bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health benefits from devolution in England: international lessons
Authors: Doyle Yvonne , Johnstone Paul
Published: February 2016

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent announcements to devolve decision making power from Whitehall to 30 English regions provide a challenge to use devolution to deliver more favourable health outcomes. However evaluation of devolved health models internationally is scarce, because it is rarely considered. Evidence from countries with long-standing experience of devolution finds that the best approaches are holistic, seeking fiscal freedoms to sustain the environment, promote health, well-being and citizen engagement. Overall, international outcomes are mixed, with some evidence of greater efficiency of care delivery but little hard evidence of better clinical outcomes or health status. Handling specialised services in a devolved health system is challenging. Regulation by national authorities is important to avoid gaming of the system by providers. Information from the devolved area is important in demonstrating equitable access. We present an evaluation framework and recommend that evaluation continues through governance of these deals during implementation.
The effect of low- vs high-cadence interval training on the freely chosen cadence and performance in endurance-trained cyclists
Authors: Whitty Anthony G. , Murphy Aron J. , Coutts Aaron J. , Watsford Mark L.
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of high- and low-cadence interval training on the freely chosen cadence (FCC) and performance in endurance-trained cyclists. Sixteen male endurance-trained cyclists completed a series of submaximal rides at 60% maximal power (Wmax) at cadences of 50, 70, 90, and 110 r·min−1, and their FCC to determine their preferred cadence, gross efficiency (GE), rating of perceived exertion, and crank torque profile. Performance was measured via a 15-min time trial, which was preloaded with a cycle at 60% Wmax. Following the testing, the participants were randomly assigned to a high-cadence (HC) (20% above FCC) or a low-cadence (LC) (20% below FCC) group for 18 interval-based training sessions over 6 weeks. The HC group increased their FCC from 92 to 101 r·min−1 after the intervention (p = 0.01), whereas the LC group remained unchanged (93 r·min−1). GE increased from 22.7% to 23.6% in the HC group at 90 r·min−1 (p = 0.05), from 20.0% to 20.9% at 110 r·min−1 (p = 0.05), and from 22.8% to 23.2% at their FCC. Both groups significantly increased their total distance and average power output following training, with the LC group recording a superior performance measure. There were minimal changes to the crank torque profile in both groups following training. This study demonstrated that the FCC can be altered with HC interval training and that the determinants of the optimal cycling cadence are multifactorial and not completely understood. Furthermore, LC interval training may significantly improve time-trial results of short duration as a result of an increase in strength development or possible neuromuscular adaptations.
Micro-foundation using percolation theory of the finite time singular behavior of the crash hazard rate in a class of rational expectation bubbles
Authors: Seyrich Maximilian , Sornette Didier
Published: February 2016

We present a plausible micro-founded model for the previously postulated power law finite time singular form of the crash hazard rate in the Johansen–Ledoit–Sornette (JLS) model of rational expectation bubbles. The model is based on a percolation picture of the network of traders and the concept that clusters of connected traders share the same opinion. The key ingredient is the notion that a shift of position from buyer to seller of a sufficiently large group of traders can trigger a crash. This provides a formula to estimate the crash hazard rate by summation over percolation clusters above a minimum size of a power [Formula: see text] (with [Formula: see text]) of the cluster sizes [Formula: see text], similarly to a generalized percolation susceptibility. The power [Formula: see text] of cluster sizes emerges from the super-linear dependence of group activity as a function of group size, previously documented in the literature. The crash hazard rate exhibits explosive finite time singular behaviors when the control parameter (fraction of occupied sites, or density of traders in the network) approaches the percolation threshold [Formula: see text]. Realistic dynamics are generated by modeling the density of traders on the percolation network by an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, whose memory controls the spontaneous excursion of the control parameter close to the critical region of bubble formation. Our numerical simulations recover the main stylized properties of the JLS model with intermittent explosive super-exponential bubbles interrupted by crashes.
A Double Weighted Naive Bayes with Niching Cultural Algorithm for Multi-Label Classification
Authors: Yan Xuesong , Wu Qinghua , Sheng Victor S.
Published: February 2016

Multi-label classification is to assign an instance to multiple classes. Naive Bayes (NB) is one of the most popular algorithms for pattern recognition and classification. It has a high performance in single label classification. It is naturally extended for multi-label classification under the assumption of label independence. As we know, NB is based on a simple but unrealistic assumption that attributes are conditionally independent given the class. Therefore, a double weighted NB (DWNB) is proposed to demonstrate the influences of predicting different labels based on different attributes. Our DWNB utilizes the niching cultural algorithm (NLA) to determine the weight configuration automatically. Our experimental results show that our proposed DWNB outperforms NB and its extensions significantly in multi-label classification.
Facial Emotion Recognition Based on Eye and Mouth Regions
Authors: Ithaya Rani P. , Muneeswaran K.
Published: February 2016

Machine analysis of facial emotion recognition is a challenging and an innovative research topic in human-computer intelligent interaction nowadays. The eye and the mouth regions are most essential components for facial emotion recognition. Most of the existing approaches have not utilized the eye and the mouth regions for high recognition rate. This paper proposes an approach to overcome this limitation using the eye and the mouth region-based emotion recognition using reinforced local binary patterns (LBP). The local features are extracted in each frame by using Gabor wavelet with selected scale and orientations. This feature is passed on to the ensemble classifier for detecting the location of the face region. From the signature of each pixel on the face, the eye and the mouth regions are detected using ensemble classifier. The eye and the mouth features are extracted using reinforced LBP. Multi-class Adaboost algorithm is used to select and classify these discriminative features for recognizing the emotion of the face. The developed methods are deployed on the RML, CK and FERA 2011 databases, and they exhibit significant performance improvement owing to their novel features when compared to the existing techniques.
Disentangling birefringence from standard physics in CMB measurements and distinguishing among production mechanisms
Authors: Gubitosi Giulia
Published: February 2016

The search for possible effects of parity violations in the electromagnetic sector has achieved great accuracy with the latest cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations. The sensitivity of current and future experiments is such that the need to understand the interaction of parity violations with several competing effects is now crucial in order to improve current constraining power. It also allows to not only put constraints on the most generic features of parity violations but also for distinguishing between several production mechanisms, if any effect is ever observed. The results here reported were presented at the Cosmic Polarization Rotation workshop held in Florence on 7–8 September 2015.
Black hole thermodynamics as seen through a microscopic model of a relativistic Bose gas
Authors: Skákala Jozef , Shankaranarayanan S.
Published: February 2016

Equations of gravity when projected on spacetime horizons resemble Navier–Stokes equation of a fluid with a specific equation of state [T. Damour, Surface effects of black hole physics, in Proc. M. Grossman Meeting (North Holland, 1982), p. 587, T. Padmanabhan, Phys. Rev. D 83 (2011) 044048, arXiv:gr-qc/1012.0119, S. Kolekar and T. Padmanabhan, Phys. Rev. D 85 (2011) 024004, arXiv:gr-qc/1012.5421]. We show that this equation of state describes massless ideal relativistic gas. We use these results, and build an explicit and simple molecular model of the fluid living on the Schwarzschild and Reissner–Nordström black hole horizons. For the spin zero Bose gas, our model makes two predictions: (i) The horizon area/entropy is quantized as given by Bekenstein’s quantization rule, (ii) The model explains the correct type of proportionality between horizon area and entropy. However, for the physically relevant range of parameters, the proportionality constant is never equal to [Formula: see text].
Evaluating Feature Selection Methods for Network Intrusion Detection with Kyoto Data
Authors: Najafabadi Maryam M. , Khoshgoftaar Taghi M. , Seliya Naeem
Published: February 2016

Considering the large quantity of the data flowing through the network routers, there is a very high demand to detect malicious and unhealthy network traffic to provide network users with reliable network operation and security of their information. Predictive models should be built to identify whether a network traffic record is healthy or malicious. To build such models, machine learning methods have started to be used for the task of network intrusion detection. Such predictive models must monitor and analyze a large amount of network data in a reasonable amount of time (usually real time). To do so, they cannot always process the whole data and there is a need for data reduction methods, which reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed. Feature selection is one of the data reduction methods that can be used to decrease the process time. It is important to understand which features are most relevant to determining if a network traffic record is malicious and avoid using the whole feature set to make the processing time more efficient. Also it is important that the simple model built from the reduced feature set be as effective as a model which uses all the features. Considering these facts, feature selection is a very important pre-processing step in the detection of network attacks. The goal is to remove irrelevant and redundant features in order to increase the overall effectiveness of an intrusion detection system without negatively affecting the classification performance. Most of the previous feature selection studies in the area of intrusion detection have been applied on the KDD 99 dataset. As KDD 99 is an outdated dataset, in this paper, we compare different feature selection methods on a relatively new dataset, called Kyoto 2006+. There is no comprehensive comparison of different feature selection approaches for this dataset. In the present work, we study four filter-based feature selection methods which are chosen from two categories for the application of network intrusion detection. Three filter-based feature rankers and one filter-based subset evaluation technique are compared together along with the null case which applies no feature selection. We also apply statistical analysis to determine whether performance differences between these feature selection methods are significant or not. We find that among all the feature selection methods, Signal-to-Noise (S2N) gives the best performance results. It also outperforms no feature selection approach in all the experiments.
A NOVEL METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE POINT OF ZERO NET PROTON CHARGE OF COLLOIDAL KAOLINITE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
Authors: LIU LINGYUN , MIN FANFEI , LU FANGQIN , ZHANG MINGXU , SONG SHAOXIAN
Published: February 2016

In this work, a novel method to determine the point of zero net proton charge (PZNPC) of colloidal kaolinite in aqueous solutions was presented through the measurement of zeta potential of the particles in various concentrations of NaCl solution and the mathematic regression of the zeta potential versus pH curves. This method is based on the observation that there are two common intersection points (CIP) in the two curves of zeta potential versus pH of colloidal kaolinite with a low and a high NaCl concentration. The observation might be attributed to that NaCl would compress the electric double layer of kaolinite particles and affect the efficiency of the protonation/deprotonation of the HD-faces. The experimental result showed that the PZNPC of kaolinite is 5.37.
Hygrothermal Effects on Dynamic Instability of Hybrid Composite Plates
Authors: Chen Chun-Sheng , Tan An-Hung , Kao Jin-Yih , Chen Wei-Ren
Published: February 2016

The dynamic characteristics of hybrid composite plates under an arbitrary periodic load in hygrothermal environments are investigated. The material properties of the plate are assumed to be dependent on the temperature and moisture. The governing equations of motion of the Mathieu-type are established based on the Galerkin method with reduced eigenfunction transforms. The periodic stress is taken to be a combination of the pulsating axial and bending stress in the example problems. Based on Bolotin’s method, the dynamic instability behaviors of hybrid composite plates are determined. The effects of layer thickness ratio, fiber volume fraction, temperature rise, moisture concentration and dynamic load on the instability regions of hybrid composite plates are studied, along with the dynamic instability index discussed. The results reveal that the layer thickness ratio and hygrothermal conditions have a significant impact on the dynamic instability of hybrid composite plates.
Robust Design Strategy for Multiple Tuned Mass Dampers with Consideration of Frequency Bandwidth
Authors: Lin Chi-Chang , Lin Ging-Long , Chiu Kuo-Cheng
Published: February 2016

The tuned mass damper (TMD) has been widely used in vibration control of civil engineering structures after numerous analytical studies and experimental verifications. A large number of TMDs have been implemented in real structures against natural and man-made excitations since the early 1970. From field observations, it was found that the control efficacy of a TMD may decay significantly when its frequency is not well tuned to the desired value. A multiple TMD (MTMD) system was proposed to tune a band of frequencies, thereby enhancing the vibration control efficiency. Frequency detuning usually results from structural system variations due to errors in modeling, construction, and system parameter identification. In this study, the frequency detuning effect due to uncertainties of the controlled system parameters on the performance of the MTMDs is investigated. A sensitivity analysis was first carried out to evaluate the control effectiveness of a MTMD system designed by a conventional method. A new robust design method with account taken of frequency bandwidth is proposed to alleviate the detuning effect. Numerical analysis is performed to verify the applicability and efficacy of the proposed robust design method.
History of chromosome rearrangements reflects the spatial organization of yeast chromosomes
Authors: Khrameeva Ekaterina E. , Fudenberg Geoffrey , Gelfand Mikhail S. , Mirny Leonid A.
Published: February 2016

Three-dimensional (3D) organization of genomes affects critical cellular processes such as transcription, replication, and deoxyribo nucleic acid (DNA) repair. While previous studies have investigated the natural role, the 3D organization plays in limiting a possible set of genomic rearrangements following DNA repair, the influence of specific organizational principles on this process, particularly over longer evolutionary time scales, remains relatively unexplored. In budding yeast S.cerevisiae, chromosomes are organized into a Rabl-like configuration, with clustered centromeres and telomeres tethered to the nuclear periphery. Hi-C data for S.cerevisiae show that a consequence of this Rabl-like organization is that regions equally distant from centromeres are more frequently in contact with each other, between arms of both the same and different chromosomes. Here, we detect rearrangement events in Saccharomyces species using an automatic approach, and observe increased rearrangement frequency between regions with higher contact frequencies. Together, our results underscore how specific principles of 3D chromosomal organization can influence evolutionary events.
Subspace identification for a stochastic model of plague
Authors: Yu Miao , Liu Jianchang
Published: February 2016

In this paper, a stochastic model of plague is first studied by subspace identification. First, the discrete model of plague is obtained based on the classical model. The corresponding stochastic model is proposed for the existence of stochastic disturbances. Second, for the model, the parameter matrices and noise intensity are obtained. Finally, the simulations of the model show that the subspace identification is more precise than least square method.
Formal methods, statistical debugging and exploratory analysis in support of system development: Towards a verification and validation calculator tool
Authors: Diallo Saikou Y. , Gore Ross , Lynch Christopher J. , Padilla Jose J.
Published: February 2016

In this paper, we propose an approach to formally verify and rigorously validate a simulation system against the specification of the real system. We implement the approach in a verification and validation calculator tool that takes as input a set of statements that capture the requirements, internal conditions of the system and expected outputs of the real system and produces as output whether the simulation satisfies the requirements, faithfully represents the internal conditions of the system and produces the expected outputs. We provide a use case to show how subject matter experts can apply the tool.
Algorithmic arbitrage of open-end funds using variational Bayes
Authors: Christensen Hugh L.
Published: February 2016

The open-end fund industry controls significant assets. At the same time, the US centric mutual funds scandal of 2003 highlighted some of the short comings of the structure of these securities. In this paper, we revisit some issues relating to this scandal and provide a quantitative framework to inspect for arbitrage opportunities in open-end funds. The framework presented is a hierarchical graphical model which allows parameter posteriors to be inferred by a variational Bayesian approach. This enables prior knowledge about the funds to be incorporated into the model at the same time as being computationally cheap to run. This class of models falls under the heading of Bayesian pattern recognition. Using linear Gaussian basis functions, a regression model is used to generate a predictive distribution for the high-frequency fair price of an open-end fund. This fair price can be used to estimate a latent pricing time for the fund. Using this information, and conditional on the cut-off time for purchase of the fund, a trading signal for arbitraging the open-end fund can be designed. This framework is applied to a sample of the 1,296 most highly capitalized open-end funds from Western Europe and simulations carried out. The trading strategy has a post-cost mean Sharpe ratio of over 1.6 when considered across the sample. The results suggest that the open-end fund industry in Europe still has lessons to learn from the scandal in the US a decade earlier.
Role of the RhoA/ROCK pathway in high-altitude associated neonatal pulmonary hypertension in lambs
Authors: Lopez Nandy C. , Ebensperger German , Herrera Emilio A. , Reyes Roberto V. , Calaf Gloria , Cabello Gertrudis , Moraga Fernando A. , Beñaldo Felipe A. , Diaz Marcela , Parer Julian T. , Llanos Anibal J.
Published: February 2016

Exposure to high-altitude chronic hypoxia during pregnancy may cause pulmonary hypertension in neonates, as a result of vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling. We hypothesized that susceptibility to pulmonary hypertension, due to an augmented expression and activity of the RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway in these neonates, can be reduced by daily administration of fasudil, a ROCK inhibitor. We studied 10 highland newborn lambs with conception, gestation, and birth at 3,600 m in Putre, Chile. Five highland controls (HLC) were compared with 5 highland lambs treated with fasudil (HL-FAS; 3 mg·kg−1·day−1 iv for 10 days). Ten lowland controls were studied in Lluta (50 m; LLC). During the 10 days of fasudil daily administration, the drug decreased pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and resistance (PVR), basally and during a superimposed episode of acute hypoxia. HL-FAS small pulmonary arteries showed diminished muscular area and a reduced contractile response to the thromboxane analog U46619 compared with HLC. Hypoxia, but not fasudil, changed the protein expression pattern of the RhoA/ROCKII pathway. Moreover, HL-FAS lungs expressed less pMYPT1T850 and pMYPT1T696 than HLC, with a potential increase of the myosin light chain phosphatase activity. Finally, hypoxia induced RhoA, ROCKII, and PKG mRNA expression in PASMCs of HLC, but fasudil reduced them (HL-FAS) similarly to LLC. We conclude that fasudil decreases the function of the RhoA/ROCK pathway, reducing the PAP and PVR in chronically hypoxic highland neonatal lambs. The inhibition of ROCKs by fasudil may offer a possible therapeutic tool for the pulmonary hypertension of the neonates.
Early lipid changes in acute kidney injury using SWATH lipidomics coupled with MALDI tissue imaging
Authors: Rao Sangeetha , Walters Kelly B. , Wilson Landon , Chen Bo , Bolisetty Subhashini , Graves David , Barnes Stephen , Agarwal Anupam , Kabarowski Janusz H.
Published: February 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the leading causes of in-hospital morbidity and mortality, particularly in critically ill patients. Although our understanding of AKI at the molecular level remains limited due to its complex pathophysiology, recent advances in both quantitative and spatial mass spectrometric approaches offer new opportunities to assess the significance of renal metabolomic changes in AKI models. In this study, we evaluated lipid changes in early ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-related AKI in mice by using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical spectra (SWATH)-mass spectrometry (MS) lipidomics. We found a significant increase in two abundant ether-linked phospholipids following IR at 6 h postinjury, a plasmanyl choline, phosphatidylcholine (PC) O-38:1 (O-18:0, 20:1), and a plasmalogen, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) O-42:3 (O-20:1, 22:2). Both of these lipids correlated with the severity of AKI as measured by plasma creatinine. In addition to many more renal lipid changes associated with more severe AKI, PC O-38:1 elevations were maintained at 24 h post-IR, while renal PE O-42:3 levels decreased, as were all ether PEs detected by SWATH-MS at this later time point. To further assess the significance of this early increase in PC O-38:1, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) to determine that it occurred in proximal tubules, a region of the kidney that is most prone to IR injury and also rich in the rate-limiting enzymes involved in ether-linked phospholipid biosynthesis. Use of SWATH-MS lipidomics in conjunction with MALDI-IMS for lipid localization will help in elucidating the role of lipids in the pathobiology of AKI.
Contrasting roles of Ih and the persistent sodium current at subthreshold voltages during naturalistic stimuli
Authors: Thor Michael G. , Morris Gareth
Published: February 2016

The subthreshold activity of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons is regulated by the persistent sodium current ( INaP) and the h-current ( Ih), carried by tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated channels, respectively. Recently, Yamada-Hanff and Bean ( J Neurophysiol 114: 2376–2389, 2015) used pharmacological methods to discern the roles of Ih and INaP at subthreshold voltages during naturalistic stimuli. We discuss these findings in the context of dorsoventral heterogeneity in the hippocampus and suggest further applications of the method.
Cooperation and competition of gamma oscillation mechanisms
Authors: Viriyopase Atthaphon , Memmesheimer Raoul-Martin , Gielen Stan
Published: February 2016

Oscillations of neuronal activity in different frequency ranges are thought to reflect important aspects of cortical network dynamics. Here we investigate how various mechanisms that contribute to oscillations in neuronal networks may interact. We focus on networks with inhibitory, excitatory, and electrical synapses, where the subnetwork of inhibitory interneurons alone can generate interneuron gamma (ING) oscillations and the interactions between interneurons and pyramidal cells allow for pyramidal-interneuron gamma (PING) oscillations. What type of oscillation will such a network generate? We find that ING and PING oscillations compete: The mechanism generating the higher oscillation frequency “wins”; it determines the frequency of the network oscillation and suppresses the other mechanism. For type I interneurons, the network oscillation frequency is equal to or slightly above the higher of the ING and PING frequencies in corresponding reduced networks that can generate only either of them; if the interneurons belong to the type II class, it is in between. In contrast to ING and PING, oscillations mediated by gap junctions and oscillations mediated by inhibitory synapses may cooperate or compete, depending on the type (I or II) of interneurons and the strengths of the electrical and chemical synapses. We support our computer simulations by a theoretical model that allows a full theoretical analysis of the main results. Our study suggests experimental approaches to deciding to what extent oscillatory activity in networks of interacting excitatory and inhibitory neurons is dominated by ING or PING oscillations and of which class the participating interneurons are.
Differential processing of binocular and monocular gloss cues in human visual cortex
Authors: Sun Hua-Chun , Di Luca Massimiliano , Ban Hiroshi , Muryy Alexander , Fleming Roland W. , Welchman Andrew E.
Published: February 2016

The visual impression of an object's surface reflectance (“gloss”) relies on a range of visual cues, both monocular and binocular. Whereas previous imaging work has identified processing within ventral visual areas as important for monocular cues, little is known about cortical areas involved in processing binocular cues. Here, we used human functional MRI (fMRI) to test for brain areas selectively involved in the processing of binocular cues. We manipulated stereoscopic information to create four conditions that differed in their disparity structure and in the impression of surface gloss that they evoked. We performed multivoxel pattern analysis to find areas whose fMRI responses allow classes of stimuli to be distinguished based on their depth structure vs. material appearance. We show that higher dorsal areas play a role in processing binocular gloss information, in addition to known ventral areas involved in material processing, with ventral area lateral occipital responding to both object shape and surface material properties. Moreover, we tested for similarities between the representation of gloss from binocular cues and monocular cues. Specifically, we tested for transfer in the decoding performance of an algorithm trained on glossy vs. matte objects defined by either binocular or by monocular cues. We found transfer effects from monocular to binocular cues in dorsal visual area V3B/kinetic occipital (KO), suggesting a shared representation of the two cues in this area. These results indicate the involvement of mid- to high-level visual circuitry in the estimation of surface material properties, with V3B/KO potentially playing a role in integrating monocular and binocular cues.
Evaluating Religious Influences on the Utilization of Maternal Health Services among Muslim and Christian Women in North-Central Nigeria
Authors: Al-Mujtaba Maryam , Cornelius Llewellyn J. , Galadanci Hadiza , Erekaha Salome , Okundaye Joshua N. , Adeyemi Olusegun A. , Sam-Agudu Nadia A.
Published: February 2016

Introduction. Uptake of antenatal services is low in Nigeria; however, indicators in the Christian-dominated South have been better than in the Muslim-dominated North. This study evaluated religious influences on utilization of general and HIV-related maternal health services among women in rural and periurban North-Central Nigeria.Materials and Methods. Targeted participants were HIV-positive, pregnant, or of reproductive age in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa. Themes explored were utilization of facility-based services, provider gender preferences, and Mentor Mother acceptability. Thematic and content approaches were applied to manual data analysis.Results. Sixty-eight (68) women were recruited, 72% Christian and 28% Muslim. There were no significant religious influences identified among barriers to maternal service uptake. All participants stated preference for facility-based services. Uptake limitations were mainly distance from clinic and socioeconomic dependence on male partners rather than religious restrictions. Neither Muslim nor Christian women had provider gender preferences; competence and positive attitude were more important. All women found Mentor Mothers highly acceptable.Conclusion. Barriers to uptake of maternal health services appear to be minimally influenced by religion. ANC/PMTCT uptake interventions should target male partner buy-in and support, healthcare provider training to improve attitudes, and Mentor Mother program strengthening and impact assessment.
Anticonvulsant and Toxicological Evaluation of Parafluorinated/Chlorinated Derivatives of 3-Hydroxy-3-ethyl-3-phenylpropionamide
Authors: Garrido-Acosta Osvaldo , Meza-Toledo Sergio E. , Anguiano-Robledo Liliana , Soriano-Ursúa Marvin A. , Correa-Basurto José , Davood Asghar , Chamorro-Cevallos Germán
Published: February 2016

Although the anticonvulsant activity of 3-hydroxy-3-ethyl-3-phenylproionamide (HEPP) is well-known, its use is limited by the pharmacotoxicological profile. We herein tested its fluorinated and chlorinated derivatives (F-HEPP and Cl-HEPP) with two seizure models, maximal electroshock seizures (MES), and intraperitoneal pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) administration. Neurotoxicity was examined via the rotarod test. With in silico methods, binding was probed on possible protein targets—GABAAreceptors and the sodium channel Nav1.2. The median effective doses (ED50) of HEPP, F-HEPP, and Cl-HEPP in the MES seizure model were 129.6, 87.1, and 62.0 mg/kg, respectively, and 66.4, 43.5, and in the PTZ seizure model 43.5 mg/kg. The HEPP-induced neurotoxic effect, which occurred at twice the ED50against MES (p<0.05), did not occur with F-HEPP or Cl-HEPP. Docking studies revealed that all tested ligands bound toGABAAreceptors on a site near to the benzodiazepine binding site. However, on the sodium channel open pore Nav1.2, R-HEPP had interactions similar to those reported for phenytoin, while its enantiomer and the ligands F-HEPP and Cl-HEPP reached a site that could disrupt the passage of sodium. Our results show that, as anticonvulsant agents, parahalogen substituted compounds have an advantageous pharmacotoxicological profile compared to their precursor.
Bile Nephropathy in Flucloxacillin-Induced Cholestatic Liver Dysfunction
Authors: Alnasrallah Basil , Collins John F. , Zwi L. Jonathan
Published: February 2016

Kidney injury in the context of cholestatic liver dysfunction is not uncommon; this has been historically referred to as cholemic nephrosis implying a direct deleterious renal effect of cholemia. However, scepticism about the exact role that bile and its constituents play in this injury has led to the disappearance of the term. We describe a case of severe AKI due to bile nephropathy with bile casts in flucloxacillin-induced liver dysfunction. We also discuss the recent literature reviving the concept of bile nephropathy.
Evaluation of Modified Categorical Data Fuzzy Clustering Algorithm on the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Dataset
Authors: Ahmad Amir
Published: February 2016

The early diagnosis of breast cancer is an important step in a fight against the disease. Machine learning techniques have shown promise in improving our understanding of the disease. As medical datasets consist of data points which cannot be precisely assigned to a class, fuzzy methods have been useful for studying of these datasets. Sometimes breast cancer datasets are described by categorical features. Many fuzzy clustering algorithms have been developed for categorical datasets. However, in most of these methods Hamming distance is used to define the distance between the two categorical feature values. In this paper, we use a probabilistic distance measure for the distance computation among a pair of categorical feature values. Experiments demonstrate that the distance measure performs better than Hamming distance for Wisconsin breast cancer data.
Diffuse Venous Malformation of the Uterus in a Pregnant Woman with Klippel-Trénaunay Syndrome Diagnosed by DCE-MRI
Authors: Yara Nana , Masamoto Hitoshi , Iraha Yuko , Wakayama Akihiko , Chinen Yukiko , Nitta Hayase , Kinjo Tadatsugu , Aoki Yoichi
Published: February 2016

Background.We experienced a rare case of a pregnant woman with Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome complicated with diffuse venous malformation of the uterus. This is the first report on the usefulness of dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI for the diagnosis of diffuse venous malformation of the uterus.Case Presentation.A 23-year-old woman presented with convulsions and talipes equinus position of both lower limbs at 11 weeks of gestation. At 27 weeks, ultrasonography demonstrated tubular echolucent spaces throughout the myometrium. Dynamic MRI at 37 weeks revealed that the myometrial lesion was enhanced slowly and showed homogeneous enhancement even on a 10 min delayed image. Taken together with unilateral foot hypertrophy, varices, and port-wine stain, the patient was diagnosed as having Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome complicated with diffuse venous malformation of the pregnant uterus. The patient underwent elective cesarean section because of severe dystonia. The lower uterine segment was thickened and heavy venous blood flow was observed at the incision. Histological diagnosis of the myometrial biopsy specimen was venous malformation.Conclusions.Both diffuse venous malformation and Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome during pregnancy can involve considerable complications, in particular, massive bleeding during labor. Women who suffer from this syndrome should be advised about the risk of complications of pregnancy.
The Protective Effects of 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid onHelicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Mucosa in Mongolian Gerbils
Authors: Cao Donghui , Jiang Jing , You Lili , Jia Zhifang , Tsukamoto Tetsuya , Cai Hongke , Wang Shidong , Hou Zhen , Suo Yue-er , Cao Xueyuan
Published: February 2016

18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA), a major component ofGlycyrrhiza glabra, is widely used therapeutically in clinic. In this study, the effect of GRA onHelicobacter pylori- (H. pylori-) infected gastritis was investigated in Mongolian gerbilsin vivo. The gerbils were randomly divided into groups: uninfected;H. pylori-infected;H. pylori+ antibiotics (clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and esomeprazole); andH. pylori+ GRA. The gastric intraluminal pH value, histopathological changes, and the expression levels of inflammation-related cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, COX-2, and iNOS) were investigated. The results showed that, in theH. pylori+ GRA group, the intraluminal gastric pH value was lower (2.14±0.08versus3.17±0.23,P<0.05), erosion and hyperplasia were alleviated, the infiltration of neutrophils and mononuclear cells was attenuated (P<0.05), and the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2, and iNOS were decreased (P<0.05) compared with theH. pylori-infected group. There was no significant difference in results between theH. pylori+ GRA group and theH. pylori+ antibiotics group. This study indicated that GRA significantly attenuatedH. pylori-infected gastritis in gerbils and has the potential to be developed as a new therapeutic drug.
An Experimental and Kinetic Study of the Sorption of Carbon Dioxide onto Amine-Treated Oil Fly Ash
Authors: Saad Mohammed A. , Al-Marri Mohammed J. , Yaumi Ali L. , Hussein Ibnelwaleed A. , Shawabkeh Reyad
Published: February 2016

A new CO2adsorbent is produced from waste oil fly ash (OFA). Ammonium hydroxide solution is used to convert OFA to activated carbon. Then, the product is used for the adsorption of CO2from a nitrogen/carbon dioxide (N2/CO2) gas mixture. The OFA samples are characterized by several techniques. Chemical treatment of OFA considerably changed its surface morphology. In particular, its surface area, as determined by BET measurements, increased from 59 to 318 m2/g. The amine-functionalized ash had a monolayer adsorption capacity of 74.51 mg/g and was obtained at relative pressure,0.05<p/ps<0.35. A kinetics study showed that the CO2adsorption capacity of OFA increased with increasing CO2flow rates and concentrations and decreasing the relative humidity. Unlike physical adsorption, the chemisorption process resulted in increased adsorption capacity with increasing temperatures over the range 0–40°C. We also found that the adsorption process was endothermic (80–173 kJ/mol). The isotherm data for the adsorption process were fitted using different models. The saturation capacity determined from the Sips model, which corresponds to the sum of the saturation capacities of all of the adsorbed layers, was 540.3 mg/g of ash.
Plasticity of Hippocampal Excitatory-Inhibitory Balance: Missing the Synaptic Control in the Epileptic Brain
Authors: Bonansco Christian , Fuenzalida Marco
Published: February 2016

Synaptic plasticity is the capacity generated by experience to modify the neural function and, thereby, adapt our behaviour. Long-term plasticity of glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission occurs in a concerted manner, finely adjusting the excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) balance. Imbalances of E/I function are related to several neurological diseases including epilepsy. Several evidences have demonstrated that astrocytes are able to control the synaptic plasticity, with astrocytes being active partners in synaptic physiology and E/I balance. Here, we revise molecular evidences showing the epileptic stage as an abnormal form of long-term brain plasticity and propose the possible participation of astrocytes to the abnormal increase of glutamatergic and decrease of GABAergic neurotransmission in epileptic networks.
Experimental Investigation of Wave-Induced Ship Hydroelastic Vibrations by Large-Scale Model Measurement in Coastal Waves
Authors: Jiao Jialong , Ren Huilong , Sun Shuzheng , Adenya Christiaan Adika
Published: February 2016

Ship hydroelastic vibration is an issue involving mutual interactions among inertial, hydrodynamic, and elastic forces. The conventional laboratory tests for wave-induced hydroelastic vibrations of ships are performed in tank conditions. An alternative approach to the conventional laboratory basin measurement, proposed in this paper, is to perform tests by large-scale model measurement in real sea waves. In order to perform this kind of novel experimental measurement, a large-scale free running model and the experiment scheme are proposed and introduced. The proposed testing methodology is quite general and applicable to a wide range of ship hydrodynamic experimental research. The testing procedure is presented by illustrating a 5-hour voyage trial of the large-scale model carried out at Huludao harbor of China in August 2015. Hammer tests were performed to identify the natural frequencies of the ship model at the beginning of the tests. Then a series of tests under different sailing conditions were carried out to investigate the vibrational characteristics of the model. As a postvoyage analysis, load, pressure, acceleration, and motion responses of the model are studied with respect to different time durations based on the measured data.
Lesser Trochanter Migration following Intramedullary Fixation of an Intertrochanteric Femur Fracture
Authors: Montoli Carlo , Pasquali Cecilia , Paiusco Elia , Pellecchia Vincenzo , Vulcano Ettore
Published: February 2016

Intertrochanteric femur fractures are commonly observed in the elderly and may be associated with a complete fracture of the lesser trochanter in over 50% of cases. The migration of the lesser trochanter secondary to the psoas muscle contracture is a rare event. This case report presents a rare case of sudden groin pain three-week status after intramedullary fixation of a intertrochanteric femur fracture.
The Effect of Ethnic Variation on the Success of Induced Labour in Nulliparous Women with Postdates Pregnancies
Authors: Papoutsis Dimitrios , Antonakou Angeliki , Tzavara Chara
Published: February 2016

Objective. To identify the potential effect of ethnic variation on the success of induction of labour in nulliparous women with postdates pregnancies.Study Design. This was an observational cohort study of women being induced for postdates pregnancies (≥41 weeks) between 2007 and 2013. Women induced for stillbirths and with multiple pregnancies were excluded. The primary objective was to identify the effect of ethnicity on the caesarean section (CS) delivery rates in this cohort of women.Results. 1,636 nulliparous women were identified with a mean age of 27.2 years. 95.8% of the women were of White ethnic origin, 2.6% were Asian, and 1.6% were of Black ethnic origin. The CS delivery rate was 24.4% in the total sample. Women of Black ethnic origin had a 3.26 times greater likelihood for CS in comparison to White women, after adjusting for maternal age, BMI, smoking, presence of meconium, use of epidural analgesia, fetal gender, birth weight, and head circumference (adjusted OR = 3.26; 95% CI: 1.31–8.08,p= 0.011).Conclusion. We have found that nulliparous women of Black ethnicity demonstrate an almost threefold increased risk of caesarean section delivery when induced for postdates pregnancy.
Clinical Study of Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Barrett's Esophagus Patients
Authors: Banerjee Bhaskar , Shaheen Nicholas J. , Martinez Jessica A. , Hsu Chiu-Hsieh , Trowers Eugene , Gibson Blake A. , Della'Zanna Gary , Richmond Ellen , Chow H-H. Sherry
Published: February 2016

Prior research strongly implicates gastric acid and bile acids, two major components of the gastroesophageal refluxate, in the development of Barrett's esophagus and its pathogenesis. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a hydrophilic bile acid, has been shown to protect esophageal cells against oxidative stress induced by cytotoxic bile acids. We conducted a pilot clinical study to evaluate the clinical activity of UDCA in patients with Barrett's esophagus. Twenty-nine patients with Barrett's esophagus received UDCA treatment at a daily dose of 13 to 15 mg/kg/day for 6 months. The clinical activity of UDCA was assessed by evaluating changes in gastric bile acid composition and markers of oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine), cell proliferation (Ki67), and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3) in Barrett's esophagus epithelium. The bile acid concentrations in gastric fluid were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. At baseline, UDCA (sum of unchanged and glycine/taurine conjugates) accounted for 18.2% of total gastric bile acids. After UDCA intervention, UDCA increased significantly to account for 93.4% of total gastric bile acids (P < 0.0001). The expression of markers of oxidative DNA damage, cell proliferation, and apoptosis was assessed in the Barrett's esophagus biopsies by IHC. The selected tissue biomarkers were unchanged after 6 months of UDCA intervention. We conclude that high-dose UDCA supplementation for 6 months resulted in favorable changes in gastric bile acid composition but did not modulate selected markers of oxidative DNA damage, cell proliferation, and apoptosis in the Barrett's esophagus epithelium. Cancer Prev Res; 9(7); 528–33. ©2016 AACR.

See related article by Brian J. Reid, p. 512
Concomitant Use of Single Antiplatelet Therapy With Edoxaban or Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis From the ENGAGE AF‐TIMI48 Trial
Authors: Xu Haiyan , Ruff Christian T. , Giugliano Robert P. , Murphy Sabina A. , Nordio Francesco , Patel Indravadan , Shi Minggao , Mercuri Michele , Antman Elliott M. , Braunwald Eugene
Published: February 2016

Background

We studied the concomitant use of single antiplatelet therapy (
SAPT
) on the efficacy and safety of the anti‐Xa agent edoxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (
AF
).

Methods and Results

ENGAGE AF
‐
TIMI
48 was a randomized trial that compared 2 dose regimens of edoxaban with warfarin. We studied both the approved higher‐dose edoxaban regimen (
HDER
; 60 mg daily reduced by one half in patients with anticipated increased drug exposure), as well as a lower‐dose edoxaban regimen (
LDER
; 30 mg daily, also reduced by one half in patients with anticipated increased drug regimen).
SAPT
(aspirin in 92.5%) was administered at the discretion of the treating physician. Cox proportional hazard regressions stratified by
SAPT
at 3 months with treatment as a covariate were performed. The 4912 patients who received
SAPT
were more frequently male, with histories of coronary artery disease and diabetes, and had higher
CHADS
2
Vasc and
HAS BLED
scores than did the 14 997 patients not receiving
SAPT
. When compared to patients not receiving
SAPT
, those receiving
SAPT
had a higher incidence of major bleeding; (adjusted hazard ratio [
HR
adj
]=1.46; 95%
CI
, 1.27–1.67,
P
<0.001).
SAPT
did not alter the relative efficacy of edoxaban compared to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolic events (
SEEs
): edoxaban versus warfarin without
SAPT
, hazard ratio (
HR
adj
for
HDER
)=0.94; (95%
CI
: 0.77–1.15) with
SAPT
,
HR
adj
=0.70 (95%
CI
: 0.50–0.98),
P
interaction (
P
int
)=0.14. (
HR
adj
for
LDER
versus warfarin without
SAPT
=1.19 (95%
CI
0.99–1.43) With
SAPT
, 1.03 (95%
CI
, 0.76–1.39)
P
int
=0.42. Major bleeding was lower with edoxaban than warfarin both without
SAPT
,
HR
adj
for
HDER
=0.80 (95%
CI
, 0.68–0.95), and with
SAPT
,
HR
adj
=0.82 (95%
CI
, 0.65–1.03;
P
int
=0.91). For
LDER
without
SAPT
(
HR
adj
=0.56 [95%
CI
0.46–0.67]) and with
SAPT
(
HR
adj
=0.51 [95%
CI
0.39–0.66]),
P
int
=0.59.

Conclusions

Patients with
AF
who were selected by their physicians to receive
SAPT
in addition to an anticoagulant had a similar risk of stroke/
SEE
and higher rates of bleeding than those not receiving
SAPT
. Edoxaban exhibited similar relative efficacy and reduced bleeding compared to warfarin, with or without concomitant
SAPT
.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00781391.