bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Data Representation Based on Training Data Characteristics to Extract Drug Name Entity in Medical Text
Authors: Sadikin Mujiono , Fanany Mohamad Ivan , Basaruddin T.
Published: October 2016

One essential task in information extraction from the medical corpus is drug name recognition. Compared with text sources come from other domains, the medical text mining poses more challenges, for example, more unstructured text, the fast growing of new terms addition, a wide range of name variation for the same drug, the lack of labeled dataset sources and external knowledge, and the multiple token representations for a single drug name. Although many approaches have been proposed to overwhelm the task, some problems remained with poor F-score performance (less than 0.75). This paper presents a new treatment in data representation techniques to overcome some of those challenges. We propose three data representation techniques based on the characteristics of word distribution and word similarities as a result of word embedding training. The first technique is evaluated with the standard NN model, that is, MLP. The second technique involves two deep network classifiers, that is, DBN and SAE. The third technique represents the sentence as a sequence that is evaluated with a recurrent NN model, that is, LSTM. In extracting the drug name entities, the third technique gives the best F-score performance compared to the state of the art, with its average F-score being 0.8645.
Competition, Innovation, Risk-Taking, and Profitability in the Chinese Banking Sector: An Empirical Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Hu Ti , Xie Chi
Published: October 2016

We introduce a new perspective to systematically investigate the cause-and-effect relationships among competition, innovation, risk-taking, and profitability in the Chinese banking industry. Our hypotheses are tested by the structural equation modeling (SEM), and the empirical results show that (i) risk-taking is positively related to profitability; (ii) innovation positively affects both risk-taking and profitability, and the effect of innovation on profitability works both directly and indirectly; (iii) competition negatively affects risk-taking but positively affects both innovation and profitability, and the effects of competition on risk-taking and profitability work both directly and indirectly; (iv) there is a cascading relationship among market competition and bank innovation, risk-taking, and profitability.
Observation of Dissipative Bright Soliton and Dark Soliton in an All-Normal Dispersion Fiber Laser
Authors: Ma Chunyang , Gao Bo , Wu Ge , Zhang Tian , Tian Xiaojian
Published: October 2016

This paper proposes a novel way for controlling the generation of the dissipative bright soliton and dark soliton operation of lasers. We observe the generation of dissipative bright and dark soliton in an all-normal dispersion fiber laser by employing the nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) technique. Through adjusting the angle of the polarizer and analyzer, the mode-locked and non-mode-locked regions can be obtained in different polarization directions. Numerical simulation shows that, in an appropriate pump power range, the dissipative bright soliton and dark soliton can be generated simultaneously in the mode-locked and non-mode-locked regions, respectively. If the pump power exceeds the top limit of this range, only dissipative soliton will exist, whereas if it is below the lower bound of this range, only dark soliton will exist.
Effect of an Albumin-Coated Mesoporous Silicon Nanoparticle Platform for Paclitaxel Delivery in Human Lung Cancer Cell Line A549
Authors: Gao Yu , Che Xiaofang , Zheng Chunlei , Hou Kezuo , Qu Xiujuan , Liu Yunpeng , Zhu Zhitu
Published: October 2016

Albumin-coated paclitaxel-mesoporous silicon nanoparticles (APMSN) were prepared to improve the anticancer effect in lung cancer by means of regulating the dissolution rate of paclitaxel (PTX). PTX was absorbed into the mesoporous structure of mesoporous silicon nanoparticles (MSN), which was defined as PMSN. PTX was proved to exist in an amorphous state in PMSN, which increased the dissolution rate of PTX. Albumin was coated on the surface of MSN to form AMSN; AMSN and PTX were mixed to form APMSN in order to achieve sustained release of PTX. Then, it was found that APMSN had more significant antiproliferate effects and induced more apoptotic proportion in comparison with PTX in A549 cells. Furthermore, the absorption mechanism of APMSN into A549 cells was investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) showed that APMSN could cross the cell membrane and was taken into the cytoplasm quickly. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMSN carriers have potential as nanodrug delivery systems in the treatment of lung cancer.
Vulnerability Analysis of CSP Based on Stochastic Game Theory
Authors: Shen Jiajun , Feng Dongqin
Published: October 2016

With the development of industrial informatization, the industrial control network has gradually become much accessible for attackers. A series of vulnerabilities will therefore be exposed, especially the vulnerability of exclusive industrial communication protocols (ICPs), which has not yet been attached with enough emphasis. In this paper, stochastic game theory is applied on the vulnerability analysis of clock synchronization protocol (CSP), one of the pivotal ICPs. The stochastic game model is built strictly according to the protocol with both Man-in-the-Middle (MIM) attack and dependability failures being taken into account. The situation of multiple attack routes is considered for depicting the practical attack scenarios, and the introduction of time aspect characterizes the success probabilities of attackers actions. The vulnerability analysis is then realized through determining the optimal strategies of attacker under different states of system, respectively.
β-Catenin Expression Negatively Correlates with WIF1 and Predicts Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Cervical Cancer
Authors: Liang Jinxiao , Zhou Hui , Peng Yongpai , Xie Xiaofei , Li Ruixin , Liu Yunyun , Xie Qingsheng , Lin Zhongqiu
Published: October 2016

Aberrant activation of the canonical Wnt pathway plays a significant role in cervical cancer (CC). However, limited data show the correlation between the cancer clinicopathological characteristics and the key molecules such as β-catenin and Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1). In this study, β-catenin and WIF1 expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for 196 patients with CC, 39 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and 41 with normal cervical epithelium (NCE). Significant overexpression of β-catenin was detected in CC (67.9%) when compared to CIN (43.6%) or NCE (34.1%), p<0.01, while low WIF1 expression was detected in CC (24.0%) when compared to CIN (59.0%) or NCE (58.5%), p<0.001. Negative correlation was shown between β-catenin and WIF1 expression (r=-0.637, p<0.001). In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that both lymph node metastasis and β-catenin expression were the independent prognostic factors not only for disease-free survival (HR = 5.029, p<0.001; HR = 2.588, p=0.035, resp.), but also for overall survival (HR = 5.058, p<0.001; HR = 2.873, p=0.031, resp.). Our findings indicate that, besides lymph node metastasis, β-catenin expression may also be a poor prognostic factor for CC while WIF1 could be a potential drug target for treatment of advanced CC.
Median and Ulnar Neuropathy Assessment in Parkinson’s Disease regarding Symptom Severity and Asymmetry
Authors: Yardimci Nilgul , Cemeroglu Ozlem , Ozturk Eda , Gürlü Gülsüm , Şahin Esra , Bozkurt Saliha , Cengiz Tugba , Karali Gulderen , Cakirbay Hasim , İlhan Atilla
Published: October 2016

Background. While increasing evidence suggests comorbidity of peripheral neuropathy (PNP) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), the pathogenesis of PNP in PD is still a debate. The aim of this article is to search the core PD symptoms such as rigidity and tremor as contributing factors to mononeuropathy development while emphasizing each individual patient’s asymmetric symptom severity.Methods. We studied 62 wrists and 62 elbows of 31 patients (mean age66.48±10.67) and 64 wrists and 64 elbows of 32 age-gender matched healthy controls (mean age62.03±10.40,p=0.145). The Hoehn and Yahr disability scale and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rated Scale were used to determine the severity of the disease.Results. According to electrodiagnostic criteria, we confirmed median neuropathy in 16.12% (bilateral in two-thirds of the patients) and ulnar neuropathy in 3.22% of the PD group. While mean age (p=0.003), age at PD onset (p=0.019), and H&Y scores (p=0.016) were significant, tremor and rigidity scores were not. The comparison of the mean indices of electrophysiologic parameters indicated subclinical median and ulnar nerve demyelination both at the wrist and at the elbow in the patient groups where a longer disease duration and mild tremor and rigidity scores are prominent, remarkably.Conclusion. A disease related peripheral neurodegeneration beyond symptom severity occurs in PD.
PairMotifChIP: A Fast Algorithm for Discovery of Patterns Conserved in Large ChIP-seq Data Sets
Authors: Yu Qiang , Huo Hongwei , Feng Dazheng
Published: October 2016

Identifying conserved patterns in DNA sequences, namely, motif discovery, is an important and challenging computational task. With hundreds or more sequences contained, the high-throughput sequencing data set is helpful to improve the identification accuracy of motif discovery but requires an even higher computing performance. To efficiently identify motifs in large DNA data sets, a new algorithm called PairMotifChIP is proposed by extracting and combining pairs of l-mers in the input with relatively small Hamming distance. In particular, a method for rapidly extracting pairs of l-mers is designed, which can be used not only for PairMotifChIP, but also for other DNA data mining tasks with the same demand. Experimental results on the simulated data show that the proposed algorithm can find motifs successfully and runs faster than the state-of-the-art motif discovery algorithms. Furthermore, the validity of the proposed algorithm has been verified on real data.
Influence of Physicochemical Aspects of Substratum Nanosurface on Bacterial Attachment for Bone Implant Applications
Authors: Mediaswanti Kun
Published: October 2016

Biofilm formation on implant materials is responsible for periprosthetic infections. Bacterial attachment is important as the first stage in biofilm formation. It is meaningful to understand the influence of nanostructured surface on bacterial attachment. This review discusses the influence of physicochemical aspects of substratum nanosurface on bacterial attachment.
The Biomechanics and Optimization of the Needle-Syringe System for Injecting Triamcinolone Acetonide into Keloids
Authors: Vo Anthony , Doumit Marc , Rockwell Gloria
Published: October 2016

Purpose. Injecting triamcinolone acetonide (TA) into a keloid is physically challenging due to the density of keloids. The purpose was to investigate the effects of various syringe and needle combinations on the injection force to determine the most ergonomic combination. Materials and Methods. A load cell was used to generate and measure the injection force. Phase 1: the injection force of 5 common syringes was measured by injecting water into air. The syringe that required the lowest injection force was evaluated with various needle gauges (25, 27, and 30 G) and lengths (16, 25, and 38 mm) by injecting TA (40 mg/mL) into air. The needle-syringe combination with the lowest injection force (CLIF) was deemed the most ergonomic combination. Phase 2: comparisons between the CLIF and a standard combination (SC) were performed by injecting TA into air and tap water into a keloid specimen. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and independent t-test were used. Results. Increasing the syringe caliber, injection speed, and needle gauge and length significantly increased the injection force (p value < 0.001). The SC required a maximum force of 40.0 N to inject water into keloid, compared to 25.0 N for the CLIF. Injecting TA into keloid using the SC would require an injection force that was 103.5% of the maximum force female thumbs could exert compared to 64.8% for the CLIF. ICC values were greater than 0.4. Conclusions. The 1 mL polycarbonate syringe with a 25 G, 16 mm needle (CLIF) was the most ergonomic combination. The SC required a substantial injection force, which may represent a physical challenge for female thumbs.
On the Two-Moment Approximation of the Discrete-Time GI/G/1 Queue with a Single Vacation
Authors: Lee Doo Ho
Published: October 2016

We consider a discrete-time GI/G/1 queue in which the server takes exactly one vacation each time the system becomes empty. The interarrival times of arriving customers, the service times, and the vacation times are all generic discrete random variables. Under our study, we derive an exact transform-free expression for the stationary system size distribution through the modified supplementary variable technique. Utilizing obtained results, we introduce a simple two-moment approximation for the system size distribution. From this, approximations for the mean system size along with the system size distribution could be obtained. Finally, some numerical examples are given to validate the proposed approximation method.
Synthesis of Silicon Nanoparticles and Nanowires by a Nontransferred Arc Plasma System
Authors: Choi Sooseok , Lee Hyunjun , Park Dong-Wha
Published: October 2016

Silicon nanomaterials were synthesized from solid silicon powder in microsize using a nontransferred arc plasma system. Synthesized silicon nanomaterials were sphere or wire in morphology according to the input power of arc plasma, the flow rate of plasma forming gas, and the collecting position of product. The product was spherical nanoparticles at a high input power for complete evaporation, while it was nanowires at a relatively low input power. The mean diameter of synthesized silicon nanoparticles was increased from 20.52 nm to 40.01 nm by increasing the input power from 9 kW to 13 kW. On the other hand, the diameter of silicon nanowires was controllable by changing the flow rate of plasma forming gas. The mean diameter of silicon nanowires was increased from 16.69 nm to 23.03 nm by decreasing the plasma forming gas flow rate from 15 L/min to 12 L/min.
Multiphase Return Trajectory Optimization Based on Hybrid Algorithm
Authors: Yang Yi , Nan Ying
Published: October 2016

A hybrid trajectory optimization method consisting of Gauss pseudospectral method (GPM) and natural computation algorithm has been developed and utilized to solve multiphase return trajectory optimization problem, where a phase is defined as a subinterval in which the right-hand side of the differential equation is continuous. GPM converts the optimal control problem to a nonlinear programming problem (NLP), which helps to improve calculation accuracy and speed of natural computation algorithm. Through numerical simulations, it is found that the multiphase optimal control problem could be solved perfectly.
Cannabis Use as Risk or Protection for Type 2 Diabetes: A Longitudinal Study of 18 000 Swedish Men and Women
Authors: Danielsson A. K. , Lundin A. , Yaregal A. , Östenson C. G. , Allebeck P. , Agardh E. E.
Published: October 2016

Aims. Whether or not cannabis use may increase or decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes is not clear. We analyzed the association between cannabis and subsequent type 2 diabetes and if a potential positive or reverse association persisted after controlling for potential confounders.Methods. In this population-based cohort study, 17,967 Swedish men and women (aged 18–84 years), who answered an extensive questionnaire in 2002 (including questions on cannabis use), were followed up for new cases of type 2 diabetes (n=608) by questionnaire (in 2010) and in health registers during 2003–2011. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were estimated in a multiple logistic regression analysis. Potential confounders included age, sex, BMI, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use, and occupational position.Results. The crude association showed that cannabis users had a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes OR = 0.68 (95% CIs: 0.47–0.99). However, this inverse association attenuated to OR = 0.94 (95% CIs: 0.63–1.39) after adjusting for age.Conclusions. The present study suggests that there is no association between cannabis use and subsequent type 2 diabetes after controlling for age. To make more robust conclusions prospective studies, with longer periods of follow-up and more detailed information about cannabis use, are needed.
Improving Localization in Wireless Sensor Network Using Fixed and Mobile Guide Nodes
Authors: Ahmadi R. , Ekbatanifard G. , Jahangiry A. , Kordlar M.
Published: October 2016

Wireless sensor network contains very large number of tiny sensors; some nodes with known position are recognized as guide nodes. Other nodes with unknown position are localized by guide nodes. This article uses the combination of fixed and mobile guide nodes in wireless network localization. So nearly 20% of nodes are fixed guide nodes and three nodes are intended as mobile guide nodes. To evaluate the proficiency, the proposed algorithm has been successfully studied and verified through simulation. Low cost, high accuracy, and low power consumption of nodes and complete coverage are the benefits of this approach and long term in localization is the disadvantage of this method.
The Use of the Total Electron Content Measured by Navigation Satellites to Estimate Ionospheric Conditions
Authors: Maltseva Olga , Mozhaeva Natalia
Published: October 2016

Measurements of delays of the signals radiated by transmitters of navigational satellites allow us to obtain the total electron content (TEC). In addition, measurements of TEC allow solving problems such as development of local, regional, and global models of TEC and correction of ionospheric delay for increasing accuracy of positioning. Now, it is possible to set the task of calculation of critical frequency foF2 with the use of experimental values of TEC in a global scale. For this purpose it is necessary to know an equivalent slab thickness of the ionosphere τ which is a coefficient of proportionality between TEC and a maximum density of the ionosphere. The present paper is devoted to the analysis of investigation and utilization of this parameter. It is shown that (1) existing models of τ are not empirical and not always can provide an adequate accuracy of foF2 calculation, (2) experimental median τ(med) provides much larger accuracy of foF2 calculation than the empirical model and variations from day to day and allows filling gaps in the ionosonde data, and (3) it is possible to use a hyperbolic approximation and coefficient K(τ) for development of a global model of τ.
Homotopy Analysis of the Radiation Effect on MHD Flow with Heat and Mass Transfer due to a Point Sink
Authors: Guled C. N. , Singh B. B.
Published: October 2016

An analytical solution of the magnetohydrodynamic, steady, and incompressible laminar boundary layer flow in the presence of heat and mass transfer as well as magnetic field on a cone due to a point sink by using the homotopy analysis method (HAM) has been studied under the radiative fluid properties. The HAM produces an analytical solution of the governing self-similar nonlinear two-point boundary layer equations. The effects of the suction/injection, magnetic, and radiation parameters over the obtained solution have been discussed. The effects of Prandtl number on temperature and Schmidt number on concentration profiles have also been studied. It has been observed that the temperature profiles exhibit an increasing trend with radiation in case of injection while an opposite trend is observed in case of suction. The results obtained in the present study have also been compared numerically as well as graphically with the corresponding results obtained by using other methods. An excellent agreement has been found between them. The analytical solution obtained by the HAM is very near to the exact solution for a properly selected initial guess, auxiliary, and convergence control parameters and for higher orders of deformations.
Low-Energy Extracorporeal Shock-Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy: A Case Series
Authors: Pavone Vito , Cannavò Luca , Di Stefano Antonio , Testa Gianluca , Costarella Luciano , Sessa Giuseppe
Published: October 2016

Introduction. We report the results of a series of 40 patients with chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy treated with low-energy ESWT after the failure of a 3-month program of eccentric exercises alone. Methods and Materials. 40 patients, 28 (70%) males and 12 (30%) females, were treated between January and December 2014. All patients were previously treated with only eccentric exercises for a 3-month period. The treatment protocol included 4 sessions of ESWT with a 2-week interval, from 800 shots in each one (4 Hz, 14 KeV), together with eccentric exercises. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Hindfoot score were recorded. Results. At the 12-month follow-up, 26 (65.0%) patients did not complain about pain (VAS < 2), 11 (27.5%) patients got back to normal activities despite residual pain (VAS 2–4), and 3 (7.5%) of the patients still complained about pain (VAS > 4). There was no significative improvement in both scores after eccentric exercises alone. Mean VAS improvement was 5.8±1.3 SD points (P<0.001). Mean AOFAS Hindfoot score improvement was 19.8±5.0 SD points (P<0.001). Conclusions. ESWT is recommended, in combination with an eccentric exercise program, in patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy being both insertional and not.
Research on Fused Tapered Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensor Based on the Method of Intermittent Cooling
Authors: Fu Guangwei , Fu Xinghu , Guo Peng , Ji Yushen , Bi Weihong
Published: October 2016

Based on the intermittent cooling method, a fused tapered Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) interferometer is proposed. In the process of tapering, stop heating and wait for cooling at different taper length. Repeat heating and cooling, until taper goes to the expected length. Compared with the ordinary fused tapered method, the fringe contrast of the transmission spectra of this sensor is 15.06 dB. The transmission spectra in different concentrations of glycerol solution are obtained, and the temperature cross-sensitivity of the sensor is studied. The experimental results show that as the external refractive index increases, the transmission spectra of the sensor shift to longer wavelength. In the measuring glycerol solution, the refractive index sensitivity of the sensor can achieve 797.674 nm/RIU, and the temperature sensitivity is only 0.00125 nm/°C.
Trabectedin Followed by Irinotecan Can Stabilize Disease in Advanced Translocation-Positive Sarcomas with Acceptable Toxicity
Authors: Herzog J. , Klot-Heydenfeldt F. von , Jabar S. , Ranft A. , Rossig C. , Dirksen U. , Van den Brande J. , D’Incalci M. , Luettichau I. von , Grohar P. J. , Berdel W. E. , Burdach St.
Published: October 2016

Background. Preclinical data indicate that trabectedin followed by irinotecan has strong synergistic effects on Ewing sarcoma. This is presumably due to hypersensitization of the tumor cells to the camptothecin as an effect of trabectedin in addition to synergistic suppression of EWS-FLI1 downstream targets. A strong effect was also reported in a human rhabdomyosarcoma xenograft. Procedure. Twelve patients with end-stage refractory translocation-positive sarcomas were treated with trabectedin followed by irinotecan within a compassionate use program. Eight patients had Ewing sarcoma and four patients had other translocation-positive sarcomas. Results. Three-month survival rate was 0.75 after the start of this therapy. One patient achieved a partial response according to RECIST criteria, five had stable disease, and the remaining six progressed through therapy. The majority of patients experienced significant hematological toxicity (grades 3 and 4). Reversible liver toxicity and diarrhea also occurred. Conclusions. Our experience with the combination of trabectedin followed with irinotecan in patients with advanced sarcomas showed promising results in controlling refractory solid tumors. While the hematological toxicity was significant, it was reversible. Quality of life during therapy was maintained. These observations encourage a larger clinical trial.
The 5th Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus: We Are Not Done Yet—Remaining Challenges in Hepatitis C
Authors: van Buuren Nicholas , Fradette Lorraine , Grebely Jason , King Alexandra , Krajden Mel , MacParland Sonya A. , Marshall Alison , Saeed Sahar , Wilson Joyce , Klein Marina B. , Sagan Selena M.
Published: October 2016

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects approximately 268,000 Canadians and results in more years of life lost than any other infectious disease in the country. Both the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) have identified HCV-related liver disease as a priority and supported the establishment of a National Hepatitis C Research Network. In 2015, the introduction of new interferon- (IFN-) free therapies with high cure rates (>90%) and few side effects revolutionized HCV therapy. However, a considerable proportion of the population remains undiagnosed and treatment uptake remains low in Canada due to financial, geographical, cultural, and social barriers. Comprehensive prevention strategies, including enhanced harm reduction, broader screening, widespread treatment, and vaccine development, are far from being realized. The theme of the 2016 symposium, “We’re not done yet: remaining challenges in Hepatitis C,” was focused on identifying strategies to enhance prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HCV to reduce disease burden and ultimately eliminate HCV in Canada.
Linear Approximation and Asymptotic Expansion of Solutions for a Nonlinear Carrier Wave Equation in an Annular Membrane with Robin-Dirichlet Conditions
Authors: Ngoc Le Thi Phuong , Son Le Huu Ky , Thuyet Tran Minh , Long Nguyen Thanh
Published: October 2016

This paper is devoted to the study of a nonlinear Carrier wave equation in an annular membrane associated with Robin-Dirichlet conditions. Existence and uniqueness of a weak solution are proved by using the linearization method for nonlinear terms combined with the Faedo-Galerkin method and the weak compact method. Furthermore, an asymptotic expansion of a weak solution of high order in a small parameter is established.
Management Strategy in Non-Limb-Threatening Acute Ischaemia of Limbs: Should We Rethink?
Authors: Hussain Syed M. Asim , Joseph Thomas
Published: October 2016

The Society of Vascular Surgery and the International Society of Cardiovascular Surgery identify three types of acute limb ischaemia to inform prognosis and management. Type 1 limb ischaemia is non-limb-threatening and is currently managed conservatively. We describe three cases of Type 1 limb ischaemia with femoropopliteal occlusion that were managed differently. The first case was initially managed conservatively but resulted in an adverse outcome following worsening of ischaemia. Overall, the cases managed with earlier intervention had good outcomes suggesting that conservative management alone may not be sufficient despite resolution of symptoms. The trend in other vessel diseases such as NSTEMI and TIA is towards earlier intervention, for example, PCI and CEA. It is likely that acute limb ischaemia has a similar natural history to these conditions. It is time to consider earlier revascularisation in selected patients with non-limb-threatening ischaemia.
Procaine Induces Epigenetic Changes in HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Sabit Hussein , Samy Mariam B. , Said Osama A. M. , El-Zawahri Mokhtar M.
Published: October 2016

Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and it is the major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The present study aimed at treating colon cancer cell line (HCT116) with different chemotherapeutic drug/drug combinations (procaine, vorinostat “SAHA,” sodium phenylbutyrate, erlotinib, and carboplatin). Two different final concentrations were applied: 3 μM and 5 μM. Trypan blue test was performed to assess the viability of the cell before and after being treated with the drugs. The data obtained showed that there was a significant decrease in the viability of cells after applying the chemotherapeutic drugs/drug combinations. Also, DNA fragmentation assay was carried out to study the effect of these drugs on the activation of apoptosis-mediated DNA degradation process. The results indicated that all the drugs/drug combinations had a severe effect on inducing DNA fragmentation. Global DNA methylation quantification was performed to identify the role of these drugs individually or in combination in hypo- or hypermethylating the CpG dinucleotide all over the genome of the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Data obtained indicated that different combinations had different effects in reducing or increasing the level of methylation, which might indicate the effectiveness of combining drugs in treating colon cancer cells.
A Measurement Study of BLE iBeacon and Geometric Adjustment Scheme for Indoor Location-Based Mobile Applications
Authors: Paek Jeongyeup , Ko JeongGil , Shin Hyungsik
Published: October 2016

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and the iBeacons have recently gained large interest for enabling various proximity-based application services. Given the ubiquitously deployed nature of Bluetooth devices including mobile smartphones, using BLE and iBeacon technologies seemed to be a promising future to come. This work started off with the belief that this was true: iBeacons could provide us with the accuracy in proximity and distance estimation to enable and simplify the development of many previously difficult applications. However, our empirical studies with three different iBeacon devices from various vendors and two types of smartphone platforms prove that this is not the case. Signal strength readings vary significantly over different iBeacon vendors, mobile platforms, environmental or deployment factors, and usage scenarios. This variability in signal strength naturally complicates the process of extracting an accurate location/proximity estimation in real environments. Our lessons on the limitations of iBeacon technique lead us to design a simple class attendance checking application by performing a simple form of geometric adjustments to compensate for the natural variations in beacon signal strength readings. We believe that the negative observations made in this work can provide future researchers with a reference on how well of a performance to expect from iBeacon devices as they enter their system design phases.
Effect on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Oxidative Stress of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Exposure to Marine AlgaDunaliella tertiolecta
Authors: Thakkar Megha , Mitra Somenath , Wei Liping
Published: October 2016

Single walled carbon nanotubes were carboxylated by microwave assisted acid oxidation (f-SWCNTs) and examined for their ecotoxicity on marine alga chlorophyteDunaliella tertiolecta.Toxicity was evaluated based on growth, photosynthetic activities, oxidative stress, and intracellular glutathione in the concentration range of 0.1–20 mg/L f-SWCNT. Physical interactions between the f-SWCNT and alga were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscope. Increasing the nanotube concentration increased the toxic effects where growth inhibition was as high as 30%, photosynthetic yield decreased by as much as 18%, and intracellular glutathione reduction reached 95%. The results from f-SWCNTs were somewhat different when compared to our previous study using the same algae and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, where exposure led to longer lag phase and higher growth rate inhibition.
Influence of Monomer Concentration on the Morphologies and Electrochemical Properties of PEDOT, PANI, and PPy Prepared from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Kulandaivalu Shalini , Zainal Zulkarnain , Sulaiman Yusran
Published: October 2016

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyhiophene) (PEDOT), polyaniline (PANI), and polypyrrole (PPy) were prepared on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate via potentiostatic from aqueous solutions containing monomer and lithium perchlorate. The concentration of monomers was varied between 1 and 10 mM. The effects of monomer concentration on the polymers formation were investigated and compared by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. FTIR and Raman spectra showed no changes in the peaks upon the increment of the concentration. Based on the SEM images, the increment in monomer concentration gives significant effect on morphologies and eventually affects the electrochemical properties. PEDOT electrodeposited from 10 mM solution showed excellent electrochemical properties with the highest specific capacitance value of 12.8 mF/cm2.
Investigation of Shadowing Effects in Typical Propagation Scenarios for High-Speed Railway at 2350 MHz
Authors: Liu Liu , Tao Cheng , Matolak David W. , Zhou Tao , Chen Houjin
Published: October 2016

Based on realistic measurements in China, shadowing characteristics at the frequency of 2350 MHz were investigated in typical High-Speed Railway environments. After confirming that the measured shadowing satisfies wide-sense stationarity (assessed via the reverse arrangement test method), we quantify the shadowing correlation. Three types of correlation models are compared for the shadowing characterization, and the Normalized Mean Square Error is used to determine the best matching model: a single decaying exponential function. Decorrelation distances were found to be 11.9 m, 17.7 m, and 8.3 m in our three HSR scenarios, respectively. The results should be useful for the evaluation and verification of wireless communication in High-Speed Railway scenarios.
Effects of a Mixed Zone on TGO Displacement Instabilities of Thermal Barrier Coatings at High Temperature in Gas-Cooled Fast Reactors
Authors: Wang Jian , Ding Jun , Song Kun , Chen Song , Huang Xia
Published: October 2016

Thermally grown oxide (TGO), commonly pure α-Al2O3, formed on protective coatings acts as an insulation barrier shielding cooled reactors from high temperatures in nuclear energy systems. Mixed zone (MZ) oxide often grows at the interface between the alumina layer and top coat in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) at high temperature dwell times accompanied by the formation of alumina. The newly formed MZ destroys interface integrity and significantly affects the displacement instabilities of TGO. In this work, a finite element model based on material property changes was constructed to investigate the effects of MZ on the displacement instabilities of TGO. MZ formation was simulated by gradually changing the metal material properties into MZ upon thermal cycling. Quantitative data show that MZ formation induces an enormous stress in TGO, resulting in a sharp change of displacement compared to the alumina layer. The displacement instability increases with an increase in the MZ growth rate, growth strain, and thickness. Thus, the formation of a MZ accelerates the failure of TBCs, which is in agreement with previous experimental observations. These results provide data for the understanding of TBC failure mechanisms associated with MZ formation and of how to prolong TBC working life.
Assessment of Optimized Electrode Configuration for Electrical Impedance Myography Using Genetic Algorithm via Finite Element Model
Authors: Baidya Somen , Ahad Mohammad A.
Published: October 2016

Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM) is a noninvasive neurophysiologic technique to diagnose muscle health. Besides muscle properties, the EIM measurements vary significantly with the change of some other anatomic and nonanatomic factors such as skin fat thickness, shape and thickness of muscle, and electrode size and spacing due to its noninvasive nature of measurement. In this study, genetic algorithm was applied along with finite element model of EIM as an optimization tool in order to figure out an optimized EIM electrode setup, which is less affected by these factors, specifically muscle thickness variation, but does not compromise EIM’s ability to detect muscle diseases. The results obtained suggest that a particular arrangement of electrodes and minimization of electrode surface area to its practical limit can overcome the effect of undesired factors on EIM parameters to a larger extent.
Recurring Facial Erythema in an Infant
Authors: Hassan Sam , Saviour Mary Jacqueline
Published: October 2016

Causes of facial rashes and erythema in infants are many but rarely only happen during feeding times which are commonly and sometimes wrongly attributed to food allergy. There is a rare condition called Auriculotemporal nerve syndrome that is characterized by recurrent episodes of gustatory facial flushing and sweating along the cutaneous distribution of Auriculotemporal nerve: the so-called Frey syndrome. This condition is most frequently observed in adults usually after parotid surgery. It is rare in children and is mostly attributed to forceps assisted delivery. It can also be misinterpreted as food allergy. Here we report a case of an infant with Frey syndrome without any history of perinatal trauma, which was considered initially as food allergy and highlights the importance of distinguishing it from food allergy.
Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties of the Leaves and Stem Essential Oils ofJatropha gossypifoliaL.
Authors: Okoh Sunday O. , Iweriebor Benson C. , Okoh Omobola O. , Nwodo Uchechukwu U. , Okoh Anthony I.
Published: October 2016

Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the leaves and stem essential oils (EOs) ofJatropha gossypifoliaand their efficacies against infectious and oxidative stress diseases were studiedin vitro. The EOs obtained using Clevenger modified apparatus were characterized by high resolution GC-MS, while their antioxidant and antibacterial properties were examined by spectrophotometric and agar diffusion techniques, respectively. The EOs exhibited strong antibacterial activity againstEscherichia coli,Enterococcus faecium,andStaphylococcus aureus. The stem essential oil (SEO) was more active than the leaf essential oil (LEO) against test bacteria with minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.025 to 0.05 mg/mL and the LEO from 0.05 to 0.10 mg/mL. The SEO was bactericidal at 0.025 and 0.05 mg/mL againstS.aureusandE.faecium, respectively, and the LEO was bacteriostatic against the three bacteria at 0.05 and 0.10 mg/mL. The SEO IC50(0.07 mg/mL) showed that the antiradical strength was superior to LEO (0.32 mg/mL) andβ-carotene (1.62 mg/mL) in scavenging 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH•). The oils effectively reduced three other oxidants to neutral molecules in concentration dependent manner. Findings from this study suggest that, apart from the traditional uses of the plant extracts, the EOs have strong bioactive compounds with noteworthy antibacterial and antiradical properties and may be good candidates in the search for lead compounds for the synthesis of novel potent antibiotics.
Climate Change and Fruit-Picking Tourism: Impact and Adaptation
Authors: Liu Jun , Chen Fan , Ge Quansheng , Li Yunyun
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this work is to present phenology as a valid indicator and methodology for monitoring and assessing the impact of climate change on plant-based tourist activities. Fruit-picking has become a popular rural tourism activity worldwide. However, fruit maturity dates (FMD) have been affected by climate change (CC), which has in turn profoundly affected fruit-picking tourism activities (FPTA). In this paper, phenological data on the FMD for 45 types of plants in 1980–2012, dates for more than 200 fruit-picking festivals, and data on monthly average air temperature in 1980–2013 were used to assess the impact of CC on FPTA by wavelet and correlation analyses. The findings indicated that the study area had been significantly affected by CC. Prevailing temperatures at one or three months prior have a decisive influence on FMD. Among the 11 plants directly related to FPTA, the FMD of four were significantly advanced, while 6-7 were significantly delayed owning to increased temperature. Of the 11 FPTA, only two had realized the impact of CC and had adjusted festival opening dates based on dynamic changes. However, a considerable number of festival activities remained fixed or scheduled on the weekends.
Abstract A07: Plinabulin: Evidence for an immune-mediated mechanism of action
Authors: Lloyd George Kenneth , Mueller Philipp , Zippelius ALfred , Huang Lan
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the evidence for an immune-mediated mechanism of action for plinabulin. Plinabulin, a novel compound for use in oncology, is an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization, induces direct tumor cell apoptosis (Nicholson et al, 2006), inhibits angiogenesis and activates the JNK pathway (Singh et al, 2011) and is in Phase 3 trials for NSCLC (Bazhenova, 2015). The methods for the in vitro and in vivo studies performed are described by Martin et al (2014) and Müller et al (2014). Recent data from in vitro studies demonstrate that plinabulin enhances immune responses as (1) it increases dendritic cell maturation as evidenced by elevated levels of CD40, MHCII, CD80 and CD86 and (2) the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL12p40. These increases were similar to those observed with LPS. Paclitaxel and etoposide were inactive in these assays. In the MC-38 syngeneic colon tumor model in the C57BL/6 immunocompetent mouse, plinabulin (7.5 mg/kg, IP, BIW) significantly enhanced the therapeutic effect of combined PD-1/CTLA-4 inhibition on tumor volume, with a maximal effect occurring between days 13-20 after initiation of treatment. When tumor weight was measured at necropsy, plinabulin significantly enhanced the effect of both PD-1 inhibition and combined PD-1 + CTLA-4 inhibition. In this regard, evidence has been provided that agents which interfere with tubulin polymerization (e.g. ansamytocin-P3, dolastatin-10), but not microtubule stabilizing agents (e.g. docetaxel, paclitaxel) promote anti-tumor immunity as demonstrated by dendritic cell maturation and enhanced T-cell activation both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the microtubule depolymerizing agents act synergistically with immune checkpoint inhibitors (Martin et al, 2014, Müller et al, 2014). These data indicate an immune mediated mechanism of action of plinabulin and provide the basis for initiating a clinical trial of plinabulin with the PD-1 mAb Nivolumab in metastatic NSCLC (Yeh et al, 2015).

Citation Format: George Kenneth Lloyd, Philipp Mueller, ALfred Zippelius, Lan Huang. Plinabulin: Evidence for an immune-mediated mechanism of action. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Function of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression; 2016 Jan 7–10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(15 Suppl):Abstract nr A07.
Abstract A08: Imaging in cancer immunology: Phenotyping of multiple immune cell subsets in-situ in FFPE tissue sections
Authors: Mansfield James R. , Hoyt Clifford C. , Stack Edward , Lin Steven H. , Feldman Michael , Bifulco Carlo , Fox Bernard A.
Published: October 2016

There has been a rapid grown in the field of tumor immunobiology in recent years as a result of recent successes in cancer immunotherapies, and it is becoming clear that immune cells play many sometimes conflicting roles in the tumor microenvironment. However, obtaining phenotypic information about the various immune cells that play these roles in and around the tumor has been a challenge. Existing methods can either deliver phenotypic information on homogenous samples (e.g., flow cytometry or PCR) or morphologic information on single immunomarkers (standard IHC). We present here a methodology for delivering quantitative per-cell marker expression and phenotyping, analogous to that obtained from flow cytometry, but from cells imaged in situ in FFPE tissue sections.

This methodology combines: the sequential multi-marker labeling of up to 6 antigens using antibodies all of the same species in a single section; automated multispectral imaging (MSI) to remove the typically problematic FFPE tissue autofluorescence and correct cross-talk between fluorescent channels; and an automated image analysis that can quantitate the per-cell marker expression, determine the cellular phenotype, count these cells separately in the tumor compartment and in the stroma and provide high-resolution images of their distributions.

We present here several examples of this new methodology in breast, lung and head and neck cancers. Each application example will show 6-plex multiplexed staining, per-cell quantitation of each marker and multi-marker cellular phenotyping from multispectral images of standard clinical biopsy sections, as well as methods to explore the spatial distributions of the phenotyped cells in and around the tumor.

Citation Format: James R. Mansfield, Clifford C. Hoyt, Edward Stack, Steven H. Lin, Michael Feldman, Carlo Bifulco, Bernard A. Fox. Imaging in cancer immunology: Phenotyping of multiple immune cell subsets in-situ in FFPE tissue sections. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Function of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression; 2016 Jan 7–10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(15 Suppl):Abstract nr A08.