bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Were our Ancestors Right in Using Flax Dressings? Research on the Properties of Flax Fibre and Its Usefulness in Wound Healing
Authors: Gębarowski Tomasz , Wiatrak Benita , Janeczek Maciej , Żuk Magdalena , Pistor Patrycja , Gąsiorowski Kazimierz
Published: November 2020

Background. Despite the wide range of medical dressings available commercially, there is still a search for better biomaterials for use in the treatment of especially difficult-to-heal wounds. For several years, attention has been paid to the use of substances, compounds, and even whole plants in medicine. Flax is a plant that has been used as a dressing for thousands of years. Therefore, we decided to test flax fibres that had previously been genetically modified as a potential wound dressing. Materials and Methods. In this study, two modified flax fibres and their combinations were tested on cell lines (mice fibroblast, normal human dermal fibroblast, normal human epidermal keratinocytes, human dermal microvascular endothelial cell, epidermal carcinoma cancer cells, monocyte cells). In the tests, fibres of the traditional flax (Nike) were used as a control. Several experiments were performed to assess cell proliferation and viability, the number of apoptotic cells, the cell cycle, genotoxicity, the level of free oxygen radicals, and determination of the number of cells after 48 hours of incubation of cell cultures with the tested flax fibres. Results. The obtained results confirm the positive influence of flax on the used cell lines. Both traditional fibres (Nike) and genetically modified fibres increased the proliferation of fibroblast cells and keratinocytes, reduced the level of free oxygen radicals, and influenced the repair of DNA damage. At the same time, the tested flax fibres did not have a proproliferative effect on the neoplastic cell line. Interestingly, genetic modifications had a stronger impact on the proliferative activity of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and microvascular endothelium compared to the traditional flax fibre used. Conclusions. In this study, the positive properties of the tested flax fibres on cell lines were proved. In the next stage, it is worth carrying out in vivo tests of tested genetically modified flax fibres.
Influence of Different Textures on Machining Performance of a Milling Tool
Authors: Pan Jianfeng , Feng Kai , He Lihua , Zhuang Kai , Ni Jing , Lv Junjie
Published: November 2020

Milling plays a significant role in the machining of aluminum alloy parts. However, in the milling process, the material easily adheres to the tip of the milling tool due to the high ductility and thermal deformation of the aluminum alloy; the machining efficiency and quality are hard to further improve. Hence, in order to promote the machining performances, three textures (linear, wavy, and micropitted) are prepared, respectively, on rake face of milling tools using the laser processing system. Then, milling load, top‐burrs, and surface quality are chosen to discuss the machining performance of textured milling tools. In particular, the top‐burrs are investigated by relative area ratio of top‐burrs (RARB) which is calculated from the micrograph after binarization. The obtained results evidently show that the wavy textured milling tool reduces the milling load by an amount of 10.7% compared to the nontextured milling tool. This is due to the smaller contact area that reduces the internal friction of the tool‐chip contact area and thus reduces the load. And surface roughness improves by an amount of 23.8% because the wavy texture has the largest proportion of the unit area, and it can effectively improve the storage capacity of debris. Therefore, the wavy texture proposed in this research is of great reference value for the optimization of the machining performance of the milling tool.
An Experimental Intervention Study Assessing the Impact of a Thin Silicone Gel Surface Overlay on Interface Pressure
Authors: Angmorterh Seth Kwadjo , England Andrew , Aboagye Sonia , Ofori Eric Kwasi , Hogg Peter
Published: November 2020

Introduction. The incidence of pressure ulcers (PUs) presents a substantial threat to patients, especially geriatric patients, those with restricted mobility, and patients suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer. PUs creates a huge financial burden on healthcare authorities and patients, costing billions to treat and manage. Radiography and radiotherapy patients may experience medical device related (MDR) PUs and studies have shown that high interface pressure (IP) values exist for the head when placed on an X-ray table without a mattress. These high IP values pose a PU risk to patients, especially those accessing prolonged radiography/radiology and radiotherapy procedures. The current study assessed the impact on IP values for the head from using a thin silicone gel surface overlay during radiographic procedures and identified whether this reduced the risk of PUs. Materials and Methods. A calibrated XSENSOR pressure mat was used to measure IP for the head on an X-ray table with and without a thin silicone gel surface overlay. Prior to pressure mapping, the silicone gel surface overlay was assessed for its impact on radiation attenuation and image quality. Results. Study participants were 14 males (70%) and six females (30%), with an age range of 25–53 years (mean = 34.4 ± 7.0). Paired-samples t-test results indicated that there was a statistically significant decrease in the mean IP for the head on the X-ray table without the silicone gel surface overlay (mean = 83.9 ± 8.2 in mmHg) and the X-ray table with the gel surface overlay (mean = 62.4 ± 6.1 in mmHg),p≤0.001. Paired-samples t-test results indicated that there was a statistically significant decrease in the mean peak pressure index (PPI) for the head on the X-ray table without the silicone gel surface overlay (mean = 205.1 ± 28.2 in mmHg) and the X-ray table with the gel surface overlay (mean = 159.8 ± 26.8 in mmHg),p≤0.001. Conclusions. The use of a thin silicone gel surface overlay could reduce IP risk for the head by approximately 25%. The reduction in IP risk could have a significant impact in reducing the risk of developing a PU. To ensure maximum benefit, the silicone gel surface overlay should be evaluated to address the specific needs within radiography and radiotherapy planning and treatment settings.
Oxidative Stress-Induced circHBEGF Promotes Extracellular Matrix Production via Regulating miR-646/EGFR in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells
Authors: Shen Wencui , Wang Chengzhi , Huang Bingqing
Published: November 2020

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), a leading cause of irreversible vision loss, presents with increased prevalence and a higher degree of clinical severity in the world. Growing evidence has shown that ncRNAs are involved in the fibrotic process, which is thought to be the proegumenal cause of POAG. Here, we screened out a differentially expressed circRNA (named circHBEGF) in human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMCs) under oxidative stress, which is spliced from pre-HBEGF. circHBEGF promotes the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes (fibronectin and collagen I). Further studies revealed that circHBEGF could competitively bind to miR-646 as a miRNA sponge to regulate EGFR expression in HTMCs. Importantly, HBEGF can also activate EGF signaling pathways, through which can transcriptionally activate ECM genes in HTMCs. In summary, this study investigates the functions and molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced circHBEGF in the regulation of ECM production in HTMCs through the miR646/EGFR pathway. These findings further elucidate the pathogenic mechanism and may identify novel targets for the molecular therapy of POAG.
Effects of Different Methods of Air Disinfection of Computed Tomography Rooms Dedicated to COVID‐19 Cases
Authors: Cheng Yilian , Hu Jing , Chen Hui , Wu Liu , Liao Jianmei , Cheng Lin
Published: November 2020

Objective. To monitor the number of bacterial colonies in the air of computed tomography (CT) room for COVID‐19 using different disinfection methods and to identify the most effective method for disinfection and protection of equipment. Methods. Three methods for disinfection using ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (group A), plasma circulation air sterilizer (group B), and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation plus plasma circulation air sterilizer (group C) were utilized to sanitize the air in the CT room dedicated to COVID‐19 cases. Single‐factor ANOVA was used to evaluate and compare the disinfection effect of the three air disinfection methods; an air microbial sampler was used to sample and measure the number of bacteria in the air of the machine room. Results. The number of bacteria in the air immediately after disinfection was significantly lower than before disinfection (p < 0.01). All three disinfection methods met the disinfection requirement. No significant differences in the number of air bacteria in the machine room immediately after disinfection were observed among the three methods (p > 0.05). In addition, the effect of disinfection after 2 h was compared, and the number of bacteria in group C after 2 h was significantly lower than that in group A and group B. Conclusions. All three disinfection methods have significant disinfection effects. In addition, using ultraviolet disinfection lamps combined with a plasma air disinfection machine to sterilize the air in CT machine room has the best disinfection effect for the longest duration. Therefore, we recommend the combined disinfection method (ultraviolet disinfection lamps plus plasma air disinfection), as well as formulating relevant disinfection management norms, which should thus be the method to use during pandemics.
Deletion of Akt1 Promotes Kidney Fibrosis in a Murine Model of Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction
Authors: Kim Il Young , Lee Min Young , Park Mi Wha , Seong Eun Young , Lee Dong Won , Lee Soo Bong , Bae Sun Sik , Kim Sang Soo , Song Sang Heon
Published: November 2020

We investigated the role of Akt1, one of the three isoforms of Akt, in renal fibrosis using the murine model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). We subjected wild type and Akt1−/− mice to UUO. The Akt1 gene was silenced in vitro using short hairpin RNA delivered via a lentiviral vector in human proximal tubular cells (HK2 cells) and kidney fibroblasts (NRK‐49F cells). The obstructive kidneys of Akt1−/− mice showed more severe tubulointerstitial fibrosis than those of wild type mice. The expression of fibronectin and type I collagen was significantly increased in obstructed kidneys of Akt1−/− mice compared to those of wild type mice. The important finding was that the expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) was significantly increased in the Akt1−/− mice compared to the wild type mice. The knockdown of Akt1 enhanced the expression of TGFβ1 in HK2 cells. Interestingly, the upregulation of TGFβ1 due to genetic knockdown of Akt1 was associated with activation of signal transducer and activator of transcript 3 (STAT3) independently of the Smad pathway in NRK‐49F and HK2 cells. Immunohistochemical staining also showed that expression of phosphorylated STAT3 was more increased in Akt1−/− mice than in wild type mice after UUO. Additionally, the deletion of Akt1 led to apoptosis of the renal tubular cells in both in vivo and in vitro studies. Conclusively, these results suggest that the deletion of Akt1 may contribute to renal fibrosis via induction of the TGFβ1/STAT3 pathway in a murine model of UUO.
Disturbance Observer-Based Adaptive Neural Network Control of Marine Vessel Systems with Time-Varying Output Constraints
Authors: Zhao Wei , Tang Li , Liu Yan-Jun
Published: November 2020

This article investigates an adaptive neural network (NN) control algorithm for marine surface vessels with time-varying output constraints and unknown external disturbances. The nonlinear state-dependent transformation (NSDT) is introduced to eliminate the feasibility conditions of virtual controller. Moreover, the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is used to achieve time-varying output constraints. As an important approximation tool, the NN is employed to approximate uncertain and continuous functions. Subsequently, the disturbance observer is structured to observe time-varying constraints and unknown external disturbances. The novel strategy can guarantee that all signals in the closed-loop system are semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB). Finally, the simulation results verify the benefit of the proposed method.
Antioxidants Targeting Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress: Promising Neuroprotectants for Epilepsy
Authors: Yang Nan , Guan Qi-Wen , Chen Fang-Hui , Xia Qin-Xuan , Yin Xi-Xi , Zhou Hong-Hao , Mao Xiao-Yuan
Published: November 2020

Mitochondria are major sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the cell and are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress. Oxidative damage to mitochondria results in disrupted mitochondrial function and cell death signaling, finally triggering diverse pathologies such as epilepsy, a common neurological disease characterized with aberrant electrical brain activity. Antioxidants are considered as promising neuroprotective strategies for epileptic condition via combating the deleterious effects of excessive ROS production in mitochondria. In this review, we provide a brief discussion of the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of epilepsy and evidences that support neuroprotective roles of antioxidants targeting mitochondrial oxidative stress including mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, thiols, and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activators in epilepsy. We point out these antioxidative compounds as effectively protective approaches for improving prognosis. In addition, we specially propose that these antioxidants exert neuroprotection against epileptic impairment possibly by modulating cell death interactions, notably autophagy-apoptosis, and autophagy-ferroptosis crosstalk.
Evaluation and Management of Unexpected Functional Rudimentary Uteri in Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser Syndrome of Chinese Women
Authors: Deng Shan , Zhu Lan , Tian Qinjie
Published: November 2020

Objective. To elucidate the characteristics of symptomatic attack of rudimentary uteri in MRKH syndrome and highlight the rare and unexpected possibilities. Methods. A cohort of 202 Chinese MRKH syndrome patients admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016 was analyzed retrospectively. Based on the symptoms of abdominal pain before vaginoplasty, the patients were categorized into the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. Results. Totally, 21 patients had their uteri removed due to obstructive bleeding, 19 of them had symptoms of abdominal pain before vaginoplasty, the mean duration of abdominal pain before artificial vaginoplasty was 5.0 years (range, 0.5–10 years), and the mean age at first onset of recurrent abdominal pain was 14.3 years old (range 11–18). Two special cases showed unusual long incubation periods up to 23 years. Ultrasound detected endometrioid echo in four asymptomatic patients. Among the symptomatic group, 7 patients had no imaging evidence for endometrial cavities despite clinical pain. Two of them developed severe symptoms over the next two or four years and eventually had their uteri removed. Two patients reported persistent abdominal pain with a visual analog scale (VAS) score of 4–5, still under observation. Three patients were lost to follow‐up. Conclusion. More than 10% of the patients with MRKH syndrome had surgical indication to remove the rudimentary uteri. The discrepancy between clinical symptoms and imaging calls for the vigilance for prophylactic surgery or prolonged follow‐up.
Study on Chaotic Peculiarities of Magnetic-Mechanical Coupled System of Giant Magnetostrictive Actuator
Authors: Yan Hongbo , Liu Enzuo , Zhao Pengbo , Liu Pei , Cao Rui
Published: November 2020

We studied the chaotic peculiarities of magnetic-mechanical coupled system of GMA. Based on the working principle of GMA and according to Newton’s second law of motion, first piezomagnetic equation, disk spring design theory, and structural dynamics principle of GMA, the present study established a GMA magnetic-mechanical coupled system model. By carrying out data modeling of this coupled system model, the bifurcation chart of the system with the variation of damping factor, excitation force, and exciting frequency parameters as well as the homologous offset oscillogram, phase plane trace chart, and Poincaré diagram was obtained, and the chaotic peculiarities of the system were analyzed. The influence of parametric errors on the coupled system was studied. The analytical results showed that the oscillation equation of the GMA magnetic-mechanical coupled system had nonlinearity and the movement morphology was complicated and diversified. By adjusting the damping factor, exciting frequency, and excitation force parameters of the system, the system could work under the stable interval, which provided theoretical support for the stability design of GMA.
Feature Extraction of Surface Electromyography Using Wavelet Weighted Permutation Entropy for Hand Movement Recognition
Authors: Liu Xiaoyun , Xi Xugang , Hua Xian , Wang Hujiao , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2020

The feature extraction of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals has been an important aspect of myoelectric prosthesis control. To improve the practicability of myoelectric prosthetic hands, we proposed a feature extraction method for sEMG signals that uses wavelet weighted permutation entropy (WWPE). First, wavelet transform was used to decompose and preprocess sEMG signals collected from the relevant muscles of the upper limbs to obtain the wavelet sub-bands in each frequency segment. Then, the weighted permutation entropies (WPEs) of the wavelet sub-bands were extracted to construct WWPE feature set. Lastly, the WWPE feature set was used as input to a support vector machine (SVM) classifier and a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) classifier to recognize seven hand movements. Experimental results show that the proposed method exhibits remarkable recognition accuracy that is superior to those of single sub-band feature set and commonly used time-domain feature set. The maximum recognition accuracy rate is 100% for hand movements, and the average recognition accuracy rates of SVM and BPNN are 100% and 98%, respectively.
Clinical Named Entity Recognition from Chinese Electronic Medical Records Based on Deep Learning Pretraining
Authors: Gong Lejun , Zhang Zhifei , Chen Shiqi
Published: November 2020

Background. Clinical named entity recognition is the basic task of mining electronic medical records text, which are with some challenges containing the language features of Chinese electronic medical records text with many compound entities, serious missing sentence components, and unclear entity boundary. Moreover, the corpus of Chinese electronic medical records is difficult to obtain. Methods. Aiming at these characteristics of Chinese electronic medical records, this study proposed a Chinese clinical entity recognition model based on deep learning pretraining. The model used word embedding from domain corpus and fine-tuning of entity recognition model pretrained by relevant corpus. Then BiLSTM and Transformer are, respectively, used as feature extractors to identify four types of clinical entities including diseases, symptoms, drugs, and operations from the text of Chinese electronic medical records. Results. 75.06% Macro-P, 76.40% Macro-R, and 75.72% Macro-F1 aiming at test dataset could be achieved. These experiments show that the Chinese clinical entity recognition model based on deep learning pretraining can effectively improve the recognition effect. Conclusions. These experiments show that the proposed Chinese clinical entity recognition model based on deep learning pretraining can effectively improve the recognition performance.
Protective Effects of Two Halophilic Crude Extracts from Pseudomonas zhaodongensis and Bacillus stratosphericus against Memory Deficits and Anxiety‐ and Depression‐Like Behaviors in Methionine‐Induced Schizophrenia in Mice Focusing on Oxidative Stress Status
Authors: Massaoudi Yousra , Anissi Jaouad , Lefter Radu , Lobiuc Andrei , Sendide Khalid , Ciobica Alin , Hassouni Mohammed El
Published: November 2020

Recently, the implication of oxidative stress in behavioral‐like disorders has received a lot of attention. Many studies were interested in searching for new natural compounds with protective effects on behavioral‐like disorders by focusing on oxidative stress as the main causal factor. Here, we assess the potential effect of cell‐free extracts from halophilic bacteria on memory, anxiety, and depression‐related behaviors in mice, as well as on cognitive deficits, negative symptoms, and some oxidative stress biomarkers in methionine‐induced mice models of schizophrenia. Firstly, crude extracts of bacteria isolated from the Dead Sea were screened for their effects on memory and anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors through Y‐maze, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming test, respectively, using two doses 60 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg. Then, 120 mg/kg of two bacterial crude extracts, from two strains designated SL22 and BM20 and identified as Bacillus stratosphericus and Pseudomonas zhaodongensis, respectively, with significant contents of phenolic and flavonoid‐like compounds, were selected for the assessment of cognitive and negative symptom improvement, as well as for their effects on oxidative stress status in methionine‐induced mice models of schizophrenia using six groups (controls, methionine, crude extracts solely, and combinations of crude extracts and methionine). Results showed that the administration of the crude extracts caused a significant increase in the spontaneous alternations in the Y‐maze task, the time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze, and a decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming test in comparison with the control group. Furthermore, the administration of bacterial extracts seemed to diminish disorders related to cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and to improve the oxidative state in the temporal lobes, in comparison with the methionine group. Our findings suggest substantial antioxidant and anti‐neuropsychiatric effects of the crude extracts prepared from Pseudomonas zhaodongensis strain BM20 and Bacillus stratosphericus strain SL22 and that further studies are needed to purify and to determine the active fraction from the extracts.
Total Glucosides of Paeony Alleviate Cell Apoptosis and Inflammation by Targeting the Long Noncoding RNA XIST/MicroRNA-124-3p/ITGB1 Axis in Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Chen Fang , Hu Yi , Xie Yuetao , Zhao Zonghui , Ma Lin , Li Zhili , Tan Wanlong
Published: November 2020

Objective. Renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RI/RI) is the main cause of acute kidney injury. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) are a traditional Chinese medicine. This study was aimed at exploring the role of TGP in RI/RI and its underlying mechanism of action. Methods. Rat RI/RI models were constructed by surgical operation. Serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were used to evaluate renal function. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA. RI/RI was simulated by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) treatment in renal cells in vitro. The lncRNA XIST (XIST) expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Then, the viability and apoptosis of renal cells were detected by MTT and flow cytometry assay. Additionally, dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the interactions among XIST, microRNA-124-3p (miR-124-3p), and ITGB1. Results. TGP improved renal function and inhibited inflammatory responses after RI/RI. XIST expression was highly expressed in rat RI/RI models and H/R-treated renal cells, whereas treatment with TGP downregulated the XIST expression. Additionally, TGP increased viability and attenuated apoptosis and inflammation of H/R-treated renal cells via inhibiting XIST. Moreover, XIST was competitively bound to miR-124-3p, and ITGB1 was a target of miR-124-3p. miR-124-3p overexpression or ITGB1 inhibition rescued the reduction effect on viability and mitigated the promoting effects on cell apoptosis and inflammation caused by XIST overexpression in H/R-treated renal cells. Conclusions. In vivo, TGP attenuated renal dysfunction and inflammation in RI/RI rats. In vitro, TGP inhibited XIST expression to modulate the miR-124-3p/ITGB1 axis, alleviating the apoptosis and inflammation of H/R-treated renal cells.
Heat Transfer of Gas Flow within a Partially Heated or Cooled Square Cavity
Authors: Hssikou Mohamed , Elguennouni Youssef , Baliti Jamal , Alaoui Mohammed
Published: November 2020

Natural convection of gas flow (air) confined within an enclosed square-section cavity is investigated numerically using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The right (left) side of the enclosure is partially heated (cooled) by a hot (cold) chip, while the left (right) one is completely kept at cold (hot) temperature. However, the horizontal walls and vertical parts near the chip are kept adiabatic. The buoyancy effect induced by the gravity acceleration, related to the convection force, is evaluated through the Rayleigh number in the range of

1

0

3

−
1

0

6

(laminar regime). The wall heating-ratio effect on the flow properties such as temperature and velocity profiles was examined. The heat transfer is analyzed through the Nusselt number for different chip lengths. Results show that the wall heat ratio has an interesting effect on the flow behavior. Results show good agreement with those of full natural convection in the literature, experimental, and simulation data.
Preliminary Investigation on Crop Growth, Physiology, and Yield of Rice under Partial Root-Zone Irrigation
Authors: Parthasarathi Theivasigamani , Nirmal kumar A. R. , Vanitha Koothan
Published: November 2020

Rice is a staple food predominantly consumed by more than half of the global population. Water deficit is a crucial threat to produce rice globally. Prevailing water-saving techniques for rice can reduce water inputs but are not widely adopted due to the high yield penalty. Partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) is an innovative water-saving technique that allows simultaneous wet and dry areas within the root zone. We hypothesized that optimized PRI improves the water use and reduces the yield penalty of rice. A split root experiment was conducted on rice grown in pots with six defined PRI treatments, that is, PRI1, PRI2, PRI3, PRI4, PRI5, and PRI6. Half of the root system was wetted and alternated between halves with one- (PRI1), two- (PRI2), three- (PRI3), four- (PRI4), five- (PRI5), and six- (PRI6) day intervals. Conventionally irrigated rice plants where the whole root zone of rice was wetted and grown in the nonsplit pot were maintained and considered as control. Control and PRI treatments were irrigated based on 100% potential evapotranspiration demand (ETc). In particular, one PRI treatment (PRI3) showed a remarkable increase in active roots and leaf photosynthesis (PN) by wet and dry cycles within the root zone. Distinctive shoot responses of rice under PRI indicated enriched physiological responses for superior water productivity. The third-day-interval partial root-zone irrigation (PRI3) and conventional irrigation had similar leaf water potential (Ψleaf), while PRI3 had higher grain yield than conventional treatment and higher root surface area that may have compensated for the moderate level of stress in PRI. The finding that PRI scheduled at three-day intervals (PRI3) was superior to conventional irrigation for a single rice plant is promising and needs to be tested and adapted to field conditions.
Differential Diagnosis of Cesarean Scar Pregnancies and Other Pregnancies Implanted in the Lower Uterus by Ultrasound Parameters
Authors: Li Kangning , Dai Qing
Published: November 2020

Purpose. Cesarean scar pregnancy is an extremely rare type of ectopic pregnancy implanted in the myometrium at the site of a previous cesarean section scar. On the other hand, pregnancies are considered low implantations if they are identified in the lower third of the uterus without the sac implanted into the scar and have a better prognosis. Early diagnosis of both types of pregnancies can help avoid serious complications. This study is aimed at investigating the significance of transvaginal ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of cesarean scar pregnancies and pregnancies implanted in the lower uterus. Methods. Ninety‐three patients with an average age of 32.7 years (range, 24–43 years) were enrolled in this study, including 66 cesarean scar pregnancies and 27 other pregnancies implanted in the lower uterus, and they were examined by transvaginal ultrasound. Results. We observed significant differences in the relationship between the cesarean sac and the scar, the source of the trophoblastic blood flow, and the thickness of the residual muscle between the cesarean scar pregnancy group and the lower uterus pregnancy group. We established the logistic model to improve the differential diagnosis of cesarean scar pregnancies and pregnancies implanted in the lower uterus. Conclusions. Transvaginal ultrasound is recommended in early pregnancy, especially for patients who have undergone a previous cesarean section delivery.
Study on the Permeability of Modified Bentonite Slurry in Landfill
Authors: Zhang Zenan , Dai Guozhong , Sheng Yanmin
Published: November 2020

The impermeability of cutoff wall is one of the most important factors affecting the life of landfill. Hence, we used sodium carboxymethyl cellulose to modify bentonite and developed a modified bentonite‐cement‐fly ash antiseepage slurry with a low permeability coefficient. The main material of the slurry is bentonite modified by sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, cement, fly ash, and auxiliary materials such as sodium carbonate and polycarboxylate superplasticizer. The optimal ratio of the basic components of the antiseepage slurry was optimized by the orthogonal test method. The permeability coefficient of the consolidated slurry was determined by a variable head permeameter. The optimal dosage of each component of slurry is 210∼220 kg/m3 cement, 210∼220 kg/m3 bentonite, 1.5∼2.5 kg/m3 sodium carbonate, 1.5∼2.0 kg/m3 sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 160 kg/m3 fly ash, and 3 kg/m3 polycarboxylate superplasticizer. The 28‐day consolidation slurry permeability coefficient is less than 1 × 10−8 cm/s and has a good adsorption effect on the pollutants in landfill leachate.
Dynamic Multiobjective Optimization with Multiple Response Strategies Based on Linear Environment Detection
Authors: Yu Qiyuan , Zhong Shen , Liu Zun , Lin Qiuzhen , Huang Peizhi
Published: November 2020

Dynamic multiobjective optimization problems (DMOPs) bring more challenges for multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) due to its time-varying characteristic. To handle this kind of DMOPs, this paper presents a dynamic MOEA with multiple response strategies based on linear environment detection, called DMOEA-LEM. In this approach, different types of environmental changes are estimated and then the corresponding response strategies are activated to generate an efficient initial population for the new environment. DMOEA-LEM not only detects whether the environmental changes but also estimates the types of linear changes so that different prediction models can be selected to initialize the population when the environmental changes. To study the performance of DMOEA-LEM, a large number of test DMOPs are adopted and the experiments validate the advantages of our algorithm when compared to three state-of-the-art dynamic MOEAs.
Parametric Analysis of Negative and Positive Refractive Index Lens Antenna by ANSYS HFSS
Authors: Hung Phan Van , Dinh Nguyen Quoc , Yamada Yoshihide , Michishita Naobumi , Islam Mohammad Tariqul
Published: November 2020

Lens antennas with multibeam, high gain, and low sidelobe level are potential candidates for base station antennas in 5G mobile communication. In this paper, the authors perform simulation and parametric analysis of a lens antenna with positive and negative refractive indexes (NRI) using the modern electromagnetic field simulation software ANSYS HFSS. The simulation results of structures and theoretical calculations are analyzed and compared. The simulation results show the effectiveness of using negative refractive index lens antennas to minimize the dimension. The lens thickness with a negative refractive index decreased from 24.5 mm to 6.1 mm compared to the positive refractive index lens’s thickness. The results also indicate the similarities in gain, sidelobe level, amplitude, and electric field distribution on the aperture plane of the negative and positive refractive indexes (PRI) lens antennas compared to the theoretical calculation. In addition, the authors simulate a lens structure with additional quarter wavelength matching layers (MLs) to estimate the antireflection performance.
Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies Key Genes and Pathways in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Associated with DNMT3A Mutation
Authors: Chen Shuyi , Chen Yimin , Lu Jielun , Yuan Danyun , He Lang , Tan Huo , Xu Lihua
Published: November 2020

Background. DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A) mutation was one of the most frequent genetic alterations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which was associated with poor prognosis and appeared to be a potential biomarker. Herein, we aimed to identify the key genes and pathways involved in adult AML with DNMT3A mutations and to find possible therapeutic targets for improving treatment. Methods. The RNA sequencing datasets of 170 adult AML patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. EdgeR of the R platform was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed by Metascape and DAVID. And protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network and clustering modules were analyzed with the STRING database and Cytoscape software. Results. Mutated DNMT3A resulted in a shorter overall survival (OS) in AML patients and obviously associated with age, blast percentage in peripheral blood, and FLT3 mutation. A total of 283 DEGs were detected, of which 95 were upregulated and 188 were downregulated. GO term analysis showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in neutrophil degranulation, myeloid cell differentiation, stem cell proliferation, positive regulation of neurological system process, leukocyte migration, and tissue morphogenesis. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the pathway of cancer, PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer may play a crucial role in DNMT3A mutation AML. Seven hub genes (BMP4, MPO, THBS1, APP, ELANE, HOXA7, and VWF) had a significant prognostic value. Conclusion. Bioinformatics analysis in the present study provided novel targets for early diagnosis and new strategies for treatment for AML with DNMT3A mutation.
Hepigenetics: A Review of Epigenetic Modulators and Potential Therapies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Yousef Mohamed H. , El-Fawal Hassan A. N. , Abdelnaser Anwar
Published: November 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the second most lethal, following lung cancer. Currently applied therapeutic practices rely on surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or a combination thereof. These treatment options are associated with extreme adversities, and risk/benefit ratios do not always work in patients’ favor. Anomalies of the epigenome lie at the epicenter of aberrant molecular mechanisms by which the disease develops and progresses. Modulation of these anomalous events poses a promising prospect for alternative treatment options, with an abundance of felicitous results reported in recent years. Herein, the most recent epigenetic modulators in hepatocellular carcinoma are recapitulated on.
EMT Transcription Factor ZEB1 Represses the Mutagenic POLθ-Mediated End-Joining Pathway in Breast Cancers
Authors: Prodhomme Mélanie K. , Pommier Roxane M. , Franchet Camille , Fauvet Frédérique , Bergoglio Valérie , Brousset Pierre , Morel Anne-Pierre , Brunac Anne-Cécile , Devouassoux-Shisheboran Mojgan , Petrilli Virginie , Moyret-Lalle Caroline , Hoffmann Jean-Sébastien , Puisieux Alain , Tissier Agnès
Published: November 2020

A characteristic of cancer development is the acquisition of genomic instability, which results from the inaccurate repair of DNA damage. Among double-strand break repair mechanisms induced by oncogenic stress, the highly mutagenic theta-mediated end-joining (TMEJ) pathway, which requires DNA polymerase theta (POLθ) encoded by the POLQ gene, has been shown to be overexpressed in several human cancers. However, little is known regarding the regulatory mechanisms of TMEJ and the consequence of its dysregulation. In this study, we combined a bioinformatics approach exploring both Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion of the zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) in claudin-low tumor cells or forced expression of ZEB1 in basal-like tumor cells, two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes, to demonstrate that ZEB1 represses POLQ expression. ZEB1, a master epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition–inducing transcription factor, interacted directly with the POLQ promoter. Moreover, downregulation of POLQ by ZEB1 fostered micronuclei formation in TNBC tumor cell lines. Consequently, ZEB1 expression prevented TMEJ activity, with a major impact on genome integrity. In conclusion, we showed that ZEB1 directly inhibits the expression of POLQ and, therefore, TMEJ activity, controlling both stability and integrity of breast cancer cell genomes.

Significance:

These findings uncover an original mechanism of TMEJ regulation, highlighting ZEB1 as a key player in genome stability during cancer progression via its repression of POLQ.

See related commentary by Carvajal-Maldonado and Wood, p. 1441
Improved Renal Recovery with Eculizumab Therapy among Children with High Prevalence of Mutation-Associated Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Bamhraz Abdulaziz A. , Rahim Khawla A. , Faqeehi Hassan Y. , Alanazi Abdulkarim
Published: November 2020

Introduction: Genetic defects that determine uncontrolled activation of the alternative complement pathway have been well documented, which account for approximately 40–60% of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) cases worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, nearly half of the marriages are consanguineous, resulting in a high prevalence of such genetic diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of eculizumab against aHUS. Objective: We report our experience of using plasma therapy or/and eculizumab to treat children with aHUS in a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia and to compare their clinical characteristics, genetic mutations, and treatment outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2010 and May 2017. Data, including demographic parameters, clinical presentation, hospital stay duration, need for dialysis, renal recovery, genetic mutations, and outcomes, were obtained from electronic medical records of all eligible patients. Results: Overall, 21 children with aHUS were included, of which 12 (57.1%) received eculizumab therapy and 9 (42.9%) received only plasma therapy. End-stage renal disease occurred in 7 children (33.3%), of which 4 (57.1%) received only plasma therapy and 3 (42.9%) received eculizumab therapy whose genetic mutations were not related to the complement dysregulation system. No child who received eculizumab therapy showed recurrence; however, 3 children (33.3%) who received plasma therapy alone showed recurrence. Genetic mutations were detected in 12/20 (60%) of those who underwent genetic screening. Conclusions: Children who received eculizumab therapy showed good renal recovery and maintained remission compared with children who received plasma therapy alone. Genetic mutations were detected in 60% of the patients, which was associated with a high prevalence of consanguineous marriages.
Molecular Mechanisms of Antibody-Mediated Rejection and Accommodation in Organ Transplantation
Authors: Kenta Iwasaki , Takaaki Kobayashi
Published: November 2020

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in organ transplantation has been recognized as the main cause of graft rejection. Binding of donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA) and A/B blood type antibody on graft endothelial cells causes complement-dependent tissue damage. C4d, a product of the complement cascade, has long been an indicator of graft tissue damage in graft endothelial cells. By contrast, recent evidences indicated histological findings of ABMR without C4d deposition in many cases and Banff classification criteria included a category of C4d-negative ABMR. Several mechanisms have been proposed for complement-independent tissue injury in the presence of DSA. It is well known that activated monocytes and macrophages infiltrate into graft tissues. The inflammatory environment triggered by the binding of DSA to endothelial cells alone can induce an allo-reaction of CD4 T-cells via graft endothelial cell HLA-class II. Accommodation is a condition that no rejections occur even in the presence of an antibody against donor organs and becomes attracting considerable attention as a therapeutic strategy to acquire long-term survival of the transplanted organs. Several recent publications have suggested some mechanistic insights about graft accommodation, including the upregulation of antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and complement regulatory proteins genes via activation of PI3K/AKT survival signal or inactivation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase pro-inflammatory signals after DSA and anti-A/B antibody ligation on endothelial cells.
Clinical Significance of Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator, Riociguat, on Right Ventricular Functional Improvement in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Murata Mitsushige , Kawakami Takashi , Kataoka Masaharu , Moriyama Hidenori , Hiraide Takahiro , Kimura Mai , Endo Jin , Kohno Takashi , Itabashi Yuji , Fukuda Keiichi
Published: November 2020

Background: Riociguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator that improves hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Accumulating evidence implicates the additional effect of riociguat on the increase in cardiac output. However, its mechanisms have not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate whether riociguat could ameliorate right ventricular (RV) contraction as well as hemodynamics. Methods: We studied 45 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (14) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (31) and evaluated hemodynamics, using right-sided heart catheterization, before and after the administration of riociguat. RV function was assessed by echocardiography, including speckle-tracking echocardiography. Results: Riociguat significantly improved the WHO functional class and reduced the mean pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance. In addition, the cardiac index increased. RV remodeling was ameliorated after riociguat administration as assessed by the echocardiographic parameters, such as RV diameter and RV area index. RV function, including RV fractional area change and RV global longitudinal strain, also significantly improved, and their improvement was even observed in patients with mild PH after pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Furthermore, covariance analysis revealed that RV global longitudinal strain and RV fractional area change improved after riociguat administration, even with the same mean pulmonary arterial pressure, implicating the improvement of RV contractile function by riociguat, regardless of RV loading. Conclusions: Riociguat not only improved the hemodynamics of patients with PH but also ameliorated the echocardiographic parameters with RV function. RV strain could detect the subtle improvement in mild PH, and riociguat may have a benefit even after intervention, as assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography.
Relation between Accumulated Air Pollution Exposure and Sub-Clinical Cardiovascular Disease in 33,723 Danish 60–74-Year-Old Males from the Background Population (AIR-CARD): A Method Article
Authors: Lambrechtsen Jess , Mayntz Stephan Krog , Engdam Kalle Brunebjerg , Egstrup Kenneth , Nielsen Jan , Steffensen Flemming Hald , Frohn Lise M. , Brandt Jørgen , Ketzel Matthias , Pyndt Diederichsen Axel Cosmus , Lindholt Jes Sanddal
Published: November 2020

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and disability in the Western world, and there is increasing evidence that air pollution is a risk factor for developing sub-clinical cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have shown a correlation between cardiovascular disease and short-term exposure to elevated air pollution levels. However, the literature on the impact of long-term effect of air pollution is limited. We have a unique opportunity to evaluate this correlation. The DEHM/UBM/AirGIS model system calculates air pollution in a high temporal and spatial resolution and traces air pollution retrospectively to year 1979. The model calculates accumulated exposure using annual exposure from PM2.5 in relation to home and work addresses and takes into account working hours and holidays. We link the results from this model system to a population-based cardiovascular screening cohort of 33,723 individuals in the age of 60–74 to assess the contribution of the specific accumulated air pollution to the presence of sub-clinical arteriosclerosis in the coronary vessels, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and peripheral arterial disease. This correlation will be further analyzed in relation to specific air pollutants. This study will introduce more precise data for a longer period of time and incorporate participant’s home and work addresses.
Protein Disulfide Isomerase 4 Drives Docetaxel Resistance in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Qian Subo , Zhang Shun , Wu Yu , Ding Yu ,   Shen, Li Xinyan
Published: November 2020

Background: Protein disulfide isomerase 4 (PDIA4) has been reported to be closely associated with chemoresistance in several types of malignancies. But the pathogenic mechanisms of PDIA4 involved in docetaxel (DTX) resistance in prostate cancer (PCa) are still unknown. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the potential effect of PDIA4 on chemoresistance to DTX in PCa cells and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Two types of DTX-resistant PCa cells, that is, DTX-resistant PC-3 cells (PC-3/DTXR) and C4-2B cells (C4-2B/DTXR) were developed, as well as the parental PC-3 and C4-2B cells were obtained to investigate these issues. Short hairpin RNAs targeting human PDIA4 to knockdown the expression of PDIA4 or PDIA4-expressing adenoviral vectors to overexpress the PDIA4 were transfected into PCa cells to study the underlying mechanisms of PDIA4 involving in PCa DTX resistance. Results: Results showed that PDIA4 exhibited a dramatic overexpression in PC-3/DTXR and C4-2B/DTXR cells. Down-regulation of PDIA4 by infecting PC-3/DTXR and C4-2B/DTXR cells with shPDIA4 lentivirus stimulated cell death by prompting apoptosis. Up-regulation of PDIA4 by infecting PC-3 and C4-2B cells with PDIA4-expressing adenovirus showed severer resistance to DTX. In addition, PDIA4 up-regulation induced phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) expression, while PDIA4 knockdown significantly inhibited the expression in PCa cells. Conclusions: Our study indicates that PDIA4 is a negative regulator of PCa cell apoptosis and plays a critical role in PCa DTX resistance by activating the Akt-signaling pathway. Thereby, it implies that targeting PDIA4 could be a potential adjuvant therapeutic approach against DTX resistance in PCa.