bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in, and factors associated with, frequency of sex in Britain: evidence from three National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal)
Authors: Wellings Kaye , Palmer Melissa J , Machiyama Kazuyo , Slaymaker Emma
Published: May 2019

Objectives

To examine changes over time in the reported frequency of occurrence of sex and associations between sexual frequency and selected variables.

Design

Repeat, cross sectional, population based National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-1, Natsal-2, and Natsal-3).

Setting

British general population.

Participants

18 876 men and women aged 16-59 and resident in Britain were interviewed in Natsal-1, completed in 1991; 11 161 aged 16-44 years in Natsal-2, completed in 2001, and 15 162 aged 16-74 years in Natsal-3, completed in 2012. Comparisons of actual and preferred sexual frequency in men and women aged 16-44 (the age range common to all surveys) between the three surveys. Factors associated with sexual frequency of at least once a week were examined using Natsal-3 data.

Main outcome measures

Sexual activity in the past month; frequency of sex in the past month; preferred frequency of sex.

Results

Median number of occasions of sex in the past month was four in Natsal-1 and Natsal-2 and three in Natsal-3 among women; and three in Natsal-1, Natsal-2, and Natsal-3 among men. The proportion reporting no sex in the past month fell between Natsal-1 and Natsal-2 (from 28.5% to 23.0% in women and from 30.9% to 26.0% in men) but increased significantly in Natsal-3 (to 29.3% in women and 29.2% in men). The proportion reporting sex 10 times or more in the past month increased between Natsal-1 and Natsal-2, from 18.4% to 20.6% in women and from 19.9% to 20.2% in men, but fell in Natsal-3, to 13.2% in woman and 14.4% in men. Participants aged 25 and over, and those married or cohabiting, experienced the steepest declines in sexual frequency (P values for interaction <0.05). Alongside the declines in sexual frequency, there was an increase in the proportion reporting that they would prefer sex more often. Age adjusted odds ratios showed that men and women in better physical and mental health had sex more frequently, as did those who were fully employed and those with higher earnings.

Conclusions

Frequency of sex has declined recently in Britain, more markedly among those in early middle age and those who are married or cohabiting. The findings and their implications need to be explained in the context of technological, demographic, and social change in Britain and warrant further investigation.
Dietary Approaches to the Management Of type 2 Diabetes (DIAMOND): protocol for a randomised feasibility trial
Authors: Morris Elizabeth , Aveyard Paul , Dyson Pamela , Noreik Michaela , Bailey Clare , Fox Robin , Hoffman Kathy , Tan Garry D , Jebb Susan A
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Some clinicians have observed that low-carbohydrate, low-energy diets can improve blood glucose control, with reports of remission from type 2 diabetes in some patients. In clinical trials, support for low-carbohydrate, low-energy diets has been provided by specialist staff and these programmes are unsuitable for widespread deployment in routine primary care. The aim of this trial is to test whether a newly developed behavioural support programme can effectively deliver a low-energy, low-carbohydrate diet in a primary care setting.

Methods and analysis

This is a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) with embedded qualitative study. Thirty adult patients with type 2 diabetes and body mass index ≥30 kg/m2in 2–4 general practices will be randomised 2:1 intervention or control and followed up over 12 weeks. The intervention diet comprises 8 weeks of a low-carbohydrate food-based diet providing around 800 kcal/day, followed by 4 weeks of weight maintenance. This programme will be delivered by practice nurses, who will also support patients through goal-setting, motivation and self-monitoring across four appointments, and provide a self-help booklet with recipes, shopping lists and other behavioural support. Primary outcome measures of feasibility will be met if CIs do not cross the following proportions: that 60% of intervention group participants attempt the dietary intervention, healthcare professionals conduct the intervention delivery session with at least 60% of essential elements present and 60% of participants attend the final follow-up session. Secondary outcome measures will assess process and qualitative measures, as well as exploratory outcomes including change in haemoglobin A1c and change in weight.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been granted ethical approval by the National Research Ethics Service, South Central Oxford B Research Ethics Committee (ref: 18/SC/0071). The study results will inform whether to progress to a full-scale RCT to test the efficacy of offering this programme for patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN62452621; Pre-results.
Variation in inhibitor effects on qPCR assays and implications for eDNA surveys
Authors: Lance Richard F. , Guan Xin
Published: May 2019

Aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are sometimes impacted by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. We tested varying concentrations of different inhibitors (humic, phytic, and tannic acids; crude leaf extracts) for impacts on quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays designed for eDNA surveys of bighead and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). We also tested for inhibition by high concentrations of exogenous DNA, hypothesizing that DNA from increasingly closely related species would be increasingly inhibitory. All tested inhibitors impacted qPCR, though only at very high concentrations — likely a function, in part, of having used an inhibitor-resistant qPCR solution. Closer phylogenetic relatedness resulted in inhibition at lower exogenous DNA concentrations, but not at relatively close phylogenetic scales. Inhibition was also influenced by the qPCR reporter dye used. Importantly, different qPCR assays responded differently to the same inhibitor concentrations. Implications of these results are that the inclusion of more than one assay for the same target taxa in an eDNA survey may be an important countermeasure against false negatives and that internal positive controls may not, in the absence of efforts to maximize inhibition compatibility, provide useful information about the inhibition of an eDNA assay.
Paradox of integration — Dynamics of two-dimensional status
Authors: Malarz K. , Kułakowski K.
Published: May 2019

According to Peter M. Blau (Exchange and Power in Social Life, Wiley and Sons, 1964, p. 43), the process of integration of a newly formed group has a paradoxical aspect: most attractive individuals are rejected because they raise fear of rejection. Often, their solution is to apply a self-deprecating strategy (SDS), which artificially raises the social statuses of their opponents. Here, we introduce a two-dimensional space of status, and we demonstrate that with this setup, the SDS can efficiently prevent the rejection. Examples of application of this strategy in the scale of a society are provided.
Multi-Loss WCVaR Risk Decision Optimization Based On Weight for Centralized Supply Problem of Direct Chain Enterprises
Authors: Leiyan Xu , Meng Zhiqing
Published: May 2019

In recent years, the centralized supply strategy has been widely adopted by direct chain enterprises (DCEs) and become an indispensable means of operation. First, a general probability distribution density function cluster is used to describe the uncertainty demand from all retailers of the DCE. Second, a multi-loss WCVaR centralized supply risk decision optimization robust model based on weight is presented for the DCE. We prove that this model is equivalent to an single-objective optimization model. Finally, we set up a single-period multi-loss WCVaR centralized supply risk decision optimization robust model based on weight for production allocation problem for a centralized-supply direct chain food enterprise. The numerical results illustrate that the DCE may obtain the approximately robust total production volume and the robust retail volume allocated to all retailers, which is the minimal total supply loss for the DCE.
Inspection Threshold for Multistate System
Authors: Satow Takashi
Published: May 2019

Determination of inspection period for a multistate system with imperfect inspection is an important issue for maintenance management. The result of imperfect inspection has potential to lead wrong information. This wrong information can cause bad decisions. How to eliminate the imperfect inspections is an important problem. This paper considers an inspection threshold which eliminates unnecessary imperfect inspection for the multistate system. In particular, it is intended for a system in which the number of unit failures is defined as the system state.
Flexible GnPs/EPDM with Excellent Thermal Conductivity and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Properties
Authors: Lu Shaowei , Bai Yaoyao , Wang Jijie , Chen Dandan , Ma Keming , Meng Qingshi , Liu Xinmin
Published: May 2019

As the portable device hardware has been increasing at a noticeable rate, ultrathin flexible materials with the combination of high thermal conductivity and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance are urgently needed. Here, we fabricated ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber with different loading graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs/EPDM) by a cost-efficient approach, which combines mixing, ultrasonication and compression. Further investigation demonstrates that the 8[Formula: see text]wt.% GnPs/EPDM with only 0.3[Formula: see text]mm in thickness shows excellent electrical conductivity (28.3[Formula: see text]S/m), thermal conductivity (0.79[Formula: see text]W/m[Formula: see text]K) and good mechanical properties. Besides, the 8[Formula: see text]wt.% GnPs/EPDM exhibits an EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) up to 33[Formula: see text]dB in the X-band (8.2–12.4[Formula: see text]GHz) and 35[Formula: see text]dB in the Ku-band (12.4–18[Formula: see text]GHz), superior to most of the reported rubber matrix. Additionally, the GnPs/EPDM shows excellent flexibility and stability with 95% and 94% retention of EMI SE even after repeated bending for 5000 times and corrosion (under 5% NaCl environment) for a week. Our flexible EMI shielding material will benefit the fast-growing next-generation commercial portable flexible electrons.
The Web of False Information
Authors: Zannettou Savvas , Sirivianos Michael , Blackburn Jeremy , Kourtellis Nicolas
Published: May 2019

A new era of Information Warfare has arrived. Various actors, including state-sponsored ones, are weaponizing information on Online Social Networks to run false-information campaigns with targeted manipulation of public opinion on specific topics. These false-information campaigns can have dire consequences to the public: mutating their opinions and actions, especially with respect to critical world events like major elections. Evidently, the problem of false information on the Web is a crucial one and needs increased public awareness as well as immediate attention from law enforcement agencies, public institutions, and in particular, the research community.

In this article, we make a step in this direction by providing a typology of the Web’s false-information ecosystem, composed of various types of false-information, actors, and their motives. We report a comprehensive overview of existing research on the false-information ecosystem by identifying several lines of work: (1) how the public perceives false information; (2) understanding the propagation of false information; (3) detecting and containing false information on the Web; and (4) false information on the political stage. In this work, we pay particular attention to political false information as: (1) it can have dire consequences to the community (e.g., when election results are mutated) and (2) previous work shows that this type of false information propagates faster and further when compared to other types of false information. Finally, for each of these lines of work, we report several future research directions that can help us better understand and mitigate the emerging problem of false-information dissemination on the Web.
A Sense Annotated Corpus for All-Words Urdu Word Sense Disambiguation
Authors: Saeed Ali , Nawab Rao Muhammad Adeel , Stevenson Mark , Rayson Paul
Published: May 2019

Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) aims to automatically predict the correct sense of a word used in a given context. All human languages exhibit word sense ambiguity, and resolving this ambiguity can be difficult. Standard benchmark resources are required to develop, compare, and evaluate WSD techniques. These are available for many languages, but not for Urdu, despite this being a language with more than 300 million speakers and large volumes of text available digitally. To fill this gap, this study proposes a novel benchmark corpus for the Urdu All-Words WSD task. The corpus contains 5,042 words of Urdu running text in which all ambiguous words (856 instances) are manually tagged with senses from the Urdu Lughat dictionary. A range of baseline WSD models based on
n
-gram are applied to the corpus, and the best performance (accuracy of 57.71%) is achieved using word 4-gram. The corpus is freely available to the research community to encourage further WSD research in Urdu.
Multi-Entity Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis with Context, Entity, Aspect Memory and Dependency Information
Authors: Yang Jun , Yang Runqi , Lu Hengyang , Wang Chongjun , Xie Junyuan
Published: May 2019

Fine-grained sentiment analysis is a useful tool for producers to understand consumers’ needs as well as complaints about products and related aspects from online platforms. In this article, we define a novel task named “Multi-Entity Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis (ME-ABSA)”. It investigates the sentiment towards entities and their related aspects. It makes the well-studied aspect-based sentiment analysis a special case of this type, where the number of entities is limited to one. We contribute a new dataset for this task, with multi-entity Chinese posts in it. We propose to model context, entity, and aspect memory to address the task and incorporate dependency information for further improvement. Experiments show that our methods perform significantly better than baseline methods on datasets for both ME-ABSA task and ABSA task. The in-depth analysis further validates the effectiveness of our methods and shows that our methods are capable of generalizing to new (entity, aspect) combinations with little loss of accuracy. This observation indicates that data annotation in real applications can be largely simplified.
Revenue management and market analytics department in management science
Authors: Talluri Kalyan , Weintraub Gabriel
Published: May 2019

Dear colleagues:

We are writing to share our vision about the recently formed Revenue Management and Market Analytics department in Management Science. We welcome papers from the SIGecom community!
Simple mechanisms for subadditive buyers via duality
Authors: Cai Yang , Zhao Mingfei
Published: May 2019

A central problem in mechanism design is how to design simple and approximately revenue-optimal auctions in multi-item multi-buyer settings. Prior to our work, all results only apply to cases where the buyers' valuations are linear over the items. We unify and improve all previous results, as well as generalize the results to accommodate non-linear valuations [Cai and Zhao 2017]. In particular, we prove that a simple, deterministic and Dominant Strategy Incentive Compatible (DSIC) mechanism, namely, the sequential posted price with entry fee mechanism, achieves a constant fraction of the optimal revenue among all randomized, Bayesian Incentive Compatible (BIC) mechanisms, when buyers' valuations are XOS (a superclass of submodular valuations) over independent items. If the buyers' valuations are subadditive over independent items, the approximation factor degrades to
O
(log
m
), where
m
is the number of items. We obtain our results by first extending the Cai-Devanur-Weinberg duality framework to derive an effective benchmark of the optimal revenue for subadditive buyers, and then developing new analytic tools that combine concentration inequality of subadditive functions, prophet-inequality type of arguments, and a novel decomposition of the benchmark.
Effect of levodopa on electroencephalographic biomarkers of the parkinsonian state
Authors: Miller Andrew M. , Miocinovic Svjetlana , Swann Nicole C. , Rajagopalan Sheila S. , Darevsky David M. , Gilron Ro’ee , de Hemptinne Coralie , Ostrem Jill L. , Starr Philip A.
Published: May 2019

The objective of this study was to evaluate proposed electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and test their correlation with motor impairment in a new, well-characterized cohort of PD patients and controls. Sixty-four-channel EEG was recorded from 14 patients with rigid-akinetic PD with minimal tremor and from 14 age-matched healthy controls at rest and during voluntary movement. Patients were tested off and on medication during a single session. Recordings were analyzed for phase-amplitude coupling over sensorimotor cortex and for pairwise coherence from all electrode pairs in the recording montage (distributed coherence). Phase-amplitude coupling and distributed coherence were found to be elevated Off compared with On levodopa, and their reduction was correlated with motor improvement. In the Off medication state, phase-amplitude coupling was greater in sensorimotor contacts contralateral to the most affected body part and reduced by voluntary movement. We conclude that phase-amplitude coupling and distributed coherence are cortical biomarkers of the parkinsonian state that are detectable noninvasively and may be useful as objective aids for management of dopaminergic therapy. Several analytic methods may be used for noninvasive measurement of abnormal brain synchronization in PD. Calculation of phase-amplitude coupling requires only a single electrode over motor cortex.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Several EEG biomarkers of the parkinsonian state have been proposed that are related to abnormal cortical synchronization. We report several new findings in this study: correlations of EEG markers of synchronization with specific motor signs of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and demonstration that one of the EEG markers, phase-amplitude coupling, is more elevated over the more clinically affected brain hemisphere. These findings underscore the potential utility of scalp EEG for objective, noninvasive monitoring of medication state in PD.
Predicting an individual’s dorsal attention network activity from functional connectivity fingerprints
Authors: Osher David E. , Brissenden James A. , Somers David C.
Published: May 2019

The cortical dorsal attention network (DAN) is a set of parietal and frontal regions that support a wide variety of attentionally demanding tasks. Whereas attentional deployment reliably drives DAN activity across subjects, there is a large degree of variation in the activation pattern in individual subjects. We hypothesize that a subject’s own idiosyncratic pattern of cortical DAN activity can be predicted from that subject’s own unique pattern of functional connectivity. By modeling task activation as a function of whole brain connectivity patterns, we are able to define the connectivity fingerprints for the frontal and parietal DAN, and use it to predict a subject’s characteristic DAN activation pattern with high accuracy. These predictions outperform the standard group-average benchmark and predict a subject’s own activation pattern above and beyond predictions from another subject’s connectivity pattern. Thus an individual’s distinctive connectivity pattern accounts for substantial variance in DAN functional responses. Last, we show that the set of connections that predict cortical DAN responses, the frontal and parietal DAN connectivity fingerprints, is predominantly composed of other coactive regions, including regions outside of the DAN including occipital and temporal visual cortices. These connectivity fingerprints represent defining computational characteristics of the DAN, delineating which voxels are or are not capable of exerting top-down attentional bias to other regions of the brain.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The dorsal attention network (DAN) is a set of regions in frontoparietal cortex that reliably activate during attentional tasks. We designed computational models that predict the degree of an individual’s DAN activation using their resting-state connectivity pattern alone. This uncovered the connectivity fingerprints of the DAN, which define it so well that we can predict how a voxel will respond to an attentional task given only its pattern of connectivity, with outstanding accuracy.
FMS-like Tyrosine Kinase 3/FLT3: From Basic Science to Clinical Implications
Authors: Kazi Julhash U. , Rönnstrand Lars
Published: May 2019

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is expressed almost exclusively in the hematopoietic compartment. Its ligand, FLT3 ligand (FL), induces dimerization and activation of its intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Activation of FLT3 leads to its autophosphorylation and initiation of several signal transduction cascades. Signaling is initiated by the recruitment of signal transduction molecules to activated FLT3 through binding to specific phosphorylated tyrosine residues in the intracellular region of FLT3. Activation of FLT3 mediates cell survival, cell proliferation, and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells. It acts in synergy with several other cytokines to promote its biological effects. Deregulated FLT3 activity has been implicated in several diseases, most prominently in acute myeloid leukemia where around one-third of patients carry an activating mutant of FLT3 which drives the disease and is correlated with poor prognosis. Overactivity of FLT3 has also been implicated in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The observation that gain-of-function mutations of FLT3 can promote leukemogenesis has stimulated the development of inhibitors that target this receptor. Many of these are in clinical trials, and some have been approved for clinical use. However, problems with acquired resistance to these inhibitors are common and, furthermore, only a fraction of patients respond to these selective treatments. This review provides a summary of our current knowledge regarding structural and functional aspects of FLT3 signaling, both under normal and pathological conditions, and discusses challenges for the future regarding the use of targeted inhibition of these pathways for the treatment of patients.
Myelin in the Central Nervous System: Structure, Function, and Pathology
Authors: Stadelmann Christine , Timmler Sebastian , Barrantes-Freer Alonso , Simons Mikael
Published: May 2019

Oligodendrocytes generate multiple layers of myelin membrane around axons of the central nervous system to enable fast and efficient nerve conduction. Until recently, saltatory nerve conduction was considered the only purpose of myelin, but it is now clear that myelin has more functions. In fact, myelinating oligodendrocytes are embedded in a vast network of interconnected glial and neuronal cells, and increasing evidence supports an active role of oligodendrocytes within this assembly, for example, by providing metabolic support to neurons, by regulating ion and water homeostasis, and by adapting to activity-dependent neuronal signals. The molecular complexity governing these interactions requires an in-depth molecular understanding of how oligodendrocytes and axons interact and how they generate, maintain, and remodel their myelin sheaths. This review deals with the biology of myelin, the expanded relationship of myelin with its underlying axons and the neighboring cells, and its disturbances in various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Furthermore, we will highlight how specific interactions between astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia contribute to demyelination in hereditary white matter pathologies.
Multiresidue Pesticides Analysis of Vegetables in Vietnam by Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Combination with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Orbitrap MS)
Authors: Vu-Duc Nam , Nguyen-Quang Trung , Le-Minh Thuy , Nguyen-Thi Xuyen , Tran Tri Manh , Vu Hai Anh , Nguyen Lan-Anh , Doan-Duy Tien , Van Hoi Bui , Vu Cam-Tu , Le-Van Dung , Phung-Thi Lan-Anh , Vu-Thi Hong-An , Chu Dinh Binh
Published: May 2019

An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry Thermo Q-Extractive Focus Orbitrap MS has been introduced for analysis of multiclass pesticides in vegetable samples collected in Hanoi, Vietnam. Multiclass pesticides were separated on the Thermo Hypersil Gold PFP column utilizing a gradient of the mobile phase consisting of 5 mM ammonium formate, 0.1% formic acid in deionized water, and methanol. The target analytes were detected in the full-scan mode on Thermo Scientific Q-Exactive Focus Orbitrap MS for quantitation at the optimum operating conditions. These conditions included, but not limit to, the resolution of 70000 at the full width at half maximum in both positive and negative mode, mass range from 80 to 1000 m/z, and optimized parameters for the heated electrospray ionization source. The identification of the analytes in real samples was based on retention times, mass to charge ratios, mass accuracies, and MS/MS spectra at the confirmation mode with the inclusion list of target analytes. The mass accuracies of target analytes were from −4.14 ppm (dinotefuran) to 1.42 ppm (cinosulfuron) in the neat solvent and from −3.91 ppm (spinosad D) to 1.29 ppm (cinosulfuron) in the matrix-matched solution. Target analytes in the vegetable-based matrix were extracted by the QuEChERS method. Some critical parameters of the analytical method such as linearity, repeatability, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation have been evaluated and implemented. Excellent LOD and LOQ of the developed method were achieved at the range of 0.04–0.85 and 0.13–2.9 μg·kg−1, respectively. Intraday and interday repeatability of the analytical signal (peak area, n=6) of the developed method were below 3% and 10%, correspondingly. The matrix effect, extraction recovery, and overall recovery were fully investigated by spiking experiments. Experimental results demonstrated that the ionization suppression or enhancement was the main contribution on the overall recoveries of target analytes. Finally, the in-house validated method was applied to pesticides screening in vegetables samples in local villages in Hanoi, Vietnam. The concentrations of all target analytes were below limit of quantitation and lower than US-FDA or EU maximum residue levels.
Chemical and Immunological Characteristics of Aluminum-Based, Oil-Water Emulsion, and Bacterial-Origin Adjuvants
Authors: Martiñón Susana , Cisneros Angel , Villicaña Sergio , Hernández-Miramontes Ricardo , Mixcoha Edgar , Calderón-Vargas Psyché
Published: May 2019

Adjuvants are a diverse family of substances whose main objective is to increase the strength, quality, and duration of the immune response caused by vaccines. The most commonly used adjuvants are aluminum-based, oil-water emulsion, and bacterial-origin adjuvants. In this paper, we will discuss how the election of adjuvants is important for the adjuvant-mediated induction of immunity for different types of vaccines. Aluminum-based adjuvants are the most commonly used, the safest, and have the best efficacy, due to the triggering of a strong humoral response, albeit generating a weak induction of cell-mediated immune response. Freund’s adjuvant is the most widely used oil-water emulsion adjuvant in animal trials; it stimulates inflammation and causes aggregation and precipitation of soluble protein antigens that facilitate the uptake by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Adjuvants of bacterial origin, such as flagellin,E. colimembranes, and monophosphoryl lipid A (MLA), are known to potentiate immune responses, but their safety and risks are the main concern of their clinical use. This minireview summarizes the mechanisms that classic and novel adjuvants produce to stimulate immune responses.
Type 2 Inflammatory Responses in Autoimmune Demyelination of the Central Nervous System: Recent Advances
Authors: Costanza Massimo
Published: May 2019

Type 2 immunity has long been confined to a restricted spectrum of responses, mostly including allergic reactions to innocuous environmental triggers. However, growing evidence suggests that cells and mediators typically associated with type 2 inflammation are involved in several physiopathological conditions, such as defense against toxic substances, anticancer immunity, and autoimmune diseases. In neuromyelitis optica, an autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the spinal cord and optic nerve, eosinophils extensively infiltrate lesions in the central nervous system (CNS) and promote tissue pathology in experimental models of this disease. Next-generation sequencing of CD4+ T cells isolated from a specific subtype of multiple sclerosis plaque has uncovered an unexpectedly Th2 profile of these cells. Even mast cells and other allergic mediators have been implicated in the modulation and/or effector mechanisms of autoimmune reactions against the CNS. In this review article, the most recent developments showing the involvement of type 2 inflammatory components in CNS autoimmunity are summarised and possible lines of further investigation are discussed.
Periaortic Abscess following DeBakey Type-1 Aortic Dissection Repair with Dacron Graft—Early Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Raj Rishi , Unnikrishnan Dileep , Jacob Aasems , Ashish Kumar , Prakash Amulya , Shah Ajay
Published: May 2019

A 71-year-old male with history of DeBakey type-1 aortic dissection and repair with dacron graft three months prior to presentation was brought to the emergency room with complaints of high-grade fevers, chills, and shortness of breath. Chest X-ray revealed right lower lobe infiltrates and widened superior mediastinum. A follow-up CT chest with contrast showed fluid collection around the aortic graft. He was started on intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics, and a TEE was done for further evaluation of periaortic fluid collection which showed findings to suggest periaortic abscess. The patient underwent surgical drainage of the abscess and was found to have an abscess around the surgical aortic graft which was drained followed by two weeks of antibiotic treatment. The patient was discharged to a rehabilitation facility and remained asymptomatic at three-month follow-up appointment. Type-1 aortic dissection is a medical emergency requiring acute surgical intervention, and despite significant advancements in diagnosis and management, the immediate and long-term complications remain high leading to increased risk of mortality. Our patient developed spontaneous periaortic abscess three months postoperatively requiring intensive antibiotic therapy along with surgical drainage. Our case emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and management of late complications of periaortic abscess in patients with aortic dissection repair.
Incidental Finding of Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysms Successfully Treated with Medical Therapy
Authors: Shammas Rony , Sengodan Prasanna , Movahed Assad
Published: May 2019

We report a case of a 30-year-old male who presented with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection with left lower lobe consolidation and cardiomegaly on a chest radiography. The presence of cardiomegaly lead to further cardiac evaluation revealing giant coronary aneurysms. The patient was treated conservatively with Coumadin and aspirin and has done well at four years of follow-up.
Acute Effect of Robotic Therapy (G-EO System™) on the Lower Limb Temperature Distribution of a Patient with Stroke Sequelae
Authors: Alfieri Fábio Marcon , Dias Caren da Silva , Santos Artur Cesar Aquino dos , Battistella Linamara Rizzo
Published: May 2019

Robotic therapy has been gaining prominence in poststroke rehabilitation programs. An example of these devices is the G-EO System™, which simulates gait as well as other more complexes standards of gait such as the steps on stairs. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that apply thermography as a tool to evaluate stroke patients who undertook rehabilitation programs with the aid of robotic devices. The patient IWPS undergoes sequelae of hemorrhagic stroke for 19 months and consequently hemiplegia, had scores of 93 points in the Fugl-Meyer scale, is undertaking a physical rehabilitation program for six months, has no complaints of discomfort due to thermic sensitivity imbalances between the plegic and the contralateral sides, and voluntarily reports that he realizes functionality improvements especially, according to his perception, due to the aid of the robotic therapy in his gait training with the G-EO System™. The thermographic images were captured by an infrared sensor FLIR T650SC. By analyzing the temperature differences between both hemispheres of the body, before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after a robotic therapy for gait training, we observed that the values firstly increased immediately after the training, but after the 30-minute rest an important thermoregulation was achieved.
Testing an Arduino-Based Approach for Full-Duplex Voice Communication and Body-Parameter Sensing Electronics for Use with Smart Clothing
Authors: Joler Miroslav , Berkarić Andrej , Klen Valentin
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we discuss the state of the art and trends in the field of smart clothing development and show two circuits that we assembled in search for adequate solutions. The circuits are based on Arduino concept and achieve a full-duplex voice communication and real-time publishing of temperature measurement to a designated web page. The characteristics of the two circuits are discussed as well as the prospects for their future improvements.
Preparation, Diagnosis, Biological Activity, and Theoretical Studies of Some Mixed Drug Complexes
Authors: Abbas Bayader F. , Kamel Barakat A. F. , Khamais Wessal M.
Published: May 2019

This paper includes synthesis and characterization of mixed ligand complexes derived from mefenamic acid and metformin using transition metal ions such as Co(II) and Cu(II). These complexes have been characterized by magnetic susceptibility, molar conductance, TG analyses, and spectral techniques such as FTIR and UV spectra. The theoretical study of the ligands and their complexes using semiempirical (PM6) method was used to measure IR and UV spectroscopy, HOMO-LUMO categories of the ligands. These synthesized complexes are also studied for their biological activities. The studies made on these complexes proposed a six octahedral geometry.
LncRNA PVT1 Mediates Antiapoptosis and 5-Fluorouracil Resistance via Increasing Bcl2 Expression in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Du Peizhun , Hu Cheng’en , Qin Yunyun , Zhao Jing , Patel Rajan , Fu Yan , Zhu Mengqi , Zhang Wenhong , Huang Guangjian
Published: May 2019

Purpose. Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is a long noncoding RNA encoded by the human PVT1 gene, which has been verified to mediate tumorigenesis in gastric cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of PVT1 in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unknown. Methods. The tumorigenic ability of PVT1 was verified by subcutaneous and orthotopic mouse models. Flow cytometry assay and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling staining were conducted to explore the effects of PVT1 on gastric cancer cell apoptosis. We investigated the relative gene and protein that are involved in apoptosis in real-time PCR and western blot assay. The resistance to 5- Fluorouracil (5-Fu) caused by PVT1 was evaluated using cell viability assay. Then, to confirm the effects of PVT1 on 5-Fu resistance, we conducted the Kaplan-Meier analysis based on three public databases. Results. We confirmed that PVT1 can promote the progression of gastric cancer. PVT1 inhibited the apoptosis of GC cells, which may account for its promotion on GC. We confirmed that PVT1 can regulate the expression of Bcl2 and enhance drug-resistance of gastric cancer to 5-Fu. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high PVT1 expression do not experience survival related benefits from 5-Fu based chemotherapy; instead, therapy containing no 5-Fu chemotherapy can improve the first progression survival and overall survival of high PVT1 expression GC patients significantly. Conclusion. Our results showed that PVT1 can inhibit the apoptosis and enhance the 5-Fu resistance of gastric cancer through the activation of Bcl2. PVT1 has the potential to serve as an indicator to predict 5-Fu treatment resistance.
Distance to Spaces of Semicontinuous and Continuous Functions
Authors: Angosto Carlos
Published: May 2019

Given a topological spaceX, we establish formulas to compute the distance from a functionf∈RXto the spaces of upper semicontinuous functions and lower semicontinuous functions. For this, we introduce an index of upper semioscillation and lower semioscillation. We also establish new formulas about distances to some subspaces of continuous functions that generalize some classical results.
Significance of Cytokeratin-1 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism and Protein Level in Susceptibility to Vocal Leukoplakia and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Yang Yue , Zhou Jian , Wu Haitao
Published: May 2019

Objective: To investigate the association between the cytokeratin (CK)-1 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), the protein level of CK-1 and the risk of vocal leukoplakia and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods: In this case-control study, 155 patients with vocal leukoplakia, 323 patients with LSCC, and 266 healthy controls were genotyped for the CK-1 (SNP RS14024) gene using pyrosequencing. The protein expression level of CK-1 was analyzed in vocal leukoplakia, LSCC, and vocal polyp patients by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: Of the CK-1 RS14024 polymorphism, the heterozygote AG and homozygote GG genotype exhibited a significantly increased risk of LSCC (AG: OR = 2.16, p = 0.014; GG: OR = 2.15, p = 0.018) compared to normal controls. A higher protein expression level of CK-1 was detected in patients with LSCC compared to vocal leukoplakia and polyps (both p < 0.001), and a significant increasing trend of CK-1 protein expression level from mild-moderate dysplasia to moderate-severe dysplasia in vocal leukoplakia patients was also observed (p = 0.006). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the CK-1 SNP and high protein expression levels are associated with vocal leukoplakia and LSCC and promote the transformation from vocal leukoplakia to LSCC in a Chinese Han population.
Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitor on the Distribution of Helicobacter pylori and Associated Gastritis in Patients with Gastric Atrophy
Authors: Gong Eun Jeong , Kim Do Hoon , Ahn Ji Yong , Na Hee Kyong , Jung Kee Wook , Lee Jeong Hoon , Choi Kee Don , Song Ho June , Lee Gin Hyug , Jung Hwoon-Yong , Park Yangsoon , Kim Min-Ju
Published: May 2019

Background/Aims: Acid suppression therapy is thought to be associated with the topography of Helicobacter pylori and associated gastritis, leading to corpus-predominant gastritis. This study was aimed to investigate the influence of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment on the distribution of H. pylori and associated gastritis in patients with atrophic change. Methods: Patients who underwent endoscopic resection for gastric neoplasms and received PPI for 2 months were prospectively analyzed. Biopsy specimens were obtained from 5 areas in the stomach before, during, and after the treatment with PPI. Histological examination was ­performed using the updated Sydney system, and ­bacterial density of H. pylori was further graded by immunohistochemistry (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT02449941). Results: A total of 15 patients were analyzed, of whom 7 had H. pylori infection. The degree of activity and inflammation were greater in patients with H. pylori infection than in those without H. pylori infection. During the PPI treatment, the density of H. pylori decreased not only in the antrum but also in the corpus. The degree of activity and inflammation improved significantly in the antrum, particularly in the presence of H. pylori infection, while the corpus gastritis was not affected by PPI use. Atrophy and intestinal metaplasia remained unchanged in both regions of the stomach. The observed changes reverted following the discontinuation of PPI treatment. Conclusion: PPI treatment decreased H. pylori both in the antrum and the corpus in patients with atrophic gastritis. Antral gastritis improved during PPI treatment, whereas no changes were found in the corpus.
Can Fetal Growth Velocity and First Trimester Maternal Biomarkers Improve the Prediction of Small-for-Gestational Age and Adverse Neonatal Outcome?
Authors: Hendrix Manouk L.E. , Bons Judith A.P. , Snellings Roy R.G. , Bekers Otto , van Kuijk Sander M.J. , Spaanderman Marc E.A. , Al-Nasiry Salwan
Published: May 2019

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of adding fetal growth velocity and first trimester maternal biomarkers to baseline screening, for the prediction of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and adverse neonatal outcomes. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of singleton pregnancies in the Maastricht University Medical Centre between 2012 and 2016. The biomarkers PAPP-A, β-hCG, PlGF, and sFlt-1 were measured at 11–13 weeks of gestational age (GA) and two fetal growth scans were performed (18–22 and 30–34 weeks of GA). Differences in biomarkers and growth velocities were compared between appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA; birth weight percentile 10–90) and SGA (birth weight percentile <10). Combinations of the biomarkers and fetal growth velocity were added to baseline screening for the prediction of SGA and adverse neonatal outcome. Results: We included 296 singleton pregnancies. Compared to AGA (n = 251), SGA neonates (n = 45) had significantly lower growth velocities in the abdominal circumference (mm/week): 10.1 ± 0.98 versus 10.8 ± 0.98, p = 0.001. Compared with AGA, the SGA neonates had higher sFlt-1 multiples of the median (MoM): 0.89 (0.55) versus 0.76 (0.44), p = 0.023, and a higher sFlt-1/PlGF MoM ratio: 1.09 (1.03) versus 0.90 (0.64), p = 0.027. For a 15% false-positive rate, the prediction of SGA neonates increased from 44.8% for the baseline screening model to 56.5% after the addition of fetal growth velocities, and to 73.9% after the further addition of maternal biomarkers (PPV 9.6%, NPV 82.4%). The corresponding AUC for the three models were 0.722, 0.804, and 0.839, respectively. In addition, AGA neonates with reduced fetal growth velocity had more adverse neonatal outcomes compared to the AGA reference group (12.4 vs. 3.9%, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Combining fetal growth velocity with first trimester biomarkers resulted in a better prediction of SGA compared to baseline screening parameters alone. This approach could possibly result in reduced adverse neonatal outcomes in neonates, who are at a potential risk due to late mild placental dysfunction.
Risk Factors for Primary Arteriovenous Fistula Dysfunction in Hemodialysis Patients: A Retrospective Survival Analysis in Multiple Medical Centers
Authors: Wen Maowan , Li Zheng , Li Jun , Zhou Wen , Liu Yu , Liu Hong , Chen Guochun
Published: May 2019

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred vascular access for hemodialysis (HD). However, primary AVF dysfunction represents a major barrier to the long-term success of HD therapy. This study aims to analyze the variables that influence the incidence of first AVF failure in HD patients. Methods: From January 2012 to October 2016, a total of 100 HD subjects from 43 medical centers were enrolled for a retrospective survival analysis of AVF dysfunction. To diminish the potential influence of surgeon experiences, the same operation group in Second Xiangya Hospital performed all studied AVF placements. This study focuses on a Chinese population of idiopathic glomerular disease to avoid the secondary influence of other systemic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune disorder. AVF dysfunction was defined as lower blood flow during dialysis (≤200 mL/min) or insufficiency of HD treatment caused by reduced blood flow. Results: Among all enrolled subjects, the incidence of AVF dysfunction due to impatency was 27% (n = 27) with a cumulative survival of 84.0, 73.1, and 71.6% in 6, 12, and 24 months of post-placement. AVF survival ­analysis revealed a higher incidence of AVF failure in females (p= 0.025) and elderly (p = 0.031) patients. Importantly, AVF dysfunction markedly increased in subjects with higher levels of platelets (PLTs; p = 0.024), severe anemia (p = 0.014), and extended temporary catheter retention (p = 0.020). Further multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed these variables as independent risk factors for first AVF dysfunction. Meanwhile, no significant difference could be observed according to the levels of body mass index, serum albumin, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time. Lastly, anti-coagulant treatments seemed to barely influence the outcomes of AVF survival in this study. Conclusion: These findings suggest that primary AVF dysfunction in HD patients is associated with gender, ageing, PLT counting number, hemoglobin level, and retention time of temporary catheter.
Portal Angiogenesis in Chronic Liver Disease Patients Correlates with Portal Pressure and Collateral Formation
Authors: Serrano Carolina A. , Ling Simon C. , Verdaguer Sofia , León Miguel , Jarufe Nicolás , Guerra Juan Francisco , Pattillo Juan Carlos , Benítez Carlos , Villagrán Andrea , Torres Javiera , Concha Mario , Villarroel Luis , Dellepiane Paulina , Domínguez Pilar , Martínez Jorge , Gana Juan Cristóbal
Published: May 2019

Background/Aims: One hallmark of chronic liver disease in patients with portal hypertension is the formation of portal-systemic collaterals in which angiogenesis has a fundamental role. We studied patients with chronic liver disease undergoing liver transplantation to correlate levels of circulating angiogenic factors in portal and peripheral circulation with portal pressure and portal-systemic collaterals. Methods: Sixteen patients who underwent liver transplantation were enrolled. During transplant surgery, we determined portal venous pressure and portal-systemic collateral formation. We determined angiogenics mediator levels in systemic and portal plasma. Peripheral plasma from healthy donors was measured as controls. Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-R1 and 2, Ang-1 and 2, Tie2, FGF- 1 and 2, CD163, PDGFR-β, PDGFsRα, PDGF-AB and BB, CD163, TGF-β VASH-1 levels were significantly different in the controls in comparison to cases. Significantly decreased portal venous levels of Ang-1, FGF-1, PDGF-AB/BB, and CC were observed in patients with higher portal pressure. Peripheral VEGF, Ang-1, pPDGF-AB, BB, and CC were significantly decreased in patients with more severe collateral formation. While peripheral VEGF-R1 was higher in patients with severe collateral formation. For portal circulation, VEGF, Ang-1, ­pPDGF-AB, BB, and CC were significantly decreased in patients with more severe collateral formation Conclusions: Angiogenesis factors correlated with portal pressure and collateral formation and different patterns of circulating angiogenesis mediators were found in peripheral and portal blood of patients with chronic liver disease. These results support the importance of angiogenic pathways in cirrhosis and portal hypertension and highlight areas for further study to identify clinically useful noninvasive markers of portal pressure and collateral formation.