bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Knowledge Retrieval Impairments Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease Using Network Analyses
Authors: Zemla Jeffrey C. , Austerweil Joseph L.
Published: May 2019

A defining characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease is difficulty in retrieving semantic memories, or memories encoding facts and knowledge. While it has been suggested that this impairment is caused by a degradation of the semantic store, the precise ways in which the semantic store is degraded are not well understood. Using a longitudinal corpus of semantic fluency data (listing of items in a category), we derive semantic network representations of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and of healthy controls. We contrast our network‐based approach with analyzing fluency data with the standard method of counting the total number of items and perseverations in fluency data. We find that the networks of Alzheimer’s patients are more connected and that those connections are more randomly distributed than the connections in networks of healthy individuals. These results suggest that the semantic memory impairment of Alzheimer’s patients can be modeled through the inclusion of spurious associations between unrelated concepts in the semantic store. We also find that information from our network analysis of fluency data improves prediction of patient diagnosis compared to traditional measures of the semantic fluency task.
Unique Roles of Sphingolipids in Selected Malignant and Nonmalignant Lesions of Female Reproductive System
Authors: Knapp Paweł , Chomicz Karolina , Świderska Magdalena , Chabowski Adrian , Jach Robert
Published: May 2019

Cancer develops as a result of the loss of self-control mechanisms by a cell; it gains the ability to induce angiogenesis, becomes immortal and resistant to cell death, stops responding to growth suppressor signals, and becomes capable of invasion and metastasis. Sphingolipids—a family of membrane lipids—are known to play important roles in the regulation of cell proliferation, the response to chemotherapeutic agents, and/or prevention of cancer. Despite the underlying functions of sphingolipids in cancer biology, their metabolism in different malignant tumors is poorly investigated. Some studies showed marked differences in ceramide content between the tumor and the respective healthy tissue. Interestingly, the level of this sphingolipid could be either low or elevated, suggesting that the alterations in ceramide metabolism in cancer tissue may depend on the biology of the tumor. These processes are indeed related to the type of cancer, its stage, and histology status. In this paper we present the unique roles of bioactive sphingolipid derivative in selected gynecologic malignant and nonmalignant lesions.
ALTRIRAS: A Computer Game for Training Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Recognition of Basic Emotions
Authors: Almeida Leandro M. , Silva Diego P. da , Theodório Daieny P. , Silva Wolley W. , Rodrigues Silvia Cristina M. , Scardovelli Terigi A. , Silva Alessandro P. da , Bissaco Marcia Aparecida S.
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a computer game developed to assist children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to recognize facial expressions associated with the four basic emotions: joy, sadness, anger, and surprise. This game named ALTRIRAS is a role-playing game (RPG), a kind of game pointed out by the literature as the most suitable for these children for being more social than competitive. It has recreational settings built with 2D graphic interface to keep the children’s attention and an access control and a register mechanism to allow the monitoring of the child’s progress. The data collection of the functional, nonfunctional, psychological, and educational requirements, as well as the evaluation of its consistency and usability, was made by a multidisciplinary team consisting of five experts in each of the following expertises: pedagogy, psychology, psychopedagogy, and game development. The effectiveness test of the game was performed by 10 children with ASD and 28 children with neurotypical development, which were separated into control and experimental groups, respectively. All experts and children with neurotypical development answered the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire after playing the game. The results were positive, between experts and volunteers regarding their acceptance. However, the time of exposure to the game in children with ASD should be increased to effective assistance in the recognition of facial expressions.
Evaluation of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Associated Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Agyemang-Yeboah Francis , Eghan Benjamin Ackon Jnr. , Annani-Akollor Max Efui , Togbe Eliezer , Donkor Sampson , Oppong Afranie Bright
Published: May 2019

Background.Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of cardiovascular risk factors comprising insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension, which may cause further complications in diabetes. Although metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasing in incidence in diabetics and leading to significant cardiovascular diseases and mortality, there is dearth of data in Ghana. This study investigated metabolic syndrome, its prevalence, and its associated risk factors in type 2 diabetes at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.Methods. The study involved 405 diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Clinic of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain demographic background such as their age and gender. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using the Body Composition Monitor (Omron ® 500, Germany) which generated digital results on a screen and also by manual methods. Fasting venous blood was collected for the measurement of biochemical parameters comprising fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglyceride (TG). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III).Results.Out of the total of 405 participants, 81 were males and 324 were females, and the estimated mean age was 58.5 ± 9.9 years. The female patients exhibited higher mean waist circumference (WC) and mean hip circumference (HC) as well as an approximately higher body mass index than males (28.3 ± 5.1, 26.5 ± 4.2 for the female and male respectively). Overall, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome observed among the study population was 90.6%.Conclusions.The prevalence of metabolic syndrome observed among the study population was 90.6%, with a higher percentage in females than males. High triglyceride levels and high waist circumference were the main risk factors for MS in the diabetic population.
Awareness of the Consumption of Dietary Supplements among Students in a University in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlTamimi Jozaa Z.
Published: May 2019

The dietary supplement market in Saudi Arabia is growing alongside the number of Saudis consuming dietary supplements. It is therefore increasingly important for healthcare personnel to understand the consumption rate of dietary supplements, whether they are used wisely, and the know-how concerning their use and dosage. The purpose of this study was to clarify the overall awareness of dietary supplement consumption among female students of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Using a descriptive approach, data were collected from 759 female students (mean age = 22.1 ± 1.7 years) via an electronic survey. All participants reported having consumed dietary supplements at some point, and 32.3% were taking them at the time of the survey. They took supplements primarily for aesthetic reasons (e.g., hair and skin health) and preferred purchasing supplements at pharmacies. Nearly all (89.9%) participants could define supplements correctly, and 43.6% reported that supplements improved health. More than half the sample believed that supplements are safe. While a large proportion of participants correctly identified the recommended number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables, relatively few actually consumed that recommended amount. More than one-third of participants consumed more than one type of supplement simultaneously, and more than half reported that they would use supplements when necessary in the future. The results of this study suggest a need for long-term studies on the consumption of nutritional supplements among Saudis and its impact on health.
The Influence of Heat Treatment on the Static and Dynamic Sorptive Behavior of Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens)
Authors: Huang Yuxiang , Liu Ru , Meng Fandan , Yu Yanglun , Yu Wenji
Published: May 2019

The influence of heat treatment on moisture sorption behavior of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), especially under dynamic sorption conditions, was investigated. Moso bamboo was heated to 180 and 200°C for 8 h to investigate the chemical components and sorptive behavior at sinusoidal relative humidity (RH) and constant humidity. The results of chemical components revealed that the content of holocellulose,α-cellulose, and hemicellulose decreased while that of lignin increased slightly with increasing treatment temperatures. The results of static adsorption at constant RH showed that 200°C treated bamboo exhibited the lowest moisture content and moisture sorption coefficient. The results of dynamic sorptive behavior indicated that the moisture content changed sinusoidally but lagged behind the triggering sinusoidal RH changes. Heat-treated bamboo presented greater phase lag and smaller amplitudes of moisture content and sorption hysteresis due to the hemicellulose removal.
Antioxidative and Antimelanogenesis Effect of Momordica charantia Methanol Extract
Authors: Park Sang Hee , Yi Young-Su , Kim Mi-Yeon , Cho Jae Youl
Published: May 2019

Despite a large number of studies reporting a variety of biological and pharmacological activities of Momordica charantia, its skin protective properties are poorly understood. The present study aimed to explore the skin protective properties of Momordica charantia methanol extract (Mc-ME) and the underlying mechanism in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and melanocytes. Mc-ME exhibited an antioxidative property by decreasing radical levels in HaCaT keratinocytes and a cytoprotective property in H2O2-damaged HaCaT cells, which was mediated by increasing the expression or activation of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), HO-1, p85/PI3K, and AKT. Mc-ME was also active against wrinkle formation by regulating the activity or expression of tissue remodeling factors such as elastase, type 1 collagen, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and -9 and tissue-protecting enzymes such as hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT cells, in addition to increasing the proliferation of HaCaT cells. Mc-ME also showed antidehydration properties by inducing the expression of natural moisturizing factors such as filaggrin (FLG), transglutaminase-1 (TGM-1), and hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS)-1, -2, and -3 in HaCaT cells. Moreover, Mc-ME showed an antimelanogenic property by inhibiting the synthesis and secretion of melanin from B16F10 melanoma cells via suppression of tyrosinase activity. Taken together, these results suggest that Mc-ME plays a skin protective role through its antioxidative, cytoprotective, skin remodeling, moisturizing, and antimelanogenic properties and might be a new and promising skin protective cosmeceutical.
Strategies to Improve Inpatients’ Quality of Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gkolfakis Paraskevas , Tziatzios Georgios , Papanikolaou Ioannis S. , Triantafyllou Konstantinos
Published: May 2019

Background and Aims. Inpatients’ bowel preparation before colonoscopy is frequently inadequate, and various interventions have been investigated to improve it, so far. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of various interventions to improve inpatients’ colon preparation quality. Methods. We systematically reviewed the literature for publications on interventions aiming to improve the quality of inpatients’ colon preparation until June, 2018. Significant heterogeneity—measured with I2—was detected at the level of P<0.1. Adequacy rates were measured using inverse variance, and the size effect of different interventions was calculated using random effects model and expressed as odds ratio (OR). Results. Seventeen studies enrolling 2733 inpatients were included. Overall, 67% (60-75%) of the participants achieved adequate colon cleansing (I2=97%; P<0.001). In six studies assessing the impact of educational interventions to patient/physician/nurse vs. no intervention, adequate bowel preparation was achieved in 77% (62-91%) vs. 50% (32-68%) of the patients (OR 95%CI=3.49 (1.67-7.28), P=0.0009; I2=74%; P=0.002). Ten studies examined variations (qualitative and/or quantitative) in bowel preparation regimens with adequate preparation detected in 71% (60-81%) of the participants, and a single study examined the administration of preparation through an esophagogastroduodenoscope, resulting in adequate prep in 71% of the patients. Conclusions. Despite several interventions, only two-thirds of inpatients achieve adequate colon preparation before colonoscopy. Educational interventions significantly improve inpatients’ bowel preparation quality.
A Derived QSAR Model for Predicting Some Compounds as Potent Antagonist against Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Theoretical Approach
Authors: Adeniji Shola Elijah , Uba Sani , Uzairu Adamu , Arthur David Ebuka
Published: May 2019

Development of more potent antituberculosis agents is as a result of emergence of multidrug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Novel compounds are usually synthesized by trial approach with a lot of errors, which is time consuming and expensive. QSAR is a theoretical approach, which has the potential to reduce the aforementioned problem in discovering new potent drugs against M. tuberculosis. This approach was employed to develop multivariate QSAR model to correlate the chemical structures of the 2,4-disubstituted quinoline analogues with their observed activities using a theoretical approach. In order to build the robust QSAR model, Genetic Function Approximation (GFA) was employed as a tool for selecting the best descriptors that could efficiently predict the activities of the inhibitory agents. The developed model was influenced by molecular descriptors: AATS5e, VR1_Dzs, SpMin7_Bhe, TDB9e, and RDF110s. The internal validation test for the derived model was found to have correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9265, adjusted correlation coefficient (R2 adj) value of 0.9045, and leave-one-out cross-validation coefficient (Q_cv∧2) value of 0.8512, while the external validation test was found to have (R2 test) of 0.8034 and Y-randomization coefficient (cR_p∧2) of 0.6633. The proposed QSAR model provides a valuable approach for modification of the lead compound and design and synthesis of more potent antitubercular agents.
Experimental Study on the Brittle-Ductile Response of a Heterogeneous Soft Coal Rock Mass under Multifactor Coupling
Authors: Yu Weijian , Wu Genshui , An Baifu , Wang Ping
Published: May 2019

After a gas drainage event causes different degrees of initial porosity in the coal seam, the heterogeneity of the coal mass becomes much more obvious. In this paper, soft coal testing samples with different degrees of heterogeneity were prepared first by a new special experimental research method using hydrogen peroxide in an alkaline medium to generate oxygen. Then, a series of mechanical tests on the soft coal mass samples were carried out under multiple factor coupling conditions of different heterogeneities and confining pressures. The results show that with a low strength, the ductility failure characteristic and a kind of rheology similar to that for soft rock flow were reflected for the soft coal; i.e., the stress-strain curve of the coal mass had no apparent peak strain and residual strength. An interesting phenomenon was found in the test process: there was an upwardly convex critical phase, called the brittle-ductile failure transition critical phase, for the heterogeneous soft coal mass between the initial elastic compression phase and the ductile failure transition phase in the stress-strain curve of the coal mass. An evolution of the brittle-ductile modulus coefficient of the soft coal was developed to analyze the effect of the internal factor (degree of heterogeneity) and external factors (confining pressure) on the transition state of the brittle-ductile failure of soft coal. Further analysis shows that the internal factor (heterogeneity) was also one of the essential factors causing the brittle-ductile transition of soft coal.
HeteMSD: A Big Data Analytics Framework for Targeted Cyber-Attacks Detection Using Heterogeneous Multisource Data
Authors: Ju Ankang , Guo Yuanbo , Ye Ziwei , Li Tao , Ma Jing
Published: May 2019

In the current enterprise network environment, multistep targeted cyber-attacks with concealment and advanced characteristics have become the main threat. Multisource security data are the prerequisite of targeted cyber-attacks detection. However, these data have characters of heterogeneity and semantic diversity, and existing attack detection methods do not take comprehensive data sources into account. Identifying and predicting attack intention from heterogeneous noisy data can be meaningful work. In this paper, we first review different data fusion mechanisms of correlating heterogeneous multisource data. On this basis, we propose a big data analytics framework for targeted cyber-attacks detection and give the basic idea of correlation analysis. Our approach will offer the ability to correlate multisource heterogeneous security data and analyze attack intention effectively.
Acceptability and Attitude towards a Mobile-Based Home Exercise Program among Stroke Survivors and Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mahmood Amreen , Blaizy Vevita , Verma Aparajita , Stephen Sequeira Joel , Saha Dola , Ramachandran Selvam , Manikandan N. , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Solomon John M.
Published: May 2019

Background. Stroke is a leading cause of disability and requires continued care after hospital discharge. Mobile-based interventions are suitable to reduce the cost of stroke rehabilitation and facilitate self-management among stroke survivors. However, before attempting to use mobile-based home exercise program, it is crucial to recognize the readiness of stroke survivors and their caregivers to opt for such interventions. Objective. To assess the acceptability and attitude towards a mobile-based home exercise program among stroke survivors and their primary caregivers. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 participants to understand their attitude and acceptability towards mobile-based home exercise program. A validated 10-item questionnaire was adapted for the study. The questions which assessed the attitude were rated on a three-point Likert scale, with three denoting agree and one denoting disagree. The acceptability was assessed by their willingness to opt for a mobile-based home program services. A Chi-square analysis and cross-tabulation were performed to test differences between caregivers and patients. A logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of age, gender, and mobile phone on acceptability. Results. Ninety-two percent of caregivers and 90% of patients showed willingness to opt for mobile-based intervention. Majority of the participants showed a positive attitude towards this mode of treatment. There was no difference in the attitude noted among caregivers and patients (p>0.05) towards mobile-based intervention. Conclusion. The stroke survivors and caregivers welcomed the concept of mobile-based home exercise program even in a low-resource settings, but further studies to understand treatment and cost-effectiveness of this technology among the stroke survivors would lead to better implementation.
Perceived Stigma and Associated Factors among Patient with Tuberculosis, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Duko Bereket , Bedaso Asres , Ayano Getinet , Yohannis Zegeye
Published: May 2019

Background. Tuberculosis is a historically stigmatized disease and the stigma associated with it affects the institution, community, and interpersonal factors. Therefore, understanding tuberculosis-related perceived stigma has importance in improving quality of the patients. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence and factors associated with perceived stigma among patients with tuberculosis attending Wolaita Sodo University Referral Hospital, Ethiopia. Methods. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 417 tuberculosis patients who had treatment follow-up at TB clinics and were recruited for the study. Systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. A 12-item perceived TB stigma scale was used to assess tuberculosis-related perceived stigma. In addition, Oslo social support scale was used to assess social support related factors. Results. Prevalence of tuberculosis-related perceived stigma by using perceived tuberculosis stigma scale was 42.4%. Patients who had pulmonary TB [AOR=2.49, (95% CI: 1.24, 4.87)], being intensive phase category [AOR=1.42, (95% CI: 1.19, 2.58)], TB/HIV coinfection [AOR= 3.54, (95% CI: 1.37, 9.12)], poor social support [AOR=2.45, (95% CI: 1.18, 5.09)], and using substance (alcohol, khat and cigarette) [AOR=1.78, (95% CI: 1.28, 3.17)] were more likely to have perceived TB stigma when compared to their counter parts. Conclusion. Health education programs should be conducted to reduce TB stigma and improve patients’ compliance.
Postoperative Refractive Prediction Error Measured by Optical and Acoustic Biometry after Phacovitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment without Macular Involvement
Authors: Sakamoto Masashi , Yoshida Izumi , Sodeno Takahiro , Sakai Asao , Masahara Hidetaka , Maeno Takatoshi
Published: May 2019

Introduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the postoperative prediction error measured by optical biometry and acoustic biometry in eyes after phacovitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with no macular involvement. Methods. Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients (32 male, 17 female; mean age 62.6 ± 7.5 years) with RRD without macular involvement who underwent phacovitrectomy (RRD group) and 49 eyes of 33 patients (21 male, 12 female; mean age 74.1 ± 7.1 years) without macular disease who underwent cataract surgery (control group) were included in this retrospective comparative study. The difference between the preoperative predictive value and the postoperative refractive value was measured both by optical and acoustic biometry and compared in each group. Results. The postoperative refractive error calculated by acoustic biometry was −0.81 ± 0.75D and that calculated by optic biometry was −0.44 ± 0.77D in the RRD group. The postoperative refractive error calculated by acoustic biometry was −0.21 ± 0.64D and that calculated by optic biometry was 0.27 ± 0.71D in the control group. Significant myopic shifts were observed in the RRD group using both acoustic biometry and optic biometry but not in the control group. Conclusion. Phacovitrectomy for RRD with no macular involvement resulted in a significant myopic shift when compared with cataract surgery alone in patients without macular disease when calculated by both acoustic biometry and optic biometry.
Comparative Phytochemical Analysis and Antioxidant Activities of Tamalakyadi Decoction with Its Modified Dosage Forms
Authors: Dahanayake Jeevani Maheshika , Perera Pathirage Kamal , Galappatty Priyadarshani , Melshandi Perera Hettiarachchige Dona Sachindra , Arawwawala Liyanage Dona Ashanthi Menuka
Published: May 2019

Background and Objective. Tamalakyadi decoction (TD) is a classical formulation mentioned in authentic traditional medicine text Sarasankshepaya under nasal diseases and used as a remedy for allergic rhinitis. It consists of 12 plant ingredients. Decoction preparations are widely used in Sri Lankan traditional system and considered effective and safe for treating many disorders. However, decoctions have to be used only in fresh state due to shorter shelf life and loss of stability. This decoction preparation method leads to decreasing the patient compliance and is also time consuming. Hence, the objective of the present study was to convert TD to consumer friendly novel dosage form, namely, freeze dried, spray dried, and traditional ganasara forms. Methodology. Therefore, we compared the phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of TD with its modified dosage forms. The chemical comparison of four dosage forms comprises phytochemical screening, TLC and HPTLC fingerprint profiles and the antioxidant activities by DPPH free radical scavenging activity, Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total polyphenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). Results. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids in all dosage forms. However, the saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and steroids were more prominent in TD and freeze dried preparation than the other two preparations. HPTLC fingerprint pattern of freeze dried dosage was more similar with HPTLC fingerprint pattern of TD in terms of number of peaks and their intensity compared to that of spray dried and ganasara dosage forms. Antioxidant activities such as DPPH, FRAP, TPC, and TFC were higher in decoction and freeze dried preparation than in spray dried and ganasara preparation. Conclusion. Freeze dried TD is the most suitable ready to use preparation having similar chemical properties and antioxidant activities to TD.
Incentive Mechanism for Inhibiting Developer’s Moral Hazard Behavior in China’s Sponge City Projects
Authors: Han Han , Wang Zhuofu , Li Huimin
Published: May 2019

As a new sustainable urban development concept, the Sponge city has an important influence on the stormwater treatment. The low‐impact development (LID) system of nonpublic lands plays an important role in the entire construction of Sponge city. In the nonpublic lands’ LID system construction, a principal‐agent relationship exists between the government and developer and the effect of construction mainly depends on the developer’s operation and management. Due to the asymmetry of information and the different benefit goals, the developer could be prone to take moral hazard behavior to damage the project and public’s interests. In this paper, based on the principal‐agent relationship between the government and developer in Sponge city projects, principal‐agent incentive models under the existence of developer’s moral hazard tendency were constructed to help the developer invest an optimal efforts level. The results show that an increase in incentive intensity would increase the developer’s optimal level of productive efforts in the presence of developer’s moral hazard tendency; this can indirectly cause an increase in total output performance of Sponge city, thus realizing a “win‐win” effect between the government and developer. Likewise, a larger incentive intensity can also help reduce the developer’s moral hazard tendency. The more obvious moral hazard tendency of developer, the larger incentive coefficient should be. The findings provide reference for government seeking to specify incentive contracts from a theory perspective and curbing developer’s potential moral hazard behavior in Sponge city projects.
Brunner’s Gland Hyperplasias and Hamartomas in Association with Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Destek Sabahattin , Gul Vahit Onur
Published: May 2019

Background. The proliferative lesions of the Brunner’s glands (BGs) are hyperplasia and hamartomas, and they are usually asymptomatic and very rarely diagnosed. The aetiology of these lesions is not yet clear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical presentations of patients with BG hyperplasia and hamartomas and to assess the pathological features of these lesions in association with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Methods. Our retrospective study included patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy between 2010 and 2015. The hospital records of 18 patients diagnosed with hyperplasia or hamartoma of BG were reviewed for the clinical and pathological findings. Data from patients with BG lesion were compared with 37 patients who had nonspecific duodenitis as the control group. Results. Female/male ratio in our study sample was 1/1. The age range was between 16 and 85 years with a mean age of 48.61. BG hyperplasia and hamartomas were found in 72.22 and 27.78% of the patients, respectively. The rate of H. pylori in gastric mucosa was 43.2% in the control group and 66.7% in the BG lesion group. In the BG lesion group, the rate of H. pylori was higher. H. pylori was identified in 60% of BG hamartomas and in 69.2% of hyperplastic BGs. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that H. pylori may play an important role in the development of BG hyperplasia and hamartomas in association with chronic gastritis and duodenitis. This is probably due to chronic irritation.
A 3D Non-Stationary Channel Model with Moving Mobile Station in Rectangular Tunnel
Authors: Ren Zhicheng , Zhang Fangqi , Zheng Guoxin , Saleem Asad , Guan Ke
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) geometry-based stochastic model (GBSM) for capturing the non-stationarity of radio channel at 1.8 GHz in a rectangular tunnel. A time-variant (TV) complex channel gain is derived for obtaining the statistical properties in time, frequency, and spatial domains such as the time-variant autocorrelation function (TV-ACF), the time-variant Doppler power spectral density (TV-DPSD), and the time-variant spatial cross-correlation function (TV-CCF), respectively. Then the TV channel statistical properties at different time instants can be extracted and the non-stationary channel characteristics caused by the TV scattering environment are thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, three cases including “approach”, “arrival”, and “away” are set to allow a comprehensive study on how the DPSD behaves with the relative position between transmitter and receiver. The reliability of proposed 3D GBSM is highlighted by a good agreement with the measured result in terms of the correlation function.
Logistical Simulation Modeling for Planning a Soil Remediation Process
Authors: Kessel David , Jeon Jihan , Jung Jaeyeon , Oh Eutteum , Kim Chang-Lak
Published: May 2019

This paper describes the development of a discrete event simulation model using the FlexSim software to support planning for soil remediation at Korean nuclear power plants that are undergoing decommissioning. Soil remediation may be required if site characterization shows that there has been radioactive contamination of soil from plant operations or the decommissioning process. The simulation model was developed using a dry soil separation and soil washing process. Preliminary soil data from the Kori 1 nuclear power plant was used in the model. It was shown that a batch process such as soil washing can be effectively modeled as a discrete event process. Efficient allocation of resources and efficient waste management including volume and classification reduction can be achieved by use of the model for planning the soil remediation process. Cost will be an important criterion in the choice of suitable technologies for soil remediation but is not included in this conceptual model.
Involvement of Inner Choroidal Layer in Choroidal Thinning during Regression of Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome
Authors: Hashimoto Yuki , Saito Wataru , Hasegawa Yuka , Noda Kousuke , Ishida Susumu
Published: May 2019

Purpose. To investigate relationships between total thickness and the thickness of inner and outer layers in the choroid during regression in patients with multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS). Methods. This retrospective observational case series included 15 unilaterally affected eyes and 13 unaffected fellow eyes from 15 MEWDS patients (4 men and 11 women; mean age, 37.6 ± 17.6 years). Using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography, whole, inner, and outer choroidal layer thicknesses at the fovea and perifovea were manually measured at the initial visit and at 1 and 3 months after the initial visit. The mean thickness values of the layers were compared at each stage. Results. With regression of MEWDS, the mean subfoveal whole and inner choroidal layer thicknesses significantly decreased at 1 and 3 months compared to baseline values in MEWDS eyes (P=0.01 and P<0.0001, respectively), but not in fellow eyes. The outer layer in MEWDS eyes tended to thin. Changes in the inner and outer layers at the perifovea in MEWDS eyes also showed the same trends. Simple linear regression analysis revealed significant positive correlations in choroidal thickness changes between the whole and inner layers (R = 0.53, P=0.04) and between the whole and outer layers (R = 0.91, P<0.0001) from baseline to 3 months. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that choroidal thickness changes in the whole layer were significantly correlated with those in the inner (β = 0.51, P<0.0001) and outer (β = 0.73, P<0.0001) layers. Conclusion. The inner choroidal layer significantly thinned with regression of MEWDS, correlating with the thinning of total choroidal thickness. These results suggest that MEWDS lesions in the choroid are likely to lie mainly in the inner layer.
A L1 Adaptive Control Scheme for UAV Carrier Landing Using Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion
Authors: Lu Ke , Liu Chunsheng
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a L1 adaptive controller augmenting a dynamic inversion controller for UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) carrier landing. A three axis and a power compensator NDI (nonlinear dynamic inversion) controller serves as the baseline controller for this architecture. The inner-loop command inputs are roll-rate, pitch-rate, yaw-rate, and thrust commands. The outer-loop command inputs come from the guidance law to correct the glide slope. However, imperfect model inversion and nonaccurate aerodynamic data may cause degradation of performance and may lead to the failure of the carrier landing. The L1 adaptive controller is designed as augmentation controller to account for matched and unmatched system uncertainties. The performance of the controller is examined through a Monte Carlo simulation which shows the effectiveness of the developed L1 adaptive control scheme based on nonlinear dynamic inversion.
Efficacy and Safety of Argon Laser Peripheral Iridoplasty and Systemic Medical Therapy in Asian Patients with Acute Primary Angle Closure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Cai Wenting , Lou Qiyang , Fan Jiaqi , Yu Donghui , Shen Tianyi , Yu Jing
Published: May 2019

Purpose. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the percent reduction in the intraocular pressure (IOP) after argon laser peripheral iridoplasty (ALPI) and systemic medical therapy in patients with acute primary angle closure (APAC). Methods. We searched a number of electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. We searched the electronic databases from the inception of the databases to August 2018. The primary outcomes included the IOP reduction (IOPR), percent reduction in IOP (IOPR%) from baseline to the endpoint and peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS). The secondary outcomes included the cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), mean endothelial count, and percent of patients requiring topical glaucoma medication. Summary weighted mean difference (WMD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results. Four eligible studies including 183 eyes (92 in the ALPI group and 91 in the medical therapy group) were identified. When comparing ALPI to medical therapy, the WMDs of the IOPR% were 30.03 (95% CI: 21.33 to 38.72, p<0.00001) at 15 minutes, 27.39 (95% CI: 18.89 to 35.89, p<0.00001) at 30 minutes, 18.15 (95% CI: 10.63 to 25.68, p<0.00001) at 1 hour, and 12.91 (95% CI: 4.50 to 21.32, p=0.003) at 2 hours. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at 24 hours and at more than 6 months after therapy. Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed in the degree of PAS, CDR, mean endothelial count, and percent of patients requiring topical glaucoma medication after treatment between the two groups. Conclusions. Both ALPI and systemic medications were effective with regard to decreasing the IOP. ALPI was more effective in lowering the IOP within the first two hours. Therefore, ALPI may be a better choice for rapidly lowering the IOP in patients with APAC within a short period.
Anemoside B4 Protects Rat Kidney from Adenine-Induced Injury by Attenuating Inflammation and Fibrosis and Enhancing Podocin and Nephrin Expression
Authors: Gong Qin , He Lu-Ling , Wang Mu-Lan , Ouyang Hui , Gao Hong-Wei , Feng Yu-Lin , Yang Shi-Lin , Du Li-Jun , Li Jun , Luo Ying-Ying
Published: May 2019

Anemoside B4 (B4) isolated from Radix Pulsatilla has anti-inflammatory activities in the colon and antitumor effects. However, its role in the prevention and treatment of kidney injury has not been reported. Here, we reported the effects of B4 on chronic kidney injury (CKI) and studied its related mechanism based on an adenine-induced kidney injury model in rats. The results showed that serum BUN (blood urea nitrogen), Crea (creatinine), and urinary proteins increased significantly after oral administration of adenine. Meanwhile, the adenine contents in both renal tissue and urine increased markedly compared with those of normal rats. Moreover, IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and NFκB expression was upregulated in the kidney. Simultaneously, the expression of NLRP3 (the nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain–like receptor, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain–containing 3) in the inflammasome, which consists of Caspase 1, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain), and IL-18, was significantly upregulated. B4 could significantly decrease BUN and Crea; reduce urinary proteins in rats; suppress the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, NFκB, NLRP3, Caspase 1, ASC, and IL-18; and increase urinary adenine contents and promote its excretion. In addition, B4 also upregulated the expression of podocin and nephrin, two major podocyte proteins, and reduced the fiber collagen in the renal interstitial, suggesting that B4 could protect the glomerular matrix from adenine injury in addition to its anti-inflammatory effects. The results of this study show new perspective of B4 as a potential drug against adenine-induced renal injury.
Synchronous Acquisition and Analysis of Ultrasonic Spectral Information for the Characterization of Particle Size Distribution
Authors: Jia Nan , Gu Jianfei , Yang Huinan , Su Mingxu
Published: May 2019

Particle sizing methods have gained considerable attention in the past few decades, but there is still a big challenge in high concentration situations (i.e., volume fraction>10%). However, the ultrasonic spectroscopy technique is a common tool for the noninvasive determination of essential parameters for high concentration systems by analyzing ultrasonic spectra with inversion algorithms, including the particle size distribution (PSD), volume fraction of each phase, and physicochemical properties. For the ultrasonic measurements, proper acquisition and analysis of ultrasonic spectra are becoming significant in order to understand the relationship between the unknown parameters and the ultrasonic spectra. In the work, an experimental setup was provided to synchronously acquire ultrasonic reflection and transmission signals. A series of experiments were performed on silicon-water solutions at volume fractions 8%, 10%, and 12% to obtain the ultrasonic attenuation spectra and ultrasonic phase velocity spectra based on different measurement methods, i.e., the pulse-echo method, reference reflection method, and through-transmission method, respectively. Based on the Epstein-Carhart-Allegra-Hawley (ECAH) forward model, genetic algorithm (GA) and optimum regularization technique (ORT) algorithms were implemented to determine PSD with the measured spectra; the obtained PSD was then compared with the optical microscope method. It revealed that the spectra obtained by different measurement methods showed individual features while the obtained PSD was consistent and the volume median diameters were within a deviation of 10% with GA and ORT algorithms. The differences and characteristics of these three measurement methods for signal acquisition and interpretation were discussed and presented to provide an evaluation and recommendation for ultrasonic particle sizing.
A Better Way to Decrease Knee Swelling in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Single-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Sari Zübeyir , Aydoğdu Onur , Demirbüken İlkşan , Yurdalan S. Ufuk , Polat M. Gülden
Published: May 2019

Objective. In this study, we compared the effects of intermittent pneumatic compression along with conventional treatment with cold-pack treatment along with conventional treatment on clinical outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Methods. Eighty-nine patients with knee osteoarthritis participated in this study. One group received ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, electrical stimulation, exercise, and cold packs. The second group received ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, electrical stimulation, exercise, and intermittent pneumatic compression. Range of motion, muscle strength, knee swelling, pain intensity, and functional status were measured at baseline and 4th week.Results. We found significant improvements in range of motion, muscle strength, pain intensity, and functional status after the treatment in both groups (p<0.05). When comparing the effects of these two treatment programs, it was observed that the intermittent pneumatic compression treatment group had a better outcome in terms of knee swelling (p=0.028).Conclusions. According to the results, we could report that intermittent pneumatic compression therapy in addition to conventional treatment has significant positive effects on clinical outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis. We could also report that intermittent pneumatic compression therapy along with conventional treatment is superior to cold-pack therapy along with conventional treatment in terms of knee swelling in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This trial is registered withNCT03806322.
Concrete Spalling Detection for Metro Tunnel from Point Cloud Based on Roughness Descriptor
Authors: Wu Hangbin , Ao Xingran , Chen Zhuo , Liu Chun , Xu Zeran , Yu Pengfei
Published: May 2019

Automatic concrete spalling detection has become an important issue for metro tunnel examinations and maintenance. This paper focuses on concrete spalling detection research with surface roughness analysis based on point clouds produced by 3D mobile laser scanning (MLS) system. In the proposed method, at first, the points on ancillary facilities attached to tunnel surface are considered as outliers and removed via circular scan-line fitting and large residual error filtering. Then, a roughness descriptor for the metro tunnel surface is designed based on the triangulated grid derived from point clouds. The roughness descriptor is generally defined as the ratio of surface area to the projected area for a unit, which works well in identifying high rough areas on the tunnel surface, such as bolt holes, segment seams, and spalling patches. Finally, rough area classification based on Hough transformation and similarity analysis is performed on the identified areas to accurately label patches belonging to segment seams and bolt holes. After removing the patches of bolt holes and segment seams, the remaining patches are considered as belonging to concrete spalling. The experiment was conducted on a real tunnel interval in Shanghai. The result of concrete spalling detection revealed the validity and feasibility of the proposed method.
Electrical Impedance-Based Methodology for Locating Carcinoma Emulators on Breast Models
Authors: Gutierrez-Lopez Marcos , Prado-Olivarez Juan , Diaz-Carmona Javier , Herrera-Ramírez Carlos A. , Gutierrez-Gnecchi Jose Antonio , Medina-Sánchez Carlos G.
Published: May 2019

There is a worldwide need for new methodologies to prediagnose breast cancer in an early stage, which helps to notably increase the possibility of saving the mammary gland or patient’s life. This work describes a new methodology proposal based on electrical impedance for the localization of preclinical carcinoma emulators in agar phantoms of the breast. The impedance is systematically measured through eight Ag/AgCl electrodes uniformly distributed in a ring arrangement placed on the breast agar phantom. The fundamental idea of the proposed location algorithm, named Anomaly Tracking Circle algorithm, is to find the breast agar area defined by straight lines joining the electrode pairs having the minimum difference value of the defined normalized impedance magnitude along the measurement sweep. Such difference is obtained with respect to a breast agar phantom without carcinoma emulator. The proposed methodology was evaluated through seven experimental agar models, six of them having carcinoma lobe emulators with different locations and electrical conductivities. According to the obtained results, the described methodology can obtain the location zone of preclinical-emulated carcinomas with an 83.33% success.
Primary Mechanism Study of Panax notoginseng Flower (Herb) on Myocardial Infarction in Rats
Authors: Zhou Xin , Li Zhi-Cheng , Chen Pei-Pei , Xie Rui-Fang
Published: May 2019

Background. Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen is one of the most common herbs in China. Because of its good efficacy and little adverse reaction, Panax notoginseng has been used widely to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Objective. To investigate effects of Panax notoginseng flower (PN-F) on rats with myocardial infarction (MI). Methods. The proximal left anterior descending coronary artery in rats was ligated to induce acute myocardial infarction. Then, animals were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: MI control group, Betaloc control group (with Betaloc 10 mg/kg/d), FD500 (low-dose) group (Panax notoginseng flower decoction 500 mg/kg, n=10), and FD1000 (high-dose) group (Panax notoginseng flower decoction 1000 mg/kg, n=10). Panax notoginseng flower decoction or Betaloc was orally administrated for two to four weeks before and after operation. Sham-operated group was used as a normal untreated group, in which animals were treated with double distilled water, once daily. HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining, immunofluorescent assay, TUNEL assay, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot analysis were, respectively, performed to observe morphology, count mean minimal vessels, investigate apoptotic cells, and record gene (HIF-1, VEGFA, and KDR) and protein (Bcl-2 and Bax) expressions. Results. Two weeks after MI, PN-F significantly enhanced capillary density in the border area of MI, decreased infarct size, improved minimal vessels, suppressed cell apoptosis, and enhanced expressions of genes (HIF-1, VEGFA, and KDR) and proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax). Conclusions. PN-F demonstrated a potential herb to treat rats with myocardial infarction through promoting angiogenesis and inhibition of apoptosis in the infarct area.