bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paediatric critical illness associated with respiratory infection: a single-centre, retrospective cohort study
Authors: Alfaraidi Haifa , Luinstra Kathy , Eshaghi Alireza , Smieja Marek , Gubbay Jonathan B , Pernica Jeffrey M
Published: April 2020

Objectives

To describe critically ill children with respiratory infections, classify them by infection syndrome type and determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae detection.

Study design

A retrospective, single-centre cohort study. All children aged 2 months–18 years with presumed respiratory infection who were admitted to a tertiary hospital paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between September 2015 and October 2016 were eligible. Subjects were grouped by clinical syndrome (viral respiratory infection, asthma exacerbation, undifferentiated/uncomplicated pneumonia, pneumonia complicated by effusion/empyema and ‘other’). All subjects had nasopharyngeal swabs tested for respiratory viruses, M. pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Results

There were 221 subjects; the median age was 3.1 years; 44% were female; and 78% had medical comorbidities. The majority (75%) was treated with antibiotics, most often ceftriaxone (90% of treated children). Those with any pneumonia were significantly less likely to have a respiratory virus identified in their nasopharynges and had significantly higher C reactive protein (CRP) values than those in the viral infection and asthma groups. There were 10 subjects in whom M. pneumoniae was detected (4.5%, 95% CI 2.2% to 8.2%). Mycoplasma-positive children were older (difference 3.5 years, 95% CI 0.66 to 6.4 years) and had fewer viral coinfections (30% compared with 69%, p=0.02). The prevalence of Mycoplasma infection in children aged >5 years with any pneumonia was 13.2% (95%CI 4.4% to 28%).

Conclusions

The majority of participants had respiratory viruses detected and were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Differences in CRP and viral prevalence were observed between children with different infection syndrome types. M. pneumoniae infection was not rare in school-aged children with pneumonia admitted to the PICU. Attention to antibiotic treatment and rapid diagnostic testing for Mycoplasma in older, critically ill children should be considered to optimise management and avert morbidity and mortality from respiratory infection.
Upper bound on the GUP parameter using the black hole shadow
Authors: Neves Juliano C. S.
Published: April 2020

An upper bound on the parameter that provides a generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) is obtained from the black hole shadow. With the aid of a recent constraint between regular black holes and the GUP parameter, it is indicated a relation between this parameter and the deviation from circularity of the black hole shadow. In the case of the recent announcement of the M87* results from the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, a deviation from circularity $$\lesssim 10\%$$≲10% imposes a GUP parameter $$\beta _0 <10^{90}$$β0<1090.
Perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger dynamical wave equation with Kerr media in nonlinear optics via optical solitons
Authors: Seadawy Aly R. , Cheemaa Nadia
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we have presented the analytical analysis of integrable perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger (PNLSE) equation with third-order dispersion (TOD) in Kerr media using our newly proposed technique, extended modified auxiliary equation mapping method. By the implementation of this technique, we have obtained a variety of some new families and more general form of exact traveling wave solutions including triangular-type solutions, periodic and doubly periodic-like solutions, combined soliton-like solutions, kink and anti-kink type soliton-like solutions using three parameters which is the key difference of our newly proposed method. PNLSE is a well-known governing model to study the propagation of optical solitons in nonlinear optical fibers and other telecommunication networks with a type of Kerr law nonlinearity. This particular type of nonlinearity originates when a light wave in an optical fiber is subjected to nonlinear responses. For graphical representation of our newly found results, we have presented them with detailed dynamical physical representation using Mathematica 10.4 to explain in a more efficient manner the behavior of different physical structures of solutions. Also, the computational work and efficiency of the method demonstrate the reliability, straightforwardness, and simplicity of the technique for solving other nonlinear complicated partial differential equations.
Statistical characteristics and transportation mode identification of individual trajectories
Authors: Huang Zhiren , Wang Pu , Liu Yang
Published: April 2020

Entering big data era, individual GPS trajectory data have created great opportunities for human mobility and collective behavior studies. Individual GPS trajectories can be collected by location-based services on mobile phones. However, GPS data often do not record transportation modes (e.g., walking, riding a bus, or driving a car). In this study, we analyzed the statistical characteristics of individual trajectories and present a collaborative isolation forest (Co-IF) model to identify the transportation modes of mobile phone GPS trajectories. Unlike previous models that identify multiple transportation modes simultaneously, the proposed Co-IF model builds a single-class classifier for each transportation mode and then combines their results. Compared to the existing models, the Co-IF model offers competitive performance and shows improved reliability with noisy trajectories.
Two types of scale effects on the nonlinear forced vibration of axially moving nanobeams
Authors: Wang Jing , Sun Jianqiang
Published: April 2020

Various non-classical continuum mechanics models appearing in previous studies cannot perfectly explain the mechanical properties of micro- and nanomaterials. Establishing a reasonable continuum mechanics model that comprehensively reflects the scale effect on material deformation is of great practical significance for objectively explaining the variation law of mechanical properties of micro- and nanomaterials under the combined action of different scale effects. Based on nonlocal strain gradient theory, a new scale-dependent model is proposed for axially moving nanobeams. In this study, an asymptotic expansion is performed using the multiscale time method to obtain the amplitude-frequency response curve of the equilibrium solutions for the forced vibration problem. Afterwards, the effects of various system parameters, especially the scale parameters, on the resonance curve are examined. Finally, the effects of nonlocal parameters and material characteristic length parameters on the amplitude-frequency response curves are investigated through typical numerical examples. The numerical results show that the nonlocal parameters promote the emergence of the main resonance, whereas the material characteristic length parameters suppress the emergence of the main resonance. Moreover, these parameters also affect the response amplitude and the skewness and jumping point of the amplitude-frequency characteristic curve.
Rates of oxygen-depletion in granular Lambeth Group strata and evidence for barometric pumping
Authors: Newman T.G. , Ghail R.C.
Published: April 2020

Laboratory experiments have been performed to demonstrate significant levels of oxygen depletion within samples of Upnor Formation of the Lambeth Group deposits. These have been used to explain the reasons for several incidences of confined space hypoxia during underground construction within the stratum beneath London. Further investigation, using a relatively small-scale field pump-out test, revealed the rapid effects of dewatering on the generation of hypoxic gas (within the ground) and that the amount of oxygen falls to fatal levels within a very short time after commencement of pumping. Monitoring of boreholes during ground investigation for the Thames Tideway Tunnel has indicated barometric control on the release of hypoxic gas from installations within granular deposits of the Lambeth Group, namely the Upnor Formation, as well as channel sand deposits within the Laminated Beds. In these, reduced levels of oxygen coincide with low and/or falling barometric pressure. Continuous 24-hour monitoring demonstrates that the reduction is almost instantaneous and has serious implications for the Health and Safety of underground construction personnel.
Interaction Between the Microbiota, Epithelia, and Immune Cells in the Intestine
Authors: Kayama Hisako , Okumura Ryu , Takeda Kiyoshi
Published: April 2020

The gastrointestinal tract harbors numerous commensal bacteria, referred to as the microbiota, that benefit host health by digesting dietary components and eliminating pathogens. The intestinal microbiota maintains epithelial barrier integrity and shapes the mucosal immune system, balancing host defense and oral tolerance with microbial metabolites, components, and attachment to host cells. To avoid aberrant immune responses, epithelial cells segregate the intestinal microbiota from immune cells by constructing chemical and physical barriers, leading to the establishment of host-commensal mutualism. Furthermore, intestinal immune cells participate in the maintenance of a healthy microbiota community and reinforce epithelial barrier functions. Perturbations of the microbiota composition are commonly observed in patients with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammatory disorders. An understanding of the intimate interactions between the intestinal microbiota, epithelial cells, and immune cells that are crucial for the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis might promote advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for various diseases.
Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease
Authors: McCarville Justin L. , Chen Grischa Y. , Cuevas Víctor D. , Troha Katia , Ayres Janelle S.
Published: April 2020

Metabolism is one of the strongest drivers of interkingdom interactions—including those between microorganisms and their multicellular hosts. Traditionally thought to fuel energy requirements and provide building blocks for biosynthetic pathways, metabolism is now appreciated for its role in providing metabolites, small-molecule intermediates generated from metabolic processes, to perform various regulatory functions to mediate symbiotic relationships between microbes and their hosts. Here, we review recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of how microbiota-derived metabolites orchestrate and support physiological responses in the host, including immunity, inflammation, defense against infections, and metabolism. Understanding how microbes metabolically communicate with their hosts will provide us an opportunity to better describe how a host interacts with all microbes—beneficial, pathogenic, and commensal—and an opportunity to discover new ways to treat microbial-driven diseases.
30 Years of Biotherapeutics Development—What Have We Learned?
Authors: Ghilardi Nico , Pappu Rajita , Arron Joseph R. , Chan Andrew C.
Published: April 2020

Since the birth of biotechnology, hundreds of biotherapeutics have been developed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human use. These novel medicines not only bring significant benefit to patients but also represent precision tools to interrogate human disease biology. Accordingly, much has been learned from the successes and failures of hundreds of high-quality clinical trials. In this review, we discuss general and broadly applicable themes that have emerged from this collective experience. We base our discussion on insights gained from exploring some of the most important target classes, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-6, IL-12/23, IL-17, IL-4/13, IL-5, immunoglobulin E (IgE), integrins and B cells. We also describe current challenges and speculate about how emerging technological capabilities may enable the discovery and development of the next generation of biotherapeutics.
Review—Electrochemical Noise Applied in Corrosion Science: Theoretical and Mathematical Models towards Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Xia Da-Hai , Song Shizhe , Behnamian Yashar , Hu Wenbin , Cheng Y. Frank , Luo Jing-Li , Huet François
Published: April 2020

Electrochemical noise (EN) can be used in situ to investigate corrosion processes and to detect and monitor the corrosion of metallic materials. EN data are largely influenced by the measurement mode, the surface area of the working electrodes, the electrolyte resistance, and the symmetry of the electrode system. Herein, the advantages and limitations of electrochemical kinetics, equivalent circuit, and shot noise methods for quantifying corrosion rates with EN are discussed.
IL-33 Inhibits Hepatitis B Virus through Its Receptor ST2 in Hydrodynamic HBV Mouse Model
Authors: Gao Xiuzhu , Chi Xiumei , Wang Xiaomei , Wu Ruihong , Xu Hongqin , Zhan MengRu , Li Dong , Ding Yanhua , Xu Damo , Niu Junqi
Published: April 2020

Interleukin-33 has been demonstrated to be associated with liver damage. However, its potential value in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains unknown. This study was designed to investigate the role of IL-33 in hydrodynamic HBV mouse model. Different doses of IL-33 were used to treat HBV wild-type, ST2 knockout, CD8+ T depletion, NK depletion C57BL/6 mice and C.B-17 SCID and nod SCID mouse, respectively. The concentrations of HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and molecules related to liver function were detected in the collected serum at different time points from model mice. Intrahepatic HBcAg was visualized by immunohistochemical staining of liver tissues.In vitro, hepG2 cells were transfected with pAAV-HBV 1.2, then treated with IL-33. The results showed that IL-33 significantly reduced HBV DNA and HBsAg in a dose-dependent manner in HBV wild-type mice. However, in the IL-33 specific receptor ST2 knockout mice, their antiviral effects could not be exerted. Through immunodeficient animal models andin vivoimmune cell depletion mouse model, we found that IL-33 could not play antiviral effects without NK cells. Moreover, IL-33 could reduce the levels of HBsAg and HBeAg in the supernatant of HBV-transfected hepG2 cellsin vitro. Our study revealed that IL-33 could inhibit HBV through ST2 receptor in the HBV mouse model, and this effect can be impaired without NK cell. Additionally, IL-33 had the direct anti-HBV effectin vitro, indicating that IL-33 could be a potent inducer of HBV clearance and a promising drug candidate.
Research on Adaptive Suppression of LCL Converter Resonance Grid-Connected System
Authors: Li Junwei , Tang Yafang , Li Junke
Published: April 2020

LCL-type converters are widely used in grid-connected systems due to their small size and good filtering performance. However, the resonance suppression problem brought by the LCL filter cannot be ignored. The capacitive current feedback is a commonly used resonance suppression method. In applications, the grid impedance can cause LCL filter resonance. Thus, this paper presents an adaptive resonance suppression method based on the RBF network optimized by particle swarm optimization. This method optimizes the initial parameters of the RBF network through particle swarm optimization, identifies the parameters of the PI controller by RBF neural network’s own identification capability, and updates the active damping coefficient based on constraints such as stability margin, thereby realizing the LCL-type inverter to maintain the system stability when the grid impedance changes. The effectiveness of the method is verified by experiments.
Pioglitazone Metformin Complex Improves Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Comorbid Psychological Distress via Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation: A Prospective Clinical Study
Authors: Guo Qing-jun , Shan Jing , Xu Yi-feng , Hu Yan-yan , Huo Cui-lan , Song Jing-yun , Wang Chao-qun , Zhou Hui , Yu Chao-qin , Huang Qin
Published: April 2020

Objective. This study aimed at investigating the therapeutic effect and mechanism of pioglitazone metformin complex preparation (PM) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) comorbid psychological distress. Methods. Seventy-five patients with PCOS comorbid psychological distress were randomly allocated into the PM, metformin, and placebo groups. The primary efficacy measure was the change from baseline to week 12 on the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R) scores. NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and biochemical parameters were determined at baseline and at week 12. The participants were required to meet the criteria for PCOS (Rotterdam, NIH) and psychological distress (any factor scores of SCL−90−R>2). Results. The participants had significantly high scores on the SCL-90-R scales of anxiety and depression. PM significantly decreased anxiety and depression symptom severity (from 2.31±0.75 to 1.65±0.38, p<0.001, and from 2.08±0.74 to 1.61±0.46, p=0.010, at week 12, respectively). PM significantly decreased the expression of NRPL3 and caspase-1. Patients in the PM group experienced a significant reduction in IL-1β (from 98.42±14.38 to 71.76±13.66, p=0.02), IL-6 (from 87.51±8.74 to 71.98±15.87, p=0.02), and TNF-α (from 395.33±88.55 to 281.98±85.69, p=0.04). PM was superior to metformin in reducing total testosterone (2.24±0.74 versus 3.06±0.83, p=0.024, at week 12).Conclusions. This study is the first to reveal that PM alleviates psychological distress via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and improves several markers, including total testosterone.
Global Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Novel Autocrine Functions of Interleukin 6 in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Ljungberg Liza U. , Zegeye Mulugeta M. , Kardeby Caroline , Fälker Knut , Repsilber Dirk , Sirsjö Allan
Published: April 2020

Background. Interleukin 6 (IL6) is a multifunctional cytokine produced by various cells, including vascular endothelial cells. IL6 has both pro- and non-/anti-inflammatory functions, and the response to IL6 is dependent on whether it acts via the membrane-bound IL6 receptor α (IL6Rα) (classic signaling) or the soluble form of the receptor (transsignaling). As human endothelial cells produce IL6 and at the same time express IL6Rα, we hypothesized that IL6 may have autocrine functions. Methods. Knockdown of IL6 in cultured human endothelial cells was performed using siRNA. Knockdown efficiency was evaluated using ELISA. RNA sequencing was employed to characterize the transcriptional consequence of IL6 knockdown, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to further explore the functional roles of IL6. Results. Knockdown of IL6 in cultured endothelial cells resulted in a 84-92% reduction in the release of IL6. Knockdown of IL6 resulted in dramatic changes in transcriptional pattern; knockdown of IL6 in the absence of soluble IL6Rα (sIL6Rα) led to differential regulation of 1915 genes, and knockdown of IL6 in the presence of sIL6Rα led to differential regulation of 1967 genes (fold change 1.5, false discovery rate<0.05). Pathway analysis revealed that the autocrine functions of IL6 in human endothelial cells are mainly related to basal cellular functions such as regulation of cell cycle, signaling, and cellular movement. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of IL6 activates functions related to adhesion, binding, and interaction of endothelial cells, which seem to be mediated mainly via STAT3. Conclusion. In this study, a large number of novel genes that are under autocrine regulation by IL6 in human endothelial cells were identified. Overall, our data indicate that IL6 acts in an autocrine manner to regulate basal cellular functions, such as cell cycle regulation, signaling, and cellular movement, and suggests that the autocrine functions of IL6 in human endothelial cells are mediated via IL6 classic signaling.
Bilinear Equation of the Nonlinear Partial Differential Equation and Its Application
Authors: Yang Xiao-Feng , Wei Yi
Published: April 2020

The homogeneous balance of undetermined coefficient method is firstly proposed to derive a more general bilinear equation of the nonlinear partial differential equation (NLPDE). By applying perturbation method, subsidiary ordinary differential equation (sub-ODE) method, and compatible condition to bilinear equation, more exact solutions of NLPDE are obtained. The KdV equation, Burgers equation, Boussinesq equation, and Sawada-Kotera equation are chosen to illustrate the validity of our method. We find that the underlying relation among theG′/G-expansion method, Hirota’s method, and HB method is a bilinear equation. The proposed method is also a standard and computable method, which can be generalized to deal with other types of NLPDE.
Carotenoids Inhibit Fructose-Induced Inflammatory Response in Human Endothelial Cells and Monocytes
Authors: Lin Ping , Ren Qian , Wang Qin , Wu Jiali
Published: April 2020

Objective. This research is aimed at determining the vascular health characteristics of carotenoids by evaluating their effect on excessive inflammatory response in endothelial and monocyte cells, the main factors of atherosclerosis. Methods. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) or U937 monocytes were treated with escalating concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1 μM) of five most common carotenoids in human plasma, i.e., α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene prior to stimulation with 2 mM fructose. We examined the monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells (ECs) and relevant endothelial adhesion molecules. Chemokine and proinflammatory cytokine production as well as intracellular oxidative stress were also assessed in fructose-stimulated ECs and monocytes. Results. Carotenoids repressed monocyte adhesion to fructose-stimulated ECs dose dependently via decreasing primarily the expression of endothelial VCAM-1. In ECs and monocytes, three carotenoids, i.e., β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene, suppressed the fructose-induced expression of chemokines MCP-1, M-CSF, and CXCL-10 and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β, with CXCL-10 being the most repressed inflammatory mediator. β-Cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene dramatically downregulated the fructose-induced CXCL-10 expression in vascular cells. The reduction in the inflammatory response was associated with a slight but significant decrease of intracellular oxidative stress. Conclusions. Our results show that carotenoids have a variety of anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerosis activities, which can help prevent or reduce fructose-induced inflammatory vascular diseases.
An Adaptive Task Scheduling Method for Networked UAV Combat Cloud System Based on Virtual Machine and Task Migration
Authors: Li Bo , Liang Shiyang , Tian Linyu , Chen Daqing , Zhang Ming
Published: April 2020

This paper presents a systematic work aiming to improve the efficiency of task processing in a networked UAV combat cloud system. The work consists of three major aspects: (1) an architecture of UAV combat cloud systems—such a system provides the necessary resource pool for powerful computing and storage facilities and defines the attributes of the entities in the resource pool in detail; (2) an online adaptive task redistribution and scheduling algorithm—the algorithm involves task migration being performed on virtual machines on the cloud system and aims to address the problems caused by static task scheduling approaches; and (3) an online virtual machine and task migration algorithm—the algorithm considers collectively the priority type and quantity of the tasks to be migrated on virtual machines along with time constraints to determine the migration of virtual machine or task and optimize resource usages. Experimental simulation results have demonstrated that the proposed system and the relevant algorithms can significantly improve the efficiency of task schedule.
Association of Brain-Gut Peptides with Inflammatory Cytokines in Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Han Wenxiu , Jin Feng , Zhang Hailiang , Yang Mengqi , Cui Changmeng , Wang Changshui , Jiang Pei
Published: April 2020

Systemic inflammation has been shown to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of moyamoya disease (MMD). Brain-gut peptides exhibit regulatory effects in the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. To investigate the association between brain-gut peptides and inflammation in the occurrence of MMD, 41 patients with MMD, as well as 74 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were enrolled. The levels of four brain-gut peptides (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), cholecystokinin (CCK), somatostatin (SST), substance P (SP)) and three proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-12) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The associations between brain-gut peptides and proinflammatory cytokines were estimated according to the multiple linear regression and correlation analyses. MMD patients exhibited significantly lower levels of VIP, CCK, and SST and higher levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-12 in the serum compared with healthy controls. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that decreased VIP, CCK, and SST levels were independent predictors of the occurrence of MMD. Negative correlations were observed between the VIP and proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-12 (serum vs. CSF). Significant negative correlations were also found between CCK and IL-1β, as well as IL-12 (serum vs. CSF). SST was negatively correlated with IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum and IL-1β only in the CSF. In addition, the levels of VIP, CCK, SST, and proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum were correlated with those measured in the CSF. Collectively, lower levels of VIP, CCK, and SST may be associated with the pathogenesis of MMD and act as clinically useful biomarkers along with the levels of proinflammatory cytokines.
Finite-Time Synchronization for a Class of Multiweighted Complex Networks with Markovian Switching and Time-Varying Delay
Authors: Liu Ying , Chen Fei , Yang Bin , Wang Xin , Wang Weiming
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we investigate the finite-time synchronization control for a class of nonlinear coupled multiweighted complex networks (NCMWCNs) with Markovian switching and time-varying delay analytically and quantitatively. The value of this study lies in four aspects: First, it designs the finite-time synchronization controller to make the NCMWCNs with Markovian switching and time-varying delay achieve global synchronization in finite time. Second, it derives two kinds of finite-time estimation approaches by analyzing the impact of the nonlinearity of nonlinear coupled function on synchronization dynamics and synchronization convergence time. Third, it presents the relationship between Markovian switching parameters and synchronization problems of subsystems and the overall system. Fourth, it provides some numerical examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
An Agent-Based Model of Leader Emergence and Leadership Perception within a Collective
Authors: Cao Shun , MacLaren Neil G. , Cao Yiding , Dong Yingjun , Sayama Hiroki , Yammarino Francis J. , Dionne Shelley D. , Mumford Michael D. , Connelly Shane , Martin Robert , Standish Colleen J. , Newbold Tanner R. , England Samantha , Ruark Gregory A.
Published: April 2020

Effective teamwork in an initially leaderless group requires a high level of collective leadership emerging from dynamic interactions among group members. Leader emergence is a crucial topic in collective leadership, yet it is challenging to investigate as the problem context is typically highly complex and dynamic. Here, we explore leadership emergence and leadership perception by means of computational simulations whose assumptions and parameters were informed by empirical research and human-subject experiments. Our agent-based model describes the process of group planning. Each agent is assigned with three key attributes: talkativeness, intelligence, and credibility. An agent can propose a suggestion to modify the group plan as a speaker or respond and evaluate others’ suggestions and leadership as a listener. Simulation results suggested that agents with high values of talkativeness, intelligence, and credibility tended to be perceived as leaders by their peers. Results also showed that talkativeness may be the most significant and instantaneous predictor for leader emergence of the three investigated attributes: talkativeness, intelligence, and credibility. In terms of group performance, smaller groups may outperform larger groups regarding their problem-solving ability in the beginning, but their performance tends to be of no significant difference in a long run. These results match the empirical literature and offer a mechanistic, operationalized description of the collective leadership processes.
Effect of Acupuncture on Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Patients: A Single‐Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Chen Shu-Yuan , Yieh Feng-Shuen , Liao Wen-Ling , Li Tsai-Chung , Hsieh Ching-Liang
Published: April 2020

Glaucoma is characterized by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells that cause progressive optic neuropathy, finally resulting in changes to the optic nerve head. Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only method proven for treating glaucoma. Several studies have discovered that acupuncture can reduce IOP and also increase ocular perfusion and ocular blood flow. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of acupuncture on IOP in glaucoma patients. We conducted a single‐blinded, randomized, controlled trial involving 45 glaucoma patients. The results indicated that the difference between the IOP 60 min after the intervention and IOP immediately before the intervention was greater in the acupuncture group (AG) and electroacupuncture group (EG) than in the sham group (SG) for all four of the interventions performed and in both eyes (all p < 0.05). The IOP difference between immediately before the first intervention and after finishing the final intervention was also greater in the AG and EG than in the SG in both eyes (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, IOP was reduced at 60 min after acupuncture or electroacupuncture was performed at BL1 and EX‐HN7. Additionally, IOP was reduced after finishing four acupuncture or electroacupuncture sessions. Therefore, our results suggest that acupuncture and electroacupuncture are beneficial for lowering IOP in glaucoma patients. This trial is registered with NCT04157530.
The Role of MIF-173G/C Gene Polymorphism in the Susceptibility of Autoimmune Diseases
Authors: Du Xiangrong , Li Ruixia , Song Shoujun , Ma Lei , Xue Haibo
Published: April 2020

Some certain genetic polymorphisms have been considered to implicate in the pathogenesis and progression of autoimmune diseases and may predispose to an early stage of general autoimmune susceptibility. Recent studies have been conducted to investigate the association between macrophage migration inhibitory factor- (MIF-) 173G/C gene polymorphism and autoimmune diseases; however, the results were not exactly identical. In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies was performed to estimate the relationship. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Ebsco, EMbase, WanFang databases and CNKI was done. Odds ratio (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to pool the effect size. The publication bias was examined by Begg’s funnel plots and Egger’s test. RevMan 5.3 and STATA 12.0 software were used for statistical processing. 23 papers were included, and the results revealed that MIF-173G/C was significantly associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases in five genetic models (recessive genetic model: OR=1.95, 95% CI: 1.52-2.50; dominant genetic model: OR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.24-1.46; allele model: OR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.23-1.41; homozygote model: OR=1.92, 95% CI: 1.57-2.35; heterozygote model: OR=4.92, 95% CI: 4.03-6.02), whether in Asia, Europe, or North America. Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed an increasing risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), atopic dermatitis (AD), Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP), and Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN), but it was not related to the susceptibility of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Therefore, it could be considered that MIF-173G/C polymorphism could increase the susceptibility of autoimmune diseases, while there may be the discrepancy of disease entity.
Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase with BB-94 Protects against Caerulein-Induced Pancreatitis via Modulating Neutrophil and Macrophage Activation
Authors: Wu Zengkai , Mulatibieke Tunike , Niu Mengya , Li Bin , Dai Juanjuan , Ye Xin , He Yan , Chen Congying , Wen Li , Hu Guoyong
Published: April 2020

Background/Objective. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly MMP-9, attenuates leukocyte infiltration and pancreatic and distant organ damages in acute pancreatitis (AP). However, it is unclear whether MMPs mediate inflammatory cell activation. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhibition of MMPs on neutrophil and macrophage activation in caerulein-induced pancreatitis. Methods. AP was induced in Balb/C mice by ten hourly intraperitoneal injections of caerulein (100 μg/kg) and LPS (5 mg/kg). The MMP inhibitor, BB-94 (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered 30 min before AP induction. Pancreatitis was confirmed by histology and serum amylase and lipase. Expression of pancreatic proinflammatory mediators and NF-κB activation were assessed. Bone marrow-derived neutrophils (BMDNs) and macrophages (BMDMs) were isolated. BMDNs were activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 50 ng/ml) and neutrophil reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was recorded. BMDMs were stimulated with 10 ng/ml IFN-γ and 100 ng/ml LPS to induce M1 macrophage polarization. Results. Pancreatic MMP-9 was markedly upregulated and serum MMP-9 was increased in caerulein-induced pancreatitis. Inhibition of MMP with BB-94 ameliorated pancreatic tissue damage and decreased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-6) or chemokines (CCL2 and CXCL2) and NF-κB activation. Furthermore, using isolated BMDNs and BMDMs, we found that inhibition of MMP with BB-94 markedly decreased neutrophil ROS production, inhibited inflammatory macrophage polarization and NF-κB activation. Conclusions. Our results showed that inhibition of MMP with BB-94 protected against pancreatic inflammatory responses in caerulein-induced pancreatitis via modulating neutrophil and macrophage activation.
Identification and Analysis of Estrogen Receptor α Promoting Tamoxifen Resistance‐Related lncRNAs
Authors: Zhang Xiulei , Gao Shanjun , Li Zhen , Wang Wei , Liu Guangzhi
Published: April 2020

70‐75% breast cancer patients are estrogen receptor alpha positive (ERα+), and the antiestrogen drug tamoxifen has been used for the past three decades. However, in 20‐30% of these patients, tamoxifen therapy fails due to intrinsic or acquired resistance. A previous study has showed ERα signaling still exerts significant roles in the development of tamoxifen resistance and several lncRNAs have been demonstrated important roles in tamoxifen resistance. But ERα directly regulated and tamoxifen resistance related lncRNAs remain to be discovered. We reanalyze the published ERα chromatin immunoprecipitation‐seq (ChIP‐seq) and RNA‐seq data of tamoxifen‐sensitive (MCF‐7/WT) and tamoxifen‐resistant (MCF‐7/TamR) breast cancer cells. We demonstrate that there are differential ERα recruitment events and the differentials may alert the expression profile in MCF‐7/WT and MCF‐7/TamR cells. Furthermore, we make an overlap of the ERα binding lncRNAs and differentially expressed lncRNAs and get 49 ERα positively regulated lncRNAs. Among these lncRNAs, the expression levels of AC117383.1, AC144450.1, RP11‐15H20.6, and ATXN1‐AS1 are negatively correlated with the survival probability of breast cancer patients and ELOVL2‐AS1, PCOLCE‐AS1, ITGA9‐AS1, and FLNB‐AS1 are positively correlated. These lncRNAs may be potential diagnosis or prognosis markers of tamoxifen resistance.
Predicting Excavation-Induced Tunnel Response by Process-Based Modelling
Authors: Mu Linlong , Lin Jianhong , Shi Zhenhao , Kang Xingyu
Published: April 2020

Potential damages to existing tunnels represent a major concern for constructing deep excavations in urban areas. The uncertainty of subsurface conditions and the nonlinear interactions between multiple agents (e.g., soils, excavation support structures, and tunnel structures) make the prediction of the response of tunnel induced by adjacent excavations a rather difficult and complex task. This paper proposes an initiative to solve this problem by using process-based modelling, where information generated from the interaction processes between soils, structures, and excavation activities is utilized to gradually reduce uncertainty related to soil properties and to learn the interaction patterns through machine learning techniques. To illustrate such a concept, this paper presents a simple process-based model consisting of artificial neural network (ANN) module, inverse modelling module, and mechanistic module. The ANN module is trained to learn and recognize the patterns of the complex interactions between excavation deformations, its geometries and support structures, and soil properties. The inverse modelling module enables a gradual reduction of uncertainty associated with soil characterizations by accumulating field observations during the construction processes. Based on the inputs provided by the former two modules, the mechanistic module computes the response of tunnel. The effectiveness of the proposed process-based model is evaluated against high-fidelity numerical simulations and field measurements. These evaluations suggest that the strategy of combining artificial intelligence techniques with information generated during interaction processes can represent a promising approach to solve complex engineering problems in conventional industries.
Fibrinogen as a Prognostic Predictor in Pediatric Patients with Sepsis: A Database Study
Authors: Tang Xiaomeng , Shao Lujing , Dou Jiaying , Zhou Yiping , Chen Min , Cui Yun , Zhang Yucai , Wang Chunxia
Published: April 2020

Background. Systemic inflammatory response and vascular endothelial cell injury during sepsis lead to coagulopathy. Fibrinogen has been reported as a biomarker of coagulopathy; however, the prognostic value of fibrinogen remains undefined in pediatric patients with sepsis. The aim of this study was to assess fibrinogen level on pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission and to elucidate the relationship between fibrinogen levels and in-hospital mortality in children with sepsis. Methods. We conducted a database study. The sepsis database was divided into a training set (between July 2014 and June 2018) and a validation set (from July 2018 to June 2019). The clinical and laboratory parameters on PICU admission and in-hospital mortality in sepsis database were collected and analyzed. Results. A total of 819 pediatric patients were included from database as a training set. The overall hospital mortality was 12.1% (99/819). The fibrinogen levels were significantly lower in nonsurvivors than survivors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between fibrinogen, lactate level, and hospital mortality (fibrinogen: odds ratio (OR), 0.767 (95% CI: 0.628-0.937), P=0.009; lactate: OR, 1.346 (95% CI: 1.217-1.489), P<0.001, respectively), which was confirmed in a validation set (0.616 [95% CI: 0.457-0.829], P=0.001; 1.397 [95% CI: 1.245-1.569], P<0.001, respectively). The hospital mortality of patients with fibrinogen<1 g/L, 1-2 g/L, 2-3 g/L, or over 3 g/L displayed an obvious difference (62.5% vs. 27.66% vs. 18.1% vs. 4.2%, respectively). Furthermore, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for fibrinogen in predicting hospital mortality was 0.780 (95% CI: 0.711-0.850) in pediatric patients with sepsis. Conclusions. Fibrinogen is a valuable prognostic biomarker for pediatric sepsis. The level of fibrinogen lower than 2 g/L on PICU admission is closely related to the greater risk of hospital death in pediatric sepsis.
Autophagy Contributes to Host Immunity and Protection against Zika Virus Infection via Type I IFN Signaling
Authors: Huang Yuyi , Wang Yujie , Meng Shuhui , Chen Zhuohang , Kong Haifan , Pan Ting , Lu Gen , Li Xuefeng
Published: April 2020

Recent studies have indicated that the Zika virus (ZIKV) has a significant impact on the fetal brain, and autophagy is contributing to host immune response and defense against virus infection. Here, we demonstrate that ZIKV infection triggered increased LC3 punctuation in mouse monocyte-macrophage cell line (RAW264.7), mouse microglial cell line (BV2), and hindbrain tissues, proving the occurrence of autophagy both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, manual intervention of autophagy, like deficiency inhibited by 3-MA, can reduce viral clearance in RAW264.7 cells upon ZIKV infection. Besides, specific siRNA strategy confirmed that autophagy can be activated through Atg7-Atg5 and type I IFN signaling pathway upon ZIKV infection, while knocking down of Atg7 and Atg5 effectively decreased the ZIKV clearance in phagocytes. Furthermore, we analyzed that type I IFN signaling could contribute to autophagic clearance of invaded ZIKV in phagocytes. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that ZIKV-induced autophagy is favorable to activate host immunity, particularly through type I IFN signaling, which participates in host protection and defense against ZIKV infection.
De Novo Lipogenesis Alters the Phospholipidome of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Abbassi-Ghadi Nima , Antonowicz Stefan S. , McKenzie James S. , Kumar Sacheen , Huang Juzheng , Jones Emrys A. , Strittmatter Nicole , Petts Gemma , Kudo Hiromi , Court Stephen , Hoare Jonathan M. , Veselkov Kirill , Goldin Robert , Takáts Zoltán , Hanna George B.
Published: April 2020

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is rising, survival remains poor, and new tools to improve early diagnosis and precise treatment are needed. Cancer phospholipidomes quantified with mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) can support objective diagnosis in minutes using a routine frozen tissue section. However, whether MSI can objectively identify primary esophageal adenocarcinoma is currently unknown and represents a significant challenge, as this microenvironment is complex with phenotypically similar tissue-types. Here, we used desorption electrospray ionization-MSI (DESI-MSI) and bespoke chemometrics to assess the phospholipidomes of esophageal adenocarcinoma and relevant control tissues. Multivariate models derived from phospholipid profiles of 117 patients were highly discriminant for esophageal adenocarcinoma both in discovery (AUC = 0.97) and validation cohorts (AUC = 1). Among many other changes, esophageal adenocarcinoma samples were markedly enriched for polyunsaturated phosphatidylglycerols with longer acyl chains, with stepwise enrichment in premalignant tissues. Expression of fatty acid and glycerophospholipid synthesis genes was significantly upregulated, and characteristics of fatty acid acyls matched glycerophospholipid acyls. Mechanistically, silencing the carbon switch ACLY in esophageal adenocarcinoma cells shortened glycerophospholipid chains, linking de novo lipogenesis to the phospholipidome. Thus, DESI-MSI can objectively identify invasive esophageal adenocarcinoma from a number of premalignant tissues and unveils mechanisms of phospholipidomic reprogramming.

Significance:

These results call for accelerated diagnosis studies using DESI-MSI in the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy suite, as well as functional studies to determine how polyunsaturated phosphatidylglycerols contribute to esophageal carcinogenesis.
Prognostic Value of the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte, Platelet-Lymphocyte, and Monocyte-Lymphocyte Ratios in Male Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Huszno Joanna , Kołosza Zofia , Mrochem-Kwarciak Jolanta , Zajusz Aleksander
Published: April 2020

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) as prognostic factors in male breast cancer (BC) patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 38 male BC patients who were treated at the Institute of Oncology (Gliwice, Poland) between January 2005 and December 2018 was performed. The prognostic value (in terms of overall survival [OS]) of the pretreatment PLR, NLR, and MLR was assessed by univariate analysis. Results: We observed a tendency towards worse OS among male BC patients with lymph node metastases (N+) (5-year OS: 43.5 vs. 73.9%; p = 0.087), a greater tumor size (T4 vs. T1 + T2) (42.0 vs. 70.5%; p = 0.061), and a negative steroid receptor status (PR–) (28.6 vs. 65.6%; p = 0.109). Patients with a family history of cancer had significantly better 5-year OS than patients without a family history of cancer (86.3 vs. 35.0%; p = 0.001). Younger male BC patients (age ≤56 years) had better 5-year OS than patients >56 years of age (82.5 vs. 42.3%; p = 0.028). The 5-year OS was lower among patients with a lower lymphocyte value (≤1.82 × 103) (29.0 vs. 75.6%; p = 0.010). There was a tendency towards worse OS among patients with a higher platelet count (>281 × 103) (4.5-year OS: 16.7 vs. 65.8%; p = 0.056). The 5-year OS was insignificantly lower in the group with NLRs >2.74 than in the group with NLRs ≤2.74 (37.5 vs. 62.8%; p = 0.078). A worse OS rate was associated with an elevated PLR (>169.1) (22.2 vs. 70.1%; p = 0.008). Similarly, there was worse OS in the group with higher MLR (>0.30) (41.8 vs. 78.3%; p = 0.025). Conclusions: The present results reveal that elevated MLRs (>0.30) and PLRs (>169.1) are associated with poor OS among male BC patients. Similarly, but insignificantly, an elevated NLR (>2.74) affected OS.
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Retrospective Analysis of 104 Cases
Authors: Qi Chang , Zhang Jia-Tang , Zhao Wei , Xing Xiao-Wei , Yu Sheng-Yuan
Published: April 2020

Background: Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is an extremely rare fatal and infectious neurodegenerative brain disorder characterized by rapidly progressive dementia, cerebellar ataxia, and visual disturbances. This article summarizes the retrospective analysis of 104 sCJD patients in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2003 to 2019. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of the 104 patients diagnosed with sCJD was performed from the aspects of demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, electroencephalograms (EEGs), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and prion protein gene mutations. Results: In the 104 sCJD patients, pathological evidence of a spongiform change was found in 11 patients, while the remaining 93 patients were probable sCJD. The 104 patients included 57 males and 47 females, with the age of onset ranging from 29 to 82 (mean: 58, median: 60) years. The time from disease onset to death ranged from 1 to 36 months. Most of the patients died 7–12 months after the onset of sCJD. In most patients, rapidly progressive dementia appeared as the initial symptom, followed by cerebellar ataxia, visual disturbances, and neurobehavioral disorders. Most patients’ DWI images showed symmetric or asymmetric hyperintensity in the cortex. In terms of EEGs, 38.2% of the patients had periodic sharp wave complexes. The sensitivity of 14-3-3 protein detection was 34.1%. The brain PET scans of 50 patients with sCJD presented 96% sensitivity for the diagnosis of sCJD. Conclusions: This study indicated that sCJD occurred at an early age in patients in China. The sensitivity of 14-3-3 protein detection was significantly low, but brain PET was highly sensitive in the diagnosis of sCJD.