bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concussion with primary impact to the chest and the potential role of neck tension
Authors: Jadischke Ron , Viano David C , McCarthy Joe , King Albert I
Published: October 2018

Objectives

Most biomechanical research on brain injury focuses on direct blows to the head. There are a few older studies that indicate craniocervical stretch could be a factor in concussion by causing strain in the upper spinal cord and brainstem. The objectives of this study are to assess the biomechanical response and estimate the strain in the upper cervical spine and brainstem from primary impact to the chest in American football.

Methods

Impact testing was conducted to the chest of a stationary unhelmeted and helmeted anthropomorphic test device (ATD) as well as the laboratory reconstruction of two NFL game collisions resulting in concussion. A finite element (FE) study was also conducted to estimate the elongation of the cervical spine under tensile and flexion loading conditions.

Results

The helmeted ATD had a 40% (t=9.84, p<0.001) increase in neck tensile force and an 8% (t=7.267, p<0.001) increase in neck flexion angle when compared with an unhelmeted ATD. The case studies indicated that the neck tension in the injured players exceeded tolerable levels from volunteer studies. The neck tension was combined with flexion of the head relative to the torso. The FE analysis, combined with a spinal cord coupling ratio, estimated that the strain along the axis of the upper cervical spinal cord and brainstem was 10%–20% for the combined flexion and tension loading in the two cases presented.

Conclusion

Strain in the upper spinal cord and brainstem from neck tension is a factor in concussion.
Assessing the risk for major injuries in equestrian sports
Authors: Krüger Lara , Hohberg Maike , Lehmann Wolfgang , Dresing Klaus
Published: October 2018

Background/aim

Horse riding is a popular sport, which bears the risk of serious injuries. This study aims to assess whether individual factors influence the risk to sustain major injuries.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected from all equine-related accidents at a German Level I Trauma Centre between 2004 and 2014. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for major injures.

Results

770 patients were included (87.9% females). Falling off the horse (67.7%) and being kicked by the horse (16.5%) were the two main injury mechanisms. Men and individuals of higher age showed higher odds for all tested parameters of serious injury. Patients falling off a horse had higher odds for being treated as inpatients, whereas patients who were kicked had higher odds for a surgical therapy (OR 1.7) and intensive care unit/intermediate care unit (ICU/IMC) treatment (OR 1.2). The head was the body region most often injured (32.6%) and operated (32.9%). Patients with head injuries had the highest odds for being hospitalised (OR 6.13). Head or trunk injuries lead to the highest odds for an ICU/IMC treatment (head: OR 4.37; trunk: OR 2.47). Upper and lower limb injuries showed the highest odds for a surgical therapy (upper limb: OR 2.61; lower limb: OR 1.7).

Conclusion

Risk prevention programmes should include older individuals and males as target groups. Thus a rethinking of the overall risk assessment is necessary. Not only horseback riding itself, but also handling a horse bears a relevant risk for major injuries. Serious head injures remain frequent, serious and an important issue to be handled in equestrians sports.
Determination of cervical stenosis in rugby players using an alternative radiographic method
Authors: C Bornholdt Gustavo , Siqueira Campos Lopes Bruno , Francisco Senne Paz Pedro , José Hernandez Arnaldo , Pedrinelli André
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To find a radiographic method that best correlates with the mean subaxial cervical space available for the cord (MSCSAC) by using a fixed size parameter as radiographic reference, in contrast to the use of vertebral bodies as reference in the mean subaxial cervical Torg ratio (MTorg).

Methods

The study was approved by an institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained. Radiographs and cervical neck MRI were obtained from 18 male rugby athletes (age 18–30 years). Rheumatic disease, symptomatic cervical orthopaedic disease and previous cervical injury were used as exclusion criteria. MSCSAC and MTorg were calculated for each individual as the space available for the cord and Torg ratio averages from C3 to C6, respectively. A new radiographic method, using a metal bar as a size parameter (the corrected diameter of the cervical canal - CDCC), was also calculated for each individual, as well as its average from C3 to C6 (mean corrected diameter of the cervical canal - MCDCC). Values obtained for MCDCC and MTorg were correlated with those obtained by the MSCSAC using Pearson’s coefficient.

Results

Four volunteers were excluded due to previous cervical injury. In total, 14 subjects had their radiographs and MRIs analysed. Pearson’s correlation between MSCSAC and MTorg was 0.5706 (p=0.033). The correlation between MSCSAC and MCDCC was 0.6903 (p=0.006).

Conclusion

MCDCC correlates better than MTorg with MSCSAC and may be a better radiographic option than MTorg for cervical stenosis evaluation.
Progress in diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder among children and adolescents: an international perspective
Authors: Findling Robert L , Stepanova Ekaterina , Youngstrom Eric A , Young Andrea S
Published: October 2018

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a potentially lifelong condition characterised by extreme changes in mood that may begin in childhood and cause substantial impairment. Over the past decades, BPD has been the focus of increased attention mainly due to controversies surrounding its prevalence, diagnosis and treatment in children and adolescents. This report addresses these controversies by reviewing the extant evidence base, providing clinicians with a summary of the literature on diagnosis, phenomenology and treatment of paediatric BPD. The debate regarding diagnosing children with BPD based on severe irritability and aggression is mostly resolved. The current data support utilising the diagnostic criteria based on episodic changes of mood polarity. Therefore, longitudinal course of illness should be explored in detail when diagnosing BPD. Given high rates of genetic predisposition for BPD, assessment of youth should focus on obtaining accurate family history of this condition. Additionally, there has been a substantial increase in randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating pharmacological agents for mood stabilisation in children and adolescents, which we summarise in this review. Despite significant progress being made in the field of paediatric BPD, more research is needed in the areas of phenomenology, pathophysiology, course and treatment of this condition in youth.
Novel ASCC1 mutations causing prenatal-onset muscle weakness with arthrogryposis and congenital bone fractures
Authors: Böhm Johann , Malfatti Edoardo , Oates Emily , Jones Kristi , Brochier Guy , Boland Anne , Deleuze Jean-François , Romero Norma Beatriz , Laporte Jocelyn
Published: October 2018

Background

The activating signal cointegrator 1 (ASC-1) complex acts as a transcriptional coactivator for a variety of transcription factors and consists of four subunits: ASCC1, ASCC2, ASCC3 and TRIP4. A single homozygous mutation in ASCC1 has recently been reported in two families with a severe muscle and bone disorder.

Objective

We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the ASCC1-related disorder.

Methods

Here, we provide a clinical, histological and genetic description of three additional ASCC1 families.

Results

All patients presented with severe prenatal-onset muscle weakness, neonatal hypotonia and arthrogryposis, and congenital bone fractures. The muscle biopsies from the affected infants revealed intense oxidative rims beneath the sarcolemma and scattered remnants of sarcomeres with enlarged Z-bands, potentially representing a histopathological hallmark of the disorder. Sequencing identified recessive nonsense or frameshift mutations in ASCC1, including two novel mutations.

Conclusion

Overall, this work expands the ASCC1 mutation spectrum, sheds light on the muscle histology of the disorder and emphasises the physiological importance of the ASC-1 complex in fetal muscle and bone development.
The effect of age and ultimate pH value on selected quality traits of meat from wild boar
Authors: Stanisz Marek , Ludwiczak Agnieszka , Składanowska-Baryza Joanna , Bykowska-Maciejewska Marta
Published: October 2018

The meat from hunted wild boar juveniles (N = 18) and yearlings (N = 17) was analysed to assess the influence of age and the ultimate pH value on selected quality traits. The analysed meat of 55.56% of the juveniles and 64.71% of the yearlings was characterised with normal pH. The pH had been measured 24 and 48 h post mortem. More cases of high ultimate pH (pHu > 5.8) and high maximal pH (about 6.2) have been noted in the meat of younger animals compared with older ones. We found no effect of pHu on the colour coordinates of analysed wild boar meat. A slight effect of age was observed for the lightness (L*) coordinate. The postmortem time was the most important factor influencing meat colour [L*, yellowness (b*), and hue angle]. A high pHu was related to lower drip loss (P = 0.001), lower percentage of free water (P = 0.036), lower cooking loss (P = 0.001), and lower plasticity (P = 0.042). The meat from juveniles showed higher plasticity than meat from yearlings. Summing up, both the pHu level and the age of wild boars may affect some qualitative patterns of meat, changing the technological usability of this raw animal product.
Evaluation of the influences of dam release types, land use, and habitat affecting abundance, richness, diversity, and community structure of larval and juvenile fish
Authors: Hanks R. Daniel , Hartman Kyle J.
Published: October 2018

We systematically evaluated the influence of dams on downstream aquatic habitat and early life stage (ELS) fish at two spatial scales from epilimnetic and hypolimnetic discharges and made comparisons with a control stream. ELS fish exhibited a general increase in abundance, richness, and Shannon diversity with increasing distance from dams in both epilimnetic and hypolimnetic release types. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) indicated larval and juvenile fish communities were structured differently between epilimnetic and hypolimnetic releases, and habitat variables structuring those communities were more variable in epilimnetic releases than in hypolimnetic releases. Rapid changes occurred within the first 1100 m reach and a second more gradual gradient extended beyond the 5100 m sample reach. Generally, our findings agreed with that of the Serial Discontinuity Concept (SDC), but we believe future studies should be explicit in the systematic evaluation of the SDC, and further studies are required to understand the two recovery gradients that exist below impoundments.
Cardiac SERCA activity in sockeye salmon populations: an adaptive response to migration conditions
Authors: Anttila Katja , Farrell Anthony P. , Patterson David A. , Hinch Scott G. , Eliason Erika J.
Published: October 2018

We show that cardiac sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) activity differs considerably among sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations. Variability in SERCA activity was significantly correlated with elevation gain and temperature during migration, as well as maximum cardiac stroke volume. Furthermore, because SERCA activity was not lowered during the spawning migration, this aspect of the cardiac contraction machinery is apparently spared during the senescence of these semelparous salmon, likely because it is essential for these fish to complete spawning. Only when spawning had been completed was there a significant reduction in SERCA activity, which was detectable in males at a 25 °C and in females at a 15 °C assay temperature. Hence, we propose that migration conditions act as a strong selective force that has resulted in local adaptation of myocardial SERCA activity among sockeye salmon populations.
Two indole-2-carboxamide derivatives attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting inflammatory response
Authors: Dai Wei , Ge Xiangting , Xu Tingting , Lu Chun , Zhou Wangfeng , Sun Dandan , Gong Yuqiang , Dai Yuanrong
Published: October 2018

Acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. Currently, there is no effective pharmacological treatment for ALI. In our previous study, we reported that Lg25 and Lg26, two indole-2-carboxamide derivatives, inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokines in vitro and attenuated LPS-induced sepsis in vivo. In the present study, we confirmed data from previous studies that LPS significantly induced pulmonary edema and pathological changes in lung tissue, increased protein concentration and number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF), and increased inflammatory cytokine TNF-α expression in serum and BALF, pro-inflammatory genes expression, and macrophages infiltration in lung tissue. However, pretreatment with Lg25 and Lg26 significantly attenuated the LPS-induced changes in mice. Taken together, these data indicate that the newly discovered indole-2-carboxamide derivatives could be particularly useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as ALI.
Merits and perils of targeted neonatal echocardiography-based hemodynamic research: a position statement
Authors: Kharrat Ashraf , McNamara Patrick J. , Weisz Dany , Jain Amish
Published: October 2018

In the neonatal setting, point-of-care ultrasound is increasingly being used to help clinicians with the evaluation of heart function. Practices in neonatology, particularly with regard to acute and chronic hemodynamic managements, were traditionally more driven on dogma and predefined thresholds and not always supported by demonstrable physiology. For the first time, targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE) provided neonatal intensivists with a bedside tool that made real-time assessment of neonatal hemodynamics status feasible in even the tiniest of babies. This opened the door towards more targeted physiological driven practices, allowing us to test historical approaches to clinical problems in a more precise way. Despite the standardization of TNE training and the creation of a formalized curriculum, little attention has been paid to the establishment of an empirical framework to adjudicate scientific investigation. In this position statement, we reflect on the evolution of TNE in Canadian neonatal intensive care units, appraise its strengths and limitations, and suggest guiding principles for clinicians and researchers to consider as they take this field forward.
Hypophagic effects of insulin are mediated via NPY1/NPY2 receptors in broiler cockerels
Authors: Yousefvand Shiba , Hamidi Farshid , Zendehdel Morteza , Parham Abbas
Published: October 2018

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) plays a mediatory role in cerebral insulin function by maintaining energy balance. The current study was designed to determine the role of insulin in food intake and its interaction with NPY receptors in 8 experiments using broiler cockerels (4 treatment groups per experiment, except for experiment 8). Chicks received control solution or 2.5, 5, or 10 ng of insulin in experiment 1 and control solution or 1.25, 2.5, or 5 μg of receptor antagonists B5063, SF22, or SML0891 in experiments 2, 3, and 4 through intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection, respectively. In experiments 5, 6, and 7, chicks received ICV injection of B5063, SF22, SML0891, or co-injection of an antagonist + insulin, control solution, and insulin. In experiment 8, blood glucose was measured. Insulin, B5063, and SML0891 decreased food intake, while SF22 led to an increase in food intake. The hypophagic effect of insulin was also reinforced by injection of B560, but ICV injection of SF22 destroyed this hypophagic effect of insulin and increased food intake (p < 0.05). However, SML0891 had no effect on decreased food intake induced by insulin (p > 0.05). At 30 min postinjection, blood sugar in the control group was higher than that in the insulin group (p < 0.05). Therefore, the NPY1 and NPY2 receptors mediate the hypophagic effect of insulin in broiler cockerels.
Origin of fermion generations from extended noncommutative geometry
Authors: Yu Hefu , Ma Bo-Qiang
Published: October 2018

We propose a way to understand the three fermion generations by the algebraic structures of noncommutative geometry, which is a promising framework to unify the standard model and general relativity. We make the tensor product extension and the quaternion extension on the framework. Each of the two extensions alone keeps the action invariant, and we consider them as the almost trivial structures of the geometry. We combine the two extensions, and show the corresponding physical effects, i.e. the emergence of three fermion generations and the mass relationships among those generations. We define the coordinate fiber space of the bundle of the manifold as the space in which the classical noncommutative geometry is expressed, then the tensor product extension explicitly shows the contribution of structures in the non-coordinate base space of the bundle to the action. The quaternion extension plays an essential role to reveal the physical effect of the structure in the non-coordinate base space.
Bending of piezoelectric beams with the flexoelectric effect under applied load at any position
Authors: Zhang J. , Li X.-F.
Published: October 2018

Flexoelectricity describes the coupling between polarization and strain gradients and presents a strong size dependence at nanoscale. In the current work, based on the extended linear piezoelectricity theory with flexoelectricity, we study bending of piezoelectric beams with consideration of flexoelectric effect. When a concentrated force at any position and electric voltage is exerted, the expression for bending deflection of simply-supported and clamped beams is derived. The obtained results show that flexoelectric effect can cause a softer elastic behavior of simply-supported and clamped beams. Sensitivity analysis of the transverse deflection and bending moment is made for two typical boundary conditions. Flexoelectric effect has a more significant effect on the bending response of a piezoelectric beam with smaller thickness.
Group Delay Equalization of Polynomial Recursive Digital Filters in Maximal Flat Sense
Authors: Stamenković Negovan , Stojanović Nikola , Perinić Goran
Published: October 2018

The paper presents the development of an algorithm to obtain stable allpass filter, which acts as a group delay equalizer, with the aim to equalize group delay of the polynomial IIR filter in a maximal flat sense. The proposed method relies on a set of nonlinear equations, derived directly from the flatness conditions of the group delay response at the origin in the [Formula: see text]-plane, with the order to obtain the unknown values of the allpass filter coefficients. The algorithm implemented in the MATLAB platform returns the coefficients of allpass filter. In the given example, first we construct a minimum phase polynomial IIR digital filter with a maximally flat magnitude at origin, next we augment the system with cascade connection of nonminimum allpass digital filter with order to equalize the group delay response of the whole filter in a maximally flat sense.
Efficient Robust Design Optimization of a Stacker–Reclaimer Structure Under Uncertainty
Authors: Bhattacharjya Soumya , Sarkar Mithun , Datta Gaurav , Ghosh Saibal Kumar
Published: October 2018

A stacker–reclaimer structure (SRS) is a massive structure used for bulk material exploration. Performance of SRS is sensitive to the effect of uncertainty which may lead to catastrophic failure consequences. Thus, in this paper a comparatively new robust design optimization (RDO) approach for design of SRS is explored. The involved parameter of SRS e.g., material loading, incrustation, normal digging, etc., may not have well-defined probability density functions and can be expressed as uncertain but bounded (UBB) type parameters. Hence, RDO is explored for probabilistic as well as UBB cases. Solution of such RDO problem in full simulation approach would require extensive computational time. Hence, response surface method (RSM) based metamodeling approach has been adopted here to alleviate computational burden. Also, as conventional least squares method (LSM) based RSM may be a source of error, this study adopts a comparatively new moving LSM (MLSM) based adaptive RSM in RDO. The RDO results depict that UBB type uncertainty is more critical than the probabilistic case. The proposed MLSM based RDO approach yields reasonably accurate design solutions in a computationally efficient way. The proposed MLSM based RDO approach yields design solutions which ensures safe performance of SRS even in the presence of uncertainty.
Investigation of nondegenerate two-photon absorption in common fluorescent dyes
Authors: Xu Huantian , Chen Shu , Mu Kaijun , Wang Junqiao , Tian Yongzhi , Su Shilei , Mao Yanchao , Liang Erjun
Published: October 2018

The nondegenerate two-photon excited fluorescence (ND-TPEF) and nondegenerate two-photon absorption (ND-TPA) cross-sections of two common fluorescent dyes were investigated using the femtosecond pump-probe technique at several wavelength combinations. Time-resolved and laser intensity dependent fluorescence revealed that the fluorescence was originated from the ND-TPA effect. Experimental ND-TPA cross-section exhibited larger values than corresponding degenerate two-photon absorption case. Additionally, an improved essential-state model involving multiple TPA excited states was proposed to evaluate the TPA cross-section of organic molecules, which showed good agreement with experimental results. This study indicates that the investigated fluorescent dyes would play important roles in multicolor two-photon imaging.
Some properties of isoclinisms of Lie algebra crossed modules
Authors: Allahyari A. , Saeedi F.
Published: October 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a Lie algebra crossed module. In this paper, we shall introduce a chain of crossed modules of [Formula: see text] and show that if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are two isoclinic crossed modules, then [Formula: see text].
Data compensation based on the additional feature information for collaborative interactive operation with optical human motion capture system
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Wang Rui , Xu Zhe , Pan Lei , Zhang Zhili
Published: October 2018

As the effective capture region of optical motion capture system is limited by quantity, installation mode, resolution and focus of infrared cameras, the reflective markers on certain body parts (such as wrists, elbows, etc.) of multi-actual trainees may be obscured when they perform the collaborative interactive operation. To address this issue, motion data compensation method based on the additional feature information provided by the electromagnetic spatial position tracking equipment is proposed in this paper. The main working principle and detailed realization process of the proposed method are introduced step by step, and the practical implementation is presented to illustrate its validity and efficiency. The results show that the missing capture data and motion information of relevant obscured markers on arms can be retrieved with the proposed method, which can avoid the simulation motions of corresponding virtual operators being interrupted and deformed during the collaborative interactive operation process performed by multi-actual trainees with optical human motion capture system in a limited capture range.
Exploring the Energy Efficiency of Electric Vehicles with Driving Behavioral Data from a Field Test and Questionnaire
Authors: Hu Kezhen , Wu Jianping , Liu Mingyu
Published: October 2018

With increasing concerns about urban air quality and carbon emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained popularity in megacities, especially in Europe and Asia. The energy consumption of EVs has subsequently caught researchers’ attention. However, the exploration of energy consumption of EVs has largely focused on people’s revealed driving behavior and rarely touched on their self-perception of driving styles. In this paper, we developed a more human-centric approach, aiming to investigate how the energy efficiency of EVs is shaped by the driving behavior and driving style in the urban scenario from field test data and driving style questionnaires (DSQs). Field tests were carried out on a designated route for a total of 13 drivers in the city of Beijing, where vehicle operation parameters were recorded under both congested and smooth traffic conditions. DSQs were collected from a larger pool of drivers including the field test drivers to be applied to driving style factor analysis. The results of a correlation analysis demonstrate the dynamic interaction between drivers’ revealed behavior and stated driving style under different traffic conditions. We also proposed an energy consumption prediction model with the fusion of collected driving parameters and DSQ data and the result is promising. We hope that this study would draw inspiration for future research on people’s transitioning driving behavior in an electric-mobility era.
Prognostic Significance of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Repeat Cerclage in Women with Prolapsed Membranes
Authors: Song Ji Eun , Lee Keun Young , Son Ga Hyun
Published: October 2018

Objective. Cerclage is a surgical option for preventing preterm birth (PTB). Repeat cerclage (RC) could prevent impending PTB in women with prolapsed membrane who already had primary cerclage. PTB is associated with a state of inflammation. It has been widely known that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) reflect systemic inflammation. We aimed to investigate whether NLR and PLR could be used as reliable markers in predicting pregnancy outcome following RC. Methods. The study group consisted of 26 patients, who underwent RC resulting from prolapsed membrane after primary cerclage. NLR and PLR at the time of primary cerclage and RC were calculated. ROC curve analysis and multivariate analysis were performed for determining predictive factors. The study group was divided into two groups according to NLR 4.7 at RC: High NLR group was defined as NLR > 4.7, and low NLR group was defined as NLR ≤ 4.7. We compared pregnancy outcomes, such as delivery at gestational age, and rate of delivery < 28 weeks between two groups. Results. The average gestational age at primary cerclage was 15.7 weeks, and the mean gestational age at RC was 21.0 weeks. NLR at RC was significantly elevated when compared with NLR at primary cerclage (NLR, 4.0 vs. 8.9, p=0.001), but there was no significant difference in terms of PLR (p=0.07). ROC curve showed that there was a significant prediction power of NLR at RC for delivery < 28 weeks (AUC, 0.91; p<0.01). Using NLR cut-off of 4.7, 8 had NLR ≤ 4.7 (low NLR group), whereas 18 had NLR > 4.7 (high NLR group). High NLR group showed worse pregnancy outcome compared to low NLR group: there were significant differences in gestational age at delivery, and neonatal survival rate between two groups (31.5 weeks vs. 25.9 weeks, p=0.02; 100% (8/8) vs. 55.6% (10/18), p=0.03, respectively). Survival analysis demonstrated a lower incidence of delivery < 28 weeks of gestation in low NLR group compared with high NLR group (p<0.01, log-rank test). Conclusion. NLR might be used as a reliable factor for predicting pregnancy outcome following RC.
A Comparison of Algorithms for Finding an Efficient Theme Park Tour
Authors: Bouzarth Elizabeth L. , Forrester Richard J. , Hutson Kevin R. , Isaac Rahul , Midkiff James , Rivers Danny , Testa Leonard J.
Published: October 2018

The problem of efficiently touring a theme park so as to minimize the amount of time spent in queues is an instance of the Traveling Salesman Problem with Time-Dependent Service Times (TSP-TS). In this paper, we present a mixed-integer linear programming formulation of the TSP-TS and describe a branch-and-cut algorithm based on this model. In addition, we develop a lower bound for the TSP-TS and describe two metaheuristic approaches for obtaining good quality solutions: a genetic algorithm and a tabu search algorithm. Using test instances motivated by actual theme park data, we conduct a computational study to compare the effectiveness of our algorithms.
Simultaneous Determination of Pesticides in Fruits by Using Second-Order Fluorescence Data Resolved by Unfolded Partial Least-Squares Coupled to Residual Bilinearization
Authors: Navarro Mercedes Villar , Cabezón Miguel Angel , Damiani Patricia C.
Published: October 2018

In the present work, a chemometric-assisted spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of natural fluorescent pesticides, carbaryl, carbendazim, and thiabendazole, in orange and banana. Only a simple extraction with methanol was required as sample pretreatment. Emission-excitation fluorescence matrices were obtained and resolved by using a second-order multivariate calibration method based on unfolded partial least-squares combined with residual bilinearization (U-PLS/RBL) for achieving “second-order advantage.” In this way, pesticides were determined in fruits even in the presence of inner filter effects, background interactions, strong spectral overlapping, and unexpected components. U-PLS can cope with effects that cause trilinearity loss such as, inner filter effects, including background in the calibration set; meanwhile, RBL allows to resolve the presence of unexpected components. The extraction technique was validated against a commonly applied technique based on the use of ethyl acetate and sodium sulfate. Besides, results obtained for real samples were statistically compared with those obtained by using HPLC. LODs of 0.038, 0.054, and 0.018 mg·kg−1 and 0.044, 0.072, and 0.020 mg·kg−1 were obtained for carbaryl, carbendazim, and thiabendazole in banana and orange samples, respectively; values were in accordance with the MRLs (Maximum Residue Limits) established by different official control organizations such as National Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA), Codex Alimentarius (based on Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Comparison of Elution Characteristics and Compressive Strength of Biantibiotic-Loaded PMMA Bone Cement for Spacers: Copal® Spacem with Gentamicin and Vancomycin versus Palacos® R+G with Vancomycin
Authors: Boelch Sebastian P. , Rueckl Kilian , Fuchs Clara , Jordan Martin , Knauer Markus , Steinert Andre , Rudert Maximilian , Luedemann Martin
Published: October 2018

Purpose. Copal® spacem is a new PMMA bone cement for fabricating spacers. This study compares elution of gentamicin, elution of vancomycin, and compressive strength of Copal® spacem and of Palacos® R+G at different vancomycin loadings in the powder of the cements. We hypothesized that antibiotic elution of Copal® spacem is superior at comparable compressive strength. Methods. Compression test specimens were fabricated using Copal® spacem manually loaded with 0.5 g gentamicin and additionally 2 g, 4 g, and 6 g of vancomycin per 40 g of cement powder (COP specimens) and using 0.5 g gentamicin premixed Palacos® R+G manually loaded with 2 g, 4 g, and 6 g of vancomycin per 40 g of cement powder (PAL specimens). These specimens were used for determination of gentamicin and vancomycin elution (in fetal calf serum, at 22°C) and for determination of compressive strength both prior and following the elution tests. Results. Cumulative gentamicin concentrations (p < 0.005) and gentamicin concentration after 28 days (p ≤ 0.043) were significantly lower for COP specimens compared to PAL specimens. Cumulative vancomycin concentrations were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.043) for COP specimens after the second day. Vancomycin concentrations after 28 days were not significantly higher for the Copal specimens loaded with 2 g and 4 g of vancomycin. Compressive strength was not significantly different between COP specimens and PAL specimens before elution tests. Compressive strength after the elution tests was significantly lower (p = 0.005) for COP specimens loaded with 2 g of vancomycin. Conclusion. We could not demonstrate consistent superior antibiotic elution from Copal® spacem compared to Palacos® R+G for fabricating gentamicin and vancomycin loaded spacers. The results do not favor Copal® spacem over Palacos® R+G for the use as a gentamicin and vancomycin biantibiotic-loaded spacer.
Comparative Analysis of the Gut Microbial Composition and Meat Flavor of Two Chicken Breeds in Different Rearing Patterns
Authors: Sun Jing , Wang Yan , Li Nianzhen , Zhong Hang , Xu Hengyong , Zhu Qing , Liu Yiping
Published: October 2018

The objective of the study is to compare the effects of free-range (FR) and cage-range (CR) breeding on gut microbiota and flavor compounds of Caoke (C) and Partridge Shank chickens (Q). A total of 120 experimental chickens were assigned to FR group and CR group; each group contain both 30 Caoke chickens and 30 Partridge Shank chickens. At 154 d old, 12 chickens of each group were selected and their cecal contents were extracted and examined for the composition of gut microbiota by illumina sequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rDNA genes, and flavor compounds were analyzed through headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method. The results showed that, except for acids, the amount of flavor substances in the FR group was higher than those in the CR group, especially the content of Hexanal and D-limonene. Meanwhile, the higher concentrations of carbonyls including (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, (E)-2-decenal, (E)-2-octenal, and pentanal were in the FR chicken meat, but the differences in concentrations compared with CR were not significant. High levels of ethyl hexanoate and β-ocimene were only detected in FR groups. The Firmicutes had the highest proportion of chicken cecal microbiota, whereas the Fusobacteria was only detected in the cecal samples of Q chicken in FR group. Actinobacteria was more prevalent in FR groups than in CR groups. Meanwhile, in Q chickens, the proportions of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria in FR group were higher than those in CR group. Using MG-RAST Subsystem Technology, we found that some genes were associated with the formation of precursors of flavor compounds or with the metabolism and degradation of aromatic compounds. Overall, CR and FR breeding influenced the gut microbiota and flavor compounds, potentially because of the changes in diet and living conditions.
Peri-Implant Bone Resorption during Healing Abutment Placement: The Effect of a 0.20% Chlorhexidine Gel vs. Placebo—A Randomized Double Blind Controlled Human Study
Authors: Sinjari Bruna , D’Addazio Gianmaria , De Tullio Ilaria , Traini Tonino , Caputi Sergio
Published: October 2018

Introduction. Peri-implant marginal bone loss (MBL) seems to be more pronounced in the first year of loading despite all the studies and changes implemented to reduce it. Among the different causes, the presence of a microgap makes the interface between fixture and abutment colonizable by bacteria, causing an inflammatory response and consequent bone resorption. To reduce this several local antiseptics like chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) were used after surgical procedures. Aim. The objective was to radiologically compare the MBL when a 0.20% CHX gel or a placebo gel was applied to the implant-abutment interface during all surgical and prosthetic phases and for a follow-up period up to 12 months. Method. 32 patients (16 for each Group A and B) were enrolled and rehabilitated with a single implant (Cortex classic, Cortex, Shalomi, Israel). During each of the clinical stages a gel containing 0.20% CHX (Plak ®Gel; Polifarma Wellness Srl, Rome, Italy) or a placebo gel (Placebo, Polifarma Wellness Srl, Rome, Italy) was used as indicated by the randomization chart. In order to compare radiographic modification intraoral radiographs was taken. Also, clinical data regarding implant or prosthetic failure and gingival index were recorded. Data were presented as means and standard deviations (SD) and used for the statistical analysis. Results. All implants showed no bleeding on probing and a very small plaque score at the 1 year of follow-up. MBL was statistically significantly different between the groups in every stage. Conclusion. Results obtained showed that the use of CHX gel inside the connection significantly reduces MBL during the first year. A rigid disinfection protocol with 0.20% CHX from the time of implant insertion to crown delivery is recommended to reduce host inflammatory response and consequently MBL. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: (Registration Number: NCT03431766).
Synthesis and Evaluation of Baylis-Hillman Reaction Derived Imidazole and Triazole Cinnamates as Antifungal Agents
Authors: Nelson Grady L. , Williams Michael J. , Jonnalagadda Shirisha , Alam Mohammad A. , Mereddy Gautam , Johnson Joseph L. , Jonnalagadda Sravan K.
Published: October 2018

Allylic acetates derived from Baylis-Hillman reaction undergo efficient nucleophilic isomerization with imidazoles and triazoles to provide imidazolylmethyl and triazolylmethyl cinnamates stereoselectively. Antifungal evaluation of these derivatives against Cryptococcus neoformans exhibits good minimum inhibitory concentration values. These compounds exhibit low toxicity in proliferating MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Structure activity relationship studies indicate that halogenated aromatic derivatives provide better antifungal activity.
Isolation, Structures, and Bioactivities of the Polysaccharides fromGynostemma pentaphyllum(Thunb.) Makino: A Review
Authors: Ji Xiaolong , Shen Yingbin , Guo Xudan
Published: October 2018

Polysaccharides obtained fromGynostemma pentaphyllum(Thunb.) Makino have promising prospects in functional food and nutraceuticals due to its broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and antifatigue activities. These beneficial biological activities are related to chemical composition and structure of theG. pentaphyllumpolysaccharides. The molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and chemical structures could be influenced by both different extraction/purification techniques employed to obtain polysaccharide enriched products. The purpose of this article is to review previous and current literature regarding the extraction, purification, structural characterization, and biological activity ofG. pentaphyllumpolysaccharides. This review provides a useful bibliography for the further investigation, production, and application ofG. pentaphyllumpolysaccharides as functional foods and nutraceuticals.
Chemical Composition and Enzymatic Screening of Micromeria fruticosa serpyllifolia Volatile Oils Collected from Three Different Regions of West Bank, Palestine
Authors: Salameh Nihaya , Shraim Naser , Jaradat Nidal
Published: October 2018

Introduction. Volatile oils (VOs) have been commonly used in cosmetics and food as fragrances, flavoring, and preservative agents or in alternative medicine for their therapeutic effects. This necessitates investigating those plants and their VOs. This study was conducted to investigate the chemical compositions of the VOs of Micromeria fruticosa serpyllifolia growing widely in three regions in Palestine (i.e., Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus districts representing south, middle, and north of West Bank). Afterwards, VOs were subjected to in vitro screening and their enzymatic properties were compared. Methods. The analysis of chemical components of VOs was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antilipase activity was evaluated using porcine pancreatic lipase and p-nitrophenyl butyrate. The antiamylase activity was assessed using porcine pancreatic α-amylase, starch, and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic. Results. Plant extracts yield range was 0.67 to 0.99 w/w%. GC-MS analysis showed the high percentages of oxygenated components in the range of 86.1-89.88% and nonoxygenated components in the range of 4.38-4.71%. Seven components were observed, pulegone was the most abundant component in the three samples in the range of 74.43-86.04%, and isomenthone was the second most abundant component with the range of 3.16-14.41%. The sample collected from Nablus showed the most potent antilipase and antiamylase activity with IC50 values of 39.81 μg/mL and 3.31 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusions. The study showed that Micromeria fruticosa serpyllifolia volatile oils samples from different regions in Palestine contained different proportions of phytochemicals which provided different potential biological activities such as antiobesity and antidiabetes activities that were in line with traditional uses of the plant extracts. The plant extracts showed higher antilipase and antiamylase potency than that of the relative references and there were significant differences in these activities compared to each other.
Shenqi Fuzheng Injection Reverses Cisplatin Resistance through Mitofusin‐2‐Mediated Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in A549/DDP Cells
Authors: Xiong Ying , Zhao QiuYu , Gu LiYan , Liu ChunYing , Wang Chun
Published: October 2018

The goal of this evaluation was to examine the mechanisms of Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SFI), an extract made from the plants Radix Astragali and Radix Codonopsis, in the process of chemotherapy sensitivity in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. We investigated the expression of mitofusin‐2 (Mfn2), a mitochondrial GTPase that may be related to chemoresistance, and found that Mfn2 expression was lower in human cisplatin‐resistant lung carcinoma A549/DDP cells than in cisplatin‐susceptible A549 cells. Chemosensitivity to cisplatin was restored in A549/DDP cells following supplementation in conjunction with SFI treatment, the effect of which we evaluated via cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell signaling analysis. We found that the combined use of A549/DDP cells with SFI and cisplatin enhanced cell cycle arrested in the G2/M phase, which was accompanied by upregulation of p53 and p21 protein expression and induced mitochondrial apoptosis in conjunction with the upregulation of Bax and the downregulation of Bcl‐2 protein expression. Moreover, cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial apoptosis coincided with the upregulation of Mfn2 expression, which, in turn, was related to the increased mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and elevated reactive oxygen species. In summary, our findings suggest that the effect of SFI in increasing chemotherapy sensitivity in cisplatin resistance of NSCLCs occurs through cell cycle arrest and the initiation of mitochondrial apoptosis involved in the upregulation of Mfn2 expression.
Massive Spontaneous Hemothorax as a Complication of Apixaban Treatment
Authors: Abu Hishmeh M. , Srivastava P. , Lougheide Q. , Srinivasan M. , Murthy S.
Published: October 2018

Introduction. Hemothorax is usually related to chest or iatrogenic trauma from procedures such as central lines and thoracentesis. Spontaneous hemothorax is defined as pleural fluid hematocrit greater than 50% of serum hematocrit in absence of natural or iatrogenic trauma affecting the lung or pleural space. Coagulopathy secondary to anticoagulant use has been associated with spontaneous hemothorax. We present a case of spontaneous hemothorax in a patient taking apixaban for venous thromboembolism disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of apixaban as a cause of spontaneous hemothorax. Case Presentation. A 56-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was diagnosed with upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) one month prior to presentation and was started on apixaban presented with dyspnea and left-sided pleuritic chest pain for two weeks. She was found to have left-sided large pleural effusion which was diagnosed as hemothorax. Other etiologies for spontaneous hemothorax were excluded and drainage by 12-French pigtail catheter achieved total resolution of hemothorax in three days. Discussion. Apixaban is a DOAC used to prevent stroke or thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and to prevent recurrent venous thromboembolic disease. Events such as gastrointestinal, intracranial, and soft tissue bleeding have been well-documented. However, bleeding manifestation as hemothorax is seldom reported. Our patient presented with isolated left-sided large pleural effusion which was diagnosed as spontaneous hemothorax. 12-Fr pigtail catheter drainage was effective in the management of our patient and provided total resolution in three days. Conclusion. Spontaneous hemothorax is a rare complication of anticoagulant therapy and might not exhibit the usual radiological signs of traumatic hemothorax. Health care providers should have high index of suspicion for spontaneous hemothorax when evaluating new pleural effusion in patients receiving DOACs therapy. Drainage by small bore pigtail catheter might be as effective as larger chest tubes.
CAFA: A Checksum-Aware Fuzzing Assistant Tool for Coverage Improvement
Authors: Liu Xiaolong , Wei Qiang , Wang Qingxian , Zhao Zheng , Yin Zhongxu
Published: October 2018

Fuzzing is an effective technique to discover vulnerabilities that involves testing applications by constructing invalid input data. However, for applications with checksum mechanism, fuzzing can only achieve low coverage because samples generated by the fuzzer are possibly incapable of passing the checksum verification. To solve this problem, most current fuzzers advise the user to comment out the checksum verification code manually, but it requires considerable time to audit the source code to identify the checksum point corresponding to checksum verification. In this paper, we present a novel approach based on taint analysis to identify the checksum point automatically. To implement this approach, the checksum-aware fuzzing assistant tool (CAFA) is designed. After the checksum point is identified, the application is statically patched in an antilogical manner at the checksum point. The fuzzing tool then tests the patched program to bypass the checksum verification. To evaluate CAFA, we use it to assist the American Fuzzy Lop (AFL) tool in fuzzing eight real-world applications with known input specification. The experimental results show that CAFA can accurately and quickly identify the checksum points and greatly improve the coverage of AFL. With the help of CAFA, multiple buffer overflow vulnerabilities have been discovered in the newest ImageMagick and RAR applications.