bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of major histocompatibility complex variation in graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Petersdorf Effie W.
Published: May 2017

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a significant potentially life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Since the discovery of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system over 50 years ago, significant advances have clarified the nature of HLA variation between transplant recipients and donors as a chief etiology of GVHD. New information on coding and non-coding gene variation and GVHD risk provides clinicians with options to consider selected mismatched donors when matched donors are not available. These advances have increased the availability of unrelated donors for patients in need of a transplant and have lowered the overall morbidity and mortality of HCT.
SNP-SNP interactions as risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer
Authors: Vaidyanathan Venkatesh , Naidu Vijay , Karunasinghe Nishi , Jabed Anower , Pallati Radha , Marlow Gareth , R. Ferguson Lynnette
Published: May 2017

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most significant male health concerns worldwide. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are becoming increasingly strong candidate biomarkers for identifying susceptibility to PCa. We identified a number of SNPs reported in genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) as risk factors for aggressive PCa in various European populations, and then defined SNP-SNP interactions, using PLINK software, with nucleic acid samples from a New Zealand cohort. We used this approach to find a gene x environment marker for aggressive PCa, as although statistically gene x environment interactions can be adjusted for, it is highly impossible in practicality, and thus must be incorporated in the search for a reliable biomarker for PCa. We found two intronic SNPs statistically significantly interacting with each other as a risk for aggressive prostate cancer on being compared to healthy controls in a New Zealand population.
A putative antiviral role of plant cytidine deaminases
Authors: Martín Susana , Cuevas José M. , Grande-Pérez Ana , Elena Santiago F
Published: May 2017

Background: A mechanism of innate antiviral immunity operating against viruses infecting mammalian cells has been described during the last decade.  Host cytidine deaminases (e.g., APOBEC3 proteins) edit viral genomes, giving rise to hypermutated nonfunctional viruses; consequently, viral fitness is reduced through lethal mutagenesis.  By contrast, sub-lethal hypermutagenesis may contribute to virus evolvability by increasing population diversity.  To prevent genome editing, some viruses have evolved proteins that mediate APOBEC3 degradation.  The model plantArabidopsis thalianagenome encodes nine cytidine deaminases (AtCDAs), raising the question of whether deamination is an antiviral mechanism in plants as well.

Methods: Here we tested the effects of expression ofAtCDAs on the pararetrovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Two different experiments were carried out. First, we transiently overexpressed each one of the nineA. thalianaAtCDAgenes inNicotianabigeloviiplants infected with CaMV, and characterized the resulting mutational spectra, comparing them with those generated under normal conditions.  Secondly, we createdA. thalianatransgenic plants expressing an artificial microRNA designed to knock-out the expression of up to sixAtCDAgenes.  This and control plants were then infected with CaMV.  Virus accumulation and mutational spectra where characterized in both types of plants.

Results:  We have shown that theA. thalianaAtCDA1gene product exerts a mutagenic activity, significantly increasing the number of G to A mutationsin vivo, with a concomitant reduction in the amount of CaMV genomes accumulated.  Furthermore, the magnitude of this mutagenic effect on CaMV accumulation is positively correlated with the level ofAtCDA1mRNA expression in the plant.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that deamination of viral genomes may also work as an antiviral mechanism in plants.
De novo whole-genome assembly of a wild type yeast isolate using nanopore sequencing
Authors: Jansen Hans J. , Dirks Ron P. , Liem Michael , Henkel Christiaan V. , van Heusden G. Paul H. , Lemmers Richard J.L.F. , Omer Trifa , Shao Shuai , Punt Peter J. , Spaink Herman P.
Published: May 2017

Background: The introduction of the MinIONTM sequencing device by Oxford Nanopore Technologies may greatly accelerate whole genome sequencing. It has been shown that the nanopore sequence data, in combination with other sequencing technologies, is highly useful for accurate annotation of all genes in the genome. However, it also offers great potential for de novo assembly of complex genomes without using other technologies. In this manuscript we used nanopore sequencing as a tool to classify yeast strains.

Methods: We compared various technical and software developments for the nanopore sequencing protocol, showing that the R9 chemistry is, as predicted, higher in quality than R7.3 chemistry. The R9 chemistry is an essential improvement for assembly of the extremely AT-rich mitochondrial genome.

Results: In this study, we used this new technology to sequence and de novo assemble the genome of a recently isolated ethanologenic yeast strain, and compared the results with those obtained by classical Illumina short read sequencing. This strain was originally named Candida vartiovaarae (Torulopsis vartiovaarae) based on ribosomal RNA sequencing. We show that the assembly using nanopore data is much more contiguous than the assembly using short read data.

Conclusions: The mitochondrial and chromosomal genome sequences showed that our strain is clearly distinct from other yeast taxons and most closely related to published Cyberlindnera species. In conclusion, MinION-mediated long read sequencing can be used for high quality de novo assembly of new eukaryotic microbial genomes.
Case Report: Using ultrasound to prevent a broken catheter from migrating to the heart.
Authors: Schraverus Pieter J. , van Rijswijk Suzanne , Tuinman Pieter Roel
Published: May 2017

Peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters can break off while still in the patient, with possible detrimental effects such as upstream migration to the heart. These catheters have probably been damaged by the needle during a difficult insertion. A peripheral IV catheter was removed in a 90 year old patient and only half of the catheter was retrieved. By using ultrasound examination the remaining part of the IV catheter was identified, and retrieved surgically, before it could migrate towards the heart. This case report suggests that ultrasound should not only be used for difficult placement of a peripheral IV catheter, but can also be used when removal is complicated.
Growth hormone receptor antagonism with pegvisomant in insulin resistant non-diabetic men: A phase II pilot study
Authors: Lee Ada P. , Mulligan Kathleen , Schambelan Morris , Murphy Elizabeth J. , Weiss Ethan J.
Published: May 2017

Background:Growth hormone (GH) is known to affect insulin and glucose metabolism.  Blocking its effects in acromegalic patients improves diabetes and glucose metabolism. We aimed to determine the effect of pegvisomant, a GH receptor antagonist, on insulin resistance, endogenous glucose production (EGP) and lipolysis in insulin resistant non-diabetic men. 

Methods:Four men between the ages of 18-62 with a BMI of 18-35kg/m2, with insulin resistance as defined by a HOMA-IR > 2.77, were treated for four weeks with pegvisomant 20 mg daily.  Inpatient metabolic assessments were performed before and after treatment. The main outcome measurements were: change after pegvisomant therapy in insulin sensitivity as measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp; and EGP and lipolysis assessed by stable isotope tracer techniques.

Results:Insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations decreased from 134.0 ± 41.5 (mean ± SD) to 72.0 ± 11.7 ng/mL (p = 0.04) after 4 weeks of therapy. Whole body insulin sensitivity index (M/I 3.2 ± 1.3vs.3.4 ± 2.4;P= 0.82), as well as suppression of EGP (89.7 ± 26.9vs.83.5 ± 21.6%; p = 0.10) and Ra glycerol (59.4 ± 22.1%vs.61.2 ± 14.4%; p = 0.67) during the clamp were not changed significantly with pegvisomant treatment.

Conclusions:Blockade of the GH receptor with pegvisomant for four weeks had no significant effect on insulin/glucose metabolism in a small phase II pilot study of non-diabetic insulin resistant participants without acromegaly.
Efficacy of an 8-week course of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir for the treatment of HCV infection in selected HIV-infected patients
Authors: Ogbuagu Onyema , Hao Ritche , Virata Michael , Villanueva Merceditas S. , Malinis Maricar
Published: May 2017

Background: With the availability of direct acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C (HCV), HIV and HCV co-infected patients show comparable treatment responses to HCV-monoinfected patients. An 8-week course of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) is highly effective for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 infection in treatment-naïve mono-infected patients with HCV viral loads <6 million IU/ml. There is limited data on the efficacy of this 8-week HCV treatment regimen in HIV-infected individuals with similar viral loads.

Methods: The study was a retrospective review of HIV-infected adults coinfected with HCV genotype 1 for whom an 8-week course of SOF/LDV was prescribed by providers at two clinics in the Yale-New Haven health system from November 1, 2014 until April 30, 2016. Treatment efficacy was assessed as the proportion of treatment initiators who achieved a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after completion of therapy (SVR 12).

Results: Nineteen patients met study eligibility criteria and included 14 men (74%); and 12 African-Americans (63%). All patients were on antiretroviral therapy with fully suppressed HIV viral loads and were HCV treatment-naïve. All patients had pre-treatment HCV viral loads <6 million IU/mL. Eighteen patients (95%) completed HCV treatment. Overall, SVR 12 was 95%, with 1 treament failure occurring due to suboptimal adherence.

Conclusion: Among our HIV-infected patient cohort with HCV genotype 1 infection, 95% of those treated with an 8 week course of SOF/LDV achieved SVR 12. This is comparable to the efficacy of the same treatment regimen in patients without HIV infection. This study lends proof of concept to the use of shorter course SOF/LDV treatment for HIV-HCV genotype 1 coinfected patients with viral loads <6 million IU/ml. Larger studies are indicated to validate our findings.
Systematic Review of Interventions to Reduce Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents
Authors: Meddings Jennifer , Saint Sanjay , Krein Sarah L. , Gaies Elissa , Reichert Heidi , Hickner Andrew , McNamara Sara , Mann Jason D. , Mody Lona
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing homes are common, costly, and morbid.

PURPOSE

Systematic literature review of strategies to reduce UTIs in nursing home residents.

DATA SOURCES

Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and Embase through June 22, 2015.

STUDY SELECTION

Interventional studies with a comparison group reporting at least 1 outcome for: catheter‐associated UTI (CAUTI), UTIs not identified as catheter‐associated, bacteriuria, or urinary catheter use.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two authors abstracted study design, participant and intervention details, outcomes, and quality measures.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Of 5794 records retrieved, 20 records describing 19 interventions were included: 8 randomized controlled trials, 10 pre‐post nonrandomized interventions, and 1 nonrandomized intervention with concurrent controls. Quality (range, 8‐25; median, 15) and outcome definitions varied greatly. Thirteen studies employed strategies to reduce catheter use or improve catheter care; 9 studies employed general infection prevention strategies (eg, improving hand hygiene, surveillance, contact precautions, reducing antibiotics). The 19 studies reported 12 UTI outcomes, 9 CAUTI outcomes, 4 bacteriuria outcomes, and 5 catheter use outcomes. Five studies showed CAUTI reduction (1 significantly); 9 studies showed UTI reduction (none significantly); 2 studies showed bacteriuria reduction (none significantly). Four studies showed reduced catheter use (1 significantly).

LIMITATIONS

Studies were often underpowered to assess statistical significance; none were pooled given variety of interventions and outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Several practices, often implemented in bundles, such as improving hand hygiene, reducing and improving catheter use, managing incontinence without catheters, and enhanced barrier precautions, appear to reduce UTI or CAUTI in nursing home residents.
Acute Pain Management in Hospitalized Adult Patients with Opioid Dependence: A Narrative Review and Guide for Clinicians
Authors: Raub Joshua N. , Vettese Theresa E.
Published: May 2017

Pain management is a core competency of hospital medicine, and effective acute pain management should be a goal for all hospital medicine providers. The prevalence of opioid use in the United States, both therapeutic and non‐medical in origin, has dramatically increased over the past decade. Although nonopioid medications and nondrug treatments are essential components of managing all acute pain, opioids continue to be the mainstay of treatment for severe acute pain in both opioid‐naïve and opioid‐dependent patients. In this review, we provide an evidence‐based approach to appropriate and safe use of opioid analgesics in treating acute pain in hospitalized patients who are opioid‐dependent.
Urine Eosinophils for Acute Interstitial Nephritis
Authors: Lusica Melbeth , Rondon‐Berrios Helbert , Feldman Leonard
Published: May 2017

The “Things We Do for No Reason” series reviews practices which have become common parts of hospital care but which may provide little value to our patients. Practices reviewed in the TWDFNR series do not represent “black and white” conclusions or clinical practice standards, but are meant as a starting place for research and active discussions among hospitalists and patients. We invite you to be part of that discussion.
Attitudes to ageing among older Norwegian adults living in the community
Authors: Kalfoss Mary H
Published: May 2017

Attitudes toward ageing have powerful influences and impact older adults' own perception of health, quality of life and utilisation of health and social care services. This study describes attitudes to ageing among 490 Norwegian older adults living in the community who responded to The Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire. Results showed that in spite of physical changes and psychological losses, the attitudes of older adults support life acceptance with gained wisdom in feeling that there were many pleasant things about growing older and that their identity was not defined by their age. They demonstrated the ability to incorporate age-related changes within their identities and at the same time maintain a positive view of self. Although they acknowledged that old age represented a time of loss with decreasing physical independence, they meant that their lives had made a difference, they wanted to give a good example to younger persons and felt it was a privilege to grow old.
Obtaining service user feedback for student nurses in the community setting
Authors: Carr Jacqui , Pitt Margaret , Midgley Katherine , Baker Heidi
Published: May 2017

Seeking service user feedback for student nurses who are engaged in community learning experiences is an important part of a mentor's role. This paper discusses what is currently advocated, the mentor's role in obtaining and managing feedback and makes recommendations to improve the process in the community practice setting.
Managing ulceration and lymphorrhea in chronic oedema
Authors: Todd Marie , Lay-Flurrie Karen , Drake Janet
Published: May 2017

This clinical review article on the combined use of JOBST FarrowWrap and Cutimed® Sorbion® Sachet XL uses a case study methodology to demonstrate how effective this approach is in managing superficial ulceration and/or lymphorrhea in the presence of chronic oedema and lymphoedema. The blend of these symptoms causes significant physical and psychosocial issues for patients and is highly labour and resource intensive. However, there is often inadequate treatment choice leading to protracted input by nurses and delayed or failed healing. Only by combining an effective exudate/lymphorrhea dressing choice with compression therapy, will there be a positive outcome and this will result in reducing nursing input, cost to the NHS, and enhance patient self-care.
A-EQUIP: The new model of midwifery supervision
Authors: Dunkley-Bent Jacqueline
Published: May 2017

A-EQUIP has supplanted statutory supervision as NHS standard practice. Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent examines how the new model has improved on the old
Closeness, distance and disappearances in Cameroonian mediated transnational social ties: Uses of mobile phones and narratives of transformed identities
Authors: Tazanu Primus M. , Frei Bettina Anja
Published: May 2017

Drawn from ethnographic fieldwork conducted among Cameroonians in Switzerland, Germany, and Cameroon, this article demonstrates transformations induced by the new communication media − particularly the mobile phone – in Cameroonian transnational social relationships. Many narratives revolve around ambivalences, tensions and non-communication that arise from different and often, contradictory expectations as well as dissimilar life-world experiences of the actors. We employ the notion of an ideal ‘African sociality’ to serve as guideline for the valuations of the mediated ties, which is reflected in, and opposed to the notion of migrant or ‘bushfaller disease’ – migrants’ attributive tendency to detach from these ideals when abroad. In these narratives, technological means for communication and related users’ agency serve as catalyst through which changing sociality is observed and articulated by migrants abroad and non-migrants in Cameroon.
Robot Beroda Perambat Dinding Berbasis Mikrokontroler ATmega 2560 Dilengkapi Kendali Nirkabel dan Penghindar Rintangan
Authors: Widianto Eko Didik , Alfianto Ufan , Isnanto R. Rizal
Published: May 2017

This research developed a mobile wall climbing robot prototype using 4 DC motors as its driver and a suction tube. It can avoid obstacles. This robot uses Arduino Mega 2560 as its controller board. The robot's weight is 747 grams. The suction tube produces a suction force of 7.815N capable of holding the robot load in a stall vertical position using 12V of voltage. The robot able to crawl down and horizontal, but still can not climb vertically. The robot is able to receive a command of motion manually from a 2.4GHz wireless joystick. In automatic mode, the robot can avoid obstacles using the HC-SR04 proximity sensor. This research also shows the relationship between suction force and the given voltage of DC brushless motor and its throtle value.Penelitian ini mengembangkan sebuah purwarupa robot perambat dinding beroda dengan 4 buah motor DC sebagai penggerak dan sebuah tabung hisap serta dapat menghindari rintangan. Robot ini menggunakan Arduino Mega 2560 sebagai papan kontrolernya. Bobot robot adalah 747 gram. Gaya hisap dari tabung hisap sebesar 7,815N mampu menahan beban robot dalam posisi diam vertikal di tegangan 12V. Robot mampu merambat turun dan mendatar, namun masih tidak bisa naik vertikal. Robot mampu diberikan perintah gerak secara manual dari tombol joystick playstation nirkabel 2,4 GHz. Di mode otomatis, robot dapat bergerak menghindari rintangan menggunakan sensor jarak HC-SR04. Dalam penelitian ini ditunjukkan hubungan antara gaya hisap dengan nilai tegangan motor DC brushless dan nilai throtle-nya.
Implementasi Policy Base Routing dan Failover Menggunakan Router Mikrotik untuk Membagi Jalur Akses Internet di FMIPA Unnes
Authors: Pambudi Ryo , Muslim Much Aziz
Published: May 2017

Increasing requirement for information in every year become an important requirement for every society, organizations, and others institution. Semarang State University (Unnes) had using online information systems in every aspect. It needs high speed and reliable internet connection, so the using of two Internet Service Provider (ISP) or public pathways are highly commended. Internet access point density due to the number of users such as students, faculty, and employees to be one of the factors that can interfere with such information systems. Routing settings on Mikrotik router become one of the solutions to reduce density access of internet. The useful of policy-base routing is to separate the path which will be passed when the accessing the Internet and the useful of failover technique is to move path automatically if one access point (ISP) impaired / down. Comparison before and after applying these two techniques while accessing the Unnes information systems results increasing access speed with 4 ms response time faster than before used policy base routing.Pertumbuhan dan kebutuhan akan informasi semakin tahun menjadi sebuah kebutuhan vital bagi setiap masyarakat pada umumnya dan bagi organisasi maupun lembaga pendidikan pada khususnya. Universitas Negeri Semarang (Unnes) yang telah lama menggunakan sistem informasi secara online dalam setiap aspek, membutuhkan internet yang cepat dan handal sehingga penggunaan dua Internet Service Provider (ISP) atau jalur publik sangat dianjurkan. Kepadatan jalur akses internet akibat banyaknya pengguna yaitu mahasiswa, dosen, dan karyawan menjadi salah satu faktor yang dapat mengganggu sistem-sistem informasi tersebut. Pengaturan routing pada router Mikrotik menjadi salah satu solusi untuk mengurangi kepadatan jalur akses internet. Policy base routing dapat berguna untuk memisahkan jalur mana yang akan dilewati pengguna saat mengakses internet dan teknik failover berguna untuk memindahkan jalur otomatis jika salah satu jalur akses (ISP) mengalami gangguan/down. Perbandingan sebelum dan setelah menerapkan kedua teknik tersebut saat mengakses sistem-sistem informasi milik Unnes menunjukkan tingkat hasil kecepatan akses yang berbeda, yang menghasilkan waktu response lebih cepat 4 ms dibandingkan sebelum penggunaan policy base routing.
Sistem Pakar Diagnosis Hama dan Penyakit Tanaman Hortikultura dengan Teknik Inferensi Forward dan Backward Chaining
Authors: Sasmito Ginanjar Wiro
Published: May 2017

One of the obstacles to doing cultivation of horticulture plant is to overcome pest and disease. Pest and disease attack can decrease productivity and even causes harvest fail that influence toward one of income sources the country. Therefore the diagnose on pest and disease must be done fastly and accurately. One of horticulture plant is red onion and chili plant. An expert system is offered as the second choice after expert on consultation. Using Expert System Development Life Cycle (ESDLC) method, combination inference engine of and backward chaining for diagnosing pest and horticulture plant disease created as giving the solution. The technique of reasoning used in this research is the rule-based. The result of the research is an application that can be used to diagnosis pest and disease horticulture plant, that are red onion and chili. By this application, the farmer can determine quick action should be taken if the farm pests and diseases, without waiting for a consultation with an expert to do the handling. The application result also could be a learning system to the farmer about pest and disease horticulture plant.Salah satu kendala melakukan budidaya tanaman hortikultura adalah dalam mengatasi hama dan penyakit. Serangan hama dan penyakit dapat menurunkan produktivitas dan bahkan menyebabkan gagal panen yang berpengaruh terhadap salah satu sumber devisa negara. Oleh karena itu, diagnosis terhadap hama dan penyakit harus dilakukan dengan cepat dan akurat. Tanaman hortikultura tersebut salah satunya adalah bawang merah dan cabai. Sistem pakar dihadirkan sebagai pilihan kedua setelah pakar dalam melakukan konsultasi. Dengan menggunakan metode Expert System Development Life Cycle (ESDLC), penggabungan teknik inferensi forward dan backward chaining untuk diagnosis hama dan penyakit tanaman hortikultura dibuat sebagai solusi atas permasalahan yang ada. Teknik penalaran yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yakni rule-based reasoning. Hasil penelitian berupa aplikasi yang dapat dijadikan sarana konsultasi untuk melakukan diagnosis terhadap hama dan penyakit tanaman hortikultura, yakni berupa bawang merah dan cabai. Dengan aplikasi ini petani dapat mengetahui tindakan cepat yang harus dilakukan apabila lahan pertaniannya terserang hama dan penyakit, tanpa menunggu konsultasi dengan seorang pakar untuk melakukan penanganan. Aplikasi yang dihasilkan juga dapat dijadikan sebagai sistem pembelajaran bagi petani tentang hama dan penyakit tanaman hortikultura.
Spatial distribution, environmental risk and source of heavy metals in street dust from an industrial city in semi-arid area of China
Authors: Han Xiufeng , Lu Xinwei
Published: May 2017

Environmental risks associated with Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in street dust collected from Baotou, a medium-sized industrial city in a semi-arid area of northwest China, were assessed by using enrichment factor and the potential ecological index. Their spatial distributions and sources in the dust were analyzed on the basis of geostatistical methods and multivariate statistical analysis, respectively. The results indicate that street dust in Baotou has elevated heavy metal concentrations, especially of Co, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. Co in the dust was significantly enriched. Cr and Pb were from moderate to significant enrichment. Cu and Zn were from minimal to moderate enrichment, whereas Mn, Ni and V in the dust were from deficient to minimal enrichment. The ecological risk levels of Co and Pb in the dust were moderate to considerable and low to moderate, respectively, whereas those of other heavy metals studied in the dust presented low ecological risk. Different distribution patterns were found among the analyzed heavy metals. Three main sources of these heavy metals were identified. Cr, Mn, Ni and V originated from nature and industrial activities. Cu, Pb and Zn derived mainly from traffic sources, and Co was mainly from construction sources.
Dynamics of ibuprofen biodegradation by Bacillus sp. B1(2015b)
Authors: Marchlewicz Ariel , Guzik Urszula , Wojcieszyńska Danuta
Published: May 2017

High intake of over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, has resulted in their presence in wastewaters and surface waters. The potentially harmful effect of ibuprofen present in the waters has led to a search for new methods of drugs’ removal from the environment. One of the most important technological and economical solutions comprises microbiological degradation of these resistant pollutants. Searching for new strains able to degrade ibuprofen could be one of the answers for increasing the detection of pharmaceuticals in the waters. In this study, the ability of bacterial strain Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) to remove ibuprofen is described. Bacteria were cultured in both monosubstrate and cometabolic systems with 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 mg L-1 ibuprofen and 1 g L-1 glucose as a carbon source. Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) removed ibuprofen up to 9 mg L-1 in 232 hours in the monosubstrate culture, whereas in the cometabolic culture the removal of the drug was over 6 times faster. That is why the examined strain could be used to enhance the bioremediation of ibuprofen.
Factors Affecting Fertility – New Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Awad Atif , Yussof Ishak
Published: May 2017

This research paper investigates long and short term determinants of fertility rates in Malaysia based on basic macroeconomic variables for the period 1980-2014 using Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method. The study reveals that over a long term period, all the selected variables (GDP, infant mortality rate, females’ education and employment) have had significant and negative impact on total fertility rates. Whilst during the short term period, only the infant mortality rate has had a positive impact. Since population growth is partly determined by fertility rates, efforts to increase population in Malaysia should consider factors that affect those rates.
Analysis of the Re-emergence and Occurrence of Cholera in Lagos State, Nigeria
Authors: Babatimehin Oyekanmi Isaac , Uyeh Joy Orevaoghene , Onukogu Angela Uloma
Published: May 2017

This paper analysed the factors responsible for the re-emergence of cholera and predicted the future occurrence of Cholera in Lagos State, Nigeria using factor analysis, multiple linear regression analysis and a cellular automata model for the prediction. The study revealed six Local Government Areas (LGAs) under very high threat, nine under low threat, and Surulere and some parts of Amuwo Odofin under medium threat in the near future. These areas have an average population of 200,000 people each with the total tending towards millions of people, all under threat of cholera occurring and re-emerging in their communities. The factors relating to the re-emergence of the disease were discovered to be environmental (rainfall, R2=0.017, P<0.05 and temperature, R2=0.525, P>0.05); socio-economic (household size R2=0.816, P>0.05; income, R2=0.880, P>0.05; and education, R2=0.827, P>0.05). The Cellular Automata Markov Prediction model showed that by 2016, Lagos State will experience 79 cholera cases which will increase to 143 in 2020. This prediction model revealed that Ikorodu will record 40 cases, Apapa 12, Ojo 5, Mushin 3, while Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry and Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGAs will each record 2 cases between 2011 and 2016. The study concludes that there is a cholera threat in Lagos State and the factors of vulnerability that predispose people to the disease must be tackled over time and space for effective prevention, control and management of the disease.
Government expenditure and economic growth in the European Union countries: New evidence
Authors: Sáez Marta Pascual , Álvarez-García Santiago , Rodríguez Daniela Castañeda
Published: May 2017

This paper provides new evidence of the impact of government spending on economic growth in the European Union countries. Governments can adjust their levels of spending in order to influence their economies, although the relationship between these variables can be positive or negative, depending on the countries included in the sample, the period of estimation and the variables which reflect the size of the public sector. The results obtained based on regression and panel techniques suggest that government expenditure is not clearly related with economic growth in the European Union countries over the period 1994-2012.
Terminology of cardiac troponin assays and data censoring
Authors: Jarolim Petr
Published: May 2017

We discuss the sensitivity terminology of cardiac troponin assays and its dependence on the selection of the reference population. In addition, the need for reasonable censoring of clinical laboratory test results is contrasted with potential loss of valuable clinical information.
Free vibration of functionally graded parabolic and circular panels with general boundary conditions
Authors: Zhang Hong , Shi Dongyan , Wang Qingshan , Qin Bin
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this content is to investigate the free vibration of functionally graded parabolic and circular panels with general boundary conditions by using the Fourier-Ritz method. The first-order shear deformation theory is adopted to consider the effects of the transverse shear and rotary inertia of the panel structures. The functionally graded panel structures consist of ceramic and metal which are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness according to the power-law distribution, and two types of power-law distributions are considered for the ceramic volume fraction. The improved Fourier series method is applied to construct the new admissible function of the panels to surmount the weakness of the relevant discontinuities with the original displacement and its derivatives at the boundaries while using the traditional Fourier series method. The boundary spring technique is adopted to simulate the general boundary condition. The unknown coefficients appearing in the admissible function are determined by using the Ritz procedure based on the energy functional of the panels. The numerical results show the present method has good convergence, reliability and accuracy. Some new results for functionally graded parabolic and circular panels with different material distributions and boundary conditions are provided, which may serve as benchmark solutions.
Characterization of Symbolic Rules Embedded in Deep DIMLP Networks: A Challenge to Transparency of Deep Learning
Authors: Bologna Guido , Hayashi Yoichi
Published: May 2017

Rule extraction from neural networks is a fervent research topic. In the last 20 years many authors presented a number of techniques showing how to extract symbolic rules from Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLPs). Nevertheless, very few were related to ensembles of neural networks and even less for networks trained by deep learning. On several datasets we performed rule extraction from ensembles of Discretized Interpretable Multi Layer Perceptrons (DIMLP), and DIMLPs trained by deep learning. The results obtained on the Thyroid dataset and the Wisconsin Breast Cancer dataset show that the predictive accuracy of the extracted rules compare very favorably with respect to state of the art results. Finally, in the last classification problem on digit recognition, generated rules from the MNIST dataset can be viewed as discriminatory features in particular digit areas. Qualitatively, with respect to rule complexity in terms of number of generated rules and number of antecedents per rule, deep DIMLPs and DIMLPs trained by arcing give similar results on a binary classification problem involving digits 5 and 8. On the whole MNIST problem we showed that it is possible to determine the feature detectors created by neural networks and also that the complexity of the extracted rulesets can be well balanced between accuracy and interpretability.
An Integrative Approach to Analyze Eeg Signals and Human Brain Dynamics in Different Cognitive States
Authors: Davis Jeffrey Jonathan (Joshua) , Lin Chin-Teng , Gillett Grant , Kozma Robert
Published: May 2017

Electroencephalograph (EEG) data provide insight into the interconnections and relationships between various cognitive states and their corresponding brain dynamics, by demonstrating dynamic connections between brain regions at different frequency bands. While sensory input tends to stimulate neural activity in different frequency bands, peaceful states of being and self-induced meditation tend to produce activity in the mid-range (Alpha). These studies were conducted with the aim of: (a) testing different equipment in order to assess two (2) different EEG technologies together with their benefits and limitations and (b) having an initial impression of different brain states associated with different experimental modalities and tasks, by analyzing the spatial and temporal power spectrum and applying our movie making methodology to engage in qualitative exploration via the art of encephalography. This study complements our previous study of measuring multichannel EEG brain dynamics using MINDO48 equipment associated with three experimental modalities measured both in the laboratory and the natural environment. Together with Hilbert analysis, we conjecture, the results will provide us with the tools to engage in more complex brain dynamics and mental states, such as Meditation, Mathematical Audio Lectures, Music Induced Meditation, and Mental Arithmetic Exercises. This paper focuses on open eye and closed eye conditions, as well as meditation states in laboratory conditions. We assess similarities and differences between experimental modalities and their associated brain states as well as differences between the different tools for analysis and equipment.
Police Body Cameras and Professional Responsibility: Public Records and Private Evidence
Authors: Wood Stacy E.
Published: May 2017

Extensive media coverage has focused attention on the disproportionate frequency and severity of police use of force against black communities in the United States. Video documentation captured by public officials and private citizens aided by the ubiquity of cell phones has made this violence inescapable, enabling conversations of system-wide problems within a mainstream context. Video documentation has been posed as a means of increasing transparency on the part of police and the district attorneys tasked with the decision of whether or not a police shooting requires the indictment of an officer. This documentation is also simultaneously posed as a check against the unmitigated authority of officer testimony, as a financial windfall for companies selling the technology, and as the ultimate exoneration for police officers attempting to justify their decisions in the field. These concurrent rhetorical registers operate in different domains and rarely overlap. The enormous amount of attention that has been focused on body-camera programs belies a techno-utopian impulse, an investment in a technological fix to complex and interlocking historical and socio-political realities. With this attention, funding has followed, pre-existing body-camera programs have been extended, and pilot programs have launched, presenting new challenges for police departments whose resources cannot meet the fiscal demands of a dramatic technological shift in a short period of time. Similarly, policies and laws regarding these devices themselves as well as the footage they capture have been sluggish to coalesce around coherent principles. This paper examines the emergent markets, policies, and laws governing the footage captured by police-worn body cameras in the United States and employs this footage as a way to reckon with complex ethical issues for information professionals.
New Beginnings: Introduction to the Special Issue on AERI 2016
Authors: Gibbons Leisa , Gracy Karen F.
Published: May 2017

On July 8–12, 2016, the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at Kent State University hosted the eighth Archival Education and Research Institute (AERI). AERI is an annual event that brings together researchers, educators, students, and professionals from North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand to share knowledge, promote collaboration, and mentor new and emerging scholars in the areas of archival research and pedagogy. The conference was attended by ninety-five participants from eight countries, including faculty members, doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, and ten undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the AERI-affiliated Emerging Archival Scholars Program (EASP). The five-day event included sixty-three paper presentations, fifteen posters, seven workshops, two plenaries, and a half-day unconference event.

In this introduction, the hosts of the conference and co-editors of this issue, Leisa Gibbons and Karen F. Gracy, provide a brief overview of the conference highlights and introduce the research papers presented here.
Pharmacological principles of intraperitoneal and bidirectional chemotherapy
Authors: de Bree Eelco , Michelakis Dimosthenis , Stamatiou Dimitris , Romanos John , Zoras Odysseas
Published: May 2017

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is associated with a significant pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic benefit and can, alone or in combination with systemic chemotherapy (bidirectional chemotherapy), be used for treating primary and secondary peritoneal surface malignancies. Due to the peritoneal–plasma barrier, high intraperitoneal drug concentration can be achieved by intraperitoneal chemotherapy, whereas systemic concentration remains low. Bidirectional chemotherapy may provide in addition adequate drug concentrations from the side of the subperitoneal space to the peritoneal tumour nodules. Major pharmacological problems of intraperitoneal chemotherapy are limited tissue penetration and poor homogeneity of drug distribution to the entire seroperitoneal surface. Significant pharmacological determinants of intraperitoneal chemotherapy are choice of drug, drug dosage, solution volume, carrier solution, intra-abdominal pressure, temperature, duration, mode of administration, extent of peritonectomy and interindividual variability. Drugs most commonly applied for intraperitoneal chemotherapy include mitomycin C, cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, 5-fluoruracil, gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, doxorubicin, premetrexed and melphalan. The drugs and their doses that are used vary widely among centres. While the adequate drug choice for intraperitoneal and bidirectional chemotherapy is essential, randomized clinical trials to determine the most optimal drug or drug combination are lacking, and only eight retrospective comparative clinical studies are available. Further clinical pharmacological studies are required to determine the most effective drug regimen for intraperitoneal and bidirectional chemotherapy in various indications. In the future, reliable drug sensitivity testing and genetic profiling of peritoneal metastases will be needed for enabling patient-specific therapy.
Literature review. Noninvasive fungal rhinosinusitis
Authors: Cojocari Lucia , Sandul Alexandru
Published: May 2017

Fungus ball (FB) of the paranasal sinuses has a distinctive clinicopathological presentation. The disease occurs more frequently in elderly patients and has a female preponderance. Classically, it involves only one paranasal sinus in more than 90% of the cases, most commonly the maxillary sinus. Imaging characteristics (calcifications and / or erosion of the inner wall of the sinus visible on CT) and histopathological ones (luminal aggregation of fungal hyphae) confirm the diagnosis.

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) usually occurs in younger, immunocompetent patients, with a history of atopy, including allergic rhinitis and / or asthma, or a long clinical picture of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), refractory to antibiotic treatment. Nasal polyps (NP) are present in almost all patients, while extra-sinusal complications are described only in some of them. Usually, there is involvement of several sinuses, as well as bilateral damage. The definitive diagnosis is confirmed only by examining surgical specimens - the characteristic appearance of eosinophilic mucin is the most reliable indicator of AFRS.
Case report. Giant ethmoido-frontal osteoma with intracranial and orbital extension – Case report
Authors: Budu Vlad , Decuseara Tatiana , Costache Andreea Nicoleta , Ghiuzan Loredana , Sava Lavinia , Hodor Monica , Palii Vadim , Tusaliu Mihai
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND. The most frequent benign nasal tumor is the osteoma. It is commonly asymptomatic and usually an incidental finding and can be caused by multiple factors. The therapeutic approach for symptomatic osteomas is strictly surgical.

CASE REPORT. The authors present a patient with giant ethmoido-frontal osteoma, causing the compression of the ocular globe and the right frontal lobe. Considering the intracranial extension, a combined surgical team consisting of an ENT surgeon and neurosurgeon decided to deal with the case. The tumoral mass was removed with no recurrence after a follow-up of two years.

CONCLUSION. Surgery via external and endoscopic approach aims to completely resect the osteoma with frontal sinus origin and orbital or intracranial extension.
Effect of Lamination Angle and Thickness on Analysis of Composite Plate Under Thermo Mechanical Loading
Authors: Choudhury Arnab , Mondal Samar Chandra , Sarkar Susenjit
Published: May 2017

Analytical formulation and solution of stress analysis of composite plate subjected to thermo mechanical loading for various ply orientation and thickness of lamina are studied. The main aim of the paper is to investigate how mechanical and thermo mechanical loading would affect the stress ratio and stress distribution of composite plate. The plate is composed of layers of glass-epoxy composite and the orientation of the layers is assumed to be antisymmetric about the neutral axis of the laminate. The plate is subjected to a combined mechanical loading of tensile force and moment along x direction. The thermo mechanical stress is calculated for different ply orientation and thickness ratio, subjected to a temperature change and mechanical loading. The effect of number of lamina and varying thickness of laminate on the stress ratio and stress distribution is studied. The results in this paper are obtained by use of MATLAB Programming and by Finite element software ANSYS 14. Results obtained from both the methods are compared. Such type of loading finds wide application in aircraft flying at high altitude, marine application, medical devices etc.
Nonlinear Model of the Passenger Car Seat Suspension System
Authors: Danko Ján , Milesich Tomáš , Bucha Jozef
Published: May 2017

The paper deals with the modelling of a passenger car seat suspension system. Currently, vehicle safety and ride comfort are one of the most important factors of vehicle design. This article analyses a mathematical model of the passenger car seat suspension system. Furthermore, experimental measurements of the passenger car seat suspension system are performed. Utilizing the experimental data, model parameters are identified. From the chosen mathematical model a simulation model in constructed in Matlab is designed. In this simulation, the force-velocity and force-displacement characteristics of the passenger car seat suspension system are described. Finally, evaluation of simulated damper characteristics with the characteristics form measured data are performed.
Influence of Bypass on Thermo-Hydraulics of VVER 440 Fuel Assembly
Authors: Jakubec Jakub , Paulech Juraj , Kutiš Vladimír , Gálik Gabriel
Published: May 2017

The paper deals with CFD modelling and simulation of coolant flow within the nuclear reactor VVER 440 fuel assembly. The influence of coolant flow in bypass on the temperature distribution at the outlet of the fuel assembly and pressure drop was investigated. Only steady-state analyses were performed. Boundary conditions are based on operating conditions. ANSYS CFX is chosen as the main CFD software tool, where all analyses are performed.
Investigation of Frictional Stick-Slick Effect in Disk Brake NVH
Authors: Úradníček Juraj , Kraus Pavel , Musil Miloš , Bachratý Michal
Published: May 2017

Paper describes the mechanism of vibration of a minimal automotive disc brake model which can lead to unwanted effects known as brake Noise Vibrations and Harshness (NVH). Stick-slip frictional effects are mathematically described by simplification of physical assumptions. Self-excited vibrations due to stick-slip and also stability conditions are defined using a 1 degree of freedom mechanical system. Non-Coulomb nonlinear behavior of the friction force with negative slope is considered. Response is obtained by the numerical solution of ordinary differential equation.
Characterization of Pt,O2|YSZ electrodes for lambda probes and their ageing in humid atmosphere
Authors: Flegel Elke , Vonau Corinna , Guth Ulrich
Published: May 2017

Electrodes with different microstructures made of platinum and yttria
stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were investigated. They were characterized
by means of impedance measurements and electrode charging experiments
in the temperature range of 450 ℃ to
800 ℃ and in oxygen partial pressures of
0.2 bar down to 10−5 bar. Samples were characterized
before and after an ageing step at 690 ℃ in water
vapour containing atmosphere. Microstructural data were determined by
a 3D microstructure reconstruction from SEM image stacks. Results
indicate that a large platinum surface or a high triple phase boundary
(TPB) density both lead to a lower electrode impedance and stabilize
the electrode against degradation in humid atmosphere.