bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CSF β-amyloid and white matter damage: a new perspective on Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Pietroboni Anna M , Scarioni Marta , Carandini Tiziana , Basilico Paola , Cadioli Marcello , Giulietti Giovanni , Arighi Andrea , Caprioli Michela , Serra Laura , Sina Clara , Fenoglio Chiara , Ghezzi Laura , Fumagalli Giorgio G , De Riz Milena A , Calvi Alberto , Triulzi Fabio , Bozzali Marco , Scarpini Elio , Galimberti Daniela
Published: October 2017

Objective

To assess the connection between amyloid pathology and white matter (WM) macrostructural and microstructural damage in demented patients compared with controls.

Methods

Eighty-five participants were recruited: 65 with newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease (AD), non-AD dementia or mild cognitive impairment and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. β-amyloid1-42 (Aβ) levels were determined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from all patients and five controls. Among patients, 42 had pathological CSF Aβ levels (Aβ(+)), while 23 had normal CSF Aβ levels (Aβ(−)). All participants underwent neurological examination, neuropsychological testing and brain MRI. We used T2-weighted scans to quantify WM lesion loads (LLs) and diffusion-weighted images to assess their microstructural substrate. Non-parametric statistical tests were used for between-group comparisons and multiple regression analyses.

Results

We found an increased WM-LL in Aβ(+) compared with both, healthy controls (p=0.003) and Aβ(−) patients (p=0.02). Interestingly, CSF Aβ concentration was the best predictor of patients’ WM-LL (r=−0.30, p<0.05) when using age as a covariate. Lesion apparent diffusion coefficient value was higher in all patients than in controls (p=0.0001) and correlated with WM-LL (r=0.41, p=0.001). In Aβ(+), WM-LL correlated with WM microstructural damage in the left peritrigonal WM (p<0.0001).

Conclusions

WM damage is crucial in AD pathogenesis. The correlation between CSF Aβ levels and WM-LL suggests a direct link between amyloid pathology and WM macrostructural and microstructural damage.
Flow diversion for the treatment of posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms: a novel classification and strategies
Authors: Srinivasan Visish M , Ghali Michael George Zaki , Reznik Oleg E , Cherian Jacob , Mokin Maxim , Dumont Travis M , Gaughen John R , Grandhi Ramesh , Puri Ajit S , Chen Stephen R , Johnson Jeremiah N , Kan Peter
Published: October 2017

Background

The pipeline embolization device (PED) is frequently used in the treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms, especially around the carotid siphon, with generally excellent results. However, treatment of posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms with flow diversion (FD) has not been specifically described or discussed. While there are reports of treating PICA aneurysms using placement of FD stents in the vertebral artery, there are no reports of treating these lesions by placement of flow diverting stents in the PICA vessel itself. Due to the unique anatomy and morphology of these aneurysms, it requires special attention. We assessed our multi-institutional experience treating these lesions, including the first reported cases of the PED placed within the PICA.

Methods

Institutional databases of neuroendovascular procedures were reviewed for cases of intracranial aneurysms treated with the PED. Patient and aneurysm data as well as angiographic imaging were reviewed for all cases of PICA aneurysms treated with the PED. PICA aneurysms were defined as aneurysms that involved the PICA. Vertebral aneurysms without disease in the PICA were excluded from the study.

Results

10 PICA aneurysms were treated during the study period. These were classified based on their morphology and location into two main types and five total subtypes for consideration of treatment with flow diversion. All aneurysms were successfully treated, with 8/10 completely obliterated and 2 with a partial reduction in size. Three patients had the PED placed entirely in the PICA and no patient suffered from a medullary or cerebellar stroke. All PEDs were patent and all patients were independent at the last follow-up.

Conclusions

The PED may be used successfully to treat select aneurysms of the PICA. We present the first described cases of successful PED treatment of PICA aneurysms with direct placement of the PED in the PICA vessel itself. The proposed classification system aids in that selection.
Influence of Natural American Spirit advertising on current and former smokers’ perceptions and intentions
Authors: Gratale Stefanie K , Maloney Erin K , Sangalang Angeline , Cappella Joseph N
Published: October 2017

Objective

This study sought to demonstrate causal effects of exposure to Natural American Spirit (NAS) advertising content on misinformed beliefs of current and former smokers, and to empirically establish these beliefs as a mechanism driving intentions to use NAS.

Methods

Our study employed a randomised experimental design with 1128 adult daily, intermittent and former smokers. We compared participants who were exposed to NAS advertisements or claims made in the advertisements with those in a no-message control group to test the effects of NAS advertising content on inaccurate beliefs about NAS and attitudes and intentions towards the product.

Results

One-way analysis of variance revealed that exposure to NAS advertisements produced inaccurate beliefs about the composition of NAS cigarettes among current and former smokers (p<0.05). Planned contrasts indicated a compilation of arguments taken directly from NAS advertisements resulted in significantly greater beliefs that NAS cigarettes are healthier/safer than other cigarettes (for former smokers, t(472)=3.63, p<0.001; for current smokers, t(644)=2.86, p=0.004), demonstrating that suggestive claims used in the brand’s marketing have effects on beliefs not directly addressed in the advertisements. Regression and mediation analyses showed that health-related beliefs predict attitudes towards NAS for current and former smokers, and mediate intentions to use NAS.

Conclusions

The findings of this study provide causal support for the need for further regulatory action to address the potentially harmful ramifications of claims used in NAS advertising.
Three-dimensional stress state in inclined backfilled stopes obtained from numerical simulations and new closed-form solution
Authors: Jahanbakhshzadeh Abtin , Aubertin Michel , Li Li
Published: October 2017

Backfill is commonly used world-wide in underground mines to improve ground stability and reduce solid waste disposal on the surface. Practical solutions are required to assess the stress state in the backfilled stopes, as the stress state is influenced by the fill settlement that produces a stress transfer to the adjacent rock walls. The majority of existing analytical and numerical solutions for the stresses in backfilled openings were developed for two-dimensional (plane strain) conditions. In reality, mine stopes have a limited extension in the horizontal plane so the stresses are influenced by the four walls. This paper presents recent three-dimensional (3D) simulations results and a new 3D closed-form solution for the vertical and horizontal stresses in inclined backfilled stopes with parallel walls. This solution takes into account the variation of the stresses along the opening width and height, for various inclination angles and fills properties. The numerical results are used to validate the analytical solution and illustrate how the stress state varies along the opening height, length, and width, for different opening sizes and inclination angles of the footwall and hanging wall. Experimental results are also used to assess the validity of the proposed solution.
Numerical simulations of heat transfer to a third grade fluid flowing between two parallel plates
Authors: Rasheed Amer , Ali Fariha , Kamran Muhammad , Akbar Tanvir , Khan Sohail Ahmad
Published: October 2017

This investigation deals with numerical treatment of heat transfer flow of a third grade fluid between two infinite parallel plates subject to no-slip condition at boundary and no-temperature jump. Three flow configurations, Couette, Poiseuille, and plane Couette–Poiseuille, have been discussed. Approximate solutions using Lagrange–Galerkin method to Couette, Poiseuille, and Couette–Poiseuille flow problems are computed and delineated. It has been substantiated that the fluid rheology and heat transfer phenomenon are greatly influenced by the third grade flow parameters, Brinkman number, and pressure gradient. A rigorous mathematical exposition of the numerical scheme is provided. Because no a priori assumptions are made on pertinent flow parameters, apart from those due to thermodynamic stability, the results presented in this investigation are also valid for their large values.
Sivers effect in single spin asymmetry based on the covariant parton model
Authors: Saffar H. Mahdizadeh , Mirjalili A. , Tehrani S. Atashbar , Yazdanpanah M. M.
Published: October 2017

Sivers effect is describing the correlation between the transverse polarization of nucleon and the transverse momentum, [Formula: see text], of its unpolarized constituent partons. This effect is an outstanding subject and in this regard, a great deal in recent years has been considered from experimental and phenomenological points of view. It also plays an essential role to extend our understanding from nucleon structure. Semi-inclusive DIS (SIDIS) process provides us an opportunity to access to Sivers function which is dependent on transverse momentum of partons. In this paper, for the first time the covariant parton model is used to deliver us the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] dependence part of Sivers function. Based on this model, this combinatory dependence is arising out from the HERAPDF parametrization group. In this paper the other required parametrized functions in Sivers function is also changed with respect to Ref. 1. The unknown parameters which exist in Sivers function can be extracted, doing a global fit over the recent available experimental data, including HERMES, COMPASS and JLAB collaborations for the single spin asymmetry (SSA) in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] meson production as well as kaon production to constrain the evolved strange quark. This is done, considering advanced mathematical manipulations to overcome the difficulties which exist to compute the required multiple integrals and finally employing the CERN MINIUTE program to do a global fit. Our results for SSA are in good agreement with the available experimental data. For more confirmation a comparison between our results and the ones from Ref. 2 is also done.
Derivative Practices in Australian and Canadian Industries
Authors: Wolf Franziska , Boulter Terry , Bhattacharya Sukanto
Published: October 2017

This study examines derivative practices of Australian and Canadian firms from 2009 to 2013 in a post-global financial crisis environment. Our results show significant differences in the level of derivative usage between both countries, in contrast to earlier hedging studies. We also observe that Canadian firms have a higher propensity to use financial derivatives. We find similarities in derivative usage for firms operating in the industrials, materials, consumer discretionary, and healthcare industries. However, corporate derivative practices seem to be significantly different for energy and IT firms during the sample period.
Circadian Rhythm of Ambient Noise Off the Southeast Coast of India
Authors: Kannan R. , Latha G. , Prashanthi Devi M.
Published: October 2017

An ambient noise system consisting of a vertical linear hydrophone array was deployed in the shallow waters off Chennai, southeast coast of India from 1 August to 16 September 2013 to record ambient ocean noise of frequencies up to 10[Formula: see text]kHz. Biological sounds, which are broadband, short duration signals resulting from Terapon theraps, a native species, are a prominent feature of the ocean soundscape. Terapon activity peaks at 8[Formula: see text]pm and 11[Formula: see text]pm, and its presence is not observed after 12 midnight in both the months. In the other period, the ambient noise fluctuation is due to wind and vessel traffic. Hence, the present study focuses on the description of the ambient noise fluctuation over two 12[Formula: see text]h periods, i.e., 12 midnight–12 noon considered as period I, and 12 noon–12 midnight as period II in order to show the circadian rhythm of ambient noise. In this study area, Terapon vocalization reached 25[Formula: see text]dB above the ambient noise level and it dominates the short-term spectra records in the 0.4–4[Formula: see text]kHz range. All Terapon signals had daily patterns of sound production with highest levels of activity after dusk during the study period. The result shows that the circadian rhythm of ambient noise is mainly of biological sound generated by Terapon and it is reported first time in the shallow waters off the southeast coast of India.
ORGANISATIONAL SLACK AND NEW PRODUCT TIME TO MARKET PERFORMANCE
Authors: STOCK GREGORY , GREIS NOEL , FISCHER WILLIAM
Published: October 2017

Using archival data from two different industries, this paper examines the relationship between organisational slack and new product time to market performance. Prior research has shown that there is a relationship between slack and performance, but this prior research has primarily considered slack as it relates to financial performance or the innovativeness of a firm or its products. In this paper, using data from the computer modem and video game industries across more than 40 years, we test the hypotheses relating organisational slack time to market performance for new products. Cox regression analysis in general supports the hypothesised relationships, although there are some differences in the exact nature of the relationship across the two industries. We conclude by discussing the implications of these results for research and practice.
Spatial Behavior in Thermoelastodynamics with Double Porosity Structure
Authors: Florea Olivia
Published: October 2017

In the present study, we consider the theory of thermoelastodynamics with double porosity structure. Two situations are studied: for bounded domains, the impossibility of time localization of solutions is obtained, which is equivalent to the uniqueness of solutions for the backward in time problem. For the second study, in the case of semi-infinite cylinders, a Phragmen–Lindelof alternative, as well as an upper bound for the amplitude term when solutions decay, are obtained.
Effect of Weak Magnetic Field on Bacterial Growth
Authors: Masood Samina
Published: October 2017

Effects of weak magnetic fields are observed on the growth of various bacterial strains. Different sources of a constant magnetic field are used to demonstrate that ion transport in the nutrient broth and bacterial cellular dynamics is perturbed in the presence of weak magnetic field which affects the mobility and absorption of nutrients in cells and hence their doubling rate. The change is obvious after a few hours of exposure and keeps on increasing with time for all the observed species. The growth rate depends on the field strength and the nature of the magnetic field. The field effect varies with the shape and the structure of the bacterial cell wall as well as the concentration of nutrient broth. We closely study the growth of three species Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis with the same initial concentrations at the same temperature in the same laboratory environment. Our results indicate that the weak static field of a few gauss after a few hours gives a measurable change in the growth rates of all bacterial species. This shows that the same magnetic field has different effects on different species in the same environment.
Existence of solutions for a higher order fractional boundary value problem posed on the half-line
Authors: Boucenna A. , Moussaoui T.
Published: October 2017

The aim of this paper is to study the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a boundary value problem associated with a fractional nonlinear differential equation with higher order posed on the half-line. An appropriate continuous embedding for suitable Banach spaces are proved and the Minty–Browder theorem for monotone operators is used in the proof of existence of solutions for a boundary value problem of fractional order posed on the half-line.
BIASED VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE, EARNINGS TARGET, AND PRODUCT MARKET COMPETITION
Authors: SUNG HAO-CHANG , YUAN CHUNSHENG
Published: October 2017

Accounting survey and anecdotal evidence suggest that firms could voluntarily disclose their private information to improve the credibility of earnings targets and to signal meeting /beating of earnings targets. In addition, voluntarily issuing private information can be characterized as a way to influence product market competition. The motivation of this study is to investigate the effect of earnings target on a firm’s voluntary disclosure decision and its impact on oligopoly competition. We consider a two-stage oligopoly model with one-sided incomplete information in which a firm has private information on its type and its marginal cost. We show that a firm can choose a downward biased report about its cost information in Cournot competition. This could increase this firm’s outputs and profits and meet its earnings target as well. In this sense, the effect of earnings target on voluntary disclosure can improve the firm’s competitiveness. In Bertrand competition, a firm can choose an upward biased report about its cost information, and this allows both firms to boost their price level in oligopoly competition and thus both firms can obtain higher profits. In this case, the effect of earnings target on voluntary disclosure could facilitate implicit collusion in price-setting under Bertrand competition. This paper contributes to the research on voluntary disclosure theory in terms of how earnings targets affect product market competition through distorting a firm’s voluntary disclosure decision.
Knowledge Representations and Inference Techniques for Medical Question Answering
Authors: Goodwin Travis R. , Harabagiu Sanda M.
Published: October 2017

Answering medical questions related to complex medical cases, as required in modern Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems, imposes (1) access to vast medical knowledge and (2) sophisticated inference techniques. In this article, we examine the representation and role of combining medical knowledge automatically derived from (a) clinical practice and (b) research findings for inferring answers to medical questions. Knowledge from medical practice was distilled from a vast Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, while research knowledge was processed from biomedical articles available in PubMed Central. The knowledge automatically acquired from the EMR system took into account the clinical picture and therapy recognized from each medical record to generate a probabilistic Markov network denoted as a Clinical Picture and Therapy Graph (CPTG). Moreover, we represented the background of medical questions available from the description of each complex medical case as a medical knowledge sketch. We considered three possible representations of medical knowledge sketches that were used by four different probabilistic inference methods to pinpoint the answers from the CPTG. In addition, several answer-informed relevance models were developed to provide a ranked list of biomedical articles containing the answers. Evaluations on the TREC-CDS data show which of the medical knowledge representations and inference methods perform optimally. The experiments indicate an improvement of biomedical article ranking by 49% over state-of-the-art results.
Iteratively Divide-and-Conquer Learning for Nonlinear Classification and Ranking
Authors: Wu Ou , Mao Xue , Hu Weiming
Published: October 2017

Nonlinear classifiers (i.e., kernel support vector machines (SVMs)) are effective for nonlinear data classification. However, nonlinear classifiers are usually prohibitively expensive when dealing with large nonlinear data. Ensembles of linear classifiers have been proposed to address this inefficiency, which is called the ensemble linear classifiers for nonlinear data problem. In this article, a new iterative learning approach is introduced that involves two steps at each iteration: partitioning the data into clusters according to Gaussian mixture models with local consistency and then training basic classifiers (i.e., linear SVMs) for each cluster. The two divide-and-conquer steps are combined into a graphical model. Meanwhile, with training, each classifier is regarded as a task; clustered multitask learning is employed to capture the relatedness among different tasks and avoid overfitting in each task. In addition, two novel extensions are introduced based on the proposed approach. First, the approach is extended for quality-aware web data classification. In this problem, the types of web data vary in terms of information quality. The ignorance of the variations of information quality of web data leads to poor classification models. The proposed approach can effectively integrate quality-aware factors into web data classification. Second, the approach is extended for listwise learning to rank to construct an ensemble of linear ranking models, whereas most existing listwise ranking methods construct a solely linear ranking model. Experimental results on benchmark datasets show that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. During prediction for nonlinear classification, it also obtains comparable classification performance to kernel SVMs, with much higher efficiency.
Regulatory Pathways Controlling Female Insect Reproduction
Authors: Roy Sourav , Saha Tusar T. , Zou Zhen , Raikhel Alexander S.
Published: October 2017

The synthesis of vitellogenin and its uptake by maturing oocytes during egg maturation are essential for successful female reproduction. These events are regulated by the juvenile hormones and ecdysteroids and by the nutritional signaling pathway regulated by neuropeptides. Juvenile hormones act as gonadotropins, regulating vitellogenesis in most insects, but ecdysteroids control this process in Diptera and some Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. The complex crosstalk between the juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling pathways differs distinctly depending on the reproductive strategies adopted by various insects. Molecular studies within the past decade have revealed much about the relationships among, and the role of, these pathways with respect to regulation of insect reproduction. Here, we review the role of juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling, along with that of microRNAs, in regulating female insect reproduction at the molecular level.
Management of Western North American Bark Beetles with Semiochemicals
Authors: Seybold Steven J. , Bentz Barbara J. , Fettig Christopher J. , Lundquist John E. , Progar Robert A. , Gillette Nancy E.
Published: October 2017

We summarize the status of semiochemical-based management of the major bark beetle species in western North America. The conifer forests of this region have a long history of profound impacts by phloem-feeding bark beetles, and species such as the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and the spruce beetle (D. rufipennis) have recently undergone epic outbreaks linked to changing climate. At the same time, great strides are being made in the application of semiochemicals to the integrated pest management of bark beetles. In this review, we synthesize and interpret these recent advances in applied chemical ecology of bark beetles for scientists and land managers.
Instabilities in Blistering
Authors: Juel Anne , Pihler-Puzović Draga , Heil Matthias
Published: October 2017

Blistering occurs when a thin solid layer locally separates from an underlying substrate through cracking of a bulk material, delamination of a composite material, or peeling of a membrane adhered to the substrate by a thin layer of viscous fluid. In this last scenario, the expansion of the newly formed blister by fluid injection occurs via a displacement flow, which peels apart the adhered surfaces through a two-way interaction between flow and deformation. Such blisters are prone to fluid and solid mechanical instabilities. If the injected fluid is less viscous than the fluid already occupying the gap, patterns of short and stubby fingers form on the propagating fluid interface. This process is regulated by membrane compliance, which if increased delays the onset of fingering to higher flow rates and reduces finger amplitude. Suppression is mediated by the locally tapered geometry of the blister near the fluid interface, which is imposed by the underlying blistering flow. Buckling/wrinkling instabilities of the delaminated layer arise for sufficiently thin membranes and can interact with the fluid mechanical fingering instability.
Sensitivity and Nonlinearity of Thermoacoustic Oscillations
Authors: Juniper Matthew P. , Sujith R.I.
Published: October 2017

Nine decades of rocket engine and gas turbine development have shown that thermoacoustic oscillations are difficult to predict but can usually be eliminated with relatively small ad hoc design changes. These changes can, however, be ruinously expensive to devise. This review explains why linear and nonlinear thermoacoustic behavior is so sensitive to parameters such as operating point, fuel composition, and injector geometry. It shows how nonperiodic behavior arises in experiments and simulations and discusses how fluctuations in thermoacoustic systems with turbulent reacting flow, which are usually filtered or averaged out as noise, can reveal useful information. Finally, it proposes tools to exploit this sensitivity in the future: adjoint-based sensitivity analysis to optimize passive control designs and complex systems theory to warn of impending thermoacoustic oscillations and to identify the most sensitive elements of a thermoacoustic system.
Cardiac Nonmyocyte Cell Functions and Crosstalks in Response to Cardiotoxic Drugs
Authors: Gambardella Jessica , Trimarco Bruno , Iaccarino Guido , Sorriento Daniela
Published: October 2017

The discovery of the molecular mechanisms involved in the cardiac responses to anticancer drugs represents the current goal of cardio‐oncology research. The oxidative stress has a pivotal role in cardiotoxic responses, affecting the function of all types of cardiac cells, and their functional crosstalks. Generally, cardiomyocytes are the main target of research studies on cardiotoxicity, but recently the contribution of the other nonmyocyte cardiac cells is becoming of growing interest. This review deals with the role of oxidative stress, induced by anticancer drugs, in cardiac nonmyocyte cells (fibroblasts, vascular cells, and immune cells). The alterations of functional interplays among these cardiac cells are discussed, as well. These interesting recent findings increase the knowledge about cardiotoxicity and suggest new molecular targets for both diagnosis and therapy.
Correlation between Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution and Dyslipidemia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Ma Ye-lin , Yao Hui , Yang Wei-jia , Ren Xuan-xuan , Teng Long , Yang Min-chun
Published: October 2017

Objective. To study the correlation between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution and dyslipidemia. Methods. CNKI, VIP, Wanfang database, CBMdisc, PubMed, and Embase were searched, and meta‐analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.2 software. Results. Altogether 11 studies were included with 12890 individuals. The results showed that balanced constitution was a protective factor of dyslipidemia (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.47~0.82) while phlegm‐dampness constitution was a risk factor of it (OR = 2.50, 95% CI 2.22~2.80), and the effect of phlegm‐dampness constitution in South China (OR = 3.31, 95% CI 1.71~6.43) was more obvious than that in East (OR = 2.40, 95% CI 2.06~2.80) and North China (OR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.81~2.78). Conclusion. This study provides evidence for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in TCM. However, most of the studies included are of moderate quality; more high quality, multicenter, large‐sample studies are expected to provide higher level evidence.
Drug Errors and Protocol for Prevention among Anaesthetists in Nigeria
Authors: Johnson U. U. , Ebirim L. N.
Published: October 2017

Background. Drugs are often prescribed, dispensed, and administered by the same person during anaesthesia, and this may increase the risk of drug error.Objectives. To assess the frequency of drug administration errors by anaesthetists, the drugs commonly involved, and the effects of such errors.Method. A questionnaire-based study was carried out among participants at an annual conference of Nigerian anaesthetists. Sixty-six of the 80 participants returned the completed questionnaire. The respondents comprised 1 nurse anaesthetist, 34 resident doctors, 3 doctors with diploma in anaesthesia, and 28 consultant anaesthetists. The collated data on drug errors, the effect of such errors on patients, and formulated protocols to prevent future occurrence were subjected to descriptive analysis using Microsoft Excel.Result. Drug error was reported by 71.21% and witnessed by 22.72% of the respondents. Most of the drug errors occurred during general anaesthesia (90.3%) for emergency procedures (51.61%), and muscle relaxants were most commonly involved (58.06%).Conclusion. Drug errors are common among anaesthetists in Nigeria and their incidence is greater during general anaesthesia for emergency procedures, largely as a result of ampoule swaps due to similarities in ampoule design and packaging. Guidelines on their prevention should be developed by all health institutions.
Comparing Circadian Dynamics in Primary Derived Stem Cells from Different Sources of Human Adult Tissue
Authors: Rogers Eve H. , Fawcett Sandra A. , Pekovic-Vaughan Vanja , Hunt John A.
Published: October 2017

Optimising cell/tissue constructs so that they can be successfully accepted and integrated within a host body is essential in modern tissue engineering. To do this, adult stem cells are frequently utilised, but there are many aspects of their environment in vivo that are not completely understood. There is evidence to suggest that circadian rhythms and daily circadian temporal cues have substantial effects on stem cell activation, cell cycle, and differentiation. It was hypothesised that the circadian rhythm in human adult stem cells differs depending on the source of tissue and that different entraining signals exert differential effects depending on the anatomical source. Dexamethasone and rhythmic mechanical stretch were used to synchronise stem cells derived from the bone marrow, tooth dental pulp, and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and it was experimentally evidenced that these different stem cells differed in their circadian clock properties in response to different synchronisation mechanisms. The more primitive dental pulp-derived stem cells did not respond as well to the chemical synchronisation but showed temporal clock gene oscillations following rhythmic mechanical stretch, suggesting that incorporating temporal circadian information of different human adult stem cells will have profound implications in optimising tissue engineering approaches and stem cell therapies.
Globus Pallidus Internus Deep Brain Stimulation for Disabling Diabetic Hemiballism/Hemichorea
Authors: Son Byung-chul , Choi Jin-gyu , Ko Hak-cheol
Published: October 2017

Unilateral hemichorea/hemiballism (HH) associated with contralateral neuroimaging abnormalities of the basal ganglia, which is characterized by T1 hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and is secondary to diabetic nonketotic hyperglycemia, is a rare and unique complication of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM). Although almost all prior reports have documented rapid resolution of HH within days after normalization of blood glucose levels, medically refractory persistent HH has been noted. The experience of surgical intervention for persistent HH is limited. A 46-year-old, right-handed female patient with type 2 DM presented with refractory diabetic HH on the left side of 6 months’ duration despite DM control and neuroleptic medication usage. Image-guided deep brain stimulation (DBS) on the right globus pallidus internus (GPi) was performed. A mechanical micropallidotomy effect was observed and chronic stimulation of GPi was quite effective in symptomatic control of diabetic HH until a 16-month follow-up visit. DBS of the GPi can be an effective treatment for medically refractory diabetic HH.
Cloning, Characterization, and Functional Expression of Phospholipase Dα cDNA from Banana (Musa acuminate L.)
Authors: Li Li , He Xuemei , Sun Jian , Li Changbao , Ling Dongning , Sheng Jinfeng , You Xiangrong , Li Jiemin , Liu Guoming , Zheng Fengjin , Tang Yayuan
Published: October 2017

Phospholipase D (PLD) plays a key role in adaptive responses of postharvest fruits. A cDNA clone of banana (Musa acuminate L.) PLDα (MaPLDα) was obtained by RT-PCR in this study. The MaPLDα gene contains a complete open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 92-kDa protein composed of 832 amino acid residues and possesses a characteristic C2 domain and two catalytic H×K×××D (abbr. HKD) motifs. The two HKD motifs are separated by 341 amino acid residues in the primary structure. Relatively higher PLD activity and expression of MaPLDα mRNA were detected in developing tissues compared to senescent or mature tissues in individual leaves, flower, stem, and fruit organs, respectively. The expression profile of PLDα mRNA in postharvest banana fruits at different temperatures was determined, and the MaPLDα mRNA reached the highest expression peak on day 5 at 25°C and on day 7 at 12°C. The results provide useful information for maintaining postharvest quality and extending the storage life of banana fruit.
Validation of an UHPLC-MS/MS Method for Screening of Antimicrobial Residues in Eggs and Their Application to Analyses of Eggs from Laying Hens Subjected to Pharmacological Treatment
Authors: Caldeira Letícia Gomes Magnago , Santos Flávio Alves , Oliveira Andréa Melo Garcia de , Lima Josefa Abucater , Souza Leonardo Francisco de , Silva Guilherme Resende da , Assis Débora Cristina Sampaio de , Cançado Silvana de Vasconcelos
Published: October 2017

A multiresidue method by UHPLC/MS-MS was optimized and validated for the screening and semiquantitative detection of antimicrobials residues from tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, quinolones, lincosamides,β-lactams, sulfonamides, and macrolides families in eggs. A qualitative approach was used to ensure adequate sensitivity to detect residues at the level of interest, defined as maximum residue limit (MRL), or less. The applicability of the methods was assessed by analyzing egg samples from hens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment with neomycin, enrofloxacin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline, and doxycycline during five days and after discontinuation of medication (10 days). The method was adequate for screening all studied analytes in eggs, since the performance parameters ensured a false-compliant rate below or equal to 5%, except for flumequine. In the analyses of eggs from laying hens subjected to pharmacological treatment, all antimicrobial residues were detected throughout the experimental period, even after discontinuation of medication, except for neomycin, demonstrating the applicability of the method for analyses of antimicrobial residues in eggs.
Tuberculosis Test Usage and Medical Expenditures from Outpatient Insurance Claims Data, 2013
Authors: Owusu-Edusei Kwame , Winston Carla A. , Marks Suzanne M. , Langer Adam J. , Miramontes Roque
Published: October 2017

Objective. To evaluate TB test usage and associated direct medical expenditures from 2013 private insurance claims data in the United States (US). Methods. We extracted outpatient claims for TB-specific and nonspecific tests from the 2013 MarketScan® commercial database. We estimated average expenditures (adjusted for claim and patient characteristics) using semilog regression analyses and compared them to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) national reimbursement limits. Results. Among the TB-specific tests, 1.4% of the enrollees had at least one claim, of which the tuberculin skin test was most common (86%) and least expensive ($9). The T-SPOT® was the most expensive among the TB-specific tests ($106). Among nonspecific TB tests, the chest radiograph was the most used test (78%), while chest computerized tomography was the most expensive ($251). Adjusted average expenditures for the majority of tests (≈74%) were above CMS limits. We estimated that total United States medical expenditures for the employer-based privately insured population for TB-specific tests were $53.0 million in 2013, of which enrollees paid 17% ($9 million). Conclusions. We found substantial differences in TB test usage and expenditures. Additionally, employer-based private insurers and enrollees paid more than CMS limits for most TB tests.
Computer Simulation of Noise Effects of the Neighborhood of Stimulus Threshold for a Mathematical Model of Homeostatic Regulation of Sleep-Wake Cycles
Authors: Jin Wuyin , Lin Qian , Wang An , Wang Chunni
Published: October 2017

The noise effects on a homeostatic regulation of sleep-wake cycles’ neuronal mathematical model determined by the hypocretin/orexin and the local glutamate interneurons spatiotemporal behaviors are studied within the neighborhood of stimulus threshold in this work; the neuronal noise added to the stimulus, the conductance, and the activation variable of the modulation function are investigated, respectively, based on a circadian input skewed in sine function. The computer simulation results suggested that the increased amplitude of external current input will lead to the fact that awakening time is advanced but the sleepy time remains the same; for the bigger conductance and modulation noise, the regulatory mechanism of the model sometimes will be collapsed and the coupled two neurons of the model show very irregular activities; the falling asleep or wake transform appears at nondeterminate time.
Comparative Power Analysis of an Adaptive Bus Encoding Method on the MBUS Structure
Authors: Yang X. , Wu N. , Andrian J. H.
Published: October 2017

This paper proposes a novel bus encoding method on MBUS in order to reduce the power consumption of system-on-chips (SoCs). The main contribution is to lower the bus activity by an average 64.55% and thus decrease the IO power consumption through reconfiguring the MBUS transmission. This method is effective because field-programmable gate array (FPGA) IOs are most likely to have very large capacitance associated with them and consequently dissipate a lot of dynamic power. Experimental result shows an average 70.96% total power reduction compared with the original MBUS implementation.
Stacked Autoencoders for Outlier Detection in Over-the-Horizon Radar Signals
Authors: Protopapadakis Eftychios , Voulodimos Athanasios , Doulamis Anastasios , Doulamis Nikolaos , Dres Dimitrios , Bimpas Matthaios
Published: October 2017

Detection of outliers in radar signals is a considerable challenge in maritime surveillance applications. High-Frequency Surface-Wave (HFSW) radars have attracted significant interest as potential tools for long-range target identification and outlier detection at over-the-horizon (OTH) distances. However, a number of disadvantages, such as their low spatial resolution and presence of clutter, have a negative impact on their accuracy. In this paper, we explore the applicability of deep learning techniques for detecting deviations from the norm in behavioral patterns of vessels (outliers) as they are tracked from an OTH radar. The proposed methodology exploits the nonlinear mapping capabilities of deep stacked autoencoders in combination with density-based clustering. A comparative experimental evaluation of the approach shows promising results in terms of the proposed methodology’s performance.
Stationary Distribution and Extinction of a Stochastic Viral Infection Model
Authors: Wang Yan , Jiang Daqing
Published: October 2017

We present a kind of stochastic viral infection model with or without a loss term in the free virus equation. We obtain critical condition to ensure the existence of the unique stationary distribution by constructing Lyapunov functions. We also obtain the sufficient conditions for the extinction of the virus by the comparison theorem of stochastic differential equation and law of large numbers. We give a unified method to systematically analyze such three-dimensional stochastic viral infection model. Furthermore, numerical simulations are carried out to examine the effect of white noises on model behavior. We investigate the fact that the small magnitudes of white noises can sustain the irregular recurrence of healthy target cells and virions, while the big ones may contribute to viral clearance.
Gallstone Pancreatitis: A Common but Often Overlooked Cause of Abdominal Pain in Post-Liver-Transplant Patients
Authors: Kanjanahattakij Napatt , Lapumnuaypol Kamolyut , Fatima Sanna , Feyssa Eyob
Published: October 2017

Introduction. In general population, gallstone pancreatitis is the most common cause of pancreatitis. However, there are very few literatures that address this topic in post-liver-transplant patients. Clinical Case. A 69-year-old female who had a liver transplant in 2015 due to hepatocellular carcinoma and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis. She had a recent episode of acute cellular rejection that was treated with high dose methylprednisolone 1 week prior to admission. She presented with severe epigastric abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. Her laboratory studies showed significantly elevated serum lipase, AST, and ALT from her baseline. She underwent urgent Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) with Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) that showed common bile duct stone that was extracted. Discussion. Biliary sludge and stones accounted for 22% of late onset acute pancreatitis after liver transplant. Corticosteroids have been identified as one of the potential causes of drug-induced pancreatitis. However, she is more likely to have gall stone pancreatitis since she also had dilated common bile duct and intrahepatic duct. In addition, there was CBD stone noted on ERCP. Conclusion. Acute gallstone associated pancreatitis after liver transplant is not uncommon. Patients generally have good outcomes. Further prospective studies are warranted.
The Effect of CM082, an Oral Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, on Experimental Choroidal Neovascularization in Rats
Authors: Ren Chengda , Shi Hui , Jiang Juanjuan , Liu Qingyu , Du Yaru , He Mengmei , Cai Wenting , Wei Qingquan , Yu Jing
Published: October 2017

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of CM082 on the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a laser-induced CNV rat model and to determine the drug concentration in the ocular tissues. After the laser-induced CNV model was established in rats, CM082 was orally administered. The effects of CM082 on the CNV lesions were assessed using fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), CNV histology, and retinal pigment epithelium- (RPE-) choroid-sclera eyecup analysis. The concentrations of CM082 in the plasma and eye tissues were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results of FFA, histology, and RPE-choroid-sclera eyecup analysis demonstrated that the CM082-treated (10 mg/kg/d or 30 mg/kg/d) rats exhibited significantly less neovascularization than did the control group. The total concentration of CM082 in the eyes (172.86 ± 57.11 ng/g) was similar to that in the plasma (196.87 ± 73.13 ng/ml). Within the eye, the concentrations of CM082 and its metabolites were highest in the retina-sclera. The orally administered CM082 thus effectively passed through the blood-retina barrier (BRB) to reach the retina in the Brown Norway rats. Therefore, at both 10 mg/kg/d and 30 mg/kg/d, CM082 was able to reduce CNV lesions in the laser-induced CNV rat model.
Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus Papain-Like Protease 1 Antagonizes Production of Interferon-βthrough Its Deubiquitinase Activity
Authors: Hu Xiaoliang , Tian Jin , Kang Hongtao , Guo Dongchun , Liu Jiasen , Liu Dafei , Jiang Qian , Li Zhijie , Qu Juanjuan , Qu Liandong
Published: October 2017

Coronaviruses (CoVs), such as human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63), severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV), murine hepatitis virus (MHV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), encode papain-like (PL) proteases that inhibit Sendai virus- (SeV-) induced interferon (IFN-β) production. Recently, the crystal structure of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) PL1 has been solved, which was similar to that of SARS-CoVPL2pro, which may antagonize host innate immunity. However, very little is known about whether TGEV PL1 can antagonize host innate immune response. Here, we presented evidence that TGEV PL1 encoded by the replicase gene could suppress the IFN-βexpression and inhibit the nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). The ability to antagonize IFN-βproduction was dependent on the intact catalytic activity of PL1. Furthermore, TGEV PL1 exerted deubiquitinase (DUB) activity which strongly inhibited the retinoic acid-induced gene I- (RIG-1-) and stimulator of interferon gene- (STING-) dependent IFN expression. Our data collectively suggest that TGEV PL1 can inhibit the IFN-βexpression and interfere with RIG-1- and STING-mediated signaling through a viral DUB activity. Our study has yielded strong evidence for the TGEV PL1 mechanisms that counteract the host innate immunity.
Rotating Machinery Fault Diagnosis for Imbalanced Data Based on Fast Clustering Algorithm and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Zhang Xiaochen , Jiang Dongxiang , Han Te , Wang Nanfei , Yang Wenguang , Yang Yizhou
Published: October 2017

To diagnose rotating machinery fault for imbalanced data, a method based on fast clustering algorithm (FCA) and support vector machine (SVM) was proposed. Combined with variational mode decomposition (VMD) and principal component analysis (PCA), sensitive features of the rotating machinery fault were obtained and constituted the imbalanced fault sample set. Next, a fast clustering algorithm was adopted to reduce the number of the majority data from the imbalanced fault sample set. Consequently, the balanced fault sample set consisted of the clustered data and the minority data from the imbalanced fault sample set. After that, SVM was trained with the balanced fault sample set and tested with the imbalanced fault sample set so the fault diagnosis model of the rotating machinery could be obtained. Finally, the gearbox fault data set and the rolling bearing fault data set were adopted to test the fault diagnosis model. The experimental results showed that the fault diagnosis model could effectively diagnose the rotating machinery fault for imbalanced data.