bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of smart online partial discharge monitoring system for medium voltage power cable
Authors: Abdullah A. Z. , Isa M. , Rohani M. N. K. H. , Jamalil S. A. S. , Abdullah A. N. N. , Azizan N.
Published: December 2019

This paper presents, the development of smart online partial discharge (PD) monitoring system for medium voltage (MV) underground power cable. PD monitoring is the highly efficient tool to monitor insulation degradation for high voltage (HV) equipment in order to avoid failures or breakdown. Selection of improved technology and performance of PD detection sensor, effective measurement technique and smart user friendly of graphical user interface (GUI) system are contributed towards the development of efficient monitoring system. This paper addresses three main aspects which are needed in completing the monitoring system. They are, the use of Rogowski coil (RC) as detection sensor, processing unit using Alterra board and integrated with GUI PD monitoring system for underground cable using LabVIEW. The monitoring system is compared to the conventional method with the PD signal used is measured from the real on-site measurement in order to analyse its performance. The analysis is performed in MATLAB and LabVIEW software’s environment and the maximum peak of PD signal is enabled to view using GUI which complete with the location information of PD source. Furthermore, this paper has contributed to solve the problem in selection the simplified and practical approach for PD sensor and monitoring system. In the perspective of automated condition monitoring, this smart online PD monitoring system provides a complete solution towards latest industrial revolutions
dSPACE DS1104 Based Real Time Implementation of Sliding Mode Control of Induction Motor
Authors: Omari Aymen , Bousserhane I. K. , Hazzab A. , Bouchiba B.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, the design of a speed control scheme based on a total sliding mode control for Indirect Field Oriented of a three phase induction motor (IM) is proposed. Firstly, the indirect field oriented control is derived. Then, sliding mode control design is investigated to achieve a speed tracking objective under different load torque disturbance. Finally a dSPACE DS1104 R&D board is used to implement the proposed scheme. The experimental results released on 0.25 kW slip-ring IM show a high dynamic performance, fast transient response without overshot as well as a good load disturbances rejection response.
The Effect of Parameters Variation on Bilateral Controller
Authors: Ali Sari Abdo , Fahmi Miskon Muhammad , Zaki Hj Shukor Ahmad , Qaid Mhoammed Marwan
Published: December 2019

This paper analyzes the effects of the bilateral control parameters variation on the stability, the transparency and the accuracy, and on the operational force that is applied to DC motor and the master system. The bilateral controller is designed for rehabilitation process. PD controller is used to control the position tracking and a force gain controller is used to control the motor torque. DOB eliminate the internal disturbance and RTOB to estimate the joint torque without using sensors. The system consists of two manipulators, each manipulator has 1dof, master and slave teleoperation system, 4 control-architecture channel, DOB and reaction force observer. The master system is attached to human oberator. The slave system is attached to external load. The aim in this paper is to design the controller so that it requires less force to move the master manipulator and at the same time achieve high performance in position tracking.
R&D of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Systems: an Overview
Authors: Fudholi Ahmad , Sopian Kamaruzzaman
Published: December 2019

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT), which is the popular technology for harvesting solar energy, receive solar energy and convert it into electrical and thermal energy simultaneously. In this review, design, heat transfer, energy modelling and performance analysis of PVT systems are presented. Four types of PVT systems base on heat transfer medium; air-based PVT system, water-based PVT system, the combination of water/air-based PVT system, and nanofluid-based PVT system are presented. In addition, major finding on energy and exergy analysis of PVT systems are summarized. 
Development of Compact Pulse Generator with Adjustable Pulse Width for Pulse Electric Field Treatment Technology
Authors: Faizal Kasri Nur , Mohamed Piah Mohamed Afendi
Published: December 2019

The pulse generator which has been implemented in the pulse electric field (PEF) treatment system for food processing is worth to be highlighted and improved. It is parallel with the advancement in semiconductor technology, which offers robust and accurate devices. This research is an effort to produce a low cost, compact and reliable pulse generator as well as equipped with a pulse width modulation (PWM) method for wide selection of frequency and duty cycle. The result shows that the simulation process has proven the theoretical concept to be right and yields the desired outcome based on the designed values. Then, the actual printed circuit board (PCB) has been fabricated to obtain practical results which intended to be compared with the simulation outcomes. Concerning the frequency and its duty cycle, both parameters can be altered without affecting each other. It means by changing the frequency, duty cycle remains the same and vice versa. Thus, this proposed pulse generator achieves its objective and fits to be implemented in PEF treatment technology. It also can replace the conventional pulse forming network (PFN) which is bulky and costly.
Conectividade de sedimentos na Bacia Hidrográfica Riacho do Tigre, ambiente semiárido no município de São João do Tigre-PB
Authors: Franco Virna Vieira , Souza Jonas Otaviano Praça de
Published: December 2019

O presente artigo visa analisar a conectividade da paisagem da Bacia Hidrográfica do Riacho do Tigre, a partir de uma análise quantitativa de índice de conectividade de sedimentos. A bacia está localizada no município de São João do Tigre-PB e está posta em um ambiente semiárido, apresentando apenas riachos intermitentes e efêmeros. O índice de conectividade utiliza informações topográficas, hidrológicas e de uso da terra para identificar o potencial de conectividade de sedimento. Portanto, as porções mais centrais, ao norte e nordeste da bacia apresentam conectividade entre intermediária, baixa e muito baixa. Nas bordas da bacia, em especial na porção sudeste, encontram-se os índices de conectividade mais elevados, cujas áreas apresentam maiores declividades e elevadas altitudes, corroborando para uma maior produção de sedimentos. Por fim, é importante compreender que alguns aspectos controlam o índice de conectividade, como por exemplo, o uso e ocupação da terra, a declividade e a altitude.
A perspectiva decolonial e a geografia política na graduação brasileira atual
Authors: Azevedo Daniel Abreu de
Published: December 2019

Apesar de ter raízes literárias e empíricas que remontam há primeira metade do século XX, foi a partir de 1990 que a teoria decolonial começou a ganhar corpo e influenciar a agenda de diferentes ciências humanas. É dentro da Geografia, da Ciência Política, da Sociologia latino-americana que vemos essa perspectiva florescer com maior ênfase, especialmente nos países hispânicos. O objetivo do artigo é avaliar a importância da agenda decolonial no ensino de Geografia Política (GP) em importantes cursos de graduação do país, a partir de suas ementas e programas. Depois de uma apreciação da importância da perspectiva decolonial para a agenda da Geografia Política, o artigo conclui que nos oito cursos analisados (UFRJ, UFF, UFRGS, UFMG, Unicamp, Unesp-PP e UFC) é persistente o vínculo histórico com as produções acadêmicas europeias (especialmente francesa) e americana, afastando a GP brasileira das produções de seus vizinhos regionais.
O contexto de tradução de Literatura Árabe Contemporânea e o papel do tradutor enquanto mediador intercultural
Authors: Alves Jemima De Souza
Published: January 2020

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo discutir o contexto do processo tradutório da literatura árabe contemporânea e as complexidades que envolvem a prática. A partir de uma análise sucinta da produção e recepção das primeiras edições de As mil e uma noites traduzidas para as línguas francesa e inglesa, discutimos a relevância que esse processo tem para o entendimento do padrão de tradução de textos árabes estabelecido no Ocidente. Considerando os fatos históricos que permeiam essa prática, bem como o papel do tradutor enquanto mediador intercultural, aliamos o orientalismo, proposto por Edward Said em 1978, à teoria do gênero do discurso, de Mikhail Bakhtin, abordando o texto traduzido na comunidade de chegada tendo em vista a relação que os gêneros textuais estabelecem entre si num determinado sistema literário e o potencial da tradução como um meio de consolidar estereótipos e distorcer a imagem do outro, mas também de formar identidades culturais e constituir uma forma de resistência, inovação e mudança cultural.
Renal Dopamine Oxidation and Inflammation in High Salt Fed Rats
Authors: Banday Anees A. , Lokhandwala Mustafa F.
Published: December 2019

Background

Oxidative stress and high salt intake could be independent or intertwined risk factors in the origin of hypertension. Kidneys are the major organ to regulate sodium homeostasis and blood pressure and the renal dopamine system plays a pivotal role in sodium regulation during sodium replete conditions. Oxidative stress has been implicated in renal dopamine dysfunction and development of hypertension, especially in salt‐sensitive animal models. Here we show the nexus between high salt intake and oxidative stress causing renal tubular dopamine oxidation, which leads to mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction and subsequently causes renal inflammation and hypertension.

Methods and Results

Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the following groups, vehicle (V)—tap water, high salt (
HS
)—1% NaCl, L‐buthionine‐sulfoximine (
BSO
), a prooxidant, and
HS
plus
BSO
without and with antioxidant resveratrol (R) for 6 weeks. Oxidative stress was significantly higher in
BSO
and
HS
+
BSO
–treated rat compared with vehicle; however, blood pressure was markedly higher in the
HS
+
BSO
group whereas an increase in blood pressure in the
BSO
group was modest.
HS
+
BSO
–treated rats had significant renal dopamine oxidation, lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased renal inflammation; however,
HS
alone had no impact on organelle function or inflammation. Resveratrol prevented oxidative stress, dopamine oxidation, organelle dysfunction, inflammation, and hypertension in
BSO
and
HS
+
BSO
rats.

Conclusions

These data suggest that dopamine oxidation, especially during increased sodium intake and oxidative milieu, leads to lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction and renal inflammation with subsequent increase in blood pressure. Resveratrol, while preventing oxidative stress, protects renal function and mitigates hypertension.
Impacts of the U.S.–China Trade War on ASEAN: Case of Thailand
Authors: Nidhiprabha Bhanupong
Published: December 2019

With nearly a year of trade dispute between the United States and China, it has become apparent that the global economy will slow down, and this will have a direct impact on world trade. We adopt a vector autoregressive model to examine the impact of the U.S.–China trade war on the Thai economy. The results indicate that Thailand's output and exports to key markets are adversely affected by the escalating trade dispute. The slowdown in the Chinese economy will also put further downward pressure on world commodity prices, which in turn will reduce Thailand's exports.
What's Policy Got to Do with It? Race, Gender & Economic Inequality in the United States
Authors: Michener Jamila , Brower Margaret Teresa
Published: December 2019

In the United States, economic inequality is both racialized and gendered, with Black and Latina women consistently at the bottom of the economic hierarchy. Relative to men (across racial groups) and White women, Black and Latina women often have less-desirable jobs, lower earnings, and higher poverty rates. In this essay, we draw attention to the role of the state in structuring such inequality. Specifically, we examine how public policy is related to racial inequities in economic positions among women. Applying an intersectional lens to the contemporary landscape of economic inequality, we probe the associations between public policies and economic outcomes. We find that policies have unequal consequences across subgroups of women, providing prima facie evidence that state-level decisions about how and where to invest resources have differential implications based on women's race and ethnicity. We encourage scholars to use aspects of our approach as springboards for better specifying and identifying the processes that account for heterogeneous policy effects across racial subgroups of women.
Rubiaphis, a new aphid genus from the Altai Republic (Homoptera: Aphididae, Macrosiphini)
Authors: STEKOLSHCHIKOV ANDREY V. , NOVGORODOVA TATIANA A.
Published: January 2020

Rubiaphis altaicus gen. nov., sp. nov. from Rubus idaeus, collected in the Altai Republic, is described. The species is illustrated and biometric data are provided. This aphid genus is closely related to Myzaphis van der Goot, 1913. The taxonomic position of the genus is discussed.
Primary types of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Vesperidae and Disteniidae) of Southwest University (SWU)
Authors: LI ZHU , CHEN LI
Published: January 2020

The primary types of longhorned beetles of Southwest University (SWU) are catalogued and figured. The original combination, current name, type locality, date and collector of type specimen are verified and presented. There are 69 holotypes and 86 paratypes in SWU. These 155 type specimens belong to three families, 51 genera, 71 species, of which 8 are in Disteniidae, 3 in Vesperidae, 3 in Prioninae, 12 in Lepturinae, 15 in Cerambycinae, and 30 in Lamiinae. A new synonym is proposed: Paraleprodera insidiosa (Gahan, 1888) = Paraleprodera bimaculata Wang & Chiang, 2000 syn. nov.
Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae). VII. The cornigera species group, with descriptions of six new species
Authors: WANG SHUXIA , LIU CHEN
Published: January 2020

The cornigera species group of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 is proposed based on the forewing patterns. Species of this group are characterized by the forewing with the costal and ventral areas densely covered with dark scales forming ill-defined dark bands along the basal 2/5 to 3/4, respectively, and the dorsum with two pale parallel streaks. Six new species are described: P. albipectinalis sp. nov., P. flavidilineata sp. nov., P. grandaedeaga sp. nov., P. malipoensis sp. nov. and P. voluta sp. nov are from China, and P. latignatha sp. nov. is from Thailand. Photographs of adults and genitalia of the new species are provided.
Report on a new species of Plutomurus (Collembola, Tomoceridae) from a South Korean limestone cave, with notes on its DNA barcode
Authors: CHANG GYUDONG , PARK KYUNG-HWA
Published: January 2020

A new species of Plutomurus Yosii, 1956, P. jangamensis sp. nov., was found in a limestone cave of South Korea. The new species is very similar to P. gul (Yosii, 1966) in the general pattern of cephalic and body chaetotaxy, absence of eye, presence of pointed tenent hair, number of lateral macrochaetae in basal segment of dens, and number of mucronal intermediate tooth; however, the two species can be distinguished by the small spines arranged in-a-row along with dental spines and lighter body color. This species, however, shows variability and was not easily classified morphologically as P. jangamensis sp. nov. and P. gul., in terms of body color, formula of dental spine, or even the number of prelabral chaetae. Partial DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were used as DNA barcodes to distinguish the species. This result suggests that the COI gene is useful for discrimination of P. jangamensis sp. nov. with high support (bootstrap=100). An identification key to the world species of Plutomurus is also provided.
Zooplankton as Water Quality Indicator in Shallow Lakes
Authors: Derevenskaya Olga Yurjevna , Prytkova Evgenia Sergeevna , Unkovskaya Elena Nikolaevna
Published: December 2019

Long-term studies (1998–2018) of shallow lakes Krugloe and Krutoe (Russia) were carried out. The trophic status of the lakes was estimated using physicochemical parameters of water and the indicators of zooplankton. Physicochemical studies of Krugloe and Krutoe lake water make
it possible to classify these reservoirs as eutrophic according to their trophic status. The lakes are characterized by low water transparency, a high content of organic substances in water, the “blooming” of water is observed periodically, accompanied by the increase of pH to
8–9 units. The zooplankton communities of Krugloe and Krutoe lakes are characterized by relatively low species richness, the dominance of a small number of species, and the predominance of species that are indicators of eutrophic waters. Quantitative indicators of zooplankton are characterized
by significant fluctuations in values over the years, the prevalence of rotifers. They showed that zooplankton community is a good indicator of the trophic state of lakes. Such indicators of zooplankton communities as the composition of dominant species, their number, the presence of indicator
species, the quantitative indicators of zooplankton and individual taxonomic groups, and the average individual mass of the zooplankton can be used to characterize the trophic status of lakes. They can be recommended for use during monitoring of the lake condition in the Volga-Kama State Natural
Biosphere Reserve.
Development of Mathematical Model of Two-Contour Tomography Scanner: New Possibilities in Scanning
Authors: Mavlyaviev Rinat Mizhatovich , Sadykova Elena Rashidovna , Razumova Olga Viktorovna , Kharisova Zemfira Rashidovna
Published: December 2019

The actuality of the present research consists in the fact that equipotential surfaces defined by a standard one-contour tomography scanner are algebraic surfaces which are complicated for calculations. In particular, the latter surfaces fail to constant spheres among equipotential
surfaces prescribed by such a device. This obstacle is convenient for analytical calculations. Calculation made by the reading devices are diminished because the final results become more exact and not purely numerical. This is especially important in medical research where the confidence
level of diagnosis influences strongly to patient state evaluation.
Electronic Payment Systems: Architecture, Elements, Challenges and Security Concepts: An Overview
Authors: Ali Mostafa A. , Hussin Nazimah , Abed Ibtihal A.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, the major aim is to investigate the heightened awareness regarding various electronic payment systems-related concepts in terms of their advantages, problems, and security issues. The payment processing system providers use software as a service (SaaS) model and
with this model, they form a single payment channel to numerous payment methods for their clients. Users often give away their personal information such as names, card details, and so on whenever they go online to make any firm of payment. An online payment system is referred to a system that
facilitates electronic money exchange. This form of payment typically involves the deployment of the Internet, computer networks, and other digital stored value systems. Collecting any form of payment over the internet implies that the user has accepted an online payment and must have shared
some confidential information with the service provider. This paper embarks on a thorough review of all aspects of online/electronic payment with emphasis on the analysis of numerous studies on electronic payment systems. The latest studies have been explored to gain insight on the electronic
payments systems.
Wireless Body Area Sensor Network: Tutorial Review
Authors: Hussein Safa Saad , Rashidi C. B. M. , Alrikabi Hanan Ali , Aljunid S. A. , Salih Muataz H. , Abuali Mohammed Sabri
Published: December 2019

Sensor networks that utilises wireless technology can be broken down into many smaller fields, one of it is known as Wireless Body Area Sensor Network (WBASN). Its inception is the product of advanced progress made in sensor networks that utilises wireless technology. Immense progress
amassed in terms of technology has culminated in the creation of user-friendly technology that could be worn and minute-sized electronic parts. Consequently, this area of study has achieved huge interest prevalently as the result of its wide and diverse range of implementations, especially
in the medical sector that deals with wellbeing and care. Current day scenario observes the existence of minute sensors that are enabled to be posited on the human anatomy for purposes of documentation on an assortment of physical constants to reciprocate appropriate responses. Hence, it forms
a perceptive and vigilant scheme that can provide a prompt notification towards acute and complex health incidences, and can be utilised for diagnostic purposes to treat diseases. In view of the topic being of broad and current interest, the objective of this study is engaged in the presentation
of a multiplex component of cutting-edge WBASN. This involves the transmission structures, applications in WBASN, programming core, concerns on security, and routing conventions that is adept in its use of energy. We endeavour to encapsulate the most up-to-date progress and expounded on the
scientific mechanics of radio that is available that is related to this kind of network. Prospective perspectives and problems will be deliberated pertaining this aspect.
Testicular expression of long non–coding RNAs is affected by curative GnRHa treatment of cryptorchidism
Authors: Hadziselimovic Faruk , Verkauskas Gilvydas , Vincel Beata , Stadler Michael B.
Published: December 2019

Background

Cryptorchidism is a frequent endocrinopathy in boys that has been associated with an increased risk of developing testicular cancer and infertility. The condition is curable by combined surgery and hormonal treatment during early pre-pubertal stages using gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). However, whether the treatment also alters the expression of testicular long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is unknown. To gain insight into the effect of GnRHa on testicular lncRNA levels, we re-analyzed an expression dataset generated from testicular biopsies obtained during orchidopexy for bilateral cryptorchidism.

Results

We identified EGFR-AS1, Linc-ROR, LINC00221, LINC00261, LINC00282, LINC00293, LINC00303, LINC00898, LINC00994, LINC01121, LINC01553, and MTOR-AS1 as potentially relevant for the stimulation of cell proliferation mediated by GnRHa based on their direct or indirect association with rapidly dividing cells in normal and pathological tissues. Surgery alone failed to alter the expression of these transcripts.

Conclusion

Given that lncRNAs can cooperate with chromatin-modifying enzymes to promote epigenetic regulation of genes, GnRHa treatment may act as a surrogate for mini-puberty by triggering the differentiation of Ad spermatogonia via lncRNA-mediated epigenetic effects. Our work provides additional molecular evidence that infertility and azoospermia in cryptorchidism, resulting from defective mini-puberty cannot be cured with successful orchidopexy alone.
Evolving knowledge graph similarity for supervised learning in complex biomedical domains
Authors: Sousa Rita T. , Silva Sara , Pesquita Catia
Published: January 2020

Background

In recent years, biomedical ontologies have become important for describing existing biological knowledge in the form of knowledge graphs. Data mining approaches that work with knowledge graphs have been proposed, but they are based on vector representations that do not capture the full underlying semantics. An alternative is to use machine learning approaches that explore semantic similarity. However, since ontologies can model multiple perspectives, semantic similarity computations for a given learning task need to be fine-tuned to account for this. Obtaining the best combination of semantic similarity aspects for each learning task is not trivial and typically depends on expert knowledge.

Results

We have developed a novel approach, evoKGsim, that applies Genetic Programming over a set of semantic similarity features, each based on a semantic aspect of the data, to obtain the best combination for a given supervised learning task. The approach was evaluated on several benchmark datasets for protein-protein interaction prediction using the Gene Ontology as the knowledge graph to support semantic similarity, and it outperformed competing strategies, including manually selected combinations of semantic aspects emulating expert knowledge. evoKGsim was also able to learn species-agnostic models with different combinations of species for training and testing, effectively addressing the limitations of predicting protein-protein interactions for species with fewer known interactions.

Conclusions

evoKGsim can overcome one of the limitations in knowledge graph-based semantic similarity applications: the need to expertly select which aspects should be taken into account for a given application. Applying this methodology to protein-protein interaction prediction proved successful, paving the way to broader applications.
Copy number variation of CCL3L1 among three major ethnic groups in Malaysia
Authors: Jamaluddin Jalilah , Mohd Khair Nur Khairina , Vinodamaney Shameni Devi , Othman Zulkefley , Abubakar Suhaili
Published: January 2020

Background

C-C motif Chemokine Ligand 3 Like 1 (CCL3L1) is a multiallelic copy number variable, which plays a crucial role in immunoregulatory and hosts defense through the production of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α. Variable range of the CCL3L1 copies from 0 to 14 copies have been documented in several different populations. However, there is still lack of report on the range of CCL3L1 copy number exclusively among Malaysians who are a multi-ethnic population. Thus, this study aims to extensively examine the distribution of CCL3L1 copy number in the three major populations from Malaysia namely Malay, Chinese and Indian. A diploid copy number of CCL3L1 for 393 Malaysians (Malay = 178, Indian = 90, and Chinese = 125) was quantified using Paralogue Ratio Tests (PRTs) and then validated with microsatellites analysis.

Results

To our knowledge, this is the first report on the CCL3L1 copy number that has been attempted among Malaysians and the Chinese ethnic group exhibits a diverse pattern of CCL3L1 distribution copy number from the Malay and Indian (p < 0.0001). The CCL3L1 ranged from 0 to 8 copies for both the Malay and Indian ethnic groups while 0 to 10 copies for the Chinese ethnic. Consequently, the CCL3L1 copy number among major ethnic groups in the Malaysian population is found to be significantly varied when compared to the European population (p < 0.0001). The mean/median reported for the Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European are 2.759/2.869, 3.453/3.290, 2.437/1.970 and 2.001/1.940 respectively.

Conclusion

This study reveals the existence of genetic variation of CCL3L1 in the Malaysian population, and suggests by examining genetic diversity on the ethnicity, and specific geographical region could help in reconstructing human evolutionary history and for the prediction of disease risk related to the CCL3L1 copy number.
Novel genomic resources for shelled pteropods: a draft genome and target capture probes for Limacina bulimoides, tested for cross-species relevance
Authors: Choo Le Qin , Bal Thijs M. P. , Choquet Marvin , Smolina Irina , Ramos-Silva Paula , Marlétaz Ferdinand , Kopp Martina , Hoarau Galice , Peijnenburg Katja T. C. A.
Published: January 2020

Background

Pteropods are planktonic gastropods that are considered as bio-indicators to monitor impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems. In order to gain insight into their adaptive potential to future environmental changes, it is critical to use adequate molecular tools to delimit species and population boundaries and to assess their genetic connectivity. We developed a set of target capture probes to investigate genetic variation across their large-sized genome using a population genomics approach. Target capture is less limited by DNA amount and quality than other genome-reduced representation protocols, and has the potential for application on closely related species based on probes designed from one species.

Results

We generated the first draft genome of a pteropod,Limacina bulimoides, resulting in a fragmented assembly of 2.9 Gbp. Using this assembly and a transcriptome as a reference, we designed a set of 2899 genome-wide target capture probes forL. bulimoides. The set of probes includes 2812 single copy nuclear targets, the 28S rDNA sequence, ten mitochondrial genes, 35 candidate biomineralisation genes, and 41 non-coding regions. The capture reaction performed with these probes was highly efficient with 97% of the targets recovered on the focal species. A total of 137,938 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were obtained from the captured sequences across a test panel of nine individuals. The probes set was also tested on four related species:L. trochiformis,L. lesueurii,L. helicina, andHeliconoides inflatus, showing an exponential decrease in capture efficiency with increased genetic distance from the focal species. Sixty-two targets were sufficiently conserved to be recovered consistently across all five species.

Conclusion

The target capture protocol used in this study was effective in capturing genome-wide variation in the focal speciesL. bulimoides, suitable for population genomic analyses, while providing insights into conserved genomic regions in related species. The present study provides new genomic resources for pteropods and supports the use of target capture-based protocols to efficiently characterise genomic variation in small non-model organisms with large genomes.
Septic pulmonary embolism in China: clinical features and analysis of prognostic factors for mortality in 98 cases
Authors: Jiang Jing , Liang Qiu-li , Liu Li-hua , Cai Shuang-qi , Du Zhong-ye , Kong Jin-liang , Chen Yi-qiang
Published: December 2019

Background

To investigate the clinical features of septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) cases and prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality in China.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted of SPE patients hospitalized between January 2007 and June 2018 in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.

Results

A total of 98 patients with SPE were identified. All patients had bilateral multiple peripheral nodules on chest computed tomography. The most common pathogen found in blood culture was Staphylococcus aureus (10/33, 30.3%). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 39 patients and 20 showed vegetations. Bronchoscopy was performed in 24 patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained from 15 patients (62.5%) and showed predominantly polymorphonuclear cell infiltration (52%, range of 48%~ 63%). Four patients received transbronchial lung biopsy, and histopathological examinations revealed suppurative pneumonia and organizing pneumonia. The in-hospital mortality rate was 19.4%. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.100; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.035–1.169), hypotension (OR 7.260; 95% CI 1.126–46.804) and ineffective or delay of empirical antimicrobial therapy (OR 7.341; 95% CI 1.145–47.045) were found to be independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality, whereas drainage treatment was found to be a protective factor (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.002–0.677).

Conclusions

SPE cases presented with nonspecific clinical manifestations and radiologic features. Blood cultures and bronchoscopy are important measures for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis. There is relationship between primary infection sites and the type of pathogen. Maintaining normal blood pressure and providing timely and appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy for effective control of the infection could improve prognosis.
Treatment patterns and sequences of pharmacotherapy for patients diagnosed with depression in the United States: 2014 through 2019
Authors: Kern David M. , Cepeda M. Soledad , Defalco Frank , Etropolski Mila
Published: January 2020

Background

Understanding how patients are treated in the real-world is vital to identifying potential gaps in care. We describe the current pharmacologic treatment patterns for the treatment of depression.

Methods

Patients with depression were identified from four large national claims databases during 1/1/2014–1/31/2019. Patients had ≥2 diagnoses for depression or an inpatient hospitalization with a diagnosis of depression. Patients were required to have enrollment in the database ≥1 year prior to and 3 years following their first depression diagnosis. Treatment patterns were captured at the class level and included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, other antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics/sedatives, and antipsychotics. Treatment patterns were captured during all available follow-up.

Results

We identified 269,668 patients diagnosed with depression. The proportion not receiving any pharmacological treatment during follow-up ranged from 29 to 52%. Of the treated, approximately half received ≥2 different classes of therapy, a quarter received ≥3 classes and more than 10% received 4 or more. SSRIs were the most common first-line treatment; however, many patients received an anxiolytic, hypnotic/sedative, or antipsychotic prior to any antidepressive treatment. Treatment with a combination of classes ranged from approximately 20% of first-line therapies to 40% of fourth-line.

Conclusions

Many patients diagnosed with depression go untreated and many others receive a non-antidepressant medication class as their first treatment. More than half of patients received more than one type of treatment class during the study follow up, suggesting that the first treatment received may not be optimal for most patients.
The mediating role of self-stigma and self-efficacy between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and depression among men who have sex with men in China
Authors: Peng Liping , She Rui , Gu Jing , Hao Chun , Hou Fengsu , Wei Dannuo , Li Jinghua
Published: January 2020

Background

Previous studies have shown that intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in men who have sex with men (MSM). Mental health problems among MSM with IPV victimization have become a growing concern. The present study examined homosexual self-stigma and self-efficacy as potential mediators of the association between IPV victimization and depression.

Methods

We recruited 578 MSM from 15 cities across China. Participants completed sociodemographic measures, the IPV-GBM (IPV among gay and bisexual men) scale, the Self-Stigma Scale-Short Form (SSS-S), the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression 10 (CES-D-10). We calculated bias-corrected 95% confidence interval (CI) for total, direct and indirect effects using bootstrapping to conduct mediation analyses.

Results

Findings showed that the prevalence of IPV victimization and depression were 32.7% (189/578) and 36.0% (208/578), respectively. Result from mediation analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that the association between level of IPV victimization and depression among MSM was fully mediated by higher homosexual self-stigma and lower self-efficacy. Homosexual self-stigma had a direct effect and an indirect effect via self-efficacy on depression.

Conclusion

The results provided evidence that integrated interventions that reduce self-stigma and foster self-efficacy could be promising approaches to decrease depression among MSM with IPV victimization.
Acute traumatic unilateral cervical C4–C5 facet dislocation in pediatric toddlers
Authors: Liawrungrueang Wongthawat , Chamnan Rattanaporn , Chaiyamongkol Weera , Bintachitt Piyawat
Published: January 2020

Background

The present study is to highlight the challenges in managing cervical spine injuries in toddlers (less than 4 years of age) without neurological deficit. Cases of unilateral cervical C4–C5 facet dislocation in toddlers are very rare.

Case presentation

A 3-year-old girl suffered cervical spine injury after a motor vehicle collision with unilateral C4–C5 facet dislocation without neurological deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no spinal cord injury, Frankel grade E. Initial management was cervical spine protection. Definite treatment and complication were discussed with the patient’s parents before closed reduction maneuver with minerva cast was applied under sedation. The patient showed no complication after closed reduction and the cervical spine had aligned well in radiographs. The minerva cast was removed at 8 weeks, at which point neck muscle stretching rehabilitation program started. At one-year follow up, the child was asymptomatic, had full active cervical motion and good function. In radiographs, the cervical spine had normal alignment and was healed.

Conclusions

Unilateral cervical facet dislocation in toddlers is very rare. Closed reduction maneuver and the minerva cast applied were optional in this case. The parents were highly satisfied with the effective treatment and outcome.
High normal TSH is associated with lower mannan-binding lectin in women of childbearing age
Authors: Karbownik-Lewinska Malgorzata , Stepniak Jan , Marcinkowska Magdalena , Krygier Adrian , Lewinski Andrzej
Published: January 2020

Background

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a main component of the lectin pathway of the complement system. Lower MBL levels are associated with, among other conditions, hypothyroidism and adverse pregnancy outcomes. In turn, adverse pregnancy outcomes and infertility may result from hypothyroidism, even in patients with high normal Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The aim of this study was to determine if MBL level differs between women of reproductive age with low normal (< 2.5 mIU/l) and high normal (≥2.5 mIU/l) TSH. Associations with other parameters potentially affected by hypothyroidism were also evaluated.

Methods

Ninety five (95) patients with normal thyroid tests (TSH 0.27–4.2 mIU/l), aged 18–48 years, were prospectively enrolled. Several laboratory parameters were measured, including MBL level, thyroid tests and lipid profile.

Results

Serum MBL level was lower in women with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/l than with TSH < 2.5 mIU/l. This association was confirmed by univariate regression analysis. MBL level was significantly lower in patients with abnormally low HDLC/cholesterol ratio and a positive correlation was found between MBL level and HDL/cholesterol ratio.

Conclusion

In women of reproductive age with normal thyroid tests, lower MBL is associated with high normal TSH and with less favourable lipid profile. Therefore treatment with L-thyroxine should be considered in women of reproductive age with TSH ≥ 2.5 mIU/l.
Oxygen use and survival in patients with advanced cancer and low oxygen saturation in home care: a preliminary retrospective cohort study
Authors: Igarashi Hiroshi , Fukushi Motoharu , Nago Naoki
Published: January 2020

Background

The role of oxygen therapy in end-of-life care for patients with advanced cancer is incompletely understood. We aimed to evaluate the association between oxygen use and survival in patients with advanced cancer and low oxygen saturation in home care.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a primary care practice in suburban Tokyo. Adult patients in home care with advanced cancer demonstrating first low oxygen saturation (less than 90%) detected in home visits were consecutively included in the study. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the effect of oxygen use on overall survival and survival at home, adjusted for systolic blood pressure, decreased level of consciousness, dyspnea, oral intake, performance status, and cardiopulmonary comorbidity.

Results

Of 433 identified patients with advanced cancer, we enrolled 137 patients (oxygen use,n = 35; no oxygen use,n = 102) who developed low oxygen saturation. In multivariable analysis, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of oxygen use was 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.39–1.17) for death and 0.70 (0.38–1.27) for death at home. In patients with dyspnea, the HR was 0.35 (0.13–0.89) for death and 0.33 (0.11–0.96) for death at home; without dyspnea, it was 1.03 (0.49–2.17) for death and 0.84 (0.36–1.96) for death at home.

Conclusions

Oxygen use was not significantly associated with survival in patients with advanced cancer and low oxygen saturation, after adjusting for potential confounders. It may not be necessary to use oxygen for prolongation of survival in such patients, particularly in those without dyspnea.
Family member information extraction via neural sequence labeling models with different tag schemes
Authors: Dai Hong-Jie
Published: December 2019

Background

Family history information (FHI) described in unstructured electronic health records (EHRs) is a valuable information source for patient care and scientific researches. Since FHI is usually described in the format of free text, the entire process of FHI extraction consists of various steps including section segmentation, family member and clinical observation extraction, and relation discovery between the extracted members and their observations. The extraction step involves the recognition of FHI concepts along with their properties such as the family side attribute of the family member concept.

Methods

This study focuses on the extraction step and formulates it as a sequence labeling problem. We employed a neural sequence labeling model along with different tag schemes to distinguish family members and their observations. Corresponding to different tag schemes, the identified entities were aggregated and processed by different algorithms to determine the required properties.

Results

We studied the effectiveness of encoding required properties in the tag schemes by evaluating their performance on the dataset released by the BioCreative/OHNLP challenge 2018. It was observed that the proposed side scheme along with the developed features and neural network architecture can achieve an overall F1-score of 0.849 on the test set, which ranked second in the FHI entity recognition subtask.

Conclusions

By comparing with the performance of conditional random fields models, the developed neural network-based models performed significantly better. However, our error analysis revealed two challenging issues of the current approach. One is that some properties required cross-sentence inferences. The other is that the current model is not able to distinguish between the narratives describing the family members of the patient and those specifying the relatives of the patient’s family members.
Siglec-15: a potential regulator of osteoporosis, cancer, and infectious diseases
Authors: Angata Takashi
Published: January 2020

Siglec-15 is a member of the Siglec family of glycan-recognition proteins, primarily expressed on a subset of myeloid cells. Siglec-15 has been known to be involved in osteoclast differentiation, and is considered to be a potential therapeutic target for osteoporosis. Recent studies revealed unexpected roles of Siglec-15 in microbial infection and the cancer microenvironment, expanding the potential pathophysiological roles of Siglec-15. Chemical biology has advanced our understanding of the nature of Siglec-15 ligands, but the exact nature of Siglec-15 ligand depends on the biological context, leaving plenty of room for further exploration.
The association of metabolic syndrome components and chronic kidney disease in patients with hypertension
Authors: Xie Kun , Bao Liwen , Jiang Xiaofei , Ye Zi , Bing Jianping , Dong Yugang , Gao Danchen , Ji Xiaoping , Jiang Tingbo , Li Jiehua , Li Yan , Luo Suxin , Mao Wei , Peng Daoquan , Qu Peng , Song Shangming , Wang Hui , Wang Zhaohui , Xu Biao , Yin Xinhua , Yu Zaixin , Zhang Xinjun , Zhang Zixin , Zhu Zhiming , Gao Xiufang , Li Yong
Published: December 2019

Background

Hypertension is a highly prevalent disease and the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Metabolic syndrome could also be the risk factor for CKD. We sought to study the association between metabolic syndrome components and the prevalence of CKD in patients with hypertension.

Methods

We carried out a multi-center cross-sectional study from Apr. 2017- Apr. 2018 in 15 cities in China.

Results

A total of 2484 patients with hypertension were enrolled. Among them, 56% were male and the average age was 65.12 ± 12.71 years. The systolic BP/diastolic BP was 142 ± 18/83 ± 12 mmHg. Metabolic syndrome components turned out to be highly prevalent in patients with hypertension, ranging from 40 to 58%. The prevalence of chronic kidney disease reached 22.0%. Multi-variate logistic analysis revealed that elevated triglyceride (TG) (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.28–2.57, p < 0.01), elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.00–2.07, p = 0.05) and hypertension grades (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.00–1.44, p = 0.05) were associated with the prevalence of CKD. In sub-group analysis, elevated TG remained strongly associated with CKD in both diabetes (OR = 2.10, 95%CI 1.22–3.61, p < 0.01) and non-diabetes (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.09–2.16, p = 0.01). In sub-group analysis of hypertension grades, there was also a graded trend between elevated TG and CKD from controlled blood pressure (BP) to hypertension grade 2 (OR = 1.81, 95%CI 1.06–3.11, p = 0.03; OR = 1.85, 95%CI 1.00–3.43, p = 0.05; OR = 2.81, 95% CI 1.09–7.28, p = 0.03, respectively).

Conclusion

Elevated TG, elevated FBG and hypertension grades were significantly associated with the prevalence of CKD in patients with hypertension. Particularly, elevated TG was strongly associated with CKD, independent of diabetes and hypertension grades.