bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discovery of Dengue Virus NS4B Inhibitors
Authors: Wang Qing-Yin , Dong Hongping , Zou Bin , Karuna Ratna , Wan Kah Fei , Zou Jing , Susila Agatha , Yip Andy , Shan Chao , Yeo Kim Long , Xu Haoying , Ding Mei , Chan Wai Ling , Gu Feng , Seah Peck Gee , Liu Wei , Lakshminarayana Suresh B. , Kang CongBao , Lescar Julien , Blasco Francesca , Smith Paul W. , Shi Pei-Yong
Published: May 2015

The four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV-1 to -4) represent the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral pathogens in humans. No clinically approved vaccine or antiviral is currently available for DENV. Here we report a spiropyrazolopyridone compound that potently inhibits DENV both
in vitro
and
in vivo
. The inhibitor was identified through screening of a 1.8-million-compound library by using a DENV-2 replicon assay. The compound selectively inhibits DENV-2 and -3 (50% effective concentration [EC
50
], 10 to 80 nM) but not DENV-1 and -4 (EC
50
, >20 μM). Resistance analysis showed that a mutation at amino acid 63 of DENV-2 NS4B (a nonenzymatic transmembrane protein and a component of the viral replication complex) could confer resistance to compound inhibition. Genetic studies demonstrate that variations at amino acid 63 of viral NS4B are responsible for the selective inhibition of DENV-2 and -3. Medicinal chemistry improved the physicochemical properties of the initial “hit” (compound 1), leading to compound 14a, which has good
in vivo
pharmacokinetics. Treatment of DENV-2-infected AG129 mice with compound 14a suppressed viremia, even when the treatment started after viral infection. The results have proven the concept that inhibitors of NS4B could potentially be developed for clinical treatment of DENV infection. Compound 14a represents a potential preclinical candidate for treatment of DENV-2- and -3-infected patients.

IMPORTANCE
Dengue virus (DENV) threatens up to 2.5 billion people and is now spreading in many regions in the world where it was not previously endemic. While there are several promising vaccine candidates in clinical trials, approved vaccines or antivirals are not yet available. Here we describe the identification and characterization of a spiropyrazolopyridone as a novel inhibitor of DENV by targeting the viral NS4B protein. The compound potently inhibits two of the four serotypes of DENV (DENV-2 and -3) both
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Our results validate, for the first time, that NS4B inhibitors could potentially be developed for antiviral therapy for treatment of DENV infection in humans.
Population Bottlenecks and Pathogen Extinction: “Make This Everyone's Mission to Mars, Including Yours”
Authors: Policicchio Benjamin B. , Pandrea Ivona , Apetrei Cristian
Published: May 2015

Kapusinszky et al. (J Virol 89:8152–8161, 2015,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00671-15
) report that host population bottlenecks may result in pathogen extinction, which provides a compelling argument for an alternative approach to vaccination for the control of virus spread. By comparing the prevalence levels of three viral pathogens in two populations of African green monkeys (AGMs) (
Chlorocebus sabaeus
) from Africa and two Caribbean Islands, they convincingly show that a major host bottleneck resulted in the eradication of select pathogens from a given host.
Vector interaction effect on thermodynamics and phase structure of QCD matter
Authors: Friesen A. V. , Kalinovsky Yu. L. , Toneev V. D.
Published: May 2015

The two-flavor Polyakov-loop extended model is generalized by taking into account the effective four-quark vector-type interaction with the coupling strengths, which are endowed with a dependence on the Polyakov field Φ. The effective vertex generates entanglement interaction between the Polyakov loop and the chiral condensate. We investigate the influence of an additional quark vector interaction and the entanglement interaction on thermodynamics of a quark system and in particular on the location of the critical end-point at the given chemical potential or quark density. It is shown that the finite value of the singlet vector interaction strength G v improves the model agreement with the lattice data. The influence of the nonzero G v and entanglement on the thermodynamic observables and the curvature of the crossover boundary in the T – μ plane is also examined.
Study of the indirect interaction in a non-Fermi liquid within the AdS/CFT correspondence framework
Authors: Zhukov Alexander V. , Bouffanais Roland , Pak Anastasiya V. , Belonenko Mikhail B.
Published: May 2015

The indirect spin–spin interaction between impurities in a non-Fermi quantum liquid system is theoretically investigated in this paper. The poles of the Green’s functions are shown to be responsible for the observed excitation spectra. Specifically, the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence is used to gain access to the analytical expressions of the Green’s functions for our particular problem.
A new approach to human microRNA target prediction using ensemble pruning and rotation forest
Authors: Mousavi Reza , Eftekhari Mahdi , Haghighi Mehdi Ghezelbash
Published: May 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that have important functions in gene regulation. Since finding miRNA target experimentally is costly and needs spending much time, the use of machine learning methods is a growing research area for miRNA target prediction. In this paper, a new approach is proposed by using two popular ensemble strategies, i.e. Ensemble Pruning and Rotation Forest (EP-RTF), to predict human miRNA target. For EP, the approach utilizes Genetic Algorithm (GA). In other words, a subset of classifiers from the heterogeneous ensemble is first selected by GA. Next, the selected classifiers are trained based on the RTF method and then are combined using weighted majority voting. In addition to seeking a better subset of classifiers, the parameter of RTF is also optimized by GA. Findings of the present study confirm that the newly developed EP-RTF outperforms (in terms of classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity) the previously applied methods over four datasets in the field of human miRNA target. Diversity-error diagrams reveal that the proposed ensemble approach constructs individual classifiers which are more accurate and usually diverse than the other ensemble approaches. Given these experimental results, we highly recommend EP-RTF for improving the performance of miRNA target prediction.
TRPV1 sensitization mediates postinflammatory visceral pain following acute colitis
Authors: Lapointe Tamia K. , Basso Lilian , Iftinca Mircea C. , Flynn Robyn , Chapman Kevin , Dietrich Gilles , Vergnolle Nathalie , Altier Christophe
Published: May 2015

Quiescent phases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often accompanied by chronic abdominal pain. Although the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel has been postulated as an important mediator of visceral hypersensitivity, its functional role in postinflammatory pain remains elusive. This study aimed at establishing the role of TRPV1 in the peripheral sensitization underlying chronic visceral pain in the context of colitis. Wild-type and TRPV1-deficient mice were separated into three groups (control, acute colitis, and recovery), and experimental colitis was induced by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Recovery mice showed increased chemically and mechanically evoked visceral hypersensitivity 5 wk post-DSS discontinuation, at which point inflammation had completely resolved. Significant changes in nonevoked pain-related behaviors could also be observed in these animals, indicative of persistent discomfort. These behavioral changes correlated with elevated colonic levels of substance P (SP) and TRPV1 in recovery mice, thus leading to the hypothesis that SP could sensitize TRPV1 function. In vitro experiments revealed that prolonged exposure to SP could indeed sensitize capsaicin-evoked currents in both cultured neurons and TRPV1-transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, a mechanism that involved TRPV1 ubiquitination and subsequent accumulation at the plasma membrane. Importantly, although TRPV1-deficient animals experienced similar disease severity and pain as wild-type mice in the acute phase of colitis, TRPV1 deletion prevented the development of postinflammatory visceral hypersensitivity and pain-associated behaviors. Collectively, our results suggest that chronic exposure of colon-innervating primary afferents to SP could sensitize TRPV1 and thus participate in the establishment of persistent abdominal pain following acute inflammation.
Effects of fludrocortisone on water and sodium intake of C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Johnson Ralph F. , Beltz Terry G. , Johnson Alan Kim , Thunhorst Robert L.
Published: May 2015

Little is known about steroidal control of thirst- and salt-appetite behaviors of mice. The current study investigates effects of fludrocortisone acetate (FCA), a steroid with potent glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid effects, on thirst- and salt-appetite responses of C57BL/6 mice. Treatment with FCA produced dose-dependent (5, 10, and 25 mg/kg) increases in both magnitude and duration of water and sodium intake. Chronic elevation of water and saline intake was achieved with daily injections of FCA. Daily injection of FCA, when only 0.9% saline was available, produced a remarkably rapid increase in saline intake. A single injection of FCA stimulated brisk diuresis and natriuresis in fluid-restricted animals. This work is the first to demonstrate copious water drinking by mice in response to FCA. The results are discussed in terms of the possibility that the renal effects of FCA promote increases in water and sodium turnover and thereby, increases in water and sodium ingestion.
Contrary seasonal changes of rates of nutrient uptake, organ mass, and voluntary food intake in red deer (Cervus elaphus)
Authors: Arnold Walter , Beiglböck Christoph , Burmester Marion , Guschlbauer Maria , Lengauer Astrid , Schröder Bernd , Wilkens Mirja , Breves Gerhard
Published: May 2015

Northern ungulates acclimatize to winter conditions with restricted food supply and unfavorable weather conditions by reducing energy expenditure and voluntary food intake. We investigated in a study on red deer whether rates of peptide and glucose transport in the small intestines are also reduced during winter as part of the thrifty phenotype of winter-acclimatized animals, or whether transport rates are increased during winter in order to exploit poor forage more efficiently. Our results support the latter hypothesis. We found in a feeding experiment that total energy intake was considerably lower during winter despite ad libitum feeding. Together with reduced food intake, mass of visceral organs was significantly lower and body fat reserves were used as metabolic fuel in addition to food. However, efficacy of nutrient absorption seemed to be increased simultaneously. Extraction of crude protein from forage was higher in winter animals, at any level of crude protein intake, as indicated by the lower concentration of crude protein in feces. In line with these in vivo results, Ussing chamber experiments revealed greater electrogenic responses to both peptides and glucose in the small intestines of winter-acclimatized animals, and peptide uptake into jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles was increased. We conclude that reduced appetite of red deer during winter avoids energy expenditure for unproductive search of scarcely available food and further renders the energetically costly maintenance of a large gut and visceral organs unnecessary. Nevertheless, extraction of nutrients from forage is more efficient in the winter to attenuate an inevitably negative energy balance.
Role of the brain stem in tibial inhibition of the micturition reflex in cats
Authors: Ferroni Matthew C. , Slater Rick C. , Shen Bing , Xiao Zhiying , Wang Jicheng , Lee Andy , Roppolo James R. , de Groat William C. , Tai Changfeng
Published: May 2015

This study examined the role of the brain stem in inhibition of bladder reflexes induced by tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) in α-chloralose-anesthetized decerebrate cats. Repeated cystometrograms (CMGs) were performed by infusing saline or 0.25% acetic acid (AA) to elicit normal or overactive bladder reflexes, respectively. TNS (5 or 30 Hz) at three times the threshold (3T) intensity for inducing toe movement was applied for 30 min between CMGs to induce post-TNS inhibition or applied during the CMGs to induce acute TNS inhibition. Inhibition was evident as an increase in bladder capacity without a change in amplitude of bladder contractions. TNS applied for 30 min between saline CMGs elicited prolonged (>2 h) poststimulation inhibition that significantly ( P < 0.05) increased bladder capacity to 30–60% above control; however, TNS did not produce this effect during AA irritation. TNS applied during CMGs at 5 Hz but not 30 Hz significantly ( P < 0.01) increased bladder capacity to 127.3 ± 6.1% of saline control or 187.6 ± 5.0% of AA control. During AA irritation, naloxone (an opioid receptor antagonist) administered intravenously (1 mg/kg) or directly to the surface of the rostral brain stem (300–900 μg) eliminated acute TNS inhibition and significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced bladder capacity to 62.8 ± 22.6% (intravenously) or 47.6 ± 25.5% (brain stem application). Results of this and previous studies indicate 1) forebrain circuitry rostral to the pons is not essential for TNS inhibition; and 2) opioid receptors in the brain stem have a critical role in TNS inhibition of overactive bladder reflexes but are not involved in inhibition of normal bladder reflexes.
Molecular nephropathology: ready for prime time?
Authors: Adam Benjamin , Mengel Michael
Published: May 2015

In the current era of precision medicine, the existing nephropathology paradigm of light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy will become increasingly insufficient. There will be an expectation to supplement these traditional diagnostic tools with patient-specific information related to a growing understanding of molecular pathophysiology. Next generation sequencing technologies are expected to play a key role in the future of nephropathology, but transcriptomics is poised to represent the first major foray into routine molecular testing. The introduction of molecular techniques into clinical nephropathology has been hindered in part by the reliance of existing platforms on fresh tissue samples. The NanoString gene expression system works with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and thus represents a promising solution to this technical barrier that may finally allow for the translation of recent transcriptomics discoveries into the enhancement of patient care. Widespread adoption of this new diagnostic dimension will require ongoing multidisciplinary cooperation between pathologists and clinicians, including molecular testing consensus generation and rigorous multicenter validation.
Skeletal muscle vasodilation during systemic hypoxia in humans
Authors: Dinenno Frank A.
Published: May 2015

In humans, the net effect of acute systemic hypoxia in quiescent skeletal muscle is vasodilation despite significant reflex increases in muscle sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve activity. This vasodilation increases tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery to maintain tissue oxygen consumption. Although several mechanisms may be involved, we recently tested the roles of two endothelial-derived substances during conditions of sympathoadrenal blockade to isolate local vascular control mechanisms: nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins (PGs). Our findings indicate that 1) NO normally plays a role in regulating vascular tone during hypoxia independent of the PG pathway; 2) PGs do not normally contribute to vascular tone during hypoxia, however, they do affect vascular tone when NO is inhibited; 3) NO and PGs are not independently obligatory to observe hypoxic vasodilation when assessed as a response from rest to steady-state hypoxia; and 4) combined NO and PG inhibition abolishes hypoxic vasodilation in human skeletal muscle. When the stimulus is exacerbated via combined submaximal rhythmic exercise and systemic hypoxia to cause further red blood cell (RBC) deoxygenation, skeletal muscle blood flow is augmented compared with normoxic exercise via local dilator mechanisms to maintain oxygen delivery to active tissue. Data obtained in a follow-up study indicate that combined NO and PG inhibition during hypoxic exercise blunts augmented vasodilation and hyperemia compared with control (normoxic) conditions by ∼50%; however, in contrast to hypoxia alone, the response is not abolished, suggesting that other local substances are involved. Factors associated with greater RBC deoxygenation such as ATP release, or nitrite reduction to NO, or both likely play a role in regulating this response.
Experimental muscle pain increases variability of neural drive to muscle and decreases motor unit coherence in tremor frequency band
Authors: Yavuz Utku Ş. , Negro Francesco , Falla Deborah , Farina Dario
Published: May 2015

It has been observed that muscle pain influences force variability and low-frequency (<3 Hz) oscillations in the neural drive to muscle. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of experimental muscle pain on the neural control of muscle force at higher frequency bands, associated with afferent feedback (alpha band, 5–13 Hz) and with descending cortical input (beta band, 15–30 Hz). Single-motor unit activity was recorded, in two separate experimental sessions, from the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles with intramuscular wire electrodes, during isometric abductions of the fifth finger at 10% of maximal force [maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)] and ankle dorsiflexions at 25% MVC. The contractions were repeated under three conditions: no pain (baseline) and after intramuscular injection of isotonic (0.9%, control) and hypertonic (5.8%, painful) saline. The results showed an increase of the relative power of both the force signal and the neural drive at the tremor frequency band (alpha, 5–13 Hz) between the baseline and hypertonic (painful) conditions for both muscles ( P < 0.05) but no effect on the beta band. Additionally, the strength of motor unit coherence was lower ( P < 0.05) in the hypertonic condition in the alpha band for both muscles and in the beta band for the ADM. These results indicate that experimental muscle pain increases the amplitude of the tremor oscillations because of an increased variability of the neural control (common synaptic input) in the tremor band. Moreover, the concomitant decrease in coherence suggests an increase in independent input in the tremor band due to pain.
Influence of Erbium Ions on the Optical and Structural Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol
Authors: Hamdalla Taymour A. , Hanafy Taha A. , Bekheet Ashraf E.
Published: May 2015

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films doped with erbium chloride (ErCl3) have been prepared by casting from their aqueous solutions. The structure of the doped samples as well as the interactions between the host PVA and Er+3was investigated using FTIR spectroscopy. The optical measurement was recorded at room temperature in the range from 200 nm to 2000 nm. FTIR measurements revealed that Er+3forms complex configuration within the PVA structure. PVA doped with 9 wt% of ErCl3exhibits energy gap and refractive index of 5.1 eV and 1.72, respectively. The effect of the doping increment of ErCl3on the optical parameters has been discussed.
Propolis: A Complex Natural Product with a Plethora of Biological Activities That Can Be Explored for Drug Development
Authors: Silva-Carvalho Ricardo , Baltazar Fátima , Almeida-Aguiar Cristina
Published: May 2015

The health industry has always used natural products as a rich, promising, and alternative source of drugs that are used in the health system. Propolis, a natural resinous product known for centuries, is a complex product obtained by honey bees from substances collected from parts of different plants, buds, and exudates in different geographic areas. Propolis has been attracting scientific attention since it has many biological and pharmacological properties, which are related to its chemical composition. Severalin vitroandin vivostudies have been performed to characterize and understand the diverse bioactivities of propolis and its isolated compounds, as well as to evaluate and validate its potential. Yet, there is a lack of information concerning clinical effectiveness. The goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs by presenting published data concerning the chemical composition and the biological properties of this natural compound from different geographic origins.
Optimized Audio Classification and Segmentation Algorithm by Using Ensemble Methods
Authors: Zahid Saadia , Hussain Fawad , Rashid Muhammad , Yousaf Muhammad Haroon , Habib Hafiz Adnan
Published: May 2015

Audio segmentation is a basis for multimedia content analysis which is the most important and widely used application nowadays. An optimized audio classification and segmentation algorithm is presented in this paper that segments a superimposed audio stream on the basis of its content into four main audio types: pure-speech, music, environment sound, and silence. An algorithm is proposed that preserves important audio content and reduces the misclassification rate without using large amount of training data, which handles noise and is suitable for use for real-time applications. Noise in an audio stream is segmented out as environment sound. A hybrid classification approach is used, bagged support vector machines (SVMs) with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Audio stream is classified, firstly, into speech and nonspeech segment by using bagged support vector machines; nonspeech segment is further classified into music and environment sound by using artificial neural networks and lastly, speech segment is classified into silence and pure-speech segments on the basis of rule-based classifier. Minimum data is used for training classifier; ensemble methods are used for minimizing misclassification rate and approximately 98% accurate segments are obtained. A fast and efficient algorithm is designed that can be used with real-time multimedia applications.
Application of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles for the Control of Land Snail Eobania vermiculata and Some Plant Pathogenic Fungi
Authors: Ali Safaa M. , Yousef Naeima M. H. , Nafady Nivien A.
Published: May 2015

The land snail Eobania vermiculata is an important crop pest causing considerable damage in agriculture. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the possibilities of using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to control the land snail. The AgNPs have been synthesized biologically using white radish (Raphanus sativus var. aegyptiacus). The biosynthesis was regularly monitored by UV‐Vis spectroscopy. X‐ray diffraction spectra revealed peaks of crystalline nature of AgNPs and the transmission electron micrographs further confirmed the size of the synthesized nanoparticles ranging from 6 to 38 nm. The exposure of the snails and soil matrix to AgNPs in a laboratory experiment reduced the activity and the viability of the land snail (20% of AgNPs treated snails died) as well as the frequency of fungal population in the surrounding soil. Moreover histology and ultrastructure alterations have been found in both kidney and the digestive gland of AgNPs treated land snails. The synergistic effect of synthesized AgNPs as antifungal was evaluated and clearly revealed that AgNPs can be effectively used against various plant pathogenic fungi. The present study results may open a new avenue to use the snail as bioindicator organism of environmental pollution.
An ELM Based Online Soft Sensing Approach for Alumina Concentration Detection
Authors: Zhang Sen , Chen Xi , Yin Yixin
Published: May 2015

The concentration of alumina in the electrolyte is of great significance during the production of aluminum; it may affect the stability of aluminum reduction cell and the current efficiency. However, the concentration of alumina is hard to be detected online because of the special circumstance in the aluminum reduction cell. At present, there is lack of fast and accurate soft sensing methods for alumina concentration and existing methods can not meet the needs for online measurement. In this paper, a novel soft sensing method based on a modified extreme learning machine (MELM) for online measurement of the alumina concentration is proposed. The modified ELM algorithm is based on the enhanced random search which is called incremental extreme learning machine in some references. It randomly chooses the input weights and analytically determines the output weights without manual intervention. The simulation results show that the approach can give more accurate estimations of alumina concentration with faster learning speed compared with other methods such as BP and SVM.
Effects of Size, Composition, and Evolutionary Pressure in Heterogeneous Cournot Oligopolies with Best Response Decisional Mechanisms
Authors: Cavalli Fausto , Naimzada Ahmad , Pireddu Marina
Published: May 2015

We study heterogeneous Cournot oligopolies of variable sizes and compositions, in which the firms have different degrees of rationality, being either rational firms with perfect foresight or naive best response firms with static expectations. Each oligopoly can be described using its size and composition, that is, the fraction of firms that are rational. We take into account two frameworks, one in which the decisional rules are exogenously assigned and the other in which the firms may change their heuristics. We consider a switching mechanism based on a logit rule, where the switching propensity is regulated by a parameter which represents the evolutionary pressure. In the fixed fractions setting, we prove that, in general, the composition has a stabilizing effect, while increasing the oligopoly size leads to instability. However, we show that, for particular parameters settings, stability is not affected by the composition or the firms number. Similarly, in the evolutionary fractions setting, we analytically prove that when marginal costs are identical, increasing the evolutionary pressure has a destabilizing effect. Nevertheless, focusing on particular examples with different marginal costs we are able to show that evolutionary pressure may also have a stabilizing or a neutral role.
Forecasting Models for Hydropower Unit Stability Using LS-SVM
Authors: Qiao Liangliang , Chen Qijuan
Published: May 2015

This paper discusses a least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) approach for forecasting stability parameters of Francis turbine unit. To achieve training and testing data for the models, four field tests were presented, especially for the vibration inY-direction of lower generator bearing (LGB) and pressure in draft tube (DT). A heuristic method such as a neural network using Backpropagation (NNBP) is introduced as a comparison model to examine the feasibility of forecasting performance. In the experimental results, LS-SVM showed superior forecasting accuracies and performances to the NNBP, which is of significant importance to better monitor the unit safety and potential faults diagnosis.
Multiobject Holographic Feedback Control of Differential Algebraic System with Application to Power System
Authors: Cong Lanmei , Li Xiaocong , Zhang Ancai
Published: May 2015

A multiobject holographic feedback (MOHF) control method for studying the nonlinear differential algebraic (NDA) system is proposed. In this method, the nonlinear control law is designed in a homeomorphous linear space by means of constructing the multiobject equations (MOEq) which is in accord with Brunovsky normal form. The objective functions of MOEq are considered to be the errors between the output functions and their references. The relative degree for algebraic system is defined that is key to connecting the nonlinear and the linear control laws. Pole assignment method is addressed for the stability domain of this MOHF control. Since there is no any approximation, the MOHF control is effective in governing the dynamic performance stably both to the small and major disturbance. The application in single machine infinite system (SMIS) shows that this approach is effective in the improvement of stable and transient stability for power system on the disturbance of active power or three-phase short circuit fault.
Prognostic Value of Residual Disease after Interval Debulking Surgery for FIGO Stage IIIC and IV Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Rutten Marianne J. , Sonke Gabe S. , Westermann Anneke M. , van Driel Willemien J. , Trum Johannes W. , Kenter Gemma G. , Buist Marrije R.
Published: May 2015

Although complete debulking surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is more often achieved with interval debulking surgery (IDS) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), randomized evidence shows no long-term survival benefit compared to complete primary debulking surgery (PDS). We performed an observational cohort study of patients treated with debulking surgery for advanced EOC to evaluate the prognostic value of residual disease after debulking surgery. All patients treated between 1998 and 2010 in three Dutch referral gynaecological oncology centres were included. The prognostic value of residual disease after surgery for disease specific survival was assessed using Cox-regression analyses. In total, 462 patients underwent NACT-IDS and 227 PDS. Macroscopic residual disease after debulking surgery was an independent prognostic factor for survival in both treatment modalities. Yet, residual tumour less than one centimetre at IDS was associated with a survival benefit of five months compared to leaving residual tumour more than one centimetre, whereas this benefit was not seen after PDS. Leaving residual tumour at IDS is a poor prognostic sign as it is after PDS. The specific prognostic value of residual tumour seems to depend on the clinical setting, as minimal instead of gross residual tumour is associated with improved survival after IDS, but not after PDS.
An Unusual Cause of Abdominal Pain: Three Lead Pellets within the Appendix Vermiformis
Authors: Ozkan Orhan Veli , Muderris Vecdi , Altintoprak Fatih , Yagmurkaya Orhan , Yalkin Omer , Celebi Fehmi
Published: May 2015

Most ingested foreign bodies usually pass out in the feces uneventfully. Complications such as intestinal perforation and bleeding usually occur with sharp, thin, stiff, long, and pointed objects. This case describes the management of three lead pellets within the appendix vermiformis. A 45-year-old male visited our clinic complaining of a 4-month history of abdominal pain. The patient inquiry revealed that he had eaten hunted rabbit meat on numerous occasions and had unintentionally ingested three lead pellets. Plain abdominal films and a barium enema showed foreign bodies in the right lower abdominal quadrant. Since the lead pellets were thought to have migrated extraluminally, they were removed through laparotomy under fluoroscopic guidance. An appendectomy was performed. Pathologically, three lead pellets were embedded in the appendix, which showed signs of intramucosal inflammation. Foreign bodies causing appendicitis are rare. However, if stiff or pointed objects enter the appendicular lumen, there is a high risk of appendicitis, perforation, or abdominal pain. An appendectomy was required to remove the ingested lead pellets in the appendix.
Research on Three-dimensional Motion History Image Model and Extreme Learning Machine for Human Body Movement Trajectory Recognition
Authors: Chang Zheng , Ban Xiaojuan , Shen Qing , Guo Jing
Published: May 2015

Based on the traditional machine vision recognition technology and traditional artificial neural networks about body movement trajectory, this paper finds out the shortcomings of the traditional recognition technology. By combining the invariant moments of the three-dimensional motion history image (computed as the eigenvector of body movements) and the extreme learning machine (constructed as the classification artificial neural network of body movements), the paper applies the method to the machine vision of the body movement trajectory. In detail, the paper gives a detailed introduction about the algorithm and realization scheme of the body movement trajectory recognition based on the three-dimensional motion history image and the extreme learning machine. Finally, by comparing with the results of the recognition experiments, it attempts to verify that the method of body movement trajectory recognition technology based on the three-dimensional motion history image and extreme learning machine has a more accurate recognition rate and better robustness.
Real-Time and Accurate Indoor Localization with Fusion Model of Wi-Fi Fingerprint and Motion Particle Filter
Authors: Jiang Xinlong , Chen Yiqiang , Liu Junfa , Liu Dingjun , Gu Yang , Chen Zhenyu
Published: May 2015

As the development of Indoor Location Based Service (Indoor LBS), a timely localization and smooth tracking with high accuracy are desperately needed. Unfortunately, any single method cannot meet the requirement of both high accuracy and real-time ability at the same time. In this paper, we propose a fusion location framework with Particle Filter using Wi-Fi signals and motion sensors. In this framework, we use Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) regression algorithm to predict position based on motion sensors and use Wi-Fi fingerprint location result to solve the error accumulation of motion sensors based location occasionally with Particle Filter. The experiments show that the trajectory is smoother as the real one than the traditional Wi-Fi fingerprint method.
A Collaborative Project to Bridging the Gap between Basic and Clinical Teachers: The Opinion of Medical Students
Authors: Sentí Mariano , Miralles Ramon , Bigorra Joan , Girvent Meritxell , Minguella Joan , Samsó Enric , Solsona José-F. , Baños Josep-E.
Published: May 2015

The organization of medical curricula with a clear distinction between basic and clinical subjects makes it difficult for teachers to collaborate and teach students in an integrated way. We designed a new subject, Integrated Medicine, to overcome such limitations. Here, we describe the evaluation of the first three years of running the experience, as well as the opinion of the first group of students in their sixth year. Three cohorts of first-year medical students (n=158) and eight teachers, as well as a group of students of sixth year (n=41), participated in the experiment. Students worked following the problem-based learning approach. Their satisfaction, their subjective improvement of content knowledge in basic and clinical fields, and their belief about the accomplishment of educational objectives were evaluated. The results showed a high level of satisfaction, increased content knowledge, and improvement in solving problems, searching for relevant information, team working, and oral and written communication skills. Students of sixth year agreed that the subject helped them to better understand the clinical manifestations of disease, the diagnosis process, and therapeutic approaches. In conclusion, experiences such as Integrated Medicine may enhance the integration of knowledge by the joint work of basic and clinical teachers.
Evacuation after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Is a Cause of Diabetes: Results from the Fukushima Health Management Survey
Authors: Satoh Hiroaki , Ohira Tetsuya , Hosoya Mitsuaki , Sakai Akira , Watanabe Tsuyoshi , Ohtsuru Akira , Kawasaki Yukihiko , Suzuki Hitoshi , Takahashi Atsushi , Kobashi Gen , Ozasa Kotaro , Yasumura Seiji , Yamashita Shunichi , Kamiya Kenji , Abe Masafumi
Published: May 2015

The Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 forced the evacuation of a large number of residents and created changes in the lifestyle of the evacuees. These changes may have affected the evacuees’ glucose metabolism, thereby leading to an increase in the incidence of diabetes. This study included Japanese men and women who were living near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima prefecture before the disaster. Subjects subsequently underwent annual health checkups with a focus on metabolic syndromes, which were conducted under the Health Care Insurers. Using the Comprehensive Health Check survey, we analyzed changes in the glucose metabolism before and after the disaster. A total of 27,486 subjects underwent follow-up examinations after the disaster, with a mean follow-up period of 1.6 years. After the disaster, the prevalence of diabetes increased significantly, and we observed that the incidence of diabetes was significantly greater among evacuees than among nonevacuees. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that evacuation was significantly associated with the incidence of diabetes. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate that evacuation is associated with the incidence of diabetes. This information may be used to guide follow-up recommendations for evacuees.
Production of Biodiesel from Waste Vegetable Oil via KM Micromixer
Authors: Elkady M. F. , Zaatout Ahmed , Balbaa Ola
Published: May 2015

The production of biodiesel from waste vegetable oils through its pretreatment followed by transesterification process in presence of methanol was investigated using a KM micromixer reactor. The parameters affecting biodiesel production process such as alcohol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration, the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a cosolvent, and the volumetric flow rates of inlet fluids were optimized. The properties of the produced biodiesel were compared with its parent waste oil through different characterization techniques. The presence of methyl ester groups at the produced biodiesel was confirmed using both the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Moreover, the thermal analysis of the produced biodiesel and the comparable waste oil indicated that the product after the transesterification process began to vaporize at 120°C which makes it lighter than its parent oil which started to vaporize at around 300°C. The maximum biodiesel production yield of 97% was recorded using 12 : 1 methanol to oil molar ratio in presence of both 1% NaOH and THF/methanol volume ratio 0.3 at 60 mL/h flow rate.
Empirical Bayes Inference for the Parameter of Power Distribution Based on Ranked Set Sampling
Authors: Li Naiyi , Li Yuan , Li Yongming , Liu Yang
Published: May 2015

This research is based on ranked set sampling. Through the analysis and proof, the empirical Bayes test rule and asymptotical property for the parameter of power distribution are obtained.
Detecting Copy Directions among Programs Using Extreme Learning Machines
Authors: Wang Bin , Yang Xiaochun , Wang Guoren
Published: May 2015

Because of the complexity of software development, some software developers may plagiarize source code from other projects or open source software in order to shorten development cycle. Many methods have been proposed to detect plagiarism among programs based on the program dependence graph, a graph representation of a program. However, to our best knowledge, existing works only detect similarity between programs without detecting copy direction among them. By employing extreme learning machine (ELM), we construct feature space for describing features of every two programs with possible plagiarism relationship. Such feature space could be large and time consuming, so we propose approaches to construct a small feature space by pruning isolated control statements and removable statements from each program to accelerate both training and classification time. We also analyze the features of data dependencies between any original program and its copy program, and based on it we propose a feedback framework to find a good feature space that can achieve both accuracy and efficiency. We conducted a thorough experimental study of this technique on real C programs collected from the Internet. The experimental results show the high accuracy and efficiency of our ELM-based approaches.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Cutaneous Wound Healing: Current Evidence and Future Potential
Authors: Isakson M. , de Blacam C. , Whelan D. , McArdle A. , Clover A. J. P.
Published: May 2015

Human skin is a remarkable organ that sustains insult and injury throughout life. The ability of skin to expeditiously repair wounds is paramount to survival. With an aging global population, coupled with a rise in the prevalence of conditions such as diabetes, chronic wounds represent a significant biomedical burden. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), a progenitor cell population of the mesoderm lineage, have been shown to be significant mediators in inflammatory environments. Preclinical studies of MSC in various animal wound healing models point towards a putative therapy. This review examines the body of evidence suggesting that MSC accelerate wound healing in both clinical and preclinical studies and also the possible mechanisms controlling its efficacy. The delivery of a cellular therapy to the masses presents many challenges from a safety, ethical, and regulatory point of view. Some of the issues surrounding the introduction of MSC as a medicinal product are also delineated in this review.
Quercetin Affects Erythropoiesis and Heart Mitochondrial Function in Mice
Authors: Ruiz Lina M. , Salazar Celia , Jensen Erik , Ruiz Paula A. , Tiznado William , Quintanilla Rodrigo A. , Barreto Marlen , Elorza Alvaro A.
Published: May 2015

Quercetin, a dietary flavonoid used as a food supplement, showed powerful antioxidant effects in different cellular models. However, recentin vitroandin vivostudies in mammals have suggested a prooxidant effect of quercetin and described an interaction with mitochondria causing an increase inO2∙-production, a decrease in ATP levels, and impairment of respiratory chain in liver tissue. Therefore, because of its dual actions, we studied the effect of quercetinin vivoto analyze heart mitochondrial function and erythropoiesis. Mice were injected with 50 mg/kg of quercetin for 15 days. Treatment with quercetin decreased body weight, serum insulin, and ceruloplasmin levels as compared with untreated mice. Along with an impaired antioxidant capacity in plasma, quercetin-treated mice showed a significant delay on erythropoiesis progression. Heart mitochondrial function was also impaired displaying more protein oxidation and less activity for IV, respectively, than no-treated mice. In addition, a significant reduction in the protein expression levels of Mitofusin 2 and Voltage-Dependent Anion Carrier was observed. All these results suggest that quercetin affects erythropoiesis and mitochondrial function and then its potential use as a dietary supplement should be reexamined.
Compromise Rank Genetic Programming for Automated Nonlinear Design of Disaster Management
Authors: Wei Shuang , Leung Henry
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a novel multiobjective evolutionary algorithm, called compromise rank genetic programming (CRGP), to realize a nonlinear system design (NSD) for disaster management automatically. This NSD issue is formulated here as a multiobjective optimization problem (MOP) that needs to optimize model performance and model structure simultaneously. CRGP combines decision making with the optimization process to get the final global solution in a single run. This algorithm adopts a new rank approach incorporating the subjective information to guide the search, which ranks individuals according to the compromise distance of their mapping vectors in the objective space. We prove here that the proposed approach can converge to the global optimum under certain constraints. To illustrate the practicality of CRGP, finally it is applied to a postearthquake reconstruction management problem. Experimental results show that CRGP is effective in exploring the unknown nonlinear systems among huge datasets, which is beneficial to assist the postearthquake renewal with high accuracy and efficiency. The proposed method is found to have a superior performance in obtaining a satisfied model structure compared to other related methods to address the disaster management problem.
Hyperoxia-Induced Protein Alterations in Renal Rat Tissue: A Quantitative Proteomic Approach to Identify Hyperoxia-Induced Effects in Cellular Signaling Pathways
Authors: Hinkelbein Jochen , Böhm Lennert , Spelten Oliver , Sander David , Soltész Stefan , Braunecker Stefan
Published: May 2015

Introduction. In renal tissue as well as in other organs, supranormal oxygen pressure may lead to deleterious consequences on a cellular level. Additionally, hyperoxia-induced effect in cells and related free radicals may potentially contribute to renal failure. The aim of this study was to analyze time-dependent alterations of rat kidney protein expression after short-term normobaric hyperoxia using proteomics and bioinformatic approaches.Material and Methods.N=36Wistar rats were randomized into six different groups: three groups with normobaric hyperoxia (exposure to 100% oxygen for 3 h) and three groups with normobaric normoxia (NN; room air). After hyperoxia exposure, kidneys were removed immediately, after 3 days and after 7 days. Kidney lysates were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by peptide mass fingerprinting using tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis was performed with DeCyder 2D software (p<0.01). Biological functions of differential regulated proteins were studied using functional network analysis (Ingenuity Pathways Analysis and PathwayStudio).Results. Expression of 14 proteins was significantly altered(p<0.01): eight proteins (MEP1A_RAT, RSSA_RAT, F16P1_RAT, STML2_RAT, BPNT1_RAT, LGMN_RAT, ATPA_RAT, and VDAC1_RAT) were downregulated and six proteins (MTUS1_RAT, F16P1_RAT, ACTG_RAT, ACTB_RAT, 2ABA_RAT, and RAB1A_RAT) were upregulated. Bioinformatic analyses revealed an association of regulated proteins with inflammation.Conclusions. Significant alterations in renal protein expression could be demonstrated for up to 7 days even after short-term hyperoxia. The identified proteins indicate an association with inflammation signaling cascades. MEP1A and VDAC1 could be promising candidates to identify hyperoxic injury in kidney cells.
Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Chitosan Films Incorporated with Cinnamon Oil
Authors: López-Mata Marco A. , Ruiz-Cruz Saul , Silva-Beltrán Norma Patricia , Ornelas-Paz José de Jesús , Ocaño-Higuera Víctor Manuel , Rodríguez-Félix Francisco , Cira-Chávez Luis A. , Del-Toro-Sánchez C. L. , Shirai Keiko
Published: May 2015

Chitosan films (CF) with cinnamon bark oil (CO) incorporated at 0% (control), 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1.0% v/v were prepared by an emulsion method. The films were characterized based on their physical properties (solubility, water vapor permeability, optical property, and microstructure) and antioxidant properties (DPPH, ABTS, and its protective effects on human erythrocytes). The results showed that the incorporation of 0.5 and 1.0% of CO into the CF significantly decreased its solubility to 22% of the control (p<0.05). The water vapor permeability of the CF-CO was significantly reduced to 40% with low concentrations of CO (0.25%) incorporated into the CF. In general, the films presented a yellow coloration and an increase in transparency with the incorporation of CO into the CF. It was also observed that the incorporation of CO increased the antioxidant activity between 6.0-fold and 14.5-fold compared to the control, and the protective capacity against erythrocyte hemolysis increased by as much as 80%.