bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CK1 inhibitor affects in vitro maturation and developmental competence of bovine oocytes
Authors: Shi Pengfei , Xu Jie , Zhao Xin , Shen Penglei , Wen Dongmei , Yu Qing , Deng Yanfei , Shi Deshun , Lu Fenghua
Published: June 2019

The objectives of present study were to evaluate the effect of casein kinase 1 (CK1) inhibition D4476 on in vitro maturation (IVM) and developmental competence of bovine oocytes. The cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in maturation medium with D4476 (0, 2, 5, 10, 20 μM) for 24 hr. After IVM and in vitro fertilization, through expansion average scores of cumulus cells (CCs), oocyte maturation efficiency, cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of zygote, we found 5 μM D4476 could increase the development potential of oocytes. After the COCs were treated with 5 μM D4476, the results of quantitative real‐time PCR analysis, Lichen red staining and PI staining showed that under without affecting germinal vesicle breakdown and nuclear morphology, D4476 could significantly decrease CK1 and upregulate TCF‐4 in oocytes. Furthermore, without influencing the level of Bad and CTSB, D4476 could significantly increase the expression of β‐catenin, TCF‐4, Cx43, MAPK, PTGS‐2, PTX‐3, TGS‐6, Bax and Bcl‐2 in CCs. Western blot analysis revealed that the addition of 5 μM D4476 during the maturation of COCs resulted in a lower level of Cx43 protein at 12 hr and a higher expression of Cx43 protein at 24 hr compared to the group without D4476. These results indicate that adding optimum D4476 (5 μM) to maturation medium is beneficial to maturity efficiency and development competence of bovine oocytes.
A Computational Method for the Design of an Additively Manufactured Personalized Artificial Spinal Disc With Physiological Stiffness Under Multiple Loading Conditions
Authors: Yu Zhiyang , Shea Kristina , Stanković Tino
Published: June 2019

The main limitations of currently available artificial spinal discs are geometric unfit and unnatural motion. Multi-material additive manufacturing (AM) offers a potential solution for the fabrication of personalized free-form implants with a better fit and variable material distribution to achieve a set of target physiological stiffnesses. The structure of the artificial spinal disc proposed in this paper is inspired from a natural disc and includes both a matrix and a crisscross fiber-like structure, where the design variables are their material properties. After carrying out design variable reduction using linking strategies, a finite element-based optimization is then conducted to calculate the optimized material distribution to achieve physiological stiffness under five loading cases. The results show a good match in stiffness of the multi-material disc compared with the natural disc and that the multi-material artificial disc outperforms a current known solution, the ball-and-socket disc. Moreover, the potential of achieving an improved match in stiffness with a larger range of available 3D printable materials is demonstrated. Although the direct surgical implantation of the design is hindered currently by the biocompatibility of the 3D printed materials, a potential improvement of the design proposed is shown.
Modeling of a Semisubmersible Floating Offshore Wind Platform in Severe Waves
Authors: Rivera-Arreba Irene , Bruinsma Niek , Bachynski Erin E. , Viré Axelle , Paulsen Bo T. , Jacobsen Niels G.
Published: June 2019

Floating offshore wind platforms may be subjected to severe sea states, which include both steep and long waves. The hydrodynamic models used in the offshore industry are typically based on potential-flow theory and/or Morison’s equation. These methods are computationally efficient and can be applied in global dynamic analysis considering wind loads and mooring system dynamics. However, they may not capture important nonlinearities in extreme situations. The present work compares a fully nonlinear numerical wave tank (NWT), based on the viscous Navier–Stokes equations, and a second-order potential-flow model for such situations. A comparison of the NWT performance with the experimental data is first completed for a moored vertical floating cylinder. The OC5-semisubmersible floating platform is then modeled numerically both in this nonlinear NWT and using a second-order potential-flow based solver. To test both models, they are subjected to nonsteep waves and the response in heave and pitch is compared with the experimental data. More extreme conditions are examined with both models. Their comparison shows that if the structure is excited at its heave natural frequency, the dependence of the response in heave on the wave height and the viscous effects cannot be captured by the adjusted potential-flow based model. However, closer to the inertia dominated region, the two models yield similar responses in pitch and heave.
Body Mass Index, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Sleep, and Gross Motor Skill Proficiency in Preschool Children From a Low- to Middle-Income Urban Setting
Authors: Tomaz Simone A. , Prioreschi Alessandra , Watson Estelle D. , McVeigh Joanne A. , Rae Dale E. , Jones Rachel A. , Draper Catherine E.
Published: June 2019

Background: Limited research reports on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), sleep, and gross motor skills (GMS) in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to (1) describe BMI, PA, SB, sleep duration, and GMS proficiency in South African preschool children and (2) identify relationships between variables. Methods: BMI, including z scores for height, weight, and BMI were determined. Seven-day PA, SB, and sleep were measured using accelerometry. GMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development (second edition). Associations were explored by comparing sleep, PA, SB, and GMS between BMI tertiles using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: Most (86%) children (n = 78, 50% boys) had a healthy BMI (15.7 [1.3] kg/m2). Children spent 560.5 (52.9) minutes per day in light- to vigorous-intensity PA and 90.9 (30.0) minutes per day in moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA; most (83%) met the current PA guideline. Nocturnal sleep duration was low (9.28 [0.80] h/d). Although daytime naps increased 24-hour sleep duration (10.17 [0.71] h/d), 38% were classified as short sleepers. Around half (54.9%) of participants complied with both PA and sleep guidelines. No associations between variables were found. Conclusion: Despite being lean, sufficiently active, and having adequate GMS, many children were short sleepers, highlighting a possible area for intervention.
The Effect of Nurse-Led Diet and Physical Activity Program for Health on Diet and Physical Activity Behavior of Children
Authors: Meydanlioglu Ayse , Ergun Ayse
Published: June 2019

Background: Many health problems encountered in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood periods arise from problematic eating behavior, an unhealthy dietary approach, and inactive lifestyles. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the Diet and Physical Activity Program for Health, under the leadership of a nurse, on the dietary and physical activity behaviors of children.Methods: This study was planned in a quasi-experimental design with pretesting, posttesting, follow-up testing, and a control group. The study was conducted with 114 students in 2 schools. A total of 12 hours of training was given to the experimental group for 6 weeks. Institutional permission required for performing the study and an ethical consent from the commission for clinical trials of Marmara University institute of health sciences were received.Results: The results of the study reveal that Diet and Physical Activity Program for Health in posttest and follow-up periods was effective in improving dietary and physical activity behaviors of children within the program. However, the program’s effect on dietary and physical activity self-efficacy was limited.Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that this program was effective in development of children’s behavior regarding diet and physical activity.
Peripheral Vision in Martial Arts Experts: The Cost-Dependent Anchoring of Gaze
Authors: Hausegger Thomas , Vater Christian , Hossner Ernst-Joachim
Published: June 2019

Research on martial arts has suggested that gaze anchoring is functional for optimizing the use of peripheral visual information. The current study predicted that the height of gaze anchoring on the opponent’s body would depend on the potential attacking locations that need to be monitored. To test this prediction, the authors compared high-level athletes in kung fu (Qwan Ki Do), who attack with their arms and legs, with Tae Kwon Do fighters, who attack mostly with their legs. As predicted, the results show that Qwan Ki Do athletes anchor their gaze higher than Tae Kwon Do athletes do before and even during the first attack. In addition, gaze anchoring seems to depend on 3 factors: the particulars of the evolving situation, crucial cues, and specific visual costs (especially suppressed information pickup during saccades). These 3 factors should be considered in future studies on gaze behavior in sports to find the most functional, that is, cost-benefit-optimized, gaze pattern.
Stable Transformation of the Actinobacteria
Frankia
spp
Authors: Pesce Céline , Oshone Rediet , Hurst Sheldon G. , Kleiner Victoria A. , Tisa Louis S.
Published: June 2019

The absence of genetic tools for
Frankia
research has been a major hindrance to the associated field of actinorhizal symbiosis and the use of the nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria. This study reports on the introduction of plasmids into
Frankia
spp. and their functional expression of green fluorescent protein and a cloned gene. As the first step in developing genetic tools, this technique opens up the field to a wide array of approaches in an organism with great importance to and potential in the environment.
De Novo
Emergence of Peptides That Confer Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Knopp Michael , Gudmundsdottir Jonina S. , Nilsson Tobias , König Finja , Warsi Omar , Rajer Fredrika , Ädelroth Pia , Andersson Dan I.
Published: June 2019

De novo
gene origination from nonfunctional DNA sequences was long assumed to be implausible. However, recent studies have shown that large fractions of genomic noncoding DNA are transcribed and translated, potentially generating new genes. Experimental validation of this process so far has been limited to comparative genomics,
in vitro
selections, or partial randomizations. Here, we describe selection of novel peptides
in vivo
using fully random synthetic expression libraries. The peptides confer aminoglycoside resistance by inserting into the bacterial membrane and thereby partly reducing membrane potential and decreasing drug uptake. Our results show that beneficial peptides can be selected from random sequence pools
in vivo
and support the idea that expression of noncoding sequences could spark the origination of new genes.
Candida albicans Augments Staphylococcus aureus Virulence by Engaging the StaphylococcalagrQuorum Sensing System
Authors: Todd Olivia A. , Fidel Paul L. , Harro Janette M. , Hilliard Jamese J. , Tkaczyk Christine , Sellman Bret R. , Noverr Mairi C. , Peters Brian M.
Published: June 2019

Relatively little is known about the complex interactions and signaling events that occur between microbes and even less so about how microbial “cross talk” shapes human health and disease.Candida albicans(a fungus) andStaphylococcus aureus(a bacterium) are formidable human nosocomial pathogens, causing severe morbidity and mortality. Moreover, they are frequently coisolated from central venous catheters and deep-seated infections, including intra-abdominal sepsis. In this work, we have shown that coinfection withC. albicansandS. aureusis highly lethal, leading to >80% mortality by day 1 postinfection, whereas monoinfection withC. albicansorS. aureusdoes not cause mortality. This infectious synergism is dependent on the expression of staphylococcal alpha-toxin, and secretion of this potent virulence factor is actually augmented byC. albicansvia anagr-dependent mechanism. Moreover, prophylactic neutralization of alpha-toxin with a monoclonal antibody is sufficient to elicit protection during coinfection. Therefore, we have demonstrated that a pathogenic fungus can enhance virulence determinants of a bacteriumin vivowith devastating consequences to the host. These results have important implications in the surveillance and treatment of polymicrobial disease and highlight the dynamic intersection of environment, pathogens, and host.
Evolution of Superinfection Immunity in Cluster A Mycobacteriophages
Authors: Mavrich Travis N. , Hatfull Graham F.
Published: June 2019

Many aspects regarding superinfection, immunity, virulence, and the evolution of immune specificities are poorly understood due to the lack of large collections of isolated and sequenced phages with a spectrum of genetic diversity. Using a genetically diverse collection of Cluster A phages, we show that the classical and relatively straightforward patterns of homoimmunity, heteroimmunity, and virulence result from interactions between homotypic and heterotypic phages at the extreme edges of an evolutionary continuum of immune specificities. Genetic interactions between mesotypic phages result in more complex mesoimmunity phenotypes and virulence profiles. These results highlight that the evolution of immune specificities can be shaped by homotypic and mesotypic interactions and may be more dynamic than previously considered.
Vibrio cholerae CsrA Directly Regulates
varA
To Increase Expression of the Three Nonredundant Csr Small RNAs
Authors: Butz Heidi A. , Mey Alexandra R. , Ciosek Ashley L. , Payne Shelley M.
Published: June 2019

Vibrio cholerae
is a major human pathogen, causing epidemics and pandemics of cholera.
V. cholerae
persists in the aquatic environment, providing a constant source for human infection. Success in transitioning from the environment to the human host and back requires the bacterium to rapidly respond and to adjust its gene expression and metabolism to these two very different habitats. Our findings show that CsrA, an RNA-binding regulatory protein, plays a central role in regulating these transitions. CsrA activity is controlled by the antagonistic sRNAs CsrB, CsrC, and CsrD, and these sRNAs respond to changes in the availability of nutrients. CsrA autoregulates its own activity by controlling these sRNAs via their primary regulator VarA. Thus, the change in CsrA availability in response to nutrient availability allows
V. cholerae
to alter gene expression in response to environmental cues.
Selected Immunological Mediators and Cervical Microbial Signatures in Women with Chlamydia trachomatis Infection
Authors: Filardo Simone , Di Pietro Marisa , Tranquilli Giulia , Latino Maria Agnese , Recine Nadia , Porpora Maria Grazia , Sessa Rosa
Published: June 2019

To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigated the association of
C. trachomatis
with the cervical levels of lactoferrin and selected inflammatory mediators and their correlation with the different community state types characterizing the female genital ecosystem.
C. trachomatis
, known as the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases, continues to be an important public health problem worldwide for its increasing incidence and the risk of developing severe reproductive sequelae, like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Specifically,
C. trachomatis
tend to persist in the female genital tract, leading to a chronic inflammatory state characterized by increased production of immune mediators responsible for tissue damage. Therefore, our study may help to broaden the knowledge on the complex interplay between the female genital microbiota and the host immune system in response to
C. trachomatis
infection.
Microbial Metazoa Are Microbes Too
Authors: Bik Holly M.
Published: June 2019

Microbial metazoa inhabit a certain “Goldilocks zone,” where conditions are
just right
for the continued ignorance of these taxa. These microscopic animal species have body sizes of <1 mm and include diverse groups such as nematodes, tardigrades, kinorhynchs, loriciferans, and platyhelminths.
Appositional angle closure and conversion of primary angle closure into glaucoma after laser peripheral iridotomy
Authors: Qiu Li , Yan Yujie , Wu Lingling
Published: June 2019

Purpose

To determine the relationship between appositional angle closure (AppAC) and the conversion of primary angle closure (PAC) into primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI).

Methods

Consecutive patients with PAC were included in this prospective cohort study. The eyes of the included patients who had undergone LPI with five or more reliable visual field (VF) tests in at least 5 years were analysed. Baseline AppAC was diagnosed when the trabecular meshwork and iris were located appositionally on the ultrasound biomicroscopy image. The criteria for PAC conversion were based on development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and corresponding VF defects. Other factors such as age and vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR) were also investigated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results

128 patients were assessed at baseline. 80 eyes of 58 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up period was 6.67 ± 1.33 years. PAC conversion was observed in 20 eyes. The frequency of PAC conversion was significantly higher in eyes with AppAC > 2 quadrants at baseline (58.3%, 7/12) than in those with AppAC ≤ 2 quadrants (19.1%, 13/68; p < 0.05). Compared with the non-converting group, the age and VCDR at baseline were both higher in the converting group (p < 0.05). Wider AppAC, older age and higher VCDR were significantly associated with PAC conversion.

Conclusions

25% of PAC eyes of Chinese patients converted into PACG eyes in more than 5 years after LPI. AppAC > 2 quadrants were related to the PAC conversion. Older baseline age and higher VCDR were also associated with PAC conversion.
Quality of prescribing in older people from a broad family physician perspective: a descriptive pilot study
Authors: Parodi López Naldy , Wallerstedt Susanna Maria
Published: June 2019

Objectives

To investigate the quality of drug treatment in older people from a broad family physician perspective, and to provide evidence for power calculations in full-scale studies on prescribing quality.

Design

Descriptive, retrospective pilot study.

Setting

A primary healthcare centre in Sweden.

Participants

123 consecutive patients, ≥65 years, with a non-urgent physician consultation in January 2016.

Measures

The drug treatment was assessed by a physician as either appropriate or suboptimal, taking individual factors like morbidity, life expectancy and concurrent drug treatment into account, and preceded by the application of 493 criteria from three screening tools for Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs) and Potential Prescribing Omissions (PPOs). Suboptimal drug treatment was further categorised regarding priority: (1) immediate change suggested or (2) actions suggested in the longer term. Prevalence of the procedure code ‘medication review’ and the results thereof were also recorded.

Results

Median age: 76 years; 48% women. When a family physician perspective was applied, and 593 PIMs/PPOs identified in 117 (95%) patients considered, 45 (37%) patients had suboptimal drug treatment. Immediate handling was suggested in 13 (11%) patients, most often concerning withdrawals of drugs for anxiety and insomnia. Handling in the longer term was suggested in 32 (26%) patients, most often concerning overuse of proton pump inhibitors. Over the last year, the procedure code ‘medication review’ was recorded for 65 (53%) patients. In medication reviews recorded during January 2016 (n=45), 23 (7%) drugs out of 309 were acted on, most often a dosage adjustment.

Conclusions

This pilot study shows that when a broad family physician perspective is applied, taking individual factors and medical priorities in the complex clinical situation into account, drug treatment in primary care is appropriate for the majority of older patients. The results may be useful in sample size considerations for future studies on prescribing practices.
Fumes and faeces in Kabul
Authors: Taylor Natalie , Ross D
Published: June 2019

Soldiers deploy worldwide, often in hostile and remote locations. Considerable effort is made to ensure British soldiers deploy to locations with the correct force health protection, such as vaccinations and antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. British soldiers are currently serving, among other places, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The poor air quality in this area is something that cannot be easily mitigated, other than advising to minimise time spent outdoors. This article reviews the data from a self-reported questionnaire about the respiratory symptoms soldiers experienced while serving in Kabul. It appears that during their deployment up to 90% of soldiers experienced nasal congestion, among other things. A detailed air quality study in the capital of Afghanistan may help us to better understand the reported symptoms and, if attributed to the air quality, to help provide better advice to those soldiers in the future.
How distribution characteristics of a soil property affect probabilistic foundation settlement — from the aspect of the first four statistical moments
Authors: Wu Yongxin , Gao Yufeng , Zhang Limin , Yang Jun
Published: June 2019

The effects of the first four statistical moments defining the statistical characteristic of elastic modulus on the probabilistic foundation settlement are investigated in this study. By combining the Hermite probability model and spectral representation method, a method to simulate nonGaussian homogenous fields based on the first four statistical moments is proposed. Linear elastic finite element models are employed to study the total settlement and the differential settlement of a shallow foundation. Probabilistic measurements of total–differential settlement obtained by the Monte Carlo simulations are presented. For the cases considered, the effects of skewness and kurtosis defining the probabilistic characteristic of elastic modulus on the total–differential settlement of a probabilistic foundation are illustrated. The computed results show that the value of skewness has a more significant effect on the probabilistic foundation settlement than kurtosis, and the case with the smallest skewness is observed as the most critical one.
A morphological trait-based approach to environmental assessment models using diatoms
Authors: Cormier Emily C. , Sisson Danielle R. , Rühland Kathleen M. , Smol John P. , Bennett Joseph R.
Published: June 2019

Diatom assemblages are excellent indicators for environmental monitoring. However, enumerating diatoms using fine-level taxonomy takes considerable effort, which must be undertaken by specialist taxonomists. One alternative is to enumerate assemblages using morphological traits. In this study, we compared the accuracy of models using 20 morphological traits with those using species assemblages to infer lake water pH, salinity, depth, and total phosphorus concentrations in four data sets, each comprising over 200 lakes. Assemblages aggregated by trait combinations were used to predict environmental variables via weighted averaging regressions, and richness of trait combinations was regressed against the environmental variables. Trait-based weighted averaging regressions showed slightly lower accuracy than species-level analyses and higher accuracy than analyses at the family and sometimes genus level. Richness of trait combinations showed relationships with pH, salinity, and lake depth that were marginally stronger than relationships using species richness. Although species-level analyses are the best approach when time and budgets allow, we suggest that trait combinations could provide an alternative method for water quality assessment programs, where funds do not allow the use of specialist taxonomists or where diatoms are being used as part of a multi-indicator analysis.
Bacterial community diversity and dynamics of Dongzhai harbor mangrove soils in China
Authors: Li Peng , Wu Siyu , Yin Haoneng , Wu Hongping , Peng Qin , Zhang Wenfei , Wang Ruiping
Published: June 2019

Dongzhai Harbor National Nature Reserve is the largest mangrove reserve in China, but the bacterial diversity and community structure of soils in the Dongzhai harbor mangrove (DHM) is still not well known. This study was conducted to characterize and compare the bacterial community diversity and composition of DHM soils in three typical sites (YA, entrance of wastewater and sanitary sewage; YB, located in Dongzhai Harbor National Nature Reserve; YC, near the sea) using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rDNA. Community statistical analyses suggested that the YB and YC soils have a similar community structure, but they differ from the YA soils significantly. Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi were the ubiquitous and dominant groups that made up nearly 80% of total bacterial communities, but it was noted that Chloroflexi had a higher relative abundance in YA soil samples than YB and YC soil samples and that the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Anaerolineaceae, Gammaproteobacteria, and Thiogranum reached extremely significant levels. Interaction network analysis of the 50 most abundant OTUs further demonstrated that the OTUs of YA showed few interactions with YB and YC OTUs, and the Cluster of Orthologous Group (COG) involved in lipid transport and metabolism showed significant differences between the YA and YB soil samples. Our results will greatly help to understand the bacterial community variation of the DHM as human activities enhance and grow, and to identify some challenges for the restoration and management of the mangrove ecosystem.
Cardioprotective effect of ranolazine in nondiabetic and diabetic male rats subjected to isoprenaline-induced acute myocardial infarction involves modulation of AMPK and inhibition of apoptosis
Authors: Tawfik Mona K. , Ameen Angie M.
Published: June 2019

Diabetes increases the sensitivity of myocardium to ischemic damage and impairs response of the myocardium to cardioprotective interventions. The present study aimed to elucidate the potential cardioprotective effect provided by ranolazine during myocardial infarction in nondiabetic and diabetic male rats. As AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to be involved in the cellular response to ischemic injury, in this context, the present animal study evaluated the modulating role of ranolazine in the AMPK expression in isoprenaline-induced myocardial ischemic rat model. Male rats were divided into 2 experiments: experiment I and II (nondiabetic and diabetic rats) and assigned to normal control, saline control for isoprenaline, isoprenaline control, and ranolazine-treated groups. Ranolazine administration revealed effectiveness in attenuating the severity of isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury in both nondiabetic and diabetic rats as revealed by ECG signs, histopathological score, and apoptotic markers via abrogating the increments in the inflammatory and oxidative stress markers and modulating AMPK expression. Therefore, the current cardioprotective effect of ranolazine was, at least in part, mediated through inhibition of apoptosis and modulation of AMPK expression, encouraging considering the utility of ranolazine in protection from acute myocardial infarction.
Optical solitons in dual core fibers under various nonlinearities
Authors: Rizvi Syed Tahir Raza , Ali Kashif , Hanif Haroon
Published: June 2019

This paper retrieves different types of soliton solutions for coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE). We use extended F-expansion method to find bright, dark and other trigonometric solutions with Kerr law and anti-cubic law. We also find Gausson soliton for coupled NLSE under log law nonlinearity.
Multiple-S-Shaped Critical Manifold and Jump Phenomena in Low Frequency Forced Vibration with Amplitude Modulation
Authors: Yu Yue , Wang Qianqian , Bi Qinsheng , Lim C. W.
Published: June 2019

Motivated by the forced harmonic vibration of complex mechanical systems, we analyze the dynamics involving different waves in a double-well potential oscillator coupling amplitude modulation control of low frequency. The combination of amplitude modulation factor significantly enriches the dynamical behaviors on the formation of multiple-S-shaped manifold and multiple jumping phenomena that alternate between epochs of slow and fast motion. We can conduct bifurcation analysis to identify two harmonic vibrations. One is that the singular orbit makes multiple jumps to a fast trajectory segment from one attracting equilibrium to another as the expression of slow variable by using the DeMoivre formula. With the increase of tuning frequency, the system exhibits relaxation-type oscillations whose small amplitude oscillations are produced by nonlinear local cycles together with a distinct large amplitude cycle oscillation accounting for the Melnikov threshold values. The tuning frequency may not only affect the asymptotic expressions for the solution curves near fold singularities but also allow for the large amplitude orbit vibrations near fold-cycle singularities. Numerical analysis for computing critical manifolds and their intersections is used to detect the dynamical features in this paper.
Impact Research on a Nonlinear Cold Chain Evolutionary Game Under Three Various Contracts
Authors: Ma Junhai , Xu Tiantong , Hong Yalan , Zhan Xueli
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we establish a cold chain dynamic game model including a milk manufacturer and two downstream oligopoly supermarkets under the wholesale price contract in the real world. The manufacturer is responsible for the production and cold transportation, and the two retailers sell the product. The Nash equilibrium points and the complexity of the system are discussed. The influence of the decision parameters and the stability of the system are studied by using complexity theory. We reveal the stable regions for the dynamic system. In addition, revenue sharing contract and profit sharing contract are two valuable contracts. In order to see how the two contracts would impact on the system’s equilibrium solution and the profits, we establish and analyze two new dynamic models for the cold chain. By the comparison of the analyses under three contracts, we find that the manufacturer’s effort of cold transportation will change under different contracts, and the profit distribution of the whole cold chain will be affected. Chaos control is also studied by the method of delay feedback control, in order to provide some management advice.
Necessary Conditions for Complete Synchronization of a Coupled Chaotic Aihara Neuron Network with Electrical Synapses
Authors: Li Shaolin , He Yinghui , Cao Hongjun
Published: June 2019

In this paper, the synchronization problem of a chaotic Aihara neuron network is considered. Based on the master stability function (MSF) analysis, some necessary conditions are proposed to investigate the complete synchronization of the electrical coupled chaotic Aihara neuron networks. Especially, the two-dimensional parameter-space plots are obtained numerically to visualize the possible synchronized region. For the chaotic Rulkov neuron network, the numerical simulations of the MSF show that complete synchronization of the electrical coupled Aihara neuron network can be achieved when the coupling strength lies in a suitable interval, while it is highly improbable to attain complete synchronization when all neurons are in the chaotic bursting. Moreover, the complete synchronization cannot be reached with further increase or decrease of coupling strength. These results are probably common features as far as discrete-time neuron networks are concerned. Finally, based on the drive-response active control method, an LMI-based criterion is obtained to ensure complete synchronization of the available chaotic Aihara neuron network. The spatiotemporal patterns measured by the state distribution of neurons are employed to validate the effectiveness of our control scheme.
Transition to Frozen Antiferromagnetic Pattern in Delayed Logistic Map
Authors: Mahajan Ashwini V. , Gade Prashant M.
Published: June 2019

We study nonlinearly coupled logistic map with feedback in the limit of large delay time ([Formula: see text]). In the [Formula: see text]’s, the mapping of delayed dynamical systems to the spatially extended system was pursued in the context of optical systems by Arecchi and coworkers. We map the delayed system to a coupled map lattice of size [Formula: see text] with a sequential update and strictly one-sided coupling. Apart from aiding visualization, this formal equivalence helps us identify “phases” in a delayed system. One of the easily identified phases is that of frozen antiferromagnetic phase which is abundant in phase space. As coupling parameter ([Formula: see text]) increases, the system goes from periodic cascades along the coarse-grain region to chaos. We use the number of domain walls as an order parameter for locating this transition. The domain walls undergo random walk with drift and annihilate each other. At critical parameter value, we observe the power-law decay of this parameter. The decay exponents fall within the directed Ising universality class in general. We also find the escape time distribution, i.e. time required for reaching frozen antiferromagnetic regime. It diverges as it approaches the critical point. The divergence of average laminar length shows features indicating crisis induced intermittency.
Feature Selection via Transferring Knowledge Across Different Classes
Authors: Wang Zheng , Ye Xiaojun , Wang Chaokun , Yu Philip S.
Published: June 2019

The problem of feature selection has attracted considerable research interest in recent years. Supervised information is capable of significantly improving the quality of selected features. However, existing supervised feature selection methods all require that classes in the labeled data (source domain) and unlabeled data (target domain) to be identical, which may be too restrictive in many cases. In this article, we consider a more challenging cross-class setting where the classes in these two domains are related but different, which has rarely been studied before. We propose a cross-class knowledge transfer feature selection framework which transfers the cross-class knowledge from the source domain to guide target domain feature selection. Specifically, high-level descriptions, i.e., attributes, are used as the bridge for knowledge transfer. To further improve the quality of the selected features, our framework jointly considers the tasks of cross-class knowledge transfer and feature selection. Experimental results on four benchmark datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method.
Redefining A in RGBA
Authors: Urban Philipp , Tanksale Tejas Madan , Brunton Alan , Vu Bui Minh , Nakauchi Shigeki
Published: June 2019

Advances in multimaterial 3D printing have the potential to reproduce various visual appearance attributes of an object in addition to its shape. Since many existing 3D file formats encode color and translucency by RGBA textures mapped to 3D shapes, RGBA information is particularly important for practical applications. In contrast to color (encoded by RGB), which is specified by the object’s reflectance, selected viewing conditions, and a standard observer, translucency (encoded by
A
) is neither linked to any measurable physical nor perceptual quantity. Thus, reproducing translucency encoded by
A
 is open for interpretation.

In this article, we propose a rigorous definition for
A
 suitable for use in graphical 3D printing, which is independent of the 3D printing hardware and software, and which links both optical material properties and perceptual uniformity for human observers. By deriving our definition from the absorption and scattering coefficients of virtual homogenous reference materials with an isotropic phase function, we achieve two important properties. First, a simple adjustment of
A
 is possible, which preserves the translucency appearance if an object is rescaled for printing. Second, determining the value of
A
 for a real (potentially non-homogenous) material, can be achieved by minimizing a distance function between light transport measurements of this material and simulated measurements of the reference materials. Such measurements can be conducted by commercial spectrophotometers used in graphic arts.

Finally, we conduct visual experiments employing the method of constant stimuli, and we derive from them an embedding of
A
 into a nearly perceptually uniform scale of translucency for the reference materials.
A Theory of NP-completeness and Ill-conditioning for Approximate Real Computations
Authors: Malajovich Gregorio , Shub Mike
Published: June 2019

We develop a complexity theory for approximate real computations. We first produce a theory for exact computations but with condition numbers. The input size depends on a condition number, which is not assumed known by the machine. The theory admits deterministic and nondeterministic polynomial time recognizable problems. We prove that P is not NP in this theory if and only if P is not NP in the BSS theory over the reals.

Then we develop a theory with weak and strong approximate computations. This theory is intended to model actual numerical computations that are usually performed in floating point arithmetic. It admits classes P and NP and also an NP-complete problem. We relate the P vs. NP question in this new theory to the classical P vs. NP problem.
Pharmacological Activities of Alisma orientale against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome: Literature Review
Authors: Choi Eunsol , Jang Eungyeong , Lee Jang-Hoon
Published: June 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a rapidly emerging hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. However, its unrevealed mechanism and complicated comorbidities have led to no specific medication, except for weight loss and lifestyle modification. Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep (A. orientale, Alismataceae) has been increasingly reported on therapeutic effects of A. orientale against NAFLD and metabolic syndrome such as insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. Therefore, this study aimed to review the preclinical efficacy of A. orientale and its chemical constituents including Alisol A 24-acetate, Alisol B 23-acetate, Alisol F, and Alismol against NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. A. orientale prevented hepatic triglyceride accumulation through suppressing de novo lipogenesis and increasing lipid export. In addition, it controlled oxidative stress markers, lipoapoptosis, liver injury panels, and inflammatory and fibrotic mediators, eventually influencing steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. Moreover, it exhibited pharmacological activities against hyperlipidemia, obesity, and hyperglycemia as well as appetite. These biological actions of A. orientale might contribute to adiponectin activation or a role as a farnesoid X receptor agonist. In particular, Alisol A 24-acetate and Alisol B 23-acetate could be expected as main compounds. Taken together, A. orientale might be an effective candidate agent for the treatment of NAFLD and its comorbidities, although further assessment of its standardization, safety test, and clinical trials is consistently required.
Lithium-Induced Chronic Kidney Disease in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Gupta Neena , Gibson Meghan , Wallace Ellen C.
Published: June 2019

Lithium-induced nephropathy usually manifests in adulthood as it develops slowly after many years of cumulative exposure. There is very limited information available in pediatric patients. Renal function monitoring and timely intervention is the key in preventing lithium-induced chronic kidney disease in these patients. We report a case of a 14-year-old boy who was on lithium for almost 9 years for his complex psychiatric illness. He presented with increased urinary frequency and nocturia. His serum creatinine increased to 1.15 mg/dL (estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR 53 ml/min/1.73 m2) from a baseline of 0.78 mg/dL (eGFR 86 ml/min/1.73 m2) a year prior to this presentation. Results of the imaging study were consistent with lithium-induced nephropathy. He was managed conservatively. His serum creatinine returned to baseline of 0.78 mg/dL after a year of discontinuation of lithium, consistent with mild chronic kidney disease. This case highlights the fact that lithium-induced chronic kidney disease can present in pediatric age group when lithium is initiated at a young age in children and that timely intervention may prevent further progression of renal damage. In addition to drug levels, routine monitoring of renal function during lithium therapy is essential.
Margin-Based Pareto Ensemble Pruning: An Ensemble Pruning Algorithm That Learns to Search Optimized Ensembles
Authors: Hu Ruihan , Zhou Songbin , Liu Yisen , Tang Zhiri
Published: June 2019

The ensemble pruning system is an effective machine learning framework that combines several learners as experts to classify a test set. Generally, ensemble pruning systems aim to define a region of competence based on the validation set to select the most competent ensembles from the ensemble pool with respect to the test set. However, the size of the ensemble pool is usually fixed, and the performance of an ensemble pool heavily depends on the definition of the region of competence. In this paper, a dynamic pruning framework called margin-based Pareto ensemble pruning is proposed for ensemble pruning systems. The framework explores the optimized ensemble pool size during the overproduction stage and finetunes the experts during the pruning stage. The Pareto optimization algorithm is used to explore the size of the overproduction ensemble pool that can result in better performance. Considering the information entropy of the learners in the indecision region, the marginal criterion for each learner in the ensemble pool is calculated using margin criterion pruning, which prunes the experts with respect to the test set. The effectiveness of the proposed method for classification tasks is assessed using datasets. The results show that margin-based Pareto ensemble pruning can achieve smaller ensemble sizes and better classification performance in most datasets when compared with state-of-the-art models.
RAS Mutations Are Not Created Equal
Authors: Hobbs G. Aaron , Der Channing J.
Published: June 2019

In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Poulin and colleagues apply structural, biochemical, and biological profiling of two mutants of KRAS, one found most frequently in all cancers (G12D) and one found nearly exclusively in colorectal cancer (A146T). They provide compelling evidence that specific mutations will impart different structural and biochemical consequences on KRAS function and that the same KRAS mutation displays tissue-distinct signaling and biological consequences.

See related article by Poulin et al., p. 738.
Development of an efficient mechanism for rapid protocols using NS-2 simulator
Authors: Abdulwahid Sarah N.
Published: June 2019

The delivered effort in this manuscript is grounded on NS-2 (The Network Simulator 2) to implement the congestion control process of classic TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), with new congestion control mechanism. In this paper, a novel congestion control algorithm is offered, which contains of slow-start and congestion avoidance mechanisms. The proposed slow-start algorithm assumes a duplicating and an interpolating approach to the congestion window (cwnd) for each increment instead of the exponential increment used by other TCP source variants such as Reno, Vega, Tahoe, Newreno, Fack, and Sack. Furthermore, the enhanced congestion avoidance algorithm is built by using an improved Additive Increase Multiplicative Decrease (AIMD) algorithm with multi TCP flow facility, to provide an enhanced congestion control algorithm with some valuable properties to improve TCP routine for high speed protocols. The improvement strategy based on merging of slow start, congestion avoidance mechanism that are used in TCP congestion control, to create a new AIMD algorithm with a new relationship between the pair parameters a and b. This paper is also involved in the creation of rapid agent in NS-2 models designed to identify the modified TCP and to configure the NS-2 platform. A fast TCP also includes an innovative scheme to slow the rapid start to help TCP to start faster through the high speed networks and also to postpone the congestion state as much as possible.
Characteristics, Prevention, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in People Living With HIV: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Feinstein Matthew J. , Hsue Priscilla Y. , Benjamin Laura A. , Bloomfield Gerald S. , Currier Judith S. , Freiberg Matthew S. , Grinspoon Steven K. , Levin Jules , Longenecker Chris T. , Post Wendy S. ,   On behalf of the American Heart Association Prevention Science Committee of the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention and Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Clinical Cardiology; and Stroke Council
Published: June 2019

As early and effective antiretroviral therapy has become more widespread, HIV has transitioned from a progressive, fatal disease to a chronic, manageable disease marked by elevated risk of chronic comorbid diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Rates of myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and other CVD manifestations, including pulmonary hypertension and sudden cardiac death, are significantly higher for people living with HIV than for uninfected control subjects, even in the setting of HIV viral suppression with effective antiretroviral therapy. These elevated risks generally persist after demographic and clinical risk factors are accounted for and may be partly attributed to chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation. Data on long-term CVD outcomes in HIV are limited by the relatively recent epidemiological transition of HIV to a chronic disease. Therefore, our understanding of CVD pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment in HIV relies on large observational studies, randomized controlled trials of HIV therapies that are underpowered to detect CVD end points, and small interventional studies examining surrogate CVD end points. The purpose of this document is to provide a thorough review of the existing evidence on HIV-associated CVD, in particular atherosclerotic CVD (including myocardial infarction and stroke) and heart failure, as well as pragmatic recommendations on how to approach CVD prevention and treatment in HIV in the absence of large-scale randomized controlled trial data. This statement is intended for clinicians caring for people with HIV, individuals living with HIV, and clinical and translational researchers interested in HIV-associated CVD.