bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana used as granules has no impact on the soil-dwelling predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus
Authors: Sun Weinan , Sarkar Shovon Chandra , Xu Xuenong , Lei Zhongren , Wu Shengyong , Meng Ruixia
Published: November 2018

Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is an economically important pest worldwide and has demonstrated a particularly difficult to manage. Controlling soil-pupating thrips is a promising strategy for controlling F. occidentalis. Beauveria bassiana granules and soil inhabiting predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus have been proposed as alternative control agents. This study evaluated the effect of the B. bassiana conidia on the survival, immature development, longevity, reproduction of S. scimitus by laboratory bioassays. The effect of B. bassiana used as granules on survival of S. scimitus was also assessed under potted condition. When B. bassiana was sprayed directly on each immature stage of S. scimitus at a concentration of 1×107 ml-1 conidia, their survival rates and developmental times were not affected. Direct spray of B. bassiana on female S. scimitus did not affect their reproduction and longevity. The potted test showed that B. bassiana used as granules has no impact on the density of S. scimitus. Our study suggested that using B. bassiana granules is compatible with release of S. scimitus in soil, and their combined use may be an alternative to traditional F. occidentalis management.
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiO2 and SiNx on AlGaN: Band offsets and interface studies as a function of Al composition
Authors: Reddy Pramod , Washiyama Shun , Mecouch Will , Hernandez-Balderrama Luis H. , Kaess Felix , Hayden Breckenridge M. , Sarkar Biplab , Haidet Brian B. , Franke Alexander , Kohn Erhard , Collazo Ramon , Sitar Zlatko
Published: November 2018

In this work, the authors characterized the interface of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) dielectrics, SiO2 and SiNx with AlGaN as a function of Al composition. SiO2 is found to exhibit type I straddled band alignment with positive conduction and valence band offsets for all Al compositions. However, the interface Fermi level is found to be pinned within the bandgap, indicating a significant density of interface states. Hence, SiO2 is found to be suitable for insulating layers or electrical isolation on AlGaN with breakdown fields between 4.5 and 6.5 MV cm−1, but an additional passivating interlayer between SiO2 and AlGaN is necessary for passivation on Al-rich AlGaN. In contrast, Si-rich PECVD SiNx is found to exhibit type II staggered band alignment with positive conduction band offsets and negative valence band offsets for Al compositions <40% and type I straddled band alignment with negative conduction and valence band offsets for Al compositions >40% and is, hence, found to be unsuitable for insulating layers or electrical isolation on Al-rich AlGaN in general. In contrast to passivating stoichiometric LPCVD Si3N4, no evidence for interface state reduction by depositing SiNx on AlGaN is observed.
Paralyzed membrane: Current-driven synthesis of a metal-organic framework with sharpened propene/propane separation
Authors: Zhou Sheng , Wei Yanying , Li Libo , Duan Yifan , Hou Qianqian , Zhang Lili , Ding Liang-Xin , Xue Jian , Wang Haihui , Caro Jürgen
Published: November 2018

ZIF-8 membranes with inborn-suppressed linker mobility sharpen molecular sieving with C
3
H
6
/C
3
H
8
separation factor above 300.
Multiplatform Physiologic and Metabolic Phenotyping Reveals Microbial Toxicity
Authors: Cai Jingwei , Nichols Robert G. , Koo Imhoi , Kalikow Zachary A. , Zhang Limin , Tian Yuan , Zhang Jingtao , Smith Philip B. , Patterson Andrew D.
Published: November 2018

The gut microbiota is modulated physiologically, compositionally, and metabolically by xenobiotics, potentially causing metabolic consequences to the host. We recently reported that tempol, a stabilized free radical nitroxide, can exert beneficial effects on the host through modulation of the microbiome community structure and function. Here, we investigated a multiplatform phenotyping approach that combines high-throughput global metabolomics with flow cytometry to evaluate the direct effect of tempol on the microbiota. This approach may be useful in deciphering how other xenobiotics directly influence the microbiota.
High-Throughput Miniaturized 16S rRNA Amplicon Library Preparation Reduces Costs while Preserving Microbiome Integrity
Authors: Minich Jeremiah J. , Humphrey Greg , Benitez Rodolfo A. S. , Sanders Jon , Swafford Austin , Allen Eric E. , Knight Rob
Published: November 2018

Reduced costs of sequencing have tremendously impacted the field of microbial ecology, allowing scientists to design more studies with larger sample sizes that often exceed 10,000 samples. Library preparation costs have not kept pace with sequencing prices, although automated liquid handling robots provide a unique opportunity to bridge this gap while also decreasing human error. Here, we take advantage of an acoustic liquid handling robot to develop a high-throughput miniaturized library preparation method of a highly cited and broadly used 16S rRNA gene amplicon reaction. We evaluate the potential negative effects of reducing the PCR volume along with varying the amount of gDNA going into the reaction. Our optimized method reduces sample-processing costs while continuing to generate a high-quality microbiome readout that is indistinguishable from the original method.
Point-of-care measurements of blood ketones in newborns
Authors: Harris Deborah L , Weston Philip J , Harding Jane E
Published: November 2018

Objective

Babies may use alternative cerebral fuels including ketones when blood glucose concentrations are low, but laboratory ketone measurements are slow and expensive. Point-of-care measurement of ketone concentrations, if sufficiently accurate, may provide useful information for clinical care.

Patients and design

Eligible babies were 35–42 weeks’ gestation, ≤10 days old and admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. At the time of clinically indicated blood tests, additional samples were taken to measure beta-hydroxybutyrate using a point-of-care analyser and the laboratory method.

Results

One-hundred and fifty babies had 142 paired samples. Overall point-of-care accuracy was excellent (mean difference 0.00 mmol/L) and precision was moderate (SD 0.18 mmol/L). A point-of-care measurement ≥0.4 mmol/L was highly predictive of a laboratory measurement ≥0.4 mmol/L (area under the curve 0.98).

Conclusion

Point-of-care measurement of blood beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations is sufficiently accurate in newborns to be potentially useful in clinical care.

Clinical trial registration number

Registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN: 12616000784415. The study was registered before recruitment commenced.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for chronic dizziness following mild traumatic brain injury
Authors: Paxman Eric , Stilling Joan , Mercier Leah , Debert Chantel T
Published: November 2018

A 61-year-old man sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) following a pedestrian versus vehicle traffic accident. Post injury, he began to experience symptoms including light-headedness, spatial disorientation, nausea, fatigue and prominent dizziness brought on by postural change, physical activity or eye movements. Symptoms of dizziness persisted for over 5 years, despite numerous extensive and rigorous vestibular and vision therapy regimens. All investigations suggested normal peripheral and central vestibular functioning. The patient underwent 10 sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment, with stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 70% of resting motor threshold and a frequency of 10 Hz. Dizziness symptom severity and frequency were reduced by greater than 50% at 3 months post treatment, with a clinically significant reduction of dizziness disability from 40 to 21 points on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. We propose rTMS as a safe, effective and cost-effective treatment option for patients who experience persistent post-traumatic dizziness secondary to mTBI.
Perioperative management of an anterior mediastinal teratoma in an infant: one more tool in the toolbox
Authors: Brenn Bruce R , Reddy Srijaya K , Van Arendonk Kyle J , Morgan Walter M
Published: November 2018

Anterior mediastinal masses present a significant challenge in the perioperative period. Standard anaesthetic induction and airway management are often not feasible due to the risk of complete respiratory and/or cardiovascular collapse. Invasive manoeuvres, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, cardiac bypass, or tracheal or bronchial stenting, are sometimes not applicable due to significant anatomic aberration. We present a case of anterior mediastinal mass in a 5-month-old infant where typical management techniques in the treatment algorithm were not possible.
Use of mineral trioxide aggregate for retreatment of a tooth with large periapical lesion, wide-open apices and vertical root fracture
Authors: Pandey Pragya , Nandkeoliar Tanya , Bains Rhythm , Singh Diksha
Published: November 2018

Chronic periapical lesions in necrotic teeth with open apex are difficult to manage. The situation becomes more complex if the tooth has a fracture line. This case report describes the management of a traumatised tooth that had already undergone unsuccessful endodontic treatment with a large periapical lesion and open apex along with a fracture line in the root. An attempt was made to save the tooth by using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) cement for orthograde filling, retrograde filling and also for sealing of the fracture line. Moreover, the bone defect was filled with autogenous bone harvested from the external oblique ridge. MTA, a bioactive tricalcium silicate cement, has been used in treating complex endodontic cases as it shows promising potential by inducing the biological mechanisms necessary for repair of involved teeth. A 1-year follow-up showed progressive healing as evident by radiographs and lack of any clinical signs and symptoms.
Estimating health opportunity costs in low-income and middle-income countries: a novel approach and evidence from cross-country data
Authors: Ochalek Jessica , Lomas James , Claxton Karl
Published: November 2018

The economic evaluation of healthcare interventions requires an assessment of whether the improvement in health outcomes they offer exceeds the improvement in health that would have been possible if the additional resources required had, instead, been made available for other healthcare activities. Therefore, some assessment of these health opportunity costs is required if the best use is to be made of the resources available for healthcare. This paper provides a framework for generating country-specific estimates of cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted ‘thresholds’ that reflect health opportunity costs. We apply estimated elasticities on mortality, survival, morbidity and a generic measure of health, DALYs, that take account of measures of a country’s infrastructure and changes in donor funding to country-specific data on health expenditure, epidemiology and demographics to determine the likely DALYs averted from a 1% change in expenditure on health. The resulting range of cost per DALY averted ‘threshold’ estimates for each country that represent likely health opportunity costs tend to fall below the range previously suggested by WHO of 1–3× gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The 1–3× GDP range and many other previous and existing recommendations about which interventions are cost-effective are not based on an empirical assessment of the likely health opportunity costs, and as a consequence, the health effects of changes in health expenditure have tended to be underestimated, and there is a risk that interventions regarded as cost-effective reduce rather than improve health outcomes overall.
Comparison of efficacy and safety between electroacupuncture at ‘four sacral points’ and conventional electroacupuncture for the treatment of urinary incontinence after stroke: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Chen Shan , Wang Siyou , Xuan Lihua , Lu Hanti , Hu Zhikai , Zhang Chao , Zhang Huifang
Published: November 2018

Introduction

Electroacupuncture at ‘four sacral points’, also known as electrical pudendal nerve stimulation therapy, combines the advantages of pudendal nerve neuromodulation and the technique of deep insertion of long acupuncture needles. It has been used to treat stress urinary incontinence, female urgency-frequency syndrome, idiopathic urgency urinary incontinence and neurological bladders in previous studies. Here, we describe the protocol for a randomised controlled trial for evaluation of the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture at ‘four sacral points’ for the management of urinary incontinence after stroke.

Methods and analysis

This is an open-label randomised controlled trial with blinded assessments and analyses. A total of 140 eligible patients will be randomly allocated to two groups. The treatment group (n=70) will receive electroacupuncture at ‘four sacral points’ along with routine medical care, while the control group will receive conventional electroacupuncture along with routine medical care. Twenty treatment sessions will occur over a period of 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures will be the self-recorded findings in an incontinent episode diary at baseline and at 4 weeks after baseline. The secondary outcome measures will be the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence—Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) score and the Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index (Barthel ADL Index) score at baseline and at 4 and 28 weeks after baseline.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (approval No. 2018-K-059–01). Written informed consent will be obtained from each participant. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-IOR-17012847; Pre-result.
Nocturnal respiratory rate as a predictor of mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Eick Christian , Groga-Bada Patrick , Reinhardt Kathrin , Duckheim Martin , Mizera Lars , Böhm Katharina , Götz Nina , Gawaz Meinrad , Zürn Christine
Published: November 2018

Background

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at risk especially in the period shortly after the event. Alterations in respiratory control have been associated with adverse prognosis. The aim of our study was to assess if the nocturnal respiratory rate (NRR) is a predictor of mortality in patients with ACS presenting in the emergency department.

Methods

Clinically stable consecutive patients with ACS aged ≥ 18 years were prospectively enrolled. The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed for all patients. The average NRR over a period of 6  hours was determined by the records of the surveillance monitors in the first night after admission. Primary and secondary endpoints were intrahospital and 2  years all-cause mortality, respectively.

Results

Of the 860 patients with ACS, 21 (2.4%) died within the intrahospital phase and 108 patients (12.6%) died within the subsequent 2 years. The NRR was a significant predictor of both endpoints and was independent from the GRACE score and LVEF. Implementing the NRR into the GRACE risk model leads to a significant increase of the C-statistics especially for prediction of intrahospital mortality.

Conclusion

The NRR is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with ACS.
3D modeling: a future of cardiovascular medicine
Authors: Garner Kaley H. , Singla Dinender K.
Published: November 2018

Cardiovascular disease resulting from atypical cardiac structures continues to be a leading health concern despite advancements in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques. However, the ability to visualize spatial relationships using current technologies remains a challenge. Therefore, 3D modeling has gained significant interest to understand complex and atypical cardiovascular disorders. Moreover, 3D modeling can be personalized and patient-specific. 3D models have been demonstrated to aid surgical planning and simulation, enhance communication among surgeons and patients, optimize medical device design, and can be used as a potential teaching tool in medical schools. In this review, we discuss the key components needed to generate cardiac 3D models. We highlight prevalent structural conditions that have utilized 3D modeling in pre-operative planning. Furthermore, we discuss the current limitations of routine use of 3D models in the clinic as well as future directions for utilization of this technology in the cardiovascular field.
Space–time geometry and the velocity of light
Authors: Sidharth B. G. , Das Abhishek
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we investigate the possibility of superluminal velocities and the appertaining underlying geometry. We consider three different approaches and arrive at the same status quo.
Solutions of solitary-wave for the variable-coefficient nonlinear Schrödinger equation with two power-law nonlinear terms
Authors: Xin Le , Kong Ying , Han Lijia
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we consider the variable-coefficient power-law nonlinear Schrödinger equations (NLSEs) with external potential as well as the gain or loss function. First, we generalize the similarity transformation method, which converts the variable coefficient NLSE with two power-law nonlinear terms to the autonomous dual-power NLS equation with constant coefficients. Then, we obtain the exact solutions of the variable-coefficient NLSE. Moreover, we discuss the solitary-wave solutions for equations with vanishing potential, space-quadratic potential and optical lattice potential, which are applied to many branches of physics.
The physical properties of ThCr2Si2-type superconductors MPd2P2 (M = Y, La): A theoretical investigation
Authors: Lokman Ali Md. , Tosaddek Hossen Md. , Alam Shahin , Sadek Hossain Md. , Islam Jakiul , Rubayatul Islam SM.
Published: November 2018

The structural stability, elastic, mechanical, optical characteristics and Debye temperature of single crystalline superconductors MPd2P2 (M = Y, La) were investigated by using the ab initio technique. We have carried out the plane wave pseudopotential within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) implemented in the CASTEP computer code. Our investigated results of structural data are in well consistent with the previous experimental data. The bulk modulus B, shear modulus G, Young’s modulus E, Poisson’s ratio v, hardness H, and anisotropic factor A of MPd2P2 (M = Y, La) compounds were evaluated from the calculated elastic constants. The analysis of ratio B/G shows that the MPd2P2 superconductors are in ductile behavior. The Debye temperatures are also investigated from the elastic constants. Finally, the optical functions including reflectivity, absorption coefficient, loss function, conductivity, refractive index, dielectric function are calculated and analyzed.
Quantum correlations and entropic uncertainty relation in a three-qubit spin chain under the effect of magnetic field and DM interaction
Authors: Pourkarimi Mohammad Reza
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we study the thermal dynamics of quantum correlations and uncertainty relation in a three-qubit spin chain under the effect of Hamiltonian XY model, Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interaction and external magnetic field. The results show that quantum correlations behave contrary to uncertainty under the effect of thermal dynamics and external magnetic field. However, they evolve in the same way under effect of DM interaction and spin coupling. DM interaction, magnetic field and spin coupling enhance quantum correlations.
Geochronology and geochemistry of the Yazidaban ophiolitic mélange in Qimantagh: constraints on the Early Paleozoic back-arc basin of the East Kunlun Orogen, northern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Dong Yunpeng , Sun Shengsi , Liu Xiaoming , He Dengfeng , Zhou Xiaohu , Zhang Feifei , Yang Zhao , Zhou Dingwu
Published: November 2018

The East Kunlun Orogenic Belt of the northern Tibetan Plateau can be divided by the Qimantagh–Xiangride, Aqikekulehu–Kunzhong and Muztagh–Buqingshan sutures into, from north to south, the Northern Qimantagh, Central Kunlun and Southern Kunlun belts. The Yazidaban ophiolitic mélange, located in the westernmost region of the Qimantagh–Xiangride suture between the Northern Qimantagh and Central Kunlun belts, consists predominantly of serpentinite, basalt, diabase and andesite. The serpentinites are characterized by low total rare earth element (ΣREE) concentrations and depletion of mid-REEs, showing an ophiolitic ultramafic affinity. The basalts have low ΣREE concentrations, a slight enrichment in light REEs, depletion of large ion lithophile elements and insignificant fractionation of high field strength elements, which are attributed to an incompatible element-enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt. Both diabases and andesites are characterized by high ΣREE, strong enrichment in light REEs, depletion of Nb, Ta, P and Ti, and significant fractionation of high field strength elements. These geochemical characteristics indicate that the diabase and andesite were mostly generated in a subduction-related setting. Igneous zircons from the diabase yielded a
206
Pb/
238
U age of 421.5 ± 2.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.44), representing the formation time of the subduction-related rocks. Together with the regional geology, these constraints on the ultramafic rock, basalt, andesite and diabase suggest that the Yazidaban ophiolitic mélange represents the remnants of oceanic crust from a back-arc basin and the associated subduction-related magmatic rocks.

Supplementary material:
Details of U–Th–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry data of zircons from the diabase, and major and trace element compositions for the samples from the Qimantagh mélange, East Kunlun Orogen are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4283219
A half-century of contributions to landslide knowledge in
QJEGH
Authors: Bromhead E. N. , Winter M. G.
Published: November 2018

Now that the
Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology
(
QJEGH
) has reached volume 52, it is timely to consider and review the significance of papers published in it over 50 volumes and a little more than a half-century. Articles published in the journal over this period on landslides have related to conditions in Europe; North, Central and South America; Asia; Africa; The Middle East; The Indian Subcontinent; Australasia; and, extraterrestrially, on Mars. The coverage of topics within landslide science and engineering has been similarly diverse, with papers on coastal and inland slopes, shear strength measurement from back analysis and laboratory tests, and field recognition of landslide morphology on the ground and from aerial photography – in the Martian case, from satellite photography.
The Philosopher's Corner
Authors: Myers Michael D.
Published: November 2018

This article is a critique of Horst Treiblmaier's article that was published in the May issue of this journal, in which he discussed the relevance of Paul Feyerabend's philosophy for the field of information systems. Treiblmaier proposed epistemological anarchism, methodological anarchism, and -anything goes" as a guiding principle for IS. I disagree with these three propositions. In fact, I believe that Treiblmaier has misinterpreted Feyerabend's position and suggest that Feyerabend's philosophy needs to be understood within the context of the philosophical debate about the nature of science that was taking place at the time. Of course, no one scientific method should be imposed on all scientists, and I agree that we need epistemological and methodological diversity, but this is not the same as anarchy. Instead of anarchy, I support a "disciplined methodological pluralism" in our field.
Rethinking Media Synchronicity Theory
Authors: Windeler Jaime B. , Harrison Andrew
Published: November 2018

Information systems (IS) research often assumes team members have aligned goals. In practice, people interpret and pursue goals to suit personal agendas, even when they are collaborating. This motivates our examination of the cooperative assumption in Media Synchronicity Theory (MST)--a leading IS theory of communication performance. We assess the boundaries of MST by relaxing the assumption of cooperation. Our results support MST for explaining communication and task performance in a cooperative context. However, MST was insufficient to capture how media capabilities influence performance in a non-cooperative context. Our study shows that relaxing the assumption of cooperation changes MST in profound ways--altering which media capabilities are central to the model and the very processes that underlie communication.
Simulating Experiential Learning in Professional Online Courses
Authors: Gasson Susan , Waters James
Published: November 2018

Few studies have explored how to simulate the experiential learning of professional knowledge domains in online graduate courses. This paper addresses how to provide the type of deep, socially situated learning that is achieved in professional practice by employing peer and vicarious learning in discussion forums. We start by describing what we have learned about scaffolding peer learning environments from prior studies. We distinguish vicarious learning, which exposes and sensitizes students to situated knowledge based on observation of peer discussions, from peer interactions which engage students actively in co-constructing knowledge about professional practice. Then we present findings from a 10-week graduate course in Information Systems Project Management. Our findings present evidence for vicarious learning from observing peer interactions, and of interactive peer learning that not only demonstrates the co-construction of knowledge across learners but also uncovers a collaborative process based on a sense of community identity. We end with a substantive theory of social cognition in community learning based on our findings. The intention is to provide a framework for the evaluation of collaborative knowledge construction, so that courses may support deep, experiential learning in graduate online professional education.
Academic Social Network-Based Recommendation Approach for Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Zhao Pengfei , Ma Jian , Hua Zhongsheng , Fang Shijian
Published: November 2018

Academic information overload has brought researchers great difficulty due to the rapid growth of scientific articles. Methods have been proposed to help professional readers find relevant articles on the basis of their publications. Although effectively sharing publications is essential to spreading knowledge and ideas, few studies have focused on knowledge sharing from an author perspective. This study leverages the online academic social network to propose a recommendation approach for knowledge sharing. In our approach, we integrate researcher-level and document-level analyses in the same model. Our model works in two stages: 1) researcher-level analysis and 2) document-level analysis. The former combines research topic relevance, social relations, and research quality dimension, and the latter uses the machine learning method to learn the vector representation for each word. Online social behavior information is also leveraged to enhance readers' short-term interests. Our approach is deployed in ScholarMate, a prevalent academic social network. Compared with other baseline methods (CB, LDA, and part of the proposed approach), our approach significantly improves the accuracy of recommendations. Moreover, our method can disseminate papers efficiently to readers who have no publications.
Image Noise Preprocessing of Interactive Projection System Based on Switching Filtering Scheme
Authors: Yu Lei
Published: November 2018

The interactive projection systems based on deep images are usually disturbed by the mixed noise. Generally, several filtering methods are used in combination to resolve this problem. Although the hybrid filter can guarantee the accuracy of the image, but the algorithm is complex and time‐consuming, which affects the real‐time performance of the interactive projection system. In this paper, the switching system method is introduced into the filter for the first time, and an arbitrary switching filter algorithm is proposed and applied to the depth image filtering system based on Kinect sensor. The experimental results demonstrate and validate that the proposed switching filter algorithm not only effectively removes the noise but also ensures the real‐time performance of tracking and achieves good target tracking performance, which makes it applicable in various image filtering processing systems.
Study on the Electrochemical Performance of Sacrificial Anode Interfered by Alternating Current Voltage
Authors: Ding Qingmiao , Chu Xiao , Shen Tao , Yu Xiaoxiao
Published: November 2018

The effect of alternating current (AC) voltage of 0V, 1V, 3V, and 5V on magnesium alloy sacrificial anode electrochemical properties was studied by open circuit potential (OCP) analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and polarization curve measurements. The results demonstrate that the AC voltage has a great effect on the magnesium alloy sacrificial anode. The corrosion control is anode control in the first two days with no AC interference. The stray current accelerates the transmission and diffusion of oxygen, so the corrosion rate under AC interference is higher than that with no AC interference. And the corrosion control becomes cathodic control under AC interference. The corrosion rate of the sacrificial anode is faster and faster as the AC interference voltage increases in the range of 0~5V, while the corrosion inclination is weakened.
Artificial Intelligence to Prevent Mobile Heart Failure Patients Decompensation in Real Time: Monitoring-Based Predictive Model
Authors: Larburu Nekane , Artetxe Arkaitz , Escolar Vanessa , Lozano Ainara , Kerexeta Jon
Published: November 2018

Rapid advances in ICT and collection of large amount of mobile health data are giving room to new ways of treating patients. Studies suggest that telemonitoring systems and predictive models for clinical support and patient empowerment may improve several pathologies, such as heart failure, which admissions rate is high. In the current medical practice, clinicians make use of simple rules that generate large number of false alerts. In order to reduce the false alerts, in this study, the predictive models to prevent decompensations that may lead into admissions are presented. They are based on mobile clinical data of 242 heart failure (HF) patients collected for a period of 44 months in the public health service of Basque Country (Osakidetza). The best predictive model obtained is a combination of alerts based on monitoring data and a questionnaire with a Naive Bayes classifier using Bernoulli distribution. This predictive model performs with an AUC = 67% and reduces the false alerts per patient per year from 28.64 to 7.8. This way, the system predicts the risk of admission of ambulatory patients with higher reliability than current alerts.
Should We Always Use Antibiotics after Urodynamic Studies in High-Risk Patients?
Authors: Miotla Pawel , Wawrysiuk Sara , Naber Kurt , Markut-Miotla Ewa , Skorupski Pawel , Skorupska Katarzyna , Rechberger Tomasz
Published: November 2018

Aim. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a phytotherapic drug (Canephron N) in preventing urinary tract infection (UTI) in high-risk women undergoing urodynamic studies (UDS). Methods. The study protocol was approved by the local institutional ethical committee. Adult women with at least one risk factor for acquiring UTI (defined as: age over 70, elevated postvoid residual urine>100 ml, recurrent UTI, pelvic organ prolapse (POP) ≥II in POP-Q scale, and neurogenic bladder) had received after UDS either a single oral dose of fosfomycin trometamol (FT) (3 grams) or a phytodrug containing centaury herb, lovage root, and rosemary leaves (5 ml taken orally three times daily for one week). All patients included in the study had no pyuria according to urine dipstick (nitrite and/or blood and/or leukocyte esterase) and negative urine culture (CFU < 103/ml) before UDS. Urine samples were also tested 7 days after UDS. Results. Seventy-two high-risk participants completed the study. Seven days after urodynamic studies UTI symptoms, pyuria (nitrite and/or blood and/or leukocyte esterase) and bacteriuria with E. coli occurred in two patients (one (2.8%) in the FT and one (2.7%) in the phytodrug group, respectively). No statistical differences in UTI incidence were found between both treatment groups. We did not observe any additional adverse events in both groups. The major disadvantage of prophylaxis with the phytodrug as compared to FT was the necessity of continuing therapy for 7 days. Conclusion. Prophylaxis of UTI with a phytodrug (Canephron N) may be considered a good alternative to antibiotic prophylaxis use after UDS in high-risk female patients.
Distribution of Paraoxonase‐1 (PON‐1) and Lipoprotein Phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2) across Lipoprotein Subclasses in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Passaro Angelina , Vigna Giovanni Battista , Romani Arianna , Sanz Juana M. , Cavicchio Carlotta , Bonaccorsi Gloria , Valacchi Giuseppe , Cervellati Carlo
Published: November 2018

Paraoxonase‐1 (PON1) and lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2) may exert an important protective role by preventing the oxidative transformation of high‐ and low‐density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL, respectively). The activity of both enzymes is influenced by lipidome and proteome of the lipoprotein carriers. T2DM typically presents significant changes in the molecular composition of the lipoprotein subclasses. Thus, it becomes relevant to understand the interaction of PON1 and Lp‐PLA2 with the subspecies of HDL, LDL, and other lipoproteins in T2DM. Serum levels of PON1‐arylesterase and PON1‐lactonase and Lp‐PLA2 activities and lipoprotein subclasses were measured in 202 nondiabetic subjects (controls) and 92 T2DM outpatients. Arylesterase, but not lactonase or Lp‐PLA2 activities, was inversely associated with TD2M after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, smoking, body mass index, hypertension, and lipoprotein subclasses (odds ratio = 3.389, 95% confidence interval 1.069–14.756). Marked difference between controls and T2DM subjects emerged from the analyses of the associations of the three enzyme activities and lipoprotein subclasses. Arylesterase was independently related with large HDL‐C and small intermediate‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (IDL‐C) in controls while, along with lactonase, it was related with small low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL‐C, all IDL‐C subspecies, and very low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL‐C) in T2DM (p < 0.05 for all). Concerning Lp‐PLA2, there were significant relationships with small LDL‐C, large IDL‐C, and VLDL‐C only among T2DM subjects. Our study showed that T2DM subjects have lower levels of PON1‐arylesterase compared to controls and that T2DM occurrence may coincide with a shift of PON1 and Lp‐PLA2 towards the more proatherogenic lipoprotein subclasses. The possibility of a link between the two observed phenomena requires further investigations.
Meningococcemia Masquerading as a Nonspecific Flu-Like Syndrome
Authors: Watts Paula J. , Fazel Natasha , Scherbak Dmitriy
Published: November 2018

Neisseria meningitidis is a cause of bacterial meningitis and meningococcemia worldwide. Rarely, it causes invasive disease with significant lifelong sequela if survived. Early clinical recognition is key as meningococcemia is an easily treatable disease, yet mortality is 50% if it is left untreated. In this case review, we present a classic case of meningococcemia, with an atypical presentation.
Nitrate Origin in the Zagreb Aquifer System
Authors: Kovač Zoran , Nakić Zoran , Barešić Jadranka , Parlov Jelena
Published: November 2018

Nitrates are among the most common groundwater contaminants worldwide, and the same situation is present within the Zagreb aquifer. The Zagreb aquifer presents the only source of potable water for inhabitants of the City of Zagreb and part of Zagreb County. Isotopic composition of water (δ2H and δ18O) and nitrates (δ15N and δ18O), groundwater chemistry, and molar ratios, in combination with correlation and multivariate statistical methods, have been used for the estimation of nitrate origin. Nitrate stable isotopes excluded synthetic fertilizer as the main source of nitrate contamination. They showed insignificant influence of denitrification on nitrate concentrations but could not define the main source of nitrate contamination. The usage of molar ratios, especially NO3−/K+, helped to clarify this issue. Waste water has been defined as the main source of nitrate contamination. All results indicate that nitrogen in a large extent enters the aquifer in the form of ammonium ion, which is transformed to nitrates by the process of nitrification.
Metallothionein‐I + II Reduces Oxidative Damage and Apoptosis after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Authors: Rios Camilo , Santander Iván , Méndez-Armenta Marisela , Nava-Ruiz Concepción , Orozco-Suárez Sandra , Islas Marcela , Barón-Flores Verónica , Diaz-Ruiz Araceli
Published: November 2018

After spinal cord injury (SCI), some self‐destructive mechanisms start leading to irreversible neurological deficits. It is known that oxidative stress and apoptosis play a major role in increasing damage after SCI. Metallothioneins I and II (MT) are endogenous peptides with known antioxidant, neuroprotective capacities. Taking advantage of those capacities, we administered exogenous MT to rats after SCI in order to evaluate the protective effects of MT on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LP), as markers of oxidative stress. The activities of caspases‐9 and ‐3 and the number of annexin V and TUNEL‐positive cells in the spinal cord tissue were also measured as markers of apoptosis. Rats were subjected to either sham surgery or SCI and received vehicle or two doses of MT (10 μg per rat) at 2 and 8 h after surgical procedure. The results showed a significant increase in levels of MT protein by effect of SCI and SCI plus treatment at 12 h, while at 24 h an increase of MT was observed only in the injury plus treatment group (p < 0.05). ROS production was decreased by effect of MT in lesioned tissue; likewise, we observed diminished LP levels by MT effect both in the sham group and in the group with SCI. Also, the results showed an increase in the activity of caspase‐9 due to SCI, without changes by effect of MT, as compared to the sham group. Caspase‐3 activity was increased by SCI, and again, MT treatment reduced this effect only at 24 h after injury. Finally, the results of the number of cells positive to annexin V and TUNEL showed a reduction due to MT treatment both at 24 and 72 h after the injury. With the findings of this work, we conclude that exogenously administered MT has antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects after SCI.
Context-Aware Intelligent Traffic Light Control through Secure Messaging
Authors: Özkul Mükremin , Capuni Ilir , Domnori Elton
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we propose STCM, a context-aware secure traffic control model to manage competing traffic flows at a given intersection by using secure messages with real-time traffic information. The vehicle is modeled as a virtual sensor which reports the traffic state, such as its speed and location, to a traffic light controller through a secure and computationally lightweight protocol. During the reporting process, a vehicle’s identity and location are kept anonymous to any other vehicle in the system. At an intersection, the traffic light controller receives the messages with traffic information, verifies the identities of the vehicles, and dynamically implements and optimizes the traffic light phases in real-time. Moreover, the system is able to detect the presence of emergency vehicles (such as ambulances and fire fighting trucks) in the communication range and prioritize the intersection crossing of such vehicles to in order to minimize their waiting times. The simulation results demonstrate that the system significantly reduces the waiting time of the vehicles in both light and heavy traffic flows compared to the pretimed signal control and the adaptive Webster’s method. Simulation results also yield effective robustness against impersonating attacks from malicious vehicles.
Sarcoidosis and Its Splenic Wonder: A Rare Case of Isolated Splenic Sarcoidosis
Authors: Jhaveri Khushali , Vakil Abhay , Surani Salim R.
Published: November 2018

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology characterized by presence of noncaseating granulomas in the involved organs. The pulmonary interstitium is most commonly affected but extrapulmonary involvement can occur in almost any other organ system. Such an involvement can occur with or without the presence of pulmonary involvement, but isolated extrapulmonary involvement has been noted only in around 10% of cases. Isolated splenomegaly is very rare and an uncommon presentation of sarcoidosis. It is clinically challenging because of the extensive differential diagnosis. Among the many considerations are hematologic malignancies, primary splenic or metastatic tumors, infiltrative disorders, inflammatory disorders, and infections. We hereby discuss an interesting case of a 40-year-old female with isolated splenic sarcoidosis.
Effects of Qianlie Tongqiao Capsule on Bladder Weight and Growth Factors in Bladder Tissue of Rats with Testosterone‐Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Authors: Zhao Fan , Zhang Chun-he , Yan Jun-feng , Li Yan-feng , Yang Yi-jian , Sun Di
Published: November 2018

Qianlie Tongqiao Capsule (QTC) is clinically confirmed to be efficacious and safe in treating lower urinary tract syndromes and bladder dysfunction that are induced by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, the functional mechanisms of QTC remain unclear. We aim to investigate the effects of QTC on both bladder weight and several growth factors in the bladder tissue of rats with testosterone‐induced BPH. BPH in the rats was established through bilateral orchiectomy and subcutaneous administration of testosterone propionate (5 mg/kg) dissolved in corn oil. At the end of the study, all bladder tissues were collected and weighed, and a histological examination was conducted using H&E staining. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) were applied to detect the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and transformation growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) in the bladder tissue. The expression of Bcl‐2 and Bax in the bladder tissue was tested by Western Blot and qRT‐PCR. We found that QTC, especially when administered in high‐dosages, had a significant inhibitory effect on bladder weight gain and overexpression of NGF, bFGF, and TGF‐β1 in rats with BPH. In addition, QTC downregulated and upregulated protein and mRNA expression of Bcl‐2 and Bax in the bladder after prostatic obstruction, respectively. Furthermore, QTC balanced the Bcl‐2/Bax ratio. Overall, these results reveal possible functional mechanisms of QTC in treating BPH‐caused bladder dysfunction, and further studies are needed.
Robust‐Output‐Controlled Synchronization Strategy for Arrays of Pancreatic β‐Cells
Authors: Rosas Almeida David I. , Orea Leon Laura O.
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a synchronization strategy based on second‐order sliding mode control, to obtain robust controlled synchronization in an array of uncertain pancreatic β‐cells. This strategy considers a synchronization scheme with a reference cell, which incorporates the desired dynamics, and an array of cells, which does not demonstrate adequate synchronization. The array may be formed by active and inactive cells having different strengths in gap junctions. For an array with three cells, we design the coupling signal considering that only the output of an active cell of the array is available. The coupling signal is the signum of the difference between the output of the reference cell and the output of an active cell in the array; this ensures exact synchronization in finite time between both cells. Then, this coupling signal is applied to the other cells in the array, and we establish the conditions required to be satisfied to obtain approximate synchronization between the reference cell and all other cells in the array. The performance of this technique is demonstrated by the results of numerical simulations performed for several cases of connections for an array with three cells and the reference cell. Finally, we show through a numerical simulation that this technique can be applied to arrays with many β‐cells.
Consensus of Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems with Switching Dynamics
Authors: Wang Wenshuai , Wang Juling , Wang Huaizhu , Zheng Yuanshi
Published: November 2018

Heterogeneity is an important feature of multiagent systems. This paper addresses the consensus problem of heterogeneous multiagent systems composed of first-integrator and double-integrator agents. The dynamics of each agent switches between continuous-time and discrete-time dynamics. By using the graph theory and nonnegative matrix theory, we derive that the system can achieve consensus if and only if the fixed interaction topology has a directed spanning tree. For switching topologies, we get that the system can reach consensus if each interaction topology has a directed spanning tree. Simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results.
A Study on the BIM Evaluation, Analytics, and Prediction (EAP) Framework and Platform in Linked Building Ontologies and Reasoners with Clouds
Authors: Jeong Yongwook
Published: November 2018

Rigorous research and practical experience have allowed building information modeling (BIM) to be successfully adopted in the traditional design process without being severely cumbersome. However, there has been less focus on the connectivity and convergence of multiple types of BIM data or even the connectivity among non‐BIM data, such as natural language and image/video data. The connectivity of BIM data means more than the syntactical correlations among them. This paper considers how BIM should be redefined to process BIM data as linked semantic data from the perspective of building information management and employ recent advances in the evaluation, analytics, and prediction (EAP) methodology for linked building ontologies and reasoners.
Anti-IL-5 and IL-5Ra: Efficacy and Safety of New Therapeutic Strategies in Severe Uncontrolled Asthma
Authors: Bagnasco Diego , Caminati Marco , Ferrando Matteo , Aloè Teresita , Testino Elisa , Canonica Giorgio Walter , Passalacqua Giovanni
Published: November 2018

The current developments of the new biological drugs targeting interleukin 5 (IL-5) and IL-5 receptor allowed to expand the treatment options for severe hypereosinophilic asthma. Clinicians will then be able to choose between antibodies targeting either circulating IL-5 or its receptor expressed on eosinophils and basophils. The available clinical trials consistently reported favorable results about the reduction of exacerbations rate, improvement in quality of life, and sparing of the systemic steroid use, with a favorable safety profile. Two of these new drugs are administered subcutaneously, mepolizumab every 4 weeks and benralizumab every 8 weeks, whereas reslizumab is given intravenously monthly on a weigh-based dose. In the future, the research actions will be involved in the identification of a single biomarker or multiple biomarkers for the optimal choice of biological agents to be properly prescribed.