bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remedial Treatment of Corroded Iron Objects by Environmental
Aeromonas
Isolates
Authors: Kooli Wafa M. , Junier Thomas , Shakya Migun , Monachon Mathilde , Davenport Karen W. , Vaideeswaran Kaushik , Vernudachi Alexandre , Marozau Ivan , Monrouzeau Teddy , Gleasner Cheryl D. , McMurry Kim , Lienhard Reto , Rufener Lucien , Perret Jean-Luc , Sereda Olha , Chain Patrick S. , Joseph Edith , Junier Pilar
Published: November 2018

Microbiology can greatly help in the quest for a sustainable solution to the problem of iron corrosion, which causes important economic losses in a wide range of fields, including the protection of cultural heritage and building materials. Using bacteria to transform reactive and unstable corrosion products into more-stable compounds represents a promising approach. The overall aim of this study was to develop a method for the conservation and restoration of corroded iron items, starting from the isolation of iron-reducing bacteria from natural environments. This resulted in the identification of a suitable candidate (
Aeromonas
sp. strain CU5) that mediates the formation of desirable minerals at the surfaces of the objects. This led to the proof of concept of an application method on real objects.
Role of
Toxoplasma
IgA as Part of a Reference Panel for the Diagnosis of Acute Toxoplasmosis during Pregnancy
Authors: Olariu Tudor Rares , Blackburn Brian G. , Press Cindy , Talucod Jeanne , Remington Jack S. , Montoya Jose G.
Published: November 2018

This study evaluated the usefulness of adding the
Toxoplasma gondii
IgA antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to the serologic panel of tests done for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in a reference laboratory in the United States. We conducted a retrospective study of 690 consecutive pregnant women with positive
T. gondii
IgG antibody test results who also had
T. gondii
IgA and IgM antibody tests performed.
Using three indicators to understand the parity-specific contribution of adolescent childbearing to all births
Authors: Benova Lenka , Neal Sarah , Radovich Emma G , Ross David A , Siddiqi Manahil , Chandra-Mouli Venkatraman
Published: November 2018

Introduction

A strong focus on sexual and reproductive health of female adolescents is a key to achieving sustainable development goals, due to the large size of the current cohort in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and adolescents’ biological and social vulnerability. Several indicators of fertility among adolescents are in wide use, but the contribution of adolescent births to all births is poorly understood. We propose and calculate a package of three indicators capturing the contribution of adolescent births to all births, stratified by parity (first and second/higher).

Methods

We used Demographic and Health Survey data for 30 LMICs and vital registration for two high-income countries (to calculate levels and trends across a range of countries) for three time periods: 1990–1999, 2000–2009 and 2010–2015. The three indicators were calculated overall and by age thresholds (<16, <18  and <20  years) and exact ages, for each country and time point. Patterns of changes in indicators for the three cumulative thresholds over time are described.

Results

In the 30 LMICs, the percentage of all live births occurring to adolescents varied across countries, with a median of 18% for adolescents <20  years. Three countries (Jordan, Indonesia and Rwanda) had levels below 10%; Bangladesh had the highest at 33%. The contribution of adolescent first-order births to all first-order births was high; a median of 49%. Even among second-order and higher-order births, the contribution of adolescent childbearing was appreciable (median of 6%). Over the period under examination, the proportion of adolescent births among all live births declined in the majority of the LMICs.

Conclusion

These three indicators add to our understanding of the scale of adolescent childbearing and can be used in conjunction with population estimates to assess the absolute need for age-appropriate and parity-appropriate reproductive, maternal and newborn healthcare and to monitor progress in improving young people’s health.
Impact of smoking on patient outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
Authors: Naimark Micah , Robbins Christopher B , Gagnier Joel J , Landfair Germanual , Carpenter James , Bedi Asheesh , Miller Bruce S
Published: November 2018

Background

Cigarette smoking may adversely affect rotator cuff tear pathogenesis and healing. However, the impact of cigarette smoking on outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is relatively unknown.

Patients and methods

A cohort of 126 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with minimum 2 years follow-up were retrospectively identified from our institutional database. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and cuff tear index were collected at initial presentation. Outcome measures including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) score and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain were collected at each clinical follow-up. Mixed model regression analysis was used to determine the impact of smoking on outcomes, while controlling for tear size and demographics.

Results

In our cohort, 14% were active or recent smokers. At baseline, smokers presented with higher pain, greater comorbidities and worse ASES scores than non-smokers. Smokers also had a non-significant trend towards presenting for surgical repair at a younger age and with larger tear sizes. Both smokers and non-smokers had statistical improvements in outcomes at 2 years following repair. Regression analysis revealed that smokers had a worse improvement in ASES but not WORC or VAS pain scores after surgery.

Conclusion

The minimal clinically important difference was achieved for ASES, WORC and VAS pain in both smokers and non-smokers, suggesting both groups substantially benefit from arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Smokers tend to present with larger tears and worse initial outcome scores, and they have a lower functional improvement in response to surgery.
Assessment of reversibility in pulmonary arterial hypertension and congenital heart disease
Authors: van der Feen Diederik E , Bartelds Beatrijs , de Boer Rudolf A , Berger Rolf M F
Published: November 2018

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in congenital heart disease (CHD) can be reversed by early shunt closure, but this potential is lost beyond a certain point of no return. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately assess the reversibility of this progressive pulmonary arteriopathy in an early stage. Reversibility assessment is currently based on a combination of clinical symptoms and haemodynamic variables such as pulmonary vascular resistance. These measures, however, are of limited predictive value and leave many patients in the grey zone. This review provides a concise overview of the mechanisms involved in flow-dependent progression of PAH in CHD and evaluates existing and future alternatives to more directly investigate the stage of the pulmonary arteriopathy. Structural quantification of the pulmonary arterial tree using fractal branching algorithms, functional imaging with intravascular ultrasound, nuclear imaging, putative new blood biomarkers, genetic testing and the potential for transcriptomic analysis of circulating endothelial cells and educated platelets are being reviewed.
Revitalising an academic pathology department: lessons learnt
Authors: Gao Zu-hua , Zorychta Edith , Karamchandani Jason , Michel René P , Brimo Fadi , Telleria Carlos , Camilleri-Broët Sophie , Auger Manon , Nguyen Van-Hung , Spatz Alan
Published: November 2018

Pathology is a specialty that bridges basic medical science and clinical practice. In the era of personalised medicine, this specialty is facing unprecedented challenges. Some of these challenges are institution-specific, while many are shared worldwide at different magnitude. This review shares our team efforts in the past 5  years, 2012–2017, to revitalise a century-old academic pathology department in three aspects: administration, clinical service and academic development. The lessons learnt and insights gained from our experience may provide guidance to leaders in pathology or in other related specialties.
RecurrentMED12exon 2 mutations in benign breast fibroepithelial lesions in adolescents and young adults
Authors: Pareja Fresia , Da Cruz Paula Arnaud , Murray Melissa P , Hoang Timothy , Gularte-Mérida Rodrigo , Brown David , da Silva Edaise M , Sebastiao Ana Paula Martins , Giri Dilip D , Weigelt Britta , Reis-Filho Jorge S , Brogi Edi
Published: November 2018

Aims

Most benign breast fibroepithelial lesions (FEL) in adults harbour recurrent somaticMED12exon 2 mutations and rareTERTpromoter hotspot mutations. We sought to determine the frequency ofMED12exon 2 andTERTpromoter hotspot mutations in fibroadenomas (FA) and benign phyllodes tumours (BePT) in adolescents and young adults.

Methods

DNA from 21 consecutive FAs and eight consecutive BePTs in adolescents and young adults was subjected to Sanger sequencing of the exon 2 ofMED12and theTERTpromoter hotspot locus.

Results

We identifiedMED12exon 2 mutations in 62% and 88% of FAs and BePTs, respectively, and noTERTpromoter hotspot mutations. The majority of theMED12exon 2 mutations identified were in-frame deletions (60%).

Conclusions

As in adults, benign FELs in juvenile patients harbour recurrentMED12exon 2 mutations.
Situating requests for medical aid in dying within the broader context of end-of-life care: ethical considerations
Authors: Seller Lori , Bouthillier Marie-Ève , Fraser Veronique
Published: November 2018

Background

Medical aid in dying (MAiD) was introduced in Quebec in 2015. Quebec clinical guidelines recommend that MAiD be approached as a last resort when other care options are insufficient; however, the law sets no such requirement. To date, little is known about when and how requests for MAiD are situated in the broader context of decision-making in end-of-life care; the timing of MAiD raises potential ethical issues.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of all MAiD requests between December 2015 and June 2017 at two Quebec hospitals and one long-term care centre was conducted to explore the relationship between routine end-of-life care practices and the timing of MAiD requests.

Results

Of 80 patients requesting MAiD, 54% (43) received the intervention. The median number of days between the request for MAiD and the patient’s death was 6 days. The majority of palliative care consults (32%) came less than 7 days prior to the MAiD request and in another 25% of cases occurred the day of or after MAiD was requested. 35% of patients had no level of intervention form, or it was documented as 1 or 2 (prolongation of life remains a priority) at the time of the MAiD request and 19% were receiving life-prolonging interventions.

Interpretation

We highlight ethical considerations relating to the timing of MAiD requests within the broader context of end-of-life care. Whether or not MAiD is conceptualised as morally distinct from other end-of-life options is likely to influence clinicians’ approach to requests for MAiD as well as the ethical importance of our findings. We suggest that in the wake of the 2015 legislation, requests for MAiD have not always appeared to come after an exploration of other options as professional practice guidelines recommend.
Should clinicians boycott Australian immigration detention?
Authors: Essex Ryan
Published: November 2018

Australian immigration detention has been called state sanctioned abuse, cruel and degrading and likened to torture. Clinicians have long worked both within the system providing healthcare and outside of it advocating for broader social and political change. It has now been over 25 years and little, if anything, has changed. The government has continued to consolidate power to enforce these policies and has continued to attempt to silence dissent. It was in this context that a boycott was raised as a possible course of action. Despite discussions among the healthcare community about the merits of such action, a number of questions have been overlooked. In this article, I will examine whether a boycott is both ethical and feasible. Taking into account the costs and benefits of current engagement and the potential impact of a boycott, more specifically the potential it has to further harm those detained, I conclude that under current circumstance a boycott cannot be justified. This however does not mean that a boycott should be dismissed completely or that the status quo should be accepted. I discuss potential ways forward for those seeking change.
Impact of baseline C-reactive protein levels on the response to secukinumab in ankylosing spondylitis: 3-year pooled data from two phase III studies
Authors: Braun Jürgen , Deodhar Atul , Landewé Robert , Baraliakos Xenofon , Miceli-Richard Corinne , Sieper Joachim , Quebe-Fehling Erhard , Martin Ruvie , Porter Brian , Gandhi Kunal K , van der Heijde Désirée ,   on behalf of the MEASURE 1 and MEASURE 2 study groups
Published: November 2018

Objective

To evaluate the magnitude of response to secukinumab treatment over 3 years in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) grouped by baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in a pooled study of two pivotal phase III studies: MEASURE 1 (NCT01358175) and MEASURE 2 (NCT01649375).

Methods

This post hoc analysis pooled data from all patients with available baseline CRP in the two studies who received subcutaneous secukinumab 150  mg (approved dose; N=197) or placebo (N=195). Assessed efficacy endpoints included Assessments of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS)20/40, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), BASDAI50, AS Disease Activity Score inactive disease and ASAS partial remission among patients grouped by baseline CRP based on central laboratory cut-off <5  mg/L (normal) or ≥5  mg/L (elevated) and a cut-off <10  mg/L or ≥10  mg/L.

Results

At baseline, 36.5% (143/392) patients had normal and 63.5% (249/392) had elevated CRP. At week 16, ASAS20/40 response rates were higher for secukinumab versus placebo in normal (56.9%/34.7% vs 28.2%/7.0%; p<0.01/p<0.001) and in elevated (63.2%/42.4% vs 29.0%/15.3%; both p<0.0001) CRP groups. Improvement was reported for all outcomes (p<0.05) in both groups, except for ASAS partial remission in the normal CRP group, where a numerical difference 12.5% vs 2.8%, p=0.07) was observed. Similar trends of improvement were observed in the <10  and ≥10  mg/L groups across all efficacy outcomes at week 16. Treatment responses to secukinumab in all CRP groups further improved over 156 weeks.

Conclusion

Secukinumab 150  mg demonstrated rapid and sustained efficacy in patients with AS irrespective of baseline CRP, with greater magnitude of response in patients with more elevated CRP.
Investigating cosmology with equation of state
Authors: Shamir M. Farasat , Malik Adnan
Published: November 2018

The aim of this paper is to investigate the field equations of modified [Formula: see text] theory of gravity, where R and [Formula: see text] represent the Ricci scalar and scalar potential, respectively. We consider the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker space–time for finding some exact solutions by using different values of equation of state parameter. In this regard, different possibilities of the exact solutions have been discussed for dust universe, radiation universe, ultra-relativistic universe, sub-relativistic universe, stiff universe, and dark energy universe. Mainly power law and exponential forms of the scale factor are chosen for the analysis.
Database establishment for the secondary fungal DNA barcodetranslational elongation factor 1α(TEF1α)
Authors: Meyer Wieland , Irinyi Laszlo , Hoang Minh Thuy Vi , Robert Vincent , Garcia-Hermoso Dea , Desnos-Ollivier Marie , Yurayart Chompoonek , Tsang Chi-Ching , Lee Chun-Yi , Woo Patrick C.Y. , Pchelin Ivan Mikhailovich , Uhrlaß Silke , Nenoff Pietro , Chindamporn Ariya , Chen Sharon , Hebert Paul D.N. , Sorrell Tania C. ,   ISHAM barcoding of pathogenic fungi working group
Published: November 2018

With new or emerging fungal infections, human and animal fungal pathogens are a growing threat worldwide. Current diagnostic tools are slow, non-specific at the species and subspecies levels, and require specific morphological expertise to accurately identify pathogens from pure cultures. DNA barcodes are easily amplified, universal, short species-specific DNA sequences, which enable rapid identification by comparison with a well-curated reference sequence collection. The primary fungal DNA barcode, ITS region, was introduced in 2012 and is now routinely used in diagnostic laboratories. However, the ITS region only accurately identifies around 75% of all medically relevant fungal species, which has prompted the development of a secondary barcode to increase the resolution power and suitability of DNA barcoding for fungal disease diagnostics. The translational elongation factor 1α (TEF1α) was selected in 2015 as a secondary fungal DNA barcode, but it has not been implemented into practice, due to the absence of a reference database. Here, we have established a quality-controlled reference database for the secondary barcode that together with the ISHAM-ITS database, forms the ISHAM barcode database, available online at http://its.mycologylab.org/ . We encourage the mycology community for active contributions.
QUBO formulation for the contact map overlap problem
Authors: Oliveira Nicolas Melo De , Silva Ricardo Martins De Abreu , Oliveira Wilson Rosa De
Published: November 2018

Representing a given problem as a QUBO problem implies the possibility of running it in a quantum computational environment (generic or specific). The well-known problem of looking for similar functions in biological structures, especially of proteins, is of great interest in the field of Bioinformatics. We give a QUBO formulation for CMO protein problem. Experimental results validate this approach as an alternative to classical methods via combinatorial optimization. For the accomplishment of such experiments, we use the qbsolv tool.
Neural network operations and Susuki–Trotter evolution of neural network states
Authors: Freitas Nahuel , Morigi Giovanna , Dunjko Vedran
Published: November 2018

It was recently proposed to leverage the representational power of artificial neural networks, in particular Restricted Boltzmann Machines, in order to model complex quantum states of many-body systems [G. Carleo and M. Troyer, Science 355(6325) (2017) 602.]. States represented in this way, called Neural Network States (NNSs), were shown to display interesting properties like the ability to efficiently capture long-range quantum correlations. However, identifying an optimal neural network representation of a given state might be challenging, and so far this problem has been addressed with stöchastic optimization techniques. In this work, we explore a different direction. We study how the action of elementary quantum operations modifies NNSs. We parametrize a family of many body quantum operations that can be directly applied to states represented by Unrestricted Boltzmann Machines, by just adding hidden nodes and updating the network parameters. We show that this parametrization contains a set of universal quantum gates, from which it follows that the state prepared by any quantum circuit can be expressed as a Neural Network State with a number of hidden nodes that grows linearly with the number of elementary operations in the circuit. This is a powerful representation theorem (which was recently obtained with different methods) but that is not directly useful, since there is no general and efficient way to extract information from this unrestricted description of quantum states. To circumvent this problem, we propose a step-wise procedure based on the projection of Unrestricted quantum states to Restricted quantum states. In turn, two approximate methods to perform this projection are discussed. In this way, we show that it is in principle possible to approximately optimize or evolve Neural Network States without relying on stochastic methods such as Variational Monte Carlo, which are computationally expensive.
Optimization Model for Reserve Fleet Sizes in Traditional Transit Systems considering the Risk of Vehicle Breakdowns
Authors: Hou Bowen , Zhao Shuzhi , Liu Huasheng , Li Jin
Published: November 2018

Traditional transit systems are susceptible to unexpected costs and delays due to unforeseen events, such as vehicle breakdowns. The randomness of these events gives the appearance of an imbalance in the number of operating vehicles and of unreliable transit services. Therefore, this paper proposes the queueing theory as a means to characterize the state of any given transit system considering the risk of vehicle breakdowns. In addition, the proposed method is used to create an optimized model for reserve fleet sizes in transit systems, in order to ensure the reliability of the transit system and minimize the total cost of any transit system exposed to the risks of vehicle breakdowns. The optimization is conducted based on the two main characteristics of all bus systems, namely, operator costs and user costs, in both normal and disruptive situations. In addition, the situations in our optimization are generated in scenarios that have a certain degree of probability of experiencing delays. This paper formulates such an optimization model, presents the formulation solution method, and proves the validity of the proposed method.
Precipitation Concentration in Bangladesh over Different Temporal Periods
Authors: Mondol Md. Anarul Haque , Al-Mamun  , Iqbal Mehedi , Jang Dong-Ho
Published: November 2018

Precipitation concentration is an important component of climate, and an unbalanced distribution of precipitation can yield excess or scarcity of water resources, which in turn can influence plant growth, flood risk, and water resource use. The precipitation concentration index (PCI) is a well-known indicator for the measurement of temporal precipitation in a short or long area. The purpose of this study was to analyze precipitation concentration rates in different regions of Bangladesh using the precipitation concentration index (PCI) and the inverse distance weighting method. In this study, the rainfall data from 30 meteorological observatory stations across Bangladesh were collected for the period 1980 to 2011. We defined periods of varying lengths (i.e., annual, supraseasonal, seasonal, and three- and two-month rainfall concentrations) and compared their PCI values. The results showed that precipitation concentrations were mostly irregular when rainfall was concentrated within two to four months of the year. Higher PCI values were mainly identified in the eastern region and have strong seasonal influences, whereas lower PCI values were mostly observed in the northern region. The analyses of periodic variation and precipitation in Bangladesh generally follow through the SW–NE direction due to the summer monsoon, while during the winter monsoon, they follow the N–S direction where JAS and JFM showed higher and lower PCI values. We observed variations in PCI among different regions using the Kruskal–Wallis test of the mean PCI on a decadal scale (1980–1989, 1990–1999, and 2000–2011). The result showed that significant changes in the precipitation occurred during the period of 1980–2011. At a two-month scale, significant changes were identified during transition periods where PCI values were lower from 2000 to 2011 than those in the earlier decades.
AOA, Delay, and Complex Propagation Factor Estimation for the Monostatic MIMO Radar System
Authors: Al-Jazzar Saleh O. , Aldalahmeh Sami
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we propose a solution to find the angle of arrival (AOA), delay, and the complex propagation factor for the monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system. In contrast to conventional iterative computationally demanding estimation schemes, we propose a closed form solution for most of the previous parameters. The solution is based on forming an approximate correlation matrix of the received signals at the MIMO radar receiver end. Then, an eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) is performed on the formed approximate correlation matrix. The AOAs of the received signals are deduced from the corresponding eigenvectors. Then, the delays are estimated from the received signal matrix properties. This is followed by forming structured matrices which will be used to find the complex propagation factors. These estimates can be used as initializations for other MIMO radar methods, such as the maximum likelihood algorithm. Simulation results show significantly low root mean square error (RMSE) for AOAs and complex propagation factors. On the other hand, our proposed method achieves zero RMSE in estimating the delays for relatively low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs).
Graves’ Thyrotoxicosis Leading to Adrenal Decompensation and Hyperandrogenemia in a Pediatric Patient with Salt-Wasting Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Authors: Fredette Meghan E. , Topor Lisa Swartz
Published: November 2018

Introduction. Thyroid hormone is known to accelerate glucocorticoid turnover. In a thyrotoxic state, individuals with adrenal insufficiency are unable to increase endogenous cortisol production to compensate for increased turnover, placing them at risk for symptoms of glucocorticoid deficiency and adrenal crisis. In patients with salt-wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia (SW-CAH), hyperandrogenemia is a measurable reflection of relative glucocorticoid insufficiency. Case Presentation. A 12-year-old girl with SW-CAH reported 3 recent episodes of vomiting without diarrhea, and accompanying tachycardia, responsive to stress dose steroids. In the previous 9 months, she unintentionally lost 2.6 kg. She had tachycardia and new thyromegaly. Labs showed suppressed TSH, elevated free T4 and total T3, and elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) consistent with Graves’ disease. Adrenal androgens were markedly elevated. Maintenance hydrocortisone dose was 25 mg/m2/day and was not changed. Methimazole was initiated. Four weeks later, free T4 and adrenal androgens normalized. She had no further vomiting episodes. Conclusions. Thyrotoxicosis must be included in the differential diagnosis of individuals with SW-CAH who present with episodes concerning for adrenal crises, escalating hydrocortisone requirements, and/or inadequate suppression of adrenal hormones.
Anti-TNF-α Therapy Suppresses Proinflammatory Activities of Mucosal Neutrophils in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Zhang Cui , Shu Weigang , Zhou Guangxi , Lin Jian , Chu Feifei , Wu Huili , Liu Zhanju
Published: November 2018

Neutrophils have been found to play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and anti-TNF-α mAb (i.e., infliximab) therapy is demonstrated to be effective in the induction of clinical remission and mucosal healing in these patients. However, how anti-TNF-α mAb regulates the functions of neutrophils is still unknown. Herein, we found that anti-TNF-α therapy significantly downregulated infiltration of neutrophils in inflamed mucosa of IBD patients. Importantly, anti-TNF-α mAb could inhibit neutrophils to produce proinflammatory mediators, such as ROS, calprotectin, IL-8, IL-6, and TNF-α. These data indicate that TNF-α plays a critical role in the induction of mucosal inflammatory response, and that blockade of TNF-α modulates intestinal homeostasis through balancing immune responses of neutrophils.
Climate Changes and Associated Multiscale Impacts on Watershed Discharge over the Upper Reach of Yarlung Zangbo River Basin, China
Authors: Liu Jinping , Zhang Wanchang
Published: November 2018

Watershed discharge (WD) in the alpine regions, such as the upper reach of Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB), China, could have changed severely in response to climate changes. Yet, how hydrometeorological variables varied at different time scales and how WD varied in response to hydrometeorological variables in the alpine regions remained questions to be answered. The ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method was employed in this study to investigate the nonlinear climate change trends (averaged and extreme states) and the associated multiscale impacts on WD variations over the upper reach of the YZRB during 1961–2009. All investigated hydroclimatic variables, i.e., precipitation, temperature, and WD, were found to be varied nonlinearly with clear multiscale oscillations characterizing great differences in the oscillation periods, corresponding significance levels, and variance contribution rates, among which precipitation posed a weak impact on WD variations, while temperature played a significant role in WD fluctuations. Furthermore, among all temperature extremes, the dominant index affecting WD variations was TXm (annual mean of the daily maximum temperature) but not TXx (annual maximum of the daily maximum temperature) at both interannual and interdecadal scales, which might be caused by that TXx increased evapotranspiration and reduced WD. A significant correlation between temperature (both averaged and partial extreme states) and annual WD at both interannual and interdecadal scales indicated that a synchronous change existed between them. The present study provided first insight into how hydrometeorological variables varied at different time scales and how WD fluctuated in response to hydrometeorological variables over the upper reach of the YZRB, China.
Research on Prediction Method of Performance Degradation of Flexible Optoelectronic Film Material Processing Equipment Based on Adaptive Fuzzy Clustering
Authors: Deng Yaohua , Yao Kexing , Lu Qiwen
Published: November 2018

Flexible photoelectric film is an anisotropic material. The slight change of equipment performance during processing is prone to cause deformation of the material. Therefore, it is important to predict the degradation of processing equipment performance. Since the performance degradation of flexible photoelectric film material Roll-to-Roll (R2R) processing equipment is a nonlinear process, this paper introduces an adaptive fuzzy clustering method to construct a fuzzy membership function model for calculating the performance degradation index of R2R processing equipment and studies the parameter solving method such as the AFCM division of the roller vibration data, the category center value of the fuzzy membership function, and the input data division area width. Finally, the performance degradation index calculation algorithm is designed. The roller shaft accelerated life test was carried out using self-made equipment. The test data were 1000 sets. The results showed that the root mean square eigenvalues and the kurtosis eigenvalues of the roller vibration data are sensitive to the performance degradation. The equipment performance curve described by the first and second types of performance degradation indicators was very stable in the early stage. After the 800th group, the curve continued to decrease, and the change was more severe, indicating that the performance degradation of the equipment is more serious. In the 980th group, the longer-lasting roller shaft was damaged, and the performance index value was about zero, which proved the correctness of the performance degradation prediction method proposed in this paper in calculating the performance degradation value of the equipment.
Philadelphia Translocation in MDS: A Case Report and a Brief Review of the Literature Looking at Its Prevalence, Disease Progression, and Treatment Options
Authors: Chelapareddy Lakshmi Ramya , Sen Sandeep
Published: November 2018

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal disorders characterized by ineffective and dysplastic hematopoiesis in the bone marrow with variable risk of progression to leukemia. MDS is characterized by specific karyotypic and molecular abnormalities. The t(9 : 22) Philadelphia translocation is not a common abnormality found in MDS, and it is not included in the prognostic indices for germline mutations. There are no definitive treatment guidelines for these patients either. Here, we reviewed previously reported cases of MDS with the Philadelphia translocation with a goal to determine their prognosis and treatment options, specifically the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).
Analysis of CP Violation in D0→K+K-π0
Authors: Zhou Hang , Zheng Bo , Zhang Zhen-Hua
Published: November 2018

We study the CP violation induced by the interference between two intermediate resonances K⁎(892)+ and K⁎(892)- in the phase space of singly-Cabibbo-suppressed decay D0→K+K-π0. We adopt the factorization-assisted topological approach in dealing with the decay amplitudes of D0→K±K⁎(892)∓. The CP asymmetries of two-body decays are predicted to be very tiny, which are (-1.27±0.25)×10-5 and (3.86±0.26)×10-5, respectively, for D0→K+K⁎(892)- and D0→K-K⁎(892)+, while the differential CP asymmetry of D0→K+K-π0 is enhanced because of the interference between the two intermediate resonances, which can reach as large as 3×10-4. For some NPs which have considerable impacts on the chromomagnetic dipole operator O8g, the global CP asymmetries of D0→K+K⁎(892)- and D0→K-K⁎(892)+ can be then increased to (0.56±0.08)×10-3 and (-0.50±0.04)×10-3, respectively. The regional CP asymmetry in the overlapped region of the phase space can be as large as (1.3±0.3)×10-3.
Articulatory Contact Pressure during Bilabial Plosive Production in Esophageal and Tracheoesophageal Speech
Authors: Ng Manwa L. , Tong Eric Tik-Sang , Yu Karen M.
Published: November 2018

Objectives: The present study investigated the articulatory contact pressure during the production of bilabial plosives by esophageal (ES), tracheoesophageal (TE), and laryngeal speakers. Methods: The peak contact pressure (PCP) during bilabial plosive production of /CVCVCVCVCV/ syllable strings of /p/ and /ph/ was obtained from 10 ES, 10 TE, and 10 laryngeal speakers of Cantonese. PCP values were obtained by using a pressure transduction system (Iowa Oral Performance Instrument) during speech production. Results: The results showed that ES speakers exhibited a significantly greater PCP value than TE and laryngeal speakers, as revealed by cheek muscle compression force. In addition, the unaspirated bilabial plosive /p/ was associated with a greater PCP than its aspirated counterpart /ph/. Conclusion: The current findings might support the hypothesis of over-exaggerated speech for better intelligibility among alaryngeal speakers. In addition, the increased oral muscular effort could be associated with a compensatory strategy for maintaining a high intraoral pressure or the unique air intake by ES speakers.
Evaluation of 2 ex vivo Bovine Cornea Storage Protocols for Drug Delivery Applications
Authors: Thakur Sachin S. , Shrestha Darshan , Rupenthal Ilva D.
Published: November 2018

The use of corneal tissue for ex vivo therapeutic evaluations is limited due to its rapid loss of viability after excision. Optimization of storage conditions may allow prolonged retention of physical tissue properties. In this study, we evaluated how storage in optimized organ culture (OC) medium at 37°C or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 2–8°C impacted physical properties of bovine corneas. Tissue hydration, permeability and histology were monitored at baseline and following 1, 4 and 7 days of storage. Corneas stored in OC demonstrated significantly higher hydration and permeability when compared to those stored in PBS. Histology revealed that storage in OC consistently caused detachment of the epithelial layer by day 4 of storage, whereas both storage conditions caused a significant increase in stromal thickness and tissue vacuolation. This study highlights the limitations of currently available corneal tissue storage approaches for ex vivo drug permeation studies.
Screening for Common Fetal Trisomies in Twin Pregnancies: First-Trimester Combined, Cell-Free DNA, or Both?
Authors: Pasquini Lucia , Ponziani Ilaria , Periti Enrico , Marchi Laura , Luchi Carlo , Accurti Veronica , D’Ambrosi Francesco , Persico Nicola 
Published: November 2018

Objective: To examine the distribution of risks for fetal trisomies after first-trimester combined screening in twins and to investigate different strategies for clinical implementation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all twin pregnancies undergoing first-trimester combined screening over a 10 years’ period. The population was stratified according to various risk cut-offs, and we examined different screening strategies for implementation of cfDNA testing in terms of impact on invasive testing rate, cfDNA test failure rate, and economic costs. Results: We included 572 twin pregnancies: 480 (83.92%) dichorionic and 92 (16.08%) monochorionic. Performing a first-line combined screening and offering cfDNA testing to the group with a risk between 1 in 10 and 1 in 1,000, would lead to an invasive testing rate of 2.45%, and cfDNA testing would be performed in 22.20% of the population. This strategy would be cost-neutral compared to universal combined screening alone. Conclusions: First-trimester combined screening results can be used to stratify twin pregnancies into different risk categories and select those that could be offered cfDNA testing. A contingent screening strategy would substantially decrease the need for invasive testing in twins and it would be cost-neutral compared to combined testing alone.
Trends in Post-Therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage, Perforation and Mortality from 2000 to 2012: A Nationwide Study
Authors: Afridi Faiz , Rotundo Laura , Feurdean Mirela , Ahlawat Sushil
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Recent trends in complications following inpatient therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remain poorly defined. We studied trends of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage, perforation, and mortality following inpatient therapeutic ERCPs from 2000 to 2012 with the hypothesis that ERCPs would have down trending complication rates. Methods: First, we isolated therapeutic ERCPs in patients 18 years or older using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition in the 2000 to 2012 National Inpatient Sample databases. Procedures complicated by hemorrhage, perforation, and mortality were identified. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to calculate trends in complication rates and secondary variables, including hospital and patient demographics. Time series regressions were then built for each complication to assess for trends from 2000 to 2012. Results: The mortality rate decreased from 1.77 to 1.24%, a trend that was confirmed by time series regression. Perforation rates increased from 0.07 to 0.10% for therapeutic ERCPs. However, time series regression did not show a significant trend. GI hemorrhage rates increased from 1.36 to 1.57% and this uptrend was confirmed by our time series regression. Conclusion: Therapeutic ERCPs have become safer, as demonstrated by a down trending mortality rate. Over the same time, GI hemorrhage rates trended upwards, while no change was noted in perforation rates.
Growing Human Parathyroids in a Microphysiological System: A Novel Approach to Understanding and Developing New Treatments for Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Sethu Palaniappan , Haglund Thomas A. , Rogers Aaron J. , Chen Herbert , Porterfield John , Balentine Courtney J.
Published: November 2018

We developed a novel model for studying hyperparathyroidism by growing ex vivo 3-dimensional human parathyroids as part of a microphysiological system (MPS) that mimics human physiology. The purpose of this study was to validate the parathyroid portion of the MPS. We prospectively collected parathyroid tissue from 46 patients with hyperparathyroidism for growth into pseudoglands. We evaluated pseudogland architecture and calcium responsiveness. Following 2 weeks in culture, dispersed cells successfully coalesced into pseudoglands ∼500–700 µm in diameter that mimicked the appearance of normal parathyroid glands. Functionally, they also appeared similar to intact parathyroids in terms of organization and calcium-sensing receptor expression. Immunohistochemical staining for calcium-sensing receptor revealed 240–450/cell units of mean fluorescence intensity within the pseudoglands. Finally, the pseudoglands showed varying levels of calcium responsiveness, indicated by changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. In summary, we successfully piloted the development of a novel MPS for studying the effects of hyperparathyroidism on human organ systems. We are currently evaluating the effect of PTH on adverse remodeling of tissue engineered cardiac, skeletal, and bone tissue within the MPS.
Association Between Pretreatment Serum Apolipoprotein A1 and Prognosis of Solid Tumors in Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Jiayuan , Zhang Chuanmeng , Zhang Gaohua , Wang Yufeng , Zhang Zhanhui , Su Wenmei , Lyu Jun
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Serum apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) has been reported to be abnormally expressed in several malignancies. However, the prognostic role of apoA1 in solid tumors is still controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to obtain a more accurate evaluation of prognostic significance of apoA1 in Chinese patients with solid tumors. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases was carried out up to August 2018. We included studies investigating the association between pretreatment serum apoA1 level and clinicopathological features, including survival outcomes, in solid tumors. Hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratio (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were applied as effect size estimates. Results: A total of 13 studies and 8052 patients were included in our meta-analysis. Elevated level of pretreatment serum apoA1 was markedly associated with an improved OS (pooled HR = 0.608, 95% CI = 0.557 – 0.665, P < 0.001). The statistical significances were observed in all cancer types, including digestive system malignancies (pooled HR = 0.633; 95% CI = 0.550–0.727; P < 0.001), urinary system cancers (pooled HR = 0.471; 95% CI = 0.352–0.630; P < 0.001), nasopharyngeal cancer (pooled HR = 0.642; 95% CI = 0.538–0.766; P < 0.001) and non-small cell lung cancer (pooled HR = 0.526; 95% CI = 0.329–0.841; P = 0.007), but not in breast cancer (pooled HR = 0.573; 95% CI = 0.266–1.246; P = 0.155). Meanwhile, cancer patients with a low level of serum apoA1 suffered an unfavorable DFS (pooled HR = 0.714, 95% CI = 0.603 – 0.845, P < 0.001). Moreover, abnormal serum apoA1 was significantly correlated to tumor size (pooled OR = 0.640, 95% CI = 0.475 – 0.863, P = 0.003), tumor differentiation (pooled HR = 0.724, 95% CI = 0.565 – 0.929, P = 0.011), and tumor stage (pooled HR = 0.493, 95% CI = 0.384 – 0.633, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Elevated level of pretreatment serum apoA1 was significantly associated with longer survival in patients with solid tumors. Pretreatment serum apoA1 could serve as a novel positive factor for malignant patient prognosis in Chinese population.
Hyperoside Protects Against Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Remodeling via the AKT Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Xiaofang , Liu Yuan , Xiao Lili , Li Ling , Zhao Xiaoyan , Yang Lulu , Chen Ning , Gao Lu  , Zhang Jinying
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Cardiac hypertrophy is a major predisposing factor for heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Hyperoside (Hyp), a flavonoid isolated from Rhododendron ponticum L., is a primary component of Chinese traditional patent medicines. Numerous studies have shown that Hyp exerts marked anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-ischemic, and particularly cardio-protective effects. However, the effects of Hyp on cardiac hypertrophy have not been explored. The aims of this study were to determine whether Hyp could protect against cardiac remodeling and to clarify the potential molecular mechanisms. Methods: Neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were isolated and treated with different concentrations of Hyp, then cultured with angiotensin II for 48 h. Mice were subjected to either aortic banding or sham surgery (control group). One week after surgery, the mice were treated with Hyp (20 mg/kg/day) or vehicle by oral gavage for 7 weeks. Hypertrophy was evaluated by assessing morphological changes, echocardiographic parameters, histology, and biomarkers. Results: Hyp pretreatment suppressed angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy in cardiomyocytes. Hyp exerted no basal effects but attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress induced by pressure overload. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the effect of Hyp on cardiac hypertrophy was mediated by blocking activation of the AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: Hyp improves cardiac function and prevents the development of cardiac hypertrophy via AKT signaling. Our results suggest a protective effect of Hyp on pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling. Taken together, Hyp may have a role in the pharmacological therapy of cardiac hypertrophy.
Knockdown of Long Noncoding RNA HOXA-AS2 Suppresses Chemoresistance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia via the miR-520c-3p/S100A4 Axis
Authors: Dong Xiaoya , Fang Zhigang , Yu Mingxue , Zhang Ling , Xiao Ruozhi , Li Xudong , Pan Guangjin , Liu Jiajun 
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Among different molecular candidates, there is growing data to support that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). HOXA-AS2 is significantly overexpressed in a variety of tumors and associated with anti-cancer drug resistance, however, little is known regarding the expression and function of HOXA-AS2 in the chemoresistance of AML. In this study, we aimed to determine the role and molecular mechanism of HOXA-AS2 in adriamycin-based chemotherapy resistance in AML cells. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect HOXA-AS2 expression in the BM samples and ADR cell lines, U/A and T/A cells. Furthermore, the effects of HOXA-AS2 silencing on cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed in vitro by CCK8 and flow cytometry, and on tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatics online programs predicted and luciferase reporter assay were used to validate the association of HOXA-AS2 and miR-520c-3p in AML. Results: In this study, we showed that HOXA-AS2 is significantly upregulated in BM samples from AML patients after treatment with adriamycin-based chemotherapy and in U/A and T/A cells. Knockdown of HOXA-AS2 inhibited ADR cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo and promoted apoptosis. Bioinformatics online programs predicted that HOXA-AS2 sponge miR-520c-3p at 3’-UTR with complementary binding sites, which was validated using luciferase reporter assay and anti-Ago2 RIP assay. HOXA-AS2 could negatively regulate the expression of miR-520c-3p in ADR cells. S100A4 was predicted as a downstream target of miR-520c-3p, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Conclusion: Our results suggest that HOXA-AS2 plays an important role in the resistance of AML cells to adriamycin. Thus, HOXA-AS2 may represent a therapeutic target for overcoming resistance to adriamycin-based chemotherapy in AML.