bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a bar code-based exposure assessment method to evaluate occupational exposure to disinfectants and cleaning products: a pilot study
Authors: Quinot Catherine , Amsellem-Dubourget Sylvie , Temam Sofia , Sevin Etienne , Barreto Christine , Tackin Arzu , Félicité Jérémy , Lyon-Caen Sarah , Siroux Valérie , Girard Raphaële , Descatha Alexis , Le Moual Nicole , Dumas Orianne
Published: May 2018

Objective

Healthcare workers are highly exposed to various types of disinfectants and cleaning products. Assessment of exposure to these products remains a challenge. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of a method, based on a smartphone application and bar codes, to improve occupational exposure assessment among hospital/cleaning workers in epidemiological studies.

Methods

A database of disinfectants and cleaning products used in French hospitals, including their names, bar codes and composition, was developed using several sources: ProdHyBase (a database of disinfectants managed by hospital hygiene experts), and specific regulatory agencies and industrial websites. A smartphone application has been created to scan bar codes of products and fill a short questionnaire. The application was tested in a French hospital. The ease of use and the ability to record information through this new approach were estimated.

Results

The method was tested in a French hospital (7 units, 14 participants). Through the application, 126 records (one record referred to one product entered by one participant/unit) were registered, majority of which were liquids (55.5%) or sprays (23.8%); 20.6% were used to clean surfaces and 15.9% to clean toilets. Workers used mostly products with alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds (>90% with weekly use), followed by hypochlorite bleach and hydrogen peroxide (28.6%). For most records, information was available on the name (93.7%) and bar code (77.0%). Information on product compounds was available for all products and recorded in the database.

Conclusion

This innovative and easy-to-use method could help to improve the assessment of occupational exposure to disinfectants/cleaning products in epidemiological studies.
Is radiographic progression in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis related to matrix metalloproteinase degradation of extracellular matrix?
Authors: Siebuhr Anne Sofie , van der Heijde Desirée , Bay-Jensen Anne-C , Karsdal Morten Asser , Landewé Robert , van Tubergen Astrid , Ramiro Sofia
Published: May 2018

Background

Radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) is associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling of affected tissues. We investigated whether there was a relationship between biomarkers of ECM remodelling and 2-year radiographic progression in r-axSpA.

Methods

Patients from the Outcome in Ankylosing Spondylitis International Study (OASIS) were included if they had serum, clinical and spinal radiographic assessments available at baseline and 2 years later. Two readers independently scored the radiographs according to the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS). The average score was used. Type I, V and VI collagen metabolites (C1M, C5M and C6M) and citrullinated and matrix metalloproteinase-degraded vimentin (VICM) were assessed in serum by ELISAs. The relationship between serum biomarkers and 2-year radiographic progression was investigated using linear regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders. Interactions were tested.

Results

Patients included (n=122) had a mean age of 45 years (SD 12), 70% were male and 82% were human leucocyte antigen-B27 positive. The mean 2-year mSASSS progression was 2.1 (2.9) units. Only C1M was significantly associated with mSASSS progression (β=0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.03). The effect disappeared after adjustment for confounders. C5M, C6M and VICM showed no relationship with mSASSS progression.

Conclusion

We did not find evidence that degradation of ECM is related to radiographic progression in patients with r-axSpA.
Improving the global diagnosis and management of asthma in children
Authors: Lenney Warren , Bush Andrew , Fitzgerald Dominic A , Fletcher Monica , Ostrem Anders , Pedersen Soren , Szefler Stanley J , Zar Heather J
Published: May 2018

Asthma is the most common chronic condition in children worldwide. It affects daytime activities, sleep and school attendance and causes anxiety to parents, families and other carers. The quality of asthma diagnosis and management globally still needs substantial improvement. From infancy to the teenage years, there are age-specific challenges, including both underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis with stigma-related barriers to treatment in some cultures and in adolescents. Guidelines are increasingly evidence based, but their impact on improving outcomes has been negligible in many parts of the world, often due to lack of implementation. New thinking is needed to enable substantial improvements in outcomes. The disease varies globally and plans will need to differ for individual countries or places where region-specific barriers prevent optimal care. A wide selection of educational activities is needed, including community-targeted initiatives, to engage with families. The Paediatric Asthma Project Plan has been initiated to strengthen diagnosis and management of asthma. This encompasses a vision for the next 10–15 years, building on the knowledge and experience from previous educational projects. It will take into account the educational needs of patients, carers and healthcare professionals as well as the accessibility and affordability of medication, particularly in low and middle-income countries where the prevalence of asthma is rising more rapidly. This overview presents a first step for those involved in the diagnosis and management of childhood asthma to strengthen care for children globally.
Axial load testing of helical pile groups in glaciolacustrine clay
Authors: Lanyi-Bennett Stephen A. , Deng Lijun
Published: May 2018

The behaviour of helical pile groups has not previously been experimentally investigated through field testing. In the present study, field compressive load tests of 2 × 2 helical pile groups and single piles were conducted in a glaciolacustrine clay in Edmonton, Canada. The group pile spacing, interhelix spacing, and soil setup time were varied. Piezometers were used to measure the excess pore pressure (ue) response to pile installation. Selected groups contained a strain gauge instrumented pile that was used to estimate the pile load transfer and failure mechanism. Group performance was evaluated by estimating the group efficiencies and settlement ratios. Results show that the group interaction of small-diameter helical piles was lower than that of conventional pile groups. The short-term performance of groups was significantly reduced by ue, and groups with smaller group pile spacing had a greater reduction in short-term performance. Instrumented grouped piles and one single pile, both having an interhelix spacing ratio of 5, exhibited individual bearing failure. The measured group capacities and load distributions indicated that individual pile failure occurred, as opposed to block failure.
Nanodrug delivery platform for glucocorticoid use in skeletal muscle injury
Authors: Sutariya Vijaykumar , Tur Jared , Kelly Shannon , Halasz Kathleen , Chapalamadugu Kalyan C. , Nimbalkar Rohini , Pathak Yashwant V. , Weigel Robert , Daviau Todd , Webb Travis , Cacace Janice , Brotto Marco , Tipparaju Srinivas M.
Published: May 2018

Glucocorticoids are utilized for their anti-inflammatory properties in the skeletal muscle and arthritis. However, the major drawback of use of glucocorticoids is that it leads to senescence and toxicity. Therefore, based on the idea that decreasing particle size allows for increased surface area and bioavailability of the drug, in the present study, we hypothesized that nanodelivery of dexamethasone will offer increased efficacy and decreased toxicity. The dexamethasone-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were prepared using nanoprecipitation method. The morphological characteristics of the nanoparticles were studied under scanning electron microscope. The particle size of nanoparticles was 217.5 ± 19.99 nm with polydispersity index of 0.14 ± 0.07. The nanoparticles encapsulation efficiency was 34.57% ± 1.99% with in vitro drug release profile exhibiting a sustained release pattern over 10 days. We identified improved skeletal muscle myoblast performance with improved closure of the wound along with increased cell viability at 10 nmol/L nano-dexamethasone-PLGA. However, dexamethasone solution (1 μmol/L) was injurious to cells because the migration efficiency was decreased. In addition, the use of dexamethasone nanoparticles decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced lactate dehydrogenase release compared with dexamethasone solution. Taken together, the present study clearly demonstrates that delivery of PLGA-dexamethasone nanoparticles to the skeletal muscle cells is beneficial for treating inflammation and skeletal muscle function.
Reticulon 3 regulates very low density lipoprotein secretion by controlling very low density lipoprotein transport vesicle biogenesis
Authors: Siddiqi Shaila , Zhelyabovska Olga , Siddiqi Shadab A.
Published: May 2018

Secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) by the liver is an important physiological process; however, the rate of VLDL secretion is determined by its transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. This transport event is facilitated by a specialized ER-derived vesicle, the VLDL transport vesicle (VTV). We have reported earlier a detailed VTV proteome, which revealed that reticulon 3 (RTN3) is uniquely present in the VTV. Our immunoblotting and electron microscopic data demonstrate that RTN3 is enriched in the VTV; however, other ER-derived vesicles do not contain RTN3. Co-immunoprecipitation data coupled with confocal microscopic analyses strongly suggest that RTN3 interacts with VLDL core protein, apoB100, at the ER level. Our data show that either blocking of RTN3 using specific antibodies or RTN3 knockdown resulted in significant reduction in VTV biogenesis from hepatic ER membranes. Additionally, VLDL secretion from hepatocytes was significantly decreased when RTN3 was silenced by RTN3 siRNA. We conclude that RTN3 regulates VLDL secretion by controlling VTV-mediated ER-to-Golgi transport of nascent VLDL.
Factors affecting gray wolf (Canis lupus) encounter rate with elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Martin H.W. , Mech L.D. , Fieberg J. , Metz M.C. , MacNulty D.R. , Stahler D.R. , Smith D.W.
Published: May 2018

Despite encounter rates being a key component of kill rate, few studies of large carnivore predation have quantified encounter rates with prey, the factors that influence them, and the relationship between encounter rate and kill rate. The study’s primary motivation was to determine the relationship between prey density and encounter rate in understanding the mechanism behind the functional response. Elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) population decline and variable weather in northern Yellowstone National Park provided an opportunity to examine how these factors influenced wolf (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758) encounter rates with elk. We explored how factors associated with wolf kill rate and encounter rate in other systems (season, elk density, elk group density, average elk group size, snow depth, wolf pack size, and territory size) influenced wolf–elk encounter rate in Yellowstone National Park. Elk density was the only factor significantly correlated with wolf–elk encounter rate, and we found a nonlinear density-dependent relationship that may be a mechanism for a functional response in this system. Encounter rate was correlated with number of elk killed during early winter but not late winter. Weak effects of snow depth and elk group size on encounter rate suggest that these factors influence kill rate via hunting success because kill rate is the product of hunting success and encounter rate.
Consensus formation in opinion dynamics with online and offline interactions at complex networks
Authors: Ding Zhaogang , Dong Yucheng , Kou Gang , Palomares Iván , Yu Shui
Published: May 2018

Nowadays, with the development of information communication technology and Internet, more and more people receive information and exchange their opinions with others via online environments (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Weibo, and WeChat). According to eMarketer Report [Worldwide Internet and Mobile Users: eMarketer’s Updated Estimates and Forecast for 2015–2020 (eMarketer Report). Published October 11, 2016, https://www.emarketer.com/Report/Worldwide-Internet-Mobile-Users-eMarketers-Updated-Estimates-Forecast-20152020/2001897 ).], by the end of 2016, more than 3.2 billion individuals worldwide will use the Internet regularly, accounting for nearly 45% of the world population. By contrast, the other half of the global population still obtain information and regularly exchange their opinions in a more traditional way (e.g. face to face). Generally, the speed at which information spreads and opinions are exchanged and updated in an online environment is much faster than in an offline environment. This paper focuses on jointly investigating the challenge of consensus formation in opinion dynamics with online and offline interactions. Without loss of generality, we assume the speed at which information spreads and opinions are exchanged and updated in an online environment is [Formula: see text] times as fast as in an offline environment. We demonstrate that the update speed ratio in mixed online and offline environments (i.e. [Formula: see text]) strongly impacts the consensus formation at complex networks: a large update speed ratio of online and offline environments (i.e. [Formula: see text]) makes it difficult for all agents to reach consensus in opinion dynamics. Furthermore, these effects are often further intensified as the number of online participating agents increases.
Hominis placenta Suppresses Acute Lung Inflammation by Activating Nrf2
Authors: Kim Tae Ho , Choi Jun-Yong , Kim Kyun Ha , Kwun Min Jung , Han Chang-Woo , Won Ran , Lee Jung Ju , Kim Jong-In , Joo Myungsoo
Published: May 2018

Hominis placenta (HP), a dried human placenta, has been known to target liver, lung, or kidney meridians, improving the functions associated with these meridians in traditional Chinese or Asian medicine (TCM). Since recent studies implicate an HP extract in suppressing inflammation, we investigated whether an aqueous HP extract can ameliorate inflammation that occurred in the lungs. When administered with a single intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), C57BL/6 mice developed an acute neutrophilic lung inflammation along with an increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. However, this was diminished by the administration HP extract via an intraperitoneal route 2 h after LPS treatment. Western blot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that while suppressing the activity of a proinflammatory factor NF-[Formula: see text]B marginally, the HP extract strongly activated an anti-inflammatory factor Nrf2, with concomitant expression of Nrf2-dependent genes. Mechanistically, the HP extract suppressed the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Nrf2, functioning similarly to a 26S proteasome inhibitor, MG132. Collectively, these results suggest that the HP extract suppresses inflammation in mouse lungs, which is in part related to the HP extract perturbing the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of Nrf2 and thus increasing the function of Nrf2.
Two healing lengths in a two-band GL-model with quadratic terms: Numerical results
Authors: Macias-Medri A. E. , Rodríguez-Núñez J. J.
Published: May 2018

A two-band and quartic interaction order Ginzburg–Landau model in the presence of a single vortex is studied in this work. Interactions of second (quadratic, with coupling parameter [Formula: see text]) and fourth (quartic, with coupling parameter [Formula: see text]) order between the two superconducting order parameters ([Formula: see text] with i = 1,[Formula: see text]2) are incorporated in a functional. Terms beyond quadratic gradient contributions are neglected in the corresponding minimized free energy. The solution of the system of coupled equations is solved by numerical methods to obtain the [Formula: see text]-profiles, where our starting point was the calculation of the superconducting critical temperature [Formula: see text]. With this at hand, we evaluate [Formula: see text] and the magnetic field along the z-axis, [Formula: see text], as function of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], the radial distance [Formula: see text] and the temperature [Formula: see text], for [Formula: see text]. The self-consistent equations allow us to compute [Formula: see text] (penetration depth) and the healing lengths of [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] with i = 1,[Formula: see text]2) as functions of T, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. At the end, relevant discussions about type-1.5 superconductivity in the compounds we have studied are presented.
Borcherds–Bozec algebras, root multiplicities and the Schofield construction
Authors: Kang Seok-Jin
Published: May 2018

Using the twisted denominator identity, we derive a closed form root multiplicity formula for all symmetrizable Borcherds–Bozec algebras and discuss its applications including the case of Monster Borcherds–Bozec algebra. In the second half of the paper, we provide the Schofield construction of symmetric Borcherds–Bozec algebras.
A local theory for a fractional reaction-diffusion equation
Authors: Viana Arlúcio
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we study the local well-posedness for the Cauchy problem of a semilinear fractional diffusion equation where the perturbations behave like [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] is the characteristic function of a ball [Formula: see text]. Here, we are interested in the solvability of the problem when singular initial data [Formula: see text] are taken in [Formula: see text]. Eventually, we give sufficient conditions to the nonexistence of positive global solutions.
Efficient energy transfer in a tri-chromophoric dyad containing BODIPYs and corrole based on a truxene platform
Authors: Yang Jian , Cai Fang-Jian , Yuan Xue-Mei , Meng Ting , Xin Guo-Xiang , Wang Shi-Fa , Gros Claude P. , Xu Hai-Jun
Published: May 2018

A star-shaped molecule was designed and synthesized based on a known central truxene platform. Two BODIPY derivatives and one corrole macrocycle were introduced and connected to the 2, 7 and 12-positions of the truxene unit by Suzuki coupling. The dyad was fully characterized by UV-vis absorption, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry. The direction of energy transfer upon electronic excitation was explored, and the star-shaped molecule system exhibits a highly efficient photoinduced energy transfer process from the excited BODIPY part to the corrole unit.
Novel Microwave Absorption Materials of Porous Flower-Like Nickel Oxide@Polyaniline in the X-Band
Authors: Liu Ye , Xing Honglong , Wang Lei , Liu Zhenfeng , Wang Huan , Jia Hanxiao
Published: May 2018

Porous flower nickel oxide@polyaniline (NiO@PANI) composites as excellent microwave absorption (MA) materials in the X-band were synthesized via a two-step strategy in this work. The porous NiO flower is uniformly dispersed and homogeneous in particle size after Ostwald ripening process. Coating conductive PANI on the surface of porous NiO microspheres could improve interfacial polarization and dielectric loss property that will lead to a great improvement of MA properties. Electromagnetic (EM) parameters of NiO@PANI composites with different NiO contents were investigated by a vector network analyzer and the reflection loss (RL) values with varied thickness were also calculated. The results showed that the effective absorption bandwidths ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]dB) of all NiO@PANI composites can cover the whole X-band. Especially, the NiO@PANI[Formula: see text] composite is able to attenuate microwave energy in the X-band with the thickness of 2.5[Formula: see text]mm. The NiO@PANI[Formula: see text] has a maximum RL of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]dB at 10.1[Formula: see text]GHz and the effective absorption bandwidths cover 4.64[Formula: see text]GHz (11.12–15.76[Formula: see text]GHz) at 2.0[Formula: see text]mm. The excellent MA absorption performance may be ascribed to the polarization effect, dielectric loss and structure of porous flower-like NiO@PANI. Our work confirms that the synthesized NiO@PANI composite is an attractive candidate as a highly efficient MA material in the X-band.
Force-dependent unfolding and folding dynamics of protein alpha-catenin modulation domains
Authors: Li Xueping , Zhai Weili , Guo Zilong , Chen Hu
Published: May 2018

[Formula: see text]-catenin is an adhesion protein located at the cadherin-based cell–cell adherens junction. [Formula: see text]-catenin cross-links [Formula: see text]-catenin and actin fiber in the adhesion protein complex, and plays an important role in the formation and modulation of cell–cell adhesion. The central modulation domains can be unfolded to expose binding site of vinculin when stretching force is applied. Here, we studied the force-induced unfolding dynamics of [Formula: see text]-catenin modulation domains under different loading rates from which the unfolding distance of M2 and M3 domains is determined to be 5–7[Formula: see text]nm, and an unfolding intermediate state is identified. We also found that the folding process of M1–M3 domains goes through different pathways with cooperativity.
Derivations of differentially semiprime rings
Authors: Al Khalaf Ahmad , Taha Iman , Artemovych Orest D. , Aljouiiee Abdullah
Published: May 2018

Earlier D. A. Jordan, C. R. Jordan and D. S. Passman have investigated the properties of Lie rings Der [Formula: see text] of derivations in a commutative differentially prime rings [Formula: see text]. We study Lie rings Der [Formula: see text] in the non-commutative case and prove that if [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text]-torsion-free [Formula: see text]-semiprime ring, then [Formula: see text] is a semiprime Lie ring or [Formula: see text] is a commutative ring.
Al-doped VO2(B) nanobelts as cathode material with enhanced electrochemical properties for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Niu Changlei
Published: May 2018

Aluminium has shown its superiority in stabilization of the monoclinic VO2(B) in free-standing nanobelts. In this paper, aluminium-doped VO2(B) nanobelts are successfully fabricated by a facile one-step hydrothermal method and used as cathode for lithium-ion battery. XPS results show that Al-doping promotes the formation of high valence state of vanadium in VO2(B) nanobelts. Due to the accommodation of valence state of vanadium and lattice volume, Al-doped VO2(B) nanobelts used as the cathode material for lithium-ion batteries exhibit better lithium storage properties with high capacity of 172[Formula: see text]mAh[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] and cycling stability than undoped VO2(B) nanobelts. This work demonstrates that the doping of aluminium can significantly enhance the electrochemical performance of VO2(B), suggesting that appropriate cationic doping is an efficient path to improve the electrochemical performance of electrode materials.
Second Galicia? Poland's shale gas rush through historical lenses
Authors: Cantoni Roberto
Published: May 2018

Since the early 2000s, the exploitation of shale gas has radically modified the US energy scenario. In a number of European countries, the US boom has elicited questions about its repeatability in Europe. Among the staunchest supporters of the development of national shale-gas resources were Polish administrations, which grounded their activism in this domain in the language of energy security, autonomy
vis-à-vis
Russian gas, and in Poland's old oil history. The history of hydrocarbon exploration in the country dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, and is connected to the oil boom that occurred in the region of Galicia. While the boom was over by World War I, promising estimations made in recent years by several agencies about Poland's shale gas reserves have stirred hopes of a ‘second Galicia’. From 2007, the Polish government started assigning permits to both national and foreign gas companies. However, factors linked to legislation, geology and macroeconomics caused a premature end to hopes of Polish autonomy. After a reconstruction of the history of oil in Galicia and the constitution of the Polish oil and gas sector, this paper narrates the rise and fall of Poland's ‘affair’ with shale gas.
Natural Boundary Conditions for Smoothing in Geometry Processing
Authors: Stein Oded , Grinspun Eitan , Wardetzky Max , Jacobson Alec
Published: May 2018

In geometry processing, smoothness energies are commonly used to model scattered data interpolation, dense data denoising, and regularization during shape optimization. The squared Laplacian energy is a popular choice of energy and has a corresponding standard implementation: squaring the discrete Laplacian matrix. For compact domains, when values along the boundary are not known in advance, this construction
bakes in
low-order boundary conditions. This causes the geometric shape of the boundary to strongly bias the solution. For many applications, this is undesirable. Instead, we propose using the squared Frobenius norm of the Hessian as a smoothness energy. Unlike the squared Laplacian energy, this energy’s
natural boundary conditions
(those that best minimize the energy) correspond to meaningful high-order boundary conditions. These boundary conditions model free boundaries where the shape of the boundary should not bias the solution locally. Our analysis begins in the smooth setting and concludes with discretizations using finite-differences on 2D grids or mixed finite elements for triangle meshes. We demonstrate the core behavior of the squared Hessian as a smoothness energy for various tasks.
Cities and Politics in the Developing World
Authors: Post Alison E.
Published: May 2018

The last 20 years have witnessed an impressive outpouring of comparative politics research examining urban politics in the developing world. This research advances our understanding of phenomena such as clientelism, law and order, and local public goods provision. Scholarship could be strengthened, however, through more careful attention to how the urban setting of this research affects the politics examined. This article proposes two distinct ways in which urban politics can be conceptualized: politics taking place in urban agglomerations, characterized by large, diverse populations settled at high densities; or politics taking place within the boundaries of city jurisdictions, possessing legal powers and responsibilities distinct from those at other tiers of government or in rural areas. Adopting either of these conceptualizations illuminates new avenues for empirical work, theoretical innovation, and improved measurement. This article also shows that recent scholarship has neglected important, and fundamentally political, topics such as urban political economy, land markets, and environmental harms. Engaging with these areas would allow political scientists to revisit classic questions regarding the institutional influences on economic growth, the politics of redistribution, and the determinants of collective action.
A Conversation with Charles V. Hamilton
Authors: Hamilton Charles V. , Harris Fredrick C.
Published: May 2018

Charles V. Hamilton is the Wallace Sayre Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Government at Columbia University. He is the author of several important books on the study of race and politics, focusing primarily on the African-American experience. He is the coauthor of Black Power: A Politics of Liberation with the late Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture), as well as The Black Preacher in America; Bench and the Ballot: Southern Federal Judges and Black Voters; Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.: The Political Biography of an American Dilemma; and coauthor with Dona Cooper Hamilton of The Dual Agenda: Race and the Social Welfare Policies of Civil Rights Organizations. He was interviewed by Fredrick C. Harris, Dean of Social Science and Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, on July 13, 2017, at the University of Chicago. This is an edited transcript; a video of the entire interview can be viewed below or at http://www.annualreviews.org/r/charlesvhamilton .
Oxidized DJ-1 Levels in Urine Samples as a Putative Biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Jang Jihoon , Jeong Soyeon , Lee Sung Ik , Seol Wongi , Seo Hyemyung , Son Ilhong , Ho Dong Hwan
Published: May 2018

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Oxidative stress is the most critical risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). Numerous reports have demonstrated that oxidative stress aggravates cytotoxicity in dopaminergic neurons and accelerates the formation of protein inclusions. In addition, oxidative stress, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), oxidized protein, and dopamine quinone, are related to PD progression.DJ-1is a PD-causative gene, and it plays a pivotal role as a sensor and eliminator of oxidative stress. Several studies have shown that oxidized DJ-1 (OxiDJ-1) formation is induced by oxidative stress. Hence, previous studies suggest that oxidized DJ-1 could be a biomarker for PD. We previously reported higher DJ-1 levels in Korean male PD patient urine exosomes than male non-PD controls. We speculate that OxiDJ-1 levels in PD patient urine might be higher than that in non-PD controls. In this study, we established an ELISA for OxiDJ-1 using recombinant DJ-1 treated with H2O2. Using Western blot assay and ELISA, we confirmed an increase of OxiDJ-1 from HEK293T cells treated with H2O2. Using our ELISA, we observed significantly higher, 2-fold, OxiDJ-1 levels in the urine of Korean PD patients than in non-PD controls.
Robust Adaptive Output Feedback Control for a Guided Spinning Rocket
Authors: Shi Zhongjiao , Zhao Liangyu , Zhu Yeqing
Published: May 2018

An adaptive autopilot is presented for the pitch and yaw channels of a guided spinning rocket. Firstly, the uncertain dynamic model of a guided spinning rocket is established, which is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed adaptive autopilot. Secondly, a robust adaptive output feedback autopilot containing a baseline component and an adaptive component is designed. The main challenge that needs to be addressed is the determination of a corresponding square and strictly positive real transfer function. A simple design procedure based on linear matrix inequality is proposed that allows the realization of such a transfer function, thereby allowing a globally stable adaptive output feedback law to be generated. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to evaluate the robustness and tracking performance of the proposed robust adaptive autopilot. The simulation results showed that the robust adaptive output autopilot can achieve asymptotic command tracking with significant uncertainty in control effectiveness, moment coefficient, and measurement noise.
The Interplay between Participatory Health Research and Implementation Research: Canadian Research Funding Perspectives
Authors: Di Ruggiero Erica , Edwards Nancy
Published: May 2018

Objectives. The objective of this paper is to investigate what participatory health research (PHR) can offer implementation research (IR) and vice versa and discuss what health research funders can do to foster the intersection of both fields.Methods. We contrast points of divergence and convergence between IR and PHR. We reflect on whether community engagement is necessary and on the unintended consequences of participation in IR. We describe how a research funder can incentivize PHR in IR.Results. Participation is encouraged in IR but the nuances of who is involved merit greater attention in IR. PHR and IR differ in emphasis placed on the scale-up of the intervention. However, they share a common interest in generating real-world contextually relevant evidence.Conclusions. We need to assess whether and how funding practices influence researchers in how they undertake PHR. Researchers need to better account for participatory approaches to ensure that any potentially harmful consequences are described (and better understood so they can be mitigated in the future) and elucidate the ways in which these processes do or do not enable implementation and scale-up of interventions in IR.
Generating the Isocurve Representation for Configuration Space of Mechanisms
Authors: Kang Weirui , Zeng Jiani , Liu Qinghua , Huang Zhengdong
Published: May 2018

This paper proposes an approach for generating a set of isocurves as a representation for configuration space (CS) of a mechanism. An isocurve here is a curve in CS with some parameters fixed. Compared with conventional methods like box approximations, sampling points, and boundary tessellations, the isocurve-based representation has some advantages in space parameterization and data management. This approach directly formulates the joint loop equations in the form of kinematic matrices, which does not need any extra conversions and solves the equations with an isocurve-tracing method applying ODE solvers. Since the isocurves are connected in certain orders with the guide isocurves in a lower-dimensional space, tracing all the isocurves only needs one initial solution point for an isolated solution component. In addition, the proposed approach includes an interference-handling step, which trims off the collision portions of the isocurves by checking their feasibility according to the previously defined half-space constraints, and a measure for identifying the forward direction at singular points where the first-order derivatives vanish. The approach is implemented through programming and the results for a few examples show its effectiveness.
Multiple Model Predictive Functional Control for Marine Diesel Engine
Authors: Wang Runzhi , Li Xuemin , Liu Yufei , Fu Wenjie , Liu Shuang , Ma Xiuzhen
Published: May 2018

A novel control scheme based on multiple model predictive functional control (MMPFC) is proposed to solve the cumbersome and time-consuming parameters tuning of the speed controller for a marine diesel engine. It combines the MMPFC with traditional PID algorithm. In each local linearization, a first-order plus time delay (FOPTD) model is adopted to be the approximate submodel. To overcome the model mismatches under the load disturbance conditions, we introduce a method to estimate the open-loop gain of the speed control model, by which the predictive multimodels are modified online. Thus, the adaptation and robustness of the proposed controller can be improved. A cycle-detailed hybrid nonlinear engine model rather than a common used mean value engine model (MVEM) is developed to evaluate the control performance. In such model, the marine engine is treated as a whole system, and the discreteness in torque generation, the working imbalance among different cylinders, and the cycle delays are considered. As a result, more reliable and practical validation can be achieved. Finally, numerical simulation of both steady and dynamic performances of the proposed controller is carried out based on the aforementioned engine model. A conventional well-tuned PID with integral windup scheme is adopted to make a comparison. The results emphasize that the proposed controller is with stable and adaptive ability but without needing complex and tough parameters regulation. Moreover, it has excellent disturbance rejection ability by modifying the predictive multimodels online.
PPARα Regulates the Proliferation of Human Glioma Cells through miR-214 and E2F2
Authors: Gao Yong , Han Dongfeng , Sun Laisheng , Huang Qihua , Gai Guangchao , Wu Zicheng , Meng Wei , Chen Xincheng
Published: May 2018

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily and functions as a transcription factor. Previous work showed that PPARα plays multiple roles in lipid metabolism in tissues such as cardiac and skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. Recent studies have discovered additional roles for PPARα in cell proliferation and metabolism, as well as tumor progression. PPARα is aberrantly expressed in various cancers, and activated PPARα inhibits the proliferation of some tumor cells. However, there have been no studies of PPARα in human gliomas. Here, we show that PPARα is expressed at lower levels in anaplastic gliomas and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tissue compared with low-grade gliomas tissue, and low expression is associated with poor patient prognosis. PPARα activates transcription of dynamin-3 opposite strand (DNMO3os), which encodes a cluster of miR-214, miR-199a-3p, and miR-199a-5p microRNAs. Of these, miR-214 is transcribed at particularly high levels. PPARα-induced miR-214 expression causes downregulation of its target E2F2. Finally, miR-214 overexpression inhibits glioma cell growth in vitro and in vivo by inducing cell cycle arrest in G0/G1. Collectively, these data uncover a novel role for a PPARα-miR-214-E2F2 pathway in controlling glioma cell proliferation.
Optimized Parameter Settings of Binary Bat Algorithm for Solving Function Optimization Problems
Authors: Ma Xiao-Xu , Wang Jie-Sheng
Published: May 2018

The bat algorithm (BA) is a new bionic intelligent optimization algorithm to simulate the foraging behavior and the echolocation principle of the bats. The parameter initialization of the discussed binary bat algorithm (BBA) has important influence on the convergence speed, convergence precision, and good global searching ability of the BBA. The convergence speed and algorithm searching precision are determined by the pulse of loudness and pulse rate. The simulation experiments are carried out by using the six typical test functions to discuss this influence. The simulation results show that the convergence speed of the BBA is relatively sensitive to the setting of the algorithm parameters. The convergence precision reduces when increasing the rate of bat transmitted pulse alone and the convergence speed increases the launch loudness alone. The proper combination of BBA parameters (the rate of bat transmitted pulse and the launch loudness) can flexibly improve the algorithm’s convergence velocity and improve the accuracy of the searched solutions.
Antimicrobial-Induced Cytopenia and Bone Marrow Hypocellularity in Patients with Cirrhosis
Authors: Patil Anupama , Khillan Vikas , Thakur Monika , Kale Pratibha , Bihari Chhagan
Published: May 2018

There is great variation in cytopenias in cirrhotic patients with same severity and hypersplenism and their causative factors are not clear. Recent studies have highlighted the role of gut microbiome in regulation of constant and emergency hematopoiesis. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can disrupt the homeostatic or adaptive microbiota in cirrhosis, leading to impaired hematopoiesis and a higher susceptibility to infections. We studied all patients with cirrhosis with cytopenia (anemia, leucopenia, and/or thrombocytopenia), admitted in the Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences, between January 2016 and July 2017, who underwent a bone marrow examination. The effect of the different antimicrobial agents on peripheral blood counts and bone marrow cellularity was assessed. A total of 196 patients’ data was analyzed for this study. Patients on antimicrobials (n=115) had significantly lower hemoglobin (p<0.001), total leucocyte count (p=0.048), and platelet count (p=0.043) compared to patients not on antimicrobials. On unadjusted analysis, significant association with thrombocytopenia existed in beta-lactams (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.06–2.40), quinolones (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.11–2.61), and antifungals (OR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.96–4.34). Cephalosporins were found to be significantly associated with anemia (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.07–3.41). Patients who received antimicrobials had hypocellular marrow (p<0.001) as compared to nonrecipients of antibiotics. The adjusted analysis showed that quinolones and beta-lactam antibiotics are the drug classes having significant association with thrombocytopenia and alternative class of drug should be explored in these patients to avoid severe thrombocytopenia.
Comparative Evaluation of Root Canal Transportation by Three NiTi Single-File Systems in Curved Canals: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study
Authors: Saberi Eshaghali , Farhad-Mollashahi Narges , Bijari Shima , Daryaeian Mohammad
Published: May 2018

Introduction. This study is aimed at evaluating root canal transportation in the mesiobuccal canal of mandibular first molars prepared with One Shape, Reciproc, and M-One nickel titanium (NiTi) single-file rotary systems using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods. In this ex vivo study, CBCT scans of 45 extracted human mandibular first molars with 20–40° curvature were obtained. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups (n=15) for preparation of the mesiobuccal canal with One Shape, Reciproc, and M-One rotary systems according to the manufacturers’ instructions. CBCT scans were obtained again after canal preparation. Changes caused by preparation in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds were determined on CBCT scans and analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test at P≤0.05 level of significance. Results. No significant difference was noted in the amount of canal transportation among the three groups (P>0.05). M-One caused greater transportation in the apical third compared with Reciproc and One Shape, and One Shape caused greater transportation in the coronal third compared with other groups, although its magnitude was less than 0.3 mm. Conclusion. Reciproc, One Shape, and M-One are not significantly different in terms of canal transportation.
Liquid Phase Separation Mechanism of Cu‐40 wt.% Pb Hypermonotectic Alloys
Authors: Sun Xiaosi , Hao Weixin , Ma Teng , Zhang Junting , Geng Guihong
Published: May 2018

Solidification microstructures of Cu‐40 wt.% Pb alloy were examined under different undercooling degrees. The liquid phase separation mechanism in the systems with stable miscibility gaps mainly involved Ostwald ripening, Brownian motion, Marangoni migration, and Stokes motion. Stokes had little influence on the liquid phase separation in the early phase and played a leading role in the later period. The liquid phase separation mechanism of Cu‐40 wt.% Pb hypermonotectic alloy was illustrated in detail.
Evaluation of Selected Physicomechanical Properties of SFRC according to Different Standards
Authors: Komárková Tereza , Láník Jaromír , Anton Ondřej
Published: May 2018

Steel fiber reinforced concretes are currently very popular, especially in the construction of industrial floors of warehouses and other halls with relatively large floor areas. However, it is important to mention that despite the rapid development of steel fiber reinforced concretes, the standards and regulations for their designing and testing have not been unified yet. This paper presents findings about the physicomechanical parameters of the steel fiber reinforced concretes manufactured by adding steel fibers into the truck mixer on the building site. The experimentally obtained results from the performed tests of tensile strength in bending according to various procedures are compared, and the suitability of the methods used is assessed according to these procedures.
Development and Validation of a Versatile UPLC-PDA Method for Simultaneous Determination of Paracetamol, Tizanidine, Aceclofenac, and Nimesulide in Their New Combinations
Authors: Bawazeer Sami , Badr El-Din Khalid M. , Abdel-Megied Ahmed M.
Published: May 2018

A simple, rapid, and validated UPLC method was developed for the simultaneous quantitation of paracetamol (PAR), tizanidine (TIZ), aceclofenac (ACF), and nimesulide (NIM) either in pure forms or in their different tablet dosage forms. Chromatographic separation was attained on an ACQUITY UPLC™ BEH C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) : acetonitrile in the proportion (60 : 40 v/v) isocratically pumped at a flow rate of 1.25 mL·min−1, and detection was monitored at 305 nm. All analytes were separated simultaneously at a retention time (tr) of 1.42, 2.31, 3.63, and 5.62 min for PAR, TIZ, ACF, and NIM, respectively, with a total run time less than 6.0 min. The proposed method was validated according to ICH guidelines with respect to accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, and robustness. Linearity was obtained over a concentration range of 81.25–487.5, 0.5–3.5, 25–150, and 25–150 µg·mL−1 for PAR, TIZ, ACF, and NIM, respectively. The development method can be successfully employed in QC laboratories for the routine analysis of the investigated drugs in their new combination.
A Cartesian Grid Method for Modeling Charge Distribution on Interfaces via Augmented Technique
Authors: Ji Haifeng , Zhang Qian , Zhang Bin
Published: May 2018

In the electrostatic field computations, second-order elliptic interface problems with nonhomogeneous interface jump conditions need to be solved. In realistic applications, often the total electric quantity on the interface is given. However, the charge distribution on the interface corresponding to the nonhomogeneous interface jump condition is unknown. This paper proposes a Cartesian grid method for solving the interface problem with the given total electric quantity on the interface. The proposed method employs both the immersed finite element with the nonhomogeneous interface jump condition and the augmented technique. Numerical experiments are presented to show the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.
Household Food Insecurity, Underweight Status, and Associated Characteristics among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Assayita District, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Abdu Jemal , Kahssay Molla , Gebremedhin Merhawi
Published: May 2018

Background. Poor nutritional status of women has been a serious problem in Ethiopia. Rural women are more likely to be undernourished than urban women. Afar region is the most likely to be undernourished (43.5%). Despite the humanitarian and food aid, food insecurity and maternal underweight are very high in the region. Household food insecurity is not adequately studied in Afar region. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of household food insecurity and underweight status and its association among reproductive age women. Method. The study was conducted in Assayita district in June 2015. Community-based cross-sectional study design was used among nonpregnant women. Household data was collected using structured questionnaire. Multistage cluster sampling procedure was applied. Two pastoral and two agropastoral Kebeles have been selected by simple random sampling. Systematic random sampling was used to select respondents. The total sample size was 549 households. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and anthropometric data were used to determine food insecurity and underweight, respectively. Multivariate regression models were used to measure associations. Results. Prevalence of HFIAS was 70.4 with a mean of 7.0 (3.6 ± SD); 26.1%, 30.20%, and 14.1% were mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity, respectively. Underweight prevalence (BMI < 18.5) was 41.1% with prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe underweight being 34.5%, 3.9%, and 2.7%, respectively. Age, parity, and having >2 children below five years of age were statistically associated with household food insecurity and maternal underweight. Conclusion. Household food insecurity and maternal underweight were very high. Age, parity, and having ≥2 children below five years of age were associated with household food insecurity. Maternal underweight was associated with maternal age, marital status, parity, number of children below 5 years, household food insecurity, and vocation of the respondents.