bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Philosophically Speaking...
Authors: Stafford Thomas F.
Published: November 2018

I like nothing so much as a good philosophical discussion. For one thing, it just feels so delightfully scientific to be bandying about high minded terms like "epistemology," "ontology," "realism," "relativism," and "paradigm" with great abandon. For another thing, it is simply essential in my view of the world of science to which I enjoy belonging that one should be fully engaged in the ethical and normative underpinnings of scientific practice. That, to me, operationally characterizes philosophy of science. Our scientific philosophies facilitate the debating, codifying, and explicating of our "agreed-to rules of the road" for doing our work. They are our scientific code of conduct, so to speak. In my way of thinking, the rules of the road are important for all good researchers to understand and share if we are to hew faithfully to our paradigms and do good normal science research.

The problem for me is that I see the emerging debate over whether our field is a science or not through two distinct lenses, and I'm getting some parallax out of it. I've earned two doctorates at two different stages of my career; one in marketing when I was much younger, and one more recently in information systems. That does not make me any smarter than the average bear, and it could certainly be argued that it's a sure sign of not being smarter, since one could say I had to do it twice to get it right. Yet, it has afforded me a very unique perspective on the emerging ontological debate about our discipline because, quite literally, I Have Been There Before! I've studied the Philosophy of Science two fulsome times in my career, and I've gotten some interesting perspectives each time as each was in the midst of an existential debate over status, and both of these experience bear upon my agenda-setting here, as an editor.

While learning my scientific craft as a first-time doctoral student in marketing, I reveled in the debate that much of academic marketing was enmeshed in during the 80s on whether marketing was a science or a technology and if a science, how best to be practiced. We future scientists all read Kuhn (1970) in our philosophy of science seminar, as well as Dubin (1978) and a flock of excellent philosophical essays collected in a tome edited by the redoubtable Jagdish Sheth (Sheth & Garrett, 1986) - a philosophy of science volume that many in marketing and elsewhere still use, aged though it might be. We marketers also saw a collection of philosophical essays by thought leaders of the field under such titles as "Marketing, Scientific Progress, and the Scientific Method" (Anderson, 1983), "On Making Marketing Science more Scientific" (Arndt, 1985), "Paradigms Lost" (Deshpande, 1983), and "Metatheory and Metamethodology in Marketing" (Leong, 1985). The debate in marketing continued well past that point and has extended into recent years (e.g., Brown, 1996; Easton, 2002), indicating that the debate we have now in information systems has years yet to go. It is not a simple question we deal with, and the answers take time and fulsome consideration.
Will Digital Fluency Influence Social Media Use?
Authors: Li Yan , Ye Hua (Jonathan) , Liu Aoyan , Yang Xueping , Wang Xinwei
Published: November 2018

Social media has increasingly been used in both personal and professional communications. Past studies note that individuals of digital fluency present distinctive behaviors in technology use. However, limited research has explored how digital fluency affects the relationship between individual gratifications and social media use. Based on the uses and gratifications theory and digital fluency literatures, we develop a model to explore the relationships among digital fluency, gratifications, and social media use. We test the model using survey data from 262 users of WeChat, which is the most popular social media platform in China. Results show that digital fluency is positively associated with social media use. Moreover, we find that digital fluency negatively moderates the impacts of maintaining ties, enjoyment, and information need fulfillment on social media use, whereas it positively moderates the impact of broadening social network. Our findings contribute to the literature by identifying the theoretical and practical roles of digital fluency in social media use.
Launching Timing for Digital Products with Consumers’ Variable Needs
Authors: Li Wei , Liang Jia
Published: November 2018

The value of a digital product diminishes because of the changing needs of consumers over time. To maintain the value of products, digital product firms sequentially launch upgraded versions of existing products. Therefore, a critical challenge faced by these firms is to determine the timing of launching upgrades. In this study, we develop an analytical model that incorporates needs variation and a product diffusion process in a sequential launching context. The comprehensive model considers two types of transition strategies (i.e., older generations are gradually phased out or totally replaced). We investigate the optimal launching timing of new product generation by conducting several computational experiments. Under total replacement, an astute manager will launch the upgrade when the existing version has reached the maturity stage. However, phase-out transition, the new upgrade, will be launched now or never according to the rate of needs variation. This study bridges the gap between the knowledge on the launching timing of digital products and the volatility of consumer valuation.
A Novel Wheelset Bearing Fault Diagnosis Method Integrated CEEMDAN, Periodic Segment Matrix, and SVD
Authors: Huang Chenguang , Lin Jianhui , Ding Jianming , Huang Yan
Published: November 2018

A novel fault diagnosis method, named CPS, is proposed based on the combination of CEEMDAN (complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise), PSM (periodic segment matrix), and SVD (singular value decomposition). Firstly, the collected vibration signals are decomposed into a set of IMFs using CEEMDAN. Secondly, the PSM of the selected IMFs is constructed. Thirdly, singular values are obtained by SVD conducted on the space of PSM. Fourthly, the impulse components are enhanced by the singular value reconstruction with the first maximal singular value. Finally, the squared envelope spectra of the reconstructed signals are used to diagnose the wheelset bearing faults. The effectiveness of the proposed CPS has been verified by simulations and experiments. Compared to the well‐known Hankel‐based SVD, the proposed CPS performs better at extracting the weak periodic impulse responses from the measured signals with strong noise and interferences.
A Novel Classification and Identification Scheme of Emitter Signals Based on Ward’s Clustering and Probabilistic Neural Networks with Correlation Analysis
Authors: Liao Xiaofeng , Li Bo , Yang Bo
Published: November 2018

The rapid development of modern communication technology makes the identification of emitter signals more complicated. Based on Ward’s clustering and probabilistic neural networks method with correlation analysis, an ensemble identification algorithm for mixed emitter signals is proposed in this paper. The algorithm mainly consists of two parts, one is the classification of signals and the other is the identification of signals. First, self-adaptive filtering and Fourier transform are used to obtain the frequency spectrum of the signals. Then, the Ward clustering method and some clustering validity indexes are used to determine the range of the optimal number of clusters. In order to narrow this scope and find the optimal number of classifications, a sufficient number of samples are selected in the vicinity of each class center to train probabilistic neural networks, which correspond to different number of classifications. Then, the classifier of the optimal probabilistic neural network is obtained by calculating the maximum value of classification validity index. Finally, the identification accuracy of the classifier is improved effectively by using the method of Bivariable correlation analysis. Simulation results also illustrate that the proposed algorithms can accurately identify the pulse emitter signals.
A Predictive Model for Guillain–Barré Syndrome Based on Ensemble Methods
Authors: Canul-Reich Juana , Hernández-Torruco José , Chávez-Bosquez Oscar , Hernández-Ocaña Betania
Published: November 2018

Nowadays, Machine Learning methods have proven to be highly effective on the identification of various types of diseases, in the form of predictive models. Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a potentially fatal autoimmune neurological disorder that has barely been studied with computational techniques and few predictive models have been proposed. In a previous study, single classifiers were successfully used to build a predictive model. We believe that a predictive model is imperative to carry out adequate treatment in patients promptly. We designed three classification experiments: (1) using all four GBS subtypes, (2) One versus All (OVA), and (3) One versus One (OVO). These experiments use a real-world dataset with 129 instances and 16 relevant features. Besides, we compare five state-of-the-art ensemble methods against 15 single classifiers with 30 independent runs. Standard performance measures were used to obtain the best classifier in each experiment. Derived from the experiments, we conclude that Random Forest showed the best results in four GBS subtypes classification, no ensemble method stood out over the rest in OVA classification, and single classifiers outperformed ensemble methods in most cases in OVO classification. This study presents a novel predictive model for classification of four subtypes of Guillain–Barré syndrome. Our model identifies the best method for each classification case. We expect that our model could assist specialized physicians as a support tool and also could serve as a basis to improved models in the future.
Study of Endothelio- and Osteoprotective Effects of Combination of Rosuvastatin with L-Norvaline in Experiment
Authors: Sobolev M. S. , Faitelson A. V. , Gudyrev O. S. , Rajkumar D. S. R. , Dubrovin G. M. , Anikanov A. V. , Koklina N. U. , Chernomortseva E. S.
Published: November 2018

The experiment was carried out on 120 female white Wistar rats, to study the endothelio- and osteoprotective action of the combination of rosuvastatin with L-norvaline in the model of experimental osteoporosis. It was found that, after ovariectomy in rats, endothelial dysfunction of the vessels of the microcirculatory bed of bone tissue develops, leading to the appearance of osteoporosis, but the combination of the studied drugs prevents the decrease in the level of microcirculation in the bone tissue, thereby preventing the thinning of bone trabeculae and preventing the occurrence of microfractures in them.
A Smart Collaborative Policy for Mobile Fog Computing in Rural Vitalization
Authors: Zhou Yutong , Shi Wei , Song Fei
Published: November 2018

Mobile Fog Computing (MFC), as a crucial supplement to cloud computing, has its own special traits in many aspects. As smart mobile devices grow and vary in shapes and formats over the years, the need for real‐time interactions and an easy‐to‐use network is imminent. In this paper, we propose a smart collaborative policy for MFC scenarios by considering the target of rural vitalization. The challenges and drawbacks of extending cloud to fog are reviewed at the beginning. Then, the analysis of policy design is presented from the perspectives of feature comparisons, urgent requirements, and possible solutions. The details of policy establishment are introduced with necessary examples. Finally, performance evaluations are provided based on simulation platforms. Validation results related to round trip time and transmission time illustrate the significant improvements of our proposal in certain ways compared to the original candidate, which enables larger deployment in impoverished areas.
An Efficient Reanalysis Method for Topological Optimization of Vibrating Continuum Structures for Simple and Multiple Eigenfrequencies
Authors: Sun Youhong , Zhao Xuqi , Yu Yongping , Zheng Shaopeng
Published: November 2018

This paper shows how the reanalysis method can be utilized for speeding up the optimized process in topology optimization related to vibrating structures for simple and multiple eigenfrequencies. The block combined approximation with shifting (BCAS) method is used for reducing the computational effort included in repeated solution of eigenvalue problem, which will dominate a lot of the CPU time, especially for large problems. By utilizing Level 3 Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS), the computation efficiency of the BCAS method is improved. For achieving an accurate optimal result, two indicators are presented to control the approximate reanalysis procedure. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by three numerical examples.
Power Supply Management for an Electric Vehicle Using Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Pérez-Pimentel Yolanda , Osuna-Galán Ismael , Avilés-Cruz Carlos , Villegas-Cortez Juan
Published: November 2018

The technology of power electronic systems has diversified into industrial, commercial, and residential areas. Developing a strategy to improve the performance of the electrical energy of an electric vehicle (EV) requires an analysis of the model that describes it. EVs are complex mechatronic systems described by nonlinear models and, therefore, its study is not an easy task. It can improve the performance of a battery bank by creating new batteries that allow for greater storage or by developing a management energy system. This article shows the development of a power supply management system based on fuzzy logic for an electric vehicle, in order to minimize the total energy consumption and optimize the battery bank. The experimental result is shown using the fuzzy controller under standard operating conditions. An increase in battery performance and overall performance of energy consumption is shown. Speed signals acquired show improvements in some dynamic, such as overshoot, settling time, and steady-state error parameters. It is shown that this fuzzy controller increases the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle.
Oxidative Stress, Maternal Diabetes, and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Carpita Barbara , Muti Dario , Dell’Osso Liliana
Published: November 2018

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of early‐onset neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by alterations in brain connectivity with cascading effects on neuropsychological functions. To date, in the framework of an increasing interest about environmental conditions which could interact with genetic factors in ASD pathogenesis, many authors have stressed that changes in the intrauterine environment at different stages of pregnancy, such as those linked to maternal metabolic pathologies, may lead to long‐term conditions in the newborn. In particular, a growing number of epidemiological studies have highlighted the role of obesity and maternal diabetes as a risk factor for developing both somatic and psychiatric disorders in humans, including ASD. While literature still fails in identifying specific etiopathological mechanisms, a growing body of evidence is available about the presence of a relationship between maternal immune dysregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and the development of ASD in the offspring. In this framework, results from high‐fat diet animal models about the role played by oxidative stress in shaping offspring neurodevelopment may help in clarifying the pathways through which maternal metabolic conditions are linked with ASD. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of literature about the effects of early life insults linked to oxidative stress which may be involved in ASD etiopathogenesis and how this relationship can be explained in biological terms.
On the Standardization of Approximate Entropy: Multidimensional Approximate Entropy Index Evaluated on Short‐Term HRV Time Series
Authors: Bolea Juan , Bailón Raquel , Pueyo Esther
Published: November 2018

Background. Nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) indices have extended the description of autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation of the heart. One of those indices is approximate entropy, ApEn, which has become a commonly used measure of the irregularity of a time series. To calculate ApEn, a priori definition of parameters like the threshold on similarity and the embedding dimension is required, which has been shown to be critical for interpretation of the results. Thus, searching for a parameter‐free ApEn‐based index could be advantageous for standardizing the use and interpretation of this widely applied entropy measurement. Methods. A novel entropy index called multidimensional approximate entropy, MApEnmax, is proposed based on summing the contribution of maximum approximate entropies over a wide range of embedding dimensions while selecting the similarity threshold leading to maximum ApEn value in each dimension. Synthetic RR interval time series with varying levels of stochasticity, generated by both MIX(P) processes and white/pink noise, were used to validate the properties of the proposed index. Aging and congestive heart failure (CHF) were characterized from RR interval time series of available databases. Results. In synthetic time series, MApEnmax values were proportional to the level of randomness; i.e., MApEnmax increased for higher values of P in generated MIX(P) processes and was larger for white than for pink noise. This result was a consequence of all maximum approximate entropy values being increased for higher levels of randomness in all considered embedding dimensions. This is in contrast to the results obtained for approximate entropies computed with a fixed similarity threshold, which presented inconsistent results for different embedding dimensions. Evaluation of the proposed index on available databases revealed that aging was associated with a notable reduction in MApEnmax values. On the other hand, MApEnmax evaluated during the night period was considerably larger in CHF patients than in healthy subjects. Conclusion. A novel parameter‐free multidimensional approximate entropy index, MApEnmax, is proposed and tested over synthetic data to confirm its capacity to represent a range of randomness levels in HRV time series. MApEnmax values are reduced in elderly patients, which may correspond to the reported loss of ANS adaptability in this population segment. Increased MApEnmax values measured in CHF patients versus healthy subjects during the night period point to greater irregularity of heart rate dynamics caused by the disease.
Consensus Path‐following Control of Multiple Underactuated Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Wang Yintao , Yao Yao
Published: November 2018

This work mainly studies the problem of how to steer a group of underactuated unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to specified paths coordinately. The algorithm proposed consists of a single path‐following strategy and a path parameter consensus tracking strategy. In the context of single path following, we describe the path to be followed by an arbitrary scalar, then by using Lyapunov and backstepping theories, a single path‐following strategy was derived to drive each UUV move to the predefined path asymptotically. In the coordinated level, we focus on the coordination for the scalar parameters. In particular, we show that all the path parameters can track with a virtual reference leader who is a neighbor of only a subset of following UUVs with local interactions. The stability of the closed system was proved and analyzed theoretically. The validity of the algorithm proposed is supported by simulation results.
Study on Damping Energy Dissipation Characteristics of Cylindrical Metal Rubber in Nonforming Direction
Authors: Ren Zhi Ying , Chen Qisheng , Bai Hongbai , Wu Yiwan
Published: November 2018

Metal rubber (MR) is an excellent damping material that is often used in practical engineering applications. The performance of MR in the nonforming direction is different from that in the molding direction, and research is rare; the anisotropy of MR is gradually revealed in many engineering applications because characterization and analysis of damping energy dissipation characteristics in the nonforming direction of cylindrical MR were carried out by the characterization method of damping materials. Based on the testing methods, dry friction and dynamic stiffness are taken as the main analysis points. By performing single‐factor control and orthogonal tests, the parameters affecting the energy dissipation and damping characteristics of MR are studied, and the main factors that cause changes in energy consumption and loss factor are analyzed. It is found that the influence of loading amplitude on damping energy is much higher than that of loading frequency, and the damping characteristic of MR is not sensitive to frequency. Therefore, the loading amplitude level of the actual environment should be considered first followed by the knitting technology in design of MR components.
A New Methodology for Hesitant Fuzzy Emergency Decision Making with Unknown Weight Information
Authors: Liu Xiaodi , Wang Zengwen , Zhang Shitao
Published: November 2018

Once an emergency event occurs, effective emergency measures should be taken. It is known that the emergency event possesses characteristics of limited time and information, harmfulness, and uncertainty, and the decision makers are often bounded rational under uncertainty and risk. This paper presents a novel approach to emergency decision making with hesitant fuzzy information, which takes regret aversion of the decision makers into account. Firstly, based on the idea of the water‐filling theory in the field of wireless communications, a mathematical programming model that can convert the attribute values into a compatible scale and eliminate the influence of different physical dimensions is constructed to determine the attribute weights. Then, a group satisfaction degree function is introduced into the regret theory to depict the psychological behaviors of the decision makers, based on which the perceived utility value function of alternative is constructed. The total perceived utility values of alternatives can be computed, and the ranking order of alternatives is obtained. Finally, a case study on a fire and explosion accident is given to illustrate the application of the proposed method. Besides that, the comparisons show the feasibility and superiority of the proposed method.
1‐(5‐Bromo‐2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxyphenyl)ethanone [SE1] Inhibits MMP‐9 Expression by Regulating NF‐κB and MAPKs Signaling Pathways in HT1080 Human Fibrosarcoma Cells
Authors: Gong Fang , Zhang YuanYuan , Lin JiaChao , Li ChengYong , Zhou ChunXia , Hong PengZhi , Ryu BoMi , Qian Zhong-Ji
Published: November 2018

Hippocampus is a traditional medicine in China, which can be used for treating tumors, aging, fatigue, thrombosis, inflammation, hypertension, prostatic hyperplasia, and other diseases. 1‐(5‐Bromo‐2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxyphenyl)ethanone [SE1] from seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeler) has been shown to suppress proinflammatory responses. In the present study, SE1 potently inhibited gelatin digestion by MMP‐9 induced by phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) and migration of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells in dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence analysis have been studied on MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38 kinase and JNK) and NF‐κB (p65 and IκB), which refer to the clear molecular mechanism. The results indicated that SE1 significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK: p38 kinase and JNK) and NF‐κB. Finally, molecular docking result showed SE1 interacts with TYR245 and HIS226 of MMP‐9 by hydrogen bond and Pi‐Pi bond to suppress MMP‐9 activity. This data suggested that the SE1 may possess therapeutic and preventive potential for the treatment of MMP‐9 related disorders.
A Large Substernal Goiter that Extended to Both Sides of the Thorax
Authors: Nakayama Hirotaka , Goda Motohiko , Kohagura Kaori , Suganuma Nobuyasu , Iwasaki Hiroyuki , Yamazaki Haruhiko , Toda Soji , Masudo Katsuhiko , Rino Yasushi , Masuda Munetaka
Published: November 2018

Most substernal goiters can be managed through the transcervical approach, but a sternotomy is required in some cases. This report is about a large substernal goiter, which was resected via a transcervical and full sternotomy approach. The patient was a 57-year-old female, who visited our hospital for surgical treatment for a large substernal goiter. Computed tomography of the neck and chest revealed that the substernal goiter extended to both sides of the thorax and had compressed the trachea. We performed total thyroidectomy safely via a transcervical and full sternotomy approach. No postoperative complications occurred, except transient hypocalcemia. A histopathological examination did not reveal any malignancy, and the lesion was diagnosed as an adenomatous goiter. Most substernal goiters can be managed through the transcervical approach, but a full sternotomy is required when a substernal goiter extends to both sides of the thorax and/or has a larger diameter than the thoracic inlet or airway constriction is revealed. A full sternotomy provides excellent exposure and can help reduce the risk of complications, such as recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and injuries to major blood vessels.
6‐Gingerol Protects Heart by Suppressing Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Induced Inflammation via the PI3K/Akt‐Dependent Mechanism in Rats
Authors: Xu Tongtong , Qin Guowei , Jiang Wei , Zhao Ying , Xu Yongnan , Lv Xiangwei
Published: November 2018

Our previous study has demonstrated that 6‐Gingerol (6‐G) could alleviate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the process of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury alleviation by 6‐G remains unelucidated. The objective of the present study is to further investigate the potential mechanism for 6‐G to alleviate MIRI in rats. Thirty‐two Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: the Sham group, the I/R group, the 6‐G + I/R group, and the LY294002 (LY) + 6‐G + I/R group. For the rats in each of the groups, data were collected for cardiogram, cardiac function, area of myocardial infarction, myocardial pathology, myocardial enzyme, marker of inflammatory response, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. We found that the pretreatment of 6‐G with 6 mg/kg could shrink the ST section of cardiogram, improve the cardiac function, reduce the area of myocardial infarction and the degree of cardiac pathological injury, lower the level of myocardial enzyme, and inhibit the inflammatory response. In addition, our results also indicated that 6‐G could upregulate the expression of PI3K and p‐Akt and that LY294002, a blocking agent of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, could nullify the protecting role of 6‐G. Our experimental results showed that 6‐G could inhibit I/R‐induced inflammatory response through the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
AFM Characterization of the Internal Mammary Artery as a Novel Target for Arterial Stiffening
Authors: Chang Zhuo , Paoletti Paolo , Hansen Maria Lyck , Beck Hans Christian , Chen Po-Yu , Rasmussen Lars Melholt , Akhtar Riaz
Published: November 2018

Using the atomic force microscopy- (AFM-) PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping (QNM) technique, we have previously shown that the adventitia of the human internal mammary artery (IMA), tested under dehydrated conditions, is altered in patients with a high degree of arterial stiffening. In this study, we explored the nanoscale elastic modulus of the tunica media of the IMA in hydrated and dehydrated conditions from the patients with low and high arterial stiffening, as assessed in vivo by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). In both hydrated and dehydrated conditions, the medial layer was significantly stiffer in the high PWV group. The elastic modulus of the hydrated and dehydrated tunica media was significantly correlated with PWV. In the hydrated condition, the expression activity of certain small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans (SLRPs), which are associated with arterial stiffening, were found to be negatively correlated to the medial elastic modulus. We also compared the data with our previous work on the IMA adventitia. We found that the hydrated media and dehydrated adventitia are both suitable for reflecting the development of arterial stiffening and SLRP expression. This comprehensive study of the nanomechanical properties integrated with the proteomic analysis in the IMAs demonstrates the possibility of linking structural properties and function in small biological samples with novel AFM methods. The IMA is a suitable target for predicting arterial stiffening.
Preliminary Results of Bone Regeneration in Oromaxillomandibular Surgery Using Synthetic Granular Graft
Authors: Mazzone Noemi , Mici E. , Calvo A. , Runci M. , Crimi S. , Lauritano F. , Belli E.
Published: November 2018

Traumatic, neoplastic, inflammatory, or infective dental removal promotes a gradual resorption process of bone which leads to a “nonuse” atrophy of the alveolar ridges. Many techniques allows restoring an appropriate bone thickness, but nowadays the attention is focused on the use of natural or synthetic grafts. Numerous studies have been conducted to develop and test new synthetic materials. In this article, the authors report their experience using a synthetic bone substitute in combination with Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF). This technique was applied in different zones of the maxillomandibular district. The procedure showed a very satisfying bone regeneration without important complications.
A Discrete Mathematical Modeling and Optimal Control of the Electoral Behavior with regard to a Political Party
Authors: Balatif Omar , Labzai Abderrahim , Rachik Mostafa
Published: November 2018

In this work, we propose a discrete mathematical model that describes the dynamics of citizens who have the right to vote and their electoral behavior with regard to a political party during an awareness program or an electoral campaign. Also, we propose an optimal strategy for an awareness program or an election campaign that helps politicians to distinguish between different categories of voters in order to increase the participation rate in the electoral process and obtain the greatest possible number of votes with a minimal effort. Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle, in discrete time, is used to characterize the optimal controls and the optimality system is solved by an iterative method. The numerical simulation is carried out using Matlab. Consequently, the obtained results confirm the performance of the optimization strategy.
Long Noncoding RNA LBCS Inhibits Self-Renewal and Chemoresistance of Bladder Cancer Stem Cells through Epigenetic Silencing of SOX2
Authors: Chen Xu , Xie Ruihui , Gu Peng , Huang Ming , Han Jinli , Dong Wen , Xie Weibin , Wang Bo , He Wang , Zhong Guangzheng , Chen Ziyue , Huang Jian , Lin Tianxin
Published: November 2018

Purpose:

Chemoresistance and tumor relapse are the leading cause of deaths in bladder cancer patients. Bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) have been reported to contribute to these pathologic properties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their self-renewal and chemoresistance remain largely unknown. In the current study, a novel lncRNA termed Low expressed in Bladder Cancer Stem cells (lnc-LBCS) has been identified and explored in BCSCs.

Experimental Design:

Firstly, we establish BCSCs model and explore the BCSCs-associated lncRNAs by transcriptome microarray. The expression and clinical features of lnc-LBCS are analyzed in three independent large-scale cohorts. The functional role and mechanism of lnc-LBCS are further investigated by gain- and loss-of-function assays in vitro and in vivo.

Results:

Lnc-LBCS is significantly downregulated in BCSCs and cancer tissues, and correlates with tumor grade, chemotherapy response, and prognosis. Moreover, lnc-LBCS markedly inhibits self-renewal, chemoresistance, and tumor initiation of BCSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, lnc-LBCS directly binds to heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and serves as a scaffold to induce the formation of this complex to repress SRY-box 2 (SOX2) transcription via mediating histone H3 lysine 27 tri-methylation. SOX2 is essential for self-renewal and chemoresistance of BCSCs, and correlates with the clinical severity and prognosis of bladder cancer patients.

Conclusions:

As a novel regulator, lnc-LBCS plays an important tumor-suppressor role in BCSCs’ self-renewal and chemoresistance, contributing to weak tumorigenesis and enhanced chemosensitivity. The lnc-LBCS–hnRNPK–EZH2–SOX2 regulatory axis may represent a therapeutic target for clinical intervention in chemoresistant bladder cancer.
BRAF V600 Mutational Status in Melanoma Correlates with Cytologic Features in Fine-Needle Aspirate Specimens
Authors: Lee Paul J. , Dennis Katie , Madan Rashna , Fan Fang
Published: November 2018

Melanomas are known as the great mimicker and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of any fine-needle aspirations (FNA). Despite recent advancements in understanding of the mutational landscape of melanomas, there still exists a divide between the genetic and morphologic correlates. A consecutive cohort of 39 FNA of clinically verified metastatic melanomas with concurrent BRAF V600 assessment were selected [positive (n = 18) and wild-type (n = 21)]. The melanoma cytology specimens were evaluated blinded to the BRAF mutation status in a dichotomized fashion for the presence of 8 selected morphologic classifiers. When comparing the BRAF-mutated vs. BRAF-wild type cohorts, the percentage of cases were, respectively: macronucleoli (56 and 52%), intranuclear inclusions (50 and 33%), pigment (44 and 24%), binucleation/multinucleation (78 and 57%), nuclear pleomorphism (72 and 67%), cytoplasmic vacuolization (22 and 29%), spindle cell morphology (61 and 29%), and necrosis (11 and 10%). The average age of the BRAF-mutated cohort was 52.2 years, compared to the BRAF wild-type cohort at 65.2 years. The prevalence of sex ratio and the location of the primary melanoma were matched between cohorts. Spindle cell morphology was more correlated with BRAF V600-mutated melanomas. Clinicians utilized the BRAF status to alter clinical decisions with use of BRAF inhibitors.
Low Incidence of Pelvic Sepsis after Hartmann’s Procedure: Radiation Therapy May Be a Risk Factor
Authors: Wetterhall Carmela , Mariusdottir Elin , Hall Claire , Jörgren Fredrik , Buchwald Pamela
Published: November 2018

Purpose: Hartmann’s procedure is a well-established alternative in colorectal surgery when a primary anastomosis is contraindicated. However, the rectal remnant may cause complications. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of pelvic sepsis after Hartmann’s procedure and identify possible risk factors. Methods: All patients who underwent Hartmann’s procedure between 2005 and 2012 were identified by the in-hospital registry. Information about pelvic sepsis and potential preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative risk factors was obtained by review of the medical records. Results: 172 patients were identified (97 females); they were aged 74 ± 11 years. Surgery was performed due to cancer (49%) or diverticulitis (35%) and other benign disease (16%). Rectal transection was carried out anywhere between the pelvic floor and the promontory. Pelvic sepsis developed in 6.4% (11/172) of patients. Pelvic sepsis was associated with preoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.03) and Hinchey grade III and IV (p = 0.02) in those patients who underwent Hartmann’s procedure for diverticular disease. Conclusion: Hartmann’s procedure is a safe operation when an anastomosis is contraindicated since the incidence of pelvic sepsis is low. Preoperative radiotherapy and Hinchey grade III and IV may be risk factors for the development of pelvic sepsis.
ТРИГЛІЦЕРИД-ГЛЮКОЗНИЙ ІНДЕКС ЯК ОПОСЕРЕДКОВАНИЙ МАРКЕР ІНСУЛІНОРЕЗИСТЕНТНОСТІ У ПАЦІЄНТІВ З ІШЕМІЧНОЮ ХВОРОБОЮ СЕРЦЯ ТА ОЖИРІННЯМ
Authors: Maksymets T. A. , Bondarenko O. O. , Sklyarov Ye. Ya.
Published: November 2018

Існує багато методів оцінки інсулінорезистентності, проте вони мають певні недоліки та високу вартість. Тригліцерид-глюкозний індекс – це простий та доступний опосередкований маркер для виявлення інсулінорезистентності, придатний для скринінгового застосування.

Мета. Оцінити тригліцерид-глюкозний індекс у пацієнтів з ІХС та ожирінням залежно від стану інсуліно­резистентності. Проаналізувати кореляційні зв’язки в досліджуваній вибірці.

Матеріал і методи. Обстежено 107 пацієнтів з ішемічною хворобою серця та надмірною масою тіла чи ожирінням. Їм проводили антропометричні вимірювання, визначення глікозильованого гемоглобіну, глюкози, інсуліну з розрахунком індексу НОМА, досліджували ліпідний спектр крові, рівень сечової кислоти та печінкових трансаміназ, також розраховували тригліцерид-глюкозний індекс.

Пацієнти були поділені на 2 групи, залежно від рівня індексу НОМА, при цьому інсулінорезистентними вважали пацієнтів з НОМА>1,7. Кореляційний аналіз проводили у всій сукупності пацієнтів.

Результати. У групі пацієнтів з інсулінорезистентністю спостерігалися достовірно вищі показники глюкози, інсуліну, рівня тригліцеридів та сечової кислоти. Був встановлений достовірно вищий показник тригліцерид-глюкозного індексу в групі інсулінорезистентих пацієнтів та прямий кореляційний зв’язок з індексом НОМА.

Висновки. Тригліцерид-глюкозний індекс є опосередкованим маркером інсулінорезистентності, доступним скринінговим методом для виявлення пацієнтів, що потребують поглибленого обстеження вуглеводного обміну та його корекції.
ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СТРУКТУРНО-ПРОСТОРОВОЇ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ КРОВОНОСНОГО РУСЛА ЛЕГЕНЬ ЩУРІВ У НОРМІ ТА ЙОГО РЕОРГАНІЗАЦІЯ ПРИ ЗАГАЛЬНОМУ ЗНЕВОДНЕННІ
Authors: Vatsyk M. O.
Published: November 2018

Експериментальне моделювання різноманітних захворювань на тваринах є одним із основних методів вивчення закономірностей розвитку патологічних процесів, що часто трапляються у клінічній практиці. Для об’єктивної порівняльної оцінки експериментальних даних та їх наступної екстраполяції на людину важливо знати основні морфометричні параметри органів і тканин у нормі. Щодо загального зневоднення, то воно виникає внаслідок найрізноманітніших фізіологічних та патологічних станів і може бути причиною тяжких порушень у різних органах, включаючи легені.

Мета дослідження – встановити особливості структурно-просторової організації кровоносного русла легень щурів у нормі та дати кількісну характеристику змін його окремих параметрів при загальному зневодненні.

Матеріали і методи. Експерименти проведено на білих лабораторних статевозрілих щурах-самцях, яким моделювали загальну дегідратацію різного ступеня важкості. Дослідження проводили з використанням рентгенангіографічних, гістологічних, морфофметричних і статистичних методик.

Результати. За результатами проведеного дослідження було встановлено певні видові особливості структурної організації легеневої тканини і кровоносного русла легень у щурів і дана їх кількісна оцінка. До цих особливостей належать співвідношення між правою і лівою легенями за об’ємом і масою, поділ на частки кожної із легень та відповідне галуження їх кровоносних судин. Особливістю є також досить часте виявлення артерій «замикаючого» типу. При тривалому загальному зневодненні відмічено висхідну вазоконстрикцію з одночасним зниженням пропускної cпроможності гілок легеневих артерій дрібного і середнього калібру та розширенням просвіту і збільшенням ємності інтраорганних артерій великого калібру.

Висновки. 1. У щурів права легеня за об’ємом і масою значно переважає ліву, їх співвідношення складає 2,22 до 1,00. 2. Особливістю легень щурів є їх поділ на частки: права поділяється на 4 частки, у лівій частковий поділ не виражений, що визначає особливості галуження правої і лівої легеневих артерій. 3. Тривале загальне зневоднення призводить до зниження пропускної здатності кровоносних русел легень за рахунок підвищення тонусу і звуження просвіту гілок легеневих артерій дрібного і середнього калібру, а також бронхіальних артерій з одночасним розширенням просвіту і збільшенням ємності інтраорганних артерій великого калібру.
ДЕЯКІ АСПЕКТИ МОДИФІКАЦІЇ СПОСОБУ ЖИТТЯ НА ОСНОВІ ДІЄТИЧНИХ ПІДХОДІВ ПРИ КАРДІОРЕАБІЛІТАЦІЇ ХВОРИХ НА ІХС ТА ПІСЛЯ ОПЕРАЦІЙ НА СЕРЦІ
Authors: Pasiechko N. V. , Radetska L. V. , Kuziv P. P. , Yarema N. I. , Bob A. O. , Smachilo I. V. , Mandzii Z. P. , Homitska A. I. , Savchenko I. P. , Naumova L. V. , Krytskyy T. I. , Gavryliuk M. Ye.
Published: November 2018

На сьогодні в усьому світі розвиваються реабілітаційні програми, відзначається тенденція до їх індивідуалізації, включення нових методів, розширення показань для їх призначення. Це дозволяє ширше і ефективніше застосовувати можливості відновної медицини. Вивчивши типи інтервального голодування ми застосували просту і безпечну схему харчування хворих на ішемічну хворобу серця (ІХС) з застосуванням методу обмеження «вікна харчування».

Мета роботи – підвищити ефективність кардіореабілітації хворих на ІХС та після операцій на серці шляхом використання методу обмеження «вікна харчування», обґрунтувати доцільність його застосування.

Матеріал і методи. Обстежено 54 хворих на ІХС та після операцій на серці віком від 42 до 71 року. У 78,3 % пацієнтів захворювання поєднувалось з супутніми хворобами (гіпертонічна хвороба, аліментарне ожиріння, компенсований цукровий діабет ІІ типу тощо). Усі пацієнти отримували стандартне медикаментозне лікування відповідно до діагнозу, згідно з останніми клінічними рекомендаціями. Клінічну ефективність даного виду реабілітації та фармакологічних засобів оцінювали з урахуванням частоти та інтенсивності нападів стенокардії, ЧСС, АТ, даних ЕКГ у спокої і в умовах динамічного навантаження. При проведенні навантажувального тесту враховували величину порогового динамічного навантаження, розраховували подвійний добуток. У динаміці (на початку та через 6–12 місяців спостереження) досліджували біохімічними методами показники ліпідного обміну, коефіцієнт атерогенності.

Результати. При застосуванні тривалого періоду обмеження «вікна харчування» (6–12 місяців) при кардіо­реабілітації хворих спостерігають позитивну динаміку гемодинамічних показників, підвищення толерантності до фізичних навантажень, нормалізацію параметрів ліпідного профілю крові.

Висновок. Обґрунтована доцільність застосування даного методу в комплексі профілактичних, лікувальних та реабілітаційних заходів у хворих на ІХС та після перенесених операцій на серці.
РЕКОМЕНДАЦІЇ ФІНСЬКОГО КЛІНІЧНОГО ПРОТОКОЛУ ЩОДО МЕДИКАМЕНТОЗНОЇ ТЕРАПІЇ АРТЕРІАЛЬНОЇ ГІПЕРТЕНЗІЇ У ВИКЛАДАННІ СІМЕЙНОЇ МЕДИЦИНИ НА ДОДИПЛОМНОМУ РІВНІ
Authors: Babinets L. S. , Kotsaba Yu. Ya.
Published: November 2018

Висока медико-соціальна значимість АГ у практиці лікаря первинної медичної допомоги (ПМД) визначає актуальність підвищення ефективності викладання цієї теми у рамках програми додипломної медичної освіти.

Мета – проаналізувати актуальні аспекти доцільності впровадження положень європейських клінічних протоколів ПМД (Фінляндія) щодо АГ у практику викладання дисципліни ЗП–СМ на етапі додипломної освіти.

Висновок. Європейські протоколи для первинної медичної допомоги (Фінляндія), створені за доказовими стандартами, є чіткими, структурованими, зрозумілими для менталітету лікарів України. Алгоритми призначення  медикаментозної терапії залежно від ступеня тяжкості гіпертензії в амбулаторній практиці, викладені за фінськими протоколами, доцільно впроваджувати у клінічну практику і викладацький процес вивчення дисципліни «Загальна практика – сімейна медицина» на додипломному рівні вищої медичної освіти.
СТАН ДОБОВОГО ДІУРЕЗУ НИРОК В УМОВАХ ІШЕМІЧНО-РЕПЕРФУЗІЙНОГО СИНДРОМУ КІНЦІВОК, ТРАВМИ ОРГАНІВ ЧЕРЕВНОЇ ПОРОЖНИНИ, УСКЛАДНЕНОЇ ГІПОВОЛЕМІЧНИМ ШОКОМ, ТА ЇХ ПОЄДНАННЯ У РАННЬОМУ ПЕРІОДІ ТРАВМАТИЧНОЇ ХВОРОБИ
Authors: Tsymbaliuk H. Y.
Published: November 2018

Мета роботи – вивчити вплив ішемічно-реперфузійного синдрому на функціональний стан нирок у ранньому післятравматичному періоді.

Матеріал і методи. В експерименті використали 80 статевозрілих білих щурів-самців лінії Wistar масою 190–220 г, які перебували на стандартному раціоні віварію.

Усіх тварин поділили на групи: контрольну і 3 дослідних (по 8 тварин у кожній групі). У тварин першої дослідної групи під тіопенталонатрієвим знеболенням (40 мг·кг-1) проксимально на задні лапки накладали кровоспинний джгут терміном на 120 хв. У другій дослідній групі було змодельовано поєднану травму органів черевної порожнини шляхом нанесення двох дозованих ударів у ділянку черевної порожнини; гіповолемічний шок моделювали шляхом кровопускання від 20 до 22 % об’єму циркулюючої крові з стегнових судин. У третій дослідній групі моделювали поєднану травму органів черевної порожнини та реперфузію кінцівок. Тварин контрольної групи вводили тільки в наркоз.

Через 1, 3 і 7 діб у піддослідних тварин визначали функціональний стан нирок методом водного навантаження. Оцінювали величину діурезу та швидкість клубочкової фільтрації.

Тварин дослідних груп виводили з експерименту в умовах тіопенталонатрієвого наркозу методом тотального кровопускання з серця.

Результати. В групі тварин після накладання джгутів на задні кінцівки після першої доби істотно знижувався та мав мінімальні значення діурез, згодом показник збільшувався, однак не досягав рівня контрольної групи навіть через 7 діб (менше на 33,6 %, (р<0,05) порівняно з контролем). У групі тварин з травмою органів черевної порожнини та гіповолемічним шоком показник досягав мінімального рівня через 3 доби та фактично залишався на тому ж рівні до сьомої доби. У групі тварин, яким поєднували травму органів черевної порожнини, кровотечу та накладання джгутів на задні кінцівки, спостерігали тенденцію до постійного зниження показника протягом усього часу спостереження. Його мінімальні значення зафіксували через 7 діб (на 33,6 % (р<0,05) менше, порівняно з контролем). Швидкість клубочкової фільтрації знижувалась у всіх групах піддослідних тварин. Наростання показника протягом часу спостереження визначено в групі тварин, яким накладали джгути, хоча навіть після 7 доби він залишався удвічі меншим за контрольні показники. В групі тварин з травмою органів черевної порожнини та гіповолемічним шоком показник досягав мінімальних значень через 3 доби та залишався на цьому рівні до кінця спостереження, що відповідає класичній картині патофізіологічних змін в моделі поєднаної травми. Найвираженішими зміни були у тварин з поєднанням травми та ішемічно-реперфузійного синдрому. Значне зниження показника фіксували усіх контрольних точках спостереження.