bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WYZ: a pilot study protocol for designing and developing a mobile health application for engagement in HIV care and medication adherence in youth and young adults living with HIV
Authors: Erguera Xavier A. , Johnson Mallory O. , Neilands Torsten B. , Ruel Theodore , Berrean Beth , Thomas Sean , Saberi Parya
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Youth and young adults bear a disproportionate share of the HIV burden and there is a critical need for interventions to curb health disparities experienced among these age groups. The purpose of our research is to build on our theory-guided model and formative research to develop a mobile health application, called WYZ, for improved engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral therapy adherence, and pilot test it among youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH). In this paper, we explain the design and development of WYZ for YLWH, describe the design of a forthcoming pilot trial for evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of WYZ and compare WYZ with other mobile health applications being developed to improve engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral medication adherence.

Methods and analysis

We used an agile methodology, shown to be useful in software development, and elicited feedback during beta testing to develop WYZ. WYZ is a modular, adaptive and personalised intervention delivered via a mobile phone. It is grounded in the information, motivation, behaviouralskills model which has been valuable for understanding and guiding the development of interventions for complex health behaviours. WYZ was created in collaboration with YLWH aged 18–29 years using a human-centred design approach that emphasises understanding the perspective of the users of the technology. WYZ is intended to improve engagement in HIV care by: (1) enhancing medication adherence self-efficacy, (2) increasing awareness and use of community resources, (3) reducing barriers to communication between youth and their healthcare team, and (4) providing a secure platform for the formation of a private online community of YLWH. We will conduct a 6-month single-arm pilot study to examine feasibility and acceptability of WYZ among 76 YLWH who live or receive care in the San Francisco Bay Area. All study activities, including recruitment, screening, enrolment, study assessments, provision of incentives and exit interviews, will be conducted remotely. We will explore feasibility and acceptability outcomes of the intervention using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Ethics and dissemination

Study staff will obtain written consent for study participation from all participants. This study and its protocols have been approved by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Institutional Review Board. Study staff will work with the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies’ Community Engagement Core and the Youth Advisory Panel to disseminate results to the participants and the community using presentations, community forums, journal publications and/or social media.

Trial registration number

NCT03587857; Pre-results.
Age-specific associations between systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality
Authors: Jung Mi-Hyang , Yi Sang-Wook , An Sang Joon , Yi Jee-Jeon
Published: May 2019

Objective

We aimed to identify the following in all age groups among individuals without known hypertension and CVD: (1) Whether a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 130–139 mm Hg elevates cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. (2) Whether SBP shows a linear association with cause-specific CVD mortality.

Methods

We used the Korean National Health Insurance sample data (n=429 220). Participants were categorised into three groups by age (40–59 years, 60–69 years and 70–80 years).

Results

During 10.4 years of follow-up, 4319 cardiovascular deaths occurred. A positive and graded association was generally observed between SBP and overall and cause-specific CVD mortality regardless of age, except for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in those aged 70–80 years. Among those aged 70–80 years, the HRs (95% CIs) for overall CVD mortality were 1.08 (0.92–1.28), 1.14 (0.97–1.34) and 1.34 (1.14–1.58) for SBP values of 120–129 mm Hg, 130–139 mm Hg and 140–149 mm Hg, respectively, compared with SBP <120 mm Hg. For total stroke mortality, the corresponding HRs were 1.29 (1.02–1.64), 1.37 (1.09–1.72) and 1.52 (1.20–1.93), while for IHD mortality, the corresponding HRs were 0.90 (0.64–1.26), 0.86 (0.62–1.19) and 1.29 (0.93–1.78), respectively. Non-linear associations were significant for IHD.

Conclusions

In the elderly Korean population, SBPs of 130–139 mm Hg elevated total stroke mortality, but not IHD mortality, compared with normal blood pressure, and a linear association was not observed for IHD mortality in the range <140 mm Hg.
TdT expression in germ cell tumours: a possible immunohistochemical cross-reaction and diagnostic pitfall
Authors: Jaconi Marta , Magni Fulvio , Raimondo Francesca , Ponzoni Maurilio , Chinello Clizia , Smith Andrew , Piga Isabella , Fusco Nicola , Di Bella Camillo , Pagni Fabio
Published: May 2019

Aims

Very recent papers proposed a possible role for the expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in the tumourigenesis of gonadal and extragonadal germ cell-derived tumours (GCTs). Our multicentric study evaluated the magnitude of the immunoreactivity for TdT in GCTs, encompassing seminoma, dysgerminoma, mature teratoma and mixed GCTs.

Methods and results

The histological series was stained with both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, yielding a positivity of 80% of cases with well-defined nuclear reactivity. A significant difference in staining intensity between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies was observed (p=0.005). However, exploiting western blot and more innovative proteomic approaches, no clear-cut evidence of the TdT protein was observed in the neoplastic tissues of the series.

Conclusions

Alternatively to the pathogenetic link between TdT expression and GCTs tumourigenesis, we hypothesised the occurrence of a spurious immunohistochemical nuclear cross-reaction, a well-known phenomenon with important implications and a possible source of diagnostic pitfalls in routine practice for pathologists.
Impact of aortic stiffness on myocardial ischaemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease
Authors: Lønnebakken Mai Tone , Eskerud Ingeborg , Larsen Terje Hjalmar , Midtbø Helga Bergljot , Kokorina Marina Victorovna , Gerdts Eva
Published: May 2019

Objective

High aortic stiffness may reduce myocardial perfusion pressure and contribute to development of myocardial ischaemia. Whether high aortic stiffness is associated with myocardial ischaemia in patients with stable angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is less explored.

Methods

Aortic stiffness was assessed as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) by applanation tonometry in 125 patients (62±8 years, 58% women) with stable angina and non-obstructive CAD participating in the Myocardial Ischemia in Non-obstructive CAD project. PWV in the highest tertile (>8.7 m/s) was taken as higher aortic stiffness. Stress-induced myocardial ischaemia was detected as delayed myocardial contrast replenishment during stress echocardiography, and the number of left ventricular (LV) segments with delayed contrast replenishment as the extent of ischaemia.

Results

Patients with higher aortic stiffness were older with higher LV mass index and lower prevalence of obesity (all p<0.05), while angina symptoms, sex, prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, smoking or LV ejection fraction did not differ between groups. Stress-induced myocardial ischaemia was more common (73% vs 42%, p=0.001) and the extent of ischaemia was larger (4±3 vs 2±3 LV segments, p=0.005) in patients with higher aortic stiffness. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher aortic stiffness was associated with stress-induced myocardial ischaemia independent of other known covariables (OR 4.74 (95% CI 1.51 to 14.93), p=0.008).

Conclusions

In patients with stable angina and non-obstructive CAD, higher aortic stiffness was associated with stress-induced myocardial ischaemia. Consequently, assessment of aortic stiffness may add to the diagnostic evaluation in patients with non-obstructive CAD.

Trial registration number

NCT01853527.
Parasitism by Ophidascaris robertsi with associated pathology findings in a wild koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Authors: Gonzalez‐Astudillo Viviana , Knott Lyn , Valenza Ludovica , Henning Joerg , Allavena Rachel
Published: May 2019

Five third‐stage Ophidascaris robertsi larvae, a python parasite, were recovered from a free‐ranging mature male koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, from South‐East Queensland. Most larval nematodes were found obstructing several hepatic blood vessels including the portal vein, causing vascular dilation. Despite the low number of parasitic larvae found, the large size of the larval third stage can lead to circulatory impairment of affected organs. Koalas may acquire O robertsi infection possibly by performing geophagy or soil ingestion, contaminated with eggs from python faeces. This is the first report of O robertsi in koalas indicating infection and subsequent pathological changes within the vasculature and liver.
Evaluation of tear production using the Schirmer tear test I in healthy cats; effect of age, life stage, sex, breed and neuter status
Authors: Rajaei Seyed Mehdi , Faghihi Houman , Williams David Leonard , Aftab Ghazal
Published: May 2019

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the values of Schirmer tear test (STT) and determine effects of age, life stage, sex, breed and neuter status on tear production in healthy cats.

Methods

Three hundred and forty‐three domestic shorthair (DSH) and Persian cats, 50 days through 18 years old, were examined in this study. STT I was used to measure tear production in both eyes of each cat.

Results

A mean STT 14.9±4.8 mm/min was calculated for the eyes of all cats. There was a significant difference between STT values in kittens (≤6 months old) and cats of other age groups (P<0.001). A substantial number of cats with clinically normal eyes had STT values less than 10 mm/min. No significant difference was found between males (14.7±5.0 mm/min) and females (15.1±4.5 mm/min) in STT values (P=0.46). Significant differences were found between entire (14.4±4.2 mm/min) and neutered (16.2±4.1 mm/min) cats (P=0.001), and between STT values of DSH (14.6±5.0 mm/min) and Persian (16.5±3.1 mm/min) cats in the study population (P=0.001).

Conclusions

This study documents the average STT values for a sizeable feline population demonstrating that, in contradistinction to the situation in dogs, a number of cats with clinically normal eyes have STT values below 10 mm/min.
Interacting Hadron resonance gas model within S-matrix formalism
Authors: Dash Ashutosh , Samanta Subhasis
Published: May 2019

A noninteracting hadron resonance gas model is used often to study the hadronic phase formed in heavy ion collisions. Interaction among various hadronic constituents can be included using an S-matrix-based virial expansion approach. The virial coefficients require the dynamical information about the scattering phase shifts, which is used to compute various thermodynamic observables of an interacting hadronic gas. The attractive part of the phase shifts are calculated using K-matrix formalism while the repulsive part is obtained by fitting to experimental data. Calculation of various thermodynamic variables like pressure, energy density, specific heat capacity, etc., along with the second and higher-order correlations and fluctuations of conserved charges are done, first with only attraction and then with both attraction and repulsion included. Comparison of S-matrix results indicate a better agreement with lattice QCD data than the ideal HRG model across all thermodynamic variables.
FAILURE ANALYSIS AND PROCESS PARAMETER INFLUENCE ON MECHANICAL AND METALLURGICAL BEHAVIOR OF FRICTION STIR WELDED AA2219-T87 JOINTS
Authors: KUMAR R. DINESH , MUTHUKUMARAN S. , VENKATESWARAN T. , XAVIER VINCENT , SIVAKUMAR D.
Published: May 2019

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) was carried out on AA2219-T87 alloy plates with various process parameters. Multiparametric optimization was carried out using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis (T-GRA) to determine the most influencing factors on the responses like Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and Yield strength (YS) of AA2219-T87 butt joints. In this work, defect-free welding parameters were selected from the wide range of trial and L18 Taguchi Mixed factorial design was fit to further optimize the parameters by T-GRA techniques. Parameters like tool rotational speed, welding speed and tool profile were varied, tool tilt angle and thrust force were kept constant. The macro and microstructures were examined to correlate with tensile, yield and hardness property to analyze the predominant factor that would improve joint efficiency. Finer grains were found in nuggets when compared to other zones and the grain size was found to decrease from top to bottom due to centrifugal action. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies were carried out on fracture tensile specimen to determine the mode of fracture in the different regions. EDS elemental mapping was done in fracture region of the tensile specimen and it was encountered that crack initiation is along the copper-enriched region. Tensile strength was reported to be 73% of the parent metal and optimized parameter combination was observed for tool with taper threaded pin profile that enhances metal flow.
Multivariate Global Sensitivity Analysis for Casing String Using Neural Network
Authors: Wang Pan , Li Haihe , Tan Shiwang , Huang Xiaoyu
Published: May 2019

To evaluate the safety of casing string is an important task in the oil exploitation. In this paper, the casing string with complex environment is investigated and the global sensitivity analysis (SA) technique is employed to identify the influential factors on the safety. Since the damage of casing string is of different kinds, three failure modes are mainly considered in the analysis. Then, the multivariate global SA technique is employed to identify the influential factors for the three failure modes simultaneously. Due to the full-size FE analysis of casing string which involves contact analysis of tread, being computationally expensive, a simplified model with full constraints are constructed. Then, to compute the multivariate global sensitivity efficiently, the neural network which is used to surrogate the FE model is employed to perform SA.
A New Mesh Moving Technique for a Fluid–Structure Interaction Problem Using Mesh Deformation Energy Minimization
Authors: Oh Sahuck
Published: May 2019

When mesh boundaries move in a simulation because of the motion of a target object such as translation, rotation, and oscillation, the mesh should be regenerated to the points it will obey the locations of its new boundaries. Because recreating new mesh from the beginning is a time-consuming task, new mesh is usually created by deforming an initial mesh, which is called the mesh moving method (or mesh deformation method). In this paper, we present a new mesh moving method that produces a higher quality deformed mesh than the current mesh moving methods. In the proposed method, the deformation of mesh is evaluated by two energy quantities that are related to (i) the distortion of mesh that is invariant to translation, rotation, and size changes of the elements of the mesh and (ii) the deformation of mesh calculated using elements’ size based on stiffened-linear elasticity equations. The total deformation energy of mesh is defined as a weighted sum of these two quantities. Because there is no need to pre-fix the locations of the outer boundary points for most mesh moving problems, we use new constraints, allowing the outer boundary points to move along tangential directions in the proposed method. The deformed mesh is computed by calculating the positions of the mesh points where the total deformation energy of the mesh is minimized. For test purposes, the proposed method is applied to 2D triangular meshes and a 3D tetrahedral mesh, where the meshes are deformed by the motions of the target objects such as translation, rotation, and deformation. When the quality of the deformed meshes computed with the proposed method are compared with the ones computed with current mesh moving methods, the meshes from the proposed method are shown to be better than the other meshes.
Pricing European and American Options by SPH Method
Authors: Achchab B. , Maloum A. Cheikh , El Idrissi A. Qadi
Published: May 2019

In this paper, the meshless smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) method is applied for solving the Black–Scholes model for European and American options, which are governed by a generalized Black–Scholes partial differential equation. We use the [Formula: see text]-method and SPH for discretizing the governing equation in time variable and option pricing, respectively. To validate our SPH method, we compare it with the analytical solution and also the finite difference method. The numerical tests demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of our method.
Multiphysics Topology Optimization of Thermal Actuators by Using the Level Set-Based Multiple-Type Boundary Method
Authors: Xia Qi , Shi Tielin
Published: May 2019

Thermal actuators use thermal expansion and contraction of an elastic body to produce motion at its output port. In the present study, a thermal actuator comprises an elastic body and heating/cooling devices. Such devices have a thin-layer shape and are installed on the surface of the elastic body. The design optimization of thermal actuator is a multiphysics problem, including both heat conduction and elastic deformation. The design variables include multiple types of boundaries, i.e., the temperature boundary (high temperature and low temperature) and the free boundary. In order to solve such a multiphysics optimization problem involving multiple types of boundaries, the level set-based multiple-type boundary method is employed. In the analysis for the shape derivative of the temperature boundary, the constrained variational principle is employed to explicitly include the temperature boundary condition into the weak form of heat conduction equation. Numerical examples in two dimensions are investigated.
Through the challenging synthesis of tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives bearing nitroxide moieties
Authors: Önal Emel , Fidan Ismail , Luneau Dominique , Hirel Catherine
Published: May 2019

Tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives a synthetic heterocycles with convenient preparation and a richness of properties which make them attractive in broad fields such as energy, life and materials sciences. Thus, in the quest for new radical architectures, tetraphenylporphyrins are prime candidates. To this end, we designed free-base tetraphenylporphyrins bearing nitronyl and imino nitroxide moieties covalently bonded to the para-position of the meso-phenyl substituent. Their detailed synthesis and characterization are reported here.
A key exchange protocol relying on polynomial maps
Authors: Akiyama Koichiro , Nakamura Shuhei , Ito Masaru , Hirata-Kohno Noriko
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we propose a key exchange protocol using multivariate polynomial maps whose security relies on the hardness in finding a solution to a certain system of nonlinear polynomial equations. Under the hardness assumption of solving the system of equations, we prove that our protocol is secure against key recovery attacks by passive attackers if the protocol is established honestly.
PLASMA
Authors: Dongarra Jack , Gates Mark , Haidar Azzam , Kurzak Jakub , Luszczek Piotr , Wu Panruo , Yamazaki Ichitaro , Yarkhan Asim , Abalenkovs Maksims , Bagherpour Negin , Hammarling Sven , Šístek Jakub , Stevens David , Zounon Mawussi , Relton Samuel D.
Published: May 2019

The recent version of the Parallel Linear Algebra Software for Multicore Architectures (PLASMA) library is based on tasks with dependencies from the OpenMP standard. The main functionality of the library is presented. Extensive benchmarks are targeted on three recent multicore and manycore architectures, namely, an Intel Xeon, Intel Xeon Phi, and IBM POWER 8 processors.
Measuring Clonal Evolution in Cancer with Genomics
Authors: Williams Marc J. , Sottoriva Andrea , Graham Trevor A.
Published: May 2019

Cancers originate from somatic cells in the human body that have accumulated genetic alterations. These mutations modify the phenotype of the cells, allowing them to escape the homeostatic regulation that maintains normal cell number. Viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology, the transformation of normal cells into malignant cells is evolution in action. Evolution continues throughout cancer growth, progression, treatment resistance, and disease relapse, driven by adaptation to changes in the cancer's environment, and intratumor heterogeneity is an inevitable consequence of this evolutionary process. Genomics provides a powerful means to characterize tumor evolution, enabling quantitative measurement of evolving clones across space and time. In this review, we discuss concepts and approaches to quantify and measure this evolutionary process in cancer using genomics.
A Novel Convolutional Neural Network Architecture for SAR Target Recognition
Authors: Xie Yinjie , Dai Wenxin , Hu Zhenxin , Liu Yijing , Li Chuan , Pu Xuemei
Published: May 2019

Among many improved convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures in the optical image classification, only a few were applied in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR). One main reason is that direct transfer of these advanced architectures for the optical images to the SAR images easily yields overfitting due to its limited data set and less features relative to the optical images. Thus, based on the characteristics of the SAR image, we proposed a novel deep convolutional neural network architecture named umbrella. Its framework consists of two alternate CNN-layer blocks. One block is a fusion of six 3-layer paths, which is used to extract diverse level features from different convolution layers. The other block is composed of convolution layers and pooling layers are mainly utilized to reduce dimensions and extract hierarchical feature information. The combination of the two blocks could extract rich features from different spatial scale and simultaneously alleviate overfitting. The performance of the umbrella model was validated by the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) benchmark data set. This architecture could achieve higher than 99% accuracy for the classification of 10-class targets and higher than 96% accuracy for the classification of 8 variants of the T72 tank, even in the case of diverse positions located by targets. The accuracy of our umbrella is superior to the current networks applied in the classification of MSTAR. The result shows that the umbrella architecture possesses a very robust generalization capability and will be potential for SAR-ART.
Effect of Pregnant Mothers’ Forum Participation on Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness among Pregnant Women in Dale District, Southern Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bogale Bizuayehu , Astatkie Ayalew , Wakgari Negash
Published: May 2019

Background. Pregnant mothers’ forum is the innovative intervention strategy being implemented in Ethiopia to facilitate birth preparedness and complication readiness practice. However, its effect on birth preparedness and complication readiness has not been investigated. Objective. This study assessed the association of participation in pregnant mothers’ forum with birth preparedness and complication readiness plan among pregnant women in Dale District. Methods. A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 604 pregnant women (302 who were forum members [exposed] and 302 who were forum nonmembers [unexposed]). Multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected door to door using a pretested and structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version-20. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the effect of pregnant mothers’ forum membership on birth preparedness and complication readiness adjusting for other variables. Results. About 22.5% of pregnant women were well prepared for birth. A quarter (25.8%) of the women was prepared for the anticipated complications of whom 20.7% were the forum members. Being pregnant mother’s forum member (AOR=2.86, 95% CI=1.50,5.44), having focused counseling (AOR=3.73, 95% CI=1.17,11.83), monthly income (AOR=2.55, 95% CI=1.44,4.51), having antenatal care (AOR=3.73,95% CI=1.05,13.21), and institutional delivery during last birth (AOR=2.41, 95% CI=1.38,4.22) were significantly associated with birth preparedness. Similarly, being forum members (AOR=3.55, 95%CI=2.18, 5.78) and having antenatal care attendance before or at four months of gestational age (AOR=3.16, 95%CI=2.04, 4.91) were found to be predictors of complication readiness. Conclusion. In this study, birth preparedness and complication readiness is found to be low. However, it was significantly higher among forum members compared to forum nonmembers. Hence, efforts should be targeted to strengthen the pregnant mothers’ forum and enroll the pregnant women to antenatal care service at early stage of the pregnancy.
Nanoparticle-Based Paramagnetic Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Pellico Juan , Ellis Connor M. , Davis Jason J.
Published: May 2019

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging modality that is routinely used in clinics, providing anatomical information with micron resolution, soft tissue contrast, and deep penetration. Exogenous contrast agents increase image contrast by shortening longitudinal (T1) and transversal (T2) relaxation times. Most of the T1 agents used in clinical MRI are based on paramagnetic lanthanide complexes (largely Gd-based). In moving to translatable formats of reduced toxicity, greater chemical stability, longer circulation times, higher contrast, more controlled functionalisation and additional imaging modalities, considerable effort has been applied to the development of nanoparticles bearing paramagnetic ions. This review summarises the most relevant examples in the synthesis and biomedical applications of paramagnetic nanoparticles as contrast agents for MRI and multimodal imaging. It includes the most recent developments in the field of production of agents with high relaxivities, which are key for effective contrast enhancement, exemplified through clinically relevant examples.
Interceptive Orthodontics with Resin Turbos for Pseudo-Class III Malocclusions
Authors: Kravitz Neal D.
Published: May 2019

Background and Overview. Lingual eruption of the permanent maxillary central incisors in the early mixed dentition can result in a traumatic anterior crossbite, causing mobility and gingival recession to the opposing mandibular incisors.Case Description. This case report presents a common finding of a 7-year-old boy with a dental crossbite and pseudo-Class III malocclusion caused by lingual eruption of the maxillary central incisors. An interceptive phase of orthodontic treatment was provided by bonding a beveled resin turbo on the mandibular incisors. The crossbite was corrected in 3 months without any orthodontic appliances. In the absence of the traumatic occlusion, the mandibular incisors stabilized and the gingival tissue was expected to regenerate.Conclusions and Practical Implications. Dentists and orthodontists can place beveled resin turbos on the mandibular incisors to jump an anterior dental crossbite conservatively, without the use of orthodontic brackets and wires.
Employing Endogenous NSCs to Promote Recovery of Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Liu Sumei , Chen Zhiguo
Published: May 2019

Endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) exist in the central canal of mammalian spinal cords. Under normal conditions, these NSCs remain quiescent and express FoxJ1. After spinal cord injury (SCI), the endogenous NSCs of a heterogeneous nature are activated and proliferate and migrate towards the lesion site and mainly differentiate into astrocytes to repair the injured tissue. In vitro, spinal cord NSCs are multipotent and can differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. The altered microenvironments after SCI play key roles on the fate determination of activated NSCs, especially on the neuronal specification potential. Studies show that the activated spinal cord NSCs can generate interneurons when transplanted into the adult hippocampus. In addition, the spinal cord NSCs exhibit low immunogenicity in a transplantation context, thus implicating a promising therapeutic potential on SCI recovery. Here, we summarize the characteristics of spinal cord NSCs, especially their properties after injury. With a better understanding of endogenous NSCs under normal and SCI conditions, we may be able to employ endogenous NSCs for SCI repair in the future.
Development of Pogo Pin-Based Holding and Release Mechanism for Deployable Solar Panel of CubeSat
Authors: Bhattarai Shankar , Kim Hongrae , Jung Sung-Hoon , Oh Hyun-Ung
Published: May 2019

CubeSats are revolutionary to the space industry and are transforming space exploration which enables the next generation of scientists and engineers to complete all phases of space missions. Deployable solar panels have been widely used for the generation of enough power in CubeSats due to their limited volume area for solar cell integration. In general, the cable cutting release mechanism have been used in 1U-3U small satellites because of its simplicity and low cost. However, this mechanism has a low constraint force and is unable to apply constraints along the in-plane and out-of-plane directions. In this study, for the improvement of the conventional cable cutting mechanism, a spring-loaded pogo pin-based nichrome burn wire holding and release mechanism (HRM) was proposed and fabricated. The pogo pin constitutes an immensely attractive function for the holding and release mechanism of solar panels because it works as an electrical interface to provide power, a separation spring to initiate the reaction force to deploy the panels, and a status switch to determine deployments. In addition, the proposed mechanism guarantees the loading capability along the in-plane and out-of-plane directions of solar panels, the synchronous release of multiple panels, and a handling simplicity that differentiates it from the conventional mechanism. The design feasibility, structural safety, and reliability of the mechanism were verified through functionality tests and launch and on-orbit environmental tests. The proposed pogo pin-based holding and release mechanism would be equally applicable for other CubeSat deployable appendages.
Alterations of Antioxidant Enzymes and Biomarkers of Nitro-oxidative Stress in Tissues of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Islam Md Obaidul , Bacchetti Tiziana , Ferretti Gianna
Published: May 2019

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common tumors found in the urinary bladder for both male and female in western countries. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and oxidative stress play a crucial role in human cancer. Low concentration of ROS and RNS is indispensable for cell survival and proliferation. However, high concentration of ROS and RNS can exert a cytotoxic effect. Increased oxidative stress is a result of either increased ROS/RNS production or a decrease of antioxidant defense mechanisms. A literature search was carried out on PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar for articles in English published up to May 2018 using the following keywords: oxidative stress, antioxidants, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, paraoxonase, urinary bladder cancer, and nitric oxide. Literature data demonstrate that BC is associated with oxidative stress and with an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidant enzymes. Markers of lipid peroxidation, protein and nucleic acid oxidation are significantly higher in tissues of patients with BC compared with control groups. A decrease of activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and paraoxonase) has also been demonstrated. The imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants could have a potential role in the etiology and progression of bladder cancer.
Exploiting Offloading in IoT-Based Microfog: Experiments with Face Recognition and Fall Detection
Authors: Torres Neto José R. , Rocha Filho Geraldo P. , Mano Leandro Y. , Villas Leandro A. , Ueyama Jó
Published: May 2019

The growth in many countries of the population in need of healthcare and with reduced mobility in many countries shows the demand for the development of assistive technologies to cater for this public, especially when they require home treatment after being discharged from the hospital. To this end, interactive applications on mobile devices are often integrated into intelligent environments. Such environments usually have limited resources, which are not capable of processing great volumes of data and can expend much energy due to devices being in communication to a cloud. Some approaches have tried to minimize these problems by using fog microdatacenter networks to provide high computational capabilities. However, full outsourcing of the data analysis to a microfog can generate a reduced level of accuracy and adaptability. In this work, we propose a healthcare system that uses data offloading to increase performance in an IoT-based microfog, providing resources and improving health monitoring. The main challenge of the proposed system is to provide high data processing with low latency in an environment with limited resources. Therefore, the main contribution of this work is to design an offloading algorithm to ensure resource provision in a microfog and synchronize the complexity of data processing through a healthcare environment architecture. We validated and evaluated the system using two interactive applications of individualized monitoring: (1) recognition of people using images and (2) fall detection using the combination of sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) on a smartwatch and smartphone. Our system improves by 54% and 15% on the processing time of the user recognition and Fall Decision applications, respectively. In addition, it showed promising results, notably (a) high accuracy in identifying individuals, as well as detecting their mobility; and (b) efficiency when implemented in devices with scarce resources.
Vortices in a Generalized Maxwell-Higgs Model with Visible and Hidden Sectors
Authors: Bazeia D. , Losano L. , Marques M. A. , Menezes R.
Published: May 2019

We investigate the presence of vortices in generalized Maxwell-Higgs models with a hidden sector. The model engenders U(1)×U(1) symmetry, in a manner that the sectors are coupled via the visible magnetic permeability depending only on the hidden scalar field. We develop a first-order framework in which the hidden sector decouples from the visible one. We illustrate the results with two specific examples that give rise to the presence of vortices with internal structure.
Association of Baseline Smoking Status with Long-Term Prognosis in Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Large Single-Center Data
Authors: Liu Ru , Gao Zhan , Wang Huanhuan , Tang Xiaofang , Gao Lijian , Song Ying , Xu Jingjing , Chen Jue , Qiao Shubin , Yang Yuejin , Gao Runlin , Xu Bo , Yuan Jinqing
Published: May 2019

Objectives. This study analyzed a large sample to explain the association of baseline smoking state with long-term prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background. Data is limited up to now regarding whether smoker’s paradox exists in Chinese population. Methods. A total of 10724 consecutive cases were enrolled from January to December 2013. 2-year clinical outcomes were evaluated among current smokers and nonsmokers. Major adverse coronary event (MACCE) included all-cause death, revascularization, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke. Results. Current smokers and nonsmokers accounted for 57.1% and 42.9%, respectively. Current smokers were presented with predominant male sex, lower age, and less comorbidities. The rates of 2-year all-cause death were not significantly different among two groups. But the rate of stroke and bleeding was significantly higher in nonsmokers than in current smokers (1.6% and 1.1%, P=0.031; 7.2% and 6.1%, P=0.019). The rate of revascularization was significantly higher in current smokers than in nonsmokers (9.1% and 8.0%, P=0.037). Multivariable Cox regression indicated that, compared with nonsmokers, current smokers were not independently associated with all endpoints (all P>0.05). Conclusions. 2-year all-cause death, MACCE, MI, revascularization, stroke, ST, and bleeding risk were similar between current smokers and nonsmokers in CAD patients undergoing PCI.
Failure Factors to Reach the Blind End Using a Short-Type Single-Balloon Enteroscope for ERCP with Roux-en-Y Reconstruction: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Kawaguchi Yusuke , Yamauchi Hiroshi , Kida Mitsuhiro , Okuwaki Kosuke , Iwai Tomohisa , Uehara Kazuho , Hasegawa Rikiya , Imaizumi Hiroshi , Kobayashi Kiyonori , Koizumi Wasaburo
Published: May 2019

Background. Failure factors in reaching the blind end (papillae of Vater, bilioenteric anastomosis) during short-type single-balloon enteroscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (sSBE-assisted ERCP) in patients with Roux-en-Y (R-Y) reconstruction remain to be evaluated. Aims. We investigated the failure factors in such patients. Methods. We retrospectively studied 253 initial sessions of sSBE-assisted ERCP at three endoscopy centers from April 2008 through September 2017, examining failure factors and complications associated with scope insertion in patients with R-Y reconstruction. Results. R-Y reconstruction was performed in 157 patients (with gastrectomy: 122 patients; without gastrectomy plus bilioenteric anastomosis: 35 patients). R-Y without gastrectomy (p=0.001; odds ratio (OR), 5.73; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.07 to 16.01) and the presence of peritoneal dissemination (p=0.021; OR, 4.71; 95% CI, 1.27 to 17.54) were significant failure factors. Insufficient sSBE length was the cause of failure in 17 (11%) of the 157 patients, and 13 (76%) of the 17 patients were with R-Y without gastrectomy. In cases of insufficient short-type length, using a long-type SBE significantly increased the success rate (p=0.002). Gastrointestinal stenosis was a significant failure factor (p=0.011) in patients with peritoneal dissemination. Perforation occurred in 2 patients who responded to conservative treatment. Conclusions. Failure factors during sSBE-assisted ERCP were R-Y without gastrectomy and the presence of peritoneal dissemination.
Effects of Super Nutritional Hepatic Copper Accumulation on Hepatocyte Health and Oxidative Stress in Dairy Cows
Authors: Strickland Jaimie M. , Lyman Doug , Sordillo Lorraine M. , Herdt Thomas H. , Buchweitz John P.
Published: May 2019

Concerns regarding excessive hepatic copper concentrations in dairy cows have increased. The objective of this study was to determine the association of hepatic copper concentrations with evidence of liver disease. Blood and liver samples were collected at the time of slaughter in cull dairy cows (n=100). Liver samples were analyzed for copper using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and crude fat using liquid-liquid extraction and gravimetry. Serum samples were analyzed for glutamate dehydrogenase,γ-glutamyltransferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase activities, and bile acid concentrations. Liver samples were examined histologically for inflammation, fibrosis, and rhodanine staining. Animals were stratified by hepatic copper concentration and samples in the highest and lowest quintiles (Q5 and Q1) were evaluated for oxidative stress. Systemic indices of oxidative stress included serum reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and total antioxidant potential (AOP). Tissue-level oxidative stress was assessed by immunohistochemistry using 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3NIT) stains to score the relative abundance and distribution of oxidized lipid and protein products, respectively. Mean hepatic copper concentration was 496.83μg/g and median 469.72μg/g and ranged from 70.56 to 1264.27μg/g dry tissue. No association was found between hepatic copper concentrations and clinicopathological or histological evidence of hepatic damage or dysfunction. There was a significant increase in the amount of IHC staining of 4HNE and 3NIT in Q5 compared with Q1. Moreover, the IHC staining mirrored the distribution of the copper-specific stain rhodanine. These results demonstrate that cows with elevated hepatic copper concentrations had no evidence of active liver disease but had increased hepatic oxidative stress.
Quality by Design (QbD) Assisted Fabrication of Fast Dissolving Buccal Film for Clonidine Hydrochloride: Exploring the Quality Attributes
Authors: Dangre Pankaj V. , Phad Ram D. , Surana Sanjay J. , Chalikwar Shailesh S.
Published: May 2019

The present work endeavors fabrication of fast dissolving buccal film of clonidine hydrochloride by employing quality by design (QbD) based approach. The total nine formulations were prepared according to formulation by design helped by JMP software 13.2.1. The patient oriented quality target product profiles were earmarked and on that basis critical quality attributes were identified. Preliminary screening studies along with initial risk assessment eased the selection of film-forming polymer (HPMC E 15) and plasticizer (PEG 400) as CMAs for formulation of films. A 32 full factorial plan was utilized for assurance of impact, i.e., HPMC E15 (X1) and PEG 400 (X2), as independent variables (factors) on thickness (mm) (Y1), disintegration time (s) (Y2), folding endurance (Y3), and tensile strength (kg) (Y4). Furthermore, prediction profiler assists in predicting composition of best formulation encompassing desired targeted response. The optimized formulation (F6) showed fast drug dissolution (>90%) within 8 min, and solid state characterization by DSC, XRD revealed excellent film characteristics. In a nutshell, the fast dissolving buccal film for clonidine hydrochloride was successfully developed assisted by QbD approach with markedly improved biopharmaceutical performance as well as patient compliance.
Analysis of Plasma EBV-DNA and Soluble Checkpoint Proteins in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients after Definitive Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
Authors: Ruan Yanyun , Hu Wei , Li Wanhong , Lu Hongsheng , Gu Huamin , Zhang Ying , Zhu Chumeng , Chen Qi
Published: May 2019

Background.Tumor immunotherapy and immunological checkpoint-related proteins are research hotspots. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is the main treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Hence, the evaluation of its effect is very important. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the concentrations of soluble checkpoint proteins, plasma EBV-DNA, and cytokines in NPC patients treated with IMRT.Methods.In this study, the plasma samples of 37 NPC patients and 40 healthy controls were collected. Luminex MAGPIX was used to detect the concentrations of 32 plasma targets, including soluble programmed cell death 1 (sPD-1). RT-qPCR was used to measure EBV-DNA.Results.The concentrations of 33 plasma targets were detected in NPC patients before and after IMRT to explore the changes after IMRT. The results showed that IMRT could increase the expression of sPD-1 and significantly reduce the level of EBV-DNA in the plasma of NPC patients. The expression level of sPD-1 in TNM I/II patients was significantly higher than that in III/IV patients. Besides, the concentrations of 12 other targets were significantly different after IMRT, including LAG-3, PD-L1, TIM-3, IFN-γ, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-17A, and IL-22. High sPD-1 patients had longer survival than those with low sPD-1. Also, patients with lower EBV-DNA and TNM grades I and II/III had longer survival than those with higher EBV-DNA or TNM IV.Conclusions.This study demonstrated that the concentration of sPD-1 was significantly increased and EBV-DNA was significantly reduced in the NPC patients after IMRT. Plasma EBV-DNA level was a highly specific and sensitive biomarker for NPC diagnosis. Both sPD-1 expression and EBV-DNA concentration in plasma were related to the survival of patients.
Experimental and Modeling Study of Soil Water Retention Curves of Compacted Bentonite considering Salt Solution Effects
Authors: He Yong , Zhang Ke-neng , Wu Dong-yu
Published: May 2019

Due to its low hydraulic conductivity, high swelling capacity, and good adsorption properties, the Gaomiaozi (GMZ) bentonite has been selected as potential buffer/backfill materials for construction of engineered barriers in the deep geological repository for disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLW) in China. Investigation of salt solution effects on the water retention properties of compacted bentonite is of great importance in the context of geological disposal of HLW based on the multibarrier concept. In this study, amended specimens were obtained through a spray of different concentrations of salt solutions to reach target salt contents, respectively. With employment of the vapor phase technique for suction control, water retention tests were conducted on densely compacted GMZ bentonite (1.7 Mg/m3) with different salt contents under confined conditions. Corresponding soil water retention curves (SWRCs) were obtained. Analysis indicates that, for a given suction, the measured water content of GMZ bentonite specimen increases as the salt content (or pore fluid concentration) increases. The influencing rate depends on suction. For lower suctions (lower than 38 MPa), the water retention capacity increases as the salt content increases, while for higher suctions (higher than 38 MPa), the influence can be negligible. Based on the Fredlund and Xing (1994) equation, a soil water retention model was proposed for simulation of the SWRCs of compacted GMZ bentonite with consideration of pore fluid chemistry. Parameters were analyzed and determined with consideration of influences of the pore fluid concentration. Verification indicates that the SWRCs simulated by the proposed model are well agreed with the measured ones.
Autonomous Landing of a Micro Aerial Vehicle on a Moving Platform Using a Composite Landmark
Authors: Xing Bo-Yang , Pan Feng , Feng Xiao-Xue , Li Wei-Xing , Gao Qi
Published: May 2019

In the existing vision-based autonomous landing systems for micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) on moving platforms, the limited range of landmark localization, the unknown measurement bias of the moving platform (such as wheel-slip or inaccurate calibration of encoders), and landing trajectory knotting seriously affect system performance. To overcome the above shortcomings, an autonomous landing system using a composite landmark is proposed in this paper. In the proposed system, a notched ring landmark and two-dimensional landmark are combined as an R2D landmark to provide visual localization over a wide range. In addition, the wheel-slip and imprecise calibration of encoders are modeled as the unknown measurement bias of the encoders and estimated online via an extended Kalman filter. The landing trajectory is planned by a solver as a convex quadratic programming problem in each control cycle. Meanwhile, an iterative algorithm for adding equality constraints is proposed and used to verify whether the planned trajectory is feasible or not. The simulation and actual landing experiment results verify the following: the visual localization with the R2D landmark has the advantages of wide localization range and high localization accuracy, the pose estimation result of the moving platform with unknown encoder measurement bias is continuous and accurate, and the proposed landing trajectory planning algorithm provides a continuous trajectory for reliable landing.