bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction Time of Three Wall Types Made of Locally Sourced Materials: A Comparative Study
Authors: Drozd Wojciech , Leśniak Agnieszka , Zaworski Sebastian
Published: March 2018

Similarly to any other industry, the construction sector puts emphasis on innovativeness, unconventional thinking, and alternative ideas. At present, when sustainable development, ecology, and awareness of people’s impact on the environment grow in importance, low impact buildings can become an innovative alternative construction technology for the highly industrialized construction sector. The paper presents a comparative study of three walls made of available materials used locally, which can be classified as biosourced materials, in terms of construction time. The comparison of times necessary to make 1 m2 of the wall allows us to decide which building technology is more advantageous in terms of the construction duration. A shorter construction time means lower labour costs and lower expenses for construction machines. In order to obtain answers to the questions posed, the authors made extensive searches of source data on the time‐consuming building works which used locally sourced materials. Reference is made to “Temporary principles of erecting clay buildings” issued by the Institute of Housing Construction in Warsaw (Poland). Three types of walls made of locally sourced materials were studied: a wall made of clay blocks insulated with mineral wool boards, a wall made of clay compacted in formwork, and one insulated with mineral wool boards and wooden frame structure filled with straw bales and cladded with fibreboards. The layers have been chosen in such a manner that heat transfer coefficient values for the studied variants are as equal as possible (0.2 W/m2 K), thus allowing a reliable comparative study.
Electroacupuncture Alleviates Pain Responses and Inflammation in a Rat Model of Acute Gout Arthritis
Authors: Chai Wenxin , Tai Yan , Shao Xiaomei , Liang Yi , Zheng Guo-qing , Wang Ping , Fang Jianqiao , Liu Boyi
Published: March 2018

Acute gout arthritis is one of the most painful inflammatory conditions. Treatments for gout pain are limited to colchicine, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroids, which oftentimes result in severe adverse effects. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been proved to be effective in relieving many inflammatory pain conditions with few side effects. Here, we aim to investigate the therapeutic potentials of EA on pain and inflammation of a rat model of acute gout arthritis and underlying mechanisms. We found that 2/100 Hz EA produced the most robust analgesic effect on mechanical hyperalgesia of acute gout arthritis rat model compared with 2 and 100 Hz. EA produced similar analgesic effect compared with indomethacin. 2/100 Hz EA also significantly alleviates the ongoing pain behavior, thermal hyperalgesia, and ankle edema. Locally applied μ and κ‐opioid receptor antagonists but not adenosine A1 receptor antagonist significantly abolished the analgesic effect of EA. Locally applied μ and κ‐opioid receptor agonists produced significant antiallodynia on acute gout arthritis rats, mimicking EA. Furthermore, 2/100 Hz EA upregulated β‐endorphin expression in inflamed ankle skin tissue. Our results demonstrated, for the first time, that EA can be used for relieving acute gout arthritis with effect dependent on peripheral opioid system and comparable with the one obtained with indomethacin.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Pulmonary Hypertension and Its Clinical Correlates: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Reis Abílio , Santos Mário , Vicente Margarida , Furtado Inês , Cruz Célia , Melo Alzira , Carvalho Luísa , Gonçalves Fabienne , Sa-Couto Pedro , Almeida Luís
Published: March 2018

Background. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment is common in pulmonary hypertension (PH), but its clinical predictors are not well established. This study aims to characterize the HRQoL of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and other precapillary forms of PH (pcPH) and to explore its clinical correlates. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional, observational study of patients with documented PAH and other forms of pcPH. Patients completed two patient-reported outcome measures (PROM): Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Clinical characteristics were retrieved from electronic medical records. Results. Mean CAMPHOR and NHP scores for the study population were indicative of a moderate HRQoL impairment. Patients in World Health Organisation Functional Classes (WHO FC) III/IV showed significantly worse HRQoL. The main clinical correlates of HRQoL were WHO FC, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), and Borg dyspnoea index. Overall quality of life (QoL), assessed through CAMPHOR’s QoL domain, showed patterns comparable to HRQoL measured by both instruments. Conclusions. HRQoL, measured by two different PROMs, is impaired in Portuguese patients with PAH and other forms of pcPH, particularly in patients with increased disease severity. WHO FC, 6MWD, and Borg dyspnoea index are highly correlated with HRQoL and QoL.
Ginsenoside Rg3 Suppresses Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma
Authors: Li Yi , Lu Jinying , Bai Furong , Xiao Yanan , Guo Yiran , Dong Ziming
Published: March 2018

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of bone in children and the elderly. Recently, more and more researches have demonstrated that Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) is involved in chemotherapy resistance in many cancer, making it a promising Chinese herbal monomer for oncotherapy. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of Rg3 in human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63, U-2OS, and SaOS-2). Cell proliferation was measured by CCK8 assay. The migration of cells was examined using the scratch assay method. Quantification of apoptosis was assessed further by flow cytometry. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related genes (caspase9, caspase3, Bcl2, and Bax) were investigated using RT-PCR. We further investigated the protein level expression of Bcl 2, cleaved-caspase3, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway factors by Western blot assay. Our results revealed that Rg3 inhibited the proliferation and migration of human osteosarcoma cells and induced apoptosis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Western blot results showed that Rg3 reduced the protein expression of Bcl2 and PI3K/AKT/mTORbut increased the levels of cleaved-caspase3. Therefore, we hypothesized Rg3 inhibits the proliferation of osteosarcoma cell line and induces their apoptosis by affecting apoptosis-related genes (Bcl2, caspase3) as well as the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. To conclude, Rg3 is a new therapeutic agent against osteosarcoma.
Association between Subclinical Low Serum 25(OH)D in Donors and Fatty Liver Disease in Recipients after Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Authors: Chiu King-Wah , Nakano Toshiaki , Hu Tsung-Hui , Chen Kuang-Den , Hsu Li-Wen , Eng Hock-Liew , Cheng Yu-Fan , Goto Shigeru , Chen Chao-Long
Published: March 2018

To explore subclinical fatty liver disease (FLD) in donors as a possible mechanism leading to FLD in recipients of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), we extracted thirty donor-recipient pairs’ serum DNA and explored the presence of CYP2R1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10741657 and vitamin D receptor (VDR) SNP rs2228530 A/G alleles using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We measured the serum 25(OH)D concentrations and investigated the CYP2R1 and VDR genotypes of the donors and recipients before and after LDLT for comparison with the histological findings from the donors on wedge biopsy, the recipients’ removed native liver, and selective liver biopsy after LDLT. There was a significant difference in low serum 25(OH)D concentration between the donors and recipients before LDLT and in the recipients before versus after LDLT (13.90±8.85 versus 47.9±14.88 versus 11.82±10.36, P<0.001), and significant difference in FLD was detected on wedge biopsy from the donors and the native liver from the recipients as well as the native liver and follow-up biopsy from the recipients (P<0.001). CYP2R1 and VDR genotype were predominant, both for the AG and for the GG alleles. For the donor VDR SNP rs2228570, low serum 25(OH)D was significantly different between genotypes AA and AG (P=0.024) as well as between genotypes AA and AG plus GG (P=0.042). Our data suggest that donors’ VDR rs2228570 AA alleles may play a major role in low serum 25(OH)D regarding pathological FLD in recipients after LDLT.
Digital Predistortion of Ultra‐Broadband mmWave Power Amplifiers with Limited Tx/Feedback Loop/Baseband Bandwidth
Authors: Yu Chao , Lu Qianyun , Sun Honglei , Wu Xingwang , Zhu Xiao-Wei
Published: March 2018

A novel digital predistortion (DPD) technique is proposed to linearize ultra‐broadband millimeter wave (mmWave) power amplifiers (PAs) by only employing very limited bandwidth resources for the Tx, feedback loop (FB), and baseband (BB). Compared to the conventional methods, the proposed method will comprehensively reduce the bandwidth requirements for the whole system, which will make the linearization affordable for mmWave PAs. To validate the proposed idea, a 4‐carrier 320 MHz modulated signal was employed to excite a mmWave PA with the center frequency of 41 GHz. Experimental results have proven that the proposed method can effectively realize the PA linearization with very narrow Tx/FB/BB bandwidth, which largely extends the capability of DPD to the forthcoming 5G era.
Analytical Solution and Application for One-Dimensional Consolidation of Tailings Dam
Authors: Liu Hai-ming , Nan Gan , Guo Wei , Yang Chun-he , Zhang Chao
Published: March 2018

The pore water pressure of tailings dam has a very great influence on the stability of tailings dam. Based on the assumption of one-dimensional consolidation and small strain, the partial differential equation of pore water pressure is deduced. The obtained differential equation can be simplified based on the parameters which are constants. According to the characteristics of the tailings dam, the pore water pressure of the tailings dam can be divided into the slope dam segment, dry beach segment, and artificial lake segment. The pore water pressure is obtained through solving the partial differential equation by separation variable method. On this basis, the dissipation and accumulation of pore water pressure of the upstream tailings dam are analyzed. The example of typical tailings is introduced to elaborate the applicability of the analytic solution. What is more, the application of pore water pressure in tailings dam is discussed. The research results have important scientific and engineering application value for the stability of tailings dam.
Vitamin D Status and Its Associated Risk Factors among Adults in the Southwest Region of Cameroon
Authors: Tangoh Delphine A. , Apinjoh Tobias O. , Mahmood Yasir , Nyingchu Robert V. , Tangunyi Beatrice A. , Nji Emmanuel N. , Azhar Abid , Achidi Eric A.
Published: March 2018

Background. Vitamin D has been shown to exert its actions on the musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, prostate, renal, endocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Current reported data of hypovitaminosis D reveals a global pandemic, with an estimated one billion people worldwide presenting with hypovitaminosis D. Objective. This study aimed at investigating the vitamin D status and its associated risk factors in Cameroonians from the South West Region. Method. The study was a community- and hospital-based prospective longitudinal study. It was carried out during the dry and rainy seasons between the months of July and December 2015 in the South West Region of Cameroon involving 372 participants aged 35 years and above. After obtaining informed consent, a structured questionnaire was used to capture demographic data and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency. Blood samples were collected from the volunteer participants in the peak months of the rainy season and dry season, and the serum used to analyse for vitamin D by ELISA and calcium by spectrophotometry. 25(OH)D levels ≥75 nmol/L (≥30 ng/mL) were considered sufficient while levels <75 nmol/L were considered as hypovitaminosis D (insufficiency/deficiency). Results. Hypovitaminosis D (deficiency/insufficiency) was prevalent in 25.8% (96) of the study population, with only 3.2% (12) deficiency and 22.6% (84) insufficiency. There was a significant inverse relationship r=−0.119,p=0.02 between age and 25(OH)D levels; however, this relationship was not significant when controlled for gender, number of hours spent outdoors, and percentage of body covered. Gender, ethnic origin, percentage of body covered, time spent outdoors, and season did not influence serum vitamin D levels. Conclusion. Results of this study suggest that the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is relatively low in this study population and only age is a risk factor of vitamin D deficiency.
Automatic Semantic Segmentation of Brain Gliomas from MRI Images Using a Deep Cascaded Neural Network
Authors: Cui Shaoguo , Mao Lei , Jiang Jingfeng , Liu Chang , Xiong Shuyu
Published: March 2018

Brain tumors can appear anywhere in the brain and have vastly different sizes and morphology. Additionally, these tumors are often diffused and poorly contrasted. Consequently, the segmentation of brain tumor and intratumor subregions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data with minimal human interventions remains a challenging task. In this paper, we present a novel fully automatic segmentation method from MRI data containing in vivo brain gliomas. This approach can not only localize the entire tumor region but can also accurately segment the intratumor structure. The proposed work was based on a cascaded deep learning convolutional neural network consisting of two subnetworks: (1) a tumor localization network (TLN) and (2) an intratumor classification network (ITCN). The TLN, a fully convolutional network (FCN) in conjunction with the transfer learning technology, was used to first process MRI data. The goal of the first subnetwork was to define the tumor region from an MRI slice. Then, the ITCN was used to label the defined tumor region into multiple subregions. Particularly, ITCN exploited a convolutional neural network (CNN) with deeper architecture and smaller kernel. The proposed approach was validated on multimodal brain tumor segmentation (BRATS 2015) datasets, which contain 220 high-grade glioma (HGG) and 54 low-grade glioma (LGG) cases. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), positive predictive value (PPV), and sensitivity were used as evaluation metrics. Our experimental results indicated that our method could obtain the promising segmentation results and had a faster segmentation speed. More specifically, the proposed method obtained comparable and overall better DSC values (0.89, 0.77, and 0.80) on the combined (HGG + LGG) testing set, as compared to other methods reported in the literature. Additionally, the proposed approach was able to complete a segmentation task at a rate of 1.54 seconds per slice.
Enucleation in a Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus)
Authors: Abraham Gabriel A. , Yee-Nin S. T. , Adamu Lawan , Hassan H. M. D. , Wahid A. H.
Published: March 2018

Trauma is a common problem in Cownose Ray during mating season in both wild and captive rays. Enucleation is indicated when there is an ocular trauma. A 5-year-old female Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) from Aquaria of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) was presented to University Veterinary Hospital (UVH), Universiti Putra Malaysia, with a complaint of protruding left eye, which resulted from crushing into artificial coral during mating season. There were a hyphema in the traumatic left eye, periorbital tissue tear, exposed left eye socket, and multiple abrasions on both pectoral fins. The Cownose was anaesthetized and maintained with isoeugenol and on-field emergency enucleation of the left eye was performed. It was managed medically with postoperative enrofloxacin, tobramycin ointment, and povidone iodine. No suture breakdown and secondary infection were observed at day 7 after enucleation during revisit. At day 24 after enucleation, the Cownose responded well to treatment with excellent healing progression and no surgical complication was observed.
Production of Nutritious Flour from Residue Custard Apple (Annona squamosa L.) for the Development of New Products
Authors: Souza Felipe Thiago Caldeira , Santos Elenilson Rivando , Silva Jeisiely da Cruz , Valentim Iara Barros , Rabelo Thalyta Christie Braga , Andrade Nicole Ranielly Farias de , Silva Leane Kellen de Souza
Published: March 2018

Currently, the fruit processing industry generates a high volume of waste in fruits that have not reached a quality standard for consumption or by-products generated throughout the production process. To reduce this waste, mitigating measures, such as reuse in food formulations, have been proposed. In this work the custard apple bagasse flour (Annona squamosa L.) (CAB) was produced and incorporated into cookie formulations in different proportions (5 to 50%) evaluating its acceptability. The CAB flour was characterized by physicochemical analysis, proximate composition, mineral analysis, determination of the phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity. The results of the physicochemical and proximate characterizations show that the processed flour presents values and specifications suitable for food formulations. The mineral composition of the CAB flour responds to more than 20% of the daily intake of nutrients, highlighting the Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ca, and Mg. The composition of phenolic compounds for CAB flour and cookies formulations presented values ranging from 200 to 658 mg GAE/100 g, similar to flour and formulations prepared of residues tropical fruit, while DPPH• inhibition showed a variation of 9.68–10.75%. Cookies made from the CAB flour showed high acceptability making the flour promising in the nutritional incorporation in food formulations.
Motor Imagery during Action Observation of Locomotor Tasks Improves Rehabilitation Outcome in Older Adults after Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Marusic Uros , Grosprêtre Sidney , Paravlic Armin , Kovač Simon , Pišot Rado , Taube Wolfgang
Published: March 2018

This study aimed at determining whether the combination of action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) of locomotor tasks could positively affect rehabilitation outcome after hip replacement surgery. Of initially 405 screened participants, 21 were randomly split into intervention group (N=10; mean age = 64 y; AO + MI of locomotor tasks: 30 min/day in the hospital, then 3×/week in their homes for two months) and control group (N=11, mean age = 63 y, active controls). The functional outcomes (Timed Up and Go, TUG; Four Step Square Test, FSST; and single- and dual-task gait and postural control) were measured before (PRE) and 2 months after surgery (POST). Significant interactions indicated better rehabilitation outcome for the intervention group as compared to the control group: at POST, the intervention group revealed faster TUG (p=0.042), FSST (p=0.004), and dual-task fast-paced gait speed (p=0.022), reduced swing-time variability (p=0.005), and enhanced cognitive performance during dual tasks while walking or balancing (p<0.05). In contrast, no changes were observed for body sway parameters (p≥0.229). These results demonstrate that AO + MI is efficient to improve motor-cognitive performance after hip surgery. Moreover, only parameters associated with locomotor activities improved whereas balance skills that were not part of the AO + MI intervention were not affected, demonstrating the specificity of training intervention. Overall, utilizing AO + MI during rehabilitation is advised, especially when physical practice is limited.
Lime‐Stabilized Black Cotton Soil and Brick Powder Mixture as Subbase Material
Authors: Srikanth Reddy S. , Prasad A. C. S. V. , Vamsi Krishna N.
Published: March 2018

Various researchers, for the past few decades, had tried to stabilize black cotton soil using lime for improving its shrinkage and swelling characteristics. But these days, the cost of lime has increased resulting in increase in need for alternative and cost effective waste materials such as fly ash and rice husk ash. Brick powder, one among the alternative materials, is a fine powdered waste that contains higher proportions of silica and is found near brick kilns in rural areas. The objective of the study is to investigate the use of lime‐stabilized black cotton soil and brick powder mixture as subbase material in flexible pavements. Black cotton soil procured from the local area, tested for suitability as subbase material, turned out to be unsuitable as it resulted in very less CBR value. Even lime stabilization of black cotton soil under study has not showed up the required CBR value specified for the subbase material of flexible pavement by MORTH. Hence the lime‐stabilized black cotton soil is proportioned with brick powder to obtain optimum mixture that yields a better CBR value. The mixture of 20% brick powder and 80% lime‐stabilized black cotton soil under study resulted in increase in the CBR value by about 135% in comparison with lime‐stabilized black cotton soil. Thus it is promising to use the mixture of brick powder and lime‐stabilized black cotton soil as subbase material in flexible pavements.
An Improved Particle Filter Algorithm for Geomagnetic Indoor Positioning
Authors: Huang He , Li Wei , Luo De An , Qiu Dong Wei , Gao Yang
Published: March 2018

Geomagnetic indoor positioning is an attractive indoor positioning technology due to its infrastructure-free feature. In the matching algorithm for geomagnetic indoor localization, the particle filter has been the most widely used. The algorithm however often suffers filtering divergence when there is continuous variation of the indoor magnetic distribution. The resampling step in the process of implementation would make the situation even worse, which directly lead to the loss of indoor positioning solution. Aiming at this problem, we have proposed an improved particle filter algorithm based on initial positioning error constraint, inspired by the Hausdorff distance measurement point set matching theory. Since the operating range of the particle filter cannot exceed the magnitude of the initial positioning error, it avoids the adverse effect of sampling particles with the same magnetic intensity but away from the target during the iteration process on the positioning system. The effectiveness and reliability of the improved algorithm are verified by experiments.
Earthquake Protection of Existing Structures with Limited Seismic Joint: Base Isolation with Supplemental Damping versus Rotational Inertia
Authors: De Domenico Dario , Ricciardi Giuseppe
Published: March 2018

Existing civil engineering structures having strategic importance, such as hospitals, fire stations, and power plants, often do not comply with seismic standards in force today, as they were designed and built based on past structural guidelines. On the other hand, due to their special importance, structural integrity of such buildings is of vital importance during and after earthquakes, which puts demands on strategies for their seismic protection. In this regard, seismic base isolation has been widely employed; however, the existing limited seismic joint between adjacent buildings may hamper this application because of the large displacements concentrated at the isolation floor. In this paper, we compare two possible remedies: the former is to provide supplemental damping in conventional base isolation systems and the latter consists in a combination of base isolation with supplemental rotational inertia. For the second strategy, a mechanical device, called inerter, is arranged in series with spring and dashpot elements to form the so‐called tuned‐mass‐damper‐inerter (TMDI) directly connected to an isolation floor. Several advantages of this second system as compared to the first one are outlined, especially with regard to the limitation of floor accelerations and interstory drifts, which may be an issue for nonstructural elements and equipment, in addition to disturbing occupants. Once the optimal design of the TMDI is established, possible implementation of this system into existing structures is discussed.
Bradycardia after Tube Thoracostomy for Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Authors: Fashola Yomi , Kaul Sanjeev , Finefrock Douglas
Published: March 2018

We present the case of an elderly patient who became bradycardic after chest tube insertion for spontaneous pneumothorax. Arrhythmia is a rare complication of tube thoracostomy. Unlike other reported cases of chest tube induced arrhythmias, the bradycardia in our patient responded to resuscitative measures without removal or repositioning of the tube. Our patient, who had COPD, presented with shortness of breath due to spontaneous pneumothorax. Moments after tube insertion, patient developed severe bradycardia that responded to Atropine. In patients requiring chest tube insertion, it is important to be prepared to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitative therapy in case the patient develops a life-threatening arrhythmia.
Efficacy of Mesoglycan in Pain Control after Excisional Hemorrhoidectomy: A Pilot Comparative Prospective Multicenter Study
Authors: Gallo Gaetano , Mistrangelo Massimiliano , Passera Roberto , Testa Valentina , Pozzo Mauro , Perinotti Roberto , Lanati Ivan , Lazzari Ivano , Tonello Paolo , Ugliono Elettra , De Luca Emilia , Realis Luc Alberto , Clerico Giuseppe , Trompetto Mario
Published: March 2018

Introduction. Various pain management strategies for patients undergoing open excisional hemorrhoidectomy have been proposed, yet postoperative pain remains a frequent complaint. Objective. To determine whether mesoglycan (30 mg two vials i.m. once/day for the first 5 days postoperative, followed by 50 mg 1 oral tablet twice/day for 30 days) would reduce the edema of the mucocutaneous bridges and thus improve postoperative pain symptoms. Patients and Methods. For this prospective observational multicenter study, 101 patients undergoing excisional diathermy hemorrhoidectomy for III-IV degree hemorrhoidal disease were enrolled at 5 colorectal referral centers. Patients were assigned to receive either mesoglycan (study group SG) or a recommended oral dose of ketorolac tromethamine of 10 mg every 4–6 hours, not exceeding 40 mg per day and not exceeding 5 postoperative days according to the indications for short-term management of moderate/severe acute postoperative pain, plus stool softeners (control group CG). Results. Postoperative thrombosis (SG 1/48 versus CG 5/45) (p<0.001) and pain after rectal examination (p<0.001) were significantly reduced at 7–10 days after surgery in the mesoglycan-treated group, permitting a faster return to work (p<0.001); however, in the same group, the incidence of postoperative bleeding, considered relevant when needing a readmission or an unexpected outpatient visit, was higher, possibly owing to the drug’s antithrombotic properties. Conclusions. The administration of mesoglycan after an open diathermy excisional hemorrhoidectomy can reduce postoperative thrombosis and pain at 7–10 days after surgery, permitting a faster return to normal activities.
Factor Analysis for Finding Invariant Neural Descriptors of Human Emotions
Authors: Pereira Vitor , Tavares Filipe , Mihaylova Petya , Mladenov Valeri , Georgieva Petia
Published: March 2018

A major challenge in decoding human emotions from electroencephalogram (EEG) data is finding representations that are invariant to inter‐ and intrasubject differences. Most of the previous studies are focused in building an individual discrimination model for every subject (subject dependent model). Building subject‐independent models is a harder problem due to the high data variability between different subjects and different experiments with the same subject. This paper explores, for the first time, the Factor Analysis as an efficient technique to extract temporal and spatial EEG features suitable to build brain‐computer interface for decoding human emotions across various subjects. Our findings show that early waves (temporal window of 200–400 ms after the stimulus onset) carry more information about the valence of the emotion. Also, spatial location of features, with a stronger impact on the emotional valence, occurs in the parietal and occipital regions of the brain. All discrimination models (NN, SVM, kNN, and RF) demonstrate better discrimination rate of the positive valence. These results match closely experimental psychology hypothesis that, during early periods after the stimulus presentation, the brain response—to images with highly positive valence—is stronger.
Electroporation with Cisplatin against Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer:In VitroStudy on Human Primary Cell Culture
Authors: Michel Olga , Kulbacka Julita , Saczko Jolanta , Mączyńska Justyna , Błasiak Piotr , Rossowska Joanna , Rzechonek Adam
Published: March 2018

Despite the rapid progression of cancer pharmacotherapy, the high drug resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) makes it one of the most lethal malignancies. Therefore, there are high expectations associated with experimental therapies, such as electrochemotherapy (ECT). This technique involves the application of short electric pulses to induce transitional permeabilization of the cellular membrane, thus enhancing drug molecules influx. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of electroporation with cisplatin (CisEP) on the primary culture of human PDA cells from lung metastases—their survival and stress response. Considering the growing importance of various research models, two established human PDA cell lines, EPP85-181P (sensitive to daunorubicin) and EPP85-181RDB (resistant to daunorubicin), were utilized as a reference control. Cisplatin revealed higher cytotoxicity towards established cell lines. Following CisEP application, we observed a significant decrease of cells viability in the primary culture model. After CisEP therapy, an increased immunoreactivity with SOD-2 and Casp-3 antibodies was noticed. In conclusion, we discovered that electroporation can enhance the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in pancreatic cancer cellsin vitro. This effect was evident for cells from the primary culture. The obtained results confirm the importance of primary cells models in studies on the efficacy of experimental cancer therapies.
Double Bolus Alteplase Therapy during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Cardiac Arrest due to Massive Pulmonary Embolism Guided by Focused Bedside Echocardiography
Authors: Mahboob Hafiz B. , Denney Bruce W.
Published: March 2018

Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) frequently leads to cardiac arrest (CA) which carries an extremely high mortality rate. Although available, randomized trials have not shown survival benefits from thrombolytic use. Thrombolytics however have been used successfully during resuscitation in clinical practice in multiple case reports and in retrospective studies. Recent resuscitation guidelines recommend using alteplase for PE related CA; however they do not offer a standardized treatment regimen. The most consistently applied approach is an intravenous bolus of 50 mg tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) early during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). There is no consensus on the subsequent dosing. We present a case in which two 50 mg boluses of t-PA were administered 20 minutes apart during CPR due to persistent hemodynamic compromise guided by bedside echocardiogram. The patient had an excellent outcome with normalization of cardiac function and no neurologic sequela. This case demonstrates the benefit of utilizing bedside echocardiography to guide administration of a second bolus of alteplase when there is persistent hemodynamic compromise despite achieving return of spontaneous circulation after the initial bolus, and there is evidence of persistent right ventricle dysfunction. Future trials are warranted to help establish guidelines for thrombolytic use in cardiac arrest to maximize safety and efficacy.
Linear and Weakly Nonlinear Instability of Shallow Mixing Layers with Variable Friction
Authors: Eglite Irina , Kolyshkin Andrei
Published: March 2018

Linear and weakly nonlinear instability of shallow mixing layers is analysed in the present paper. It is assumed that the resistance force varies in the transverse direction. Linear stability problem is solved numerically using collocation method. It is shown that the increase in the ratio of the friction coefficients in the main channel to that in the floodplain has a stabilizing influence on the flow. The amplitude evolution equation for the most unstable mode (the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation) is derived from the shallow water equations under the rigid‐lid assumption. Results of numerical calculations are presented.
Characterization of Volatile Compounds of Bulgur (Antep Type) Produced from Durum Wheat
Authors: Yousif Saad Ibrahim , Bayram Mustafa , Kesen Songul
Published: March 2018

Bulgur is enjoyed and rediscovered by many people as a stable food because of its color, flavor, aroma, texture, and nutritional and economical values. There is more than one type of bulgur overall the world according to production techniques and raw materials. The volatile compounds of bulgur have not been explored yet. In this study, Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy (GS-MS) methods were used to determine the volatile flavor compounds of bulgur (Antep type, produced from Durum wheat). Approaching studies were used and the results were optimized to determine the ideal conditions for the extraction and distinguish the compounds responsible for the flavor of bulgur. Approximately, 47 and 37 important volatile compounds were determined for Durum wheat and bulgur, respectively. The study showed that there was a great diversity of volatiles in bulgur produced using Durum wheat and Antep type production method. These can lead to a better understanding of the combination of compounds that give a unique flavor with more researches.
Antimicrobial Resistance Profile ofE. coliIsolated from Raw Cow Milk and Fresh Fruit Juice in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
Authors: Tadesse Haftay Abraha , Gidey Netsenet Berhe , Workelule Kidane , Hailu Hagos , Gidey Seyfe , Bsrat Abrha , Taddele Habtamu
Published: March 2018

Aim.Foodborne illnesses represent a public health problem in developed and developing countries. They cause great suffering and are transmitted directly or indirectly between animals and humans and circulate in the global environment. E. coliare among them, causing a major public health problem. The aim of this study was therefore to study the antimicrobial resistance profile ofE. colifrom raw cow milk and fruit juice.Materials and Methods.A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to June 2017 on 258 samples collected from milk shops(n=86), dairy farms(n=86), and fruit juice(n=86)in different subcities of Mekelle. Bacteriological procedures were used for isolation ofE. coliin the collected samples and for identification of the antimicrobial resistance profile.Result.The overall mean viable bacterial count and standard deviation of samples from milk shop, fruit juice, and dairy milk were found to be 8.86 ± 107, 7.2 ± 107, and 8.65 ± 107 CFU/ml and 33.87 ± 106, 6.68 ± 106, and 22.0 ± 106, respectively. Of the samples tested, 39 from milk shops (45.35%), 20 from fruit juice (23.26%), and 24 from dairy farms (27.91%) were found to be positive forE. coli.The isolatedE. coliwere highly resistant to ampicillin (70%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (60%), clindamycin (80%), erythromycin (60%), chloramphenicol (50%), and kanamycin (50%) and were found to be susceptible to some antibiotics like gentamicin (100%), norfloxacin (100%), tetracycline (60%), polymyxin B (90%), and ciprofloxacin (90%).Conclusion.The current study supports the finding that raw milk and fruit juice can be regarded as critical source of pathogenicE. coli.This supports the need for strict monitoring and the implementation of effective hygienic and biosecurity measures in the whole food chain of these products as well as a prudent use of antimicrobials.
Computational Study of Cold‐Formed‐Steel X‐Braced Shear Walls
Authors: Abu-Hamd Metwally , Abdel-Ghaffar Maheeb , El-Samman Basel
Published: March 2018

The aim of this paper was to present a verified finite element method that represents the full‐scale‐braced shear walls under seismic loads and to study their ductility. The models account for different types of material and geometric nonlinearities. The screws that connect the cold‐formed‐steel (CFS) studs, tracks, gusset plates, and braces are considered explicitly in the model. The deformation of the hold‐downs under the horizontal load is considered. The finite element program ANSYS (2012) is used to model and analyze the case studies. A parametric study is performed to investigate the response modification factor (R) of the CFS‐braced shear walls. The parametric study showed that the North American Specification is about 20% conservative in estimating the (R) factor.
Surgical Treatment of Eosinophilic Cystitis in Adults: A Report of Two Cases and a Literature Review
Authors: Rossanese Marta , Palumbo Vito , Sioletic Stefano , Crestani Alessandro , Giannarini Gianluca , Ficarra Vincenzo
Published: March 2018

Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare disease that presents with either urinary frequency, hematuria, suprapubic pain or urinary retention. Although benign, this entity may progress to diffuse bladder involvement with the need for surgical treatment. We report on 2 cases of advanced disease that required cystectomy with very complex lower urinary tract reconstruction, and review the literature of surgically treated cases.
Pioglitazone Confers Neuroprotection Against Ischemia-Induced Pyroptosis due to its Inhibitory Effects on HMGB-1/RAGE and Rac1/ROS Pathway by Activating PPAR-ɤ
Authors: Xia Pingping , Pan Yundan , Zhang Fan , Wang Na , Wang E , Guo Qulian , Ye Zhi
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Recent researches highlighted the protective potential of pioglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist, in the progression of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, there has been no study on the application of pioglitazone in treating ischemic stroke through mechanisms involving pyroptosis. Methods: The cerebral injury was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). in vitro ischemia in primary cultured astrocytes was induced by the oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). ELISA and Western Blot analysis were employed to the levels of PPAR-γ, pyroptosis-related biomarkers and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB-1 and RAGE expression as well as Rac1 activity, respectively. Results: We demonstrated that repeated intraperitoneal administration of pioglitazone remarkably reduced the infarct volume, improved neurological deficits and suppressed the Rac1 activity with significant reduction of excessive ROS in rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Moreover, pioglitazone alleviated the up-regulation of pyroptosis-related biomarkers and the increased cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB-1 and RAGE expression in cerebral penumbra cortex. Similarly, the protective effects of pioglitazone on cultured astrocytes were characterized by reduced Rac1 activity, pyroptosis related protein expressions and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. However, these protective effects of pioglitazone were neutralized with the use of GW9662, a PPAR-γ inhibitor. Interestingly, Rac1 knockdown in lentivirus with the Rac1 small hair RNA (shRNA) could inhibit the OGD-induced pyroptosis of primary cultured astrocytes. Furthermore, the combination of Rac1-shRNA and pioglitazone can further strengthen the inhibitory effects on pyroptosis induced by OGD. Conclusion: The neuroprotection of pioglitazone was attributable to the alleviated ischemia/hypoxia-induced pyroptosis and was also associated with the PPARγ-mediated suppression of HGMB-1/RAGE signaling pathway. Moreover, the inhibition of Rac1 promoted this function.
High Glucose-Induced Podocyte Injury Involves Activation of Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress
Authors: Lei Jie , Zhao Lei , Zhang Yujing , Wu Yanfeng , Liu Yanbo
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: The mechanisms by which high glucose (HG) results in podocyte damage remains unclear. We investigated the potential role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mTOR signaling in HG injured podocyte. Methods: In cultured mouse podocytes, cellular apoptosis was assessed using FITC-Annexin V and propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry analysis. Apoptosis-related proteins as well as the ER stress and the mTOR signals were evaluated using immunoblot assay. Results: Compared to normal glucose (NG) and osmotic mannitol (MN) control, the percentage of apoptotic cells was increased significantly in HG-treated podocytes. The levels of CHOP, Grp78, phospho-PERKThr982, and caspase-12 were increased significantly following HG treatment. The downstream effects of ER stress were obtained in HG-treated podocytes, showing upregulation of Bax, Bak and cytochrome c, and downregulation of Bcl-2. HG-induced increase of cytochrome c, Bax and active caspase-3 was prevented by both ER inhibitor sodium 4-phenylbultyrate (PBA) and CHOP siRNA (siCHOP). PBA and CHOP knockdown remarkably decreased HG-induced apoptosis. In addition, the levels of phospho-mTORSer2448 and phospho- p70S6kThr389 as well as phospho-AMPKα (a sensor of energy consumption) were increased significantly in HG-treated cells. Moreover, the Erk inhibitor U0126 prevented HG-induced mTOR activation. Increased phospho-AMPKα, CHOP and Grp78 as well as cellular apoptosis were prevented by mTOR inhibitor rapamycin in HG-treated podocytes. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that the activated mTOR by Erk1/2 results in energy consumption, which in turn leads to ER stress signaling and thus induces apoptosis in HG-treated podocytes.
Clinical Significance of Retinoic Acid Receptor Beta Promoter Methylation in Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Dou MengMeng , Zhou XueLiang , Fan ZhiRui , Ding XianFei , Li LiFeng , Wang ShuLing , Xue Wenhua , Wang Hui , Suo Zhenhe , Deng XiaoMing
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR beta) is a retinoic acid receptor gene that has been shown to play key roles during multiple cancer processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. Numerous studies have found that methylation of the RAR beta promoter contributed to the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. However, the connection between RAR beta promoter methylation and prostate cancer (PCa) remains unknown. This meta-analysis evaluated the clinical significance of RAR beta promoter methylation in PCa. Materials and Methods: We searched all published records relevant to RAR beta and PCa in a series of databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ISI Web of Science and CNKI. The rates of RAR beta promoter methylation in the PCa and control groups (including benign prostatic hyperplasia and normal prostate tissues) were summarized. In addition, we evaluated the source region of available samples and the methods used to detect methylation. To compare the incidence and variation in RAR beta promoter methylation in PCa and non-PCa tissues, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated accordingly. All the data were analyzed with the statistical software STATA 12.0. Results: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles assessing 1,339 samples were further analyzed. These data showed that the RAR beta promoter methylation rates in PCa tissues were significantly higher than the rates in the non-PCa group (OR=21.65, 95% CI: 9.27-50.57). Subgroup analysis according to the source region of samples showed that heterogeneity in Asia was small (I2=0.0%, P=0.430). Additional subgroup analysis based on the method used to detect RAR beta promoter methylation showed that the heterogeneity detected by MSP (methylation-specific PCR) was relatively small (I2=11.3%, P=0.343). Conclusion: Although studies reported different rates for RAR beta promoter methylation in PCa tissues, the total analysis demonstrated that RAR beta promoter methylation may be correlated with PCa carcinogenesis and that the RAR beta gene is particularly susceptible. Additional studies with sufficient data are essential to further evaluate the clinical features and prognostic utility of RAR beta promoter methylation in PCa.
“The Shanghai Mint and U.S.–China Monetary Interactions, 1920–1933”
Authors: Dean Austin
Published: March 2018

This article uses primary sources from China, Taiwan, and the United States to chronicle the history of the Shanghai Mint and u.s.–China monetary interactions during the 1920s and early 1930s. It focuses on the period immediately preceding the well-known Silver Purchase Act of 1934 and the Nationalist government’s decision to abandon the silver standard in favor of a managed currency, the fabi, in November 1935. The article highlights the importance of u.s. advisors, particularly mint technician Clifford Hewitt and Princeton University professor Edwin Kemmerer, in debates about whether China should adopt the gold-exchange standard or stay on the silver standard, as well as their role in the elimination of the silver tael (liang) as a unit of account. The article demonstrates the long-standing interest of the United States in Chinese currency reform and shows how, in the 1920s, this interest often manifested itself in the interactions between Chinese officials and conduits like Hewitt and Kemmerer, rather than monetary missions that the u.s. Congress approved as had been the case in the early 1900s. Finally, the article traces the goals of successive Chinese governments to exercise more control over the currency of modern China and the role of u.s. advisors in that process.
Young Citizens, Social Media, and the Dynamics of Political Learning in the U.S. Presidential Primary Election
Authors: Edgerly Stephanie , Thorson Kjerstin , Wells Chris
Published: March 2018

This study explores political learning among young adults during the 2016 U.S. presidential primary elections. We are interested in how the rise of digital and social media is affecting the ways young adults learn about political events as they happen. Using a rolling cross-section survey design, we surveyed a unique sample of American young adults every day for a period of 3 weeks. This method allows us to ask participants about breaking news events as they occur, and to connect knowledge of current events to self-report of media use during a very short time period. We examine the relationship between media exposure and political learning using both self-report media exposure measures and measures of the volume of attention to political events in the news media and via social sharing of news on Facebook. Results suggest that social media volume, not self-reports of exposure, was key in providing young adults with the opportunities to learn about politics during the 2016 U.S. primary season.
Sanctuary for Immigrants and Refugees in Our Legal and Ethical Wilderness
Authors: Beck Chad Thomas
Published: March 2018

Examining the “cities of refuge” in Numbers 35:9–28 and other key passages in the Torah, this essay argues that the social ethics in these passages point towards mercy and sanctuary for immigrants and refugees facing deportation. Ethical injunctions in the Hebrew Bible to welcome the resident alien and modern sanctuary movements are analyzed in relation to contemporary immigration issues. Like the wilderness generation of Numbers, immigrants and citizens wrestle with legal and ethical dilemmas that highlight the relevance of pivotal biblical texts for communities and churches.