bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non breathing-related sleep fragmentation and imaging markers in patients with atherosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD): a cross-sectional case-control study
Authors: wang jihui , Chen Xiaodong , Liao Jinchi , Zhou Li , Han Hongying , Tao Jiong , Lu Zhengqi
Published: February 2020

Background : Sleep fragmentation was shown to be positively associated with cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD); however, the underlying mechanisms are not well characterized. In this study, we sought to clarify this issue by investigating the relationship between non breathing-related sleep fragmentation and brain imaging markers in patients with CSVD.
Methods: Eighty-four CSVD patients and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively recruited. All subjects underwent 3.0 T superconducting magnetic resonance imaging and overnight polysomnography. Polysomnography parameters including sleep onset latency (SOL), total sleep time (TST); sleep efficiency (SE), wake after sleep onset (WASO), percentage of each sleep stage (N1, N2, N3 and rapid eye movement [REM]), arousal index (ArI), periodic limb movement in sleep index (PLSMI), and periodic limb movement related arousal index (PLMAI) were compared between CSVD patients and healthy controls. The relationship between arousal index and CSVD markers was explored in the CSVD group.
Results : On polysomnography, CSVD patients showed significantly higher ArI, WASO, PLSMI, and PLMAI, and lower sleep efficiency and N-3 ratio compared to healthy controls ( p < 0.05). On ordinal logistic regression, higher ArI showed a positive association with the severity of periventricular white matter hyperintensity (odds ratio [OR] 1.121, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.138–2.185) and perivascular space (OR 2.108, 95% CI 1.032–4.017) in CSVD patients, after adjusting for potential confounding variables.
Conclusions: These preliminary results indicate that non breathing-related sleep fragmentation is common and related to the pathological markers of CSVD patients. Future prospective research is required to determine the causal relationship between sleep parameters and CSVD pathology.
Phylogeny of teleost connexins reveals highly inconsistent intra- and interspecies use of nomenclature and misassemblies in recent teleost chromosome assemblies
Authors: Mikalsen Svein Ole , Tausen Marni , Kongsstovu Sunnvør í
Published: February 2020

Background: Based on an initial collecting of database sequences from the gap junction protein gene family (also called connexin genes) in a few teleosts, the naming of these sequences appeared variable. The reasons could be (i) that the structure in this family is variable across teleosts, or (ii) unfortunate naming. Rather clear rules for the naming of genes in fish and mammals have been outlined by nomenclature committees, including the naming of orthologous and ohnologous genes. We therefore analyzed the connexin gene family in teleosts in more detail. We covered the range of divergence times in teleosts (eel, Atlantic herring, zebrafish, Atlantic cod, three-spined stickleback, Japanese pufferfish and spotted pufferfish; listed from early divergence to late divergence).
Results: The gene family pattern of connexin genes is similar across the analyzed teleosts. However, (i) several nomenclature systems are used, (ii) specific orthologous groups contain genes that are named differently in different species, (iii) several distinct genes have the same name in a species, and (iv) some genes have incorrect names. The latter includes a human connexin pseudogene, claimed as GJA4P , but which in reality is Cx39.2P (a delta subfamily gene often called GJD2like ). We point out the ohnologous pairs of genes in teleosts, and we suggest a more consistent nomenclature following the outlined rules from the nomenclature committees. We further show that connexin sequences can indicate some errors in two high-quality chromosome assemblies that became available very recently.
Conclusions: Minimal consistency exists in the present practice of naming teleost connexin genes. A consistent and unified nomenclature would be an advantage for future automatic annotations and would make various types of subsequent genetic analyses easier. Additionally, roughly 5% of the connexin sequences point out misassemblies in the new high-quality chromosome assemblies from herring and cod.
The potential relationship between neurobehavioral toxicity and visual dysfunction of BDE-209 on zebrafish larvae: A pilot study
Authors: Zhang Bin , Xu Ting , Yin Daqiang , Wei Sheng
Published: February 2020

Background: Although listed in the Stockholm Convention, commercial Decabromodiphenyl ether (c-DecaBDE) is still being produced in many factories and used as a kind of flame retardants primarily in plastic polymers and textiles. Widespread use offered many exposure ways of its major ingredient, BDE-209, to humans and the environment. Most current studies of BDE-209 focused on the health effects and toxicity of thyroid disruption, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and reproductive function, but seldom spread light on the relationship between neurobehavioral toxicity and visual dysfunction. Using zebrafish larvae model, we hope to uncover the potential relationship between the neurobehavioral and visual effects after exposure to BDE-209.
Results: BDE-209 exposure could not induce the changes of locomotion and path angle in 5 days post fertilization (dpf) larvae, however, 5 μg/L BDE-209 exposure caused locomotor hyperactivity and more responsive turns at 7 dpf. The social activity of 50 μg/L exposure group was significantly higher than the control group at 6 dpf. Besides, 5 and 50 μg/L exposure caused the upregulation and downregulation of four cone opsin genes, respectively. The expression of rhodopsin gene was not influenced by both concentration exposures.
Conclusion: The neurobehavioral effects induced by 5 μg/L BDE-209 exposure were consistent with the upregulation of four cone opsins in 7 dpf larvae. The low concentration of BDE-209 exposure caused the hyperactivity and more responsive turns of larvae possibly contributing to the disruption on the cone opsin expressions of larvae. Our results would provide the mechanism cue of neurobehavioral toxicity after BDE-209 exposure and call for more attention on the ecotoxicology studies of BDE-209.
Characterization of Cystoisospora suis sexual stages in vitro
Authors: Feix Anna Sophia , Cruz-Bustos Teresa , Ruttkowski Bärbel , Joachim Anja
Published: February 2020

Background: The porcine coccidium Cystoisospora suis is characterized by a complex life cycle during which asexual multiplication is followed by sexual development with two morphologically distinct cell types, the micro- and macrogametes. Genes related to the sexual stages and cell cycle progression were previously identified in related Apicomplexa. Here, the sexual stages of C. suis were characterized in vitro morphologically and for temporal expression changes of the mentioned genes to gain insight into this poorly known phase of coccidian development. Methods: Sexual stages of C. suis (micro- and macrogametes) developing in vitro in porcine intestinal epithelial cells were examined by light and electron microscopy. The transcriptional levels of genes related to merozoite multiplication and sexual development were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR at different time points of cultivation. Dynein light chain type 1 and male gamete fusion factor HAP2 expression is presumably restricted to microgametes. Tyrosin-rich proteins are a part of the wall-forming bodies and oocyst wall proteins. The RAD51/Dmc1 protein plays a role during the cell division process, and Nima-related protein kinases regulate the cell cycle and are associated with male or female Plasmodium gametocytes. Transcription levels were compared for parasites in culture supernatants at 6–9 doc (day of cultivation) and intracellular parasites at 6–15 doc. Results: Sexual stage of C. suis could be found during 8–11 doc in vitro. Microgamonts (16.8±0.9 µm) and macrogamonts (16.6±1.1 µm) are very similar in shape and size. Microgametes had a round body (3.5±0.5 µm) and two flagella (11.2±0.5 µm). Macrogametes were spherical with a diameter of 12.1±0.5 µm. Merozoite gene transcription peaked on 10 doc and then declined. Genes related to the sexual stages and cell cycle showed an upregulation with a peak on 13 doc, after which they declined. Conclusions: The present work linked gene expression changes to the detailed morphological description of C. suis sexual development in vitro, including fertilization, meiosis and oocyst formation in this unique model for coccidian parasites. Following this process at the cellular and molecular level will elucidate details on potential bottlenecks of development of C. suis (applicable for coccidian parasites in general) which could be exploited as novel target for control.
Inapropriate Use of Antibiotics Effective Against Gram Positive Microorganism in Under Restrictive Antibiotic Policies in ICU; A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Özger Hasan Selçuk , Fakıoğlu Dolunay Merve , Erbay Kübra , ALBAYRAK ASLINUR , Hızel Kenan
Published: February 2020

Background Gram-positive spectrum antibiotics such as vancomycin, teicoplanin, daptomycin ,and linezolid are frequently used in empirical treatment combinations in critically ill patients Although they are included in the national antibiotic restriction program, thought to be inappropriate, unnecessary and suboptimal use is high due to their widespread use. In our study, in addition to their widespread use, gram-positive spectrum antibiotics were evaluated due to their use in more limited and clear clinical indications. This study aims to determine the frequency of inappropriate uses of gram-positive spectrum antibiotics and risk factors for inappropriate use according to different quality parameters. Methods This clinical study was conducted prospectively between 01.10.2018 and 01.10.2019 in the medical and surgical ICUs of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Hospital with a total bed capacity of 55. Patients older than 18 years of age onset of gram-positive spectrum antibiotics (vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid ,and daptomycin) were included. Patients under the age of eighteen or immunosuppressed (neutropenic, HIV-infected patients with hematologic or solid organ malignancies) were not included in the study. The demographic and clinical features of the patients were recorded. The treatment was also evaluated and recorded by 2 infectious diseases specialists and 2 clinical pharmacists except for the clinical staff at 24-hour intervals from the first day to the last day of treatment. SPSS software for Windows, version 17 (IBM, Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data. Categorical variables are presented as number and percentage, and non-categorical variables are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Results In the use of antibiotics, the incidence of non-compliance with at least one of the determined quality parameters was 83%. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for inappropriate antibiotic use, and creatine values ​​were found to increase the risk of inappropriate antibiotic use. Conclusions In spite of the restricted antibiotic program, inappropriate antibiotic use in ICUs is quite common. In particular, it is necessary to establish local guidelines in collaboration with different disciplines for the determination and follow-up of de-escalation and optimal treatment doses
Bacterial Typing and Identification Based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Yang Huayan , Wu Fangling , Xu Fuxin , Tang Keqi , Ding Chuanfan , Shi Haimei , Yu Shaoning
Published: February 2020

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a label-free and highly sensitive technique that provides complete information on the chemical composition of biological samples. The bacterial FT-IR signals are extremely specific and highly reproducible fingerprint-like patterns, making FT-IR an efficient tool for bacterial typing and identification. Due to the low cost and high flux, FT-IR has been widely used in hospital hygiene management for infection control, epidemiological studies, and routine bacterial determination of clinical laboratory values. However, the typing and identification accuracy could be affected by many factors, and the bacterial FT-IR data from different laboratories are usually not comparable. A standard protocol is required to improve the accuracy of FT-IR-based typing and identification. Here, we detail the principles and procedures of bacterial typing and identification based on FT-IR spectroscopy, including bacterial culture, sample preparation, instrument operation, spectra collection, spectra preprocessing, and mathematical data analysis. Without bacterial culture, a typical experiment generally takes <2 h.
ERK3 is transcriptionally upregulated by ∆Np63α and mediates the role of ∆Np63α in suppressing cell migration in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers
Authors: Alshammari Eid S. , Aljagthmi Amjad A. , Stacy Andrew J. , Bottomley Mike , Shamma H. Nicholas , Kadakia Madhavi , Long Weiwen
Published: February 2020

Background: p63, a member of the p53 gene family, is an important regulator for epithelial tissue growth and development. ∆Np63α is the main isoform of p63 and highly expressed in Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) whose biochemical features and cellular regulation are distinct from those of conventional MAPKs such as ERK1/2. While ERK3 has been shown to be upregulated in lung cancers and head and neck cancers, in which it promotes cancer cell migration and invasion, little is known about the implication of ERK3 in NMSCs. Methods: Fluorescent immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression levels of DNp63a and ERK3 in normal and NMSC specimens. Dunnett’s test was performed to compare mean fluorescence intensity (MFI, indicator of expression levels) of p63 or ERK3 between normal cutaneous samples and NMSC samples (i.e., Actinic Keratosis (AK), a precursor to invasive squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC)). A mixed effects (ANOVA) test was used to determine the correlation between DNp63a and ERK3 expression levels (MFI). The regulation of ERK3 by DNp63a was studied by qRT-PCR, Western blot and luciferase assay. The effect of ERK3 regulation by DNp63a on cell migration was measured by performing trans-well migration assay. Results: The expression levels of both ∆Np63α and ERK3 proteins are upregulated in NMSCs compared to normal tissues. There is a strong positive correlation between ∆Np63α and ERK3 expression in normal skin and patients with AK, SCC and BCC. Further, we found that ∆Np63α positively regulates ERK3 transcript and protein levels in A431 and HaCaT skin cells, underlying the upregulation of ERK3 expression and its positive correlation with ∆Np63α in NMSCs. Moreover, similar to the effect of ∆Np63α depletion, silencing ERK3 greatly enhanced A431 cell migration. Restoration of ERK3 expression under the condition of silencing ∆Np63α counteracted the increase in cell migration induced by the depletion of ∆Np63α. Conclusions: ERK3 is positively regulated by ∆Np63α and mediates the role of ∆Np63α in suppressing cell migration in NMSC.
Lipid profile and left ventricular geometry pattern in obese children
Authors: Bjelakovic Bojko , Stefanutti Claudia , Vukovic Vladimir , Kavaric Nebojsa , Saranac Ljiljana , Lukic Stevo , Klisic Aleksandra , Stankovic Sanja , Jovic Maja , Prijic Sergej , Bjelakovic Marko , Banach Maciej
Published: February 2020

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Previous studies reported conflicting results concerning the relationship between serum lipid levels and left ventricular geometry pattern. We sought to explore the relationship between standard serum lipid profile measures with left ventricular geometry pattern in obese children. Patients and methods : In this cross-sectional study, a total of 70 obese children were examined. Fasting blood samples were taken to measure total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), glucose, and insulin. Based on these values TG / HDL ratio, BMI and HOMA index were calculated. We also measured the average 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) and two-dimensional (2/D) transthoracic echocardiography was performed to determine left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT). Multiple regression analyses with stepwise selection were conducted to explore relationships between study variables and the LVMI or RWT as outcome variables. The final model with LVMI included TG/HDL ratio, BMI, 24h-average SBP, age and sex, while for the RWT we included BMI, insulin, age and sex. Results : Our study included 70 children (65.71% boys and 34.29% girls) with median age (14 years, IQR=12-16)." We demonstrated independent and positive association of TG/HDL ratio, BMI and 24h-average SBP with LVMI (effect=3.65, SE=1.32, p<0.01; effect=34.90, SE=6.84, p<0.01; effect=0.32, SE=0.12, p<0.01, respectively). On the other hand, in model with RWT as outcome variable, only BMI and insulin were significantly linked (BMI: effect=13.07, SE=5.02, p=0.01 Insulin: effect=2.80, SE=0.97). Conclusion: Increased TG/HDL ratio in obese children is associated with the development of eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy while increased BMI and insulin were associated with concentric left ventricular hypertophy.
The effect of active occupational stress management on psychosocial and physiological wellbeing
Authors: Jukic Tomislav , Ihan Alojz , Stubljar David
Published: February 2020

Background: The aim of the study was to address the working population with an occupational stress prevention program using mHealth solution and encourage healthy lifestyle choices.Methods: 16 participants were randomized from the corporate setting. A 24alife app with a good compliance program was selected. Test battery has been designed to test the physical readiness, psychological state of stress and to assess biological blood markers for stress. Participants were followed up after 30, 60 and 90 days, respectively, within the intervention period. Blood pressure and weight were tracked 3 times per month. At least once a week, but on average 6 times per month, participants also led the food diary. Univariate analysis compared the continuous variables by Student's t-test for the data that were normally distributed, or Wilcoxon rank sum test for abnormal distribution of variables.Results: Participants used the app with a compliance rate of 100%. The psychological evaluation revealed higher motivation for work, lower burnout scores and participants gave subjective responses of better general wellbeing. Some of the participants lost up to 4 kg of body mass. Physical readiness has significantly improved.Conclusions: Results of mHealth projects on corporate could include primary health care institutions and health ministry to extend the existing system to patients’ pockets where they can monitor their disease and increase the ability of self-care.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) findings in Serpiginous Choroiditis
Authors: Macedo Sergio , Pohlmann Dominika , Lenglinger Matthias , Pleyer Uwe , Joussen Antonia M. , Winterhalter Sibylle
Published: February 2020

Background. To describe changes in the retina/choroid in patients with Serpiginous Choroiditis (SC) by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) in a multimodal imaging approach. Methods. Prospective, monocentric study of 24 eyes of 12 consenting patients diagnosed with SC, who underwent OCTA, which was analyzed and compared to other methods such as enhanced depth imaging-OCT, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and fundus autofluorescence. Results. The study group consisted of 9 patients with peripapillary SC, 1 macular SC, and 2 atypical cases. All eyes presented an inactive SC confirmed by standard imaging. OCTA demonstrated the lesions tridimensionally in great detail. There was no difference in the angioarchitecture among the 3 forms of SC. A loss of the choriocapillaris/retinal pigment epithelium left a “window-defect”, where the vessels of larger caliber of the choroid became recognizable and their appearance inverted (“white-on-black”). A relationship between the presence of segmentation errors (SE) in the slabs and low visual acuity was established with a one-way ANOVA. Conclusions. OCTA was able to non-invasively assess vascular lesions of the choroid/retina in patients with SC with a high degree of correlation to other diagnostic modalities. Consequent long-term assessments could lead to a better understanding of disease progression.
Disparities of indoor temperature in winter: a cross-sectional analysis of the nationwide Smart Wellness Housing survey in Japan
Authors: Umishio Wataru , Ikaga Toshiharu , Fujino Yoshihisa , Ando Shintaro , Kubo Tatsuhiko , Nakajima Yukie , Hoshi Tanji , Suzuki Masaru , Kario Kazuomi , Yoshimura Takesumi , Yoshino Hiroshi , Murakami Shuzo
Published: February 2020

Background In modern society, humans spend 60–70% of their time at home, housing environment is of great importance to health. In support of the importance, WHO issued Housing and Health Guidelines in 2018. The guidelines show that cold indoor temperatures have adverse health consequences, and suggest a recommended indoor temperature of 18°C. However, it is unclear who lives in cold homes in real-world settings. We aimed to examine “what are the common characteristics of residents who live in low-indoor-temperature environments.” Methods We conducted a nationwide survey on indoor temperature who intended to conduct insulation retrofitting in Japan. Indoor temperature was measured in the living room, bedroom, and changing room for 2 weeks in winter seasons (November−March) of 2014 to 2019. The relationship between characteristics of residents and living room temperature was analyzed using a multilevel model. Results Cross-sectional analyses involving 2,190 households showed that the average temperature in the living room, bedroom and changing room was 16.8°C, 12.8°C and 13.0°C, respectively. Living room temperature was highest (19.8˚C) in Hokkaido, where outdoor temperatures are lower than in other areas, and lowest (13.1˚C) in Kagawa, which is considered to have a mild climate. A multilevel analysis showed that the odds ratio for living room temperature in the morning falling below 18˚C was 1.38 (95% CI: 1.04−1.84) for the middle income group and 2.07 (95% CI: 1.28−3.33) for the low income group, compared to the high income group. The odds ratio was 1.96 (95% CI: 1.19−3.22) for single-person households, compared to households living with housemates. Furthermore, lower room temperature was also correlated with kotatsu (traditional Japanese local heating device) use and a larger amount of clothes. Conclusions There were disparities in living room temperature within Japan, and they related to socioeconomic status, single-person households and the way of living. These housing disparities have the potential to cause health disparities. We expect these results will be useful in the development of prevention strategies for residents who live in cold homes and the reduction in health disparities.
NaCl improves reproduction by enhancing starch accumulation in the ovules of the euhalophyte Suaeda salsa
Authors: Guo Jianrong , Du Ming , Lu Chaoxia , Wang Baoshan
Published: February 2020

Background: Halophytes show optimal reproduction under high-salinity conditions. However, the role of NaCl in reproduction and its possible mechanisms in the euhalophyte Suaeda salsa remain to be elucidated. Results: We performed transcript profiling of S. salsa flowers and measured starch accumulation in ovules, sugar contents in flowers, and photosynthetic parameters in the leaves of plants supplied with 0 and 200 mM NaCl. Starch accumulation in ovules, sugar contents in flowers and ovules, and net photosynthetic rate and photochemical efficiency in leaves were significantly higher in NaCl-treated plants vs. the control. We identified 14,348 differentially expressed genes in flowers of NaCl-treated vs. control plants. Many of these genes were predicted to be associated with photosynthesis, carbon utilization, and sugar and starch metabolism. These genes are crucial for maintaining photosystem structure, regulating electron transport, and improving photosynthetic efficiency in NaCl-treated plants. In addition, genes encoding fructokinase and sucrose phosphate synthase were upregulated in flowers of NaCl-treated plants. Conclusions: The higher starch and sugar contents in the ovules and flowers of S. salsa in response to NaCl treatment are likely due to the upregulation of genes involved in photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, which increase photosynthetic efficiency and accumulation of photosynthetic products under these conditions.
Prognostic role of lipids, apolipoproteins in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ni Xiaochun , Yi Yong , Fu Yipeng , Cai Xiaoyan , Liu Gao , Huang Jinlong , Gan Wei , Xu Jie , Qiu Shuangjian
Published: February 2020

Background: To further clarify the association between abnormal levels of serum lipid components as the main features of dyslipidaemia and hepatocellular cancinima, which remains unclear.Methods: We examined the serum level of lipids and apolipoproteins pattern in 471 patients undergoing curative resection for HCC, 193 patients with chronic liver disease, and 104 patients with benign liver diseases. We performed uni- and multivariate analyses to evaluate the predictive roles of lipids and apolipoproteins for recurrence and survival of HCC in a training cohort of 242 patients and then validated in a cohort of 229 patients.Results: The majority circuling lipid and apolipoprotein levels such as ApoA1, HDL, LDL in chronic liver disease and HCC were slight to significantly decreased as compared with those in benign lesion. But no significant differential expression patterns of lipids and apolipoproteins were observed between chronic liver hepatitis and HCC. Multivariable analysis identiﬁed ApoA1 as a key parameter related to recurrence and survival in both training and validation cohorts. Moreover, we further demonstrated that low ApoA1 was an independent prognostic factor of poor early recurrence in two cohorts.Conclusions: Although the alterations of circulating lipids and apolipoproteins were observed in HCC, none of lipids and apolipoproteins could serve as a diagnostic marker. Serum ApoA1 merits consideration as a novel prognostic marker for patients with HCC undergoing surgery, since it predicts early recurrence and survival, especially for early stage patients and may improve the prognostic stratiﬁcation of patients for clinical management and promote HCC clinic outcomes.
Cross sensitivity of Ionic concentration on Admittance type measurement
Authors: Roy Joyanta Kumar , Majumder Bansari Deb
Published: February 2020

An attempt has been made to study theoretically electrical admittance type level measurement and its cross sensitivity with ionic concentration of liquid. The analysis has been made for single and double electrodes and found there is significant cross sensitivity which varies with the ionic concentration of the liquid. This study will help further to design and develop continuous level measurement transmitter in Boiler drum.
Fabrication and Characterization of High Performance Micro Impedance Inclinometer
Authors: Lee Chia-Yen , Fu Lung-Ming
Published: February 2020

In the study, a novel micro impedance inclinometer is presented, consisting of a glass substrate, Cr electrodes and a mercury pendulum. The output signal of the proposed inclinometer is read from the moving metal pendulum based on an LED array measurement scheme. A mercury pendulum mass is used for the inclinometer. The adhesion between the liquid metal and the substrate surface is reduced by etching or sandblasting the substrate surface. Experimental results show the developed inclinometer has a high angle resolution (0.3°), a rapid time response (385 ms) and a high repeatability (R2 = 0.9988) with the A280# sandblasted substrate surface and the mercury pendulum of 360 μl. The developed inclinometer provide a simply yet high-performance solution for the inclination measurement.
Magnetic and Transport properties of Co-Cu Microwires
Authors: Zhukova V. , Val J. J. del , Ipatov M. , Ilyn M. , Granovsky A. , Zhukov A.
Published: February 2020

We report on the magnetic, transport and structural properties of Cox-Cu100-x (5≤x≤40) glass-coated microwires. For x=5 we observed the resistivity minimum at 40 K associated with the Kondo effect. For x ? 10 we observed considerable magnetoresistance effect. Temperature dependence of susceptibility show considerable difference for x>10 and x≤ 10 attributed to the presence of small Co grains embedded in the Cu matrix for x? 10. Using X-ray diffraction we found, that the structure of Cox-Cu100-x microwires x ? 10 is granular consisting of two phases: fcc Cu appearing in all the samples and fcc α-Co presented only in microwires with higher Co content.
Nanoparticle based Amperometric Biosensor for the Quantitative Determination of Cholesterol in Human Blood
Authors: Jarallah Nasser Al , Baradie Raid Al , Aljamal Mohmmed , Bose Anandh , Anazi Hamed Al , Alatram Abdulrahman , Aboody Mohammed Al , Algohary Ayman
Published: February 2020

Total cholesterol monitoring in human blood serum is one of the most important routine analysis performed in clinical laboratory. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between coronary heart disease and blood cholesterol level. There is need for a method that is sufficiently flexible to yield good results in clinical laboratory. Numbers of cholesterol biosensors have been developed over the past 30 years. Fibre-optic fluorescence, Fibre-optic luminescence, Potentiometric, Spectrophotometric and Fluorometric biosensors, which determine cholesterol enzymatically. Some of these methods suffer from interference from other substances found in the blood such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. Therefore amperometric biosensor was designed based on titanium oxide nano particle with Advanced RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) Machine processor to determine the cholesterol level in human blood.
Image Quality Testing: Selection of Images for Assessing Test Subject Input
Authors: Jendzurski John , Paulter Nicholas G. , Jacosb Eddie , Amon Francine , Bovik Al , Goodall Todd
Published: February 2020

Determining image quality is dependent to some degree on human interpretation. Although entirely subjective methods of evaluating image quality may be adequate for consumer applications, they are not acceptable for security and safety applications where operator interpretation may lead to missing a threat or finding threats where they do not exist. Therefore, methods must be developed to ensure that the imagery used in security and safety applications are of sufficient quality to allow the operator to perform his job accurately and efficiently. NIST has developed a method to quantify the capability of imagers to provide images of sufficient quality to allow humans to perform specific perception-based tasks. A one-time humanperception based step is required that results in perception coefficients that are combined with lab-measured objective image quality indicators (IQIs) to calculate image quality. This work uses a d′ evaluation method to examine the performance of test subjects in the human-perception based step, which was identification of a fire hazard in a set of grey-scale infrared images.
Performance Study of Virtual Fence Unit Using Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Chan H.T , Rahman T.A , Arsad A.
Published: February 2020

This paper presents the experiments and performance analysis of virtual fence unit consists of microwave motion detector and IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor network (WSN) for maximum sensing range. In particular, the analysis is focusing on the maximum sensing range in terms of azimuth angle, height, sensitivity level for indoor and outdoor implementation. The WSN platform is developed using Octopus II sensor nodes while the microwave motion detector is HB100 which detects the movement using Doppler effect. Results show the maximum sensing range of virtual fence unit is decreasing as azimuth angle increasing. With high sensitivity level of virtual fence unit, the maximum sensing range of virtual fence unit is larger than the maximum sensing range of virtual fence unit at normal sensitivity level. Results also show the virtual fence unit has higher maximum sensing range in indoor environment than outdoor environment.
Fabrication of gold nanopillars on gold interdigitated impedance electrodes for biological applications
Authors: Messina Walter , Fitzgerald Michelle , Crowley Una , Moore Eric
Published: February 2020

Gold nanopillars have been successfully fabricated on top of interdigitated gold electrodes deposited on a Pyrex substrate and these were used for cytotoxicity monitoring on immortalized cells through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. These nanopillars were fabricated via contact metal deposition. E-beam lithography was used to define the pattern of nanopillars with dimensions of 150nm diameter and 500nm of distance between their edges in a honeycomb-like structure. These dimensions together with a, relatively, low aspect ratio ( ~50niτi tall) have been chosen in the hope that cell adhesion will be promoted. Cell adhesion to these novel nanopillars is important as their ultimate use will be for cytotoxicity testing of cell cultures. This novel tool could potentially increase the sensitivity of this kind of analysis compared to its plain counterpart.
A Capacitance-to-Digital Converter with Sinusoidal Excitation Suitable for Series RC Sensors
Authors: Vooka Prashanth , George Boby
Published: February 2020

A new Capacitance-to-Digital Converter (CDC) applicable for series RC sensors that requires/prefers sinusoidal excitation is proposed in this paper. The CDC presented works based on a dual-slope technique and it gives a digital output as a function of unknown capacitance of a series RC sensor, i.e., a capacitive sensor with a capacitor and a resistor in series in its electrical equivalent circuit. Output of the CDC is not sensitive to the series resistor. The CDC is useful for grounded as well as floating capacitive sensors, which needs to be excited with a sine wave for best performance. Applications of such capacitive sensors include ice detection, sterility testing of packed food products, etc. A sinusoidal Howland current source can be used to excite a grounded capacitive sensor while a simple current source with a special stabilization scheme that suppresses the effect due to static errors of opamp has been developed for floating capacitive sensor and presented in this paper. A prototype of the proposed CDC for a floating capacitive sensor has been built and tested in the laboratory. Measurement results for the sensor capacitance showed a worst case error of 0.13% for a range of 100 pF, proving the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
MEMS-based miniature near-infrared spectrometer for application in environmental and food monitoring
Authors: Hintschich S.I. , Pügner T. , Knobbe J. , Schröder J. , Reinig P. , Grüger H. , Schenk H.
Published: February 2020

We present a hybrid MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) based spectrometer of the size of a sugar cube, fabricated at the clean room facilities of Fraunhofer IPMS, Dresden. This SGS (scanning grating spectrometer) is designed for integrated spectroscopic applications in the field of food quality analysis and food processing technology. Using another, larger, MEMS-based scanning grating spectrometer, we perform a series of test measurements of the absorption of different types of oil. Thereby, we demonstrate the suitability of this larger MEMS-based SGS for food quality analysis and establish a set of reference measurements. The optical parameters of the sugar cube-sized SGS are then evaluated against the requirements established in the above reference measurements. The spectral resolution of this device is still not sufficient for application in the near infrared, owing to the inaccuracy of one particular production step. Once these changes are in place, we are confident to achieve resolutions below 20 nm. In conclusion, we propose the miniaturised SGS as a mobile spectrometer for in- situ analysis integrated with a data processing system.
A Microcontroller Sensor Interface Suitable for Resistive Sensors with Large Lead Resistance
Authors: Ponnalagu R. N. , Boby George , Jagadeesh Kumar V.
Published: February 2020

A direct resistive sensor interface to a micro- controller reported earlier, works well only if the sensor element is very close to the micro-controller pins. If the sensor element is at a distance from the micro-controller then the lead resistance due to connecting wires between resistive sensor element and the modified scheme of direct sensor interface to micro-controller is presented here. In the proposed scheme, the effect of lead resistances is compensated and thus the proposed direct resistive sensor interface to a micro-controller works well even if the sensor is kept at distance and connected through long connecting wires. Since the lead wire resistance is compensated, automatic temperature compensation (temperature effect of lead wires) is obtained. The results obtained from simulation and experimental results recorded from a prototype of the proposed scheme establishes the effectiveness of the proposed method in eliminating the effect of lead resistance in the output. Worst-case error noted in the simulation output was < ± 0.23 % and the worst-case error of the prototype unit was found to be < ± 0.33 %.
A Capacitive Sensing System for Non-Contact: Detection of Ice
Authors: Cyril Baby K. , Boby George
Published: February 2020

This paper presents a capacitive sensing system for non-contact detection of ice from a distance of 8 to 10 cm and distinguishes it from water. It is well known that the Relative Permittivity (RP) of ice and water are almost equal at low frequencies, in the range of a few kHz. At a high frequency of excitation , i. e., about 100 kHz and above, the RP of water remains same, but that of ice substantially reduces. A capacitive sensor, wherein, the ice or water layer forms part of the sensing volume can be used to detect presence of ice. It can be distinguished from water by measuring and then comparing the capacitance values at low as well as high frequencies. Such a sensor for road ice detection has been reported, but it requires the sensing electrodes to be in close contact with the ice layer. Recently, a capacitive non-contact ice detector has been reported. The sensing range of this system was limited to 3 cm, even after employing active shielding to reduce the effect of offset capacitance. As the distance between ice layer and sensor increases, the ratio of change in sensor capacitance to offset capacitance becomes very small. This paper reports application of a capacitance measurement circuit that can provide an output as a function of presence of ice. The proposed scheme does not require active shield even when the sensor has large offset capacitance. A prototype of the new scheme has been developed and tested in the laboratory. It detected presence of ice layer of thickness 2 mm from a distance of 10 cm and distinguished it from water.
A Wireless Wearable Human Jump Analysis System
Authors: Wang Penghai , Quan Haiyang , Lan Lidong
Published: February 2020

In most sports, the vertical jump is one of the most basic actions. Jumping force and explosive power are two specific indicators to reflect the ability of the muscles in one vertical jump. This paper presents a light-weight and easy-to-use wireless system to analyze the process of human vertical jumping up through the use of a Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) accelerometer and a MEMS gyroscope. The system allows the users to be able to measure the jump parameters, including jumping force and explosive power of athletes’ lower limbs. Then the noise of the system has been analyzed briefly, and a finite impulse response (FIR) low pass filter is designed to eliminate the noise. The system has been compared with a commercial performance measuring system-Myotest, and a traditional force test platform-HUR. The results show that parameters can be collected precisely by it and there is a possibility to apply this system for other actions.
Dynamically Reconfigurable Routing Protocol Design for Underwater Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Ayaz Beenish , Allen Alastair , Wiercigroch Marian
Published: February 2020

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSN) share the common challenges of terrestrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), however they are significantly different from terrestrial WSN. Mainly, because acoustic wireless communication is the main physical layer technology in UWSN. Acoustic communication offers longer range, but has limitations due to low speed of sound, high error probability, limited bandwidth capacity, node mobility and 3-dimensional network architecture. Most of the ground based WSN are static, however the UWSN condition keeps on changing due to water current and channel impairment. Therefore the UWSN must be able to dynamically reconfigure itself. The sensor nodes must be able to re-route their communication if the network configuration changes. In this paper we address a fundamental Networking layer issue by developing a dynamically reconfigurable routing protocol. It is a multi-hop datagram routing scheme which will offer reliable underwater wireless communication by dynamically re-routing the data, when network configuration changes.
Analysis of Frequency Channel Division Strategy for CSMA/CA with RTS/CTS Mechanism
Authors: Mawlawi Baher , Dore’ Jean-Baptiste , Lebedev Nikolai , Gorce Jean-Marie
Published: February 2020

In this work we study the collision probability, saturation throughput and statistical delay for the carrier sense multiple access collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol with request to send and clear to send (RTS/CTS) mechanism in the case of frequency channel division. We propose in this paper a modified version of CSMA/CA-RTS/CTS to be compatible with the channel repartition technique and we prove that an important gain is introduced in terms of system performance especially for loaded networks. Simulations highlight that dividing the channel into independent sub-channels reduces drastically the RTS collision probability. Moreover, a gain in terms of saturation throughput and delay is shown especially in dense networks.
HOMENS COM PARKINSON: PESQUISA DE PERCEPÇÃO EM PRODUTOS DE MODA COM FOCO NO DESIGN CENTRADO NO HUMANO
Authors: Dantas Ítalo José de Medeiros , Santos Jeferson Rodrigo Silva , Silva Vanda Da Conceição , Melo Alan Jones Lira de
Published: February 2020

O número de sujeitos que comporão o recorte etário da terceira idade dentro de alguns anos se apresenta como um número alarmante dentro do contexto social hodierno, com o aumento da população idosa consequentemente cresce as demandas por atendimentos específicos como decorrência das doenças inerentes à fisiologia humana que atinge a terceira idade. A doença de Parkinson se apresenta como relevante dentro desse contexto ao mesmo que se estima a existência de mais de 440 mil indivíduos com Parkinson até o ano de 2030, apenas no Brasil. Através desses dados, a presente pesquisa tem como objetivo compreender a percepção de homens com Parkinson tanto sobre a doença em si como sobre os aspectos simbólicos, estéticos e práticos dos produtos de moda em busca de descobrir embasamento para o desenvolvimento de produtos através da metodologia de Design centrado no usuário. A pesquisa se classifica, quanto aos objetivos, como descritivo e quanto a abordagem como quanti-qualitativa. Para isso, foi realizado entrevistas com uma amostragem de 20 homens acometidos pela doença, identificados através de 3 grupos do Facebook voltados para a discussão acerca do Parkinson. Com os resultados, foi possível observar o impacto da doença na rotina dos acometidos e junto a isso compreender a percepção de valor projetada em produtos de vestuário por homens com Parkinson.
Hospital wastewater effluent: hot spot for antibiotic resistant bacteria
Authors: Rozman Urška , Duh Darja , Cimerman Mojca , Turk Sonja Šostar
Published: February 2020

Hospital wastewaters are highly complex effluents acting as a hotspot for antibiotic resistant bacteria. Especially, Gram-negative bacteria bearing multiple antibiotic resistant genes are increasingly found in hospital wastewaters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae in hospital wastewaters from one Slovenian and two Austrian hospitals, as well as the occurrence of antibiotic resistant genes encoding for VIM, KPC, NDM, CTXM and OXA beta-lactamases in isolates from hospital wastewater. The results indicated high levels of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae in ranges up to 107 cfu/mL. Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae and OXA 48-type CPE were present in ranges up to 105 cfu/mL. Out of 89 multiplied polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons, only 36 were positive for different β-lactamase gene families, among those only three isolates were identified as multiresistant. The dominant ESBL family was CTXM in 19 different isolates. This was followed by 10 OXA-48 positive isolates and 10 VIM positive isolates. KPC or NDM carbapenemases were not identified with PCR screening of the isolates. Hospital wastewaters serve as a reservoir for nearly all clinically important antibiotic resistances. The importance of evaluating such potential environmental reservoirs is especially evident when outbreak cases could not be linked to an epidemiological source.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Activity of New Hydroxamic Acids Containing 2-Imidazolylphenyl(oxy/thio)alkanoic Fragment
Authors: Stanisheva Desislava V. , Atanasov Gjorgji , Aposstolova Margarita D. , Petrov Ognyan I.
Published: February 2020

Background:

Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are a new class of therapeutic
compounds that show promising results in a series of preclinical and clinical anticancer studies. Hydroxamic
acids belong to one of the most significant classes of HDAC inhibitors. The member vorinostat
(SAHA) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of cutaneous
T-cell lymphoma.

Methods:

A series of eight novel hydroxamic acids containing 2-imidazolylphenyl(oxy/thio)
alkanoic fragment designed to target Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) were synthesized in five steps
from easily accessible 2(3H)-benzoxazolones and 2(3H)-benzthiazolones. The newly synthesized
compounds were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis.

Results:

The structure-activity relationship was examined via linker length alternation and variation
of the heteroatom (oxygen or sulfur) and chlorine substitution pattern of the starting materials.
The compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity against two human cancer cell lines (HT-29
and MDA-MB-231). Our data indicate that the compound 6.1d is active in the micromolar range
with IC50 of 9.7 μM for MDA-MB-231 cells. DNA fragmentation analysis of the most active compounds
confirmed that apoptosis could be one of the mechanisms involved in cell death.

Conclusion:

Taken together, the results revealed that 6d may become a promising lead compound
for new anticancer drugs discovery.