bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eco-evolutionary Dynamics Linked to Horizontal Gene Transfer in Vibrios
Authors: Le Roux Frédérique , Blokesch Melanie
Published: June 2018

Vibrio is a genus of ubiquitous heterotrophic bacteria found in aquatic environments. Although they are a small percentage of the bacteria in these environments, vibrios can predominate during blooms. Vibrios also play important roles in the degradation of polymeric substances, such as chitin, and in other biogeochemical processes. Vibrios can be found as free-living bacteria, attached to particles, or associated with other organisms in a mutualistic, commensal, or pathogenic relationship. This review focuses on vibrio ecology and genome plasticity, which confers an ability to adapt to new niches and is driven, at least in part, by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The extent of HGT and its role in pathogen emergence are discussed based on genomic studies of environmental and pathogenic vibrios, mobile genetically encoded virulence factors, and mechanistic studies on the different modes of HGT.
cAMP attenuates TGF-β’s profibrotic responses in osteoarthritic synoviocytes: involvement of hyaluronan and PRG4
Authors: Qadri Marwa M. , Jay Gregory D. , Ostrom Rennolds S. , Zhang Ling X. , Elsaid Khaled A.
Published: June 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by synovitis and synovial fibrosis. Synoviocytes are fibroblast-like resident cells of the synovium that are activated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β to proliferate, migrate, and produce extracellular matrix. Synoviocytes secrete hyaluronan (HA) and proteoglycan-4 (PRG4). HA reduces synovial fibrosis in vivo, and the Prg4−/− mouse exhibits synovial hyperplasia. We investigated the antifibrotic effects of increased intracellular cAMP in TGF-β-stimulated human OA synoviocytes. TGF-β1 stimulated collagen I (COL1A1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) expression, and procollagen I, α-SMA, HA, and PRG4 production, migration, and proliferation of OA synoviocytes were measured. Treatment of OA synoviocytes with forskolin (10 μM) increased intracellular cAMP levels and reduced TGF-β1-stimulated COL1A1, α-SMA, and TIMP-1 expression, with no change in PLOD2 expression. Forskolin also reduced TGF-β1-stimulated procollagen I and α-SMA content as well as synoviocyte migration and proliferation. Forskolin (10 μM) increased HA secretion and PRG4 expression and production. A cell-permeant cAMP analog reduced COL1A1 and α-SMA expression and enhanced HA and PRG4 secretion by OA synoviocytes. HA and PRG4 reduced α-SMA expression and content, and PRG4 reduced COL1A1 expression and procollagen I content in OA synoviocytes. Prg4−/− synovium exhibited increased α-SMA, COL1A1, and TIMP-1 expression compared with Prg4+/+ synovium. Prg4−/− synoviocytes demonstrated strong α-SMA and collagen type I staining, whereas these were undetected in Prg4+/+ synoviocytes and were reduced with PRG4 treatment. We conclude that increasing intracellular cAMP levels in synoviocytes mitigates synovial fibrosis through enhanced production of HA and PRG4, possibly representing a novel approach for treatment of OA synovial fibrosis.
A2BAR activation attenuates acute lung injury by inhibiting alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Xu Xiaotao , Zhu Qingwei , Niu Fangfang , Zhang Rong , Wang Yan , Wang Wenying , Sun Dawei , Wang Xintao , Wang Aizhong
Published: June 2018

The epithelial barrier of the lung is destroyed during acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to the apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). Therefore, treatments that block AEC apoptosis might be a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate ALI. Based on recent evidence, A2B adenosine receptor (A2BAR) plays an important role in ALI in several different animal models, but its exact function in AECs has not been clarified. We investigated the role of A2BAR in AEC apoptosis in a mouse model of oleic acid (OA)-induced ALI and in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced AEC (A549 cells and MLE-12 cells) injury. Mice treated with BAY60-6583, a selective A2BAR agonist, showed lower AEC apoptosis rates than mice treated with OA. However, the role of BAY60-6583 in OA-induced ALI was attenuated by a specific blocker of A2BAR, PSB1115. A2BAR activation decreased H2O2-induced cell apoptosis in vitro, as characterized by the translocation of apoptotic proteins, the release of cytochrome c, and the activation of caspase-3 and poly (ADP ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). In addition, apoptosis was required for the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38, and JNK. Importantly, compared with cells transfected with the A2BAR-siRNA, an ERK inhibitor or p38 inhibitor exhibited decreased apoptotic ratios and cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved PARP-1 levels, whereas the JNK inhibitor displayed increases in these parameters. In conclusion, A2BAR activation effectively attenuated OA-induced ALI by inhibiting AEC apoptosis and mitigated H2O2-induced AEC injury by suppressing the p38 and ERK1/2-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.
Energy compensation in response to aerobic exercise training in overweight adults
Authors: Flack Kyle D. , Ufholz Kelsey , Johnson LuAnn , Fitzgerald John S. , Roemmich James N.
Published: June 2018

Weight loss from exercise is often less than expected. Putative compensatory mechanisms may limit exercise-induced reductions in body fat and might be proportional to exercise energy expenditure (ExEE). This study was conducted to determine compensation for (the difference between accumulated exercise energy expenditure and changes in body tissue energy stores) and compensatory responses to 1,500 or 3,000 kcal/wk of ExEE. Overweight-to-obese ( n = 36) sedentary men and women were randomized to groups expending 300 or 600 kcal/exercise session, 5 days/wk, for 12 wk. Fourteen participants in the 300-kcal group and 15 in the 600-kcal group completed the study. The primary outcome was energy compensation assessed through changes in body tissue energy stores. Secondary outcomes were putative compensatory responses of resting metabolic rate, food reinforcement, dietary intake, and serum acylated ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide-1. All measures were determined pre- and posttraining. The 3,000 kcal/wk group decreased ( P < 0.01) percentage and kilograms of body fat, while the 1,500 kcal/wk group did not. The 1,500 and 3,000 kcal/wk groups compensated for 943 (−164 to 2,050) and 1,007 (32 to 1,982) kcal/wk (mean, 95% CI, P ≥ 0.93), or 62.9% and 33.6% of ExEE, respectively. Resting metabolic rate and energy intake did not change. Food reinforcement and glucagon-like peptide-1 decreased ( P < 0.02), whereas acylated ghrelin increased ( P ≤ 0.02). Compensation is not proportional to ExEE. Similar energy compensation occurred in response to1,500 and 3,000 kcal/wk of ExEE. ExEE of 3,000 kcal/wk is sufficient to exceed compensatory responses and reduce fat mass.
Microvascular adaptations to resistance training are independent of load in resistance-trained young men
Authors: Holloway Tanya M. , Morton Robert W. , Oikawa Sara Y. , McKellar Sean , Baker Steven K. , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: June 2018

Resistance training promotes microvasculature expansion; however, it remains unknown how different resistance training programs contribute to angiogenesis. Thus, we recruited experienced resistance-trained participants and determined the effect of 12 wk of either high-repetition/low-load or low-repetition/high-load resistance training performed to volitional fatigue on muscle microvasculature. Twenty men performed either a high-repetition [20–25 repetitions, 30–50% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM); n = 10] or a low-repetition (8–12 repetitions, 75–90% of 1RM; n = 10) resistance training program. Muscle biopsies were taken before and after resistance training, and immunohistochemistry was used to assess fiber type (I and II)-specific microvascular variables. High-repetition/low-load and low-repetition/high-load groups were not different in any variable before resistance training. Both protocols resulted in an increase in capillarization. Specifically, after resistance training, the capillary-to-fiber ratio, capillary contacts, and capillary-to-fiber perimeter exchange index were elevated, and sharing factor was reduced. These data demonstrate that resistance training performed to volitional failure, using either high repetition/low load or low repetition/high load, induced similar microvascular adaptations in recreationally resistance-trained young men.
Risk of cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease, and stroke in postpartum women and their fetuses after a hypertensive pregnancy
Authors: Cunningham Mark W. , LaMarca Babbette
Published: June 2018

Women with hypertensive pregnancy complications are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic diseases, stroke, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) later in life. Pregnancy complications affect not only the mother’s long-term health but also the health of the fetus immediately after delivery and into adulthood. The health of the fetus until adulthood can be influenced by developmental programming, in which the fetus is exposed to insults that will ultimately affect the growth of the offspring and increase the offspring’s risk of developing hypertension, coronary heart disease, metabolic disease, and chronic kidney disease in adulthood. Preeclampsia, the onset of hypertension during pregnancy, is one of the major risk factors for the development of renal disease, cerebral disease, and CVD in the mother. Women with preeclampsia are at a 5–12-fold increased risk of developing ESRD, 2-fold increased risk of stroke, and 2-fold increased risk of developing CVD later in life. In this review article, we discuss 1) preeclampsia, 2) the risk of developing CVD, renal disease, or stroke later in life for women with hypertensive pregnancies, and 3) the effects of a hypertensive pregnancy on the offspring.
Lesion of the OVLT markedly attenuates chronic DOCA-salt hypertension in rats
Authors: Collister John P. , Nahey David B. , Hartson Rochelle , Wiedmeyer Charles E. , Banek Christopher T. , Osborn John W.
Published: June 2018

Lesions of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V region) are known to prevent many forms of experimental hypertension, including mineralocorticoid [deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt] hypertension in the rat. However, AV3V lesions include the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), portions of the median preoptic nucleus, and efferent fibers from the subfornical organ (SFO), thereby limiting the ability to define the individual contribution of these structures to the prevention of experimental hypertension. Having previously reported that the SFO does not play a significant role in the development of DOCA-salt hypertension, the present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the OVLT is necessary for DOCA-salt hypertension in the rat. In uninephrectomized OVLT-lesioned (OVLTx; n = 6) and sham-operated ( n = 4) Sprague-Dawley rats consuming a 0.1% NaCl diet and 0.9% NaCl drinking solution, 24-h mean arterial pressure (MAP) was recorded telemetrically 5 days before and 21 days after DOCA implantation (100 mg sc per rat). No differences in control MAP were observed between groups. The chronic pressor response to DOCA was attenuated in OVLTx rats such that MAP increased to 133 ± 3 mmHg in sham-operated rats by day 21 of DOCA compared with 120 ± 4 mmHg (means ± SE) in OVLTx rats. These results support the hypothesis that the OVLT is an important brain site of action for the pathogenesis of DOCA-salt hypertension in the rat.
Impact of cannabidiol treatment on regulatory T-17 cells and neutrophil polarization in acute kidney injury
Authors: Baban Babak , Hoda Nasrul , Malik Aneeq , Khodadadi Hesam , Simmerman Erika , Vaibhav Kumar , Mozaffari Mahmood S.
Published: June 2018

Hallmark features of acute kidney injury (AKI) include mobilization of immune and inflammatory mechanisms culminating in tissue injury. Emerging information indicates heterogeneity of neutrophils with pro- and anti-inflammatory functions (N1 and N2, respectively). Also, regulatory T-17 (Treg17) cells curtail T helper 17 (Th-17)-mediated proinflammatory responses. However, the status of Treg17 cells and neutrophil phenotypes in AKI are not established. Furthermore, cannabidiol exerts immunoregulatory effects, but its impact on Treg17 cells and neutrophil subtypes is not established. Thus, we examined the status of Treg17 cells and neutrophil subtypes in AKI and determined whether cannabidiol favors regulatory neutrophils and T cells accompanied with renoprotection. Accordingly, mice were subjected to bilateral renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), without or with cannabidiol treatment; thereafter, kidneys were processed for flow cytometry analyses. Renal IRI increased N1 and Th-17 but reduced N2 and Treg17 cells accompanied with disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (ψm) and increased apoptosis/necrosis and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) immunostaining compared with their sham controls. Importantly, cannabidiol treatment preserved ψm and reduced cell death and KIM-1 accompanied by restoration of N1 and N2 imbalance and preservation of Treg17 cells while decreasing Th-17 cells. The ability of cannabidiol to favor development of Treg17 cells was further established using functional mixed lymphocytic reaction. Subsequent studies showed higher renal blood flow and reduced serum creatinine in cannabidiol-treated IRI animals. Collectively, our novel observations establish that renal IRI causes neutrophil polarization in favor of N1 and also reduces Treg17 cells in favor of Th-17, effects that are reversed by cannabidiol treatment accompanied with significant renoprotection.
Idiothetic signal processing and spatial orientation in patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis
Authors: Anagnostou Evangelos , Skarlatou Vasiliki , Mergner Thomas , Anastasopoulos Dimitri
Published: June 2018

The role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation and the presence of vestibular-responsive neurons in limbic areas are well-established from animal experiments. However, hippocampal spatial processing in humans is not fully understood. Here, we employed real whole body and head-on-trunk rotations to investigate how vestibular signals, either alone or in combination with neck-proprioceptive stimulation, shape the spatial frame of reference in patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Patients were asked to point in darkness with a light spot, moved on a cylindrical screen by means of a joystick, into their visual straight-ahead direction (VSA), to remember this direction in space, and to revert back to this point after the rotations. Estimates in patients with HS were compared with those of healthy controls and of patients with epilepsy without hippocampal involvement. All groups produced similar errors after low-frequency vestibular stimuli. These errors were eliminated when rotations involved concurrent neck stimulation. Significantly increased variability was observed, however, in both the VSA and reposition estimates after the rotations in patients with HS compared with controls. These results suggest that cognitive processing of idiothetic signals for self-motion perception is inaccurate in patients with HS. Importantly, however, the responses of patients with HS showed no spatial lateralization with regard to right or left HS, suggesting that the underlying neuronal loss attenuates the precision of head-direction signal decoding in a nondirectional manner. Hence, patients are unable to use these signals as efficiently as normal subjects in the construction of a stable head-centric spatial frame of reference.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spatial perception relies on combined processing of various idiothetic (vestibular and proprioceptive) and allothetic (visual and auditory) sensory signals. Despite the established knowledge of rodent vestibular-hippocampal interactions, human data are lacking. We investigated idiothetic orientational processing in subjects with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis using various combinations of vestibular and proprioceptive stimuli. Hippocampal impairment leads to less accurate, noisy decoding of the signal related to idiothetic orientation. However, patients did not show any lateralized deficits of visual straight-ahead perception or of target/self-displacement perception after idiothetic stimulation.
Visual working memory in early development: a developmental cognitive neuroscience perspective
Authors: Buss Aaron T. , Ross-Sheehy Shannon , Reynolds Greg D.
Published: June 2018

In this article, we review the literature on the development of visual working memory (VWM). We focus on two major periods of development, infancy and early childhood. First, we discuss the innovative methods that have been devised to understand how the development of selective attention and perception provide the foundation of VWM abilities. We detail the behavioral and neural data associated with the development of VWM during infancy. Next, we discuss various signatures of development in VWM during early childhood in the context of spatial and featural memory processes. We focus on the developmental transition to more adult-like VWM properties. Finally, we discuss computational frameworks that have explained the complex patterns of behavior observed in VWM tasks from infancy to adulthood and attempt to explain links between measures of infant VWM and childhood VWM.
Calcium-induced calcium release activates spontaneous miniature outward currents in newt medullary reticular formation neurons
Authors: Yaeger Daniel B. , Coddington Emma J.
Published: June 2018

Neurons in the medullary reticular formation are involved in the control of postural and locomotor behaviors in all vertebrates. Reticulospinal neurons in this brain region provide one of the major descending projections to the spinal cord. Although neurons in the newt medullary reticular formation have been extensively studied using in vivo extracellular recordings, little is known of their intrinsic biophysical properties or of the underlying circuitry of this region. Using whole cell patch-clamp recordings in brain slices containing the rostromedial reticular formation from adult male newts, we observed spontaneous miniature outward currents (SMOCs) in ~2/3 of neurons. Although SMOCs superficially resembled inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs), they had slower risetimes and decay times than spontaneous IPSCs. SMOCs required intracellular Ca2+release from ryanodine receptors and were also dependent on the influx of extracellular Ca2+. SMOCs were unaffected by apamin but were partially blocked by iberiotoxin and charybdotoxin, indicating that SMOCs were mediated by big-conductance Ca2+-activated K+channels. Application of the sarco/endoplasmic Ca2+ATPase inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid blocked the generation of SMOCs and also increased neural excitability. Neurons with SMOCs had significantly broader action potentials, slower membrane time constants, and higher input resistance than neurons without SMOCs. Thus, SMOCs may serve as a mechanism to regulate action potential threshold in a majority of neurons within the newt medullary reticular formation.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The medullary reticular formation exerts a powerful influence on sensorimotor integration and subsequent motor behavior, yet little is known about the neurons involved. In this study, we identify a transient potassium current that regulates action potential threshold in a majority of medullary reticular neurons.
Stimulus-dependent engagement of neural mechanisms for reliable motion detection in the mouse retina
Authors: Chen Qiang , Wei Wei
Published: June 2018

Direction selectivity is a fundamental computation in the visual system and is first computed by the direction-selective circuit in the mammalian retina. Although landmark discoveries on the neural basis of direction selectivity have been made in the rabbit, many technological advances designed for the mouse have emerged, making this organism a favored model for investigating the direction-selective circuit at the molecular, synaptic, and network levels. Studies using diverse motion stimuli in the mouse retina demonstrate that retinal direction selectivity is implemented by multilayered mechanisms. This review begins with a set of central mechanisms that are engaged under a wide range of visual conditions and then focuses on additional layers of mechanisms that are dynamically recruited under different visual stimulus conditions. Together, recent findings allude to an emerging theme: robust motion detection in the natural environment requires flexible neural mechanisms.
An Assessment of Reuse of Light Ash from Bayer Process Fluidized Bed Boilers in Geopolymer Synthesis at Ambient Temperature
Authors: Brito Woshington S. , Mileo Ferraioli Silva André L. , Boca Santa Rozineide A. A. , Svensson Kristoff , Antônio da Silva Souza José , Pöllmann Herbert , Gracher Riella Humberto
Published: June 2018

Sustainable civil construction in the future, besides having low energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, must also adopt the principle of reusing wastes generated in the production chain that impact the environment. The aluminum production chain includes refining using the Bayer process. One of the main wastes produced by the Bayer process that has an impact on the environment is fly ash. Geopolymers are cementitious materials with a three‐dimensional structure formed by the chemical activation of aluminosilicates. According to studies, some are proving to be appropriate sources of Al and Si in the geopolymerization reaction. The research reported here sought to assess the possibility of reusing fly ash characteristic of the operational temperature and pressure conditions of Bayer process boilers in geopolymer synthesis. Geopolymerization reaction was conducted at an ambient temperature of 30°C, and the activator used was sodium hydroxide (NaOH) 15 molar and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) alkaline 10 molar. Fly ash and metakaolin were used as sources of Al and Si. XRD, XRF, and SEM Techniques were used for characterizing the raw materials and geopolymers. As a study parameter, the mole ratios utilized followed data from the literature described by Davidovits (year), so that the best results of the geopolymer samples were obtained in the 2.5 to 3.23 range. Resistance to mechanical compression reached 25 MPa in 24 hours of curing and 44 MPa after 28 days of curing at ambient temperature.
Effect of Aqueous Extract from Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl on Ventricular Remodeling in Chronic Heart Failure Rats
Authors: Luo Ying , Sun Zhiqiang , Hu Pengfei , Wu Yuanhong , Yu Weiwei , Huang Shuwei
Published: June 2018

Objective. Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl (DS) is a traditional Chinese medicine. Our current study was to evaluate the effect of DS on ventricular remodeling in chronic heart failure (HF) rats and its underlying mechanism. Methods. The rat chronic heart failure model induced by suprarenal abdominal aortic coarctation surgery. The survival rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the sham group (n=6), the HF group (n=6), and the HF+DS group (n=6). After 3 months of drug intervention, we examined the effects of DS by Sirius Red staining, electron microscopy, echocardiography, hemodynamic measurement, and TUNEL and explored the underlying mechanism by Western blotting. Results. We found that rats treated with DS showed improved cardiac function and less tissue damage compared to untreated group. Additionally, DS could reduce the cardiomyocytes apoptosis, decrease the ratio of Bax/bcl‐2 and Caspase‐3 expression, and enhance the phosphorylation of Akt protein expression. Conclusion. Our study suggested that rats treated with DS after suprarenal abdominal aortic coarctation surgery showed attenuated cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis, and the protective effect may be correlated with the activation of PI3k/Akt/mTOR dependent manner.
Experimental Study on the Mud‐Water Inrush Characteristics through Rock Fractures
Authors: Zhao YanLin , Zhang LianYang
Published: June 2018

Fractured rock masses, which are widely distributed in the south of China, have an impartible relationship with mud‐water inrush. In order to study the change laws of mud viscosity under different moisture content, flow property, and mechanism of mud‐water inrush in fractured rock masses, a NDJ‐8S rotary viscometer and a simulation model are used to carry out a series of experimental studies. Tests of mud viscosity show that mud viscosity depends on moisture content, and the relationship between viscosity and moisture content was proposed. Based on mud viscosity results, physical model tests’ results indicated that the process of mud‐water rush can be divided into four stages: that is, the preparation stage of mud‐water mixture burst, the seepage period of mud‐water mixture inrush, the nonstable period of mud‐water mixture outburst, and the stable period of mud‐water mixture outburst. The excavation disturbance, high water pressure, and effect of erosion and corrosion of water were identified as key factors which lead to mud‐water inrush in fractured rock masses
Potentially Toxic Elements and Health Risk Assessment in Farmland Systems around High-Concentrated Arsenic Coal Mining in Xingren, China
Authors: Li Ying-ju , Wang Zhi-kang , Qin Fan-xin , Fang Zhi-qing , Li Xin-li , Li Gang
Published: June 2018

The health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) via contamination of the food chain has attracted widespread concern. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of PTEs in environment and human body (fingernail, hair, and blood) of people living in agricultural soil near arsenic coal mining areas in Xingren County (Guizhou, southwest China). 89 crop samples which included vegetables, rice, maize, and coix seed and their corresponding soils and 17 local surface water and biological tissue samples (41 × 3) in near arsenic coal mining areas were collected, and the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, and Pb) in all the samples were determined. The health risk assessment methods developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency were employed to explore the potential health hazards of PTEs in soils growing crops. Results showed that 4 toxic elements, Cd, Cu, As, and Cr, were found to have different degrees of contamination in soils in the studied area. The total concentration of toxic elements (As, Cr, Cu, and Pb) in fingernail, hair, and blood samples were 90.50, 69.31, and 6.90 mg·kg−1, respectively. Fingernail samples from females were more likely to show exposure to trace metals compared to males. As the age of the subject increased, the concentration of As also increased in all three biological samples. The risk assessment for the mean hazard index value from the consumption of local food crops was 14.81, indicating that consumers may experience adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects. The estimated mean total cancer risk value of was 5.3 × 10−3, which was approximately 10 to 1000 times higher than the acceptable range of 10−6–10−4, indicating serious carcinogenic risks for local people consuming crops from the area. This study provides evidence that local residents in this study area may be at a high risk of disease caused from toxic element exposure.
IoT Services and Virtual Objects Management in Hyperconnected Things Network
Authors: Ullah Israr , Sohail Khan Muhammad , Kim DoHyeun
Published: June 2018

In recent past, Internet of Things- (IoT-) based applications have experienced tremendous growth in various domains, and billions of devices are expected to be connected to the Internet in near future. The first step for development of IoT-based applications is to virtualize the physical devices by abstracting device properties in virtual objects. Later, these virtual objects can be combined to compose different services for diverse applications. Many existing systems provide virtualization service for physical devices and service composition. But, with the growth of the network, when too many devices and services are added in the IoT network, its management will become a cumbersome task. This paper presents an architecture of IoT services and virtual objects management in hyperconnected things network to facilitate the management tasks. We also have implemented a Service and Virtual Objects Management (SVOM) system prototype to effectively organize and monitor the physical devices through corresponding virtual objects and services composed in the IoT environment. The proposed system also provides interface for user interaction to perform supported control operations on selected device and check device operational and fault status. For scalability analysis of the proposed system, we have performed simulation in the OMNeT++ simulator to study impact of the IoT network size on key performance measures like response time, throughput, and packet delivery ratio. Simulation results reveal that with the growing network size, the gateway nodes become the performance bottleneck. We have also performed resources requirement analysis for virtual objects and control overhead analysis of the proposed management system. Simulation results reveal that control overhead is insignificant in normal scenarios; however, in extreme network conditions, we may have to sacrifice fewer bits which is, in fact, worth nothing when compared to the flexibility and control offered by the proposed management system.
Immunotherapy with Native Molecule rather than Hypoallergenic Variant of Pru p 3, the Major Peach Allergen, Shows Beneficial Effects in Mice
Authors: Rodriguez Maria J. , Wangorsch Andrea , Gomez Francisca , Schülke Stefan , Torres Maria J. , Vieths Stefan , Scheurer Stephan , Toda Masako , Mayorga Cristobalina
Published: June 2018

Background. The use of hypoallergenic derivatives is considered beneficial to promote the safety and efficacy of allergen-specific immunotherapy. We aimed to assess the efficacy of reduced and alkylated (R/A) Pru p 3, a hypoallergenic folding variant of the major peach allergen, in subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) using a murine model of peach allergy. Methods and Results. After sensitization with Pru p 3, BALB/c mice received SCIT with Pru p 3 or R/A Pru p 3 and were challenged with Pru p 3. SCIT with Pru p 3, but not with R/A Pru p 3, suppressed anaphylaxis upon the challenge significantly. SCIT with Pru p 3 did not suppress Pru p 3-specific IgE and IgG1 production, but enhanced IgG2a production. In contrast, SCIT with R/A Pru p 3 suppressed IgE and IgG1 production, but enhanced IgG2a production only moderately. The therapeutic efficacy of SCIT with Pru p 3 was associated with induction of IL-10 and IFN-γ. Conclusion. Hypoallergenic folding variant of Pru p 3 is not likely an efficacious therapeutic component in SCIT of peach allergy. The lower efficacy of R/A Pru p 3 might be attributed to poor antigenicity and/or weak stability due to its unfolded conformation.
Classification of Geological Samples Based on Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Ying , Li Ying , Li Wendong , Sun Zigang , Bi Yunfeng
Published: June 2018

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with soft independent modeling of class analogy is used in the identification of a large number of unprocessed geological samples having similar components in this study. Considering a variety of data from different samples, representative spectral regions representing the major components were extracted. In addition, principal component analysis was applied to remove noninformative variables from the spectrum. The unclassification rate, misclassification rate, and average correct classification rate for 25 types of geological samples were 1.2%, 4.7%, and 94.1%, respectively. These results suggest that laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using soft independent modeling of class analogy can be used to identify a wide variety of geological samples. Furthermore, we found that this approach can be used to identify spectral differences among similar sample types because of matrix effects and the trace element impurities.
Secure Data Delivery with Linear Network Coding for Multiple Multicasts with Multiple Streams in Internet of Things
Authors: Shi Lianmin , Wang Yihuai , Wen Zhengqing , Peng Tao
Published: June 2018

With the rapid developments of Internet of Things (IoT), tremendous number of sensors are deployed in the environment to monitor and collect different types of information. When a group of sensors located with the same location (or area) should deliver their data to a set of users and they have connected with the same network device, e.g., base station or access point, the data delivery between them and their users can be treated as a single source multicast in the core network from the network device connected with them to the network devices connected with their users. Generally, in such a case, multiple multicast sessions exist in the network simultaneously. In this paper, we study two major considerations, i.e., transmission throughput and information security, for multiple multicasts with multiple streams in IoT by using linear network coding (LNC). Specifically, we jointly consider the transmission rate allocation, transmission topology selection, and secure LNC design for multiple multicasts to maximize the total secure weighted throughput (SWT), which is referred to as the secure delivery for multiple multicasts with multiple streams (SMMS) problem. To this end, we firstly consider the SMMS problem in the case that each sensor is connected with a fixed network device. We then study the SMMS problem when the source of each multicast can be selected from a set of nodes. For the first case, we formulate it to be a linear programming (LP), based on which we give the MORT algorithm to optimally solve it. On the other hand, for the second case, we first formulate it to be an integer linear programming (ILP) and then propose an efficient MBLP algorithm based on linear programming relaxation to obtain a suboptimal solution. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations to show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.
An RBFNN‐Based Direct Inverse Controller for PMSM with Disturbances
Authors: Li Shengquan , Li Juan , Shi Yanqiu
Published: June 2018

Considering the system uncertainties, such as parameter changes, modeling error, and external uncertainties, a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) controller using the direct inverse method with the satisfactory stability for improving universal function approximation ability, convergence, and disturbance attenuation capability is advanced in this paper. The weight adaptation rule of the RBFNN is obtained online by Lyapunov stability analysis method to guarantee the identification and tracking performances. The simulation example for the position tracking control of PMSM is studied to illustrate the effectiveness and the applicability of the proposed RBFNN‐based direct inverse control method.
Treatment of Bleeding Diathesis Associated with a Heparin-Like Anticoagulant in Plasma Cell Neoplasia Using Protamine
Authors: Willner Christopher A. , Chisti Mohammed M.
Published: June 2018

The development of a heparin-like anticoagulant (HLAC) in plasma cell neoplasia has previously been described in clinical literature. Testing of this HLAC, primarily in vitro, has demonstrated that neutralization may be achieved with protamine sulfate, owing to antithrombin III cofactor activity. We report a case in which intravenous protamine sulfate was administered to a patient with IgG-kappa monotypic multiple myeloma, which resulted in resolution of bleeding and coagulopathy, confirmed via objective laboratory data. Our case is intended to demonstrate that intravenous protamine sulfate should be considered in acute bleeding with plasma cell neoplasia. We review the literature to observe past experiences about this phenomenon. We postulate that chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies may also disrupt production of a HLAC. With further investigation, this strategy could be applicable in other hematological malignancies with bleeding diathesis, chiefly if the pathophysiology of the HLAC is precisely defined.
In Vivo and In Vitro Characteristics of Radiolabeled Vesamicol Analogs as the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter Imaging Agents
Authors: Ogawa Kazuma , Shiba Kazuhiro
Published: June 2018

The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), a presynaptic cholinergic neuron marker, is a potential internal molecular target for the development of an imaging agent for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders with cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since vesamicol has been reported to bind to VAChT with high affinity, many vesamicol analogs have been studied as VAChT imaging agents for the diagnosis of cholinergic neurodeficit disorder. However, because many vesamicol analogs, as well as vesamicol, bound to sigma receptors (σ1 and σ2) besides VAChT, almost all the vesamicol analogs have been shown to be unsuitable for clinical trials. In this report, the relationships between the chemical structure and the biological characteristics of these developed vesamicol analogs were investigated, especially the in vitro binding profile and the in vivo regional brain accumulation.
Development of Heavy Rain Damage Prediction Model Using Machine Learning Based on Big Data
Authors: Choi Changhyun , Kim Jeonghwan , Kim Jongsung , Kim Donghyun , Bae Younghye , Kim Hung Soo
Published: June 2018

Prediction models of heavy rain damage using machine learning based on big data were developed for the Seoul Capital Area in the Republic of Korea. We used data on the occurrence of heavy rain damage from 1994 to 2015 as dependent variables and weather big data as explanatory variables. The model was developed by applying machine learning techniques such as decision trees, bagging, random forests, and boosting. As a result of evaluating the prediction performance of each model, the AUC value of the boosting model using meteorological data from the past 1 to 4 days was the highest at 95.87% and was selected as the final model. By using the prediction model developed in this study to predict the occurrence of heavy rain damage for each administrative region, we can greatly reduce the damage through proactive disaster management.
Woody Species Diversity, Structure, and Regeneration Status of Yemrehane Kirstos Church Forest of Lasta Woreda, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Ayanaw Abunie Amanuel , Dalle Gemedo
Published: June 2018

This study is aimed at generating data on woody species diversity, structure, and regeneration status of some species and was conducted in Yemrehane Kirstos Church Forest of Lasta Woreda, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Six transect lines were laid following altitudinal gradient. Quadrats of size 20 m × 20 m (400m2) were used to collect data that were established systematically at every 100 m interval along the transect lines. Data on woody species was collected from a total of 34 sampling quadrats of 400m2. To collect data on seedlings and saplings, five subplots of 1 m × 1m (1m2) size located at the four corners and centre of the main plot were used. Species diversity was determined using the Shannon-Wiener index (H′). A total of 39 woody species belonging to 38 genera and 29 families were identified in Yemrehane Kirstos Church Forest. The overall Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H′) and evenness values for the entire forest were 2.88 and 0.79, respectively. The six most abundant woody species in their order of highest density were Juniperus procera, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, Maytenus arbutifolia, Osyris quadripartita, Calpurnia aurea, and Debregeasia saeneb. The densities for mature woody species, saplings, and seedlings were 506.6, 514.7, and 415.4 individuals ha−1, respectively. The basal area of the forest is 72 m2 ha−1. The population structure and regeneration status of the forest indicated that there have been high forest degradation and severe anthropogenic disturbances in the area and, therefore, conservation of species, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable use of the forest genetic resources are recommended as a result of this study.
Application of Operational Research Techniques in Operating Room Scheduling Problems: Literature Overview
Authors: Gür Şeyda , Eren Tamer
Published: June 2018

Increased healthcare costs are pushing hospitals to reduce costs and increase the quality of care. Operating rooms are the most important source of income and expense for hospitals. Therefore, the hospital management focuses on the effectiveness of schedules and plans. This study includes analyses of recent research on operating room scheduling and planning. Most studies in the literature, from 2000 to the present day, were evaluated according to patient characteristics, performance measures, solution techniques used in the research, the uncertainty of the problem, applicability of the research, and the planning strategy to be dealt within the solution. One hundred seventy studies were examined in detail, after scanning the Emerald, Science Direct, JSTOR, Springer, Taylor and Francis, and Google Scholar databases. To facilitate the identification of these studies, they are grouped according to the different criteria of concern and then, a detailed overview is presented.
Large Bowel Obstruction Subsequent to Resected Lobular Breast Carcinoma: An Unconventional Etiology of Malignant Obstruction
Authors: Amberger Melissa , Presnick Nancy , Baltazar Gerard
Published: June 2018

Introduction. Breast cancer metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract is rare and mostly limited to case reports which recommend consideration of metastasis when breast cancer patients particularly those with invasive lobular carcinoma present with new gastrointestinal complaints.Presentation of case. We report a 50-year-old female who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea and vomiting determined to be the result of large bowel obstruction secondary to rectosigmoid metastasis and carcinomatosis of breast invasive lobular carcinoma. She was treated with diverting loop sigmoid colostomy for her large bowel obstruction.Discussion. Our case reflects the importance of gastrointestinal surveillance of patients with a history of breast cancer. Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for stage I-II breast cancer suggest posttreatment lab and imaging evaluation for metastasis only if new symptoms present.Conclusion. We observed an unusually rapid disease progression, requiring evaluation of new gastrointestinal symptoms. Assessment for GI tract metastatic involvement should be done as early as progression to symptomatic disease can result in need for further invasive surgery in advanced stages of cancer.
Absent Ductus Venosus Associated with Partial Liver Defect
Authors: Horie Kenji , Takahashi Hironori , Matsubara Daisuke , Kataoka Koichi , Furukawa Rieko , Baba Yosuke , Ohkuchi Akihide , Matsubara Shigeki
Published: June 2018

Absent ductus venosus (ADV) is a rare vascular anomaly. We describe a fetus/neonate with ADV with a partial liver defect. A 41-year-old woman was referred to our institute because of fetal cardiomegaly detected by routine prenatal ultrasound, which revealed absence of ductus venosus with an umbilical vein directly draining into the right atrium, consistent with extrahepatic drainage type of ADV. She vaginally gave birth to a 3,096-gram male infant at 38 weeks of gestation. Detailed ultrasound examination revealed a defect of the hepatic rectangular leaf at half a month postnatally. He showed normal development at 1.5 years of age with the liver abnormality and a Morgagni hernia. Liver morphological abnormality should also be considered as a complication of ADV.
3D Shape-Weighted Level Set Method for Breast MRI 3D Tumor Segmentation
Authors: Wang Chuin-Mu , Huang Chieh-Ling , Yang Sheng-Chih
Published: June 2018

Three-dimensional (3D) medical image segmentation is used to segment the target (a lesion or an organ) in 3D medical images. Through this process, 3D target information is obtained; hence, this technology is an important auxiliary tool for medical diagnosis. Although some methods have proved to be successful for two-dimensional (2D) image segmentation, their direct use in the 3D case has been unsatisfactory. To obtain more precise tumor segmentation results from 3D MR images, in this paper, we propose a method known as the 3D shape-weighted level set method (3D-SLSM). The proposed method first converts the LSM, which is superior with respect to 2D image segmentation, into a 3D algorithm that is suitable for overall calculations in 3D image models, and which improves the efficiency and accuracy of calculations. A 3D shape-weighted value is then added for each 3D-SLSM iterative process according to the changes in volume. Besides increasing the convergence rate and eliminating background noise, this shape-weighted value also brings the segmented contour closer to the actual tumor margins. To perform a quantitative analysis of 3D-SLSM and to examine its feasibility in clinical applications, we have divided our experiments into computer-simulated sequence images and actual breast MRI cases. Subsequently, we simultaneously compared various existing 3D segmentation methods. The experimental results demonstrated that 3D-SLSM exhibited precise segmentation results for both types of experimental images. In addition, 3D-SLSM showed better results for quantitative data compared with existing 3D segmentation methods.
Economic Evaluations of Treatments for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Literature Review
Authors: Jean Lachaine , Audrey Miron , Beauchemin Catherine , Consortium on behalf of the iGenoMed
Published: June 2018

Objective. The objective of this literature review was to evaluate the existing evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of treatment options in IBD. Methods. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify economic evaluations of IBD therapy. The literature search was performed using electronic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE. Searches were limited to full economic evaluations published in English or French between 2004 and 2016. Results. A total of 5,403 potentially relevant studies were identified. After screening titles and abstracts, 48 studies were included, according to the eligibility criteria. A total of 56% and 42% of the studies were assessing treatments of UC or CD, respectively. Treatment options under evaluation included biological agents, mesalamine, immunosuppressants, and surgery. The majority of studies evaluated the cost-effectiveness of biological treatments. Biological therapies were dominant in 23% of the analyses and were cost-effective according to a $CAD50,000/QALY and $CAD100,000/QALY threshold in 41% and 62% of the analyses, respectively. Conclusion. This literature review provided a comprehensive overview of the economic evaluations for the different treatment options for IBD over the past 12 years and represents a helpful reference for future economic evaluations.