bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Ash-Related Issues During Combustion of Maize Straw and Wood Biomass Blends in Lab-Scale Bubbling Fluidized Bed Reactor
Authors: Głód Krzysztof , Lasek Janusz , Słowik Krzysztof , Zuwała Jarosław , Nabagło Daniel , Jura Konrad , Żyrkowski Maciej
Published: July 2019

During the combustion of solid fuels, the undesired effects of ash transformation include bed agglomeration, slagging, and fouling processes. In particular, a problematic consequence of bed agglomeration is the defluidization process, resulting from the disappearance of gaseous bubbles that are created behind air distributors. Different solutions can be applied against the agglomeration process. One possible method is to apply some additives that influence the ash behavior, thus inhibiting the agglomeration process. This paper presents the results of investigations into ash-related issues in a laboratory-scale bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) reactor. In particular, the impact of additives (kaolin, halloysite, fly ash, and the residuals from wet desulfurization system (IMOS)) on bed agglomeration was investigated. It was found that the addition of these compounds increased the defluidization time from ∼109 min (without additive) to ∼285 min in the BFB (with the addition of 0.1 g/min of kaolin). The morphology of additive (kaolin and halloysite) transformation after their addition into the combustion chamber was discussed. Another interesting phenomenon is that residuals from the IMOS exhibited the ability to be an additive against the agglomeration process. The defluidization time can be also significantly increased by the simultaneous application of the additive and the control of fluidization air velocity. The procedure of periodical bed moving by impulse primary air feeding against defluidization (PADM) is suggested and discussed. The PADM procedure resulted in a 36% reduction of additive, thus reducing the cost of measures against ash-related issues.
Automatic speech and singing classification in ambulatory recordings for normal and disordered voices
Authors: Ortiz Andrew J. , Toles Laura E. , Marks Katherine L. , Capobianco Silvia , Mehta Daryush D. , Hillman Robert E. , Van Stan Jarrad H.
Published: July 2019

Ambulatory voice monitoring is a promising tool for investigating phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction (PVH), associated with the development of vocal fold lesions. Since many patients with PVH are professional vocalists, a classifier was developed to better understand phonatory mechanisms during speech and singing. Twenty singers with PVH and 20 matched healthy controls were monitored with a neck-surface accelerometer–based ambulatory voice monitor. An expert-labeled ground truth data set was used to train a logistic regression on 15 subject-pairs with fundamental frequency and autocorrelation peak amplitude as input features. Overall classification accuracy of 94.2% was achieved on the held-out test set.
Association of residency work hour reform with long term quality and costs of care of US physicians: observational study
Authors: Jena Anupam B , Farid Monica , Blumenthal Daniel , Bhattacharya Jay
Published: July 2019

Objective

To determine whether 30 day mortality, 30 day readmissions, and inpatient spending vary according to whether physicians were exposed to work hour reforms during their residency.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Setting

US Medicare.

Participants

20% random sample (n=485 685) of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or more admitted to hospital and treated by a general internist during 2000-12.

Main outcome measures

30 day mortality, 30 day readmissions, and inpatient Medicare Part B spending among patients treated by first year internists who were fully exposed to the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) work hour reforms during their residency (completed residency after 2006) compared with first year internists with partial or no exposure to reforms (completed residency before 2006). Senior internists not exposed to reforms during their residency served as a control group (10th year internists) for general trends in hospital care: a difference-in-difference analysis.

Results

Exposure of physicians to work hour reforms during their residency was not associated with statistically significant differences in 30 day mortality, 30 day readmissions, or inpatient spending. Among 485 685 hospital admissions, 30 day mortality rates during 2000-06 and 2007-12 for patients of first year internists were 10.6% (12 567 deaths/118 014 hospital admissions) and 9.6% (13 521/140 529), respectively, and for 10th year internists were 11.2% (11 018/98 811) and 10.6% (13 602/128 331), for an adjusted difference-in-difference effect of −0.1 percentage points (95% confidence interval −0.8% to 0.6%, P=0.68). 30 day readmission rates for first year internists during 2000-06 and 2007-12 were 20.4% (24 074/118 014) and 20.4% (28 689/140 529), respectively, and for 10th year internists were 20.1% (19 840/98 811) and 20.5% (26 277/128 331), for an adjusted difference-in-difference effect of 0.1 percentage points (−0.9% to 1.1%, P=0.87). Medicare Part B inpatient spending for first year internists during 2000-06 and 2007-12 was $1161 (£911; €1024) and $1267 per hospital admission, respectively, and for 10th year internists was $1331 and $1599, for an adjusted difference-in-difference effect of −$46 (95% confidence interval −$94 to $2, P=0.06).

Conclusions

Exposure of internists to work hour reforms during their residency was not associated with post-training differences in patient mortality, readmissions, or costs of care.
Risk assessment of patient factors and medications for drug-related problems from a prospective longitudinal study of newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in Brazil
Authors: Leopoldino Ramon D , Santos Marco T , Costa Tatiana X , Martins Rand R , Oliveira António G
Published: July 2019

Objective

To identify patient factors and medications associated with the occurrence of drug-related problems (DRPs) in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Design

Prospective, longitudinal study.

Setting

NICU of a teaching hospital in Brazil.

Participants

Data were collected from the records of the clinical pharmacy service of all neonates admitted between April 2014 and January 2017, excluding neonates with length of stay in the NICU <24 hours or without prescribed drugs.

Primary outcome measures

Occurrence of one or more DRP (conditions interfering in the patient’s pharmacotherapy with potential undesired clinical outcomes).

Results

The study observed 600 neonates who had a median length of stay in the NICU of 13 days (range 2–278 days). DRPs were identified in most neonates (60.5%). In a multivariate logistic regression model, the factors independently associated with DRP were gestational age (adjusted OR (AOR) 0.85, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.89), 5 min Apgar <7 (AOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.00 to 3.13), neurological disease (AOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.09 to 5.69), renal disease (AOR 5.75, 95% CI 1.85 to 17.8) and cardiac disease (AOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.31 to 4.24). The medications with greater risk for DRP were amphotericin B (AOR 4.80), meropenem (AOR 4.09), alprostadil (AOR 3.38), vancomycin (AOR 3.34), ciprofloxacin (AOR 3.03), gentamicin (AOR 2.43), cefepime (AOR 1.88), amikacin (AOR 1.82) and omeprazole (AOR 1.66). These medicines represented one-third of all prescribed drugs.

Conclusions

Gestational age, 5 min Apgar <7, and neurological, cardiac and renal diseases are risk factors for DRP in NICUs. Alprostadil, omeprazole and several anti-infectives were associated with greater risk of DRP.
Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in children with epilepsy: protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Gan Jing , Ma Dan , Xiong Tao
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Epilepsy causes serious suffering in children and is associated with high morbidity and increased mortality. It impairs children’s quality of life and places a heavy burden on healthcare resources. Levetiracetam has been used to prevent and treat paediatric epilepsy for years. To date, a number of systematic reviews have been performed to assess the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in a variety of clinical settings. Conflicting outcomes have been reported for the same clinical issues. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature for clinicians and policymakers via an umbrella review that assesses the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in children with epilepsy.

Methods and analysis

We will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute’s guidelines for umbrella reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The following seven databases will be searched from 1990 to February 2019: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, JBISRIR, EPPI, Epistemonikos and PROSPERO. We will provide evidence from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials regarding the use of levetiracetam in children with epilepsy. The intervention of interest is levetiracetam monotherapy and add-on therapies for prevention or treatment purposes. Studies will be individually selected and assessed by two reviewers. The primary outcomes of interest are epilepsy control, the efficacy of prophylaxis for provoked seizures and the mortality rate of children with epilepsy who received levetiracetam treatment. The secondary outcomes are adverse events and withdrawal rates due to adverse effects. The methodological quality of all reviews will be individually assessed by two reviewers using the ‘A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews’ instrument. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation assessment will be applied to evaluate the quality of evidence for each outcome of interest. A narrative description of an analysis of the systematic reviews will be tabulated to address objective and specific questions. Information from each review will be detailed in a table including the population, number of studies, total number of participants, year range of the trials, study designs of the primary trials, countries and settings of the trials, heterogeneity of results and assessment tools. Recommendations regarding each outcome of levetiracetam will be categorised based on a protocol.

Ethics and dissemination

This umbrella review will inform clinical and policy decisions regarding the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam for preventing and treating paediatric epilepsy. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations. Ethical approval is not required for this study.
Reducing urinary tract infections in care homes by improving hydration
Authors: Lean Katie , Nawaz Rasanat Fatima , Jawad Sundus , Vincent Charles
Published: July 2019

Dehydration may increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can lead to confusion, falls, acute kidney injury and hospital admission. We aimed to reduce the number of UTIs in care home residents which require admission to hospital. The principal intervention was the introduction of seven structured drink rounds every day accompanied by staff training and raising awareness. UTIs requiring antibiotics reduced by 58% and UTIs requiring hospital admissions reduced by 36%, when averaged across the four care homes. Care home residents benefited from greater fluid intake, which in turn may have reduced infection. Structured drink rounds were a low-cost intervention for preventing UTIs and implemented easily by care staff.
Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Scale and physical activity in COPD and lung cancer: an exploratory pooled data analysis
Authors: Barbetta Carlo , Allgar Victoria , Maddocks Matthew , Ribeiro Catarina , Wilcock Andrew , Currow David C , Phillips Jane , Johnson Miriam J
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Patient-relevant measures of functional status are required in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer in clinical practice and research. We explored the relationship between the Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Scale (AKPS) and measures of functional capacity and physical activity in these patient groups.

Methods

Pooled clinical trial data were analysed to explore the relationship between AKPS and average daily steps (ADS), 6 min walk distance (6MWD), and body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea and exercise score (COPD group). Receiver operator characteristic curves were produced to compare sensitivity and specificity of cut-offs (no dependency >70, high dependency <60) and area under the curve (AUC).

Results

Seven clinical trials included people with COPD (n=79) and lung cancer (n=150). To detect an AKPS of >70, the optimal ADS cut-points were COPD, 3342 steps (AUC 0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.97, sensitivity 82%, specificity 76%), and lung cancer, 3380 steps (AUC 0.72, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.81, sensitivity 61%, specificity 74%), and for 6MWD (COPD only) 242 m (AUC 0.72, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.81, sensitivity 73%, specificity 34%).

Conclusions

An AKPS score is strongly related to ADS in people with COPD and lung cancer. The AKPS may be useful in clinical practice and research to indicate levels of physical activity where ADS and 6 min walk test are not possible. Longitudinal data are needed to confirm these findings.
Validation of an extrinsic compression and early ambulation protocol after diagnostic transfemoral cerebral angiography: a 5-year prospective series
Authors: Tonetti Daniel A , Ferari Christopher , Perez Jennifer , Ozpinar Alp , Jadhav Ashutosh P , Jovin Tudor G , Gross Bradley A , Jankowitz Brian Thomas
Published: July 2019

Background and purpose

Access-site complications constitute a substantial portion of the morbidity associated with transfemoral cerebral angiography, yet no standardized protocol exists for femoral closure and practice patterns vary widely. The objective of this single-arm prospective cohort study was to validate the efficacy and safety of a standardized femoral closure strategy for all diagnostic angiography, regardless of antiplatelet regimen.

Methods

A single-arm, prospective study was designed enrolling consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic transfemoral cerebral angiography by a single neurointerventional surgeon from March 2013 – March 2018. The closure protocol consisted of 20 minutes of manual compression to the site of arterial access and 2 hours of bedrest. The primary outcome was hematoma or oozing after manual compression. Demographic, clinic, and laboratory data were collected and analyzed, and patients were stratified by antiplatelet use.

Results

Of 525 angiograms, 263 (50.1%) were on patients taking antiplatelet medication, with 66 (12.6%) on dual antiplatelet regimens. Five patients (0.95% of all patients) met the primary outcome: in all five cases, there was no further oozing or enlarging hematoma after the additional compression period. There were not significant differences in primary outcome in groups stratified by antiplatelet use, and there were no instances of delayed hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, or arteriovenous fistula.

Conclusion

In this single-arm cohort study of 525 consecutive transfemoral angiograms with a standardized extrinsic compression protocol, hemostasis was achieved without complication in >99% regardless of antiplatelet strategy. This protocol is effective and safe for diagnostic transfemoral angiography regardless of a patient’s antiplatelet use.
Clinical utility of ultrahigh fractional exhaled nitric oxide in predicting bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with suspected asthma
Authors: Liu Jiaxing , Xu Rong , Zhan Chen , Luo Wei , Lai Kefang , Zhong Nanshan , Chen Wei , Chen Ruchong
Published: July 2019

Background

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a non-invasive biomarker for airway eosinophilic inflammation. However, the clinical value of ultrahigh FeNO (≥100 parts per billion (ppb)) in predicting asthma is never explored. We aimed to investigate the value of ultrahigh FeNO as a predictor of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), an important index for asthma diagnosis.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 259 patients with suspected asthma who received the examination of FeNO, spirometry, bronchial provocation test (BPT) and differential cell count of induced sputum. Patients were stratified by FeNO value: ultrahigh (group A:≥100 ppb), high (group B: 50–99 ppb), intermediate (group C: 26–49 ppb) and normal (group D:≤25 ppb). The positive rates of BPT and sputum eosinophils percentage (Eos%) were compared among four cohorts. The correlations between FeNO and sputum Eos% were measured.

Results

A significant higher positive rate of BPT was observed in group A (90.91%) than all others (B: 51.43%, C: 31.43%, D: 28.13%, all p<0.01). Referring to group D, the ORs of positive BPT in groups A, B and C were 26.84, 2.84 and 1.05. Sputum Eos% in group A (19.75 (7.00, 46.25)) is higher than that in others (B: 3.50 (1.00, 12.75), C: 1.13 (0.06,3.50), D: 0.50 (0.00, 2.13)). FeNO correlates with sputum Eos% in groups A and B, but not group C or D.

Conclusions

Ultrahigh FeNO correlates with BHR and could serve as a practical alternative to methacholine challenge to support an asthma diagnosis in patients with suspected asthma in primary care.
Do we need an evidence manifesto?
Authors: Dean Rachel , Heneghan Carl
Published: July 2019

In the first of a new evidence column, Rachel Dean and Carl Heneghan argue that while evidence‐based veterinary medicine is not perfect we need to stop grumbling about the shortcomings and get on with it in practice
Kokanee–sockeye salmon hybridization leads to intermediate morphology and resident life history: implications for fisheries management
Authors: Elliott Lucas D. , Ward Hillary G.M. , Russello Michael A.
Published: July 2019

Stocking programs designed to return extirpated species to their historical range have become increasingly prevalent, punctuating the need to better understand the risks posed to recipient ecosystems. Here, we investigated the genetic and biological consequences of an anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) stocking program in Skaha Lake, British Columbia, where substantial levels of hybridization and introgression with the native freshwater resident ecotype (kokanee) have been detected. We genetically assigned 543 individuals (adult spawners, age-0 juveniles) to estimate stock proportions (pure-stock sockeye, pure-stock kokanee, or hybrid) between 2010 and 2017, with a subset undergoing otolith microchemistry analysis to determine migratory life history and maternal ancestry. The proportion of hybrid spawners varied from 5% to 20% across sampling years, while that of hybrid age-0 juveniles remained relatively constant (∼11%). Hybrid spawners exhibited intermediate size relative to pure stocks, with the vast majority being nonanadromous (92%) and of resident maternal ancestry (76%). Our results provide empirical support for previously hypothesized mechanisms of hybridization between O. nerka life-history forms and underscore the importance of continued monitoring of stocking programs to quantify long-term fitness impacts of introgression and refine management strategies.
Comparison of geospatial and ground-based methods for determining postharvest dispersed woody residues
Authors: Trofymow J.A. , Kelley Jason , Gougeon François
Published: July 2019

Postharvest woody residues are measured to estimate billable waste, bioenergy potential, fuel loadings, and carbon budgets. In fall 2014, a waste and residue survey (WRS) established twenty-nine 0.4 ha plots in the dispersed residue stratum on two cutblocks on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and measured woody residue “logs” ≥ 10 cm inside-bark diameter and ≥ 20 cm in length. A line-intersect sampling (LIS), in spring 2015, measured all woody debris ≥ 10 cm diameter outside bark (DOB) on 18 plots. High-resolution (2 cm) photography was acquired in summer 2015, orthophotomosaics were prepared and analyzed for residue “logs” ≥ 10 cm DOB in 29 plots using semi-automated “log” delineation (SLD) and manual heads-up “log” digitization (MLD). After adjustment for bark thickness, SLD values were still higher than WRS values, due to inclusion of non-log pieces, though MLD values were not. LIS values were not different from WRS values once adjusted for bark thickness, transect overlaps, and decayed or non-log pieces excluded. The LIS and preharvest forest cover species composition differed from the WRS. While the SLD geospatial method can census ≥ 10 cm diameter residues in entire cutblocks, it was biased. Field-based methods may be required to correct SLD bias and measure species composition to determine bark thickness and wood densities to calculate biomass from residue volumes.
Quantum correlations for two coupled oscillators interacting with two heat baths
Authors: Dudinetc I.V. , Man’ko V.I.
Published: July 2019

We study a system of two coupled oscillators (A oscillators), each of which linearly interact with their own heat bath consisting of a set of independent harmonic oscillators (B oscillators). The initial state of the A oscillator is taken to be coherent while the B oscillator is in a thermal state. We analyze the time-dependent state of the A oscillator, which is a two-mode Gaussian state. By making use of Simon’s separability criterion, we show that this state is separable for all times. We consider the equilibrium state of the A oscillator in detail and calculate its Wigner function.
Multiphase resonant properties in metallic dielectric gratings with three-slits
Authors: Gao Enduo , Liu Zhimin , Zhou Fengqi , Zhang Zhenbin
Published: July 2019

The optical transmission properties in a three-slit metal grating with different mediums are studied. The results show that the tunable phase resonances and multiple phase resonances can be obtained by filling different mediums into the three slits of the straight channel grating. When the medium in the three slits is extremely asymmetric, the phenomenon of multiphase splitting becomes very obvious. In addition, based on the field distributions, multiphase resonant mechanisms have been proposed for the physical origins of the observations. In addition, a multi-channel selector is described by flexibly controlling the light through any slit of the grating. Compared with the conventional compound grating, this grating with different mediums has obvious advantages, such as simple structure, and ease of implementation.
Dyslipidemia associated with body constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Li Qiuping , Kong Qing , Tang Zihui
Published: July 2019

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the association between dyslipidemia and body constitution of traditional Chinese medicine (BCTCM) may be clinically meaningful for the early diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemia.

Methods: More than 4,000 participants were invited to a screening visit between 2011 and 2014, and 3,748 participants were available for data analysis. All study subjects underwent complete clinical baseline characteristics evaluation. Differences were determined using one-way analysis and [Formula: see text] analysis. Univariate regression analyses and multiple-variable logistic regressions (MLRs) determined the association between BCTCM variables and outcomes.

Results: In the dyslipidemia group, the Qi-deficient and Yang-deficient types accounted for more participants than others, and these two types were significantly associated with the outcome ([Formula: see text]). MLRs detected significant associations between the Qi-deficient and Yang-deficient types with dyslipidemia ([Formula: see text] for the two), and their odds ratios (ORs) for dyslipidemia were 1.211 and 1.234, respectively.

Conclusion: Qi-deficient and Yang-deficient types are independently and significantly associated with dyslipidemia. Participants with Qi-deficient and Yang-deficient constitutions have a higher incidence of dyslipidemia.
A New Look at Novice Programmer Errors
Authors: McCall Davin , Kölling Michael
Published: July 2019

The types of programming errors that novice programmers make and struggle to resolve have long been of interest to researchers. Various past studies have analyzed the frequency of compiler diagnostic messages. This information, however, does not have a direct correlation to the types of errors students make, due to the inaccuracy and imprecision of diagnostic messages. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to determine the severity of different kinds of errors in terms other than frequency of occurrence. Previously, we developed a method for meaningful categorization of errors, and produced a frequency distribution of these error categories; in this article, we extend the previous method to also make a determination of error difficulty, in order to give a better measurement of the overall severity of different kinds of errors.

An error category hierarchy was developed and validated, and errors in snapshots of students source code were categorized accordingly. The result is a frequency table of logical error categories rather than diagnostic messages. Resolution time for each of the analyzed errors was calculated, and the average resolution time for each category of error was determined; this defines an error difficulty score. The combination of frequency and difficulty allow us to identify the types of error that are most problematic for novice programmers.

The results show that ranking errors by severity—a product of frequency and difficulty—yields a significantly different ordering than ranking them by frequency alone, indicating that error frequency by itself may not be a suitable indicator for which errors are actually the most problematic for students.
Nutraceutical and pharmaceutical cocktails did not improve muscle function or reduce histological damage in D2-mdx mice
Authors: Spaulding Hannah R. , Quindry Tiffany , Hammer Kayleen , Quindry John C. , Selsby Joshua T.
Published: July 2019

Progressive muscle injury and weakness are hallmarks of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We showed previously that quercetin (Q) partially protected dystrophic limb muscles from disease-related injury. As quercetin activates PGC-1α through Sirtuin-1, an NAD+-dependent deacetylase, the depleted NAD+ in dystrophic skeletal muscle may limit quercetin efficacy; hence, supplementation with the NAD+ donor, nicotinamide riboside (NR), may facilitate quercetin efficacy. Lisinopril (Lis) protects skeletal muscle and improves cardiac function in dystrophin-deficient mice; therefore, it was included in this study to evaluate the effects of lisinopril used with quercetin and NR. Our purpose was to determine the extent to which Q, NR, and Lis decreased dystrophic injury. We hypothesized that Q, NR, or Lis alone would improve muscle function and decrease histological injury and when used in combination would have additive effects. Muscle function of 11-mo-old DBA (healthy), D2-mdx (dystrophin-deficient), and D2-mdx mice was assessed after treatment with Q, NR, and/or Lis for 7 mo. To mimic typical pharmacology of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a group was treated with prednisolone (Pred) in combination with Q, NR, and Lis. At 11 mo of age, dystrophin deficiency decreased specific tension and tetanic force in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles and was not corrected by any treatment. Dystrophic muscle was more sensitive to contraction-induced injury, which was partially offset in the QNRLisPred group, whereas fatigue was similar between all groups. Treatments did not decrease histological damage. These data suggest that treatment with Q, NR, Lis, and Pred failed to adequately maintain dystrophic limb muscle function or decrease histological damage.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Despite a compelling rationale and previous evidence to the contrary in short-term investigations, quercetin, nicotinamide riboside, or Lisinopril, alone or in combination, failed to restore muscle function or decrease histological injury in dystrophic limb muscle from D2-mdx mice after long-term administration. Importantly, we also found that in the D2-mdx model, an emerging and relatively understudied model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy dystrophin deficiency caused profound muscle dysfunction and histopathology in skeletal muscle.
Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury
Authors: Xing Dongqi , Wells J. Michael , Giordano Samantha S. , Feng Wenguang , Gaggar Amit , Yan Jie , Hage Fadi G. , Li Li , Chen Yiu-Fai , Oparil Suzanne
Published: July 2019

The chemokine receptors CXCR1/2 and CCR2/5 play a critical role in neutrophil and monocyte recruitment to sites of injury and/or inflammation. Neutrophil-mediated inflammation and endothelial cell (EC) injury are unifying factors in the pathogenesis of the acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study tested the hypothesis that systemic administration of rat-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived ECs (iPS-ECs) overexpressing CXCR1/2 or CCR2/5 attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. Rat iPS-ECs were transduced with adenovirus containing cDNA of CXCR1/2 or CCR2/5. Ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats (10 wk old) received intraperitoneal injection of LPS and intravenous infusion of 1) saline vehicle, 2) AdNull-iPS-ECs (iPS-ECs transduced with empty adenoviral vector), 3) CXCR1/2-iPS-ECs (iPS-ECs overexpressing CXCR1/2), or 4) CCR2/5-iPS-ECs (iPS-ECs overexpressing CCR2/5) at 2 h post-LPS. Rats receiving intraperitoneal injection of saline served as sham controls. Later (4 h), proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine mRNA and protein levels were measured in total lung homogenates by real-time RT-PCR and Luminex multiplex assays, and neutrophil and macrophage infiltration in alveoli was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Pulmonary microvascular permeability was assessed by the Evans blue technique, and pulmonary edema was estimated by wet-to-dry lung weight ratios. Albumin levels and neutrophil counts were assessed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 24 h post-LPS. Both CXCR1/2-iPS-ECs and CCR2/5-iPS-ECs significantly reduced LPS-induced proinflammatory mediator expression, neutrophil and macrophage infiltration, pulmonary edema, and vascular permeability compared with controls. These provocative findings provide strong evidence that targeted delivery of iPS-ECs overexpressing CXCR1/2 or CCR2/5 prevents LPS-induced acute lung injury.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We have developed a novel approach to address neutrophil-mediated inflammation and endothelial damage by targeted delivery of rat-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived endothelial cell (ECs)overexpressing chemokine receptors CXCR1/2 and CCR2/5 in injured lung tissue in a model of acute lung injury. We have demonstrated that intravenously transfused CXCR1/2-iPS-ECs and CCR2/5-iPS-ECs are recruited to lipopolysaccharide-injured lungs and attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced parenchymal lung injury responses, including inflammatory mediator expression, inflammatory cell infiltration, and vascular leakage compared with controls.
Mechanosensitive pathways controlling translation regulatory processes in skeletal muscle and implications for adaptation
Authors: Kirby Tyler J.
Published: July 2019

The ability of myofibers to sense and respond appropriately to mechanical signals is one of the primary determinants of the skeletal muscle phenotype. In response to a change in mechanical load, muscle cells alter their protein metabolism, primarily through the regulation of protein synthesis rate. Protein synthesis rates are determined by both translation efficiency and translational capacity within the muscle. Translational capacity is strongly determined by the ribosome content of the muscle; thus the regulation of ribosomal biogenesis by mechanical inputs has been an area of recent interest. Despite the clear association between mechanical signals and changes in protein metabolism, the molecular pathways that link these events are still not fully elucidated. This review focuses on recent studies looking at how mechanosignaling impacts translational events. The role of impaired mechanotransduction in aging is discussed, as is the connection between age-dependent signaling defects and compromised ribosomal biogenesis during mechanical overload. Finally, emerging evidence suggests that the nucleus can act as a mechanosensitive element and that this mode of mechanotransduction may have an important role in skeletal muscle physiology and adaptation.
Construction of Indoor Thermal Comfort Environmental Monitoring System Based on the IoT Architecture
Authors: Sung Wen-Tsai , Hsiao Sung-Jung , Shih Jing-An
Published: July 2019

With the development and progress of technology, people’s requirements for living quality are increasingly higher. This study builds an indoor thermal comfort environmental monitoring system through the Internet of Things (IoT) architecture to explore the thermal comfort of people in indoor environments. Then, the applicable indicators are selected from a series of thermal comfort pointers, and the controllable indoor environmental parameters are analyzed and simulated on MATLAB to obtain the impact on the thermal comfort indicators, which can serve as important data to set up the fuzzy rule base. Next, according to the ISO7730 comfort standard and energy saving, three ways to control thermal comfort are proposed. With Arduino UNO as the development substrate, the sensing nodes for the indoor environment are set up, and the wireless sensing network is configured with ESP8266 to transmit the sensing data to the terminal. Monitored by the C# human-machine interface, the controllable load is controlled by wireless remote mode. Finally, the data is stored in the database for follow-up experimentation and analysis. Through actual measurement experiments, the thermal comfort and energy saving effects, under comfort, general, and energy-saving modes, as proposed in this study, are verified to achieve a balance between thermal comfort and energy saving.
Chemometric Analysis of Elemental Fingerprints for GE Authentication of Multiple Geographical Origins
Authors: Xu Lu , Shi Qiong , Yan Si-Min , Fu Hai-Yan , Xie Shunping , Lu Daowang
Published: July 2019

The feasibility of combining elemental fingerprints and chemical pattern recognition methods for authentication of the geographical origins of a Chinese herb, Gastrodia elata BI. (GE), was studied in this paper. A total of 210 GE samples were collected from 7 different producing areas. The levels of 15 mineral elements in GE, including Zn, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ca, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, Fe, Na, and K, were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Using the autoscaled data of elemental fingerprints and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA), two chemometrics strategies for multiclass classifications, One-Versus-Rest (OVR) and One-Versus-One (OVO), were studied and compared in discrimination of GE geographical origins. As a result, OVR-PLSDA and OVO-PLSDA could achieve the classification accuracy of 0.672 and 0.925, respectively. The results indicate that mineral elemental fingerprints coupled with chemometrics can provide a useful alternative method for simultaneous discrimination of multiple GE geographical origins.
Automatic Evaluation of Internal Combustion Engine Noise Based on an Auditory Model
Authors: Liang Kai , Zhao Haijun
Published: July 2019

To improve the accuracy and efficiency of the objective evaluation of noise quality from internal combustion engines, an automatic noise quality classification model was constructed by introducing an auditory model‐based acoustic spectrum analysis method and a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. A band‐pass filter was also designed in the model to automatically extract the features of the noise samples, which were later used as input data. The adaptive moment estimation (Adam) algorithm was used to optimize the weights of each layer in the network, and the model was used to evaluate sound quality. To evaluate the predictive performance of the CNN model based on the auditory input, a back propagation (BP) sound quality evaluation model based on psychoacoustic parameters was constructed and used as a control. When processing the label values of the samples, the correlation between the psychoacoustic parameters of the objective evaluation and evaluation scores was analyzed. Four psychoacoustic parameters with the greatest correlation with subjective evaluation results were selected as the input values of the BP model. The results showed that the sound quality evaluation model based on the CNN could predict the sound quality of internal combustion engines more accurately, and the input evaluation score based on the auditory spectrum in the CNN classification model was more accurate than the short‐time average energy input evaluation score based on the time domain.
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy of Cornea in Patients with Terrien’s Marginal Corneal Degeneration
Authors: Chen Ting , Li Qiangxiang , Tang Xiangbo , Liao Min , Wang Hua
Published: July 2019

This study was aimed at observing the morphological changes of the cornea with ocular in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in patients with Terrien’s marginal degeneration (TMD). Ten patients (20 eyes) with TMD treated in the Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, and 10 healthy controls (20 eyes) were included in the current study. A detailed slit lamp microscopy, anterior segment photography, and corneal IVCM examination were performed for each eye. The density of central and marginal corneal epithelial cells, stromal cells, and subepithelial nerve fibers was compared between the two groups using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Compared with the control group, the corneal epithelial and endothelial cells in the TMD group showed granular highly reflective substances and thinner subepithelial nerve fibers. The uneven dot-like highly reflective substances without cell structures appeared in the stromal layer of the cornea. The density of central and marginal corneal epithelial cells, stromal cells, and subepithelial nerve fibers was lower in the TMD group (p<0.05), and they were negatively correlated with severity of the disease (p<0.05). Our study demonstrated that the density of corneal epithelial cells, stromal cells, and sensory plexus nerve fibers was significantly reduced in the TMD group. The pathological changes were more obvious in the marginal cornea, and it is correlated with severity of the disease.
Multivariate Cluster-Based Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction to Identify Genetic Interactions for Multiple Quantitative Phenotypes
Authors: Kim Hyein , Jeong Hoe-Bin , Jung Hye-Young , Park Taesung , Park Mira
Published: July 2019

To understand the pathophysiology of complex diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and autism, deleterious phenotypes are unlikely due to the effects of single genes, but rather, gene-gene interactions (GGIs), which are widely analyzed by multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR). Early MDR methods mainly focused on binary traits. More recently, several extensions of MDR have been developed for analyzing various traits such as quantitative traits and survival times. Newer technologies, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have now been developed for assessing multiple traits, to simultaneously identify genetic variants associated with various pathological phenotypes. It has also been well demonstrated that analyzing multiple traits has several advantages over single trait analysis. While there remains a need to find GGIs for multiple traits, such studies have become more difficult, due to a lack of novel methods and software. Herein, we propose a novel multi-CMDR method, by combining fuzzy clustering and MDR, to find GGIs for multiple traits. Multi-CMDR showed similar power to existing methods, when phenotypes followed bivariate normal distributions, and showed better power than others for skewed distributions. The validity of multi-CMDR was confirmed by analyzing real-life Korean GWAS data.
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Caused by Fioricet (Butalbital-Acetaminophen-Caffeine)
Authors: Cret Naomi , Halalau Madalina , Rezvani Shahab , Halalau Alexandra
Published: July 2019

A common side effect of Fioricet (butalbital-acetaminophen-caffeine) is high blood pressure caused by the caffeine content. We report a case of a 54-year-old female who developed the worst headache of her life after taking 2 tablets of butalbital-acetaminophen-caffeine every six hours for three days before presenting to the emergency department, where her blood pressure was 178/87 mmHg. A brain MRI showed edema in the subcortical white matter of the right occipital lobe, right parietal lobe, and left occipital lobe. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was diagnosed. The patient returned within the week with severe headaches, visual hallucinations, and a blood pressure of 150/80 mmHg. Repeat brain MRI showed slight improvement of edema. Her brain imaging studies completely normalized at 10 months after diagnosis. Although the patient received appropriate treatment, she was unable to make full recovery. Due to her inability to work and the constant pain, the patient continues to struggle with depression.
Effect of Explosive Reactive Armour Cover Plate on Interaction of ERA and Explosively Formed Projectile
Authors: Rasheed Muhammad F. , Wu Cheng , Raza Ali
Published: July 2019

Explosive reactive armour (ERA) is used to protect the armoured vehicles against chemical energy warheads and long‐rod penetrators. ERA generally consists of an ERA sandwich and an outer steel cover to protect it from unintended initiation. Explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) are used as antiarmour warheads, and their use in top attack antiarmour weapons is increasing. Interaction of EFP with the ERA sandwich alone has been studied in the past. This paper studies the effect of the cover plate and its thickness on the interaction of the EFP and the ERA sandwich. Numerical simulations and experiments have been used to study the interaction. It has been found that the penetration in the target is reduced as the thickness of the cover plate increases. Moreover, the decrease in penetration is directly proportional to the thickness of the cover plate. Also it has been found that the residual EFP after penetrating the cover plate has sufficient energy to initiate the ERA sandwich. The results of the numerical simulation and the experiments are in close agreement.
UPLC-MS/MS Determination of Twelve Ginsenosides in Shenfu Tang and Dushen Tang
Authors: Yang Dawai , Yang Xiaofang , Yan Han , Fan Bin , Dai Jingang , Song Jun , Lei Yan , Guo Na
Published: July 2019

Shenfu Tang and Dushen Tang (one of the composite medicines for Shenfu Tang) are widely used Traditional Chinese herbal formulations and ginsenosides are their main bioactive components. However, there are rare studies about simultaneous analysis of ginsenosides in Shenfu Tang and Dushen Tang. In order to identify ginsenosides in Shenfu Tang and Dushen Tang and to explore law of compatibility of medicines in the decoction, a method for simultaneous determination of twelve ginsenosides in Shenfu Tang and Dushen Tang was developed by ultraresolution liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The method showed satisfactory linearity (r > 0.9915), repeatability (RSD < 9.58%), intra- and interday precisions (RSD<11.90%), and high yields of recovery (92.26-113.20%) for twelve major constituents, namely, ginsenosides-Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rg3, Rh1, and F2. Furthermore, the concentration of twelve ginsenosides in Dushen Tang and Shenfu Tang was also simultaneously analyzed. Most of ginsenosides except Rg1 and Rb1 showed higher contents in Shenfu Tang compared to Dushen Tang. The compatibility of the formula had the effect of promoting or inhibiting the dissolution of some major components. The present research provided a reliable evidence for the illustration of chemical basis and compatibility regularity of Shenfu Tang. This study demonstrated the utility of the developed method for assessment of the quantity of the major constituents in Dushen Tang and Shenfu Tang.
Shexiang Baoxin Pill Alleviates the Atherosclerotic Lesions in Mice via Improving Inflammation Response and Inhibiting Lipid Accumulation in the Arterial Wall
Authors: Lu Li , Qin Yating , Zhang Xinxin , Chen Chen , Xu Xiangyu , Yu Chingwen , Guo Xiaomei
Published: July 2019

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in the world. Atherosclerosis, a kind of chronic vascular disorder related to multiple pathogenic processes, has been reported to be an underlying cause of CVDs. Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation and has been broadly used for the treatment of CVDs in East Asia. However, whether SBP affects the development of atherosclerosis is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiatherosclerotic roles and relevant mechanisms of SBP in apolipoprotein E knockout mice. Our results showed that SBP treatment markedly decreased the size of atherosclerotic plaques of the entire aorta and the aortic sinus. Biochemical analyses indicated that SBP gavage improved oxidative stress in vivo, as seen by the level elevation of SOD, CAT, and GSH and the level reduction of MDA, H2O2, and MPO. Moreover, the concentration of MCP-1, IFN-γ, and IL-17A was reduced, and the content of IL-10 and TGF-β1 was increased in the serum from SBP-treated mice. We discovered that the expression levels of inflammatory factors including VCAM-1, ICAM-1, IL-6, and IL-2 in the vascular wall of the SBP group were also decreased in comparison with those of the normal saline group. Moreover, we found that SBP alleviated the activation of inflammation-related pathways in the aorta tissue, as seen by the level elevation of Mfn2 and reduced phosphorylation of p38, JNK, and NF-κB. Furthermore, western blot showed that SBP administration reduced the level of SR-A and LOX-1 and elevated the content of LXRα, ABCA1, and ABCG1 in the arterial wall, indicating that SBP was capable of alleviating lipid influx and facilitating lipid efflux. In conclusion, our data suggested that SBP exerted antiatherosclerotic effects via improving inflammation response and inhibiting lipid accumulation.
FOXO3 Is Expressed in Ovarian Tissues and Acts as an Apoptosis Initiator in Granulosa Cells of Chickens
Authors: Cui Can , Han Shunshun , Yin Huadong , Luo Bin , Shen Xiaoxu , Yang Fuling , Liu Zihao , Zhu Qing , Li Diyan , Wang Yan
Published: July 2019

FOXO3, which encodes the transcription factor forkhead box O-3 (FoxO3), is a member of the FOXO subfamily of the forkhead box (FOX) family. FOXO3 can be negatively regulated by its phosphorylation by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and ultimately drives apoptosis when activated. In mammalian ovaries, the FOXO3 protein regulates atresia and follicle growth by promoting apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells. Nonetheless, the specific effects of the FOXO3 protein on granulosa apoptosis of avian ovaries have not been elucidated. Therefore, we studiedFOXO3expression in follicles with different organization and at all hierarchical levels of chicken follicles. Via an immunofluorescence assay, the chicken follicular theca at all hierarchical levels were found to be strongly stained with an anti-FOXO3 antibody. In chicken primary ovarian granulosa cells, mRNA levels of proapoptotic factors BNIP3 and BCL2L11 decreased in the absence of FOXO3, and so did PARP-1 and cleaved caspase 3 protein levels. After treatment with a recombinant FOXO3 protein, PARP-1 and caspase 3 protein levels increased, along with mRNA levels of Bnip3 and BCL2L11 (significantly,p<0.05). In addition,FOXO3was downregulated in chicken granulosa cells when different estradiol or FSH concentrations were applied. In conclusion,FOXO3is expressed in chicken reproductive tissues, including follicles and ovarian granulosa cells, and promotes apoptosis of chicken ovarian granulosa cells.