bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heat transfer and mapping of THz radiation absorption in biological tissue using Mathematica based Simulink transform
Authors: Malik Usman , Krisman Krisman , Syech Riad , Hamdi Muhammad
Published: February 2019

This work is built on the Mathematica-Simulink transformed modeling which emphasizes on the rate of heat generation when occurs radiation absorption with low scattering in attenuation against tissue radial and axial depth. Experimental based data and prediction of thermal distribution owing to absorption has applied a closed-form system known in principle as an analogue computer model. There are assumptions which considered to modeling principle and sample conditions such as static tissue with no blood supply with response to homeostatic regulation of body temperature equilibrium. Thermal transfer of different power densities indicates that it penetrates the axial or radial depth with the small heat change difference for several types of tissue, i.e., skin, fat, tumor, and muscle. The results for time intervals of one second or longer show a steady-state centered about one temperature. By contrast, milliseconds to picoseconds time ranges display a small but significant temperature change as the depth varies correlated with the contrasting tissue structures. The dimensionless temperature used for finding indifference of tissue thermal characteristics that gives the heat mapping in different contours of the dimensionless temperature. This indicates that the THz regime has a good prospect for clinical purpose and medical therapy as well as imaging.
Increased mitochondrial distribution in early-cleaving embryos indicate successful pre-implantation development
Authors: Abdul Rahman Nor Shahida , Sarbandi Mimi Sophia , Wan Jusof Wan Hafizah , Eshak Zolkapli , Othman Salina , Abdullah Fathiah , Kamsani Yuhaniza Shafinie , Daud Suzanna , Mat Jin Norazilah , Mohamed Noor Khan Nor Ashikin
Published: February 2019

The timing of the first zygotic cleavage is an accurate predictor of embryo quality. Embryos that cleaved early have higher developmental viability compared to their late counterparts. During embryonic development, cleavage is affected by cellular metabolic processes performed by mitochondria and its synergistic interaction with endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, in depth study on differences of mitochondria and ER ultrastructures in early- cleaving (EC) versus late- cleaving (LC) embryos is limited. This study compares mitochondria and ER ultrastructures of EC versus LC embryos using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Embryos were obtained from female ICR superovulated mice, 28-30 hours post hCG. Two-cell embryos were categorized as early-cleaving (EC), while zygotes with the second polar body and two pronuclei present were categorized as late-cleaving (LC). The LC embryos were cultured in vitro until the 2- cell stage. In EC embryos, mitochondria were mostly found at the perinuclear region and closely associated with dense ER. Meanwhile, mitochondria of LC embryos were distributed uniformly within the cytoplasm. Mitochondrial fluorescence intensity was significantly higher in EC versus LC [(18.7 ± 0.4) versus (14.6 ± 0.4)] x 105 pixel, (p<0.01). Development to the blastocyst stage was also significantly higher in EC compared to LC embryos (96.7% versus 60.9%) (p<0.01). Higher viability of EC embryos is attributed to the close association of their mitochondria to ER. This contributed to better mitochondrial fission, resulting in enhanced energy generating processes and preimplantation development.
Heavy metals in air: Analysis using instrument, air pollution and human health - A review
Authors: Muhammad Amin Siti Noor Syuhada , Azid Azman , Abdullah Sani Muhamad Shirwan , Ku Yusof Ku Mohd Kalkausar , Samsudin Mohd Saiful , Abd Rani Nurul Latiffah , Khalit Saiful Iskandar
Published: February 2019

Air pollution can harm human health, the environment and cause property damage. Various researches have proven the connection of air quality and human health. The epidemiology and laboratory studies demonstrated that ambient air pollutants (for example PM, O3, SO2 and NO2) contributed to various respiratory problems including bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. This present mini review is to discuss the relationship between the human health and air quality. This conceptual paper is focusing on the findings from air quality literature review and the significant health effects related to it. Besides, the principle of analytical instrumentation also discussed in order to identify the best instrument for applying in laboratory analysis.
Distribución espacial y temporal de aprovechamientos de agua del acuífero del Valle de Tecamachalco, Puebla
Authors: Hernández-Vivanco Lucía , Villarreal-Manzo Luis Alberto , Ramírez-Valverde Benito , Ocampo-Fletes Ignacio , Jaramillo-Villanueva José Luis , Ortiz-Espejel Benjamín
Published: February 2019

La presente investigación se realizó con el propósito de analizar la distribución geoespacial de los aprovechamientos de agua del Acuífero del Valle de Tecamachalco Puebla, México, a fin de identificar zonas de mayor densidad de aprovechamientos hídricos e intensidad del uso del agua. A partir de datos del Registro Público de Derechos de Agua de la Comisión Nacional del Agua, de 1994 a 2014 se obtuvieron 1286 aprovechamientos, con un volumen concesionado de 194 223 870.9 metros cúbicos anuales. El análisis espacial mediante el cálculo de la densidad tipo Kernel permitió determinar la probabilidad de ocurrencia y localización en el espacio de los aprovechamientos hídricos o pozos profundos, además de su diferenciación geográfica en el acuífero en función de su distribución. Con este método se generaron mapas de tipo isoplético, que representan conjuntos de puntos en el espacio. Conforme los resultados, se encontró que predominan, en un 78%, los pozos de uso agrícola; seguido por los de uso público-urbano, con un 16,7%. El patrón de distribución muestra que las áreas de mayor densidad de pozos profundos se ubican en los municipios de Palmar de Bravo y Quecholac, e indica las zonas de mayor extracción.
La restauración ecológica como estrategia de construcción social en la Vereda Chipautá, Municipio de Guaduas, Cundinamarca
Authors: Hernández-Gómez Rosa Catalina , Cantillo-Higuera Edgard
Published: February 2019

Esta investigación propone un modelo metodológico de restauración ecológica como una estrategia de construcción social, en la vereda Chipautá, Guaduas. Se definieron cuatro etapas, en la primera se obtuvieron las bases teóricas necesarias para la construcción del modelo, en la segunda se recolectaron datos en campo mediante las técnicas cartografía social, entrevistas semiestructuradas, identificación de problemas y reunión con grupos sociales, y se realizó una revisión sistemática de bibliografía de experiencias de restauración ecológica con enfoque social, la cual permitió obtener elementos estructurantes que aportaron al modelo. En la tercera etapa se interpretaron los resultados y se validaron mediante triangulación de datos. Finalmente, se presentó el modelo metodológico. Con el modelo propuesto, se logró contribuir al campo de conocimiento en restauración ecológica, planteando un nuevo marco de análisis que permita recuperar los ecosistemas degradados y proponer alternativas de desarrollo sustentable y de manejo adaptativo ante los cambios ambientales actuales en las comunidades involucradas.
Adaptación y validación de la versión en español de la Escala de Respeto Incondicional hacia las personas en una muestra de escolares chilenos
Authors: Sirlopú Díaz David , Pérez-Salas Claudia Paz , Villarroel Verónica , García Catalina , Barrera Kiyomi , Fierro Eugenio , Castillo Isidora
Published: February 2019

La Escala de Respeto Incondicional hacia las Personas (ERIP) mide las actitudes positivas hacia la autonomía, la igualdad y la integridad de los seres humanos. Esta investigación validó y analizó algunas propiedades psicométricas de la versión en español de la ERIP, en una muestra de 947 escolares chilenos entre 12 y 19 años (M = 15.47, DE = 1.49). Mediante análisis factoriales, exploratorio y confirmatorio, emergieron dos factores: Desprecio hacia los demás (F1) y Respeto hacia los demás (F2). La consistencia interna (F1: Omega = 0.82; F2: Omega = 0.78) así como la validez convergente y discriminante de la ERIP fueron adecuadas. Estos resultados indican que la ERIP es un instrumento válido y confiable para ser aplicado en adolescentes y jóvenes.
Comparing Mozambican and French People’s Conceptualization of Romantic Love
Authors: Vera Cruz Germano
Published: February 2019

The study compared the way Mozambican and French people conceptualize romantic love. Two subsamples of 238 Mozambican adults and 250 French adults were presented with 27 cards containing vignettes (scenarios) that described the characteristics of someone’s relationship regarding degree of passion, the degree of intimacy, and degree of commitment. Participants assessed the intensity of romantic love experienced by the characters in the scenarios using a continuous scale. The way people from both cultures conceptualized romantic love was not entirely similar, but the differences were very subtle. The impact of each component on the judged intensity of love was similar. In both samples, passion and intimacy explained most of the variance. The algebraic structure of the judgment rule was, however, different. Among French participants, the findings were consistent with an equal-weight averaging rule as suggested by previous authors. Among Mozambican participants, the patterns of rating were, however, consistent with a more complex judgment rule. In this rule, the impact of each factor depended on the level of the other factors: A differential weight averaging rule was proposed that can be written Love = wic Passion + w’pc Intimacy + w”pi Commitment / wic + w’pc + w”pi
Changes to Newcomers’ Psychological Contract Over Time: The Interactive Effects of the Fulfilment of Employer and Employee Obligations
Authors: Gomes Maia Leticia , Bal P. Matthijs , Bittencourt Bastos Antônio Virgilio
Published: February 2019

The goal of this study was to examine changes in newcomers’ psychological contract over time. Based on schema theory and the post-violation model of the psychological contract, we theorized that psychological contract fulfillment is strengthening the psychological contract over time, while changes in the psychological contract are most likely to occur in a situation of low employer and employee fulfillment. In a sample of newcomers in a Brazilian public organization, we tested how the fulfillment of both employer and employee obligations explain the change in the psychological contract. The results support the hypotheses, and we found that the highest level of change in psychological contracts occurred when the fulfilments of the obligations of both parties were low. We discuss the implications for theory on the change in psychological contracts.
Creating Relationships Using On-Line Dating Services: A Preliminary Mapping of French People’s Views
Authors: Gauché Mélanie , Brard Lucie
Published: February 2019

We explored people’s views regarding the kind of relationship that can be expected and created using such websites. In the current study, we used the same scenario technique. Vignettes depicting the kind of relationship an individual expected to find through the use of an online dating service were created by orthogonal combination of five factors: (a) passion; that is, the level of personal, affective involvement in the relationship, (b) intimacy; that is, the type of relationship desired (friendship vs. intimate/sexual), (c) commitment; that is, the expected duration of the relationship (short term vs. long term), (d) the user’s gender, and (e) the user’s age. Three contrasted positions were found. A minority of participants considered that creating a relationship using dating services was never very easy. A plurality of participants considered that creating either long-term romantic relationships or short-term, more “utilitarian” relationships was considerably easier than creating either short-term romantic relationships or long-term, more “utilitarian” relationships. Another plurality of participants considered that creating any relationship was quite possible. These participants disconnected the commonly admitted association between the duration of a relationship and level of emotional involvement. In other words, they considered that creating a passionate but short-lived relationship was not more difficult than creating any other kind of relationships.
More on the Dimensionality of the GHQ-12: Competitive Confirmatory Models
Authors: Tomás José Manuel , Hontangas Pedro M. , Oliver Amparo , Galiana Laura , Sancho Patricia
Published: February 2019

The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was designed to measure minor psychiatric morbidity by assessing normal ‘healthy’ functioning and the appearance of new, distressing symptoms. Among its versions, the 12-item is one of the most used. GHQ-12’s validity and reliability have been extensively tested in samples from different populations. In the Spanish version, studies have come to different conclusions, of one, two, and three-factor structures. This research aims to present additional evidence on the factorial validity of the Spanish version of the GHQ-12, using competitive confirmatory models. Three samples of workers (N= 525, 414 and 540) were used to test a set of substantive models previously found in Spanish and international literature. Results showed that multidimensional models had moderate to substantial inter-factor correlations (ranging from 0.29 to 0.76) but not as high as to jeopardize their discriminant validity. The best-fitting models were the original solution by Graetz (1991) and the exploratory three-factor solution offered by Rocha et al. (2011), multidimensional three-factor solutions with correlated factors. The conclusion is that a multidimensional three-factor structure underlies the items in the GHQ-12.
Perfil financeiro dos psicólogos brasileiros: análise estatística relacionada ao ano de 2015
Authors: Anunciação Luis , Mograbi Daniel C. , Landeira-Fernandez J.
Published: February 2019

La psicología brasileña ha revelado una tendencia creciente en su crecimiento. En 2013, una investigación llevada a cabo por el Consejo Federal mostró que Brasil tiene más de 250 000 profesionales con licencia, revelando 1.24 psicólogos por cada 1 000 habitantes. Sin embargo, faltan datos en la literatura sobre la información sobre el perfil financiero del psicólogo brasileño, que es el objetivo de este estudio. Dicho esto, esta investigación es un estudio exploratorio no probabilístico, tipo encuesta, realizado en 2015, en el que participaron 437 psicólogos de todo Brasil. El estudio concluyó que los psicólogos económicamente activos son en su mayoría mujeres jóvenes, que tienen un ingreso mensual de R$ 2 000 en promedio y trabajan principalmente en la clínica. Esta investigación proporciona nuevos datos sobre el perfil profesional del psicólogo brasileño.
Towards a Cultural Psychology: Meaning and Social Practice as Key Elements
Authors: Santamaría Andrés , Cubero Mercedes , De la Mata Manuel Luis
Published: February 2019

Several prominent scholars in the Social Sciences have defended the need for a new way of studying the relationship between culture and the individual. Over the last three decades, it has been common to find studies under the heading of Cultural Psychology (CP), which have focussed on the role of culture in historical and ontogenetic development. However, among the defenders of CP, there have been specific disagreements over theoretical and methodological aspects of the project. This lack of agreement is revealed by the different conceptions of the role of meaning and social practice in human psychological functioning. This paper aims is to analyze some different approaches to CP, and the role of meaning plays in its constitution. For us, the central claim of CP is that the human mind should be seen as inter-penetrated by intentional worlds that are culturally and historically situated, and this psychology must to study the ways psyche and culture; person and context, self and other, practitioner and practice live together, and jointly make each other up. In addition, CP has also identified the symbolic mediation of mind and culture as its analytical focus. Finally, we defend that culture and mind are to be treated as forms of culturally differentiated meaning practices. To make possible this enterprise, we propose the necessity to develop the notion of mediated and situated actions as a unit of analysis of Cultural Psychology.
Interferon Beta Contributes to Astrocyte Activation in the Brain following Reovirus Infection
Authors: Clarke Penny , Zhuang Yonghua , Berens Heather M. , Leser J. Smith , Tyler Kenneth L.
Published: February 2019

Viral encephalitis is a significant cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality, and specific treatments are extremely limited. Virus infection of the brain triggers neuroinflammation; however, the role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of viral encephalitis is unclear. Initial neuroinflammatory responses likely contribute to viral clearance, but prolonged exposure to proinflammatory cytokines released during neuroinflammation may be deleterious and contribute to neuronal death and tissue injury. Activation of astrocytes is a hallmark of neuroinflammation. Here, we show that reovirus infection of the brain results in the activation of astrocytes via an IFN-β-mediated process and that these astrocytes later die by Bak-mediated apoptosis. A better understanding of neuroinflammatory responses during viral encephalitis may facilitate the development of new treatment strategies for these diseases.
Complete Genome Sequence of Caldicellulosiruptor changbaiensis CBS-Z, an Extremely Thermophilic, Cellulolytic Bacterium Isolated from a Hot Spring in China
Authors: Mendoza Carl , Blumer-Schuette Sara E.
Published: February 2019

Here, we describe the complete genome sequence of
Caldicellulosiruptor changbaiensis
, isolated from a hot spring in the Changbai Mountain Range of China. Currently, only one other genome sequence representing a
Caldicellulosiruptor
species from China is available.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Lytic T7-Like Phage,
Escherichia
Phage vB_EcoP-Ro45lw, Isolated from Nonfecal Compost Samples
Authors: Liao Yen-Te , Liu Fang , Wu Vivian C. H.
Published: February 2019

Although isolation of the bacteriophages (phages) specific to Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) is increasing, the number of those specific to STEC non-O157 strains, instead of STEC O157, with whole-genome sequencing characterization is relatively low. Here, we announce the complete genome sequence of a T7-like lytic phage against STEC O45.
Complete Genome and Plasmid Sequences of Escherichia coli Type Strain ATCC 11775
Authors: Wadley Taylor D. , Jenjaroenpun Piroon , Wongsurawat Thidathip , Ussery David W. , Nookaew Intawat
Published: February 2019

Escherichia coli
ATCC 11775 is a strain that was identified in 1941 and is now considered a type strain for the species. We present here the complete genome sequence for
E. coli
ATCC 11775.
Draft Genome Sequences of Three Porcine Streptococcus suis Isolates Which Differ in Their Susceptibility to Penicillin
Authors: Niemann Lisa , Eichhorn Inga , Müller Petra , Brauns Jasmin , Nathaus Rolf , Schäkel Franziska , Höltig Doris , Wendt Michael , Kadlec Kristina , Schwarz Stefan
Published: February 2019

The draft genome sequences of three
Streptococcus suis
isolates, IMT40343, IMT40201, and IMT40738, are presented here. These isolates were obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of healthy and diseased weaners from different German piglet-producing farms and differed in their susceptibility to penicillin.
Comprehensive review of acute oesophageal necrosis
Authors: Ullah Waqas , Mehmood Asif , Micaily Ida , Khan Muhammad Saeed
Published: February 2019

Acute oesophageal necrosis, also known as ‘black oesophagus’, is a rare condition characterised by the black discolouration of the oesophageal mucosa on endoscopy and involves the distal oesophagus in majority of cases but may also extend proximally. A number of conditions are found to be associated with it and it is thought to occur due to a combination of hypovolaemia and inadequate oesophageal protective mucosal barrier function. Gastric secretions may have a direct effect on the oesophageal mucosa. We present a case of a woman who presented with haematemesis and significant hypotension after a session of haemodialysis. Black oesophagus was confirmed on esophagogastroduodenoscopy. She was given two units of packed red blood cells and one unit of platelets, and started on a pantoprazole infusion. However, despite rigorous attempts at resuscitation the patient failed to recover.
OxyContin and the McDonaldization of chronic pain therapy in the USA
Authors: Hughes Jordan , Kale Neelima , Day Philip
Published: February 2019

Principles and practices gleaned from successful business enterprises have been used to transform the practice of medicine for decades. McDonaldization is the process in which principles which govern fast-food businesses, are applied to the practice of medicine. When left unchecked, the application of these principles can have devastating consequences, as in the treatment of chronic, non-malignant pain with OxyContin. At a time when there was growing concern about the under treatment of pain, Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin, providing an efficient, predictable way of treating chronic pain. The liberal prescription of this drug contributed, and continues to contribute, to the opioid epidemic we see today. So, in confronting this epidemic, we must first understand the process of McDonaldization that has brought us here and then provide safe and effective chronic pain therapies even if they are expensive, time-consuming to deliver, difficult to measure, and unpredictable in their outcomes—all things we’ve grown to detest in our McDonaldized healthcare system.
Greater infarct growth limiting effect of mechanical thrombectomy in stroke patients with poor collaterals
Authors: Renú Arturo , Laredo Carlos , Montejo Carmen , Zhao Yashu , Rudilosso Salvatore , Macias Napoleon , Llull Laura , Zarco Federico , Amaro Sergio , Werner Mariano , Obach Victor , Macho Juan , Chamorro Angel , Urra Xabier
Published: February 2019

Objective

Stroke patients with good collateral circulation achieve the best recovery after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) but strict imaging selection may result in untreated patients that could benefit from MT. We assessed whether the extent of collaterals had modifying effects on the amount of ischemic tissue saved from infarction with MT over best medical treatment (BMT).

Methods

This was a single center cohort of consecutive patients (n=339) with proximal occlusions in the carotid territory. Patients were categorized according to a four point category scale on CT angiography as having good (scores 2–3) or poor (scores 0–1) collaterals. The primary outcome measure was the interaction between collaterals and MT on infarct growth. The secondary outcome assessed the treatment effect of MT over BMT on functional status in relation to collateral status. Safety outcomes were mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Results

Collaterals had a modifying effect of MT on infarct growth (P=0.004), with a greater reduction in 96 patients with poor collaterals (38.8 mL) than in 243 patients with good collaterals (1.9 mL). There was also a significant (P<0.001) interaction between the effect of MT and functional outcome in relation to collateral status, with more benefits of MT in patients with poor collaterals. MT was associated with lower mortality than BMT in patients with poor collaterals only.

Conclusion

Compared with BMT, the use of MT in the early time window in large vessel stroke results in a more substantial limitation of infarct growth in patients with poor collaterals.
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Meyer Alain , Scirè Carlo Alberto , Talarico Rosaria , Alexander Tobias , Amoura Zahir , Avcin Tadej , Barsotti Simone , Beretta Lorenzo , Blagojevic Jelena , Burmester Gerd , Cavazzana Ilaria , Cherrin Patrick , Damian Laura , Doria Andrea , Fonseca João Eurico , Furini Federica , Galetti Ilaria , Houssiau Frederic , Krieg Thomas , Larosa Maddalena , Launay David , Campanilho-Marques Raquel , Martin Thierry , Matucci-Cerinic Marco , Moinzadeh Pia , Montecucco Carlomaurizio , Moraes-Fontes Maria Francisca , Mouthon Luc , Neri Rossella , Paolino Sabrina , Piette Yves , Rednic Simona , Tamirou Farah , Tincani Angela , Toplak Natasa , Bombardieri Stefano , Hachulla Eric , Mueller-Ladner Ulf , Schneider Matthias , Smith Vanessa , Vieira Ana , Cutolo Maurizio , Mosca Marta , Cavagna Lorenzo
Published: February 2019

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) encompass a heterogeneous group of rare autoimmune diseases characterised by muscle weakness and inflammation, but in antisynthetase syndrome arthritis and interstitial lung disease are more frequent and often inaugurate the disease. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been proposed for IIMs, but they are sparse and heterogeneous. This work aimed at identifying: i) current available CPGs for IIMs, ii) patients ’ and clinicians’ unmet needs not covered by CPGs. It has been performed in the framework of the European Reference Network on rare and complex connective tissue and musculoskeletal diseases (ReCONNET), a network of centre of expertise and patients funded by the European Union’s Health Programme. Fourteen original CPGs were identified, notably recommending that: i) extra-muscular involvements should be assessed; ii) corticosteroids and methotrexate or azathioprine are first-line therapies of IIMs. ii) IVIG is a treatment of resistant-DM that may be also used in other resistant-IIMs; iii) physical therapy and sun protection (in DM patients) are part of the treatment; v) tumour screening for patients with DM include imaging of chest, abdomen, pelvis and breast (in woman) along with colonoscopy (in patients over 50 years); vi) disease activity and damages should be monitor using standardised and validated tools. Yet, only half of these CPGs were evidence-based. Crucial unmet needs were identified both by patients and clinicians. In particular, there was a lack of large multidisciplinary working group and of patients ’ preferences. The following fields were not or inappropriately targeted: diagnosis; management of extra-muscular involvements other than skin; co-morbidities and severe manifestations.
Distinct interferon signatures stratify inflammatory and dysimmune myopathies
Authors: Rigolet Muriel , Hou Cyrielle , Baba Amer Yasmine , Aouizerate Jessie , Periou Baptiste , Gherardi Romain K , Lafuste Peggy , Authier François Jérôme
Published: February 2019

Objective

The role of interferons (IFN) in the pathophysiology of primary inflammatory and dysimmune myopathies (IDM) is increasingly investigated, notably because specific neutralisation approaches may constitute promising therapeutic tracks. In present work we analysed the muscular expression of specific IFNα/β and IFNγ-stimulated genes in patients with various types of IDM.

Methods

39 patients with IDM with inclusion body myositis (IBM, n=9), dermatomyositis (DM, n=10), necrotising autoimmune myopathies (NAM, n=10) and antisynthetase myositis (ASM, n=10), and 10 controls were included. Quantification of expression levels of IFNγ, ISG15, an IFNα/β-inducible gene and of six IFNγ-inducible genes (GBP2, HLA-DOB, HLA-DPB, CIITA, HLA-DRB and HLA-DMB) was performed on muscle biopsy samples.

Results

DM usually associated with strong type I IFNα/β signature, IBM and ASM with prominent type II IFNγ signature and NAM with neither type I nor type II IFN signature. Immunofluorescence study in ASM and IBM showed myofibre expression of major histocompatibility class 2 (MHC-2) and CIITA, confirming the induction of the IFNγ pathway. Furthermore, MHC-2-positive myofibres were observed in close proximity to CD8+ T cells which produce high levels of IFNγ.

Conclusion

Distinct IFN signatures allow a more distinct segregation of IDMs and myofibre MHC-2 expression is a reliable biomarker of type II IFN signature.
Exploring an Alternative Cost Function for Combinatorial Register-Pressure-Aware Instruction Scheduling
Authors: Shobaki Ghassan , Kerbow Austin , Pulido Christopher , Dobson William
Published: February 2019

Multiple combinatorial algorithms have been proposed for doing pre-allocation instruction scheduling with the objective of minimizing register pressure or balancing register pressure and instruction-level parallelism. The cost function that is minimized in most of these algorithms is the peak register pressure (or the peak excess register pressure). In this work, we explore an alternative register-pressure cost function, which is the Sum of Live Interval Lengths (SLIL). Unlike the peak cost function, which captures register pressure only at the highest pressure point in the schedule, the proposed SLIL cost function captures register pressure at all points in the schedule. Minimizing register pressure at all points is desirable in larger scheduling regions with multiple high-pressure points. This article describes a Branch-and-Bound (B8B) algorithm for minimizing the SLIL cost function. The algorithm is based on two SLIL-specific dynamic lower bounds as well as the history utilization technique proposed in our previous work. The proposed algorithm is implemented into the LLVM Compiler and evaluated experimentally relative to our previously proposed B8B algorithm for minimizing the peak excess register pressure. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm for minimizing the SLIL cost function produces substantially less spilling than the previous algorithm that minimizes the peak cost function. Execution-time results on various processors show that the proposed B8B algorithm significantly improves the performance of many CPU2006 benchmarks by up to 49% relative to LLVM's default scheduler. The geometric-mean improvement for FP2006 on Intel Core i7 is 4.22%.
cGMP induces degradation of NKCC2 in the thick ascending limb via the ubiquitin-proteasomal system
Authors: Ares Gustavo R.
Published: February 2019

The thick ascending limb of Henle’s loop (TAL) reabsorbs NaCl via the apical Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter (NKCC2). NKCC2 activity is regulated by surface NKCC2 levels. The second messenger cGMP decreases NKCC2 activity by decreasing surface NKCC2 levels. We found that surface NKCC2 undergoes constitutive degradation. Therefore, we hypothesized that cGMP decreases NKCC2 levels by increasing NKCC2 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. We measured surface NKCC2 levels by biotinylation of surface proteins, immunoprecipitation of NKCC2, and ubiquitin in TALs. First, we found that inhibition of proteasomal degradation blunts the cGMP-dependent decrease in surface NKCC2 levels [vehicle: 100%, db-cGMP (500 µM): 70.3 ± 9.8%, MG132 (20 µM): 97.7 ± 5.0%, and db-cGMP + MG132: 103.3 ± 3.4%, n = 5, P < 0.05]. We then found that cGMP decreased the internalized NKCC2 pool and that this effect was prevented by inhibition of the proteasome but not the lysosome. Finally, we found that NKCC2 is constitutively ubiquitinated in TALs and that cGMP enhances the rate of NKCC2 ubiquitination [vehicle: 59 ± 14% and db-cGMP (500 µM): 111 ± 25%, n = 5, P < 0.05]. We conclude that NKCC2 is constitutively ubiquitinated and that cGMP stimulates NKCC2 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Our data suggest that the cGMP-induced NKCC2 ubiquitination and degradation may contribute to the cGMP-induced decrease of the NKCC2-dependent NaCl reabsorption in TALs.
Directional Sharp‐Point Failure Mechanism of Rocks Surrounding Underground Circular Cavities Subjected to Large‐Scale Failure
Authors: Guo Xiao-fei , Zhao Zhiqiang , Gao Xu , Ma Zhen-kai , Ma Nian-jie
Published: February 2019

Large‐scale expansion of failure areas in rocks surrounding underground cavities causes severe destruction of the underground space and may trigger serious disasters. To study the large‐scale failure mechanism and expansion laws of rocks surrounding underground cavities, we performed a theoretical study of the distribution characteristics of the stress field around a circular cavity and determined the directional sharp‐point failure mechanism by analysing the stress destructive power using the three elements of the Mohr circle. Results showed that, along the circumferential direction, the stress destructive power increases first and then decreases, showing a sharp‐angular distribution. Rock with any properties will suffer priority damage at the stress sharp point. The direction criterion of the stress sharp points was proposed, and the direction of these points showed a convergent behaviour in the radial direction of the cavity, tending to be stable at 40°‐50° beyond five times the cavity radius. In addition, the results were verified by FLAC3D numerical simulation. The theoretical analysis for the ideal circular cavity may provide references to study the damage laws of rocks surrounding other irregular‐shaped space, as well as providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of underground engineering disasters.
Primary HIV Drug Resistance among Recently Infected Cases of HIV in North-West India
Authors: Chauhan C. K. , Lakshmi P. V. M. , Sagar V. , Sharma A. , Arora S. K. , Kumar R.
Published: February 2019

Background. Antiretroviral treatment may lead to the emergence of HIV drug resistance, which can be transmitted. HIV primary drug resistance (PDR) is of great public health concern because it has the potential to compromise the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the population level.Objective. To estimate the level of primary drug resistance among recently infected cases of HIV in 6 ART centres of North-Western India from September 2014 to June 2016.Methods. The level of primary drug resistance was studied among 37 recently infected HIV cases identified by Limiting antigen (Lag) avidity assay based on modified Recent Infection Testing Algorithm (RITA). The reverse transcriptase region of HIV-1polgene (1-268 codons) was genotyped. The sequences were analyzed using the Calibrated Population Resistance (CPR) tool of Stanford University HIV drug resistance (DR) database to identify drug resistance.Results. Among 37 isolates studied, 6 (16.2%) samples showed primary drug resistance (PDR) against reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor. The proportion of primary drug resistance was 22.2% (2/9) among female sex workers, 14.3% (1/7) among men having sex with men, and 14.3% (3/21) among injecting drug users. Observed mutations were K219R, L74V, K219N, and Y181C. Injecting drug user (IDU) has showed resistance to either nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) or nonnucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI).Conclusion. Resistance to either NRTI or NNRTI among the recently is a new challenge that needs to be addressed. The fact that both Y181C isolates are IDUs is important and represents 2/21 (~10%) NNRTI drug resistance. Surveillance for primary drug resistance (PDR) needs to be integrated into next generation of HIV surveillance as access to ART is increasing due to introduction of test and treat policy.
A Fog Computing-Based Architecture for Medical Records Management
Authors: Silva Cícero A. , Aquino Gibeon S. , Melo Sávio R. M. , Egídio Dannylo J. B.
Published: February 2019

The aging of the world’s population and the growth in the number of people with chronic diseases have increased expenses with medical care. Thus, the use of technological solutions has been widely adopted in the medical field to improve the patients’ health. In this context, approaches based on Cloud Computing have been used to store and process the information generated in these solutions. However, using Cloud can create delays that are intolerable for medical applications. Thus, the Fog Computing paradigm emerged as an alternative to overcome this problem, bringing computation and storage closer to the data sources. However, managing medical data stored in Fog is still a challenge. Moreover, characteristics of availability, performance, interoperability, and privacy need to be considered in approaches that aim to explore this problem. So, this article shows a software architecture based on Fog Computing and designed to facilitate the management of medical records. This architecture uses Blockchain concepts to provide the necessary privacy features and to allow Fog Nodes to carry out the authorization process in a distributed way. Finally, this paper describes a case study that evaluates the performance, privacy, and interoperability requirements of the proposed architecture in a home-centered healthcare scenario.
One-Pot Synthesis of Hypervalent Diaryl(iodo)bismuthanes from o-Carbonyl Iodoarenes by Zincation
Authors: Murafuji Toshihiro , Hafizur Rahman A. F. M. , Magarifuchi Daiki , Narita Masahiro , Miyakawa Isamu , Ishiguro Katsuya , Kamijo Shin
Published: February 2019

Diaryl(iodo)bismuthanes possessing a hypervalent C=O•••Bi–I bond were conveniently synthesized in a one-pot reaction by using arylzinc reagents generated from o-carbonyl iodobenzenes and zinc powder under ultrasonication. This method is superior to the conventional organolithium and Grignard methods because it has a wide functional group tolerance, requires no protecting group manipulations, and proceeds under mild reaction conditions that do not need low temperature control. Furthermore, no intermediate triarylbismuthane precursor for the hypervalent iodobismuthane is necessary.
A Method to Accurately Determine the Methane Enrichment Zone of a Longwall Coal Mine
Authors: Feng Guorui , Zhang Ao , Hu Shengyong , Guo Xiangqian , Li Chao , Hao Guocai , Li Zhen
Published: February 2019

Large numbers of gobs are produced as a result of underground longwall mining, and a large amount of these gobs is known to contain methane gas reserves. The efficient drainage of these methane resources is directly dependent on accurately determining the methane enrichment zone (MEZ) in longwall mining gobs. In this study, a method for accurately determining the MEZ within the zone of interconnected fractures, which utilized a surface directional borehole (SDB) technique, was proposed. The SDB was designed and implemented in a longwall gob located in the Sihe Coal Mine in China’s Shanxi Province. The trajectory of the SDB constantly varied in the different overlying stratum layers and locations above the gob. The methane flow rate and concentration from the SDB, along with the methane concentration in the upper corner of the longwall face, were monitored and obtained as the longwall face advanced. Then, by analyzing the acquired data of the different horizontal and vertical positions of the SDB, the accurate locations of the MEZ within the zone of interconnected fractures were determined. There were the methane decrease zone (MDZ) and methane shortage zone (MSZ) below and above the MEZ, respectively. The results showed that in the MEZ, both the methane flow rate and concentration displayed slight decreasing trends and maintained high levels as the distance from the roof of the coal seam increased. In the MDZ, a sharp decline was observed in the methane flow rate. However, a relatively high methane concentration had still been maintained. In the MSZ, both the methane flow rate and concentration displayed dramatic fluctuation and relatively low levels. The average methane flow rates in the MEZ were determined to be 1.3 and 1.6 times higher than those in the MDZ and MSZ, respectively.
Spatiotemporal Traffic Flow Prediction with KNN and LSTM
Authors: Luo Xianglong , Li Danyang , Yang Yu , Zhang Shengrui
Published: February 2019

The traffic flow prediction is becoming increasingly crucial in Intelligent Transportation Systems. Accurate prediction result is the precondition of traffic guidance, management, and control. To improve the prediction accuracy, a spatiotemporal traffic flow prediction method is proposed combined with k-nearest neighbor (KNN) and long short-term memory network (LSTM), which is called KNN-LSTM model in this paper. KNN is used to select mostly related neighboring stations with the test station and capture spatial features of traffic flow. LSTM is utilized to mine temporal variability of traffic flow, and a two-layer LSTM network is applied to predict traffic flow respectively in selected stations. The final prediction results are obtained by result-level fusion with rank-exponent weighting method. The prediction performance is evaluated with real-time traffic flow data provided by the Transportation Research Data Lab (TDRL) at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Data Center. Experimental results indicate that the proposed model can achieve a better performance compared with well-known prediction models including autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), support vector regression (SVR), wavelet neural network (WNN), deep belief networks combined with support vector regression (DBN-SVR), and LSTM models, and the proposed model can achieve on average 12.59% accuracy improvement.
Simplified Thermal Model and Optimal Control for Chilled Water Pipe in Air‐Conditioning System
Authors: Zhao Zhida , Yu Nanyang , Yu Tao , Ye Lisha
Published: February 2019

As an important subsystem in air‐conditioning system, water system connects the chiller and terminal equipment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an accurate thermal model for chilled water pipe to create the suitable indoor temperature and humidity environment. In this paper, the thermal model of the pipe was considered by utilizing the simplified thermal time‐delay state‐space model with the mass, energy balance, and heat consumption equations. Based on this improved model, the preview control as control strategy for water pipe temperature was proposed, and its robustness and stability were discussed. Subsequently, the performances of this model and control strategy were tested in a fan‐coil system simulating with MATLAB and TRNSYS (Transient System Simulation Program). Explicitly, the results show that this model accurately predicts the thermal characteristic, and the average mean squared errors for water temperature were 11.14% and 12.82%, respectively. Meanwhile, the tracking effect of valve controller was better than the control strategy with no preview control.
Seizures Causing Simultaneous Bilateral Neck of Femur Fractures
Authors: Maimin Dane Gary , Meneses-Turino Livan
Published: February 2019

Neck of femur fractures are a ubiquitous injury seen by orthopaedic surgeons. In the elderly, these fractures usually occur after a low energy fall, and are invariably unilateral injuries. Bilateral neck of femur fractures have been reported in patients with metabolic bone disease, after electroconvulsive therapy, and in association with stress fractures. The otherwise healthy index patient in this case report presented most unusually, with simultaneous, bilateral neck of femur fractures that were sustained during a seizure.
Coblator-Assisted Endoscopic Transnasal Resection of a Large Nasopharyngeal Pleomorphic Adenoma
Authors: Bowman Jonathan , Daudia Anu , Sahasrabudhe Neil , Belloso Antonio
Published: February 2019

Background. Pleomorphic adenomas occurring in the adult nasopharynx are rare, with our literature search identifying only 11 previous English-language reports. We document the unusual case of a large nasopharyngeal pleomorphic adenoma that was resected using radiofrequency coblation via an endoscopic transnasal approach. Methods. A 39-year-old male presented with worsening nasal congestion, intermittent otalgia, and a progressive change in voice. Flexible nasendoscopy showed a large homogeneous mass occupying the postnasal space, and computed tomography confirmed a 28 × 31 × 22 mm nasopharyngeal tumour. The biopsy-proven benign tumour was locally dissected using a coblator-assisted transnasal approach. Results. Histology confirmed complete excision of a myoepithelial-rich pleomorphic adenoma. The patient was symptom-free postoperatively, and no signs of recurrence were seen at one-year follow-up. Conclusions. This is a useful addition to the existing literature on surgical procedures used to treat benign pathology in the nasopharynx. The minimally invasive technique was well tolerated and had favourable patient outcomes.
Impact of Different Land-Use Systems on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Macrofauna Abundance in the Humid Tropics of Cameroon
Authors: Nanganoa Lawrence Tatanah , Okolle Justin Nambangia , Missi Valentine , Tueche Jacques Roberto , Levai Lewis Dopgima , Njukeng Jetro Nkengafac
Published: February 2019

The impact of different land-use systems on some soil physicochemical properties and macrofauna abundance in the humid tropics of Cameroon was studied. The land-use types included secondary forest (SF), oil palm plantation (PP), banana plantation (BP), sugarcane plantation (SP), and rubber plantation (RP). Soil particle size distribution, bulk density (BD), pH, organic matter (OM), and number of macrofauna were evaluated. The results showed that OM and number of macrofauna were higher in the SF than in the other land-use types. Pearson’s correlation analysis carried out to determine the relationship between OM and BD showed that OM and BD was strongly negatively related with correlation coefficient of −0.9653. It also showed a strong significant negative correlation between BD and ants population (r = −0.8828) and between soil pH and number of earthworms (r = −0.9072). Based on the results, the SF produced more organic matter and higher number of macrofauna. However, the OM of the other land uses was not low; hence, it could be beneficial to return plant residues to the field for maintaining soil quality.
Hepcidin and Iron Homeostasis in Patients with Subacute Thyroiditis and Healthy Subjects
Authors: Hernik Aleksandra , Szczepanek-Parulska Ewelina , Filipowicz Dorota , Czarnywojtek Agata , Wrotkowska Elżbieta , Kramer Lucyna , Urbanovych Alina , Ruchała Marek
Published: February 2019

Purpose. Hepcidin is an acute-phase protein involved also in regulation of iron homeostasis. The aim of the study was to prospectively assess for the first time the hepcidinEL concentration in patients with subacute thyroiditis (SAT), to identify biochemical determinants of hepcidinEL concentration and evaluate the potential role of hepcidin in SAT diagnosis and monitoring. Methods. Out of 40 patients with SAT initially recruited, restrictive inclusion criteria fulfilled 21 subjects aged 45±10 years and 21 healthy control subjects (CS). HepcidinEL concentration, thyroid status, and iron homeostasis were evaluated at SAT diagnosis and following therapy and compared with CS. Results. The median hepcidinEL concentration at SAT diagnosis is higher than that in CS (48.8 (15.9-74.5) ng/mL vs. 18.2 (10.2-23.3) ng/mL, p=0.009) and is significantly lower after treatment (4.0 (1.2-10.0) ng/mL, p=0.007) compared with CS. The ROC analysis for hepcidinEL at SAT diagnosis revealed that area under the curve (AUC) is 0.735 (p=0.009), and the cut-off for hepcidinEL concentration is 48.8 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.52 and specificity 0.95). HepcidinEL in SAT patients correlated with CRP (r=0.614, p=0.003), ferritin (r=0.815, p<0.001), and aTPO (r = -0.491, p=0.024). On multiple regression, the correlation between hepcidinEL and ferritin was confirmed (p<0.001). Conclusions. SAT is accompanied by a significant increase in hepcidin, which reflects an acute-phase inflammatory process. Parameters of iron homeostasis improved significantly while inflammatory indices got lower following recovery. The potential role of hepcidin as a predictive factor of the risk of SAT relapse needs to be assessed in studies on larger groups of SAT patients.