bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient-reported outcome measures in community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review of application and content validity
Authors: Lloyd Melanie , Callander Emily , Karahalios Amalia , Desmond Lucy , Karunajeewa Harin
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a vital component of patient-centred care. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant contributor to morbidity, mortality and health service costs globally, but there is a lack of consensus regarding PROMs for this condition.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Collaboration for studies, both interventional and observational, of adult recovery from CAP that applied at least one validated PROM instrument and were published before 31 December 2017. The full text of included studies was examined and data collected on study design, PROM instruments applied, constructs examined and the demographic characteristics of the populations measured. For all CAP-specific PROM instruments identified, content validity was assessed using the COnsensus based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines (COSMIN).

Results

Forty-two articles met the inclusion criteria and applied a total of 17 different PROM instruments including five (30%) classified as CAP specific, six (35%) as generic and six (35%) that measured functional performance or were specific to another disease. The 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) was the most commonly used instrument (15 articles). Only one of 11 (9%) patient cohorts assessed using a CAP-specific instrument had a mean age ≥70 years. The CAP-Sym and CAP-BIQ questionnaires had sufficient content validity, though the quality of evidence for all CAP-specific instruments was rated as very low to low.

Discussion

PROM instruments used to measure recovery from CAP are inconsistent in constructs measured and have frequently been developed and validated in highly selective patient samples that are not fully representative of the hospitalised CAP population. The overall content validity of all available CAP-specific instruments is unclear, particularly in the context of elderly hospitalised populations. Based on current evidence, generic health instruments are likely to be of greater value for measuring recovery from CAP in this group.
Distance to trauma centres among gunshot wound victims: identifying trauma ‘deserts’ and ‘oases’ in Detroit
Authors: Circo Giovanni M
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Among the factors related to survival among individuals with gun shot wounds (GSW) is distance to trauma care. Relatively little is known about neighbourhood-level patterns of GSW mortality and distance to hospitals with trauma centres. This study focuses on distance to the nearest trauma centre as a correlate of survival among GSW victims.

Methods

Fatal and non-fatal shooting incident data for 9,205 victimisation in Detroit, Michigan between 2011 and 2017 were collected. A Bayesian conditional autoregressive model was utilised to estimate block-group levels of GSW mortality. Clustering techniques were used to identify spatially proximate neighbourhoods with higher or lower than expected rates of GSW mortality.

Results

Distance to the nearest trauma centre was associated with a 22% increase in fatal outcomes, per-mile (OR 1.22, 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.40) after adjusting for block-group level covariates. A Getis-Ord Gi* analysis identified 91 block groups with lower than expected rates of GSW mortality and 12 block-groups with higher than expected rates.

Conclusion

Distance to the nearest trauma centre is associated with GSW victim survival. Clusters of block-groups with below-average GSW mortality were observed within close proximity of major trauma centres in Detroit. Improving speed and access to trauma care may play a role in reducing GSW mortality.
Uric acid is a key player in salt-induced endothelial dysfunction: the therapeutic role ofStigma maydis(corn silk) extract
Authors: Oyabambi Adewumi Oluwafemi , Areola Emmanuel Damilare , Olatunji Lawrence Aderemi , Soladoye Ayodele Olufemi
Published: June 2019

Hyperuricemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis and complications of cardiovascular diseases with associated elevated oxidant events. There is evidence that excessive salt intake results in cardiometabolic disturbances but the mechanism is elusive. Also, Stigma maydis (corn silk) is noted for its antioxidant properties among other beneficial roles. This study, therefore, aimed to establish the effect of high-salt diet (SD) on uric acid (UA) production and the role of S. maydis in salt-induced phenotypes. Four groups of randomly selected rats (n = 5) were fed with normal rat feed, corn silk extract (500 mg/kg), SD (8%) and corn silk extract plus high-salt feed. After 6 weeks of the experimental procedure, each animal was anesthetized by exposure to chloroform vapor and blood samples collected by cardiac puncture. Data were expressed in means ± SEM and p values <0.05 were accepted as significant. SD resulted in reduced plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) but not endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Also, plasma UA and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) increased in the SD group compared with control. However, S. maydis extract in the SD-exposed group increased NO and GPx and not SOD. Also, S. maydis extract attenuated UA and VCAM-1. In conclusion, high-salt intake may initiate deleterious cardiovascular events through UA-dependent mechanism and S. maydis extract has therapeutic potential in high-salt–induced oxidative damage and/or UA-dependent endothelial pathologies.
Looking beyond PGC-1α: emerging regulators of exercise-induced skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and their activation by dietary compounds
Authors: Islam Hashim , Hood David A. , Gurd Brendon J.
Published: June 2019

Despite its widespread acceptance as the “master regulator” of mitochondrial biogenesis (i.e., the expansion of the mitochondrial reticulum), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) appears to be dispensable for the training-induced augmentation of skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and respiratory function. In fact, a number of regulatory proteins have emerged as important players in skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and many of these proteins share key attributes with PGC-1α. In an effort to move past the simplistic notion of a “master regulator” of mitochondrial biogenesis, we highlight the regulatory mechanisms by which nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ), PPARβ, and leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein (LRP130) may contribute to the control of skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. We also present evidence supporting/refuting the ability of sulforaphane, quercetin, and epicatechin to promote skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and their potential to augment mitochondrial training adaptations. Targeted activation of specific pathways by these compounds may allow for greater mechanistic insight into the molecular pathways controlling mitochondrial biogenesis in human skeletal muscle. Dietary activation of mitochondrial biogenesis may also be useful in clinical populations with basal reductions in mitochondrial protein content, enzyme activities, and/or respiratory function as well as individuals who exhibit a blunted skeletal muscle responsiveness to contractile activity.

Novelty The existence of redundant pathways leading to mitochondrial biogenesis refutes the simplistic notion of a “master regulator” of mitochondrial biogenesis. Dietary activation of specific pathways may provide greater mechanistic insight into the exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in human skeletal muscle.
Physiological traits and relative abundance of species as explanatory variables of co-occurrence pattern of cultivable bacteria associated with chia seeds
Authors: Jaba Asma , Dagher Fadi , Hamidi Oskouei Amir Mehdi , Guertin Claude , Constant Philippe
Published: June 2019

Deciphering the rules defining microbial community assemblage is envisioned as a promising strategy to improve predictions of pathogens colonization and proliferation in food. Despite the increasing number of studies reporting microbial co-occurrence patterns, only a few attempts have been made to challenge them in experimental or theoretical frameworks. Here, we tested the hypothesis that observed variations in co-occurrence patterns can be explained by taxonomy, relative abundance, and physiological traits of microbial species. We used PCR amplicon sequencing of taxonomic markers to assess distribution and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial and fungal species found in 25 chia (Salvia hispanica L.) samples originating from eight different sources. The use of nutrient-rich and oligotrophic media enabled isolation of 71 strains encompassing 16 bacterial species, of which five corresponded to phylotypes represented in the molecular survey. Tolerance to different growth inhibitors and antibiotics was tested to assess the physiological traits of these isolates. Divergence of physiological traits and relative abundance of each pair of species explained 69% of the co-occurrence profile displayed by cultivable bacterial phylotypes in chia. Validation of this ecological network conceptualization approach to more food products is required to integrate microbial species co-occurrence patterns in predictive microbiology.
Classifying superconductivity in compressed H3S
Authors: Talantsev E. F.
Published: June 2019

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in compressed [Formula: see text] by Drozdov and co-workers [A. Drozdov et al., Nature 525 (2015) 73] heralded a new era in superconductivity. To date, the record transition temperature of [Formula: see text] stands with another hydrogen-rich compound, [Formula: see text] [M. Somayazulu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122 (2019) 027001] which becomes superconducting at pressure of [Formula: see text]. Despite very intensive first-principle theoretical studies of hydrogen-rich compounds compressed to megabar level pressure, there is a very limited experimental dataset available for such materials. In this paper, we analyze the upper critical field, [Formula: see text], data of highly compressed [Formula: see text] reported by Mozaffari and co-workers [S. Mozaffari et al., LA-UR-18-30460. https://doi.org/10.2172/1481108 ] by utilizing four different models of [Formula: see text]. As the result, we find that the ratio of superconducting energy gap, [Formula: see text], to the Fermi energy, [Formula: see text], in all considered scenarios is [Formula: see text], with respective ratio of [Formula: see text] to the Fermi temperature, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. These characterize [Formula: see text] as unconventional superconductor and places it on the same trend line in [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text] plot, where all unconventional superconductors are located.
Near-infrared TM-polarization ultra-narrowband absorber with dielectric metamaterials
Authors: Liao Yan-Lin , Zhao Yan
Published: June 2019

Ultra-narrowband light absorption is desired for many applications. A near-infrared TM-polarization (magnetic field is parallel to grating grooves) ultra-narrowband absorber with dielectric metamaterials has been reported theoretically in this paper. The simulation results show that we can achieve an ultra-narrowband absorption at the incident wavelength of [Formula: see text] with the absorption bandwidth less than 0.9 nm and the absorption rate more than 0.99 for TM polarization. At the same time, we find that the high absorption rate can only remain up to [Formula: see text], which means our absorber has high directivity. In addition, the field distribution at the resonance wavelength shows that the ultra-narrowband absorption in our absorber has originated from magnetic resonance effect. Our near-infrared TM-polarization ultra-narrowband absorber is a good candidate for laser stealth.
Constructing a New 3D Chaotic System with Any Number of Equilibria
Authors: Yang Qigui , Qiao Xinmei
Published: June 2019

In the chaotic polynomial Lorenz-type systems (including Lorenz, Chen, Lü and Yang systems) and Rössler system, their equilibria are unstable and the number of the hyperbolic equilibria are no more than three. This paper shows how to construct a simple analytic (nonpolynomial) chaotic system that can have any preassigned number of equilibria. A special 3D chaotic system with no equilibrium is first presented and discussed. Using a methodology of adding a constant controller to the third equation of such a chaotic system, it is shown that a chaotic system with any preassigned number of equilibria can be generated. Two complete mathematical characterizations for the number and stability of their equilibria are further rigorously derived and studied. This system is very interesting in the sense that some complex dynamics are found, revealing many amazing properties: (i) a hidden chaotic attractor exists with no equilibria or only one stable equilibrium; (ii) the chaotic attractor coexists with unstable equilibria, including two/five unstable equilibria; (iii) the chaotic attractor coexists with stable equilibria and unstable equilibria, including one stable and two unstable equilibria/94 stable and 93 unstable equilibria; (iv) the chaotic attractor coexists with infinitely many nonhyperbolic isolated equilibria. These results reveal an intrinsic relationship of the global dynamical behaviors with the number and stability of the equilibria of some unusual chaotic systems.
Deterministic Computing Techniques for Perfect Density Classification
Authors: Pal Suryakanta , Sahoo Sudhakar , Nayak Birendra Kumar
Published: June 2019

The aim of this paper is to solve the density classification task (DCT), an extensively studied classical problem, using one-dimensional nonuniform Cellular Automata (CA) rules. A perfect solution of DCT requires searching for CA rules for binary strings of all possible lengths. But the generic problem is still open though the solution exists only for a specific fixed length CA. This paper provides two fundamental ideas to solve this problem in a better way. The first technique solves this problem using deterministic Turing machines which ultimately leads to generation of different CA rules under periodic boundary conditions. In the second technique, the existence of DCT solution by analyzing the state transition diagrams (STDs) of number conserving CA rules is investigated. The possibility of finding the exact solutions of DCT using Turing machine, STD and number conservation property of CA rules can be viewed as an improvement over the approximate solutions obtained by evolutionary techniques.
Fractal Diffusion Limited Aggregation of Soot Particles Based on Fuzzy Membership Functions
Authors: Sun Jie , Qiao Wei , Liu Shuai
Published: June 2019

In this paper, the membership function in fuzzy systems is used in the Diffusion Limited Aggregation (DLA) model to investigate the fractal diffusion of soot particles from diesel engine emissions. The transformation of the morphology of soot particle aggregates and the control of fractal diffusion of soot particles are investigated by analyzing the nonlinear relationship between the motion steps and angles of diffusing particles. The simulation results demonstrate that the morphology of the aggregates varies from loose to compact by changing the particles’ motion steps and angles in membership functions. Meanwhile, the Ballistic Aggregation (BA)-like aggregates are obtained. Furthermore, the control of the morphology of soot particle aggregates is realized, which makes the settlement of the aggregates become easier. This will provide a reference for further understanding the growth mechanism of soot particle diffusion and enhancing the purification technology of the soot particles.
Mitigating Synchronous I/O Overhead in File Systems on Open-Channel SSDs
Authors: Lu Youyou , Shu Jiwu , Zhang Jiacheng
Published: June 2019

Synchronous I/O has long been a design challenge in file systems. Although open-channel solid state drives (SSDs) provide better performance and endurance to file systems, they still suffer from synchronous I/Os due to the amplified writes and worse hot/cold data grouping. The reason lies in the controversy design choices between flash write and read/erase operations. While fine-grained logging improves performance and endurance in writes, it hurts indexing and data grouping efficiency in read and erase operations. In this article, we propose a flash-friendly data layout by introducing a built-in persistent staging layer to provide balanced read, write, and garbage collection performance. Based on this, we design a new flash file system (FS) named
StageFS
, which decouples the content and structure updates. Content updates are logically logged to the staging layer in a persistence-efficient way, which achieves better write performance and lower write amplification. The updated contents are reorganized into the normal data area for structure updates, with improved hot/cold grouping and in a page-level indexing way, which is more friendly to read and garbage collection operations. Evaluation results show that, compared to recent flash-friendly file system (F2FS), StageFS effectively improves performance by up to 211.4% and achieves low garbage collection overhead for workloads with frequent synchronization.
Attention-Based Personalized Encoder-Decoder Model for Local Citation Recommendation
Authors: Yang Libin , Zhang Zeqing , Cai Xiaoyan , Dai Tao
Published: June 2019

With a tremendous growth in the number of scientific papers, researchers have to spend too much time and struggle to find the appropriate papers they are looking for. Local citation recommendation that provides a list of references based on a text segment could alleviate the problem. Most existing local citation recommendation approaches concentrate on how to narrow the semantic difference between the scientific papers’ and citation context’s text content, completely neglecting other information. Inspired by the successful use of the encoder-decoder framework in machine translation, we develop an attention-based encoder-decoder (AED) model for local citation recommendation. The proposed AED model integrates venue information and author information in attention mechanism and learns relations between variable-length texts of the two text objects, i.e., citation contexts and scientific papers. Specifically, we first construct an encoder to represent a citation context as a vector in a low-dimensional space; after that, we construct an attention mechanism integrating venue information and author information and use RNN to construct a decoder, then we map the decoder’s output into a softmax layer, and score the scientific papers. Finally, we select papers which have high scores and generate a recommended reference paper list. We conduct experiments on the DBLP and ACL Anthology Network (AAN) datasets, and the results illustrate that the performance of the proposed approach is better than the other three state-of-the-art approaches.
Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Coupled Walls with Segmental Coupling Beams
Authors: Hu Xiaobin , Lu Qinwang , Xu Zihao , Zhang Shen
Published: June 2019

A novel reinforced concrete (RC) segmental coupling beam (SCB), which mainly comprises the energy dissipating (ED) segment and load bearing (LB) segment, is proposed in this paper. In order to examine its applicability in engineering practice, one scaled RC coupled wall specimen with the proposed SCBs was constructed and experimentally investigated under cyclic loading. The results show that both cracking and yielding occurred much earlier on the ED segments of the SCBs compared to the LB segments. In addition, a lot more cracks distributed densely on the ED segments were observed at the end of the test. It demonstrates that the ED segments play a main role in the energy dissipation, while the LB segments are always reliably capable of carrying the gravity load transferred from the floor beams. Finally, the finite element analysis model of the RC coupled wall is established and validated by comparing the analysis results with the experimental ones. Utilizing the proposed analysis model, parametric analyses are conducted to investigate the influence of a variety of design parameters, including the axial compressive ratio of the wall pier, concrete strength, and especially sectional height of the SCB, on seismic performance of the coupled wall. It shows that as the sectional height of the ED segment increases, the energy dissipating capacity of the coupled wall may improve while the ability of supporting the gravity load is lowered.
Hydrological Behavior of an Infiltration-Induced Landslide in Colorado, USA
Authors: Wayllace Alexandra , Thunder Barbara , Lu Ning , Khan Aziz , Godt Jonathan W.
Published: June 2019

Infiltration-induced landslides are common in mountainous and hilly areas of the world. When they occur near transportation corridors, they can impact public safety, impede transport of goods and people, and damage transportation infrastructure. This work presents a study of the hydrological behavior and its effects on the stability of an active landslide located on an embankment along Interstate-70 west of the Eisenhower Tunnel in central Colorado, USA. Groundwater dynamics were monitored for three years; two piezometers were installed near the head of the slide and one piezometer was placed near the toe. The hydrological observations at this site are unusual in that water table positions beneath the westbound shoulder of the highway (upslope) varied twice as much as water table positions beneath the eastbound shoulder (downslope), only 30 m distant horizontally. To better understand the factors controlling these observed differences, observations of the stratigraphy and the geomorphology of the watershed beyond the landslide body were incorporated into a conceptual model tested using numerical simulations of two-dimensional, variably saturated groundwater flow. Results from the numerical simulations calibrated against field measurements and a seasonally varying stability analysis of the site show that the large observed differences in the water table positions over the short horizontal distance are likely due to a combination of (1) the large size of the watershed that allows a significant amount of infiltration of snowmelt into the hillslope, (2) the contrast of hydrological properties of soils in the watershed, and (3) the changes in steepness of the dip of the bedrock below the slide. These three factors control the direction, speed, and amount of groundwater flow traveling through the slope. It is also shown that the seasonal hydrology of the site is a key factor in the stability of the slope, where most of the observed displacement occurs during the early summer season. Variations in the water table level within a year resulting from low snow years compared to variations from high snow years can be as much as 100%. Finally, it is important to consider the large contributing area of the watershed when evaluating the hillslope hydrologic conditions and remediation options.
The SR-B1 Receptor as a Potential Target for Treating Glioblastoma
Authors: Berney Ethan , Sabnis Nirupama , Panchoo Marlyn , Raut Sangram , Dickerman Rob , Lacko Andras G.
Published: June 2019

Purpose. The goal of these studies was to provide proof of concept for a novel targeted therapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). Methods. These studies involve the evaluation of reconstituted high density lipoprotein (rHDL) nanoparticles (NPs) as delivery agents for the drug, mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor Everolimus (EVR) to GBM cells. Cytotoxicity studies and assessment of downstream effects, including apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle events, were probed, in relation to the expression of scavenger receptor B type 1 (SR-B1) by GBM cells. Results. Findings from cytotoxicity studies indicate that the rHDL/EVR formulation was 185 times more potent than free EVR against high SR-B1 expressing cell line (LN 229). Cell cycle analysis revealed that rHDL/EVR treated LN229 cells had a 5.8 times higher apoptotic cell population than those treated with EVR. The sensitivity of GBM cells to EVR treatment was strongly correlated with SR-B1 expression. Conclusions. These studies present strong proof of concept regarding the efficacy of delivering EVR and likely other agents, via a biocompatible transport system, targeted to the SR-B1 receptor that is upregulated in most cancers, including GBM. Targeting the SR-B1 receptor could thus lead to effective personalized therapy of GBM.
Perihelion Advance and Trajectory of Charged Test Particles in Reissner-Nordstrom Field via the Higher-Order Geodesic Deviations
Authors: Heydari-Fard Malihe , Fakhry Saeed , Hasani Seyedeh Nahid
Published: June 2019

By using the higher-order geodesic deviation equations for charged particles, we apply the method described by Kerner et.al. to calculate the perihelion advance and trajectory of charged test particles in the Reissner-Nordstrom space-time. The effect of charge on the perihelion advance is studied and we compared the results with those obtained earlier via the perturbation method. The advantage of this approximation method is to provide a way to calculate the perihelion advance and orbit of planets in the vicinity of massive and compact objects without considering Newtonian and post-Newtonian approximations.
Breakfast Intake and Factors Associated with Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Lebanese High School Adolescents
Authors: Mounayar Rana , Jreij Rana , Hachem Jennifer , Abboud Frida , Tueni Maya
Published: June 2019

The Mediterranean diet has shown to have positive health impacts on metabolic diseases and cognitive performance. However, Mediterranean countries have witnessed a decreased adherence during the past years and the adoption of a more westernized dietary pattern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of Mediterranean diet adherence with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric factors among Lebanese high school adolescents. Specifically, we aimed to analyse in this group the association between low adherence and breakfast intake. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on randomly selected students (268 boys and 332 girls), aged between 15 and 18 years old, from private and public schools in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents was used to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The results showed a high percentage of adolescents having a low adherence (43%), with girls (64.2%) having a significant (p<0.001) higher adherence than boys (35.8%). Furthermore, the study proved that a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with a higher risk of obesity (15.5%), breakfast skipping (69.4%), and an unhealthy breakfast options (17.4%). Younger adolescents (47.4%), students from public schools (92.6%), and students with the highest grades (25.3%) had a significantly higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet than those from private schools (7.4%) and older adolescents (18.9%). In conclusion, results should plead for an increased awareness in Lebanese schools, supporting students to be more adherent to the Mediterranean diet, in order to prevent a further increase in metabolic diseases later in adulthood.
Templated Fabrication of Graphitic Carbon Nitride with Ordered Mesoporous Nanostructures for High-Efficient Photocatalytic Bacterial Inactivation under Visible Light Irradiation
Authors: Chen Jianqin , Lin Wenting , Xie Liyan , Huang Jianhui , Wang Wanjun
Published: June 2019

Biohazards are widely present in water, and a variety of waterborne diseases can be aroused by contaminated water. Therefore, the effective removal of biological hazards from water is necessary for the protection of human health. In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with ordered mesoporous nanostructures was successfully synthesized by a template method using SBA-15 as a hard template. The morphology, crystal structure, specific surface area, molecular structure, and light absorption properties of the as-prepared sample were characterized by TEM, XRD, BET, FT-IR, and UV-Vis DRS, respectively. The photocatalytic performance of the ordered mesoporous g-C3N4 was evaluated by the inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 in water under visible light irradiation. Results showed that the bacterial inactivation efficiency can reach as high as 99% within 2 h of VL irradiation, which is 4 times higher than that of bulk g-C3N4. Moreover, the photocatalytic bacterial inactivation mechanism was revealed by a scavenging study, and the main active species in the photocatalytic inactivation process was found to be a photogenerated hole. This work will provide useful information for the development of new efficient g-C3N4-based materials for enhanced water disinfection applications by introducing ordered mesoporous nanostructures in a photocatalyst design and fabrication.
An Experimental Study of the Impact Mechanical Properties of RC Beams following Replacements of Stainless Steel Reinforcements of Equal Strength
Authors: Zhou Xiwu , Zhang Runcheng , Xiong Ruisheng , Zhang Guoxue , Wang Xiangyu
Published: June 2019

The reinforced concrete structure of a port wharf is affected by steel corrosion and ship docking impact. Replacing an ordinary steel bar with a stainless steel bar can solve the corrosion problem of the steel bar while ensuring the bearing capacity of the structure. However, the research on impact resistance of stainless steel-reinforced concrete structure is not perfect. In this paper, impact mechanical properties of reinforced concrete beams before and after equal strength replacement of stainless steel bars are analyzed by theoretical analysis and drop hammer impact test, and the possibility and applicable scope of equal strength replacement of stainless steel bars are put forward. The results indicated the following: (1) when the reinforcement ratios were small (0.21% to 1.32%), the stainless steel-reinforced concrete beams with equal strength were able to effectively reduce the stiffness losses of the beams undergoing impact loads, as well as improve the elastic resilience abilities, and reduce the structural damages. Therefore, the corrosion and impact problems of reinforcements could be solved by replacing ordinary reinforcements with stainless steel reinforcements and (2) when the reinforcement ratios were large (1.32% to 2.57%), the shear failures of the stainless steel-reinforced concrete beams were observed to be relatively serious, and the impact resistance performances had worsened. The research results provide technical support for the engineering application of stainless steel-reinforced concrete structure design.
Application of Deep Learning in Neuroradiology: Brain Haemorrhage Classification Using Transfer Learning
Authors: Dawud Awwal Muhammad , Yurtkan Kamil , Oztoprak Huseyin
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we address the problem of identifying brain haemorrhage which is considered as a tedious task for radiologists, especially in the early stages of the haemorrhage. The problem is solved using a deep learning approach where a convolutional neural network (CNN), the well-known AlexNet neural network, and also a modified novel version of AlexNet with support vector machine (AlexNet-SVM) classifier are trained to classify the brain computer tomography (CT) images into haemorrhage or nonhaemorrhage images. The aim of employing the deep learning model is to address the primary question in medical image analysis and classification: can a sufficient fine-tuning of a pretrained model (transfer learning) eliminate the need of building a CNN from scratch? Moreover, this study also aims to investigate the advantages of using SVM as a classifier instead of a three-layer neural network. We apply the same classification task to three deep networks; one is created from scratch, another is a pretrained model that was fine-tuned to the brain CT haemorrhage classification task, and our modified novel AlexNet model which uses the SVM classifier. The three networks were trained using the same number of brain CT images available. The experiments show that the transfer of knowledge from natural images to medical images classification is possible. In addition, our results proved that the proposed modified pretrained model “AlexNet-SVM” can outperform a convolutional neural network created from scratch and the original AlexNet in identifying the brain haemorrhage.
Factors That Influence Refractive Changes in the First Year of Myopia Development in Premature Infants
Authors: Mao Jianbo , Lao Jimeng , Liu Chenyi , Wu Mingyuan , Yu Xueting , Shao Yirun , Zhu Lin , Chen Yiqi , Shen Lijun
Published: June 2019

Purpose. To study the development of refractive status from 36 weeks to one year of postmenstrual age and to identify factors that contribute to development of myopia, including gender, birth weight, gestational age, and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Methods. Premature infants underwent full cycloplegic retinoscopy at 36 weeks, 38 weeks, 40 weeks, 42 weeks, 44 weeks, 46 weeks, 48 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months of postmenstrual age. The infants were grouped by gender, birth weight, gestational age, and the severity of ROP to evaluate the correlation with refractive status at each postmenstrual age.Results. A total of 942 infants were recruited in this study. A total of 2716 readings were obtained. Refractive state had a hyperopic shift until 46 weeks of postmenstrual age (r = 0.42,P<0.0001). After that, the mean spherical equivalent (SE) gradually declined (r = −0.30,P<0.0001). Boys had lower hyperopia than girls at nine months (t = 3.10,P=0.003) and one year (t = 3.34,P=0.001) of postmenstrual age. Premature infants with ROP had a lower average SE at most of the postmenstrual ages; however, this value did not vary significantly (P>0.05). Premature infants with severe ROP were less hyperopic than those without it at every postmenstrual age, and the average SE differed significantly at one year of postmenstrual age (t = 2.60,P=0.011). There was no significant difference between each birth weight and gestational age (P>0.05).Conclusions. The dioptric value of premature infants within one year was generally hyperopic. Different gender, birth weight, gestational age, and ROP did not affect the overall development of refractive status. Females may have higher hyperopia at nine months of postmenstrual age. Birth weight and gestational age had little effect on change of refractive status. Severe ROP was an important contributing factor in myopia progression, which may be related to the treatment required. Further study may be carried out to understand the mechanism behind myopia progression in premature infants, including changes in refractive system parameters and emmetropization process.
Support System for Tunnelling in Squeezing Ground of Qingling‐Daba Mountainous Area: A Case Study from Soft Rock Tunnels
Authors: Wang Xiuling , Lai Jinxing , Garnes Rodney Sheldon , Luo Yanbin
Published: June 2019

Tunnelling or undertaking below‐ground construction in squeezing ground can always present many engineering surprises, in which this complicated geology bring a series of tunnelling difficulties. Obviously, if the major affecting factors and mechanism of the structure damage in these complicated geological conditions are determined accurately, fewer problems will be faced during the tunnel excavation. For this study, reference is made to four tunnel cases located in the Qingling‐Daba mountainous squeezing area that are dominated by a strong tectonic uplift and diversified geological structures. This paper establishes a strong support system suitable for a squeezing tunnel for the purpose of addressing problems exhibited in the extreme deformation of rock mass, structure crack, or even failure during excavation phase. This support system contains a number of temporary support measures used for ensuring the stability of tunnel face during tunnelling. The final support system was constructed, including some key techniques such as the employment of the foot reinforcement bolt (FRB), an overall strong support measure, and more reserved deformation. Results in this case study showed significant effectiveness of the support systems along with a safe and efficient construction process. The tunnel support system proposed in this paper can be helpful to support design and provide sufficient support and arrangement before tunnel construction in squeezing ground.
A Self-Powered PMFC-Based Wireless Sensor Node for Smart City Applications
Authors: Ayala-Ruiz Daniel , Castillo Atoche Alejandro , Ruiz-Ibarra Erica , Osorio de la Rosa Edith , Vázquez Castillo Javier
Published: June 2019

Long power wide area networks (LPWAN) systems play an important role in monitoring environmental conditions for smart cities applications. With the development of Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks (WSN), and energy harvesting devices, ultra-low power sensor nodes (SNs) are able to collect and monitor the information for environmental protection, urban planning, and risk prevention. This paper presents a WSN of self-powered IoT SNs energetically autonomous using Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (PMFCs). An energy harvesting device has been adapted with the PMFC to enable a batteryless operation of the SN providing power supply to the sensor network. The low-power communication feature of the SN network is used to monitor the environmental data with a dynamic power management strategy successfully designed for the PMFC-based LoRa sensor node. Environmental data of ozone (O3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are monitored in real time through a web application providing IoT cloud services with security and privacy protocols.
Mycobacterium bovis BCG Surface Antigens Expressed under the Granuloma-Like Conditions as Potential Inducers of the Protective Immunity
Authors: Chen Yingyu , Danelishvili Lia , Rose Sasha J. , Bermudez Luiz E.
Published: June 2019

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a highly transmissible infection and remains of great concern as a zoonosis. The worldwide incidence of bTB is in rise, creating potential reservoir and increased infection risk for humans and animals. In attempts to identify novel surface antigens of Mycobacterium bovis as a proof-of-concept for potential inducers of protective immunity, we investigated surface proteome of M. bovis BCG strain that was cultured under the granuloma-like condition. We also demonstrated that the pathogen exposed to the biologically relevant environment has greater binding and invasion abilities to host cells than those of bacteria incubated under regular laboratory conditions. A total of 957 surface-exposed proteins were identified for BCG cultured under laboratory condition, whereas 1,097 proteins were expressed under the granuloma-like condition. The overexpression of Mb1524, Mb01_03198, Mb1595_p3681 (PhoU1 same as phoY1_1), and Mb1595_p0530 (HbhA) surface proteins in Mycobacterium smegmatis leads to increased binding and invasion to mucosal cells. We also examined the immunogenicity of purified recombinant proteins and tested M. smegmatis overexpressing these surface antigens for the induction of protective immunity in mice. Significantly high levels of specific IgA and IgG antibodies were observed in recombinant protein immunized groups by both inhalation and intraperitoneal (IP) routes, but only IP delivery induced high total IgA and IgG levels. We did not detect major differences in antibody levels in the M. smegmatis group that overexpressed surface antigens. In addition, the bacterial load was significantly reduced in the lungs of mice immunized with the combination of inhaled recombinant proteins. Our findings suggest that the activation of the mucosal immunity can lead to increased ability to confer protection upon M. bovis BCG infection.
Zollinger Ellison Syndrome in a Patient with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1: A Classic Presentation
Authors: Shah Ishani , Vyas Neil , Kadkhodayan Kambiz S.
Published: June 2019

Zollinger Ellison Syndrome (ZES) is characterized by a wide spectrum of conditions including severe gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, watery diarrhea, and weight loss. We present a case of a 60-year-old woman being evaluated for severe dyspepsia, vomiting, and chronic diarrhea, who was diagnosed to have ZES associated with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, in the setting of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1. Although cases of ZES have been reported previously, we believe that our case is a classic presentation of ZES diagnosed on the basis of typical radiologic, endoscopic, and endosonographic features.
Discovery of a Pathogenic Variant rs139379666 (p. P2974L) in ATM for Breast Cancer Risk in Chinese Populations
Authors: Guo Xingyi , Lin Weiqiang , Bai Mengqiu , Li Hongzhi , Wen Wanqing , Zeng Chenjie , Chen Zhishan , He Jing , Chen Jianghua , Cai Qiuyin , Long Jirong , Jia Wei-Hua , Shu Xiao-Ou , Zheng Wei
Published: June 2019

Background:

Pathogenic variants in susceptibility genes lead to increased breast cancer risk.

Methods:

To identify coding variants associated with breast cancer risk, we conducted whole-exome sequencing in genomic DNA samples from 831 breast cancer cases and 839 controls of Chinese women. We also genotyped samples, including 4,580 breast cancer cases and 6,695 controls, using whole exome-chip arrays. We further performed a replication study using a Multi-Ethnic Global Array in samples from 1,793 breast cases and 2,059 controls. A single marker analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test.

Results:

We identified a missense variant (rs139379666, P2974L; AF = 0.09% for breast cancer cases, but none for controls) in the ATM gene for breast cancer risk using combing data from 7,204 breast cancer cases and 9,593 controls (P = 1.7 × 10−5). To investigate the functionality of the variant, we first silenced ATM and then transfected the overexpression vectors of ATM containing the risk alleles (TT) or reference alleles (CC) of the variant in U2OS and breast cancer SK-BR3 cells, respectively. Our results showed that compared with the reference allele, the risk allele significantly disrupts the activity of homologous recombination-mediated double-strand breaks repair efficiency. Our results further showed that the risk allele may play a defected regulation role in the activity of the ATM structure.

Conclusions:

Our findings identified a novel mutation that disrupts ATM function, conferring to breast cancer risk.

Impact:

Functional investigation of genetic association findings is necessary to discover a pathogenic variant for breast cancer risk.
Attitudes toward Precision Treatment of Smoking in the Southern Community Cohort Study
Authors: Senft Nicole , Sanderson Maureen , Selove Rebecca , Blot William J. , King Stephen , Gilliam Karen , Kundu Suman , Steinwandel Mark , Sternlieb Sarah J. , Warren Andersen Shaneda , Friedman Debra L. , Connors Erin , Fadden Mary Kay , Freiberg Matthew , Wells Quinn S. , Canedo Juan , Tyndale Rachel F. , Young Robert P. , Hopkins Raewyn J. , Tindle Hilary A.
Published: June 2019

Background:

Precision interventions using biological data may enhance smoking treatment, yet are understudied among smokers who are disproportionately burdened by smoking-related disease.

Methods:

We surveyed smokers in the NCI-sponsored Southern Community Cohort Study, consisting primarily of African-American, low-income adults. Seven items assessed attitudes toward aspects of precision smoking treatment, from undergoing tests to acting on results. Items were dichotomized as favorable (5 = strongly agree/4 = agree) versus less favorable (1 = strongly disagree/2 = disagree/3 = neutral); a summary score reflecting generalized attitudes was also computed. Multivariable logistic regression tested independent associations of motivation (precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation) and confidence in quitting (low, medium, and high) with generalized attitudes, controlling for sociodemographic factors and nicotine dependence.

Results:

More than 70% of respondents endorsed favorable generalized attitudes toward precision medicine, with individual item favorability ranging from 64% to 83%. Smokers holding favorable generalized attitudes reported higher income and education (P < 0.05). Predicted probabilities of favorable generalized attitudes ranged from 63% to 75% across motivation levels [contemplation vs. precontemplation: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.36–3.25, P = 0.001; preparation vs. precontemplation: AOR = 1.83, 95% CI, 1.20–2.78, P = 0.005; contemplation vs. preparation: AOR = 1.15, 95% CI, 0.75–1.77, P = 0.52] and from 59% to 78% across confidence (medium vs. low: AOR = 1.91, 95% CI, 1.19–3.07, P = 0.007; high vs. low: AOR = 2.62, 95% CI, 1.68–4.10, P < 0.001; medium vs. high: AOR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.48–1.11, P = 0.14).

Conclusions:

Among disproportionately burdened community smokers, most hold favorable attitudes toward precision smoking treatment. Individuals with lower motivation and confidence to quit may benefit from additional intervention to engage with precision smoking treatment.

Impact:

Predominantly favorable attitudes toward precision smoking treatment suggest promise for future research testing their effectiveness and implementation.
Burden of Cancer Mortality in the Canadian Armed Forces, 1976–2012: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rolland-Harris Elizabeth , Simkus Kristen , Weeks Murray
Published: June 2019

Background:

Military personnel may have potential exposures to carcinogens during their military careers. However, the generalizability of causal evidence between occupational exposures and cancer outcomes in military personnel is limited. This study aims to describe the epidemiology cause–specific cancer mortality in still serving and released Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel recruited between 1976 and 2012.

Methods:

Data came from the Canadian Forces Cancer and Mortality Study II (CF CAMS II), a record-linkage study of approximately 228,685 CAF Regular Force personnel and Reservists. Sex-stratified standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for each neoplasm subcategory, with the Canadian general population (CGP) as the reference.

Results:

Approximately 1,450 deaths were attributable to neoplasms. Cancer mortality was lower in both men and women with military service (SMR = 0.77 and 0.78, respectively) versus CGP. Females had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Males in the cohort had a significantly lower risk of lip, oral cavity and pharynx, digestive organs, respiratory and intrathoracic organs, bone and articular cartilage, and mesothelial and soft-tissue cancers. However, males also had a significantly increased risk for neoplasms of the central nervous system and lymphoid cells, as well as for certain specific cancer diagnoses.

Conclusions:

Current and former CAF personnel were at comparable, or lower risk than, the CGP for cancer-related deaths. However, there was an increased risk for certain neoplasm subcategories and specific cancers.

Impact:

These findings contribute to the limited body of evidence investigating the link between military service and cancer mortality.
Wake Up and Smell the Fusions: Single-Modality Molecular Testing Misses Drivers
Authors: Davies Kurtis D. , Aisner Dara L.
Published: June 2019

Multitarget assays have become common in clinical molecular diagnostic laboratories. However, all assays, no matter how well designed, have inherent gaps due to technical and biological limitations. In some clinical cases, testing by multiple methodologies is needed to address these gaps and ensure the most accurate molecular diagnoses.

See related article by Benayed et al., p. 4712