bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Obesity on Postacute Outcomes of Skilled Nursing Facility Residents with Hip Fracture
Authors: Kosar Cyrus M. , Thomas Kali S. , Gozalo Pedro L. , Ogarek Jessica A. , Mor Vincent
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To examine the effect of obesity (body mass index (BMI)≥30.0 kg/m2) on outcomes of older adults admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for hip fracture postacute care (PAC).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

U.S. Medicare‐ and Medicaid‐certified SNFs from 2008 to 2015.

Participants

Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries discharged to a SNF after hospitalization for hip fracture (N=586,683; n=82,768 (14.1%) meeting obesity criteria). Exclusion criteria were aged younger than 65, being underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m2), and SNF use in the year prior to index hospitalization.

Measurements

Residents were divided into 4 BMI categories according to cutoffs that the World Health Organization has established: not obese (BMI 18.5–29.9 kg/m2), mild obesity (BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), moderate obesity (BMI 35.0–39.9 kg/m2), and severe obesity (BMI≥40.0 kg/m2). Robust Poisson regression was used to compare differences in average nursing facility length of stay (LOS) and rates of 30‐day hospital readmission, successful discharge to community, and becoming a long‐stay resident (LOS>100) according to obesity level. Models were adjusted for individual‐level covariates and facility fixed effects.

Results

Residents with mild (adjusted relative risk (aRR)=1.16, 95% CI=1.12–1.19), moderate (aRR=1.27, 95% CI=1.20–1.35), and severe (aRR=1.67, 95% CI=1.54–1.82) obesity were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days than those who were not obese. The average difference in LOS between residents without obesity and those with mild obesity was 2.6 days (95% CI=2.2–2.9 days); moderate obesity, 4.2 days (95% CI=3.7–5.1 days); and severe obesity, 7.0 days (95% CI=5.9–8.2 days). Residents with obesity were less likely to be successfully discharged and more likely to become long‐stay nursing home residents.

Conclusion

Obesity was associated with worse outcomes in postacute SNF residents with hip fracture. Efforts to provide targeted care to residents with obesity may be essential to improve outcomes. Obesity may be an overlooked risk adjuster in quality‐of‐care measures and in payment reforms related to PAC for individuals with hip fracture.
Diffeomorphism groups of tame Cantor sets and Thompson-like groups
Authors: Funar Louis , Neretin Yurii
Published: April 2018

The group of ${\mathcal{C}}^{1}$-diffeomorphisms of any sparse Cantor subset of a manifold is countable and discrete (possibly trivial). Thompson’s groups come out of this construction when we consider central ternary Cantor subsets of an interval. Brin’s higher-dimensional generalizations $nV$ of Thompson’s group $V$ arise when we consider products of central ternary Cantor sets. We derive that the ${\mathcal{C}}^{2}$-smooth mapping class group of a sparse Cantor sphere pair is a discrete countable group and produce this way versions of the braided Thompson groups.
Improved de novo genomic assembly for the domestic donkey
Authors: Renaud Gabriel , Petersen Bent , Seguin-Orlando Andaine , Bertelsen Mads Frost , Waller Andrew , Newton Richard , Paillot Romain , Bryant Neil , Vaudin Mark , Librado Pablo , Orlando Ludovic
Published: April 2018

New donkey genome reference unveils chromosomal rearrangements potentially involved in equine speciation and hybrid sterility.
Postnatal Zika virus infection is associated with persistent abnormalities in brain structure, function, and behavior in infant macaques
Authors: Mavigner Maud , Raper Jessica , Kovacs-Balint Zsofia , Gumber Sanjeev , O’Neal Justin T. , Bhaumik Siddhartha K. , Zhang Xiaodong , Habib Jakob , Mattingly Cameron , McDonald Circe E. , Avanzato Victoria , Burke Mark W. , Magnani Diogo M. , Bailey Varian K. , Watkins David I. , Vanderford Thomas H. , Fair Damien , Earl Eric , Feczko Eric , Styner Martin , Jean Sherrie M. , Cohen Joyce K. , Silvestri Guido , Johnson R. Paul , O’Connor David H. , Wrammert Jens , Suthar Mehul S. , Sanchez Mar M. , Alvarado Maria C. , Chahroudi Ann
Published: April 2018

Zika virus infection early after birth has deleterious effects on the developing brain and long-term behavioral changes in rhesus macaques.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus
Serotype 6, Isolated from Florida White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Authors: Ahasan Mohammad Shamim , Subramaniam Kuttichantran , Lednicky John A. , Loeb Julia C. , Sayler Katherine A. , Wisely Samantha M. , Waltzek Thomas B.
Published: April 2018

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus
(EHDV) serotype 6 (EHDV-6), isolated from a Florida white-tailed deer (
Odocoileus virginianus
) in 2016. To our knowledge, this is the first full genome sequence determined for an EHDV-6 isolate from Florida.
Draft Genome Sequences of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis and Kentucky Isolates from Retail Poultry Sources
Authors: Shi Zhaohao , Kaldhone Pravin R. , Khajanchi Bijay K. , Foley Steven L. , Ricke Steven C.
Published: April 2018

The draft genome sequences of four
Salmonella enterica
serovar Enteritidis and Kentucky isolates were evaluated for biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. The
Salmonella
serovar Kentucky strains CFS84 and CFS85 and
Salmonella
serovar Enteritidis strains CFS86 and CFS87 were isolated from retail poultry sources in Arkansas.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Basidiomycete White-Rot Fungus Phlebia centrifuga
Authors: Mäkelä Miia R. , Peng Mao , Granchi Zoraide , Chin-A-Woeng Thomas , Hegi Rosa , van Pelt Sake I. , Ahrendt Steven , Riley Robert , Hainaut Matthieu , Henrissat Bernard , Grigoriev Igor V. , de Vries Ronald P. , Hildén Kristiina S.
Published: April 2018

Here, we report the genome sequence of wood-decaying white-rot fungus
Phlebia centrifuga
strain FBCC195, isolated from Norway spruce (
Picea abies
) in Finnish Lapland. The 34.66-Mb genome containing 13,785 gene models is similar to the genome length reported for other saprobic white-rot species.
The Polyphenolic Compound Curcumin Conjugation with an Alkyne Moiety in the Process of Autophagy
Authors: Yan Peiyi , Sun Xin , Chen Xiaochen , Chen Yun , Wang Xiao , Su Dan , Zhou Hongying , Gao Liang , Lu Liqin , Wang Jigang , Zhang Jianbin
Published: April 2018

Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from turmeric: the rhizome of the herb Curcumalonga. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process, in which cellular proteins and organelles are engulfed in autophagosome and then fuses with lysosome for degradation. Our previous study showed that Curcumin activates lysosome and induce autophagy through inhibition of AKT (protein kinase K, PKB)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. But whether Curucmin affects the fusion of autophagosome-lysosome is still not clear. Here, we used Curcumin-probe conjugation with an alkyne moiety to label mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and found that Curcumin targets autophagy-related proteins, enhances autophagic flux and activates lysosome in cells. Moreover, Curcumin treatment promotes the fusion of autophasosome-lysosome in MEFs. Second, the enhanced fusion of autophagosome-lysosome is attributed to mTOR suppression. Third, blockage of the autophagosome-lysosome fusion leads to cell growth inhibition by Curcumin. Taken together, data from our study indicates the importance of the fusion of autophagosome-lysosome in Curcumin-induced autophagy, which may facilitate the development of Curcumin as a potential therapeutic agent for oxidative stress-related diseases.
Robot Inner Perception Capability Through a Soft Somatosensory System
Authors: Augello Agnese , Infantino Ignazio , Maniscalco Umberto , Pilato Giovanni , Vella Filippo
Published: April 2018

The capability of a robot being aware of its internal status is a step forward to the enhancement of human–robot interaction. The possibility of feeling either pleasant or unpleasant sensations is at the basis of the motivation level of a robot. It can modulate the “willingness” of accomplishing a given task. Negative sensations can represent an alarm indicating dangerous situations, while the feeling of a reassuring environment or a well-being sensation can be a stimulus in pursuing the task, even in the presence of a painful perception. In this paper, we illustrate a bio-inspired somatosensory system embedded in a cognitive model for a humanoid robot. The system is based on a set of soft sensors that have been designed in order to make it possible for the interpretation of the robot physical sensations through a proper classification of the perceived somatosensory signals. This interpretation triggers and modulates the motivation level of the robot as well as its behavior.
Supporting Semantic Capture During Kinesthetic Teaching of Collaborative Industrial Robots
Authors: Stenmark Maj , Haage Mathias , Topp Elin A. , Malec Jacek
Published: April 2018

Industrial robot systems being deployed today do not contain domain knowledge to aid robot operators in setup and operational use. To gather such knowledge in a robotic context requires mechanisms for entering and capturing semantic data. Such mechanisms would allow a system to gradually build a working vocabulary while interacting with the environment and operators, valuable for the bootstrapping system knowledge and ensuring the data collection over time. This paper presents a prototype user interface that assists the kinesthetic teaching mode of a collaborative industrial robot, allowing for the capture of semantic information while working with the robot in day-to-day use. Two modalities, graphical point-and-click and natural language, support capture of semantic context and the building of a working vocabulary of the environment while modifying or creating robot programs. A semantic capture experiment illustrates the approach.
The Auxiliary Differential Equations Perfectly Matched Layers Based on the Hybrid SETD and PSTD Algorithms for Acoustic Waves
Authors: Deng Chunhua , Luo Ma , Yuan Mengqing , Zhao Bo , Zhuang Mingwei , Liu Qing Huo
Published: April 2018

The perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary condition has been proven to absorb body waves and surface waves very efficiently at non-grazing incidence. However, the traditional PML would generate large spurious reflections at grazing incidence, for example, when the sources are located near the truncating boundary and the receivers are at a large offset. In this paper, a new PML implementation is presented for the boundary truncation in three-dimensional spectral element time domain (SETD) for solving acoustic wave equations. This method utilizes pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) method to solve first-order auxiliary differential equations (ADEs), which is more straightforward than that in the classical FEM framework.
Blind Separation of Heart Sounds
Authors: Chen Lingguang , Wu Sean F. , Xu Yong , Lyman William D. , Kapur Gaurav
Published: April 2018

This paper presents a theoretical foundation for the newly developed methodology that enables the prediction of blood pressures based on the heart sounds measured directly on the chest of a patient. The key to this methodology is the separation of heart sounds into first heart sound and second heart sound, from which components attributable to four heart valves, i.e.: mitral; tricuspid; aortic; and pulmonary valve-closure sounds are separated. Since human physiology and anatomy can vary among people and are unknown a priori, such separation is called blind source separation. Moreover, the sources locations, their surroundings and boundary conditions are unspecified. Consequently, it is not possible to obtain an exact separation of signals. To circumvent this difficulty, we extend the point source separation method in this paper to an inhomogeneous fluid medium, and further combine it with iteration schemes to search for approximate source locations and signal propagation speed. Once these are accomplished, the signals emitted from individual sources are separated by deconvoluting mixed signals with respect to the identified sources. Both numerical simulation example and experiment have demonstrated that this approach can provide satisfactory source separation results.
Asymptotic Optimal Control of Markov-Modulated Restless Bandits
Authors: Duran Santiago , Verloop Ina Maria
Published: April 2018

This paper studies optimal control subject to changing conditions. This is an area that recently received a lot of attention as it arises in numerous situations in practice. Some applications being cloud computing systems where the arrival rates of new jobs fluctuate over time, or the time-varying capacity as encountered in power-aware systems or wireless downlink channels.

To study this, we focus on a restless bandit model, which has proved to be a powerful stochastic optimization framework to model scheduling of activities. In particular, it has been extensively applied in the context of optimal control of computing systems. This paper is a first step to its optimal control when restless bandits are subject to changing conditions, the latter being modeled by Markov-modulated environments. We consider the restless bandit problem in an asymptotic regime, which is obtained by letting the population of bandits grow large, and letting the environment change relatively fast. We present sufficient conditions for a policy to be asymptotically optimal and show that a set of priority policies satisfies these. Under an indexability assumption, an averaged version of Whittle's index policy is proved to be inside this set of asymptotic optimal policies. The performance of the averaged Whittle's index policy is numerically evaluated for a multi-class scheduling problem in a wireless downlink subject to changing conditions. While keeping the number of bandits constant, we observe that the average Whittle index policy becomes close to optimal as the speed of the modulated environment increases.
Bootstrapped Graph Diffusions
Authors: Eliav Buchnik , Cohen Edith
Published: April 2018

Graph-based semi-supervised learning (SSL) algorithms predict labels for all nodes based on provided labels of a small set of seed nodes. Classic methods capture the graph structure through some underlying diffusion process that propagates through the graph edges. Spectral diffusion, which includes personalized page rank and label propagation, propagates through random walks. Social diffusion propagates through shortest paths. These diffusions are
linear
in the sense of not distinguishing between contributions of few "strong" relations or many "weak" relations.

Recent methods such as node embeddings and graph convolutional networks (GCN) attained significant gains in quality for SSL tasks. These methods vary on how the graph structure, seed label information, and other features are used, but do share a common thread of nonlinearity that suppresses weak relations and reenforces stronger ones.

Aiming for quality gain with more scalable methods, we revisit classic linear diffusion methods and place them in a self-training framework. The resulting
bootstrapped diffusions
are nonlinear in that they re-enforce stronger relations, as with the more complex methods. Surprisingly, we observe that SSL with bootstrapped diffusions not only significantly improves over the respective non-bootstrapped baselines but also outperform state-of-the-art SSL methods. Moreover, since the self-training wrapper retains the scalability of the base method, we obtain both higher quality and better scalability.
Minimizing Queue Length Regret Under Adversarial Network Models
Authors: Liang Qingkai , Modiano Eytan
Published: April 2018

Stochastic models have been dominant in network optimization theory for over two decades, due to their analytical tractability. However, these models fail to capture non-stationary or even adversarial network dynamics which are of increasing importance for modeling the behavior of networks under malicious attacks or characterizing short-term transient behavior. In this paper, we focus on minimizing queue length regret under adversarial network models, which measures the finite-time queue length difference between a causal policy and an "oracle" that knows the future. Two adversarial network models are developed to characterize the adversary's behavior. We provide lower bounds on queue length regret under these adversary models and analyze the performance of two control policies (i.e., the MaxWeight policy and the Tracking Algorithm). We further characterize the stability region under adversarial network models, and show that both the MaxWeight policy and the Tracking Algorithm are throughput-optimal even in adversarial settings.
A Whittle's Index Based Approach for QoE Optimization in Wireless Networks
Authors: Anand Arjun , de Veciana Gustavo
Published: April 2018

The design of schedulers to optimize heterogeneous users' Quality of Experience (QoE) remains a challenging and important problem for wireless systems. This paper explores three inter-related aspects of this problem: 1) non-linear relationships between a user's QoE and flow delays; 2) managing load dependent QoE trade-offs among heterogeneous application classes; and 3), striking a good balance between opportunistic scheduling and greedy QoE optimization. To that end we study downlink schedulers which minimize the expected cost modeled by convex functions of flow delays for users with heterogeneous channel rate variations. The essential features of this challenging problem are modeled as a Markov Decision Process to which we apply Whittle's relaxation, which in turn is shown to be indexable. Based on the Whittle's relaxation we develop a new scheduling policy, Opportunistic Delay Based Index Policy (ODIP). We then prove various structural properties for ODIP which result in closed form expressions for Whittle's indices under different scheduler scenarios. Using extensive simulations we show that ODIP scheduler provides a robust means to realize complex QoE trade-offs for a range of system loads.
Harnessing technology for art history at the Frick Art Reference Library
Authors: Ruby Louisa Wood , Deutch Samantha
Published: April 2018

The Frick Art Reference Library has been researching the potential of computer technology to enhance the methods art historians have historically used to do their research. The Frick has launched a number of exciting new collaborative projects with the hopes of bringing the normally staid world of art history into the 21
st
century.
The Replica Project: Building a visual search engine for art historians
Authors: Seguin Benoit
Published: April 2018

From the time of prehistoric etchings on the walls of the Lascaux cave to the present day, people have always been creating art. With millions of artistic artifacts filling museums, churches, cultural institutions, and private collections across the globe, connecting to our shared cultural and artistic past is no longer impossible.
Rethinking creativity
Authors: Röder Seda
Published: April 2018

Why it matters to liberate creativity and how technology can help us along the way.
Expression of the B splice variant of NBCe1 (SLC4A4) in the mouse kidney
Authors: Fang Lijuan , Lee Hyun-Wook , Chen Chao , Harris Autumn N. , Romero Michael F. , Verlander Jill W. , Weiner I. David
Published: April 2018

Sodium-coupled bicarbonate transporters are critical for renal electrolyte transport. The electrogenic, sodium-coupled bicarbonate cotransporter, isoform 1 (NBCe1), encoded by the SLC4A4 geneencoded by the SLC4A4 gene has five multiple splice variants; the A splice variant, NBCe1-A, is the primary basolateral bicarbonate transporter in the proximal convoluted tubule. This study’s purpose was to determine if there is expression of additional NBCe1 splice variants in the mouse kidney, their cellular distribution, and their regulation by metabolic acidosis. In wild-type mice, an antibody reactive only to NBCe1-A showed basolateral immunolabel only in cortical proximal tubule (PT) segments, whereas an antibody reactive to all NBCe1 splice variants (pan-NBCe1) showed basolateral immunolabel in PT segments in both the cortex and outer medulla. In mice with NBCe1-A deletion, the pan-NBCe1 antibody showed basolateral PT immunolabel in both the renal cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla, and immunoblot analysis showed expression of a ~121-kDa protein. RT-PCR of mRNA from NBCe1-A knockout mice directed at splice variant-specific regions showed expression of only NBCe1-B mRNA. In wild-type kidney, RT-PCR confirmed expression of mRNA for the NBCe1-B splice variant and absence of mRNA for the C, D, and E splice variants. Finally, exogenous acid loading increased expression in the proximal straight tubule in the outer stripe of the outer medulla. These studies demonstrate that the NBCe1-B splice variant is present in the PT, and its expression increases in response to exogenous acid loading, suggesting it participates in the PT contribution to acid-base homeostasis.
Comparison of potential dietary and urinary risk factors for ammonium urate nephrolithiasis in two bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) populations
Authors: Le-Bert Carolina R. , Smith Cynthia R. , Poindexter John , Ardente Amanda , Meegan Jenny , Wells Randall S. , Venn-Watson Stephanie , Jensen Eric D. , Sakhaee Khashayar
Published: April 2018

Dietary and urinary risk factors have been implicated in conditions favoring ammonium urate nephrolithiasis in managed dolphins compared with free-ranging dolphins. In this study, urine samples were collected from 16 dolphins (8 cases, 8 controls) from the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program for the purposes of assessing changes in urinary biomarkers after a large meal. Urinary biomarkers and nephrolithiasis presence were assessed opportunistically in 15 long-term resident free-ranging dolphins living in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Additionally, the total purine contents of fish commonly consumed by each dolphin population were measured to evaluate potential dietary risk factors. Populations were compared for total dietary purine composition, recently fed status, nephrolithiasis presence, and differences in urinary biochemical, acid-base, and physicochemical parameters via Wilcoxon rank sum analysis and least square means. Managed dolphins had higher urinary pH and ammonium ([Formula: see text]) in both pre- and postprandial conditions and higher urinary uric acid and saturation indices of NH4U in the postprandial condition compared with free-ranging dolphins ( P < 0.05). The purine content was greater ( P < 0.0001) in the diet consumed by managed dolphins [7 mmol/Mcal metabolizable energy (ME)] than in the free-ranging dolphin diet (4 mmol/Mcal ME). Free-ranging dolphins did not show evidence of nephrolithiasis. Observed differences in urinary biomarkers and dietary purine content in these two dolphin populations suggest a pathophysiologic basis for the role of fish types on the risk of NH4U stone formation. Future research should investigate fish type and feeding frequency, inhibitors and promoters, and alkalinizing therapy for reducing NH4U nephrolithiasis in dolphins.
A Poisson-Gamma Model for Zero Inflated Rainfall Data
Authors: Dzupire Nelson Christopher , Ngare Philip , Odongo Leo
Published: April 2018

Rainfall modeling is significant for prediction and forecasting purposes in agriculture, weather derivatives, hydrology, and risk and disaster preparedness. Normally two models are used to model the rainfall process as a chain dependent process representing the occurrence and intensity of rainfall. Such two models help in understanding the physical features and dynamics of rainfall process. However rainfall data is zero inflated and exhibits overdispersion which is always underestimated by such models. In this study we have modeled the two processes simultaneously as a compound Poisson process. The rainfall events are modeled as a Poisson process while the intensity of each rainfall event is Gamma distributed. We minimize overdispersion by introducing the dispersion parameter in the model implemented through Tweedie distributions. Simulated rainfall data from the model shows a resemblance of the actual rainfall data in terms of seasonal variation, means, variance, and magnitude. The model also provides mechanisms for small but important properties of the rainfall process. The model developed can be used in forecasting and predicting rainfall amounts and occurrences which is important in weather derivatives, agriculture, hydrology, and prediction of drought and flood occurrences.
Polyaniline/Polystyrene Blends: In-Depth Analysis of the Effect of Sulfonic Acid Dopant Concentration on AC Conductivity Using Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy
Authors: Al-Thani Noora , Hassan Mohammad K. , Bhadra Jolly
Published: April 2018

This work presents an in-depth analysis of the alternating current (AC) conductivity of polyaniline-polystyrene (PANI-PS) blends doped with camphor sulfonic acid (CSA) and prepared using an in situ dispersion polymerization technique. We prepared the blends using fixed ratios of PS to PANI while varying the concentration of the CSA dopant. The AC conductivity of the blends was investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Increasing CSA resulted in a decrease in the AC conductivity of the blends. This behaviour was explained in terms of the availability of a lone pair of electrons of the NH groups in the polyaniline, which are typically attacked by the electron-withdrawing sulfonic acid groups of CSA. The conductivity is discussed in terms of changes in the dielectric permittivity storage (ε′), loss (ε′′), and modulus (M′′) of the blends over a wide range of temperatures. This is linked to the glass transition temperature of the PANI. Dielectric spectra at low frequencies indicated the presence of pronounced Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars (MWS) interfacial polarization, especially in samples with a low concentration of CSA. Electrical conduction activation energies for the blends were also calculated using the temperature dependence of the direct current (DC) conductivity at a low frequency (σdc), which exhibit an Arrhenius behaviour with respect to temperature. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a fibrous morphology for the pure PANI, while the blends showed agglomeration with increasing CSA concentrations.
Controllable Effective Threshold Based Fusion Coverage Algorithm in Mobile Sensor Networks
Authors: Lu Yong , Sun Na
Published: April 2018

The coverage quality and network lifetime are two key parameters in the research of sensor networks. The coverage quality shows direct influences on the network lifetime. Meanwhile, it is influenced by many other factors such as physical parameters and environmental parameters. To reveal the connection between the coverage quality and the parameters of target node concerned, a fusion coverage algorithm with controllable effective threshold is proposed based on the sensing probability model. We give the model for the membership function of coverage intensity as well as the prediction model for the fusion operator. The range for the effective threshold is presented according to the membership function model. Meanwhile, the maximum of the effective coverage intensity for the target nodes within the monitoring area is derived. The derivation of the maximal fusion coverage intensity is elaborated utilizing a processing function on the distances from the target node to the ones in the sensor node set. Furthermore, we investigate different network properties within the monitoring area such as network coverage quality, the dynamic change of parameters, and the network lifetime, based on the probability theory and the geometric theory. Finally, we present numerical simulations to verify the performances of our algorithm. It is shown under different settings that, compared with the demand coverage quality, the proposed algorithm could improve the network coverage quality by 15.66% on average. The simulation experiment results show that our proposed algorithm has an average improvement by 10.12% and 13.23% in terms of the performances on network coverage quality and network lifetime, respectively. The research results are enlightening to the edge coverage and nonlinear coverage problems within the monitoring area.
Isolated Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis of Orbit: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Naik Mayuresh , Mehta Anuj , Mehrotra Neha , Solanki Anil
Published: April 2018

A 2-year-old male child presented with a painless progressive mass in the inferolateral aspect of right orbit of three-month duration. Differential leucocyte count revealed raised eosinophil count (13%). On radiological examination, CT scan showed 25 × 27 mm round well-defined smooth-outlined homogenously enhancing extraconal mass arising from the zygomatic bone at the inferotemporal periorbital area of right orbit with bone erosion. Histopathological examination of the incision biopsy revealed characteristic Langerhans cells and immunohistochemical studies were positive for S-100 protein and adenosine deaminase. A diagnosis of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) was made and PET-CT revealed no other foci of uptake anywhere else in the body. The patient received 12 cycles of vinblastine, 0.2 mg/kg body weight, along with oral prednisolone, 1 mg/kg body weight. On completion of three cycles of chemotherapy, a reduction in size of the mass was noticed. A repeat PET scan was done 3 months after completion of chemotherapy did not reveal any activity noted previously.
The Association between Intradialytic Hypertension and Metabolic Disorders in End Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Raikou Vaia D. , Kyriaki Despina
Published: April 2018

Background. Intradialytic hypertension was associated with a high mortality risk. We examined the relationship between intradialytic hypertension and metabolic disorders in hemodialysis treatment patients.Methods. We studied 76 patients in online hemodiafiltration. Dialysis adequacy was defined byKt/Vfor urea. Normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), as a marker of protein intake, was calculated. Sodium removal was determined as percent sodium removal. Metabolic acidosis was determined by serum bicarbonate less than 22 mmol/L. Interdialytic urine volume more than 100 ml was recorded. Intradialytic hypertension was defined by an increase in systolic blood pressure equal to 10 mmHg from pre- to posthemodialysis. Arterial stiffness was assessed as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-fPWV) and carotid augmentation index (AIx). Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were applied for intradialytic hypertension prediction.Results. Patients with intradialytic hypertension were older and had significantly lower hemoglobin, nPCR, urine output, and serum bicarbonate and significantly higher c-fPWV, though similarKt/Vfor urea, than patients without intradialytic hypertension. They also had increased sodium removal and pulse pressure related to less urine output. Serum bicarbonate was inversely associated with c-fPWV (r=-0.377,p=0.001). Chi-square test showed significant association between intradialytic hypertension and serum bicarbonate < 22 mmol/L (x2=5.6,p=0.01), which was supported by an adjusted model.Conclusion. The intradialytic hypertension was significantly associated with metabolic disorders including malnutrition/inflammation and uncontrolled metabolic acidosis in hemodialysis treatment patients. Severe metabolic acidosis may reflect sodium imbalance and hemodynamic instability of these patients resulting in volume overload and increased vascular resistance.
Optimum Design of a Nonlinear Vibration Absorber Coupled to a Resonant Oscillator: A Case Study
Authors: Abundis-Fong H. F. , Enríquez-Zárate J. , Cabrera-Amado A. , Silva-Navarro G.
Published: April 2018

This paper presents the optimal design of a passive autoparametric cantilever beam vibration absorber for a linear mass‐spring‐damper system subject to harmonic external force. The design of the autoparametric vibration absorber is obtained by using an approximation of the nonlinear frequency response function, computed via the multiple scales method. Based on the solution given by the perturbation method mentioned above, a static optimization problem is formulated in order to determine the optimum parameters (mass and length) of the nonlinear absorber which minimizes the steady state amplitude of the primary mass under resonant conditions; then, a PZT actuator is cemented to the base of the beam, so the nonlinear absorber is made active, thus enabling the possibility of controlling the effective stiffness associated with the passive absorber and, as a consequence, the implementation of an active vibration control scheme able to preserve, as possible, the autoparametric interaction as well as to compensate varying excitation frequencies and parametric uncertainty. Finally, some simulations and experimental results are included to validate and illustrate the dynamic performance of the overall system.
Breast-i Is an Effective and Reliable Adjunct Screening Tool for Detecting Early Tumour Related Angiogenesis of Breast Cancers in Low Resource Sub-Saharan Countries
Authors: Ghartey Frank Naku , Watmough David , Debrah Samuel , Morna Martin , Anyanful Akwasi
Published: April 2018

Background. What cheaper alternative breast screening procedures are available to younger women in addition to clinical breast examination (CBE) in Sub-Saharan countries? In 2009, we first described BreastLight for screening and reported high sensitivity at detecting breast cancer. Due to limitations of BreastLight, we have since 2014 been using the more technologically advanced Breast-i to screen 2204 women to find cheaper screening alternatives. Methodology. First, the participant lies down for CBE and then, in a darkened room, Breast-i was placed underneath each breast and trained personnel confirm vein pattern and look out for dark spot(s) to ascertain the presence of suspicious angiogenic lesion(s). Results. CBE detected 153 palpable breast masses and Breast-i, which detects angiogenesis, confirmed 136. However, Breast-i detected 22 more cases of which 7 had angiogenesis but were not palpable and 15 were missed by CBE due to large breast size. Overall confirmed cases were 26, with Breast-i detecting 7 cases missed by CBE. Breast-i and CBE gave sensitivities of 92.3% and 73%, respectively. Conclusion. Breast-i with its high sensitivity to angiogenesis, reliability, and affordability will be an effective adjunct detection device that can be used effectively to increase early detection in younger women, thereby increasing treatment success.
Apelin-13 Is an Early Promoter of Cytoskeleton and Tight Junction in Diabetic Macular Edema via PI-3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk Signaling Pathways
Authors: Li Yang , Bai Yu-jing , Jiang Yan-rong , Yu Wen-zhen , Shi Xuan , Chen Li , Feng Jing , Sun Gui-bo
Published: April 2018

Diabetic macular edema is major cause of vision loss associated with diabetic retinopathy. Breakdown of blood-retinal barrier, especially inner BRB, is an early event in pathogenesis of DR. Apelin, an endogenous ligand of APJ, mediates angiogenesis and is involved in the development of DR. The present study aimed to investigate effects and mechanism of apelin-13 in vascular permeability during DME. We verified apelin-13 was upregulated in DME patients’ vitreous. High glucose incubation led to a progressive increase of apelin-13, APJ, cytoskeleton, and tight junction proteins, including VE-Cadherin, FAK, Src, ZO-1, and occludin. Apelin-13 promoted HRMEC proliferation and migration and phosphorylation of both cytoskeleton and tight junction under both normal and high glucose conditions. Besides, apelin-13 activated PI-3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling pathways, including PLCγ1, p38, Akt, and Erk both in HRMEC and in C57BL/6 mice. Meanwhile, F13A performed opposite effects compared with apelin-13. In in vivo study, apelin-13 was also upregulated in retina of db/db mice. Taken together, apelin-13 increased biologic activity of HRMEC, as well as expression of both cytoskeleton and tight junction in DME via PI-3K/Akt and MAPK/Erk signaling pathways. Apelin-13 as an early promoter of vascular permeability may offer a new perspective strategy in early treatment of DR.
Cement Types, Composition, Uses and Advantages of Nanocement, Environmental Impact on Cement Production, and Possible Solutions
Authors: Dunuweera S. P. , Rajapakse R. M. G.
Published: April 2018

We first discuss cement production and special nomenclature used by cement industrialists in expressing the composition of their cement products. We reveal different types of cement products, their compositions, properties, and typical uses. Wherever possible, we tend to give reasons as to why a particular cement type is more suitable for a given purpose than other types. Cement manufacturing processes are associated with emissions of large quantities of greenhouse gases and environmental pollutants. We give below quantitative and qualitative analyses of environmental impact of cement manufacturing. Controlling pollution is a mandatory legal and social requirement pertinent to any industry. As cement industry is one of the biggest CO2 emitters, it is appropriate to discuss different ways and means of CO2 capture, which will be done next. Finally, we give an account of production of nanocement and advantages associated with nanocement. Nanofillers such as nanotitania, nanosilica, and nanoalumina can be produced in large industrial scale via top‐down approach of reducing size of naturally available bulk raw materials to those in the nanorange of 1 nm–100 nm. We mention the preparation of nanotitania and nanosilica from Sri Lankan mineral sands and quartz deposits, respectively, for the use as additives in cement products to improve performance and reduce the amount and cost of cement production and consequent environmental impacts. As of now, mineral sands and other treasures of minerals are exported without much value addition. Simple chemical modifications or physical treatments would add enormous value to these natural materials. Sri Lanka is gifted with highly pure quartz and graphite from which silica and graphite nanoparticles, respectively, can be prepared by simple size reduction processes. These can be used as additives in cements. Separation of constituents of mineral sands is already an ongoing process.
Stemness-Attenuating miR-503-3p as a Paracrine Factor to Regulate Growth of Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Seo Minkoo , Kim Seung Min , Woo Eun Young , Han Ki-Cheol , Park Eun Joo , Ko Seongyeol , Choi Eun wook , Jang Mihue
Published: April 2018

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) with self-renewal abilities endorse cellular heterogeneity, resulting in metastasis and recurrence. However, there are no promising therapeutics directed against CSCs. Herein, we found that miR-503-3p inhibited tumor growth via the regulation of CSC proliferation and self-renewal. miR-503-3p, isolated from human adipose stem cell- (ASC-) derived exosomes, suppressed initiation and progression of CSCs as determined by anchorage-dependent (colony formation) and anchorage-independent (tumorsphere formation) assays. The expression of pluripotency genes was significantly decreased in miR-503-3p-treated CSCs. Furthermore, xenografts, which received miR-503-3p, exhibited remarkably reduced tumor growth in vivo. Thus, miR-503-3p may function as a stemness-attenuating factor via cell-to-cell communications.
Optimizing the Delivery of Inhaled Medication for Respiratory Patients: The Role of Valved Holding Chambers
Authors: McIvor R. Andrew , Devlin Hollie M. , Kaplan Alan
Published: April 2018

Valved holding chambers (VHCs) have been used with pressurized metered-dose inhalers since the early 1980s. They have been shown to increase fine particle delivery to the lungs, decrease oropharyngeal deposition, and reduce side effects such as throat irritation, dysphonia, and oral candidiasis that are common with use of pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) alone. VHCs act as aerosol reservoirs, allowing the user to actuate the pMDI device and then inhale the medication in a two-step process that helps users overcome challenges in coordinating pMDI actuation with inhalation. The design of VHC devices can have an impact on performance. Features such as antistatic properties, effective face-to-facemask seal feedback whistles indicating correct inhalation speed, and inhalation indicators all help improve function and performance, and have been demonstrated to improve asthma control, reduce the rate of exacerbations, and improve quality of life. Not all VHCs are the same, and they are not interchangeable. Each pairing of a pMDI device plus VHC should be considered as a unique delivery system.
A Missense Mutation in POU4F3 Causes Midfrequency Hearing Loss in a Chinese ADNSHL Family
Authors: Gao Xue , Xu Jin-Cao , Wang Wei-Qian , Yuan Yong-Yi , Bai Dan , Huang Sha-Sha , Wang Guo-Jian , Su Yu , Li Jia , Kang Dong-Yang , Zhang Mei-Guang , Lin Xi , Dai Pu
Published: April 2018

Hereditary nonsyndromic hearing loss is extremely heterogeneous. Mutations in the POU class 4 transcription factor 3 (POU4F3) are known to cause autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss linked to the loci of DFNA15. In this study, we describe a pathogenic missense mutation in POU4F3 in a four-generation Chinese family (6126) with midfrequency, progressive, and postlingual autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss (ADNSHL). By combining targeted capture of 129 known deafness genes, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis, we identified POU4F3 c.602T>C (p.Leu201Pro) as the disease-causing variant. This variant cosegregated with hearing loss in other family members but was not detected in 580 normal controls or the ExAC database and could be classified as a “pathogenic variant” according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. We conclude that POU4F3 c.602T>C (p.Leu201Pro) is related to midfrequency hearing loss in this family. Routine examination of POU4F3 is necessary for the genetic diagnosis of midfrequency hearing loss.
Grey Relational Bidirectional Projection Method for Multicriteria Decision Making with Hesitant Intuitionistic Fuzzy Linguistic Information
Authors: Zang Yuqi , Zhao Xiaodong , Li Shiyong , Nazir Adnan
Published: April 2018

We investigate a novel approach for multicriteria decision making (MCDM) with hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic information. To compare the hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic term sets (HIFLTSs), we propose a comparison method of HIFLTSs. A family of distance measures of HIFLTSs is developed. After that, we propose the grey relational bidirectional projection method based on the proposed comparison method and distance measures of IVHFLNs for dealing with MCDM problems. Furthermore, we establish a nonlinear optimization model to obtain the weight vector of criteria. Finally, an illustrative example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed approach.
Dentine Tubule Occlusion by Novel Bioactive Glass-Based Toothpastes
Authors: da Cruz Luiza Pereira Dias , Hill Robert G. , Chen Xiaojing , Gillam David G.
Published: April 2018

There are numerous over-the-counter (OTC) and professionally applied (in-office) products and techniques currently available for the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity (DH), but more recently, the use of bioactive glasses in toothpaste formulations have been advocated as a possible solution to managing DH. Aim. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to compare several bioactive glass formulations to investigate their effectiveness in an established in vitro model. Materials and Methods. A 45S5 glass was synthesized in the laboratory together with several other glass formulations: (1) a mixed glass (fluoride and chloride), (2) BioMinF, (3) a chloride glass, and (4) an amorphous chloride glass. The glass powders were formulated into five different toothpaste formulations. Dentine discs were sectioned from extracted human teeth and prepared for the investigation by removing the cutting debris (smear layer) following sectioning using a 6% citric acid solution for 2 minutes. Each disc was halved to provide test and control halves for comparison following the brushing of the five toothpaste formulations onto the test halves for each toothpaste group. Following the toothpaste application, the test discs were immersed in either artificial saliva or exposed to an acid challenge. Results. The dentine samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and observation of the SEM images indicated that there was good surface coverage following artificial saliva immersion. Furthermore, although the acid challenge removed the hydroxyapatite layer on the dentine surface for most of the samples, except for the amorphous chloride glass, there was evidence of tubular occlusion in the dentine tubules. Conclusions. The conclusions from the study would suggest that the inclusion of bioactive glass into a toothpaste formulation may be an effective approach to treat DH.
Robust Semiautomatic 2D-to-3D Conversion with Welsch M-Estimator for Data Fidelity
Authors: Yuan Hongxing , Wu Shaoqun , An Peng , Tong Chunya , Zheng You , Bao Shudi , Zhang Yongping
Published: April 2018

Semiautomatic 2D-to-3D conversion plays an important role in generating 3D contents for display. However, most existing methods assume that user scribbles are perfectly correct, and only give acceptable results when user provides accurate labels. To address this problem, Welsch M-estimator data fidelity is used to resist erroneous scribbles. The Welsch M-estimator data fidelity which is able to alleviate the influence of inaccurate scribbles has theoretical guarantee by means of its redescending property. First, the Welsch M-estimator is introduced to measure the fidelity between estimated depth and user provided depth; then local smoothness is built by using color weighted Welsch M-estimator to make neighboring pixels with similar colors have similar depth values. Finally, we solve the problem using generalized iteratively reweighted least squares algorithm. Experiments demonstrate that our method obtains competitive performance in the absence of inaccurate scribbles and outperforms the state of the art both visually and quantitatively in the presence of inaccurate scribbles.
A Molecular Imprinted Polymer as a Flow-Through Optical Sensor for Oxazepam
Authors: Machicote Roberta G. , Castillo Marcela A. , Pacheco Maria E. , Bruzzone Liliana
Published: April 2018

A flow-through optosensing system for oxazepam recognition with fluorescence detection was performed by means of a molecular imprinted polymer based on its acid hydrolysis product, 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone. The synthesis was conducted via a noncovalent imprinting methodology, using methacrylic acid as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linking agent. Hydrolysis (types and concentration of acids), polymer retention capacity, binding properties, and elution (selectivity and reversibility) conditions were optimized. The selected molecular imprinted polymer had a molar ratio composition of 1 : 6 : 45 (template : functional monomer : cross-linker). The proposed method was applied to the determination of oxazepam in a pharmaceutical formulation. External standard calibration, standard additions calibration, and Youden’s calibration were carried out in order to evaluate constant and proportional errors due to the matrix. The developed metabolite-based recognition system for benzodiazepines is an innovative procedure that could be followed in routine and quality control assays.