bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the outcome of goniotomy and trabeculotomy in primary congenital glaucoma
Authors: El Sayed Yasmine , Esmael Amanne , Mettias Nader , El Sanabary Zeinab , Gawdat Ghada
Published: March 2019

Purpose

To study the prognostic factors influencing intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and success rates of paediatric goniotomy and trabeculotomy.

Patients

Data from patients aged ≤12 years who underwent goniotomy or trabeculotomy for primary congenital glaucoma from 2013 to 2016 were reviewed. The analysis included 452 eyes of which 120 eyes of patients with a median age (IQR) of 6 months (4.1–11 months) underwent goniotomy, and 332 eyes of patients with a median age of 5.2 months (2.3–9.3 months) underwent trabeculotomy.

Methods

Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to predict the correlation of preoperative and operative risk factors to the per cent IOP reduction, while multivariate logistic regression was done to determine independent predictors of failure. Failure was defined as a final IOP >18 mm Hg while on medications or the need for another glaucoma procedure.

Results

In the goniotomy group, the median IOP reduction was 19.4% and was positively correlated to a high initial IOP (p≤0.001) while in the trabeculotomy group, it was 36.8% and mostly influenced by preoperative IOP (p≤0.001), corneal clarity (p=0.04), gender (p=0.04) and consanguinity (p=0.03). The failure rate in the goniotomy group was 56% and was influenced by the preoperative cup-to-disc ratio, while in the trabeculotomy group it was 30% and strongly correlated to positive consanguinity (p≤0.001), higher preoperative IOP (p=0.003), female gender (p=0.01) and younger age at surgery (p=0.03).

Conclusion

Several factors can predict the outcome of angle surgery and can help in deciding the appropriate surgical intervention in paediatric glaucoma. Trabeculotomy seems to be superior to goniotomy in primary congenital glaucoma.
Changing stigmatisation of leprosy: an exploratory, qualitative life course study in Western Nigeria
Authors: Ebenso Bassey , Newell James , Emmel Nick , Adeyemi Gbenga , Ola Bola
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Renewed interest in health-related stigma has invigorated calls to understand factors and processes underlying stigma. However, few empirical studies explore the influences of structural discrimination and moral status on leprosy-related stigma. We investigated how sociocultural context and organisational policies and practices influenced the connotations of leprosy, sources of stigma and the changing social responses to leprosy in Western Nigeria.

Methodology

Ethnographic research conducted between 2008 and 2012 combined documents review with life history interviews of 21 individuals affected by leprosy and semistructured interviews with 26 community members in Western Nigeria. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and coded. Theoretical frameworks used to deepen social understandings of leprosy and responses to stigma included Link’s and Phelan’s conceptualisation of stigma and the concepts of structural discrimination and moral status.

Results

Findings showed that connotations of leprosy in Yorùbá culture included the following: (i) perception of leprosy as the most shameful and detested condition and (ii) symbolic association with filth and immoral behaviour that is dishonouring to Yorùbá identity. Secondary analysis of archival materials revealed four sources of stigma: cultural beliefs about leprosy, health promotion messages embedded in primary school books, religious teachings about leprosy and campaigns conducted by the leprosy service in 1950s. Contrary to the portrayal of Yorùbá attitudes to leprosy as entirely negative, we identified that people affected by leprosy were creating new life courses to counter existing cultural accounts of marginalisation. Emerging narratives of inclusion outlined five facilitators of acceptance namely, antileprosy treatment, good moral character, supportive family networks, livelihoods, and contribution to community survival.

Conclusion

Gaps highlighted by this study suggest that the global target of zero stigma and discrimination of leprosy will remain unattainable without better understanding of cultural significance(s) of leprosy and the local sources and underlying drivers of stigma that are crucial for developing context-specific stigma reduction interventions.
Factors influencing subspecialty choice among medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Yahan , Li Jiawei , Wu Xiaohang , Wang Jinghui , Li Wangting , Zhu Yi , Chen Chuan , Lin Haotian
Published: March 2019

Objective

To characterise the contributing factors that affect medical students’ subspecialty choice and to estimate the extent of influence of individual factors on the students’ decision-making process.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

A systematic search of the Cochrane Library, ERIC, Web of Science, CNKI and PubMed databases was conducted for studies published between January 1977 and June 2018. Information concerning study characteristics, influential factors and the extent of their influence (EOI) was extracted independently by two trained investigators. EOI is the percentage level that describes how much each of the factors influenced students’ choice of subspecialty. The recruited medical students include students in medical school, internship, residency training and fellowship, who are about to or have just made a specialty choice. The estimates were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis model due to the between-study heterogeneity.

Results

Data were extracted from 75 studies (882 209 individuals). Overall, the factors influencing medical students’ choice of subspecialty training mainly included academic interests (75.29%), competencies (55.15%), controllable lifestyles or flexible work schedules (53.00%), patient service orientation (50.04%), medical teachers or mentors (46.93%), career opportunities (44.00%), workload or working hours (37.99%), income (34.70%), length of training (32.30%), prestige (31.17%), advice from others (28.24%) and student debt (15.33%), with significant between-study heterogeneity (p<0.0001). Subgroup analyses revealed that the EOI of academic interests was higher in developed countries than that in developing countries (79.66% [95% CI 70.73% to 86.39%] vs 60.41% [95% CI 43.44% to 75.19%]; Q=3.51, p=0.02). The EOI value of prestige was lower in developed countries than that in developing countries (23.96% [95% CI 19.20% to 29.47%] vs 47.65% [95% CI 34.41% to 61.24%]; Q=4.71, p=0.01).

Conclusions

This systematic review and meta-analysis provided a quantitative evaluation of the top 12 influencing factors associated with medical students’ choice of subspecialty. Our findings provide the basis for the development of specific, effective strategies to optimise the distribution of physicians among different departments by modifying these influencing factors.
Lifetime socioeconomic circumstances and chronic pain in later adulthood: findings from a British birth cohort study
Authors: Jay Matthew A , Bendayan Rebecca , Cooper Rachel , Muthuri Stella G
Published: March 2019

Objectives

To investigate associations between a range of different indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP: occupational class, education, household overcrowding and tenure, and experience of financial hardship) across life and chronic widespread and regional pain (CWP and CRP) at age 68.

Design

Prospective birth cohort; the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development.

Setting

England, Scotland and Wales.

Participants

Up to 2378 men and women who have been followed-up since birth in 1946 to age 68.

Primary outcome measures

On the basis of their self-report of pain at age 68, participants were classified as: CWP (American College of Rheumatology criteria), CRP (pain of at least 3 months’ duration but that does not meet the definition of CWP), other pain (<3 months in duration) or no pain.

Results

At age 68, the prevalence of CWP was 13.3% and 7.8% in women and men, respectively, and that of CRP was 32.3% and 28.7% in women and men, respectively. There was no clear evidence that indicators of SEP in childhood or later adulthood were associated with pain. Having experienced (vs not) financial hardship and being a tenant (vs owner-occupier) in earlier adulthood were both associated with an increased risk of CWP; for example, moderate hardship adjusted relative risk ratio (RRRadj) 2.32 (95% CI: 1.19 to 4.52) and most hardship RRRadj4.44 (95% CI: 2.02 to 9.77). Accumulation of financial hardship across earlier and later adulthood was also associated with an increased risk of CWP.

Conclusions

Consideration of socioeconomic factors in earlier adulthood may be important when identifying targets for intervention to prevent CWP in later life.
Perioperative haemodynamic therapy for major gastrointestinal surgery: the effect of a Bayesian approach to interpreting the findings of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Ryan Elizabeth G , Harrison Ewen M , Pearse Rupert M , Gates Simon
Published: March 2019

Objective

The traditional approach of null hypothesis testing dominates the design and analysis of randomised controlled trials. This study aimed to demonstrate how a simple Bayesian analysis could have been used to analyse the Optimisation of Perioperative Cardiovascular Management to Improve Surgical Outcome (OPTIMISE) trial to obtain more clinically interpretable results.

Design, setting, participants and interventions

The OPTIMISE trial was a pragmatic, multicentre, observer-blinded, randomised controlled trial of 734 high-risk patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery in 17 acute care hospitals in the UK. Patients were randomly allocated to a cardiac output-guided haemodynamic therapy algorithm for intravenous fluid and inotropic drug administration during and in the 6 hours following surgery (n=368) or to standard care (n=366). The primary outcome was a binary outcome consisting of a composite of predefined 30-day moderate or major complications and mortality.

Methods

We repeated the primary outcome analysis of the OPTIMISE trial using Bayesian statistical methods to calculate the probability that the intervention was superior, and the probability that a clinically relevant difference existed. We explored the impact of a flat prior and an evidence-based prior on our analyses.

Results

Although OPTIMISE was not powered to detect a statistically significant difference between the treatment arms for the observed effect size (relative risk=0.84, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.01; p=0.07), by using Bayesian analyses we were able to demonstrate that there was a 96.9% (flat prior) to 99.5% (evidence-based prior) probability that the intervention was superior to the control.

Conclusions

The use of a Bayesian analytical approach provided a different interpretation of the findings of the OPTIMISE trial (compared with the original frequentist analysis), and suggested patient benefit from the intervention. Incorporation of information from previous studies provided further evidence of a benefit from the intervention. Bayesian analyses can produce results that are more easily interpretable and relevant to clinicians and policy-makers.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN04386758; Post-results.
Performance of commercial tests for molecular detection of Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC): a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Tarr Gillian A M , Lin Chu Yang , Lorenzetti Diane , Chui Linda , Tarr Phillip I , Hartling Lisa , Vandermeer Ben , Freedman Stephen B
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Rapid detection of Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC) enables appropriate treatment. Numerous commercially available molecular tests exist, but they vary in clinical performance. This systematic review aims to synthesise available evidence to compare the clinical performance of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for the detection of STEC.

Methods and analysis

The following databases will be searched employing a standardised search strategy: Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Grey literature will be searched under advice from a medical librarian. Independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts and full texts of retrieved studies for relevant studies. Data will be extracted independently by two reviewers, using a piloted template. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 will be employed to assess the risk of bias of individual studies, and the quality of evidence will be assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. A bivariate random-effects model will be used to meta-analyse the sensitivity and specificity of commercial STEC diagnostic tests, and a hierarchical summary receiver operator characteristic curve will be constructed. Studies of single test accuracy of EIA and NAATs and studies of comparative accuracy will be analysed separately.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was not required for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Findings will be disseminated in conferences, through a peer-reviewed journal and via personal interactions with relevant stakeholders.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018099119.
Gait worsening and the microlesion effect following deep brain stimulation for essential tremor
Authors: Roemmich Ryan , Roper Jaimie A , Eisinger Robert S , Cagle Jackson N , Maine Lauren , Deeb Wissam , Wagle Shukla Aparna , Hess Christopher W , Gunduz Aysegul , Foote Kelly D , Okun Michael S , Hass Chris J
Published: March 2019

Objective

To investigate the effects of unilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on walking in persons with medication-refractory essential tremor (ET).

Methods

We performed laboratory-based gait analyses on 24 persons with medication-refractory ET before and after unilateral thalamic DBS implantation. Normal and tandem walking parameters were analysed across sessions (PRE-DBS/DBS OFF/DBS ON) by repeated measures analyses of variance. Pearson’s correlations assessed whether changes in walking after DBS were global (ie, related across gait parameters). Baseline characteristics, lead locations and stimulation parameters were analysed as possible contributors to gait effects.

Results

DBS minimally affected gait at the cohort level. However, 25% of participants experienced clinically meaningful gait worsening. Walking speed decreased by >30% in two participants and by >10% in four others. Decreased walking speed correlated with increased gait variability, indicating global gait worsening in affected participants. The worsening persisted even after the stimulation was turned off. Participants with worse baseline tandem walking performance may be more likely to experience post-DBS gait worsening; the percentage of tandem missteps at baseline was nearly three times higher and tandem walking speeds were approximately 30% slower in participants who experienced gait worsening. However, these differences in tandem walking in persons with gait worsening as compared with those without worsening were not statistically significant. Lead locations and stimulation parameters were similar in participants with and without gait worsening.

Conclusion

Global gait worsening occurred in 25% of participants with unilateral DBS for medication-refractory ET. The effect was present on and off stimulation, likely indicating a microlesion effect.
Comparison of the clinical and genetic features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis across Cuban, Uruguayan and Irish clinic-based populations
Authors: Ryan Marie , Zaldívar Vaillant Tatiana , McLaughlin Russell L , Doherty Mark A , Rooney James , Heverin Mark , Gutierrez Joel , Lara-Fernández Gloria Esther , Pita Rodríguez Mariana , Hackembruch Jochen , Perna Abayubá , Vazquez Maria Cristina , Musio Marco , Ketzoian Carlos N , Logroscino Giancarlo , Hardiman Orla
Published: March 2019

Objectives

This study compares the clinical characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) within three clinic-based populations from Cuba, Uruguay and Ireland and determines the impact of known ALS-associated genetic variants on phenotypic manifestations within the Cuban population.

Methods

Demographic and clinical information was collected on 115 Cuban, 220 Uruguayan and 1038 Irish patients with ALS attending national specialist clinics through 1996–2017. All Cuban patients and 676 Irish patients underwent next-generation DNA sequencing and were screened for the pathogenic C9orf72 repeat expansion.

Results

The mean age of onset was younger in the Cuban (53.0 years, 95% CI 50.4 to 55.6) and Uruguayan (58.2 years, 95% CI 56.5 to 60.0) populations compared with the Irish population (61.6 years, 95% CI 60.9 to 62.4). No differences in survival between populations were observed. 1.7 % (95% CI 0.6 to 4.1) of Cubans with ALS carried the C9orf72 repeat expansion compared with 9.9% (95% CI 7.8 to 12.0) of Irish patients with ALS (p=0.004). Other known variants identified in the Cuban population included ANG (one patient), CHCHD10 (one patient) and DCTN1 (three patients).

Conclusions and relevance

This study is the first to describe the clinical characteristics of ALS in Cuban and Uruguayan populations and report differences between the Cuban and Irish genetic signature in terms of known ALS-associated genetic variants. These novel clinical and genetic data add to our understanding of ALS across different and understudied populations.
Helicopter versus ground ambulance: review of national database for outcomes in survival in transferred trauma patients in the USA
Authors: Michaels David , Pham Hannah , Puckett Yana , Dissanaike Sharmila
Published: March 2019

Background

Trauma care has improved substantially in the last decade. The emphasis of the Golden Hour in trauma care has encouraged the creation of faster transport and earlier prehospital intervention. Despite the clear time-saving advantage helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) held over ground ambulances (GAs) in the past, advances in prehospital care over the last decade have created uncertainty as to whether HEMS transport is still associated with improved patient outcomes. We aimed to determine whether air transportation was associated with better outcomes compared with ground transportation. We hypothesized that air transportation is associated with better patient outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed on the National Trauma Data Bank in 2014 on patients transferred either by helicopter or ground ambulance. Demographic information, mean length of stay, mean ventilator days, and mortality rate was abstracted. All transferred patients and patients with missing information were excluded. χ2test was performed to analyze categorical variables and independent t-test was performed to analyze continuous variables. A logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects of Glasgow Coma Scale score, mechanism of injury (blunt vs penetrating), age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and method of transportation (HEMS vs GA) on the likelihood of mortality.

Results

A total of 469 407 transferred trauma patients were analyzed. Mortality appeared to be increased in trauma patients transported by helicopter ambulance (6.0%) versus GA (2.9%) (p<0.001). However, after adjusting for age, ISS, and gender, trauma patients who were transferred by helicopter were 57.0% less likely to die than those transferred by GA (95% CI 0.41 to 0.44, p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrate that despite improvements in trauma care, patients have improved survival if transported by helicopter ambulance.

Level of evidence and study type

Level IV; Therapeutic/Care Management.
High-mountain altitudinal gradient influences thermal ecology of the Mesquite Lizard (Sceloporus grammicus)
Authors: Díaz de la Vega-Pérez A.H. , Barrios-Montiel R. , Jiménez-Arcos V.H. , Bautista A. , Bastiaans E.
Published: March 2019

The thermal requirements of ectotherms may vary among species due to adaptation to different thermal environments. Nevertheless, some of these requirements are evolutionarily conserved, leading organisms to compensate behaviorally for harsh environmental conditions. High-mountain systems provide temperature gradients that allow for studies of evolutionary and plastic variation in thermal ecology under natural conditions. We evaluated the thermoregulation strategies of Sceloporus grammicus Wiegmann, 1828 at three points (2600, 3100, and 4150 m above sea level) along an altitudinal gradient. We found that the thermal quality of the site and the body temperatures of lizards are influenced by altitude and decrease with increasing elevation. However, lizards from the three different elevations have similar thermal requirements. High-altitude lizards have lower thermal accuracy and efficiency indices compared with those from the lower sites, owing to the low thermal quality of their environment. Nevertheless, they are efficient in thermoregulation, increasing their body temperature above the ambient temperature. We found that pregnant females from all three elevations had similar preferred body temperatures. Compared with nonpregnant females and males, they exhibited lower preferred temperatures and more accurate thermoregulation. The wide altitudinal distribution of S. grammicus is thus not caused by variable thermal requirements. Instead, the wide repertoire of physiological and behavioral strategies of these lizards allows this species to successfully inhabit contrasting environments.
A (2+1)-dimensional shallow water equation and its explicit lump solutions
Authors: Manukure Solomon , Zhou Yuan
Published: March 2019

We introduce a new (2+1)-dimensional equation by modifying the potential form of the Calogero–Bogoyavlenskii–Schiff (CBS) equation. By applying the Hirota bilinear method, we construct explicit lump solutions to this new equation and establish necessary and sufficient conditions that guarantee that the solutions are analytic and rationally localized in all directions in space. We also depict the evolution of the profiles of some selected lump solutions with three-dimensional and contour plots. It is immediately observed that the lump solutions generated are solitary wave type solutions as is the case with the KP equation.
Linked cluster theory in the spin polaron problem
Authors: Pelayo J. C. , Yanga D. M.
Published: March 2019

The Linked Cluster Theory in the spin polaron formulation is investigated in this paper using the finite temperature (Matsubara) Green’s function method. We use a representation where holes and spins are described as spinless fermions and normal bosons, respectively. An analytic expression of the thermodynamic potential of high-temperature superconductors in the superconducting state was obtained using the Linked Cluster theory and an expression for its normal state by setting the energy gap to zero. The expression of the thermodynamic potential enabled us to calculate two bulk thermodynamic properties of high-temperature superconductors, entropy and specific heat, both in the normal and superconducting states.
Pareto Optimality on Compact Spaces in a Preference-Based Setting under Incompleteness
Authors: Bevilacqua Paolo , Bosi Gianni , Kaucic Massimiliano , Zuanon Magalì
Published: March 2019

We characterize the existence of Pareto optimal elements for a family of not necessarily total preorders on a compact topological space. We identify a rather general semi-continuity assumption, called weak upper semicontinuity, under which there exist Pareto optimal elements. We also show that weak upper semicontinuity of each individual preorder is a necessary and sufficient condition for determining the Pareto optimal elements by solving the classical multi-objective optimization problem in case that each function is upper semicontinuous and order-preserving for the respective preorder, and each preorder satisfies a condition of weak separability.
The Semigroup of Surjective Transformations on an Infinite Set
Authors: Konieczny Janusz
Published: March 2019

For an infinite set X, denote by Ω(X) the semigroup of all surjective mappings from X to X. We determine Green’s relations in Ω(X), show that the kernel (unique minimum ideal) of Ω(X) exists and determine its elements and cardinality. For a countably infinite set X, we describe the elements of Ω(X) for which the 𝒟-class and 𝒥-class coincide. We compare the results for Ω(X) with the corresponding results for other transformation semigroups on X.
Embedding Theorems for L-Algebras and Anti-commutative Algebras
Authors: Mo Qiuhui
Published: March 2019

Bokut, Chen and Huang proved that every countably generated L-algebra over a countable field can be embedded into a simple two-generated L-algebra. In this paper, we prove that every countably generated L-algebra can be embedded into a simple two-generated L-algebra. We also prove that every anti-commutative algebra can be embedded into a simple anti-commutative algebra, and that every countably generated anti-commutative algebra can be embedded into a simple two-generated anti-commutative algebra. Finally, we prove that every anti-commutative algebra can be embedded into its universal enveloping non-associative algebra.
Reduction of Ideals Relative to an Artinian Module and the Dual of Burch’s Inequality
Authors: Cheraghi Fatemeh , Mafi Amir
Published: March 2019

Let (A, 𝔪) be a commutative quasi-local ring with non-zero identity and M be an Artinian A-module with dim M = d. If I is an ideal of A with ℓ(0 :M I) < ∞, then we show that for a minimal reduction J of I, (0 :M JI) = (0 :M I2) if and only if [Formula: see text] for all n ≥ 0. Moreover, we study the dual of Burch’s inequality. In particular, the Burch’s inequality becomes an equality if G(I, M) is co-Cohen-Macaulay.
Compressive air trapping in asthma: effects of age, sex, and severity
Authors: Sorkness Ronald L. , Kienert Casey , O’Brien Matthew J. , Fain Sean B. , Jarjour Nizar N.
Published: March 2019

Air trapping due to airway closure has been associated with unstable asthma. In addition to airway closure that occurs at lower lung volumes during slow expiration, there may be further closure during a forced expiration because of airway compression. The purpose of this study was to define a reference range from a nonasthmatic population and investigate the characteristics of compressive air trapping in asthma. Spirometry and plethysmography were performed in 117 nonasthmatic subjects (ages 18–87 yr) and 153 asthma subjects (ages 12–72 yr). Air trapping was assessed as residual lung volume and the ratio of forced expiratory vital capacity (FVC) to slow inspiratory vital capacity (iVC) (FVC/iVC). There were no significant age or sex effects on the FVC/iVC ratio in the nonasthmatic subjects, and a fifth percentile lower limit of normal (LLN) of 0.93 was computed. An FVC/iVC ratio less than LLN defined compressive air trapping. Asthma subjects exhibited an age-related decline in the FVC/iVC ratio of 0.0027 per year ( P < 0.0001) in a mixed effects model, with additional decreases associated with severe asthma and male sex. FVC/iVC ratios< LLN were infrequent in subjects <30 yr but evident in most asthma subjects >50 yr. Lung residual volumes followed similar patterns of greater elevations in subjects with severe asthma, older age, and male sex. Compressive air trapping occurs frequently in older asthmatics, appearing to be a feature of the natural history of asthma that is greater in severe asthma and men. This component of premature airway closure affects spirometric assessment of airway function and may contribute to asthma symptoms during physical exertion.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Premature airway closure during exhalation is a component of airway obstruction that is associated with asthma severity and instability. Compressive air trapping is airway closure that is more extensive during a forced exhalation than with a slow, passive exhalation. We report that compressive air trapping occurs in most people > 50 yr with asthma, affects men more than women, and persists after bronchodilator treatment. This component of obstruction appears to be part of the natural history of asthma.
IOV Privacy Protection System Based on Double-Layered Chains
Authors: Chen Yin Ru , Sha Jin Rui , Zhou Zhi Hong
Published: March 2019

As the Internet of Vehicle (IOV) being widely applied throughout our daily life, how to secure data privacy of each vehicle is nowadays a hot topic. Taking an aim of solving this problem, a privacy protection system on double-layered chain basis is designed to eliminate the said security risk during vehicle data communication. At the same time, the nontampering nature of the block chain is used to realize reasonable arbitration in traffic accident disputes, vehicle insurance claims, and other states of affairs. Specifically, an IOV double-layered chain model is constructed to simulate a semicentralized system that is convenient for government to supervise; also, a RSA protocol based on zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) is designed to bring safety and zero-knowledge property to the system; finally, we give the application scenario of this IOV privacy protection system based on double-layered chain that it can be widely used in vehicle-sharing industry. The communication costs, respectively, under double-layered chain and single-layered chain frameworks, are compared to prove that the double-layered structure does save cost. Thus an IOV privacy scheme that is safer and more cost-efficient is given.
Effect of Herb-Partitioned Moxibustion on Autophagy and Immune-Associated Gene Expression Profiles in a Rat Model of Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Zhao Ji-meng , Liu Ya-nan , Zheng Han-dan , Huang Yan , Qi Qin , Liu Hui-rong , Shi Yin , Ma Xiao-peng , Lu Yuan , Wu Lu-yi
Published: March 2019

Objective. To investigate the immune regulation mechanism of herb-partitioned moxibustion in rats with Crohn’s disease (CD) focusing on autophagy. Methods. Rats were randomly divided into normal (N) group, CD model (M) group, CD model with herb-partitioned moxibustion (MM) group, normal with herb-partitioned moxibustion (NM) group, CD model with mesalazine (western medicine, Med ) group, and normal saline (NS) group, with 10 rats in each group. The CD model rats were prepared by trinitrobenzene sulphonic expect for the N group and NM group. After the CD rats model were established, the rats in the MM and NM groups were treated with herb-partitioned moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25) and Qihai (CV6) acupoints once daily for 7 days, and rats in the Med and NS groups were respectively treated with mesalazine enteric coated tablet and normal saline once daily for 7 days. After intervention, hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histological changes of colon; RNA sequencing was used to observe the changes in autophagy- and immune-associated gene expression profiles. In addition, autophagy- and immune-associated cytokines and signaling pathways in CD rats were also screened. Results. HPM significantly increased the body weight of CD rats (P<0.01) and improved the pathological injury of colon in CD rats (P<0.01). HPM also changed the expression of many autophagy- and immune-associated genes, especially downregulating the expression of autophagy-associated Nod2, Irgm genes as well as the receptor of immune-associated Il12b, Il22 (Il12rb1, Il22ra2) genes in the colon of CD rats. HPM also changed the enrichment levels of differentially expressed genes in the human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 infection pathway, the Epstein-Barr virus infection pathway, and the cell adhesion molecule pathway. In addition, the expression levels of Nod2, Irgm, IL-12b, and IL-22 mRNA were increased (all P< 0.01) in the M group compared to the N group, while the expression levels of Nod2, Irgm, IL-12b, and IL-22 mRNA were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in the MM and Med groups compared to the M group. Conclusion. Herb-partitioned moxibustion may effectively attenuate intestinal inflammation and promote the repair of colon mucosal injury of CD rats through the regulation of autophagy- and immune-associated gene expression and signaling pathways.
The Study of Identification Method for Dynamic Behavior of High‐Dimensional Nonlinear System
Authors: Fang Pan , Dai Liming , Hou Yongjun , Du Mingjun , Luyou Wang
Published: March 2019

The dynamic behavior of nonlinear systems can be concluded as chaos, periodicity, and the motion between chaos and periodicity; therefore, the key to study the nonlinear system is identifying dynamic behavior considering the different values of the system parameters. For the uncertainty of high‐dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems, the methods for identifying the dynamics of nonlinear nonautonomous and autonomous systems are treated. In addition, the numerical methods are employed to determine the dynamic behavior and periodicity ratio of a typical hull system and Rössler dynamic system, respectively. The research findings will develop the evaluation method of dynamic characteristics for the high‐dimensional nonlinear system.
A New UPLC-MS/MS Method Validated for Quantification of Jervine in Rat Plasma and the Study of Its Pharmacokinetics in Rats
Authors: Chen Lianguo , Weng Qinghua , Ma Jianshe
Published: March 2019

The aim of this study was to develop an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to assess the concentration of jervine in rat plasma and its pharmacokinetics. Diazepam was used as internal standard (IS). The chromatographic separation of jervine and IS was carried out on an UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) with a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. A mixture of acetonitrile and water (0.1% formic acid) was used as a mobile phase. The UPLC-MS/MS was equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI), adopting multiple reactive monitoring mode to determine jervine in rat plasma. The retention times of jervine and the internal standard were 1.71 and 2.13 min, respectively. The calibration curve of jervine ranged between 1 and 1000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 1 ng/mL, and the lower limit of determination (LLOD) was 0.2 ng/mL. The accuracy was ±6%; the interday precision and intraday precision were no more than 9%. The recovery was higher than 90.3%, and the matrix effect was lower than 10%. The UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully developed and used for the application of the pharmacokinetic study. The primary pharmacokinetic parameters of jervine in this study were as follows: the AUC(0–∞) was 969.3 ± 277.7 ng/mL·h, the Cmax was 506.6 ± 192.8 ng/mL, the CL/F was 1.7 ± 0.5 L/h/kg, and the t1/2 was 3.4 ± 1.2 h.
Accumulation Mechanism of Marine Shale Gas Reservoir in Anticlines: A Case Study of the Southern Sichuan Basin and Xiuwu Basin in the Yangtze Region
Authors: Zhang Kun , Song Yan , Jiang Shu , Jiang Zhenxue , Jia Chengzao , Huang Yizhou , Wen Ming , Liu Weiwei , Wang Pengfei , Li Xin , Liu Tianlin , Xie Xuelian , Shan Chang’an , Liu Xiaoxue , Wang Xin
Published: March 2019

The study of tectonics is one of the important aspects of shale gas preservation. It is vital for understanding how to determine the enrichment regularity of marine shale gas in anticlines. This paper focuses on typical shale blocks in the southern Sichuan Basin and shale in the Upper Ordovician and the Lower Silurian. In this study, triaxial unloading tests, permeability tests perpendicular and parallel to the stratification plane, FIB-HIM tests, and inclusion analyses are carried out with real drilling data. The enrichment regularity of marine shale gas in anticlines is studied by considering 2 aspects: the angle of the limbs and the burial depth. For anticlines with adjacent synclines, the migration regularity of shale gas is considered by 3 aspects: the dynamics, channels, and processes of migration. This study reveals that a limb angle greater than 120° reflects relatively good conditions for shale gas preservation, while limb angles lesser than 70° indicate relatively poor conditions. This study also suggests that during the process of uplift, large-scale concentrated fractures will form at a certain depth range and horizontal stress field, resulting in the large loss of shale gas. The regression equation of the fractured depth (H) and the horizontal stress (S) is presented as H=15.404S−754.41 (with a correlation coefficient R2=0.6834). The stratification plane and the organic pores form the migration channel of natural gas that is horizontal to the stratification plane in shale. Under the condition of both anticlines and contiguous synclines, shale gas escapes through fractures resulting from extrusion along the anticline and the uplift effect. In addition, driven by differences in the formation pressure coefficients, shale gas is capable of migrating in a short-distance stair-type style from synclines to the adjacent anticlines. Thus, if the drilling costs allow, the well locations should be placed in the more deeply buried synclines.
Novel Use of Household Items in Open and Robotic Surgical Skills Resident Education
Authors: Rowley Keri , Pruthi Deepak , Al-Bayati Osamah , Basler Joseph , Liss Michael A.
Published: March 2019

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of surgical simulators created using household items and to determine their potential role in surgical skills training. Methods. Ten urology residents attended a surgical skills workshop and practiced using surgical simulators and models. These included a wound closure model, an open prostatectomy model, a delicate tissue simulation, a knot-tying station, and a laparoscopic simulator. After the workshop, the residents completed a 5-point Likert questionnaire. Primary outcome was face validity of the models. Secondary outcomes included usefulness as a training tool and ability to replicate the models. Results. All models were easily created and successfully represented the surgical task being simulated. Residents evaluated the activities as being useful for training purposes overall. They also felt confident that they could recreate the simulators. Conclusion. Low-fidelity training models can be used to improve surgical skills at a reasonable cost. The models will require further evaluation to determine construct validity and to determine how the improvements translate to OR performance. While high-fidelity simulators may continue to be utilized in formal surgical training, residents should be encouraged to supplement their training with innovative homemade models.
A Generalization of the Cauchy‐Schwarz Inequality and Its Application to Stability Analysis of Nonlinear Impulsive Control Systems
Authors: Peng Yang , Wu Jiang , Zou Limin , Feng Yuming , Tu Zhengwen
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we first present a generalization of the Cauchy‐Schwarz inequality. As an application of our result, we obtain a new sufficient condition for the stability of a class of nonlinear impulsive control systems. We end up this note with a numerical example which shows the effectiveness of our method.
Development and Validation of an HPLC Method for Simultaneous Assay of Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate and Sodium Benzoate in Pediatric Oral Powder
Authors: Le Thi Huong Hoa , Phung Thi Hong , Le Dinh Chi
Published: March 2019

A novel HPLC method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of potassium guaiacolsulfonate and sodium benzoate in pediatric oral powder. In this method, an analytical C8 column maintained at 25°C was used for chromatographic separation with a mixture of methanol and 0.02 M solution of tetrabutylammonium sulfate as the mobile phase. The composition of mobile phase was varied using a gradient program including an initial hold time of 7 minutes with methanol content maintained at 20% (v/v), followed by a linear gradient in 5.5 minutes in which methanol content was increased from 20% (v/v) to 50% (v/v) and a final hold time of 2.5 minutes with methanol content maintained at 20% (v/v). The total flow rate of mobile phase was maintained at 1.0 mL per minute. The UV detection was performed at 280 nm. Injection volume was set at 20 µl. The method was fully validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and robustness according to requirements of current guidelines and was proved as reliable and suitable for the intended application.
Predecessors Existence Problems and Gardens of Eden in Sequential Dynamical Systems
Authors: Aledo Juan A. , Diaz Luis G. , Martinez Silvia , Valverde Jose C.
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we deal with one of the main computational questions in network models: the predecessor‐existence problems. In particular, we solve algebraically such problems in sequential dynamical systems on maxterm and minterm Boolean functions. We also provide a description of the Garden‐of‐Eden configurations of any system, giving the best upper bound for the number of Garden‐of‐Eden points.
Effect of Zinc Borate on Flammability of PET Woven Fabrics
Authors: Üreyen Mustafa E. , Kaynak Elif
Published: March 2019

Zinc borate (ZnB) has been used as a flame retardant, a smoke suppressant, and an antitracking agent in several applications. It may show synergistic effects with antimony oxide and metal hydroxides in fire retardant systems. In this work, the effect of ZnB on the flame retardancy of PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)) woven fabrics was investigated. In order to provide the homogenous application of ZnB to the fabrics, the particle size of ZnB powders was reduced from 9 μm to submicron scale by wet-milling with zirconia balls followed by high shear fluid processing. ZnB dispersion was mixed with low-formaldehyde melamine resin based cross-linking agent and it was applied to PET fabrics by pad dry cure method. ZnB dispersion was then added in different ratios to alkyl phosphonate and organophosphorus compound based commercial flame retardant finishing agents and applied to the fabrics. The effect of zinc borate with phosphorus based flame retardant (FR) finishing agents was examined by cone calorimetry under a heat flux of 35 kW/m2, vertical flame test, and limit oxygen index. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed up to 800°C under N2flow. Test results show that zinc borate can be combined with the organophosphorus based commercial FR finishing agents. Zinc borate could not improve the flammability properties of PET fabrics significantly but decreased mean CO, total smoke release, and total smoke production values.
Incorporating a Bayesian Network into Two-Stage Stochastic Programming for Blood Bank Location-Inventory Problem in Case of Disasters
Authors: Chen Shutong , Wang Changjun
Published: March 2019

This paper is concerned with the optimal decisions of blood banks in a blood logistics network (BLN) with the consideration of natural disasters. One of the biggest challenges is how to deal with unexpected disasters. Our idea is to consider the disasters as the natural consequences of interaction among multiple interdependent uncertain factors, such as the locations and the levels of disasters, the number of casualties, and the availabilities of rescue facilities, which work together to influence the rescue effects of the BLN. Thus, taking earthquakes as the example, a Bayesian Network is proposed to describe such uncertainties and interdependences and, then, we incorporate it into a dedicated two-stage multi-period stochastic programming model for the BLN. The planning stage in the model focuses on blood bank location and inventory decisions. The subsequent operational stage is composed of multiple periods, some of which may suffer disasters and initiate corresponding rescue operations. Numerical tests show that the proposed approach can be efficiently applied in blood management under the complicated disaster scenarios.
Characterization of Pr-Doped LaF3 Nanoparticles Synthesized by Different Variations of Coprecipitation Method
Authors: Pudovkin M. S. , Koryakovtseva D. A. , Lukinova E. V. , Korableva S. L. , Khusnutdinova R. Sh. , Kiiamov A. G. , Nizamutdinov A. S. , Semashko V. V.
Published: March 2019

A set of Pr3+:LaF3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via coprecipitation method at three stoichiometric proportions of La(NO3)3, Pr(NO3)3, and NaF (1 : 0.8, 1 : 1, and 1 : 6, respectively). Two ways of mixing of the La(NO3)3, Pr(NO3)3, and NaF solutions (dropwise and swift addition) were used. One sample was subjected to microwave (MW) treatment for 30, 90, and 180 min. All the samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For all the samples, optical spectroscopy experiments were carried out. The XRD data were analyzed via the Debye-Scherrer and Williamson-Hall methods. It was revealed that the way of mixing of the La(NO3)3, Pr(NO3)3, and NaF solutions strongly affects the shape of the NPs. The slow dropwise addition of the NaF solution leads to the plate-like NP (PLNP) formation; otherwise, the swift addition of the NaF solution leads to the formation of more sphere-like NPs (SLNPs). The size and regularity in shape of the NP increase with the increasing stoichiometric proportion of La(NO3)3, Pr(NO3)3, and NaF from 1 : 0.8 to 1 : 6. The size and regularity in shape of the SLNPs increase with the increasing time of MW treatment. The Debye-Scherrer and Williamson-Hall methods confirmed the anisotropic shape of the PLNPs. The Williamson-Hall method showed that the values of strain are almost similar for all the samples (around 14∗10-4). Optical spectroscopy experiments revealed that although all the samples have an equal chemical composition, the luminescence lifetimes for different samples differ between each other. The luminescence lifetime of the PLNPs is less than that of the SLNPs having an equal stoichiometric proportion of La(NO3)3, Pr(NO3)3, and NaF. The luminescence lifetime of the 1 : 1 SLNPs increases with the increasing time of MW treatment.
Force-Fracture Characteristics of the Roof above Goaf in a Steep Coal Seam: A Case Study of Xintie Coal Mine
Authors: Tu Hong-sheng , Tu Shi-hao , Zhu De-fu , Hao Ding-yi , Miao Kai-jun
Published: March 2019

After coal is extracted from a working face in a steep coal seam (SCS), the immediate roof tends to cave in and refill the lower part of the goaf. Based on the geological conditions of a work area in a SCS and the characteristics of roof caving, this study proposed a formula for the width of the backfill in the goaf and analyzed the main factors influencing it. Based on the small-deflection theory for elastic thin plates, a working face model was created for the mechanical analysis of the main roof above a SCS before the roof fractures for the first time. Then, a roof deflection equation was derived for the estimation roof deformation under the action of both the load from overlying strata and the support provided by the backfill in the goaf. The theoretical analysis combined with the actual operational parameters at the Zuoqipian working face in #49 seam of Xintie Coal Mine shows that the maximum roof deflection is around 0.8 m and occurs at a location 39 m from the upper end of the working face. Fractures will first develop in the upper sections of the frontal and rear walls of the face and the middle of the upper suspended roof due to tension or shearing and ultimately form an E-shaped pattern. The measured support pressure and the roof deformation obtained by theoretical analysis show a similar distribution pattern, indirectly confirming the accuracy of the theoretical results.