bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compliance with follow‐up and adherence to medication in hypertensive patients in an urban informal settlement in Kenya: comparison of three models of care
Authors: Kuria Ng'endo , Reid Anthony , Owiti Philip , Tweya Hannock , Kibet Caleb Kipkurui , Mbau Lilian , Manzi Marcel , Murunga Victor , Namusonge Tecla , Kibachio Joseph
Published: May 2018

Objective

To determine and compare, among three models of care, compliance with scheduled clinic appointments and adherence to antihypertensive medication of patients in an informal settlement of Kibera, Kenya.

Methods

Routinely collected patient data were used from three health facilities, six walkway clinics and one weekend/church clinic. Patients were eligible if they had received hypertension care for more than 6 months. Compliance with clinic appointments and self‐reported adherence to medication were determined from clinic records and compared using the chi‐square test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models estimated the odds of overall adherence to medication.

Results

A total of 785 patients received hypertension treatment eligible for analysis, of whom two‐thirds were women. Between them, there were 5879 clinic visits with an overall compliance with appointments of 63%. Compliance was high in the health facilities and walkway clinics, but men were more likely to attend the weekend/church clinics. Self‐reported adherence to medication by those complying with scheduled clinic visits was 94%. Patients in the walkway clinics were two times more likely to adhere to antihypertensive medication than patients at the health facility (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.25–3.10).

Conclusion

Walkway clinics outperformed health facilities and weekend clinics. The use of multiple sites for the management of hypertensive patients led to good compliance with scheduled clinic visits and very good self‐reported adherence to medication in a low‐resource setting.
Codeinone reductase isoforms with differential stability, efficiency and product selectivity in opium poppy
Authors: Dastmalchi Mehran , Chang Limei , Torres Miguel A. , Ng Kenneth K. S. , Facchini Peter J.
Published: May 2018

Codeinone reductase (COR) catalyzes the reversible NADPH‐dependent reduction of codeinone to codeine as the penultimate step of morphine biosynthesis in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It also irreversibly reduces neopinone, which forms by spontaneous isomerization in aqueous solution from codeinone, to neopine. In a parallel pathway involving 3‐O‐demethylated analogs, COR converts morphinone to morphine, and neomorphinone to neomorphine. Similar to neopine, the formation of neomorphine by COR is irreversible. Neopine is a minor substrate for codeine O‐demethylase (CODM), yielding morphine. In the plant, neopine levels are low and neomorphine has not been detected. Silencing of CODM leads to accumulation of upstream metabolites, such as codeine and thebaine, but does not result in a shift towards higher relative concentrations of neopine, suggesting a mechanism in the plant for limiting neopine production. In yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) engineered to produce opiate alkaloids, the catalytic properties of COR lead to accumulation of neopine and neomorphine as major products. An isoform (COR‐B) was isolated from opium poppy chemotype Bea's Choice that showed higher catalytic activity than previously characterized CORs, and it yielded mostly neopine in vitro and in engineered yeast. Five catalytically distinct COR isoforms (COR1.1–1.4 and COR‐B) were used to determine sequence–function relationships that influence product selectivity. Biochemical characterization and site‐directed mutagenesis of native COR isoforms identified four residues (V25, K41, F129 and W279) that affected protein stability, reaction velocity, and product selectivity and output. Improvement of COR performance coupled with an ability to guide pathway flux is necessary to facilitate commercial production of opiate alkaloids in engineered microorganisms.
Multiloculated solitary (unicameral) bone cyst in a young dog
Authors: Roode Sarah C. , Shive Heather R. , Hoorntje Willemijn , Bernard Jennifer , Stowe Devorah M. , Pool Roy R. , Grindem Carol B.
Published: May 2018

A 20‐month‐old female spayed Staffordshire Terrier (22.3 kg) presented to the Orthopedic Surgery Service at North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for evaluation of a 6‐week history of toe‐touching to nonweight‐bearing lameness in the right hind limb. Radiographs of the right stifle revealed a multiloculated lytic lesion of the distal femur, with a large open lytic zone centrally, numerous osseous septations peripherally, and focal areas of cortical thinning and loss. An aspirate of the right distal femoral lesion yielded mildly cloudy serosanguineous fluid. Cytologic examination of the fluid revealed a pleomorphic population of discrete cells that exhibited marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis and a variable nuclear‐to‐cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio, which were interpreted as probable neoplastic cells, with few macrophages, and evidence of hemorrhage. Given the clinical signs of pain, lesion size, and concern for malignant neoplasia, amputation of the right hind limb was performed. Histologically, the lesion had undulating walls 1‐3 mm thick with a continuous outer layer of dense fibrous tissue and an inner layer composed of reactive cancellous bone with no cortical compacta remaining. Remnants of thin fibrous or fibro‐osseous septa projected from the bony wall into the cyst lumen. The final histologic diagnosis was a benign multiloculated solitary (unicameral) bone cyst of the distal right femur. Based on the histopathologic findings, it was speculated that the cells identified on cytology were a mixture of developing osteoclasts, osteoblasts, endothelial, and stromal cells. This is the first report describing the cytologic examination of a solitary bone cyst in veterinary medicine.
The effect of lifelong exercise frequency on arterial stiffness
Authors: Shibata Shigeki , Fujimoto Naoki , Hastings Jeffrey L. , Carrick‐Ranson Graeme , Bhella Paul S. , Hearon Christopher M. , Levine Benjamin D.
Published: May 2018

Key points

This study examined the effect of different ‘doses’ of lifelong (>25 years) exercise on arterial stiffening (a hallmark of vascular ageing) in older adults.

There are clear dose‐dependent effects of lifelong exercise training on human arterial stiffness that vary according to the site and size of the arteries.

Similar to what we have observed previously with ventricular stiffening, 4–5 days week−1 of committed exercise over a lifetime are necessary to preserve ‘youthful’ vascular compliance, especially of the large central arteries.

Casual exercise training of two to three times per week may be sufficient for middle‐sized arteries like the carotid to minimize arterial stiffening with ageing.

However, there is little effect of exercise training on the small‐sized peripheral arteries at any dose.

Central arterial stiffness increases with sedentary ageing. While near‐daily, vigorous lifelong (>25 years) endurance exercise training prevents arterial stiffening with ageing, this rigorous routine of exercise training over a lifetime is impractical for most individuals. The aim was to examine whether a less frequent ‘dose’ of lifelong exercise training (four to five sessions per week for > 30 min) that is consistent with current physical activity recommendations elicits similar benefits on central arterial stiffening with ageing. A cross‐sectional examination of 102 seniors (>60 years old) who had a consistent lifelong exercise history was performed. Subjects were stratified into four groups based on exercise frequency as an index of exercise ‘dose’: sedentary: fewer than two sessions per week; casual exercisers: two to three sessions per week; committed exercisers: four to five sessions per week; and Masters athletes: six to seven sessions per week plus regular competitions. Detailed measurements of arterial stiffness and left ventricular afterload were collected. Biological aortic age and central pulse wave velocity were younger in committed exercisers and Masters athletes compared to sedentary seniors. Total arterial compliance index (TACi) was lower, while carotid β‐stiffness index and effective arterial elastance were higher in sedentary seniors compared to the other groups. There appeared to be a dose–response threshold for carotid β‐stiffness index and TACi. Peripheral arterial stiffness was not significantly different among the groups. These data suggest that four to five weekly exercise sessions over a lifetime is associated with reduced central arterial stiffness in the elderly. A less frequent dose of lifelong exercise (two to three sessions per week) is associated with decreased ventricular afterload and peripheral resistance, while peripheral arterial stiffness is unaffected by any dose of exercise.
Evaluation of an intervention programme addressing ability to perform activities of daily living among persons with chronic conditions: study protocol for a feasibility trial (ABLE)
Authors: Guidetti Susanne , Nielsen Kristina Tomra , von Bülow Cecilie , Pilegaard Marc Sampedro , Klokker Louise , Wæhrens Eva Ejlersen
Published: May 2018

Introduction

The number of persons living with a chronic condition is increasing worldwide. Conditions are considered chronic when lasting 1 year or more and requiring ongoing medical attention and/or limiting activities of daily living (ADL). Besides medical treatment, physical exercise to improve body functions is recommended and prescribed. However, improvements in body functions do not necessarily improve ability to perform ADL. Thus, it is necessary to develop interventions aiming directly at enhancing ADL ability. As a part of the research programme ‘A Better Everyday Life’, the first version of the ABLE intervention programme was developed.

Methods and analysis

This feasibility study examine the perceived value and acceptability of the ABLE programme by evaluating the fidelity, reach, dose and potential outcomes using a pretest and post-test design involving 30 persons living with chronic conditions. Qualitative interviews among occupational therapists delivering and participants receiving the ABLE programme will be conducted to explore aspects affecting the intervention.

Ethics and dissemination

The results will form the base for refinement of the ABLE programme and planning of a large-scale randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of the programme on self-reported and observed ADL ability. Dissemination will include peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.

Protocol version

7 November 2017: v ersion 1.0. 19 February 2018: v ersion 2.0.

Trial registration number

NCT03335709; Pre-results.
Public attitudes in England towards the sharing of personal data following a mass casualty incident: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Rubin G James , Webster Rebecca , Rubin Antonia N , Amlot Richard , Grey Nick , Greenberg Neil
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To assess public attitudes towards data sharing to facilitate a mental health screening programme for people caught up in a mass casualty incident.

Design

Two, identical, cross-sectional, online surveys, using quotas to ensure demographic representativeness of people aged 18–65 years in England. Participants were randomly allocated to consider a scenario in which they witness a terrorism-related radiation incident or mass shooting, after which a police officer records their contact details.

Setting

Participants were drawn from an online panel maintained by a market research company. Surveys were conducted before and immediately after a series of terrorist attacks and a large tower block fire occurred in England.

Participants

One thousand people aged 18–65 years participated in each survey.

Main outcome measures

Three questions asking participants if it would be acceptable for police to share their contact details, without asking first, with ‘a health-related government organisation, so they can send you a questionnaire to find out if you might benefit from extra care or support’, ‘a specialist NHS team, to provide you with information about ways to get support for any physical or mental health issues’ and ‘your GP, so they can check how you are doing’.

Results

A minority of participants reported that it would be definitely not acceptable for their details to be shared with the government organisation (n=259, 13.0%), the National Health Service (NHS) (n=141, 7.1%) and their general practitioner (GP) (n=166, 8.3%). There was a small, but significant increase in acceptability for the radiation incident compared with the mass shooting. No major differences were observed between the preincident and postincident surveys.

Conclusions

Although most people believe it is acceptable for their details to be shared in order to facilitate a mental health response to a major incident, care must be taken to communicate with those affected about how their information will be used.
Improving predictive asthma algorithms with modelled environment data for Scotland: an observational cohort study protocol
Authors: Soyiri Ireneous N , Sheikh Aziz , Reis Stefan , Kavanagh Kimberly , Vieno Massimo , Clemens Tom , Carnell Edward J , Pan Jiafeng , King Abby , Beck Rachel C , Ward Hester J T , Dibben Chris , Robertson Chris , Simpson Colin R
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Asthma has a considerable, but potentially, avoidable burden on many populations globally. Scotland has some of the poorest health outcomes from asthma. Although ambient pollution, weather changes and sociodemographic factors have been associated with asthma attacks, it remains unclear whether modelled environment data and geospatial information can improve population-based asthma predictive algorithms. We aim to create the afferent loop of a national learning health system for asthma in Scotland. We will investigate the associations between ambient pollution, meteorological, geospatial and sociodemographic factors and asthma attacks.

Methods and Analysis

We will develop and implement a secured data governance and linkage framework to incorporate primary care health data, modelled environment data, geospatial population and sociodemographic data. Data from 75 recruited primary care practices (n=500 000 patients) in Scotland will be used. Modelled environment data on key air pollutants at a horizontal resolution of 5 km×5 km at hourly time steps will be generated using the EMEP4UK atmospheric chemistry transport modelling system for the datazones of the primary care practices’ populations. Scottish population census and education databases will be incorporated into the linkage framework for analysis. We will then undertake a longitudinal retrospective observational analysis. Asthma outcomes include asthma hospitalisations and oral steroid prescriptions. Using a nested case–control study design, associations between all covariates will be measured using conditional logistic regression to account for the matched design and to identify suitable predictors and potential candidate algorithms for an asthma learning health system in Scotland.

Findings from this study will contribute to the development of predictive algorithms for asthma outcomes and be used to form the basis for our learning health system prototype.

Ethics and dissemination

The study received National Health Service Research Ethics Committee approval (16/SS/0130) and also obtained permissions via the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care in Scotland to access, collate and use the following data sets: population and housing census for Scotland; Scottish education data via the Scottish Exchange of Data and primary care data from general practice Data Custodians. Analytic code will be made available in the open source GitHub website. The results of this study will be published in international peer reviewed journals.
Surface plasmons in new waveguide structures containing ultra-thin metal and silicon layers
Authors: Shabat M. M. , Ubeid M. F. , Abu Rahma M. A.
Published: May 2018

Reflected and transmitted powers due to the interaction of electromagnetic waves with a structure containing thin metal and silicon layer are investigated in more detail. The formulations for the transverse electric wave case are provided. Transfer matrix method is used to find the reflection and the transmission coefficients at each interface. Numerical results are presented to show the effect of the structure parameters, the incidence angle and the wavelength on the reflected, transmitted and loss powers.
Insights into the Genome Sequence ofChromobacterium amazonenseIsolated from a Tropical Freshwater Lake
Authors: Santos Alexandre Bueno , Costa Patrícia Silva , do Carmo Anderson Oliveira , da Rocha Fernandes Gabriel , Scholte Larissa Lopes Silva , Ruiz Jeronimo , Kalapothakis Evanguedes , Chartone-Souza Edmar , Nascimento Andréa Maria Amaral
Published: May 2018

Members of the genusChromobacteriumhave been isolated from geographically diverse ecosystems and exhibit considerable metabolic flexibility, as well as biotechnological and pathogenic properties in some species. This study reports the draft assembly and detailed sequence analysis ofChromobacterium amazonensestrain 56AF. The de novo-assembled genome is 4,556,707 bp in size and contains 4294 protein-coding and 95 RNA genes, including 88 tRNA, six rRNA, and one tmRNA operon. A repertoire of genes implicated in virulence, for example, hemolysin, hemolytic enterotoxins, colicin V, lytic proteins, and Nudix hydrolases, is present. The genome also contains a collection of genes of biotechnological interest, including esterases, lipase, auxins, chitinases, phytoene synthase and phytoene desaturase, polyhydroxyalkanoates, violacein, plastocyanin/azurin, and detoxifying compounds. Importantly, unlike otherChromobacteriumspecies, the 56AF genome contains genes for pore-forming toxin alpha-hemolysin, a type IV secretion system, among others. The analysis of theC. amazonensestrain 56AF genome reveals the versatility, adaptability, and biotechnological potential of this bacterium. This study provides molecular information that may pave the way for further comparative genomics and functional studies involvingChromobacterium-related isolates and improves our understanding of the global genomic diversity ofChromobacteriumspecies.
A Proposed Molecular Mechanism for Physical Analgesia in Chronic Pain
Authors: Saito Norio , Shima Rei , Yamada Yurika , Nagaoka Masaru , Ito Etsuro , Yoshioka Tohru
Published: May 2018

Although pain is indispensable for survival, chronic pain places a heavy burden on humans. As the efficacy of opioid treatment is limited, the development of alternative methods of pain relief without medication is desirable. Recently, we have developed a novel method of physical analgesia using an adhesive “pyramidal thorn patch.” When we apply about 3 trials of these patches on the skin of a pain region, the pain region moves toward the spinal cord like a “cutaneous rabbit,” and finally, the pain vanishes. In the present review, we propose a molecular mechanism for this analgesic method or pain relief following application of the pyramidal thorn patch where firstly the mechanoreceptors and their related nerves under the skin are activated in response to touch. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels serve as mechanosensitive channels within these mechanoreceptors. We further propose that activation of the nerves connected with the mechanoreceptors releases oxytocin, which has an antinociceptive function and activates TRP channels to hyperpolarize the pain signal nerves. We believe that our system will pave the way for alternative pain treatment.
Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusIsolates, Isolated from a Burn Hospital in Southwest Iran in 2006 and 2014
Authors: Ghaznavi-Rad Ehsanollah , Ekrami Alireza
Published: May 2018

Objectives.Incidence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is increasing every year, especially in burn patients with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Molecular and epidemiologic studies are useful practices for understanding the relatedness of isolates in a single patient or a hospital. This study aimed at determining molecular characterizations of isolates collected in 2006 and 2014 usingS. aureus-specific staphylococcal protein A (Spa) typing and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) methods.Materials and Methods. Totally, 71 MRSA isolates were collected during the last two studies (2006 and 2014) from burn patients at Taleghani Burn Centre. After confirmation, all isolates were analysed using MLST andSpatyping methods.Results. We reported the emergence of Spa type t021, ST-30-IV MRSA isolates, which were PVL-positive in 14.6% of the cases and t12366, ST-8-IV isolates, which were PVL-negative in 9.8% of the cases. In 2014 study, Spa typing of MRSA isolates revealed five different spa types. Overall, in two studies, t037, ST-239, SCCmecIII, and CC8 were predominant clones and they were reported in 63% of the cases.Conclusion. The predominance of ST-239 in this region during the last eight years is a major concern. It also has a disturbing impact on the management of staphylococcal infections. Moreover, the SCCmectype IV strain is able to disseminate rapidly in hospital environments, demanding an improvement in infection-control policy.
A Magnetic and pH-Sensitive Composite Nanoparticle for Drug Delivery
Authors: Wang Xin , Gao Ziyu , Zhang Long , Wang Huiming , Hu Xiaohong
Published: May 2018

Mild acid response nanocarriers have been intensively attracted interest in the field of drug delivery on the account of the responsive property to abnormal physiological environment as well as the original property to normal physiological environment. However, the drug delivery system lacks capacity of precise localization to abnormal tissue or targeted cells. Therefore, a magnetic and pH-sensitive composite nanoparticle was designed and prepared by double water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion using acetylated β-cyclodextrin (Ac-β-CD) as a dominant material to realize the pH response and Fe3O4 as a component to realize magnetic response. The surface chemical characteristic was characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) using pure Ac-β-CD nanoparticle as a control and exhibits the typical chemical characteristic of Ac-β-CD. Furthermore, the structural information was tracked by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). It was found that composite nanoparticle possessed structural characteristic of both Ac-β-CD and Fe3O4. Composite nanoparticle exhibited sphere and two-phase morphology with the diameter of about 200–250 nm depending on their detection method and zeta potential of −12 to −14 mV. More importantly, irreversible pH response property and reversible magnetic responsive properties either in neutral environment or in mild acid environment for the composite nanoparticle were confirmed in the research. Finally, drug loading and release behavior were investigated through preliminary in vitro evaluation.
Immune Privilege and Eye-Derived T-Regulatory Cells
Authors: Keino Hiroshi , Horie Shintaro , Sugita Sunao
Published: May 2018

Certain cellular components of the eye, such as neural retina, are unable to regenerate and replicate after destructive inflammation. Ocular immune privilege provides the eye with immune protection against intraocular inflammation in order to minimize the risk to vision integrity. The eye and immune system use strategies to maintain the ocular immune privilege by regulating the innate and adaptive immune response, which includes immunological ignorance, peripheral tolerance to eye-derived antigens, and intraocular immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanism responsible for the development and maintenance of ocular immune privilege via regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are generated by the anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID), and ocular resident cells including corneal endothelial (CE) cells, ocular pigment epithelial (PE) cells, and aqueous humor. Furthermore, we examined the therapeutic potential of Tregs generated by RPE cells that express transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-2 alpha (CTLA-2α), and retinoic acid for autoimmune uveoretinitis and evaluated a new strategy using human RPE-induced Tregs for clinical application in inflammatory ocular disease. We believe that a better understanding of the ocular immune privilege associated with Tregs might offer a new approach with regard to therapeutic interventions for ocular autoimmunity.
An Image Similarity Acceleration Detection Algorithm Based on Sparse Coding
Authors: Xidao Luan , Yuxiang Xie , Lili Zhang , Xin Zhang , Chen Li , Jingmeng He
Published: May 2018

Aiming at the problem that the image similarity detection efficiency is low based on local feature, an algorithm called ScSIFT for image similarity acceleration detection based on sparse coding is proposed. The algorithm improves the image similarity matching speed by sparse coding and indexing the extracted local features. Firstly, the SIFT feature of the image is extracted as a training sample to complete the overcomplete dictionary, and a set of overcomplete bases is obtained. The SIFT feature vector of the image is sparse-coded with the overcomplete dictionary, and the sparse feature vector is used to build an index. The image similarity detection result is obtained by comparing the sparse coefficients. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly improve the detection speed compared with the traditional algorithm based on local feature detection under the premise of guaranteeing the accuracy of algorithm detection.
Association of Colecalciferol, Ferritin, and Anemia among Pregnant Women: Result from Cohort Study on Vitamin D Status and Its Impact during Pregnancy and Childhood in Indonesia
Authors: Judistiani Raden Tina Dewi , Gumilang Lani , Nirmala Sefita Aryuti , Irianti Setyorini , Wirhana Deni , Permana Irman , Sofjan Liza , Duhita Hesty , Tambunan Lies Ani , Gurnadi Jeffry Iman , Seno Umar , Ghrahani Reni , Indrati Agnes Rengga , Sribudiani Yunia , Yuniati Tetty , Setiabudiawan Budi
Published: May 2018

Studies had shown that iron-cycling was disturbed by inflammatory process through the role of hepcidin. Pregnancy is characterized by shifts of interleukin. Our objective was to determine if 25(OH) vitamin D (colecalciferol) status was associated with ferritin, anemia, and its changes during pregnancy. Method. A cohort study was done in 4 cities in West Java, Indonesia, beginning in July 2016. Subjects were followed up until third trimester. Examinations included were maternal ferritin, colecalciferol, and haemoglobin level. Result. 191 (95.5%) subjects had low colecalciferol, and 151 (75.5%) among them were at deficient state. Anemia is found in 15 (7.5%) subjects, much lower than previous report. Proportion of anemia increased by trimester among women with colecalciferol deficiency. Ferritin status and prepregnancy body mass index in the first trimester were correlated with anemia (r=0.147, p=0.038 and r=-0.56, p=0.03). Anemia in the second trimester was strongly correlated with anemia in the third trimester (r=0.676, p<0.01). Conclusion. Our study showed that the state of colecalciferol was not associated with either ferritin state or anemia, but proportion of anemia tends to increase by trimester in the colecalciferol deficient subjects.
Internal Auditory Canal Dural Enhancement in Granulomatosis with Polyangeitis Disease
Authors: Izquierdo Velásquez Juan Carlos , Romero Moreno Luis Felipe
Published: May 2018

Diffuse dural enhancement of the internal auditory canal in T1-weighted gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging could be a helpful and early clinical sign in a very aggressive limited granulomatosis with polyangeitis disease, called previously Wegener Disease(WD).
The Motif-Based Approach to the Analysis of the Employee Trajectories within Organization
Authors: Novikova Evgenia , Bekeneva Yana , Shorov Andrey
Published: May 2018

The analysis of the employees’ movement within organization building is an important task of the investigation of the business processes existing in the organization, including provision its cyberphysical security. In the paper, the motif-based approach to behavior pattern description and anomalies in organization staff movement is proposed. The motif of the employees’ movement represents a combination of the spatial and temporal attributes of the movement enforced by attributes of the visited controlled zone. The usage of motifs enables transformation of the raw logs from the proximity sensors of the access control system containing only identifiers of the controlled zones into semantically meaningful list of the activities. This approach is demonstrated with an application to the 2016 VAST Mini-Challenge 2 data set, which describes movement of the employees within organization building.
Manipulation of Auditory Inputs as Rehabilitation Therapy for Maladaptive Auditory Cortical Reorganization
Authors: Okamoto Hidehiko
Published: May 2018

Neurophysiological and neuroimaging data suggest that the brains of not only children but also adults are reorganized based on sensory inputs and behaviors. Plastic changes in the brain are generally beneficial; however, maladaptive cortical reorganization in the auditory cortex may lead to hearing disorders such as tinnitus and hyperacusis. Recent studies attempted to noninvasively visualize pathological neural activity in the living human brain and reverse maladaptive cortical reorganization by the suitable manipulation of auditory inputs in order to alleviate detrimental auditory symptoms. The effects of the manipulation of auditory inputs on maladaptively reorganized brain were reviewed herein. The findings obtained indicate that rehabilitation therapy based on the manipulation of auditory inputs is an effective and safe approach for hearing disorders. The appropriate manipulation of sensory inputs guided by the visualization of pathological brain activities using recent neuroimaging techniques may contribute to the establishment of new clinical applications for affected individuals.
Computational Techniques for Eye Movements Analysis towards Supporting Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review
Authors: Beltrán Jessica , García-Vázquez Mireya S. , Benois-Pineau Jenny , Gutierrez-Robledo Luis Miguel , Dartigues Jean-François
Published: May 2018

An opportune early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) would help to overcome symptoms and improve the quality of life for AD patients. Research studies have identified early manifestations of AD that occur years before the diagnosis. For instance, eye movements of people with AD in different tasks differ from eye movements of control subjects. In this review, we present a summary and evolution of research approaches that use eye tracking technology and computational analysis to measure and compare eye movements under different tasks and experiments. Furthermore, this review is targeted to the feasibility of pioneer work on developing computational tools and techniques to analyze eye movements under naturalistic scenarios. We describe the progress in technology that can enhance the analysis of eye movements everywhere while subjects perform their daily activities and give future research directions to develop tools to support early AD diagnosis through analysis of eye movements.
Design of Embedded System for Multivariate Classification of Finger and Thumb Movements Using EEG Signals for Control of Upper Limb Prosthesis
Authors: Rashid Nasir , Iqbal Javaid , Javed Amna , Tiwana Mohsin I. , Khan Umar Shahbaz
Published: May 2018

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) determines the intent of the user from a variety of electrophysiological signals. These signals, Slow Cortical Potentials, are recorded from scalp, and cortical neuronal activity is recorded by implanted electrodes. This paper is focused on design of an embedded system that is used to control the finger movements of an upper limb prosthesis using Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. This is a follow-up of our previous research which explored the best method to classify three movements of fingers (thumb movement, index finger movement, and first movement). Two-stage logistic regression classifier exhibited the highest classification accuracy while Power Spectral Density (PSD) was used as a feature of the filtered signal. The EEG signal data set was recorded using a 14-channel electrode headset (a noninvasive BCI system) from right-handed, neurologically intact volunteers. Mu (commonly known as alpha waves) and Beta Rhythms (8–30 Hz) containing most of the movement data were retained through filtering using “Arduino Uno” microcontroller followed by 2-stage logistic regression to obtain a mean classification accuracy of 70%.
Optimized Naive‐Bayes and Decision Tree Approaches for fMRI Smoking Cessation Classification
Authors: Tahmassebi Amirhessam , Gandomi Amir H. , Schulte Mieke H. J. , Goudriaan Anna E. , Foo Simon Y. , Meyer-Baese Anke
Published: May 2018

This paper aims at developing new theory‐driven biomarkers by implementing and evaluating novel techniques from resting‐state scans that can be used in relapse prediction for nicotine‐dependent patients and future treatment efficacy. Two classes of patients were studied. One class took the drug N‐acetylcysteine and the other class took a placebo. Then, the patients underwent a double‐blind smoking cessation treatment and the resting‐state fMRI scans of their brains before and after treatment were recorded. The scientific research goal of this study was to interpret the fMRI connectivity maps based on machine learning algorithms to predict the patient who will relapse and the one who will not. In this regard, the feature matrix was extracted from the image slices of brain employing voxel selection schemes and data reduction algorithms. Then, the feature matrix was fed into the machine learning classifiers including optimized CART decision tree and Naive‐Bayes classifier with standard and optimized implementation employing 10‐fold cross‐validation. Out of all the data reduction techniques and the machine learning algorithms employed, the best accuracy was obtained using the singular value decomposition along with the optimized Naive‐Bayes classifier. This gave an accuracy of 93% with sensitivity‐specificity of 99% which suggests that the relapse in nicotine‐dependent patients can be predicted based on the resting‐state fMRI images. The use of these approaches may result in clinical applications in the future.
Cold‐Sprayed Metal Coatings with Nanostructure
Authors: Yin Shuo , Chen Chaoyue , Suo Xinkun , Lupoi Rocco
Published: May 2018

Cold spray is a solid‐state coating deposition technology developed in the 1980s. In comparison with conventional thermal spray processes, cold spray can retain the original properties of feedstock, prevent the adverse influence on the underlying substrate materials, and produce very thick coatings. Coatings with nanostructure offer the potential for significant improvements in physical and mechanical properties as compared with conventional non‐nanostructured coatings. Cold spray has also demonstrated great capability to produce coatings with nanostructure. This paper is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of cold‐sprayed metal coatings with nanostructure. A brief introduction of the cold spray technology is provided first. The nanocrystallization phenomenon in the conventional cold‐sprayed metal coatings is then addressed. Thereafter, focus is switched to the microstructure and properties of the cold‐sprayed nanocrystalline metal coatings, and the cold‐sprayed nanomaterial‐reinforced metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings. At the end, summary and future perspectives of the cold spray technology in producing metal coatings with nanostructure are concluded.
Simultaneous Hierarchical Clustering for Cell Formation Problems with Production Information
Authors: Zhu Yingyu , Li Simon
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this paper is to advance the similarity coefficient method to solve cell formation (CF) problems in two aspects. Firstly, while numerous similarity coefficients have been proposed to incorporate different production factors in literature, a weighted sum formulation is applied to aggregate them into a nonbinary matrix to indicate the dependency strength among machines and parts. This practice allows flexible incorporation of multiple production factors in the resolution of CF problems. Secondly, a two-mode similarity coefficient is applied to simultaneously form machine groups and part families based on the classical framework of hierarchical clustering. This practice not only eliminates the sequential process of grouping machines (or parts) first and then assigning parts (or machines), but also improves the quality of solutions. The proposed clustering method has been tested through twelve literature examples. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can at least yield solutions comparable to the solutions obtained by metaheuristics. It can yield better results in some instances, as well.
Suppression of Th17 Cell Response in the Alleviation of Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis by Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides
Authors: Wei Bing , Zhang Ran , Zhai Jingbo , Zhu Junfeng , Yang Fangli , Yue Dan , Liu Xiaoyi , Lu Changlong , Sun Xun
Published: May 2018

Background. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Dysregulated immune responses are involved in the pathogenesis of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic potential of GLP to alleviate DSS-induced colitis. Methods. The mice were administered with GLP by intragastric gavage daily for two weeks prior to the DSS treatment. Mice were orally administered with 2.5% DSS dissolved in drinking water with GLP or water treatment for 6 days. The mice were killed on day 7 after induction of colitis. Survival rates, body weight loss, colon lengths, histological changes, and disease activity index scores (DAI) were evaluated. Results. GLP significantly improved survival rates, colon length shortening, body weight loss, histopathological score, and DAI scores in mice with DSS-induced colitis. GLP markedly suppressed the secretions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-4 and significantly affected populations of Th17 cells, B cells, NK cells, and NKT cells in the lamina propria lymphocytes. Conclusions. GLP prevented inflammation, maintained intestinal homeostasis, and regulated the intestinal immunological barrier functions in mice with DSS-induced colitis.
Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Responders and Relapsers to Treatment Show Similar Genetic Profiles ofIL28BandIL10Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
Authors: Souza Suiane Lima de , Vidal Luãnna Liebscher , Ramos Juliene , Cardoso Cynthia Chester , Coelho Henrique Sérgio Moraes , Villela-Nogueira Cristiane Alves , Perez Renata de Mello , Soares Marcelo Alves , Santos André Felipe
Published: May 2018

Genotype 1 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent worldwide. Pegylated-interferon and ribavirin therapy is still used in the developing world but has less efficiency in this genotype. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs12979860 and rs8099917 (IL28B) and rs1800896, rs1800871, and rs1800872 (IL10) are related to treatment outcome, but previous studies clustered nonresponse and relapse patients. The aim of this study is to analyze the frequency of those SNPs in HCV genotype 1 for response, nonresponse, or relapse. Patients were classified according to treatment outcome. Genomic DNA was extracted by blood samples and SNPs were defined by PCR and sequencing. Data analysis was performed with R project. The frequency of rs12979860 CC was similar among responders (0.48) and relapsers (0.46) and lower among nonresponders (0.18). The same trend was observed for rs8099917 TT. rs12979860 CC showed a protective effect for relapsers compared to nonresponders (OR = 0.25) as it occurs with responders (OR = 0.17). Haplotypes 12979860/C rs8099917/T were associated with protection against the nonresponder phenotype compared to responders (OR = 0.27) or relapsers (OR = 0.37). Frequency of rs12979860 and rs8099917 is different between relapsers and nonresponders, but similar between relapsers and responders.
Acupuncture Therapy for Functional Effects and Quality of Life in COPD Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Jiajia , Li Jiansheng , Yu Xueqing , Xie Yang
Published: May 2018

Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy (AT) for improving functional effects and quality of life in COPD patients. Methods. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP (CQVIP), and Wanfang Data were searched. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of AT on COPD patients were included. Primary outcome measures included six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were independently conducted, respectively. Statistical analysis was conducted by RevMan software (version 5.3) and Stata software (version 12.0). Results. Nineteen studies (1298 participants) were included. 6MWD improved more (MD: 47.84; 95% CI: 23.33 to 72.35; Z = 3.83, P=0.0001) and effective rate was higher (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.43 to 3.58; Z = 3.48, P=0.0005) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Symptom domain scores (MD: −24.86; 95% CI: −32.17 to −17.55; Z = 6.66, P<0.00001), activity domain scores (MD: −16.52; 95% CI: −22.57 to −10.47; Z = 5.36, P<0.00001) and impact domain scores (MD: −13.07; 95% CI: −17.23 to −8.92; Z = 6.16, P<0.00001) of SGRQ in the experimental group improved more compared to the control group. There was no significant improvement in SGRQ total scores between two groups. The improvement of FEV1 was not significant between two groups, yet subgroup analysis showed that patients treated with AT adjunctive to other treatments improved more in FEV1 (MD: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.54; Z = 6.01, P<0.00001) compared to those treated with other treatments alone. Conclusion. AT may be effective in improving functional effects and quality of life in COPD patients. Besides, AT may also improve pulmonary function of patients with COPD. However, further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of AT for COPD patients.
Pottery Sand as Fine Aggregate for Preparing Alkali‐Activated Slag Mortar
Authors: Jiao Zhenzhen , Wang Ying , Zheng Wenzhong , Huang Wenxuan
Published: May 2018

Alkali‐activated slag (AAS) mortars were prepared using pottery sand as a fine aggregate in a ratio of 1 : 1.75 using a blend of sodium silicate and NaOH as an alkaline activator at room temperature. The effects of sodium oxide content and silicate moduli on the setting time, fluidity, consistency, compressive strength, and drying shrinkage of different AAS mortars were determined. These results revealed that sodium oxide content and silicate modulus had little effect on the setting time and workability of the mortar; however, they did have a significant effect on their mechanical performance and drying shrinkage levels. All the AAS mortars exhibited faster setting times, better workability, and higher early and late compressive strength compared to traditional mortars. Optimum compressive strength was achieved at 93 and 123 MPa after 1 d and 28 d, respectively, using a silicate modulus of 1.2 and Na2O content of 8%. The microstructures of mortars were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometric (SEM/EDS) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). These results reveal that AAS mortars containing pottery sand as a fine aggregate may represent a promising building material with improved properties for use in the construction industry.
Rock Dynamic Fracture Characteristics Based on NSCB Impact Method
Authors: Wang Yanbing
Published: May 2018

In 2012, the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) recommended a new Notched Semicircular Bend (NSCB) method for the determination of dynamic fracture toughness of rock materials, but it did not consider the effect of some uncontrollable factors in the course of the experiment on the test result. This thesis firstly carried out dynamic fracture toughness experiments on several typical rock materials such as sandstone using the modified Split‐Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) experimental system with high‐speed photography, directly compared the dynamic fracture failure characteristics of several rock materials, and examined the loading rate dependency of the dynamic fracture toughness of rock materials. Based on the numerical analysis method of Discrete Lattice Spring Model (DLSM), it focused on the effect of bullet impact loading rate, loading area of incident bar, support restraints of clamping specimen, and other uncontrollable factors in the course of SHPB experiment on test results. The findings can be referenced for the improvement of NSCB method.
The Structure of Autocovariance Matrix of Discrete Time Subfractional Brownian Motion
Authors: Jiang Guo
Published: May 2018

This article explores the structure of autocovariance matrix of discrete time subfractional Brownian motion and obtains an approximation theorem and a structure theorem to the autocovariance matrix of this stochastic process. Moreover, we give an expression to the unique time varying eigenvalue of the autocovariance matrix in asymptotic means and prove that the increments of subfractional Brownian motion are asymptotic stationary processes. At last, we illustrate these results with numerical experiments and give some probable applications in finite impulse response filter.
Efficient Heterogeneous Network-Routing Method Based on Dynamic Control Middleware for Cyber-Physical System
Authors: Lee Hyungsoo , Lee Jaehwan , Nam Sanghyuck , Park Sangoh
Published: May 2018

A cyber-physical system depends on stable control and interaction between the many systems and devices connected to the network. Dynamic control middleware, which considers the characteristics of a cyber-physical system, supports the dynamic search and control of devices existing on the global network using Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6). However, systems and devices may connect to a network using a variety of heterogeneous protocols, not just IPv6. To solve the problem of heterogeneous protocols, this paper proposes a routing technique which enables network devices to communicate using different protocols. The proposed network-routing module can register devices with various protocols and improve the stability of the efficient heterogeneous network.
LC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Quantification of Dexmedetomidine, Dezocine, and Midazolam in Rat Plasma and Its Application to Their Pharmacokinetic Study
Authors: Cui Wenjuan , Liu Qin , Xiong Shan , Qiao Lujun
Published: May 2018

A simple, sensitive, and accurate LC-MS/MS method was established and validated for the simultaneous quantification of dexmedetomidine, dezocine, and midazolam in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 3 µm) using a mobile phase composed of water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile. The lower limits of quantification were 0.1, 0.1, and 0.2 ng/mL for dexmedetomidine, dezocine, and midazolam in rat plasma, respectively. The analytes were determined with selected reaction monitoring under positive ionization mode. The intra- and interday precision and accuracy were all within acceptable limits during the entire validation, and the stability of analytes was acceptable under various storage conditions. The validated method was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic studies of dexmedetomidine, dezocine, and midazolam following intravenous injection.