bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Incidence of Diagnosis of Munchausen Syndrome, Other Factitious Disorders, and Malingering
Authors: Schrader Harald , Bøhmer Thomas , Aasly Jan
Published: March 2019

Background. Systematic studies on factitious disorders and malingering in large populations are rare. To address this issue, we performed a nationwide epidemiological study in Norway on the incidence of these diagnoses in an unselected patient population. In particular, we tried to confirm the diagnoses and to estimate the contribution of Munchausen syndrome to the spectrum of factitious disorders. Methods. We analyzed data obtained from the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR), which provided a deidentified list of all patients from 2008 to 2016 who had received the ICD-10 diagnosis of F68.1 or the diagnosis code Z76.5. Results. Altogether, 237 patients (99 females; 138 males) received a diagnosis of F68.1. Code Z76.5 was applied to 52 patients (12 females; 40 males), all diagnosed within health institutions. Three of 1700 specialists (somatic specialist, psychologist, or psychiatrist) in private practice had diagnosed a factitious disorder in altogether 87 patients. After contacting these specialists, we could identify no true case of F68.1. For 24 of 146 patients who were equally distributed by gender within health institutions, we managed to identify the diagnosing healthcare providers. Of these 24 patients, only 11 correctly qualified for code F68.1. Only two female patients qualified for a Munchausen syndrome diagnosis. Conclusions. There is a male predominance for the diagnosis of malingering. An earlier suspicion of a female predominance for Munchausen syndrome is upheld. There is significant underdiagnosing and misdiagnosing for both conditions and for factitious disorders in general. To separate the most serious form of factitious disorders from milder forms and to facilitate more systematic research, we recommend a specific ICD diagnosis for Munchausen syndrome.
Dynamic Modeling and Characteristic Analysis of Cantilever Piezoelectric Bimorph
Authors: Chen Heng , Wang Jun-shan , Chen Chao , Liu Shi-xiang , Chen Hai-peng
Published: March 2019

The analytical model of an axially precompressed cantilever bimorph is established using the Hamilton’s principle in this study, and the static characteristics are obtained. The dynamic equations of the cantilever bimorph in generalized coordinates are established using a numerical method, and the dynamic characteristics are analyzed. Finally, simulations are performed and experiments are conducted to verify the validity of the theory. The results show that increase of axial force has significant amplification effects on the steady‐state response amplitude of the displacement, and it reduces the resonance frequency. The response time is still in the millisecond range under a large axial force, which indicates that the bimorph has excellent dynamic characteristics as an actuator.
Current Research Trends in Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula: A Bibliometric Review from 2000 to 2016
Authors: Chen Yi-Bing , Tong Xiao-Fang , Ren Junge , Yu Chun-Quan , Cui Yuan-Lu
Published: March 2019

Background. Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula (TCMF) study has been recognized widely by medical scientists around the world. However, few researchers have analyzed and summarized the rapid growth of academic articles of TCMF published in English. The primary aim of this work was to assess the outcome of these research outputs in the TCMF field from 2000 to 2016 and to evaluate the situation and tendency. Methods. Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science database, which includes all academic articles published from 2000 to 2016; articles were tracked by the keywords “Traditional Chinese Medicine”, “Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula”, and “Chinese herb formula”. Moreover, visualization software CiteSpace V was used to analyze and generate visualization knowledge maps. Results. In total, 26,917 articles appeared in the Web of Science database, and only 2,621 publications met requirement based on reading the abstract or full text. The annual publications total, list of journals, research interests, list of medicine names, disease types, and the top 20 cited articles were given in this research paper. In addition, we compared the research of Japan and Korea TCMF, in the appendix. Conclusion. This review demonstrates that increasingly more researchers have interest in the TCMF and TCMF has great significant advantages over other areas of focus. However, these publications were published rarely in top academic journals and most best-quality papers have bias toward medical analysis rather than pharmacology. To make a breakthrough in TCMF field, further investigation is required to place emphasis on the deepening study of the mechanism of related TCMF.
Annual Variability of Wing Morphology inCulex sitiensWiedemann (Diptera, Culicidae) Mosquito Vectors from the Coastal Area of Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand
Authors: Chaiphongpachara Tanawat , Laojun Sedthapong
Published: March 2019

Culex sitiensWiedemann (Diptera, Culicidae) is a mosquito vector that is found in coastal areas. Effective control of mosquitoes requires knowledge of the biology, ecology, and behavior of the vector as well as of various other aspects, including its morphology. Currently, variations in the wing size and shape of coastalCx. sitienshave not been described. Here, morphological changes were studied in the wings ofCx. sitiensfrom a coastal area of Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. Samples were collected at night (6:00 pm–6:00 am) during single weeks of September in the years 2015–2017 using Center for Disease Control light traps with dry ice as bait. Eighteen landmarks of each individual were selected and digitized for landmark-based geometric morphometric analyses. Wing size variability was estimated using the isometric estimator of centroid size. Wing-shape variables were computed as Procrustes superimposition with residual coordinates of the 18 landmarks following a Generalized Procrustes Analysis and the principal components of residual coordinates. Degrees of wing-shape dissimilarity among individuals were analyzed using discriminant analysis or canonical variate analysis, which was illustrated in a discriminant space of canonical variables. Differences in wing size and shape among populations were calculated using nonparametric permutations based on 1000 runs with Bonferroni correction tests at ap-value of <0.05. The wing sizes and shapes of the mosquitoes differed significantly between observation years in all population groups, as indicated by nonparametric tests (1000 runs) with the Bonferroni correction. Differing rainfall between observation years was related to morphological changes in mosquito populations, presumably reflecting environmental adaptation. Differences in the wing morphology ofCx. sitiensbetween annual populations reflect adaptation to environmental variables such as rainfall and may affect the potential to act as insect vectors of human disease. These observations may facilitate the development of tools for managing mosquito-borne disease.
Drivers’ Braking Behaviors in Different Motion Patterns of Vehicle-Bicycle Conflicts
Authors: Hou Lian , Duan Jingliang , Wang Wenjun , Li Renjie , Li Guofa , Cheng Bo
Published: March 2019

Bicycling is one of the popular modes of transportation, but bicyclists are easily involved in injuries or fatalities in vehicle-bicycle (V-B) accidents. The AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) systems have been developed to avoid collisions, but their adaptiveness needs to be further improved under different motion patterns of V-B conflicts. This paper analyzes drivers’ braking behaviors in different motion patterns of V-B conflicts to improve the performance of Bicyclist-AEB systems. For safety and data reliability, a driving simulator was used to reconstruct two typical conflict types, i.e., SCR (a bicycle crossing the road from right in front of a straight going car) and SSR (a bicycle cut-in from right in front of a straight going car). Either conflict contained various parameterized motion patterns, which were characterized by a combination of parameters: Vc (car velocity), TTC (time-to-collision), Vb (bicycle velocity), and Dlat (lateral distance between the car and the bicycle) or Vlat (maximum lateral velocity of the bicycle). Some 26 licensed drivers participated in an orthogonal experiment for braking behavior analysis. Results revealed that drivers brake immediately when V-B conflicts occur; hence the BRT (brake reaction time) is independent of any motion pattern parameters. This was further verified by another orthogonal experiment with 10 participants using the eye tracking device. BRT in SSR is longer than that in SCR due to the less perceptible risk and drivers’ lower expectation of a collision. The braking intensity and brake Pedal Speed are higher in short-TTC patterns in both conflict types. Therefore, TTC is not a proper activation threshold but a reasonable indicator of braking intensity and Pedal Speed for driver-adaptive AEB systems. By applying the findings in the Bicyclist-AEB, the adaptiveness and acceptability of Bicyclist-AEB systems can be improved.
Double Charmonium Productions in Electron-Positron Annihilation Using Bethe-Salpeter Approach
Authors: Negash Hluf , Bhatnagar Shashank
Published: March 2019

We calculate the double charmonium production cross-section within the framework of 4×4 Bethe-Salpeter Equation in the electron-positron annihilation, at center of mass energy s=10.6GeV, that proceeds through the exchange of a single virtual photon. In this calculation, we make use of the full Dirac structure of 4D BS wave functions of these charmonia, with the incorporation of all the Dirac covariants (both leading and subleading). The calculated cross-sections for the double charmonium productions for final states, (J/Ψ,ηc), (Ψ′,ηc), (J/Ψ,ηc′), and (Ψ′,ηc′), are close to experimental data and in broad agreement with results of other theoretical models.
Real World Experience of Chronic Hepatitis C Retreatment with Genotype Specific Regimens in Nonresponders to Previous Interferon-Free Therapy
Authors: Zarębska-Michaluk Dorota , Buczyńska Iwona , Simon Krzysztof , Tudrujek-Zdunek Magdalena , Janczewska Ewa , Dybowska Dorota , Sitko Marek , Dobracka Beata , Jaroszewicz Jerzy , Pabjan Paweł , Klapaczyński Jakub , Laurans Łukasz , Mazur Włodzimierz , Socha Łukasz , Tronina Olga , Parczewski Miłosz , Flisiak Robert
Published: March 2019

Background and Aim. The development of interferon- (IFN-) free regimens substantially improved efficacy of treatment for HCV, but despite excellent effectiveness the failures still occur. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of retreatment with genotype specific direct acting antivirals- (DAA-) based regimens in nonresponders to previous IFN-free therapy. Materials and Methods. Analysed population consisted of 31 nonresponders to IFN-free regimen, which received second IFN-free rescue therapy, selected from 6228 patients included in a national database EpiTer-2. Results. Age and gender distribution were similar, whereas proportion of genotype 1b was slightly higher and genotype 4 lower in the whole population compared to studied one. Patients included in the study demonstrated much more advanced fibrosis. Primary therapy was discontinued in 12 patients, which were recognized as failures due to nonvirologic reason, whereas virologic reason of therapeutic failure was recognized in 19 patients which completed therapy. Overall sustained virologic response (SVR) rate was 81% and 86% in intent-to-treat (ITT) and modified ITT analysis, respectively (74% and 78% in virologic failures, 92% and 100% in nonvirologic failures). Resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) testing was carried out in 8 patients from the group of completed primary therapy and three of them had potential risk for failure of rescue therapy due to NS5A association, while two of them achieved SVR. Conclusions. We demonstrated moderate effectiveness of genotype specific rescue therapy in failures due to virologic reason and high in those who discontinued primary therapy. Therefore rescue therapy with genotype specific regimens should be considered always if more potent regimens are not available.
On New Picard-Mann Iterative Approximations with Mixed Errors for Implicit Midpoint Rule and Applications
Authors: Li Teng-fei , Lan Heng-you
Published: March 2019

In order to solve (partial) differential equations, implicit midpoint rules are often employed as a powerful numerical method. The purpose of this paper is to introduce and study a class of new Picard-Mann iteration processes with mixed errors for the implicit midpoint rules, which is different from existing methods in the literature, and to analyze the convergence and stability of the proposed method. Further, some numerical examples and applications to optimal control problems with elliptic boundary value constraints are considered via the new Picard-Mann iterative approximations, which shows that the new Picard-Mann iteration process with mixed errors for the implicit midpoint rule of nonexpansive mappings is brand new and more effective than other related iterative processes.
High-Cadence Cycling Promotes Sustained Improvement in Bradykinesia, Rigidity, and Mobility in Individuals with Mild-Moderate Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Ridgel Angela L. , Ault Dana L.
Published: March 2019

Introduction. Exercise has been shown to be an important adjunct therapy to medication in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the optimal type, frequency, and intensity of exercise or physiotherapy are still being debated. An important part of understanding the optimal frequency is to examine how acute bouts of exercise affect motor function and mobility in this population. The purpose of this study is to assess if six bouts of high-cadence cycling improves motor function and mobility in individuals with PD. Methods. Sixteen subjects with mild-moderate idiopathic PD were randomized into either a high-cadence cycling or a control (stretching) group. High-cadence cycling was completed on a custom motorized recumbent bicycle at a high cadence between 75 and 85 rpm. Cycling and stretching sessions were separated by 1 day of rest and took place over a 15-day period. Motor function and mobility were assessed after every cycling/stretching bout using the UPDRS Motor III scale, Kinesia ONE, and Timed up and Go (TUG). Results. Six bouts of high-cadence cycling improved UPDRS scores (2.5 pts, P=0.002), hand movement amplitude (P=0.013), rapid alternating hand movement speed (P=0.003), gait (P=0.012), and TUG time (1.17 s, P=0.002) from baseline testing to end of treatment. The control group showed no improvements. Conclusions. These findings suggest that they are both acute and sustained improvements in motor function and mobility after high-cadence cycling. Future research should examine how exercise type, frequency, and intensity can be optimized for each individual.
Awareness of Vitamin D Deficiency among the General Population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alamoudi Lujain H. , Almuteeri Rinad Z. , Al-Otaibi Murooj E. , Alshaer Dalia A. , Fatani Samar K. , Alghamdi Maha M. , Safdar Osama Y.
Published: March 2019

Background. During the last decade, vitamin D status was a major concern in the health and biomedical fields. This study assessed the level of awareness and knowledge regarding vitamin D and investigated the factors associated with the level of awareness such as knowing general facts about vitamin D, sources, benefit, and consequences of its deficiency. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, above the age of 18 years who were in 3 malls during the period of August and September 2017. A self-administrated questionnaire in paper forms was utilized and was divided into two parts to collect data. It was designed by the authors after revising the previous studies and validated by three pediatric consultants. An ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee in King Abdulaziz University. We did an initial sample and tested it with the Cronbach test. The questionnaire had 2 parts with 19 questions. The first part was demographic information, and the second part was general information about vitamin D. An ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee in King Abdulaziz University. Each participant received explanations about the aim of the study, and a verbal consent was taken from participants. The scoring system was as follows: for each right answer, 1 score was given and for wrong answer, 0 score was given, and the overall score was 14. The collected data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics using IBM SPSS statistics for windows version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Result. Out of 1022 participants, 472 (46.1%) were aged 18–28 years, 830 (82.1%) were of Saudi ethnicity, 702 (68.7%) had a university degree, 275 (26.9%) attended high school, more than half were married (55.6%), and 54.4% had children. The majority of the participants agreed that vitamin D is important in the maintenance of bone and tooth health (88.4%). It is important in the maintenance of calcium and phosphates (76.6%), and it strengthens immunity (69.4%). Of the total participants, 86.2% were aware that sunlight exposure encourages vitamin D production in the skin. The overall knowledge mean score was 5.9 ± 1.2 (39.3%). Conclusion. This study highlighted a high level of inadequate knowledge of vitamin D deficiency among participants. There was a significant association between knowledge level and education level. The awareness of vitamin D deficiency is high regarding its benefits. The study revealed that participants who did not have children had the highest score for benefits. Nongovernment organizations and social workers may work together with government health-care organization to teach parents and children about the uses and benefits of vitamin D.
Real-Time Release Testing of Herbal Extract Powder by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy considering the Uncertainty around Specification Limits
Authors: Shi Guolin , Xu Bing , Wang Xin , Xue Zhong , Shi Xinyuan , Qiao Yanjiang
Published: March 2019

The concept of real-time release testing (RTRT) has recently been adopted by the production of pharmaceuticals in order to provide high-level guarantee of product quality. Process analytical technology (PAT) is an attractive and efficient way for realizing RTRT. In this paper, near-infrared (NIR) determination of cryptotanshinone and tanshinoneIIA content in tanshinone extract powders was taken as the research object. The aim of NIR analysis is to reliably declare the extract product as compliant with its specification limits or not. First, the NIR quantification method was developed and the parameters of the multivariate calibration model were optimized. The reliable concentration ranges covering the specification limits of two APIs were successfully verified by the accuracy profile (AP) methodology. Then, with the designed validation data from AP, the unreliability graph as the decision tool was built. Innovatively, the β-content, γ-confidence tolerance intervals (β-CTIs) around the specification limits were estimated. During routine use, the boundary of β-CTIs could help decide whether the NIR prediction results are acceptable. The proposed method quantified the analysis risk near the specification limits and confirmed that the unreliable region was useful to release the product quality in a real-time way. Such release strategy could be extended for other PAT applications to improve the reliability of results.
Nonlinear Triangular Intuitionistic Fuzzy Number and Its Application in Linear Integral Equation
Authors: Mondal Sankar Prasad , Goswami Adrijit , Kumar De Sujit
Published: March 2019

In this paper we introduce the different arithmetic operations on nonlinear intuitionistic fuzzy number (NIFN). All the arithmetic operations are done by max-min principle method which is nothing but the application of interval analysis. We also define the nonlinear intuitionistic fuzzy function which is used for finding the values, ambiguities, and ranking of nonlinear intuitionistic fuzzy number. The de-i-fuzzification of the corresponding intuitionistic fuzzy solution is done by average of (α,β)-cut method. Finally we solve integral equation with NIFN by the help of intuitionistic fuzzy Laplace transform method.
Optimal Day‐Ahead Bidding Strategy for Electricity Retailer with Inner‐Outer 2‐Layer Model System Based on Stochastic Mixed‐Integer Optimization
Authors: Wang Yuwei , Wang Jingmin , Sun Wei , Zhao Mingrui
Published: March 2019

Bidding in spot electricity market (EM) is a key source for electricity retailer (ER)’s power purchasing. In China for the near future, besides the real‐time load and spot clearing prices uncertainties, it will be hard for a newborn ER to adjust its retail prices at will due to the strict governmental supervision. Hence, spot EM bidding decision‐making is a very complicated and important issue for ER in many countries including China. In this paper, an inner‐outer 2‐layer model system based on stochastic mixed‐integer optimization is proposed for ER’s day‐ahead EM bidding decision‐making. This model system not only can help to make ERs more beneficial under China’s EM circumstances in the near future, but also can be applied for improving their profits under many other deregulated EM circumstances (e.g., PJM and Nord Pool) if slight transformation is implemented. Different from many existing researches, we pursue optimizing both the number of blocks in ER’s day‐ahead piecewise staircase (energy‐price) bidding curves and the bidding price of every block. Specifically, the inner layer of this system is in fact a stochastic mixed‐integer optimization model, by which the bidding prices are optimized by parameterizing the number of blocks in bidding curves. The outer layer of this system implicitly possesses the characteristics of heuristic optimization in discrete space, by which the number of blocks is optimized by parameterizing bidding prices in bidding curves. Moreover, in order to maintain relatively low financial‐risk brought by clearing prices and real‐time load uncertainties, we introduce the conditional value at risk (CVaR) of profit in the objective function of inner layer model in addition to the expected profit. Simulations based on historical data have not only tested the scientificity and feasibility of our model system, but also verified that our model system can further improve the actual profit of ER compared to other methods.
Postextraction Alveolar Preservation and Use of the Crown of the Extracted Tooth as a Temporary Restoration
Authors: Moreno Andrea Rodríguez , Magdaleno Mariné Ortiz , Islas Marissa Muñoz , Mercado Jorge Armando Villar , del Pilar Goldaracena Azuara María , Cruz Everardo Ruiz , Ramírez Gabriel Fernando Romo
Published: March 2019

Ranging from the extraction of teeth from anterior sector commitment to the loss of bone and soft tissues, alveolar preservation is a regenerative technique that employs biomaterials that induce the preservation of bone tissue and minimize resorption. Placement of provisional restorations at the defect site maintains the stability of the soft tissues and aesthetics at which the definitive restoration is found. The objective of this clinical case was alveolar preservation postextraction of the anterior tooth that presented a coronal fracture, placing the clinical crown of the extracted tooth as the provisional restoration to maintain stability and to avoid soft tissue collapse and compromise to an aesthetic area.
Lewis Score on Capsule Endoscopy as a Predictor of the Risk for Crohn’s Disease-Related Emergency Hospitalization and Clinical Relapse in Patients with Small Bowel Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Nishikawa Takahiro , Nakamura Masanao , Yamamura Takeshi , Maeda Keiko , Sawada Tsunaki , Mizutani Yasuyuki , Ishikawa Takuya , Furukawa Kazuhiro , Ohno Eizaburo , Miyahara Ryoji , Kawashima Hiroki , Hirooka Yoshiki
Published: March 2019

Background. Small bowel capsule endoscopy (CE) is a useful tool for evaluating the mucosal changes in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). The Lewis score (LS) on CE could be used to objectively assess the inflammatory activity of the small bowel mucosa. However, only few reports on the correlation between the LS and CD prognosis exist. This study is aimed at evaluating the clinical significance of the LS by determining the cutoff value of the LS that could predict CD-related emergency hospitalization. Methods. This retrospective single-center study included 125 patients who underwent CE for small bowel CD. Eighty-six patients whose treatment was not changed after CE were analyzed. Inflammatory activity was assessed with the LS. We examined the clinical course of the patients who could be observed for 1 year after CE and investigated the LS cutoff value that could predict CD-related emergency hospitalization within 1 year. We also examined the hospitalization-free and clinical relapse-free rates using the LS cutoff value and evaluated the factors related to emergency hospitalization. Results. The LS cutoff value that could predict CD-related emergency hospitalization within 1 year was 264 (area under the curve, 0.92 (P<0.001); sensitivity, 0.80; and specificity, 0.94). The cumulative hospitalization-free rate and cumulative clinical relapse-free rate were significantly higher in patients with a LS<264 (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that a LS<264 was a statistically significant factor (P=0.001; 95% CI, 0.010–0.308). Conclusion. A LS of 264 is a useful cutoff value that could predict CD-related emergency hospitalization. This LS cutoff value may help determine treatment strategies for CD.
Carbon Nanostructure-based Sensors: A Brief Review on Recent Advances
Authors: Bezzon Vinícius D. N. , Montanheiro Thaís L. A. , de Menezes Beatriz R. C. , Ribas Renata G. , Righetti Victor A. N. , Rodrigues Karla F. , Thim Gilmar P.
Published: March 2019

A brief review reporting the recent advances on the carbon nanostructured materials-based sensors covering recently published works is presented. Several works dealing with experimental and theoretical data are reviewed and discussed. The main results for carbon nanotubes, nanodiamonds, fullerene, graphene, and hybrid carbon-nanostructured devices that show sensing properties in different fields were considered for the discussions. The goal of this paper was to highlight sensor mechanisms, and the best results reached up to now are creating bases for further applications.
Optimizing the Location of Virtual Stations in Free-Floating Bike-Sharing Systems with the User Demand during Morning and Evening Rush Hours
Authors: Sun Zhuo , Li Yiming , Zuo Yi
Published: March 2019

In recent years, free-floating bike-sharing systems (FFBSSs) have been considerably developed in China. As there is no requirement to construct bike stations, this system can substantially reduce the cost when compared to the traditional bike-sharing systems. However, FFBSSs have also become a critical cause of parking disorder, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. To address this issue, the local governments stipulated that FFBSSs are required to deploy virtual stations near public transit stations and major establishments. Therefore, the location assignment of virtual stations is sufficiently considered in the FFBSSs, which is required to solve the parking disorder and satisfy the user demand, simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to optimize the location assignment of virtual stations that can meet the growing demand of users by analyzing the usage data of their shared bikes. This optimization problem is generally formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to maximize the user demand. As an alternative solution, this article proposes a clustering algorithm, which can solve this problem in real time. The experimental results demonstrate that the MILP model and the proposed method are superior to the K-means method. Our method not only provides a solution for maximizing the user demand but also gives an optimized design scheme of the FFBSSs that represents the characteristics of virtual stations.
Safety and Efficacy of Mepolizumab in Patients with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
Authors: Pradhan Ravi Ranjan , Nepal Gaurav , Mandal Shobha
Published: March 2019

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of vasculitis disorder which involves multiple organ systems and is characterized by asthma, pulmonary infiltrates, sinusitis, neuropathy, and peripheral eosinophilia. It also has an effect on the heart, skin, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Interlukin-5 (IL-5) is involved in maturation and activation of eosinophil, the production of which is increased in the EGPA. Treatments of EGPA are limited to systemic corticosteroids and immunomodulators. These drugs are associated with significant side effects. Besides this, the response of patients to these drugs may be disappointing. Frequent relapses, the need for long-term medium-to-high-dose glucocorticoid therapy, and failure to achieve remission are not uncommon findings. There is a need for noble agents that could reduce frequent relapses and the dose of systemic glucocorticoids and maintain a sustained remission without significant side effects. Mepolizumab is IL-5 antagonist and may have value in treating patients with EGPA. Therefore, we did a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mepolizumab in patients with EGPA.
Utilization of Kañawa (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) Flour in Pasta Making
Authors: Bustos Mariela C. , Ramos María Isabel , Pérez Gabriela T. , León Alberto E.
Published: March 2019

Kañawa (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) is an Andean crop harvested in Bolivia and Perú. Because of the characteristics and properties of kañawa seed, its flour can be used to replace partially wheat flour in pasta to increase its nutritional value. The objective of this study was to investigate the production of fiber- and protein-enriched pasta made with wheat and kañawa blends. The effect of the substitution level of wheat by kañawa flour on pasta quality was evaluated taking into account the influence of kañawa composition on starch behavior and gluten network formation. Proximal composition, thermal behavior, and pasting properties of kañawa and wheat flours were determined. Pasta was made from wheat flour (control) replacing 10, 20, and 30% of wheat by kañawa flour from L1 and L2 ecotypes. Water absorption and cooking loss were increased showing the deleterious effect of kañawa flour on pasta quality, but the L1 ecotype showed better performance in cooking properties. Kañawa pasta firmness and chewiness decreased with the kañawa content increase; however, the L1 ecotype did not modify the firmness when 10 and 20% were included in pasta. Both kañawa flours improved the nutritional quality of pasta, increasing the dietary fiber content and protein quality.
Cartoon Image Encryption Algorithm by a Fractional-Order Memristive Hyperchaos
Authors: Wang Shu-ying , Zhao Jian-feng , Wang Xiao-yan , Zhang Li-tao
Published: March 2019

Based on the Adomian decomposition method and Lyapunov stability theory, this paper constructs a fractional-order memristive hyperchaos. Then, the 0–1 test analysis is applied to detect random nature of chaotic sequences exhibited by the fractional-order systems. Comparing with the corresponding integer-order hyperchaotic system, the fractional-order hyperchaos possesses higher complexity. Finally, an image encryption algorithm is proposed based on the fractional-order memristive hyperchaos. Security and performance analysis indicates that the proposed chaos-based image encryption algorithm is highly resistant to statistical attacks.
Optimization of LaPO4:Bi3+ Single-Phased White-Emitting Phosphor Luminescence Properties by Li+/Na+ Doping
Authors: Deng Taoli , Zhang Qiuyun
Published: March 2019

LaPO4:Bi3+ single-phased white-emitting phosphors doped with both Li+/Na+ ions were successfully prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction technique. Microstructures were analyzed by both X-ray diffraction and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy experiments. Under the excitation of 335 nm, the La0.97PO4:Bi3+0.03 phosphor showed four emission bands with maxima at 460 nm, 487 nm (blue), 530 nm (yellow), and 637 nm (red); these can be successfully combined to form pure white light in a single host lattice only by simple activator Bi3+ ion. It was found that changing the concentration of dopant (Li+, Na+ ions) did not produce a change in shape or location of the emission peaks, but the value of the emission intensity increased; this was particularly evident in the red emission, which could optimize the white light emitting performance of the phosphors. When the Na+ doping concentration was 0.02, the CIE chromaticity coordinate of phosphor La0.95PO4:Bi3+0.03, Na+0.02 was (0.3008, 0.3203), close to that of the standard white light.
Determination of the Thermal Oxidation Stability and the Kinetic Parameters of Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Different Varieties
Authors: Malvis Ana , Šimon Peter , Dubaj Tibor , Sládková Alexandra , Ház Aleš , Jablonský M. , Sekretár Stanislav , Schmidt Štefan , Kreps František , Burčová Zuzana , Hodaifa Gassan , Šurina Igor
Published: March 2019

The use of olive oil with cooking purposes, as final seasoning or within cooked foods is increasing worldwide due to its numerous nutritional and health benefits. These attributes are mainly determined by olive oil chemical composition, which can be altered after thermal processing, oxidation processes, or incorrect practices. For this reason, and due to the numerous factors which have influence in olive oil quality, the correct chemical characterization is highly relevant. In this study, fatty acid composition of four extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) varieties was studied. The major fatty acid (FA) determined was oleic acid (77.1% on average), followed by palmitic (11.5% on average). In addition, thermal oxidation behaviour of the four EVOO samples was studied as an indicator of their quality and stability during thermal processing. This was performed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) from a temperature of 40°C at six different heating rates in the range of 0.5–10°C min−1. DSC records showed the same pattern and a small shoulder in the thermo-oxidation peak was present for all samples and all heating rates. The presence of initial and final oxidation products (by monitoring K232 and K270 values, respectively) was discarded according to the International Olive Council method.
The Proportion of Student Tuberculosis Cases and Treatment Outcome at Jimma University Medical Center: 5-Year Retrospective Study (11 Sep. 2010–10 Sep. 2015)
Authors: Tibebu Hiwot , Hebo Habtemu J.
Published: March 2019

Background. University students are highly congregated at classroom and residence (dormitory) which offer a special risk to exposure and transmission of tuberculosis. In Ethiopia, the number of students joining universities is increasing from time to time though infrastructure of the universities has not kept pace with this increment. However, compiled reports on the magnitude and trend of tuberculosis in the higher education institutions of Ethiopia are limited. Objective. This study was designed to determine the five years (Sep. 2010 to Sep. 2015) trend of the proportion of student tuberculosis cases and treatment outcome at Jimma University Medical Center. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Jimma University Medical Center. A total of 347 students from Jimma University who were registered and treated at Tuberculosis Clinic of Jimma University Medical Center were included in this study. Data were collected by record review using checklist prepared in English. Data were entered into EpiData and cleaned and analyzed by SPSS 20. Results. The mean proportion of student tuberculosis cases among total adult tuberculosis cases was 29.71% (347/1168). The mean proportion of student tuberculosis cases among the total students enrolled was nearly 0.38% (347/92,004). More than three-fourths (76.37% (265/347)) were male. Pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for 72.62% (252/347) and 54.40% (137/252) of these were smear-positive. Eight cases were positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. More than four-fifths (281/347) were new cases. The highest proportion (37.62%) was observed in 2010/11 while the lowest (12.03%) was observed in 2012/13. The proportion of tuberculosis dramatically decreased in the third year and significantly increased again in the last two years. Regarding treatment outcome, 98.75% (316/347) had successful treatment outcome (61.71% treatment completed; 38.29% cured). Four cases were defaults and there was not any death. Conclusion. The five years’ mean proportion of student tuberculosis cases among the total students enrolled was high in this study. However, the treatment success rate was better than the report of previous studies. Therefore, governmental and nongovernmental organizations concerned with tuberculosis must consider universities as focal points for the prevention and control of tuberculosis in Ethiopia.
Glycine Suppresses AGE/RAGE Signaling Pathway and Subsequent Oxidative Stress by Restoring Glo1 Function in the Aorta of Diabetic Rats and in HUVECs
Authors: Wang Ziwei , Zhang Junqing , Chen Lei , Li Jingjing , Zhang Hong , Guo Xiaohui
Published: March 2019

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications. It is known that the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the activation of the receptor of AGEs (RAGE) induce sustained oxidative stress in the vascular tissue. Growing evidence indicates that glycine, the simplest amino acid, exerts antioxidant and antiglycation effects and also improves vascular function. However, the mechanism whereby glycine protects vascular tissue against oxidative stress in models with diabetes has not been investigated. In the present study, we evaluated whether glycine can attenuate oxidative stress by suppressing the AGE/RAGE signaling pathway in the aorta of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our results showed that oral glycine administration increased NO content and ameliorated oxidative stress in the serum and aorta of diabetic rats. The AGE/RAGE signaling pathway in the aorta of diabetic rats was significantly attenuated by glycine treatment as manifested by decreases in levels of AGEs, RAGE, Nox4, and NF-κB p65. The suppressive effect of glycine on the formation of AGEs was associated with increased activity and expression of aortic glyoxalase-1 (Glo1), a crucial enzyme that degrades methylglyoxal (MG), the major precursor of AGEs. In MG-treated HUVECs, glycine restored the function of Glo1, suppressed the AGE/RAGE signaling pathway, and inhibited the generation of reactive oxygen species. In addition, the reduction in the formation of AGEs in HUVECs caused by glycine treatment was inhibited by Glo1 inhibition. Taken together, our study provides evidence that glycine might inhibit the AGE/RAGE pathway and subsequent oxidative stress by improving Glo1 function, thus protecting against diabetic macrovascular complications.
Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Sensorial Evaluation of Flat Bread Supplemented with Quinoa Flour
Authors: El-Sohaimy S. A. , Shehata M. G. , Mehany Taha , Zeitoun M. A.
Published: March 2019

The purpose of the present research was to develop novel flat bread supplemented with quinoa flour to raise its nutritional quality and functional properties. Furthermore, evaluation of the quality of developed bread was realized with blends at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% of quinoa flour. Chemical composition of supplemented flat bread was determined. Several properties on dough (water absorption, dough development time, stability time, elasticity, and extensibility) and their corresponding characteristics (loaf specific volume, baking loss, roundness, height, baking time, hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, resilience, gumminess, and chewiness) were then evaluated. The protein content in bread-based quinoa blends was significantly increased gradually with increasing the percentage of quinoa flour from 12.12±0.63% in control to 15.85±0.065% in 30% quinoa flour. Also, the amino acids content was increased with increasing the percentage of quinoa flour. Mineral contents in 30% quinoa flour blend such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc were higher than other ratios and control bread (100% wheat flour). Rheological properties of supplemented bread such as specific volume, appearance, crust and crumb texture, aroma-odor, and colour were evaluated and found to be excellent. Physicosensory characteristics of the bread fortified with quinoa flour were evaluated and the most of panelists accepted and preferred the bread supplemented with quinoa flour more than control. The obtained unique nutritional, physicochemical, and organoleptic characteristics of quinoa flour-based flat bread open a new promising prospect for utilization of quinoa flour in an industrial scale for treatment and/or prevention of malnutrition in developing counties.
Synthesis of ZnO/Polypyrrole Nanoring Composite as High-Performance Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Haipeng , Yang Shuang , Zhao Yan , Tan Taizhe , Wang Xin , Bakenov Zhumabay
Published: March 2019

ZnO has attracted considerable attention as electrode material in lithium-ion battery (LIB) due to its theoretically high capacity. However, poor electronic conductivity and huge volumetric changes during cycling limit its industrial applications. In this work, polypyrrole nanorings (PNRs) were successfully prepared via the solution chemistry method using pyrrole (Py) as raw material, ammonium persulfate (APS) as oxidant, and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The ZnO/PNR composite was synthesized with zinc oxide nanoparticles absorbed on the surface of PPy nanorings through the one-pot in situ sol-gel method. The composite shows a three-dimensional intertwined network structure where the size of polypyrrole nanorings ranges from 80 nm to 100 nm in diameter and the average size of uniformly distributed ZnO nanocrystals is 10.49 nm. The unique three-dimensional conductive framework can provide good electronic contact between the ZnO particles and buffer the volume variation during the lithiation/delithiation processes. As an electrode material for LIBs, the ZnO/PNR composite delivers a first cycle discharge capacity of 1658 mAh g-1 and a capacity retention of 50.7% over 150 cycles at 200 mA g-1, indicating high specific capacity and outstanding cycle stability.
Cancer as an Embryological Phenomenon and Its Developmental Pathways: A Hypothesis regarding the Contribution of the Noncanonical Wnt Pathway
Authors: Cofre Jaime , Saalfeld Kay , Abdelhay Eliana
Published: March 2019

For gastrulation to occur in human embryos, a mechanism that simultaneously regulates many different processes, such as cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion, is required to consistently and effectively create a human being during embryonic morphogenesis. The striking similarities in the processes of cancer and gastrulation have prompted speculation regarding the developmental pathways involved in their regulation. One of the fundamental requirements for the developmental pathways in gastrulation and cancer is the ability to respond to environmental stimuli, and it has been proposed that the Kaiso and noncanonical Wnt pathways participate in the mechanisms regulating these developmental pathways. In particular, these pathways might also explain the notable differences in invasive capacity between cancers of endodermal and mesodermal origins and cancers of ectodermal origin. Nevertheless, the available information indicates that cancer is an abnormal state of adult human cells in which developmental pathways are reactivated in inappropriate temporal and spatial contexts.
Brain Tissue Segmentation and Bias Field Correction of MR Image Based on Spatially Coherent FCM with Nonlocal Constraints
Authors: Song Jianhua , Zhang Zhe
Published: March 2019

Influenced by poor radio frequency field uniformity and gradient-driven eddy currents, intensity inhomogeneity (or bias field) and noise appear in brain magnetic resonance (MR) image. However, some traditional fuzzy c-means clustering algorithms with local spatial constraints often cannot obtain satisfactory segmentation performance. Therefore, an objective function based on spatial coherence for brain MR image segmentation and intensity inhomogeneity correction simultaneously is constructed in this paper. First, a novel similarity measure including local neighboring information is designed to improve the separability of MR data in Gaussian kernel mapping space without image smoothing, and the similarity measure incorporates the spatial distance and grayscale difference between cluster centroid and its neighborhood pixels. Second, the objective function with an adaptive nonlocal spatial regularization term is drawn upon to compensate the drawback of the local spatial information. Meanwhile, bias field information is also embedded into the similarity measure of clustering algorithm. From the comparison between the proposed algorithm and the state-of-the-art methods, our model is more robust to noise in the brain magnetic resonance image, and the bias field is also effectively estimated.
Characterization and Potential Antidiabetic Activity of Proanthocyanidins from the Barks of Acacia mangium and Larix gmelinii
Authors: Chen X. , Xiong J. , He Q. , Wang F.
Published: March 2019

Proanthocyanidins in ethanol extracts from the barks of Acacia mangium and Larix gmelinii were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography, MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, and HPLC/MS. The inhibitory effects of proanthocyanidins and acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of proanthocyanidins against carbolytic enzymes were also tested. A significant relationship between carbolytic enzymes inhibition and degree of polymerization was established, showing that the degree of polymerization is a major contributor to the biological activity of the proanthocyanidins from both types of woody plant bark. The results indicate that proanthocyanidins from the barks of A. mangium and L. gmelinii have potential antidiabetic properties.
Aerobic Degradation of Clothianidin to 2-Chloro-methyl Thiazole and Methyl 3-(Thiazole-yl) Methyl Guanidine Produced byPseudomonas stutzerismk
Authors: Parte Satish G. , Kharat Arun S.
Published: March 2019

Overuse of pesticides in agriculture may harm environmental and agricultural yields. Sustainable maintenance of soil fertility and management of the environment have become a concern due to the persistence of pesticides in the soil. Microbes have various mechanisms for the bioremediation of persistent organic pollutants from the environment. A bacterium that degrades clothianidin was isolated from the pesticide and applied to agricultural soil by the enrichment technique. The identity of the bacterium was determined by studying morphological, cultural, and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The ability to metabolize clothianidin was confirmed using UV-visible spectrophotometric, chromatographic, and spectroscopic analyses. A Gram-negative bacterium, designated smk, isolated from clothianidin-contaminated soil was confirmed to be a member ofPseudomonas stutzeri. The biodegradation of clothianidin was studied usingP. stutzerismk. Approximately 62% degradation of clothianidin was achieved within two weeks when grown at 30°C and pH 7. The effects of various physicochemical parameters, including pH, temperature, and clothianidin concentrations, on catabolic rates were studied. The biodegradation studies using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, HPLC, FTIR, and LC-MS indicated the production of the following metabolites: 2-chloro-5-methyl thiazole (CMT), methyl nitroguanidine (MNG), methyl 3-[thiazole-yl], and methyl guanidine (TMG). Identification of specific degradation metabolites indicates that bioremediation of toxic neonicotinoid insecticides may be achieved by application ofP. stutzerismk.