bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GENOME-WIDE METHYLOME ANALYSIS USING METHYLCAP-SEQ UNCOVERS NOVEL METHYLATED MARKERS FOR CANINE LYMPHOMA CELL LINE CLBL-1
Authors: Lin Yang-Chi-Dung , Huang Hsi-Yuan , Chiew Men-Yee , Hsu Chia-Hsin , Shrestha Sirjana , Wu Meng-Chu , Lin Chen-Si , Huang Hsien-Da
Published: July 2019

The most common type of tumor occurring in canine is the lymphomas. Epigenetic factors like DNA methylation is one of the important factors for causing cancer in canine. Cytology-based screening methods, such as fine needle aspiration (FNA) or immunocytochemistry (ICC), for canine lymphomas lack sensitivity. Despite an improvement in the detection of canine lymphomas by the DNA methylation analysis of lymph scrapings, only few methylation markers have been described. Even though technique like Digital Restriction Enzyme Analysis of Methylation (DREAM) can analyze the methylation profile of canine lymphoma cell line CLBL-1 at very low experimental cost without specific antibodies, the sensitivity and accuracy remain low in comparison to MethylCap-seq. In this study, a methylated DNA fragment of CLBL-1 was successfully captured by a specific protein for MethylCap-seq, and the methylation map of CLBL-1 was reconstructed by high throughput sequencing. For the first time, the genomic methylation region of canine CLBL-1 was analyzed. Using CLBL-1, we aimed to identify novel methylated markers for monitoring canine lymphomas. With the aid of methylation maps, several researchers have attempted to explore the relationship between DNA methylation and specific cancers. Additionally, the discovery of important biomarkers can predict or observe the course of canine cancer. Finally, the proposed advanced methylation information is likely to be suitable as a useful reference for clinical application of canine lymphoma research.
Gram Scale and Room Temperature Functionalization of Boron Nitride Nanosheets for Water Treatment
Authors: Daneshnia Shirin , Adeli Mohsen , Mansourpanah Yaghoub
Published: July 2019

Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride is a fascinating nanomaterial with a broad range of potential applications. However, further development of this nanomaterial is hampered because of its poor functionality and low processability. One of the efficient strategies for improving the processability of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride is the covalent functionalization of this nanomaterial. In this study, we report on a straightforward approach for functionalization of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride by lithium cyclopentadienyl and its application for water treatment. Cyclopentadienyl-functionalized boron nitride was characterized by different spectroscopy and microscopy methods as well as thermal and BET analysis. The synthesized nanomaterial was able to efficiently remove methylene blue from water in a short time. Adsorption capacity of this nanomaterial was as high as 476.3[Formula: see text]mg/g, which was superior to the nonfunctionalized boron nitride. Our results showed that cyclopentadienyl-functionalized boron nitride is a promising candidate for the removal of cationic pollutants from water.
I/O Scheduling Strategy for Periodic Applications
Authors: Aupy Guilllaume , Gainaru Ana , Fèvre Valentin Le
Published: July 2019

With the ever-growing need of data in HPC applications, the congestion at the I/O level becomes critical in supercomputers. Architectural enhancement such as burst buffers and pre-fetching are added to machines but are not sufficient to prevent congestion. Recent online I/O scheduling strategies have been put in place, but they add an additional congestion point and overheads in the computation of applications.

In this work, we show how to take advantage of the periodic nature of HPC applications to develop efficient periodic scheduling strategies for their I/O transfers. Our strategy computes once during the job scheduling phase a pattern that defines the I/O behavior for each application, after which the applications run independently, performing their I/O at the specified times. Our strategy limits the amount of congestion at the I/O node level and can be easily integrated into current job schedulers. We validate this model through extensive simulations and experiments on an HPC cluster by comparing it to state-of-the-art online solutions, showing that not only does our scheduler have the advantage of being de-centralized and thus overcoming the overhead of online schedulers, but also that it performs better than the other solutions, improving the application dilation up to 16% and the maximum system efficiency up to 18%.
Antarctic Futures: An Assessment of Climate-Driven Changes in Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Service Provisioning in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Rogers A.D. , Frinault B.A.V. , Barnes D.K.A. , Bindoff N.L. , Downie R. , Ducklow H.W. , Friedlaender A.S. , Hart T. , Hill S.L. , Hofmann E.E. , Linse K. , McMahon C.R. , Murphy E.J. , Pakhomov E.A. , Reygondeau G. , Staniland I.J. , Wolf-Gladrow D.A. , Wright R.M.
Published: July 2019

In this article, we analyze the impacts of climate change on Antarctic marine ecosystems. Observations demonstrate large-scale changes in the physical variables and circulation of the Southern Ocean driven by warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, and a positive Southern Annular Mode. Alterations in the physical environment are driving change through all levels of Antarctic marine food webs, which differ regionally. The distributions of key species, such as Antarctic krill, are also changing. Differential responses among predators reflect differences in species ecology. The impacts of climate change on Antarctic biodiversity will likely vary for different communities and depend on species range. Coastal communities and those of sub-Antarctic islands, especially range-restricted endemic communities, will likely suffer the greatest negative consequences of climate change. Simultaneously, ecosystem services in the Southern Ocean will likely increase. Such decoupling of ecosystem services and endemic species will require consideration in the management of human activities such as fishing in Antarctic marine ecosystems.
Neutrino Physics with Dark Matter Detectors
Authors: Dutta Bhaskar , Strigari Louis E.
Published: July 2019

Direct dark matter detection experiments will soon be sensitive to neutrinos from astrophysical sources, including the Sun, the atmosphere, and supernovae, which will set an important benchmark and open a new window into neutrino physics and astrophysics. The detection of these neutrinos will be complementary to accelerator- and reactor-based experiments that study neutrinos over the same energy range. We review the physics and astrophysics that can be extracted from the detection of these neutrinos, highlighting the potential of identifying New Physics in the form of light mediators that arise from kinetic mixing and hidden sectors, as well as ∼eV-scale sterile neutrinos. We discuss how the physics reach of these experiments will complement searches for New Physics at the LHC and dedicated neutrino experiments.
Our Future Nuclear Data Needs
Authors: Bernstein Lee A. , Brown David A. , Koning Arjan J. , Rearden Bradley T. , Romano Catherine E. , Sonzogni Alejandro A. , Voyles Andrew S. , Younes Walid
Published: July 2019

A well-established knowledge of nuclear phenomena including fission, reaction cross sections, and structure/decay properties is critical for applications ranging from the design of new reactors to nonproliferation to the production of radioisotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of illness. However, the lack of a well-quantified, predictive theoretical capability means that most nuclear observables must be measured directly and used to calibrate empirical models, which in turn provide the data needed for these applications. In many cases, either there is a lack of data needed to guide the models or the results of the different measurements are discrepant, leading to the development of evaluation methodologies to provide recommended values and uncertainties. In this review, we describe the nuclear data evaluation process and the international community that carries it out. We then discuss new measurements and improved theory and/or modeling needed to address future challenges in applied nuclear science.
Judgment and Decision Making
Authors: Fischhoff Baruch , Broomell Stephen B.
Published: July 2019

The science of judgment and decision making involves three interrelated forms of research: analysis of the decisions people face, description of their natural responses, and interventions meant to help them do better. After briefly introducing the field's intellectual foundations, we review recent basic research into the three core elements of decision making: judgment, or how people predict the outcomes that will follow possible choices; preference, or how people weigh those outcomes; and choice, or how people combine judgments and preferences to reach a decision. We then review research into two potential sources of behavioral heterogeneity: individual differences in decision-making competence and developmental changes across the life span. Next, we illustrate applications intended to improve individual and organizational decision making in health, public policy, intelligence analysis, and risk management. We emphasize the potential value of coupling analytical and behavioral research and having basic and applied research inform one another.
Self and Others in Adolescence
Authors: Crone Eveline A. , Fuligni Andrew J.
Published: July 2019

Research has demonstrated that adolescence is an important time for self- and other-oriented development that underlies many skills vital for becoming a contributing member of society with healthy intergroup relations. It is often assumed that these two processes, thinking about self and thinking about others, are pitted against each other when adolescents engage in social decision making such as giving or sharing. Recent evidence from social neuroscience, however, does not support this notion of conflicting motives, suggesting instead that thinking about self and others relies on a common network of social-affective brain regions, with the medial prefrontal cortex playing a central role in the integration of perspectives related to self and others. Here, we argue that self- and other-oriented thinking are intertwined processes that rely on an overlapping neural network. Adolescents’ motivation to contribute to society can be fostered most when self- and other-oriented motives align.
Physical and Functional Analysis of Viral RNA Genomes by SHAPE
Authors: Boerneke Mark A. , Ehrhardt Jeffrey E. , Weeks Kevin M.
Published: July 2019

RNA viruses encode the information required to usurp cellular metabolism and gene regulation and to enable their own replication in two ways: in the linear sequence of their RNA genomes and in higher-order structures that form when the genomic RNA strand folds back on itself. Application of high-resolution SHAPE (selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension) structure probing to viral RNA genomes has identified numerous new regulatory elements, defined new principles by which viral RNAs interact with the cellular host and evade host immune responses, and revealed relationships between virus evolution and RNA structure. This review summarizes our current understanding of genome structure-function interrelationships for RNA viruses, as informed by SHAPE structure probing, and outlines opportunities for future studies.
In vivo measurements of kidney glomerular number and size in healthy and Os/+ mice using MRI
Authors: Baldelomar Edwin J. , Charlton Jennifer R. , deRonde Kimberly A. , Bennett Kevin M.
Published: July 2019

The development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with the loss of functional nephrons. However, there are no methods to directly measure nephron number in living subjects. Thus, there are no methods to track the early stages of progressive CKD before changes in total renal function. In this work, we used cationic ferritin-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CFE-MRI) to enable measurements of glomerular number ( Nglom) and apparent glomerular volume (aVglom) in vivo in healthy wild-type (WT) mice ( n = 4) and mice with oligosyndactylism (Os/+; n = 4), a model of congenital renal hypoplasia leading to nephron reduction. We validated in vivo measurements of Nglom and aVglom by high-resolution ex vivo MRI. CFE-MRI measured a mean Nglom of 12,220 ± 2,028 and 6,848 ± 1,676 (means ± SD) for WT and Os/+ mouse kidneys in vivo, respectively. Nglom measured in all mice in vivo using CFE-MRI varied by an average 15% from Nglom measured ex vivo in the same kidney (α = 0.05, P = 0.67). To confirm that CFE-MRI can also be used to track nephron endowment longitudinally, a WT mouse was imaged three times by CFE-MRI over 2 wk. Values of Nglom measured in vivo in the same kidney varied within ~3%. Values of aVglom calculated from CFE-MRI in vivo were significantly different (~15% on average, P < 0.01) from those measured ex vivo, warranting further investigation. This is the first report of direct measurements of Nglom and aVglom in healthy and diseased mice in vivo.
A review of grasping as the movements of digits in space
Authors: Smeets Jeroen B. J. , van der Kooij Katinka , Brenner Eli
Published: July 2019

It is tempting to describe human reach-to-grasp movements in terms of two, more or less independent visuomotor channels, one relating hand transport to the object’s location and the other relating grip aperture to the object’s size. Our review of experimental work questions this framework for reasons that go beyond noting the dependence between the two channels. Both the lack of effect of size illusions on grip aperture and the finding that the variability in grip aperture does not depend on the object’s size indicate that size information is not used to control grip aperture. An alternative is to describe grip formation as emerging from controlling the movements of the digits in space. Each digit’s trajectory when grasping an object is remarkably similar to its trajectory when moving to tap the same position on its own. The similarity is also evident in the fast responses when the object is displaced. This review develops a new description of the speed-accuracy trade-off for multiple effectors that is applied to grasping. The most direct support for the digit-in-space framework is that prism-induced adaptation of each digit’s tapping movements transfers to that digit’s movements when grasping, leading to changes in grip aperture for adaptation in opposite directions for the two digits. We conclude that although grip aperture and hand transport are convenient variables to describe grasping, treating grasping as movements of the digits in space is a more suitable basis for understanding the neural control of grasping.
Assessment of axonal recruitment using model-guided preclinical spinal cord stimulation in the ex vivo adult mouse spinal cord
Authors: Idlett Shaquia , Halder Mallika , Zhang Tianhe , Quevedo Jorge , Brill Natalie , Gu Wendy , Moffitt Michael , Hochman Shawn
Published: July 2019

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is used clinically to limit chronic pain, but fundamental questions remain on the identity of axonal populations recruited. We developed an ex vivo adult mouse spinal cord preparation to assess recruitment following delivery of clinically analogous stimuli determined by downscaling a finite element model of clinical SCS. Analogous electric field distributions were generated with 300-µm × 300-µm electrodes positioned 200 µm above the dorsal column (DC) with stimulation between 50 and 200 µA. We compared axonal recruitment using electrodes of comparable size and stimulus amplitudes when contacting the caudal thoracic DC and at 200 or 600 μm above. Antidromic responses recorded distally from the DC, the adjacent Lissauer tract (LT), and in dorsal roots (DRs) were found to be amplitude and site dependent. Responses in the DC included a unique component not seen in DRs, having the lowest SCS recruitment amplitude and fastest conduction velocity. At 200 μm above, mean cathodic SCS recruitment threshold for axons in DRs and LT were 2.6 and 4.4 times higher, respectively, than DC threshold. SCS recruited primary afferents in all (up to 8) caudal segments sampled. Whereas A and C fibers could be recruited at nearby segments, only A fiber recruitment and synaptically mediated dorsal root reflexes were observed in more distant (lumbar) segments. In sum, clinically analogous SCS led to multisegmental recruitment of several somatosensory-encoding axonal populations. Most striking is the possibility that the lowest threshold recruitment of a nonprimary afferent population in the DC are postsynaptic dorsal column tract cells (PSDCs) projecting to gracile nuclei.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is used clinically to control pain. To identify axonal populations recruited, finite element modeling identified scaling parameters to deliver clinically analogous SCS in an ex vivo adult mouse spinal cord preparation. Results showed that SCS first recruited an axonal population in the dorsal column at a threshold severalfold lower than primary afferents. These putative postsynaptic dorsal column tract cells may represent a previously unconsidered population responsible for SCS-induced paresthesias necessary for analgesia.
Neurometabolic Evidence Supporting the Hypothesis of Increased Incidence of Type 3 Diabetes Mellitus in the 21st Century
Authors: Rorbach-Dolata Anna , Piwowar Agnieszka
Published: July 2019

The most recent evidence supports the existence of a link between type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), described by the new term: type 3 diabetes (T3D). The increasing incidence of T2DM in the 21st century and accompanying reports on the higher risk of AD in diabetic patients prompts the search for pathways linking glycemia disturbances and neurodegeneration. It is suggested that hyperglycemia may lead to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, a pathological process resulting from excessive depolarization of membrane and uncontrolled calcium ion influx into neuronal cells. On the other hand, it has been confirmed that peripheral insulin resistance triggers insulin resistance in the brain, which may consequently contribute to AD by amyloid beta accumulation, tau phosphorylation, oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products, and apoptosis. Some literature sources suggest significant amylin involvement in additional amyloid formation in the central nervous system, especially under hyperamylinemic conditions. It is particularly important to provide early diagnostics in people with metabolic disturbances, especially including fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, which are necessary to reveal insulin resistance. The present review reveals the most recent and important evidence associated with the phenomenon of T3D and discusses the potential lacks of prevention and diagnostics for diabetes which might result in neurometabolic disorders, from a pharmacotherapy perspective.
Ethnopharmacological Survey of Herbal Remedies Used for the Treatment of Cancer in the Greater Casablanca-Morocco
Authors: Bourhia Mohammed , Abdelaziz Shahat Abdelaaty , Mohammed Almarfadi Omer , Ali Naser Fahd , Mostafa Abdelmageed Wael , Ait Haj Said Amal , El Gueddari Fatiha , Naamane Abderrahim , Benbacer Laila , Khlil Naima
Published: July 2019

Medicinal plants played an important role in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases since antiquities. The aim of the study is to carry out an ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used traditionally in cancer treatment in the region of Greater Casablanca-Morocco, and to enhance the traditional herbal medicine knowledge. 110 traditional healers in the study area were interviewed face to face to response a survey questionnaire including the names of plants used in cancer treatment, used parts, methods of preparation, and route of administration. Indices of Fidelity Level (FL), Use Value (UV), and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were calculated to identify the most effective plants used for cancer treatment. Eight species were specified includingAristolochia baetica, Aristolochia paucinervis,Bryonia dioica,Aquilaria malaccensis, Marrubium vulgare, Lavandula maroccana, Ephedra alata,andEuphorbia resiniferabelonging to 7 families. Aristolochiaceae, Aquilariaceae, and Cucurbitaceae were the most useful families in cancer treatment with high significant indices of UV, FL, and RFC with values of 1, 100%, and 1, respectively. Roots and leaves were the most commonly used plant parts. Decoction and powder mixed with honey were the frequently used method for remedies preparation. The present study showed that the people living in Morocco’s economic capital are still highly dependent on traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of cancer. Therefore, it seems that herbal medicine still plays a crucial role in the primary healthcare system for the local population. During this survey, it was reported that even some plant families are highly toxic for humans like Aristolochiaceae that are frequently used in cancer treatment in the study area. As many people still rely on natural traditional medicine considering (it is safe with no side effects), so combined effort between all social categories including scientists and traditional healers should be established for involving the scientific validity of the used plants in the treatment of diseases.
Insurance Crisis, Legal Environment, and the Sustainability of Professional Liability Insurance Market in the Construction Industry: Based on the US Market
Authors: Pan Yiguang , Deng Xiaomei , Maqbool Rashid , Niu Weirui
Published: July 2019

PLI (professional liability insurance) is currently the main method used to control construction practice risk and is an important economic measure of construction industry governance. Few literatures have analyzed the sustainability of the liability insurance market. In particular, the research on the sustainability of the PLI market in the construction industry is still blank. The sustainability of the market can be identified with the equilibrium of the system over a certain period of time. From the perspective of cooperation benefits, this paper adopts evolutionary game theory (EGT) to analyze the evolutionary trends of stakeholders’ behaviors and their evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) in the PLI market of the construction industry. A case study from the history of the US PLI market evolution over nearly 100 years is taken to illustrate the stakeholder game and interpret the market evolution path, and several typical stages of the development of the US PLI market are explored. Some factors that can cause a shift in equilibrium are found. The results show that the change in the legal environment will directly affect the payoffs of the stakeholders, cause market imbalance, and trigger crisis. These findings will help out the government to regulate the market in a timely manner by improving external factors, such as by building a sound credit system and ensuring the stability of the legal system. In an equilibrium state, competitive markets can eliminate individuals with high accident rates and companies with high operating costs. Moreover, these findings will also set a base for future researches to investigate the role of insurance market and legal environment in depth while providing the intensive critical factors towards sustainable construction industry.
Artificial Interference of Stress Field in a Near‐Fracture Zone by Water Injection in a Preexisting Crack
Authors: Zheng Yongxiang , Liu Jianjun , Zhang Bohu
Published: July 2019

The in situ stress has an important influence on fracture propagation and fault stability in deep formation. However, the development of oil and gas resources can only be determined according to the existing state of in situ stress in most cases. It is passive acceptance of existing in situ stress. Unfortunately, in some cases, the in situ stress conditions are not conducive to resource development. If the in situ stress can be interfered in some ways, the stress can be adjusted to a more favorable state. In order to explore the method of artificial interference, this paper established the calculation method of the in situ stress around the cracks based on fracture mechanics at first and obtained the redistribution law of the in situ stress. Based on the obtained redistribution law, attempts were made to interfere with the surrounding in situ stress by water injection in the preexisting crack. On this basis, the artificial stress intervention was applied. The results show that artificial interference of stress can effectively be achieved by water injection in the fracture. And changing the fluid pressure in the crack is the most effective way. By stress artificial intervention, critical pressure for water channelling in fractured reservoirs, directional propagation of cracks in hydraulic fracturing, and stress adjustment on the structural plane were applied. This study provides guidance for artificial stress intervention in the exploitation of the underground resource.
Increasing Donor Endothelial Cell Pool by Culturing Cells from Discarded Pieces of Human Donor Corneas for Regenerative Treatments
Authors: Parekh Mohit , Romano Vito , Ruzza Alessandro , Kaye Stephen B. , Ponzin Diego , Ahmad Sajjad , Ferrari Stefano
Published: July 2019

Purpose. To investigate if the peripheral corneal endothelium that is usually discarded after a corneal transplant could be used for endothelial cell culture. Methods. Donor corneas (n = 19) with a mean age of 72 years, male : female ratio of 15 : 4, and death-to-preservation time of 10 hours were assessed for endothelial cell density (ECD) and number of dead cells before isolation. Alizarin red staining (n = 3) was performed to check the morphology of cells in the center and periphery. Descemet’s membrane-endothelial complex was peeled from the center (8.25 mm) and the periphery (2.75 mm) and plated in two different wells of an 8-well chamber slide with media refreshed every alternate day. The confluence rate was monitored by microscopy. Live/dead analysis was performed (n = 3) at confluence. Tag-2A12 as a monoclonal antibody against peroxiredoxin-6 (Prdx-6) (n = 4), ZO-1 (zonula occludens-1) as a tight junction protein (n = 4), and Ki-67 as a proliferative cell marker (n = 4) were used to characterize the cells at confluence. Results. At confluence, 8.25% average increase in the number of cells was observed from the central zone compared with 16.5% from the peripheral zone. Proliferation rate, hexagonality, Ki-67 positivity, and the cell area did not significantly differ between the groups (p>0.05). All the proteins corresponding to the biomarkers tested were expressed in both the groups. Conclusions. Although there are significantly fewer amounts of peripheral cells available after graft preparation for keratoplasty, these cells can still be used for endothelial cell culture due to their proliferative capability. The peripheral cells that are discarded after graft preparation can thus be utilized to increase the donor endothelial cell pool for regenerative treatments.
Destress Blasting of Rock Mass: Multiscale Modelling and Simulation
Authors: Baranowski Paweł , Damaziak Krzysztof , Mazurkiewicz Łukasz , Mertuszka Piotr , Pytel Witold , Małachowski Jerzy , Pałac-Walko Bogumiła , Jones Tristan
Published: July 2019

In this paper, a multiscale modelling and simulation of destress blasting of rock mass is presented. The proposed and novel approach combines two separate 3D solutions: the first was obtained for the small‐scale problem, face(s) blasting process, and the second for the global scale problem, seismic wave propagation within very large volumes of surrounding rock mass. Both the approaches were based on explicit dynamic modelling methodology using the central difference method. In the local case, the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) procedure with the Jones–Wilkins–Lee (JWL) equation defining an explosive material was used. For this purpose, a selected volume of a rock mass comprising a blasted mining face was modelled in detail. From the numerical simulation, pressure distribution over the modelled rock was obtained, which was the basis for an initial condition for the global 3D FE model. The peak particle velocity (ppv) distribution obtained from finite element analysis was compared with experimental outcomes. A reasonable agreement between both results was achieved; therefore, the adopted multiscale modelling approach confirmed its effectiveness and that it can be successfully implemented in further engineering practice.
Roles of Inflammasomes in Inflammatory Kidney Diseases
Authors: Fan Jinjin , Xie Kaifeng , Wang Liqin , Zheng Nuoyan , Yu Xueqing
Published: July 2019

The immune system has a central role in eliminating detrimental factors, by frequently launching inflammatory responses towards pathogen infection and inner danger signal outbreak. Acute and chronic inflammatory responses are critical determinants for consequences of kidney diseases, in which inflammasomes were inevitably involved. Inflammasomes are closely linked to many kidney diseases such as acute kidney injury and chronic kidney diseases. Inflammasomes are macromolecules consisting of multiple proteins, and their formation initiates the cleavage of procaspase-1, resulting in the activation of gasdermin D as well as the maturation and release of interleukin-1β and IL-18, leading to pyroptosis. Here, we discuss the mechanism in which inflammasomes occur, as well as their roles in inflammatory kidney diseases, in order to shed light for discovering new therapeutical targets for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory kidney diseases and consequent end-stage renal disease.
Ultralightweight RFID Authentication Protocols for Low-Cost Passive RFID Tags
Authors: Khalid Madiha , Mujahid Umar , Muhammad Najam-ul-Islam
Published: July 2019

The field of pervasive computing especially the Internet of Things (IoT) network is evolving due to high network speed and increased capacity offered by the 5G communication system. The IoT network identifies each device before giving it access to the network. The RFID system is one of the most prominent enabling technologies for the node identification. Since the communication between the node and the network takes place over an insecure wireless channel, an authentication mechanism is required to avoid the malicious devices from entering the network. This paper presents a brief survey on the authentication protocols along with the prominent cryptanalysis models for the EPC C1G2 RFID systems. A comparative analysis is provided to highlight the common weaknesses of the existing authentication algorithms and to emphasize on the lack of security standardization for the resource constraint IoT network perception layer. This paper is concluded by proposing an ultralightweight protocol that provides Extremely Good Privacy (EGP). The proposed EGP protocol avoids all the pitfalls highlighted by the cryptanalysis of the existing authentication protocols. The incorporation of the novel ultralightweight primitives, Per-XOR (Px) and Inverse Per-XOR (Px-1), makes the protocol messages more robust and irreversible for all types of adversaries. A comprehensive security analysis illustrates that the proposed protocol proves to be highly resistive against all possible attack scenarios and ensures the security optimally.
Use of the C-Band Microwave Link to Distinguish between Rainy and Dry Periods
Authors: He Binsheng , Liu Xichuan , Hu Shuai , Song Kun , Gao Taichang
Published: July 2019

As a method that does not require additional cost, precipitation measurement by microwave links (MLs) has quickly attracted the attention of experts in meteorological, hydrological, and other related fields, of which wet-dry classification by MLs is one of the most important methods. Considering that existing commercial MLs are usually single-path, single-polarization, or low-frequency MLs, this paper uses the C-band ML and analyzes the variation in the receive signal level (RSL) of the C-band ML under the conditions of no rain, drizzle, light rain, and moderate rain. The RSL data are analyzed at different time scales by using long short-term memory (LSTM) network techniques, and then the method for distinguishing parts of the precipitation period by using the RSL from low-frequency MLs is proposed and validated. The results show that wet-dry classification is ideal. The accuracy on each day was higher than 60%, and some days had accuracies that were even higher than 98%. MLs below 10 GHz also had the potential to monitor ground rainfall. This study will broaden the range of available equipment for MLs for precipitation measurement.
Circulating Proangiogenic Cells and Proteins in Patients with Glioma and Acute Myocardial Infarction: Differences in Neovascularization between Neoplasia and Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Huizer Karin , Sacchetti Andrea , Dik Wim A. , Mustafa Dana A. , Kros Johan M.
Published: July 2019

Although extensive angiogenesis takes place in glial tumors, antiangiogenic therapies have remained without the expected success. In the peripheral circulation of glioma patients, increased numbers of endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) are present, potentially offering targets for antiangiogenic therapy. However, for an antiangiogenic therapy to be successful, the therapy should specifically target glioma-related EPC subsets and secreted factors only. Here, we compared the EPC subsets and plasma factors in the peripheral circulation of patients with gliomas to acute myocardial infarctions. We investigated the five most important EPC subsets and 21 angiogenesis-related plasma factors in peripheral blood samples of 29 patients with glioma, 14 patients with myocardial infarction, and 20 healthy people as controls, by FACS and Luminex assay. In GBM patients, all EPC subsets were elevated as compared to healthy subjects. In addition, HPC and KDR+ cell fractions were higher than in MI, while CD133+ and KDR+CD133+ cell fractions were lower. There were differences in relative EPC fractions between the groups: KDR+ cells were the largest fraction in GBM, while CD133+ cells were the largest fraction in MI. An increase in glioma malignancy grade coincided with an increase in the KDR+ fraction, while the CD133+ cell fraction decreased relatively. Most plasma angiogenic factors were higher in GBM than in MI patients. In both MI and GBM, the ratio of CD133+ HPCs correlated significantly with elevated levels of MMP9. In the GBM patients, MMP9 correlated strongly with levels of all HPCs. In conclusion, the data demonstrate that EPC traffic in patients with glioma, representing neoplasia, is different from that in myocardial infarction, representing tissue regeneration. Glioma patients may benefit from therapies aimed at lowering KDR+ cells and HPCs.
Imaging Characteristics of USPIO Nanoparticles (<5 nm) as MR Contrast Agent In Vitro and in the Liver of Rats
Authors: Ma Xiaohong , Wang Shuang , Hu Longbin , Feng Shichao , Wu Zhiyuan , Liu Siyun , Duan Shaofeng , Chen Zhongwei , Zhou Chunwu , Zhao Xinming
Published: July 2019

Iron nanoparticles have an increasingly more and more important role in MR molecular imaging due to their novel magnetic and surface chemical properties. They provide new possibilities for noninvasive diagnosis and treatment monitoring, especially for tissues that are rich in macrophages. The smaller size and prolongation of the plasma half-life change the in vivo fate of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles captured by liver in reticuloendothelial system (RES) or mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS). However, there is still a lack of MR imaging studies on the liver assessing USPIO nanoparticles <5 nm in size to reflect its absorption and clearance properties. In this study, we used MRI to study the in vitro phantom and in vivo rat liver imaging characteristics of USPIO nanoparticles (<5 nm). The results showed that USPIO nanoparticles (<5 nm) could potentially reduce longitudinal and transverse relaxation times and showed similar T1 relaxation rates compared with commercial gadolinium chelates. In addition, USPIO nanoparticles (<5 nm) in vivo demonstrated both positive (T1) and negative (T2) liver contrast enhancement in healthy rats’ liver. Furthermore, USPIO nanoparticles showed relatively good in vitro biocompatibility and fast clearance (within 45.17 minutes after intravenous injection) in the normal liver. Taken together, these data might inspire a new personalized and precise diagnostic tool and stimulate new applications for specific targeted molecular probes.
Using Hampel Identifier to Eliminate Profile-Isolated Outliers in Laser Vision Measurement
Authors: Yao Zhibin , Xie Jiaquan , Tian Yaqin , Huang Qingxue
Published: July 2019

In this paper, the profile of the bar is detected by laser vision technology. During the detection process, obvious isolated outliers can be observed in the profile data; dimension parameter and profile-fitting accuracy are seriously affected by these outliers. In order to eliminate these outliers and improve the measurement accuracy, this paper uses Hampel identifier and moving mean identifier to identify isolated outliers. At the same time, the profile data is fitted, and the fitting results and fitting accuracy were analyzed and compared between the original data and the renovated data. The experiment proves that the outliers in the data must be identified and processed in the data measurement process. The Hampel identifier has better recognition effect, its algorithm is simple, efficient, and robust, and it can play an important role in the preprocessing of profile data based on structured light.
Structural Improvement of the ω‐Type High‐Speed Rail Clip Based on a Study of Its Failure Mechanism
Authors: Gao Xiaogang , Wang Anbin , He Yu , Gu Xiaohan
Published: July 2019

In the circumstances of high‐speed railways, the wheel‐rail vibration is significantly aggravated by polygonal wheel wear and rail corrugation, which subsequently leads to the wheel‐rail interaction at higher frequencies and potential failure of the rail fastening. In this paper, a ω‐type clip of the fastening in the CRH high‐speed rail was used to investigate the failure mechanism. First, a dynamic wheel‐rail coupling model and a finite element analysis of the rail clip were developed, from which the rail vibration frequency and modal frequencies of the clip with different installation torques were obtained. The experimental tests and modal simulation results were mutually verified. In addition, the real‐time vibration measurement and the wheel‐rail wear monitoring were carried out at a CRH high‐speed railway site. It was found that the resonant frequencies of the ω‐type clip in the installation condition coincided with the excitation frequencies of the wheel‐rail interaction induced by wheel‐rail wear. The high‐frequency dynamic failure mechanism of a typical ω‐type clip, W300‐1, is put forward for the first time. Moreover, a high‐frequency rail clip fatigue test system was designed and developed specifically for this study. The loading excitation frequency of the clip test used was set as 590 Hz, and the loading amplitude was 0.05 mm. After 125‐minute operation of the test system, the clip was broken at the expected location predicted by the FEA model. The high‐frequency fatigue test result further verified that the failure mechanism of the ω‐type clip was due to the resonance of the clip with its excitation force from the wheel‐rail interaction. Finally, the clip was then structurally improved taking into account the stiffness and mass, which led to its resonant frequencies shifting away from the high‐frequency excitation range, hence avoiding resonance failure of the subject clip.
Monitoring and Identification of Vibration Frequencies on a Portion of México City Metro Line 12
Authors: García-Illescas Miguel Ángel , Murià-Vila David , Alvarez-Icaza Luis
Published: July 2019

The use of recursive subspace‐based identification methods is analyzed in the estimation of the most significant vibration frequencies along an elevated railroad segment of México City Metro Line 12 using ambient vibration measurements recorded from 2012, when the line was opened, to 2018. Due to the railroad characteristics, the use of high‐order models and the systematic tuning of the methods are required to achieve low uncertainty in frequency estimation. A frequency history is generated using these high‐order models in order to check for variations along the seven years where important events took place: two low‐ and one high‐intensity earthquakes, paving, and construction of sidewalks and planters around the sensor station. Results are consistent for all methods under analysis in the identified frequencies, suggesting that the system has preserved its structural health. To produce independent results, spectral analysis was performed showing that the associated frequency history is again consistent with that generated with recursive subspace‐based identification methods. Overall, results indicate that these subspace methods are suitable for frequency monitoring in the studied system offering, in the case of recursive N4SID, important advantages in terms of low computational cost, real‐time implementation, and smaller uncertainty.
Molecular Changes in Diabetic Wound Healing following Administration of Vitamin D and Ginger Supplements: Biochemical and Molecular Experimental Study
Authors: Al-Rawaf Hadeel A. , Gabr Sami A. , Alghadir Ahmad H.
Published: July 2019

Background. Circulating micro-RNAs are differentially expressed in various tissues and could be considered as potential regulatory biomarkers for T2DM and related complications, such as chronic wounds. Aim. In the current study, we investigated whether ginger extract enriched with [6]-gingerol-fractions either alone or in combination with vitamin D accelerates diabetic wound healing and explores underlying molecular changes in the expression of miRNA and their predicted role in diabetic wound healing. Methods. Diabetic wounded mice were treated with [6]-gingerol-fractions (GF) (25 mg/kg of body weight) either alone or in combination with vitamin D (100 ng/kg per day) for two weeks. Circulating miRNA profile, fibrogenesis markers, hydroxyproline (HPX), fibronectin (FN), and collagen deposition, diabetic control variables, FBS, HbA1c, C-peptide, and insulin, and wound closure rate and histomorphometric analyses were, respectively, measured at days 3, 6, 9, and 15 by RT–PCR and immunoassay analysis. Results. Treatment of diabetic wounds with GF and vitamin D showed significant improvement in wound healing as measured by higher expression levels of HPX, FN, collagen, accelerated wound closure, complete epithelialization, and scar formation in short periods (11-13 days, (P<0.01). On a molecular level, three circulating miRNAs, miR-155, miR-146a, and miR-15a, were identified in diabetic and nondiabetic skin wounds by PCR analysis. Lower expression in miR-155 levels and higher expression of miR-146a and miR-15a levels were observed in diabetic skin wounds following treatment with gingerols fractions and vitamin D for 15 days. The data showed that miRNAs, miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-15a, correlated positively with the expression levels of HPX, FN, and collagen and negatively with FBS, HbA1c, C-peptide, and insulin in diabetic wounds following treatment with GF and /or vitamin D, respectively. Conclusion. Treatment with gingerols fractions (GF) and vitamin D for two weeks significantly improves delayed diabetic wound healing. The data showed that vitamin D and gingerol activate vascularization, fibrin deposition (HPX, FN, and collagen), and myofibroblasts in such manner to synthesize new tissues and help in the scar formation. Accordingly, three miRNAs, miR-155, miR-146a, and miR-15, as molecular targets, were identified and significantly evaluated in wound healing process. It showed significant association with fibrin deposition, vascularization, and reepithelialization process following treatment with GF and vitamin D. It proposed having anti-inflammatory action and promoting new tissue formation via vascularization process during the wound healing. Therefore, it is very interesting to consider miRNAs as molecular targets for evaluating the efficiency of nondrug therapy in the regulation of wound healing process.
Chronic Atypical Depression as an Early Feature of Pituitary Adenoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Cardoso Filipa , Azizi Heela , Kilpatrick Alexander , Olayinka Olaniyi , Khan Tasmia , Kahn Alexa , Canale Cecilia , Ojimba Chiedozie , Popoola Olusegun , Nuthalapati Deepa , Ahmad Maleeha , Iskander Mirna , Chohan Ali , Parisi Sara , Umesi Ulunma , Kalbouneh Hashem , Bhattacharya Arka , Kodjo Kodjovi , Jegede Oluwole , Jolayemi Ayodeji
Published: July 2019

Pituitary adenomas are often diagnosed as incidental findings on brain imaging. We present the case of a 52-year-old African American female patient with long standing depressed mood prior to the incidental finding of a pituitary adenoma. We explore the possibility of certain mood symptoms prompting an early diagnosis of pituitary adenoma.
Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibodies in Multinodular Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Indicate a Variant Etiology
Authors: Mehanathan Pabithadevi B. , Erusan R. Raskin , Shantaraman K. , Kannan S. M.
Published: July 2019

Introduction. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a common autoimmune thyroid disorder, which predominantly presents as a diffuse goiter, with few studies which report HT presenting as multinodular goiter, with variable frequencies ranging from 59% to 78.6% especially from south Indian populations. This variant clinical presentation may have diagnostic challenges which require further analysis. Anti-TPO antibodies are more common (90-95%) in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis than anti-TG antibodies in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This study analyzes the clinical features and the correlation of anti-TPO levels with diffuse and multinodular forms of HT. Material and Methods. This study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery in a tertiary care hospital in south Tamil Nadu. Patients presenting with clinical features of a thyroid disorder were interviewed and given a detailed clinical, radiological examination and guided FNAC. Those patients diagnosed by FNAC as HT were registered and a sample of 3cc of blood was drawn for T3, T4, TSH, and anti-TPO analysis. All the data were tabulated. Results and Discussion. Of the 212 patients who presented with goiters, 96 were diagnosed by FNAC as having a cytological picture suggestive of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Of these 96 patients with HT, 46 (47.9%) were multinodular (HT-MNG), 14 (14.58%) were solitary nodules (HT-SNT), and the remaining 36 (37.5%) were diffuse goiters (HT-D). Of the 46 patients who are HT-MNG, 36.9% had elevated anti-TPO-Ab (more than 35.0U/l) and 63.1% had normal/lower values (less than 35.0U/l). But of 36 patients with HT-D, 77.7% had elevated anti-TPO-Ab levels (>35U/l). Chi square statistics was 15.8346 and the p value is 0.0005 (<.05). Eight cases of HT-D and 3 cases of HT-MNG had hyperthyroidism and 3 cases of HT-D had hypothyroidism and all other cases were in euthyroid state. Conclusion. Patients presenting as multinodular Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have low prevalence of elevated anti-TPO-Ab than diffuse HT which suggests that multinodular form of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a unique clinical entity with etiopathogenesis that is at variance with the diffuse form.