bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Determinants Enabling Medium-Dependent Adaptation to Nafcillin in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Salazar Michael J. , Machado Henrique , Dillon Nicholas A. , Tsunemoto Hannah , Szubin Richard , Dahesh Samira , Pogliano Joseph , Sakoulas George , Palsson Bernhard O. , Nizet Victor , Feist Adam M.
Published: March 2020

The ability of pathogens such as
Staphylococcus aureus
to evolve resistance to antibiotics used in the treatment of infections has been an important concern in the last decades. Resistant acquisition usually translates into treatment failure and puts patients at risk of unfavorable outcomes. Furthermore, the laboratory testing of antibiotic resistance does not account for the different environment the bacteria experiences within the human body, leading to results that do not translate into the clinic. In this study, we forced methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
to develop nafcillin resistance in two different environments, a laboratory environment and a physiologically more relevant environment. This allowed us to identify genetic changes that led to nafcillin resistance under both conditions. We concluded that not only does the environment dictate the evolutionary strategy of
S. aureus
to nafcillin but also that the evolutionary strategy is specific to that given environment.
Naevus of Ota: clinical characteristics and proposal for a new ocular classification and grading system
Authors: Vishnevskia-Dai Vicktoria , Moroz Iris , Davidy Tal , Zloto Keren , Birger Yael , Fabian Ido Didi , Ben Simon Guy , Priel Ayelet , Zloto Ofira
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Naevus of Ota is a congenital condition that may involve the skin, eyeball and even intracranial structures usually in the distribution of the ophthalmic and maxillary divisions of the trigeminal cranial nerve. The purpose of this study was to summarise our experience with the ocular clinical presentation, imaging, outcome, treatment of complications and to offer a new classification of patients with naevus of Ota.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the patients’ medical records and the following parameters were retrieved and analysed: demographics, clinical presentation complications and treatment of complications. Imaging characteristics of patients with naevus of Ota were compared with images from the same period of time of 57 age-matched and gender-matched patients without naevus of Ota (control group).

Results

The series was composed of 40 patients (18 males, 22 females) whose mean age at diagnosis was 35.27 years (range 0.5–77 years). Thirty-three patients (82.5%) were type I naevus of Ota according to the Tanino classification, three patients (7.5%) were type II, one patient (2.5%) was type III and three patient (7.5%) were type IV (bilateral naevus of Ota). We further classified all cases in according to the ocular involvement extent. Three patients developed malignant transformation to choroidal melanoma and four patients developed glaucoma.

Conclusions

In this study, a new clinical classification based on the involved ocular component and extent of the involvement (in quadrants) of the globe is suggested first. Further studies are needed to assess whether our clinical ocular classification can assist in identifying patients at risk for developing glaucoma and malignant transformation.
The potential global gains in health and revenue from increased taxation of tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages: a modelling analysis
Authors: Summan Amit , Stacey Nicholas , Birckmayer Johanna , Blecher Evan , Chaloupka Frank J , Laxminarayan Ramanan
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Globally, a growing burden of morbidity and mortality is attributable to lifestyle behaviours, and in particular to the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). In low-income and middle-income countries, this increased disease burden falls on already encumbered and resource-constrained healthcare systems. Fiscal policies, specifically taxation, can lower consumption of tobacco, alcohol and SSB while raising government revenues.

Methods

We simulated the health and economic effects of taxing cigarettes, alcohol and SSB over 50 years for 30–79 years old populations using separate mathematical models for each commodity that incorporated country-level epidemiological, demographic and consumption data. Based on data availability, national-level health effects of higher tobacco, alcohol and SSB taxes were simulated in 141, 166 and 176 countries, respectively, which represented 92%, 97% and 95% of the global population, respectively. Economic effects for tobacco, alcohol and SSB were estimated for countries representing 91%, 43% and 83% of the global population, respectively. These estimates were extrapolated to the global level by matching countries according to income level.

Results

Over 50 years, taxes that raise the retail price of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and SSB by 20% could result in a global gain of 160.7 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 96.3 to 225.2 million), 227.4 million (UI: 161.2 to 293.6 million) and 24.3 million (UI: 15.7 to 35.4 million) additional life years, respectively.

Conclusion

Excise tax increases on tobacco, alcohol and SSB can produce substantial health gains by reducing premature mortality while raising government revenues, which could be used to increase public health funding.
A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify measures of breakthrough pain and evaluate their psychometric properties
Authors: Greenfield Katie , Holley Simone , Schoth Daniel Eric , Bayliss Julie , Anderson Anna-Karenia , Jassal Satbir , Rajapakse Dilini , Fraser Lorna Katharine , Mott Christine , Johnson Margaret , Wong Ian , Howard Richard , Harrop Emily , Liossi Christina
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Breakthrough pain is common in children and adults with cancer and other conditions, including those approaching end-of-life, although it is often poorly managed, possibly partly due to a lack of validated assessment tools. This review aims to (1) identify all available instruments measuring breakthrough pain in infants, children, adolescents or adults and (2) critically appraise, compare and summarise the quality of the psychometric properties of the identified instruments using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) criteria.

Methods and analysis

Two searches will be carried out between October 2019 and January 2020, one for each aim of the review. The Cochrane Library, International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, Embase, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, Google Scholar, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database, Evidence Search and OpenGrey databases will be searched from database inception until the date the search is conducted. Reference lists of eligible articles will be screened and authors in the field contacted. For search 1, articles will be screened by two reviewers by abstract, and full-text where necessary, to identify if a breakthrough pain assessment was used. Search 2 will then be conducted to identify studies evaluating measurement properties of these assessments. Two reviewers will screen articles from search 2 by title and abstract. All potentially relevant studies will be screened by full text by both reviewers. For search 2, data will be extracted in parallel with the quality assessment process, as recommended by COSMIN. Two reviewers will assess methodological quality using the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist and the COSMIN updated criteria for good measurement properties. Findings will be summarised and, if possible, data will be pooled using meta-analysis. The quality of the evidence will be graded and summarised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

Results of this review will be submitted for publication in a peer review journal and presented at conferences.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019155583.
Postsurgical rehabilitation for adults with low back pain with or without radiculopathy who were treated surgically: protocol for a mixed studies systematic review
Authors: Cancelliere Carol , Wong Jessica J. , Yu Hainan , Nordin Margareta , Mior Silvano , Pereira Paulo , Brunton Ginny , Shearer Heather , Connell Gaelan , Verville Leslie , Taylor-Vaisey Anne , Côté Pierre
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Surgical rates for low back pain (LBP) have been increasing in Europe, North America and Asia. Many patients treated surgically will require postsurgical rehabilitation. Little is known about the effectiveness of postsurgical rehabilitation interventions on health outcomes or about patients’ experiences with these interventions.

Objectives

To conduct a mixed studies systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies regarding: (1) the effectiveness and safety of postsurgical rehabilitation interventions for adults with LBP treated surgically and (2) the experiences of patients, healthcare providers, caregivers or others involved with the rehabilitation.

Methods and analysis

We will search MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, the Index to Chiropractic Literature, the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials and the Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source for peer-reviewed empirical studies published from inception in any language. Studies using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies will be included. We will also search reference lists of all eligible articles. Data extraction will include type of presurgical pathology, indication for surgery, surgical procedure, how the intervention was delivered and by whom, context and setting. We will conduct a quality assessment of each study and consider study quality in our evidence synthesis. We will use a sequential approach at the review level to synthesise and integrate data. First, we will synthesise the quantitative and qualitative studies independently, conducting a meta-analysis of the quantitative studies if appropriate and thematic synthesis of the qualitative studies. Then, we will integrate the quantitative and qualitative evidence by juxtaposing the findings in a matrix.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for this knowledge synthesis. Findings will be disseminated through knowledge translation activities including: (1) presentations at national and international conferences and scientific meetings; (2) presentations to local and international stakeholders; (3) publications in peer-reviewed journals and (4) posts on organisational websites.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019134607.
Relative contributions of hospital versus skilled nursing facility quality on patient outcomes
Authors: Chatterjee Paula , Qi Mingyu , Werner Rachel
Published: March 2020

Background

Hospitals and health systems worldwide have adopted value-based payment to improve quality and reduce costs. In the USA, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are now financially penalised for higher-than-expected readmission rates. However, the extent to which SNFs contribute to, and should thus be held accountable for, readmission rates is unknown. To compare the relative contributions of hospital and SNF quality on readmission rates while controlling for unobserved patient characteristics.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries, 2010–2016. Acute care hospitals and SNFs in the USA. Medicare beneficiaries with two hospitalisations followed by SNF admissions, divided into two groups: (1) patients who went to different hospitals but were discharged to the same SNF after both hospitalisations and (2) patients who went to the same hospital but were discharged to different SNFs. Hospital-level and SNF-level quality, using a lagged measure of 30-day risk-standardised readmission rates (RSRRs). Readmission within 30 days of hospital discharge.

Results

There were 140 583 patients who changed hospitals but not SNFs, and 183 232 who changed SNFs but not hospitals. Patients who went to the lowest-performing hospitals (highest RSRR) had a 0.9% higher likelihood of readmission (p=0.005) compared with patients who went to the highest-performing hospitals (lowest RSRR). In contrast, patients who went to the lowest-performing SNFs had a 2% higher likelihood of readmission (p<0.001) compared with patients to went to the highest-performing SNFs.

Conclusions

The association between SNF quality and patient outcomes was larger than the association between hospital quality and patient outcomes among postacute care patients. Holding postacute care providers accountable for their quality may be an effective strategy to improve SNF quality.
Clinical reasoning framework for thoracic spine exercise prescription in sport: a systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Heneghan Nicola R , Lokhaug Svein M , Tyros Isaak , Longvastøl Sigurd , Rushton Alison
Published: March 2020

Background

The thoracic spine is critical for athletic kinetic chain functioning yet widely overlooked in terms of specific evidenced-based exercise prescription. Thoracic mobility, motor control and strength are required to optimise performance in sport and minimise excessive load/stress on other components of the kinetic chain.

Objective

To identify and evaluate mobility, motor control, work capacity and strength thoracic exercises for use in athletes.

Design

Systematic review involving expert reviewers at key stages: searches and screening (n=1), eligibility, evaluation, data extraction and evaluation (n=3). Key databases and social media sources were searched to 16 August 2019. Eligible exercises were thoracic exercises to promote mobility, motor control, work capacity and strength. A narrative synthesis enabled an outcome-based classification of exercises, with level of evidence of individual sources informing overall level of evidence for each outcome (Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine).

Results

From 2348 sources (social media, database searches and other sources), 38 exercises were included. Sources included images, video clips and written descriptions of exercises. Exercises targeting all planes of motion were evaluated and classified according to outcome. Exercises comprised functional and non-functional exercises for mobility (n=9), work capacity (n=15), motor control (n=7) and strength (n=7). Overall level of evidence for each outcome was level 5.

Conclusion

This synthesis and evaluation of exercises has captured the scope of thoracic exercises used in ‘practice’. Evaluation against an expert-derived outcome-based classification provides practitioners with a framework to facilitate exercise prescription. Evaluation of validity and effectiveness of exercises on outcomes is now required.
Evaluating the impact of penalising the use of mobile phones while driving on road traffic fatalities, serious injuries and mobile phone use: a systematic review
Authors: Olsson Bjørn , Pütz Hannah , Reitzug Fabian , Humphreys David K
Published: March 2020

Background

A vast literature has demonstrated that using mobile phones while driving increases the risk of road traffic crashes. In response, policy-makers have introduced bans and harsher penalties on using mobile phones while driving. Even though emerging evidence suggests that such measures may reduce mobile phone use and crashes, the literature has not been systematically reviewed and synthesised.

Objective

To evaluate the impact of penalising mobile phone use while driving on road traffic fatalities, serious injuries and the prevalence of mobile phone use while driving.

Methods

We employed a comprehensive search strategy using electronic databases, websites, handsearching and other sources to locate studies evaluating legislation on mobile phone use while driving. Randomised controlled trials, interrupted time series’, controlled before–after studies with control(s) not exposed to harsher sanctions and panel data designs were included if they measured the outcomes of fatalities, serious injuries or the prevalence of mobile phone use while driving. Eligible studies were critically appraised. Due to substantial heterogeneity, the results were synthesised narratively. The synthesis structured studies according to the type of legislation and outcome measure.

Results

Of the 7420 studies retrieved, 32 were included. The evidence on the effects of penalising mobile phone use while driving was weak, and somewhat inconsistent, but pointed to a potential decrease in the prevalence of mobile phone use and fatalities for all-driver primary enforcement hand-held bans and texting bans.

Conclusions

Preventing fatalities from risky driving practices may be helped by implementing harsher laws that penalise mobile phone use while driving.
Effect of competition on individual white spruce production in young boreal mixedwood forests
Authors: Carr Sandra , Larocque Guy R. , Luckai Nancy , Bell F. Wayne
Published: March 2020

Increasing the production of wood fibre from conifer species such as white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) is one of many challenges in the management of boreal mixedwood forests. The effects of various competition measures on relative growth and relative growth rate variables were calculated for individual white spruce subject trees. Correlation analysis was used to explore relationships with competitor structural features, including the ratio of competitor basal area to subject tree basal area (CBAS), the ratio of competitor height to subject tree height (AHCS), and the proportion of softwood (FSW). Regression analysis was used to explore relationships with three distance-dependent competition indices. The ratio of subject tree height to diameter at breast height (DBH) (HDR), crown ratio (CR), and crown relative increment rate (CRIR) were significantly correlated with CBAS and AHCS. HDR, CR, CRIR, and DBH relative growth rate were all statistically significantly related to the competition indices. Results indicated that (i) relative growth and relative growth rate measures successfully captured a range of competition, (ii) crowns of trees with larger diameters used their horizontal growing space more efficiently to produce stemwood, and (iii) the proportion of softwood contributing to competition did not appear to influence subject tree production efficiency. Growth efficiency variables have the potential to improve our understanding of boreal mixedwood dynamics.
Baryogenesis in $$f(Q,{\mathcal { T}})$$ gravity
Authors: Bhattacharjee Snehasish , Sahoo P. K.
Published: March 2020

The article communicates exploration of gravitational baryogenesis in presence of$$f(Q,{\mathcal { T}})$$f(Q,T)gravity whereQdenote the nonmetricity and$${\mathcal { T}}$$Tthe trace of the energy momentum tensor. We study various baryogenesis interactions proportional to$$\dot{Q}$$Q˙and$$\dot{Q}f_{Q}$$Q˙fQfor the$$f(Q,{\mathcal { T}})$$f(Q,T)gravity model$$f(Q,{\mathcal { T}})=\alpha Q ^{n+1} + \beta {\mathcal { T}}$$f(Q,T)=αQn+1+βT, where$$\alpha $$α,$$\beta $$βandnare model parameters. Additionally we report the viable parameter spaces for which an observationally consistent baryon-to-entropy can be generated. Our results indicate that$$f(Q,{\mathcal { T}})$$f(Q,T)gravity can contribute significantly and consistently to the phenomenon of gravitational baryognesis.
Operatorial characterization of Majorana neutrinos
Authors: Fujikawa Kazuo
Published: March 2020

The Majorana neutrino $$\psi _{M}(x)$$ψM(x) when constructed as a superposition of chiral fermions such as $$\nu _{L} + C\overline{\nu _{L}}^{T}$$νL+CνL¯T is characterized by $$ (\mathcal{C}\mathcal{P}) \psi _{M}(x)(\mathcal{C}\mathcal{P})^{\dagger } =i\gamma ^{0}\psi _{M}(t,-\vec {x})$$(CP)ψM(x)(CP)†=iγ0ψM(t,-x→), and the CP symmetry describes the entire physics contents of Majorana neutrinos. Further specifications of C and P separately could lead to difficulties depending on the choice of C and P. The conventional $$ \mathcal{C} \psi _{M}(x) \mathcal{C}^{\dagger } = \psi _{M}(x)$$CψM(x)C†=ψM(x) with well-defined P is naturally defined when one constructs the Majorana neutrino from the Dirac-type fermion. In the seesaw model of Type I or Type I+II where the same number of left- and right-handed chiral fermions appear, it is possible to use the generalized Pauli–Gursey transformation to rewrite the seesaw Lagrangian in terms of Dirac-type fermions only; the conventional C symmetry then works to define Majorana neutrinos. In contrast, the “pseudo C-symmetry” $$\nu _{L,R}(x)\rightarrow C\overline{\nu _{L,R}(x)}^{T}$$νL,R(x)→CνL,R(x)¯T (and associated “pseudo P-symmetry”), that has been often used in both the seesaw model and Weinberg’s model to describe Majorana neutrinos, attempts to assign a nontrivial charge conjugation transformation rule to each chiral fermion separately. But this common construction is known to be operatorially ill-defined and, for example, the amplitude of the neutrinoless double beta decay vanishes if the vacuum is assumed to be invariant under the pseudo C-symmetry.
Study of interference effects in the search for flavour-changing neutral current interactions involving the top quark and a photon or a Z boson at the LHC
Authors: Barros Maura , Castro Nuno Filipe , Erdmann Johannes , Geßner Gregor , Kröninger Kevin , La Cagnina Salvatore , Peixoto Ana
Published: March 2020

Flavour-changing neutral-current interactions of the top quark can be searched for in top-quark pair production with one top quark decaying to an up-type quark and a neutral boson, and they can be searched for in the single production of a top quark in association with such a boson. Both processes interfere if an additional up-type quark is produced in the case of single production. The impact of these interference effects on searches for flavour-changing neutral currents at the LHC is studied for the case where the neutral boson is a photon or a Z boson. Interference effects are found to be smaller than variations of the renormalisation and factorisation scales.
Zip and velcro bifurcations in competition models in ecology and economics
Authors: Gallas Jason A. C.
Published: March 2020

During the last six years or so, a number of interesting papers discussed systems with line segments of equilibria, planes of equilibria, and with more general equilibrium configurations. This note draws attention to the fact that such equilibria were considered previously by Miklós Farkas (1932–2007), in papers published in 1984–2005. He called zip bifurcations those involving line segments of equilibria, and velcro bifurcations those involving planes of equilibria. We briefly describe prototypical situations involving zip and velcro bifurcations.
Effect of Si substrate modification on improving the crystalline quality, optical and electrical properties of thermally-evaporated BaSi2 thin-films for solar cell applications
Authors: Lien Mai Thi Kieu , Usami Noritaka
Published: March 2020

We have grown orthorhombic barium disilicide ([Formula: see text]) thin-films on modified silicon (Si) substrates by a thermal evaporation method. The surface modification of Si substrate was performed by a metal-assisted chemical etching method. The effects of etching time [Formula: see text] on crystalline quality as well as optical and electrical properties of the [Formula: see text] films were investigated. The obtained results showed that substrate modification can enhance the crystalline quality and electrical properties; reduce the light reflection; and increase the absorption of the [Formula: see text] thin-films. The [Formula: see text] of 8 s was chosen as the optimized condition for surface modification of Si substrate. The achieved inferred short-circuit current density, Hall mobility, and minority carrier lifetime of the [Formula: see text] film at [Formula: see text] of 8 s were [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]s, respectively. These results confirm that the [Formula: see text] thin-film evaporated on the modified Si substrate is a promising absorber for thin-film solar cell applications.
Covariance thresholding to detect differentially co-expressed genes from microarray gene expression data
Authors: Oh Mingyu , Kim Kipoong , Sun Hokeun
Published: March 2020

Gene set analysis aims to identify differentially expressed or co-expressed genes within a biological pathway between two experimental conditions, so that it can eventually reveal biological processes and pathways involved in disease development. In the last few decades, various statistical and computational methods have been proposed to improve statistical power of gene set analysis. In recent years, much attention has been paid to differentially co-expressed genes since they can be potentially disease-related genes without significant difference in average expression levels between two conditions. In this paper, we propose a new statistical method to identify differentially co-expressed genes from microarray gene expression data. The proposed method first estimates co-expression levels of paired genes using covariance regularization by thresholding, and then significance of difference in covariance estimation between two conditions is evaluated. We demonstrated that the proposed method is more powerful than the existing main-stream methods to detect co-expressed genes through extensive simulation studies. Also, we applied it to various microarray gene expression datasets related with mutant p53 transcriptional activity, and epithelium and stroma breast cancer.
Canalyzing minors of Boolean functions
Authors: Damyanov Ivo
Published: March 2020

Canalyzing functions are a special type of Boolean functions. For a canalyzing function, there is at least one argument, in which taking a certain value can determine the value of the function. Identification of variables can also shrink the resulting function into constant or function depending on one variable. In this paper, we discuss a particular disjunctive normal form for representation of Boolean function with its identification minors. Then an upper bound of the number of canalyzing minors is obtained. Finally, the number of canalyzing minors for Boolean functions with five essential variables is discussed.
Partial clones
Authors: Denecke Klaus
Published: March 2020

A set [Formula: see text] of operations defined on a nonempty set [Formula: see text] is said to be a clone if [Formula: see text] is closed under composition of operations and contains all projection mappings. The concept of a clone belongs to the algebraic main concepts and has important applications in Computer Science. A clone can also be regarded as a many-sorted algebra where the sorts are the [Formula: see text]-ary operations defined on set [Formula: see text] for all natural numbers [Formula: see text] and the operations are the so-called superposition operations [Formula: see text] for natural numbers [Formula: see text] and the projection operations as nullary operations. Clones generalize monoids of transformations defined on set [Formula: see text] and satisfy three clone axioms. The most important axiom is the superassociative law, a generalization of the associative law. If the superposition operations are partial, i.e. not everywhere defined, instead of the many-sorted clone algebra, one obtains partial many-sorted algebras, the partial clones. Linear terms, linear tree languages or linear formulas form partial clones. In this paper, we give a survey on partial clones and their properties.
Zariski second radical elements of lattice modules
Authors: Borkar Vandeo , Girase Pradip , Phadatare Narayan
Published: March 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a lattice module over a [Formula: see text]-lattice [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we introduce the concept of the Zariski second radical of elements of [Formula: see text] and investigate some properties of Zariski second radical of elements of [Formula: see text]. We also investigate when the Zariski second radical is equal to the second radical of elements of [Formula: see text]. We give a characterization of Noetherian space by using Zariski second radical of elements of [Formula: see text].
Subaqueous mass movements in the context of observations of contemporary slope failure
Authors: Mountjoy Joshu J. , Georgiopoulou Aggeliki , Chaytor Jason , Clare Michael A. , Gamboa Davide , Moernaut Jasper
Published: March 2020

The consequences of subaqueous landslides have been at the forefront of societal conscience more than ever in the last few years, with devastating and fatal events in the Indonesian Archipelago making global news. The new research presented in this volume demonstrates the breadth of ongoing investigation into subaqueous landslides, and shows that while events like the recent ones can be devastating, they are smaller in scale than those Earth has experienced in the past. Understanding the spectrum of subaqueous landslide processes, and therefore the potential societal impact, requires research across all spatial and temporal scales. This volume delivers a compilation of state-of-the-art papers covering regional landslide databases, advanced techniques for
in situ
measurements, numerical modelling of processes and hazards.
Cost-Effective Resource Provisioning for Real-Time Workflow in Cloud
Authors: Wu Lei , Ding Ran , Jia Zhaohong , Li Xuejun
Published: March 2020

In the era of big data, mining and analysis of the enormous amount of data has been widely used to support decision-making. This complex process including huge-volume data collecting, storage, transmission, and analysis could be modeled as workflow. Meanwhile, cloud environment provides sufficient computing and storage resources for big data management and analytics. Due to the clouds providing the pay-as-you-go pricing scheme, executing a workflow in clouds should pay for the provisioned resources. Thus, cost-effective resource provisioning for workflow in clouds is still a critical challenge. Also, the responses of the complex data management process are usually required to be real-time. Therefore, deadline is the most crucial constraint for workflow execution. In order to address the challenge of cost-effective resource provisioning while meeting the real-time requirements of workflow execution, a resource provisioning strategy based on dynamic programming is proposed to achieve cost-effectiveness of workflow execution in clouds and a critical-path based workflow partition algorithm is presented to guarantee that the workflow can be completed before deadline. Our approach is evaluated by simulation experiments with real-time workflows of different sizes and different structures. The results demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms the existing classical algorithms.
Unusual Localization of an Emergent Bacterium,Raoultella ornithinolytica
Authors: Cavaliere Michele , Bartoletti Guido , Capriglione Pasquale , Di Lullo Antonella Miriam , Motta Gaetano , Iengo Maurizio , Cantone Elena
Published: March 2020

Raoultella ornithinolyticais a bacterium belonging to the familyEnterobacteriacae. It is a rare but emergent cause of human pathologies especially in immunocompromised patients. We described the first case in the literature of isolated external otitis sustained byRaoultella ornithinolyticain an immunocompetent host. A 54-year-old Caucasian man with a history of previous myringoplasty came to our attention reporting otalgia and otorrhea. We performed right ear swab for culture examination, meanwhile we started empirical therapy with topic administration of neomycin, without any clinical improvement. The cultural examination showed the presence of aRaoultella ornithinolyticainfection. After ten days of treatment with oral ciprofloxacin and topic levofloxacin, there was the complete resolution of pain and inflammation.Raoultella ornithinolyticamust be taken into consideration as an emergent cause of human infection, also in case of external otitis. Infection can be severe and can occur both in immunocompromised and in immunocompetent hosts. Culture test is mandatory to choose the proper therapy and avoid potential severe complications.
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn Stems (Hegeng) Improved Depression Behavior in CUMS Mice by Regulating NCAM and GAP‐43 Expression
Authors: Zhao Ya-Nan , Cao Ya-Fei , Zhang Yan-Hong , Lu Ye , Ping Xin , Qin Shao-Kun , Liu Shu-Ning , Chu Li , Sun Guo-Qiang , Pei Lin
Published: March 2020

Background. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn stem (Hegeng [HG]) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to treat mental symptoms in East Asia. However, scientific evidence is generally lacking to support this traditional claim. Aim of the Study. This study’s aim is to investigate the antidepression effect of HG and to further explore the possible molecular mechanisms that are involved in its actions. Materials and Methods. HG aqueous extract was administered intragastrically for 21 days after the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure, and its effect on memory, learning, and emotion was assessed using animal behavioral tests. HG aqueous extract was characterized using HPLC. Immunofluorescence was used to measure the neural cell‐adhesion molecule (NCAM) and growth‐associated protein‐43 (GAP‐43) expression. Results. Depression‐like behaviors increased in the CUMS group compared with the control (CON) group, while they were reduced in the high‐dose HG (H‐HG) and fluoxetine (FLU) groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, NCAM and GAP‐43 expression was reduced in the CUMS group compared with the CON group, but it increased in the H‐HG and FLU groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions. These findings show the potential antidepressant effects of HG through mechanisms involving regulation of NCAM and GAP‐43. This provides a new theoretical basis for its potential application as an antidepressant‐like agent.
A Robust k-Means Clustering Algorithm Based on Observation Point Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Xiaoliang , He Yulin , Jin Yi , Qin Honglian , Azhar Muhammad , Huang Joshua Zhexue
Published: March 2020

The k-means algorithm is sensitive to the outliers. In this paper, we propose a robust two-stage k-means clustering algorithm based on the observation point mechanism, which can accurately discover the cluster centers without the disturbance of outliers. In the first stage, a small subset of the original data set is selected based on a set of nondegenerate observation points. The subset is a good representation of the original data set because it only contains all those points that have a higher density of the original data set and does not include the outliers. In the second stage, we use the k-means clustering algorithm to cluster the selected subset and find the proper cluster centers as the true cluster centers of the original data set. Based on these cluster centers, the rest data points of the original data set are assigned to the clusters whose centers are the closest to the data points. The theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the proposed clustering algorithm has the lower computational complexity and better robustness in comparison with k-means clustering algorithm, thus demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed clustering algorithm.
Stability and Stabilization for a Class of Semilinear Fractional Differential Systems
Authors: Ibrahim Badawi Hamza Elbadawi , Dong Qixiang , Zhang Zhengdi
Published: March 2020

This paper considers a class of semilinear fractional-order systems with Caputo derivative. New conditions ensuring asymptotic stability and stabilization of fractional systems with the fractional order between 0 and 2 are proposed. The analysis is based on a property of convolution and asymptotic properties of Mittag-Leffler functions. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed approach.
Molecular Mechanism of Functional Ingredients in Barley to Combat Human Chronic Diseases
Authors: Zeng Yawen , Pu Xiaoying , Du Juan , Yang Xiaomeng , Li Xia , Mandal Md. Siddikun Nabi , Yang Tao , Yang Jiazhen
Published: March 2020

Barley plays an important role in health and civilization of human migration from Africa to Asia, later to Eurasia. We demonstrated the systematic mechanism of functional ingredients in barley to combat chronic diseases, based on PubMed, CNKI, and ISI Web of Science databases from 2004 to 2020. Barley and its extracts are rich in 30 ingredients to combat more than 20 chronic diseases, which include the 14 similar and 9 different chronic diseases between grains and grass, due to the major molecular mechanism of six functional ingredients of barley grass (GABA, flavonoids, SOD, K-Ca, vitamins, and tryptophan) and grains (β-glucans, polyphenols, arabinoxylan, phytosterols, tocols, and resistant starch). The antioxidant activity of barley grass and grain has the same and different functional components. These results support findings that barley grain and its grass are the best functional food, promoting ancient Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations, and further show the depending functional ingredients for diet from Pliocene hominids in Africa and Neanderthals in Europe to modern humans in the world. This review paper not only reveals the formation and action mechanism of barley diet overcoming human chronic diseases, but also provides scientific basis for the development of health products and drugs for the prevention and treatment of human chronic diseases.
Ionothermal Synthesis of Metal Oxide-Based Nanocatalysts and Their Application towards the Oxidative Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene
Authors: Alenazi Bader , Alsalme Ali , Alshammari Saad G. , Khan Rais Ahmad , Siddiqui Mohammed Rafiq H.
Published: March 2020

Herein, different types of metal-containing ionic liquid (IL) complexes and various metal oxide-based nanocatalysts have been successfully prepared (from ionic liquids) and applied for the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The ILs complexes are comprised of N,N′-dialkylimidazolium salts of the type [RMIM-Cl]2[MCln], where [RMIM+] = 1 alkyl-3-methylimidazolium and M = Mn(II)/Fe(II)/Ni(II)/Co(II). These complexes were prepared using an easy synthetic route by refluxing the methanolic solutions of imidazolium chloride and metal chlorides under facile conditions. The as-prepared complexes were further used as precursors during the ionothermal and chemical synthesis of various metal oxide-based nanocatalysts. The resulting ILs salts and metal oxides NPs have been characterized by FT-IR, TGA, XRD, SEM, and TEM analysis. The results indicate that thermal and chemical treatment of ILs based precursor has produced different phases of metal oxide NPs. The calcination produced α-Fe2O3, Mn3O4, and Co3O4, NPs, whereas the chemical treatment of the ILs salts have led to the production of Fe3O4, Mn2O3, and α-Co(OH)2. All the as-prepared salts and metal oxide-based nanocatalysts were used as catalysts towards ODS of dibenzothiophene. The oxidation of dibenzothiophene was performed at atmospheric conditions using hydrogen peroxide as the oxygen donor. Among various catalysts, the thermally obtained metal oxide NPs such as α-Fe2O3, Mn3O4, and Co3O4, have demonstrated relatively superior catalytic activities compared to the other materials. For example, among these nanocatalysts, α-Fe2O3 has exhibited a maximum conversion (∼99%) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) to dibenzothiophene sulfone (DBTO2).
Thyroid Parameters and Kidney Disorder in Type 2 Diabetes: Results from the METAL Study
Authors: Chen Yi , Zhang Wen , Wang Ningjian , Wang Yuying , Wang Chiyu , Wan Heng , Lu Yingli
Published: March 2020

Objective. Diabetic kidney disease is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. We aimed to analyze the association of thyroid parameters with kidney disorders, especially in euthyroid participants. Methods. The data were obtained from a cross-sectional study, the METAL study. Thyroid parameters, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), of 4136 participants with type 2 diabetes were measured. Two structure parameters of thyroid homeostasis, including the sum activity of step-up deiodinases (SPINA-GD) and thyroid secretory capacity (SPINA-GT), and two pituitary thyrotropic function indices, including Jostel’s TSH index (TSHI) and the thyrotroph thyroid hormone resistance index (TTSI), were also calculated. Kidney disorders were described according to the presence of reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and/or higher urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR). Results. The prevalence of kidney disorders increased with decreasing FT3 or T3 and increasing FT4 or T4 quartile levels (all P<0.05). After full adjustment, linear regression showed that UACR levels were negatively associated with FT3 and T3 (P<0.001). In addition, eGFR was positively associated with FT3 and T3 and was negatively associated with TSH and FT4 levels and TgAb positivity (all P<0.05). By using binary logistic regression, higher TSH and FT4 and lower FT3 and T3 were associated with kidney disorders (all P<0.05). Similar results were seen in sensitivity analyses, which were performed in 3035 euthyroid diabetic participants; however, TSH was no longer related to them. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of lower FT3 for existing kidney disorder was greater than that for any other thyroid hormones (all P<0.001). The cutoff value of FT3 for reduced eGFR was 4.39 pmol/L. Regarding thyroid homeostasis parameters, SPINA-GD was negatively associated with three statuses of kidney disorders, and TSHI and TTSI were positively associated with reduced eGFR (all P<0.05). Conclusions. Among patients with type 2 diabetes, elevated TSH and FT4 (or T4), lower FT3 (or T3), TgAb positivity, lower SPINA-GD, and higher TSHI and TTSI were associated with kidney disorders. The lower FT3, even within the normal range (<4.38 pmol/L), may be the factor most related to reduced eGFR compared with other thyroid hormones in diabetic patients.
Effects of Metamorphic Degree of Coal on Coal Dust Wettability and Dust‐Suppression Efficiency via Spraying
Authors: Wang Pengfei , Han Han , Liu Ronghua , Li Yongjun , Tan Xuanhao
Published: March 2020

Currently, spraying is a main means for dust prevention and control in underground coal mines. The dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying is highly correlated with the wettability of coal dusts. There are many factors affecting the wettability of coal dust, among which coal’s metamorphic degree has great influence. In order to gain in‐depth knowledge of the effects of coal metamorphic degree on coal dust wettability and the dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying, 6 coal dust samples with different metamorphic degrees were collected and used in the study. In the experiments, the microproperties, wetting performance, and dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying were measured. According to the experimental results of coal’s microproperties, with the improvement of metamorphic degree, the content of hydrophilic oxygen‐containing functional groups on the surface, the surface roughness, the specific surface area, and the interpore diameter all decreased. In addition, as coal’s metamorphic degree was enhanced from lignite to meager‐lean coal, the wettability of the coal dust dropped. On the other hand, as the metamorphic degree of coal quality continued to be improved to anthracite, the wettability of the coal dust increased instead. The measured results revealed that the dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying was highly correlated with the wettability of coal dust. The coal dust with better wettability exhibited higher dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying. With the increase of water‐supply pressure, the effect of coal dust wettability on the dust‐suppression efficiency via spraying was weakened, and the difference of dust‐suppression efficiency among different coal dust samples was narrowed.
Some Dynamic Inequalities of Hilbert’s Type
Authors: Ahmed A. M. , AlNemer Ghada , Zakarya M. , Rezk H. M.
Published: March 2020

This paper is concerned with deriving some new dynamic Hilbert-type inequalities on time scales. The basic idea in proving the results is using some algebraic inequalities, Hölder’s inequality and Jensen’s inequality, on time scales. As a special case of our results, we will obtain some integrals and their corresponding discrete inequalities of Hilbert’s type.
FEM of Gas-Assisted Injection Molding Based on 3D Model
Authors: Wang Xinchao , Geng Tie , Yan Liqun , Guo Yonggang , Turng Lih-Sheng
Published: March 2020

The gas-assisted injection molding (GAIM) process is so complicated that increasing reliance has been placed on CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) as a tool for both mold designers and process engineers. In this paper, a 3D theoretical model and numerical scheme is presented to simulate the GAIM process, in which an equal-order velocity-pressure formulation method is employed to eliminate the pressure oscillation. In addition, the whole flow field including the gas and melt regions is calculated using a uniform momentum equation with the viscosity of gas raised to a certain order of magnitude, and a 3D control volume scheme is employed to track the flow front of the melt and gas. Finally, the validity of the model has been tested through case studies and experimental verification.
Evolution of Initial Pharmacologic Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease Patients over a Decade in Singapore
Authors: Neo Shermyn , Wong Sheng Yong Aidan , Ng Hwee Lan , Li Wei , Tay Kay Yaw , Au Wing Lok , Tan Louis Chew Seng
Published: March 2020

Objective. The aim of this study is to compare Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment practices by movement disorder (MD) specialists across a decade, and to determine the factors that influence drug choice for the motor symptoms of PD in newly diagnosed drug-naïve patients. Methods. This prospective temporal analysis included patients seen at the National Neuroscience Institute in Singapore and diagnosed with PD by MD specialists in the years 2007 and 2017. Primary outcomes were use of specific PD drugs and changes in drug-prescribing patterns. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models determined the extent to which patient characteristics were associated with type of PD treatment. Results. Of 230 patients with PD (mean (SD) age, 66.7 (10.3) years), 131 (57.0%) were male. From 2007 to 2017, the use of ergot dopamine agonists and anticholinergics decreased from 19.3% to 2.0% (P<0.001) and from 12.0% to 2.7% (P=0.004), respectively. The use of monoamine oxidase B inhibitors (MAOBI) increased from 13.3% to 25.2% (P=0.033). The use of levodopa (LD)-sparing strategies decreased nonsignificantly from 33.7% to 24.5% (P=0.133). Overall, 196 (85.2%) patients were initiated on symptomatic monotherapy, with LD being the most commonly prescribed. MAOBI was the most common drug used in combination therapy. Age ≤70 (adjusted OR, 11.9; 95% CI, 4.5–31.5) and Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage <2 (adjusted OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.5–7.7) were independent factors for LD-sparing strategies. Non-LD prescriptions (13 of 92; 14.1%) were more likely to be discontinued compared to LD ones (6 of 149; 4.0%) (P=0.005). Conclusions. Drug-prescribing patterns in PD have changed significantly through the last decade, influenced by emerging evidence and reports of adverse drug effects. Choosing drugs based on the patient’s age and disease severity remain sound guiding principles across the years. It is important that international and national guidelines for pharmacotherapy in PD be updated consistently throughout different socioeconomic settings to optimize care.