bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Previous Pregnancy Loss on Lactating Behaviors and Use of Herbal Medicines during Breastfeeding: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Herbal Supplements in Breastfeeding InvesTigation (HaBIT)
Authors: Bettiol Alessandra , Lombardi Niccolò , Marconi Ettore , Crescioli Giada , Bonaiuti Roberto , Maggini Valentina , Gallo Eugenia , Mugelli Alessandro , Firenzuoli Fabio , Ravaldi Claudia , Vannacci Alfredo
Published: November 2018

Introduction. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are commonly used among lactating women, despite the poor knowledge of these products and of their safety. Perception of pregnancy‐ and breastfeeding‐related difficulties and consequent use of CAMs may differ in bereaved women, by force of the distress related to previous loss, although no literature evidence is available. This Herbal supplements in Breastfeeding InvesTigation (HaBIT) post hoc analysis explored the impact of previous pregnancy loss on lactating behaviors and on use of CAMs during breastfeeding. Methods. A web‐based survey was conducted among lactating women with no previous alive child, resident in Tuscany (Italy). Data on lactating behavior and on CAMs use were collected and evaluated among women with previous pregnancy loss as compared to control women. Results. Out of 476 women answering the questionnaire, 233 lactating women with one child were considered. Of them, 80 had history of pregnancy loss. Cesarean birth was significantly more frequent among women with history of pregnancy loss as compared to controls (41% versus 22%; p=0.004). Proportion, length of exclusive breastfeeding, and occurrence of breastfeeding‐related complications were comparable among the two cohorts. More than half of women used CAMs during breastfeeding. Use of CAMs was more frequent among women with previous pregnancy loss (54% versus 68%; p=0.050), specifically considering herbal preparations (16% versus 30%; p=0.018). Major advisors for CAMs use were midwives. 18% and 23% of women without and with history of pregnancy loss declared no clear perception on CAMs efficacy and safety. Conclusion. Overcoming the social taboo of pregnancy loss and training healthcare professionals for an adequate management of the perinatal period are essential for an effective and safe care. Despite the common use and advice on CAMs use during breastfeeding, it is important to acknowledge that limited evidence supports their safety and efficacy during such critical period.
Software‐Defined Virtual Testbed for IoT Systems
Authors: Sendorek Joanna , Szydlo Tomasz , Brzoza-Woch Robert
Published: November 2018

The Internet of Things concept has found applications in a wide range of solutions, including smart homes, smart cities, enterprise systems, and others. Due to the limited resources available on physical devices and the intermittent availability of wireless networks, IoT may hugely benefit from Mobile Cloud Computing as it may provide the necessary processing power and the storage. This, however, increases the complexity of IoT systems and calls for a flexible testing environment to simplify the development process. In this paper we propose the concept of a software‐defined IoT testbed which enables an IoT system to be immersed and tested in a virtual environment in order to evaluate its behavior under controllable conditions. Additionally, the features of the implemented testbed prototype are discussed on the basis of a specific use case.
Application of Food-Grade Proteolytic Enzyme for the Hydrolysis of Regenerated Silk Fibroin fromBombyx mori
Authors: Joung Ji An , Park Mi Na , You Ji Young , Song Bong Joon , Choi Joon Ho
Published: November 2018

In vitrobiodegradation ofBombyx morisilk fibroin (SF) was studied using food-grade proteolytic enzymes to replace acid hydrolysis. Based on the residual protein quantity and yield of amino acids (AAs) after enzymatic hydrolysis, we evaluated the proteolytic enzyme process of SF. FoodPro and Alcalase that are classified as alkaline proteases are selected as two of the best candidate enzymes for hydrolysis of SF. The activity of these enzymes exhibits a broad range of pH (6.5 to 9.0) and temperature (50°C to 65°C). The single enzyme treatment of SF using FoodPro exhibited a hydrolytic efficiency of 20–25%, and >2 g/L AAs were released after reaction for 3 h. A 2-stage enzymatic treatment using a combination of FoodPro and Flavourzyme in a sequence for a reaction time of 6 h was developed to enhance the efficiency of the proteolytic process. The yield of AAs and residual protein quantity in the enzymatic hydrolysates obtained from FoodPro-treated regenerated SF in the 1st step was 2,040 ± 23.7 mg/L and 70.6%, respectively. The yield of AAs was > two-fold (4,519 ± 42.1 mg/L), whereas the residual protein quantity decreased to 55.1% after the Flavourzyme treatment (2nd step) compared to those of the single FoodPro treatment. In the mixed treatment by simultaneously using FoodPro and Flavourzyme, approximately 45% of SF was degraded and 4.5 g/L of AAs were released within 3 h of reaction time. The regenerated SF and its enzymatic hydrolysates were characterized by performing UV-visible spectra, gel electrophoresis, and size-exclusion chromatography analyses. In the 2-stage treatment using FoodPro initially and subsequently Flavourzyme, the aggregates and high molecular weight proteins of SF were dissociated and degraded into the low molecular weight proteins/peptides (10–15 kDa and 27 kDa). SF hydrolysates as functional food might be enzymatically produced using the commercial food-grade proteolytic enzymes.
Antidiabetic Effects of the Ethanolic Root Extract ofUvaria chamaeP. Beauv (Annonaceae) in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats: A Potential Alternative Treatment for Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Emordi Jonathan Emeka , Agbaje Esther Oluwatoyin , Oreagba Ibrahim Adekunle , Iribhogbe Osede Ignis
Published: November 2018

Diabetes mellitus has been a menace to mankind from time immemorial. However, a natural product such asU. chamaeP. Beauv (Annonaceae) offers alternative treatment for diabetes mellitus. The study aimed at evaluating antidiabetic activity of the ethanolic root extract ofU. chamaein alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in Sprague Dawley rats after overnight fast with 150 mg/kg alloxan intraperitoneally. After 72 h, those with plasma glucose levels >200 mg/dl were classified as diabetic. Five diabetic rats in each group were treated daily for 14 days orally with 100, 250, and 400 mg/kg of the extract, glibenclamide (71 µg/kg) and pioglitazone (429 µg/kg), respectively, while another group was untreated. Control received 0.5 ml ofAcacia senegal. Effects of extract on glucose, other biochemical, and hematological parameters were evaluated.α-amylase andα-glucosidase inhibitory activities of extract and its fractions were also evaluated. Percentage inhibition and IC50values were determined. Diabetic control was achieved on the 7th day of the study with 100, 250, and 400 mg/kg of the extract showing glucose reduction of 72.14%, 78.75%, and 87.71%, respectively. The HDL-cholesterol levels of diabetic rats treated with extracts were significantly increased. Extract and its fractions causedα-amylase andα-glucosidase inhibition. Histologically, pancreas of diabetic rats treated with extract showed regenerated islet cells which were not seen in rats treated with glibenclamide and pioglitazone. This study showed thatU. chamaehas antidiabetic activity which may be throughα-amylase andα-glucosidase inhibition and regeneration of pancreatic beta cells. Also, it may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing HDL-cholesterol levels.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through PowerPoint: Efficacy in an Adolescent Clinical Population with Depression and Anxiety
Authors: Alavi Nazanin , Stefanoff Matthew , Hirji Alyssa , Khalid-Khan Sarosh
Published: November 2018

Background. Limited help-seeking behaviours, among adolescents with mental health concerns and many barriers to accessing mental health services, make innovative approaches to administering mental health therapies crucial. Therefore, this study evaluated the efficacy of e-CBT given via PowerPoint slides to treat adolescents with anxiety and/or depression. Method. 15 adolescents referred to an outpatient adolescent psychiatry clinic to treat a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression chose between 8 weeks of e-CBT (n=7) or 7 weeks of live CBT (n=8). The e-CBT modules were presented using PowerPoint delivered weekly through email by either a senior psychiatry resident or an attending physician. Within each session, participants in both groups had personalized feedback on their mandatory weekly homework assignment from the previous week’s module. BYIs were completed before treatment and and after final treatment within both groups to assess changes in depression, anxiety, anger, disruption, and self-concept. Findings. Before treatment, BYI scores did not sig. differ between groups. After treatment, e-CBT participants reported sig. improved depression, anger, anxiety, and self-concept BYI scores while live CBT participants did not report any sig. changes. Only the Beck Anxiety Inventory sig. differed between groups after CBT. Conclusion. Despite the low sample size within this study, using email to deliver e-CBT PowerPoint slides and individualized homework feedback shows promise as an alternate method of CBT delivery that reduces barriers to receiving mental health treatment that occur internationally.
Neural Prosthetics:A Review of Empirical vs. Systems Engineering Strategies
Authors: Loeb Gerald E.
Published: November 2018

Implantable electrical interfaces with the nervous system were first enabled by cardiac pacemaker technology over 50 years ago and have since diverged into almost all of the physiological functions controlled by the nervous system. There have been a few major clinical and commercial successes, many contentious claims, and some outright failures. These tend to be reviewed within each clinical subspecialty, obscuring the many commonalities of neural control, biophysics, interface materials, electronic technologies, and medical device regulation that they share. This review cites a selection of foundational and recent journal articles and reviews for all major applications of neural prosthetic interfaces in clinical use, trials, or development. The hard-won knowledge and experience across all of these fields can now be amalgamated and distilled into more systematic processes for development of clinical products instead of the often empirical (trial and error) approaches to date. These include a frank assessment of a specific clinical problem, the state of its underlying science, the identification of feasible targets, the availability of suitable technologies, and the path to regulatory and reimbursement approval. Increasing commercial interest and investment facilitates this systematic approach, but it also motivates projects and products whose claims are dubious.
Mitoproteomics: Tackling Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Human Disease
Authors: Gómez-Serrano María , Camafeita Emilio , Loureiro Marta , Peral Belén
Published: November 2018

Mitochondria are highly dynamic and regulated organelles that historically have been defined based on their crucial role in cell metabolism. However, they are implicated in a variety of other important functions, making mitochondrial dysfunction an important axis in several pathological contexts. Despite that conventional biochemical and molecular biology approaches have provided significant insight into mitochondrial functionality, innovative techniques that provide a global view of the mitochondrion are still necessary. Proteomics fulfils this need by enabling accurate, systems‐wide quantitative analysis of protein abundance. More importantly, redox proteomics approaches offer unique opportunities to tackle oxidative stress, a phenomenon that is intimately linked to aging, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In addition, cutting‐edge proteomics approaches reveal how proteins exert their functions in complex interaction networks where even subtle alterations stemming from early pathological states can be monitored. Here, we describe the proteomics approaches that will help to deepen the role of mitochondria in health and disease by assessing not only changes to mitochondrial protein composition but also alterations to their redox state and how protein interaction networks regulate mitochondrial function and dynamics. This review is aimed at showing the reader how the application of proteomics approaches during the last 20 years has revealed crucial mitochondrial roles in the context of aging, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disease, and cancer.
Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni Decreases Tert‐butyl Hydroperoxide‐Induced Oxidative Stress Damage in BRL‐3A Cells
Authors: Wang Jing , Hu Dongmei , Hou Jing , Li Shushu , Wang Weiping , Li Jun , Bai Jie
Published: November 2018

The main purposes of this study were to screen the antioxidant activities of various fractions of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni and test their hepatoprotective effects in vitro. Antioxidant assays (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2 ′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and reducing power experiments) and tert‐butyl hydroperoxide‐ (t‐BHP‐) induced BRL‐3A oxidative damage experiments were performed in vitro. The H. citrina ethyl acetate fraction (HCEA) was determined to have strong antioxidant activity because of its high flavonoid and polyphenol content. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography‐ (UPLC‐) photodiode array (PDA)/mass spectrometry (MS) analysis showed that the main components of the HCEA were flavonoids and caffeic acid derivatives. A total of 17 compounds were identified. HCEA also effectively protected the liver against t‐BHP‐induced oxidative stress injury and significantly reduced reactive oxygen (ROS) accumulation. Moreover, HCEA significantly reduced levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Further studies have shown that HCEA inhibits t‐BHP‐induced apoptosis by increasing B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (BCL‐2) activity and decreasing caspase‐3 and caspase‐9 activity. Moreover, HCEA enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), as well as the total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC), and increased the antioxidant level of glutathione (GSH) in BRL‐3A cells. HCEA increased the antioxidant capacity of cells by increasing the gene expression of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK), extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), P38, nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2), SOD, glutamate‐cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), glutamate‐cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), which are associated with antioxidant pathways to protect against oxidative stress. In conclusion, HCEA protected BRL‐3A cells against t‐BHP‐induced oxidative stress damage via antioxidant and antiapoptosis pathways. Therefore, H. citrina Baroni may serve as a potential hepatoprotective drug.
Application of EMD Technology in Leakage Acoustic Characteristic Extraction of Gas‐Liquid, Two‐Phase Flow Pipelines
Authors: Ji Jian , Li Yuxing , Liu Cuiwei , Wang Dongxu , Jing Huafei
Published: November 2018

Nowadays, the exploitation and transportation of marine oil and gas are mainly achieved using multiphase flow pipelines. Leakage detection of multiphase flow pipelines has always been the most difficult problem regarding the pipeline safety. Compared to other methods, acoustic detection technology has many advantages and high adaptability. However, multiphase flow pipelines are associated with many noise sources that affect the extraction and recognition of leakage signals. In this study, the mechanism of leakage acoustic source generation in gas‐liquid, two‐phase pipelines is analyzed. First, an acoustic leakage detection experiment in the multiphase pipelines is conducted. The acoustic signals are divided into two classes in accordance with whether leakage occurs or not. The original signals are processed and analyzed based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) processing technology. Based on the use of signal processing, this study shows that EMD technology can accurately identify the leakage signal in the gas‐liquid, two‐phase pipeline. Upon increases in the leakage aperture sizes, the entropy of the EMD information of the acoustic signals gradually increases. Finally, the method of the normalized energies characteristic value of each IMF component is also applied in leakage signal processing. When the liquid flow is maintained constant, the energy values of the IMF components change in a nonlinear manner when the gas flow rate increases. This verifies the feasibility of use of the acoustic wave sensing technology for leak detection in multiphase flow pipelines, which has important theoretical significance for promoting the development of safe and efficient operation in two‐phase flow pipelines.
Video Scene Detection Using Compact Bag of Visual Word Models
Authors: Haroon Muhammad , Baber Junaid , Ullah Ihsan , Daudpota Sher Muhammad , Bakhtyar Maheen , Devi Varsha
Published: November 2018

Video segmentation into shots is the first step for video indexing and searching. Videos shots are mostly very small in duration and do not give meaningful insight of the visual contents. However, grouping of shots based on similar visual contents gives a better understanding of the video scene; grouping of similar shots is known as scene boundary detection or video segmentation into scenes. In this paper, we propose a model for video segmentation into visual scenes using bag of visual word (BoVW) model. Initially, the video is divided into the shots which are later represented by a set of key frames. Key frames are further represented by BoVW feature vectors which are quite short and compact compared to classical BoVW model implementations. Two variations of BoVW model are used: (1) classical BoVW model and (2) Vector of Linearly Aggregated Descriptors (VLAD) which is an extension of classical BoVW model. The similarity of the shots is computed by the distances between their key frames feature vectors within the sliding window of length L, rather comparing each shot with very long lists of shots which has been previously practiced, and the value of L is 4. Experiments on cinematic and drama videos show the effectiveness of our proposed framework. The BoVW is 25000-dimensional vector and VLAD is only 2048-dimensional vector in the proposed model. The BoVW achieves 0.90 segmentation accuracy, whereas VLAD achieves 0.83.
Some Oscillation Results for Even Order Delay Difference Equations with a Sublinear Neutral Term
Authors: Ayyappan Govindasamy , Nithyakala Gunasekaran
Published: November 2018

In this paper, some new results are obtained for the even order neutral delay difference equationΔanΔm-1xn+pnxn-kα+qnxn-lβ=0, wherem≥2is an even integer, which ensure that all solutions of the studied equation are oscillatory. Our results extend, include, and correct some of the existing results. Examples are provided to illustrate the importance of the main results.
Determination of Formaldehyde by HPLC with Stable Precolumn Derivatization in Egyptian Dairy Products
Authors: Sebaei Ahmed Salem , Gomaa Ahmed M. , El-Zwahry A. A. , Emara E. A.
Published: November 2018

Formaldehyde is one of the most dangerous chemical compounds affecting the human health; exposure to it from food may occur naturally or by intentional addition. In this study a high performance liquid chromatography method for determination of formaldehyde in dairy products was described. The dairy samples were reacted and extracted with a warmed organic solvent in the presence of derivatizing agent 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and formaldehyde; the mixture was centrifuged and followed by diode array detection. The method is validated and gives average recovery of formaldehyde at the three different levels 0.1, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/kg varied between 89% and 96%. The method is linear from the limit of quantification 0.1 mg/kg up to 10 mg/kg levels. This method is intended for formaldehyde analyses in dairy products simply with stable derivatization, minimum residue loss, excellent recovery, and accurate results with a sensitive limit of detection 0.01 mg/kg. 90 dairy samples from milk, cheese, and yogurt were investigated from seven Egyptian governorates and all samples were free from formaldehyde.
Peripheral Arterial Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Is Associated with an Increase in Fibrinogen Levels
Authors: Chen Qin-Fen , Cao Dan , Ye Ting-Ting , Deng Hui-Hui , Zhu Hong
Published: November 2018

Background. The present study is undertaken to investigate the fibrinogen levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its relation to peripheral artery disease (PAD) based on a more accurate and applied noninvasive measurements of duplex ultrasonography. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study including 1096 T2DM patients (474 males and 622 females). The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were presented to show the association between PAD and fibrinogen in the subjects divided by fibrinogen levels quarterly. Furthermore, the univariate and multiple logistic analyses were performed to explore the correlation between PAD and fibrinogen levels, individual components in the cross-sectional study. Results. Finally, 887 (80.9%) T2DM patients meet the diagnostic criteria of PAD and these patients had considerably higher serum fibrinogen concentration than non-PAD group (P<0.001). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that higher fibrinogen quartiles were positively related with the development of PAD in the adjusted model. After adjusting for known confounding parameters, the ORs for PAD were 1.993 (95% CI: 1.322-3.005, P<0.001), 2.469 (95% CI: 1.591-3.831, P<0.001), and 2.942 (95% CI, 1.838-4.711, P<0.001) for Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively (all P values <0.05). Conclusions. Our results suggest that serum fibrinogen concentration can be considered as an independent risk factor for PAD in T2DM patients.
Enhancing Temperature Sensitivity Using Cyclic Polybutylene Terephthalate- (c-PBT-) Coated Fiber Bragg Grating
Authors: Ahmad H. , Noor S. F. S. M. , Arusin A. F. , Samsudin S. A. , Thambiratnam K. , Chong W. Y. , Lim K. S. , Zulkifli M. Z.
Published: November 2018

A polybutylene terephthalate (c-PBT) coating for enhancing the temperature sensitivity of a fiber Bragg grating- (FBG-) based sensor is proposed and demonstrated. The coating is seen to increase the sensitivity of the proposed sensor by a factor of approximately 11 times as compared to a bare FBG, giving a Bragg wavelength shift of 0.11 nm/°C with an operating temperature ranging from 30°C to 87°C. The proposed sensor is also easy to fabricate as compared to other similarly coated FBG sensors, giving it a significant advantage for field applications with the added advantage of being easily reformed to fit various housings, making it highly desirable for multiple real-world applications.
A Bayesian Approach for Estimating the Thinning Corrosion Rate of Steel Heat Exchanger in Hydrodesulfurization Plants
Authors: Velázquez J. C. , Caleyo F. , Cabrera-Sierra R. , Teran G. , Hernandez-Sanchez E. , Capula-Colindres S. , Herrera-Hernández H. , Ortiz-Herrera C. C.
Published: November 2018

Fuel consumption has been increasing in recent years, especially that of diesel and jet fuel. For this reason, the necessity to build new plants to reduce their sulfur content has arisen. Sometimes, just revamping existing plants is feasible, but determining which pieces of equipment are in the appropriate condition to be reused is also necessary. In order to select the equipment, it is essential to have information about the wall thickness of vessels. Sometimes, the information is limited; consequently, the application of advanced statistical techniques is needed. The Bayesian Data Analysis (BDA) used in this study has the goal of determining a more accurate, unobserved thinning rate distribution for existing heat exchangers, taking into consideration all the information available about the thinning rate of the heat exchangers that cool down the effluent of the hydrotreating reactors in Mexican oil refineries. The information obtained from BDA was compared with existing shell wall thickness obtaining favorable results.
Smooth Path Planning for Robot Docking in Unknown Environment with Obstacles
Authors: Cui Peng , Yan Weisheng , Cui Rongxin , Yu Jiahui
Published: November 2018

This paper presents an integrated approach to plan smooth path for robots docking in unknown environments with obstacles. To determine the smooth collision‐free path in obstacle environment, a tree structure with heuristic expanding strategy is designed as the foundation of path planning in this approach. The tree employs 3D Dubins curves as its branches and foundation for path feasibility evaluation. For the efficiency of the tree expanding in obstacle environment, intermediate nodes and collision‐free branches are determined inspired by the elastic band theory. A feasible path is chosen as the shortest series of branches that connects to the docking station after the sufficient expansion of the tree. Simulation results are presented to show the validity and feasibility of the proposed approach.
Syphilis among Female Sex Workers: Results of Point-of-Care Screening during a Cross-Sectional Behavioral Survey in Burkina Faso, West Africa
Authors: Ouedraogo Henri Gautier , Meda Ivlabehire Bertrand , Zongo Issaka , Ky-Zerbo Odette , Grosso Ashley , Samadoulougou Benoit Cesaire , Tarnagda Grissoum , Cisse Kadari , Sondo Apoline , Sawadogo Nongoba , Traoré Yves , Barro Nicolas , Baral Stefan , Kouanda Seni
Published: November 2018

Background. Syphilis among female sex workers (FSW) remains a public health concern due to its potential impact on their health and the possibility of transmission to their clients, partners, and children. Recent data on the prevalence of syphilis in the population in West Africa are scarce. The objective of this study was to measure the seroprevalence of syphilis serological markers among female sex workers in Burkina Faso. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among FSW between February 2013 and May 2014. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) methods in five cities of Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, Ouahigouya, and Tenkodogo). FSW were enrolled and screened for syphilis using a syphilis serological rapid diagnostic test. Data from all cities were analyzed with Stata version 14.0. Results. A total of 1045 FSW were screened for syphilis. Participants’ mean age was 27.2 ± 0.2 years. The syphilis serological markers were detected in 5.6% (95% CI: 4.4–7.2) of the participants whereas active syphilis was seen in 1.4% (95% CI: 0.9–2.4). RDS weighted prevalence of syphilis serological markers and active syphilis by city were, respectively, estimated to be 0.0% to 11.0% (95% CI: 8.1–14.7) and 0.0% to 2.2% (95% CI: 1.1–4.4). No syphilis markers were found among Ouahigouya FSW. Low education level and high number of clients were factors associated with syphilis markers among the FSW. Conclusion. The prevalence of syphilis markers was high during this study among FSW. This highlights the need to reinforce the comprehensive preventive measures and treatment of syphilis in this population.
Site Selection of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Plant considering Public Satisfaction by an Extended VIKOR Method
Authors: Wu Yunna , Qin Lei , Xu Chuanbo , Ji Shaoyu
Published: November 2018

Site selection of waste-to-energy (WtE) plant is critically important in the whole life cycle. Some research has been launched in the WtE plant site selection, but there is still a serious problem called Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) effect that needs to be solved. To solve the problem, an improved multigroup VIKOR method is proposed to choose the optimal site and compromised sites. In the proposed method, the public satisfaction is fully considered where the public is invited as an evaluation group far more than creating general indicators to represent the public acceptance. First of all, an elaborate criteria system is built to evaluate site options comprehensively and the weights of criteria are identified by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Then, the interval 2-tuple linguistic information is adopted to assess the ratings for the established criteria. The interval 2-tuple linguistic ordered weighted averaging (ITL-OWA) operator is utilized to aggregate the opinions of evaluation committee while the opinions of the public are aggregated using weighted average operator. Finally, a case from south China which shows the computational procedure and the effectiveness of the proposed method is proved. Last but not least, a sensitivity analysis is conducted by comparing the results with different weights of evaluation group assessments.
A Novel Denoising Algorithm of Electromagnetic Ultrasonic Detection Signal Based on Improved EEMD Method
Authors: Gong Wenkang , Liu Qi , Du Wenhao , Xu Weichen , Wang Gang
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we propose a new denoising algorithm for electromagnetic ultrasonic signals based on the improved EEMD method, which can adaptively adjust for added noise and average times in different noisy environments, so that the effect of the residual difference of white noise on the results can be eliminated as far as possible. First, the way to add white noise in the EEMD method is processed, and then the permutation entropy algorithm is used to identify the nature of the components obtained during the decomposition. Then the wavelet transform modulus maximum denoising method is used to deal with the IMF components of the high-frequency part obtained before. Finally, the processed IMF results and residual difference are summed up. The results show that after processing, the noise component in the signal is less and the original information is more reserved, which prevents the signal distortion to a great extent and provides more effective data for subsequent processing. In the experiment, the crack defect data collected by the electromagnetic ultrasonic experiment system were processed by the improved EEMD method. Compared with the traditional EEMD method, it can retain the information of crack location more accurately, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Risk Factors Associated with Poor Physical Fitness in Three‐ to Six‐Year‐Old Children in Tujia‐Nationality Settlement of China
Authors: Liu Xiaoli , Xiang Zheng , Liu Chaoneng , Shi Xiangrong , Yi Xinfeng , Cheng Mingyan , Schenck Hannah , Bates Jonathan
Published: November 2018

Background. Physical fitness has been recognized not only as an integrated predictor of the body′s functional status, but also as an important marker of health outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with physical fitness among 3‐6‐year‐old children within the Tujia‐Nationality settlement in the years 2005, 2010, and 2014. Methods. Demographics questionnaires and fitness assessment were performed to identify the risk factors for poor physical fitness (PPF) among 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children in the years 2005, 2010, and 2014 in the area of southwest Hubei of China. Results. Of the 2128 children, 495 were classified as PPF (23.3%). In 2005, the percentage of PPF children was 21.7%, and the percentage of PPF children decreased from 29.1% in 2010 to 18.8% in 2014. Furthermore, Urban area children had a significant risk of PPF than rural area children (OR=1.299, P=0.031). Three‐year‐old children had 2.150‐fold risk of PPF as compared to 6‐year‐old children. The children with less than 0.5 hours of activity time per day had 1.95‐fold risk of PPF as compared to those with 1‐2‐hour activity time per day, respectively. Underweight and overweight/obese children had 2.74‐fold and 1.67‐fold risk of PPF as compared to normal weight children. Children had 1.97‐fold risk of PPF when their father’s schooling ceased after middle school and 1.51‐fold risk of PPF when their father’s schooling ceased after high school, respectively. Conclusions. These results demonstrated that the incidence of PPF children went up from 2005 to 2010 and then down from 2010 to 2014 within the Tujia settlement. For the children in this area, the risk factors associated with PPF included urban location, younger age, less than 1‐hour activity time per day in kindergarten, underweight/overweight, low father’s education level, and mother’s childbearing age being less than 20 years.
Differential Expression of Prostaglandin I2 Synthase Associated with Arachidonic Acid Pathway in the Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Russo Anelise , Biselli-Chicote Patrícia M. , Kawasaki-Oyama Rosa S. , Castanhole-Nunes Márcia M. U. , Maniglia José V. , Santi Neto Dalísio de , Pavarino Érika C. , Goloni-Bertollo Eny M.
Published: November 2018

Introduction. Differential expression of genes encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP) and other oxygenases enzymes involved in biotransformation mechanisms of endogenous and exogenous compounds can lead to oral tumor development. Objective. We aimed to identify the expression profile of these genes, searching for susceptibility biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Patients and Methods. Sixteen oral squamous cell carcinoma samples were included in this study (eight tumor and eight adjacent non-tumor tissues). Gene expression quantification was performed using TaqMan Array Human CYP450 and other Oxygenases 96-well plate (Applied Biosystems) by real time qPCR. Protein quantification was performed by ELISA and IHC methods. Bioinformatics tools were used to find metabolic pathways related to the enzymes encoded by differentially expressed genes. Results. CYP27B1, CYP27A1, CYP2E1, CYP2R1, CYP2J2, CYP2U1, CYP4F12, CYP4X1, CYP4B1, PTGIS, ALOX12, and MAOB genes presented differential expression in the oral tumors. After correction by multiple tests, only the PTGIS (Prostaglandin I2 Synthase) gene presented significant differential expression (P < 0.05). The PTGIS gene and protein were reduced in oral tumors. Conclusion. PTGIS presents downexpression in oral tumors. PTGIS play an important role in the arachidonic acid metabolism. Arachidonic acid and/or metabolites are derived from this pathway, which can influence the regulation of important physiological mechanisms in tumorigenesis process.
Whole Blood Storage in CPDA1 Blood Bags Alters Erythrocyte Membrane Proteome
Authors: Al-Thani Amna Mohamed , Voss Sven Christian , Al-Menhali Afnan Saleh , Barcaru Andrei , Horvatovich Peter , Al Jaber Hind , Nikolovski Zoran , Latiff Aishah , Georgakopoulos Costas , Merenkov Zeyd , Segura Jordi , Alsayrafi Mohammed , Jaganjac Morana
Published: November 2018

Autologous blood transfusion (ABT) has been frequently abused in endurance sport and is prohibited since the mid‐1980s by the International Olympic Committee. Apart from any significant performance‐enhancing effects, the ABT may pose a serious health issue due to aging erythrocyte‐derived “red cell storage lesions.” The current study investigated the effect of blood storage in citrate phosphate dextrose adenine (CPDA1) on the red blood cell (RBC) membrane proteome. One unit of blood was collected in CPDA1 blood bags from 6 healthy female volunteers. RBC membrane protein samples were prepared on days 0, 14, and 35 of storage. Proteins were digested in gel and peptides separated by nanoliquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry resulting in the confident identification of 33 proteins that quantitatively change during storage. Comparative proteomics suggested storage‐induced translocation of cytoplasmic proteins to the membrane while redox proteomics analysis identified 14 proteins prone to storage‐induced oxidation. The affected proteins are implicated in the RBC energy metabolism and membrane vesiculation and could contribute to the adverse posttransfusion outcomes. Spectrin alpha chain, band 3 protein, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, and ankyrin‐1 were the main proteins affected by storage. Although potential biomarkers of stored RBCs were identified, the stability and lifetime of these markers posttransfusion remain unknown. In summary, the study demonstrated the importance of studying storage‐induced alterations in the erythrocyte membrane proteome and the need to understand the clearance kinetics of transfused erythrocytes and identified protein markers.
Global Asymptotic Stability and Naimark-Sacker Bifurcation of Certain Mix Monotone Difference Equation
Authors: Kulenović M. R. S. , Moranjkić S. , Nurkanović M. , Nurkanović Z.
Published: November 2018

We investigate the global asymptotic stability of the following second order rational difference equation of the form xn+1=Bxnxn-1+F/bxnxn-1+cxn-12,  n=0,1,…, where the parameters B, F, b, and c and initial conditions x-1 and x0 are positive real numbers. The map associated with this equation is always decreasing in the second variable and can be either increasing or decreasing in the first variable depending on the parametric space. In some cases, we prove that local asymptotic stability of the unique equilibrium point implies global asymptotic stability. Also, we show that considered equation exhibits the Naimark-Sacker bifurcation resulting in the existence of the locally stable periodic solution of unknown period.
Weight Loss Induced by Bariatric Surgery Restricts Hepatic GDF15 Expression
Authors: Adolph Timon E. , Grabherr Felix , Mayr Lisa , Grander Christoph , Enrich Barbara , Moschen Alexander R. , Tilg Herbert
Published: November 2018

Introduction. Obesity and related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are an emerging health care issue that imposes substantial morbidity to individuals. Growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) limits food uptake, body weight, and energy balance by modulation of GDNF-family receptor α-like (GFRAL) signalling in the hindbrain. However, the regulation of GDF15 expression in obesity and NAFLD is incompletely understood. We sought to define the impact of weight loss achieved by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on hepatic and adipose GDF15 expression in a cohort of severely obese patients. Methods. We analysed GDF15 expression of liver and subcutaneous adipose tissue before and 6 months after LAGB in severely obese patients undergoing LAGB by quantitative real-time PCR. To assess the role of inflammation on GDF15 expression, we analysed Hep G2 hepatocytes stimulated with cytokines such as IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, LPS, or cellular stressors such as tunicamycin. Results. GDF15 expression was mostly confined to the liver compared to adipose tissue in severely obese patients. Weight loss induced by LAGB was associated with reduced hepatic (but not adipose tissue) expression of GDF15. Stimulation with IL-1β or tunicamycin induced hepatic GDF15 expression in hepatocytes. In line with this, hepatic GDF15 expression directly correlated with IL-1β expression and steatosis severity in NAFLD. These data demonstrated that amelioration of metabolic inflammation and weight loss reduced hepatic GDF15 expression. Conclusion. Based on recent mechanistic findings, our data suggest that hepatic GDF15 may serve as a negative feedback mechanism to control energy balance in NAFLD.
Prediction of Lard in Palm Olein Oil Using Simple Linear Regression (SLR), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) Based on Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR)
Authors: Sim Siong Fong , Chai Min Xuan Laura , Jeffrey Kimura Amelia Laccy
Published: November 2018

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) offers the advantages of rapid analysis with minimal sample preparation. FTIR in combination with multivariate approach, particularly partial least squares regression (PLSR), has been widely used for adulterant analysis. Limited study has been done to compare PLSR with other regression strategies. In this paper, we apply simple linear regression (SLR), multiple linear regression (MLR), and PLSR for prediction of lard in palm olein oil. Pure palm olein oil was adulterated with lard at different concentrations and subjected to analysis with FTIR. The marker bands distinguishing lard and palm olein oil were determined using Fisher’s weights. The marker regions were then subjected to regression analysis with the models verified based on 100 training/test sets. The prediction performance was measured based on the percentage root mean square error (%RMSE). The absorption bands at 3006 cm−1, 2852 cm−1, 1117 cm−1, 1236 cm−1, and 1159 cm−1 were identified as the marker bands. The bands at 3006 and 1117 cm−1 were found with satisfactory predictive ability, with PLSR demonstrating better prediction yielding %RMSE of 16.03 and 13.26%, respectively.
Analyses and Control of Chaotic Behavior in DC-DC Converters
Authors: Fu Cheng-Biao , Tian An-Hong , Yu Kuo-Nan , Lin Yi‐Hung , Yau Her-Terng
Published: November 2018

In this study the nonlinear behavior of a buck converter was simulated and the responses of Phases 1 and 2 and the chaotic phase were investigated using changes of input voltage. After a dynamic system model had been acquired using basic electronic circuit theory, Matlab and Pspice simulations were used to study system inductance, resistance, and capacitance. The characteristic changes of input voltage, and phase plane traces from simulation and experiments showed nonlinear behavior in Phases 1 and 2, as well as a chaotic phase. PID control and Integral Absolute Error (IAE) were used as adaption coefficients to control chaotic behavior, and particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the genetic algorithm were used to find the optimal gain parameters for the PID controller. Simulation results showed that the control of chaotic phenomena could be achieved and errors were close to zero. Fuzzy control was also used effectively to prevent chaos. The experimental results also showed nonlinear behavior from Phases 1 and 2 as well as the chaotic phase. Laboratory experiments conducted using both PID and fuzzy control echoed the simulation results. The fuzzy control results were somewhat better than those obtained with PID.
An Assessment of GCM Performance at a Regional Scale Using a Score-Based Method
Authors: Shi Fangxin , Wang Zhihui , Qi Liang , Chen Rongxu
Published: November 2018

A multicriteria score-based method was developed to assess the performances of 18 general circulation models (GCMs) in the study region from 1970 to 2005. The results indicate the following. (1) GCMs simulate temperature better than rainfall. The temporal and spatial distributions of simulated temperature performed well compared with those from the observations. In comparison to temperature, the spatial distribution of simulated precipitation performed poorly. Most of the GCMs underestimated temperature and overestimated precipitation. (2) The Grubbs test was used to detect anomalous moving changes in the rank score (RS) results; the inm-cm4 and ipsl-cm5b-lr models were rejected when simulating temperature, while the bnu-esm and canesm2 models performed poorly when simulating precipitation. (3) Adding or removing any criterion does not significantly influence the RS result, which indicates that the multicriteria score-based method is robust. The advantages of using multicriteria score-based method to assess GCMs performance were demonstrated, and this method also provides a more comprehensive assessment when compared with the single-criterion method. The multicriteria method could replace other criteria as the research requirements and could be easily extended to different study regions; the results could be used for better informed regional climate change impact analyses.
Effectiveness of Using Polymer Bumpers to Mitigate Earthquake‐Induced Pounding between Buildings of Unequal Heights
Authors: He Jian , Jiang Yu , Xue Qichao , Zhang Chunwei , Zhang Jingcai
Published: November 2018

Collisions often happen between adjacent buildings without a sufficient gap under seismic loadings. Installing polymer bumpers may decrease the pounding forces between colliding buildings. This paper focuses on the analysis of suppressing pounding effects by using of polymer bumpers. In order to investigate pounding mitigation effectiveness in the condition with and without bumpers, different types of pounding force models are utilized to simulate and calculate frame vibration responses under seismic loads. Firstly, time‐history results for pounding force, displacements, and shearing forces in selected floors are calculated in the condition with and without polymer bumpers. Secondly, differences between viscoelastic and elastic pounding force models are compared and discussed. And finally, parametric studies are carried out to investigate influences of different pounding parameters. The results show that polymer bumpers can reduce maximum values of pounding force but increase pounding times. And viscoelasticity of bumper materials has a certain range of influences on pounding force responses. Choosing improper material types and pounding parameters may lead to opposite effects.
An Optimal Identification of the Input-Output Disturbances in Linear Dynamic Systems by the Use of the Exact Observation of the State
Authors: Byrski Jędrzej , Byrski Witold
Published: November 2018

A new methodology for the identification of the values of unknown disturbance signals acting in the input and output measurements of the dynamic linear system is presented. For the solution of this problem, the new idea of the use of two different state observers, which are coworking simultaneously in parallel, was elaborated. Special integral type observers are operating on the same finite time window of the width T and both can reconstruct the exact value of the vector state x(T) on the basis of input-output measurements in this interval [0, T]. If in the input-output signals the disturbances are absent (measurements of I/O signals are perfect) then both observers (although they are different) reconstruct the exact and the same state x(T). However, if in the measurement signals the disturbances are present then these observers will reconstruct the different values of the final states x1(T)=x(T)+e1(T) and x2(T)=x(T)+e2(T). It is because they have different norms and hence they generate different errors in both estimated states. Because of the disturbances, the real state x(T) is unknown, but it is easy to calculate the state difference: x1(T)-x2(T)=e1(T)-e2(T). It occurs that, based on this difference, the values of all the disturbances acting during the control process can be identified. In the paper, the theory of the exact state observation and application of such observers in online mode is recalled. The new methodology for disturbances identification is presented.
Fractional‐Derivative Approximation of Relaxation in Complex Systems
Authors: Li Kin M. , Sen Mihir , Pacheco-Vega Arturo
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we present a system identification (SI) procedure that enables building linear time‐dependent fractional‐order differential equation (FDE) models able to accurately describe time‐dependent behavior of complex systems. The parameters in the models are the order of the equation, the coefficients in it, and, when necessary, the initial conditions. The Caputo definition of the fractional derivative, and the Mittag‐Leffler function, is used to obtain the corresponding solutions. Since the set of parameters for the model and its initial conditions are nonunique, and there are small but significant differences in the predictions from the possible models thus obtained, the SI operation is carried out via global regression of an error‐cost function by a simulated annealing optimization algorithm. The SI approach is assessed by considering previously published experimental data from a shell‐and‐tube heat exchanger and a recently constructed multiroom building test bed. The results show that the proposed model is reliable within the interpolation domain but cannot be used with confidence for predictions outside this region. However, the proposed system identification methodology is robust and can be used to derive accurate and compact models from experimental data. In addition, given a functional form of a fractional‐order differential equation model, as new data become available, the SI technique can be used to expand the region of reliability of the resulting model.