bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between Anatomical Features of Petrotympanic Fissure and Tinnitus in Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Using CBCT Imaging: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Kijak Edward , Szczepek Agnieszka J. , Margielewicz Jerzy
Published: July 2020

Mandible displacement is known to correlate with otological conditions such as pain in the ear canal, hearing loss, or tinnitus. The present work aimed to determine the association between the displacement of the condyle in a temporomandibular joint, the structure and position of the petrotympanic fissure (PTF), and comorbid tinnitus in patients affected by temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMD). We enrolled 331 subjects with TMD (268 women and 63 men). The average age of women was 40.8 ± 16.8 years (range 13–88), whereas the average age of the examined men was 38 ± 14 years (range 13–74). We performed imaging studies of the facial part of the skull in the sagittal plane using a volumetric imaging method and a large imaging field (FOV) of 17 cm × 23 cm. The habitual position of the mandible was determined and used as a reference. Based on the imaging results, we developed a classification for the topography and the structure of the petrotympanic fissure. Thirty-three TMD patients (about 10% of the sample) reported having tinnitus. These patients had PTF configurations characterized by a rear (36.59%) or intracranial-cranial (63.41%) condylar displacement of the temporomandibular joint. Our findings imply that the TMJ- and tinnitus-positive group of patients possibly represents a distinct phenotype of tinnitus. We concluded that for such patients, the therapeutic approach for tinnitus should include TMD treatment.
Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding Mode and Robust Tracking Control for Manipulators with Uncertain Dynamics
Authors: Wang Sanxiu
Published: July 2020

In response to the issue of the trajectory tracking control problem of manipulators with uncertain parameters and external disturbance, an adaptive fuzzy sliding mode robust control algorithm is proposed. Sliding mode control (SMC) is adopted to perform robotic manipulator trajectory tracking control. Then, a fuzzy logic system is used for adaptive adjustment of switching gain of the SMC and to reduce the buffeting problem. Next, compensation is made by using the robust controller in consideration of the impacts of unmodeled dynamics and external disturbance. The simulation experiment on a two axes robotic manipulator shows that, with the proposed control method, the sliding mode control input signal is kept smooth, and the manipulator has high trajectory tracking precision.
Stability Analysis Method for Periodic Delay Differential Equations with Multiple Distributed and Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Jin Gang , Zhang Xinyu , Zhang Kaifei , Li Hua , Li Zhanjie , Han Jianxin , Qi Houjun
Published: July 2020

Dynamic stability problems leading to delay differential equations (DDEs) are found in many different fields of science and engineering. In this paper, a method for stability analysis of periodic DDEs with multiple distributed and time-varying delays is proposed, based on the well-known semidiscretization method. In order to verify the correctness of the proposed method, two typical application examples, i.e., milling process with a variable helix cutter and milling process with variable spindle speed, which can be, respectively, described by DDEs with the multidistributed and time-varying delays are considered. Then, comparisons with prior methods for stability prediction are made to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach. As far as the milling process is concerned, the proposed method supplies a generalized algorithm to analyze the stability of the single milling systems associated with variable pith cutter, variable helix cutter, or variable spindle speed; it also can be utilized to analyze the combined systems of the aforementioned cases.
A Feature Extraction Method of Wheelset-Bearing Fault Based on Wavelet Sparse Representation with Adaptive Local Iterative Filtering
Authors: Xing Zhan , Lin Jianhui , Huang Yan , Yi Cai
Published: July 2020

The feature extraction of wheelset-bearing fault is important for the safety service of high-speed train. In recent years, sparse representation is gradually applied to the fault diagnosis of wheelset-bearing. However, it is difficult for traditional sparse representation to extract fault features ideally when some strong interference components are imposed on the signal. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel feature extraction method of wheelset-bearing fault based on the wavelet sparse representation with adaptive local iterative filtering. In this method, the adaptive local iterative filtering reduces the impact of interference components effectively and contributes to the extraction of sparse impulses. The wavelet sparse representation, which adopts L1-regularized optimization for a globally optimal solution in sparse coding, extracts intrinsic features of fault in the wavelet domain. To validate the effectiveness of this proposed method, both simulated signals and experimental signals are analyzed. The results show that the fault features of wheelset-bearing are sufficiently extracted by the proposed method.
Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis Associated with Improvement of Autophagy in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Joo Hyun-Woo , Song Yi-Sun , Park In-Hwa , Shen Guang-Yin , Seong Jin-Hee , Shin Na-Kyoung , Lee A-Hyeon , Kim Hyuck , Kim Kyung-Soo
Published: July 2020

Background. We previously reported that the granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) ameliorated hepatic steatosis with the enhancement of β-oxidation-related gene expression. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether the improvement of hepatic steatosis by G-CSF was associated with autophagy in a rat model of diabetes. Methods. Eight rats were fed a standard diet, and 16 rats were fed high-fat diet (HFD) for 5 weeks. All HFD-fed rats were then injected with streptozotocin (STZ). One week later, HFD rats injected with STZ were randomly treated with either G-CSF (200 μg/kg/day; diabetes mellitus (DM)/G-CSF) or saline (DM/saline) for 5 consecutive days. Four weeks later, serum biochemical and histology analyses were conducted. The expression of autophagy-associated proteins was determined by Western blotting. The mRNA expression of β-oxidation-related genes was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. HepG2 cells were cultured under high glucose (HG) conditions with G-CSF treatment, followed by Oil Red O staining for quantification of lipids. Results. Histological analysis showed lower lipid accumulation in the DM/G-CSF group than in the DM/saline-treated rats. Protein levels of LC3 and beclin-1 were higher, and those of p62 were lower in the DM/G-CSF rats than in the DM/saline-treated rats. The mRNA expression of β-oxidation-related genes was higher in DM/G-CSF rats than in the DM/saline-treated rats. Quantification of lipid levels in HepG2 cells cultured with HG and G-CSF treatment revealed no significant differences. Conclusions. Our data suggested that G-CSF potentially improves hepatic steatosis and autophagy in the liver of diabetic rats.
Speech Separation Using Convolutional Neural Network and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Yuan Chun-Miao , Sun Xue-Mei , Zhao Hu
Published: July 2020

Speech information is the most important means of human communication, and it is crucial to separate the target voice from the mixed sound signals. This paper proposes a speech separation model based on convolutional neural networks and attention mechanism. The magnitude spectrum of the mixed speech signals, as the input, has its high dimensionality. By analyzing the characteristics of the convolutional neural network and attention mechanism, it can be found that the convolutional neural network can effectively extract low-dimensional features and mine the spatiotemporal structure information in the speech signals, and the attention mechanism can reduce the loss of sequence information. The accuracy of speech separation can be improved effectively by combining two mechanisms. Compared to the typical speech separation model DRNN-2 + discrim, this method achieves 0.27 dB GNSDR gain and 0.51 dB GSIR gain, which illustrates that the speech separation model proposed in this paper has achieved an ideal separation effect.
High Prevalence of Rifampicin Resistance Associated with Rural Residence and Very Low Bacillary Load among TB/HIV‐Coinfected Patients at the National Tuberculosis Treatment Center in Uganda
Authors: Baluku Joseph Baruch , Mugabe Pallen , Mulwana Rose , Nassozi Sylvia , Katuramu Richard , Worodria William
Published: July 2020

Background. Rifampicin resistance (RR) is associated with mortality among tuberculosis (TB) patients coinfected with HIV. We compared the prevalence of RR among TB patients with and without HIV coinfection at the National Tuberculosis Treatment Center (NTTC) in Uganda, a TB/HIV high burdened country. We further determined associations of RR among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients. Methods. In this secondary analysis, we included adult (≥18 years) bacteriologically confirmed TB patients that were enrolled in a cross‐sectional study at the NTTC in Uganda between August 2017 and March 2018. TB, RR, and bacillary load were confirmed by the Xpert® MTB/RIF assay in the primary study. A very low bacillary load was defined as a cycle threshold value of >28. We compared the prevalence of RR among TB patients with and without HIV coinfection using Pearson’s chi‐square test. We performed logistic regression analysis to determine associations of RR among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients. Results. Of the 303 patients, 182 (60.1%) were male, 111 (36.6%) had TB/HIV coinfection, and the median (interquartile range) age was 31 (25‐39) years. RR was found among 58 (19.1%) patients. The prevalence of RR was 32.4% (36/111) (95% confidence interval (CI): 24‐42) among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients compared to 11.5% (22/192) (95% CI: 7–17) among HIV‐negative TB patients (p < 0.001). Among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients, those with RR were more likely to be rural residents (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 5.24, 95% CI: 1.51–18.21, p = 0.009) and have a very low bacillary load (aOR: 13.52, 95% CI: 3.15–58.08, p < 0.001). Conclusion. There was a high prevalence of RR among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients. RR was associated with rural residence and having a very low bacillary load among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients. The findings highlight a need for universal access to drug susceptibility testing among TB/HIV‐coinfected patients, especially in rural settings.
Experimental Study of Sand Distribution among Perforation Clusters in Horizontal Wellbore of Shale Gas Reservoir
Authors: Li Ting , Tan Yongsheng , Ahmad Faraj A. , Zhao Jun
Published: July 2020

Multistage horizontal fracturing is the key technique in developing shale gas reservoirs. In each stage, several perforation clusters will be placed to create complex fractures, and the parameters of perforation clusters are almost the same, so the production from each perforation cluster should be similar. However, in fact, production from each perforation cluster is different vastly. If the characteristics of the shale gas reservoir where the horizontal wellbore oriented through are similar, the cause that resulted in production difference may be uneven proppant distribution among perforation clusters. In order to investigate proppant distribution through perforation clusters, the theory about proppant settling along horizontal lateral is analyzed, which can provide a proper pumping rate for future experiments. Then, an experimental model to simulate horizontal lateral and perforated clusters is designed. Fresh water was pumped to transport proppant flowing into different clusters, the volume of water and proppant through each cluster was qualified. Some parameters, such as proppant concentration, sizes, flow rate, and perforation parameters, are changed in lab tests; the simulation results will be helpful in understanding the phenomenon of uneven proppant distribution in perforation clusters. There are some conclusions from the experimental results. First, proppant settling at different positions along horizontal lateral is different when the slurry is mixed by proppant and water is pumped at different rates. Meanwhile, proppants concentration also has an influence on proppants settling. The settling of proppants will impact proppants distribution among perforation clusters. Second, at a low pumping rate, uneven proppants distribution was observed mostly. When the pumping rate was increased, the phenomenon of uneven proppants distribution was decreasing. Thus, the pumping rate is the main influential factor. Third, uneven proppants distribution can be improved or even avoided by adjusting perforation parameters, such as perforation numbers and diameter.
[Retracted] Circular RNA circHIPK3 Promotes Cell Metastasis through miR‐637/STAT3 Axis in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Huang Zhongyue , Yuan Chunyan , Gu Huijie , Cheng Xiangyang , Zhou Kaifeng , Xu Jun , Yin Xiaofan , Xia Jiangni
Published: July 2020

Recent studies have suggested that circular RNAs play an important role in the progression of various cancers. However, few studies have revealed the great value of circRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of osteosarcoma (OS). In this study, we performed experiments with the human OS cell lines and the results showed that the expression of circHIPK3 in OS cell lines was significantly upregulated compared to that in the normal cell line. In addition, the results showed that circHIPK3 could promote the migration, invasion, and growth of OS cells. Furthermore, miR‐637 was identified as a target of circHIPK3, while STAT3 was targeted by miR‐637. circHIPK3 could promote STAT3 expression via interacting with miR‐637 in OS cells. In conclusion, our research uncovered an important role of the circHIPK3/miR‐637/STAT3 pathway in the migration and invasion of OS cells and suggested that circHIPK3 may be a prognostic marker and a promising therapeutic target for OS.
Creation and Implementation of a Large-Scale Geriatric Interprofessional Education Experience
Authors: Mcquown Colleen , Ahmed Rami A. , Hughes Patrick G. , Ortiz-Figueroa Fabiana , Drost Jennifer C. , Brown Diane K. , Fosnight Sue , Hazelett Susan
Published: July 2020

The care of the older adult requires an interprofessional approach to solve complex medical and social problems, but this approach is difficult to teach in our educational silos. We developed an interprofessional educational session in response to national requests for innovative practice models that use collaborative interprofessional teams. We chose geriatric fall prevention as our area of focus as our development of the educational session coincided with the development of an interprofessional Fall Risk Reduction Clinic. Our aim of this study was to evaluate the number and type of students who attended a pilot and 10 subsequent educational sessions. We also documented the changes that occurred due to a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) rapid-cycle improvement model to modify our educational session. The educational session evolved into an online presession self-study didactic and in-person educational session with a poster/skill section, an interprofessional team simulation, and simulated patient experience. The simulated patient experience included an interprofessional fall evaluation, team meeting, and presentation to an expert panel. The pilot session had 83 students from the three sponsoring institutions (hospital system, university, and medical university). Students were from undergraduate nursing, nurse practitioner graduate program, pharmacy, medicine, social work, physical therapy, nutrition, and pastoral care. Since the pilot, 719 students have participated in various manifestations of the online didactic plus in-person training sessions. Ten separate educational sessions have been given at three different institutions. Survey data with demographic information were available on 524 participants. Students came from ten different schools and represented thirteen different health care disciplines. A large-scale interprofessional educational session is possible with rapid-cycle improvement, inclusion of educators from a variety of learning institutions, and flexibility with curriculum to accommodate learners in various stages of training.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices about Trachoma in Rural Communities of Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia: Implications for Prevention and Control
Authors: Gebretnsae Hailay , Mamo Nega , Teklemariam Tesfay , Fenta Kiros , Gebrehiwet Tesfay , Berhe Abera , Gebreselasie Fana , Demoz Kiros
Published: July 2020

Background. Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease which is the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world. Trachoma is one of the major health problems in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia. However, knowledge, attitudes, and practices about trachoma are not yet studied in depth. The objective of the study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices on trachoma and its associated factors among rural communities in two districts of Tigay Region, Northern Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two districts of Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia, from May 7–24, 2017. Data were collected on paper based, were entered into Epi Info version 3.5.1, and then exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Results. In this study, a total of 194 respondents were included. The overall level of good knowledge, attitudes, and practices on trachoma was 51%, 49.5%, and 35.6%, respectively. Having ever received health education was significantly associated with good knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.91–8.79) and attitudes (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.02–4.25). Moreover, good knowledge was associated with good practices on trachoma prevention and control (AOR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.46–5.62). Conclusion. Our study implies that areas with high burden of trachoma need to improve communities’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards trachoma prevention and control in order to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. Therefore, health education focused on SAFE strategy should be provided to increase knowledge and changing attitudes that contribute for good practices towards trachoma prevention and control among communities.
Loss of Cochlear Ribbon Synapse Is a Critical Contributor to Chronic Salicylate Sodium Treatment-Induced Tinnitus without Change Hearing Threshold
Authors: Zhang Wei , Peng Zhe , Yu ShuKui , Song Qing-Ling , Qu Teng-Fei , He Lu , Liu Ke , Gong Shu-Sheng
Published: July 2020

Tinnitus is a common auditory disease worldwide; it is estimated that more than 10% of all individuals experience this hearing disorder during their lifetime. Tinnitus is sometimes accompanied by hearing loss. However, hearing loss is not acquired in some other tinnitus generations. In this study, we injected adult rats with salicylate sodium (SS) (200 mg/kg/day for 10 days) and found no significant hearing threshold changes at 2, 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 20, or 24 kHz (all p>0.05). Tinnitus was confirmed in the treated rats via Behaviour Testing of Acoustic Startle Response (ASR) and Gap Prepulse Inhibition Test of Acoustic Startle Reflex (GPIAS). A immunostaining study showed that there is significant loss of anti-CtBP2 puncta (a marker of cochlear inner hair cell (HC) ribbon synapses) in treated animals in apical, middle, and basal turns (all p<0.05). The ABR wave I amplitudes were significantly reduced at 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, and 20 kHz (all p<0.05). No significant losses of outer HCs, inner HCs, or HC cilia were observed (all p>0.05). Thus, our study suggests that loss of cochlear inner HC ribbon synapse after SS exposure is a contributor to the development of tinnitus without changing hearing threshold.
Certificateless Proxy Reencryption Scheme (CPRES) Based on Hyperelliptic Curve for Access Control in Content-Centric Network (CCN)
Authors: Ullah Zahid , Zeb Asim , Ullah Insaf , Awan Khalid Mahmood , Saeed Yousaf , Uddin M. Irfan , Al-Khasawneh Mahmoud Ahmad , Mahmoud Marwan , Zareei Mahdi
Published: July 2020

Information-centric networking is the developing model envisioned by an increasing body of the data communication research community, which shifts the current network paradigm from host centric to data centric, well-known to information-centric networking (ICN). Further, the ICN adopts different types of architectures to extend the growth of the Internet infrastructure, e.g., name-based routing and in-network caching. As a result, the data can be easily routed and accessed within the network. However, when the producer generates contents for authentic consumers, then it is necessary for him/her to have a technique for content confidentiality, privacy, and access control. To provide the previously mentioned services, this paper presents a certificateless proxy reencryption scheme (CPRES) based on the hyperelliptic curve for access control in the content-centric network (CCN). Using certificateless PRE, the power of the key generation center (KGC) is limited to only the generation of partial keys to secure the access to the content. With the help of these partial keys, the producer further calculates keys for encryption and reencryption process. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme provides secure access to content during end-to-end communication. Moreover, the proposed CPRES scheme outperforms in terms of low computational energy and efficient utilization of communication bandwidth.
Evaluation of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Impact on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Russian Translation and Validation of SF-Qualiveen
Authors: Philippova Ekaterina S. , Bazhenov Igor V. , Ziryanov Alexander V. , Moskvina Ekaterina Y.
Published: July 2020

The Short Form Qualiveen (SF-Qualiveen) is an 8-item version of the Qualiveen questionnaire used to evaluate the impact of urinary symptoms on the quality of life in patients with urological dysfunction due to neurological disorders. The questionnaire was never available in the Russian language before. The study is aimed at providing the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of a Russian version of the SF-Qualiveen for the use in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and Methods. The original English language version of the SF-Qualiveen was translated into Russian according to the cultural and linguistic adaptation algorithm. The participants (50 MS patients with neurogenic bladder and 10 relatively healthy volunteers) filled out the finalized Russian version of the SF-Qualiveen and the Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS) twice, 2 weeks apart. The data obtained was used to determine the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), external validity (the Spearman correlation), and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)) of the questionnaire. Results. The mean SF-Qualiveen total score was 2.51±0.79 in patients with a neurogenic bladder and 0.1±0.02 in the control group (p<0.001). Cronbach’s alpha exceeded 0.9 indicating an excellent internal consistency of the questionnaire. The retest did not reveal any significant differences between the findings. The test-retest reliability was good for all items and domains (ICC 0.81-0.89). The total score demonstrated the highest ICC (0.89). The external validity was verified by a strong correlation demonstrated between the SF-Qualiveen and NBSS scores. Conclusions. The Russian SF-Qualiveen questionnaire is a reliable, valid, and consistent tool for the assessment of a urinary disorder impact on the quality of life in patients with MS.
Parent-Adolescent Communication on Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues and Associated Factors among Preparatory and Secondary School Students of Dabat Town, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Dagnachew Adam Nigussie , Demissie Getu Debalkie , Gelagay Abebaw Addis
Published: July 2020

Background. A significant number of adolescents as well as young men and women aged 10 to 24 years die each year in the world due to avoidable sexual and reproductive health problems such as unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This is attributed to low access to and/or uptake of sexual and reproductive health services. Objective. To assess parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues and associated factors among secondary and preparatory school students in Dabat town, northwest Ethiopia, 2018. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to 10, 2018, using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected from 550 participants using structured, pretested, and self-administered questionnaire; entered into Epi Info version 7; and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed, and variables with less than 0.05 P value in the multivariable regression were considered as statistically significant. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was used to determine the strengths and directions of associations. Result. This study revealed that 48.5% of the participants discussed sexual and reproductive health issues with parents. Male sex (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1–2.25), family income greater than ETB 1,000 (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.02–2.57), good knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (AOR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.03–2.09), and favorable attitude to sexual and reproductive health issues (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.29–2.67) were factors significantly associated with parent-adolescent communication on the issues. Conclusion. This study showed that the proportion of parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues was low. Male sex, family income greater than ETB 1,000, and good knowledge and favorable attitude of adolescents had significant association with the communication.
A Novel Graphic‐Aided Algorithm (gNIPT) Improves the Accuracy of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing
Authors: Zhu Qingwen , Wang Jing , Xu Xiaoning , Zhou Shiying , Liao Zhengli , Zhang Jun , Kong Lingyin , Liang Bo , Cheng Xiaoyan
Published: July 2020

Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) has advanced the detection of fetal chromosomal aneuploidy by analyzing cell‐free DNA in peripheral maternal blood. The statistic Z‐test that it utilizes, which measures the deviation of each chromosome dosage from its negative control, is now widely accepted in clinical practice. However, when a chromosome has loss and gain regions which offset each other in the z‐score calculation, merely using the Z‐test for the result tends to be erroneous. To improve the performance of NIPT in this aspect, a novel graphic‐aided algorithm (gNIPT) that requires no extra experiment procedures is reported in this study. In addition to the Z‐test, this method provides a detailed analysis of each chromosome by dividing each chromosome into multiple 2 Mb size windows, calculating the z‐score and copy number variation of each window, and visualizing the z‐scores for each chromosome in a line chart. Data from 13537 singleton pregnancy women were analyzed and compared using both the normal NIPT (nNIPT) analysis and the gNIPT method. The gNIPT method had significantly improved the overall positive predictive value (PPV) of nNIPT (88.14% vs. 68.00%, p = 0.0041) and the PPV for trisomy 21 (T21) detection (93.02% vs. 71.43%, p = 0.0037). There were no significant differences between gNIPT and nNIPT in PPV for trisomy 18 (T18) detection (88.89% vs. 63.64%, p = 0.1974) and in PPV for trisomy 13 (T13) detection (57.14% vs. 50.00%, p = 0.8004). One false‐negative T18 case in nNIPT was detected by gNIPT, which demonstrates the potency of gNIPT in discerning chromosomes that have variation in multiple regions with an offsetting effect in z‐score calculation. The gNIPT was also able to detect copy number variation (CNV) in chromosomes, and one case with pathogenic CNV was detected during the study. With no additional test requirement, gNIPT presents a reasonable solution in improving the accuracy of normal NIPT.
Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Residual Stress Distribution of AISI 316L Stainless Steel Part Fabricated by Laser Metal Deposition
Authors: Gu Jiayang , Li Ruifeng , Qiu Yi , Yue Hangyu , Liu Bin , Gu Heng
Published: July 2020

In this paper, AISI 316L stainless steel part is obtained by laser metal deposition additive manufacturing method. The microstructure of the part was observed and analyzed by an optical microscope. The tensile mechanical properties and residual stress distribution of the part were tested by tensile test and the contour method. The results show that the bulk structure is mainly columnar crystal and equiaxed crystal, and the latter layer of laser metal deposition will form a remelted zone and heat-affected zone in the former deposition zone. Tensile test results show that the tensile strength of tensile specimens parallel to laser scanning direction and perpendicular to laser scanning direction is basically the same, but the elongation of the specimens perpendicular to the laser scanning direction is relatively better. The main reason is the different distribution characteristics of columnar crystals and equiaxed crystals in the two directions. Relatively large deformation occurs on the cut surface of the specimen after low-speed wire cut. The residual stress test results indicate that tensile stress is formed in the upper part and it reaches 315 MPa at the top surface. And compressive stress is formed at the part/substrate interface and the substrate.
The Role of MicroRNAs in Regulating Cytokines and Growth Factors in Coronary Artery Disease: The Ins and Outs
Authors: Gorabi Armita Mahdavi , Kiaie Nasim , Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Al-Rasadi Khalid , Jamialahmadi Tannaz , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: July 2020

Coronary artery diseases (CAD), as a leading cause of mortality around the world, has attracted the researchers’ attention for years to find out its underlying mechanisms and causes. Among the various key players in the pathogenesis of CAD cytokines, microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial. In this study, besides providing a comprehensive overview of the involvement of cytokines, growth factors, and miRNAs in CAD, the interplay between miRNA with cytokine or growth factors during the development of CAD is discussed.
Phytosome Loading the Combined Extract of Mulberry Fruit and Ginger Protects against Cerebral Ischemia in Metabolic Syndrome Rats
Authors: Palachai Nut , Wattanathorn Jintanaporn , Muchimapura Supaporn , Thukham-mee Wipawee
Published: July 2020

The prevalence of ischemic stroke in metabolic syndrome (MetS) is continually increasing and produces a great impact on both qualities of life and annual healthcare budget. Due to the efficiency limitation of the current therapeutic strategy, the poor availability of polyphenol substances induced by the first pass effect and the beneficial effects of mulberry fruit and ginger on brain and MetS-related diseases together with the synergistic concept, the neuroprotective effect against ischemic stroke in MetS condition of phytosome containing the combined extract of mulberry fruit and ginger (PMG) has been considered. To explore the neuroprotective effect and possible underlying mechanism of PMG on brain damage in cerebral ischemic rat with MetS, male Wistar rats were induced MetS by high-carbohydrate high-fat diet (HCHF) for 16 weeks and subjected to the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI) at the right middle cerebral artery (Rt. MCAO). PMG at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg were orally fed with for 21 days, and they were assessed brain damage, neurological deficit score, and the changes of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory markers, PPARγexpression, and epigenetic modification via DNMT-1 were performed. All doses of PMG significantly improved brain infarction, brain edema, and neurological deficit score. In addition, the reduction in DNMT-1, MDA level, NF-κB, TNFα, and C-reactive protein together with the increase in SOD, CAT, and GPH-Px activities, and PPARγexpression in the lesion brain were also observed. The current data clearly revealed the neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia with MetS condition. The possible underlying mechanism might occur partly via the suppression of DNMT-1 giving rise to the improvement of signal transduction via PPARγresulting in the decreasing of inflammation and oxidative stress. In conclusion, PMG is the potential neuroprotectant candidate against ischemic stroke in the MetS condition. However, the clinical trial is still essential.
Efficacy of Diltiazem for the Control of Blood Pressure in Puerperal Patients with Severe Preeclampsia: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Controlled Trial
Authors: Arias-Hernández Gilberto , Vargas-De-León Cruz , Calzada-Mendoza Claudia C , Ocharan-Hernández María Esther
Published: July 2020

Background. Postpartum preeclampsia is a serious disease related to high blood pressure that occurs commonly within the first six days after delivery. Objective. To evaluate if diltiazem improves blood pressure parameters in early puerperium patients with severe preeclampsia. Methodology. A randomized, single-blind longitudinal clinical trial of 42 puerperal patients with severe preeclampsia was carried out. Patients were randomized into two groups: the experimental group (n = 21) received diltiazem (60 mg) and the control group (n = 21) received nifedipine (10 mg). Both drugs were orally administered every 8 hours. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures as well as the heart rate were recorded and analyzed (two-way repeated measures ANOVA) at baseline and after 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 hours. Primary outcome measures were all the aforementioned blood pressure parameters. Secondary outcome measures included the number of hypertension and hypotension episodes along with the length of stay in the intensive care unit. Results. No statistical differences were found between groups (diltiazem vs. nifedipine) regarding basal blood pressure parameters. Interarm differences in blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean) and heart rate were statistically significant between treatment groups from 6 to 48 hours. Patients in the diltiazem group had lower blood pressure levels than patients in the nifedipine group. Significantly, patients who received diltiazem had fewer hypertension and hypotension episodes and stayed fewer days in the intensive care unit than those treated with nifedipine. Conclusions. Diltiazem controlled arterial hypertension in a more effective and uniform manner in patients under study than nifedipine. Patients treated with diltiazem had fewer collateral effects and spent less time in the hospital. This trial is registered with NCT04222855.
PDK1/mTOR Signaling in Myeloid Cells Differentially Regulates the Early and Late Stages of Sepsis
Authors: Du Juan , Li Guoli , Hua Mingxi , Han Junyan , Hao Yu , Zeng Hui , Li Ang , Kong Yaxian
Published: July 2020

The cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) model is the gold standard for the polymicrobial sepsis. In the CLP mice, the myeloid cells play an important role in septic shock. The phenotypes and the activation state of the macrophage and neutrophil correlate with their metabolism. In the present study, we generated the specific myeloid deletion of PDK1 and mTOR mice, which was the important regulator of metabolic signaling. We found that the deletion of PDK1 in the myeloid cells could aggravate the early septic shock in the CLP mice, as well as the deletion of mTORC1 and mTORC2. Moreover, PDK1 deletion attenuated the inflammation induced by LPS in the late stage on CLP mice, which was exacerbated in mTORC1 and mTORC2 knockout mice. Both PDK1 and mTORC1/2 could not only regulate the cellular metabolism but also play important roles on the myeloid cells in the secondary stimulation of sepsis. The present study will provide a theoretical prospect for the therapy of the septic shock in different stages.
A Case of Brevibacillus brevis Meningitis and Bacteremia
Authors: Parmar Parmvir , Sivapragasam Milani , Corrales-Medina Vicente
Published: July 2020

Brevibacillus species are environmental organisms that are rarely implicated as human pathogens. We present the case of postsurgical Brevibacillus brevis bacterial meningitis and an associated bacteremia after debulking surgery for a newly diagnosed pilocytic astrocytoma in a 19-year-old woman. The patient experienced clinical cure with a 4-week course of vancomycin, but her postinfectious course was complicated by the development of a pseudomeningocele that required surgical repair. To our knowledge, this is the first described case of a central nervous system infection caused by Brevibacillus brevis in the literature.
Multiplex Tests for Respiratory Tract Infections: The Direct Utility of the FilmArray Respiratory Panel in Emergency Department
Authors: Yang Siyuan , Li Hui , Tang Yunxia , Yu Fengting , Ma Chengjie , Zhang Huimin , Pang Lin , Zhao Hongxin , Wang Linghang
Published: July 2020

Background. The FilmArray Respiratory Panel with multiplex targets for respiratory pathogens has been widely used and verified in clinical trials in special test settings. However, it is necessary to evaluate the panel’s performance at the point of care directly, in nonspecific test settings. Methods. Patients with respiratory tract infections were enrolled from among emergency department visitors, and all steps, including the collection of specimens and testing, were performed by our clinicians. Results. Among 270 patients, 196 (72.6%) patients were found to have one or more pathogens. For signal pathogen detection, influenza A virus had the highest rate of detection; 45 (16.7%) of the patients had two or more respiratory pathogens codetected, and most of the multiplex pathogens were rhinovirus/enterovirus codetected with Bordetella pertussis (17.8%). The information provided by the FilmArray had an impact on the prescription of antimicrobials, and there were differences in the rates of antibiotic prescriptions and anti-influenza prescriptions among patients. Conclusions. Use of the FilmArray by clinical staff was successfully implemented in the emergency department for the first time in China. The FilmArray has the potential for point-of-care testing in nonspecific settings.
Study on Global Parameters Optimization of Dual-Drive Powertrain System of Pure Electric Vehicle Based on Multiple Condition Computer Simulation
Authors: Wang Yong , Cai Hongguo , Liao Yinghua , Gao Jun
Published: July 2020

Equipped with two power sources, the dual-driving powertrain system for pure electric vehicles has a driving mode different from traditional electric vehicles. Under the premise that the structural form of the transmission system remains unchanged, the following transmission schemes can be adopted for double drive electric vehicles according to the demand power: the main and auxiliary electric transmission scheme (two motors are driven separately with dual-motor coupling drive), the transmission scheme in which the two motors always maintain coupling drive, and the speed-regulating type electric transmission scheme (the main motor is always responsible for driving, and the auxiliary motor is responsible for speed regulation). Therefore, a significant difference exists in the design methods of the power transmission system of double drive electric vehicles and existing vehicles. As for such differences, this paper adopts intelligent algorithm to design the parameters of the transmission system and introduces the genetic algorithm into the optimization design of parameters to obtain the optimal vital parameters of the power transmission system based on computer simulation. The prototype car used in this paper is a self-owned brand car; MATLAB/Simulink platform is used to build the vehicle simulation model, which is used for the computer simulation analysis of the vehicle dynamic performance and economy. It can be seen from the analysis result that the system parameters obtained by using the global optimization method proposed in this study can improve the vehicle dynamic performance and economic performance to varying degrees, which proves the efficiency and feasibility of the optimization method.
Construction and Investigation of MicroRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network of Gastric Cancer with Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Yang Ping , Liu Junjie , Yang Tianci , Zhang Lei , Gong Peiyou , Li Boqing , Zhou Xiuzhi
Published: July 2020

Background. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common human pathogen, which is closely correlated with gastric cancer (GC). However, the mechanism of H. pylori-related GC has not been elucidated. This study aimed to explore the role of H. pylori infection in GC and find biomarkers for early diagnosis of H. pylori-related GC. Methods. We identified differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset, constructed microRNA-(miRNA-)mRNA expression networks, analyzed the function and signal pathway of cross-genes, analyzed the relations between cross-genes and GC prognosis with the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, and verified the expression of cross-genes in patients with H. pylori infection. Results. 22 DEMs and 68 DEGs were identified in GSE197694 and GSE27411 dataset. 16 miRNAs and 509 genes were involved in the expression network, while the cross-genes of the network were mainly enriched in MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and TGF-beta signaling pathway. Patients with higher expression of hsa-miR-196b-3p, CALML4, or SMAD6 or lower expression of PITX2 or TGFB2 had better outcomes than those with lower expression of hsa-miR-196b-3p, CALML4, or SMAD6 or higher expression of PITX2 or TGFB2 (P<0.05). Patients with H. pylori infection had a higher expression of hsa-miR-196b-3p and CALML4 than those without H. pylori infection (P<0.05). Conclusion. The study of miRNA-mRNA expression network would provide molecular support for early diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori-related GC.
Research on Error Estimations of the Interpolating Boundary Element Free-Method for Two-Dimensional Potential Problems
Authors: Wang Jufeng , Sun Fengxin , Xu Ying
Published: July 2020

The interpolating boundary element-free method (IBEFM) is a direct solution method of the meshless boundary integral equation method, which has high efficiency and accuracy. The IBEFM is developed based on the interpolating moving least-squares (IMLS) method and the boundary integral equation method. Since the shape function of the IMLS method satisfies the interpolation characteristics, the IBEFM can directly and accurately impose the essential boundary conditions, which overcomes the shortcomings of the original boundary element-free method in enforcing the essential boundary approximately. This paper will study the error estimations of the IBEFM for two-dimensional potential problems and the relationship between the errors and the influence radius and the condition number of the coefficient matrix. Two numerical examples are presented to verify the correctness of the theoretical results in this paper.
Function of Dicer with regard to Energy Homeostasis Regulation, Structural Modification, and Cellular Distribution
Authors: Tong Xiaohui , Yu Nianjun , Han Rongchun , Wang Tongsheng
Published: July 2020

As a type III ribonuclease (RNase III) specifically cleaving double-stranded RNA substrates into short fragments, Dicer is indispensable in a range of physi/pathologic processes, e.g., nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, or DNA damage. Therefore, much interest has been paid to the research of this protein as well as its products like microRNAs (miRNAs). The close relationship between Dicer levels and fluctuations of nutrient availability suggests that the protein participates in the regulation of systemic energy homeostasis. Through miRNAs, Dicer regulates the hypothalamic melanocortin-4 system and central autophagy promoting energy expenditure. Moreover, by influencing canonical energy sensors like adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Dicer favors catabolism in the periphery. Taken together, Dicer might be targeted in the control of energy dysregulation. However, factors affecting its RNase activity should be noted. Firstly, modulation of structural integrity affects its role as a ribonuclease. Secondly, although previously known as a cytosolic endoribonuclease, evidence suggests Dicer can relocalize into the nucleus where it could also produce small RNAs. In this review, we probe into involvement of Dicer in energy homeostasis as well as its structural integrity or cellular distribution which affects its ability to produce miRNAs, in the hope of providing novel insights into its mechanism of action for future application.
The Predictive and Prognostic Factors in Patients with Gastric Cancer Accompanied by Gastric Outlet Obstruction
Authors: Zu Hongliang , Wang Huiling , Li Chunfeng , Zhu Wendian , Xue Yingwei
Published: July 2020

Purpose. This study is aimed at evaluating the clinicopathological features and prognostic significance of gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) in patients with distal gastric cancer. Methods. A retrospective review of 1564 individuals with distal gastric cancer from 2002 to 2010 was performed. In total, 157 patients had GOO. The clinicopathological features of the patients with GOO were compared with those of the patients without GOO. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard model were used to assess the overall survival. Results. The patients with distal gastric cancer with GOO generally presented more aggressive pathologic features, a poorer nutritional status, more duodenal infiltration, and peritoneal dissemination than those with cancer without GOO. In the univariate analysis, curability, GOO, age, prealbumin, albumin, hemoglobin (Hb), the tumor size, the macroscopic type, lymph node metastasis, and the depth of invasion had a statistically significant influence on prognosis. The multivariate analysis showed that curability, GOO, the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and the depth of invasion were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions. Gastric cancer with GOO exhibits aggressive biological features and has poor outcomes. The multivariate analysis showed that curability, GOO, the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and the depth of invasion were independent prognostic factors. The gastric outlet status should be considered in the selection of surgical treatment methods for patients with gastric cancer.
The Value of Preoperative Alpha-L-Fucosidase Levels in Evaluation of Malignancy and Differential Diagnosis of Urothelial Neoplasms
Authors: Chen Dongshan , Xing Naidong , Cui Zhanwu , Zhang Cong , Zhang Zhao , Li Dawei , Yan Lei
Published: July 2020

Purpose. To evaluate the role of Alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU) in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pure urothelial carcinoma (UC), urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation (UCSD), and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). Methods. A retrospective study was performed for 599 patients who were histologically confirmed with urothelial tumor. Preoperative AFU levels were compared across the distinct subgroups with different clinicopathological parameters. ROC curve analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed to further evaluate the clinical application value of serum AFU levels in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of urothelial tumors. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in the AFU levels between different groups with different malignant degrees (UC versus papilloma and papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential [PUNLMP], high-grade UC versus low-grade UC, invasive versus noninvasive malignant uroepithelial tumor) and different pathological types (UC, UCSD, and SqCC) (all P>0.05). ROC curve analysis and logistic regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant association between AFU levels and the tumor characteristics (all P>0.05). Conclusions. Preoperative AFU levels cannot serve as a reliable predictor for malignant degree and differential diagnosis, including pure UC, UCSD, and SqCC of urothelial tumors.