bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sympathetic responsiveness is not increased in women with a history of hypertensive pregnancy
Authors: Ranadive Sushant M. , Harvey Ronee E. , Lahr Brian D. , Miller Virginia M. , Joyner Michael J. , Barnes Jill N.
Published: December 2016

Hypertensive pregnancy (HTNP) is a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Exaggerated cardiovascular responses to physical stress are also considered an independent marker of cardiovascular disease risk. However, there are limited data regarding the blood pressure (BP) responses to acute stress in women, who have a history of HTNP. Hence, the aim of the study is to compare BP responses to a physical stress in postmenopausal women with a history of HTNP to age- and parity-matched women with a history of normotensive pregnancy (NP). Beat-to-beat BP and heart rate was recorded in 64 postmenopausal women with [age = 58.5 (55.2, 62.2) yr, where values are the median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile] and without [age = 59.4 (55.9, 62.4) yr] a history of HTNP before and during isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise (30% of maximal voluntary contraction) to fatigue. Muscle metaboreflex was measured during postexercise ischemia following IHG exercise. BP variables increased similarly in response to IHG exercise [systolic: NP = 11.5 (8.9, 17.6) %, HTNP = 11.3 (9.5, 15.9) %; diastolic NP = 11.2 (7.9, 13.3) %, HTNP = 9.5 (7.1, 14.3) %; mean blood pressure: NP = 9.8 (5.0, 13.6) %, and HTNP = 7.2 (4.4, 10.4) %] and postexercise ischemia [systolic: NP = 14.1 (10.3, 23.0) %, HTNP = 15.8 (10.6, 21.4) %; diastolic NP = 12.2 (4.8, 17.0) %, HTNP = 10.4 (5.3, 17.1) %; and mean blood pressure: NP = 11.1 (6.1, 17.9) %, HTNP = 9.4 (2.9, 14.8) %] in both groups. Although having a history of HTNP is associated with future cardiovascular disease risk, results from this study suggest that the risk may not be manifested through altered cardiovascular metaboreflex response to physical stressors.
Nicotinamide ameliorates a preeclampsia-like condition in mice with reduced uterine perfusion pressure
Authors: Fushima Tomofumi , Sekimoto Akiyo , Oe Yuji , Sato Emiko , Ito Sadayoshi , Sato Hiroshi , Takahashi Nobuyuki
Published: December 2016

Preeclampsia (PE) is pregnancy-induced hypertension with proteinuria that typically develops after 20 wk of gestation. Antihypertensives currently used for PE reduce blood pressure of PE mothers but do not prevent preterm delivery and do not alleviate fetal growth restriction (FGR) associated with PE. We have recently shown that the activation of the endothelin (ET) system exacerbates PE. However, ET receptor antagonists are teratogenic and not suitable for pregnant women. The vitamin B3 nicotinamide (Nam) inhibits vasoconstriction by ET and is generally considered safe and harmless to babies. Nam also alleviates oxidative stress, which exacerbates PE and FGR. The aim of the present study was to evaluate therapeutic effects of Nam on the PE-like phenotype using a reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) model in mice that we have recently developed. We bilaterally ligated uterine vessels of pregnant mice and administered Nam or water daily by gavage. Nam improved maternal hypertension, proteinuria, and glomerular endotheliosis in RUPP mice. Moreover, Nam prolonged pregnancies and improved survival and growth of the embryos in RUPP PE mice. In conclusion, Nam alleviates the PE-like phenotype and FGR in the murine RUPP model. Nam could help treat maternal hypertension and FGR in human PE.
Dopaminergic treatment weakens medium spiny neuron collateral inhibition in the parkinsonian striatum
Authors: Wei Wei , Ding Shengyuan , Zhou Fu-Ming
Published: December 2016

The striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) are critical to both motor and cognitive functions. A potential regulator of MSN activity is the GABAergic collateral axonal input from neighboring MSNs. These collateral axon terminals are further under the regulation of presynaptic dopamine (DA) receptors that may become dysfunctional when the intense striatal DA innervation is lost in Parkinson's disease (PD). We show that DA D1 receptor-expressing MSNs (D1-MSNs) and D2 receptor-expressing MSNs (D2-MSNs) each formed high-rate, one-way collateral connections with a homotypic preference in both normal and DA-denervated mouse striatum. Furthermore, whereas the homotypic preference, one-way directionality and the basal inhibitory strength were preserved, DA inhibited GABA release at the D2-MSN→D2-MSN collateral synapse in a supersensitive manner in the DA-denervated striatum. In contrast, for D1-MSN-originated collateral connections, whereas D1 agonism facilitated D1-MSN→D1-MSN collateral inhibition in the normal striatum, this presynaptic D1R facilitation of GABA release was lost in the parkinsonian striatum. These results indicate that in the parkinsonian striatum, dopaminergic treatment can presynaptically weaken the D2-MSN→D2-MSN collateral inhibition and disinhibit the surrounding D2-MSNs, whereas the D1-MSN→D1-MSN collateral inhibition is weakened by the loss of the presynaptic D1 receptor facilitation, disinhibiting the surrounding D1-MSNs. Together, these newly discovered effects can disrupt the MSN circuits in the parkinsonian striatum and may contribute to dopaminergic treatment-induced aberrant motor and nonmotor behaviors in PD.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY With the use of a large database, this study establishes that neighboring homotypic striatal spiny projection neurons have a 50% chance to form one-way collateral inhibitory connection, a substantially higher rate than previous estimates. This study also shows that dopamine denervation may alter presynaptic dopamine receptor function such that dopaminergic treatment of Parkinson's disease can weaken the surround inhibition and may reduce the contrast of the striatal outputs, potentially contributing to dopamine's profound motor and nonmotor behavioral effects.
Keeping still doesn't “make sense”: examining a role for movement variability by stabilizing the arm during a postural control task
Authors: Murnaghan Chantelle D. , Carpenter Mark G. , Chua Romeo , Inglis J. Timothy
Published: December 2016

Small-amplitude, higher frequency oscillations of the body or limb are typically observed when humans attempt to maintain the position of a body or limb in space. Recent investigations have suggested that these involuntary movements of the body during stance could be used as an exploratory means of acquiring sensory information. In the present study, we wanted to determine whether a similar phenomenon would be observed in an upper limb postural task that does not involve whole body postural control. Participants were placed in a supine position with the arm pointing vertically and were asked to maintain the position of the limb in space with and without visual feedback. The wrist was attached to an apparatus that allowed the experimenter to stabilize or “lock” movements of the arm without the participants' awareness. When participants were “locked,” the forces recorded predicted greater accelerations than those observed when the arm was freely moving with and without visual feedback. From unlocked to locked, angular accelerations increased in the eyes-closed condition and when participants were provided visual feedback of arm angular displacements. Irrespective of their origin, small displacements of the limb may be used as an exploratory means of acquiring sensory information from the surrounding environment.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The role of movement variability during a static limb position task is currently unknown. We tested whether variability remains in the absence of sensory-based error with an apparatus that stabilized the limb without the participant's knowledge during a static postural task. Increased forces observed during arm stabilization predicted movements greater than those observed when not externally stabilized. These results suggest movement variability during static postures could facilitate the gathering of sensory information from the surrounding environment.
Obstacles to Translating Genotype-Phenotype Correlates in Metabolic Disease
Authors: Sharma Anu , Vella Adrian
Published: December 2016

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a polygenic disease with a variable phenotype. Many genetic associations have been described; however, understanding their underlying pathophysiological role in Type 2 diabetes mellitus is important for development of future therapeutic targets. Here, we review the physiological mechanisms of diabetes-associated variants that affect glycemia.
Lung Nodule Image Classification Based on Local Difference Pattern and Combined Classifier
Authors: Mao Keming , Deng Zhuofu
Published: December 2016

This paper proposes a novel lung nodule classification method for low-dose CT images. The method includes two stages. First, Local Difference Pattern (LDP) is proposed to encode the feature representation, which is extracted by comparing intensity difference along circular regions centered at the lung nodule. Then, the single-center classifier is trained based on LDP. Due to the diversity of feature distribution for different class, the training images are further clustered into multiple cores and the multicenter classifier is constructed. The two classifiers are combined to make the final decision. Experimental results on public dataset show the superior performance of LDP and the combined classifier.
Fatty Liver and Insulin Resistance in the Liver-Specific Knockout Mice of Mitogen Inducible Gene-6
Authors: Park Byung Kil , Lee Eun-Ah , Kim Hee-Youn , Lee Jun Choul , Kim Koon Soon , Jeong Won Hoon , Kim Ki Young , Ku Bon Jeong , Rhee Sang Dal
Published: December 2016

Mitogen inducible gene-6 (Mig-6) is a feedback inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. The liver-specific knockout mice of the Mig-6 gene (Mig-6d/d) showed hepatomegaly and increased hypercholesterolemia. In this study, the biomarkers of insulin resistance and the effects of high-fat diets in the wild (Mig-6f/f) and Mig-6d/dmice were analyzed. The fasting plasma concentrations of glucose, triglyceride, cholesterols, free fatty acids, and HOMA-IR were measured and the glucose tolerance and insulin resistance tests were performed in the 25-week-old Mig-6f/fand the Mig-6d/dmice. The protein levels of active insulin receptor, glucose 6-phosphatase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase were analyzed in the liver and fat. The fasting plasma cholesterol and glucose concentration were higher in the Mig-6d/dmice than the Mig-6f/fmice with increased fat deposition in the liver. But the Mig-6d/dmice had the improved glucose intolerance and insulin resistance without increased amount of phosphoinsulin receptor after insulin infusion in the liver. The hepatic concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was increased in fasting Mig-6d/dmice. The feeding of high-fat diet accelerated the plasma lipids profiles and HOMA-IR in the Mig-6d/dmice but had no differential effects in oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test in both genotypes. These results suggest that the activated EGFR signaling might increase the fasting plasma glucose concentration through inducing the hepatic steatosis and the improved whole-body insulin resistance in the KO mice be caused by decreased adipogenesis in fat tissues.
From Traditional Usage to Pharmacological Evidence: Systematic Review of Gunnera perpensa L.
Authors: Maroyi Alfred
Published: December 2016

Gunnera perpensa is the only species of the genus Gunnera that has been recorded in Africa. Its leaves, rhizomes, roots, and stems are reported to possess diverse medicinal properties and used to treat or manage various human and animal diseases and ailments. Gunnera perpensa is an ingredient in many herbal concoctions and prescriptions which have been used to induce or augment labour, postnatal medication, to treat parasitic diseases, urinary complaints, kidney problems, general body pains, sexually transmitted infections, and many other diseases. Several classes of phytochemicals including alkaloids, benzoquinones, ellagic acids, flavonoids, phenols, proanthocyanidins, tannins, and minerals have been isolated from G. perpensa. Scientific studies on G. perpensa indicate that it has a wide range of pharmacological activities including acetylcholinesterase, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antinociceptive, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, lactogenic, and uterotonic. Gunnera perpensa has a lot of potential as a possible source of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of a wide range of both human and animal diseases and ailments. Some of the chemical compounds isolated from G. perpensa have demonstrated various biological activities when investigated in in vitro assays. Future research should focus on the mechanisms of action of the isolated compounds, their efficacy, toxicity, and clinical relevance.
Mechanical Behavior and Chloride Penetration of Precracked Reinforced Concrete Beams with Externally Bonded CFRP Exposed to Marine Environment
Authors: Xie Yan , Guan Kunhua , Zhan Lei , Wang Qichen
Published: December 2016

Cracked reinforced concrete (RC) beams can be repaired effectively by using externally bonded CFRP sheets. However, when the strengthened beams are subjected to marine environment, long-term performance will be affected by the material and the interface deterioration of concrete and CFRP. Therefore, to evaluate the service life of the strengthened beams, this study investigates the behavior of precracked RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheets exposed to marine environment. Accelerated ageing experiments were carried out by exposing specimens to cyclic wetting in sea water and drying in 40°C air for 3 months and 6 months, respectively. After the environment exposure, four-point bending test was conducted and then the diffusion of chlorides in the strengthened beams was analysed. The results show that the bonding behavior of the adhesive was weakened and the ductility of the strengthened beams was slightly reduced due to the marine environment. But there is no obvious strength difference between the strengthened beams suffered from marine environment for 3 months and 6 months. Besides, the precracks in the RC beams accelerated the chloride diffusion, while CFRP bonding reduced the chloride penetration. In addition, NEL method was employed to validate the effect of the cracks on chloride permeability. The results showed that the chloride diffusion coefficients increased with the depth of the cracks.
Multichannel Convolutional Neural Network for Biological Relation Extraction
Authors: Quan Chanqin , Hua Lei , Sun Xiao , Bai Wenjun
Published: December 2016

The plethora of biomedical relations which are embedded in medical logs (records) demands researchers’ attention. Previous theoretical and practical focuses were restricted on traditional machine learning techniques. However, these methods are susceptible to the issues of “vocabulary gap” and data sparseness and the unattainable automation process in feature extraction. To address aforementioned issues, in this work, we propose a multichannel convolutional neural network (MCCNN) for automated biomedical relation extraction. The proposed model has the following two contributions: (1) it enables the fusion of multiple (e.g., five) versions in word embeddings; (2) the need for manual feature engineering can be obviated by automated feature learning with convolutional neural network (CNN). We evaluated our model on two biomedical relation extraction tasks: drug-drug interaction (DDI) extraction and protein-protein interaction (PPI) extraction. For DDI task, our system achieved an overall f-score of 70.2% compared to the standard linear SVM based system (e.g., 67.0%) on DDIExtraction 2013 challenge dataset. And for PPI task, we evaluated our system on Aimed and BioInfer PPI corpus; our system exceeded the state-of-art ensemble SVM system by 2.7% and 5.6% on f-scores.
Oral Intravascular Papillary Endothelial Hyperplasia Associated with an Organizing Thrombus: Case Report and Immunohistochemical Analysis
Authors: Fernandes Darcy , Travassos Daphine Caxias , Ferrisse Túlio Morandin , Massucato Elaine Maria Sgavioli , Navarro Cláudia Maria , Onofre Mirian Aparecida , León Jorge Esquiche , Bufalino Andreia
Published: December 2016

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) is a benign lesion of the skin and mucosa of vascular origin characterized by reactive proliferation of endothelial cells. A 76-year-old woman was referred presenting a painless nodule on the lip. Intraoral examination revealed bluish submucosal nodular proliferation, measuring 10 × 5 × 5 mm, affecting the lower labial mucosa. The lesion had a firm consistency and it was not fixed to the adjacent tissues. The main differential diagnoses were mucocele/mucus retention cyst, sialolith, or salivary gland neoplasia. An incisional biopsy was performed and during the intraoperative procedure an encapsulated red-bluish nodular mass was observed. Microscopic analysis revealed papillary endothelial proliferation in the center of the lesion and fibrin admixed with inflammatory cells in organization peripherally. There was no nuclear atypia, mitotic figures, or necrosis. The endothelial cells were CD34 positive, with low Ki-67 proliferation index (4%). α-SMA highlighted the vessel walls, whereas negativity for D2-40 excluded lymphatic origin. Final diagnosis was IPEH associated with an organizing thrombus. Dentists should be aware about this rare benign vascular lesion, whose final diagnosis is achieved only after histopathology analysis. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice and no recurrence is expected.
Proteomic Profiling of Neuroblastoma Cells Adhesion on Hyaluronic Acid-Based Surface for Neural Tissue Engineering
Authors: Yang Ming-Hui , Chen Ko-Chin , Chiang Pei-Wen , Chung Tze-Wen , Chen Wan-Jou , Chu Pei-Yu , Chen Sharon Chia-Ju , Lu Yi-Shan , Yuan Cheng-Hui , Wang Ming-Chen , Lin Chia-Yang , Huang Ying-Fong , Jong Shiang-Bin , Lin Po-Chiao , Tyan Yu-Chang
Published: December 2016

The microenvironment of neuron cells plays a crucial role in regulating neural development and regeneration. Hyaluronic acid (HA) biomaterial has been applied in a wide range of medical and biological fields and plays important roles in neural regeneration. PC12 cells have been reported to be capable of endogenous NGF synthesis and secretion. The purpose of this research was to assess the effect of HA biomaterial combining with PC12 cells conditioned media (PC12 CM) in neural regeneration. Using SH-SY5Y cells as an experimental model, we found that supporting with PC12 CM enhanced HA function in SH-SY5Y cell proliferation and adhesion. Through RP-nano-UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyses, we identified increased expression of HSP60 and RanBP2 in SH-SY5Y cells grown on HA-modified surface with cotreatment of PC12 CM. Moreover, we also identified factors that were secreted from PC12 cells and may promote SH-SY5Y cell proliferation and adhesion. Here, we proposed a biomaterial surface enriched with neurotrophic factors for nerve regeneration application.
Acoustic Neuroma Mimicking Orofacial Pain: A Unique Case Report
Authors: Ramdurg Praveenkumar , Srinivas Naveen , Mendigeri Vijaylaxmi , Puranik Surekha R.
Published: December 2016

Acoustic neuroma (AN), also called vestibular schwannoma, is a tumor composed of Schwann cells that most frequently involve the vestibular division of the VII cranial nerve. The most common symptoms include orofacial pain, facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia, tinnitus, hearing loss, and imbalance that result from compression of cranial nerves V–IX. Symptoms of acoustic neuromas can mimic and present as temporomandibular disorder. Therefore, a thorough medical and dental history, radiographic evaluation, and properly conducted diagnostic testing are essential in differentiating odontogenic pain from pain that is nonodontogenic in nature. This article reports a rare case of a young pregnant female patient diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma located in the cerebellopontine angle that was originally treated for musculoskeletal temporomandibular joint disorder.
Reliability Analysis with Multiple Dependent Features from a Vibration-Based Accelerated Degradation Test
Authors: Sun Fuqiang , Liu Jingcheng , Li Xiaoyang , Liao Haitao
Published: December 2016

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) has been widely used for reliability prediction of highly reliable products. In many applications, ADT data consists of multiple degradation-related features, and these features are usually dependent. When dealing with such ADT data, it is important to fully utilize the multiple degradation features and take into account their inherent dependency. This paper proposes a novel reliability-assessment method that combines Brownian motion and copulas to model ADT data obtained from vibration signals. In particular, degradation feature extraction is first carried out using the raw vibration signals, and a feature selection method quantifying feature properties, such as trendability, monotonicity, and robustness, is adopted to determine the most suitable degradation features. Then, a multivariate s-dependent ADT model is developed, where a Brownian motion is used to depict the degradation path of each degradation feature and a copula function is employed to describe the dependence among these degradation features. Finally, the proposed ADT model is demonstrated using the vibration-based ADT data for an electric motor.
Potential Role of Protein Disulfide Isomerase in Metabolic Syndrome‐Derived Platelet Hyperactivity
Authors: Gaspar Renato Simões , Trostchansky Andrés , Paes Antonio Marcus de Andrade
Published: December 2016

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has become a worldwide epidemic, alongside with a high socioeconomic cost, and its diagnostic criteria must include at least three out of the five features: visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and high fasting glucose levels. MetS shows an increased oxidative stress associated with platelet hyperactivation, an essential component for thrombus formation and ischemic events in MetS patients. Platelet aggregation is governed by the peroxide tone and the activity of Protein Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) at the cell membrane. PDI redox active sites present active cysteine residues that can be susceptible to changes in plasma oxidative state, as observed in MetS. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the relationship between PDI and platelet hyperactivation under MetS and its metabolic features, in spite of PDI being a mediator of important pathways implicated in MetS‐induced platelet hyperactivation, such as insulin resistance and nitric oxide dysfunction. Thus, the aim of this review is to analyze data available in the literature as an attempt to support a possible role for PDI in MetS‐induced platelet hyperactivation.
The Association between Residence Floor Level and Cardiovascular Disease: The Health and Environment in Oslo Study
Authors: Rohde Mads K. , Aamodt Geir
Published: December 2016

Background.Increasingly more people live in tall buildings and on higher floor levels. Factors relating to floor level may protect against or cause cardiovascular disease (CVD). Only one previous study has investigated the association between floor level and CVD.Methods.We studied associations between floor of bedroom and self-reported history of stroke, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and intermittent claudication (IC) among 12.525 inhabitants in Oslo, Norway. We fitted multivariate logistic regression models and adjusted for sociodemographic variables, socioeconomic status (SES), and health behaviors. Additionally, we investigated block apartment residents (N=5.374) separately.Results.Trend analyses showed that disease prevalence increased by floor level, for all three outcomes. When we investigated block apartment residents alone, the trends disappeared, but one association remained: higher odds of VTE history on 6th floor or higher, compared to basement and 1st floor (OR: 1.504; 95% CI: 1.007–2.247).Conclusion.Floor level is positively associated with CVD, in Oslo. The best-supported explanation may be residual confounding by building height and SES. Another explanation, about the impact of atmospheric electricity, is also presented. The results underline a need to better understand the associations between residence floor level and CVD and multistory housing and CVD.
Bromide-Assisted Anisotropic Growth of Gold Nanoparticles as Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
Authors: Kerr Melissa A. , Yan Fei
Published: December 2016

We report herein a one-step synthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of various shapes such as triangles, hexagons, and semispheres, using 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) as the reducing agent in the presence of potassium bromide (KBr). Anisotropic Au NPs have received ever-increasing attention in various areas of research due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Numerous synthetic methods involving either top-down or bottom-up approaches have been developed to synthesize Au NPs with deliberately varied shapes, sizes, and configurations; however, the production of templateless, seedless, and surfactant-free singular-shaped anisotropic Au NPs remains a significant challenge. The concentrations of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl4), 5-HIAA, and KBr, as well as the reaction temperature, were found to influence the resulting product morphology. A detailed characterization of the resulting Au NPs was performed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The as-prepared Au NPs exhibited excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties, which make them very attractive for the development of SERS-based chemical and biological sensors.
The Reliability of Classification of Terminal Nodes in GUIDE Decision Tree to Predict the Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Birjandi Mehdi , Ayatollahi Seyyed Mohammad Taghi , Pourahmad Saeedeh
Published: December 2016

Tree structured modeling is a data mining technique used to recursively partition a dataset into relatively homogeneous subgroups in order to make more accurate predictions on generated classes. One of the classification tree induction algorithms, GUIDE, is a nonparametric method with suitable accuracy and low bias selection, which is used for predicting binary classes based on many predictors. In this tree, evaluating the accuracy of predicted classes (terminal nodes) is clinically of special importance. For this purpose, we used GUIDE classification tree in two statuses of equal and unequal misclassification cost in order to predict nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), considering 30 predictors. Then, to evaluate the accuracy of predicted classes by using bootstrap method, first the classification reliability in which individuals are assigned to a unique class and next the prediction probability reliability as support for that are considered.
Umbilical Cord‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Suppress Autophagy of T Cells in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus via Transfer of Mitochondria
Authors: Chen Jinyun , Wang Qian , Feng Xuebing , Zhang Zhuoya , Geng Linyu , Xu Ting , Wang Dandan , Sun Lingyun
Published: December 2016

Aberrant autophagy played an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, especially in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we showed that T cells from SLE patients had higher autophagic activity than that from healthy controls. A correlation between autophagic activity and apoptotic rate was observed in activated T cells. Moreover, activation of autophagy with rapamycin increased T cell apoptosis, whereas inhibition of autophagy with 3‐MA decreased T cell apoptosis. Umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC‐MSCs) could inhibit respiratory mitochondrial biogenesis in activated T cells to downregulate autophagy and consequently decrease T cell apoptosis through mitochondrial transfer and thus may play an important role in SLE treatment.
Modeling and Dynamic Properties of a Four-Parameter Zener Model Vibration Isolator
Authors: Shi Wen-ku , Qian Chen , Chen Zhi-yong , Cao Yang , Zhang Heng-hai
Published: December 2016

To install high-performance isolators in a limited installation space, a novel passive isolator based on the four-parameter Zener model is proposed. The proposed isolator consists of three major parts, namely, connecting structure, sealing construction, and upper and lower cavities, all of which are enclosed by four segments of metal bellows with the same diameter. The equivalent stiffness and damping model of the isolator are derived from the dynamic stiffness of the isolation system. Experiments are conducted, and the experiment error is analyzed. Test results verify the validity of the model. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation reveal that the stiffness and damping of the isolator have multiple properties with different exciting amplitudes and structural parameters. In consideration of the design of the structural parameter, the effects of exciting amplitude, damp channel diameter, equivalent cylinder diameter of cavities, sum of the stiffness of the bellows at the end of the isolator, and length of damp channel on the dynamic properties of the isolator are discussed comprehensively. A design method based on the parameter sensitivity of the isolator’s design parameter is proposed. Thus, the novel isolator can be practically applied to engineering and provide a significant contribution in the field.
Pulmonary Remodeling in Equine Asthma: What Do We Know about Mediators of Inflammation in the Horse?
Authors: Barton Ann Kristin , Gehlen Heidrun
Published: December 2016

Equine inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) represent a spectrum of chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in horses resembling human asthma in many aspects. Therefore, both are now described as severity grades of equine asthma. Increasing evidence in horses and humans suggests that local pulmonary inflammation is influenced by systemic inflammatory processes and the other way around. Inflammation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis as well as extracellular remodeling show close interactions. Cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and tracheal wash is commonly used to evaluate the severity of local inflammation in the lung. Other mediators of inflammation, like interleukins involved in the chemotaxis of neutrophils, have been studied. Chronic obstructive pneumopathies lead to remodeling of bronchial walls and lung parenchyma, ultimately causing fibrosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are discussed as the most important proteolytic enzymes during remodeling in human medicine and increasing evidence exists for the horse as well. A systemic involvement has been shown for severe equine asthma by increased acute phase proteins like serum amyloid A and haptoglobin in peripheral blood during exacerbation. Studies focusing on these and further possible inflammatory markers for chronic respiratory disease in the horse are discussed in this review of the literature.
Influence of Climate Change in Reliability Analysis of High Rise Building
Authors: Zhang Yi , Yan Keqin , Cheng Tao , Zhou Quan , Qin Liping , Wang Shan
Published: December 2016

The safety of designed urban structures is highly depending on the respond of structures to different types and magnitude of environmental loads. The safety assessment of an existing building needs to have a full consideration of all the environmental factors. Therefore, the engineers must realize the importance of the environment and take care of all the assumptions and uncertainties. One of the hot topics that researchers nowadays are interested is the influence of climate change to the engineering designs. There is a remarkable consensus in the scientific community telling us a fact that our climate is changing and engineering design failures are increasing. In this paper, we are going to have an investigation of the effect of the climate change to the safety of high rise building. The climate effects are briefly discussed at the first beginning of this paper. Then a detailed study is performed on the modeling of climate effects for the wind load. This is later utilized in a structural reliability analysis for a high rise building. The influence of climate effects to the overall safety of a building is investigated and discussed based on the analyzed results. It was found the influence of climate effect can be very significant in the design of high rise buildings.
Sensor Placement via Optimal Experiment Design in EMI Sensing of Metallic Objects
Authors: Song Lin-Ping , Pasion Leonard R. , Lhomme Nicolas , Oldenburg Douglas W.
Published: December 2016

This work, under the optimal experimental design framework, investigates the sensor placement problem that aims to guide electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensing of multiple objects. We use the linearized model covariance matrix as a measure of estimation error to present a sequential experimental design (SED) technique. The technique recursively minimizes data misfit to update model parameters and maximizes an information gain function for a future survey relative to previous surveys. The fundamental process of the SED seeks to increase weighted sensitivities to targets when placing sensors. The synthetic and field experiments demonstrate that SED can be used to guide the sensing process for an effective interrogation. It also can serve as a theoretic basis to improve empirical survey operation. We further study the sensitivity of the SED to the number of objects within the sensing range. The tests suggest that an appropriately overrepresented model about expected anomalies might be a feasible choice.
Retinal Vessel Diameters and Their Relationship with Cardiovascular Risk and All-Cause Mortality in the Inter99 Eye Study: A 15-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Drobnjak Dragana , Munch Inger Christine , Glümer Charlotte , Faerch Kristine , Kessel Line , Larsen Michael , Veiby Nina C. B. B.
Published: December 2016

Purpose. To describe associations between retinal vessel diameters and cardiovascular risk markers and mortality.Methods. The present study included 908 persons aged 30 to 60 years. Vessel diameters were expressed as central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) and central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE). Multiple linear regression analyses and Cox regression models were used.Results. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that narrower CRAE was associated with higher systolic blood pressure, age, and higher HDL cholesterol, whereas wider CRAE and CRVE were associated with smoking. Narrower CRVE was associated with higher HDL cholesterol. In an age-adjusted model, associations between wider CRVE and risk of ischemic heart disease were found (P<0.001). Wider CRVE was associated with all-cause mortality (HR = 2.02,P=0.033) in a model adjusted for age, gender, and blood pressure. However, the association was not statistically significant after additional adjustment for smoking.Conclusions. The associations between retinal vessel diameters and known cardiovascular risk factors were confirmed. All-cause mortality was not associated with retinal vessel diameters when adjusting for relevant confounders.
Curvature-Restored Gauge Invariance and Ultraviolet Naturalness
Authors: Demir Durmuş Ali
Published: December 2016

It is shown that (aΛ2+b|H|2)R in a spacetime of curvature R is a natural ultraviolet (UV) completion of (aΛ4+bΛ2|H|2) in the flat-spacetime Standard Model (SM) with Higgs field H, UV scale Λ, and loop factors a and b. This curvature completion rests on the fact that Λ-mass gauge theory in flat spacetime turns, on the cut view R=4Λ2, into a massless gauge theory in curved spacetime. It provides a symmetry reason for curved spacetime, wherein gravity and matter are both low-energy effective phenomena. Gravity arises correctly if new physics exists with at least 63 more bosons than fermions, with no need to interact with the SM and with dark matter as a natural harbinger. It can source various cosmological, astrophysical, and collider phenomena depending on its spectrum and couplings to the SM.
Estimation of Parasitic Resistance of Electrolytic Capacitor and Filter Inductor and Prediction of Input Filter Induced Oscillations in a Switch-Mode Magnet Power Supply
Authors: Gour Rajul Lal , Borage Mangesh , Singh Alok , Tiwari Sunil
Published: December 2016

In switch-mode power converters with large ratings, it is important to be able to predict the parasitic resistances associated with circuit elements such as electrolytic capacitor and filter inductor in the initial converter design stage itself to avoid the cost and time associated with actual design, prototype fabrication, and testing of these components. Knowing the values of parasitic elements is also important as they decide the possibility of closed-loop instability, besides affecting the other circuit parameters. In this paper, a way to estimate the equivalent series resistance of electrolytic capacitor and the winding resistance of filter inductor is proposed leading to their closed form expressions in terms of system parameters. Using these, procedure to predict the closed-loop instability induced due to the input filter is exemplified with illustrative calculations.
Extra-Articular Symptoms in Constellation with Selected Serum Cytokines and Disease Activity in Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Przepiera-Będzak Hanna , Fischer Katarzyna , Brzosko Marek
Published: December 2016

Objectives. In this study, we assessed the extra-articular symptoms in constellation with selected serum cytokines and disease activity in spondyloarthritis (SpA). Patients and Methods. We studied 287 SpA patients: 131 had AS, 110 had PsA, and 46 had SAPHO. We assessed extra-articular symptoms in all cases. In 191 SpA patients, we measured serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-18 (IL-18), interleukin-23 (IL-23), endothelin-1 (ET-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Results. Patients with acute anterior uveitis (AAU) had higher VAS (P=0.0008), BADSDAI (P=0.0001), ASDAS-ESR (P=0.04), CRP (P=0.006), IL-6 (P=0.02), and IL-18 (P=0.03) levels. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) had higher VAS (P=0.03), CRP (P=0.0009), and IL-6 (P=0.0003) levels. Patients with skin psoriasis had lower VAS (P=0.001) and BASDAI (P=0.00007) levels. Patients with psoriatic onycholysis had lower VAS (P=0.006), BASDAI (P=0.00001), and CRP (P=0.02) and higher IL-23 (P=0.04) levels. Patients with PPP had lower BASDAI (P=0.04) and higher ET-1 (P=0.001) levels. Conclusions. SpA patients with increased serum IL-18 and decreased serum ET-1 had an increased risk of extra-articular symptoms. In SpA patients, increased disease activity was associated with an increased risk of AAU and IBD and a decreased risk of skin psoriasis, psoriatic onycholysis, and PPP.
Effect of Phenylephrine on the Accommodative System
Authors: Esteve-Taboada José J. , Del Águila-Carrasco Antonio J. , Bernal-Molina Paula , Ferrer-Blasco Teresa , López-Gil Norberto , Montés-Micó Robert
Published: December 2016

Accommodation is controlled by the action of the ciliary muscle and mediated primarily by parasympathetic input through postganglionic fibers that originate from neurons in the ciliary and pterygopalatine ganglia. During accommodation the pupil constricts to increase the depth of focus of the eye and improve retinal image quality. Researchers have traditionally faced the challenge of measuring the accommodative properties of the eye through a small pupil and thus have relied on pharmacological agents to dilate the pupil. Achieving pupil dilation (mydriasis) without affecting the accommodative ability of the eye (cycloplegia) could be useful in many clinical and research contexts. Phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHCl) is a sympathomimetic agent that is used clinically to dilate the pupil. Nevertheless, first investigations suggested some loss of functional accommodation in the human eye after PHCl instillation. Subsequent studies, based on different measurement procedures, obtained contradictory conclusions, causing therefore an unexpected controversy that has been spread almost to the present days. This manuscript reviews and summarizes the main research studies that have been performed to analyze the effect of PHCl on the accommodative system and provides clear conclusions that could help clinicians know the real effects of PHCl on the accommodative system of the human eye.
WRHT: A Hybrid Technique for Detection of Wormhole Attack in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Singh Rupinder , Singh Jatinder , Singh Ravinder
Published: December 2016

Wormhole attack is a challenging security threat to wireless sensor networks which results in disrupting most of the routing protocols as this attack can be triggered in different modes. In this paper, WRHT, a wormhole resistant hybrid technique, is proposed, which can detect the presence of wormhole attack in a more optimistic manner than earlier techniques. WRHT is based on the concept of watchdog and Delphi schemes and ensures that the wormhole will not be left untreated in the sensor network. WRHT makes use of the dual wormhole detection mechanism of calculating probability factor time delay probability and packet loss probability of the established path in order to find the value of wormhole presence probability. The nodes in the path are given different ranking and subsequently colors according to their behavior. The most striking feature of WRHT consists of its capacity to defend against almost all categories of wormhole attacks without depending on any required additional hardware such as global positioning system, timing information or synchronized clocks, and traditional cryptographic schemes demanding high computational needs. The experimental results clearly indicate that the proposed technique has significant improvement over the existing wormhole attack detection techniques.
Microglial Dysregulation in OCD, Tourette Syndrome, and PANDAS
Authors: Frick Luciana , Pittenger Christopher
Published: December 2016

There is accumulating evidence that immune dysregulation contributes to the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome, and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). The mechanistic details of this pathophysiology, however, remain unclear. Here we focus on one particular component of the immune system: microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells. The role of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases has been understood in terms of classic, inflammatory activation, which may be both a consequence and a cause of neuronal damage. In OCD and Tourette syndrome, which are not characterized by frank neural degeneration, the potential role of microglial dysregulation is much less clear. Here we review the evidence for a neuroinflammatory etiology and microglial dysregulation in OCD, Tourette syndrome, and PANDAS. We also explore new hypotheses as to the potential contributions of microglial abnormalities to pathophysiology, beyond neuroinflammation, including failures in neuroprotection, lack of support for neuronal survival, and abnormalities in synaptic pruning. Recent advances in neuroimaging and animal model work are creating new opportunities to elucidate these issues.
The Effect of Different Glycaemic States on Renal Transplant Outcomes
Authors: Sheu Angela , Depczynski Barbara , O’Sullivan Anthony J. , Luxton Grant , Mangos George
Published: December 2016

Background. Optimal glycaemic targets following transplantation are unknown. Understanding the impact of DM and posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) may improve patient and graft survival in transplant recipients. Aim. To determine the perioperative and one-year outcomes after renal transplantation and whether these outcomes are affected by preexisting DM, PTDM, or glycaemia during transplant admission. Method. Adult recipients of renal transplants from a single centre over 5.5 years were retrospectively reviewed. Measured outcomes during transplant admission included glycaemia and complications (infective complications, acute rejection, and return to dialysis) and, at 12 months, glycaemic control and complications (cardiovascular complication, graft failure). Results. Of 148 patients analysed, 29 (19.6%) had DM and 27 (18.2%) developed PTDM. Following transplantation, glucose levels were higher in patients with DM and PTDM. DM patients had a longer hospital stay, had more infections, and were more likely return to dialysis. PTDM patients had increased rates of acute rejection and return to dialysis. At 1 year after transplant, there were more cardiovascular complications in DM patients compared to those without DM. Conclusions. Compared to patients without DM, patients with DM or PTDM are more likely to suffer from complications perioperatively and at 12 months. Perioperative glycaemia is associated with graft function and may be a modifiable risk.
Medical Students’ Stress Levels and Sense of Well Being after Six Weeks of Yoga and Meditation
Authors: Prasad Lona , Varrey Aneesha , Sisti Giovanni
Published: December 2016

Objective. To determine the effect of six weeks of yoga and meditation on medical students’ levels of perceived stress and sense of wellbeing prior to taking their exams. Methods. We conducted a prospective case‐control study of first‐through‐third‐year medical students at our academic institution, measuring levels of perceived stress and sense of wellbeing before and after a six‐week yoga and meditation intervention. Questionnaires used for evaluation included the perceived stress scale (PSS) and self‐assessment surveys (SAS). The postintervention surveys were completed on the day of the students’ written exams. Results. A total of thirteen women and fourteen men participated. Median age was 28 (24 yrs–32 yrs). 48.1% were Caucasian, 7.4% Black, 11.1% Hispanic, 11.1% Asian, and 22.2% other. Paired t‐tests showed a statistically significant reduction in perceived stress (18.44 versus 14.52; p = 0.004) after the six‐week yoga and meditation program. After the yoga intervention, self‐assessment survey results showed a significant improvement in feelings of peace, focus, and endurance. Improvements in happiness, positivity, personal satisfaction, and self‐confidence were also seen. An improvement in unsubstantiated parameters such as patience and fatigue was observed. Conclusion. Yoga and meditation may be effective in reducing stress levels and improving aspects of personal wellbeing in medical students.
Rolling Element Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Integrated Nonlocal Means Denoising with Modified Morphology Filter Operators
Authors: Van Mien , Franciosa Pasquale , Ceglarek Dariusz
Published: December 2016

The impulses in vibration signals are used to identify faults in the bearings of rotating machinery. However, vibration signals are usually contaminated by noise that makes the process of extracting impulse characteristic of localized defect very challenging. In order to effectively diagnose bearing with noise masking vibration signal, a new methodology is proposed using integrated (i) nonlocal means- (NLM-) based denoising and (ii) improved morphological filter operators. NLM based denoising is first employed to eliminate or reduce the background noise with minimal signal distortion. This denoised signal is then analysed by a proposed modified morphological analysis (MMA). The MMA analysis introduces a new morphological operator which is based on Modified-Different (DIF) filter to include only fault relevant impulsive characteristics of the vibration signal. To improve further performance of the methodology the length of the structure element (SE) used in MMA is optimized using a particle swarm optimization- (PSO-) based kurtosis criterion. The results of simulated and real vibration signal show that the integrated NLM with MMA method as well as the MMA method alone yields superior performance in extracting impulsive characteristics of vibrations signals, especially for signal with high level of noise or presence of other sources masking the fault.