bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BOOST: A novel algorithm

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Authors: Kaur Harsimran , Rai Anurag , Bhatia Sarvjit Singh
Published: August 2019

In the present scenario, building the best quality cloud computing applications that fulfill demand services of customers is the toughest challenge for researchers. The services which perform the non-functional activities are considered as Quality of Service (QoS). Many sectors offer various cloud services such as Amazon, HP, and IBM to the customers. No technique is available to measure the real-world usage accurately and provide the efficient results for ranking the cloud services. Therefore, it is a very hard job for the client to select the optimal cloud service provider (CSP), which fulfills all the requirements of the customers. To avoid the conflict for selecting the right CSP, this paper proposes a novel QoS ranking prediction method called BOOST. Various experiments are done on the real-world QoS data by using EC2 services of Amazon. The results reveal that the proposed BOOST provides more efficient results than the competitor approaches.
Study of modulation instability analysis and optical soliton solutions of higher-order dispersive nonlinear Schrödinger equation with dual-power law nonlinearity
Authors: Nasreen Naila , Seadawy Aly R. , Lu Dianchen
Published: August 2019

In this paper, based on proposed Riccati mapping technique, we investigated the soliton solutions of fourth-order dispersive nonlinear Schrödinger equation with nonlinearity of dual-power law. The various types of solitons solutions involving some parameters are constructed. These soliton solutions can be useful for understanding the physical nature of the waves spread in the dispersive medium. Furthermore, the Modulation Instability (MI) is discussed by standard linear-stability analysis that shows all achieved results are exact and stable. The movements of some achieved results were presented graphically by giving suitable values to parameters that provide easy understanding to the physical phenomenon of this dynamical model. The obtained results show the simplicity and efficiency of the current used approach.
Defect formation processes in the silicon nanoparticles under the neutron irradiation
Authors: Garibli A. A. , Garibov A. A. , Huseynov E. M.
Published: August 2019

Silicon nanoparticles have been irradiated by neutrons up to 20 h. Free electrons and defects in the nanosilicon particles have been comparatively investigated before and after neutron irradiation using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. The neutron scattering and capture cross-section processes have been calculated for natural [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] isotopes, which are main part of nanosilicon samples when irradiated for 20 h by epithermal neutrons. Particle size, agglomeration and other surface effects of silicon nanoparticles were studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM) before and after neutron irradiation.
Lateral Dynamics of Walking-Like Mechanical Systems and Their Chaotic Behavior
Authors: Čelikovský Sergej , Lynnyk Volodymyr
Published: August 2019

A detailed mathematical analysis of the two-dimensional hybrid model for the lateral dynamics of walking-like mechanical systems (the so-called hybrid inverted pendulum) is presented in this article. The chaotic behavior, when being externally harmonically perturbed, is demonstrated. Two rather exceptional features are analyzed. Firstly, the unperturbed undamped hybrid inverted pendulum behaves inside a certain stability region periodically and its respective frequencies range from zero (close to the boundary of that stability region) to infinity (close to its double support equilibrium). Secondly, the constant lateral forcing less than a certain threshold does not affect the periodic behavior of the hybrid inverted pendulum and preserves its equilibrium at the origin. The latter is due to the hybrid nature of the equilibrium at the origin, which exists only in the Filippov sense. It is actually a trivial example of the so-called pseudo-equilibrium [Kuznetsov et al., 2003]. Nevertheless, such an observation holds only for constant external forcing and even arbitrary small time-varying external forcing may destabilize the origin. As a matter of fact, one can observe many, possibly even infinitely many, distinct chaotic attractors for a single system when the forcing amplitude does not exceed the mentioned threshold. Moreover, some general properties of the hybrid inverted pendulum are characterized through its topological equivalence to the classical pendulum. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the chaotic behavior of the harmonically perturbed hybrid inverted pendulum.
Exoplanetary Atmospheres: Key Insights, Challenges, and Prospects
Authors: Madhusudhan Nikku
Published: August 2019

Exoplanetary science is on the verge of an unprecedented revolution. The thousands of exoplanets discovered over the past decade have most recently been supplemented by discoveries of potentially habitable planets around nearby low-mass stars. Currently, the field is rapidly progressing toward detailed spectroscopic observations to characterize the atmospheres of these planets. Various surveys from space and the ground are expected to detect numerous more exoplanets orbiting nearby stars that make the planets conducive for atmospheric characterization. The current state of this frontier of exoplanetary atmospheres may be summarized as follows. ▪ We have entered the era of comparative exoplanetology thanks to high-fidelity atmospheric observations now available for tens of exoplanets. ▪ Recent studies reveal a rich diversity of chemical compositions and atmospheric processes hitherto unseen in the Solar System. ▪ Elemental abundances of exoplanetary atmospheres place important constraints on exoplanetary formation and migration histories. ▪ Upcoming observational facilities promise to revolutionize exoplanetary spectroscopy down to rocky exoplanets. ▪ The detection of a biosignature in an exoplanetary atmosphere is conceivable over the next decade. In the present review, we discuss the modern and future landscape of this frontier area of exoplanetary atmospheres. We start with a brief review of the area, emphasising the key insights gained from different observationalmethods and theoretical studies. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the state of the art, challenges, and future prospects in three forefront branches of the area.
Light in the Fungal World: From Photoreception to Gene Transcription and Beyond
Authors: Corrochano Luis M.
Published: August 2019

Fungi see light of different colors by using photoreceptors such as the White Collar proteins and cryptochromes for blue light, opsins for green light, and phytochromes for red light. Light regulates fungal development, promotes the accumulation of protective pigments and proteins, and regulates tropic growth. The White Collar complex (WCC) is a photoreceptor and a transcription factor that is responsible for regulating transcription after exposure to blue light. In Neurospora crassa, light promotes the interaction of WCCs and their binding to the promoters to activate transcription. In Aspergillus nidulans, the WCC and the phytochrome interact to coordinate gene transcription and other responses, but the contribution of these photoreceptors to fungal photobiology varies across fungal species. Ultimately, the effect of light on fungal biology is the result of the coordinated transcriptional regulation and activation of signal transduction pathways.
Gestational hypercholesterolemia alters fetal hepatic lipid metabolism and microRNA expression in Apo-E-deficient mice
Authors: Dumolt Jerad H. , Ma Min , Mathew Joyce , Patel Mulchand S. , Rideout Todd C.
Published: August 2019

Maternal hypercholesterolemia (MHC) is a pathological condition characterized by an exaggerated rise in maternal serum cholesterol during gestation, which can alter offspring hepatic lipid metabolism. However, the extent that these maladaptations occur during gestation and the molecular mechanisms involved remain unknown. MicoRNAs (miRNA) are small, noncoding RNAs that contribute to the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, we sought to determine the degree to which in utero exposure to excessive cholesterol affects fetal hepatic lipid metabolism and miRNA expression. Twelve female apoE−/−mice were randomly assigned to two different chow-based diets throughout gestation: control (CON) or the CON diet with cholesterol (0.15%). MHC reduced maternal fecundity and reduced litter size and weight. On gestational day 18, fetuses from MHC dams possessed increased placental cholesterol and hepatic triglycerides (TG), which were accompanied by a downregulation in the expression of hepatic lipogenic and TG synthesis and transport genes. Furthermore, fetal livers from MHC mothers showed increased miRNA-27a and reduced miRNA-200c expression. In summary, in utero exposure to MHC alters fetal lipid metabolism and lends mechanistic insight that implicates early changes in miRNA expression that may link to later-life programming of disease risk.
NLRP3 inflammasome mediates white adipose tissue browning after burn
Authors: Vinaik Roohi , Barayan Dalia , Abdullahi Abdikarim , Jeschke Marc G.
Published: August 2019

A hallmark after burn is the stress and inflammatory-induced hypermetabolic response. Recently, we and others found that browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a critical component of this complex detrimental response. Although browning and inflammation have been independently delineated to occur after injury, their interaction is currently not well defined. One of the master regulators of inflammation and adipose tissue remodeling after burns is nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The aim of this this study was to determine whether NLRP3 modulates and activates WAT browning after burn. To obtain molecular and mechanistic insights, we used an NLRP3 knockout (NLRP3−/−) murine burn model. We demonstrated that genetic deletion of NLRP3 promoted persistent and augmented browning in adipocytes, evidenced by increased gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CIDEA at 3 days (5.74 vs. 0.29, P < 0.05; 26.0 vs. 0.71, P < 0.05) and uncoupling protein 1 ( UCP1) and PGC1α at 7 days (7,406 vs. 3,894, P < 0.05; 20.6 vs. 2.52, P < 0.01) and enhanced UCP1 staining and multilocularity. Additionally, the main regulator of postburn WAT browning, IL-6, was elevated in the plasma acutely after burn in NLRP3−/− compared with wild-type counterparts (478.9 vs. 67.1 pg/mL, P < 0.05 at 3 days). These results suggest that NLRP3 has antibrowning effects and that blocking NLRP3 increases thermogenesis and augments browning via increased levels of IL-6. Our findings provide insights into targeting innate inflammatory systems for regulation of adaptive thermogenesis, a critical response after burns and other hypermetabolic conditions.
Discrete Element Simulation of Factors Affecting the Fluidity of Nylon Powder
Authors: Jiang Shengqiang , Duan Chunyan , Ye Yixuan , Tang Chao , Chen Xiaodong
Published: August 2019

Powder fluidity is one of the important factors affecting the smoothness of selective laser sintered parts and the mechanical properties of sintered parts. In this paper, the angle of repose (AOR) and angle of internal friction of nylon PA3200 powder were measured by a powder comprehensive tester and a direct shear tester to evaluate the flow properties of the powder particles. Based on the discrete element method (DEM), the rolling resistance contact model and the van der Waals force model were used to describe the interaction forces between the powder particles. The rolling resistance coefficient and friction coefficient within the contact model were calibrated by the results of the AOR experiments. Based on the orthogonal experimental method, the particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) (such as uniform distribution and Gaussian distribution) were selected as the influencing factors, and the effect of particle size and PSD on the fluidity of nylon PA3200 powder was studied by numerical simulation. The results show that the PSD has a stronger influence on the AOR than particle size, and the fluidity of uniform distribution is better than that of the Gaussian distribution.
Exploring the Pathological Mechanism of Bladder Cancer Based on Tumor Mutational Burden Analysis
Authors: Ma Yao , Feng Xiao-Fei , Yang Wan-Xia , You Chong-Ge
Published: August 2019

Although immunotherapy has progressed in the treatment of bladder cancer, some patients still have poor prognosis. New therapeutic targets are eager to be discovered to improve the outcomes of bladder cancer. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and tumor profiling, potential tumor biomarkers were identified. Through the interpretation of related data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA), some key genes have been discovered to drive the development and prognosis of urinary bladder neoplasm. On account of the success of immunotherapy in many cancer types, we established the relationship between tumor mutation burden and immune microenvironment of bladder cancer and found the changes of several immune cells in this disease. Based on the understanding of the bladder tumor genome and immune environment, this study is supposed to provide new therapies for the treatment of bladder neoplasm.
Atypical Presentation of Giant Mandibular Aneurysmal Bone Cyst with Cemento-Ossifying Fibroma Mimicking Sarcoma
Authors: Al-Maghrabi Haneen , Verne Serge , Al-Maghrabi Bassam , Almutawa Osamah , Al-Maghrabi Jaudah
Published: August 2019

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are an uncommon osteolytic intraosseous bone lesions. ABCs commonly involve metaphysis of long bones and are rarely diagnosed in craniofacial bones. The World Health Organization (WHO) designates ABCs as benign, but locally destructive, rapidly growing masses. ABC can be clinically misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. In this article, we present a case of a 12-year-old female patient who presented to a maxillofascial outpatient clinic complaining of huge jaw swelling over the past 3 months, which was clinically suggestive of sarcoma. Few reported cases in the English literature describe ABC presented with huge rapidly growing mass causing destructive bony lesion that was clinically mimic sarcoma, which initiates this case report. We also discuss the most important pathologic differential diagnosis of tumors with malignant behavior and review the literature.
Novel Models for the Prediction of Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus in Patients with Chronic Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Van Chien Do , Thai Giang Pham , Son Pham Truong , Truong Le Van , Nguyen Son Pham
Published: August 2019

Predicting left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) in chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation remains challenging despite the fact that several predictive models have been proposed to date. In this study, we sought to develop new and simpler models for LAAT prediction in chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The study enrolled 144 patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who underwent transesophageal echocardiography for LAAT detection. We examined the association of LAAT incidence with the CHA2DS2-VASc score and echocardiographic parameters pertaining to the left atrium (LA), including diameter, volume index, strain, and strain rate measured on speckle tracking echocardiography. LAAT was found in 24.3% of patients (39/144). The following parameters had good diagnostic performance for LAAT: LA volume index >57 mL (area under the curve (AUC), 0.72; sensitivity, 77.1%; specificity, 64.2%), LA positive strain ≤6.7% in the four-chamber view (AUC, 0.84; sensitivity, 77.1%; specificity, 77.1%), and LA negative strain rate >−0.73 s−1 in the four-chamber view (AUC, 0.83; sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 70.6%). The CHA2DS2-VASc score alone had a low predictive value for LAAT in this population (χ2 = 3.53), whereas the combination of CHA2DS2-VASc score with LA volume index had significant association and better predictive value (χ2 = 12.03), and the combination of CHA2DS2-VASc score with LA volume index and LA positive strain or negative strain rate in the four-chamber view had the best predictive ability for LAAT (χ2: 33.47 and 33.48, respectively). We propose two novel and simple models for noninvasive LAAT prediction in patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. These models combine the CHA2DS2-VASc score with LA volume index and LA longitudinal strain parameters measured on speckle tracking echocardiography in the four-chamber view. We hope these simple models can help with decision-making in managing the antithrombotic treatment of such patients, whose risk of stroke cannot be determined solely based on the CHA2DS2-VASc score.
A Window on the Lung: Molecular Imaging as a Tool to Dissect Pathophysiologic Mechanisms of Acute Lung Disease
Authors: Musch Guido
Published: August 2019

In recent years, imaging has given a fundamental contribution to our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute lung diseases. Several methods have been developed based on computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging that allow regional, in vivo measurement of variables such as lung strain, alveolar size, metabolic activity of inflammatory cells, ventilation, and perfusion. Because several of these methods are noninvasive, they can be successfully translated from animal models to patients. The aim of this paper is to review the advances in knowledge that have been accrued with these imaging modalities on the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Association Rule‐Based Feature Mining for Automated Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearing
Authors: Li Yuan , Wang Jinjiang , Duan Lixiang , Bai Tangbo , Wang Xuduo , Zhang Yulong , Qin Guoliang
Published: August 2019

Effective and efficient diagnosis methods are highly demanded to improve system reliability. Comparing with conventional fault diagnosis methods taking a forward approach (e.g., feature extraction, feature selection, and fusion, and then fault diagnosis), this paper presents a new association rule mining method which provides an inverse approach unearthing the underlying relation between labeled defects and extracted features for bearing fault analysis. Instead of evenly dividing methods used in traditional association rule mining, a new association rule mining approach based on the equal probability discretization method is presented in this study. First, a series of extracted features of signal data are discretized following the guideline of equalized probability distribution of the data in order to avoid excessive concentration or decentralized data. Next, the data matrix composed of arrays of discretized features and defect labels is exploited to generate the association rules representing the relation between the features and fault types. Experimental study on a bearing test reveals that the proposed method can generate a series of underlying association rules for bearing fault diagnosis, and the related features selected by the proposed method can be used directly to analyze bearing signals for fault classification and defect severity identification. As a new feature selection method, it possesses prominent superiority compared to traditional PCA, KPCA, and LLE dimension reduction methods.
An Overshoot‐Constrained Fast Setpoint Control for Nanopositioning Systems with Switched Controllers
Authors: Wu Zhizheng , Yue Tengfei , Jiang Xinxiang , Cao Ning , Li Feng , Qian Fanfan , Dziki Merveilles , Zhang Zhu , Liu Mei , Xie Shaorong
Published: August 2019

Nanopositioning control as the key technology has been applied in many fields such as near‐field optics, biomedical engineering, and nanomanipulation, where it is required to possess high positioning accuracy, reliability, and speed. In this paper, a switched PID controller‐based fast setpoint control method is proposed for nanopositioning systems. In order to improve the setpoint speed of the nanopositioning system without a large overshoot, a switched controller consisting of the approach mode and smooth mode is synthesized. The overshoot constraint of the resulting switched closed‐loop system is investigated within a set of bilinear matrix inequalities, based on which the search of the controller parameters can be further processed by solving the properly formulated synthesis algorithm. The proposed control method is evaluated in a nanopositioning experimental system driven by a PZT actuator, and the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the switched PID controller for the fast setpoint approaching operation.
A Report of Four Cases of Blackwater Fever after Quinine Treatment at Zinder National Hospital, Niger Republic
Authors: Mahamadou Doutchi , Hassane Diongolé M. , Zeinabou Moussa Tondi Maiga , Aboubacar Iliassou , Osseini Ali , Harissou Adamou , Abdoul-Aziz Garba , Ibrahim Alkassoum , Maman Laminou Ibrahim , Eric Adéhossi
Published: August 2019

Background. Blackwater fever (BWF) is a rare but serious complication of malaria that is a consequence of antimalarial treatment. Its prevalence seems to have increased. Its diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and urine color. We report on 4 BWF cases admitted to the infectious diseases department of Zinder National Hospital. Results. Four patients were hospitalized in September 2017 for a hepatorenal syndrome of jaundice, port wine-colored urine, renal failure, and hepatic cytolysis following antimalarial treatment with quinine salts. Quinine treatment was stopped and treatment was continued with injectable artemether. Three patients underwent extra-renal purification. Their evolution was favorable. One patient died less than 24 hours after admission. Conclusion. A rare and severe complication, blackwater fever must be considered for patients under antimalarial treatment who present with jaundice, abdominal pain, and acute renal insufficiency with port wine-colored urine. Rapid diagnosis and management in an intensive care unit are crucial for improving the prognosis.
Dietary Fatty Acid Saturation Modulates Sphingosine-1-Phosphate-Mediated Vascular Function
Authors: Nuno Daniel W. , Lamping Kathryn G.
Published: August 2019

Sphingolipids, modified by dietary fatty acids, are integral components of plasma membrane and caveolae that are also vasoactive compounds. We hypothesized that dietary fatty acid saturation affects vasoconstriction to sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) through caveolar regulation of rho kinase. Wild type (WT) and caveolin-1-deficient (cav-1 KO) mice which lack vascular caveolae were fed a low-fat diet (LF), 60% high-saturated fat diet (lard, HF), or 60% fat diet with equal amounts of lard and n-3 polyunsaturated menhaden oil (MO). Weight gain of WT on HF and MO diets was similar while markedly blunted in cav-1 KO. Neither high-fat diet affected the expression of cav-1, rho, or rho kinase in arteries from WT. In cav-1 KO, MO increased the vascular expression of rho but had no effect on rho kinase. HF had no effect on rho or rho kinase expression in cav-1 KO. S1P produced a concentration-dependent constriction of gracilis arteries from WT on LF that was reduced with HF and restored to normal with MO. Constriction to S1P was reduced in cav-1 KO and no longer affected by a high-saturated fat diet. Inhibition of rho kinase which reduced constriction to PE independent of diet in arteries from WT and cav-1 KO only reduced constriction to S1P in arteries from WT fed MO. The data suggest that dietary fatty acids modify vascular responses to S1P by a caveolar-dependent mechanism which is enhanced by dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fats.
Genetic Variability of Agronomic Traits as Potential Indicators of Drought Tolerance in Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Langat Charles , Ombori Omwoyo , Leley Philip , Karanja David , Cheruiyot Richard , Gathaara Moses , Masila Benard
Published: August 2019

Sixteen progeny lines of common beans obtained from single crosses made between two parents, GLP2 and KAT B1, were grown in randomized complete block design in a rainout shelter at the Agricultural and Mechanization Research Institute, Machakos, Kenya. The experiment was conducted to study inheritance of traits associated with drought stress adaptation and to establish if significant variation for those traits was existing in order to carry out selection for drought tolerance. The calculated mean values were used to estimate heritability, genetic advance, and correlation study for each trait. Water stress had a significant (p≤0.01) effect on the number of pods per plant, grains per plant, 100-seed weight, and yield per plant. The highest values for genotypic coefficient of variation (36.11%) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (36.70%) were recorded for pods plant-1 under stress condition. Highest broad-sense heritability estimates (96.54%, 94.97%, and 93.16%) coupled with high genetic advance as percent of the mean (22.32%, 34.97%, and 26.32%) were obtained for the number of pods plant−1, days to maturity, and yield plant−1, respectively, showing that selection of these traits together could lead to yield improvement under stressed conditions. Harvest index showed a significant and positive relationship with biomass aboveground (r=0.86) and the number of pods plant−1 (r=0.86) indicating the possibility of identifying high performing lines of common beans for drought stress environment for further studies on these traits.
Warm Steam Inhalation before Bedtime Improved Sleep Quality in Adult Men
Authors: Ichiba Tomohisa , Kakiuchi Kenta , Suzuki Masahiro , Uchiyama Makoto
Published: August 2019

In humans, the inhalation of warm steam has been reported to decrease the respiratory rate. However, the effects of warm steam inhalation on sleep have not been studied closely. This study aimed to examine the effects of warm steam inhalation before bedtime on subsequent sleep quality. The participants included 17 adult men with mild sleep difficulties and anxiety. All experiments were conducted in the participants’ homes. The participants were instructed to wear a warm steam-generating mask or sham mask over the nose and mouth for 15 minutes immediately before habitual bedtime and were then allowed to sleep until their habitual waking time. The functional mask provided approximately 600 mg of steam for 10 minutes and maintained an interior temperature of 38–40°C for 15 minutes. We evaluated the participants’ electrocardiograms and subjective moods while wearing the mask. During sleep, electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded using a single-channel portable device. In the morning, each participant was instructed to report their sleep details subjectively using a visual analog scale. At bedtime, the subjects’ subjective apprehension of the next day was reduced significantly under steam inhalation, compared with the sham condition. Compared to the sham condition, steam inhalation before bedtime was associated with a higher EEG delta power density during the first third of sleep episodes and better subjective sleep quality in the morning. These results suggest that safe and easy inhalation of warm steam via a steam-generating mask improves psychological relaxation and sleep.
The Efficacy and Mechanism of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Lu Zhenzhen , Zhong Yifei , Liu Wangyi , Xiang Ling , Deng Yueyi
Published: August 2019

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and is one of the main causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in many countries. The pathological features of DKD are the hypertrophy of mesangial cells, apoptosis of podocytes, glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening, accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), glomerular sclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. The etiology of DKD is very complicated and many factors are involved, such as genetic factors, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, abnormalities of renal hemodynamics, and metabolism of vasoactive substances. Although some achievements have been made in the exploration of the pathogenesis of DKD, the currently available clinical treatment methods are still not completely effective in preventing the progress of DKD to ESRD. CHM composed of natural products has traditionally been used for symptom relief, which may offer new insights into therapeutic development of DKD. We will summarize the progress of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the treatment of DKD from two aspects. In clinical trials, the Chinese herbal formulas were efficacy and safety confirmed by the randomized controlled trials. In terms of experimental research, studies provided evidence for the efficacy of CHM from the perspectives of balancing metabolic disorders, reducing inflammatory response and oxidative stress, antifibrosis, protecting renal innate cells, and regulating microRNA and metabolism. CHM consisting of different ingredients may play a role in synergistic interactions and multiple target points in the treatment of DKD.
Prevalence and Predictors of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy (CIN) in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI): A Meta-Analysis
Authors: He Huan , Chen Xiao-Rui , Chen Yun-Qing , Niu Tie-Sheng , Liao Yi-Meng
Published: August 2019

Background. Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) becomes more and more frequent after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). There have been no reported meta-analyses to determine the role of these risk factors in predicting CIN in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI. So we made this meta-analysis to summarize the incidence of CIN in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI and to study associations between CIN and several risk factors that are mentioned in most prevention guidelines. Hypothesis. The overall incidence of CIN in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI is not low. Many risk factors could influence the occurrence of CIN, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate. Methods. Databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese BioMedical (CBM), were searched for articles published before May 21, 2019, to identify all relevant studies on CIN. The pooled data were analyzed using either fixed-effects or random-effects models depending on heterogeneity (assessed via the I2 index). Results. Twelve articles encompassing a total of 6342 patients were included. The overall pooled CIN incidence was 13.3% (95% CI: 10.4–17.1). The forest plots showed positive associations between CIN and the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of prior myocardial infarction, age, damaged left anterior descending artery, Killip class ≥2, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and left ventricular ejection fraction <40%; the odds ratios for these factors were 1.85 (95% CI: 1.57–2.18; p<0.00001), 1.83 (95% CI: 1.47–2.29; p<0.00001), 2.14 (95% CI: 1.46–3.14; p<0.0001), 7.79 (95% CI: 5.24–10.34; p<0.00001), 1.92 (95% CI: 1.15–3.22; p=0.01), 3.12 (95% CI: 2.21–4.40; p<0.00001), −6.15 (95% CI: −9.52 to −2.79; p=0.0003), −15.06 (95% CI: −24.75 to −5.36; p=0.002), and 5.53 (95% CI: 1.10–27.95; p=0.04), respectively. Conclusion. The overall incidence of CIN in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI was not low and was closely associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of prior myocardial infarction, age, damaged left anterior descending artery, Killip class ≥2, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and left ventricular ejection fraction <40%.
An Efficient Porcine Acoustic Signal Denoising Technique Based on EEMD‐ICA‐WTD
Authors: Zhang Sunan , Tian Jianyan , Banerjee Amit , Li Jiangli
Published: August 2019

Automatic monitoring of group‐housed pigs in real time through porcine acoustic signals has played a crucial role in automated farming. In the process of data collection and transmission, acoustic signals are generally interfered with noise. In this paper, an effective porcine acoustic signal denoising technique based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), independent component analysis (ICA), and wavelet threshold denoising (WTD) is proposed. Firstly, the porcine acoustic signal is decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by EEMD. In addition, permutation entropy (PE) is adopted to distinguish noise‐dominant IMFs from the IMFs. Secondly, ICA is employed to extract the independent components (ICs) of the noise‐dominant IMFs. The correlation coefficients of ICs and the first IMF are calculated to recognize noise ICs. The noise ICs will be removed. Then, WTD is applied to the other ICs. Finally, the porcine acoustic signal is reconstructed by the processed components. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the denoising performance of porcine acoustic signal.
A Comparative Study on Vertical Dynamic Responses of Three Types of Elevated Railway Tracks Subjected to a Moving Train
Authors: Shi Li , Ye Xiaoqiang , Zhang Pengfei , Guo Lin
Published: August 2019

A theoretical model incorporating the moving train, the railway track, and the elevated viaduct is established and then solved using periodic theory in this paper. The vertical wheel/rail forces and the dynamic responses of track and viaduct girder are obtained and compared for three different types of tracks, i.e., the double‐block ballastless track, the rubber‐pad floating slab track, and the steel‐spring floating slab track. It is observed that the rubber‐pad and steel‐spring floating slab tracks can reduce more than 10% of the wheel/rail force and the reaction force at girder supports, when compared to those of the double‐block ballastless track. Especially, the steel‐spring floating slab track develops an uplifting force larger than the installation force of the fastening clip, which may cause failure of the rail fastening system.
Medicinal Plants from Brazilian Cerrado: Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential and Protection against Chemotherapy Toxicity
Authors: de Giffoni de Carvalho José Tarcísio , da Silva Baldivia Débora , Leite Daniel Ferreira , de Araújo Laura Costa Alves , de Toledo Espindola Priscilla Pereira , Antunes Katia Avila , Rocha Paola Santos , de Picoli Souza Kely , dos Santos Edson Lucas
Published: August 2019

The use of natural antioxidants in cancer therapy has increased: first, due to the potential of natural antioxidants to kill tumour cells and second, because of their capacity to protect healthy cells from the damage caused by chemotherapy. This review article discusses the antioxidant properties of extracts obtained from medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado and the cell death profile induced by each of these extracts in malignant cells. Next, we describe the capacity of other medicinal plants from the Cerrado to protect against chemotherapy-induced cell toxicity. Finally, we focus on recent insights into the cell death profile induced by extracts from Cerrado plants and perspectives for future therapeutic approaches.
Seepage Analysis of a Multilayer Waste Slope considering the Spatial and Temporal Domains of Permeability
Authors: Yang Rong , Xu Zengguang , Chai Junrui
Published: August 2019

Landfilled municipal solid waste has evident heterogeneity, and clogging of the drainage layer can easily happen during operation of the landfill. These two factors significantly influence the distribution of leachate in a landfill. Herein, the distribution of waste permeability in the spatial and temporal domains was analyzed. Then, changes to the drainage‐layer permeability in the temporal domain were fitted to these data. A simple model of multilayer waste slope was established combining the finite element software and a user subroutine. Herewith, changes of permeability in the waste and drainage layers were simulated, such that the heterogeneity of waste and the process of clogging of the drainage layer could be simulated. Then, the leachate distributions and transport conditions of nine schemes for landfill were analyzed. The results indicated that the distribution curve of waste‐saturated permeability follows a logarithmic relation in the vertical direction, and the distribution curve of fresh‐waste‐saturated permeability follows a polynomial relation in time. After each landfill is worked for a few years, the drainage layer always encounters clogging problems of some kind and its permeability decreases by one to five orders of magnitude. Through numerical models, the simulation results of the permeability distribution in the spatial and temporal domains were found satisfactory. When the permeability distributions were layered in the buried depth, pore pressures and leachate levels are smaller than the logarithmic distributions. During the process of degradation, the pore pressures and leachate levels are increased slightly under the consideration of the polynomial distribution of waste permeability in time. With clogging of the permeability of the drainage layer, the pore pressures and leachate levels of landfill were found to be increasing gradually. To obtain results closer to that of actual situations, corresponding models should be established and analyzed based on a range of permeability, waste degradation rate, and degree of clogging.
Purification and Characterization of a New Lectin from Loach Skin Mucus
Authors: Sun Peng-peng , Ren Yuan-yuan , Zheng Jie , Hu Ai-jun
Published: August 2019

Lectin from loach skin mucus plays an important role in pathogen defense. However, hardly can any paper relevant to the character of lectin from loach skin mucus be found in recent years. In this study, a kind of new lectin (LML), with a high hemagglutination activity of 166.23 × 103 HU/mg, was successfully isolated and purified from loach skin mucus. LML was a kind of glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 245 kDa. Also, the monosaccharide composition suggested that its carbohydrate chain was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 2.02 : 11.66 : 2.06 : 1.00 : 14.09 : 6.00. Besides, LML depended on Ca2+to induce hemagglutination and was strongly inhibited by D-lactose. The lectin exhibited powerful resistance to alkali and kept about 30% hemagglutination activity at pH 14.0, whereas its capacity of acid resistance was weak. The maximum hemagglutination activity of LML maintained at a temperature range from 20°C to 50°C. Moreover, the structure of LML was preliminarily studied, indicating it contained abundant glutamic acid, histidine, and serine, and its secondary structure containedα-helix (4.97%),β-sheet (27.55%), turns structure (49.78%), and unordered structure (17.70%).
Removal of Zinc from Aqueous Solution Using Activated Oil Shale
Authors: Nassef Ehssan , Eltaweel Yehia
Published: August 2019

Egyptian oil shale was investigated as a source of adsorbent for removal of zinc from aqueous solutions. Egyptian oil shale (OS) was used as an adsorbent without any treatment, then thermally activated in absence of air (Carbo-OS), and separately burned to produce ash (OS-ash). Egyptian oil shale was also chemically activated by zinc chloride (ZnCl2-OS) respectively. The present study aims at investigating the removal of Zn2+ ions from an aqueous solution via adsorption and thermal and chemical activation of locally sourced oil shale. Also, the effect of different operation parameters, like heavy metal and sorbent concentration as well as adsorbent’s uptake time of heavy metals is studied. It was found that activated oil shale successfully removed high amount of Zn from an aqueous solution. As the adsorbent concentration was increased keeping zinc concentration constant, greater metal removal from the solution was observed. And, as the zinc concentration was increased keeping sorbent concentration constant, higher metal loading per unit weight of the sorbent was achieved. The Langmuir isotherm model fit the experimental data of Zn2+ ions. The results indicated that oil shale could be used to adsorb Zn2+ ions and that thermally activated oil shale resulted in 99% removal for Zn2+.
Prescribing Patterns of Antihypertensives for Treatment-Naïve Patients in South Korea: From Korean NHISS Claim Data
Authors: Kim Sang Hyuck , Shin Dong Wook , Kim Shinhye , Han Kyungdo , Park Sang-hyun , Kim Yul-Hee , Jeon Shin-Ae , Kwon Yong-Chol
Published: August 2019

Background. Several factors influence the choice of antihypertensive drugs. To facilitate the rational use of drugs it is important to assess their prescription patterns over time. This study aims to evaluate doctors’ prescribing patterns of antihypertensive drugs for drug-naïve patients in South Korea. Methods. The claims data of the Korean National Health Insurance Research Database from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2015 were analyzed. The data virtually cover the entire South Korean population. Antihypertensive drugs were further subdivided into angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), beta-blockers (BBs), and thiazide diuretics. The prescription pattern of antihypertensive drugs and associated factors were assessed according to the patients’ characteristics, including associated comorbidities. Results. A total of 2,919,162 subjects had started taking antihypertension medications during the study period. ARB was the most frequently prescribed drug (51.6%) followed by CCB (45.0%), BB (18.5%), diuretics (17.0%), and ACEi (11.7%). Most patients were prescribed with monotherapy (66.7%) rather than combination therapy (33.3%), and CCB was the most frequently prescribed monotherapy drug (25.7%). For combination therapy, ARB + CCB was the most frequently prescribed combination, and the prescription frequency was found to be increasing. In patients prescribed with combination therapy, most had been prescribed single-pill fixed-dose combination. Conclusion. We identified the physicians’ prescription patterns of antihypertensive drugs for treatment-naïve patients. The findings of this study can lead to a rational, evidence-based, and cost-effective improvement of prescription patterns in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.
Maximin Optimization Problem Subject to Min‐Product Fuzzy Relation Inequalities with Application in Supply and Demand Scheme
Authors: Lin Hai-Tao , Yang Xiao-Bin , Guo Hui-Mei , Zheng Cai-Fen , Yang Xiao-Peng
Published: August 2019

In a supply chain system, the prices with which the suppliers supply its local commodity to the retailers should satisfy the requirements of the retailers and the consumers. The supply and demand scheme satisfying these requirements is reduced into fuzzy relation inequalities (FRIs) with min‐product composition. Due to the difference between the min‐product composition and the classical max‐t‐norm one, we first study the resolution of such min‐product FRI system. For optimization management in the supply chain system, we further investigate a maximin programming problem subject to the min‐product FRIs. An algorithm is proposed to obtain the optimal solution based on the quasi‐maximal matrix and corresponding index set. To illustrate the efficiency of our proposed algorithm, we provide a simple numerical example. The obtained optimal solution reflects an optimal pricing scheme, which maximizes the minimum prices of the commodity from the suppliers.
Increase of Extreme Drought over Ethiopia under Climate Warming
Authors: Teshome Asaminew , Zhang Jie
Published: August 2019

Recurrent extreme drought and flood in Ethiopia lead to more economic loss. This study examines change and trends of 21 climate extremes of temperature and precipitation over Ethiopia by using indices from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI). The analysis was based on the records of observed meteorological data and the future projected from the CMIP5 model under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. The results of the seasonal standardized rainfall anomaly and EOF analysis show a decreasing rainfall in JJAS season and significant variability in the FMAM season. The first mode of EOF in FMAM shows that 49.6% was mostly negative with a high amount of variability. The observed precipitation extreme of annual total precipitation (PRCPTOT), consecutive wet days (CWD), and the number of heavy precipitation days (R10) show a decreasing trend, and consecutive dry days (CDD) shows an increasing trend. Additionally, temperature extremes like tropical nights (TR20) and daily maximum and minimum temperatures show a significantly increasing trend. The projected precipitation extremes of CWD, PRCPTOT, very wet day annual total (R95p), and the number of heavy precipitation days (R10) show a decreasing trend. CDD shows longer periods of dryness and a substantial increase which is conducive to the increase of drought. The projected temperature extremes of the warm spell duration indicator (WSDI), daily maximum temperature (TXx) and daily minimum temperature (TNx), summer days (SU25), and tropical nights (TR20) show an increasing trend, while the diurnal temperature range shows a decreasing trend. The projected changes in temperature and precipitation extremes are likely to have significant negative impacts on various socioeconomic activities over Ethiopia. These results highlight the need for planning and developing effective adaptation strategies for disaster prevention.
Right Testicular Artery Occlusion and Acute Appendicitis byAngiostrongylus costaricensis
Authors: Sánchez-Sierra Luis Enrique , Martínez-Quiroz Roberto Antonio , Antúnez Héctor S. , Cabrera-Interiano Humberto , Barrientos-Melara Fernando Josué
Published: August 2019

Introduction. Angiostrongylus costaricensisis a nematode from the superfamily Metastrongyloidea, whose etymology is “roundworm that lives in blood vessels”. This parasite can be found from the southern United States to northern Argentina and southern Brazil. In 1983, Morera and Ruiz published the first case of a testicular artery occlusion byA. costaricensis.Case Presentation. A five year old boy presented with eight days of pain, denying trauma backgrounds and followed with an increase of volume. The treatment was a right simply orchiectomy, finding necrosis of the testicle, the biopsy showed reddish-purple aspect and soft consistency. Histologic studies reveled the presence of a worm inside the testicular artery.Conclusion. The diagnosis ofA. costaricensisinfection should be considered in all pediatric patients, with signs and symptoms of orchitis or acute abdomen, from endemic areas, may cause occlusion of the testicular artery and appendicular artery causing testicular and cecal appendix necrosis, respectively, even putting the patient’s life at risk. The diagnosis is complex, because the clinical manifestations are similar to an orchitis or acute abdomen, therefore, the definitive diagnosis is made during the surgical intervention and histopathological study.