bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SecurAstaP trial: securement with SecurAcath versus StatLock for peripherally inserted central catheters, a randomised open trial
Authors: Goossens Godelieve Alice , Grumiaux Niel , Janssens Christel , Jérôme Martine , Fieuws Steffen , Moons Philip , Stas Marguerite , Maleux Geert
Published: February 2018

Objectives

To assess the effect on needed nursing time for dressing change.

Design, setting, participants

A parallel-group, open-label, randomised controlled trial in patients who are in need for a peripherally inserted central catheter insertion in one teaching hospital in Belgium. The follow-up lasted 180 days or until catheter removal, whatever came first. A computer generated table was used to allocate devices. Randomised patients were 105 adults (StatLock, n=53; SecurAcath, n=52) and primary analysis was based on all patients (n=92) with time measurements (StatLock, n=43; SecurAcath, n=49).

Interventions

StatLock which has to be changed weekly versus SecurAcath which could remain in place for the complete catheter dwell time.

Main outcome measure

Needed time for the dressing change at each dressing change (SecurAcath) or at each dressing change combined with the change of the securement device (StatLock).

Results

Median time needed for dressing change was 7.3 min (95% CI 6.4 min to 8.3 min) in the StatLock group and in the SecurAcath group 4.3 min (95% CI 3.8 min to 4.9 min) (P<0.0001). The time in the SecurAcath group was reduced with 41% (95% CI 29% to 51%). Incidence rates of migration, dislodgement and catheter-related bloodstream infection were comparable across groups. Pain scores were higher with SecurAcath than with StatLock at insertion (P=0.02) and at removal (P<0.001) and comparable during dressing change (P=0.38) and during dwell time (P=0.995). User-friendliness was scored at insertion and removal. All statements regarding the user-friendliness were scored significantly higher for StatLock than for SecurAcath (P<0.05). Only for the statement regarding the recommending routine use of the device, which was asked at removal, no difference was found between the two devices (P=0.32).

Conclusion

Use of SecurAcath saves time during dressing change compared with StatLock. Training on correct placement and removal of SecurAcath is critical to minimise pain.

Trial registration number

NCT02311127; Pre-results.
Immune response in highly active young men to the 2014/2015 seasonal influenza vaccine
Authors: Stewart Andrew , Vanderkooi Otto G. , Reimer Raylene A. , Doyle-Baker Patricia K.
Published: February 2018

During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, individuals with obesity were disproportionately affected by H1N1 with increased levels of mortality and morbidity. This led to questions regarding the potential impact of lifestyle on the effectiveness of immunization. Currently, the research is limited on influenza vaccination and the associated changes in immune response with body composition and physical activity. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the potential role of adiposity and physical activity in the immune response elicited by the 2014/2015 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine. A prospective cohort study examining the 2014/2015 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine was conducted by collecting baseline and 4-week postvaccination fasting blood samples from 45 male Albertans between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Percent body fat (%BF) was assessed through dual X-ray absorptiometry imagining and physical activity through self-reported survey scores. While no differences in median %BF were associated with seroconversion rates in participants, the median physical activity score was higher among those that did not seroconvert to the vaccine. Significant differences were found for the A/Texas strain (p < 0.01) and a similar trend of lower magnitude observed for the remaining 2 influenza strains. These results suggest that higher physical activity levels may influence immune response to vaccination and that assessing factors beyond those commonly used can be of value when identifying vaccine response in the population.
Tuning the creep rates of binary Al alloys by considering the effects of the stacking faults, alloying elements, and elastic moduli: a first-principles study
Authors: Todorova T. , Zwanziger J.W.
Published: February 2018

Using first-principles calculations, the effects of intrinsic stacking faults, elastic moduli, and diffusivity on the creep rates of aluminum alloys Al–X (X = Sc, Nb, or Mo) have been investigated. The calculated stacking fault energies of dilute Al show stabilization in the case of Sc and destabilization in the case of Mo and Nb. Although all three impurities confer stiffer elastic properties, Sc appears to retain the ductility of Al but Mo and Nb push the system in the brittle regime. Also, Mo and Nb strongly increase the activation barrier to diffusion, leading to much reduced creep. The results indicate that Mo and Nb can be used in Al alloys to improve elastic properties and creep resistance but only at very low levels, before brittleness becomes an issue.
White LED light production using dibromoperylene derivatives in down conversion of energy
Authors: Aksoy Erkan , Demi̇r Nuriye , Varlikli Canan
Published: February 2018

Perylene derivatives of N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,6(7)-dibromoperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (DBrPDI) and 1,7-dibromo perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid butyl ester (DBrPTE) were synthesized, and their structural and optical characterizations were explored. Both DBrPDI and DBrPTE, which were utilized as wavelength converters on a GaN/InGaN based blue LED, were singlet sensitizers and had molar absorptivity constants around 104 Lmol−1cm−1. The blue LED that was used had Commission internationale de l’eclairage (CIE) coordinates of x, y = 0.13, 0.06; power and luminous efficiencies of 2.7 lm/W and 6.6 cd/A @5 mA, respectively. Because the fluorescence quantum yield of DBrPDI was much higher than that of DBrPTE, a meaningful white light efficiency was obtained with the diimide derivative. The use of DBrPDI resulted in white light with CIE coordinates of x, y = 0.34, 0.29 and luminous efficiency of 6.35 cd/A @5 mA, respectively. Using DBrPDI in a resin matrix resulted in more than three orders of magnitude increase in the luminous efficiency value (23.0 cd/A @5 mA) while the CIE coordinates remained the same. Whenever the applied current reached 20 mA, a CRI value of Ra = 90 was obtained.
Energies, wavelengths, transition probabilities, and oscillator strengths for electric dipole transitions of Na-like and Mg-like mercury
Authors: Konan Gülay Günday , Özdemir Leyla
Published: February 2018

We have reported atomic data including energies and electric dipole (E1) transition parameters, such as wavelengths, transition probabilities (or rates), and weighted oscillator strengths, for Na-like and Mg-like mercury (Hg69+ and Hg68+) using the AUTOSTRUCTURE atomic code, which includes Breit and quantum electrodynamics effects as well as correlation developed by Badnell. We have compared our results with the available theoretical results in the literature. Also, we have presented new results where no other theoretical and experimental results are available.
A direct force model for Galilean invariant lattice Boltzmann simulation of fluid-particle flows
Authors: Tao Shi , He Qing , Chen Baiman , Yang Xiaoping , Huang Simin
Published: February 2018

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been widely used in the simulation of particulate flows involving complex moving boundaries. Due to the kinetic background of LBM, the bounce-back (BB) rule and the momentum exchange (ME) method can be easily applied to the solid boundary treatment and the evaluation of fluid–solid interaction force, respectively. However, recently it has been found that both the BB and ME schemes may violate the principle of Galilean invariance (GI). Some modified BB and ME methods have been proposed to reduce the GI error. But these remedies have been recognized subsequently to be inconsistent with Newton’s Third Law. Therefore, contrary to those corrections based on the BB and ME methods, a unified iterative approach is adopted to handle the solid boundary in the present study. Furthermore, a direct force (DF) scheme is proposed to evaluate the fluid–particle interaction force. The methods preserve the efficiency of the BB and ME schemes, and the performance on the accuracy and GI is verified and validated in the test cases of particulate flows with freely moving particles.
Two extensions of right G-semilocal and right N-semilocal rings
Authors: Fahmy M. H. , Hassanein A. M. , Abdelwahab S. M.
Published: February 2018

The paper studies the transfer of the property of being right G-semilocal and right N-semilocal from a ring [Formula: see text] to its extensions and vice versa. We will focus on two extensions, namely finite normalizing extension [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] and the ring of polynomials [Formula: see text].
Stable under specialization sets and cofiniteness
Authors: Divaani-Aazar K. , Faridian H. , Tousi M.
Published: February 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative noetherian ring, and [Formula: see text] a stable under specialization subset of [Formula: see text]. We introduce a notion of [Formula: see text]-cofiniteness and study its main properties. In the case [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text] is semilocal with [Formula: see text], we show that the category of [Formula: see text]-cofinite [Formula: see text]-modules is abelian. Also, in each of these cases, we prove that the local cohomology module [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-cofinite for every homologically left-bounded [Formula: see text]-complex [Formula: see text] whose homology modules are finitely generated and every [Formula: see text].
On feckly polar rings
Authors: Calci Tugce Pekacar , Chen Huanyin
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we introduce a new notion which lies properly between strong [Formula: see text]-regularity and pseudopolarity. A ring [Formula: see text] is feckly polar if for any [Formula: see text] there exists [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] Many structure theorems are proved. Further, we investigate feck polarity for triangular matrix and matrix rings. The relations among strongly [Formula: see text]-regular rings, pseudopolar rings and feckly polar rings are also obtained.
On commutative rings whose ideals are direct sums of cyclic modules
Authors: Ghorbani A. , Naji-Esfahani M.
Published: February 2018

A generalization of Köthe rings is the family of rings whose ideals are direct sums of cyclic modules. These rings were previously studied in the commutative local case. This motivated us to study commutative rings with local dimension whose ideals are direct sums of cyclic modules. First, we obtain an structure theorem for rings of local dimension [Formula: see text]. Then we conclude that, for a ring of local dimension [Formula: see text], every ideal of [Formula: see text] is a direct sum of cyclic modules if and only if every indecomposable ideal of [Formula: see text] is cyclic if and only if every maximal ideal of [Formula: see text] is cyclic if and only if every maximal ideal of [Formula: see text] is cyclic if and only if [Formula: see text] is a principal ideal ring.
Extremely dense microstructure and enhanced ionic conductivity in hot-isostatic pressing treated cubic garnet-type solid electrolyte of Ga2O3-doped Li7La3Zr2O12
Authors: Qin Shiying , Zhu Xiaohong , Jiang Yue , Ling Ming’en , Hu Zhiwei , Zhu Jiliang
Published: February 2018

A large number of pores and a low relative density that are frequently observed in solid electrolytes reduce severely their ionic conductivity and thus limit their applicability. Here, we report on the use of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) for ameliorating the garnet-type lithium-ion conducting solid electrolyte of Ga2O3-doped Li7La3Zr2O[Formula: see text] (Ga-LLZO) with nominal composition of Li[Formula: see text]Ga[Formula: see text]La3Zr2O[Formula: see text]. The Ga-LLZO pellets were conventionally sintered at 1075[Formula: see text]C for 12[Formula: see text]h, and then were followed by HIP treatment at 120[Formula: see text]MPa and 1160[Formula: see text]C under an Ar atmosphere. It is found that the HIP-treated Ga-LLZO shows an extremely dense microstructure and a significantly enhanced ionic conductivity. Coherent with the increase in relative density from 90.5% (untreated) to 97.5% (HIP-treated), the ionic conductivity of the HIP-treated Ga-LLZO reaches as high as [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]S/cm at room temperature (25[Formula: see text]C), being two times higher than that of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]S/cm for the untreated one.
Alternative Solutions of the Geodesic Differential Equations Applied to the Mechanical Analysis of the Tensile Armors of Flexible Pipes under Bending
Authors: Gonzalez Gabriel M. , Cortina João Paulo R. , de Sousa José Renato M. , Sagrilo Luis Volnei S.
Published: February 2018

In some mechanical models, the tensile armors of bent flexible pipes are treated as geodesics on a torus and, based on this hypothesis, the curvatures of these curves are calculated to obtain the acting stresses. However, a closed-form solution of the geodesic differential equations is not possible, which imposes difficulties on determining these curvatures. This work, therefore, proposes two alternative solutions to the nonlinear geodesic differential equations. The first relies on an artificial neural network (ANN) and the second is obtained by symbolic regression (SR). Both employ data from the numerical solution of the geodesic differential equations and showed good correlation with the complete dataset. Nevertheless, when tested against new data, the SR equations led to results almost equal to those obtained with the numerical solution of the differential equations and to null geodesic curvature. Despite also agreeing well with the numerical solution, the ANN indicates nonnull geodesic curvatures. Moreover, when compared to equations often employed in the design of flexible pipes, the SR equations may indicate different results, which can impact, for example, the fatigue or the instability analysis of the tensile armors of these pipes.
A Two‐Step Hybrid Approach for Modeling the Nonlinear Dynamic Response of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters
Authors: Maruccio Claudio , Quaranta Giuseppe , Montegiglio Pasquale , Trentadue Francesco , Acciani Giuseppe
Published: February 2018

An effective hybrid computational framework is described here in order to assess the nonlinear dynamic response of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices. The proposed strategy basically consists of two steps. First, fully coupled multiphysics finite element (FE) analyses are performed to evaluate the nonlinear static response of the device. An enhanced reduced‐order model is then derived, where the global dynamic response is formulated in the state‐space using lumped coefficients enriched with the information derived from the FE simulations. The electromechanical response of piezoelectric beams under forced vibrations is studied by means of the proposed approach, which is also validated by comparing numerical predictions with some experimental results. Such numerical and experimental investigations have been carried out with the main aim of studying the influence of material and geometrical parameters on the global nonlinear response. The advantage of the presented approach is that the overall computational and experimental efforts are significantly reduced while preserving a satisfactory accuracy in the assessment of the global behavior.
Blood-Brain Barrier Damage as the Starting Point of Leukoaraiosis Caused by Cerebral Chronic Hypoperfusion and Its Involved Mechanisms: Effect of Agrin and Aquaporin-4
Authors: Huang Jing , Li Junwen , Feng Chao , Huang Xi , Wong Liping , Liu Xueyuan , Nie Zhiyu , Xi Gangming
Published: February 2018

White matter lesion (WML) is popular in the patients aged over 65. Brain edema and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction due to cerebral chronic hypoperfusion (CCH) contributed to WML. Preserving astrocyte polarity is vital for BBB integrity. In our experiment, CCH model is established by bilateral carotid arteries occlusion (2VO). Leukoaraiosis was verified by fiber density stain, and brain edema was evaluated using brain water content measuring. The expressions of agrin and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) were evaluated, as well as the integrity of BBB. Astrocyte polarity was assessed by visualizing the distribution of AQP4 on astrocyte end-feet membranes. The results showed that expression of AQP4 firstly increased and then decreased, as agrin expression decreased gradually. At 3 days after 2VO, AQP4 and agrin displayed the most opposite expression with the former increasing and the latter decreasing; at the same time, brain edema reached high point as well as BBB permeability, and astrocyte polarity was degeneration. In the later phase, brain edema and BBB permeability were getting recovered, but WML was getting more evident. In accordance with that, agrin and AQP4 expression decreased significantly with astrocyte polarity reducing. We speculated that agrin and AQP4 played key roles in development of WML by mediating BBB damage in CCH, and BBB dysfunction due to reduced astrocyte polarity is the starting point of WMH.
Clinical and Prognostic Value of PET/CT Imaging with Combination of 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG in Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Zhang Panpan , Yu Jiangyuan , Li Jie , Shen Lin , Li Nan , Zhu Hua , Zhai Shizhen , Zhang Yan , Yang Zhi , Lu Ming
Published: February 2018

Background. To evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of PET/CT with combination of 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs). Method. 83 patients of GEP-NENs who underwent 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG PET/CT were enrolled between June 2013 and December 2016. Well-differentiated (WD) NETs are divided into group A (Ki-67 < 10%) and group B (Ki-67 ≥ 10%), and poorly differentiated (PD) NECs are defined as group C. The relationship between PET/CT results and clinicopathological characteristics was retrospectively investigated. Result. For groups A/B/C, the sensitivities of 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG were 78.8%/83.3%/37.5% and 52.0%/72.2%/100.0%. A negative correlation between Ki-67 and SUVmax of 68Ga-DOTATATE (R = −0.415; P ≤ 0.001) was observed, while a positive correlation was noted between Ki-67 and SUVmax of 18F-FDG (R = 0.683; P ≤ 0.001). 62.5% (5/8) of patients showed significantly more lesions in the bone if 68Ga-DOTATATE was used, and 22.7% (5/22) of patients showed more lymph node metastases if 18F-FDG was used. Conclusions. The sensitivity of dual tracers was correlated with cell differentiation, and a correlation between Ki-67 and both SUVmax of PET-CTs could be observed. 68Ga-DOTATATE is suggested for WD-NET and 18F-FDG is probably suitable for patients with Ki-67 ≥ 10%.
The Road Less Traveled in Elementary Physical Education: Exploring Human Relationship Skills in Adventure-Based Learning
Authors: Stuhr Paul T. , De La Rosa Tina , Samalot-Rivera Amaury , Sutherland Sue
Published: February 2018

Teachers who are looking for ways to develop social and emotional learning with their students can use a curriculum model called Adventure-Based Learning (ABL). ABL consists of structured physical activities (cooperative in nature) with periods of reflection. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary physical education students’ lived experience with intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship skills (IIRS) from an ABL unit of instruction. The aim of this study was to determine the credibility of an existing ABL student learning outcome model for use at the elementary school level in the United States. Findings indicated that the elementary students were able toconnect,value,develop, andtransferthe four IIRS over the course of the ABL unit. The findings provide plausible evidence that IIRS outcomes from the implementation of an ABL unit of instruction are possible to achieve at the elementary school level. Studies that further investigate student outcomes from participation in ABL at the elementary school level are recommended.
Maintenance of Fish Health in Aquaculture: Review of Epidemiological Approaches for Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease of Fish
Authors: Assefa Ayalew , Abunna Fufa
Published: February 2018

Aquaculture is rapidly growing part of agriculture worldwide. It makes up around 44 percent of total fish production globally. This increased growth of production is achieved despite facing many challenges in the aquaculture environment. Among production limiting challenges, the infectious disease takes the lion share by causing multibillion-dollar loss annually. To reduce the impact of the fish disease, it is necessary to address health constraints based on scientifically proven and recommended ways. This review aims at pointing out some of the best approaches to prevention and control of infectious disease in aquaculture. Among the effective prevention and control strategies, vaccination is one of the key practices. Types of vaccines for use in fish include killed vaccines, attenuated vaccines, DNA vaccines, recombinant technology vaccines, and synthetic peptide vaccines. Administration techniques of vaccines in fish include oral, injection, or immersion methods. Antibiotics are also in use in aquaculture despite their side effects in the development of drug resistance by microorganisms. Biological and chemical disease control strategies such as using probiotics, prebiotics, and medicinal plants are widely in use. Biosecurity measures in aquaculture can keep the safety of a facility from certain disease-causing agents that are absent in particular system. Farm-level biosecurity measures include strict quarantine measures, egg disinfection, traffic control, water treatments, clean feed, and disposal of mortalities. In conclusion, rather than trying to treat every disease case, it advisable to follow a preventive approach before the event of any disease outbreaks.
Study on the Comprehensive Properties and Microstructures of A3-3 Matrix Graphite Related to the High Temperature Purification Treatment
Authors: Zhou Xiangwen , Lu Zhenming , Zhang Jie , Song Jing , Liu Bing , Tang Yaping , Tang Chunhe
Published: February 2018

At the beginning, a comparative analysis was made on the oxidation corrosion rate and ash content of A3-3 matrix graphite (MG) pebbles lathed before and after high temperature purification (HTP) treatment. Their oxidation corrosion rate and ash contents were almost identical, which indicated that the HTP process was to purify the entire MG pebbles and not limited on the surfaces. Furthermore, the multiple mechanical and thermal properties of MG treated without and with the treatment of HTP at ~1900°C were compared and their microstructure features were characterized as well. As the crush strength, oxidation corrosion rate, and erosion rate of MG without HTP treatment did not satisfy the specifications, the comprehensive properties and purity of MG with HTP were improved in various degrees through the HTP process so that all performances met the requirements of the A3-3 MG. The improvement of crush strength and erosion rate of MG in the HTP process could be mainly attributed to the upgradation of ordered microstructure and corresponding increase of density. However, the enhancement of oxidation corrosion rate was due to the synergistic effects of microstructural optimization and reduction of impurity elements, especially the transition metal elements of MG in the HTP process.
Preparation and Thermal Properties of Eutectic Hydrate Salt Phase Change Thermal Energy Storage Material
Authors: Liang Lin , Chen Xi
Published: February 2018

In this study, a new cold storage phase change material eutectic hydrate salt (K2HPO4·3H2O–NaH2PO4·2H2O–Na2S2O3·5H2O) was prepared, modified, and tested. The modification was performed by adding a nucleating agent and thickener. The physical properties such as viscosity, surface tension, cold storage characteristics, supercooling, and the stability during freeze-thaw cycles were studied. Results show that the use of nucleating agents, such as sodium tetraborate, sodium fluoride, and nanoparticles, are effective. The solidification temperature and latent heat of these materials which was added with 0, 3, and 5 wt% thickeners were −11.9, −10.6, and −14.8°C and 127.2, 118.6, 82.56 J/g, respectively. Adding a nucleating agent can effectively improve the nucleation rate and nucleation stability. Furthermore, increasing viscosity has a positive impact on the solidification rate, supercooling, and the stability during freeze-thaw cycles.
Kainari, a Unique Greek Traditional Herbal Tea, from the Island of Lesvos: Chemical Analysis and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: Bampali Evangelia , Graikou Konstantia , Aligiannis Nektarios , Chinou Ioanna
Published: February 2018

The chemical composition, as well as the total phenolic content (TPC) and the potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, of three Kainari‐herbal tea samples from different areas of Lesvos Island (Greece) was evaluated. The rich aroma of the mixtures was studied through GC‐MS, as well as through Headspace Solid‐Phase Microextraction (HS‐SPME)/GC‐MS analyses. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, pepper, and ginger were identified as main ingredients, while, throughout the chemical analysis of the volatiles of one selected sample, several secondary metabolites have been isolated and identified on the basis of GC‐MS as well as spectral evidence as eugenol, cinnamic aldehyde and myristicin, cinnamyl alcohol, alpha‐terpinyl acetate, and β‐caryophyllene. Furthermore, two food dyes, azorubine and amaranth, were also isolated and identified from the infusions. The total phenolic content was estimated and the free radical scavenging activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS assays and the antimicrobial activity of the extracts was tested showing a very interesting profile against all the assayed microorganisms. Due to its very pleasant aroma and taste properties as well as to its bioactivities, Kainari‐herbal tea could be further proposed as functional beverage.
Anti‐Inflammatory Potential of Carpomitra costata Ethanolic Extracts via Inhibition of NF‐κB and AP‐1 Activation in LPS‐Stimulated RAW264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Yim Mi-Jin , Lee Jeong Min , Choi Grace , Lee Dae-Sung , Park Won Sun , Jung Won-Kyo , Park Saegwang , Seo Su-Kil , Park Jungik , Choi Il-Whan , Ma Sun Young
Published: February 2018

Marine algae have valuable health and dietary benefits. The present study aimed to investigate whether an ethanol extract of Carpomitra costata (CCE) could inhibit the inflammatory response to LPS. CCE attenuated the production of proinflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and nitric oxide (NO), by inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression in LPS‐induced RAW264.7 macrophages. CCE also inhibited the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL‐1β, TNF‐α, and IL‐6. CCE suppressed the LPS‐induced DNA‐binding activity of (NF‐κB) and activator protein‐1 (AP‐1). In addition, CCE attenuated the LPS‐stimulated phosphorylation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase/stress‐activated protein kinase (JNK) and phosphatidylinositol 3′‐kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt). Functional aspects of the JNK and Akt signaling pathways were analyzed using specific inhibitors, which attenuated the LPS‐induced production of proinflammatory cytokines, and NO and PGE2 expression by suppressing AP‐1 and NF‐κB activity. In particular, the AP‐1 signaling pathway is not involved in the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐6, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β. These results suggested that CCE might exert its anti‐inflammatory action by downregulating transcriptional factors (NF‐κB and AP‐1) through JNK and Akt signaling pathways. The current study suggested that CCE might be a valuable candidate for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.
Increased F2‐Isoprostane Levels in Semen and Immunolocalization of the 8‐Iso Prostaglandin F2α in Spermatozoa from Infertile Patients with Varicocele
Authors: Collodel Giulia , Moretti Elena , Longini Mariangela , Pascarelli Nicola Antonio , Signorini Cinzia
Published: February 2018

Polyunsaturated fatty acid damages lead to alterations in sperm function. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of F2‐isoprostanes (F2‐IsoPs), oxidized lipid products from arachidonic acid, in sperm quality impairment. For this purpose, F2‐IsoP levels in semen and F2‐IsoP localization in spermatozoa were explored in infertile subjects affected by idiopathic infertility or varicocele, as well as in fertile men. As compared to fertile men, in the idiopathic infertility and varicocele groups, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, viability, and fertility index were significantly lower and the mean scores concerning sperm apoptosis, necrosis, and immaturity were significantly higher. The idiopathic infertile group showed a reduction in sperm motility and fertility index, as well as an increase of apoptosis and necrosis percentages, in comparison to the varicocele group. The varicocele group showed the highest levels of F2‐IsoPs, a significant increase of sperm immaturity, and a significant correlation between F2‐IsoP levels and sperm immaturity. 8‐Iso Prostaglandin F2α, biomarker of in vivo F2‐IsoP, was clearly localized in sperm midpiece and cytoplasmic residues. Data show that F2‐IsoP formation is relevant in semen and sperm from infertile patients with varicocele and high percentage of immaturity, suggesting that a correct fatty acid integrity is needed for sperm maturation.
MQTT Security: A Novel Fuzzing Approach
Authors: Hernández Ramos Santiago , Villalba M. Teresa , Lacuesta Raquel
Published: February 2018

The Internet of Things is a concept that is increasingly present in our lives. The emergence of intelligent devices has led to a paradigm shift in the way technology interacts with the environment, leading society to a smarter planet. Consequently, new advanced telemetry approaches appear to connect all kinds of devices with each other, with companies, or with other networks, such as the Internet. On the road to an increasingly interconnected world, where critical devices rely on communication networks to provide an essential service, there arises the need to ensure the security and reliability of these protocols and applications. In this paper, we discuss a security‐based approach for MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport), which stands out as a very lightweight and widely used messaging and information exchange protocol for IoT (Internet of Things) devices throughout the world. To that end, we propose the creation of a framework that allows for performing a novel, template‐based fuzzing technique on the MQTT protocol. The first experimental results showed that performance of the fuzzing technique presented here makes it a good candidate for use in network architectures with low processing power sensors, such as Smart Cities. In addition, the use of this fuzzer in widely used applications that implement MQTT has led to the discovery of several new security flaws not hitherto reported, demonstrating its usefulness as a tool for finding security vulnerabilities.
Natural Products for the Management and Prevention of Breast Cancer
Authors: Mitra Sarmistha , Dash Raju
Published: February 2018

Among all types of cancer, breast cancer is one of the most challenging diseases, which is responsible for a large number of cancer related deaths. Hormonal therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have been used as treatment of breast cancer, for a very long time. Due to severe side effects and multidrug resistance, these treatment approaches become increasingly ineffective. However, adoption of complementary treatment approach can be a big solution for this situation, as it is evident that compounds derived from natural source have a great deal of anticancer activity. Natural compounds can fight against aggressiveness of breast cancer, inhibit cancerous cell proliferation, and modulate cancer related pathways. A large number of research works are now focusing on the natural and dietary compounds and trying to find out new and more effective treatment strategies for the breast cancer patients. In this review, we discussed some significant natural chemical compounds with their mechanisms of actions, which can be very effective against the breast cancer and can be more potent by their proper modifications and further clinical research. Future research focusing on the natural anti‐breast‐cancer agents can open a new horizon in breast cancer treatment, which will play a great role in enhancing the survival rate of breast cancer patients.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Geniposide on Osteoarthritis by Suppressing the Activation of p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Chen Yuan , Shou Kangquan , Gong Chunlong , Yang Huarui , Yang Yi , Bao Tongzhu
Published: February 2018

It has been suggested that the activation of the p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway plays a significant role in the progression of OA by leading to the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and signaling enzymes in human osteoarthritis chondrocytes. However, most p38 MAPK inhibitors applied for OA have been thought to be limited due to their potential long-term toxicities. Geniposide (GE), an iridoid glycoside purified from the fruit of the herb, has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we evaluated the inhibition effect of geniposide on the inflammatory progression of the surgically induced osteoarthritis and whether the protective effect of geniposide on OA is related to the inhibition of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.In vitro, geniposide attenuated the expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO) production as well as matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 13 in chondrocytes isolated from surgically induced rabbit osteoarthritis model. Additionally, geniposide markedly suppressed the expression of IL-1, TNF-α, NO, and MMP-13 in the synovial fluid from the rabbits with osteoarthritis. More importantly, our results clearly demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of geniposide on surgery-induced expression of inflammatory mediators in osteoarthritis was closely associated with the suppression of the p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Our study demonstrates that geniposide may have therapeutic potential to serve as an alternative agent for the p38 MAPK inhibition for the treatment of OA due to its inherent features of biological activities and low toxicity as a traditional Chinese medicine.
Numerical Simulations of Airborne Glaciogenic Cloud Seeding Using the WRF Model with the Modified Morrison Scheme over the Pyeongchang Region in the Winter of 2016
Authors: Chae Sanghee , Chang Ki-Ho , Seo Seongkyu , Jeong Jin-Yim , Kim Baek-Jo , Kim Chang Ki , Yum Seong Soo , Kim Jinwon
Published: February 2018

A model was developed for simulating the effects of airborne silver iodide (AgI) glaciogenic cloud seeding using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model with a modified Morrison cloud microphysics scheme. This model was used to hindcast the weather conditions and effects of seeding for three airborne seeding experiments conducted in 2016. The spatial patterns of the simulated precipitation and liquid water path (LWP) qualitatively agreed with the observations. Considering the observed wind fields during the seeding, the simulated spatiotemporal distributions of the seeding materials, AgI, and snowfall enhancements were found to be reasonable. In the enhanced snowfall cases, the process by which cloud water and vapor were converted into ice particles after seeding was also reasonable. It was also noted that the AgI residence time (>1 hr) above the optimum AgI concentration (105 m−3) and high LWP (>100 g m−2) were important factors for snowfall enhancements. In the first experiment, timing of the simulated snowfall enhancement agreed with the observations, which supports the notion that the seeding of AgI resulted in enhanced snowfall in the experiment. The model developed in this study will be useful for verifying the effects of cloud seeding on precipitation.
Molecular Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli from Rabbit Farms in Tai’an, China
Authors: Zhao Xiaonan , Yang Jie , Ju Zijing , Chang Weishan , Sun Shuhong
Published: February 2018

To investigate the prevalence and resistance against antimicrobials of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Tai’an, March 2016, a total of 55 E. coli strains were isolated from 60 faecal samples of diarrheic rabbits collected from three rabbit farms in Tai’an. The E. coli isolates were assayed for antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalence of resistance genes and Class I integrons and genotyped using Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST). All the E. coli isolates were sensitive to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, imipenem, and amikacin, while 78.2% of the isolates showed resistance against tetracycline, and 65.5% were resistant against ampicillin. The most common resistance gene detected was blaTEM, present in 98.2% of isolates, followed by blaCTX-M (94.6%) and sul2 (58.2%). Class I integrons were detected in 17 out of the 55 (30.9%) E. coli strains. Seven kinds of gene cassette were detected: dfrA17 + aadA5, dfrA1 + catB3 + aacA4, aadA2 + LinF, dfrA1 + aadA1, aadA22, dfrA12 + orfF + addA2, and aadA16 + dfrA27 + arr-3. All the 55 E. coli strains were identified and classified as 13 sequence types (STs); ST302 (22/55, 40.0%) was the most prevalent type, followed by ST370 (12/55, 21.8%). This study showed that E. coli isolated from diarrheic farmed rabbits in the Tai’an area exhibit sometimes very frequent resistance to antimicrobials important to human medicine, which further highlights the need for reasonable use of antibiotics.
Synthesis of Encapsulated Zn(8-hydroxyquinoline)2(H2O)2 in the Pore of BioMOF1 for Sensing Dissolved Oxygen in Water
Authors: Srilaoong Phakinee , Buasakun Jiraporn , Chainok Kittipong , Wannalerse Boontana , Rattanakam Ramida , Duangthongyou Tanwawan
Published: February 2018

The Zn(8-hydroxyquinoline)2(H2O)2, ZnQ2·2H2O, encapsulated in the porous BioMOF1 (ZnQ2@BioMOF1) host was synthesized by solid-solid and solid-solution reaction between Zn2+@BioMOF1 and 8-hydroxyquinoline. To prepare Zn2+@BioMOF1, dimethylammonium (DMA+), guests in the pores of BioMOF1 were replaced by Zn2+ ions via ion exchange process. The synthesized compound was characterized by XRD and TGA to confirm stability of BioMOF1 host. The ZnQ2·2H2O forming by metal-cation-directed de novo coassembly approach was confirmed by UV, IR, Fluorescence, BET, and confocal microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy images show slight change in morphology of BioMOF1 after introducing ZnQ2·2H2O by solid-solution reaction into its pores. Thin films of the produced materials were used to sense dissolved oxygen in water by using fluorescence technique.
Green Data Gathering under Delay Differentiated Services Constraint for Internet of Things
Authors: Huang Mingfeng , Liu Anfeng , Wang Tian , Huang Changqin
Published: February 2018

Energy‐efficient data gathering techniques play a crucial role in promoting the development of smart portable devices as well as smart sensor devices based Internet of Things (IoT). For data gathering, different applications require different delay constraints; therefore, a delay Differentiated Services based Data Routing (DSDR) scheme is creatively proposed to improve the delay differentiated services constraint that is missed from previous data gathering studies. The DSDR scheme has three advantages: first, DSDR greatly reduces transmission delay by establishing energy‐efficient routing paths (E2RPs). Multiple E2RPs are established in different locations of the network to forward data, and the duty cycles of nodes on E2RPs are increased to 1, so the data is forwarded by E2RPs without the existence of sleeping delay, which greatly reduces transmission latency. Secondly, DSDR intelligently chooses transmission method according to data urgency: the direct‐forwarding strategy is adopted for delay‐sensitive data to ensure minimum end‐to‐end delay, while wait‐forwarding method is adopted for delay‐tolerant data to perform data fusion for reducing energy consumption. Finally, DSDR make full use of the residual energy and improve the effective energy utilization. The E2RPs are built in the region with adequate residual energy and they are periodically rotated to equalize the energy consumption of the network. A comprehensive performance analysis demonstrates that the DSDR scheme has obvious advantages in improving network performance compared to previous studies: it reduces transmission latency of delay‐sensitive data by 44.31%, reduces transmission latency of delay‐tolerant data by 25.65%, and improves network energy utilization by 30.61%, while also guaranteeing the network lifetime is not lower than previous studies.
Measuring Hydrometeors Using a Precipitation Microphysical Characteristics Sensor: Sampling Effect of Different Bin Sizes on Drop Size Distribution Parameters
Authors: Liu Xichuan , Gao Taichang , Hu Yuntao , Shu Xiaojian
Published: February 2018

In order to improve the measurement of precipitation microphysical characteristics sensor (PMCS), the sampling process of raindrops by PMCS based on a particle-by-particle Monte-Carlo model was simulated to discuss the effect of different bin sizes on DSD measurement, and the optimum sampling bin sizes for PMCS were proposed based on the simulation results. The simulation results of five sampling schemes of bin sizes in four rain-rate categories show that the raw capture DSD has a significant fluctuation variation influenced by the capture probability, whereas the appropriate sampling bin size and width can reduce the impact of variation of raindrop number on DSD shape. A field measurement of a PMCS, an OTT PARSIVEL disdrometer, and a tipping bucket rain Gauge shows that the rain-rate and rainfall accumulations have good consistencies between PMCS, OTT, and Gauge; the DSD obtained by PMCS and OTT has a good agreement; the probability of N0, μ, and Λ shows that there is a good agreement between the Gamma parameters of PMCS and OTT; the fitted μ-Λ and Z-R relationship measured by PMCS is close to that measured by OTT, which validates the performance of PMCS on rain-rate, rainfall accumulation, and DSD related parameters.
IRAK1 Augments Cancer Stemness and Drug Resistance via the AP-1/AKR1B10 Signaling Cascade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Cheng Bowie Y. , Lau Eunice Y. , Leung Hoi-Wing , Leung Carmen Oi-Ning , Ho Nicole P. , Gurung Shilpa , Cheng Lily K. , Lin Chi Ho , Lo Regina Cheuk-Lam , Ma Stephanie , Ng Irene Oi-Lin , Lee Terence K.
Published: February 2018

Frequent relapse and drug resistance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be attributed to the existence of tumor-initiating cells (TIC) within the tumor bulk. Therefore, targeting liver TICs may improve the prognosis of these patients. From transcriptome sequencing of 16 pairs of clinical HCC samples, we report that interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) in the TLR/IRAK pathway is significantly upregulated in HCC. IRAK1 overexpression in HCC was further confirmed at the mRNA and protein levels and correlated with advanced tumor stages and poor patient survival. Interestingly, IRAK4, an upstream regulator of IRAK1, was also consistently upregulated. IRAK1 regulated liver TIC properties, including self-renewal, tumorigenicity, and liver TIC marker expression. IRAK1 inhibition sensitized HCC cells to doxorubicin and sorafenib treatment in vitro via suppression of the apoptotic cascade. Pharmacological inhibition of IRAK1 with a specific IRAK1/4 kinase inhibitor consistently suppressed liver TIC populations. We identified aldo-keto reductase family 1 member 10 (AKR1B10) as a novel downstream target of IRAK1, which was found to be overexpressed in HCC and significantly correlated with IRAK1 expression. Knockdown of AKR1B10 negated IRAK1-induced TIC functions via modulation of the AP-1 complex. Inhibition of IRAK1/4 inhibitor in combination with sorafenib synergistically suppressed tumor growth in an HCC xenograft model. In conclusion, targeting the IRAK4/IRAK1/AP-1/AKR1B10 signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic strategy against HCC.

Significance: IRAK4/IRAK1/AP-1/AKR1B10 signaling pathway regulates cancer stemness and drug resistance and may be a novel therapeutic target in HCC. Cancer Res; 78(9); 2332–42. ©2018 AACR.
Phase I Study of LY2940680, a Smo Antagonist, in Patients with Advanced Cancer Including Treatment-Naïve and Previously Treated Basal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Bendell Johanna , Andre Valerie , Ho Alan , Kudchadkar Ragini , Migden Michael , Infante Jeffrey , Tiu Ramon V. , Pitou Celine , Tucker Trevor , Brail Les , Von Hoff Daniel
Published: February 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine a recommended phase II dose and schedule of LY2940680 (taladegib) for safe administration to patients with locally advanced/metastatic cancer.

Experimental Design: This was a phase I, multicenter, open-label study of oral LY2940680. The maximum tolerable dose (MTD) was determined using a 3+3 design, the dose was confirmed, and then treatment-naïve and previously hedgehog (Hh)-inhibitor–treated patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were enrolled.

Results: Eighty-four patients were treated (dose escalation, n = 25; dose confirmation, n = 19; and BCC dose expansion, n = 40). Common treatment-emergent adverse events were dysgeusia [41 (48.8%)], fatigue [40 (47.6%)], nausea [38 (45.2%)], and muscle spasms [34 (40.5%)]. Four patients experienced events (3 were grade 3; 1 was grade 2) that were considered dose-limiting toxicities (DLT). The MTD was determined to be 400 mg because of DLTs and dose reductions. Pharmacokinetic analyses showed no clear relationship between exposure and toxicity. Analysis of Gli1 mRNA from skin biopsies from unaffected areas suggested that all doses were biologically active [inhibition median of 92.3% (80.9% to 95.7%)]. All clinical responses (per RECIST 1.1) were in patients with BCC (n = 47); the overall and estimated response rate was 46.8% (95% confidence interval, 32.1%–61.9%). Responses were observed in patients previously treated with Hh therapy (11/31) and in Hh treatment–naïve (11/16) patients.

Conclusions: LY2940680 treatment resulted in an acceptable safety profile in patients with advanced/metastatic cancer. Clinical responses were observed in patients with locally advanced/metastatic BCC who were previously treated with Hh therapy and in Hh treatment–naïve patients. Clin Cancer Res; 24(9); 2082–91. ©2018 AACR.