bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of Traditional and Alternative Fecal Indicators in Tropical Urban Environments under Different Land Use Patterns
Authors: Saeidi Nazanin , Gu Xiaoqiong , Tran Ngoc Han , Goh Shin Giek , Kitajima Masaaki , Kushmaro Ariel , Schmitz Bradley William , Gin Karina Yew-Hoong
Published: May 2018

This study evaluated the geospatial distribution of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (i.e.,
Escherichia coli
,
Enterococcus
spp.) and the alternative fecal indicator pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in tropical freshwater environments under different land use patterns. Results show that the occurrence and concentration of microbial fecal indicators were higher for urban than for parkland-dominated areas, consistent with land use weightage. Significant positive correlations with traditional FIB indicate that PMMoV is a suitable indicator of fecal contamination in tropical catchments waters (0.549 ≤ rho ≤ 0.612;
P
< 0.01). PMMoV exhibited a strong significant correlation with land use weightage (rho = 0.728;
P
< 0.01) compared to traditional FIB (rho = 0.583;
P
< 0.01). In addition, chemical tracers were also added to evaluate the potential relationships with microbial fecal indicators. The relationships between diverse variables (e.g., environmental parameters, land use coverage, and chemical tracers) and the occurrence of FIB and PMMoV were evaluated. By using stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR), the empirical experimental models substantiate the impact of land use patterns and anthropogenic activities on microbial water quality, and the output results of the empirical models may be able to predict the sources and transportation of human fecal pollution or sewage contamination. In addition, the high correlation between PMMoV data obtained from quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and viral metagenomics data supports the possibility of using viral metagenomics to relatively quantify specific microbial indicators for monitoring microbial water quality (0.588 ≤ rho ≤ 0.879;
P
< 0.05).

IMPORTANCE
The results of this study may support the hypothesis of using PMMoV as an alternative indicator of human fecal contamination in tropical surface waters from the perspective of land use patterns. The predictive result of the occurrence of human fecal indicators with high accuracy may reflect the source and transportation of human fecal pollution, which are directly related to the risk to human health, and thereafter, steps can be taken to mitigate these risks.
The Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Basic Leucine Zipper Factor Attenuates Repair of Double-Stranded DNA Breaks via Nonhomologous End Joining
Authors: Rushing Amanda W. , Hoang Kimson , Polakowski Nicholas , Lemasson Isabelle
Published: May 2018

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects 15 million to 20 million people worldwide. Approximately 90% of infected individuals are asymptomatic and may remain undiagnosed, increasing the risk that they will unknowingly transmit the virus. About 5% of the HTLV-1-positive population develop adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), a fatal disease that is not highly responsive to treatment. Although ATL development remains poorly understood, two viral proteins, Tax and HBZ, have been implicated in driving disease progression by manipulating host cell signaling and transcriptional pathways. Unlike Tax, HBZ expression is consistently observed in all infected individuals, making it important to elucidate the specific role of HBZ in disease progression. Here, we present evidence that HBZ could promote the accumulation of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) through the attenuation of the nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) repair pathway. This effect may lead to genome instability, ultimately contributing to the development of ATL.
Food Starch Structure Impacts Gut Microbiome Composition
Authors: Warren Frederick J. , Fukuma Naoki M. , Mikkelsen Deirdre , Flanagan Bernadine M. , Williams Barbara A. , Lisle Allan T. , Ó Cuív Páraic , Morrison Mark , Gidley Michael J.
Published: May 2018

Dietary starch is a major component in the human diet. A proportion of the starch in our diet escapes digestion in the small intestine and is fermented in the colon. In this study, we use a model of the colon, seeded with porcine feces, in which we investigate the fermentation of a variety of starches with structures typical of those found in foods. We show that the microbial community changes over time in our model colon are highly dependent on the structure of the substrate and how accessible the starch is to colonic microbes. These findings have important implications for how we classify starches reaching the colon and for the design of foods with improved nutritional properties.
Cardiovascular phenotype and prognosis of patients with heart failure induced by cancer therapy
Authors: Nadruz Wilson , West Erin , Sengeløv Morten , Grove Gabriela L , Santos Mário , Groarke John D , Forman Daniel E , Claggett Brian , Skali Hicham , Nohria Anju , Shah Amil M
Published: May 2018

Objective

This study compared the clinical features, cardiac structure and function evaluated by echocardiography, cardiopulmonary response to exercise and long-term clinical outcomes between patients with heart failure (HF) induced by cancer therapy (CTHF) and heart failure not induced by cancer therapy (NCTHF).

Methods

We evaluated 75 patients with CTHF and 894 with NCTHF who underwent clinically indicated cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and followed these individuals for a median of 4.5 (3.0–5.8) years, during which 187 deaths and 256 composite events (death, heart transplantation and left ventricular (LV) assistant device implantation) occurred.

Results

Compared with NCTHF, patients with CTHF were younger, with lower prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities, higher LV ejection fraction (LVEF), but similar global longitudinal strain. LV diastolic function (higher E/e′ ratio) and compliance (higher end-diastolic pressure/LV end-diastolic volume index ratio) were worse in CTHF and were both associated with adverse outcomes. Despite a favourable clinical profile, peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope were similarly impaired in CTHF and NCTHF. In multivariable Cox regression analysis including clinical characteristics, cardiopulmonary exercise testing variables and LVEF, CTHF was associated with a significantly higher risk of death (HR 2.64; 95% CI 1.53 to 4.55; p=0.001) and composite events (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.91; p=0.019) compared with NCTHF.

Conclusions

CTHF is characterised by a distinct clinical profile, better LVEF but worse LV diastolic properties, and similarly impaired global longitudinal strain, functional capacity and ventilatory efficiency. Accounting for differences in clinical characteristics, CTHF was associated with worse long-term prognosis than NCTHF.
High rates of variation in HLA-DQ2/DQ8 testing for coeliac disease: results from an RCPAQAP pilot program
Authors: Horan Martin Patrick , Chai Sze Yee , Munusamy Nalishia , Tay Kwang Hong , Wienholt Louise , Tye-Din Jason A , Daveson James , Varney Michael , Badrick Tony
Published: May 2018

Aim

Coeliac disease(CD) is a highly prevalent, gluten-dependent, autoimmune enteropathy. While the diagnosis is based on serological and histological criteria, genotyping of the human leucocyte antigens (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8 has been shown to have substantial clinical utility, especially in excluding the diagnosis in patients who do not carry either antigen. As a result, HLA genotyping is now being performed by more laboratories and has recently become one of the most frequently requested genetic tests in Australia. To date, there has been little scrutiny on the accuracy and reporting of results by laboratories new to HLA typing. In response to clinician feedback that identified potentially clinically significant discrepancies in HLA typing results, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs (RCPAQAP) undertook a pilot study to assess laboratory performance in the detection of HLA-DQ2/DQ8 and their associatedHLA-DQA1andHLA-DQB1alleles.

Methods

DNA was extracted from 5 patients and sent to 10 laboratories for external quality assurance (EQA) testing. Laboratories were assessed for reporting in genotyping, interpretation and methodology.

Results

Our findings showed that at least 80% of laboratories underperform with respect to recommended guidelines for HLA typing and reporting for CD, with 40% of laboratories failing to provide any clinical interpretation or full genotyping data. This suboptimal level of reporting may lead to ambiguities for downstream clinical interpretation that may compromise patient management.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the importance of adherence to standardised guidelines for optimal performance and reporting of HLA results and substantiate the need for EQA and proficiency testing for laboratories providing this service.
You’ve made the diagnosis of functional neurological disorder: now what?
Authors: Adams Caitlin , Anderson Jordan , Madva Elizabeth N , LaFrance Jr W Curt , Perez David L
Published: May 2018

Patients with functional neurological disorders (FND)/conversion disorder commonly present to outpatient clinics. FND is now a ‘rule in’ diagnosis based on neurological examination findings and semiological features. While neurologists may be more comfortable diagnosing patients with FND, there is only limited guidance as to how to conduct follow-up outpatient visits. Using clinical vignettes, we provide practical suggestions that may help guide clinical encounters including how to: (1) explore illness beliefs openly; (2) enquire longitudinally about predisposing vulnerabilities, acute precipitants and perpetuating factors that may be further elucidated over time; (3) facilitate psychotherapy engagement by actively listening for potentially unhelpful or maladaptive patterns of thoughts, behaviours, fears or psychosocial stressors that can be reflected back to the patient and (4) enquire about the fidelity of individual treatments and educate other providers who may be less familiar with FND. These suggestions, while important to individualise, provide a blueprint for follow-up FND clinical care.
Examining perceptions about IQOS heated tobacco product: consumer studies in Japan and Switzerland
Authors: Hair Elizabeth C , Bennett Morgane , Sheen Emily , Cantrell Jennifer , Briggs Jodie , Fenn Zoe , Willett Jeffrey G , Vallone Donna
Published: May 2018

Objective

To examine consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviours regarding the heated tobacco product, IQOS, as well as to document the product’s marketing strategies to determine its potential for appealing to youth and young adults.

Method

Truth Initiative, in collaboration with Flamingo, collected qualitative data via: (1) expert interviews, (2) semiotic analysis of IQOS packing and marketing materials, and (3) 12 focus groups with adults in Switzerland (ages 19–44 years; June 6–9, 2016) and Japan (ages 20–39 years; June 22–24, 2016) (n=68 for both groups).

Results

Expert interviews and IQOS packing and marketing analyses revealed the product is being marketed as a clean, chic and pure product, which resonated very well in Japan given the strong cultural values of order, cleanliness, quality and respect for others. Focus groups results indicated Japanese IQOS users used the product for socialising with non-smokers. Focus group participants in both Japan and Switzerland reported lower levels of satisfaction with the product relative to combustible cigarettes, although many found the product packaging to be appealing. While participants identified several benefits and barriers related to IQOS, few reported any potential health benefits of use compared with combustible tobacco products.

Conclusion

IQOS was marketed as a sophisticated, high tech and aspirational product. Because youth and young adults are more interested in such product positioning, this approach raises some concern about youth appeal. This research shows cultural factors appeared to affect the appeal of this messaging, indicating that prevalence and uptake data will likely not be similar from country to country.
Volume derivatives of the Grüneisen parameter in the limit of infinite pressure
Authors: Dwivedi A.
Published: May 2018

Expressions have been obtained for the volume derivatives of the Grüneisen parameter, which is directly related to the thermal and elastic properties of materials at high temperatures and high pressures. The higher order Grüneisen parameters are expressed in terms of the volume derivatives, and evaluated in the limit of infinite pressure. The results, that at extreme compression the third-order Grüneisen parameter remains finite and the fourth-order Grüneisen parameter tends to zero, have been used to derive a fundamental theorem according to which the volume derivatives of the Grüneisen parameter of different orders, all become zero in the limit of infinite pressure. However, the ratios of these derivatives remain finite at extreme compression. The formula due to Al’tshuler and used by Dorogokupets and Oganov for interpolating the Grüneisen parameter at intermediate compressions has been found to satisfy the boundary condition at infinite pressure obtained in the present study.
MECHANICAL MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION ON PIEZOCERAMIC BASED ON THE SURFACE-BONDED PZT SENSOR
Authors: MENG YANYU , YAN SHI , WEN XIAOLONG
Published: May 2018

This paper proposes the modified mechanical and mathematical modeling of lead zirconium titanate (PZT) sensor based on the PZT constitutive relation in order to solve the complicated boundary condition and stress situation of PZT sensor due to the effect of adhesive-layer damping. The experimental study on the surface-bonded PZT sensor is chosen to carry out the correctness of the proposed models. The results show that the PZT sensor modeling is simplified to three types. When the amplitude of harmonic force is constant, the greater the excitation frequency, the more sensitive the output voltage is, the easier the signal acquisition is. At a certain frequency, the voltage output is proportional to the force amplitude. The larger the area or thickness of PZT, the greater the output voltage is, the more sensitive the signal output is. The output voltage is in quadratic relation to the bonding thickness. Furthermore, the smaller the output voltage, the greater the damping is. The signal loss is about 25.82%. The signal acquisition effect of the PZT square wafer is better than that of circular wafer under the same area of PZT sensor. The research achievements reveal the sensing mechanisms and validate the efficiency of the developed model and effectively simulate and detect direct piezoelectric rule of PZT sensor.
Flicker Noise in Quartz Crystal Resonator at 353K as a Function of Q-Factor of Overtones and Anharmonic Modes at 4K
Authors: Pokharel A. , Sthal F. , Imbaud J. , Ghosh S. , Devel M. , Esnault F. X. , Cibiel G.
Published: May 2018

The unclear physical origin of flicker noise in ultra-stable quartz oscillators is still limiting some practical metrological applications. In this paper, we study experimentally the possible correlations between Q-factor measurements at low temperature (4[Formula: see text]K) and the level of flicker noise at nominal operating temperature (353[Formula: see text]K). Results for 10 Stress-Compensated-cut (SC-cut) resonators with a 5[Formula: see text]MHz resonant frequency and different noise levels (some excellent) are presented and commented, for several overtones and anharmonic modes.
Bilinear interpolation method for quantum images based on quantum Fourier transform
Authors: Li Panchi , Liu Xiande
Published: May 2018

Image scaling is the basic operation that is widely used in classic image processing, including nearest-neighbor interpolation, bilinear interpolation, and bicubic interpolation. In quantum image processing (QIP), the research on image scaling is focused on nearest-neighbor interpolation, while the related research of bilinear interpolation is very rare, and that of bicubic interpolation has not been reported yet. In this study, a new method based on quantum Fourier transform (QFT) is designed for bilinear interpolation of images. Firstly, some basic functional modules are constructed, in which the new method based on QFT is adopted for the design of two core modules (i.e. addition and multiplication), and then these modules are used to design quantum circuits for the bilinear interpolation of images, including scaling-up and down. Finally, the complexity analysis of the scaling circuits based on the elementary gates is deduced. Simulation results show that the scaling image using bilinear interpolation is clearer than that using the nearest-neighbor interpolation.
The Lonfearn Member, Lealt Shale Formation, (Middle Jurassic) of the Inner Hebrides, Scotland
Authors: Hudson John D. , Wakefield Matthew I.
Published: May 2018

The Lonfearn Member, Lealt Shale Formation, is a distinctive unit within the Great Estuarine Group in the Middle Jurassic of the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Its dominant lithology of fine-grained, partly laminated mudstone marks it out as a time of minimum input of coarse clastic material into the Hebridean Basin, when consistent facies extended over some 90 km between north Skye and the Isle of Eigg. Interbedded with the mudstones are thin (decimetre) shelly and partly ferruginous and oolitic limestones, the combination giving a unique facies association in the British Bathonian. The predominantly low-salinity biota is dominated by the bivalve
Neomiodon
, ostracods and spinicaudatans. Episodes of inferred higher salinity aid in correlating sections from the type locality in North Trotternish, Skye to other localities, principally Strathaird in south Skye and the Isle of Eigg. We describe the principal outcrops of the Lonfearn Member and the remarkable facies continuity within the Great Estuarine Group indicating tectonic quiescence within the basin and hinterland at this time.

Supplementary material:
The detailed measured stratigraphical logs discussed in this paper are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4093991
Case Report of Hydatid Cyst in the Pulmonary Artery Uncommon Presentation: CT and MRI Findings
Authors: Almutairi Arwa , Al Rajhi Sulaiman
Published: May 2018

Background. Hydatid cysts can be found in any organ. In adults, the liver and lungs are the most common locations; hydatid cysts in the pulmonary artery are rare.Clinical Case. We present the case of an 86-year-old female with a history of hepatic hydatid cyst since 2012, who presented with complaints of chronic productive cough, yellowish-green sputum, and dyspnea. CT and MRI showed multiseptate hydatid cysts in the right pulmonary artery.
An Easy-to-Use Method for Assessing Nitrate Contamination Susceptibility in Groundwater
Authors: Ducci Daniela
Published: May 2018

This research presents a methodology for assessing nitrate contamination susceptibility in groundwater using thematic maps, derived mainly from the land use map and from statistical data available at national/regional institutes of statistics (especially demographic and environmental data). The methodology was applied in a large area of southern Italy encompassing 4 alluvial and volcanic groundwater bodies, with high concentrations of NO3. The Potential Nitrate Contamination is believed to derive from three sources: agricultural, urban, and periurban. The first one is related to the use of fertilizers. For this reason the land use map was reclassified on the basis of the crop requirements in terms of fertilizers to obtain the Agricultural Potential Nitrate Contamination (APNC) map. The urban source considers leakages from the sewage network and, consequently, it depends on the anthropogenic pressure, expressed by the population density, particularly concentrated in the urbanized areas (Urban Potential Nitrate Contamination (UPNC) map). The periurban sources include unsewered areas, especially present in the periurban context, where illegal sewage connections coexist with on-site sewage disposal (cesspools, septic tanks, and pit latrines) (Periurban Potential Nitrate Contamination (PuPNC) map). The Potential Nitrate Contamination (PNC) map is produced by overlaying the APNC, UPNC, and PuPNC maps. The map combination process is straightforward, being an algebraic combination: the output values are the arithmetic average of the input values. The final pollution susceptibility (RISK) map is obtained by combining the PNC map with the groundwater contamination vulnerability (GwVu) map. The methodology, successfully applied in the study area with a relatively good correlation between the nitrate contamination susceptibility map and the nitrate distribution in groundwater, appears to be effective and have a significant potential for being applied worldwide.
Power Flow in a Two‐Stage Nonlinear Vibration Isolation System with High‐Static‐Low‐Dynamic Stiffness
Authors: Lu Ze-Qi , Shao Dong , Ding Hu , Chen Li-Qun
Published: May 2018

The manuscript concerns the power flow characterization in a two‐stage nonlinear vibration isolator comprising three springs, which are configured so that each stage of the system has a high‐static‐low‐dynamic stiffness. To demonstrate the distinction of evaluation for vibration isolation using power flow, force transmissibility is used for comparison. The dynamic behavior of the isolator subject to harmonic excitation, however, is of interest here. The harmonic balance method (HBM) could be used to analyze the frequency response curve (FRC) of the strong nonlinear vibration system. A suggested stability analysis to distinguish the stable and the unstable HBM solutions is described. Increasing both upper and lower nonlinear stiffness could bend the first resonant peak to the left. The isolation range in the power and the force transmissibility plot could be extended to the lower frequencies when the nonlinear stiffness is increased, but the rate of roll‐off for the power transmissibility is twice the rate for the force transmissibility at each horizontal stiffness setting. An explanation for this phenomenon is given in the paper.
Genetic Characterization of Animal Brucella Isolates from Northwest Region in China
Authors: Cao Xiaoan , Shang Youjun , Liu Yongsheng , Li Zhaocai , Jing Zhizhong
Published: May 2018

Animal brucellosis is a reemerging disease in China, particular in northwest China. The Brucella species (even genus) are highly conserved; therefore the use of Multilocus sequencing typing (MLST: based on conserved housekeeping loci) is more suitable for discrimination at species or biovar level on Brucella. In this study, MLST was used to analyze the characterization of Brucella from sheep and yaks during 2015 and 2016. All 66 isolates were collected from northwest China, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu provinces. Isolates were cultured on Brucella agar medium and identified by MLST. MLST identified five ST types: ST8 (n=55), ST7 (n=2), ST3 (n=5), ST1 (n=2), and ST14 (n=2). This analysis revealed that B. melitensis isolates exhibited high single genotypes (ST8) in the most northwest China. MLST of isolates provides helpful information on understanding genetic characterization of Brucella in northwest China.
Stability-Indicating Photochemical Method for the Assay of Thiamine by Spectrophotometry
Authors: Ahmad Iqbal , Abbas Syed Haider , Anwar Zubair , Sheraz Muhammad Ali , Ahmed Sofia , Mobeen Muhammad Furqan , Mustaan Nafeesa , Gul Wajiha
Published: May 2018

A stability-indicating photochemical method has been developed for the assay of thiamine (TH) salts in aqueous solution and in fresh and aged vitamin preparations. It is based on the photooxidation of TH by UV irradiation to form thiochrome (TC) in alkaline solution. The TC : TH ratio under controlled conditions of light intensity, temperature, pH, exposure time, and irradiation distance is constant and can be used to determine the concentration of UV irradiated TH solutions. TC, on extraction with isobutanol from the photodegraded solution of TH, has been determined by the UV spectrophotometric method at 370 nm. It exhibits a high intensity of absorption in the UV region that can be used for the assay of even low concentrations of TH. Under optimum conditions, Beer’s law is obeyed in the concentration range of 0.20–2.00 mg/100 ml (R2 = 09998). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.0076 and 0.0231 mg/100 ml, respectively. The method has been validated and applied to aqueous solutions and vitamin preparations. The results have statistically been compared with the United States Pharmacopeia liquid chromatography method. It has been found that there is no significant difference between the two methods at 95% confidence level.
Acute Intermittent Porphyria in the North of China: The Acute Attack Effect on Quality of Life and Psychological Condition
Authors: Yang Jing , Zhu Tienan , Zhao Yongqiang , Yu Xuezhong , Zhu Huadong , Jiang Yinan , Li Xiaoqing
Published: May 2018

Background. Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal recessive disorder with intermittent attacks. Patients with AIP are susceptible to impaired quality of life and psychological distress. Objectives. To document the clinical features of AIP and its impact on SF-36 and IES scores of AIP patients in China and to explore the variables associated with SF-36 and IES scores. Methods. A single investigator collated data related to treatments and outcomes in 27 patients with AIP of PUMCH. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey including the SF-36, the IES-R, and demographic questions was conducted in the north of China. Differences in the QoL scale/summary scores and proportions in the QoL dimensions between patients and the general population were analyzed. Independent effects of chronic conditions and demographic variables on the SF-36 and IES-R were analyzed. Results. AIP patients had considerably lower SF-36 scores than the general population (the PF score and MH were lower than normal, P<0.05). Working had higher RP than staying at home (P=0.02); “without acute attack” had higher PF and BP scores and PCS composite score (P=0.001). The mean IES-R score of AIP was higher than normal (36.7±11.8 points, P<0.001), “without acute attack” had lower intrusion score than “with acute attack” (P=0.03). Conclusion. AIP patients in China had impaired quality of life, especially in terms of physical health. The acute attacks coursed the posttraumatic stress disorder-related symptoms.
Dynamical Analysis and Control of a Chaotic Microelectromechanical Resonator Model
Authors: Bassinello Dailhane G. , Tusset Angelo M. , Rocha Rodrigo T. , Balthazar Jose M.
Published: May 2018

The dynamic analysis and control of a nonlinear MEM resonator system are considered. Phase diagram, bifurcation diagram, and the 0‐1 test are applied to the analysis of the influence of the parameters on the dynamics of the system, whose parameters are damping coefficient, polarization of the voltage, and nonlinear stiffness term. The bifurcation diagram is used to demonstrate the existence of the pull‐in effect. Numerical results showed that the parameters, which were taken into account, were significant, indicating that the response can be either chaotic or periodic behavior. In order to bring the system from a chaotic state to a periodic orbit, two controls are considered: the time‐delayed feedback control and the sliding mode control.
MicroRNA-219-5p Promotes Tumor Growth and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating Cadherin 1
Authors: Yang Jing , Sheng Yuan-Yuan , Wei Jin-Wang , Gao Xiao-Mei , Zhu Ying , Jia Hu-Liang , Dong Qiong-Zhu , Qin Lun-Xiu
Published: May 2018

MicroRNAs play significant roles in the development of cancer and may serve as promising therapeutic targets. In our previous work, miR-219-5p was identified as one of the important metastasis-related microRNAs in HCC. Here we demonstrated that miR-219-5p expression was elevated in HCC tissues and was associated with vascular invasion and dismal prognosis. In multivariate analysis, miR-219-5p was identified as an independent prognostic indicator for HCC patients. Functional mechanism analyses showed that miR-219-5p promoted HCC cell proliferation and invasion in in vitro, as well as in vivo, tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice models bearing human HCC tumors. In addition, cadherin 1 (CDH1) was revealed to be a downstream target of miR-219-5p in HCC cells. In conclusion, miR-219-5p promotes tumor growth and metastasis of HCC by regulating CDH1 and can serve as a prognostic marker for HCC patients.
Basic Coagulation Parameters among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Adults in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Seyoum Masresha , Enawgaw Bamlaku , Getaneh Zegeye , Engidaye Getabalew , Asrie Fikir , Melku Mulugeta
Published: May 2018

Objective. We aimed at assessing the basic coagulation parameters of HIV-infected adults at the University of Gondar Hospital antiretroviral therapy clinic. Methods. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2017. A total of 300 study participants, consisting of 100 HAART-naïve HIV-infected adults, 100 HIV-infected adults who were taking HAART, and 100 HIV-seronegative apparently healthy adults, were included. Basic coagulation functional assays such as PT, APTT, and INR were determined by coagulation analyzer. CD4 cells and platelet count were analyzed by FACS count and SYSMEX K-21N automated analyzer, respectively. The data were entered, cleaned, and edited using Epi Info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Kruskal-Wallis H, Dunn-Bonferroni pairwise comparison test, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation analysis were used for inferential statistics. The results were expressed by a median and presented in tables. P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results. PT, APTT, and INR were significantly higher, whereas platelet count was significantly lower in HIV-infected adults (both who were taking HAART and HAART-naïve) than HIV-seronegative adults (P<0.001). PT and INR were significantly higher, and platelet count was significantly lower in HAART-naïve HIV-infected adults than HIV-infected adults who were taking HAART. In Spearman’s rank-order correlation analysis, APTT has shown a significant negative correlation with a CD4 count in HAART-naïve HIV-infected adults. Conclusion. HIV-infected adults are more likely to develop coagulation abnormality than HIV-seronegative subjects. Coagulation parameters need to be checked regularly to monitor coagulation disorders in HIV-infected adults.
A Framework for Vulnerability Detection in European Train Control Railway Communications
Authors: Arsuaga Irene , Toledo Nerea , Lopez Igor , Aguado Marina
Published: May 2018

Railway systems have evolved considerably in the last years with the adoption of new communication technologies. Aiming to achieve a single European railway network, the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) emerged in Europe to substitute multiple and noninteroperable national railway communication systems. This system and its security strategies were designed in late 1990s. Recent works have identified vulnerabilities related to integrity, authenticity, availability, and confidentiality. In the context of defining effective countermeasures to mitigate potential vulnerabilities, these vulnerabilities have to be analysed. In this article we introduce a framework that attempts to challenge ERTMS security by evaluating the exploitability of these vulnerabilities.
Falls in Older Patients with Cancer Undergoing Surgery: Prevalence and Association with Geriatric Syndromes and Levels of Disability Assessed in Preoperative Evaluation
Authors: Fahimnia Somayeh , Mirhedayati Roudsari Hadi , Doucette John , Shahrokni Armin
Published: May 2018

Falls are common among older adults. However, not much is known about the prevalence of falls among older patients with cancer. In 2015, older patients with cancer referred to Geriatrics service for preoperative evaluation were assessed for fall history, basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL and IADL), KPS, and use of assistive device. Of 806 patients, 215 (26.7%) patients reported fall. Incidence of last fall inside and outside home was 54.4% and 45.5%, respectively. Among patients with no falls, 33.6% had KPS ≤ 80 compared to 59.6% with one-time fall and 60.7% with multiple falls (p<0.001). Among IADL, 8.5% of patients with no falls were unable to do shopping compared with 14.7% in one-time fall and 18.8% in multiple fallers (p<0.001). In ADL items, the percentage of patients who were limited a lot in walking outside was 10.7% in no falls, 20.2% in one-time fall, and 27.1% in multiple fallers groups (p<0.001). Only 17.8% of patients with no falls were using canes while 27.7% of patients with one-time fall and 38.8% with multiple falls were using canes (p<0.001). Falls are prevalent among older patients with cancer. Fall history and number of falls are associated with functional status.
Inkjet-Printed Interdigital Bandpass Filter with Wide Stopband Using Multilayer Liquid Crystal Polymer Technique
Authors: Chang Li-Chun , Cho Cheng-Lin , Bachani Sameer Kamrudin , Kao Hsuan-Ling
Published: May 2018

This article presents a two-layer inkjet-printed interdigital bandpass filter using lamination bonding process on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrates for radio frequency electronic applications. Various percentages of torque force were applied over a 4 × 4 cm2 area with a 942 kg fixed force in the lamination bonding process. The insertion loss and surface morphology of the inkjet-printed silver film were examined on various torque forces to develop the lamination bonding process. The lamination bonding was performed at 12% torque and 270°C. A three-dimensional bandpass filter was realized with a S21 of −2.2 dB at 11.5 GHz with a 17% fractional bandwidth. A multilayer inkjet-printed bandpass filter was successfully developed to verify the design methodology and fabrication of inkjet-printing technology and lamination bonding technique for a three-dimensional integrated circuit package.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy of miRNAs in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Sun Xiao , Zhou Xiaobin , Zhang Yuan , Zhu Xiaoyan , Liu Haihua
Published: May 2018

Background. It is reported that miRNAs are aberrantly expressed in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, the diagnostic value of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer remains controversial. The meta-analysis was to access diagnostic accuracy of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG Data, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and VIP databases were retrieved up to June 30, 2016, to collect articles concerning the diagnosis of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer. The methodological quality of each study was assessed by the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). This meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan5.0, MetaDiSc 1.4, and Stata 12.0 software. Results. There are 40 articles including 109 studies. The pooled SEN was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.80–0.82), the pooled SPE was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.77–0.79), the pooled +LR was 3.32 (95% CI, 2.92–3.80), the pooled −LR was 0.27 (95% CI, 0.24–0.31), the pooled DOR was 14.56 (95% CI, 11.55–18.34), and pooled AUC was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.84–0.88). Discussion. This meta-analysis demonstrated that miRNA makes a significant impact in the pancreatic cancer diagnosis with a high SEN and SPE, particularly using multiple miRNAs.
Unsupervised Change Detection in Landsat Images with Atmospheric Artifacts: A Fuzzy Multiobjective Approach
Authors: Kusetogullari Huseyin , Yavariabdi Amir
Published: May 2018

A new unsupervised approach based on a hybrid wavelet transform and Fuzzy Clustering Method (FCM) with Multiobjective Particle Swarm Optimization (MO-PSO) is proposed to obtain a binary change mask in Landsat images acquired with different atmospheric conditions. The proposed method uses the following steps: (1) preprocessing, (2) classification of preprocessed image, and (3) binary masks fusion. Firstly, a photometric invariant technique is used to transform the Landsat images from RGB to HSV colour space. A hybrid wavelet transform based on Stationary (SWT) and Discrete Wavelet (DWT) Transforms is applied to the hue channel of two Landsat satellite images to create subbands. After that, mean shift clustering method is applied to the subband difference images, computed using the absolute-valued difference technique, to smooth the difference images. Then, the proposed method optimizes iteratively two different fuzzy based objective functions using MO-PSO to evaluate changed and unchanged regions of the smoothed difference images separately. Finally, a fusion approach based on connected component with union technique is proposed to fuse two binary masks to estimate the final solution. Experimental results show the robustness of the proposed method to existence of haze and thin clouds as well as Gaussian noise in Landsat images.
p300/CBP as a Key Nutritional Sensor for Hepatic Energy Homeostasis and Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Yao Weilei , Wang Tongxin , Huang Feiruo
Published: May 2018

The overwhelming frequency of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes are closely related to liver diseases, which might share common pathogenic signaling processes. These metabolic disorders in the presence of inflammatory response seem to be triggered by and to reside in the liver, which is the central metabolic organ that plays primary roles in regulating lipid and glucose homeostasis upon alterations of metabolic conditions. Recently, abundant emerging researches suggested that p300 and CREB binding protein (CBP) are crucial regulators of energy homeostasis and liver fibrosis through both their acetyltransferase activities and transcriptional coactivators. Plenty of recent findings demonstrated the potential roles of p300/CBP in mammalian metabolic homeostasis in response to nutrients. This review is focused on the different targets and functions of p300/CBP in physiological and pathological processes, including lipogenesis, lipid export, gluconeogenesis, and liver fibrosis, also provided some nutrients as the regulator of p300/CBP for nutritional therapeutic approaches to treat liver diseases.
Data Fusion for Network Intrusion Detection: A Review
Authors: Li Guoquan , Yan Zheng , Fu Yulong , Chen Hanlu
Published: May 2018

Rapid progress of networking technologies leads to an exponential growth in the number of unauthorized or malicious network actions. As a component of defense-in-depth, Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) has been expected to detect malicious behaviors. Currently, NIDSs are implemented by various classification techniques, but these techniques are not advanced enough to accurately detect complex or synthetic attacks, especially in the situation of facing massive high-dimensional data. Besides, the inherent defects of NIDSs, namely, high false alarm rate and low detection rate, have not been effectively solved. In order to solve these problems, data fusion (DF) has been applied into network intrusion detection and has achieved good results. However, the literature still lacks thorough analysis and evaluation on data fusion techniques in the field of intrusion detection. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive review on them. In this article, we focus on DF techniques for network intrusion detection and propose a specific definition to describe it. We review the recent advances of DF techniques and propose a series of criteria to compare their performance. Finally, based on the results of the literature review, a number of open issues and future research directions are proposed at the end of this work.
Genome-Wide Investigation and Expression Profiling of HD-Zip Transcription Factors in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italicaL.)
Authors: Chai Wenbo , Si Weina , Ji Wei , Qin Qianqian , Zhao Manli , Jiang Haiyang
Published: May 2018

HD-Zip proteins represent the major transcription factors in higher plants, playing essential roles in plant development and stress responses. Foxtail millet is a crop to investigate the systems biology of millet and biofuel grasses and the HD-Zip gene family has not been studied in foxtail millet. For further investigation of the expression profile of the HD-Zip gene family in foxtail millet, a comprehensive genome-wide expression analysis was conducted in this study. We found 47 protein-encoding genes in foxtail millet using BLAST search tools; the putative proteins were classified into four subfamilies, namely, subfamilies I, II, III, and IV. Gene structure and motif analysis indicate that the genes in one subfamily were conserved. Promotor analysis showed that HD-Zip gene was involved in abiotic stress. Duplication analysis revealed that 8 (~17%) hdz genes were tandemly duplicated and 28 (58%) were segmentally duplicated; purifying duplication plays important roles in gene expansion. Microsynteny analysis revealed the maximum relationship in foxtail millet-sorghum and foxtail millet-rice. Expression profiling upon the abiotic stresses of drought and high salinity and the biotic stress of ABA revealed that some genes regulated responses to drought and salinity stresses via an ABA-dependent process, especiallysihdz29andsihdz45.Our study provides new insight into evolutionary and functional analyses of HD-Zip genes involved in environmental stress responses in foxtail millet.
Vibration Analysis and Modeling of an Off‐Road Vibratory Roller Equipped with Three Different Cab’s Isolation Mounts
Authors: Nguyen Vanliem , Zhang Jianrun , Le Vanquynh , Jiao Renqiang
Published: May 2018

This study proposes a dynamic model of the vibratory roller interacting with the off‐road deformed terrain to analyze the low‐frequency performance of three different cab’s isolation mounts under the different operating conditions. In order to evaluate the ride comfort of the vibratory roller with the different cab’s isolation mounts, a three‐dimensional nonlinear dynamic model is established. The power spectral density (PSD) and the weighted root mean square (RMS) of acceleration responses of the vertical driver’s seat, cab’s pitch, and roll vibrations are chosen as objective functions in the low‐frequency range. Contrastive analysis of low‐frequency vibration characteristics of the vibratory roller with the traditional rubber mounts, the hydraulic mounts, and the pneumatic mounts is carried out. Experimental investigations are also used to verify the accuracy of models. The research results show that the hydraulic mounts have an obvious effect on mitigating the cab vibration and improving the ride comfort in comparison with the traditional rubber mounts and the pneumatic mounts.
Epidermal Growth Factor Relieves Inflammatory Signals inStaphylococcus aureus-Treated Human Epidermal Keratinocytes and Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in Nc/Nga Mice
Authors: Choi Sun Young , Lee You Jin , Kim Ji Min , Kang Hyun Ji , Cho Sang Hyun , Chang Sung Eun
Published: May 2018

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a defective immunologic barrier, which is aggravated byStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) suppresses inflammation and EGF receptor inhibitors increasedS. aureuscolonization. Thus, we investigated the potential roles of EGF in AD, which is often aggravated byS. aureus. We determined how EGF affects the expression of inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) treated with heat-inactivatedS. aureus(HKSA)in vitroand 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced AD-like skin lesions in Nc/Nga mice. HKSA increased IL-6 and NFκB expression; EGF treatment had the opposite effect. EGF increased humanβdefensin-2 expression in HEKs and murineβdefensin-3 in mice. In mice, both EGF and pimecrolimus groups showed less erythema with significantly reduced inflammation and decreased expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin. EGF relievedS. aureus-induced inflammation and AD-like skin lesions in Nc/Nga mice. Therefore, EGF could be a potential topical treatment for AD.
Extracorporeal Photochemotherapy Drives Monocyte-to-Dendritic Cell Maturation to Induce Anticancer Immunity
Authors: Ventura Alessandra , Vassall Aaron , Robinson Eve , Filler Renata , Hanlon Douglas , Meeth Katrina , Ezaldein Harib , Girardi Michael , Sobolev Olga , Bosenberg Marcus W. , Edelson Richard L.
Published: May 2018

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is a cancer immunotherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) operative in more than 350 centers worldwide. Although its efficacy and favorable safety profile have driven its widespread use, elucidation of its underlying mechanism has been difficult. In this study, we identify the principal contributors to the anticancer immunotherapeutic effects of ECP, with the goal of enhancing potency and broadening applicability to additional malignancies. First, we scaled down the clinical ECP leukocyte-processing device to mouse size. Second, we used that miniaturized device to produce a cellular vaccine that regularly initiated therapeutic antimelanoma immunity. Third, we individually subtracted key factors from either the immunizing inoculum or the treated animal to ascertain their contribution to the in vivo antimelanoma response. Platelet-signaled monocyte-to-dendritic cell (DC) differentiation followed by sorting/processing/presentation of tumor antigens derived from internalized apoptotic tumor cells were absolute requirements. As in clinical ECP, immunogenic cell death of tumor cells was finely titrated by DNA cross-linkage mediated by photoactivated 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOPA). ECP-induced tumor-loaded DC were effective immunotherapeutic agents only if they were spared exposure to 8-MOPA, indicating that healthy DC are required for ECP. Infusion of responder T cells into naïve tumor-challenged mice established the protective role of stimulated T-cell antitumor immunity. Collectively, these results reveal that selective antitumor effects of ECP are initiated by tumor antigen–loaded, ECP-induced DC, which promote potent collaboration between CD4 and CD8 tumor-specific T cells. These mechanistic insights suggest potential therapeutic applicability of ECP to solid tumors in addition to CTCL.

Significance: These findings identify principal cellular contributors to the anticancer immunotherapeutic impact of ECP and suggest this treatment may be applicable to a broad spectrum of immunogenic malignancies. Cancer Res; 78(14); 4045–58. ©2018 AACR.