bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of age and sex on first‐time donor return behavior
Authors: Masser Barbara M. , Wright Stephen , Germain Marc , Grégoire Yves , Goldman Mindy , O'Brien Shelia F. , Kamel Hany , Bravo Marjorie , Merz Eva‐Maria , van den Hurk Katja , Prinsze Femmeke , Takanashi Minoko , Wilder Zoe , Shaz Beth ,   on behalf of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

This study examined the impact of age and sex of first‐time donors who had not experienced an adverse event or deferral on their likelihood of and time to return.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

On behalf of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative, international blood collection agencies (BCAs) were invited to provide data on first‐time whole blood donors in 2014, including initial presentation date, collection site type, age, sex, blood type, return to donate within 24 months (yes/no), and subsequent presentation date.

RESULTS

Eight BCAs contributed 706,789 records. The overall odds of returning to donate were slightly lower in female versus male donors, and the overall age trend was U‐shaped with younger and older donors having higher odds for returning relative to middle‐aged donors. However, variations by BCA were observed. Specifically, in three BCAs, women had higher odds of returning to donate than men. Further, while across seven BCAs the smallest cohort of older first‐time donors returned at a higher rate and returned more quickly than middle‐aged first‐time donors, the behavior of younger donors varied substantially between BCAs.

CONCLUSION

While older first‐time donors are more likely to return and return more quickly than middle‐aged donors they make up only a small proportion of first‐time donors, whereas the larger group of younger donors exhibits less clear patterns of return compared to middle‐aged donors. Further research is needed to determine whether targeting the recruitment of older donors or bolstering retention of middle‐aged donors would be most effective in maintaining the blood supply.
Can text messages save lives? A field experiment on blood donor motivation
Authors: Fosgaard Toke , Hansen Lars , Jacobsen Catrine , Sørensen Erik , Romose Merle , Ullum Henrik
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Continuous effort around the globe is exerted into donor management, with the overall aim of keeping a constant flow of new donations. To achieve this goal, blood banks and blood donor associations are taking initiatives to get the same donor to make repeated donations. In general, such initiatives are implemented without proper evaluation. This study circumvents this trend and evaluates the effect on donations from sending blood donors a text message when their donation has helped a patient.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

In a large‐scale field experiment (n = 20,365), we randomized donors such that half are sent a text message when their donation was used. Among those who were randomized to the text message, we also randomized the time of day the text message was sent.

RESULTS

The messages increased subsequent donations by 3.6% (p = 0.023), compared with donors who did not get the message. It was also shown that optimizing the time of day when the text messages were sent increased the effect substantially. Text messages sent in the evening increased donations by 6.5% (p = 0.011). Finally, it was found that, among whole blood donors, the text messages did not have a significant effect (p = 0.554), whereas it did among the plasma donors (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Several blood banks have adopted the strategy of sending blood donors a text message that acknowledges that donors' contributions helped a patient. This study is the first to formally test the effects of such a message with a control group.
Lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation and validation of immunohistochemical lymphoid markers in an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)
Authors: Cazzini Paola , Richardson Jenna , Smith Nicola , Lodzinska Joanna , Robinson Amy L. , Philbey Adrian W.
Published: December 2019

A 2‐year‐old female intact African pygmy hedgehog was presented for diagnostic investigation of a 2‐month reduction in appetite, with weight loss and recent vomiting. Clinical examination revealed a large, firm mass originating from the left cranial abdomen. Ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspirates of the mass, liver, and mesenteric lymph nodes revealed a population of pleomorphic round cells, some of which contained variable numbers of round, clear vacuoles, consistent with a diagnosis of lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation. At postmortem examination, there was marked diffuse splenic enlargement, with infiltration by a soft tissue mass. There were multiple coalescing liver masses, kidney pallor, and mesenteric lymph node enlargements. On histologic examination, the spleen, lymph nodes, and masses in the liver were extensively infiltrated by proliferating lymphoid cells that had plasmacytoid and Mott cell differentiation. Cells with Mott cell morphology had an accumulation of periodic acid‐Schiff–positive material in cytoplasmic inclusions and were positive for cytoplasmic nucleic acids when stained with methyl green pyronin. In the population of neoplastic lymphoid cells, a majority of cells expressed the transcription factor Pax5, which drives B‐cell differentiation, and a minority expressed transcription factor IRF4/MUM‐1, which drives plasma cell differentiation, indicating B‐cell lymphoma with plasmacytoid differentiation.
A corpus‐based method for identifying word class in an English lexified extended pidgin
Authors: FitzGerald Sarah
Published: December 2019

This paper outlines an innovative corpus‐based method for establishing word class using as a case study the verbal status of the locative copula in Cameroon Pidgin English. The corpus‐based methodology outlined here uses a combination of distributional, sociolinguistic, and frequency analysis to establish that the Cameroon Pidgin English locative copula,deiy, is a verb and in doing so outlines a blueprint for establishing word class in under described languages. Pidgin creole languages are often under described and identifying the word class of multifunctional words can be particularly challenging. The methodology presented here can resolve such ambiguity by basing the classification on the language in which the word occurs rather than on typological generalisations. This corpus‐based methodology has wide ranging applicability and could be especially useful in establishing word class in lesser described world English varieties and pidgin creole languages.
Cavitating Flow Suppression for a Two-Phase Liquefied Natural Gas Expander Through Collaborative Fine-Turning Design Optimization of Impeller and Exducer Geometric Shape
Authors: Song Peng , Sun Jinju , Huo Changjiang
Published: December 2019

Cryogenic liquid turbine expanders have been increasingly used in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plants to save energy. However, high-pressure LNG commonly needs to be throttled to or near a two-phase state, which makes the LNG turbine expander more vulnerable to cavitation. Although some work has been reported on cryogenic turbomachine cavitation, no work has been reported on designing a cavitation-resistant two-phase LNG liquid turbine expander. Motivated by the urgent requirement for two-phase liquid turbine expanders, an effective design optimization method is developed that is well-suited for designing the cavitation-resistant two-phase liquid turbine expanders. A novel optimization objective function is constituted by characterizing the cavitating flow, in which the overall efficiency and local cavitation flow behavior are incorporated. The adaptive-Kriging surrogate model and cooperative coevolutionary algorithm (CCEA) are incorporated to solve the highly nonlinear design optimization problem globally and efficiently. The former maintains high-level prediction accuracy of the objective function but uses much reduced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations while the later solves the complex optimization problem at a high convergence rate through decomposing them into some readily solved parallel subproblems. By means of the developed optimization method, the impeller and exducer blade geometries and their axial gap and circumferential indexing are fine-tuned. Consequently, cavitating flow in both the impeller and exducer of the two-phase LNG expander is effectively mitigated.
Analysis and Optimization of Staggered Partial Diffuser Vanes in a Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Shim Hyeon-Seok , Kim Sang-Hoon , Kim Kwang-Yong
Published: December 2019

A performance analysis and three-objective design optimization were performed for the staggered partial diffuser vanes in a centrifugal pump using three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. First, the performance of the diffuser vanes was evaluated for four different arrangements: full-height diffuser vanes, vaneless diffuser, half vanes attached to the hub, half vanes attached to the shroud, and staggered vanes attached alternately to the hub and the shroud. The staggered partial diffuser vanes were optimized using the following design variables: the installation angle of the vanes, the heights of the vanes attached to the hub and shroud, and the angle of rotation of the straight part on the pressure surface of the vanes. The objective functions were the hydraulic efficiency, the flowrate of the maximum pressure recovery, and the operating range of the diffuser. The Kriging model was used to construct surrogate models of the objective functions based on the results at the design points obtained by Latin hypercube sampling. The Pareto-optimal solutions were obtained by a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA). The representative Pareto-optimal solutions for the staggered diffuser vanes obtained by the K-means clustering showed the improved performances in terms of both the hydraulic performance and operating range compared with the full-height diffuser vanes and the baseline design.
Recent Milestones in Unraveling the Full-Field Structure of Dynamic Shear Cracks and Fault Ruptures in Real-Time: From Photoelasticity to Ultrahigh-Speed Digital Image Correlation
Authors: Rosakis A. J. , Rubino V. , Lapusta N.
Published: December 2019

The last few decades have seen great achievements in dynamic fracture mechanics. Yet, it was not possible to experimentally quantify the full-field behavior of dynamic fractures, until very recently. Here, we review our recent work on the full-field quantification of the temporal evolution of dynamic shear ruptures. Our newly developed approach based on digital image correlation combined with ultrahigh-speed photography has revolutionized the capabilities of measuring highly transient phenomena and enabled addressing key questions of rupture dynamics. Recent milestones include the visualization of the complete displacement, particle velocity, strain, stress and strain rate fields near growing ruptures, capturing the evolution of dynamic friction during individual rupture growth, and the detailed study of rupture speed limits. For example, dynamic friction has been the biggest unknown controlling how frictional ruptures develop but it has been impossible, until now, to measure dynamic friction during spontaneous rupture propagation and to understand its dependence on other quantities. Our recent measurements allow, by simultaneously tracking tractions and sliding speeds on the rupturing interface, to disentangle its complex dependence on the slip, slip velocity, and on their history. In another application, we have uncovered new phenomena that could not be detected with previous methods, such as the formation of pressure shock fronts associated with “supersonic” propagation of shear ruptures in viscoelastic materials where the wave speeds are shown to depend strongly on the strain rate.
Theoretical Modeling and Exact Solution for Extreme Bending Deformation of Hard-Magnetic Soft Beams
Authors: Chen Wei , Wang Lin
Published: December 2019

Hard-magnetic soft materials (HMSMs) manufactured by embedding hard-magnetic particles in soft materials belong to a new type of soft active materials. The abilities of fast and complicated transformations of hard-magnetic soft structures provide a promising technology for soft robotics, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices. It is significant to investigate the mechanical behaviors of hard-magnetic soft structures for their better applications. In this work, a hard-magnetic soft beam under an external magnetic field is theoretically modeled and the exact solutions for its mechanical responses are presented. First, the governing equations and boundary conditions are derived based on the principle of minimum potential energy. To solve the derived governing equations analytically, a new polynomial fitting model for hyperelastic materials is proposed for the hard-magnetic soft beam. Then, the exact solutions of a cantilevered hard-magnetic soft beam actuated by a uniform magnetic field in any direction are obtained. The newly derived exact solutions are further verified by comparing current results with those from recent simulations and experiments. For large bending angles up to 90 deg and extreme bending angle up to 180 deg, quite consistent agreement among exact solutions, numerical simulations, and experimental observations can be achieved. Finally, using our theoretical model, the deformation of the hard-magnetic soft beam actuated by magnetic fields in an arbitrary direction with non-zero magnetic declination is explored. When the magnetic actuation is increased from a small level gradually, the hard-magnetic soft beam deflects and it would undergo small, large, and extreme bending deformations in sequence. It is very interesting that, when the magnetic actuation is sufficiently large, the hard-magnetic soft beam is stretched and its centerline tends to align with the external magnetic field direction, implying that the hard-magnetic soft beam undergoes a uniaxial tension. The theoretical modeling and exact solutions for hard-magnetic soft beams are expected to be useful in the analysis and design of soft materials and structures.
Image Data-Based Surface Texture Characterization and Prediction Using Machine Learning Approaches for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Akhil V. , Raghav G. , Arunachalam N. , Srinivas D. S.
Published: December 2019

The increase in the use of metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes in major industries like aerospace, defense, and electronics indicates the need for maintaining a tight quality control. A quick, low-cost, and reliable online surface texture measurement and verification system are required to improve its industrial adoption. In this paper, a comprehensive investigation of the surface characteristics of Ti-6Al-4V selective laser melted (SLM) parts using image texture parameters is discussed. The image texture parameters extracted from the surface images using first-order and second-order statistical methods, and measured 3D surface roughness parameters are used for characterizing the SLM surfaces. A comparative study of roughness prediction models developed using various machine learning approaches is also presented. Among the models, the Gaussian process regression (GPR) model gives an accurate prediction of roughness values with an R2 value of more than 0.9. The test data results of all models are presented.
On the Producibility of Composite Position Tolerance Specifications for Patterns of Holes: Machining Experiments
Authors: Golhar Abhijeet , Jiang Yiran , Lehtihet E. Amine , De Meter Edward C.
Published: December 2019

ASME Y 14.5M-2009 provides three distinct variants of composite position tolerance constraints to exercise control over the position characteristics of patterns of features of sizes such as holes. The practical implementation of this class of position tolerance constraints is hampered by a distinct lack of information relative to the ease or difficulty involved in the actual production and satisfaction of these constraints. In this research, machining experiments are carried out to produce various patterns of holes in industrial grade machines. Coordinate location data of the holes are acquired, and a nonlinear optimization formulation is developed and used to assess the producibility of these variants. Boundary curves for pattern and feature-to-feature tolerances are developed, plotted, and discussed. The influence of various variables on the producibility of these variants is also discussed. These results may help design, and manufacturing engineers exercise a more informed approach to the application and production of these composite position tolerance variants for patterns of features of sizes.
Investigation of Tool and Workpiece Interaction on Surface Quality While Diamond Turning of Copper Beryllium Alloy
Authors: Sharma A. , Joshi Suhas S. , Datta D. , Balasubramaniam R.
Published: December 2019

Among all the materials, diamond turning of heterogeneous materials like copper beryllium (CuBe) poses serious machining challenges as the heterogeneity in the workpiece affects the quality of generated surface. Therefore, the present study is aimed to understand the effect of tool–workpiece interactions on the surface characteristics of heterogeneous CuBe workpiece material. Experiments and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) were carried out to analyze the various surface and subsurface interactions during cutting. Results from the experiments on both the materials for whole cutting length show that the average roughness values on CuBe-machined surface are found to be ∼48% higher than those of copper (Cu). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that while deterministic lay pattern is obtained in the case of Cu, the CuBe-machined surface possesses near-random lay pattern, which is also reflected by the fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum of surface roughness profiles. Experimental and MDS results reveal that the hard precipitate suffers cracks which propagate vertically as well as radially and as the tool travels from Cu-rich phase to Be-rich phase, ductile to brittle transition in cutting mechanism is observed. Furthermore, it is observed that diamond-turned Cu and CuBe surfaces are contaminated by the oxides of C and Cu. MDS results verify the mechanisms involved in the surface and subsurface interactions during diamond turning.
Modeling and Simulation of the Process for the Generation of Gradient Porous Structures From Immiscible Polymer Blends
Authors: Shen Hangming , Yao Donggang , Zhang Wei , Ye Qian
Published: December 2019

There has been growing interest in integrating gradient porous structures into synthetic materials like polymers. One particular method for making gradient porous polymers is nonisothermal annealing of co-continuous phase structures of immiscible polymer blends under well-defined thermal boundary conditions. In this paper, we report a method to simulate this nonisothermal phase coarsening process for the generation of gradient-phase structures by the combined implementation of phase-field transport and momentum transport. Specifically, a phase-field equation is solved first to obtain a phase structure with phase size comparable with that of the blend to be annealed. This phase structure is then used as an initial geometry in a two-phase moving-interface flow simulation to gauge into the phase structure coarsening process. Several case studies were performed, and the results show that the controllable generation of gradient-phase structures can be enabled by well-designed geometry and thermal boundary conditions. Using 2D simulations, different types of gradient-phase structures experimentally observed were predicted. With increasing power in computation, the capability of 3D simulation may be unveiled for a more accurate prediction of the nonisothermal phase coarsening process and may ultimately evolve into a useful tool for the design and processing of gradient porous polymers.
Workspace-Based Design of Equivalent Compression Spring Legs for a 3-DoF Translational Tensegrity Robot
Authors: Arsenault Marc
Published: December 2019

Prior work has led to the development of a three-degree-of-freedom translational tensegrity robot. Due to inherent and unavoidable collisions between the struts of the tensegrity system that is used as the basis of the robot’s development, these were replaced by equivalent compression spring legs (ECSLs). In this paper, multiple ECSL design concepts are proposed to generate the desired force-deflection behavior, with some based on the use of variable radius drums (VRDs). The optimization of the VRD profiles based on the desired force-deflection behavior is demonstrated. The ECSL designs are then compared based on the corresponding size of the robot’s workspace. The impact on its workspace of the robot’s orientation with respect to the gravitational field is analyzed as is the amount of preload introduced in the robot’s members by the ECSLs. Recommendations on preferred ECSL designs are made for different applications.
Quantum mechanics of proteins in explicit water: The role of plasmon-like solute-solvent interactions
Authors: Stöhr Martin , Tkatchenko Alexandre
Published: December 2019

Plasmon-like interactions stabilize folded protein states and offer a long-range interaction mechanism for solvated biomolecules.
High-contrast and reversible polymer thermal regulator by structural phase transition
Authors: Shrestha Ramesh , Luan Yuxuan , Shin Sunmi , Zhang Teng , Luo Xiao , Lundh James S. , Gong Wei , Bockstaller Michael R. , Choi Sukwon , Luo Tengfei , Chen Renkun , Hippalgaonkar Kedar , Shen Sheng
Published: December 2019

An average thermal switching ratio of ~8× and maximum switching ratio of ~10× is achieved within a temperature range of 10 K.
Algorithm Used to Detect Weak Signals Covered by Noise in PIND
Authors: Wang G. T. , Liang X. W. , Xue Y. Y. , Li C. , Ding Q.
Published: December 2019

Detection of the loose particles is urgently required in the spacecraft production processes. PIND (particle impact noise detection) is the most commonly used method for the detection of loose particles in the aerospace electronic components. However, when the mass of loose particles is smaller than 0.01 mg, the weak signals are difficult to be detected accurately. In this paper, the aperiodic stochastic resonance (ASR) is firstly used to detect weak signals of loose particles. The loose particle signal is simulated by the oscillation attenuation signal. The influences of structure parameters on the potential height and detection performance of ASR are studied by a numerical iteration method. The cross-correlation coefficient C1 between input and output is chosen as a criterion for whether there is an existing a particle or not. Through normalization, the loose particle signal-labeled high frequency of 135 kHz is converted into the low-frequency band, which can be detected by the ASR method. According to the algorithm, weak signals covered by noise could be detected. The experimental results show that the detection accuracy is 66.7%. This algorithm improves the detection range of weak loose particle signals effectively.
Dynamic Damage Mechanism of Coal Wall in Deep Longwall Face
Authors: Lu Shuaifeng , Liu Sifei , Wan Zhijun , Cheng Jingyi , Yang Zhuangzhuang , Shi Peng
Published: December 2019

The stability of coal wall in deep longwall face has always been a research hotspot. In this study, pure vibration signals in the coal wall during the operation of mining machinery were obtained for the first time, and their energy is mainly concentrated in 7–12 Hz. Besides, based on the law of stress wave propagation, with the coal wall of deep longwall taken as the research object, the theory of dynamic damage in coal wall was put forward from the perspective of dynamics. The results show that the loading and unloading waves generated by the mining machinery disturbance will be reflected and transmitted at the interface with different impedances, resulting in the formation of multiple unloading and loading waves and multiple tensile stress zones and stress concentration zones. These stress concentration zones tend to induce tensile stress generation and coal failure. As a result, the coal undergoes zonal failure and spalling. Through the vibration test of coal, it is found that the crack development of the coal sample can be divided into five stages, and the phenomena of zonal failure and spalling occur, which is consistent with the theory. At the same time, the sample that has gone through a large disturbance cannot be further damaged by a small disturbance, which is verified by the damage statistical constitutive model based on the isotropy hypothesis.
Association between High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Blood Pressure among Children with History of Low Birth Weight Appropriate for Gestational Age, Low Birth Weight Small for Gestational Age, and Normal Birth Weight in Manado, North Sulawesi
Authors: Umboh Adrian , Wilar Rocky , Umboh Valentine , Krisetya Adi Suryadinata
Published: December 2019

Over the past years, low birth weight (LBW) has been proven to be attributed to a wide variety of long-term morbidities, including hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and blood pressure (BP) in children with a history of LBW appropriate for gestational age (LBW AGA), LBW small for gestational age (LBW SGA), and normal birth weight appropriate for gestational age (NBW AGA). The study cohort comprised children aged 9–12 years who were born in 2007–2010 at Prof. Dr. R. D. Kandou General Hospital Manado and resided in the city of Manado from March to August 2019. The children who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated for BP and hs-CRP level. A total of 120 children who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Analysis for the association between LBW and NBW with systolic blood pressure (SBP) showed statistical significance (p=0.007). Linear regression analysis indicated a strongly significant influence of BW on serum hs-CRP level and SBP. Every 1 g increase in BW results in a decrease of serum hs-CRP level of 0.001 mg/L. Every 1 g increase in BW is attributed to 0.004 mmHg decrease in SBP. An increase in hs-CRP by 1 mg/L increases the SBP by 4.99 mmHg and DBP by 2.88 mmHg. LBW significantly correlates with hs-CRP level and higher SBP. A comprehensive education must be undertaken for the families who have children with LBW to reduce the risk of developing hypertension later in their life.
Customized Scaffold Design Based on Natural Peripheral Nerve Fascicle Characteristics for Biofabrication in Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Yao Zhi , Yan Li-Wei , Qiu Shuai , He Fu-Lin , Gu Fan-Bin , Liu Xiao-Lin , Qi Jian , Zhu Qing-Tang
Published: December 2019

Objective. The use of a biofabrication nerve scaffold, which mimics the nerve microstructure, as an alternative for autologous nerve transplantation is a promising strategy for treating peripheral nerve defects. This study aimed to design a customized biofabrication scaffold model with the characteristics of human peripheral nerve fascicles. Methods. We used Micro-MRI technique to obtain different nerve fascicles. A full-length 28 cm tibial nerve specimen was obtained and was divided into 14 two-centimetre nerve segments. 3D models of the nerve fascicles were obtained by three-dimensional reconstruction after image segmentation. The central line of the nerve fascicles was fitted, and the aggregation of nerve fascicles was analysed quantitatively. The nerve scaffold was designed by simulating the clinical nerve defect and extracting information from the acquired nerve fascicle data; the scaffold design was displayed by 3D printing to verify the accuracy of the model. Result. The microstructure of the sciatic nerve, tibial nerve, and common peroneal nerve in the nerve fascicles could be obtained by three-dimensional reconstruction. The number of cross fusions of tibial nerve fascicles from proximal end to distal end decreased gradually. By designing the nerve graft in accordance with the microstructure of the nerve fascicles, the 3D printed model demonstrated that the two ends of the nerve defect can be well matched. Conclusion. The microstructure of the nerve fascicles is complicated and changeable, and the spatial position of each nerve fascicle and the long segment of the nerve fascicle aggregation show great changes at different levels. Under the premise of the stability of the existing imaging techniques, a large number of scanning nerve samples can be used to set up a three-dimensional database of the peripheral nerve fascicle microstructure, integrating the gross imaging information, and provide a template for the design of the downstream nerve graft model.
An Unusual Tumor of the Ear: Pilomatricoma in a Middle-Aged Woman
Authors: Inagaki Akira , Yamashita Yoriko , Mori Yusuke , Takeuchi Erika , Asaoka Kyosuke , Murakami Shingo
Published: December 2019

Pilomatricoma is a benign tumor arising from hair follicle matrix cells, presenting as an asymptomatic, firm, slow growing, mobile, superficial skin nodule typically in children. This lesion with an atypical clinical presentation is frequently misdiagnosed as other skin lesions and even as malignant entities regardless of detailed cytological, imaging examinations; the site of occurrence is one of the keys to accurate diagnosis. Here, we present a case of pilomatrixoma involving the ear, the cymba conchae of the auricle, which is an extremely rare site for the lesion in a 52-year-old woman. The present case suggests that this benign tumor needs to be included in the differential diagnosis in patients who present with an atypical auricular lesion.
Propofol Affects Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter less than Sevoflurane during Robotic Surgery in the Steep Trendelenburg Position
Authors: Kim Yanghyun , Choi Seomun , Kang Sungwoo , Park Boram
Published: December 2019

Background. Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP) can increase intracranial pressure (ICP) related to a change in position. Increasing ICP may result in various ocular complications, which are rare but serious, such as a corneal abrasion and ischemic optic neuropathy. We performed a prospective observational trial using ultrasonographic measurements to compare optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) related to ICP between patients who received either propofol or sevoflurane and underwent RLRP. Methods. Thirty-two male patients scheduled to undergo RLRP were assigned into groups according to the anesthetic agent used (group P: propofol, n = 16; group S: sevoflurane, n = 16). ONSD, end-tidal partial pressure of CO2, and blood pressure were measured 10 min after induction of anesthesia (T0), 30 min (T1), 60 min (T2), and 90 min after changing to the steep Trendelenburg position and introducing a pneumoperitoneum (T3) and 10 min after returning the patient’s position to supine (T4) during surgery. Results. No significant differences were observed in the demographic data of the patients, surgery time, or intraoperative variables, including hemodynamic and respiratory variables, at any of the time points. The mean right ONSDs in the propofol and sevoflurane groups were 37.3 and 40.1 mm at 30 min (p=0.003), respectively. The mean left ONSDs were 38.4 and 40.8 mm at 30 min (p=0.021) after changing to the Trendelenburg position. The ONSDs between the two groups were significantly different during surgery. Conclusions. ONSD increased more in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group during RLRP. Intravenous anesthetics could alleviate the increase in ICP during RLRP.
Siwu Granules and Erythropoietin Synergistically Ameliorated Anemia in Adenine-Induced Chronic Renal Failure Rats
Authors: Wu Yansheng , Wan Qiang , Shi Liqiang , Ou Jiaoying , Li YingQiao , He Fei , Wang Huiling , Gao Jiandong
Published: December 2019

Objective. Renal anemia in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease is closely related to the deterioration of cardiac function, renal function, and quality of life. This study involved adenine-induced renal anemic rat models and evaluated the treatment effect of Siwu granules and/or erythropoietin (EPO). Methods. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, model, Siwu, EPO, and Siwu plus EPO groups. The expression levels of NO, MDA, SOD, CAT, IL-6, TNF-α, EPO, EPOR, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 were detected in rats after 8 weeks of treatment with Siwu granules and/or EPO. Results. After modeling, 47 rats entered the stage of treatment. Siwu plus EPO treatment significantly increased the rat hemoglobin content (p<0.05) and reduced blood urea nitrogen (p<0.05) and serum creatinine (p<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression of EPO and EPOR in the kidney of rats with renal failure was significantly decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, the Siwu plus EPO group improved the level of oxidative stress in rats with chronic renal failure and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in rats with renal failure was higher, but there was no expression in the control group. Conclusion. Combined treatment of Siwu granules with EPO increased the expression of EPO and EPOR in the renal tissues and inhibited oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, improving the renal function and anemia.
Effective and Generalizable Graph-Based Clustering for Faces in the Wild
Authors: Chang Leonardo , Pérez-Suárez Airel , González-Mendoza Miguel
Published: December 2019

Face clustering is the task of grouping unlabeled face images according to individual identities. Several applications require this type of clustering, for instance, social media, law enforcement, and surveillance applications. In this paper, we propose an effective graph-based method for clustering faces in the wild. The proposed algorithm does not require prior knowledge of the data. This fact increases the pertinence of the proposed method near to market solutions. The experiments conducted on four well-known datasets showed that our proposal achieves state-of-the-art results, regarding the clustering performance, also showing stability for different values of the input parameter. Moreover, in these experiments, it is shown that our proposal discovers a number of identities closer to the real number existing in the data.
Fuzzy Neural Network Q-Learning Method for Model Disturbance Change: A Deployable Antenna Panel Application
Authors: Liu Zhiyong , Bao Hong , Xue Song , Du Jingli
Published: December 2019

This paper addresses the disturbance change control problem with an active deformation adjustment mechanism on a 5-meter deployable antenna panel. A fuzzy neural network Q-learning control (FNNQL) strategy is proposed in this paper for the disturbance change to improve the accuracy of the antenna panel. In the proposed method, the error of the model disturbance is reduced by introducing the fuzzy radial basis function (RBF) neural network into Q-learning, and the parameters of the fuzzy RBF neural network were optimized and adjusted by a Q-learning method. This allows the FNNQL controller to have a strong adaptability to deal with the disturbance change. Finally, the proposed method has been adopted in the middle plate of a 5-meter deployable antenna panel, and it was found that the method could successfully adapt the model disturbance change in the antenna panel. Results of the simulation also show that the whole control system meets the required accuracy requirements.
Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula Shenling Baizhu San Ameliorates High-Fat Diet-Induced NAFLD in Rats by Modulating Hepatic MicroRNA Expression Profiles
Authors: Pan Maoxing , Deng Yuanjun , Zheng Chuiyang , Nie Huan , Tang Kairui , Zhang Yupei , Yang Qinhe
Published: December 2019

Objective. The purpose of present study was to investigate the potential mechanism underlying the protective effect of Shenling Baizhu San (SLBZS) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by microRNA (miRNA) sequencing. Methods. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a high-fat diet (HFD) group, and an SLBZS group. After 12 weeks, the biochemical parameters and liver histologies of the rats were assessed. The Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing platform was used to analyse the hepatic miRNA expression profiles. Representative differentially expressed miRNAs were further validated by qRT-PCR. The functions of the differentially expressed miRNAs were analysed by bioinformatics. Results. Our results identified 102 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the HFD group compared with the NC group. Among those differentially expressed miRNAs, the expression levels of 28 miRNAs were reversed by SLBZS administration, suggesting the modulation effect of SLBZS on hepatic miRNA expression profiles. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of miR-155-5p, miR-146b-5p, miR-132-3p, and miR-34a-5p were consistent with those detected by sequencing. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs reversed by SLBZS were mainly related to metabolic pathways. Conclusion. This study provides novel insights into the mechanism of SLBZS in protecting against NAFLD; this mechanism may be partly related to the modulation of hepatic miRNA expression and their target pathways.
CC2: Defending Hybrid Worm on Mobile Networks with Two‐Dimensional Circulation Control
Authors: Yang Hailu , Chen Deyun , Sun Guanglu , Ding Xiaoyu , Xin Yu
Published: December 2019

As the hybrid worm can propagate by both personal social interactions and wireless communications, it has been identified as one of the most severe threats to the mobile Internet. This problem is expected to become worse with the boom of social applications and mobile services. In this work, we study the propagation dynamics of hybrid worms and propose a systematic countermeasure. The system maintains a set of community structure which describes the high‐speed infection zone of worms and contains worm propagation by distributing the worm signature to the guard nodes selected from the periphery of each community. For those nodes that are geographically close but located in different communities , we evaluate the communication security between them based on the observed infection history and limit communications between insecure ones to avoid the worm spreading across communities. We also design an efficient worm signature forwarding strategy that enables most nodes in the network to reach an immune state before being infected by the worm. Extensive real‐trace driven simulations verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Melatonin Prevents Osteoarthritis-Induced Cartilage Degradation via Targeting MicroRNA-140
Authors: Zhang Yijian , Lin Jun , Zhou Xinfeng , Chen Xi , Chen Angela Carley , Pi Bin , Pan Guoqing , Pei Ming , Yang Huilin , Liu Tao , He Fan
Published: December 2019

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by the progressive destruction of articular cartilage, which is involved in the imbalance between extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and degradation. MicroRNA-140-5p (miR-140) is specifically expressed in cartilage and plays an important role in OA-induced matrix degradation. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) whether intra-articular injection of melatonin could ameliorate surgically induced OA in mice and (2) whether melatonin could regulate matrix-degrading enzymes at the posttranscriptional level by targeting miR-140. In an in vitro OA environment induced by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), melatonin treatment improved cell proliferation of human chondrocytes, promoted the expression of cartilage ECM proteins (e.g., type II collagen and aggrecan), and inhibited the levels of IL-1β-induced proteinases, such as matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), MMP13, ADAMTS4 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4), and ADAMTS5. Both the microarray and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments revealed that miR-140 was a melatonin-responsive microRNA and melatonin upregulated miR-140 expression, which was suppressed by IL-1β stimulation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that intra-articular injection of melatonin prevented disruptions of cartilage matrix homeostasis and successfully alleviated the progression of surgery-induced OA in mice. Transfection of miR-140 antagomir completely counteracted the antiarthritic effects of melatonin by promoting matrix destruction. Our findings demonstrate that melatonin protects the articular cartilage from OA-induced degradation by targeting miR-140, and intra-articular administration of melatonin may benefit patients suffering from OA.
ОСВІТНЬО-ПРОФЕСІЙНА ПРОГРАМА ТА ТЕХНОЛОГІЯ ПІДГОТОВКИ ПАРАМЕДИКІВ У ТЕРНОПІЛЬСЬКОМУ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОМУ МЕДИЧНОМУ УНІВЕРСИТЕТІ ІМЕНІ І. Я. ГОРБАЧЕВСЬКОГО МОЗ УКРАЇНИ
Authors: Korda M. M. , Hudyma A. A. , Shulhai A. H. , Zaporozhan S. Y.
Published: December 2019

Мета роботи – висвітлити основні засади освітньо-професійної програми та технології підготовки парамедиків у ТНМУ.

Основна частина. У статті наведено основні елементи освітньо-професійної програми підготовки парамедиків у ТНМУ.

Висвітлено ключові технології підготовки парамедиків, які сприяють якісному опануванню теоретичних знань і практичних навичок з надання екстреної медичної допомоги хворим і постраждалим у невідкладному стані на місці події і на ранньому госпітальному етапі.

Висновки. Освітньо-професійна програма для підготовки парамедиків у ТНМУ увібрала в себе кращий східноєвропейський досвід й задає вектор якісної підготовки майбутніх фахівців. До ключових принципів підготовки парамедиків є наявність повного комплекту оснащення автомобіля швидкої допомоги типу «С»; залучення до викладацької діяльності практикуючих фахівців з медицини невідкладних станів; наявність центру симуляційного навчання для опанування медицини невідкладних станів.
ОБ’ЄКТИВНИЙ СТРУКТУРОВАНИЙ КЛІНІЧНИЙ ІСПИТ ЯК ВИМІР ПРАКТИЧНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ МАЙБУТНЬОГО ЛІКАРЯ
Authors: Korda M. M. , Shulhai A. H. , Pasyaka N. V. , Petrenko N. V. , Haliyash N. V. , Bilkevich N. A.
Published: December 2019

Мета роботи – проаналізувати ефективність оцінювання медичних компетентностей за допомогою об’єктивного структурованого клінічного іспиту.

Основна частина. Під час іспиту студент виконує 12 завдань на 12 станціях. Час, виділений на кожне з них, складає 6 хв, а перерва між ними – 1 хв. Залежно від того, яку компетентність мається на меті перевірити, станції поділяються на 4 основних типи: комунікативні, когнітивні, мануальні (базові та ускладнені) чи маніпуляції. Проте такий поділ є досить умовним, на жодній станції неможливо оцінити ізольовану компетентність, оскільки вони є взаємопроникаючими. Для досягнення високої надійності та об’єктивності контролю знання студента оцінюється за виконанням однакових завдань (для однієї групи), за чек-листом та без зазначення персональних даних (за ідентифікаційним номером). Іспит вважається складеним, якщо студент набрав не менше 7,0 балів з 12 максимально можливих.

Висновок. Використання формату об’єктивного структурованого клінічного іспиту  дає можливість не тільки оцінити ступінь оволодіння компетентностями, а й сприяє підвищенню зацікавленості студентів до навчання та формує клінічне мислення.
ФУНКЦІОНАЛЬНІ І СТРУКТУРНІ ЗМІНИ В ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ БЕЗПЕРЕРВНОГО ПРОФЕСІЙНОГО РОЗВИТКУ ЛІКАРІВ ТА ПРОВІЗОРІВ У КОНТЕКСТІ РЕФОРМУВАННЯ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я УКРАЇНИ
Authors: Voronenko Yu. V. , Vdovichenko Yu. P. , Tolstanov O. K. , Krasnov V. V.
Published: December 2019

Мета роботи – проаналізувати прагнення світової професійної спільноти удосконалити існуючі моделі безперервного професійного розвитку (БПР) у розвинених країнах світу, а також зіставлення цих трендів з реформами, що відбуваються в системі підготовки медичних кадрів в Україні.

 Основна частина. У статті проводиться аналіз актуальних документів ВООЗ та WFME. Якщо проаналізувати прагнення розвинених країн до вдосконалення існуючих систем підготовки медичних кадрів, можна визнати, що ці країни разом із ВООЗ прагнуть максимально встановити державний контроль над системою БПР. У свою чергу, з аналізу вимог стандарту WFME щодо БПР випливає, що у розвинутих країнах очікується створення системи, яка є подібною до тої, яка вже існує в Україні протягом останніх майже 30-ти років. Новітня реформа охорони здоров’я України ґрунтується на навчанні кадрів через державну систему післядипломної освіти. Але ця система, після виходу найновіших регуляторних актів, буде піддана майже повному руйнуванню.

Висновки. Всі рішення експертів медичної освіти та охорони здоров’я світового рівня підкреслюють важливість узгодження діяльності систем підготовки кадрів і державного забезпечення охорони здоров’я. Якщо всі розвинені країни світу шукають, яким чином забезпечити безперебійну взаємодію цих двох систем, то Україна з січня 2020 р. таку взаємодію ліквідує і позбавляється поки наявних у нас переваг, до яких тільки прагнуть інші країни, що вважаються економічно розвиненими. Ми вважаємо, що система управління охороною здоров’я повинна не ліквідувати існуючі механізми формування професійних кадрів, а шукати шляхи її оптимізації та вдосконалення.
ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ОБ’ЄКТИВНОГО СТРУКТУРОВАНОГО КЛІНІЧНОГО ІСПИТУ ЯК ЕТАПУ ПРОВЕДЕННЯ АТЕСТАЦІЇ ВИПУСКНИКІВ ДЕРЖАВНОГО ЗАКЛАДУ «ДНІПРОПЕТРОВСЬКА МЕДИЧНА АКАДЕМІЯ МІНІСТЕРСТВА ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я УКРАЇНИ»
Authors: Pertseva T. O. , Shponka I. S. , Zakharov S. V. , Khaniukov O. O. , Kravchenko O. I.
Published: December 2019

Мета роботи – аналіз застосування об’єктивного структурованого клінічного іспиту як етапу проведення атестації випуск­ників державного закладу «Дніпропетровська медична академія міністерства охорони здоров’я України».

Основна частина. ОСКІ має певні переваги перед традиційними методами оцінки – усними співбесідою, письмовими роботами, тестуванням і прийомом практичних навичок біля ліжка хворого. ОСКІ де-факто залишається практично єдиним методом, що дозволяє ефективно оцінити навички значної кількості студентів за мінімальний час на рівні «показати» піраміди клінічної компетентності G. Miller. На відміну від письмових, усних іспитів і тестування, ОСКІ не просто оцінює рівень теоретичних знань студентів, але перевіряє їх компетентність у застосуванні наявних знань на практиці.

Висновок. Порівняно з прийомом практичних навичок біля ліжка хворого ОСКІ дозволяє забезпечити більшу різноманітність клінічних ситуацій, відтворити рідкісні клінічні випадки, перевірити навички студентів в «делікатних» ситуаціях, допускає можливість лікарської помилки.
УПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ІННОВАЦІЙ В ОСВІТНЮ ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ДЛЯ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ ЯКОСТІ ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ПРАКТИЧНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ ВИПУСКНИКІВ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОГО ФАРМАЦЕВТИЧНОГО УНІВЕРСИТЕТУ
Authors: Kotvitska A. A. , Fedosov A. I. , Krutskykh T. V. , Barkovska O. Y.
Published: December 2019

Мета роботи – висвітлити значення створення баз даних проходження практики студентами, які здобувають вищу фармацевтичну освіту, й управління процесом організації практичної підготовки та працевлаштування випускників університету.

Основна частина. З метою створення єдиної платформи, що об’єднує роботодавців, освітян, здобувачів вищої освіти; формування баз даних й управління процесом організації практичної підготовки та працевлаштування випускників університету ми розробили і з 2018 р. впровадили в освітню діяльність новий проект «Кар’єра та працевлаштування». За підтримки Харківського обласного центру зайнятості ми розробили окрему електронну платформу. Відзначено позитивний досвід розподілу студентів на практику у Німеччині, де вони звертаються до «онлайн-бірж для практикантів» (Praktikumsbörsen). На сайтах представлені поради щодо проходження практики – від подачі студентом заявки керівництву аптек до отримання свідоцтва про практичну освіту.

Висновок. Таким чином, на сьогодні можна стверджувати, що створення умов для ефективної практичної підготовки та працевлаштування випускників НФаУ сприяє досягненню кінцевого результату: якість освітніх послуг − конкурентоспроможний фахівець − добробут суспільства.