bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consensus guidelines for the definition, detection and interpretation of immunogenic cell death
Authors: Galluzzi Lorenzo , Vitale Ilio , Warren Sarah , Adjemian Sandy , Agostinis Patrizia , Martinez Aitziber Buqué , Chan Timothy A , Coukos George , Demaria Sandra , Deutsch Eric , Draganov Dobrin , Edelson Richard L , Formenti Silvia C , Fucikova Jitka , Gabriele Lucia , Gaipl Udo S , Gameiro Sofia R , Garg Abhishek D , Golden Encouse , Han Jian , Harrington Kevin J , Hemminki Akseli , Hodge James W , Hossain Dewan Md Sakib , Illidge Tim , Karin Michael , Kaufman Howard L , Kepp Oliver , Kroemer Guido , Lasarte Juan Jose , Loi Sherene , Lotze Michael T , Manic Gwenola , Merghoub Taha , Melcher Alan A , Mossman Karen L , Prosper Felipe , Rekdal Øystein , Rescigno Maria , Riganti Chiara , Sistigu Antonella , Smyth Mark J , Spisek Radek , Stagg John , Strauss Bryan E , Tang Daolin , Tatsuno Kazuki , van Gool Stefaan W , Vandenabeele Peter , Yamazaki Takahiro , Zamarin Dmitriy , Zitvogel Laurence , Cesano Alessandra , Marincola Francesco M
Published: March 2020

Cells succumbing to stress via regulated cell death (RCD) can initiate an adaptive immune response associated with immunological memory, provided they display sufficient antigenicity and adjuvanticity. Moreover, multiple intracellular and microenvironmental features determine the propensity of RCD to drive adaptive immunity. Here, we provide an updated operational definition of immunogenic cell death (ICD), discuss the key factors that dictate the ability of dying cells to drive an adaptive immune response, summarize experimental assays that are currently available for the assessment of ICD in vitro and in vivo, and formulate guidelines for their interpretation.
Analytical study of holographic p-wave superfluid models in Gauss–Bonnet gravity
Authors: Lai Chuyu , He Tangmei , Pan Qiyuan , Jing Jiliang
Published: March 2020

In Gauss–Bonnet gravity, we analytically investigate the p-wave superfluid models in five dimensional AdS soliton and AdS black hole in order to explore the influences of the higher curvature correction on the holographic superfluid phase transition. We observe that the analytical findings are in good agreement with the numerical computations. Our results show that the critical chemical potential of the system increases with the increase of the Gauss–Bonnet parameter in AdS soliton background, while the critical temperature decreases as the Gauss–Bonnet factor grows if the phase transition of the system is of the second order in AdS black hole background, both of which indicate that the higher curvature correction hinders the formation of the condensation of the vector operator. Moreover, the critical exponent of the system takes the mean-field value 1/2, which is independent of the Gauss–Bonnet parameter and the spatial component of the gauge field.
Y(4626) as a molecular state from interaction $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)-{D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$
Authors: He Jun , Liu Yi , Zhu Jun-Tao , Chen Dian-Yong
Published: March 2020

Recently, a new structure Y(4626) was reported by the Belle Collaboration in the process $$e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^-$$e+e-→Ds+Ds1(2536)-. In this work, we propose an assignment of the Y(4626) as a $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536) molecular state, which decays into the $$D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^-$$Ds+Ds1(2536)- channel through a coupling between $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536) and $${D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$DsD¯s1(2536) channels. With the help of the heavy quark symmetry, the potential of the interaction $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)-{D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536)-DsD¯s1(2536) is constructed within the one-boson-exchange model, and inserted into the quasipotential Bethe–Salpeter equation. The pole of obtained scattering amplitude is searched for in the complex-energy plane, which corresponds to a molecular state from the interaction $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)-{D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536)-DsD¯s1(2536). The results suggest that a pole is produced near the $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536) threshold, which exhibits as a peak in the invariant mass spectrum of the $${D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$DsD¯s1(2536) channel at about 4626 MeV. It obviously favors the Y(4626) as a $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536) molecular state. In the same model, other molecular states from the interaction $${D}^*_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)-{D}_s{\bar{D}}_{s1}(2536)$$Ds∗D¯s1(2536)-DsD¯s1(2536) are also predicted, which can be checked in future experiments.
Heat resistance properties of various boron-doped diamond films prepared via hot filament chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Bae Mun Ki , Kim Chi Hwan , Park Yeong Min , Yoon Su Jong , Kim Tae Gyu
Published: March 2020

We used hot filament chemical vapor deposition to synthesize conductive diamond layers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to explore how boron affected diamond formation in terms of structural chemistry, surface appearance, and growth rate. As the boron/carbon (B/C) ratio increased, thin boron-doped diamonds (BDDs) exhibited increased levels of amorphous carbon. We used a high-temperature furnace to explore the heat resistance of BDDs.
A Systematic Investigation of State-of-the-Art SystemC Verification
Authors: Lin Bin , Xie Fei
Published: March 2020

The growing complexity of System-on-a-Chips (SoCs) and rapidly decreasing time-to-market have pushed the design abstraction to the electronic system level in order to increase design productivity. SystemC is a widely used electronic system level modeling language that enables quick prototyping and early verification in the SoC design process. The functional correctness of SystemC designs is often one of the greatest concerns in the SoC design process, since undetected design errors may propagate to low-level implementations or even final silicon products, which are costly to fix. However, SystemC verification is a challenging task due to its complex language features such as object-oriented constructs, hardware-oriented data types and concurrency. A variety of approaches have been proposed for SystemC verification in the past two decades. This work systematically investigates the state-of-the-art SystemC verification approaches by discussing their methodologies, advantages, and limitations, as well as presenting comparison among various approaches.
Reactive Power Loss Reduction in Distribution Network Using Crow Search Optimization and Available Transfer Capability
Authors: Kannan N. , Sutha S.
Published: March 2020

In distribution systems, it is important to guarantee the protected operating state of the power system by the transmission suppliers. To transmit a secure, dependable and economical supply of electric power, long separation bulk power transmission is fundamental. Despite that, the power transfer capacity of the power system is constrained because of the elements like thermal limits, voltage limits and security limits. Crow Search Optimizations (CSO) have been exhibited to be reasonable methodologies in taking care of nonlinear power system issues with Available Transfer Capability (ATC). It is conceivable to improve transmission capabilities. This proposed method based on the IEEE 30-bus system is considered with two distinct areas, and furthermore, the input source is a typical load system with a distributed network. There is a need to control the reactive power flow at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) between the grids of various voltage levels. To operate a power system securely and furthermore to acquire the benefit of bulk power transfer, ATC evaluation is required. The load gets raised from 50% to 100% in the distribution side by including the thermal power plant (85% and 95% load is included) and with the procured condition, ATC and losses are to be determined. This ATC is determined for verified power supply to the consumers.
On realizabilty of Gauss diagrams and constructions of meanders
Authors: Grinblat Andrey , Lopatkin Viktor
Published: March 2020

The problem concerning which Gauss diagrams can be realized by knots is an old one and has been solved in several ways. In this paper, we present a direct approach to this problem. We show that the needed conditions for realizability of a Gauss diagram can be interpreted as follows “the number of exits = the number of entrances” and the sufficient condition is based on the Jordan curve theorem. Further, using matrices, we redefine conditions for realizability of Gauss diagrams and then we give an algorithm to construct meanders.
FUNCTIONAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY-BASED UPPER EXTREMITY FUNCTION REHABILITATION FOR STROKE SURVIVOR: A REVIEW
Authors: LEE JOO-HYUN , JUNG YOUNG-JIN
Published: March 2020

Recently, the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (600–900[Formula: see text]nm electromagnetic wave) ([Formula: see text]-NIRS)-based rehabilitation researches have been studied for understanding the human brain. Although [Formula: see text]-NIRS can successfully measure the relative blood concentration changes of oxy-hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR) as an assessment tool to identify significant clinical intervention during pre- and post-rehabilitation therapy for stroke survivors, there is insufficient information particularly on the use of [Formula: see text]-NIRS as a clinical translation in upper extremity function rehabilitation. In order to widely utilize the [Formula: see text]-NIRS for upper extremity rehabilitation, device information, experiment design, measurement procedure, and analyzing method are described for clinician aspect in this study. In addition, further research trend was introduced from previous studies for stroke survivor rehabilitation. The authors believed that the information provided in this study can be a useful guideline to encourage future researchers to focus on upper extremity function rehabilitation of stroke survivors.
MODIFICATION OF THE SPALART–ALLMARAS MODEL FOR HEMOLYTIC SHEAR FLOW SIMULATION WITH PIV EXPERIMENT
Authors: YU ZHEQIN , TAN JIANPIN , WANG SHUAI
Published: March 2020

Hemolysis in blood-contacting devices severely affects the health of users, and computation fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation is a crucial method for hemolysis analysis. Medical equipment has high requirements for simulation accuracy. Modification of the turbulence model is one of the most effective ways to improve efficiency. In this study, we designed nozzle models to simulate hemolytic shear flow, varying the degree of shear flow through different nozzle orifice sizes. The study acquires microscopic flow results through Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) experiments, and the Sparlart–Allmaras (S–A) model was modified based on the experimental results. In the study, we obtained the influence characteristics of the model coefficients on the simulation results and completed the accuracy correction. The results showed that the model coefficient [Formula: see text] has the most significant effect on the simulation results. Correcting [Formula: see text] to about 200% of the standard value can significantly improve the simulation accuracy, and the high shear flow intensity corresponds to a slightly lower correction value. The model modification eliminates the simulation error in the high-speed area, and the comparison results show that it is superior to the standard turbulence model.
Nevanlinna theory and algebraic values of certain meromorphic functions
Authors: Chalebgwa Taboka Prince
Published: March 2020

We extend two results by Boxall and Jones on algebraic values of certain analytic functions to meromorphic functions. We obtain [Formula: see text] bounds for the number of algebraic points of height at most [Formula: see text] on certain restrictions of the graphs of such functions. The constant [Formula: see text] and exponent [Formula: see text] depend on certain data associated with the functions and can be effectively computed from them.
Preparation and Characterization of Ag/Ti2Nb10O29 Composite Microspheres Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Xiong Jian , Liu Kai , Fei Anjie , Yu Lei , Jiang Guodong , Yuan Songdong
Published: March 2020

Silver-coated Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite microspheres were successfully prepared by a solvothermal method with a subsequent post-annealing treatment. Effect of the coating Ag nanoparticles on the electrochemical properties was extensively studied. The XRD pattern shows that high purity Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] was formed and no impurity phases are observed. Moreover, SEM, XPS and EDX clearly revealed that Ag nanoparticles were combined on the surface area of formed Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] microspheres. The electrochemical performance of the Ag/Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite microspheres was characterized via cyclic voltammograms (CV) measurements. The CV curves indicate that the coating Ag nanoparticles minimize the polarization of pristine Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text]. The EIS indicates that the excellent rate capability of Ag/Ti2Nb[Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text] composite microspheres can be ascribed to the improved electronic conductivity due to the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles.
ARIMA Supplemented Security Metrics for Quality Assurance and Situational Awareness
Authors: Kohlrausch Jan , Brin Eugene A.
Published: March 2020

Quality assurance and situational awareness are important areas of interest for CSIRTs and security teams. Significant efforts have been made on defining metrics measuring critical parameters for these fields of application. However, methodical approaches are missing or lacking precision to enable a reliable usage of such metrics for quality assurance and situational awareness.

In this contribution, we introduce a method that generalizes the application of ARIMA time series analysis on a well-defined set of metrics (ARIMA supplemented metrics) to facilitate and support quality assurance and situational awareness services. This method is based on research on ARIMA models and metrics and builds on CSIRT best practices. We show how data analysts and security practitioners can incorporate this method into existing best practices for CSIRT services pertaining to quality assurance and situational awareness.

The applicability of this method is demonstrated by integrating ARIMA supplemented metrics into exemplary processes for quality assurance and situational awareness to support data analysts and security practitioners in CSIRTs and security teams.
Machine Learning Framework to Analyze IoT Malware Using ELF and Opcode Features
Authors: Tien Chin-Wei , Chen Shang-Wen , Ban Tao , Kuo Sy-Yen
Published: March 2020

Threats to devices that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) are on the rise. Owing to the overwhelming diversity of IoT hardware and software, as well as its variants, conventional anti-virus techniques based on the Windows paradigm cannot be applied directly to counter threats to the IoT devices. In this article, we propose a framework that can efficiently analyze IoT malware in a wide range of environments. It consists of a universal feature representation obtained by static analysis of the malware and a machine learning scheme that first detects the malware and then classifies it into a known category. The framework was evaluated by applying it to a recently developed dataset consisting of more than 6,000 IoT malware samples collected from the HoneyPot project. The results show that the proposed method can obtain near-optimal accuracy in terms of the detection and classification of malware targeting IoT devices.
Shared-memory Parallel Maximal Clique Enumeration from Static and Dynamic Graphs
Authors: Das Apurba , Sanei-Mehri Seyed-Vahid , Tirthapura Srikanta
Published: March 2020

Maximal Clique Enumeration (MCE) is a fundamental graph mining problem and is useful as a primitive in identifying dense structures in a graph. Due to the high computational cost of MCE, parallel methods are imperative for dealing with large graphs. We present shared-memory parallel algorithms for MCE, with the following properties: (1) the parallel algorithms are provably work-efficient relative to a state-of-the-art sequential algorithm, (2) the algorithms have a provably small parallel depth, showing they can scale to a large number of processors, and (3) our implementations on a multicore machine show good speedup and scaling behavior with increasing number of cores and are substantially faster than prior shared-memory parallel algorithms for MCE; for instance, on certain input graphs, while prior works either ran out of memory or did not complete in five hours, our implementation finished within a minute using 32 cores. We also present work-efficient parallel algorithms for maintaining the set of all maximal cliques in a dynamic graph that is changing through the addition of edges.
Matchmaking Between Condensed Matter and Quantum Foundations, and Other Stories: My Six Decades in Physics
Authors: Leggett Anthony J.
Published: March 2020

I present some rather selective reminiscences of my long career in physics, from my doctoral work to the present. I do not spend time on topics such as the nuclear magnetic resonance behavior of 3He, as I have reviewed the history extensively elsewhere, but rather concentrate, first, on my long-running project to make condensed matter physics relevant to questions in the foundations of quantum mechanics, and second, on various rather “quirky” problems such as an attempt to amplify the effects of the parity violation due to the weak interaction to a macroscopic level, and an unconventional proposal for the mechanism of the first-order phase transition between the A and B phases of superfluid liquid 3He.
Irisin counteracts high glucose and fatty acid-induced cytotoxicity by preserving the AMPK-insulin receptor signaling axis in C2C12 myoblasts
Authors: Yano Naohiro , Zhang Ling , Wei Dennis , Dubielecka Patrycja M. , Wei Lei , Zhuang Shougang , Zhu Ping , Qin Gangjian , Liu Paul Y. , Chin Y. Eugene , Zhao Ting C.
Published: March 2020

Irisin, a newly identified myokine, is critical to modulating body metabolism and biological homeostasis. However, whether irisin protects the skeletal muscles against metabolic stresses remains unknown. In this study, we determine the effect of irisin on high glucose and fatty acid-induced damages using irisin-overexpressed mouse C2C12 (irisin-C2C12) myoblasts and skeletal muscle from irisin-injected mice. Compared with empty vector-transfected control C2C12 cells, irisin overexpression resulted in a marked increase in cell viability and decrease in apoptosis under high-glucose stress. Progression of the cell cycle into the G2/M phase in the proliferative condition was also observed with irisin overexpression. Furthermore, glucose uptake, glycogen accumulation, and phosphorylation of AMPKα/insulin receptor (IR) β-subunit/Erk1/2 in response to insulin stimulation were enhanced by irisin overexpression. In irisin-C2C12 myoblasts, these responses of phosphorylation were preserved under palmitate treatment, which induced insulin resistance in the control cells. These effects of irisin were reversed by inhibiting AMPK with compound C. In addition, high glucose-induced suppression of the mitochondrial membrane potential was also prevented by irisin. Moreover, suppression of IR in irisin-C2C12 myoblasts by cotransfection of shRNA against IR also mitigated the effects of irisin while not affecting AMPKα phosphorylation. As an in vivo study, soleus muscles from irisin-injected mice showed elevated phosphorylation of AMPKα and Erk1/2 and glycogen contents. Our results indicate that irisin counteracts the stresses generated by high glucose and fatty acid levels and irisin overexpression serves as a novel approach to elicit cellular protection. Furthermore, AMPK activation is a crucial factor that regulates insulin action as a downstream target.
An Ethnobotanical Survey of a Dryland Botanical Garden and Its Environs in Kenya: The Mutomo Hill Plant Sanctuary
Authors: Mutie Fredrick Munyao , Gao Lun-Lun , Kathambi Vivian , Rono Peninah Cheptoo , Musili Paul Mutuku , Ngugi Grace , Hu Guang-Wan , Wang Qing-Feng
Published: March 2020

Mutomo hill plant sanctuary is a ten‐hectare piece of land in Kenya listed as a botanical garden under the Botanical Gardens Conservation International, originally established in 1964 with the aim of conserving indigenous flora from destructive anthropogenic activities. This paper presents ethnobotanical documentation of medicinal plants of Mutomo hill plant sanctuary and its environs. An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Mutomo hill plant sanctuary and its environs with 48 herbalists aged between 32 and 96 years from July 2018 to February 2019 using a semistructured open‐ended questionnaire. The plants were collected through random surveys with each herbalist in different ecotypes around the villages and within the Mutomo hill plant sanctuary. The Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) for each species reported was calculated to determine the plant species frequently collected. In total, 68 different plant species distributed in 28 families and 54 genera were reported. The frequently used plant families were Leguminosae (13 species), Lamiaceae (6 species), and Euphorbiaceae (6 species). Shrubs (37%) and trees (34%) were the dominant growth habits reported. The most cited plant species were Cassia abbreviata Oliv. (RFC = 0.63), Acacia nilotica (L.). Delile (RFC = 0.54), Strychnos heningsii Gilg (RFC = 0.46), and Aloe secundiflora Engl. (RFC = 0.31). Root (19 species) and bark (19 species) were the frequently collected plant parts. Infectious diseases (33) and digestive system disorders (24) were reported to be managed with the majority of the plant species. This study contributes to safeguarding the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants in the study area, which is useful in appreciating and acknowledging the cultural heritage of the Kamba people from the local perspective of Mutomo area in Kenya. It also adds to the knowledge base and documentation of medicinal plants, which is useful information as potential data for drug development.
3D Modeling and Mechanism Analysis of Breaking Wave-Induced Seabed Scour around Monopile
Authors: Liu Xiaojian , Liu Cheng , Zhu Xiaowei , He Yong , Wang Qisong , Wu Zhiyuan
Published: March 2020

Breaking wave-induced scour is recognized as one of the major causes of coastal erosion and offshore structure failure, which involves in the full 3D water-air-sand interaction, raising a great challenge for the numerical simulation. To better understand this process, a nonlinear 3D numerical model based on the open-source CFD platform OpenFOAM® was self-developed in this study. The Navier–Stokes equations were used to compute the two-phase incompressible flow, combining with the finite volume method (FVM) to discretize calculation domain, a modified VOF method to track the free surface, and ak−εmodel to closure the turbulence. The nearshore sediment transport process is reproduced in view of shear stress, suspended load, and bed load, in which the terms of shear stress and suspended load were updated by introducing volume fraction. The seabed morphology is updated based on Exner equation and implemented by dynamic mesh technique. The mass conservative sand slide algorithm was employed to avoid the incredible vary of the bed mesh. Importantly, a two-way coupling method connecting the hydrodynamic module with the beach morphodynamic module is implemented at each computation step to ensure the fluid-sediment interaction. The capabilities of this model were calibrated by laboratory data from some published references, and the advantages/disadvantages, as well as proper recommendations, were introduced. Finally, nonbreaking- and breaking wave-induced scour around the monopile, as well as breaking wave-induced beach evolution, were reproduced and discussed. This study would be significantly helpful to understand and evaluate the nearshore sediment transport.
Behcet’s Disease with Upper GI Bleeding
Authors: Getachew Melaku , Seyoum Nebiyou , Debebe Finot
Published: March 2020

Introduction. Behcet’s disease is a multisystem disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of this disease is not known, with only one case report from Ethiopia. Case Presentation. We describe a case of a 29-year-old Ethiopian male who presented to the emergency room of Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital with 4 days history of back pain, recurrent history of oral and genital ulcers, right eye blindness, chronic cerebral vein thrombosis, gastrointestinal bleeding, aortic aneurysm with dissection, and positive pathergy test. He is retrospectively diagnosed with Behcet’s disease according to both the International Criteria for Behcet’s Disease (ICBD) and the International Study Group (ISG) consensus. Conclusion. Even if Behcet’s disease is rare in sub-Saharan Africa, it is important to know the clinical presentation for timely diagnosis and urgent management.
Coupling Coordination of Water Governance and Tourism: Measurement and Prediction
Authors: Geng Yuqing , Maimaituerxun Mukasar , Zhang Han
Published: March 2020

The interaction between water governance and tourism is complicated and significant so that the study of the coupling coordination between these two subsystems is important. This study analyzes the correlation mechanism of the water governance-tourism system, constructs the composite and aggregated evaluation system which consists of 5 dimensions and 15 indicators, uses information entropy weight technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution method to evaluate the development degrees of both water governance and tourism growth of the 11 regions in the Yangtze River Economic Zone, analyzes the two subsystems’ relation of coupling coordination temporally and spatially with the coupling coordination degree model, predicts degrees of coupling coordination of the regions for the next 4 years with gray system prediction model, and proposes specific and generalizable countermeasures. The results show that these methods can provide an effective reference to evaluate the coupling coordination development of water governance and tourism and to provide scientific and generalizable countermeasures for enhancement.
Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 Enhances the Therapeutic Effects of Human Endometrial Regenerative Cells in a Mouse Sepsis Model
Authors: Jin Wang , Zhao Yiming , Hu Yonghao , Yu Dingding , Li Xiang , Qin Yafei , Kong Dejun , Wang Hao
Published: March 2020

Endometrial regenerative cells (ERCs) are mesenchymal-like stromal cells obtained from human menstrual blood, whose positive therapeutic effects have been validated in several experimental models. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), the ligand for CXCR4, plays an important role in the migration of mesenchymal stromal cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway in the therapeutic effects of ERCs in a mouse sepsis model. Through preexperiment and confirmation, wild-type C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The therapeutic effects of ERCs with different pretreatments were evaluated by assessing sepsis-related symptoms, detecting tissue damage and measuring levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related factors. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that there was a much higher CXCR4 expression on ERCs when they were cocultured with SDF-1. The ex vivo experiment results showed that SDF-1 expression significantly increased in mouse tissues. Further experiments also confirmed that, compared with the unmodified ERC treatment group, SDF-1 pretreatment significantly enhanced the therapeutic effects of ERCs on alleviating sepsis symptoms, ameliorating pathological changes, reducing Bax level, and increasing Bcl-2 and PCNA expressions in mouse liver tissues. Furthermore, it was also found that SDF-1-pretreated ERCs contributed to reducing the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL10) in mouse serum, liver, and lung. Moreover, SDF-1-pretreated ERCs could also significantly decrease the levels of iNOS and MDA and increase the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and SOD in liver tissues. Taken together, these results indicate that SDF-1 pretreatment plays a key role in improving the therapeutic effects of ERCs in alleviating sepsis-related symptoms, reducing tissue damage, regulating inflammatory imbalance, and relieving oxidative stress in a mouse sepsis model, which provides more possibilities for the clinical application of ERCs in sepsis and relevant diseases.
A Kind of Quaternary Sequences of Period 2pmqn and Their Linear Complexity
Authors: Wang Qiuyan , Wu Chenhuang , Yang Minghui , Yan Yang
Published: March 2020

Sequences with high linear complexity have wide applications in cryptography. In this paper, a new class of quaternary sequences over F4 with period 2pmqn is constructed using generalized cyclotomic classes. Results show that the linear complexity of these sequences attains the maximum.
Immunomodulatory Activity of Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) Leaf Diethyl Ether and Methanol Extracts on Salmonella typhi‐Infected Mice and LPS‐Induced Phagocytic Activities of Macrophages and Neutrophils
Authors: Mahamat Oumar , Flora Hakoueu , Tume Christopher , Kamanyi Albert
Published: March 2020

Infections due to Salmonella strains constitute one of the major health problems in humans, particularly in Africa. The use of traditional herbs has proven effective in reducing the incidence of infection in some high‐risk groups. To assess the effects of Momordica charantia leaf extracts that influence blood infection, an in vitro study of the effect on macrophages and neutrophils and treatment of mouse model of S. typhi infection was done. Methanol and diethyl ether extracts were concerned by this study. In vitro study was to assess the effects of extracts on phagocytosis, and related intracellular killing mechanisms of macrophages were examined. Later, mobilization of leukocytes and production of antibodies against S. typhi were measured followed by quantitating cultures evaluation of the blood infection of orally inoculated mice with S. typhi. Ingestion or attachment of carbon particles, production of superoxide anion, nitric oxide, and that of lysosomal acid phosphatase by macrophages and neutrophils were significantly increased by methanol and diethyl extracts at concentrations ranging from 40 μg/ml to 640 μg/ml. Antibody titer and mobilization of leukocytes, particularly lymphocytes against S. typhi, were highly increased by both methanol and diethyl extracts at concentrations of 500 and 1000 mg/kg. At the same time, the extracts have reduced the rate of blood colonization in mice inoculated with 108 CFU of S. typhi for 28 days. Reduction in blood colonization or infection rates was similar for the levamisole mice group. The results of this study should prove that the leaves of Momordica charantia are useful for the treatment of infections by Salmonella strains and for the assessment of drugs for therapeutic intervention.
A Rare Presentation of Possible Disseminated Histoplasmosis with Adrenal Insufficiency Leading to Adrenal Crisis in an Immunocompetent Adult: A Case Report
Authors: Prabash Jayathilake Wanasinghe Arachchilage Praneeth , Pramitha Prabhashini Kumarihamy Kulatunga Wijekoon Mudiyanselage , Udaya Kumara Ralapanawa Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Priyantha , Jayalath Widana Arachchilage Thilak Ananda
Published: March 2020

Histoplasmosis is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, and commonly it causes an asymptomatic illness. Although Histoplasma is the commonest organism to infect adrenal glands, disseminated histoplasmosis in an immune-competent host leading to adrenal insufficiency is rare in current literature. Here, we report a case of possible disseminated histoplasmosis leading to adrenal crisis in a young Asian immunocompetent male. A 42-year-old Sri Lankan male with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus presented with constitutional symptoms and feverishness for three weeks’ duration. He was found to have hepatosplenomegaly with bilateral adrenal masses and pancytopenia. One week later, he developed severe vomiting and hemodynamic collapse and was found to have suppressed adrenal functions. Ultrasound-guided biopsy of adrenals showed fungal spores morphologically similar to Histoplasma. He was started on oral itraconazole and adrenal replacement therapy. He improved symptomatically with treatment and currently is on regular clinic follow-up with a plan to continue antifungal therapy for at least one year to prevent a relapse. Fungal infections, especially histoplasmosis, need to be considered in all immunocompetent patients with compatible history and bilateral adrenal masses. Adrenal insufficiency needs to be promptly diagnosed and treated to prevent Addisonian crisis in these patients.
Event-Triggered Dissipative Filter Design for Semi-Markovian Jump Systems with Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Chen Huiying , Li Zuxin , Xia Weifeng
Published: March 2020

This paper deals with the event-triggered dissipative filtering problem for semi-Markovian jump systems with time-varying delays. The purpose is to design a filter which guarantees that the filtering error system is not only stochastically stable but also satisfies dissipativity. First, based on Lyapunov–Krasovskii theory and matrix integral inequality, a sufficient condition is established for the existence of such a filter. Then, the codesign method of event-triggered matrices and the desired filter parameters is proposed. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the advantages and validity of the scheme developed in this paper.
Forecasting of Population Narcotization under the Implementation of a Drug Use Reduction Policy
Authors: Mityagin Sergey , Gershenson Carlos , Boukhanovsky Alexander
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we present an approach to drug addiction simulation and forecasting in the medium and long terms in cities having a high population density and a high rate of social communication. Drug addiction forecasting is one of the basic components of the antidrug policy, giving informational and analytic support both at the regional and at the governmental level. However, views on the drug consumption problem vary in different regions, and as a consequence, several approaches to antidrug policy implementation exist. Thereby, notwithstanding the fact that the phenomenology of the population narcotization process is similar in the different regions, approaches to the modeling of drug addiction may also substantially differ for different kinds of antidrug policies. This paper presents a survey of the available antidrug policies and the corresponding approaches to the simulation of population narcotization. This article considers the approach to the construction of the regression model of anesthesia on the main components formed on the basis of indicators of social and economic development. The substantiation of the chosen method is given, which is associated with a significant correlation of indicators, which characterizes the presence of a small number of superfactors. This allows us to form a conclusion about the general level of development of the region as the main factor determining the drug addiction. A new model is proposed for one of the most widespread antidrug policies, namely, the drug use reduction policy. The model helps determine the significant factors of population narcotization and allows to estimate its damage. The model is tested successfully using St. Petersburg data.
Study on Deformation Mechanism and Support Measures of Soft Surrounding Rock in Muzhailing Deep Tunnel
Authors: Tao Zhigang , Cao Jindong , Yang Liu , Guo Aipeng , Huang Ruifeng , Yang Xiaojie , Yuan Di , Hou Lin
Published: March 2020

The deformation of Muzhailing deep tunnel is about 2.3 m in the process of construction, which is difficult to be controlled by the traditional “anchor‐grouting integration” support system. This paper deeply analyzes the geological characteristics, rock mechanics characteristics, and surrounding rock failure characteristics of Muzhailing tunnel. The deformation mechanism and the failure of the support system are analyzed through the numerical simulation, theoretical analysis, and field test. The authors propose support measures suitable for Muzhailing tunnel based on the analysis results. The maximum buried depth is 600 m, and the engineering rock mass at the depth has nonlinear physical and mechanical phenomenon. The maximum principal stress of Muzhailing tunnel is 25.7 MPa, which belongs to high‐stress joint swelling soft rock tunnel. The NPR cable can achieve large deformation under the condition of constant support resistance. The authors put forward the coupling support mode of “NPR cable + steel arch frame + concrete,” which is based on the idea of transforming the composite deformation mechanism to a single type. The stress concentration appears in the range of 12 m in the surrounding rock circle, and the lateral and vertical stress distributions are relatively symmetrical after the improved support. The circumferential strain of the surrounding rock is greatly reduced, and the range of strain is reduced by 10%. The field monitoring results show that the new support system can well control the large soft rock deformation of Muzhailing tunnel (0.5 m). The support strategy proposed can effectively control the large deformation and promote the formation of new support concept for deep tunnel.
Influences of Curing Environment on Strength Performances of Shanghai Clayey Soil Reinforced with Palm Fiber
Authors: Qu Jili , Xiong Kun
Published: March 2020

Owing to its environment‐friendly, economically available, and sustainable property, the palm fiber was attempted to improve the quality of Shanghai clayey soil together with lime. The direct shear tests (DST), ultrasonic pulse velocity tests (UPV), and the unconfined compressive tests (UCT) have been carried out on soils mixed with palm fiber and lime under 3 curing conditions of immersion in water, cyclic wetting‐drying, and air curing at a series of contents of additives. The corresponding indexes of shear strength (τ), cohesion (c), internal friction angle (φ), initial shear modulus (G0), and unconfined compressive strength (qu) were obtained and analyzed. Results show that immersed‐in‐water environment is optimum for the formation of shear strength, initial shear modulus, cohesion, and unconfined compressive strength (UCS), while the air curing condition is the worst for admixture treated soil. Lime can increase G0, but palm fiber can slightly reduce G0. Lime has significant effect on increase of internal friction angle; on the contrary, palm fiber has only limited effect. c/G0 for any type of sample remains almost constant under different curing conditions. It demonstrates that c and G0 possess the comparative development trend under different curing environment.
Evaluation of Eribulin Combined with Irinotecan for Treatment of Pediatric Cancer Xenografts
Authors: Robles Andrew J. , Kurmasheva Raushan T. , Bandyopadhyay Abhik , Phelps Doris A. , Erickson Stephen W. , Lai Zhao , Kurmashev Dias , Chen Yidong , Smith Malcom A. , Houghton Peter J.
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

Vincristine combined with camptothecin derivatives showed synergy in preclinical pediatric cancer models, and the combinations are effective in treatment of childhood solid tumors. We determined whether the synergy between vincristine and irinotecan extends to eribulin, another microtubule inhibitor.

Experimental Design:

Vincristine or eribulin, alone or combined with irinotecan, was studied in 12 xenograft models. Tumor regression and time to event were used to assess antitumor activity. Pharmacodynamic studies and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were conducted 24 and 144 hours after single-agent or combination treatment. Effects on vascular development were studied in Matrigel plugs implanted in mice. The interaction between binary combinations was examined in vitro.

Results:

Eribulin combined with irinotecan was more effective than vincristine–irinotecan in 6 of 12 models. Pharmacodynamic markers induced by eribulin (phospho-histone H3) and irinotecan (γ-H2A.X) were abrogated in combination-treated tumors. The predominant RNA-seq signature in combination-treated tumors was activation of the TP53 pathway with increased nuclear TP53. Massive apoptosis was observed 24 hours only after treatment with the eribulin combination. In vitro, neither combination showed interaction using combination index analysis. Eribulin alone and the combination caused alterations in developing vasculature.

Conclusions:

The eribulin combination is very active in these xenograft models, but not synergistic in vitro. The combination reduced pharmacodynamic markers indicative of single-agent mechanisms but in tumors, dramatically activated the TP53 pathway. Although a mechanism for in vivo synergy requires further study, it is possible that eribulin-induced inhibition of microtubule dynamics enhances irinotecan-induced nuclear accumulation of TP53, leading to rapid cell death.
Identification of a Novel Missense KRT12 Mutation in a Vietnamese Family with Meesmann Corneal Dystrophy
Authors: Dong Pham Ngoc , Cung Le Xuan , Sam Tran Khanh , Hang Do Thi Thuy , Chung Doug D. , Alkadi Turad A. , Buckshey Arjun , Zhang Junwei , Kassels Alexa , Aldave Anthony J.
Published: March 2020

Meesmann epithelial corneal dystrophy (MECD) is a rare dominantly inherited disorder that is characterized by corneal epithelial microcysts and is associated with mutations in the keratin 3 (KRT3) and keratin 12 (KRT12) genes. In this study, we report a novel mutation in the KRT12 gene in a Vietnamese pedigree with MECD. Slit-lamp examination was performed on each of the 7 recruited members of a Vietnamese family to identify characteristic features of MECD. After informed consent was obtained from each individual, genomic DNA was isolated from saliva samples and screening of KRT3and KRT12 genes was performed by Sanger sequencing. The proband, a 31-year-old man, complained of a 1-year history of eye irritation and photophobia. Slit-lamp examination revealed intraepithelial microcysts involving only the corneal periphery in each eye with clear central corneas and no stromal or endothelial involvement. Three family members demonstrated similar intraepithelial microcysts, but with diffuse involvement, extended from limbus to limbus. Sanger sequencing of KRT3 (exon 7) and KRT12 (exons 1 and 6) in the proband revealed a novel heterozygous KRT12 variant (c.1273G>A [p.Glu425Lys]) that was present in the three affected family members but was absent in the three family members with clear corneas. This study is the first report of a Vietnamese family affected with MECD, associated with an atypical peripheral corneal epithelial phenotype in the proband and a novel mutation in KRT12.
A new Brachypsectra LeConte from Australia (Coleoptera: Brachypsectridae) with comparative notes on adults and larvae
Authors: Lawrence John F. , Monteith Geoffrey B. , Reid Chris A.M.
Published: March 2020

A new species, Brachypsectra cleidecostae Lawrence, Monteith & Reid sp. nov., is described from Australia on the basis of one reared adult female from inland Queensland and larvae from the type locality and two other widely separated semi-arid localities in South Australia and Western Australia. Two of the four larval collections were from under tree bark and one was from ground litter. The species is differentiated on both adult and larval characters. The broader mandible with retention of a retinacular tooth may indicate a sister relationship with species of the genus from other continents.
Descriptions of larval and pupal morphologies of Macrohyliota militaris (Erichson) (Silvanidae: Brontinae: Brontini)
Authors: Liu Zhenhua , Ślipiński Adam , Pang Hong
Published: March 2020

The mature larva and pupa of the Australian silvanid species, Macrohyliota militaris (Erichson) are described from laboratory reared material. This is the first description of immature stages of Silvanidae from Australia. The larva of M. militaris conforms to the general body shape and apparent morphological features of known Brontini and is very similar to the Asian M. sculptus Yoshida & Hirowatari. Larval and pupal features of M. militaris are compared with other known larvae and pupae of Brontini described in the literature.
Contribution to the knowledge of Podischnus Burmeister, 1847 (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) with the description of two new species from Brazilian Amazon Forest
Authors: Duarte Paulo Roberto Marinho , Grossi Paschoal Coelho
Published: March 2020

Two new Podischnus Burmeister, 1847 species are described here: Podischnus limeirai sp. nov. from Gurupi region, Maranhão state, Brazil, the easternmost distribution of the genus; and Podischnus cleidecostae sp. nov. from the Acre state, Western of Brazilian Amazon Forest. New diagnostic characters are illustrated and discussed for the genus. An illustrated identification key for all Podischnus species, and an up-to-date distribution map for the Brazilian species of Podischnus are provided. Moreover, we propose the inclusion of P. limeirai sp. nov. in the Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) due to the fast loss of the Oriental Amazon Forest remnant fragment in that region.
Long-Term Risk Factors for Dilatation of the Proximal Aorta in a Large Cohort of Children With Bicuspid Aortic Valve
Authors: Blais Samuel , Meloche-Dumas Léamarie , Fournier Anne , Dallaire Frederic , Dahdah Nagib
Published: March 2020

Background:

Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have a higher risk of developing aortic valve dysfunction and progressive proximal aorta dilatation, which can lead to aortic dissection. To this day, identification of children at risk of developing severe aortic dilatation during their pediatric follow-up is still challenging because most studies were restricted to adult subjects. The overarching goal of this study was to identify risk factors of aortic dilatation in children with BAV.

Methods:

We extracted clinical and echocardiographic data of all BAV subjects aged 0 to 20 years followed at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine between 1999 and 2016. We excluded subjects with concomitant heart defects and conditions affecting proximal aorta dimensions. Proximal aorta diameters (expressed as
Z
scores) were modeled in relation to age and potential predictive variables in a linear mixed model. The primary outcome was the rate of dilatation.

Results:

We included 761 subjects (3134 echocardiograms) in final analyses. The mean ascending aorta
Z
score progression rate for BAV patient with a normally functioning aortic valve was estimated at 0.05
Z
score unit per year. The strongest predictors of an increased dilatation rate were severe aortic stenosis, moderate and severe aortic regurgitation, and uncorrected coarctation of the aorta. Aortic valve leaflet fusion pattern and sex were not associated with progression rate.

Conclusions:

Children with a normally functioning BAV exhibited a very slow proximal aorta dilatation rate. Ascending aorta dilatation rate was significantly increased in patients with more than mild aortic valve dysfunction but was independent from BAV leaflet fusion type.
Andrew Beveridge Curror (1811–1844): collecting natural history specimens while preventing the slave trade along the west coast of Africa

Authors: FIGUEIREDO ESTRELA , SMITH GIDEON F.
Published: March 2020

For nine years, from 1835 until his death, the British-born Andrew Beveridge Curror (27 October 1811–11 July 1844) served as surgeon on different ships of the British Royal Navy. From 1839 he sailed on ships of the West Africa Squadron, which aimed at the curtailment of the slave trade along Africa’s west coast. Curror additionally had a strong interest in natural history and collected from continental Africa and Atlantic islands what would become the type specimens of several plant names. We provide biographical information on Curror and an analysis and appreciation of his collecting activities. We additionally provide a list of Curror’s collections that could be located.