bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A novel scheme for image sharpness using inflection points
Authors: Lin Li‐Hui , Chen Tzong‐Jer 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIt is useful to increase the sharpness in medical images. This improvement can help medical diagnoses and treatment outcomes for patients. Noise overshoot and oversharpening effects are common artifacts of conventional sharpening algorithms. In this work, we propose an adaptive sharpness algorithm that achieves better sharpening effects than standard methods. As the pixel value changes abruptly at an edge, a method that adequately emphasized sudden variations in pixel values is effective for use in the sharpening process. Measurement of the gradient norm value of each pixel is calculated and compared to a threshold value to produce a curve. The curve quickly drops at the initial stage and then decreased more slowly for higher norm values. To distinguish the edge, an inflection point is determined by taking the second derivative of the curve and identifying the turnover point (where the curvature changes sign). Norm values higher than the inflection point are identified as belonging to the edge, and a simple sharpness filter is adaptively applied to these points. The proposed approach yielded better results than global filtering and a conventional unsharp masking approach when evaluated using Pratt's figure of merit.
Superficial photothermal laser ablation of ex vivo sheep esophagus using a cone‐shaped optical fiber tip
Authors: Tozburun Serhat 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSuperficial photothermal laser ablation (SPLA) may be useful as a therapeutic approach producing a depth of injury that is sufficient to eliminate mucosal lesion but not deep enough to induce thermal effects in deeper tissue layers. The purpose of this preliminary study is twofold: (a) to describe design steps of a fiber probe capable of delivering a tightly focused laser beam, including Monte‐Carlo‐based simulations, and (b) to complete the initial testing of the probe in a sheep esophagus model, ex vivo. The cone‐shaped (tapered) fiber tip was obtained by chemical etching of the optical fiber. A 1505 nm diode laser providing power up to 500 mW was operated in continuous wave. The successful SPLA of the sheep mucosa layer was demonstrated for various speed‐power combinations, including 300 mW laser power at a surface scanning rate of 0.5 mm/s and 450 mW laser power at a surface scanning rate of 2.0 mm/s. Upon further development, this probe may be useful for endoscopic photothermal laser ablation of the mucosa layer using relatively low laser power.
Frontline Science: Superior mouse eosinophil depletion in vivo targeting transgenic Siglec-8 instead of endogenous Siglec-F: Mechanisms and pitfalls
Authors: Knuplez Eva , Krier-Burris Rebecca , Cao Yun , Marsche Gunther , O’Sullivan Jeremy , Bochner Bruce S 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Eosinophils are important multifunctional granulocytes. When studying eosinophil function and its contribution to diseases, mouse models are often used. Mouse eosinophils selectively express sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec)-F. Its closest functional paralog on human eosinophils is Siglec-8. These Siglecs are being used to target eosinophils when exploring their mechanistic roles in disease and for potential therapeutic benefit. In order to facilitate preclinical studies of human Siglec-8, we developed transgenic mouse strains expressing human Siglec-8 only on the surface of eosinophils with or without endogenous Siglec-F and have begun characterizing various cellular functions in vitro and in vivo. Eosinophils from Siglec-8+ mice, with or without Siglec-F, responded to Siglec-8 antibody engagement in vitro by up-regulating surface CD11b, whereas Siglec-F antibody had no such effect. Engagement of Siglec-F or Siglec-8 with respective antibodies in vitro resulted in only modest increases in cell death. Administration of rat Siglec-F antibodies to mice led to a significant decrease in Siglec-F surface expression on eosinophils due to internalization, and thus appeared to decrease eosinophil numbers based on Siglec-F+ cells, but with proper gaiting strategies did not in fact result in significant eosinophil depletion. In marked contrast, administration of mouse Siglec-8 antibodies rapidly and effectively depleted eosinophils from blood and spleens of mice, but an F(ab′)2 version did not, indicating an Fc-mediated mechanism for eosinophil depletion in vivo. Siglec-8 expressing mice with or without endogenous Siglec-F will be useful to study Siglec-8-based therapeutics, and may be a preferred approach when acute or chronic eosinophil depletion is needed.
Tomosyn regulates the small RhoA GTPase to control the dendritic stability of neurons and the surface expression of AMPA receptors
Authors: Shen Wenjuan , Kilander Michaela B. C. , Bridi Morgan S. , Frei Jeannine A. , Niescier Robert F. , Huang Shiyong , Lin Yu‐Chih 
Published: March 2020

AbstractTomosyn, a protein encoded by syntaxin‐1‐binding protein 5 (STXBP5) gene, has a well‐established presynaptic role in the inhibition of neurotransmitter release and the reduction of synaptic transmission by its canonical interaction with the soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment protein receptor machinery. However, the postsynaptic role of tomosyn in dendritic arborization, spine stability, and trafficking of ionotropic glutamate receptors remains to be elucidated. We used short hairpin RNA to knock down tomosyn in mouse primary neurons to evaluate the postsynaptic cellular function and molecular signaling regulated by tomosyn. Knockdown of tomosyn led to an increase of RhoA GTPase activity accompanied by compromised dendritic arborization, loss of dendritic spines, decreased surface expression of AMPA receptors, and reduced miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency. Inhibiting RhoA signaling was sufficient to rescue the abnormal dendritic morphology and the surface expression of AMPA receptors. The function of tomosyn regulating RhoA is mediated through the N‐terminal WD40 motif, where two variants each carrying a single nucleotide mutation in this region were found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We demonstrated that these variants displayed loss‐of‐function phenotypes. Unlike the wild‐type tomosyn, these two variants failed to restore the reduced dendritic complexity, spine density, as well as decreased surface expression of AMPA receptors in tomosyn knockdown neurons. This study uncovers a novel role of tomosyn in maintaining neuronal function by inhibiting RhoA activity. Further analysis of tomosyn variants also provides a potential mechanism for explaining cellular pathology in ASD.
Electrocardiographic features of the presence of occult myocardial disease in patients with VPD‐induced cardiomyopathy
Authors: Im Sung Il , Gwag Hye Bin , Park Youngjun , Park Seung‐Jung , Kim June Soo , On Young Keun , Park Kyoung‐Min 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackgroundFrequent ventricular premature depolarizations (VPDs) can cause reversible cardiomyopathy (CMP). However, many patients maintain a normal left ventricular (LV) function with a high VPD burden. The electrocardiographic characteristics of VPD‐induced CMP have not been elucidated.MethodsOne hundred and eighty (91 men, age; 51 ± 15 years) patients with frequent idiopathic VPDs (>10% VPDs/day or >10 000 VPDs/day) were studied. All patients underwent successful ablation and were then divided into two groups according to the echocardiographic findings before and after the ablation procedure.ResultsGroup A (n = 139) had a normal LV function with VPD frequencies, and Group B (n = 41) had reversible LV dysfunction after ablation. The VPD QRS duration (QRSd) was wider in patients with CMP (Group A vs Group B; 137.2 ± 12.0 milliseconds vs 159.7 ± 5.3 milliseconds, P < .001). VPDs with a terminal QRS delay marked by a notch followed by a discrete lower amplitude signal after the peak R wave in any precordial lead were identified. The incidence of terminal signals was higher in the CMP group (Group A vs Group B; 2.1% vs 53.6%, P < .001).ConclusionsThe wider VPD QRSd and terminal QRS delay in patients with VPD‐induced CMP suggest subclinical cell‐to‐cell conduction abnormalities as a potential factor predisposing VPD‐induced CMP.
Graphdiyne‐Polymer Nanocomposite as a Broadband and Robust Saturable Absorber for Ultrafast Photonics
Authors: Guo Jia , Shi Rongchao , Wang Rui , Wang Yunzheng , Zhang Feng , Wang Cong , Chen Hualong , Ma Chunyang , Wang Zhenhong , Ge Yanqi , Song Yufeng , Luo Zhengqian , Fan Dianyuan , Jiang Xiantao , Xu Jialiang , Zhang Han 
Published: March 2020

AbstractAs a rising star of all‐carbon nanomaterial, graphdiyne (GDY) has a direct natural bandgap and features strong light–matter interaction, large optical absorption, superior chemical and optical stability, indicating its broad prospects in the field of photonics and optoelectronics. Herein, the broadband nonlinear absorption and transient absorption characteristics of GDY from visible to infrared region has been studied for the first time, and its promising application in ultrafast photonics has been explored. The large nonlinear absorption coefficient (> −1 cm GW−1), low saturation intensity (<13 GW cm−2), and ultrafast relaxation time (<30 ps) of GDY are demonstrated, which indicates the outstanding potential of GDY in photonics among the emerging novel nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. The GDY is mixed with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to prepare the GDY–PVP nanocomposite, which further improved the stability of GDY. By using the GDY–PVP nanocomposite as saturable absorption material, ultrashort pulse lasers with pulse duration of 385.5 ps and 688 fs are obtained at 1 and 1.5 µm, respectively. This work reveals the excellent nonlinear optical properties of GDY and lays a foundation for its development in advanced nanophotonic devices.
Direct‐Acting Antivirals and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: No Evidence of Higher Wait‐List Progression or Posttransplant Recurrence
Authors: Piñero Federico , Boin Ilka , Chagas Aline , Quiñonez Emilio , Marciano Sebastián , Vilatobá Mario , Santos Luisa , Anders Margarita , Hoyos Duque Sergio , Soares Lima Agnaldo , Menendez Josemaría , Padilla Martín , Poniachik Jaime , Zapata Rodrigo , Maraschio Martín , Chong Menéndez Ricardo , Muñoz Linda , Arufe Diego , Figueroa Rodrigo , Mendizabal Manuel , Hurtado Gomez Sahara , Stucchi Raquel , Maccali Claudia , Vergara Sandoval Rodrigo , Bermudez Carla , McCormack Lucas , Varón Adriana , Gadano Adrián , Mattera Juan , Rubinstein Fernando , Carrilho Flair , Silva Marcelo 
Published: March 2020

The association between direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) wait‐list progression or its recurrence following liver transplantation (LT) remains uncertain. We evaluated the impact of DAAs on HCC wait‐list progression and post‐LT recurrence. This Latin American multicenter retrospective cohort study included HCC patients listed for LT between 2012 and 2018. Patients were grouped according to etiology of liver disease: hepatitis C virus (HCV) negative, HCV+ never treated with DAAs, and HCV+ treated with DAAs either before or after transplantation. Multivariate competing risks models were conducted for both HCC wait‐list progression adjusted by a propensity score matching (pre‐LT DAA effect) and for post‐LT HCC recurrence (pre‐ or post‐LT DAA effect). From 994 included patients, 50.6% were HCV−, 32.9% were HCV+ never treated with DAAs, and 16.5% were HCV+ treated with DAAs either before (n = 66) or after LT (n = 98). Patients treated with DAAs before LT presented similar cumulative incidence of wait‐list tumor progression when compared with those patients who were HCV+ without DAAs (26.2% versus 26.9%; P = 0.47) and a similar HCC‐related dropout rate (12.1% [95% CI, 0.4%‐8.1%] versus 12.9% [95% CI, 3.8%‐27.2%]), adjusted for baseline tumor burden, alpha‐fetoprotein values, HCC diagnosis after listing, bridging therapies, and by the probability of having received or not received DAAs through propensity score matching (subhazard ratio [SHR], 0.9; 95% CI, 0.6‐1.6; P = 0.95). A lower incidence of posttransplant HCC recurrence among HCV+ patients who were treated with pre‐ or post‐LT DAAs was observed (SHR, 0.7%; 95% CI, 0.2%‐4.0%). However, this effect was confounded by the time to DAA initiation after LT. In conclusion, in this multicenter cohort, HCV treatment with DAAs did not appear to be associated with an increased wait‐list tumor progression and HCC recurrence after LT.
Erratum to the paper “Regularized Riesz energies of submanifolds”
Authors: O'Hara Jun , Solanes Gil 
Published: March 2020

AbstractWe give a corrected proof of the last theorem (Theorem 4.11) of Regularized Riesz energies of submanifolds, published in Math. Nachr. 291 (2018), no. 8–9, 1356–1373. Namely, we prove that the Riesz energy of a compact body Ω is Möbius invariant if and only if the dimension of Ω is even and .
EGFR‐ERK pathway regulates CSN6 to contribute to PD‐L1 expression in glioblastoma
Authors: Su Lingrui , Guo Wenli , Lou Lei , Nie Saisai , Zhang Qing , Liu Ying , Chang Ying , Zhang Xianghong , Li Yuehong , Shen Haitao 
Published: March 2020

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant brain tumor in adults. Recently, programmed death‐1/programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐1/PD‐L1) checkpoint blockades have been applied for GBM treatment. However, the mechanism of PD‐L1 upregulation in GBM is still unclear. COP9 signalosome 6 (CSN6) is crucial for maintaining the protein stabilization in cancer cells. In this study, we applied human GBM specimens and cell lines to investigate whether the EGFR‐ERK pathway regulates CSN6 for PD‐L1 upregulation. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset showed that high expression of EGFR, CSN6, and PD‐L1 in patients with glioma was associated with poor prognosis. In 47 human GBM specimens, high expression of PD‐L1 was associated with low amount of CD8+ T cell infiltration as well as the poor prognosis of patients. CSN6 was positively correlated with EGFR and PD‐L1 expression in human GBM specimens. We treated two GBM cell lines (U87 and U251) with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in vitro, and found EGF‐upregulated p‐EGFR, p‐ERK, CSN6, and PD‐L1 expression in GBM cells. PD98059, the ERK blocker, inhibited upregulations of CSN6 and PD‐L1 in EGF‐treated cells. Inhibition of CSN6 by small interfering RNA decreased PD‐L1 expression but also increased CHIP expression in GBM cells. When the cells were treated with EGF and cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, EGF‐reduced CHX‐induced CSN6 and PD‐L1 turnover in GBM cells. Furthermore, CSN6‐mediated downregulation of PD‐L1 was inhibited by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor in U87 cells. Thus, these results suggest that the EGFR‐ERK pathway may upregulate CSN6, which may inhibit PD‐L1 degradation and subsequently maintain PD‐L1 stability in GBM.
Simulation of the atmospheric parameters during passage of a tropical storm over the South China Sea: a comparison with MetOcean buoy and ERA‐Interim data
Authors: P Sivaprasad , Samah Azizan Abu , Babu C. A , Fang Yue , Mohd Nor Mohd Fadzil Firdzaus , Chenoli Sheeba Nettukandy , Cheah Wee , Mazuki Muhammad Yunus Ahmad 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe accuracy of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model derived meteorological fields during the passage of a tropical storm, Pabuk, over the southern South China Sea is investigated. The European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts’ ERA‐Interim data were also used for comparison. Data from a MetOcean buoy which captured tropical storm Pabuk were used to evaluate the accuracy of the WRF model. The period of study was from January 1, 2019 to January 5, 2019. Simulated parameters (surface temperature, wind speed and pressure) showed agreement with the buoy data before and after passage of the tropical storm. In contrast, model output shows differences from observations during the passage of the storm near 0600 UTC on January 3, 2019. Overall, surface pressure was simulated with a maximum correlation of 0.93 while the wind speed showed a minimum correlation of 0.76. The surface temperature was simulated with a correlation of 0.78. Weaker correlations arise due to differences in simulated and observed parameters during the storm. During the storm, model estimates overestimated the buoy wind speed and pressure data. The results show the inaccuracy of the simulation due to the vigorous conditions prevailing during the storm. The location of the centre of the storm differing between the model and the ERA‐Interim data could also contribute to the discrepancy of the WRF data. The MetOcean buoy provided a rare opportunity for validation of the WRF model during the storm over the understudied shallow tropical South China Sea.
Inspection of visible components in urine based on deep learning
Authors: Li Qiaoliang , Yu Zhigang , Qi Tao , Zheng Lei , Qi Suwen , He Zhuoying , Li Shiyu , Guan Huimin 
Published: March 2020

PurposeUrinary particles are particularly important parameters in clinical urinalysis, especially for the diagnosis of nephropathy. Therefore, it is highly important to precisely detect urinary particles in the clinical setting. However, artificial microscopy is subjective and time consuming, and various previous detection algorithms lack the adequate accuracy. In this study, a method is proposed for the analysis of urinary particles based on deep learning.MethodsWe used seven cellular components (i.e., erythrocytes, leukocytes, epithelial, low‐transitional epithelium, casts, crystal, and squamous epithelial cells) in the microscopic imaging of urine as the detection targets. After the extraction of features using Resnet50, feature maps of different sizes are obtained in the last few layers of the feature pyramid net (FPN). The feature maps are then input into the classification subnetwork and regression subnetwork for classification and localization respectively, and detection results are obtained. First, we introduce the basic model (RetinaNet) to detect the cellular components in urinary particles, and the features of the objects can then be extracted more effectively by replacing different basic networks. Lastly, the effects of different weight initialization methods and different anchor scales on the performance of the model are investigated.ResultsWe obtained the optimal network structure based on the adjustment of the loss functional parameters, thereby achieving the best results in the test set of urinary particles. The experimental data yielded an accuracy of 88.65% with a processing time of only 0.2 s for each image on a GeForce GTX 1080 graphics processing unit (GPU). Our results demonstrate that this method cannot only achieve the speed of the first‐stage target detector, but also the accuracy of the two‐stage target algorithm in the analysis of urinary particles.ConclusionThis study developed new automated analysis urinary particles based on deep learning, and this method is expected to be used for the automated analysis and detection of urinary particles. Moreover, our approach will be useful for the detection of other cells in the clinical setting.
A GEMPix‐based integrated system for measurements of 3D dose distributions in water for carbon ion scanning beam radiotherapy
Authors: Leidner Johannes , Ciocca Mario , Mairani Andrea , Murtas Fabrizio , Silari Marco 
Published: March 2020

PurposeCommercially available systems for ion beam reference dosimetry in water are mainly based on ionization chambers. In those systems, a large number of small detectors are typically arranged in a two‐dimensional (2D) array or matrix to achieve high spatial resolution (order of several millimeters) and large field coverage at the same time. The goal of this work was to investigate the reliability of a detector of superior spatial resolution to perform three‐dimensional (3D) ionization measurements in carbon ion pencil beams.MethodsThe GEMPix is a small gaseous detector with a highly pixelated readout, consisting of a drift region (with 2.8 cm3 × 2.8 cm3 × 0.3 cm3 volume), three gas electron multipliers (GEMs) for signal amplification and four Timepix ASICs with 55 µm pixel pitch and a total of 262,144 pixels. An integrated system was designed and built, which consists of a commercial water phantom with a three‐axis motorized arm, a reference large‐area ionization chamber for signal normalization to the beam output and the GEMPix itself. Measurements at different depths in water have been performed at the Italian National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO) with three carbon ion beam energies. Lateral beam profiles measured with the GEMPix at the shallowest depth were compared to those measured with radiochromic EBT3 films in air in the position of the reference ionization chamber. The Timepix readout was calibrated in energy by using one independent depth scan with carbon ions of 150 mm range. Bragg peak curves were also simulated using the Monte Carlo FLUKA code as a reference.ResultsBeam profiles measured with the GEMPix were smooth and showed similar shape and full width at half maximum when compared to those measured with radiochromic EBT3 films. Smooth, reproducible Bragg curves were obtained with statistical uncertainties of about 2%, matching FLUKA simulations of the Bragg curves within 15% for most data points. This difference is partially explained for the measurement with carbon ions of 150 mm range by a saturation effect in the GEMs. The high granularity of the readout allowed to produce 2D images of the deposited dose at different depths, as well as 3D data distributions.ConclusionsThis paper demonstrates the capability of the GEMPix detector to measure the 3D dose distribution of carbon ions in water for a clinical pencil beam reliably. In the future, the detector area will be increased to cover fields of scanned beams. Measurements at higher beam intensities and with protons are planned.
Cold aggravates abnormal excitability of motor axons in oxaliplatin‐treated patients
Authors: Bennedsgaard Kristine , Ventzel Lise , Grafe Peter , Tigerholm Jenny , Themistocleous Andreas C. , Bennett David L. , Tankisi Hatice , Finnerup Nanna B. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIntroductionCold allodynia is often seen in the acute phase of oxaliplatin treatment, but the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear.MethodsPatients scheduled for adjuvant oxaliplatin for colorectal cancer were examined with quantitative sensory testing and nerve excitability tests at baseline and after the second or third oxaliplatin cycle at different skin temperatures.ResultsSeven patients were eligible for examination. All patients felt evoked pain and tingling when touching something cold after oxaliplatin infusion. Oxaliplatin decreased motor nerve superexcitability (P < .001), increased relative refractory period (P = .011), and caused neuromyotonia‐like after‐activity. Cooling exacerbated these changes and prolonged the accommodation half‐time.DiscussionThe findings suggest that a combined effect of oxaliplatin and cooling facilitates nerve excitability changes and neuromyotonia‐like after‐activity in peripheral nerve axons. A possible mechanism is the slowing in gating of voltage‐dependent fast sodium and slow potassium channels, which results in symptoms of cold allodynia.