bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural Biocides for Mitigation of Sulphate Reducing Bacteria
Authors: Md Zain Wan Salwanis , Hairul Salleh Nor Insyirah , Abdullah A.
Published: June 2018

This study addresses the potential usage of various herbaceous plants extract including betel leave extract (BLE), green tea (GTE), turmeric (TE), belalai gajah (BGE), garlic extracts (GE), and manjakani extracts (ME) as future biocides of SRB that are natural and nontoxic. Study revealed that retardation of growth was obtained after addition of 5mL of natural biocides to 100 mL of the culture. Reduced biomass growth was observed with most of the tested biocides, dictated by lower biomass contents accepts for ginger and garlic. The planktonic growth was successively suppressed with addition of GTE, TE, and BGE, where the biomass production was decreased by more than 80.0% compared to the control experiments. GRE increased the growth of planktonic bacteria while the GE induced the formation of biofilms, showed by increase in biomass productions with over 23.4% and 77.46% enhancements, respectively. These results suggest that turmeric, green tea, and belalai gajah plants extracts are highly potential biocidal agents for mitigating SRB, thus controlling the effect of MIC on metal surfaces. However, the chemical stability, potential toxicity, and consistent performance of the extracts need further investigation for optimization of its use on a real field scale.
Acute Whole Body Vibration Decreases the Glucose Levels in Elderly Diabetic Women
Authors: Pessoa Maíra Florentino , Souza Helga C. Muniz de , Silva Alanna P. Vasconcelos da , Clemente Rafaela dos Santos , Brandão Daniella Cunha , Dornelas de Andrade Armèle
Published: June 2018

Type II diabetes (TIIDM) is characterized by high levels of blood glucose followed by excessive insulin release so that the target cells become less sensitive, developing insulin resistance and maintaining hyperglycemic levels. Physical activity is the strongest element to prevent and to manage the TIIDM, and the majority of patients do not remain in regularly active levels, because the premature fatigue in these patients decreases the adherence to the training. Contrastingly, the whole body vibration (WBV) training may improve the glucose metabolism in diabetic patients, reducing the peripheral blood sugar, decreasing the physical discomfort and perceived exertion. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine the effect of an acute WBV session as therapy to promote fasting decreases in insulin levels in peripheral blood in TIIDM when compared to healthy elderly. For this, fifteen healthy elderly women and fourteen diabetic elderly women, all sedentary, were allocated in diabetic or control groups, and we made an acute whole body session composed of 10 bouts lasting 2 minutes each one, separated by a 30-second rest period. The WBV was executed in a triaxial platform MY3 Power Plate® at 35 hertz and has been chosen a peak-to-peak displacement of 4 millimeters. After the protocol, both groups decreased the glycemic levels and increased lactate production in relation to the basal levels and when compared diabetic and control, where the most important results have been shown in diabetic women. This study revealed that WBV training in TIIDM has had significant beneficial effects on the control of glucose levels, still in an acute session. So that, the complete training probably will show better results about glycemic control and this finding could be especially important when prescribing exercise for elderly who are unable or unwilling to use traditional loads or who show poor exercise compliance.
Speeding Up Exact Algorithms for Maximizing Lifetime of WSNs Using Multiple Cores
Authors: Cao Pengyuan , Zhu Xiaojun
Published: June 2018

Maximizing the lifetime of wireless sensor networks is NP‐hard, and existing exact algorithms run in exponential time. These algorithms implicitly use only one CPU core. In this work, we propose to use multiple CPU cores to speed up the computation. The key is to decompose the problem into independent subproblems and then solve them on different cores simultaneously. We propose three decomposition approaches. Two of them are based on the notion that a tree does not contain cycles, and the third is based on the notion that, in any tree, a node has at most one parent. Simulations on an 8‐core desktop computer show that our approach can speed up existing algorithms significantly.
Adipokines in Semen: Physiopathology and Effects on Spermatozoas
Authors: Elfassy Yaelle , Bastard Jean-Philippe , McAvoy Chloe , Fellahi Soraya , Dupont Joëlle , Levy Rachel
Published: June 2018

Adipokines are secreted by adipose tissue and could be the link between obesity and infertility. Different studies investigated the involvement of adipokines in reproductive functions but only a few have looked into the male part. This review assesses adipokine functions on male reproductive parameters. Adiponectin seems to have a positive effect on sperm parameters, whereas other adipokines such as resistin or chemerin would have a rather deleterious effect on spermatogenesis. Semen parameters seem to be impacted when resistin and chemerin are increased: indeed, there is a decrease of sperm motility. Sperm morphology is improved when adiponectin is increased. The most studied adipokine, leptin, has a dual effect with a positive effect on sperm at physiological levels and a negative one for high seminal concentrations. Many semen parameters and fertility itself are disturbed according to semen adipokine levels, even if it is not the only interfering element. Taken together, adipokines are found in human and animal semen and most of them or their receptors are expressed in male genital tract. Although the pathophysiological role of adipokines in semen is not clearly elucidated, the adipokines could influence sperm functionality and could be potential biomarkers of male fertility.
Effect of Differing Ingredients and Packaging Technologies on the Color of High-Pressure Processed Ground Beef
Authors: Gupta Jhinuk , Bower Chad G. , Sullivan Gary , Cavender George
Published: June 2018

High-pressure processing (HPP) is a nonthermal pasteurization technique to control pathogens, like Escherichia coli. However, color changes in raw beef induced by HPP restrict its use within the beef industry. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of adding curing agents (nitrite) and packaging with or without reducing compounds (ascorbic acid/erythorbate) on color retention in high-pressure processed ground beef. Color was measured (CIE L∗a∗b∗) before HPP and on days 3, 7, 12, 14, 19, and 21 after HPP. Statistical analysis (SAS GLIMMIX) was run to identify the main effects of adding curing agents, packaging, and reducing agents on color retention. HPP resulted in a detrimental effect on the color of the beef patties for all treatments. Lightness and yellowness increased (P<0.001) and redness decreased (P<0.001) after high-pressure processing. The effect remained the same throughout the course of the study. However, there were less color changes in samples treated with reducing compounds. Both synthetic and natural sources of nitrite and ascorbic acid/erythorbate performed similarly in terms of their ability to maintain redness. Treatments leading to formation of nitrosylmetmyoglobin (Fe3+) had less severe color change compared to the treatments leading to the generation of nitrosylmyoglobin (Fe2+).
Inspired Preparation of Zinc Oxide Nanocatalyst and the Photocatalytic Activity in the Treatment of Methyl Orange Dye and Paraquat Herbicide
Authors: Munshi Ghaida H. , Ibrahim Amal M. , Al-Harbi Laila M.
Published: June 2018

As the need to use green chemistry routes increases, environmentally friendly catalytic processes are a demand. One of the most important and abundant naturally occurring catalysts is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the first recognized catalyst; it is a reducing agent due to its electron-rich structure. The effects of spinach on the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles and the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange and paraquat in sunlight and under a UV lamp and photocatalytic degradation in sunlight were studied. Different parameters of the catalytic preparation process and photocatalytic degradation process were studied. Characterization of differently prepared samples was carried out using different analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM, and EDX and finally the photocatalytic activity towards decomposition of methyl orange and paraquat.
Energy‐Efficient Incentives Resource Allocation Scheme in Cooperative Communication System
Authors: Liu Zi Yan , Mao Pan , Feng Li , Liu Shi Mei
Published: June 2018

Appropriate resource allocation has great significance to enhance the energy efficiency (EE) for cooperative communication system. The objective is to allocate the resource to maximize the energy efficiency in single‐cell multiuser cooperative communication system. We formulate this problem as subcarrier‐based resource allocation and solve it with path planning in graph theory. A two‐level neural network model is designed, in which the users and subcarrier are defined as network nodes. And then we propose an improved intelligent water drops algorithm combined with Genetic Algorithm; boundary condition and initialization rules of path soil quantity are put forward. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed resource allocation scheme can effectively improve the energy efficiency and enhance QoS performance.
Systematic Approach to Optimization for Protection Against Intentional Ultrashort Pulses Based on Multiconductor Modal Filters
Authors: Belousov Anton O. , Gazizov Talgat R.
Published: June 2018

The problem of protecting radio electronic equipment from ultrashort pulses is of utmost importance nowadays since conductive interference poses the biggest danger to its proper functioning. The article considers the issue of protecting equipment by means of modal filters (MFs) and analyzes the structures of multiconductor microstrip MFs. We present the results of a complex study of the possibility to conduct the optimization (both separate and simultaneous) of a multiconductor MF by different criteria and the formulation of the basic (electrical) optimization criteria for MF. We have formulated the amplitude and time criteria for optimizing an MF (with any number of conductors) in an analytical form and obtained a general multicriteria objective function for optimizing an MF by different criteria. As a result, we have formed a hybrid model consisting of heuristic search and GA. The results demonstrated the topicality of further research in this field.
A Robust DS Combination Method Based on Evidence Correction and Conflict Redistribution
Authors: Ye Fang , Chen Jie , Tian Yuan
Published: June 2018

To eliminate potential evidence conflicts, an effective and accurate DS combination method is addressed in this paper. DS evidence theory is an outstanding information fusion approach with valid uncertainty treatment. Nevertheless, there are some limitations of the usage of the DS evidence theory. On the one hand, due to the complexity of a combat measurement environment and the inconsistency of sensor capabilities, sensor sources have enormous uncertainty, which would inevitably cause conflicts for evidence combination. On the other hand, DS combination rule realizes the unity property of fusing results with a compulsive normalization, which unavoidably leads to conflicting situations. To solve the possible evidence conflicts in a multisensor fusion system, we raise a robust DS combination method based on evidence correction and conflict redistribution. Firstly, two corrected indexes—the reliability index and consistency index—are separately addressed with the introduction of the Matusita distance function and closeness degree function. After the evidence modification based on two correction indexes, the conflicts caused by unreliable sensor sources are solved. Then, based on the corrected evidences, we put forward a weighted assignment of conflicting mass where the weight index lies on the evidence credibility. As the normalization step is abolished, the conflict redistribution strategy avoids the conflicts caused by straightforward normalization. Through comprehensive conflict management, the proposed DS combination method can not only guarantee the rationality and availability of fusing results, but also enhance the reliability and robustness of a multisensor system. Finally, three combination experiments with different conflicting degrees illustrate the advantage and superiority of the novel combination method for conflict management. Consequently, the innovation of the novel algorithm is verified.
Risk Factors for the Progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Different Types of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Chen Pei-Hao , Cheng Shih-Jung , Lin Hui-Chi , Lee Chuo-Yu , Chou Chih-Ho
Published: June 2018

Objective. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal aging and early dementia. It has a heterogeneous etiology and clinical course. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with the progression of MCI in different types of dementia disorders.Method. A retrospective, longitudinal, observational study of outpatients with MCI was conducted at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Patient medical records were reviewed, and risk factors were analyzed by multivariate analysis.Results. Among 279 patients with MCI, 163 (58.4%), 68 (24.4%), and 48 (17.2%) were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, vascular cognitive impairment, and Lewy body diseases, respectively. During the observation period, 37.2% of patients progressed to dementia. Older age and a higher Clinical Dementia Rating Scale-Sum of Boxes were associated with the risk of progression. Hyperlipidemia was associated with a decreased risk. Converters were more likely to receive an antidementia prescription.Conclusion. Our study suggests the importance of comprehensive clinical profiling, risk factor assessment, and detailed drug history evaluations in improving our understanding and management of dementia subtypes.
Altered Intestinal Microbiota with Increased Abundance of Prevotella Is Associated with High Risk of Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Su Tingting , Liu Rongbei , Lee Allen , Long Yanqin , Du Lijun , Lai Sanchuan , Chen Xueqin , Wang Lan , Si Jianmin , Owyang Chung , Chen Shujie
Published: June 2018

Alterations in gut microbiota are postulated to be an etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). To determine whether IBS patients in China exhibited differences in their gut microbial composition, fecal samples were collected from diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and healthy controls and evaluated by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence and quantitative real-time PCR. A mouse model of postinfectious IBS (PI-IBS) was established to determine whether the altered gut microbiota was associated with increased visceral hypersensitivity. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the bacterial community profiles between IBS-D patients and healthy controls. Prevotella was more abundant in fecal samples from IBS-D patients compared with healthy controls (p<0.05). Meanwhile, there were significant reductions in the quantity of Bacteroides, Bifidobacteria, and Lactobacillus in IBS-D patients compared with healthy controls (p<0.05). Animal models similarly showed an increased abundance of Prevotella in fecal samples compared with control mice (p<0.05). Finally, after the PI-IBS mice were cohoused with control mice, both the relative abundance of Prevotella and visceral hypersensitivity of PI-IBS mice were decreased. In conclusion, the altered intestinal microbiota is associated with increased visceral hypersensitivity and enterotype enriched with Prevotella may be positively associated with high risk of IBS-D.
Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Improved Coil Design and Assessment of the Induced Fields Using MIDA Model
Authors: Samoudi Amine M. , Tanghe Emmeric , Martens Luc , Joseph Wout
Published: June 2018

Stimulation of deep brain structures by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method for activating deep neurons in the brain and can be beneficial for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. To numerically investigate the possibility for deeper brain stimulation (electric fields reaching the hippocampus, the nucleus accumbens, and the cerebellum), combined TMS coils using the double-cone coil with the Halo coil (HDA) were modeled and investigated. Numerical simulations were performed using MIDA: a new multimodal imaging-based detailed anatomical model of the human head and neck. The 3D distributions of magnetic flux density and electric field were calculated. The percentage of volume of each tissue that is exposed to electric field amplitude equal or greater than 50% of the maximum amplitude of E in the cortex for each coil was calculated to quantify the electric field spread (V50). Results show that only the HDA coil can spread electric fields to the hippocampus, the nucleus accumbens, and the cerebellum with V50 equal to 0.04%, 1.21%, and 6.2%, respectively.
The Effects of Uncomplicated Cataract Surgery on Retinal Layer Thickness
Authors: Kurt Ali , Kılıç Raşit
Published: June 2018

Purpose. Our aim was to assess changes in the total retinal thickness (TRT), total retinal volume (TRV), and retinal layer thickness after uncomplicated cataract surgery.Methods. A total of 32 eyes of 32 patients who had undergone uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery and intraocular lens implantation in one eye were enrolled. Effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) and total energy (TE) were recorded. Thickness and TRV were measured using optical coherence tomography. Data were collected preoperatively and at postoperative day 1, 7, 30, 90, and 180.Results. The study results showed a decrease in TRT, TRV, and most retinal layer thicknesses at the first postoperative day visit and then increasing at week 1, and months 1 and 3, and then relatively decreasing at month 6 although not returning to preoperative levels. The least affected layers were the retinal pigment epithelium and outer plexiform layer. There was a positive correlation between EPT and TE and ganglion cell layer in a 1 mm circle and inner nuclear layer in a 1–3 mm circle (p<0.05).Conclusion. The results suggest that long-term follow-up of more than 6 months is necessary after cataract surgery to see whether total retinal and segmental values return to preoperative levels. This study was registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR):ACTRN12618000763246.
Presence of Rickettsia Species in a Marginalized Area of Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Peniche-Lara Gaspar , Jimenez-Delgadillo Bertha , Munoz-Zanzi Claudia , Cárdenas-Marrufo María , Pérez-Osorio Carlos , Arias-León Juan
Published: June 2018

In the state of Yucatan, Mexico, rickettsiosis has become a common vector-borne disease in the general population. Ectoparasite species such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Amblyomma mixtum have been identified as Rickettsia vectors in Yucatan by studies focused on the wild animal population in rural areas. There have been studies that have tried to determine the presence of Rickettsia species in ectoparasites collected in Yucatan, but these studies did not include marginalized areas, where living in close contact with domestic and peridomestic animals that carry ectoparasites is a high-risk factor for acquiring rickettsial infection or many other vector-borne diseases. We evaluated the vector diversity and the presence of Rickettsia species presence in the ectoparasite population that parasitizes domestic animals in a marginalized rural town of Yucatan, Mexico; we also evaluated the seroprevalence of rickettsial antibodies in the human population of this town in order to determine the prevalence of rickettsial infection. A total of 437 ectoparasites were collected from the study area. The tick specimens collected belonged to the species Rhipicephalus sanguineus (n=380, 49 positive), Amblyomma mixtum (n=3, 0 positive), Ixodes affinis (n=4, 0 positive), Ctenocephalides felis (n=33, 0 positive), and Trichodectes canis (n=17, 0 positive). Conventional polymerase chain reaction and sequencing were used to identify the DNA of Rickettsia. Six out of 354 (1.8%) serum samples were positive for antibody to R. typhi. The combination of low antibody titers and the presence of Rickettsia species infecting ectoparasite species found in the study area requires eco-epidemiological studies and the identification of potentially protective practices or habits.
Sleep Quality and Emotion Regulation Interact to Predict Anxiety in Veterans with PTSD
Authors: Mantua Janna , Helms Steven M. , Weymann Kris B. , Capaldi Vincent F. , Lim Miranda M.
Published: June 2018

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating and common consequence of military service. PTSD is associated with increased incidence of mood disturbances (e.g., anxiety). Additionally, veterans with PTSD often have poor-quality sleep and poor emotion regulation ability. We sought to assess whether such sleep and emotion regulation deficits contribute to mood disturbances. In 144 veterans, using a double moderation model, we tested the relationship between PTSD and anxiety and examined whether sleep quality and emotion regulation interact to moderate this relationship. We found that PTSD predicts higher anxiety in veterans with poor and average sleep quality who utilize maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. However, there was no relationship between PTSD and anxiety in individuals with good sleep quality, regardless of emotion regulation. Similarly, there was no relationship between PTSD and anxiety in individuals with better emotion regulation, regardless of sleep quality. Results were unchanged when controlling for history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), despite the fact that those with both PTSD and TBI had the poorest emotion regulation overall. Taken together, these results suggest that good-quality sleep may be protective against poor emotion regulation in veterans with PTSD. Sleep may therefore be a target for therapeutic intervention in veterans with PTSD and heightened anxiety.
Comparative Evaluation of Adiposity Indices as Predictors of Hypertension among Brazilian Adults
Authors: Dutra Maurílio T. , Reis Diego B. V. , Martins Karla G. , Gadelha André B.
Published: June 2018

Purpose. To compare several anthropometric indices in the prediction of hypertension among adults. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study. Five hundred and eighteen adult men and women (40.9 ± 10.5 years; 1.62 ± .09 m; 72.3 ± 15.6 kg) volunteered to participate and underwent blood pressure and anthropometric measures. Anthropometric assessments were used to calculate body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-stature ratio (WSR), body adiposity index (BAI), and conicity index (C). Comparisons between men and women were carried out by independent t-test and chi-square test. Cut-off points for each adiposity index to predict hypertension were obtained using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The significance level was set at P ≤ .05. Results. All adiposity indices regarding both genders showed significant odds ratios, except BAI (odds ratio: 1.534; CI: 0.916–2.571) for women. In men, WHR and WSR were considered as more balanced indices regarding their sensitivity (AUC: 73.8 and 71.4, respectively) and specificity (AUC: 77.6 and 73.1, respectively). In women, WHR and WSR presented areas under the ROC curves higher than C index (P = .007) and BAI (P = .03), respectively. Conclusion. Indices that consider abdominal adiposity such as WC, WHR, and WSR have a stronger relationship with hypertension compared to others.
Newer Oral Anticoagulants in the Treatment of Acute Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients with and without Cirrhosis
Authors: Priyanka P. , Kupec J. T. , Krafft M. , Shah N. A. , Reynolds G. J.
Published: June 2018

Background. Newer oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are being utilized increasingly for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). NOAC use is the standard of care for stroke prophylaxis in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and treatment of acute VTE involving extremities and pulmonary embolism. In contrast, most guidelines in the literature support the treatment of acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT) with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and vitamin K antagonists (VKA). Literature evaluating NOAC use in the treatment of acute portal vein thrombosis is sparse. This review focuses on the safety and efficacy of the use of NOACs in the treatment of acute PVT in patients, with or without concomitant cirrhosis, based on the most recent data available in the current literature. Methods. A systematic review was conducted through a series of advanced searches in the following medical databases: PubMed, BioMed Central, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. Keywords utilized were as follows: NOAC, DOAC (direct oral anticoagulants), portal vein thrombosis, rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran, and edoxaban. Articles related to newer anticoagulant use in patients with portal vein thrombosis were included. Results. The adverse events, including bleeding events (major and minor) and the failure of anticoagulation (propagation of thrombus or recurrence of PVT), are similar between the NOACs and traditional anticoagulants for the treatment of acute PVT, irrespective of the presence of cirrhosis. Conclusions. Newer oral anticoagulants are safe and efficacious alternatives to traditional anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin and vitamin K antagonists in the treatment of acute portal vein thrombosis with or without cirrhosis.
Analysis of Converter Combustion Flame Spectrum Big Data Sets Based on HHT
Authors: Chang Jincai , Wang Jiecheng , Wang Zhuo , Shan Shuaijie , Liu Chunfeng
Published: June 2018

The characteristics of the converter combustion flame are one of the key factors in the process control and end‐point control of steelmaking. In a big data era, it is significant to carry out high‐speed and effective processing on frame spectrum data. By installing data acquisition devices at the converter mouth and separating the spectrum according to the wave length, high‐dimensional converter flame spectrum big data sets are achieved. The data of each converter is preprocessed after information fusion. By applying the SM software, the correspondence with the carbon content is obtained. Selecting the relative data of the two peak ratios and the single‐peak absolute data as a one‐dimensional signal, due to the obvious nonlinear and nonstationary characteristics, using HHT to do empirical mode decomposition and Hilbert spectrum analysis, the variation characteristics after 70% of the converter steelmaking process are obtained. From data acquisition, data preprocessing to data analysis and results, it provides a new perspective and method for the study of similar problems.
Impact of Using Near Real-Time Green Vegetation Fraction in Noah Land Surface Model of NOAA NCEP on Numerical Weather Predictions
Authors: Fang Li , Zhan Xiwu , Hain Christopher R. , Liu Jicheng
Published: June 2018

Green vegetation fraction (GVF) is one of the input parameters of the Noah land surface model (LSM) that is the land component of a number of operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of NOAA. The Noah LSM in current NCEP operational NWP models has been using static multiyear averages of monthly GVF derived from satellite observations of NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) normalized difference vegetation index. The multiyear averages of GVF are evidently not the representative of actual conditions of the land surface vegetation cover. This study used a near-real-time (NRT) GVF data set generated from the 8-day composite of the leaf area index product from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to assess the impact of NRT GVF on off-line Noah LSM simulations and NWP forecast model. Simulations of the off-line Noah LSM in the Land Information System (LIS) and weather forecasts of the NASA-Unified Weather and Research Forecasting (NUWRF) were obtained using either the static multiyear average AVHRR GVF data set or the NRT MODIS GVF while meteorological forcing data and other settings were kept the same. The off-line simulations and WRF forecasts were then compared against in situ measurements or reanalysis products to assess the impact of using NRT GVF. Improvements of both soil moisture simulations as well as forecasts of 2-meter air temperature and humidity and precipitation from NUWRF were observed using the NRT GVF data products. The RMSE in SM estimates from the off-line Noah model is reduced by around 1.0% (1.41%) during the green-up phase and by 1.48% (2.24%) over the senescence phase for the surface (root zone) SM simulations. Around 82.3% validation sites (out of 1178 sites) showed positive impact on coupled WRF model with the insertion of NRT GVF.
Research Progress on Monitoring and Separating Suspension Particles for Lubricating Oil
Authors: Wang Ziping , Xue Xian , Yin He , Jiang Zhengxuan , Li Yefei
Published: June 2018

Lubricant failure or irrational lubrication is the root cause of industrial equipment failure. By monitoring the distribution of the suspended particles in lubricants, it is possible to discover hidden lubrication problems. After taking the lubricating oil samples of industrial equipment, the oil monitoring technology is used to analyze the particle size distribution and the type and content of the abrasive particles by electrical, magnetic, and optical monitoring techniques. It is necessary to separate the suspended particles in oils with impurities by some method to eliminate potential safety hazards and ensure the reuse efficiency of the lubricant. In this paper, the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of several important oil monitoring methods are described, and new developments in various methods are analyzed. Several typical methods for separation of the suspended particles in purified oils were introduced. The advantages and disadvantages of each process were summarized. The development direction of lubricant monitoring technology was pointed out, and guidance was provided for the separation and online monitoring of the suspended particles in lubricants. Finally, compared with similar review papers, this paper specifically figured out that ultrasonic separation method has the advantages of real time, high efficiency, and no pollution and has important application value for micron‐scale particle separation of large precision machines.
A Novel Trust Taxonomy for Shared Cyber Threat Intelligence
Authors: Wagner Thomas D. , Palomar Esther , Mahbub Khaled , Abdallah Ali E.
Published: June 2018

Cyber threat intelligence sharing has become a focal point for many organizations to improve resilience against cyberattacks. The objective lies in sharing relevant information achieved through automating as many processes as possible without losing control or compromising security. The intelligence may be crowdsourced from decentralized stakeholders to collect and enrich existing information. Trust is an attribute of actionable cyber threat intelligence that has to be established between stakeholders. Sharing information about vulnerabilities requires a high level of trust because of the sensitive information. Some threat intelligence platforms/providers support trust establishment through internal vetting processes; others rely on stakeholders to manually build up trust. The latter may reduce the amount of intelligence sources. This work presents a novel trust taxonomy to establish a trusted threat sharing environment. 30 popular threat intelligence platforms/providers were analyzed and compared regarding trust functionalities. Trust taxonomies were analyzed and compared. Illustrative case studies were developed and analyzed applying our trust taxonomy.
Application of Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging and Histogram Analysis for Assessing Preoperative Stages of Rectal Cancer
Authors: Xie Hui , Wu Guangyao
Published: June 2018

Objective. To explore the value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and histogram analysis for assessing preoperative stages and heterogeneity in rectal cancer. Methods. Fifty patients with pathologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled. The value of DKI parameters and histogram metrics for assessing the preoperative stages and heterogeneity in rectal cancer was analyzed retrospectively. Results. (1) ADC-10th percentile and ADC-25th percentile were significantly higher in T1-2 than in the T3-4 rectal cancer (the ADC values were 0.65 ± 0.08 × 10−3 mm2/s versus 0.58 ± 0.11 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.73 ± 0.11 × 10−3 mm2/s versus 0.65 ± 0.11 × 10−3 mm2/s; p values were 0.035 and 0.024, resp.). (2) D-10th percentile and D-25th percentile were also significantly higher in T1-2 than in T3-4 rectal cancer (the D values were 0.96 ± 0.19 × 10−3 mm2/s versus 0.84 ± 0.16 × 10−3 mm2/s and 1.15 ± 0.27 × 10−3 mm2/s versus 0.99 ± 0.18 × 10−3 mm2/s; p values were 0.017 and 0.044, resp.). (3) K value and its histogram metrics showed no statistically significant difference between T1-2 and T3-4. (4) D-10th had the largest area under the curve (AUC 0.799) among all the parameters; the sensitivity and specificity were 84.2 and 61.3%, respectively. (5) DKI combined with traditional MRI had an accuracy of 68% while assessing the lymph node of rectal cancer. Conclusion. DKI parameters and histogram metrics are rather valuable in assessing the preoperative stages of rectal cancer; D-10th percentile exhibits the highest diagnostic efficiency.
Kras and Tp53 Mutations Cause Cholangiocyte- and Hepatocyte-Derived Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Hill Margaret A. , Alexander William B. , Guo Bing , Kato Yasutaka , Patra Krushna , O'Dell Michael R. , McCall Matthew N. , Whitney-Miller Christa L. , Bardeesy Nabeel , Hezel Aram F.
Published: June 2018

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a primary liver cancer epidemiologically linked with liver injury, which has poorly understood incipient stages and lacks early diagnostics and effective therapies. While iCCA is conventionally thought to arise from the biliary tract, studies have suggested that both hepatocytes and biliary cells (cholangiocytes) may give rise to iCCA. Consistent with the plasticity of these cell lineages, primary liver carcinomas exhibit a phenotypic range from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to iCCA, with intermediates along this spectrum. Here, we generated mouse models to examine the consequence of targeting mutant Kras and Tp53, common alterations in human iCCA, to different adult liver cell types. Selective induction of these mutations in the SOX9+ population, predominantly consisting of mature cholangiocytes, resulted in iCCA emerging from premalignant biliary intraepithelial neoplasia (BilIN). In contrast, adult hepatocytes were relatively refractory to these mutations and formed rare HCC. In this context, injury accelerated hepatocyte-derived tumorigenesis and promoted a phenotypic switch to iCCA. BilIN precursor lesions were absent in the hepatocyte-derived iCCA models, pointing toward distinct and direct emergence of a malignant cholangiocytic phenotype from injured, oncogenically primed hepatocytes. Tp53 loss enhanced the reprogramming of hepatocytes to cholangiocytes, which may represent a mechanism facilitating formation of hepatocyte-derived iCCA. Overall, our work shows iCCA driven by Kras and Tp53 may originate from both mature cholangiocytes and hepatocytes, and factors such as chronic liver injury and underlying genetic mutations determine the path of progression and resulting cancer phenotype.

Significance: The histopathogenesis of biliary tract cancer, driven by Tp53 and Kras mutations, can be differentially impacted by the cell of origin within the mature liver as well by major epidemiologic risk factors. Cancer Res; 78(16); 4445–51. ©2018 AACR.
Oncogenic Properties of NEAT1 in Prostate Cancer Cells Depend on the CDC5L–AGRN Transcriptional Regulation Circuit
Authors: Li Xin , Wang Xianteng , Song Wanlu , Xu Hui , Huang Rongyao , Wang Yuting , Zhao Wenwei , Xiao Zhengtao , Yang Xuerui
Published: June 2018

The long noncoding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been shown to regulate multiple cancer-related cellular activities including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. In this study, we confirm that repression of NEAT1 induces DNA damage, disturbs the cell cycle, and arrests the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. By taking advantage of the prostate cancer tumor transcriptome profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas, our data-mining pipeline identified a series of transcription factors (TF) whose regulatory activities on target genes depended on the level of NEAT1. Among them was putative TF CDC5L, which bound directly to NEAT1. Silencing NEAT1 in prostate cancer cells repressed the transcriptional activity of CDC5L, and RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses further revealed a handful of potential targets of CDC5L regulated by NEAT1 expression. One target of CDC5L, ARGN, mediated the strong phenotypic consequences of NEAT1 reduction, including DNA damage, cell-cycle dysregulation, and proliferation arrest. In summary, we have established the requirement of the CDC5L–AGRN circuit for the essential oncogenic role of NEAT1 in prostate cancer cells.

Significance: An integrative methodology uncovers CDC5L–AGRN signaling as critical to the tumor-promoting function of long noncoding RNA NEAT1 in prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res; 78(15); 4138–49. ©2018 AACR.
Identification of a Genomic Region between SLC29A1 and HSP90AB1 Associated with Risk of Bevacizumab-Induced Hypertension: CALGB 80405 (Alliance)
Authors: Li Megan , Mulkey Flora , Jiang Chen , O’Neil Bert H. , Schneider Bryan P. , Shen Fei , Friedman Paula N. , Momozawa Yukihide , Kubo Michiaki , Niedzwiecki Donna , Hochster Howard S. , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Atkins James N. , Rugo Hope S. , Halabi Susan , Kelly William Kevin , McLeod Howard L. , Innocenti Federico , Ratain Mark J. , Venook Alan P. , Owzar Kouros , Kroetz Deanna L.
Published: June 2018

Purpose: Bevacizumab is a VEGF-specific angiogenesis inhibitor indicated as an adjunct to chemotherapy for the treatment of multiple cancers. Hypertension is commonly observed during bevacizumab treatment, and high-grade toxicity can limit therapy or lead to cardiovascular complications. The factors that contribute to interindividual variability in blood pressure rise during bevacizumab treatment are not well understood.

Experimental Design: To identify genomic regions associated with bevacizumab-induced hypertension risk, sequencing of candidate genes and flanking regulatory regions was performed on 61 patients treated with bevacizumab (19 cases developed early-onset grade 3 hypertension and 42 controls had no reported hypertension in the first six cycles of treatment). SNP-based tests for common variant associations and gene-based tests for rare variant associations were performed in 174 candidate genes.

Results: Four common variants in independent linkage disequilibrium blocks between SLC29A1 and HSP90AB1 were among the top associations. Validation in larger bevacizumab-treated cohorts supported association between rs9381299 with early grade 3+ hypertension (P = 0.01; OR, 2.4) and systolic blood pressure >180 mm Hg (P = 0.02; OR, 2.1). rs834576 was associated with early grade 3+ hypertension in CALGB 40502 (P = 0.03; OR, 2.9). These SNP regions are enriched for regulatory elements that may potentially increase gene expression. In vitro overexpression of SLC29A1 in human endothelial cells disrupted adenosine signaling and reduced nitric oxide levels that were further lowered upon bevacizumab exposure.

Conclusions: The genomic region between SLC29A1 and HSP90AB1 and its role in regulating adenosine signaling are key targets for further investigation into the pathogenesis of bevacizumab-induced hypertension. Clin Cancer Res; 24(19); 4734–44. ©2018 AACR.
Immunotherapy of Primary Brain Tumors: Facts and Hopes
Authors: Buerki Robin A. , Chheda Zinal S. , Okada Hideho
Published: June 2018

The field of cancer immunotherapy has made exciting progress for some cancer types in recent years. However, recent failures of late-phase clinical trials evaluating checkpoint blockade in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) represent continued challenges for brain cancer immunotherapy. This is likely due to multiple factors including but not limited to marked genetic and antigenic heterogeneity, relatively low mutational loads, and paucity of GBM-infiltrating T cells. We review recent and ongoing studies targeting the checkpoint molecules as monotherapy or in combination with other modalities, and discuss the mechanisms underlying the unresponsiveness of GBM to single-modality immunotherapy approaches. We also discuss other novel immunotherapy approaches that may promote T-cell responses and overcome the “cold tumor” status of GBM, including oncolytic viruses and adoptive T-cell therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 24(21); 5198–205. ©2018 AACR.
Multimodality Treatment of Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor: Chemotherapy and Complete Cytoreductive Surgery Improve Patient Survival
Authors: Subbiah Vivek , Lamhamedi-Cherradi Salah-Eddine , Cuglievan Branko , Menegaz Brian A. , Camacho Pamela , Huh Winston , Ramamoorthy Vandhana , Anderson Pete M. , Pollock Raphael E. , Lev Dina C. , Qiao Wei , McAleer Mary Frances , Benjamin Robert S. , Patel Shreyaskumar , Herzog Cynthia E. , Daw Najat C. , Feig Barry W. , Lazar Alexander J. , Hayes-Jordan Andrea , Ludwig Joseph A.
Published: June 2018

Purpose: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), which harbors EWSR1-WT1 t(11;22)(p13:q12) chromosomal translocation, is an aggressive malignancy that typically presents as intra-abdominal sarcomatosis in young males. Given its rarity, optimal treatment has not been defined.

Experimental Design: We conducted a retrospective study of 187 patients with DSRCT treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center over 2 decades. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. We determined whether chemotherapy, complete cytoreductive surgery (CCS), hyperthermic intraperitoneal cisplatin (HIPEC), and/or whole abdominal radiation (WART) improve overall survival (OS) in patients with DSRCT. Critically, because our institutional practice limits HIPEC and WART to patients with less extensive, potentially resectable disease that had benefited from neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a time-variant analysis was performed to evaluate those adjunct treatment modalities.

Results: The pre-2003 5-year OS rate of 5% has substantially improved to 25% with the advent of newer chemotherapies and better surgical and radiotherapy techniques (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29–0.75). Chemotherapy response (log rank P = 0.004) and CCS (log rank P < 0.0001) were associated with improved survival. Although WART and HIPEC lacked statistical significance, our study was not powered to detect their potential impact upon OS.

Conclusions: Improved 3- and 5-year OS were observed following multidisciplinary treatment that includes Ewing sarcoma (ES)-based chemotherapy and complete tumor cytoreductive surgery, but few if any patients are cured. Prospective randomized studies will be required to prove whether HIPEC or WART are important. In the meantime, chemotherapy and CCS remain the cornerstone of treatment and provide a solid foundation to evaluate new biologically targeted therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 24(19); 4865–73. ©2018 AACR.
Reference Ranges for Transvaginal Examined Fossa Posterior Structures in Fetuses from 45 to 84 mm Crown-Rump Length
Authors: Altmann Reinhard , Specht Christian , Scharnreitner Iris , Schertler Caroline , Mayer Richard , Arzt Wolfgang , Scheier Matthias
Published: June 2018

Objective: The study aimed to describe reference values for structures of the posterior fossa in fetuses with a crown-rump length (CRL) between 45 and 84 mm. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study including 216 normal appearing fetuses. In transvaginal acquired 3-dimensional volume blocks, the longest diameter of the vermis (VE), posterior membranous area (PMA), medulla-oblongata-pons angle (MOPA), diameters of the medulla oblongata (MO) and pons (PO), and the area of Blake’s pouch (BP) were measured. Polynomial or linear regression analysis were performed to calculate the mean, 5th and 95th centile according to CRL. In 20 fetuses, intra- and interobserver repeatability were calculated. Results: There is a curvilinear correlation between CRL and PO (PO [mean] = 1.3893 + 0.004356 × CRL + 0.000002610 × CRL3; SD = 1.6818 – 0.03765 × CRL + 0.000003831 × CRL3; R2 = 0.489); CRL and MO (MO [mean] = 1.5959–0.001905 × CRL + 0.000003362*CRL3; SD = –0.1417 + 0.005404 × CRL + 0.0000004988 × CRL3; R2 = 0.525); CRL and VE (VE [mean] = –0.3640 + 0.04302 × CRL+ 0.000001486 × CRL3; SD = 0.5854 – 0.004812 × CRL + 0.0000005896 × CRL3; R2 = 0.643); CRL and PMA (PMA [mean] = 0.6901 + 0.04307 × CRL – 0.0000008459 × CRL3; SD = –0.4232 + 0.02026 × CRL – 0.000001320 × CRL3; R2 = 0.272); CRL and BP (mm2; BP [mean] –12.2067 + 0.3334 × CRL – 0.00001262 × CRL3; SD = –1.6431 + 0.06380 × CRL+ 0.0000003257 × CRL3; R2 = 0.289). The relation between CRL and MOPA (°) is best described by a linear regression (MOPA [mean] = 79.6332 + 0.6122 × CRL; SD = 4.8453 + 0.07333 × CRL; R2 = 0.318). Conclusion: We provide reference values for anatomical structures of the posterior fossa of fetuses between 45 and 84 mm CRL. The established reference values might ease the diagnosis of fetal malformations in early pregnancy.
Physiological Differences in the Follicular, Luteal, and Menstrual Phases in Healthy Women Determined by Electrovestibulography: Depression, Anxiety, or Other Associations?
Authors: Lithgow Brian J. , Moussavi Zahra
Published: June 2018

Electrovestibulography (EVestG) recordings have been previously applied toward classifying and/or measuring the severity of several neurological disorders including depression with and without anxiety. This study’s objectives were to: (1) extract EVestG features representing physiological differences of healthy women during their menses, and follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle, and (2) compare these features to those observed in previous studies for depression with and without anxiety. Three EVestG recordings were made on 15 young healthy menstruating females during menses, and follicular and luteal phases. Three features were extracted, using the shape and timing of the detected spontaneously evoked vestibulo-acoustic field potentials. Using these features, a 3-way separation of the 3 phases was achieved, with a leave-one-out cross-validation, resulting in accuracy of > 72%. Using an EVestG shape feature, separation of the follicular and luteal phases was achieved with a leave-one-out cross-validation accuracy of > 93%. The mechanism of separation was not like that in previous depression analyses, and is postulated to be more akin to a form of anxiety and/or progesterone sensitivity.