bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunomodulation Effects of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. on the IgE‐Induced Allergic Model of RBL‐2H3 Cells
Authors: Lin Yi-Hsuan , Chen Hsing-Yu , Chiu Jung-Chun , Chen Kun-Jei , Ho Hung-Yao , Yang Sien-Hung
Published: April 2018

Schizonepeta tenuifolia (ST) Briq. is a traditional herbal medicine commonly used to treat allergic skin diseases, where the inflammation process is closely related to symptom severity. This study aimed to explore the immunomodulatory effect of ST by using immunoglobulin E‐ (IgE‐) stimulated RBL‐2H3 cell cultures, a common cell line for studying mast cell degranulation and inflammatory cytokine release in vitro. After stimulating the RBL‐2H3 cells with IgE, ST at concentrations of 10, 50, or 100 μg/mL was added to the cell cultures. Cell viability, inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐13, IL‐4, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ), anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10, and degranulation ability were examined 48 and 72 hours after administration of ST. The markers of inflammation and allergic reaction, IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, IL‐4, and IL‐6, were suppressed, especially after treatment with 100 μg/mL ST. However, the anti‐inflammation marker IL‐10 was also suppressed by ST. Trend analysis showed that a higher ST concentration was associated with lower IFN‐γ and TNF‐α levels. Moreover, degranulation of RBL‐2H3 cells was assessed by measuring the release of β‐hexosaminidase, which was suppressed by ST at 10 μg/mL. This study showed an immunomodulatory effect of ST at the cellular level and suggests the role of ST in treating allergic diseases.
The Behavior of Procurement Process as Described by Using System Dynamics Methodology
Authors: Mohd Yusoff Mohd Izhan
Published: April 2018

System dynamics methodology has been used in many fields of study which include supply chain, project management and performance, and procurement process. The said methodology enables the researchers to identify and study the impact of the variables or factors on the outcome of the model they developed. In this paper, we showed the use of system dynamics methodology in studying the behavior of procurement process that is totally different from those mentioned in previous studies. By using a typical procurement process employed by a telecommunication company as a case study, we proposed a new one (i.e., procurement process) and developed a procurement model where we discovered that the number of days involved in completing the whole procurement process depends heavily upon the scenarios we created (especially those that exceed two months), and suggested future research undertakings.
Defatted Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) Seed Meal and Its Phenolic‐Saponin‐Rich Extract Protect Hypercholesterolemic Rats against Oxidative Stress and Systemic Inflammation via Transcriptional Modulation of Hepatic Antioxidant Genes
Authors: Chan Kim Wei , Ismail Maznah , Mohd Esa Norhaizan , Mohamed Alitheen Noorjahan Banu , Imam Mustapha Umar , Ooi Der Jiun , Khong Nicholas M. H.
Published: April 2018

The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties of defatted kenaf seed meal (DKSM) and its phenolic‐saponin‐rich extract (PSRE) in hypercholesterolemic rats. Hypercholesterolemia was induced using atherogenic diet feeding, and dietary interventions were conducted by incorporating DKSM (15% and 30%) or PSRE (at 2.3% and 4.6%, resp., equivalent to the total content of DKSM‐phenolics and saponins in the DKSM groups) into the atherogenic diets. After ten weeks of intervention, serum total antioxidant capacities of hypercholesterolemic rats were significantly enhanced by DKSM and PSRE supplementation (p < 0.05). Similarly, DKSM and PSRE supplementation upregulated the hepatic mRNA expression of antioxidant genes (Nrf2, Sod1, Sod2, Gsr, and Gpx1) of hypercholesterolemic rats (p < 0.05), except for Gpx1 in the DKSM groups. The levels of circulating oxidized LDL and proinflammatory biomarkers were also markedly suppressed by DKSM and PSRE supplementation (p < 0.05). In aggregate, DKSM and PSRE attenuated the hypercholesterolemia‐associated oxidative stress and systemic inflammation in rats, potentially by enhancement of hepatic endogenous antioxidant defense via activation of the Nrf2‐ARE pathway, which may be contributed by the rich content of phenolics and saponins in DKSM and PSRE. Hence, DKSM and PSRE are prospective functional food ingredients for the potential mitigation of atherogenic risks in hypercholesterolemic individuals.
Antidepressant Potentials of Components from Trichilia monadelpha (Thonn.) J.J. de Wilde in Murine Models
Authors: Kukuia Kennedy Kwami Edem , Mensah Jeffrey Amoako , Amoateng Patrick , Amponsah Seth Kwabena , N’Guessan Benoit Banga , Asiedu-Gyekye Isaac Julius
Published: April 2018

Trichilia monadelpha is a common medicinal plant used traditionally in treating central nervous system conditions such as epilepsy, depression, pain, and psychosis. In this study, the antidepressant‐like effect of crude extracts of the stem bark of T. monadelpha was investigated using two classical murine models, forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). The extracts, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and hydroethanolic extracts (30–300 mg/kg, p.o.), standard drug (imipramine; fluoxetine, 3–30 mg/kg, p.o.), and saline (vehicle) were given to mice one hour prior to the acute study. In a separate experiment the components (flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids; 30–300 mg/kg, p.o.) from the most efficacious extract fraction were screened to ascertain which components possessed the antidepressant effect. All the extracts and components significantly induced a decline in immobility in the FST and TST, indicative of an antidepressant‐like activity. The extracts and some components showed increase in swimming and climbing in the FST as well as a significant enhancement in swinging and/or curling scores in the TST, suggesting a possible involvement of monoaminergic and/or opioidergic activity. This study reveals the antidepressant‐like potential of the stem bark extracts and components of T. monadelpha.
Solitons and Other Exact Solutions for Two Nonlinear PDEs in Mathematical Physics Using the Generalized Projective Riccati Equations Method
Authors: Shahoot A. M. , Alurrfi K. A. E. , Hassan I. M. , Almsri A. M.
Published: April 2018

We apply the generalized projective Riccati equations method with the aid of Maple software to construct many new soliton and periodic solutions with parameters for two higher-order nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs), namely, the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with fourth-order dispersion and dual power law nonlinearity and the nonlinear quantum Zakharov-Kuznetsov (QZK) equation. The obtained exact solutions include kink and antikink solitons, bell (bright) and antibell (dark) solitary wave solutions, and periodic solutions. The given nonlinear PDEs have been derived and can be reduced to nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using a simple transformation. A comparison of our new results with the well-known results is made. Also, we drew some graphs of the exact solutions using Maple. The given method in this article is straightforward and concise, and it can also be applied to other nonlinear PDEs in mathematical physics.
Formal Verification Method for Configuration of Integrated Modular Avionics System Using MARTE
Authors: Wang Lisong , Chen Miaofang , Hu Jun
Published: April 2018

The configuration information of Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) system includes almost all details of whole system architecture, which is used to configure the hardware interfaces, operating system, and interactions among applications to make an IMA system work correctly and reliably. It is very important to ensure the correctness and integrity of the configuration in the IMA system design phase. In this paper, we focus on modelling and verification of configuration information of IMA/ARINC653 system based on MARTE (Modelling and Analysis for Real-time and Embedded Systems). Firstly, we define semantic mapping from key concepts of configuration (such as modules, partitions, memory, process, and communications) to components of MARTE element and propose a method for model transformation between XML-formatted configuration information and MARTE models. Then we present a formal verification framework for ARINC653 system configuration based on theorem proof techniques, including construction of corresponding REAL theorems according to the semantics of those key components of configuration information and formal verification of theorems for the properties of IMA, such as time constraints, spatial isolation, and health monitoring. After that, a special issue of schedulability analysis of ARINC653 system is studied. We design a hierarchical scheduling strategy with consideration of characters of the ARINC653 system, and a scheduling analyzer MAST-2 is used to implement hierarchical schedule analysis. Lastly, we design a prototype tool, called Configuration Checker for ARINC653 (CC653), and two case studies show that the methods proposed in this paper are feasible and efficient.
Tracking of Physical Fitness of Primary School Children in Trier: A 4-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Roth Andreas , Schmidt Steffen C. E. , Seidel Ilka , Woll Alexander , Bös Klaus
Published: April 2018

Objective. The aim of this study is to measure the motor development and tracking of physical fitness (PF) components of primary school children of Trier in Germany. Methods. Two longitudinal cohorts, of 1768 children (915 f, 853 m) aged 5–11, were measured. In longitudinal cohort 1, a total of 116 female and 137 male participants aged 6.80±0.42 years at baseline were measured four times from grade 1 to grade 4 (response: 40.4%). Participants of longitudinal cohort 2 (166 f, 149 m; 6.70±0.36 years at baseline, response: 42.6%) were examined three times from grade 1 to grade 3 with the German Motor Test 6–18 (DMT 6–18). Results. Physical fitness increased significantly over time in all test tasks except flexibility. Gender-specific differences were found in 20 m sprint, 6-minute run, balancing backwards, jumping sideways, and stand and reach. 74.4% of PF stability coefficients were moderate (r=0.30 to 0.60). Stability of PF declined with increased time frames. Tracking was lower in girls than in boys. Flexibility showed the highest stability among PF variables (r > 0.50). BMI showed the overall highest stability coefficient with r > 0.7. Conclusions. Gender-specific differences of PF were obvious but cannot always be secured statistically in primary school. Tracking was only moderate. Variability in the timing and speed of the adolescent growth spurt and sexual maturation influence stability of PF. Results from longitudinal cohort 2 largely confirm those from longitudinal cohort 1.
Potential of Mushroom Compounds as Immunomodulators in Cancer Immunotherapy: A Review
Authors: Ayeka Peter Amwoga
Published: April 2018

Since time immemorial, plants and their compounds have been used in the treatment and management of various ailments. Currently, most of conventional drugs used for treatment of diseases are either directly or indirectly obtained from plant sources. The fungal group of plants is of significance, which not only provides food directly to man but also has been source of important drugs. For instance, commonly used antibiotics are derived from fungi. Fungi have also been utilized in the food industry, baking, and alcohol production. Apart from the economic importance of the microfungi, macrofungi have been utilized directly as food, which is usually got from their fruiting bodies, commonly known as mushrooms. Due to their richness in proteins, minerals, and other nutrients, mushrooms have also been associated with boosting the immune system. This makes mushrooms an important food source, especially for vegetarians and immunosuppressed individuals including the HIV/AIDS persons. In complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs), mushrooms are increasingly being accepted for treatment of various diseases. Mushrooms have been shown to have the ability to stimulate the immune system, modulate humoral and cellular immunity, and potentiate antimutagenic and antitumorigenic activity, as well as rejuvenating the immune system weakened by radiotherapy and chemotherapy in cancer treatment. This potential of mushrooms, therefore, qualifies them as candidates for immunomodulation and immunotherapy in cancer and other diseases’ treatment. However, a critical review on mushroom’s immune modulating potential in cancer has not been sufficiently addressed. This review puts forward insights into the immune activities of mushroom associated with anticancer activities.
PULSim: User-Based Adaptable Simulation Tool for Railway Planning and Operations
Authors: Cui Yong , Martin Ullrich , Liang Jiajian
Published: April 2018

Simulation methods are widely used in the field of railway planning and operations. Currently, several commercial software tools are available that not only provide functionality for railway simulation but also enable further evaluation and optimisation of the network for scheduling, dispatching, and capacity research. However, the various tools are all lacking with respect to the standards they utilise as well as their published interfaces. For an end-user, the basic mechanism and the assumptions built into a simulation tool are unknown, which means that the true potential of these software tools is limited. One of the most critical issues is the lack of the ability of users to define a sophisticated workflow, integrated in several rounds of simulation with adjustable parameters and settings. This paper develops and describes a user-based, customisable platform. As the preconditions of the platform, the design aspects for modelling the components of a railway system and building the workflow of railway simulation are elaborated in detail. Based on the model and the workflow, an integrated simulation platform with open interfaces is developed. Users and researchers gain the ability to rapidly develop their own algorithms, supported by the tailored simulation process in a flexible manner. The productivity of using simulation tools for further evaluation and optimisation will be significantly improved through the user-adaptable open interfaces.
Radial Flow in a Multiphase Transport Model at FAIR Energies
Authors: Sarkar Soumya , Mali Provash , Ghosh Somnath , Mukhopadhyay Amitabha
Published: April 2018

Azimuthal distributions of radial velocities of charged hadrons produced in nucleus-nucleus (AB) collisions are compared with the corresponding azimuthal distribution of charged hadron multiplicity in the framework of a multiphase transport (AMPT) model at two different collision energies. The mean radial velocity seems to be a good probe for studying radial expansion. While the anisotropic parts of the distributions indicate a kind of collective nature in the radial expansion of the intermediate “fireball,” their isotropic parts characterize a thermal motion. The present investigation is carried out keeping the upcoming Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment to be held at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in mind. As far as high-energy heavy-ion interactions are concerned, CBM will supplement the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) and Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments. In this context our simulation results at high baryochemical potential would be interesting, when scrutinized from the perspective of an almost baryon-free environment achieved at RHIC and LHC.
UNION: A Trust Model Distinguishing Intentional and Unintentional Misbehavior in Inter-UAV Communication
Authors: Barka Ezedin , Kerrache Chaker Abdelaziz , Lagraa Nasreddine , Lakas Abderrahmane , Calafate Carlos T. , Cano Juan-Carlos
Published: April 2018

Ensuring the desired level of security is an important issue in all communicating systems, and it becomes more challenging in wireless environments. Flying Ad Hoc Networks (FANETs) are an emerging type of mobile network that is built using energy-restricted devices. Hence, the communications interface used and that computation complexity are additional factors to consider when designing secure protocols for these networks. In the literature, various solutions have been proposed to ensure secure and reliable internode communications, and these FANET nodes are known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In general, these UAVs are often detected as malicious due to an unintentional misbehavior related to the physical features of the UAVs, the communication mediums, or the network interface. In this paper, we propose a new context-aware trust-based solution to distinguish between intentional and unintentional UAV misbehavior. The main goal is to minimize the generated error ratio while meeting the desired security levels. Our proposal simultaneously establishes the inter-UAV trust and estimates the current context in terms of UAV energy, mobility pattern, and enqueued packets, in order to ensure full context awareness in the overall honesty evaluation. In addition, based on computed trust and context metrics, we also propose a new inter-UAV packet delivery strategy. Simulations conducted using NS2.35 evidence the efficiency of our proposal, called UNION, at ensuring high detection ratios > 87% and high accuracy with reduced end-to-end delay, clearly outperforming previous proposals known as RPM, T-CLAIDS, and CATrust.
Predicting Taxi-Out Time at Congested Airports with Optimization-Based Support Vector Regression Methods
Authors: Lian Guan , Zhang Yaping , Desai Jitamitra , Xing Zhiwei , Luo Xiao
Published: April 2018

Accurate prediction of taxi-out time is significant precondition for improving the operationality of the departure process at an airport, as well as reducing the long taxi-out time, congestion, and excessive emission of greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, several of the traditional methods of predicting taxi-out time perform unsatisfactorily at congested airports. This paper describes and tests three of those conventional methods which include Generalized Linear Model, Softmax Regression Model, and Artificial Neural Network method and two improved Support Vector Regression (SVR) approaches based on swarm intelligence algorithm optimization, which include Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Firefly Algorithm. In order to improve the global searching ability of Firefly Algorithm, adaptive step factor and Lévy flight are implemented simultaneously when updating the location function. Six factors are analysed, of which delay is identified as one significant factor in congested airports. Through a series of specific dynamic analyses, a case study of Beijing International Airport (PEK) is tested with historical data. The performance measures show that the proposed two SVR approaches, especially the Improved Firefly Algorithm (IFA) optimization-based SVR method, not only perform as the best modelling measures and accuracy rate compared with the representative forecast models, but also can achieve a better predictive performance when dealing with abnormal taxi-out time states.
Steelmaking-Casting of Molten Steel by Decarburization Ladle Matching
Authors: Liu Wei , Pang Xinfu , Yu Shengping , Li Congxin , Chai Tianyou
Published: April 2018

Steelmaking–continuous casting is a complex process. The method of selecting a ladle, which also functions as a storage device, follows a specific process of the production plan. In ladle matching, several ladle attributes are considered. However, matching objectives are difficult to achieve simultaneously. Different molten steel properties have contributed to the complexity of matching constraints, and, thus, matching optimization is regarded a multiconflict goal problem. In the process of optimization, the first-order rule learning method is first used to extract key ladle attributes (performance indicators), including highest temperature, usage frequency, lowest-level material, and outlet. On the basis of a number of indicators, such as ladle temperature, quantity, material, and usage frequency, as well as skateboard quantity, the ladle matching model is established. Second, the rule of ladle selection is determined by the method of least-generalization rule learning. Third, a simulation experiment is carried out according to various scheduling order strategies and matching priority combinations. Finally, the heuristic ladle matching method based on the rule priority (RP) is determined for possible industrial applications. Results show that the accuracy of ladle selection can be improved. In particular, the numbers of ladles and maintenance times are reduced. Consequently, furnace production efficiency is also enhanced.
Differential Corticomotor Excitability Responses to Hypertonic Saline-Induced Muscle Pain in Forearm and Hand Muscles
Authors: Larsen Dennis B. , Graven-Nielsen Thomas , Hirata Rogerio P. , Boudreau Shellie A.
Published: April 2018

Experimental muscle pain inhibits corticomotor excitability (CE) of upper limb muscles. It is unknown if this inhibition affects overlapping muscle representations within the primary motor cortex to the same degree. This study explored CE changes of the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles in response to muscle pain. Participants (n=13) attended two sessions (≥48 hours in-between). Hypertonic saline was injected in the ECR (session one) or the FDI (session two) muscle. CE, assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), was recorded at baseline, during pain, and twenty minutes postinjection together with pain intensity ratings. Pain intensity ratings did not differ between the two pain sites (p=0.19). In response to FDI muscle pain, the MEPs of the FDI muscle were reduced at 2 and 4 min postinjection (p≤0.03), but not after ECR muscle pain. No significant MEP change was detected for the ECR muscle (p=0.62). No associations between MEPs and pain intensity were found (p>0.2). The present results indicate that the output from overlapping cortical representations of two muscles differentially adapts to acute muscle pain.
Evans Blue Dye: A Revisit of Its Applications in Biomedicine
Authors: Yao Linpeng , Xue Xing , Yu Peipei , Ni Yicheng , Chen Feng
Published: April 2018

Evans blue (EB) dye has owned a long history as a biological dye and diagnostic agent since its first staining application by Herbert McLean Evans in 1914. Due to its high water solubility and slow excretion, as well as its tight binding to serum albumin, EB has been widely used in biomedicine, including its use in estimating blood volume and vascular permeability, detecting lymph nodes, and localizing the tumor lesions. Recently, a series of EB derivatives have been labeled with PET isotopes and can be used as theranostics with a broad potential due to their improved half-life in the blood and reduced release. Some of EB derivatives have even been used in translational applications in clinics. In addition, a novel necrosis-avid feature of EB has recently been reported in some preclinical animal studies. Given all these interesting and important advances in EB study, a comprehensive revisiting of EB has been made in its biomedical applications in the review.
Pseudochylothorax Combined with Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Case Report of a Rare Complication of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Rosa Raquel , Maia Dionísio , Caires Nídia , Gerardo Rita , Gonçalves Inês , Cardoso João
Published: April 2018

Pleural involvement is the most frequent thoracic complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), usually occurring in patients with known RA. Typical rheumatoid pleural effusion is an exudate characterized by low pH and glucose levels and high LDH activity. Rarely, it has features of pseudochylothorax. Other uncommon complications are pneumothorax, hydropneumothorax, empyema, and bronchopleural fistula. The case of a 51-year-oldman with a spontaneous, small, and asymptomatic hydropneumothorax with features of pseudochylothorax is presented. After careful clinical and laboratory evaluation, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and we admitted that the pleural changes were secondary to the connective tissue disease. He started immunosuppressive treatment and maintained stability duringfollow-up,without need of specific pleural treatment. We hypothesized that the pleural nodule found on the chest computed tomography scan was related with the simultaneous occurrence of pleural effusion and pneumothorax. This is a rare presentation and complication of RA, highlighting the utility of a comprehensive clinical and laboratory evaluation and focusing on the importance of pleural rheumatoid nodules in the pathogenesis of RA pleural disease.
The Waterfall Fascia Lata Interposition Arthroplasty “Grika Technique” as Treatment of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis of the Elbow in a High-Demand Adult Patient: Validity and Reliability
Authors: Rollo Giuseppe , Rotini Roberto , Eygendaal Denise , Pichierri Paolo , Prkic Ante , Bisaccia Michele , Lanzetti Riccardo Maria , Lupariello Domenico , Meccariello Luigi
Published: April 2018

Introduction. The elbow interposition arthroplasty is a very common procedure performed mainly on active young patients who need great functionality and for whom total joint replacement is contraindicated and arthrodesis is noncompliant. We are going to demonstrate a case of a 34-year-old male suffering from malunion of the distal humerus, elbow stiffness, and manifest signs of arthrosis of the dominant limb, treated with the IA Grika technique at a 5-year follow-up. Patients and Methods. The chosen criteria to evaluate the injured side and the uninjured side during the clinical and radiological follow-up were the objective function and related quality of life, measured by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and postoperative complications. To assess flexion and supination forces and elbow muscular strength, a hydraulic dynamometer was used. Results. At a 5-year follow-up, the results were excellent as during the first year. Conclusions. The Grika technique is a valid and feasible option in the treatment of elbow injuries.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sleep Quality among Adults in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Berhanu Hiwot , Mossie Andualem , Tadesse Samuel , Geleta Daniel
Published: April 2018

Background. An estimated 150 million people worldwide and nearly 17% of the populations in the developing nations are currently suffering from sleep problems. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of sleep quality among adults in Ethiopia.Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 randomly selected adults using validated and pretested Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were entered into EpiData and analyzed using SPSS version 20 considering bivariable (Pvalue < 0.25) and multivariable(P<0.05)logistic regression procedures at 95% confidence interval.Result. The overall prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI score > 5) was 65.4% with higher proportion among males (79 (63.0%)) and age group of 40–49 years (174 (28.6%)). A multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that age category of 40–49 years (AOR = 2 [95% CI (1.1, 3.6)])(P=0.03), monthly income ≤ 1000 ETB (AOR = 2.2 [95% CI (14, 3.5)])(P=0.01), current khat chewing (AOR = 1.8 [95% CI (1.1, 3.1)])(P=0.03), daily khat chewing (AOR = 3.4 [95% CI (1.2, 11.1)])(P=0.04), and obesity (AOR = 1.2 [95% CI (1.3, 2.5)])(P=0.03)were identified as risk factors of poor sleep quality.Conclusion. The current study is informative for government to work on poverty reduction, create awareness for weight reduction, and develop legislation for khat control to prevent poor sleep quality.
Screening of Primary School Children for Amblyopia and Amblyogenic Factors in Central Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Rashad Mohammad A. , Abd Elaziz Khaled M. , Fawzy Samah Mahmoud , Abdel latif Ahmed Abdel Meguid , Abdel latif Mahmoud Abdel Meguid
Published: April 2018

Objective. To measure the prevalence of amblyopia and amblyogenic factors among primary school children and to evaluate distance visual acuity (VA) as a screening test to detect amblyopia and define its cutoff value.Subjects and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on primary school children in two schools in Central Cairo. Children underwent assessment of visual acuity using Landolt broken ring. Comprehensive ophthalmologic examination was performed for amblyopia suspects at the Ophthalmology Department of Ain Shams University Hospitals, including reassessment of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using the same chart.Results. A total of 352 children were examined. Reduced screening VA (amblyopia suspect) was detected in 47 subjects (13.35%) proved amblyopia after comprehensive examination was 1.98% (7 cases). Refractive errors (REs) were present in all suspected and proved amblyopia cases (100%) but was only present in 11.6% of nonamblyopic students (P<0.05). The prevalence of hyperopia in the whole sample was 3.6%, and was 27.6% in subjects with RE. Thirty percent of hyperopic eyes were amblyopic. The prevalence of myopia was 9.3% of the whole sample and 70% of students with RE. Only 9% of myopic eyes were amblyopic. Mild to moderate amblyopia (VA better than 0.2log MAR) was 42.9%, while severe amblyopia represented 57.1%.Conclusion. This study emphasizes the importance of school-based eye care system targeting the detection of amblyopia by application of a fast screening distance VA test with a cutoff value of high sensitivity at log MAR 0.539 (Snellen′s VA equivalent 6/18).
Unsupervised Domain Adaptation Using Exemplar‐SVMs with Adaptation Regularization
Authors: He Yiwei , Tian Yingjie , Tang Jingjing , Ma Yue
Published: April 2018

Domain adaptation has recently attracted attention for visual recognition. It assumes that source and target domain data are drawn from the same feature space but different margin distributions and its motivation is to utilize the source domain instances to assist in training a robust classifier for target domain tasks. Previous studies always focus on reducing the distribution mismatch across domains. However, in many real‐world applications, there also exist problems of sample selection bias among instances in a domain; this would reduce the generalization performance of learners. To address this issue, we propose a novel model named Domain Adaptation Exemplar Support Vector Machines (DAESVMs) based on exemplar support vector machines (exemplar‐SVMs). Our approach aims to address the problems of sample selection bias and domain adaptation simultaneously. Comparing with usual domain adaptation problems, we go a step further in slacking the assumption of i.i.d. First, we formulate the DAESVMs training classifiers with reducing Maximum Mean Discrepancy (MMD) among domains by mapping data into a latent space and preserving properties of original data, and then, we integrate classifiers to make a prediction for target domain instances. Our experiments were conducted on Office and Caltech10 datasets and verify the effectiveness of the model we proposed.
Effect of Anthocyanin Supplementations on Lipid Profile and Inflammatory Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Shah Komal , Shah Pratik
Published: April 2018

Purpose. To assess combined data from seventeen randomized controlled trials studying effect of anthocyanin consumption on levels of various lipids and inflammatory markers with meta-analysis approach. Methods. Various databases, namely, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Trial Register were used to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating an association between anthocyanins and lipid profile and inflammatory markers. Heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I2 statistics and data was expressed using mean difference with 95% confidence interval. Results. Statistically significant reduction in triglyceride [mean difference (MD) = −9.16, 95% CI: −14.02 to −4.31 mg/dL, I2=33.54%, P=0.149], low density lipoprotein [MD = −8.86, 95% CI: −11.17 to −20.02 mg/dL, I2 = 37.75%, P=0.098], and apolipoprotein B [MD = −7.13, 95% CI: −8.66 to −5.59 mg/dL, I2=20.42%, P=0.287] levels and increase in high-density lipoprotein [MD = 1.67, 95% CI: 0.8 to 2.54 mg/dL, I2=44.88%, P=0.053] and apolipoprotein A-1 [MD = 6.1, 95% CI: 4.51 to 7.69 mg/dL, I2=6.95%, P=0.358] levels were observed with anthocyanin supplementation. Levels of inflammatory markers were found to reduce [TNF-∞ - MD = −1.98, 95% CI: −2.40 to −1.55 pg/mL, I2=0%, P=0.975; IL-6 - MD = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.8 to 1.53 pg/mL, I2=0%, P=0.825; hs-CRP - MD = 0.164, 95% CI: −0.06 to 0.39 mg/dL, I2=0%, P=0.569]. Though the effect on TC, IL-6, and hs-CRP was positive, it was nonsignificant in nature. Conclusion. Anthocyanin supplementation significantly improves lipid profile and inflammatory status. However, future trials with sufficient sample size are recommended to substantiate the findings especially for the parameters showing nonsignificant improvement.
Silicon Mechanisms to Ameliorate Heavy Metal Stress in Plants
Authors: Emamverdian Abolghassem , Ding Yulong , Xie Yinfeng , Sangari Sirous
Published: April 2018

The increased contaminants caused by anthropogenic activities in the environment and the importance of finding pathways to reduce pollution caused the silicon application to be considered an important detoxification agent. Silicon, as a beneficial element, plays an important role in amelioration of abiotic stress, such as an extreme dose of heavy metal in plants. There are several mechanisms involved in silicon mediation in plants, including the reduction of heavy metal uptake by plants, changing pH value, formation of Si heavy metals, and stimulation of enzyme activity, which can work by chemical and physical pathways. The aim of this paper is to investigate the major silicon-related mechanisms that reduce the toxicity of heavy metals in plants and then to assess the role of silicon in increasing the antioxidant enzyme and nonenzyme activities to protect the plant cell.
Ginsenoside Re Attenuates Isoproterenol‐Induced Myocardial Injury in Rats
Authors: Wang Quan-wei , Yu Xiao-feng , Xu Hua-li , Jiang Yi-chuan , Zhao Xue-zhong , Sui Da-yuan
Published: April 2018

Objective. Panax ginseng is widely used for treatment of cardiovascular disorders in China. Ginsenoside Re is the main chemical component of Panax ginseng. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Ginsenoside Re on isoproterenol‐induced myocardial injury in rats. Methods. Male Wistar rats were orally given Ginsenoside Re (5, 20 mg/kg) daily for 7 days. Isoproterenol was subcutaneously injected into the rats for two consecutive days at a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day (on 6th and 7th day). Six hours after the last isoproterenol injection, troponin T level and creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB) activity were assayed. Histopathological examination of heart tissues was performed. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in heart tissues were measured. The nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) content in nucleus and the proteins of glutathione cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and glutathione cysteine ligase modulatory subunit (GCLM) in heart tissues were assayed by western blotting method. Results. Treatment with Ginsenoside Re at dose of 5, 20 mg/kg reduced troponin T level and CK‐MB activity of rats subjected to isoproterenol. The cardioprotective effect of Ginsenoside Re was further confirmed by histopathological examination which showed that Ginsenoside Re attenuated the necrosis and inflammatory cells infiltration. Ginsenoside Re inhibited the increase of MDA content and the decrease of GSH in heart tissues. Moreover, the Nrf2 content in nucleus and the expressions of GCLC and GCLM were significantly increased in the animals treated with Ginsenoside Re. Conclusion. These findings suggested that Ginsenoside Re possesses the property to attenuate isoproterenol‐induced myocardial ischemic injury by regulating the antioxidation function in cardiomyocytes.
Viral, Serological, and Antioxidant Investigations of Equine Rhinitis A Virus in Serum and Nasal Swabs of Commercially Used Horses in Poland
Authors: Bażanów Barbara , Frącka Agnieszka , Jackulak Natalia , Romuk Ewa , Gębarowski Tomasz , Owczarek Aleksander , Stygar Dominika
Published: April 2018

Background. Equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV) is considered to be an important pathogen in horses, but relatively few studies are available.Aims. The purpose of this study was to verify ERAV seroprevalence in selected horses in Poland, in addition to correlation between ERAV and age and sex of analysed animals and the antioxidant status.Methods. The material collected from clinically healthy horses was tested using the VNT (353 serum samples) and virus isolation method (44 nasal swabs). 27 serum samples with antibody titers between 0 and ≥1 : 2048 were chosen for further analysis. The study was conducted in group 1 (ERAV titer ≤ 64) and group 2 (ERAV titer > 64).Results. Seroneutralisation tests showed positive results in 72% of serum samples. No significant correlation between ERAV seropositive results and selected biochemical indicators was observed. Group 2 had statistically higher concentrations of SOD and CuZnSOD than the analysed group 1.Conclusions. ERAV was not detected in the nasal swab samples. Antioxidant parameters did not significantly vary between horses of different breed, sex, or age. The ERAV virus had an impact on plasma total SOD and Cu/Zn SOD activity in horses in early stages of convalescence.
Serum Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Is Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy Stage in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Zhao Jin-Song , Jin Hui-Xiang , Gao Jia-Lin , Pu Chun , Zhang Peng , Huang Jian-Jun , Cheng Long , Feng Gang
Published: April 2018

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD) is the major extracellular scavenger of reactive oxygen species and associated with the diabetic complication in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate the serum ecSOD activity in Chinese patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and evaluate the association between the serum ecSOD activity and the severity of DR. A total of 343 T2DM patients were categorized into three groups: nondiabetic retinopathy (NDR) group, nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) group, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) group. Serum ecSOD activities were measured by the autoxidation of the pyrogallol method. In this study, 271, 46, and 26 patients were enrolled in the NDR, NPDR, and PDR groups, respectively. We found a significantly decreased trend of serum ecSOD activity among NDR subjects (118.0 ± 11.5 U/mL) compared to NPDR subjects (108.5 ± 11.9 U/mL) (P<0.001) and NPDR subjects compared to PDR subjects (102.7 ± 12.4 U/mL) (P=0.041). Serum ecSOD activity was an independent risk factor for DR (OR = 0.920, P<0.001) and was associated with the progression of DR. Serum ecSOD activity might be a biomarker for DR screening and evaluation of the clinical severity of DR in Chinese T2DM patients.
Breakup of Spiral Wave and Order‐Disorder Spatial Pattern Transition Induced by Spatially Uniform Cross‐Correlated Sine‐Wiener Noises in a Regular Network of Hodgkin‐Huxley Neurons
Authors: Yao Yuangen , Cao Wei , Pei Qiming , Ma Chengzhang , Yi Ming
Published: April 2018

Spatially uniform cross‐correlated sine‐Wiener (CCSW) noises are imposed on each Hodgkin‐Huxley (HH) neuron in a two‐dimensional (2D) regular network. Noise‐induced spiral wave destruction and order‐disorder spatial pattern transition can be observed by adjusting cross‐correlation time or cross‐correlation intensity of CCSW noises. The sudden change of the curve of synchronization factor R and the time series of average membrane voltage F can be used to semiquantitatively assess this spatial pattern transition and spiral wave destruction induced by CCSW noises, respectively. In addition, moderate cross‐correlation time and strong cross‐correlation intensity of CCSW noises are both detrimental to survival of spiral wave. Comparing with non‐cross‐correlated sine‐Wiener noises, CCSW noises can destroy organized spiral wave with lesser noise amplitude.
RF Energy Harvesting for Ubiquitous, Zero Power Wireless Sensors
Authors: Saeed Warda , Shoaib Nosherwan , Cheema Hammad M. , Khan Muhammad U.
Published: April 2018

This paper presents a review of wireless power transfer (WPT) followed by a comparison between ambient energy sources and an overview of different components of rectennas that are used for RF energy harvesting. Being less costly and environment friendly, rectennas are used to provide potentially inexhaustible energy for powering up low power sensors and portable devices that are installed in inaccessible areas where frequent battery replacement is difficult, if not impossible. The current challenges in rectenna design and a detailed comparison of state-of-the-art rectennas are also presented.
UHPLC‐ESI‐MS Analysis of Purified Flavonoids Fraction from Stem of Dendrobium denneaum Paxt. and Its Preliminary Study in Inducing Apoptosis of HepG2 Cells
Authors: Zhou Chunhua , Luo Yingyi , Lei Zhouxi , Wei Gang
Published: April 2018

Dendrobium denneaum paxt., which has been widely used for health prevention in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is one of the most popular tonic herbs in China. In order to analyze its flavonoids, characterization and antitumor activity of crude extract and flavonoids rich fractions from D. denneaum paxt. were investigated. Flavonoids extracted from D. denneaum paxt. were clearly enriched in fraction II after determining the total flavonoids content; there were 15 characteristic peaks which have been detected; ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS) was applied for structural elucidation of compounds. 13 characteristic peaks including flavonoid‐O‐glycosides and flavonoid‐C‐glycosides were determined or preliminarily characterized through comparing retention times and UV and MS spectra with standard compounds or documented literature. The antitumor activity of fraction II on human liver cancer cells HepG2 was investigated. MTT assay method was used to test the antiproliferation activity and to confirm the appropriate treatment concentration as well as inducing time. The morphological changes of the apoptosis cells after being induced by fraction II were observed by a Hoechst reagent and the apoptosis rate was tested by flow cytometry. The results showed that fraction II can inhibit HepG2 cells from proliferation in a dose‐dependent and time‐dependent manner. The apoptosis experiments indicated that fraction II can significantly induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells in a concentration over 50 μg/mL for 48 h and the most effective level was 150 μg/mL for 48 h.
Pinocembrin Protects Blood-Brain Barrier Function and Expands the Therapeutic Time Window for Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Treatment in a Rat Thromboembolic Stroke Model
Authors: Ma YinZhong , Li Li , Kong LingLei , Zhu ZhiMei , Zhang Wen , Song JunKe , Chang Junlei , Du GuanHua
Published: April 2018

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) remains the only approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke but has a restrictive treatment time window of 4.5 hr. Prolonged ischemia causes blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage and increases the incidence of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) secondary to reperfusion. In this study, we sought to determine the effect of pinocembrin (PCB; a pleiotropic neuroprotective agent) on t-PA administration-induced BBB damage in a novel rat thromboembolic stroke model. By assessing the leakage of Evans blue into the ischemic hemisphere, we demonstrated that PCB pretreatment 5 min before t-PA administration significantly reduced BBB damage following 2 hr, 4 hr, 6 hr, and even 8 hr ischemia. Consistently, PCB pretreatment significantly decreased t-PA infusion-resulting brain edema and infarction volume and improved the behavioral outcomes following 6 hr ischemia. Mechanistically, PCB pretreatment inhibited the activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and degradation of tight junction proteins (TJPs) occludin and claudin-5 in the ischemic hemisphere. Moreover, PCB pretreatment significantly reduced phosphorylation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) as compared with t-PA alone. In an in vitro BBB model, PCB decreased transendothelial permeability upon hypoxia/aglycemia through inhibiting PDGF-CC secretion. In conclusion, we demonstrated that PCB pretreatment shortly before t-PA infusion significantly protects BBB function and improves neurological outcomes following prolonged ischemia beyond the regular 4.5 hr t-PA time window. PCB pretreatment may represent a novel means of increasing the safety and the therapeutic time window of t-PA following ischemic stroke.
The Intuitionistic Fuzzy Linguistic Cosine Similarity Measure and Its Application in Pattern Recognition
Authors: Liu Donghai , Chen Xiaohong , Peng Dan
Published: April 2018

We propose the cosine similarity measures for intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic sets (IFLSs) and interval‐valued intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic sets (IVIFLSs), which are expressed by the linguistic scale function based on the cosine function. Then, the weighted cosine similarity measure and the ordered weighted cosine similarity measure for IFLSs and IVIFLSs are introduced by taking into account the importance of each element, and the properties of the cosine similarity measures are also given. The main advantage of the proposed cosine similarity measures is that the decision‐makers can flexibly select the linguistic scale function depending on the actual semantic situation. Finally, we present the application of the cosine similarity measures for intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic term sets and interval‐valued intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic term sets to pattern recognition and medical diagnosis, and the existing cosine similarity measures are compared with the proposed cosine similarity measures by the illustrative example.
Energy Performance Evaluation and Economic Analysis of Insulation Materials of Office Building in Korea
Authors: Choi Bo-Eun , Shin Ji-Hyun , Lee Jin-Hyun , Kim Hyo-Jun , Kim Sun-Sook , Cho Young-Hum
Published: April 2018

Building energy conservation measure (ECM) of insulation materials suitable for the domestic situation in the construction sector (passive) is established. The ECMs of insulation materials were classified into walls, roofs, and floors. Also, economic evaluation databases, which are composed of material costs, labor costs, and expenses for constructed alternatives, were built. After setting the target building and deriving the ECM list of insulation materials for the target building, the energy use evaluation and economic evaluation were performed for each constructed alternative. Based on this, the optimal building energy conservation measure of the target building was derived by applying the decision‐support process.
Cost‐Effective Energy Usage in a Microgrid Using a Learning Algorithm
Authors: Essayeh Chaimaa , Raiss El-Fenni Mohammed , Dahmouni Hamza
Published: April 2018

The microgrid is a new concept of integrating the distributed energy resources (DER) within the grid. The management of the heterogeneous sources of energy presents a challenge, especially as most of the DER are unpredictable. Besides, implementing microgrids should be economically beneficial to the customer; this will raise the challenge of decreasing the costs while ensuring the energy balance. In this paper, we used a stochastic approach based on a model‐free Markov decision process (MDP) to derive the optimal strategy for the home energy management system. The approach aims to decrease the energy bill while taking into account the intermittency of the renewable energy resources (DER) and other constraints. While other proposals charge the battery from the utility energy, making the state of charge (SOC) of the battery a deterministic variable, our work adopts a scenario where the battery is charged from the excess of the generated energy, which makes the SOC a nondeterministic variable affected by the uncertain character of the renewable energy. Therefore, our model considers the randomness at two levels: renewable energy level and battery SOC level. We take into account the complexity of the solution, and we propose a simple strategy that can be implemented easily in microgrids.