bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating Advanced Approaches Based on Iso-Absorptivity Coefficient in Unresolved Spectral Signals of Binary Mixtures
Authors: Lotfy Hayam M. , Saleh Sarah S.
Published: February 2019

Several spectrophotometric approaches utilize different functions of the iso-absorptivity coefficient in zero-order absorption signals and its manipulated spectra. This work introduced an investigation concerning the efficiency power of recent methods based on iso-absorptivity coefficient in different spectral signals. These methods were as follows: absorptivity centering method (a-Centering), absorbance subtraction method (AS), amplitude modulation method (AM,) and amplitude summation method (A-Sum). These methods were applied to determine the binary mixture of ofloxacin (OFX) and dexamethasone (DXM). Linearity of the proposed methods was investigated in the range of 1.0–10.0 μg/ml for both drugs. The proposed methods were validated as per ICH guidelines and were successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of OFX and DXM in their pharmaceutical preparation without interference from additives. Statistical analysis of the results obtained by the proposed spectrophotometric methods compared with a reported method revealed no significant difference between the proposed and reported methods, confirming accuracy and precision at 95% confidence limit.
Network-Cloud Slicing Definitions for Wi-Fi Sharing Systems to Enhance 5G Ultra Dense Network Capabilities
Authors: Carmo Maxweel , Dantas Silva Felipe S. , Neto Augusto Venâncio , Corujo Daniel , Aguiar Rui
Published: February 2019

Ultradense Networks (UDNs) seek to scale the 5th-Generation mobile network systems at unforeseen amounts of networks, users, and mobile traffic. We believe that the Wi-Fi sharing service is an asset in expanding 5G UDN capacity requirements for higher coverage and ubiquitous wireless broadband connectivity. However, the limitations of the Wi-Fi sharing pioneer deployment, along with other related works, has led our team to carry out further research. As a result, it was found that FOg CloUd Slicing for Wi-Fi sharing (FOCUS) is a suitable means of expanding 5G UDN capacities. FOCUS applies end-to-end Network-Cloud slice definitions on top of the Wi-Fi sharing technology, with the aim of offering multitenancy and multiservice support for a wide range of services, while meeting carrier-grade requirements and resource control at runtime and making full use of a “softwarized” approach. The feasibility of the FOCUS system is assessed in a real testbed deployment prototype, which allows an accurate view to be obtained of the basic functional principles and system-level proof-of-concept alongside the FON de facto Wi-Fi sharing service. The results suggest that FOCUS offers much greater benefits than FON, owing to its capacity to provide end-to-end Network-Cloud Slices while ensuring independent/isolated service delivery with resource adaptation at runtime.
Concordance Rate between Clinicians and Watson for Oncology among Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer: Early, Real-World Experience in Korea
Authors: Choi Youn I , Chung Jun-won , Kim Kyoung Oh , Kwon Kwang An , Kim Yoon Jae , Park Dong Kyun , Ahn Sung Min , Park So Hyun , Sym Sun jin , Shin Dong Bok , Kim Young Saing , Sung Ki Hoon , Baek Jeong-Heum , Lee Uhn
Published: February 2019

Backgrounds/Aims. Watson for Oncology (WFO) is a cognitive technology that processes medical information by analyzing the latest evidence and guidelines. However, studies of the concordance rate between WFO and clinicians for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) are lacking.Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 65 patients with AGC who consulted WFO and the Gachon Gil Medical Center multidisciplinary team (GMDT) in 2016 and 2017. The recommendations of WFO were compared with the opinions of the GMDT. WFO provided three treatment options: recommended (first treatment option), for consideration (second treatment option), and not recommended.Results. In total, 65 patients (mean age 61.0 years; 44 males and 21 females) were included in the study. The concordance rate between WFO and the GMDT was 41.5% (27/65) at the recommended level and 87.7% (57/65) at the for consideration level. The main causes of discordance between WFO and the GMDT were as follows. First, WFO did not consider the medical history. Second, WFO recommended the use of agents that are considered outdated in Korea. Third, some patients wanted to be involved in a clinical trial. Fourth, some patients refused to use the biologic agents recommended by WFO for financial reasons as they were not covered by medical insurance.Conclusions. The concordance rate at the recommended level was relatively low but was higher at the for consideration level. Discordances arose mainly from the different medical circumstances at the Gachon Gil Medical Center (GMC) and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), the main WFO consulting center. The utility of WFO as a tool for supporting clinical decision making could be further improved by incorporating regional guidelines.
A Stochastic Trust Region Method for Unconstrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Li Ningning , Xue Dan , Sun Wenyu , Wang Jing
Published: February 2019

In this paper, a stochastic trust region method is proposed to solve unconstrained minimization problems with stochastic objectives. Particularly, this method can be used to deal with nonconvex problems. At each iteration, we construct a quadratic model of the objective function. In the model, stochastic gradient is used to take the place of deterministic gradient for both the determination of descent directions and the approximation of the Hessians of the objective function. The behavior and the convergence properties of the proposed method are discussed under some reasonable conditions. Some preliminary numerical results show that our method is potentially efficient.
Accumulation of Astaxanthin Was Improved by the Nonmotile Cells of Haematococcus pluvialis
Authors: Li Feng , Cai Minggang , Lin Mingwei , Huang Xianghu , Wang Jun , Zheng Xuehong , Wu Shaoting , An Yu
Published: February 2019

The current commercial production of natural astaxanthin is mainly carried out using Haematococcus pluvialis vegetative cells in the “two-stage” batch mode. The motile vegetative cells are more sensitive to stress than nonmotile vegetative cells, thereby affecting the overall astaxanthin productivity in H. pluvialis cultures. In this study, we compared the differences between motile cells and nonmotile cells in astaxanthin productivity, morphological changes, the mortality rate, and the diameter of the formed cysts. The experimental design was achieved by two different types H. pluvialis cell under continuous light of 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for a 9-day induction period. The highest astaxanthin concentration of 48.42 ± 3.13 mg L−1 was obtained in the nonmotile cell cultures with the highest the productivity of 5.04 ± 0.15 mg L−1 day−1, which was significantly higher than that in the motile cell cultures. The microscopic examination of cell morphological showed a large number of photooxidative damaged cells occurring in the motile cell cultures, resulting in higher cell mortality rate (22.2 ± 3.97%) than nonmotile cell cultures (9.6 ± 0.63%). In addition, the analysis results of cell diameter statistics indicated that nonmotile cells were more conducive to the formation of large astaxanthin-rich cysts than motile cells. In conclusion, the works presented here suggest that the accumulation of astaxanthin was significantly improved by nonmotile cells of H. pluvialis, which provided a possibility of optimizing the existing H. pluvialis cultivation strategy for the industrial production.
In Vitro Seed Germination and Seedling Development of a Rare Indonesian Native Orchid Phalaenopsis amboinensis J.J.Sm
Authors: Utami Edy Setiti Wida , Hariyanto Sucipto
Published: February 2019

Phalaenopsis amboinensis, an epiphytic orchid, has a great potential for commercial exploitation in the cut-flower industry. It is difficult to propagate vegetatively as it naturally grows slowly. Therefore, there is a need to improve the propagation methods to avoid endangering its natural populations. The objective of this study was to identify the best medium and organic supplements for seed germination and plantlets development of P. amboinensis. Seeds from 4-month-old hand-pollinated orchids were sown on different strengths of MS and VW culture media: Murashige and Skoog (MS), 1/2 MS, Vacin and Went (VW), and 1/2 VW. Optimum seed germination, i.e., 90.7%, was achieved on VW medium. VW medium was suitable for seedling formation and allowed 51.4% of seedling development from protocorm within 10 weeks of culture. When 15% (v/v) coconut water was added together with banana homogenate (10 g·L−1) to the VW medium, the plantlets grew to the highest length and had the highest dry weight (62.1 mm and 15.5 g, respectively). The roots and leaves of the plantlets grew vigorously in this medium. Plants regenerated via in vitro seed germination processes were successfully acclimatized in greenhouse conditions, and the survival rate was more than 85%.
Evaluation of the Use of Different Solvents for Phytochemical Constituents, Antioxidants, and In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Severinia buxifolia
Authors: Truong Dieu-Hien , Nguyen Dinh Hieu , Ta Nhat Thuy Anh , Bui Anh Vo , Do Tuong Ha , Nguyen Hoang Chinh
Published: February 2019

Severinia buxifolia (Rutaceae) is a promising source of bioactive compounds since it has been traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact of different solvents on extraction yields, phytochemical constituents and antioxidants, and in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of S. buxifolia. The results showed that the used solvents took an important role in the yield of extraction, the content of chemical components, and the tested biological activities. Methanol was identified as the most effective solvent for the extraction, resulting in the highest extraction yield (33.2%) as well as the highest content of phenolic (13.36 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoid (1.92 mg QE/g DW), alkaloid (1.40 mg AE/g DW), and terpenoids (1.25%, w/w). The extract obtained from methanol exhibited high capacity of antioxidant (IC50 value of 16.99 μg/mL) and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity (i.e., albumin denaturation: IC50 = 28.86 μg/mL; antiproteinase activity: IC50 = 414.29 μg/mL; and membrane stabilization: IC50 = 319 μg/mL). The antioxidant activity of the S. buxifolia extract was found to be 3-fold higher than ascorbic acid, and the anti-inflammatory activity of S. buxifolia extract was comparable to aspirin. Therefore, methanol is recommended as the optimal solvent to obtain high content of phytochemical constituents as well as high antioxidants and in vitro anti-inflammatory constituents from the branches of S. buxifolia for utilization in pharmacognosy.
Presentation of Ocular Syphilis in a HIV-Positive Patient with False-Negative Serologic Screening
Authors: Motlagh Mahsaw N. , Javid Cameron G.
Published: February 2019

Purpose. The ocular sequelae of syphilis are devastating and may cause blindness. The ambiguous nature of its ocular manifestations makes syphilis difficult to detect. Though uncommon, the rise of syphilis in the United States requires a renewed understanding of its ophthalmic presentation to prevent devastating outcomes. We present this case to raise awareness for the increasing prevalence of ocular syphilis and appropriate serologic testing. Observations. We describe a 65-year-old HIV-positive male with worsening retinitis, uveitis, and rapid visual loss. Initial lab results showed a nonreactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) for syphilis. However, subsequent Treponema pallidum antibody testing was positive 48 hours after initial false-negative serologic screening. The patient had a rapid and successful recovery following treatment with penicillin. Conclusions and Importance. The incidence of syphilis is on the rise once again, and patients living with HIV are at increased risk. Ocular syphilis should be considered in susceptible populations in the clinical setting of retinitis, uveitis, and worsening visual loss with unknown cause. In addition, retesting for syphilis will decrease the prevalence of false-negative results, especially in patients with high clinical suspicion.
Phytochemical Screening and Toxicological Study of Aristolochia baetica Linn Roots: Histopathological and Biochemical Evidence
Authors: Bourhia Mohammed , Haj Said Amal Ait , Chaanoun Ayoub , El Gueddari Fatiha , Naamane Abderrahim , Benbacer Laila , Khlil Naima
Published: February 2019

Aristolochia baetica (A. baetica) is a wild species of Aristolochiaceae family; its roots are used by Moroccan people against cancer for many years ago. The objective of the study was to investigate the phytochemical screening, acute and subacute toxicity of A. baetica roots growing in the north of Morocco. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of A. baetica roots were performed using standard methods; the acute toxicity of the root extract of the studied plant was assessed in mice by gavage of single doses of 1, 2, and 4 g/kg body weight for 14 days; by the time the subacute toxicity was done using repeated doses 1, 1.5, and 2 g/kg/day for 28 days. Histological changes and biochemical parameters as markers of kidney and liver function were evaluated. The results of phytochemical screening showed the presence of polyphenols, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and the absence of anthraquinones, sterols, and terpenes. The results of acute toxicity showed the absence of mortality and signs of toxicity in groups treated with 1 and 2 g/kg; however, the clinical signs of toxicity were important and the rate of mortality was estimated at 16 % in the group treated with 4 g/kg. The results of subacute toxicity showed several changes of serum parameters registered in groups treated with 1.5 and 2 g/kg/day, respectively. The results showed also the absence of histological injuries in groups treated with 1 and 1.5 g/kg/day; meanwhile, the histological alterations were remarkable in treated group with the highest dose administered of 2 g/kg/day. The outcome of this work showed that the roots’ extract of the studied plant was toxic in mice with repeated doses, but no toxic effect was observed with a single dose under 4g/kg.
Zebrafish Embryo Vessel Segmentation Using a Novel Dual ResUNet Model
Authors: Zhang Kun , Zhang Hongbin , Zhou Huiyu , Crookes Danny , Li Ling , Shao Yeqin , Liu Dong
Published: February 2019

Zebrafish embryo fluorescent vessel analysis, which aims to automatically investigate the pathogenesis of diseases, has attracted much attention in medical imaging. Zebrafish vessel segmentation is a fairly challenging task, which requires distinguishing foreground and background vessels from the 3D projection images. Recently, there has been a trend to introduce domain knowledge to deep learning algorithms for handling complex environment segmentation problems with accurate achievements. In this paper, a novel dual deep learning framework called Dual ResUNet is developed to conduct zebrafish embryo fluorescent vessel segmentation. To avoid the loss of spatial and identity information, the U-Net model is extended to a dual model with a new residual unit. To achieve stable and robust segmentation performance, our proposed approach merges domain knowledge with a novel contour term and shape constraint. We compare our method qualitatively and quantitatively with several standard segmentation models. Our experimental results show that the proposed method achieves better results than the state-of-art segmentation methods. By investigating the quality of the vessel segmentation, we come to the conclusion that our Dual ResUNet model can learn the characteristic features in those cases where fluorescent protein is deficient or blood vessels are overlapped and achieves robust performance in complicated environments.
Automated Subfield Volumetric Analysis of Hippocampus in Patients with Drug-Naïve Nondementia Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Park Jin-Woo , Lee Chan-Nyoung , Sim Youngbo , Ham Hyung-Kyu , Tae Woo-Suk , Kim Byung-Jo
Published: February 2019

Several studies used automated segmentation of hippocampal subfield (ASHS) for detailed measurements of anatomic subregions of the hippocampus, especially in the field of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we investigated the hippocampal subfield volume of patients with early-stage nondementia PD compared with normal healthy subjects using the ASHS method. A total of 32 subjects were enrolled in this study (sixteen patients with drug naive nondementia PD and sixteen healthy controls). All subjects were scanned with a 1.5 tesla MRI. The volumes of the seven subfields were calculated separately, and then, the whole hippocampal volume was calculated by the summing of CA1, CA2-3, CA4-DG, subiculum, presubiculum, and fimbria, excluding the hippocampal fissure. There were significant diagnosis-by-hemisphere interactive effects on the total hippocampal volume (F = 5.197; p=0.031) and the subfield volume of CA2-3 (F = 7.586; p=0.010) and CA4-DG (F = 7.403; p=0.011). The volumes of CA2-3 (F = 19.911; p<0.001), CA4-DG (F = 20.273; p<0.001), and total hippocampus (F = 10.573; p=0.005) in the left hemisphere were reduced compared to the right hemisphere. We suggest that the hippocampal volume asymmetry, especially in CA4-DG and CA2-3, could be observed in drug-naïve PD patients even in the early stage of the disease.
Effect of “DXB-2030,” a Polyherbal Formulation, on Experimental Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Associated with Hyperandrogenism
Authors: Azeemuddin Mohammed , Anturlikar Suryakanth D. , Onkaramurthy Mallappa , Baig Mirza R. , Ashok Basti K. , Rao Raghavendra P. , Rafiq Mohamed , Rangesh Paramesh
Published: February 2019

The objective of the present study was to evaluate “DXB-2030,” a polyherbal combination of Trigonella foenum-graecum, Aloe vera, Sphaeranthus indicus, Nardostachys jatamansi, and Symplocos racemosa extracts in an experimental model of testosterone propionate (TP), induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female rats. Thirty animals were divided into 3 groups of 10 each; group 1 served as normal control; group 2 was administered with TP and served as positive control; along with TP, group 3 was treated with “DXB-2030” at a dose of 100 mg/kg p.o., for 60 days. At the end of the study period, the animals were subjected for the estimation of serum testosterone levels, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), weight of the ovaries, estrous cycle, and histopathological evaluation. An in vitro assay on GLUT4 expression was carried out to understand the effect of “DXB-2030” on insulin resistance. Results showed that treatment with “DXB-2030” reversed the TP-induced changes by increasing the GLUT4 expression and decreasing the body weight, testosterone levels, AUC of glucose in OGTT, and the cystic follicles of the ovaries, thus indicating its beneficial effect in PCOS by ameliorating the metabolic dysfunction and reproductive impairment, which are the pathophysiological conditions associated with PCOS. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that “DXB-2030” was effective in the management of experimental PCOS and hence may be recommended in the treatment of PCOS.
Local Knowledge and Conservation Priorities of Medicinal Plants near a Protected Area in Brazil
Authors: da Silva Noelia Ferreira , Hanazaki Natalia , Albuquerque Ulysses Paulino , Almeida Campos Juliana Loureiro , Feitosa Ivanilda Soares , Araújo Elcida de Lima
Published: February 2019

We investigated the influence of socioeconomic factors (age, gender, and occupation) on the local knowledge of medicinal plants in the Araripe National Forest, Brazil, and the priority of conservation of the species as perceived by people. Additionally, priority species for in situ conservation were identified by calculating conservation priority (CP). Initially, free lists were developed with 152 informants in order to identify the plants known and used by them. Based on the most cited plants in these lists, a salience analysis was performed to identify the ten most prominent tree species. In a second moment, through a participatory workshop, these ten species were classified by the perception of local experts as to their environmental availability and intensity of exploitation. Then, the population size of the forest plant species was quantified through a phytosociological sampling and the conservation priority index (CP) of the species was calculated. A total of 214 ethnospecies were cited by the informants, which were identified in 167 species. Local knowledge was influenced by socioeconomic factors, with positive correlation between age and local knowledge and difference in knowledge among professions. Among the ten most prominent tree species in terms of their medicinal importance, Hancornia speciosa was highlighted as a priority for conservation in the experts’ perception because it has low environmental availability and a high exploitation rate. The ten species were ordered by the CP differently from the ordering made by the local experts’ perception, indicating that people’s perception of species conservation status may not correspond to the actual situation in which they are found in the forests. Conservationist measures based on the perception of informants need complementary ecological studies on the species accessed.
A Local Information Sensing-Based Broadcast Scheme for Disseminating Emergency Safety Messages in IoV
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Luo Tao , Kang Hongxia
Published: February 2019

Internet of Vehicle (IoV) is playing an increasingly important role in constructing an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) of safety, efficiency, and green. Safety applications such as emergency warning and collision avoidance require high reliability and timeliness for data transmission. In order to address the problems of slow response and local broadcast storm commonly existing among waiting-based relay schemes of emergency messages, a local topology information sensing technology-based broadcast (LISCast) protocol is proposed in this paper, making use of the advantage of probability-based forwarding scheme in redundancy inhibition. According to the beacon broadcasted periodically between vehicles, LISCast collects information about number and distribution of neighbor, from which the characteristic information such as effective candidate number, maximum forwarding distance, and global traffic density are extracted. Through embedding the characteristic information into the head of broadcast packets by the message sender for assisting in making relay decision, the alternative receivers uniformly schedule forwarding priorities in a distributed and adaptive way. LISCast works without the help of a roadside unit and generates a little more overhead. The simulation results show that LISCast improves the ability to adapt to dynamic topology by optimizing the performance of delay, redundancy, and broadcast efficiency upon the condition of satisfying the high level of transmission reliability.
Improved Nonprobabilistic Global Optimal Solution Method and Its Application in Bridge Reliability Assessment
Authors: Bian Xiaoya , Chen Xuyong , Yang Hongyin , You Chen
Published: February 2019

Utilizing the improved one‐dimensional optimization algorithm conveniently solved the nonprobabilistic reliability index, however, only searching the part of probable failure points. Utilizing the global optimal solution method produced heavy computation, although it was capable of searching all probable failure points. This paper, based on these two methods, proposed an improved nonprobabilistic global optimal solution method. The presented method possessed the advantages of searching all probable failure points and generating less computation, by means of which the values of interval variables were determined based on the monotonicity of performance function to the corresponding variables. Without losing any probable failure points, this method was contributive to reducing root value point equations, lowering the computational complexity, and improving the computational efficiency. The effectiveness and feasibility of the presented method were verified by two examples. The proposed method was also introduced to build the nonprobabilistic reliability evaluation process of existing bridges. Taking the Longganhu bridge for example, the nonprobabilistic reliability index of it was calculated using the presented nonprobabilistic reliability evaluation process. The computed nonprobabilistic reliability index η = 0.737 < 1 indicated that the Longganhu bridge was unreliable and needed to be reinforced. Reinforcement measures were carried out for a hollow slab and bridge deck of the Longganhu bridge, respectively. The reinforced bridge was reevaluated as η = 2.159 > 1. The results showed that the bridge was reliable after reinforcement. The study illustrated the application and feasibility of the improved nonprobabilistic global optimal solution method and nonprobabilistic reliability evaluation process in reliability assessment and reinforcement of existing bridges.
Assessment of Phytoremediation Potential of Chara vulgaris to Treat Toxic Pollutants of Textile Effluent
Authors: Mahajan Pooja , Kaushal Jyotsna , Upmanyu Arun , Bhatti Jasdev
Published: February 2019

Textile effluent released into water bodies is prone to be toxic for aquatic flora and fauna. In the present study, the phytoremediation potential of Chara vulgaris (C. vulgaris) is investigated for treatment of textile effluent. The highly concentrated and toxic textile effluent is diluted to different concentrations 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75% to check the accessibility of macroalgae to bear pollutant load of textile effluent. The toxicity of textile effluent is analysed by determining different water quality parameters, namely, pH, TDS, BOD, COD, and EC. The maximum reductions in TDS (68%), COD (78%), BOD (82%), and EC (86%) were found in the 10% concentrated textile effluent after 120 h of treatment. The highly concentrated textile effluent showed its toxic effect on macroalgae and it was found unable to show a remarkable change in water quality parameters of 75% and 100% textile effluent. The correlation coefficient values are determined using correlation matrix to identify the high correlation between different water quality parameters. The removal of toxic organic pollutants by C. vulgaris was confirmed by using UV-visible absorption spectra. Typical X-ray spectra recorded using EDXRF technique indicated the presence of heavy metals Cd in the dried sample of macroalgae after treatment which show its capability to remove toxic heavy metals from textile effluent. The reliability model has been proposed for treated textile effluents to identify percentage level of toxicity tolerance of waste water by macroalgae.
Blind Image Watermarking Based on Adaptive Data Spreading in n-Level DWT Subbands
Authors: Lee Yong-Seok , Seo Young-Ho , Kim Dong-Wook
Published: February 2019

This paper proposes a new adaptive watermarking scheme for digital images, which has the properties of blind extraction, invisibility, and robustness against attacks. The typical scheme for invisibility and robustness consisted of two main techniques: finding local positions to be watermarked and mixing or embedding the watermark into the pixels of the locations. In finding the location, however, our scheme uses a global space such that the multiple watermarking data is spread out over all four lowest-frequency subbands, resulting from n-level Mallat-tree 2D (dimensional) DWT, where n depends on the amount of watermarking data and the resolution of the host image, without any further process to find the watermarking locations. To embed the watermark data into the subband coefficients, weighting factors are used according to the type and energy of each subband to adjust the strength of the watermark, so we call this an adaptive scheme. To examine the ability of the proposed scheme, images with various resolutions are tested for various attacks, both pixel-value changing attacks and geometric attacks. With experimental results and comparison to the existing works we show that the proposed scheme has better performance than the previous works, except those which specialize in certain types of attacks.
Enhanced Duration of Truffle Sauce Preservation due to Addition of Linoleic Acid
Authors: Tirillini Bruno , Maggi Filippo , Venanzoni Roberto , Angelini Paola
Published: February 2019

Food products based on truffles such as truffle sauces are commonly sterilized by autoclaving. With the aim of reducing sterilization durations and temperatures and therefore minimizing the formation of new molecules while maintaining sterile conditions, natural molecules with bacteriostatic action can be added. This work takes into account molecular variations in a truffle sauce with linoleic and stearic acids added at various temperatures and durations of sterilization. As controls, the sterilized truffle sauces, not additives, were taken. The SPME/GC has always detected changes in the composition of the headspace but more significant at longer durations. An increase in temperature leads to the transformation of an important fraction of total alcohol into total aldehydes. Bacteriological tests were performed on total aerobic bacteria and Clostridium spp. The total bacterial load, even if low, is instead present in the controls for all temperature/duration combinations. Linoleic acid is more effective than stearic acid and contributes with a concentration of 10% (w/w) to a decisive reduction of the total bacterial load at 10′/121°C and 3′/130°C. The nutritional value of truffle sauces can be increased by adding nutraceuticals, and amongst these, linoleic acid could be a valid candidate.
Research in Academia: Creating and Maintaining High Performance Research Teams
Authors: Olenick Maria , Flowers Monica , Maltseva Tatayana , Diez-Sampedro Ana
Published: February 2019

As universities strive to raise their academic rank through the quality and quantity of scholarship in order to maintain their competitive edge and funding sources, faculty face pressure to increase number of publications and externally funded research (or project proposals). There are many challenges that make it difficult for faculty to meet a university’s research demand, such as increased work load in academia, teaching large-size classes of students, and other strict university deadlines related to book ordering, scheduling classes, posting grades, etc. Faculty work group conflicts, faculty incivility, and dwindling grant/research funding add to faculty stress. In order to promote scholarship in academia, administrative support, collaborative work environments, mentoring, and appropriate appraisal systems are needed to enable faculty to be more productive and satisfied.
ForChaos: Real Time Application DDoS Detection Using Forecasting and Chaos Theory in Smart Home IoT Network
Authors: Procopiou Andria , Komninos Nikos , Douligeris Christos
Published: February 2019

Recently, D/DoS attacks have been launched by zombie IoT devices in smart home networks. They pose a great threat to network systems with Application Layer DDoS attacks being especially hard to detect due to their stealth and seemingly legitimacy. In this paper, we propose ForChaos, a lightweight detection algorithm for IoT devices, which is based on forecasting and chaos theory to identify flooding and DDoS attacks. For every time-series behaviour collected, a forecasting-technique prediction is generated, based on a number of features, and the error between the two values is calculated. In order to assess the error of the forecasting from the actual value, the Lyapunov exponent is used to detect potential malicious behaviour. In NS-3 we evaluate our detection algorithm through a series of experiments in flooding and slow-rate DDoS attacks. The results are presented and discussed in detail and compared with related studies, demonstrating its effectiveness and robustness.
Isothermal Oxidation Behaviour of 69.5Fe-14Ni-9Al-7.5Cr Alloy at High Temperatures
Authors: Basuki Eddy Agus , Nababan Dedi Chandra , Muhammad Fadhli , Korda Akhmad Ardian , Prajitno Djoko Hadi
Published: February 2019

A series of experiments have been conducted to study the resistance of isothermal oxidation in 69.5Fe-14Ni-9Al-7.5Cr (% wt) alloys with some temperature variations of 800, 900, and 1000°C and each temperature is tested for 1, 10, 50, and 150 hours. Based on the analysis conducted on the test results, it is known that the higher the oxidation temperature, the faster the oxidation rate. As for the duration of oxidation, the longer the testing time is, the smaller the weight change per unit sample area is, indicated by a sloping graph. The oxide products found in this study were Fe2O3, Fe3O4, α-Al2O3, NiO, Cr2O3, and NiCr2O4. The rate of oxidation of this alloy at each temperature follows a logarithmic equation indicating that the oxide layer formed is very thin and can protect the metal surface well. The oxidation rate constants at temperatures of 800, 900, and 1000°C are 5.15E-05, 5.57E-05, and 6.74E-05 gr.cm−2, respectively.
The Impact of Scientific and Technical Training on Improving Databases’ Adequacy for Fetal Growth Chart Development in Limited-Resource Settings: A Case Study in the Province of South Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Anggraini Dewi , Abdollahian Mali , Marion Kaye , Nuryani Supri , Ramadhan Fadly , Rahayu Rezky Putri , Rachman Irfan Rizki , Wurianto Widya
Published: February 2019

Objectives. To assess the impact of scientific and technical training on midwives’ abilities in collecting and recording the key performance indicators for fetal growth chart development in limited-resource settings. Methods. A descriptive design was used to describe midwives’ abilities in timely collecting and recording the minimum data required to estimate fetal weight and develop fetal growth chart. The study was conducted among 19 urban and rural midwives in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, between April 2016 and October 2017. The training provided access to antenatal care information on 4,946 women (retrospective cohort study) and 381 women (prospective cohort study). Results. The average amount of recorded antenatal care data on the key performance indicators of fetal growth assessment has been significantly improved (from 33.4% to 89.1%, p-value < 0.0005) through scientific and technical training. Conclusions. Scientific knowledge and technical abilities have enabled midwives to timely record routine data of the key performance indicators for fetal growth surveillance. Access to this information is vital during different stages of pregnancy. The information can be utilised as evidence-based guidelines to assess fetal risks through fetal weight estimation and to develop fetal growth chart that is currently not available in Indonesian primary healthcare systems.
Clinical Impact of EUS-Guided Fine Needle Biopsy Using a Novel Franseen Needle for Histological Assessment of Pancreatic Diseases
Authors: Ishikawa Takuya , Kawashima Hiroki , Ohno Eizaburo , Tanaka Hiroyuki , Sakai Daisuke , Iida Tadashi , Nishio Ryo , Yamamura Takeshi , Furukawa Kazuhiro , Nakamura Masanao , Miyahara Ryoji , Hashimoto Senju , Ishigami Masatoshi , Hirooka Yoshiki
Published: February 2019

Background and Aims. Several studies have shown the benefits of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) using a Franseen needle for histological assessment. However, studies focusing on pancreatic diseases are limited and the safety of this method has not been well assessed. We aimed to assess the current status and issues of EUS-FNB in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 87 consecutive EUS-FNB specimens using either a 22-gauge Franseen needle (Group A, N = 51) or a conventional 22-gauge fine-needle aspiration needle (Group B, N = 36) for pancreatic diseases, and the diagnostic accuracy and safety were compared. Final diagnoses were obtained based on surgical pathology or a minimum six-month clinical follow-up. Results. Although the diagnostic accuracy for malignancy was 96.1% in Group A versus 88.9% in Group B, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.19), the median sample area was significantly larger in Group A (4.07 versus 1.31mm2, P < 0.0001). There were no differences between the two needles in the locations from which the specimens were obtained. Adverse events occurred in one case (2%) in Group A (mild pancreatitis) and none in Group B with no statistical significance (P = 0.586). Although there was no case of bleeding defined as adverse events, 2 cases in Group A showed active bleeding during the procedure with increase in the echo-free space, which required CT scanning to rule out extravasation. Eventually, the bleeding stopped spontaneously. Conclusions. Given its guaranteed ability to obtain core specimens and comparable safety, and although the risk of bleeding should be kept in mind, EUS-FNB using a Franseen needle is likely to become a standard procedure for obtaining pancreatic tissue in the near future.
Adaptive Control Design with Assigned Tracking Accuracy for a Class of Nonlinearly Parameterized Input‐Delayed Systems
Authors: Yao Dajie , Li Jing , Wu Jian
Published: February 2019

This paper addresses the adaptive control problem of a class of nonlinear systems with unknown parameters and input delay, and the tracking accuracy of the controlled system is assigned a priori. The Pade approximation method is introduced to deal with the problem from the input delay. By creating a group of nonnegative functions, an appropriate controller is designed with the backstepping technology. It is shown that under the obtained controller, the boundedness of all the closed‐loop signals is guaranteed, and the tracking error especially can converge to the accuracy assigned a priori. Finally, a simulation example is given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
A Nonuniform Bound to an Independent Test in High Dimensional Data Analysis via Stein’s Method
Authors: Rerkruthairat Nahathai
Published: February 2019

The Berry-Esseen bound for the random variable based on the sum of squared sample correlation coefficients and used to test the complete independence in high diemensions is shown by Stein’s method. Although the Berry-Esseen bound can be applied to all real numbers in R, a nonuniform bound at a real number z usually provides a sharper bound if z is fixed. In this paper, we present the first version of a nonuniform bound on a normal approximation for this random variable with an optimal rate of 1/0.5+|z|·O1/m by using Stein’s method.
Facilitators and Barriers to Breastfeeding and Exclusive Breastfeeding in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Mgongo Melina , Hussein Tamara H. , Stray-Pedersen Babill , Vangen Siri , Msuya Sia E. , Wandel Margareta
Published: February 2019

Background. Breastfeeding is the best way to feed infants. It is a simple intervention to improve child health and development. Despite its advantages, there is a low global rate of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and, in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania, EBF is rarely practiced. The aim of this paper is to explore social and cultural factors that might influence the practice of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in Kilimanjaro region.Methods. A qualitative design was used. Three districts in Kilimanjaro region, namely, Same, Moshi Municipal Council, and Rombo, were selected. In each district three focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with mothers with infants aged 0-12 months.Results. A total of 78 mothers participated in the focus group discussions. A majority of the mothers were positive towards breastfeeding. They believed that it prevents child sickness, creates happiness, and is good for family economy. Despite the positive attitudes, the mothers revealed many perceptions that interfered with breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding. These included the following: breast milk is very light and has bad odor, breastfeeding may affect mothers appearance,chango(abdominal pain) has to be treated, there is fear of the evil eye when breastfeeding in public places, breast milk may become unclean, and there is a need of pauses in breastfeeding after the child has burped on the breast.Conclusion. There are beliefs that promote the practice of breastfeeding in this setting; these local beliefs could be used to develop breastfeeding messages to improve breastfeeding practices. However, there is also a need to address beliefs that interfere with the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in this setting.
Comparison of Data Mining Classification Algorithms Determining the Default Risk
Authors: Çığşar Begüm , Ünal Deniz
Published: February 2019

Big data and its analysis have become a widespread practice in recent times, applicable to multiple industries. Data mining is a technique that is based on statistical applications. This method extracts previously undetermined data items from large quantities of data. The banking and insurance industries use data mining analysis to detect fraud, offer the appropriate credit or insurance solutions to customers, and better understand customer demands. This study aims to identify data mining classification algorithms and use them to predict default risks, avoid possible payment difficulties, and reduce potential problems in extending credit. The data for this study, which contains demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of individuals, were obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute 2015 survey. Six classification algorithms—Naive Bayes, Bayesian networks, J48, random forest, multilayer perceptron, and logistic regression—were applied to the dataset using WEKA 3.9 data mining software. These algorithms were compared considering the root mean error squares, receiver operating characteristic area, accuracy, precision, F-measure, and recall statistical criteria. The best algorithm—logistic regression—was obtained and applied to the real dataset to determine the attributes causing the default risk by using odds ratios. The socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the individuals were examined, and based on the odds ratio values, the results of which individuals and characteristics were more likely to default, were reached. These results are not only beneficial to the literature but also have a significant influence in the financial industry in terms of the ability to predict customers’ default risk.
Backstepping Control Using Barrier Lyapunov Function for Dynamic Positioning Control System with Passive Observer
Authors: Xia Guoqing , Xue Jingjing , Sun Chuang , Zhao Bo
Published: February 2019

This paper presents a backstepping controller using barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) for dynamic positioning (DP) system. For safety reasons, the position and heading of DP ship are to be maintained in certain range. Thus, in this paper, a control law based on BLF and backstepping technique is proposed to limit the position and heading. The closed‐loop system is proved stable in the sense of Lyapunov stability theories. In addition, since the velocities of ship are not measurable and the wave frequency (WF) motion is unavailable, a passive observer is adopted to estimate the velocities and the effect of WF motion. The simulation results show that the proposed controller can limit the position and heading of the vessel in a predefined range and verify the performance of the proposed controller and the passive observer.
Bioresorbable Material in Secondary Orbital Reconstruction Surgery
Authors: Pan Hui , Zhang Zhenzhen , Tang Weiwei , Li Zhengkang , Deng Yuan
Published: February 2019

Purpose. To validate the potential of bioresorbable implantation in secondary revisional reconstruction after inadequate primary orbital fracture repair, with assessment of pre- and postoperative clinical characteristics and computed tomography image findings. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 16 consecutive patients treated for orbital fractures at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, with inadequate prior surgeries between July 2010 and June 2017; patients who had suffered orbital blowout fractures had undergone primary surgeries elsewhere. Secondary repair of orbital fractures used bioresorbable material following unsatisfactory primary orbital repair. Patients’ demographics, degree of enophthalmos, ocular motility, diplopia test results, primary implants, and surgical complications were reviewed. Results. All 16 patients had primary orbital implants consisting of Medpor, titanium mesh, hydroxyapatite, or poly-L-lactide. Of the 16 cases, 14 had malpositioned implants posteriorly and two had implant infections. Findings following primary surgery included enophthalmos (12/16), diplopia (9/16), intraorbital abscess (2/16), and ocular movement pain (1/16). Mean preoperative enophthalmos was 3.8 ± 0.8 mm. Secondary reconstruction resulted in a mean reduction of enophthalmos by 3.1 ± 0.9 mm (P<0.01). Nine in ten patients experienced improvements in postoperative ocular motility and diplopia following secondary surgery. Intraorbital abscesses and eyeball movement-associated pain were cured. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that secondary orbital reconstruction of previously repaired orbital fractures using bioresorbable material can achieve excellent functional and aesthetic results with minimal complications. Bioresorbable material should be considered in secondary orbital reconstruction when clinically indicated.
A Simplified, Specific HPLC Method of Assaying Thiamine and Riboflavin in Mushrooms
Authors: Hossain Mohammad F. , Rashid Mamoon , Sidhu Rajjit , Mullins Randy , Mayhew Susan L.
Published: February 2019

Mushrooms have been used as part of the average diet and as a nutraceutical for thousands of years due to their immense health benefits. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple, fast, accurate, specific, reproducible, and robust chromatographic method to identify and quantify two water-soluble vitamins: thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2) in mushrooms. The method employed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of these vitamins was Reversed Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) equipped with Ultraviolet–Visible (UV-Vis) Detector. The extraction process involved acid hydrolysis followed by enzymatic dephosphorylation with takadiastase enzyme. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a Shimadzu prominence HPLC system using isocratic elution mode on a Waters Xterra® MS C-18 column (4.6mm × 150mm, 5 μm) integrated with a XBridge® BEH C-18 Guard column (2.1mm × 5 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase of this study consisted of buffer and methanol in the ratio of 80:20, where the buffer contained sodium-1-hexanesulfonate, glacial acetic acid, methanol, and pH adjusted to 3.0 with diethylamine. Vitamins were detected simultaneously at their lambda max wavelengths B1: 245nm and B2: 268nm using dual-wavelength UV detection technique to get their highest response. The proposed method was found to be specific, linear R>1.0, accurate, precise (% recovery ± SD; B1:104.45±4.5 and B2: 104.88±2.04), sensitive, (limit of detection for B1 and B2 was 0.043 and 0.029 μg/mL, respectively), and robust for mushrooms analysis. No coeluting peaks were observed at the retention time of the vitamins and all the peaks were spectrally homogenous. The standard and sample solutions were found to remain stable at cold temperature for 72 hours. In summary, our data suggest that the proposed method could be used in food industries to monitor the product quality during routine quality control purposes.