bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute and Subacute Toxicity Studies of the Aqueous Extract from Haloxylon scoparium Pomel (Hammada scoparia (Pomel)) by Oral Administration in Rodents
Authors: Kharchoufa Loubna , Bouhrim Mohamed , Bencheikh Noureddine , El Assri Soufiane , Amirou Asmae , Yamani Amal , Choukri Mohammed , Mekhfi Hassane , Elachouri Mostafa
Published: October 2020

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Haloxylon scoparium Pomel is a herbal medicine traditionally used for treating scorpions and snakebite, diabetes, and stomachache as well as several other diseases. No systematic study of the potential toxicity of the plant has been described. Aim of the Study. The current study is aimed at assessing the potential toxicity of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel through the acute and subacute toxicity tests. Materials and Methods. Acute toxicity test was performed on Swiss albino mice at a single oral dose of 1‐10 g/kg for 14 consecutive days. General behavioral adverse effects, mortality, and latency of mortality were determined. In the subacute study, the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was administered orally at doses of 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg daily for 30 days to Wistar rats. Body weight and selected biochemical and hematological parameters were determined at the end of the experiment. Sections of livers and kidneys were removed for histological studies. Results. Acute toxicity study showed that the oral LD50 value of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was 5000 mg/kg. The subacute toxicity study of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg did not produce any observable symptoms of toxicity and no significant variation in body weight, organ weights, food, and water consumption or mortality in all treated rats. However, the administration of the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract to rats at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg showed a significant decrease in platelets. Moreover, only at the highest dose (2000 mg/kg), the extract caused a significant increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin. Our results showed that subacute treatments with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses of 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase and triglycerides. Histological studies showed that the subacute treatments of rats with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts, at the doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, induced some histopathological changes in the livers but a slight changing in kidneys. Conclusion. Our results indicated low acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel. Furthermore, daily oral administration of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract caused some damages to the livers of rats treated with high doses, expressed by an increase in some enzyme activities such as ALP. Regarding the renal function, we did not find remarkable toxicity in the subacute treatment with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts at doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. However, further toxicity assessments should be done to ascertain the safety or the toxicity of this valuable plant species “Haloxylon scoparium pomel” in subchronic treatments.
Valorization of Date Pits as an Effective Biosorbent for Remazol Brilliant Blue Adsorption from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Thiam A. , Tanji K. , Assila O. , Zouheir M. , Haounati Redouane , Arrahli A. , Abeid A. , Lairini S. , Bouslamti R. , Zerouq F. , Kherbeche A.
Published: October 2020

In this work, the adsorption of Remazol Brilliant Blue (RBB) over raw date pits (RDPs) as an inexpensive adsorbent has been examined. In addition, all parameters such as the adsorbent mass, solution pH, RDP particle size, RBB initial concentration, and temperature on the adsorption of RBB influencing the adsorption procedure were studied to provide fundamental information of the adsorption equilibrium. The characterization of RDP material is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Based on the calculation, the kinetic rate of the adsorption was well modeled by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm. Surface functional groups of RDP have substantially been influenced by the adsorption characteristics of RBB. The capacity of the adsorption has achieved 105 mg/g and a removal efficiency of 90.4% at 1.5 g/L RDP mass, 40 mg/L initial dye concentration, pH 2, temperature of 328 K, 40 µm particle size, and contact time of 50 min. The capacity of the adsorption could reach 198 mg/g by increasing the ionic strength of RBB solution. Desorption tests showed that RDP adsorbent has the disadvantage of losing efficiency while reusing for many cycles. However, it still abundant and inexpensive. Therefore, RDP can be used as a potential low-cost bioabsorbent for the elimination of RBB from wastewater.
Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Daneshzad Elnaz , Tehrani Hatav , Bellissimo Nick , Azadbakht Leila
Published: October 2020

Background. Elevated oxidative stress status has been reported among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In diabetic condition, glucose and lipid peroxidation, and alteration in antioxidant defense lead to increased free radicals. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and GDM.Methods. This hospital-based case-control study was conducted in 463 pregnant women (healthy,n=263; GDM,n=200). Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, and biochemical analyses were measured. Dietary intake was assessed by the average of three 24-hour dietary intake records. DTAC was calculated by three indices: ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between DTAC and GDM risk in crude and adjusted models.Results. The mean age and BMI were28.33±6.23years and29.67±4.73 kg/m2, respectively. Total energy, protein, and selenium intakes were significantly higher in cases than controls (P<0.05). Moreover, intakes of carbohydrate, vitamins C, B6, and A, manganese, fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, legumes, and FRAP were significantly lower in cases than controls (P<0.05). The risk of gestational diabetes mellitus was 85% lower among those in the highest tertile of FRAP (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.08-0.29). There was no significant association between the risk of GDM and TRAP (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 0.94-2.79) as well as TEAC (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 0.89-2.72).Conclusion. Pregnant women who were in the highest tertile of FRAP were at lower risk of GDM. However, larger prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Synthesis of Uniformly Excited Concentric Ring Arrays by the Strategy of Partial Density Tapering and the Algorithm of Differential Evolution
Authors: Wang Xin-Kuan , Wang Gui-Bao , Jia Jianke , Huang Chao-Jun
Published: October 2020

A new strategy of density tapering called the partial density tapering (PDT) accompanied with the algorithm of differential evolution (DE) is proposed to suppress the peak sidelobe level (PSL) of uniform excited concentric ring arrays (UECRA) with isotropic elements. Through performing the PDT, a sound starting solution for DE can be generated. Then, the ring filling factor (RFF) is introduced so that the optimization of the number of elements can be transformed into the optimization of RFFs within the tapered thresholds, and thereby the real coding can be directly used with respect to the consideration of parallel encoding strategy. Finally, the UECRA featuring improved PSL performance can be obtained by limited runs of conventional DE. Several numerical instances for UECRA, with aperture sizes ranging from small to large scale, confirmed the outperformance of the proposed method.
Hypoxia-Induced Glioma-Derived Exosomal miRNA-199a-3p Promotes Ischemic Injury of Peritumoral Neurons by Inhibiting the mTOR Pathway
Authors: Zhao Jian-Lan , Tan Bo , Chen Gong , Che Xiao-Ming , Du Zhuo-Ying , Yuan Qiang , Yu Jian , Sun Yi-Rui , Li Xiao-Mu , Hu Jin , Xie Rong
Published: October 2020

The underlying molecular mechanisms that the hypoxic microenvironment could aggravate neuronal injury are still not clear. In this study, we hypothesized that the exosomes, exosomal miRNAs, and the mTOR signaling pathway might be involved in hypoxic peritumoral neuronal injury in glioma. Multimodal radiological images, HE, and HIF-1α staining of high-grade glioma (HGG) samples revealed that the peritumoral hypoxic area overlapped with the cytotoxic edema region and directly contacted with normal neurons. In either direct or indirect coculture system, hypoxia could promote normal mouse hippocampal neuronal cell (HT22) injury, and the growth of HT22 cells was suppressed by C6 glioma cells under hypoxic condition. For administrating hypoxia-induced glioma-derived exosomes (HIGDE) that could aggravate oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reperfusion neuronal injury, we identified that exosomes may be the communication medium between glioma cells and peritumoral neurons, and we furtherly found that exosomal miR-199a-3p mediated the OGD/reperfusion neuronal injury process by suppressing the mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, the upregulation of miRNA-199a-3p in exosomes from glioma cells was induced by hypoxia-related HIF-1α activation. To sum up, hypoxia-induced glioma-derived exosomal miRNA-199a-3p can be upregulated by the activation of HIF-1α and is able to increase the ischemic injury of peritumoral neurons by inhibiting the mTOR pathway.
Naturally Occurring Microbiota in Dengue Vector Mosquito Breeding Habitats and Their Use as Diet Organisms by Developing Larvae in the Kandy District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Ranasinghe H. A. K. , Amarasinghe L. D.
Published: October 2020

Naturally occurring microbiota in mosquito larval habitats are among biotic factors which affect the population dynamics of developing larvae. Many microbiota species serve as food items for vector mosquito larvae, and food limitations within habitats adversely affect larval survival, developmental rate, adult fitness, and thereby vector competence. Therefore, identification of microbiota as associates with larvae reveals their relationship between each other as parasites, pathogens, epibionts, or diet organisms. Analysis of associated microbiota species in the dengue vector larval breeding habitats (n = 40) and the mosquito larval gut content were conducted in Kandy District in Sri Lanka. Study revealed that a total of 22 microbiota species belong to nine phyla (Amoebozoa, Bacillariophyta, Ciliophora, Chlorophyta, Sarcodina, Cyanobacteria/Cyanophyta, Euglenozoa, Ochrophyta/Heterokontophyta, and Rotifera) were encountered from different Ae. aegypti mosquito breeding habitats while 26 microbiota species that belonged to ten phyla were recorded from Ae. albopictus mosquito breeding habitats with one additional phylum Arthropoda. Considering Ae. aegypti breeding habitats, only Philodina citrina in low roof gutters existed as constant species. Considering Aedes albopictus breeding habitats, Volvox aureus in plastic containers, Lecane luna in coconut shells, Phacus pleuronectes in concrete slabs, and Pinnularia sp. in tree holes existed as constant species. The rest of the microbiota existed as common or accidental/rare species in a variety of habitat types. The Shannon‐Weiner diversity (21.01 and 19.36) and gamma diversity (eight and eight) of the microbiota associated with Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus larvae, respectively, in ponds were found to be higher than other types of breeding habitats recorded during the study. Twelve microbiota species were recorded from larval gut analysis as food organisms of both species of mosquito larvae. However, the distribution of gut microbiota species differed between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus (Chi − square = 21.294, P = 0.002). Identification of microbiota as food items of vector mosquito larvae led to a focus on larval food limitation by introducing food competitors, which could be a potential additional tool for integrated vector control approaches within the country.
Immune Infiltration Landscape in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Implications
Authors: Zhao Jungang , Bao Wenming , Cai Weiyang
Published: October 2020

Intrinsic cancer cells and the tumor‐infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) recruited to the immune microenvironment define the malignant phenotype of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Understanding more about the immune microenvironment of LUSC enables the selection of high‐risk patients who would derive benefit from immunotherapy. Based on large public LUSC cohorts obtained from TCGA and GEO datasets, 22 types of infiltrating immune cell subgroups were evaluated by CIBERSORT. Meta‐analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), single‐sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and hierarchical clustering analysis were used to evaluate specific immune responses of LUSC. The distribution of TIICs of LUSC was entirely different from normal. TIIC subpopulations were also found to be closely associated with clinical features and molecular subtypes. Unsupervised clustering analysis revealed that three distinct TIIC subgroups existed with different survival patterns. TIICs are extensively implicated in the pathogenesis and development of LUSC. Characterizing the composition of TIICs influences the metabolism, pathological stage, and survival of tumor patients. It is hoped that this immune landscape could provide a more accurate understanding of the development and immunotherapy of LUSC.
Weak Solutions and Optimal Control of Hemivariational Evolutionary Navier-Stokes Equations under Rauch Condition
Authors: Mahdioui Hicham , Ben Aadi Sultana , Akhlil Khalid
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we consider the evolutionary Navier-Stokes equations subject to the nonslip boundary condition together with a Clarke subdifferential relation between the dynamic pressure and the normal component of the velocity. Under the Rauch condition, we use the Galerkin approximation method and a weak precompactness criterion to ensure the convergence to a desired solution. Moreover, a control problem associated with such system of equations is studied with the help of a stability result with respect to the external forces. At the end of this paper, a more general condition due to Z. Naniewicz, namely the directional growth condition, is considered and all the results are reexamined.
Calculative Width of Pile Foundation on Slope Based on Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)
Authors: Kang Shun , Zhao Qihua , Liu Changwu
Published: October 2020

The calculative width directly affecting the horizontal bearing capacity of the pile is an important parameter of the horizontal loaded pile foundation and its effective value will change with the variation of slope angle. In order to research the effect of slope on calculative width, 4 groups of model test under static lateral loading with different slope angles were carried out indoor. Based on the PIV system, the horizontal diffusion angle was obtained by the quantitative analysis of the vectorial displacement field of soil around the pile. The calculative width of pile under 4 slopes was then calculated based on the Horizontal Diffusion Principle. Compared with numerical simulation and full‐scale test, calculative width based on Horizontal Diffusion Principle is greater than that based on the code of China (JGJ94‐2008) and it decreases by about 3.3 m by every 10° increase of slope. After correcting the calculative width based on Horizontal Diffusion Principle, m‐value that can characterize the horizontal resistance of the pile is greater than that based on the code of China (JGJ94‐2008); the average difference of two m‐values is about 75 MN/m4. Slope has a strong weakening effect on m‐value. These conclusions provide a certain reference for the selection of calculative width in engineering.
Mechanical Characteristics of the Main Tower of a Polygonal Line Tower Cable‐Stayed Bridge
Authors: Li Yan-feng , He Ying , Bao Long-sheng
Published: October 2020

The main tower of a polygonal line tower cable‐stayed bridge bears most of the axial force transmitted by the stay cable and also bears the moment under certain unbalanced load. For a polygonal line tower cable‐stayed bridge, the main tower has a bending corner and the direction of huge axial force transmission changes at this bending corner where the axis of the main tower changes. This study examined a cable‐stayed bridge with a single cable plane in Shenyang and used model test and finite element numerical comparative analysis to analyze the mechanical properties of the key parts, including the main tower bending corner of the concrete polygonal line tower. The results show a serious stress concentration phenomenon at the bending corner of the main tower but a small range of high stress area. After the stiffening plate is set at the corner, the stress concentration coefficient of the bending corner section decreases and the stiffening plate eliminates the out‐of‐plane bending phenomenon of the tower wall at the middle span side as vertical tensile stress occurs in the stiffener at the bending corner. Based on these results, the design should be improved to increase the angle of the stiffening plate corner and appropriately strengthen the configuration of the vertical main tensile steel bar and the surface anticracking steel mesh inside the stiffening plate.
Bacterial Endocarditis Caused by Sphingomonas paucimobilis: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Rognrud Kara , Diaz Andrew M. , Hill Collin , Kershaw Melissa A.
Published: October 2020

A 47-year-old male with no significant medical history was hospitalized for bacteremia and diagnosed with endocarditis. The organism isolated was a Gram-negative bacillus—Sphingomonas paucimobilis. There are only a few reported cases of endocarditis caused by S. paucimobilis, and to our knowledge, this is the first in the United States.
A Putative Prohibitin-Calcium Nexus in β-Cell Mitochondria and Diabetes
Authors: Verma Gaurav , Dixit Aparna , Nunemaker Craig S.
Published: October 2020

The role of mitochondria in apoptosis is well known; however, the mechanisms linking mitochondria to the proapoptotic effects of proinflammatory cytokines, hyperglycemia, and glucolipotoxicity are not completely understood. Complex Ca2+ signaling has emerged as a critical contributor to these proapoptotic effects and has gained significant attention in regulating the signaling processes of mitochondria. In pancreatic β-cells, Ca2+ plays an active role in β-cell function and survival. Prohibitin (PHB), a mitochondrial chaperone, is actively involved in maintaining the architecture of mitochondria. However, its possible interaction with Ca2+-activated signaling pathways has not been explored. The present review aims to examine potential crosstalk between Ca2+ signaling and PHB function in pancreatic β-cells. Moreover, this review will focus on the effects of cytokines and glucolipotoxicity on Ca2+ signaling and its possible interaction with PHB. Improved understanding of this important mitochondrial protein may aid in the design of more targeted drugs to identify specific pathways involved with stress-induced dysfunction in the β-cell.
High Risk of Early Cataracts in Young Type 1 Diabetes Group: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Lu Wen-Li , Shen Po-Chih , Lee Chen-Hao , Su Yu-Tsun , Chen Li-Min
Published: October 2020

Background. Chronic hyperglycemia in type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients results in ocular problems over time, but only a few studies emphasized on cataracts. Aim. To evaluate the epidemiology of cataracts in the T1D population. Method. A two-part study was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Information from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) was served as a template of the general population. In the first part, a total of 3,622 T1D cases registered between 1998 and 2007 were enrolled and compared with a matched group from the LHID. For identifying risk factors of cataracts in the T1D population in the second part, a total of 9032 T1D cases registered between 1998 and 2013 were included. Result. Compared to the LHID, the hazard ratio (HR) of cataracts in the T1D group was 5.81 (95% CI 4.60–7.33), and the HR was higher in females (6.29, 95% CI 4.63–8.55). The peak incidence of cataracts occurred between age 20 and 29 in the T1D group, while in the LHID, it was after 60. The overall incidence of cataracts in the T1D group was 9.1%. In T1D patients with cataracts, they were found with higher rates of associated diabetic complications. Conclusion. Compared to the nondiabetic population, cataracts seemed more rampant and premature in T1D patients, especially those of female gender. Early ophthalmologic examination should be considered in T1D patients.
Automatic Generation of 3D Building Models Based on Line Segment Vectorization
Authors: Wen Qiao , Zhu Rui-Guang
Published: October 2020

Operations and maintenance (O&M) management for existing buildings is of high importance since it consumes the most cost during buildings’ lifecycle. Its effectiveness could be significantly improved through the systematic use of building information modeling (BIM). However, BIM relies on full-fledged digital models, which, for most buildings, are not available. This paper introduces a recognition algorithm aiming at the automatic generation of 3D building models from 2D drawings. The algorithm is able to generate separated wall segment 3D models with their topology relations. The algorithm is implemented and tested by several real projects. The results are very promising and show that the proposed algorithm could be a key component of future digital toolkits for O&M management.
Renal Dysfunction among HIV-Infected Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mwemezi Oswin , Ruggajo Paschal , Mngumi Jonathan , Furia Francis F
Published: October 2020

Background. HIV-associated renal dysfunction is common among infected patients; the growing burden of this condition may be partly accounted for by improved survival attributed to sustained viral suppression with antiretroviral therapies (ART). Some ART regimens are nephrotoxic and may potentially contribute to renal dysfunction observed in these patients. This study aimed at investigating the prevalence of renal dysfunction among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on ART attending the care and treatment clinic (CTC). Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and October 2019 among adults living with HIV on ART for 6 months or more attending CTC at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A total of 287 participants were screened for proteinuria and microalbuminuria using the Cybow 300 urine analyzer. Serum creatinine was tested for all participants, and it was used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the CKD-EPI formula. Results. Out of 287 participants (72.1% female, mean age ± SD: 46.7 ± 10.6 years), about one-third (32.8%) had eGFR less than 90 ml/min, whereas 7% had eGFR less than 60 ml/min. Microalbuminuria and proteinuria were detected in 38.6% and 25.1% of participants, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, predictive determinants for renal dysfunction were higher viral loads (OR 2.5 (1.1–5.8), p=0.031), diabetes mellitus (OR 5.5 (1.6–18.6), p=0.006), and age above 60 years (OR 2.8 (1.0–7.3), p=0.041); however, this was not the case for serum CD4 counts (OR 1.25 (0.7–2.3), p=0.46). Conclusion. High prevalence of renal dysfunction among PLHIV on ART was noted in this study. Viral loads above 1000 cp/ml and diabetes mellitus were noted to be associated with increased risk for renal dysfunction.
Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Analogue ZP1849 Augments Colonic Anastomotic Wound Healing
Authors: Kjaer Marie , Russell Wayne , Schjerling Peter , Cottarelli Elena , Christjansen Kennet N. , Olsen Ditte M. G. , Krarup Peter-Martin , Jessen Lene , Berner-Hansen Mark , Jorgensen Lars N. , Ågren Magnus S.
Published: October 2020

Background. The enteroendocrine hormone glucagon-like peptide- (GLP-) 2 is a potent trophic factor in the gastrointestinal tract. The GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) is expressed in the stroma of the large bowel wall, which is the major therapeutic target area to prevent anastomotic leakage. We investigated the efficacy of the long-acting GLP-2 analogue ZP1849 on colonic anastomotic wound healing. Methods. Eighty-seven male Wistar rats were stratified into four groups and received daily treatment with vehicle or ZP1849 starting one day before (day -1) end-to-end anastomosis was constructed in the left colon on day 0, and on days 0 (resected colon segment), 3, and 5, gene expressions of GLP-2R, Ki67, insulin-like growth factor- (IGF-) 1, type I (COL1A1) and type III (COL3A1) procollagens, cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 1, COX-2, and matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 7 were quantified by RT-qPCR. Breaking strength, myeloperoxidase (MPO), transforming growth factor- (TGF-) β1, and soluble collagen proteins were measured on days 3 and 5. Results. ZP1849 treatment increased Ki67 (P<0.0001) and IGF-1 (P<0.05) mRNA levels in noninjured colon day 0, and postoperatively in the anastomotic wounds compared to vehicle-treated rats. ZP1849-treated rats had increased (P=0.042) anastomotic breaking strength at day 5 compared with vehicle. COL1A1 and COL3A1 mRNA levels (P<0.0001) and soluble collagen proteins (P<0.05) increased from day 3 to day 5 in ZP1849-treated rats, but not in vehicle-treated rats. COX-2 mRNA and MPO protein levels decreased from day 3 to day 5 (P<0.001) in both groups. ZP1849 treatment reduced TGF-β1 protein levels on day 5 (P<0.001) but did not impact MMP-7 transcription. Conclusions. The GLP-2 analogue ZP1849 increased breaking strength, IGF-1 expression, and cell proliferation, which may be beneficial for colonic anastomotic wound healing.
Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals the Protective Effect of a Traditional Chinese Herbal Decoction on Cisplatin‐Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Li Yuyan , Liu Xinhui , Liu Siqi , Lu Jiandong , Chen Jianping , Xiong Guoliang , Yang Shudong , Li Shunmin
Published: October 2020

Our previous studies have demonstrated that Jian‐Pi‐Yi‐Shen formula (JPYSF), a traditional Chinese herbal decoction, has a renoprotective effect in 5/6 nephrectomy‐induced chronic kidney injury. However, the role and potential mechanisms of JPYSF in the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain unknown. This study was designed to test the beneficial effect of JPYSF in an AKI mouse model and to investigate the underlying mechanism by using metabolomics analysis. The AKI mouse model was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin at a dose of 20 mg/kg. The mice in the treatment group were pretreated orally with JPYSF (18.35 g/kg/d) for 5 days before cisplatin injection. Seventy‐two hours after cisplatin injection, serum and kidney samples were collected for biochemical and histological examination. Ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐ﬂight mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐QTOF/MS) was applied to analyze metabolic profiling variations in the kidney. The results showed that pretreatment with JPYSF obviously reduced the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and alleviated renal pathological injury in AKI mice. Orthogonal partial least‐squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) score plot revealed a clear separation between the AKI and AKI + JPYSF group. A total of 68 and 87 significantly differentially expressed metabolites were identified in the kidney of AKI mice responding to JPYSF treatment in negative and positive ion mode, respectively. The pivotal pathways affected by JPYSF included vitamin B6 metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, lysine biosynthesis, and butanoate metabolism. In conclusion, JPYSF can protect the kidney from cisplatin‐induced AKI, which may be associated with regulating renal metabolic disorders.
Guttiferone K Exerts the Anti-inflammatory Effect on Mycobacterium Tuberculosis- (H37Ra-) Infected Macrophages by Targeting the TLR/IRAK-1 Mediated Akt and NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Zhang Qingwen , Sun Jinxia , Fu Yan , He Weigang , Li Yinhong , Tan Hongsheng , Xu Hongxi , Jiang Xin
Published: October 2020

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a great threat to global health, killing more people than any other single infectious agent and causing uncontrollable inflammation in the host. Poorly controlled inflammatory processes can be deleterious and result in immune exhaustion. The current tuberculosis (TB) control is facing the challenge of drugs deficiency, especially in the context of increasingly multidrug resistant (MDR) TB. Under this circumstance, alternative host-directed therapy (HDT) emerges timely which can be exploited to improve the efficacy of TB treatment and disease prognosis by targeting the host. Here, we established the in vitro infection model of Mtb macrophages with H37Ra strain to seek effective anti-TB active agent. The present study showed that Guttiferone K, isolated from Garcinia yunnanensis, could significantly inhibit Mtb-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 and primary peritoneal macrophages. It was evidenced by the decreased production of inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Further studies with immunoblotting and immunofluorescence revealed that Guttiferone K obviously inhibits the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) both in RAW264.7 and primary peritoneal macrophages relying on the TLR/IRAK-1 pathway. Guttiferone K could also suppress the NLRP3 inflammasome activity and induce autophagy by inhibiting the protein kinase B (p-Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation at Ser473 and Ser2448 in both cell lines. Thus, Guttiferone K possesses significant anti-inflammatory effect, alleviating Mtb-induced inflammation with an underlying mechanism that targeting on the TLR/IRAK-1 pathway and inhibiting the downstream NF-κB and Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. Together, Guttiferone K can be an anti-inflammatory agent candidate for the design of new adjunct HDT drugs fighting against tuberculosis.
Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Hypertension: the Effect of Metabolic Syndrome and Antihypertensive Treatment
Authors: Maciorowska Małgorzata , Krzesiński Paweł , Wierzbowski Robert , Gielerak Grzegorz
Published: October 2020

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of factors which, collectively, increase cardiovascular risk to a greater extent than each of them separately. Previous studies showed high cardiovascular risk to be associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of antihypertensive treatment on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with hypertension (HTN), depending on cooccurrence of MetS. 118 patients with uncontrolled HTN were enrolled to the study. HRV was compared among patients with and without MetS (MetS [+],

n
=
70

) at baseline and following 12 months antihypertensive treatment. The HRV indices measured from RR intervals recorded form using 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography. The measured HRV domains were the standard deviation of the average of NN intervals [SDNN], square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent NN intervals [rMSSD], percentage of NN50 [pNN50], low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF], total power of variance of all NN intervals [TP], and LF/HF ratio. Baseline parameters: SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50, and HF were significantly lower in the MetS[+] compared to the MetS[-] subgroup (

p
<
0.05

). After a 12-month antihypertensive treatment, MetS[+] patients achieved a significant improvement in parameters: SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50, and TP (

p
<
0.05

), while the changes in HRV observed in the MetS[-] subgroup were not statistically significant. The cooccurrence of HTN and other components of MetS is associated with disturbances of the autonomic balance. HTN control has a beneficial effect on HRV, with the effect being more evident in patients with MetS.
Venetoclax and Decitabine for T/Myeloid Mixed-Phenotype Acute Leukemia Not Otherwise Specified (MPAL NOS)
Authors: Klocke Heather , Dong Zhao Ming , O’Brien Craig , Burwick Nicholas , Richard Robert E. , Wu Daniel Y. , Chauncey Thomas R. , Graf Solomon A.
Published: October 2020

T/myeloid mixed-phenotype acute leukemia not otherwise specified (MPAL NOS) is an uncommon and aggressive leukemia without well-established treatment guidelines, particularly when relapsed. Venetoclax plus a hypomethylating agent offers a promising option in this situation since studies support its use in both acute myeloid and, albeit with fewer data to date, acute T-cell-lymphoblastic leukemias. We report the successful eradication of T/myeloid MPAL NOS relapsed after allogeneic stem cell transplant with venetoclax plus decitabine. A consolidative allogeneic stem cell transplant from a second donor was subsequently performed, and the patient remained without evidence of disease more than one year later. Further investigation is indicated to evaluate venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents and/or other therapies for the management of T/myeloid MPAL NOS.
Characteristics of NAFLD Based on Hypopituitarism
Authors: Kodama Kazuhisa , Ichihara Atsuhiro , Seki Yasufumi , Ikarashi Yuichi , Sagawa Takaomi , Kogiso Tomomi , Taniai Maiko , Tokushige Katsutoshi
Published: October 2020

Background. Hypopituitarism and hypothalamic disorders, which induce central obesity and appetite disorder, are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of NAFLD patients with hypopituitarism. Patients. We examined the cases of 15 NAFLD patients with hypopituitarism (mean age, 39.4 years; males/females, 11/4). The causes of hypopituitarism were surgical in eight cases (six with craniopharyngioma and two with prolactinoma) and nonsurgical in seven cases, including unexplained hypopituitarism in five cases, Sheehan syndrome in one case, and one case that occurred after the radiation therapy. Serum adiponectin, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 (TNFR-2), and leptin levels were measured. Results. We compared the cases of the eight patients who underwent cranial surgery due to craniopharyngioma or prolactinoma and seven nonsurgical cases. The body mass index (surgery group, 30.2 ± 4.1; nonsurgery group, 29.2 ± 14.2) and the rate of diabetes (75% in surgery group, 14.3% in nonsurgery group) tended to be higher in the surgery group, and the hepatic fibrosis grade (surgery group, 3.75 ± 0.38; nonsurgery group, 1.64 ± 1.07) was significantly higher in the surgery group. The levels of adipocytokines, serum adiponectin, and serum soluble TNFR-2 showed no correlation with hepatic fibrosis, whereas the serum leptin levels were significantly correlated with liver fibrosis (R = 0.696). Conclusion. The hepatic fibrosis grade rapidly progressed in the cranial surgery cases of NAFLD patients with hypopituitarism, possibly in association with BMI, diabetes mellitus, and leptin. In such cranial surgery patients, strong interventions should be considered from the early stage, including diet education, hormone replacement, and more.
Primary Carcinosarcoma of the Spleen: A Rare Case Report of Incidental Finding after Splenic Trauma
Authors: Ndasu Matendo Hugues , Geraldo Raouf Fayisall , Musteata Liviu , Green Joel Allan , Krasovski Valeriu , Nitu Valentin , Gastaud Thierry , Cattan Fabrice
Published: October 2020

Primary carcinosarcoma of the spleen is a rare, aggressive splenic malignancy. To date, seven cases have been reported in the literature. We report a first case of primary carcinosarcoma of the spleen in France. A 75-year-old woman with a medical history of hysterectomy for uterine adenocarcinoma presented with left hypochondrium pain following blunt abdominal trauma. A splenic mass was noted on computed tomography (CT) scan. A splenectomy was performed by laparotomy. Histology revealed a malignant mixed Mullerian tumor. The PET scan allowed us to confirm that it was a primary lesion of the spleen. She is currently undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy despite the tumor progression. The interest of this case lies in the rarity of primary carcinosarcomas of the spleen and the circumstances of its diagnosis.
Study on the Creep Behavior of a Ni3Al-Based Single Crystal Alloy at 850°C/450 MPa
Authors: Jiang Liwu , Yang Yu , Wu Meiling , Cai Min
Published: October 2020

The creep behaviors of Ni3Al-based single crystal alloy IC6SX with [001] and [111] orientations under the condition of 850°C/450 MPa were investigated. The effect of crystal orientation on the creep lives, fracture morphology, fracture mechanism, and dislocation evolution of the alloys with different orientations was analyzed systematically. The results showed that the creep lives of the alloy were closely related to the crystal orientation under the condition of 850°C/450 MPa. The creep lives of the single crystal alloys with [001] and [111] orientations were 56.3 h and 126.9 h, respectively. Moreover, the fracture morphologies of the two alloys with [001] and [111] orientations were different. The results showed that some holes formed at the fracture surface of the alloy with [111] rather than [001] orientation. Furthermore, the surface near the fracture of the two alloys with [001] and [111] orientations was serrated. Therefore, the fracture mechanism of the single crystal alloys with [001] and [111] orientations was ductile fracture. In addition, a large number of dislocations cut into the

γ

′

phase. Therefore, the cutting mechanism of dislocations in the alloys with [001] and [111] orientations was the creep deformation mechanism.
Effect of Multiple Hole Distribution and Shape Based on Particle Flow on Rocklike Failure Characteristics and Mechanical Behavior
Authors: Xia Zhiguo , Jiang Ning , Yang Huisan , Han Liu , Pan Haiyang , Zhao Zhenhua , Feng Quanlin
Published: October 2020

Based on the particle flow code, numerical models of vertical and horizontal orientations of holes with different shapes were established, and the effects of preexisting holes with different shapes and arrangement patterns on the mechanical behaviors and failure characteristics of rocklike materials were studied. The evolution trend of the stress field is discussed by taking a circular hole as an example. The results show that the existence of holes reduces the peak stress, peak strain, and elastic modulus of the sample, and different shapes of holes and different arrangement patterns have different effects on the mechanical properties and damage degree of the sample and significantly affect the horizontal orientation model. Before crack formation, the compressive stress and tensile stress concentration areas of each sample are located at the left and right ends and the upper and lower ends of the hole, respectively. After model failure, the compressive stress and tensile stress concentration areas of each sample are relatively scattered. In the vertical orientation model, the middle area of vertical holes is the main compressive stress concentration area, which is approximately “columnar” distribution. In the horizontal orientation model, the compressive stress concentration area between the holes is cross distribution and approximately “X” type distribution. The vertical orientation model sample forms a “columnar” distribution to bear the applied load with a more favorable bearing orientation.
Retinal Vessel Segmentation by Deep Residual Learning with Wide Activation
Authors: Ma Yuliang , Li Xue , Duan Xiaopeng , Peng Yun , Zhang Yingchun
Published: October 2020

Purpose. Retinal blood vessel image segmentation is an important step in ophthalmological analysis. However, it is difficult to segment small vessels accurately because of low contrast and complex feature information of blood vessels. The objective of this study is to develop an improved retinal blood vessel segmentation structure (WA-Net) to overcome these challenges. Methods. This paper mainly focuses on the width of deep learning. The channels of the ResNet block were broadened to propagate more low-level features, and the identity mapping pathway was slimmed to maintain parameter complexity. A residual atrous spatial pyramid module was used to capture the retinal vessels at various scales. We applied weight normalization to eliminate the impacts of the mini-batch and improve segmentation accuracy. The experiments were performed on the DRIVE and STARE datasets. To show the generalizability of WA-Net, we performed cross-training between datasets. Results. The global accuracy and specificity within datasets were 95.66% and 96.45% and 98.13% and 98.71%, respectively. The accuracy and area under the curve of the interdataset diverged only by 1%∼2% compared with the performance of the corresponding intradataset. Conclusion. All the results show that WA-Net extracts more detailed blood vessels and shows superior performance on retinal blood vessel segmentation tasks.
Hierarchical Q-Learning Based UAV Secure Communication against Multiple UAV Adaptive Eavesdroppers
Authors: Liu Jue , Sha Nan , Yang Weiwei , Tu Jia , Yang Lianxin
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we investigate secure unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication in the presence of multiple UAV adaptive eavesdroppers (AEs), where each AE can conduct eavesdropping or jamming adaptively by learning others’ actions for degrading the secrecy rate more seriously. The one-leader and multi-follower Stackelberg game is adopted to analyze the mutual interference among multiple AEs, and the optimal transmit powers are proven to exist under the existing conditions. Following that, a mixed-strategy Stackelberg Equilibrium based on finite and discretized power set is also derived and a hierarchical Q-learning based power allocation algorithm (HQLA) is proposed to obtain the optimal power allocation strategy of the transmitter. Numerical results show that secrecy performance can be degraded severely by multiple AEs and verify the availability of the optimal power allocation strategy. Finally, the effect of the eavesdropping cost on the AE’s attack mode strategies is also revealed.
Mechanical Properties and Control Rockburst Mechanism of Coal and Rock Mass with Bursting Liability in Deep Mining
Authors: Gao Ming-tao , Song Zhen-qi , Duan Hui-qiang , Xin Heng-qi , Tang Jian-quan
Published: October 2020

In order to study the mechanism of the dynamic disaster of rockburst in a deep coal mine and the prevention and control measures of weakening shock, the MTS815.03 servocontrolled rock mechanics test system is used to test the coal, rock, and combined specimens with the buried depth of nearly 1200 m in Xinwen Mining Area. And their mechanical properties, energy evolution, and bursting properties are studied and analyzed. The rationality of the test results is also verified by the in-situ engineering practice. The key conclusions are as follows: (1) There is a relation between the ratio of elastic modulus Ee before peak strength to descending modulus Ed after peak strength and the bursting properties. For the fractured coal, the descending modulus Ed is relatively small, and the Ee/Ed is relatively large and presents progressive ductile failure with low probability and risk of rockburst. For the less fractured rock, the descending modulus Ed is relatively large, and the Ee/Ed is relatively small and presents brittle failure, which is very similar to the characteristics of rockburst. (2) For the same type of rock, with the increase of confining pressure, the Ee/Ed gradually increases, indicating the reduction of rockburst strength. Therefore, the greater the support strength provided to the surrounding rock surface of the roadway, the smaller the failure degree of rockburst. (3) With the increase of confining pressure, after peak strength, the elastic energy of coal specimens decreases slowly, and the dissipated energy increases slowly, indicating that the increase of confining pressure can effectively limit the energy dissipation and release after coal specimen failure. So, in the in-situ engineering practice, it is an important measure to improve the surface restraint and support strength of the coal roadway for reducing the occurrence intensity and probability of rockburst. (4) The combined measures of “the mining of double liberating seam + the implementation of large-diameter pressure relief borehole in advance of working face” is the very effective way to eliminate the rockburst accidents of working face in a protected coal seam and has an important guiding significance for the safe mining of rockburst mine.
Exploring the Application of the Linear Poisson Autoregressive Model for Analyzing the Dynamic Impact of Traffic Laws on Fatal Traffic Accident Frequency
Authors: Zhang Yue , Zou Yajie , Wu Lingtao , Tang Jinjun , Muneeb Abid Malik
Published: October 2020

Annual fatal traffic accident data often demonstrate time series characteristics. The existing traffic safety analysis approaches (e.g., negative binomial (NB) model) often cannot accommodate the dynamic impact of factors in fatal traffic accident data and may result in biased parameter estimation results. Thus, a linear Poisson autoregressive (PAR) model is proposed in this study. The objective of this study is to apply the PAR model to analyze the dynamic impact of traffic laws and climate on the frequency of fatal traffic accidents occurred in a large time span (from 1975 to 2016) in Illinois. Besides, the NB model, NB with a time trend, and autoregressive integrated moving average model with exogenous input variables (ARIMAX) are also developed to compare their performances. The important conclusions from the modelling results can be summarized as follows. (1) The PAR model is more appropriate for analyzing the dynamic impacts of traffic laws on annual fatal traffic accidents, especially the instantaneous impacts. (2) The law that allows motorcycles and bicycles to proceed on a red light following the rules applicable after a “reasonable period of time” leads to an increase in the frequency of annual fatal traffic accidents by 14.98% in the short term and 30.69% in the long term. The climate factors such as average temperature and precipitation concentration period have insignificant impacts on annual fatal traffic accidents in Illinois. Thus, the modelling results suggest that the PAR model is more appropriate for annual fatal traffic accident data and has an advantage in estimating the dynamic impact of traffic laws.