bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Nodule Recognition Based on Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine-PSO
Authors: Li Yang , Zhu Zhichuan , Hou Alin , Zhao Qingdong , Liu Liwei , Zhang Lijuan
Published: April 2018

Pulmonary nodule recognition is the core module of lung CAD. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm has been widely used in pulmonary nodule recognition, and the algorithm of Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine (MKL-SVM) has achieved good results therein. Based on grid search, however, the MKL-SVM algorithm needs long optimization time in course of parameter optimization; also its identification accuracy depends on the fineness of grid. In the paper, swarm intelligence is introduced and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is combined with MKL-SVM algorithm to be MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm so as to realize global optimization of parameters rapidly. In order to obtain the global optimal solution, different inertia weights such as constant inertia weight, linear inertia weight, and nonlinear inertia weight are applied to pulmonary nodules recognition. The experimental results show that the model training time of the proposed MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm is only 1/7 of the training time of the MKL-SVM grid search algorithm, achieving better recognition effect. Moreover, Euclidean norm of normalized error vector is proposed to measure the proximity between the average fitness curve and the optimal fitness curve after convergence. Through statistical analysis of the average of 20 times operation results with different inertial weights, it can be seen that the dynamic inertial weight is superior to the constant inertia weight in the MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm. In the dynamic inertial weight algorithm, the parameter optimization time of nonlinear inertia weight is shorter; the average fitness value after convergence is much closer to the optimal fitness value, which is better than the linear inertial weight. Besides, a better nonlinear inertial weight is verified.
Fat Embolism Syndrome: A Case Report and Review Literature
Authors: Uransilp Nattaphol , Muengtaweepongsa Sombat , Chanalithichai Nuttawut , Tammachote Nattapol
Published: April 2018

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a life-threatening complication in patients with orthopedic trauma, especially long bone fractures. The diagnosis of fat embolism is made by clinical features alone with no specific laboratory findings. FES has no specific treatment and requires supportive care, although it can be prevented by early fixation of bone fractures. Here, we report a case of FES in a patient with right femoral neck fracture, which was diagnosed initially by Gurd’s criteria and subsequently confirmed by typical appearances on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. The patient received supportive management and a short course of intravenous methylprednisolone.
Formulation of Genetic Counseling Format for Adult Bangladeshi Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Rahman M. Z. , Nishat L. , Yesmin Z. A. , Banu L. A.
Published: April 2018

With the advancement of medical genetics, particular emphasis is given on the genetic counseling worldwide. In Bangladesh, genetic counseling services are not yet developed. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant disease of the myeloid cells of bone marrow. Like other malignant diseases, it may result from a mutation in the DNA. A genetic counseling format will educate the AML patients and provide appropriate medical and emotional support. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to develop a genetic counseling format for adult Bangladeshi patients with AML. Taking this into account, a draft format was prepared by reviewing relevant documents available online which was later analyzed by an expert panel through a group discussion and thus a proposed format was developed. To make the format effective in the perspective of Bangladeshi population, the proposed format was applied in counseling, and thus a final format was developed in the English language. This format will educate the counselors, clinicians, and patients about the utility and importance of the genetic counseling and genetic tests. Also, the patients feel comfort regarding the whole counseling process and going for postcounseling treatments and advice. Though it is written in English, it may be translated into mother tongue for better communication during counseling.
Model‐Based Analysis of Spur Gears’ Dynamic Behavior in the Presence of Multiple Cracks
Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Saeed , Sassi Sadok , Roshun Paurobally Mohammad
Published: April 2018

Early detection of tooth cracks is crucial for effective condition‐based monitoring and decision making. The scope of this work was to bring more insight into the vibration behavior of spur gears in the presence of single and multiple simultaneous tooth cracks. The investigation was conducted in both time and frequency domains. A finite element analysis was performed to determine the variation in stiffness with respect to the angular position for different combinations of crack lengths. A simplified nonlinear lumped parameter model of a one‐stage gearbox with six degrees of freedom was then developed to simulate the vibration response of faulty external spur gears. Four different multiple‐crack scenarios were proposed and studied. The performances of various statistical fault detection indicators were considered and investigated. The simulation results obtained via MATLAB indicated that, as the severity of a single crack increases, the values of the time domain statistical indicators increase also, but at different rates. Moreover, the number of cracks was found to have a negative effect on the values of all the performance indicators, except for the RMS. The number and amplitude of the sidebands in the frequency spectrum were also considered, while assessing the severity of the faults in each scenario. It was observed that, in the case of consecutive tooth cracks, the number of spectrum peaks and the number of cracks were consistent in the frequency range of 4‐5 kHz. The main finding of this study was that the peak spectral amplitude was the most sensitive indicator of the number and severity of cracks.
A Sustained Reduction in Serum Cholinesterase Enzyme Activity Predicts Patient Outcome following Sepsis
Authors: Zivkovic Aleksandar R. , Decker Sebastian O. , Zirnstein Anne C. , Sigl Annette , Schmidt Karsten , Weigand Markus A. , Hofer Stefan , Brenner Thorsten
Published: April 2018

Early sepsis identification is of paramount importance for an effective therapy and the patient outcome; however, a suitable prognostic biomarker is lacking. Anti-inflammatory nonneuronal cholinergic signaling modulates the magnitude of an immune response. Serum cholinesterase (BChE), an enzyme that hydrolyzes acetylcholine, plays an important role during inflammatory response and serves as an accurate index of cholinergic activity. BChE activity was measured in septic patients using a point-of-care system, and levels of conventional inflammatory markers and the disease severity scores were obtained. We observed a strong, sustained reduction in BChE activity in patients who died within a 90-day observation period, as compared to survivors. Reduced BChE activity when measured at the ICU admission effectively differentiated between the 90-day survivor and the nonsurvivor patient groups. We estimated a critical BChE level of 1.661 kU/L (CI 0.5–0.8, 94% sensitivity, 48% specificity, AUC 0.7) to best predict patient outcome providing a benchmark criterion for early detection of potentially fatal sepsis measured at the admission. This finding suggests that the BChE activity, used in combination with the laboratory tests, clinical examination, and the disease severity scoring, could serve to identify high-risk patients at the ICU admission, the most critical time point in the sepsis treatment.
Home‐Based Transcutaneous Neuromodulation Improved Constipation via Modulating Gastrointestinal Hormones and Bile Acids
Authors: Ge Zhenyang , Duan Zhijun , Yang Hang , Zhang Shengai , Zhang Shuang , Wang Lixia , Yang Dong , Sun Xiaoyu , Zhang Zhifeng , Su Liping , Zhu Hong , Zhou Dongdong , Liu Bojia , Shi Honggang , Yu Jun , Yang Hui , Chang Qingyong , Zhang Nina , Wu Dongsheng , Chen Jiande D. Z.
Published: April 2018

This study aims to investigate the role of transcutaneous neuromodulation (TN) on the regulation of gastrointestinal hormones and bile acids in patients with functional constipation (FC). Twenty FC patients were treated with TN for four weeks. The effects of TN on symptoms were evaluated by questionnaires. Plasma levels of serotonin (5‐HT), motilin, somatostatin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were measured by ELISA and 12 individual bile acids assayed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results were as follows. (1) TN treatment increased the frequency of spontaneous bowel movement, improved the Bristol Stool Score, and reduced Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom score and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life score. (2) FC patients showed decreased plasma levels of 5‐HT, motilin, and VIP and an increased plasma level of somatostatin (P < 0.05). Four‐week TN treatment increased plasma levels of 5‐HT and motilin and decreased the plasma level of somatostatin in the FC patients (P < 0.05). (3) Taurocholic deoxycholate, taurocholic acid, and taurocholic lithocholic acid were increased in the FC patients (P < 0.005) but reduced by TN treatment (P < 0.05). This study has suggested that the therapy may improve the symptoms of FC by alleviating the disorders of gastrointestinal hormones and bile acids.
Multimodal Medical Image Registration Based on an Information-Theory Measure with Histogram Estimation of Continuous Image Representation
Authors: Li Bicao , Yang Guanyu , Liu Zhoufeng , Coatrieux Jean Louis , Shu Huazhong
Published: April 2018

This work presents a novel method for multimodal medical registration based on histogram estimation of continuous image representation. The proposed method, regarded as “fast continuous histogram estimation,” employs continuous image representation to estimate the joint histogram of two images to be registered. The Jensen–Arimoto (JA) divergence is a similarity measure to measure the statistical dependence between medical images from different modalities. The estimated joint histogram is exploited to calculate the JA divergence in multimodal medical image registration. In addition, to reduce the grid effect caused by the grid-aligning transformations between two images and improve the implementation speed of the registration method, random samples instead of all pixels are extracted from the images to be registered. The goal of the registration is to optimize the JA divergence, which would be maximal when two misregistered images are perfectly aligned using the downhill simplex method, and thus to get the optimal geometric transformation. Experiments are conducted on an affine registration of 2D and 3D medical images. Results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method compared to standard histogram, Parzen window estimations, particle filter, and histogram estimation based on continuous image representation without random sampling.
Complex Dynamics on the Routes to Chaos in a Discrete Predator-Prey System with Crowley-Martin Type Functional Response
Authors: Zhang Huayong , Ma Shengnan , Huang Tousheng , Cong Xuebing , Gao Zichun , Zhang Feifan
Published: April 2018

We present in this paper an investigation on a discrete predator-prey system with Crowley-Martin type functional response to know its complex dynamics on the routes to chaos which are induced by bifurcations. Via application of the center manifold theorem and bifurcation theorems, occurrence conditions for flip bifurcation and Neimark-Sacker bifurcation are determined, respectively. Numerical simulations are performed, on the one hand, verifying the theoretical results and, on the other hand, revealing new interesting dynamical behaviors of the discrete predator-prey system, including period-doubling cascades, period-2, period-3, period-4, period-5, period-6, period-7, period-8, period-9, period-11, period-13, period-15, period-16, period-20, period-22, period-24, period-30, and period-34 orbits, invariant cycles, chaotic attractors, sub-flip bifurcation, sub-(inverse) Neimark-Sacker bifurcation, chaotic interior crisis, chaotic band, sudden disappearance of chaotic dynamics and abrupt emergence of chaos, and intermittent periodic behaviors. Moreover, three-dimensional bifurcation diagrams are utilized to study the transition between flip bifurcation and Neimark-Sacker bifurcation, and a critical case between the two bifurcations is found. This critical bifurcation case is a combination of flip bifurcation and Neimark-Sacker bifurcation, showing the nonlinear characteristics of both bifurcations.
SDR Based Energy Detection Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio for Real Time Video Transmission
Authors: Patil Rupali B. , Kulat K. D. , Gandhi A. S.
Published: April 2018

Cognitive radio is a budding approach which helps to address the imminent spectrum crisis by dynamic spectrum allocation and support the increased data traffic with an intelligent mechanism of Software Defined Radio (SDR). SDR avoid the frequent modifications in the hardware structure with the use of software defined protocols. The main novelty of the paper is an effective implementation of CR using energy based spectrum sensing method which is done on GNU radio for real time transmission of video as a primary user. From evaluation results, one can see that the proposed system can indicate the frequency band occupancy by setting the detection output. Detection output changes to one with start of video transmission. Motivation behind this work is design of a spectrum sensing method which is best suited for detection of white spaces during the transmission of video as a primary user on SDR platform.
Improved Optimization for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse System Using Computational Intelligence
Authors: Geem Zong Woo , Chung Sung Yong , Kim Jin-Hong
Published: April 2018

River water pollution by wastewater can cause significant negative impact on the aquatic sustainability. Hence, accurate modeling of this complicated system and its cost‐effective treatment and reuse decision is very important because this optimization process is related to economic expenditure, societal health, and environmental deterioration. In order to optimize this complex system, we may consider three treatment or reuse options such as microscreening filtration, nitrification, and fertilization‐oriented irrigation on top of two existing options such as settling and biological oxidation. The objective of this environmental optimization is to minimize the economic expenditure of life cycle costs while satisfying the public health standard in terms of groundwater quality and the environmental standard in terms of river water quality. Particularly, this study improves existing optimization model by pinpointing the critical deficit location of dissolved oxygen sag curve by using analytic differentiation. Also, the proposed formulation considers more practical constraints such as maximal size of irrigation area and minimal amount of filtration treatment process. The results obtained by using an evolutionary algorithm, named a parameter‐setting‐free harmony search algorithm, show that the proposed model successfully finds optimal solutions while conveniently locating the critical deficit point.
Fractographic Analysis of Brinar 400 and Brinar 500 Steels in Impact Testing
Authors: Białobrzeska Beata , Konat Łukasz , Jasiński Robert
Published: April 2018

Properties of low-alloy boron-containing steels Brinar 400 and Brinar 500 in as-delivered and normalized conditions are considered. Charpy tests carried out within temperature ranges of ductile-to-brittle transition were followed by fractographic analysis. The tests were carried out on specimens with their axes parallel and perpendicular to hot-working direction, at −40°C, −20°C, 0°C, and +20°C. The determined impact properties of Brinar steels were complemented with fractographic analysis performed with use of a scanning electron microscope. It was found that temperatures of ductile-brittle transition were significantly different for the materials in as-delivered and normalized conditions. In addition the tensile tests were carried out, determining basic strength properties of the analyzed materials.
Quasilinear Evolution Equations in LμP-Spaces with Lower Regular Initial Data
Authors: Zhang Qinghua
Published: May 2018

We study the Cauchy problem of the quasilinear evolution equations in Lμp-spaces. Based on the theories of maximal Lp-regularity of sectorial operators, interpolation spaces, and time-weighted Lp-spaces, we establish the local posedness for a class of abstract quasilinear evolution equations with lower regular initial data. To illustrate our results, we also deal with the second-order parabolic equations and the Navier-Stokes equations in Lp,q-spaces with temporal weights.
Investigation of Newly Prepared Biodegradable 32P-chromic Phosphate-polylactide-co-glycolide Seeds and Their Therapeutic Response Evaluation for Glioma Brachytherapy
Authors: Shao Guoqiang , Wang Yuebing , Liu Xianzhong , Zhao Meili , Song Jinhua , Huang Peiling , Wang Feng , Wang Zizheng
Published: April 2018

32P high-dose rate brachytherapy allows high-dose radiation delivery to target lesions with less damage to adjacent tissues. The early evaluation of its therapeutic effect on tumours is vital for the optimization of treatment regimes. The most commonly used 32P-CP colloid tends to leak with blind therapeutic area after intratumour injection. We prepared 32P-chromic phosphate-polylactide-co-glycolide (32P-CP-PLGA) seeds with biodegradable PLGA as a framework and investigated their characteristics in vitro and in vivo. We also evaluated the therapeutic effect of 32P-CP-PLGA brachytherapy for glioma with the integrin αvβ3-targeted radiotracer 68Ga-3PRGD2. 32P-CP-PLGA seeds (seed group, SG, 185 MBq) and 32P-CP colloid (colloid group, CG, 18.5 MBq) were implanted or injected into human glioma xenografts in nude mice. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the seeds, micro-SPECT imaging, and biodistribution studies were performed at different time points. The tumour volume was measured using a caliper, and 68Ga-3PRGD2 micro-PET-CT imaging was performed to evaluate the therapeutic effect after 32P intratumour administration. The delayed release of 32P-CP was observed with biodegradation of vehicle PLGA. Intratumoural effective half-life of 32P-CP in the SG (13.3±0.3) d was longer than that in the CG (10.4±0.3) d (P<0.05), with liver appearance in the CG on SPECT. A radioactivity gradient developed inside the tumour in the SG, as confirmed by micro-SPECT and SEM. Tumour uptake of 68Ga-3PRGD2 displayed a significant increase on day 0.5 in the SG and decreased earlier (on day 2) than the volume reduction (on day 8). Thus, 32P-CP-PLGA seeds, controlling the release of entrapped 32P-CP particles, are promising for glioma brachytherapy, and 68Ga-3PRGD2 imaging shows potential for early response evaluation of 32P-CP-PLGA seeds brachytherapy.
Ear Prosthesis for Postburn Deformity
Authors: Chinnasamy Alagesan , Gopinath Vidhya , Jain Ashish R.
Published: April 2018

Prosthodontics is not just confined to replacement of missing teeth but beyond one’s scope. The fabrication of any extraoral maxillofacial prosthesis presents the prosthodontist with several phenomenal challenges. Psychologically, these patients are severely affected either by congenital absence or loss of ear due to trauma or burns. Replacement or reconstruction can be done by surgical or prosthetic approach. However, not all situations are favourable to surgical reconstruction. This article emphasises on the steps in fabrication of ear prosthesis for burn deformity.
Viral Modulation of TLRs and Cytokines and the Related Immunotherapies for HPV-Associated Cancers
Authors: Barros Marconi Rego , de Oliveira Talita Helena Araújo , de Melo Cristiane Moutinho Lagos , Venuti Aldo , de Freitas Antonio Carlos
Published: May 2018

The modulation of the host innate immune system is a well-established carcinogenesis feature of several tumors, including human papillomavirus- (HPV-) related cancers. This virus is able to interrupt the initial events of the immune response, including the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), cytokines, and inflammation. Both TLRs and cytokines play a central role in HPV recognition, cell maturation and differentiation as well as immune signalling. Therefore, the imbalance of this sensitive control of the immune response is a key factor for developing immunotherapies, which strengthen the host immune system to accomplish an efficient defence against HPV and HPV-infected cells. Based on this, the review is aimed at exposing the HPV immune evasion mechanisms involving TLRs and cytokines and at discussing existing and potential immunotherapeutic TLR- and cytokine-related tools.
Image Antiblurring and Statistic Filter of Feature Space Displacement: Application to Visual Odometry for Outdoor Ground Vehicle
Authors: Zhao Xiangmo , Min Haigen , Xu Zhigang , Wu Xia , Li Xiaochi , Sun Pengpeng
Published: April 2018

Precise, reliable, and low-cost vehicular localization across a continuous spatiotemporal domain is an important problem in the field of outdoor ground vehicles. This paper proposes a visual odometry algorithm, where an ultrarobust and fast feature-matching scheme is combined with an effective antiblurring frame selection strategy. Our method follows the procedure of finding feature correspondences from consecutive frames and minimizing their reprojection error. The blurred image is a great challenge for localization with a sharp turn or fast movement. So we attempt to mitigate the impact of blur with an image singular value decomposition antiblurring algorithm. Moreover, a statistic filter of feature space displacement and circle matching are proposed to screen or prune potential matching features, so as to remove the outliers caused by mismatching. An evaluation of benchmark dataset KITTI and real outdoor data, with blur, low texture, and illumination change, demonstrates that the proposed ego-motion scheme significantly achieved performance with respect to the other state-of-the-art visual odometry approaches to a certain extent.
Huanglian-Wendan Decoction Inhibits NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Liver and Brain of Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress
Authors: Jia Ke-Ke , Ding Hong , Yu Han-Wen , Dong Tie-Jun , Pan Ying , Kong Ling-Dong
Published: April 2018

Depression is a common mental disorder in modern society. A traditional Chinese medicine Huanglian-Wendan decoction with potential anti-inflammation is used as a clinical antidepressant. Our previous study showed central and peripheral inflammatory responses in a rat model of depression developed by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of Huanglian-Wendan decoction in CUMS rats. LC-MS/MS and HPLC were performed to determine the major compounds in water extract of this decoction. This study showed that Huanglian-Wendan decoction significantly increased sucrose consumption and reduced serum levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in CUMS rats. Moreover, this decoction inhibited nuclear entry of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) with the reduction of phosphorylated protein of NF-κB (p-NF-κB) and inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (p-IκBα) and downregulated protein of nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), and IL-1β in liver and brain regions of CUMS rats. These findings demonstrated that Huanglian-Wendan decoction had antidepressant activity with hepatoprotection in CUMS rats coinciding with its anti-inflammation in both periphery and central. The inhibitory modulation of NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome activation by Huanglian-Wendan decoction may mediate its antidepressant action.
Spectral and Energy Efficiencies in mmWave Cellular Networks for Optimal Utilization
Authors: Hamed Abdulbaset M. , Rao Raveendra K.
Published: April 2018

Millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum has been proposed for use in commercial cellular networks to relieve the already severely congested microwave spectrum. Thus, the design of an efficient mmWave cellular network has gained considerable importance and has to take into account regulations imposed by government agencies with regard to global warming and sustainable development. In this paper, a dense mmWave hexagonal cellular network with each cell consisting of a number of smaller cells with their own Base Stations (BSs) is presented as a solution to meet the increasing demand for a variety of high data rate services and growing number of users of cellular networks. Since spectrum and power are critical resources in the design of such a network, a framework is presented that addresses efficient utilization of these resources in mmWave cellular networks in the 28 and 73 GHz bands. These bands are already an integral part of well‐known standards such as IEEE 802.15.3c, IEEE 802.11ad, and IEEE 802.16.1. In the analysis, a well‐known accurate mmWave channel model for Line of Sight (LOS) and Non‐Line of Sight (NLOS) links is used. The cellular network is analyzed in terms of spectral efficiency, bit/s, energy efficiency, bit/J, area spectral efficiency, bit/s/m2, area energy efficiency, bit/J/m2, and network latency, s/bit. These efficiency metrics are illustrated, using Monte Carlo simulation, as a function of Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio (SNR), channel model parameters, user distance from BS, and BS transmission power. The efficiency metrics for optimum deployment of cellular networks in 28 and 73 GHz bands are identified. Results show that 73 GHz band achieves better spectrum efficiency and the 28 GHz band is superior in terms of energy efficiency. It is observed that while the latter band is expedient for indoor networks, the former band is appropriate for outdoor networks.
Current Trends in Biomaterial Utilization for Cardiopulmonary System Regeneration
Authors: Fakoya Adegbenro Omotuyi John , Otohinoyi David Adeiza , Yusuf Joshua
Published: April 2018

The cardiopulmonary system is made up of the heart and the lungs, with the core function of one complementing the other. The unimpeded and optimal cycling of blood between these two systems is pivotal to the overall function of the entire human body. Although the function of the cardiopulmonary system appears uncomplicated, the tissues that make up this system are undoubtedly complex. Hence, damage to this system is undesirable as its capacity to self-regenerate is quite limited. The surge in the incidence and prevalence of cardiopulmonary diseases has reached a critical state for a top-notch response as it currently tops the mortality table. Several therapies currently being utilized can only sustain chronically ailing patients for a short period while they are awaiting a possible transplant, which is also not devoid of complications. Regenerative therapeutic techniques now appear to be a potential approach to solve this conundrum posed by these poorly self-regenerating tissues. Stem cell therapy alone appears not to be sufficient to provide the desired tissue regeneration and hence the drive for biomaterials that can support its transplantation and translation, providing not only physical support to seeded cells but also chemical and physiological cues to the cells to facilitate tissue regeneration. The cardiac and pulmonary systems, although literarily seen as just being functionally and spatially cooperative, as shown by their diverse and dissimilar adult cellular and tissue composition has been proven to share some common embryological codevelopment. However, necessitating their consideration for separate review is the immense adult architectural difference in these systems. This review also looks at details on new biological and synthetic biomaterials, tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and organ decellularization for cardiopulmonary regenerative therapies.
Stevia Nonsweetener Fraction Displays an Insulinotropic Effect Involving Neurotransmission in Pancreatic Islets
Authors: Piovan Silvano , Pavanello Audrei , Peixoto Giuliana Maria Ledesma , Matiusso Camila Cristina Ianoni , de Moraes Ana Maria Praxedes , Martins Isabela Peixoto , Malta Ananda , Palma-Rigo Kesia , da Silva Franco Claudinéia Conationi , Milani Paula Gimenez , Dacome Antonio Sérgio , da Costa Silvio Claudio , de Freitas Mathias Paulo Cezar , Mareze-Costa Cecília Edna
Published: April 2018

Stevia rebaudiana(Bert.) Bertoni besides being a source of noncaloric sweeteners is also an important source of bioactive molecules. Many plant extracts, mostly obtained with ethyl acetate solvent, are rich in polyphenol compounds that present insulinotropic effects. To investigate whether the nonsweetener fraction, which is rich in phenolic compounds isolated fromStevia rebaudianawith the solvent ethyl acetate (EAF), has an insulinotropic effect, including interference at the terminals of the autonomic nervous system of the pancreatic islets of rats. Pancreatic islets were isolated from Wistar rats and incubated with EAF and inhibitory or stimulatory substances of insulin secretion, including cholinergic and adrenergic agonists and antagonists. EAF potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) only in the presence of high glucose and calcium-dependent concentrations. EAF increased muscarinic insulinotropic effects in pancreatic islets, interfering with the muscarinic receptor subfamily M3. Adrenergic inhibitory effects on GSIS were attenuated in the presence of EAF, which interfered with the adrenergicα2receptor. Results suggest that EAF isolated from stevia leaves is a potential therapy for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus by stimulating insulin secretion only in high glucose concentrations, enhancing parasympathetic signal transduction and inhibiting sympathetic signal transduction in beta cells.
Reduced-Complexity Direction of Arrival Estimation Using Real-Valued Computation with Arbitrary Array Configurations
Authors: Yan Feng-Gang , Wang Jun , Liu Shuai , Shen Yi , Jin Ming
Published: April 2018

A low-complexity algorithm is presented to dramatically reduce the complexity of the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation, in which both tasks of eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) and spectral search are implemented with efficient real-valued computations, leading to about 75% complexity reduction as compared to the standard MUSIC. Furthermore, the proposed technique has no dependence on array configurations and is hence suitable for arbitrary array geometries, which shows a significant implementation advantage over most state-of-the-art unitary estimators including unitary MUSIC (U-MUSIC). Numerical simulations over a wide range of scenarios are conducted to show the performance of the new technique, which demonstrates that with a significantly reduced computational complexity, the new approach is able to provide a close accuracy to the standard MUSIC.
Primary Myeloid Sarcoma of the Prostate: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Nguyen Ryan , Sayar Hamid
Published: April 2018

We report the case of a 73-year-old male with primary myeloid sarcoma (MS) of the prostate. He underwent remission-induction chemotherapy followed by conventional consolidation for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One year after initial diagnosis, he was without evidence of AML, the longest reported period of time in the literature for a case of primary MS of the prostate. From 1985 to 2017, fifteen other cases of MS of the prostate have been reported and are reviewed here. Five cases occurred as primary MS, without evidence of AML on bone marrow examination or prior history of hematologic disorders, and progressed to AML within a range of three weeks to seven months. None of these cases were started on conventional chemotherapy for AML prior to progression. Due to its rarity, primary MS of the prostate is often diagnosed incidentally, but prompt AML-targeted treatment is crucial to delaying the progression to AML.
Thermos Array: Two-Dimensional Sparse Array with Reduced Mutual Coupling
Authors: Sun Lei , Yang Minglei , Chen Baixiao
Published: April 2018

Sparse planar arrays, such as the billboard array, the open box array, and the two-dimensional nested array, have drawn lots of interest owing to their ability of two-dimensional angle estimation. Unfortunately, these arrays often suffer from mutual-coupling problems due to the large number of sensor pairs with small spacingd(usually equal to a half wavelength), which will degrade the performance of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. Recently, the two-dimensional half-open box array and the hourglass array are proposed to reduce the mutual coupling. But both of them still have many sensor pairs with small spacingd, which implies that the reduction of mutual coupling is still limited. In this paper, we propose a new sparse planar array which has fewer number of sensor pairs with small spacingd. It is named as the thermos array because its shape seems like a thermos. Although the resulting difference coarray (DCA) of the thermos array is not hole-free, a large filled rectangular part in the DCA can be facilitated to perform spatial-smoothing-based DOA estimation. Moreover, it enjoys closed-form expressions for the sensor locations and the number of available degrees of freedom. Simulations show that the thermos array can achieve better DOA estimation performance than the hourglass array in the presence of mutual coupling, which indicates that our thermos array is more robust to the mutual-coupling array.
Biatrial versus Isolated Left Atrial Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Hongmu , Lin Xifeng , Ma Xun , Tao Jun , Zou Rongjun , Yang Songran , Liu Haibo , Hua Ping
Published: April 2018

Objective. The outcomes of biatrial ablation (BA) and isolated left atrial ablation (LA) in atrial fibrillation remain inconclusive. In this meta-analysis, we assess the currently available evidence to compare outcomes between BA and LA.Methods. Electronic searches were performed from database inception to December 2016, and relevant studies were accessed. Odds ratios and weight mean differences with 95% confidence intervals are reported. Twenty-one studies comprising 3609 patients were included in the present meta-analysis.Results. The prevalence of sinus rhythm in the BA cohort was similar to that in the LA cohort at discharge, at 12 months, and after more than 1 year of follow-up. However, at 6 months, the prevalence of sinus rhythm was higher in the BA cohort than in the LA cohort. The rate of permanent pacemaker implantation was higher in the BA cohort than in the LA cohort. However, 30-day and late mortality and neurological events were similar between the BA and LA groups.Conclusion. There was no significant difference in the rate of restored sinus rhythm, the risk of death, and cerebrovascular events between BA and LA, but BA had a higher rate of permanent pacemaker implantation.
Conjunctive and Disjunctive Keyword Search over Encrypted Mobile Cloud Data in Public Key System
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Yin , Wang Yifan
Published: May 2018

The searchable encryption scheme can perform keywords search operation directly over encrypted data without decryption, which is crucial to cloud storage, and has attracted a lot of attention in these years. However, it is still an open problem to develop an efficient public key encryption scheme supporting conjunctive and a disjunctive keyword search simultaneously. To achieve this goal, we introduce a keyword conversion method that can transform the query and index keywords into a vector space model. Through applying a vector space model to a predicate encryption scheme supporting inner product, we propose a novel public key encryption scheme with conjunctive and disjunctive keyword search. The experiment result demonstrates that our scheme is more efficient in both time and space as well as more suitable for the mobile cloud compared with the state-of-art schemes.
Experimental Research on the Specific Energy Consumption of Rock Breakage Using Different Waterjet‐Assisted Cutting Heads
Authors: Jiang Hongxiang , Meng Deguang
Published: April 2018

To investigate the specific energy consumption (SE) of rock breakage by cutting heads assisted by different types of waterjet and to identify optimal waterjet parameters and assistance types, rock cutting with and without waterjets was carried on a rock fragmentation test bed. SE is a comprehensive evaluation index and was developed according to the applied load on cutting head, and the SE under different cutting conditions was compared and analyzed. The results show that the SE of rock breakage without waterjet assistance increased with the increasing of rock compressive strength (RCS) but that the limited drilling depth decreased. The effect of the waterjet pressure on the SE of rock breakage by the cutting head I was marked, and SE decreased by 30∼40% when the ratio between RCS and waterjet pressure was less than 1. However, the function of the waterjet assistance was poor; therefore, a ratio of 1 could be used to distinguish the rock breakage effect of cutting head I. For cutting head II, the rock damage from the waterjet impact was limited due to the large waterjet standoff distance; thus the rock breakage performance of cutting head II was also limited. The waterjet impacting at the tip of the conical pick using cutting head III could enter into the cracks caused by the mechanical pick and fracture the rock. Therefore, the rock breakage performance of cutting head III was better than that of cutting head II.
Change in Reciprocal Inhibition of the Forearm with Motor Imagery among Patients with Chronic Stroke
Authors: Kawakami Michiyuki , Okuyama Kohei , Takahashi Yoko , Hiramoto Miho , Nishimura Atsuko , Ushiba Junichi , Fujiwara Toshiyuki , Liu Meigen
Published: April 2018

We investigated cortically mediated changes in reciprocal inhibition (RI) following motor imagery (MI) in short- and long(er)-term periods. The goals of this study were (1) to describe RI during MI in patients with chronic stroke and (2) to examine the change in RI after MI-based brain-machine interface (BMI) training. Twenty-four chronic stroke patients participated in study 1. All patients imagined wrist extension on the affected side. RI from the extensor carpi radialis to the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) was assessed using a FCR H reflex conditioning-test paradigm. We calculated the “MI effect score on RI” (RI value during MI divided by that at rest) and compared that score according to lesion location. RI during MI showed a significant enhancement compared with RI at rest. The MI effect score on RI in the subcortical lesion group was significantly greater than that in the cortical lesion group. Eleven stroke patients participated in study 2. All patients performed BMI training for 10 days. The MI effect score on RI at a 20 ms interstimulus interval was significantly increased after BMI compared with baseline. In conclusion, mental practice with MI may induce plastic change in spinal reciprocal inhibitory circuits in patients with stroke.
Simulation of Fluid and Structure Interface with Immersed Boundary–Lattice Boltzmann Method Involving Turbulence Models
Authors: Wang Zhikai , Yao Xiongliang , Yang Nana , Xu Zhenhuan
Published: April 2018

The multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) version of the immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann (IB-LB) method is developed to simulate fluid-structure interfaces. The innovations include the implicit velocity correction to ensure no-slip boundary conditions and the incorporated Smagorinsky’s algebraic eddy viscosity for simulating turbulent flows. Both straight and curved interfaces are investigated. The streamlines penetration can be well prevented, which means the no-slip boundary condition can be guaranteed. Due to the existence of two coordinate systems: the Lagrangian coordinate system and the Eulerian coordinate system, the velocity and force properties on the structure can be easily calculated. Several benchmark simulation cases are carried out to verify the correctness of the model, including flow around circular cylinder at Re = 20, 150, and 3900 and flow around square cylinder at Re = 150 and 1000. The results agree well with previous studies, especially in the events of lower Reynolds numbers. Due to the three-dimensional turbulence vortex effects, the discrepancy increases are associated with higher Reynolds numbers. In addition, the effect of rotating velocity on the interaction process of the square cylinder in flows is researched, coupled with the capability of dealing with the moving boundaries.
Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction/Xenohybrid Bone Scaffold: An Alternative Source for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Roato Ilaria , Belisario Dimas Carolina , Compagno Mara , Verderio Laura , Sighinolfi Anna , Mussano Federico , Genova Tullio , Veneziano Francesca , Pertici Gianni , Perale Giuseppe , Ferracini Riccardo
Published: April 2018

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a promising tool for the treatment of bone diseases or skeletal lesions, thanks to their ability to potentially repair damaged tissue. One of the major limitations of ASCs is represented by the necessity to be isolated and expanded through in vitro culture; thus, a strong interest was generated by the adipose stromal vascular fraction (SVF), the noncultured fraction of ASCs. SVF is a heterogeneous cell population, directly obtained after collagenase treatment of adipose tissue. In order to investigate and compare the bone-regenerative potential of SVF and ASCs, they were plated on SmartBone®, a xenohybrid bone scaffold, already used in clinical practice with successful results. We showed that SVF plated on SmartBone, in the presence of osteogenic factors, had better osteoinductive capabilities than ASCs, in terms of differentiation into bone cells, mineralization, and secretion of soluble factors stimulating osteoblasts. Indeed, we observed an increasing area of new tissue over time, with and without OM. These data strongly support an innovative idea for the use of adipose SVF and bone scaffolds to promote tissue regeneration and repair, also thanks to an easier cell management preparation that allows a potentially larger use in clinical applications.
Developing Seismic Risk Prediction Functions for Structures
Authors: Ahmad Naveed , Ali Qaisar , Adil Muhammad , Khan Akhtar Naeem
Published: April 2018

The paper presents the development of a nonlinear static displacement‐based methodology for seismic risk assessment and loss estimation of stone masonry building stock of Pakistan. Experimental investigation of one‐third scaled model, tested on shake table, is performed in order to obtain lateral strength and drift limits for stone masonry and develop damage scale for performance‐based assessment. Prototype buildings are designed respecting the existing building stock and investigated through nonlinear static and dynamic time history analyses. Nonlinear static mechanical models, for both global and local vulnerabilities, are developed for the considered typology which are used to derive analytical structure‐dependent fragility functions considering expected sources of uncertainties explicitly in contrary to the conventional procedures. Furthermore, seismic risk assessment is performed for different scenario earthquakes and presented in terms of structure‐independent fragility functions to estimate the mean damage ratio, the repair cost as a fraction of replacement cost, and casualties, with the dispersion being quantified, given source‐to‐site distance and magnitude for an earthquake event. The methodology is tested for seismic risk assessment of the considered typology in recent 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which is reasonably predicted. Future development of the methodology is required with additional experimental tests on rubble stone masonry material in order to increase confidence in future applications.
Interceptive Correction of Anterior Crossbite Using Short-Span Wire-Fixed Orthodontic Appliance: A Report of Three Cases
Authors: Sockalingam S. Nagarajan M. P. , Khan Khairil Aznan Mohamed , Kuppusamy Elavarasi
Published: April 2018

Anterior crossbite is relatively a common presentation in the mixed dentition stage. If left untreated, it can lead to a host of problems and may complicate future orthodontic treatment. One of the major difficulties in performing anterior crossbite correction in young children is treatment compliance. In most cases, poor compliance is due to the unacceptability of the removable appliance used. This article describes three cases of successful correction of anterior crossbite of patients in mixed dentition using short-span wire-fixed orthodontic appliances. This sectional appliance provides an alternative method of correcting anterior crossbite of dental origin and offers many advantages compared to the use of removable appliances.
Construction and Decoding of Rate‐Compatible Globally Coupled LDPC Codes
Authors: Zhang Ji , Bai Baoming , Mu Xijin , Xu Hengzhou , Liu Zhen , Li Huaan
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a family of rate‐compatible (RC) globally coupled low‐density parity‐check (GC‐LDPC) codes, which is constructed by combining algebraic construction method and graph extension. Specifically, the highest rate code is constructed using the algebraic method and the codes of lower rates are formed by successively extending the graph of the higher rate codes. The proposed rate‐compatible codes provide more flexibility in code rate and guarantee the structural property of algebraic construction. It is confirmed, by numerical simulations over the AWGN channel, that the proposed codes have better performances than their counterpart GC‐LDPC codes formed by the classical method and exhibit an approximately uniform gap to the capacity over a wide range of rates. Furthermore, a modified two-phase local/global iterative decoding scheme for GC‐LDPC codes is proposed. Numerical results show that the proposed decoding scheme can reduce the unnecessary cost of local decoder at low and moderate SNRs, without any increase in the number of decoding iterations in the global decoder at high SNRs.
Bite Reconstruction in the Aesthetic Zone Using One-Piece Bicortical Screw Implants
Authors: Ihde Stefan , Pałka Łukasz , Janeczek Maciej , Kosior Piotr , Kiryk Jan , Dobrzyński Maciej
Published: April 2018

The aim of this article was to present the clinical application of a new, smooth surfaced one-piece bicortical screw implant with immediate loading protocol. An 18-year-old, healthy male patient with a history of total dislocation and replantation of teeth 11 and 21 in early childhood was admitted to the clinic. Teeth 11 and 21 were extracted, and two long one-piece implants were inserted at extraction sockets in one surgical session under local anesthesia. Temporary composite crowns were placed in the patient on the same day. After 3 months, the single-phase two-layer impression was made and the composite crowns were replaced with metal-ceramic crowns. After 12 months, satisfactory aesthetic and functional results were obtained.