bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cucurbitacin B Exerts Antiaging Effects in Yeast by Regulating Autophagy and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Lin Yanfei , Kotakeyama Yuki , Li Jing , Pan Yanjun , Matsuura Akira , Ohya Yoshikazu , Yoshida Minoru , Xiang Lan , Qi Jianhua
Published: June 2019

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used as a model organism for the basic mechanism of aging, which provides useful assay systems for measuring both replicative and chronological lifespans. In the course of our screening program for substances that extend replicative lifespan, cucurbitacin B (CuB) was found as a hit compound from a compound library, which contains cerebrosides, phenols, sesquiterpenoid, triterpenoids, and sterols isolated from natural products by our research group. Importantly, it prolonged not only the replicative lifespan but also the chronological lifespan in yeast. CuB increased ATG32 gene expression, suggesting that CuB induces autophagy. Indeed, the GFP signal generated from the cleavage of GFP-Atg8, which is a signature of autophagy, was increased upon CuB treatment. On the other hand, CuB failed to increase the chronological lifespans when either ATG2 or ATG32, essential autophagy genes, was deleted, indicating that the lifespan extension by CuB depends on autophagy induction. Furthermore, CuB significantly increased superoxide dismutase (Sod) activity and the survival rate of yeast under oxidative stress, while it decreased the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production, indicating that CuB has activity to antagonize oxidative stress. Additionally, CuB did not affect replicative lifespans of sod1, sod2, uth1, and skn7 mutants with the K6001 background, indicating that aging-related genes including SOD1, SOD2, UTH1, and SKN7 participate in the antiaging effect of CuB. These results suggest that CuB exerts antiaging activity by regulating autophagy, ROS, antioxidative ability, and aging-related genes. Finally, we discuss the possible intracellular targets of CuB based on the phenotypic comparison between the CuB and global gene deletion databases.
Effect of Structure Parameters on Polycal Wire Rope Isolator Stiffness‐Damping Characteristics
Authors: Tu Shaowu , Lu Xiaofeng , Zhu Xiaolei
Published: June 2019

Wire rope isolators are mainly used to isolate vibration and protect precise equipment. However, the issue of regulation of vibration isolators taking into account the nonlinearity of their characteristics was poorly understood in the modern literature. In this paper, the influence of structural parameters (diameter ratio and lay pitch of the single strand, and lay pitch and bending radius of the wire rope) on stiffness‐damping characteristics of the Polycal WRI was investigated by the simplified finite element analysis method. The stiffness and damping prediction models including structural parameters and material properties were established. The results showed that the stiffness‐damping characteristics were the best; when the diameter ratio of wire strand was 1.1, the inside layer wire pitch length was 6 times the diameter of the wire strand, the outside layer wire pitch length was 11 times the diameter of the wire strand, the pitch length of the wire rope was 7.5 times its diameter, and the bending radius was equal to 46.5 mm. The errors of the prediction for prestiffness and softened stiffness were within 5%, and the errors of prediction for the energy dissipation coefficient were within 10%.
A Feasibility Study on the Use of Equine Chondrogenic Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Treatment for Natural Occurring Osteoarthritis in Dogs
Authors: Daems Robert , Van Hecke Lore , Schwarzkopf Ilona , Depuydt Eva , Broeckx Sarah Y. , David Michael , Beerts Charlotte , Vandekerckhove Peter , Spaas Jan H.
Published: June 2019

Conventional treatments of osteoarthritis (OA) reduce pain and the inflammatory response but do not repair the damaged cartilage. Xenogeneic peripheral blood-derived equine chondrogenically induced mesenchymal stem cells (ciMSC) could thus provide an interesting alternative. Six client-owned dogs with confirmed elbow OA were subjected to a baseline orthopedic examination, pressure plate analysis, general clinical examination, hematological analysis, synovial fluid sampling, and radiographic examination, and their owners completed two surveys. After all examinations, a 0.9% saline solution (placebo control product=CP) was administered intra-articularly. After 6 weeks, all examinations were repeated, owners again completed two surveys, and equine ciMSCs were administered in the same joint. After another 6 weeks, dogs were returned for a final follow-up. No serious adverse events or suspected adverse drug reactions were present during this study. No significant differences in blood analysis were noted between the CP and ciMSC treatment. Two adverse events were observed, both in the same dog, one after CP treatment and one after ciMSC treatment. The owner surveys revealed significantly less pain and lameness after ciMSC treatment compared to after CP treatment. There was no significant difference in the orthopedic examination parameters, the radiographic examination, synovial fluid sampling, and pressure plate analysis between CP treatment and ciMSC treatment. A single intra-articular administration of equine ciMSCs proved to be a well-tolerated treatment, which reduced lameness and pain according to the owner’s evaluations compared to a placebo treatment.
Prebiotic Effect of Lycopene and Dark Chocolate on Gut Microbiome with Systemic Changes in Liver Metabolism, Skeletal Muscles and Skin in Moderately Obese Persons
Authors: Wiese Maria , Bashmakov Yuriy , Chalyk Natalia , Nielsen Dennis Sandris , Krych Łukasz , Kot Witold , Klochkov Victor , Pristensky Dmitry , Bandaletova Tatyana , Chernyshova Marina , Kyle Nigel , Petyaev Ivan
Published: June 2019

Lycopene rich food and dark chocolate are among the best-documented products with a broad health benefit. This study explored the systemic effect of lycopene and dark chocolate (DC) on gut microbiota, blood, liver metabolism, skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation and skin. 30 volunteers were recruited for this trial, 15 women and 15 men with a mean age of 55 ± 5.7 years and with moderate obesity, 30 < BMI < 35 kg/m2. They were randomized and divided into five equal interventional groups: three received different formulations of lycopene, one of them with a 7 mg daily dose and two with 30 mg; another group was given 10 g of DC with 7 mg lycopene embedded into its matrix, and the last group received 10 g DC. The trial was double-blinded for the three lycopene groups and separately for the 2 DC groups; the trial lasted for 1 month. By the end of the trial there were dose-dependent changes in the gut microbiota profile in all three lycopene groups with an increase of relative abundance of, e.g.,Bifidobacterium adolescentisandBifidobacterium longum. This was also accompanied by dose-dependent changes in the blood, liver metabolism, skeletal muscle and skin parameters. Consumption of DC resulted in increased relative abundance of, e.g.,Lactobacillusand a reduction of corneocyte exfoliation. This is the first study which reports the prebiotic potential of lycopene and DC.
Gender-Specific Independent and Combined Effects of the Cortisol-to-Cortisone Ratio and 11-Deoxycortisol on Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: From the Henan Rural Cohort Study
Authors: Liu Xue , Jiang Jingjing , Liu Xiaotian , Luo Zhicheng , Wang Yan , Dong Xiaokang , Wei Dandan , Huo Wenqian , Yu Songcheng , Li Linlin , Jin Shuna , Wang Chongjian , Mao Zhenxing
Published: June 2019

Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate the independent and combined effects of the cortisol-to-cortisone ratio (F/E) and 11-deoxycortisol on prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among different genders. Methods. A case-control study was performed including 2676 participants from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to assess serum cortisol, cortisone, and 11-deoxycortisol. Conditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the associations between hormones and outcomes. Results. After adjusting for multiple variables, the negative associations of F/E and 11-dexyocortisol with T2DM were observed in females (T3 vs. T1: OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.39-0.80 for F/E; T3 vs. T1: OR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.27-0.73 for 11-dexyocortisol). However, only 11-dexyocortisol showed a negative association with prediabetes both in males and females. Compared with the combination of low F/E and 11-dexyocortisol, the combination of middle F/E and high 11-dexyocortisol was significantly associated with prediabetes (OR=0.29, 95% CI: 0.12-0.71) in males. Furthermore, the combination of high F/E and 11-dexyocortisol was associated with the lowest odds of prediabetes (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.21-0.73) and T2DM (OR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.12-0.52) in females. Conclusions. Serum F/E level was negatively associated with T2DM only in females whereas serum 11-deoxycortisol level was negatively associated with prediabetes in males and with prediabetes and T2DM in females. Additionally, their combination has a synergistic effect on T2DM.
Introduction to the Transverse-Momentum-Weighted Technique in the Twist-3 Collinear Factorization Approach
Authors: Xing Hongxi , Yoshida Shinsuke
Published: June 2019

The twist-3 collinear factorization framework has drawn much attention in recent decades as a successful approach in describing the data for single spin asymmetries (SSAs). Many SSAs data have been experimentally accumulated in a variety of energies since the first measurement was done in the late 1970s and it is expected that the future experiments like Electron-Ion-Collider will provide us with more data. In order to perform a consistent and precise description of the data taken in different kinematic regimes, the scale evolution of the collinear twist-3 functions and the perturbative higher-order hard part coefficients are mandatory. In this paper, we introduce the techniques for next-to-leading order (NLO) calculation of transverse-momentum-weighted SSAs, which can be served as a useful tool to derive the QCD evolution equation for twist-3 functions and to verify the QCD collinear factorization for twist-3 observables at NLO, as well as obtain the finite NLO hard part coefficients.
Red Cell Distribution Width and Platelet Count as Biomarkers of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients with Connective Tissue Disorders
Authors: Bellan Mattia , Giubertoni Ailia , Piccinino Cristina , Dimagli Arnaldo , Grimoldi Federico , Sguazzotti Maurizio , Burlone Michela Emma , Smirne Carlo , Sola Daniele , Marino Paolo , Pirisi Mario , Sainaghi Pier Paolo
Published: June 2019

Introduction/Objective. In the present paper, we aimed to test the value of the red cell distribution width (RDW) coefficient of variation as a candidate biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with connective tissue disorders (CTD), correlating it with the degree of cardiopulmonary impairment in these patients. Methods. The study population included N=141 patients with CTD and N=59 patients affected by pulmonary hypertension of other etiologies, all referred to the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic of the Cardiology Division of an Academic Hospital in Northern Italy for evaluation (including right catheterization). Clinical, instrumental, and laboratory data were collected and related to RDW and other full blood count indexes. Results. Twenty out of 141 CTD patients (14%) received a diagnosis of PAH. In comparison to those without PAH, CTD patients with PAH displayed a larger RDW (14.9% (13.5-17.2) vs. 13.8% (13.1-15.0); p=0.02) and a lower platelet count (205 177‐240×109/l vs. 244 197.5‐304.2×109/l; p=0.005). Moreover, with respect to CTD patients without PAH, RDW was significantly larger also in PH of other etiologies. In contrast, the platelet count was significantly lower only in CTD-related PAH, with a value>276×109/l being 100% sensitive in ruling out PAH. Finally, RDW, but not the platelet count, was related directly to systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (r=0.381; p=0.0008) and right ventricle diameter (r=0.283; p=0.015) and inversely to diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (r=−0.325; p=0.014). Conclusion. RDW is a promising candidate biomarker for the screening and the prognostic stratification of PAH in CTD patients.
In Vivo Pharmacological and Anti-inflammatory Evaluation of Xerophyte Plantago sempervirens Crantz
Authors: Farcaș Anca D. , Moț Augustin C. , Pârvu Alina E. , Toma Vlad Al. , Popa Mirel A. , Mihai Maria C. , Sevastre Bogdan , Roman Ioana , Vlase Laurian , Pârvu Marcel
Published: June 2019

Known for centuries throughout the world, Plantago species have long been used as traditional herbal remedies for many diseases related to inflammatory conditions of the skin, respiratory and digestive tract, or even malignancy. This study is aimed first at investigating the in vitro antioxidant and regenerative effects of Plantago sempervirens Crantz hydroalcoholic extract followed by an in vivo experiment using a turpentine oil-induced inflammation model. The in vitro evaluation for antioxidant activity was performed using classical assays such as DPPH and TEAC scavenging assays but also EPR, and the total phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The wound healing assay was performed on human cells (Human EA.hy926). Besides, the prooxidant activity was determined using a method which involves in situ free radical generation by laccase and the oxidation of haemoglobin. On turpentine oil-induced inflammation in rats, the in vivo effects of three doses of P. sempervirens extracts (100%, 50%, and 25%) were assessed by measuring oxidative stress (MDA, TOS, OSI, NO, CAT, and SOD) and inflammatory (CRP, WBC, and NEU) parameters. Having a rich polyphenolic content, the xerophyte P. sempervirens exhibited a strong in vitro antioxidant activity by scavenging radicals, enhancing cell regeneration, and reducing oxidative stress markers. Diluted P. sempervirens extract (25%) exhibited the best antioxidant, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory activity.
Potential Effect of SOX2 on the Cell Cycle of Wharton’s Jelly Stem Cells (WJSCs)
Authors: Świstowska Małgorzata , Gil-Kulik Paulina , Krzyżanowski Arkadiusz , Bielecki Tomasz , Czop Marcin , Kwaśniewska Anna , Kocki Janusz
Published: June 2019

The connective tissue of the umbilical cord contains stem cells called Wharton’s jelly cells. These cells express core transcription factors (NANOG, OCT4, and SOX2). The protein product of the SOX2 gene controls the cell cycle by interacting with cyclin D (directly and indirectly) and cycle inhibitors—p21 and p27, as well as two E2f3 protein isoforms. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of SOX2 on the cell cycle of stem cells of Wharton’s jelly. The material for the study was the stem cells of Wharton’s jelly isolated from 20 umbilical cords collected during childbirth. The stem cells collected were subjected to cytometric analysis, cell culture, and RNA isolation. cDNA was the starting material for the analysis of gene expression: SOX2, CCND1, CDK4, and CDKN1B. The studies indicate a high proliferative potential of the Wharton’s jelly stem cells and the inhibitory effect of SOX2 on the expression of the CCND1 and CDK4 gene.
Potential for Isolation of Immortalized Hepatocyte Cell Lines by Liver-DirectedIn VivoGene Delivery of Transposons in Mice
Authors: Sato Masahiro , Saitoh Issei , Inada Emi , Nakamura Shingo , Watanabe Satoshi
Published: June 2019

Isolation of hepatocytes and their culturein vitrorepresent important avenues to explore the function of such cells. However, these studies are often difficult to perform because of the inability of hepatocytes to proliferatein vitro. Immortalization of isolated hepatocytes is thus an important step toward continuousin vitroculture. For cellular immortalization, integration of relevant genes into the host chromosomes is a prerequisite. Transposons, which are mobile genetic elements, are known to facilitate integration of genes of interest (GOI) into chromosomesin vitroandin vivo. Here, we proposed that a combination of transposon- and liver-directed introduction of nucleic acids may confer acquisition of unlimited cellular proliferative potential on hepatocytes, enabling the possible isolation of immortalized hepatocyte cell lines, which has often failed using more traditional immortalization methods.
Overexpression of Ras-Related C3 Botulinum Toxin Substrate 2 Radiosensitizes Melanoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Hu Wentao , Zhu Lin , Pei Weiwei , Pan Shuxian , Guo Ziyang , Wu Anqing , Pei Hailong , Nie Jing , Li Bingyan , Furusawa Yoshiya , Konishi Teruaki , Hei Tom K. , Zhou Guangming
Published: June 2019

Radioresistance is the major obstacle in the radiotherapy of the malignant melanoma. Thus, it is of importance to increase the radiosensitivity of melanoma cells. In the present study, the radioresistant melanoma cell line OCM-1 with inducible overexpression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 was established based on a radiation-inducible early growth response gene (Egr-1) promoter. The effects of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 overexpression on the radiosensitivity of melanoma cells exposed to either X-rays or carbon ion beams were evaluated in cultured cells as well as xenograft tumor models. In addition, both reactive oxygen species yield and the NADPH oxidase activity were measured in the irradiated melanoma cells. It was found that the radiation-inducible overexpression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 sensitized the melanoma cells to both X-rays and carbon ion irradiation by enhancing the NADPH oxidase activity and the subsequent reactive oxygen species production. Besides, the overexpression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 enhanced the tumor-killing effect of radiotherapy in xenograft tumors significantly. The results of this study indicate that Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 is promising in increasing the radiosensitivity of melanoma cells, which provides experimental evidence and theoretical basis for clinical radiosensitization of the malignant melanoma.
Active Carbon Respiratory Masks as the Adsorbent of Toxic Gases in Ambient Air
Authors: Khayan Khayan , Anwar Taufik , Wardoyo Slamet , Lakshmi Puspita Widyana
Published: June 2019

The air quality that is increasingly carrying out pollution as a result of pollution by human activities is of concern to the world, both developed and developing countries. The impact of air pollution is unavoidable, especially for health. Several efforts have been made to suppress the occurrence of pollution starting from the control of sources, media, and protective efforts in human beings. Focusing on protective efforts, this study was carried out by designed respiratory masks capable of adsorbing toxic gases in ambient air by utilizing mask materials on the market with the addition of activated carbon; the study was carried out with an experimental approach. Testing distinguishes the ability of cotton, spunbond, meltblown, and activated carbon as a respiratory mask to absorb toxic gases such as COx, NOx, and SOx. Test statistics are using the ANOVA test with a confidence level of 95%,α= 5%. The results show that combining activated carbon, spunbond, and meltblown is more effective compared to respiratory masks made from spunbond and meltblown (surgical masks) in absorbing toxic gases.
High Level of Serum Tissue Kallikrein Is Associated with Favorable Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients
Authors: Wu Fei , Ling Yifeng , Yang Lumeng , Cheng Xin , Dong Qiang , Cao Wenjie
Published: June 2019

Background/Objectives. We sought to assess the association between a serum tissue kallikrein (TK) level and a 90-day outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who received acute reperfusion therapy. Methods. Consecutive AIS patients within 6 hours after stroke onset between December 2015 and August 2017 were prospectively recruited. Blood samples were collected before acute reperfusion therapy for serum TK measurement. Outcome was modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 90 days after stroke onset. Binary logistic regression was performed to analyze the association between the baseline TK level and the clinical outcome. Results. Between December 2015 and August 2017, 75 patients (age range from 33 to 91 years, 72.0% male) were recruited in this study. Higher baseline TK was independently associated with a favorable functional outcome (mRS 0-2) (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.02, p=0.047) and low mortality rate (odds ratio 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00, p=0.049) at 90 days. Increased TK level was associated with 90 d mRS (0-2) with area under the curve of 0.719 (95% CI 0.596-0.842; p=0.002). Conclusions. Serum TK can be a promising predictor of clinical outcome in AIS patients who received acute reperfusion therapy.
Numerical Simulation of the Performance of a Twin Scroll Radial Turbine at Different Operating Conditions
Authors: Cravero Carlo , De Domenico Davide , Ottonello Andrea
Published: June 2019

Twin scroll radial turbines are increasingly used for turbocharging applications, to take advantage of the pulsating exhaust gases. In spite of its relevance in turbocharging techniques, scientific literature about CFD applied to twin scroll turbines is limited, especially in case of partial admission. In the present paper a CFD complete model of a twin scroll radial turbine is developed in order to give a contribution to literature in understanding the capabilities of current industrial CFD approaches applied to these difficult cases and to develop performance index that can be used for turbine design optimization purposes. The flow solution is obtained by means of ANSYS CFX ® in a wide range of operating conditions in full and partial admission cases. The total-to-static efficiency and the mass flow parameter (MFP) have been calculated and compared with the experimental database in order to validate the numerical model. The purpose of the developed procedure is also to generate a database for twin scroll turbines useful for future applications. A comparison between performances obtained in different admission conditions was performed. In particular the analysis focused on the characterization of the flow at volute outlet/rotor inlet section. A flow distortion index at rotor inlet was introduced to correlate the turbine performance and the flow nonuniformities generated by the volute. Finally the influence of the backside cavity on the performance parameters is also discussed. The introduction of these new nonuniformity indices is proposed for volute design and optimization procedures.
Broken Lifshitz Invariance, Spin Waves, and Hydrodynamics
Authors: Roychowdhury Dibakar
Published: June 2019

In this paper, based on the basic principles of thermodynamics, we explore the hydrodynamic regime of interacting Lifshitz field theories in the presence of broken rotational invariance. We compute the entropy current and discover new dissipative effects which are consistent with the principle of local entropy production in the fluid. In our analysis, we consider both the parity even and the parity odd sector upto first order in the derivative expansion. Finally, we argue that the present construction of the paper could be systematically identified as that of the hydrodynamic description associated with spin waves (away from the domain of quantum criticality) under certain limiting conditions.
Evaluation of Corneal Higher-Order Aberrations by Scheimpflug–Placido Topography in Patients with Different Refractive Errors: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Anbar Mohamed , Mohamed Mostafa Engy , Elhawary Ashraf Mostafa , Awny Islam , Farouk Mahmoud Mohamed , Mounir Amr
Published: June 2019

Purpose. To report the characteristics of anterior and posterior corneal high-order aberrations in patients with different refractive errors.Setting. This study was conducted at Sohag Refractive Center, Sohag, Egypt.Design. This is a retrospective observational study.Methods. This study evaluated 750 patients (750 eyes) who were seeking refractive surgery. The eyes were stratified into five groups (150 eyes/group) based on refractive error: mild-to-moderate myopia, high myopia, hyperopia, simple myopic astigmatism, and simple hypermetropic astigmatism. All patients were subjected to comprehensive ophthalmological examination including corneal topography and corneal aberrometry using the Scheimpflug–Placido topography (Sirius, CSO, Italy).Results. Coma aberration was statistically significant when compared in all five groups (P=0.01). It was highest in the hypermetropia group (0.26 ± 0.12 μm) but lower in the moderate myopia, high myopia, myopic astigmatism, and hypermetropic astigmatism groups. Spherical aberration was lowest in the hypermetropia group and significantly different from that in the other groups. Trefoil was statistically insignificant when all groups were compared (P=0.062) but was highest in the myopic astigmatism group (0.24 ± 0.25 μm). Total RMS peaked in the hypermetropia group (0.99 ± 0.70).Conclusions. In normal corneas and regular refractive errors, the cornea-induced high-order aberration was minimal, and all types of refractive errors were associated with certain types of high-order aberrations, with a significant increase in spherical aberration in the hypermetropia group.
The Role of Single-Layered Flap in Temporal Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap Technique for Macular Holes: Pros and Cons
Authors: Takai Yasuyuki , Tanito Masaki , Sugihara Kazunobu , Ohira Akihiro
Published: June 2019

Purpose. To assess the safety and effectiveness of the single-layered inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique for treating chronic, large, or highly myopic macular holes (MHs). Methods. The medical records of 20 eyes of 20 consecutive Japanese patients with large MHs n=6 (minimal diameter, >400 μm), chronic MHs n=2 (symptom duration, >24 months), MHs in high myopia n=11 (axial length, >26 mm), and MHs in a patient unable to maintain prone positioning postoperatively n=1 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and the temporal inverted ILM flap technique. A semicircular ILM notch was made temporally two disc diameters from the MH using a 25-gauge knife, and the ILM was peeled temporally to create a semicircular ILM flap using a 25-gauge forceps. The single-layered ILM flap was inverted in a nasal direction to cover the MH. When an epiretinal membrane (ERM) was present, it was peeled before the ILM flap was inverted. Results. The MHs closed successfully in all (100%) eyes postoperatively. In the MHs associated with an ERM, after hole closure, gradual foveal deformation occurred in both the area from which the ILM was not peeled and the ILM flap inverted side. Conclusions. The single-layered inverted ILM flap technique, a simple surgery to treat MHs, provides scaffolding for retinal gliosis and may facilitate bridge formation between the walls of the MH under the flap. Considering the 100% success rate of MH closure, this technique seems to be effective and safe for treating chronic, large, or highly myopic MHs and MHs in patients unable to maintain postoperative prone positioning. In the MHs associated with ERMs, gradual foveal deformation was observed after ERM peeling. Further studies are needed to minimize surgical complications and understand the mechanism of this technique. This trial is registered with UMIN000035091.
Roles of the Phosphorylation of Transcriptional Factors in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Xu Rong , Won Jae-Yeon , Kim Chang-Hyeon , Kim Da-Eun , Yim Hyungshin
Published: June 2019

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the first step in the development of the invasive and migratory properties of cancer metastasis. Since the transcriptional reprogramming of a number of genes occurs in EMT, the regulation of EMT transcription factors has been intensively investigated. EMT transcriptional factors are commonly classified by the direct or indirect repression of E-cadherin because one of hallmarks of EMT is the loss of E-cadherin. This facilitates the expression of genes for EMT, tumor invasion, and metastasis. The posttranslational modification of EMT transcriptional factors, such as Snail and Slug, directly regulates their functions, including their stability, nuclear localization, protein-protein interaction, and ubiquitination for the promotion or termination of EMT at the specific points. Here, we discuss how posttranslational modifications regulate gene expression in a dynamic and reversible manner by modifying upstream signaling pathways, focusing in particular on the posttranslational modifications of Snail, Slug, ZEB1, ZEB2, and TWIST1. This review demonstrates that EMT transcription factors regulate metastasis through their posttranslational modifications and that the flexibility and reversibility of EMT can be modified by phosphorylation.
Screening of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Patients with Epilepsy: Using a Valid and Reliable Indonesian Version of Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
Authors: Budikayanti Astri , Larasari Andira , Malik Khamelia , Syeban Zakiah , Indrawati Luh Ari , Octaviana Fitri
Published: June 2019

Introduction. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common types of anxiety disorder in epilepsy population, comprising 21.9%, that would further impair patients’ quality of life. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is the only screening tool for GAD that has been validated in patients with epilepsy (PWE). It is a self-reporting instrument that can be completed in less than three minutes; hence, its usage is appropriate in primary healthcare and neurology outpatient clinic. This study aimed to obtain a valid and reliable Indonesian version of GAD-7, assess its accuracy, and finally evaluate the prevalence of GAD in Indonesian PWE along with its contributing factors. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta. The GAD-7 was translated and adapted using World Health Organization (WHO) steps. Validity, reliability, test-retest reliability, and diagnostic accuracy were evaluated. Then, epilepsy outpatients were screened for GAD using the Indonesian version of GAD-7. Results. Internal validity and reliability for Indonesian version of GAD-7 were satisfactory with validity coefficient of 0.648 to 0.800 (p<0.01) and Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.867. The best cutoff value to detect GAD in Indonesian PWE was >6 with the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of 100%, 84.4%, 100%, and 55.8%, respectively. ROC analysis showed the area under the curve of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96–0.99). The total subjects screened with the validated Indonesian version of GAD-7 were 146, and 49% were screened as having GAD. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics had no statistically significant association with the presence of GAD. Conclusion. The Indonesian version of GAD-7 was a valuable screening tool to detect GAD in PWE. GAD was screened in a quite high proportion of PWE. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were not proven to play role in its development.
Classification and Localization of Mixed Sources after Blind Calibration of Unknown Mutual Coupling
Authors: Wang Kai , Wang Ling , Xie Jian , Wang Yuexian
Published: June 2019

In order to deal with the problem of passive mixed source localization under unknown mutual coupling, the authors propose an effective algorithm. This algorithm provides array blind calibration as well as classification and localization of mixed sources in this paper. In practice, an ideal sensor array without the effects of unknown mutual coupling is rarely satisfied, which degrades the performance of most high-resolution algorithms. Firstly, the directions of arrival of far-field sources and the number of nonzero mutual coupling coefficients are estimated directly through the rank-reduction type method. Then, these estimates are adopted to reconstruct the mutual coupling matrix. In addition, the fourth-order cumulant technique is required to eliminate the Gauss colored noise effects caused by mutual coupling calibration of the raw received data vector. Finally, in an algebraic way, the results of rapid classification and localization of near-field sources are obtained without any spectral search. The proposed algorithm is described in detail, and its behavior is illustrated by numerical examples.
Sequential Changes in Brain Glutamate and Adenosine A1 Receptors May Explain Severity of Adolescent Alcohol Withdrawal after Consumption of High Levels of Alcohol
Authors: Bolewska Patrycja , Martin Bryan I. , Orlando Krystal A. , Rhoads Dennis E.
Published: June 2019

There is an excellent correlation between the age when alcohol consumption begins and the likelihood of lifelong problems with alcohol abuse. Alcohol use often begins in adolescence, a time marked by brain development and maturation of numerous brain systems. Rats are an important model, wherein the emergence of alcohol withdrawal symptoms serves as a gauge of dependency following chronic alcohol consumption. Previous work has shown that adolescent Long-Evans rats consume high levels of alcohol and develop a severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome when fed alcohol as part of a liquid diet. Acutely, alcohol inhibits two important excitatory receptors for glutamate (NMDA and AMPA) and may further decrease glutamate activity through modulatory adenosine receptors. The present study focuses on potential adaptive changes in expression of these receptors that may create a receptor imbalance during chronic alcohol consumption and lead to severe overexcitation of the adolescent brain during alcohol withdrawal. Levels of brain expression of NMDA, AMPA, and adenosine A1 and A2a receptors were determined by Western blotting after adolescent rats consumed an alcohol-containing liquid diet for 4, 11, or 18 days. Severity of alcohol withdrawal was also assessed at these time points. Levels increased for both AMPA and NMDA receptors, significant and approaching maximal by day 11. In contrast, A1 receptor density showed a slow decline reaching significance at 18 days. There were no changes in expression of adenosine A2a receptor. The most severe withdrawal symptoms appear to coincide with the later downregulation of adenosine A1 receptors coming on top of maximal upregulation of excitatory AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors. Thus, loss of adenosine “brakes” on glutamate excitation may punctuate receptor imbalance in alcohol-consuming adolescents by allowing the upregulation of the excitatory receptors to have full impact during early alcohol withdrawal.
Emerging Fungal Infections in the Era of Antibiotic Stewardship
Authors: Truong Justina , Vertees Raquel , Dietrich Tyson , Maguire-Rodriguez Jeffrey , Ashurst John
Published: June 2019

Pneumonia is one of the most common causes of infection seen worldwide and still remains one of the most common causes of mortality despite significant advancements in medicine. With the increase in immunosuppression and antimicrobial usage, emerging infectious agents have been isolated in patients with pneumonia. The authors present a case in which Nonomuraea solani, Candida glabrata, and Candida dubliniensis were isolated from a bronchoalveolar lavage from an immunosuppressed patient with pneumonia.
Design of Programmable LED Based Phototherapy System
Authors: Kohli Himani , Srivastava Sangeeta , Sharma Sanjeev Kumar , Chouhan Satish , Oza Manan
Published: June 2019

Light based systems are frequently used in the field of medicine for diagnostic and surgical procedures, medical photography, phototherapy, etc. Phototherapy involves the use of light energy for the treatment of physical or mental illnesses. Illumination parameters such as wavelength and dose of therapy can be varied to have distinct effects on cells and tissues. This has necessitated the need to design a system which is programmable for various parameters related to therapy and can also be used by people at large for biomedical applications. The paper presents the design and implementation of a portable, hand-held and programmable Light Emitting Diode (LED) based phototherapy system using embedded technology. The system is designed around the ARM based TM4C123GH6PM microcontroller processor. The microcontroller has been programmed to allow for selection of various parameters such as frequency, duty cycle, and time of exposure. The matrix keypad interface and liquid crystal display (LCD) offer the ease of human interface. An LED driver circuit has been efficiently designed to modulate the output power of LED. Further, Super Bright LED (SLED) of wavelength ~633 nm has been successfully tested and results of optical characterization including spectral and spatial response have been presented in the results section. The designed system successfully achieves the programmable parameters required for dose optimisation required for enhancing the therapeutic effects of a phototherapy system.
The Association between the Pulmonary Arterial Obstruction Index and Atrial Size in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Faghihi Langroudi Taraneh , Sheikh Maryam , Naderian Mohammadreza , Sanei Taheri Morteza , Ashraf-ganjouei Amir , Khaheshi Isa
Published: June 2019

Purpose. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially fatal form of venous thromboembolism. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the pulmonary arterial obstruction index and atrial size in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Basic Procedure. The study consisted of 86 patients with clinical symptoms of PE. Out of 86 individuals, 50 patients were diagnosed with PE and considered as the patient group. The others were considered as the control group. All patients were scanned by a multidetector CT scanner. Using the radiology workstation, an expert radiologist calculated the left atrium (LA) and right atrium (RA) areas from planimetric measurements obtained from free-hand delineation of the atrial boarders using an electronic pen. Quantitative volumetric measurements of LA and RA were obtained from original axial images. Main Findings. There were 25 males and 25 females with PE, who had a mean age of 58 years. There was not a significant difference in the positive history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, ischemic heart disease, and smoking between patients and control group. There was a significant negative correlation between almost all LA measurements and the PAOI. RA area and volume had the highest area under the curves for recognizing larger clot burden. Principal Conclusions. A higher clot load is associated with a smaller LA size and increased RA/LA ratios, measured with CTPA. Atrial measurements are correlated with POAI, and they could be used as sensitive parameters in predicting heart failure in patients with PE.
Delving into Android Malware Families with a Novel Neural Projection Method
Authors: Vega Vega Rafael , Quintián Héctor , Cambra Carlos , Basurto Nuño , Herrero Álvaro , Calvo-Rolle José Luis
Published: June 2019

Present research proposes the application of unsupervised and supervised machine‐learning techniques to characterize Android malware families. More precisely, a novel unsupervised neural‐projection method for dimensionality‐reduction, namely, Beta Hebbian Learning (BHL), is applied to visually analyze such malware. Additionally, well‐known supervised Decision Trees (DTs) are also applied for the first time in order to improve characterization of such families and compare the original features that are identified as the most important ones. The proposed techniques are validated when facing real‐life Android malware data by means of the well‐known and publicly available Malgenome dataset. Obtained results support the proposed approach, confirming the validity of BHL and DTs to gain deep knowledge on Android malware.
Application of Herbal Medicines with Heat-Clearing Property to Anti-Microinflammation in the Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Guo Jing , Gao Yabin , Wang Yaoxian , Liu Wei Jing , Zhou Jingwei , Wang Zhen
Published: June 2019

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a global pandemic, and microinflammation has been reported as an important pathogenic factor of DKD. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used in the treatment of DKD for thousands of years, and modern Chinese medicine studies have found that herbal medicines with heat-clearing property have a curative anti-inflammation effect in DKD. This article reviews the new clinical and experimental progress made in herbal medicines with heat-clearing property, in the treatment of DKD, as well as their safety aspects.
Adsorptive Removal of Iron Using SiO2 Nanoparticles Extracted from Rice Husk Ash
Authors: Nguyen Tan Tai , Ma Hoa Thai , Avti Pramod , Bashir Mohammed J. K. , Ng Choon Aun , Wong Ling Yong , Jun Hieng Kiat , Ngo Quang Minh , Tran Ngoc Quyen
Published: June 2019

In this work, SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel method after sodium silicate was extracted from rice husk ash (RHA) under various experimental conditions such as types of acids, NaOH concentration, dissolved time, and temperature and used for removal of Fe2+ ions from aqueous solutions. The extracted SiO2 was morphologically and chemically characterized and showed a surface area of 78 m2/g and uniform pores of 2.71 nm, offering high adsorption capacity for Fe2+ ions. The influence of pH, contact time, and amount of adsorbent was studied in order to establish the best conditions for the Fe2+ adsorption and removal. Furthermore, the adsorption data were fitted with an exponential shape curve for all the three variable parameters that affect the adsorption process. The best results were obtained for pH 5, 20 min contact time, and 0.5 g adsorbent dose. The loading adsorption capacity was 9 mg of Fe2+ ions/g SiO2 in the concentration range 0.1–1.0 mgL−1. In addition, the synthesized SiO2 with the size of around 50 nm can be used for specific heavy metal removal and drug delivery, after modification of the SiO2 surface with various functional groups.
Hybrid Unsupervised Exploratory Plots: A Case Study of Analysing Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Herrero Álvaro , Jiménez Alfredo , Bayraktar Secil
Published: June 2019

The curse of dimensionality has been an open issue for many years and still is, as finding nonobvious and previously unknown patterns in ever‐increasing amounts of high‐dimensional data is not an easy task. Advancing in descriptive data analysis, the present paper proposes Hybrid Unsupervised Exploratory Plots (HUEPs) as a new visualization technique to combine the outputs of Exploratory Projection Pursuit and Clustering methods in a novel and informative way. As a case study, HUEPs are validated in a real‐world context for analysing the internationalization strategy of companies, by taking into account bilateral distance between home and host countries. As a multifaceted concept, distance encompasses multiple dimensions. Together with data from both the countries and the companies, various psychic distances are analysed by means of HUEPs, to gain deep knowledge of the internationalization strategy of large Spanish companies. Informative visualizations are obtained from the analysed dataset, leading to useful business implications and decision making.
Well-Designed Termination Wall of Perfectly Matched Layers for ATS-FDTD Method
Authors: Ge Ju , Gao Liping , Shi Rengang
Published: June 2019

This paper presents a well-designed termination wall for the perfectly matched layers (PML). This termination wall is derived from Mur’s absorbing boundary condition (ABC) with special difference schemes. Numerical experiments illustrate that PML and the termination wall works well with ATS-FDTD(Shi et al. 2015). With the help of termination wall, perfectly matched layers can be decreased to two layers only; meanwhile, the reflection error still reaches -60[dB] when complex waveguide is simulated by ATS-FDTD.
Human Liver-Derived Stem Cells Improve Fibrosis and Inflammation Associated with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Bruno Stefania , Herrera Sanchez Maria Beatriz , Pasquino Chiara , Tapparo Marta , Cedrino Massimo , Tetta Ciro , Camussi Giovanni
Published: June 2019

Cell therapy may be regarded as a feasible alternative to whole organ transplantation to treat end-stage liver diseases. Human liver stem cells (HLSCs) are a population of cells easily obtainable and expandable from a human adult liver biopsy. HLSCs share with mesenchymal stromal cells the same phenotype, gene expression profile, and differentiation capabilities. In addition, HLSCs show a specific commitment to the hepatic phenotype. Injection of HLSCs into immunodeficient mice fed with a methionine-choline-deficient diet to induce nonalcoholic steatohepatitis ameliorates liver function and morphology. In particular, HLSC treatment induced a reduction of liver fibrosis and inflammation at morphological and molecular levels. Moreover, HLSCs were able to persist for up to 3 weeks after the injection. In conclusion, HLSCs have healing effects in a model of chronic liver disease.
High Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Viral Load and Coinfection with Viral Hepatitis Are Associated with Liver Enzyme Abnormalities among HIV Seropositive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in the Lake Victoria Zone, Tanzania
Authors: Iddi Shabani , Minja Caroline A. , Silago Vitus , Benjamin Asteria , Mpesha Jastine , Henerico Shimba , Kidenya Benson R. , Mshana Stephen E. , Mirambo Mariam M.
Published: June 2019

Background. Liver enzymes abnormalities have been found to be common among patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART). Apart from the effects of ART on these changes, other factors that can potentially contribute to the abnormal levels of these enzymes have been found to vary in different geographical locations. This study investigated factors associated with liver enzymes abnormalities among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals on ART from the Lake Victoria zone, Tanzania. Methods. A cross-sectional study involving a total of 230 sera from HIV seropositive patients from different regions of the Lake Victoria zone was carried out in July 2017. All samples with required variables/parameters such as age, sex, ART regimen, and residence were serially included in the study. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) detection and liver enzymes assays (alanine transaminase (ALAT) and aspartate transaminase (ASAT)) were assessed following the standard procedures. Data were analyzed by using STATA version 13. Results. The median age of the study participants was 38 (interquartile range [IQR]:30-48) years. The overall prevalence of abnormal liver enzymes was 43.04% (99/230, 95% CI: 36.6-49.3). A total of 26.09% (60/230) had elevated ASAT while 23.9% (55/230) patients had elevated ALAT levels. ASAT levels were significantly high among patients with high HIV viral load (P= 0.002) while ALAT levels were significantly high among those coinfected with hepatitis C virus (P=0.017) and hepatitis B virus (P<0.001). Conclusion. A significant proportion of HIV seropositive individuals on ART have abnormal levels of liver enzymes, which is significantly associated with high HIV viral load and viral hepatitis. This calls for the need to emphasize screening of viral hepatitis and provision of appropriate management among HIV seropositive individuals in this setting.