bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GCAT|Genomes for life: a prospective cohort study of the genomes of Catalonia
Authors: Obón-Santacana Mireia , Vilardell Mireia , Carreras Anna , Duran Xavier , Velasco Juan , Galván-Femenía Iván , Alonso Teresa , Puig Lluís , Sumoy Lauro , Duell Eric J , Perucho Manuel , Moreno Victor , de Cid Rafael
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing worldwide. NCDs are the leading cause of both morbidity and mortality, and it is estimated that by 2030, they will be responsible for 80% of deaths across the world. The Genomes for Life (GCAT) project is a long-term prospective cohort study that was designed to integrate and assess the role of epidemiological, genomic and epigenomic factors in the development of major chronic diseases in Catalonia, a north-east region of Spain.

Participants

At the end of 2017, the GCAT Study will have recruited 20 000 participants aged 40–65 years. Participants who agreed to take part in the study completed a self-administered computer-driven questionnaire, and underwent blood pressure, cardiac frequency and anthropometry measurements. For each participant, blood plasma, blood serum and white blood cells are collected at baseline. The GCAT Study has access to the electronic health records of the Catalan Public Healthcare System. Participants will be followed biannually at least 20 years after recruitment.

Findings to date

Among all GCAT participants, 59.2% are women and 83.3% of the cohort identified themselves as Caucasian/white. More than half of the participants have higher education levels, 72.2% are current workers and 42.1% are classified as overweight (body mass index ≥25 and <30 kg/m2). We have genotyped 5459 participants, of which 5000 have metabolome data. Further, the whole genome of 808 participants will be sequenced by the end of 2017.

Future plans

The first follow-up study started in December 2017 and will end by March 2018. Residences of all subjects will be geocoded during the following year. Several genomic analyses are ongoing, and metabolomic and genomic integrations will be performed to identify underlying genetic variants, as well as environmental factors that influence metabolites.
Electroacupuncture plus standard of care for managing refractory functional dyspepsia: protocol of a pragmatic trial with economic evaluation
Authors: Chung Vincent C H , Wong Charlene H L , Ching Jessica Y L , Sun Wai Zhu , Ju Yan Li , Hung Sheung Sheung , Lin Wai Ling , Leung Ka Chun , Wong Samuel Y S , Wu Justin C Y
Published: March 2018

Introduction

This trial proposes to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) plus on-demand gastrocaine with waiting list for EA plus on-demand gastrocaine in providing symptom relief and quality-of-life improvement among patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).

Methods and analysis

This is a single-centre, pragmatic, randomised parallel-group, superiority trial comparing the outcomes of (1) EA plus on-demand gastrocaine group and (2) waiting list to EA plus on-demand gastrocaine group. 132 (66/arm) endoscopically confirmed,Helicobacter pylori-negative patients with FD will be recruited. Enrolled patients will respectively be receiving (1) 20 sessions of EA over 10 weeks plus on-demand gastrocaine; or (2) on-demand gastrocaine and being nominated on to a waiting list for EA, which entitles them 20 sessions of EA over 10 weeks after 12 weeks of waiting. The primary outcome will be the between-group difference in proportion of patients achieving adequate relief of symptoms over 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes will include patient-reported change in global symptoms and individual symptoms, Nepean Dyspepsia Index, Nutrient Drink Test, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), and 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD7). Adverse events will be assessed formally. Results on direct medical costs and on the EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire will also be used to assess cost-effectiveness. Analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle using appropriate univariate and multivariate methods. A mixed model analysis taking into account missing data of these outcomes will be performed. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed using established approach.

Ethics and dissemination

The study is supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. It has been approved by the Joint Chinese University of Hong Kong – New Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and be disseminated in international conference.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-IPC-15007109; Pre-result.
Recruitment for exercise or physical activity interventions: a protocol for systematic review
Authors: Hoover Jeffrey C , Alenazi Aqeel M , Alothman Shaima , Alshehri Mohammed M , Rucker Jason , Kluding Patricia
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Recruiting participants into research trials is essential for the advancement of scientific knowledge that depends on clinical research studies. For the field of exercise and physical activity, there is an added difficulty in recruiting participants because participants must be willing to participate in an intervention that requires a significant commitment of both time and physical effort. Therefore, we have planned a systematic review to analyse how methodological factors, intervention characteristics and participant demographics impact recruitment rates in specific populations. This information will help researchers improve the design and recruitment approach in future studies.

Methods and analysis

A mixed methods systematic review will be performed on studies that implement physical activity interventions and present data on participant recruitment. We plan on searching the Pubmed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Online Resource for Recruitment research in Clinical Trials databases for potentially eligible articles from database inception through 10 February 2017. A standardised approach will be used to identify studies through a review of titles, abstracts and reference lists. The process for each eligible study is to determine their eligibility, extract data from eligible studies and rate each eligible study’s methodological quality. Exploratory multivariate regression models will be used to determine the effects of methodological factors, intervention characteristics and participant demographics on the recruitment variables of interest.

Ethics and dissemination

Because all of the data used in this systematic review has been published, this review does not require ethical approval. The results of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication as well as through conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017057284.
Self-reported body silhouette trajectories across the lifespan and excessive daytime sleepiness in adulthood: a retrospective analysis. The Paris Prospective Study III
Authors: Lisan Quentin , Tafflet Muriel , Charles Marie-Aline , Thomas Frédérique , Boutouyrie Pierre , Guibout Catherine , Haba-Rubio José , Périer Marie Cécile , Pannier Bruno , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Jouven Xavier , Empana Jean-Philippe
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common sleep complaint in the population and is increasingly recognised as deleterious for health. Simple and sensitive tools allowing identifying individuals at greater risk of EDS would be of public health importance. Hence, we determined trajectories of body silhouette from early childhood to adulthood and evaluated their association with EDS in adulthood.

Design

A retrospective analysis in a prospective community-based study.

Participants

6820 men and women self-reported their silhouette at ages 8, 15, 25, 35 and 45 using the body silhouettes proposed by Stunkardet al. EDS was defined by an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score ≥11.

Main outcome measure

Presence of EDS in adulthood.

Results

The study population comprised 6820 participants (mean age 59.8 years, 61.1% men). Five distinct body silhouettes trajectories over the lifespan were identified: 31.9% ‘lean stable’, 11.1% ‘lean increase’, 16.1% ‘lean-marked increase’, 32.5% ‘moderate stable’ and 8.4% ‘heavy stable’. Subjects with a ‘heavy-stable’ trajectory (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.62) and those with a ‘lean-marked increase’ trajectory (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.81) were more likely to have EDS when compared with the ‘lean-stable’ group after adjusting for confounding. Further adjustment for birth weight strengthened the magnitude of the ORs.

Conclusion

Increasing body silhouette and to a lesser extent constantly high body silhouette trajectory from childhood to adulthood are associated with increased likelihood of EDS, independently of major confounding variables.

Trial registration number

NCT00741728; Pre-results.
Systematic review of acute physically active learning and classroom movement breaks on children’s physical activity, cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour: understanding critical design features
Authors: Daly-Smith Andy J , Zwolinsky Stephen , McKenna Jim , Tomporowski Phillip D , Defeyter Margaret Anne , Manley Andrew
Published: March 2018

Objective

To examine the impact of acute classroom movement break (CMB) and physically active learning (PAL) interventions on physical activity (PA), cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

PubMed, EBSCO, Academic Search Complete, Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, SCOPUS and Web of Science.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Studies investigating school-based acute bouts of CMB or PAL on (PA), cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour. The Downs and Black checklist assessed risk of bias.

Results

Ten PAL and eight CMB studies were identified from 2929 potentially relevant articles. Risk of bias scores ranged from 33% to 64.3%. Variation in study designs drove specific, but differing, outcomes. Three studies assessed PA using objective measures. Interventions replaced sedentary time with either light PA or moderate-to-vigorous PA dependent on design characteristics (mode, duration and intensity). Only one study factored individual PA outcomes into analyses. Classroom behaviour improved after longer moderate-to-vigorous (>10 min), or shorter more intense (5 min), CMB/PAL bouts (9 out of 11 interventions). There was no support for enhanced cognition or academic performance due to limited repeated studies.

Conclusion

Low-to-medium quality designs predominate in investigations of the acute impacts of CMB and PAL on PA, cognition, academic performance and classroom behaviour. Variable quality in experimental designs, outcome measures and intervention characteristics impact outcomes making conclusions problematic. CMB and PAL increased PA and enhanced time on task. To improve confidence in study outcomes, future investigations should combine examples of good practice observed in current studies.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017070981.
The British Society of Gastroenterology/UK-PBC primary biliary cholangitis treatment and management guidelines
Authors: Hirschfield Gideon M , Dyson Jessica K , Alexander Graeme J M , Chapman Michael H , Collier Jane , Hübscher Stefan , Patanwala Imran , Pereira Stephen P , Thain Collette , Thorburn Douglas , Tiniakos Dina , Walmsley Martine , Webster George , Jones David E J
Published: March 2018

Primary biliary cholangitis (formerly known as primary biliary cirrhosis, PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease in which a cycle of immune mediated biliary epithelial cell injury, cholestasis and progressive fibrosis can culminate over time in an end-stage biliary cirrhosis. Both genetic and environmental influences are presumed relevant to disease initiation. PBC is most prevalent in women and those over the age of 50, but a spectrum of disease is recognised in adult patients globally; male sex, younger age at onset (<45) and advanced disease at presentation are baseline predictors of poorer outcome. As the disease is increasingly diagnosed through the combination of cholestatic serum liver tests and the presence of antimitochondrial antibodies, most presenting patients are not cirrhotic and the term cholangitis is more accurate. Disease course is frequently accompanied by symptoms that can be burdensome for patients, and management of patients with PBC must address, in a life-long manner, both disease progression and symptom burden. Licensed therapies include ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and obeticholic acid (OCA), alongside experimental new and re-purposed agents. Disease management focuses on initiation of UDCA for all patients and risk stratification based on baseline and on-treatment factors, including in particular the response to treatment. Those intolerant of treatment with UDCA or those with high-risk disease as evidenced by UDCA treatment failure (frequently reflected in trial and clinical practice as an alkaline phosphatase >1.67 × upper limit of normal and/or elevated bilirubin) should be considered for second-line therapy, of which OCA is the only currently licensed National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended agent. Follow-up of patients is life-long and must address treatment of the disease and management of associated symptoms.
Plasma Mots-C Levels are Associated with Insulin Sensitivity in Lean but Not in Obese Individuals
Authors: Cataldo Luis Rodrigo , Fernández-Verdejo Rodrigo , Santos José Luis , Galgani Jose Eduardo
Published: March 2018

Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c (MOTS-c) is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that attenuates weight gain and hyperinsulinemia when administered to high fat-fed mice. MOTS-c is therefore a potential regulator of metabolic homeostasis under conditions of high-energy supply. However, the effect of insulin resistance and obesity on plasma MOTS-c concentration in humans is unknown. To gain insight into MOTS-c regulation, we measured plasma MOTS-c concentration and analyzed its relationship with insulin sensitivity surrogates, in lean and obese humans (n=10 per group). Obese individuals had impaired insulin sensitivity as indicated by low Matsuda and high Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA) indexes. Although plasma MOTS-c concentration was similar in lean and obese individuals (0.48±0.16 and 0.52±0.15 ng/mL; p=0.60), it was correlated with HOMA (r=0.53; p<0.05) and Matsuda index (r=−0.46; p<0.05). Notably, when the groups were analyzed separately, the associations remained only in lean individuals. We conclude that plasma MOTS-c concentration is unaltered in human obesity. However, MOTS-c associates positively with insulin resistance mostly in lean individuals, indicating that plasma MOTS-c concentration depends on the metabolic status in this population. Such dependence seems altered when obesity settles. The implications of plasma MOTS-c for human metabolic homeostasis deserve future examination.
Radiographic analysis of the angle in the lateromedial projection of the metacarpophalangeal joint and the distal interphalangeal joint in metacarpophalangeal flexural deformities in calves
Authors: Sato Ayano , Ishii Osamu , Tajima Motoshi
Published: March 2018

The bone alignment of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MPJ) of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) in metacarpophalangeal flexural deformity (MPFD) in calves was evaluated by radiography. This study was designed by retrospective study of radiographs. Lateral to medial radiographs of distal forelimbs were taken from 19 MPFD affected calves (35 forelimbs) and 21 normal calves (42 forelimbs). Based on the radiographs, the lateral angles of MPJ were measured from the metacarpal bone axis and proximal phalanx axis, and lateral angles of DIPJ were measured from the middle phalanx axis and distal phalanx axis. Mean lateral angle of MPJ in the normal limbs was 175.9 (95% CI 174.5 to 177.4). Mean lateral angles of MPJ in MPFD were as follows: mild: 167.1 (158.9–175.2), moderate: 165.1 (158.5–171.7) and severe: 150.6 (146–155.1). MPJ angle in MPFD limbs was narrower than that in the normal limbs (mild, moderate and severe: P=0.017, P=0.003 and P<0.001, respectively). Mean lateral angle of DIPJ in the normal limbs was 211.9 (210.7–213.2). Mean lateral angles of DIPJ in moderate: 200.6 (195.2–206.1) and severe: 204.9 (203.3–206.5) MPFD were narrower than that in the normal limbs (both P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the normal limbs and mild: 210.3 (206.9–213.7) MPFD limbs (P=0.7). The clinical severity of MPFD corresponded well with the lateral angle of MPJ. The flexion of DIPJ in moderate and severe MPFD was similar to the flexion of MPJ in MPFD. This suggested that the lateral to medial radiographs accurately reflected the MPJ flexion and the DIPJ in MPFD in calves, providing useful information for the treatment of MPFD.
Assessment of engineering behaviour of an intensely weathered swelling mudstone under full range of seasonal variation and the relationships among measured parameters
Authors: Zeng Zhixiong , Kong Lingwei , Wang Min , Sayem Hossain Md.
Published: March 2018

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of an intensely weathered mudstone from Northeast China after wetting–drying (W–D), freezing–thawing (F–T), and wetting–drying–freezing–thawing (W–D–F–T) cycles. These cyclic climatic processes have significant effects on the volume, microstructure, stress–strain behaviour, shear strength, electrical resistivity, and P-wave velocity of the samples. The variation in electrical resistivity exhibits an inverse correlation with the volume change, and a strong relationship can be observed between the electrical resistivity and porosity. The cohesion decreases with increasing number of cycles, while the internal friction angle slightly increases; these relationships can be caused by the presence of cracks and large voids and by the increase in the aggregate size and density during the drying and freezing processes, respectively. Moreover, the W–D–F–T cycles have a greater influence on the shear strength than do either the W–D or F–T cycles. This phenomenon is similar to that observed in the P-wave velocity, and the relationships between the shear strength parameters and P-wave velocity are also explored. This study provides nondestructive methods of predicting the deformation and shear strength of mudstones in seasonally frozen regions.
Features-Based Moving Objects Tracking for Smart Video Surveillances: A Review
Authors: Aziz Nor Nadirah Abdul , Mustafah Yasir Mohd , Azman Amelia Wong , Shafie Amir Akramin , Yusoff Muhammad Izad , Zainuddin Nor Afiqah , Rashidan Mohammad Ariff
Published: March 2018

Video surveillance is one of the most active research topics in the computer vision due to the increasing need for security. Although surveillance systems are getting cheaper, the cost of having human operators to monitor the video feed can be very expensive and inefficient. To overcome this problem, the automated visual surveillance system can be used to detect any suspicious activities that require immediate action. The framework of a video surveillance system encompasses a large scope in machine vision, they are background modelling, object detection, moving objects classification, tracking, motion analysis, and require fusion of information from the camera networks. This paper reviews recent techniques used by researchers for detection of moving object detection and tracking in order to solve many surveillance problems. The features and algorithms used for modelling the object appearance and tracking multiple objects in outdoor and indoor environment are also reviewed in this paper. This paper summarizes the recent works done by previous researchers in moving objects tracking for single camera view and multiple cameras views. Nevertheless, despite of the recent progress in surveillance technologies, there still are challenges that need to be solved before the system can come out with a reliable automated video surveillance.
Particle acceleration at forward and reverse shocks in SNRs
Authors: Zirakashvili Vladimir
Published: March 2018

Cosmic ray acceleration by astrophysical shocks in supernova remnants is briefly reviewed. Results of numerical modeling taking into account the magnetic field amplification by streaming instability and the shock modification are presented. Nonthermal emission produced by accelerated particles in old supernova remnants is compared with available data of modern radio, X-ray and gamma-ray astronomies. It is also shown that high-energy neutrinos produced in young supernova remnants of Type IIn extragalactic supernova can explain the recent IceCube detection of astrophysical neutrinos.
Nucleon properties inside the compressed nuclear matter
Authors: Rożynek Jacek
Published: March 2018

In this work, we show the modifications of nucleon mass and nucleon radius with the help of the extended Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) model. We argue that even small departures above nuclear equilibrium density with constant nucleon mass require an energy transfer from the repulsive mean field to the quarks forming nucleon massive bags in Nuclear Matter (NM), together with the decrease in the nucleon volume. The transfer, which is proportional to pressure and absent in a standard RMF approach, provides good values for nuclear compressibility, symmetry energy and its slope. Different courses of the Equation of State (EOS), which depend on the energy transfer, are considered.
A NOVEL PREPARATION ROUTE FOR ELECTROLESS COPPER PLATING ON SURFACE OF CaCO3 POWDERS
Authors: CHEN ZHENMING , ZHOU SHOUFA , ZHANG YAJUN , HUANG MENGRU , WAN LE , LI YANG , HUANG JUNJUN
Published: March 2018

In this work, electroless copper plating on the surface of CaCO3 powders modified with hydrophobic and hydrophilic coating was developed in that order. It was found that the surface structure of modified CaCO3 powders could absorb Sn[Formula: see text] and then reduce Ag[Formula: see text]. The Ag atoms were used as catalysts for the electroless face-centered copper crystallites plating on the CaCO3 surface. The compact and uniform copper particles were plated on the CaCO3 surface. The plated coating has a two-layer structure. The size of copper particles in the first layer was around 20[Formula: see text]nm, the one in surface layer was around 100[Formula: see text]nm. The lowest volume resistivity of conductive coating was [Formula: see text].
DESIGN OF A MAXILLOFACIAL PROSTHESIS BASED ON TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION
Authors: DAI NING , ZHU JIAN-FENG , ZHANG MIN , MENG LING-YIN , YU XIAO-LING , ZHANG YI-HUA , LIU BING-YAO , ZHANG SEN-LIN
Published: March 2018

The use of custom implants has recently gained increasing importance in craniofacial surgery in order to optimize preoperative planning and reduce operative time. The design of patient-specific implants plays an important role to restore craniofacial bone. Nevertheless, the design method has become the bottleneck. In this study, a new design method of a maxillofacial prosthesis based on the topology optimization was proposed to realize lightweight custom implants. At first, parametric predesign of the optimized model was carried out to ensure that the optimized model conformed to the main physiological anatomical structure and recover basic function structure. Then, the design region is defined under given load and boundary conditions. The material interpolation technique of SIMP with the penalization factor is adopted to get the final optimized 3D model. Finally, the experimental results verify that the method of topology optimization for the maxillofacial prosthesis proposed is efficient.
A COMPUTATIONAL STRATEGY TO EXAMINE THE PROFILE EFFECTS OF MICROPRISM REGIONS ON THE OVERALL ANISOTROPY OF HUMAN ENAMELS
Authors: DENG QIANG , ZONG ZHIFANG , NING ZHENWU , ZHENG JING , LIU JIANTAO , ZHOU ZHONGRONG
Published: March 2018

In this study, our attention is mainly on elaborating a computational strategy to effectively predict the influence of prism profiles on the overall anisotropic property of human enamels (HEs). At first, two distinct schemes are developed separately with the aid of the polynomial fitting technique and the general power functions to mathematically describe the practical irregular and simplified regular profiles of enamel prisms. Hereafter, two parametric piecewise formulas, which facilitate the definition of anisotropic material properties of finite elements at different locations and make the numerical simulation of HE microstructures consisting of irregularly shaped prisms feasible, are presented to describe the orientation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystallites embedded in microprisms. The effective anisotropic moduli over a representative unit cell (RUC) under the periodic displacement constraint is concisely introduced according to the micromechanics, and a computational strategy is established to calculate these moduli numerically. Finally, the evaluations in the open literature are employed to demonstrate the validity of the elaborated computational strategy, and more investigations are conducted and yield the conclusions such that the material property of the inter-prism regions as well as the prism shapes plays a crucial role in determining the overall anisotropy of HEs.
General distribution function for the superstatistics and new superstatistics with non-vanishing rth moments for even r
Authors: Chung Won Sang , Hassanabadi Hassan
Published: March 2018

In this paper, the general procedure for obtaining the distribution for the superstatistics is presented. Besides, the new type of effective Boltzmann factor with non-vanishing [Formula: see text]th moments for even [Formula: see text] is presented and some examples are discussed.
On a hyperbolic system arising in liquid crystals modeling
Authors: Feireisl Eduard , Rocca Elisabetta , Schimperna Giulio , Zarnescu Arghir
Published: March 2018

We consider a model of liquid crystals, based on a nonlinear hyperbolic system of differential equations, that represents an inviscid version of the model proposed by Qian and Sheng. A new concept of dissipative solution is proposed, for which a global-in-time existence theorem is shown. The dissipative solutions enjoy the following properties:

(i) they exist globally in time for any finite energy initial data; (ii) dissipative solutions enjoying certain smoothness are classical solutions; (iii) a dissipative solution coincides with a strong solution originating from the same initial data as long as the latter exists.
Electron photoejection from dianion of an expanded phthalocyanine
Authors: Koo Yun Hee , Yanagisawa Ryo , Cha Won-Young , Furuyama Taniyuki , Kobayashi Nagao , Kim Dongho
Published: March 2018

Photoelectron ejection from the dianion of pentabenzotriazasmaragdyrin (PBTAS) which is an expanded phthalocyanine, is observed using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The PBTAS dianion was produced by chemical reduction using excess cobaltocene as a reductant, which was confirmed by their steady-state absorption spectrum as compared to the absorption spectrum obtained by electrochemical reduction, and characterized by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD). Upon photoexcitation of the PBTASdianion, the generation of a radical anion was confirmed by the characteristic absorption peaks that are observed at 950 and 1000 nm. The radical anion was relaxed to form a dianion with a time constant of 0.7 ps.
Characterizing k-chordal unichord-free graphs
Authors: McKee Terry A.
Published: March 2018

The [Formula: see text]-chordal graphs, defined by no induced cycle having length greater than [Formula: see text], generalize the traditional chordal graphs (where [Formula: see text]), which Dirac characterized in 1961 by minimal separators always inducing complete subgraphs. The more recent unichord-free graphs, defined by no cycle having a unique chord, have been characterized by minimal separators always inducing edgeless subgraphs. This sharp contrast of minimal separators motivates a new concept of [Formula: see text]-unichord-free graphs, strengthening the unichord-free graphs (where [Formula: see text]). The class of all unichord-free graphs decomposes into subclasses that are simultaneously [Formula: see text]-chordal and [Formula: see text]-unichord-free, leading to characterizations of some of these subclasses and to open questions about their overall structure as [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] increase.
Hard X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy Methods for Materials Studies
Authors: Sandy Alec R. , Zhang Qingteng , Lurio Laurence B.
Published: March 2018

Understanding and designing sophisticated new materials require measurements of not only their average structural properties but also their dynamic behavior. X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) provides this information by characterizing fluctuations in condensed matter across a broad range of length scales and timescales. Over the past two decades, XPCS has provided a wide variety of results in the study of materials properties. In this review, we provide an overview of coherence, photon correlation spectroscopy, and the dynamic structure factor as well as information on the mechanics of XPCS experiments. We highlight the impact that this infrastructure has had on materials research and the bright future that is forthcoming with the anticipated upgrade of many third-generation synchrotron sources to fourth-generation multibend achromat sources.
Insulin increases ventilation during euglycemia in humans
Authors: Barbosa Thales C. , Kaur Jasdeep , Holwerda Seth W. , Young Colin N. , Curry Timothy B. , Thyfault John P. , Joyner Michael J. , Limberg Jacqueline K. , Fadel Paul J.
Published: March 2018

Evidence from animal studies indicates that hyperinsulinemia, without changes in glucose, increases ventilation via a carotid body-mediated mechanism. However, whether insulin elevates ventilation in humans independently of changes in glucose remains unclear. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that insulin increases ventilation in humans during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in which insulin was elevated to postprandial concentrations while glucose was maintained at fasting concentrations. First, in 16 healthy young men ( protocol 1), we retrospectively analyzed respiration rate and estimated tidal volume from a pneumobelt to calculate minute ventilation during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. In addition, for a direct assessment of minute ventilation during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, we retrospectively analyzed breath-by-breath respiration rate and tidal volume from inspired/expired gasses in an additional 23 healthy young subjects ( protocol 2). Clamp infusion elevated minute ventilation from baseline in both protocols ( protocol 1: +11.9 ± 4.6% baseline, P = 0.001; protocol 2: +9.5 ± 3.8% baseline, P = 0.020). In protocol 1, peak changes in both respiration rate (+13.9 ± 3.0% baseline, P < 0.001) and estimated tidal volume (+16.9 ± 4.1% baseline, P = 0.001) were higher than baseline during the clamp. In protocol 2, tidal volume primarily increased during the clamp (+9.7 ± 3.7% baseline, P = 0.016), as respiration rate did not change significantly (+0.2 ± 1.8% baseline, P = 0.889). Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time in humans that elevated plasma insulin increases minute ventilation independent of changes in glucose.
Various transgenic mouse lines to study proopiomelanocortin cells in the brain stem label disparate populations of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons
Authors: Rau Andrew R. , Hughes Alexander R. , Hentges Shane T.
Published: March 2018

Products of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) prohormone regulate aspects of analgesia, reward, and energy balance; thus, the neurons that produce POMC in the hypothalamus have received considerable attention. However, there are also cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) that transcribe Pomc, although low levels of Pomc mRNA and relative lack of POMC peptide products in the adult mouse NTS have hindered the study of these cells. Therefore, studies of NTS POMC cells have largely relied on transgenic mouse lines. Here, we set out to determine the amino acid (AA) transmitter phenotype of NTS POMC neurons by using Pomc-Gfp transgenic mice to identify POMC cells. We found that cells expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) represent a mix of GABAergic and glutamatergic cells as indicated by Gad2 and vesicular Glut2 ( vGlut2) mRNA expression, respectively. We then examined the AA phenotype of POMC cells labeled by a Pomc-Cre transgene and found that these are also a mix of GABAergic and glutamatergic cells. However, the NTS cells labeled by the Gfp- and Cre-containing transgenes represented distinct populations of cells in three different Pomc-Cre mouse lines. Consistent with previous work, we were unable to reliably detect Pomc mRNA in the NTS despite clear expression in the hypothalamus. Thus, it was not possible to determine which transgenic tool most accurately identifies NTS cells that may express Pomc or release POMC peptides, although the results indicate the transgenic tools for study of these NTS neurons can label disparate populations of cells with varied AA phenotypes.
Role of Oxidative Stress as Key Regulator of Muscle Wasting during Cachexia
Authors: Ábrigo Johanna , Elorza Alvaro A. , Riedel Claudia A. , Vilos Cristian , Simon Felipe , Cabrera Daniel , Estrada Lisbell , Cabello-Verrugio Claudio
Published: March 2018

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a pathological condition mainly characterized by a loss of muscular mass and the contractile capacity of the skeletal muscle as a consequence of muscular weakness and decreased force generation. Cachexia is defined as a pathological condition secondary to illness characterized by the progressive loss of muscle mass with or without loss of fat mass and with concomitant diminution of muscle strength. The molecular mechanisms involved in cachexia include oxidative stress, protein synthesis/degradation imbalance, autophagy deregulation, increased myonuclear apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Oxidative stress is one of the most common mechanisms of cachexia caused by different factors. It results in increased ROS levels, increased oxidation‐dependent protein modification, and decreased antioxidant system functions. In this review, we will describe the importance of oxidative stress in skeletal muscles, its sources, and how it can regulate protein synthesis/degradation imbalance, autophagy deregulation, increased myonuclear apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction involved in cachexia.
A Novel Dual Ultrawideband CPW‐Fed Printed Antenna for Internet of Things (IoT) Applications
Authors: Awais Qasim , Chattha Hassan Tariq , Jamil Mohsin , Jin Yang , Tahir Farooq Ahmad , Rehman Masood Ur
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a dual‐band coplanar waveguide (CPW) fed printed antenna with rectangular shape design blocks having ultrawideband characteristics, proposed and implemented on an FR4 substrate. The size of the proposed antenna is just 25 mm × 35 mm. A novel rounded corners technique is used to enhance not only the impedance bandwidth but also the gain of the antenna. The proposed antenna design covers two ultrawide bands which include 1.1–2.7 GHz and 3.15–3.65 GHz, thus covering 2.4 GHz Bluetooth/Wi‐Fi band and most of the bands of 3G, 4G, and a future expected 5G band, that is, 3.4–3.6 GHz. Being a very low‐profile antenna makes it very suitable for the future 5G Internet of Things (IoT) portable applications. A step‐by‐step design process is carried out to obtain an optimized design for good impedance matching in the two bands. The current densities and the reflection coefficients at different stages of the design process are plotted and discussed to get a good insight into the final proposed antenna design. This antenna exhibits stable radiation patterns on both planes, having low cross polarization and low back lobes with a maximum gain of 8.9 dB. The measurements are found to be in good accordance with the simulated results.
Demand for Colonoscopy in Colorectal Cancer Screening Using a Quantitative Fecal Immunochemical Test and Age/Sex-Specific Thresholds for Test Positivity
Authors: Chen Sam Li-Sheng , Hsu Chen-Yang , Yen Amy Ming-Fang , Young Graeme P. , Chiu Sherry Yueh-Hsia , Fann Jean Ching-Yuan , Lee Yi-Chia , Chiu Han-Mo , Chiou Shu-Ti , Chen Hsiu-Hsi
Published: March 2018

Background: Despite age and sex differences in fecal hemoglobin (f-Hb) concentrations, most fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening programs use population-average cut-points for test positivity. The impact of age/sex-specific threshold on FIT accuracy and colonoscopy demand for colorectal cancer screening are unknown.

Methods: Using data from 723,113 participants enrolled in a Taiwanese population-based colorectal cancer screening with single FIT between 2004 and 2009, sensitivity and specificity were estimated for various f-Hb thresholds for test positivity. This included estimates based on a “universal” threshold, receiver-operating-characteristic curve–derived threshold, targeted sensitivity, targeted false-positive rate, and a colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted method integrating colonoscopy workload with and without age/sex adjustments.

Results: Optimal age/sex-specific thresholds were found to be equal to or lower than the universal 20 μg Hb/g threshold. For older males, a higher threshold (24 μg Hb/g) was identified using a 5% false-positive rate. Importantly, a nonlinear relationship was observed between sensitivity and colonoscopy workload with workload rising disproportionately to sensitivity at 16 μg Hb/g. At this “colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted” threshold, the test positivity (colonoscopy workload) was 4.67% and sensitivity was 79.5%, compared with a lower 4.0% workload and a lower 78.7% sensitivity using 20 μg Hb/g. When constrained on capacity, age/sex-adjusted estimates were generally lower. However, optimizing age/-sex-adjusted thresholds increased colonoscopy demand across models by 17% or greater compared with a universal threshold.

Conclusions: Age/sex-specific thresholds improve FIT accuracy with modest increases in colonoscopy demand.

Impact: Colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted and age/sex-specific f-Hb thresholds may be useful in optimizing individual screening programs based on detection accuracy, population characteristics, and clinical capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(6); 704–9. ©2018 AACR.
Nuclear Factor-κB Promotes Urothelial Tumorigenesis and Cancer Progression via Cooperation with Androgen Receptor Signaling
Authors: Inoue Satoshi , Ide Hiroki , Mizushima Taichi , Jiang Guiyang , Netto George J. , Gotoh Momokazu , Miyamoto Hiroshi
Published: March 2018

We investigated the role of NF-κB in the development and progression of urothelial cancer as well as cross-talk between NF-κB and androgen receptor (AR) signals in urothelial cells. Immunohistochemistry in surgical specimens showed that the expression levels of NF-κB/p65 (P = 0.015)/phospho-NF-κB/p65 (P < 0.001) were significantly elevated in bladder tumors, compared with those in nonneoplastic urothelial tissues. The rates of phospho-NF-κB/p65 positivity were also significantly higher in high-grade (P = 0.015)/muscle-invasive (P = 0.033) tumors than in lower grade/non–muscle-invasive tumors. Additionally, patients with phospho-NF-κB/p65-positive muscle-invasive bladder cancer had significantly higher risks of disease progression (P < 0.001) and cancer-specific mortality (P = 0.002). In immortalized human normal urothelial SVHUC cells stably expressing AR, NF-κB activators and inhibitors accelerated and prevented, respectively, their neoplastic transformation induced by a chemical carcinogen 3-methylcholanthrene. Bladder tumors were identified in 56% (mock), 89% (betulinic acid), and 22% (parthenolide) of N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine-treated male C57BL/6 mice at 22 weeks of age. NF-κB activators and inhibitors also significantly induced and reduced, respectively, cell proliferation/migration/invasion of AR-positive bladder cancer lines, but not AR-knockdown or AR-negative lines, and their growth in xenograft-bearing mice. In both nonneoplastic and neoplastic urothelial cells, NF-κB activators/inhibitors upregulated/downregulated, respectively, AR expression, whereas AR overexpression was associated with increases in the expression levels of NF-κB/p65 and phospho-NF-κB/p65. Thus, NF-κB appeared to be activated in bladder cancer, which was associated with tumor progression. NF-κB activators/inhibitors were also found to modulate tumorigenesis and tumor outgrowth in AR-activated urothelial cells. Accordingly, NF-κB inhibition, together with AR inactivation, has the potential of being an effective chemopreventive and/or therapeutic approach for urothelial carcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(6); 1303–14. ©2018 AACR.
Analysis of HSP27 and the Autophagy Marker LC3B+ Puncta Following Preoperative Chemotherapy Identifies High-Risk Osteosarcoma Patients
Authors: Livingston J. Andrew , Wang Wei-Lien , Tsai Jen-Wei , Lazar Alexander J. , Leung Cheuk Hong , Lin Heather , Advani Shailesh , Daw Najat , Santiago-O'Farrill Janice , Hollomon Mario , Gordon Nancy B. , Kleinerman Eugenie S.
Published: March 2018

Chemotherapy-induced autophagy is a proposed mechanism of chemoresistance and potential therapeutic target in osteosarcoma. We evaluated heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and autophagy-related proteins as predictors of pathologic treatment response and prognostic markers among osteosarcoma patients who received standard chemotherapy. We analyzed 394 tumor specimens (pre-treatment, post-treatment, and metastases) from 260 osteosarcoma patients by immunohistochemistry for cytoplasmic light chain 3B (LC3B)-positive puncta, sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and HSP27 expression. The staining percentage and intensity for each marker were scored and the extent to which marker expression was correlated with pathologic response, relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) was assessed. LCB3+ puncta in post-treatment primary tumors (50%) and metastases (67%) was significantly higher than in pre-treatment biopsy specimens (30%; P = 0.023 and <0.001). Among 215 patients with localized osteosarcoma, both pre-treatment [multivariate hazard ratio (HR), 26.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.47–484; P = 0.026] and post-treatment HSP27 expression (multivariate HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.03–3.33; P = 0.039) were associated with worse OS. Lack of LC3B+ puncta at resection was an independent poor prognostic marker in both univariate (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.05–3.03; P = 0.034) and multivariate models (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.01–3.04; P = 0.045). Patients with LC3B+/HSP27− tumors at resection had the best 10-year OS (75%) whereas patients with LC3B−/HSP27+ tumors had the worst 10-year survival (25%). Neither HSP27 expression nor the presence of LCB3+ puncta was correlated with pathologic treatment response. Our findings establish HSP27 expression and LC3B+ puncta as independent prognostic markers in osteosarcoma patients receiving standard chemotherapy and support further investigation into strategies targeting HSP27 or modulating autophagy in osteosarcoma treatment. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(6); 1315–23. ©2018 AACR.
Runx2 Suppression by miR-342 and miR-363 Inhibits Multiple Myeloma Progression
Authors: Gowda Pramod S. , Wildman Benjamin J. , Trotter Timothy N. , Xu Xiaoxuan , Hao Xiaoxiao , Hassan Mohammad Q. , Yang Yang
Published: March 2018

In multiple myeloma, abnormal plasma cells accumulate and proliferate in the bone marrow. Recently, we observed that Runx2, a bone-specific transcription factor, is highly expressed in multiple myeloma cells and is a major driver of multiple myeloma progression in bone. The primary goal of the present study was to identify Runx2-targeting miRNAs that can reduce tumor growth. Expression analysis of a panel of miRNAs in multiple myeloma patient specimens, compared with healthy control specimens, revealed that metastatic multiple myeloma cells express low levels of miR-342 and miR-363 but high levels of Runx2. Reconstituting multiple myeloma cells (CAG) with miR-342 and miR-363 reduced the abundance of Runx2 and the expression of metastasis-promoting Runx2 target genes RANKL and DKK1, and suppressed Runx2 downstream signaling pathways Akt/β-catenin/survivin, which are required for multiple myeloma tumor progression. Intravenous injection of multiple myeloma cells (5TGM1), stably overexpressing miR-342 and miR-363 alone or together, into syngeneic C57Bl/KaLwRij mice resulted in a significant suppression of 5TGM1 cell growth, decreased osteoclasts and increased osteoblasts, and increased antitumor immunity in the bone marrow, compared with mice injected with 5TGM1 cells expressing a miR-Scramble control. In summary, these results demonstrate that enhanced expression of miR-342 and miR-363 in multiple myeloma cells inhibits Runx2 expression and multiple myeloma growth, decreases osteolysis, and enhances antitumor immunity. Thus, restoring the function of Runx2-targeting by miR-342 and miR-363 in multiple myeloma cells may afford a therapeutic benefit by preventing multiple myeloma progression.

Implications: miR-342 and miR-363–mediated downregulation of Runx2 expression in multiple myeloma cells prevents multiple myeloma progression. Mol Cancer Res; 16(7); 1138–48. ©2018 AACR.
The Frequency of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Hypersensitivity in Children with Asthma
Authors: Guvenir Hakan , Dibek Misirlioglu Emine , Capanoglu Murat , Buyuktiryaki Betul , Onay Zeynep Reyhan , Ginis Tayfur , Toyran Muge , Civelek Ersoy , Kocabas Can Naci
Published: March 2018

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the second-most frequent drug type to cause hypersensitivity reactions in children. Asthma is one of the risk factors for NSAID hypersensitivity (NSAID-H) in adult patients. There are limited number of studies evaluating NSAID-H among children with asthma. Our aim was to assess the frequency of confirmed NSAID-H and evaluate the classification of NSAID-H in children with asthma. Methods: Patients followed with a diagnosis of asthma in our Pediatric Allergy Clinic were evaluated for NSAID-H. Patients were questioned whether they had used NSAIDs, and if they experienced any reaction with these drugs. A control group was also questioned for reactions to NSAID use. Results: 976 children with asthma and 2,000 healthy children as a control group were included in this study. The mean age of the patients with asthma was 10.61 ± 4.21 years and 59.5% were male. Ten (1%) had a reaction history to NSAIDs. NSAID-H was confirmed in 9 (0.9%) who were tested with the suspected drugs. Six of these were classified as “single NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema or anaphylaxis” and 3 were classified as “NSAIDs-exacerbated respiratory disease.” In the control group, only 1 subject had a reaction history to acetylsalicylic acid and no reaction developed in the provocation test. Conclusions: In our study, NSAID-H was found more frequent in children with asthma than in the control group. Children with asthma should be evaluated for reactions to NSAIDs during hospital visits.
Successful Treatment of Advanced Primary Cutaneous Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma with Oral Bexarotene Monotherapy
Authors: Sato Yota , Fujimura Taku , Kambayashi Yumi , Hashimoto Akira , Aiba Setsuya
Published: March 2018

Bexarotene is a third-generation retinoid X receptor-selective retinoid that is widely used for the early treatment of advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. In this report, we describe a case of successful treatment of advanced primary cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) with oral bexarotene monotherapy. After the administration of oral bexarotene at a dose of 300 mg/m2/day, all skin lesions and lymph nodes regressed, and complete remission was achieved for 1 year. Our case suggested that bexarotene monotherapy could be one of the possible therapies for the treatment of primary cutaneous PTCL-NOS.