bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction in Men with HTLV-1
Authors: de Oliveira Cassius José Vitor , Neto José Abraão Carneiro , Andrade Rosana C.P. , Rocha Paulo Novis , de Carvalho Filho Edgar Marcelino
Published: August 2017

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) occurs in more than 50% of patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. In the general population, atherosclerosis is the main risk factor related to ED.

Aim

To compare the contribution of neurologic disorders from HTLV-1 with that of atherosclerosis as risk factors for ED in men with HTLV-1.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, men 18 to 70 years old with HTLV-1 were classified into one of two groups according to the presence or absence of ED. They were compared for obesity, waist circumference, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and neurologic manifestations. Comparisons between proportions were performed using the χ2 or Fisher exact test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of ED. Subjects with HTLV-1 were classified into three groups based on Osame's Disability Motor Scale and the Expanded Disability Status Scale: (i) HTLV-1 carriers; (ii) probable HTLV-1–associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis; and (iii) definitive HTLV-1–associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis. The International Index of Erectile Function was used to determine the degree of ED.

Results

In univariate logistic regression, age older 60 years (P = .003), diabetes mellitus (P = .042), and neurologic disease (P < .001) were associated with ED. In the multivariate model, the odds of ED was highest in patients with neurologic disease (odds ratio = 22.1, 95% CI = 5.3–92.3), followed by high blood pressure (odds ratio = 6.3, 95% CI = 1.4-30.5) and age older than 60 years (odds ratio = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.3–17.3).

Clinical Implications

In men infected with HTLV-1, neurologic dysfunction is a stronger predictor of ED than risk factors for atherosclerosis.

Strengths and Limitations

The small number of patients limited the power of the statistical analysis, but clearly neurologic manifestations had a greater association with ED than risk factors for atherosclerosis, and there was no association between metabolic syndrome and severity of ED.

Conclusion

Neurologic impairment is the major cause of ED in individuals infected with HTLV-1 and risk factors for atherosclerosis did not have a strong relation with ED in this population.
Plasma Leptin and Reduced FEV1 and FVC in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Garshick Eric , Walia Palak , Goldstein Rebekah L. , Teylan Merilee , Lazzari Antonio A. , Tun Carlos G. , Hart Jaime E.
Published: August 2017

Background

Adipose tissue produces leptin, which is pro‐inflammatory, and adiponectin, which has anti‐inflammatory properties. Participants with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) have increased body fat and are at increased risk for respiratory illness.

Objective

To assess the associations between leptin and adiponectin with pulmonary function in a chronic SCI cohort.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Participants

A total of 285 participants (237 men and 48 women) with chronic SCI with mean (standard deviation) injury duration 17.8 (13.2) years from the VA Boston and the community participating in an epidemiologic study assessing factors associated with respiratory health.

Methods

Participants (24.6% cervical American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) level A, B, and C; 33.6% other AIS A, B, and C; 41.8% AIS D) provided a blood sample, completed a respiratory health questionnaire, and underwent spirometry. Linear regression methods were used to assess cross‐sectional associations between plasma leptin and adiponectin with spirometric measures of pulmonary function adjusted for age, race, gender, and height. Level and severity of SCI, mobility mode, body mass index, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, chest injury history, laboratory batch, and other potential confounders were also considered.

Main Outcome Measurements

forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC.

Results

There was a statistically significant inverse relationship between plasma leptin assessed in quartiles or as a continuous covariate with FEV1 and FVC. In fully adjusted models, each interquartile range (16,214 pg/mL) increase in leptin was associated with a significant decrease in FEV1 (−93.1 mL; 95% confidence interval = −166.2, −20.0) and decrease in FVC (−130.7 mL; 95% confidence interval = −219.4, −42.0). There were no significant associations between leptin and FEV1/FVC or between plasma adiponectin with FEV1, FVC, or FEV1/FVC.

Conclusion

Plasma leptin in individuals with chronic SCI is inversely associated with FEV1 and FVC, independently of SCI level and severity and other covariates. This finding suggests that plasma leptin may contribute to reduced pulmonary function in chronic SCI.

Level of Evidence

II
Quakes Pack More Punch in Eastern Than in Central United States
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: August 2017

A new finding rests on the recognition that fault types differ between the two regions. It helps explain prior evidence that human-induced quakes and natural ones behave the same in the nation’s center.
Cross-linked decellularized porcine corneal graft for treating fungal keratitis
Authors: Lin Yongliang , Zheng Qinxiang , Hua Shanshan , Meng Yongchun , Chen Wei , Wang Yifei
Published: August 2017

This study aims to develop a cross-linked decellularized porcine corneal graft (cDPC) as a substitute for lamellar donor corneas and to evaluate the feasibility of using cDPC to treat fungal keratitis. The cDPC was prepared by decellularization, chemical crosslinking and γ-ray irradiation. Transparency, effectiveness of decellularization and biomechanical strength of cDPC were evaluated. The safety and efficacy of using cDPC to treat fungal keratitis were evaluated in the rabbit model. The transparency of cDPC was similar to that of a native porcine cornea (NPC), and no intact cells were observed in cDPC except for an insignificant amount of residual shrinking cellular nucleus. Compared to the NPC, the biomechanical strength of the cDPC was significantly increased. In the rabbit model of lamellar keratoplasty, the implanted cDPC reduced the incidence of corneal perforation, and also maintained transparency in majority. The results of this study suggest that the cDPC is capable of restoring the original transparency of cornea while effectively treating fungal keratitis. The cDPC is a highly promising ideal substitute for the donor human cornea.
Influences of ethanol on the structure of toxic trans-crotonaldehyde in mitochondria coming from rat myocardium
Authors: Su Yanbin , Ma Xiaowei , Su Yanwen , Mu Tongxing , Li Yanhe , Jiang Ning , Su Yuyun , Zhang Qi
Published: August 2017

Inappropriate use of ethanol (EtOH) had led to noticeable health problems, but a beneficial phenomenon was found that EtOH displayed unique influences for toxic trans-crotonaldehyde (TCA) derived from mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. The influences of EtOH on the structure of TCA were systematically probed by UV-vis & Raman spectroscopy in the absence and presence of mitochondria, respectively. The maximum UV-vis peak at 301 nm of TCA was red shifted by hydroxyl (-OH) and methyl (-CH3) of EtOH, respectively. Raman stretching band of aldehyde (-CH=O) of TCA (TCA-CH=O) was split by the -CH3 of EtOH. The -CH3 increased TCA-CH=O stretching frequency while the -OH induced it. The more exposed -OH, the less stretching frequency. The ectopic -CH3 red shifted the UV-vis peak at 301 nm and Raman band of TCA-CH=O. In mitochondria, EtOH red shifted Raman stretching band of TCA-CH=O. Raman stretching bands of C-H, C-O and C-C of EtOH were red shifted, while Raman stretching bands of -CH2 and C-C-O of EtOH disappeared. The paper unearths the influences of EtOH to trap and transform the structure of TCA-CH=O. This discovery has an important contribution to eliminate TCA in order to protect and repair mtDNA by means of the decrease of 8-oxoG.
ITGA1 is a pre-malignant biomarker that promotes therapy resistance and metastatic potential in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Gharibi Armen , La Kim Sa , Molnar Justin , Brambilla Daniel , Adamian Yvess , Hoover Malachia , Hong Julie , Lin Joy , Wolfenden Laurelin , Kelber Jonathan A.
Published: August 2017

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has single-digit 5-year survival rates at <7%. There is a dire need to improve pre-malignant detection methods and identify new therapeutic targets for abrogating PDAC progression. To this end, we mined our previously published pseudopodium-enriched (PDE) protein/phosphoprotein datasets to identify novel PDAC-specific biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. We discovered that integrin alpha 1 (ITGA1) is frequently upregulated in pancreatic cancers and associated precursor lesions. Expression of ITGA1-specific collagens within the pancreatic cancer microenvironment significantly correlates with indicators of poor patient prognosis, and depleting ITGA1 from PDAC cells revealed that it is required for collagen-induced tumorigenic potential. Notably, collagen/ITGA1 signaling promotes the survival of ALDH1-positive stem-like cells and cooperates with TGFβ to drive gemcitabine resistance. Finally, we report that ITGA1 is required for TGFβ/collagen-induced EMT and metastasis. Our data suggest that ITGA1 is a new diagnostic biomarker and target that can be leveraged to improve patient outcomes.
Down-regulation of XIAP enhances the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer cells in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Wen Xin , Han Xin-Rui , Fan Shao-Hua , Zhang Zi-Feng , Chen Lu , Yi Gao , Wu Dong-Mei , Lu Jun , Zheng Yuan-Lin
Published: August 2017

The study investigated the effects of X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) gene silencing on the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer (EC) cells. Western blotting was used to select EC cell lines with XIAP overexpression. Selected EC9706 and KYSE30 cell lines were both divided into four groups: the blank control group, the negative control (NC) group (transfected with pBSHH1), the siRNA-enhanced group (transfected with pBSHH1-XIAP1-siRNA), and the siRNA-decreased group (transfected with pBSHH1-XIAP2-siRNA). Expressions of XIAP were measured by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting, cell survival and viability by MTT assay and colony formation assay, and cell apoptosis by flow cytometry, respectively. Caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity were detected using caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity detection kits. A nude mice model of EC9706 cell line was established to measure tumorigenesis ability. Compared with the NC group, XIAP mRNA and protein expressions were decreased, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity and apoptosis were up-regulated, and cell survival rate and colony-forming efficiency were lower in the siRNA-enhanced and siRNA-decreased groups in both the cell lines; while the opposite trends were found in the siRNA-decreased group compared with the siRNA-enhanced group. Tumor weight and volume of nude mice were decreased in the siRNA-enhanced and siRNA-decreased groups than those in the NC group, and were elevated in the siRNA-decreased group compared with the siRNA-enhanced group. These results indicate that XIAP gene silencing would strengthen the radiosensitivity of EC9706 cells, which provides a novel target for the treatment of EC.
SOX15 regulates proliferation and migration of endometrial cancer cells
Authors: Rui Xiaohui , Xu Yun , Jiang Xiping , Guo Caixia , Jiang Jingting
Published: August 2017

The study aimed to investigate the effects of Sry-like high mobility group box 15 (SOX15) on proliferation and migration of endometrial cancer (EC) cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was applied to determine the expression of SOX15 in EC tissues and adjacent tissues. We used cell transfection method to construct the HEC-1-A and Ishikawa cell lines with stable overexpression and low expression SOX15. Reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were performed to examine expression of SOX15 mRNA and SOX15 protein, respectively. By conducting a series of cell proliferation assay and migration assay, we analyzed the influence of SOX15 overexpression or low expression on EC cell proliferation and migration. The expression of SOX15 mRNA and protein in EC tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues. After lentivirus-transfecting SOX15, the expression level of SOX15 mRNA and protein was significantly increased in cells of SOX15 group, and decreased in sh-SOX15 group. Overexpression of SOX15 could suppress cell proliferation, while down-regulation of SOX15 increased cell proliferation. Flow cytometry results indicated that overexpression of SOX15 induced the ratio of cell-cycle arrest in G1 stage. In addition, Transwell migration assay results showed that SOX15 overexpression significantly inhibited cell migration, and also down-regulation of SOX15 promoted the migration. As a whole, SOX15 could regulate the proliferation and migration of EC cells and up- regulation of SOX15 could be valuable for EC treatment.
Asymmetrical hybrid‐controlled half‐bridge LCC resonant converter with low conduction loss and wide ZVS operation range
Authors: Lin Leiming , Xu Jianping , Chen Yiming , Wang Xiaoqiang , Cao Jing
Published: August 2017

An asymmetrical hybrid‐controlled half‐bridge LCC resonant converter which integrated a buck–boost converter and a half‐bridge LCC resonant converter is proposed. It benefits with wide soft switching range, low conduction loss and high power density. By utilising an asymmetrical hybrid control strategy, its switching frequency and duty ratio can be adjusted simultaneously. The proposed LCC resonant converter maintains output voltage regulation and zero‐voltage switching of switches in wide input voltage and load variation range. Experiment results of a 500 W prototype are provided to verify the theoretical analysis results.
Probability density function of turbulence fading in MRR free space optical link and its applications in MRR free space optical communications
Authors: Li Xiaoyan , Zhao Xiaohui , Zhang Peng , Yang Weiwei , Wang Tianshu , Jiang Huilin
Published: August 2017

Probability density function (PDF) of the modulating retro‐reflector (MRR) turbulence fading channels is crucial for the performance analysis of MRR communication systems. In this study, closed‐form expression for the PDF of normalised MRR free‐space optical (FSO) turbulence fading coefficient is obtained first. Moreover, it is applied to the evaluations of the closed‐form expressions for average capacity and outage probability of MRR FSO links. The effects of the parameters such as atmospheric turbulence conditions, communication distance, receiver aperture diameter and the average signal‐to‐noise ratio on the performance of MRR FSO links are discussed. Results show that in order to achieve successful MRR FSO communication, communication systems employing MRRs are suitable for short‐distance communication in the case of low transmission power, besides quite high transmission power and large receiver aperture diameter are required simultaneously by long‐distance MRR FSO communication.
Temporal‐spatial distribution nature of traffic and base stations in cellular networks
Authors: Zhao Zhifeng , Li Meng , Li Rongpeng , Zhou Yifan
Published: August 2017

Recent years have witnessed the unprecedented surge of mobile traffic and base stations (BSs) deployment, which poses severe requirement for future communications systems. Understanding the distribution dynamics of traffic and BSs in time‐space domain is of vital importance for better network design and resource management in cellular networks. In this study, a study on the statistical characteristics of cellular traffic series is carried out and ‐stable distribution is verified to be valid for modelling the traffic series of each BS. On the other hand, inspired by the fact that BSs traffic series are spatially correlated, the authors study the statistical relationship between the correlation coefficient and the distance between BSs. Moreover, ‐stable model is also suitable to describe the BSs deployment, thus conducing to prove the existence of self‐similarity. In addition, both the traffic time series and the BSs spatial distribution are deeply associated with heterogeneity, so they come up with the density‐based and distance‐based methods to quantify their heterogeneous degree.
Dynamic incentive framework for demand response in distribution system using moving time horizon control
Authors: Panwar Lokesh Kumar , K. Srikanth Reddy , Verma Ashu , Panigrahi B.K.
Published: August 2017

This study presents two‐level static and dynamic responsive load scheduling strategies for optimal tradeoff between scheduling preferences of demand response provider (DRP), demand response provider agent (DRPA) and distribution system operator (DSO) using moving time horizon control for real‐time scheduling. The first level comprises of DRP scheduling with the objective of minimizing the electricity bill payments. The second stage includes a rescheduling strategy aided by DSO scheduling preferences constrained by the economic preferences of consumers set up in the first level of the scheduling strategy. There are two strategies for the second level: namely, static residential demand response (S‐RDR), and dynamic residential demand response (D‐RDR), which differ by the time sequence of operation and interactions between DRPA and DRPs. In S‐RDR, the interactions between the two are limited to single event‐acknowledge policy wherein all the DRPs act to schedule their responsive loads in a day ahead fashion. However, in D‐RDR, multiple/continuous iterations take place between DRPA and DRPs with the consideration of optimal performance with respect to real‐time market prices. The proposed framework is simulated using IEEE 34 bus distribution system. The simulation results are presented and discussed to analyse and compare the performance of proposed scheduling strategies with tariff‐based and centralized scheduling approaches.
Switching transients in a 2 × 15 kV 16.7 Hz autotransformer railway system
Authors: Chmielewski Tomasz , Oramus Piotr , Koska Krzysztof
Published: August 2017

This study presents the analysis of transient states generated along the traction catenary during switching operation in the main supply substation unit. For this purpose, a Swedish autotransformer railway system operating at 15 kV and 16.7 Hz has been chosen as a reference. The simulations of abovementioned system were conducted using EMTP‐ATP software. This study presents results of simulations for various conditions and at different loads. The main outcome of the analysis is determination of transient currents and voltages in the system during catenary energisation and de‐energisation process. Due to the presence of saturable autotransformers along the catenary the flow of excessive inrush current may lead not only to the overloading and as a consequence main breaker tripping but may also cause slow‐front overvoltages. In order to represent the worst case conditions parametric study was performed. It includes variable tripping time of the main circuit breaker and pre‐existing residual core flux. The results of the analysis show that the system response is strongly dependent on the breaker closing and opening times. As a consequence, it is possible to determine safe switching conditions in order to avoid large overvoltages or accidental tripping.
License number plate recognition system using entropy‐based features selection approach with SVM
Authors: Khan Muhammad Attique , Sharif Muhammad , Javed Muhammad Younus , Akram Tallha , Yasmin Mussarat , Saba Tanzila
Published: August 2017

License plate recognition (LPR) system plays a vital role in security applications which include road traffic monitoring, street activity monitoring, identification of potential threats, and so on. Numerous methods were adopted for LPR but still, there is enough space for a single standard approach which can be able to deal with all sorts of problems such as light variations, occlusion, and multi‐views. The proposed approach is an effort to deal under such conditions by incorporating multiple features extraction and fusion. The proposed architecture is comprised of four primary steps: (i) selection of luminance channel from CIE‐Lab colour space, (ii) binary segmentation of selected channel followed by image refinement, (iii) a fusion of Histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) and geometric features followed by a selection of appropriate features using a novel entropy‐based method, and (iv) features classification with support vector machine (SVM). To authenticate the results of proposed approach, different performance measures are considered. The selected measures are False positive rate (FPR), False negative rate (FNR), and accuracy which is achieved maximum up to 99.5%. Simulation results reveal that the proposed method performs exceptionally better compared with existing works.
Analysis of a thin, penetrable, and non‐uniformly loaded cylindrical reflector illuminated by a complex line source
Authors: Oğuzer Taner , Kuyucuoglu Fadil , Avgin Ibrahim , Altıntaş Ayhan
Published: August 2017

A thin, penetrable, and cylindrical reflector is illuminated by the incident field of a complex source point. The scattered field inside the reflector is not considered and its effect is modelled through a thin layer generalised boundary condition (GBC). The authors formulate the structure as an electromagnetic boundary value problem and two resultant coupled singular integral equation system of equations are solved by using regularisation techniques. The GBC provides us to simulate the thin layer better than the resistive model which is applicable only for very thin sheets. Hence, the more reliable data can be obtained for high‐contrast and low‐loss dielectric material. The scattering and absorption characteristics of the front‐fed and offset reflectors are obtained depending on system parameters. Also, the effects of the edge loading are examined for both E‐ and H‐polarisations. The convergence and the accuracy of the formulation are verified in reasonable computational running time.
Submillimeter‐wave waveguide filters fabricated by SU‐8 process and laser micromachining
Authors: Shang Xiaobang , Yang Hao , Glynn David , Lancaster Michael J.
Published: August 2017

For terahertz systems, rectangular waveguide is an ideal low loss medium for interconnectivity and the construction of passive circuits. A drawback when manufacturing waveguides at submillimeter wavelengths is the demanding tolerances due to small dimensions. For example, a WR‐3 waveguide (operating between 220 and 325 GHz) has a cross‐sectional dimension of just 864 by 432 µm, and higher frequency waveguides get proportionally smaller. An additional challenge is that whether using waveguide for passive circuits such as filters, there are additional structures inside the waveguide which are significantly smaller than the waveguide itself. Traditionally, computer numerical control (CNC) milling has been used for waveguides, however at terahertz frequencies this is difficult to utilise. Emerging technologies for terahertz waveguides are compared with conventional CNC solutions. The technologies include the photolithography‐based polymer etching of waveguides using SU‐8 photoresist, and the laser machining of metal. Both have shown promise, and good quality terahertz passive components have been fabricated and measured.
Towards an incentive‐compatible, reputation‐based framework for stimulating cooperation in opportunistic networks: a survey
Authors: Mantas Nikolaos , Louta Malamati , Karapistoli Eirini , Karetsos George T. , Kraounakis Stylianos , Obaidat Mohammad S.
Published: August 2017

In opportunistic networks (OppNets), routing and data forwarding among mobile devices are facilitated by relays or next‐hop forwarders. To guarantee end‐to‐end data delivery it is important to provide participation. However, in sparsely connected OppNets, it is extremely challenging to monitor the behaviour of the relays and identify selfish/malicious relays cooperating with each other in order to forge routing information or drop useful data. Cooperation enforcement schemes are seen as a lightweight alternative to conventional secure forwarding techniques that involve cryptographically signed certificate exchanges, providing a ‘softer’ security layer to protect basic networking operations. In general, cooperation enforcement schemes fall into two broad categories: trust establishment via a reputation system and pricing or credit‐based schemes. This study offers a comprehensive survey of representative cooperation enforcement schemes that exploit a reputation system. The authors analyse their distinct features, identify and discuss critical challenges that should be efficiently addressed when designing such mechanisms, indicating at the same time potential solutions and provide an informative table to display the authors’ findings. From this analysis, they examine issues and concerns surrounding the field of cooperation enforcement in OppNets, and provide guidelines and directions for future researchers.
FSO communication with EGC diversity receiver over double generalised gamma turbulence channel
Authors: Samimi Hossein , Akhavan Fatemeh
Published: August 2017

Recently, double generalised gamma (GG) distribution has been proposed as a generic model, to describe the irradiance fluctuations in free‐space optical (FSO) communication systems. In this study, first the authors derive an approximate analytical expression for the distribution of the sum of independent but not necessarily identically distributed double GG random variables (RVs), considering the effects of the turbulence and pointing errors. Using well‐known Beaulieu series, the authors describe the probability density function (pdf) and the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the sum of double GG RVs in the form of a convergent series. The authors derive novel, exact closed‐form expressions for the coefficients of the series in terms of the Meijer's G‐function, which makes it possible to calculate the pdf and cdf of the sum of double GG variates under different turbulence conditions. In the next step, based on the presented results, the authors derive approximate analytical expression for the outage probability of the system and investigate the outage performance of the FSO link with equal‐gain combining (EGC) receivers over double GG fading channels with pointing errors. Numerical results are further demonstrated to confirm the analytical results and also to show the good accuracy of the derived expressions.
Capacitor voltage balancing and current control method of modular multilevel converter based on generalised averaging approach
Authors: Xue Chang , Ma Zhonghua
Published: August 2017

To solve the capacitor voltage balancing problem of modular multilevel converter (MMC) under carrier phase‐shifted modulation, MMC is modelled by generalised averaging approach. The quantitative relation between the capacitor voltage of submodule and other operating parameters is derived, and the corresponding balancing method is proposed which can make each capacitor voltage to track the reference value. According to the average model of MMC, a current controller is designed, which is suited to the voltage balancing method and can decouple the active and reactive currents. The effectiveness of the voltage balancing method and the current control method is verified by simulation results.
Developing new lifetime prolongation SVM algorithm for multilevel inverters with thermally aged power devices
Authors: Aly Mokhtar , Ahmed Emad M. , Shoyama Masahito
Published: August 2017

Research concerns have grown towards precede diagnosis and prognosis of faults in power converters that result from thermal overheating problems of semiconductor devices. These problems directly affect the overall system availability and reliability as well. Many papers in the literature have addressed these problems. However, almost all of them suffer from major challenges such as increased components count, reduced output current ratings, reduced output voltage levels, and unbalanced voltages over the DC‐link capacitors. These challenges impede the maximum energy harvesting, especially in renewable energy systems. A novel space vector modulation (SVM) algorithm has been proposed for lifetime prolongation of thermally aged power semiconductor devices in multilevel inverters. The proposed SVM algorithm functions to alleviate the affected device and to prevent the harmful consequences such as short‐open circuit faults. The feasibility of the proposed method has been verified by simulation and experimental results on the three‐phase three‐level T‐type inverter and compared with the previously addressed approaches. It can be concluded that the proposed algorithm provides a significant reduction of thermal stresses on the thermally aged power devices in addition to maintaining the same components count, the same output ratings, the same output levels, and balanced capacitors’ voltages as well.
Fault diagnosis using kernel principal component analysis for hot strip mill
Authors: Zhang Fei , Zong Shengyue , Ling Zhi
Published: August 2017

In the field of hot rolling process monitoring, the activation of non‐linear dynamic behaviour may render the procedure of fault diagnosis more difficult. Principal component analysis (PCA) is known as a popular method for diagnosis but as it is basically a linear method, it may pass over some useful non‐linear features of the system behaviour. One possible extension of PCA is kernel PCA (KPCA), owing to the use of non‐linear kernel functions that allow introduction of non‐linear dependences between variables. The objective of this study is to address the problem of fault diagnosis (in terms of non‐linear activation) in hot rolling automation system using a KPCA‐based method. The detection is achieved by comparing the subspaces between the reference and a current state of the system through the concept of subspace angle. It is shown in this work that the exploitation of the measurements in the form of KPCA can effectively improve the detection results.
Ore image edge detection using HOG‐index dictionary learning approach
Authors: Wang Qiangyu , Zhang Guoying
Published: August 2017

A new edge detection method based on histogram of oriented gradient (HOG)‐index dictionary learning is proposed. The HOG‐index dictionary includes HOG feature bases of various granularity ore image and its corresponding ground‐truth binary image bases. For each pending image, its HOG feature is extracted to compare with the HOG feature bases in the dictionary. The binary image bases of the closest matched HOG bases will be chosen as a reconstruction of the original pending image. Compared to bi‐neighbourhood Otsu thresholding method, experimental results show that the proposed algorithm improves both precision and noise immunity performance efficiently, especially for small particle size and large‐complex ore images.
Ion exchange for ZnAl‐LDHs using ammonium‐salt method in aqueous medium
Authors: Liang Dujuan , Lei Zhen , Xiang Xuedi , Yang Xiaojing
Published: August 2017

The intercalated anion species of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) largely determine their application performance. This work investigated the ion exchange process from CO3 2− ‐ to NO3 − ‐type LDHs in aqueous medium using the ammonium salt method, and found that a complete ion exchange reaction can be performed by heat treatment. The weak acidity of aqueous NH4NO3 solutions can protonate the interlayered CO3 2− to HCO3 − and then NO3 − intercalates for the charge compensation; heating at temperatures above 80° C enables the double hydrolysis of HCO3 − and NH4 + to CO2 and NH3 gases, which is proposed to be a kinetically indispensable factor to complete the NO3 −/CO3 2− ion exchange. The heating treatment could reduce the salt dosage and greatly shorten the reaction time to 1 h. In the ion exchange process, mass losses of ZnAl‐LDHs take place due to the dissolution of hydroxide layers, and the dissolution rate of Zn increases with an increase in the heating time, but Al is hardly dissolved. The present work also demonstrated that the proposed method can be appropriate for a complete ion exchange of SO4 2− or I− for CO3 2−.
Development and validation of a multi-locus DNA metabarcoding method to identify endangered species in complex samples
Authors: Arulandhu Alfred J. , Staats Martijn , Hagelaar Rico , Voorhuijzen Marleen M. , Prins Theo W. , Scholtens Ingrid , Costessi Adalberto , Duijsings Danny , Rechenmann François , Gaspar Frédéric B. , Barreto Crespo Maria Teresa , Holst-Jensen Arne , Birck Matthew , Burns Malcolm , Haynes Edward , Hochegger Rupert , Klingl Alexander , Lundberg Lisa , Natale Chiara , Niekamp Hauke , Perri Elena , Barbante Alessandra , Rosec Jean-Philippe , Seyfarth Ralf , Sovová Tereza , Van Moorleghem Christoff , van Ruth Saskia , Peelen Tamara , Kok Esther
Published: August 2017

DNA metabarcoding provides great potential for species identification in complex samples such as food supplements and traditional medicines. Such a method would aid Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) enforcement officers to combat wildlife crime by preventing illegal trade of endangered plant and animal species. The objective of this research was to develop a multi-locus DNA metabarcoding method for forensic wildlife species identification and to evaluate the applicability and reproducibility of this approach across different laboratories. A DNA metabarcoding method was developed that makes use of 12 DNA barcode markers that have demonstrated universal applicability across a wide range of plant and animal taxa and that facilitate the identification of species in samples containing degraded DNA. The DNA metabarcoding method was developed based on Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing of well-defined experimental mixtures, for which a bioinformatics pipeline with user-friendly web-interface was developed. The performance of the DNA metabarcoding method was assessed in an international validation trial by 16 laboratories, in which the method was found to be highly reproducible and sensitive enough to identify species present in a mixture at 1% dry weight content. The advanced multi-locus DNA metabarcoding method assessed in this study provides reliable and detailed data on the composition of complex food products, including information on the presence of CITES-listed species. The method can provide improved resolution for species identification, while verifying species with multiple DNA barcodes contributes to an enhanced quality assurance.
Structure of the triose-phosphate/phosphate translocator reveals the basis of substrate specificity
Authors: Lee Yongchan , Nishizawa Tomohiro , Takemoto Mizuki , Kumazaki Kaoru , Yamashita Keitaro , Hirata Kunio , Minoda Ayumi , Nagatoishi Satoru , Tsumoto Kouhei , Ishitani Ryuichiro , Nureki Osamu
Published: August 2017

The triose-phosphate/phosphate translocator (TPT) catalyzes the strict 1:1 exchange of triose phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate and inorganic phosphate across the chloroplast envelope, and plays crucial roles in photosynthesis. Despite rigorous studies for more than 40 years, the molecular mechanism of TPT is poorly understood due to the lack of structural information. Here we report crystal structures of TPT bound to two different substrates, 3-phosphoglycerate and inorganic phosphate, in occluded conformations. The structures reveal that TPT adopts a 10-transmembrane drug/metabolite transporter fold. Both substrates are bound within the same central pocket, where conserved lysine, arginine, and tyrosine residues recognize the shared phosphate group. A structural comparison with the outward-open conformation of the bacterial drug/metabolite transporter suggests a rocking-type motion of helix bundles, and molecular dynamics simulations support a model in which this helix rocking is tightly coupled to the substrate binding, to ensure strict 1:1 exchange. These results reveal the unique mechanism of sugar phosphate/phosphate exchange by TPT.
Cadmium Exposure Increases the Risk of Juvenile Obesity: A Human and Zebrafish Comparative Study
Authors: Green Adrian J. , Hoyo Cathrine , Mattingly Carolyn J. , Luo Yiwen , Tzeng Jung-Ying , Murphy Susan , Planchart Antonio
Published: August 2017

OBJECTIVE

Human obesity is a complex metabolic disorder disproportionately affecting people of lower socioeconomic strata, and ethnic minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics. Although genetic predisposition and a positive energy balance are implicated in obesity, these factors alone do not account for the excess prevalence of obesity in lower socioeconomic populations. Therefore, environmental factors, including exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants, are agents widely suspected to have obesogenic activity, and they also are spatially correlated with lower socioeconomic status. Our study investigates the causal relationship between exposure to the heavy metal, cadmium (Cd), and obesity in a cohort of children and a zebrafish model of adipogenesis.

DESIGN

An extensive collection of first trimester maternal blood samples obtained as part of the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST) were analyzed for the presence Cd, and these results were cross analyzed with the weight-gain trajectory of the children through age five years. Next, the role of Cd as a potential obesogen was analyzed in anin vivozebrafish model.

RESULTS

Our analysis indicates that the presence of Cd in maternal blood during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of juvenile obesity in the offspring, independent of other variables, including lead (Pb) and smoking status. Our results are recapitulated in a zebrafish model, in which exposure to Cd at levels approximating those observed in the NEST study is associated with increased adiposity.

CONCLUSION

Our findings identify Cd as potential human obesogen. Moreover, these observations are recapitulated in a zebrafish model, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms may be evolutionarily conserved, and that zebrafish may be a valuable model for uncovering pathways leading to Cd-mediated obesity in human populations.
CarrierSeq: a sequence analysis workflow for low-input nanopore sequencing
Authors: Mojarro Angel , Hachey Julie , Ruvkun Gary , Zuber Maria T. , Carr Christopher E.
Published: August 2017

Motivation

Long-read nanopore sequencing technology is of particular significance for taxonomic identification at or below the species level. For many environmental samples, the total extractable DNA is far below the current input requirements of nanopore sequencing, preventing “sample to sequence” metagenomics from low-biomass or recalcitrant samples.

Results

Here we address this problem by employing carrier sequencing, a method to sequence low-input DNA by preparing the target DNA with a genomic carrier to achieve ideal library preparation and sequencing stoichiometry without amplification. We then use CarrierSeq, a sequence analysis workflow to identify the low-input target reads from the genomic carrier. We tested CarrierSeq experimentally by sequencing from a combination of 0.2 ngBacillus subtilisATCC 6633 DNA in a background of 1 μgEnterobacteria phage λDNA. After filtering of carrier, low quality, and low complexity reads, we detected target reads (B. subtilis), contamination reads, and “high quality noise reads” (HQNRs) not mapping to the carrier, target or known lab contaminants. These reads appear to be artifacts of the nanopore sequencing process as they are associated with specific channels (pores). By treating reads as a Poisson arrival process, we implement a statistical test to reject data from channels dominated by HQNRs while retaining target reads.

Availability

CarrierSeq is an open-source bash script with supporting python scripts which leverage a variety of bioinformatics software packages on macOS and Ubuntu. Supplemental documentation is available from Github -https://github.com/amojarro/carrierseq. In addition, we have compiled all required dependencies in a Docker image available from -https://hub.docker.com/r/mojarro/carrierseq.
Toward Capturing the Exposome: Exposure Biomarker Variability and Co-Exposure Patterns in the Shared Environment
Authors: Chung Ming Kei , Kannan Kurunthachalam , Buck Louis Germaine M. , Patel Chirag J.
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND:

Along with time, variation in the exposome is dependent on the location and sex of study participants. One specific factor that may influence exposure co-variations is a shared household environment.

OBJECTIVES:

To examine the influence of shared household and partner’s sex in relation to the variation in 128 endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposures among couples.

METHODS:

In a cohort comprising 501 couples trying for pregnancy, we measured 128 (13 chemical classes) persistent and non-persistent EDCs and estimated 1) sex-specific differences; 2) variance explained by shared household; and 3) Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (rs) for females, males, and couples’ exposures.

RESULTS:

Sex was correlated with 8 EDCs including polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) (p< 0.05). Shared household explained 43% and 41% of the total variance for PFASs and blood metals, respectively, but less than 20% for the remaining 11 EDC classes. Co-exposure patterns of the exposome were similar between females and males, with within-classrs higher for persistent and lower for non-persistent chemicals. Medianrss of polybrominated compounds and urine metalloids were 0.45 and 0.09, respectively, for females (0.41 and 0.08 for males), whereas lowerrss for these 2 classes were found for couples (0.21 and 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS:

Overall, sex did not significantly affect EDC levels in couples. Individual, rather than shared environment, could be a major factor influencing the co-variation of 128 markers of the exposome. Correlations between exposures are lower in couples than in individual partners and have important analytical and sampling implications for epidemiological study.
Use of whole genome sequencing to investigate an outbreak of gonorrhoea among females in urban New South Wales, Australia, 2012 to 2014
Authors: Buckley Cameron , Forde Brian M. , Trembizki Ella , Lahra Monica M. , Beatson Scott A. , Whiley David M.
Published: August 2017

Increasing rates of gonorrhoea have been observed among urban heterosexuals within the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). Here, we applied whole genome sequencing (WGS) to better understand transmission dynamics. Ninety-four isolates of a particularN. gonorrhoeaegenotype (G122) associated with female patients (years 2012 to 2014) underwent phylogenetic analysis using core single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Context for genetic variation was provided by including an unbiased selection of 1,870N. gonorrhoeaegenomes from a recent United Kingdom (UK) study. NSW genomes formed a single clade, with the majority of isolates belonging to one of five clusters, and comprised patients of varying age groups. Intra-patient variability was less than 7 core SNPs. Several patients had indistinguishable core SNPs, suggesting a common infection source. These data have provided an enhanced understanding of transmission ofN. gonorrhoeaeamong urban heterosexuals in NSW, Australia, and highlight the value of using WGS inN. gonorrhoeaeoutbreak investigations.
Comparing colours using visual models
Authors: Maia Rafael , White Thomas E.
Published: August 2017

Lay Summary

An outstanding challenge for the study of colour traits is how best to use “colour spaces” to represent their visual perception, particularly when asking questions of colour-difference (e.g. the (dis)similarity of males and females, mimics and models, or sister species, to a given viewer). We use simulations to show that existing methods fail to statistically and biologically estimate the separation of groups in colour space, and we suggest a flexible, robust, alternative that avoids those pitfalls.

Colour in nature presents a striking dimension of variation, though understanding its function and evolution largely depends on our ability to capture the perspective of relevant viewers. This goal has been radically advanced by the development and widespread adoption of colour spaces, which allow for the viewer-subjective estimation of colour appearance. Most studies of colour in camouflage, aposematism, sexual selection, and other signalling contexts draw on these models, with the shared analytical objective of estimating how similar (or dissimilar) colour samples are to a given viewer. We summarise popular approaches for estimating the separation of samples in colour space, and use a simulation-based approach to test their efficacy with common data structures. We show that these methods largely fail to estimate the separation of colour samples by neglecting (i) the statistical distribution and within-group variation of the data, and/or (ii) the discriminability of groups relative to the observer’s visual capabilities. Instead, we formalize the two questions that must be answered to establish both the statistical presence and theoretical magnitude of colour differences, and propose a two-step, permutation-based approach that achieves this goal. Unlike previous methods, our suggested approach accounts for the multidimensional nature of visual model data, and is robust against common colour-data features such as heterogeneity and outliers. We demonstrate the pitfalls of current methods and the flexibility of our suggested framework using an example from the literature, with recommendations for future inquiry.
Ligand-regulated entry into the HRD ERAD pathway—the dark side of allostery
Authors: Wangeline Margaret A , Hampton Randolph Y
Published: August 2017

HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) undergoes regulated degradation as part of feedback control of the sterol pathway. In yeast the stability of the Hmg2 isozyme of HMGR is controlled by the 20 carbon isoprenoid geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP): increasing levels of GGPP causes more efficient degradation by the HRD pathway, allowing feedback regulation of HMGR. The HRD pathway is a conserved quality control pathway critical for the ER-associated degradation of misfolded ER proteins. We have explored the action of GGPP in HRD-dependent Hmg2 degradation. GGPP was highly potent as a regulatory molecule in vivo, andin vitro, GGPP altered Hmg2 folding at nanomolar concentrations. These effects of GGPP were absent in a variety of stabilized or non-regulated Hmg2 mutants. Consistent with its high potency, the effects of GGPP were highly specific; other closely related molecules were ineffective in altering Hmg2 structure. In fact, two close GGPP analogues, 2F-GGPP and GGSPP were completely inactive at all concentrations tested, and GGSPP was an antagonist of GGPPs effectsin vivoandin vitro. The effects of GGPP on Hmg2 structure and degradation were reversed by chemical chaperones, indicating that GGPP caused selective Hmg2 misfolding. These data indicate that GGPP functions in a manner analogous to an allosteric ligand, causing Hmg2 misfolding through interaction with a reversible, specific binding site. Consistent with this, the Hmg2 protein forms mulitmers. We propose that this “allosteric misfolding,” ormallostery, may be a widely used tactic of biological regulation, with potential for development of small molecule pharmaceuticals that induce selective misfolding.