bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the opportunities for increasing the availability of EU data on consumer product-related injuries
Authors: Radovnikovic Anita , Geiss Otmar , Kephalopoulos Stylianos , Reina Vittorio , Barrero Josefa , Dalla Costa Silvia , Verile Marco , Mantica Eleonora
Published: May 2020

The availability of data on consumer products-related accidents and injuries is of interest to a wide range of stakeholders, such as consumer product safety and injury prevention policymakers, market surveillance authorities, consumer organisations, standardisation organisations, manufacturers and the public. While the amount of information available and potentially of use for product safety is considerable in some European Union (EU) countries, its usability at EU level is difficult due to high fragmentation of the data sources, the diversity of data collection methods and increasing data protection concerns. To satisfy the policy need for more timely information on consumer product-related incidents, apart from injury data that have been historically collected by the public health sector, a number of "alternative" data sources were assessed as potential sources of interest. This study explores the opportunities for enhancing the availability of data of consumer product-related injuries, arising from selected existing and "alternative" data sources, widely present in Europe, such as firefighters’ and poison centres’ records, mortality statistics, consumer complaints, insurance companies’ registers, manufacturers’ incident registers and online news sources. These data sources, coupled with the use of IT technologies, such as interlinking by remote data access, could fill in the existing information gap. Strengths and weaknesses of selected data sources, with a view to support a common data platform, are evaluated and presented. Conducting the study relied on the literature review, extensive use of the surveys, interviews, workshops with experts and online data-mining pilot study.
Impact of a preceding radiotherapy on the outcome of immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic melanoma: a multicenter retrospective cohort study of the DeCOG
Authors: Knispel Sarah , Stang Andreas , Zimmer Lisa , Lax Hildegard , Gutzmer Ralf , Heinzerling Lucie , Weishaupt Carsten , Pföhler Claudia , Gesierich Anja , Herbst Rudolf , Kaehler Katharina C , Weide Benjamin , Berking Carola , Loquai Carmen , Utikal Jochen , Terheyden Patrick , Kaatz Martin , Schlaak Max , Kreuter Alexander , Ulrich Jens , Mohr Peter , Dippel Edgar , Livingstone Elisabeth , Becker Jürgen C , Weichenthal Michael , Chorti Eleftheria , Gronewold Janine , Schadendorf Dirk , Ugurel Selma
Published: May 2020

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is an essential treatment option in melanoma. Its outcome may be improved by a preceding radiation of metastases. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a preceding radiotherapy on the clinical outcome of ICI treatment.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients who received anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) or anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) ICI with or without preceding radiotherapy for unresectable metastatic melanoma. ICI therapy outcome was measured as best overall response (BOR), progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Response and survival analyses were adjusted for confounders identified by directed acyclic graphs. Adjusted survival curves were calculated using inverse probability treatment weighting.

Results

835 patients who received ICI (anti-CTLA-4, n=596; anti-PD-1, n=239) at 16 centers were analyzed, whereof 235 received a preceding radiotherapy of metastatic lesions in stage IV disease. The most frequent organ sites irradiated prior to ICI therapy were brain (51.1%), lymph nodes (17.9%) and bone (17.9%). After multivariable adjustment for confounders, no relevant differences in ICI therapy outcome were observed between cohorts with and without preceding radiotherapy. BOR was 8.7% vs 13.0% for anti-CTLA-4 (adjusted relative risk (RR)=1.47; 95% CI=0.81 to 2.65; p=0.20), and 16.5% vs 25.3% for anti-PD-1 (RR=0.93; 95% CI=0.49 to 1.77; p=0.82). Survival probabilities were similar for cohorts with and without preceding radiotherapy, for anti-CTLA-4 (PFS, adjusted HR=1.02, 95% CI=0.86 to 1.25, p=0.74; OS, HR=1.08, 95% CI=0.81 to 1.44, p=0.61) and for anti-PD-1 (PFS, HR=0.84, 95% CI=0.57 to 1.26, p=0.41; OS, HR=0.73, 95% CI=0.43 to 1.25, p=0.26). Patients who received radiation last before ICI (n=137) revealed no better survival than those who had one or more treatment lines between radiation and start of ICI (n=86). In 223 patients with brain metastases, we found no relevant survival differences on ICI with and without preceding radiotherapy.

Conclusions

This study detected no evidence for a relevant favorable impact of a preceding radiotherapy on anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1 ICI treatment outcome in metastatic melanoma.
Complete Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity in a large cohort of patients with early multiple sclerosis
Authors: Abrahamyan Sargis , Eberspächer Bettina , Hoshi Muna-Miriam , Aly Lilian , Luessi Felix , Groppa Sergiu , Klotz Luisa , Meuth Sven G , Schroeder Christoph , Grüter Thomas , Tackenberg Björn , Paul Friedemann , Then-Bergh Florian , Kümpfel Tania , Weber Frank , Stangel Martin , Bayas Antonios , Wildemann Brigitte , Heesen Christoph , Zettl Uwe , Warnke Clemens , Antony Gisela , Hessler Nicole , Wiendl Heinz , Bittner Stefan , Hemmer Bernhard , Gold Ralf , Salmen Anke , Ruprecht Klemens
Published: May 2020

Objective

To determine the prevalence of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a large cohort of patients with early multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

Serum samples were collected from 901 patients with a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or early relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) participating in the German National MS cohort, a prospective cohort of patients with early MS with stringent inclusion criteria. Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)-1 and viral capsid antigen (VCA) antibodies were measured in diluted sera by chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAs). Sera of EBNA-1 and VCA antibody-negative patients were retested undiluted by an EBV IgG immunoblot. For comparison, we retrospectively analysed the EBV seroprevalence across different age cohorts, ranging from 0 to >80 years, in a large hospital population (N=16 163) from Berlin/Northern Germany.

Results

EBNA-1 antibodies were detected by CLIA in 839 of 901 patients with CIS/RRMS. Of the 62 patients without EBNA-1 antibodies, 45 had antibodies to VCA as detected by CLIA. In all of the remaining 17 patients, antibodies to EBV were detected by immunoblot. Altogether, 901 of 901 (100%) patients with CIS/RRMS were EBV-seropositive. EBV seropositivity increased with age in the hospital population but did not reach 100% in any of the investigated age cohorts.

Conclusion

The complete EBV seropositivity in this large cohort of patients with early MS strengthens the evidence for a role of EBV in MS. It also suggests that a negative EBV serology in patients with suspected inflammatory central nervous system disease should alert clinicians to consider diagnoses other than MS.
Buprenorphine management: a conundrum for the anesthesiologist and beyond - a one-act play
Authors: Thakrar Shilen , Lee Josh , Martin Caitlin E , Butterworth IV John
Published: May 2020

We have witnessed a worldwide upsurge of streamlined enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways advocating for consistency and compliance within their guidelines. At a recent national conference, two experts defended their institutional policies on perioperative management of buprenorphine, one defending its continuation, while the other suggesting its discontinuation. The moderator diplomatically proclaimed the need to have guidance at the institutional level and following it for favorable patient outcomes. Unfortunately, perioperative management of buprenorphine remains an understudied topic with a lack of national guidelines leading to variations at a local level despite its increased use nationally in the current opioid crisis. Although the moderator made a valid statement, we demonstrate via our one-act play the importance of recognizing a subset of the population within an ERAS pathway that necessitates multidisciplinary discussion, communication, and patient-centric care to formulate a perioperative plan coordinating a patient’s care. More robust research is needed to minimize variability in current practices and to further develop comprehensive evidence-based guidelines that encompass risk factors and anticipated postsurgical and peripartum pain for patients on buprenorphine.
Impending radiographic erosive progression over the following year in a cohort of consecutive patients with inflammatory polyarthritis: prediction by serum biomarkers
Authors: Carrier Nathalie , de Brum-Fernandes Artur J , Liang Patrick , Masetto Ariel , Roux Sophie , Biln Norma K , Maksymowych Walter P , Boire Gilles
Published: May 2020

Background/Purpose

To evaluate biomarkers as predictors of impending erosion progression.

Methods

Variables were measured at baseline and annually up to 5 years in patients with recent-onset polyarthritis treated to zero swollen joints. Erosive status was defined as ≥5 Units in Sharp/van der Heijde Erosion Score; Rapid Erosive Progression (REP) was defined as an increase ≥5 Units in Erosion Scores between consecutive visits. Generalised estimating equations (GEEs) evaluated the effect on REP of positive anticyclic citrullinated peptides (ACPAs) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein ˃8.0 mg/L (High-CRP) and 14-3-3η protein ≥0.50 ng/mL (High-14-3-3η), alone and in combinations.

Results

Out of 2155 evaluations in 749 consecutive patients, REP occurred after 186 (8.6%) visits, including 13 (2.2%) in patients recruited since 2010. Only 18/537 (3.4%; 6/411 (1.5%) in non-erosive vs 12/126 (9.5%) in patients already erosive) visits without any positive biomarker were followed by REP; at least one biomarker was positive prior to REP in 168/186 (90.3%) visits. Being positive for all four biomarkers conferred a positive predictive value (PPV) of 30.0% (RR 21.8) in patients non-erosive at the visit versus 35.5% (RR 3.07) in those already erosive. High-14-3-3η increased REP only in visits with High-CRP (eg, RR 2.5 to 3.9 when ACPA also positive) and in patients with non-erosive status (eg, RR from 4.3 to 9.4 when also High-CRP).

Conclusions

Adding High-14-3-3η to positive antibodies and CRP improves prediction of impending REP. Although REP is becoming rarer, signatures of biomarkers might help to adapt treatment strategies in at-risk individuals, even those already erosive.
Deterministic Factorization of Sparse Polynomials with Bounded Individual Degree
Authors: Bhargava Vishwas , Saraf Shubhangi , Volkovich Ilya
Published: May 2020

In this article, we study the problem of deterministic factorization of sparse polynomials. We show that if
f
∈ F[
x
1
,
x
2
,… ,
x

n

] is a polynomial with s monomials, with individual degrees of its variables bounded by
d
, then
f
can be deterministically factored in time
s

poly(
d
)log
n

. Prior to our work, the only efficient factoring algorithms known for this class of polynomials were randomized, and other than for the cases of
d
=1 and
d
=2, only exponential time-deterministic factoring algorithms were known.

A crucial ingredient in our proof is a quasi-polynomial sparsity bound for factors of sparse polynomials of bounded individual degree. In particular, we show that if
f
is an
s
-sparse polynomial in
n
variables, with individual degrees of its variables bounded by
d
, then the sparsity of each factor of
f
is bounded by
s

(9
d
2
log
n
)

. This is the first non-trivial bound on factor sparsity for
d
> 2. Our sparsity bound uses techniques from convex geometry, such as the theory of Newton polytopes and an approximate version of the classical Carathéodory’s Theorem.

Our work addresses and partially answers a question of von zur Gathen and Kaltofen [1985] who asked whether a quasi-polynomial bound holds for the sparsity of factors of sparse polynomials.
Simultaneous Electrochemical Exfoliation and Chemical Functionalization of Graphene for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Zhuo Yuling , Kinloch Ian , Bissett Mark Alexander
Published: May 2020

The demand for efficient electrochemical energy storage technology, such as supercapacitors, continues to increase as both the energy and power demands of devices grow. Graphene has attracted wide interest in addressing this energy challenge due to its high conductivity and specific surface area. However, in reality the hydrophobic properties and the restacking of the graphene sheets during device manufacture leads to significantly lower storage performance than that theoretically predicted for isolated sheets. Herein, functionalized graphene was prepared by a convenient one-pot process, where graphene was functionalized with aryl diazonium salts (4-nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate (NBD) and 4-bromobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate (BBD)) simultaneously during oxidative electrochemical exfoliation of graphite. It was found that the specific capacitance for functionalized graphene was significantly improved compared to pristine graphene due to the introduction of pseudocapacitance by the aryl diazonium salts. The dispersibility of functionalized graphene in water was also found to be improved, implying a better hydrophilicity. NBD functionalized graphene which had been exfoliated/functionalized for a total of 30 minutes exhibited the best energy storage properties with a 5 times increase in specific capacitance (17 mF cm-2) compared to pristine graphene (3 mF cm-2).
Regulation of the Ca2+channel α2δ-1 subunit expression by epidermal growth factor via the ERK/ELK-1 signaling pathway
Authors: Duran Paz , Sandoval Alejandro , González-Ramírez Ricardo , Zarco Natanael , Felix Ricardo
Published: May 2020

Voltage-gated Ca2+(CaV) channels are expressed in endocrine cells where they contribute to hormone secretion. Diverse chemical messengers, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), are known to affect the expression of CaVchannels. Previous studies have shown that EGF increases Ca2+currents in GH3 pituitary cells by increasing the number of high voltage-activated (HVA) CaVchannels at the cell membrane, which results in enhanced prolactin (PRL) secretion. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying this regulation. Here, we show that EGF actually increases the expression of the CaVα2δ-1 subunit, a key molecular component of HVA channels. The analysis of the gene promoter encoding CaVα2δ-1 ( CACNA2D1) revealed binding sites for transcription factors activated by the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and site-directed mutagenesis showed that ELK-1 is crucial for the transcriptional regulation of CACNA2D1 in response to EGF. Furthermore, we found that EGF increases the membrane expression of CaVα2δ-1 and that ELK-1 overexpression increases HVA current density, whereas ELK-1 knockdown decreases the functional expression of the channels. Hormone release assays revealed that CaVα2δ-1 overexpression increases PRL secretion. These results suggest a mechanism for how EGF, by activating the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK/ELK-1 pathway, may influence the expression of HVA channels and the secretory behavior of pituitary cells.
Relative lipid oxidation associates directly with mitochondrial fusion phenotype and mitochondria-sarcoplasmic reticulum interactions in human skeletal muscle
Authors: Castro-Sepulveda Mauricio , Jannas-Vela Sebastian , Fernández-Verdejo Rodrigo , Ávalos-Allele Daniela , Tapia German , Villagrán Claudio , Quezada Nicolas , Zbinden-Foncea Hermann
Published: May 2020

Disturbances in skeletal muscle lipid oxidation might induce ectopic fat deposition and lipotoxicity. Nevertheless, the cellular mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle lipid oxidation have not been fully determined. We aimed to determine whether there was an association between relative whole body lipid oxidation and mitochondrial size or mitochondria-sarcoplasmic reticulum interactions in the skeletal muscle. Twelve healthy men were included [mean (standard deviation), 24.7 (1.5) yr old, 24.4 (2.6) kg/m2]. The respiratory quotient (RQ) was used to estimate relative lipid oxidation at rest and during exercise (50% maximal oxygen consumption, 600 kcal expended). A skeletal muscle biopsy was obtained from the vastus lateralis at rest. Transmission electron microscopy was used to determine mitochondrial size and mitochondria-sarcoplasmic reticulum interactions (≤50 nm of distance between organelles). Protein levels of fusion/fission regulators were measured in skeletal muscle by Western blot. Resting RQ and exercise RQ associated inversely with intermyofibrillar mitochondrial size ( r = −0.66 and r = −0.60, respectively, P < 0.05). Resting RQ also associated inversely with the percentage of intermyofibrillar mitochondria-sarcoplasmic reticulum interactions ( r = −0.62, P = 0.03). Finally, intermyofibrillar mitochondrial size associated inversely with lipid droplet density ( r = −0.66, P = 0.01) but directly with mitochondria fusion-to-fission ratio ( r = 0.61, P = 0.03). Our results show that whole body lipid oxidation is associated with skeletal muscle intermyofibrillar mitochondrial size, fusion phenotype, and mitochondria-sarcoplasmic-reticulum interactions in nondiabetic humans.
Impacts of rat hindlimb Fndc5/irisin overexpression on muscle and adipose tissue metabolism
Authors: Farrash W. , Brook M. , Crossland H. , Phillips B. E. , Cegielski J. , Wilkinson D. J. , Constantin-Teodosiu D. , Greenhaff P. L. , Smith K. , Cleasby M. , Atherton P. J.
Published: May 2020

Myokines, such as irisin, have been purported to exert physiological effects on skeletal muscle in an autocrine/paracrine fashion. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanistic role of in vivo fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (Fndc5)/irisin upregulation in muscle. Overexpression (OE) of Fndc5 in rat hindlimb muscle was achieved by in vivo electrotransfer, i.e., bilateral injections of Fndc5 harboring vectors for OE rats ( n = 8) and empty vector for control rats ( n = 8). Seven days later, a bolus of D2O (7.2 mL/kg) was administered via oral gavage to quantify muscle protein synthesis. After an overnight fast, on day 9, 2-deoxy-d-glucose-6-phosphate (2-DG6P; 6 mg/kg) was provided during an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (2 g/kg) to assess glucose handling. Animals were euthanized, musculus tibialis cranialis muscles and subcutaneous fat (inguinal) were harvested, and metabolic and molecular effects were evaluated. Muscle Fndc5 mRNA increased with OE (~2-fold; P = 0.014), leading to increased circulating irisin (1.5 ± 0.9 to 3.5 ± 1.2 ng/mL; P = 0.049). OE had no effect on protein anabolism or mitochondrial biogenesis; however, muscle glycogen was increased, along with glycogen synthase 1 gene expression ( P = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). In addition to an increase in glycogen synthase activation in OE ( P = 0.03), there was a tendency toward increased glucose transporter 4 protein ( P = 0.09). However, glucose uptake (accumulation of 2-DG6P) was identical. Irisin elicited no endocrine effect on mitochondrial biogenesis or uncoupling proteins in white adipose tissue. Hindlimb overexpression led to physiological increases in Fndc5/irisin. However, our data indicate limited short-term impacts of irisin in relation to muscle anabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, glucose uptake, or adipose remodeling.
Reducing 14-3-3ζ expression influences adipocyte maturity and impairs function
Authors: Oppong Abel K. , Diallo Kadidia , Robillard Frayne Isabelle , Des Rosiers Christine , Lim Gareth E.
Published: May 2020

One of the primary metabolic functions of a mature adipocyte is to supply energy via lipolysis, or the catabolism of stored lipids. Adipose triacylglycerol lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) are critical lipolytic enzymes, and their phosphorylation generates phospho-binding sites for 14-3-3 proteins, a ubiquitously expressed family of molecular scaffolds. Although we previously identified essential roles of the 14-3-3ζ isoform in murine adipogenesis, the presence of 14-3-3 protein binding sites on ATGL and HSL suggests that 14-3-3ζ could also influence mature adipocyte processes like lipolysis. Here we demonstrate that 14-3-3ζ is necessary for lipolysis in male mice and fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, as depletion of 14-3-3ζ significantly impaired glycerol and free fatty acid (FFA) release. Unexpectedly, reducing 14-3-3ζ expression was found to significantly impact adipocyte maturity, as observed by reduced abundance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ2 protein and expression of mature adipocyte genes and those associated with de novo triglyceride synthesis and lipolysis. The impact of 14-3-3ζ depletion on adipocyte maturity was further examined with untargeted lipidomics, which revealed that reductions in 14-3-3ζ abundance promoted the acquisition of a lipidomic signature that resembled undifferentiated preadipocytes. Collectively, these findings reveal a novel aspect of 14-3-3ζ in adipocytes, as reducing 14-3-3ζ was found to have a negative effect on adipocyte maturity and adipocyte-specific processes like lipolysis.
On Collision Avoiding Fixed-Time Flocking with Measurable Diameter to a Cucker–Smale-Type Self-Propelled Particle Model
Authors: Xiao Qizhen , Liu Hongliang , Xu Zhenghua , Ouyang Zigen
Published: May 2020

Dealing with the fixed-time flocking issue is one of the most challenging problems for a Cucker–Smale-type self-propelled particle model. In this article, the fixed-time flocking is established by employing a fixed-time stability theorem when the communication weight function has a positive infimum. Compared with the initial condition-based finite-time stability, an upper bound of the settling time in this paper is merely dependent on the design parameters. Moreover, the size of the final flocking can be estimated by the number of particles and the initial states of the system. In addition, a sufficient condition is formulated to guarantee that all particles do not collide during the process of the flocking. These results can give a reasonable explanation to some flocking phenomena such as bird flocks, fish schools, or human group behaviors. Finally, three numerical examples are granted to display the performance of the obtained results.
Prevalence of Albuminuria in Cardiology and Endocrinology Departments and Its Influencing Factors: A Multicenter, Real-World Evidence Study in China
Authors: Ren Qian , Ma Changsheng , Wang Jiguang , Guo Xiaohui , Ji Linong
Published: May 2020

Aims. To evaluate the prevalence of albuminuria and compare its risk factors in diabetic and hypertensive patients. Methods. This was an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter registry across China. Consecutive patients were registered with the Cardiology and Endocrine departments in 40 centers. Clinical characteristics were collected, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was measured using the immunochemical method. Results. Of the 2510 patients enrolled in the study, 1515 underwent UACR testing and were included in the present analysis. The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 13.0% and 16.1% while that of macroalbuminuria was 2.5% and 5.0%, in the Cardiology and Endocrinology departments, respectively. HbA1c and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were independent risk factors for albuminuria. The relationship of blood pressure (BP) and HbA1c with albuminuria was continuous and graded. Compared with the reference level of SBP 130–139 mm Hg, an SBP level of <130 mmHg was significantly associated with a lower risk of albuminuria in all subjects (OR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.40–0.89; P<0.001) and in subjects with concomitant hypertension and diabetes (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25–0.92; P<0.001). Conclusions. In China, nearly one-fifth of patients in the Cardiology and Endocrinology departments have albuminuria although ACEI/ARB were widely used. More effective therapy is needed in this population.
Niao Du Kang Mixture Increases the Expression of mir‐129‐5p to Relieve Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Li Yan-lin , Liu Lin-na , Huang Lin , An Hai-wen , Jian Jian-lin , Pang Jie , Lin Fen-na , Yang Wen-qin , Li Jin-shan , Jiang Qian , Wang Hong
Published: May 2020

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of Niao Du Kang (NDK) mixture in renal fibrosis of rats and to explore the mechanism underlying the effect of NDK on renal fibrosis. Methods. Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) was used to replicate a rat renal interstitial fibrosis model. The drug‐administered groups were given 20 ml/kg (NDK‐H), 10 ml/kg (NDK‐M), and 5 ml/kg (NDK‐L) NDK mixture once a day for 21 days beginning 48 hours after surgery. The 24‐hour urine protein and serum creatinine (CR) levels in the sham group rats, UUO rats, and NDK mixture‐treated rats were measured after the last administration. The pathological changes of rat kidney tissue were observed by HE staining. The degree of fibrosis was observed by Masson’s staining and scored. The expression levels of TGF‐β, α‐SMA mRNA, and mir‐129‐5p in kidney were detected by qRT‐PCR. HK‐2 cells were treated with 5 ng/ml TGF‐β to induce HK‐2 cell fibrosis. The expression levels of TGF‐β, α‐SMA mRNA, and mir‐129‐5p in HK‐2 cells were detected by qRT‐PCR. TargetScan predicted the target gene of mir‐129‐5p, HK‐2 cells were transfected with mir‐129‐5p mimic, and an overexpressed mir‐129‐5p HK‐2 cell model was constructed. qRT‐PCR was used to detect the expression of PDPK1 mRNA. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PDPK1, AKT, and p‐AKT in HK‐2 cells induced by TGF‐β and in UUO rats. Results. NDK mixture significantly reduced the 24‐hour urine protein and CR levels of UUO rats. HE staining showed that the NDK mixture group exhibited a significantly reduced degree of renal interstitial fibrosis. NDK mixture also reduced the expression of TGF‐β and α‐SMA, and the middle‐dose group showed a better therapeutic effect. In vitro studies showed that NDK mixture‐containing serum increased the expression of mir‐129‐5p to reduce renal fibrosis. In addition, NDK mixture increased the expression of mir‐129‐5p in vivo. Further studies indicated that mir‐129‐5p could target PDPKl to reduce its expression. The NDK‐containing serum group also exhibited reduced expression of PDPK1. Conclusion. NDK mixture can significantly improve renal function and improve renal fibrosis in UUO model rats. Furthermore, NDK mixture can inhibit the expression of PDPK1 by upregulating the expression of mir‐129‐5p and then inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway to improve renal fibrosis.
Hydrocele of the Canal of Nuck with Endometriosis: Right-Side Dominance Confirmed by Literature Review and Statistical Analysis
Authors: Nagase Shunsuke , Ogura Kanako , Ashizawa Karin , Sakaguchi Asumi , Wada Ryo , Matsumoto Toshiharu
Published: May 2020

Introduction. The canal of Nuck is an embryological remnant of the peritoneal pouch that extends into the labium majus of women. Hydrocele is the most common presentation, but only a small number of cases are reported in association with endometriosis.Case Presentation. The patient is a 45-year-old woman who presented with left inguinal mass with persistent pain. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 30 mm cystic mass, and a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck (HCN) was suspected. The excised mass was a cyst containing yellow-tan serous fluid, and the cyst wall was lined by mesothelium. The morphology was consistent with conventional HCN. However, since several foci of endometrial-like epithelium and stroma were identified beneath the mesothelium, the mass was diagnosed with HCN with endometriosis (EM-HCN).Discussion. Right-side dominance of EM-HCN is suggested by several authors, but a thorough review has never been performed. For the first time, we reviewed the literature and statistically confirmed that EM-HCNs dominantly occur on the right side compared to those without endometriosis. We consider that this supports the theory that endometriosis derives from retrograde menstruation of endometrial tissue through fallopian tubes. When endometriosis is discovered in HCN, the clinician should be aware of the possibility of pelvic endometriosis.
The Effects of New Selective PPARα Agonist CP775146 on Systematic Lipid Metabolism in Obese Mice and Its Potential Mechanism
Authors: Tang Shengjie , Wu Fang , Lin Xihua , Gui Weiwei , Zheng Fenping , Li Hong
Published: May 2020

Purpose. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) plays a crucial role in the control of lipid homeostasis. Here, we investigated the effects of CP775146, a new selective PPARα agonist, on lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese mice and its possible mechanism. Methods. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce obesity and then received CP775146 via intraperitoneal injection for 3 days. The content/morphology of the liver, serum lipid, and liver function was measured. The expression of genes related to lipolysis and synthesis in liver was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results. The safe dose of CP775146 was <0.3 mg/kg. CP775146 reduced the serum levels of liver enzymes, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (AST) and lipid metabolism-related biomarkers, including triglycerides (TGs) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c), and hepatic TG content, at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg. HFD-induced pathological liver changes improved after CP775146 treatment. The expression of genes involved in liver fatty acid oxidation (acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase, long chain (Acadl), acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (Acox-1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1), and enoyl-CoA, hydratase/3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (Ehhadh)) was upregulated in CP775146-treated mice. Furthermore, CP775146 induced the expression of thermogenesis genes (cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector a (Cidea), uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1)) and lipolysis genes (hormone-sensitive lipase (Hsl), adipose tissue triglyceride lipase (Atgl)) in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), activating browning and thermogenesis. Conclusion. CP775146 efficiently alleviates obesity-induced liver damage, prevents lipid accumulation by activating the liver fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, and regulates the expression of genes that control brown fat-like pathway in eWAT.
Lanthanum Chloride Causes Neurotoxicity in Rats by Upregulating miR‐124 Expression and Targeting PIK3CA to Regulate the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zheng Linlin , Zhang Jinhui , Yu Shengjin , Ding Zhe , Song Heling , Wang Yan , Li Yicui
Published: May 2020

Background. Lanthanum (La) exposure can cause central nervous system (CNS) damage and dysfunction in children, seriously affecting intellectual development. miR‐124 plays an important role in the development of the nervous system. We exposed rats to a La environment then observed the rats’ learning and memory damage and neurotoxicity and the relationship with miR‐124. Methods. Rats were exposed to LaCl3 via drinking water. The rats’ offspring were exposed to LaCl3 from their mother before weaning, then from La water for 28 days. A Morris water maze was used to observe spatial memory capabilities. H&E staining and TUNEL assays were used to observe pathological changes and apoptosis in the hippocampus. miR‐124 was detected by RT‐qPCR, and its targeting was confirmed by luciferase assay. The HT22 cell line was cultured with LaCl3 and treated with miR‐124 mimics or inhibitors; then, expression of PI3K/Akt‐related proteins was detected by western blot. Results. La exposure can lead to impaired learning and memory ability in offspring. Offspring with La accumulations in the hippocampus showed severe damage, disordered cells, and increased neurocyte apoptosis. In vitro, the postsynaptic density protein 95 was downregulated under La exposure and apoptosis increased. This effect of La can be attenuated by miR‐124 inhibitors and enhanced by miR‐124 mimics. LaCl3 exposure increased miR‐124 expression and targeting on PIK3CA, downregulating PI3K, p‐Akt, and p‐NF‐κB p65. Conclusion. La causes neurotoxicity by upregulating miR‐124 expression and targeting PIK3CA through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Nonorthogonal Multiple Access for Visible Light Communication IoT Networks
Authors: Du Chun , Ma Shuai , He Yang , Lu Songtao , Li Hang , Zhang Han , Li Shiyin
Published: May 2020

In this study, we investigated the nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) for visible light communication (VLC) Internet of Things (IoT) networks and provided a promising system design for 5G and beyond 5G applications. Specifically, we studied the capacity region of a practical uplink NOMA for multiple IoT devices with discrete and continuous inputs, respectively. For discrete inputs, we proposed an entropy approximation method to approach the channel capacity and obtain the discrete inner and outer bounds. For the continuous inputs, we derived the inner and outer bounds in closed forms. Based on these results, we further investigated the optimal receiver beamforming design for the multiple access channel (MAC) of VLC IoT networks to maximize the minimum uplink rate under receiver power constraints. By exploiting the structure of the achievable rate expressions, we showed that the optimal beamformers are the generalized eigenvectors corresponding to the largest generalized eigenvalues. Numerical results show the tightness of the proposed capacity regions and the superiority of the proposed beamformers for VLC IoT networks.
Adhesion of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles to Dental Materials under Oral Conditions
Authors: Nobre Cíntia Mirela Guimarães , Pütz Norbert , Hannig Matthias
Published: May 2020

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nano-HAP) are receiving considerable attention for dental applications, and their adhesion to enamel is well established. However, there are no reports concerning the effects of HAP on other dental materials, and most of the studies in this field are based on in vitro designs, neglecting the salivary pellicle-apatite interactions. Thus, this in situ pilot study aims to evaluate the effects of three hydroxyapatite-based solutions and their interactions with different dental material surfaces under oral conditions. Hence, two volunteers carried intraoral splints with mounted samples from enamel and from three dental materials: titanium, ceramics, and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA). Three HAP watery solutions (5%) were prepared with different shapes and sizes of nano-HAP (HAP I, HAP II, HAP III). After 3 min of pellicle formation, 10 ml rinse was performed during 30 sec. Rinsing with water served as control. Samples were accessed immediately after rinsing, 30 min and 2 h after rinsing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the particles, and SEM evaluated the pellicle-HAP interactions. SEM and TEM results showed a high variation in the size range of the particles applied. A heterogeneous HAP layer was present after 2 h on enamel, titanium, ceramics, and PMMA surfaces under oral conditions. Bridge-like structures were visible between the nano-HAP and the pellicle formed on enamel, titanium, and PMMA surfaces. In conclusion, nano-HAP can adhere not only to enamel but also to artificial dental surfaces under oral conditions. The experiment showed that the acquired pellicle act as a bridge between the nano-HAP and the materials’ surface.
A Centralized Outbreak of Varicella among Children Attending Preschool in Suzhou, China
Authors: Zhang Min , Gui Guo-Ping , Guo Feng , Fan Xin-Fang , Zha Ri-Sheng
Published: May 2020

Background. Varicella vaccine is available for voluntary purchase with a single dose currently recommended for children aged ≥12 months. An epidemiological study was undertaken in order to determine the characteristics of the outbreak, assess vaccine effectiveness, and examine risk factors for vaccine failure. Methods. A varicella case was defined as a generalized papulovesicular rash (without other apparent causes) in a child without prior varicella attending the kindergarten during February 22 to April 7 of 2016. Varicella among vaccinated children (breakthrough varicella) was defined as varicella occurring >42 days after vaccination. Children’s vaccination status was verified with immunization records through local vaccination information platform. Results. Of the 738 children, 664 (90.0%) had no prior varicella history. Of these, 364 (54.8%) had received a single‐dose varicella vaccine before outbreak. A total of 30 cases occurred in the outbreak, and 9 of them (30%) had breakthrough varicella. Age at vaccination (<15 months vs. ≥15 months) and time since vaccination before the outbreak (<3 years vs. ≥3 years) were not related to the occurrence of breakthrough varicella (P > 0.05). Single‐dose varicella vaccination was 64.7% effective in preventing any varicella. Conclusions. Single‐dose varicella vaccine is effective in reducing the varicella attack rate, but not high enough to prevent outbreak. Timely detection and effective isolation are key factors in controlling varicella. Improving single‐dose vaccination coverage and implementing two‐dose vaccination strategy should be recommended to provide excellent protection to prevent varicella in the future in Suzhou.
Image Processing-Based Pitting Corrosion Detection Using Metaheuristic Optimized Multilevel Image Thresholding and Machine-Learning Approaches
Authors: Hoang Nhat-Duc
Published: May 2020

Pitting corrosion can lead to critical failures of infrastructure elements. Therefore, accurate detection of corroded areas is crucial during the phase of structural health monitoring. This study aims at developing a computer vision and data-driven method for automatic detection of pitting corrosion. The proposed method is an integration of the history-based adaptive differential evolution with linear population size reduction (LSHADE), image processing techniques, and the support vector machine (SVM). The implementation of the LSHADE metaheuristic in this research is multifold. This optimization algorithm is employed in the task of multilevel image thresholding to extract regions of interest from the metal surface. Image texture analysis methods of statistical measurements of color channels, gray-level co-occurrence matrix, and local binary pattern are used to compute numerical features subsequently employed by the SVM-based pattern recognition phase. In addition, the LSHADE metaheuristic is also used to optimize the hyperparameters of the machine-learning approach. Experimental results supported by statistical test points out that the newly developed approach can attain a good predictive result with classification accurate rate = 91.80%, precision = 0.91, recall = 0.94, negative predictive value = 0.93, and F1 score = 0.92. Thus, the newly developed method can be a promising tool to be used in a periodic structural health survey.
Gene Coexpression Network and Module Analysis across 52 Human Tissues
Authors: He Binsheng , Xu Junlin , Tian Yingxiang , Liao Bo , Lang Jidong , Lin Huixin , Mo Xiaofei , Lu Qingqing , Tian Geng , Bing Pingping
Published: May 2020

Gene coexpression analysis is widely used to infer gene modules associated with diseases and other clinical traits. However, a systematic view and comparison of gene coexpression networks and modules across a cohort of tissues are more or less ignored. In this study, we first construct gene coexpression networks and modules of 52 GTEx tissues and cell lines. The network modules are enriched in many tissue‐common functions like organelle membrane and tissue‐specific functions. We then study the correlation of tissues from the network point of view. As a result, the network modules of most tissues are significantly correlated, indicating a general similar network pattern across tissues. However, the level of similarity among the tissues is different. The tissues closing in a physical location seem to be more similar in their coexpression networks. For example, the two adjacent tissues fallopian tube and bladder have the highest Fisher’s exact test p value 8.54E‐291 among all tissue pairs. It is known that immune‐associated modules are frequently identified in coexperssion modules. In this study, we found immune modules in many tissues like liver, kidney cortex, lung, uterus, adipose subcutaneous, and adipose visceral omentum. However, not all tissues have immune‐associated modules, for example, brain cerebellum. Finally, by the clique analysis, we identify the largest clique of modules, in which the genes in each module are significantly overlapped with those in other modules. As a result, we are able to find a clique of size 40 (out of 52 tissues), indicating a strong correlation of modules across tissues. It is not surprising that the 40 modules are most commonly enriched in immune‐related functions.
Septin 9 Methylation in Nasopharyngeal Swabs: A Potential Minimally Invasive Biomarker for the Early Detection of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Lyu Jie-Yu , Chen Jian-Yong , Zhang Xiao-Jun , Zhang Meng-Wen , Yu Geng-Sheng , Zhang Liang , Wen Zhong
Published: May 2020

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, and an unfavorable outcome is usually attributed to advanced stage NPC. Current methods for the early diagnosis of NPC have limitations in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic ability of Septin 9 methylation for NPC. A quantitative methylation-sensitive PCR (qMS-PCR) assay was developed to measure the methylation status and levels of Septin 9 in nasopharyngeal tissues and paired swabs from patients with NPC, chronic nasopharyngitis, and healthy donors. Methylated Septin 9 was detected in 92% (23/25) of NPC tissues and 25% (4/16) of nasopharyngitis controls (p<0.05). High-frequency hypermethylation with decreased mRNA expression of Septin 9 in NPC was also identified. Further, Septin 9 methylation was identified in 90.5% (19/21) of NPC biopsies and 71.4% (15/21) of paired swabs, indicating a good concordance between the two sample types. In addition, methylated Septin 9 was found in 16 (72.7%) nasal swabs from 22 NPC patients, 2 of 19 (10.5%) nasopharyngitis, but not in any of the healthy controls (p<0.01). The methylation score in nasal swabs of the NPC group was also significantly higher than that of non-NPC controls (p<0.001). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.882 of Septin 9 methylation tests to discriminate NPC from non-NPC subjects. Our study demonstrated that frequent methylation of Septin 9 was present in NPC. Its detection in nasopharyngeal swabs may provide a minimally invasive and informative method for identifying early NPC cases.
Nematicidal Action of Microencapsulated Essential Oil of Flesh Fingered Citron
Authors: Piao Xixi , Zhang Lirong , Zhang Songxing , Yi Fengping
Published: May 2020

Flesh fingered citron (FFC) essential oil (EO) is susceptible to volatilisation at room temperature. Therefore, its use as a nematicide requires a controlled release. In the present study, we encapsulated FFC EO in β-cyclodextrin by embedding and investigated release from the capsules compared to unembedded EO. We evaluated the structural and thermal properties of the capsules by SEM and TGA. The loading capacity was 32.67%, and the embedding yield was 96.24%, assuming that a core-to-wall quality ratio of 1 : 6 is optimal for the carrier. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, we explored the toxicity of (1) FFC EO microcapsules (MCs) and (2) four key compounds of the EOs. The MCs enabled sustained release, e.g., 77% mortality after 4 h and 100% within an additional half-hour. The four main compounds in EO can each kill nematodes by reducing antioxidant activity. Since microencapsulation can improve FFC EO stability and prevent product loss due to adverse environments exposed to the air, encapsulating FFC EO in MCs has great potential as a new nematicide.
The Limit Theorems for Function of Markov Chains in the Environment of Single Infinite Markovian Systems
Authors: Li Zhanfeng , Huang Min , Meng Xiaohua , Ge Xiangyu
Published: May 2020

This paper is intended to study the limit theorem of Markov chain function in the environment of single infinite Markovian systems. Moreover, the problem of the strong law of large numbers in the infinite environment is presented by means of constructing martingale differential sequence for the measurement under some different sufficient conditions. If the sequence of even functions gnx,n≥0 satisfies different conditions when the value ranges of x are different, we have obtained SLLN for function of Markov chain in the environment of single infinite Markovian systems. In addition, the paper studies the strong convergence of the weighted sums of function for finite state Markov Chains in single infinitely Markovian environments. Although the similar conclusions have been carried out, the difference results performed by previous scholars are that we give weaker different sufficient conditions of the strong convergence of weighted sums compared with the previous conclusions.
The Efficiency of Economic Performance, Electricity Consumption, and Environmental Pollutants in Taiwan
Authors: Zou Wen-jie , Lin Tai-Yu , Chiu Yung-ho , Teng Ting , Huang Kuei Ying
Published: May 2020

Finding the balance between economic development and environmental protection is a major problem for many countries around the world. Air pollution caused by economic growth has caused serious damage to humans’ living environment, and as improving energy and resource efficiencies is the first priority, many countries are targeting to move towards a sustainable environment and economic development. This study uses the modified dynamic SBM (slack-based measure) model to explore the economic efficiency and air pollutants emission efficiency in Taiwan’s counties and cities from 2012 to 2015 by taking labor, motor vehicles, and electricity consumption as inputs and average disposable income as output. Particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxide emissions (NO2), and sulfur oxide emissions (SO2) are undesirable outputs, whereas factory fixed assets are a carry-over variable, and the results show the following: (1) the regions with the best overall efficiency between 2012 and 2015 include Taipei City, Keelung City, Hsinchu City, Chiayi City, and Taitung County; (2) in counties and cities with poor overall efficiency performance, the average disposable income per household has no significant relationship with air pollutant emissions; (3) in counties and cities where overall efficiency is poor, the average efficiency of each household’s disposable income is small; and (4) except for the five counties and cities with the best overall performance, the three air pollutants in the other fourteen counties and cities are high. Overall, the air pollution of most areas needs improvement.