cancer cells, however, several immune-escape mechanisms can be enacted by cancer cells to avoid NK-mediated killing. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that extracellular vesicles (EV) released by NK cells carry proteins and miRNAs able to exert an antitumoral effect, even within a highly immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment. These recent findings suggest a possible use of NK-derived EVs as anticancer agents and propel the development of new strategies to enrich EVs with the most effective anticancer cargo as a promising new anticancer approach.