bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Space‐Time Fully Decoupled Wavelet Galerkin Method for Solving Multidimensional Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations with Damping
Authors: Wang Jiaqun , Zhou Youhe , Liu Xiaojing
Published: November 2017

On the basis of sampling approximation for a function defined on a bounded interval by combining Coiflet‐type wavelet expansion and technique of boundary extension, a space‐time fully decoupled formulation is proposed to solve multidimensional Schrödinger equations with generalized nonlinearities and damping. By applying a wavelet Galerkin approach for spatial discretization, nonlinear Schrödinger equations are first transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations, in which all matrices are completely independent of time and never need to be recalculated in the time integration. Then, the classical fourth‐order explicit Runge–Kutta method is used to solve the resulting semidiscretization system. By studying several widely considered test problems, results demonstrate that when a relatively fine mesh is adopted, the present wavelet algorithm has a much better computational accuracy and efficiency than many existing numerical methods, due to its higher order of convergence in space which can go up to 6.
Error Analysis and Error Allocation for Turntable Systems Used in GyroWheel Calibration Tests
Authors: Zhao Yuyu , Zhao Hui , Huo Xin , Yao Yu
Published: November 2017

Calibration tests are of great importance to ensure rate-sensing accuracy of GyroWheel, an innovative attitude determination and control device. In the process of calibration tests, turntable errors are inevitable, which hinder the calibration accuracy and rate-sensing capability. Hence, error analysis for GyroWheel calibration tests is conducted, and the relationship between the calibration accuracy and the orientation error is established based on analytical derivation and numerical simulations. Subsequently, an error model of the turntable system is derived using rigid body kinematics, by which the relationship between the orientation error and turntable errors is described. According to sensitivity analysis and manufacturing capability, an error allocation method is proposed to determine the accuracy requirement of the test turntable, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by repeated simulation tests. Based on the presented analysis and proposed method in this paper, the effects of various turntable errors on the calibration accuracy can be obtained quantitatively, and a theoretical basis for the determination of the turntable accuracy is provided, which are of great significance to guide the calibration tests and improve the calibration accuracy of GyroWheel.
Geometric Properties of Cesàro Averaging Operators
Authors: Sangal Priyanka , Swaminathan A.
Published: November 2017

Using positivity of trigonometric cosine and sine sums whose coefficients are generalization of Vietoris numbers, we find the conditions on coefficient {ak} to characterize the geometric properties of the corresponding analytic function f(z)=z+∑k=2∞akzk in the unit disc D. As an application, we also find geometric properties of generalized Cesàro-type polynomials.
Vehicle Plate Detection in Car Black Box Video
Authors: Park Dongjin , Jun Kyungkoo
Published: November 2017

Internet services that share vehicle black box videos need a way to obfuscate license plates in uploaded videos because of privacy issues. Thus, plate detection is one of the critical functions that such services rely on. Even though various types of detection methods are available, they are not suitable for black box videos because no assumption about size, number of plates, and lighting conditions can be made. We propose a method to detect Korean vehicle plates from black box videos. It works in two stages: the first stage aims to locate a set of candidate plate regions and the second stage identifies only actual plates from candidates by using a support vector machine classifier. The first stage consists of five sequential substeps. At first, it produces candidate regions by combining single character areas and then eliminates candidate regions that fail to meet plate conditions through the remaining substeps. For the second stage, we propose a feature vector that captures the characteristics of plates in texture and color. For performance evaluation, we compiled our dataset which contains 2,627 positive and negative images. The evaluation results show that the proposed method improves accuracy and sensitivity by at least 5% and is 30 times faster compared with an existing method.
Incorporating Scoring Risk Models for Care Planning of the Elderly with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Santos Josefina , Fonseca Isabel
Published: November 2017

Mortality in chronic kidney disease remains high, particularly among the elderly, who represent the most rapidly growing segment of the end-stage renal disease population in wealthier countries. The management of older adults with chronic kidney disease has become a clinical challenge, and care for those patients expected to progress to end-stage renal disease should focus on evaluating the overall benefit of offering renal replacement therapy to them. Predictive mortality models may help to inform shared decision-making in the trajectory of the elderly with chronic kidney disease. This review discusses current literature on the available predictive models for predicting survival in elderly chronic kidney disease patients and reflects the author’s own interpretation and experience.
Saliency-Based Bleeding Localization for Wireless Capsule Endoscopy Diagnosis
Authors: Chen Hongda , Wang Shaoze , Ding Yong , Qian Dahong
Published: November 2017

Stomach bleeding is a kind of gastrointestinal disease which can be diagnosed noninvasively by wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE). However, it requires much time for physicians to scan large amount of WCE images. Alternatively, computer-assisted bleeding localization systems are developed where color, edge, and intensity features are defined to distinguish lesions from normal tissues. This paper proposes a saliency-based localization system where three saliency maps are computed: phase congruency-based edge saliency map derived from Log-Gabor filter bands, intensity histogram-guided intensity saliency map, and red proportion-based saliency map. Fusing the three maps together, the proposed system can detect bleeding regions by thresholding the fused saliency map. Results demonstrate the accuracy of 98.97% for our system to mark bleeding regions.
A Normalized Transfer Matrix Method for the Free Vibration of Stepped Beams: Comparison with Experimental and FE(3D) Methods
Authors: El-Sayed Tamer Ahmed , Farghaly Said Hamed
Published: November 2017

The exact solution for multistepped Timoshenko beam is derived using a set of fundamental solutions. This set of solutions is derived to normalize the solution at the origin of the coordinates. The start, end, and intermediate boundary conditions involve concentrated masses and linear and rotational elastic supports. The beam start, end, and intermediate equations are assembled using the present normalized transfer matrix (NTM). The advantage of this method is that it is quicker than the standard method because the size of the complete system coefficient matrix is 4 × 4. In addition, during the assembly of this matrix, there are no inverse matrix steps required. The validity of this method is tested by comparing the results of the current method with the literature. Then the validity of the exact stepped analysis is checked using experimental and FE(3D) methods. The experimental results for stepped beams with single step and two steps, for sixteen different test samples, are in excellent agreement with those of the three-dimensional finite element FE(3D). The comparison between the NTM method and the finite element method results shows that the modal percentage deviation is increased when a beam step location coincides with a peak point in the mode shape. Meanwhile, the deviation decreases when a beam step location coincides with a straight portion in the mode shape.
Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Effects of Flavonoids: A Structure-Activity Relationship Based Study
Authors: Sarian Murni Nazira , Ahmed Qamar Uddin , Mat So’ad Siti Zaiton , Alhassan Alhassan Muhammad , Murugesu Suganya , Perumal Vikneswari , Syed Mohamad Sharifah Nurul Akilah , Khatib Alfi , Latip Jalifah
Published: November 2017

The best described pharmacological property of flavonoids is their capacity to act as potent antioxidant that has been reported to play an important role in the alleviation of diabetes mellitus. Flavonoids biochemical properties are structure dependent; however, they are yet to be thoroughly understood. Hence, the main aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of some structurally related flavonoids to identify key positions responsible, their correlation, and the effect of methylation and acetylation on the same properties. Antioxidant potential was evaluated through dot blot, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ABTS+radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and xanthine oxidase inhibitory (XOI) assays. Antidiabetic effect was investigated throughα-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) assays. Results showed that the total number and the configuration of hydroxyl groups played an important role in regulating antioxidant and antidiabetic properties in scavenging DPPH radical, ABTS+radical, and FRAP assays and improved bothα-glucosidase and DPP-4 activities. Presence of C-2-C-3 double bond and C-4 ketonic group are two essential structural features in the bioactivity of flavonoids especially for antidiabetic property. Methylation and acetylation of hydroxyl groups were found to diminish thein vitroantioxidant and antidiabetic properties of the flavonoids.
Bone Bruise of the Thoracic Spine Caused by Mild Physical Activity in Children
Authors: Yokoyama Kenji , Endo Kenji , Takata Yoichiro , Tezuka Fumitake , Manabe Hiroaki , Yamashita Kazuta , Sakai Toshinori , Chikawa Takashi , Nagamachi Akihiro , Sairyo Koichi
Published: November 2017

Vertebral bone bruise (VBB) in children commonly occurs following a fall from a height, and more than one vertebral body may be affected. We encountered 6 children each with a single VBB caused by mild physical activity. All the children had tenderness on the corresponding spinous process with no neurologic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed typical findings of VBB in all cases. The children were treated conservatively with a soft thoracolumbar brace and instructed to rest with no physical activity for a month. At follow-up 1 month later, the back pain had diminished, and the signal changes seen on MRI had disappeared in all cases. We conclude that mild physical activity may be a cause of VBB in children and good clinical results can be achieved by using a soft thoracolumbar brace and rest.
Strategic WIP Inventory Positioning for Make‐to‐Order Production with Stochastic Processing Times
Authors: Jiang Jingjing , Rim Suk-Chul
Published: November 2017

It is vital for make‐to‐order manufacturers to shorten the lead time to meet the customers’ requirements. Holding work‐in‐process (WIP) inventory at more stations can reduce the lead time, but it also brings about higher inventory holding cost. Therefore, it is important to seek out the optimal set of stations to hold WIP inventory to minimize the total inventory holding cost, while meeting the required due date for the final product at the same time. Since the problem with deterministic processing times at the stations has been addressed, as a natural extension, in this study, we address the problem with stochastic processing times, which is more realistic in the manufacturing environment. Assuming that the processing times follow normal distributions, we propose a solution procedure using genetic algorithm.
SOX6 Downregulation Induces γ-Globin in Human β-Thalassemia Major Erythroid Cells
Authors: Li Jing , Lai Yongrong , Luo Jun , Luo Lin , Liu Rongrong , Liu Zhenfang , Zhao Weihua
Published: November 2017

Background. Fetal hemoglobin (HbF; α2γ2) is a potent genetic modifier of the severity of β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. Differences in the levels of HbF that persist into adulthood affect the severity of sickle cell disease and the β-thalassemia syndromes. Sry type HMG box (SOX6) is a potent silencer of HbF. Here, we reactivated γ-globin expression by downregulating SOX6 to alleviate anemia in the β-thalassemia patients. Methods. SOX6 was downregulated by lentiviral RNAi (RNA interference) in K562 cell line and an in vitro culture model of human erythropoiesis in which erythroblasts are derived from the normal donor mononuclear cells (MNC) or β-thalassemia major MNC. The expression of γ-globin was analyzed by qPCR (quantitative real-time PCR) and WB (western blot). Results. Our data showed that downregulation of SOX6 induces γ-globin production in K562 cell line and human erythrocytes from normal donors and β-thalassemia major donors, without altering erythroid maturation. Conclusions. This is the first report on γ-globin induction by downregulation of SOX6 in human erythroblasts derived from β-thalassemia major.
TEM8/ANTXR1-Specific CAR T Cells as a Targeted Therapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Byrd Tiara T. , Fousek Kristen , Pignata Antonella , Szot Christopher , Samaha Heba , Seaman Steven , Dobrolecki Lacey , Salsman Vita S. , Oo Htoo Zarni , Bielamowicz Kevin , Landi Daniel , Rainusso Nino , Hicks John , Powell Suzanne , Baker Matthew L. , Wels Winfried S. , Koch Joachim , Sorensen Poul H. , Deneen Benjamin , Ellis Matthew J. , Lewis Michael T. , Hegde Meenakshi , Fletcher Bradley S. , St. Croix Brad , Ahmed Nabil
Published: November 2017

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease lacking targeted therapy. In this study, we developed a CAR T cell–based immunotherapeutic strategy to target TEM8, a marker initially defined on endothelial cells in colon tumors that was discovered recently to be upregulated in TNBC. CAR T cells were developed that upon specific recognition of TEM8 secreted immunostimulatory cytokines and killed tumor endothelial cells as well as TEM8-positive TNBC cells. Notably, the TEM8 CAR T cells targeted breast cancer stem–like cells, offsetting the formation of mammospheres relative to nontransduced T cells. Adoptive transfer of TEM8 CAR T cells induced regression of established, localized patient-derived xenograft tumors, as well as lung metastatic TNBC cell line–derived xenograft tumors, by both killing TEM8+ TNBC tumor cells and targeting the tumor endothelium to block tumor neovascularization. Our findings offer a preclinical proof of concept for immunotherapeutic targeting of TEM8 as a strategy to treat TNBC.

Significance: These findings offer a preclinical proof of concept for immunotherapeutic targeting of an endothelial antigen that is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer and the associated tumor vasculature. Cancer Res; 78(2); 489–500. ©2017 AACR.
Radiotherapy and CTLA-4 Blockade Shape the TCR Repertoire of Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells
Authors: Rudqvist Nils-Petter , Pilones Karsten A. , Lhuillier Claire , Wennerberg Erik , Sidhom John-William , Emerson Ryan O. , Robins Harlan S. , Schneck Jonathan , Formenti Silvia C. , Demaria Sandra
Published: November 2017

Immune checkpoint inhibitors activate T cells to reject tumors. Unique tumor mutations are key T-cell targets, but a comprehensive understanding of the nature of a successful antitumor T-cell response is lacking. To investigate the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire associated with treatment success versus failure, we used a well-characterized mouse carcinoma that is rejected by CD8 T cells in mice treated with radiotherapy (RT) and anti–CTLA-4 in combination, but not as monotherapy, and comprehensively analyzed tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) by high-throughput sequencing of the TCRΒ CDR3 region. The combined treatment increased TIL density and CD8/CD4 ratio. Assessment of the frequency of T-cell clones indicated that anti–CTLA-4 resulted in fewer clones and a more oligoclonal repertoire compared with untreated tumors. In contrast, RT increased the CD8/CD4 ratio and broadened the TCR repertoire, and when used in combination with anti–CTLA-4, these selected T-cell clones proliferated. Hierarchical clustering of CDR3 sequences showed a treatment-specific clustering of TCRs that were shared by different mice. Abundant clonotypes were commonly shared between animals and yet treatment-specific. Analysis of amino-acid sequence similarities revealed a significant increase in the number and richness of dominant CDR3 motifs in tumors treated with RT + anti–CTLA-4 compared with control. The repertoire of TCRs reactive with a single tumor antigen recognized by CD8+ T cells was heterogeneous but highly clonal, irrespective of treatment. Overall, data support a model whereby a diverse TCR repertoire is required to achieve tumor rejection and may underlie the synergy between RT and CTLA-4 blockade. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(2); 139–50. ©2017 AACR.
High-Affinity GD2-Specific CAR T Cells Induce Fatal Encephalitis in a Preclinical Neuroblastoma Model
Authors: Richman Sarah A. , Nunez-Cruz Selene , Moghimi Babak , Li Lucy Z. , Gershenson Zachary T. , Mourelatos Zissimos , Barrett David M. , Grupp Stephan A. , Milone Michael C.
Published: November 2017

The GD2 ganglioside, which is abundant on the surface of neuroblastoma cells, is targeted by an FDA-approved therapeutic monoclonal antibody and is an attractive tumor-associated antigen for cellular immunotherapy. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)–modified T cells can have potent antitumor activity in B-cell malignancies, and trials to harness this cytolytic activity toward GD2 in neuroblastoma are under way. In an effort to enhance the antitumor activity of CAR T cells that target GD2, we generated variant CAR constructs predicted to improve the stability and the affinity of the GD2-binding, 14G2a-based, single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of the CAR and compared their properties in vivo. We included the E101K mutation of GD2 scFv (GD2-E101K) that has enhanced antitumor activity against a GD2+ human neuroblastoma xenograft in vivo. However, this enhanced antitumor efficacy in vivo was concomitantly associated with lethal central nervous system (CNS) toxicity comprised of extensive CAR T-cell infiltration and proliferation within the brain and neuronal destruction. The encephalitis was localized to the cerebellum and basal regions of the brain that display low amounts of GD2. Our results highlight the challenges associated with target antigens that exhibit shared expression on critical normal tissues. Despite the success of GD2-specific antibody therapies in the treatment of neuroblastoma, the fatal neurotoxicity of GD2-specific CAR T-cell therapy observed in our studies suggests that GD2 may be a difficult target antigen for CAR T-cell therapy without additional strategies that can control CAR T-cell function within the CNS. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(1); 36–46. ©2017 AACR.
Relevance of B-Lines on Lung Ultrasound in Volume Overload and Pulmonary Congestion: Clinical Correlations and Outcomes in Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Saad Marc M. , Kamal Jeanne , Moussaly Elias , Karam Boutros , Mansour Wissam , Gobran Emad , Abbasi Saqib Hussen , Mahgoub Ahmed , Singh Puja , Hardy Ross , Das Devjani , Brown Cara , Kapoor Monica , Demissie Seleshi , Kleiner Morton J. , El Charabaty Elie , El Sayegh Suzanne E.
Published: November 2017

Background: Volume overload in patients on hemodialysis (HD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. B-lines detected on lung ultrasound (BLUS) assess extravascular lung water. This raises interest in its utility for assessing volume status and cardiovascular outcomes. Methods: End-stage renal disease patients on HD at the Island Rehab Center being older than 18 years were screened. Patients achieving their dry weight (DW) had a lung ultrasound in a supine position. Scores were classified as mild (0-14), moderate (15-30), and severe (>30) for pulmonary congestion. Patients with more than 60 were further classified as very severe. Patients were followed for cardiac events and death. Results: 81 patients were recruited. 58 were males, with a mean age of 59.7 years. 44 had New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 1, 24 had class 2, and 13 had class 3. In univariate analysis, NYHA class was associated with B-line classes (<0.001) and diastolic dysfunction (0.002). In multivariate analysis, NYHA grade strongly correlated with B-line classification (0.01) but not with heart function (0.95). 71 subjects were followed for a mean duration of 1.19 years. 9 patients died and 20 had an incident cardiac event. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated an interval decrease in survival times in all-cause mortality and cardiac events with increased BLUS scores (p = 0.0049). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed the independent predictive value of BLUS class for mortality and cardiac events with a heart rate of 2.98 and 7.98 in severe and very severe classes, respectively, compared to patients in the mild class (p = 0.025 and 0.013). Conclusion: At DW, BLUS is an independent risk factor for death and cardiovascular events in patients on HD.
Oncological Rehabilitation
Authors: Rick Oliver , Dauelsberg Timm , Kalusche-Bontemps Eva-Maria
Published: November 2017

An increasing number of patients are living with or surviving cancer due to improvements in detection and treatment. However, patients who survive cancer may experience functional disabilities that impact on health, quality of life and ability to work. For example, physical disorders may include fatigue, reduced muscle strength, cognitive dysfunction, paresthesia or nutrition problems, while mental symptoms may include anxiety, depression, fear of relapse or insomnia. Multidimensional oncological rehabilitation programs have been developed to address these disabilities and to help cancer patients and long-term survivors to reduce morbidity and to improve quality of life. There has been evidence showing that multidisciplinary oncological rehabilitation interventions involving physical, psycho-educational and vocational components led to a better quality of life and a higher rate of return to work than just usual care. In Germany, oncological rehabilitation is an integral part of the healthcare system and part of a modern cancer treatment that immediately follows operation, medical treatment or radiotherapy. Furthermore, it can be used if functional disabilities still remain years after cancer treatment. This review describes the German history and legal basis of oncological rehabilitation as well as the contents of and the evidence for this comprehensive and interdisciplinary treatment.
The Pathophysiological Mechanism and Treatment of Secondary Brain Insult of Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Sun Chuanhe , Liao Weilong , Jiang Wenfei , Gao Penglin , Pan Weidong
Published: November 2017

Hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) is a type of acute cerebrovascular disease with high rates of incidence, mortality, and disability, and is a cause of more frequent instances of secondary brain insult (SBI). In-depth study of the pathogenesis and pathophysiological mechanisms of SBI in HICH contributes to its clinical treatment and prognosis. This article presents a brief summary of the pathophysiological mechanism and treatment of SBI after HICH.
Novel PCR Assays for the Detection of Biological Agents Responsible for Wheat Rust Diseases: Puccinia triticina and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici
Authors: Kuzdraliński Adam , Kot Anna , Szczerba Hubert , Ostrowska Agnieszka , Nowak Michał , Muszyńska Marta , Lechowski Michał , Muzyka Paweł
Published: November 2017

The species Puccinia triticina (Pt) and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) are devastating cereal pathogens that cause leaf and stripe rust diseases. We developed PCR assays for the species-specific detection of Pt and Pst, 2 biological agents that cause wheat rust disease. For each pathogen, we validated 3 primer sets that target the second largest subunits of the RNA polymerase II (rpb2) and β-tubulin 1 (tub1) genes. The specificities of the primers were verified using naturally infected plant materials with visual symptoms of disease. All primer sets amplified a single DNA fragment of the expected length. The primer sets LidPr15/16, LidPr1/2, and LidPs13/14 were able to detect small amounts of pure fungal DNA with sensitivities of 0.1, 1, and 10 pg/μL, respectively. A sufficient detection limit (1 pg/μL to 5 ng/μL) was observed for all assays when the sensitivity test was performed with host plant DNA. The study also evaluated the simultaneous detection of both rust pathogens, and the multiplex PCR assay generated amplicons of 240 and 144 bp in length for Pts (LidPs9/10) and Pt (LidPr1/2), respectively.
Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Ebstein's Anomaly: A Two-Case Report
Authors: Iliodromitis Konstantinos E. , Bonsels Marc , Borchard Rolf , Dorszewski Anja
Published: November 2017

Ebstein's anomaly (EA) is a rare congenital heart disease characterized by “atrialization” of the right ventricle, due to apical displacement of the tricuspid leaflets into the right ventricle. Patients with EA may develop all kinds of supraventricular arrhythmias requiring radiofrequency ablation. Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is a common arrhythmia in EA patients, and results in debilitating symptoms that often require surgical treatment. This is a follow-up report of 2 patients with EA undergoing radiofrequency ablation for Afib. The first patient underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and the ablation of a concomitant atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. The second patient was also treated with a PVI and a redo PVI 8 months later. Both patients remain in sinus rhythm 8 months on. Radiofrequency ablation is the therapy of choice for patients with pharmacological refractory Afib, but it is not common in patients with EA.
Efficacy of a New Post-Mouthwash Intervention (Wiping Plus Oral Nutritional Supplements) for Preventing Aspiration Pneumonia in Elderly People: A Multicenter, Randomized, Comparative Trial
Authors: Higashiguchi Takashi , Ohara Hiroshi  , Kamakura Yayoi , Kikutani Takeshi , Kuzuya Masafumi , Enoki Hiromi , Sanada Hiromi , Matsuzaki Masami , Maruyama Michio
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Aspiration pneumonia is a common cause of death among the elderly (≥90-year-old) in nursing homes. Studies suggest that its incidence could be reduced by oral care interventions. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new oral care intervention: wiping plus oral nutritional supplements (ONS). Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in 252 patients (age 88.0 ± 6.5 years) in 75 nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, and other care facilities. Patients were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 74) and a control group (n = 107), whose members received conventional oral care. Body mass index, activities of daily living (Barthel index), and complete blood count and biochemistry parameters were measured at 2, 4, 6, and 8 months. Results: The cumulative incidence of pneumonia at 8 months tended to be lower in the intervention than in the control group (7.8 vs. 17.7%, p = 0.056) and was significantly lower for men in the intervention group (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Our new intervention “wiping plus providing ONS” method appears to help prevent aspiration pneumonia, thereby reducing mortality risk. In this study, we disseminate information on how this method is used in Japan.
Lactic Acidosis in Prostate Cancer: Consider the Warburg Effect
Authors: van der Mijn Johannes C. , Kuiper Mathijs J. , Siegert Carl E.H. , Wassenaar Annabeth E. , van Noesel Carel J.M. , Ogilvie Aernout C.
Published: November 2017

Lactic acidosis is a commonly observed clinical condition that is associated with a poor prognosis, especially in malignancies. We describe a case of an 81-year-old patient who presented with symptoms of tachypnea and general discomfort. Arterial blood gas analysis showed a high anion gap acidosis with a lactate level of 9.5 mmol/L with respiratory compensation. CT scanning showed no signs of pulmonary embolism or other causes of impaired tissue oxygenation. Despite treatment with sodium bicarbonate, the patient developed an adrenalin-resistant cardiac arrest, most likely caused by the acidosis. Autopsy revealed Gleason score 5 + 5 metastatic prostate cancer as the most probable cause of the lactic acidosis. Next-generation sequencing indicated a nonsense mutation in the TP53 gene (887delA) and an activating mutation in the PIK3CA gene (1634A>G) as candidate molecular drivers. This case demonstrates the prevalence and clinical relevance of metabolic reprogramming, frequently referred to as “the Warburg effect,” in patients with prostate cancer.
Mechanosensitivity of Embryonic Neurites Promotes Their Directional Extension and Schwann Cells Progenitors Migration
Authors: Rosso Gonzalo , Young Peter , Shahin Victor
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Migration of Schwann cells (SCs) progenitors and neurite outgrowth from embryonic dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) are two central events during the development of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). How these two enthralling events preceding myelination are promoted is of great relevance from basic research and clinical aspects alike. Recent evidence demonstrates that biophysical cues (extracellular matrix stiffness) and biochemical signaling act in concert to regulate PNS myelination. Microenvironment stiffness of SCs progenitors and embryonic neurites dynamically changes during development. Methods: DRG explants were isolated from day 12.5 to 13.5 mice embryos and plated on laminin-coated substrates with varied stiffness values. After 4 days in culture and immunostaining with specific markers, neurite outgrowth pattern, SCs progenitors migration, and growth cone shape and advance were analyzed with confocal fluorescence microscopy. Results: We found out that growing substrate stiffness promotes directional neurite outgrowth, SCs progenitors migration, growth cone advance and presumably axons fasciculation. Conclusions: DRG explants are in vitro models for the research of PNS development, myelination and regeneration. Consequently, we conclude the following: Our observations point out the importance of mechanosensitivity for the PNS. At the same time, they prompt the investigation of the important yet unclear links between PNS biomechanics and inherited neuropathies with myelination disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies. Finally, they encourage the consideration of mechanosensitivity in bioengineering of scaffolds to aid nerve regeneration after injury.
MiR-146a Aggravates LPS-Induced Inflammatory Injury by Targeting CXCR4 in the Articular Chondrocytes
Authors: Sun Taitao , Li Xianjun , Song Hua , Gao Fei , Zhou Guannan , Li Xiaoyan , Chen Zhentong , Chen Lei
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Osteoarthritis (OA) as a degenerative disease is a major problem in ageing populations. To better understand the molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of OA, this study explored the role of microRNA (miR)-146a in the articular chondrocytes. Methods: The articular chondrocyte line ATDC5 was used to simulate inflammatory injury by LPS administration in vitro. Cell viability, apoptosis, mRNA expressions and productions of inflammatory factors were assessed, respectively. Mir-146a and Cxcr4 mRNA expressions were measured by qRT-PCR. Targeting effect of miR-146a on Cxcr4 3’UTR was assessed by luciferase activity analysis. Protein expression levels of CXCR4 and main factors in PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin signal pathways were measured by western blotting. Results: LPS exposure suppressed cell viability, prompted apoptosis of ATDC5 cells, and stimulated expression and release of inflammatory factors. MiR-146a was upregulated in LPS-induced cells. Overexpression of miR-146a further aggravated LPS-induced inflammatory injury, while it was reduced after miR-146a was knocked down. CXCR4 expression was negatively regulated by miR-146a. CXCR4 was a direct target of miR-146a and thus involved in regulatory effect of miR-146a on the injured chondrocytes, which was also related with phosphorylation levels of PI3K/AKT and expressions of Wnt/β-catenin signal factors. Conclusion: miR-146a promoted inflammatory response of articular chondrocytes via targeting CXCR4 and suppressing CXCR4 expression. Overexpression of CXCR4 could attenuate the inflammatory injury. Our findings provided novel evidence which might be useful for further studies exploring therapeutic approaches for OA via targeting miR-146a.
Hypoxia-Induced Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Exhibit an Enhanced Therapeutic Effect on Radiation-Induced Lung Injury in Mice due to an Increased Proliferation Potential and Enhanced Antioxidant Ability
Authors: Li Bailong , Li Cheng , Zhu Mo , Zhang Youjun , Du Jicong , Xu Yang , Liu Bin , Gao Fu , Liu Hu , Cai Jianming , Yang Yanyong
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Radiation therapy is an important treatment for thoracic cancer; however, side effects accompanied with radiotherapy lead to limited tumor control and a decline in patient quality of life. Among these side effects, radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is the most serious and common. Hence, an effective remedy for RILI is needed. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells that have been demonstrated to be an effective treatment in some disease caused by tissue damage. However, unlike other injuries, RILI received limited therapeutic effects from implanted MSCs due to local hypoxia and extensive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in irradiated lungs. Since the poor survival of MSCs is primarily due to hypoxia and ROS generation, we hypothesize that persistent and adaptive hypoxia treatment induces enhanced resistance to hypoxic stress in implanted MSC. The aim of this study is to investigate whether persistent and adaptive hypoxia treatment of bmMSCs prior to their transplantation in injured mice enhanced survival and improved curative effects in RILI. Methods: Primary bmMSCs were obtained from the marrow of six-week-old male C57BL6/J mice and were cultured either under normoxic conditions (21% O2) or hypoxic conditions (2.5% O2). Mice were injected with normoxia/hypoxia MSCs after thoracic irradiation (20 Gy). The therapeutic effects of MSCs on RILI were assessed by pathological examinations that included H&E staining, Masson staining and α-SMA staining; meanwhile, inflammatory factors were measured using an ELISA. The morphology of MSCs in vitro was recorded using a microscope and identified by flow cytometry, cell viability was measured using the CCK-8 assay, the potential for proliferation was detected by the EdU assay, and ROS levels were measured using a ROS fluorogenic probe. In addition, HIF-1α and several survival pathway proteins (Akt, p-Akt, Caspase-3) were also detected by western blotting. Results: Implanted MSCs alleviated both early radiation-induced pneumonia and late pulmonary fibrosis. However, hypoxia MSCs displayed a more pronounced therapeutic effect compared to normoxia MSCs. Compared to normoxia MSCs, the hypoxia MSCs demonstrated greater cell viability, an enhanced proliferation potential, decreased ROS levels and increased resistance to hypoxia and ROS stress. In addition, hypoxia MSCs achieved higher activation levels of HIF-1α and Akt, and HIF-1α played a critical role in the development of resistance. Conclusion: Hypoxia enhances the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on radiation-induced lung injury by promoting MSC proliferation and improving their antioxidant ability, mediated by HIF-1α.
REFLEXÃO SOBRE O ENSINO DE ARQUITETURA E URBANISMO EM PAÍSES INTEGRANTES DO SISTEMA ARCU-SUL VISANDO O PROCESSO DE ACREDITAÇÃO
Authors: Katakura Paula , Segnini Junior Francisco
Published: November 2017

Este artigo discute o processo de formaçao profissional dos arquitetos e urbanistas no Brasil e nos países do Mercosul com destaque para a área do urbanismo. No Brasil, as atividades de arquitetura e urbanismo sao exclusivas desses profissionais, conforme legislaçao atual, e disciplinas de urbanismo ou planejamento urbano estao inseridas em todos os cursos de Arquitetura e Urbanismo no território nacional, segundo Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais. No Mercosul a formaçao básica está centrada em arquitetura e, muitas vezes, a formaçao em urbanismo ocorre durante especializaçao ou pós-graduaçao; os estudos referentes aos problemas urbanos sao tratados nos demais países como conhecimentos complementares a formaçao do arquiteto. O estudo apresentado é resultado de uma pesquisa que envolveu levantamento das grades curriculares dos cursos brasileiros, além de observaçoes “in loco”. Para tanto, considerou avaliaçoes de acreditaçao do sistema Arcu-Sul em países do Mercosul e avaliaçoes no Brasil, desenvolvidas pelo Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais (Inep), segundo regulamentaçao do Sistema Nacional de Avaliaçao da Educaçao Superior. Este trabalho foi possível posto que os autores sao avaliadores do Ministério da Educaçao/Inep.
Oreocharis parviflora, a new species of Gesneriaceae from northwestern Yunnan, China
Authors: LEI CAI , HUANG HUA , DAO ZHI-LING , WU ZHI-KUN
Published: November 2017

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Oreocharis parviflora, is described and illustrated from Lanping County, northwestern Yunnan Province, China. The new species is morphologically similar to O. henryana in the shape and color of corolla, numbers of stigma, stamen and staminode characteristics, but it can be easily distinguished by the shape of leaf blade, indumentum characters of leaf blade, petiole, peduncle and pedicel.
Female polymorphism in Chilothrips strobilus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), with the first description of the male
Authors: CUI YANZE , XI JINGHUI , WANG JUN
Published: November 2017

Polymorphism and sexual dimorphism are common in insects. Thrips have been reported to exhibit intraspecific variation in body size, color and wing length (Mound 2005), also sexual dimorphism in abdominal pore plates, antennal sensoria and fore leg armature (Tyagi et al. 2008). Chilothrips Hood is a small genus that currently comprises seven species (ThripsWiki 2017), three from USA, one from Japan, and three from China. No male has been reported in the three species from China, C. strobilus, C. jiuxiensis and C. hangzhouensis (Hu & Feng 2015), and C. strobilus was described on three female specimens from cones of Pinus in Liaoning Province, northeastern China (Tong & Zhang, 1994). Recently, we have surveyed different parts of northeastern China and collected many male individuals of C. strobilus. We have observed that this species shows sexual dimorphism in mouth cone length, and remarkable variation in form of abdominal segment X among females.
New taxa and new records of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae) from Afghanistan
Authors: TSHIKOLOVETS VADIM
Published: November 2017

Three new species Karanasa naumanni sp. nov., K. pardesi sp. nov. and K. pseudopamira sp. nov. (Nymphalidae), two new subspecies Karanasa pamira biocellata subsp. nov. (Nymphalidae) and Plebejus (Afarsia) sieversii albolunulatus subsp. nov. (Lycaenidae) are described from Afghanistan. First occurrence records for this country are presented for 26 species: one species of Pieridae (Colias thisoa), fifteen species of Lycaenidae (Deudoryx epijarbas, Everes dipora, Glaucopsyche charybdis, Hyrcanana evansii, Iolana gigantea, Lycaena kasyapa, Plebejus ferganus, Polyommatus amandus, P. dagmara, P. farazi, P. kogistanus, P. lehanus armatheus, P. miris, P. selma, and Turanana panaegides,) and ten species of Nymphalidae (Argynnis jainadeva, Coenonympha nolckeni, Hyponephele maureri, Melitaea balbina, Karanasa grumi, K. incerta, K. leechi, K. maureri, Satyrus alaica, and S. ferula)
After 228 years of being ignored or unplaced, Bibio lugens Thunberg, 1789 has its identity fixed (Diptera: Tabanidae: Pangoniinae)
Authors: EVENHUIS NEAL L.
Published: November 2017

In preparing our world catalog of Bombyliidae (Evenhuis & Greathead 1999), we attempted to find any and all names that were or could possibly be attributed to the family. One of these in the latter category, Bibio lugens Thunberg, 1789, collected from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, was treated at the end of the catalog as Unplaced Species in Bombyliidae (Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 528) since access to the type specimen was not feasible at the time and no images existed. All we could go on was its vague original description and placement of the name in Thunberg’s paper (1789: 89) in close association with other Bombyliidae.
Climatological Estimates of Hourly Tornado Probability for the United States
Authors: Krocak Makenzie J. , Brooks Harold E.
Published: November 2017

While there has been an abundance of research dedicated to the seasonal climatology of severe weather, very little has been done to study hazardous weather probabilities on smaller scales. To this end, local hourly climatological estimates of tornadic event probabilities were developed using storm reports from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. These estimates begin the process of analyzing tornado frequencies on a subdaily scale.

Characteristics of the local tornado climatology are investigated, including how the diurnal cycle varies in space and time. Hourly tornado probabilities are peaked for both the annual and diurnal cycles in the plains, whereas the southeast United States has a more variable pattern. Areas that have similar total tornado threats but differ in the distribution of that threat are highlighted. Additionally, areas that have most of the tornado threat concentrated in small time frames both annually and diurnally are compared to areas that have a low-level threat at all times. These differences create challenges related to staffing requirements and background understanding of the tornado threat unique to each region.

This work is part of a larger effort to provide background information for probabilistic forecasts of hazardous weather that are meaningful over broad time and space scales, with a focus on scales broader than the typical time and space scales of the events of interest (including current products on the “watch” scale). A large challenge remains to continue describing probabilities as the time and space scales of the forecast become comparable to the scale of the event.
Compressive Detection of Highly Overlapped Spectra Using Walsh–Hadamard-Based Filter Functions
Authors: Corcoran Timothy C.
Published: November 2017

In the chemometric context in which spectral loadings of the analytes are already known, spectral filter functions may be constructed which allow the scores of mixtures of analytes to be determined in on-the-fly fashion directly, by applying a compressive detection strategy. Rather than collecting the entire spectrum over the relevant region for the mixture, a filter function may be applied within the spectrometer itself so that only the scores are recorded. Consequently, compressive detection shrinks data sets tremendously. The Walsh functions, the binary basis used in Walsh–Hadamard transform spectroscopy, form a complete orthonormal set well suited to compressive detection. A method for constructing filter functions using binary fourfold linear combinations of Walsh functions is detailed using mathematics borrowed from genetic algorithm work, as a means of optimizing said functions for a specific set of analytes. These filter functions can be constructed to automatically strip the baseline from analysis. Monte Carlo simulations were performed with a mixture of four highly overlapped Raman loadings and with ten excitation–emission matrix loadings; both sets showed a very high degree of spectral overlap. Reasonable estimates of the true scores were obtained in both simulations using noisy data sets, proving the linearity of the method.
Injuries Depicted in Sport-Related Films
Authors: Olympia Robert P. , Wakefield Hannah , Wakefield Bryan , Weber Christopher J.
Published: November 2017

The perception that children and adolescents have of injuries may be influenced by their depiction in sport-related films. The objective of this study was to determine the depiction of injuries in a select number of sport-related films. Forty-four films were analyzed. Injury category, on-the-field management, and long-term management were determined for each injury. Major injuries were defined as injuries requiring prompt intervention and immediate discontinuation of sport participation. A total of 49 injuries were depicted, categorized as fracture (n = 11), contusion (n = 10), brain concussion (n = 8), muscle cramps (n = 5), laceration/abrasion (n = 4), ligamentous knee injury (n = 4), shoulder dislocation (n = 2), rotator cuff injury (n = 2), ankle sprain (n = 2), and unspecified injury (n = 1). Of the 38 (78%) injuries considered major, immediate return to the game was the disposition for 13 injuries (34%). Pediatric health care providers, coaching staff, and parents should stress the importance of injury recognition/disclosure and realistic expectations for rehabilitation to pediatric athletes.
Protestants, Peace and the Apocalypse: The USSR’s Religious Cold War, 1947–62
Authors: Dobson Miriam
Published: November 2017

In recent years historians have paid growing attention to the religious dimensions of the Cold War. These studies have largely focused, however, on the capitalist world, particularly the rise of evangelicalism and fundamentalism in the USA. This article turns the spotlight on the communist adversary, asking whether the USSR also participated in a ‘religious Cold War'. Given the atheist convictions on which the Soviet state was founded, this might appear counter-intuitive, but religious dynamics were of growing importance in the USSR too. Soviet officials sought to create what was called an ‘ecumenical movement', inviting religious actors to become advocates for the Soviet peace message. Protestants, in particular, were important figures on the international stage because of the large communities of co-believers in the West. At the same time, however, the authorities were alarmed about various grass-roots phenomena at home which seemed to be on the rise as the Cold War escalated, such as pacifism and apocalyptic prediction. Faced with such threats, state tactics included the arrest of believers and hostile press campaigns. Even though the inconsistencies were readily visible to all, this dualistic approach was not abandoned and the ultimately self-defeating engagement with the ‘religious Cold War' continued.
Modeling of surface temperature distributions on powered e-textile structures using an artificial neural network
Authors: Kursun Bahadir Senem , Sahin Umut Kivanc , Kiraz Alper
Published: November 2017

An artificial neural network (ANN) model is constructed to derive the surface temperature of e-textile structures developed for cold weather clothing. A series of textile transmission lines made of different types of conductive yarns, insulated by using different types of seam tapes, were enclosed in a thermoplastic textile structure via hot air welding technology, and then they were powered with different levels of specific voltages in order to obtain different heating levels. The surface temperatures of the powered e-textile structures were measured using a thermal camera. The experimental input variables, sample type, temperature, feeding speed, resistance of samples, applied voltage and current were used to construct an ANN model and the outputs of surface temperature and electric power dissipated were used to test the prediction performance of the developed model. It was concluded that the ANN provided substantial predictive performance. Simulations based on the developed ANN model can estimate the surface temperature distributions of powered e-textile structures under different conditions. The ANN model developed for prediction of electric power dissipated was very successful and can be useful for e-textile product designers as well as textile manufacturers, particularly for cold weather protection products such as jackets, gloves and outdoor sleeping mats.