bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Milk Fat Globule Membrane Supplementation Promotes Neonatal Growth and Alleviates Inflammation in Low-Birth-Weight Mice Treated with Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Huang Shimeng , Wu Zhenhua , Liu Cong , Han Dandan , Feng Cuiping , Wang Shilan , Wang Junjun
Published: May 2019

Impaired intestinal mucosal integrity and immunity are frequently observed in low-birth-weight (LBW) animals, which lead to inadequate growth and high neonatal mortality. However, the mechanisms of intestinal dysfunction in LBW animals are still unclear. Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), a protein-lipid complex surrounding the fat globules in milk, has many healthful benefits for animals. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the effect of MFGM supplementation on intestinal injury and inflammation in LBW mouse pups while being challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). C57BL/6J LBW female neonatal mice were fed on breast milk and divided into four groups, including two normal diet groups (ND; CON group and LPS group) and the diet supplemented with two dosages of MFGM, namely, MFGM100 (ND plus MFGM at 100 mg/kg BW) and MFGM200 (ND plus MFGM at 200 mg/kg BW) from postnatal day (PND) 4 to PND 21. At PND21, pups from the LPS group, MFGM100 group, and MFGM200 group were injected intraperitoneally with LPS while the pups from the CON group were injected with equivalent volume of sterile saline. After 4 h of LPS administration, all pups were slaughtered and then the plasma, mid-ileum, and mid-colon tissue samples were collected. Our results showed that MFGM supplementation promoted the body weight from PND16 to PND21 and attenuated intestinal inflammation manifested by reduced histological damage, decreased secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-1β, and improved oxidative stress characterized by increased SOD activity and decreased secretion of MDA. Expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1), MUC1, and MUC2 was increased in MFGM presupplemented groups compared to the LPS-challenged mice with normal diet. Meanwhile, the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and TLRs was decreased by MFGM presupplementation. Collectively, MFGM is a critical nutrient with an ability to improve the growth performance of LBW mouse pups, especially during the LPS challenge, by promoting the intestinal epithelial integrity and inhibiting inflammation through activating of TLR2 and TLR4 signals.
Compact Microwave Components with Harmonic Suppression Based on Artificial Transmission Lines
Authors: Huang Wen , Li Jia , Li Ping , Guo Xi
Published: May 2019

In this paper, compact microwave components, including a Wilkinson power divider and a 3 dB branch-line coupler based on artificial transmission lines (ATLs) with harmonic suppression, are presented. A section ATL is consisted of microstrip stepped impedance transmission lines and a microstrip interdigital capacitor. To achieve a compact size, the stepped impedance transmission lines are folded into a right-angled triangle shape. For the ATL, the interdigital capacitor is used to suppress harmonics. By employing two sections of 70.7 Ω ATLs with a right-angled triangle shape to replace conventional transmission lines, the proposed power divider working at 0.9 GHz achieves a size miniaturization with the 58.8% area of a conventional case. In addition, the power divider has good harmonic suppression performance. In the design of a branch-line coupler, two pairs of ATLs with 50 Ω and 35.4 Ω are utilized. For 50 Ω ATLs, the ATLs are designed to a right-angled triangle shape. Meanwhile, to obtain a more compact size, these 35.4 Ω ATLs are modified to an isosceles trapezoid shape. The proposed branch-line coupler operating at 0.9 GHz accounts for merely 33.4% of a coupler adopting conventional microstrip transmission lines. Moreover, the harmonics of a branch-line coupler are suppressed effectively as well. Finally, measured results of the proposed Wilkinson power divider and branch-line coupler display good performance and agree with their simulated results well.
New Onset Tinnitus after High-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulator Implantation
Authors: Golovlev Alexander V. , Hillegass Michael G.
Published: May 2019

The most common complications of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy are generally related to surgical site infection and hardware malfunction. Less well understood are the adverse neurological effects of this therapy. We present the case of a patient who underwent placement of a Senza HF10 high-frequency spinal cord stimulator with subsequent development of tinnitus, vertigo, intermittent involuntary left facial twitches, and perioral numbness. These symptoms resolved following deactivation of her device. To further explore these less common neurologic complications of SCS therapy, a review of literature and a review of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database are included. Further research and investigation in this area are needed so that clinicians and patients may have more complete knowledge and understanding of the potential treatment-limiting complications of spinal cord stimulation.
Effect of Surface Error Distribution and Aberration on Electromagnetic Performance of a Reflector Antenna
Authors: Xiang Binbin , Wang Congsi , Lian Peiyuan
Published: May 2019

In this paper, a method based on the Zernike distribution and the optical aberration is proposed to investigate the effects of the distribution characteristics of surface distortions of a reflector antenna on its electromagnetic performance (EMP). For large-scale errors, an analytical model is introduced to describe the arbitrary distortions, based on the orthogonal Zernike polynomials. The effects of error distribution described by the Zernike series on typical EMP are analyzed. The numerical results indicate that the distortions in the distribution feature of defocus or spherical aberration have a greater impact on gain, and the distribution feature of tilt or coma mainly influences boresight offset; the distribution feature of defocus, astigmatism, and spherical aberration has a greater impact on sidelobe levels. The results indicate that the beam contour patterns are related to the distribution forms of distortions and are similar with the same aberration feature. On the basis of the Seidel aberration, the relationships between typical EMP and the aberration coefficient are presented. Based on these, the error profile of the primary influence and the approximate feature of EMP can be determined, and the antenna performance can be predicted in a simple manner.
Recent Updates on Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Hematological Disorders
Authors: Wattanapanitch Methichit
Published: May 2019

Over the past decade, enormous progress has been made in the field of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Patients’ somatic cells such as skin fibroblasts or blood cells can be used to generate disease-specific pluripotent stem cells, which have unlimited proliferation and can differentiate into all cell types of the body. Human iPSCs offer great promises and opportunities for treatments of degenerative diseases and studying disease pathology and drug screening. So far, many iPSC-derived disease models have led to the discovery of novel pathological mechanisms as well as new drugs in the pipeline that have been tested in the iPSC-derived cells for efficacy and potential toxicities. Furthermore, recent advances in genome editing technology in combination with the iPSC technology have provided a versatile platform for studying stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. In this review, an overview of iPSCs, patient-specific iPSCs for disease modeling and drug screening, applications of iPSCs and genome editing technology in hematological disorders, remaining challenges, and future perspectives of iPSCs in hematological diseases will be discussed.
Fuzzy Chromatic Polynomial of Fuzzy Graphs with Crisp and Fuzzy Vertices Using α-Cuts
Authors: Abebe Ashebo Mamo , Repalle V. N. Srinivasa Rao
Published: May 2019

Coloring of fuzzy graphs has many real life applications in combinatorial optimization problems like traffic light system, exam scheduling, register allocation, etc. In this paper, the concept of fuzzy chromatic polynomial of fuzzy graph is introduced and defined based on α-cuts of fuzzy graph. Two different types of fuzziness to fuzzy graph are considered in the paper. The first type was fuzzy graph with crisp vertex set and fuzzy edge set and the second type was fuzzy graph with fuzzy vertex set and fuzzy edge set. Depending on this, the fuzzy chromatic polynomials for some fuzzy graphs are discussed. Some interesting remarks on fuzzy chromatic polynomial of fuzzy graphs have been derived. Further, some results related to the concept are proved. Lastly, fuzzy chromatic polynomials for complete fuzzy graphs and fuzzy cycles are studied and some results are obtained.
An Incremental Learning Ensemble Strategy for Industrial Process Soft Sensors
Authors: Tian Huixin , Shuai Minwei , Li Kun , Peng Xiao
Published: May 2019

With the continuous improvement of automation in industrial production, industrial process data tends to arrive continuously in many cases. The ability to handle large amounts of data incrementally and efficiently is indispensable for modern machine learning (ML) algorithms. According to the characteristics of industrial production process, we address an ILES (incremental learning ensemble strategy) that incorporates incremental learning to extract information efficiently from constantly incoming data. The ILES aggregates multiple sublearning machines by different weights for better accuracy. When new data set arrives, a new submachine will be trained and aggregated into ensemble soft sensor model according to its weight. The other submachines′ weights will be updated at the same time. Then a new updated soft sensor ensemble model can be obtained. The weight updating rules are designed by considering the prediction accuracy of submachines with new arrived data. So the update can fit the data change and obtain new information efficiently. The sizing percentage soft sensor model is established to learn the information from the production data in the sizing of industrial processes and to test the performance of ILES, where the ELM (Extreme Learning Machine) is selected as the sublearning machine. The comparison is done among new method, single ELM, AdaBoost.R ELM, and OS‐ELM, and the test of the extensions is done with three test functions. The results of the experiments demonstrate that the soft sensor model based on the ILES has the best accuracy and ability of online updating.
Multiple-Pole Solutions to a Semidiscrete Modified Korteweg-de Vries Equation
Authors: Xiao Zhixing , Li Kang , Zhu Junyi
Published: May 2019

Multiple-pole soliton solutions to a semidiscrete modified Korteweg-de Vries equation are derived by virtue of the Riemann-Hilbert problem with higher-order zeros. A different symmetry condition is introduced to build the nonregular Riemann-Hilbert problem. The simplest multiple-pole soliton solution is presented. The dynamics of the solitons are studied.
Modified Fractional Reduced Differential Transform Method for the Solution of Multiterm Time-Fractional Diffusion Equations
Authors: Abuasad Salah , Hashim Ishak , Abdul Karim Samsul Ariffin
Published: May 2019

In this study, we introduce a new modification of fractional reduced differential transform method (m-FRDTM) to find exact and approximate solutions for nonhomogeneous linear multiterm time-fractional diffusion equations (MT-TFDEs) of constant coefficients in a bounded domain with suitable initial conditions. Different applications in two and three fractional order terms are given to illustrate our new modification. The approximate solutions are given in the form of series solutions. The results show that the m-FRDTM for MT-TFDEs is a powerful method and can be generalized to other types of multiterm time-fractional equations.
Saddle Pulmonary Embolus Caught in Transit across a Patent Foramen Ovale
Authors: Barbaryan Aram , Bailuc Stefania , Abicht Travis , Barsamyan Sergey , Gizaw Yonatan , Mirrakhimov Aibek E.
Published: May 2019

Impending paradoxical embolism (IPE) also described in the literature as thrombus straddling a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or paradoxical embolus in transit is a rare condition when thrombus (originating mostly in deep veins of lower extremities) embolized to the heart gets caught in PFO or in atrial septal defect without systemic embolization. We present a case of a 39-year-old female on oral contraceptive pills who presented to the emergency department with chief complaint of dyspnea and chest pain. She was found to have saddle pulmonary embolus (PE) extending through PFO to left atrium and into the left ventricle. Patient underwent emergent open pulmonary embolectomy, removal of right and left atrial thrombi, and closure of patent foramen ovale. She tolerated the surgery well and was discharged home on chronic anticoagulation therapy.
The Incentive Model in Supply Chain with Trade Credit and Default Risk
Authors: Cheng Hong , Su Yingsheng , Yan Jinjiang , Wang Xianyu , Li Mingyang
Published: May 2019

Trade credit is widely used for its advantages. However, trade credit also brings default risk to the manufacturer due to the uncertain demand. And moral hazard may aggravate the default risk. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of moral hazard in trade credit and explore incentive contract under uncertain demand and asymmetric information. We consider a two‐echelon supply chain consisting of a risk‐neutral retailer ordering a single product from a risk‐neutral manufacturer. Market demand is stochastic and is influenced by retailer’s sales effort which is his private information. Incentive theory is used to develop the principal‐agent model and get the incentive contract from the manufacturer’s perspective. Results show that the retailer will reduce his effort level to get more profit and the manufacturer’s profit will be reduced, in the case of asymmetric information. Facing this result, the manufacturer will reduce the order quantity in incentive contract to lessen his losses. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate all these theoretical results and to draw managerial insights.
Variational Iteration Method and Sumudu Transform for Solving Delay Differential Equation
Authors: Vilu Subashini , Ahmad Rokiah Rozita , Din Ummul Khair Salma
Published: May 2019

In this research, a new approach is presented for solving delay differential equations (DDEs) which is a blend of Sumudu transform and variational iteration method (VIM). A general Lagrange multiplier is used to construct a correction functional. This is done with an uncommon Sumudu transform alongside variational theory. A few numerical cases were solved to demonstrate methodology of this new approach. Objective of this research is to reduce the complexity of computational work compared to the conventional approaches. It can be concluded that the amount of evaluation is reduced but at the same time the results are comparable as in the previous works.
Thin Metal Superlens Imaging in Nanolithography
Authors: Wang Jing , Sheng Yunlong
Published: May 2019

Superlens imaging system in nanolithography can be regarded as a cascade of two F-P cavities, i.e., a superlens cavity and a dielectric cavity between superlens and introduced mask of high loss, and the transfer function of system is obtained by considering multiple reflections inside the two cavities. For the range of wavevector of interest, the typical high peak of transmission coefficient of superlens coincides with a local minimum of transmission coefficient of dielectric cavity. The peak of transfer function of system corresponds to the peak of transmission coefficient of dielectric cavity. Thin superlens imaging system in nanolithography is analyzed based on transfer function, which can be flattened by simply tuning transmission coefficient of dielectric cavity and superlens cavity. The results are further validated by Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations.
Gateaux Differentiability of Convex Functions and Weak Dentable Set in Nonseparable Banach Spaces
Authors: Shang Shaoqiang , Cui Yunan
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we prove that if C⁎⁎ is a ε-separable bounded subset of X⁎⁎, then every convex function g≤σC is Ga^teaux differentiable at a dense Gδ subset G of X⁎ if and only if every subset of ∂σC(0)∩X is weakly dentable. Moreover, we also prove that if C is a closed convex set, then dσC(x⁎)=x if and only if x is a weakly exposed point of C exposed by x⁎. Finally, we prove that X is an Asplund space if and only if, for every bounded closed convex set C⁎ of X⁎, there exists a dense subset G of X⁎⁎ such that σC⁎ is Ga^teaux differentiable on G and dσC⁎(G)⊂C⁎. We also prove that X is an Asplund space if and only if, for every w⁎-lower semicontinuous convex function f, there exists a dense subset G of X⁎⁎ such that f is Ga^teaux differentiable on G and df(G)⊂X⁎.
Network Access Selection Algorithm Based on Balanced Profits between Users and Network
Authors: Zhixiong Chen , Juanping Cui , Jinsha Yuan , Nan Xiao , Dongsheng Han
Published: May 2019

A network access selection algorithm based on the intuitionistic fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and bilateral profit drive is proposed in this study for addressing problems regarding user–network bilateral profits. User preference, business demands, and network parameter changes are comprehensively considered in the algorithm. First, the initial weights centered at users are gained by intuitionistic fuzzy AHP. Second, the network participates in network access selection as a subject with competitive consciousness, and the entire selection process is transformed into a multiobjective optimization problem by the construction of a competitive model, thereby obtaining dynamic competitive weights. Third, the initial weights centered at users and the dynamic competitive weights are combined to obtain comprehensive weights. In this way, the dynamic adjustment of comprehensive weights is realized. Finally, candidate networks are ordered according to a comprehensive performance evaluation, and the optimal one is selected. The proposed algorithm is validated by simulation results to be valid in reducing the blocking rate of networks and optimizing network resource allocation. Therefore, it not only protects user–network bilateral profits but also maximizes comprehensive profits.
Discrete Train Speed Profile Optimization for Urban Rail Transit: A Data-Driven Model and Integrated Algorithms Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Huang Kang , Wu Jianjun , Yang Xin , Gao Ziyou , Liu Feng , Zhu Yuting
Published: May 2019

Energy-efficient train speed profile optimization problem in urban rail transit systems has attracted much attention in recent years because of the requirement of reducing operation cost and protecting the environment. Traditional methods on this problem mainly focused on formulating kinematical equations to derive the speed profile and calculate the energy consumption, which caused the possible errors due to some assumptions used in the empirical equations. To fill this gap, according to the actual speed and energy data collected from the real-world urban rail system, this paper proposes a data-driven model and integrated heuristic algorithm based on machine learning to determine the optimal speed profile with minimum energy consumption. Firstly, a data-driven optimization model (DDOM) is proposed to describe the relationship between energy consumption and discrete speed profile processed from actual data. Then, two typical machine learning algorithms, random forest regression (RFR) algorithm and support vector machine regression (SVR) algorithm, are used to identify the importance degree of velocity in the different positions of profile and calculate the traction energy consumption. Results show that the calculation average error is less than 0.1 kwh, and the energy consumption can be reduced by about 2.84% in a case study of Beijing Changping Line.
Unsteady MHD Flow of Nanofluid with Variable Properties over a Stretching Sheet in the Presence of Thermal Radiation and Chemical Reaction
Authors: Mjankwi Musa Antidius , Masanja Verdiana Grace , Mureithi Eunice W. , James Makungu Ng’oga
Published: May 2019

The unsteady magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow of nanofluid with variable fluid properties over an inclined stretching sheet in the presence of thermal radiation and chemical reaction is studied taking into account the effect of variable fluid properties in thermal conductivity and diffusion coefficient. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity transformation. The numerical solutions of the problem are obtained by using the fourth order Runge-Kutta method in line with the shooting technique. It is found that the increase in both thermal conductivity and radiative heat flux decreases the heat transfer rate but increases the skin friction and mass transfer rates. It is further observed that the increase in porosity parameter and magnetic field reduces the skin friction, heat, and mass transfer rates.
Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell Administration Improves Quality of Life and Self-Sufficiency in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Results from a Retrospective Study
Authors: Boruczkowski Dariusz , Zdolińska-Malinowska Izabela
Published: May 2019

The aim of this paper was to describe the outcome of the therapeutic administration of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells obtained from Wharton’s jelly (WJ-MSCs) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) during a medical therapeutic experiment. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 109 patients recruited in daily clinical practice. Each patient received 1–10 injections and was examined by the same neurologist (study investigator (SI)) on the day of each infusion. The SI used a 6-point Likert scale to assess the quality of life (QoL) and self-sufficiency of the patients on the basis of the neurological examination. Children with >50% follow-ups after this administration were included into the quantitative analysis. In addition, the assessments of the parents and other health care professionals were obtained for 23 patients and compared with those of the SI. Forty-eight of 54 analyzed patients (88.9%) achieved some improvement in health status. Forty-eight (88.9%) patients experienced an increase in their QoL, and 21 patients (38.9%) achieved an increase in their self-sufficiency level. Improvement was achieved in 17 areas. Adverse events were mild and temporary except one case of epilepsy deterioration leading to treatment discontinuation. Age, body mass, and cell dose were not significant predictors of QoL response, contrary to epilepsy; developmental breakthrough was dose-dependent.
Preservice Teachers’ Learning to Respond on the Basis of Children’s Mathematical Understanding
Authors: Gichobi Mary , Andreotti Alejandro
Published: May 2019

This study examined the extent to which preservice teachers (PSTs) develop their capacity to attend to children’s strategies and interpret and respond on the basis of children’s mathematical understanding in the context of two well-designed assignments: Inquiry into Student Thinking assignment and tutoring assignment. The two assignments were assigned after 6 and 10 weeks of instruction, respectively. The analysis revealed that PSTs attended to children’s strategies and interpreted children’s mathematical understanding but struggled with the component skill of responding to children’s mathematical understanding in the two assignments. Although the nature of tasks selected differed across the two assignments, generally PSTs focused on tasks that would develop children’s mathematical understanding. The findings have theoretical implications for a hypothesized trajectory of professional noticing of children’s mathematical understanding and the design of mathematics methods courses.
iTRAQ-Based Protein Profiling in CUMS Rats Provides Insights into Hippocampal Ribosome Lesion and Ras Protein Changes Underlying Synaptic Plasticity in Depression
Authors: Zhang Jialing , Zhang Zhinan , Zhang Jiping , Zhong Zheng , Yao Zengyu , Qu Shanshan , Huang Yong
Published: May 2019

Hippocampal atrophy is one of the key changes in the brain implicated in the biology of depression. However, the precise molecular mechanism remains poorly understood due to a lack of biomarkers. In this research, we used behavioral experiments to evaluate anxiety and anhedonia levels in depressed rats using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) modeling. We also used isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) to identify the differentially expressed hippocampal proteins between depressed and normal rats. Bioinformatics analyses were also performed for a better understanding. The results showed that CUMS rats had higher anxiety and anhedonia levels than control rats, along with hippocampal lesions. Through iTRAQ and bioinformatics analyses, we found that ribosome proteins were significantly downregulated and Ras proteins exhibited a mixed change in the hippocampus of depressed rats. These findings suggest that the expression of hippocampal ribosome lesions and Ras proteins is significantly different in depressed rats than in control rats, providing new insights into the neurobiology of depression.
Asymptomatic Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy and Missed Opportunities for Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Authors: Joyisa Nkosinathi , Moodley Dhayendre , Nkosi Thandeka , Talakgale Raesetja , Sebitloane Motshedisi , Naidoo Megeshnee , Karim Quarraisha Abdool
Published: May 2019

Background. High rates of bacterial vaginosis (BV) have been described in nonpregnant South African women. Studies of BV in South African pregnant women are sparse. Diagnosis and prompt treatment of BV in pregnancy are expected to have a positive impact on pregnancy outcomes and HIV prevention. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of BV in pregnant women in a high HIV burden periurban setting in KwaZulu-Natal and explore how to enhance BV diagnosis in this setting where syndromic management of sexually transmitted diseases is the standard of care.Methods. In this cross-sectional study, consenting HIV uninfected pregnant women were examined for abnormal vaginal discharge; nurses determined the vaginal pH and collected a vaginal swab for Gram-stain and Nugent scoring.Findings. Among 750 HIV uninfected pregnant women, 280 (37.3%; 95%CI 33.9-40.9) tested positive for BV. Using a vaginal pH > 4.4, 65% of women with BV were correctly identified, while an abnormal vaginal discharge correctly identified a significantly lower proportion (52.9%) of women with BV (p=0.005). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of vaginal pH testing were 65.9% (95%CI 60.0 – 71.5%), 61.4% (95%CI 56.8 – 65.9%), and 50.1% and 75.4%, respectively. The 20-24 year-old pregnant women were twice more likely to test positive for BV than the adolescent pregnant women (43.6% vs 21.1%) (p = 0.037) and BV was not associated with the duration of a sexual relationship, frequency of unprotected sex during pregnancy, number of lifetime sex partners, or the partner’s age.Conclusion. There is a high burden of primarily asymptomatic BV in HIV uninfected pregnant women in this periurban setting. Both the sensitivity and specificity of vaginal pH testing are superior to the symptomatic diagnosis of BV but not good enough to be used as a screening tool.
A Fractal Approach for Predicting Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Deformable Clay
Authors: Tao Gaoliang , Zhu Xueliang , Cai Jianchao , Xiao Henglin , Chen Qingsheng , Chen Yin
Published: May 2019

The relative hydraulic conductivity is one of the key parameters for unsaturated soils in numerous fields of geotechnical engineering. The quantitative description of its variation law is of significant theoretical and technical values. Parameters in a classical hydraulic conductivity model are generally complex; it is difficult to apply these parameters to predict and estimate the relative hydraulic conductivity under deformation condition. Based on the fractal theory, a simple method is presented in this study for predicting the relative hydraulic conductivity under deformation condition. From the experimental soil-water characteristic curve at a reference state, the fractal dimension and air-entry value are determined at a reference state. By using the prediction model of air-entry value, the air-entry values at the deformed state are then determined. With the two parameters determined, the relative hydraulic conductivity at the deformed state is predicted using the fractal model of relative hydraulic conductivity. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of deformable Hunan clay is measured by the instantaneous profile method. Values of relative hydraulic conductivity predicted by the fractal model are compared with those obtained from experimental measurements, which proves the rationality of the proposed prediction method.
Planar Beam Steerable Parasitic Array Antenna System Design Based on the Yagi-Uda Design Method
Authors: Lee Seok-Jae , Yoon Won-Sang , Han Sang-Min
Published: May 2019

A planar beam steerable array antenna system is proposed with dual-control circuits for feeding and reactive loadings. Two orthogonally arranged planar dipoles are excited by SPDT switching circuits, while the forward and backward beam directions are controlled by the adjusted effective electric lengths of the parasitic dipole elements. The adjusted parasitic dipoles are designed to play the alternative roles of directors and reflectors based on the Yagi-Uda antenna theory. The proposed antenna system with four-way switchable beams has been implemented on a planar substrate and evaluated for orthogonal four-way beam steering performance with good agreement.
The Effect of Interaction between Nanofillers and Epoxy on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Nanocomposites: Theoretical Prediction and Experimental Analysis
Authors: Khostavan S. , Fazli M. , Ahangari M. Ghorbanzadeh , Rostamiyan Y.
Published: May 2019

Interfacial interaction between host matrix and nanofillers is a determinative parameter on the mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposites. In this paper, we first investigated interaction between carbon nanotube (CNT) and montmorillonite clay (MMT) absorbing on epoxy surface in a theoretical study based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Results showed the interaction energy of -1.93 and -0.11 eV for MMT/epoxy and CNT/epoxy, respectively. Therefore, the interaction between epoxy polymer and MMT is of the chemisorptions type, while epoxy physically interacts with CNT. In addition, thermal and mechanical analyses were conducted on nanocomposites. In DSC analysis the glass transition temperature which was 70°C in neat epoxy composite showed an improvement to about 90°C in MMT nanocomposites while it was about 70°C for CNT nanocomposites. Finally, mechanical properties were investigated and MMT nanocomposite showed a change in compressive strength which increased from 52.60 Mpa to 72.07 and 92.98 Mpa in CNT and MMT nanocomposites, respectively. Also tensile strength improved to the value of 1250.69 Mpa MMT nanocomposites while it was about 890 Mpa in both CNT nanocomposite and neat epoxy composite which corresponds to the calculation result prediction.
Effects of a Newly Developed Therapeutic Deep Heating Device Using High Frequency in Patients with Shoulder Pain and Disability: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kim Gi-Wook , Won Yu Hui , Park Sung-Hee , Seo Jeong-Hwan , Kim Dae-hyun , Lee Hyung Nam , Ko Myoung-Hwan
Published: May 2019

Objectives. The newly developed therapeutic deep heating device can generate deep heat in focal tissue using high-frequency wave stimulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of this deep heating device (HIPER-500®) with ultrasound in alleviating pain and improving function in patients with shoulder disability. Methods. This noninferiority trial was designed to compare the treatment effect of HIPER-500® to that of SonoStim® (ultrasound) on shoulder pain and disability. Thirty-eight patients with shoulder problems were assigned to either the HIPER-500® or SonoStim® group, and each participated in 10 min therapy sessions, five days a week for two weeks (for a total of ten sessions). Shoulder pain and disability were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the University of California at Los Angeles score (UCLA score), the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and the Constant score in both groups before, immediately after, and four weeks after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the effects of treatment within and between the groups. Results. A total of 34 patients completed the study. The 18 patients in the HIPER-500® group and 16 patients in the SonoStim® group all showed significant improvements in shoulder pain and function when comparing pretreatment values with the results immediately after treatment and four weeks later. The results before and after treatment did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions. The newly developed HIPER-500® for high-frequency deep heat therapy showed similar effects to those of SonoStim® for relieving pain and improving physical performance in the patients of this study. HIPER-500® may be a useful modality for treating shoulder pain and improving physical activity in patients with shoulder disease.
Neighbor Similarity Based Agglomerative Method for Community Detection in Networks
Authors: Cheng Jianjun , Su Xing , Yang Haijuan , Li Longjie , Zhang Jingming , Zhao Shiyan , Chen Xiaoyun
Published: May 2019

Community structures can reveal organizations and functional properties of complex networks; hence, detecting communities from networks is of great importance. With the surge of large networks in recent years, the efficiency of community detection is demanded critically. Therefore, many local methods have emerged. In this paper, we propose a node similarity based community detection method, which is also a local one consisted of two phases. In the first phase, we first take out the node with the largest degree from the network to take it as an exemplar of the first community and insert its most similar neighbor node into the community as well. Then, the one with the largest degree in the remainder nodes is selected; if its most similar neighbor has not been classified into any community yet, we create a new community for the selected node and its most similar neighbor. Otherwise, if its most similar neighbor has been classified into a certain community, we insert the selected node into the community to which its most similar neighbor belongs. This procedure is repeated until every node in the network is assigned to a community; at that time, we obtain a series of preliminary communities. However, some of them might be too small or too sparse; edges connecting to outside of them might go beyond the ones inside them. Keeping them as the final ones will lead to a low‐quality community structure. Therefore, we merge some of them in an efficient approach in the second phase to improve the quality of the resulting community structure. To testify the performance of our proposed method, extensive experiments are performed on both some artificial networks and some real‐world networks. The results show that the proposed method can detect high‐quality community structures from networks steadily and efficiently and outperform the comparison algorithms significantly.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Ameliorate Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Case Study
Authors: Seetharaman Rajasekar , Mahmood Anjum , Kshatriya Prashant , Patel Divyang , Srivastava Anand
Published: May 2019

Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease, affects a vast number of peoples around the world. In this report, we discuss our findings about a scalp psoriasis suffering patient with a Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI) score of 28, who was treated with Mesenchymal stem cell conditioned media (MSC-CM). Remarkably, complete regression was recorded within a treatment period of one month only (PSSI score of 0). A number of bioactive factors like cytokines and growth factors secreted by MSCs in the conditioned medium are very likely to be the principle molecules which play a vital role in skin regeneration. Treatment using MSC-CM appears to be an effective tool for tackling the psoriatic problem and, thus, may offer a new avenue of therapy which could be considered as an alternative approach to overcome the limitations of the cell-based therapy.
Analysis of Hydration and Optimal Strength Combinations of Cement-Limestone-Metakaolin Ternary Composite
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yong
Published: May 2019

Metakaolin (MK) is an aluminosilicate pozzolan material and can contribute to property development of concrete due to the pozzolanic reaction. Limestone (LS) powder presents the dilution effect, nucleation effect, and chemical effect on hydration of cement. When metakaolin and limestone are used together, due to the additional chemical reaction between the aluminum phase in MK and limestone, the synergetic benefit can be achieved. This study presents a hydration model for cement-limestone-metakaolin ternary blends. Individual reactions of cement, metakaolin, and limestone are simulated separately, and the interactions among cement hydration, limestone reaction, and metakaolin reaction are considered through the contents of calcium hydroxide and capillary water. The hydration model considers the pozzolanic reaction of metakaolin, chemical and physics effects of limestone, and synergetic effect between metakaolin and limestone. Furthermore, the gel-space ratio of hydrating concrete is calculated using reaction degrees of binders and concrete mixtures. The strength development of ternary blends is evaluated using the gel-space ratio. Based on parameter analysis, the synergetic effect on strength development is shown and the optimal combinations of cement-limestone-metakaolin ternary blends are determined.
Evaluation of Person-Centredness in Rehabilitation for People Living with Dementia Is Needed: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Allen Christensen Kate , Lund Karen-Margrethe , Thuesen Jette
Published: May 2019

Background. With an expected increase in the prevalence of dementia, change in care policies and healthcare systems worldwide is needed. Rehabilitation is increasingly recognised as contributing to dementia care. Rehabilitation subscribes to person-centredness, and thus, evaluations of person-centredness in rehabilitation for people living with dementia are relevant in order for healthcare professionals to know how best to practice person-centredness. Aim. The aim of this study was to identify methods of evaluating person-centeredness in rehabilitation for people living with dementia. Materials and Methods. Review of the literature using the search terms dementia, person-centredness, and rehabilitation or occupational therapy. Databases searched included: CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, OTseeker, and SveMed+. The study included peer-reviewed articles from year 2000 to 2018 in Danish, English, Norwegian, or Swedish. Results. Only one academic article met the inclusion criteria. In that article, person-centred practice was evaluated using observation and interview as well as analytical frameworks from person-centred care and occupational therapy. Conclusion. Evaluations of person-centred practice in rehabilitation for people living with dementia in peer-reviewed literature are lacking. Evaluations are needed to identify effective strategies to pursue and uphold person-centred care. Given the dearth of research on evaluations of person-centredness in rehabilitation, this article included research in person-centred dementia care in the discussion, which potentially can inspire practice and research of rehabilitation for people living with dementia. To understand the complex nature of person-centredness, a variety of research methodologies of qualitative and quantitative characters are recommended for evaluations.
The Formulation of Cheese Analogue from Sweet Corn Extract
Authors: Aini Nur , Prihananto Vincentius , Sustriawan Budi , Romadhon Didik , Ramadhan Riza N.
Published: May 2019

Analogue cheese made from sweet corn extract was expected to fulfill the people’s need for cheese and as alternative cheese made from cow’s milk. The use of maltodextrin as a filler and citric acid as an acidulant was expected to improve the characteristics of corn cheese. The aims of this article were to (1) determine the optimum concentration of maltodextrin, papain, and citric acid in order to produce corn milk-based cheese analogue with the best characteristics; (2) determine the characteristics of cheese analogue produced using the optimum concentration. The research design used in this study was Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD) with three factors: citric acid concentration (0.12%, 0.16%, and 0.20%), commercial papain (0.026%, 0.030%, and 0.034%), and maltodextrin (10%, 15%, and 20%). The optimum formula to produce cheese analogue with the highest protein content and yield was with the addition of 0.20% citric acid, 0.029% papain, and 20% maltodextrin. The cheese analogue produced from the optimum formula had moisture content of 61.590%, yield of 17.512%, total dissolved solids of 19.00°Brix, dissolved protein of 19.837%, acidity (pH) of 5.4, and fat of 6.976%. The sensory characteristics of cheese analogue spread from sweet corn extract are similar to those of cheese from cow’s milk; i.e., it had a yellowish-white color, distinctive aroma of cheese, no sour taste, and soft texture and was easy to spread. Therefore, it was possible to explore the sweet corn as ingredient of spread cheese that has low fat content.
CD73 Expression on Mesenchymal Stem Cells Dictates the Reparative Properties via Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity
Authors: Tan Kezhe , Zhu Hongtao , Zhang Jianfang , Ouyang Weili , Tang Jianfeng , Zhang Youming , Qiu Linlin , Liu Xueqing , Ding Zhaoping , Deng Xiaoming
Published: May 2019

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are not universal and may be subject to dynamic changes upon local milieus in vivo and after isolation and cultivation in vitro. Here, we demonstrate that MSC derived from murine pericardial adipose tissue (pMSC) constitute two cohorts of population distinguished by the level of CD73 expression (termed as CD73high and CD73low pMSC). Transplantation of two types of cells into mouse hearts after myocardial infarction (MI) revealed that the CD73high pMSC preferentially brought about structural and functional repair in comparison to the PBS control and CD73low pMSC. Furthermore, the CD73high pMSC displayed a pronounced anti-inflammatory activity by attenuating CCR2+ macrophage infiltration and upregulating several anti-inflammatory genes 5 days after in vivo transplantation and ex vivo cocultivation with peritoneal macrophages. The immunomodulatory effect was not seen in cocultivation experiments with pMSC derived from CD73 knockout mice (CD73-/-) but was partially blocked by pretreatment of the A2b receptor antagonist, PSB603. The results highlight a heterogeneity of the CD73 expression that may be related to its catalytic products on the modulation of the local immune response and thus provide a possible explanation to the inconsistency of the regenerative results when different sources of donor cells were used in stem cell-based therapy.
Identification of Transcriptional Signatures of Colon Tumor Stroma by a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Uddin Md. Nazim , Li Mengyuan , Wang Xiaosheng
Published: May 2019

Background. The tumor stroma plays pivotal roles in influencing tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Transcriptional signatures of colon tumor stroma (CTS) are significantly associated with prognosis of colon cancer. Thus, identification of the CTS transcriptional features could be useful for colon cancer diagnosis and therapy. Methods. By a meta-analysis of three CTS gene expression profiles datasets, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between CTS and colon normal stroma. Furthermore, we identified the pathways, upstream regulators, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network that were significantly associated with the DEGs. Moreover, we analyzed the enrichment levels of immune signatures in CTS. Finally, we identified CTS-associated gene signatures whose expression was significantly associated with prognosis in colon cancer. Results. We identified numerous significantly upregulated genes (such as CTHRC1, NFE2L3, SULF1, SOX9, ENC1, and CCND1) and significantly downregulated genes (such as MYOT, ASPA, KIAA2022, ARHGEF37, BCL-2, and PPARGC1A) in CTS versus colon normal stroma. Furthermore, we identified significantly upregulated pathways in CTS that were mainly involved in cellular development, immune regulation, and metabolism, as well as significantly downregulated pathways in CTS that were mostly metabolism-related. Moreover, we identified upstream TFs (such as SUZ12, NFE2L2, RUNX1, STAT3, and SOX2), kinases (such as MAPK14, CSNK2A1, CDK1, CDK2, and CDK4), and master metabolic transcriptional regulators (MMTRs) (such as HNF1A, NFKB1, ZBTB7A, GATA2, and GATA5) regulating the DEGs. We found that CD8+ T cells were more enriched in CTS than in colon normal stroma. Interestingly, we found that many of the DEGs and their regulators were prognostic markers for colon cancer, including CEBPB, PPARGC1, STAT3, MTOR, BCL2, JAK2, and CDK1. Conclusions. The identification of CTS-specific transcriptional signatures may provide insights into the tumor microenvironment that mediates the development of colon cancer and has potential clinical implications for colon cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Targeting Mitochondrial Structure Sensitizes Acute Myeloid Leukemia to Venetoclax Treatment
Authors: Chen Xufeng , Glytsou Christina , Zhou Hua , Narang Sonali , Reyna Denis E. , Lopez Andrea , Sakellaropoulos Theodore , Gong Yixiao , Kloetgen Andreas , Yap Yoon Sing , Wang Eric , Gavathiotis Evripidis , Tsirigos Aristotelis , Tibes Raoul , Aifantis Iannis
Published: May 2019

The BCL2 family plays important roles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Venetoclax, a selective BCL2 inhibitor, has received FDA approval for the treatment of AML. However, drug resistance ensues after prolonged treatment, highlighting the need for a greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Using a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen in human AML, we identified genes whose inactivation sensitizes AML blasts to venetoclax. Genes involved in mitochondrial organization and function were significantly depleted throughout our screen, including the mitochondrial chaperonin CLPB. We demonstrated that CLPB is upregulated in human AML, it is further induced upon acquisition of venetoclax resistance, and its ablation sensitizes AML to venetoclax. Mechanistically, CLPB maintains the mitochondrial cristae structure via its interaction with the cristae-shaping protein OPA1, whereas its loss promotes apoptosis by inducing cristae remodeling and mitochondrial stress responses. Overall, our data suggest that targeting mitochondrial architecture may provide a promising approach to circumvent venetoclax resistance.

Significance:

A genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen reveals genes involved in mitochondrial biological processes participate in the acquisition of venetoclax resistance. Loss of the mitochondrial protein CLPB leads to structural and functional defects of mitochondria, hence sensitizing AML cells to apoptosis. Targeting CLPB synergizes with venetoclax and the venetoclax/azacitidine combination in AML in a p53-independent manner.

See related commentary by Savona and Rathmell, p. 831.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 813