bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in neuromuscular structure and functions of human colon during ageing are region-dependent
Authors: Broad John , Kung Victor W S , Palmer Alexandra , Elahi Shezan , Karami Azadeh , Darreh-Shori Taher , Ahmed Shafi , Thaha Mohamed Adhnan , Carroll Rebecca , Chin-Aleong Joanne , Martin Joanne E , Saffrey M Jill , Knowles Charles H , Sanger Gareth John
Published: September 2018

Objective

To determine if human colonic neuromuscular functions decline with increasing age.

Design

Looking for non-specific changes in neuromuscular function, a standard burst of electrical field stimulation (EFS) was used to evoke neuronally mediated (cholinergic/nitrergic) contractions/relaxations in ex vivomuscle strips of human ascending and descending colon, aged 35–91 years (macroscopically normal tissue; 239 patients undergoing cancer resection). Then, to understand mechanisms of change, numbers and phenotype of myenteric neurons (30 306 neurons stained with different markers), densities of intramuscular nerve fibres (51 patients in total) and pathways involved in functional changes were systematically investigated (by immunohistochemistry and use of pharmacological tools) in elderly (≥70 years) and adult (35–60 years) groups.

Results

With increasing age, EFS was more likely to evoke muscle relaxation in ascending colon instead of contraction (linear regression: n=109, slope 0.49%±0.21%/year, 95% CI), generally uninfluenced by comorbidity or use of medications. Similar changes were absent in descending colon. In the elderly, overall numbers of myenteric and neuronal nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons and intramuscular nerve densities were unchanged in ascending and descending colon, compared with adults. In elderly ascending, not descending, colon numbers of cell bodies exhibiting choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity increased compared with adults (5.0±0.6 vs 2.4±0.3 neurons/mm myenteric plexus, p=0.04). Cholinergically mediated contractions were smaller in elderly ascending colon compared with adults (2.1±0.4 and 4.1±1.1 g-tension/g-tissue during EFS; n=25/14; p=0.04); there were no changes in nitrergic function or in ability of the muscle to contract/relax. Similar changes were absent in descending colon.

Conclusion

In ascending not descending colon, ageing impairs cholinergic function.
Clinical utility of reflex testing using focused next-generation sequencing for management of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Miller Tyler E , Yang Michael , Bajor David , Friedman Judah D , Chang Richard Y C , Dowlati Afshin , Willis Joseph E , Sadri Navid
Published: September 2018

Aims

The growing number of genomically targeted therapies has made genomic testing an important part of the care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. However, limited tissue availability, cost and long turnaround times can create barriers to efficient genomic testing and subsequent treatment. Effective approaches to reduce these barriers are needed.

Methods

302 advanced lung adenocarcinomas from consecutive patients seen at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC) were tested inhouse using a hybrid DNA/RNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel. Sample testing was reflexed from pathology for all stage III or IV tumours. Genomic alterations were tiered according to their clinical relevance and reported with guideline-recommended therapies. Clinical implications of genomic testing results were assessed by manual chart review.

Results

With a sample cohort consisting of 64% biopsies, 16% excisions/resections and 20% fine needle aspirations, the assay was reliable with a 95% success rate. The average turnaround time from receipt of unstained formalin-fixed paraffin embedded slides to reporting was 4.8±2.1 days, half of the recommended 10 days and similar to single-gene testing. Alterations with Food and Drug Administration-approved or the National Cancer Center Network guideline-recommended targeted therapies were found in 18% of cases. Within this group, 60% of patients went on genomically driven therapies.

Conclusions

We found our reflexed inhouse NGS assay to be reliable, cost-effective and efficient. Incorporation of reflex testing with our NGS assay led to an expansion of successful genomic profiling for all guideline-recommended alterations, and by including an expanded number of alterations within our panel we obtained clinically useful information outside the guidelines without changing cost or efficiency. This approach has enabled UHCMC clinicians to efficiently initiate genomically driven therapies for patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
Donor-funded research: permissible, not perfect
Authors: King Mike , Ballantyne Angela
Published: September 2018

Donor-funded research is research funded by private donors in exchange for research-related benefits, such as trial participation or access to the trial intervention. This has been pejoratively referred to as ‘pay to play’ research, and criticised as unethical. We outline three models of donor-funded research, and argue for their permissibility on the grounds of personal liberty, their capacity to facilitate otherwise unfunded health research and their consistency with current ethical standards for research. We defend this argument against objections that donor-funded research is wrongly exploitative, unfair and undermines the public good of medical research. Our conclusion is that, like all human subjects research, donor-funded research should be regulated via standard health research legislation/guidelines and undergo Research Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board and scientific peer-review. We expect that, measured against these standards, some donor-funded research would be acceptable.
Acting by persuasion— values and rhetoric in medical certificates of work incapacity: A qualitative document analysis
Authors: Aarseth Guri , Natvig Bård , Engebretsen Eivind , Lie Anne Kveim
Published: September 2018

When the patient applies for disability benefit in Norway, the general practitioner (GP) is required by the National Insurance Administration (NAV) to confirm that the patient is unfit for work due to disease. Considering the important social role of medical certificates, they have been given surprisingly little attention by the medical critique. They may make essential differences to peoples’ lives, legitimise large social costs and, in addition, the GPs report that issuing certificates can be problematic. This article explores values, attitudes and persuasive language in a selection of medical certificates written by GPs. We direct attention to such texts as significant social actors using a mixed rhetoric including certain values and attitudes. When arguing for granting the patient disability benefit, some GPs emphasised the ‘worthiness’ of the patient by pointing to positive attitudes approved by the national insurance: a will to work and participate, to cooperate and be motivated. Others pointed out the patient’s positive character in terms of universally accepted values, called for the reader’s (the NAV official) sympathy , understanding and helpfulness or appealed to his/her willingness to be realistic and pragmatic and grant disability benefit (DB). The dialogic style varied: some certifiers—although they argued for disability benefit—showed openness to possible opposing or alternative voices by displaying their own uncertainty. Others addressed the reader to share responsibility, demanding or urging for DB. This shifting rhetoric, we believe, mirrors that the GPs see themselves as the patient’s advocate, and that they may find themselves conflicted. We propose further studies within qualitative research to investigate the effect of this rhetoric on the reader, the decision-makers. In addition, to improve the quality and accuracy of these important documents, we suggest that medical schools introduce students to the making of text as a specific skill of medical practice.
Sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy and subsequent risk of stillbirth and infant mortality in Kenya: a prospective study
Authors: Warr Alex J , Pintye Jillian , Kinuthia John , Drake Alison L , Unger Jennifer A , McClelland R Scott , Matemo Daniel , Osborn Lusi , John-Stewart Grace
Published: September 2018

Objectives

We evaluated the relationship of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and genital infections during pregnancy and subsequent risk for infant mortality and stillbirth.

Methods

This was a nested longitudinal analysis using data from a study of peripartum HIV acquisition in Kenya. In the parent study, HIV-uninfected women were enrolled during pregnancy and followed until 9 months postpartum. For this analysis, women who tested positive for HIV at any point, had a non-singleton pregnancy or a spontaneous abortion <20 weeks were excluded. At enrolment, laboratory methods were used to screen for bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal yeast,
Chlamydia trachomatis
(CT),
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(NG) and
Trichomonas vaginalis
(TV). Syphilis was diagnosed using rapid plasma reagin testing and genital ulcer disease (GUD) identified by clinical examination. Treatment of laboratory-confirmed STIs and syndromic management was provided per Kenyan national guidelines. Predictors of stillbirth and infant mortality were determined using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Overall, among 1221 women, 55% had STIs or genital infections detected: vaginal yeast (25%), BV (22%), TV (6%), CT (5%), NG (2%) and syphilis (1%). Among women with STIs/genital infections (n=592), 34% had symptoms. Overall, 19/1221 (2%) women experienced stillbirths. Among 1202 live births, 34 infant deaths occurred (incidence 4.0 deaths per 100 person-years, 95% CI 2.8 to 5.5). After adjustment for maternal age, education and study site, stillbirth was associated with maternal GUD (adjusted OR=9.19, 95% CI1.91 to 44.35, p=0.006). Maternal NG was associated with infant mortality (adjusted HR=3.83, 95% CI1.16 to 12.68, p=0.028); there was some evidence that maternal CT was associated with infant mortality. Stillbirth or infant mortality were not associated with other genital infections.

Conclusions

STIs and genital infections were common, frequently asymptomatic and some associated with stillbirth or infant mortality. Expediting diagnosis and treatment of STIs in pregnancy may improve infant outcomes.
Progranulin aggravates pulmonary immunopathology during influenza virus infection
Authors: Luo Qin , Yan Xingxing , Tu Hongmei , Yin Yibing , Cao Ju
Published: September 2018

Progranulin (PGRN) exerts multiple functions in various inflammatory diseases. However, the role of PGRN in the pathogenesis of virus infection is unknown. Here, we demonstrated that PGRN production was up-regulated in clinical and experimental influenza, which contributed to the deleterious inflammatory response after influenza virus infection in mice. PGRN-deficient mice were protected from influenza virus-induced lung injury and mortality. Decreased mortality was associated with significantly reduced influx of neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages, release of cytokines and chemokines, and permeability of the alveolar–epithelial barrier without affecting viral clearance. Our findings suggest that PGRN exacerbates pulmonary immunopathology during influenza virus infection.
Peripheral chemoreceptor deactivation attenuates the sympathetic response to glucose ingestion
Authors: Smorschok Megan P. , Sobierajski Frances M. , Purdy Graeme M. , Riske Laurel A. , Busch Stephen A. , Skow Rachel J. , Matenchuk Brittany A. , Pfoh Jamie R. , Vanden Berg Emily R. , Linares Andrea , Borle Kennedy , Lavoie Lauren , Saran Gurkarn , Dyck Rebecca , Funk Deanna R. , Day Trevor A. , Boulé Normand G. , Davenport Margie H. , Steinback Craig D.
Published: September 2018

Acute increases in blood glucose are associated with heightened muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). Animal studies have implicated a role for peripheral chemoreceptors in this response, but this has not been examined in humans. Heart rate, cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure, total peripheral conductance, and blood glucose concentrations were collected in 11 participants. MSNA was recorded in a subset of 5 participants via microneurography. Participants came to the lab on 2 separate days (i.e., 1 control and 1 experimental day). On both days, participants ingested 75 g of glucose following baseline measurements. On the experimental day, participants breathed 100% oxygen for 3 min at baseline and again at 20, 40, and 60 min after glucose ingestion to deactivate peripheral chemoreceptors. Supplemental oxygen was not given to participants on the control day. There was a main effect of time on blood glucose (P < 0.001), heart rate (P < 0.001), CO (P < 0.001), sympathetic burst frequency (P < 0.001), burst incidence (P = 0.01), and total MSNA (P = 0.001) for both days. Blood glucose concentrations and burst frequency were positively correlated on the control day (r = 0.42; P = 0.03) and experimental day (r = 0.62; P = 0.003). There was a time × condition interaction (i.e., normoxia vs. hyperoxia) on burst frequency, in which hyperoxia significantly blunted burst frequency at 20 and 60 min after glucose ingestion only. Given that hyperoxia blunted burst frequency only during hyperglycemia, our results suggest that the peripheral chemoreceptors are involved in activating MSNA after glucose ingestion.
Sand bedding as a reservoir for Lactococcus garvieae dissemination in dairy farms
Authors: Eraclio Giovanni , Ricci Giovanni , Moroni Paolo , Santisteban Carlos , Plumed-Ferrer Carme , Bennett James , Fortina Maria Grazia
Published: September 2018

Lactococcus garvieae is now recognized as a species with clinical significance for human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of this pathogen in sand bedding and milk samples. Two farms in Minnesota with problems of clinical and subclinical mastitis due to streptococci-like organisms were selected. Twenty-four Lactococcus garvieae isolates from sand bedding and 18 isolates from quarter milk were comparatively studied using a genotypic approach. RAPD (random amplification of polymorphic DNA) PCR and REP (repetitive element palindromic) PCR experiments highlighted a similar electrophoretic profile. When genes belonging to the core genome of L. garvieae were tested through a MLRT (multilocus restriction typing), we again observed that all L. garvieae isolates coming from sand bedding and milk shared a common profile, distinguishable from previously studied representative L. garvieae strains. These data indicate that the L. garvieae isolated from sand bedding and milk originated from a few strains adapted to persist in the same habitat. This supports the hypothesis that sand bedding can represent a reservoir of L. garvieae strains and be a potential vehicle for their dissemination in dairy farms.
Detection of large sequence insertions by a hybrid approach that combine de novo assembly and resequencing of medium-coverage genome sequences
Authors: Lee Taeyoung , Kim Moon Young , Ha Jungmin , Lee Suk-Ha
Published: September 2018

Large sequence insertion (LSI) is one of the structural variations (SVs) that may cause phenotypic differences in plants. To identify the LSIs using medium-coverage sequencing data of four wild soybean (Glycine soja) genotypes, we designed a hybrid approach combining de novo assembly and read mapping. Total reads and reads with both ends unmapped were independently assembled into “ordinary contigs” and “orphan contigs”, respectively, and subjected to pairwise alignment and stringent filtering. This approach predicted 24 LSIs averaging 2682 bp in size, with no overlap with SVs detected by Pindel, BreakDancer, or ScanIndel, and they were validated by PCR. Compared with the soybean (Glycine max) reference genome, 20 LSIs were located outside genic regions. One of the four LSIs within a genic region, LSI05, is located in the coding DNA sequence region of a protein kinase superfamily gene (Glyma.08G123500). It caused delayed translation initiation and loss of 24 amino acids in the wild soybean genotype CW12. LSI05 was more frequently observed in 29 G. soja accessions than in 34 G. max accessions. Identified LSIs would be genomic resources harboring novel gene contents for studying SVs and improving crops. Moreover, our cost-efficient approach may be applicable to other plant species.
Optical solitons, complexitons and power series solutions of a (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation
Authors: Peng Wei-Qi , Tian Shou-Fu , Zhang Tian-Tian
Published: September 2018

In this paper, a (2+1)-dimensional generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation is investigated, which is an important model in the field of optical fiber propagation. By employing the ansatz method, we obtain the bright soliton, dark soliton and complexiton of the equation. Some constraint conditions are also derived to ensure the existence of the solitons. Moreover, its power series solutions with the convergence analysis are also provided. Some graphical analyses of those solutions are presented in order to better understand their dynamical behavior.
Finite semisimple group algebra of a normally monomial group
Authors: Gupta Shalini , Maheshwary Sugandha
Published: September 2018

In this paper, the complete algebraic structure of the finite semisimple group algebra of a normally monomial group is described. The main result is illustrated by computing the explicit Wedderburn decomposition of finite semisimple group algebras of various normally monomial groups. The automorphism groups of these group algebras are also determined.
Holographic heat engines and static black holes: A general efficiency formula
Authors: Rosso Felipe
Published: September 2018

Starting from simple observations regarding heat flows for static black holes (or any thermodynamic system with [Formula: see text]), we get inequalities which restrict their change in energy and adiabatic curves in the [Formula: see text] plane. From these observations, we then derive an exact efficiency formula for virtually any holographic heat engine defined by a cycle in the [Formula: see text] plane, whose working substance is a static black hole. Moreover, we get an upper bound for its efficiency and show that for a certain class of black holes, this bound is universal and achieved by an “ideal gas” hole. Finally, we compute exact efficiencies for some particular and new engines.
Multiresolution wavelet bases with augmentation method for solving singularly perturbed reaction–diffusion Neumann problem
Authors: Utudee Somlak , Maleewong Montri
Published: September 2018

This paper developed the anti-derivative wavelet bases to handle the more general types of boundary conditions: Dirichlet, mixed and Neumann boundary conditions. The boundary value problem can be formulated by the variational approach, resulting in a system involving unknown wavelet coefficients. The wavelet bases are constructed to solve the unknown solutions corresponding to the types of solution spaces. The augmentation method is presented to reduce the dimension of the original system, while the convergence rate is in the same order as the multiresolution method. Some numerical examples have been shown to confirm the rate of convergence. The examples of the singularly perturbed problem with Neumann boundary conditions are also demonstrated, including highly oscillating cases.
Revisiting Connes’ finite spectral distance on noncommutative spaces: Moyal plane and fuzzy sphere
Authors: Chaoba Devi Yendrembam , Kumar Kaushlendra , Chakraborty Biswajit , Scholtz Frederik G.
Published: September 2018

Beginning with a review of the existing literature on the computation of spectral distances on noncommutative spaces like Moyal plane and fuzzy sphere, adaptable to Hilbert–Schmidt operatorial formulation, we carry out a correction, revision and extension of the algorithm provided in [1] i.e. [F. G. Scholtz and B. Chakraborty, J. Phys. A, Math. Theor. 46 (2013) 085204] to compute the finite Connes’ distance between normal states. The revised expression, which we provide here, involves the computation of the infimum of an expression which involves the “transverse” [Formula: see text] component of the algebra element in addition to the “longitudinal” component [Formula: see text] of [1], identified with the difference of density matrices representing the states, whereas the expression given in [1] involves only [Formula: see text] and corresponds to the lower bound of the distance. This renders the revised formula less user-friendly, as the determination of the exact transverse component for which the infimum is reached remains a nontrivial task, but under rather generic conditions it turns out that the Connes’ distance is proportional to the Hilbert-Schmidt norm of [Formula: see text], leading to considerable simplification. In addition, we can determine an upper bound of the distance by emulating and adapting the approach of [P. Martinetti and L. Tomassini, Commun. Math. Phys. 323 (2013) 107–141]. We then look for an optimal element for which the upper bound is reached. We are able to find one for the Moyal plane through the limit of a sequence obtained by finite-dimensional projections of the representative of an element belonging to a multiplier algebra, onto the subspaces of the total Hilbert space, occurring in the spectral triple and spanned by the eigen-spinors of the respective Dirac operator. This is in contrast with the fuzzy sphere, where the upper bound, which is given by the geodesic of a commutative sphere, is never reached for any finite [Formula: see text]-representation of [Formula: see text]. Indeed, for the case of maximal noncommutativity ([Formula: see text]), the finite distance is shown to coincide exactly with the above-mentioned lower bound, with the transverse component playing no role. This, however, starts changing from [Formula: see text] onwards and we try to improve the estimate of the finite distance and provide an almost exact result, using our revised algorithm. The contrasting features of these types of noncommutative spaces becomes quite transparent through the analysis, carried out in the eigen-spinor bases of the respective Dirac operators.
A Numerical Study on the Seismic Site Response of Rocky Valleys with Irregular Topographic Conditions
Authors: Katebi Mohammad , Gatmiri Behrouz , Maghoul Pooneh
Published: September 2018

This paper investigates topographic effects of rocky valleys with irregular topographic conditions subjected to vertically propagating SV waves of Ricker type using a boundary element code. Valleys with two intersecting slopes, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], are modelled in order to study their combined effects on ground motion. Presented in the form of pseudo-acceleration response spectra, results of this work can be extended to similar topographies. The main findings are: (i) [Formula: see text] (the first slope angle) and [Formula: see text] (L is the half width of the valley and [Formula: see text] is its corresponding height) have amplifying effects, and [Formula: see text] (the second slope angle) has de-amplifying effects on the site response. (ii) [Formula: see text] has a straight effect on intensifying the effects of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. (iii) The combined effects of slope angles have been found to be important in modifying the response so more than a single slope should be considered for seismic analysis. (iv) Engineers should use the maximum amplification of 2.4 in case of valleys with the first and second slope angles below [Formula: see text].
Nanomaterials for infrared shielding smart coatings
Authors: Yin Shu , Riapanitra Anung , Asakura Yusuke
Published: September 2018

Synthesis and characterization of functional nanoparticles and their applications for smart window are reviewed. Various kinds of nanomaterials and their composites are successfully synthesized by solvothermal process. Thin films on glass substrate can be fabricated by doctor blade method using nanoparticles as starting materials. The mixed valence state tungsten-based homogeneous nanomaterials possess excellent infrared (IR) light shielding properties, implying their potential applications for the heat ray shielding and indoor energy saving effect in summer. On the other hand, VO2 monoclinic-based nanoparticles possess smart and excellent thermochromic properties, show excellent heat ray shielding effect in summer and heating effect of winter indoors. Also, multifunctionality of thin films can be realized by fabricating the composites with various functional components, implying their potential applications for IR shielding, photocatalysis and self-cleaning at the same time. The design of composites and structure of thin films might result in the enhancement or properties of practice applications on window materials.
Exploring the efficiency of image metric for assessing the visual quality of 3D mesh model
Authors: Che Li , Kang Fengju
Published: September 2018

Recent developments in 3D graphics technology have led to extensive processes on 3D meshes (e.g., compression, simplification, transmission and watermarking), these processes unavoidably cause the visual perceptual degradation of the 3D objects. The existing mesh visual quality evaluation metrics either require topology constrain or fail to reflect the perceived visual quality. Meanwhile, for the 3D objects that are observed on 2D screens by the users, it is reasonable to apply image metric to assess the distortion caused by mesh simplification. We attempt to explore the efficiency of image metric for assessing the visual fidelity of the simplified 3D model in this paper. For this purpose, several latest and most effective image metrics, 2D snapshots, number and pooling algorithms are involved in our study, and finally tested on the IEETA simplification database. The statistical data allow the researcher to select the optimal parameter for this image-based mesh visual quality assessment and provide a new perspective for the design and performance assessment of mesh simplification algorithms.
Triclustering Algorithms for Three-Dimensional Data Analysis
Authors: Henriques Rui , Madeira Sara C.
Published: September 2018

Three-dimensional data are increasingly prevalent across biomedical and social domains. Notable examples are gene-sample-time, individual-feature-time, or node-node-time data, generally referred to as observation-attribute-context data. The unsupervised analysis of three-dimensional data can be pursued to discover putative biological modules, disease progression profiles, and communities of individuals with coherent behavior, among other patterns of interest. It is thus key to enhance the understanding of complex biological, individual, and societal systems. In this context, although clustering can be applied to group observations, its relevance is limited since observations in three-dimensional data domains are typically only meaningfully correlated on subspaces of the overall space. Biclustering tackles this challenge but disregards the third dimension. In this scenario, triclustering—the discovery of coherent subspaces within three-dimensional data—has been largely researched to tackle these problems. Despite the diversity of contributions in this field, there still lacks a structured view on the major requirements of triclustering, desirable forms of homogeneity (including coherency, structure, quality, locality, and orthonormality criteria), and algorithmic approaches. This work formalizes the triclustering task and its scope, introduces a taxonomy to categorize the contributions in the field, provides a comprehensive comparison of state-of-the-art triclustering algorithms according to their behavior and output, and lists relevant real-world applications. Finally, it highlights challenges and opportunities to advance the field of triclustering and its applicability to complex three-dimensional data analysis.
Insulin regulates GLUT4 in the ventromedial hypothalamus to restore the sympathoadrenal response to hypoglycemia in diabetic rats
Authors: Agrawal Rahul , Vieira-de-Abreu Adriana , Durupt Griffin , Taylor Casey , Chan Owen , Fisher Simon J.
Published: September 2018

It is proposed that the impaired counterregulatory response (CRR) to hypoglycemia in insulin-deficient diabetes may be due to chronic brain insulin deficiency. To test this hypothesis, streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with insulin (3 mU/day) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) bilaterally into the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) for 2 wk and compared with nondiabetic rats. Rats underwent hyperinsulinemic (50 mU·kg−1·min−1)-hypoglycemic (~45 mg/dl) clamps. Diabetic rats demonstrated an impaired CRR to hypoglycemia, noted by a high glucose infusion rate and blunted epinephrine and glucagon responses. The defective sympathoadrenal response was restored by chronic infusion of insulin into the VMH. Diabetic rats had decreased VMH Akt phosphorylation and decreased VMH glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) content, which was also restored by chronic infusion of insulin into the VMH. Separate experiments in nondiabetic rats in which GLUT4 translocation into the VMH was inhibited with an infusion of indinavir were notable for an impaired CRR to hypoglycemia, indicated by increased glucose infusion rate and diminished epinephrine and glucagon responses. Results suggest that, in this model of diabetes, VMH insulin deficiency impairs the sympathoadrenal response to hypoglycemia and that chronic infusion of insulin into the VMH is sufficient to normalize the sympathoadrenal response to hypoglycemia via restoration of GLUT4 expression in the VMH.
New Understanding of Transient Pressure Response in the Transition Zone of Oil-Water and Gas-Water Systems
Authors: Xu Wenbin , Liu Zhihui , Liu Jie , Yang Yongfei
Published: September 2018

Well test analysis requires a preselected model, which relies on the context input and the diagnostic result through the pressure logarithmic derivative curve. Transient pressure outer boundary response heavily impacts on the selection of such a model. Traditional boundary-type curves used for such diagnostic purpose are only suitable for single-phase flow in a homogeneous reservoir, while practical situations are often much more complicated. This is particularly true when transient pressure is derived during the field development phase, for example, from permanent down-hole gauge (PDG), where outer boundary condition such as an active aquifer with a transition zone above it plays a big role in dominating the late time pressure response. In this case, capillary pressure and the total mobility in the transition zone have significant effect on the pressure response. This effect is distinctly different for oil-water system and gas water system, which will result in the pressure logarithmic derivatives remarkably different from the traditional boundary-type curves. This paper presents study results derived through theoretical and numerical well testing approaches to solve this problem. The outcome of this study can help in understanding the reservoir behavior and guiding the management of mature field. According to the theoretical development by Thompson, a new approach was derived according to Darcy’s law, which shows that pressure response in the transition zone is a function of total effective mobility. For oil-water system, the total effective mobility increases with an increase in the radius of transition zone, while for gas-water system, the effect is opposite.
An IMM-GLR Approach for Marine Gas Turbine Gas Path Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Yang Qingcai , Li Shuying , Cao Yunpeng
Published: September 2018

An IMM-GLR approach based on interacting multiple model (IMM) and generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) estimation was developed to detect, isolate, and estimate gas turbine gas path fault (including abrupt fault and multiple faults) in the underdetermine estimation conditions. In this approach, a model set representing gas turbine health condition and different fault condition was established, and a corresponding bank of filters was designed. An IMM-based FDI algorithm based on these filters is applied to detect and isolate fault, and a GLR estimation algorithm is used to estimate the fault severity. Then a model set update strategy based on the diagnosed fault was proposed to enable the diagnosis of multiple faults. Several simulation case studies on a marine gas turbine were conducted, and the results show that the IMM-GLR approach not only accurately diagnoses the abrupt gas path fault and multiple gas path faults but also accurately estimates the severity of the detected fault in the underdetermine estimation conditions.
Proactive Hedging European Call Option Pricing with Linear Position Strategy
Authors: Li Meng , Wang Xuefeng , Sun Fangfang
Published: September 2018

Proactive hedging option is an exotic European stock option designed for hedgers. Such option requires option holders to buy in (or sell out) the underlying asset (stock) and allows them to adjust the holdings of the underlying asset per its price changes within an option period. The proactive hedging option is an attractive choice for hedgers because its price is lower than that of classical options and because it completely hedges the risk of exposure for option holders. In this study, the underlying asset price movement is assumed to follow geometric fractional Brownian motion. The pricing formula for proactive hedging call options is derived with a linear position strategy by applying the risk-neutral evaluation principle. We use simulations to confirm that the price of this exotic option is always no more than that of the classical European option under the same parameters.
The Oncogenic Role of ARG1 in Progression and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: You Jia , Chen Wei , Chen Jing , Zheng Qi , Dong Jing , Zhu Yueyong
Published: September 2018

ARG1, which encodes Arginase1, is expressed in the liver cytoplasm and plays a major role in the hepatic urea cycle. The past research works shed light on the fact that ARG1 participates in anti-inflammation, tumor immunity, and immunosuppression-related diseases. Nevertheless, the concrete role and clinical significance of ARG1 in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Herein, we aimed at examining the expression and clinicopathological significance of ARG1 in HCC, together with determining the effect of ARG1 on the progression and metastasis of HCC. In the current study, evaluation of the expression of ARG1 and clinicopathological significance of ARG1 was carried out in the human HCC tissues microarray, and the ARG1 overexpression vector and shRNA-ARG1 plasmids were constructed for the assessment of the concrete effect of ARG1 on cellular behaviors of Huh7 cells. As our data revealed, ARG1 was significantly downregulated in HCC, and the higher expression of ARG1 was positively correlated with more aggressive tumor growth, size, ALT, and GGT level. Significantly, we found that the high expression of ARG1 was correlated with poor DFS of HCC patients. Besides, in vitro study revealed that overexpression of ARG1 could enhance arginase activity, cell viability, migration, and invasion of Huh7 cells, and loss-of-function of ARG1 by shRNA interference could inhibit these cellular behaviors. Additionally, overexpression of ARG1 led to a significant increase in the expression of Vimentin, N-cadherin, andβ-catenin both at protein and mRNA levels, which promotes the EMT process. On the other hand, these proteins' expression was significantly downregulated in ARG1 silenced Huh7 cells. Besides, the level of E-cadherin protein was upregulated in ARG1 knocked down cells. In conclusion, ARG1 might play a pivotal role as an oncogene in the progression of HCC through promoting the EMT process.
Wideband Circularly Polarized Ellipse Antenna Array with Gain Enhancement
Authors: Wang Li , Zhao Chang-liang , Zhang Rui , Chen Xi , Fu Guang , Shi Xiao-wei
Published: September 2018

In this paper, a wideband circularly polarized (CP) antenna element and array with gain enhancement are presented. The original antenna element adopts two orthogonal ellipse dipoles with end-loading pillars. In order to achieve a wide impedance bandwidth (IBW), a harpoon-shaped feed patch (HSFP) as electromagnetic coupling-feed is utilized. By introducing a coupled frame and a loop cavity, the gain of the element is crucially improved. Then, four sequentially rotated elements placed in a circular contour act as 2 × 2 array, and a similar loop metal cavity is employed to the array to reach gain enhancement. For the wideband CP performance of the proposed antenna, a wideband phase shifting feed network (WPSFN) is used to construct the antenna. Finally, to verify the feasibility of the proposed antenna, a prototype array is manufactured and measured. Experimental results are found in acceptable agreement with the simulated ones in terms of gain, radiation efficiency, radiation pattern, reflection coefficient, and axial ratio (AR). The result indicates that the proposed antenna has an IBW for reflection coefficient S11 ≤ − 10 dB of 85.7% (0.80–2.00 GHz). Moreover, benefit from the sequentially rotated technique (SRT), the AR at broadside direction keeps blow 3 dB during the overlapped bandwidth of S11≤ − 10 dB, and the ARBW for AR ≤ 1 dB of 74.4% (0.85–1.78 GHz) can be achieved. By employing the loop cavity, the right hand circularly polarization (RHCP) gain is significantly improved, which keeps above 10.00 dBic from 1.05 GHz to 1.85 GHz, and the peak gain reaches to 13.91 dBic.
Predicting Work Zone Collision Probabilities via Clustering: Application in Optimal Deployment of Highway Response Teams
Authors: Sekuła Przemysław , Vander Laan Zachary , Farokhi Sadabadi Kaveh , Skibniewski Mirosław J.
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes a clustering approach to predict the probability of a collision occurring in the proximity of planned road maintenance operations (i.e., work zones). The proposed method is applied to over 54,000 short-term work zones in the state of Maryland and demonstrates an ability to predict work zone collision probabilities. One of the key applications of this work is using the predicted probabilities at the operational level to help allocate highway response teams. To this end, a two-stage stochastic program is used to locate response vehicles on the Maryland highway network in order to minimize expected response times.
Omalizumab for Severe Asthma: Beyond Allergic Asthma
Authors: Loureiro C. C. , Amaral L. , Ferreira J. A. , Lima R. , Pardal C. , Fernandes I. , Semedo L. , Arrobas A.
Published: September 2018

Different subsets of asthma patients may be recognized according to the exposure trigger and the frequency and severity of clinical signs and symptoms. Regarding the exposure trigger, generally asthma can be classified as allergic (or atopic) and nonallergic (or nonatopic). Allergic and nonallergic asthma are distinguished by the presence or absence of clinical allergic reaction and in vitro IgE response to specific aeroallergens. The mechanisms of allergic asthma have been extensively studied with major advances in the last two decades. Nonallergic asthma is characterized by its apparent independence from allergen exposure and sensitization and a higher degree of severity, but little is known regarding the underlying mechanisms. Clinically, allergic and nonallergic asthma are virtually indistinguishable in exacerbations, although exacerbation following allergen exposure is typical of allergic asthma. Although they both show several distinct clinical phenotypes and different biomarkers, there are no ideal biomarkers to stratify asthma phenotypes and guide therapy in clinical practice. Nevertheless, some biomarkers may be helpful to select subsets of atopic patients which might benefit from biologic agents, such as omalizumab. Patients with severe asthma, uncontrolled besides optimal treatment, notwithstanding nonatopic, may also benefit from omalizumab therapy, although currently there are no randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trials to support this suggestion. However, omalizumab discontinuation according to each patient’s response to therapy and pharmacoeconomical analysis are questions that remain to be answered.
A Deception Jamming Method Countering Bi- and Multistatic ISAR Based on Micro-Doppler Effect
Authors: Tang Zheng-Zhao , Dong Yang-Yang , Dong Chun-Xi , Chang Xin , Zhao Guo-Qing
Published: September 2018

Bi- and multistatic inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) operate with spatially separated transmitting and receiving antennas. A deception jamming method countering bi- and multistatic ISAR is proposed in this paper based on the study of micro-Doppler effect. The jammer modulates the intercepted ISAR signals with added micro-Doppler information and retransmits them to the real target, which scatters the jamming signals to the radar receivers. Deceptive false-target images with interference bands in the cross-range direction will be induced by the jamming signals through the imaging process of radar receivers. Additionally, real-time movement features of the false-targets can be flexibly adjusted by changing the modulation parameters, which improves the fidelity of the false-targets. The equivalent number of looks (ENL) index is used to evaluate the jamming effects. Simulation results validate our theoretical analysis and show the effectiveness and practicability of our method.
Water Sources Quality in Urban Slum Settlement along the Contaminated River Basin in Indonesia: Application of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Authors: Irda Sari Sri Y. , Sunjaya Deni K. , Shimizu-Furusawa Hana , Watanabe Chiho , Raksanagara Ardini S.
Published: September 2018

Fecal contamination in water sources is still found globally, especially in urban slum areas of mid-low income countries. Fecal contamination as an indicator of low levels of hygiene and sanitation practices as well as poor management of drinking water supply might increase the risk of waterborne diseases in developing countries like Indonesia. This study aimed to assess quality of all water sources in one of the urban slum settlements along a contaminated river basin in Indonesia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the period of August to October 2015. Water samples were taken with simple random sampling from households in urban slum areas along the Cikapundung river basin in the center of Bandung city, Indonesia. Water samples (n=379) from 199 households and 15 common wells were tested for microbiological contamination, and 61 samples of ground water sources and river were tested for selected heavy metal contamination. Annual risk of infection from all water sources was calculated using the quantitative microbial risk assessment. Tap water distribution was poor in this slum area. Most of the dug wells and half of refill bottled water were contaminated. Estimated highest annual risks of infection due to fecal contamination would be caused by dug well and spring water since majority of the households did not use septic tank and disposed human waste directly to the river. Improvement in point-of-use water treatment and storage is essential to prevent risk of waterborne diseases, and tap water should be more accessible and affordable in urban slum areas. The integrated monitoring system to control the quality of refill bottled water production is one of the many essential issues to be prioritized.
Influence of Extreme Temperature on the Pore and Fracture Development of High‐Rank Coal
Authors: Yang Ming , Bi Jingcang
Published: September 2018

Pore and fracture structures in coals and their distribution features play an important role in the enrichment and osmosis migration of coalbed methane (CBM). The modification and antireflection of pore and fracture in coal reservoir through ultrahigh and ultralow temperature stress, such as liquid nitrogen frozen‐induced cracking and thermal antireflection of coal reservoir, have attracted wide research attention. This study conducted a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment of pore and fracture features of coal samples under two extreme temperatures (100°C, −196°C) using the Meso MR23‐060H‐I low‐field NMR and imaging instrument. The influencing law of ultrahigh and ultralow temperature stress on pore and fracture development in high‐rank coal was discussed. Results demonstrated that temperature can influence pore and fracture development of high‐rank coal samples. The pore volume, porosity, and permeability of the coal sample increase after low‐temperature (−196°C) treatment. The proportion of microspores decreases, the proportion of small pores increases, the proportion of mesopores remains the same, and the proportion of macrospores increases to some extent. The pore volume of coal sample decreases after high‐temperature (100°C) treatment. Porosity and permeability decrease. The proportion of mesopores declines, the proportion of mesopores remains basically same, and the proportion of macrospores decreases.
Giant Preputial Calculus: The First Reported Case in Malaysia
Authors: Chong Tze Huat , Asyraf Mohd Zuki , Hayati Firdaus , Azizan Nornazirah , Sahid Nik Amin , Ting Jesse Ron Swire , Zakaria Andee Dzulkarnaen
Published: September 2018

Preputial calculus is a relative surgical rarity. It usually happens in elderly men with poor hygiene and uncircumcised penis complicated with phimosis. In the paediatric group, it is usually secondary to phimosis and other urologic and/or neurologic anomalies. Surgical treatment is the mainstay of treatment. Herein, we report a 27-year-old gentleman with preputial stone presented with obstructive uropathy and was successfully treated with surgical intervention. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of the largest preputial stone in Malaysia.
Metaheuristics for Order Scheduling Problem with Unequal Ready Times
Authors: Kung Jan-Yee , Duan Jiahui , Xu Jianyou , Chung I-Hong , Cheng Shuenn-Ren , Wu Chin-Chia , Lin Win-Chin
Published: September 2018

In recent years, various customer order scheduling (OS) models can be found in numerous manufacturing and service systems in which several designers, who have developed modules independently for several different products, convene as a product development team, and that team completes a product design only after all the modules have been designed. In real-life situations, a customer order can have some requirements including due dates, weights of jobs, and unequal ready times. Once encountering different ready times, waiting for future order or job arrivals to raise the completeness of a batch is an efficient policy. Meanwhile, the literature releases that few studies have taken unequal ready times into consideration for order scheduling problem. Motivated by this limitation, this study addresses an OS scheduling model with unequal order ready times. The objective function is to find a schedule to optimize the total completion time criterion. To solve this problem for exact solutions, two lower bounds and some properties are first derived to raise the searching power of a branch-and-bound method. For approximate solution, four simulated annealing approaches and four heuristic genetic algorithms are then proposed. At last, several experimental tests and their corresponding statistical outcomes are also reported to examine the performance of all the proposed methods.