bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SwrD (YlzI) Promotes Swarming in Bacillus subtilis by Increasing Power to Flagellar Motors
Authors: Hall Ashley N. , Subramanian Sundharraman , Oshiro Reid T. , Canzoneri Alexandra K. , Kearns Daniel B.
Published: October 2017

The bacterium
Bacillus subtilis
is capable of two kinds of flagellum-mediated motility: swimming, which occurs in liquid, and swarming, which occurs on a surface. Swarming is distinct from swimming in that it requires secretion of a surfactant, an increase in flagellar density, and perhaps additional factors. Here we report a new gene,
swrD
, located within the 32 gene
fla-che
operon dedicated to flagellar biosynthesis and chemotaxis, which when mutated abolished swarming motility. SwrD was not required for surfactant production, flagellar gene expression, or an increase in flagellar number. Instead, SwrD was required to increase flagellar power. Mutation of
swrD
reduced swimming speed and torque of tethered flagella, and all
swrD
-related phenotypes were restored when the stator subunits MotA and MotB were overexpressed either by spontaneous suppressor mutations or by artificial induction. We conclude that swarming motility requires flagellar power in excess of that which is needed to swim.

IMPORTANCE
Bacteria swim in liquid and swarm over surfaces by rotating flagella, but the difference between swimming and swarming is poorly understood. Here we report that SwrD of
Bacillus subtilis
is necessary for swarming because it increases flagellar torque and cells mutated for
swrD
swim with reduced speed. How flagellar motors generate power is primarily studied in
Escherichia coli
, and SwrD likely increases power in other organisms, like the
Firmicutes
,
Clostridia
,
Spirochaetes
, and the
Deltaproteobacteria
.
Urothelial carcinoma in an orthotopic neobladder: an unusual pattern of recurrence and metastasis
Authors: Groen Veerle H , Lock Tycho M T W T , Keizer Bart de , Horenblas Simon , Meijer Richard P
Published: October 2017

We report a case of a 65-year-old patient with muscle invasive bladder cancer that was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by radical cystoprostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection and orthotopic neobladder according to Hautmann. Nine years later, routine follow-up showed local recurrence in the neobladder and metastatic disease of the urothelial carcinoma in the related mesenteric lymph nodes. The entire neobladder specimen was removed including the mesentery of the neobladder. Based on the anatomical lymph drainage of the ileal neobladder, we considered the metastatic disease in the mesentery lymph node as locoregional disease spread. This case shows that such locoregional lymph node metastasis may be amenable to treatment by induction chemotherapy and radical surgery.
Real-time differentiation of adenomatous and hyperplastic diminutive colorectal polyps during analysis of unaltered videos of standard colonoscopy using a deep learning model
Authors: Byrne Michael F , Chapados Nicolas , Soudan Florian , Oertel Clemens , Linares Pérez Milagros , Kelly Raymond , Iqbal Nadeem , Chandelier Florent , Rex Douglas K
Published: October 2017

Background

In general, academic but not community endoscopists have demonstrated adequate endoscopic differentiation accuracy to make the ‘resect and discard’ paradigm for diminutive colorectal polyps workable. Computer analysis of video could potentially eliminate the obstacle of interobserver variability in endoscopic polyp interpretation and enable widespread acceptance of ‘resect and discard’.

Study design and methods

We developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model for real-time assessment of endoscopic video images of colorectal polyps. A deep convolutional neural network model was used. Only narrow band imaging video frames were used, split equally between relevant multiclasses. Unaltered videos from routine exams not specifically designed or adapted for AI classification were used to train and validate the model. The model was tested on a separate series of 125 videos of consecutively encountered diminutive polyps that were proven to be adenomas or hyperplastic polyps.

Results

The AI model works with a confidence mechanism and did not generate sufficient confidence to predict the histology of 19 polyps in the test set, representing 15% of the polyps. For the remaining 106 diminutive polyps, the accuracy of the model was 94% (95% CI 86% to 97%), the sensitivity for identification of adenomas was 98% (95% CI 92% to 100%), specificity was 83% (95% CI 67% to 93%), negative predictive value 97% and positive predictive value 90%.

Conclusions

An AI model trained on endoscopic video can differentiate diminutive adenomas from hyperplastic polyps with high accuracy. Additional study of this programme in a live patient clinical trial setting to address resect and discard is planned.
Molecular imaging of atherosclerosis: spotlight on Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: MacRitchie Neil , Grassia Gianluca , Noonan Jonathan , Garside Paul , Graham Duncan , Maffia Pasquale
Published: October 2017

To accurately predict atherosclerotic plaque progression, a detailed phenotype of the lesion at the molecular level is required. Here, we assess the respective merits and limitations of molecular imaging tools. Clinical imaging includes contrast-enhanced ultrasound, an inexpensive and non-toxic technique but with poor sensitivity. CT benefits from high spatial resolution but poor sensitivity coupled with an increasing radiation burden that limits multiplexing. Despite high sensitivity, positron emission tomography and single-photon emission tomography have disadvantages when applied to multiplex molecular imaging due to poor spatial resolution, signal cross talk and increasing radiation dose. In contrast, MRI is non-toxic, displays good spatial resolution but poor sensitivity. Preclinical techniques include near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF), which provides good spatial resolution and sensitivity; however, multiplexing with NIRF is limited, due to photobleaching and spectral overlap. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy are label-free techniques that detect molecules based on the vibrations of chemical bonds. Both techniques offer fast acquisition times with Raman showing superior spatial resolution. Raman signals are inherently weak; however, leading to the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) that offers greatly increased sensitivity due to using metallic nanoparticles that can be functionalised with biomolecules targeted against plaque ligands while offering high multiplexing potential. This asset combined with high spatial resolution makes SERS an exciting prospect as a diagnostic tool. The ongoing refinements of SERS technologies such as deep tissue imaging and portable systems making SERS a realistic prospect for translation to the clinic.
Prognostic validation of a non-laboratory and a laboratory based cardiovascular disease risk score in multiple regions of the world
Authors: Joseph Philip , Yusuf Salim , Lee Shun Fu , Ibrahim Quazi , Teo Koon , Rangarajan Sumathy , Gupta Rajeev , Rosengren Annika , Lear Scott A , Avezum Alvaro , Lopez-Jaramillo Patricio , Gulec Sadi , Yusufali Afzalhussein , Chifamba Jephat , Lanas Fernando , Kumar Rajesh , Mohammadifard Noushin , Mohan Viswanathan , Mony Prem , Kruger Annamarie , Liu Xu , Guo Baoxia , Zhao Wenqi , Yang Youzhu , Pillai Rajamohanan , Diaz Rafael , Krishnapillai Ambigga , Iqbal Romaina , Yusuf Rita , Szuba Andrzej , Anand Sonia S
Published: October 2017

Objective

To evaluate the performance of the non-laboratory INTERHEART risk score (NL-IHRS) to predict incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) across seven major geographic regions of the world. The secondary objective was to evaluate the performance of the fasting cholesterol-based IHRS (FC-IHRS).

Methods

Using measures of discrimination and calibration, we tested the performance of the NL-IHRS (n=100 475) and FC-IHRS (n=107 863) for predicting incident CVD in a community-based, prospective study across seven geographic regions: South Asia, China, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe/North America, South America and Africa. CVD was defined as the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure or coronary revascularisation.

Results

Mean age of the study population was 50.53 (SD 9.79) years and mean follow-up was 4.89 (SD 2.24) years. The NL-IHRS had moderate to good discrimination for incident CVD across geographic regions (concordance statistic (C-statistic) ranging from 0.64 to 0.74), although recalibration was necessary in all regions, which improved its performance in the overall cohort (increase in C-statistic from 0.69 to 0.72, p<0.001). Regional recalibration was also necessary for the FC-IHRS, which also improved its overall discrimination (increase in C-statistic from 0.71 to 0.74, p<0.001). In 85 078 participants with complete data for both scores, discrimination was only modestly better with the FC-IHRS compared with the NL-IHRS (0.74 vs 0.73, p<0.001).

Conclusions

External validations of the NL-IHRS and FC-IHRS suggest that regionally recalibrated versions of both can be useful for estimating CVD risk across a diverse range of community-based populations. CVD prediction using a non-laboratory score can provide similar accuracy to laboratory-based methods.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and risk of cardiovascular disease in an Australianpopulation-based cohort
Authors: Zhu Kun , Knuiman Matthew , Divitini Mark , Murray Kevin , Lim Ee Mun , St John Andrew , Walsh John P , Hung Joseph
Published: October 2017

Objective

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) is an emerging biomarker for cardiovascular risk. We examined hs-cTnI as a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in an Australian population-based cohort and evaluated if a sex difference exists.

Methods

Serum hs-cTnI was measured in the Busselton Health Study 1994/1995 Cohort (n=3939). Outcome measures were total and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) events, heart failure and stroke.

Results

Hs-cTnI was detectable (>1.2 ng/L) in 66.1% of participants (males 81.8%, females 54.4%) at baseline. There were 886 deaths (including 361 from CVD) and 940 CVD events during 20-year follow-up. Adjusting for Framingham Risk Score variables, hs-cTnI was a significant predictor of total mortality (HR (95% CI): 1.16 (1.09 to 1.24)), CVD mortality (1.33 (1.23 to 1.44)), CVD events (1.18 (1.11 to 1.25)), CHD events (1.11 (1.03 to 1.20)), heart failure (1.44 (1.31 to 1.58)) and stroke (1.13 (1.03 to 1.24)) per doubling of hs-cTnI at baseline. HRs remained significant in CVD-free individuals at baseline (n=3215), except for CHD events. There were no significant interactions between sex and hs-cTnI as a predictor of outcomes. Compared with individuals with hs-cTnI ≤1.2 ng/L, men with hs-cTnI ≥6.0 ng/L and women with hs-cTnI ≥4.0 ng/L had an HR of 2.18 (1.42 to 3.37) and 1.84 (1.30 to 2.62), respectively, for any CVD event, which persisted in the CVD-free subgroup.

Conclusions

Cardiac troponin I, measured with a high-sensitive assay, is an independent predictor of fatal and non-fatal CVD events and may help identify at-risk individuals in a general population.
Alcohol control policies and alcohol consumption: an international comparison of 167 countries
Authors: Madureira-Lima Joana , Galea Sandro
Published: October 2017

Background

Alcohol control policy has a fundamental role in limiting negative health, economic and social harm caused by alcohol consumption. However, there is substantial international heterogeneity in country-level policy adoption, implementation and monitoring. Comparative measures so far focused on Europe or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Methods

We created an Alcohol Control Policy Index (ACPI) for 167 countries using five different methodological approaches. National policies were sourced from WHO’s Global Information System on Alcohol and Health. We assessed ACPI’s criterion-related validity by calculating the strength of the association among the different approaches. As for content validity, we tested whether the resulting scores explained variations in alcohol per capita consumption cross-nationally, controlling for gross domestic product, population age, urbanisation and world region using OLS and random coefficients models.

Results

Index scores and ranks from different methodological approaches are highly correlated (r=0.99). Higher scores were associated with lower consumption across the five methods. For each 1 score increase in the ACPI, the reduction in per capita alcohol consumption varies from −0.024 L (95% CI (−0.043 to −0.004) to −0.014 L (95% CI (−0.034 to 0.005). We obtain larger coefficients and p values <0.005 when estimating random coefficients.

Conclusion

ACPI offers a measure of alcohol control policy across countries that makes use of a larger number of countries than its predecessors, as well as a wider range of methodologies for its calculation, both of which contribute to its validity. Furthermore, it shows that the statutory strictness of alcohol control policies is associated with lower levels of alcohol consumption.
Influence of affordability of alcohol on educational disparities in alcohol-related mortality in Finland and Sweden: a time series analysis
Authors: Herttua Kimmo , Östergren Olof , Lundberg Olle , Martikainen Pekka
Published: October 2017

Background

Prices of alcohol and income tend to influence how much people buy and consume alcohol. Price and income may be combined into one measure, affordability of alcohol. Research on the association between affordability of alcohol and alcohol-related harm is scarce. Furthermore, no research exists on how this association varies across different subpopulations. We estimated the effects of affordability of alcohol on alcohol-related mortality according to gender and education in Finland and Sweden.

Methods

Vector-autoregressive time series modelling was applied to the quarter-annual aggregations of alcohol-related deaths and affordability of alcohol in Finland in 1988–2007 and in Sweden in 1991–2008. Alcohol-related mortality was defined using information on both underlying and contributory causes of death. We calculated affordability of alcohol index using information on personal taxable income and prices of various types of alcohol.

Results

Among Finnish men with secondary education, an increase of 1% in the affordability of total alcohol was associated with an increase of 0.028% (95% CI 0.004 to 0.053) in alcohol-related mortality. Similar associations were also found for affordability for various types of alcohol and for beer only in the lowest education group. We found few other significant positive associations for other subpopulations in Finland or Sweden. However, reverse associations were found among secondary-educated Swedish women.

Conclusions

Overall, the associations between affordability of alcohol and alcohol-related mortality were relatively weak. Increased affordability of total alcoholic beverages was associated with higher rates of alcohol-related mortality only among Finnish men with secondary education.
Sleep and REM sleep behaviour disorder in Parkinson’s disease with impulse control disorder
Authors: Fantini Maria Livia , Figorilli Michela , Arnulf Isabelle , Zibetti Maurizio , Pereira Bruno , Beudin Patricia , Puligheddu Monica , Cormier-Dequaire Florence , Lacomblez Lucette , Benchetrit Eve , Corvol Jean Christophe , Cicolin Alessandro , Lopiano Leonardo , Marques Ana , Durif Franck
Published: October 2017

Introduction

Because the association between rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been debated, we assessed the sleep characteristics and the frequency of RBD using video-polysomnography (v-PSG) in patients with PD with versus without ICDs.

Methods

Eighty non-demented patients with PD consecutively identified during routine evaluation at three movement disorders centres were enrolled in a case–control study. Forty patients (22 men; mean age: 62.6±9.7 years, Hoehn & Yahr: 2.1±0.6) with one or more current ICDs were age-matched and sex-matched with 40 patients with no history of ICDs (22 men, mean age: 64.9±7.8 years, Hoehn & Yahr: 2.2±0.6). They underwent a detailed sleep interview followed by a full-night in-lab v-PSG. Sleep was scored blindly to ICDs condition and RBD diagnosis included a clinical complaint of enacted dreams and/or documented behaviour during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with the presence of quantified REM sleep without atonia (RSWA).

Results

Patients with ICDs had a higher arousal index and higher RSWA than those without ICDs (51.9%±28.2%vs 32.2±27.1%, p=0.004). In addition, RBD was more frequent in the ICD group (85%vs53%, p=0.0001). RBD was still associated with ICDs in a multivariate regression analysis including age of onset, PD duration and severity, treatment duration, levodopa-equivalent and dopamine agonist-equivalent daily doses and antidepressant use (OR: 4.9 (95% CI 1.3 to 18.5), p=0.02).

Conclusions

This large, controlled series of patients with PD with ICDs assessed by v-PSG confirms the association between ICDs and RBD. Increased surveillance of symptoms of ICDs should be recommended in patients with PD with RBD.
Public mental health crisis management and Section 136 of the Mental Health Act
Authors: O’Brien Aileen , Sethi Faisil , Smith Mark , Bartlett Annie
Published: October 2017

The interface between mental health services and the criminal justice system presents challenges both for professionals and patients. Both systems are stressed and inherently complex. Section 136 of the Mental Health Act is unusual being both an aspect of the Mental Health Act and a power of arrest. It has a long and controversial history related to concerns about who has been detained and how the section was applied. More recently, Section 136 has had a public profile stemming from the use of police cells as places of safety for young, mentally disturbed individuals. This paper explores the current state of health of this piece of legislation. Specifically, we consider whether alternative approaches are more suitable for those individuals in crisis and/or distress who come into contact with the police. This requires careful thought as to the proper role of both health and criminal justice professionals who are daily grappling with an ethically contentious domain of multiagency work.
The effects of low and moderate doses of caffeine supplementation on upper and lower body maximal voluntary concentric and eccentric muscle force
Authors: Tallis Jason , Yavuz Harley C.M.
Published: October 2017

Despite the growing quantity of literature exploring the effect of caffeine on muscular strength, there is a dearth of data that directly explores differences in erogenicity between upper and lower body musculature and the dose–response effect. The present study sought to investigate the effects of low and moderate doses of caffeine on the maximal voluntary strength of the elbow flexors and knee extensors. Ten nonspecifically strength-trained, recreationally active participants (aged 21 ± 0.3 years) completed the study. Using a randomised, counterbalanced, and double-blind approach, isokinetic concentric and eccentric strength was measured at 60 and 180°/s following administration of a placebo, 3 mg·kg−1 body mass caffeine, and 6 mg·kg−1 body mass caffeine. There was no effect of caffeine on the maximal voluntary concentric and eccentric strength of the elbow flexors, or the eccentric strength of the knee extensors. Both 3 and 6 mg·kg−1 body mass caffeine caused a significant increase in peak concentric force of the knee extensors at 180°/s. No difference was apparent between the 2 concentrations. Only 6 mg·kg−1 body mass caused an increase in peak concentric force during repeated contractions. The results infer that the effective caffeine concentration to evoke improved muscle performance may be related to muscle mass and contraction type. The present work indicates that a relatively low dose of caffeine treatment may be effective for improving lower body muscular strength, but may have little benefit for the strength of major muscular groups of the upper body.
Molecular structure, electronic properties, and charge transfer analysis of clopenthixol as a nano-drug with quantum chemical calculations
Authors: Novir Samaneh Bagheri
Published: October 2017

Molecular structure, electronic absorption spectra, electronic and optical properties, spectroscopic characterization, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis, natural charge distribution, charge transfer analysis, and thermodynamic properties investigations of clopenthixol as an antipsychotic drug have been evaluated with density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods with the B3LYP hybrid functional and 6-311+G** basis set. Computational results verify that cis structure of clopenthixol is marked as an active drug. Cis structure of clopenthixol is more stable than the trans structure with a small energy difference. The nonlinear optical (NLO) properties and the chemical softness of the trans structure of clopenthixol are smaller than the cis structure, which displays that the chemical reactivity and charge transfer of the trans structure is lower than the cis structure. Charge transfer analysis of the two structures also verifies that the amount of charge transfer in the cis structure is higher than that in the trans structure. Electronic absorption spectra calculated using the TDDFT method shows that the cis structure of clopenthixol shows slightly better absorption properties than the trans structure, which is in agreement with the greater reactivity of the cis structure. The MEP maps and charge distribution analysis of both structures of clopenthixol show that there are preferred sites for electrophilic and nucleophilic reactivity in these structures. The infrared spectra of clopenthixol show that both structures of this molecule have similar modes of vibrations. The thermodynamic parameters show that, because of the enhancement of molecular vibrational intensities with temperature, all these quantities are increasing with increasing temperature. The medicinal properties of the cis structure of clopenthixol are almost confirmed with these quantum quantities.
Generation of circular polarization of CMB from the Euler–Heisenberg Lagrangian
Authors: Motie Iman
Published: October 2017

It is known that the dominated contribution of primordial anisotropies of cosmic microwave background (CMB) are linearly polarized via Compton scattering. However, circular polarization of this anisotropy has not been observed up to now, but it has not been excluded in observational evidences. Here we show that the Euler–Heisenberg effective Lagrangian can generate circular polarization in CMB. This generation is calculated by using the quantum Boltzman equation for time evolution of the Stokes parameter. Also we estimate Faraday conversion phase on the order of 10−13 due to this Lagrangian, which gives a lower bound on circular polarization of CMB.
Effects of a 24-h naproxen dose on hydration and electrolyte measures during moderate-intensity cycling in the heat
Authors: Emerson Dawn M. , Torres-McGehee Toni M. , Davis J. Mark , Chen Stephen C.L. , Durstine J. Larry , Pfeifer Craig E. , Emerson Charles C. , Stone Justin V. , Bivona Joseph D.
Published: October 2017

Few controlled laboratory studies have examined the negative effects non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can have on fluid–electrolyte balance during exercise. Our objective was to determine whether a 24-h naproxen dose negatively affected hydration and electrolyte measures before, during, and 3 h after 90 min of cycling in a hot or ambient environment. Using a double blind, randomized and counterbalanced cross-over design, 11 volunteers (six male, five female) completed four trials, with conditions as follows: (1) placebo and ambient, (2) placebo and heat, (3) naproxen and ambient, and (4) naproxen and heat. We found no statistically significant differences among experimental conditions for any dependent measures. Though not statistically significant, mean fluid volume was higher and urine volume was lower during naproxen trials compared with placebos. Mean aggregate plasma sodium was <135 mmol/L at all time points and did not significantly change over time. Overall plasma potassium significantly increased pre- (3.9 ± 0.4) to post-exercise (4.2 ± 0.4 mmol/L, p = 0.02). In conclusion, an acute naproxen dose did not significantly alter hydration–electrolyte balance. The trend for naproxen to increase fluid volume and decrease urine volume suggests the start of fluid retention, which should concern individuals at risk for hyponatremia or with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.
Nonlocal symmetries, solitary waves and cnoidal periodic waves of the (2+1)-dimensional breaking soliton equation
Authors: Zou Li , Tian Shou-Fu , Feng Lian-Li
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we consider the (2[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional breaking soliton equation, which describes the interaction of a Riemann wave propagating along the y-axis with a long wave along the x-axis. By virtue of the truncated Painlevé expansion method, we obtain the nonlocal symmetry, Bäcklund transformation and Schwarzian form of the equation. Furthermore, by using the consistent Riccati expansion (CRE), we prove that the breaking soliton equation is solvable. Based on the consistent tan-function expansion, we explicitly derive the interaction solutions between solitary waves and cnoidal periodic waves.
Detecting Implicit Security Exceptions Using an Improved Variable-Length Sequential Pattern Mining Method
Authors: Chen Jinfu , Cai Saihua , Towey Dave , Zhu Lili , Huang Rubing , Ackah-Arthur Hilary , Omari Michael
Published: October 2017

The process of component security testing can produce massive amounts of monitor logs. Current approaches to detect implicit security exceptions (those which cannot be identified by visual inspection alone) compare correct execution sequences with fixed patterns mined from the execution of sequential patterns in the monitor logs. However, this is not efficient and is not suitable for mining large monitor logs. To enable effective mining of implicit security exceptions from large monitor logs, this paper proposes a method based on improved variable-length sequential pattern mining. The proposed method first mines the variable-length sequential patterns from correct execution sequences and from actual execution sequences, thus reducing the number of patterns. The sequential patterns are then detected using the Sunday string-searching algorithm. We conducted an experimental study based on this method, the results of which show that the proposed method can efficiently detect the implicit security exceptions of components.
BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF OCCUPANT’S BRAIN RESPONSE AND INJURY IN VEHICLE INTERIOR SECOND IMPACT UTILIZING A REFINED HEAD FINITE ELEMENT MODEL
Authors: MA ZHENGWEI , JING LELE , WANG JINLUN , CHEN JIQING , LAN FENGCHONG
Published: October 2017

In vehicle side collisions, traumatic brain injury caused by the impact between occupant’s head and the interior parts of A or B pillar is a major reason of death and disability. In order to analyze the biomechanical response and injury mechanism of occupant’s brain in side collisions, a refined finite element head model representing the 50th percentile Chinese male was developed. Its improvements of biofidelity comparing to the original head model were illustrated through model simulation against the same post mortem human subjects test. Based on the refined head model, the brain biomechanical responses and injuries in the side impact with interior parts of A pillar and B pillar were analyzed according to FMVSS 201U, and the influences of different impact locations and directions were investigated. The results showed that the brain tissues on impact side sustained positive pressure and those on the opposite side experienced negative pressure. The transmission of pressure wave was easy to cause brain concussion and other diffuse brain injuries. The intracranial pressure distribution exhibited a typical pattern of contrecoup injury. The extreme stress concentration in the junction area of the cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem could lead to focal injury such as brain contusion and laceration. Moreover, the impact injury of A pillar was more serious than that of B pillar, which was consistent with the traffic injury statistics that the head injury in oblique side collisions was more serious than that of vertical side collisions. Therefore, the interior parts of A pillar should be designed to absorb more energy than those of B pillar under the same conditions. In addition, the severity of brain injury is more sensitive to the variation of the horizontal angle than that of the vertical angle. Both the peak values of the occipital fossa pressure in effect simulations of the horizontal and vertical angles were three to four times of the peak values of the forehead pressure. When the impact horizontal angle was up to 255[Formula: see text], or the vertical angle was up to 45[Formula: see text], the head HIC(d) values would be up to 1320.45 and 1101.06, respectively, which indicated a AIS 3[Formula: see text] injury risk of the head.
DEVELOPMENT AND BIOFIDELITY EVALUATION OF AN OCCUPANT BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF A CHINESE 50TH PERCENTILE MALE FOR SIDE IMPACT
Authors: MA ZHENGWEI , JING LELE , LAN FENGCHONG , WANG JINLUN , CHEN JIQING
Published: October 2017

Finite element modeling has played a significant role in the study of human body biomechanical responses and injury mechanisms during vehicle impacts. However, there are very few reports on similar studies conducted in China for the Chinese population. In this study, a high-precision human body finite element model of the Chinese 50th percentile male was developed. The anatomical structures and mechanical characteristics of real human body were replicated as precise as possible. In order to analyze the model’s biofidelity in side-impact injury prediction, a global technical standard, ISO/TR 9790, was used that specifically assesses the lateral impact biofidelity of anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) and computational models. A series of model simulations, focusing on different body parts, were carried out against the tests outlined in ISO/TR 9790. Then, the biofidelity ratings of the full human body model and different body parts were evaluated using the ISO/TR 9790 rating method. In a 0–10 rating scale, the resulting rating for the full human body model developed is 8.57, which means a good biofidelity. As to different body parts, the biofidelity ratings of the head and shoulder are excellent, while those of the neck, thorax, abdomen and pelvis are good. The resulting ratings indicate that the human body model developed in this study is capable of investigating the side-impact responses of and injuries to occupants’ different body parts. In addition, the rating of the model was compared with those of the other human body finite element models and several side-impact dummy models. This allows us to assess the robustness of our model and to identify necessary improvements.
New Dependency?: Economic Links between China and Latin America
Authors: CASTAÑEDA NÉSTOR
Published: October 2017

This paper focuses on the most recent trends of Chinese finance (foreign direct investment (FDI) and development loans) in Latin America and their impact on economic development. In particular, this paper explores the economic and institutional factors that attract loans and FDI from China to Latin America. Based on data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the United Nations on Chinese FDI and development loans to Latin America, this article argues that Chinese capital flows to the region, rather than politically motivated, are mainly motivated by trade interests, the evolution of the market of commodities, and natural resources-related policy goals. These capital flows are functional to the Chinese government’s use of soft power in the region, but these goals are secondary to market-based interests.
Reminiscing about Jan Evangelista Purkinje: a pioneer of modern experimental physiology
Authors: Cavero Icilio , Guillon Jean-Michel , Holzgrefe Henry H.
Published: October 2017

This article reminisces about the life and key scientific achievements of Jan Evangelista Purkinje (1787–1869), a versatile 19th century Czech pioneer of modern experimental physiology. In 1804, after completing senior high school, Purkinje joined the Piarist monk order, but, after a 3-yr novitiate, he gave up the religious calling “to deal more freely with science.” In 1818, he earned a Medical Doctor degree from Prague University by defending a dissertation on intraocular phenomena observed in oneself. In 1823, Purkinje became a Physiology and Pathology professor at the Prussian Medical University in Breslau, where he innovated the traditional teaching methods of physiology. Purkinje’s contributions to physiology were manifold: accurate descriptions of various visual phenomena (e.g., Purkinje-Sanson images, Purkinje phenomenon), discovery of the terminal network of the cardiac conduction system (Purkinje fibers), identification of cerebellar neuronal bodies (Purkinje cells), formulation of the vertigo law (Purkinje’s law), discovery of criteria to classify human fingerprints, etc. In 1850, Purkinje accepted and held until his death the Physiology chair at Prague Medical Faculty. During this period, he succeeded in introducing the Czech idiom (in addition to long-established German and Latin) as a Medical Faculty teaching language. Additionally, as a zealous Czech patriot, he actively contributed to the naissance and consolidation of a national Czech identity conscience. Purkinje was a trend-setting scientist who, throughout his career, worked to pave the way for the renovation of physiology from a speculative discipline, ancilla of anatomy, into a factual, autonomous science committed to the discovery of mechanisms governing in-life functions.
Cardiovascular Disease in Ageing: An Overview on Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm as an Emerging Inflammatory Disease
Authors: Pisano Calogera , Balistreri Carmela Rita , Ricasoli Alessandro , Ruvolo Giovanni
Published: October 2017

Medial degeneration associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm and acute aortic dissection was originally described by Erdheim as a noninflammatory lesion related to the loss of smooth muscle cells and elastic fibre fragmentation in the media. Recent evidences propose the strong role of a chronic immune/inflammatory process in aneurysm evocation and progression. The coexistence of inflammatory cells with markers of apoptotic vascular cell death in the media of ascending aorta with aneurysms and type A dissections raises the possibility that activated T cells and macrophages may contribute to the elimination of smooth muscle cells and degradation of the matrix. On the other hand, several inflammatory pathways (including TGF-β, TLR-4 interferon-γ, chemokines, and interferon-γ) seem to be involved in the medial degeneration related to aged and dilated aorta. This is an overview on thoracic aortic aneurysm as an emerging inflammatory disease.
The Role of Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Function, and Autophagy in Diabetic Polyneuropathy
Authors: Sifuentes-Franco Sonia , Pacheco-Moisés Fermín Paul , Rodríguez-Carrizalez Adolfo Daniel , Miranda-Díaz Alejandra Guillermina
Published: October 2017

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is the most frequent and prevalent chronic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). The state of persistent hyperglycemia leads to an increase in the production of cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and favors deregulation of the antioxidant defenses that are capable of activating diverse metabolic pathways which trigger the presence of nitro-oxidative stress (NOS) and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Hyperglycemia provokes the appearance of micro- and macrovascular complications and favors oxidative damage to the macromolecules (lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins) with an increase in products that damage the DNA. Hyperglycemia produces mitochondrial dysfunction with deregulation between mitochondrial fission/fusion and regulatory factors. Mitochondrial fission appears early in diabetic neuropathy with the ability to facilitate mitochondrial fragmentation. Autophagy is a catabolic process induced by oxidative stress that involves the formation of vesicles by the lysosomes. Autophagy protects cells from diverse stress factors and routine deterioration. Clarification of the mechanisms involved in the appearance of complications in DM will facilitate the selection of specific therapeutic options based on the mechanisms involved in the metabolic pathways affected. Nowadays, the antioxidant agents consumed exogenously form an adjuvant therapeutic alternative in chronic degenerative metabolic diseases, such as DM.
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A Diagnostic Challenge in the Oral Cavity
Authors: Altay Mehmet Ali , Sindel Alper , Özalp Öznur , Kocabalkan Burak , Özbudak İrem Hicran , Erdem Ramazan , Salim Ozan , Baur Dale A.
Published: October 2017

Background. Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder of the reticuloendothelial system with unknown etiology. This report aims to present a case of LCH with diffuse involvement of the oral cavity and to raise awareness of the distinguishing features of this diagnostically challenging entity. Case Report. A 26-year-old male patient presented with complaints of teeth mobility, intense pain, and difficulty in chewing. Intraoral and radiological examinations revealed generalized gingival hyperplasia and severe teeth mobility with widespread alveolar bone loss. Periodontal therapy was performed with no significant improvement. An incisional biopsy revealed Langerhans cells and positive reaction to S-100 and CD1, and the patient was diagnosed with LCH. The patient underwent systemic chemotherapy with vinca alkaloids and corticosteroids. Regression of gingival lesions, as well as significant decrease in mobility of the remaining teeth and severity of pain, was achieved during 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion. The rarity and variable system involvement of LCH necessitate a multidisciplinary approach be carried out for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and an uneventful follow-up. Awareness of oral manifestations of LCH may aid clinicians greatly in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with this debilitating condition.
The Immunomodulatory Imbalance in Patients with Ketamine Cystitis
Authors: Fan Gang-Yi , Cherng Juin-Hong , Chang Shu-Jen , Poongodi Raju , Chang Adrienne , Wu Sheng-Tang , Meng En
Published: October 2017

The pathogenesis of ketamine cystitis (KC) has been recently linked with immune response to patients but the same has not yet been established. Hence, this study aims to propose a possible immune mechanism of irreversible bladder damage caused by KC. A total of 53 KC patients and 21 healthy volunteers as controls have been retrospectively assessed. The levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), IL-6, and IFN-γ of KC patients were significantly higher than those of controls, whereas the TGF-β levels of KC patients substantially reduced but the IL-2 and IL-4 levels of KC patients were comparable to those of controls. Moreover, the KC patients had significantly higher counts of TH1, TH2, and TH17 cells than those of controls. The immune response of KC users may begin with the IL-6 production and differentiation of TH17 and may be followed by alternating between high expressions of TH1 and TH2. The IL-6 may further suppress the TREG cells which can aggravate chronic inflammation in KC patients and the imbalance in TH17 and TREG cells may involve the pathogenesis of KC. Further investigation is needed to define the role of IL-6 in TH1/TH2/TH17-regulated signaling pathway in ketamine-induced cystitis.
Vitrification of Rhesus Macaque Mesenchymal Stem Cells and the Effects on Global Gene Expression
Authors: Fu Xufeng , Yan Yaping , Li Shanshan , Wang Junfeng , Jiang Bin , Wang Hong , Duan Yanchao , Tan Tao , Gao Fei , Gong Desheng , Niu Yuyu , Ji Weizhi , Zheng Bingrong , Si Wei
Published: October 2017

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most promising adult stem cells for clinical application in a cell therapy. The development of large-scale cryopreservation techniques, such as vitrification, for MSCs is a prerequisite for clinical therapies. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) are two types of cryoprotectants widely used for cell vitrification. However, the effects of DMSO and EG on the biological characteristics and transcriptome profiles of MSCs after cryopreservation remain unknown. In the present study, the viability, immunophenotype of cell surface markers, proliferation, differentiation potency, and global gene expression of rhesus macaque bone marrow-derived MSCs vitrified using DMSO and EG were studied. The results showed that vitrification did not affect the morphology, surface markers, and differentiation of the MSCs, and compared to DMSO, EG better protected cell viability and proliferation. Most importantly, vitrification resulted in changes in a large number of transcripts of MSCs either preserved using DMSO or EG. This report is the first to examine the effects of DMSO and EG on global gene expression in stem cells. These results will be beneficial to understanding the biological process involved in MSC vitrification and will contribute to improving cryopreservation protocols that maintain transcriptomic identity with high cryosurvival for preclinical research and clinical long-term storage.
Functional Activation-Informed Structural Changes during Stroke Recovery: A Longitudinal MRI Study
Authors: Wu Zhiyuan , Cheng Lin , Yang Guo-Yuan , Tong Shanbao , Sun Junfeng , Miao Fei
Published: October 2017

Objective. Neuroimaging studies revealed the functional reorganization or the structural changes during stroke recovery. However, previous studies did not combine the functional and structural information and the results might be affected by heterogeneous lesion. This study aimed to investigate functional activation-informed structural changes during stroke recovery.Methods. MRI data of twelve stroke patients were collected at four consecutive time points during the first 3 months after stroke onset. Functional activation during finger-tapping task was used to inform the analysis of structural changes of activated brain regions. Correlation between structural changes in motor-related activated brain regions and motor function recovery was estimated.Results. The averaged gray matter volume (aGMV) of contralesional activated brain regions and laterality index of gray matter volume(LIGMV)increased during stroke recovery, andLIGMVwas positively correlated with Fugl-Meyer Index (FMI) at initial stage after stroke. The aGMV of bilateral activated brain regions was negatively correlated with FMI during the stroke recovery.Conclusion. This study demonstrated that combining the stroke-induced functional reorganization and structural change provided new insights into the underlying innate plasticity process during stroke recovery.Significance. This study proposed a new approach to integrate functional and structural information for investigating the innate plasticity after stroke.
Non-Foster Matching Circuit Design via Tunable Inductor for VLF Receive Loop Antennas
Authors: Yan Yalong , Liu Chao , Wu Huaning , Dong Yinghui
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a non-Foster matching circuit (NFC) for very low frequency (VLF) receive loop antennas. A 1 ⁎ 1 m VLF receive loop antenna was designed with a CMOS switch-based tunable inductor built into the NFC. The NFC can be applied to different VLF loop antennas by adjusting the number and inductance of the cells in the tunable inductor. A loop antenna was matched to the designed NFC with −10 dB S11 fractional bandwidth, marking a 383% improvement as well as enhanced transducer gain (S21) compared to most bands in passive matching (over 15–30 kHz). The noise and received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the matching network were assessed to find that, with a low noise floor level (4 dB) receiver, the SNR of the passive loaded antenna performs better than the non-Foster loaded antenna in VLF.
Expression of the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway in Bullous Pemphigoid and Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Authors: Juczynska K. , Wozniacka A. , Waszczykowska E. , Danilewicz M. , Wagrowska-Danilewicz M. , Wieczfinska J. , Pawliczak R. , Zebrowska A.
Published: October 2017

A family of eleven proteins comprises the Janus kinases (JAK) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, which enables transduction of signal from cytokine receptor to the nucleus and activation of transcription of target genes. Irregular functioning of the cascade may contribute to pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases; however, there are no reports concerning autoimmune bullous diseases yet to be published. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of proteins constituting the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in skin lesions and perilesional area in dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and bullous pemphigoid (BP), as well as in the control group. Skin biopsies were collected from 21 DH patients, from 20 BP patients, and from 10 healthy volunteers. The localization and expression of selected STAT and JAK proteins were examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. We found significantly higher expression of JAK/STAT proteins in skin lesions in patients with BP and DH, in comparison to perilesional skin and the control group, which may be related to proinflammatory cytokine network and induction of inflammatory infiltrate in tissues. Our findings suggest that differences in the JAK and STAT expression may be related to distinct cytokines activating them and mediating neutrophilic and/or eosinophilic infiltrate.
Harvested Energy Prediction Schemes for Wireless Sensor Networks: Performance Evaluation and Enhancements
Authors: Muhammad  , Qureshi Hassaan Khaliq , Saleem Umber , Saleem Muhammad , Pitsillides Andreas , Lestas Marios
Published: October 2017

We review harvested energy prediction schemes to be used in wireless sensor networks and explore the relative merits of landmark solutions. We propose enhancements to the well-known Profile-Energy (Pro-Energy) model, the so-called Improved Profile-Energy (IPro-Energy), and compare its performance with Accurate Solar Irradiance Prediction Model (ASIM), Pro-Energy, and Weather Conditioned Moving Average (WCMA). The performance metrics considered are the prediction accuracy and the execution time which measure the implementation complexity. In addition, the effectiveness of the considered models, when integrated in an energy management scheme, is also investigated in terms of the achieved throughput and the energy consumption. Both solar irradiance and wind power datasets are used for the evaluation study. Our results indicate that the proposed IPro-Energy scheme outperforms the other candidate models in terms of the prediction accuracy achieved by up to 78% for short term predictions and 50% for medium term prediction horizons. For long term predictions, its prediction accuracy is comparable to the Pro-Energy model but outperforms the other models by up to 64%. In addition, the IPro scheme is able to achieve the highest throughput when integrated in the developed energy management scheme. Finally, the ASIM scheme reports the smallest implementation complexity.