bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lyme disease: diagnosis and management
Authors: Ross Russell Amy L , Dryden Matthew S , Pinto Ashwin A , Lovett Joanna K
Published: October 2018

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is a tick-borne bacterial infection caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burgdoferi, transmitted by hard-backed Ixodes ticks. Actual numbers of cases are increasing and it appears that the distribution across the UK is widening; however, it occurs most frequently in area of woodland, with temperate climate. It typically presents in mid to late summer. Lyme disease is a multisystem disease. The nervous system is the second most commonly affected system after the skin. Other systemic manifestations, such as carditis, keratitis, uveitis and inflammatory arthritis, rarely occur in European Lyme disease. In 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has updated its guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Lyme disease. Here, we highlight important aspects of this guidance and provide a more detailed review of the clinical spectrum of neuroborreliosis, illustrated by cases we have seen.
Young adult susceptible non-smokers’ and smokers’ responses to capsule cigarettes
Authors: Hoek Janet , Gendall Philip , Eckert Christine , Louviere Jordan , Blank Mei-Ling , Thrasher James F
Published: October 2018

Background

Flavour capsule cigarette variants (FCVs), which allow users to customise their smoking experience and reduce the harshness of smoking, have captured an increasing share of many markets. We examined tobacco companies’ argument that such product innovations aim simply to shift market share, by estimating smokers’ and susceptible non-smokers’ responses to FCVs.

Methods

We conducted an online survey of 425 smokers (daily and non-daily), susceptible non-smokers (n=224) and former smokers (n=166) aged between 18 and 25. Restrpondents completed a choice experiment, a behavioural probability measure and a perception task. We analysed the choice data using a conditional logistic regression and a rank-ordered logistic regression, and the probability and perception data using t-tests and descriptive statistics.

Results

Non-smokers preferred an FCV relative to an unflavoured cigarette, whereas the opposite was the case for smokers. Susceptible non-smokers and former smokers were more likely to try a fruit flavoured FCV than an unflavoured stick, while daily smokers were more likely than non-daily smokers to do the same. Susceptible non-smokers, former smokers and non-daily smokers also had more positive perceptions of FCVs relative to unflavoured sticks than did daily smokers.

Conclusions

FCVs appeal more to non-smokers than to smokers, and more to non-daily smokers than to daily smokers. They thus appear likely to recruit non-smokers and potentially increase overall smoking prevalence. Policy responses include ensuring standardised packaging legislation disallows FCVs by specifically regulating the appearance and design of tobacco products, or introducing bespoke regulation that addresses the threat posed by FCVs.
Experimental investigation of the effect of compliant pores on reservoir rocks under hydrostatic and triaxial compression stress states
Authors: Yu Hua , Ng Kam , Grana Dario , Kaszuba John , Alvarado Vladimir , Campbell Erin
Published: October 2018

The presence of compliant pores in rocks is important for understanding the stress–strain behaviors under different stress conditions. This paper describes findings on the effect of compliant pores on the mechanical behavior of a reservoir sandstone under hydrostatic and triaxial compression. Laboratory experiments were conducted at reservoir temperature on Weber Sandstone samples from the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming. Each experiment was conducted at three sequential stages: (stage 1) increase in the confining pressure while maintaining the pore pressure, (stage 2) increase in the pore pressure while maintaining the confining pressure, and (stage 3) application of the deviatoric load to failure. The nonlinear pore pressure – volumetric strain relationship governed by compliant pores under low confining pressure changes to a linear behavior governed by stiff pores under higher confining pressure. The estimated compressibilities of the matrix material in sandstone samples are close to the typical compressibility of quartz. Because of the change in pore structures during stage 1 and stage 2 loadings, the estimated bulk compressibilities of the sandstone sample under the lowest confining pressure decrease with increasing differential pressure. The increase in crack initiation stress is limited with increasing differential pressure because of similar total crack length governed by initial compliant porosity in sandstone samples.
Combining multiple data sets to unravel the spatiotemporal dynamics of a data-limited fish stock
Authors: Pinto Cecilia , Travers-Trolet Morgane , Macdonald Jed I. , Rivot Etienne , Vermard Youen
Published: October 2018

The biological status of many commercially exploited fishes remains unknown, mostly due to a lack of data necessary for their assessment. Investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of such species can lead to new insights into population processes and foster a path towards improved spatial management decisions. Here, we focused on striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus), a widespread yet data-limited species of high commercial importance. Aiming to quantify range dynamics in this data-poor scenario, we combined fishery-dependent and -independent data sets through a series of Bayesian mixed-effects models designed to capture monthly and seasonal occurrence patterns near the species’ northern range limit across 20 years. Combining multiple data sets allowed us to cover the entire distribution of the northern population of M. surmuletus, exploring dynamics at different spatiotemporal scales and identifying key environmental drivers (i.e., sea surface temperature, salinity) that shape occurrence patterns. Our results demonstrate that even when process and (or) observation uncertainty is high, or when data are sparse, if we combine multiple data sets within a hierarchical modelling framework, accurate and useful spatial predictions can still be made.
Comparison of the nutritional value and fatty acid composition of milk from four South American camelid species
Authors: Medina Mirta. A. , Van Nieuwenhove Guido A. , Pizarro Patricia Luna , Van Nieuwenhove Carina P.
Published: October 2018

The nutritional value, whey protein, and the fatty acid (FA) composition of milk from four South American camelids (SAC) (vicuna, Vicugna vicugna (Molina, 1782); alpaca, Vicugna pacos (Linnaeus, 1758); guanaco, Lama guanicoe (Müller, 1776); llama, Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)) were evaluated and compared with milk from old-world camelids. Samples were collected from healthy animals from the northwest (llama, alpaca, and vicuna) and Patagonia (guanaco) areas of Argentina. Gross composition of milk from SAC showed a higher protein, lactose, and lipid content than camel milk. Serum albumin and α-lactalbumin were the dominant whey proteins, followed by immunoglobulin G (IgG). The FA profile showed from 4:0 to 24:0 FA, with a high level of conjugated fatty acid (CLA; 1.05–1.64 g/100 g of FAME) and its precursor, vaccenic acid. Desaturase activity of C16 and CLA was quite similar between species but was significantly different for C14. Camelid milk showed a lower atherogenicity index than ruminant milk. This is the first time that a comparative study involving four species of SAC was carried out to contribute to the general knowledge of the physiology of new-world camelids. Their milk was determined to be of high nutritional quality, allowing it to be considered an alternative food item for humans in the semi-arid region of South America.
Evaluating the Efficiencies of Academic Research Groups: A Problem of Shared Outputs
Authors: Avilés-Sacoto Sonia Valeria , Cook Wade D. , Güemes-Castorena David , Benita Francisco , Ceballos Hector , Zhu Joe
Published: October 2018

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a methodology for evaluating the relative efficiencies of a set of decision-making units (DMUs), based on their multiple inputs and outputs. The original model is based on the assumption that DMUs operate independently of one another. However, this assumption may not apply in some situations, as in the case we present in this paper, in which DMUs can work together to produce joint outputs. What makes it more interesting is the situation in which this characteristic of sharing outputs among some DMUs differs from one DMU to another; this makes it more challenging to determine independent efficiency scores that cater for this phenomenon. To address this, the current paper presents a methodology for measuring efficiency in situations in which DMUs share outputs with other units. We examine the case of a set of research groups in a Mexican university. For this study, the inputs used are professors belonging to various groups, and outputs are the published journal articles, some of which are produced completely within a group, whereas others arise from collaboration with professors from other research groups. Jointly published articles form a link connecting the groups.
Gravitational acceleration of a weakly relativistic electron in a conducting drift tube
Authors: Denisov V. I. , Denisova I. P. , Gapochka M. G. , Korolev A. F. , Koshelev N. N.
Published: October 2018

We propose the idea of method for observing the effect of the Earth’s gravitational field on the motion of an electron. Earlier attempts to measure such an effect proved unsuccessful due to the fact that under the conductive sheath, the gravitational force acting on the non-relativistic electron is completely compensated by Barnhill–Schiff force. Therefore, experiments of this kind were unable to measure the effect of the Earth’s gravitational field on the motion of electrons. In this paper, we propose to use electrons moving with relativistic speeds in the horizontal plane, and with non-relativistic speeds in the vertical direction, in which case the gravitational force on these electrons is not fully compensated by the Barnhill–Schiff force. Calculations showed that in this case, it is possible to measure the force exerted on an electron by the gravitational field of the Earth.
Speech-Act Classification Using Convolutional Neural Network and Word Embedding
Authors: Bae Kyoungman , Ko Youngjoong
Published: October 2018

The application of deep learning techniques in natural language processing tasks has been increased in recent years. Many studies have used the deep learning techniques to obtain a distributed representation of features. In particular, the convolutional neural network (CNN) with the distributed representation have subsequently been shown to be effective for the natural language processing tasks. This paper presents how to apply the CNN to speech-act classification. Then we analyze the experimental results on two issues, how to solve two problems about sparse speech-acts in train data and out of vocabulary, and how to utilize the advantages of CNN in the speech-act classification. As a result, we obtain the significant improved performances when CNN is applied to the speech-act classification.
Natural Language Processing Approach for UML Class Model Generation from Software Requirement Specifications via SBVR
Authors: Mohanan Murali , Samuel Philip
Published: October 2018

This article has been retracted due to partial plagiarism and the author Murali Mohanan takes full responsibility for the partial plagiarism detected. A notice of retraction is published in Vol. 27 No. 8
Metal-organic framework-derived structures for next-generation rechargeable batteries
Authors: Shi Wenhui , Xu Xilian , Zhang Lin , Liu Wenxian , Cao Xiehong
Published: October 2018

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted great attention as versatile precursors or sacrificial templates for the preparation of novel porous structures. Due to their tunable compositions, structures and porosities as well as high surface area, MOF-derived materials have revealed promising performance for energy storage devices. In this mini review, the recent progress of MOF-derived materials as electrodes of next-generation rechargeable batteries was summarized. We briefly introduce the preparation methods, various design strategies and the structure-dependent performance of recently reported MOF-derived materials as electrodes of post-lithium-ion batteries, focusing on lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and metal–air batteries. Finally, we give the conclusion with some insights into future development of MOF-derived materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.
Effect of metal layer processes on the structures and properties of ITO interlayers of the Si/CIGS tandem cells
Authors: Ji Xin
Published: October 2018

For the application of Si/CIGS tandem cells, ITO interlayers were successfully deposited in the tandem cells by magnetron RF-sputtering. In the deposition, different interlayer processes (No, Al, Fe and Mo metal layer) were chosen, resulting in different structures, morphologies and electrical properties. The SEM morphology results indicated that the Mo metal layer process was favourable to resulting in the enhancement of the crystallinity and agglomerate density of ITO interlayer grains. Moreover, the AFM measurements suggested that the metal layer processes had a great influence on the nucleation and growth of the interlayer crystal grains. Also, the electrical measurements suggested that the ITO/Mo interlayer had better electrical property compared with the other interlayers.
Preparation and investigation of co-doped VO2 powders
Authors: Liu Lingna , Hou Yi , Yin Xiuzhao , Zhang Fang , Peng Zifei
Published: October 2018

In this paper, tungsten-and molybdenum-doped vanadium dioxide (VO[Formula: see text] powders were prepared by hydrothermal reaction using vanadium pentoxide (V2O[Formula: see text], H2O2, white tungstic acid (WPTA) and sodium molybdate (Na2MoO[Formula: see text] as raw materials. The microstructure and composition of VO2 powders were characterized by means of XRD, XPS, DSC and FT-IR. We made a preliminary study on the thermal-induced phase transition properties of powders. The experimental results show that the co-doped samples are monoclinic rutile. Tungsten and molybdenum atoms exist in the lattice at the positive six valence. When the W and M W were 3% and 2%, respectively, the transition temperature of co-doped samples were close to room temperature can reach 25.5∘C.
Clinical Examination of the Extensor Pollicis Brevis: Anatomical Study and Description of a Novel Clinical Sign
Authors: Lonne Michael , Sparks David S. , Stephan Carl , Wagels Michael , Berger Anthony
Published: October 2018

Background: The Extensor Pollicis Brevis (EPB) is an extrinsic thumb muscle whose main function is extension of the first metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ). It is subject to significant anatomical variation and may be absent, vestigial or have an anomalous distal attachment. Clinical examination of EPB is notoriously difficult and no reliable test has yet been described. We propose a novel test for the accurate examination of EPB. We sought to clarify the anatomical variations of EPB and to validate our clinical test using human cadaveric anatomical tests.

Methods: A structured literature review of all human cadaveric anatomical studies describing the attachments of EPB was performed using MEDLINE and Embase with the key words “Extensor Pollicis Brevis”. A cadaveric anatomical study was performed using 18 unembalmed upper limbs. Positive and negative tests were simulated by manipulating the tendons of EPB, Extensor Pollicis Longus (EPL) and Flexor Pollicis Longus (FPL). Changes in tendon tension and joint position were measured and recorded. The EPB anatomy was then determined by dissection.

Results: Anatomical variations were present in the majority of wrists, with only 35% of EPB tendons having a distal attachment to the proximal phalanx alone. EPB was absent in 5% of specimens. There was a significant difference between the change in MCPJ position between a positive (36 degrees; 95% CI 25 to 47 degrees) and negative (19 degrees; 95% CI 14 to 25 degrees) clinical test (p = 0.002).

Conclusions: The functional importance of EPB depends on its congenital architecture in addition to the functional demands of the patient. We report a novel clinical test which is effective in demonstrating the integrity of the EPB. A positive test result is observed when a change in MCPJ position that occurs while the interphalangeal joint is brought into flexion from full thumb extension is 25 degrees or more.
A Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma in the Digit: A Case Report of the 5-Year Post-Surgical Follow-Up
Authors: Mizuno Sakiko , Ochi Kensuke , Miyauchi Jun , Watanabe Itsuo , Hotta Hiraku , Anazawa Ukei
Published: October 2018

A liposarcoma is extremely rare in the digits. A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with a lipoma in her middle finger 10 years ago. As this tumor increased in size and presented with imaging findings that were atypical of lipomas, careful marginal resection biopsy outside the pseudo-capsule was performed, and the tumor was diagnosed as a well-differentiated liposarcoma. At the 5-year follow-up, the patient showed no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis, with no loss of hand function. The findings from this case suggest that even for a lipomatous tumor in the digits, further imaging examination and resection biopsy should be considered if the tumor presents with features that are atypical of lipomas.
Interactive Intent Modeling for Exploratory Search
Authors: Ruotsalo Tuukka , Peltonen Jaakko , Eugster Manuel J. A. , Głowacka Dorota , Floréen Patrik , Myllymäki Petri , Jacucci Giulio , Kaski Samuel
Published: October 2018

Exploratory search requires the system to assist the user in comprehending the information space and expressing evolving search intents for iterative exploration and retrieval of information. We introduce interactive intent modeling, a technique that models a user’s evolving search intents and visualizes them as keywords for interaction. The user can provide feedback on the keywords, from which the system learns and visualizes an improved intent estimate and retrieves information. We report experiments comparing variants of a system implementing interactive intent modeling to a control system. Data comprising search logs, interaction logs, essay answers, and questionnaires indicate significant improvements in task performance, information retrieval performance over the session, information comprehension performance, and user experience. The improvements in retrieval effectiveness can be attributed to the intent modeling and the effect on users’ task performance, breadth of information comprehension, and user experience are shown to be dependent on a richer visualization. Our results demonstrate the utility of combining interactive modeling of search intentions with interactive visualization of the models that can benefit both directing the exploratory search process and making sense of the information space. Our findings can help design personalized systems that support exploratory information seeking and discovery of novel information.
Fail-Slow at Scale
Authors: Gunawi Haryadi S. , Suminto Riza O. , Sears Russell , Golliher Casey , Sundararaman Swaminathan , Lin Xing , Emami Tim , Sheng Weiguang , Bidokhti Nematollah , McCaffrey Caitie , Srinivasan Deepthi , Panda Biswaranjan , Baptist Andrew , Grider Gary , Fields Parks M. , Harms Kevin , Ross Robert B. , Jacobson Andree , Ricci Robert , Webb Kirk , Alvaro Peter , Runesha H. Birali , Hao Mingzhe , Li Huaicheng
Published: October 2018

Fail-slow hardware is an under-studied failure mode. We present a study of 114 reports of fail-slow hardware incidents, collected from large-scale cluster deployments in 14 institutions. We show that all hardware types such as disk, SSD, CPU, memory, and network components can exhibit performance faults. We made several important observations such as faults convert from one form to another, the cascading root causes and impacts can be long, and fail-slow faults can have varying symptoms. From this study, we make suggestions to vendors, operators, and systems designers.
Bringing Order to Chaos
Authors: Won Youjip , Oh Joontaek , Jung Jaemin , Choi Gyeongyeol , Son Seongbae , Hwang Jooyoung , Cho Sangyeun
Published: October 2018

This work is dedicated to eliminating the overhead required for guaranteeing the
storage order
in the modern IO stack. The existing block device adopts a prohibitively expensive approach in ensuring the storage order among write requests: interleaving the write requests with
Transfer-and-Flush
. For exploiting the cache barrier command for flash storage, we overhaul the IO scheduler, the dispatch module, and the filesystem so that these layers are orchestrated to preserve the ordering condition imposed by the application with which the associated data blocks are made durable. The key ingredients of Barrier-Enabled IO stack are
Epoch-based IO scheduling
,
Order-Preserving Dispatch
, and
Dual-Mode Journaling
. Barrier-enabled IO stack can control the storage order without Transfer-and-Flush overhead. We implement the barrier-enabled IO stack in server as well as in mobile platforms. SQLite performance increases by 270% and 75%, in server and in smartphone, respectively. In a server storage, BarrierFS brings as much as by 43 × and by 73× performance gain in MySQL and SQLite, respectively, against EXT4 via relaxing the durability of a transaction.
USP10 promotes proliferation and migration and inhibits apoptosis of endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis through activating the Raf-1/MEK/ERK pathway
Authors: Chen Qiong , Hang Yuanyuan , Zhang Tingting , Tan Li , Li Shuangdi , Jin Yuli
Published: October 2018

Endometriosis has been initially described as endometrial-like tissue outside of the uterine cavity. The mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway playing an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration has been found to be activated in endometriosis. However, regulation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway in endometriosis has not been fully understood. In this study, primary-cultured endometrial stromal cells were collected from patients with endometriosis and healthy controls, and the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of ectopic endometrial stromal cells transfected with ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10)-small-interfering RNA (siRNA) or pLVX-Puro-USP10 with or without MEK inhibitor PD-98059 or exogenous signaling stimulation such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) were measured by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Transwell, respectively. The gene and protein expressions were measured by real-time PCR or Western blot. USP10 overexpression promoted ectopic endometrial stromal cell migration and proliferation, suppressed cell apoptosis, and activated MEK/ERK signaling that is a critical downstream target of the serine/threonine protein kinase Raf-1, which was significantly blocked by PD-98059. USP10 silencing demonstrated the inverse effects, and these effects induced by USP10 silencing were significantly blocked by EGF. USP10 overexpression promoted Raf-1 protein expression, but not mRNA expression, through deubiquitination. In conclusion, these results suggest that USP10 promotes proliferation and migration and inhibits apoptosis of endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis through activating the Raf-1/MEK/ERK pathway.
Activation of µ-opioid receptors in the rostral ventrolateral medulla blocks the sympathetic counterregulatory response to glucoprivation
Authors: Kakall Zohra M. , Nedoboy Polina E. , Farnham Melissa M. J. , Pilowsky Paul M.
Published: October 2018

Activation of neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) following glucoprivation initiates sympathoadrenal activation, adrenaline release, and increased glucose production. Here, we aimed to determine the role of RVLM µ-opioid receptors in the counterregulatory response to systemic glucoprivation. Experiments were performed in pentobarbital sodium anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 30). Bilateral activation of RVLM µ-opioid receptors with [d-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) (8 mM, 50 nl) depressed adrenal sympathetic nerve activity for ~60 min ( n = 6; Δ49.9 ± 5.8%, P < 0.05). The counterregulatory response to glucoprivation (measured by adrenal sympathetic efferent nerve activity) induced by 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) ( n = 6; Δ63.6 ± 16.5%, P < 0.05) was completely blocked 60 min after DAMGO microinjections ( n = 6; Δ10.2 ± 3.5%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, DAMGO pretreatment attenuated the increase in blood glucose levels after 2-DG infusion ( n = 6; 6.1 ± 0.7mmol/l vs. baseline 5.2 ± 0.3mmol/l, P > 0.05) compared with 2-DG alone ( n = 6; 7.6 ± 0.4mmol/l vs. baseline 6.0 ± 0.4mmol/l, P < 0.05). Thus, activation of RVLM µ-opioid receptors attenuated the neural efferent response to glucoprivation and reduced glucose production.
Arginine reprogramming in ADPKD results in arginine-dependent cystogenesis
Authors: Trott Josephine F. , Hwang Vicki J. , Ishimaru Tatsuto , Chmiel Kenneth J. , Zhou Julie X. , Shim Kyuhwan , Stewart Benjamin J. , Mahjoub Moe R. , Jen Kuang-Yu , Barupal Dinesh K. , Li Xiaogang , Weiss Robert H.
Published: October 2018

Research into metabolic reprogramming in cancer has become commonplace, yet this area of research has only recently come of age in nephrology. In light of the parallels between cancer and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the latter is currently being studied as a metabolic disease. In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which is now considered a metabolic disease, we and others have shown derangements in the enzyme arginosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1), resulting in RCC cells becoming auxotrophic for arginine and leading to a new therapeutic paradigm involving reducing extracellular arginine. Based on our earlier finding that glutamine pathways are reprogrammed in ARPKD, and given the connection between arginine and glutamine synthetic pathways via citrulline, we investigated the possibility of arginine reprogramming in ADPKD. We now show that, in a remarkable parallel to RCC, ASS1 expression is reduced in murine and human ADPKD, and arginine depletion results in a dose-dependent compensatory increase in ASS1 levels as well as decreased cystogenesis in vitro and ex vivo with minimal toxicity to normal cells. Nontargeted metabolomics analysis of mouse kidney cell lines grown in arginine-deficient versus arginine-replete media suggests arginine-dependent alterations in the glutamine and proline pathways. Thus, depletion of this conditionally essential amino acid by dietary or pharmacological means, such as with arginine-degrading enzymes, may be a novel treatment for this disease.
Skeletal muscle fibrosis is associated with decreased muscle inflammation and weakness in patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Abramowitz Matthew K. , Paredes William , Zhang Kehao , Brightwell Camille R. , Newsom Julia N. , Kwon Hyok-Joon , Custodio Matthew , Buttar Rupinder S. , Farooq Hina , Zaidi Bushra , Pai Rima , Pessin Jeffrey E. , Hawkins Meredith , Fry Christopher S.
Published: October 2018

Muscle dysfunction is an important cause of morbidity among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although muscle fibrosis is present in a CKD rodent model, its existence in humans and its impact on physical function are currently unknown. We examined isometric leg extension strength and measures of skeletal muscle fibrosis and inflammation in vastus lateralis muscle from CKD patients ( n = 10) and healthy, sedentary controls ( n = 10). Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry were used to assess muscle collagen and macrophage and fibro/adipogenic progenitor (FAP) cell populations, and RT-qPCR was used to assess muscle-specific inflammatory marker expression. Muscle collagen content was significantly greater in CKD compared with control (18.8 ± 2.1 vs. 11.7 ± 0.7% collagen area, P = 0.008), as was staining for collagen I, pro-collagen I, and a novel collagen-hybridizing peptide that binds remodeling collagen. Muscle collagen was inversely associated with leg extension strength in CKD ( r = −0.74, P = 0.01). FAP abundance was increased in CKD, was highly correlated with muscle collagen ( r = 0.84, P < 0.001), and was inversely associated with TNF-α expression ( r = −0.65, P = 0.003). TNF-α, CD68, CCL2, and CCL5 mRNA were significantly lower in CKD than control, despite higher serum TNF-α and IL-6. Immunohistochemistry confirmed fewer CD68+ and CD11b+ macrophages in CKD muscle. In conclusion, skeletal muscle collagen content is increased in humans with CKD and is associated with functional parameters. Muscle fibrosis correlated with increased FAP abundance, which may be due to insufficient macrophage-mediated TNF-α secretion. These data provide a foundation for future research elucidating the mechanisms responsible for this newly identified human muscle pathology.
Periarterial fat from two human vascular beds is not a source of aldosterone to promote vasoconstriction
Authors: Assersen Kasper B. , Jensen Pia S. , Briones Ana M. , Rasmussen Lars M. , Marcussen Niels , Toft Anja , Vanhoutte Paul M. , Jensen Boye L. , Hansen Pernille B. L.
Published: October 2018

Mouse adipocytes have been reported to release aldosterone and reduce endothelium-dependent relaxation. It is unknown whether perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) releases aldosterone in humans. The present experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that human PVAT releases aldosterone and induces endothelial dysfunction. Vascular reactivity was assessed in human internal mammary and renal segmental arteries obtained at surgery. The arteries were prepared with/without PVAT, and changes in isometric tension were measured in response to the vasoconstrictor thromboxane prostanoid receptor agonist U46619 and the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine. The effects of exogenous aldosterone and of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist eplerenone were determined. Aldosterone concentrations were measured by ELISA in conditioned media incubated with human adipose tissue with/without angiotensin II stimulation. Presence of aldosterone synthase and MR mRNA was examined in perirenal, abdominal, and mammary PVAT by PCR. U46619 -induced tension and acetylcholine-induced relaxation were unaffected by exogenous and endogenous aldosterone (addition of aldosterone and MR blocker) in mammary and renal segmental arteries, both in the presence and absence of PVAT. Aldosterone release from incubated perivascular fat was not detectable. Aldosterone synthase expression was not consistently observed in human adipose tissues in contrast to that of MR. Thus, exogenous aldosterone does not affect vascular reactivity and endothelial function in ex vivo human arterial segments, and the tested human adipose tissues have no capacity to synthesize/release aldosterone. In perspective, physiologically relevant effects of aldosterone on vascular function in humans are caused by systemic aldosterone originating from the adrenal gland.
Dicer deficiency in proximal tubules exacerbates renal injury and tubulointerstitial fibrosis and upregulates Smad2/3
Authors: Ma Zhengwei , Wei Qingqing , Zhang Ming , Chen Jian-Kang , Dong Zheng
Published: October 2018

Renal fibrosis is a common pathological feature in chronic kidney disease (CKD), including diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and obstructive nephropathy. Multiple microRNAs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of both DKD and obstructive nephropathy, although the overall role of microRNAs in tubular injury and renal fibrosis in CKD is unclear. Dicer (a key RNase III enzyme for microRNA biogenesis) was specifically ablated from kidney proximal tubules in mice via the Cre-lox system to deplete micoRNAs. Proximal tubular Dicer knockout (PT- Dicer KO) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to streptozotocin (STZ) treatment to induce DKD or unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) to induce obstructive nephropathy. Renal hypertrophy, renal tubular apoptosis, kidney inflammation, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis were examined. Compared with WT mice, PT- Dicer KO mice showed more severe tubular injury and renal inflammation following STZ treatment. These mice also developed higher levels of tubolointerstitial fibrosis. Meanwhile, PT- Dicer KO mice had a significantly higher Smad2/3 expression in kidneys than WT mice (at 6 mo of age) in both control and STZ-treated mice. Similarly, UUO induced more severe renal injury, inflammation, and interstitial fibrosis in PT- Dicer KO mice than WT. Although we did not detect obvious Smad2/3 expression in sham-operated mice (2–3 mo old), significantly more Smad2/3 was induced in obstructed PT- Dicer KO kidneys. These results supported a protective role of Dicer-dependent microRNA synthesis in renal injury and fibrosis development in CKD, specifically in DKD and obstructive nephropathy. Depletion of Dicer and microRNAs may upregulate Smad2/3-related signaling pathway to enhance the progression of CKD.
Beyond the microscope: interpreting renal biopsy findings in the era of precision medicine
Authors: Bagnasco Serena M.
Published: October 2018

As rapid progress in science and biotechnology is affecting the practice of renal medicine, increasingly precise diagnostic assessment is needed to select the most effective therapeutic approach for individual patients. The kidney biopsy remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of renal disease, but the field of renal pathology is evolving, classification of renal parenchyma lesions and histopathological diagnostic criteria are undergoing more validation and updates, and new technologies and assays are sought to improve efficiency and accuracy of the diagnostic process. How new knowledge and scientific advances may potentially affect renal pathology is discussed.
Serotonin regulates dynamics of cerebellar granule cell activity by modulating tonic inhibition
Authors: Fleming Elizabeth , Hull Court
Published: October 2018

Understanding how afferent information is integrated by cortical structures requires identifying the factors shaping excitation and inhibition within their input layers. The input layer of the cerebellar cortex integrates diverse sensorimotor information to enable learned associations that refine the dynamics of movement. Specifically, mossy fiber afferents relay sensorimotor input into the cerebellum to excite granule cells, whose activity is regulated by inhibitory Golgi cells. To test how this integration can be modulated, we have used an acute brain slice preparation from young adult rats and found that encoding of mossy fiber input in the cerebellar granule cell layer can be regulated by serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) via a specific action on Golgi cells. We find that 5-HT depolarizes Golgi cells, likely by activating 5-HT2A receptors, but does not directly act on either granule cells or mossy fibers. As a result of Golgi cell depolarization, 5-HT significantly increases tonic inhibition onto both granule cells and Golgi cells. 5-HT-mediated Golgi cell depolarization is not sufficient, however, to alter the probability or timing of mossy fiber-evoked feed-forward inhibition onto granule cells. Together, increased granule cell tonic inhibition paired with normal feed-forward inhibition acts to reduce granule cell spike probability without altering spike timing. Hence, these data provide a circuit mechanism by which 5-HT can reduce granule cell activity without altering temporal representations of mossy fiber input. Such changes in network integration could enable flexible, state-specific suppression of cerebellar sensorimotor input that should not be learned or enable reversal learning for unwanted associations.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) regulates synaptic integration at the input stage of cerebellar processing by increasing tonic inhibition of granule cells. This circuit mechanism reduces the probability of granule cell spiking without altering spike timing, thus suppressing cerebellar input without altering its temporal representation in the granule cell layer.
Organ of Corti vibration within the intact gerbil cochlea measured by volumetric optical coherence tomography and vibrometry
Authors: Dong Wei , Xia Anping , Raphael Patrick D. , Puria Sunil , Applegate Brian , Oghalai John S.
Published: October 2018

There is indirect evidence that the mammalian cochlea in the low-frequency apical and the more commonly studied high-frequency basal regions function in fundamentally different ways. Here, we directly tested this hypothesis by measuring sound-induced vibrations of the organ of Corti (OoC) at three turns of the gerbil cochlea using volumetric optical coherence tomography vibrometry (VOCTV), an approach that permits noninvasive imaging through the bone. In the apical turn, there was little frequency selectivity, and the displacement-vs.-frequency curves had low-pass filter characteristics with a corner frequency of ~0.5–0.9 kHz. The vibratory magnitudes increased compressively with increasing stimulus intensity at all frequencies. In the middle turn, responses were similar except for a slight peak in the response at ~2.5 kHz. The gain was ~50 dB at the peak and 30–40 dB at lower frequencies. In the basal turn, responses were sharply tuned and compressively nonlinear, consistent with observations in the literature. These data demonstrated that there is a transition of the mechanical response of the OoC along the length of the cochlea such that frequency tuning is sharper in the base than in the apex. Because the responses are fundamentally different, it is not appropriate to simply frequency shift vibratory data measured at one cochlear location to predict the cochlear responses at other locations. Furthermore, this means that the number of hair cells stimulated by sound is larger for low-frequency stimuli and smaller for high-frequency stimuli for the same intensity level. Thus the mechanisms of central processing of sounds must vary with frequency.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A volumetric optical coherence tomography and vibrometry system was used to probe cochlear mechanics within the intact gerbil cochlea. We found a gradual transition of the mechanical response of the organ of Corti along the length of the cochlea such that tuning at the base is dramatically sharper than that at the apex. These data help to explain discrepancies in the literature regarding how the cochlea processes low-frequency sounds.
Relapsing Polychondritis with Meningoencephalitis Refractory to Immunosuppressant Therapy
Authors: Al-Tabbaa Mohammad Mousbah , Habal Hani
Published: October 2018

Meningoencephalitis is a rare complication of relapsing polychondritis. We report a case of a 25-year-old male who presented with visual hallucinations and symptoms of depression and anxiety, white matter changes on MRI, and CSF lymphocytosis, along with inflammatory chondritis seen in his auricle cartilage biopsy. Eventually he was given the diagnosis of RP presenting with meningoencephalitis based on CSF analysis, brain MRI findings, negative serologies, and neurologic exam findings. The patient’s clinical state did not improve despite being on IV methylprednisolone for a period of 7 days; afterwards he was switched to oral prednisone with no clinical improvement. As a result, he was given cyclophosphamide and rituximab, respectively, without benefit. He also underwent craniectomy with VP shunt due to worsening hydrocephalus and a brain biopsy was done to confirm the diagnosis. He is currently on methotrexate and steroid dependent with a goal to taper down. Even though all 19 reported cases of meningoencephalitis with RP in the literature did respond to immunosuppressive therapy, in our case, however the patient did not respond to immunosuppressive treatment and currently is in mute dementia status after three years of treatment.
A New Inequality for Frames in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Xiang Zhong-Qi
Published: October 2018

We obtain a new inequality for frames in Hilbert spaces associated with a scalar and a bounded linear operator induced by two Bessel sequences. It turns out that the corresponding results due to Balan et al. and Găvruţa can be deduced from our result.
Assembly Line Balancing Based on Beam Ant Colony Optimisation
Authors: Huo Jiage , Wang Zhengxu , Chan Felix T. S. , Lee Carman K. M. , Strandhagen Jan Ola
Published: October 2018

We use a hybrid approach which executes ant colony algorithm in combination with beam search (ACO-BS) to solve the Simple Assembly Line Balancing Problem (SALBP). The objective is to minimise the number of workstations for a given fixed cycle time, in order to improve the solution quality and speed up the searching process. The results of 269 benchmark instances show that 95.54% of the problems can reach their optimal solutions within 360 CPU time seconds. In addition, we choose order strength and time variability as indicators to measure the complexity of the SALBP instances and then generate 27 instances with a total of 400 tasks (the problem size being much larger than that of the largest benchmark instance) randomly, with the order strength at 0.2, 0.6 and 0.9 three levels and the time variability at 5-15, 65-75, and 135-145 levels. However, the processing times are generated following a unimodal or a bimodal distribution. The comparison results with solutions obtained by priority rule show that ACO-BS makes significant improvements on the quality of the best solutions.
Lab Study on the Effect of Cation Exchange Capacity on Slurry Performance in Slurry Shields
Authors: Sun By Pinghe , Zhao Binkui , Cao Han , Wang Jingyuan , Mo Dingqiang , Zhang Shaohe
Published: October 2018

Ion stabilizers can enhance the reinforcement slurry effect on the wall and stabilize the wall actively in slurry shields. This paper presents different cation exchange capacities obtained by changing the content of the ion stabilizer (1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0%, 3.5%, 4.0%, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.5%, and 6.0%) in slurry associated with the basis of the existing slurry formula through the laboratory tests. In order to study the effect of the cation exchange capacity on the performance of slurry properties, the rheological properties of the slurry are analyzed and evaluated by the power law model. Results indicate that the cation exchange capacity of the slurry decreases first and then increases with the increase of the ion stabilizer content. When the content of the ion stabilizer is maintained at 3.50%, the cation exchange capacity reaches the minimum value of 2.92. The filtration volumes, pH values, and rheological parameters of the slurry also indicate an obvious linear change with the change of the cation exchange capacity. The minimum filtration volume is 9.70 mL/30 min when the ion stabilizer content reaches 3.50%. However, the pH value reaches the maximum, that is, 11.34 which is changed from 10, and the change could be considered as a constant value in the field work. When the cation exchange capacity increases, the continuity of polymer structure in the slurry decreases first and then increases, the flow index and consistency coefficient are located within a reasonable range, and the rheological properties of the slurry meet the design requirements of the standards.
Identification of Two-Time Scaled Systems Using Prefilters
Authors: Cavalcanti Anderson L. O. , Kienitz Karl H. , Kadirkamanathan Visakan
Published: October 2018

This paper deals with the identification of two-time scale linear dynamic systems, which are an important class of multiscale systems. Classical identification processes may fail to yield accurate parameters for systems of this class and, for this reason, the authors propose two different techniques to estimate the system parameters. The first technique utilizes two prefilters that are iteratively tuned. The second one considers wavelet filters that are tuned based on the results of the first iterative algorithm. Identification and analysis results for a dynamical aircraft model are shown to demonstrate the algorithm’s performance.
Bacterioplankton Activity in a Meso-eutrophic Subtropical Coastal Lagoon
Authors: Schmitz Fontes Maria L. , Fernandes Heloísa , Brandão Manoela , Hennemann Mariana Coutinho , Aparecida Loss Raquel , de Souza Grinevicius Valdelúcia Maria Alves , Tonetta Denise , Cesca Karina , Hessel Silveira Mônica , Bedin Mara , Recouvreux Derce , Vasconcellos Antônio Regina
Published: October 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the bacterioplankton activity in the meso-eutrophic Conceição Lagoon would increase significantly under allochthonous inputs of inorganic nutrients and organic carbon. Abundance and biomass of bacterioplankton were evaluated under three treatments: light (14 h light/10 h dark), complete darkness (dark-control), and nutrient (C + N + P—dark, 100 : 10 : 1) enrichments during 72 h. Nutrient enrichments promoted a significant increase in abundance (maximum of 19.0 ×109 cells·L−1in the first 32 hours) and biomass of the heterotrophic bacterioplankton, which induced the formation of large clusters. Bacterial biomass remained constant in the non-enriched incubations (dark-control and light). Bacterial growth rates were significantly higher after nutrient additions (1.35 d−1), followed by control (0.79 d−1), and light (0.63 d−1) treatments, which were statistically equal (p>0.05). Bacterial production rates were also significantly higher under nutrient additions (1.28 d−1), compared to the control and light (0.50 d−1and 0.44 d−1, respectively), demonstrating that bacterial growth and production in this meso-eutrophic lagoon are under an immediate “bottom-up” regulation, followed by a potential top-down effect. These facts reinforce the urgency on improving the local wastewater management plan in order to prevent further expansion of anoxic waters.
Observability Degree‐Based AUV Single Beacon Navigation Trajectory Optimization with Range‐Only Measurements
Authors: Yu Huapeng , Zhou Xu
Published: October 2018

Aiming at the problem of autonomous underwater vehicle navigation trajectory optimization using single beacon location under direct route condition, a nonlinear system model for AUV single beacon navigation is established, and the linearized system model with error states is constructed by polar coordinate transformation and simplification. Then, current disturbance is considered. To find out the optimum path to utilize range‐only measurements, a novel observability degree‐based analysis method is proposed, which gives a quantitative insight into convergence characteristics of the error states by using the eigenvalues of the normalized error covariance matrix. Simulation experiments are done to test convergence characteristics of AUV integrated navigation error states with single beacon range‐only measurements under direct route control conditions. The experimental results show that the proposed control method is effective, and it has an important engineering application value and provides us with an optimized path.