bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Certain Integral Operator Related to the Hurwitz–Lerch Zeta Function
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yuan , Shi Lei , Wang Zhi-Ren
Published: April 2018

The aim of the present paper is to investigate several third-order differential subordinations, differential superordination properties, and sandwich-type theorems of an integral operator Ws,bf(z) involving the Hurwitz–Lerch Zeta function. We make some applications of the operator Ws,bf(z) for meromorphic functions.
Time-Optimal Attitude Scheduling of a Spacecraft Equipped with Reaction Wheels
Authors: Olivares Alberto , Staffetti Ernesto
Published: April 2018

The time-optimal control problem of a spacecraft equipped with reaction wheels has been studied, in which the spacecraft is constrained to sequentially assume a set of attitudes, whose order is not specified. This attitude scheduling problem has been solved as a multiphase mixed-integer optimal control problem in which binary functions have been introduced to model the choice of the optimal sequence of target attitudes and to enforce the constraint of adopting once and only once each attitude. Given the dynamic model of the spacecraft, the initial and final attitudes, and a set of target attitudes, solving this problem consists in finding the control inputs, the sequence of attitudes with the corresponding passage times, and the resulting trajectory of the spacecraft that minimize the time of the maneuver. The multiphase mixed-integer optimal control problem has been converted into a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem first making the unknown passage times through the target attitudes part of the state, then introducing binary variables to discretize the binary functions, and finally applying a fifth-degree Gauss-Lobatto direct collocation method to tackle the dynamic constraints. The resulting problem has been solved using a nonlinear programming-based branch-and-bound algorithm.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Kuseonwangdogo‐Based Mixed Herbal Formula Extracts on a Cyclophosphamide‐Induced Immunosuppression Mouse Model
Authors: Kim Joo Wan , Choi Jae-Suk , Seol Du Jin , Choung Jai Jun , Ku Sae Kwang
Published: April 2018

Aim. Kuseonwangdogo is a traditional Korean immunomodulatory polyherbal prescription. However, there are no systemic findings on its complex immunomodulatory effects on in vivo models. In this study, we observed the immunomodulatory effects of Kuseonwangdogo‐based mixed herbal formula aqueous extracts (MHFe) on cyclophosphamide‐ (CPA‐) induced immunosuppression mouse model. Methods. In total, 60 male 6‐week‐old ICR mice (10 mice/group) were selected based on body weight 24 h after the second CPA treatment and used in this experiment. Twelve hours after the end of the last (fourth) oral administration of MHFe, the animals were sacrificed. Results. Following CPA treatment, a noticeable decrease in the body, thymus, spleen, and submandibular lymph node (LN) weights; white blood cell, red blood cell, platelet number, hemoglobin, and hematocrit concentrations; serum interferon‐γ levels; splenic tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐ (IL‐) 1β, and IL‐10 content; and peritoneal and splenic natural killer cell activities was observed. Depletion of lymphoid cells in the thymic cortex, splenic white pulp, and submandibular LN‐related atrophic changes were also observed. However, these CPA‐induced myelosuppressive signs were markedly and dose‐dependently inhibited by the oral administration of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg MHFe. Conclusion. MHFe can be a promising, potent immunomodulatory therapeutic agent for various immune disorders.
A Comparison between Theoretical and Experimental Measures of Consciousness as Integrated Information in an Anatomically Based Network of Coupled Oscillators
Authors: Ibáñez-Molina Antonio J. , Iglesias-Parro Sergio
Published: April 2018

The rise of mathematical developments in the theories of consciousness has led to new measures to detect consciousness in a system. The Integrated Information Theory (IIT) is one of the best mathematical rooted attempts to quantify the level of consciousness in a system with Φ as the effective information generated in a system above its parts. Recently, the IIT has inspired the Perturbational Complexity Index (PCI) to detect conscious states in patients with disorders of consciousness, and it has shown to have almost perfect classification accuracy. In this study, we explore the statistical correspondence between the theoretical Φ and the experimental PCI through a neurocomputational model of coupled oscillators that can be artificially perturbed, which mainly focuses on the dynamics of collective synchronization between subsets of brain areas. Our results reveal that both measures are statistically related but, in principle, this relationship is far to be perfect. These results are discussed in the context of the model of coupled oscillators, which mainly focuses on the dynamics of collective synchronization between subsets of brain areas.
Influence of Shaft Torsional Stiffness on Dynamic Response of Four-Stage Main Transmission System
Authors: Chen Yuan , Zhu Rupeng , Jin Guanghu , Xiong Yeping
Published: April 2018

Dynamic response analysis has potential for increasing fatigue life of the components in the transmission of a multistage main transmission system. The calculated data can demonstrate the influence of shaft torsional stiffness on dynamic characteristics of the system. Detecting key shafts of the system and analyzing their sensitivity are important for the design of four-stage helicopter gear box. Lumped mass method is applied for dynamic modeling and Fourier method is used to solve differential equation of the system. Results of the analysis indicate that key shafts can be designed carefully to improve the performance of the transmission system.
Effect of Reformation of the Anterior Chamber by Air or by a Balanced Salt Solution (BSS) on Corneal Endothelium after Phacoemulsification: A Comparative Study
Authors: Alsmman Alahmady Hamad , Ezzeldawla Mohammed , Mounir Amr , Elhawary Ashraf Mostafa , Mohammed Osama Ali , Farouk Mahmoud , Sherif Ahmed Mohamed
Published: April 2018

Aim. To study the effect of reformation of the anterior chamber by air or by a balanced salt solution, after smooth phacoemulsification on the corneal endothelial count and morphology. Methods. A prospective interventional nonrandomized comparative study included 500 eyes of 500 patients with age range between 50 and 60 years, prepared for cataract surgery and presented to the Ophthalmology department of Sohag University Hospital in the period from October 2016 to May 2017. Corneal endothelial morphology and count were examined, and the results were recorded for all cases before the surgery. Patients were divided into two groups, and both groups were diagnosed with grade 2 cataract and underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification performed by well-trained surgeons. At the end of the surgery, group 1 was subjected to a reformation of the anterior chamber via a balanced salt solution (BSS) injection while group 2 was subjected to a reformation of the anterior chamber via air injection. Corneal endothelial morphology and count were evaluated in the first and 3rd month postoperatively. Results. The study included 500 patients (250 in each group), 220 males (44%) and 280 females (56%) with no significant statistical age differences. Both preoperative and postoperative (3 months after the operation) recorded parameters of the corneal endothelium did not show any significant statistical differences. The cumulative dissipated energy was recorded, for all cases of both groups, during phacoemulsification with no significant statistical differences (P=0.7). Conclusion. There is no difference between the effect of reformation of the anterior chamber after phacoemulsification, using air or using a BSS injection, on the corneal endothelial count and morphology.
Establishment of the Credit Indicator System of Micro Enterprises Based on Support Vector Machine and R-Type Clustering
Authors: Li Zhanjiang , Yang Chengrong
Published: April 2018

The micro enterprises’ credit indicators with credit identification ability are selected by the two classification models of Support Vector Machine for the first round of indicator selection and then for the second round of indicator selection, deleting credit indicators with redundant information by clustering variables through the principle of minimum sum of deviation squares. This paper provides a screening model for credit evaluation indicators of micro enterprises and uses credit data of 860 micro enterprises samples in Inner Mongolia in western China for application analysis. The test results show that, first, the constructed final micro enterprises’ credit indicator system is in line with the 5C model; second, the validity test based on the ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve reveals that each of the screened credit evaluation indicators is valid.
Metabolic Changes Associated with a Rat Model of Diabetic Depression Detected by Ex Vivo 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in the Prefrontal Cortex, Hippocampus, and Hypothalamus
Authors: Liu Kun , Zhao Liangcai , Xu Wen , Lin Qiuting , Zhou Yongjin , Huang Xiaoyan , Ye Xinjian , He Jiawei , Bai Guanghui , Yan Zhihan , Gao Hongchang
Published: April 2018

Diabetic patients often present with comorbid depression. However, the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying diabetic depression (DD) remain unclear. To explore the mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis of the disease, we used ex vivo 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and immunohistochemistry to investigate the main metabolic and pathological changes in various rat brain areas in an animal model of DD. Compared with the control group, rats in the DD group showed significant decreases in neurotransmitter concentrations of glutamate (Glu) and glutamine (Gln) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and hypothalamus and aspartate and glycine in the PFC and hypothalamus. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was decreased only in the hypothalamus. Levels of the energy product, lactate, were higher in the PFC, hippocampus, and hypothalamus of rats with DD than those in control rats, while creatine was lower in the PFC and hippocampus, and alanine was lower in the hypothalamus. The levels of other brain metabolites were altered, including N-acetyl aspartate, taurine, and choline. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that expressions of both glutamine synthetase and glutaminase were decreased in the PFC, hippocampus, and hypothalamus of rats with DD. The metabolic changes in levels of Glu, Gln, and GABA indicate an imbalance of the Glu-Gln metabolic cycle between astrocytes and neurons. Our results suggest that the development of DD in rats may be linked to brain metabolic changes, including inhibition of the Glu-Gln cycle, increases in anaerobic glycolysis, and disturbances in the lactate-alanine shuttle, and associated with dysfunction of neurons and astrocytes.
System-Level Power Consumption Analysis of the Wearable Asthmatic Wheeze Quantification
Authors: Oletic Dinko , Bilas Vedran
Published: April 2018

Long-term quantification of asthmatic wheezing envisions an m-Health sensor system consisting of a smartphone and a body-worn wireless acoustic sensor. As both devices are power constrained, the main criterion guiding the system design comes down to minimization of power consumption, while retaining sufficient respiratory sound classification accuracy (i.e., wheeze detection). Crucial for assessment of the system-level power consumption is the understanding of trade-off between power cost of computationally intensive local processing and communication. Therefore, we analyze power requirements of signal acquisition, processing, and communication in three typical operating scenarios: (1) streaming of uncompressed respiratory signal to a smartphone for classification, (2) signal streaming utilizing compressive sensing (CS) for reduction of data rate, and (3) respiratory sound classification onboard the wearable sensor. Study shows that the third scenario featuring the lowest communication cost enables the lowest total sensor system power consumption ranging from 328 to 428 μW. In such scenario, 32-bit ARM Cortex M3/M4 cores typically embedded within Bluetooth 4 SoC modules feature the optimal trade-off between onboard classification performance and consumption. On the other hand, study confirms that CS enables the most power-efficient design of the wearable sensor (216 to 357 μW) in the compressed signal streaming, the second scenario. In such case, a single low-power ARM Cortex-A53 core is sufficient for simultaneous real-time CS reconstruction and classification on the smartphone, while keeping the total system power within budget for uncompressed streaming.
Early Detection of Undiagnosed Hypertension Based on Occupational Screening in the Hotel and Restaurant Industry
Authors: Seibt Reingard , Hunger Bettina , Stieler Lisa , Stoll Regina , Kreuzfeld Steffi
Published: April 2018

Blood pressure is the most important, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Lifestyle factors and also workload are the main, potential risk factors for the development of hypertension. This study focused on the early detection of unknown hypertension by screening employees in the hotel and restaurant industry (HRI). 148 HRI employees without hypertension (mean age: 34 years, men: 45%) self-measured their blood pressure during rest and for 24 hours of a normal workday. Individuals with a resting blood pressure ≥ 135/85 mmHg were classified as hypertensive. A further analysis investigated whether the currently applicable thresholds for hypertension during work, leisure, and sleep were exceeded on a working day. At rest, 36% of the study participants suffered from hypertension, which increased to 70% under workload and 46% during leisure time and dropped to 8% during sleep. Normal nocturnal dipping (10–20%) occurred only in 18% of cases; 78% were extreme dippers (>20%). Occupational hypertension screening is a suitable component of preventive healthcare. Resting blood pressure measurement alone is insufficient for the early detection of risk individuals and should be supplemented by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring under working conditions. The impact of workload on blood pressure needs to be given more attention in the guidelines.
On an Anisotropic Parabolic Equation on the Domain with a Disjoint Boundary
Authors: Zhan Huashui
Published: April 2018

Consider the anisotropic parabolic equation with the variable exponentsvt=∑i=1n(bi(x)vxiqix-2vxi)xi,wherebi(x),qi(x)∈C1(Ω¯),qi(x)>1, andbi(x)≥0. If{bi(x)}is not degenerate onΣp⊂∂Ω, a part of the boundary, but is degenerate on the remained part∂Ω∖Σp, then the boundary value condition is imposed onΣp, but there is no boundary value condition required on∂Ω∖Σp. The stability of the weak solutions can be proved based on the partial boundary value conditionvx∈Σp=0.
Biological Flower Pollination Algorithm with Orthogonal Learning Strategy and Catfish Effect Mechanism for Global Optimization Problems
Authors: Cui Weijia , He Yuzhu
Published: April 2018

The flower pollination algorithm (FPA) is a novel optimization technique derived from the pollination behavior of flowers. However, the shortcomings of the FPA, such as a tendency towards premature convergence and poor exploitation ability, confine its application in engineering problems. To further strengthen FPA optimization performance, an orthogonal learning (OL) strategy based on orthogonal experiment design (OED) is embedded into the local pollination operator. OED can predict the optimal factor level combination by constructing a smaller but representative test set based on an orthogonal array. Using this characteristic of OED, the OL strategy can extract a promising solution from various sources of experience information, which leads the population to a potentially reasonable search direction. Moreover, the catfish effect mechanism is introduced to focus on the worst individuals during the iteration process. This mechanism explores new valuable information and maintains superior population diversity. The experimental results on benchmark functions show that our proposed algorithm significantly enhances the performance of the basic FPA and offers stronger competitiveness than several state-of-the-art algorithms.
Correlations and Event-by-Event Fluctuations in High Multiplicity Events Produced in 208Pb-208Pb Collisions
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Khan Shaista , Kumar Ashwini , Singh Arpit , Ahmad A. , Singh B. K.
Published: April 2018

Analysis of high multiplicity events produced in 158A GeV/c 208Pb-208Pb collisions is carried out to study the event-by-event fluctuations. The findings reveal that the method of scaled factorial moments can be used to identify the events having densely populated narrow phase space bins. A few events sorted out by adopting this approach are individually analyzed. It is observed that these events do exhibit large fluctuations in their pseudorapidity, η, and azimuthal angle, ϕ, distributions arising due to some dynamical reasons. Two-particle Δη-Δϕ correlation study applied to these events too indicates that some complex two-dimensional structure of significantly high magnitude is present in these events which might have some dynamical origin. The findings reveal that the method of scaled factorial moments may be used as an effective triggering for events with large dynamical fluctuations.
Context and Time Matter: Effects of Emotion and Motivation on Episodic Memory Overtime
Authors: Sun Qing , Gu Simeng , Yang Jiongjiong
Published: April 2018

Previous studies have shown that compared with neutral cues, stimuli with positive and negative/stressful contexts or reward and punishment cues are remembered better. However, it is unclear whether the enhanced effect differs in emotion or motivation dimensions and the passage of time. We addressed these issues by manipulating different contextual cues for neutral words at different time intervals. In experiment 1, subjects were asked to learn words with picture contexts in positive, negative/stressful, and neutral valences and were tested by old/new word recognition and contextual judgment 10 min, 1 day, and 1 week later. In experiment 2, the reward and punishment motivations were manipulated by monetary cues during learning. Word recognition and contextual judgment were assessed 10 min, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after the study. Compared with negative and punishment conditions, the words in positive and reward contexts were recognized better at shorter intervals, which was associated with recollection process. In contrast, the words in negative and punishment contexts were recognized better at longer intervals, which was mainly associated with familiarity process. These results clarified how different dimensions of emotional and motivational contexts influence memory at short and long intervals and highlighted the role of contextual features in memory formation and consolidation.
Evaluation of Cytochalasin B-Induced Membrane Vesicles Fusion Specificity with Target Cells
Authors: Gomzikova Marina , Kletukhina Sevindzh , Kurbangaleeva Sirina , Rizvanov Albert
Published: April 2018

Extracellular vesicles (EV) represent a promising vector system for biomolecules and drug delivery due to their natural origin and participation in intercellular communication. As the quantity of EVs is limited, it was proposed to induce the release of membrane vesicles from the surface of human cells by treatment with cytochalasin B. Cytochalasin B-induced membrane vesicles (CIMVs) were successfully tested as a vector for delivery of dye, nanoparticles, and a chemotherapeutic. However, it remained unclear whether CIMVs possess fusion specificity with target cells and thus might be used for more targeted delivery of therapeutics. To answer this question, CIMVs were obtained from human prostate cancer PC3 cells. The diameter of obtained CIMVs was 962,13 ± 140,6 nm. We found that there is no statistically significant preference in PC3 CIMVs fusion with target cells of the same type. According to our observations, the greatest impact on CIMVs entry into target cells is by the heterophilic interaction of CIMV membrane receptors with the surface proteins of target cells.
Stability and Hopf Bifurcation Analysis of a Plant Virus Propagation Model with Two Delays
Authors: Liu Junli , Zhang Tailei
Published: April 2018

To understand the interaction between the insects and the plants, a system of delay differential equations is proposed and studied. We prove that if R0≤1, the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable for any length of time delays by constructing a Lyapunov functional, and the system admits a unique endemic equilibrium if R0>1. We establish the sufficient conditions for the stability of the endemic equilibrium and existence of Hopf bifurcation. Using the normal form theory and center manifold theorem, the explicit formulae which determine the stability, direction, and other properties of bifurcating periodic solutions are derived. Some numerical simulations are given to confirm our analytic results.
Surface Localization in Impurity Band with Random Displacements and Long-Range Interactions
Authors: Chulaevsky Victor
Published: April 2018

We study the random Schrödinger operators in a Euclidean space with the disorder generated by two complementary mechanisms: random substitution in a lower-dimensional layer and random displacements in the bulk, without additional assumptions regarding the reflection symmetry of the site potentials. The latter are assumed to be bounded and have a power-law decay. Complementing earlier results obtained in the strong disorder regime, we establish spectral and strong dynamical localization in the impurity zone near the bottom of spectrum for arbitrarily weak amplitudes of the random displacements, provided the concentration of impurities is sufficiently small.
Maceration of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Common Aromatic Plants Using Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction: An UV-Vis Spectroscopic Investigation
Authors: Jović Ozren , Habinovec Iva , Galić Nives , Andrašec Marijan
Published: April 2018

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), garden sage (Salvia officinalis), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), laurel (Laurus nobilis), and other aromatic plants were put in olive oil and exposed to ultrasounds for different duration. Filtrated oils were dissolved in cyclohexane, and UV-Vis measurements were carried out. Absorbance values corresponding to chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids (370 nm), and polyphenols (around 300 nm) were measured. In addition, for some samples, total phenols were determined using Folin-Denis reagent and compared with the similar maceration procedure in water solvent (instead of olive oil). Maceration without ultrasound in olive oil for each plant was also compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction. The results show that significant amount of aromatic content can be extracted in olive oil by applying ultrasounds for only few minutes, especially for Salvia officinalis powder. The use of UV-Vis measurements is simple but enough to examine the extent of phenol content extraction through such maceration procedure.
Energy Efficient Caching in Backhaul‐Aware Cellular Networks with Dynamic Content Popularity
Authors: Ji Jiequ , Zhu Kun , Wang Ran , Chen Bing , Dai Chen
Published: April 2018

Caching popular contents at base stations (BSs) has been regarded as an effective approach to alleviate the backhaul load and to improve the quality of service. To meet the explosive data traffic demand and to save energy consumption, energy efficiency (EE) has become an extremely important performance index for the 5th generation (5G) cellular networks. In general, there are two ways for improving the EE for caching, that is, improving the cache‐hit rate and optimizing the cache size. In this work, we investigate the energy efficient caching problem in backhaul‐aware cellular networks jointly considering these two approaches. Note that most existing works are based on the assumption that the content catalog and popularity are static. However, in practice, content popularity is dynamic. To timely estimate the dynamic content popularity, we propose a method based on shot noise model (SNM). Then we propose a distributed caching policy to improve the cache‐hit rate in such a dynamic environment. Furthermore, we analyze the tradeoff between energy efficiency and cache capacity for which an optimization is formulated. We prove its convexity and derive a closed‐form optimal cache capacity for maximizing the EE. Simulation results validate the proposed scheme and show that EE can be improved with appropriate choice of cache capacity.
A Description of the Transverse Momentum Distributions of Charged Particles Produced in Heavy Ion Collisions at RHIC and LHC Energies
Authors: Hui Jia-Qi , Jiang Zhi-Jin , Xu Dong-Fang
Published: April 2018

By assuming the existence of memory effects and long-range interactions, nonextensive statistics together with relativistic hydrodynamics including phase transition are used to discuss the transverse momentum distributions of charged particles produced in heavy ion collisions. It is shown that the combined contributions from nonextensive statistics and hydrodynamics can give a good description of the experimental data in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV and in Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV for π± and K± in the whole measured transverse momentum region and for pp- in the region of pT≤2.0 GeV/c. This is different from our previous work using the conventional statistics plus hydrodynamics, where the describable region is only limited in pT≤1.1 GeV/c.
Royal Jelly Attenuates LPS-Induced Inflammation in BV-2 Microglial Cells through Modulating NF-κB and p38/JNK Signaling Pathways
Authors: You Meng-Meng , Chen Yi-Fan , Pan Yong-Ming , Liu Yi-Chen , Tu Jue , Wang Kai , Hu Fu-Liang
Published: April 2018

Royal jelly (RJ), a hive product with versatile pharmacological activities, has been used as a traditional functional food to prevent or treat inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about the anti-inflammatory effect of RJ in microglial cells. The aim of this study is to assess the anti-inflammatory effects of RJ in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced murine immortalized BV-2 cells and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells, RJ significantly inhibited iNOS and COX-2 expression at mRNA and protein levels. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α was also downregulated by RJ in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, RJ protected BV-2 cells against oxidative stress by upregulating heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production. Mechanistically, we found that RJ could alleviate inflammatory response in microglia by suppressing the phosphorylation of IκBα, p38, and JNK and by inhibiting the nucleus translocation of NF-κB p65. These findings suggest that RJ might be a promising functional food to delay inflammatory progress by influencing the microglia function.
A Cylindrically Symmetric and Static Anisotropic Fluid Spacetime and the Naked Singularity
Authors: Ahmed Faizuddin , Rahaman Farook
Published: April 2018

A cylindrically symmetric and static solution of Einstein’s field equations was presented. The spacetime is conformally flat and regular everywhere except on the symmetry axis where it possesses a naked curvature singularity. The matter-energy source anisotropic fluids violate the weak energy condition (WEC) and diverge on the symmetry axis. We discuss geodesics motion of free test-particles near to the singularity, geodesic expansion in the metric to understand the nature of singularity which is naked or covered, and finally the C-energy of the spacetime.
Septate Uterus in a Girl with Rubinstein–Taybi Syndrome
Authors: de Castro Coelho Filipa , Câmara Sara , Alves Inês , Brazão Kathleen
Published: April 2018

Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome is an extremely rare plurimalformative condition that can affect any organ. However, reports regarding gynecological problems are unusual. We report the first case of a septate uterus in an adolescent with this syndrome, in agreement with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Congenital Uterine Malformations by Expert (CUME) criteria for uterine septum. Additional studies are required to determine whether there is an increased frequency of müllerian duct anomalies with the condition. Our report extends the data on the clinical phenotype associated with Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome.
Evaluation of C-Reactive Protein Level in Patients with Pain Form of Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
Authors: Pihut Malgorzata , Ceranowicz Piotr , Gala Andrzej
Published: April 2018

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a functional disorder concerned with the abnormal functioning of the muscles of the stomatognathic system and temporomandibular joints involved in the dynamic movements of the jaw and surrounding structures. The aim of the study was to compare the level of C-reactive protein in patients with pain and painless forms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Materials and methods. The study group consisted of 72 patients who reported to the prosthetic treatment because of temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The study group included 36 patients with pain form of dysfunction, and the control group included 36 patients with painless form of disorder. Each patient underwent specialized examination of functional disorders in order to diagnose the type of dysfunction and was commissioned to carry out a study of the blood test concerned with evaluation of the C-reactive protein (CRP) level in the same analytical laboratory. The results of the investigation were subjected to statistical analysis. The research obtained approval from the Ethics Committee of the Jagiellonian University (KBET/125/L/2013). Level of Evidence for primary research was established as type V. Results. The mean values of C-reactive protein levels in both groups were in the normal range and did not differ statistically significantly, which indicates the fact that the pain form of the temporomandibular joint disorders is not associated with inflammation of the soft tissues of the joint. Conclusion. Painful form of the temporomandibular joint dysfunctions is not connected with the inflammation of joints.
In Silico Characterization and Structural Modeling of Dermacentor andersoni p36 Immunosuppressive Protein
Authors: Oyugi Martin Omulindi , Kinyua Johnson Kangethe , Magiri Esther Nkirote , Kigoni Milcah Wagio , Costa Evenilton Pessoa , Githaka Naftaly Wang’ombe
Published: April 2018

Ticks cause approximately $17–19 billion economic losses to the livestock industry globally. Development of recombinant antitick vaccine is greatly hindered by insufficient knowledge and understanding of proteins expressed by ticks. Ticks secrete immunosuppressant proteins that modulate the host’s immune system during blood feeding; these molecules could be a target for antivector vaccine development. Recombinant p36, a 36 kDa immunosuppressor from the saliva of female Dermacentor andersoni, suppresses T-lymphocytes proliferation in vitro. To identify potential unique structural and dynamic properties responsible for the immunosuppressive function of p36 proteins, this study utilized bioinformatic tool to characterize and model structure of D. andersoni p36 protein. Evaluation of p36 protein family as suitable vaccine antigens predicted a p36 homolog in Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, the tick vector of East Coast fever, with an antigenicity score of 0.7701 that compares well with that of Bm86 (0.7681), the protein antigen that constitute commercial tick vaccine Tickgard™. Ab initio modeling of the D. andersoni p36 protein yielded a 3D structure that predicted conserved antigenic region, which has potential of binding immunomodulating ligands including glycerol and lactose, found located within exposed loop, suggesting a likely role in immunosuppressive function of tick p36 proteins. Laboratory confirmation of these preliminary results is necessary in future studies.
Wave Power Generation by Piezoelectric Sensor Attached to a Coastal Structure
Authors: Kim Kyu-Han , Cho Si-Bum , Kim Hyun-Dong , Shim Kyu-Tae
Published: April 2018

The characteristics of a new wave power generating system have been proposed by installing a piezoelectric sensor to the seaward position of an existing coastal structure. By installing the sensor to the structure, waves will hit the piezoelectric sensor to generate wave energy; at the same time, the structure acts as a wave breaker. This technique can be applied to various coastal structures to converge the functions of renewable energy generator and the wave reducing structure. This technique of using piezoelectric sensor is relatively inexpensive that can be used for economic purposes as well. Throughout the study, usability of the existing coastal structure and characteristics of current research trend in the ocean wave energy retrieval of the wave power generators have been analyzed. Hydrographic analysis of this technique has been conducted by hydraulic model experiment using 2D wave flume and confirmed that the wave pressure and voltages maximize when higher wave with longer period of wave induces. Throughout the experiment, correlations of generation volume and wave conditions have been found.
Cytokines in Preterm Delivery: Proposal of a New Diagnostic Algorithm
Authors: Raba Grzegorz , Tabarkiewicz Jacek
Published: April 2018

Predicting preterm delivery within 7 days is very important for the proper timing of glucocorticosteroid administration. If within 7 days after glucocorticosteroid administration, the delivery does not occur, it remains questionable if repeated glucocorticosteroid therapy results in improved infant respiratory function. Therefore, differentiation of preterm delivery from false preterm delivery is clinically significant. The aim of this study was to create a diagnostic algorithm to distinguish preterm delivery from false preterm delivery on the basis of concentrations of selected cytokines. The study group (n=622) were patients hospitalized due to threatened preterm delivery. To assess the concentration of cytokines in the serum, we used a multiplex method, which allows simultaneous determination of 13 cytokines. The sets consist of the following cytokines: IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, BDNF, L-Selectin, E-Selectin, ICAM-1, PECAM, VCAM-1, MIP-1d, MIP-3b, Eotaxin-1, Eotaxin-2, and BLC. In the study group, 67.8% patients had preterm delivery and 32.2% had false preterm delivery. Based on the analysis of cytokine concentrations, a classification tree to distinguish between preterm delivery and false preterm delivery was created. Our findings show the possibility of prediction of preterm delivery with the use of a classification and regression tree of selected cytokine concentration.
Dietary Calcium Intake in Sample of School Age Children in City of Rabat, Morocco
Authors: Bouziani Amina , Saeid Naima , Benkirane Hasnae , Qandoussi Latifa , Taboz Youness , El Hamdouchi Asmaa , El Kari Khalid , El Mzibri Mohammed , Aguenaou Hassan
Published: April 2018

Calcium is an important mineral playing a vital role to maintain bone health. Calcium intake is considered as one of the most important determinants to assess the calcium status and to evaluate the calcium deficiency in the human body. Our study aims at estimating calcium intake in a sample of children and adolescent to be used in the global strategy to reduce calcium deficiency disorders in Morocco. Thus, 131 children and adolescents were recruited from public schools at Rabat and its regions in the framework of a descriptive cross-sectional study. For each participant, anthropometric parameters were measured. Calcium status was assessed by 24 h dietary recall. Food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate children’s nutritional habits and to assess the consumption of calcium-rich food. Overall, the mean calcium intake was 522.0 ± 297.0 mg/day, and 85.5% of subjects highlighted calcium deficiency, with no significant difference between boys and girls. Calcium intake was significantly different according to age groups, and high consumption of calcium was found in subjects aged from 14 to 18 years (776.86 ±290.07 mg/day), giving evidence of the low calcium status of the studied population. Daily food intake and food frequency analysis showed that bread, vegetables, and fruits are the most consumed food and the main source of daily calcium intake. Consumption of dairy products, considered as the best source of calcium, is lower and represents only 14% of total calcium intake. Our study clearly showed that calcium status is very lower in Moroccan children and adolescents and a large proportion of this population have inadequate calcium intake. Hence, there’s an urgent need of specific strategies, including children sensitisation and nutritional education, to increase calcium intake and therefore reduce calcium deficiency disorders impacting the whole body during childhood and in adult age.
Research on Fault Diagnosis Based on Singular Value Decomposition and Fuzzy Neural Network
Authors: Gai Jingbo , Hu Yifan
Published: April 2018

A method based on singular value decomposition (SVD) and fuzzy neural network (FNN) was proposed to extract and diagnose the fault features of diesel engine crankshaft bearings efficiently and accurately. Firstly, vibration signals of crankshaft bearings in known state under the same working condition were decomposed by EMD to obtain the modal components containing fault‐feature information. Then, the singular values of modal components which include the main fault features were used as the initial vector matrix, where the eigenvectors were decomposed to form a fault characteristic matrix. At last, the fault features matrix was trained by the fuzzy neural network, in order to realize the diagnosis and identification of the crankshaft bearings in different states in the form of numerical values. The experiment showed that the numerical identification of the fuzzy neural network based on the singular value had high fault diagnosis accuracy and stability. This method can also reflect the gradual change of the crankshaft bearings’ fault to some extent, so it has the desired reliability and value.
Hermite Radial Basis Collocation Method for Unsaturated Soil Water Movement Equation
Authors: Wang Jiao , Su Lijun , Qin Xinqiang
Published: April 2018

Due to the nonlinear diffusion term, it is hard to use the collocation method to solve the unsaturated soil water movement equation directly. In this paper, a nonmesh Hermite collocation method with radial basis functions was proposed to solve the nonlinear unsaturated soil water movement equation with the Neumann boundary condition. By preprocessing the nonlinear diffusion term and using the Hermite radial basis function to deal with the Neumann boundary, the phenomenon that the collocation method cannot be used directly is avoided. The numerical results of unsaturated soil moisture movement with Neumann boundary conditions on the regular and nonregular regions show that the new method improved the accuracy significantly, which can be used to solve the low precision problem for the traditional collocation method when simulating the Neumann boundary condition problem. Moreover, the effectiveness and reliability of the algorithm are proved by the one-dimensional and two-dimensional engineering problem of soil water infiltration in arid area. It can be applied to engineering problems.
Volatile Oils ofNepeta tenuifolia(Jing Jie) as an Alternative Medicine against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogenic Microbes
Authors: Lee Yi-Hsuan , Wang Chao-Min , Liu Po-Yu , Cheng Ching-Chang , Wu Zong-Yen , Tseng Shu-Ying , Tung Kwong-Chung
Published: April 2018

Essential oils from the dried spikes ofNepeta tenuifolia(Benth) are obtained by steam distillation. Pulegone was identified as the main component in the spikes ofN. tenuifoliathrough analysis, with greater than 85% purity obtained in this study. The essential oils are extremely active against all Gram-positive and some Gram-negative reference bacteria, particularlySalmonella enterica,Citrobacter freundii, andEscherichia coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration was found to be between 0.08 and 0.78% (againstS. enterica), 0.39 and 0.78% (againstC. freundii), and 0.097 and 0.39% (againstE. coli), whereas the minimum bactericidal concentration varied in range from 0.097% to 1.04%. In general, the essential oils show a strong inhibitory action against all tested reference strains and clinical isolates. However, the antibacterial activity of EOs against bothPseudomonas aeruginosareference strains and clinical isolates was relatively lower than other Gram-negative pathogens. The essential oils ofN. tenuifoliaalso displayed bactericidal activities (MBC/MIC < 4) in this study. These findings reflect the bactericidal activity of the essential oils against a wide range of multidrug-resistant clinical pathogens in an in vitro study. In addition, we propose the fragmentation pathways of pulegone and its derivatives by LC-ESI-MS/MS in this study.
Dynamic Modelling of a Solar Water Pumping System with Energy Storage
Authors: Biswas Shatadru , Iqbal M. Tariq
Published: April 2018

This paper describes the dynamic modelling of a system used for extraction of groundwater for irrigation using an alternative source of energy. The system is designed based on data of an existing project in Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh. The system comprises a 38.4 kWp solar photovoltaic array, inverter, AC motor, and pump set, which can discharge a maximum of 1,930 m3 of water per day. MATLAB simulation is performed with two types of energy storage system: (i) electric energy using a battery bank and (ii) stored water in a large water tank. A large battery bank and a transformer are needed in the former one, which turns out as a costly solution. The latter one requires a boost converter and a large water tank to store around 2,000 m3 of water, which is also a costly solution. A combination of both systems yields an efficient and economical solution. The effectiveness of these three systems is compared with conventional diesel engine system.
A New Vehicle Localization Scheme Based on Combined Optical Camera Communication and Photogrammetry
Authors: Hossan Md. Tanvir , Chowdhury Mostafa Zaman , Hasan Moh. Khalid , Shahjalal Md. , Nguyen Trang , Le Nam Tuan , Jang Yeong Min
Published: April 2018

The demand for autonomous vehicles is increasing gradually owing to their enormous potential benefits. However, several challenges, such as vehicle localization, are involved in the development of autonomous vehicles. A simple and secure algorithm for vehicle positioning is proposed herein without massively modifying the existing transportation infrastructure. For vehicle localization, vehicles on the road are classified into two categories: host vehicles (HVs) are the ones used to estimate other vehicles’ positions and forwarding vehicles (FVs) are the ones that move in front of the HVs. The FV transmits modulated data from the tail (or back) light, and the camera of the HV receives that signal using optical camera communication (OCC). In addition, the streetlight (SL) data are considered to ensure the position accuracy of the HV. Determining the HV position minimizes the relative position variation between the HV and FV. Using photogrammetry, the distance between FV or SL and the camera of the HV is calculated by measuring the occupied image area on the image sensor. Comparing the change in distance between HV and SLs with the change in distance between HV and FV, the positions of FVs are determined. The performance of the proposed technique is analyzed, and the results indicate a significant improvement in performance. The experimental distance measurement validated the feasibility of the proposed scheme.
Genotypic Characterization of Rickettsia bellii Reveals Distinct Lineages in the United States and South America
Authors: Krawczak Felipe S. , Labruna Marcelo B. , Hecht Joy A. , Paddock Christopher D. , Karpathy Sandor E.
Published: April 2018

The bacterium Rickettsia bellii belongs to a basal group of rickettsiae that diverged prior to the pathogenic spotted fever group and typhus group Rickettsia species. Despite a diverse representation of R. bellii across more than 25 species of hard and soft ticks in the American continent, phylogeographical relationships among strains of this basal group-Rickettsia species are unknown; the work described here explores these relationships. DNA was extracted from 30 R. bellii tick isolates: 15 from the United States, 14 from Brazil, and 1 from Argentina. A total of 2,269 aligned nucleotide sites of 3 protein coding genes (gltA, atpA, and coxA) and 2 intergenic regions (rpmE-tRNAfmet and RC1027-xthA2) were concatenated and subjected to phylogenetic analysis by Bayesian methods. Results showed a separation of almost all isolates between North and South Americas, suggesting that they have radiated within their respective continents. Phylogenetic positions of the 30 isolates could be a result of not only their geographical origin but also the tick hosts they have coevolved with. Whether R. bellii originated with ticks in North or South America remains obscure, as our analyses did not show evidence for greater genetic divergence of R. bellii in either continent.
Preparation of Poly(L,L‐Lactide) Microparticles via Pickering Emulsions Using Chitin Nanocrystals
Authors: Demina T. S. , Sotnikova Yu. S. , Istomin A. V. , Grandfils Ch. , Akopova T. A. , Zelenetskii A. N.
Published: April 2018

The aim of the present study was to investigate an ability of chitin nanocrystals to be used as stabilizing components for fabrication of poly(L,L‐lactide) microparticles via the Pickering oil/water emulsion solvent evaporation technique. The anisometric chitin nanocrystals were extracted from two different samples of crab shell chitin via acetic hydrolysis and analyzed using atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and FTIR spectroscopy. The extracted nanocrystals showed no difference in the chemical structure but possessed different morphology and aspect ratios as a function of raw chitin used. The effect of chitin nanocrystals characteristics and concentration in the aqueous phase on the total yield, size distribution, and shape and surface morphology of the prepared polylactide microparticles was evaluated.
The Reduced Recombination and the Enhanced Lifetime of Excited Electron in QDSSCs Based on Different ZnS and SiO2Passivation
Authors: Tung Ha Thanh , Thao Nguyen Thu , Vinh Lam Quang
Published: April 2018

In this study, we focus on the enhanced absorption and reduced recombination of quantum dot solar cells based on photoanodes which were coated by different ZnS or SiO2passivations using the successive ionic layer absorption and reaction methods. The quantum dot solar cells based on photoanode multilayers, which were coated with a ZnS or SiO2passivation, increased dramatic absorption in the visible light region as compared with other photoanodes and reduced rapid recombination proccesses in photovoltaic. As a result, the performance efficiency of TiO2/CdS/CdSe photoanode with SiO2passivation increased by 150% and 375% compared with TiO2/CdS/CdSe with ZnS passivation and TiO2/CdSe photoanode, respectively. For this reason, we note that the tandem multilayers can absorb more wavelengths in the visible light region to increase a large amount of excited electrons, which are transferred into the TiO2conduction band, and decrease number of electrons returned to the polysulfide electrolyte from QDs when a ZnS or SiO2passivation is consumed. Moreover, it is obvious that there was a far shift towards long waves in UV-Vis spectra and a sharp drop of intensity in photoluminescence spectra. In addition, the dynamic process in solar cells was carried out by electrochemical impedance spectra.