bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defining adherence to therapeutic exercise for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review
Authors: Bailey Daniel L , Holden Melanie A , Foster Nadine E , Quicke Jonathan G , Haywood Kirstie L , Bishop Annette
Published: June 2018

Objective

To establish the meaning of the term ‘adherence’ (including conceptual and measurement definitions) in the context of therapeutic exercise (TE) for musculoskeletal (MSK) pain.

Design

Systematic review using a search strategy including terms for: adherence, TE and MSK pain. Identified studies were independently screened for inclusion by two researchers. Two independent researchers extracted data on: study type; MSK pain population; type of TE used; definitions, parameters, measurement methods and values of adherence.

Data sources

Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2016.

Eligibility criteria

Any study type featuring TE for adults with MSK pain and containing a definition of adherence, or a description of how adherence was measured.

Results

459 studies were identified and 86 were included in the review. Most were prospective cohort studies and featured back and/or neck pain. Strengthening and stretching were the most common types of TE. A clearly identifiable definition of adherence was provided in 40% of the studies, with 12% using the same definition. Exercise frequency was the most commonly measured parameter of adherence, with self-report logs the most common measurement method. The most common value range used to determine satisfactory adherence was 80%–99% of the recommended exercise dose.

Conclusion

No single definition of adherence to TE was apparent. We found no definition of adherence that specifically related to TE for MSK pain or described the dimensions of TE that should be measured. We recommend conceptualising adherence to TE for MSK pain from the perspective of all relevant stakeholders.
Long-term outcomes of treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysms in South Korea: clipping versus coiling
Authors: Kim Young Deok , Bang Jae Seung , Lee Si Un , Jeong Won Joo , Kwon O-Ki , Ban Seung Pil , Kim Tac Keun , Kim Seung Bin , Oh Chang Wan
Published: June 2018

Background

The long-term outcomes of endovascular coiling and surgical clipping for the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms are unclear.

Methods

We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study using claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on patients undergoing surgical clipping or endovascular coiling from 2008 to 2014. Inverse probability treatment weighting for average treatment effect on the treated and the multiple imputation method were used to balance covariates and handle missing values. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 7 years.

Results

We identified 26 411 patients of whom 11 777 underwent surgical clipping and 14 634 underwent endovascular coiling. After adjustment with the use of inverse probability treatment weighting for average treatment effect on the treated, all-cause mortality rates at 7 years were 3.8% in the endovascular coiling group and 3.6% in the surgical clipping group (HR 1.05; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.28; P=0.60, log-rank test). The adjusted probabilities of aneurysm rupture at 7 years were 0.9% after endovascular coiling and 0.7% after surgical clipping (HR 0.9; 95% CI 0.61 to 1.34; P=0.63, log-rank test). The probabilities of retreatment at 7 years after adjustment were 4.9% in the endovascular coiling group and 3.2% in the surgical clipping group (HR 1.52; 95% CI 1.28 to 1.81; P<0.001, log-rank test).

Conclusions

All-cause mortality at 7 years was similar between the elective surgical clipping and endovascular coiling groups in patients with unruptured aneurysms who had no history of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture.
A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota
Authors: Brock Betsy , Carlson Samantha C , Leizinger Alicia , D’Silva Joanne , Matter Christine M , Schillo Barbara A
Published: June 2018

Background

Flavoured tobacco is increasingly popular with youth. The twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota restricted the sale of flavoured tobacco to adult-only tobacco shops in an effort to reduce youth access and exposure to these products. This observational study explores the impact of these policies on the retail environment.

Methods

Between November 2015 and April 2017, observational assessments were conducted at convenience and grocery stores preimplementation and postimplementation of flavoured tobacco restrictions in Minneapolis (n=41), Saint Paul (n=37) and the comparison city of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (n=14).

Results

After policy implementation, significantly fewer of the convenience and grocery stores sold flavoured tobacco in Minneapolis (85.4% vs 39.0%, p<0.001, n=41) and Saint Paul (97.3% vs 8.1%, p<0.001, n=37). The average proportion of tobacco inventory that was unflavoured increased significantly in Minneapolis (42.9%±2.7% vs 56.7%±3.1%, p=0.002) and Saint Paul (40.8%±2.5% vs 70.3%±1.9%, p<0.001). Flavoured tobacco was available at significantly fewer convenience and grocery stores in Minneapolis (39.0%, p<0.001) and Saint Paul (8.1%, p<0.001) than in the comparison city of Brooklyn Park (100%, n=14). Most retailers complied with these policies by removing flavoured tobacco from their shelves.

Conclusions

Policies that restrict the sale of flavoured tobacco to adult-only tobacco shops are associated with decreased availability of flavoured tobacco in convenience and grocery stores and increased proportion of tobacco inventory that is unflavoured.
Invisible smoke: third-party endorsement and the resurrection of heat-not-burn tobacco products
Authors: Elias Jesse , Ling Pamela M
Published: June 2018

Background

Tobacco companies are introducing new ‘heat-not-burn’ cigarettes in dozens of countries. Historically, these products failed commercially, and independent researchers contested their health claims. The most prominent early heat-not-burn cigarette was RJ Reynolds’s (RJR’s) Premier, introduced in the USA in 1988. Curiously,The Lancetendorsed Premier as a ‘near-perfect low tar cigarette’ in a 1991 editorial, 2 years after Premier had been removed from the market. We examined the context of this endorsement.

Methods

To ascertain what RJR knew about this endorsement, we systematically searched and analysed previously secret RJR documents in public archives and triangulated the industry document data with other published work.

Results

RJR had a long-standing interest in collaborating with outside scientists to endorse potentially reduced harm cigarettes. The author ofThe Lanceteditorial had previously corresponded with RJR regarding Premier’s health effects and market potential. Internally, RJR regardedThe Lancet’s editorial, its stance on novel tobacco products, and its endorsement of Premier as major successes. While the editorial came too late to save Premier, RJR saw future business opportunities for novel products if endorsed by health authorities.

Conclusions

Endorsement by high-impact medical journals and health authorities may be critical in helping heat-not-burn’ products succeed where previous attempts have failed. Conflicts of interest influenced these endorsements in the past. Health leaders and academic journals should consider both conflicts of interest and the ethics of endorsing tobacco product substitution, as tobacco companies simultaneously work to promote cigarette smoking and undermine tobacco control globally.
Human adenoviral DNA association with nucleosomes containing histone variant H3.3 during the early phase of infection is not dependent on viral transcription or replication
Authors: Giberson Andrea N. , Saha Bratati , Campbell Kalisa , Christou Carin , Poulin Kathy L. , Parks Robin J.
Published: June 2018

Adenovirus (Ad) DNA undergoes dynamic changes in protein association as the virus progresses through its replicative cycle. Within the virion, the Ad DNA associates primarily with the virus-encoded, protamine-like protein VII. During the early phase of infection (∼6 h), the viral DNA showed declining association with VII, suggesting that VII was removed from at least some regions of the viral DNA. Within 6 h, the viral DNA was wrapped into a repeating nucleosome-like array containing the histone variant H3.3. Transcription elongation was not required to strip VII from the viral DNA or for deposition of H3.3. H3.1 did not associate with the viral DNA at any point during infection. During the late phase of infection (i.e., active DNA replication ∼12–24 h), association with H3 was dramatically reduced and the repeating nucleosome-like pattern was no longer evident. Thus, we have uncovered some of the changes in nucleoprotein structure that occur during lytic Ad infection.
Numerical modelling of chain-link steel wire nets with discrete elements
Authors: von Boetticher Albrecht , Volkwein Axel
Published: June 2018

Chain-link mesh is one of several net types used as protection against rockfall, shallow landslides, and debris flows. The dynamic impact and the corresponding nonlinear barrier response require numerical models. Chain-link meshes show a nonlinear anisotropic behaviour caused by the geometry of the wire. Resolving this geometry and its deformation results in a bottleneck of numerical costs. We present a discrete element model that covers the nonlinear and anisotropic behaviour of the chain-link mesh, using results from either small-scale, quasi-static tension tests or from a detailed mechanical model as material-law input. The mesh stiffness, resistance, and failure depend on the inner mesh opening angle and thus on the direction of deformation. This information enters the model through the transformation of the nonlinear, three-dimensional deformation processes into a nonlinear material law, with an interpolated dependency on the inner mesh angle. The model maps the resistance of the mesh against impacting masses and covers the energy absorption and it is capable of predicting the dynamic behaviour of different protection barriers with high accuracy, optimized calculation time, and minimized calibration efforts. This is illustrated by high impact energy tests that follow the ETAG027 standard, and also with a rockfall attenuating system.
DEMOCRACY AND GROWTH: A DYNAMIC PANEL DATA STUDY
Authors: JACOB JEFFRY A. , OSANG THOMAS
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we investigate the idea whether democracy has a direct effect on economic growth. We use a system GMM framework that allows us to model the dynamic aspects of the growth process and control for the endogenous nature of many explanatory variables. In contrast to the growth effects of institutions, regime stability, openness, geography and macro-economic policy variables, we find that measures of democracy matter little, if at all, for the economic growth process.
Translation Divergence Patterns Handling in English to Urdu Machine Translation
Authors: Khan Shahnawaz , Mir Usama , Shreem Salam S. , Alamri Sultan
Published: June 2018

English to Urdu machine translation is still in its infancy. This study illustrates various types of translation divergences and their implication in English to Urdu machine translation. The divergence in English to Urdu machine translation can be thought as representing the translation divergences between Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) class languages to Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) class languages. This study discusses the different types of divergences in English to Urdu machine translation and presents novel computational algorithms to detect and to resolve these divergences in English to Urdu Machine Translation. These algorithms for detection of divergence have been implemented in English to Urdu Machine Translation system, and results have been presented in this paper. The work introduced here is the only one, to the best of our knowledge, which automatically detects and resolves divergences in English to Urdu machine translation.
Multiple Hidden Markov Model Post Processed with Support Vector Machine to Recognize English Handwritten Numerals
Authors: Prasad Binod Kumar , Sanyal Goutam
Published: June 2018

This paper presents rotation and size invariant English numerals recognition system with, competitive recognition rate. The novelty of this paper is the introduction of two unique methods of feature extraction namely Pixel Moment of Inertia (PMI) and Delta Distance Coding (DDC). The proposed Multiple Hidden Markov Model (MHMM) is a two tier model to neutralize the effect of two very frequent writing styles of numerals ‘4’ and ‘7’ on their recognition rates. The novelty of PMI is that it finds moment of all the pixels of a specified zone about the central pixel and not about geometrical centroid of image area. In this paper, PMI has been observed to have an upper hand over centroidal MI. DDC is a new technique of curvature coding, based on distance from a reference level and is similar to the logic behind Delta modulation scheme in Digital Communications. Thus, the current paper correlates two digital domains namely, Digital Image Processing and Digital Communications. Support Vector Machine differentiates two close output classes obtained from classification with MHMM. The overall recognition accuracy rate of 99.17% has been achieved based on MNIST database.
A family of monomial ideals with the persistence property
Authors: Moradi Somayeh , Rahimbeigi Masoomeh , Khosh-Ahang Fahimeh , Jahan Ali Soleyman
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we introduce a family of monomial ideals with the persistence property. Given positive integers [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we consider the monomial ideal [Formula: see text] generated by all monomials [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is an independent set of vertices of the path graph [Formula: see text] of size [Formula: see text], which is indeed the facet ideal of the [Formula: see text]th skeleton of the independence complex of [Formula: see text]. We describe the set of associated primes of all powers of [Formula: see text] explicitly. It turns out that any such ideal [Formula: see text] has the persistence property. Moreover, the index of stability of [Formula: see text] and the stable set of associated prime ideals of [Formula: see text] are determined.
The core and dual core inverse of a morphism with factorization
Authors: Li Tingting , Chen Jianlong
Published: June 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a category with an involution ∗. Suppose that [Formula: see text] is a morphism and [Formula: see text] is an (epic, monic) factorization of [Formula: see text] through [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is core invertible if and only if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are both left invertible if and only if [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are all essentially unique (epic, monic) factorizations of [Formula: see text] through [Formula: see text]. We also give the corresponding result about dual core inverse. In addition, we give some characterizations about the coexistence of core inverse and dual core inverse of an [Formula: see text]-morphism in the category of [Formula: see text]-modules of a given ring [Formula: see text].
Wavelet-based lifting scheme for the numerical solution of some class of nonlinear partial differential equations
Authors: Shiralashetti S. C. , Angadi L. M. , Deshi A. B.
Published: June 2018

Partial differential equation (PDE) occurs in the mathematical modeling of many physical phenomena arising in science and engineering. In this paper, we present wavelet-based lifting scheme for the numerical solution of nonlinear PDEs using different wavelet filter coefficients. The numerical results obtained by this scheme are compared with the exact solution to demonstrate the accuracy and also speeds up convergence in lesser computational time as compared with the existing schemes. Some test problems are presented for the validity and applicability of the scheme.
Efficacy of Command-and-Control and Market-Based Environmental Regulation in Developing Countries
Authors: Blackman Allen , Li Zhengyan , Liu Antung A.
Published: June 2018

Like their counterparts in industrialized countries, environmental regulators in developing countries rely principally on two types of instruments: command-and-control (CAC) policies, such as emissions and technology standards, and to a lesser extent, market-based instruments (MBIs), such as emissions fees and tradable permits. But these regulators often lack the capacity to implement, monitor, and enforce CAC and MBI policies. As a result, the efficacy of those policies is an empirical matter. We review emerging experimental and quasi-experimental evidence on CAC and MBI policies in developing countries, specifically, from 32 studies of CAC policies and 8 studies of MBIs. Although drawn from a small and decidedly nonrandom sample of countries and policy types, the evidence clearly indicates that CAC and MBI policies can have significant environmental benefits in developing countries. In addition to cataloging and reviewing this evidence, we discuss data and methodological challenges to augmenting it and suggest directions for future research.
The binding of captopril to angiotensin I-converting enzyme triggers activation of signaling pathways
Authors: Reis Rosana I. , Nogueira Marie D. , Campanha-Rodrigues Ana Lucia , Pereira Larissa Miranda , Andrade Maria Claudina C. , Parreiras-e-Silva Lucas T. , Costa-Neto Claudio M. , Mortara Renato Arruda , Casarini Dulce E.
Published: June 2018

Hypertension is a global health problem, and angiotensin I (ANG I)-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are largely used to control this pathology. Recently, it has been shown that ACE can also act as a transducer signal molecule when its inhibitors or substrates bind to it. This new role of ACE could contribute to understanding some of the effects not explained by its catalytic activity only. In this study, we investigated signaling pathway activation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing ACE (CHO-ACE) under different conditions. We also investigated gene modulation after 4 h and 24 h of captopril treatment. Our results demonstrated that CHO-ACE cells when stimulated with ANG I, ramipril, or captopril led to JNK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. To verify any physiological role at the endogenous level, we made use of primary cultures of mesangial cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar rats. Our results showed that ERK1/2 activation occurred mainly in primary cultures of mesangial cells from SHR rats upon captopril stimulation, suggesting that this signaling pathway could be differentially regulated during hypertension. Our results also showed that captopril treatment leads to a decrease of cyclooxygenase 2, interleukin-1β, and β-arrestin2 and a significant increase of AP2 gene expression levels. Our findings strengthen the fact that, in addition to the blockage of enzymatic activity, ACE inhibitors also trigger signaling pathway activation, and this may contribute to their beneficial effects in the treatment of hypertension and other pathologies.
Cholesterol is the main regulator of the carbon dioxide permeability of biological membranes
Authors: Arias-Hidalgo Mariela , Al-Samir Samer , Gros Gerolf , Endeward Volker
Published: June 2018

We present here a compilation of membrane CO2 permeabilities (Pco2) for various cell types from the literature. Pco2 values vary over more than two orders of magnitude. Relating Pco2 to the cholesterol content of the membranes shows that, with the exception of red blood cells, it is essentially membrane cholesterol that determines the value of Pco2. Thus, the observed strong modulation of Pco2 in the majority of membranes is caused by cholesterol rather than gas channels.
Anuran amphibians as comparative models for understanding extreme dehydration tolerance: a unique negative feedback lymphatic mechanism for blood volume regulation
Authors: Hillman Stanley S.
Published: June 2018

Anurans are the most terrestrial order of amphibians. Couple the high driving forces for evaporative loss in terrestrial environments and their low resistance to evaporation, dehydration is an inevitable stress on their water balance. Anurans have the greatest tolerances for dehydration of any vertebrate group. Some species can tolerate evaporative losses up to 45% of their standard body mass. Anurans have remarkable capacities to regulate blood volume with hemorrhage and dehydration compared with mammals. Stabilization of blood volume is central to extending dehydration tolerance, since it avoids both the hypovolemic and hyperviscosity stresses on cardiac output and its consequential effects on aerobic capacity. Anurans, in contrast to mammals, seem incapable of generating a sufficient pressure difference, either oncotically or via interstitial compliance, to move fluid from the interstitium into the capillaries. Couple this inability to generate a sufficient pressure difference for transvascular uptake to a circulatory system with high filtration coefficients and a high rate of plasma turnover is the consequence. The novel lymphatic system of anurans is critical to a remarkable capacity for blood volume regulation. This review summarizes what is known about the anatomical and physiological specializations that are involved in explaining differential blood volume regulation and dehydration tolerance involving a true centrally mediated negative feedback of lymphatic function involving baroreceptors as sensors and lymph hearts, arginine vasotocin, pulmonary ventilation and specialized skeletal muscles as effectors.
Proteostasis as a therapeutic target in glomerular injury associated with mutant α-actinin-4
Authors: Yee Albert , Papillon Joan , Guillemette Julie , Kaufman Daniel R. , Kennedy Chris R. J. , Cybulsky Andrey V.
Published: June 2018

Mutations in α-actinin-4 (actinin-4) result in hereditary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in humans. Actinin-4 mutants induce podocyte injury because of dysregulation of the cytoskeleton and proteotoxicity. Injury may be associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and polyubiquitination of proteins. We assessed if the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) can ameliorate the proteotoxicity of an actinin-4 mutant. Actinin-4 K255E, which causes FSGS in humans (K256E in the mouse), showed enhanced ubiquitination, accelerated degradation, aggregate formation, and enhanced association with filamentous (F)-actin in glomerular epithelial cells (GECs). The mutant disrupted ER function and stimulated autophagy. 4-PBA reduced actinin-4 K256E aggregation and its tight association with F-actin. Transgenic mice that express actinin-4 K256E in podocytes develop podocyte injury, proteinuria, and FSGS in association with glomerular ER stress. Treatment of these mice with 4-PBA in the drinking water over a 10-wk period significantly reduced albuminuria and ER stress. Another drug, celastrol, which enhanced expression of ER and cytosolic chaperones in GECs, tended to reduce actinin-4 aggregation but did not decrease the tight association of actinin-4 K256E with F-actin and did not reduce albuminuria in actinin-4 K256E transgenic mice. Thus, chemical chaperones, such as 4-PBA, may represent a novel therapeutic approach to certain hereditary glomerular diseases.
Error, rather than its probability, elicits specific electrocortical signatures: a combined EEG-immersive virtual reality study of action observation
Authors: Pezzetta Rachele , Nicolardi Valentina , Tidoni Emmanuele , Aglioti Salvatore Maria
Published: June 2018

Detecting errors in one’s own actions, and in the actions of others, is a crucial ability for adaptable and flexible behavior. Studies show that specific EEG signatures underpin the monitoring of observed erroneous actions (error-related negativity, error positivity, mid-frontal theta oscillations). However, the majority of studies on action observation used sequences of trials where erroneous actions were less frequent than correct actions. Therefore, it was not possible to disentangle whether the activation of the performance monitoring system was due to an error, as a violation of the intended goal, or to a surprise/novelty effect, associated with a rare and unexpected event. Combining EEG and immersive virtual reality (IVR-CAVE system), we recorded the neural signal of 25 young adults who observed, in first-person perspective, simple reach-to-grasp actions performed by an avatar aiming for a glass. Importantly, the proportion of erroneous actions was higher than correct actions. Results showed that the observation of erroneous actions elicits the typical electrocortical signatures of error monitoring, and therefore the violation of the action goal is still perceived as a salient event. The observation of correct actions elicited stronger alpha suppression. This confirmed the role of the alpha-frequency band in the general orienting response to novel and infrequent stimuli. Our data provide novel evidence that an observed goal error (the action slip) triggers the activity of the performance-monitoring system even when erroneous actions, which are, typically, relevant events, occur more often than correct actions and thus are not salient because of their rarity.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Activation of the performance-monitoring system (PMS) is typically investigated when errors in a sequence are comparatively rare. However, whether the PMS is activated by errors per se or by their infrequency is not known. Combining EEG-virtual reality techniques, we found that observing frequent (70%) action errors performed by avatars elicits electrocortical error signatures suggesting that deviation from the prediction of how learned actions should correctly deploy, rather than its frequency, is coded in the PMS.
Responses of thalamic neurons to itch- and pain-producing stimuli in rats
Authors: Lipshetz Brett , Khasabov Sergey G. , Truong Hai , Netoff Theoden I. , Simone Donald A. , Giesler Glenn J.
Published: June 2018

Understanding of processing and transmission of information related to itch and pain in the thalamus is incomplete. In fact, no single unit studies of pruriceptive transmission in the thalamus have yet appeared. In urethane-anesthetized rats, we examined responses of 66 thalamic neurons to itch- and pain- inducing stimuli including chloroquine, serotonin, β-alanine, histamine, and capsaicin. Eighty percent of all cells were activated by intradermal injections of one or more pruritogens. Forty percent of tested neurons responded to injection of three, four, or even five agents. Almost half of the examined neurons had mechanically defined receptive fields that extended onto distant areas of the body. Pruriceptive neurons were located within what appeared to be a continuous cell column extending from the posterior triangular nucleus (PoT) caudally to the ventral posterior medial nucleus (VPM) rostrally. All neurons tested within PoT were found to be pruriceptive. In addition, neurons in this nucleus responded at higher frequencies than did those in VPM, an indication that PoT might prove to be a particularly interesting region for additional studies of itch transmission.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Processing of information related to itch within in the thalamus is not well understood, We show in this, the first single-unit electrophysiological study of responses of thalamic neurons to pruritogens, that itch-responsive neurons are concentrated in two nuclei within the rat thalamus, the posterior triangular, and the ventral posterior medial nuclei.
Xenogenic Implantation of Equine Synovial Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Leads to Articular Cartilage Regeneration
Authors: Zayed Mohammed , Newby Steven , Misk Nabil , Donnell Robert , Dhar Madhu
Published: June 2018

Horses are widely used as large animal preclinical models for cartilage repair studies, and hence, there is an interest in using equine synovial fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SFMSCs) in research and clinical applications. Since, we have previously reported that similar to bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMMSCs), SFMSCs may also exhibit donor-to-donor variations in their stem cell properties; the current study was carried out as a proof-of-concept study, to compare the in vivo potential of equine BMMSCs and SFMSCs in articular cartilage repair. MSCs from these two sources were isolated from the same equine donor. In vitro analyses confirmed a significant increase in COMP expression in SFMSCs at day 14. The cells were then encapsulated in neutral agarose scaffold constructs and were implanted into two mm diameter full-thickness articular cartilage defect in trochlear grooves of the rat femur. MSCs were fluorescently labeled, and one week after treatment, the knee joints were evaluated for the presence of MSCs to the injured site and at 12 weeks were evaluated macroscopically, histologically, and then by immunofluorescence for healing of the defect. The macroscopic and histological evaluations showed better healing of the articular cartilage in the MSCs’ treated knee than in the control. Interestingly, SFMSC-treated knees showed a significantly higher Col II expression, suggesting the presence of hyaline cartilage in the healed defect. Data suggests that equine SFMSCs may be a viable option for treating osteochondral defects; however, their stem cell properties require prior testing before application.
Design and Characteristics Analysis of a Nonlinear Isolator Using a Curved-Mount-Spring-Roller Mechanism as Negative Stiffness Element
Authors: Junshu Han , Lingshuai Meng , Jinggong Sun
Published: June 2018

The characteristics of a passive nonlinear isolator are developed by combining a curved-mount-spring-roller mechanism as a negative stiffness corrector in parallel with a vertical linear spring. The static characteristics of the isolator are presented, and the configurative parameters are optimized to achieve a wider displacement range at the equilibrium position where the isolator has a low stiffness and the stiffness changes slightly. The restoring force of the isolator is approximated using a Taylor expansion to a cubic stiffness. Considering the overload and underload conditions, a dynamic equation is established as a Helmholtz-Duffing equation, and the resonance response of the nonlinear system is determined by employing the harmonic balance method (HBM). The frequency response curves (FRCs) are obtained for displacement excitations. The absolute displacement and acceleration transmissibility are defined and investigated to evaluate the performance of the nonlinear isolator, and they are compared with an equivalent linear isolator that can support the same mass with the same static deflection as the proposed isolator. The effects of the amplitude of the excitation, the offset displacement, and the damping ratio on the dynamic characteristics and the transmissibility performance are considered, and experiments are carried out to verify the above analysis. The results show that the overload and underload system can outperform the counterparts with the linear stiffness, softening stiffness, softening-hardening stiffness, and hardening stiffness with the magnitude of the excitation amplitude, and that its isolation performance is generally better than that of a linear system. The transmissibility, response, and resonance frequency of the system are affected by the excitation amplitude, offset displacement, cubic stiffness, and damping ratio. To obtain a better isolation performance, an appropriate mass, not-too-large amplitude, and larger damper are necessary for the proposed isolator.
A Rare Case of Complete Heart Block in a Young Patient
Authors: Hindi Zakaria , Hindi Yousef , Batarseh Rami
Published: June 2018

Introduction. Complete heart block (CHB) is considered as one of the dangerous rhythms since it can progress to lethal arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia. It can be congenital or acquired. Patients may present with frequent palpitations, presyncope, dyspnea, or chest pain but also may remain asymptomatic. Extensive work-up should be conducted to exclude secondary causes such as infections, cardiac ischemia or myopathies, autoimmune diseases, or endocrinological diseases. In our paper, we would like to present a case of CHB in the setting of aortic abdominal thrombus that nearly occluded both renal arteries. The CHB in this case is thought to be caused by hypertensive cardiomyopathy due to ongoing uncontrolled hypertension, which is caused by bilateral renal artery stenosis. Case Presentation. A 31-year-old male with history of active smoking was incidentally found to have high blood pressure, bradycardia, and CHB on electrocardiogram. The patient was admitted to a cardiology ward and extensive work-up revealed hypokinesia of the left ventricle with low ejection fraction and left ventricle concentric hypertrophy, large abdominal aortic thrombus with bilateral renal artery stenosis, and evidence of arterial collateral connections, which suggest chronicity. The patient then was placed on four antihypertensive medications but eventually, he underwent bilateral renal artery stenting and insertion of permanent pacemaker for his CHB. The patient’s blood pressure then was under control with only one medication, and subsequent CT angiogram showed no evidence of stenosis of both renal arteries. Conclusion. Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to hypertensive cardiomyopathy, which in turn can cause conduction abnormalities such as CHB. Although hypertension can be secondary to a treatable underlying cause, permanent pacemaker is essential to treat CHB.
Nanobismuth: Fabrication, Optical, and Plasmonic Properties—Emerging Applications
Authors: Tian Ye , Toudert Johann
Published: June 2018

Along the twentieth century, the electronic properties of bismuth have been widely studied, especially in relation with its magnetoresistive and thermoelectric responses. In this context, a particular emphasis has been made on electronic confinement effects in bismuth nanostructures (or nanobismuth). In the recent years, the optical properties of bismuth nanostructures are focusing a growing interest. An increasing number of reports point at the potential of such nanostructures to support plentiful optical resonances over an ultrabroad spectral range: “interband plasmonic” resonances in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared; dielectric Mie resonances in mid- and far-infrared; and conventional free-carrier plasmonic resonances in the far-infrared and terahertz. With the aim to provide a comprehensive basis for exploiting the full optical potential of bismuth nanostructures, we review the current progress in their controlled fabrication, the trends reported (from theoretical calculations and experimental observations) for their optical and plasmonic response, and their emerging applications, including photocatalysis and switchable metamaterials.
Variations of Gastrocolic Trunk of Henle and Its Significance in Gastrocolic Surgery
Authors: Gao Yuan , Lu Yun
Published: June 2018

Due to the increasing incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) tumors, more and more importance is attached to radical resection and patients’ survival, which requires adequate extent of resection and radical lymph node dissection. Blood vessels around the gastrointestinal tract, as anatomical landmarks for tumor resection and lymph node dissection, play a key role in the successful surgery and curative treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. In the isolation of subpyloric area or hepatic flexure of the colon for gastrectomy or right hemicolectomy, lymph node dissection and ligation are often performed at the head of the pancreas and superior mesenteric vein, during which even a minor inadvertent error may lead to unwanted bleeding. Among these blood vessels, the venous system composed of Henle’s trunk and its tributaries is the most complex, which has a direct influence on the outcome and postoperative recovery of the patients. There are many variations of Henle’s trunk, with complicated courses and various locations, attracting more and more researchers to study it and tried to analyze the influence of its variations on gastrointestinal surgeries. We characterized various variants and tributaries of Henle’s trunk using autopsy, vascular casting, 3D CT reconstruction, intraoperative anatomy, and Hisense CAS system and summarized and analyzed the tributaries of Henle’s trunk, to determine its influence on GI surgeries.
Tibia Adamantinoma Resection and Reconstruction with a Custom-Made Total Tibia Endoprosthesis: A Case Report with 8-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Kask Gilber , Pakarinen Toni-Karri , Parkkinen Jyrki , Kuokkanen Hannu , Nieminen Jyrki , Laitinen Minna K.
Published: June 2018

This case study describes a total tibia resection and reconstruction with a custom-made endoprosthetic replacement (EPR) and a long-term, 8-year follow-up. The patient underwent a total tibia adamantinoma resection in 2009. Reconstruction was performed with a custom-made total tibia EPR, where both the knee joint and ankle joint were reconstructed. Two muscle flaps, latissimus dorsi free flap and a pedicled medial gastrocnemius flap, were used for soft tissue reconstruction. The patient returned to normal life as a kindergarten teacher, without complications for eight years. This case demonstrated the importance of successful multidisciplinary teamwork in close collaboration with industry. In our best knowledge, no over 2 years of follow-up of total tibia replacement reports have been published.
Physical-Chemical Properties of Edible Film Made from Soybean Residue and Citric Acid
Authors: Ma Wenjun , Rokayya Sami , Xu Liang , Sui Xiaonan , Jiang Lianzhou , Li Yang
Published: June 2018

The effect of citric acid on the properties of soybean enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction processing (EAEP) residue edible film was studied. The washed soybean EAEP residue was produced by the process of EAEP. It was determined that the washed soybean EAEP residue is rich in fibers (76.10 ± 1.03%) and has lower oil and protein contents (7.74 ± 0.11% and 3.50 ± 0.20%, resp.). Edible films intended for food packaging have been produced from the washed EAEP residue combined with glycerol, different concentrations of citric acid (0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%), and sodium hypophosphite. The spectra have evidenced that the cross-linking reaction of citric acid and fibers has taken place in the residue. 30-CA films showed the highest tensile strength (17.52 MPa) and the lowest water vapor permeability (7.21 g·cm−1·s−1·Pa−1). Also, it indicated that citric acid can cross-link with the hydroxyls of polysaccharide and improve the compatibilization between the polymeric molecules to improve the intermolecular interaction between polysaccharide molecules, so that the water uptake is reduced. The smooth surface and better translucency of the films suggest that the EAEP residue films treated with citric acid are suitable for application in food packaging.
Endocarditis Caused by Gram-NegativeMoraxella osloensisin an Immunocompetent Patient: First Case Report in Latin America
Authors: Paiva Patricia Fraga , Paiva Carolina Fraga , Paiva Emanoel Guimarães , Fabri Gisele Maria Campos , Fabri Junior José
Published: June 2018

This is a case report of infective endocarditis due toMoraxella osloensis. This study would be the fourth since the two latest episodes were described in 2015. The patient of this exposition is different from those previously described in the literature because it was a young adult, under 50 years of age, immunocompetent, with no comorbidities and no obvious focus of infection.
An Application-Level QoS Control Method Based on Local Bandwidth Scheduling
Authors: Wang Yong , Xu Fu , Chen Zhibo , Sun Yu , Zhang Haiyan
Published: June 2018

Quality of service (QoS) is an important performance indicator for Web applications and bandwidth is a key factor affecting QoS. Current methods use network protocols or ports to schedule bandwidth, which require tedious manual configurations or modifications of the underlying network. Some applications use dynamic ports and the traditional port-based bandwidth control methods cannot deal with them. A new QoS control method based on local bandwidth scheduling is proposed, which can schedule bandwidth at application level in a user-transparent way and it does not require tedious manual configurations. Experimental results indicate that the new method can effectively improve the QoS for applications, and it can be easily integrated into current Web applications without the need to modify the underlying network.
A High-Security and Smart Interaction System Based on Hand Gesture Recognition for Internet of Things
Authors: Xu Jun , Zhang Xiong , Zhou Meng
Published: June 2018

In this work, we propose a vision-based hand gesture recognition system to provide a high-security and smart node in the application layer of Internet of Things. The system can be installed in any terminal device with a monocular camera and interact with users by recognizing pointing gestures in the captured images. The interaction information is determined by a straight line from the user’s eye to the tip of the index finger, which achieves real-time and authentic data communication. The system mainly contains two modules. The first module is an edge repair-based hand subpart segmentation algorithm which combines pictorial structures and edge information to extract hand regions from complex backgrounds. Second, the position which the user focuses on is located by an adaptive method of pointing gesture estimation, which adjusts the offsets between the target position and the calculated position due to lack of depth information.
Estimating the Influence of Improper Workplace Environment on Human Error: Posterior Predictive Analysis
Authors: Liao Pin-Chao , Liu Mei , Su Yu-Sung , Shi Hui , Luo Xintong
Published: June 2018

A model for identifying, analyzing, and quantifying the mechanisms for the influence of improper workplace environment on human error in elevator installation is proposed in this study. By combining a modification of a human error model with real‐world inspection data collected by an elevator installation company, the influence paths of improper workplace environment on the conditional probability of human error were quantified using a Bayesian network parameter‐learning estimation method and posterior predictive simulation. Under the condition of an improper workplace environment, the probability of human error increased by 80% of its original value, a factor much higher than that resulting from improper management. The most probable influence was found to be improper workmanship and changes in the information required by the worker, thus triggering cognitive failure and consequent unsafe actions by workers. The proposed methodology (posterior predictive simulation) provides a new approach in construction studies for quantifying the probabilistic levels of various causal paths, and the results show the key mechanism for the influence of improper workplace environment on human error using real‐world mechanical installation data.
Improvement Analysis and Application of Real-Coded Genetic Algorithm for Solving Constrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Wang Jiquan , Cheng Zhiwen , Ersoy Okan K. , Zhang Panli , Dai Weiting , Dong Zhigui
Published: June 2018

An improved real-coded genetic algorithm (IRCGA) is proposed to solve constrained optimization problems. First, a sorting grouping selection method is given with the advantage of easy realization and not needing to calculate the fitness value. Secondly, a heuristic normal distribution crossover (HNDX) operator is proposed. It can guarantee the cross-generated offsprings to locate closer to the better one among the two parents and the crossover direction to be very close to the optimal crossover direction or to be consistent with the optimal crossover direction. In this way, HNDX can ensure that there is a great chance of generating better offsprings. Thirdly, since the GA in the existing literature has many iterations, the same individuals are likely to appear in the population, thereby making the diversity of the population worse. In IRCGA, substitution operation is added after the crossover operation so that the population does not have the same individuals, and the diversity of the population is rich, thereby helping avoid premature convergence. Finally, aiming at the shortcoming of a single mutation operator which cannot simultaneously take into account local search and global search, this paper proposes a combinational mutation method, which makes the mutation operation take into account both local search and global search. The computational results with nine examples show that the IRCGA has fast convergence speed. As an example application, the optimization model of the steering mechanism of vehicles is formulated and the IRCGA is used to optimize the parameters of the steering trapezoidal mechanism of three vehicle types, with better results than the other methods used.
Population Structure ofLeishmania tropicaCausing Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Southern Iran by PCR-RFLP of Kinetoplastid DNA
Authors: Ghatee Mohammad Amin , Mirhendi Hossein , Marashifard Masoud , Kanannejad Zahra , Taylor Walter R. , Sharifi Iraj
Published: June 2018

Iran is one of the six countries with the most cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients. Understanding better the genotypes of the parasite population in relation to geography and climate is critical to achieving better CL control. We aimed to characterise the population structure ofLeishmania tropica, the cause of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL), from important foci in southeast (Bam and Kerman) and southwest (Shiraz) Iran. A total of 39L. tropicaisolates from ACL patients from southeast (Bam 14, Kerman 12) and southwest (Shiraz 13) Iran were analysed by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) using restriction enzymesMspI (HpaII) andClaI. 37 genotypes were identified among south IranL. tropicaisolates. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) tree obtained from the banding patterns ofClaI digested kDNA RFLP distinguished southeast from and southwestL. tropicaisolates with some subclustering but theMspI derived tree showed greater discrimination with greater subclustering and divergence of the two foci of southeast region but with some overlapping. Although a monophyletic structure has been defined for southeastL. tropica, isolates from two foci of southeast Iran were partly discriminated in the current study.
ROS‐Mediated Mitochondrial Pathway is Required for Manilkara Zapota (L.) P. Royen Leaf Methanol Extract Inducing Apoptosis in the Modulation of Caspase Activation and EGFR/NF‐κB Activities of HeLa Human Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Tan Bee Ling , Norhaizan Mohd Esa , Chan Lee Chin
Published: June 2018

Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen (family: Sapotaceae) is commonly called sapodilla, or locally known as ciku. The detailed mechanisms underlying Manilkara zapota leaf methanol extract against HeLa human cervical cancer cells have yet to be investigated. Therefore, our present study is designed to investigate the ability to induce apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms of Manilkara zapota leaf methanol extract inducing cytotoxicity in HeLa cells. The apoptotic cell death was assessed using Annexin V‐propidium iodide staining. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential activities were measured using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and MitoLite Orange, respectively, by NovoCyte Flow Cytometer. Bax and Bcl‐2 expression were evaluated using Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Caspase‐3 activity was determined using a colorimetric assay. The associated biological interaction pathways were evaluated using quantitative real‐time PCR. Our data showed that HeLa cells were relatively more sensitive to Manilkara zapota leaf methanol extract than other cancer cell lines studied. Overall analyses revealed that Manilkara zapota leaf methanol extract can inhibit the viability of HeLa cells, induce mitochondrial ROS generation, and inhibit nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transcriptional activities. Our results suggested that Manilkara zapota leaf methanol extract might represent a potential anticervical cancer agent.