bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fetomaternal Outcome of Eclamptic Patient in Secondary Health Care Level-3 years study
Authors: Khalil Nazma , Abbasi Sharmin , Parveen Rehana , Ferdousey Rokeya
Published: February 2020

Background: Eclampsia is defined as the development of seizures that cannot be attributed to other causes and /or unexplained coma during pregnancy or puerperium in a woman with pre-eclampsia. The purpose of this hospital based observational study is to evaluate the extent of the problem and to estimate the associate of foetal and maternal complications

Methodology: The observational study was carried out Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 250 bedded general Hospital Tangail from January 2015 to November 2017. All on the diagnosed patients of eclampsia were included in this study.

Results: Regarding types of eclampsia 187(62.3%) patients had antepartum eclampsia, 78(26.0%) had postpartum eclampsia and 35(11.7%) had intrapartum eclampsia. Majority (57.0%) patients had 5-9 times of convulsion, 65(21.7%) had >10 times and 64(21.3%) had <5 times of convulsion. Most (95.0%) patients had cesarean section and 15(5.0%) had normal vaginal delivery (NVD). Maternal alive was found 293(97.7%) and death was 7(2.3%). Male baby was found 203(67.7%) and female baby was 97(32.3%). More than three fourth (75.7%) babies had weight 2.5-4.0 kg. Alive babies were found 282(94.0%), neonatal death was 8(2.7%) and intrauterine death was 10(3.3%).

Conclusion: Improving ante-natal and emergency obstetric and neonatal care is mandatory to improve the outcome.

Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Journal Vol. 11, No. 1: Jan 2020, P 11-15
Перспективы совершенствования управления гражданской обороной и Государственной системой предупреждения и ликвидации чрезвычайных ситуаций
Authors: Panasevich Valeriy , Lebedkin Aleksandr , Murzich Igor' , Buzin Nikolay
Published: February 2020

Цель. Разработать предложения по повышению эффективности функционирования органов управления по чрезвычайным ситуациям и гражданской обороне.

Методы. Использованы общенаучные методы исследования: анализ, сравнение и обобщение.

Результаты. Определен качественный и количественный состав органов управления по ЧС и ГО на объектовом уровне, разработаны предложения по совершенствованию нормативных правовых актов, регламентирующих их деятельность. Разработаны проект контингента структурных подразделений, обеспечивающих выполнение задач в области защиты организаций от ЧС и ГО, квалификационные требования для специалистов, назначенных для исполнения обязанностей в области защиты организации от ЧС и ГО.

Область применения исследований. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы при внесении изменений и дополнений в нормативные правовые акты, регулирующие порядок создания органов управления по ЧС и ГО.
Cigarette butts
and waste coffee grounds as additives to brick clay
Authors: Jovanović Marina , Mujkanović Adnan , Tutić Erna
Published: February 2020

The paper analyses the influence of cigarette butts and waste coffee grounds
addition on the properties of the brick clay. The waste materials were
added to the clay in amounts of 5 wt.% and 10 wt.%. Standard consistency,
plasticity, drying and firing behaviour and refractoriness were tested on the
clay sample and the samples with wastes additions. Apparent density, apparent
porosity, water absorption, strength and thermal conductivity were investigated
on the samples fired at 1173 K. Addition of the waste materials improved thermal insulation characteristics and drying shrinkage, while other properties remain within the required limits for brick industry
Fractional Sliding Mode Nonlinear Procedure for Robust Control of an Eutrophying Microalgae Photobioreactor
Authors: Rodríguez-Mata Abraham Efraim , Luna Ricardo , Pérez-Correa Jose Ricardo , Gonzalez-Huitrón Alejandro , Castro-Linares Rafael , Duarte-Mermoud Manuel A.
Published: February 2020

This paper proposes a fractional-order sliding mode controller (FOSMC) for the robust control of a nonlinear process subjected to unknown parametric disturbances. The controller aims to ensure optimal growth in photobioreactors of native microalgae involved in eutrophication of the Sinaloa rivers in Mexico. The controller design is based on the Caputo fractional integral-order derivative and on the convergence properties of a sliding surface. For nonlinear systems, the proposed FOSMC guarantees convergence to the sliding surface even in the presence of model disturbances. The proposed controller is compared to an Internal Model Control (IMC) through numerical simulations.
The Integration of Bio and Organic Fertilizers Improve Plant Growth, Grain Yield, Quality and Metabolism of Hybrid Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Gao Canhong , El-Sawah Ahmed M. , Ali Dina Fathi Ismail , Alhaj Hamoud Yousef , Shaghaleh Hiba , Sheteiwy Mohamed S.
Published: February 2020

Expanding eco-friendly approaches to improve plant growth and crop productivity is of great important for sustainable agriculture. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm, Mansoura University, Egypt during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons to study the effects of different bio- and organic fertilizers and their combination on hybrid maize growth, yield, and grain quality. Seeds were treated with Azotobacter chrocoocum, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Bacillus circulans, biogas slurry, humic acid (HA), and their combination aiming to increase the growth and yield of maize and to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. The results showed that combined application of the biofertilizer mixture (Azotobacter chrocoocum, AMF, and Bacillus circulans) with organic fertilizers enhanced maize growth, yield, and nutrient uptake. Moreover, the bio-organic fertilization has improved the soluble sugars, starch, carbohydrates, protein, and amino acid contents in maize seeds. Additionally, the bio-organic fertilization caused an obvious increase in the microbial activity by enhancing acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase enzymes, bacterial count, and mycorrhizal colonization levels in maize rhizosphere as compared with the chemical fertilization. Additionally, the bio-organic fertilizers has improved α-amylase and gibberellins (GA) activities and their transcript levels, as well as decreased the abscisic acid (ABA) level in the seeds as compared to the chemical fertilizers. The obtained results of bio-organic fertilization on the growth parameters and yield of maize recommend their use as an alternative tool to reduce chemical fertilizers.
Does Seasonality, Tidal Cycle, and Plumage Color Influence Feeding Behavior and Efficiency of Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis)?
Authors: Al-Ali Ahmed , Bin Muzaffar Sabir , Hamza Waleed
Published: February 2020

Polymorphic traits may evolve in many species of birds, often driven by multiple environmental factors. It is hypothesized that polymorphic traits in herons could be influenced by feeding behavior. Most of the Western Reef Herons (Egretta egularis) (more than 70%) are of the dark morph in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Feeding behavior and efficiency in the dimorphic Western Reef Heron was characterized in a shoreline habitat of Al-Zora Protected Area, Ajman, UAE in relation to season, tidal cycle, and color morphs. Foraging behavioral observations were made using standard focal birds during summer and winter seasons spanning entire tidal cycles. Western Reef Herons used 13 feeding behavior types with difference in their utilization between seasons and age groups. Stand and wait and slowly walking were the two most commonly used techniques in both morphs. Feeding behavioral diversity was higher in both morphs in summer, probably because summers are harsh and abundance of food is lower. Feeding behavioral diversity was higher in dark morphs in general and was even higher in summer during falling tides. Foraging efficiency, however, did not vary between seasons or morphs. Feeding behavioral diversity and foraging efficiency was significantly higher during lag periods of rising tides in both morphs. Thus, it appears that dark morphs could be disadvantaged in summer months and therefore be utilizing a wider variety of behaviors to acquire adequate food. This does not explain why there are more dark morphed birds (70%) in the population. We suggest that dark morphed birds compensate for lower feeding efficiency by increasing feeding behavioral diversity and feeding efficiency during the rising tides. Further studies are needed to evaluate the influence of prey avoidance and the choice of predators that attack herons, to better understand factors influencing the numerical dominance of dark morphs.
Oxidative Stress and Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Bertino Lucrezia , Guarneri Fabrizio , Cannavò Serafinella Patrizia , Casciaro Marco , Pioggia Giovanni , Gangemi Sebastiano
Published: February 2020

Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic/chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease, with increasing worldwide prevalence. Etiopathogenesis is complex and multifactorial, with a mix of genetic, immunological and environmental aspects. Like in other chronic inflammatory diseases, oxidative stress plays an important pathogenetic role. We reviewed in vivo research studies on humans about oxidative stress and atopic dermatitis. Although sometimes contrasting, overall, they suggest that oxidative stress may have a significant role in atopic dermatitis, but our understanding is still incomplete, at least concerning in vivo data, because of limitations of available literature. Research consists of 33 papers published in 28 years, was not always performed on large study populations, represents a limited number of countries and ethnicities—not always in proportion to their size—and is scattered over multiple papers that, in the majority of cases, cannot be pooled and/or compared because many biomarkers were studied, in different tissues and with different methods. Further, larger studies appear warranted and necessary to shed more light on this aspect of atopic dermatitis, which is important not only to improve our understanding of this disease, but also for potential clinical and therapeutic implications.
Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses in a Murine Model of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury and TNF-α-Stimulated NCI-H292 Cells
Authors: Lee Ba-Wool , Ha Ji-Hye , Shin Han-Gyo , Jeong Seong-Hun , Jeon Da-Bin , Kim Ju-Hong , Park Ji-Young , Kwon Hyung-Jun , Jung Kyungsook , Lee Woo-Song , Kim Hyeon-Young , Kim Sung-Hwan , Jang Hyun-Jae , Ryu Young-Bae , Lee In-Chul
Published: February 2020

Spiraea prunifolia var. simpliciflora (SP) is traditionally used as an herbal remedy to treat fever, malaria, and emesis. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of the methanol extract of SP leaves in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells and in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. SP decreased the number of inflammatory cells and the levels of TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissues of SP-treated mice. In addition, SP significantly suppressed the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in TNF-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. SP significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and p65-nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in LPS-induced ALI mice and TNF-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. SP treatment enhanced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) with upregulated antioxidant enzymes and suppressed reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress in the lung tissues of LPS-induced ALI model and TNF-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. Collectively, SP effectively inhibited airway inflammation and ROS-mediated oxidative stress, which was closely related to its ability to induce activation of Nrf2 and inhibit the phosphorylation of MAPKs and NF-κB. These findings suggest that SP has therapeutic potential for the treatment of ALI.
COL2A1 and Caspase-3 as Promising Biomarkers for Osteoarthritis Prognosis in an Equus asinus Model
Authors: Yassin Aya M. , AbuBakr Huda O. , Abdelgalil Ahmed I. , Khattab Marwa S. , EL-Behairy Adel M. , Gouda Eman M.
Published: February 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most degenerative joint diseases in both human and veterinary medicine. The objective of the present study was the early diagnosis of OA in donkeys using a reliable grading of the disease based on clinical, chemical, and molecular alterations. OA was induced by intra-articular injection of 25 mg monoiodoacetate (MIA) as a single dose into the left radiocarpal joint of nine donkeys. Animals were clinically evaluated through the assessment of lameness score, radiographic, and ultrasonographic findings for seven months. Synovial fluid and cartilage samples were collected from both normal and diseased joints for the assessment of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity, COL2A1 protein expression level, and histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of Caspase-3. Animals showed the highest lameness score post-induction after one week then decreased gradually with the progression of radiographical and ultrasonographic changes. MMP activity and COL2A1 and Caspase-3 expression increased, accompanied by articular cartilage degeneration and loss of proteoglycan. OA was successfully graded in Egyptian donkeys, with the promising use of COL2A1and Caspase-3 for prognosis. However, MMPs failed to discriminate between early and late grades of OA.
Elevated Tumor Lactate and Efflux in High-grade Prostate Cancer demonstrated by Hyperpolarized 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Prostate Tissue Slice Cultures
Authors: Sriram Renuka , Van Criekinge Mark , DeLos Santos Justin , Ahamed Fayyaz , Qin Hecong , Nolley Rosalie , DeLos Santos Romelyn , Tabatabai Z. Laura , Bok Robert A. , Keshari Kayvan R. , Vigneron Daniel B. , Peehl Donna M. , Kurhanewicz John
Published: February 2020

Non-invasive assessment of the biological aggressiveness of prostate cancer (PCa) is needed for men with localized disease. Hyperpolarized (HP) 13C magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy is a powerful approach to image metabolism, specifically the conversion of HP [1-13C]pyruvate to [1-13C]lactate, catalyzed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Significant increase in tumor lactate was measured in high-grade PCa relative to benign and low-grade cancer, suggesting that HP 13C MR could distinguish low-risk (Gleason score ≤3 + 4) from high-risk (Gleason score ≥4 + 3) PCa. To test this and the ability of HP 13C MR to detect these metabolic changes, we cultured prostate tissues in an MR-compatible bioreactor under continuous perfusion. 31P spectra demonstrated good viability and dynamic HP 13C-pyruvate MR demonstrated that high-grade PCa had significantly increased lactate efflux compared to low-grade PCa and benign prostate tissue. These metabolic differences are attributed to significantly increased LDHA expression and LDH activity, as well as significantly increased monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) expression in high- versus low- grade PCa. Moreover, lactate efflux, LDH activity, and MCT4 expression were not different between low-grade PCa and benign prostate tissues, indicating that these metabolic alterations are specific for high-grade disease. These distinctive metabolic alterations can be used to differentiate high-grade PCa from low-grade PCa and benign prostate tissues using clinically translatable HP [1-13C]pyruvate MR.
Molecular Profiling of Keratinocyte Skin Tumors Links Staphylococcus aureus Overabundance and Increased Human β-Defensin-2 Expression to Growth Promotion of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Madhusudhan Nandhitha , Pausan Manuela R. , Halwachs Bettina , Durdević Marija , Windisch Markus , Kehrmann Jan , Patra VijayKumar , Wolf Peter , Boukamp Petra , Moissl-Eichinger Christine , Cerroni Lorenzo , Becker Jürgen C. , Gorkiewicz Gregor
Published: February 2020

The skin microbiota plays a prominent role in health and disease; however, its contribution to skin tumorigenesis is not well understood. We comparatively assessed the microbial community compositions from excision specimens of the main human non-melanoma skin cancers, actinic keratosis (AK), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Keratinocyte skin tumors are characterized by significantly different microbial community compositions, wherein AK and SCC are more similar to each other than to BCC. Notably, in SCC, which represents the advanced tumor entity and frequently develops from AK, overabundance of Staphylococcus aureus, a known skin pathogen, was noted. Moreover, S. aureus overabundance was significantly associated with increased human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) expression in SCC. By challenging human SCC cell lines with S. aureus, a specific induction of hBD-2 expression and increased tumor cell growth was seen. Increased proliferation was also induced by directly challenging SCC cells with hBD-2. Together, our data indicate that a changed microbial community composition in SCC, specified by S. aureus overabundance, might promote tumor cell growth via modulation of hBD-2 expression.
SHH Signaling Pathway Drives Pediatric Bone Sarcoma Progression
Authors: Lézot Frédéric , Corre Isabelle , Morice Sarah , Rédini Françoise , Verrecchia Franck
Published: February 2020

Primary bone tumors can be divided into two classes, benign and malignant. Among the latter group, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are the most prevalent malignant primary bone tumors in children and adolescents. Despite intensive efforts to improve treatments, almost 40% of patients succumb to the disease. Specifically, the clinical outcome for metastatic osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma remains poor; less than 30% of patients who present metastases will survive 5 years after initial diagnosis. One common and specific point of these bone tumors is their ability to deregulate bone homeostasis and remodeling and divert them to their benefit. Over the past years, considerable interest in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathway has taken place within the cancer research community. The activation of this SHH cascade can be done through different ways and, schematically, two pathways can be described, the canonical and the non-canonical. This review discusses the current knowledge about the involvement of the SHH signaling pathway in skeletal development, pediatric bone sarcoma progression and the related therapeutic options that may be possible for these tumors.
Conformational Switching in Bcl-xL: Enabling Non-Canonic Inhibition of Apoptosis Involves Multiple Intermediates and Lipid Interactions
Authors: Vasquez-Montes Victor , Kyrychenko Alexander , Vargas-Uribe Mauricio , Rodnin Mykola V. , Ladokhin Alexey S.
Published: February 2020

The inhibition of mitochondrial permeabilization by the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL is crucial for cell survival and homeostasis. Its inhibitory role requires the partitioning of Bcl-xL to the mitochondrial outer membrane from an inactive state in the cytosol, leading to its extensive refolding. The molecular mechanisms behind these events and the resulting conformations in the bilayer are unclear, and different models have been proposed to explain them. In the most recently proposed non-canonical model, the active form of Bcl-xL employs its N-terminal BH4 helix to bind and block its pro-apoptotic target. Here, we used a combination of various spectroscopic techniques to study the release of the BH4 helix (α1) during the membrane insertion of Bcl-xL. This refolding was characterized by a gradual increase in helicity due to the lipid-dependent partitioning-coupled folding and formation of new helix αX (presumably in the originally disordered loop between helices α1 and α2). Notably, a comparison of various fluorescence and circular dichroism measurements suggested the presence of multiple Bcl-xL conformations in the bilayer. This conclusion was explicitly confirmed by single-molecule measurements of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer from Alexa-Fluor-488-labeled Bcl-xL D189C to a mCherry fluorescent protein attached at the N-terminus. These measurements clearly indicated that the refolding of Bcl-xL in the bilayer is not a two-state transition and involves multiple membranous intermediates of variable compactness.
A Systematic Exposition of Methods used for Quantification of Heart Regeneration after Apex Resection in Zebrafish
Authors: Juul Belling Helene , Hofmeister Wolfgang , Andersen Ditte Caroline
Published: February 2020

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a worldwide condition that affects millions of people. This is mainly caused by the adult human heart lacking the ability to regenerate upon injury, whereas zebrafish have the capacity through cardiomyocyte proliferation to fully regenerate the heart following injury such as apex resection (AR). But a systematic overview of the methods used to evidence heart regrowth and regeneration in the zebrafish is lacking. Herein, we conducted a systematical search in Embase and Pubmed for studies on heart regeneration in the zebrafish following injury and identified 47 AR studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Overall, three different methods were used to assess heart regeneration in zebrafish AR hearts. 45 out of 47 studies performed qualitative (37) and quantitative (8) histology, whereas immunohistochemistry for various cell cycle markers combined with cardiomyocyte specific proteins was used in 34 out of 47 studies to determine cardiomyocyte proliferation qualitatively (6 studies) or quantitatively (28 studies). For both methods, analysis was based on selected heart sections and not the whole heart, which may bias interpretations. Likewise, interstudy comparison of reported cardiomyocyte proliferation indexes seems complicated by distinct study designs and reporting manners. Finally, six studies performed functional analysis to determine heart function, a hallmark of human heart injury after MI. In conclusion, our data implies that future studies should consider more quantitative methods eventually taking the 3D of the zebrafish heart into consideration when evidencing myocardial regrowth after AR. Furthermore, standardized guidelines for reporting cardiomyocyte proliferation and sham surgery details may be considered to enable inter study comparisons and robustly determine the effect of given genes on the process of heart regeneration.
The Drosophila RNA Helicase Belle (DDX3) Non-Autonomously Suppresses Germline Tumorigenesis Via Regulation of a Specific mRNA Set
Authors: Kotov Alexei A. , Godneeva Baira K. , Olenkina Oxana M. , Adashev Vladimir E. , Trostnikov Mikhail V. , Olenina Ludmila V.
Published: February 2020

DDX3 subfamily DEAD-box RNA helicases are essential developmental regulators of RNA metabolism in eukaryotes. belle, the single DDX3 ortholog in Drosophila, is required for fly viability, fertility, and germline stem cell maintenance. Belle is involved both in translational activation and repression of target mRNAs in different tissues; however, direct targets of Belle in the testes are essentially unknown. Here we showed that belle RNAi knockdown in testis cyst cells caused a disruption of adhesion between germ and cyst cells and generation of tumor-like clusters of stem-like germ cells. Ectopic expression of β-integrin in cyst cells rescued early stages of spermatogenesis in belle knockdown testes, indicating that integrin adhesion complexes are required for the interaction between somatic and germ cells in a cyst. To address Belle functions in spermatogenesis in detail we performed cross-linking immunoprecipitation and sequencing (CLIP-seq) analysis and identified multiple mRNAs that interacted with Belle in the testes. The set of Belle targets includes transcripts of proteins that are essential for preventing the tumor-like clusters of germ cells and for sustaining spermatogenesis. By our hypothesis, failures in the translation of a number of mRNA targets additively contribute to developmental defects observed in the testes with belle knockdowns both in cyst cells and in the germline.
Hidden Cardiotoxicity of Rofecoxib Can be Revealed in Experimental Models of Ischemia/Reperfusion
Authors: Brenner Gábor B. , Makkos András , Nagy Csilla Terézia , Onódi Zsófia , Sayour Nabil V. , Gergely Tamás G. , Kiss Bernadett , Görbe Anikó , Sághy Éva , Zádori Zoltán S. , Lázár Bernadette , Baranyai Tamás , Varga Richárd S. , Husti Zoltán , Varró András , Tóthfalusi László , Schulz Rainer , Baczkó István , Giricz Zoltán , Ferdinandy Péter
Published: February 2020

Cardiac adverse effects are among the leading causes of the discontinuation of clinical trials and the withdrawal of drugs from the market. The novel concept of ‘hidden cardiotoxicity’ is defined as cardiotoxicity of a drug that manifests in the diseased (e.g., ischemic/reperfused), but not in the healthy heart or as a drug-induced deterioration of cardiac stress adaptation (e.g., ischemic conditioning). Here, we aimed to test if the cardiotoxicity of a selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib that was revealed during its clinical use, i.e., increased occurrence of proarrhythmic and thrombotic events, could have been revealed in early phases of drug development by using preclinical models of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Rats that were treated with rofecoxib or vehicle for four weeks were subjected to 30 min. coronary artery occlusion and 120 min. reperfusion with or without cardioprotection that is induced by ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Rofecoxib increased overall the arrhythmias including ventricular fibrillation (VF) during I/R. The proarrhythmic effect of rofecoxib during I/R was not observed in the IPC group. Rofecoxib prolonged the action potential duration (APD) in isolated papillary muscles, which was not seen in the simulated IPC group. Interestingly, while showing hidden cardiotoxicity manifested as a proarrhythmic effect during I/R, rofecoxib decreased the infarct size and increased the survival of adult rat cardiac myocytes that were subjected to simulated I/R injury. This is the first demonstration that rofecoxib increased acute mortality due to its proarrhythmic effect via increased APD during I/R. Rofecoxib did not interfere with the cardiprotective effect of IPC; moreover, IPC was able to protect against rofecoxib-induced hidden cardiotoxicity. These results show that cardiac safety testing with simple preclinical models of I/R injury uncovers hidden cardiotoxicity of rofecoxib and might reveal the hidden cardiotoxicity of other drugs.
Investigating Thermal Performance of Residential Buildings in Marmari Region, South Evia, Greece
Authors: Kanteraki Alkistis E. , Kyriakopoulos Grigorios L. , Zamparas Miltiadis , Kapsalis Vasilis C. , Makridis Sofoklis S. , Mihalakakou Giouli
Published: February 2020

In recent decades, the steady increase of energy consumption from building construction and operations cause atmospheric pollution and significant financial burden, mainly due to the high costs imposed from energy production. This study examines ways under which modern designs of a building can be applied on construction and domestication while following conventional methods of construction, compared to a building that has been constructed and domesticated under bioclimatic architecture. Particularly, two buildings were investigated in terms of the energy consumption incurred, being built on the same seaside area and period of construction and at adjacent plots of the same distance from sea for ease of comparison. The first building (A1) was constructed under the principles of bioclimatic architecture, being also facilitated with green and smart technologies. The second building (A2) was constructed under conventional construction techniques. The energy efficiency of both buildings was calculated by the “TEE KENAK” software, while specific parameters were recorded. Energy classifications of both buildings were valued and a proposed scenario and interventions unveiled the energy classification upgrading from A2 to A1. Our analysis revealed, as also found in the literature, that during thermal energy oscillating conditions, corresponding relative humidity stresses were observed, indicating that the vapor pressure handling should be taken into account towards comfort. The preliminary incremental cost evaluation and comparison of A1 and A2 energy upgrading under the criterion of simple payback period were critically discussed.
Assessment of Streptococcus Mutans Adhesion to the Surface of Biomimetically-Modified Orthodontic Archwires
Authors: Arango-Santander Santiago , Gonzalez Carolina , Aguilar Anizac , Cano Alejandro , Castro Sergio , Sanchez-Garzon Juliana , Franco John
Published: February 2020

Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on the surfaces of dental and orthodontic biomaterials is primary responsible for oral diseases and biomaterial deterioration. A number of alternatives to reduce bacterial adhesion to biomaterials, including surface modification using a variety of techniques, has been proposed. Even though surface modification has demonstrated a reduction in bacterial adhesion, information on surface modification and biomimetics to reduce bacterial adhesion to a surface is scarce. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to assess bacterial adhesion to orthodontic archwires that were modified following a biomimetic approach. The sample consisted of 0.017 × 0.025, 10 mm-long 316L stainless steel and NiTi orthodontic archwire fragments. For soft lithography, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp was obtained after duplicating the surface of Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott leaves. Topography transfer to the archwires was performed using silica sol. Surface hydrophobicity was assessed by contact angle and surface roughness by atomic force microscopy. Bacterial adhesion was evaluated using Streptococcus mutans. The topography of the Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott leaf was successfully transferred to the surface of the archwires. Contact angle and roughness between modified and unmodified archwire surfaces was statistically significant. A statistically significant reduction in Streptococcus mutans adhesion to modified archwires was also observed.
Palladium Oxide Nanoparticles: Preparation, Characterization and Catalytic Activity Evaluation
Authors: Muniz-Miranda Maurizio , Zoppi Angela , Muniz-Miranda Francesco , Calisi Nicola
Published: February 2020

Stable palladium oxide nanoparticles were prepared in aqueous suspension with a very simple procedure, by dissolving palladium nitrate in water at a concentration around 10−4 M. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy was adopted to follow the formation of these nanoparticles, which were characterized by TEM microscopy, along with XRD, XPS and Raman measurements. DFT calculations allowed to interpret the Raman data and to clarify the species present at the surface of the nanoparticles. The catalytic activity of the latter was evaluated by monitoring the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. This investigation paves the way to the use of these colloidal nanoparticles in processes of heterogeneous catalysis, in particular those concerning the catalytic degradation of aromatic derivatives that represent a serious danger for the environment as pollutants, as in the case of p-nitrophenol.
Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an IoT Healthcare Cardiac Monitoring Device
Authors: Zagan Ionel , Găitan Vasile Gheorghiță , Petrariu Adrian-Ioan , Iuga Nicolai , Brezulianu Adrian
Published: February 2020

The expansion of the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), together with wireless sensor networks, has given rise to a wide range of IoT applications. This paper presents and describes the concept, theory of operation, and practical results of a Telecare-ECG (Electrocardiogram) Monitoring device, designed for the remote monitoring of out-of-hospital cardiac patients. ECG monitoring using the Telecare-ECG Monitor system ensures a better quality of life for patients and greater possibilities for the real-time monitoring and signaling of sporadic cardiac events, by recording instantaneous cardiac arrhythmias captured during certain activities or in the daily environment of the patient; furthermore, hospital resources are less impacted by this device than other devices. In accordance with the novelty and contribution of this paper to the field of ECG investigations, the results obtained in the analysis, testing, and validation of the Telecare-ECG Monitor system refer to the optimization of the functionality of the mobile ECG device under conditions that were as similar to reality as possible.
Analytical Evaluation of the New Beckman Coulter Access Procalcitonin (PCT) Chemiluminescent Immunoassay
Authors: Lippi Giuseppe , Salvagno Gian Luca , Gelati Matteo , Pucci Mairi , Demonte Davide , Faggian Diego , Plebani Mario
Published: February 2020

This study was designed to evaluate the analytical performance of the recently commercialized Beckman Coulter Access procalcitonin (PCT) chemiluminescent test on the Access immunoassay system. The analytical assessment encompassed the estimation of limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), functional sensitivity (i.e., PCT value with ≤10% imprecision), linearity, imprecision and comparability of values with BRAHMS PCT-sensitive Kryptor. LoB, LoD and functional sensitivity were 0.002 μg/L, 0.003 μg/L and 0.003 μg/L, respectively. Intra-assay, inter-assay and total imprecision for plasma pools with low, medium and high PCT values were 1.8–2.1%, 2.4–3.7% and 3.1–4.3%, respectively. The assay exhibited excellent linearity between 0.02 and 84.0 μg/L. Excellent correlation (r = 0.999; p < 0.001) and negligible bias (3.2%) were found by comparing values obtained in paired plasma samples with BRAHMS PCT-sensitive Kryptor. Diagnostic agreement at 0.5, 2.0 and 10 μg/L PCT values ranged between 98%-100%. The results of this study confirm that Access PCT displays excellent analytical performance and high comparability with BRAHMS PCT-sensitive Kryptor.
New Radiation-Hardened Design of a CMOS Instrumentation Amplifier and its Tolerant Characteristic Analysis
Authors: Lee Minwoong , Cho Seongik , Lee Namho , Kim Jongyeol
Published: February 2020

A radiation-hardened instrumentation amplifier (IA) that allows precise measurement in radiation environments, including nuclear power plants, space environments, and radiation therapy rooms, was designed and manufactured, and its characteristics were verified. Most electronic systems are currently designed using silicon-based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs) to achieve a highly integrated low-power design. However, fixed charges induced in silicon by ionization radiation cause various negative effects, resulting in, for example, the generation of leakage current in circuits, performance degradation, and malfunction. Given that such problems in radiation environments may directly lead to a loss of life or environmental contamination, it is critical to implement radiation-hardened CMOS IC technology. In this study, an IA used to amplify fine signals of the sensors was designed and fabricated in the 0.18 μm CMOS bulk process. The IA contained sub-circuits that ensured the stable voltage supply needed to implement system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. It was also equipped with special radiation-hardening technology by applying an I-gate n-MOSFET that blocks the radiation-induced leakage currents. Its ICs were verified to provide the intended performance following a total cumulative dose of up to 25 kGy(Si), ensuring its safety in radiation environments.
Compression and Recovery of 3D Broad-Leaved Tree Point Clouds Based on Compressed Sensing
Authors: Xu Renjie , Yun Ting , Cao Lin , Liu Yunfei
Published: February 2020

The terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) has been widely used in forest inventories. However, with increasing precision of TLS, storing and transmitting tree point clouds become more challenging. In this paper, a novel compressed sensing (CS) scheme for broad-leaved tree point clouds is proposed by analyzing and comparing different sparse bases, observation matrices, and reconstruction algorithms. Our scheme starts by eliminating outliers and simplifying point clouds with statistical filtering and voxel filtering. The scheme then applies Haar sparse basis to thin the coordinate data based on the characteristics of the broad-leaved tree point clouds. An observation procedure down-samples the point clouds with the partial Fourier matrix. The regularized orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm (ROMP) finally reconstructs the original point clouds. The experimental results illustrate that the proposed scheme can preserve morphological attributes of the broad-leaved tree within a range of relative error: 0.0010%–3.3937%, and robustly extend to plot-level within a range of mean square error (MSE): 0.0063–0.2245.
An Introduction to Systems Analytics and Integration of Big Omics Data
Authors: Hardiman Gary
Published: February 2020

A major technological shift in the research community in the past decade has been the adoption of high throughput (HT) technologies to interrogate the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, and proteome in a massively parallel fashion [...]
Flying High—Muscle-Specific Underreplication in Drosophila
Authors: Johnston J. Spencer , Zapalac Mary E. , Hjelmen Carl E.
Published: February 2020

Drosophila underreplicate the DNA of thoracic nuclei, stalling during S phase at a point that is proportional to the total genome size in each species. In polytene tissues, such as the Drosophila salivary glands, all of the nuclei initiate multiple rounds of DNA synthesis and underreplicate. Yet, only half of the nuclei isolated from the thorax stall; the other half do not initiate S phase. Our question was, why half? To address this question, we use flow cytometry to compare underreplication phenotypes between thoracic tissues. When individual thoracic tissues are dissected and the proportion of stalled DNA synthesis is scored in each tissue type, we find that underreplication occurs in the indirect flight muscle, with the majority of underreplicated nuclei in the dorsal longitudinal muscles (DLM). Half of the DNA in the DLM nuclei stall at S phase between the unreplicated G0 and fully replicated G1. The dorsal ventral flight muscle provides the other source of underreplication, and yet, there, the replication stall point is earlier (less DNA replicated), and the endocycle is initiated. The differences in underreplication and ploidy in the indirect flight muscles provide a new tool to study heterochromatin, underreplication and endocycle control.
Network Properties of Cancer Prognostic Gene Signatures in the Human Protein Interactome
Authors: Zhang Jifeng , Yan Shoubao , Jiang Cheng , Ji Zhicheng , Wang Chenrun , Tian Weidong
Published: February 2020

Prognostic gene signatures are critical in cancer prognosis assessments and their pinpoint treatments. However, their network properties remain unclear. Here, we obtained nine prognostic gene sets including 1439 prognostic genes of different cancers from related publications. Four network centralities were used to examine the network properties of prognostic genes (PG) compared with other gene sets based on the Human Protein Reference Database (HPRD) and String networks. We also proposed three novel network measures for further investigating the network properties of prognostic gene sets (PGS) besides clustering coefficient. The results showed that PG did not occupy key positions in the human protein interaction network and were more similar to essential genes rather than cancer genes. However, PGS had significantly smaller intra-set distance (IAD) and inter-set distance (IED) in comparison with random sets (p-value < 0.001). Moreover, we also found that PGS tended to be distributed within network modules rather than between modules (p-value < 0.01), and the functional intersection of the modules enriched with PGS was closely related to cancer development and progression. Our research reveals the common network properties of cancer prognostic gene signatures in the human protein interactome. We argue that these are biologically meaningful and useful for understanding their molecular mechanism.
Differences in Aerobic Fitness between an Obese Adolescent with Prader-Willi Syndrome and Other Obese Adolescents and Exercise Training Results
Authors: Su Yentung , Huang Hungya , Tuan Shanghui , Li Minhui , Lin Kolong
Published: February 2020

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by specific physical and behavioral abnormalities and considered the most commonly known genetic cause of morbid obesity in children. Recent studies indicate that patients suffering from this syndrome have significant problems in skill acquisition, muscle force, cardiovascular fitness, and activity level. In this study, we report an obese adolescent PWS patient of poor aerobic fitness compared with 13 obesity adolescents, and great improvement in cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) outcomes of the PWS patient measured after two weeks of physical exercise training programs.
Prevalence and Associated Lifestyle Factors of Suboptimal Health Status among Chinese Children Using a Multi-Level Model
Authors: Xu Tao , Liu Junting , Zhu Guangjin , Han Shaomei
Published: February 2020

Chinese children are facing health challenges brought by chronic non-communicable diseases, such as physical problems and psychological related health problems. Childhood represents a critical life period when the long-term dietary and lifestyle behaviors are formed. It is necessary to survey the prevalence of suboptimal health status (SHS) among Chinese children and to research the relationship between SHS and lifestyles. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of SHS among Chinese children using a large-scale population survey sample covering school students and nonstudent children, and clarified the relationships between SHS and lifestyle factors using multi-level models controlled for the cluster effect of location and the confounding effect of demographics. Multi-level generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the relationships between SHS and lifestyle factors. Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of these relationships. Of the 29,560 children, 14,393 reported one or more SHS symptoms, giving a SHS prevalence of 48.69%. The prevalence of SHS for boys (46.07%) was lower than that for girls (51.05%). After controlling for the cluster effect of living areas and confounding effect of demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors associated with SHS were: less sleep duration, current smokers (PR = 1.085, 95%CI: 1.027–1.147), current drinkers (PR = 1.072, 95%CI: 1.016–1.131), children’ parents suffering from chronic diseases (PR = 1.294, 95%CI: 1.179–1.421), poor sleep quality (PR = 1.470, 95%CI: 1.394–1.550), stress (PR = 1.545, 95%CI: 1.398–1.707), negative life events (PR = 1.237, 95%CI: 1.088–1.406), hypertension (PR = 1.046, 95%CI: 1.009–1.084), unhealthy diet choice (PR = 1.091, 95%CI: 1.051–1.133) and irregular meal time (PR = 1.210, 95%CI: 1.163–1.259). Children who could exercise regularly (PR = 0.897, 95%CI: 0.868–0.927) and those with regular medical checkup (PR = 0.891, 95%CI: 0.854–0.929) were associated with lower prevalence probability of SHS. SHS has become a serious public health challenge for Chinese children. Unhealthy lifestyles were closely associated with SHS. Implementation of preventative strategies are needed to reduce the potential SHS burden associated with these widespread high-risk unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.
Assessing the Potential Impact of a Long-Acting Skin Disinfectant in the Prevention of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission
Authors: Short Christopher T. , Mietchen Matthew S. , Lofgren Eric T.
Published: February 2020

Healthcare-associated transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains a persistent problem. The use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) as a means of decolonizing patients, either through targeted decolonization or daily bathing, is frequently used to supplement other interventions. We explore the potential of a long-acting disinfectant with a persistent effect, immediate decolonizing action in the prevention of MRSA acquisition, and clinical illness and mortality in an 18-bed intensive care unit, based on a previous model. A scenario with no intervention is compared to CHG bathing, which decolonizes patients but provides no additional protection, and a hypothetical treatment that both decolonizes them and provides protection from subsequent colonization. The duration and effectiveness of this protection is varied to fully explore the potential utility of such a treatment. Increasing the effectiveness of the decolonizing agent reduces colonization, with a 10% increase resulting in a colonization rate ratio (RR) of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.89,0.90). Increasing the duration of protection results in a much more modest reduction, with a 12-hour increase in protection resulting in an RR of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99, 0.99). There is little evidence of synergy between the two.
Farmer-Led Irrigation and Its Impacts on Smallholder Farmers’ Crop Income: Evidence from Southern Tanzania
Authors: Osewe Maurice , Liu Aijun , Njagi Tim
Published: February 2020

Irrigation projects in sub-Saharan Africa are mostly unsustainable because of lack of maintenance by their users or government planners. By contrast, evidence shows that the smallholder farmers are developing and expanding the irrigated land, using their initiatives. Farmer-led irrigation, a revolutionary agricultural intensification approach, is already in progress with the magnitude to significantly transform the living standards of smallholder farmers. However, a rigorous assessment of its impact on household welfare to ascertain this is lacking. This paper bridges this gap by assessing factors influencing the adoption of this particular approach as well as its effects on the farmers’ per capita net crop income. Our data set consists of 608 smallholder farmers in Southern Tanzania and used propensity score matching to estimate the effects of adoption on the per capita net crop income. Our results indicate that the uptake of farmer-led irrigation practices is influenced by drought experience, water user group membership, farmer organization membership, and government extension, as well as the sex of the household head. Further, there was a positive and significant effect on the adopters’ per capita net crop income, thus encouraging the need to promote farmer-led irrigation as a complement to externally promoted innovations in achieving sustainable food security. This study, therefore, recommends that the government should support the farmers’ initiative by improving roads, removing market barriers, and helping farmers who have not yet taken up the initiative. Also, the government should enact regulations to make sure farmer-led irrigation initiatives do not harm the eco-environment such as protecting domestic water users. Finally, the government should leverage microservices to the farmers such as promoting affordable and appropriate credit facilities. It is necessary to continue pursuing this vein of research to gain information regarding the definite impact of the farmer-led irrigation on household welfare.