bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of success criteria based on long-term symptoms and new-onset hypertension in mandibular advancement device treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea: observational cohort study
Authors: Wee Jee Hye , Lim Jae Hyun , Gelera January E , Rhee Chae-Seo , Kim Jeong-Whun
Published: May 2018

Objective

To identify adequate criteria to determine the success or failure of mandibular advancement device (MAD) treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) based on long-term symptoms and new-onset hypertension.

Design

Observational cohort study.

Setting

A tertiary care hospital setting in South Korea.

Participants

Patients (age >18 years) who were diagnosed with OSA by a polysomnography (PSG) or Watch peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT), and who had been treated with MAD between January 2007 and December 2014 were enrolled.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Patients underwent PSG or Watch PAT twice; before and 3 months after the application of MAD. The patients were categorised into success and failure groups using seven different criteria. MAD compliance, witnessed apnoea and snoring, Epworth Sleepiness Scale score and occurrence of new-onset hypertension were surveyed via telephonic interview to determine the criteria that could identify success and failure of MAD.

Results

A total of 97 patients were included. The mean follow-up duration was 60.5 months, and the mean apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) was 35.5/hour. Two of the seven criteria could significantly differentiate the success and failure groups based on long-term symptoms, including (1) AHI<10/hour with MAD and (2) AHI<10/hour and AHI reduction of >50% with MAD. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that one criterion of AHI<15/hour with MAD could differentiate the success and failure groups based on new-onset hypertension (p=0.035). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the cut-off AHI for new-onset hypertension was 16.8/hour (71.4% sensitivity and 75.0% specificity).

Conclusion

Our long-term follow-up survey for symptoms and new-onset hypertension suggested that some of the polysomnographic success criteria, that is, AHI<10/hour with MAD, AHI<10/hour and AHI reduction of >50% with MAD and AHI<15/hour with MAD may be useful in distinguishing the success group from failure one. Further prospective longitudinal studies are warranted to validate these criteria.
Chlorinated flame retardant Dechlorane Plus: environmental pollution in China
Authors: Ji Xiaowen , Xie Xianchuan , Ding Jue , Cheng Yu , He Huihui , Huang Yu , Qin Long , Zhu Haixiao , Zhao Congcong , Li Aimin , Han Chao
Published: May 2018

Dechlorane Plus (DP) is a chlorinated flame retardant that is currently in intensive use and has been detected extensively in the environment. In China, the temporal and spatial distribution of DP is characterized by sources of point emissions in the south and diffusion to the north and west, including to remote, high-elevation areas, which are characterized by different climatic conditions and topographies. Thus, relatively high and low concentrations of DP have been observed in areas without significant nearby pollution sources. High DP concentrations have been observed in South China because of the recycling of large amounts of electronic waste and the presence of a DP factory. DP in urban areas is not influenced by atmospheric transportation, whereas DP in rural areas originates from atmospheric transmission from specific sources, such as e-waste recycling areas, which vary seasonally. Furthermore, DP in Chinese forest soils has been observed to preferentially accumulate in the mineral horizon due to leaching by precipitation as well as erosion by weathering in the organic horizon. Although the hazard quotient (HQ) has been estimated to be far from 1 for DP manufacturing operators, the HQ might not reveal deleterious effects on humans. Extremely high DP concentrations have been observed in serum samples from DP manufacturing operators in China. Moreover, different isomer-specific accumulation in terrestrial species, except for aquatic biota, shows that syn-DP is preferentially accumulated. Finally, to achieve better understanding of the mechanisms of DP degradation both in nature and in organisms, further laboratory study is needed.
A Time-Space Trade-off for the Shortest Path Tree in a Simple Polygon
Authors: Kavand Pardis , Mohades Ali
Published: May 2018

A [Formula: see text]-workspace algorithm may use a workspace of [Formula: see text] words which can be read and written, in addition to their input, which is provided as a read-only array of [Formula: see text] items. We present a [Formula: see text]-workspace algorithm for constructing the shortest path tree of a simple polygon [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] vertices, with respect to a given point inside the polygon in [Formula: see text] time, where [Formula: see text] is the time for computing the visibility polygon of a given point inside a simple polygon with [Formula: see text] additional words of space.
Properties of Parikh Matrices of Binary Words Obtained by an Extension of a Restricted Shuffle Operator
Authors: Bera Somnath , Mahalingam Kalpana , Subramanian K. G.
Published: May 2018

We introduce an extension of the restricted shuffle operator on binary words considered by Atanasiu and Teh (2016). We then derive properties on Parikh matrix equivalence of words over a binary alphabet based on this extended shuffle operator and a weak-ratio property of words. We also examine the recently introduced concept of core Parikh matrix equivalence of binary words in the context of the restricted shuffle operator.
Quantum Pushdown Automata with Garbage Tape
Authors: Nakanishi Masaki
Published: May 2018

Several kinds of quantum pushdown automata models have been proposed, and their computational power has been investigated intensively. However, for some quantum pushdown automaton models, it is unknown whether quantum models are at least as powerful as their classical counterparts or not. This is due to the reversibility restriction. In this paper, we introduce a new quantum pushdown automaton model that has a garbage tape. This model can overcome the reversibility restriction by exploiting the garbage tape to store popped symbols. We show that the proposed model can simulate any quantum pushdown automaton with classical stack as well as any probabilistic pushdown automaton. We also show that our model can solve a certain promise problem exactly while deterministic pushdown automata cannot. These results imply that our model is strictly more powerful than its classical counterparts in the setting of exact, one-sided error and non-deterministic computation. Showing impossibility for a promise problem is a difficult task in general. However, by analyzing the behavior of a deterministic pushdown automaton carefully, we obtained the impossibility result. This is one of the main contributions of the paper.
The Immunoregulatory Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Psoriasis via its Action on Interleukin: Advances and Considerations
Authors: Wu Minfeng , Deng Yu , Li Su , Chen Yu , Guo Dongjie , Jin Xingxiu , Xu Qi , Li Bin , Li Fulun
Published: May 2018

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease characterized by clinical manifestations of erythema and white scales. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is not yet clear. Despite a combination of hormonal therapy and physiotherapy used in Western medicine, the condition often relapses after withdrawal of drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has therapeutic features and may be a clinically effective formula by regulating unbalanced immune systems, such as by targeting interleukins. In this paper, we review recent research about how Chinese medicine immunoregulates psoriasis via interleukins, and systematically summarizes the related mechanisms. There are three common pathways leading to psoriasis: (1) Th17 cells secrete IL-17, which is stimulated by IL-23; (2) Th1 cells secrete IL-21, TNF-[Formula: see text] and IFN-[Formula: see text], with the help of Th17 cells; (3) Th22 cells secrete IL-22 under the stimulation of Th17 cells. Clinical and experiment data indicate that TCM could modify psoriasis by antagonizing or regulating interleukin and IL-23/IL-17 axis to inhibit the main pathways.
Pachymic Acid Sensitizes Gastric Cancer Cells to Radiation Therapy by UpregulatingBaxthrough Hypoxia
Authors: Lu Chunwei , Cai Dingfang , Ma Jun
Published: May 2018

We have previously shown that pachymic acid (PA) inhibited tumorigenesis of gastric cancer (GC) cells. However, the exact mechanism underlying the radiation response of GC was still elusive. To evaluate the effects of PA treatment on radiation response of GC cell lines both in vitro and in vivo, a colony formation assay and xenograft mouse model were employed. Changes in Bax and HIF1[Formula: see text] expressions were assessed in GC cells following PA treatment. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immune-precipitation assays were carried out to investigate the regulation of Bax through HIF1[Formula: see text]. Stable HIF1[Formula: see text] knockdown was introduced into GC cells to further study the mechanism underlying PA-enhanced response to radiation both in vitro and in vivo. PA greatly enhanced the sensitivity of GC cells to radiation in vitro and in vivo, upregulated Bax expression and inhibited hypoxia. Bax expression was under hypoxia inhibition, and PA increased Bax expression through repressing HIF1[Formula: see text]. Stable HIF1[Formula: see text] overexpression in GC cells abolished the sensitizing effect of PA on GC cells to radiation both in vitro and in vivo. PA functions as a radiation sensitizing compound in GC. PA treatment induces the expression of pro-apoptotic factor Bax by inhibiting hypoxia/HIF1[Formula: see text], supporting the therapeutic potential of PA in radiation therapy against GC.
Majorana fermions and orthogonal complex structures
Authors: Calderón-García J. S. , Reyes-Lega A. F.
Published: May 2018

Ground states of quadratic Hamiltonians for fermionic systems can be characterized in terms of orthogonal complex structures. The standard way in which such Hamiltonians are diagonalized makes use of a certain “doubling” of the Hilbert space. In this work, we show that this redundancy in the Hilbert space can be completely lifted if the relevant orthogonal structure is taken into account. Such an approach allows for a treatment of Majorana fermions which is both physically and mathematically transparent. Furthermore, an explicit connection between orthogonal complex structures and the topological [Formula: see text]-invariant is given.
Discrete element modeling of shock-induced particle jetting
Authors: Xue Kun , Cui Haoran
Published: May 2018

The dispersal of particle shell or ring by divergent impulsive loads takes the form of coherent particle jets with the dimensions several orders larger than that of constituent grain. Particle-scale simulations based on the discrete element method have been carried out to reveal the evolution of jets in semi-two-dimensional rings before they burst out of the external surface. We identify two key events which substantially change the resulted jetting pattern, specifically, the annihilation of incipient jets and the tip-slipping of jets, which become active in different phases of jet evolution. Parametric investigations have been done to assess the correlations between the jetting pattern and a variety of structural parameters. Overpressure, the internal and outer diameters of ring as well as the packing density are found to have effects on the jet evolution with different relative importance.
Simulation of aerodynamic noise and vibration noise in hard disk drives
Authors: Zhu Lei , Shen Sheng-Nan , Li Hui , Zhang Guo-Qing , Cui Fu-Hao
Published: May 2018

Internal flow field characteristics of HDDs are usually influenced by the arm swing during seek operations. This, in turn, can affect aerodynamic noise and airflow-induced noise. In this paper, the dynamic mesh method is used to calculate the flow-induced vibration (FIV) by transient structure analysis and the boundary element method (BEM) is utilized to predict the vibration noise. Two operational states are considered: the arm is fixed and swinging over the disk. Both aerodynamic noise and vibration noise inside drives increase rapidly with increase in disk rotation and arm swing velocities. The largest aerodynamic noise source is always located near the arm and swung with the arm.
Residential Satisfaction of Elderly as Determinant Behind Design Thinking in Urban Planning
Authors: Yu Yifan , Wang Fuqin , Zhu Feiyang , Yin Zhigang
Published: May 2018

Residential satisfaction (RS) is an important bolometer to capture the mood of residents and their opinions on the quality of life they are living. Here, it is our intent to focus on the evaluation of the home as the measurement for satisfaction of the occupant, as it occurs naturally for its occupants. In this case, we study the urban folks, in terms of density, location and housing type, designed by the urban planners. Using data from the 4th National Sample Survey on the living conditions of China’s urban and rural older population, we analyzed the RS among people in their 60[Formula: see text]s and older ([Formula: see text]) living in the suburban neighborhoods in Shanghai. Using Logistic Regression models, we compared and studied the impacts of these three independent variables on their view on RS. The results confirmed the housing type and the location as the two most impactful factors and as the two main determinants in RS among the elderly population living in the urban areas of Shanghai.
Correction in Bicinchoninic Acid (BCA) Absorbance Assay to Analyze Protein Concentration
Authors: Smith Daniel L. , Lemieux Elizabeth N. , Barua Sutapa
Published: May 2018

Conducting the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay directly after a coupling reaction using (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide) (EDC) and [Formula: see text]-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) chemistry produces significant errors. Here we present a correction for the quantification of gelatin in the supernatant (SN) following gelatin conjugation to polymer microparticles using EDC and NHS chemistry. Following the conjugation reaction, SNs from the gelatin-microparticle formation reaction are treated with BCA assay reagents and quantified for the percentage of unbound gelatin in the solution. NHS was found to interfere with the BCA assay reagents and is dependent on incubation time. It is found that the large concentration (500[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL) of NHS in the conjugation reaction interferes with the sensitivity of gelatin present in SNs. The interference from NHS requires a careful analysis to distinguish the BCA background absorbance from the sample absorbance. Using an NHS control solution can correct NHS interference and thus decrease the expensive iterations in gelatin quantification and enable accurate analysis of gelatin content. The accuracy of gelatin quantification is further improved by reducing the BCA assay incubation time to approximately 20[Formula: see text]min, compared with the recommended 30[Formula: see text]min. This re-assessment of BCA assay is important to avoid misestimating biases in bioconjugation processes.
Different Dosages of Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection for the Treatment of Trigger Finger and Thumb: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kosiyatrakul Arkaphat , Loketkrawee Wittawat , Luenam Suriya
Published: May 2018

Background: This study was designed to compare the efficacy and complications between 3 different dosages of triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of trigger finger.

Methods: Ninety-three patients with a total of 120 trigger digits were included in the study. The involved digits were randomized to 3 groups. Each group received treatment consisting of injection with 5, 10 or 20 mg triamcinolone acetonide. The clinical response to the steroid was evaluated during the first six weeks after injection. The success rate was determined at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after injection.

Results: After the injections, pain and triggering improved gradually and nearly resolved completely at 6 weeks in all dosages. A dose related pattern was found at 3 and 6 months after the injection. The 20 mg group had a significant higher success rate when compared to the 5 and 10 mg at 3 and 6 months. The 10 mg group has significant higher success rate when compare to 5 mg at 3 months. There were no differences of success rate between groups at 9 and 12 months. At 12 months, 7 of 40 digits (17.5%) in the 5 mg group, 7 of 40 digits (17.5%) in the 10 mg group, and 9 of 40 digit (22.5%) in the 20 mg group were without triggering (p = 0.806).

Conclusions: A dose-response characteristic was demonstrated in the treatment of trigger finger with triamcinolone acetonide. Triamcinolone acetonide 5 mg seems to have the lowest success rate.
Long-term Outcome of Open Synovectomy with Radial Head Resection for Rheumatoid Elbow
Authors: Nakayama Masanori , Sakuma Yu , Imamura Hitoshi , Yano Koichiro , Ikari Katsunori
Published: May 2018

Background: We reviewed our surgical results of open synovectomy with radial head resection for rheumatoid elbow.

Methods: We reviewed the 20 patients (22 elbows) underwent open synovectomy for rheumatoid elbows retrospectively. The minimum follow-up period is over 10 years, and the average was 13 years 4 months. Surgical outcomes were evaluated using the VAS pain scale, range of motion, and radiologic outcomes including Larsen’s grade and carrying angle.

Results: The mean VAS score was 39 (range, 10–90) at last follow-up. The only one patient underwent revision surgery. The mean flexion-extension range of elbow was -28°–112° and arc of motion was 82° before surgery. The mean flexion-extension range of elbow was -23°–114°, and arc of motion was 90° at last follow-up. Radiologic findings of nine elbows in 21 elbows worsened at last follow-up according to the Larsen–s grade. Carrying angle increased by mean 4.2°, and it increased by 10° or more in four elbows.

Conclusions: Our results show that open synovectomy with radial head resection resulted in functional motion maintenance and pain control for a long time, but often resulted in an elbow valgus deformity. Our findings suggest open synovectomy can be considered as palliative treatment for painful rheumatoid elbow.
Recurrent Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Caused by Ganglion: A Report of Nine Cases
Authors: Komatsu Masatoshi , Uchiyama Shigeharu , Kimura Takumi , Suenaga Naoki , Hayashi Masanori , Kato Hiroyuki
Published: May 2018

Background: Cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) is generally treated successfully by surgery and recurrent cases are rare. This study retrospectively investigated the clinical characteristics of recurrent CuTS caused by ganglion.

Methods: We evaluated nine patients who were surgically treated for recurrent CuTS caused by ganglion. Age distribution at recurrence ranged from 43 to 79 years. The initial surgery for CuTS had been performed using various methods. The asymptomatic period from initial surgery to recurrence ranged from 22 to 252 months. Clinical, diagnostic imaging, and operative findings during the second surgery were analyzed. All patients were treated by anterior subcutaneous ulnar nerve transposition with ganglion resection and later examined directly within a mean of 71 months after the second surgery.

Results: The interval from recurrence to consultation was shorter than two months for eight cases. Chief complaints included numbness with or without pain in the ring and little fingers in all patients and resting pain in the medial elbow in five patients. Elbow osteoarthritis was present in all cases. Although four of 10 ganglia were palpable, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging could identify all ganglia preoperatively. The ulnar nerve typically had become entrapped by the ganglion posteriorly and by fascia, scar tissue, and/or muscle anteriorly. Chief complaints and ulnar nerve function were improved in all patients following revision surgery.

Conclusions: The acute onset of numbness with or without intolerable pain in the ring and little fingers after a long-term remission period following initial surgery for CuTS in patients with elbow osteoarthritis appears to be the characteristic clinical profile of recurrent CuTS caused by ganglion. As ganglia are often not palpable, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are recommended for accurate diagnosis.
Insufficiency Fracture of the Radial Diaphysis Following a Sauve-Kapandji Procedure for Osteoarthritis of the Distal Radioulnar Joint: A Case Report
Authors: Wakasugi Takuma , Shirasaka Ritsuro , Fujita Koji
Published: May 2018

The Sauve-Kapandji (SK) procedure for distal radioulnar joint osteoarthritis have complications including pain over the proximal ulnar stump, nonunion of the fused distal radioulnar joint, and less frequently, insufficiency fracture of the distal radius. We report a case of insufficiency fracture of the radial diaphysis as a rare complication of the SK procedure.
The Use of Cryotherapy to Treat Infantile Digital Fibromatosis with a Functional Deficit: A Case Report
Authors: Kramer Aviv , Har-Shai Yaron , Metanes Isa , Harel Hani , Wollstein Ronit
Published: May 2018

Infantile Digital Fibromatosis (IDF) is a rare benign lesion that can affect the fingers, often appearing at birth or early on in life. Treatment is controversial due to a high recurrence rate following surgical excision, and the tendency of the lesions to regress or resolve completely after the age of one year. Functional loss has rarely been described. We describe a case of IDF with joint contracture and significant functional deficit that was treated with cryotherapy and post procedural occupational therapy with an excellent result. Indications for treatment and cryotherapy as a therapeutic modality for IDF are discussed.
Stochastic Control-Oriented Modeling of Flexible Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle
Authors: Wu Yan-rui , Yang Peng-fei , Wu You-li
Published: May 2018

The flexible dynamics of commonly used air-breathing hypersonic vehicle model are not tractable for control design and the inevitable stochastic perturbations are usually neglected. Aiming at these deficiencies, reduced flexible dynamics are deducted in this paper and a stochastic control-oriented vehicle model is established accordingly. The responses of the original system to the deterministic and the stochastic part of the generalized force, which is treated as the input of the flexible dynamic system, are analyzed. After that, the simplified flexible dynamics is deduced to approximate the responses. The reduced flexible dynamics, which are tractable for control design since they greatly reduce the complexity of the original dynamics, are comprised of a simple function of the determined generalized force and an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck colored noise. Finally, the longitudinal dynamics in parametric strict feedback form are obtained by substituting the reduced flexible dynamics into the original model. The applicability of the simplified flexible dynamics is validated through the numerical simulations.
Can Repetitive Small Magnitude‐Induced Seismic Events Actually Cause Damage?
Authors: Taylor Oliver-Denzil S. , Lester Alanna P. , Lee Theodore A. , McKenna Mihan H.
Published: May 2018

Geoengineering activities such as reservoir impoundment, mining, wastewater injection, geothermal systems, and CO2 capture have been linked directly to induced seismicity. With the industrial boom in natural shale gas production regions previously aseismic areas have seen an exponential growth in the frequency of small magnitude events, with multiple events observed in close proximity within a 24‐hour time period. While the overwhelming majority of induced seismic research has focused on the causality, the potential risk posed to critical federal infrastructure has escaped scrutiny. This proposes the question, “Can repetitive small magnitude‐induced seismic events actually cause damage?” A review of the potential risk is presented herein, concluding that a simplistic definitive statement of whether single or multiple small magnitude‐induced seismic events do or do not cause damage to critical infrastructure cannot be justified, and warrants additional study. However, recent observations and research suggest the likelihood that these geoengineering‐induced events can and do cause detrimental degradation of the subsurface (damaging the overlying structure) is not insignificant.
Real‐Time Emulation of Nonstationary Channels in Safety‐Relevant Vehicular Scenarios
Authors: Ghiaasi Golsa , Blazek Thomas , Ashury Mehdi , Santos Rute Ramalho , Mecklenbräuker Christoph
Published: May 2018

This paper proposes and discusses the architecture for a real‐time vehicular channel emulator capable of reproducing the input/output behavior of nonstationary time‐variant radio propagation channels in safety‐relevant vehicular scenarios. The vehicular channel emulator architecture aims at a hardware implementation which requires minimal hardware complexity for emulating channels with the varying delay‐Doppler characteristics of safety‐relevant vehicular scenarios. The varying delay‐Doppler characteristics require real‐time updates to the multipath propagation model for each local stationarity region. The vehicular channel emulator is used for benchmarking the packet error performance of commercial off‐the‐shelf (COTS) vehicular IEEE 802.11p modems and a fully software‐defined radio‐based IEEE 802.11p modem stack. The packet error ratio (PER) estimated from temporal averaging over a single virtual drive and the packet error probability (PEP) estimated from ensemble averaging over repeated virtual drives are evaluated and compared for the same vehicular scenario. The proposed architecture is realized as a virtual instrument on National Instruments™ LabVIEW. The National Instrument universal software radio peripheral with reconfigurable input‐output (USRP‐Rio) 2953R is used as the software‐defined radio platform for implementation; however, the results and considerations reported are of general purpose and can be applied to other platforms. Finally, we discuss the PER performance of the modem for two categories of vehicular channel models: a vehicular nonstationary channel model derived for urban single lane street crossing scenario of the DRIVEWAY’09 measurement campaign and the stationary ETSI models.
Climate Warming in Response to Emission Reductions Consistent with the Paris Agreement
Authors: Wang Fang , Tokarska Katarzyna B. , Zhang Jintao , Ge Quansheng , Hao Zhixin , Zhang Xuezhen , Wu Maowei
Published: May 2018

To limit global warming to well below 2°C in accord with the Paris Agreement, countries throughout the world have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) outlining their greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions in the next few decades. However, it remains unclear what the resulting climate change is in response to the proposed INDCs and subsequent emission reductions. In this study, the global and regional warming under the updated INDC scenarios was estimated from a range of comprehensive Earth system models (CMIP5) and a simpler carbon-climate model (MAGICC), based on the relationship of climate response to cumulative emissions. The global GHG emissions under the updated INDC pledges are estimated to reach 14.2∼15.0 GtC/year in 2030, resulting in a global mean temperature increase of 1.29∼1.55°C (median of 1.41°C) above the preindustrial level. By extending the INDC scenarios to 2100, global GHG emissions are estimated to be around 6.4∼9.0 GtC/year in 2100, resulting in a global mean temperature increase by 2.67∼3.74°C (median of 3.17°C). The Arctic warming is projected to be most profound, exceeding the global average by a factor of three by the end of this century. Thus, climate warming under INDC scenarios is projected to greatly exceed the long-term Paris Agreement goal of stabilizing the global mean temperature at to a low level of 1.5‐2.0°C above the pre-industrial. Our study suggests that the INDC emission commitments need to be adjusted and strengthened to bridge this warming gap.
Application of Improved Fast Dynamic Allan Variance for the Characterization of MEMS Gyroscope on UAV
Authors: Zhang Qian , Wang Xueyun , Wang Shiqian , Pei Chaoying
Published: May 2018

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are core components in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The precision of MEMS sensors is very important when the GPS signal is invalid. However, the precision and performance of MEMS sensors will be degraded by the changing of environment. Therefore, estimation and identification of the various noise terms existing in MEMS sensors are deemed to be necessary. The Allan variance is a common and standard method to analyze MEMS sensors, but it cannot be used to analyze the dynamic characteristics. The dynamic Allan variance (DAVAR) is a sliding version of the Allan variance. It is a practical tool that could represent the nonstationary behavior of the MEMS signal. As the DAVAR needs to estimate the Allan variance at each time epoch, the computation time grows significantly with the length of the signal series. In this paper, in the case of MEMS gyroscope on UAV, an improved fast DAVAR algorithm based on the choice of relevant time is proposed to shorten the computation time. As an experimental validation, numerical experiments are conducted under the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the improved method could greatly increase the computation speed and does not affect the accuracy of estimation.
Rare Case of Four Osseous Lesions of the Skull in a Patient with Secondary Syphilis
Authors: Kusler Jace , Arthurs Supha
Published: May 2018

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Syphilis can present as primary, secondary, tertiary, or congenital. It can have an effect on many different organ systems and tissues leading to a wide variety of symptoms and complications; one rare manifestation is bone involvement. The patient in this case was diagnosed with secondary and early neurosyphilis and was also found to have skull lesions that were due to Treponema pallidum. There are guidelines for the treatment of primary, secondary, tertiary, and congenital syphilis; however, there are currently no guidelines for the treatment of syphilis with bone involvement.
Neutropenic Enterocolitis in a Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipient on Multiple Immunosuppressants
Authors: Miller Emily E. , Reardon Leigh Christopher
Published: May 2018

Neutropenic enterocolitis (NE) historically primarily affects pediatric patients with leukemia who are undergoing chemotherapy or who have recently received bone marrow transplants. Although a few case reports have shown NE occurring outside of this typical population, to our knowledge, this is the first published case of NE occurring in the setting of pediatric heart transplant. This patient was diagnosed several months after pediatric heart transplant, with radiographs showing evidence of pneumatosis intestinalis. Although NE does not typically affect solid organ transplant patients, this patient had a variety of risk factors that may have predisposed her to development of NE such as severe neutropenia, supratherapeutic tacrolimus level, immunosuppression with cytotoxic agents, and elevated Epstein-Barr viral load. Fortunately, this patient improved with bowel rest, fluids, antibiotics, and alteration of her immunosuppressive regimen. However, NE can be fatal, and thus it is an important condition to consider, even in patients without leukemia or on chemotherapeutic regimens.
Comparison of Initialization Techniques for the Accurate Extraction of Muscle Synergies from Myoelectric Signals via Nonnegative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Soomro Mumtaz Hussain , Conforto Silvia , Giunta Gaetano , Ranaldi Simone , De Marchis Cristiano
Published: May 2018

The main goal of this work was to assess the performance of different initializations of matrix factorization algorithms for an accurate identification of muscle synergies. Currently, nonnegative matrix factorization (NNMF) is the most commonly used method to identify muscle synergies. However, it has been shown that NNMF performance might be affected by different kinds of initialization. The present study aims at optimizing the traditional NNMF initialization for data with partial or complete temporal dependencies. For this purpose, three different initializations are used: random, SVD-based, and sparse. NNMF was used to identify muscle synergies from simulated data as well as from experimental surface EMG signals. Simulated data were generated from synthetic independent and dependent synergy vectors (i.e., shared muscle components), whose activation coefficients were corrupted by simulating controlled degrees of correlation. Similarly, EMG data were artificially modified, making the extracted activation coefficients temporally dependent. By measuring the quality of identification of the original synergies underlying the data, it was possible to compare the performance of different initialization techniques. Simulation results demonstrate that sparse initialization performs significantly better than all other kinds of initialization in reconstructing muscle synergies, regardless of the correlation level in the data.
Lectins as Promising Therapeutics for the Prevention and Treatment of HIV and Other Potential Coinfections
Authors: Mazalovska Milena , Kouokam J. Calvin
Published: May 2018

Human immunodeficiency virus-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) remains a global health problem. Current therapeutics specifically target the viral pathogen at various stages of its life cycle, although complex interactions between HIV and other pathogenic organisms are evident. Targeting HIV and concomitant infectious pathogens simultaneously, both by therapeutic regimens and in prevention strategies, would help contain the AIDS pandemic. Lectins, a ubiquitous group of proteins that specifically bind glycosylated molecules, are interesting compounds that could be used for this purpose, with demonstrated anti-HIV properties. In addition, potential coinfecting pathogens, including other enveloped viruses, bacteria, yeasts and fungi, and protozoa, display sugar-coated macromolecules on their surfaces, making them potential targets of lectins. This review summarizes the currently available findings suggesting that lectins should be further developed to simultaneously fight the AIDS pandemic and concomitant infections in HIV infected individuals.
Clinical Utility of a Structured Program to Reduce the Risk of Health-Related Quality of Life Impairment after Discharge from Intensive Care Unit: A Real-World Experience
Authors: Venni Angelica , Ioia Francesca , Laviola Silvia , Frigieri Francesca , Pieri Alessandra , Marilli Simona , Balzi Daniela , Ballo Piercarlo , Gori Stefano , Guarducci Diletta
Published: May 2018

Background. Postdischarge deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a major clinical issue for patients after an intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. A significant proportion of these patients is known to develop a progressive worsening of mental and physical performance—the so-called post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Aim. We aimed at exploring the effects of a structured program for the management of ICU patients, aimed at improving postdischarge HRQoL and reducing the risk of PICS. Methods. A total of 159 patients hospitalized in our ICU with a length of stay >72 hours were enrolled in an institutional management protocol including specific recommendations: adequate sedation and analgesia protocols, to ensure a valid delirium prevention strategy, and to provide a planned midterm after discharge. The main endpoint was the occurrence of PICS at the 6-month follow-up visitation, defined as an abnormal physical or mental score in the SF-12 questionnaire in the presence of clinical evidence of new or worsening impairment in physical, cognitive, or mental health status. An additional questionnaire was administered, to assess the effects of ICU-related memories. Results. Most patients positively rated their health at the 6-month follow-up and had no significant impairment in physical or mental health status. The mean normalized values of the physical and mental component of the SF-12 score were 46 ± 11 and 48 ± 14, suggesting a normal physical and mental health status in most patients. Twenty-nine patients (18.2%) showed evidence of PICS. Similar good results were found by the questionnaire of memories. In multivariable analysis, no variable was found to predict the risk of PICS in our population. Conclusion. In this real-world analysis that lacks a control group, patients who used a program aimed at minimizing the risk of HRQoL deterioration and PICS reported a good perception of their state of health with a relatively low prevalence of PICS.
Severe Metformin Poisoning Successfully Treated with Simultaneous Venovenous Hemofiltration and Prolonged Intermittent Hemodialysis
Authors: Leonaviciute Dovile , Madsen Bo , Schmedes Anne , Buus Niels H. , Rasmussen Bodil S.
Published: May 2018

Metformin poisoning is a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate. We present a patient case of metformin poisoning following intake of 80 g metformin resulting in severe lactate acidosis with a nadir pH of 6.73 and circulatory collapse, successfully treated with addition of prolonged intermittent hemodialysis (HD) to continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). The patient’s pH became normal 48 hours after metformin ingestion during simultaneous CVVH and addition of 22 hours of intermittent HD in the ICU. The highest metformin level was found to be 991 μmol/L (therapeutic range 3.9–23.2 μmol/L). We conclude that in cases of severe metformin poisoning with circulatory shock and extreme lactic acidosis, the usual CVVH modality might not efficiently clear metformin. Therefore, additional prolonged HD should be considered even in the state of cardiovascular collapse with vasopressor requirement.
Evaluation of the Effect of the Sulcus Angle and Lateral to Medial Facet Ratio of the Patellar Groove on Patella Tracking in Aging Subjects with Stable Knee Joint
Authors: Qin Jianghui , Chen Dongyang , Xu Zhihong , Shi Dongquan , Dai Jin , Jiang Qing
Published: May 2018

Purpose.To determine whether the sulcus angle and the lateral to medial facet ratio correlate with patella lateral displacement and tilt in patients without patella instability.Methods.Computed tomography images of the lower limb of 64 patients without known arthropathy were collected. Three-dimensional models of the lower limb with a unified coordinate system were rebuilt by using Mimics software. The sulcus angle, lateral to medial facet ratio, lateral trochlear inclination of the patellar groove, tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance, bisect offset index, and lateral tilt of the patella were measured. Pearson’s correlation test was used to determine the relationship between the aforementioned parameters.Results.Data from 51 patients were analyzed. The sulcus angle was negatively correlated with lateral tilt inclination (p<0.001,r=0.8406) and positively correlated with the bisect offset index (p=0.003,r=0.634) and patellar tilt (p=0.03,r=0.551); the lateral to medial facet ratio was positively correlated with TT-TG distance (p=0.003,r=0.643) and bisect offset index (p=0.026,r=0.559).Conclusion.The sulcus angle and lateral to medial facet ratio of the patellar groove can influence patella tracking in patients with stable knee joints.
Effect of Nasal Obstructive Disorders on Sinonasal Symptoms in Children with Different Levels of Bronchial Asthma Control
Authors: Eliseeva T. I. , Krasilnikova S. V. , Geppe N. A. , Babaev S. Yu. , Tush E. V. , Khaletskaya O. V. , Ovsyannikov D. Yu. , Balabolkin I. I. , Ignatov S. K. , Kubysheva N. I.
Published: May 2018

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic rhinosinusitis (ARS) are typical upper airway pathologies (UAP) in children with bronchial asthma (BA) frequently accompanied with nasal obstructive diseases (NOD). In order to establish the effect of NOD on correlations between nasal and synonasal symptoms with clinical assessments of asthma control, 82 children, 9.8 [8.9; 10.7] years old, with atopic BA were assessed using ACQ-5 for the BA control level, TNSS for nasal symptoms, and SNOT-20 for synonasal quality of life in combination with rhinovideoendoscopy for NOD. All patients had AR/ARS; in 76.3% (63/82) of children, UAP had a multimorbid character with the presence of NOD. Significant correlations were found between ACQ-5 and TNSS (R=0.40,  p<0.0001) and ACQ-5 and SNOT-20 (R=0.42,  p<0.0001). Correlations between TNSS/ACQ-5 and SNOT-20/ACQ-5 were higher in patients who do not have a combination of AR/ARS with NOD (R=0.67,  p=0.0012; R=0.50,  p=0.022, resp.) than in patients who have AR/ARS combined with NOD (R=0.30,  p=0.015;  R=0.26,  p=0.04, resp.). Thus, the association of BA control level with the expression of nasal and synonasal symptoms is higher in children who do not have multimorbid UAP.
Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases and Application of Technology for Early Diagnosis
Authors: Karunathilake Sachith Paramie , Ganegoda Gamage Upeksha
Published: May 2018

Cardiovascular diseases result in millions of deaths around the globe annually, most of which are avoidable if identified early. Preventive healthcare has a major role in the fight against cardiovascular diseases. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention have their own applications along with benefits and drawbacks. This paper aims to elevate the sensitivity of “secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.” Firstly, it discusses common types of cardiovascular diseases around the globe and their causes. Secondly, it analyzes different risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases and then discusses incoming technological trends in cardiovascular disease prediction and finally provides an insight into the importance of secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and commonly prescribed interventions for high risk patients.
Feasibility of Using a Novel 2.45 GHz Double Short Distance Slot Coaxial Antenna for Minimally Invasive Cancer Breast Microwave Ablation Therapy: Computational Model, Phantom, and In Vivo Swine Experimentation
Authors: Ortega-Palacios R. , Trujillo-Romero C. J. , Cepeda Rubio M. F. J. , Vera A. , Leija L. , Reyes Jose L. , Ramírez-Estudillo M. C. , Morales-Alvarez F. , Vega-López M. A.
Published: May 2018

Microwave ablation (MWA) by using coaxial antennas is a promising alternative for breast cancer treatment. A double short distance slot coaxial antenna as a newly optimized applicator for minimally invasive treatment of breast cancer is proposed. To validate and to analyze the feasibility of using this method in clinical treatment, a computational model, phantom, and breast swine in vivo experimentation were carried out, by using four microwave powers (50 W, 30 W, 20 W, and 10 W). The finite element method (FEM) was used to develop the computational model. Phantom experimentation was carried out in breast phantom. The in vivo experimentation was carried out in a 90 kg swine sow. Tissue damage was estimated by comparing control and treated micrographs of the porcine mammary gland samples. The coaxial slot antenna was inserted in swine breast glands by using image-guided ultrasound. In all cases, modeling, in vivo and phantom experimentation, and ablation temperatures (above 60°C) were reached. The in vivo experiments suggest that this new MWA applicator could be successfully used to eliminate precise and small areas of tissue (around 20–30 mm2). By modulating the power and time applied, it may be possible to increase/decrease the ablation area.
An Ising Spin‐Based Model to Explore Efficient Flexibility in Distributed Power Systems
Authors: Prieto-Castrillo Francisco , Shokri Gazafroudi Amin , Prieto Javier , Corchado Juan Manuel
Published: May 2018

This paper analyses customers’ demand flexibility in a local power trading scenario through an Ising spin‐based model. We look at quantitative information on the two‐way relationships between power exchanges and spin dynamics. To this end, a modified version of the Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm was implemented, including a gradient descent through the constraint surface. This allowed us to analyse the system on a large scale (considering the cumulated benefit of all the actors involved) and also from the perspective of total aggregation. In a maximum flexibility scenario, the total aggregation profit increases with the number of aggregators. We also investigate numerically the effect of aggregator boundaries on the spin dynamics.
UFIR Filtering for GPS-Based Tracking over WSNs with Delayed and Missing Data
Authors: Uribe-Murcia Karen , Shmaliy Yuriy S. , Andrade-Lucio Jose A.
Published: May 2018

In smart cities, vehicles tracking is organized to increase safety by localizing cars using the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS-based system provides accurate tracking but is also required to be reliable and robust. As a main estimator, we propose using the unbiased finite impulse response (UFIR) filter, which meets these needs as being more robust than the Kalman filter (KF). The UFIR filter is developed for vehicle tracking in discrete-time state-space over wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with time-stamped data discretely delayed on k-step-lags and missing data. The state-space model is represented in a way such that the UFIR filter, KF, and H∞ filter can be used universally. Applications are given for measurement data, which are cooperatively transferred from a vehicle to a central station through several nodes with k-step-lags. Better tracking performance of the UFIR filter is shown experimentally.
White Blood Cell and Granulocyte Counts Are Independent Predictive Factors for Prognosis of Advanced Pancreatic Caner
Authors: Feng Lanyun , Gu Shihui , Wang Peng , Chen Hao , Chen Zhen , Meng Zhiqiang , Liu Luming
Published: May 2018

Background. Pancreatic cancer is associated with high death rates and limited therapeutic options, with no effective predictive factors being available for prognosis at present. In this study, we evaluate the value of using blood test results for pancreatic cancer prognosis.Method. The records of 214 pancreatic cancer patients were reviewed. Blood test results for white blood cell (WBC), granulocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were dichotomized on the basis of median values. This was followed by univariate and multivariate analyses between groups.Results. Patients with pretreatment values in the rangeWBC≥5.8×109/L,granulocyte≥3.7×109/L,neutrophil≥3.9×109/L,lymphocyte<1.4×109/L, andNLR≥2.8showed significant correlations pointing to poorer overall survival. Multivariate analysis indicated thatWBC≥5.8×109/L(HR=1.808; 95%CI=1.055–3.096;p=0.031) andgranulocyte≥3.7×109/L(HR=7.346; 95% CI = 1.275–42.321;p=0.026) can be taken to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival in pancreatic patients.Conclusion. Pretreatment values of WBC and granulocyte count were independent factors with poor prognosis ability with respect to pancreatic cancer.
Ginsenosides: A Potential Neuroprotective Agent
Authors: Zheng Mengmeng , Xin Yizhou , Li Yujuan , Xu Fangxue , Xi Xiaozhi , Guo Hong , Cui Xiaowei , Cao Hui , Zhang Xi , Han Chunchao
Published: May 2018

Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine with a wide range of pharmacological activities. Ginsenosides are the major constituents of ginseng. Ginsenosides have the unique biological activity and medicinal value, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, and inhibition of cell apoptosis. With the increase of stress in life, the incidence of nervous system diseases is also increasing. Neurological diseases pose a huge burden on people’s life and health. In recent years, some studies have shown that ginsenosides have a certain role in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. However, the research is still in its infancy, and the relevant mechanisms are complex. In the paper, we review the effects and mechanisms of ginsenosides on epilepsy, depression, cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. We hope to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of nervous system diseases by ginsenosides.