bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ectopic expression of Miro 1 ameliorates seizures and inhibits hippocampal neurodegeneration in a mouse model of pilocarpine epilepsy
Authors: Zhang Haifeng , Lian Yajun , Xie Nanchang , Zheng Yake
Published: January 2018

Epilepsy is a common disease of the central nervous system. This study aimed to investigate the role of mitochondrial Rho (Miro) 1 in epilepsy, using a mouse model of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). Intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine induced epileptic seizures in mice and significantly decreased Miro 1 expression in the hippocampus. Moreover, pilocarpine treatment increased the serum levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and S100 calcium binding protein B (S100B) and led to hippocampal neuronal injury and apoptosis. The intrinsic apoptotic pathway was activated in the hippocampal neurons following pilocarpine-induced SE, as evidenced by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, downregulation of Bcl-2, and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytoplasm. By contrast, forced expression of Miro 1 by lateral ventricular administration of adenovirus mitigated pilocarpine-induced epileptic seizures, reduced the elevation of HSP70 and S100B, and inhibited hippocampal neuronal apoptosis by suppressing the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In summary, our data demonstrates that ectopic expression of Miro 1 alleviated pilocarpine-induced SE and protected hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. These findings provide new insights into epileptic disorders and suggest a potential neuroprotective value of Miro 1 in the treatment of epilepsy.
AAC W1876 hard red spring wheat
Authors: Cuthbert R.D. , DePauw R.M. , Knox R.E. , Singh A.K. , McCaig T.N. , McCallum B. , Fetch T.
Published: January 2018

AAC W1876 hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has grain yield and time to maturity within the range of the check cultivars: Katepwa, Laura, Lillian, Carberry, and CDC Kernen. AAC W1876 has an awned spike, a low lodging score indicative of strong straw, and a short plant stature typical of a semidwarf wheat. AAC W1876 expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf rust, moderate resistance to stem rust, and intermediate resistance to Fusarium head blight, yellow rust, common bunt, and loose smut. Compared with the Canada Western Red Spring check cultivars, AAC W1876 had improved flour yield and lower flour ash. AAC W1876 is eligible for grades of Canada Western Red Spring.
Matter-wave solitons supported by quadrupole–quadrupole interactions and anisotropic discrete lattices
Authors: Zhong Rong-Xuan , Huang Nan , Li Huang-Wu , He He-Xiang , Lü Jian-Tao , Huang Chun-Qing , Chen Zhao-Pin
Published: January 2018

We numerically and analytically investigate the formations and features of two-dimensional discrete Bose–Einstein condensate solitons, which are constructed by quadrupole–quadrupole interactional particles trapped in the tunable anisotropic discrete optical lattices. The square optical lattices in the model can be formed by two pairs of interfering plane waves with different intensities. Two hopping rates of the particles in the orthogonal directions are different, which gives rise to a linear anisotropic system. We find that if all of the pairs of dipole and anti-dipole are perpendicular to the lattice panel and the line connecting the dipole and anti-dipole which compose the quadrupole is parallel to horizontal direction, both the linear anisotropy and the nonlocal nonlinear one can strongly influence the formations of the solitons. There exist three patterns of stable solitons, namely horizontal elongation quasi-one-dimensional discrete solitons, disk-shape isotropic pattern solitons and vertical elongation quasi-continuous solitons. We systematically demonstrate the relationships of chemical potential, size and shape of the soliton with its total norm and vertical hopping rate and analytically reveal the linear dispersion relation for quasi-one-dimensional discrete solitons.
Infrared Small Target Detection Based on Patch Image Model with Local and Global Analysis
Authors: Wang Huan , Yang Fei , Zhang Congcong , Ren Mingwu
Published: January 2018

Patch image model has recently shown significant superiority in the detection of infrared small and dim targets. In this paper, we incorporate more useful local and global information into the sophisticated patch-image model called reweighted infrared patch-tensor model, for its efficiency and flexibility. Local signal-clutter-ratio analysis is employed to enhance targets and avoid targets being overwhelmed by strong background edges. In the meantime, nuclear norm minimization is applied to globally measure the low-rank property of a couple of background matrixes generated from all the patch-mages. Also, noise patch-mages are identified by adding an [Formula: see text] norm in order to deal with the rare structure effect. Experimental results show that the proposed approach endows high detection probability and robustness to noise, and outperforms state-of-the-art methods in complex scenes.
Shadow-Free, Expeditious and Precise, Moving Object Separation from Video
Authors: Domadiya Prashant , Shah Pratik , Mitra Suman K.
Published: January 2018

The foreground–background separation is an essential part of any video-based surveillance system. Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) based object segmentation method accurately segments the foreground, but it is computationally expensive. In contrast, single Gaussian-based segmentation is computationally inexpensive but inaccurate because it can not handle the variations in the background. There is a trade-off between computation efficiency and precision in the segmentation approach. From the experimental observations, the variations such as lighting variations, shadows, background motion, etc., affect only a few pixels in the frames in temporal direction. So, unaffected pixel can be modeled by single Gaussian in temporal direction while the affected pixels may need GMM to handle the variations in the background. We propose an adaptive algorithm which models pixel dynamically in terms of number of Gaussians in temporal direction. The proposed method is computationally inexpensive and precise. The flexibility in terms of number of Gaussians used to model each pixel, along with adaptive learning approach, reduces the time complexity of the algorithm significantly. To resolve spacial occlusion problem, a spatial smoothing is carried out by weighted [Formula: see text] nearest neighbors which improves the overall accuracy of proposed algorithm. To avoid false detection due to illumination variations and shadows in a particular image, illumination invariant representation is used.
2-Methoxyestradiol causes matrix metalloproteinase 9-mediated transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor and angiotensin type 1 receptor downregulation in rat aortic smooth muscle cells
Authors: Ogola Benard , Zhang Yong , Iyer Laxmi , Thekkumkara Thomas
Published: January 2018

Studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of estrogen metabolite 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) in several cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension. However, the exact mechanism(s) remains unknown. In this study, primary rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) were exposed to 2ME2, and angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) expression, function, and associated signaling pathways were evaluated. In RASMCs, 2ME2 downregulated AT1R expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, which was correlated with reduced mRNA expression. The 2ME2 effect was through G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) that inhibits second messenger cAMP. Moreover, 2ME2 exposure phosphorylated ERK1/2 that was sensitive to MEK inhibitor PD98059. Selective epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor AG1478 blocked 2ME2-induced EGFR transactivation and attenuated subsequent phosphorylation of ERK1/2 preventing AT1R downregulation. The transactivation was dependent on 2ME2-induced release of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and epidermal growth factor demonstrated by ELISA. Furthermore, transfection with small interfering (si) RNA targeting MMP9 impeded ERK1/2 activation and AT1R downregulation in response to 2ME2 and G1 stimulation. Interestingly, under similar conditions, stimulation of GPR30 with the selective agonist G1 elicited similar signaling pathways and downregulated the AT1R expression that was reversed by GPR30 antagonist G15. Furthermore, 2ME2 and G1 inhibited angiotensin II (ANG II) induced Ca2+ release, a response consistent with AT1R downregulation. Collectively, our study demonstrates for the first time that 2ME2 binding to GPR30 induces MMP9 specific transactivation of EGFR that mediates ERK1/2-dependent downregulation of AT1R in RASMCs. The study provides critical insights into the newly discovered role and signaling pathways of 2ME2 in the regulation of AT1R in vascular cells and its potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent that ameliorates hypertension.
Short-term high-glucose treatment decreased abundance of Orai1 protein through posttranslational mechanisms in rat mesangial cells
Authors: Jiang Hui , Zou Shubiao , Chaudhari Sarika , Ma Rong
Published: January 2018

The short-term effect of high-glucose (HG) treatment on store-operated Ca2+entry in mesangial cells (MCs) is not well-known. The aim of the present study was to determine whether and how HG treatment for a short period altered protein abundance of Orai1, the channel mediating store-operated Ca2+entry in MCs. Rat and human MCs were exposed to HG (25 mM) for 2, 4, 8, and 24 h, and the abundance of Orai1 protein was significantly decreased at the time points of 8 and 16 h. Consistently, HG treatment for 8 h significantly reduced store-operated Ca2+entry in rat MCs. However, HG treatment for the same time periods did not alter the levels of Orai1 transcript. Cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, did not affect the HG-induced decrease of Orai1 protein, suggesting a posttranslational mechanism was involved. However, the HG effect on Orai1 protein was significantly attenuated by MG132 (a ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitor) and NH4Cl (a lysosomal pathway inhibitor). Furthermore, HG treatment for 8 h stimulated ubiquitination of Orai1 protein. We further found that polyethylene glycol-catalase, an antioxidant, significantly blunted the HG-induced reduction of Orai1 protein. In support of involvement of reactive oxygen species in the HG effects, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) itself significantly decreased abundance of Orai1 protein and increased the level of ubiquitinated Orai1. Taken together, these results suggest that a short-term HG treatment decreased abundance of Orai1 protein in MCs by promoting the protein degradation through the ubiquitination-proteasome and –lysosome mechanisms. This HG-stimulated posttranslational mechanism was mediated by H2O2.
Amplitude modulation coding in awake mice and squirrel monkeys
Authors: Hoglen Nerissa E. G. , Larimer Phillip , Phillips Elizabeth A. K. , Malone Brian J. , Hasenstaub Andrea R.
Published: January 2018

Both mice and primates are used to model the human auditory system. The primate order possesses unique cortical specializations that govern auditory processing. Given the power of molecular and genetic tools available in the mouse model, it is essential to understand the similarities and differences in auditory cortical processing between mice and primates. To address this issue, we directly compared temporal encoding properties of neurons in the auditory cortex of awake mice and awake squirrel monkeys (SQMs). Stimuli were drawn from a sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM) paradigm, which has been used previously both to characterize temporal precision and to model the envelopes of natural sounds. Neural responses were analyzed with linear template-based decoders. In both species, spike timing information supported better modulation frequency discrimination than rate information, and multiunit responses generally supported more accurate discrimination than single-unit responses from the same site. However, cortical responses in SQMs supported better discrimination overall, reflecting superior temporal precision and greater rate modulation relative to the spontaneous baseline and suggesting that spiking activity in mouse cortex was less strictly regimented by incoming acoustic information. The quantitative differences we observed between SQM and mouse cortex support the idea that SQMs offer advantages for modeling precise responses to fast envelope dynamics relevant to human auditory processing. Nevertheless, our results indicate that cortical temporal processing is qualitatively similar in mice and SQMs and thus recommend the mouse model for mechanistic questions, such as development and circuit function, where its substantial methodological advantages can be exploited.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY To understand the advantages of different model organisms, it is necessary to directly compare sensory responses across species. Contrasting temporal processing in auditory cortex of awake squirrel monkeys and mice, with parametrically matched amplitude-modulated tone stimuli, reveals a similar role of timing information in stimulus encoding. However, disparities in response precision and strength suggest that anatomical and biophysical differences between squirrel monkeys and mice produce quantitative but not qualitative differences in processing strategy.
Swimming rhythm generation in the caudal hindbrain of the lamprey
Authors: Buchanan James T.
Published: January 2018

The spinal cord has been well established as the site of generation of the locomotor rhythm in vertebrates, but studies have suggested that the caudal hindbrain in larval fish and amphibians can also generate locomotor rhythms. Here, we investigated whether the caudal hindbrain of the adult lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus and Ichthyomyzon unicuspis) has the ability to generate the swimming rhythm. The hindbrain-spinal cord transition zone of the lamprey contains a bilateral column of somatic motoneurons that project via the spino-occipital (S-O) nerves to several muscles of the head. In the brainstem-spinal cord-muscle preparation, these muscles were found to burst and contract rhythmically with a left-right alternation when swimming activity was evoked with a brief electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. In the absence of muscles, the isolated brainstem-spinal cord preparation also produced alternating left-right bursts in S-O nerves (i.e., fictive swimming), and the S-O nerve bursts preceded the bursts occurring in the first ipsilateral spinal ventral root. After physical isolation of the S-O region using transverse cuts of the nervous system, the S-O nerves still exhibited rhythmic bursting with left-right alternation when glutamate was added to the bathing solution. We conclude that the S-O region of the lamprey contains a swimming rhythm generator that produces the leading motor nerve bursts of each swimming cycle, which then propagate down the spinal cord to produce forward swimming. The S-O region of the hindbrain-spinal cord transition zone may play a role in regulating speed, turning, and head orientation during swimming in lamprey.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although it has been well established that locomotor rhythm generation occurs in the spinal cord of vertebrates, it was unknown whether the hindbrain of the adult vertebrate nervous system can also generate the locomotor rhythm. Here, we show that the isolated hindbrain-spinal cord transition zone of adult lamprey can generate the swimming rhythm. In addition, the swimming bursts of the hindbrain lead the bursts occurring in the first segment of the spinal cord.
Thioredoxin‐1 Protects Bone Marrow‐Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Hyperoxia‐Induced Injury In Vitro
Authors: Zhang Lei , Wang Jin , Chen Yan , Zeng Lingkong , Li Qiong , Liu Yalan , Wang Lin
Published: January 2018

Background. The poor survival rate of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) transplanted into recipient lungs greatly limits their therapeutic efficacy for diseases like bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of thioredoxin‐1 (Trx‐1) overexpression on improving the potential for bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) to confer resistance against hyperoxia‐induced cell injury. Methods. 80% O2 was used to imitate the microenvironment surrounding‐transplanted cells in the hyperoxia‐induced lung injury in vitro. BMSC proliferation and apoptotic rates and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured. The effects of Trx‐1 overexpression on the level of antioxidants and growth factors were investigated. We also investigated the activation of apoptosis‐regulating kinase‐1 (ASK1) and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK). Result. Trx‐1 overexpression significantly reduced hyperoxia‐induced BMSC apoptosis and increased cell proliferation. We demonstrated that Trx‐1 overexpression upregulated the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as well as downregulated the production of ROS. Furthermore, we illustrated that Trx‐1 protected BMSCs against hyperoxic injury via decreasing the ASK1/P38 MAPK activation rate. Conclusion. These results demonstrate that Trx‐1 overexpression improved the ability of BMSCs to counteract hyperoxia‐induced injury, thus increasing their potential to treat hyperoxia‐induced lung diseases such as BPD.
A Simple and Scalable Method for the Preparation of Magnetite/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites under Mild Conditions
Authors: Szabó Tamás , Nánai Lilla , Nesztor Dániel , Barna Balázs , Malina Ondřej , Tombácz Etelka
Published: January 2018

Nanostructured composite dispersions containing magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and graphene oxide (GO) lamellae have been prepared by a simple and easily scalable room temperature procedure. We show that, owing to the enormous surface area and negative surface charge developed in aqueous GO suspensions, large amounts of positively charged MNPs can be electrostatically attached to the layered host. This procedure is superior to many previous synthesis pathways because it exploits the charge‐regulated adhesion of naked MNPs to GO resulting in the formation of stable and uniform nanocomposite materials in a wide composition range without any preliminary functionalization steps or harsh conditions that may lead to chemical degradation of the graphene‐based nanosheets.
Review of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor Technology: Effect of Different Parameters and Developments for Domestic Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Daud M. K. , Rizvi Hina , Akram Muhammad Farhan , Ali Shafaqat , Rizwan Muhammad , Nafees Muhammad , Jin Zhu Shui
Published: January 2018

The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor has been recognized as an important wastewater treatment technology among anaerobic treatment methods. The objective of this study was to perform literature review on the treatment of domestic sewage using the UASB reactor as the core component and identifying future areas of research. The merits of anaerobic and aerobic bioreactors are highlighted and other sewage treatment technologies are compared with UASB on the basis of performance, resource recovery potential, and cost. The comparison supports UASB as a suitable option on the basis of performance, green energy generation, minimal space requirement, and low capital, operation, and maintenance costs. The main process parameters such as temperature, hydraulic retention time (HRT), organic loading rate (OLR), pH, granulation, and mixing and their effects on the performance of UASB reactor and hydrogen production are presented for achieving optimal results. Feasible posttreatment steps are also identified for effective discharge and/or reuse of treated water.
Nano-(Ta, Zr)C Precipitates at Multigrain Conjunctions in TaC Ceramic with 10 mol% ZrC and 5 mol% Cu as Sintering Aid
Authors: Zhong Lianbing , Geng Guihong , Wang Yujin , Ye Feng , Liu Limeng
Published: January 2018

A fully dense TaC ceramic was prepared by hot pressing using 10 mol% ZrC plus 5 mol% Cu as a sintering aid. Formation of (Ta, Zr)C solid solution (ss) by reaction between TaC and ZrC facilitated densification. Addition of Cu refined the microstructure and consequently improved flexural strength of the TaC ceramics. TEM investigation found ubiquitous precipitation of nanocrystallites at multigrain conjunctions. The nanocrystallites were (Ta, Zr)C solid solution with uniform dispersion in an oxygen-rich glassy matrix. Although formation of nanoprecipitates may not much affect the mechanical properties of the TaC ceramic, the structure suggested a new type of nanoceramic worth further research.
Mean-Square Stability of Split-Step Theta Milstein Methods for Stochastic Differential Equations
Authors: Eissa Mahmoud A. , Zhang Haiying , Xiao Yu
Published: January 2018

The fundamental analysis of numerical methods for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) has been improved by constructing new split-step numerical methods. In this paper, we are interested in studying the mean-square (MS) stability of the new general drifting split-step theta Milstein (DSSθM) methods for SDEs. First, we consider scalar linear SDEs. The stability function of the DSSθM methods is investigated. Furthermore, the stability regions of the DSSθM methods are compared with those of test equation, and it is proved that the methods with θ≥3/2 are stochastically A-stable. Second, the nonlinear stability of DSSθM methods is studied. Under a coupled condition on the drifting and diffusion coefficients, it is proved that the methods with θ>1/2 can preserve the MS stability of the SDEs with no restriction on the step-size. Finally, numerical examples are given to examine the accuracy of the proposed methods under the stability conditions in approximation of SDEs.
Modified Maag’s Spherical Diffusion Model of Vacuum Penetration Grouting
Authors: Huang Feng , Lyu Jianguo , Gao He , Wang Guihe
Published: January 2018

The penetration grouting is very widely used in geotechnical engineering nowadays, but the slurry diffusion radius is not long enough because of low grouting pressure. The vacuum grouting method is proposed to solve this problem. However, there is no diffusion theory model of vacuum grouting, which makes the practical application lack scientific basis. In this paper, the distribution law of vacuum negative pressure in soil is deduced. Then, the boundary conditions of Maag’s spherical diffusion model are modified by the vacuum pressure distribution law. After that, the vacuum modification model is deduced. Finally, Maag’s model and modified model are analyzed according to a published experiment, which proves that the vacuum modification model is suitable for predicting the slurry diffusion of vacuum grouting. The proposed model provides a reference for the theoretical study of vacuum grouting.
Origin of Boron and Brine Evolution in Saline Springs in the Nangqen Basin, Southern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Han Ji-long , Han Feng-qing , Hussain Syed-Asim , Liu Wen-yu , Nian Xiu-qing , Mao Qing-fei
Published: January 2018

The Nangqen Basin is a typical shearing-extensional basin situated in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau. It contains abundant saline spring resources and abnormal trace element enrichments. The hydrochemical molar ratios (Na/Cl, B/Cl, and Br/Cl), H-O isotopes, and B isotopes of the saline spring were systematically measured to describe the evolution of brines and the origin of the boron. The sodium chloride coefficient of the water samples in this area is around 1.0 or slightly greater, which is characteristic of leached brines; the highest B/Cl value is 4.25 (greater than that of seawater). The Na/Cl, B/Cl, and Br/Cl values of the springs are clear indicators of a crustal origin. Theδ18O values of the spring waters range from −12.88‰to −16.05‰, and theδD values range from −100.91‰to −132.98‰. Meanwhile the B content and B isotopes in the saline springs are in the ranges of 1.00 to 575.56 ppm and +3.55‰to +29.59‰, respectively. It has been proven that the saline springs in the Nangqen Basin are a type of leached brine, suggesting that the saline springs have a terrestrial origin. Theδ11B-B characteristics of the springs are similar to those observed in the Tibetan geothermal area, indicating that these two places have the same B source. Moreover, they have a crustal origin (marine carbonate rocks and volcanic rocks) instead of a deep mantle source.
Preterm Parturient with Polyhydramnios and Pancreatitis: Primary Presentation of Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Han Esther S. , Fritton Katherine , Bacon Phoebe , Slodzinski Martin K. , Argani Cynthia
Published: January 2018

Objective. To report a case of severe hypercalcemia secondary to primary hyperparathyroidism in a late-preterm pregnant patient and review medical and surgical treatments as well as obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Background. Diagnosis of parathyroid disease during pregnancy can be difficult due to nonspecific presentation. Management decisions are complex and require multidisciplinary collaboration. Case. A 29-year-old G2P1001 woman at 35 weeks and 3 days’ gestation presented with preterm contractions, polyhydramnios, pancreatitis, and severe hypercalcemia. Work-up revealed primary hyperparathyroidism with multiple thyroid nodules. Patient history, presentation, and biopsy were suspicious for parathyroid carcinoma. Despite severe hypercalcemia, both patient and fetus remained stable and medical management was pursued in an attempt to optimize mother and fetus prior to delivery. Due to recalcitrant hypercalcemia, surgical resection was ultimately required. She was subsequently delivered in the setting of preterm labor. Final pathology revealed parathyroid adenoma with atypia and occult papillary thyroid carcinoma. Conclusion. Symptoms of hypercalcemia can mimic those of a normal third trimester pregnancy and can have serious maternal and fetal effects if left untreated. A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to these patients is necessary.
Age Is Not a Limiting Factor in Interventional Radiotherapy (Brachytherapy) for Patients with Localized Cancer
Authors: Lancellotta Valentina , Kovács György , Tagliaferri Luca , Perrucci Elisabetta , Colloca Giuseppe , Valentini Vincenzo , Aristei Cynthia
Published: January 2018

This review examines the role of interventional radiotherapy (IRT otherwise known as brachytherapy) in cancer treatment for elderly patients. Despite their advanced age and associated comorbidities, elderly patients should receive definitive cancer therapies, including surgery and radiotherapy (RT). In fact, RT becomes first-line option for patients who are not eligible for surgery (due to comorbidities, anticoagulant drugs, and risk of disfigurement) or those who refuse it. It emerged from this review of the literature as effective, simple, safe, and comfortable and was associated with good local control, low toxicity rates, and excellent cosmesis and provided a cost benefit. IRT may be used as sole treatment for small cancers or as a useful adjunct to surgery or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in more advanced (or lymph node positive) cases, especially when the aim is local control with adequate preservation of normal tissue function. As palliative treatment, IRT preserves quality of life and/or improves survival. It is to be hoped that this review will serve as a helpful guide for members of multidisciplinary teams that are involved in treating elderly patients with cancer.
Defense against Malicious Users in Cooperative Spectrum Sensing Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Gul Noor , Qureshi Ijaz Mansoor , Elahi Atif , Rasool Imtiaz
Published: January 2018

In cognitive radio network (CRN), secondary users (SUs) try to sense and utilize the vacant spectrum of the legitimate primary user (PU) in an efficient manner. The process of cooperation among SUs makes the sensing more authentic with minimum disturbance to the PU in achieving maximum utilization of the vacant spectrum. One problem in cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) is the occurrence of malicious users (MUs) sending false data to the fusion center (FC). In this paper, the FC takes a global decision based on the hard binary decisions received from all SUs. Genetic algorithm (GA) using one-to-many neighbor distance along with z-score as a fitness function is used for the identification of accurate sensing information in the presence of MUs. The proposed scheme is able to avoid the effect of MUs in CSS without identification of MUs. Four types of abnormal SUs, opposite malicious user (OMU), random opposite malicious user (ROMU), always yes malicious user (AYMU), and always no malicious user (ANMU), are discussed in this paper. Simulation results show that the proposed hard fusion scheme has surpassed the existing hard fusion scheme, equal gain combination (EGC), and maximum gain combination (MGC) schemes by employing GA.
Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Berlin Eva , Singh Kunwar , Mills Christopher , Shapira Ilan , Bakst Richard L. , Chadha Manjeet
Published: January 2018

We are reporting the case of a 58-year-old woman with history of bilateral silicone breast implants for cosmetic augmentation. At 2-year interval from receiving the breast implants, she presented with swelling of the right breast with associated chest wall mass, effusion around the implant, and axillary lymphadenopathy. Pathology confirmed breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (stage III, T4N2M0, using BIA-ALCL TNM staging and stage IIAE, using Ann-Arbor staging). The patient underwent bilateral capsulectomy and right partial mastectomy with excision of the right breast mass and received adjuvant CHOP chemotherapy and radiation to the right breast and regional nodes. Since completion of multimodality therapy, the patient has sustained remission on both clinical exam and PET/CT scan. We report this case and review of the literature on this rare form of lymphoma.
Quantum Walk in Terms of Quantum Bernoulli Noise and Quantum Central Limit Theorem for Quantum Bernoulli Noise
Authors: Wang Caishi , Wang Ce , Tang Yuling , Ren Suling
Published: January 2018

As a unitary quantum walk with infinitely many internal degrees of freedom, the quantum walk in terms of quantum Bernoulli noise (recently introduced by Wang and Ye) shows a rather classical asymptotic behavior, which is quite different from the case of the usual quantum walks with a finite number of internal degrees of freedom. In this paper, we further examine the structure of the walk. By using the Fourier transform on the state space of the walk, we obtain a formula that links the moments of the walk’s probability distributions directly with annihilation and creation operators on Bernoulli functionals. We also prove some other results on the structure of the walk. Finally, as an application of these results, we establish a quantum central limit theorem for the annihilation and creation operators themselves.
Comorbid Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus with Parkinsonism: A Clinical Challenge and Call for Awareness
Authors: Cucca A. , Biagioni M. C. , Sharma K. , Golomb J. , Gilbert R. M. , Di Rocco A. , Fleisher J. E.
Published: January 2018

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is the most common cause of hydrocephalus in adults. The diagnosis may be challenging, requiring collaborative efforts between different specialists. According to the International Society for Hydrocephalus and Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders, iNPH should be considered in the differential of any unexplained gait failure with insidious onset. Recognizing iNPH can be even more difficult in the presence of comorbid neurologic disorders. Among these, idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the major neurologic causes of gait dysfunction in the elderly. Both conditions have their peak prevalence between the 6th and the 7th decade. Importantly, postural instability and gait dysfunction are core clinical features in both iNPH and PD. Therefore, diagnosing iNPH where diagnostic criteria of PD have been met represents an additional clinical challenge. Here, we report a patient with parkinsonism initially consistent with PD who subsequently displayed rapidly progressive postural instability and gait dysfunction leading to the diagnosis of concomitant iNPH. In the following sections, we will review the clinical features of iNPH, as well as the overlapping and discriminating features when degenerative parkinsonism is in the differential diagnosis. Understanding and recognizing the potential for concomitant disease are critical when treating both conditions.
Route Planning for Military Ground Vehicles in Road Networks under Uncertain Battlefield Environment
Authors: Zhao Tan , Huang Jincai , Shi Jianmai , Chen Chao
Published: January 2018

Route planning for military ground vehicles in the uncertain battlefield is a special kind of route planning problem, as the military vehicles face a great of uncertain and unpredicted attacks. This paper models these uncertainties in the road network by a set of discrete scenarios. A kth shortest-path method is introduced to find intact routes from the origin to the destination for each vehicle. A binary integer programming is presented to formulate the problem. As the combination of the uncertainties results in a huge number of scenarios, we employed the sample average approximation method to obtain a robust solution for the problem. The solution approach is illustrated and tested through three road networks with different scales. The computational results show that, for networks of small scale, our method can provide a good solution with a sample of small size, while, for the large network, with sample of small size, this method usually leads to a suboptimal solution, but a good solution can still be obtained as the sample size grows bigger. In addition, variation trend of the deviation with different sample size indicates that a sample of larger size can bring more stability to the results.
Free Subspaces of Free Locally Convex Spaces
Authors: Gabriyelyan Saak S. , Morris Sidney A.
Published: January 2018

IfXandYare Tychonoff spaces, letL(X)andL(Y)be the free locally convex space overXandY, respectively. For generalXandY, the question of whetherL(X)can be embedded as a topological vector subspace ofL(Y)is difficult. The best results in the literature are that ifL(X)can be embedded as a topological vector subspace ofL(I), whereI=[0,1], thenXis a countable-dimensional compact metrizable space. Further, ifXis a finite-dimensional compact metrizable space, thenL(X)can be embedded as a topological vector subspace ofL(I). In this paper, it is proved thatL(X)can be embedded inL(R)as a topological vector subspace ifXis a disjoint union of a countable number of finite-dimensional locally compact separable metrizable spaces. This is the case ifX=Rn,  n∈N.It is also shown that ifGandQdenote the Cantor space and the Hilbert cubeIN, respectively, then (i)L(X)is embedded inL(G)if and only ifXis a zero-dimensional metrizable compact space; (ii)L(X)is embedded inL(Q)if and only ifYis a metrizable compact space.
Aerosol Gemcitabine after Amputation Inhibits Osteosarcoma Lung Metastases but Not Wound Healing
Authors: Kleinerman Eugenie S. , Yu Ling , Dao Jasmine , Hayes-Jordan Andrea A. , Lindsey Brock , Kawedia Jitesh D. , Stewart John , Gordon Nancy
Published: January 2018

Background. In newly diagnosed osteosarcoma (OS) patients, the time between surgery and resumption of chemotherapy is 2–7 weeks. Delays > 16 days are associated with increased risk of relapse and decreased overall survival. Identifying an effective therapy that can be used postoperatively may prevent relapse. We investigated whether aerosol gemcitabine (GCB) initiated after tumor resection inhibited the growth of OS lung metastases without affecting the wound-healing process. Methods. Mice were injected intratibially with OS cells. Amputation was performed when the tumor reached 1.5 cm. Full-thickness excisional wounds were also made on the dorsal skin and tail. Aerosol GCB or PBS was initiated 48 hours after amputation (3 times/week for 3 weeks). Wound sections were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 (proliferation), CD31 (vessels), VEGF, IL-10, bFGF, mast cells, macrophages, and M1/M2 macrophage ratios. The lungs were analyzed for macro- and micrometastases. Results. Aerosol GCB inhibited the growth of the lung metastases but had no effect on the 3 phases of wound healing in the dorsal skin, tail, or bone. Production of cytokines at the wound sites was the same. Conclusion. These data indicate that initiating aerosol GCB postoperatively may kill residual lung metastases thereby preventing relapse and improve survival.
Progressive Collapse Analysis of Latticed Telecommunication Towers under Wind Loads
Authors: Gao Shan , Wang Sheliang
Published: January 2018

As the antenna‐supporting structures, latticed telecommunication steel towers are considered as critical members of telecommunication infrastructures. It is necessary to perform progressive collapse analysis of lattice telecommunication towers under wind loads. The present study conducts a nonlinear dynamic analysis on 50 m high typical standard latticed telecommunication tripole tower and angle tower by alternative load path method. The finite element models for two towers subjected to design wind loads are developed by ABAQUS. The analysis results show that, for 50 m high standard tripole tower, the member failure in the first three tower sections from tower top would not trigger the collapse of the tower. From the fourth tower section to tower bottom, the member failure at certain wind direction may cause a collapse. For 50 m high standard angle tower, the single member failure in any tower section would not cause the collapse of the tower. A dynamic sensitivity index is proposed to identify the most unfavorable wind direction for tripole tower and angle tower. A progressive collapse fragile curve based on collapse probability of telecommunication tower under wind loads is proposed to assess the anticollapse performance of the towers.
Tiotropium for the Treatment of Asthma: Patient Selection and Perspectives
Authors: Chari V. Madhu , McIvor Robert Andrew
Published: January 2018

Asthma is a chronic disease of airway inflammation with a large global burden. Despite established, guideline-based stepwise therapy, a significant proportion of patients remain symptomatic and poorly controlled. As such, there is a need for additional safe, effective, convenient, and cost-effective therapies that can be broadly applied across a range of asthma phenotypes. Tiotropium is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) that leads to bronchodilation by blocking endogenous acetylcholine receptors in the airways. Tiotropium has long been approved for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and it has recently been recognized for its safety and efficacy in improving lung function and controlling asthma. Evidence from several Phase III trials in the adult and paediatric population has shown that tiotropium is well tolerated and significantly improves a range of endpoints as an add-on treatment to ICS therapy, regardless of baseline characteristics and clinical phenotypes. Consequently, regulatory authorities worldwide have recently licensed tiotropium as the only LAMA approved for the treatment of asthma. This review provides an overview of safety and efficacy data and discusses the use of tiotropium in patients across the range of asthma severities, ages, and phenotypes.
A Novel Multidimensional Frequency Band Energy Ratio Analysis Method for the Pressure Fluctuation of Francis Turbine
Authors: Wang Weiyu , Chen Qijuan , Liang Xing , Yue Xuhui , Dou Jinzhou
Published: January 2018

The pressure fluctuation has multiple influence on the steady operation of Francis turbine, and the impact degree varies with the operation condition. In this paper, for the analysis of pressure fluctuation in the Francis turbine, a novel feature extraction method of multidimensional frequency bands energy ratio is proposed based on Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT). Firstly, the pressure fluctuation signal is decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by EEMD. Secondly, the Hilbert marginal spectrum is utilized to analyze the frequency characteristics of IMFs. Then, according to the inner frequency of IMFs, each of them is divided into high, medium, or low frequency band which are constructed based on the frequency characteristic of the pressure fluctuations in the Francis turbine. Afterward, the energy ratio of each frequency band to the original signal is calculated, which is to realize the feature extraction of multidimensional frequency band energy ratio. Actual applications verify that this method not only can extract the time-frequency characteristics but also can analyze the condition feature of the pressure fluctuation. It is a novel method for extracting the feature of pressure fluctuation in the Francis turbine.
Early Implanon Discontinuation and Associated Factors among Implanon User Women in Debre Tabor Town, Public Health Facilities, Northwest Ethiopia, 2016
Authors: Melkamu Asaye Mengstu , Syoum Nigussie Tewodros , Mequannt Ambaw Worku
Published: January 2018

Background. Implanon discontinuation closely related to higher rates of overall fertility rate, unwanted pregnancies, and induced abortion. This might have social and economic consequences. In Ethiopia the magnitude of early Implanon discontinuation and contributing factors is not well studied. Objective. To assess early Implanon discontinuation and associated factors among Implanon user women in Debre Tabor town, 2016. Methods. A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 to August 2016 through face-to-face interview. A total of 449 Implanon user women were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Epi Info version 7 and SPSS version 20 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Factors associated with early Implanon discontinuation were analyzed using binary and multivariable logistic regression model. Variables with p value of <0.05 and 95% confidence interval were considered as statistically significant. Results. The overall proportion of early Implanon discontinuation among mothers was 65 % (95%, CI: 60.4%–69.5%). Having no children (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = [1.3–4.5]), being not counseled for possible side effects (AOR = 1.50, 95% CI = [1.1–3.4]), having no appointment for follow-up (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI = [1.2–4.3]), and having developing side effects (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI = [1.5–4.4]) were found to be statistically significant factors associated with early Implanon discontinuation. Conclusion and Recommendation. Early Implanon discontinuation among mothers was found to be high. Hence, counseling about Implanon side effects and appointment for follow-up of Implanon users should be made to increase Implanon retention.
Hydrogen Sulfide Abrogates Hemoglobin‐Lipid Interaction in Atherosclerotic Lesion
Authors: Potor László , Nagy Péter , Méhes Gábor , Hendrik Zoltán , Jeney Viktória , Pethő Dávid , Vasas Anita , Pálinkás Zoltán , Balogh Enikő , Gyetvai Ágnes , Whiteman Matthew , Torregrossa Roberta , Wood Mark E. , Olvasztó Sándor , Nagy Péter , Balla György , Balla József
Published: January 2018

The infiltration of red blood cells into atheromatous plaques is implicated in atherogenesis. Inside the lesion, hemoglobin (Hb) is oxidized to ferri‐ and ferrylHb which exhibit prooxidant and proinflammatory activities. Cystathione gamma‐lyase‐ (CSE‐) derived H2S has been suggested to possess various antiatherogenic actions. Expression of CSE was upregulated predominantly in macrophages, foam cells, and myofibroblasts of human atherosclerotic lesions derived from carotid artery specimens of patients. A similar pattern was observed in aortic lesions of apolipoprotein E‐deficient mice on high‐fat diet. We identified several triggers for inducing CSE expression in macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells including heme, ferrylHb, plaque lipids, oxidized low‐density lipoprotein, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and interleukin‐1β. In the interplay between hemoglobin and atheroma lipids, H2S significantly mitigated oxidation of Hb preventing the formation of ferrylHb derivatives, therefore providing a novel function as a heme‐redox‐intermediate‐scavenging antioxidant. By inhibiting Hb‐lipid interactions, sulfide lowered oxidized Hb‐mediated induction of adhesion molecules in endothelium and disruption of endothelial integrity. Exogenous H2S inhibited heme and Hb‐mediated lipid oxidation of human atheroma‐derived lipid and human complicated lesion. Our study suggests that the CSE/H2S system represents an atheroprotective pathway for removing or limiting the formation of oxidized Hb and lipid derivatives in the atherosclerotic plaque.
Effects ofWithania somniferaon Reproductive System: A Systematic Review of the Available Evidence
Authors: Nasimi Doost Azgomi Ramin , Zomorrodi Afshar , Nazemyieh Hossein , Fazljou Seyed Mohammad Bagher , Sadeghi Bazargani Homayoun , Nejatbakhsh Fatemeh , Moini Jazani Arezoo , Ahmadi AsrBadr Yadollah
Published: January 2018

Introduction.Withania somnifera(WS) also known as ashwagandha is a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional medicine in many countries for infertility treatment. The present study was aimed at systemically reviewing therapeutic effects of WS on the reproductive system.Methods. This systematic review study was designed in 2016. Required data were obtained from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, and manual search of articles, grey literature, reference checking, and expert contact.Results. WS was found to improve reproductive system function by many ways. WS extract decreased infertility among male subjects, due to the enhancement in semen quality which is proposed due to the enhanced enzymatic activity in seminal plasma and decreasing oxidative stress. Also, WS extract improved luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone balance leading to folliculogenesis and increased gonadal weight, although some animal studies had concluded that WS had reversible spermicidal and infertilizing effects in male subjects.Conclusion. WS was found to enhance spermatogenesis and sperm related indices in male and sexual behaviors in female. But, according to some available evidences for spermicidal features, further studies should focus on the extract preparation method and also dosage used in their study protocols.
Pantoea agglomerans Infections in Children: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Siwakoti Shraddha , Sah Rinku , Rajbhandari Rupa Singh , Khanal Basudha
Published: January 2018

Introduction. Pantoea agglomerans, primarily an environmental and agricultural organism has been reported as both commensal and pathogen of humans. We present two case reports of P. agglomerans infections in children that involved the meninges and bloodstream. Case Presentations. A 6-month-old female baby, diagnosed as congenital hydrocephalus secondary to aqueduct stenosis with ventriculoperitoneal shunt in situ, operated 14 days back was brought to the pediatric emergency with a two-day history of high fever associated with vomiting, irritability, excessive crying, and decreased feeding. Postoperative meningitis was confirmed as cerebrospinal fluid culture revealed P. agglomerans. She responded well with a 14-day intravenous (IV) course of ceftriaxone. Also, we report a case of a 3-year-old male child referred to our center with a provisional diagnosis of UTI with chickenpox for further evaluation. During his 24-hour stay at the local hospital, he had received oral antibiotics and urinary catherization. Urine culture of catheter clamp urine was sterile. P. agglomerans was grown in blood culture. He was treated successfully with IV ceftriaxone and amikacin. Conclusion. P. agglomerans can cause postsurgical meningitis and bloodstream infection in children. The clinical course of infection was mild and timely administration of proper antibiotic resulted in a favorable outcome.