bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Commentary: Identifying individualized predictions of response in ADHD pharmacotherapy – a commentary on Rodrigues et al. (2020)
Authors: Farhat Luis C. , Bloch Michael H.
Published: December 2020

In this issue, Rodrigues et al. (2020) present a systematic review with meta‐analyses that reports the efficacy of five treatments for children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in the context of autism spectrum disorder – (a) methylphenidate; (b) atomoxetine; (c) guanfacine; (d) aripiprazole; and (e) risperidone. In this commentary, we highlight the contrast between the scarce evidence base of treatment for ADHD in the context of autism and other subpopulations, such as tic disorders and intellectual disability, and the extensive evidence base of treatment for ADHD in general. The commentary weighs about the conundrum clinicians face of whether to rely on the limited evidence base of treatment for ADHD in subpopulation, or to derive conclusions from the larger body of evidence of treatment for ADHD in general. The commentary also discusses potential avenues for future research to address this clinical problem.
Cytisine is neuroprotective in female but not male 6‐hydroxydopamine lesioned parkinsonian mice and acts in combination with 17‐β‐estradiol to inhibit apoptotic endoplasmic reticulum stress in dopaminergic neurons
Authors: Zarate Sara M. , Pandey Gauri , Chilukuri Sunanda , Garcia Jose A. , Cude Brittany , Storey Shannon , Salem Nihal A. , Bancroft Eric A. , Hook Michelle , Srinivasan Rahul
Published: December 2020

Apoptotic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a major mechanism for dopaminergic (DA) loss in Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed if low doses of the partial α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, cytisine attenuates apoptotic ER stress and exerts neuroprotection in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) DA neurons. Alternate day intraperitoneal injections of 0.2 mg/kg cytisine were administered to female and male mice with 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) lesions in the dorsolateral striatum, which caused unilateral degeneration of SNc DA neurons. Cytisine attenuated 6‐OHDA‐induced PD‐related behaviors in female, but not in male mice. We also found significant reductions in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) loss within the lesioned SNc of female, but not male mice. In contrast to female mice, DA neurons within the lesioned SNc of male mice showed a cytisine‐induced pathological increase in the nuclear translocation of the pro‐apoptotic ER stress protein, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). To assess the role of estrogen in cytisine neuroprotection in female mice, we exposed primary mouse DA cultures to either 10 nM 17‐β‐estradiol and 200 nM cytisine or 10 nM 17‐β‐estradiol alone. 17‐β‐estradiol reduced expression of CHOP, whereas cytisine exposure reduced 6‐OHDA‐mediated nuclear translocation of two other ER stress proteins, activating transcription factor 6 and x‐box‐binding protein 1, but not CHOP. Taken together, these data show that cytisine and 17‐β‐estradiol work in combination to inhibit all three arms (activating transcription factor 6, x‐box‐binding protein 1, and CHOP) of apoptotic ER stress signaling in DA neurons, which can explain the neuroprotective effect of low‐dose cytisine in female mice.

image
Screening of COVID‐19 polymerase chain reaction tests using saliva for pregnant women and their partners in Himeji city
Authors: Okamura Shinsuke , Akamatsu Nobuo , Kitajima Takashi , Nakabayashi Koji , Fukumoto Shun , Katayama Takaaki , Mizutani Yasushi , Kiyomoto Hideyasu , Yamada Hideto
Published: December 2020

A screening of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using saliva for pregnant women and their partners was performed at all 12 maternity facilities located in Himeji city between May 29 and September 5, 2020. Pregnant women at 37 or more weeks of gestation or who experienced threatened labor and their partners who cared for an infant underwent a saliva PCR test with informed consent. As a result, all of 1475 pregnant women and 1343 partners tested negative for COVID‐19 PCR. There were no cases of false positive or false negative PCR tests. This cohort study revealed for the first time that a screening of COVID‐19 PCR tests using saliva may be useful to sustain perinatal medical care during the pandemic period in Japan.
GLP‐1 agonists for obesity and type 2 diabetes in children: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Chadda Karan R. , Cheng Tuck Seng , Ong Ken K.
Published: December 2020

Pharmacological options for management of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children are limited. We aimed to synthesize published randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence on the efficacy of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) agonists in T2DM, pre‐diabetes, and obesity in children aged <18 years. Inclusion criteria were RCTs of any GLP‐1 agonist, solely or in conjunction with other drugs, for the treatment of obesity, pre‐diabetes, and/or T2DM in children aged <18 years old. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria (two for T2DM, one for pre‐diabetes, and six for obesity without diabetes). In total, 286 children were allocated to GLP‐1 agonist therapy. Compared with controls, GLP‐1 agonist therapy reduced HbA1c by −0.30% (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.57, −0.04) with a larger effect in children with (pre‐)diabetes (−0.72%; 95% CI −1.17, −0.28; three studies) than in children with obesity (−0.08%; 95% CI −0.13, −0.02; four studies). Conversely, GLP‐1 agonist therapy reduced body weight more in children with obesity (−2.74 kg; 95% CI −3.77, −1.70; six studies) than in children with T2DM (−0.97 kg; 95% CI −2.01, 0.08; two studies). Adverse effects included gastrointestinal symptoms and minor hypoglycemic episodes, but not severe hypoglycemia. GLP‐1 agonists are efficacious in treating children with obesity and/or T2DM. Effect sizes are comparable with those reported in adults.
Patellar Denervation with Electrocautery Reduces Anterior Knee Pain within 1 Year after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Yuan Ming‐cheng , Ding Zi‐chuan , Ling Ting‐xian , Zhou Zongke
Published: December 2020

Objective

The effect of patellar denervation with electrocautery (PD) on anterior knee pain (AKP) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is still debated. The aim of this meta‐analysis was to evaluate the current evidence regarding the use of PD in TKA without patellar resurfacing.

Methods

A computerized search of published studies was performed in the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases in December 2019. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing clinical outcomes of the PD group and the non‐PD group. Subgroup analyses were carried out according to the follow‐up time (3, 12 months, and over 12 months) to evaluate whether the clinical effect of PD changed with time.

Results

Ten RCTs were included in this meta‐analysis. Pooled results showed a lower rate of AKP (Risk Ratio [RR] = 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50 to 0.97; P = 0.03) and a reduction in visual analogue scale (VAS) for AKP (mean difference, −0.37; 95% CI, −0.69 to −0.05; P = 0.02) in the PD group when compared to the non‐PD group. Subgroup analyses found the differences in AKP incidence and VAS for AKP were significant at 3‐ and 12‐month follow‐up but not after 12‐month follow‐up. No significant difference was observed in functional scores between the two groups. No specific complication directly or indirectly related to PD was found.

Conclusion

PD can decrease the incidence and severity of AKP within 12 months after TKA, but the effect cannot be maintained after 12‐month follow‐up. Without significant associated complication and reoperation, the use of PD is still recommended in TKA without patellar resurfacing.
ON THE NORMATIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AIMS OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICE
Authors: Auvinen Joona
Published: December 2020

During the last decades it has been common to assert—especially in the field of science and religion—that the aims characteristic of religious practice determine the norms we should employ when evaluating its normative status. However, until now, this issue has not been properly investigated by paying attention to contemporary metanormative research. In this article, I critically examine how different popular theories of normativity relate to the proposed normative significance of the aims characteristic of religious practice. I argue that whether or not, and in what way exactly, the aims characteristic of religious practice are normatively significant is highly dependent both on controversial issues concerning the nature of religion, and on a number of controversial metanormative issues.
On the Mechanism of Spike Stall Inception and Near Stall Nonsynchronous Vibration in an Axial Compressor
Authors: Möller Daniel , Schiffer Heinz-Peter
Published: December 2020

The aerodynamic and aeroelastic behavior of an engine-like transonic compressor stage is investigated in this paper. Simulations were carried out for the transonic compressor at the Technical University of Darmstadt using the AU3D flow solver. A comparison with previous experimental investigations shows close agreement for both steady and transient data. The simulations enable a detailed flow analysis during spike stall inception and nonsynchronous vibrations (NSV) at operating points close to the stall limit. The aerodynamic structure of shear layer fluctuations in the rotor tip region during the initial phase of spike stall inception is investigated. Already before the stall limit is reached, such fluctuations can occur. In this case, the compressor continues to operate on the aerodynamically stable characteristic and NSV might be excited due to the unsteady blade force. This paper concludes with a joint analytical interpretation of the shear layer fluctuations observed at the beginning of spike stall and during near stall NSV by basic flow principles.
Inverse Kinematic Analysis of General 5R Serial Robot Based on Linear Transformation
Authors: Hang Lubin , Jin Qiong , Yang Tingli
Published: December 2020

Based on the linear transformation theory, a general method for inverse kinematic analysis of 5R serial robots is proposed in this paper. Using this method, a polynomial equation, which contains only one variable and no extraneous roots, can be derived from 3 original kinematic equations, whereas the traditional method needs 4 equations. The assembly condition of 5R manipulator (5R loop) and its application in kinematic analysis are discussed. This assembly condition is very useful for finding 6R manipulator’s real configuration.
On the Comparison of the Pseudo Rigid Body Model Method and the Finite Element Method for a 3DOF Planar Micro-Motion Stage
Authors: Zou J. , Watson L. G. , Zhang W. J.
Published: December 2020

This paper discusses one type of commonly used parallel manipulator mechanism for the generation of micro-motion. This mechanism is designed as a compliant mechanism. The design and control of such a compliant mechanism is an important issue. This paper focuses on kinematic issues with consideration of future real-time control of the system. In particular, a constant-Jacobian method to approximate the kinematics, which is based on a pseudo rigid body model of the compliant mechanism, is further validated. This validation is based on the difference between this approximate method and the finite element method to the actual device, for an actuator range of 0–15 μm. The computational time with this approximate method is nearly 50 times less than that with the finite element method. It is expected that this approximation method will be far superior to the finite element method in terms of real-time control.
Process Solutions for Recovery of Dimethyl Ether Produced
Through One-Step Synthesis and Their Assessment
Authors: Afokin M. I. , Magomedova M. V.
Published: December 2020

A number of process solutions for one-step synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME),
including a step of its recovery from the gaseous and liquid phases, were
reviewed. It was demonstrated that energy-intensive absorption is the most
common method for DME recovery from a gaseous stream containing syngas
components. It was also shown that the world licensors of one-step DME synthesis
provide for an additional dehydration reactor to utilize the methanol
co-product. Energy and capital intensity was estimated for two DME production
options, specifically the methanol dehydration route and the one-step DME
synthesis over a bifunctional catalyst. Finally, it was demonstrated that the
one-step option is inferior to the two-step design in terms of both criteria,
and that the key cost factor is associated with DME recovery from the gaseous
phase.
RIPK3 acts as a lipid metabolism regulator contributing to inflammation and carcinogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Afonso Marta B , Rodrigues Pedro M , Mateus-Pinheiro Miguel , Simão André L , Gaspar Maria M , Majdi Amine , Arretxe Enara , Alonso Cristina , Santos-Laso Alvaro , Jimenez-Agüero Raul , Eizaguirre Emma , Bujanda Luis , Pareja Maria Jesus , Banales Jesus M , Ratziu Vlad , Gautheron Jeremie , Castro Rui E , Rodrigues Cecília M P
Published: December 2020

Objective

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) is a key player in necroptosis execution and an emerging metabolic regulator, whose contribution to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is controversial. We aimed to clarify the impact of RIPK3 signalling in the pathogenesis of human and experimental NAFLD.

Design

RIPK3 levels were evaluated in two large independent cohorts of patients with biopsy proven NAFLD diagnosis and correlated with clinical and biochemical parameters. Wild-type (WT) or Ripk3-deficient (Ripk3−/−) mice were fed a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet (CDAA) or an isocaloric control diet for 32 and 66 weeks.

Results

RIPK3 increased in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in both cohorts, correlating with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Accordingly, Ripk3 deficiency ameliorated CDAA-induced inflammation and fibrosis in mice at both 32 and 66 weeks. WT mice on the CDAA diet for 66 weeks developed preneoplastic nodules and displayed increased hepatocellular proliferation, which were reduced in Ripk3−/− mice. Furthermore, Ripk3 deficiency hampered tumourigenesis. Intriguingly, Ripk3−/− mice displayed increased body weight gain, while lipidomics showed that deletion of Ripk3 shifted hepatic lipid profiles. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was increased in Ripk3−/− mice and negatively correlated with hepatic RIPK3 in patients with NAFLD. Mechanistic studies established a functional link between RIPK3 and PPARγ in controlling fat deposition and fibrosis.

Conclusion

Hepatic RIPK3 correlates with NAFLD severity in humans and mice, playing a key role in managing liver metabolism, damage, inflammation, fibrosis and carcinogenesis. Targeting RIPK3 and its intricate signalling arises as a novel promising approach to treat NASH and arrest disease progression.
Prognostication and contemporary management of clinically isolated syndrome
Authors: Allen Christopher Martin , Mowry Ellen , Tintore Mar , Evangelou Nikos
Published: December 2020

Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients present with a single attack of inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system. Recent advances in multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria have expanded the number of CIS patients eligible for a diagnosis of MS at the onset of the disease, shrinking the prevalence of CIS. MS treatment options are rapidly expanding, which is driving the need to recognise MS at its earliest stages. In CIS patients, finding typical MS white matter lesions on the patient’s MRI scan remains the most influential prognostic investigation for predicting subsequent diagnosis with MS. Additional imaging, cerebrospinal fluid and serum testing, information from the clinical history and genetic testing also contribute. For those subsequently diagnosed with MS, there is a wide spectrum of long-term clinical outcomes. Detailed assessment at the point of presentation with CIS provides fewer clues to calculate a personalised risk of long-term severe disability.

Clinicians should select suitable CIS cases for steroid treatment to speed neurological recovery. Unfortunately, there are still no neuroprotection or remyelination strategies available. The use of MS disease modifying therapy for CIS varies among clinicians and national guidelines, suggesting a lack of robust evidence to guide practice. Clinicians should focus on confirming MS speedily and accurately with appropriate investigations. Diagnosis with CIS provides an opportune moment to promote a healthy lifestyle, in particular smoking cessation. Patients also need to understand the link between CIS and MS. This review provides clinicians an update on the contemporary evidence guiding prognostication and management of CIS.
Developing medical leadership in India: A mission impossible?
Authors: Gulati Kamal , Kirkpatrick Ian
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Globally, there have been calls to enhance medical leadership in healthcare, although we know little about how this objective has been pursued in low-income middle-income contexts such as India. This paper highlights the opportunities to strengthen leadership in this context, while also considering the obstacles to this change and how they might be overcome.

Methods

The paper draws on a review of available secondary sources including published journal articles in the academic and grey literature, reports published by the Indian government and transnational organisations. The search focused specifically on medical leadership, clinical leadership, management and governance in the Indian healthcare system.

Findings

India is currently in the throes of the world’s biggest experiment in universal healthcare popularly known as ‘Modicare’. However, these reforms have been criticised with regard to the lack of solid healthcare management framework in the country. The current National Health Policy highlights the need for specialised ‘public health management cadre, human resource governance and leadership development’. Nevertheless, the available research highlights a gap in the research on this topic, specifically about the development of medical leadership competencies. Our findings highlight not only the opportunities to develop medical leadership but also the obstacles to this process. Inadequate training and education, spiralling workloads, low salaries in the public sector and a growing culture of kickbacks have all stifled attempts to engage more doctors in leadership roles.

Conclusions

While the Indian government is now focusing more on the need to strengthen medical leadership, there are significant barriers to change. In future, building leadership capabilities will require deeper reforms in training, regulation and remuneration of doctors to generate sufficient incentives especially in the public sector.
Recognition of Energy-Saving Influencing Factors of Construction Project Lifecycle Based on Knowledge Map
Authors: Zhao Liang , Zhang Wei , Wang Wenshun
Published: December 2020

With the purpose of clarifying the energy-saving influencing factors of the participants in the construction project, qualitative analysis and scientific measurement analysis were combined in this paper to define and identify the energy-saving influencing factors of the construction project lifecycle. First, a qualitative analysis of the research literature of the natural science index (SCI) and social science citation index (SSCI) databases was conducted through a combination of literature analysis and expert interviews, constructing a list of the energy-saving influencing factors in the lifecycle of construction projects. Second, the knowledge map of the energy-saving research literature of construction projects in the past 20 years from the Web of Science (WOS) database was drawn through Citespace. Then the hotspots of energy-saving research in international construction projects were identified through keyword co-occurrence map as energy saving, energy efficiency, and energy consumption. The main research subjects were divided into four categories: energy-saving management and incentive policies, project users’ energy-saving behaviors and awareness, various energy-saving new materials and technologies, and energy-saving management and control at the operation and maintenance stage. Next, nine main clusters on energy-saving research were identified through cluster analysis, mainly distributed in various energy-saving technology research, energy-saving behavior and power research of owners and residents, policy and regulation research, and energy-saving management and control research in the operation and maintenance stage. Finally, the knowledge mapping analysis results were classified and defined according to the action scope of each stage of the construction project, and the identification of the energy-saving influencing factors in the construction project lifecycle was completed.
On the optimality of the rock-salt structure among lattices with charge distributions
Authors: Bétermin Laurent , Faulhuber Markus , Knüpfer Hans
Published: December 2020

The goal of this paper is to investigate the optimality of the [Formula: see text]-dimensional rock-salt structure, i.e. the cubic lattice [Formula: see text] of volume [Formula: see text] with an alternation of charges [Formula: see text] at lattice points, among periodic distributions of charges and lattice structures. We assume that the charges are interacting through two types of radially symmetric interaction potentials, according to their signs. We first restrict our study to the class of orthorhombic lattices. We prove that, for our energy model, the [Formula: see text]-dimensional rock-salt structure is always a critical point among periodic structures of fixed density. This holds for a large class of potentials. We then investigate the minimization problem among orthorhombic lattices with an alternation of charges for inverse power laws and Gaussian interaction potentials. High density minimality results and low-density non-optimality results are derived for both types of potentials.

Numerically, we investigate several particular cases in dimensions [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The numerics support the conjecture that the rock-salt structure is the global optimum among all lattices and periodic charges, satisfying some natural constraints. For [Formula: see text], we observe a phase transition of the type “triangular-rhombic-square-rectangular” for the minimizer’s shape as the density decreases.
Different CNN-based Architectures for Detection of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Breast Using Histopathology Images
Authors: Gupta Isha , Gupta Sheifali , Singh Swati
Published: December 2020

In recent years, many improvements have been made in image processing techniques which aid pathologists to identify cancer cells. Nowadays, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), also known as deep learning algorithms have become popular for the applications of image processing and examination in histopathology image (tissue and cell images). This study aims to present the detection of histopathology images associated to detection of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and non-IDC in breast. However, detection of IDC is a challenging task in histopathology image which needs deep examination as cancer comprises of minor entities with a diversity of forms which can be easily mixed up with different objects or facts contained in image. Hence, the proposed study suggests three types of CNN architectures which is called 8-layer CNNs, 9-layer CNNs and 19-layer CNNs, respectively, in the detecting IDC using histopathology images. The purpose of the study is to identify IDC from histopathology images by taking proper layer in deep layer CNNs with the maximum accuracy, highest sensitivity, precision and least classification error. The result shows better performance for deep layer-convolutional neural networks architecture by using 19-layer CNNs.
Compatible left-symmetric algebraic structures on high rank Witt and Virasoro algebras
Authors: Xu Chengkang
Published: December 2020

We classify all graded compatible left-symmetric algebraic structures on high rank Witt algebras, and classify all non-graded ones satisfying a minor condition. Furthermore, graded compatible left-symmetric algebraic structures on high rank Virasoro algebras are also classified.
Development of a hydrogen peroxide-responsive and oxygen-carrying nanoemulsion for photodynamic therapy against hypoxic tumors using phase inversion composition method
Authors: Hong Liang , Zhang Jia , Geng Junxian , Qu Junle , Liu Liwei
Published: December 2020

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become an attractive tumor treatment modality because of its noninvasive feature and low side effects. However, extreme hypoxia inside solid tumors severely impedes PDT therapeutic outcome. To overcome this obstacle, various strategies have been developed recently. Among them, in situ oxygen generation, which relies on the decomposition of tumor endogenous H2O2, and oxygen delivery tactic using high oxygen loading capacity of hemoglobin or perfluorocarbons, have been widely studied. The in situ oxygen generation strategy has high specificity to tumors, but its oxygen-generating efficiency is limited by the intrinsically low tumor H2O2 level. In contrast, the oxygen delivery approach holds advantage of high oxygen loading efficiency, nevertheless lacks tumor specificity. In this work, we prepared a nanoemulsion system containing H2O2-responsive catalase, highly efficient oxygen carrier perfluoropolyether (PFPE), and a near-infrared (NIR) light activatable photosensitizer IR780, to combine the high tumor specificity of the in situ oxygen generation strategy and the high efficiency of the oxygen delivery strategy. This concisely prepared nanoplatform exhibited enhanced and H2O2-controllable production of singlet oxygen under light excitation, satisfactory cytocompatibility, and ability to kill cancer cells under NIR light excitation. This highlights the potential of this novel nanoplatform for highly efficient and selective NIR light mediated PDT against hypoxic tumors. This research provides new insight into the design of intelligent nanoplatform for relieving tumor hypoxia and enhancing the oxygen-dependent PDT effects in hypoxic tumors.
Upper bounds for the maximum deviation of the Pearcey process
Authors: Charlier Christophe
Published: December 2020

The Pearcey process is a universal point process in random matrix theory and depends on a parameter [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] be the random variable that counts the number of points in this process that fall in the interval [Formula: see text]. In this note, we establish the following global rigidity upper bound: [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is arbitrary. We also obtain a similar upper bound for the maximum deviation of the points, and a central limit theorem for the individual fluctuations. The proof is short and combines a recent result of Dai, Xu and Zhang with another result of Charlier and Claeys.
The Effectiveness of Mini Primer STR CODIS in DNA Degradation as the Effect of High-Temperature Exposure
Authors: Yudianto Ahmad , Setiawan Fery
Published: December 2020

Background. More and more today, forensic identification through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) examination has achieved greater recognition in supporting Indonesia’s law enforcement. Such examination is to determine the origin of a child, paternity cases, genealogical relation, or identifying unknown crime victims. However, along with the development of this DNA material examination, problems arise. DNA undergoes a degradation, commonly known as degraded DNA, which is one of the serious issues frequently encountered by forensic and DNA experts. Some forensic DNA experts take one of the alternatives to overcome this issue by implementing a mini primer set that is through a method to reduce the size of STR assays on DNA core locus examination. Methods. In this study, the writers conduct research using the mini primers of CSF1PO, FGA, and D21S11 of the molar teeth exposed to 500°C temperature for 20 and 30 minutes and 750°C for the same amount of time.Result. The findings show the DNA contents of molar teeth significantly (

p
<
0.05

) decreased as the effect of high-temperature exposure. PCR result visualization shows CSF1PO is the only locus detected with mini primer exposed to 750°C temperature for 30 minutes (the highest exposure during this research). Conclusions. This finding suggests that this locus is potential in examining identification through DNA analysis, especially on a degraded condition as the effect of high-temperature exposure. Besides, this could accelerate the identification process especially on mass disaster events or criminal cases.
The Prevalence of the EML4-ALK Fusion Gene in Cytology Specimens from Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Heriyanto Didik S. , Trisnawati Ika , Kumara Evan G. , Laiman Vincent , Yuliani Fara S. , Sumpono Auliya S. B. , Cempaka Rita , Marcellus  , Budiono Eko
Published: December 2020

Background. Under the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement is required to be assessed. However, data showing the prevalence of the ALK rearrangement is still deficient and is not yet available in Indonesia. This study used direct smear preparation from transthoracic needle specimens that are minimally invasive. The main objective of the study is to identify the prevalence of the ALK fusion rearrangement gene in cytological specimens. Materials and Methods. A total of 35 direct smear preparations diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma and EGFR mutation negative were involved in this study. The samples were taken between 2017 and 2019. These samples were examined for EML4-ALK fusion rearrangement gene using qRT-PCR. The EML4-ALK rearrangement status was determined by qRT-PCR with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Results. A total of 28 (80%) samples were from males, and 7 samples were from females. Seven (20% 95% CI: 8.4%-36.9%) samples were EML4-ALK rearrangement positive. The average age of the patients was 63.5 years old. The most common sites of metastasis in this study were pleural cavity, bone, liver, and CNS. Conclusions. qRT-PCR successfully identified EML4-ALK fusion rearrangement in direct smear preparations of lung adenocarcinoma. Direct smear samples can be used for EML4-ALK rearrangement detection using qRT-PCR. The EML4-ALK rearrangement gene has high prevalence in selected lung adenocarcinoma and EGFR mutation-negative populations. ALK inhibitors in lung cancer can be openly considered for use in Indonesian patients to improve the outcome of this subset of patients.
Cyclic Codes via the General Two-Prime Generalized Cyclotomic Sequence of Order Two
Authors: Zhou Xia
Published: December 2020

Suppose that

p

and

q

are two distinct odd prime numbers with

n
=
p
q

. In this paper, the uniform representation of general two-prime generalized cyclotomy with order two over

ℤ

n

was demonstrated. Based on this general generalized cyclotomy, a type of binary sequences defined over

F

l

was presented and their minimal polynomials and linear complexities were derived, where

l
=

r

s

with a prime number

r

and

gcd

l

,

n

=

1

. The results have indicated that the linear complexities of these sequences are high without any special requirements on the prime numbers. Furthermore, we employed these sequences to obtain a few cyclic codes over

F

l

with length

n

and developed the lower bounds of the minimum distances of many cyclic codes. It is important to stress that some cyclic codes in this paper are optimal.
Effect of Hypovitaminosis D on Lipid Profile in Hypothyroid Patients in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alsamghan Awad S. , Alsaleem Safar A. , Alzahrani Mohammed A. S. , Patel Ayyub , Mallick Ayaz K. , Sheweita Salah A.
Published: December 2020

Background. Hypothyroidism is believed to be associated with dyslipidemia and is considered a risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). Vitamin D, due to its steroid hormone action, retains cell function and controls the metabolism of lipids. Therefore, the present study was carried out to show the association of the risk factors of ASCVD and deficiency of thyroid hormones and vitamin D levels since no previous studies have been performed on Saudi patients before. Methodology. A retrospective cohort study was carried out on 400 hypothyroid patients. Medical records of those patients were followed up and were classified as normal and hypothyroid patients according to their thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. TSH, vitamin D, and lipid profiles were determined using the ELISA technique. Result. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly higher in hypothyroid patients than those in the normal group. We have found a significant correlation between TSH levels and the risk factors of ASCVD (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C). Moreover, a significant correlation between vitamin D levels and the risk factors of ASCVD (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C) has been found. In addition, there is a correlation between deficiency of Vit D and low-TSH levels (95% CI 1.092–4.05) indicating a higher risk for the development of ASCVD among those patients. Conclusion. Hypothyroid and vitamin D-deficient patients must be screened regularly at an early stage to predict and also to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, an adequate supply of vitamin D and TH should be given to those patients to prevent cardiovascular diseases at an early stage.
An Innovative Way to Generate Hamiltonian Energy of a New Hyperchaotic Complex Nonlinear Model and Its Control
Authors: Abualnaja Kholod M.
Published: December 2020

We are implementing a new Rabinovich hyperchaotic structure with complex variables in this research. This modern system is a real, autonomous hyperchaotic, and 8-dimensional continuous structure. Some of the characteristics of this system, as well as for invariance, dissipation, balance, and stability, are technically analyzed. Some other properties are also studied numerically, such as Lyapunov exponents, Lyapunov dimension, bifurcation diagrams, and chaotic actions. Hamiltonian energy is being studied and applying by using the innovative method. Via active control method, we inhibit our system’s hyperchaotic behavior. The new system’s hyperchaotic solutions are transformed into its unstable, trivial fixed point. The validity of the findings obtained is illustrated by an example of numerics and reenactment. Numerical results are plotted to display the variables of the state after and before the control to demonstrate that the control is being achieved.
Theq-Chlodowsky andq-Szasz-Durrmeyer Hybrid Operators on Weighted Spaces
Authors: Çiçek Harun , İzgi Aydın
Published: December 2020

The main aim of this article is to introduce a new type ofq-Chlodowsky andq-Szasz-Durrmeyer hybrid operators on weighted spaces. To this end, we give approximation properties of the modified newq-Hybrid operators. Moreover, in the weighted spaces, we examine the rate of convergence of the modified newq-Hybrid operators by means of moduli of continuity. In addition, we derive Voronovskaja’s type asymptotic formula for the related operators.
Effect of a Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula (CoTOL) on Serum Uric Acid and Intestinal Flora in Obese Hyperuricemic Mice Inoculated with Intestinal Bacteria
Authors: Gao Yan , Sun Jing , Zhang Yi , Shao Tiejuan , Li Haichang , Wang Meijiao , Zhang Li , Bian Hua , Wen Chengping , Xie Zhijun , Lv Huiqing
Published: December 2020

CoTOL is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula in clinics for treating gout and hyperuricemia, especially in obese patients with recurrent attacks. However, fewer studies have investigated how CoTOL impacts the intestinal flora in reducing uric acid. In the present, we analyze the bacteria targeted by ingredients of CoTOL and evaluate the effects of CoTOL on uric acid and intestinal flora in a mice model of obese hyperuricemia inoculated with xanthine dehydrogenase‐ (XOD‐) producing bacteria, Streptococcus faecalis. Firstly, ingredients of herbs in CoTOL and gene target by these ingredients were retrieved from TCMID 2.0, and these genes were screened by DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 6.8, deciphered to retrieve the bacteria. Then, 3‐4‐week‐old male C57bl/6j mice were randomly divided into 6 groups and fed with high fat diet for 8 weeks up to obesity standard. The mice were inoculated intragastrically with 5 × 109 CFU Streptococcus faecalis 3 times at the 5th, 6th, and 7th week and intragastrically administrated with uricase inhibitor, potassium‐oxonate (PO, 250 mg/kg), to induce hyperuricemia at the 8th week, once a day for 7 consecutive days, respectively (IB model). IB model plus CoTOL (0.4 ml/20g) and allopurinol (40 mg/kg) were administrated by gavage at the 5th week, once a day for 4 weeks. The feces and blood in each group were sampled at the 4th and 8th week. With no bacteria inoculation, CoTOL, allopurinol, and blank group were treated with CoTOL and allopurinol or water, respectively. 44 species of bacteria (i.e., Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus, etc.) genes were targeted by 6 ingredients of 6 herbs in CoTOL. Inoculation with Streptococcus faecalis significantly caused the elevation of uric acid and the change of intestinal flora structure, whereas treatment with CoTOL signiﬁcantly increased the abundance of Akkermansia and those of Bacteroides and Alloprevotella decreased. Furthermore, CoTOL exhibited a unique effect on reducing weight unobserved in allopurinol intervention. The present study, for the first time, demonstrated that CoTOL has beneficial effects on hyperuricemia and overweight, which may be attributed to regulating material metabolism and improving the structure or function of intestinal flora. Thus, CoTOL may be a promising therapy for hyperuricemia and overweight in chronic gout management and can be integrated with conventional treatments.
Order-Revealing Encryption Scheme with Comparison Token for Cloud Computing
Authors: Guo Jingjing , Sun Jiacong
Published: December 2020

Order-preserving encryption (OPE) is a basic paradigm for the outsourced database where the order of plaintexts is kept in ciphertexts. OPE enables efficient order comparison execution while providing privacy protection. Unfortunately, almost all the previous OPE schemes either require numerous rounds of interactions or reveal more information about the encrypted database (e.g., the most significant bit). Order-revealing encryption (ORE) as a generalization is an encryption scheme where the order of plaintexts can be evaluated by running a comparison algorithm. Therefore, it is desirable to design an efficient ORE scheme which addresses above efficiency and security issues. In this paper, we propose a noninteractive ORE scheme from prefix encoding and Bloom filter techniques. The proposed scheme is an encryption scheme where a cloud service provider cannot evaluate the order of plaintexts until a comparison token is provided. The security analysis illustrates that our scheme achieves ideal security with frequency hiding. Furthermore, we illustrate a secure range query scheme through designing an encrypted tree structure named PORE tree from the above ORE scheme. The PORE tree reveals the order between different nodes and leaves encrypted data items in the same node incomparable even after query execution. Finally, the experimental evaluation shows the high efficiency of the proposed ORE scheme and range query scheme.
Early T-Cell Precursor Leukemia Has a Higher Risk of Induction-Related Infection among T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adult
Authors: Huang Kangyu , Dai Min , Li Qiuli , Liu Nannan , Lin Dainan , Wang Qiang , Zhou Xuan , Wang Zhixiang , Gao Ya , Jin Hua , Liu Xiaoli , Liu Qifa , Zhou Hongsheng
Published: December 2020

Background. Infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the reports regarding risk factors of induction-related infection are roughly unknown/limited in adult T-ALL during induction chemotherapy. Methods. We performed a retrospective cohort study for the prevalence and risk predictors of induction-related infection among consecutive T-ALL patients (

N
=
97

) enrolled in a PDT-ALL-LBL clinical trial. Of 97 patients with T-ALL enrolled in the trial, 46 were early T-cell precursor (ETP) ALL and 51 were non-ETP ALL. Results. When compared with non-ETP, ETP ALL subtype was characterized with lower neutrophil count (

1.35
×

10

9

/L vs.

8.7
×

10

9

/L,

P
<
0.001

) and lower myeloid percentage in the bone marrow (13.35% vs. 35.31%,

P
=
0.007

). Additionally, ETP ALL had longer neutropenia before diagnosis (

P
<
0.001

), as well as during induction chemotherapy (

P
<
0.001

). Notably, the ETP cohort experienced higher cumulative incidence of clinically documented infections (CDI; 33.33%,

P
=
0.001

), microbiologically documented infections (MDI; 45.24%,

P
=
0.006

), resistant infection (11.9%,

P
=
0.013

), and mixed infection (21.43%,

P
=
0.003

), respectively, than those of the non-ETP cohort. Furthermore, multivariable analysis revealed that T-ALL mixed infection was more likely related to chemotherapy response (OR, 0.025; 95% CI 0.127-0.64;

P
=
0.012

) and identified myeloid percentage as a predictor associated with ETP-ALL mixed infection (OR, 0.915; 95% CI 0.843-0.993;

P
=
0.033

), with ROC-defined cut-off value of 2.24% in ETP cohorts. Conclusions. Our data for the first time demonstrated that ETP-ALL characterized with impaired myelopoiesis were more susceptible to induction-related infection among T-ALL populations.
On the Performance of Wireless Video Communication Using Iterative Joint Source Channel Decoding and Transmitter Diversity Gain Technique
Authors: Khalil Amaad , minallah Nasru , Awan Muhammad Asfandyar , Khan Hameed Ullah , Khan Atif Sardar , Rehman Atiq ur
Published: December 2020

In this research work, we have presented an iterative joint source channel decoding- (IJSCD-) based wireless video communication system. The anticipated transmission system is using the sphere packing (SP) modulation assisted differential space-time spreading (DSTS) multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) scheme. SP modulation-aided DSTS transmission mechanism results in achieving high diversity gain by keeping the maximum possible Euclidean distance between the modulated symbols. Furthermore, the proposed DSTS scheme results in a low-complexity MIMO scheme, due to nonemployment of any channel estimation mechanism. Various combinations of source bit coding- (SBC-) aided IJSCD error protection scheme has been used, while considering their identical overall bit rate budget. Artificial redundancy is incorporated in the source-coded stream for the proposed SBC scheme. The motive of adding artificial redundancy is to increase the iterative decoding performance. The performance of diverse SBC schemes is investigated for identical overall code rate. SBC schemes are employed with different combinations of inner recursive systematic convolutional (RSC) codes and outer SBC codes. Furthermore, the convergence behaviour of the employed error protection schemes is investigated using extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts. The results of experiments show that our proposed

R
a
t
e
−
2
/
3

SBC-assisted error protection scheme with high redundancy incorporation and convergence capability gives better performance. The proposed

R
a
t
e
−
2
/
3

SBC gives about 1.5 dB

E

b

/

N

0

gain at the PSNR degradation point of 1 dB as compared to

R
a
t
e
−
6
/
7

SBC-assisted error protection scheme, while sustaining the overall bit rate budget. Furthermore, it is also concluded that the proposed

R
a
t
e
−
2
/
3

SBC-assisted scheme results in

E

b

/

N

0

gain of 24 dB at the PSNR degradation point of 1 dB with reference to

R
a
t
e
−
1

SBC benchmarker scheme.
Akt Activation, but not Extracellular Signal–Regulated Kinase Activation, Is Required for SDF-1α/CXCR4–Mediated Migration of Epitheloid Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Peng Sheng-Bin , Peek Victoria , Zhai Yan , Paul Donald C. , Lou Qinyuan , Xia Xiaoling , Eessalu Thomas , Kohn Wayne , Tang Shaoqing
Published: December 2020

Emerging evidence shows that the stromal cell–derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4 interaction regulates multiple cell signaling pathways and a variety of cellular functions such as cell migration, proliferation, and survival. There is little information linking the cellular functions and individual signaling pathways mediated by SDF-1 and CXCR4 in human cancer cells. In this study, we have shown that human epitheloid carcinoma HeLa cells express functional CXCR4 by reverse transcription-PCR, immunofluorescent staining, and 125I-SDF-1α ligand binding analyses. The treatment of HeLa cells with recombinant SDF-1α results in time-dependent Akt and extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activations. The SDF-1α–induced Akt and ERK1/2 activations are CXCR4 dependent as confirmed by their total inhibition by T134, a CXCR4-specific peptide antagonist. Cell signaling analysis with pathway-specific inhibitors reveals that SDF-1α–induced Akt activation is not required for ERK1/2 activation and vice versa, indicating that activations of Akt and ERK1/2 occur independently. Functional analysis shows that SDF-1α induces a CXCR4-dependent migration of HeLa cells. The migration can be totally blocked by phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin or LY294002, whereas mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase inhibitors, PD98059 and U0126, have no significant effect on SDF-1α–induced migration, suggesting that Akt activation, but not ERK1/2 activation, is required for SDF-1α–induced migration of epitheloid carcinoma cells.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Increases GABAergic Neurotransmission to GnRH Neurons via Suppressing the Retrograde Tonic Endocannabinoid Signaling Pathway in Mice
Authors: Bálint Flóra , Csillag Veronika , Vastagh Csaba , Liposits Zsolt , Farkas Imre
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Hypophysiotropic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons orchestrate various physiological events that control the onset of puberty. Previous studies showed that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) induces the secretion of GnRH and accelerates the onset of puberty, suggesting a regulatory role of this hormone upon GnRH neurons. Methods: To reveal responsiveness of GnRH neurons to IGF-1 and elucidate molecular pathways acting downstream to the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), in vitro electrophysiological experiments were carried out on GnRH-GFP neurons in acute brain slices from prepubertal (23–29 days) and pubertal (50 days) male mice. Results: Administration of IGF-1 (13 nM) significantly increased the firing rate and frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic currents and that of excitatory GABAergic miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs). No GABAergic mPSCs were induced by IGF-1 in the presence of the GABAA-R blocker picrotoxin. The increase in the mPSC frequency was prevented by the use of the IGF-1R antagonist, JB1 (1 µM), or the intracellularly applied PI3K blocker (LY294002, 50 µM), showing involvement of IGF-1R and PI3K in the mechanism. Blockade of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, an element of the tonic retrograde endocannabinoid machinery, by AMG9810 (10 µM) or antagonizing the cannabinoid receptor type-1 by AM251 (1 µM) abolished the effect. Discussion/Conclusion: These findings indicate that IGF-1 arrests the tonic retrograde endocannabinoid pathway in GnRH neurons, and this disinhibition increases the release of GABA from presynaptic terminals that, in turn, activates GnRH neurons leading to the fine-tuning of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis.