Sampled-data controller scheme for multi-agent systems and its Application to circuit network

The objective of this study is to investigate the synchronization criteria under the sampled-data control method for multi-agent systems (MASs) with state quantization and time-varying delay. Currently, a looped Lyapunov-Krasovskii Functional (LKF) has been developed, which integrates information from the sampling interval to ensure that the leader system synchronizes with the follower system, resulting in a specific condition in the form of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). The LMIs can be easily solved using the LMI Control toolbox in Matlab. Finally, the proposed approach's feasibility and effectiveness are demonstrated through numerical simulations and comparative results.

A comparative study to evaluate the cervical spine movements during laryngoscopy using Macintosh and Airtraq laryngoscopes

Background and Aim

Intubation with Macintosh requires flexing the lower cervical spine and extending the atlanto-occipital joint to create a "line of sight." Primary aim of study was to compare the extent of cervical spine movement during laryngoscopy using conventional Macintosh laryngoscope and Airtraq.

Material and Methods

A total of 25 patients of either sex between the age group of 18 and 60 years, having American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of Grade-I and Grade-II, scheduled for elective surgery under image control requiring general anesthesia and intubation were enrolled. A baseline image of the lateral cervical spine including the first four cervical vertebrae was taken by an image intensifier. After administration of general anesthesia, laryngoscopy was first performed using a Macintosh laryngoscope and a second X-ray image of the lateral cervical spine was taken. The second laryngoscopy using a Airtraq laryngoscope was done and the third image of the lateral cervical spine was taken. Angles between occiput and C1; C1 and C2; C2 and C3; C3 and C4; and occiput and C4 were calculated. Atlanto-occipital distance (AOD) was calculated as the distance between occiput and C1.

Results

Macintosh showed greater cervical movement as compared with Airtraq but a significant difference in the movement was observed at C2-C3 and C0-C4. Baseline mean AOD was 2.21 ± 1.25 mm, after Macintosh and Airtraq laryngoscopy was found to be 1.13 ± 0.60 and 1.6 ± 0.78 mm, respectively, and was found to be significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

We conclude that Airtraq allows intubation with less movement of the upper cervical spine makes Airtraq preferred equipment for intubation in patients with a potential cervical spine injury.

Development of Al-Mg2Si Alloy Hybrid Surface Composites by Friction Stir Processing: Mechanical, Wear, and Microstructure Evaluation

Surface composites are viable choices for various applications in the aerospace and automotive industries. Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is a promising method for fabricating surface composites. Aluminum Hybrid Surface Composites (AHSC) are fabricated using the FSP to strengthen a hybrid mixture prepared with equal parts of Boron carbide (B₄C), Silicon Carbide (SiC), and Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃) particles. Different hybrid reinforcement weight percentages (reinforcement content of 5% (T1), 10% (T2), and 15% (T3)) were used in fabricating AHSC samples. Furthermore, different mechanical tests were performed on hybrid surface composite samples with different weight percentages of the reinforcements. Dry sliding wear assessments were performed in standard pin-on-disc apparatus as per ASTM G99 guidelines to estimate wear rates. The presence of reinforcement contents and dislocation behavior was investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) studies. The results indicated that the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of sample T3 exhibited 62.63% and 15.17% higher than that of samples T1 and T2, respectively, while the Elongation (%) of T3 exhibited 38.46% and 15.38% lower than that of samples T1 and T2, respectively. Moreover, it was found that the hardness of sample T3 increased in the stir zone compared to samples T1 and T2, owing to its higher brittle response. The higher brittle response of sample T3 compared to samples T1 and T2 was confirmed by the higher value of Young's modulus and the lower value of Elongation (%).

Social identity loss and reverse culture shock: Experiences of international students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

International students are often exposed to various challenges during life transitions. The 'mindsponge' mechanism suggests that individuals absorb and integrate new cultural values that are compatible with their core values while rejecting those of lesser importance. On the basis of this notion, this article explores the experiences of international students in China regarding their unplanned return to their home countries during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of the mindsponge mechanism.

Aim

This article aims to highlight the experiences of international students in China who are going through life transitions due to the global pandemic. The study focuses on the experiences of two groups of international students: (1) Those who remained in China during the pandemic, and (2) those who had left China and were stranded in their home countries due to a ban on international travel amid COVID-19.

Method

This qualitative study comprised of in-depth semi structured in-person and online interviews. Thematic Analysis was used to analyze the data in order to generate study themes.

Results

The results revealed that students who remained in China experienced challenges which included anxiety, closure of campuses, lockdown, their parents' concern regarding health issues, and not being able to meet with friends. On the other hand, students who had left China during the pandemic were confined to their home countries. This group of students experienced more severe problems than the students who remained in China. Since the transition to home countries was "unplanned," they were not ready to readjust to their native culture and were vulnerable to severe reverse culture shock. Upon returning to their home countries, international students faced a number of challenges, including readjustment to their home countries and changes in their lives in host and home countries. In addition, they lost social and academic resources, such as the disruption of study environment, losing important group memberships, financial constraints, visa expiry, graduation delay, and academic suspension.

Conclusion

This study concluded that the international students experienced cultural problems after unplanned transition to their home countries during the pandemic. They described effects of reverse culture shock as being more distressing. They perceived dissatisfaction due to loss of previously held social identities and sense of belonging to the traditional society they left behind. There is a need of future studies on the long-term effect of unplanned transition on psychological, social and professional experiences. The process of readjustment has proven to be a challenging endeavor.

Deciphering radiological stable disease to immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND

'Stable disease (SD)' as per RECIST is a common but ambiguous outcome in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to characterize SD and identify the subset of patients with SD who are benefiting from treatment. Understanding SD would facilitate drug development and improve precision in correlative research.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A systematic review was carried out to characterize SD in ICI trials. SD and objective response were compared to proliferation index using The Cancer Genome Atlas gene expression data. To identify a subgroup of SD with outcomes mirroring responders, we examined a discovery cohort of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serial cutpoints of two variables, % best overall response and progression-free survival (PFS), were tested to define a subgroup of patients with SD with similar survival as responders. Results were then tested in external validation cohorts.

RESULTS

Among trials of ICIs (59 studies, 14 280 patients), SD ranged from 16% to 42% in different tumor types and was associated with disease-specific proliferation index (ρ = -0.75, P = 0.03), a proxy of tumor kinetics, rather than relative response to ICIs. In a discovery cohort of NSCLC [1220 patients, 313 (26%) with SD to ICIs], PFS ranged widely in SD (0.2-49 months, median 4.9 months). The subset with PFS >6 months and no tumor growth mirrored partial response (PR) minor (overall survival hazard ratio 1.0) and was proposed as the definition of SD responder. This definition was confirmed in two validation cohorts from trials of NSCLC treated with durvalumab and found to apply in tumor types treated with immunotherapy in which depth and duration of benefit were correlated.

CONCLUSIONS

RECIST-defined SD to immunotherapy is common, heterogeneous, and may largely reflect tumor growth rate rather than ICI response. In patients with NSCLC and SD to ICIs, PFS >6 months and no tumor growth may be considered 'SD responders'. This definition may improve the efficiency of and insight derivable from clinical and translational research.

First-pass Success Rate and Number of Attempts Required for Intubation in Anticipated Difficult Airway: Comparison between Macintosh and Channeled King Vision Video Laryngoscopes

Background and Aims

Video laryngoscopy has been shown to improvise Cormack-Lehane grading and rate of successful tracheal intubation and is now incorporated in most of the difficult airway guidelines. Since there is scarce literature regarding the use of channeled blade of King Vision video laryngoscope (KVVL) in anticipated difficult intubation, we planned to undertake this randomized control trial to assess the performance of channeled blade of KVVL and Macintosh laryngoscope in patients with anticipated difficult intubation.

Design and Setting

This prospective randomized study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods

Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned equally to the KVVL group or Macintosh group. The primary outcome of the study was intubation success in the first attempt and number of attempts required for intubation, and the secondary outcomes were Cormack-Lehane grading and time required to intubate in both the groups.

Results

The first-pass success of intubation was 88.6% in the KVVL group and 76.5% in the Macintosh group (P = 0.035). The second attempt of intubation was required in 11.4% and 20.6% of patients in the KVVL and Macintosh groups, respectively. Cormack Lehane Grade I was achieved in 100% of patients of the KVVL group as compared to 29.4% of patients in the Macintosh group. Moreover, the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.035). The mean duration of intubation was prolonged in the KVVL group as compared to the Macintosh group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.04).

Conclusion

The channeled blade of KVVL had a higher first-pass success rate and required fewer attempts to intubate when used in patients with anticipated difficult intubation. Further, the KVVL was found to be significantly better than the Macintosh laryngoscope in terms of Cormack-Lehane grading, but the time taken to intubate the trachea was more in the KVVL group.

over-activated p21 protein activated kinase-3 (pak3) leads to myocardial lipotoxicity and cardiac dysfunction in diet-induced metabolic stress

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation

Background

In clinics, metabolic stress-induced cardiomyopathy is featured as diastolic/systolic dysfunction, at least partially resulting from impairment of metabolic flexibility in the myocardium, which leads to lipotoxicity and oxidative stress accompanied with cardiomyocytes death. P21-activated kinases (Paks) are a family of serine/threonine kinases, involved in cell survival, proliferation and cytoskeleton remodelling. In spite of the cardioprotective functions of Pak1 and Pak2 in the myocardium, the role of cardiac Pak3 is unexplored.

Purpose

The study is to investigate the function of cardiac Pak3 on myocardial steatosis in response to diet-induced metabolic stress, which will provide proof-of-concept evidence for the therapeutic potential for alleviating cardiac dysfunction by targeting lipotoxicity in the myocardium.

Methods

Pak3 overexpression in the myocardium was achieved by tail vein injection of adeno associated virus (AAV9) delivery of troponin T promoter-driven Pak3 on C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed with high fat high sucrose diet, the metabolic profiles and cardiac function were measured at 4-week intervals. In addition, cardiac morphological and cellular changes were assessed, including cell size, fibrosis formation, cell death, lipid accumulation and lipid peroxidation. In addition, the transcript levels of the genes either participating lipid metabolism or regulating oxidative stress were also assessed by qPCR.

Results

First, we detected that Pak3 expression and activation was increased in the myocardium from human with obese or diabetes. Consistently, the augmented Pak3 was also detected in the failing heart from C57BL/6J mice, ob/ob and db/db mice. Next, in a time-course study, the mice with AAV9-delivery cardiac Pak3 overexpression were vulnerable to cardiac dysfunction upon diet-induced metabolic stress. Pak3 overexpression did not alter cardiomyocyte size; however, more fibrosis and cell death in the myocardium were detected due to Pak3 enhancement. More importantly, myocardial lipid accumulation and profound lipid peroxidation were determined by immunefluorescent staining of Perilipin 5 (PLIN5) and 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-NHE), respectively. Finally, the abnormal expression of the genes involved in lipid synthesis and fatty acid oxidation was detected in Pak3-overexpressed myocardium under metabolic stress, whereas the levels of anti-oxidative stress genes were decreased.

Conclusion

Altogether, the study has demonstrated that Pak3 over-activation makes the heart more susceptible to myocardial lipotoxicity, which accelerates cardiac steatosis and dysfunction in the fact of metabolic stress.

EDEM2 regulation of cardiac lipid metabolism in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation

Background

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is the most predominant form of heart failure (HF) worldwide, one which confers substantial mortality and has no efficacious treatments. Lipid mishandling greatly contributes to the pathophysiology of HFpEF, nevertheless, the key mechanistic features regulating cardiac lipid overload remain poorly understood. EDEM2 plays a crucial role in the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. Recent studies show that ERAD-associated proteins are implicated in cellular lipid homeostasis, however, the role of EDEM2 is cardiac lipid metabolism remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanisms by which EDEM2 regulates cardiomyocyte lipid metabolism and cardiac dysfunction in HFpEF.

Methods

In vivo two-hit disease model of HFpEF, Adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9)-mediated cardiac-specific gene overexpression, tail-cuff blood pressure recordings, echocardiography, histology and qPCR.

Results

Under HFpEF inducing conditions, AAV9-Gfp injected mice (as controls) displayed an increased E/A ratio and IVRT both of which are indicative of diastolic dysfunction. Conversely, cardiac-specific EDEM2 overexpression prevented diastolic dysfunction in mice subjected to HFpEF conditions. Systolic function remained unchanged between groups. Interestingly, EDEM2 overexpression reduced myocardial neutral lipid accumulation and prevented severe oxidative stress and cardiac pathological remodeling. More importantly, although genes participating in fatty acid uptake and lipid droplets synthesis in the heart were comparable between AAV9-Gfp and AAV9-EDEM2 groups, those involved in lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation were upregulated in mice with cardiac-specific EDEM2 overexpression.

Conclusion

Cardiomyocyte-specific EDEM2 overexpression mitigates myocardial steatosis in a two-hit murine model of HFpEF, likely through enhancing fatty acid utilisation in the myocardium.

Paracrine signal emanating from stressed cardiomyocytes aggravates inflammatory microenvironment in diabetic cardiomyopathy

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation

Background

Cardiovascular issues associated with diabetes, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), can lead to heart failure. DCM is etiologically related to myocardial inflammation and can stem from a complex interplay of different cell types. Cardiomyocyte as an active mediator of the inflammatory response is an emerging concept with limited mechanistic understanding.

Purpose

We aimed to address the knowledge gap of cardiomyocyte endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dysfunction-mediated macrophage response and provide functional evidence for the therapeutic feasibility of managing inflammatory paracrine signals in response to diet-induced metabolic stress.

Methods

In vivo mouse model of high fat high sucrose diet-induced diabetes, cardiomyocyte-specific p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) knockout model, echocardiography, histology, 3D imaging, qPCR, co-culture of H9c2 culturing medium and bone-marrow derived macrophages, immunoblotting, macrophage isolation from myocardium, flow cytometry and AAV9-gene therapy.

Results

In a time-course study, diet-induced diabetic mice demonstrated an association between cardiac ER stress and sustained myocardial inflammation, with a maladaptive shift in myocardial ER stress response over time. Furthermore, as a cardiac ER dysfunction model, mice with cardiac-specific PAK2 deletion exhibited heightened myocardial inflammatory response in diabetes. Using human and mice diabetic heart samples, we show that ER stress-induced CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) is a novel transcriptional regulator of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). Cardiac stress-induced active release of HMGB1 facilitated M1 macrophage polarization, and aggravated myocardial inflammatory signatures. Therapeutically, sequestering the extracellular HMGB1 using Glycyrrhizin conferred cardioprotection through its anti-inflammatory action. Also, as functional evidence, we showed that un-mitigated cardiac ER response due to PAK2 loss under diabetes may account as a barrier for leveraging the anti-inflammatory potential of Vildagliptin.

Conclusion

Collectively, we introduce an ER stress-mediated cardiomyocyte-macrophage link, altering the macrophage response in the myocardium, thereby providing insight into therapeutic prospects for diabetes-associated cardiac dysfunction.

Host AKT-mediated phosphorylation of HIV-1 accessory protein Vif potentiates infectivity via enhanced degradation of the restriction factor APOBEC3G

HIV-1 encodes accessory proteins that neutralize antiviral restriction factors to ensure its successful replication. One accessory protein, the HIV-1 viral infectivity factor (Vif), is known to promote ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the antiviral restriction factor apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G), a cytosine deaminase that leads to hypermutations in the viral DNA and subsequent aberrant viral replication. We have previously demonstrated that the HIV-1 viral transcription mediator Tat activates the host progrowth PI-3–AKT pathway, which in turn promotes HIV-1 replication. Because the HIV-1 Vif protein contains the putative AKT phosphorylation motif RMRINT, here we investigated whether AKT directly phosphorylates HIV-1 Vif to regulate its function. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that AKT and Vif interact with each other, supporting this hypothesis. Using in vitro kinase assays, we further showed that AKT phosphorylates Vif at threonine 20, which promotes its stability, as Vif becomes destabilized after this residue is mutated to alanine. Moreover, expression of dominant-negative kinase-deficient AKT as well as treatment with a chemical inhibitor of AKT increased K48-ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of HIV-1 Vif. In contrast, constitutively active AKT (Myr-AKT) reduced K48-ubiquitination of Vif to promote its stability. Finally, inhibition of AKT function restored APOBEC3G levels, which subsequently reduced HIV-1 infectivity. Thus, our results establish a novel mechanism of HIV-1 Vif stabilization through AKT-mediated phosphorylation at threonine 20, which reduces APOBEC3G levels and potentiates HIV-1 infectivity.

Hyperuricaemia as a predictor of hospital outcome in patients with sepsis: results of a prospective study

Background

Early management of sepsis in the emergency department improves patient outcomes. The identification of at-risk patients for aggressive management by an easily available biomarker could go a long way in the triage of patients in the emergency department. It is postulated that during sepsis, the majority of patients undergo ischaemic reperfusion injury or inflammation, and uric acid with its oxidant and antioxidant properties may be playing some role and, hence, the measurement of uric acid could possibly predict the hospital course in patients with sepsis. We were prompted to undertake this study as serum uric acid estimation is readily available and economical compared to newly evolving biomarkers in sepsis. Estimation of serum uric acid levels on arrival to the emergency department may prove a useful predictor of hospital outcome in patients with sepsis especially in regions with limited resources.

Results

Of 102 patients, 55 (53.9%) were males. The mean age of the study cohort was 63.2 ± 10.48. Patients with higher qSOFA scores had higher uric acid levels on admission. While 12 (11.8%) patients had a septicaemic shock, acute kidney injury was recorded in 48 (47.1%) patients and 11 (10.8%) patients required dialysis. Thirty-four (33.3%) patients had respiratory failure, and of these, 21 (20.6%) patients required mechanical ventilation. The overall median stay in the medical intensive care (MICU) was 3days (range 2–7 days). The patients with higher uric acid levels had higher rates of respiratory failure but did not reach significant levels. In 15 (14.7%) patients, 7 males expired (mortality rate of 14.7%). There was a significant association between SOFA score and mortality. Patients who succumbed to sepsis had higher serum uric acid levels on arrival.

Conclusions

Patients with higher qSOFA scores had higher uric acid levels on admission. Hyperuricaemia predicted acute kidney injury, a requirement of mechanical ventilation and mean hospital stay in patients with sepsis. Further studies may be required to confirm the association.

Loose glass tesserae and lost decorations: chronology and production of mosaics from Gerasa's Northwest Quarter

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of loose glass tesserae from the Northwest Quarter of Gerasa/Jerash has enhanced our understanding of the dynamics regulating the production and circulation of glass tesserae in second- to eighth-centuries ce Jordan and the diachronic development of mosaics at the site. The identification of Levantine and Egyptian compositions (Roman-Mn, Levantine I, HIMT, Foy 2.1) proves the continuous production of mosaics from the second to the seventh centuries. The Levantine I tesserae were made by the recycling and colouring of glass cullet. The gilded tesserae, in contrast, were all of an Egyptian base glass, likely illustrating the import of finished tesserae.

HCV Core Protein Induces Chemokine CCL2 and CXCL10 Expression Through NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Macrophages

HCV core protein is the first structural protein synthesized during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and replication. It is released from virus infected liver cells and mediates multiple functions to affect host cell response. The innate immune response is the first line of defense against viral infection. After HCV infection, Kupffer cells (KCs) which are liver macrophages play an important role in host innate immune response. Kupffer cells act as phagocytes and release different cytokines and chemokines to counter viral infection and regulate inflammation and fibrosis in liver. Earlier, we have demonstrated that HCV core protein interacts with gC1qR and activates MAPK, NF-κB and PI3K/AKT pathways in macrophages. In this study, we explored the effect of HCV core protein on CCL2 and CXCL10 expression in macrophages and the signaling pathways involved. Upon silencing of gC1qR, we observed a significant decrease expression of CCL2 and CXCL10 in macrophages in the presence of HCV core protein. Inhibiting NF-κB pathway, but not P38, JNK, ERK and AKT pathways greatly reduced the expression of CCL2 and CXCL10. Therefore, our results indicate that interaction of HCV core protein with gC1qR could induce CCL2 and CXCL10 secretion in macrophages via NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings may shed light on the understanding of how leukocytes migrate into the liver and exaggerate host-derived immune responses and may provide novel therapeutic targets in HCV chronic inflammation.

Effectiveness of Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire Versus WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire on Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is a common disease of aged population and one of the leading causes of disability. Key causes include obesity or overweight along with aging. Knee osteoarthritis can cause significant pain and functional loss. As the disease progresses, it can cause chronic knee joint pain, muscle weakness, joint deformity and functional deficiency which leads to decreased quality of life. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) is a 24-item questionnaire with 3 sub-scales measuring pain (5 items), stiffness (2 items) and physical function (17 items). Health related quality of life is measured using Short Form-36, used to examine health status in following eight domains: Bodily pain, physical function, role limitations due to social problems, physical problems, general health, vitality, social function, mental health, role limitation due to physical problems. Aim: To find the effect of Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire versus WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire to measure the pain, Range of Motion (ROM) and disability in subjects with chronic knee osteoarthritis patients treated with Contrast Bath and Knee Exercises. Materials and Methods: This study was a pre and post longitudinal cohort study. A total of 90 patients were divided into two groups of 45 each. Each patient was given treatment for four weeks. Each patient was treated with Contrast bath and Knee Exercises. Group A patients were instructed to fill the Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire and Group B patients were instructed to fill the WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire and outcome measures were collected on day 1, at the end of 2nd week and at the end of 4th week. Data from study were analysed using the statistical package SPSS 19.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) and level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Group B shows a mean of the total score of WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire which was 74.66 (SD 10.01) on Day 1; mean of 49.02 (SD 12.08) at the end of the 2nd week and a mean of 20.68 (SD 12.23) at the end of 4th week. The p-value was found to be 0.0001. The percentage disability evaluated by the WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire shows a mean of 78 (SD 10) on Day 1; mean of 51 (SD 12) at the end of 2nd week and a mean of 22 (SD 13) at the end of 4th week. On day 1 Short Form-36 Questionnaire, total score of group A was 88.24 (SD 6.72) and at the end of 2nd week and 4th week the mean score was 94.06 (SD 5.10) and 98.72 (SD 4.55), respectively with statistically significant difference p-value (0.0001). Conclusion: The present study showed that the WOMAC Arthritis Index Questionnaire had superior sensitivity in reducing pain and increasing range of motion and thus by decreasing the disability.

Development of a cytology-based multivariate analytical risk index for oral cancer

OBJECTIVES

The diagnosis and management of oral cavity cancers are often complicated by the uncertainty of which patients will undergo malignant transformation, obligating close surveillance over time. However, serial biopsies are undesirable, highly invasive, and subject to inherent issues with poor inter-pathologist agreement and unpredictability as a surrogate for malignant transformation and clinical outcomes. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a Multivariate Analytical Risk Index for Oral Cancer (MARIO) with potential to provide non-invasive, sensitive, and quantitative risk assessments for monitoring lesion progression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A series of predictive models were developed and validated using previously recorded single-cell data from oral cytology samples resulting in a "continuous risk score". Model development consisted of: (1) training base classification models for each diagnostic class pair, (2) pairwise coupling to obtain diagnostic class probabilities, and (3) a weighted aggregation resulting in a continuous MARIO.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic accuracy based on optimized cut-points for the test dataset ranged from 76.0% for Benign, to 82.4% for Dysplastic, 89.6% for Malignant, and 97.6% for Normal controls for an overall MARIO accuracy of 72.8%. Furthermore, a strong positive relationship with diagnostic severity was demonstrated (Pearson's coefficient = 0.805 for test dataset) as well as the ability of the MARIO to respond to subtle changes in cell composition. The development of a continuous MARIO for PMOL is presented, resulting in a sensitive, accurate, and non-invasive method with potential for enabling monitoring disease progression, recurrence, and the need for therapeutic intervention of these lesions.

Inter-relationship between intercepted radiation and rice yield influenced by transplanting time, method, and variety

Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is one of the most important environmental factors that determine the productivity and grain quality of the crops. Continuous rainy days or cloudy weather throughout crop growth especially at critical stages often resulted in great loss of grain quality and yield in rice. Low light stress has rigorously constrained the rice production in various rice-growing regions, especially in Southeast Asia. Method and time of planting are the major management factors contributing to the higher yield potential of rice by influencing light harvesting and use efficiency. Present study was executed consecutively for 5 years (kharif seasons of 2012-2016) to determine whether planting time improves the radiation absorption and use efficiency in different duration rice cultivars. We evaluated the difference in plant growth and development leading to yield formation under different planting time which related to radiation incidence and interception. The results of the study revealed that PAR interception depends on morphological characters of cultivars and also with agronomic management such as transplanting time and method. Long duration cultivar intercepted more PAR but interception decreased due to late planting (3rd week of July), whereas short duration cultivars (Naveen) when planted earlier (1st week of June) could not effectively utilize intercepted PAR constraining the biomass accumulation and yield formation. Effect of planting density and crop architecture on PAR absorption was apparent among establishment methods as light interception at crop canopy was highest in the system of rice intensification and lowest in that of wet direct seeding. In general, Pooja as a long duration cultivar intercepted more PAR per day but when compared on same date of planting, the comparative absorption of radiation was 30.6% higher in Naveen. The lower yields in the wet season are attributed mostly to reduction in grain number per panicle or per unit land area, which is a consequence of high spikelet sterility. Grain yield of rice planted in July third week was reduced by 3.8, 12.3, and 6.9% over June first and third week and July first week, respectively, mainly due to spikelet sterility (26%) and lower grains per panicle (18%). Our results indicated that agronomic management like optimum time of sowing, cultivar duration, and establishment methods should be followed for yield improvement in tropical lowlands where light intensity is limiting due to prevailing weather situations.

Serum deprivation/starvation leads to reactivation of HIV-1 in latently infected monocytes via activating ERK/JNK pathway

Despite the high success rate, antiretroviral therapy does not cure the disease completely due to presence of latent viral reservoirs. Although several studies have addressed this issue earlier, the role of serum starvation/deprivation in HIV-1 latency has not been studied. So, we investigated the role of serum starvation in regulating HIV-1 latency. The impact of serum starvation on HIV-1 latency was assessed in latently infected monocytes U1 and T-cells J1.1. Serum starvation breaks HIV-1 latency in U1 cells. Under similar conditions, J1.1 cells failed to show reactivation of virus. We investigated the involvement of cell death pathway and autophagy during the serum starvation in viral reactivation. Inhibition of these pathways did not affect viral reactivation. Furthermore, other crucial factors like NF-κB, SP1 and AKT did not play any role in regulating viral latency. Here, we report that serum deprivation up-regulates ERK/JNK pathway. This leads to phosphorylation of c-Jun which plays an important role in viral reactivation. Treatment of cells with U0126, an ERK kinase inhibitor, potently inhibited viral replication. In summary, we show that serum starvation leads to reactivation of HIV-1 in latently infected monocytes through the ERK/JNK pathway.

8,9-Dimethoxybenzo[b]naphtho[2,3-d]thiophene

In the title compound, C18H14O2S, the system of four fused rings is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.022 Å). The C atoms of the methoxy groups deviate from the mean plane of the ring system by 0.373 (2) and −0.104 (2) Å. In the crystal, very weak aromatic π–π stacking interactions [shortest centroid–centroid separation = 3.9286 (10) Å] may help to establish the packing.

Chloridobis(ethane-1,2-diamine-κ2 N,N′)(3-methylpyridine-κN)cobalt(III) dichloride monohydrate

In the title hydrated salt, [CoCl(C6H7N)(C2H8N2)2]Cl2·H2O, the CoIII ion exhibits a distorted octahedral coordination envirnoment defined by four N atoms of two ethane-1,2-diamine ligands, another N atom of the pyridine ligand and a Cl− ligand. The pyridine N atom and the Cl− ligand are in cis positions relative to each other. The crystal packing is dominated by intermolecular N—H...Cl, O—H...Cl and O—H...H hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the amino groups of the complex cation, the lattice water molecule and the non-coordinating Cl− anions. Weak C—H...Cl interactions consolidate the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network structure.

Approximation of state variables for discrete-time stochastic genetic regulatory networks with leakage, distributed, and probabilistic measurement delays: a robust stability problem

This work predominantly labels the problem of approximation of state variables for discrete-time stochastic genetic regulatory networks with leakage, distributed, and probabilistic measurement delays. Here we design a linear estimator in such a way that the absorption of mRNA and protein can be approximated via known measurement outputs. By utilizing a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and some stochastic analysis execution, we obtain the stability formula of the estimation error systems in the structure of linear matrix inequalities under which the estimation error dynamics is robustly exponentially stable. Further, the obtained conditions (in the form of LMIs) can be effortlessly solved by some available software packages. Moreover, the specific expression of the desired estimator is also shown in the main section. Finally, two mathematical illustrative examples are accorded to show the advantage of the proposed conceptual results.

Global exponential stability of Markovian jumping stochastic impulsive uncertain BAM neural networks with leakage, mixed time delays, and α-inverse Hölder activation functions

This paper concerns the problem of enhanced results on robust finite time passivity for uncertain discrete time Markovian jumping BAM delayed neural networks with leakage delay. By implementing a proper Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional candidate, reciprocally convex combination method, and linear matrix inequality technique, we derive several sufficient conditions for varying the passivity of discrete time BAM neural networks. Further, some sufficient conditions for finite time boundedness and passivity for uncertainties are proposed by employing zero inequalities. Finally, the enhancement of the feasible region of the proposed criteria is shown via numerical examples with simulation to illustrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed method.

Risk Stratification of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders in Fanconi Anemia Patients Using Autofluorescence Imaging and Cytology-On-A Chip Assay

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a hereditary genomic instability disorder with a predisposition to leukemia and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) facilitates cure of bone marrow failure and leukemia and thus extends life expectancy in FA patients; however, survival of hematologic malignancies increases the risk of OSCC in these patients. We developed a "cytology-on-a-chip" (COC)-based brush biopsy assay for monitoring patients with oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). Using this COC assay, we measured and correlated the cellular morphometry and Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2 (MCM2) expression levels in brush biopsy samples of FA patients' OPMD with clinical risk indicators such as loss of autofluorescence (LOF), HSCT status, and mutational profiles identified by next-generation sequencing. Statistically significant differences were found in several cytology measurements based on high-risk indicators such as LOF-positive and HSCT-positive status, including greater variation in cell area and chromatin distribution, higher MCM2 expression levels, and greater numbers of white blood cells and cells with enlarged nuclei. Higher OPMD risk scores were associated with differences in the frequency of nuclear aberrations and differed based on LOF and HSCT statuses. We identified mutation of FAT1 gene in five and NOTCH-2 and TP53 genes in two cases of FA patients' OPMD. The high-risk OPMD of a non-FA patient harbored FAT1, CASP8, and TP63 mutations. Use of COC assay in combination with visualization of LOF holds promise for the early diagnosis of high-risk OPMD. These minimally invasive diagnostic tools are valuable for long-term surveillance of OSCC in FA patients and avoidance of unwarranted scalpel biopsies.

(E)-2-(3-Oxo-3-phenylprop-1-enyl)thiophene-3-carbaldehyde

The title compound, C14H10O2S, crystallizes with two independent molecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. They have very similar conformations with the thiophene ring having an envelope conformation in both molecules. In molecule A, the benzene and thiophene rings makes a dihedral angle of 11.01 (9)°. The corresponding angle in molecule B is 9.58 (9)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked via pairs of C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming dimers with an R 2 2(18)set-graph motif. The dimers are linked via C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming slabs lying parallel to (100).

A systematic review assessing non-pharmacological conservative treatment studies for people with non-inflammatory multi-joint pain: clinical outcomes and research design considerations

To systematically review the evidence to determine the clinical outcomes and the important methodological quality features of interventional studies on adults with non-inflammatory multi-joint pain (MJP). Systematic search of published and unpublished literature using the databases: AMED, CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, psycINFO, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, OpenGrey, the EU Clinical Trials Register, World Health Organization International Clinical Trial Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry (search: inception to 19th October 2017). All papers reporting the clinical outcomes of non-pharmacological interventions for people with non-inflammatory MJP were included. Studies were critically appraised using the Downs and Black Critical Appraisal and the TIDieR reporting checklists. Data were analysed using a Best Evidence Synthesis approach. From 3824 citations, four papers satisfied the eligibility criteria. Three studies reported outcomes from multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes and one study reported the findings of a spa therapy intervention. All interventions significantly improved pain, function and quality of life in the short-term. There was limited reporting of measures for absenteeism, presenteeism and psychosocial outcomes. The evidence was 'weak', and due to a lack of controlled trials, there is limited evidence to ascertain treatment effectiveness. Design consideration for future trials surround improved reporting of participant characteristics, interventions and the standardisation of core outcome measures. There is insufficient high-quality trial data to determine the effectiveness of treatments for non-inflammatory MJP. Given the significant health burden which this condition presents on both individuals and wider society, developing and testing interventions and accurately reporting these, should be a research priority. Registration PROSPERO (CRD42013005888).

Enhanced robust finite-time passivity for Markovian jumping discrete-time BAM neural networks with leakage delay

This paper is concerned with the problem of enhanced results on robust finite-time passivity for uncertain discrete-time Markovian jumping BAM delayed neural networks with leakage delay. By implementing a proper Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional candidate, the reciprocally convex combination method together with linear matrix inequality technique, several sufficient conditions are derived for varying the passivity of discrete-time BAM neural networks. An important feature presented in our paper is that we utilize the reciprocally convex combination lemma in the main section and the relevance of that lemma arises from the derivation of stability by using Jensen's inequality. Further, the zero inequalities help to propose the sufficient conditions for finite-time boundedness and passivity for uncertainties. Finally, the enhancement of the feasible region of the proposed criteria is shown via numerical examples with simulation to illustrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed method.

Theoretical insights into the nature of synergistic enhancement in bimetallic CoTiAlPO-5 catalysts for ammonia activation

Bimetallic catalytic synergy, the concurrent action of two different metal ions in the same material, has resulted in improved efficiency in many catalytic systems and for a range of chemical processes.

'Cytology-on-a-chip' based sensors for monitoring of potentially malignant oral lesions

Despite significant advances in surgical procedures and treatment, long-term prognosis for patients with oral cancer remains poor, with survival rates among the lowest of major cancers. Better methods are desperately needed to identify potential malignancies early when treatments are more effective.

OBJECTIVE

To develop robust classification models from cytology-on-a-chip measurements that mirror diagnostic performance of gold standard approach involving tissue biopsy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Measurements were recorded from 714 prospectively recruited patients with suspicious lesions across 6 diagnostic categories (each confirmed by tissue biopsy -histopathology) using a powerful new 'cytology-on-a-chip' approach capable of executing high content analysis at a single cell level. Over 200 cellular features related to biomarker expression, nuclear parameters and cellular morphology were recorded per cell. By cataloging an average of 2000 cells per patient, these efforts resulted in nearly 13 million indexed objects.

RESULTS

Binary "low-risk"/"high-risk" models yielded AUC values of 0.88 and 0.84 for training and validation models, respectively, with an accompanying difference in sensitivity+specificity of 6.2%. In terms of accuracy, this model accurately predicted the correct diagnosis approximately 70% of the time, compared to the 69% initial agreement rate of the pool of expert pathologists. Key parameters identified in these models included cell circularity, Ki67 and EGFR expression, nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, nuclear area, and cell area.

CONCLUSIONS

This chip-based approach yields objective data that can be leveraged for diagnosis and management of patients with PMOL as well as uncovering new molecular-level insights behind cytological differences across the OED spectrum.

Abstract LB-248: Minimally-invasive “cytology-on-chip” assay combined with continuous risk index for screening and surveillance of oral cancer in patients with Fanconi anemia

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations of DNA repair genes. The risk of oral cancer (OC) among FA patients is 800-times higher than in the general population, occurring at younger ages. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), which greatly extends the life-expectancy in FA patients further increases the risk of OC in these patients. Patients with FA cannot tolerate chemo-and radiation therapy; hence, early detection of OC is critical to improve survival.

Objective: To investigate the role of a numerical index for monitoring OC progression applied to FA patients in combination with a microfluidic “cytology-on-chip” assay and autofluorescence visualization (AFV) using VELscope (Visually Enhanced Lesion scope).

Methods: Patients attending the Meeting for Adults with FA, held in Baltimore, Maryland in March 2014 underwent a conventional oral examination followed by AFV. Transepithelial brush samples of mucosal lesions suspected of being oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) were obtained using Orcellex® brush (Rovers Medical Devices, Oss, The Netherlands) and transported in ThinPrep® CytoLyt® for cytology-on-chip assays. A numerical OC risk index (0-100) developed and validated on 506 prospectively recruited non-FA patients with OPMD was applied to site-matched brush biopsy samples of FA patients.

Results: A total of 28 FA patients (Age range: 18-61 yrs., M = 9, F = 19) participated in this study, of whom 13 have had HSCT. The majority of these lesions (89%) revealed loss of fluorescence (LOF+ve) with AFV.

Compared to a cohort of prospectively recruited non-FA patients with OPMD (mean = 36.71, SD = 33.60), the mean OC risk index score for FA patients was 50.66 (SD = 32.83). Additionally, HSCT-recipient FA patients exhibited higher risk index scores (mean = 58.69, SD = 32.16) compared to non -HSCT-recipient FA patients (mean = 40.34, SD = 33.08). The frequency of nuclear aberrations such as micronuclei, bi- and poly-nucleated cells was significantly higher in FA patient cells than healthy controls and significantly higher in LOF+ve compared to LOV-negative OPMD. Two samples exhibited significantly higher WBC (white blood cell) counts, an indicator of inflammation; both were from LOF+ve OPMD found in HSCT-recipient FA patients.

Conclusion: FA patients who are HSCT recipients have significantly higher OC risk index scores as well as increased prevalence of LOF+ve OPMD that demonstrate higher incidence of nuclear aberrations and inflammation. These findings are consistent with recent reports that HSCT in FA patients increases their risk for oral cancer. Therefore, use of the OC numerical index and cytology-on-chip assay in combination with AFV may improve the efficacy of conventional oral examination for long-term surveillance of OC in this high-risk patient population, while minimizing unwarranted scalpel biopsies.

Citation Format: Timothy J. Abram, Pierre N. Floriano, Rameez Raja, Nancy Bass, Anne Gillenwater, Nadarajah Vigneswaran, John T. McDevitt. Minimally-invasive “cytology-on-chip” assay combined with continuous risk index for screening and surveillance of oral cancer in patients with Fanconi anemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-248.

Global Gene Expression Profiling: A Complement to Conventional Histopathologic Analysis of Neoplasia

Transcriptional profiling of entire tumors has yielded considerable insight into the molecular mechanisms of heterogeneous cell populations within different types of neoplasms. The data thus acquired can be further refined by microdissection methods that enable the analyses of subpopulations of neoplastic cells. Separation of the various components of a neoplasm (i.e., stromal cells, inflammatory infiltrates, and blood vessels) has been problematic, primarily because of a paucity of tools for accurate microdissection. The advent of laser capture microdissection combined with powerful tools of linear amplification of RNA and high-throughput microarray-based assays have allowed the transcriptional mapping of intricate and highly complex networks within pure populations of neoplastic cells. With this approach, specific “molecular signatures” can be assigned to tumors of distinct or even similar histomorphology, thereby aiding the desired objective of pattern recognition, tumor classification, and prognostication. This review highlights the potential benefits of global gene expression profiling of tumor cells as a complement to conventional histopathologic analyses.