bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging stem cell ethics
Authors: Sipp Douglas , Munsie Megan , Sugarman Jeremy
Published: June 2018

It has been 20 years since the first derivation of human embryonic stem cells. That milestone marked the start of a scientific and public fascination with stem cells, not just for their biological properties but also for their potentially transformative medical uses. The next two decades of stem cell research animated an array of bioethical debates, from the destruction of embryos to derive stem cells to the creation of human-animal hybrids. Ethical tensions related to stem cell clinical translation and regulatory policy are now center stage and a topic of global discussion this week at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting in Melbourne, Australia. Care must be taken to ensure that entry of stem cell–based products into the medical marketplace does not come at too high a human or monetary price.
A Transposon Mutagenesis System for Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum Based on an IS
3
Family Insertion Sequence, IS
Blo11
Authors: Sakanaka Mikiyasu , Nakakawaji Shingo , Nakajima Shin , Fukiya Satoru , Abe Arisa , Saburi Wataru , Mori Haruhide , Yokota Atsushi
Published: June 2018

Several hundred species of bacteria colonize the mammalian intestine. However, the genes that enable such bacteria to colonize and thrive in the intestine remain largely unexplored. Transposon mutagenesis, combined with next-generation sequencing, is a promising tool to comprehensively identify these genes but has so far been applied only to a small number of intestinal bacterial species. In this study, a transposon mutagenesis system was established for
Bifidobacterium longum
subsp.
longum
, a representative health-promoting
Bifidobacterium
species. The system enables the identification of genes that promote colonization and survival in the intestine and should help illuminate the physiology of this species.
Droplet Digital PCR-Based Detection of Clarithromycin Resistance in Helicobacter pylori Isolates Reveals Frequent Heteroresistance
Authors: Sun Lu , Talarico Sarah , Yao Lena , He Lihua , Self Steve , You Yuanhai , Zhang Huifang , Zhang Yiyao , Guo Yongjun , Liu Guodong , Salama Nina R. , Zhang Jianzhong
Published: June 2018

Chronic infection with
Helicobacter pylori
causes peptic ulcers and stomach cancer in a subset of infected individuals. While standard eradication therapy includes multiple antibiotics, treatment failure due to resistance is an increasing clinical problem.
Intraprocedural predictors of post-stent retriever thrombectomy subarachnoid hemorrhage in middle cerebral artery stroke
Authors: Ng Perry P , Larson Theodore C , Nichols Christopher W , Murray Mark M , Salzman Karen L , Smith Richard H
Published: June 2018

Background

Stent retriever thrombectomy (SRT) in acute thromboembolic stroke can result in post-thrombectomy subarachnoid hemorrhage (PTSAH). Intraprocedural findings associated with PTSAH are not well defined.

Objective

To identify angiographic findings and procedural factors during SRT that are associated with PTSAH.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective, observational cohort study of consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) acute ischemic stroke treated with SRT. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age ≥18 years; (2) thromboembolic occlusion of the MCA; (3) at least one stent retriever pass beginning in an M2 branch; (4) postprocedural CT or MRI scan within 24 hours; (5) non-enhanced CT Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score >5. Exclusion criteria included multi-territory stroke before SRT.

Results

Eighty-five patients were enrolled; eight patients had PTSAH (group 1) and 77 did not (group 2). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups. In group 1, a significantly greater proportion of patients had more than two stent retriever passes (62.5% vs 18.2%, P=0.01), a stent retriever positioned ≥2 cm along an M2 branch (100% vs 30.2%, P=0.002), and the presence of severe iatrogenic vasospasm before SRT pass (37.5% vs 5.2%, P=0.02). One patient with PTSAH and associated mass effect deteriorated clinically.

Conclusions

An increased number of stent retriever passes, distal device positioning, and presence of severe vasospasm were associated with PTSAH. Neurological deterioration with PTSAH can occur.
A Simple Object that Spans the Whole Consensus Hierarchy
Authors: Mostefaoui Achour , Perrin Matthieu , Raynal Michel
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a simple generalization of the basic atomic read/write register object, whose genericity parameter spans the whole set of integers and is such that its k-parameterized instance has exactly consensus number k. This object, whose definition is natural, is a sliding window register of size k. Its interest lies in its simplicity and its genericity dimension which provides a global view capturing the whole consensus hierarchy. Hence, this short article should be seen as a simple pedagogical introduction to Herlihy’s consensus hierarchy. The paper also shows that the consensus number of a ledger object is [Formula: see text].
A new parametrization for dark energy density and future deceleration
Authors: Mamon Abdulla Al
Published: June 2018

In this work, we have proposed a general dark energy density parametrization to study the evolution of the universe. We have also constrained the model parameters using the combination of Type Ia supernova (SNIa), baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) and observational [Formula: see text] datasets. For the [Formula: see text] dataset, we have used the direct observations of the Hubble rate, from the radial BAO size and the cosmic chronometer methods. Our result indicates that the [Formula: see text] dataset does not favor the [Formula: see text]CDM model at more than [Formula: see text] confidence level. Furthermore, we have also measured the percentage deviation in the evolution of the normalized Hubble parameter for the present model compared to a [Formula: see text]CDM model, and the corresponding deviation is found to be 4–5% at low redshifts [Formula: see text]. Finally, we have also investigated whether the deceleration parameter [Formula: see text] may have more than one transition during the evolution of the universe. The present model shows a transient accelerating phase, in which the universe was decelerated in the past and is presently accelerating, but will return to a decelerating phase in the near future. This result is in great contrast to the [Formula: see text]CDM scenario, which predicts that the cosmic acceleration must remain forever.
Identification of effects of YOYO-1 intercalation on the topological states of circular DNA
Authors: Li Xiuyan , Fan Yangtao , Gao Qingqing , Chen Hu , Liu Yanhui
Published: June 2018

YOYO-1 intercalation leads to the reduction of twist rigidity, unwinding of DNA, elongation of DNA contour length and YOYO-1 concentration-dependent persistence length, until now few works identified their roles in determining the topological states of circular DNA. Based on the convolution of the writhe distribution of circular DNA obtained by using Monte Carlo simulation and the twist distribution, effects of YOYO-1 intercalation on the linking number distribution of circular DNA are predicted and identified. YOYO-1 intercalation leads to larger fluctuation, but not to the obvious enlargement of the writhe distribution, so that the variance of the linking number distribution mainly depends on the variance of the twist distribution. The unwinding angle contributes to the drifting of the linking number distribution away from the original equilibrium value of zero and has no effects on the variance of the linking number distribution, converse to the roles of the reduced twist rigidity in the linking number distribution. Furthermore, the method used in the work can be generalized to detect the effects of other intercalators on the topological states of circular DNA.
Multi-Helicopter Search and Rescue Route Planning Based on Strategy Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Shao Quan , Xu Chenchen , Zhu Yan
Published: June 2018

This paper attempts to develop an efficient route planning algorithm to guide the operations of the multi-helicopter search and rescue in emergency. Route planning model of multi-helicopter cooperative search and rescue activity was established first, based on preference ordering of search and rescue objectives, as well as behavioral model of rescue helicopter and on-board detector. Given the route planning model, a multi-helicopter search and rescue route planning general algorithm was developed. The operation mechanism of ant colony algorithm was improved by introducing cooperative modes and the pheromone updating mechanism into existing methods. Furthermore, two cooperative search and rescue modes were studied: one is Overall Cooperative Search and Rescue Mode (OCSARM), in which many ants search and rescue the same region all together; the other is Blocking Cooperative Search and Rescue Mode (BCSARM), which partitions the region into small blocks and appoints helicopter with corresponding performance capabilities. Simulated experiments were developed to test the operability of proposed multi-helicopter search and rescue route planning algorithm. The comparison with existing algorithm shows that the algorithm proposed in this paper reduces computational complexity and evidently enhances algorithm efficiency. Results also indicate that this algorithm not only has the capability of comparing efficiency of two search and rescue modes in different mission requirements but also helps select search and rescue modes before rescue operation.
An Automated Security Approach of Video Steganography–Based LSB Using FPGA Implementation
Authors: Abed Sa’ed , Al-Mutairi Mohammed , Al-Watyan Abdullah , Al-Mutairi Omar , AlEnizy Wesam , Al-Noori Aisha
Published: June 2018

Steganography has become one of the most significant techniques to conceal secret data in media files. This paper proposes a novel automated methodology of achieving two levels of security for videos, which comprise encryption and steganography techniques. The methodology enhances the security level of secret data without affecting the accuracy and capacity of the videos. In the first level, the secret data is encrypted based on Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm using Java language, which renders the data unreadable. In the second level, the encrypted data is concealed in the video frames (images) using FPGA hardware implementation that renders the data invisible. The steganographic technique used in this work is the least significant bit (LSB) method; a 1–1–0 LSB scheme is used to maintain significantly high frame imperceptibility. The video frames used as cover files are selected randomly by the randomization scheme developed in this work. The randomization method scatters the data throughout the video frames rendering the retrieval of the data in its original order, without a proper key, a challenging task. The experimental results of concealment of secret data in video frames are presented in this paper and compared with those of similar approaches. The performance in terms of area, power dissipation, and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the proposed method outperformed traditional approaches. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed method is capable of automatically embedding and extracting the secret data at two levels of security on video frames, with a 57.1[Formula: see text]dB average PSNR.
Modeling and Analysis of the Nonideality of LO Pulse Overlap for Multi-Phase Passive Mixer First RF Frontend
Authors: Du Yongqian , Hu Wei , Li Guifang , Liu Shibin
Published: June 2018

Multi-phase passive mixer (PM) first RF frontend has regained great concern for its satisfactory noise performance comparable to LNA-first frontend. Moreover, the re-configurable impedance, bi-directional signal transparency and bi-directional impedance translation performance enable a splendid application future for the multi-phase PM-first RF frontend. However, it still suffers from quite a few nonidealities, among which the adjacent Local Oscillator (LO) pulse overlap is the remaining nonideality lacking deep research, and how the LO pulse overlap decays the impedance matching and noise performance of multi-phase PM-first RF frontend remains unclear. In this work, an accurate model is, for the first time, established and analyzed to reveal how the LO pulse overlap decays the impedance matching and noise performance of multi-phase PM-first RF frontend. The analytical and simulation results demonstrate that the impedance matching will be drastically deteriorated because of LO overlap, and when LO pulse overlap exceeds 2% the impedance matching will be collapsed, while the noise figure (NF) is deteriorated by 3.1 dB when LO overlap ranges from 0% to 2%. Moreover, even a chocking inductor technique and a technique by introducing a synchronous phase-shifted signal have been proposed to suppress the LO overlap, the gain and noise performance can be deteriorated or the power and chip area cost are big. To address this question, a LO pulse overlap suppression technique is proposed furthermore by introducing an overlap safeguard factor (OLSF) in this work. The additional impedance smaller than 2[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] in the main signal path makes the OLSF scheme beneficial for noise and gain improvement, and the proposed OLSF scheme is power, area (0.04[Formula: see text]mm[Formula: see text] and cost efficient compared with existing LO overlap suppression techniques.
Switched State Controlled-CNN: An Alternative Approach in Generating Complex Systems with Multivariable Nonlinearities Using CNN
Authors: Günay Enis , Altun Kenan
Published: June 2018

It has been already shown in the literature that extended State Controlled-Cellular Neural Network (SC-CNN) could be used to approximate the behavior of complex dynamics with multivariable nonlinearities by modifying the nonlinearity. In this study, a different approach to imitating the multivariable nonlinearities in complex dynamical systems by switching the states of SC-CNN is given. For this purpose, first of all, Rössler type system dynamics are generated by switching the states of Cellular Neural Networks (CNNs). In the second study, Sprott-94-f type system is presented. All systems are numerically and experimentally investigated in order to verify the convenience of the standpoint.
The role of the elemental nature of A = 3 nuclei in neutron-rich nuclei
Authors: Usmani Anisul Ain , Abbas Syed Afsar , Rahaman Usuf , Ikram Mohammad , Bhat Farooq Hussain
Published: June 2018

The idea of treating the trinucleon systems as elementary entities in the elementary particle model (EPM) as an Effective Field Theory has been a success in explaining the weak charge-changing processes in nuclei. The EPM results are found to be as good as those obtained from nuclear microscopic models using two-and three-body forces. We extend this concept to investigate the validity of the elemental nature of [Formula: see text] nuclei through studies of nuclear structure of neutron-rich nuclei. By treating neutron-rich nuclei as primarily made up of tritons as its building blocks, we extract one- and two-triton separation energies of these nuclei. Calculations have been performed here within relativistic mean field (RMF) models with latest interactions. Clear evidence arises of a new shell structure with well-defined predictions of new magic nuclei. These unique predictions have been consolidated by standard one- and two-neutron separation energy calculations. The binding energy per nucleon plots of these nuclei also confirm these predictions. We make unambiguous prediction of six magic nuclei: [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
PLASMA-ETCHING AND MODIFICATION OF POLYETHYLENE FOR IMPROVED SURFACE STRUCTURE, WETTABILITY AND OPTICAL BEHAVIOR
Authors: HASSAN A. , ABD EL AAL S. A. , SHEHATA M. M. , EL-SAFTAWY A. A.
Published: June 2018

In the present paper, the surface modification of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) polymer is done by plasma-etching to tune its surface structure, wettability and optical behavior to make it useful for technical applications. For this purpose, two gasses (N[Formula: see text] and (O[Formula: see text] are used as the discharge precursors in a home-built plasma reactor. The plasma-treated LDPE surface etch-rate (control other surface properties) is high at the beginning and slows down as the treatment time increases due to surface restructuring. The etched surfaces are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which indicate greater surface changes due to O2plasma compared to that of N2. Also, the surface hardness is slightly low at the first treatment time and increases rapidly at higher exposure durations. Besides, the friction coefficient is significantly changed by plasma treatment, suggesting the formation of cohesive surface skin. The obtained X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show that the plasma-treated LDPE samples suffer disordering and structural changes which increase with raising the treatment duration. Surface restructuring is attributed to the combined effects of active species (from plasma) bombardments and surface oxidation. Also, the surface chemistry changes are evaluated using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy which reveals chain scission after N2plasma treatment. Whereas, the O2plasma-treated samples suffer surface oxidation and formation of polar groups which offer some surface oxidation coatings. Furthermore, the surface wettability has been determined by the sessile drop method and shows enhancement upon plasma treatment due to the combined influence of surface chemistry and morphology. Also, the surface free energy (SFE) and adhesion are found to increase with the plasma exposure time due to surface activation. The optical behavior of LDPE is studied using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometer which indicates that the optical bandgap performance depends on the amorphous or crystalline nature of the polymer. Also, the conjugated carbon atoms were examined and correlated to the reduced bandgap. In conclusion, the studied home-built glow discharge plasma reactor could be utilized efficiently to tune polymer surface properties to be used in high technology applications.
Decision Support Tool Selection for Eco-Design Integration into the Simultaneous Design of Product and its Supply Chain
Authors: Ballouki Imane , Douimi Mohammed , Ouzizi Latifa
Published: June 2018

In the simultaneous design of product and its supply chain (SDPSC), the main criteria that is usually used to choose a product design is product cost since it is assumed that up to 70% of product cost is determined during the design phase. However, some researches recognise that product design decisions also affect the environmental impact of the product throughout its supply chain. Consequently, merging eco-design tools with the joint DPSC can develop a better understanding of the product and its environmental interactions to achieve green product development.

In this paper, we present a literature review dealing with environmental principles’ integration into the SDPSC, then we investigate tools for green product design selection using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). We compare suitability of three selected MCDM methods, namely Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), and Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT). Two case studies were selected from literature, and a sensitivity analysis is applied for each selected method. Results suggest that although all methods are convenient and can be used in practice, TOPSIS method was more stable towards weighting changes.
Quadruple-band metamaterial absorber based on the cuboid dielectric particles
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Feng Mingde , Wang Jun , Li Zhiqiang , Wang Jiafu , Ma Hua , Qu Shaobo
Published: June 2018

In this work, a quadruple-band dielectric metamaterial absorber (MMA) was proposed and studied, which is composed of eight cuboid dielectric particles and a metallic ground plate. When electromagnetic wave is incident on the dielectric particles, dielectric particles act as resonators and produce abundant resonant modes, which can result in perfect absorption. In simulation, four absorption peaks are observed at 9.13, 9.62, 10.0 and 10.46[Formula: see text]GHz with 88%, 89%, 100% and 96%, respectively. By adjusting geometry parameters of the dielectric particles, dielectric MMAs with different bands can be obtained. Further investigation shows that the absorption peaks can be changed by increasing the permittivity of the dielectric. Based on the designing technique of using simple cuboid dielectric particles directly acting as resonator, this work provides a simple method to construct multiband all-dielectric MMA.
Consensus Tracking in Multi-Node Systems Using Iterative Learning Control Based on Delay Exponential Matrix
Authors: Luo Zijian , Xiong Wenjun , Yu Xinghuo
Published: June 2018

By using the representation of solutions of delay differential equation involving delayed exponential matrix, we study finite-time consensus convergence of iterative learning control for multi-node systems with time-delays in repeatable operating environments with a fixed and directed communication topology and delay. Sufficient conditions for both iteration-invariant and iteration-varying consensus tracking trajectories are given to guarantee the convergence of consensus tracking error in the sense of [Formula: see text]-norm. Finally, numerical examples are given to verify the theoretical results.
A Human-in-the-Loop System for Sound Event Detection and Annotation
Authors: Kim Bongjun , Pardo Bryan
Published: June 2018

Labeling of audio events is essential for many tasks. However, finding sound events and labeling them within a long audio file is tedious and time-consuming. In cases where there is very little labeled data (e.g., a single labeled example), it is often not feasible to train an automatic labeler because many techniques (e.g., deep learning) require a large number of human-labeled training examples. Also, fully automated labeling may not show sufficient agreement with human labeling for many uses. To solve this issue, we present a human-in-the-loop sound labeling system that helps a user quickly label target sound events in a long audio. It lets a user reduce the time required to label a long audio file (e.g., 20 hours) containing target sounds that are sparsely distributed throughout the recording (10% or less of the audio contains the target) when there are too few labeled examples (e.g., one) to train a state-of-the-art machine audio labeling system. To evaluate the effectiveness of our tool, we performed a human-subject study. The results show that it helped participants label target sound events twice as fast as labeling them manually. In addition to measuring the overall performance of the proposed system, we also measure interaction overhead and machine accuracy, which are two key factors that determine the overall performance. The analysis shows that an ideal interface that does not have interaction overhead at all could speed labeling by as much as a factor of four.
Application of Immediate Dentoalveolar Restoration in Alveolus Compromised with Loss of Immediate Implant in Esthetic Area
Authors: Franceschi Rafael de Lima , Drechsel Luciano , Schuldt Filho Guenther
Published: June 2018

In the reported clinical case, the immediate dentoalveolar restoration (IDR) technique was applied to reconstruct the buccal bone wall, with autogenous graft of the maxillary tuberosity, which had been lost due to a root fracture, and to provide the necessary bone substrate for the installation of an implant and its provisioning. One of the greatest risks inherent in the survival of immediate implants is the maintenance of their stability during the healing period. In this case, due to a mechanical trauma in sports activity in the first postoperative month, there was a total failure in the osseointegration process, confirmed by tomographic examination of both the implant and the bone graft. The deleterious effects of this accident were compensated with a new approach and reapplication of IDR technique using a smaller-diameter implant and with conical macrogeometry in conjunction with the new bone reconstruction under the same compromised alveolus; associated, after the period of osseointegration, with the maneuvers of volume increase of the gingival tissue by subepithelial connective tissue graft. The tomographic result demonstrated the success of the surgical procedures, and the clinical/photographic analysis obtained showed the stability of the gingival margin without compromising the esthetic result of the prosthetic restoration.
Surgical Management of Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours: Comparison of Outcomes for Local and Radical Resection
Authors: Madhavan Anantha , Phillips Alexander W. , Donohoe Claire L. , Willows Rebecca J. , Immanuel Arul , Verril Mark , Griffin S. Michael
Published: June 2018

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) most commonly originate from the stomach. Their treatment is dependent on size and whether they are symptomatic. Curative treatment requires surgery, which may be preceded by neoadjuvant imatinib if it is felt that this will aid in achieving clear (R0) resection margins. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes from patients that underwent a “local” organ-preserving operation, with those that required a more radical resection, and the influences on selecting a more radical resection. A retrospective review of patients undergoing surgery for symptomatic gastric GISTs from a single institution over 9 years was carried out. Patients were divided into three cohorts dependent on whether they had a “local” resection, “anatomical” resection, or “extended” resection. 71 patients were included. Overall, 5-year survival was 92%. Operating time, blood loss, and length of stay were significantly lower in the group undergoing local resection (p<0.05). Tumour size was also smaller in the local group (median 4 cm versus 5 cm p<0.05). Tumour location also influenced the type of surgery performed, with tumours at the cardia, gastroesophageal junction, and antrum all having “anatomical” resections. Lymphadenectomy did not appear to impact on outcomes. These findings indicate that local excision, where possible, does not impair oncological outcomes.
Nonlinear Biomechanical Characteristics of the Schneiderian Membrane: Experimental Study and Numerical Modeling
Authors: Zhai Min , Cheng Haode , Yuan Jing , Wang Xin , Li Bing , Li Dehua
Published: June 2018

Objective. The aim of this study is to quantify the nonlinear mechanical behavior of the Schneiderian membrane. Methods. Thirty cadaveric maxillary sinus membrane specimens were divided into the elongation testing group and the perforation testing group. Mechanical experimental measurements were taken via ex vivo experiments. Theoretical curves were compared with experimental findings to assess the effectiveness of the nonlinear mechanical properties. The FE model with nonlinear mechanical properties was used to simulate the detachment of the Schneiderian membrane under loading. Results. The mean thickness of the membrane samples was 1.005 mm. The mean tensile strength obtained by testing was 6.81 N/mm2. In membrane perforation testing, the mean tensile strength and the linear elastic modulus were significantly higher than those in membrane elongation testing (P < 0.05). The mean adhesion force between the Schneiderian membrane and the bone was 0.052 N/mm. By FE modeling, the squared correlation coefficients of theoretical stress-strain curves for the nonlinear and linear models were 0.99065 and 0.94656 compared with the experimental data. Conclusions. The biomechanical properties of the Schneiderian membrane were implemented into the FE model, which was applied to simulate the mechanical responses of the Schneiderian membrane in sinus floor elevation.
Asthma and Asthma Medication Are Common among Recreational Athletes Participating in Endurance Sport Competitions
Authors: Näsman Amanda , Irewall Tommie , Hållmarker Ulf , Lindberg Anne , Stenfors Nikolai
Published: June 2018

Background. Asthma prevalence is high among elite endurance athletes, but little is known about its prevalence among competitive recreational athletes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported asthma and asthma medication use among competitive recreational endurance athletes and their association with training. Methods. A web survey on asthma and medication was conducted among 38,603 adult participants of three Swedish endurance competitions (cross-country running, cross-country skiing, and swimming). Results. The overall response rate was 29%. The prevalence of self-reported asthma (physician-diagnosed asthma and use of asthma medication in the last 12 months) was 12%. Among those reporting asthma, 23% used inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists daily. We found no association between training volume and daily use of asthma medication, except a trend in relation to short-acting beta-agonists. Independent predictors of self-reported asthma were female sex, allergic rhinitis, previous eczema, family history of asthma, cycling, and training for >5 h 50 min/week. Conclusions. The prevalence of self-reported asthma among Swedish competitive recreational endurance athletes appears to be higher than that in the general Swedish population. A large proportion of recreational athletes were reported with asthma use medications, indicating an association between high physical activity and self-reported asthma among competitive recreational athletes.
Primary CNS Lymphomas: Challenges in Diagnosis and Monitoring
Authors: Chiavazza C. , Pellerino A. , Ferrio F. , Cistaro A. , Soffietti R. , Rudà R.
Published: June 2018

Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare neoplasm that can involve brain, eye, leptomeninges, and rarely spinal cord. PCNSL lesions most typically enhance homogeneously on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and appear T2-hypointense, but high variability in MRI features is commonly encountered. Neurological symptoms and MRI findings may mimic high grade gliomas (HGGs), tumefactive demyelinating lesions (TDLs), or infectious and granulomatous diseases. Advanced MRI techniques (MR diffusion, spectroscopy, and perfusion) and metabolic imaging, such as Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) or amino acid PET (usually employing methionine), may be useful in distinguishing these different entities and monitoring the disease course. Moreover, emerging data suggest a role for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers in predicting prognosis and response to treatments. In this review, we will address the challenges in PCNSL diagnosis, assessment of response to treatments, and evaluation of potential neurotoxicity related to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
FatalAcinetobacter baumaniiNecrotizing Fasciitis following Open Reduction Internal Fixation in a Polytrauma Patient
Authors: Nehme Alexandre , Joukhadar Nabih I. , Saidy Elias , Darwiche Mohammad , Aouad Dany K. , Abdel Nour Hicham G.
Published: June 2018

Necrotizing fasciitis is an uncommon and potentially fatal infection that can affect the epidermis, dermis, and more commonly the subcutaneous, fascia, and muscle layers. NF is usually caused by toxin-producing bacteria with a relatively fast progression associated with severe surrounding tissue destruction. Early diagnosis and management are crucial factors for survival. Broad-spectrum antibiotics along with surgical debridement, sometimes multiple, are needed in order to stop or slow down the progression of NF. Despite optimal care, necrotizing fasciitis remains a highly morbid condition with a high mortality rate. We present a case of a 28-year-old male patient with rapidly developing fatalA. baumanniiassociated with necrotizing fasciitis, after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of multiple fractures after polytrauma.
Limited Exchange Transfusion Can Be Very Beneficial in Sickle Cell Anemia with Acute Chest Syndrome: A Case Report from Tanzania
Authors: Chamba Clara , Iddy Hamisa , Tebuka Erius , Tluway Furahini , Osati Elisha , Budodi Neema , Meda Collins , Yonazi Mbonea , Schuh Anna , Luzzatto Lucio , Makani Julie
Published: June 2018

Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) with blood transfusion an integral part in its management. Red cell exchange (RCE) transfusion is usually regarded as preferable to top-up transfusion, because it reduces the proportion of Hemoglobin (Hb) S while at the same time avoiding circulatory overload. Despite its obvious benefits, RCE is underutilized, particularly in low-resource settings which may be due to scarcity of blood products and of expertise in carrying out exchange transfusion. We report on a young woman with SCD with severe ACS who responded promptly and dramatically to a RCE of only 0.95 L (instead of the recommended 1.4 L) and had in the end an HbS level of 48% (instead of the recommended level below 30%). Limited RCE resulted in significant clinical improvement. We suggest that limited RCE may be of benefit than no RCE in SCD patients with ACS, particularly in settings where RCE is not available.
Integrable and Superintegrable Systems with Higher Order Integrals of Motion: Master Function Formalism
Authors: Alizadeh Z. , Panahi H.
Published: June 2018

We construct two-dimensional integrable and superintegrable systems in terms of the master function formalism and relate them to Mielnik’s and Marquette’s construction in supersymmetric quantum mechanics. For two different cases of the master functions, we obtain two different two-dimensional superintegrable systems with higher order integrals of motion.
Deformation Forecast of Main Girder Enhanced by Stay Cable System with Unequal Interval Grey Model and Residual Composite Correction
Authors: Xu Gangnian , Wang Youzhi , Wang Shimin , Yuan Quan
Published: June 2018

This paper aims to achieve the accurate prediction of box girder deformation in SCS-enhanced PSC continuous box girder bridges. To this end, the authors proposed a box girder deformation prediction model based on unequal interval grey model (UIGM) and residual composite correction (RCC). Firstly, the tension forces of cables and the deformation data of box girder were regarded as the time sequence and the original unequal interval sequence, respectively, and the UIGM was constructed to predict the box girder deformation. Secondly, the sine function was constructed on the average features of the residual sequence waveform, and the periodic sequence function was generated by harmonic transform. The two functions were employed to extract the implicit periodic information and overcome the limitation of the UIGM (i.e., the UIGM only generates the change rate of a single index). Finally, the Markov chain method was adopted to treat the random fluctuations and further enhance the prediction accuracy and adaptability of the model. Then, the proposed UIGM-RCC was applied to predict the box girder deformation of Dongming Huanghe River Highway Bridge and forecast the settlement of a building mentioned in previous research. The results show that the proposed model can reflect the exact periodicity and random fluctuations of box girder deformation in SCS-enhanced PSC continuous box girder bridges. The research findings provide a meaningful reference for improving deformation prediction accuracy in SCS-enhanced structures.
Rhabdomyolysis: An Unusual Presentation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection in an Adult—A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kaler Jaspreet , Mukhtar Osama , Khan Bilal , Shrestha Binav , Kaler Ravinder , Ting Brandon , Khalid Mazin
Published: June 2018

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, and many extrapulmonary manifestations have been described, but rhabdomyolysis is infrequently reported in adults. Of the few cases that have been reported in adults, it was almost exclusively seen when pneumonia was present. We report a case of a 30-year-old male who came in with complaints of fever and myalgia for three days. Immunoglobulin M antibodies for Mycoplasma pneumoniae were positive and trending up, despite having no radiographic evidence of pneumonia on chest X-ray or CT scan. He was treated successfully with levofloxacin and intravenous hydration. Later, his condition was clinically and biochemically improved, and he was discharged. Our patient did not present with typical respiratory tract symptoms of a mycoplasma infection. In addition, there was an absence of pneumonia on imaging, suggesting that rhabdomyolysis secondary to mycoplasma might be underdiagnosed and go untreated in the setting of low clinical suspicion. Upon review of the literature, there is only one other case of mycoplasma infection where rhabdomyolysis occurred in the absence of pneumonia. However, the degree of rhabdomyolysis in our case was much more severe. Although rare, when faced with rhabdomyolysis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae should be kept as a differential diagnosis even in the absence of pneumonia on radiological imaging.
Localized Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Posterior Knee Compartment with Popliteal Vessel Compression: A Case Report of Arthroscopic Resection Using Only Anterior Knee Portals
Authors: Daoud Jack , Aouad Dany , Hassan Youssef , El Rassi Georges
Published: June 2018

Background. Pigmented villonodular synovitis is a rare pathology causing hyperplasia of the synovium. It mostly affects young populations and most commonly the knee joint. It rarely affects the posterior compartment of the knee as the case presented in this study. Open surgery is usually used to treat this condition; however, in our case it was excised arthroscopically despite the anatomical challenges of the posterior knee compartment. Case Presentation. This case presents a female patient with a complaint of posterior-region pain of her left knee post direct trauma post fall. This was directly followed by knee joint blockage for 1-week duration before presentation to the hospital. On MRI, she was found to have a multiloculated hemosiderin-containing structure of synovial origin within the femoral notch, extending beyond the joint capsule displacing the popliteal vessels. The patient underwent arthroscopic resection of the lesion, which was found to be pigmented villonodular synovitis on anatomopathological examination. On 6-month follow-up, the patient showed good clinical evolution with the absence of symptoms and back-to-normal daily activities. Conclusion. This is a rare case of PVNS affecting the posterior knee joint compartment of a middle-aged woman, which was successfully excised arthroscopically, with no residual affected tissue or recurrence on 6-month follow-up.
Design of Three-Dimensional Path Following Guidance Logic
Authors: Park Sungsu
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a three-dimensional path following guidance logic. The proposed guidance logic is composed of the guidance law and the motion strategy of virtual target along the desired path. The guidance law makes a vehicle purse the virtual target, and the motion strategy explicitly specifies the motion of virtual target by introducing the concept of the projection point and the tangentially receding distance. The proposed logic is simple and efficient and yet provides precise path following. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed guidance logic.
Recirculation Flow and Pressure Distributions in a Rayleigh Step Bearing
Authors: Shen Feng , Yan Cheng-Jin , Dai Jian-Feng , Liu Zhao-Miao
Published: June 2018

Flow characteristics in the Rayleigh step slider bearing with infinite width have been studied using both analytical and numerical methods. The conservation equations of mass and momentum were solved utilizing a finite volume approach and the whole flow field was simulated. More detailed information about the flow patterns and pressure distributions neglected by the Reynolds lubrication equation has been obtained, such as jumping phenomenon around a Rayleigh step, vortex structure, and shear stress distribution. The pressure distribution of the Rayleigh step bearing with optimum geometry has been numerically simulated and the results obtained agreed with the analytical solution of the classical Reynolds lubrication equation. The simulation results show that the maximum pressure of the flow field is at the step tip not on the lower surface and the increment of the strain rate from Navier-Stokes equation is approximately 49 percent greater than that from Reynolds theory at the step tip. It is also shown that the position of the maximum pressure of the lower surface is a little less than the length of the first region. These results neglected by the Reynolds lubrication equation are important for designing a bearing.
Plasmapheresis for Spur Cell Anemia in a Patient with Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Miki Kenji , Maruki Takashi , Imashuku Shinsaku
Published: June 2018

Background. Spur cell anemia (SCA) is a cause of hemolytic anemia in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Because dyslipidemia is related to the development of spur cells, SCA was previously treated with plasmapheresis.Case Report. A 52-year-old Japanese man with SCA associated with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (Child–Pugh C) underwent two rounds of plasmapheresis. Clinical features and serum lipid concentrations were compared before and after plasmapheresis. Although indirect hyperbilirubinemia and SCA persisted after plasmapheresis, reticulocyte counts significantly decreased from 22.4% to 4.5%, and Hb levels improved without red cell transfusions. Analysis of lipids showed that total and free cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, phospholipid, and apo-AI concentrations, all of which were reduced before plasmapheresis, had improved after treatment, while LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), and apo-AII concentrations, which were also reduced before plasmapheresis, remained unchanged.Conclusions. Despite plasmapheresis partially ameliorating the degree of hemolysis, the persistence of SCA may have been linked with the lack of improvement in certain types of lipid metabolism.
MALAT1 Promotes Cell Apoptosis and Suppresses Cell Proliferation in Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Sponging MiR-214 to Modulate TRPV4 Expression
Authors: Li Wei , Ning Jin-zhuo , Cheng Fang  , Yu Wei-min , Rao Ting , Ruan Yuan , Yuan Run , Zhang Xiao-bin , Du Yang , Xiao Cheng-cheng
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Accumulating evidences has indicated that aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is tightly associated with the progression of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Previous studies have reported that lncRNA MALAT1 regulates cell apoptosis and proliferation in myocardial and cerebral IRI. However, the underlying mechanism of MALAT1 in testicular IRI has not been elucidated. Methods: The levels of MALAT1, some related proteins and apoptosis in the testicular tissues were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, HE staining, immunohistochemistry, western blot and TUNEL assays. Relative expression of MALAT1, miR-214 and related proteins in cells were measured by western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Cell viability and apoptosis were examined using MTT assay and flow cytometry. Results: In the present study, we found that MALAT1 was up-regulated in animal samples and GC-1 cells. The expression level of MALAT1 was positively related to cell apoptosis and negatively correlated with cell proliferation as testicular IRI progressed. In gain and loss of function assays, we confirmed that MALAT1 promotes cell apoptosis and suppresses cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that MALAT1 negatively regulates expression of miR-214 and promotes TRPV4 expression at the post-transcriptional level. Consequently, we investigated the correlation between MALAT1 and miR-214 and identified miR-214 as a direct target of MALAT1. In addition, we found that TRPV4 acted as a target of miR-214. Over-expression of miR-214 efficiently abrogated the up-regulation of TRPV4 induced by MALAT1, suggesting that MALAT1 positively regulates the expression of TRPV4 by sponging miR-214. Conclusion: In sum, our study indicated that the lncRNA MALAT1 promotes cell apoptosis and suppresses cell proliferation in testicular IRI via miR-214 and TRPV4.
Induction of Pro-Inflammatory Response via Activated Macrophage-Mediated NF-κB and STAT3 Pathways in Gastric Cancer Cells
Authors: Zhou Yujuan , Xia Longzheng , Liu Qiang , Wang Heran , Lin Jingguan , Oyang Linda , Chen Xiaoyan , Luo Xia , Tan Shiming , Tian Yutong , Su Min , Wang Ying , Chen Pan , Wu Yang , Wang Hui , Liao Qianjin
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Chronic inflammation plays an important role in the initiation and progression of gastric cancer (GC). However, the role and relationship of activated macrophages with gastric mucous epithelium cells in initiating and maintaining the inflammatory process during gastric carcinogenesis remains unclear. Methods: The tumour associated macrophages (TAMs) density of gastric cancer was characterized by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between macrophages and gastric epithelium cells was analysed using an in vitro culture system that imitates the inflammatory microenvironment. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). MTT assays, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and luciferase reporter assays were used to detect the effects of cell proliferation, as well as the NF-κB and STAT3 signalling pathways. Results: TAMs infiltrated with a high intensity in GC and were significantly correlated with histology grade (P = 0.012), metastasis (P = 0.001), TNM stage (P = 0.002), and poor prognosis in patients (PFS, P = 0.005; OS, P = 0.028). In addition, IL-6 and IL-8 were elevated in the serum of GC patients and significantly promoted the growth of GC. The exposure of BGC823 gastric cancer cells to a conditioned medium from LPS-treated D-THP-1 cells significantly induced the production of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 (P< 0.01). LPS and LPS-treated D-THP-1-conditioned media promoted gastric cancer cell proliferation and triggered the significant activation of NF-κB and STAT3 with a concomitant degradation of IκBα and an increase in JAK2 phosphorylation (P < 0.05). Moreover, gastric cancer cells markedly expressed cell membrane LPS receptors, such as TLR1, TLR4, TLR6, CD14 and MD2. Conclusions: TAMs are closely associated with the growth of GC and prognosis in GC patients. GC cells may directly sustain and amplify the local pro-inflammatory response upon encountering activated macrophages and LPS via NF-κB and STAT3 signalling pathways, thereby promoting tumour progression.