bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SmartIO
Authors: Markussen Jonas , Kristiansen Lars Bjørlykke , Halvorsen Pål , Kielland-Gyrud Halvor , Stensland Håkon Kvale , Griwodz Carsten
Published: July 2021

The large variety of compute-heavy and data-driven applications accelerate the need for a distributed I/O solution that enables cost-effective scaling of resources between networked hosts. For example, in a cluster system, different machines may have various devices available at different times, but moving workloads to remote units over the network is often costly and introduces large overheads compared to accessing local resources. To facilitate I/O disaggregation and device sharing among hosts connected using Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) non-transparent bridges, we present SmartIO. NVMes, GPUs, network adapters, or any other standard PCIe device may be borrowed and accessed directly, as if they were local to the remote machines. We provide capabilities beyond existing disaggregation solutions by combining traditional I/O with distributed shared-memory functionality, allowing devices to become part of the same global address space as cluster applications. Software is entirely removed from the data path, and simultaneous sharing of a device among application processes running on remote hosts is enabled. Our experimental results show that I/O devices can be shared with remote hosts, achieving native PCIe performance. Thus, compared to existing device distribution mechanisms, SmartIO provides more efficient, low-cost resource sharing, increasing the overall system performance.
Optoelectronic Properties of a Benzodithiophene-Based Organic Photovoltaic
Authors: Su Yu-Wei , Huang Yi-Shan , Huang Ho-Chun , Chen Po-Tuan
Published: July 2021

Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) contains electron donating groups and conjugates with acceptor material as a donor-acceptor type conjugated polymer, which can be applied in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics due to its high charge carrier mobility. In this study, we used Stille coupling polymerization to synthesize a BDT monomer with thiophene side-chains and copolymerized with dioctyl 2,5-dibromoterephthalate (DTP) to form a 2-D type donor-acceptor conjugated polymer, BDT-DTP. Thermal analyses indicated that BDT-DTP has a high thermal decomposition temperature of 342.07 °C (weight loss = 5%), showing excellent thermal stability. The active layer comprised of BDT-DTP:3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))−5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2′,3′-d′]-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b′]dithiophene (ITIC) blended film in a OPV device could achieve a power conversion efficiency of 1.08%, open-circuit voltage of 0.88 V, short-circuit current density of 4.08 mA cm−2, and fill factor of 30.1%. This work demonstrates a novel structure of benzodithiophene-based donor material used in the photovoltaic application.
Unusual Site for a White Nodule on the Palatine Tonsil: Presentation, Differential Diagnosis, and Discussion
Authors: Aloyouny Ashwag Yagoub
Published: July 2021

Introduction. Palatine tonsils are part of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, located in the oropharyngeal region. Although these tissues protect the body from foreign intruders, they are more prone to infections due to their anatomical structure and location. For instance, the differential diagnosis of a white lesion on the palatine tonsil can range from benign to malignant lesions. Oral lymphoepithelial cysts commonly arise as painless, yellowish nodules on the floor of the mouth and the ventral or lateral surface of the tongue. Case Presentation. This paper presents a rare case of an unusual site of a lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) in the oral cavity. The lesion was located in the tonsil of a 20-year-old woman with a chief complaint of a painless, white lump in the back of the mouth for nine months. Discussion. The differential diagnosis of a white lesion on the palatine tonsil is caused by several factors, such as bacterial, viral, and fungal infections; trauma; stones; cysts; abscess; or cancer. In this case, both the clinical presentation and extra- and intraoral examinations were highly associated with LEC. Oral LEC etiopathogenesis is uncertain, and several theories have been proposed to discuss the causes of LEC. In addition, oral LEC could be monitored without surgical intervention if the nodule is asymptomatic. Conclusion. We emphasize the importance of a thorough clinical examination of oral and oropharyngeal lesions, which are usually neglected.
Polymorphism of CD14 Gene Is Associated with Adverse Outcome among Patients Suffering from Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Schulz Susanne , Zielske Martin , Schneider Sascha , Hofmann Britt , Schaller Hans-Günter , Schlitt Axel , Reichert Stefan
Published: July 2021

Background. The biological link between severe periodontitis and cardiovascular disease is well established. Both complex inflammatory diseases are influenced by genetic background. Therefore, the impact of genetic variations of receptors of the innate immune system—(Toll-like receptors (TLRs)) TLR2, TLR4, cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), and the transcription factor nuclear factor-κΒ (NF-κB)—was investigated. Materials and Methods. In this study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01045070), 1002 cardiovascular (CV) patients were included. In a 3-year follow-up period, new vascular events were assessed. SNPs in CD14 (rs2569190), NF-κΒ (rs28362491), TLR2 (rs5743708), and TLR4 (rs4986790) were genotyped. The impact of these genetic variants on severe periodontitis as well as on CV outcome was assessed. Results. All investigated genetic variants were not associated with preexisting CV events or severe periodontitis in CV patients. In Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, the CT genotype of CD14 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2569190 was shown to be an independent predictor for combined CV endpoint (log rank:p=0.035; cox regression; hazard ratio: 1.572;p=0.044) as well as cardiovascular death (log rank:p=0.019; cox regression; hazard ratio: 1.585;p=0.040) after three years of follow-up. Conclusions. SNPs in CD14, NF-κΒ, TLR2, and TLR4 are no risk modulators for preexisting CV events or severe periodontitis in CV patients. The CT genotype of CD14 SNP rs2569190 provides prognostic value for further CV events within 3 years of follow-up.
New Weighted Hermite–Hadamard Type Inequalities for Differentiable
h
-Convex and Quasi
h
-Convex Mappings
Authors: Latif Muhammad Amer
Published: July 2021

In this paper, new weighted Hermite–Hadamard type inequalities for differentiable

h

-convex and quasi

h

-convex functions are proved. These results generalize many results proved in earlier works for these classes of functions. Applications of some of our results to

s
˘

-divergence and to statistics are given.
Solving “Limited” Task Allocation Problem for UAVs Based on Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Zhang Xiaopan , Chen Xingjun
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of science and technology, unmanned technology has been widely used in many fields. One of the most important applications is in the field of civil and military UAVs. In the field of military UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), UAVs usually have to complete a series of tasks. In this series of tasks, there are often some key tasks. Key tasks play an important role, which is highly related to the feasibility of the whole action or task; mission failure sometimes causes incalculable damage. When assigning tasks to UAVs, it is necessary to ensure the accurate implementation of key tasks, so as to ensure the orderly implementation of the overall task. This paper not only successfully solved the previous problems but also comprehensively considered the minimization of resource consumption and the maximization of task revenue in the process of UAV task allocation. On the basis of considering the key system, considering the constraints and multiobjective problems in the UAV task allocation process, the violence allocation algorithm, constraint optimization evolutionary algorithm, PSO algorithm, and greedy algorithm combined with a constraint evolutionary algorithm are improved and optimized; it has been proven that they can solve the above difficulties. At the same time, several comparison experiments have been carried out; the performance and conclusion of the above four algorithms in the “limited” UAV task allocation scheme are analyzed in the experimental part.
Performance Modeling Analysis of D-MSMR-CARQ with Relay Selection in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zhou Yongqiang , Qian Huan , Wang Qihao , Li Suoping
Published: July 2021

Reliable and efficient real-time transmission is an important and challenging issue for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Truncated retransmission times and relay selection can effectively reduce transmission delay and improve system throughput. A new direct multisource multirelay cooperative automatic repeat request (D-MSMR-CARQ) protocol based on truncation with two relay selection methods in WSNs is analytically analyzed in this paper. Firstly, based on two different relay selection methods under the maximum ratio combining (MRC), the discrete time Markov chain (DTMC) model of D-MSMR-CARQ protocol and state space is established. Secondly, for each D-MSMR-CARQ protocol based on different relay selection method, we obtain the closed-form expressions of the system average transmission delay and the expressions of the system throughput through state transition probabilities. Finally, numerical results reveal that the first relay selection method outperforms the second relay selection method on the average transmission delay performance for the proposed protocol. More specifically, the delay performance of the proposed protocol can be improved by 13% compared with the nondirect-link protocol when the channel environment is the same; the proposed protocol improves the throughput performance by 47% compared with the nondirect protocol when the channel environment is harsh under the same simulation parameters. Furthermore, the optimal number of source nodes and relay nodes is determined.
Study on HOXBs of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Detection of New Molecular Target
Authors: Wu Guangzhen , Li Xiaowei , Liu Yuanxin , Li Quanlin , Xu Yingkun , Wang Qifei
Published: July 2021

Our study examined the transcriptional and survival data of HOXBs in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) from the ONCOMINE database, Human Protein Atlas, and STRING website. We discovered that the expression levels of HOXB3/5/6/8/9 were significantly lower in ccRCC than in normal nephritic tissues. In ccRCC, patients with a high expression of HOXB2/5/6/7/8/9 mRNA have a higher overall survival (OS) than patients with low expression. Further analysis by the GSCALite website revealed that the methylation of HOXB3/5/6/8 in ccRCC was significantly negatively correlated to gene expression, while HOXB5/9 was positively correlated to the CCT036477 drug target. As DNA abnormal methylation is one of the mechanisms of tumorigenesis, we hypothesized that HOXB5/6/8/9 are potential therapeutic targets for patients with ccRCC. We analyzed the function of enrichment data of HOXBs in patients with ccRCC from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and the PANTHER pathway. The results of the analysis show that the function of HOXBs might be associated with the Wnt pathway and that HOXB5/6/8/9 was coexpressed with multiple Wnt pathway classical genes and proteins, such as MYC, CTNNB, Cyclin D1 (CCND1), and tumor protein P53 (TP53), which further confirms that HOXBs inhibit the growth of renal carcinoma cells through the Wnt signaling pathway. In conclusion, our analysis of the family of HOXBs and their molecular mechanism may provide a theoretical basis for further research.
Global Research on Neuropathic Pain Rehabilitation over the Last 20 Years
Authors: Su Xuan , Hu Hao-Yu , Xu Chang
Published: July 2021

Background. Neuropathic pain has long been a very popular and productive field of clinical research. Neuropathic pain is difficult to cure radically because of its complicated etiology and uncertain pathogenesis. As pain worsens and persists, pain recovery techniques become more important, and medication alone is insufficient. No summary of bibliometric studies on neuropathic pain rehabilitation is yet available. The purpose of the present study is to analyze in a systematic manner the trends of neuropathic pain rehabilitation research over the period of 2000–2019. Methods. Studies related to neuropathic pain rehabilitation and published between January 2000 and December 2019 were obtained from the Science Citation Index-Expanded of Web of Science. No restrictions on language, literature type, or species were established. CiteSpace V and Microsoft Excel were used to capture basic information and highlights in the field. Results. Linear regression analysis showed that the number of publications on neuropathic pain rehabilitation significantly increased over time (

P
<
0.001

). The United States showed absolute strength in terms of number of papers published, influence, and cooperation with other countries. Based on the subject categories of the Web of Science, “Rehabilitation” had the highest number of published papers (446), the highest number of citations (10,954), and the highest number of open-access papers (151); moreover, this category and “Clinical Neurology” had the same

H

-index (i.e., 52). “Randomized Controlled Trials” revealed the largest cluster in the cocitation map of references. The latest burst keywords included “Exercise” (2014–2019), “Functional Recovery” (2015–2019), and “Questionnaire” (2015–2019). Conclusion. This study provides valuable information for neuropathic pain rehabilitation researchers seeking fresh viewpoints related to collaborators, cooperative institutions, and popular topics in this field. Some new research trends are also highlighted.
Analysis of SWIPT-Enabled Relay Networks with Full-Duplex Destination-Aided Jamming
Authors: Ou Jinglan , Shi Hangchuan , Wang Liubin , Ma Rui , Wu Haowei
Published: July 2021

Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) is a major breakthrough in the field of low-power wireless information transmissions. In this paper, the secrecy performance of the SWIPT-enabled relay network with full-duplex destination-aided jamming is assessed, where both the power-splitting (PS) and time-switching (TS) schemes at the relay are considered with the linear and nonlinear energy harvesting models. The relay harvests energy from the confidential signal and artificial noise sent by the source and destination, respectively, and forwards the amplified signal to the destination, in the presence of an eavesdropper. The analytical closed-form expressions of the connection outage probability (COP), secrecy outage probability (SOP), and transmission outage probability (TOP) for PS- and TS-based schemes are derived, and the closed-form expression of the lower bound of ergodic secrecy capacity (ESC) is calculated. The asymptotic-form expressions of the COP, SOP, TOP, and ESC are further analyzed to capture the valuable information in the high SNR regime. Numerical results verify the correctness of analytical results, reveal the effects of the PS/TS ratio, and transmit the signal-to-noise ratio on secrecy performance.
miR-223-5p Suppresses OTX1 to Mediate Malignant Progression of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Lu Yunping
Published: July 2021

Background. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) features high morbidity and mortality as a worldwide malignant tumor. This study mainly explored a miR-223-5p-dependent mechanism that affected proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUSC cells. Methods. Expression data of mature miRNAs and sequencing data of total RNA of LUSC were downloaded from TCGA database. Differentially expressed mRNAs were obtained. Function of miR-223-5p in LUSC cells was detected by assays like qRT-PCR, MTT, wound healing assay, Western blot, and Transwell assay. Western blot was performed to analyze the relationship between OTX1 and JAK/STAT signaling pathways. Dual-luciferase assay detected the relationship between miR-223-5p and OTX1. The way how miR-223-5p regulated LUSC cell biological functions via OTX1 was further explored. Results. It was noted that miR-223-5p expression in LUSC tissue and cells was significantly reduced. Overexpression of miR-223-5p negatively regulated the proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUSC cells. The downstream target gene OTX1 was detected to be notably elevated in LUSC cells. A negative correlation between OTX1 and miR-223-5p was also found. As analyzed by GSEA, OTX1 was significantly enriched in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and activated the pathway. Dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that OTX1 was a direct molecular target of miR-223-5p in LUSC cells. Rescue experiment verified that miR-223-5p regulated the malignant phenotypes of LUSC cells by pairing with OTX1. Conclusion. This study indicated that miR-223-5p was lowly expressed in LUSC cells. The impact of miR-223-5p on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration was realized by targeting OTX1. It is likely that miR-223-5p can be a novel target for LUSC treatment, which provides new ideas for future LUSC treatment.
Reductions in Muscle Strength and Range of Motion Cause Locomotion Disability via Locomotion-Related Functional Limitation in Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Jung Hungu , Tanaka Shigeharu , Iwamoto Yuji , Kawano Takashi , Yamasaki Masahiro , Tanaka Ryo
Published: July 2021

Background. Functional issues (impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities) gradually occur with age. Nonetheless, maintaining physical capability may help prevent locomotion disabilities at an older age. The present study aimed to determine whether reductions in muscle strength and range of motion (ROM) cause locomotion disability via locomotion-related functional limitations among healthy older adults. Methods. Data from a total of 144 participants (61 men, 83 women) were analyzed. To assess locomotion disability, the locomotor domain of the activities of daily living (ADLs) survey from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan was used. Muscle strength (grip strength) and two ROMs (hip flexion and knee flexion) were measured. To measure locomotion-related functional limitations, participants underwent a 10 m hurdle walking test and side-step test. Thereafter, path analysis was conducted for testing the hypothetical model. The goodness of fit in the model was assessed using statistical parameters, such as the chi-square value, goodness of fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Results. The analysis revealed a nonsignificant chi-square value (chi-square = 41.885;

p
=
0.113

), as well as high values of GFI (0.944), AGFI (0.904), CFI (0.970), and RMSEA (0.046), indicating that locomotion disability was caused by locomotion-related functional limitations, which were influenced by muscle strength and ROM. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that decreased muscle strength and ROM caused locomotion disability via locomotion-related functional limitations. Older adults should participate in physical exercise programs that focus on strengthening muscles and improving ROM to counteract age-related locomotion disability.
The Entry and Egress of Monocytes in Atherosclerosis: A Biochemical and Biomechanical Driven Process
Authors: Kang Hongyan , Li Xinyu , Xiong Kewen , Song Zhiyun , Tian Jiaxin , Wen Yuqiao , Sun Anqiang , Deng Xiaoyan
Published: July 2021

In accordance with “the response to injury” theory, the entry of monocytes into the intima guided by inflammation signals, taking up cholesterol and transforming into foam cells, and egress from plaques determines the progression of atherosclerosis. Multiple cytokines and receptors have been reported to be involved in monocyte recruitment such as CCL2/CCR2, CCL5/CCR5, and CX3CL1/CX3CR1, and the egress of macrophages from the plaque like CCR7/CCL19/CCL21. Interestingly, some neural guidance molecules such as Netrin-1 and Semaphorin 3E have been demonstrated to show an inhibitory effect on monocyte migration. During the processes of monocytes recruitment and migration, factors affecting the biomechanical properties (e.g., the membrane fluidity, the deformability, and stiffness) of the monocytes, like cholesterol, amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), and lipopolysaccharides (LPS), as well as the biomechanical environment that the monocytes are exposed, like the extracellular matrix stiffness, mechanical stretch, blood flow, and hypertension, were discussed in the latter section. Till now, several small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), monoclonal antibodies, and antagonists for CCR2 have been designed and shown promising efficiency on atherosclerosis therapy. Seeking more possible biochemical factors that are chemotactic or can affect the biomechanical properties of monocytes, and uncovering the underlying mechanism, will be helpful in future studies.
Cloud Computing-Based Medical Health Monitoring IoT System Design
Authors: Cao Shihua , Lin Xin , Hu Keyong , Wang Lidong , Li Wenjuan , Wang Mengxin , Le Yuchao
Published: July 2021

With the continuous improvement of the national medical system, health monitoring combined with cloud computing and Internet of Things has become a concern. This study mainly discusses the design of the medical health monitoring IoT system based on cloud computing. From the user to the health service provider, there are three devices: sensor terminal, gateway terminal, and service platform. The sensor terminal is used to measure physiological indicators, such as blood pressure, electrocardiogram, blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and other physiological indicators; the gateway terminal is used to link the sensor terminal to receive physiological indicators and forward them to the business platform; the gateway is also used to receive health information and other instructions issued by the server. In the community service mode, users can be divided into groups according to the community and region, and the corresponding service doctors and agent customer service personnel (nurses) can be assigned. Users can collect personal physiological indicators at home or outside through the medical terminal. These indicators and information are transmitted to the background health platform system through the mobile GSM-TD communication network. Users can also view their own historical health records and opinions of health consultants through the web/WAP website. Through the integration ability of the health cloud platform, relying on the interconnection with HIS, LIS, and other information systems of professional medical institutions, we jointly operate special value-added services, such as appointment registration, maternal and child healthcare, and medical communication (doctor-patient interaction), so that users can enjoy the remote service and guidance of professional medical institutions by subscribing to health value-added services. The CPU utilization rate is 40%, the internal utilization rate is 7.44 G, the memory utilization rate is 11.8%, and the network bandwidth is 591.87 M. During the whole test process, the indicators are stable, and there are no restart, crash, and other phenomena, so the system performance meets the design requirements.
Efficacy and Safety of Combined Surgeries including Intraocular Direct Cyclophotocoagulation with a 532 nm Laser to Treat Advanced Neovascular Glaucoma
Authors: Chen Xiaomin , Zheng Tian , Zeng Wen , Fu Xia , Wang Shun , Zeng Weijuan , Ke Min
Published: July 2021

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of intraocular direct cyclophotocoagulation (IDCP) using a 532 nm laser with combination treatment in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) for patients with advanced neovascular glaucoma (NVG) with angle closure. In addition, we sought to determine the success rate and frequency of complications and explore an optimized solution to reduce the number of topical medications and the pain of patients. Methods. A retrospective case note review of all patients undergoing combined treatment including IVR, phaco, PPV, PRP, and IDCP from January 2017 to June 2018. Results. In total, 24 consecutive patients (25 eyes) were reviewed. The mean IOP was significantly decreased from 42.2 ± 8.5 mmHg preoperatively to 15.56 ± 2.0 mmHg (

P
<
0.0001

), and no neovascularization of the iris (NVI) reoccurred at month 18. The number of medications used was reduced from 2.72 ± 0.45 preoperatively to 0.87 ± 0.40 at month 18 (

P
<
0.0001

). Conclusions. During 18 months of follow-up, the combined treatments were safe and had a significant IOP-lowering effect. This study provides a new method of performing IDCP with a 532 nm laser, allowing for the use of internal cyclophotocoagulation without extra equipment.
Improving Neural Machine Translation with AMR Semantic Graphs
Authors: Nguyen Long H. B. , Pham Viet H. , Dinh Dien
Published: July 2021

The Seq2Seq model and its variants (ConvSeq2Seq and Transformer) emerge as a promising novel solution to the machine translation problem. However, these models only focus on exploiting knowledge from bilingual sentences without paying much attention to utilizing external linguistic knowledge sources such as semantic representations. Not only do semantic representations can help preserve meaning but they also minimize the data sparsity problem. However, to date, semantic information remains rarely integrated into machine translation models. In this study, we examine the effect of abstract meaning representation (AMR) semantic graphs in different machine translation models. Experimental results on the IWSLT15 English-Vietnamese dataset have proven the efficiency of the proposed model, expanding the use of external language knowledge sources to significantly improve the performance of machine translation models, especially in the application of low-resource language pairs.
Intelligent Computer-Aided Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Systems: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions
Authors: Sammouda Rachid , Gumaei Abdu , El-Zaart Ali
Published: July 2021

Prostate Cancer (PCa) is one of the common cancers among men in the world. About 16.67% of men will be affected by PCa in their life. Due to the integration of magnetic resonance imaging in the current clinical procedure for detecting prostate cancer and the apparent success of imaging techniques in the estimation of PCa volume in the gland, we provide a more detailed review of methodologies that use specific parameters for prostate tissue representation. After collecting over 200 researches on image-based systems for diagnosing prostate cancer, in this paper, we provide a detailed review of existing computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) methods and approaches to identify prostate cancer from images generated using Near-Infrared (NIR), Mid-Infrared (MIR), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques. Furthermore, we introduce two research methodologies to build intelligent CAD systems. The first methodology applies a fuzzy integral method to maintain the diversity and capacity of different classifiers aggregation to detect PCa tumor from NIR and MIR images. The second methodology investigates a typical workflow for developing an automated prostate cancer diagnosis using MRI images. Essentially, CAD development remains a helpful tool of radiology for diagnosing prostate cancer disease. Nonetheless, a complete implementation of effective and intelligent methods is still required for the PCa-diagnostic system. While some CAD applications work well, some limitations need to be solved for automated clinical PCa diagnostic. It is anticipated that more advances should be made in computational image analysis and computer-assisted approaches to satisfy clinical needs shortly in the coming years.
Neuropsychiatric Aspects in a Patient Diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia: Clinical Case of Low Incidence and Prevalence Disease in Colombia
Authors: Vergel Hernández Juliana , Barrera Robledo María Eugenia , Hurtado González Carlos Alberto , Marmolejo Escobar Carlos Steven , Ospina Otalvaro Sebastián , Sánchez Tobón Juan David , Arango de la Pava Pablo Miguel , Alvarez Juan José ,   Researcher Team on Basic, Applied Clinical Neurosciences SEMINEC,   Researcher Team on Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Libre University Cali Colombia, CINEPSIS
Published: July 2021

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neuropsychiatric pathology characterized by dysfunctions in the frontal lobe of the brain, especially in planning, execution, and inhibition tasks, with an inability to make decisions and handle different sequences, also affecting the temporal lobe. The patient presents alterations to store, consolidate, and recall information. These neurocognitive deficits are accompanied by neurobehavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, and apathy that contribute to the worsening of the quality of life, with a high impact on the individual, social, and family level. To identify the neurobehavioral disorders and neurocognitive deterioration that present a patient diagnosed with FTD: clinical case of low incidence and prevalence disease in Colombia. A 40-year-old man, with progressive deterioration of his immediate verbal memory, low verbal fluency, aberrant motor behavior, sexual impulsivity, alterations in his executive functions, especially in planning tasks, decision-making, and inhibition was found to have a lesser degree of affectation in his visuospatial functioning and visuoconstructive abilities. It was found that the patient presents a severe dysexecutive syndrome associated with a clinical picture of FTD, correlated with an inability to process and recall information, accompanied by disorders such as depression, anxiety, and apathy. It is necessary to generate a functional neurorehabilitation plan that aims to improve the quality of life in these patients. In the same way, it is necessary to create new lines of research and intervention that have the purpose to create a greater field of heuristics or new questions in this type of neurodegenerative pathologies.
Herpes Simplex Virus Esophagitis in the Setting of Acute Use of Corticosteroids for COPD Exacerbation in an Immunocompetent Middle-Aged Woman
Authors: Haider Maryam Bilal , Basida Brinda , Bapatla Anusha , Ismail Rana , Hafeez Wasif
Published: July 2021

Herpes simplex (HSV) esophagitis is usually identified in patients with significant immunosuppressive conditions such as AIDS. Short course of immunosuppressive therapy is an uncommon risk factor for this condition. We present a case of acute gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to HSV type 1-induced esophageal ulcers. A 63-year-old woman developed acute hypoxic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Past medical history was significant for COPD for which the patient was taking short-acting bronchodilator inhalers. The patient was intubated and started on mechanical ventilation. Intravenous Solu-Medrol 40 mg Q6 was started. Hospital course was complicated by sepsis of unknown source. Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was started. On the 11th hospital day, the patient experienced multiple episodes of coffee ground emesis. There was abdominal tenderness on physical examination. Significant laboratory results were lipase 1,911 U/L and lymphopenia (ALC = 300/mm3). Endoscopy revealed severe erosive esophagitis and multiple punched-out ulcerations of the esophagus. Empiric treatment with valacyclovir 500 mg OD was started. The patient required PEG tube insertion for dysphagia. Complete resolution of esophagitis was noted then. Immunohistochemical staining for HSV was strongly positive in the cells with inclusions. Short course of intravenous corticosteroids is an uncommon cause of HSV-1 esophagitis. Corticosteroid-induced lymphopenia impedes underlying cellular immunity, which might explain the reactivation of latent herpes and esophageal ulcer formation. Given the rarity of the disease, evidence of treatment is available from case reports only. We found complete resolution of esophageal ulcers after the patient received valacyclovir therapy for 10 days.
Response to a Combination of Full-Dose Osimertinib and Ceritinib in a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with EML4-ALK Rearrangement and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Co-Mutation
Authors: Nguyen Thai Hoa Thi , Pham Xuan Dung , Dao Khanh Linh , Vo Thanh Toan
Published: July 2021

Lung cancer has been the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both developed and developing countries, with most primary lung cancers being non-small cell lung carcinomas. Treatment for this condition is sometimes individualized. With developments in modern treatment and phase III clinical trial results, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and ALK-TKI have proven thier superior effectivity in comparison with the standard platinum-based doublet and are commonly approved as first-line indications in previously untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR or ALK mutations. In the majority of cases, the presence of the ALK rearrangement mutation does not overlap with other mutations in NSCLC. Here, we report a patient with concomitant ALK rearrangement and EGFR mutation treated with a combination of TKIs: osimertinib and ceritinib.
Viscoelastic Coagulation Monitor (VCMVet) Reference Intervals and Sex Differences in Mature Adult Mice
Authors: Rigor Robert R. , Schutzman Linda M. , Galante Joseph M. , Brown Ian E.
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Viscoelastic coagulation tests are useful to assess coagulation status in the clinical setting and to aid in understanding underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that affect coagulation status. Such tests also are useful for coagulation research. Because mouse models are widely used to study molecular mechanisms in fine detail, a simple viscoelastic coagulation test requiring small blood volumes would be convenient for such studies in mice. Methods: We tested viscoelastic coagulation properties of normal healthy adult mice using a novel veterinary clinical point-of-care device, Viscoelastic Coagulation Monitor (VCM Vet™; Entegrion Corp.). Fresh whole blood was collected from 63 healthy mature adult C57 black 6N mice, with ultimately 54 mice, equal numbers of male and females, used to determine reference intervals (RIs) for VCM test parameters. Results: RIs were determined for equal numbers of male and female mice: clot time: 43.0–353.0 s; clot formation time: 49.4–137.6 s; alpha angle: 54.4–62.2°; A10: 25.0–49.6 VCM units; A20: 31.0–56.5 VCM units; maximum clot firmness: 37.6–62.8 VCM units; Lysis Index 30 (Li30): 99.8–100.0%; and Li45: 99.7–100.0%. Significant differences were found between male and female subgroups, where females had higher mean A10 and A20 and median MCF values, indicating greater clot firmness in female versus male mice. Conclusion: VCM Vet is a feasible viscoelastic coagulation test device for studies with mature adult mice, including studying inherent sex differences in coagulation parameters. Inherent differences in coagulability of male and female mice warrant further investigation to determine if such differences underlie greater coagulopathic, hemorrhagic, or thromboembolic risk during trauma or other pathophysiologic conditions.
Reduction in Acute Stroke Admissions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from a National Stroke Registry
Authors: Libruder Carmit , Ram Amit , Hershkovitz Yael , Tanne David , Bornstein Natan M. , Leker Ronen R. , Horev Anat , Hallevi Hen , Peretz Shlomi , Orion David , Zucker Inbar
Published: July 2021

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed health-care systems worldwide, and medical care for other acute diseases was negatively impacted. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on admission rates and in-hospital care for acute stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in Israel, shortly after the start of the pandemic. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study, based on data reported to the Israeli National Stroke Registry from 7 tertiary hospitals. All hospital admissions for acute stroke or TIA that occurred between January 1 and April 30, 2020 were included. Data were stratified into 2 periods according to the timing of COVID-19 restrictions as follows: (1) “pre-pandemic” – January 1 to March 7, 2020 and (2) “pandemic” – March 8 to April 30, 2020. We compared the weekly counts of hospitalizations between the 2 periods. We further investigated changes in demographic characteristics and in some key parameters of stroke care, including the percentage of reperfusion therapies performed, time from hospital arrival to brain imaging and to thrombolysis, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality. Results: 2,260 cases were included: 1,469 in the pre-COVID-19 period and 791 in the COVID-19 period. Hospital admissions significantly declined between the 2 periods, by 48% for TIA (rate ratio [RR] = 0.52; 95% CI 0.43–0.64) and by 29% for stroke (RR = 0.71; 95% CI 0.64–0.78). No significant changes were detected in demographic characteristics and in most parameters of stroke management. While the percentage of reperfusion therapies performed remained unchanged, the absolute number of patients treated with reperfusion therapies seemed to decrease. Higher in-hospital mortality was observed only for hemorrhagic stroke. Conclusion: The marked decrease in admissions for acute stroke and TIA, occurring at a time of a relatively low burden of COVID-19, is of great concern. Public awareness campaigns are needed as patients reluctant to seek urgent stroke care are deprived of lifesaving procedures and secondary prevention treatments.
Vitrectomy-Assisted Biopsy: An in vitro Study on the Impact of Cut Rate and Probe Size
Authors: Ulltang Erlend , Kiilgaard Jens Folke , Mola Nazanin , Scheie David , Heegaard Steffen , Krohn Jørgen
Published: July 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to optimize the technique of performing vitrectomy-assisted biopsy of intraocular tumors by comparing the cytohistological findings in specimens obtained with different vitrectomy probes and cut rates. Methods: Vitrectomy-assisted biopsies were taken from a fresh porcine liver. For each sampling, the vacuum level was 300 mm Hg. The following parameters were compared; cut rate (60, 600 and 6,000 cuts per minute [cpm]), probe type (standard and two-dimensional cutting [TDC]), and probe diameter (23-gauge and 25-gauge). The specimens were assessed by automated whole-slide imaging analysis and conventional light microscopy. Results: Seventy-two biopsies were analyzed for the number of hepatocytes, total area of tissue fragments, and total stained area of each microscope slide. For all probe types, these parameters were significantly and positively correlated with the cut rate. TDC probes led to significantly higher scores than those of standard probes, independent of the cut rate. There were no significant differences in results when using 23-gauge or 25-gauge standard probes. Light microscopic examination demonstrated well-preserved cells sufficient for cytohistological analyses in all investigated cases. Conclusions: The higher the cut rate, the larger is the amount of aspirated cellular material. There were no significant differences between 23-gauge and 25-gauge biopsies. Cut rates up to 6,000 cpm did not adversely affect the cytohistological features of the samples.
A Meta-Analysis of Alterations in the Retina and Choroid in High Myopia Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Authors: Wang Xiao-qin , Zeng Liu-zhi , Chen Ming , Liu Long-qian
Published: July 2021

Background: High myopia (HM) is a risk factor for several pathological structural changes in retinal and choroidal thickness or vessel. To date, changes in retinal and choroidal microvasculature circulations in HM have yielded inconsistent results. Objectives: The objective of this article was to evaluate alterations in retinal and choroidal thickness, and capillary microvasculature using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in HM. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant published studies. Primary outcomes were foveal avascular zone, vessel density, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, foveal thickness, sub-foveal choroidal thickness, and chorio-capillary density. Alterations in outcomes were evaluated by standardized mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. Results: Eleven eligible articles were included for the meta-analysis. The whole superficial and deep vessel densities of macular and parapapillary superficial vessel density were lower in HM than in control eyes. The thickness of parafoveal RNFL, parapapillary RNFL, and sub-foveal choroid was significantly lower in HM eyes. Also, chorio-capillary density was shown to be lower in HM eyes. Conclusions: The retinal and choroidal vessel network change may be related to the axial elongation in the progression of myopia. Furthermore, OCTA is an effective and noninvasive technology for monitoring the progress of myopia eyes.
Fatal lymphocytic myocarditis masquerading as thoracic aortic dissection
Authors: Henry Eugene Sharma
Published: July 2021

Acute myocarditis usually presents with a broad spectrum of symptoms and has variable clinical outcomes. A proportion of acute myocarditides may develop into fulminant myocarditis resulting in significant mortality if left untreated. This case report describes an unusual presentation of fatal lymphocytic myocarditis mimicking a thoracic aortic dissection in a previously healthy 45-year-old male. Fulminant myocarditis should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis in an acutely unwell young adult presenting to the Emergency Department with non-specific symptoms.
The Effects of Age, Gender and Test Stimuli on Visual Speech Perception: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ceuleers Dorien , Dhooge Ingeborg , Degeest Sofie , Van Steen Hanneleen , Keppler Hannah , Baudonck Nele
Published: July 2021

Introduction: To the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of reliable, validated, and standardized (Dutch) measuring instruments to document visual speech perception in a structured way. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate the effects of age, gender, and the used word list on visual speech perception examined by a first version of the Dutch Test for (Audio-)Visual Speech Perception on word level (TAUVIS-words) and (2) assess the internal reliability of the TAUVIS-words. Methods: Thirty-nine normal-hearing adults divided into the following 3 age categories were included: (1) younger adults, age 18–39 years; (2) middle-aged adults, age 40–59 years; and (3) older adults, age >60 years. The TAUVIS-words consist of 4 word lists, i.e., 2 monosyllabic word lists (MS 1 and MS 2) and 2 polysyllabic word lists (PS 1 and PS 2). A first exploration of the effects of age, gender, and test stimuli (i.e., the used word list) on visual speech perception was conducted using the TAUVIS-words. A mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to analyze the results statistically. Lastly, the internal reliability of the TAUVIS-words was assessed by calculating the Chronbach α. Results: The results revealed a significant effect of the used list. More specifically, the score for MS 1 was significantly better compared to that for PS 2, and the score for PS 1 was significantly better compared to that for PS 2. Furthermore, a significant main effect of gender was found. Women scored significantly better compared to men. The effect of age was not significant. The TAUVIS-word lists were found to have good internal reliability. Conclusion: This study was a first exploration of the effects of age, gender, and test stimuli on visual speech perception using the TAUVIS-words. Further research is necessary to optimize and validate the TAUVIS-words, making use of a larger study sample.
Two new species and a new record of the genus Polyalthia (Annonaceae) from Peninsular Thailand
Authors: BUNCHALEE PASAKORN , LEERATIWONG CHARAN , JOHNSON DAVID M.
Published: July 2021

Two new species of Polyalthia from Peninsular Thailand, Polyalthia heliopetala and P. taweensis, are described and illustrated. Polyalthia heliopetala most closely resembles P. oblonga and P. motleyana. Polyalthia taweensis most closely resembles P. obliqua. Polyalthia pumila is newly reported for Thailand from a single locality; the species was previously known only from two localities in Peninsular Malaysia and has not been re-collected in over 100 years.
A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam
Authors: Do Quyen Hanh , PHUNG TRUNG MY , NGO HANH THI , LE MINH DUC , ZIEGLER THOMAS , PHAM CUONG THE , NGUYEN TRUONG QUANG
Published: July 2021

A new species of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis group is described from Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam based on molecular divergence and morphological differences. Cyrtodactylus orlovi sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining Indochinese bent-toed geckos by having the unique combination of the following characters: size medium (SVL 61.0–77.7 mm); dorsal tubercles in 16–20 irregular rows; 36–39 ventral scale rows; precloacal pores absent in females, 5 or 6 in males, in a continuous row; femoral pores absent; 3–8 enlarged femoral scales; postcloacal spurs 1 or 2; lamellae under toe IV 16–19; a continuous neckband; a highly irregular transverse banded dorsal pattern; the absence of transversely enlarged median subcaudal scales. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species was revealed to be the sister taxon to a clade consisting of Cyrtodactylus cattienensis and the most recently described species from Vietnam, C. chungi, with 12.1–12.4% and 11.7 % pairwise genetic divergence from the two species, respectively, based on a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene.
Elevated Electrochemical Performance of LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and LiFePO4 Cathodes with Tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) Phosphite as an Efficient Electrolyte Additive
Authors: Arockia Shyamala Paniyarasi S. , Padmaja S. , Pushpa Selvi M. , Gnanamuthu R. M. , Nimma Elizabeth R.
Published: July 2021

The significant role of Tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphite (TTFP) as an efficient additive during cycling of the layered nanostructured LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and olivine LiFePO4 cathode materials in EC/DMC and 1M LiPF6
electrolyte for Li-ion battery are extensively investigated in this work. The electrochemical characterization techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy show that TTFP improves cycling stability and reduces the irreversible
capacity of LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and LiFePO4 electrodes. Also, the presence of TTFP in electrolyte solution reduces the impedance in LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and LiFePO4 cathode materials
at room temperature. A family of Nyquist plots was obtained from LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and LiFePO4 electrodes for various potentials during the course of charging. The addition of TTFP in the electrolyte reduces the surface impedance of
lithiated LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2 and LiFePO4 which can be attributed to the reaction of the additive on the electrode’s surface. Also, the presence of the additive TTFP in LiNi0.1Mg0.1Co0.8O2
and LiFePO4 cell enhances the lithium diffusion rate and improves the electronic conductivity of the cathode material.