bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of gamification strategies and tactics in mobile applications for smoking cessation: a review of the UK mobile app market
Authors: Rajani Nikita B , Weth Dominik , Mastellos Nikolaos , Filippidis Filippos T
Published: June 2019

Objective

Mobile phone-based interventions have been proven to be effective tools for smoking cessation, at least in the short term. Gamification, that is, the use of game-design elements in a non-game context, has been associated with increased engagement and motivation, critical success factors for long-term success of mobile Health solutions. However, to date, no app review has examined the use of gamification in smoking cessation mobile apps. Our review aims to examine and quantify the use of gamification strategies (broad principles) and tactics (on-screen features) among existing mobile apps for smoking cessation in the UK.

Methods

The UK Android and iOS markets were searched in February 2018 to identify smoking cessation apps. 125 Android and 15 iOS apps were tested independently by two reviewers for primary functionalities, adherence to Five A smoking cessation guidelines, and adoption of gamification strategies and tactics. We examined differences between platforms with χ2tests. Correlation coefficients were calculated to explore the relationship between adherence to guidelines and gamification.

Results

The most common functionality of the 140 mobile apps we reviewed allowed users to track the days since/until the quit date (86.4%). The most popular gamification strategy across both platforms was performance feedback (91.4%). The majority of apps adopted a medium level of gamification strategies (55.0%) and tactics (64.3%). Few adopted high levels of gamification strategies (6.4%) or tactics (5.0%). No statistically significant differences between the two platforms were found regarding level of gamification (p>0.05) and weak correlations were found between adherence to Five A’s and gamification strategies (r=0.38) and tactics (r=0.26).

Conclusion

The findings of this review show that a high level of gamification is adopted by a small minority of smoking cessation apps in the UK. Further exploration of the use of gamification in smoking cessation apps may provide insights into its role in smoking cessation.
Association between tobacco control policies and current smoking across different occupational groups in the EU between 2009 and 2017
Authors: So Vivian HT , Best Catherine , Currie Dorothy , Haw Sally
Published: June 2019

Background

This study investigated the cross-national and longitudinal associations between national tobacco control policies and current smoking in 28 European Union (EU) member states between 2009 and 2017. It also examined the interaction between tobacco control policies and occupational status.

Methods

We used data from four waves of Eurobarometer (2009, 2012, 2014 and 2017). The total sample size was 105 231 individuals aged ≥15 years. Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) scores (range 0 to 100) for years 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2014 measured the strength of country-level tobacco control policies. Logistic multilevel regression analyses with three levels (the individual, the country-year and the country) were performed with current smoker as the dependent variable.

Results

Across the EU, average smoking prevalence fell from 29.4% (95% CI 28.5% to 30.2%) in 2009 to 26.3% (95% CI 25.4% to 27.1%) in 2017. We confirmed that cross-nationally, strong national tobacco control policies are significantly associated with a low probability of smoking. A one-point increase in TCS score was associated with lower odds of smoking (OR=0.990; 95% CI 0.983 to 0.998), but longitudinally (within-country) increases in TCS were not associated with current smoking (OR=0.999; 95% CI 0.994 to 1.005). Compared with those in manual occupations, the cross-national association was stronger in the upper occupational group (conditional OR for the interaction=0.985; 95% CI 0.978 to 0.992) and weaker in the economically inactive group (conditional OR for the interaction=1.009; 95% CI 1.005 to 1.013).

Conclusion

Differences in tobacco control policies between countries were associated with the probability of smoking but the changes in TCS within countries over time were not. Differences between countries in tobacco control policies were found to be most strongly associated with the likelihood of smoking in the highest occupational groups and were found to have only a weak association with smoking among the economically inactive in this sample.
Genetic characteristics of retinitis pigmentosa in 1204 Japanese patients
Authors: Koyanagi Yoshito , Akiyama Masato , Nishiguchi Koji M , Momozawa Yukihide , Kamatani Yoichiro , Takata Sadaaki , Inai Chihiro , Iwasaki Yusuke , Kumano Mikako , Murakami Yusuke , Omodaka Kazuko , Abe Toshiaki , Komori Shiori , Gao Dan , Hirakata Toshiaki , Kurata Kentaro , Hosono Katsuhiro , Ueno Shinji , Hotta Yoshihiro , Murakami Akira , Terasaki Hiroko , Wada Yuko , Nakazawa Toru , Ishibashi Tatsuro , Ikeda Yasuhiro , Kubo Michiaki , Sonoda Koh-Hei
Published: June 2019

Background

The genetic profile of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in East Asian populations has not been well characterised. Therefore, we conducted a large-scale sequencing study to investigate the genes and variants causing RP in a Japanese population.

Methods

A total of 1209 Japanese patients diagnosed with typical RP were enrolled. We performed deep resequencing of 83 known causative genes of RP using next-generation sequencing. We defined pathogenic variants as those that were putatively deleterious or registered as pathogenic in the Human Gene Mutation Database or ClinVar database and had a minor allele frequency in any ethnic population of ≤0.5% for recessive genes or ≤0.01% for dominant genes as determined using population-based databases.

Results

We successfully sequenced 1204 patients with RP and determined 200 pathogenic variants in 38 genes as the cause of RP in 356 patients (29.6%). Variants in six genes (EYS, USH2A, RP1L1, RHO, RP1 and RPGR) caused RP in 65.4% (233/356) of those patients. Among autosomal recessive genes, two known founder variants in EYS [p.(Ser1653fs) and p.(Tyr2935*)] and four East Asian-specific variants [p.(Gly2752Arg) in USH2A, p.(Arg658*) in RP1L1, p.(Gly2186Glu) in EYS and p.(Ile535Asn) in PDE6B] and p.(Cys934Trp) in USH2A were found in ≥10 patients. Among autosomal dominant genes, four pathogenic variants [p.(Pro347Leu) in RHO, p.(Arg872fs) in RP1, p.(Arg41Trp) in CRX and p.(Gly381fs) in PRPF31] were found in ≥4 patients, while these variants were unreported or extremely rare in both East Asian and non-East Asian population-based databases.

Conclusions

East Asian-specific variants in causative genes were the major causes of RP in the Japanese population.
Successful implementation of an appendectomy process improvement protocol
Authors: Bradley Matthew , Kindvall Angela , Logan Judy , Bailey Jeffrey , Elster Eric , Rodriguez Carlos
Published: June 2019

Background

A key component of a process improvement program is the institution of hospital-specific protocols to address certain disparities and streamline patient care. In that regard, we evaluated the implementation of an outpatient laparoscopic appendectomy (OLA) protocol at a tertiary military hospital. We hypothesized that OLA would reduce length of stay (LOS) without increasing complications.

Methods

In August 2016, our institution implemented an OLA protocol—defined as discharge within 24 hours of surgery. Exclusion criteria included age <18 years old, grade 4 or 5 appendicitis, immunosuppression, current pregnancy, and no supervision during the first 24 hours postdischarge. To determine OLA’s effect on LOS, analysis of variance was used to perform a comparison between the years 2014 and 2017. Successful outpatient appendectomies were recorded preprotocol and postprotocol, as well as readmission complications.

Results

In 2017, the first full year of protocol implementation, 44 of 59 (75%) patients met the inclusion criteria, and all but 2 (42 of 44, 95%) stayed for less than 24 hours. Of the two outliers, one developed acute on chronic kidney disease and one had a slow return of bowel function following grade 3 appendicitis. Complications were low across all years (one per year). In 2017, the readmission was for percutaneous drainage of an abscess. Overall, protocol implementation produced a significant decrease in LOS.

Discussion

OLA protocol decreased LOS at a military hospital and should be expanded to other department of defense (DoD) facilities. Further research is needed to identify cost benefit to the military health system.

Level of evidence

III.
Periodic fluctuations in recruitment success of Atlantic cod
Authors: Rindorf Anna , Cadigan Noel , Howell Daniel , Eero Margit , Gislason Henrik
Published: June 2019

Autocorrelation in recruitment success of fish is frequently reported, but the underlying mechanisms are generally only vaguely alluded to. We analysed recruitment success of 21 cod (Gadus morhua) stocks in the North Atlantic to investigate possible common causes of autocorrelation in recruitment. We found autocorrelation and periodic fluctuations in recruitment success and adult growth in just above half of the stocks considered and investigated six possible underlying mechanisms. With three exceptions, the variations in recruitment success were not significantly related to temperature or growth anomalies, indicating that the variation was not caused by temperature-dependent survival or growth-dependent spawning products. Further, a link between recruitment and subsequent spawning biomass could not explain the observed recruitment patterns. Slow-growing cod stocks tended to exhibit longer cycles and positive autocorrelations consistent with dilution of predation mortality by adjacent large year classes or age reading errors, whereas fast-growing cod stocks showed shorter cycles and no significant autocorrelation at lag 1. Both types exhibited significant negative autocorrelations consistent with cannibalism at one or more lags greater than lag 1.
Comparing the performance of three data-weighting methods when allowing for time-varying selectivity
Authors: Xu Haikun , Thorson James T. , Methot Richard D.
Published: June 2019

How to properly weight composition data is an important ongoing research topic for fisheries stock assessments, and multiple methods for weighting composition data have been developed. Although several studies indicated that properly accounting for time-varying selectivity can reduce estimation biases in population biomass and management-related quantities, no study to date has compared the performance of widely used data-weighting methods when allowing for time-varying selectivity. Here, we conducted four simulation experiments on this topic, aiming to provide guidance on weighting age-composition data given time-varying selectivity. The first simulation experiment showed that over-weighting should be avoided in general and even when estimating time-varying selectivity. The second simulation experiment compared three data-weighting methods (McAllister–Ianelli, Francis, and Dirichlet-multinomial), within which the Dirichlet-multinomial method outperformed the other two methods when selectivity is time-varying. The third and fourth simulation experiments further showed that given time-varying selectivity, the Dirichlet-multinomial method still performed well when age-composition data were over-dispersed and when the level of selectivity variation needed to be simultaneously estimated. Our simulation results support using the Dirichlet-multinomial method when estimating time-varying fishery selectivity. Also, the simulations suggest that improving stock assessments by accounting for time-varying selectivity requires simultaneously addressing data weighting and time-varying selectivity.
Forage yield, nutritive value, and ensilability of sweet pearl millet and sweet sorghum in five Canadian ecozones
Authors: Alix Hugo , Tremblay Gaëtan F. , Chantigny Martin H. , Bélanger Gilles , Seguin Philippe , Fuller Keith D. , Bittman Shabtai , Hunt Derek , Larney Francis J. , Acharya Surya N. , Vanasse Anne
Published: June 2019

Sweet pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] and sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], previously tested for ethanol production, were evaluated as high sugar crops for animal feeds to possibly replace silage corn (Zea mays L.). We compared the forage yield, nutritive value, and ensilability of one hybrid of sweet pearl millet and two of sweet sorghum to a locally adapted silage corn hybrid in five Canadian ecozones. Forage yields of sweet pearl millet and sorghum were similar to that of silage corn in the Boreal Shield, Mixedwood Plain, and Atlantic Maritime ecozones, greater in the Prairies, and lower in the Pacific Maritime ecozone. Across sites, forage dry matter concentration was less for sweet pearl millet (289 g kg−1) and sweet sorghum (245 g kg−1) than for silage corn (331 g kg−1). Sweet pearl millet had a lower total digestible nutrient (TDN) concentration (452 g kg−1 DM) and aNDF digestibility (NDFd) than sweet sorghum and silage corn along with greater neutral detergent fibre (aNDF) and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations than silage corn. Sweet sorghum had greater aNDF and WSC, lower starch, and similar TDN (534 g kg−1 DM) concentrations, but greater NDFd compared with silage corn. Sweet pearl millet and sorghum fermented as well as silage corn, reaching low pH values and acceptable concentrations of lactic and volatile fatty acids. Sweet sorghum is therefore a viable alternative to silage corn in Canada except in the Pacific Maritime ecozone, but early-maturing hybrids with acceptable DM concentration at harvest are required.
A hybrid fuzzy quantum time series and linear programming model: Special application on TAIEX index dataset
Authors: Singh Pritpal , Dhiman Gaurav , Guo Sen , Maini Ritika , Kaur Harsimran , Kaur Amandeep , Kaur Harmanpreet , Singh Jaswinder , Singh Napinder
Published: June 2019

The supremacy of quantum approach is able to provide the solutions which are not practically feasible on classical machines. This paper introduces a novel quantum model for time series data which depends on the appropriate length of intervals. In this study, the effects of these drawbacks are elaborately illustrated, and some significant measures to remove them are suggested, such as use of degree of membership along with mid-value of the interval. All these improvements signify the effective results in case of quantum time series, which are verified and validated with real-time datasets.
WKB and “cubic-WKB” methods as an adiabatic approximation
Authors: Iida Shinji
Published: June 2019

This paper shows that WKB wave function can be expressed in the form of an adiabatic expansion. To build a bridge between two widely invoked approximation schemes seems pedagogically instructive. Further, “cubic-WKB” method that has been devised in order to overcome the divergence problem of WKB can be also presented in the form of an adiabatic approximation: The adiabatic expansion of a wave function contains a certain parameter. When this parameter is adjusted so as to make the next order correction vanish approximately, the adiabatic wave function becomes equivalent to that of the “cubic-WKB”.
Ab initio calculations of Li2(Co, Mn)O8 solid solutions for rechargeable batteries
Authors: Eglitis Roberts
Published: June 2019

Current commercially available rechargeable Li-ion batteries, for example LiCoO2, are working mostly in the 4 V regime. One often suggested possibility to improve the effectivity of Li-ion batteries are the creation of the 5 V cathode materials. We performed quantum mechanical calculations on the average battery voltage for the Li2Co[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]O8 (x = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) cathode materials by means of the WIEN2k computer program package. The calculated average battery voltages for x = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are equal to 3.95, 5, 4.47, 4.19 and 3.99 V. Our ab initio calculation results are compared with the available experimental data for x = 0, 1, 2 and 4 which are equal to 4, 5, 5 and 4 V. Thereby, for the Li2Co1Mn3O8 battery cathode material, our calculated average battery voltage around 5 V is in perfect agreement with the experimentally available battery voltage value of 5 Volt. Nevertheless, our calculated average battery voltage is underestimated (4.47 V) for the Li2Co2Mn2O8 cathode material, which also experimentally exhibits the 5 V voltage.
Secondary signal-induced large-parameter stochastic resonance for feature extraction of mechanical faults
Authors: Liu Yunjiang , Wang Fuzhong , Liu Lu , Zhu Yamin
Published: June 2019

Aiming to solve the problem that it is difficult to extract large parameter signals from a strong noise background, a novel method of large parameter stochastic resonance (SR) induced by a secondary signal is proposed. The SR mechanism of high-frequency signals is expounded by analyzing the density distribution curve. High-frequency signals are converted to low-frequency signals using the scale transformation method, and then large-parameter SR is induced by the secondary signal. Ultimately, the method is applied to the feature extraction of mechanical faults. Simulation and experimental results indicate that (i) the effect of SR induced by the secondary signal is significantly enhanced when the frequency of the secondary signal is twice that of the signals to be detected after the scale transformation; (ii) when the frequency of secondary signal is twice the maximum frequency of the signals to be detected after the scale transformation, choosing an appropriate amplitude of secondary signal can alleviate the problem that the noise energy is excessively concentrated in the low-frequency channel with regard to the extraction of two-frequency or three-frequency high-frequency signals; and (iii) by adding the secondary signal to the engineering example, the fault power spectrum value of system output is 101% higher than that without the secondary signal.
A Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization Based on Grid Distance
Authors: Leng Rui , Ouyang Aijia , Liu Yanmin , Yuan Lian , Wu Zongyue
Published: June 2019

In modern intelligent algorithms and real-industrial applications, there are many fields involving multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithms, but the conflict between each objective in the optimization process will easily lead to the algorithm falling into local optimal. In order to prevent the algorithm from quickly falling into local optimization and improve the robustness of the algorithm, a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm based on grid distance (GDMOPSO) was proposed, which has to improve the diversity of the algorithm and the search ability. Based on the MOPSO algorithm, a new external archive control strategy was established by using the grid technology and Pareto-dominant ordering principle, and the learning samples were improved. The proposed GDMOPSO is compared with a group of benchmark function tests and four classical algorithms. The results of experiment show that our proposed algorithm can effectively avoid premature convergence in terms of generational distance and hyper-volume (HV) indicator compared with other four classical MOPSO algorithms.
Universe with wet dark fluid: A dynamical systems approach
Authors: Angit S. , Raushan Rakesh , Chaubey R.
Published: June 2019

We investigate the dynamical systems analysis of Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) cosmological model with wet dark fluid. A new equation of state for the dark energy component of the Universe has been used. It is modeled by the equation of state [Formula: see text], which can describe a liquid, e.g. water. To analyze the evolution equations, we have introduced suitable transformation of variables. The evolution of corresponding solutions is presented by curves in the phase–plane diagram. The nature of critical points are analyzed and stable attractors are examined for our cosmological model. We determine the classical stabilities of these cosmologies. We also examine the transition of early decelerating stage of the Universe to present the accelerating stage of the Universe.
Leveraging Additional Resources for Improving Statistical Machine Translation on Asian Low-Resource Languages
Authors: Trieu Hai-Long , Tran Duc-Vu , Ittoo Ashwin , Nguyen Le-Minh
Published: June 2019

Phrase-based machine translation (MT) systems require large bilingual corpora for training. Nevertheless, such large bilingual corpora are unavailable for most language pairs in the world, causing a bottleneck for the development of MT. For the Asian language pairs—Japanese, Indonesian, Malay paired with Vietnamese—they are also not excluded from the case, in which there are no large bilingual corpora on these low-resource language pairs. Furthermore, although the languages are widely used in the world, there is no prior work on MT, which causes an issue for the development of MT on these languages. In this article, we conducted an empirical study of leveraging additional resources to improve MT for the Asian low-resource language pairs: translation from Japanese, Indonesian, and Malay to Vietnamese. We propose an innovative approach that lies in two strategies of building bilingual corpora from comparable data and phrase pivot translation on existing bilingual corpora of the languages paired with English. Bilingual corpora were built from Wikipedia bilingual titles to enhance bilingual data for the low-resource languages. Additionally, we introduced a combined model of the additional resources to create an effective solution to improve MT on the Asian low-resource languages. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our systems with the improvement of +2 to +7 BLEU points. This work contributes to the development of MT on low-resource languages, especially opening a promising direction for the progress of MT on the Asian language pairs.
Rethinking Technologies for Behavior Change
Authors: Rapp Amon , Tirassa Maurizio , Tirabeni Lia
Published: June 2019

Human-Computer Interaction researchers are increasingly designing technologies aimed at supporting “behavior change.” The model of change, which most of these works embrace, focuses on the idea that change occurs on the behavioral level and that it is externalistic, monistic, mechanistic, fragmented, and episodic. We think that a different take, focusing on the internal aspects of change, may integrate and extend what has been done using this behavioral model. We conducted 20 interviews exploring how individuals live, account for, and manage life changes. Then, we outlined five tentative patterns we identified across different kinds of changes reported by the interviewees, pointing out that change might be internalistic, multiple, intentional, holistic, and continuous. This led us to propose a set of design considerations for the evolution of the current behavior change technologies. Finally, we suggested some preliminary lines of future research, which aim to open the design space of technologies for change.
Objects with Intent
Authors: Rozendaal Marco C. , Boon Boudewijn , Kaptelinin Victor
Published: June 2019

In HCI there is an increasing trend to approach computing artifacts as agents. In this article, we make a case for “Objects with Intent” (OwI's) as an emerging type of agents that take advantage of the meaning of everyday things as the site for their intelligence and agency. After reviewing relevant existing research in HCI and related fields, we demonstrate how OwI's provide a new perspective on human–agent interaction. We then elaborate on how the notion of OwI's is informed by Dennett's theory of intentionality and Leontiev's Activity Theory. Thereafter, we illustrate the application of OwI's through the design case of Fizzy, a robotic ball used to stimulate hospitalized children to engage in physical play. We end by discussing the nature and merit of OwI's and reflecting more broadly on the challenges involved in designing OwI's.
On Realistic Target Coverage by Autonomous Drones
Authors: Saeed Ahmed , Abdelkader Ahmed , Khan Mouhyemen , Neishaboori Azin , Harras Khaled A. , Mohamed Amr
Published: June 2019

Low-cost mini-drones with advanced sensing and maneuverability enable a new class of intelligent sensing systems. To achieve the full potential of such drones, it is necessary to develop new enhanced formulations of both common and emerging sensing scenarios. Namely, several fundamental challenges in visual sensing are yet to be solved including (1) fitting sizable targets in camera frames; (2) positioning cameras at effective viewpoints matching target poses; and (3) accounting for occlusion by elements in the environment, including other targets. In this article, we introduce Argus, an autonomous system that utilizes drones to collect target information incrementally through a two-tier architecture. To tackle the stated challenges, Argus employs a novel geometric model that captures both target shapes and coverage constraints. Recognizing drones as the scarcest resource, Argus aims to minimize the number of drones required to cover a set of targets. We prove this problem is NP-hard, and even hard to approximate, before deriving a best-possible approximation algorithm along with a competitive sampling heuristic which runs up to 100× faster according to large-scale simulations. To test Argus in action, we demonstrate and analyze its performance on a prototype implementation. Finally, we present a number of extensions to accommodate more application requirements and highlight some open problems.
Alterations of skeletal muscle bioenergetics in a mouse with F508del mutation leading to a cystic fibrosis-like condition
Authors: Lai Nicola , Kummitha Chinna , Drumm Mitchell , Hoppel Charles
Published: June 2019

High energy expenditure is reported in cystic fibrosis (CF) animal models and patients. Alterations in skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, fuel utilization, and the creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system suggest mitochondrial dysfunction. Studies were performed on congenic C57BL/6J and F508del ( Cftrtm1kth) mice. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure gas exchange to evaluate aerobic capacity during treadmill exercise. The bioenergetic function of skeletal muscle subsarcolemmal (SSM) and interfibrillar mitochondria (IFM) was evaluated using an integrated approach combining measurement of the rate of oxidative phosphorylation by polarography and of electron transport chain activities by spectrophotometry. CF mice have reduced maximal aerobic capacity. In SSM of these mice, oxidative phosphorylation was impaired in the presence of complex I, II, III, and IV substrates except when glutamate was used as substrate. This impairment appeared to be caused by a defect in complex V activity, whereas the oxidative system of the electron transport chain was unchanged. In IFM, oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport chain activities were preserved, whereas complex V activity was reduced, in CF. Furthermore, creatine kinase activity was reduced in both SSM and IFM of CF skeletal muscle. The decreased complex V activity in SSM resulted in reduced oxidative phosphorylation, which could explain the reduced skeletal muscle response to exercise in CF mice. The decrease in mitochondrial creatine kinase activity also contributed to this poor exercise response.
Mouse trefoil factor 3 ameliorated high-fat-diet-induced hepatic steatosis via increasing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α-mediated fatty acid oxidation
Authors: Wu Xiaojie , Zheng Hongze , Yang Rui , Luan Xiying , Zhang Lingyun , Jin Qingsong , Jin Yongjun , Xue Jiangnan
Published: June 2019

Hepatic trefoil factor 3 (Tff3) was identified as a potential protein for the treatment of diabetes, yet the effect of Tff3 on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has never been explored. Here, we found that the expression of hepatic Tff3 was significantly decreased in NAFLD mice models, suggesting that Tff3 was a potential marker gene for NAFLD. Restoring the expression of Tff3 in the liver of NAFLD mice, including diabetic (db), obese (ob/ob), and diet-induced obese mice, with adenovirus-mediated Tff3 ( Ad-Tff3) apparently attenuates the fatty liver phenotype. In contrast, adenovirus-mediated knockdown of Tff3 ( Ad-shTff3) in C57BL/6J mice results in an obvious fatty liver phenotype. Furthermore, our molecular experiments indicated that hepatic Tff3 could alleviate hepatic steatosis via upregulating the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α ( PPARα) directly, thereby enhancing the fatty acid oxidation process in the liver. Notably, we found that Tff3 attenuates the fatty liver phenotype independent of modulation of lipogenesis and improves the capacity of anti-inflammation. Overall, our results suggested that hepatic Tff3 could be effectively used as a potential therapy target for the treatment of NAFLD.
Pyridostigmine regulates glucose metabolism and mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce myocardial vulnerability to injury in diabetic mice
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhao Ming , Yu Xiao-Jiang , Liu Long-Zhu , He Xi , Deng Juan , Zang Wei-Jin
Published: June 2019

Diabetic patients are more susceptible to myocardial ischemia damage than nondiabetic patients, with worse clinical outcomes and greater mortality. The mechanism may be related to glucose metabolism, mitochondrial homeostasis, and oxidative stress. Pyridostigmine may improve vagal activity to protect cardiac function in cardiovascular diseases. Researchers have not determined whether pyridostigmine regulates glucose metabolism and mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce myocardial vulnerability to injury in diabetic mice. In the present study, autonomic imbalance, myocardial damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress were exacerbated in isoproterenol-stimulated diabetic mice, revealing the myocardial vulnerability of diabetic mice to injury compared with mice with diabetes or exposed to isoproterenol alone. Compared with normal mice, the expression of glucose transporters (GLUT)1/4 phosphofructokinase (PFK) FB3, and pyruvate kinase isoform (PKM) was decreased in diabetic mice, but increased in isoproterenol-stimulated normal mice. Following exposure to isoproterenol, the expression of (GLUT)1/4 phosphofructokinase (PFK) FB3, and PKM decreased in diabetic mice compared with normal mice. The downregulation of SIRT3/AMPK and IRS-1/Akt in isoproterenol-stimulated diabetic mice was exacerbated compared with that in diabetic mice or isoproterenol-stimulated normal mice. Pyridostigmine improved vagus activity, increased GLUT1/4, PFKFB3, and PKM expression, and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress to reduce myocardial damage in isoproterenol-stimulated diabetic mice. Based on these results, it was found that pyridostigmine may reduce myocardial vulnerability to injury via the SIRT3/AMPK and IRS-1/Akt pathways in diabetic mice with isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage. This study may provide a potential therapeutic target for myocardial damage in diabetic patients.
Blue Light Therapy Glasses in Parkinson’s Disease: Patients’ Experience
Authors: Smilowska Katarzyna , van Wamelen Daniel J. , Schoutens Antonius M. C. , Meinders Marjan J. , Bloem Bastiaan R.
Published: June 2019

Background. Blue light glasses have been introduced as a possible new treatment option to treat sleep disturbances in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Assessing patient attitudes represents a key step in the road towards formal testing and introduction into clinical practice. Specifically, we aimed to assess how patients experience the use of blue light glasses, aiming to optimise compliance in upcoming clinical trials where these glasses will be tested for efficacy.Methods. We invited 58 PD patients who had used the blue light glasses for at least one week on a daily basis to complete an online survey about their experiences and self-reported impact. For this purpose, the System Usability Scale was used, supplemented with additional questions about (side)effects. A total of 31 patients (53%) replied.Results. 74% of respondents reported subjective improvements in night-time sleep, daytime sleepiness, depressive symptoms, motor functioning, or a combination thereof. The median score for the System Usability Scale (SUS; 0–100 range, higher scores indicating better performance) was 70.0. A total of 26 patients (84%) had an overall positive attitude towards the technique, with patients rating the glasses with an average score of 6.9 ± 2.0 (SD) out of 10. Except for one patient, all responders would like to continue using the glasses, mostly because they considered it a useful aid.Conclusion. Blue light therapy appears to have a positive effect on sleep, mood, and motor symptoms in PD. PD patients had an overall positive attitude towards blue light glasses as treatment for sleep disorders.
Development of Antibacterial Nanocomposite: Whey Protein-Gelatin-Nanoclay Films with Orange Peel Extract and Tripolyphosphate as Potential Food Packaging
Authors: Shams Behrokh , Ebrahimi Nadereh Golshan , Khodaiyan Faramarz
Published: June 2019

Antibacterial and biodegradable whey protein isolate (WPI-) gelatin nanocomposites were prepared using natural orange peel extract (OPE) in percentage of 7, 14, and 21% (v/v solution) and Cloisite 30B (5% w/w dry whey protein) made by a casting method. Mechanical, physical, and antibacterial properties of prepared films were measured as a function of OPE concentration. Higher concentrations of OPE led to higher antibacterial activity, tensile strength, and water solubility, but lower moisture content and transparency. The films microstructures were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and ATR-FTIR. Overall, the film containing 21%(v/v) OPE resulted in the best antibacterial, mechanical, and physical performance. Addition of tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a crosslinker to this sample led to the significant increase in transparency. Cloisite 30B, OPE, and TPP can therefore be used to improve the properties of WPI films as a promising natural food packaging.
Delayed PCI 12 Hours after the Onset of Symptoms Is Associated with Improved Outcomes for Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Real-World Study
Authors: Xiu Wen-Juan , Yang Hai-Tao , Zheng Ying-Ying , Ma Yi-Tong , Xie Xiang
Published: June 2019

Background. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) plays a pivotal role in the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, it remains controversial whether PCI delayed beyond the recommended time window of 12 h after the onset of symptoms is applicable to STEMI. Objective. The acute myocardial infarction (AMI) registration study in Xinjiang, China, is a real-world clinical trial (retrospective cohort study) that includes hospitalized patients. The purpose of this study was to compare delayed PCI and medication therapy beyond the recommended time window of 12 h after the onset of symptoms on the outcomes of STEMI patients. Methods and Results. From May 2012 to December 2015, a total of 1072 STEMI patients received delayed PCI (n=594) or standard medication therapy (MT) (n=478) more than 12 h after the onset of symptoms. The number of all-cause deaths in the delayed PCI group and that in the MT group were 55 (9.3%) and 138 (28.9%), respectively, and a significant difference between the groups was indicated for this variable (P<0.001). The number of cardiac deaths in the delayed PCI group and that in the medication therapy group were 47 (7.9%) and 120 (25.1%), respectively, and a significant difference between the groups was indicated for this variable (P<0.001). We also found that the MACE incidence in the delayed PCI group was significantly higher than it was in the MT group (32.2% versus 43.5%, P<0.001). Propensity score matching (PSM) analyses remained significant differences between the delayed PCI group and the MT group, respectively, in all-cause deaths (9.3% versus 25.8%, P<0.001) and cardiac death (8.7% versus 21.6%, P<0.001). Conclusion. Compared to medication therapy, PCI for STEMI delayed beyond 12 h after the onset of symptoms can better reduce mortality and the incidence of MACEs. Trial Registration. This study is registered with the following: Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov; Identifier: NCT02737956.
Acacia Senegal (Gum Arabic) Supplementation Modulate Lipid Profile and Ameliorated Dyslipidemia among Sickle Cell Anemia Patients
Authors: Kaddam Lamis , Fadl-Elmula Imad , Eisawi Omer Ali , Abdelrazig Haydar Awad , Saeed Amal M.
Published: June 2019

Background. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited haemolytic anemia with a variable course and severity. Knowledge of prognostic biomarkers may help in the establishment of therapeutic intervention, management, and follow-up of patients. There have been scattered reports of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and increased triglyceride (TG) in SCD patients. In addition, TG levels have been suggested to be elevated in patients with increased endothelial activation. An increased TG level has been associated with haemolysis, vascular dysfunction, and increased prevalence of pulmonary hypertension. Gum Arabic (GA) is an edible, dried, gummy exudate from the acacia Senegal tree. Several studies on GA ingestion have shown reduced plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations in both animals and humans. We investigated GA’s therapeutic potential to modulate serum lipids in patients with sickle cell anemia.Methods. This study recruited and documented secondary outcomes in 47 patients (aged 5–42 years) carrying hemoglobin SS. The patients received 30 g/day of GA for 12 weeks. Total cholesterol, TG, LDL, and HDL were measured before and after GA intake. Cobas C311 (Roche, Germany) automated chemistry analyser was used for direct determination of the values of the lipid profile.Results. GA significantly decreased total cholesterol (TC), TG, and LDL (p= 0.006, 0.04, and 0.02, resp.). GA showed no effect on HDL level. Baseline serum TG and LDL correlated significantly with the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level, which is known as an oxidative stress marker (p= 0.003 and 0.04, resp.). None of the lipid profile elements correlated with age.Conclusion. Our results revealed that dyslipidemia in sickle cell patients is associated with oxidative stress but not associated with age. The findings showed that GA significantly decreased TC, LDL, and TG levels, revealing a novel effect of GA, which is considered a natural dietary fibre that can modulate lipid profile in patients with sickle cell anemia.Trial Registration. This retrospective trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02467257on 3 June, 2015.
IgG4-Related Sclerosing Disease Causing Spinal Cord Compression: The First Reported Case in Literature
Authors: Merza Nooraldin , Taha Ahmed , Lung John , Benderman Anthony W. , Wright Stephen E.
Published: June 2019

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is known for forming soft tissue mass lesions that may have compressive effects. It is an extremely rare disease that most frequently affects the pancreas causing autoimmune pancreatitis. It can also affect the gallbladder, salivary glands, and lacrimal glands causing respective organ-specific complications. In our report, we describe an IgG4-RD case that affected the spinal cord. A 60-year-old female presented with cervical spinal cord compression caused by IgG4-RD leading to several neurological deficits. Pathological examination of the excisional biopsy of the mass revealed dense lymphoplasmacytic cells infiltration and stromal fibrosis with IgG4 and plasma cells. The patient showed a dramatic response to the administration of systemic steroids with almost resolution of her neurological symptoms. This case highlights the first case in literature for IgG4-RD of the extradural tissue causing spinal compression. Hereby, we also demonstrate the dramatic response of IgG4-RD to the administration of systemic steroids as the patient had no recurrence after 5 years of close follow-up, the longest reported period of follow-up reported in the literature to date.
Modeling and Simulation of Energy‐Regenerative Active Suspension Based on BP Neural Network PID Control
Authors: Liu Jiang , Li Xinjun , Zhang Xilong , Chen Xiufeng
Published: June 2019

In this paper, an electromagnetic energy‐regenerative suspension system is proposed to achieve active control and vibration energy harvesting. For this system, a PID controller based on BP neural network algorithm is designed and vehicle dynamic performances are studied. Based on the traditional energy‐regenerative efficiency calculation, a novel self‐supply energy efficiency concept is proposed to evaluate the utilization effect of the recycled energy for this dual‐functional suspension. Simulations are carried out, and the results show that the vehicle dynamic performances are effectively improved under different input conditions, including road surfaces and vehicle speeds. Furthermore, the energy‐regenerative suspension can recover part of vibration energy, where the self‐supply energy efficiency is about 55% and the energy‐regenerative efficiency is about 16%. Meanwhile, the BP‐PID algorithm also enables the suspension system’s self‐adaptability and stability characteristics on its energy recovery capability.
What Is the Appropriate Acupuncture Treatment Schedule for Chronic Pain? Review and Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chen Yan-Jiao , Chen Cai-Tao , Liu Jia-Yuan , Shimizu Bassi Gabriel , Yang Yong-Qing
Published: June 2019

Background. Acupuncture is widely used for the treatment of chronic pain. Different protocols of acupuncture practice exist and lack agreement on the optimal schedule of acupuncture treatment. Objective. To review the appropriate acupuncture treatment schedule for chronic pain. Methods. Embase, Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and reference lists were searched from 2009 to 2018 to identify randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for chronic pain conditions. We collected factors of treatment schedule (D, duration of each treatment session; N, number of treatment sessions; T, total duration of treatment in weeks) from each of the trials, and the linear regression analysis with real pain relief rate (both treatment and follow-up) was performed. Furthermore, we recommend the concept of “DOSE” and frequency (F) to evaluate the dose and frequency effect of acupuncture. Results. Twenty-four trials with a total number of 3461 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, data from 23 studies were available for analysis. Firstly, the results showed that follow-up pain relief rate was decreased slightly with the increase of the duration of each session and DOSE (r=-0.3414 and r=-0.3246, respectively), but those two factors had no correlation with the pain relief rate after treatment. Secondly, it showed that either lower frequency with 2 sessions/week and higher frequency greater than 2 sessions/week or DOSE of 30 mins/week can achieve higher pain relief rate after treatment. Thirdly, we found the rate of pain relief remained at a high level greater than 20% up to 18 weeks after the treatment, and then it dropped sharply below 10% with the follow-up extended. A positive relationship was found between study score and pain relief both in treatment and follow-up (r=0.4654 and r=0.3046, respectively). Conclusions. The effect of acupuncture varies greatly with the different schedules of acupuncture, so it is necessary to review and choose the appropriate schedule. Although the current work is based on a limited number of trials, the findings suggest that acupuncture has a dose and frequency effect presenting within a certain range, which would have considerable implications for the design and interpretation of clinical trials. More high-quality randomized controlled trials on acupuncture schedule research were needed for providing more definitive evidence.
Two Cases of Primary Testicular Lymphoma Presenting with Direct Spread along the Spermatic Cord and Gonadal Vessels
Authors: Ellatif Mostafa , Kumar Raekha , Weller Alexander , Katz David , Vrentzou Eirini
Published: June 2019

Primary testicular lymphoma is a rare testicular neoplasm that mainly affects elderly patients, with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) being a known risk factor in the younger population. Approximately 20% of patients will have disseminated disease with extra-nodal involvement at clinical presentation. Rarely, direct spread along the spermatic cord and gonadal vessels can occur and has been described in the literature. We present two cases of this phenomenon where the primary testicular tumour has spread along the gonadal vein to its origin at the inferior vena cava.
Chemotherapeutic Stress Induces Transdifferentiation of Glioblastoma Cells to Endothelial Cells and Promotes Vascular Mimicry
Authors: Baisiwala Shivani , Auffinger Brenda , Caragher Seamus P. , Shireman Jack M. , Ahsan Riasat , Lee Gina , Hasan Tanwir , Park Cheol , Saathoff Miranda R. , Christensen Anne C. , Ahmed Atique U.
Published: June 2019

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor affecting adults, with a median survival of approximately 21 months. One key factor underlying the limited efficacy of current treatment modalities is the remarkable plasticity exhibited by GBM cells, which allows them to effectively adapt to changes induced by anticancer therapeutics. Moreover, GBM tumors are highly vascularized with aberrant vessels that complicate the delivery of antitumor agents. Recent research has demonstrated that GBM cells have the ability to transdifferentiate into endothelial cells (ECs), illustrating that GBM cells may use plasticity in concert with vascularization leading to the creation of tumor-derived blood vessels. The mechanism behind this transdifferentiation, however, remains unclear. Here, we show that treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy induces time-dependent expression of markers for glioma stem cells (GSCs) and immature and mature ECs. In addition, GBM tumors growing as orthotopic xenografts in nude mice showed increased expression of GSC and EC markers after TMZ treatment. Ex vivo FACS analysis showed the presence of immature and mature EC populations. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis revealed increased tumor-derived vessels in TMZ-recurrent tumors. Overall, this study identifies chemotherapeutic stress as a new driver of transdifferentiation of tumor cells to endothelial cells and highlights cellular plasticity as a key player in therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence.