bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool: reliability testing on a sample of Danish patient compensation claims
Authors: Bogh Soren Bie , Kerring Jonas Harder , Jakobsen Katrine Prisak , Hilsøe Camilla Hagemann , Mikkelsen Kim , Birkeland Søren Fryd
Published: November 2019

Objective

The study aim was to test the intra-assessor and interassessor reliability of the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool (HCAT) for categorising the information in the claim letters in a sample of Danish patient compensation claims.

Design, setting and participants

We used a random sample of 140 compensation cases completed by the Danish Patient Compensation Association that were filed in the field of acute medicine at Danish hospitals from 2007 to 2018. Four assessors were trained in using the HCAT manual before assessing the claim letters independently.

Main outcome measures

Intra-assessor and interassessor reliability was tested at domain, problem category and subcategory levels of the HCAT. We also investigated the reliability of ratings on the level of harm and of the descriptive details contained in the claim letters.

Results

The HCAT was reliable for identifying problem categories, with reliability scores ranging from 0.55 to 0.99. Reliability was lower when coding the ‘severity’ of the problem. Interassessor reliability was generally lower than intra-assessor reliability. The categories of ‘quality’ and ‘safety’ were the least reliable of the seven HCAT problem categories. Reliability at the subcategory level was generally satisfactory, with only a few subcategories having poor reliability. Reliability was at least moderate when coding the stage of care, the complainant and the staff group involved. However, the coding of ‘level of harm’ was found to be unreliable (intrareliability 0.06; inter-reliability 0.29).

Conclusion

Overall, HCAT was found to be a reliable tool for categorising problem types in patient compensation claims.
Refused and referred-persistent stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in Bihar: a qualitative study from India
Authors: Nair Mohit , Kumar Pragya , Pandey Sanjay , Harshana Amit , Kazmi Shahwar , Moreto-Planas Laura , Burza Sakib
Published: November 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to explore barriers to accessing care, if any, among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in two districts of Bihar. We also aimed to assess attitudes towards PLHA among healthcare providers and community members.

Design

This qualitative study used an exploratory study design through thematic analysis of semistructured, in-depth interviews.

Setting

Two districts were purposively selected for the study, namely the capital Patna and a peripheral district located approximately 100 km from Patna, in order to glean insights from a diverse sample of respondents.

Participants

Our team purposively selected 71 participants, including 35 PLHA, 10 community members and 26 healthcare providers.

Results

The overarching theme that evolved from these data through thematic coding identified that enacted stigma and discrimination interfere with each step in the HIV care continuum for PLHA in Bihar, India, especially outside urban areas. The five themes that contributed to these results include: perception of HIV as a dirty illness at the community level; non-consensual disclosure of HIV status; reliance on identifying PLHA to guide procedures and resistance to universal precautions; refusal to treat identified PLHA and referrals to other health centres for treatment; and inadequate knowledge and fear among health providers with respect to HIV transmission.

Conclusions

The continued presence of discriminatory and stigmatising attitudes towards PLHA negatively impacts both disclosure of HIV status as well as access to care and treatment. We recognise a pressing need to improve the knowledge of HIV transmission, and implement universal precautions across all health facilities in the state, not just to reduce stigma and discrimination but also to ensure proper infection control. In order to improve treatment adherence and encourage optimal utilisation of services, it is imperative that the health system invest more in stigma reduction in Bihar and move beyond more ineffective, punitive approaches.
Admissions for orthostatic hypotension: an analysis of NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics data
Authors: Duggan Eoin , Romero-Ortuno Roman , Kenny Rose Anne
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To determine whether admissions for orthostatic hypotension (OH) and its consequences, such as falls, have changed over the past 10 years in the National Health Service (NHS) England.

Setting

Data from NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics, a database containing details of all admissions, accident and emergency attendances and outpatient appointments at NHS hospitals in England, were obtained and analysed.

Participants

Data on hospital admissions in NHS England, as defined by finished consultant episodes (FCEs), were examined between 2008 and 2017.

Main outcome measures

FCEs for the following International Classification of Disease codes were examined: OH (I95.1), tendency to fall (R29.6), epilepsy (G40) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (J44). The total number of FCEs was also examined.

Results

Between 2008 and 2017, FCEs for OH rose from 14 658 to 30 759, a 110% increase. The greatest increase was in the over 75 years age group where FCEs went from 10 639 to 22 756, a 114% rise. The number of falls related FCEs in this age group rose from 61 841 to 89 622 (45%). Admissions for epilepsy and COPD rose by 7% and 35%, respectively.

Conclusions

The number of admissions for OH has risen dramatically over the past 10 years, as have admissions for falls and related disorders. This rise is out of proportion with admissions for other conditions such as epilepsy and COPD. We postulate that this relates to tighter blood pressure (BP) targets. This suggests caution in the application of recent BP targets to older, frailer adults.
More aware, more protected: a cross-sectional study on road safety skills predicting the use of passive safety elements among Spanish teenagers
Authors: Useche Sergio , Alonso Francisco , Montoro Luis , Garrigós Leandro
Published: November 2019

Objective

This study had two objectives: first, to test the effects of sociodemographic variables, and the effects of three key road safety skills (knowledge–risk perception–attitudes) on the use of passive safety elements (PSEs) among teenagers; and second, to assess the differential impact of the study variables on PSEs use from a gender-based perspective.

Setting and participants

This cross-sectional study was framed in the paradigm of primary care, and it involved students from several educational centres in Spain. A sample of 827 Spanish teenagers (52.4% females and 47.6% males) with a mean age of M=14.41–7 (12–19) years was used.

Results

Through SEM modelling, we found that the use of PSEs is largely explained by psychosocial variables through the mediation of three road safety skills: risk perception (β=0.103***), rule knowledge (β=0.095*) and attitudes towards road safety (β=0.186***). Furthermore, multigroup analyses showed that, although most variables explain the use of PSEs among teenagers in a similar way, key gender-based differences exist in this regard.

Conclusions

Road safety skills have a significant effect on the use of PSEs among Spanish teenagers, and gender explains some differences in the mechanisms which predict them. Also, in the study we discuss the need for strengthening school-based interventions aimed at helping this vulnerable group of road users acquire and develop positive behavioural competences.
Cattle and sheep farmers’ opinions on the provision and use of abattoir rejection data in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hanley James , Garcia‐Ara Amelia , Wapenaar Wendela
Published: November 2019

Background

Communication between farmers and veterinary surgeons is reported to differ when involving abattoir rejection data on cattle or sheep.

Methods

Using surveys, distributed online and on paper at livestock markets, this study describes the interest and positive opinion of a sample of UK cattle and sheep farmers in receiving abattoir data.

Results

Forty‐nine per cent of respondents always received abattoir data (n=37/76). Over 80 per cent of respondents were interested in all suggested rejection conditions and particularly liver fluke and respiratory conditions. Eighty‐two per cent of farmers were willing to share data with their veterinary surgeon as the information could be used to inform health plans.

Conclusion

The study findings indicate that having an accurate and consistent data system, which is easily accessible to farmers and veterinary surgeons, appears an essential next step to improve the use of existing abattoir data and enhance animal health, welfare and production.
Water retention characteristics of iron ore fines
Authors: Wang Hailong , Koseki Junichi , Nishimura Tomoyoshi
Published: November 2019

Evaluations of water retention characteristics of typical iron ore fines (IOF) were presented, which was part of experimental works for the estimation of liquefaction potential of IOF heaps. The water retention tests were conducted in a suction range from 0.1 to 106kPa on two IOFs and two artificial soils with various testing techniques. It is observed that water retention characteristic curves of one IOF (IOF-B) converge in terms of the relationship between suction (S) and water content (w) regardless densities of specimens when S exceeds a threshold value (Sth). Based on this finding, water retention characteristics are divided into density and materials affected zones. It is also found that IOFs generally have higher water retention ability than the two artificial soils, from which discussion is made on the effect of specific surface area and mineralogy on water retention characteristics of IOF. Finally, water retention characteristics are linked to compaction curves, from which, with the consideration that degree of saturation at peaks of compaction curves is relatively constant, a safety margin of a recently proposed regulation for maritime transportation of IOF is discussed.
Effects of different concentrations of desflurane on the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance in gynecologic surgery patients
Authors: Liu Yanqiu , Fu Xiaokui , Gao Hong , Ren Yimin , Li Huayu , He Youqin , Wang Guilong
Published: November 2019

The objectives were to observe the effects of different concentrations of desflurane on QT, QTc, Tp-e, Tp-e/QT, and the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (iCEB). Sixty patients were randomly divided into group D1, group D2, and group D3 by using a random number table, 20 in each group. After entering the operating room, patients received 10 mL/kg hydroxyethyl starch, 0.1 mg/kg midazolam, 0.1 mg/kg vecuronium, 3 μg/kg fentanyl, and 0.3 mg/kg etomidate intravenously and then accepted intubation and mechanical ventilation. The desflurane evaporator was opened. The concentrations of desflurane in the D1, D2, and D3 groups were maintained at 0.6, 1.3, and 2.0 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), respectively. Twelve-lead ECGs were recorded at time before induction (T1) and at 20 min after desflurane reached the required concentration (T2). HR and MAP were recorded measure and the QT interval, QTc interval, Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and iCEB were calculated. Compared with before inhalation (T1), the QTc interval was prolonged in the D1, D2, and D3 groups after inhalation of different concentrations of desflurane for 20 min (T2) (P < 0.05) and the Tp-e/QT ratio decreased in the D1 and D2 groups at T2 (P < 0.05). Compared with the D1 and D2 groups, the Tp-e/QT ratio of the D3 group increased at T2 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in Tp-e interval and iCEB at any time (P > 0.05). The study suggested that inhalation of desflurane at a normal concentration cannot cause arrhythmogenic characteristics and affect the cardiac electrophysiological stability.
Comparison of beam optics for normal conducting and superconducting gantry beamlines applied to proton therapy
Authors: Qin Bin , Zhao Runxiao , Liu Xu , Chen Qushan , Chen Heming , Liu Kaifeng , Yang Jun , Li Dong
Published: November 2019

Due to the unique “Bragg peak” dose-distribution characteristics of proton beams, the proton therapy (PT) is recognized as one of the most precise and effective radiotherapy methods for tumors. A gantry is required to project the beam onto a tumor at various angles for multiple-field irradiation, and a superconducting beamline can significantly reduce the size and weight of the gantry. A PT system is under development at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), and this paper presents a comparison study of the beam optics and related design considerations for normal conducting and superconducting gantry beamlines.
Polarized proton beams from a laser-plasma accelerator
Authors: Büscher Markus , Hützen Anna , Engin Ilhan , Thomas Johannes , Pukhov Alexander , Böker Jürgen , Gebel Ralf , Lehrach Andreas , Engels Ralf , Peter Rakitzis T. , Sofikitis Dimitris
Published: November 2019

We report on the concept of an innovative laser-driven plasma accelerator for polarized proton (or deuteron) beams with a kinetic energy up to several GeV. In order to model the motion of the particle spins in the plasmas, these have been implemented as an additional degree of freedom into the Particle-in-Cell simulation code VLPL. For the experimental realization, a polarized HCl gas-jet target is under construction, where the degree of proton polarization is determined with a Lamb-shift polarimeter. The final experiments, aiming at the first observation of a polarized particle beam from laser-generated plasmas, will be carried out at the 10 PW laser system SULF at SIOM/Shanghai.
Children’s Story Classification in Indian Languages Using Linguistic and Keyword-based Features
Authors: Harikrishna D. M. , Rao K. Sreenivasa
Published: November 2019

The primary objective of this work is to classify Hindi and Telugu stories into three genres:
fable, folk-tale,
and
legend
. In this work, we are proposing a framework for story classification (SC) using keyword and part-of-speech (POS) features. For improving the performance of SC system, feature reduction techniques and combinations of various POS tags are explored. Further, we investigated the performance of SC by dividing the story into parts depending on its semantic structure. In this work, stories are (i) manually divided into parts based on their semantics as
introduction, main,
and
climax
; and (ii) automatically divided into equal parts based on number of sentences in a story as
initial, middle,
and
end
. We have also examined
sentence increment model,
which aims at determining an optimum number of sentences required to identify story genre by incremental selection of sentences in a story. Experiments are conducted on Hindi and Telugu story corpora consisting of 300 and 150 short stories, respectively. The performance of SC system is evaluated using different combinations of keyword and POS-based features, with three well-established machine learning classifiers: (i) Naive Bayes (NB), (ii) k-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), and (iii) Support Vector Machine (SVM). Performance of the classifier is evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation and effectiveness of classifier is measured using precision, recall, and F-measure. From the classification results, it is observed that adding linguistic information boosts the performance of story classification. In view of the structure of the story, main, and initial parts of the story have shown comparatively better performance. The results from the sentence incremental model have indicated that the first nine and seven sentences in Hindi and Telugu stories, respectively, are sufficient for better classification of stories. In most of the studies, SVM models outperformed the other models in classification accuracy.
"CRA women" changes its name to reflect an expanding mission
Authors: McKinley Kathryn
Published: November 2019

This past summer, the Computing Research Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) changed its name to emphasize its continually exapanding scope of broadening participation in computing. Per an official statement, the rebranded CRA Committee on Widening Participation in Computing Research, or CRA-WP, is motivated by a natural shift from a focus on women in computing to service to a wider range of constituences. The name change reflects the many partnerships with other service organizations.
Modeling and simulation of power consumption and execution times for real-time tasks on embedded heterogeneous architectures
Authors: Balsini Alessio , Pannocchi Luigi , Cucinotta Tommaso
Published: November 2019

In this work, we introduce a power-consumption model for heterogeneous multicore architectures that captures the variability of energy consumption based on processing workload type, in addition to the classical variables considered in the literature, like type and frequency of the CPU.

We motivate the approach presenting experimental results gathered on a Odroid-XU3 board equipped with an Arm big.LITTLE CPU, showing that power consumption has a non-negligible dependency on the workload type. We also present a model to define the execution time of the tasks, which depends on both the workload, and the CPU frequency and architecture. We present our modifications to the open-source RTSIM real-time scheduling simulator to extend its CPU power consumption and execution time duration models, integrating results taken from the real platform.

The presented work constitutes a useful base for future research in power-aware real-time scheduling on heterogeneous platforms.
Modeling the behavior of threads in the PREEMPT_RT Linux kernel using automata
Authors: de Oliveira Daniel Bristot , Cucinotta Tommaso , de Oliveira Rômulo Silva
Published: November 2019

This article proposes an automata-based model for describing and verifying the behavior of thread management code in the Linux PREEMPT_RT kernel, on a single-core system. The automata model defines the events that influence the timing behavior of the execution of threads, and the relations among them. This article also presents the extension of the Linux trace features that enable the trace of such events in a real system. Finally, one example is presented of how the presented model and tracing tool helped catching an inefficiency bug in the scheduler code and ultimately led to improving the kernel.
Boosting read-ahead efficiency for improved user experience on mobile devices
Authors: Liang Yu , Du Yajuan , Fu Chenchen , Pan Riwei , Shi Liang , Xue Chun Jason
Published: November 2019

Read-ahead schemes of page cache have been widely used to improve read performance of Linux systems. As Android system inherits the Linux kernel, traditional read-ahead schemes are directly applied in mobile devices. However, read request sizes and page cache sizes in mobile devices are much smaller than other platforms, which may decrease read-ahead efficiency and hurt user experience. The read-ahead efficiency is defined as hit pages / all pre-fetched pages in a sequential read. To study the efficiency of traditional read-ahead in mobile devices, this paper first observes that many pre-fetched pages are unused in page cache, which causes high page cache eviction ratio with high extra access latency. Then, this paper analyzes the factors that closely relate to the access latency. It is found that there exists a trade-off between read-ahead size and access latency. A size-tuning scheme is then proposed to explore this trade-off. Experimental results on real mobile devices have shown that the proposed scheme can reduce the number of pre-fetched pages and improve the efficiency of read-ahead without decreasing the page cache hit ratio.
From “Every Day” Hormonal to Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Blood and Follicular Fluid, to Embryo Quality and Pregnancy Success?
Authors: Olszak-Wąsik Katarzyna , Bednarska-Czerwińska Anna , Olejek Anita , Tukiendorf Andrzej
Published: November 2019

Background. Oxidative stress appears to be involved in oocyte growth and maturation that when impaired results in poor embryo quality and lower potential to implant. The biochemical microenvironment of the oocyte (follicular fluid (FF)) consists of hormones and other various substances regulating the balance between oxidants and antioxidants. Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the possible impact of selected biomarkers (“every day,” hormonal biomarkers, enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants, and also oxidative stress markers) in serum and FF, on embryo quality and pregnancy success in infertile women undergoing infertility treatment. Methods. All 53 patients, mean age 34.7±4.1 years, with serum AMH level≥0.7 ng/mL, were diagnosed with idiopathic infertility. They were stimulated in short antagonist protocol, followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF-ICSI intracytoplasmatic sperm injection) and a single embryo transfer. Follicular fluid was aspirated from the first mature follicle. In statistical analyses the R software was used, then all data was assessed with the Shapiro-Wilk test, logistic regression, and later the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied using “pROC” R package. Results. We did not observe any correlation between AMH and embryo quality and pregnancy rate. Statistically significant results were only found for biomarkers examined in follicular fluid. Greater levels of GPX in FF were associated with the increased chance of producing a high quality embryo (the optimal cut-off concentration was established at over 450 lU/L.) Regarding pregnancy success, increasing levels of GR (cut-off at 21 IU/L), CuZnSOD (cut-off at 9NU/mL), and GST (cut-off at 2.5 IU/L) resulted in lower chances of a successful pregnancy. Conclusion. Our results indicate that FF markers may have some advantages in predicting embryo quality and pregnancy over AMH. The GPX system seems to be mostly related to embryo quality and pregnancy.
Prognostic Predicting Role of Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Cheng Chien-shan , Liu Wei , Zhou Liangping , Tang Wei , Zhong Ailing , Meng Zhiqiang , Chen Lianyu , Chen Zhen
Published: November 2019

Introduction. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) imaging is commonly used to assess pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). However, the value of semiquantitative and quantitative assessments of CECT parameters used to predict survival in PAC remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the prognostic role of pretreatment CECT imaging in patients with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPAC). Materials and Methods. From June 2013 to May 2017, eighty-six newly diagnosed patients with pathologically and radiologically confirmed LAPAC were retrospectively recruited. All patients were evaluated by CECT and experienced gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. The relationship between overall survival (OS) and clinical factors including age, sex, serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 value, and CECT findings (including tumour location, tumour volume, peripancreatic involvement, blood vessel involvement, tumour enhanced rate, and distance liver metastasis) was determined using Cox proportional hazard regression models, and a nomogram was constructed for the prediction of 1- and 1.5-year survival rates of patients with LAPAC. Results. On univariate analysis, patients who had a tumour enhanced rate (TER) less than 80.465% and those who had a TER ≥ 80.465% are with a 3.587-fold increase in OS (p<0.001). After multivariate Cox regression, a nomogram was established based on a new model containing the predictive variables of high Ca19-9 level, higher clinical stages, larger tumour volume, the presence of peripancreatic involvement, and liver metastases. The model displayed good accuracy in predicting OS with a C-index of 0.614. The calibration plots also showed a good discrimination and calibration of the nomogram between the predicted and observed survival probabilities. Conclusion. Our results showed that TER can be used to predict survival in LAPAC, and we developed a nomogram for determining the prognosis of patients with LAPAC. However, the purposed nomogram still requires external data verification in future applications.
Kinetic of Adhesion ofS. epidermidiswith Different EPS Production on Ti6Al4V Surfaces
Authors: Pacha-Olivenza Miguel Ángel , Rodríguez-Cano Abraham , González-Martín M. Luisa , Gallardo-Moreno Amparo M.
Published: November 2019

Controlling initial bacterial adhesion is essential to prevent biofilm formation and implant-related infection. The search for surface coatings that prevent initial adhesion is a powerful strategy to obtain implants that are more resistant to infection. Tracking the progression of adhesion on surfaces from the beginning of the interaction between bacteria and the surface provides a deeper understanding of the initial adhesion behavior. To this purpose, we have studied the progression over time of bacterial adhesion from a laminar flow of a bacterial suspension, using a modified Robbins device (MRD). Comparing with other laminar flow devices, such as the parallel plate flow chamber, MRD allows the use of diverse substrata under the same controlled flow conditions simultaneously. Two different surfaces of Ti6Al4V and two strainsof Staphylococcus epidermidiswith different exopolymer production were tested. In addition, the modified Robbins device was examined for its convenience and suitability for the purpose of this study. Results were analyzed according to a pseudofirst order kinetic. The values of the parameters obtained from this model make it possible to discriminate the adhesive behavior of surfaces and bacteria. One of the fitting parameters depends on the bacterial strain and the other only on the surface properties of the substrate.
The Impact of Serum Glucose on the Predictive Value of Serum Lactate for Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Surgical Patients
Authors: Chen Xue , Bi Jianbin , Zhang Jia , Du Zhaoqing , Ren Yifan , Wei Shasha , Ren Fenggang , Wu Zheng , Lv Yi , Wu Rongqian
Published: November 2019

Background. Lactate has been widely used as a risk indicator of outcomes in critically ill patients due to its ready measurement and good predictive ability. However, the interconnections between lactate metabolism and glucose metabolism have not been sufficiently explored, yet. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether glucose levels could influence the predictive ability of lactate and design a more comprehensive strategy to assess the in-hospital mortality of critically ill patients. Methods. We analyzed the clinical data of 293 critically ill patients. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The logistic regression analysis and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were applied to evaluate the predictive ability of lactate in association with glucose. Results. The lactate level showed significant association with in-hospital mortality, and its predictive ability was also comparable to other prognostic scores such as the SOFA score and APACHE II score. We further divided 293 patients into three groups based on glucose levels: low-glucose group (<7 mmol/L), medium-glucose group (7-9 mmol/L), and high-glucose group (>9 mmol/L). The lactate level was associated with in-hospital mortality in the low- and high- glucose groups, but not in the medium-glucose group, whereas the SOFA score and APACHE II score were associated with in-hospital mortality in all three glucose groups. The AUROC of lactate in the medium-glucose group was also the lowest among the three glucose groups, indicating a decrease in its predictive ability. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrated that the predictive ability of lactate to assess in-hospital mortality could be influenced by glucose levels. In the medium glucose level (i.e., 7-9 mmol/L), lactate was inadequate to predict in-hospital mortality and the SOFA score; the APACHE II score should be utilized as a complementation in order to obtain a more accurate prediction.
Functional Polymorphisms and Gene Expression of TLR9 Gene as Protective Factors for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Severity and Progression
Authors: Yosra Macherki , Sameh Souissi , Randa Ghedira , Yassmine Remadi , Sallouha Gabbouj , Nadia Bouzid , Noureddine Bouaouina , Abdelfattah Zakhama , Elham Hassen
Published: November 2019

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a disease that is closely associated with EBV infection. Toll-like receptor 9 is an important factor mediating the interaction between EBV and the host immune response. Any genetic (single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) or expression variation in TLR9 gene may modify the ability of the receptor to respond correctly to viral infection as in NPC. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of TLR9 functional polymorphisms (TLR9-1486 T/C and TLR9-1237 T/C) and TLR9 mRNA expression in NPC severity and progression at diagnosis and after treatment. This study included 322 patients with NPC. RFLP-PCR and real-time PCR were used to assess, respectively, the genotypes and the mRNA expression of TLR9 gene. The genotyping analysis showed that the presence of mutated allele -1237C (TLR9-1237 TC+CC) was associated with large tumor size (p=0.017; OR CI 95%=1.888 (1.11-3.19)) at diagnosis. After treatment, the -1237C allele was associated with a better chance of complete remission (p=0.031, OR CI 95%=0.486 (0.25-0.95)), a lower risk of distant metastasis (p=0.028, OR CI 95%=0.435 (0.18-1.02)), and a lower risk of death by NPC (p=0.003, OR CI 95%=0.20 (0.06-0.67)). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with -1237CC and -1237TC genotypes had a better overall survival (OVS) (p<0.01) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (p<0.05). A multivariate analysis revealed that TLR9-1237 T/C polymorphism was an independent prognostic factor in OVS (p=0.02; HR=0.244) and DMFS (p=0.048; HR=0.388). The transcriptomic analysis showed that the mRNA expression was reduced in patients with larger tumor size (T4) (p=0.013) and advanced clinical stage (SIII-SIV) (p=0.037). The TLR9 mRNA expression was inversely correlated with tumor size (p=0.014; r=−0.314) at diagnosis. Our results indicated for the first time that the functional -1237 T/C polymorphism and mRNA expression of TLR9 gene may be considered as protective factors for NPC severity and progression.
Evaluation on the Stability of Vertical Mine Shafts below Thick Loose Strata Based on the Comprehensive Weight Method and a Fuzzy Matter-Element Analysis Model
Authors: Zhang Wenquan , Wang Zaiyong , Shao Jianli , Zhu Xianxiang , Li Wei , Wu Xintao
Published: November 2019

Damage to mine shafts located below thick loose aquifers, caused by coal seam mining, can seriously affect the operational safety of mines. In view of such a problem, the comprehensive weight method and the fuzzy matter-element analysis method were used to analyze and evaluate the stability of mine shafts below thick, loose aquifers. Based on data relating to shaft structure parameters collected from fifteen damaged shafts in coal mines in East China, a comprehensive analysis was performed. The results showed that (1) the two indexes of surface subsidence velocity and water level drop value at the bottom of a loose aquifer have a large influence on the stability of shafts below thick loose aquifers, and (2) the predicted results of thirteen sets of samples were the same as the results measured during actual production; the accuracy of the model was 86.67%. The comprehensive weight method and the fuzzy matter-element analysis model both show good reliability for evaluating the stability of mine shafts below thick loose aquifers and can provide a scientific reference for the analysis of the stability of mine shafts in areas with thick loose strata, as well as for the design of comprehensive control plans that could subsequently be implemented.
Gene Expression Profiles of Peripheral Blood Monocytes in Osteoarthritis and Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes
Authors: Shi Ting , Shen Xiongjie , Gao Ge
Published: November 2019

Background. There is little understanding of the molecular processes involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, limiting early diagnosis and effective treatment of OA. Use of genechips can provide insights into the molecular pathogenesis of diseases. In this study, determination of gene expression profiles of osteoarthritis peripheral blood mononuclear cells will allow exploration of the molecular pathogenesis of OA and find out more candidate biomarkers and potential drug targets of OA. Result. A total of 1231 DEGs were screened out including 791 upregulated DEGs and 440 downregulated DEGs. The most significant upregulated DEG was RPL38, which may inhibit chondrocyte differentiation and synthesis of the extracellular matrix. PIK3CA, PIK3CB, PIK3CD, PIK3R1, MAPK14, IL1A, JUND, FOSL2, and PPP3CA were the gene symbols of the osteoclast differentiation pathway which was the most significant pathway enriched by DEGs. However, the MAPK signaling pathway occupied the core position of all the pathways which can regulate apoptosis, cell cycle, wnt signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, and phosphatidylinositol signaling system. Furthermore, PI3Ks may regulate IL1A, JUND, FOSL2 and PPP3CA through the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusion. These identified DEGs and pathways may be novel biomarkers to monitor the changes of OA and can be a potential drug target for the treatment of OA.
Dimensionality Reduction Reconstitution for Extreme Multistability in Memristor‐Based Colpitts System
Authors: Zhang Yunzhen , Liu Zhong , Chen Mo , Wu Huagan , Chen Shengyao , Bao Bocheng
Published: November 2019

In this paper, a four‐dimensional (4‐D) memristor‐based Colpitts system is reaped by employing an ideal memristor to substitute the exponential nonlinear term of original three‐dimensional (3‐D) Colpitts oscillator model, from which the initials‐dependent extreme multistability is exhibited by phase portraits and local basins of attraction. To explore dynamical mechanism, an equivalent 3‐D dimensionality reduction model is built using the state variable mapping (SVM) method, which allows the implicit initials of the 4‐D memristor‐based Colpitts system to be changed into the corresponding explicitly initials‐related system parameters of the 3‐D dimensionality reduction model. The initials‐related equilibria of the 3‐D dimensionality reduction model are derived and their initials‐related stabilities are discussed, upon which the dynamical mechanism is quantitatively explored. Furthermore, the initials‐dependent extreme multistability is depicted by two‐parameter plots and the coexistence of infinitely many attractors is demonstrated by phase portraits, which is confirmed by PSIM circuit simulations based on a physical circuit.
Methane-Rich Saline: A Potential Resuscitation Fluid for Hemorrhagic Shock
Authors: Tong Yingmu , Dong Yanyan , Feng Yang , Li Zeyu , Jia Yifan , Zhang Xing , Qu Kai , Liu Chang , Zhang Jingyao
Published: November 2019

Hemorrhagic shock is caused by massive blood loss. If the patient is not fully resuscitated in time, this may eventually lead to multiple organ failure and even death. Previous studies on methane-rich saline in animal models showed that it confers resistance against many diseases. In this study, we explored the protective effect of methane-rich saline, used as a resuscitation fluid, in hemorrhagic shock. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in SD rats by bloodletting via intubation of the right femoral artery. The rats were divided into three groups: a sham control group (sham control), a shock group resuscitated by an infusion of autologous blood and an equivalent volume of normal saline (Shock+NS), and a shock group resuscitated by an infusion of autologous blood and an equivalent volume of methane-rich saline (Shock+MRS). Assessment of blood pressure and levels of plasma lactate showed that resuscitation using methane-rich saline (MRS) restored systemic blood pressure and reduced the levels of lactate in the plasma. Meanwhile, lower levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-αwere also observed in the group resuscitated with MRS. In the heart, liver, and kidney, MRS reduced inflammation and oxidative stress levels. Analysis of organ function via levels of biochemical indicators revealed that the group resuscitated with MRS had reduced serum levels of AST and CK, indicating a potential cardioprotective effect. The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins, including those of Bcl-2/Bax, and the results of TUNEL-labeling assay indicated that MRS significantly reduced apoptosis in the heart. Methane also had a positive effect on the expression of the PGC-1α/SIRT3/SOD2 signaling pathway. Our results showed that MRS can potentially serve as a novel resuscitation fluid because of its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic properties.
Association between Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor Levels and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shuai Tiankui , Yan Peijing , Xiong Huaiyu , Huang Qiangru , Zhu Lei , Yang Kehu , Liu Jian
Published: November 2019

Background. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a global public health problem with a high prevalence and mortality. There is no sensitive and effective markers for chronic kidney disease. Previous studies proposed suPAR as an early predict biomarker for chronic kidney disease, but the results are controversial. Therefore, the purpose of the current meta-analysis is to evaluate the association between suPAR and CKD. Methods. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and Web of Science before May 1, 2019. The search was based on the key words including suPAR and CKD. Data are extracted independently according to standard format, and quality analysis is performed. We extracted the concentration of suPAR and hazard rate (HR) values of mortality, cardiovascular disease, and end-stage renal disease. Results. There were 14 studies fulfilling the criteria. The concentration of suPAR was higher in patients with CKD than that in the control group (P<0.001; SMD: −2.17; 95% CI: −2.71, −1.63; I2 = 67.4%). SuPAR had a higher risk of mortality (P=0.001; HR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.39; I2 = 68.0%). The higher suPAR level increased the risk of cardiovascular disease (P<0.001; HR: 3.06; 95% CI: 2.21, 4.22; I2 = 0.0%) and the risk of end-stage renal disease (P<0.001; HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.22, 1.60; I2 = 0.0%). Conclusions. Monitoring suPAR concentrations may be used for early diagnosis and prognosis for patients with CKD, and the higher suPAR increased the risk of mortality, cardiovascular events, and end-stage renal disease.
Establishment and Verification of Sex- and Age-Specific Serum Electrolyte Reference Intervals in Healthy Han Children in Changchun, Northeastern China
Authors: Zhou Qi , Li Xin , Jia Yanan , Guo Wenjia , Guan Baojie , Xu Jiancheng
Published: November 2019

For lack of feasible interval values from population differences and potential analytical discrepancies, it is essential to ascertain potassium (K), sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) ions reference intervals within Chinese children to fill the gap. Healthy children (n = 1391, 2–<15 years old) were recruited from communities and schools to establish sex- and age-specific serum electrolyte reference intervals of Han children in Changchun, China. Levels of serum K, Na, Cl, Ca, and P were measured using a Hitachi 7600-210 automatic biochemical analyzer. Reference intervals were established according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP28-A3c guidelines. Data from five representative hospitals located across Changchun were used to verify pediatric serum electrolyte reference intervals. Values were different from adult reference intervals in China. There were sex-specific differences in Na, Cl, Ca, and P reference intervals in 13-<14 children. Serum Na, Cl, and Ca reference intervals showed stable trends within early age groups but fluctuated in teens. Each serum electrolyte had ≤3 age-specific reference intervals. Five laboratories suggested reference intervals were applicable across Changchun.
Seismic Response of a Bridge Pile Foundation during a Shaking Table Test
Authors: Dong Yunxiu , Feng Zhongju , He Jingbin , Chen Huiyun , Jiang Guan , Yin Honghua
Published: November 2019

Puqian Bridge is located in a quake‐prone area in an 8‐degree seismic fortification intensity zone, and the design of the peak ground motion is the highest grade worldwide. Nevertheless, the seismic design of the pile foundation has not been evaluated with regard to earthquake damage and the seismic issues of the pile foundation are particularly noticeable. We conducted a large‐scale shaking table test (STT) to determine the dynamic characteristic of the bridge pile foundation. An artificial mass model was used to determine the mechanism of the bridge pile‐soil interaction, and the peak ground acceleration range of 0.15 g–0.60 g (g is gravity acceleration) was selected as the input seismic intensity. The results indicated that the peak acceleration decreased from the top to the bottom of the bridge pile and the acceleration amplification factor decreased with the increase in seismic intensity. When the seismic intensity is greater than 0.50 g, the acceleration amplification factor at the top of the pile stabilizes at 1.32. The bedrock surface had a relatively small influence on the amplification of the seismic wave, whereas the overburden had a marked influence on the amplification of the seismic wave and filtering effect. Damage to the pile foundation was observed at 0.50 g seismic intensity. When the seismic intensity was greater than 0.50 g, the fundamental frequency of the pile foundation decreased slowly and tended to stabilize at 0.87 Hz. The bending moment was larger at the junction of the pile and cap, the soft‐hard soil interface, and the bedrock surface, where cracks easily occurred. These positions should be focused on during the design of pile foundations in meizoseismal areas.
Eradicating Metastatic Cancer and the Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics of Anthropocene Extinctions
Authors: Gatenby Robert A. , Artzy-Randrup Yael , Epstein Tamir , Reed Damon R. , Brown Joel S.
Published: November 2019

Curative therapy for metastatic cancers is equivalent to causing extinction of a large, heterogeneous, and geographically dispersed population. Although eradication of dinosaurs is a dramatic example of extinction dynamics, similar application of massive eco-evolutionary force in cancer treatment is typically limited by host toxicity. Here, we investigate the evolutionary dynamics of Anthropocene species extinctions as an alternative model for curative cancer therapy. Human activities can produce extinctions of large, diverse, and geographically distributed populations. The extinction of a species typically follows a pattern in which initial demographic and ecological insults reduce the size and heterogeneity of the population. The surviving individuals, with decreased genetic diversity and often fragmented ecology, are then vulnerable to small stochastic perturbations that further reduce the population until extinction is inevitable. We hypothesize large, diverse, and disseminated cancer populations can be eradicated using similar evolutionary dynamics. Initial therapy is applied to reduce population size and diversity and followed by new treatments to exploit the eco-evolutionary vulnerability of small and/or declining populations. Mathematical models and computer simulations demonstrate initial reductive treatment followed immediately by demographic and ecological perturbations, similar to the empirically derived treatment of pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia, can consistently achieve curative outcomes in nonpediatric cancers.

Significance:

Anthropocene extinctions suggest a strategy for eradicating metastatic cancers in which initial therapy, by reducing the size and diversity of the population, renders it vulnerable to extinction by rapidly applied additional perturbations.
Detection of Circulating and Disseminated Neuroblastoma Cells Using the ImageStream Flow Cytometer for Use as Predictive and Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers
Authors: Merugu Swathi , Chen Lindi , Gavens Elizabeth , Gabra Hany , Brougham Mark , Makin Guy , Ng Antony , Murphy Dermot , Gabriel Alem S. , Robinson Michael L. , Wright Jennifer H. , Burchill Susan A. , Humphreys Angharad , Bown Nick , Jamieson David , Tweddle Deborah A.
Published: November 2019

Purpose:

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as noninvasive tumor biomarkers in many types of cancer. Our aim was to detect CTCs from patients with neuroblastoma for use as predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarkers.

Experimental Design:

We collected matched blood and bone marrow samples from 40 patients with neuroblastoma to detect GD2+/CD45− neuroblastoma CTCs from blood and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) from bone marrow using the Imagestream Imaging flow cytometer (ISx). In six cases, circulating free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from plasma isolated from the CTC sample was analyzed by high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays.

Results:

CTCs were detected in 26 of 42 blood samples (1–264/mL) and DTCs in 25 of 35 bone marrow samples (57—291,544/mL). Higher numbers of CTCs in patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk neuroblastoma correlated with failure to obtain a complete bone marrow (BM) metastatic response after induction chemotherapy (P < 0.01). Ex vivo Nutlin-3 (MDM2 inhibitor) treatment of blood and BM increased p53 and p21 expression in CTCs and DTCs compared with DMSO controls. In five of six cases, cfDNA analyzed by SNP arrays revealed copy number abnormalities associated with neuroblastoma.

Conclusions:

This is the first study to show that CTCs and DTCs are detectable in neuroblastoma using the ISx, with concurrently extracted cfDNA used for copy number profiling, and may be useful as pharmacodynamic biomarkers in early-phase clinical trials. Further investigation is required to determine whether CTC numbers are predictive biomarkers of BM response to first-line induction chemotherapy.