bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcatheter Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect with Aneurysm: Radiologic Characteristic and Interventional Strategy
Authors: Guo Weibing , Li Yifan , Yu Jinjin , Li Junjie , Sun Ling , Shi Jijun , Wang Shushui , Chen Hong , Zhang Zhiwei
Published: December 2020

Objectives. We aimed to explore the radiologic characteristics and interventional strategies for perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) with aneurysm. Methods. 257 patients who underwent transcatheter closure of pmVSD with aneurysm were included in our study. We retrospectively reviewed the left ventricular opening of the aneurysm (a), diameter of the midsegment of the aneurysm (b), and diameter of the right ventricular opening of the aneurysm (c). If there were multiple defects within the aneurysm, the largest defect was denoted as c1 and so forth. We developed a novel VSD classification method in which pmVSD with aneurysm was classified into three types (A, B, and C). When a >b ≥ c, it was classified as type A, when b > a ≥ c, it was type B, and when c > a ≥ b, it was type C; c/c1 described the relationship among defects. Results. All of the 257 cases of pmVSD with aneurysm were defined using left ventriculography: type A, 60, type B, 58, and type C, 139. Transcatheter closure was attempted in 244 patients and succeeded in 227 cases (success rate was 93.0%; 227/244). Forty symmetric VSD occluders and 13 asymmetric VSD occluders were used for type A aneurysm occlusion; 31 symmetric VSD occluders, 19 asymmetric VSD occluders, and one Amplatzer duct occluder II (ADOII) were used for type B; 59 VSD symmetric occluders, 59 asymmetric VSD occluders, three eccentric VSD occluders, and two ADOII were used for type C. Within 24 hours after procedure, 2.2% patients had postprocedural residual shunt, and 2.2% experienced malignant arrhythmia (including type II second-degree AVB, cAVB, and CLBBB). Two hundred and twelve patients completed follow-up (93%, 212/227). No new severe complications were reported during follow-up, except in one patient who underwent surgery (removal of the device, VSD repair, and tricuspid valvuloplasty) due to severe postprocedural tricuspid regurgitation. Conclusions. It is safe and effective to apply this method for the classification of pmVSD with aneurysm and its interventional strategy.
Room‐Temperature Polyol Synthesis of Ag/SiO2 Nanocomposite as a Catalyst for 4‐Nitrophenol Reduction
Authors: Nguyen Canh Minh Thang , Nguyen Vinh Tien
Published: December 2020

We prepared silver nanoparticles (AgNP) embedded in SiO2 using a green polyol approach by conducting the synthesis at ambient temperature and pH. Glycerol solutions of SiO2 and silver nitrate were stirred overnight at room temperature. UV‐vis spectra and TEM images of the reaction dispersion and XRD patterns of the centrifuged solid confirmed formation of AgNP (6 ± 2 nm) were embedded in SiO2. AAS showed that, about 50% of initial silver was deposited on SiO2. The presence of SiO2 enhanced the formation of AgNP and the stability of Ag/SiO2 in glycerol. The reason for these findings was probably the ultrasonic‐probe dispersion of SiO2 in glycerol, which caused chemical interactions between glycerol and SiO2. Compared to bare AgNP, the AgNP/SiO2 demonstrated higher catalytic activity toward 4‐nitrophenol reduction by NaBH4. The highest apparent rate constant was approximately 1.1 ∗ 10−4 s−1, comparable with Ag/SiO2 catalysts prepared using other methods. This study proposes a greener polyol method to synthesize SiO2‐supported AgNP catalyst that does not require heating or regulating pH of the reaction mixture. This nanocomposite can be used in catalytic, antimicrobial, sensing, and other applications that are using AgNP/SiO2 synthesized by conventional methods.
Can I Trust You? Estimation Models for e-Bikers Stop-Go Decision before Amber Light at Urban Intersection
Authors: Cai Jing , Zhao Jianyou , Xiang Yusheng , Liu Jing , Chen Gang , Hu Yueqi , Chen Jianhua
Published: December 2020

Electric bike (e-bike) riders’ inappropriate go-decision, yellow-light running (YLR), could lead to accidents at intersection during the signal change interval. Given the high YLR rate and casualties in accidents, this paper aims to investigate the factors influencing the e-bikers’ go-decision of running against the amber signal. Based on 297 cases who made stop-go decisions in the signal change interval, two analytical models, namely, a base logit model and a random parameter logit model, were established to estimate the effects of contributing factors associated with e-bikers’ YLR behaviours. Besides the well-known factors, we recommend adding approaching speed, critical crossing distance, and the number of acceleration rate changes as predictor factors for e-bikers’ YLR behaviours. The results illustrate that the e-bikers’ operational characteristics (i.e., approaching speed, critical crossing distance, and the number of acceleration rate change) and individuals’ characteristics (i.e., gender and age) are significant predictors for their YLR behaviours. Moreover, taking effects of unobserved heterogeneities associated with e-bikers into consideration, the proposed random parameter logit model outperforms the base logit model to predict e-bikers’ YLR behaviours. Providing remarkable perspectives on understanding e-bikers’ YLR behaviours, the predicting probability of e-bikers’ YLR violation could improve traffic safety under mixed traffic and fully autonomous driving condition in the future.
The Optimization of a Virtual Dual Production-Inventory System under Dynamic Supply Disruption Risk
Authors: Chen Yu , Liu Liyuan , Shi Victor , Zhang Yibin , Zhu Jing
Published: December 2020

Major events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic Games, and G20 Summit bring about supplier disruption risks and challenges to supply chain management. To help deal with these risks, a virtual dual-sourcing production-inventory system can be deployed. In this paper, we study such a system which consists of a raw material supplier, a manufacturer, and a virtual dual-sourcing contingency supplier. The manufacturer needs to determine the production, procurement, and inventory plan of raw materials. When its supplier is interrupted, the manufacturer may need to adjust the production and inventory plan and work with the contingency supplier. We develop a system dynamics method to simulate the operations in this production-inventory system to identify the approximately optimal order-up-to-level inventory policies. We find that the virtual dual production-inventory strategy can be the optimal contingency policy to deal with supplier dynamic disruption risks. Furthermore, for disruption risk with low frequency and long duration, the manufacturer should increase the safety inventory level before the disruption. Otherwise, it should increase the safety inventory level in every cycle.
Comparison of Advanced Threshold and SITA Fast Perimetric Strategies
Authors: Sikorski Bartosz L. , Laudencka Adriana
Published: December 2020

Purpose. To compare the results obtained with two threshold strategies of visual field assessment: Humphrey SITA Fast (SFA) (Carl Zeiss Meditec) and PTS 2000 Advanced Threshold (ADV) (Optopol Technology) in healthy subjects and patients with glaucoma. Methods. The study sample comprised of 53 healthy volunteers and 69 patients with glaucoma. One eye of each patient was examined with the SFA and ADV strategies. The quantitative comparisons of test duration and global indices were made using correlation coefficients. The sensitivity and specificity of the algorithms were evaluated based on the GHT results and the adjusted Anderson–Patella (A&P) criteria. Results. The ADV test duration was shorter both in healthy subjects (by 5%) and patients with glaucoma (by 18%). The mean differences in MS values between the SFA and the ADV strategies were 1.06 ± 1.13 dB (MSSFA-MSADV) in healthy subjects and 1.00 ± 1.92 dB (MSSFA-MSADV) in patients with glaucoma. The MD index of ADV tests was lower than the SFA in the healthy (−0.74 ± 1.09 dB) (MSSFA-MSADV) and glaucoma group (−0.85 ± 2.19 dB) (MSSFA-MSADV). The mean differences in PSD values determined using both methods were −0.86 ± 0.67 dB (PSDSFA-PSDADV) and −0.53 ± 1.48 dB (PSDSFA-PSDADV) in healthy subjects and patients with glaucoma, respectively. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves built from MD and PSD indices show bigger area under curve in SFA than in ADV (0.983 vs.0.968 and 0.986 vs. 0.938, respectively). The GHT-based sensitivity and specificity for the ADV strategy were 92.75% and 77.36%, respectively, as compared to 92.75% and 90.57%, respectively, for the SFA strategy. Conclusions. Both SFA and ADV enable effective identification of glaucomatous defects within 5 minutes. The ADV strategy, however, is significantly faster. The correlation between the global indices of SFA and ADV is very high. Both strategies offer very high sensitivity when using both GHT and A&P criteria.
Combined Constrained Robust Least Squares Approach and Block-Pulse Functions Technique for Tracking Control Synthesis of Uncertain Bilinear Systems with Multiple Time-Delayed States under Bounded Input Control
Authors: Iben Warrad Bassem , Bouafoura Mohamed Karim , Benhadj Braiek Naceur
Published: December 2020

The present study tackles the tracking control problem for unstructured uncertain bilinear systems with multiple time-delayed states subject to control input constraints. First, a new method is introduced to design memory state feedback controllers with compensator gain based on the use of operational properties of block-pulse functions basis. The proposed technique permits transformation of the posed control problem into a constrained and robust optimization problem. The constrained robust least squares approach is then used for determination of the control gains. Second, new sufficient conditions are proposed for the practical stability analysis of the closed-loop system, where a domain of attraction is estimated. A real-world example, the headbox control of a paper machine, demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed method.
Pseudorandom Number Generator Based on Three Kinds of Four-Wing Memristive Hyperchaotic System and Its Application in Image Encryption
Authors: Chen Xi , Qian Shuai , Yu Fei , Zhang Zinan , Shen Hui , Huang Yuanyuan , Cai Shuo , Deng Zelin , Li Yi , Du Sichun
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we propose a method to design the pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) using three kinds of four-wing memristive hyperchaotic systems (FWMHSs) with different dimensions as multientropy sources. The principle of this method is to obtain pseudorandom numbers with good randomness by coupling XOR operation on the three kinds of FWMHSs with different dimensions. In order to prove its potential application in secure communication, the security of PRNG based on this scheme is analyzed from the perspective of cryptography. In addition, PRNG has passed the NIST 800.22 and ENT test, which shows that PRNG has good statistical characteristics. Finally, an image encryption algorithm based on PRNG is adopted. In the encryption algorithm, the optimized Arnold matrix scrambling method and the diffusion processing based on XOR are used to obtain the final encrypted image. Through the evaluation of encryption performance, it is concluded that there is no direct relationship between the pristine image and encrypted image. The results show that the proposed image encryption scheme has good statistical output characteristics and security performance in line with cryptography.
Delayed Onset Postoperative Spinal Epidural Hematoma after Lumbar Spinal Surgery: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Wang Longjie , Wang Hui , Zeng Yan , Zhong Woquan , Chen Zhongqiang , Li Weishi
Published: December 2020

Background. Posterior spinal epidural haematoma (PSEH) often develops within 24 hours after surgery. On rare occasions, PSEH occurs after 3 days and up to two weeks and is classified as delayed‐onset PSEH. Due to its rarity, previous studies have only described the clinical features, whereas risk factors have not been assessed. Methods. Patients who developed PSEH requiring haematoma evacuation between December 2013 and January 2020 were included and divided into the early‐onset (group A) and delayed‐onset (group B) groups based on the time of symptom onset (>72 hours). For each PSEH patient, 3 controls (group C) who did not develop PSEH in the same period were randomly selected. Clinical features were compared among the three groups, and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for groups A and B. Results. Thirty‐two patients (0.35%) were identified as having early‐onset PSEH (occurring at 10.68 ± 11.5 h), and 15 (0.16%) patients had delayed‐onset PSEH (occurring at 130.60 ± 61.78 h). When comparing groups A and B, group A showed a higher rate of multilevel procedures, lower drainage, lower APTT, and higher JOA score at discharge. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified multilevel procedures (OR: 5.62, 95% CI: 1.84‐17.25), postoperative systolic blood pressure (SBP) (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06‐1.15), and abnormal coagulation (OR: 5.68, 95% CI: 1.74‐18.52) as independent risk factors for group A, whereas postoperative SBP (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04‐1.16) and previous spinal surgery (OR: 4.74, 95% CI: 1.09‐20.70) at the same level were risk factors for group B. Conclusions. Our study revealed that the overall incidence of delayed‐onset PSEH was 0.16% in posterior lumbar spinal surgery and that its risk was different from that of early‐onset PSEH. If patients with such risk factors develop neurological deficits 3 days after initial surgery, surgeons should be aware of the possibility of delayed‐onset PSEH.
Nonlinear Disturbance Observer-Based Sliding Mode Control for the PMSM with Matched and Mismatched Disturbances
Authors: Fang Yao , Kong Huifang , Liu Tiankuo
Published: December 2020

High-efficiency permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is a key technology to improve the driving range of batteries in electric vehicles, while the mismatched disturbance that is caused by external disturbances and parameter perturbation may easily result in speed fluctuations and overshoot of the PMSM, which further deteriorate the performance and efficiency of batteries. To solve the problem, a novel nonlinear disturbance observer-based sliding mode control (NDO-SMC) is proposed. Compared with the traditional SMC method, the NDO-SMC scheme has better disturbance rejection ability in the presence of matched and mismatched uncertainties and disturbances by introducing the estimation value of the nonlinear disturbance observer in the sliding surface. Furthermore, owing to the compensation of the disturbance observer, the switching gain is only required to be greater than the bound of the disturbance estimation error rather than that of the disturbance; thus, the chattering problem is substantially alleviated. A rigorous stability proof of the whole closed-loop system is given in detail using Lyapunov theory by designing an appropriate Lyapunov function. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and superiority of the proposed NDO-SMC strategy.
Analysis of a New Hidden Attractor Coupled Chaotic System and Application of Its Weak Signal Detection
Authors: Luo Wenhui , Ou Qingli , Yu Fei , Cui Li , Jin Jie
Published: December 2020

In order to improve the complexity of the chaotic system and the accuracy of the weak signal detection, this paper propose a new hidden attractor coupled chaotic system and a corresponding weak signal detection system, which can be used to obtain the phase diagram of the proposed system using the fourth order of the Runge-Kutta method. The dynamic behavior of the chaotic system is analyzed through the bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov exponent, and power spectrum. The Lyapunov exponent is used to depict the basins of attraction for the system. After research, it is discovered that symmetry exists in the system. Comparative analysis has demonstrated that the system has higher detection accuracy and excellent antinoise performance. Finally, the circuit simulation and FPGA realization of the system indicated that the numerical simulation results are consistent with the FPGA implementation results, proving the theoretical analysis to be correct and the accuracy of the detection results.
A Review on Gelatin Based Hydrogels for Medical Textile Applications
Authors: Petros Seblewongel , Tesfaye Tamrat , Ayele Million
Published: December 2020

Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymer networks that absorb any kind of liquid including biological fluids. Natural polymers and their derivatives along with synthetic polymers are used to form the hydrogels. Networks that constitute the hydrogels are created by the crosslinking of either synthesized polymers starting from monomers or already developed polymers. Crosslinking can be developed either physically if secondary intermolecular forces are involved or chemically in which a covalent bond between polymeric chains is created. Gelatins are natural driven protein polymers. One of the main biopolymers used for producing hydrogels is gelatin. Gelatin has a very wide application other than hydrogels. In this review, hydrogels and their property and synthesis mechanism, as well as their application in biomedical along with gelatin chemistry and application, are reviewed. Due to its nonimmunogenicity, nontoxicity, low cost, and high availability gelatin-based hydrogels could find applications in drug delivery carrier, bioink, transdermal therapy, wound healing, and tissue repair. The beneficiation of gelatin can result in their sustainable conversion into high-value biomaterials on the proviso of the existence or development of cost-effective, sustainable technologies for converting this biopolymer into useful bioproducts.
Hypermobile Anterior Horn of the Lateral Meniscus: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Nakashima Hirotaka , Takahara Yasuhiro , Uchida Yoichiro , Kato Hisayoshi , Itani Satoru , Tsujimura Yoshitaka , Nakamura Makoto , Iwasaki Yuichi
Published: December 2020

Hypermobile meniscus is known as one of the causes of knee pain and locking or limitation of the range of motion during knee flexion, even when there is no evidence of meniscus tear on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Most such cases show excessive hypermobility of the posterior part of the lateral meniscus. This case report presented a rare case of a hypermobile anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. An 18-year-old woman visited our hospital for left knee pain without trauma. Her physical examination showed a limited range of motion and tenderness in the lateral joint space. However, her MRI did not show any abnormalities. After conservative treatment failed, we performed arthroscopic surgery. The arthroscopic evaluation showed no meniscus and no other intraarticular injury. However, the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus was easily translated beyond the lateral condyle by using a probe. Thus, hypermobile anterior horn of the lateral meniscus was diagnosed. The meniscus was stabilized by the outside-in technique. Immediately after surgery, the catching symptom and pain were alleviated. After three-and-a-half months, she returned to work. The Lysholm score improved from 55, preoperatively, to 100, 1-year postoperatively. In conclusion, careful arthroscopic evaluation is essential for the diagnosis of a hypermobile anterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Arthroscopic meniscus stabilization provides a good outcome for hypermobile meniscus.
Lice Infestations in Sheep and Goats in Kombolcha District, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Disasa Derara Dejene
Published: December 2020

A cross-sectional study on ectoparasites of sheep (n = 134) and goats (n = 250) was conducted in Kombolcha district, east Hararge zone Oromia regional state, east Ethiopia, from November 2018 to April 2019 to determine the prevalence of major lice infestation of sheep and goats and the associated risk factors. Out of the examined animals (384), 56 (41.8%) sheep and 88 (22.9%) goats were infested with Damalinia and Linognathus species of lice, respectively. Ewes and does were 3.6 times more at risk for Damalinia ovis than rams and bucks, and young ones were 2.1 times more at risk than adults. Animals with poor body condition scores were 6.9 times more at risk for Linognathus species than those with good body condition small ruminants (

P
<
0.05

). The observed overall prevalence is generally relatively high which may result in enormous economic losses through decreased production and productivity, damages to the skin, and deaths of the animal which requires an immediate professional and governmental attention.
E1A Sensitizes Cancer Cells to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis through Enhancement of Caspase Activation
Authors: Shao Ruping , Lee Dung-Fang , Wen Yong , Ding Yi , Xia Weiya , Ping Bo , Yagita Hideo , Spohn Bill , Hung Mien-Chie
Published: December 2020

Tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Sensitization of cancer cells to TRAIL, particularly TRAIL-resistant cancer cells, could improve the effectiveness of TRAIL as an anticancer agent. The adenovirus type 5 E1A that associates with anticancer activities including sensitization to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor is currently being tested in clinical trials. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity to TRAIL in the E1A transfectants ip1-E1A2 and 231-E1A cells and the parental TRAIL-resistant human ovarian cancer SKOV3.ip1 and TRAIL-sensitive human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. The results indicated that the percentage of TRAIL-induced apoptotic cells was significantly higher in the E1A transfectants of both cell lines than it was in the parental cell lines. To further investigate the cellular mechanism of this effect, we found that E1A enhances TRAIL-induced activation of caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3. Inhibition of caspase-3 activity by a specific inhibitor, Z-DEVD-fmk, abolished TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In addition, E1A enhanced TRAIL expression in ip1-E1A2 cells, but not in 231-E1A cells, and the anti-TRAIL neutralizing antibody N2B2 blocked the E1A-mediated bystander effect in vitro. Taken together, these results suggest that E1A sensitizes both TRAIL-sensitive and TRAIL-resistant cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, which occurs through the enhancement of caspase activation; activation of caspase-3 is required for TRAIL-induced apoptosis; and E1A-induced TRAIL expression is involved in the E1A-mediated bystander effect. Combination of E1A and TRAIL could be an effective treatment for cancer.
Fos-Related Antigen 1 Modulates Malignant Features of Glioma Cells
Authors: Debinski Waldemar , Gibo Denise M.
Published: December 2020

Malignant gliomas, and high-grade gliomas (HGG) in particular, are nonmetastasizing but locally infiltrating, hypervascularized brain tumors of poor prognosis. We found previously that a c-fos-inducible vascular endothelial growth factor D is ubiquitously up-regulated in HGG grade IV, glioblastoma multiforme, and that glioblastoma multiforme overexpress Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) rather than the c-Fos. We have thus become interested in the role Fra-1 may play in malignant glioma progression/maintenance, because Fra-1 has the capacity to modulate transcription of a variety of target genes. In this work, we have analyzed the biological effects of ectopic Fra-1 expression or Fra-1 knockdown in malignant glioma cells. Ectopic Fra-1 induced prominent phenotypic changes in all three malignant glioma cell lines examined: H4, U-87 MG, and A-172 MG. These changes were reflected in cells becoming more elongated with larger number of cellular processes. Furthermore, Fra-1 transgene caused H4 cells, which do not form tumor xenografts, to regain tumorigenic capacity. The genotype of these cells changed too, because 50 of 1,056 genes examined became either up-regulated or down-regulated. Conversely, Fra-1 knockdown altered prominently the morphology, anchorage-independent growth, tumorigenic potential, and Fra-1 effector expression, such as vascular endothelial growth factor D, in HGG cells. For example, cells transfected with antisense fra-1 showed shorter cellular processes than the control cells that did not grow in agar, and their tumorigenic potential was significantly diminished. Thus, Fra-1 may likely play an important role in the maintenance/progression of malignant gliomas and potentially represents a new target for therapeutic interventions.
MORPHOMETRIC, INSTRUMENTAL AND LABORATORY PARAMETERS OF FEMALE RATS WITH EXPERIMENTAL METABOLIC SYNDROME
Authors: Hrygorieva O. A. , Korotchuk Y. V.
Published: December 2020

The aim of the study – to learn the dynamics of changes of morphometric, instrumental and laboratory parameters in mature females rats with experimental metabolic syndrome.

Material and Methods. 20 females of white, mature laboratory rats, aged 18–20 months were divided into 2 groups. The first one is an experimental group: 13 female rats with experimental metabolic syndrome; the second one  – control group: 7 intact rats, with standard food and water regime. When working with animals, the standards of the Council of Europe Bioethics Convention 1997, the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals were observed. Instruments used during scientific research were subject to metrological control.

The simulation of the metabolic syndrome occurred during 60 days. The females supported a special high-calorie diet (grain with margarine 82 % milk fat, corn and sunflower seeds). The water regime included a 20 % solution of fructose and regular water ad libitum, with change every other day. Also, during the first and the fourth weeks of the experiment, the female daily subcutaneously administered Dexamethasone solution at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg.

Results. Since the beginning of the experiment, female rats who received a special high-calorie diet showed a statistically significant increase in all morphometric and instrumental indexes compared to similar rats in the control group. An increase in body weight in the experimental group was found to be 28.93 % higher than the original weight, was observed arterial hypertension (141/85±5) mmHg, dyslipidemia: elevated total cholesterol (5.37±0.33) mmol/L and TG (2.55±0.24) mmol/L; elevated level glucose (8.52±0.17) mmol/L. The above indicators are criteria indicating the presence of metabolic syndrome in animals under study.

Conclusions. The proposed model of experimental metabolic syndrome, which includes subcutaneous administration of Dexamethasone solution at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg in the first and the fourth weeks of experiment, with a special high calorie diet and a 20 % solution of fructose, is an effective way to reproduce the metabolic syndrome in small rodents.
Characterization of Antiphospholipid Syndrome Atherothrombotic Risk by Unsupervised Integrated Transcriptomic Analyses
Authors: Pérez-Sánchez Laura , Patiño-Trives Alejandra M. , Aguirre-Zamorano M. Ángeles , Luque-Tévar María , Ábalos-Aguilera M. Carmen , Arias-de la Rosa Iván , Seguí Pedro , Velasco-Gimena Francisco , Barbarroja Nuria , Escudero-Contreras Alejandro , Collantes-Estévez Eduardo , Pérez-Sánchez Carlos , López-Pedrera Chary
Published: December 2020

Objective:

Our aim was to characterize distinctive clinical antiphospholipid syndrome phenotypes and identify novel microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA-intracellular signaling regulatory networks in monocytes linked to cardiovascular disease.

Approach and Results:

Microarray analysis in antiphospholipid syndrome monocytes revealed 547 differentially expressed genes, mainly involved in inflammatory, cardiovascular, and reproductive disorders. Besides, this approach identified several genes related to inflammatory, renal, and dermatologic diseases. Functional analyses further demonstrated phosphorylation of intracellular kinases related to thrombosis and immune-mediated chronic inflammation. miRNA profiling showed altered expression of 22 miRNAs, enriched in pathways related to immune functions, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune-associated pathologies. Unbiased integrated mRNA-miRNA analysis identified a signature of 9 miRNAs as potential modulators of 17 interconnected genes related to cardiovascular disease. The altered expression of that miRNA-mRNA signature was proven to be stable along time and distinctive of nonautoimmune thrombotic patients. Transfection studies and luciferase assays established the relationship between specific miRNAs and their identified target genes and proteins, along with their involvement in the regulation of monocytes procoagulant activity and cell adhesion. Correlation analyses showed relationship among altered miRNAs and their interconnected genes with aPL (antiphospholipid antibodies)-titers, along with microvascular endothelial dysfunction. In vitro studies demonstrated modulation in healthy monocytes by IgG-aPLs of several genes/miRNAs, which further intermediated downstream effects on endothelial function. The identified transcriptomic signature allowed the unsupervised division of three clusters of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome showing distinctive clinical profiles, mainly associated with their prothrombotic risk (thrombosis, autoantibody profile, cardiovascular risk factors, and atherosclerosis).

Conclusions:

Extensive molecular profiling of monocytes in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome might help to identify distinctive clinical phenotypes, thus enabling new patients’ tailored treatments.
Reduction of Connexin 43 Attenuates Angiogenic Effects of Human Smooth Muscle Progenitor Cells via Inactivation of Akt and NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Tien Ting-Yi , Wu Yih-Jer , Su Cheng-Huang , Wang Hsueh-Hsiao , Hsieh Chin-Ling , Wang Bo-Jeng , Su Yeu , Yeh Hung-I.
Published: December 2020

Objective:

Circulating progenitor cells possess vasculogenesis property and participate in repair of vascular injury. Cx (connexin) 43—a transmembrane protein constituting gap junctions—is involved in vascular pathology. However, the role of Cx43 in smooth muscle progenitor cells (SPCs) remained unclear.

Approach and Results:

Human SPCs cultured from CD34
+
peripheral blood mononuclear cells expressed smooth muscle cell markers, such as smooth muscle MHC (myosin heavy chain), nonmuscle MHC, calponin, and CD140B, and Cx43 was the most abundant Cx isoform. To evaluate the role of Cx43 in SPCs, short interference RNA was used to knock down Cx43 expression. Cellular activities of SPCs were reduced by Cx43 downregulation. In addition, Cx43 downregulation attenuated angiogenic potential of SPCs in hind limb ischemia mice. Protein array and ELISA of the supernatant from SPCs showed that IL (interleukin)-6, IL-8, and HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) were reduced by Cx43 downregulation. Simultaneously, Cx43 downregulation reduced the phosphorylation of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) and Akt (protein kinase B) pathway and reactivation of NF-κB and Akt using betulinic acid, and SC79 could restore the secretion of growth factors and cytokines. Moreover, FAK (focal adhesion kinase)-Src (proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src) activation was increased by Cx43 downregulation, and inactivation of Akt–NF-κB could be restored by Src inhibitor (PP2), indicating that Akt–NF-κB inactivated by Cx43 downregulation arose from FAK-Src activation. Finally, the depressed cellular activities and secretion of SPCs after Cx43 downregulation were restored by FAK inhibitor PF-562271 or PP2.

Conclusions:

SPCs possess angiogenic potential to repair ischemic tissue mainly through paracrine effects. Gap junction protein Cx43 plays an important role in regulating cellular function and paracrine effects of SPCs through FAK-Src axis.
BİST’TEKİ ULAŞTIRMA SEKTÖRÜ FİRMALARININ VERİLERİNİN MODELLENMESİ VE GELECEK TAHMİNİ İÇİN DOĞRUSAL PİYASA MODELİ YETERLİ Mİ?
Authors: NESLİHANOĞLU Serdar , AKSOY Taner
Published: December 2020

Globalleşme ve dijitalleşmenin bir sonucu olarak küresel finansal piyasalar arasındaki etkileşim hızla artmaktadır. Bu durumda, araştırmacı ve yatırımcılar için piyasa risklerinin modellenmesi ve gelecek tahmininin en az hata ile yapılmasının önemi de artmaktadır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, piyasa risk parametresi durağan beta’ya olanak sağlayan ve Sermaye Varlıkları Fiyatlandırma Modeli (SVFM) ile tutarlı Doğrusal Piyasa Modeli (DPM) ile zamana bağlı değişen betalara olanak sağlayan Zamana bağlı değişen DPM (Z-DPM)’nin piyasa verilerini modelleme ve gelecek 1 yıllık tahmini performanslarının karşılaştırılmasına odaklanılmıştır. Borsa İstanbul A.Ş. (BİST)’deki 5 ulaştırma firmasının son 5 yıllık günlük ve haftalık verileri araştırmada kullanılmıştır. Z-DPM’deki zamana bağlı değişen beta tahminleri GARCH, EGARCH ve GJRGARCH ile ayrı ayrı modellenmiştir. Sonuçta, Z-DPM’nin DPM’ye göre günlük ve haftalık verilerinin modellenmesi ve özellikle gelecek tahmini aşamasında üstün olduğu ve beta riskinin durağan olmadığı görülmüştür.
PSİKOLOJİK SERMAYE İLE İŞ TATMİNİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİDE İŞTE KENDİNİ YETİŞTİRMENİN ROLÜ
Authors: KARADENİZ Gizem , KILINÇ Gamze , AKÇAKANAT Tahsin , UZUNBACAK Hasan Hüseyin
Published: December 2020

Bu çalışmanın amacı psikolojik sermayenin iş tatmini üzerindeki etkisinde işte kendini yetiştirmenin aracı rolünün incelenmesidir. Araştırmanın örneklemi, 2019-2020 Eğitim-Öğretim yılının bahar yarıyılında devlet üniversitelerinin çeşitli fakültelerinde görev yapan akademisyenlerden oluşmaktadır. Veriler kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kullanılarak 211 kişiden anket yoluyla toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın veri analizinde SPSS 22 ve AMOS 21 programları kullanılmıştır. Hipotezlerin test edilmesinde ise Hayes (2018) tarafından geliştirilen Process Macro eklentisinden yararlanılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular işte kendini yetiştirmenin psikolojik sermaye ile iş tatmini arasındaki ilişkide aracı etkiye sahip olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu bulgulara göre, sonuçlar literatür kapsamında tartışılmış önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
The Emergence of I
Authors: Masvie Andreas E.
Published: December 2020

Among the ancients, there was no proper conception of the I. Yet an I emerges in ancient Israel. I therefore inquire into the philosophical anthropology of ancient Israel. How did the I emerge? By interpreting the Song of Songs as political myth, from which a philosophical anthropology can be unearthed and reconstructed, I theorize that not only an I, but also a different kind of we emerged through gift-dynamics. Then I demonstrate that these gift-dynamics are compatible with the ancient Israelites’ religious-political institutions and manifest itself in their collective psyche.
Per una descrizione del kalām al-ʿarab. Fonti, problemi e metodi
Authors: Grande Francesco
Published: December 2020

This paper presents an up-to-date review of studies on the attestations of Arabic defined as the kalām al ʿarab by Arabic lexicographers, which date back to the ninth century CE and, in some cases, pre-Islamic times. It also sketches out a methodology for gathering a corpus of these attestations that is designed to solve the major philological problems they raise, including the problem of authenticity. In particular, in order to test the authenticity of the attestations, the paper proposes a comparison between the kalām al-ʿarab and Ancient Arabian inscriptions.
Considerazioni teoriche e critiche sull’imitazione parodica (al-Muʿāraḍa al-hazliyya) in epoca mamelucca
Authors: Ismail Nasser
Published: December 2020

Classical and modern studies of Arabic literature have paid only modest attention to the parodic imitations of poems (al-muʿāraḍa al-hazliyya). These were often ascribed to the rhetorical technique of taḍmīn without taking into due consideration, as was the case for “serious” reproductions, the semantic, historical and dialectical interaction between the two texts, their authors and readers. The present article will attempt to trace the theoretical and critical notions of this literary practice in the Arab tradition, particularly focusing our interest on the Mamlūk one which tended to acknowledge and confer upon it the dignity of a literary genre.
Application of CT Angiography in the Diagnosis of Acute Cerebrovascular Disease in Neurology
Authors: Wu Chunyan , Xu Xin , Wang Rong
Published: December 2020

This article explores the application and value of CT angiography in the diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular disease in neurology. We selected 260 patients in our hospital as the research object, analyzed their data in detail, and then used the spiral CT scan to obtain the most original
image. According to the projection technology with the strongest intensity and the scanned image, a three-dimensional image was formed on the surface. The images were studied and the results were compared with the results of postoperative and DSA techniques to finally evaluate the value of
CTA technology in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases. A retrospective analysis and study of angiographic results of 260 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease who underwent digital silhouette angiography (DSA). According to the age of patients, patients can be divided into three
groups: young group, middle-aged group and elderly group, aged 18–45 years old, 45–60 years old, 60 years old or older. According to the classification of ischemic cerebrovascular disease, we can divide 260 patients into cerebral infarction group and transient ischemic attack group.
The calculation of stenosis rate is based on the research methods of symptomatic carotid endarterectomy abroad. The rate of detection of stenoses in 8 patients with TIA was 87%, and the rate of detection in 30 patients with cerebral infarction was 96%. The rate of aneurysms detected in the
diagnosis of SAH is 83%. The diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease in the etiology and treatment of CTA in neurology department has a statistically significant difference in the ratio of confirmed diagnosis and positive rate of protection (P >0.05). Finally, we conclude that CT angiography
is widely used in the diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular disease in neurology, and its therapeutic effect is quite significant, which is worthy of promotion in clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Research on Application of Ultrasound Medical Imaging Technology in Big Data Mining of Regional Medical Imaging
Authors: Xie Yubo
Published: December 2020

Ultrasound medical imaging technology is one of the main methods of medical non-invasive diagnosis, and it is the focus of research in the medical field at home and abroad. Medical images have a large amount of data and contain a wealth of image feature information and rules, which
need to be studied and understood. Therefore, the research of data mining technique for reading medical images has become a very important field in the interdisciplinary research of medical and computer science. The high resolution of medical images, the mass of data, and the complexity of
image feature expressions make the research of data mining technology in medical images of great academic value and broad application prospects. At present, research on data mining for medical images has just started, and there are still many problems in the direct application of existing
data mining methods. Researching and exploring the theoretical and practical problems of medical image data mining, such as data mining methods and algorithms suitable for medical image, which has significant and crucial value, and it is of great importance to help physicians in clinical diagnosis
of medical images. This article introduces the background, definition and basic process of data mining technology, the characteristics of medical imaging data and the key techniques of medical image data mining. In view of the data mining research of human abdominal medical images is a completely
new field, human abdominal imaging is the most complicated part of medical images. Solving the problem of abdominal imaging is of great value to the entire medical image. For regional medical image big data mining, we can use ultrasound images of the human abdomen. The clustering feature extraction
algorithm and its implementation based on the approximate density structure of medical images proposed in this article, and innovative research results such as classification rule mining methods, are used to mine medical image data research, automatic diagnosis of clinical medical images,
and early diagnosis of clinical medicine are of great significance.
Unsupervised Deep Learning Network with Self-Attention Mechanism for Non-Rigid Registration of 3D Brain MR Images
Authors: Oh Donggeon , Kim Bohyoung , Lee Jeongjin , Shin Yeong-Gil
Published: December 2020

In non-rigid registration for medical imaging analysis, computation is complicated, and the high accuracy and robustness needed for registration are difficult to obtain. Recently, many studies have been conducted for nonrigid registration via unsupervised learning networks. This study
proposes a method to improve the performance of this unsupervised learning network approach, through the use of a self-attention mechanism. In this paper, the self-attention mechanism is combined with deep learning networks to identify information of higher importance, among large amounts
of data, and thereby solve specific tasks. Furthermore, the proposed method extracts both local and non-local information so that the network can create feature vectors with more information. As a result, the limitation of the existing network is addressed: alignment based solely on the entire
silhouette of the brain is mitigated in favor of a network which also learns to perform registration of the parts of the brain that have internal structural characteristics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such utilization of the attention mechanism in this unsupervised learning
network for non-rigid registration. The proposed attention network performs registration that takes into account the overall characteristics of the data, thus yielding more accurate matching results than those of the existing methods. In particular, matching is achieved with especially high
accuracy in the gray matter and cortical ventricle areas, since these areas contain many of the structural features of the brain. The experiment was performed on 3D magnetic resonance images of the brains of 50 people. The measured average dice similarity coefficient after registration was
70.40%, which is an improvement of 17.48% compared to that before registration. This improvement indicates that application of the attention block can further improve the performance by an additional 8.5%, as relative to that without attention block. Ultimately, through implementation of non-rigid
registration via the attention block method, the internal structure and overall shape of the brain can be addressed, without additional data input. Additionally, attention blocks have the advantage of being able to easily connect to existing networks without a significant computational overhead.
Furthermore, by producing an attention map, the area of the brain around which registration was more performed can be visualized. This approach can be used for non-rigid registration with various types of medical imaging data.
Brain Patterns During Single- and Dual-Task Leg Movements
Authors: Li Penghai , Xu Han , Belkacem Abdelkader Nasreddine , Zhang Jianfeng , Xu Rui , Guo Xinpu , Wang Xiaotian , Wu Dongyue , Tan Wenjun , Shin Duk , Liang Jun , Chen Chao
Published: December 2020

The brain is able to engage in dual tasks such as motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) or motor execution (ME) with action observation. In this study, we have quantitatively compared event-related desynchronization (ERD) patterns during tasks of pure MI, MI with AO (O-MI), ME, and ME with AO (O-ME) of the leg to investigate the underlying neuronal mechanisms using EEG. Subjects were instructed to imagine or perform rhythmical actions while watching a video of leg movements during O-MI and O-ME tasks; In contrast, subjects imagined and performed the leg movements without observing any video during pure MI and ME tasks. We noticed that the amplitude of ERDs from MI, O-MI, ME and O-ME sequentially increases in central regions of the brain. These quantified ERD patterns in EEG were used to study the differences of brain oscillatory changes among the four tasks. We found that ERDs in motor area were more distinct in O-MI, compared with pure MI. These results suggest that O-MI produced stronger motor activations than MI. Plus, O-ME showed significantly greater activations than ME in the beta band. O-ME has produced stronger neurophysiological effects than MI, and stronger behavioral effects than ME. These empirical results do provide convincing evidence of the dual tasks such combined MI or ME with action observation on brain pattern changes. The video of the goal-directed leg movements is most likely able to improve the ability of performing or imagining movements. O-MI and O-ME may get better and closer therapeutic effects in leg rehabilitation and motor skill training. Furthermore, the extent analysis of ERD may provide the basis for evaluating the ability of O-MI and O-ME in leg rehabilitation and motor skill training.
Clinical Study of Ultrasound Elastography in Qualitative Diagnosis of Breast Masses
Authors: Duan Qing , Zhuo Na , Sun Tong , Zhang Xuening
Published: December 2020

Breast mass is one of the clinical signs of breast lesions. Clinically, breast tumors can occur in breast cancer, breast tuberculosis, breast duct dilatation, breast cysts, breast fibroadenoma, and breast hyperplasia. Its pathogenesis is not clear. The occurrence of breast lesions is
related to many factors, such as diet, trauma, genetic mutations, inheritance, endocrine disorders, breast development, and chronic stimuli. With the continuous improvement of examination equipment and continuous improvement of the treatment level, the incidence of breast masses is increasing.
For a long time, clinicians have mostly used hand palpation methods to complete the diagnosis of breast masses based on the relatively hard properties of breast masses and adjacent tissues. It is more difficult to diagnose patients based on their clinical symptoms and signs, and it is easy
to miss the diagnosis. Choosing the appropriate diagnostic method to confirm breast mass disease has become the first task for the diagnosis and treatment of breast mass. Ultrasound elastography is a new ultrasound examination method. It diagnoses the elasticity and hardness of breast masses
by using corresponding characteristics. The imaging principle is to apply pressure to the tissue at the lesion site to determine its elasticity and hardness to identify the nature of the tumor. This article explores the clinical value of ultrasound elastography in the effective diagnosis of
breast masses. Compared with the diagnosis results of ordinary ultrasound, the parameters such as the position, shape, size, boundary, internal echo, and rear echo of the focused mass were observed. Facts have proved that elastography can be used to make a qualitative differential diagnosis
of benign and malignant breast masses from another angle according to the different characteristics of the hardness of the tissue being examined. It is non-invasive, non-radiative, low-cost, and easy for patients to accept. Provide valuable clinical diagnosis basis for early detection and
treatment of breast masses.