bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Survey on Chip to System Reverse Engineering
Authors: Quadir Shahed E. , Chen Junlin , Forte Domenic , Asadizanjani Navid , Shahbazmohamadi Sina , Wang Lei , Chandy John , Tehranipoor Mark
Published: April 2016

The reverse engineering (RE) of electronic chips and systems can be used with honest and dishonest intentions. To inhibit RE for those with dishonest intentions (e.g., piracy and counterfeiting), it is important that the community is aware of the state-of-the-art capabilities available to attackers today. In this article, we will be presenting a survey of RE and anti-RE techniques on the chip, board, and system levels. We also highlight the current challenges and limitations of anti-RE and the research needed to overcome them. This survey should be of interest to both governmental and industrial bodies whose critical systems and intellectual property (IP) require protection from foreign enemies and counterfeiters who possess advanced RE capabilities.
Beat Frequency Detector--Based High-Speed True Random Number Generators
Authors: Lao Yingjie , Tang Qianying , Kim Chris H. , Parhi Keshab K.
Published: April 2016

True random number generators (TRNGs) are crucial components for the security of cryptographic systems. In contrast to pseudo--random number generators (PRNGs), TRNGs provide higher security by extracting randomness from physical phenomena. To evaluate a TRNG, statistical properties of the circuit model and raw bitstream should be studied. In this article, a model for the beat frequency detector--based high-speed TRNG (BFD-TRNG) is proposed. The parameters of the model are extracted from the experimental data of a test chip. A statistical analysis of the proposed model is carried out to derive mean and variance of the counter values of the TRNG. Our statistical analysis results show that mean of the counter values is inversely proportional to the frequency difference of the two ring oscillators (ROSCs), whereas the dynamic range of the counter values increases linearly with standard deviation of environmental noise and decreases with increase of the frequency difference. Without the measurements from the test data, a model cannot be created; similarly, without a model, performance of a TRNG cannot be predicted. The key contribution of the proposed approach lies in fitting the model to measured data and the ability to use the model to predict performance of BFD-TRNGs that have not been fabricated. Several novel alternate BFD-TRNG architectures are also proposed; these include parallel BFD, cascade BFD, and parallel-cascade BFD. These TRNGs are analyzed using the proposed model, and it is shown that the parallel BFD structure requires less area per bit, whereas the cascade BFD structure has a larger dynamic range while maintaining the same mean of the counter values as the original BFD-TRNG. It is shown that 3.25
M
and 4
M
random bits can be obtained per counter value from parallel BFD and parallel-cascade BFD, respectively, where
M
counter values are computed in parallel. Furthermore, the statistical analysis results illustrate that BFD-TRNGs have better randomness and less cost per bit than other existing ROSC-TRNG designs. For example, it is shown that BFD-TRNGs accumulate 150% more jitter than the original two-oscillator TRNG and that parallel BFD-TRNGs require one-third power and one-half area for same number of random bits for a specified period.
Imbalanced Rab3D versus Rab27 increases cathepsin S secretion from lacrimal acini in a mouse model of Sjögren's Syndrome
Authors: Meng Zhen , Edman Maria C. , Hsueh Pang-Yu , Chen Chiao-Yu , Klinngam Wannita , Tolmachova Tanya , Okamoto Curtis T. , Hamm-Alvarez Sarah F.
Published: April 2016

The mechanism responsible for the altered spectrum of tear proteins secreted by lacrimal gland acinar cells (LGAC) in patients with Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) remains unknown. We have previously identified increased cathepsin S (CTSS) activity as a unique characteristic of tears of patients with SS. Here, we investigated the role of Rab3D, Rab27a, and Rab27b proteins in the enhanced release of CTSS from LGAC. Similar to patients with SS and to the male nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of SS, CTSS activity was elevated in tears of mice lacking Rab3D. Findings of lower gene expression and altered localization of Rab3D in NOD LGAC reinforce a role for Rab3D in suppressing excess CTSS release under physiological conditions. However, CTSS activity was significantly reduced in tears of mice lacking Rab27 isoforms. The reliance of CTSS secretion on Rab27 activity was supported by in vitro findings that newly synthesized CTSS was detected in and secreted from Rab27-enriched secretory vesicles and that expression of dominant negative Rab27b reduced carbachol-stimulated secretion of CTSS in cultured LGAC. High-resolution 3D-structured illumination microscopy revealed microdomains of Rab3D and Rab27 isoforms on the same secretory vesicles but present in different proportions on different vesicles, suggesting that changes in their relative association with secretory vesicles may tailor the vesicle contents. We propose that a loss of Rab3D from secretory vesicles, leading to disproportionate Rab27-to-Rab3D activity, may contribute to the enhanced release of CTSS in tears of patients with SS.
Strategies for targeting primate neural circuits with viral vectors
Authors: El-Shamayleh Yasmine , Ni Amy M. , Horwitz Gregory D.
Published: April 2016

Understanding how the brain works requires understanding how different types of neurons contribute to circuit function and organism behavior. Progress on this front has been accelerated by optogenetics and chemogenetics, which provide an unprecedented level of control over distinct neuronal types in small animals. In primates, however, targeting specific types of neurons with these tools remains challenging. In this review, we discuss existing and emerging strategies for directing genetic manipulations to targeted neurons in the adult primate central nervous system. We review the literature on viral vectors for gene delivery to neurons, focusing on adeno-associated viral vectors and lentiviral vectors, their tropism for different cell types, and prospects for new variants with improved efficacy and selectivity. We discuss two projection targeting approaches for probing neural circuits: anterograde projection targeting and retrograde transport of viral vectors. We conclude with an analysis of cell type-specific promoters and other nucleotide sequences that can be used in viral vectors to target neuronal types at the transcriptional level.
Microstimulation of the lumbar DRG recruits primary afferent neurons in localized regions of lower limb
Authors: Ayers Christopher A. , Fisher Lee E. , Gaunt Robert A. , Weber Douglas J.
Published: April 2016

Patterned microstimulation of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) has been proposed as a method for delivering tactile and proprioceptive feedback to amputees. Previous studies demonstrated that large- and medium-diameter afferent neurons could be recruited separately, even several months after implantation. However, those studies did not examine the anatomical localization of sensory fibers recruited by microstimulation in the DRG. Achieving precise recruitment with respect to both modality and receptive field locations will likely be crucial to create a viable sensory neuroprosthesis. In this study, penetrating microelectrode arrays were implanted in the L5, L6, and L7 DRG of four isoflurane-anesthetized cats instrumented with nerve cuff electrodes around the proximal and distal branches of the sciatic and femoral nerves. A binary search was used to find the recruitment threshold for evoking a response in each nerve cuff. The selectivity of DRG stimulation was characterized by the ability to recruit individual distal branches to the exclusion of all others at threshold; 84.7% ( n = 201) of the stimulation electrodes recruited a single nerve branch, with 9 of the 15 instrumented nerves recruited selectively. The median stimulation threshold was 0.68 nC/phase, and the median dynamic range (increase in charge while stimulation remained selective) was 0.36 nC/phase. These results demonstrate the ability of DRG microstimulation to achieve selective recruitment of the major nerve branches of the hindlimb, suggesting that this approach could be used to drive sensory input from localized regions of the limb. This sensory input might be useful for restoring tactile and proprioceptive feedback to a lower-limb amputee.
Development of a spontaneously active dorsal root ganglia assay using multiwell multielectrode arrays
Authors: Newberry Kim , Wang Shuya , Hoque Nina , Kiss Laszlo , Ahlijanian Michael K. , Herrington James , Graef John D.
Published: April 2016

In vitro phenotypic assays of sensory neuron activity are important tools for identifying potential analgesic compounds. These assays are typically characterized by hyperexcitable and/or abnormally, spontaneously active cells. Whereas manual electrophysiology experiments provide high-resolution biophysical data to characterize both in vitro models and potential therapeutic modalities (e.g., action potential characteristics, the role of specific ion channels, and receptors), these techniques are hampered by their low throughput. We have established a spontaneously active dorsal root ganglia (DRG) platform using multiwell multielectrode arrays (MEAs) that greatly increase the ability to evaluate the effects of multiple compounds and conditions on DRG excitability within the context of a cellular network. We show that spontaneous DRG firing can be attenuated with selective Na+and Ca2+channel blockers, as well as enhanced with K+channel blockers. In addition, spontaneous activity can be augmented with both the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 agonist capsaicin and the peptide bradykinin and completely blocked with neurokinin receptor antagonists. Finally, we validated the use of this assay by demonstrating that commonly used neuropathic pain therapeutics suppress DRG spontaneous activity. Overall, we have optimized primary rat DRG cells on a multiwell MEA platform to generate and characterize spontaneously active cultures that have the potential to be used as an in vitro phenotypic assay to evaluate potential therapeutics in rodent models of pain.
Implicit learning and generalization of stretch response modulation in humans
Authors: Turpin Nicolas A. , Levin Mindy F. , Feldman Anatol G.
Published: April 2016

Adaptation of neural responses to repeated muscle stretching likely represents implicit learning to minimize muscle resistance to perturbations. To test this hypothesis, the forearm was placed on a horizontal manipulandum. Elbow flexors or extensors compensated an external load and were stretched by 20° or 70° rotations. Participants were instructed not to intervene by intentionally modifying the muscle resistance elicited by stretching. In addition to phasic stretch reflexes (SRs), muscle stretching was associated with inhibitory periods (IPs) in the ongoing muscle activity starting at minimal latencies of ∼35 ms. The SR amplitude decreased dramatically across 5–12 trials and was not restored after a resting period of 3–5 min, despite the increase in stretch amplitude from 20° to 70°, but IPs remained present. When SRs were suppressed, stretching of originally nonstretched, antagonist muscles initiated after the rest period showed immediate SR suppression while IPs remained present in the first and subsequent trials. Adaptation to muscle stretching thus includes features characteristic of implicit learning such as memory consolidation and generalization. Adaptation may be achieved by central shifts in the threshold positions at which muscles begin to be activated. Shifts are thought to be prepared in advance and triggered with stretch onset. Threshold position resetting provides a comprehensive explanation of the results in the broader context of the control of posture, movement, and motor learning in the healthy and damaged nervous system.
Colonoscopic Findings in Crohn’s Disease ‐ Reproducible, But of Questionable Benefit
Authors: Holloway H , Fielding JF
Published: April 2016

Colonoscopy, a useful diagnostic tool in inflammatory bowel disease, is very accurate in detecting disease and assessing disease extent in Crohn’s disease. Despite their accuracy, colonoscopic findings have not been routinely used in the objective follow‐up of patients with Crohn’s disease. The GETAID (Groupe d’études theraputic des affections inflammatoire du tube digestif) group has shown that following an intensive training period, endoscopists can describe colonoscopic findings in a reproducible manner. However, these descriptions poorly correlate both with clinical or laboratory indexes, and with short or medium term prognosis following prednisolone therapy.
Etiology of Organ‐Specific Autoimmunity: Basic Research and Clinical Implications in IBD
Authors: Eisenbarth George S
Published: April 2016

Autoimmunity develops in the setting of genetic susceptibility and can be monogenic (eg, autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I with Addison’s disease, mucocutaneous candidiasis and hypoparathyroidism, which is autosomal recessive with the causative gene on the tip of chromosome 21) or polygenic (usually with important alleles within the major histocompatibility complex [eg, type I diabetes]). In addition to genetic susceptibility, many autoimmune disorders can be classified into etiological categories (oncogenic, drug‐induced, diet‐induced, infectious or idiopathic). For most autoimmune disorders there are multiple target autoantigens and, for type I diabetes, a combinatorial approach (eg, expression of at least two autoantibodies of insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase and/or ICA512/IA‐2) is the best predictor of diabetes risk. Finally, antigen‐specific therapies hold promise for the prevention and therapy of autoimmunity, eg, parenteral or oral therapy with insulin delays or prevents type I diabetes in animal models, and a small pilot trial of parenteral insulin in humans suggests that such therapy may similarly prevent diabetes in humans.
Prevalence of Upper Abdominal Complaints in Patients Who Have Undergone Partial Gastrectomy
Authors: Loffeld RJLF
Published: April 2016

Little is known about the long term occurrence and prevalence of upper abdominal complaints after previous partial gastrectomy. Therefore, a retrospective, uncontrolled, cross-sectional, descriptive, clinical, endoscopic study was done. A questionnaire was mailed to patients who had undergone partial gastrectomy and been sent for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Eight questions were scored on a five-point Likert scale, and a symptom score was calculated. During the five-year study period, 189 patients (137 men, 52 women) were identified as having had a partial gastrectomy -- 143 (76%) received the Billroth II operation and 46 (24%) received the Billroth I operation. The questionnaire was mailed to 124 patients, of whom 79 (64%) responded. Eighty-eight per cent of patients had undergone surgery more than 15 years earlier. Fifty-nine patients (75%) suffered from upper abdominal symptoms. Regurgitation of food, retrosternal heartburn and bile reflux occurred significantly more often in patients who underwent the Billroth II operation. The mean symptom score of patients who underwent Billroth I resection was significantly lower (4.5 [SD 3.6]) than that of patients who underwent Billroth II resection (7.1 [SD 4.4])(P=0.04). One or more symptoms indicative of dumping were found in 70% of patients who underwent Billroth II resection and in 59% of patients who underwent Billroth I resection (not significant). Many patients who had undergone a partial gastrectomy developed upper abdominal symptoms during long term follow-up that were not specifically linked to dumping.
Primary Lymphoma of the Liver: A Case Report and Review
Authors: Schweiger Franzjosef , Shinder Rowen , Rubin Sheldon
Published: April 2016

The case of a previously healthy man who developed primary non‐Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the liver is presented. Biopsy confirmed that the tumour was of the diffuse large cell type and was of apparent T‐cell origin. The diagnosis of these rare tumours is suggested by the presence of a hepatic mass without lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly or bone marrow involvement, as well as normal carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha‐fetoprotein levels. However, histological examination of tissue is essential to confirm the diagnosis. The response to treatment varies, but surgical resection and/or chemotherapy can result in prolonged remissions. The literature on this topic is briefly reviewed.
HFE-Associated Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Authors: Eijkelkamp Emmeke J , Yapp Thomas R , Powell Lawrie W
Published: April 2016

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a common inherited disorder of the iron metabolism. Screening studies indicate that it has a prevalence of one in 200 to 400, depending on the population studied, and a carrier rate of about one in seven to one in 10. Feder et al identified the hereditary hemochromatosis gene (HFE) in 1996 and two candidate mutations; the C282Y mutation has been shown to be responsible for the majority of the hereditary hemochromatosis cases worldwide. The gene discovery has led to rapid advances in the field of iron metabolism. Although the basic defect is still not fully understood, much is known about the sequence of events leading to iron overload.

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a major candidate for population screening and meets the screening criteria of the World Health Organization, and Wilson and Jungner. It is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases in white populations, and, importantly, early diagnosis and simple effective treatment allow normal life expectancy.

The discovery of theHFEgene and the frequency of the single C282Y mutation as a cause of most cases of hereditary hemochromatosis allow the possibility of widespread genetic testing. However, the logistics, and the psychological and social consequence of this, coupled with incomplete expression of the genotype, necessitate further studies before population screening can be justified.
The Economic Impact of AIDS in Africa
Authors: Whiteside Alan W
Published: April 2016

The experience of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Africa is very different from that in the developed world. In the West, AIDS affects few people, and for those who are infected, it is an increasingly manageable illness. In Africa, huge numbers of people are being infected - mainly young adults through sexual intercourse. This is having a dramatic effect on key demographic indicators. Child mortality in some countries has doubled, while up to 25 years of life expectancy have been lost. The economic impact of AIDS is difficult to establish, but it is certainly leading to increased poverty in African families and communities. Development advances are being reversed, but the impact is incremental rather than catastrophic.
Use of Community Resources before Inflammatory Bowel Disease Surgery is Associated with Postsurgical Quality of Life
Authors: Moskovitz David Norman , Maunder Robert Gordon , Cohen Zane , McLeod Robin Susan , MacRae Helen
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND: Research in chronic illness shows that community resources can have a lasting influence on the course of the illness; however, little research has been done to evaluate the community agencies that specifically address the needs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.

OBJECTIVES: To survey awareness of community agency resources among patients who have surgery for IBD, and to analyze the association between using these resources and qualitative postsurgical outcomes.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety-two subjects who had surgery over a 12-month period completed, in full, the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), and a self-report instrument used to probe awareness and use of local community resources. Community resources were divided into two groups: those involving primarily social and educational participation (’social/ educational’) and those involving some individualized attention, usually from a professional or trained lay facilitator (’professional/individual’). The contribution of presurgical participation in each type of resource to postsurgical quality of life was tested using ANOVA, with IBDQ score as the dependent variable. The ANOVA was repeated with postsurgical disease activity as a covariable. IBDQ subscale scores were compared between groups that were found to differ in the ANOVA.

RESULTS: Almost all subjects were aware of at least one available resource. Participation in resources before surgery was variable, but 50% of the sample participated in at least one social/educational resource, and 46.9% participated in at least one professional/individual support. For the 92 subjects who completed both the IBDQ and the survey of resources, ANOVA revealed a main effect of professional/individual resource use on postsurgical quality of life but no main effect of social/educational resources and no interaction.

DISCUSSION: The association between presurgical participation in professional or individualized community resources and better subjective outcome of IBD surgery may be explained by a positive contribution of participation to coping with surgery for IBD. The data do not support the alternative explanation that subjects with less severe disease (and thus better outcome) have greater ability to participate, although further research is required.
Achalasia: Treatment Options Revisited
Authors: Hoogerwerf Willemijntje A , Pasricha Pankaj J
Published: April 2016

The aim of all current forms of treatment of achalasia is to enable the patient to eat without disabling symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitation, coughing or choking. Historically, this has been accomplished by mechanical disruption of the lower esophageal sphincter fibres, either by means of pneumatic dilation (PD) or by open surgical myotomy. The addition of laparoscopic myotomy and botulinum toxin (BTX) injection to the therapeutic armamentarium has triggered a recent series of reviews to determine the optimal therapeutic approach. Both PD and BTX have excellent short term (less than three months) efficacy in the majority of patients. New data have been published that suggest that PD and BTX (with repeat injections) can potentially obtain long term efficacy. PD is still considered the first-line treatment by most physicians; its main disadvantage is risk of perforation. BTX injection is evolving as an excellent, safe option for patients who are considered high risk for more invasive procedures. Laparoscopic myotomy with combined antireflux surgery is an increasingly attractive option in younger patients with achalasia, but long term follow-up studies are required to establish its efficacy and the potential for reflux-related sequelae.
Prediction of Hepatitis C Burden in Canada
Authors: Zou Shimian , Tepper Martin , El Saadany Susie
Published: April 2016

To assess the risk of hepatitis C in Canada and to predict the burden that this disease may pose to the Canadian society in the near future, expected numbers of persons at different stages of the disease currently and in the next decade were estimated by simulation using a published hepatitis C natural history model with no treatment effect being applied. Based on the estimate of 240,000 persons who are currently infected with the hepatitis C virus in Canada, the simulation analysis demonstrated that the number of hepatitis C cirrhosis cases would likely increase by 92% from 1998 to the year 2008. It was also projected that the number of liver failures and hepatocellular carcinomas related to hepatitis C would increase by 126% and 102%, respectively, in the next decade. The number of liver-related deaths associated with hepatitis C is expected to increase by 126% in 10 years. The medical and social care systems in Canada may not be ready to support these large increases. These results highlight the importance of both the control of disease progression of hepatitis C virus-infected persons and the primary prevention of hepatitis C infections in Canada.
Benign Pancreatic Duct Strictures: Medical and Endoscopic Therapy
Authors: Geenen JE
Published: April 2016

Pancreatic duct strictures usually reflect underlying pancreatic disease and are likely caused by one or more of the following: acute or chronic pancreatitis, benign or malignant pancreatic neoplasm, pseudocyst and trauma. The characteristics of pancreatic strictures are identified, and medical and endoscopic therapy options are reviewed.
Indications for Liver Tranplantation in British Columbia’s Aboriginal Population: A 10-Year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Yoshida Eric M , Caron Nadine R , Buczkowski Andrzej K , Arbour Laura T , Scudamore Charles H , Steinbrecher Urs P , Erb Siegfried R , Chung Stephen W
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVES: To study the indications for liver transplantation among British Columbia’s First Nation population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the British Columbia Transplant Society’s database of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal liver transplant recipients from 1989 to 1998 was undertaken. For primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), the transplant assessment database (patients with and without transplants) was analyzed using a binomial distribution and compared with published census data regarding British Columbia’s proportion of Aboriginal people.

RESULTS: Between 1989 and 1998, 203 transplantations were performed in 189 recipients. Fifteen recipients were Aboriginal (n=15; 7.9%). Among all recipients, the four most frequent indications for liver transplantation were hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (n=57; 30.2%), PBC (n=34; 18.0%), alcohol (n=22; 11.6%) and autoimmune hepatitis (n=14; 7.4%). Indications for liver transplantation among Aboriginal people were PBC (n=8; 53.3%; P<0.001 compared with non-Aboriginal people), autoimmune hepatitis (n=4; 26.67%; P=0.017), acute failure (n=2; 13.3%) and HCV (n=1). Among all patients referred for liver transplantation with PBC (n=43), 29 (67.44%) were white and 11 (25.6%) were Aboriginal. A significant difference was found between the proportion of Aboriginal people referred for liver transplantation and the proportion of Aboriginal people in British Columbia (139,655 of 3,698,755 [3.8%]; 1996 Census, Statistics Canada) (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal people in British Columbia are more likely to be referred for liver transplantation with a diagnosis of PBC but are less likely to receive a liver transplant because of HCV or alcohol than are non-Aboriginal people.
Update on Gastroesophageal Reflux and Respiratory Disease in Children
Authors: Orenstein Susan R
Published: April 2016

Pediatric respiratory diseases have been linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but evidence regarding the association and its potential mechanisms continues to accumulate, and important aspects remain to be determined. Evidence for the association in two common pediatric respiratory disorders - infantile apnea and asthma in older children - and difficult clinical issues associated with the diagnosis and treatment of these two disorders are reviewed. The provocative embryological and physiological connections between the upper gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory tract, and recent understanding of the compensatory anatomy and physiology that protect the normal individual from respiratory manifestations of GERD are also explored. Dysfunctions of these protections likely underlie the pathophysiology of these disorders.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Authors: Stiehl A , Benz C , Sauer P
Published: April 2016

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by fibrosing inflammation and obliteration of intra- and/or extrahepatic bile ducts. The disease is one of the most common cholestatic diseases in adults and is diagnosed with increasing frequency. It is very often associated with ulcerative colitis. Patients with PSC have an increased incidence of bile duct carcinomas, and those with ulcerative colitis also have an increased incidence of colonic carcinomas. In end-stage disease, liver transplantation is the treatment of choice. Immunosuppressive treatment has little effect. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), which has been shown to improve liver histology and survival in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, has a beneficial effect in PSC, provided that patients who develop major duct stenoses are treated endoscopically. The aim is to treat patients as early as possible to prevent progression to the advanced stages of the disease. During treatment with UDCA, stenoses of major ducts may develop, and early endoscopic dilation is highly effective. Because UDCA treatment improves but does not cure cholestatic liver diseases, permanent treatment seems to be necessary. Such prolonged treatment with UDCA may be recommended because, until now, no side effects have been reported. In patients with end-stage disease, UDCA is not effective and liver transplantation is indicated.
Clostridium difficileEnterocolitis and Reactive Arthritis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Cappella Michela , Pugliese Fabrizio , Zucchini Andrea , Marchetti Federico
Published: April 2016

Reactive arthritis is a rare complication ofClostridium difficileenterocolitis, especially in children. We review the 6 pediatric cases published in the English and non-English literature and discuss their clinical presentation, outcome, treatment, and pathophysiology. We also report the seventh case ofClostridium difficilereactive arthritis in a 6-year-old boy who was treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate for 10 days because of an upper respiratory infection. After the antibiotic course, the child developed at the same time diarrhea with positive stool culture forClostridium difficileand an asymmetric polyarthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and metronidazole completely resolved the pain, joint swelling, and diarrhea. After twelve months of follow-up there has been no recurrence. This report confirms the self-limiting course ofClostridium difficilereactive arthritis.Clostridium difficiletesting in children with gastrointestinal symptoms and acute onset of joint pain should be always considered.
A Distance-Based Maximum Likelihood Estimation Method for Sensor Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Xu Jing , He Jingsha , Zhang Yuqiang , Xu Fei , Cai Fangbo
Published: April 2016

Node localization is an important supporting technology in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Traditional maximum likelihood estimation based localization methods (MLE) assume that measurement errors are independent of the distance between the anchor node and a target node. However, such an assumption may not reflect the physical characteristics of existing measurement techniques, such as the widely used received signal strength indicator. To address this issue, we propose a distance-based MLE that considers measurement errors that depend on distance values in this paper. The proposed distance-based MLE is formulated as a complicated nonlinear optimization problem. An exact solution is developed based on first-order optimal condition to improve the efficiency of search. In addition, a two-dimensional search method is also presented. Simulation experiments are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this localization. The simulation results show that the distance-based localization method has better localization accuracy compared to other range-based localization methods.
Evaluation of Bus Vibration Comfort Based on Passenger Crowdsourcing Mode
Authors: Zhao Hong , Guo Li-Lu , Zeng Xiang-Yan
Published: April 2016

Vibration comfort is an important factor affecting the quality of service (QoS) of bus. In order to make people involved in supervising bus’s vibration comfort and improve passengers’ riding experience, a novel mode of passenger crowdsourcing is introduced. In this paper, comfort degree of bus vibration is calculated from bus’s vibration signals collected by passengers’ smartphones and sent through WiFi to the Boa web server which shows the vibration comfort on the LCD deployed in bus and maybe trigger alarm lamp when the vibration is beyond the threshold. Three challenges here have been overcome: firstly, space coordinate transformation algorithm is used to solve the constant drift of signals collected; secondly, a low-pass filter is designed to isolate gravity from signals real-timely via limited computing resources; thirdly, an embedded evaluation system is developed according to the calculation procedure specified by criterion ISO 2631-1997. Meanwhile, the model proposed is tested in a practical running environment, the vibration data in whole travel are recorded and analyzed offline. The results show that comfort degree of vibration obtained from the experimental system is identical with the truth, and this mode is proved to be effective.
Optical Estimation on Pollution Level of Respirable Dust Based on Infrared Transmitting Behavior in Coalmine Fully Mechanized Working Face
Authors: Wang Wen-Zheng , Wang Yan-Ming , Shi Guo-Qing
Published: April 2016

Respirable coal particle generated during underground mining is the main cause for gas-dust explosions and coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) which needs accurate monitoring especially on its concentration. Focusing on the coal dust pollution in the fully mechanized working face of Huangbaici coalmine, coal particle was sampled for further industrial analysis and FT-IR test to obtain its chemical composition and optical constant. Combined with the simulated spatial distribution of airborne dust, the spectral transmission characteristics of coal dust within wavelengths of 2.5 to 25 μm under different operating conditions were obtained. The simulation results show that the transmittance and aerosol optical depth (AOD) of coal dust are closely linked and obviously influenced by the variation of dust generation source (intensity of dust release, position of coal cutting, and the wetting of the coal seam) and airflow field (wind speed and direction of ventilation). Furthermore, an optical channel of 1260–1280 cm−1(7.937–7.813 μm) which is almost only sensitive to the variation of dust concentration but dull to the diameter change of coal dust was selected to establish the correlation of dust concentration and infrared transmittance. The fitting curve was then applied to retrieve the equivalent dust concentration based on optical information, and the comparison results demonstrate that the estimated pollution level is consistent with field measurement data in engineering practice.
Smart Energy Efficient Device-to-Multidevice Cooperative Clustering for Multicasting Content
Authors: Ashraf Mateen , Yeo Woon-Young , Woo Miae , Lee Kyung-Geun
Published: April 2016

A number of nodes that are interested in the same content can be grouped into a cluster and the cluster head can be used to relay the content received from the base station (BS) to the cluster members using device-to-multidevice (D2MD) communication. However, the data rate of such multicast communication depends on the worst channel among the cluster members and the cluster head. The rate can be enhanced by increasing the transmit power; however, this approach may deteriorate energy efficiency (EE) performance of the system. In this paper, we propose transmitting the content from more than one cluster head simultaneously. A novel algorithm is proposed that selects the cluster heads to improve the data rate of the multicast communication while keeping the total transmit power from the cluster heads constant. The cluster members receive power from all the cluster heads within the cluster and hence the received signal to noise power ratio improves. The improved received power makes communication at higher data rates possible, thus reducing the total transmission time. Hence, the energy requirement per bit will reduce. Simulation results show that 19% of reduction in energy per bit is possible by using more than one cluster head within the cluster.
Generalized ASOR and Modified ASOR Methods for Saddle Point Problems
Authors: Huang Zhengge , Wang Ligong , Xu Zhong , Cui Jingjing
Published: April 2016

Recently, the accelerated successive overrelaxation- (SOR-) like (ASOR) method was proposed for saddle point problems. In this paper, we establish a generalized accelerated SOR-like (GASOR) method and a modified accelerated SOR-like (MASOR) method, which are extension of the ASOR method, for solving both nonsingular and singular saddle point problems. The sufficient conditions of the convergence (semiconvergence) for solving nonsingular (singular) saddle point problems are derived. Finally, numerical examples are carried out, which show that the GASOR and MASOR methods have faster convergence rates than the SOR-like, generalized SOR (GSOR), modified SOR-like (MSOR-like), modified symmetric SOR (MSSOR), generalized symmetric SOR (GSSOR), generalized modified symmetric SOR (GMSSOR), and ASOR methods with optimal or experimentally found optimal parameters when the iteration parameters are suitably chosen.
Minimally Invasive Alveolar Ridge Preservation Utilizing anIn SituHardeningβ-Tricalcium Phosphate Bone Substitute: A Multicenter Case Series
Authors: Leventis Minas D. , Fairbairn Peter , Kakar Ashish , Leventis Angelos D. , Margaritis Vasileios , Lückerath Walter , Horowitz Robert A. , Rao Bappanadu H. , Lindner Annette , Nagursky Heiner
Published: April 2016

Ridge preservation measures, which include the filling of extraction sockets with bone substitutes, have been shown to reduce ridge resorption, while methods that do not require primary soft tissue closure minimize patient morbidity and decrease surgical time and cost. In a case series of 10 patients requiring single extraction,in situhardening beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) granules coated with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were utilized as a grafting material that does not necessitate primary wound closure. After 4 months, clinical observations revealed excellent soft tissue healing without loss of attached gingiva in all cases. At reentry for implant placement, bone core biopsies were obtained and primary implant stability was measured by final seating torque and resonance frequency analysis. Histological and histomorphometrical analysis revealed pronounced bone regeneration (24.4 ± 7.9% new bone) in parallel to the resorption of the grafting material (12.9 ± 7.7% graft material) while high levels of primary implant stability were recorded. Within the limits of this case series, the results suggest thatβ-TCP coated with polylactide can support new bone formation at postextraction sockets, while the properties of the material improve the handling and produce a stable and porous bone substitute scaffoldin situ, facilitating the application of noninvasive surgical techniques.
A Modeling Study of Impact of Emission Control Strategies on PM2.5Reductions in Zhongshan, China, Using WRF-CMAQ
Authors: Mai Jianhua , Deng Tao , Yu Lingling , Deng Xuejiao , Tan Haobo , Wang Shiqiang , Liu Xiantong
Published: April 2016

A WRF-CMAQ modeling system is used to assess the impact of emission control strategies and weather conditions on haze pollution in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China. One-month simulations for January 2014 are completed and evaluated with the observational data. The simulations show reasonable agreement with the observations. Several sensitivity studies are completed to quantify the percentage contributions of local emissions versus regional emissions to the PM2.5concentrations under different weather conditions. The results indicate that the contributions from local emission is higher than those of the emissions from regional transport when there is no intrusion of cold front (i.e., 58% contribution from local emission versus 42% contribution from the regional transport). The contribution of regional transport is increased to 76% when a strong cold front appears. Furthermore, the sensitivity study demonstrates that PM2.5concentrations on the first, second, and third days are reduced by 47%, 52%, and 58%, respectively, after the local emissions are turned off when there is no intrusion of cold front. Finally, a case study shows that industrial, residential, and mobile emissions account for 24%, 22%, and 15% of the change of PM2.5, respectively, during a heavy haze pollution event in Zhongshan.
Hydromagnetic Stability of Metallic Nanofluids (Cu-Water and Ag-Water) Using Darcy-Brinkman Model
Authors: Ahuja J. , Gupta U. , Wanchoo R. K.
Published: April 2016

Thermal convection of a nanofluid layer in the presence of imposed vertical magnetic field saturated by a porous medium is investigated for both-free, rigid-free, and both-rigid boundaries using Darcy-Brinkman model. The effects of Brownian motion and thermophoretic forces due to the presence of nanoparticles and Lorentz’s force term due to the presence of magnetic field have been considered in the momentum equations along with Maxwell’s equations. Keeping in mind applications of flow through porous medium in geophysics, especially in the study of Earth’s core, and the presence of nanoparticles therein, the hydromagnetic stability of a nanofluid layer in porous medium is considered in the present formulation. An analytical investigation is made by applying normal mode technique and Galerkin type weighted residuals method and the stability of Cu-water and Ag-water nanofluids is compared. Mode of heat transfer is through stationary convection without the occurrence of oscillatory motions. Stability of the system gets improved appreciably by raising the Chandrasekhar number as well as Darcy number whereas increase in porosity hastens the onset of instability. Further, stability of the system gets enhanced as we proceed from both-free boundaries to rigid-free and to both-rigid boundaries.
Timcodar (VX-853) Is a Non-FKBP12 Binding Macrolide Derivative That Inhibits PPARγand Suppresses Adipogenesis
Authors: Hinds Terry D. , John Kezia , McBeth Lucien , Trabbic Christopher J. , Sanchez Edwin R.
Published: April 2016

Nutrient overload and genetic factors have led to a worldwide epidemic of obesity that is the underlying cause of diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we used macrolide drugs such as FK506, rapamycin, and macrolide derived, timcodar (VX-853), to determine their effects on lipid accumulation during adipogenesis. Rapamycin and FK506 bind to FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs), such as FKBP12, which causes suppression of the immune system and inhibition of mTOR. Rapamycin has been previously reported to inhibit the adipogenic process and lipid accumulation. However, rapamycin treatment in rodents caused immune suppression and glucose resistance, even though the mice lost weight. Here we show that timcodar (1 μM), a non-FKBP12-binding drug, significantly (p<0.001) inhibited lipid accumulation during adipogenesis. A comparison of the same concentration of timcodar (1 μM) and rapamycin (1 μM) showed that both are inhibitors of lipid accumulation during adipogenesis. Importantly, timcodar potently (p<0.01) suppressed transcriptional regulators of adipogenesis, PPARγand C/EBPα, resulting in the inhibition of genes involved in lipid accumulation. These studies set the stage for timcodar as a possible antiobesity therapy, which is rapidly emerging as a pandemic.
An Efficient Image Enlargement Method for Image Sensors of Mobile in Embedded Systems
Authors: Hua Hua , Yang Xiaomin , Yan Binyu , Zhou Kai , Lu Wei
Published: April 2016

Main challenges for image enlargement methods in embedded systems come from the requirements of good performance, low computational cost, and low memory usage. This paper proposes an efficient image enlargement method which can meet these requirements in embedded system. Firstly, to improve the performance of enlargement methods, this method extracts different kind of features for different morphologies with different approaches. Then, various dictionaries based on different kind of features are learned, which represent the image in a more efficient manner. Secondly, to accelerate the enlargement speed and reduce the memory usage, this method divides the atoms of each dictionary into several clusters. For each cluster, separate projection matrix is calculated. This method reformulates the problem as a least squares regression. The high-resolution (HR) images can be reconstructed based on a few projection matrixes. Numerous experiment results show that this method has advantages such as being efficient and real-time and having less memory cost. These advantages make this method easy to implement in mobile embedded system.
Hyaluronate Acid-Dependent Protection and Enhanced Corneal Wound Healing against Oxidative Damage in Corneal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Zhong Jing , Deng Yuqing , Tian Bishan , Wang Bowen , Sun Yifang , Huang Haixiang , Chen Ling , Ling Shiqi , Yuan Jin
Published: April 2016

Purpose. To evaluate the effects and mechanism of exogenous hyaluronate (HA) in promoting corneal wound healing.Methods. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) were incubated with different concentrations of HA to evaluate their efficiency in promoting cell migration and their modulation of repair factors. After inducing hyperosmolar conditions, the cell morphologies, cell apoptosis, and expression levels of TNF-αand MMP-9 were detected to assess the protective role of HA. Corneal epithelium-injured rat models were established to test the therapeutic effects of 0.3% HA. Then, the wound healing rates, the RNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, and repair factors were examined.Results. HCECs in the 0.03% and 0.3% HA groups showed fewer morphological alterations and lower rates of cell apoptosis following preincubation with HA under hyperosmolar conditions, as well as the expression levels of MMP-9 and TNF-α. In the rat model, the areas of fluorescein staining in the corneas of 0.3% HA group were significantly smaller than the control group. The expression levels of IL-1βand MMP-9 were decreased, while CD44 and FN were increased in the 0.3% HA group.Conclusion. HA enhanced corneal epithelial cell wound healing by promoting cell migration, upregulating repair responses, and suppressing inflammatory responses.
Software-Assisted Depth Analysis of Optic Nerve Stereoscopic Images in Telemedicine
Authors: Xia Tian , Patel Shriji N. , Szirth Ben C. , Kolomeyer Anton M. , Khouri Albert S.
Published: April 2016

Background. Software guided optic nerve assessment can assist in process automation and reduce interobserver disagreement. We tested depth analysis software (DAS) in assessing optic nerve cup-to-disc ratio (VCD) from stereoscopic optic nerve images (SONI) of normal eyes.Methods. In a prospective study, simultaneous SONI from normal subjects were collected during telemedicine screenings using a Kowa 3Wx nonmydriatic simultaneous stereoscopic retinal camera (Tokyo, Japan). VCD was determined from SONI pairs and proprietary pixel DAS (Kowa Inc., Tokyo, Japan) after disc and cup contour line placement. A nonstereoscopic VCD was determined using the right channel of a stereo pair. Mean, standard deviation,t-test, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCC) were calculated.Results. 32 patients had mean age of40±14years. Mean VCD on SONI was0.36±0.09, with DAS0.38±0.08, and with nonstereoscopic0.29±0.12. The difference between stereoscopic and DAS assisted was not significant (p=0.45). ICCC showed agreement between stereoscopic and software VCD assessment. Mean VCD difference was significant between nonstereoscopic and stereoscopic (p<0.05) and nonstereoscopic and DAS (p<0.005) recordings.Conclusions. DAS successfully assessed SONI and showed a high degree of correlation to physician-determined stereoscopic VCD.