bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-mydriatic ultrawide field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy compared with dilated fundal examination for assessment of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema in Chinese individuals with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Szeto Simon K H , Wong Raymond , Lok Jerry , Tang Fangyao , Sun Zihan , Tso Tiffany , Lam Thomas C H , Tham Clement C , Ng Danny S , Cheung Carol Y
Published: October 2018

Aims

To evaluate the performance of ultrawide field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (UWF-SLO) for assessing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DME) in a Chinese population, compared with clinical examination.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study. A series of 322 eyes from 164 patients with DM were included. Each patient underwent both dilated fundal examination with DR and DME grading by retina specialist and non-mydriatic 200° UWF-SLO (Daytona, Optos, Dunfermline, UK). The severity of DR and DME from UWF-SLO images was further graded by ophthalmologists, according to both international clinical DR and DME disease severity scales and the standard 7-field Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scale. Any DR, DME and vision-threatening DR (VTDR) were treated as endpoints for this study.

Results

23 out of 322 images (7.14%), including all four cases with proliferative DR on clinical examinations, were determined as ungradable. When the international scale was used for grading UWF-SLO images, the sensitivity of any DR, DME and VTDR was 67.7%, 67.4% and 72.6%, respectively; the specificity of any DR, DME and VTDR was 97.8%, 97.3% and 97.8%, respectively. The agreement with clinical grading in picking up any DR, DME and VTDR was substantial, with κ-values of 0.634, 0.694 and 0.707, respectively. The performance of UWF-SLO was shown to be lower when ETDRS scale was used for grading the images.

Conclusion

The performance of non-mydriatic UWF-SLO is comparable in identifying DR with that of clinical examination in a Chinese cohort. However, whether UWF-SLO can be considered as tool for screening DR is still undetermined.
Hepatic abnormalities identified by staging MRI and accuracy of MRI of patients with uveal melanoma
Authors: Francis Jasmine H , Catalanotti Federica , Landa Jonathan , Barker Christopher A , Shoushtari Alexander N , Abramson David H
Published: October 2018

Background

Metastases to the liver are often the first finding in patients with uveal melanoma with extraocular disease, but little has been published on the utility of staging MRI at initial diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the proportion of abnormal hepatic findings on baseline MRI and accuracy of MRI in patients with newly diagnosed uveal melanoma.

Methods

This is a single-centre, retrospective, institutional review board-approved study of 145 consecutive patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 2004 and 2016, who had staging MRI within 1 month of diagnosis. Scans were classified as normal or abnormal, and further distinguished as abnormal non-metastatic, uncharacterisable lesions and suspicious for metastasis. Where available, follow-up MRI (at ~1 year) or biopsies were reviewed.

Results

MRI in 145 patients revealed 62% (90) with abnormal hepatic findings; out of these 87% (78) had non-metastatic benign findings, 6.7% (6) had unclassifiable lesions and 6.7% (6) were suspicious for metastasis (6). Abnormal non-metastatic findings included 72 focal (36 solitary and 36 multiple) and 12 diffuse lesions. Lesions suspicious for metastases were found in 6 of 145 patients (4%), despite normal liver function tests. Of these, five had confirmed liver metastases and one patient had a stable, presumed non-metastatic lesion on follow-up. In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of staging MRI for all findings were 83.3% (95% CI 35.9 to 99.6) and 99.0% (95% CI 94.3 to 99.9), respectively.

Conclusion

Staging MRI of patients with newly diagnosed uveal melanoma accurately identified early metastases. Furthermore, imaging revealed hepatic abnormalities in the majority of patients, although as expected few of these represented metastatic disease.
Conjunctival myxoid stromal tumour: a distinctive clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Qin Xiao-Yi , Jin Zhe-Hao , Wang You-Pei , Zhang Zong-Duan
Published: October 2018

Background/aims

To describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of 10 patients representing a new entity of benign conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours.

Methods

Retrospective review of clinical findings, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies identified 10 cases of low-grade conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours. Specimens were routinely processed and stained with H&E. Immunohistochemical stains for CD34, CD68, vimentin, S100, smooth muscle actin (SMA), myosin, desmin, actin, Bcl-2 and Ki-67 were performed. Specific stains for Alcian-blue periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) and aldehyde fuchsin stains were also performed.

Results

Ten patients with an average age of 45.6±11.1 years had a tender white or faint yellow to red mass on the bulbar conjunctiva. All the lesions were completely removed, and none of the patients relapsed. Histologically, all neoplasms consisted of spindle-shaped cells that showed signs of pseudonuclear inclusions, multinuclear cells and had no atypia. The stroma consisted of a large amount of mucus and was infiltrated with delicate to ropey collagens, a few mast cells and new vessels. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for CD34, vimentin and Bcl-2; partial positive for CD68; very low for Ki-67; and negative for S100, SMA, myosin, desmin and actin. AB-PAS suggested that the stroma was mucinous.

Conclusions

These rare benign mesenchymal conjunctival tumours are mostly unilateral and occur in the bulbar conjunctiva. Complete resection is the radical treatment. These lesions are characterised by multiple spindle cells, a large amount of mucus, and sharing similar basic histopathological features with conjunctival myxoma and conjunctival stromal tumour. We suggest naming these lesions ‘conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours’.
Mirtazapine added to SSRIs or SNRIs for treatment resistant depression in primary care: phase III randomised placebo controlled trial (MIR)
Authors: Kessler David S , MacNeill Stephanie J , Tallon Deborah , Lewis Glyn , Peters Tim J , Hollingworth William , Round Jeff , Burns Alison , Chew-Graham Carolyn A , Anderson Ian M , Shepherd Tom , Campbell John , Dickens Chris M , Carter Mary , Jenkinson Caroline , Macleod Una , Gibson Helen , Davies Simon , Wiles Nicola J
Published: October 2018

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of combining mirtazapine with serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants for treatment resistant depression in primary care.

Design

Two parallel group multicentre phase III randomised placebo controlled trial.

Setting

106 general practices in four UK sites; Bristol, Exeter, Hull, and Keele/North Staffs, August 2013 to October 2015.

Participants

480 adults aged 18 or more years who scored 14 or more on the Beck depression inventory, second revision, fulfilled ICD-10 (international classification of diseases, 10th revision) criteria for depression, and had used an SSRI or SNRI for at least six weeks but were still depressed. 241 were randomised to mirtazapine and 239 to placebo, both given in addition to usual SSRI or SNRI treatment. Participants were stratified by centre and minimised by baseline Beck depression inventory score, sex, and current psychological therapy. They were followed up at 12, 24, and 52 weeks. 431 (89.8%) were included in the (primary) 12 week follow-up.

Main outcome measures

Depressive symptoms at 12 weeks after randomisation, measured using the Beck depression inventory II score as a continuous variable. Secondary outcomes included measures of anxiety, quality of life, and adverse effects at 12, 24, and 52 weeks.

Results

Beck depression inventory II scores at 12 weeks were lower in the mirtazapine group after adjustment for baseline scores and minimisation or stratification variables, although the confidence interval included the null (mean (SD) scores at 12 weeks: 18.0 (12.3) in the mirtazapine group, 19.7 (12.4) in the placebo group; adjusted difference between means −1.83 (95% confidence interval −3.92 to 0.27); P=0.09). Adverse effects were more common in the mirtazapine group and were associated with the participants stopping the trial drug.

Conclusion

This study did not find evidence of a clinically important benefit for mirtazapine in addition to an SSRI or SNRI over placebo in a treatment resistant group of primary care patients with depression. This remains an area of important unmet need where evidence of effective treatment options is limited.

Trial registration

Current Controlled TrialsISRCTN06653773.
Mealtime dosing of a rapid-acting insulin analog reduces glucose variability and suppresses daytime cardiac sympathetic activity: a randomized controlled study in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Kanamori Takehiro , Takeshita Yumie , Isobe Yuki , Kato Ken-ichiro , Misu Hirofumi , Kaneko Shuichi , Takamura Toshinari
Published: October 2018

Objective

Glucose variability induces endothelial dysfunction and cardiac autonomic nerve abnormality. Here we compared the effects of mealtime insulin aspart and bedtime insulin detemir on glucose variability, endothelial function, and cardiac autonomic nerve activity among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods

Forty hospitalized patients received either mealtime insulin aspart or bedtime insulin detemir treatment for 2 weeks. We assessed glucose variability indices, including M-value, SD of blood glucose level, and mean blood glucose (MBG) level. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was measured as an index of endothelial function. Low-frequency power, high-frequency power, and the low-frequency to high-frequency power ratio (LF:HF ratio) derived via heart rate variability analysis using a Holter ECG were employed as indices of cardiac autonomic nerve function.

Results

M-values and MBG levels showed a considerably greater decrease in the insulin aspart group than in the insulin detemir group (p=0.006  vs p=0.001); no change in FMD was observed in either group. Daytime LF:HF ratio significantly decreased in the insulin aspart group but not in the insulin detemir group. Total insulin dose at endpoint in the insulin aspart group was significantly higher than that in the insulin detemir group (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Mealtime insulin aspart reduced glucose variability to a greater extent than bedtime insulin detemir in patients with type 2 diabetes. Despite the need for higher insulin doses, insulin aspart decreased daytime cardiac sympathetic nerve activity. These properties may subsequently help reduce cardiovascular risks.

Trial registration number

UMIN000008369.
Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review
Authors: James Peter Bai , Wardle Jon , Steel Amie , Adams Jon
Published: October 2018

Background

The WHO estimates that a considerable number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) to meet their primary healthcare needs, yet there remains a dearth of research evidence on the overall picture of TCAM utilisation in the region.

Methods

We conducted a literature search of original articles examining TCAM use in SSA between 1 January 2006 and 28 February 2017, employing Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Scopus, ProQuest, PubMed, Embase and African Journals Online databases. A critical appraisal of relevant articles reporting a quantitative or mixed-method design was undertaken.

Results

Despite the heterogeneity and general low quality of the identified literature, the review highlights a relatively high use of TCAM alone or in combination with orthodox medicine, in both general population and in specific health conditions in SSA. TCAM users compared with non-TCAM users are more likely to be of low socioeconomic and educational status, while there were inconsistencies in age, sex, spatial location and religious affiliation between TCAM users and non-TCAM users. Most TCAM users (55.8%–100%) in SSA fail to disclose TCAM use to their healthcare providers, with the main reasons for non-disclosure being fear of receiving improper care, healthcare providers’ negative attitude and a lack of enquiry about TCAM use from healthcare providers.

Conclusion

TCAM use in SSA is significant, although most studies emerge from a few countries. Factors associated with TCAM use in SSA are similar to those observed in other regions, but further research may be required to further elucidate challenges and opportunities related to TCAM use specific to SSA.
Prospective pilot study comparing deep sclerectomy outcomes with a long-term and intense corticosteroid treatment versus a standard one
Authors: Lanzagorta-Aresti Aitor , Perez-Lopez Marta , Davo-Cabrera Juan Maria , Palacios-Pozo Elena
Published: October 2018

Objective

To compare prospectively intraocular pressure (IOP) results after deep sclerectomy (DS) using a topical short-term corticosteroid treatment (STCT, 1  month) versus a topical long-term and intense corticosteroid treatment (LTCT, 6 months) in a two2  year-follow-up.

Methods

Patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma were prospectively recruited and underwent a DS.

Results

We operated 45 eyes of 45 patients, 22 in STCT group and 23 in LTCT group. Median preoperative IOP was 27 (22–36.75)  mm Hg for STCT and for 25 (22–28) mm Hg for LTCT group without significant difference (p=0.195). Median postoperative IOP was 4 (3–6.25) mm Hg in STCT group versus 2 (0–5)  mm Hg in LTCT at day 1 (p=0.003); 8.5 (5.75–11.25)  mm Hg (STCT) vs 6 (4–9) mm Hg (LTCT) at week 1 (p=0.079); 17.5 (14.75–22.25)  mm Hg (STCT) vs 13 (10–14) mm Hg (LTCT) at month 1 (p=0.001); 16 (12–20) mm Hg (STCT) vs 12 (10–15) mm Hg (LTCT) at month 3 (p=0.008); 17 (14–20) mm Hg (STCT) vs 12 (10–14) mm Hg (LTCT) at month 6 (p=0.000); 16 (14–20) mm Hg (STCT) vs 14 (10–16) mm Hg (LTCT) at year 1 (p=0.002) and 17.5 (15–19)  mm Hg (STCT) vs 14 (12–16) mm Hg (LTCT) at year 2 (p=0.001). The complete success rate was 54.5 % in STCT and 87 % in LTCT (p=0.018).

Conclusions

A long-term and intensive postoperative treatment enhances success rate in DS compared with a standard protocol.
Expression patterns of PPARγ2, PGC-1α, and MEF2C and their association with intramuscular fat content and skeletal muscle tenderness of crossbred Simmental bulls
Authors: Yang Li-Qin , Li Jian , Wang Chun , Wu Qiu-Ying , Chen Xuan-Yu , Lai Song-Jia , Song Tian-Zeng , Zhang Ming
Published: October 2018

PPARγ2, PGC-1α, and MEF2C play an important role in skeletal muscle development and fat deposition. This study aimed to determine their mRNA expression levels in longissimus dorsi (Ld), semitendinosus (Se), and soleus (Sol) muscles of crossbred Simmental bulls and estimate their association with intramuscular fat (IMF) content and meat shear force (MSF). We measured the muscle fiber (MF) density and area, IMF content, and MSF of 6-, 12-, and 36-mo-old bulls. We found that the expression patterns differed with age: the PPARγ2 expression in the three muscles of 36-mo-old bulls was greater than that in the muscles of 6- and 12-mo-old bulls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PGC-1α expression in Sol of 36-mo-old and MEF2C expression in Ld of 12-mo-old bulls were higher than those in the respective muscles of 6- and 12-mo-old bulls, and 6- and 36-mo-old bulls, respectively (P < 0.05). The MF area, IMF content, and MSF increased with age (P < 0.05). The PPARγ2 mRNA expression in Ld, Se, and Sol was positively correlated with MF area and IMF content (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with MF density (P < 0.05). Thus, PPARγ2 might be a candidate marker, which is positively correlated with IMF content and MF area.
High-temperature superconducting magnetic separation technology in China
Authors: Fan Jiangdi , Guo Qiudong , Liang Yilang , Zeng Guibin , Li Jie , Kan Aaron Xiaobo , Bondarenko S. I. , Krevsun O.
Published: October 2018

This paper makes a prospect of the future development in applications of superconducting high-magnetic separation technology to the mining industry with the analysis of domestic status quo of researches and applications in China.
EFFECT OF POTASSIUM CYANIDE ETCHING ON STRUCTURAL, OPTICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF Cu2ZnSnS4 THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY A MODIFIED SPRAY PROCESS
Authors: BOUZIDA SAMIRA , BENAMAR EL BACHIR , BATTAS MANALE , SCHMERBER GUY , SEKKAT ZOUHEIR , DINIA AZIZ , SLAOUI ABDELILAH , ABD-LEFDIL MOHAMMED , REGRAGUI MOHAMMED
Published: October 2018

We report the effect of potassium cyanide etching treatment on structural, optical and electrical properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films prepared by a spray-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements before and after potassium cyanide etching have confirmed the kesterite structure of Cu2ZnSnS4 films. Potassium cyanide treatment led to the elimination of [Formula: see text]S secondary phase. Optical measurements showed that the band gap value was about 1.52[Formula: see text]eV. The best electrical resistivity and Hall mobility values were reached for a deposition temperature of 450∘C in both cases without and with potassium cyanide treatment.
Optimization-Based Strategies for the Error Removal Method in the Ideal, Symmetric KLJN Secure Key Exchanger
Authors: Collado E. , Saez Y.
Published: October 2018

The Kirchhoff’s-Law-Johnson-Noise (KLJN) secure key exchanger is a simple, low-cost scheme that provides symmetric encryption with unconditional security in electronic communication. The key bits are generated based on measurements of the mean-square value of the noise voltage and/or current of the channel between the two communicating parties. In this work, a combined current–voltage measurement mode scenario and an error removal method for the ideal, symmetric KLJN secure key exchanger that uses an identical pair of resistors at both ends of the communication line were considered, which improves the fidelity and reduces the bit error probability compared to the schemes when either voltage or current measurement are being used. It has been shown in previous works that the error probability of the original, symmetric KLJN secure key exchanger decays exponentially with parameters such as the time window for performing the key exchange and other relevant criteria used in the interpretation of the key bits. The objective of this work is to develop optimization strategies for the ideal, symmetric KLJN secure key exchanger in order to obtain optimal values of these parameters while ensuring that errors are kept within acceptable values. For those strategies, closed-form solutions to the optimal values were derived by solving the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions. Numerical results show that the proposed optimization techniques not only ensure that the bit probability error remains within the desired limit, but also provide more flexibility to define the thresholds values, reduce the bit exchange period needed to guarantee an acceptable bit error probability, weaken Eve’s statistics, and improve the system resource managing.
Image Fusion Based on Kernel Estimation and Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Xie Qiwei , Chen Xi , Li Lin , Rao Kaifeng , Tao Luo , Ma Chao
Published: October 2018

This paper reports the improvement of the image quality during the fusion of remote sensing images by minimizing a novel energy function. First, by introducing a gradient constraint term in the energy function, the spatial information of the panchromatic image is transferred to the fused results. Second, the spectral information of the multispectral image is preserved by importing a kernel function to the data fitting term in the energy function. Finally, an objective parameter selection method based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) is proposed to integrate state-of-the-art image quality metrics. Visual perception measurement and selected fusion metrics are employed to evaluate the fusion performance. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms other established image fusion techniques.
A max-margin training of RNA secondary structure prediction integrated with the thermodynamic model
Authors: Akiyama Manato , Sato Kengo , Sakakibara Yasubumi
Published: October 2018

A popular approach for predicting RNA secondary structure is the thermodynamic nearest-neighbor model that finds a thermodynamically most stable secondary structure with minimum free energy (MFE). For further improvement, an alternative approach that is based on machine learning techniques has been developed. The machine learning-based approach can employ a fine-grained model that includes much richer feature representations with the ability to fit the training data. Although a machine learning-based fine-grained model achieved extremely high performance in prediction accuracy, a possibility of the risk of overfitting for such a model has been reported. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for RNA secondary structure prediction that integrates the thermodynamic approach and the machine learning-based weighted approach. Our fine-grained model combines the experimentally determined thermodynamic parameters with a large number of scoring parameters for detailed contexts of features that are trained by the structured support vector machine (SSVM) with the [Formula: see text] regularization to avoid overfitting. Our benchmark shows that our algorithm achieves the best prediction accuracy compared with existing methods, and heavy overfitting cannot be observed. The implementation of our algorithm is available at https://github.com/keio-bioinformatics/mxfold .
Left-invariant almost α-coKähler structures on 3D semidirect product Lie groups
Authors: Perrone Domenico
Published: October 2018

The main result of this paper gives a characterization of left-invariant almost [Formula: see text]-coKähler structures on three-dimensional (3D) semidirect product Lie groups [Formula: see text] in terms of the matrix [Formula: see text]. Then, we study the harmonicity of the Reeb vector field [Formula: see text] of a simply connected homogeneous almost [Formula: see text]-coKähler three-manifold, in terms of the Gaussian curvature of the canonical foliation.
Sixty Years of Discovery
Authors: Baltimore David
Published: October 2018

Each of us is a story. Mine is a story of doing science for 60 years, and I am honored to be asked to tell it. Even though this autobiography was written for the Annual Review of Immunology, I have chosen to describe my whole career in science because the segment that was immunology is so intertwined with all else I was doing. This article is an elongation and modification of a talk I gave at my 80th birthday celebration at Caltech on March 23, 2018.
Tuft Cells—Systemically Dispersed Sensory Epithelia Integrating Immune and Neural Circuitry
Authors: O'Leary Claire E. , Schneider Christoph , Locksley Richard M.
Published: October 2018

Tuft cells—rare solitary chemosensory cells in mucosal epithelia—are undergoing intense scientific scrutiny fueled by recent discovery of unsuspected connections to type 2 immunity. These cells constitute a conduit by which ligands from the external space are sensed via taste-like signaling pathways to generate outputs unique among epithelial cells: the cytokine IL-25, eicosanoids associated with allergic immunity, and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The classic type II taste cell transcription factor POU2F3 is lineage defining, suggesting a conceptualization of these cells as widely distributed environmental sensors with effector functions interfacing type 2 immunity and neural circuits. Increasingly refined single-cell analytics have revealed diversity among tuft cells that extends from nasal epithelia and type II taste cells to ex- Aire-expressing medullary thymic cells and small-intestine cells that mediate tissue remodeling in response to colonizing helminths and protists.
Psychological Contracts: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Coyle-Shapiro Jacqueline A.-M. , Pereira Costa Sandra , Doden Wiebke , Chang Chiachi
Published: October 2018

We provide a review of psychological contract research, beginning with past conceptualizations and empirical evidence. We tailor this retrospective look by reviewing the antecedents and outcomes associated with psychological contract breach and discussing the dominant theoretical explanations for the breach-outcome relationship. This synthesis of past evidence provides the foundation for reviewing the present emerging and developing themes in psychological contract research. This discussion is organized around the expansion of resources exchanged and the antecedents of contract breach and outcomes, moving beyond reciprocity as an underpinning explanation. We highlight the practical implications of research to date on psychological contracts and end with directions for future research to include the need for greater attention given to ideological currency, employee health, polycontextual approaches, the role of psychological needs, and post-breach/violation.
Nitric oxide mediates anomalous tubuloglomerular feedback in rats fed high-NaCl diet after subtotal nephrectomy
Authors: Thomson Scott C.
Published: October 2018

Tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) responses become anomalous in rats fed high-NaCl diet after subtotal nephrectomy (STN), such that stimulating TGF causes single nephron GFR (SNGFR) to increase rather than decrease. Micropuncture experiments were performed to determine whether this anomaly results from heightened nitric oxide response to distal delivery, which is a known mechanism for resetting TGF, or from connecting tubule TGF (cTGF), which is a novel amiloride-inhibitable system for offsetting TGF responses. Micropuncture was done in Wistar Froemter rats fed high-NaCl diet (HS) for 8–10 days after STN or sham nephrectomy. TGF was manipulated by orthograde microperfusion of Henle’s loop with artificial tubular fluid with or without NOS inhibitor, LNMMA, or the cell-impermeant amiloride analog, benzamil. SNGFR was measured by inulin clearance in tubular fluid collections from the late proximal tubule. TGF responses were quantified as the increase in SNGFR that occurred when the perfusion rate was reduced from 50 to 8 nl/min in STN or 40 to 8 nl/min in sham animals. The baseline TGF response was anomalous in STN HS (−4 ± 3 vs 14 ± 3 nl/min, P < 0.001). TGF response was normalized by perfusing STN nephron with LNMMA (14 ± 3 nl/min, P < 0.005 for ANOVA cross term) but not with benzamil (−3 ± 4 nl/min, P = 0.4 for ANOVA cross term). Anomalous TGF occurs in STN HS due to heightened effect of tubular flow on nitric oxide signaling, which increases to the point of overriding the normal TGF response. There is no role for cTGF in this phenomenon.
Neurophysiology of visually guided eye movements: critical review and alternative viewpoint
Authors: Goffart Laurent , Bourrelly Clara , Quinton Jean-Charles
Published: October 2018

In this article, we perform a critical examination of assumptions that led to the assimilation of measurements of the movement of a rigid body in the physical world to parameters encoded within brain activity. In many neurophysiological studies of goal-directed eye movements, equivalence has indeed been made between the kinematics of the eyes or of a targeted object and the associated neuronal processes. Such a way of proceeding brings up the reduction encountered in projective geometry when a multidimensional object is being projected onto a one-dimensional segment. The measurement of a movement indeed consists of generation of a series of numerical values from which magnitudes such as amplitude, duration, and their ratio (speed) are calculated. By contrast, movement generation consists of activation of multiple parallel channels in the brain. Yet, for many years, kinematic parameters were supposed to be encoded in brain activity, even though the neuronal image of most physical events is distributed both spatially and temporally. After explaining why the “neuronalization” of such parameters is questionable for elucidating the neural processes underlying the execution of saccadic and pursuit eye movements, we propose an alternative to the framework that has dominated the last five decades. A viewpoint is presented in which these processes follow principles that are defined by intrinsic properties of the brain (population coding, multiplicity of transmission delays, synchrony of firing, connectivity). We propose reconsideration of the time course of saccadic and pursuit eye movements as the restoration of equilibria between neural populations that exert opposing motor tendencies.
Fluid Chemistry of Mid-Ocean Ridge Hydrothermal Vents: A Comparison between Numerical Modeling and Vent Geochemical Data
Authors: Pierre Samuel , Gysi Alexander P. , Monecke Thomas
Published: October 2018

Seawater-basalt interaction taking place at mid-ocean ridges was studied using numerical modeling to determine the compositional evolution of hydrothermal fluids and associated alteration mineralogy forming within newly emplaced crustal material. Geochemical modeling was carried out in a closed seawater-basalt system at discrete temperature intervals between 2 and 400°C at 500 bars, varying fluid/rock ratios, and secondary mineral assemblages representative of basalt alteration in natural systems. In addition to temperature, the fluid/rock ratio has a fundamental control on the resulting system chemistry. At rock-buffered conditions (low fluid/rock ratios), the mineral-solution equilibrium was characterized by high cation to proton activity ratios foraCa2+/(aH+)2andaNa+/aH+and very low dissolved Mg concentrations due to the precipitation of smectites and chlorite. A complex secondary mineral alteration assemblage dominated by Ca- and Na-bearing minerals including zeolites, calcite, epidote, prehnite, clinozoisite, and albite was predicted to form. The resulting fluid composition was alkaline and reduced relative to ambient seawater, with Eh values ranging between −0.2 and −0.6 V. In contrast, seawater-buffered conditions (high fluid/rock ratios) resulted in lower cation to proton activity ratios foraCa2+/(aH+)2andaNa+/aH+and higher dissolved Mg concentrations comparable to the value of this element in ambient seawater. A more simple mineral assemblage was predicted to form at these conditions with the predominance of Al-Si- and Mg-bearing minerals including kaolinite, quartz, and talc in addition to large amounts of anhydrite. The resulting fluid composition was mildly acidic and oxidized relative to seawater with Eh values ranging between −0.2 and 0 V. These modeling results were compared to a compilation of submarine hydrothermal vent fluid compositions from mid-ocean ridge settings and analogous basalt-dominated environments. The agreement obtained between the simulations and the compiled fluid data indicates that mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal processes can be closely reproduced by mineral-solution equilibria for a broad range of temperatures and fluid/rock ratios.
Low-Dose Computed Tomography for the Optimization of Radiation Dose Exposure in Patients with Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Kavanagh Richard G. , O’Grady John , Carey Brian W. , McLaughlin Patrick D. , O’Neill Siobhan B. , Maher Michael M. , O’Connor Owen J.
Published: October 2018

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the mainstay method for the radiological imaging of the small bowel in patients with inflammatory bowel disease without the use of ionizing radiation. There are circumstances where imaging using ionizing radiation is required, particularly in the acute setting. This usually takes the form of computed tomography (CT). There has been a significant increase in the utilization of computed tomography (CT) for patients with Crohn’s disease as patients are frequently diagnosed at a relatively young age and require repeated imaging. Between seven and eleven percent of patients with IBD are exposed to high cumulative effective radiation doses (CEDs) (>35–75 mSv), mostly patients with Crohn’s disease (Newnham E 2007, Levi Z 2009, Hou JK 2014, Estay C 2015). This is primarily due to the more widespread and repeated use of CT, which accounts for 77% of radiation dose exposure amongst patients with Crohn’s disease (Desmond et al., 2008). Reports of the projected cancer risks from the increasing CT use (Berrington et al., 2007) have led to increased patient awareness regarding the potential health risks from ionizing radiation (Coakley et al., 2011). Our responsibilities as physicians caring for these patients include education regarding radiation risk and, when an investigation that utilizes ionizing radiation is required, to keep radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable: the “ALARA” principle. Recent advances in CT technology have facilitated substantial radiation dose reductions in many clinical settings, and several studies have demonstrated significantly decreased radiation doses in Crohn’s disease patients while maintaining diagnostic image quality. However, there is a balance to be struck between reducing radiation exposure and maintaining satisfactory image quality; if radiation dose is reduced excessively, the resulting CT images can be of poor quality and may be nondiagnostic. In this paper, we summarize the available evidence related to imaging of Crohn’s disease, radiation exposure, and risk, and we report recent advances in low-dose CT technology that have particular relevance.
Rapid Fabrication of Photoluminescent Electrospun Nanofibers without the Need of Chemical Polymeric Backbone Modifications
Authors: Sobhan Mushtaq A. , Lebedev Andrei , Chng Leng L. , Anariba Franklin
Published: October 2018

Photoluminescent electrospun nanofibers were fabricated by incorporating a cyclopentadiene derivative AIE-active luminogen within the polymeric matrices of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), and poly(methylacrylate) (PMMA) under different solvents. Raman, infrared, and fluorescence spectroscopy showed the molecular integrity of the AIEgen is maintained during the electrospinning process while exhibiting a strong and uniformed phosphorescent radiative pathway of τaverage = 8.9 μs. This method allows for the rapid fabrication of photoluminescent nanofibers into a wide range of polymeric matrices without the need of chemical modifications. Taken together, the prepared electrospun phosphorescent nanofibers are a stepping stone for AIEgens to be applied in the digital manufacturing and design of smart textiles.
Binary Particle Swarm Optimization-Based Association Rule Mining for Discovering Relationships between Machine Capabilities and Product Features
Authors: Kou Zhicong , Xi Lifeng
Published: October 2018

An effective data mining method to automatically extract association rules between manufacturing capabilities and product features from the available historical data is essential for an efficient and cost-effective product development and production. This paper proposes a new binary particle swarm optimization- (BPSO-) based association rule mining (BPSO-ARM) method for discovering the hidden relationships between machine capabilities and product features. In particular, BPSO-ARM does not need to predefine thresholds of minimum support and confidence, which improves its applicability in real-world industrial cases. Moreover, a novel overlapping measure indication is further proposed to eliminate those lower quality rules to further improve the applicability of BPSO-ARM. The effectiveness of BPSO-ARM is demonstrated on a benchmark case and an industrial case about the automotive part manufacturing. The performance comparison indicates that BPSO-ARM outperforms other regular methods (e.g., Apriori) for ARM. The experimental results indicate that BPSO-ARM is capable of discovering important association rules between machine capabilities and product features. This will help support planners and engineers for the new product design and manufacturing.
Evaluation of Low-Cost Sensors for Ambient PM2.5 Monitoring
Authors: Badura Marek , Batog Piotr , Drzeniecka-Osiadacz Anetta , Modzel Piotr
Published: October 2018

Low-cost sensors are an opportunity to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of particulate matter data. However, such sensors should be calibrated under conditions close to the final ones before any monitoring actions. The paper presents the results of a collocated comparison of four models of low-cost optical sensors with a TEOM 1400a analyser. SDS011 (Nova Fitness), ZH03A (Winsen), PMS7003 (Plantower), and OPC-N2 (Alphasense) sensors were used in this research. Three copies of each sensor model were placed in a common box to compare the sensor performance under the same measurement conditions. Monitoring of the PM2.5 fraction was conducted for almost half a year from 21 August 2017 to 19 February 2018 in Wrocław (Poland). Reproducibility between sensor units was assessed on the basis of coefficient of variation (CV). CV values were lower than 7% in the case of SDS011 and PMS7003 sensors and equal to 20% for OPC-N2 units. CV was higher than 50% for ZH03A, mainly due to malfunctions. During the measurements, the trends of outputs from sensors were generally similar to TEOM data, but significant overestimation of PM2.5 concentrations was observed for the sensor raw data. A high linear relationship between TEOM and sensors was noticed for 1 min, 15 min, and 1-hour averaged data for PMS7003 sensors (R2≈0.83–0.89), for SDS011 units (R2≈0.79–0.86), and for one unit of ZH03A (R2≈0.74–0.81). R2 values for daily averages were at the level 0.91–0.93 for PMS7003, 0.87–0.90 for SDS011, and 0.89 for ZH03A. OPC-N2 had only a moderate linear relationship with TEOM (R2≈0.53–0.69 for daily data and 0.43–0.61 for shorter time averages). Quite large dispersion of data and high relative errors of PM2.5 estimation were observed for concentration ranges below 20–30 μg/m3. The impact of high relative humidity level was observed for SDS011 and OPC-N2 devices—clear overestimation of outputs was observed above 80% RH.
A Bistatic Imaging Method for GEOSAR in the Strip Mode and UAVSAR in the Steering Beam Mode
Authors: Zhuo-qun W. , Ya-jun L. , Sheng S. , Shuang-shuang L. , Jin-guo X. , Jun-qiang W. , Jian-hua Z.
Published: October 2018

The bistatic configuration with a geosynchronous orbital SAR (GEOSAR) transmitter and unmanned aerial vehicle SAR (UAVSAR) receiver can continuously image in any dangerous and interesting district. In this paper, the new imaging method in the case with the smaller orbital inclination of geosynchronous earth orbit and the steering beam working mode of UAVSAR was mainly studied and analyzed. GEOSAR can be approximately expressed as a static state, and only the receiver provides all the Doppler information. UAVSAR works in the steering beam modes, such as spotlight, sliding spotlight, and TOPS (Terrain Observation by Progressive Scan) mode. The azimuth bandwidth increased by the steering beam causes an aliasing situation in the azimuth frequency domain. To solve this problem, the proposed imaging method corrects the azimuth frequency aliasing using the scaling transform and the bulk azimuth compression. Compared with the traditional imaging method, the simulation validates perfectly the effectiveness of the bistatic imaging algorithm.
Intranasal Insulin Administration Does Not Affect LH Concentrations in Men with Diabetes
Authors: Dhindsa Sandeep , Chemitiganti Rama , Ghanim Husam , Santiago Evangelina , Haider Adnan , Chaar Natalia , Mok Mary , McKee Alexis , Dandona Paresh
Published: October 2018

A quarter of men with obesity or type 2 diabetes have hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Animal studies and in vitro data have shown that insulin action and insulin responsiveness in the brain are necessary for the maintenance of the functional integrity of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal axis. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effect of one dose of intranasal insulin (40 IU of regular insulin) or saline on LH concentrations in 14 men (8 with type 2 diabetes and 6 healthy lean men). Insulin or saline was administered intranasally on two different occasions, at least one week apart. Blood samples were collected to measure LH concentrations every 15 minutes for 5 hours. Study drug was administered intranasally after a 2-hour baseline sampling period. Patients remained fasting throughout the procedure. The primary endpoint of the study was to compare the change in LH concentrations after intranasal insulin as compared to placebo (intranasal saline). Change was defined as the difference between baseline LH concentrations (average of the 9 samples collected in two hours prior to drug administration) and average LH concentrations following drug administration (average of the 12 samples collected in 3 hours). There was no change in LH concentrations following insulin administration as compared to placebo in men with diabetes or in lean men. We conclude that one dose of 40 IU of regular insulin administered intranasally does not change LH concentrations acutely in men.
The Secure Transmission of Videos Using the Karhunen-Loéve (K-L) Decomposition and the Synchronization of the Unified Chaotic System with the Hyperchaotic Chen System
Authors: Smaoui N. , Zribi M. , Elmokadem T.
Published: October 2018

A unique secure communication scheme that can be used for the transmission of gray-scale and color videos is presented in this paper. The proposed scheme is developed by using the Karhunen-Loéve (K-L) decomposition and the synchronization of the unified chaotic system with the hyperchaotic Chen system. First, the gray-scale or color video is represented by a set of N frames. In order to reduce the data, the K-L decomposition is used to come up with data coefficients and eigenfunctions that optimally obtain the crux of the N frames. Using only the most energetic eigenfunctions to approximate the original frames results in computational savings. The data coefficients corresponding to the most energetic eigenfunctions are encrypted and transmitted using a master system composed of a combination of the unified chaotic system and the hyperchaotic Chen system. At the receiver end, these coefficients are recovered and a controller of the sliding mode type is utilized forcing the master and slave systems to synchronize. Simulation results illustrate how the proposed control law is able to synchronize the master and the slave systems. In addition, a demonstration of the recovery of the original frames using the decrypted data coefficients along with the eigenfunctions of the frame is provided. The presented simulations indicate that the proposed scheme results in an excellent performance.
ZnO:SBA-15 Nanocomposites for Potential Use in Sunscreen: Preparation, Properties, Human Skin Penetration and Toxicity
Authors: Vieira Camila O. , Grice Jeffrey E. , Roberts Michael S. , Haridass Isha N. , Duque Marcelo Dutra , Lopes Patrícia S. , Leite-Silva Vânia R. , Martins Tereza S.
Published: October 2018

Aim: We evaluated the effects of the incorporation of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in a mesoporous matrix, aiming to improve the textural, structural and morphological properties and verify their safety so that they can be applied in sunscreen cosmetics. Materials and Methods: ZnO nano­particles were incorporated into an ordered mesoporous silica matrix known as Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15), using post-synthesis methodology. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and predicted in vitro sun protector factor (SPF) estimation. Effectiveness and safety were evaluated by antimicrobial activity, in vitro cell toxicity and non-invasive multi-photon tomography with fluorescence lifetime imaging. Results: The structure of the nanocomposites was similar to that of SBA-15, with little perturbation caused by ZnO incorporation. Nanocomposites had an increased in vitro SPF, reduced cytotoxic activity and favourable antimicrobial properties compared to ZnO. ZnO:SBA-15 nanocomposites exhibited no measurable toxicity when applied to human skin in vivo. Conclusion: Due to their suitable physicochemical properties and improved safety compared to bare ZnO nanoparticles, the ZnO:SBA-15 nanocomposites show promise for use in cosmetic applications.
Sialendoscopy for Definitive Management of a Submandibular Abscess following Radiotherapy for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Douglas Jennifer E. , Thomas W. Walsh , Kejner Alexandra E. , Rassekh Christopher H.
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Sialendoscopy has as yet been shown to be ideal for the management of sialolithiasis and chronic inflammatory diseases of the salivary gland. However, its applicability to the management of a broad range of salivary gland disease is continually growing. Methods: Here we present a case report where sialendoscopy was used to successfully manage an intraparenchymal submandibular gland abscess in a patient with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma managed with primary chemoradiation. Results: The use of sialendoscopy enabled visualization of the patency of salivary ducts, drainage of abscess, and irrigation of antibiotic-impregnated fluid. In this particular patient, we were able to avoid a transcervical approach through a previously irradiated field, which would have necessitated concurrent tracheostomy and placed undue risk to surrounding neurovascular structures. Conclusion: Sialendoscopy should thus, in select patients, be considered as an initial intervention for patients with intraparenchymal salivary gland abscesses in which prior therapy creates an increased risk of complication from an open transcervical approach.
Hydrogen Sulfide-Synthesizing Enzymes Are Altered in a Case of Oral Cavity Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma
Authors: Kim Dongsoo , Chen Jie , Meram Andrew , Patel Stavan , Wei Eric , Ansari Junaid , Ghali Ghali , Kevil Christopher , Shackelford Rodney E.
Published: October 2018

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm of the salivary glands. MECs of the mouth floor are rare, with only a few cases reported. Here we report a MEC of the mouth floor in a 55-year-old woman. Since several studies have shown that hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-synthesizing enzymes are often increased in malignant tumors compared to benign counterpart tissues, we used western blotting to compare the protein levels of cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) in a mouth floor MEC to adjacent benign oral mucosae. We also used high-performance liquid chromatography to quantify possible differences in tissue sulfur fraction concentrations between the two biopsy types. Last, we used western blotting to examine nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (Nampt), mitoNEET, and phospho-ser727-Stat3 levels in the biopsies. We found that all the proteins and phospho-ser727-Stat3 are increased in the MEC compared to benign mucosae. Interestingly, free H2S levels, acid-labile, and the sulfane sulfur factions were essentially the same between the MEC and benign tissue. Although limited to a single and unusual tumor type, to our knowledge this is only the third time H2S concentrations were directly quantified inside a human tumor. Last, our results replicate those of two previous studies where the H2S-synthesizing enzymes are increased in a malignant tumor, while free H2S is either not increased or only slightly increased, suggesting that malignant tumors rapidly metabolize H2S as part of tumor maintenance and growth.