bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Thalamic Venous Infarction in an Infant: A Rare Presentation of Bilateral Deep Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Chung Katherine , Tariq Umar , Khan Rabia M. , Nickles Thomas P. , Lock Joseph H.
Published: October 2018

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) may manifest as superficial cerebral venous thrombosis (SCVT) or deep cerebral venous thrombosis (DCVT). Of the two patterns, DCVT is less commonly observed, although it often results in greater morbidity and mortality due to involvement of the deep gray nuclei. It can present at any age and typically results in edema of the bilateral thalami, with occasional extension into the basal ganglia. Unilateral thalamic infarct is rare and results in an ambiguous imaging pattern. We present the clinical and neuroimaging profile of an acute unilateral thalamic venous infarct in an infant secondary to bilateral DCVT. Early recognition of this atypical pattern will facilitate accurate diagnosis and treatment, and obviate the need for unnecessary interventions.
Numerical Simulation of Fatigue Performance of Diaphragm of Large‐Span Bridge Orthotropic Deck
Authors: Li Hui , Zhao Bo , Zhu Han
Published: October 2018

Under traffic loads, orthotropic steel bridge slabs suffer from an obvious fatigue problem. In particular, fatigue cracking of diaphragms seriously affects application and development of orthotropic bridge slabs. In the paper, based on cracking status quo of an orthotropic deck diaphragm of a large‐span bridge, experimental tests were formulated to test stress distribution states of the diaphragm. The finite element software ABAQUS was used to establish a finite element model of the orthotropic deck diaphragm; numerical simulation was conducted on the basis of the experiments. Simulation results were compared with experimental results, so correctness of the finite element model was verified. Finally, Local Strain Approach (LSA) and Theory of Critical Distance (TCD) were used to conduct life assessment of the orthotropic deck diaphragms, and applicability of two methods was discussed. In this way, a fatigue life assessment method with high accuracy and good operability was provided for fatigue life assessment of orthotropic deck diaphragms.
Unusual Presentation of Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma as a Cystic Neck Swelling
Authors: Chidananda-Murthy G. , Babu P. , Chandran J. , Raja G.
Published: October 2018

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a very rare neoplasm that most commonly involves cervical lymph nodes and usually presents as a solid mass. Presentation as a cystic neck mass is very rare. Radiological studies and aspiration cytology are often unreliable, and diagnosis is usually made after thorough clinical and pathological examination along with immunohistochemical analysis. In this article, we report a case of a 42-year-old man who presented with right-sided neck swelling of a 2-month duration. Contrast-enhanced CT showed a cystic lesion in the right side of the neck inferomedial to parotid gland located between medial border of sternocleidomastoid muscle and internal jugular vein. Fine needle aspiration cytology was inconclusive. Patient underwent excision biopsy. Histological examination showed a solid-cystic tumor composed of spindle cells arranged in storiform pattern and showed a positive staining for CD23, CD35, and CD21 that confirmed the diagnosis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma.
Convolutional Recurrent Neural Network for Fault Diagnosis of High‐Speed Train Bogie
Authors: Liang Kaiwei , Qin Na , Huang Deqing , Fu Yuanzhe
Published: October 2018

Timely detection and efficient recognition of fault are challenging for the bogie of high‐speed train (HST), owing to the fact that different types of fault signals have similar characteristics in the same frequency range. Notice that convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are powerful in extracting high‐level local features and that recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are capable of learning long‐term context dependencies in vibration signals. In this paper, by combining CNN and RNN, a so‐called convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN) is proposed to diagnose various faults of the HST bogie, where the capabilities of CNN and RNN are inherited simultaneously. Within the novel architecture, the proposed CRNN first filters out the features from the original data through convolutional layers. Then, four recurrent layers with simple recurrent cell are used to model the context information in the extracted features. By comparing the performance of the presented CRNN with CNN, RNN, and ensemble learning, experimental results show that CRNN achieves not only the best performance with accuracy of 97.8% but also the least time spent in training model.
Information Sharing in a Supply Chain under Cap-and-Trade Regulation
Authors: Yu Man , Li Tuo
Published: October 2018

Under cap-and-trade regulation, this paper investigates information sharing issues in supply chains with different structures. Adopting a game-theoretic method, we start the analysis from a simple bilateral monopoly supply chain with a manufacturer and a retailer. The model is then extended to a scenario with two competing retailers. The manufacturer provides the wholesale price and invests in carbon emission abatement level. The retailers order products to meet consumers' demand in an uncertain market. One retailer has the power to obtain private information. The results show that the wholesale price and the carbon emission abatement level respond positively to the demand signal. We find that the well-informed retailer is better off with low-demand information sharing and worse off with high-demand information sharing in a bilateral monopoly supply chain. However, the well-informed retailer can benefit from high-demand information sharing in a competitive environment. We also find that the uninformed retailer may get hurt from information sharing under certain conditions. Moreover, the manufacturer's expected profit is related to the capability of abating carbon emissions, the information accuracy, and the demand uncertainty.
Elliptical Crack Identification in a Nonrotating Shaft
Authors: Muñoz-Abella B. , Rubio L. , Rubio P. , Montero L.
Published: October 2018

It is known that fatigue cracks are one of the most important problems of the mechanical components, since their propagation can cause severe loss, both personal and economic. So, it is essential to know deeply the behavior of the cracked element to have tools that allow predicting the breakage before it happens. The shafts are elements that are specially affected by the described problem, because they are subjected to alternative compression and tension stresses. This work presents, firstly, an analytical expression that allows determining the first four natural frequencies of bending vibration of a nonrotating cracked shaft, assumed as an Euler–Bernoulli beam, with circular cross section under pinned‐pinned conditions, taking into account the elliptical shape of the crack. Second, once the direct problem is known, the inverse problem is approached. Genetic Algorithm technique has been used to estimate the crack parameters assuming known the natural frequencies of the cracked shaft.
The Humanistic and Economic Burden Associated with Anxiety and Depression among Adults with Comorbid Diabetes and Hypertension
Authors: Wallace Kimberly , Zhao Xiaohui , Misra Ranjita , Sambamoorthi Usha
Published: October 2018

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to estimate the humanistic and economic burden associated with depression and anxiety among adults with comorbid diabetes and hypertension. Pooled data from the 2013 and 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used to include adults (≥18 years old) who were alive and diagnosed with both diabetes and hypertension during the observation period. We assessed the humanistic burden with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and economic burden with the total annual healthcare expenditures. Depending on the presence/absence of depression and anxiety, the study sample was divided into four groups (i.e., no depression/anxiety, depression only, anxiety only, and depression and anxiety). Multivariable regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between the depression/anxiety categories and disease burden measures. The incremental burden associated with depression and/or anxiety was estimated with the counterfactual recycled prediction. Of the 4560 adults with comorbid diabetes and hypertension, 13.2% reported depression only, 8.7% reported anxiety only, and 7.7% reported both. Results from adjusted analyses indicated that the presence/absence of depression and anxiety was associated with significantly poorer HRQoL, especially on the mental component. Having either depression or anxiety corresponded to reduced mental component summary scores by more than four points. The reduction was as high as 10.35 points when both conditions occurred. Comparing to adults without depression or anxiety, the per-capital incremental annual healthcare expenditures were $4607 for the depression group, $2481 for the anxiety group, and $8709 for adults with both conditions. Furthermore, adults with depression and anxiety were 58% more likely to spend at least 10% of annual household income on healthcare as compared to those with neither the conditions. Our results highlight the needs for integrating cost-effective mental health services into diabetes management to improve the HRQoL and reduce healthcare costs for adults with comorbid diabetes and hypertension.
Microscopic Monitoring of Erythrocytes Deformation under Different Shear Stresses Using Computerized Cone and Plate Flow Chamber: Analytical Study of Normal Erythrocytes and Iron Deficiency Anemia
Authors: Elblbesy Mohamed A.
Published: October 2018

Erythrocytes deformation is one of the exciting properties of erythrocytes. It is still under investigation by many of the researchers in different disciplines. The clinicians and researchers are still looking for a simple and efficient method to monitor and tracking the erythrocytes deformation. This research article represented a microscopic technique that could be a helpful tool in evaluation and studying of erythrocytes deformation under different shear stresses. This technique was used to compare the deformation of normal erythrocytes and iron deficiency anemia. Elongation index was calculated and used in the quantitative analysis of erythrocytes deformation. It was found that the deformability of normal erythrocytes was higher than that of iron deficiency anemia. Normal erythrocytes and iron deficiency anemia showed strong negative correlations with the mean cell volume and the mean cell hemoglobin concentration under different shear stresses. This study introduces more understanding of the erythrocytes deformation by using a simple microscopic technique. The elongation index could be used as a measurable parameter to evaluate the deformability of the erythrocyte in normal and abnormal cases.
Progressive Intramuscular Haematoma in a 12-Year-Old Boy: A Case of Acquired Haemophilia A
Authors: Gamage Manori , Weerasinghe Sadeepa , Nasoor Mohamed , Karunarathne A. M. P. W. , Abeyrathne Sashi Praba
Published: October 2018

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare bleeding disorder due to acquired antibodies against coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). It is rare in children less than 16 years old, and the incidence is 0.45/million/year. An otherwise healthy, 12-year-old boy was admitted to the ward with a history of swelling of the right and left forearms, for 1 day duration. He did not have any history of trauma or bleeding disorder. He had prolonged APPTT level with very high antibody titer against factor VIII. His gene expression for factor VIII was found to be normal. He was managed with FEIBA and recombinant FVII activated complexes and prednisolone 1 m/kg/day regime to control bleeding. AHA is associated with several underlying pathologies such as pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, malignancy, medications and infections; however, up to 50% of reported cases are idiopathic. In contrast to congenital haemophilia A, in which haemarthrosis is the hallmark clinical presentation, patients with AHA mainly bleed in to the skin, muscles, and soft tissues. High mortality rate of more than 20% is either to retroperitoneal or intracranial bleeds. Diagnosis is confirmed on isolated prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time which does not normalize after addition of normal plasma, reducing the factor VIII levels with evidence of FVIII inhibitor activity. They have normal prothrombin time and platelet functions. Management of AHA involves two aspects, namely, eradication of antibodies and maintaining effective haemostasis during a bleeding episode.
Prevalence of Extended Spectrum Betalactamase (ESBL) and Metallobetalactamase (MBL) ProducingPseudomonas aeruginosaandAcinetobacter baumanniiIsolated from Various Clinical Samples
Authors: Kaur Amandeep , Singh Satnam
Published: October 2018

This study was conducted with an objective to find the prevalence of extended spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) and metallobetalactamase (MBL) inP. aeruginosaandA. baumanniiisolates obtained from various clinical samples. It was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, over a period of two years from July 2014 to June 2016. Clinical specimens including urine, pus, blood, high vaginal swabs, respiratory samples, and various body fluids were processed andP. aeruginosaandA. baumanniiisolates were identified by standard protocols. Antibiotic sensitivity testing for all isolates was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Disc potentiation test was performed to check ESBL and MBL production in these bacteria. Maximum ESBL positive isolates ofP. aeruginosawere observed among pus samples and maximum MBL positive isolates were detected in tracheal aspirates.A. baumanniishowed maximum positivity for ESBL and MBL production in endotracheal secretions. This study gives an alarming sign towards high prevalence of cephalosporin and carbapenem resistance due to production of extended spectrum betalactamases and metallobetalactamases, respectively. Early detection, stringent antibiotic policies, and compliance towards infection control practices are the best defenses against these organisms.
Rosemary Reduces Heat Stress by Inducing CRYAB and HSP70 Expression in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Tang Shu , Yin Bin , Xu Jiao , Bao Endong
Published: October 2018

Heat stress negatively affects poultry production and animal health. In response, animals invoke a heat stress response by inducing heat shock proteins (HSPs). Scientists are actively seeking natural products that can enhance the heat shock response. The present study aimed at assessing the effects of a purified rosemary extract comprising antioxidant compounds on the heat shock response and HSP expression profile in broiler chickens. The response of broilers to HS in the presence of purified rosemary extract was assessed using an in vivo myocardial cell model. Pathological lesions of heart tissue were examined microscopically. The levels and activities of enzymes associated with heart damage and oxidative damage were detected. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for HSPs in myocardial cells. The results showed that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and myocardial CK (CKMB) levels were reduced by the purified rosemary extract before and during heat stress. Heat stress alone increased CK and CKMB levels. The levels of oxidative damage‐associated enzymes were compared between the rosemary + heat stress and heat stress‐alone groups. The results indicated that in terms of these enzymes, the purified rosemary extract induced a more antioxidative state. Pathological examinations showed that heat stress caused myocardial fiber fracture, karyopyknosis, and degeneration. The addition of purified rosemary extract ameliorated these lesions to some degree, preserving more of the basic structure. Heat stress decreased the cellular levels of crystallin alpha B (CRYAB) and HSP70. The addition of the purified rosemary extract significantly increased the levels of CRYAB and HSP70 during heat stress (p < 0.0001). Immunohistochemistry showed that after rosemary treatment, CRYAB and HSP70 showed more intense staining compared with the no heat stress control group. In the rosemary + heat group, after 10 hours of heat stress, the staining intensity of these two proteins remained higher than in the heat stress group. Thus, purified rosemary extract could induce high levels of HSP70 and CRYAB in chicken hearts before and during heat stress. Purified rosemary extract could be used to alleviate heat stress in broiler chickens.
Reviewing Interventions against Enterobacteriaceae in Broiler Processing: Using Old Techniques for Meeting the New Challenges of ESBLE. coli?
Authors: Projahn Michaela , Pacholewicz Ewa , Becker Evelyne , Correia-Carreira Guido , Bandick Niels , Kaesbohrer Annemarie
Published: October 2018

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing Enterobacteriaceae are frequently detected in poultry and fresh chicken meat. Due to the high prevalence, an impact on human colonization and the spread of antibiotic resistance into the environment is assumed. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae can be transmitted along the broiler production chain but also their persistence is reported because of insufficient cleaning and disinfection. Processing of broiler chickens leads to a reduction of microbiological counts on the carcasses. However, processing steps like scalding, defeathering, and evisceration are critical concerning fecal contamination and, therefore, cross-contamination with bacterial strains. Respective intervention measures along the slaughter processing line aim at reducing the microbiological load on broiler carcasses as well as preventing cross-contamination. Published data on the impact of possible intervention measures against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are missing and, therefore, we focused on processing measures concerning Enterobacteriaceae, in particularE. colior coliform counts, during processing of broiler chickens to identify possible hints for effective strategies to reduce these resistant bacteria. In total, 73 publications were analyzed and data on the quantitative reductions were extracted. Most investigations concentrated on scalding, postdefeathering washes, and improvements in the chilling process and were already published in and before 2008 (n=42, 58%). Therefore, certain measures may be already installed in slaughterhouse facilities today. The effect on eliminating ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is questionable as there are still positive chicken meat samples found. A huge number of studies dealt with different applications of chlorine substances which are not approved in the European Union and the reduction level did not exceed 3 log10 values. None of the measures was able to totally eradicate Enterobacteriaceae from the broiler carcasses indicating the need to develop intervention measures to prevent contamination with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and, therefore, the exposure of humans and the further release of antibiotic resistances into the environment.
Vibration‐Based Fault Diagnosis of Commutator Motor
Authors: Glowacz Adam , Glowacz Witold
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a study on vibration‐based fault diagnosis techniques of a commutator motor (CM). Proposed techniques used vibration signals and signal processing methods. The authors analysed recognition efficiency for 3 states of the CM: healthy CM, CM with broken tooth on sprocket, CM with broken rotor coil. Feature extraction methods called MSAF‐RATIO‐50‐SFC (method of selection of amplitudes of frequencies ratio 50 second frequency coefficient), MSAF‐RATIO‐50‐SFC‐EXPANDED were implemented and used for an analysis. Feature vectors were obtained using MSAF‐RATIO‐50‐SFC, MSAF‐RATIO‐50‐SFC‐EXPANDED, and sum of RSoV. Classification methods such as nearest mean (NM) classifier, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and backpropagation neural network (BNN) were used for the analysis. A total efficiency of recognition was in the range of 79.16%–93.75% (TV). The proposed methods have practical application in industries.
Acupuncture for Infantile Colic: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Lee Dabin , Lee Hojung , Kim Jiwon , Kim Taehun , Sung Siyun , Leem Jungtae , Kim Tae-Hun
Published: October 2018

Introduction. Infantile colic is a common condition causing considerable deterioration in the quality of life of both infants and their parents. Minimal acupuncture, a gentle needling technique without strong muscle stimulation, has primarily been used to treat this condition, but the clinical evidence of its efficacy and safety is yet to be established. The objective of this review was to assess clinical evidence of the safety and efficacy of acupuncture for infantile colic. Methods. To identify studies for inclusion, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang, and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System were searched until January 2017. Only randomised controlled trials of infantile colic in patients aged 0 to 25 weeks, who were treated with acupuncture, were included. To assess the quality, the risk of bias was determined for each study by two authors. The intention was to perform a meta‐analysis, but this was not possible in this study due to considerable clinical heterogeneity among the included studies. Results. Of the 601 studies identified, only four randomized controlled trials were included in this review. All included studies were conducted in northern European countries. Most studies showed a low risk of bias in most domains. Minimal acupuncture on LI4 or ST36 without strong stimulation was used in all studies. From the narrative analysis, acupuncture appears to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of colic, including crying and feeding and stooling problems, and may have only minor adverse effects. However, clinical evidence could not be confirmed owing to considerable clinical heterogeneity and the small sample sizes of the included studies. Conclusion. There is currently no conclusive evidence on the safety and efficacy of acupuncture for infantile colic. Rigorous full‐scale randomized controlled trials will be necessary in future.
SOSerbia: Android‐Based Software Platform for Sending Emergency Messages
Authors: Jovanovic Mihailo , Babic Ivan , Cabarkapa Milan , Misic Jelena , Mijalkovic Sasa , Nikolic Vojkan , Randjelovic Dragan
Published: October 2018

This paper presents Android‐based SOS platform named SOSerbia for sending emergency messages by citizens in Serbia. The heart of the platform is SOS client Android application which is an easy and simple solution for sending SOS messages with unique combination of volume buttons. The proposed platform solves a lot of safety, security, and emergency problems for people who can be in dangerous situations. After a person presses a correct combination of buttons, a message with his or her location is sent to the operating center of the Serbian Police. The platform merges several appropriately combined advanced Android technologies into one complete solution. The proposed solution also uses the Google location API for getting user’s location and Media Player broadcast receiver for reading pressed buttons for volume. This logic can be also customized for any other mobile operating system. In other words, the proposed architecture can be also implemented in iOS or Windows OS. It should be noted that the proposed architecture is optimized for different mobile devices. It is also implemented with simple widget and background process based on location. The proposed platform is experimentally demonstrated as a part of emergency response center at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia. This platform overcomes real‐life problems that other state‐of‐the‐art solutions introduce and can be applied and integrated easily in any national police and e‐government systems.
A Rapid UAV Image Georeference Algorithm Developed for Emergency Response
Authors: Wang Shumin , Ding Ling , Chen Zihan , Dou Aixia
Published: October 2018

The image collection system based on the unmanned aerial vehicle plays an important role in the postearthquake response and disaster investigation. In the postearthquake response period, for hundreds of image stitching or 3D model reconstruction, the traditional UAV image processing methods may take one or several hours, which need to be improved on the efficiency. To solve this problem, the UAV image rapid georeference method for postearthquake is proposed in this paper. Firstly, we discuss the rapid georeference model of UAV images and then adopt the world file designed and developed by ESRI to organize the georeferenced image data. Next, the direct georeference method based on the position and attitude data collected by the autopilot system is employed to compute the upper-left corner coordinates of the georeferenced images. For the differences of image rotation manners between the rapid georeference model and the world file, the rapid georeference error compensation model from the image rotation is considered in this paper. Finally, feature extraction and feature matching for UAV images and referenced image are used to improve the accuracy of the position parameters in the world file, which will reduce the systematic error of the georeferenced images. We use the UAV images collected from Danling County and Beichuan County, Sichuan Province, to implement the rapid georeference experiments employing different types of UAV. All the images are georeferenced within three minutes. The results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper satisfies the time and accuracy requirements of postearthquake response, which has an important application value.
Estimation and Fault Diagnosis of Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Fractional-Order System Approach
Authors: Kong Shulan , Saif Mehrdad , Cui Guozeng
Published: October 2018

This study investigates estimation and fault diagnosis of fractional-order Lithium-ion battery system. Two simple and common types of observers are designed to address the design of fault diagnosis and estimation for the fractional-order systems. Fractional-order Luenberger observers are employed to generate residuals which are then used to investigate the feasibility of model based fault detection and isolation. Once a fault is detected and isolated, a fractional-order sliding mode observer is constructed to provide an estimate of the isolated fault. The paper presents some theoretical results for designing stable observers and fault estimators. In particular, the notion of stability in the sense of Mittag-Leffler is first introduced to discuss the state estimation error dynamics. Overall, the design of the Luenberger observer as well as the sliding mode observer can accomplish fault detection, fault isolation, and estimation. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy on a three-cell battery string system is demonstrated.
Stochastic Analysis of a Nonlinear Business Cycle Model with Correlated Random Income Disturbance
Authors: Zhao Jun
Published: October 2018

The economic cycle has always been an important feature of the evolution of an economic system. In the presence of many uncertain factors, it appears in the manner of very complex nonlinearity and randomness. Based on the theory of stochastic nonlinear dynamics, a nonlinear economic cycle model with correlated random income disturbance is established. The probability density evolution of the nonlinear economic cycle model under random disturbance is numerically analyzed by using a path integration method. The analysis shows the high saving rate reduces the investment and improves the probabilities of low income and low income change rate. In order to achieve a higher income, the saving rate should be controlled to some reasonable small value. The nonlinearity of the economic cycle model increases the probabilities of high income and high income change rate, which can lead to the increase of income in a probabilistic sense. The increase of random income interference enhances the uncertainty of income. Meanwhile, the increase of correlated random income disturbance can lead to a nonsymmetric distribution of the probability distributions of income and income change rate. In such cases, the income is more difficult to forecast and control.
Mechanism of Strain Burst by Laboratory and Numerical Analysis
Authors: He Manchao , Ren Fuqiang , Cheng Cheng
Published: October 2018

Strain burst is often considered to be a type of failure related to brittle rock material; therefore, many studies on strain burst focus on the brittleness of rock. However, the laboratory experiments show that strain burst can not only occur in hard brittle rock‐like granite but also in the relatively ductile rock‐like argillaceous sandstone. This result proves that behavior of rock material is not the only factor influencing the occurrence of strain burst. What must also be considered is the relative stiffness between the excavation wall/ore body and the surrounding rock mass. In order to further studying the mechanism of strain burst considering the whole system, the engineering geomechanial model and numerical model of strain burst due to excavation are built, respectively. In a series of numerical tests, the rock mass involving the excavation wall as well as roof and floor is biaxially loaded to the in situ stress state before one side of the excavation wall is unloaded abruptly to simulate the excavation in the field. With various system stiffness determined by the microproperties including the contact moduli of particles and parallel bond moduli in the models of roof and floor, the different failure characteristics are obtained. Based on the failure phenomenon, deformation, and released energy from the roof and floor, this study proves that the system stiffness is a key factor determining the violence of the failure, and strain burst is prone to happen when the system is soft. Two critical Young’s moduli ratios and stiffness ratios are identified to assess the violence of failure.
Unusual Case of an Infant with Urinary Tract Infection Presenting as Cholestatic Jaundice
Authors: Niazi Rahaf , Baharoon Bashaer , Neyas Afnan , Alaifan Meshari , Safdar Osama
Published: October 2018

Neonatal jaundice is considered one of the most common reasons for admission to the pediatric medical ward. We report a case of a 1-month-old infant who presented with jaundice but no fever or any other signs of systemic illnesses. Laboratory test results revealed high direct hyperbilirubinemia, and urine culture showed a urinary tract infection with Enterobacter cloacae as the causative agent. He was admitted to the pediatric medical ward where he was treated with a course of antibiotics for 14 days, and cholestasis resolved completely following a course of antibiotics. We conclude that direct hyperbilirubinemia can be related to urinary tract infection in neonates. It is unusual for urinary tract infection to present clinically and biochemically as cholestatic jaundice.
Dynamics of Dissipative Viscous Cylindrical Collapse with Full Causal Approach in f(R) Gravity
Authors: Abbas G. , Nazar H.
Published: October 2018

The idea of this article is to examine the effects on dynamics of dissipative gravitational collapse in nonstatic cylindrical symmetric geometry by using Misner-Sharp concept in framework of metric f(R) gravity theory. In this interest, we extended our study to the dissipative dark source case in both forms of heat flow and the free radiation streaming. Moreover, the role of different quantities such as heat flux, bulk, and shear viscosity in the dynamical equation is evaluated in thorough version. The dynamical equation is then coupled with full causal transportation equations in the context of Israel-Stewart formalism. The present scheme explains the physical consequences of the gravitational collapse and that is given in the decreasing form of inertial mass density which depends on thermodynamics viscous/heat coupling factors in background of f(R) theory of gravity. It is very interesting to tell us that the motives of this theory are reproduced for f(R)=R into general theory of relativity that has been done earlier.
Autoinfarction of Giant Parathyroid Adenoma after Preoperative Withdrawal of Anticoagulants
Authors: Verzijl Raoul , Bongers Pim J. , Mukerji Geetha , Mete Ozgur , Devon Karen M. , Pasternak Jesse D.
Published: October 2018

A 71-year-old man with known history of atrial fibrillation (treated with routine rivaroxaban therapy) was found to have incidental biochemical elevated calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. His physical examination demonstrated the presence of a palpable right neck mass. Subsequent imaging studies revealed a large parathyroid mass as well as multiple bone lesions, raising the suspicion of parathyroid carcinoma. The anticoagulant therapy was stopped 5 days prior to his elective surgery. The night before his elective surgery, he presented to the emergency room with profound hypocalcemia. The surgery was postponed and rescheduled after calcium correction. Intraoperative findings and detailed histopathological examination revealed an infarcted 4.0 cm parathyroid adenoma with cystic change. His bony changes were related to brown tumors associated with long-standing hyperparathyroidism. Autoinfarction of a large parathyroid adenoma causing severe hypocalcemia is a rare phenomenon and may be considered in patients with large parathyroid adenomas after withdrawal of anticoagulants.
Optimal Low‐Power Design of a Multicell Multiuser Massive MIMO System at 3.7 GHz for 5G Wireless Networks
Authors: Matalatala Michel , Deruyck Margot , Tanghe Emmeric , Martens Luc , Joseph Wout
Published: October 2018

Massive MIMO techniques are expected to deliver significant performance gains for the future wireless communication networks by improving the spectral and the energy efficiencies. In this paper, we propose a method to optimize the positions, the coverage, and the energy consumption of the massive MIMO base stations within a suburban area in Ghent, Belgium, while meeting the low power requirements. The results reveal that massive MIMO provides better performances for the crowded scenario where users’ mobility is limited. With 256 antennas, a massive MIMO base station can simultaneously multiplex 18 users at the same time‐frequency resource while consuming 8 times less power and providing 200 times more capacity than a 4G reference network for the same coverage. Moreover, a pilot reuse pattern of 3 is recommended in a multiuser multicell environment to obtain a good tradeoff between the high spectral efficiency and the low power requirement.
The Association and Clinical Significance of CDKN2A Promoter Methylation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhou Chongchang , Shen Zhisen , Ye Dong , Li Qun , Deng Hongxia , Liu Huigao , Li Jinyun
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: The association between cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) hypermethylation and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) risk has been investigated by a number of studies. However, these studies have not demonstrated consistent results. Moreover, the role of CDKN2A methylation in HNSCC carcinogenesis and its clinical significance remain unclear. Methods: We performed a systematic meta-analysis based on 72 articles (including 3399 HNSCCs, 668 premalignant lesions, and 2393 normal controls) from the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases. Results: Our study showed a significant increase in the frequency of CDKN2A methylation during HNSCC carcinogenesis (HNSCC vs. normal controls, odds ratio (OR) = 6.72, P < 0.01; HNSCC vs. precancerous lesions, OR = 1.89, P < 0.05; precancerous lesions vs. normal controls, OR = 14.70, P < 0.01). Moreover, CDKN2A methylation was significantly associated with gender (OR = 1.34; P < 0.05) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.32; P < 0.01). The area under summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for diagnosis of HNSCC based on all samples and saliva sample subgroup were 0.77 and 0.96, respectively. Additionally, CDKN2A hypermethylation was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.01, P < 0.05) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 1.77, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate CDKN2A methylation is involved in the carcinogenesis, progression, and metastasis of HNSCC. Furthermore, methylated CDKN2A could be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HNSCC.
Combined Effect of IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R Expression on Prognosis of Patients with Laryngeal Cancer
Authors: Tao Ye , Tao Tianchang , Gross Neil , Peng Xuyun , Li Ying , Huang Zhigang , Liu Limei , Li Guojun , Chen Xiaohong , Yang Jianming
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: This study aimed to pathologically elucidate the roles of interleukin-12 receptor (IL-12R) β2 and interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) expression in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the tumor microenvironment and to determine their combined effect on prognosis of laryngeal cancer (LC). Methods: The tumor-cell expression scores and TIL positivity ratiosof IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R in matched LC and normal laryngeal tissue samples from 61 LC patients were measured via immunohistochemistry (IHC). We adopted a linear regression model to analyze the correlation between IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R expression in tumor cells and TIL ratios. TheKaplan-Meier log-rank test and Cox regression hazard ratios were used to analyze survival. Results: LC tumor cells had a higher IL-12Rβ2 expression and TIL ratio than IL-23R expression and TIL ratio. The significant correlations between IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R expression and TIL ratios were identified in LC tissues, particularly in well-differentiated LC. Furthermore, either high tumor cell IL-12Rβ2 or low IL-23R expression had better survival than its corresponding low or high expression, respectively. Similar results did for IL-12Rβ2 ratio and IL-23R ratio. Finally, patients with both high IL-12Rβ2 and low IL-23R had the best prognosis among any other combined groups with both gene expression (HR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.0-0.8). Likewise, patients with positive ratios of high IL-12Rβ2 and low IL-23R TILs had the best survival (HR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.0-0.4). Conclusion: IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R create a homeostasis within the tumor cells and TILs, and this homeostasis affects prognosis. While the intrinsic mechanisms of epigenetic immunoediting for IL-12Rβ2 and IL-23R remain unknown, additional larger and functional studies are warranted for validation.
Clinicopathological Aspects of Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix: a Multicenter Retrospective Study and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Fan , Ma Jing , Yi Hongyan , Hu Huiquan , Fan Liangsheng , Wu Peng , Chen Xiaojing , Wu Xiangguang , Yu Lan , Xing Hui , Wang Wei
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: To evaluate the clinicopathologic aspects of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix (SCNEC). Methods: A retrospective review of 40 patients with SCNEC in 3 hospitals from 2009 to 2015 was conducted to assess the survival rates and examine the associations between clinicopathological variables and overall survival (OS). A meta-analysis of 22 studies containing 1901 patients was also conducted to further confirm the results. Results: In the clinical group of 40 patients, the 5-year OS rate was 20%. Advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and radiation therapy (RT) were associated with poor survival. However, radical surgery was associated with prolonged survival. In the meta-analysis of 1901 patients, the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate, 5-year DFS rate, 2-year OS rate, 3-year OS rate and 5-year OS rate of SCNEC were 48%, 35%, 62%, 35%, and 35% respectively. Advanced FIGO stage, larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis (LNM) (+), lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI) (+), parametrial involvement (PI) (+), depth of stromal invasion (DSI) > 2/3, and RT were associated with poor survival. However, a chemotherapy regimen similar to that for small cell lung cancer was associated with prolonged survival. Conclusion: Advanced FIGO stage, larger tumor size, LNM (+), LVSI (+), DSI > 2/3, PI (+), and RT were independent predictors of poor prognosis of SCNEC. Radical surgery combined with a chemotherapy regimen similar to that of small cell lung cancer may be a potential therapeutic approach for SCNEC.
Comprehensive Analysis of miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA Networks in Non-Smoking and Smoking Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Qian Yan , Mao Zheng-dao , Shi Yu-jia , Liu Zhi-guang , Cao Qi , Zhang Qian
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to identify overlapping or diverging dysregulated genes, lncRNAs, miRNAs and signaling pathways in smoking and non-smoking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Compared to normal controls, we identified the shared and divergent differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in smoking and non-smoking COPD by RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Functional annotation of DEmRNAs were performed. Both cis and trans-target DEmRNAs of DElncRNAs were identified. The target DEmRNAs of DEmiRNAs were identified as well. The DEmiRNA-DEmRNA-DElncRNA interaction network was constructed. QRT-PCR was performed to validat the selected DEmiRNAs, DEmRNA and DElncRNAs in COPD. Results: Compared to normal control, 1234 DEmRNAs, 96 DElncRNAs and 151 DEmiRNAs were identified in non-smoking patients with COPD; 670 DEmRNAs, 44 DElncRNAs and 63 DEmiRNAs were identified in smoking patients with COPD. Leukocyte transendothelial migration and pathways in cancer were significantly enriched pathways in non-smoking and smoking COPD, respectively. MiR-122-5p-A2M-LINC00987/A2M-AS1/ linc0061 interactions might play key roles in COPD irrespective with the smoking status. Let-7-ADRB1-HLA-DQB1-AS1 might play a key role in the pathogenesis of smoking COPD while miR-218-5p/miR15a-RORA-LOC101928100/LINC00861 and miR-218-5p/miR15a-TGFβ3-RORA-AS1 interactions might involve with non-smoking COPD. Conclusion: We identified the shared and diverging genes, lncRNAs, miRNAs and their interactions and pathways in smoking and non-smoking COPD which provided clues for understanding the mechanism and developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for COPD.
Atypical Antipsychotic Drug Olanzapine Deregulates Hepatic Lipid Metabolism and Aortic Inflammation and Aggravates Atherosclerosis
Authors: Chen Chia-Hui , Shyue Song-Kun , Hsu Chiao-Po , Lee Tzong-Shyuan
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug, has therapeutic effects for schizophrenia. However, clinical reports indicate that patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs are at high risk of metabolic syndrome with unclear mechanisms. We investigated the effect of olanzapine on atherosclerosis and the mechanisms in apolipoprotein E-null (apoE-/-) mice. Methods: ApoE-/- mice were used as in vivo models. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate protein expression. Conventional assay kits were applied to assess the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, fatty acids, glycerol, and cytokines. Results: Daily treatment with olanzapine (3 mg/kg body weight) for four weeks increased mean arterial blood pressure and the whitening of brown adipose tissue in mice. In addition, olanzapine impaired aortic cholesterol homeostasis and exacerbated hyperlipidemia and aortic inflammation, which accelerated atherosclerosis in mice. Moreover, lipid accumulation in liver, particularly total cholesterol, free cholesterol, fatty acids, and glycerol, was increased with olanzapine treatment in apoE-/- mice by upregulating the expression of de novo lipid synthesis-related proteins and downregulating that of cholesterol clearance- or very low-density lipoprotein secretion-related proteins. Conclusion: Olanzapine may exacerbate atherosclerosis by deregulating hepatic lipid metabolism and worsening hyperlipidemia and aortic inflammation.
LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 Mediates Pyroptosis in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Yang Fan , Qin Ying , Wang Yueqiu , Li Anqi , Lv Jie , Sun Xi , Che Hui , Han Tianshu , Meng Songyan , Bai Yunlong , Wang Lihong
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common complication of diabetes and can cause heart failure, arrhythmia and sudden death. The pathogenesis of DCM includes altered metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death and extracellular matrix remodeling. Recently, pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death related to inflammation, was proven to be activated in DCM. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying pyroptosis in DCM remain elusive. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Kcnq1ot1 participates in many cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to clarify whether Kcnq1ot1 affects cardiac pyroptosis in DCM. Methods: AC16 cells and primary cardiomyocytes were incubated with 5.5 and 50 mmol/L glucose. Diabetic mice were induced with streptozotocin (STZ). Kcnq1ot1 was silenced both in vitro and in vivo. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of Kcnq1ot1. Immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses were used to detect the degree of pyroptosis. Echocardiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and Masson’s trichrome staining were used to detect the cardiac function and morphology in mice. Cell death and function were detected using TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence staining and Ca2+ measurements. Results: The expression of Kcnq1ot1 was increased in patients with diabetes, high glucose-induced cardiomyocytes and diabetic mouse cardiac tissue. Silencing Kcnq1ot1 alleviated pyroptosis by targeting miR-214-3p and caspase-1. Furthermore, silencing Kcnq1ot1 reduced cell death, cytoskeletal structure abnormalities and calcium overload in vitro and improved cardiac function and morphology in vivo. Conclusion: Kcnq1ot1 is overexpressed in DCM, and silencing Kcnq1ot1 inhibits pyroptosis by influencing miR-214-3p and caspase-1 expression. We clarified for the first time that Kcnq1ot1 could be a new therapeutic target for DCM.
Extraction without tooling around — The first comprehensive description of the foraging- and socio-ecology of wild Goffin’s cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana)
Authors: O’Hara M. , Mioduszewska B. , Haryoko T. , Prawiradilaga D.M. , Huber L. , Auersperg A.
Published: October 2018

When tested under laboratory conditions, Goffin’s cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana) demonstrate numerous sophisticated cognitive skills. Most importantly, this species has shown the ability to manufacture and use tools. However, little is known about the ecology of these cockatoos, endemic to the Tanimbar Islands in Indonesia. Here we provide first insights into the feeding- and socio-ecology of the wild Goffin’s cockatoos and propose potential links between their behaviour in natural settings and their advanced problem-solving capacities shown in captivity. Observational data suggests that Goffin’s cockatoos rely on a large variety of partially seasonal resources. Furthermore, several food types require different extraction techniques. These ecological and behavioural characteristics fall in line with current hypotheses regarding the evolution of complex cognition and innovativeness. We discuss how the efficiency of (extractive) foraging may preclude tool use in wild Goffin’s cockatoos, even though the corresponding cognitive and ecological prerequisites seem to be present.