bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Lesion Segmentation in Melanoma Diagnosis for a Mobile Health Application
Authors: Alamdari Nasim , MacKinnon Nicholas , Vasefi Fartash , Fazel-Rezai Reza , Alhashim Minhal , Akhbardeh Alireza , Farkas Daniel L. , Tavakolian Kouhyar
Published: October 2017

In 2016, more than 76,380 new melanoma cases were diagnosed and 10,130 people were expected to die from skin cancer in the United States (one death per hour) [1]. A recent study demonstrates that the economic burden of skin cancer treatment is substantial and, in the United States, the cost was increased from $3.6 billion in 2002–2006 to $8.1 billion in 2007–2011 [2].

Monitoring moderate and high-risk patients and identifying melanoma in the earliest stage of disease should save lives and greatly diminish the cost of treatment. In this project, we are focused on detection and monitoring of new potential melanoma sites with medium/high risk patients. We believe those patients have a serious need and they need to be motivated to be engaged in their treatment plan. High-risk patients are more likely to be engaged with their skin health and their health care providers (physicians). Considering the high morbidity and mortality of melanoma, these patients are motivated to spend money on low-cost mobile device technology, either from their own pocket or through their health care provider if it helps reduce their risk with early detection and treatment. We believe that there is a role for mobile device imaging tools in the management of melanoma risk, if they are based on clinically validated technology that supports the existing needs of patients and the health care system.

In a study issued in the British Journal of Dermatology [2] of 39 melanoma apps [2], five requested to do risk assessment, while nine mentioned images for expert review. The rest fell into the documentation and education categories. This seems like to be reliable with other dermatology apps available on the market. In a study at University of Pittsburgh [3], Ferris et al. established 4 apps with 188 clinically validated skin lesions images. From images, 60 of them were melanomas. Three of four apps tested misclassified +30% of melanomas as benign. The fourth app was more accurate and it depended on dermatologist interpretation. These results raise questions about proper use of smartphones in diagnosis and treatment of the patients and how dermatologists can effectively involve with these tools.

In this study, we used a MATLAB (The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA) based image processing algorithm that uses an RGB color dermoscopy image as an input and classifies malignant melanoma versus benign lesions based on prior training data using the AdaBoost classifier [5]. We compared the classifier accuracy when lesion boundaries are detected using supervised and unsupervised segmentation. We have found that improving the lesion boundary detection accuracy provides significant improvement on melanoma classification outcome in the patient data.
Design and Development of Valgus-Sensing Leggings
Authors: Pettys-Baker Robert , Compton Crystal , Utset-Ward Sophia , Tompkins Marc , Holschuh Brad , Dunne Lucy E.
Published: October 2017

Performing exercises, especially cutting and pivoting activities, with poor lower extremity mechanics can lead to severe damage of the knee, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears [1]. A common movement pattern observed in at-risk athletes is knee valgus. This term refers to the medial collapse of the knee (when the knees falls inward towards the center of the body). Intervention to prevent knee valgus could reduce the chance of injury for at-risk athletes, or re-injury for those recovering from a knee injury.

Currently, in patients with knee injuries, knee valgus is monitored by physical therapists, who observe a patient’s movements visually during exercise. The therapists instruct patients on how to identify valgus and how they might correct it. Visual diagnosis of valgus can be difficult and subjective, thereby allowing the unavoidable presence of human error. In addition, monitoring in real time is only possible when the patient is with a therapist. Several studies have focused on the issue of accurate detection of knee valgus by using a variety of systems such as 2D and 3D motion capture systems to track knee and hip movements, dynamometers, and electromyography [2][3][4]. Although these systems are able to determine knee valgus, they are difficult to use, require expensive equipment, and do not provide real-time feedback outside of the clinic setting. The purpose of this study was to inform the design of a valgus-sensing legging by exploring sensor placement options to maximize the magnitude of the sensor response difference between valgus and non-valgus knee bends.
A Quantitative Assessment of Bradykinesia Using Inertial Measurement Unit
Authors: Alam Md Nafiul , Munia Tamanna T. K. , Verma Ajay K. , Lou Jau-Shin , Combs Colin , Tavakolian Kouhyar , Fazel-Rezai Reza
Published: October 2017

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder known to affect movement. Approximately seven million people around the world suffer from PD [1]. Tremor in one hand characterizes the onset of PD. Population suffering with PD shows symptoms of slowed movement. Consequently, PD patients struggle to complete a simple task like picking up a book. This slowness of movement is called bradykinesia. Bradykinesia measurement is vital for monitoring the progression of PD.

The current method of assessing bradykinesia requires patients to perform certain motor tasks in clinical settings. A Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score is assigned to each task based on the observation by a physician. However, PD patients do not always show natural symptoms during a clinical visit. Also, subjective bias occurs during such assessment of bradykinesia [2]. To overcome these limitations, several attempts have been made to quantify bradykinesia using wearable sensors [3]. Accelerometer, gyroscope or a combination of both have been employed for acquisition of movement data to evaluate bradykinesia [3].

Time domain parameters derived from sensor signals for characterizing bradykinesia which includes speed, amplitude, hesitations, and halt have been evaluated in previous studies. However, the effect of frequency domain parameters and non-linear features extracted from sensor signals for evaluating the severity of bradykinesia is unknown. Whether or not it leads to an improvement in the assessment of bradykinesia needs to be investigated. It is known that the patients suffering from severe bradykinesia have their movement signal distorted due to unpredictable movement or hesitation. Nonlinear features can characterize the degree of complexity and provide further relevant insights regarding the severity of bradykinesia.

In this study, we investigated the efficacy of various frequency-domain and nonlinear parameters to quantify bradykinesia. The objective was to develop a predictive model based on a combination of sophisticated linear (frequency) and non-linear features derived from the sensor signal which has not been previously explored in the literature.
Preferential induction of cross-group influenza A hemagglutinin stem–specific memory B cells after H7N9 immunization in humans
Authors: Andrews Sarah F. , Joyce M. Gordon , Chambers Michael J. , Gillespie Rebecca A. , Kanekiyo Masaru , Leung Kwanyee , Yang Eun Sung , Tsybovsky Yaroslav , Wheatley Adam K. , Crank Michelle C. , Boyington Jeffrey C. , Prabhakaran Madhu S. , Narpala Sandeep R. , Chen Xuejun , Bailer Robert T. , Chen Grace , Coates Emily , Kwong Peter D. , Koup Richard A. , Mascola John R. , Graham Barney S. , Ledgerwood Julie E. , McDermott Adrian B.
Published: October 2017

Broadly protective antibodies are preferentially induced upon vaccination with a group 2 immunogen.
Papers of note in
Science Translational Medicine
9
(413)
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: October 2017

This week’s articles describe new therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension, acute myeloid leukemia, and Friedreich’s ataxia.
Papers of note in
Science
358
(6362)
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: October 2017

This week’s articles describe how bacteria sense surfaces; the lysine acylation of host proteins mediated by a
Vibrio cholerae
toxin; and druggable proteases of malaria parasites.
Spironolactone versus observation in the treatment of acute central serous chorioretinopathy
Authors: Sun Xinghong , Shuai Yuanlu , Fang Wangyi , Li Jia , Ge Weizhong , Yuan Songtao , Liu Qinghuai
Published: October 2017

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of oral spironolactone in patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods

This is a prospective, randomised controlled clinical study. Thirty patients with acute CSC were the participants, including 18 patients who were treated with spironolactone (40 mg orally, twice daily) for 2 months in the experimental group and 12 patients who received observation in the control group. Main outcome measures included the proportion of eyes achieving complete resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF), changes in central macular thickness (CMT), the height of SRF (SRFH), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). The follow-up period was 2 months.

Results

Complete resolution of SRF was achieved in 55.6% (10/18) and 8.3% (1/12) of the eyes in the treatment group and the control group, respectively, at 2 months (p=0.018). The mean CMT and SRFH decreased significantly at each visit in both groups (p<0.05), and there was significant difference between the two groups at 2 months (p<0.05 and p<0.05, respectively). BCVA (in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution; mean) improved in both groups at 2 months (p<0.05). In the treatment group, the mean baseline SFCT significantly decreased from 502.50±87.38 µm to 427.44±74.37 µm at 2 months (p<0.01), while the change from baseline (from 480.33±102.38 µm to 463.75±100.63 µm) was not significant in the control group (p=0.195). But the differences between the two groups in BCVA and SFCT were not significant.

Conclusions

Oral spironolactone is more effective with a faster absorption of SRF than observations. It is a promising treatment for acute CSC.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-IPR-16008428, Results.
Long-term proton pump inhibitors and risk of gastric cancer development after treatment for Helicobacter pylori: a population-based study
Authors: Cheung Ka Shing , Chan Esther W , Wong Angel Y S , Chen Lijia , Wong Ian C K , Leung Wai Keung
Published: October 2017

Objective

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with worsening of gastric atrophy, particularly in Helicobacter pylori (HP)-infected subjects. We determined the association between PPIs use and gastric cancer (GC) among HP-infected subjects who had received HP therapy.

Designs

This study was based on a territory-wide health database of Hong Kong. We identified adults who had received an outpatient prescription of clarithromycin-based triple therapy between year 2003 and 2012. Patients who failed this regimen, and those diagnosed to have GC within 12 months after HP therapy, or gastric ulcer after therapy were excluded. Prescriptions of PPIs or histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) started within 6 months before GC were excluded to avoid protopathic bias. We evaluated GC risk with PPIs by Cox proportional hazards model with propensity score adjustment. H2RA was used as a negative control exposure.

Result

Among the 63 397 eligible subjects, 153 (0.24%) developed GC during a median follow-up of 7.6 years. PPIs use was associated with an increased GC risk (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.42 to 4.20), while H2RA was not (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.07). The risk increased with duration of PPIs use (HR 5.04, 95% CI 1.23 to 20.61; 6.65, 95% CI 1.62 to 27.26 and 8.34, 95% CI 2.02 to 34.41 for ≥1 year, ≥2 years and ≥3 years, respectively). The adjusted absolute risk difference for PPIs versus non-PPIs use was 4.29 excess GC (95% CI 1.25 to 9.54) per 10 000 person-years.

Conclusion

Long-term use of PPIs was still associated with an increased GC risk in subjects even after HP eradication therapy.
Pathogenesis of dystonia: is it of cerebellar or basal ganglia origin?
Authors: Kaji Ryuji , Bhatia Kailash , Graybiel Ann M
Published: October 2017

Dystonia is a disorder of motor programmes controlling semiautomatic movements or postures, with clinical features such as sensory trick, which suggests sensorimotor mismatch as the basis. Dystonia was originally classified as a basal ganglia disease. It is now regarded as a ‘network’ disorder including the cerebellum, but the exact pathogenesis being unknown. Rare autopsy studies have found pathology both in the striatum and the cerebellum, and functional disorganisation was reported in the somatosensory cortex in patients. Recent animal studies showed physiologically tight disynaptic connections between the cerebellum and the striatum. We review clinical evidence in light of this new functional interaction between the cerebellum and basal ganglia, and put forward a hypothesis that dystonia is a basal ganglia disorder that can be induced by aberrant afferent inputs from the cerebellum.
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J‐associated myelocytoma in a hobby chicken
Authors: Smith Lorraine P , Petheridge Lawrence , Nair Venugopal , Wood Alisdair , Welchman David
Published: October 2017

The avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) are a major group of retroviruses associated with neoplastic diseases in poultry. The ALV‐J strain was identified as a cause of myelocytomas in broiler breeder and broiler chickens in the UK in the 1980s; however, following eradication of the virus,commercial broilers have remained free of infection since the early 2000s. A pet chicken was submitted to Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in 2013 with a history of croaking respirations, abnormality of the left eye and apparent paralysis. Postmortem examination of the bird showed widespread tumour‐like infiltration of many organs, including the pectoral muscles, internal organs, sternum and ribs. Histopathological examination of the affected tissues revealed myelocytoma formation typical of the lesions associated with ALV‐J, and the virus was confirmed by PCR testing and sequencing. Virus was not detected in blood samples in the other five chickens remaining in the flock. The source of infection was not established. This was the first time ALV‐J had been seen in the UK since its eradicationand the case highlights the importance of continued surveillance of backyard and hobby chickens to detect potential new and re‐emerging disease threats, such as ALV‐J, which may be of significance to the wider poultry population.
The hooded mutant of Lathyrus odoratus (Fabaceae) is associated with a cycloidea gene mutation
Authors: Woollacott Christine , Cronk Quentin C.B.
Published: October 2017

The hooded (hdd) floral mutant of Lathyrus odoratus L. (sweet pea) has a concave standard petal compared with the flat standard petal of the wild type. This trait was used by Bateson, Punnett, and Saunders in early studies of Mendelian inheritance (c.1905). Here we provide four lines of evidence that this phenotype results from a mutation in the CYCLOIDEA2 (CYC2) gene. (i) CYC2 is expressed in the standard petals of wild-type L. odoratus, whereas the same methods fail to detect expression in hdd plants. (ii) Genomic sequencing reveals that the CYC2 gene sequence of hdd plants is truncated at the TCP box and likely nonfunctional. (iii) In a population of 118 plants, the hdd phenotype cosegregated with the mutant allele of CYC2 without exception. (iv) CYC2 is known to act as a dorsal petal identity gene. Consistent with this, the standard petal in hdd flowers has the epidermal and pigment characteristics of wing petals, indicating that the hdd mutation results in a shift in dorsiventral petal-type identity. We conclude that the mutation in CYC2 is responsible for the hdd phenotype, and is therefore the L. odoratus equivalent of the lobed standard (lst1) mutant in Pisum.
Phytohormone profiling reveals fungal signatures and strong manipulation of infection cycle in theGymnosporangium juniper-virginianaedual-host plant system
Authors: Moffatt Kyle , Flores Carolina Monroy , Andreas Peter , Kisiala Anna , Emery R.J. Neil
Published: October 2017

The aim of this work was to examine the function of phytohormones in the pathogenesis of cedar-apple rust, a fungal disease caused by Gymnosporangium juniper-virginianae Schwein. on Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) and crabapple trees (Malus spp. Mill.). Control cedar branchlets, gall tissues, fungal telial horns, as well as healthy and infected apple leaves were collected throughout fungal and plant development and used for profiling endogenous cytokinins (CK) and abscisic acid (ABA) by high performance liquid chromatography – electrospray ionization – tandem mass spectrometry. Phytohormone composition implicates cytokinin involvement in the development of rust infection. Moreover, increased levels of total CKs, as well as the unique profiles of sporulating galls on cedar trees, telial horns, and infected apple leaves, dominated by cis-Zeatin type CK, suggest that the fungus can synthesize hormones to facilitate the infection process. Distribution of ABA in the fungal and plant tissues indicates an important function of this stress hormone in regulating rapid changes in osmotic pressure during teliospore production by the galls. This study of the cedar-apple rust disease cycle is the first elucidation of phytohormones profiling between a pathogenic fungus and the attacked plant in a dual-host infection system.
Ecological impact of a microburst windstorm in a northern hardwood forest
Authors: Battles John J. , Cleavitt Natalie L. , Saah David S. , Poling Benjamin T. , Fahey Timothy J.
Published: October 2017

We quantified damage by a microburst windstorm to a northern hardwood forest (Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire). These storms may be important in regulating the structure and composition of forests of the northeastern United States, but few studies of damage patterns from microbursts have been reported. In the 600 ha area most heavily impacted by the microburst at Hubbard Brook, 4.6% of the canopy was removed. Although most disturbances were small (<200 m2), much (22%) of the area damaged by the storm was associated with one 5.2 ha blowdown within which 76% of the trees suffered severe damage. Roughly one-half of the damaged trees were uprooted and one-quarter were snapped off, with few differences among tree species. The remaining trees in the blowdown either avoided damage or suffered less severe damage (i.e., leaning but not snapped or uprooted). Regeneration of shade-intolerant (pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica L. f.)) and mid-tolerant (yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.)) trees was present in the large canopy gaps. While recruitment opportunities in these large gaps may be important for maintaining populations of pioneer species, the limited spatial extent of microbursts suggests that they play a minor role in the overall dynamics of the northeastern forest.
Classifying and combining herd surface activities and individual dive profiles to identify summer behaviours of beluga (Delphinapterusleucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada
Authors: Lemieux Lefebvre S. , Lesage V. , Michaud R. , Humphries M.M.
Published: October 2017

Studies of the behaviour of diving animals usually focus on either individual dives or surface group activities, but these complementary observations are seldom combined in the same study. We here study the summer (June–October) behaviour of St. Lawrence Estuary belugas (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) by combining fine-scale individual diving data from 27 time–depth–speed recorder deployments (conducted in 2002–2005) with surface activity data from 1413 focal herd follows (conducted in 1991–2012). We classified 6312 dives into seven dive types based on shape and swim speed. Dives were then combined into five bout types, including three pelagic, one benthic, and one near-surface. We classified surface activities of herds into six clusters, differentiated primarily by their associated movement patterns (milling or directional) and additionally by herd structure and dispersion and occurrence of acrobatic surface events. Finally, we used herd focal follows conducted while tracking an individual beluga to relate dive and bout types to surface activities. Results indicate that milling at the surface was more frequently related to benthic dives, potentially, associated with behaviours such as benthic foraging, resting, socializing, and care of young. Directional surface movements were more frequently associated with pelagic dives likely used during pelagic foraging, exploration, and travelling.
A discreet invasion: distribution, origins, and expansion of the European slug complexArion subfuscuss.l. in Quebec
Authors: L’Heureux Érik , Angers Bernard
Published: October 2017

Accurate identification of species and their geographic origins is crucial to assess the impacts of exotic species. This is particularly relevant when multiple introductions are suspected. Species complexes are therefore problematic, as different species can be treated as a single taxon. The highly diversified European complex Arion subfuscus (Draparnaud, 1805) s.l. is abundant throughout northeastern North America. However, surveys performed in the United States have reported a low mitochondrial diversity associated with a single species. To assess whether regions characterized by different human activities harbor different diversities, the taxonomic identities, distributions, and origins of the species of this complex in Quebec (Canada) were determined. The mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene was analyzed in 526 specimens from 69 locations. Both Arion fuscus (O.F. Müller, 1774) and Arion subfuscus (Draparnaud, 1805) s. str. (lineages S1 and S2) were detected. Arion fuscus was the most abundant species, contrasting with previous studies conducted in North America. An explosive range expansion occurred during the last 50 years. Moreover, the presence of different haplotypes confirmed multiple introductions of these species. These results emphasize the importance of not considering an exotic species complex as a single taxon, especially in regions with different human activities.
Increased size and relative abundance of migratory fishes observed near the Athabasca oil sands
Authors: Arciszewski Tim J. , Munkittrick Kelly R. , Kilgour Bruce W. , Keith Heather M. , Linehan Janice E. , McMaster Mark E.
Published: October 2017

Responses to chemical and physical stressors are commonly expected among organisms residing near the Athabasca oil sands. Physiological effects have been observed in fishes during field studies; but further effects associated with development are not clear or consistent among species. For instance, data from a fish fence in 2009 show declines in the relative abundances of some species, including Arctic grayling ( Thymallus arcticus). In contrast, increases were seen in white sucker ( Catostomus commersoni). This divergence suggests incomplete understanding of the status of fishes residing near the oil sands. However, an important challenge limiting understanding is the lack of reliable baseline or reference data. To overcome this challenge, we used iterative normal ranges and a historical data set (electrofishing surveys done from 1987 to 2014) to determine if changes have occurred in fishes captured in the lower Athabasca River. These analyses revealed clear increases in the lengths of white sucker and walleye ( Sander vitreus) and their relative abundances during the spawning season. The occurrence of these changes may be associated with overwintering location, but reduced fishing pressure in Lake Athabasca, eutrophication, or a cumulative effect may explain the form of changes detected in this study.
Review of high-sensitivity Radon studies
Authors: Wojcik M. , Zuzel G. , Simgen H.
Published: October 2017

A challenge in many present cutting-edge particle physics experiments is the stringent requirements in terms of radioactive background. In peculiar, the prevention of Radon, a radioactive noble gas, which occurs from ambient air and it is also released by emanation from the omnipresent progenitor Radium. In this paper we review various high-sensitivity Radon detection techniques and approaches, applied in the experiments looking for rare nuclear processes happening at low energies. They allow to identify, quantitatively measure and finally suppress the numerous sources of Radon in the detectors’ components and plants.
A Shape-Based Weighting Strategy Applied to the Covariance Estimation on ICP
Authors: Yamada F. A. A. , Cejnog L. W. X. , Vieira M. B. , da Silva R. L. S.
Published: October 2017

In the pairwise rigid registration problem, we need to find a rigid transformation that aligns two point clouds. The classical and most common solution is the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm. However, the ICP and many of its variants require that the point clouds are already coarsely aligned. We present in this paper a method named Shape-based Weighting Covariance Iterative Closest Point (SWC-ICP) which improves the possibility to correctly align two point clouds, regardless of the initial pose, even when they are only partially overlapped, or in the presence of noise and outliers. It benefits from the local geometry of the points, encoded in second-order orientation tensors, to provide a second correspondences set to the ICP. The cross-covariance matrix computed from this set is combined with the usual cross-covariance matrix, following a heuristic strategy. In order to compare our method with some recent approaches, we present a detailed evaluation protocol to rigid registration. Results show that the SWC-ICP is among the best compared methods, with a better performance in situations of wide angular displacement of noisy point clouds.
FPGA-Based Hardware Architecture for Fuzzy Homomorphic Enhancement Based on Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Nnolim Uche A.
Published: October 2017

This paper presents an efficient, high speed hardware architecture for a PDE-based variational fuzzy homomorphic color image enhancement algorithm for both RGB and HSI/HSV color space variants. The developed architecture avoids the use of filters either in the spatial or frequency domain, utilizing an easily implementable fuzzy membership function with a high boost emphasis filter characteristic. This eliminates multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations, which result in increased usage of hardware resources, especially in smaller FPGA devices where multipliers are costly. The resulting implemented multiplier-less architecture yields a soft filtering effect due to the fuzzy evaluation when compared with the hard and crisp homomorphic filters based in the frequency and spatial domain. Based on the device utilization information obtained from hardware synthesis, the fuzzy homomorphic algorithm is shown to be the least computationally complex and faster algorithm. Additionally, the proposed architecture consumes the least amount of hardware resources on the target FPGA when compared with the spatial domain homomorphic filter. This reduced hardware structural and computational complexity makes the system easily incorporated within a PDE-based framework for improved results, which enables gradual but controlled illumination correction. The results show that the proposed system is a more effective and versatile enhancement system than those found in the literature.
The PV Corrosion Fault Prognosis Based on Ensemble Kalman Filter
Authors: Ouladsine Radouane , Outbib Rachid , Bakhouya Mohamed
Published: October 2017

The degradation of photovoltaic (PV) modules remains a major concern on the control and the development of the photovoltaic field, particularly, in regions with difficult climatic conditions. The main degradation modes of the PV modules are corrosion, discoloration, glass breaks, and cracks of cells. However, corrosion and discoloration remain the predominant degradation modes that still require further investigations. In this paper, a model-based PV corrosion prognostic approach, based on an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), is introduced to identify the PV corrosion parameters and then estimate the remaining useful life (RUL). Simulations have been conducted using measured data set, and results are reported to show the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Influence of Edible Coatings on Biochemical Fruit Quality and Storage Life of Bell Pepper cv. “Yolo Wonder”
Authors: Ullah Abad , Abbasi N. A. , Shafique M. , Qureshi A. A.
Published: October 2017

The present study was carried out to investigate the influence of food grade coatings on fruit quality and storage life of bell pepper cv. “Yolo Wonder” at8±1°C with 90–95% RH for 24 days. Coating treatments were given to bell pepper fruits by dipping in aqueous solutions of gum arabic (6, 9, and 12%),Aloe veragel (4, 5, and 6%), and cinnamon oil (0.5, 0.75, and 1%). Physicochemical characteristics as well as quality of bell pepper fruits improved in all coating treatments. Results revealed that 12% gum arabic coating exhibited significantly reduced weight loss, membrane leakage, chilling injury, and decay incidence with less increase in pH, total soluble solids, and sugar percentage, whereas appealing fruit color (L⁎,a⁎, andb⁎) along with higher values of ascorbic acid (1.84 mg/100 g), titratable acidity (0.19%), and firmness (4 N) was observed in cold storage environment. Our results clearly suggested that coating of bell pepper fruits with 12% gum arabic can maintain postharvest storage quality of bell pepper fruits.
Hand Motion and Posture Recognition in a Network of Calibrated Cameras
Authors: Wang Jingya , Payandeh Shahram
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a vision-based approach for hand gesture recognition which combines both trajectory and hand posture recognition. The hand area is segmented by fixed-range CbCr from cluttered and moving backgrounds and tracked by Kalman Filter. With the tracking results of two calibrated cameras, the 3D hand motion trajectory can be reconstructed. It is then modeled by dynamic movement primitives and a support vector machine is trained for trajectory recognition. Scale-invariant feature transform is employed to extract features on segmented hand postures, and a novel strategy for hand posture recognition is proposed. A gesture vector is introduced to recognize hand gesture as an entirety which combines the recognition results of motion trajectory and hand postures where a support vector machine is trained for gesture recognition based on gesture vectors.
Views and Experiences of New Zealand Women with Gestational Diabetes in Achieving Glycaemic Control Targets: The Views Study
Authors: Martis Ruth , Brown Julie , Crowther Caroline A.
Published: October 2017

Introduction. Optimal glycaemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) reduces maternal and infant morbidity.Method. A survey was administered to women diagnosed with GDM to explore their views and experiences in achieving optimal glycaemic control.Results. Sixty women participated. Enablers included being taught to test capillary blood glucose in group settings where the health professional demonstrated this on themselves first (60, 100%); health professionals listening (41, 68%); being reminded to perform blood glucose testing (33, 55%); and being provided healthy meals by friends and family (28, 47%). Barriers included not having information in a woman’s first language (33, 55%); being offered unhealthy food (19, 31%); not being believed by health professionals (13, 21%); receiving inconsistent information by health professionals (10, 16%); never being seen twice by the same health professional (8, 13%); and long waiting hours at clinics (7, 11%). Two-thirds of women (37, 62%) reported that food costs were not a barrier, but that they were always or frequently hungry.Conclusion. Optimising experiences for women with GDM for achieving glycaemic control and overcoming barriers, regardless of glycaemic targets, requires further focus on providing meaningful health literacy and support from health professionals, family, friends, and work colleagues.
The Kinase STK3 Interacts with the Viral Structural Protein VP1 and Inhibits Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Replication
Authors: Liu Huisheng , Xue Qiao , Zeng Qiaoying , Zhu Zixiang , Zheng Haixue
Published: October 2017

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the etiological agent of FMD, which affects domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals. The structural protein VP1 plays an important role in FMDV pathogenesis. However, the interacting partners of VP1 in host cells and the effects of these interactions in FMDV replication remain incompletely elucidated. Here, we identified a porcine cell protein, serine/threonine kinase 3 (STK3), which interacts with FMDV VP1 using the yeast two-hybrid system. The VP1-STK3 interaction was further confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments in human embryonic kidney 293T and porcine kidney 15 (PK-15) cells. The carboxyl-terminal region (amino acids 180–214) of VP1 was essential for its interaction with STK3. The effects of overexpression and underexpressing of STK3 in PK-15 cells were assessed, and the results indicated that STK3 significantly inhibited FMDV replication. Our data expand the role of STK3 during viral infection, provide new information regarding the host cell kinases that are involved in viral replication, and identify potential targets for future antiviral strategies.
Autonomous Path Planning for Road Vehicles in Narrow Environments: An Efficient Continuous Curvature Approach
Authors: Kiss Domokos , Tevesz Gábor
Published: October 2017

In this paper we introduce a novel method for obtaining good quality paths for autonomous road vehicles (e.g., cars or buses) in narrow environments. There are many traffic situations in urban scenarios where nontrivial maneuvering in narrow places is necessary. Navigating in cluttered parking lots or having to avoid obstacles blocking the way and finding a detour even in narrow streets are challenging, especially if the vehicle has large dimensions like a bus. We present a combined approximation-based approach to solve the path planning problem in such situations. Our approach consists of a global planner which generates a preliminary path consisting of straight and turning-in-place primitives and a local planner which is used to make the preliminary path feasible to car-like vehicles. The approximation methodology is well known in the literature; however, both components proposed in this paper differ from existing similar planning methods. The approximation process with the proposed local planner is proven to be convergent for any preliminary global paths. The resulting path has continuous curvature which renders our method well suited for application on real vehicles. Simulation experiments show that the proposed method outperforms similar approaches in terms of path quality in complicated planning tasks.
Amplitude, Latency, and Peak Velocity in Accommodation and Disaccommodation Dynamics
Authors: Del Águila-Carrasco Antonio J. , Esteve-Taboada José J. , Papadatou Eleni , Ferrer-Blasco Teresa , Montés-Micó Robert
Published: October 2017

The aim of this work was to ascertain whether there are differences in amplitude, latency, and peak velocity of accommodation and disaccommodation responses when different analysis strategies are used to compute them, such as fitting different functions to the responses or for smoothing them prior to computing the parameters. Accommodation and disaccommodation responses from four subjects to pulse changes in demand were recorded by means of aberrometry. Three different strategies were followed to analyze such responses: fitting an exponential function to the experimental data; fitting a Boltzmann sigmoid function to the data; and smoothing the data. Amplitude, latency, and peak velocity of the responses were extracted. Significant differences were found between the peak velocity in accommodation computed by fitting an exponential function and smoothing the experimental data (mean difference 2.36 D/s). Regarding disaccommodation, significant differences were found between latency and peak velocity, calculated with the two same strategies (mean difference of 0.15 s and −3.56 D/s, resp.). The strategy used to analyze accommodation and disaccommodation responses seems to affect the parameters that describe accommodation and disaccommodation dynamics. These results highlight the importance of choosing the most adequate analysis strategy in each individual to obtain the parameters that characterize accommodation and disaccommodation dynamics.
Multifractal Analysis of Hydrologic Data Using Wavelet Methods and Fluctuation Analysis
Authors: Zhao Tongzhou , Wu Liang , Li Dehua , Ding Yiming
Published: October 2017

We study the multifractal properties of water level with a high-frequency and massive time series using wavelet methods (estimation of Hurst exponents, multiscale diagram, and wavelet leaders for multifractal analysis (WLMF)) and multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA). The dataset contains more than two million records from 10 observation sites at a northern China river. The multiscale behaviour is observed in this time series, which indicates the multifractality. This multifractality is detected via multiscale diagram. Then we focus on the multifractal analysis using MF-DFA and WLMF. The two methods give the same conclusion that at most sites the records satisfy the generalized binomial multifractal model, which is robust for different times (morning, afternoon, and evening). The variation in the detailed characteristic parameters of the multifractal model indicates that both human activities and tributaries influence the multifractality. Our work is useful for building simulation models of the water level of local rivers with many observation sites.
Cholecystectomy of an Intrahepatic Gallbladder in an Ectopic Pelvic Liver: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mathis Rachel , Stodghill Joshua , Shaver Timothy , Younan George
Published: October 2017

Introduction. Ectopic pelvic liver is an exceedingly rare condition usually resulting after repair of congenital abdominal wall defects. Intrahepatic gallbladder is another rare condition predisposing patients to cholelithiasis and its sequelae. We describe a cholecystectomy in a patient with an intrahepatic gallbladder in a pelvic ectopic liver.Presentation of Case. A 33-year-old woman with a history of omphalocele repair as an infant presented with signs and symptoms of symptomatic cholelithiasis and chronic cholecystitis, however, in an unusual location. After extensive workup and symptomatic treatment, cholecystectomy was recommended and performed via laparotomy and hepatotomy using microwave technology for parenchymal hepatic transection.Discussion. Given the rare combination of an intrahepatic gallbladder and an ectopic pelvic liver, advanced surgical techniques must be employed for cholecystectomies, in addition to involvement of hepatobiliary experienced surgeons due to the distortion of the biliary and hepatic vascular anatomy.Conclusion. Cholecystectomy by experienced hepatobiliary surgeons is a safe and effective treatment for cholecystitis in patients with intrahepatic gallbladders in ectopic pelvic livers.
A Multitasking Electrical Impedance Tomography System Using Titanium Alloy Electrode
Authors: Salama Abdalla , Malekmohammadi Amin , Mohanna Shahram , Rajkumar Rajprasad
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a multitasking electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system designed to improve the flexibility and durability of an existing EIT system. The ability of the present EIT system to detect, locate, and reshape objects was evaluated by four different experiments. The results of the study show that the system can detect and locate an object with a diameter as small as 1.5 mm in a testing tank with a diameter of 134 mm. Moreover, the results demonstrate the ability of the current system to reconstruct an image of several dielectric object shapes. Based on the results of the experiments, the programmable EIT system can adapt the EIT system for different applications without the need to implement a new EIT system, which may help to save time and cost. The setup for all the experiments consisted of a testing tank with an attached 16-electrode array made of titanium alloy grade 2. The titanium alloy electrode was used to enhance EIT system’s durability and lifespan.
Circulating Interferon-λ3, Responsiveness to HBV Vaccination, and HBV/HCV Infections in Haemodialysis Patients
Authors: Grzegorzewska Alicja E. , Świderska Monika K. , Mostowska Adrianna , Jagodziński Paweł P.
Published: October 2017

The IFN-λ3 gene (IFNL3) plays a role in HCV clearance. We investigated circulating IFN-λ3 and IFNL3 SNPs in haemodialysis patients who differed in their response to HBV vaccination and their HBV/HCV infection status. In 201 patients, plasma IFN-λ3 was determined using ELISA. IFNL3 SNPs (rs12979860, rs8099917) were genotyped using HRM analysis. Differences in IFN-λ3 levels were shown between responders and nonresponders to HBV vaccination and between HBsAg-positive patients and those who developed anti-HBs after infection and became HBsAg negative. HBV vaccine responders without HCV resolution revealed lower IFN-λ3 than noninfected responders. HBsAg/HCV RNA-positive subjects showed lower IFN-λ3 than patients positive only for HCV RNA or subjects who resolved both infections. Circulating IFN-λ3 correlated positively with anti-HBs and negatively with positive HCV RNA testing in the adjusted regression analyses. HBV vaccine nonresponders, HBsAg-positive patients, and subjects with replicating HCV composed a group with unfavourable outcomes. Responders to HBV vaccination, subjects who became HBsAg negative, and those who cleared HCV were analysed as having favourable outcomes. The latter showed higher IFN-λ3 but did not differ in distribution of IFNL3 SNPs compared with subjects with unfavourable outcomes. Higher IFN-λ3 concentrations are associated with response to HBV vaccination, self-limited HBV infection, and HCV resolution.
Sacred Groves: Myths, Beliefs, and Biodiversity Conservation—A Case Study from Western Himalaya, India
Authors: Singh Sushma , Youssouf Mudasir , Malik Zubair A. , Bussmann Rainer W.
Published: October 2017

Religious and traditional beliefs, cultural mores, and practices play a crucial role in the conservation of environment and biodiversity. The present paper describes a case study of two sacred groves in Western Himalaya. Sacred groves (SGs) are patches of land that are communally protected with religious zeal. A preliminary survey was conducted in these SGs to study their role in biodiversity conservation. The data collected included the general information regarding the SGs and the associated deity, nearest human habitation, access to them, and their floral and faunal diversity. Ethnomedicinal property of plants was collected from the indigenous communities. Many taboos are associated with both the SGs, which help in managing resources well through ritual representation. Different festivals are organized, where the local communities reaffirm their commitment to the forest and the deity. Sacred groves, in general, are a valuable tool of biodiversity conservation. But people’s changing attitudes, erosion of traditional beliefs, and human impact have caused degradation of sacred groves over the years. Their conservation would not be possible without the active participation of the local people. By improving their living standards and by giving benefits of conservation to them, long-term conservation goals in these SGs can be achieved.
Identification of Key Pathways and Genes in Advanced Coronary Atherosclerosis Using Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Tan Xiaowen , Zhang Xiting , Pan Lanlan , Tian Xiaoxuan , Dong Pengzhi
Published: October 2017

Background. Coronary artery atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. This study aimed to identify the key changes of gene expression between early and advanced carotid atherosclerotic plaque in human.Methods. Gene expression dataset GSE28829 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including 16 advanced and 13 early stage atherosclerotic plaque samples from human carotid. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed.Results. 42,450 genes were obtained from the dataset. Top 100 up- and downregulated DEGs were listed. Functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) identification were performed. The result of functional and pathway enrichment analysis indicted that the immune system process played a critical role in the progression of carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were performed either. Top 10 hub genes were identified from PPI network and top 6 modules were inferred. These genes were mainly involved in chemokine signaling pathway, cell cycle, B cell receptor signaling pathway, focal adhesion, and regulation of actin cytoskeleton.Conclusion. The present study indicated that analysis of DEGs would make a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of atherosclerosis development and they might be used as molecular targets and diagnostic biomarkers for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
The Influence of Juvenile Graves’ Ophthalmopathy on Graves’ Disease Course
Authors: Jankauskiene Jurate , Jarusaitiene Dalia
Published: October 2017

Purpose. To investigate juvenile Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) signs and compare Graves’ disease (GD) course in patients with or without GO. Patients and Methods. There were analyzed data (visual acuity, proptosis, palpebral fissure measurements, clinical activity score (CAS), and the course of GD) of 67 children who have been newly diagnosed with GD. 26.9% of patients with GD had signs of ophthalmopathy (GO+), and 73.1% were without ophthalmopathy (GO−). Results. Upper eyelid retraction (72.3%), proptosis (66.7%), and soft tissue changes (27.8−38.9%) were in GO+ patients. The palpebral fissure, CAS, and proptosis values were greater in the GO+ group than in the GO− group (p<0.001). GD course in GO+ patients was longer than that in GO− patients (p<0.001). The duration of the first remission was longer in GO− than in GO+ patients (p<0.001). The duration of first remission was longer than one year for 61.2% in GO− and 33.3% in GO+ patients (p<0.02). Conclusion. The common manifestations of juvenile GO patients were upper eyelid retraction, proptosis, and soft tissue involvement. The study demonstrates that pediatric patients with GO are more likely to have a severe course of autoimmune thyroid disease.
Chosen Vascular Risk Markers in Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome: An Age-Related Disorder
Authors: Lesiewska Hanna , Łukaszewska-Smyk Agnieszka , Odrowąż-Sypniewska Grażyna , Krintus Magdalena , Mańkowska-Cyl Aneta , Malukiewicz Grażyna
Published: October 2017

Purpose. To evaluate lipids and C-reactive protein serum levels in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in the Polish population. Methods. 96 patients were studied with PEX and 79 control subjects. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and CRP serum levels, and TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C indexes were assessed. Results. There were no significant differences in concentration of lipids and values of TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, and non-HDL-C between PEX and control groups. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was not increased in patients with PEX. Conclusions. Our results cast doubt on the opinion on the possible PEX and vascular diseases relation. Further studies on this subject are mandatory.