bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Adrenal Insufficiency: A Short Review
Authors: Rahvar Amir-Hossein , Haas Christian S. , Danneberg Sven , Harbeck Birgit
Published: December 2017

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in the world. Recent studies have shown an association between adrenal insufficiency (AI) and increased cardiovascular risk (CVR). Patients with AI receive glucocorticoid (GC) replacement therapy which can lead to varying levels of blood cortisol. It was shown that these imbalances in blood cortisol may lead to a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease, major adverse coronary events, and increased mortality. GC substitution is essential in the treatment of AI without which the disease has been shown to be fatal. The most frequently used GC formula for replacement therapy is hydrocortisone (HC). There is no uniform opinion on hydrocortisone replacement therapy. Alternative GC such as prednisolone is also in use. Overreplacement of GC may lead to adverse effects including obesity, high blood pressure, and hyperglycaemia. Outcome may vary between primary and secondary AI mainly due to differences in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Furthermore, decreased blood levels of cortisol may lead to a compensatory secretion of inflammatory mediators such as Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and/or tumor-necrosis factor (TNF). Physicians and patients should be properly educated about the increased risk of CVD in patients with AI.
Predictors of Insulin Resistance in Children versus Adolescents with Obesity
Authors: Lentferink Yvette E. , Elst Marieke A. J. , Knibbe Catherijne A. J. , van der Vorst Marja M. J.
Published: December 2017

Introduction. Obesity is a risk factor to develop metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin resistance (IR) plays a major part in both. With increasing incidence of childhood obesity, this retrospective study aimed to identify predictors of IR in children/adolescents with obesity to optimize screening for IR. Method. Patients aged ≥ 2–≤ 18 years with obesity (BMI-SDS > 2.3) were included. IR was defined as HOMA-IR ≥ 3.4, and MetS if ≥3 of the following criteria were present: waist circumference and blood pressure ≥ 95th age percentile, triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/l, HDL < 1.03 mmol/l, and fasting plasma glucose ≥ 5.6 mmol/l. Results. In total, 777 patients were included. Of the 306 children, 51, 38, and 0 were diagnosed with IR, MetS, and T2DM, respectively. Of the 471 adolescents, 223, 95, and 0 were diagnosed with IR, MetS, and T2DM, respectively. In the multivariable regression model, BMI-SDS, preterm birth, and Tanner stage were associated with IR in children (6.3 (95% CI 1.3–31.1), 5.4 (95% CI 1.4–20.5), 2.2 (95% CI 1.0–4.8)), and BMI-SDS and waist circumference in adolescents (4.0 (95% CI 1.7–9.2), 3.7 (95% CI 1.5–9.4)). Conclusion. Different IR predictors were observed in children/adolescents with obesity. These predictors can be used to optimize screening for IR in pediatric populations.
Experimental Study of the Combustion of Kerosene and Binary Surrogate in the Model Combustion Chamber
Authors: Matveev Sergey S. , Chechet Ivan V. , Semenikhin Aleksander S. , Abrashkin Valerii Y. , Lukachev Sergey V. , Matveev Sergey G.
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this paper is to conduct experimental research of hazardous substance emissions at the simulated combustion chamber output. The experiment was carried in a simulated combustion chamber. The combustion chamber included a burner device; a liquid fuel feed system; and a flame tube with two rows of mixing holes and one row of cooling holes. The combustion chamber operation mode was φ = 0.435, Tpreheat = 423 K, and the atmospheric pressure. The liquid fuel burn rate was 0.77 g/s. The pressure ratio in the combustion chamber remained constant at ΔP = 3%. Two types of fuel were used: aviation kerosene of Russia’s TS-1 brand and the fuel surrogate was n-decane mixture (C10H22) with benzene additions (C6H6). The benzene additions were 5% through 30% (n-decane/benzene: 95/5, 90/10, 85/15, 80/20, 75/25, and 70/30).
The Feedback Mechanism of Carbon Emission Reduction in Power Industry of Delayed Systems
Authors: Yu Xiaobao , Tan Zhongfu , Zhang Yuxie , Peng Daoxin , Xia Hui
Published: December 2017

Carbon emissions of power industry in China have accounted for more than half of the total emissions. How to decrease them is important for realizing carbon emission reduction. This paper proposes a carbon market feedback mechanism to power market, comprehensively considering the influence of generation structure, carbon intension, and technological progress on carbon emission reduction in power industry, and builds a potential model based on dynamic system. Operation system results show that the increasing trend of carbon emission can be controlled effectively but always with a lag. At the same time, sensitivity analysis results show that carbon emission reduction can be better realized by adjusting power structure and improving technological level; the former can reduce 32% and the latter can reduce 60% at most.
Mathematical Model of (R, Q) Inventory Policy under Limited Storage Space for Continuous and Periodic Review Policies with Backlog and Lost Sales
Authors: Singha Kanokwan , Buddhakulsomsiri Jirachai , Parthanadee Parthana
Published: December 2017

This paper involves developing new mathematical expressions to find reorder point and order quantity for inventory management policies that explicitly consider storage space capacity. Both continuous and periodic reviews, as well as backlogged and lost demand during stockout, are considered. With storage space capacity, when on‐hand inventory exceeds the capacity, the over‐ordering cost of storage at an external warehouse is charged on a per‐unit‐period basis. The objective is to minimize the total cost, consisting of ordering, shortage, holding, and over‐ordering costs. Demand and lead time are stochastic and discrete in nature. Demand during varying lead time is modeled using an empirical distribution so that the findings are not subject to assumptions of demand and lead time probability distributions. Due to the complexity of the developed mathematical expressions, the problems are solved using an iterative method. The method is tested with problem instances that use real data from industry. Optimal solutions of the problem instance are determined by performing exhaustive search. The proposed method can effectively find optimal solutions for continuous review policies and near optimal solutions for periodic review policies. Fundamental insights about the inventory policies are reported from a comparison between continuous review and periodic review solutions, as well as a comparison between backlog and lost sales cases.
A Multiple Hidden Layers Extreme Learning Machine Method and Its Application
Authors: Xiao Dong , Li Beijing , Mao Yachun
Published: December 2017

Extreme learning machine (ELM) is a rapid learning algorithm of the single‐hidden‐layer feedforward neural network, which randomly initializes the weights between the input layer and the hidden layer and the bias of hidden layer neurons and finally uses the least‐squares method to calculate the weights between the hidden layer and the output layer. This paper proposes a multiple hidden layers ELM (MELM for short) which inherits the characteristics of parameters of the first hidden layer. The parameters of the remaining hidden layers are obtained by introducing a method (make the actual output zero error approach the expected hidden layer output). Based on the MELM algorithm, many experiments on regression and classification show that the MELM can achieve the satisfactory results based on average precision and good generalization performance compared to the two‐hidden‐layer ELM (TELM), the ELM, and some other multilayer ELM.
Effect of Green Technology Investment on a Production-Inventory System with Carbon Tax
Authors: Datta Tapan Kumar
Published: December 2017

Carbon emissions play the central role in global warming. Manufacturing firms are significant contributors to carbon emissions. In many countries, regulatory authorities are taking actions to reduce emissions. Carbon taxation and cap-and-trade schemes are two mechanisms implemented in many countries. In the present paper, the author analyzes a production-inventory model under a carbon tax system. The production rate is assumed to be a decision variable and can be set at any level within machine limits. A proportion of items produced are defective, and this proportion depends on the production rate. Demand depends on the selling price. Unit price is a decreasing function of the production rate. Emissions can be reduced to some extent by capital investment on green technology, and this capital investment amount is a decision variable. Customers are categorized as retail customers and wholesale customers. A discount is offered to the wholesale customers on the regular selling price. The results are illustrated by a numerical example and a sensitivity analysis is performed.
Performance Analysis of Space Information Networks with Backbone Satellite Relaying for Vehicular Networks
Authors: Jiao Jian , Gao Houlian , Wu Shaohua , Zhang Qinyu
Published: December 2017

Space Information Network (SIN) with backbone satellites relaying for vehicular network (VN) communications is regarded as an effective strategy to provide diverse vehicular services in a seamless, efficient, and cost-effective manner in rural areas and highways. In this paper, we investigate the performance of SIN return channel cooperative communications via an amplify-and-forward (AF) backbone satellite relaying for VN communications, where we assume that both of the source-destination and relay-destination links undergo Shadowed-Rician fading and the source-relay link follows Rician fading, respectively. In this SIN-assisted VN communication scenario, we first obtain the approximate statistical distributions of the equivalent end-to-end signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the system. Then, we derive the closed-form expressions to efficiently evaluate the average symbol error rate (ASER) of the system. Furthermore, the ASER expressions are taking into account the effect of satellite perturbation of the backbone relaying satellite, which reveal the accumulated error of the antenna pointing error. Finally, simulation results are provided to verify the accuracy of our theoretical analysis and show the impact of various parameters on the system performance.
Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Complicated by Psoas Abscess and Infective Endocarditis in a Patient with Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Tsuboi Ichiro , Yumoto Tetsuya , Toyokawa Tatsuya , Matsueda Katsunori , Horii Joichiro , Naito Hiromichi , Nakao Atsunori
Published: December 2017

The close relationship between atopic dermatitis (AD) and infective endocarditis (IE) has been implicated. Staphylococcus aureus colonization is frequently seen observed in AD patients’ skin lesions. Although a case of IE due to S. aureus bacteremia in an AD patient has been sporadically reported, a case of S. aureus bacteremia complicated by psoas abscess and IE has not been previously reported. A 42-year-old man with a history of AD presented to our hospital complaining of fever, fatigue, chills, lower right back pain, and poor appetite for a week. His blood cultures showed growth of S. aureus. On day 3, the patient presented acute cardiac failure and was diagnosed with IE based on echocardiogram examination. Since the patient’s cardiac failure did not respond to medication, an emergency surgery was performed on the fourth day of hospitalization. The patient underwent successful surgical treatment of the heart lesions and subsequent percutaneous drainage of psoas abscess and received intensive antibiotics, which successfully improved his condition. Our report emphasizes awareness of the association between AD and invasive S. aureus infections.
A Study on Organic Tomatoes: Effect of a Biostimulator on Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Sidhu Varinder , Nandwani Dilip , Wang Li , Wu Ying
Published: December 2017

The objective of the present study is to investigate nutritional and antioxidant activity of four types of organic tomato cultivars. The differences in tomato quality are also tested between groups with or without treatment using an organic biostimulator, Stimplex. Total phenolic compounds (TPC), lycopene,β-carotene, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and color parameters were investigated in the current study. The results showed that there was no significant difference in TPC among cultivars regardless of Stimplex treatment. Higher lycopene andβ-carotene were obtained in Stimplex treated tomatoes. Lycopene andβ-carotene contents were significantly different among cultivars (P<0.05). DPPH scavenging activity in controlled group was significantly higher than that in the Stimplex treated tomatoes (P<0.05). No significant difference in reducing power was detected among cultivars treatment groups. The study showed that the darker the tomato color, the higher the lycopene andβ-carotene contents and the stronger the reducing power.
Interactive Smart Fashion Using User-Oriented Visible Light Communication: The Case of Modular Strapped Cuffs and Zipper Slider Types
Authors: Kim Jai-Eun , Kim Youn-Hee , Oh Jung-Hun , Kim Ki-Doo
Published: December 2017

Because LEDs offer flexible expressions such as brightness, color control, and various patterns, they are popularly used in multidevice interactions. Moreover, LEDs have excellent physical characteristics. However, existing LED light-based wearable interactions are designed for interest and attention. So, LED can be used in fashion as it can give new look to our style and at the same time also as an interaction device. Therefore, in this paper, we present the design guideline for regulating the technical implementation, design strategies, and directions of interactive LED devices. The technology and design concepts are demonstrated through a case study (analysis) of an existing LED light-based wearable interaction. We also design a scenario-based iterative collaborative design process model. Finally, we develop a smart fashion of modular strapped cuffs and zipper slider types that can be attached and detached according to the user’s preference as the interactive smart fashion using user-oriented visible light communication, ultimately pursuing a visual-MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) product through stepwise strategy.
Increased Cathepsin D Correlates with Clinical Parameters in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Liu Lei , Chen Baoxian , Zhang Xudong , Tan Lun , Wang Dao Wen
Published: December 2017

Background. Cathepsin D has been recently implicated in insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between cathepsin D and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Methods. Circulating cathepsin D levels and metabolic variables were measured in 98 cases and 98 controls. Myocardial performance index “Tei index” that reflects both left ventricular systolic and diastolic function was measured with Doppler echocardiography in cases. Results. Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes demonstrated significantly higher circulating cathepsin D concentrations than controls (median level: 227 ng/ml versus 174 ng/ml, P<0.01). In newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, a significant correlation was found between cathepsin D levels and HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) (r=0.25, P=0.01). In contrast, no significant correlation was found between cathepsin D levels and clinical parameters in the control group (all P>0.05). Interestingly, correlation analysis revealed a positive association between cathepsin D levels and Tei index in type 2 diabetes (r=0.22, P=0.03). Conclusions. Increased levels of circulating cathepsin D are closely linked with the presence of type 2 diabetes, and cathepsin D might serve as a novel biomarker for cardiac dysfunction in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Cell Therapy for Refractory Angina: A Reappraisal
Authors: Bassetti Beatrice , Nigro Patrizia , Catto Valentina , Cavallotti Laura , Righetti Stefano , Achilli Felice , Scacciatella Paolo , Carbucicchio Corrado , Pompilio Giulio
Published: December 2017

Cardiac cell-based therapy has emerged as a novel therapeutic option for patients dealing with untreatable refractory angina (RA). However, after more than a decade of controlled studies, no definitive consensus has been reached regarding clinical efficacy. Although positive results in terms of surrogate endpoints have been suggested by early and phase II clinical studies as well as by meta-analyses, the more recent reports lacked the provision of definitive response in terms of hard clinical endpoints. Regrettably, pivotal trials designed to conclusively determine the efficacy of cell-based therapeutics in such a challenging clinical condition are therefore still missing. Considering this, a comprehensive reappraisal of cardiac cell-based therapy role in RA seems warranted and timely, since a number of crucial cell- and patient-related aspects need to be systematically analysed. As an example, the large variability in efficacy endpoint selection appears to be a limiting factor for the advancement of cardiac cell-based therapy in the field. This review will provide an overview of the key elements that may have influenced the results of cell-based trials in the context of RA, focusing in particular on the understanding at which the extent of angina-related endpoints may predict cell-based therapeutic efficacy.
Diversity-Multiplexing-Nulling Trade-Off Analysis of Multiuser MIMO System for Intercell Interference Coordination
Authors: Kim Jinwoo , Kang Chung G.
Published: December 2017

A fundamental performance trade-off of multicell multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) systems is explored for achieving intercell and intracell interference-free conditions. In particular, we analyze the three-dimensional diversity-multiplexing-nulling trade-off (DMNT) among the diversity order (i.e., the slope of the error performance curve), multiplexing order (i.e., the number of users that are simultaneously served by MU-MIMO), and nulling order (i.e., the number of users with zero interference in a victim cell). This trade-off quantifies the performance of MU-MIMO in terms of its diversity and multiplexing order, while nulling the intercell interference toward the victim cell in the neighbor. First, we design a precoding matrix to mitigate both intercell and intracell interference for a linear precoding-based MU-MIMO system. Then, the trade-off relationship is obtained by analyzing the distribution of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the user terminals. Furthermore, we demonstrate how DMNT can be applied to estimate the long-term throughput for each mobile station, which allows for determining the optimal number of multiplexing order and throughput loss due to the interference nulling.
Enhanced Thermal Conductivity for Nanofluids Containing Silver Nanowires with Different Shapes
Authors: Zhang Liye , Yu Wei , Zhu Dahai , Xie Huaqing , Huang Guiwen
Published: December 2017

Nanofluids are the special agents to enhance the heat transfer property of the common fluids, and most of the thermal additives are the spherical nanoparticles. Up to now, the 1D thermal additives are not well exploited. In this paper, a kind of silver nanowires (AgNWs) with well-distributed shape and aspect ratio is synthesized. The results show that when we use the AgNWs prepared by the poly-vinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) with a specific molecular weight of 40000, the thermal conductivity enhancement of nanofluids prepared by that kind of silver nanowires is as high as 13.42% when loading 0.46 vol.% AgNWs, and the value of the thermal conductivity is 0.2843 W/m·K, which is far more than the case when loading the same volume of spherical silver particles. Besides, we use H&C model to fit the experimental results and the experimental results are consistent with the model.
Scalable and Soundness Verifiable Outsourcing Computation in Marine Mobile Computing
Authors: Zhang Kai , Wei Lifei , Li Xiangxue , Qian Haifeng
Published: December 2017

Outsourcing computation with verifiability is a merging notion in cloud computing, which enables lightweight clients to outsource costly computation tasks to the cloud and efficiently check the correctness of the result in the end. This advanced notion is more important in marine mobile computing since the oceangoing vessels are usually constrained with less storage and computation resources. In such a scenario, vessels always firstly outsource data set and perform a function computing over them or at first outsource computing functions and input data set into them. However, vessels may choose which delegation computation type to outsource, which generally depends on the actual circumstances. Hence, we propose a scalable verifiable outsourcing computation protocol (SV-OC) in marine cloud computing at first and extract a single-mode version of it (SM-SV-OC), where both protocols allow anyone who holds verification tokens to efficiently verify the computed result returned from cloud. In this way, the introduced “scalable” property lets vessels adjust the protocol to cope with different delegation situations in practice. We additionally prove both SV-OC and SM-SV-OC achieving selective soundness in the random oracle model and evaluate their performance in the end.
Based on Agent Model and K-Core Decomposition to Analyze the Diffusion of Mass Incident in Microblog
Authors: Pan Jun , Shen Huizhang , Chen Zhong
Published: December 2017

Mass incidents, which may influence the stability and security of the society in China, are getting more and more attentions not only from policy makers but also from Chinese social researchers. Catching the diffusion mechanism is believed to be critical to understand essential of these mass incidents since message dissemination plays important roles in every stage of mass incident. Recently, online social networks including Weibo (Chinese Twitter) become more and more popular in China. There are reports showing that Weibo discussion has accompanied the processes of most mass incidents happening in China in these few years. So, in this paper, we aim at introducing K-Core decomposition method from complex network to the analysis on how to manage the diffusion of mass incident in Weibo based on agent based model which can simulate Weibo user’s actions when mass incident happens. This work can help people understand how mass incident messages spread across the network. And then, people may have better strategy to manage the diffusion of mass incidents.
Making Marble Powder Waste Profitable by Using Nano-TiO2 Surface Modification for Air Quality Improvement Applications
Authors: Ji Yaxiong , Rong Xing , Zhong Hong , Wang Yuanhao , Wang Shifeng , Lu Lin
Published: December 2017

We report a brand new recycling route of waste marble powder, by means of surface modification with homemade nano-TiO2 particles to produce low cost coating materials for the application in air quality improvement. The as-prepared nano-TiO2 in anatase phase exhibits excellent photocatalytic characteristic, reflected by the high degradation rate of over 95% of methylene blue within 6 hours of UV irradiation. The prepared coating consisting of nano-TiO2 clad marble powder was tested by monitoring the decomposition rate of formaldehyde gas. A high degradation efficiency of about 95% within 9 hours of illumination is achieved, demonstrating a promising potential for removing the harmful and toxic organic pollutants in air while applying this coating in buildings both interiorly and exteriorly.
Endobronchial Foreign Body Presenting as Exacerbation of Asthma
Authors: Tsang James E. , Sun June , Ooi Gaik C. , Tsang Kenneth W.
Published: December 2017

Airway foreign bodies are a leading cause of death among children and require urgent recognition by medical personnel. While most cases are diagnosed readily from a clinical history of acute respiratory distress, some cases remain more indolent and present later. We report the case of a 7-year-old boy who aspirated a “LEGO” toy and presented with a week history of increasing respiratory distress compatible with known asthma. Despite a normal chest X-ray, a low-dose computed tomography showed the presence of a foreign body in the left main bronchus, which was subsequently removed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Our case serves to reemphasize the importance of considering airway foreign bodies as a cause of respiratory distress, especially in young children.
A Comprehensive Review of US FDA-Approved Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Hsu Fu-Shun , Su Chun-Hung , Huang Kou-How
Published: December 2017

Few effective treatment options are available for patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) after unsuccessful first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. To date, immune checkpoint inhibitors are novel therapeutic agents for UC treatment. From May 2016 to May 2017, five anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies received accelerated or regular approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC. The present comprehensive review presents the background information of these five US FDA-approved anticancer agents to provide a basic but concise understanding of these agents for advanced studies. We summarize their immune checkpoint mechanisms, clinical efficacy, recommended usage protocols, adverse events, and the limitations of the PD-L1 biomarker assays.
Elastic Modulus of Osteoporotic Mouse Femur Based on Femoral Head Compression Test
Authors: Chon Chang-soo , Yun Hui-suk , Kim Han Sung , Ko Cheolwoong
Published: December 2017

A biomechanical test is a good evaluation method that describes the structural, functional, and pathological differences in the bones, such as osteoporosis and fracture. The tensile test, compression test, and bending test are generally performed to evaluate the elastic modulus of the bone using mice. In particular, the femoral head compression test is mainly used for verifying the osteoporosis change of the femoral neck. This study conducted bone mineral density analysis using in vivo microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to observe changes in osteoporosis over time. It proposed a method of identifying the elastic modulus of the femur in the normal group (CON group) and the osteoporotic group (OVX group) through finite element analysis based on the femoral head compression test and also conducted a comparative analysis of the results. Through the femoral head compression test, it was verified that the CON group’s ultimate and yield loads were significantly higher than those of the OVX group. It was considered that this result was caused by the fact that the bone mineral density change by osteoporosis occurred in the proximal end more often than in the femur diaphysis. However, the elastic modulus derived from the finite element analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups.
Experimental Study on the Expression of IL‐1β and bFGF in Wound Healing Process of Rabbit Cutaneous Infective Wound in Liu‐He‐Dan
Authors: Lv Changyao , Wu Jing , He Hongbo
Published: December 2017

Objective. This study applied Liu‐He‐Dan (LHD) to treat the infective wounds of rabbits to explore the mechanism of LHD in promoting wound healing. Method. Five circular infective incisions were generated on the back of each rabbit. Wound dressings were performed every day since postoperative day 1. Ten rabbits were euthanized on days 3, 7, 14, and 21. Each specimen was divided into two parts, one was used for detecting interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β), and the other one was used for detecting basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Result. The content of IL‐1β in the model group was higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). The content of IL‐1β in the treatment group was lower than the other groups on days 14 and 21. The expression of bFGF in treatment group is significant on days 3, 7, and 14, compared with traditional Chinese medicine group and model group. The expression of bFGF has no significant difference with Western group. Conclusion. The research approved that LHD could specifically suppress the expression of IL‐1β and upregulate the expression of bFGF in the wound, decreasing the release of inflammatory factor of the infective wounds and promoting the healing of the infective wounds.
ABS-SmartPriority: An Agent-Based Simulator of Strategies for Managing Self-Reported Priorities in Smart Cities
Authors: García-Magariño Iván , Lacuesta Raquel
Published: December 2017

Smart cities still need the appropriate tools for allowing researchers to contribute in this growing field that will change the comfort and qualities of live of citizens. Smart cities can provide services such as informing of the less overcrowded tourist routes, path-finding for avoiding traffic jams, search services for parking, collecting tree branches from streets, and the finding of the nearest available public electric bicycles or cars. The levels of urgencies differ from some situations to others. Examples of urgent matters are the fast transportation critical patients and the removal of obstacles in main roads. Since smart cities are meant to manage huge amounts of requests, priorities should be automated and managed in a flexible way for new scenarios. Smart cities may need citizens to report the service priorities. However, citizens may have different criteria and could abuse the highest priority levels hindering the service performance for really urgent matters. A novel agent-based simulation open-source framework is proposed for testing different policies for normalizing and controlling self-reported priorities, with its simulator called ABS-SmartPriority. This approach is illustrated by simulating two different policies, in which the smart policy outperformed the one used as the control mechanism.
Analysis of Success Factors to Implement Sustainable Supply Chain Management Using Interpretive Structural Modeling Technique: A Real Case Perspective
Authors: Yang Mengke , Movahedipour Mahmood , Zeng Jianqiu , Xiaoguang Zhou , Wang Ludi
Published: December 2017

Sustainability draws increased supply chain management (SCM) attention. This article analyzes critical success to the assessment, evaluation, and attainment of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), assessed through critical‐success identification and qualitative data analysis. Namely, a literature review selected of 188 articles, published between January 1994 and November 2016, helps identify the most influential success factors. The qualitative data analysis pertains to fifteen such successes, identified in the literature review and through our collaboration with other academic researchers and industrial specialists. Notably, the study’s qualitative data analysis, interpretive structural modeling (ISM), unconceals the mutual impact among the most prominent SSCM success factors. The economic benefits and environmental awareness of suppliers are recognized as the most significant success factors, which could allow business enterprises and other organizations to implement a SSCM framework, with intentionality and the sustainability in their business. The article concludes with suggestions for future research directions.
Ballistic Coefficient Estimation for Reentry Prediction of Rocket Bodies in Eccentric Orbits Based on TLE Data
Authors: Gondelach David J. , Armellin Roberto , Lidtke Aleksander A.
Published: December 2017

Spent rocket bodies in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) pose impact risks to the Earth’s surface when they reenter the Earth’s atmosphere. To mitigate these risks, reentry prediction of GTO rocket bodies is required. In this paper, the reentry prediction of rocket bodies in eccentric orbits based on only Two‐Line Element (TLE) data and using only ballistic coefficient (BC) estimation is assessed. The TLEs are preprocessed to filter out outliers and the BC is estimated using only semimajor axis data. The BC estimation and reentry prediction accuracy are analyzed by performing predictions for 101 rocket bodies initially in GTO and comparing with the actual reentry epoch at different times before reentry. Predictions using a single and multiple BC estimates and using state estimation by orbit determination are quantitatively compared with each other for the 101 upper stages.
Beam Expansion of Blind Spot Detection Radar Antennas Using a Radome with Defected Corrugated Inner Wall
Authors: Kim Hayeon , Lee Haengseon , Cho Jeonghoon , Kim Cheolbok
Published: December 2017

A beam expanding radome for 76.5 GHz automotive radar antennas is presented whose inner surface is engraved with corrugations. The radar used for blind spot detection (BSD) requires a very wide beam width to ensure longer time for tracking out-of-sight objects. It is found that the corrugations modulate the phase velocities of the waves along the surface, which increases beam width in the far field. In addition, defects in the corrugation increase beam width even further. The presented structure satisfies the beam width requirement while keeping a low profile.
Intertarsal Joint Stabilization in a Bateleur Eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus) Using a Novel Application of a Braided Suture and Titanium Button System
Authors: Gjeltema Jenessa , De Voe Ryan S. , Minter Larry J. , Trumpatori Brian J.
Published: December 2017

A 32-year-old adult captive male bateleur eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus) with a history of laxity, degenerative joint disease, and varus deviation of the distal left hindlimb for several years was presented for evaluation of left hindlimb lameness and was diagnosed with chronic subluxation of the left intertarsal joint. After failing to improve with conservative management and pain medication, surgical stabilization of the joint was performed using a novel application of a braided suture and titanium button system. Unsatisfactory clinical improvement and postsurgical reevaluation indicated that the initial surgical stabilization was unsuccessful. The surgery was repeated, and the animal showed postsurgical improvement in intertarsal joint stability, weight-bearing, and lameness for a period of several years with use and adjustment of chronic pain medications. The novel surgical technique described in this case report represents an additional treatment option for management of avian intertarsal joint subluxations. Presurgical planning should consider the unique anatomic features and variability of the avian tarsometatarsus to avoid surgical complications.
A Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial in the Gingivitis Prevention with an Oligomeric Proanthocyanidin Nutritional Supplement
Authors: Díaz Sánchez R. M. , Castillo-Dalí G. , Fernández-Olavarría A. , Mosquera-Pérez R. , Delgado-Muñoz J. M. , Gutiérrez-Pérez J. L. , Torres-Lagares D.
Published: December 2017

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness on tissue response of the new nutritional supplement made of oligomeric proanthocyanidins in induced gingivitis after 21 days of use.Material and Methods. A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was carried out on 20 patients; it is divided into an experimental group and a control group after fulfilling the selection criteria. Patients had to come 4 times during the study to register the Silness and Löe index, the gingival bleeding index, the plaque index, the inflammatory crevicular fluid study (IL6), and the changes in the brightness of the gingiva. No complementary hygiene methods were allowed during the 21 days.Results. The Silness and Löe index was higher in the control group than in the experimental group, reaching a twofold difference between the groups (p<0.0001). The gingival bleeding index also supports this fact, since the bleeding was lower in the experimental group (p<0.005). However, the dental plaque on the tooth surface according to the plaque index was 33% higher in the experimental group (p<0.006). Some differences in the IL-6 were found in the crevicular fluid (p<0.0001).Conclusion. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins have an effect on the periodontal tissue’s health. No effects on the accumulation of plaque on the tooth surface were found, so further studies are needed to determine the nature of the plaque.
Assessing the Plurality of Actors and Policy Interactions: Agent-Based Modelling of Renewable Energy Market Integration
Authors: Deissenroth Marc , Klein Martin , Nienhaus Kristina , Reeg Matthias
Published: December 2017

The ongoing deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) calls for an enhanced integration of RES into energy markets, accompanied by a new set of regulations. In Germany, for instance, the feed-in tariff legislation for renewables has been successively replaced by first optional and then obligatory marketing of RES on competitive wholesale markets. This paper introduces an agent-based model that allows studying the impact of changing energy policy instruments on the economic performance of RES operators and marketers. The model structure, its components, and linkages are presented in detail; an additional case study demonstrates the capability of our sociotechnical model. We find that changes in the political framework cannot be mapped directly to RES operators as behaviour of intermediary market actors has to be considered as well. Characteristics and strategies of intermediaries are thus an important factor for successful RES marketing and further deployment. It is shown that the model is able to assess the emergence and stability of market niches.
Catalytic Properties of Amylolytic Enzymes Produced by Gongronella butleri Using Agroindustrial Residues on Solid-State Fermentation
Authors: Cavalheiro Gabriéla Finoto , Sanguine Isadora Stranieri , Santos Flávia Regina da Silva , Costa Ana Carolina da , Fernandes Matheus , Paz Marcelo Fossa da , Fonseca Gustavo Graciano , Leite Rodrigo Simões Ribeiro
Published: December 2017

Amylases catalyze the hydrolysis of starch, a vegetable polysaccharide abundant in nature. These enzymes can be utilized in the production of syrups, alcohol, detergent, pharmaceutical products, and animal feed formulations. The aim of this study was to optimize the production of amylases by the filamentous fungus Gongronella butleri by solid-state fermentation and to evaluate the catalytic properties of the obtained enzymatic extract. The highest amylase production, 63.25 U g−1 (or 6.32 U mL−1), was obtained by culturing the fungus in wheat bran with 55% of initial moisture, cultivated for 96 h at 25°C. The enzyme presented optimum activity at pH 5.0 and 55°C. The amylase produced was stable in a wide pH range (3.5–9.5) and maintained its catalytic activity for 1 h at 40°C. Furthermore, the enzymatic extract hydrolyzed starches from different vegetable sources, presenting predominant dextrinizing activity for all substrates evaluated. However, the presence of glucose was observed in a higher concentration during hydrolysis of corn starch, indicating the synergistic action of endo- and exoamylases, which enables the application of this enzymatic extract to produce syrups from different starch sources.
Midterm Results of a New Rotating Hinge Knee Implant: A 5-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Böhler Christoph , Kolbitsch Paul , Schuh Reinhard , Lass Richard , Kubista Bernd , Giurea Alexander
Published: December 2017

Background. In the current study, we investigated midterm results of a new rotating hinge total knee arthroplasty (EnduRo prosthesis), which uses a new bearing material (CFR PEEK).Methods. We prospectively analysed data of 50 patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. In 24 (48%) patients, a primary implantation was performed and 26 (52%) were revision cases. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed preoperatively as well as postoperatively after 3 and 12 months and annually thereafter. The Knee Society Score (KSS), WOMAC, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and range of motion (ROM) were used for clinical assessment.Results. KSS, WOMAC, OKS, and ROM significantly improved between the preoperative and the follow-up investigations. The overall survival rate with revision for any reason as an endpoint was 77.9% after five years. The number of complications was significantly higher in the revision group (p=0.003).Conclusion. The EnduRo prosthesis provides highly satisfying clinical and functional results in severe primary as well as in revision cases. Implant-associated complications were rare. However, in cases of revision surgery, the risk for complications was considerably high, mostly related to previous joint infections and poor soft tissue quality.
A Method to Identify the Incomplete Framework of Discernment in Evidence Theory
Authors: Jiang Wen , Chang Yue , Wang Shiyu
Published: December 2017

Dempster‐Shafer evidence theory is a very useful tool in dealing with the decision‐making of uncertain information. However, the classical evidence theory is no longer applicable when the frame of discernment (FOD) is incomplete. Moreover, incomplete FOD is an important reason for the emergence of conflict. So it is necessary to identify whether the FOD of the system is complete or not. In this paper, a method is proposed to identify the incomplete FOD under framework of the generalized evidence theory dealing with incomplete information. Within the proposed method, pieces of evidence are generated from the attributes of each sample firstly; then three criteria are used to identify weather the FOD is incomplete according to these evidence. The main parameters of the criteria are the amount of ∅ being a focal element in generated evidence, the mass of ∅ in the weighted average evidence from generated evidence, and the mass of ∅ in the combination of generated evidence. Some experiments are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Secure kNN Computation and Integrity Assurance of Data Outsourcing in the Cloud
Authors: Hong Jun , Wen Tao , Guo Quan , Ye Zhengwang
Published: December 2017

As cloud computing has been popularized massively and rapidly, individuals and enterprises prefer outsourcing their databases to the cloud service provider (CSP) to save the expenditure for managing and maintaining the data. The outsourced databases are hosted, and query services are offered to clients by the CSP, whereas the CSP is not fully trusted. Consequently, the security shall be violated by multiple factors. Data privacy and query integrity are perceived as two major factors obstructing enterprises from outsourcing their databases. A novel scheme is proposed in this paper to effectuate k‐nearest neighbors (kNN) query and kNN query authentication on an encrypted outsourced spatial database. An asymmetric scalar‐product‐preserving encryption scheme is elucidated, in which data points and query points are encrypted with diverse encryption keys, and the CSP can determine the distance relation between encrypted data points and query points. Furthermore, the similarity search tree is extended to build a novel verifiable SS‐tree that supports efficient kNN query and kNN query verification. It is indicated from the security analysis and experiment results that our scheme not only maintains the confidentiality of outsourced confidential data and query points but also has a lower kNN query processing and verification overhead than the MR‐tree.
Ameliorative Effect of Cactus(Opuntia ficus indica)Extract on Lithium-Induced Nephrocardiotoxicity: A Biochemical and Histopathological Study
Authors: Saad Anouar ben , Rjeibi Ilhem , Ncib Sana , Zouari Nacim , Zourgui Lazhar
Published: December 2017

Opuntia ficus indica(family Cactaceae) is used in the treatment of a variety of conditions including metal-induced toxicity. The study reports the protective effects ofOpuntia ficus indica(CCE) against lithium carbonate-induced toxicity in rats. Nephrocardiotoxicity was induced in male Wistar rats by single dose of lithium carbonate (25 mg/kg b.w twice daily for 30 days). Aqueous extract ofOpuntia ficus indicawas administered at the dose of 100 mg/kg of b.w by gavage for 60 days. Obtained results revealed that administration of lithium carbonate caused a significant increase in serum creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels. Additionally, a significant decrease in the level of renal and cardiac SOD, CAT, and GPx activities was associated with a significant increase of MDA levels in lithium carbonate group more than those of the control. However, the treatment of experimental rats with CCE prevented these alterations and maintained the antioxidant status. The histopathological observations supported the biochemical evidences of nephrocardioprotection. CCE supplementation could protect against lithium carbonate-induced renal and cardiac injuries in rats, plausibly by the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes and inhibition of MDA to confer the protective effect.
Triclocarban and Triclosan Inhibit Human Aromatase via Different Mechanisms
Authors: Li Huitao , Zhao Yu , Chen Lanlan , Su Ying , Li Xiaoheng , Jin Lixu , Ge Ren-Shan
Published: December 2017

Human aromatase (CYP19A1) is an important enzyme, which produces estrogen from androgen for maintaining the female reproductive function and pregnancy. Triclocarban and triclosan are antimicrobial chemicals added to personal care, household, and industrial products. They could be endocrine disruptors and may disrupt human CYP19A1 activity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of triclocarban and triclosan on estradiol production and human CYP19A1 activity in JEG-3 cells. Triclocarban and triclosan reduced estradiol production in JEG-3 cells. Triclocarban and triclosan inhibited human CYP19A1 with IC50values of 15.81 and 6.26 μM, respectively. Triclosan competitively inhibited CYP19A1, while triclocarban noncompetitively inhibited this enzyme. Docking study showed that triclosan bound to the steroid-binding pocket of CYP19A1, while triclocarban was off this target, suggesting a different mechanism. In conclusion, triclocarban and triclosan are inhibitors of human CYP19A1.
Angioleiomyoma of the Auricle: An Unusual Tumor on a Rare Location
Authors: Kanitakis Jean
Published: December 2017

Cutaneous angioleiomyomas (ALMs) (also known as vascular leiomyomas or angiomyomas) are unusual benign tumors of the skin deriving from the muscle layer of dermal blood vessels. They usually manifest as tender subcutaneous nodules, mostly encountered on the legs of adult women in their fifth or sixth life decade. ALMs rarely develop on the head/neck area, and even more rarely (<3% of all cases) on the auricle. Head/neck (including ear) ALMs differ from their more usual leg counterparts in that they are usually painless and do not show a female predominance. The diagnosis is clinically difficult, and most cases are diagnosed by histopathologic examination. A new case of an auricular ALM in a 40-year-old Caucasian man is reported herein, and a brief literature review on this unusual tumor is presented.
Amygdala Plasticity and Pain
Authors: Thompson Jeremy M. , Neugebauer Volker
Published: December 2017

The amygdala is a limbic brain region that plays a key role in emotional processing, neuropsychiatric disorders, and the emotional-affective dimension of pain. Preclinical and clinical studies have identified amygdala hyperactivity as well as impairment of cortical control mechanisms in pain states. Hyperactivity of basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons generates enhanced feedforward inhibition and deactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), resulting in pain-related cognitive deficits. The mPFC sends excitatory projections to GABAergic neurons in the intercalated cell mass (ITC) in the amygdala, which project to the laterocapsular division of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeLC; output nucleus) and serve gating functions for amygdala output. Impairment of these cortical control mechanisms allows the development of amygdala pain plasticity. Mechanisms of abnormal amygdala activity in pain with particular focus on loss of cortical control mechanisms as well as new strategies to correct pain-related amygdala dysfunction will be discussed in the present review.