bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Accuracy of Lever Sign Test in Acute, Chronic, and Postreconstructive ACL Injuries
Authors: Gürpınar Tahsin , Polat Barış , Polat Ayşe Esin , Çarkçı Engin , Öztürkmen Yusuf
Published: June 2019

Background. The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of lever sign test in acute, chronic, and postreconstructive ACL injuries. Methods. In total, 78 patients (69 male, 9 female) were subjected to clinical instability tests including Lachman, anterior drawer, pivot shift, and lever sign when an injury of the ACL was suspected. All tests were performed bilaterally in all patients in acute, chronic period and patients who underwent surgery after the anaesthesia and after the reconstruction at the last follow-up by two senior orthopaedic surgeons. MRI was taken from all patients and MRI image was taken as the reference test when evaluating the accuracy of the tests. Results. The mean age of patients was 26.2±6.4 years (range, 17-44 years). Sensitivity and accuracy values of the Lachman, anterior drawer, pivot shift, and lever tests in the acute phase were calculated as 80.6%, 77.4%, 51.6%, 91.9% and 76.9%, 75.6%, 60.3%, 92.3%, respectively, and in the chronic (preanaesthesia) phase were calculated as 83.9%, 79.0%, 56.5%, 91.9% and 80.8%, 78.2%, 64.1%, 92.3%, respectively. Lachman, anterior drawer, pivot shift, and lever sign Acute’s significant [AUC: 0.716, 0.731, 0.727, 0.928, respectively] activity were observed in the prediction of ACL rupture in MRI. Conclusion. An ideal test to diagnose the integrity of the ACL should be easy to perform and reproducible with high sensitivity and specificity. From this perspective, the lever test seems to be a good test for clinicians in acute, chronic and postreconstructive ACL injuries.
Antitumor Effect of Albendazole on Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) Cells
Authors: Zhang Qing-Ling , Lian De-De , Zhu Ming Ji , Li Xue Mei , Lee Jae Kyung , Yoon Tae-Jin , Lee Jeung-Hoon , Jiang Ri-Hua , Kim Chang Deok
Published: June 2019

Drug repurposing and/or repositioning is an alternative method to develop new treatment for certain diseases. Albendazole was originally developed as an anthelmintic medication, and it has been used to treat a variety of parasitic infestations. In this study, we investigated the antitumor effect of albendazole and putative action mechanism. Results showed that albendazole dramatically decreased the cell viability of SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13 cells). Albendazole increased apoptosis-related signals, including cleaved caspase-3 and PARP-1 in a dose-dependent fashion. The mechanistic study showed that albendazole induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, evidenced by increase of CHOP, ATF-4, caspase-4, and caspase-12. Pretreatment with ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA attenuated albendazole-induced apoptosis of SCC cells. In addition, albendazole decreased the colony-forming ability of SCC cells, together with inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These results indicate that albendazole shows an antitumor effect via regulation of ER stress and cancer stemness, suggesting that albendazole could be repositioned for cutaneous SCC treatment.
A Case Report of Aggressive Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps Mimicking Sinonasal Malignancy
Authors: Velegrakis S. , Chatzakis N. , Prokopakis E. , Papadakis M. , Panagiotaki E. , Doulaptsi M. , Karatzanis A.
Published: June 2019

Introduction. Cases of extensive nasal polyps rarely occur and may mimic more aggressive lesions of the nose and paranasal sinuses. A case of extensive nasal polyposis with unusually aggressive behavior and its management is presented. Presentation of Case. A 27-year-old male patient visited the emergency department of a tertiary center, complaining of recurrent episodes of epistaxis. The patient presented with a large polypoid lesion protruding from the right nostril and producing asymmetry of the face. Diagnostic imaging illustrated a lesion of the right maxillary sinus producing excessive bone remodeling and extension into neighboring structures in every direction. Fine limits were noted, however, with no invasive characteristics. Biopsy under local anesthesia was performed, showing findings consistent with nonspecific inflammation. Open surgery through a lateral rhinotomy under general anesthesia was performed, and the mass was readily mobilized and removed. No macroscopic invasion of neighboring structures was noted. Permanent histology confirmed the diagnosis of nasal polyposis. Postoperative follow-up has shown no evidence of recurrence after 12 months. Conclusion. Nasal polyps do not typically expand in an aggressive manner, producing bone resorption or extending into neighboring structures. However, nasal polyposis should be included in the differential diagnosis of nasal tumors with such behavior.
Resolution-Free Accurate DNA Contour Length Estimation from Atomic Force Microscopy Images
Authors: Chang Peter I. , Hsaio Ming-Chi
Published: June 2019

This research presented an accurate and efficient contour length estimation method developed for DNA digital curves acquired from Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images. This automation method is calibrated against different AFM resolutions and ideal to be extended to all different kinds of biopolymer samples, encompassing all different sample stiffnesses. The methodology considers the digital curve local geometric relationship, as these digital shape segments and pixel connections represent the actual morphology of the biopolymer sample as it is being imaged from the AFM scanning. In order to incorporate the true local geometry relationship that is embedded in the continuous form of the original sample, one needs to find this geometry counterpart in the digitized image. This counterpart is realized by taking the skeleton backbone of the sample contour and by using these digitized pixels’ connection relationship to find its local shape representation. In this research, one uses the 8-connect Freeman Chain Code (CC) to describe the directional connection between DNA image pixels, in order to account for the local shapes of four connected pixels. The result is a novel shape number (SN) system derived from CC, which is a fully automated algorithm that can be applied to DNA samples of any length for accurate estimation, with efficient computational cost. This shape-wise consideration is weighted to modify the local length with great precision, accounting for all the different morphologies of the biopolymer sample, and resulted with accurate length estimation, as the error falls below 0.07%, an order of magnitude improvement compared to previous findings.
Preparation and Property Modification on Novel Energy Storage Material: n‐Octadecane PCMs/Expanded Perlite Composite Gypsum Board
Authors: Zhu Jianping , Guo Benkai , Hou Huanhuan , Zhang Wenyan
Published: June 2019

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used to improve the thermal energy storage capacity of building materials. In this study, the n‐octadecane (OD)/expanded perlite (EP) composite PCM, which was prepared by incorporation of liquid n-octadecane into EP using the vacuum impregnation method, was used to fabricate the gypsum board. The microscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties were studied. The SEM results showed that OD could be absorbed into the pores of EP uniformly. The FI‐IR results showed that OD and EP have good chemical stability. It was found that the gypsum board has best heat transfer delay when the volume fraction of OD/EP was 20% (v/v). The mechanical property of the gypsum board with OD/EP decreased. To deal with the problem, the effect of nano‐Al2O3 on the gypsum board was also studied. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the gypsum board were effectively increased when the dosage of nano‐Al2O3 was 0.5 wt.%, and the gypsum board had the best thermal insulation effect when the nano‐Al2O3 content was 0.3 wt.%. Considering the cost and the comprehensive property, it was suggested that the optimal addition content of nano‐Al2O3 was 0.3 wt.%.
Marital Status Disruptions and Internalizing Disorders of Children
Authors: Wallenborn Jordyn T. , Chambers Gregory , Lowery Elizabeth , Masho Saba W.
Published: June 2019

Marital disruption (i.e., separation or divorce) impacts an estimated 40-50% of married couples. Previous research has shown that marital disruption results in negative health outcomes for children and adolescents. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between marital disruptions and internalizing disorders of children in a prospective cohort. Comparisons between marital status groups at each time point showed a significant difference in CBCL score between children in married and unmarried families at 3 years of age, with children in unmarried families having a 0.10 higher standardized CBCL score (95% CI: 0.09-0.12; p<.0001). Differences in CBCL score by marital status were not significant at 5 and 9 years after adjusting for confounders. Parental marital status is associated with an increased CBCL internalizing behavior score at 3 years of age, but the association disappears at later time points.
Health Promotion and Obesity in the Arab Gulf States: Challenges and Good Practices
Authors: Samara Anastasia , Andersen Pernille Tanggaard , Aro Arja R.
Published: June 2019

This debate paper focuses on available strategies, policies, and challenges of health promotion for combating obesity in the Arab Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar). The paper focuses on the abovementioned countries due to their similarity on many aspects and because of their alarming obesity rates that are on the rise and keep increasing. The paper argues that there are significant efforts to be made in sectors such as policies, intersectoral work, primary healthcare, health promotion strategies development, and qualified personnel for health promotion and health education. Among the six states, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and to a degree Oman have shown some development with regard to the implementation and evaluation of obesity-related health promotion policies, and thus other Arab Gulf countries could be inspired by existing good practices and move from good intentions to using their available wealth to invest in the implementation and evaluation of published policies and strategies. All Arab Gulf countries are in need of more qualified personnel and the development of infrastructure that can help tackle the growing obesity challenge that such countries are experiencing.
Neck Circumference as an Anthropometric Indicator of Central Obesity in Patients with Prediabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Anothaisintawee Thunyarat , Sansanayudh Nakarin , Thamakaison Sangsulee , Lertrattananon Dumrongrat , Thakkinstian Ammarin
Published: June 2019

Measurement of waist circumference has substantial variability and some limitations, while neck circumference is a simple and reliable anthropometric measure. This study aimed to assess the association between neck circumference and waist circumference and to identify the best cutoff of neck circumference that could predict central obesity in prediabetic patients. This cross-sectional study included adult patients with prediabetes, defined as having fasting plasma glucose levels ranging from 100 to 125 mg/dL or HbA1c ranging from 5.7 to 6.49%, who visited the outpatient clinic of Family Medicine Department, Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand, during October 2014 and March 2016. Neck circumference was measured from the level just below the laryngeal prominence perpendicular to the long axis of the neck. Central obesity was defined as having waist circumference measurements greater than 90 and 80 cm for males and females, respectively. The correlation between neck circumference and waist circumference was explored by applying pairwise correlation coefficient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed and Youden index equal to “sensitivity – (1-specificity)” was calculated. Neck circumference that yielded the maximum Youden index was determined as the optimal cutoff point for prediction of central obesity. There were 1,534 patients eligible for this study. After adjusting for covariables, neck circumference was found to be significantly associated with waist circumference in both females and males, with β-coefficients of 1.01 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.20) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.85), respectively. After applying the ROC analysis, neck circumferences ≥ 32 cm in females and ≥ 38 cm in males were determined as the best cutoff values to predict central obesity. Neck circumference is strongly correlated with waist circumference in prediabetics and should be considered as an alternative to the waist circumference measurement in screening for central obesity.
Metronidazole-Induced Pancreatitis: Is There Underrecognition? A Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Youssef Ibrahim , Saeed Naba , El Abdallah Mohammad , Huevelhorst Kara , Zakharia Kais
Published: June 2019

Introduction. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common cause of gastroenterological hospitalization in the USA, with a mortality ranging from 5 to 20%. Up to 80% of cases are caused by cholelithiasis and alcohol abuse. Less common etiologies that need to be explored include hypertriglyceridemia, trauma, ERCP, infections, and drugs. A number of medications are known to cause acute pancreatitis, with 0.3-1.4% of all cases of pancreatitis being drug induced (DIP). Here, we present a case of metronidazole-induced acute pancreatitis. Case Summary. A 60-year-old female presented with constant severe epigastric pain associated with nausea, vomiting, and anorexia for one day. She had no past medical history of alcohol use or hypertriglyceridemia and was s/p cholecystectomy in the distant past. Symptoms had begun three days after starting metronidazole for Clostridium difficile colitis. Lipase was > 396, and CT abdomen revealed peripancreatic fat stranding. She was diagnosed with AP, metronidazole was suspected to be responsible and hence stopped, and supportive management initiated. Her symptoms improved rapidly, and pancreatic enzymes normalized within 2 days. Of note, she had had an episode of acute pancreatitis 3 years ago, also following metronidazole use, with resolution at discontinuation of the drug. She had concurrently been on omeprazole during both episodes. Discussion. Metronidazole is a commonly used antibiotic and is infrequently reported as a cause of DIP. Our review suggests the possibility of a dose-response and duration-response effect between metronidazole use and occurrence of pancreatitis. The most common presenting symptom and sign was moderate to severe epigastric pain and tenderness, accompanied by nausea/vomiting. Symptoms usually start within 2-7 days of starting the medication and usually resolve 2-5 days after discontinuation of therapy and pancreatitis treatment. The most common causative dose was 1-1.5 g/day. Our review also supports findings by Norgaard et al. suggesting that concurrent use of omeprazole potentiates the risk of metronidazole-induced pancreatitis. Conclusion. Metronidazole is a commonly used antibiotic that may cause metronidazole-induced pancreatitis, especially if patients are concurrently taking PPIs. Awareness needs to be raised amongst clinicians regarding this association, in order to correctly identify etiology of pancreatitis and discontinue metronidazole promptly when suspected as the causative factor.
Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms: Promising Approach as Biofertilizers
Authors: Kalayu Girmay
Published: June 2019

Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient required for the proper functioning of plants. Because P plays a vital role in every aspect of plant growth and development, deficiencies can reduce plant growth and development. Though soil possesses total P in the form of organic and inorganic compounds, most of them remain inactive and thus unavailable to plants. Since many farmers cannot afford to use P fertilizers to reduce P deficits, alternative techniques to provide P are needed. Phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSMs) are a group of beneficial microorganisms capable of hydrolyzing organic and inorganic insoluble phosphorus compounds to soluble P form that can easily be assimilated by plants. PSM provides an ecofriendly and economically sound approach to overcome the P scarcity and its subsequent uptake by plants. Though PSMs have been a subject of research for decades, manipulation of PSMs for making use of increasing fixed P in the soil and improving crop production at the field level has not yet been adequately commercialized. The purpose of this review is to widen the understanding of the role of PSMs in crop production as biofertilizers.
High Levels of β-Amyloid, Tau, and Phospho-Tau in Red Blood Cells as Biomarkers of Neuropathology in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse
Authors: Piccarducci Rebecca , Pietrobono Deborah , Pellegrini Carolina , Daniele Simona , Fornai Matteo , Antonioli Luca , Trincavelli Maria Letizia , Blandizzi Corrado , Martini Claudia
Published: June 2019

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common Neurodegenerative Disease (ND), primarily characterised by neuroinflammation, neuronal plaques of β-amyloid (Aβ), and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau. α-Synuclein (α-syn) and its heteroaggregates with Aβ and tau have been recently included among the neuropathological elements of NDs. These pathological traits are not restricted to the brain, but they reach peripheral fluids as well. In this sense, Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are emerging as a good model to investigate the biochemical alterations of aging and NDs. Herein, the levels of homo- and heteroaggregates of ND-related proteins were analysed at different stages of disease progression. In particular, a validated animal model of AD, the SAMP8 (Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Prone) and its control strain SAMR1 (Senescence-Accelerated Mouse-Resistant) were used in parallel experiments. The levels of the aforementioned proteins and of the inflammatory marker interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were examined in both brain and RBCs of SAMP8 and SAMR1 at 6 and 8 months. Brain Aβ, tau, and phospho-tau (p-tau) were higher in SAMP8 mice than in control mice and increased with AD progression. Similar accumulation kinetics were found in RBCs, even if slower. By contrast, α-syn and its heterocomplexes (α-syn-Aβ and α-syn-tau) displayed different accumulation kinetics between brain tissue and RBCs. Both brain and peripheral IL-1β levels were higher in SAMP8 mice, but increased sooner in RBCs, suggesting that inflammation might initiate at a peripheral level before affecting the brain. In conclusion, these results confirm RBCs as a valuable model for monitoring neurodegeneration, suggesting peripheral Aβ, tau, and p-tau as potential early biomarkers of AD.
Determination for Thickness of the Multilayer Thermal Insulation Clothing Based on the Inverse Problems
Authors: Yu Bo , Chang Qiao , Zhao Tingting , Wang Linlin
Published: June 2019

In this paper, the optimal thickness of multilayer special clothing material under the high temperature operation based on the inverse problems is studied. We analyze the parameters of the thickness of thermal insulation clothing material and the surface temperature of the dummy. Using the least‐squares fitting, the function with the distribution of the dummy surface temperature is established. Then the heat transfer model and optimization model to obtain the optimal thickness of different clothing layers are built, respectively. Taking the true data as an example, we give the application of thermal insulation clothing in fire area, and the results show that the models are feasible.
Glans Resurfacing with Skin Graft for Penile Cancer: A Step-by-Step Video Presentation of the Technique and Review of the Literature
Authors: Pappas Athanasios , Katafigiotis Ioannis , Waterloos Marjan , Spinoit Anne-Francoise , Ploumidis Achilles
Published: June 2019

Introduction. Glans resurfacing has been suggested as a treatment option for the surgical management of superficial penile cancer (Tis, Ta, T1aG1, T1aG2). In this article we describe in detail the glans resurfacing technique with skin graft for penile cancer in a video presentation and we review the current knowledge of the literature. Material and Methods. The procedure is described in a stepwise fashion. Initially the patient is circumcised. The glans is marked in quadrants and completely stripped by dissecting and removing the epithelium and subepithelium layer of the glans. Deep spongiosal biopsies are taken to exclude invasion. Each quadrant is sent separately for biopsy. The surface of the graft size needed is estimated. A partial thickness skin graft is harvested from the thigh with a dermatome. The skin graft is then fenestrated. The graft is rolled over the glans and quilted with multiple sutures. A silicone 16F Foley catheter and a suprapubic catheter are placed. The penis is dressed with multiple gauzes and compressed with an elastic band. Results. The patient is discharged the next day. The dressing and Foley catheter are removed in 7 days. The patient continues to use the suprapubic catheter for 7 more days. The patient refrains from any sexual activity for 6 weeks and is closely followed. Conclusions. Glans resurfacing is an emerging new appealing surgical technique that is already a recommendation in the EAU guidelines for the treatment of premalignant and superficial penile lesions. The overall satisfaction rate and recovery of the sexual function are acceptable, and it can be considered an ideal procedure to treat superficial penile cancer.
Mitral Valve Endocarditis with Perforation from a Urinary Source: An Unusual Case and Literature Review
Authors: Figueroa Rodriguez Fernando , Faieta Lasarcina Antonio , Davila Grijalva Francisco
Published: June 2019

Aerococcus urinae (AU) is a rare pathogen, identified as gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus that grows in pairs and clusters which has been reported to mainly cause urinary tract infections (UTI), especially in elderly males. Treatment for this microorganism is usually with beta-lactams although cultures with antibiotic susceptibility testing are imperative. We present a case of AU endocarditis initially treated with IV antibiotics; nevertheless, the patient required emergent mitral valve replacement due to severe mitral insufficiency and perforation. We also present an analysis with high-yield points summarizing epidemiology, risk factors, microbiology, clinical features, diagnostic workup, and management of AU in general and AU endocarditis. Finally, we post a literature review of relevant cases and the impact of different variables associated with it.
Ischemic Postconditioning (IPostC) Protects Fibrotic and Cirrhotic Rat Livers after Warm Ischemia
Authors: Schewe Julia , Makeschin Marie-Christine , Liss Ingrid , Mayr Doris , Zhang Jiang , Khandoga Andrej , Rothenfußer Simon , Schnurr Max , Gerbes Alexander L. , Steib Christian J.
Published: June 2019

Background. Decreased organ function following liver resection is a major clinical issue. The practical method of ischemic postconditioning (IPostC) has been studied in heart diseases, but no data exist regarding fibrotic livers. Aims. We aimed to determine whether IPostC could protect healthy, fibrotic, and cirrhotic livers from ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Methods. Fibrosis was induced in male SD rats using bile duct ligation (BDL, 4 weeks), and cirrhosis was induced using thioacetamide (TAA, 18 weeks). Fibrosis and cirrhosis were histologically confirmed using HE and EvG staining. For healthy, fibrotic, and cirrhotic livers, isolated liver perfusion with 90 min of warm ischemia was performed in three groups (each with n=8): control, IPostC 8x20 sec, and IPostC 4x60 sec. additionally, healthy livers were investigated during a follow-up study. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) in the perfusate, as well as bile flow (healthy/TAA) and portal perfusion pressure, were measured. Results. LDH and TXB2 were reduced, and bile flow was increased by IPostC, mainly in total and in the late phase of reperfusion. The follow-up study showed that the perfusate derived from a postconditioned group had much less damaging potential than perfusate derived from the nonpostconditioned group. Conclusion. IPostC following warm ischemia protects healthy, fibrotic, and cirrhotic livers against IRI. Reduced efflux of TXB2 is one possible mechanism for this effect of IPostC and increases sinusoidal microcirculation. These findings may help to improve organ function and recovery of patients after liver resection.
Fixed Point and Acute Point Theorems for New Mappings in a Banach Space
Authors: Kawasaki Toshiharu
Published: June 2019

In a Hilbert space, concepts of attractive point and acute point are studied by many researchers. Moreover, these concepts extended to Banach space. In this paper, we introduce a new class of mappings on Banach space corresponding to the class of all widely more generalized hybrid mappings on Hilbert space. Moreover, we introduce some extensions of acute point and prove some acute point theorems.
Study on the Protective Effect of Special Electromagnetic Field Treated Water and Far Infrared Rays on LPS-Induced ARDS Rats
Authors: Huang Ruiyin , Li Yan , Li Xin , Wang Qian , Luo Changyong , Liang Xu , Liu Lijie , Wang Xin , Wu Yuande
Published: June 2019

Objective. To explore the protective effect of special electromagnetic field treated water (SEW) and far infrared rays (IFR) on endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) induced ARDS rats and the effect on inflammatory factors. Methods. 40 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 in each group. Preventive experiment: Adaptive feeding was carried out for 1 week according to animal feeding standards. Rats in SEW group drank SEW daily. Samely, rats in SEW and FIR group also drank SEW daily. Besides, rats in SEW and FIR group were also given far infrared rays for 20min/d. Rats in model group drank distilled water daily. After 7 days, rats in each group were injected with LPS (2 mg/kg) via the tail vein for making models. Rats in blank control group were given distilled water for 7 days, without modeling. All rats in the 4 groups were put to death under anesthesia 16 hours after modeling. Lung tissue and abdominal aortic blood were taken from these rats. Results. Pathological observation of lung and lung tissue indicated that rats in model group showed great pathological difference from rats in blank group. Rats in intervention group showed more symptomatic improvement in relation to alveolar and pulmonary interstitial congestion, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration than rats in model group. The level of inflammatory factors like IL-1β and IL-6 in serum of rats in model group increased compared to blank control group (p<0.05). Comparing SEW group and SEW and FIR group with model group, levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in serum of rats both decreased remarkably (IL-Iβ: P < 0.05; IL-6: P < 0.01) while there was no obvious difference between SEW group and SEW and FIR group (p>0.05). The lung coefficient (LI) in SEW and FIR group was significantly lower than that in model group (P<0.01), which was higher than that of blank control group (P < 0.05), while there was no obvious difference between model group and SEW group (P>0.05). Compared with blank control group, lung permeability index (LPI) in model group showed no obvious difference (P>0.05). Conclusion. Special electromagnetic field treated water and far infrared rays can alleviate lung tissue damage of endotoxin-induced ARDS rats, relieving symptoms of alveolar and pulmonary interstitial congestion, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. The protective effect of special electromagnetic field treated water and far infrared rays on endotoxin-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome may result from their role in reducing the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in serum and the expression level of p65 protein in lung tissue, in addition to reliving inflammatory response, lung coefficient, and lungs edema.
Vision-Based Satellite Recognition and Pose Estimation Using Gaussian Process Regression
Authors: Zhang Haopeng , Zhang Cong , Jiang Zhiguo , Yao Yuan , Meng Gang
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we address the problem of vision-based satellite recognition and pose estimation, which is to recognize the satellite from multiviews and estimate the relative poses using imaging sensors. We propose a vision-based method to solve these two problems using Gaussian process regression (GPR). Assuming that the regression function mapping from the image (or feature) of the target satellite to its category or pose follows a Gaussian process (GP) properly parameterized by a mean function and a covariance function, the predictive equations can be easily obtained by a maximum-likelihood approach when training data are given. These explicit formulations can not only offer the category or estimated pose by the mean value of the predicted output but also give its uncertainty by the variance which makes the predicted result convincing and applicable in practice. Besides, we also introduce a manifold constraint to the output of the GPR model to improve its performance for satellite pose estimation. Extensive experiments are performed on two simulated image datasets containing satellite images of 1D and 2D pose variations, as well as different noises and lighting conditions. Experimental results validate the effectiveness and robustness of our approach.
A Hierarchical Behavioral Dynamic Approach for Naturally Adaptive Human‐Agent Pick‐and‐Place Interactions
Authors: Lamb Maurice , Nalepka Patrick , Kallen Rachel W. , Lorenz Tamara , Harrison Steven J. , Minai Ali A. , Richardson Michael J.
Published: June 2019

Interactive or collaborative pick‐and‐place tasks occur during all kinds of daily activities, for example, when two or more individuals pass plates, glasses, and utensils back and forth between each other when setting a dinner table or loading a dishwasher together. In the near future, participation in these collaborative pick‐and‐place tasks could also include robotic assistants. However, for human‐machine and human‐robot interactions, interactive pick‐and‐place tasks present a unique set of challenges. A key challenge is that high‐level task‐representational algorithms and preplanned action or motor programs quickly become intractable, even for simple interaction scenarios. Here we address this challenge by introducing a bioinspired behavioral dynamic model of free‐flowing cooperative pick‐and‐place behaviors based on low‐dimensional dynamical movement primitives and nonlinear action selection functions. Further, we demonstrate that this model can be successfully implemented as an artificial agent control architecture to produce effective and robust human‐like behavior during human‐agent interactions. Participants were unable to explicitly detect whether they were working with an artificial (model controlled) agent or another human‐coactor, further illustrating the potential effectiveness of the proposed modeling approach for developing systems of robust real/embodied human‐robot interaction more generally.
Cryptanalysis of a Certificateless Aggregate Signature Scheme for Healthcare Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zhan Yu , Wang Baocang
Published: June 2019

Certificateless aggregate signatures aggregate n signatures from n different users into one signature. Therefore, a verifier can judge whether all signatures are valid by verifying once. With this advantage, certificateless aggregate signatures are widely used in the environment of limited computing resources. Recently, a novel certificateless aggregate signature scheme was proposed by Kumar et al. This scheme’s security was claimed to be secure against two types of attackers under the random oracle model. In this paper, we indicate that their scheme is unable to achieve this security goal. We show an attack algorithm that the second type of attacker could forge a valid signature under an identity without the private key of the target user. Moreover, we demonstrate that the second type of attacker could forge a valid aggregate signature.
A Theoretical Model for Hydraulic Fracturing through Two Symmetric Radial Perforations Emanating from A Borehole
Authors: Tang Shibin , Dong Zhuo , Duan Dong , Li Yingchun
Published: June 2019

The production enhancement of oil, gas, or geothermal reservoirs through hydraulic fracturing requires an in-depth study on the fracture initiation and propagation from the borehole. According to the linear elastic fracture mechanics, a theoretical model is developed to calculate the stress intensity factors of two symmetric radial cracks emanating from a pressurized borehole. The maximum tangential stress criterion under the mix-mode condition is developed to investigate the hydraulic fracture initiation. The critical water pressure and critical initiation angle predicted by the theoretical model match closely the experimental results reported in the literature. The influence of the stress anisotropy coefficient, the perforation angle and length, the borehole radius, the ratio between the water pressures in the fracture and the borehole, and Biot’s coefficient are investigated. Moreover, the effects of the injected high water pressure (i.e., larger than the critical water pressure) on the fracture initiation angle are studied to further understand the characteristics of hydraulic fracture initiation. The results indicate that the perforation angle and length, the borehole radius, and the stress anisotropy coefficient have a relatively strong influence on the critical water pressure and critical initiation angle. During high-pressure water injection, the fracture initiation angle decreases as the ratio between the water pressure in the fracture and the borehole and Biot’s ratio increase. The theoretical model provides a comprehensive understanding of the fracture twist, the mixed-mode fracture propagation feature, and the hydraulic fracturing optimization.
An Improved Ant Colony Algorithm of Robot Path Planning for Obstacle Avoidance
Authors: Wang Hong-Jun , Fu Yong , Zhao Zhuo-Qun , Yue You-Jun
Published: June 2019

The obstacle avoidance in path planning, a hot topic in mobile robot control, has been extensively investigated. The existing ant colony algorithms, however, remain as drawbacks including failing to cope with narrow aisles in working areas, large amount of calculation, etc. To address above technical issues, an improved ant colony algorithm is proposed for path planning. In this paper, a new weighted adjacency matrix is presented to determine the walking direction and the narrow aisles therefore are avoided by redesigning the walking rules. Also, the best ant and the worst ant are introduced for the adjustment of pheromone to facilitate the searching process. The proposed algorithm guarantees that robots are able to find a satisfying path in the presence of narrow aisles. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Perceived Barriers of Child Adoption: A Qualitative Study among Women with Infertility in Northern Ghana
Authors: Nachinab Gilbert Ti-enkawol , Donkor Ernestina S. , Naab Florence
Published: June 2019

Background. Having a child is important among married women in Northern Ghana. Among married women, infertility is the main factor causing childlessness. Child adoption provides an alternative for married women to have children. The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived barriers of child adoption among women with infertility.Methods. The study used an exploratory qualitative approach to understand barriers of child adoption. The study was conducted among 15 women attending fertility clinic in a mission hospital in Northern Ghana. Participants were purposively recruited and data collected by individual face-to-face in-depth interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using content analysis. Data were collected between January and March, 2016, in an office in the hospital.Results. The results suggest that barriers of child adoption include negative reaction of husbands, psychological dissatisfaction, and family dynamics. It was realised that husbands’ reaction includes preference for biological children and marrying of second wives. Child adoption was psychologically dissatisfying to participants with some suggesting that it will make no difference and is a sign of acceptance of defeat in the quest to have biological children. The study findings also suggested that family dynamics that could hinder the practice of child adoption includes high value for blood relations, blaming of the woman, unpredictable family influence, discrimination against the adopted child, and family not allowing the adopted child to inherit property.Conclusion. The preference for biological children is by far an outstanding barrier and a major influence of all the emanating barriers associated with child adoption. There is the need for public education and special counselling session for husbands and other family members on child adoption as an alternative solution for infertility.
Geometrically Nonlinear Analysis of Functionally Graded Timoshenko Curved Beams with Variable Curvatures
Authors: Wan Ze-Qing , Li Shi-Rong , Ma Hong-Wei
Published: June 2019

In this paper, geometrically nonlinear analysis of functionally graded curved beams with variable curvatures based on Timoshenko beam theory is presented. Considering the axial extension and the transversal shear deformation, geometrically nonlinear governing equations for the FGM curved beams with variable curvatures subjected to thermal and mechanical loads are formulated. Material properties of the curved beams are assumed to vary arbitrarily in the thickness direction and be independent on the temperature change. By using the numerical shooting method to solve the coupled ordinary differential equations, the nonlinear response of static thermal bending of a FGM semielliptic beams subjected to transversely nonuniform temperature rise is obtained numerically. The effects of material gradient, shear deformation, and temperature rise on the response of the curved beam are discussed in detail. Nonlinear bending of a closed FGM elliptic structure subjected to two pinching concentrated loads is also analyzed. This paper presents some equilibrium paths and configurations of the elliptic curved beam for different pinching concentrated loads.
Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast in Gastric Cancer Progression and Resistance to Treatments
Authors: Ham In-Hye , Lee Dagyeong , Hur Hoon
Published: June 2019

Although the survival of gastric cancer (GC) patients has gradually improved, the outcomes of advanced GC patients remain unsatisfactory despite standard treatment with conventional chemotherapy or targeted agents. Several studies have shown that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a major component of tumor stroma in GC, may have significant roles in GC progression and resistance to treatments. CAFs are a major source of various secreted molecules in the tumor microenvironment, which stimulate cancer cells and other noncancerous components of GC. Surprisingly, these factors could be involved in gastric carcinogenesis. Cytokines, including interleukin-6 and interleukin-11, or growth factors, such as fibroblast growth factor produced from CAFs, can directly activate GC cells and consequently lead to the development of an aggressive phenotype. Galectin-1 or hepatocyte growth factor can be involved in CAF-derived neovascularization in GC. In addition, recent studies showed that CAFs can affect tumor immunity through M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages. Finally, the current study aimed to introduce several inhibitory agents and evaluate their suppressive effects on CAFs in patients with GC progression. However, further studies are required to evaluate their safety and select appropriate patients for application in clinical settings.
Semianalytical Coupled Model of Transient Pressure Behavior for Horizontal Well with Complex Fracture Networks in Tight Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Zongxiao Ren , Kun Du , Junfeng Shi , Wenqiang Liu , Zhan Qu , Jianping Xu , Qing Xie , Jiaming Zhang , Shibao Yuan
Published: June 2019

Due to a large number of natural fractures in tight oil reservoir, many complex fracture networks are generated during fracturing operation. There are five kinds of flow media in the reservoir: “matrix, natural fracture, hydraulic fracture network, perforation hole, and horizontal wellbore”. How to establish the seepage model of liquid in multiscale medium is a challenging problem. Firstly, this paper establishes the dual medium seepage model based on source function theory, principle of superposition, and Laplace transformation and then uses the “star‐triangle” transform method to establish the transient pressure behavior model in the complex fracture network. After that, perforating seepage model and variable mass flow in horizontal wellbore were established. Finally, continuous condition was used to couple the seepage model of dual medium seepage model, transient pressure behavior model in the complex fracture network, perforation seepage model, and the variable mass seepage model in horizontal wellbore, to establish a semianalytical coupled seepage model for horizontal well in tight reservoir. This paper provides theoretical basis for field application of horizontal well with complex fracture networks.
CAPTCHA as a Visual Performance Metric in Active Macular Disease
Authors: Vangipuram Gautam , Lee Aaron Y. , Rezaei Kasra A. , Olmos De Koo Lisa C. , Chee Yewlin E. , Chao Jennifer R. , Egan Catherine , Lee Cecilia S.
Published: June 2019

Purpose. CAPTCHA (completely automated public turing test to tell computers and humans apart) was designed as a spam prevention test. In patients with visual impairment, completion of this task has been assumed to be difficult; but to date, no study has proven this to be true. As visual function is not well measured by Snellen visual acuity (VA) alone, we theorized that CAPTCHA performance may provide additional information on macular disease-related visual dysfunction. Methods. This was designed as a pilot study. Active disease was defined as the presence of either intraretinal fluid (IRF) or subretinal fluid (SRF) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. CAPTCHA performance was tested using 10 prompts. In addition, near and distance VA, contrast sensitivity, and reading speed were measured. Visual acuity matched pseudophakic patients were used as controls. Primary outcome measures were average edit distance and percent of correct responses. Results. 70 patients were recruited: 33 with active macular disease and 37 control subjects. Contrast sensitivity was found to be significantly different in both the IRF (p<0.01) and SRF groups (p<0.01). No significant difference was found comparing the odds ratio of average edit distance of active disease (IRF, SRF) vs. control (OR 1.09 (0.62, 1.90), 1.10 (0.58, 2.05), p=0.77, 0.77) or percent correct responses of active disease vs. control (OR 0.98 (0.96, 1.01), 1.09 (0.58, 2.05), p=0.22,0.51) in CAPTCHA testing. The goodness of fit using logistic regression analysis for the dependent variables of either IRF or SRF did not improve accounting for average edit distance (p=0.49, p=0.27) or percent correct (p=0.89, p=0.61). Conclusions. Distance VA and contrast sensitivity are positively correlated with the presence of IRF and SRF in active macular disease. CAPTCHA performance did not appear to be a significant predictor of either IRF or SRF in our pilot study.
Visuomotor Behaviour in Amblyopia: Deficits and Compensatory Adaptations
Authors: Niechwiej-Szwedo Ewa , Colpa Linda , Wong Agnes M. F.
Published: June 2019

Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental visual disorder arising from decorrelated binocular experience during the critical periods of development. The hallmark of amblyopia is reduced visual acuity and impairment in binocular vision. The consequences of amblyopia on various sensory and perceptual functions have been studied extensively over the past 50 years. Historically, relatively fewer studies examined the impact of amblyopia on visuomotor behaviours; however, research in this area has flourished over the past 10 years. Therefore, the aim of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge about the effects of amblyopia on eye movements, upper limb reaching and grasping movements, as well as balance and gait. Accumulating evidence indicates that amblyopia is associated with considerable deficits in visuomotor behaviour during amblyopic eye viewing, as well as adaptations in behaviour during binocular and fellow eye viewing in adults and children. Importantly, due to amblyopia heterogeneity, visuomotor development in children and motor skill performance in adults may be significantly influenced by the etiology and clinical features, such as visual acuity and stereoacuity. Studies with larger cohorts of children and adults are needed to disentangle the unique contribution of these clinical characteristics to the development and performance of visuomotor behaviours.
Increased Plant Growth with Hematite Nanoparticle Fertilizer Drop and Determining Nanoparticle Uptake in Plants Using Multimodal Approach
Authors: Boutchuen Armel , Zimmerman Dell , Aich Nirupam , Masud Arvid Mohammad , Arabshahi Abdollah , Palchoudhury Soubantika
Published: June 2019

There is an emerging scientific interest in the use of nanoparticle fertilizers for enhanced agricultural and bioenergy crop production to meet the growing food and energy demands of the world. The objective of designing the nanoparticle fertilizers is to effectively deliver the required nutrients for the plants without adding large quantities of fertilizer to the environment. However, most reports on nanoparticle fertilizers so far, involved the addition of nanoparticles to the hydroponic system or the soil. In this study, we report a new modified seed presoak strategy using a drop of Fe-enriching hematite nanoparticle dispersion to enhance plant growth and production in four different legume species, i.e., chickpea, green gram, black bean, and red bean. The hematite nanoparticle fertilizer drop promoted a 230-830% increase in plant growth with green gram showing the highest increase, based on our prolonged and statistically reliable growth studies. In general, we observed an increase in the survival span of plants, a twofold increase in fruit production per plant, nearly two times faster fruit production, and healthy second-generation plants with the nanoparticle treatment; however, there were slight species-specific variations. We used a novel multimodal material characterization approach combining three techniques, hyperspectral imaging, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), to evaluate the internalization and transport of the nanoparticle fertilizer within the plants. Our results indicated that the hematite nanoparticles were transported through the roots and stems and were localized in the leaves after 10 days of growth in pots of soil. Therefore, the modified seed presoaking method using a drop of hematite nanoparticle will be highly attractive in enhancing plant growth and health, while minimizing environmental impacts.