bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lung function and respiratory symptoms among female hairdressers in Palestine: a 5-year prospective study
Authors: Nemer Maysaa , Kristensen Petter , Nijem Khaldoun , Bjertness Espen , Skare Øivind , Skogstad Marit
Published: October 2015

Objectives

Hairdressers are exposed to chemicals at the workplace which are known to cause respiratory symptoms and asthma. This study aimed to examine changes in self-reported respiratory symptoms over 5 years, as well as to examine the lung function decline and determine whether it is within the expected range, to assess the dropout rate and reasons for leaving the profession, and to examine the associations between occupational factors and lung function changes at follow-up.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Female hairdressing salons in Hebron city, Palestine.

Participants

170 female hairdressers who participated in a baseline survey in 2008 were followed up in 2013. A total of 161 participants participated in 2013.

Outcome measures

Change in reported respiratory symptoms and change in lung function over follow-up. Dropout from the profession and reasons for it. Differences between current and former hairdressers in respiratory symptoms and lung function at follow-up. Ambient air ammonia levels in 13 salons.

Results

Current hairdressers reported more respiratory symptoms in 2013 compared with baseline. Former hairdressers reported fewer symptoms at follow-up. At follow-up, current hairdressers showed a significant decrease in forced vital capacity of 35 mL/year (95% CI 26 to 44 mL/year) and of 31 mL/year (95% CI 25 to 36 mL/year) for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). 28 (16%) of the hairdressers quit the job during the 5-year follow-up, 8 (28%) because of health problems. Hairdressers who had been working for 4 years or more at baseline showed a stronger decline in FEV1compared with those who worked less than 4 years (difference 13, 95% CI 1 to 25).

Conclusions

Current hairdressers developed more respiratory symptoms and larger lung function decline than former hairdressers during follow-up. Few hairdressers left their profession because of respiratory health problems. Working for more years is associated with lung function decline among current hairdressers.
Electronic and postal reminders for improving immunisation coverage in children: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chachou Martel J , Mukinda Fidele K , Motaze Villyen , Wiysonge Charles S
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Worldwide, suboptimal immunisation coverage causes the deaths of more than one million children under five from vaccine-preventable diseases every year. Reasons for suboptimal coverage are multifactorial, and a combination of interventions is needed to improve compliance with immunisation schedules. One intervention relies on reminders, where the health system prompts caregivers to attend immunisation appointments on time or re-engages caregivers who have defaulted on scheduled appointments. We undertake this systematic review to investigate the potential of reminders using emails, phone calls, social media, letters or postcards to improve immunisation coverage in children under five.

Methods and analysis

We will search for published and unpublished randomised controlled trials and non-randomised controlled trials in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Science Citation Index, WHOLIS, Clinicaltrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Platform. We will conduct screening of search results, study selection, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment in duplicate, resolving disagreements by consensus. In addition, we will pool data from clinically homogeneous studies using random-effects meta-analysis; assess heterogeneity of effects using the χ2test of homogeneity; and quantify any observed heterogeneity using the I2statistic.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol does not need approval by an ethics committee because we will use publicly available data, without directly involving human participants. The results will provide updated evidence on the effects of electronic and postal reminders on immunisation coverage, and we will discuss the applicability of the findings to low and middle-income countries. We plan to disseminate review findings through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentation at relevant conferences. In addition, we will prepare a policymaker-friendly summary using a validated format (eg, SUPPORT Summary) and disseminate this through social media and email discussion groups.

Review registration number

PROSPERO registration number CRD42014012888.
Gender-specific and age-specific differences in unstable angina pectoris admissions: a population-based registry study in Finland
Authors: Kytö Ville , Sipilä Jussi , Rautava Päivi
Published: October 2015

Objective

To evaluate gender-specific and age-specific differences in the occurrence of unstable angina pectoris (UAP) caused admissions.

Design

Population-based retrospective registry study in Finland.

Participants

All consecutive patients aged ≥30 years hospitalised with a primary diagnosis of UAP in 22 hospitals with a coronary catheterisation laboratory during 5/2000–10/2009.

Primary outcome measures

Gender-specific and age-specific differences and trends in occurrence of UAP admissions.

Results

The study period included 27 282 admissions caused primarily by UAP. Of these, 61.9% occurred to men and 38.1% to women with age-adjusted relative risk (RR) of 1.85 (CI 1.61 to 2.14) for the male gender (p<0.0001). The standardised incidence rate of UAP during the whole study was 92.8 (CI 91.8 to 93.9)/100 000 person-years. The incidence rate increased gradually from 1.3 in the population aged 30–34 years to 268.0/100 000 in the population aged 75–84 years. Men had a 2.4-fold risk for UAP admission compared with women in the general population (incidence rate ratio 2.39; CI 2.24 to 2.56; p<0.0001). Gender difference was present in all age groups. UAP caused 22.4% of acute coronary syndrome admissions and 4.7% of all cardiovascular admissions. UAP was more likely to be the cause of cardiovascular admission in male patients (RR=1.25; CI 1.21 to 1.30, p<0.0001 compared with female patients), but there was no gender difference in acute coronary syndrome admissions. The incidence rate of UAP hospitalisations in the general population declined by an estimated 8% per study-year (p<0.0001). Declining incidence was evident regardless of gender and age.

Conclusions

Men have a 2.4-fold overall RR for UAP admission compared to women in the general population. Admissions due to UAP have a declining incidence trend across the adult Finnish population.
Not a Humbug: the evolution of patient-centred medical decision-making
Authors: Trump Benjamin D , Linkov Faina , Edwards Robert P , Linkov Igor
Published: October 2015

This ‘Christmas Issue’-type paper uses the framework of ‘A Christmas Carol’ to tell about the evolution of decision-making in evidence-based medicine (EBM). The Ghost of the Past represents paternalistic medicine, the Ghost of the Present symbolises EBM, while the Ghost of the Future serves as a patient-centred system where research data and tools of decision science are jointly used to make optimal medical decisions for individual patients. We argue that this shift towards a patient-centred approach to EBM and medical care is the next step in the evolution of medical decision-making, which would help to empower patients with the capability to make educated decisions throughout the course of their medical treatment.
Preoperative embolization of intracranial hemangiopericytomas: case series and introduction of the transtumoral embolization technique
Authors: Hanak Brian W , Haussen Diogo C , Ambekar Sudheer , Ferreira Manuel , Ghodke Basavaraj V , Peterson Eric C
Published: October 2015

Background and purpose

Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are rare dural-based neoplasms. Preoperative embolization of these notoriously hypervascular tumors can be challenging as they often receive their dominant blood supply from pial feeders arising from the internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebrobasilar (VB) circulation. This study reviews our historical experience with HPC embolization and introduces the transtumoral technique for backfilling pial tumor vasculature by delivering Onyx-18 through diminutive external carotid artery (ECA) feeders.

Methods

A retrospective review of all preoperative HPC embolizations performed at Anonymous University #1 (September 2002–November 2014) and Anonymous University #2 (January 2014–November 2014) is presented.

Results

Fifteen patients with pathologically confirmed HPC underwent 17 embolizations. More extensive devascularization percentages were achieved for HPCs with primarily ECA blood supply (76.4±10.7%; n=6) than with HPCs supplied via the ICA/VB circulation (57.9±26.9%; n=8; p=0.046). There was a trend towards greater devascularization of ICA/VB-dominant HPCs embolized with Onyx (70.0±34.6%; n=4) versus polyvinyl alcohol particles (33.3±15.3%; n=3). The extent of angiographic devascularization negatively correlated with intraoperative blood loss (rho=−0.71; p=0.005). There were no embolization-related complications.

Conclusions

The extent of preoperative embolization of HPCs correlates with decreased intraoperative blood loss. However, HPCs with an ICA/VB-dominant blood supply remain challenging embolization targets, demonstrating reduced devascularization percentages compared with ECA-dominant counterparts. The authors favor the use of Onyx for ICA/VB-dominant HPCs, noting a trend towards an improved devascularization rate.
Soft Computing Technique-Based Voltage/Frequency Controller for a Self-Excited Induction Generator-Based Microgrid
Authors: Jain Monika , Gupta Sushma , Masand Deepika , Agnihotri Gayatri
Published: October 2015

Microgrids (MGs) are small scale energy unit networks that can offer an adequate energy supply to cover local demand by incorporating renewable energy and storage technologies. The system capacity is generally between several kW to several MW. They work in terms of low voltage (LV) level or medium voltage (MV) level. They can also be connected/disconnected from main grid whenever it is necessary. This paper presents a comparison of two soft computing (SC) techniques fuzzy logic (FL)/artificial neural network (ANN) over a conventional proportional integral (PI)-based voltage frequency controllers used for improving the performance of MG under islanding mode. Microgrid is formed by using three 7.5[Formula: see text]kW, four pole, 50[Formula: see text]Hz, self-excited induction generators (SEIGs) driven by small hydro turbine feeding three-phase four-wire consumer load. The proposed topology functions excellently in maintaining phase angle, voltage and frequency (VF) regulation of the micro sources (MSs) in islanded mode as well as in resynchronization when one of the MSs is turned off due to fault or unavailability of resources. The conventional PI controller is replaced by a controller based on SC techniques, as it has disadvantages like explicit description of mathematical model, affected by variations in consumer loads and sources, thus the proposed SC techniques enhance the performance of VF controller. A comparative analysis of PI/FL/ANN controller is also carried out to highlight the superiority of AI controller. The performance of controller with proposed configuration is verified for balanced/unbalanced non-linear load. Microgrid and control schemes are simulated in MATLAB Sim Power Systems environment.
Reduced uterine perfusion pressure decreases functional capillary density in skeletal muscle
Authors: Fraser Graham M. , Morton Jude S. , Schmidt Sydney M. , Bourque Stephane , Davidge Sandra T. , Davenport Margie H. , Steinback Craig D.
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the functional and structural capillary density in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) model, which when performed during pregnancy is an established animal model of preeclampsia. We hypothesized that the RUPP model would be associated with capillary rarefaction and impaired capillary perfusion, which would be more pronounced in the pregnant state. Female Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 32) were randomized to nonpregnancy (Nonpregnant) or breeding (Pregnant) at 12 wk of age and again to RUPP or SHAM surgeries on gestational day (GD) 14 (or equivalent age in nonpregnant rats). On GD 20 (or equivalent), capillary structure and perfusion of the extensor digitorum longus were imaged using digital intravital video microscopy. Functional videos were analyzed by a blinded observer to measure capillary density, expressed as capillaries per millimeter intersecting three staggered reference lines (200 μm). Flow was scored as the percentage of capillaries having 1) continuous, 2) intermittent, or 3) stopped flow. Total capillary density was not different between groups. There was a main effect of RUPP surgery resulting in decreased continuous flow vessels ( P < 0.01) and increased stopped flow ( P < 0.01), which was driven by differences between pregnant animals (Continuous flow: pregnant SHAM 80.1 ± 7.8% vs. pregnant RUPP 67.8 ± 11.2%, P < 0.05) (Stopped flow: pregnant SHAM 8.7 ± 3.2% vs. pregnant RUPP 17.9 ± 5.7%, P < 0.01). Our results demonstrate that the RUPP surgery is associated with a decrease in functional capillary density in skeletal muscle that is more pronounced in the pregnant state, which may contribute to the vascular pathophysiology observed in preeclampsia.
Dendritic cells inversely regulate airway inflammation in cigarette smoke-exposed mice
Authors: Givi Masoumeh Ezzati , Akbari Peyman , Boon Louis , Puzovic Vladimir S. , Bezemer Gillina F. G. , Ricciardolo Fabio L. M. , Folkerts Gert , Redegeld Frank A. , Mortaz Esmaeil
Published: October 2015

The recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells into the respiratory system is considered a crucial feature in the pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Because dendritic cells (DCs) have a pivotal role in the onset and regulation of immune responses, we investigated the effect of modulating DC subsets on airway inflammation by acute cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. CS-exposed mice (5 days) were treated with fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) and 120g8 antibody to increase total DC numbers and deplete plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), respectively. Flt3L treatment decreased the number of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) of the smoke-exposed mice and increased these in lung tissue. DC modulation reduced IL-17 and increased IL-10 levels, which may be responsible for the suppression of the BALF cells. Furthermore, depletion of pDCs led to increased infiltration of alveolar macrophages while restricting the presence of CD103+ DCs. This study suggests that DC subsets may differentially and compartment-dependent influence the inflammation induced by CS. pDC may play a role in preventing the pathogenesis of CS by inhibiting the alveolar macrophage migration to lung and increasing CD103+ DCs at inflammatory sites to avoid extensive lung tissue damage.
Impact of Silver and Iron Nanoparticle Exposure on Cholesterol Uptake by Macrophages
Authors: Shannahan Jonathan H. , Sowrirajan Hari , Persaud Indushekhar , Podila Ramakrishna , Brown Jared M.
Published: October 2015

Macrophages are central to the development of atherosclerosis by absorbing lipids, promoting inflammation, and increasing plaque deposition. Nanoparticles (NPs) are becoming increasingly common in biomedical applications thereby increasing exposure to the immune and vascular systems. This project investigated the influence of NPs on macrophage function and specifically cholesterol uptake. Macrophages were exposed to 20 nm silver NPs (AgNPs), 110 nm AgNPs, or 20 nm Fe3O4 NPs for 2 h and NP uptake, cytotoxicity, and subsequent uptake of fluorescently labeled cholesterol were assessed. Macrophage uptake of NPs did not induce cytotoxicity at concentrations utilized (25 μg/mL); however, macrophage exposure to 20 nm AgNPs reduced subsequent uptake of cholesterol. Further, we assessed the impact of a cholesterol‐rich environment on macrophage function following NP exposure. In these sets of experiments, macrophages internalized NPs, exhibited no cytotoxicity, and altered cholesterol uptake. Alterations in the expression of scavenger receptor‐B1 following NP exposure, which likely influences cholesterol uptake, were observed. Overall, NPs alter cholesterol uptake, which may have implications in the progression of vascular or immune mediated diseases. Therefore, for the safe development of NPs for biomedical applications, it is necessary to understand their impact on cellular function and biological interactions in underlying disease environments.
Developing a Kano-Based Evaluation Model for Innovation Design
Authors: Wu Chang-Tzuoh , Wang Ming-Tang , Liu Nien-Te , Pan Tien-Szu
Published: October 2015

This research focuses on developing a psychology-based evaluation procedure for innovative design. The divergent thinking part of the main innovative design procedure which discussed in this paper is the extensive QFD developed by the author (Wu). The major performance of QFD is to identify the customers’ requirements and their priorities. Then, the proposed extensive QFD helps transform the high priority requirements into appropriate technical characteristics. According to the priorities of product characteristics, the prior engineering parameters will be identified to be the key performances to redesign. For identifying the requirements and achieving the attractive design, we introduce the Kano model to construct the evaluation model. The proposed Kano-based evaluation procedure is mainly used in two stages of the innovative design. First, the evaluation process was used in QFD stage to help identify attractive customers’ requirements, and the other was used in the extension stage to help assess concepts. The flowchart of proposed innovative design procedure with psychology-based evaluation has also been developed. A case study, exercise equipment design, is adopted to explain and verify feasibility of the proposed approach.
AsynchronousH∞Estimation for Two-Dimensional Nonhomogeneous Markovian Jump Systems with Randomly Occurring Nonlocal Sensor Nonlinearities
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zhang Ying , Sreeram Victor
Published: October 2015

This paper is devoted to the problem of asynchronousH∞estimation for a class of two-dimensional (2D) nonhomogeneous Markovian jump systems with nonlocal sensor nonlinearity, where the nonlocal measurement nonlinearity is governed by a stochastic variable satisfying the Bernoulli distribution. The asynchronous estimation means that the switching of candidate filters may have a lag to the switching of system modes, and the varying character of transition probabilities is considered to reside in a convex polytope. The jumping process of the error system is modeled as a two-component Markov chain with extended varying transition probabilities. A stochastic parameter-dependent approach is provided for the design ofH∞filter such that, for randomly occurring nonlocal sensor nonlinearity, the corresponding error system is mean-square asymptotically stable and has a prescribedH∞performance index. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed estimation method.
Cyclic Stress Response and Fracture Behaviors of Alloy 617 Base Metal and Weld Joints under LCF Loading
Authors: Kim Seon Jin , Dewa Rando Tungga , Kim Woo Gon , Kim Min Hwan
Published: October 2015

Cyclic stress response and fracture behaviors of Alloy 617 base metal (BM) and Alloy 617 weld joints (WJ) are investigated under strain controlled low cycle fatigue (LCF) loading. Axial fully reversed total-strain controlled tests have been conducted at room temperature with total strain ranges of 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, and 1.5%. At the all testing conditions, weld joint specimens have shown higher peak stresses than the base metal specimens, whereas the plastic strain accumulation of the base metal specimens is comparatively higher than those of the weld joint specimens. The cyclic stress response behavior of both base metal and weld joint specimens revealed initial cyclic hardening during first small number of cycles followed by progressive softening to failure. Higher strain amplitudes decreased the fatigue lives for both base metal and weld joint specimens; subsequently weld joint specimens had lower fatigue resistances relative to base metal specimens. Furthermore, the cracking in weld joint specimens initiated in the weld metal (WM) region. The crack initiation and propagation showed transgranular mode for both base metal and weld joint specimens; especially weld joint specimens showed a wedge type crack initiation about 45 degrees to the loading direction because of the dendritic structure.
An Evaluation of the Policy Context on Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health in the Workplace in the European Union: Achievements, Challenges, and the Future
Authors: Leka Stavroula , Jain Aditya , Iavicoli Sergio , Di Tecco Cristina
Published: October 2015

Despite the developments both in hard and soft law policies in the European Union in relation to mental health and psychosocial risks in the workplace, a review of these policies at EU level has not been conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps to be addressed in the future. Keeping in mind that the aim should be to engage employers in good practice, ideally such policies should include key definitions and elements of the psychosocial risk management process, covering risk factors, mental health outcomes, risk assessment and preventive actions, or interventions. The current paper aims to fill this gap by reviewing hard and soft law policies on mental health in the workplace and psychosocial risks applicable at EU level and conducting a gap analysis according to a set of dimensions identified in models of good practice in this area. Our review of ninety-four policies in total revealed several gaps, especially in relation to binding in comparison to nonbinding policies. These are discussed in light of the context of policy-making in the EU, and recommendations are offered for future actions in this area.
Research on the Band Gap Characteristics of Two-Dimensional Phononic Crystals Microcavity with Local Resonant Structure
Authors: Liu Mao , Li Pei , Zhong Yongteng , Xiang Jiawei
Published: October 2015

A new two-dimensional locally resonant phononic crystal with microcavity structure is proposed. The acoustic wave band gap characteristics of this new structure are studied using finite element method. At the same time, the corresponding displacement eigenmodes of the band edges of the lowest band gap and the transmission spectrum are calculated. The results proved that phononic crystals with microcavity structure exhibited complete band gaps in low-frequency range. The eigenfrequency of the lower edge of the first gap is lower than no microcavity structure. However, for no microcavity structure type of quadrilateral phononic crystal plate, the second band gap disappeared and the frequency range of the first band gap is relatively narrow. The main reason for appearing low-frequency band gaps is that the proposed phononic crystal introduced the local resonant microcavity structure. This study provides a good support for engineering application such as low-frequency vibration attenuation and noise control.
Modulation Spectra Morphological Parameters: A New Method to Assess Voice Pathologies according to the GRBAS Scale
Authors: Moro-Velázquez Laureano , Gómez-García Jorge Andrés , Godino-Llorente Juan Ignacio , Andrade-Miranda Gustavo
Published: October 2015

Disordered voices are frequently assessed by speech pathologists using perceptual evaluations. This might lead to problems caused by the subjective nature of the process and due to the influence of external factors which compromise the quality of the assessment. In order to increase the reliability of the evaluations, the design of automatic evaluation systems is desirable. With that in mind, this paper presents an automatic system which assesses the Grade and Roughness level of the speech according to the GRBAS perceptual scale. Two parameterization methods are used: one based on the classic Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients, which has already been used successfully in previous works, and other derived from modulation spectra. For the latter, a new group of parameters has been proposed, namedModulation Spectra Morphological Parameters: MSC, DRB, LMR, MSH, MSW, CIL, PALA, and RALA. In methodology, PCA and LDA are employed to reduce the dimensionality of feature space, and GMM classifiers to evaluate the ability of the proposed features on distinguishing the different levels. Efficiencies of 81.6% and 84.7% are obtained for Grade and Roughness, respectively, using modulation spectra parameters, while MFCCs performed 80.5% and 77.7%. The obtained results suggest the usefulness of the proposedModulation Spectra Morphological Parametersfor automatic evaluation of Grade and Roughness in the speech.
SimpLiFiCPM: A Simple and Lightweight Filter-Based Algorithm for Circular Pattern Matching
Authors: Azim Md. Aashikur Rahman , Iliopoulos Costas S. , Rahman M. Sohel , Samiruzzaman M.
Published: October 2015

This paper deals with the circular pattern matching (CPM) problem, which appears as an interesting problem in many biological contexts. CPM consists in finding all occurrences of the rotations of a patternPof lengthmin a textTof lengthn. In this paper, we present SimpLiFiCPM (pronounced “Simplify CPM”), a simple and lightweight filter-based algorithm to solve the problem. We compare our algorithm with the state-of-the-art algorithms and the results are found to be excellent. Much of the speed of our algorithm comes from the fact that our filters are effective but extremely simple and lightweight.
Regulation of Endothelial Adherens Junctions by Tyrosine Phosphorylation
Authors: Adam Alejandro Pablo
Published: October 2015

Endothelial cells form a semipermeable, regulated barrier that limits the passage of fluid, small molecules, and leukocytes between the bloodstream and the surrounding tissues. The adherens junction, a major mechanism of intercellular adhesion, is comprised of transmembrane cadherins forming homotypic interactions between adjacent cells and associated cytoplasmic catenins linking the cadherins to the cytoskeleton. Inflammatory conditions promote the disassembly of the adherens junction and a loss of intercellular adhesion, creating openings or gaps in the endothelium through which small molecules diffuse and leukocytes transmigrate. Tyrosine kinase signaling has emerged as a central regulator of the inflammatory response, partly through direct phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the adherens junction components. This review discusses the findings that support and those that argue against a direct effect of cadherin and catenin phosphorylation in the disassembly of the adherens junction. Recent findings indicate a complex interaction between kinases, phosphatases, and the adherens junction components that allow a fine regulation of the endothelial permeability to small molecules, leukocyte migration, and barrier resealing.
Estimation of Oceanic Eddy Viscosity Profile and Wind Stress Drag Coefficient Using Adjoint Method
Authors: Zhang Qilin , Gao Yanqiu , Lv Xianqing
Published: October 2015

Adjoint method is used to assimilate pseudoobservations to simultaneously estimate the OEVP and the WSDC in an oceanic Ekman layer model. Five groups of experiments are designed to investigate the influences that the optimization algorithms, step-length, inverse integral time of the adjoint model, prescribed vertical distribution of eddy viscosity, and regularization parameter exert on the inversion results. Experimental results show that the best estimation results are obtained with the GD algorithm; the best estimation results are obtained when the step-length is equal to 1 in Group 2; in Group 3, 8 days of inverse integral time yields the best estimation results, and good assimilation efficiency is achieved by increasing iteration steps when the inverse integral time is reduced; in Group 4, the OEVP can be estimated for some specific distributions; however, when the VEVCs increase along with the depth at the bottom of water, the estimation results are relatively poor. For this problem, we use extrapolation method to deal with the VEVCs in layers in which the estimation results are poor; the regularization method with appropriate regularization parameter can indeed improve the experiment result to some extent. In all experiments in Groups 2-3, the WSDCs are inverted successfully within 100 iterations.
Effect of Some Parameters on the Compressive Strength of MWCNT-Cement Composites
Authors: Choi Hyukjin , Kang Donghoon , Seo Gang Seok , Chung Wonseok
Published: October 2015

Enhancements in the compressive strength of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mortar upon the incorporation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated. The MWCNT concentration, water/cement (W/C) ratio, curing age, and MWCNT concentration control method were selected as experimental parameters, and their effect on the compressive strength of the MWCNT-cement composites was examined. Here, the MWCNT concentration was varied from 0.25 wt% to 1.0 wt%, while W/C ratios in the range of 0.35 to 0.70 were employed. Curing ages of 7, 14, and 28 days were also utilized. To compare methods for controlling the MWCNT concentration, solutions were prepared by either adjusting the MWCNT content during mixing or controlling the MWCNT concentration by adding distilled water to solutions with a high MWCNT content. The compressive strength of the MWCNT-cement composites when considering the aforementioned parameters was compared to that of OPC mortar. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also used to investigate the microstructure of the MWCNT-cement samples.
A Case Report of Avian Polyomavirus Infection in a Blue Fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva) Associated with Anemia
Authors: Philadelpho Natalia Azevedo , Guimarães Marta B. , Piantino Ferreira Antonio J.
Published: October 2015

An adult Blue Fronted Amazon parrot (A. aestiva) presenting with emesis, apathy, undigested seed in feces, and severe anemia was treated for approximately 2 months. Upon radiographic examination, an enlarged kidney was the only alteration. PCR for avianBornavirus,Circovirus, and Polyomavirus was performed for the feces and blood. The results were positive for APV in both samples and negative for the other viruses. After 6 months, the feces from the same animal were negative for APV. Because the animal was positive for APV in both the feces and the blood, it is likely that these clinical symptoms were due to Polyomavirus infection. Severe anemia is an unusual clinical sign of Polyomavirus, and this study aims to identify novel differential diagnostic criteria for the disease.
Video Noise Reduction Method Using Adaptive Spatial-Temporal Filtering
Authors: Yahya Ali Abdullah , Tan Jieqing , Li Lian
Published: October 2015

We proposed a novel method of video noise reduction based on the spatial Wiener filter and the temporal filter. In the proposed spatial Wiener filter, both the amount of noise and the size of the mask are taken into consideration. The proposed model has a great capacity to be adaptive in each area in accordance with the amount of noise. In the proposed model, the motion detector is applied to control the noise removal process in accordance with the area’s information (i.e., static or movable). More accurately, more noise removal is done in the areas that are potentially still areas and less removal in the areas that are potentially motion areas. The proposed model achieves a maximum gain of 7.6 dB and capacity of conserving the significant image features (e.g., edges). The experimental results demonstrate that the new approach is more efficient than reference methods in terms of noise removal and edges preservation.
Analysis of Self-Adhesive Resin Cement Microshear Bond Strength on Leucite-Reinforced Glass-Ceramic with/without Pure Silane Primer or Universal Adhesive Surface Treatment
Authors: Lee Yoon , Kim Jae-Hoon , Woo Jung-Soo , Yi Young-Ah , Hwang Ji-Yun , Seo Deog-Gyu
Published: October 2015

Objective. To evaluate the microshear bond strength (μSBS) of self-adhesive resin (SA) cement on leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic using silane or universal adhesive.Materials and Methods. Ceramic blocks were etched with 9.5% hydrofluoric acid and divided into three groups (n=16): (1) negative control (NC) without treatment; (2) Single Bond Universal (SBU); (3) RelyX Ceramic Primer as positive control (PC). RelyX Unicem resin cement was light-cured, andμSBS was evaluated with/without thermocycling. TheμSBS was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The fractured surfaces were examined using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Results. Without thermocycling,μSBS was highest for PC (30.50 MPa ± 3.40), followed by SBU (27.33 MPa ± 2.81) and NC (20.18 MPa ± 2.01) (P<0.05). Thermocycling significantly reducedμSBS in SBU (22.49 MPa ± 4.11) (P<0.05), but not in NC (20.68 MPa ± 4.60) and PC (28.77 MPa ± 3.52) (P>0.05). PC and NC predominantly fractured by cohesive failure within the ceramic and mixed failure, respectively.Conclusion. SBU treatment improvesμSBS between SA cement and glass ceramics, but to a lower value than PC, and the improvement is eradicated by thermocycling. NC exhibited the lowestμSBS, which remained unchanged after thermocycling.
The Association between Job Strain and Atrial Fibrillation: Results from the Swedish WOLF Study
Authors: Fransson Eleonor I. , Stadin Magdalena , Nordin Maria , Malm Dan , Knutsson Anders , Alfredsson Lars , Westerholm Peter J. M.
Published: October 2015

Introduction. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder. Several life-style factors have been identified as risk factors for AF, but less is known about the impact of work-related stress. This study aims to evaluate the association between work-related stress, defined as job strain, and risk of AF.Methods. Data from the Swedish WOLF study was used, comprising 10,121 working men and women. Job strain was measured by the demand-control model. Information on incident AF was derived from national registers. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between job strain and AF risk.Results. In total, 253 incident AF cases were identified during a total follow-up time of 132,387 person-years. Job strain was associated with AF risk in a time-dependent manner, with stronger association after 10.7 years of follow-up (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.10–3.36 after 10.7 years, versus HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.67–1.83 before 10.7 years). The results pointed towards a dose-response relationship when taking accumulated exposure to job strain over time into account.Conclusion. This study provides support to the hypothesis that work-related stress defined as job strain is linked to an increased risk of AF.
Fixed Dental Prosthesis on 4.2 mm Length Rough Implants: A Case Series Report after an Average Loading Time of 33 Months
Authors: Reingewirtz Yves , Tenenbaum Henri
Published: October 2015

Aim. Several limiting factors encourage the clinician to use short implants. Among those, the presence of limiting anatomical elements and the simplification of surgical procedures are particularly significant. The goal of this study is to analyse the opportunity to extend the use of short implants to extrashort implants with a length less than 5 mm (ESI). Materials and Methods. Seven patients (3 women, 4 men; mean age 60.4 years) received extrashort implants (Straumann Implant, Palatal Orthosystem, length 4.2 mm, diameter 4.1 or 4.8 mm) in severe resorbed edentulous posterior areas. The implants were incorporated in partially fixed dentures. The osseous stability and the attachment level were recorded after a loading period of 22 to 54 months. Results. The results demonstrated a success rate of 100%, stability in the osseous level surrounding implants (mean annual mesial and distal loss of 0.026 mm and 0.105 mm, resp.), and no significant differences in the mean attachment depth between extrashort implants and contralateral teeth or implants (3.7 mm versus 3.55 mm, SD = 0.87). Splinting ESI with natural teeth resulted in significantly more bone resorption than with other implants (P=0.001). Conclusion. This exploratory study on the use of extrashort implants demonstrated good reliability over a loading period of 22 to 54 months.
Gas-Cooled Thorium Reactor with Fuel Block of the Unified Design
Authors: Shamanin Igor , Bedenko Sergey , Chertkov Yuriy , Gubaydulin Ildar
Published: October 2015

Scientific researches of new technological platform realization carried out in Russia are based on ideas of nuclear fuel breeding in closed fuel cycle and physical principles of fast neutron reactors. Innovative projects of low-power reactor systems correspond to the new technological platform. High-temperature gas-cooled thorium reactors with good transportability properties, small installation time, and operation without overloading for a long time are considered perspective. Such small modular reactor systems at good commercial, competitive level are capable of creating the basis of the regional power industry of the Russian Federation. The analysis of information about application of thorium as fuel in reactor systems and its perspective use is presented in the work. The results of the first stage of neutron-physical researches of a 3D model of the high-temperature gas-cooled thorium reactor based on the fuel block of the unified design are given. The calculation 3D model for the program code of MCU-5 series was developed. According to the comparison results of neutron-physical characteristics, several optimum reactor core compositions were chosen. The results of calculations of the reactivity margins, neutron flux distribution, and power density in the reactor core for the chosen core compositions are presented in the work.
Proteomics in Traditional Chinese Medicine with an Emphasis on Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sulistio Yanuar Alan , Heese Klaus
Published: October 2015

In recent years, there has been an increasing worldwide interest in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This increasing demand for TCM needs to be accompanied by a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of TCM-based therapy. However, TCM is often described as a concept of Chinese philosophy, which is incomprehensible for Western medical society, thereby creating a gap between TCM and Western medicine (WM). In order to meet this challenge, TCM research has applied proteomics technologies for exploring the mechanisms of action of TCM treatment. Proteomics enables TCM researchers to oversee various pathways that are affected by treatment, as well as the dynamics of their interactions with one another. This review discusses the utility of comparative proteomics to better understand how TCM treatment may be used as a complementary therapy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Additionally, we review the data from comparative AD-related TCM proteomics studies and establish the relevance of the data with available AD hypotheses, most notably regarding the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS).
Cardiovascular Reflexes Activity and Their Interaction during Exercise
Authors: Crisafulli Antonio , Marongiu Elisabetta , Ogoh Shigehiko
Published: October 2015

Cardiac output and arterial blood pressure increase during dynamic exercise notwithstanding the exercise-induced vasodilation due to functional sympatholysis. These cardiovascular adjustments are regulated in part by neural reflexes which operate to guarantee adequate oxygen supply and by-products washout of the exercising muscles. Moreover, they maintain adequate perfusion of the vital organs and prevent excessive increments in blood pressure. In this review, we briefly summarize neural reflexes operating during dynamic exercise with particular emphasis on their interaction.
Scenario-Based Impact Assessment of Land Use/Cover and Climate Changes on Watershed Hydrology in Heihe River Basin of Northwest China
Authors: Wu Feng , Zhan Jinyan , Su Hongbo , Yan Haiming , Ma Enjun
Published: October 2015

This study evaluated hydrological impacts of potential climate and land use changes in Heihe River Basin of Northwest China. The future climate data for the simulation with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) were prepared using a dynamical downscaling method. The future land uses were simulated with the Dynamic Land Use System (DLS) model by establishing Multinomial Logistic Regression (MNL) model for six land use types. In 2006–2030, land uses in the basin will experience a significant change with a prominent increase in urban areas, a moderate increase in grassland, and a great decrease in unused land. Besides, the simulation results showed that in comparison to those during 1981–2005 the temperature and precipitation during 2006–2030 will change by +0.8°C and +10.8%, respectively. The land use change and climate change will jointly make the water yield change by +8.5%, while they will separately make the water yield change by −1.8% and +9.8%, respectively. The predicted large increase in future precipitation and the corresponding decrease in unused land will have substantial impacts on the watershed hydrology, especially on the surface runoff and streamflow. Therefore, to mitigate negative hydrological impacts and utilize positive impacts, both land use and climate changes should be considered in water resource planning for the Heihe River Basin.
The Ethanolic Extract ofTaiwanofungus camphoratus(Antrodia camphorata) Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Enhances Cytotoxicity of Cisplatin and Doxorubicin on Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Lin Liang-Tzung , Tai Chen-Jei , Su Ching-Hua , Chang Fang-Mo , Choong Chen-Yen , Wang Chien-Kai , Tai Cheng-Jeng
Published: October 2015

Taiwanofungus camphoratus(synonymAntrodia camphorata) is a widely used medicinal fungus in the folk medicine of Taiwan with several pharmacological features such as anti-inflammatory, liver protection, antihypertensive, and antioxidative activities. The ethanolic extract ofT. camphoratus(TCEE) which contains abundant bioactive compounds including triterpenoids and polysaccharides also has antitumor effects in various human cancer cell lines. The aims of this study are to clarify the antitumor effects of TCEE on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and also evaluate the combination drug effects with conventional chemotherapy agents, cisplatin and doxorubicin. In the present study, the TCEE treatment induced cell cycle arrest and suppressed cell growth on both Hep3B and HepJ5 cells. Expression of cell cycle inhibitors, P21 and P27, and activation of apoptosis executer enzyme, caspase-3, were also induced by TCEE. In combination with the chemotherapy agents, TCEE treatment further enhanced the tumor suppression efficiency of cisplatin and doxorubicin. These results together suggested that TCEE is a potential ingredient for developing an integrated chemotherapy for human liver cancer.
Is It Time to Beta Block the Septic Patient?
Authors: Pemberton Philip , Veenith Tonny , Snelson Catherine , Whitehouse Tony
Published: October 2015

Beta blockers are some of the most studied drugs in the pharmacopoeia. They are already widely used in medicine for treating hypertension, chronic heart failure, tachyarrhythmias, and tremor. Whilst their use in the immediate perioperative patient has been questioned, the use of esmolol in the patients with established septic shock has been recently reported to have favourable outcomes. In this paper, we review the role of the adrenergic system in sepsis and the evidence for the use of beta stimulation and beta blockers from animal models to critically ill patients.
Burnout Is Associated with Reduced Parasympathetic Activity and Reduced HPA Axis Responsiveness, Predominantly in Males
Authors: de Vente Wieke , van Amsterdam Jan G. C. , Olff Miranda , Kamphuis Jan H. , Emmelkamp Paul M. G.
Published: October 2015

There is mounting evidence that burnout is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Stress-related dysregulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis may explain the enhanced risk for CVD. To test this hypothesis, 55 patients (34 males and 21 females) with burnout on sickness absence and 40 healthy participants (16 males and 24 females) were exposed to a psychosocial stressor consisting of mental arithmetic and public speech. Physiological variables (i.e., blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, vascular resistance, cortisol, and alpha-amylase) were measured. Basal levels, reactivity, and recovery were compared between groups. In male patients, baseline systolic blood pressure was higher, whereas basal alpha-amylase and cortisol reactivity were lower than in healthy males. In female patients, a tendency for lower basal cortisol was found as compared to healthy females. Furthermore, reduced basal heart rate variability and a trend for elevated basal cardiac output were observed in both male and female patients. Burnout is characterised by dysregulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system and the HPA axis, which was more pronounced in males than in females. This study further supports burnout as being a risk factor for CVD through dysregulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system and the HPA axis.
Verifiable Top-kQuery Processing in Tiered Mobile Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Fangju , Ma Xingpo , Liang Junbin , Lin Mugang
Published: October 2015

Verifiable top-kquery processing in tiered sensor networks, which refers to verifying the authenticity and the completeness of top-kquery results received by the network owner in tiered sensor networks, has received attention in very recent years. However, the existing solutions of this problem are only fit for static sensor network. In this paper, we try to solve the problem in a tiered mobile sensor network model, where not only static sensor nodes but also mobile sensor nodes existed. Based on the tiered mobile sensor network model, we propose a novel verifiable scheme named VTMSN for fine-grained top-kqueries. The main idea of VTMSN is as follows: it maps each of the positions where sensor nodes are in a static state to a virtual node and then establishes relationships among data items of each virtual node with their score orders, which are encrypted along with the scores of the data items and the time epochs using the distinct symmetric keys kept by each sensor node and the network owner. Both theory analysis and simulation results show the efficiency and the security of VTMSN.